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CHEFS
NYC'S Top Female Chefs Team To Battle Cancer Top female chefs will once again serve signature dishes to fight cancer. In fact, more than two dozen of NYC’s top female chefs will serve savory and sweet dishes at the Ninth Annual “A Second Helping of Life” on Monday, September 24, 7 p.m., at Pier 60 at Chelsea Piers.
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hef Amanda Freitag (of Food Network’s “Chopped” and Cooking Channel’s series “Unique Eats”) will serve as Executive Chef at this fundraiser to support SHARE, a non-profit organization that offers free peer support to women with breast or ovarian cancer, their families and friends. All of SHARE’s services are free of charge and include helplines, educational programs, support groups, and public-health initiatives. SHARE will be honoring Successful Women Proud to Give Back: Mailet Lopez, founder of I Had Cancer and co-founder of Squeaky Wheel Media, and Amy A. Peterson, President of Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW). SHARE will also honor an Outstanding Organization Making a Difference: Lynnette Marrero & Ivy Mix, co-founders of Speed Rack. Finally, SHARE will recognize Alice Yaker, former Executive Director of SHARE, for her distinguished service to the organization. The participating chefs include: Anita Lo, Annisa; Rebecca Charles, Pearl Oyster Bar; Alexandra Guarnaschelli, The Darby & Butter Restaurant; Amy Scherber, Amy’s Bread; Alison Awerbuch, Abigail Kirsch Catering & Events; Einat Admony, Bala-
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// NEWS
ACQUISITION
Connecticut Based Chef’s Warehouse Adds Meat Company To Portfolio Connecticut specialty food firm The Chefs' Warehouse acquired meat and seafood supplier Michael's Finer Meats for $54.3m last month.
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vichael's Finer Meats, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, supplies custom cut beef, seafood and other meat products to restaurants, country clubs, hotels and casinos in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania, and has annual revenues of approximately $80m. The Chefs' Warehouse chairman and chief executive officer Chris Pappas said the company is seeking to build upon Michael's products and customer service, as it expands into the Midwest region.” Michael’s will complement our existing product offerings and significantly enhance our capabilities in centre-of-the-plate categories," Pappas added. "Joining The Chefs' Warehouse team is an exciting opportunity for
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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 2012 by IDA Publishing Inc. Contents in full or part may not be reproduced without permission. Not responsible for advertisers claims or statements.Periodicals Postage paid at the post office, Greenwich, CT and additional mailing offices. Additional entry at the post office in Pittsburg, PA. Subscription rate in USA is $36 per year; single copy; $3.00. Postmaster: Send address changes to Total Food Service, P.O. Box 2507, Greenwich, CT 06836
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// NEWS
SCHOOLS
New York City Revives Lunch Program That Keeps Top Toques in Schools Reversing course, city education officials have given a well-regarded culinary organization that recruits professional chefs to prepare school lunches a stay of execution. The move enabled the Wellness in the Schools program to continue with the opening of New York City's schools last month.
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he organizer of the program, Wellness in the Schools, also known as WITS, was praised for bringing healthy meals, made from scratch, into cafeterias. But because a new, more stringent set of federal nutritional standards is set to take effect this fall, education officials said earlier this month that WITS could not create school meals because
it could not ensure that all meals would meet the new rules, potentially costing the city some federal school lunch funding. After Christine C. Quinn, the City Council speaker, and other lawmakers urged the Education Department to figure out a way to keep Wellness in the Schools involved in devising and cooking meals, the department decided to allow the program to continue.
The program, which was used in 30 city public schools in the last year, is involved in a number of aspects of school food service including the planning and preparation of menus as well as cooking demonstrations, providing educational materials about nutrition and maintaining salad bars. 8 • September 2012 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
“We are working in collaboration with WITS on an alternative menu that will also meet the new U.S.D.A. regulations,” said Erin Hughes, a department spokeswoman. “The department always aims to work with our partners, and we value having an organization like WITS in our schools.” New York City earlier moved to terminate the program came from the lack of compliance with the requirements of the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act, which sets higher nutritional standards for the food served to students across the country, and provided an additional subsidy of 6 cents per meal for schools that comply. Organized by the nonprofit group Wellness in the Schools, the program won attention in culinary circles and applause from parents for bringing professional chefs into schools to plan and help prepare meals like vegetarian chili, pasta with fresh pesto and roasted chicken with homemade spice rub. The program, which was used in 30 city public schools in the last year, is involved in a number of aspects of school food service including the planning and preparation of menus as well
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// NEWS
NUTRITION
Unilever Teams With Tri-State Chefs On Seductive Nutrition Challenge Unilever Food Solutions is rallying restaurant chefs and operators across the U.S. and Canada to join the “Seductive Nutrition Challenge” by committing to remove 100 calories from one of their top dishes.
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ollectively, the small changes that restaurant operators make to top menu items has the potential to eliminate up to 10 million calories from restaurant meals, a goal Unilever Food Solutions set for the inaugural program. “As part of our global Sustainable Living Plan, we are committed to making a positive impact on the health and well-being of restaurant guests,” said Simon Marshall, president of Unilever Food Solutions North America. “We also recognize that in order for our customers to achieve success and deliver healthier choices for their guests, we must make the ‘Seductive Nutrition’ approach fit seamlessly into their operations.” U.S. diners have echoed the desire for small adjustments rather than an overhaul to menus to help them make healthy choices when dining out. In the recent Unilever Food Solutions’ World Menu Report titled “Seductive Nutrition,” 52 percent of the surveyed U.S diners noted that they look for the healthy option on menus, but 60 percent of the surveyed restaurant guests would prefer to have just slight-
Calorie reduction techniques from Lisa Carlson, MS, RD, nutrition manager at Unilever Food Solutions, offer suggestions for small changes to help restaurant guests benefit from slightly fewer calories while enjoying their favorite meals.
ly healthier food options when eating out. Brian Wansink, Ph.D., director of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University and author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think, says that the consumption of an extra 100 or 200 calories can slowly add up to pounds from year to year, but awareness and small changes can have an impact on restaurant guests’ eating habits and waistlines. “Restaurateurs and chefs can make
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subtle changes that nudge their guests into healthier choices and better eating habits,” said Wansink. “From the existing research, we’ve found that everything from the description of the menu item to the size of the plate to who you dine with can have an effect on a person feeling satisfied.” In addition to making their top dishes slightly healthier with ingredient and preparation adjustments, restaurant operators also can appeal to guests’ senses by enhancing the
menu item descriptions. The World Menu Report on “Seductive Nutrition” found that 50 percent of U.S. diners perceived the “seductive” or more improved menu description to be tastier than a neutral description. “In recent years, chefs and restaurant operators have responded to restaurant guests’ requests for healthier dishes at restaurants and eateries by including these options on their menus,” said Steve Jilleba, corporate executive chef for Unilever Food Solutions. “But to encourage diners to try these dishes, we also have to design our menus so that the healthier items sound as delicious as they are so they become attractive options for restaurant guests to choose.” To help restaurant operators and chefs create healthier dishes with strong menu appeal, Unilever Food Solutions now offers several resources, including the Seductive Nutrition tool, calorie reduction techniques and tips to enhance menu item descriptions. The Seductive Nutrition tool illustrates Unilever Food Solutions’ new approach to menu development with a before-and-after look at 10 top menu items updated with small changes to the nutrition profile and enhanced menu descriptions. Calorie reduction techniques from Lisa Carlson, MS, RD, nutrition manager at Unilever Food Solutions, offer suggestions for small changes to help restaurant guests benefit from slightly fewer calories while enjoying their favorite meals. Menu description tips developed by Chef Jilleba show how to make menu items sound as appealing as they taste
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// NEWS
CHEFS
Basulto Set To Run Kitchen As Cornerstone Inks Pact With W Hotel Hoboken Zylo Tuscan Steak House at the W Hoboken serves guests fine cuisine in a setting that keeps in step with the exposed energy of city life. Zylo Tuscan Steak House has recently bolstered its reputation by making Eric Basulto executive chef.
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hef Basulto has immersed himself in the art of culinary preparation over the past 16 years, and is ready to bring his diverse experiences and skills to Zylo’s tables. Chef Basulto is from New York and
graduated from New York Restaurant School in 1994. Chef Basulto worked as a sous chef at PATRIA after graduation, where he collaborated with Douglas Rodriguez on menu development as he absorbed the nuances of Latin Cuisine.
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He then joined China Grill in Miami, where he ultimately was named executive sous chef. Chef Basulto has worked in highly competitive fine dining scenes in Los Angeles, New York, London, Miami,
and the Dominican Republic. Chef Basulto created select menus and succulent cuisine during his stint as corporate chef for Asia de Cuba. Chef Basulto also gained experience as executive chef for Casa de Campo, the Dominican Republic’s only five-star resort. He has produced globally inspired cuisine most recently as executive chef with Restaurant Associates/Patina Group. The restaurant’s newest member is sure to add new flare to city life near Manhattan. Zylo Tuscan Steakhouse offers decadent dishes from its Italian steakhouse menu designed to make guests’ taste buds come alive. The restaurant showcases enticing cuts of
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// NEWS
FARMS
Celebration Of Connecticut Farms Slated For Lyme The Connecticut Farmland Trust (CFT) is proud to announce that the 12th Annual Celebration of Connecticut Farms, the state’s oldest and largest farm-to-chef event, will be held on Sunday, September 9th at Ashlawn Farm in Lyme, CT.
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he event will feature more than 25 of Connecticut’s most acclaimed chefs preparing local Connecticut food; wine, beer and spirits from Connecticut craftsmen; locally-made ice cream; and a silent auction. Benefiting the work of Connecticut Farmland Trust, the Celebration captures participants’ love of local food, wine, music, art, and the farming heritage Connecticut proudly claims.
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// NEWS
ASSOCIATIONS
NYSRA Launches Added Value Green Hospitality Initiative Going green while making green is the goal of the New York State Restaurant Association's newest program. The Green Hospitality Initiative (“GHI”) is an EPA funded program being launched by NYSRA to support the greening of restaurants and food establishments in the greater New York area while simultaneously increasing their profitability.
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ur goal is to continue to provide our membership with added value service as part of their base membership fee," noted Jacqueline Chin, Executive Vice President of Services of NYSRA. The program is the latest initiative between NYSRA’s Educational Foundation and the National Restaurant Association. In 2000, the duo teamed to launch a School-to-Career Program called ProStart in New York State. The ProStart Program operates
were no signs of unrest in Europe. Restaurant meals from soup to nuts were averaging under $1.00. In fact, many restaurants were selling “meal tickets,” for $5.00 upfront, whereby you got $5.50 worth of food. It was against this backdrop that John W. Eversole of White Plains, Charles A. Laube of Buffalo, George R. LeSauvage of New York City, Fred J. Seames of Buffalo, and Walter T. White of Syracuse sat down and formed the New York State Restaurant Association. Through FREE group and on-site
in 47 states, over 1,000 schools and involves approximately 78,000 students and well over 5,000 educators. The GHI program is the latest from an association that has continually created solutions for its restaurant members since its launch in 1935. At that time, the country was still very much in the grips of the depression. Franklin Roosevelt was three-quarters through his first term, and there
training, the Green Hospitality Initiative promotes sustainability from three angles - energy conservation, water conservation and the reduction of hazardous cleaning chemicals. GHI services include free assessments leading to specific greening recommendations and a cost-savings analysis customized for the needs of each business independently. The GHI creates practical
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opportunities for all restaurants to simultaneously go and make green! NYSRA is working with industry expert Alan Someck on the development of the GHI program. It seems as
though everyone’s going green these days, including restaurants. While the tasty presence of locally sourced ingredients may appear obvious to the consumer – the proof is often printed plainly on the menu – there’s another greening going on behindthe-scenes in NYC restaurants and Someck is the man behind it all. With more than two decades of hospitality experience, he’s using his knowledge and expertise to identify less obvious ways for restaurants to run more efficiently. "Waste removal, energy efficiency, and water conservation might not be as glamorous as heirloom potatoes, but the com-
Through FREE group and on-site training, the Green Hospitality Initiative promotes sustainability from three angles - energy conservation, water conservation and the reduction of hazardous cleaning chemicals. pounding effects of his design solutions are saving significant funds for restaurants," Someck noted. "The Green Hospitality Initiative developed from connecting my 25 years of experience as a restaurant
operator and consultant with a socially responsible trend that I saw getting stronger," Someck added." I saw that many restaurants wanted to do the right thing around greening. They just didn’t know enough
and how to go about it. They were consumed with surviving in their business. The Initiative is a catalyst to provide the knowledge and the methods for restaurateurs to begin taking green steps. It was also clear that customers were beginning to expect restaurants to do more in the area of greening." The next group training is scheduled for September 24th, from 2-5pm, at the Fair Deal Cafe on 253 Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains. This will provide operators with the opportunity to learn more about the program and sign up for the free assessments.
The NYSRA Educational Foundation has experienced tremendous growth during its short tenure. The excitement of contributing to the growth of the foodservice and hospitality industry provides its own motivation to continue this very important work. Those interested can find more information on the GHI website at www.nysraef.org/greenhospitalityinitiative, and are also encouraged to contact Alan Someck at asomeck@gmail.com or 516.448.1504, or Casey Heil at cmh470@nyu.edu or 914.329.9840.
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// NEWS
AWARDS
The JBF Silver Anniversary Gala: Celebrating 25 Years Of Outstanding Chefs It has been 25 years since the James Beard Foundation first embarked on its mission to celebrate, nurture, and preserve America’s diverse culinary heritage and future. On November 16th at the Four Seasons a celebration will be held to honor this important milestone and a multi-course dinner prepared by an incredible lineup of Outstanding Chef award winners.
