NEWS
DISTRIBUTION
Sysco Acquires J. Kings To Expand Metro NYC Portfolio
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ysco’s Greg Bertrand saw something just nine miles down the road that he must have found simply irresistible. Because last month the largest global foodservice distribution company, announced the acquisition of J. Kings Food Service Professionals, a New York broadline distributor with approximately $150 million in annual sales. J. Kings Food Service is headquartered in Holtsville, New York, and located just nine miles away from Sysco-Long Island’s home in Central Islip, NY. The well respected distributor was founded by John King more than 45 years ago. Today, the company has grown to one of the leading independent broadline distributors in the New York area, also servicing customers in Connecticut and New Jersey. The majority of the company’s customers are independent restaurant operators, but the company also serves institutional, retail and multi-unit customers. “J. Kings is a well-respected, New York area broadline distributor, and we are happy to welcome them into the Sysco family of businesses,” said Greg Bertrand, Sysco’s executive vice president, U.S. foodservice operations. “As Sysco continues to focus on M & A as part of our strategic growth plan, we believe J. Kings, with its strong local presence, combined with Sysco’s scale and depth,
One of the questions for industry pundits is how Sysco’s New Jersey operation which serves a number of Manhattan and ‘City accounts will compete/co-exist with J. Kings will provide our customers with even more of what they need to be successful in the competitive New York area market.” The Sysco announcement indicates that J. Kings’ executives will continue to manage the business, including J. Kings’ founder and chief customer officer, John King. However with such a short distance between the two facilities it could certainly lead to conjecture of consolidation of personnel. Sysco-Long Island is managed by the well-respected Frank Recine and includes a state of the art facility and team of corporate chefs who are deeply involved in bringing added value to their customers. J. Kings has long been known for its team of visionary culinary artists on staff to help customers create menu solutions. One of the questions for industry pundits is how Sysco’s New Jersey operation which serves a number of Manhattan and ‘City accounts will compete/co-exist with J. Kings. In
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2011, John King opened an office in New York City and has built a thriving book of business. Since 1974, J. Kings has been steadily expanding to meet the needs of its customers by listening to their needs and coming up with unique solutions to help build their businesses. “In fact, it’s our businessbuilding capabilities that separate us from our competitors,” John King explained. “Anyone can deliver food. But not everyone can deliver the ideas that help your business grow beyond your wildest dreams.” The Kings recipe for success has included its on-going outreach to the communities it serves. In 2017, longtime supporter John King donated a 20,000-square-foot warehouse in Calverton to Island Harvest Food Bank. The 20-year, no-cost lease of the warehouse space has helped facilitate the collection and distribution of food (in particular, fresh fruits and vegetables donated by the local farming community) to those in
need on the East End of Long Island. The warehouse has also served as a distribution point for disaster relief in Eastern Suffolk County, as Island Harvest Food Bank is a lead agency in the region’s emergency-response preparedness for food and product distribution. In 2012, Sysco Long Island opened its doors to a new 420,000-squarefoot, state of the art distribution operation. The $92 million facility in Central Islip took 14 months to complete, replacing a much smaller distribution center. Sysco has local offices in Jersey City, upstate New York and Rocky Hill, CT, that handled distribution efforts prior to the opening of the Central Islip center. The facility distributes to restaurants, hospitals, schools, hotels and other food agencies in Suffolk, Nassau, Queens and Kings counties. Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers who prepare meals away from home. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the foodservice and hospitality industries. With over 69,000 associates, the company operates approximately 332 distribution facilities worldwide and serves more than 650,000 customer locations. For fiscal 2019 that ended June 29, 2019, the company generated sales of more than $60 billion.
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Schedule a free demo at trycake.com/totalfood September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 3
NEWS
HOTELS
Weehawken Debuts New EnVue Hotel With Russo Helmed Eatery
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nVue has announced its opening, joining Autograph Collection, Marriott International’s newest collection of independent, characterful hotels that are each hand selected for their inherent craft and distinct perspective on design and hospitality, creating an Exactly Like Nothing Else experience. The 208-room, 10-story luxurious waterfront hotel located at Port Imperial is managed by HEI Hotels & Resorts of Norwalk, Con-
Our unique property offers an engaging atmosphere, with numerous gathering places for guests and the local community to come in and socialize with friends or family,” said Matthes Metz necticut. EnVue is owned and developed by Roseland Residential Trust, a subsidiary of Mack-Cali, one of the leading developers of luxury
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lifestyle-oriented multifamily and mixed-use properties throughout the Northeast. Situated on the Hudson River, just
steps from the Port Imperial Ferry, where guests can travel to Midtown Manhattan in just minutes, EnVue offers guests unparalleled outdoor space with unobstructed views, and convenient access to Times Square, Central Park, Madison Square Garden and MetLife Stadium. Roseland has led the transformation of Port Imperial, an approximate $3 billion, 200-acre community on the Hudson River Waterfront
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September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 5
NEWS
CHEFS
Visionary Cattani Guides Creative New Initiative For RA Collaboration With Top Toques
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anhattan based Restaurant Associates has once again taken its commitment to excellence to another level. With the visionary Dick Cattani, at the helm, Restaurant Associates announced last month a creative collaboration with several of the world’s top chefs. Among the highlights of the new initiative is the addition of Tom Colicchio to head up Cuisine at NYC’s The Morgan Library & Museum. “I have been working with Restaurant Associates for several years, and I find their ethos of taking care of their employees, sourcing sustainably, and trying to impact food waste is in lock-step with Crafted Hospitality’s,” said Colicchio. “The historic Morgan Library & Museum presents an amazing opportunity to further that mission in an iconic New York landmark.” Restaurant Associates (RA), a member of Compass Group, is recognized as one the nation’s premier on-site dining management company. RA delivers hospitality excellence to guests at corporate workplaces, cultural and entertainment centers, professional schools, and
I have been working with Restaurant Associates for several years, and I find their ethos of taking care of their employees, sourcing sustainably, and trying to impact food waste is in lock-step with Crafted Hospitality’s,” said Tom Colicchio catered events in metro New York City, Washington DC, Boston, and Atlanta. Since the legendary Joe Baum launched the firm in the 1950’s, Restaurant Associates has managed some of Metro New York and the nation’s restaurants and foodservice at a vast portfolio of venues. Baum created extremely regarded theme restaurants, like the unique Four Seasons, La Fonda del Sol, Brasserie, the Forum of the Twelve Caesars and Tropica, all of which supplied cachet to workplace buildings, a pattern nonetheless adopted by actual property builders. The firm
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began and ran the Zum Zum wurst bars and revived Mamma Leone’s, a vacationer magnet. The company is the nation’s largest operators of museum cafes. Among RA’s portfolio of corporate accounts is the cafeteria in The New York Times Building. It additionally runs L’Avenue, the Parisian transplant within the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship retailer, and it collaborated with Tiffany & Co. to create the stylish Blue Box Café, which has a each day ready checklist of about 2,000 names. Next on the agenda are a membership on the 89th ground of the One
Main Office 282 Railroad Ave. Greenwich, CT 06830 Publishers Leslie & Fred Klashman Advertising Director Michael Scinto Art Director Mark Sahm Director of Public Relations and Special Events Joyce Appelman Contributing Writers Warren Bobrow Morgan Tucker Fred Sampson Joyce Appelman Phone: 203.661.9090 Fax: 203.661.9325 Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com
continued on page 102is published Total Food Service ISSN No. 1060-8966 monthly by IDA Publishing, Inc., 282 Railroad Ave., Greenwich, CT 06830. Phone: 203.661.9090. This issue copyright 2019 by IDA Publishing Inc. Contents in full or part may not be reproduced without permission. Not responsible for advertisers claims or statements. Periodicals Postage paid at the post office, Greenwich, CT and additional mailing offices. Additional entry at the post office in Pittsburgh, PA. Subscription rate in USA is $36 per year; single copy; $3.00. Postmaster: Send address changes to Total Food Service, P.O. Box 2507, Greenwich, CT 06836
World Trade Center tower; a Korean restaurant and occasion area in New York’s meatpacking district; a renovated Café on three on the Guggenheim Museum; a restaurant within the new Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation on the American Museum of Natural History; and a restaurant and bar in a
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The content of this promotion campaign represents the views of the author only and is his/her sole responsibility. The European Commission and the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (CHAFEA) do not accept any responsibility for any use that may be made of the information it contains.
Discover the beautiful story of the organic certification process with Organicity Organicity is a project co-funded by the European Commission that aims at sharing the power of European regulation and the importance of organic farming and food production. Organicity is a new opportunity to discover the beauty and the taste of organic products from the European Union.
The European organic leaf can only be used on products certified by an authorized body, when they contain at least 95% of organic ingredients and additionally respect further strict conditions for the remaining 5%.
This process guarantees high quality, safety, and traceability of a wide range of food products. In facts, the project combines the values of organic farming with the promotion of the European organic products.
This label helps consumers to identify organic products and farmers to market them across the entirety of the EU.
Organicity promotes the values of organic regulation: certification; biodiversity, respect for the environment and naturalness; traceability and transparency; animal welfare.
It is possible to test the knowledge of the organic regulation in just 1 minute, by filling an online survey https://www.organicityeu.com/organic-food-survey/
The Organicity network is composed by producers whose production system is controlled and certified by authorized bodies. Consumers, importers, distributors, and restaurateurs are the people Organicity wants to reach out to, especially in the project’s target countries: USA, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore.
The global growing request for organic food products is part of a big movement of consumers who are aware of the benefits of organic agriculture. The products they ask for have to be safe and respectful of the environment.
Organicity helps to understand the meaning of European organic labels, the difference between natural and organic certified products, the nutritional aspects, the way of cooking and of consuming and the main combinations between the different products.The project also aims at increasing the confidence of consumers, importers, distributors, and restaurateurs in EU organic products. Everybody likes typical European products such as pasta, olive oil, red fruits, juices and jams, balsamic vinegar, cured meat and cheese. Still, awareness regarding the importance of the organic certification process is not uniformly spread. For this reason, Organicity promotes the importance of the Organic Leaf Logo.
Organicity promotes the cultural values of the organic certification, while managing a B2B and B2C promotion strategy with several actions: international exhibitions, networking dinners, organic weeks and incoming missions. Visit our website and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube to know more. Taste Nature, Be EU Organic!
CONTACTS info@organicityeu.com | www.organicityeu.com @organicity_project
THE EUROPEAN UNION SUPPORTS CAMPAIGNS THAT PROMOTE HIGH QUALITY AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 7
NEWS
REMEMBRANCE
Corporate Dining Legend Jay Silverstein Mourned By Industry
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oth Metro New York and national foodservice professionals are mourning the loss of Jay Silverstein. The long time SHFM member and head of foodservice at Credit Suisse First Boston was truly loved by everybody in the industry that ever met him. The Queens, NY native attended Fairleigh Dickinson University where he met the love of his life and soulmate Kim Convicer. Just three months after meeting, they were engaged to be married. He was a devoted husband, a wonderful father, a loving son, a caring brother, and a friend to all. He was the center of his family and was always there for anyone no matter what. He was always eager to host holiday and family meals, to lend a hand to fix anything, or to make someone laugh when needed. Jay spent his life devoted to many things but the most important were his family and his career in the food service industry.
Our goal is to help students aspiring to make a difference in the food service industry in honor of Jay’s legacy,” said Sandy Smith
Jay spent 30+ years of his career at Credit Suisse as their Vice President of Conference and Dining Services. He was responsible for food and conference service facilities for the America’s region and a pioneer in the creation of their employee restaurant. Silverstein was also very involved in the hospitality and food service community. Jay stated that the pinnacle of his career was serving as the President for the Society for Hospitality and Food Service Management (SHFM) from 2002-2003. He described being on the board from 1999-2004 and then serving as president as a labor of love and an invaluable experience. His passion and accomplishment for the industry was recognized on several occasions. He was honored by the association several times, including the Richard Ysmael Distinguished Service Award in 2010, the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012, the recipient of the Silver Plate Award in 2013, the 2018 Friend of the Foundation honoree, and the recipient of the 2018 President’s Award. Jay ended his career, in a role he was so proud of, working for Compass Group as Senior Director of Quality Assurance for National Accounts utilizing his decades of expertise to make a lasting impact. “He was such a special individual who brought so much to so many,” noted longtime Compass executive Ron Ehrhardt. Silverstein’s vision truly set the bar for the industry:
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“To watch someone start out working either as an hourly foodservice worker and progress onto a supervisory role or management, taking away some small thing that I taught them or worked beside them is just outstanding,” he explained upon accepting the Silver Plate award Silverstein often referenced his scouting experience as a child as integral to his career success. “Everything that I do is either based on past experience or what I have learned either formally or informally over the years. The foundation to everything I do is based on the Boy Scout motto of Be Prepared. If you prepare well and plan for what could go wrong, more often than not no matter what, you can push through.” Jay is survived by his wife Kim Silverstein, his mother Sylvia Silverstein,
his eldest son Corey and his wife Ashlee, his middle son Bradley and his wife Deanna, and his youngest son Sam. A memorial service was held at The American Hotel in Freehold, NJ and brought an overflow crowd to celebrate the life of one of the industry’s truly loved people. Jay’s management philosophy brought great admiration from his team and the vendor community. “You have to earn respect not demand respect. I started in Foodservice as a dishwasher and worked just about every job front and back of house. I started at the bottom and worked my way up learning as I went. With this type of background and skill set, you can speak with hands on knowledge and people come to respect that.” His industry friends are determined to make sure that Jay’s unique legacy continues. Sandy Smith of Party Rental, M. Tucker’s Marc Fuchs and Dan McCaffrey are supporting the family in the creation of the Jay B. Silverstein Scholarship Fund. “Our goal is to help students aspiring to make a difference in the foodservice industry in honor of Jay’s legacy,” Smith explained. Donations can be made using the link: gofundme.com/jay-b-silversteinscholarship-fund. Jay dedicated his life to making people happy through the use of food. His family would like everyone to remember Jay’s favorite words to live by, “Life is too short, eat dessert first!”
September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 9
THOUGHTFULLY CURATED
WITH LMT PROVISIONS
Pizza and Broadcasts
A
sk any New Yorker what their favorite slice is and get ready. You’ll hear a dissertation on, but not limited to, Italian-American immigration, the state of the city’s water filtration system, the importance of “skim” milk and adherence to the NY heath inspectors’ strict “additional expiration date”, Modernist Bread, the quintessential temperature to cook “sawce,” and some remote town you may have never heard of but now is pinned for future travel. Oh, and the proper stance for maximal enjoyment and minimal mess too. Some may focus on the mythical origins of this exemplary staple, but it’s
today’s standard bearers who preserve the pie. For me, Roberta’s offers manna sent directly from the
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pizza gods. They have mastered the art of the perfect vodka/tomato ratio, and then paired it with a 60-year-old family recipe for fresh mozzarella. Roberta’s strikes the same chord with some of those I admire the most, and they’re not alone in calling it the best pizza in New York. There’s a reason they have a pie called ‘Famous Original.’ Many of New York’s iconic pies can now be found outside of the Big Apple, but Roberta’s in Bushwick has something no one else does – Heritage Radio Network. The world’s pioneer food radio station celebrated its 10th anniversary this summer. Broadcasting live six days a week from two recycled shipping containers, HRN covers everything to do with food and drink from inside the epicenter of Brooklyn’s culinary renaissance. Since 2009, they have been an unparalleled source of thought-provoking talk about food policy and agriculture, as well as the restaurant scene. They’ve reminded us that what happens on the farm or in the kitchen affects us all with compelling human-interest stories. They have in-
Morgan Tucker is the Director of Business Development at Singer M. Tucker and founder of LMT. Ms. Tucker advises a wide diversity of acclaimed restaurateurs, celebrated chefs, and industry leaders across the U.S. LMT is a thoughtfully curated brand of hospitality provisions that can be sourced through the Singer family of companies. To consult with our team, please email lmt@singerequipment.com.
troduced us to up-and-coming chefs and brought us along for the ride as their careers have taken off in the industry. Earlier this summer, I joined Tilit NYC co-founders Jenny Goodman and Alex McCrery on ‘Opening Soon,’ a weekly show about the journey of opening a restaurant. From idea through execution, the show features conversations with some of the world’s greatest chefs, restaurateurs and the vendors that help take a business from concept to restaurant. The 13-episode inaugural season just wrapped and can now be downloaded on your favorite podcast network. I made my first appearance on HRN on July 29th, 2015. My debut
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September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 11
FIORITO ON INSURANCE
Protecting Your Hospitality Business From Workplace Violence
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irect contact with the public is a necessary component of work in the hospitality industry, exposing your employees to various risk exposures. Although it is crucial to take steps to protect your employees from hostile customers and intruders, it is important to remember that many incidents of workplace violence occur from within.
When hostile workplace behavior goes unchecked, it can have wideranging impact. The consequences can be severe; from lost productivity, employee turnover, reputational damage, employee lawsuits and even workplace violence. Recognizing the warning signs of workplace violence and taking action is essential. It’s important that the focus is not just on individual
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illegal behaviors, but more broadly, the toxic workplace cultures that create unproductive, disheartened workforces. When unaddressed, toxic cultures and workplace behaviors like bullying, harassment and discrimination can escalate toward violence. Classifying Violence Workplace violence can be defined as violent acts directed towards a person at work or on duty. These acts are classified into four types of situations: • Criminal – the perpetrator has no legitimate relationship to the business or its employees and generally commits a crime in conjunction with the violence (shoplifting, robbery, trespassing). • Customer or Client – the perpetrator has a legitimate relationship with the business and becomes violent while
Robert Fiorito serves as Vice President with HUB International Northeast, a leading global insurance brokerage, where he specializes in providing insurance services to the restaurant industry. As a 25+ year 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. Robert can be reached at 212338-2324 or by email at robert.fiorito@ hubinternational.com.
being served by the business (clients, customers). • Co-worker – the perpetrator is a current or past employee, or is a contractor who works as a temporary employee of the business. • Domestic Violence – the perpe-
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Singer M. Tucker is your Complete Foodservice Partner.
“ Running a restaurant requires finding strong partners that you can trust. Singer M. Tucker has been a dependable supplier since our opening day, helping source kitchen equipment, smallwares and high-quality plateware.” Suzanne Cupps
Execuuve Chef, Unntled
September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 13
NEWS
CORPORATE DINING
Alchemista Continues To Disrupt Corporate Catering With New Entry Into New York Marketplace
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oston based Alchemista has made its mark in Boston and continues to grow with a new expansion in Brooklyn, NY. The Christine Marcus led company has opened a news commissary in the Hub. The Alchemista Commissary is a continuation of the company’s goal to disrupt the world of corporate catering through innovation. Alchemista is a full-service, hightouch hospitality partner for all of a businesses’ corporate food & beverage needs, including: daily, weekly, or monthly meal service, one-time meal service, culture-building experiences, complete on-site beverage & office snacking solutions, and branded treats. All of these options come without the expense of building or operating an on-premises commercial kitchen. Alchemista was founded by MIT Sloan grad Christine Marcus in 2012 as a way to allow employers to remain competitive in the search and retention of top talent by providing unique food and curated brand experiences that enrich workplace culture. A recurring model where clients commit to daily, weekly or monthly meals, Alchemista serves over 35,000 meals/month with an average order size of 120 people, allowing companies to compete with the “Google-esque” perks doled out by competitors for the same talent.
