June 2023 - Total Food Service

MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FIND MIDDLE GROUND ON NYC OUTDOOR DINING

After a year plus of waiting for clarification, New York City’s outdoor dining program, a popular pandemic program designed to help the restaurant industry survive, is about to become a permanent part of the city’s landscape.

A City Council bill, released last month, calls for creating a licensing structure that would allow outdoor dining structures to exist in roadways, but only from April through November. Sidewalk cafes would be allowed year-round.

The bill, which is supported by Mayor Eric Adams and still requires

the approval of the full Council, aims to strike a balance between retaining a mostly popular program while taking steps to control its outgrowth.

“The temporary Open Restaurants program saved 100,000 jobs and countless local restaurants at the height of the pandemic, while helping the city reimagine its public spaces,” Mayor Adams explained. “It also left hundreds of abandoned sheds on our streets that have become havens for rats and eyesores for New Yorkers. For months, I have been saying loud and clear that outdoor dining is here to stay and we need to get it right. Our administration has been working

tirelessly with Speaker Adams, Council member Velázquez, and all of our partners in the City Council to craft this program, and today, we are one big step closer to delivering it. With this bill, we will create a permanent, year-round outdoor dining program that will support our small businesses, create jobs for New Yorkers, and keep our streets and communities vi-

brant. We will continue to move this program forward urgently to give restaurant owners and communities the clarity and support they deserve.”

The bill would set forth basic design guidelines that are still to be determined. Some elements of the plan drew immediate criticism, including continued on page 120

“It was important for the outdoor dining program to be affordable, equitable and successful and available in every borough.”

— Adrienne Adams

CELEBRITY CHEF GIADA DE LAURENTIIS TO GIVE KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT 67TH SUMMER FANCY FOOD SHOW

The Specialty Food Association is thrilled to announce that Giada De Laurentiis—Chef, Emmy Award-winning television personality, restaurateur and entrepreneur, and founder of lifestyle platform Giadzy.com—will give the keynote address at the 67th Summer Fancy Food Show.

The Summer Fancy Food Show is the largest B2B specialty food industry event in North America, featuring products from more than 1,800 domestic and global specialty food and beverage makers and manufacturers. In addition to sampling the newest and best artisan products, attendees also have access to a variety of networking and educational events throughout all three days of the Show.

Giada De Laurentiis will present the keynote address— The Four Trends in Food that Matter Now on Monday, June 26 at 9:15 a.m. on the Main Stage. During the address, Ms. De Laurentiis will discuss the emerging food trends that are propelling her businesses, including restaurants, catering, and direct-toconsumer Italian food and lifestyle platform Giadzy. She will cover the rising demand for at-home culinary

experiences, product sourcing strategy, and the public perception of clean ingredients and minimal processing as a function of authenticity, among other topics.

Ms. De Laurentiis is a television personality, an NBC Today Show contributor, and a successful restaurateur with restaurants GIADA and Pronto by Giada in Las Vegas. She is the author of 10 New York Times bestselling cookbooks, including her most recent, Eat Better, Feel Better. She recently launched her catering company, Giada Catering, and is the founder of the lifestyle and e-commerce platform, Giadzy.com, which features Italian lifestyle content spanning recipes, travel, entertaining and Italian Pantry products.

Connect, Network and Learn at the Summer Fancy Food Show

In addition to the keynote address, Summer Fancy Food Show attendees can take part in a variety

of other special events and Show features designed to help specialty food and beverage industry professionals connect with each other, gain knowledge to expand their business, and have fun.

New Pavillion Pop Ups

SFA is introducing Pavilion Pop Ups at the 2023 Summer Fancy Food Show. Pavilion Pop Ups are fun, interactive locales within select product pavilions where attendees can sample products, learn about trends and fresh ideas, and network with peers. Attendees can visit Sips Bay in the Beverage Pavilion, Lower Cheese Side in the Deli Pavilion and The Plant-Packing District in the Plant-Based Pavilion for quick,

can’t-miss sessions like “The Next Generation of Drinking: No-Alcohol Alcohol ” and “Cross-Merchandising Chocolate in the Deli Aisle” throughout the Show day.

NEW NOW NEXT

NEW NOW NEXT is where attendees can discover products from the newest specialty food companies. The New Now Next Pitch Stage is an open-mic–style area where emerging brands will pitch their products live on the Show floor. This is an opportunity to discover the newest products from startup companies and incubators—some not yet on the market.

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During the address, Ms. De Laurentiis will discuss the emerging food trends that are propelling her businesses, including restaurants, catering, and direct-to-consumer Italian food

Giada De Laurentiis

PALO ALTO EXEMPTS CELEBRITY

CHEF JOSE ANDRES RESTAURANT FROM GAS STOVE BAN

Chef José Andrés will get to cook with natural gas at his new restaurant in Palo Alto, CA despite a city ban.