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ost Chef Alfred Portale, Gotham Bar & Grill, NYC; David Bouley, Bouley Restaurant, NYC; Tom Colicchio, Craft, NYC; Daniel Humm, Eleven Madison Park, NYC; Michel Richard, Citronelle, Washington, D.C. After graduating top of his class from the Culinary Institute of America in 1981, Portale became the chef at Gotham Bar and Grill in 1985 and took it to new heights with his beautiful plating and insistence on high quality ingredients. Portale's first sous-chef at Gotham was Tom Valenti, while other notable chefs who have worked under Chef Portale include Bill Telepan, Wylie Dufresne, Tom Colicchio, Christopher Lee, and Jason Hall. The current chef de cuisine of Gotham Bar and Grill is Adam Longworth. In October 2008, Portale opened Gotham Steak at the Fountainebleau Miami in Miami, Florida and has since stated in relation to the opening and the current economy that, "You don’t want to open a molecular cuisine place now, but I would open a steakhouse again in another city, even in this climate.” David Bouley (born near Storrs, Connecticut) is an American chef
David Humm earned his first Michelin star while still in his 20s, at his native Switzerland’s Gasthaus zum Gupf
After graduating top of his class from the Culinary Institute of America in 1981, Portale became the chef at Gotham Bar and Grill in 1985 and took it to new heights with his beautiful plating and insistence on high quality ingredients. and restaurateur with restaurants in TriBeCa, New York City. He is best known for his flagship restaurant, Bouley. Early in his career, he worked in restaurants in Cape Cod, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and, eventually, France and Switzerland. While in Europe, after studies at the Sorbonne, David had the opportunity to work with chefs Roger Vergé, Paul Bocuse, Joel Robuchon, Gaston Lenôtre, and Frédy Girardet. Having gained that experience, David returned to work in New York City in leading restaurants of
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the time, such as Le Cirque, Le Périgord, and La Côte Basque, as well as spending time as sous chef in a restaurant opened by Roger Vergé in San Francisco. From there, David became chef of Montrachet restaurant when it opened in TriBeCa in 1985. The restaurant quickly drew attention and earned a three-star review in The New York Times. In 1987 David opened his own restaurant, Bouley, in TriBeCa overlooking Duane Park. In 1991, Zagat asked its 7,000 diners, "Where you would you eat the last meal of
your life?" Respondents "overwhelmingly" chose Bouley. In 1997, David closed his restaurant and opened up the Bouley Bakery and Danube, both on the same block across from the old Bouley restaurant. Bouley Bakery earned two Michelin stars before it changed locations in 2008 and renamed itself back to Bouley. His other restaurant, Danube also initially received two Michelin stars. The Danube location was transformed into a new entity designed by Architect SuperPotato or Takashi Sugimoto called, 'Brushstroke Restaurant.' Brushstroke Restaurant, located at 30 Hudson Street, opened in April 2011, is a combined effort between Bouley and the Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka, to share Japanese food culture and products while integrating American ingredients. Bouley Test Kitchen is a private event and testing learning center for visiting guest chefs and to develop recipes for the Bouley entities. The facilities were used by the American Team for the Bocuse d'Or Competition 2011, spearheaded by Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller. In the summer of 2006, David married
fellow collaborator, Nicole Bartelme, pioneer of the TriBeCa Film Festival, artist and photographer. Thomas Patrick "Tom" Colicchio (born August 15, 1962) is an American celebrity chef. He co-founded the Gramercy Tavern in New York City, and formerly served as a co-owner and as the executive chef. He is also the founder of Craft and Colicchio & Sons restaurants. Colicchio is the recipient of five James Beard Foundation Medals for cooking accomplishments. He has been the head judge on every season of the Bravo reality TV show Top Chef. Colicchio has been a featured chef on Great Chefs Television. Colicchio was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He is Italian-American on both parents' sides. He has been married to filmmaker Lori Silverbush since 2001. He has three sons, Dante (1993) from a previous relationship, and Luka Bodhi (2009) and Mateo Lev (2011) with current wife Lori. In July 1994, Colicchio and his partner Danny Meyer opened the Gramercy Tavern in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of Manhattan. He sold his interest in 2006 and is no longer affiliated with the restaurant. In spring 2001, he opened the first Craft restaurant one block south of Gramercy Tavern. A year later, he opened the first Craftsteak at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. In 2003, he began the first 'wichcraft', his sandwich shop. In 2010, he opened Colicchio & Sons, and also Riverpark. Shortly after the September 11 attacks, Colicchio joined volunteers serving food to rescue workers at Ground Zero. On January 19, 2009, Colicchio performed the Heimlich maneuver on award-winning cookbook author Joan Nathan, who was choking on a piece of chicken. Both were at a U.S. presidential inaugural event in Washington D.C. Colicchio served as the main consulting producer on Bravo's Top Chef spin-off series entitled Top Chef Masters. Colicchio won the 2010 Out-
standing Chef award from the James Beard Foundation. He also won an Emmy award in 2010 for Outstanding Reality-Competition Programming as an executive producer of Top Chef, on which he also appears. David Humm earned his first Michelin star while still in his 20s, at his native Switzerland’s Gasthaus zum Gupf. He came to the United States in 2003, settling at San Francisco’s Campton Place. Shortly after Humm’s arrival, the San Francisco Chronicle
released a glowing review, exclaiming that Humm “made Campton Place feel like a must-visit destination.” With three-and-a-half stars, Humm had earned the highest rating possible for a new chef under their review system. A second review in 2005 catapulted the restaurant and its chef to fourstar status. Humm’s work at Campton Place was consistently excellent, attracting further reviews, press, and awards. In both 2004 and 2005, the
young chef was nominated for the James Beard Foundations’ Rising Star Award. In 2005, Food & Wine named him one of 2005’s Best New Chefs. Ready for a change and a challenge, David Humm packed his knives and moved to New York City in 2006, a city known for setting a high bar for its chefs. As executive chef of Eleven Madison Park, Humm counted on his
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// NEWS
CONCESSIONS
Levy And USTA Highlight Local Farm To Table Strategy At Annual Tennis Event The United States Tennis Association (USTA) and Levy Restaurants, the official restaurant partner of the US Open, have begun their annual run at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center with a full menu of expanded culinary offerings.
The event, which runs through September 9th, is featuring a menu that reflects the international flair of the event, the US Open showcases flavors from around the world and utilizes ingredients from across the region. This year’s U.S. Open is offering much more. The USTA is locally sourcing more food for the Food Village, suites, stadiums and restaurants than ever before. Levy Restaurants has increased use of locally sourced ingredients and this year 40 percent of all produce will be sourced from the region, including area farms, locally sourced meat, seafood and poultry. In addition to featuring area eats, the menus are also inspired by NY, highlighting delicacies that are native to both New York City and the Empire State. The annual tennis championships at Flushing Meadows Park in Queens attracts around 30,000 visitors a day with sizable appetites after a day of sitting in the hot sun. This year the 22 • September 2012 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
tourney features a slew of exquisite restaurants in the club level, but the local feast will trickle down to even the main concession food. Local seafood is being highlighted at the Aces restaurant at Arthur Ashe Stadium, as well as regional meats at Champion’s Steakhouse. The Food Village is hosting a Farm 2 Fork stand with local meats and roasted veggies for tennis fans to nosh on and New York cheese mongers are also showing off at the East Gate Grill with a variety of gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches called smashers. Raising the typical stadium food to the next level, the U.S. Open will be known not only for tennis, but also for its sustainable menu. After the championship is over, the USTA will extend its sustainability to ethic proportions and donate all of the unused local food to City Harvest. The world’s highest-attended annual sporting event, the US Open will at-
tract more than 700,000 fans over the course of the 20-day event. Overseeing all culinary efforts is Levy Restaurants Regional Chef Jim Abbey, who will have a 250-person culinary staff to serve guests at 60 concession stands, five restaurants, 100 luxury suites and the Player’s Lounge. An event that draws tennis fans from all over the world, the US Open menu will continue to feature fresh, inventive cuisine including creations from Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, celebrity chefs David Burke and Tony Mantuano. Among the Culinary highlights for the 2012 US Open at the Food Village & South Plaza Cafe are global flavors. Patrons visiting the Food Village, the primary concessions area, can take a culinary trip around the world. In the Food Village, guests can find offerings featuring a taste for all palates from French crepes to burritos and tacos made to order at Fresca Mexicana, and to Indian food from New Delhi
An event that draws tennis fans from all over the world, the US Open menu will continue to feature fresh, inventive cuisine including creations from Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, celebrity chefs David Burke and Tony Mantuano. Spice. At the East Gate Grill, fans can check out the new “Smashers” featuring grilled cheese sandwiches that are a twist on some fan favorites, such as Buffalo Chicken Smashers and Patty Melt Smashers. Additional international flavors returning this year in-
clude sushi and Italian specialties at Pizza Pasta. Levy's goal is to create a menu of signature concession stand items. These include The Signature Lobster Roll at Fulton’s Seafood Stand in the Food Village. Another US Open favorite are
half-pound burgers in the Food Village which are made with a LaFrieda short rib burger blend, created exclusively for the US Open. The South Plaza Cafe features three types of Panini, quesadillas made to order, salads and fresh fruit ideal for grabbing en route to a match. The Cafe has also added gluten-free snacks and Red Bridge Beer, brewed without wheat. The new Farm 2 Fork stand in the Food Village will feature items created with organic and locally sourced ingredients such as the Murray’s Locally Raised Chicken Sandwich, the NY Sausage Co. Sweet Italian Sausage and the Summer Roasted Vegetable Sandwich. Among the highlight's of Levy's "pop up" restaurants at the Open are the redesigned Heineken Red Star Café, located next to the South Plaza
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// Q&A Paul Grieco, Co-Owner Of Hearth Restaurant Terroir Wine Bar in New York, NY
W
hat brought you into the industry? I was born in the industry. My grandfather opened a restaurant in Toronto in 1961 called La Scala, same name as the opera house in Milan. My father joined him on the first day, and then I was literally born there in 1965. Now I know how you ended up in Toronto, I also know you ended up in New York. Walk me through how all that came to play. I worked in my family's restaurant and wanted to expand my experience and knowledge. It was emotionally hard to leave the family restaurant in Toronto, to go to work at another restaurant. But I also felt that the only way for me to grow was to leave. And so that necessitated my going south of the border and I went to New York City. So the long story is that in conversations with Piero Selvaggio at Valentino in LA I was going to go there first. Go to LA for three months and work and then go to New York for three months and then ultimately go to Europe for a yearlong stage. And in talking with Piero Selvaggio he's like well why would you go backwards? Like what's happening in LA in 1990-1991 is so far forward of New York you would be taking a step back. Why don't you go to
New York first? And then come to LA. And then go to Europe. And, lo and behold, I went to New York, and I started working with Francesco Antonucci and Chris Cannon at Remi Restaurant on 53rd Street West. And I was having a great time. Two months into my time there, my grandfather was on his deathbed, and I went home to see him. My grandfather told me to stay in New York. Now, I know why he wanted me to stay in New York, because he was actually born in Hell's Kitchen, and at two years of age he moved to Toronto. Upon my return to NYC from his funeral I stopped by the restaurant and low and behold they had let a manager go in my absence. And so I said to them, where are you going to look for a new manager? Thinking that there's no way in hell they would ever consider me, a guy from Toronto. It's New York City. Everyone's here. And they asked me if I wanted to be considered, I said yes. And they said, well, we'll consider you only if you will tell us that you will commit at least one year to New York City. So I called my father, I called friends. And he said take it. So, needless to say I've never gone to Los Angeles or anywhere else. I've stayed in New York now for over 20 years and have relished every moment of it. That's funny. So, tell me a little bit about your first mentor whom you mentioned was Selvaggio. Well, I would say that my first mentor was certainly my father and my grandfather by far and then Chris Cannon.
Paul Grieco, is the Co-Owner Of Hearth Restaurant & Terroir Wine Bar in New York, NY
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How would you describe what you learned from your dad and from your grandfather? Was it hard work? Was it dedication? Well, my grandfather taught me hospi-
of that?
tality. And my father taught me that we have to accept the mundane jobs that are the fundamental aspects of this industry, and relish them. And the definition of mundane is? The silver needs to be polished. The glassware needs to be clean. The napkins need to be folded properly. The tablecloth needs to be put on the table properly. You know as a server you do those jobs. You as the manager ensure that they're done properly. You as an owner ensure that they're done properly. So no matter how many years you've been managing the restaurant or owning a property you still walk through your restaurant at 5.30 at night and make sure that the silver is polished properly. That the glassware is polished properly. That the napkins are properly folded. It never changes. As if it was the first day you were opening? Yes, those are the fundamentals. It's much like becoming a cook. If you cannot shop, you know, if you cannot make mirepoix, then you’re not going to become a cook, no matter how creative you are. So, if you want to run your own restaurant than how come the silverware has fingerprints all over it? I don't care what the place looks like, or the music that you're playing, or the fact that you're doing the menu from 15th century Renaissance Florence. My knife has a fingerprint on it, really? You know, it remains the ultimate challenge of managers in this day and age of embracing those mundane aspects. Because they never change. And if it's going to bore you, then you'll never be a good restaurant manager. What about Chris Cannon? What impact did he have on you? He taught me to be hard, to be firm. When you're in a family business, you never talked a lot about the business, I mean, the financial aspect of things. But Chris was the first person to teach me those fundamentals to hammer that stuff home, that the conversation
Well, my grandfather taught me hospitality. And my father taught me that we have to accept the mundane jobs that that are the fundamental aspects of this industry, and relish them.
of money is not such a bad thing. So an understanding of DeBragga vs. LaFreida, Sysco vs. Dairyland. Those types of things. Yes, it's just looking at a P and L and understanding how all of these costs add up to you actually making a buck at the end of the day. What happened when you left, where did you go after you left Chris? In quick, quick succession I went to Bouley. Then Gotham Bar and Grill. Then Gabriels. And then Judson Grill. And then Gramercy Tavern in 1995. One of my questions is between David Bouley and Danny Meyer and Alfred Portale, what are the lessons learned on all sides? With that many contrasting styles, what did you get out of that whole experience? The 28 days that I worked at Ouellet were probably the most influential of my entire career because they taught me exactly how not to run a restaurant and then the other places just helped me to continue to hone in my love of the industry. I actually opened JUdson Grill with Chris in February of '94, and it was tough. Stetson Grill took a long time to come around. And that was due to the perseverance and stubbornness of Chris Cannon. I left
after 10 months because I thought the restaurant was not going to succeed. I had done all I could. Chris was a friend in addition to being a mentor and I needed to continue to grow and experience and I couldn't do it there anymore. And so that's why I went to work for Gramercy Tavern. And I didn't go to Gramercy to work for Danny Meyer; I went to Gramercy Tavern to work for Steve Olsen who is the opening Beverage Director and Service Director. How has the Wine Bar concept grown and evolved? I wasn't always an inspiring wine guy, to me I've been an inspiring restaurateur but, you know, Steve Olson was a wine God to young patrons back in the '90s - the type of bliss he created - all of these things. I knew the restaurant was successful; I had always been an admirer of Danny’s so it was going to be cool to work in a new, trendy, successful restaurant. I don't want to downplay this, because, I was there for seven years. And Danny helped me to expand the universe of hospitality in my mind and helped me to hone in on what my place in the hospitality world would be like. Talk to me about that for a second. So what was it he expanded and what did the vision end up being as a result
Well, the primary thing is that you need to take care of your staff. The number one priority is his staff. His number two priority is the guest, his number three priority is the community, his number four priority is the purveyor, and then his number five priority is the bottom line. And ideally, if you do one through four well, the bottom line takes care of itself. We see restaurateurs nodding their heads and saying, oh yes, I get it, I'm going to do that. But, they don't realize the energy, and the time, and the cost of taking care of your employees. Danny never strayed away from this. Tell me about this. We would make decisions in the restaurant. Restaurant Management 101 through the eyes of Danny Meyer, and I still practice it today, and as Danny likes to say when people leave his employment, that's spreading the seeds of enlightened hospitality. So I would like to think that I've been a pretty damn good gardener in spreading the seeds of enlightened hospitality. But, you know, I also think I had the fundamentals somewhat, from my grandfather. And he really helped to hone in on what these things were and my place in this world. And the second thing he did is he allowed us all to go and do what we wanted and fulfill our passions. So I was able to do things at that restaurant. It was certainly still Danny's restaurant but I was allowed to do things there, certainly with the beverage program, and push the envelope on things. And Danny would support us in doing these things with all due respect to Cornell, the graduate program in restaurant management should be at Gramercy Tavern. It sounds to me like really at that point you make a decision either I'm going to be in the real estate business
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// NEWS
CHARITIES
Garden State Chefs Team To Raise Funds For Sustainable New Jersey Last month's "Sustainable Fare for Sustainable Jersey" farm-to-table event raised about $12,000 for Sustainable Jersey, the statewide program that encourages municipalities to “go green” by adopting environmentally-friendly practices.
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he event, which took place at Terhune Orchards in Lawrence Township, was the brainchild of Pam Mount, the former township councilwoman and mayor who owns the farm with her husband. Mount, who serves as the current chair of Sustainable Jersey’s
board of trustees, said she wanted to raise money for Sustainable Jersey in a way that, itself, was sustainable. "I decided to have a dinner party. I approached Chris Albrecht at Eno Terra because they are very well-known for supporting Terhune Orchards." Albrecht immediately agreed to
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the idea and enlisted the help of six other area chefs to create a meal that "celebrates foods produced on farms around here, and pairing them with wines from our vineyard," Mount explained. The other chefs involved preparing the five-course meal that was served
on Aug. 9 were Jim Weaver from Tre Piani, Scott Anderson from Elements, Tim Amoroso from Witherspoon Grill, Javier Zabaleta from Blue Point Grill, Crawford Koeniger from Terra Momo and Eno Terra, and Gabrielle Carbone from The Bent Spoon. Though the hot summer night began with a torrential downpour, it ended with a stunning rainbow and a humidity-free cool evening. In addition to great food, guests also enjoyed music by Riverside Bluegrass Band, a Princeton group known for their connections to local agriculture. In keeping with the sustainable theme of the evening, the plates on which the food was served were made out of palm leaves and composted
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// NEWS
CASINOS
Mohegan Sun Celebrates Its Dining Offers With September Restaurant Week With over 30 dining options at Mohegan Sun, there are so many restaurants but so little time! From September 9th through 14th, Restaurant Week returns for its third time featuring deals at the best dining destinations on the property so guests can sample all the cuisine there is to offer at Mohegan Sun!