In addition, Alchemista provides complete snack program solutions, branded treats and culture-instilling corporate special events around food & drink. A sampling of longtime clients includes Ipsen, Draft Kings, GoDaddy and Black Duck Software. From the beginning, Alchemista revolutionized the world of complicated meal delivery by offering flat-rate pricing, client attendants, hospitality-minded service, meal variety, and food service attractively presented with Alchemista’s signature style. Up until now, Alchemista has sourced their meals from a combination of well-known restaurants
Alchemista’s Christine Marcus
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Our ability to now offer our clients increased customization and inspired farm-to-table cuisine only further enhances the value of the benefit our clients are able to offer to their staff.” to small pizza joints. With the addition of the Alchemista Commissary, they now are able to add their own chef-created meals to their menu assortment, allowing for increased customization and control over the quality of the food served to their clients. “Ordering food for an office has always been a challenge – from quantity to reliability, budgeting to presentation. With Alchemista, we solved those pain points for larger companies mainly in tech, pharma, and healthcare who, through our service, can order hassle-free, outof-the-box weekly lunches for their staff at the cost of approximately $750/person/year,” said Marcus, “Our one limitation has been our ability to find restaurant solutions to satisfy all of our customer requests; no longer! Our ability to now offer our clients increased customization and inspired farm-to-table cuisine only further enhances the
value of the benefit our clients are able to offer to their staff.” Located in Malden, MA, the new 6,000 square foot commissary space is a professional commercial kitchen, led by Alchemista Corporate Chef Nevin Taylor. A recent addition to the Alchemista team, Nevin joined the company as part of CEO Christine Marcus’ vision to offer clients a true one-stop-shop for all of their corporate food & beverage needs. Taylor’s strengths lie in custom large catering operations, creative ever-changing menus, and a passion for sourcing local and sustainable ingredients. Restaurant experience includes Tres Gatos, ASTA and Dellas, and he is the host and producer of Cooking Up a Podcast to explore and connect with chefs, farmers and f&b producers throughout New England.
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Hand-forming BelGioioso Platinum Fresh Mozzarella Curd
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September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 15
NEWS
NEW OPENINGS
Aurify Debuts Little Beet Table’s First Suburban Locale With Greenwich Opening
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easoned restaurateurs Andy Stern and John Rigos are placing a wager that they can succeed in the most challenging of venues. They have opened Little Beet Table in Greenwich, CT. Their Aurify Brands portfolio now boasts a trio of locations in New York, Chicago and now Connecticut. The 100 percent gluten-free restaurant serves healthful dishes and vegetable-forward cocktails. The development of the Greenwich menus was a collaboration between the group’s culinary director Chef Matt Aita previously of NYC’s acclaimed Rouge Tomate and Jean-Georges and Chef Rich Perez; previously of Picholine and Roy Choi’s restaurant group. Aita’s interest in healthy cooking came from his experience at Rouge Tomate in Manhattan. “It gave me hands on experience of having to actually measure the nutrients on a plate.”
Chef Matt Aita, Little Beet Table
Prioritizing the use of responsibly sourced local ingredients whenever possible, and employing a cooking philosophy meant to inspire energy and joy in guests, LBT’s menu features signature and seasonal bites like Sheep Milk Ricotta (strawberryfennel jam, mustard greens, grilled bread), Roasted Shrimp Salad (market greens, quinoa, avocado, spiced almonds, golden raisins, in a white balsamic vinaigrette), and Crispy Salmon (provencal vegetables, saffron, basil), along with new dishes exclusive to the Greenwich location like Cavatelli with Roasted Corn (roasted corn, cherry tomato, basil pistou, parmesan). Rather than offer a small number of dishes for individuals with special diets, LBT puts guests’ needs at the forefront, thus setting a new standard for accommodating service. The restaurant’s take on glutenfree is interesting. “Our goal is to carefully source the very best product available in the marketplace. If Gluten is a concern then you know you are going to have a wonderfully safe dining experience and at the same time if it is not a concern, you are going to have a truly memorable meal. We have truly found the holy grail of gluten free products,” Aita added. Little Beet Table Greenwich features a truly innovative bever-
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The interior at Little Beet Table, Greenwich, CT (Photo courtesy of LBT)
Some delicious gluten-free menu items from Little Beet Table (Photos by Front of House)
September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 17
NEWS
CHARITY
All-Star Cast of Garden State Chefs Set To Donate Time & Talents To Eva’s Village
O
n Sept. 16, Battello in Jersey City will showcase the talents of a dozen New Jersey top chefs for The Tasting: An Evening with Master Chefs on the Hudson. Proceeds will support the mission and programs of Eva’s Village in Paterson. Eva’s Village, a Paterson NJ nonprofit, is a social service organization that provides integrated care and support to help community members in need find pathways to recovery, stability and independence. With the New York City skyline as a backdrop, wine pairings, craft beers, cocktails and mocktails will complement walkaround gourmet tasting stations. Some of New Jersey’s top chefs will join the Chef Chairs - Ryan DePersio of Battello, Fascino and Kitchen Step and Robbie Felice of Viaggio and Osteria Crescendo– to showcase their specialties. All proceeds will benefit Eva’s Village. “This walkaround tasting event brings together a dozen of the most talented chefs in New Jersey who are donating their time and talent for a great cause—to support the mission and programs of Eva’s Village,” explained Chef DePersio. Chef Felice added, “I have seen first-hand the many ways that the programs at Eva’s Village promote resiliency and success. Not only are my two restaurants internship sites for
This walkaround tasting event brings together a dozen of the most talented chefs in New Jersey who are donating their time and talent for a great cause—to support the mission and programs of Eva’s Village,” said Chef Ryan DePersio students at Eva’s Culinary School, but several of my employees have graduated from Eva’s addiction recovery and culinary programs.” For more than three decades, Eva’s Village, located in Paterson, NJ, has been providing care and support for thousands of people each year who are struggling with poverty, hunger, homelessness, and addiction. Eva’s offers a range of integrated programs and supportive services providing food, shelter and housing, medical care, mental health, and addiction treatment, recovery support, childcare and education, and job training. The Culinary School at Eva’s Village opened in 2014. Joining the Chef Chairs, Master Chefs Anthony Bucco, Leia Gaccione, AJ Capella, Michael Carrino, Corey Heyer, Jamie Knott, Joe Mooney, Ehren Ryan, and David Viana will host stations featuring specialties from 17 top
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New Jersey restaurants. Guests with VIP tickets will be invited to preview tasting stations and demos prepared by students and alumni of Eva’s Culinary School, and the Chef Chairs will host a VIP dinner for a limited number of guests. Eva’s Village will recognize the generosity of Hudson County developer Anthony LoConte and the LoConte Family at the event for their commitment to support The Culinary School at Eva’s Village, as well as invest in the overall growth of the organization over the next five years. “We are grateful to the LoConte family for their visionary gift; supporting life-changing careers for our culinary students, and pathways to recovery and independence for the thousands of individuals in need we serve each year,” noted Eva’s CEO, Mark Schmit. The LoConte’s investment in Eva’s mission and programs continues the
family’s record of charitable giving in the Paterson community, including funding for the Santo LoConte Center for Child Safety, Resiliency and Advocacy–a 10,000 sq. ft. facility, near completion—at St. Joseph’s Health in Paterson. The Center is dedicated to creating a welcoming environment of safety and security for families in crisis in Passaic County. “We are excited to continue our outreach and impact within the Paterson community through our partnership with Eva’s Village,” explained Anthony LoConte.“We are passionate about providing opportunities that can make a generational impact. With our donation to Eva’s Culinary School we hope to support culinary students in need, working to build careers that will lead to stability and independence—not only for themselves, but for their families as well.” The Culinary School is one of Eva’s Village newest programs. The private vocational school opened in 2014 to provide hands-on job training and placement to underserved members of the community, including graduates from Eva’s addiction recovery programs. To date, the school has graduated 162 students, and reports a 96% job placement rate. The school is funded entirely through private donations, which allows students to complete the six-month program without incurring debt.
September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 19
MODERN TECHNIQUES WITH RONALDO LINARES Using Inventive Social Media Campaigns As A Vehicle To Attracting Customers
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nventive social media campaigns play a big role in attracting customers to your restaurant and keeping it at the top of everyone’s mind. When we think of social media campaigns, instagram and facebook come to mind but let’s dive to a macro level. Let’s go Person to Person marketing, getting them hooked before they even come to your restaurant. What does an inventive social media campaign look like? Let’s dive and get into an easy example that could easily be customized to your business. First we need to IDENTIFY the OBJECTIVE of your next campaign. Let’s say you lack foot traffic during lunch hours and the restaurant is located in a small town that has a main street with first floor businesses. This means customers are at your fingertips, you just don’t know it yet. Next steps: Getting your restaurant noticed? The Loyalty Card Campaign: Create a loyalty card for the main street business owners (used only during lunch) and design it exclusively for the town business owners. Try to get the towns permission to use their logo on the promo card. The card represents a discount and a solution for those hungry business owners in your door. In their eyes you are helping them save money and returning time to their day. Remember we cannot control time but we can
Ronaldo Linares is CEO of Ronaldo Linares LLC, an Empowerment Coach for restaurant owners. Ronaldo empowers entrepreneurs by addressing their health through proper nutrition while growing their business in the food industry. Ronaldo has show-
control what we do within that time, this is important to all business owners and they need to eat. Design the card to work for your business: The back end design of the card is important to help keep track of the customers who are using it and the frequency. Numbers don’t lie and they will tell you whether or not the campaign is helping. This also aids in adjusting the campaign on the fly. Tip with your POS: Most POS companies are able to create this type of card for you, so call that customer service number and put those client benefits to use. At the end of the day the campaign creates a great relationship with the
20 • September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
surrounding business owners and soon their families. Think about it, the weekend comes and it is time to go out and eat, they just ate at your spot earlier in the week and everyone is trying to decide where to go that night. There is a high probability that they will come eat at your restaurant since you are top of mind. The strategy works but the most important thing through this buyers journey is the customer service offered at the time of service. This is where you convert that customer into your advocate and long time customer. Your homework is to take ACTION and start creating amazing social media campaigns that are free or have low cost. Instead of complaining about customers not walking through your door, attack the issue at hand
cased his Cuban-inspired, passioninfused culinary style on Food Network’s Chopped, BBC America’s cross-country chef competition “Chef Race,” appearances on Better TV, Fox News and Telemundo, along with being a featured chef and speaker at live events including the Food Network’s “Food & Wine Festival”, and industry conferences. Ronaldo can be reached at ronaldoscocina@gmail. com or by visiting ronaldolinares. com
and figure out solutions. In this business, we have to evolve to times and understand that the CUSTOMER is changing. A younger customer that understand food is expecting top quality service and great deals.
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cheflerfoods.com • 800-506-1925 • 400 Lyster Ave. Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 21
NEWS
SPECIAL EVENTS
New FEDD Conference Set For Miami To Disrupt Traditional Equipment And Supply Thinking
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any might argue that the equipment and supply industry is very old school in their thinking and the way they do business. Everything is done by in-person meetings or via telephone, with digital media either obsolete or very new in business strategies. The Food Equipment Digital Disruptors (FEDD) is on a mission to bring the industry into the digital age. Led by President Rich Malachy and Media Manager Angel Quiroz, FEDD wants to teach, share and assist the food equipment industry in the growth of their brands and digital platforms. The goals of FEDD are to solve the skilled trades/technicians gap via digital content, providing solutions, education and know-how in order to help these companies better navigate their media platforms and leverage them for their bottom line. What started as a Facebook group for the industry has quickly evolved in a new conference aimed at giving manufacturers, reps/ dealer and service companies in the food industry a chance to obtain the tools needed to create a thriving and successful marketing department or company brand. Malachy has grown up in the industry thanks to his involvement with his father’s business. After see-
ing the lack of digital knowledge companies and brands he worked with, he took it upon himself to change the landscape. “I wanted to help facilitate a place for people who didn’t really understand how to incorporate social media into their business,” Malachy admits. “We also wanted to have a space that allowed them to come online and network in order to form a community.” “One of the things I’ve seen in the industry is that people build incredible relationships, but I wanted to disrupt the way people form those relationships and bring into a digital place so that they can do it quicker and more efficiently than before,” Quiroz added. “There’s no pressure to return phone calls or emails and we’re making it more social. The FEDD group is trying to disrupt the way people communicate within the industry, but in a positive way.”
22 • September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
The Conference is set to be held February 5th through 7th, 2020 in Miami, Florida, at the Confidante Miami Beach and will be a bi-annual event. “Our thought is that it will run every other year from the Nafem Show,” Malachy explained. The event will feature the best voices in both the digital space and food service industry in order to give attendees condensed and valuable resources for their digital journey and success. Guest key speakers will include entrepreneur, brand marketing executive, public speaker and start-up founder Carlos Gil; creative brand storyteller and strategist Erick Koenig; and co-founder and President of Davisware, Inc. Jennifer Davis. Other speakers will include CEO and Owner of Malachy Parts & Service Rich Malachy; CEO of Windy City Equipment Services Josh Zolin; CEO of Much More Media Mike Moreno; and realtor and social media influ-
encer Ed Stulak. Attendees will be able to enjoy discussions, panels and talks on a vast array of useful subjects, such as marketing for the food equipment industry, humanizing your brand, the future of the industry in tech, brand strategy, how to build content and much more. Panel discussions and Q&As will also be utilized so that attendees can interact with guest speakers and get indepth information as it relates to their personal business or brand. According to Quiroz, the industry’s social media seems to be lackluster when it comes to content and the FEDD Convention looks to change this sentiment. Malachy would also like the outcome of the convention and FEDD in general to be a means where people within the industry can support each other online. “This will only help create more noise in the industry and it’ll also be a catalyst on making the industry more attractive to younger generations as they now see it as a viable career.” Early bird tickets are still available for $275, but those prices will go up to $499 after September 30th. Only 100 tickets will be available and once they sell out, that’s it, so make sure you get them before they’re gone. For more information on FEDD and the convention, visit TheFEDDgroup.com.
September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 23
SPOTLIGHT ON
TOP WOMEN IN METRO NY FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY: VENDOR E&S
Diane Rossi General Manager, Pro-Tek
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iane Rossi says she is a workaholic for sure, and has been since she started in this industry 42 years ago at the age of 17. She’s dedicated to the company that employs her as well as their customers and most importantly their employees. Her staff and technicians are the product and the most important part of the business and she strives to see them grow and be happy while working with her at Pro-Tek. Diane sat down with TFS’s Joyce Appelman to talk about her role at ProTek and as an industry leader. As a child, was there someone that had an impact on your getting into the business? Actually, I truly don’t believe anyone sets out to be in this business, I certainly didn’t, and I didn’t even know it existed. Wanted to do accounting, answered an ad for a starting clerical position in 1977 right out of HS thinking college would follow and I’ve been here ever since. Can you talk about some of the mentors along the way that had an impact on your career? There are many… the one that sticks out most in my mind was a Region Manager of Hobart, Bert Natallichio, who took a chance on a then 27-yearold woman, by throwing me the keys and letting me have at it. He taught me so much when I became a Branch Manager by pointing out my mistakes, teaching me how to do it next time and
supporting me every step of the way. I try to mirror that in all that I do today. What’s your role at Pro-Tek? I am the General Manager for the company that started in 1979 and is a service company providing installation, repair, warranty, maintenance and inspection services for food service operations in the tri-state region. I wear many hats in my role. I oversee our sales representatives, and personally sell our preventative maintenance agreements. I also handle all the factories we represent from sign on to each and every service call they give us. I manage our service management team and the technicians that report to them, as well as all dealers and their installations, from price quoting to coordinating service. What brought you to your current position at Pro-Tek? Ed Daniels, owner and founder of the company had been a parts customer and competitor of mine while I was at Hobart. In every dealing I had with him, he consistently offered me a job. I felt why leave a fortune 500 company for an independently owned small business? When things got, let’s call it uncomfortable at Hobart, 20 years later… it was the best move I ever made. How would you describe the needs of your customers? I tell this story all the time. While at Hobart, I had a dispatcher that worked for us that was previously a 911 opera-
24 • September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
tor. He would constantly talk about how stressful his job of taking & scheduling service calls for our customers was in comparison to his role as a 911 operator. Can you imagine? They are demanding, they want it now and they expect it finalized immediately. How have those needs evolved and what has your company done to respond to those needs? They certainly have, the industry is consolidating, the customers themselves, the manufacturers, the dealers, and now even the service providers. I said it when we were competitors and I still say it today. Pro-Tek provides their customers with a partner with communication being key. We continue to add staff to provide our customers with a level of service that in my opinion, is second to none in our area. We never say no to our contract customers, we aim to be everything they need us to be. Tell us about your involvement encouraging young people to careers in foodservice. It wasn’t until I began working at Pro-Tek that I was given the opportunity to support the industry by participating in many different industry associations. I love this part of it because it is rewarding to me. I am a Board Member supporting The Partridge Invitational Scholarship Foundation
Diane Rossi
that enables students to complete their culinary education. I am also a vendor Board Member for the AHF-NY Association for Healthcare Foodservice. In addition, I’m able to give back to the industry through my membership with the Food & Beverage Association. I believe strongly in careers in the industry, in fact, I encouraged my daughter, Danielle and she is now our parts manager here at Pro-Tek doing an outstanding job! Crystal ball. What’s on your agenda? Oh boy, the agenda is long but I would have to say my goal is to become the service provider and installation team everyone in the industry will recommend by strengthening relationships with the factories we represent and representing them well, the manufacturer’s reps that represent those factories and the dealers that sell their products. Not to mention the end-users themselves. Quote: My mantra… “Whatever happens, happens for the best.” You may not feel that way now, but you will. Live in this moment, and never look back.