After a legal tussle Andrés is poised to open his Eastern Mediterranean restaurant Zaytinya at the upscale Stanford Shopping Center with the gas appliances necessary to “achieve its signature, complex flavors,” Andres’ newly planned restaurant, Zaytinya, is one of the latest Simon Property Group buildings that received project approval in 2019, including for a a gas line, which the restaurant relies on. The plan, however, changed when plan -

ning staff informed the company that due to the City Council’s revision of the building code, the restaurant was required to use electric stoves.

Simon wrote a letter in April threatening the City Council with a lawsuit if it maintained the ban, according to the letter. This “is a unique situation, where parts of the project were built or under construction when the City’s all-electric new construction rule went into effect,” according to a statement from the City Council.

“Except for this oneoff situation, Palo Alto’s all-electric requirement is being implemented for all new projects and substantial remodels.”

“SPG is confident that the enforcement of the new Reach Code in this context is legally defective and unconstitutional, and

SPG is thus prepared to take all actions necessary to enforce its legal rights to employ gas facilities within Building EE,” wrote Anna Shimko, an attorney for SPG Group LLC. She added that Zaytinya relies on traditional cooking methods that only natural gas appliances would grant “to achieve its signature, complex flavors.”

The Department of Energy announced a new rule in early February that would create an “energy conservation standard” for gas stoves and electric equipment. Prior to the February rule, Richard Trumka Jr., a top Consumer Product Safety Commission official, told Bloomberg that banning the manufacture and importation of gas stoves is “on the table” if they “can’t be safe,” citing a study claiming to link the cooking appliances with childhood asthma cases.

“Zaytinya cannot compromise the caliber of its cuisine and reputation, and if SPG cannot provide gas in Building EE, Zaytinya will likely

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Main Office

100 Melrose Avenue, Suite 208 Greenwich, CT 06830

Publishers

Leslie & Fred Klashman

Vice President of Sales and Marketing

Michael Scinto

Art & Web Director

Mark Sahm

SCOOP News Editor and Senior Contributing Writer

Joyce Appelman

Contributing Writers

Cherry Dumaual

Francine Cohen

Editorial Interns

Tommy Cross

Josephine Dlugosz

Jackson Hart

Bill Hossain

Sophia Maggio

Parker Shatkin

Ivy Thomas

Phone: 203.661.9090

Email: tfs@totalfood.com

Web: www.totalfood.com

continued on page 102

“Zaytinya cannot compromise the caliber of its cuisine and reputation, and if SPG cannot provide gas in Building EE, Zaytinya will likely choose not to locate within the City.” — Anna Shimko

José Andrés

FIORITO ON INSURANCE

A HOSPITALITY MANAGER’S GUIDE: SAMPLE SCENARIOS PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO HANDLING LEAVE REQUESTS

Properly managing leave of absence requests requires an understanding of eligibility, duration and state laws. Without the proper training and understanding, managers may find themselves in difficult situations with employees and vendors that involve such sensitive topics as race, gender and religion, resulting in an increase in the number of lawsuits filed against employers alleging discrimination, harassment and retaliation. These claims are among the most costly and time-consuming an employer and law practice may face.

Today, it’s imperative to have a Workplace Absence Management (WAM) handbook and ensure that all managers understand the basics of leave administration. The best leave of absence practices balance employee benefits while

maintaining legal obligations. By implementing a WAM program, employers can reduce chronic absenteeism and streamline the process for employees who are experiencing out-of-the-ordinary circumstances to take time off. Common reasons for leaves include childbirth, adoption/foster care, military obligation, caring for an ill family member and serious health conditions. In addition to local, state and federal laws, employers can supplement their legal obligations with voluntary leave policies as a recruitment and engagement tool. Absences planned or unplanned are going to occur. Even the best employee will miss work at some point.

Companies can’t prevent this, but they can prepare to ensure that they have the right processes in place when they do. Below, we will outline the top three most common FMLA eligible reasons for leave in hospitality: maternity leave, workers’ compensation (WC) and non-occupational illness/injury

and their considerations for the employer:

• Maternity Leave: Let’s say an employee tells her manager that she is pregnant and will need maternity leave. The manager must know that:

- Under the Federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), employers cannot treat pregnant employees any different than other employees.

- The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act requires employers to provide accommodations to employees who are pregnant with similar protection as offered under ADA.

- The law is part of Title VII and is overseen by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

- All states also have laws that ban discrimination of pregnant employees.

- Many states also have laws regarding post-pregnancy concerns, such as lactation support.

In this scenario, the employer determines leave eligibility under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and/or any similar state leave laws. The employee also may be eligible for income benefits from the com -

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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, Robert 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 212-3382324 or by email at robert.fiorito@ hubinternational.com.