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mong the great deals at Mohegan Sun's portfolio of restaurants during Restaurant Week are Ballo Italian Restaurant and Social Club's 3-course dinner beginning with your choice of
Meatballs, Classic Caesar Salad or Tomato and Mozzarella Antipasti. Then, move on to the main course where choices consist of Rigatoni, Parmigiana, Ravioli or Chicken Francaise and a house-made Cannoli to top off
the meal. This special will be offered at $24.95 per person (plus tax). Big Bubba’s BBQ will deliver a Southern feel for all-you-can-eat Chicken and Ribs with Cornbread, 2 sides and a House Salad with your choice of
dressing for only $23.95 per person (plus tax). Krispy Kreme Doughnuts is offering a free small soda or drip coffee (non-specialty beverage) with any dozen doughnuts purchased. Michael Jordan’s Steak House is offering a 3-course meal for just $39.00 per person (plus tax). Start off with Steamed Black Mussels in Smoked Tomato Broth with Garlic Crostini, and then move on to your entrée of Grass Fed Ribeye, Watermelon, Heirloom Tomato Salad and Sweet Soy Reduction. Finish your meal with local farm Strawberries and Madeleine Shortcake with Whipped Cream. If you would rather eat at Michael Jordan’s .23sportcafe next door, no problem! They are offering a 3-course meal
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for $23.00 per person (plus tax). Start off with an appetizer of House Field Greens with Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing, and then move on to an entrée of French Onion Filet Mignon with a Swiss Cheese Crust and Caramel Onion Purèe. Slam dunk with a dessert of local farm berries. Go south of the border with a Restaurant Week deal at SolToro Tequila Grill for $23.00 per person (plus tax). Choose from an appetizer of Ensalada de la Casa or Queso Fundido, and then choose your choice of cheese, chicken a la Mexicana or mushroom & spinach Enchilada or your choice of chicken a la Mexicana or beef Picadillo Burrito for their main course. Finish it off with a dessert of either a Chipotle Brownie or SolToro Flan. House-made chips and salsa accompany each meal. For guests who prefer seafood Jasper White’s Summer Shack will offer a 4-course tasting menu for just
Guests will enjoy 20% off of food purchases at Birches Bar & Grill, Seasons Buffet, Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain, Bobby’s Burger Palace and Todd English’s Tuscany as well. $30.00 per person (plus tax). The meal includes Stuffed Cherrystones, Heirloom Tomato Salad with Basil and Spicy-Crispy Squid, Butter Poached Lobster with Mussels and Calamari with Spaghetti Squash. For dessert enjoy a Peach and Blueberry Shortcake.
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Guests will enjoy 20% off of food purchases at Birches Bar & Grill, Seasons Buffet, Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain, Bobby’s Burger Palace and Todd English’s Tuscany as well. After getting your fill, visit The Shops concourse for The Mohegan
Sun Chef Battle on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 5:00pm. Watch as participating chefs from restaurants within Mohegan Sun compete to make two dishes based on a secret ingredient. After the round robin tournament, judges will award the ultimate grand prize, dinner for four with wine pairing at either Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain or Todd English’s Tuscany, to the winning chef. Mohegan Sun, owned by the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, is one of the largest, most distinctive and spectacular entertainment, gaming and shopping destinations in the United States. Situated on 185 acres along the Thames River in scenic southeastern Connecticut, Mohegan Sun is within easy access of New York, Boston, Hartford and Providence.
// NEWS
TECHNOLOGY
New App Turns iPhone Into A Mobile Payment System For Tri-State Meals Total Food Service sat down with Tina Bennett, Vice President of Online Payment Systems to talk about the new App MyPaymentsPlus. The free MyPaymentsPlus app by Horizon Software International – developers of the popular MyPaymentsPlus.com online prepayment system for school meal, service and activity fees gives districts another convenient, secure way to facilitate meal payments for parents.
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he MyPaymentsPlus app is a natural extension of MyPaymentsPlus.com, which serves more than 500 school districts and 1.8 million users across the country. Simplicity and security are at the
Tina Bennett, Vice President of Online Payment Systems
core of the MyPaymentsPlus app. MyPaymentsPlus provides an easyto-use, efficient way to make payments quickly and securely anytime using a simple Internet connection. You can say goodbye to the hassles of sending in multiple checks to multiple locations for multiple students. It can all be done with one payment on MyPaymentsPlus. MyPaymentsPlus also allows the ability to receive free low balance emails and in most cases view the purchases made in the cafeteria online. Horizon Software International, LLC is a global leader in software, services and technologies for food service operations. With more than 15,000 installations worldwide, Horizon has a solution for any food service entity including healthcare, colleges, retirement communities and K–12 schools. Total Food recently spoke with Horizon Software’s Vice President of online payment
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// NEWS
CONCESSIONS
Stamford Based Centerplate Names Infantino To Baltimore Post The Baltimore Convention Center and its exclusive, culinary, partner Centerplate, have announced the appointment of Gerald Infantino to Executive Chef for the Baltimore Convention Center.
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hef Infantino, a veteran of fine-dining restaurants, the 2009 and 2010 Super Bowls and the opening of the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, will focus his culinary talents on creating new innovative, standard and specialized menus to meet and exceed the needs of the Center’s discerning conventions and meetings for the industry clientele. His duties will also include overseeing operations and menu development for all of the Center’s retail outlets including Market Fresh Cafe. “Having a culinary expert at the helm of your facility’s exclusive food operation is an ever increasing necessity. Providing industry professionals the ultimate experience goes well beyond the provision of an exceptionally beautiful, comfortable and functional meeting space,” says Peggy Daidakis, Executive Director-Baltimore Convention Center. “Exceptional cuisine completes the experience.” “I’m so excited to be coming to the Baltimore Convention Center. My team and I look forward to creating exceptional experiences for all of our guests, with flavors and favorites that reflect Maryland’s culture and food,” said Chef Infantino. “We’re delighted to announce Chef Infantino as our new executive chef here,” said John Dooley, Centerplate’s General Manager with responsibility
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// NEWS
EDUCATION
NYC’s Institute of Culinary Education Set For Month Long Celebration Of Legendary Chef Julia Child Chef extraordinaire Julia Child would have become a centenarian last month. She may not be here to join us, but we can still celebrate with the things she loved so much - good French food and wine.
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ew York City based Institute of Culinary Education is hosting a month long Tribute to Julia Child at 100. Her 100th birthday would have been August 15th and The French Chef died in 2004, but the food service industry in Metro New York and around the world is celebrating the occasion (they're calling it "JC100") with homage to Child's good cheer and tremendous influence. "In honor of what would have been the French Chef’s 100th birthday, ICE is bringing together a wonderful mix of classes and discussions to commemorate America’s late, great, grand dame of cooking," noted the schools' president Rick Smilow. "We hope that many of the Metro New York food service community will join us for what will be a terrific way to celebrate her centennial." Highlighting the slate of celebration event at ICE's Julia Child at 100: will be a panel discussion on Sunday, September 23, from 2-4pm. The session will explore Julia Child’s life, her contributions to generations of American home cooks and her enduring legacy. The event continues with an all-French cooking class featuring classic dishes from Child’s 1961 tome “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” Our discussion will be moderated by culinary historian and ICE instructor, Alexandra Leaf and the distinguished panelist include:
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// SCOOP Brooklyn Icon Junior’s Inks Japan Deal Scoop notes that Junior’s is launching an invasion of Japan. The famed Brooklyn diner is opening locations in Tokyo and Osaka this fall, after it started shipping thousands of its signature cheesecakes to Japan in the spring. The 400-square-foot shops are slated to open in October in two of the nation’s big department store: Tokly’s Daimaru and Osaka’s Hankyu. The Daimaru site will be a New Yorkstyle deli with corned beef, pastrami and roast beef sandwiches, while the Hankyu restaurants will also offer comfort food, along with a full bakery featuring all of Junior’s desserts. “Our plan will be to continue to expand the brands,” said Alan Rosen, Junior’s
INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE third-generation owner, who plans to open more shops if all goes well. The licensing deal between Junior’s and Sakai Foods includes royalties based on sales. With 127 million people in Japan, “the potential is extensive,” Rosen said. Junior’s is also opening an off-site 2,000-square-foot commissary to handle food production in Japan for these locations and future ones. Next month, Japanese chefs will visit Brooklyn to train at Junior’s. While the cheesecakes will be made in the US, the toppings, such as fresh fruit, will be added in Japan. The Japanese chefs will also learn how to smoke and cure meats, and then go back to Japan to produce the smoked meats in the commissary, as meats can’t be imported. “When people from Japan come here, they have a yen for the smoked meat and pastrami,” Rosen said.
business over recent years as a pop-up Halloween store. The IHOP will pay $300,000 a year for the spot for its first two years, then $360,000 with an annual 3% increase, according to Kevin Salmon of Salmon & Marshall Real Estate Investments, who negotiated the deal. International House of Pancakes LLC said the new franchise will fit 350 seats in 10,000 square feet and will bring 235 jobs. The IHOP lease was taken by Ashkenazy Acquisition Corp., whose chairman and chief executive, Ben Ashkenazy, is also part owner and
managing member of the tri-state IHOP franchisee, Trihop. Mr. Ashkenazy’s takeover of the Limelight in Chelsea, a nightclub in a derelict church that he transformed into a mall, was widely seen as the final defanging of a once-edgy neighborhood. Since a renovation of Carmine Street’s Father Demo Square was completed in June 2007, the sleepy, tree-lined street has seen an influx of newcomers. Of the 40 businesses on the block, 17 have opened after the square’s renewal. Today, in just 1,000 feet of sidewalk,
IHOP’s Soho Lease Set
With 127 million people in Japan, “the potential is extensive,” Rosen said.
Scoop hears that a surprising capstone comes to the Bleecker Street area‘s recent flurry of celebrated new restaurants: in November, IHOP franchisee plans to begin a 49-year lease, renting out a long-deserted grocerystore space at Carmine and Varick Streets that only had seen a flicker of
This year’s Kosherfest offers exhibitors opportunity to get their products in front of thousands of trade buyers from across the globe.
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IHOP franchisee plans to begin a 49-year lease, renting out a long-deserted grocerystore space at Carmine and Varick Streets that only had seen a flicker of business over recent years as a pop-up Halloween store.
restaurants offer American, Brazilian, British, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Spanish Thai dishes and more.
Ex-Owner Pokes Hole In NYC Bagel Story Scoop says don’t get your hopes up just yet, H&H Bagel lovers: Rumors that the defunct bagel operation may be resurrected on Fulton Street are false. Helmer Toro, owner of the bankrupt bagel operation, confirmed that
Don’t get your hopes up just yet, H&H Bagel lovers: Rumors that the defunct bagel operation may be resurrected on Fulton Street are false. the H&H Bagels entity that entered into a lease downtown at 125 Fulton St. isn’t affiliated with him. Mr. Toro, in fact, issued a cease-and-desist no-
tice last month to the man behind the lease, Randy Narod, owner of the Long Island Bagel Café chain, after learning he had registered a company named the Original H&H Bagels. H&H has been registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office since 2001 and is a globally recognized brand. But Mr. Narod claims Mr. Toro no longer owns the name. “There is no validity to it,” he said of the cease-and-desist letter. Mr. Narod plans to open a bagel outlet on Fulton Street in October, as well as an additional eight to 10 other locations in the city all with the H&H name. “The thing now is: Is Helmer coming on board as a consultant or not?” Narod said. “Either way I have rights to the name, so I’m going to be using the name.”
Elephant Charge In Midtown Scoop sees that The Pink Elephant team is continuing its comeback march. Nightlife partners David Sarner, Robert Montwaid and Roee Nahmani are planning to open a yet unnamed sushi supper club on West 43rd Street that will offer live entertainment, and also are shopping for a space in the East Village to open another venue separate from the Pink
CONNECTICUT NEW YORK
NEW JERSEY
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181 Marsh Hill Road 91 Brainard Road 566 Hamilton Avenue 15-06 132nd Street 1966 Broadhollow Road 720 Stewart Avenue 43-40 57th Avenue 1335 Lakeland Avenue 650 S. Columbus Avenue 305 S. Regent St. 777 Secaucus Road 45 East Wesley Street 140 South Avenue 1135 Springfield Road
Master Of Modernist Cuisine Myhrvold Sets NYC Date
on Saturday, October 13 from 11am12:15PM at The Times Center. Water baths, homogenizers, centrifuges, hydrocolloids, emulsifiers and enzymes, Nathan Myhrvold’s science-inspired techniques infuse his six-volume “Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking.” Find out how the scientist inventor and accomplished cook, with his co-authors and a 20-person team at The Cooking Lab, created astounding new flavors and textures and food you won’t forget. Interviewed by New York Times food writer and author Jeff Gordinier. In Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking, Nathan Myhrvold, Chris Young, and Institute of Culinary Education guru Maxime Bilet - scientists, inventors, and accomplished cooks in their own right - have created a six-volume 2,400-page set that reveals science-inspired techniques for preparing food that ranges from the otherworldly to the sublime. A sampling of what you’ll discover: More than 250 pages on meat and seafood and 144 pages on fruits, vegetables, and grains, including dozens of parametric recipes and step-by-step
Scoop says you don’t want to miss the TimesTalks with Nathan Myhrvold
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Nightlife partners David Sarner, Robert Montwaid and Roee Nahmani are planning to open a yet unnamed sushi supper club on West 43rd Street that will offer live entertainment. Elephant brand. In addition, they are putting together something dubbed P.E.E.P. show, a Pink Elephant Electronic Parade that will function as a roaming outdoor festival. The owners reopened Pink Elephant on West Eighth Street at the end of May after closing the famed, original Chelsea location three years ago.
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Orange, CT 06477 Hartford, CT 06114 Brooklyn, NY 11232 College Point, NY 11356 Farmingdale, NY 11735 Garden City, NY 11530 Maspeth, NY 11378 Bohemia, NY 11716 Mt. Vernon, NY 10550 Port Chester, NY 10573 Secaucus, NJ 07094 S. Hackensack, NJ 07606 S. Plainfield, NJ 07080 Union, NJ 07083
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203-795-9900 860-549-4000 718-768-0555 718-762-1000 631-752-3900 516-794-9200 718-707-9330 631-218-1818 914-665-6868 914-935-0220 201-601-4755 201-996-1991 908-791-2740 908-964-5544 continued on next page
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// SCOOP
INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE
from page 43 techniques; Extensive chapters explain how to achieve amazing results by using modern thickeners, gels, emulsions, and foams, including example recipes and many formulas. The book has 300 pages of new recipes for plated dishes suitable for service at top-tier restaurants, plus recipes adapted from master chefs including Grant Achatz, Ferran Adrià, Heston Blumenthal, David Chang, Wylie Dufresne, David Kinch, and many others.
Garden State Duo Cooks Under Fire Scoop notes that not only can Terry French and Lance Knowling cook, but also they can do it in some of the world’s most exotic locations. The New Jersey cooks are taking on grueling culinary challenges as competitors on Food Network’s “Extreme Chef.” The second season which premiered last month, sends seven culinary experts
Not only can Terry French (pictured above) and Lance Knowling cook, but also they can do it in some of the world’s most exotic locations.
into a California desert, through a Native American village and onto a floating raft in Bangkok. It’s all part of the battle for the title of most fearless chef and a $50,000 prize. French, 45,
French says he never knew what challenge the show’s creators would throw his way. He felt pressure when it came to the main mission, creating a palatable meal. of Egg Harbor, NJ found himself on “Extreme Chef” largely by accident. An ad on Craigslist asked, “Are you a culinary badass?” French answered yes and submitted his phone number. Later, he received a call from Food Network asking if he would compete on the show. “It was almost like a freak chance,” he says. For French, owner of a private catering business called Rebel BBQ, dealing with the heat of Salton City, CA, was actually the easiest part of filming the first episode of the five-part series. “I was in my element because I lived in Arizona for quite a few years,” he says. “I was used to the desert, so it didn’t really affect me.” Knowling, 48, of Montclair, NJ had a harder time coping with the rough terrain. The competitors had to find their ingredients and equipment hidden in a deserted tent village. “You’re stumbling and you’re running over rocks,” says Knowling, who recently opened Indigo Smoke, a barbecue and soul food restaurant in Montclair. “This is not an ordinary cooking exposition.” French says he never knew what challenge the show’s creators would throw his way. He felt pressure when it came to the main mission, creating a palatable meal.