September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 25
RESTAURANT EXPERT
WITH DAVID SCOTT PETERS
Restaurants Who Embrace This Are More Profitable
David Scott Peters is a restaurant coach and speaker who teaches restaurant operators how to cut costs and increase profits with his trademark Restaurant Prosperity Formula. Known as THE expert in the restau-
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anaging people and holding them accountable is one of the hardest things to do, especially in a restaurant. As a restaurant owner or manager, learning how to do this effectively is a game-changer. It allows you to trust the restaurant is being run how you want, even when you’re not there. Unfortunately, accountability tends to have a negative tone to it. Let me help you change the meaning of that word to create a positive work environment where your management team excels and appreciates you holding them accountable. The rudimentary meaning of “accountability” is “answerability.” It’s the acknowledgment of responsibility for your obligations, decisions and actions and how you are answerable for the resulting consequences. In a restaurant management setting, your: • Obligations are to perform your job to a specific list of expectations. • Decisions are what you make based on your obligations. • Actions are what you do as a result of your decisions, which are ultimately the basis for what you will be answerable for. The key to this is not only a specific
rant industry, he uses a no-BS style to teach and motivate restaurant owners to take control of their businesses and finally realize their full potential. Thousands of restaurants have used his formula to transform their businesses. Peters is also a coach and principal in The Largo Group, an accounting firm concentrating on the specific needs of restaurants. To learn more about David Scott Peters, his formula, his online courses or The Largo Group, visit davidscottpeters.com.
mately makes you money and makes you happy.
list of expectations; it’s that the list is clearly defined! This is where most independent restaurants fall down. And with this in mind, this is why managers cringe when hearing the phrase, “hold them accountable.” It’s because the owner or general manager has not been clear on their expectations of their management team. So when your management team hears that you are going to start holding them accountable, they think, “That SUCKS!” or “Whatever.” Because in the past there hasn’t been clarity and accountability was just
26 • September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
an owner or GM getting louder in expressing how unhappy they are that the manager didn’t do something they didn’t honestly know that they had to do or how to do it. Let’s take a look at what a restaurant looks like when expectations are clear. It’s a completely different scenario. • When your management team knows what the job is, how to do it and how well you want it done, you have a management team that gets things done, meets expectations and ulti-
Here are just a few examples of ways to set expectations for your management: 1. Provide job descriptions that clearly state what the job is, how to do it and how well you want it done. 2. Create a training system that ensures they learn the job so clearly when going through training, that they can do it on their own without supervision or help after training is complete. 3. A restaurant budget that gives management a target to shoot for and gives them a road map to what systems need to be put into place to achieve those numbers.
continued on page 98
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September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 27
NEWS
CLUBS
Local Golf Courses Offering Experiential Satisfaction With Expanded Dining and Events
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ot often do golfers from New Jersey or Pennsylvania get a chance to play on critically acclaimed courses like those in Pebble Beach, CA or Augusta, GA. It is even less likely that the average player will get to swing with legendary golfers like Phil Mickelson or the Dalai Lama. The experience of traversing a world-famous golfing green with professional athletes (or spiritual Buddhist leaders) sounds like something any avid golfer would love. However, local golf courses are just finding out that most golfers want nothing more than a beautiful course, great hospitality services, and a friendly community on the fairway. In 2019, both private country clubs and public courses have had to pivot their course offerings and update their communication strategies to match the most recent trends for players in the golf industry. “People are using golf courses differently nowadays and membership is also affected by that. We’re dealing now with customers whose experience is very important to them—they’re experiential buyers,” said Kristen George, Director of Membership & Marketing at Lookaway Golf Club in Buckingham, PA. “As a golf-centric course, we offer an amazing golf experience. On the other hand we need to offer a social experience.” Whether the golf course is private (for members only, like Lookaway) or the course is public, the clients who
Lookaway Golf Club hosted an event displaying the Stanley Cup that was attended by local police officers
come to the location are not only looking for a pristine course, but also a great bar, a restaurant with delicious food, an event space with fun happenings, and then some. “We have started to see a turn in new clientele,” explained John Williams , owner of Heirloom Events and Food & Beverage Operator at Mountain View Golf Course in Ewing, NJ. “They’ll
28 • September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
come in for golf, learn about what we’re doing, then we’ll see them a lot thereafter. They’ll come in for lunch, for drinks after work; they come in and attend our happy hours and live music. I feel that the experience has transcended golf at our location.” Customers of private and public golf courses have needs that seem to be advancing—they want it all. However,
this may not be due to customers being picky or overdemanding. Instead, this is likely due to the changing demographics of the customer. More than ever before, more people from a variety of backgrounds are interested in golf. In 2018, total golf participation climbed to 33.5 million people, according to the National Golf Foundation. This spike in interest is in part due to growth in participation from women golfers, non-white golfers, and golfers under the age of 35. The evolution in golf course customer demographics has caused courses like Mountain View and Lookaway to respond by being totally self-sufficient. With an increasingly diverse customer base, courses both private and public must come to the table with an even more diverse list of services. “Our members don’t always know their schedules going into the week and our open tee times give them an opportunity to hop on the course quick. Members need more flexibility
continued on page 98
September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 29
TREND TALK
WITH JOYCE APPELMAN
From Dust To The Ultimate Outdoor Dining Destination In NYC
Joyce Appelman, is the Director of Public Relations and Special Events for Total Food Service and previously the National Communications Director for C-CAP, Careers through
Q&A with Yvan Lemoine, Executive Chef/ Partner-Gitano Garden of Love, The Jungle Room, Casa Nomad
Culinary Arts Program. An industry leader supporting education and scholarships, she has been instrumental in opening career opportuni-
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ties for many young people in the
ast summer, Yvan Lemoine transformed a vacant lot at 76 Varick Street which spans a 24,000 square foot city block into a seasonal haunt that makes downtown Manhattan feel a world away. He opened Gitano, the Tulum-inspired tropical jungle setting for craft cocktails and seasonal fare. The sizzling summer pop-up closed for the season and moved indoors to the nearby James New York Hotel renamed as Gitano The Jungle Room. This summer Yvan made some changes to the outdoor venue and renamed the site the Gitano Garden of Love. Yvan may only be 37, but he’s no new comer to the industry. He received the Daniel Boulud/C-CAP Scholarship to attend the renowned Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France, and honed his skills with celebrity chefs at restaurants in the city including Cyril Renaud at La Caravelle, Jacques Torres at Le Cirque, with Rocco DiSpirito and Sam Mason, and The Tao Group. He worked at Le Neuvieme Art, a 2-star Michelin restaurant in Lyon with Chef Christophe Roure. Yvan has au-
thored two books: Food Fest 365!: The Officially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook and Comidas USA. He has appeared on Food Network Challenge, on Chopped and was runner up on Giada De Laurentiis’s team in The Next Food Network Star Season 8. When you took over the vacant lot last year, what were the key items on your agenda? Initially, we had taken on an incredibly ambitious project and timeline to convert an empty, dusty lot with no city utilities or even connections into
Yvan Lemoine at Gitano Garden of Love
30 • September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
a full-service, 450-seat seasonal restaurant and bar in three months. We envisioned we would be able to set it up in three months, and made it happen by June 22, 2019. Or so we thought. Construction continued for the rest of the season but we had to open! You built a food and bar scene from scratch, on a vacant lot without a kitchen or storage, how did you do it? I’ve opened many large-scale restaurants. Mostly with the Tao group and the last project was Union Fare another 24,000 square foot location with a restaurant and food hall. Gitano was built in a 24,000 square foot space in the middle of Soho. We were fortunate enough that Gitano is an amazing concept that was born in Tulum so it came with a wonderful story and fans from all over the world. Importing a slice of the beach jungle was no easy feat. Working with my partners James Gardner and Melissa Perlman we were able to re-create the magic in the middle of the city. James and his partner Andrew designed and conceptualized the décor, importing artisanal napkins, glassware and all the small
foodservice industry. Email her at joyceappelman@gmail.com
touches that make the space authentic. We brought thousands of tropical plants from Florida and that made it amazing and gave it its soul. We literally brought just about everything in tractor-trailers from Mexico! We are also fortunate enough that Mexico is having its golden time in the sun with NY’ers. We love Mexican food, culture and Mezcal! To produce the food we installed a wood-burning oven and grill to cook all our food. This again made the food authentic so it tastes like it tastes in the jungles of Tulum. We also had to meet the high standards of the NYC DOH so we rented 2 industrial emergency-relief mobile kitchen units to provide the firepower, refrigeration and sanitary infrastructure to deliver the best quality experience to our guests. Tao group is the best in the business as far as building and running incredible large-scale restaurants. I just put in place everything I learned from them. Together with some luck, and amazing design and team, Gitano was a success! What does Gitano Garden of Love offer the neighborhood?
Tell us about the Bar program and cocktails that you serve. We are a mezcaleria! Mezcal is the original tequila and we carry a vast array of the most delicious and unique Mezcals in the world. We use all fresh juices for the drinks and focus on the highest quality ingredients. All tropical and refreshing our cocktails are not to be missed. Salud!
We have a beautiful garden with vegetables, herbs, and fruits. We work with schools to educate kids about urban farming, nutrition and sustainability. We also have meditation in the back reflecting pool for when NYC becomes a little too crazy. You are a hands-on chef; tell us about running two restaurants. I’m on the line cooking the whole time at both kitchens running back and forth between them all afternoon. As the head chef, I try to work all the different stations so I can see what could be improved and what works well. You partnered with the Tulum based group, what’s your intention for the NYC based restaurant? Our intention is to grow Gitano into
a world brand! With a focus on the food this year, what can diners expect to see on your menu? Ceviches and tacos are on the menu-sea urchin ceviche, soft shell crab taco, and tiger milk prawn with coconut glaze ceviche. We enlisted well-known and award-winning chefs
to work with me to create the menu including Mike Bagale, former executive chef of restaurant Alinea in Chicago; Jose Luis Hinostroza, head chef and partner of Arca in Tulum; Blaine Wetzel, head chef of Willow Inn on Lummi Island; Daniela Soto-Innes, partner and chef de cuisine at Cosme and Atla in New York.
Tell us about your new project. I head uptown to Nomad to the new restaurant I’m opening, Casa Nomad. I’m overseeing everything from the construction to the food and drink menus. New projects are a lot of work, but they’re exciting. We’re doing healthy fast-casual during the day with salad and brown rice bowls. At night, the space will be a neighborhood bar with cocktails and small plates.
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September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 31
Q&A
EXCLUSIVE FOODSERVICE INTERVIEW
Shelly Fireman NYC Restaurant Legend
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heldon (Shelly) Fireman founded Café Concepts in 1974 with the opening of Cafe Fiorello at 1900 Broadway – directly across the street from Lincoln Center. The restaurant was an instant success, partly due to its signature thin-crust pizza, which received New York Magazine’s accolade “Best Pizza in New York”. Fireman has developed an organization of both seasoned and contemporary industry professionals to help execute his vision for design, food, and genuine hospitality. Tackling large spaces in high-traffic areas, the company has grown steadily. Fireman has nine restaurants under his belt between NYC and Washington, D.C. Concentrating on the cultural centers in New York City such as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and the Theater District, the company opened Trattoria Dell’ Arte, Brooklyn Diner (across from Carnegie Hall), Redeye Grill, Bond 45, and Brooklyn Diner in Times Square. What is less well-known is that Fireman has been a sculptor for many years. A Native New Yorker; he studied briefly at the Sculpture Center and the Art Students League for his first formal training. Following that, Fireman began the process of self-education approaching sculpting with the same artistry and intense commitment he brings to his restaurants. Total Food Service had the opportunity to chat with Shelly Fireman
as he prepared to reopen the Redeye Grill. Can you share your career path? I grew up in the Bronx and around age 7, I had my first job as a delivery boy for the neighborhood butcher on Saturdays. Then I did everything from selling door to door newspaper subscriptions to helping hang
Shelly Fireman
32 • September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
drapes. I then went on to work in an ice cream parlor and even delivered ice cream and flowers. I worked for the post office twice, a clothing factory on the cutting table , a bellhop. And swept floors in a factory. I worked in kitchens at 16 and even managed to play football in college. When I got older I had a number of interesting selling
jobs. They included selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door (or attempting to), selling advertising space for a newspaper. I even travelled the state of California selling women’s sportswear and dresses. Where did you get the knowledge and money you needed to open your first restaurant?
The education was free, I learned everything in the bookshelves at the New York Public Library. Many of those books I started to read when I was twelve years old also inspired me along the way. I saved $500 of my own money and borrowed another $500 from the bank and opened up my first restaurant on McDougal Street. It had about 10 seats. I couldn’t afford chairs at the beginning so we used wooden orange crates. I laid the floor tile, it was linoleum. I made the menu, I cooked the food, I worked the till. Who were some of the mentors that had an impact on your career? My mother and father mentored me for sure.. I have had many supportive people in my life with my wife Marilyn at the top of that list. I have been blessed to have really special friends: William R. Berkley.
Bertrand Russel Walter Sotomer and Paul Milstein. I have also been touched by several people that changed my life with Ted Mann, Al Ellis, and Henry Saia at the top of that list. I also need to express my special thanks to Columbia Teacher’s College for Speech Impairment and Dr. Green’s Hospital for Speech Disorders, because I grew up with an acute stutter. What were some of the lessons you took from those mentors and have become part of who you are today? Well some of them are secret formulas for success, and I’m not getting paid enough for this interview to give my formulas away [laughs]. You want the secret to my success? It’s like asking me for my first born. Why would I give it away. I worked very hard for it. I will say this: I will help stutterers who write me. I will
give them that formula, because that’s a tough one. I built this company on the cornerstone of my parent’s and uncle’s and aunt’s values and sense of hospitality. You’ve just reopened your Redeye Grill concept this week. You are known for being able to re-invent what can your guests expect? We’ve been open just a few days and it’s the best opening I’ve ever had. People are blown away and I’m not done yet. I want to go there every evening. Our guests can expect a wonderful evening. [laughs] The place is marvelous, the food is marvelous, the hospitality is marvelous — and the price is wrong! [laughs] We first met you at Alice Elliot’s conference 25 years ago. I don’t think people understand how many times you have in fact re-invented
yourself and your business? How and why? Why did I reinvent myself? Because I never reinvented myself… I just became sensitive to the marketplaces I’m in. I’m in this business to cater to others, and if I’m in the marketplace that I’m in, I’m willing to put on the tie if it’s a formal affair and take it off if it’s a casual one. Without being too amiable, I’m here to please others not myself. We ONLY think about the guest. We don’t think about turning tables or check averages. We just think “are they having a good time that they’ll want to come back?” Everybody talks about hospitality, very few times do I get real hospitality at most places. That’s what WE give. We’re huggers. The concept has never been reinvented. We’re just always thinking
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Q&A Shelly Fireman, from page 33 about the marketplace. What do YOU want. It’s like a good date is when the guy asks the girl a lot of questions about the GIRL and cares about HER. Who wants to date a guy who only thinks about himself? Is bigger better? Success is better. If it’s tiny, I have to stay there all day and watch it. Bigger, I hire competent people and they watch it. Bigger is not “bigger” in my eyes, but an opportunity to be more successful financially and makes my life easier. We have some wonderful people who take charge as the company continues to scale. It’s not me, it’s the company. You have had some real bright folks come and stay or come and go and make their mark on the industry. Are you a teacher? A coach? A mentor? I think I spend about forty-five percent of my time mentoring others. You’ve seen the New York restaurant scene reinevent itself many times. What did it look like when you started? What does it look like today? When I started people went out with a jacket and a tie, they expected a tablecloth, they expected a waiter to have black pants, white shirt and bow tie, and black shoes. There was a time when beardless, no nose rings and walking in the room with a clean white napkin was expected. Wow, have things changed. Now, customers expect nothing, Not even a smile at the door. They come out looking as shabby as they can - in expensive shabby clothes and are waited on by a tattooed earringed bearded long haired, sneakered unclean-uncollared waiter who, on occasion, smiles. There’s no tablecloths. Sometimes the food is good, sometimes it’s very good, sometimes it’s a big joke,but it gets
written up ‘cause it’s clever. The guests now do want more expensive drinks. (Not that it gets them any drunker) And so they spend more money on that. And there’s no artwork on the wall - you don’t need it. The artwork is on the arms and legs of the waitress, in the form of all their tattoos [laughs] Beards and crazy hair and jewelry. And it’s still fun. Who knows, in the future there could be nude restaurants and nobody will care. Anything you can imagine will happen. And then one day someone will have the old fashioned white table cloths with dapper waiters like from before and it will be such a novelty that that will be the popular hip new thing. The new way of restaurants are what makes it all interesting. It’s like having a party with the village eccentric. The party would be dull without him. Restaurants are not going to be duller. The more courage restaurants have to be eccentric, the better. We need more novelty because we got to have things to take people away from Netflix and HBO. They need experiences.
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Q&A Shelly Fireman, from page 34 It gives us more and faster information. It makes us smarter and wiser and more-informed with less guess-work. And appreciative of it. It helps us do our homework. It gives us information that helps us with our homework. It’s like a tutor. We can find ways to reduce unnecessary expenses without having to guess. We have a better probability of doing the right thing. Many folks don’t realize that you are a renowned sculptor. What does your art mean to you? It means giving me the opportunity to think about something other than the food and the restaurant business. It gives me an escape into pleasure. I don’t play golf. I sculpt. It gives me another outlet to be creative and a way to be remembered long after my restaurants are gone. LeRoy Neiman told me while we were having dinner that he would
than I’ll be there and can last longer than that.
The interior at Fireman’s Bond 45 restaurant (Photo by Liz Clayman)
be remembered longer than me, because I just have restaurants, but he has created artworks. So I started sculpting. Some of our res-
36 • September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
taurants will be around another hundred years or more if I play my cards right, and my sculptures will be there in the restaurants longer
Crystal ball. What are your goals for Redeye? What’s next? Well we were offered an opportunity to build one at the airport. We’re building a Brooklyn Diner at the LaGuardia airport, and two years down the line may be doing a Redeye too at an international airport. We could also put it in hotels. Because I am nervous about the future of shopping malls. It’s not like 30 years ago where you just went into malls. So hotels, airports, are the goals. Especially since Redeye is air-travel-themed. Here was the idea behind Redeye, taking California food and New York food. Named after the Redeye flight between California and New York. And if the concept went to Singapore, it could have American food and Singapore food. It’s endless.
September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 37
NEWS
RESTAURANT ASSOCIATIONS
For New York, City-Level Policy Is Key Battleground for Restaurants By Kathleen Reilly
N
ew York City is known as a difficult and competitive business environment, and that has been made only more difficult over the last 5 or 6 years with an onslaught of policies that are burdensome to the restaurant industry. With steep increases in minimum wage, paid sick leave, and predictable scheduling piled on top of high rents, property taxes, and regulatory hurdles from
every city department, restaurants in New York City operate in an increasingly challenging atmosphere. They already struggle to absorb the costs current measures impose and keep up with their regulatory obligations, this alone is no easy task. But in the spring and summer of this year, even more policies that could inflict damage on the restaurant industry were introduced. At the New York State Restaurant Association (NYSRA), our advocacy team has been busy working to clearly
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convey our members’ perspectives and the very real impact these policies would have on them. Two proposals that would be especially detrimental to the restaurant industry are exclusive commercial waste zones and a paid vacation mandate. Commercial Waste Zones Spurred by cases of dangerous practices by private waste haulers and a broader interest in the environment, the NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) conducted
a study to investigate how reorganizing the private waste industry into a zoned system could improve outcomes for workers and the environment alike. While our members are skeptical of altering the market conditions that afford them their current haulers, they do appreciate that DSNY’s plan would allow for 3-5 carters to service each zone. This would give business customers much-needed choice and switching
continued on page 104
September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 39
NEWS
RESTAURANT PACKAGING
Styrofoam Ban, in its 1st Month of Enforcement, Sees 57 Violations in NYC
N
ew York City is keeping its promise to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. In its first month of enforcing the city’s ban on single-use foam plates, cups and other containers, the Department of Sanitation issued a total of 57 violations across the five boroughs, a spokeswoman said. All of the violations were first time offenses, which carry a $250 fine. If a business or organization is cited a second time, the fine increases to $500. A third offense and above would result in a $1,000 fine. Dirty single-use foam containers cannot be recycled in New York City,
which means they are collected as trash by the Sanitation Department. Supporters of the ban argue that containers made of recyclable paper, plastic and aluminum as well as compostable materials are more environmentally friendly. “When foam enters our waste stream, it becomes a source of neighborhood litter and can end up on our beaches and in our waterways,” acting Sanitation Commissioner Steven Costas said on July 1, the first day of enforcement. “It’s hazardous to marine life and can clog storm drains. It’s even a contaminant in our recycling and organics programs.”
In NYC, foam containers (L) should be replaced with recyclable options like plastic (R).
40 • September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
When foam enters our waste stream, it becomes a source of neighborhood litter and can end up on our beaches and in our waterways,” acting Sanitation Commissioner Steven Costas The ban, which also includes packing peanuts, technically went into effect on Jan. 1, however, the city gave businesses, agencies and nonprofits a six-month grace period before beginning to issue fines. New Yorkers also won’t be seeing foam cups, plates, bowls or other singleuse containers sold in stores. Of the 57 summonses issued – all first offenses – Brooklyn had the highest number of violations at 32. The Bronx had nine violations, Manhattan had seven, Queens had five and Staten Island had four, according to the Sanitation Department. Summonses are issued through several enforcement tactics, including the investigation of 311 complaints. Members of the Sanitation Department’s Enforcement Unit
may also issue a summons if they see a foam violation while out making sure New Yorkers are abiding recycling laws and other city regulations. Businesses, agencies and nonprofits should also expect an inspector from either the Sanitation Department, Heath Department or Consumer Affairs Department at least once a year. There are some exemptions for the foam ban, including prepackaged food that was filled and sealed before its arrival at a restaurant, mobile commissary or store; containers used to store raw meat, fish, seafood and eggs; and foam blocks meant to fill shipping packages. Small businesses and nonprofits making less than $500,000 annually also can apply for a hardship exemption.
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September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 41
NEWS
RESTAURANT MARKETING
Celebrity Chef Samuelsson Becomes Chief Culinary Coach of New York City FC
A
mong the common goals of restaurants and soccer teams, is to put people in the seats. So New York City FC named celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson the Club’s firstever Chief Culinary Coach. A soccer fan since childhood – and a NYCFC fan since the Club’s inaugural season – the new collaboration will see Chef Samuelsson take up an official ambassador role with the Club that includes working with the first team and collaborating on community events in the five boroughs.
Chef Marcus Samuelsson
Not only is the MLS-Major League Soccer team using his skills to attract new fans, they are also utilizing his world famous cuisine to feed their players. Samuellson has led the players in a healthy cooking class and demonstration where they learned to make three recipes Marcus specifically created for the NYCFC players. Marcus’ signature NYCFC main courses included – Striker’s Choice (Vietnamese Steamed Halibut, Miso, Lemongrass) and The Panenka (Chicken Breast, Apricot Glaze, Soy) – and two Off-Side dishes (Tabbouleh and Citrus-Mint Veggie Slaw) will be included in the first team’s monthly menu rotation. The partnership has seen NYCFC and Marcus Samuelsson Group come together on a number of community events including this May’s fifth annual Harlem EatUp!, youthoriented soccer tournaments, and healthy cooking classes for local kids and teens as part of NYCFC’s ongoing community work. To celebrate the world’s game and NYCFC’s international roster, Marcus is collaborating with NYCFC players to create new dishes that reflect their home country to be served simultaneously at the Red Rooster in Harlem. Finally, Marcus will have a presence at NYCFC games hosting community members and local youth – including those from City in
42 • September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
What I love about soccer is that it’s truly global and accessible to everyone, and I appreciate NYCFC’s commitment to growing an inclusive and passionate fan base in our city. Like with food, I think it can be a vehicle to unite us all regardless of our differences,” said Marcus Samuellson the Community (CITC), the charity proudly supported by NYCFC. “I can’t think of someone better to collaborate with than my good friend Marcus Samuelsson,” added NYCFC Sporting Director, Claudio Reyna. “His restaurants have become community hubs like our community soccer pitches. It’s incredible to see how both food and soccer can bring people together. We are proud to team up with someone that shares our values and is equally committed to creating even more opportunities for the innercity youth here in NYC through soccer and by education around healthy lifestyles.” Samuelsson also shared his thoughts on the role: “As a kid grow-
ing up who was set on becoming a professional soccer player one day, I couldn’t be more happy to become a part of this exciting team even if it’s not as their starting striker! What I love about soccer is that it’s truly global and accessible to everyone, and I appreciate NYCFC’s commitment to growing an inclusive and passionate fan base in our city. Like with food, I think it can be a vehicle to unite us all regardless of our differences. I’ve been specifically impressed with NYCFC’s commitment to our Harlem community with their New York City Soccer Initiative, having seen first-hand the benefits of the mini-pitches. I look forward to
continued on page 100
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September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 43
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FROM THE NYC HOSPITALITY ALLIANCE
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This Is How Grubhub Is Hurting Your Favorite Restaurants And Why You Should Care This contributor blog was originally published on Forbes.com
E
arlier this year it was reported that Grubhub, the megasized restaurant delivery company, was charging restaurants bogus fees for phone call orders that customers did not place. The way it works is Grubhub would setup and promote a unique phone number for restaurants listed on their platform. Apparently, when a customer called a restaurant using that number and the phone call lasted longer than 45 seconds, Grubhub would assume an order had been placed, and they took credit for it. The problem is that customers often call restaurants to make reservations, ask about the status of an order, or other reasons unrelated to ordering food. Unsurprisingly, their system resulted in restaurants being charged with bogus fees. One New York City restaurateur reported being charged more than $10,000 by Grubhub. Another restaurateur from Philadelphia filed a class-action lawsuit against the company over its fees. When news of the charges broke, you’d think Grubhub would apologize profusely to their restaurant custom-
ers, reimburse all the bogus fees and announce that they’d work to fix the system that’s at fault. Instead, what followed was a textbook lesson of what a company should not do when their questionable business practices are exposed, and they face public and political outrage. They doubled down, refused to be accountable, and criticized the press and others who exposed their unfair tactics. This strategy resulted in journalists further investigating the company. The restaurant industry’s outrage at the company, which long bubbled under the surface, finally boiled over. New York City Council Member
(L-R) Andrew Rigie and Senator Chuck Schumer
44 • September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Mark Gjonaj held what has been noted as the first of its kind oversight hearing into restaurant delivery platforms. I testified alongside restaurateurs on behalf of the organization I run, the New York City Hospitality Alliance, a not-for-profit industry group that supports restaurants. I was astonished by how many restaurateurs told me they were too fearful to testify publicly against Grubhub because the fear of retribution, such as their restaurants not showing up easily in the platform’s search results. And, while the fear of retribution is probably overstated, it shows how much real or perceived leverage the billion-dollar corporation has over restaurants. Some restaurateurs told me that they can lose money on individual orders because Grubhub charges a 15% to 30% fee on the total order amount, which is higher than their restaurant’s profit margin. They told me they only make money off larger catering orders that the platform generates. Grubhub tried to justify their high fees at the hearing by saying they generate incremental sales to restaurants. That’s not a total lie, but in context, it’s not the truth either. In cities like New York, customers often use websites like Grubhub because they make it seamless (coincidently, Seamless is the name of
Andrew Rigie is the Executive Director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, a trade association formed in 2012 to foster the growth and vitality of the industry that has made New York City the Hospitality Capital of the World.
a restaurant delivery company they also own) to order from their favorite restaurants, and not as a platform to discover new restaurants. There’s a good argument that Grubhub actually benefits from incremental sales due to restaurants’ own marketing efforts and built in customer base. In markets like New York City, the company processes the orders and does not usually deliver the food, so the restaurant must still pay their own delivery workers or a third party delivery company. Grubhub’s situation turned grimmer when government agencies were called on to investigate their actions, including the attorney general, for potential anti-competitive behavior.
continued on page 110
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SCOOP Irinox Welcomes New Inside Sales Director SCOOP learned that Christopher De La Noval joined Irinox in the position of Inside Sales Director. He will be working closely with the sales representatives, consultant and dealer community. Chris has spent the last eight years of his career in the industry working with small wares for FOH® Inc. (Front of the House). He collaborated with Christopher De La Noval a team of 15 Inside Sales specialists in conjunction with a global regional management team. He also has Customer Service and Inside
46 • September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
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CLVMarketing Adds Three Principals to the Organization SCOOP hears that CLVMarketing, representing leading manufacturers of foodservice supplies and equipment, announced Chris Little, John O’Halloran and Ron Lustberg as principals to their growing organization. According to CLVMarketing, the three have demonstrated a commitment to delivering great service to their manufacturers, distributors, and end-users through their varied expertise and collaborative teamwork. These promotions un-
derline their continued investment in those areas that are increasingly important in our market. They consider the voices of this group, and other newer generations in the firm, essential in shaping their future in a fast-changing market environment.
C-CAP Announces Leadership Change SCOOP learned that Karen Welch, Chief Administrative Officer, will take on the leadership of Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), as Karen Brosius its former President, returned home to work for the University of South Carolina.
Karen Welch
continued on page 48
September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 47
Scoop, from page 46 Founded by Richard Grausman and now led by Marcus Samuelsson, this national non-profit organization is celebrating its 30th Anniversary in 2020. In reaching this important milestone, CCAP will be charting its future in an effort to empower even more underserved youth through the culinary arts. With real-world experiences, job and life skills training, college scholarships and advising, apprenticeship and lifetime mentoring, C-CAP students can build a foundation for a better life.
The SHFM Foundation Announces 2019 Hospitality and Foodservice Course Funding University and College Recipients SCOOP saw that the Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management (SHFM) Foundation SCJP_fanMAX_OG_TF_HalfPage.pdf 8/23/19 9:49 announced the 2019 Hospitality and1 Foodservice
Course Funding Awards recipients are Johnson & Wales University – Providence, R.I. Washington State University, Everett, Washington. The purpose of the award is to support corporate foodservice and workplace hospitalityfocused curricula on university and college campuses in order to teach and inspire students pursuing a career in workplace hospitality. The SHFM Foundation provides a myriad of student and university opportunities and support in the form of scholarships and internships for future workplace hospitality leaders, promotes student and professor research projects that benefit the industry, academic community, and students, and awards stipends and course funding to support faculty and curriculum delivery. Through this year’s program, the Foundation is awarding two colleges and universities to positively impact the creation and delivery of their corporate foodservice and workplace hospitality courses. “With students, their education, and their schools at the core of our mission, we see tremendous opportunity to motivate and support these AM future hospitality leaders, both professionally and
SHFM’s university and college awards are supporting the next generation of students pursuing a career in workplace hospitality.
financially. This long-standing SHFM Foundation commitment has helped universities, colleges, and in turn, hundreds of their students realize their dreams, achieve their career goals, and position themselves for long-term success,” said Kristi Noyes, Chair, Board of Directors, SHFM Founda-
continued on page 50
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Scoop, from page 48 tion. To qualify for the course funding awards, colleges and universities across the country were required to submit original applications, providing both a course syllabus and a detailed description of how the funds would be used. A panel of educational professionals evaluated the applications and made recommendations concerning the awards. For more information, please visit www.shfmonline.org/shfm-foundation.
General Mills Foodservice Announces Grand Prize and Regional Winners in 5th Annual Neighborhood to Nation™ Recipe Contest SCOOP learned that this year’s Grand Prize winner is Kevin Brown of SELECT in Spartanburg, S.C. and he received $10,000 in cash and $2,000
50 • September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
to share with a local charity as well as a threeday trip for two to the 2019 New York City Wine & Food Festival, the premier food and wine event celebrating America’s favorite foods. Regional winners include 10 unique recipes that showcase the creativity and local flavors of the chefs and the areas they come from: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Iowa, Maine, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas. The independent family or “neighborhood” restaurant and food truck winners share in more than $200,000 in cash and prizes. They each received $5,000 in cash and $1,000 to share with a local charity of their choice. General Mills will also travel to each regional winner’s hometown to host a festive celebration at their restaurant or food truck so their communities can share in the excitement. This year’s Regional Winners are: West Region: • Nick Shipp, Executive Chef and Partner, Upper West Restaurant in Santa Monica, California, for his Lamb Chili Bolognese with Macaroni and Whipped Goat Cheese
• Todd Skinner, Food Service Manager of Chuckwagon in Surprise, Arizona, for his Cowboy Cookie Sandwich North Central Region: • Nancy Butcher, Operations Consultant/Baker, Nutcracker Family Restaurant in Pataskala, Ohio, for her Banana Crème Cake • Zach Wulfekuhle, Manager and Cook, DT’s Pub and Primetime Pizza in Fayette, Iowa, for his Bourbon Chicken and Waffle Sliders Northeast Region: • Richard Spurlock, Banquet and Catering Chef, JD’s Pub & Grille in Smithville, New Jersey, for his Red Hot Waffle with BuffaRichard Spurlock lo Shrimp and Yogurt
continued on page 52
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Scoop, from page 50 Dipping Sauce • Leslie Wyman, Cook, Byrnes’ Irish Pub in Bath and Brunswick, Maine, for her Lucky Charms™ Cheesecake South Central Region: • Brooke May, Owner, Hecho en Queso food truck in Salado, Texas, for her Black Bean and Corn Empanadas with Spicy Yogurt Dip • Suzanne Raiford, Owner and Chef, Daisy’s Lunchbox in Searcy, Arkansas, for her Strawberry Almond Shortcake Roll Southeast Region: • Kevin Brown, Executive Chef of SELECT Restaurant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, for his Strawberry Pandowdy • Laura Smith, Co-owner, The Biscuit and the Bean in Winterville, North Carolina, for her Pear Tart
Real Food School Challenge with the Chef Ann Foundation at the 14th Annual
52 • September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
StarChefs International Chefs Congress SCOOP wonders if you knew that: • Our country is now ranked #1 in obesity • Over 30 million children eat school lunch each day (70% of whom participate in the free and reduced-price lunch program) Can you help StarChefs change the system and make a huge impact on the health of our children? This year at StarChefs Congress, we will be presenting the Real Food School Challenge with the Chef Ann Foundation, a non-profit whose mission is to help schools around the country serve our children healthy, made-from-scratch meals in schools. We challenge you to enter the Chef Ann Foundation’s Real Food School Challenge and create a
childhood
nutritious, tasty and kid-friendly school recipe that follows USDA healthy meal guidelines at just $1.25 per meal. If selected as a finalist, you will serve your
continued on page 54
In addition to bringing together some of the world’s most inspiring culinary professionals, the 14th Annual StarChefs International Chefs Congress is a multi-day event that gathers best-in-class producers and equipment manufacturers so you can outfit your kitchen and fill your walk-in with exceptional product.