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“You’re trying to create a dish that you could serve in a restaurant,” he says. “You couldn’t just put anything on the plate.” Regardless of the inherent difficulties, Knowling says he loved surprising the judges with what he could create with extremely limited resources in unfamiliar surroundings. Would the adventurous chefs participate in a similar competition again? “In a heartbeat,” Knowling says. His fellow Jersey chef agrees.
Curtain Set To Rise In NYC Get ready for the new Fall lineup. Mars Air Systems is preparing to reveal a new facelift; all Mars Air Curtains have been redesigned, re-engineered, and revamped for the new season. The Series 2 lineup includes slimmer units, updated colors, and a sleek new design for everything from a drive-thru window to a lobby entrance to warehouse loading dock doors. Protect any size opening while reducing overall energy consumption and maintaining quality control inside the building. Mars Air Curtains boast an average return on investment of two years or less for typical installations. Mars… Over Every Door.
New Jersey’s Applebee’s Set To Pay Tribute To Working Parents Scoop notes that while millions of Americans enjoyed the long Labor Day holiday weekend and celebrated a well-earned day off, 38 participating Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants in New Jersey, including Applebee’s in Paramus, were hard at work. Families who dined at one of these Applebee’s for lunch or dinner on Monday, September 3, received up to two free Kids’ Meals with each adult entrée purchase. “Not only that, with every kids meal ordered in our New Jersey restaurants, we brought a
healthful appetizer to the table,” says Kevin Coughlin, Vice President of Operations for Applebee’s in New Jersey. “We served carrots and celery with dressing as dip. It’s a fun way for kids to learn to eat healthier.” New Jersey Applebee’s locations: Bergen County: Garfield, Hackensack, Northvale, Paramus Essex County: Newark Union County: Linden, Union (2 Locations) Hudson County: Jersey City, Kearny, North Bergen Passaic County: Clifton, Totowa Morris County: Butler, Dover, East Hanover, Flanders (Mt. Olive), Parsippany Warren County: Hackettstown, Phillipsburg Hunterdon County: Flemington Somerset County: Bridgewater, Hillsborough Middlesex County: Woodbridge, Edison, Milltown, Piscataway Sussex County: Newton Ocean County: Brick, Forked River (Lacey), Manahawkin, Manchester, Toms River Monmouth County: Howell, Manalapan, Wall, Tinton Falls, Ocean Township. Middletown Doherty Enterprises, Inc. was established in 1985 and is the 12th largest franchisee in the United States, operating five restaurant concepts including: Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Panera Bread, Chevys Fresh Mex, and two of their own concepts, The Shannon Rose Irish Pub and Spuntino Wine Bar and Italian Tapas. To date, Doherty Enterprises owns and operates 97 restaurants in northern and central New Jersey, Long Island, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island. The Doherty vision is to be the “Best Food Service Company in the Tri-State Area” and its mission is to “Wow Every Guest Every Time, Wow Our People, Wow Our Communities and Wow Our Suppliers.”
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// NEWS
EVENTS
Where Palate Meets Power: A Taste of the Equipment at ICC 2012 The StarChefs.com International Chefs Congress has grown the equivalent of a comet’s tail, streaking star-spangled industry glory across the American culinary horizon.
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ow in its seventh year, that tail’s getting even longer, with 90 presenters from all over the world gathering in one space, for three days, to share the tastes and techniques of contemporary food and drink, and to generally advance the cause of conscious cuisine, one light year at a time. Gathering so much star power and talent under one roof means a lot of top of the line equipment—the highpowered, high-tech, durable stuff, capable of withstanding the creative onslaught of a small army of chefs, pastry chefs, mixologists, and sommeliers (i.e., the kind of onslaught you’d expect at Chipotle, who’s research team will be on hand to discuss the tech and talent behind the success of the “maximized commissary” in their ICC Business Seminar). Fortunately, StarChefs.com has a lineup of some of the industry’s best equipment to keep those talented hands busy—and happy—for every packed day of ICC. Here’s a little preview of what’ll be plugged in and powered up September 30 to October 2 at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City. In a fiery demonstration of star power, ICC will unite Master Pizzaiolos Roberto Caporuscio and Antonio Starita of Don Antonio with the
In a fiery demonstration of star power, ICC will unite Master Pizzaiolos Roberto Caporuscio and Antonio Starita of Don Antonio with the power of the Jade Range Beech Oven. power of the Jade Range Beech Oven. A wood-fueled oven (with alternate heating options including wood and gas, full gas, and electric), Jade’s Beech Oven consistently outperforms other ovens in its category in the United States and Europe, owing to more than a few key design specs (think the ability to store lots of heat for long periods). Pair that with the uncompromising, authentic pizza-making skills of Naples-trained Caporuscio and Starita, who’ll demo the deep-fried magic of their addic-
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tive Montanara pizza, and you’ve got dough-blistering heat meets two of the world’s most dedicated authorities on all things pizza. Chefs Bart Bell and Nathanial Zimet are hometown heroes in New Orleans, and for good reason. They’re part of the next generation of NOLA talent upholding (and innovating) the city’s proud culinary traditions. And Monday, October 1, they’ll team up to demo a mainstay of the Crescent City’s eclectic menu: regional smoked sausage. Hobart’s Meat
Chopper and Food Cutter, with their sleek, speedy, ultra-powerful grinding capabilities, will allow Bell and Zimet to focus on getting the perfect proportion of meaty, spicy good stuff in the casing. Once it’s tied off, the sausage will bathe in some deep, rich smoke, courtesy of Southern Pride, before inevitably meeting up with mouths of attendees. (For more on Gulf cuisine, check out John Besh and Susan Spicer on the ICC Main Stage.) For some chefs “the art of plating” stops at the functional arrangement of the elements of a dish. But for others, it’s the final gesture, the last opportunity for expression before a dish leaves the kitchen. For these chefs especially, the choice of plate—not just the composition of elements—is seminal. And that’s why Chef Chris Nugent of Chicago’s breakout hit Goosefoot will use Steelite’s Crucial Details line in his ICC presentation, “Composed Flavors: The Art of Presentation.” Where Nugent builds elegant structure, Steelite answers with refined lines and elegant tones that softly amplify and echo the naturalism and architecture of the dish. But we’re not just talking about a complimentary, or even aesthetically participatory, frame. The fact that Steelite consistently endures body, stress, and thermal tests means it can handle the onslaught of a busy, successful kitchen (like the ICC kitchen, and Nugent’s Goosefoot, which beat out Next as Chicago magazine’s “Best New Restaurant”). The phrase “there’s an app for that” is no stranger to the food world, but with PolySci’s new sous vide app, it’s
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// NEWS
EVENTS
Tri-State B&I Professionals Jet To Vegas For SFM Annual National Conference The Society for Foodservice Management (SFM), the preeminent national association serving the needs and interests of executives in the onsite foodservice industry, will host its annual conference September 11 - 13 in Las Vegas, Nevada, at Caesars Palace.
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ith a theme of Conquering Myths, Defining Realities, the conference will feature educational seminars on professional development and industry issues, interactive events, networking opportunities, and national speakers. Conference registration is open on the website. Some of the highlights of the SFM conference include: Educational Sessions -Throughout the three day conference, SFM will be holding a number of educational sessions designed to conquer myths in foodservice. Topics range from creating a path to brand turnarounds, retail foodservice design, using social media to build sales, developing a successful healthy menu and operation, the lies and myths of wine, and many more. Hunger Awareness Activity - The event's annual Sponsor Showcase will showcase companies representing all facets of the foodservice industry will be available for attendees to learn more about their products and services. Each year, the SFM National Conference features an event designed to raise awareness about hunger. This
“For SFM members, food is both our life and our career, which is why hunger awareness is so central to us,” says SFM President Barbara Kane. year, SFM will hold a “Veggie Drag Race” to benefit the Whitney Elementary School in East Las Vegas, where nearly 85 percent of the children are homeless. Modeled after Pinewood Derby Races, SFM members will compete in teams to design the most aerodynamic “veggie” car and determine which vegetable is best, or at least, fastest. Children from the Whitney Elementary School will join SFM at Caesars Palace for this event. “For SFM members, food is both
our life and our career, which is why hunger awareness is so central to us,” says SFM President Barbara Kane. “When we heard about Whitney Elementary School, we were truly touched and wanted to do something fun and unique with the students to benefit the school. SFM '12 will host a number of keynote speakers. The list is led by Carin Stutz, CEO and president of Cosi, Inc., leading all aspects of franchise development and operations for 80
company-owned and 57 franchise restaurants. Drew Nieporent, one of America's most respected and celebrated restaurateurs, is the founder and inspiration behind the Myriad Restaurant Group, which operates Tribeca Grill, Nobu New York City, Nobu Fifty Seven, Nobu London, Nobu Next Door, Corton, Centrico and Crush Wine & Spirits. Kevin Zraly worked at the Windows on the World Restaurant from its opening in 1976 until September 11, 2001. His book, “Windows on the World Complete Wine Course,” is the largest-selling wine book in the United States, with over four million copies sold. Kevin also authored “Kevin Zraly’s American Wine Guide,” the only book to cover all 50 states. “This conference offers top-notch educational content that reflect the exciting new era of onsite foodservice,” says Barbara Kane, SFM President. “We welcome all professionals who help feed innovation and success in America’s businesses. This is the one annual event you don’t want to miss!” The Society for Foodservice Management is the pre-eminent national association serving the needs and interests of executives in the onsite foodservice industry. Its principal role is to enhance the ability of our members to achieve career and business objectives in an ethical, responsible and professional climate.
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// INSURANCE
FIORITO ON INSURANCE
Market Conditions Signal Increased Rates and Shrinking Availability of Coverage Restaurants and other food service business face upcoming challenges due to gradual, but severe market changes ahead. Conditions show that insurance rates could increase and coverage may be difficult to obtain; now is the time to turn to your professional to be as prepared as possible for what’s to come.
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he insurance market has been cyclical, characterized by prolonged soft market conditions followed by short term hard market spikes. The insurance industry encountered a number of challenges in the past few years. Belts are tightening and the situation is unpredictable. The sluggish economy has made it difficult for the property and casualty industry to realize the investment returns of the past. Premium dollars have gone down while claims have generally trended up. For the first time in a half decade, premium rates for property, liability and workers' compensation insurance have begun to increase as of late last year. We're moving into a seller's market and buyers must be more aggressive to protect their own interests and their insurance advisors must be more proactive in helping them secure coverage. In a seller's market--known as a 'hard market' in insurance industry parlance--the top concerns facing clients are increased prices and de-
Bob Fiorito, Vice President, Business Development at Hub International
creased availability of coverage. For example, a client was with a smaller broker who was dealing with a “front-line company” and due to market changes, the company made the decision to no-longer write restaurants. Hence, the broker requested a 30 day extension of their client’s policy only
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to wind up at a dead end; as they did not have the contacts of other companies that were still writing restaurants at competitive prices. The client then turned to another broker who specialized in restaurants and had relationships with companies that were only slightly affected by the market changes. Due to these relationships and ongoing restaurant programs, the broker successfully got coverage for the client at the most competitive price during this market climate. The most important thing restaurants and other food service businesses can do today is be proactive. Don't wait for insurers to come in with price increases. Work with a broker that focuses on the restaurant industry and has the right expertise to help you navigate through potential increases ahead. Making the most of a strong buying position depends on being prepared when you sit down to negotiate coverage. Reviewing your history also enables you to set up loss control and safety measures that will make you a better risk in the eyes of underwriters. Talk to your insurance advisor to learn
how a gap analysis can provide valuable underwriting information to control risk and reduce losses. Here are some recommendations to help you shape up your safety program: • Understand and address key exposures - Poor ergonomic design, slip and falls, inadequate machinery safeguarding, or lack of proper personal protective equipment could be significant drivers of workers' compensation costs, if not addressed. Review these and other aspects of operations to prevent frequent and high severity losses. • Learn what you don't know - Develop internal resources or hire a safety professional to help you identify potential risks and ensure that you are in compliance with OSHA requirements. • Design safety into your business Focus on redesigning processes to remove hazards where possible. Restaurants and Food Service companies that manage their risks well will be better able to navigate a difficult pricing environment as it emerges. Take the time to gather information about the current state of your business and understand your own risk profile before you renew your insurance coverage. Make sure you have an insurance professional at your side who understands your company and your industry. Robert Fiorito, serves as Vice President, Hub International Northeast, where he specializes in providing insurance brokerage services to the restaurant industry. As a 20year veteran and former restaurateur himself, Bob has worked with a wide array of restaurant and food service businesses, ranging from fast-food chains to upscale, “white tablecloth" dining establishments. For more information, please visit www.hubfiorito. com
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// SPOTLIGHT
INTERVIEW WITH M. SLAVIN & SONS' CFO, JOHN LAVIN
M. Slavin & Sons...The First Family Of The Seafood Industry A Fish Market Icon In the early 1900s, Morris and Minnie Slavin opened a small fish store in Brooklyn, New York, in order to support their growing family. As soon as their sons Herb, Jack and Barry were old enough, they joined their parents in what was the beginning of the Slavin fish empire.
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lot of hard work and self-sacrificing during the early years went into the building of the multi-faceted company that it is today. As direct receivers, processors, and distributors of fresh and frozen fish for over 100 years, M. Slavin & Sons has grown to be one of New York's oldest and largest seafood vendors serving the Tri-State area. Now part of the New Fulton Fish Market -- the $86 million dollar state-of-theart facility in the Bronx, dubbed "The New York Stock Exchange of Seafood" -- M. Slavin & Sons continues to provide the freshest fish at competitive prices. Whether it be fresh fish, fresh shellfish, frozen shrimp, live lobsters, frozen lobster and crab meat, squid, smoked fish, caviar and specialty items, canned fish, dry goods and salads, M. Slavin & Sons services wholesalers, seafood retailers, supermarkets, discerning restaurateurs, and customers from around the country, providing the experience of the freshest fish in the world. How has the move from Fulton to Hunts Point helped M. Slavin better
serve your customers? The move to Hunts Point has helped us serve our customers better by being able to provide them with a modern cutting-edge facility that enables us to serve them better and provide them with the highest level of quality products. How have the needs of today's chef's evolved? Today's chefs are more knowledgeable, business savvy and are not only looking for top quality but at competitive prices. The demand for Fish and seafood seem to vacillate from "healthy" to "taste," how does M. Slavin help the restaurateur balance those needs? M. Slavin & Sons help the restaurateur balance the demand for product that seem to vacillate from "healthy" to "taste" by providing them with enough of our knowledge and experience to choose from our wide selection of fish and seafood to make the right decisions for their needs. Is it unusual for a distributor to have its own fleet of fisherman and boats? No, it is not unusual to have your own
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contracted fleet of boats providing the best quality, freshest fish on a daily basis. How does your Point Judith operation impact your customer base? Our Point Judith operation has been consolidated with our Hunts Point operation to better serve our great and loyal customers from the Tri-State area. What has the company done to execute its plan of creating a great and comfortable working environment for all employees? At M. Slavin and Sons, Ltd. we value all of our relationships, but particularly our relationship with our employees. Many of our current staff have been with us for decades and stay with us through their retirement age. The key to creating a great and comfortable working environment is to have an open door policy. We listen to our employees and through this interaction we are constantly making improvements. The M. Slavin story is more than just fish. The company has re-emerged from bankruptcy and has become
bigger and better than ever. What came out of that experience and has it helped the company do an even better job of supporting its chef, restaurant and institutional customers? Through our experience in emerging from bankruptcy we learned the value of our business relationships. Many of our key suppliers and customers supported us through our reorganization and eventual emergence. We look at ourselves as an extension of their business. They depend on us to ship them great quality product, on-time and we strive to fulfill that commitment 100% all of the time. What impact has North Mill Capital's investment in the company had? We could have not asked for a better lending partner than North Mill Capital. Their approach to us was simple. What do you need to right the ship, and how can we support you. They are a team of professionals, from their account executives all the way up to the CEO. I highly recommend them. What does the M. Slavin sales professional bring to the chef, that they can't get from a broad liner like Sysco? The M. Slavin sales professional brings their knowledge of the product, knowledge of how to handle the product and the knowledge of how to use the product. M. Slavin also offers expert handling and cutting to the exact customer needs to provide the best service and product.