September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 53
Scoop, from page 52
school lunch at this year’s StarChefs Congress on Monday, October 28th in Brooklyn, NY to your peers and colleagues. Think you have what it takes? To submit a recipe or ask any questions, please contact Danielle Staunton at danielle@ chefannfoundation.org. • Save the Date: StarChefs 14th Annual Chefs Congress, Sunday, October 27 - Tuesday, October 29, 2019 in Brooklyn, NY
New York’s 21st Annual New York Taste Event Will Include Maison Yaki, MeMe’s Diner, and More SCOOP hears that New York Magazine’s 21st annual edition of its signature culinary event New York Taste will be held on Monday, October 21, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Waterfront New York. Curated by New York and Grub Street editors, the event features more than 40 celebrated chefs
nymag.com/taste, and regular updates will be posted to Twitter and Instagram using #NYTaste. The tasting event will feature samples of signature dishes and drinks from worldrenowned talent, including Zach Zeidman (Café Altro Paradiso), Renata Ameni (Crown Shy), Chris Cheung (East Wind Snack Shop), Matthew Hyland and Emily Hyland (Emmy Squared), Miro Uskokovic (Gramercy Tavern), Sam Yoo (Golden Diner), Melissa Weller (High Street on Hudson), Claire Sprouse (Hunky Dory), Moonlynn Tsai (Kopitiam), Pam Weekes and The tasting event will feature samples of signature dishes and drinks from world-renowned talent Connie McDonald (Levain Bakery), Greg Baxtrom (Maison Yaki), Bill Clark and Libby Willis (MeMe’s Diner), Jilbert El-Zmetr and rising stars on the New York restaurant scene, & Michael Sadler (Republic of Booza), Steve Tarand a portion of the proceeds will be donated to pin (Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pie), and Cedric exclusive charity partner City Harvest, to help Vongerichten (Wayan), among many others. feed New Yorkers in need. In addition, Adam Platt, New York Magazine’s chief restaurant critic, will be signing copies of his new memoir, The Book of Eating, in the VIP lounge. Tickets are on sale at continued on page 96
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NEWS
INDUSTRY EVENTS
Aisles of Pizza Profit Strategies Set to Take Center Stage at Atlantic City Event
A
s an avid golfer who travels the world, Bill Oakley understands the nuances of course management. In each case as he has traversed the challenges of Scotland’s toughest links or navigating the challenges of Pebble Beach, the veteran show executive knows that on the course success is based on reacting to change. It is with that very same spirit that Oakley and his North20 east Pizza and Pasta Expo have designed the experience for their show attendees at this month’s show in Atlantic City. So attendees to the New Jersey event will find aisles full of the latest pizza and pasta food, equipment and supply and beverage solutions and a seminar slate packed with “plug and play” strategies. With years of experience producing the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, Oakley and Emerald Exhibitions were convinced that an East Coast edition of the show couldn’t miss. So once again, their annual event will be held September 25-26 at the Atlantic City Convention Center. “If you’re looking for new ideas to
1
boost revenue or just want to find out what the latest trends are in the pizza and Italian restaurant segments, then the Pizza & Pasta Northeast is the show for you,” noted Oakley. “You’ll be able to see, touch, taste and explore thousands of products, as well as negotiate great deals right on the show floor.” “This is the only tradeshow where you’ll find an industry specific demonstration and 9 education program designed for pizzeria and Italian restaurant owners and operators,” Oakley continued. “We will have 300-plus booths of products and services, morning keynote addresses, seminars, pizza and pasta demonstrations, workshops, networking events and more. Our goal is to present endless possibilities to take your restaurant to the next level.” “The Northeast has more pizzerias and Italian restaurants than any other region in the U.S.,” Oakley explained. “That’s not to mention that Atlantic City is within a few hours
continued on page 60
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Atlantic City, NJ September 2 5
2 6
2019
Featuring
The USA Caputo Cup Northeast Pasta Showdown
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Over 30 Seminars Demos & Workshops
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Pizza & Pasta Northeast, from page 58 drive of one-third of America’s population: approximately 100 miles from New York; less than 300 miles from Boston; fewer than 100 miles from Philadelphia; and 150 miles from Washington, D.C.” “We love the excitement that Atlantic City brings as a venue,” Oakley continued. “There is always something new that makes the trip worthwhile for show attendees and exhibitors.” With that growth in mind, International Pizza Expo®, the largest pizzeria business-to-business trade show in the world, will again take center stage with the second edition of its two-day trade show that focuses on pizzerias and Italian restaurants. The 2019 Pizza & Pasta Northeast® show will incorporate a blend of food demonstrations, contests and educational sessions to augment an exhibit hall showcasing top suppliers for both of these strong foodservice segments. Under the guidance of a seasoned show manager in Oakley, the event brings a long and distinguished track record of success from its Las Vegas roots. Now in its 34th Year of serving Independent and Chain Pizzerias, attendees at the ‘Vegas event include pizzeria or pizza-concept restaurant owners, operators and managers, as well as distributors and food brokers. Exhibitors in New Jersey will include suppliers of pizza ingredients and pizza flour, point-of-sales systems, ovens, kitchen equipment, marketing and promotional materials and many other companies providing goods and services to the pizza restaurant industry. “Our show is a must see for the pizza and hospitality operator,” Oakley noted. Today’s consumers and pizza aficionados have many styles from which to choose. From Pizza Napoletana to Roman and Detroit style, which is currently expanding across the U.S. Our goal is to bring prep insight to the foodservice professional that want to add
This is the only tradeshow where you’ll find an industry specific demonstration and education program designed for pizzeria and Italian restaurant owners and operators,” said Bill Oakley diversity to their menu.” The 2019 Pizza & Pasta Northeast show will deliver a one-stop shop exhibit hall where Italian and pizzaconcept restaurant owners can meet face-to-face with leading national and regional industry suppliers. Attendees will also have access to food demonstrations that will focus on new and traditional, Italian ingredients, flavors and products - allowing attendees to stay on top of the con-
sumers’ growing desire for pizza and pasta menu items. Once again the visionary Oakley and his team have brought their unique brand of excitement to the show floor. Restaurant competitors from throughout the Northeast will battle in The Northeast Pasta Showdown to determine who has the “Best Pasta Dish” east of the Mississippi. Pizza & Pasta Northeast will once again partner with Antimo Caputo
He’s perhaps the most renowned pizza maker and master of styles in the U.S. today. Tony Gemignani’s flagship pizzeria, Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco, is consistently named to best-pizza lists and praised for the wide variety of pizzas coming from its ovens. Tony will conduct a 90-minute workshop on how to make the ideal dough for Grandma and Detroit-style pizzas, push/open it correctly, properly apply the ingredients and master the requisite baking skills.
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and Orlando Foods to host the 5th annual Caputo Cup. The Caputo Cup is Italy’s largest, most exciting pizzamaking contest. This year nearly 200 of the best pizza-makers in the world will present their signature pies to the judges in the Traditional, NonTraditional, Pizza Napoletana/STG and Gluten-Free divisions. The New England region combined with Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. is home to more than 28,000 Italian restaurants and pizzerias, making this region No. 1 in the U.S. in terms of the total number of pizzerias and Italian restaurants. This means one-third of the country’s operators, generating 30 percent of the industry’s revenue, are located in one tightly condensed geographic area. “This is in no way a replacement to Pizza Expo for East Coast pizzeria operators and their staffs, but more of an opportunity to let them be a part of this regional two-day experience,” said Oakley. “Most of our eastern U.S. attendees have two days of travel in order to attend the Expo, making it difficult to attend the entire four-day show, which would keep them from their pizzeria for an entire week. This event is a natural progression and one that we hope will allow more restaurateurs and pizzeria operators the opportunity to experience some of the things they have been missing for years are now at the International Pizza Expo. Adding some new twists to this new event should make it a very compelling event to attend.” “Remember, when deciding on which tradeshow to attend, general foodservice shows are precisely that, even if they claim to have an Italian pavilion,” Oakley concluded. “To succeed in today’s fiercely competitive restaurant marketplace you need access to all the latest strategies and product innovations.”
September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 61
EYE
METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
Metro NY’s Leading Chefs And Foodservice Operators Jam Hammerstein Ballroom For Chefs’ Warehouse Annual Show
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any of Metro New York’s leading chefs and restaurant/foodservice professionals descended upon the historic Hammerstein Ballroom last month. Chefs’ Warehouse hosted the TriState foodservice community for a day to sample the very latest in innovative menu solutions. With Fall dining and holiday catering season just around the corner, Chefs’ Warehouse culinary experts and world-class sales team brought a full portfolio of solutions to support the chef’s every need. From caviar, truffles, charcuterie, spices snacks and chocolates, 100 plus vendors represent 20 plus countries were on-hand to help chefs and operators plan their next signature menu additions. In addition, the show enabled guests to taste the outstanding portfolio of Chefs’ Warehouse brands including Allen Brothers USDA Prime Beef from Chicago. The Chefs’ Warehouse is a family operated specialty food distributor that has been purveying high-quality artisan ingredients for chefs for over 30 years. With locations in major metropolitan areas across the United States and Canada, The Chefs’ Warehouse is focused on serving the fin-
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(L to R) Chefs’ Warehouses Beverly Kasper Blair with Jeunise Nunez and Kenny Richards of the Blue Note
The annual event brought an overflow crowd to the Hammerstein Ballroom
Jason Woyke of Kontos
Chef Francisco Yepes (L) of the Douglaston Club and John Pappas (R) of Chefs’ Warehouse
(L to R) Mr. and Mrs. David Vogel of Chefs’ Warehouse
(L to R) Willow Ridge’s Donna DeStefano and John Chevalier were amongst a large club contingent
(L to R) Calvin Lynn and Mandy Rabi of The Office, and Dave Manini of Cravin’
(L to R) Chefs’ Warehouse’s Brett August and Ardsley Country Club chef George Flay and guest
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Mutti’s Todd Adler
M E T I C U L O U S LY A G E D A N D H A N D - C U T B Y M A S T E R B U T C H E R S © 2019 The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Shop Online: allenbrothers.com - or - For Chefs: chefswarehouse.com
September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 63
Chefs’ Warehouse, from page 62 est restaurants, hotels, caterers and gourmet stores in Metro New York and across North America. Kudos to Chef Warehouse’s visionary CEO Chris Pappas and creative marketing guru David Vogel, who made the day special with hourly giveaways including a much coveted dinner for four at Eleven Madison Park. The Hammerstein Ballroom debuted in 1906 by the one and only Oscar Hammerstein as the Manhattan Opera House. With the ballroom balcony jammed with show exhibitors and attendees, the Chefs’ Warehouse show had that “only in New York feeling”. Chefs’ Warehouse Show will hit the road later this month, when the company welcomes its San Francisco area guests to its Union City, CA culinary expo on Sept. 17th.
Salvatore Bagliavio of Bailey’s Backyard brought the next generation of foodservice professionals to the show
(L to R) James Roberts and Stephanie Madoff of Café Spice
(L to R) OTG Executive chef Mario Frittoli and Dale Stoutenburg of Sea Fresh USA
(L to R) Spin New York City’s Ariel Navarro and Chad Bowser
(L to R) B&A Brokers Jonathan Brenly and Junior’s Allison Lazaris
Mike Parilli of Sun Noodle
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64 • September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
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September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 65
EYE
METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
Levy Teams With US Open to Bring All Star Metro NY Chefs To Center Court
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hicago based Levy once again takes center court this month with the annual US Open Tennis event. The two weeks which fitting runs on the former Worlds Fair grounds in Queens not only brings the top names in tennis but a collection of many of Metro New York’s leading chefs. Between the concessions, Food Village and various restaurants in and around Arthur Ashe Stadium, there is no shortage of tantalizing culinary experiences at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center during the US Open. The USTA and hospitality partner Levy introduced many of the dining options at a gathering at Aces restaurant, located in Arthur Ashe Stadium just prior to this year’s tournament. “We’re building restaurants unparalleled,” said Ed Brown, who opened Aces when the stadium first opened in 1997 and is now food consultant to the USTA. “Forget about sporting events, these restaurants can be supported in any city at any time. The concession stands being run by the group of chefs we’ve assembled over the years… we keep bringing more of these guys into the fold. The USTA supports that, and I think it shows in the quality—not only of being a world-class tennis event but a world-class food event.” There are several new food offerings throughout the grounds. Brown, a Michelin Star recipient himself, said choosing his favorites is like being asked to choose your favorite child, but he did come up with a few highlights. “This year, in particular, I’m re-
ally thrilled to have Benjamin Steakhouse,” he said. “These guys do a great job. Very interesting that for the first year here they’ve taken out their entire staff—every single person working in that place, which is about 100 people.” New concessions that can be found in the Food Village include Butterfly, featuring tacos, tortas and ceviche from celebrity chef and three-time James Beard Foundation recipient Jose Andres. “I’m here to enjoy great tennis… and great food,” said Andres, sampling
some of Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s sushi while talking to the media. “Stadium food has improved over the years,” Andres said between mouthfuls. “I remember being a young boy going to Barcelona Stadium in Spain. We would eat hot dogs. Take a look now, 35-40 years later. Take a look at the diversity you see here—it’s very unpredictable. It’s the least we can do, to make sure food is a big part of (the experience). There’s a lot of thinking behind it.” Brown said the USTA’s mission when
The all-star lineup included Chefs David Burke, Jacques Torres, Tom Colicchio, and Jose Andres.
(L-R) Featherstone’s Joel Schonfeld and Levy’s Jim Abbey
(L-R) Benjamin Steakhouse’s Benjamin Prelvukaj and Benjamin Sinanaj flank Restaurant Associates’ Chef Ed Brown
Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto samples some of his delicious sushi
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it comes to food is to always be “on trend,” even when it comes to something like sandwiches. “One of the big, exciting things around the grounds is Tom Colicchio with Wichcraft,” he said. “Tremendous sandwiches. We got him to add a lobster roll to the program—actually he’s doing a lobster BLT. So that’ll be exciting.”Other new vendors for 2019 include: Dumpling Galaxy, OakBerry (acai bowls) and Mojito by David Burke (serving CubanAsian-American fusion). Overall, US Open Executive Chef Jim Abbey and a culinary team of 250 prepare cuisine across five restaurants, 60 concession stands and 90 suites. Some of the staggering numbers when it comes to food that will be served:750,000 melon balls (mostly in Grey Goose Honey Deuce cocktails), 90,000 pounds of beef, 9,000 pounds of lobster, 5 tons of crab, shrimp and lobster, 400,000 individual berries, 225,000 hamburgers and hot dogs, 5 tons of lettuce and 66,000 bananas. Levy is a restaurant company based in Chicago specializing in providing vending and food services to major entertainment and sports venues. Founded in 1978, with a single familyrun delicatessen in Water Tower Place, since 2006, it has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Britain’s Compass Group. It operates over 100 foodservice locations in 41 markets throughout the US and Canada. In 2004, company revenue exceeded $470 million, and by 2017 had exceeded $1.5 billion in revenue. The company also owns several restaurants in addition to its sports and entertainment venue concessions.
September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 67
LEGAL INSIDER WITH PAUL P. ROONEY, ESQ., ELLENOFF GROSSMAN & SCHOLE LLP New York State Discrimination Law Amendments Raise State To New York City’s Standards
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mployers in New York City have, for some time, been held to the strictest standards in the nation when it comes to employment discrimination and discriminatory harassment. Soon, all employers in New York State will be required to meet, in substance, those same standards. The New York State Human Rights Law (“State Human Right Law”) has been amended to make sexual harassment, as well as harassment based on other protected characteristics such as race or disability, easier to prove. The amendments also expand the types of workers who can bring discrimination and harassment claims, and restrict the use of nondisclosure agreements, among other reforms. In summary, the amendments greatly increase the impact of discrimination laws outside of New York City. More Trials of Harassment Claims Ever since federal discrimination laws recognized sexual harassment, and harassment motivated by other protected characteristics, as a form of employment discrimination, federal courts and agencies have held that harassment had to be “severe and pervasive” in order to give rise to a successful claim by an employee. New York State, as New York City did, has now jettisoned that requirement. Now, under the State Human Rights Law, to succeed on a claim of discriminatory harassment, the employee need only prove that the harassment subjects
The New York State Human Rights Law (“State Human Right Law”) has been amended to make sexual harassment, as well as harassment based on other protected characteristics such as race or disability, easier to prove.
Paul P. Rooney is a Partner at Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP. He
an individual to inferior terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of the individual’s membership in a protected category (i.e., sex, race, disability etc.). This is a far easier standard for employees to meet. Under this easier standard, the likely result is that many more cases will reach trial. More Employers Covered Until now, employers had to have four or more employees in order to be subject to the State Human Rights Law. The amendments will expand the coverage of the State Human Rights Law so that all employers, even those with just one employee, will be subject to it. More Workers Covered Until now, only employees could sue for discrimination under the State Human Rights Law – independent contractors and other workers were not covered by the law. The amendments extend rights to sue for discrimination to contractors, subcontractors, vendors, consultants, or
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other workers that provide. Additionally, it expressly provides protections to domestic workers. In light of the expanding “gig” economy, this change represents a significant expansion of state law protections to workers.
specializes in employment law and civil litigation, and advises clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, drafts employment agreements, handbooks, and policies, and performs employment-related corporate due diligence. His cases have included
More Sunlight on Employment Agreements and Settlements The reform package mandates that all employment agreements’ nondisclosure provisions expressly state that employees may, without violating the agreement, file discrimination and harassment complaints with the New York State Division of Human Rights or any local or federal agency, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The agreements must further state that employees may participate in government investigations and give testimony without repercussions. More Liberal Interpretations For over a decade, the New York City Human Rights Law has required that courts liberally interpret it to protect employees’ rights and courts have
numerous collective actions under The Fair Labor Standards Act, and claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and The New York State and City Human Rights Laws. Mr. Rooney has also litigated cases involving covenants not to compete, claims of breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty, and defamation. Mr. Rooney can be reached at (212) 370-1300 or prooney@ egsllp.com.
obliged. The reform package requires that courts do the same with the State Human Rights Law. This provision invites courts to further expand the protections of the State Human Rights Law beyond what is expressly written in the amendments. As a result, there will be a pe-
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September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 69
NEWSMAKER
Kristin Dempsey
Vice President, Dempsey Uniform
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an you please share the history of Dempsey Uniform with our readers. Who was the entrepreneurial / visionary behind the company? We began in 1959 and this month is Dempsey’s 60th anniversary! We’ll be celebrating at all of our locations, including Clifton, with a BBQ luncheon. My father and uncle were the co-founders of Dempsey Uniform & Linen. Although PJ and I work very hard and have grown the company significantly over the past 20 years, we recognize the bravery and determination of our entrepreneurial founders. They started with nothing. My father Pat was the engineer who built the plant and my uncle Dick was the salesman who brought in the customers. As a supplier to the restaurant industry, we see that spirit in many of our customers. We truly admire the entrepreneur who takes that first step on his own – without a customer base, without a name brand, without a proven team – and opens a new restaurant. I feel like we’ve been a great partner to many of them as we helped them through the bumpy road of a new opening. What makes the Dempsey product line different from other linen services in the marketplace? First, we are a family business with active family ownership. Second, we have leveraged technology to control our customers’ costs and increase our level of service. The result is a consistency of product quality and delivery service that other companies have
not been able to provide. Our service runs seamlessly in the background so our restaurant customers can focus on other parts of their business. As life has become less formal, table linen has come under attack. Can a restaurant really look a customer in the eye and charge “$30” plus for an entree without a linen on the table? Start to search “restaurant noise…” and it will auto-fill with a bunch of terms. The increasing popularity of minimalist and industrial architecture has made restaurants noisier. Tablecloths can absorb noise and make a restaurant more enjoyable for your customers. Plus, they present a clean, sanitary image. Watch how many patrons put their flatware on their plates instead of the bare table and you’ll know that matters. Dempsey has built a dynamic portfolio in the DC restaurant community. How did you accomplish that? We entered the DC market with the acquisition of some restaurant business from a national linen supply company. Most of the customers we acquired were national restaurant chains, which were not a good fit for Dempsey. Corporate purchasing departments did not seem to value the quality and inventory control systems we brought to their sites. So, we’ve replaced all of that national restaurant chain business with independent restaurants or restaurant groups and, we believe, we’ve helped make them more competitive. Our biggest competitor is a nationwide chain so we understand the independent vs.
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chain dynamic. We’re so proud to see our local customers succeed and grow. What is the opportunity that you see for Dempsey in Metro NYC? Metro NYC is the pinnacle of fine dining. That’s a market where we shine. Our fine dining customers value the consistently high quality table linens we supply. They appreciate the responsiveness of our tenured service team. They see us as a partner who helps control their linen costs with transparent billing and advanced inventory control systems. The restaurant community, even in our metro markets, is smaller than people might assume so we’ve grown primarily through word-of-mouth. We’re excited to build a strong reputation and grow the same way in NYC. How did the WH deal come together? My father and the previous owner of WH Linen, Bill Hermans, were both engineers. They knew each other through our industry association, TRSA, and we often discussed the latest technologies and equipment for industrial laundries. They had even visited each other’s plants to see new equipment in action. When Bill decided to sell his business, he made sure his broker reached out to us. Have you been looking in NYC or did this just happen? NYC has been on our radar for almost 10 years. Many of our Washington, DC and Philadelphia customers also have, or plan to have, locations in NYC. We want to be a strong part-
Kristin Dempsey
ner for our independent restaurant groups so we have been looking for a way to enter NYC and expand our partnership with them. Will you operate in Metro NYC as Dempsey or WH? We will operate in Metro NYC as Dempsey, not WH Linen. Dempsey Uniform & Linen of New Jersey bought the assets of WH. Although we are operating out of the former WH facility and with the great people who worked there, we operate as Dempsey. Customers will see that change in our correspondence, website and vehicles in the coming months. What trends are you seeing as we get ready for Fall ‘19? Table linen trends? Napkin trends? Uniform trends including aprons? We see growth in napkin usage. Although there has been an increase in fast casual, it has become a fresh, high-quality napkin as part of the presentation. Paper napkins diminish the value of the meal. What’s the next step for an operator that wants more info on Dempsey? Give us a call or contact us online! Learn more about us at www. dempseyuniform.com or contact us! Dempsey Uniform & Linen of New Jersey, LLC, 707 Paulison Ave, Clifton, NJ 07011, 973-777-6350
September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 71
NEWS
VENTLESS SOLUTIONS
Back to School with Ventless: Fueling the Student Body
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ack to school and back to reality! Students across the country are gearing up to return to their dorms and campuses for another year of education and college experiences. Another year of pep rallies, football games, and homecomings. Universities and colleges have to be on their toes, and ready to keep these young people focused, entertained and most importantly, fueled! In order to keep the student body powered for the school days ahead, colleges and universities have to stay on top of the quality and convenience of the food they serve. Accomplishing this is simple, as long as they have the right equipment. At Motion Technology Inc., quality and convenience are our specialties! For nearly thirty years we have perfected our family of vent-
less equipment, creating the ideal fryers and ovens for our clients. College and university campuses can deliver food to their hungry students with ease when they go ventless. Because our ventless technology requires no hoods, our equipment can be set up just about anywhere. Whether it is the cafeteria, football stadium, or auditorium concession stand, MTI can make it happen! Owners and operators can create delicious items to fill the appetite of the hungriest pupil. From perfectly fried chicken and fries in the AutoFry, to healthier options like fresh salmon and roasted brussel sprouts from the MultiChef XL, no craving is left unfed. In addition to the endless amounts of menu options our equipment provides, they can also assist schools with supplying the convenience their stu-
dents require. We know that college and university life can be busy and stressful, but school campuses can help relieve a bit of that stress by having great food options readily available. Learning is a lot easier when it isn’t done on an empty stomach! With our ventless kitchen equipment, it is as easy as 1,2,3 to serve up tasty food to fuel the future leaders of tomorrow. Just plug in the MultiChef XL or AutoFry and start cooking! In just minutes you will have
freshly prepared food in the hands of a hungry student, readying them to take on anything and everything. Because our high-speed oven and fryers are so easy to use, they can be operated by any employee. Campuses can save on labor costs by avoiding the hire of a professional cook and providing employment to a student in need! So, start the school year off right, and see how we can be the source of ventless technology for any campus!
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MultiChef XL ™ High Speed Oven
September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 73
THE ESSENTIALS OF HOSPITALITY PR
WITH LINDA KAVANAGH
PR is a Process – Not a Product
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elieve me when I say that there’s nobody who wants to see your rise to fame happen quicker than your publicist does. Publicists put themselves in this unforgiving role, forging a path to success for their clients, often without any guarantees of the outcome. The challenge is not the process itself. The challenge is managing the process and the expectations that come with it. So, how do you allow yourself to trust in the process? Campaign and Strategy Starting a new business or marketing campaign for an existing business is an exciting endeavor. With that excitement comes the need to want to conquer it all. This type of enthusiasm, more often than not, will set you up for failure. Start small. An experienced publicist will know how to construct a campaign that takes the time to lay down a solid foundation before adding multiple layers to your efforts. Give each marketing component its due and the time it needs to take flight before you attempt to conquer it all. First things first. Take the time to grab hold of your website content and artwork, invest in a professional photoshoot, create a strong branding portfolio, set up social media platforms and handles that make sense and are consistent, set up a customer email database capture program, and produce solid marketing materials for both print and digital. Now you are ready for the next phases.
Linda Kavanagh is the founder of MaxEx Public Relations, LLC. Prior
Starting a new business or marketing campaign for an existing business is an exciting endeavor. With that excitement comes the need to want to conquer it all. This type of enthusiasm, more often than not, will set you up for failure. Start small. Media Outreach I’ve said it before and I will say it again. The media does not owe you anything – at any stage of the game. While the right publicist will have solid relationships with media and with influencers and will be talented at pitching, conveying, and spinning, media placement typically takes a great deal of tenacity and patience. Keep in mind however, garnering media attention all at once is not a good outcome either. The goal here is to obtain media exposure consistently, allowing for a steady stream of attention from both social influencers and media which will assist with consumer retention, SEO, and social media content. When done correctly, each media hit should enjoy a longer shelf life than just its publication or posting date. Have patience and leverage the exposure. Be open to creating events and of-
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ferings that are news-worthy. Once that “new restaurant opening” release goes out the door and the excitement wears off, you will need to start the process of creating regular outreach. Every so often, invite influencers in to dine or send them a product to write about and post. Use the change of seasons to your advantage to pitch timely news. And keep yourself in the game. You never know when your persistence will pay off. Work with What You’re Given Part of the PR/marketing process is being able to work within your means. This does not necessarily mean your financial means. What’s good for the large restaurant with a staff of 20 may not be good for the small family-owned and operated eatery. Work with what you are given. Can’t afford the product and manpower to go offpremise for a promotional l event?
to launching her company in 1997, Kavanagh spent ten years in the culinary field, ultimately leaving the kitchen side of the business, trading her apron in for the almighty press release. Kavanagh’s experience in the restaurant industry adds another layer to her skillset, separating her from other publicists. Kavanagh is also the director of the New England Culinary Group, a 501(c)(3) professional organizational and support arm for the food service industry.
Coordinate smaller community-driven events in your space. Don’t have it in the budget to advertise in the holiday issue of your local magazine? Invest in a social media campaign for a fraction of the cost of print advertising and have better control over targeting your audience. With all of the online, social, and mobile app tools available to us today, gone are the big spends and the reasons to use them that were associated with them. Instant Gratification Instant Gratification leads to an eventual letdown. What did that big opening party that cost a lot of money and attracted a whole lot of people you didn’t know do for your business? Stroke your ego? Land you on a few high profile Instagram pages? More
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NEWS
RESTAURANT MARKETING
California Firm Offers Online Platform To Drive Restaurant Marketing Strategy
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alifornia-based PosterMyWall is making it easier than ever for restaurants in the food and service industry to create marketing assets thanks to their innovative online customization tool. Now anyone can create polished, appealing and professional menus, flyers, videos and social media graphics for their business needs. The online platform offers over 100,000 design templates, free downloads and easy tools that can greatly advance a restaurant’s marketing strategy and business goals. Founder Ric Goell came up with the idea 10 years ago after his wife was looking for a tool to create family collages. At first the platform was aimed at consumers looking for unique prints and posters, but quickly evolved into a one-stop shop for small business graphics after PosterMyWall realized that many businesses needed professional marketing materials but didn’t want to hire an artist or learn complicated software like Photoshop. “We then shifted gears and began
Through a wide variety of professional templates and easy-to-use tools, we bring solutions to individuals who don’t possess professional designing skills and want a quick, simple and affordable solution to creating marketing graphics,” said Ric Goell, Founder, PosterMyWall focusing on creating designs for small businesses so they can take control of their branding,” he states. According to Goell, every restaurant should start its strategy with its customers; who are they and what are they looking for. With the marketing content you create on PosterMyWall, you can communicate how your brand uniquely delivers the desired experiences to your customers. PosterMyWall offers a suite of social media marketing tools to make online marketing a breeze for small biz own-
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ers. “The approach a restaurant should take depends on the strategy they’re pursuing, but the best approaches combine online and physical marketing ,” Goell advises. “The rise of social media marketing can’t be ignored, especially if your target audience includes millennials and Gen Z. It’s all about your online presence; throwing random content on social media is not enough to break the clutter anymore. When we talk about social media, it’s crucial to talk about Instagram. In a time where almost 70% of people pho-
tograph their food before devouring it, factors like presentation and making your dishes look “insta-worthy” and yes that’s actually a popular Instagram term, is of the utmost importance. So a key recommendation is to make sure your social media feeds represent your brand and highlights both your photogenic dishes, as well the complete experience you deliver.” With menu design becoming more of an art, the bar for standing out is constantly increasing and PosterMyWall offers just the tools you need to stand out. There’s a helpful menu maker tool that allows restaurants to customize their ever-changing menus seasonally, monthly or even weekly. “It’s very simple to manage your menu items,” he explains. “You can save your items once and create multiple designs without having to re-enter all the things over and over again.” PosterMyWall offers various price tiers, including a pay-as-you go option and quarterly subscriptions for access to everything on the platform. There are also plenty of free social media features for users to benefit from without having to provide their credit card information. Subscriptions start at $10 per month for unlimited images and $30 per month for unlimited images and video. For more information on services, graphics, templates and pricing, visit PosterMyWall.com. https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/m/restaurants Use the code “TOTALFOOD2019” to get 25% off PosterMyWall Premium Subscriptions and access unlimited downloads for images and videos. Expires September 15th, 2019.
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by www.admiralcraft.com September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 77
MENU STRATEGIES
WITH ALLIE WAINER
Creative Strategies for Creating Signature Menus With Fresh Fruit
O
ur customers are always challenging us to help them create signature menus. With our background in farming, we have always looked at fresh fruit as a perfect solution to injecting creativity into your restaurant or foodservice operations menus. Focusing on seasonal fruit is always my first option. Additionally, being creative with unique varieties, offering a locally sourced selection, and providing a selection of regionspecific seasonal fresh fruit on a global scale can provide a more appealing experience for the epicure.
Find ways to pair fresh fruit with accouterments that shift from savory and sweet throughout the day and keep the guest interested in what’s next. Break the mold, don’t be afraid to, and provide fresh fruit diversity on your menu throughout the year to keep it interesting. A good starting point is to look at how fresh fruit can fit into the parts throughout your day. Our advice is
78 • September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
to be creative throughout the day with your fresh assortment to create impactful, visually appealing fruit creations that will get your guests coming back for more. Find ways to pair fresh fruit with accouterments that shift from savory and sweet throughout the day and keep the guest interested in what’s next. The uniqueness factor goes a long way and change is something that will always be talked about. Create an experience with your fresh fruit assortment, not just a standard fruit cup. It’s culinary, have fun! From both a taste and aesthetics standpoint and with a nod towards your P&L, we suggest creating a seasonal strategy. We work with our Sid Wainer customers to gain an understanding of the fresh fruit seasons. Knowing the seasons, especially the local ones and being closely connected to the local eco-
Allie Wainer is the Executive Vice President & Chief Customer Officer of Sid Wainer & Son®. The New Bedford, MA native is a fourth generation member of the Wainer family to guide the firm. She has an extensive restaurant and catering management background in Boston and New York. The Dartmouth, MA native oversees the company’s 300,000 square foot storage facility. Allie also had led the company’s commitment to local farms.
system can provide an intuitive-like understanding of what should be on the menu in terms of fresh fruit. Being in tune with the local agriculture environment also allows you to better understand when your fresh fruit selection and menu items should be updated. Each local environment is different and that allows for some creative room to introduce rare or out of season fresh fruit from globally sourced regions. At Sid Wainer & Son, we provide our chefs with a seasonal menu planner that helps
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LIZ ON TABLETOP
TABLETOP SOLUTIONS
Bringing Creativity To Your Fall Beverage Menu
H
ard to believe the summer is coming to a close. We have been working hard to help our BHS/Weiss customers prepare for the changes that they will be making on their beverage menus. It’s our job to listen and then to respond with ideas on how to help to
create a signature with just the right glassware. As we work with our BHS/Weiss customers, we find a move towards a fall beverage menu that features hardier fare. This typically includes, bourbon, dark liquors ad bitters. We are suggesting that the perfect glass is a heavy based double old
80 • September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
fashioned glass. We think it all starts with the right cube and this year that has actually expanded to include non-fruity popsicles. An Old Fashioned with a big cube size gives the illusion that less has melted. In fact, the big cube chills the drink faster; every bit of liquor is touching the cube, allowing a consistent temperature throughout. This year, fall menus will feature less fruity fare. Our club, hotel and restaurant customers have their eyes on darker based cocktails. This will include more scotch and less vodka. We are also seeing dark rums and flavored tequilas. Last Fall was in fact the return of the “Old Fashioned.” This year look for lots of infused bourbons
Liz Weiss is the President and coowner of Armonk, NY based H. Weiss Co., a division of BHS Foodservice Solutions. She is known nationally as one of the nation’s foremost authorities on tabletop design. The Michigan State graduate is also actively involved with WPO-Women’s Presidents Organization. Comments may be sent to eweiss@hweiss.net.
with house made cherries and other fruits. We see these offerings getting more savory with the infusion of thyme. Fall is always a time for your customers to celebrate. Ice cubes play an important role in creating the right feel for your beverage menu. Last year we saw the emergence of celebration cubes like a Diamond cube for an anniversary. This year
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September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 81
NEWS
CONCESSIONS
MLB Set To Celebrate Baseball’s Best Cuisine at Manhattan FoodFest Event
B
aseball fans craving a hot lobster roll from Fenway Park, a pulled pork pierogi hoagie from PNC Park or a beer-can chicken sandwich from Wrigley Field won’t have to leave the Big Apple to get them next month. Ballpark food has become a culinary genre all its own, and every year there are new offerings that captivate the taste buds of MLB fans. The best ballpark foods from around Major League Baseball will be on display and ready to eat at the MLB FoodFest presented by Budweiser, to take place Sept. 21-22 on Fifth Avenue near Bryant Park in New York City. The event will be the second MLB FoodFest installment in 2019, with the first having taken place in Los Angeles earlier this year. All 30 MLB clubs have designated one concession item to represent their team and community at the baseballthemed food festival. The menu will largely consist of brand-new items, like the Mets’ Bases Loaded Dog and the Yankees’ Shrimp Po’Boy, though there will be some crowd favorites from past events there as well, including the Cincinnati Reds’ Bulgogi Beef Egg Rolls; the Los Angeles Angels’ Kung Pao Chicken Drumsticks; the Houston Astros’ Frito Pie Corndog; the
The event offers the opportunity for Aramark (Phillies, Red Sox, Mets), Legends (Yankees), and Levy (Pirates, White Sox , Cubs) to display their take on ballpark cuisine. Oakland Athletics’ Brisket Nachos; the Baltimore Orioles’ Stuggy’s Crab Mac N Cheese Dog; the San Diego Padres’ Mahi Mahi Tacos; the Yankees’ Shrimp Po’ Boy; and the Mets’ Bases Loaded Dog. More daring attendees can try
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the Colorado Rockies’ Rocky Mountain Oysters — served with breaded “cowboy caviar,” fries and cocktail sauce — or the Seattle Mariners’ Toasted Grasshoppers, which are seasoned with chili lime salt. Those who prefer dessert can
opt for an Arizona Diamondbacks’ Churro Dog — featuring a churro, cinnamon sugar, a Long John donut, vanilla yogurt, chocolate, caramel and whipped cream — or the Toronto Blue Jays’ Jane Dough Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. In many ways the event serves as an all-star game for food service contractors. The event offers the opportunity for Aramark (Phillies, Red Sox, Mets), Legends (Yankees), and Levy (Pirates, White Sox, Cubs) to display their take on ballpark cuisine. In addition, MLB will collaborate with their foodservice partners to have food remaining distributed by City Harvest to those need. Along with the delectable dishes, there will be access to new virtual reality experiences, including Home Run Derby Virtual Reality, a game in which fans can put on a VR headset and swing a VR bat controller that makes it feel as though they’re swinging a real bat and launching homers over the fence. There will be a new merchandise and collectibles shop, as well as a Budweiser Brewmaster and custom beer bar on-site, This won’t be the final FoodFest of 2019; a third installment will be held in London in October to coincide with the opening of the postseason.
September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 83
NEWS
MARKETING SOLUTIONS
Fifteen Lawsuits Filed Against CT Restaurants by Small Legal Firm Spurred Wage-Tip Fight at Capitol
C
hips Family Restaurant is facing a class action lawsuit by former employees over the wage tip credit. One small law firm of five attorneys based in Hartford has successfully created a public-policy rift between Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration and the entirety of the Connecticut legislature after Lamont vetoed a bipartisan bill that would have retroactively clarified state regulations regarding the restaurant wage tip credit. The legislation was spurred by an on-going series of lawsuits filed by the Hayber Law Firm on behalf of restaurant employees against a number of restaurants in Connecticut, ranging from chains like Outback Steakhouse and Ruby Tuesday’s to more local restaurants like Brick & Wood in Fairfield, 85 Main in Prospect and Chips Family Restaurant with various locations throughout the state. The Hayber Law Firm describes itself as an employee rights advocate that has “dedicated our practice to helping employees and their families who have suffered losses due to unfair employment practices.” Since 2015, Hayber has filed 15 lawsuits alleging restaurants have improperly paid bartenders, waiters and waitresses below minimum wage for non-service work. The “tip-credit” allows a restaurant to pay a server 31 percent less than the state’s minimum wage for work in which the employee will receive gratuities. The lawsuits are based on a dispar-
According to state regulations, if a server performs “service duties” they can be paid below the state’s minimum wage, but if they perform “non-service duties” for which they do not receive a tip they must be paid the full minimum wage. ity between Connecticut regulations and the state Department of Labor’s wage guidelines for restaurants which they published in 2015 and, until December of 2018, had posted on their website. Six of those lawsuits were filed as class action suits involving numerous plaintiffs, which could have farreaching financial implications for the restaurants. In 2019 alone, six lawsuits — including three complaints filed as class action suits which are awaiting certification – have been filed against 99 Restaurants, Outback Steakhouse, Ruby Tuesdays, 85 Main, Brick & Wood and C&L Diners. Hayber Law Firm is representing the plaintiffs in all the cases. The onslaught of lawsuits spurred the legislature to pass a bill that would have retroactively codified Connecticut’s restaurant wage tip credit to match what the Connecticut Department of Labor had been telling restaurant owners for years. The legislation would have effectively killed the vari-
84 • September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
ous lawsuits. But Lamont’s veto has left lawmakers and restaurant owners scrambling for a viable solution during the summer months in an effort to curb legal action that threatens to shutter some Connecticut businesses with mounting legal fees and penalties. The Evolution of Legal Action According to state regulations, if a server performs “service duties” they can be paid below the state’s minimum wage, but if they perform “nonservice duties” for which they do not receive a tip they must be paid the full minimum wage. State regulation says servers’ time performing each should be “definitely segregated and so recorded” in order for the lower wage to be paid. If the time is not recorded and segregated than the regular minimum wage is to be paid. What constitutes “non-service duties” is part of the legal issue: technically, a server can only be paid the lower rate for things like cleaning and
resetting a table in their section. However, servers often help prepare the restaurant for serving customers by wrapping silverware, cutting fruit for drinks, or getting drink stations ready to serve. Segregating and recording different wage rates for different short tasks among numerous servers over the course of the day at a restaurant presents numerous administrative and time-management hurdles for both restaurant owners and employees. The Connecticut Department of Labor tried to ease the regulatory burden by issuing guidance in a 2015 publication by the Department of Labor’s Wage and Workplace Standards Division entitled “Basic Guide to Wage and Hour and Related Laws Regarding the Restaurant Industry.” According to the DOL’s publication, “We will allow use of a tip credit if these non-service (and/or questionable service-related) duties comprise 20% or less of the service person’s total working time on a particular shift.” The workbook notes that since segregating employee time by what work they perform is “difficult” the division “initiated an enforcement policy which will make detailed classification largely moot.” The change brought Connecticut in line with the federal Department of Labor’s wage tip credit guidelines. The workbook notes this protection does not allow a restaurant to assign
continued on page 86
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CT Wage Lawsuits, from page 84 non-service duties like dishwashing or food preparation to a service-employee but rather “to provide some protection from a complaint in which an employee seeks payment of the full minimum wage for an entire shift because he or she performed a non-service task for several minutes.” However, the DOL’s attempt at making detailed classification “largely moot” had an unintended consequence: the crux of Hayber’s arguments against the various restaurants is predicated on the fact that the employers did not keep detailed accounting of time a server spent doing non-service work and did not obtain weekly signed statements from servers confirming they received service tips. In a 2015 lawsuit against Vito’s by the Water — formerly located in Windsor — Hayber argued that former bartender Shaneque Stevens’ hours spent setting up the restaurant before opening and cleaning up after closure should have been segregated from her service work and received the full minimum wage. According to “Plaintiff’s Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law” filed in 2017 against Vito’s the burden of proof rests on the employer to “come forward with evidence of the precise amount of work performed or with evidence to the negative reasonableness of the inference to be drawn from the employee’s evidence.” The judge sided with the plaintiff, writing that “Vito’s failed to obtain weekly tip statements” required by state regulations and “did not segregate Stevens’ non-service work from her service work and thus was obliged to, but did not, pay the service hours at the full minimum fair wage.” The plaintiff was awarded payment equal to twice the minimum wage for the estimated hours she was underpaid plus attorney fees, all of which totaled $54,766.47. The award of legal fees to Hayber was decried as a “dangerous prec-
edent” by John Kennelly, attorney for Vito’s, in an interview with the Connecticut Law Tribune. Kennelly said the ruling “means there is now an open season for every small restaurant business that does not have an entire legal department to protect them from the minutia of the state Department of Labor regulations.” Richard Hayber of the Hayber Law Firm said the award of attorney fees allows workers who don’t have much money to be represented in court.