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// NEWS
RESTAURANTS
Philadelphia Duo Tabbed By NYC To Reopen Tavern On The Green Jim Caiola and David Salama, owners of a Philadelphia creperie, were named last month as the future operators of the Central Park landmark Tavern on the Green. By law, the city had to announce the arrangement by August 21st.
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he new operator, the Emerald Green Group, runs the Philadelphia restaurant Beau Monde, a popular bistro with 70 seats. Its principals, Caiola and Salama, are both chefs. More than two years after the legendary Central Park restaurant Tavern on the Green closed and its once-luxurious appointments were auctioned off, the parks department has selected the, Philadelphia-based operator that plans to reopen the space as a smaller, more rustic restaurant in the fall of 2013. The group has a signed letter of agreement with the restaurant workers’ union, the New York Hotel and Motel Trades Council, the first step toward a contract. Negotiations with the union, among other factors, derailed the first operator awarded the contract for the Tavern: Dean J. Poll, who runs the Boathouse restaurant nearby. About a half-dozen companies bid for the chance to develop a restaurant, including Legends Hospitality Management, which runs the Legends Suite Club and all food catering at Yankee Stadium; City Winery, a restaurant in downtown Manhattan for lovers of wine and music; and Park Street Ventures, an investment partnership in Essex Fells, N.J. But New York’s high-powered restaurateurs did not submit proposals, a reflection of the building’s condition, the challenges of working with the city government, early disputes over the ownership of the lease and the restaurant’s 56 • September 2012 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
name, and parks department limitations on catered events. New York will award the pair a 20year license term to run an informal restaurant and outdoor café; it's just west of the Sheep Meadow near 67th Street. Although the footprint of the restaurant will be smaller than the final incarnation of the old Tavern on the Green, there will, nonetheless, be room for 300 guests inside, an additional 200 to 300 outside and a takeout window selling smoothies, sandwiches and picnic fare. They've hired Caiola's Johnson & Wales classmate Katy Sparks as executive chef. She was named a 1998 "Top Ten Best New Chef in America" by Food & Wine Magazine, and her experience includes the Quilted Giraffe, Mesa Grill, Bolo, and Quilty's, in New York. Caiola and Salama won the contract with a detailed operational plan for an attractive venue with a locally sourced menu and a focus on the park.
“The hope is that it will not be only a destination, but a place that will serve the neighborhood and locals who use the park every day,” said Katy Sparks, the new executive chef.
“The hope is that it will not be only a destination, but a place that will serve the neighborhood and locals who use the park every day,” said Katy Sparks, the new executive chef, who has worked in New York City since the
Jim Caiola and David Salama, owners of a Philadelphia creperie, were named last month as the future operators of the Central Park landmark Tavern on the Green. By law, the city had to announce the arrangement by August 21st.
1980s. Since her last restaurant closed in 2002, Ms. Sparks, who is known for her clean, New American culinary style, has been working as a consultant, developing local and sustainable menus for restaurants and companies like Sodexo. Founded in 1934 and operated by a series of restaurateurs, Tavern on the Green has been closed since 2009, when renovations were announced. The plan details, "an informal restaurant and outdoor café that everyday park visitors can enjoy," Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe said. “I think the city really wanted to redefine what the Tavern is going to be,” said Drew Nieporent, who was the director of Tavern on the Green from 1978 to 1982, when it was a prime destination for parties and celebrities. “They don’t want private events. They don’t want music. They want something that will blend in, not stand out.” A parks department spokesman, Philip Abramson, confirmed that the city’s goal for the site was to provide an informal, accessible restaurant that would harmonize with its bucolic set-
ting. To that end, Ms. Sparks said, her menu will draw extensively on local farms and products: squid from Montauk, foie gras from the Hudson Valley and chocolate made by the Mast Brothers of Brooklyn. The city, not the Emerald Green Group, is paying the nearly $10 million bill for the structural and exterior work that will restore the building to its original design. It was built by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould in the 19th century as a sheepfold for the 200 sheep that grazed in the Sheep Meadow nearby. As parks commissioner in the 1930s, Robert Moses converted the building into a (low-earning) restaurant, and in the 1970s, the impresario Warner LeRoy transformed it into a glittering, rococo showpiece. But business faltered in the economic downturn of the past several years; the Crystal Room, which was built over the original building’s courtyard, was dismantled in 2010. "Tavern on the Green is one of the most amazing places in the world," Caiola said. "Who wouldn't want to be a part of it?" "As an artist and craftsman, I've been a jack of all trades and master of some," Salama said. "I love the design and building process. Having the opportunity to do it at Tavern on the Green makes my heart skip beats." Stephen Starr, who operates large restaurants in Philadelphia, New York and Florida, said he was surprised by the city’s choice of the operator of a small bistro. “It’s a daunting task, to go from 70 to 600 seats, but you never know,” he said. “Rocky beat Apollo Creed in the end.”
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// NEWS
MARKETING
Metro Restaurant Marketing Launches In Manhattan Metro Restaurant Marketing, a new business debuting in 2012, offers affordable, experienced and knowledgeable restaurant marketing specializing in social media, e-marketing, and public relations.
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ith the goal to help restaurants stand out in a city of more than 24,000 eateries, Metro Restaurant Marketing serves New York City restaurateurs with a menu of services designed to help turn tables and lessen the workload of business owners. Launched by Long Island's awardwinning WordHampton Public Relations, the team behind Metro Restaurant Marketing has been working with signature restaurants since 1992 building client reputations and revenues through thoughtful strategies, deep media relationships, social media savvy, e-smarts and client partnering. For the last 15 years, WordHampton Public Relations has had a toehold in Manhattan with restaurant clients such as Ben's Kosher Deli, Nick & Toni's Cafe, and The Hog Pit. Now with Metro Restaurant Marketing, the firm aims to deepen its presence with affordable marketing services. "We know restaurants – but more importantly, we know restaurant marketing. It's got to be aggressive, targeted and continuous," says Steve Haweeli, president and founder of Metro Restaurant Marketing. "Social media, e-marketing, and PR doesn't
"We know restaurants – but more importantly, we know restaurant marketing. It's got to be aggressive, targeted and continuous," says Steve Haweeli, president and founder of Metro Restaurant Marketing. have to break the bank – and let's be clear: restaurateurs need every marketing edge to get customers and keep them coming back." Metro Restaurant Marketing services fall under three distinct sectors – Social Networking, Marketing and Graphic Design, and Public Relations. The basic package, also available with add-on services, includes: PR – Marketing restaurant news, from events to menu changes, to metropolitan media including high-
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circulation outlets, bloggers, and websites. Facebook – Dynamic business pages are created to push exclusive content, promote customer interaction and are complemented by aggressive ad campaigns. Counsel – The leadership team explains and advises, offering more than two decades worth of insights into the business and the marketing of concepts and promotions. Face Time – Clients are promised a
minimum of four visits per year with 24/7 availability via email, phone and Skype. Status Reports – Detailed monthly outlines of actions, results, next steps, and social media analysis keeps clients informed and up-todate on their campaign's progress. Ranked by PR industry bible Jack O'Dwyer's Newsletter as one of the top 100 independent PR firms in the U.S., parent company WordHampton Public Relations is acknowledged regularly for campaigns that build brand reputations and its foray into social media. As a recipient of four Fair Media Council Folio Awards, the firm's social media programs, which currently boast 60 Facebook pages, have been successful in delivering business value. Noted PR achievements include the prestigious Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Big Apple Award for standards of excellence, PRSA Bronze Anvil Awards for outstanding tactics, and SABRE Award for superior achievement in branding and reputation. International recognitions consist of three MarCom Awards for outstanding marketing and communication projects and The Communicator Awards, a leading international awards program honoring excellence in PR.
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// NEWS
EVENTS
Kosherfest 2012 Sets Fast Paced Seminar And Keynote Announces Seminar The rapidly growing kosher food industry with many new products will gather at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ. Slated for November 13 - 14, 2012, Kosherfest is the largest kosher food, foodservice, beverage, wine and spirits trade show in the nation.
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ow in its 23rd year, the show is produced by Diversified Business Communications and co-produced by Menachem Lubinsky, founder of Kosherfest and CEO of LUBICOM a full service marketing company. “The kosher food industry has much to look forward to as various new studies indicate a significant growth in the core kosher market,” said Mr. Lubinsky. “There is every indication that the kosher food industry will continue to grow at a pace of 12% - 15% a year. “Mr. Lubinsky is referring to studies by UJA-Federation of New York which showed a significant growth of Orthodox Jews and Jews in general who observe kosher and the Mintel Research Group, which showed kosher to be the leading claim on all new products, indicating its significance in mainstream food markets. Lubinsky will deliver the keynote address at the show. He will discuss: Competing for a New Age Kosher Consumer in a Changed Environment. “The kosher consumer is blessed with many choices, in product, shopping venue, and even in price,” said Lubinsky. "The key challenge in 2013
The key challenge in 2013 and beyond is winning market share. How will marketing factor in reaching out to younger consumers? What changes in merchandising will be necessary to keep kosher consumers loyal?
and beyond is winning market share. How will marketing factor in reaching out to younger consumers? What changes in merchandising will be necessary to keep kosher consumers loyal? What changes lie on the horizon that anyone associated with the kosher industry should be aware of," Lubinsky continued. A highlight of this year's event will be top kosher chefs from the New York metropolitan area facing off in the Kosherfest Culinary Competi-
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tion. This fast paced heated mysteryingredient battle has kosher chefs vying for bragging rights and a cash prize. Produced in partnership with The Center for Kosher Culinary Arts. This year’s Kosherfest offers exhibitors an opportunity to get their products in front of thousands of trade buyers from across the globe. Buyers represent a broad spectrum, from independent restaurants and specialty markets, to supermarket chains, ingredient buyers and big box stores,
among many others. Kosherfest offers a Key Buyers program, special events, media exposure, promotional opportunities, a new products competition and showcase, and exhibitor specials. Kosherfest 2012 will host a New Products Competition, in which the best new kosher products of the year from among 17 categories will be chosen by industry professionals. The event will be held at a secret culinary location in NYC, prior to Kosherfest. Kosherfest will also host: Meeting the Special Needs of the Kosher Consumer. Kosher consumers are not monolithic and have diverse needs in terms of diet and palate. An increasing number of kosher consumers are seeking out such specialty foods as gluten-free, organic, and low-fat. How can the industry best meet those special needs? What are some of the merchandising ideas that help flag these products for those consumers who are looking for them? Kosherfest will also explore the ever-changing world of social media with a seminar focused on: Building Your Brand's Online Presence Via Social Media. In addition the event will feature a session on why is branding so critical for success in today’s competitive “mainstream” marketplace with Sabra's John McGuckin.
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// NEWS
PARTNERSHIPS
Guy Fieri And Sodexo Join Forces To Spice Up NJ's Montclair State College Students at select American colleges and universities will get a taste of rock star dining on campus thanks to an exclusive new partnership between Food Network icon Guy Fieri and Sodexo, a leading provider of Quality of Daily Life Solutions.
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ieri worked with Sodexo to create Guy Fieri On Campus (GFOC), a fast casual retail dining concept featuring his unique culinary style with hints of Italian, Asian and Mexican flavors - the kind of food featured regularly on the TV host's shows and in his restaurants, Tex Wasabi's and Johnny Garlic's. Under this partnership, Fieri and Sodexo will open at least 15 GFOC locations in the next five years. The first GFOC will open this fall at Montclair State University in New Jersey. "I'm totally psyched about Guy Fieri On Campus. This is my style, my recipes and what I wish I could have had when I was in college," said Fieri. "I've definitely learned a lot about what people like to eat in my travels across the country, so you know this food is going to be on point." GFOC's awesome menu includes a broad selection of sandwiches, pasta, tacos, quesadillas, rice bowls, salads, soups and burritos. Another highlight is a full offering of appetizers, sides and snacks including Guy's famous Vegas Fries, a rockin' recipe inspired by Guy's college days featuring extra crispy spuds tossed in buffalo sauce and served with a side of bleu cheese. There's definitely no room for boredom at GFOC, so diners will also be
able to try sea salt fries or garlic fries with parmesan. Flavor is king when it comes to snackin' on chicken wings, so Guy is offering these in three unique ways slathered with his own signature barbecue sauces; marinated and coated in a spicy soy sauce and honey Firecracker Sauce; and as Garlic-Butter Wings with Hot Sauce. "Sodexo creates exceptional student experiences and this partnership with Guy Fieri is another example of the exciting innovations we bring to campus," said Tom Post, president of Sodexo Education-Campus. "Much like our other branded dining concepts, Guy Fieri On Campus was designed to create a fun and relaxing spot on campus for students to enjoy great food while letting their hair down, or in this case spiking it up!" Sodexo in North America Sodexo Inc. leading Quality of Daily Life Solutions company in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, delivers On-site Service Solutions in Corporate, Education, Health Care, Government and Remote Site segments, and Motivation Solutions such as Esteem Pass. Sodexo Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in
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1999, has made more than $17 million in grants to end childhood hunger in America. Sodexo, a world leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions Quality of Life plays an important role in the progress of
individuals and the performance of organizations. Based on this conviction, Sodexo acts as a partner for companies and institutions that place a premium on performance and employee well being, as it has since Pierre Bellon founded the company in 1966. Sharing the same passion for service, Sodexo's 413,000 employees in 80 countries design, manage and deliver an unrivaled array of Quality of Life Services. Sodexo has created a new form of service business that contributes to the fulfillment of its employees and the economic, social and environmental development of the communities, regions and countries in which it operates.
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// NEWS
EDUCATION
Curriculum in New York to be Taught in Collaboration with Blue Hill and Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture The International Culinary Center founded as The French Culinary Institute, recently announced the development of its inaugural and innovative farm-to-table concentration at its New York campus.
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he program will provide an opportunity for aspiring chefs to learn beyond the four walls of a kitchen, extending their culinary education into the fields and farms that produce the ingredients chefs rely on daily. The program will offer a unique, handson introduction to ecological agriculture and cuisine led by Dan Barber, executive chef and co-owner of Blue Hill New York and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and one of the nation’s most respected authorities on America’s food supply and its future. To supplement the world’s leading, cuttingedge Classic Culinary Arts curriculum taught at The International Culinary Center, students will participate in a number of field trips during the sixmonth program, including an urban rooftop farm, a vineyard and a dairy farm. The program will culminate in a weeklong participative experience at Blue Hill and Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Pocantico Hills, New York. “I am very excited to announce our farm-to-table program at The International Culinary Center in New York, the most innovative of its kind in America,” said Dorothy Cann Hamilton, CEO and founder of The International Culinary Center. “By being one of the first culinary organizations to offer a concentration in ecology and 66 • September 2012 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
cooking and placing sustainability at the heart of one our programs, we are not only preparing our students to be the very best chefs, we are also helping them preserve our culinary and farming heritage for future generations, while focusing on the practical knowledge, skills and tools needed, as our collaborators Blue Hill and Stone Barns Center affirm, to create a farmpowered kitchen.” The curriculum at the New York campus of The International Culinary Center is a collaborative program with Blue Hill and Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, one of the world’s premier educational facilities on sustainable agriculture. Students will be introduced to the thoughts and practices that ally professional kitchens and ecological farms. The five-day portion of the curriculum, which will be taught at Blue Hill and Stone Barns Center at the end of the program, was developed by Chef Dan Barber with Stone Barns Center’s farmers and educators and will demonstrate that through collaborations with farmers and educators, future chefs will begin to define their place behind the stove. “The International Culinary Center is offering the most forward-thinking and best curriculum for culinary technique in the world and Stone Barns is offering the most up-to-date and best example of the future of great tasting food,” said Dan Barber. “So together this curriculum offers the opportunity for a student to come and see the connection between farmer and chef to create a lifelong understanding of food, agriculture and delicious food for the future of cuisine.” Throughout the six-month program, students will embark on field trips to gain an understanding of urban agricultural connections, the terroir of the Long Island wine region, and the Hudson Valley agricultural community. The program will conclude with the intensive five-day program at Blue Hill and Stone Barns
Center where students will learn, side-by-side with Dan, his kitchen team and Stone Barns Center farmers, how to create ecologically sound and
farm-powered kitchens. They will be immersed in the innovative agricultural practices and farm experiments underway at Stone Barns, explor-
ing how ingredients are shaped by
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// JC PROJECT OF THE MONTH
Château Cherbuliez A luxurious indoor and outdoor wine bar and French-inspired restaurant opened in an idyllic setting in the heart of Chelsea. Château aims to be an oasis that brings the charm and beauty of Southern France to New York. Château is located in the former parish building of the stunning Limelight Marketplace, a landmark Gothic Revival church, originally built in 1844-1845.