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“This is an important ruling for attorneys who take on wage cases for lowwage workers that they will be paid when they win,” Haber told the Law Tribune. Vito’s by the Water closed down shortly thereafter and in 2018 filed for bankruptcy in federal court, although it’s unknown if the bankruptcy filing was directly related to costs associated with the court case or the judgment. But the judge’s 2017 ruling was used as precedent in other lawsuits Hayber
filed on behalf of restaurant employees. For instance, a suit filed in 2018 against C&L Diners which owns a Denny’s Restaurant in Westbrook and two 2019 suits against 99 Restaurants and 85 Main reference the Stevens decision in their initial complaint and use the same argument that was successful against Vito’s. In the case against 85 Main, the complaint says servers were required to do “side-work” which included
Kavanagh, from page 74 “general cleaning and stocking duties such as stocking all paper cups and straws, condiments, to go items, restocking and polishing all silverware, cleaning the potato station, the soda machine, butters, sweeping the server alley and other similar activities.” The lawsuit contends the servers should have been paid full minimum wage for performing these duties because servers were not receiving tips during that time. According to the 2003 Guide for Restaurant Employers in Connecticut, the tip credit only applies if the server is maintaining their own “immediate service area.” The lawsuits predicated on the Vito’s ruling had a chilling effect on Connecticut’s restaurant owners. While a suit on behalf of one employee could cost a restaurant tens to hundreds of thousands in a judgment – including the restaurant owner’s attorney fees – the class action lawsuits threaten judgments in the hundreds of thousands to potentially millions. In a press release, the Connecticut Restaurant Association said employers shouldn’t be punished for following the guidelines set forth by DOL unless they violated the 80/20 rule. “Class action lawsuits such as these threaten to put restaurant owners outof-business, placing hundreds of jobs in jeopardy.” The class action lawsuits can be especially damaging. Chips Family Restaurant, which has six locations in Connecticut, is facing a class action suit involving upwards of 200 employees. A judgment against the restaurant, in addition to legal fees for both the defendants and the plaintiffs, could be “a death sentence,” according to Scott Dolch, President of the Connecticut Restaurant Association. “I have more and more people coming to me and asking, ‘am I safe?’ and the answer right now is you’re not,” said Dolch. “Everyone is potentially liable — all 8,000 restaurants in Connecticut — because they were following DOL’s guidelines.”
likely it created a short term buzz and once that wore off, it was as if you were starting from scratch again. Instead, you should be milking that honeymoon stage or teasing your brand refresh and re-entry into your neighborhood dining scene by planning a steady stream of small target market events, posting social media contests, or sending out recipes with photos or videos instead of press releases. Turn that one-night bash into a summerlong campaign. Slow and steady will
win the race. When building a social media following or email marketing database patience will indeed be a virtue. There aren’t any magic tools here, just a steady and strategic process that when managed correctly can be quite gratifying to watch grow. You want legitimate and potential customers to be following you and signing up for newsletter or catalog. Buying names and emails will be a waste of your money, time, and effort. It’s qual-
ity over quantity in this case. Keep its grassroots, take advantage of social media tools, collaborate with other businesses that share the same target consumer, make it easy for people to “sign-up”, and keep putting out great content. PR is a process. The product that comes from the process is an opportunity. Allow yourself to take advantage of these opportunities by incorporating them into your marketing efforts.
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INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE
WITH FRED SAMPSON
How The Various Generations Spend Their Money
W
hy, when the economy seems so strong, are we hearing rumblings that the foodservice segment is “soft”? Most specialists who monitor the industry will tell you, “Too many restaurants.” That probably accounts for most of it; however, other issues accumulatively are affecting consumers’ discretionary dollars that normally would find their way to a meal away from home. Some of those are as follows. On many occasions, I have wondered why the government spends so much money on seeking and publishing information that at times seemed “so what” to me—until I looked for information on generational spending. That data is the source for most of the facts and figures in this article and its value and impact are enormous.
I started by trying to find out how much in total these various age groups spend eating out and at home. I also was interested in how much they spend consuming all types of venues including entertainment. I came close. What I learned was how much these groups spend as individual households, and that proved to be very interesting. Much of the data used in this piece was developed by economists at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Steve Henderson, for one, made the following observation that sets the tone for this message: “Move over, baby boomers: millennials are now America’s largest generation. Over the past few years, my colleagues and I at the Bureau of Labor Statistics have gotten a lot of questions about millennials’ spending habits. As more millennials enter the workforce, the purchasing power of this generation increases, and
both marketers and researchers are interested in how millennials choose to spend their paychecks.” I don’t know exactly when it became fashionable to label certain age groups here in the United States, but they stack up this way: 1928 or earlier for the Greatest Generation. It was followed by the Silent Generation (1929 to 1945) … baby boomers (1946 to 1964) … Generation X (1965 to 1980) … and millennials (1981– now). It seems to this writer that the millennials have received and continue to have more attention than most of the four generational age groups preceding them. But don’t sell the Generation X group (1965 to 1980) short; they represent the remainder of today’s senior population. “Editor’s note: The Consumer Ex-
continued on page 90
https://blog.dol.gov/2016/11/03/spending-habits-by-generation/ (I added the bold emphasis for the numbers pertinent to my article.)
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Fred G. Sampson is the retired President Emeritus of the New York State Restaurant Association. He began working with NYSRA in 1961. Within the next four years the NYSRA more than tripled its membership and expanded from one regional chapter to eight. Sampson played roles in representing restaurants on issues including paid sick leave, minimum wage, liquor laws, a statewide alcohol training program and insurance plans. Comments may be sent to fredgsampson@juno.com
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Sampson, from page 88 penditure Survey is a household survey. While millennials outnumber other generations in number, they come in third behind Gen X and baby boomers with regards to independent households. Why’s that? Not all millennials are out living on their own just yet, so they’re not counted as separate households.” For the record, some sources have a different description for the various age groups. As an example: first, there was the Lost Generation; next, the GI Generation; next, the Silent Generation; then came the baby boomers; the Greatest Generation; and Generation X. While they may have different titles, the time span for each is similar, except millennials who, some say, are 30 years plus, as opposed to all others with an age span of 20 to 25 years. The following Generational Spending Habits Chart by Household from
1928 or earlier to the present was filed by Steve Henderson, an economist with the Bureau of Labor Statistics. If you take a close look at the survey, you’ll notice it is in the millennials’ column that the gap between Food at Home and Eating Out differs by $373, and $1,018 for Generation X. It pretty much confirms that the competition between food at home and eating out continues to be close. In a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, Spencer Jakab discusses how takeout is winning the food war. He points to the problem that is facing supermarket and packaged food companies, and that is: “People don’t want to cook anymore.” He goes on to point out: “Americans have always eaten out. What has changed is the growth of restaurant meals eaten at home, and most recently, preparedmeal kits.”
He reports: “According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, food spending for meals prepared at home grew by less than 2% a year from 2013 to 2016 while spending on meals prepared elsewhere grew more than 20%. “Americans have spent roughly 13% of their income on food for years. But for 2016, the latest year for which U.S. data are available, they spent nearly 44% of those food dollars on food prepared away from home—a share just shy of the peak seen during the housing boom over a decade ago. As recently as 2013, that share was below 40%. …… “The Food Institute looked at expenditures in 2013 and found that millennial households spent 6.5% more a week than baby-boomer households on meals away from home despite having lower income overall. Baby boomers will spend less
as they age if current demographic patterns hold. “But today’s 35-year-olds, who haven’t cooked much for themselves so far, will likely keep ordering as family demands squeeze their time and increase overall dollars spent.” Mr. Jakab concludes his observations as follows: “Supermarkets are fighting back by acting like restaurants with more prepared foods and in-store seating. Coupled with rising sales for fresh meat and vegetables, there is hope for some of them. For packaged-food brands, though, the challenge is deeper.” The next time you visit a supermarket, if you have the time, take a look at the expanded choice of not only entrees and breakfast items, but the choices and variety of ethnic dishes, microwave ready. There is a reason they are no longer called TV dinners.
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NY State Discrimination Law, from page 68 riod of unpredictability in the law as courts accept this invitation.
Arbitration Act strongly favors enforcing such agreements.
More Time to File Claims The amendments extend the statute of limitations for filing a charge of discrimination with the State Division of Human Rights to three (3) years, up from one year. Employees already had three years to file lawsuits in court under both the State and City Human Rights Laws, so the practical effect may not be great, except that it may result in more filings with the State Division of Human Rights.
More Damages and Attorneys’ Fees The amendments allow for the prevailing employee in a discrimination claim to win, in addition to compensatory damages and back pay, punitive damages and attorneys’ fees. This change greatly increases the potential value of claims under the State Human Rights Law.
More Restrictions on Arbitration The amendments prohibit the use of arbitration agreements in regard to all employment discrimination claims. Notably, federal courts have thus far not been unreceptive to state laws imposing restrictions on the use of arbitration agreements for certain types of claims because the Federal
Amendments Begin Going Into Effect on October 11, 2019 Governor Cuomo signed the bill enacting the amendments on August 12, 2019. Most of the changes will go into effect on October 11, 2019. Employers with less than four employees will become subject to the law on February 8, 2020. The extension of the statute of limitations will go into effect on August 12, 2020.
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September 2019 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 93
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Robert Fiorito, from page 12 trator has no legitimate relationship with the business but has a personal relationship with a victim, and threatens or assaults him or her at the workplace (family member, boyfriend, girlfriend). There are actions that you can take to protect your employees and mitigate the risk of workplace violence. Evaluate the workplace and identify both physical and administrative adjustments that you can make proactively. Designing a Safe Environment • Protect your employees using cash-handling policies such as locked drop safes, limited amounts of cash to carry, and notices to visitors or clients that limited cash is available. • Explore the use of cashless transactions, and if feasible, install them. • Install bullet-resistant barriers or enclosures with appropriately high and deep counters where interaction with the public is necessary. • Provide and maintain good lighting, both internally and externally. • A disorganized evacuation can result in confusion, injury, and property damage. Have all exits clearly marked in the event of an emergency.
Evaluate the workplace and identify both physical and administrative adjustments that you can make proactively. • Limit the number of unlocked entrances and hiding places in and around the perimeter of the workplace. • Design buildings and parking areas so that they do not have hiding places. • Place garbage areas, outdoor refrigeration areas and other storage facilities in a way that does not unnecessarily expose employees by forcing them to walk distances alone or in poorly lit areas. Other Administrative Actions • Institute policies and procedures that indicate a zero tolerance of workplace violence and provide direction for reporting and handling incidents. • Provide training in defusing or de-escalating potentially violent situations, and inform employees of the risks of workplace violence. • When possible, increase the
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number of staff on duty at opening and closing hours. • Review work practices and staffing during money drops and pickups. • Consider the risk of assault when directing workers to take out garbage, dispose of grease, store items in external areas and transport money. • Establish procedures for obtaining medical care and psychological support after a violent incident. • Create a crisis response plan that describes procedures to follow in the event of an emergency, which should include evacuation routes and exits or building lockdown procedures depending on the situation, and have the plan posted for all staff and patrons to access. • Establish an Employee As-
sistance Program (EAP) with trained counselors who are able to address workplace stress and violence issues. As a confidential service to employees, the EAP provider will assess whether a situation needs to be brought to management and can intervene in employee conflicts. In addition to impacting the wellbeing of your employees, workplace violence can also disrupt normal business functions, potentially leading to business interruption, workers’ compensation claims and employee litigation. Speak to your insurance broker to help protect your financial impacts of these consequences with the appropriate coverages for your organization.
The content of this promotion campaign represents the views of the author only and is his/her sole responsibility. The European Commission and the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (CHAFEA) do not accept any responsibility for any use that may be made of the information it contains. THE EUROPEAN UNION SUPPORTS CAMPAIGNS THAT PROMOTE HIGH QUALITY AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
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Scoop, from page 54
TripAdvisor Rolls Out New Wi-Fi Service to Help Restaurants SCOOP notes that TripAdvisor is now offering TripAdvisor Wi-Fi Plus, a new subscription service for restaurants that offers a valuable benefit to their customers and help restaurateurs build better relationships with them by collecting more TripAdvisor reviews, which in turn can drive more business. TripAdvisor Wi-Fi Plus is custom-branded for each business subscriber and works by automatically collecting contact information from diners who opt-in to receive free Wi-Fi at the property. Owners can then use email marketing to connect with their customers—and encourage them to leave candid TripAdvisor reviews about their dining experiences. “We’re excited to make TripAdvisor Wi-Fi Plus available to restaurants around the world. It’s a free benefit for consumers and helps businesses
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Examples of the TripAdvisor W-Fi Plus on mobile
engage and build closer relationships with new and existing customers,” says Evan Becker, head of key accounts, TripAdvisor Restaurants. “The vast majority of reviews on TripAdvisor are positive— better than 4 out of a possible 5—so using the service to ask guests to share their experiences on our site generally leads to a better overall rating for the business and more engagement with our community of millions of high-intent visitors.” Businesses using the new service collected, on average, up to 70 percent more TripAdvisor re-
views, and reviews matter: 72 percent of consumers always or frequently read reviews before making a decision on where to eat, where to stay or what to do, according to a recent Power of Reviews study TripAdvisor conducted in partnership with Ipsos. Owners can sign up for TripAdvisor Wi-Fi Plus by visiting the website and following the prompts. They will receive a hot spot package by mail and will be able to plug in and go as soon as they receive it. Once the service is installed, diners can seamlessly access free guest Wi-Fi through a preconfigured, custom-branded landing page with their email address or social media credentials. TripAdvisor Wi-Fi Plus continues the conversation with guests by automatically sending them reminders to leave TripAdvisor reviews. TripAdvisor Wi-Fi Plus will be powered by Captini, a leading social Wi-Fi marketing provider and offered as a convenient “pay as you go” model through monthly, annual and two-year subscriptions to give restaurants flexibility and savings.
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Golf Courses, from page 28 in golf play than in previous generations,” explained George. Lookaway is able to do so “because we limit membership. We only do about 14,000 rounds of golf each year whereas other clubs average 35,000 rounds per year.” Lookaway must offer major flexibility for members and a pristine, private course to serve as a retreat for someone seeking peace and quiet. At the same time, Lookaway’s members expect the course management to bring the party when they are searching for events. “And yes, we have events where there’s a lot of people. Yesterday, we had [St. Louis Blues’ Head Coach Craig Berube] here with the Stanley Cup,” said George. “Some of our more popular events are our Bacon and Bourbon dinner, Casino Night is coming up, we do different barbecues throughout the year, also a raw bar and sushi dinner.” Williams from Mountain View confirms that the act of playing golf and maintenance of the course is still just as important to a course’s community. However, hospitality services have reached a level of importance nearly equal to the game. “Mountain View’s customers are now more discerning and they know what they want more than ever before,” noted Williams. After observing the customer base, “the mantra we live by is that we are a public course with private club amenities. The Club-
We have started to see a turn in new clientele,” explained John Williams , owner of Heirloom Events and Food & Beverage Operator at Mountain View Golf Course in Ewing, NJ. “They’ll come in for golf, learn about what we’re doing, then we’ll see them a lot thereafter. They’ll come in for lunch, for drinks after work; they come in and attend our happy hours and live music. I feel that the experience has transcended golf at our location.” house is a restaurant that happens to be on a golf course, not a golf course with a restaurant. In many regards, we act as if we are separate from the course when it comes to eating and dining. However, we cater to the golf course and the golfers.” Additionally, both representatives from private and public courses agree that word-of-mouth has remained the most significant form of marketing that a golf course can hope for. However, each course is also coupling the procurement of positive word-ofmouth reviews with thoughtful, new marketing techniques. “Digital is the way that everyone has gone, which did not really exist before—at least in the golf club scene. But, I see that it has to be a two-pronged approach. We now have to market to the younger segments— the 25-40 year old age group. But, you
cannot abandon traditional, four-wall marketing,” said Williams. On one hand, Mountain View has employed a great loyalty program called the Player’s Card—something a marketing whiz would file under “traditional outreach.” The program allows for direct to customer communication, gives the player a reason to hang at the Clubhouse, and makes the golfer’s experience more memorable. “When a customer books a round of golf at the Pro Shop, we give you the Player’s Card which entitles you to a free beer and a discount on lunch,” explained Williams. On the other hand, Williams and Mountain View have been able to stimulate their most effective marketing tool (word-of-mouth) by building and investing into their digital marketing program. “We do a great job of collecting cus-
tomers’ social media data, their email addresses, and continually keeping in touch,” said Williams. “It’s about letting them know what we’re up to, letting them know what’s coming up next, and letting them know that we’d like to see them again. From there, people will re-share, forward, and post about what we’ve got going on, which we’ve found to be pretty effective.” Lookaway and Mountain View are two courses in the PA and NJ region who are truly stepping up to meet new requests from customers of both private and public golf courses. When courses strive for perfection in greens keeping, employ management who are empathetic toward customer needs, offer top notch hospitality services, and take their marketing plan seriously, the end result is not a slam dunk. “It’s in the hole!”
do exactly what’s expected without any conflict. Because there is no such thing as common sense. You have to tell them exactly what needs to be done and how to do it. 6. Changing how YOU the owner or GM looks at accountability. Instead of answerability, look at it as an opportunity to coach, to becoming a partner in your management team’s success, to becoming a trainer, not just a parent who only scolds their children to
teach them lessons. 7. Not just taking a manager’s word that they accomplished a task or did what you asked them to do. Instead of accepting the answer of yes it was done, say “great, show me.” Now you put yourself in a position to see that it was done and if not — or not done to your standards — gives you the opportunity to coach for success.
team that change is a good thing, that the little details matter, that being clear on expectations is the norm, they will no longer think accountability is a bad thing. Your team will no longer see accountability as something that is dreadful and difficult. Shift your company culture from answerability to providing opportunities. And the end opportunity for you is to coach your way to both financial and personal success!