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hâteau is operated by DUAL Groupe’s experienced team of hospitality visionaries, including Derek and Daniel Koch and Philippe Olivier Bondon. Bondon is leading the restaurant as Managing Partner; the Paris-born hospitality expert has operated some of the most storied and influential establishments in St. Barth’s, including Le Yacht Club. Bon-
don is also the creative director of the restaurant’s interior design and outdoor garden, which is one of the largest outdoor garden spaces in NYC, accommodating 80-100 seats. The furniture that Château specified for this project was supplied by John Celli Custom Furniture & Design Corp. through their factory, Woodard Furniture who worked with the Dual Groupe supplying wrought-iron piec-
es for the newly opened restaurant. Total Food Service sat down with Philippe Bondon to discuss the vision he had for seating and how he worked with the team at John Celli Custom Furniture & Design Corp. from concept to completion. How did you meet and specify JC Custom Furniture & Design for Château’s seating design and why? What do they do differently than other furniture designers and manufacturers? We met JC Custom Furniture & Design on the floor of a restaurant conference. My eye was drawn to them for their wrought-iron pieces, which reminded me of wrought-iron from Southern France. What did JC Custom Furniture & Design provide Château in terms of seating and furniture? JC Custom Furniture & Design provided Château with all the wroughtiron pieces for our outdoor garden dining area, including several round tables, chairs and umbrellas for our dining area and loveseats and low tables for our lounge areas.
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Restaurant furniture could either reflect your restaurant theme or be based on it. What was your approach? Was there a certain look and feel in terms of design that fits the look and feel that Château was trying to achieve and how did you collaborate your ideas with the JC Custom Furniture & Design team? My goal with Château is to bring the charm and beauty of Southern France to New York. As soon as I saw the JC Custom Furniture & Design wrought-iron pieces, I knew we needed them for our outdoor garden dining space. The wrought-iron produced by JC Custom Furniture & De-
sign most reminded me of the style of classic wrought-iron pieces I’d grown up seeing in backyards in the south of France. Simply put, restaurant furniture is not just an accessory but will also establish the kind of dining atmosphere your customers can expect. Did JC meet your expectations in terms of creating the atmosphere you set out for? Yes. The pieces from JC Custom Furniture & Design helped us establish an inviting, comfortable atmosphere while still allowing us to maintain a heightened level of restaurant and food service. Did you stick with a certain type of wood or metal for the construction of the chairs, barstools, and tabletops throughout the restaurant? Please explain. We decided upon wrought-iron as the base of our outdoor furniture because it is most reflective of what you’d see in the backyard of a family home in the south of France. The wrought-iron set in the verdant garden creates the rich, warm and inviting tone we are looking to create with Château.
We decided upon wrought-iron as the base of our outdoor furniture because it is most reflective of what you’d see in the backyard of a family home in the south of France.
Space – the next factor that a restaurant needs to consider. It is assured that you would not want a closely packed restaurant with very less space for the customers as well as the staff to move around nor you would want to waste a lot of space. How was this achieved? Space was very important to us as we planned the layout of our out-
door garden. The outdoor garden at Château is one of the largest outdoor dining spaces in Manhattan as it seats anywhere from 80 to 100 people. It is very important to us that our customers have ample room to dine and lounge comfortably. Chairs – The chairs you select should be very comfortable. Customers won’t return back if they find the
seating to be uncomfortable. How did you and JC Custom Furniture & Design achieve this? It is very important to us that diners at Chateau feel comfortable. We worked with JC Custom Furniture & Design to create custom quality, comfortable cushions for the restaurant chairs and love seats. To see additional wrought-iron furniture selections, please visit www.woodard-furniture.com. For more information on Woodard's wrough-iron furniture collection, please visit www.woodard-furniture.com or contact John Celli Custom Furniture & Design at 212-2136999 or online at www.jcfurniture. us
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// MIXOLOGY
WARREN BOBROW
Metro New York Mixology with Bourbon Originated in Southern Quebec, Ice Cider is a sweet yet sophisticated dessert wine made from apples and concentrated by natural winter cold.
S
ometimes sold as "apple ice wine" in the USA, it was developed in Southern Quebec province in Canada over the past 10 years ('Cidre de Glace' in French). Ice Cider provides a significant value-added opportunity for this region's commercial apple orchards,
Warren Bobrow Warren Bobrow is the cocktail writer for Williams-Sonoma, Foodista, Voda Magazine and the 501c3 not for profit Wild River Review/Wild Table, where he also serves as an editor. www.cocktailwhisperer.com
which have been hurt in recent years by the flood of cheaper apples from West Coast and Chinese producers. It also takes advantage of the long, cold winters that are typical of these parts. But the best thing about Ice Cider is its amazingly delicious taste and is now a recognized dessert wine that makes a great addition to your fall menu cocktail and dessert menu. That's why the Ice Cider industry in Quebec has grown significantly and now includes over 50 producers with total annual production of over half a million bottles. Ice Ciders have won prestigious awards, and the largest producers have contracts for international distribution with companies such as Camus and Nicolas. Ice Cider has a unique taste sensation, and the process is designed to obtain the purest essence of apples, to be celebrated as itself. The typical production process is as follows: Apples are harvested from their trees at peak ripeness and kept in cold storage until the onset of consistently cold winter temperatures Apples are pressed, and the juice is
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set outdoors to freeze for 6 - 8 weeks The freezing and melting-off process results in a residual concentrate that is naturally high in sugar and flavor (typically 32 - 40 brix) The concentrate is fermented at 50 - 55 F degrees over several weeks or months The fermentation process is terminated and the final product is cold stabilized, filtered and bottled The resulting product is typically 8 11% alcohol by volume, with 12 - 15% residual sugar. I’m particularly fond of one brand of ice cider by a company called, Eden Ice Cider. Eden Ice is somewhat new to the northeast region, but not to France, nor to the Niagara Peninsula of New York State and the state of Vermont where Eden Ice Cider is located where their brilliantly flavor-
ful and aromatic versions of ice cider are created. Eden Ice Cider is one of the leading producers of ice cider and the uniquely satisfying Orleans Apple Aperitif. The Ice Cider is a pure and refreshing slurp of concentrated apple goodness and the flavors are intense and powerful. Food parings include fois gras, roast pork loin, duck confit, apple based desserts, farmhouse cheeses and of course bacon laced chocolates. I love the Orleans Apple Aperitif; it plays well in the lexicon of cocktails from Bourbon to Gin to Vodka. I’ve mixed it with soda water with a squeeze of limejuice. Here’s some recipes I’ve created for your fall cocktail menu:
Orleans Apple Aperitif Traditional and heirloom varieties of apples, infused with whole fresh herbs 100% Vermont grown fruit and herbs. No added sugar, coloring or flavoring of any kind. Concentration using natural Northern Vermont winter cold. I love the Orleans Apple Aperitif; it plays well in the lexicon of cocktails from Bourbon to Gin to Vodka. I’ve even mixed it with soda water with a squeeze of limejuice. I’ve included some recipes from their website that I created. To a cocktail shaker filled with fresh ice add: • 2 shots of Bluewater USDA Certified Organic Vodka from Seattle, Washington • 1 shot Orleans Apple Aperitif from Vermont • 3 drops of Bittercube Bitters (I like their Cherry Bark Vanilla for this cocktail; you can also use
•
the salubrious bitters from Bitter End or even the German-made bitters from Bitter Truth. Don’t have these? Try Angostura! Freshly squeezed lime, lemon and tangerine juice — about 1 tablespoon of each
Preparation: 1. Add all liquors and fruit juices and cube to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously until frost forms on the side of the shaker like the steam rising off a road after a summer thunderstorm. 2. Strain into a tall rocks glass with that perfect chunk of chainsaw ice. I prefer a long, tall ice cube rather than smaller chips. 3. Finish cocktail with exactly three drops of Bittercube Cherry Bark Vanilla Bitters and sip through to a finish that speaks of languid, humid days in New Orleans. Serves 2.
The Old Apple Tree • • • • •
• •
1 round ice cube from Glace 2 shots of Orleans Aperitif 1 teaspoon of Vermont Maple Syrup 1 shot Laird's Bottled in Bond Straight Apple Brandy 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed limejuice and apple juice (2 tablespoons of each) 1 sprig of freshly picked tarragon 2 drops from a medicine dropper of Bitter End Jamaican Jerk bitters... *fire on the mountain*
Preparation: Chill the liquors in a cocktail shaker with ice and two drops of the Jamaican Jerk bitters Shake until a frost appears on the shaker In a coupe glass that one very finely made ice cube sits, add the fresh limejuice and the teaspoon of Vermont Maple Syrup to coat the cube Pour the liquors over that elegant handcrafted ice cube Crumble a few tiny bits of the tarragon over the top and garnish with the
remaining sprig.
Orleans Apple Martini • • • • • •
2 shots of Orleans Apple Aperitif 1 shot Purity Vodka 1 splash of dry Vermouth Club Soda Splash of Apple Juice (freshly squeezed, unfiltered of course!) 2 Tablespoons of Simple Syrup of apples - freshly pressed apple juice with wildflower honey, made into a simple syrup Garnish with a slice of apple
• Preparation: 1. Mix the Apple juice with the Purity Vodka and the Orleans Apple Aperitif in a cocktail shaker with a bit of ice. Spray the inside of a chilled Martini glass with vermouth. 2. Pour the contents into the glass, add a bit of the simple syrup of apple and honey- and top with a splash of the Club Soda 3. Pour into your open mouth. Then have another.
Snappy Comeback • • • • •
2 shots of Orleans Apple Aperitif 1/2 shot of Eden Apple Ice Cider 1 shot Snap (USDA Certified Organic Ginger Snap Liquor) Q-Tonic Ginger Soda (Made with pure cane sugar) 2 drops of Bitter End Moroccan Bitters (Essential!)
Preparation: To a cocktail shaker filled with fresh ice, add 2 shots of Orleans Apple Aperitif and the Eden Apple Ice Wine, then 1 shot of Snap USDA Certified Organic Ginger Snap liquor (80 proof!) add 2 drops of Moroccan Bitters, Shake to mix, Strain into a tall cocktail glass over rock ice and then fill with Q-Ginger Soda. Garnish with a slice of apple. Make one for your friend first to show your good manners!
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Blue Hill, from page 67
StarChefs, from page 48
breeding, diet, environment and soil, and come away with a better understanding of how good agriculture and ecological thinking are essential elements in the kitchen. Students will spend time in the classroom, fields, pastures and kitchens, gathering the practical knowledge, tools and skills needed to navigate today’s food and farming labyrinth and recognize the potential of ingredients admirably grown and ably prepared – principles that will present the foundation for a lifelong cuisine. By educating and preparing aspiring chefs to work in and out of the kitchen, The International Culinary Center is bringing the “Center” to life. With the introduction of the farm-to-table concentration in New York and its collaboration with Blue Hill and Stone Barns Center’s Farm-Powered Kitchen™ program, along with a sustainability program in California, planned symposiums, advanced career placement services, and several new collaborations including the upcoming Spanish curriculum developed with renowned Chef José Andrés and the articulation agreement with The New School in New York City, students have the opportunity to do more than just learn culinary techniques – they will learn how to put their skills into a larger, more dynamic framework. The inaugural program in New York will start on December 18, 2012.
finally gone under water. As the low, slow submersion cooking technique continues its dominance in professional kitchens, the tech minds at PolySci created an iPhone application that can tell you how to sous vide just about anything. And in his savory demonstration, Matt Lightner will work in parallel with their new toy. In one of the rare moments he’s not foraging, immersed in R&D, or working in the kitchen of his recently opened Atera , Lightner will pair his refined, Spain-trained, productobsessed palate with PolySci’s finely wrought precision. When you’ve got one of the most creative, rising talents in the world of pastry at your fingertips—or at the International Chefs Congress— you make sure she’s well equipped. That’s why Angela Pinkerton, James Beard Award winner and keeper of the sweets at Eleven Madison Park, trusts her whimsy and precision to Waring’s LiquiLock Food Processor. And she’ll be using it specifically for the Peanut Brittle component of a classic Pinkerton creation, “Malted Peanut Sorbet, Mustard Panna Cotta, and Pretzel Crisps.” With as many flavors and textures as Pinkerton creates within a single dessert, the LiquiLock system comes in beautifully handy, preventing all leakage and spills, speeding up the whipping process, and generally allowing Pinkerton to focus on her forte, expressing flavors. Wine and ICC are no strangers. But this year ICC is putting coffee—none other than the rich, roasty stuff of Nespresso—under the microscope, with Master Sommelier and giddy beverage savant Fred Dexheimer doing the analysis. Dexheimer will apply a classic wine approach (aroma, terroir, body, acidity, etc.) to some of Nespressos’s best blends, exploring the pairing possibilities between Nespresso coffees and chocolate,
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spirits, and wine. Meaning where wine once dominated the after-dinner or small-plates arena, top quality coffees like Nespresso, with its 16 “grand crus,” will very well, and very boldly, go. There’s blending, and there’s blending. And Vitamix, makers of the industry’s highest powered, smoothest blending equipment, are in the latter camp. That’s why they’re hosting the annual Vitamix Challenge at ICC, pitting six of the country’s top chefs against each other in a battle of high-speed culinary innovation. The winner not only gets the glory, they earn an Ultimate Vitamix Package (a Vita-Prep® 3, Vitamix® XL™, The Quiet One™ and a $500 American Express Gift Certificate) for their home kitchen. Last year’s competition featured all star judges Wylie Dufresne of wd~50, Chris Santos of Stanton Social and Beauty & Essex, Alex Stupak of Empellón Cocina, and Drinks Editor Andrew Knowlton of Bon Appétit. And this year we’ve got Paul Qui of East Side King, Richard Blais of Trail Blais, and ICC emcees Matt and Ted Lee presiding over this year’s competition. Competitors include Chefs Tyler Anderson (Millwright's Restaurant & Tavern, Simsbury, CT), Phillip Speer (Uchi, Austin & Houston, TX), Anna G. Levien (Everyday Vegan (and Raw) by Anna, Sparta, NJ), Christopher Bates (Hotel Fauchere, Milford, PA), Phillip Lopez (Root, New Orleans, LA), and Jason Bond (Bondir Restaurant, Cambridge, MA). This year, StarChefs.com is unrolling its inaugural EAT@ICC programming, featuring 24 food carts and 2 pop-up restaurants over the course of ICC’s three-day run. And we’re not talking pretzels and highly seasoned street meat. The carts and pop-ups will be stocked with some of the best culinary talent from New York City and beyond, the names-in-lights
kind of talent you tend to make a reservation and wait for. Given that level of sophistication, StarChefs and EAT@ICC have entrusted their precious fare to Front of House’s new ServewiseTM Collection. Made from pine and poplar wood with soft rounded corners, the collection’s not only eco-friendly, it’s got the kind of muted naturalism to match the variety of casually refined cuisine you’ll find among the carts and pop-ups. Hot and cold food-ready, and surprisingly microwave and oven-safe, ServewiseTM has the kind of versatile, sexy functionality a working event like EAT@ICC requires. When you have a chef like Masaharu Morimoto at the International Chefs Congress, you want him to share some, indeed any, of his vast accrued knowledge of the art of sushi. And while the Iron Chef will grace the ICC Main Stage with a not-to-be-missed discussion of the “Legacy of Japanese Cuisine,” sushi aspirants would do well to attend his hands-on workshop, “Sushi Essentials,” where Morimoto will demonstrate the precision of sushi with some of the finest, freshest seafood, all of it atop Unified Brands’s FlexChill Prep Top. Fitted to the top of an FX drawer unit, the FlexChill’s 40°F stainless steel surface and additional cutting boards will enable Morimoto to elaborate on sushi-subjects from product selection to knife skills to the nuances of assembly and beyond—all while his product remains consistently chilled and fresh.