Peters, from page 26 4. A weekly/monthly budget variance report comparing budget to actual numbers giving management a clear financial report card that will guide them on to what systems need to be reviewed and what new systems need to be put in place. 5. Detailed checklists in every position! These are the foundations to clearly defining expectations in EVERY position in the restaurant. This allows both management and staff to
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When you make it clear to your
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Samuelsson, from page 42 taking a few breaks from the restaurant to help get the next generation out playing no matter where they live in the city.” The new partnership builds off the success NYCFC and Marcus Samuelsson Group have had working together on past initiatives – including CITC’s Healthy Hat-Trick presented by Goya Foods, an educational curriculum that uses soccer to teach and encourage children to lead a healthy lifestyle through exercise, eating a balanced diet and
setting goals. To kick off the 2019 season, the Club hosted its second annual Homecoming event at Marcus’ iconic Red Rooster restaurant in Harlem to raise funds for CITC. All proceeds raised at the Homecoming event will go directly toward increasing access to soccer for underserved youth throughout the five boroughs. In advance of the home opener, Chef Samuelsson also joined in the Club’s 24-Hour Game. He helped lead Team Ring to victory and sur-
prised hungry players and fans on the iconic Rockefeller Center Plaza with his own take on chicken buckets, inspired by the fan-favorite menu item served at NYCFC games. “Back in the day, an event like this might just be the players sitting there and you someone walk up and get an autograph, autograph, autograph and then leave,” said NYCFC CEO Brad Sims. “We want to take that to the next level.” For example, when New York City FC fans arrived at the adidas Fifth
Avenue flagship store in Manhattan for a meet-the-team event, they spotted players Alexandru Mitrita and Héber Araújo dos Santos playing foosball, while several players gathered around a television to watch NYCFC’s eMLS player Chris Holly take on any challenger in FIFA 19. On the other side of the room, some players ducked behind a DJ’s turntable, while others sampled food from celebrity chef Samuelsson.
Weiss, from page 80 we are seeing our customers creativity with cubes that feature edible flowers. We are also seeing lavender cubes. Among the staples that have emerged are frozen grapes to keep wine cold, and frozen olives and onions for martinis. What this really signifies is that cubes have
Moscow mule drink served in a hammered copper tumbler
evolved into a garnish. There’s really an evolution in cubes as flavor has given way to color and texture as a priority. Last year, we saw the emergence of pressed glass as a perfect way to serve Fall cocktails. This year our customers are moving towards the use of a stemmed saucer champagne glass for cocktails. We are also seeing a move towards creating beverage menus that feature smaller pours that are more female friendly. As we head into Fall and holiday, the show is back on beverage menus. Many of our customers are using smoke guns and nitrogen to create a signature customer experience. We also find that many of our customers find the Moscow Mule as a perfect carryover to the Fall. With vodka, ginger “beer,” lime juice, and a lime wedge it creates a refreshing and tangy cocktail that still has a bit of a bite and kick to it, and is also complementary to numerous dishes. There are a number of new “Mos-
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We also find that many of our customers find the Moscow Mule as a perfect carryover to the Fall. With vodka, ginger “beer,” lime juice, and a lime wedge it creates a refreshing and tangy cocktail that still has a bit of a bite and kick to it, and is also complementary to numerous dishes. cow Mules” tumbler finishes with hammered or gun metal as well as tall and slender Japanese jiggers. Our BHS/Weiss customers are taking a creative approach with their wine offerings for Fall. We are seeing the emergence of wine cocktails with Aperol spritz and spicy mimosas. We are also looking for growth in hot wines this year. Again many of our customers are moving back to a 16 oz wine glass after a couple of years of utilizing large 29oz glasses. Fall of course means that football is back. Beer is the centerpiece of the football schedule at your restaurant, club or nightspot. This year
look for a move to nitro and stouts with a focus on local brews. Among the really creative beer service options we are seeing is the use of a mini muffin pan with 6 taster glasses for tastings. Have a great Fall and remember we are here to help with ideas.
Wainer, from page 78
them better understand availability and seasonality. By listening to the needs of our customers, we have been able to create solutions that further enable the ability to be creative and still meet P&L responsibilities. Prepared, fresh, and consistency in quality eliminates labor wastes. Our prepared salads allow for a lean prep time with a guarantee that the product will be uniform each time. Our fresh prepared salads allow for a higher yield in the overall product. It is also important that you understand the purchase of fruit from a value perspective and not just price. We know that today’s chef with the reality of the $15 minimum wage is always seeking efficiency as it relates to waste. So be sure to heighten your fruit yields by using the highest quality produce available. That’s why at Sid Wainer, we have such an incredibly strong focus on quality and care of all of our fruit and produce we distribute. Our goal is to shorten the time between the farms and kitchens to create a higher yielding product. In the chances that the product turns before use, you can use the fruit to make homemade jams and compotes, juice the fruit or add it as an ingredient in baked goods. Many of our customers have come to us as their dining patrons ask about the balance between sugar/ nutrition and fruit. As far as we are concerned natural fresh fruit provides good nutritional yield and it is well known to provide a variety of beneficial antioxidants when consumed. There is nothing like biting into a freshly picked fruit. With the change in how restaurants and foodservice operators market their menus, fruit offers a wonderful story to tell on Instagram and through social media. For the most part, fruit is vibrant in color
and texture and possesses a wonderful camera ready appeal. From freshly sliced, to creating something unique such as dragon fruit salsa bowls, utilize the color and texture of fruit to enhance your food styling appeal and make it “Instagrammable”. Plant based nutrition is big - it has been trending and continues to trend. Consumers are demanding more fresh produce and plant based menu items for dietary and social
responsibility concerns. An exciting visual look can also be enhanced with dried fruit. Our dried fruit is most popular with bar service and dessert programs with our partners. Our dried fruit line provides not only the quality tastes chefs look to achieve in a cocktail or dessert menu item, but also offer as a wonderful way to garnish a menu item and further its appeal.
Our Sid Wainer sales team is here to help the restaurant and foodservice professional build a profitable fruit strategy. We receive an abundance of inquiries about this subject regularly. Give us a call at 800.423.8333 and speak to one of our specialty produce experts - we are always here to help and offer valuable advice on profitable menu strategy.
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Little Beet Table, from page 16
If Gluten is a concern then you know you are going to have a wonderfully safe dining experience and at the same time if it is not a concern, you are going to have a truly memorable meal. We have truly found the holy grail of gluten free products.” age program, with superfood rich drinks including Clementine & Turmeric (mezcal, clementine and turmeric syrup, lemon, chia seeds) and Apple & Celery (vodka, sherry, green apple, celery, lemon, club soda). Exclusive to the Greenwich location is seasonal Sangria on Tap and a digestif cocktail, Coffee & Whiskey (corn whiskey, amaro, cherry demerara cordial, coffee bitters, black salt). A curated selection of domestic and international wines, glutenfree beers and ciders, non-alcoholic drinks and cold-pressed juices are also available. “We’re so thrilled to be joining the lively Greenwich community,” says culinary director Aita. “Our menu is designed to be concurrently delicious and nourishing, and we look forward to establishing ourselves as a go-to neighborhood destination for date nights, family dinners, and celebratory brunches.” Aurify has inherited the space that most recently served as home to noted chef/restaurateur Geoffrey Zakarian’s National. To create a new vibe, the Stern/Rigos duo enlisted noted designer Joe Calabrese of Calabrese Design previously of AvroK. With 115 seats and a variety of elegant yet comfortable seating options, from large banquettes to bistro-style sidewalk seating, LBT cultivates an inviting atmosphere
for guests to gather and connect over wholesome food and drinks. Aurfiy is betting that it can bring its same pricing strategy to Greenwich. Aita added: “The key to making this work is going to be the ability to capture that Greenwich Avenue regular that is always walking the Avenue. With our combination of cuisine, cocktails and service, we will capture their hearts. We have a great kids menu and we are prepared to make any and all modifications necessary to make sure our guests have an experience that brings them back.” Little Beet Table has existing locations in New York City and Chicago with plans to open its fourth location in Chevy Chase, Maryland during the latter half of 2019. Aurify also owns and operates a sister concept, The Little Beet, which has 10 locations around the country, including one in the Westchester Mall in White Plains.
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NYSRA, from page 38 power. However, Council Member Reynoso introduced conflicting legislation that would create exclusive waste zones – one hauler per zone – disregarding the interests of the business community and eliminating all choice and customer leverage. NSYRA has been a strong voice of opposition to exclusive zones, and testified at the City Council hearing on this legislation in June. This legislation is still being considered in
committee, and we continue to urge City Council to arrive at a solution that finds a balance between what is acceptable for the environment, workers, and businesses. Paid Time Off On a different front, Mayor de Blasio in January revealed his goal of passing legislation that requires all employers with five or more employees to offer two weeks of paid vacation. The vacation time would
accrue in a manner similar to existing paid safe and sick time, and it would be available to part- and full-time employees. As the Mayor attempts to expand his package of benefits to all workers, the small business community has called out the policy for what it is: an unfunded mandate on the backs of small businesses. The proposal disregards the immense costs of providing this benefit, and ultimately is cavalier about whether or not local busi-
nesses keep their doors open. In response to this policy proposal, NYSRA has joined a large number of business industry allies to advocate for small businesses and protect them from this damaging proposal. As a group, we held a rally to bring attention to the wider small business landscape, and how ill-equipped this leaves businesses for yet another unfunded mandate. Our members have contributed personal op-eds on the topic, and we are jointly asking Council Members to think of their districts’ small businesses and refrain from signing onto this proposal. The opposition to this policy is wide-spread and organized, meanwhile, the only one appearing to push the legislation is Mayor de Blasio, and in his absence, his administration. If the Mayor claims that paid vacation is a moral imperative, then the City should be part of funding and administering the benefit. If it is not a moral imperative, then there is no justification for making small businesses spend tens of thousands of dollars on de Blasio’s policy. We will continue to ask City Council to think beyond ideals and focus on costs and practicality, and protect our small businesses from being pushed over the edge. Advocacy in New York City is especially important given the City’s propensity for trend-setting. At NYSRA, we recognize that we’ll often be on the frontlines of new policy developments in New York City, and we are constantly working to set a positive precedent for the rest of the country. It is a challenge, but one that we are well prepared to take on for our members, and the industry at large. Kathleen Reilly is the NYC Government Affairs Coordinator for the New York State Restaurant Association.
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EnVue Hotel, from page 4 in New Jersey. The company’s vision for the neighborhood is to create a holistic lifestyle-oriented destination that offers easy transportation access to Manhattan and New Jersey. “Our hotel reflects the pulse of New York City with our own independent spirit,” said Matthes Metz, General Manager, EnVue. “Our unique property offers an engaging atmosphere, with numerous gathering places for guests and the local community to come in and socialize with friends or family.” Each open and airy guest room features modern decor, upscale furnishings, floor-to-ceiling windows, luxury bedding and over-sized bathrooms. EnVue offers various rooms with city and river views, as well as balconies. EnVue showcases the NoHu Roof-
top Restaurant & Bar, serving American small plates and led by Chef Rocco Russo. For private events the hotel offers Skyline, with 15,000 square feet of outdoor space featuring an all-season tent and panoramic views of New York City. Other hotel amenities include a fully-equipped fitness center and 11,000 square feet of high-tech meeting space. The hotel is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified for its contributions in making the environment a healthier place by recycling and reducing waste, conserving energy and water.
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Alchemista, from page 14 Marcus and Alchemista have also recently added alcohol to its portfolio of food and beverage services designed to help companies enhance their corporate culture and motivate their teams using food and drink. Now, with the addition of a full suite of innovative and creative alcohol solutions, companies can add beer, wine and spirits to their perks as well. Alchemista’s new catered beverage program ranges from the entrylevel addition of beer to a March Madness-themed office party to world-class cocktail experiences led by internationally-recognized mixologists to themed beverages (blue cocktails for the sales team, yellow for the facilities team) designed to celebrate a company’s internal department successes. “When enjoyed responsibly, alcohol can play an important role in today’s workplace,” added Marcus.
“From encouraging engagement amongst colleagues from different departments to its use as a fun conduit to learning and education, our team bring years of collective experience in building beverage programs to the table and can design programs as custom as a client desires. With this new addition to our already one-of-a-kind food offerings, we are now truly able to support every element of a company’s F&B needs.” Marcus’ vision includes a new Brooklyn based operation that will serve Manhattan and Metro New York. “We cater to employers seeking to create their own unique workplace culture to help amplify their core values, maximize performance and profitability, and maintain a high level of employee satisfaction through unforgettable culinary and cultural experiences at every touchpoint,” Marcus concluded.
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Restaurant Associates, from page 6 brand new customer heart at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. Well-known cooks are already lending their names and experience as consultants to the kitchens the corporate runs: John Fraser has been on the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a number of months; a number of weeks in the past, Tom Colicchio began creating menus and coaching the employees on the Morgan Library and Museum. David Burke is working the restaurant Mojito on the U.S. Open tennis match; and José Andrés has devised the menu for Butterfly, a tacos and tortas stand on the Open. Dominique Ansel, greatest often known as a pastry chef, will develop his repertoire at a location to be determined. This lineup is making the corporate greater than an administration agency that merely prints the menus and sees to desk settings.
Tom Colicchio
Mr. Baum was named head of the specialty restaurant division, and in 1963 grew to become the corporate’s president; he tapped James Beard to be a marketing consultant, particu-
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larly for the American menu on the Four Seasons. By the 1980s quite a lot of its eating places remained in enterprise, and it was working catered occasions and the eating rooms in museums, cultural facilities, places of work and sporting arenas. For the general public, nevertheless, its identify had misplaced its luster. Restaurant Associates is valued at $950 million, and since 1998 has been a member of the Compass Group, a world meals service firm, however it’s now aiming increased. It needs to show its eating places into locations, like they have been prior to now, not simply handy locations for a chew earlier than a live performance or after an hour of Rembrandt. The chef Ed Brown, who was
named as president for eating places in 2017, has a mission to put higher emphasis on the standard of the meals. “We’re constructing sturdy relationships with the cooks,” he mentioned. “We’re treating them like companions.” Mr. Brown was soon the managing chef on the Sea Grill in Rockefeller Center, a restaurant initially created and run by Restaurant Associates. “Over the years we misplaced cooks to different firms, and so they’re coming again now that they see we’ve got a tradition of cooks and culinary excellence,” mentioned Dick Cattani, the chief govt. Mr. Colicchio mentioned he agreed to work with the Morgan Library’s cafe and eating room, which Restaurant Associates runs, as a result after he had accomplished some consulting work for the agency on meal waste.
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Andrew Rigie, from page 44 New York’s attorney general has already intervened in Grubhub’s past business practices over fees the company charged, exclusive agreements, acquiring their competition and consolidation of market share. The New York State Liquor Authority then issued an advisory they were considering for some time, that if adopted, would limit the fee to 10% that third party companies could charge liquor licensed establishments that aren’t listed on that restaurant’s liquor license. And this past July, I participated in a press conference with U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer who called on Grubhub to pay restaurants back the bogus fees and asked the company to cooperate with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s probe into their business practices. The Senator’s involvement helped get the company to acknowledge that something is rotten. After Grubhub’s July earnings call
with shareholders, when their stock lost value, they defended their business model but then announced they’d extend the look-back period for restaurants to review all phone orders from 60 to 120 days and refund those illegitimate fees. They said they’d deploy a website that makes it easier for restaurants to request direct control of any URL or microsite they setup for restaurants. Grubhub claims they had consent when purchasing URL’s and creating websites for restaurants as a service, but this has still been criticized as a form of cybersquatting, a controversial practice when someone else essentially highjacks a company’s online identity for their own benefit. Their practice, which they say they no longer engage in, gained the company market share and leverage over their restaurant customers. The company will also set up a series of restaurant roundtables to foster more dialogue
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with their restaurant customers, which I’m wary is nothing more than a public relations ploy, so if restaurants choose to participate, I suggest they do so with skepticism and caution. I hope I’m wrong. Grubhub’s announcement is a step in the right direction, but it is a small step, and much more must be done. Extending the look-back period from 60 to 120 days to refund bogus fees is absurd. If Grubhub charged a restaurant a bogus fee 300 days ago they must still refund it. There should be no time limit on look-back periods. Placing the responsibility on small business owners to review recordings of their phone calls to determine which ones they were improperly charged fees for, pours salt in the wounds. Grubhub should hire an independent third party to review all phone calls to determine if an order was placed. If an order was not placed, Grubhub should
reimburse the restaurant the fees they charged, it’s the right thing to do. They should also fix the system that’s at fault for the bogus fees. Finally, Grubhub should stop calling restaurants that use their platform their “restaurant partners.” Restaurants are not Grubhub’s partners, they are customers. In places like New York City where local restaurants are facing unprecedented challenges and vacant storefronts are all over, people who use Grubhub to order from their neighborhood restaurants should consider how the company’s high fees and business practices hurt their favorite dining spots. We know Grubhub can process a lot of restaurant delivery orders. Let’s see if they can deliver restaurants their money back, along with a side of more fair and equitable business practices.
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