Lyme, from page 16 The event will be co-hosted by actress Christine Baranski of CBS’s The Good Wife and Faith Middleton of WNPR, and will take place from 12:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Musical guests “Bone Dry” will keep the atmosphere lively, while the Connecticut Plein Air Painter’s Society will be both capturing the spirit of the day in paint and offering their art for purchase. “Celebration of Connecticut Farms is the signature event each year for the state to celebrate local cuisine, and more importantly, to focus on the importance of the future livelihood of the farms from which it comes,” stated CFT Executive Director Jim Gooch. “When
this event began 12 years ago, we were one of the few organizations intent on highlighting local food and Connecticut farms. Now, even with the proliferation of fantastic farm-to-table events, this is still the largest, with the most chefs and the greatest variety. It’s a gala for 600 of our closest friends in recognition of the farms that grow the food we love to eat.” The Celebration is an important fundraiser for Connecticut Farmland Trust (CFT), the only private organization singularly dedicated to preserving working farmland in the state of Connecticut. Celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year, CFT has worked
to preserve more than 2,100 acres of farmland on 26 farms throughout the state and has worked with partners to preserve much more. Among participating restaurants will be: Alforno Ristorante and Brick Oven Pizzeria of Old Saybrook; Old Lyme’s The Bee and Thistle Inn; Boxcar Cantina Greenwich; Caseus Cheese Truck New Haven; Chef Designed Dressing Room: a Homegrown Restaurant Westport; G-Zen Branford; Heirloom at The Study New Haven; The Hotchkiss School Lakeville; Jordan Caterers Cheshire; La Tavola Waterbury; Liv's Oyster Bar Old Saybrook; Lyman Orchards Middlefield; Max Downtown
Hartford; Metro Bis Simsbury; Miya's Sushi New Haven; New Haven Public School New Haven; New Morning Country Store Woodbury; On Twenty Hartford; Plan B Burger Bar W. Hartford, Simsbury, Glastonbury; Skinny Pines (Pizza Truck) Easton; Tacuba Branford; The Farmer's Cow Lebanon; The Unquowa School Fairfield; Tulmeadow Farms West Simsbury; Uconn Local Routes Storrs; Whole Foods Market Milford; Yankee BBQ New Fairfield and Zinc New Haven.
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QA, from page 29 or I'm going to be in the people business. And that seems to be what you got from that. Is that an accurate portrayal? Let's not underestimate Danny Meyer. He's an exceptionally smart individual, and he took a massive risk in '85 by opening Union Square Cafe, on East 15th Street and then one might say he did the same thing in 1994 when he opened Gramacy Tavern on East 20th Street in areas that were not lively like they are now by any stretch. Now, in taking care of people does it always mean compensation? Does it include ongoing training? Everything. Every single thing, and every staff member is different, their needs are different. But, you know, fundamentally there are two prime concerns. Am I going to make enough money to survive in New York City and am I going to get the schedule I want? Everything else follows. So and so is celebrating a birthday today. You know they live in New York; they're away from their family who are all on the West Coast. Well, we're going to have a birthday celebration for them at work. How does your wine bar program differ from other restaurants? When one day I write the book of the history of wine bars, it would be it taught us that you don't have to be big. That you can be in a very small space. So that, real estate-wise, or occupancy cost-wise, you can afford to do what you do. That you need minimal staffing, and that you can have a point of view. Then we started to see that even in a small space, you can continue to push the envelope of wine even further. When we buy wine I don't buy it to please the customers. I buy it to please us. I buy it for me. I buy it for my staff. I do it to challenge us. Then our job is to educate the customers. We just don't drop a wine list in front of you and walk away, and just let you
order, and we can't talk about the wines. We want to have a conversation with you; in fact, I would love to one day not have a wine list. You just come in with your family and your friends, you sit down, and we have a conversation about grape juice, and then I bring you stuff. And I'm going to teach you about it. It makes it fun because it changes every day. It's never the same. Listen, you know, it's the world of wine that we love. I can never compete with Daniel or any of those restaurants in terms of verticality. I can't afford to acquire the 10-year offerings of Latour or Lafite but what thrills me is finding a cool indigenous varietal from Hungary or Croatia, getting some cool expression of grape juice from Uruguay or Brazil. Those are the things that rock my world. Not that I'm going to be an uber Bordeaux, burgundy, champagne guy, and have a thousand selections with incredible depth. I can't afford it, and there are guys out there that are much better than me. That’s when you go to Terroir, my challenge to my staff and myself is that we're going to have a wine list that even you as a wine lover would open it up and go I don't even know any of these wines. If that happens, then I've succeeded. What makes Riesling special? There was never an ah-ha moment where I had to rethink and was like, Oh my God, my life has changed. It was over a lot of years. If there was one fundamental wine in there it would probably be the 1976 JJ Pr Riesling Spatlese Wehlener Sonnenuhr. But I think most beverage directors and sommeliers love Riesling. We love its acidity. We love its balance and all of those things. When sommeliers get together and drink Riesling and all of that stuff -everyone says God I wish our guests would drink more Riesling. You've compared wine to a Zamboni,
please explain. Well, I'll never be a hockey player. Maybe one day, I'll be a Zamboni driver. But, you know, you take a bite of food, you have a sip of wine, and that acid cleans the palate, so that you can have another bite of food. Much like the Zamboni cleans the ice and lays down a brand new sheet of ice so the guys can keep playing hockey. Does the wine drive your menus or the menu dictates the wine list? I'm a restaurateur first. I was born in a restaurant. But you know my love of wine came secondary to my love of the restaurant industry and hospitality. So, I'm a restaurateur first, I'm not a beverage guy first. I've made that my reputation, it may be my forte and it's absolutely a love of mine, because the world of wine involves so many different disciplines that drive it. Crystal Ball? Additional NY restaurants, Las Vegas? There's nothing inspiring me right now that other people are not already doing. What inspires me though is taking Terroir to the masses. That's what I want to do. I want to be the Starbucks of the Wine bar world. I want Terrior in every city. But I want to be the place where everyone can come to for education, for inspiration, and for a damn good glass of grape juice. With or without food.
Unilever, from page 10 by enhancing ingredient descriptions, noting place of origin and adding a bit of romance language. To participate in the “Seductive Nutrition Challenge,” restaurant operators are encouraged to join Unilever Food Solutions in making a commitment to reduce the calories in a top dish by 100 calories and enhance the menu description to make it more ap-
pealing to guests to choose the slightly healthier menu items. From all of the participants, 45 restaurant operators will be randomly selected to submit results demonstrating their “Seductive Nutrition” commitment. Unilever Food Solutions then will select 10 restaurant operators from the 45 finalists to receive the opportunity to present their “Seductive Nutrition” success story during a weekend-long workshop experience at the Culinary Institute of America-Greystone. Unilever Food Solutions also will host workshops throughout July and August to introduce the “Seductive Nutrition Challenge” and the new Seductive Nutrition tools and resources to restaurant operators. The workshops will be held in nine markets across the U.S. and Canada, including Boston, Chicago, Kansas City, Kan., Portland, Ore., Providence, R.I., San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and Washington, D.C. At Unilever Food Solutions, they help chefs all over the world serve tasty, wholesome meals that keep guests coming back for more. They create ingredients that save precious prep time in the kitchen without compromising on flavor or flair, and constantly provide ideas and inspiration that keep your menu fresh and exciting. Their ingredients are some of the staples of professional kitchens in 74 countries around the world: Knorr, Hellmann’s, Lipton and more. They have been in the foodservice industry since the 1880s and have more than 300 chefs on staff around the world. Unilever understands that critical balance between impressing your guests and making a profit, and how to keep your menus and recipes fresh and exciting as times and tastes change.
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// CHEFCETERA Sarabeth Levine, Pastry Chef & Founder of Sarabeth's Kitchen New York City, NY
H
ow have the needs of your customers evolved since you began in 1980? I haven’t seen the needs of my customer change too much since I started in this industry because my customer wants to come in and enjoy a great, and comfortable meal with their family– Sarabeth’s has always provided that great meal in a comfortable atmosphere and we always will. It all comes down to people wanting to go out and enjoy a simple and delicious meal, in maybe one hour instead of three, and we are that place for them. My customer has been coming to me for the same reasons as when I started, and that is a timeless, home cooked meal – you can eat at Sarabeth’s every day. I always say that if Sarabeth was your mother, you would be home for dinner every night. What was they key to your ability to build the Sarabeth retail line? I started with a really great idea and ran with it. I don’t look back and take things one step at a time. If it feels good to me, I test it out and make it work financially. You have to really love what you are doing to be in this business, so I do what I feel in my heart. Sarabeth’s has always produced quality products with quality ingredients, so when we decide
Award-winning jam maker, acclaimed pastry chef and restaurateur, Sarabeth Levine, remains the driving force behind the success and outstanding reputation of the Sarabeth brand. Sarabeth’s personal search for perfection extends to everything she creates. Sarabeth's award-winning "Legendary Spreadable Fruit", which had its beginning in Sarabeth and her husband and business partner, Bill Levine's Manhattan apartment with a few jars being sold to local businesses, is now being produced in a 15,000 s.f. factory in the Bronx, still being operated by Sarabeth and Bill. They are sold in the finest department stores, gourmet shops and specialty stores throughout the United States, the Caribbean, Canada, Japan and South Korea and have achieved a reputation as the finest fruit spreads and jams in the gourmet industry. From that humble beginning, Sarabeth with her husband, now own and operate a jam factory, a wholesale-retail bakery café and nine restaurants. It is a true American success story.
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to put something on the shelves, it sells – people are able to recognize the quality of the brand. What brought you into the industry? In 1981, I met Bill Levine, a contractor working on a new cafe that needed a special touch. Little did he know that I had just the trick. I had never forgotten a treasured family recipe for orangeapricot marmalade that was kept secret by ‘Grandmère’, (my Aunt Ruth’s mother-in-law) a French Jewish woman also named Sara. I recall grandmère making clandestine batches in the basement, and the recipe was revealed to me by Aunt Ruth long after her death. That very special recipe is what I prepared daily for Bill’s cafe, making it from my apartment kitchen and serving it proudly to rave reviews. That, of course, was only the beginning. Who had the most impact on your career and why? My husband Bill has had the most impact on my career because he instilled in me a self belief that I could be successful, and he wanted to be a part of it. Bill handles more of the business side of Sarabeth’s and that has allowed me to get in the kitchen every day and create – something that I might not have been able to do without him. Once I create a new product, we look at the bottom line and evaluate the product together, and then as a team, decide if we are going to sell it or not. Bill has been the encouragement to grow the business, and even helped build the first restaurant. I also have to credit the woman who dared give me the marmalade recipe, my Aunt Ruth The secret to the success of Sarabeth’s Kitchen is Bill Blue-Eyes and the Golden Marmalade recipe – a great pair.
You have to really love what you are doing to be in this business, so I do what I feel in my heart. Sarabeth’s has always produced quality products with quality ingredients, so when we decide to put something on the shelves, it sells – people are able to recognize the quality of the brand.
You work with your husband, what are the keys to making that relationship work? This is similar to the way I work with my employees; you need to let everyone express themselves, the good and the bad, because it will all pass and you’ve made a commitment to each other. You’re not going to split up each time you disagree. You created a brand before Food Network and the "celebrity chef", how did you do it? I feel that I did it in reverse. Sarabeth’s Kitchen started as a specialty food business – we were a wholesaler of specialty products, and then expended into a bakery and then finally the restaurants and not the other way around, as do many of the “celebrity chefs.” Our products are not after thoughts, but what started our business and the key to its continued success. I just wanted to feed people and I built on that. Everything happened because I invested in myself.
You’ve had a number of employees that have been with you for 20 years, what is your approach to building a team? The people that work for me are paid to work for me, but I never think of it that way. I think about how fantastic they are, and over the years they have become family because to me, work is home. An important thing in building a successful team is to take an interest in your employees as more than just
an employee, but as a person. They devote a lot of time to you, and there will be times that you need to be there for them on a personal level. I truly care about the people that work for me, so I treat them like family. And if you don’t care about your employees, they won’t stay. What role did your famous marmalade have in building your business? The Orange-Apricot Marmalade is what started Sarabeth’s Kitchen. The bakery business came after because we realized we needed something to put the marmalade on, so I started baking pastries and never looked back. There seems to be a trend towards healthier menus. How has that impacted your approach? I have noticed a trend toward healthier options, but I have always made pastries and desserts and always will, although I have always made small muffins, and other smaller pastry items. I started making a great new product called the “Morning Cookie,” and it is packed with flavor, as well as fiber and whole grains and it’s only 3 points on Weight Watchers! This new trend, though, doesn’t mean you need to stop eating sweets all together or that I should stop baking – just eat half a cookie instead of a full one. And I eat seasonally as much as possible in order to support the earth and be healthy, but when you want a little something, eat a sweet treat.
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iPhone App, from page 33 systems, Tina Bennett, to explain MyPaymentsPlus and its benefits. Where did the idea for "MPP" come from? Horizon Software launched the first generation of MyPaymentsPlus in 2003 as an online meal-payment solution. While its branded name has changed and functionality evolved over the years, its purpose has remained the same: To remove administrative hassles that help school districts maximize participation in their programs and activities. Today, MyPaymentsPlus is a robust platform that is used by hundreds of school districts across the country, including some of the nation’s largest to accept and process: General Payments Accept payment for yearbooks, field trips, athletics, before school and after-school care,
and more. Student Billing: Easily bill a specific student for fees that are owed such as library fines, lost or damaged text books, and more. Open House/Orientation: Post important back-to-school information online: media release forms, Internet terms-of-use forms, and even handbooks. Also post back-to-school contributions, parking permits, locker fees, PTA signups, and more. Advanced Placement Exams: Handle Advanced Placement Exam registration and payments for the entire district or school. MyPaymentsPlus follows the guidelines set forth by the College Board, making it easy to submit all required information. Summer School: Post summer school classes for easy online registration and payment. This module can also be used for online schools.
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Meal Payments Used in conjunction with Horizon’s Cafeteria Point of Sale (POS) System. Allow parents to see meal account balances, make payments, create low-balance reminders, and set up automatic payments. Parents can also view what their children purchased in the cafeteria. In July, Horizon software released the MyPaymentsPlus app for iPhone and iPad – the nation’s first mobile application that allows parents to make their children’s meal payments from a smart phone or tablet. The app also allows parents to see what food their children choose in the cafeteria. Horizon is also developing the MyPaymentsPlus app for Android phones and tablets. How has this function been handled by schools prior to the rollout of MPP?
Schools that do not have an automated system like MyPaymentsPlus in place typically accept meal payments via cash or check in the cafeteria. Those payments must then be totaled, balanced, and submitted to the bank for processing which requires extensive time, drains resources, slows cash flow, and slows cafeteria lines. MyPaymentsPlus alleviates administrative burdens and does the work for the school system. It collects prepayments from parents; processes those payments at the time of purchase; and applies them to the district’s account. The addition of new technology, like the MyPaymentsPlus app, is another tool districts can use to increase participation in their meal programs. It makes it quick and easy for parents to keep their children’s account balances current.
Do you have any projections in terms of spike in sales at schools using MPP? Hundreds of the school districts across the country, including some of the nation’s largest, use MyPaymentsPlus to process financial transactions for meals, activities, textbooks, and more. While every school district is unique, most districts using the MyPaymentsPlus platform have increased participation in their school-meal programs – meaning more revenue for the district. Based on that projection, what is a reasonable time for payback on the system? MyPaymentsPlus helps districts reduce cash handling, increase participation and reduce the amount of time spent processing prepayments through: • • • • • •
•
•
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Reduced cash handling and shrinkage Increased participation—thus increasing revenue; Improved line speed due to prepaid accounts; Minimized student balance calls to the district; Reduced number of payments for the staff to process; Positive publicity because of this cutting-edge solution being offered; Enhanced wellness programs through the MyPaymentsPlus parental monitoring features; Eliminated up-front costs – districts don’t have to worry about: banking and credit card processing costs, technical support, integration with the POS, application hosting and wire transfers; and Comprehensive marketing program assists districts with communication to the community.
The payback certainly depends on the usage of the system and marketing efforts, but generally payback is within the first month of usage. How can the school use the system to market its menus to parents? Each district’s MyPaymentsPlus includes an area where special information can be featured. Many districts choose to feature their menus in this area. In addition, Horizon Software’s SourceBoard – a high-resolution flat screen – helps schools promote their menus in an engaging manner through graphics, photos, colorful fonts, and creative layouts that excite students and parents about the food choices that are available. If the parent pays at home with their iphone how does that funnel down to the student and lunchroom personnel? Prepaid funds are instantly transferred to the district point of sale where they remain until the student needs to access the funds. Expended funds are batched nightly and transferred to the district’s designated bank account. Horizon Software’s Point of Sale systems fully integrate with MyPaymentsPlus to offer districts a comprehensive, seamless solution. What sort of training and support are available for a local school district? All school districts undergo extensive training to utilize back-end functions to their fullest potential. Continuous technical support is available to districts through our in-house call center, as well as dedicated resources that help districts market the MyPaymentsPlus solution to parents. Any schools and districts in the New York area? Currently, there are a total of 218 schools and 124,000 students in the New York area using Horizon’s MyPay-
mentsPlus.
Centerplate, from page 34 for the Baltimore Convention Center. “With the addition of Infantino, we will continue to enhance the guest experience for the attendees at the convention center.” The Baltimore Convention Center is the premier location in the Mid-Atlantic for organizations to host conventions, meeting, luncheons and other activities large and small. The four level Center boasts seven exhibition halls providing a total of 300,000 square feet, 50 meeting rooms with a total of 85,000 square feet and the largest ballroom in the state of Maryland, totaling over 36,000 square feet. Centerplate crafts and delivers “Craveable Experiences. Raveable Results.” in over 250 prominent entertainment, sports and convention venues across North America annually serving over 100 million guests. Centerplate has provided event hospitality services to 15 official U.S. Presidential Inaugural Balls, 13 Super Bowls, 20 World Series, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and the largest plated dinner in history at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Centennial Celebration.
ICE, from page 38 Laura Shapiro, author of Julia Child: A Life; Alex Prud’homme, author of My Life in France (and nephew of Julia Child); Bob Spitz, author of the latest biography of Ms. Child entitled Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child. All proceeds from the discussion will go to City Harvest. Also on Sunday, the 23rd, noted chef Nick Malgieri will host Cooking with
Julia from 5-9:30pm. Julia Child was not only one of the greatest authors in the history of French cooking, but she was also a renowned hostess who loved to entertain at her homes in Cambridge, Massachusetts and in Provence, France. Learn to prepare some of Julia’s favorites, all adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1, the book that made her a superstar. Menu selections include: Galettes au Gruyere (Swiss cheese wafers); Petites Quiches Lorraines (Classic bacon and custard quiches); Moules a la Provencale (Baked mussels with garlic butter); Caneton Roti a l’Alsacienne (roast duck with apples); Puree de Celeri Rave (celery root puree); Souffle au Chocolat (chocolate soufflé served with crème fraiche). Enrollment limited to 16. The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE®) is New York City's largest and most active center for culinary education. Founded in 1975 by Peter Kump, the school offers highly regarded 8- to 13-month career training programs in Culinary Arts, Pastry & Baking, Culinary Management and Hospitality Management. With an in-depth global curriculum, dedicated Chef Instructors a strong record in job placements and a clear entrepreneurial focus, ICE is widely recognized by top industry organizations as a premier pathway to begin or continue a culinary career. ICE also runs the largest program of hands-on recreational cooking and baking classes and wine education in the country, in addition to hosting hundreds of corporate and private cooking events a year. ICE was a finalist and winner of the International Association of Culinary Professionals' 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2008 Awards of Excellence for Culinary Schools. ICE students and alumni regularly are nominated for or win top industry awards, such as James Beard Awards, Food & Wine's Best New Chefs in America, and Dessert Professionals’ Top Ten Pastry Chefs.
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Levy & USTA, from page 23 Fountains, is now on the top level of a new two-story building. The ground floor of the redesigned structure will house a new US Open retail store. The second story Café provides a spacious setting with an enhanced menu that will offer fans unique views of the grounds as they follow matches in this one-of-a-kind setting. The Heineken Light Lounge, located in the Chase Center off the East Gate, also has been remodeled with outdoor café seating and a new interior. The premier dining destination on the grounds, ACES is known for its sophisticated seafood menu. Chef Masaharu Morimoto returns this year to prepare all the sushi and sashimi. Other standout dishes include the Plateau Royal – a tower of chilled seafood, chilled corn and lemongrass soup made with local corn and served with jumbo lump crab and cilantro, and the seared sea scallops with a local arugu-
la and grapefruit salad, shaved fennel and citrus emulsion. New this year, guests are enjoying the local catch from Gosman’s of Montauk or Skuna Bay Salmon prepared in a variety of ways including grilled to order and served with selection of sauces and vegetable ragu. New to this year’s menu, Chef David Burke has added his famous Ash Crusted Prime Beef Carpaccio, Patented DryAged Bone-In Ribeye, Butter Poached 2 Pound Naked Lobster. The Mojito Restaurant and Bar is open to all guests and a popular evening meeting spot, Mojito focuses on Latin specialties and festive libations. Snack on the smoked pork bocaditos with sweet plantains, black beans and cilantro cream or Diablo shrimp and scallop ceviche with orange, lime, chile and tomato. Seasonal mojitos, sangria and outdoor seating make this an ideal between- and post-match spot.
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James Beard Award-winning Chef Tony Mantuano returns offering a wine bar atmosphere in the South Plaza and on the Club Level of Arthur Ashe Stadium. Featuring Mediterranean small plates and wine pairings from his Wine Bar Food cookbook, signature dishes include the flaming ouzo shrimp, tomato bread and a mozzarella plate. The menu this year will include a new dish intended for sharing, the Freshly Handcrafted Whole Burrata, sourced from the Brooklyn Salzarula family and served with grilled leeks and crostini. When the top athletes in tennis descend on the US Open they need sustenance to fuel their game. Levy Restaurants’ chefs offer plenty of lean protein and complex carbohydrates, along with a range of options to appeal to the international palates of today’s tennis stars. Most popular are the made-to-order pasta bar, baked potato bar, grilled chicken, brown rice and smoothies. Giv-
en the surge in tennis players adopting a gluten-free diet, Chef Abbey is expanding the gluten-free choices available to players. Lessening environmental impact is a major focus for the USTA and Levy Restaurants. Guests will notice that service ware is made from recyclable, biodegradable or compostable materials and more than 500 recycling bins are placed throughout the grounds. Levy Restaurants is also composting at all kitchens, and the cooking oil recycling program continues, converting oil into cleanburning, renewable biodiesel fuel. City Harvest Donation: The USTA and Levy Restaurants will donate unused food to City Harvest, which delivers rescued food to soup kitchens and food pantries across the five boroughs. Last year, more than 25,000 pounds of food were donated, and City Harvest has collected more than 275,000 pounds of food from the US Open since 1998.
Raise Funds, from page 30
JBF, from page 21
after the party. Although they looked brand new, the napkins that were used were originally made in Guatemala for the wedding of one of Pam and Gary Mount's daughters and have been reused many times over the years. There were very few expenses for the evening, as Terhune Orchards donated the wine and most of the food served that night. Cherry Grove Farm provided the lamb; the chefs donated their time and expertise while volunteers served the meals. The goal, Mount said, was to be as "sustainable as possible." She said she hopes to make it an annual event. "Congratulations on a great celebration of an amazing organization!" Karen Pinzolo said. "The flavor of the event was just right for Sustainable Jersey: elegant, simple, genuine, different and better - a creative innovation for benefits! I had such a good time that I asked Pam if she could do it once a month.
contemporary French cuisine and innovative menu to win over finicky New Yorkers. Thanks to the same excellent work that earned him that Michelin star while in his homeland, Humm landed the restaurant its first three-star review from the New York Times. Critic Frank Bruni wrote of “inspired, opulent cooking,” exclaiming that “meals here hit highs they never came close to in the past.” Much like in San Francisco, Humm’s cuisine at Eleven Madison Park earned him a 2007 nomination for the James Beard Foundation Rising Star honor. More accolades are almost certain in this young chef’s future. Mr. Richard was born in Brittany in March, 1948 and raised in Champagne. He learned to cook when he was age 7. At the age of 9, he participated in the French equivalent of the Fresh Air Fund. Having been told
that, if he wanted to be a chef, he first needed to learn to be a pastry chef, by age 14, he was an apprentice baker at a hotel in Reims. After serving in the French Army he worked at the bakery, Maison Lenotre, in Paris under French pastry chef Gaston Lenotre. He opened Lenotre's short-lived New York branch, Chateau France, then moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, to run The French Pastry Shop at La Fonda Hotel. In 1977 he was in Los Angeles, where he opened another Michel Richard Pastry Shop. He used the profits to eat in France's threestar restaurants, and solidifying his desire to move beyond pastry, and to train himself to be a chef over the next ten years. In 1987 he opened the restaurant, Citrus in Los Angeles. Satellites of Citrus were opened in Santa Barbara, Baltimore, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Washington,
D.C, all of which eventually closed. In 1997, he sold half of his interest in the restaurant to Meristar Corporation, which is also his partner in Citronelle. In 1989 A year later, Richard opened Citronelle, in the Santa Barbara Inn Hotel in Santa Barbara. He later opened Bistro M in San Francisco, and Citronelle in Baltimore and Michel's in Philadelphia. In 1994, he opened Citronelle in The Latham Hotel in Georgetown. Later, he opened a branch of Citronelle at Carmel Valley Ranch in Carmel, California. Ten years later, he opened Central in Washington DC.
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CT Chef, from page 4 Michael's," said John Bloch, CEO of Michael's. "With our similar customer base, the addition of The Chefs' Warehouse's breadth and depth of products will allow us to continue to grow as we seek to become the premier provider of specialty foods in the Midwest." The Chefs' Warehouse funded the acquisition through borrowings under its existing revolving credit facility. This deal marks the company's fourth acquisition in just over a year. In April, the Ridgefield, CT firm acquired Praml International, LTD. a leading specialty foods importer and foodservice distributor located in Las Vegas, NV, which services customers in Las Vegas, NV and Reno, NV. The Pappas led firm bought Prami, which was founded in 1987 by Heidi and
Pastry & Baking Arts Classes
Rudi Putze and serves over 500 customer locations. Pappas shopping spree started last November when the firm acquired Provvista Specialty Foods, Inc.
School Lunch, from page 8 as cooking demonstrations, providing educational materials about nutrition and maintaining salad bars. Sharon Richter, a licensed nutritionist who has worked with WITS for several years, countered that the group has always maintained higher nutritional standards than those required by law, and pushed the city’s Department of Education to improve its own standards, like reducing corn syrup and hydrogenated oil. “I’m working through the new menus to make sure they all fit the
Call For Upcoming Class Schedule
888-531-Chef
www.iceculinary.com
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new requirements,” she said. Any adjustments would be minor, she said, like including fresh fruit and the salad bar on the listed menu items rather than offering them as extras, or altering the mix of vegetables over the course of the week. Over all, she said, “It’s a very obvious thing how much healthier these are, the recipes made from scratch as opposed to prepackaged food.” “We are worried about, ‘Too many cooks can spoil the broth,’ ” Eric S. Goldstein, the chief executive of school support services, said last month, in describing the administrators’ caution. “We have to make sure we follow what is federally mandated. Michael Anthony, the executive chef at Gramercy Tavern, who worked with Public School 41 in Manhattan during the past year, said the project
“was met with an enormous amount of enthusiasm from kids, parents, cafeteria workers and administrators.” As for the new change in policy, he said: “We will continue to be dedicated to the kids at 41 and to the organizers of WITS to see that it doesn’t just go by the wayside. It’s important to stand up for the right of our kids to eat healthy food and live healthy enjoyable lives.” Nancy Easton, the executive director and a founder of WITS, said city officials shared the “good news” with the group. The program, a nonprofit organization formed in 2005, was recently making lunches in about 30 schools. “We are very excited to be continuing our partnership with the Department of Education,” Ms. Easton said.
Female Chefs, from page 2 boosta & Taim; April Bloomfield, The Spotted Pig, The Breslin and The John Dory Oyster Bar; Lynn Bound, Café 2 (MoMa); Heather Carlucci-Rodriguez, Print; Amanda Cohen, Dirt Candy; Ariane Daguin, D’Artagnan; Gina DePalma, Babbo; Colleen Grapes, The Harrison & The Red Cat; Gabrielle Hamilton, Prune; Emily Isaac, Trois Pommes Patisserie; Sara Jenkins, Porchetta & Porsena; Elizabeth Karmel, Hill Country; Sarabeth Levine, Sarabeth’s; Ashley Merriman, Waverly Inn; Nancy Olson, Gramercy Tavern; Alexandra Raij, Txikito, El Quinto Piño and LaVara; Alexandra Ray, North End Grill; Sunchar Raymond, Union Square Café; Missy Robbins, A Voce; Rosa Ross, Scrimshaw; Barbara Sibley, La Palapa; Ivy Stark, Dos Caminos; Sue Torres, Sueños; and Julie Taras Wallach, Tipsy Parson. Participating celebrity sous chefs for the evening include: Brenda Blackmon, TV News Anchor; Blair Brown, Actress; Lourdes Castro, Author, Latin Grilling; Dana Cowin, Editor-in-Chief, Food & Wine Magazine; Kathleen Chalfant, Actress; Melissa Clark, Food Columnist/Author; Tandy Cronyn, Actress; Judy Gold, Comedian; Rozanne Gold, Chef/Author; Dorie Greenspan, Chef/Cookbook Author;Donna Hanover, Broadcast Personality; Jessica Hecht, Actress; Cindy Hsu, WCBS-TV News Anchor; Jodi Kantor, Author, The Obamas; Rikki Klieman, TV Personality; Ellie Krieger, Chef/Host, Food Network’s “Healthy Appetite”; Daisy Martinez, Chef/Host, Food Network’s “Viva Daisy!”; Alex McCord, The Real Housewives of New York City; Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director of Manhattan Theatre Club; Sara Moulton, Chef, Cookbook Author, TV Personality; Karen Page, Food and Wine Columnist, Author, The Flavor Bible; Joanna Pruess, Au-
thor, Cast Iron Cookbook; Ruth Reichl, Author, Writer, Editor; Daphne RubinVega, Actress; Carole Shelley, Actress; Valerie Smaldone, Media Personality; Linda Stasi, Journalist; and Lucinda Scala Quinn, Chef/Host, Hallmark Channel’s “Mad Hungry.” SHARE helps people facing breast or ovarian cancer, from diagnosis through treatment and post-treatment, offering the unique support of survivors who've been there. All of SHARE's services are free of charge and include Helplines, educational programs, support groups, and public-health initiatives.
outdoors on the restaurant’s patio beside the river. Zylo Tuscan Steak House is one of the Hudson River Restaurants that stands out from the rest. Guests who visit will leave with their senses fully satisfied. Zylo Tuscan Steak House is managed by Cornerstone Restaurant Group and the affiliate company, Jump Higher, L.L.C. Both companies, led by Jonathan Albert and David Zadikoff in collabora-
tion with Michael Jordan, oversee all Michael Jordan brand restaurants. Michael Jordan brand restaurants include Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse in Chicago, Connecticut, and New York; 23 Sportscafe in Connecticut; and SolToro Tequila Grill in Connecticut. Cornerstone Restaurant Group also manages operations for WAVE at the W Chicago Lakeshore.
Basulto, from page 14 meat, dry-aged steak, fresh seafood, and a wide array of pastas that guests can enjoy in one of two exclusive dining experiences. Guests at Zylo Tuscan Steak House can enjoy the ambiance of the Salumeria and bar or they can dine
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Call Vic Rose: 732-864-2220
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