Absences planned or unplanned are going to occur. Even the best employee will miss work at some point. Companies can’t prevent this, but they can prepare to ensure that they have the right processes in place when they do.

ARC CARDINAL NOW EXCLUSIVE U.S. DISTRIBUTOR OF SANTA ANITA PLATEWARE

Leading manufacturer and supplier for the foodservice and hospitality industry Arc Cardinal, proudly announces their official partnership with Santa Anita.

Santa Anita has been a leading Mexican-made brand of stoneware products for over 30 years. Specializing in creating functional and durable stoneware pieces that are designed for foodservice and offering products of the highest quality, authentic designs & color.

“It made sense to partner with Arc Cardinal to introduce the Santa Anita brand to the US and Canadian markets,” said Felix Martinez, Director of International Sales at Santa Anita. “Their strong distribution network and presence throughout North America provides the brand the proper channels to grow and showcase the collections to many

restaurants and concepts.”

The collections within Santa Anita were designed with the guest experience in mind. The concept immerses guests into the dining experience focusing around shared plates and conversation. Featuring a mix of sizes and materials, the Santa Anita brand can be found in a variety of restaurant styles beautifully complementing various menus. The new collections feature thirteen shapes in three colors including coupe plates, walled plates, oval platters, bowls and mugs.

“Along with the introduction of Santa Anita is the launch of a new concept, “Inspire. Create. Plate.

A Canvas for Chefs” said Nichole Vanderhoof, Vice President of Marketing at Arc Cardinal. “The new dinnerware launch is coupled with additional new items within Arc Cardinal’s Arcoroc brand. These

items include wood boards and metalware, designed to seamlessly complement Santa Anita. This concept is focused around chefs’ creativity, connection and shared plates. Sharing meals and small plates is the perfect way to experience a variety of foods and inspire a global experience on a local level”. Whether it’s tapas, mezze, dim sum, banchan, or other styles of small plates Santa Anita fits perfectly with any cuisine or menu. The collection allows chefs to showcase their creativity and use the plates as a beautiful canvas.

“We are pleased to welcome Santa Anita to the Arc Cardinal portfolio,” said Alexandre Bollengier, President at Arc Cardinal. “Our focus continues to be on the customer experience. Santa Anita is a leading ceramic manufacturer in Mexico and the collection is a perfect complement to our current

tabletop concepts and our leading position in glassware.”

To learn more about Arc Cardinal and the Santa Anita brand, please reach out to your local Arc Cardinal tabletop consultant or visit their website and follow on social media @arccardinal.

About Arc Cardinal: Creator of Experiences: Create. Curate. Celebrate. Elevating your guest’s experience is your priority. Bringing your vision to life is ours. No matter the experience, we are here to help you create a remarkable one. Our expertly crafted collections of tableware, smallwares and buffetware supports the needs of today’s chefs, mixologists and Sommeliers. This visionary approach to tableware is the founding principle of the culture and brands – Chef & Sommelier, Arcoroc, Dudson, Sola, Richardson Sheffield, Thermos, Alfi, Chasseur, and Abert Buffetware.

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR ICE MACHINE FOR SUMMER WEATHER

Can you confidently guarantee that your customers will have all the ice they want this summer?

If you want to answer yes, consider how ready your ice equipment is for hot weather. Heat, both in the air and water, can slow or limit ice machine production and even lead to breakdowns. The last thing you need on a sweltering July day is a broken ice machine and a bunch of irritated customers with lukewarm drinks.

Here’s what to check out when preparing your ice equipment for this year’s hottest months.

Was Your Ice Machine Properly Installed?

Optimizing your ice machine’s summer performance starts with correct installation. A big downside of having a refrigeration or HVAC company install your ice machine or doing it yourself is the higher probability of placing the ice machine in a bad spot.

Ice machine experts always take the DEWS (Drain, Electrical, Water, and Space) into account when performing an installation. The space you put an ice machine in will determine how much, if at all, summer temperatures affect the unit. Place an ice machine in the wrong spot, and it will produce less ice

or even break down come summertime.

When choosing the Space for your ice machine, it’s important to think about temperature control and air quality. Ice machines should not be installed outdoors, indoors where there isn’t air conditioning, in hot kitchens, or next to heat-producing appliances like ovens, furnaces, and water heaters. Your goal is to keep your ice equipment as cool as possible. Installing it in an area of your business that

consistently runs warm is asking for trouble.

If you need an ice machine at your warehouse, bakery, pizzeria, or brewery, no matter where you install it, the air quality will negatively impact the machine due to higher levels of grease, yeast, dirt, and grime. These contaminants can accumulate inside the ice machine and trap heat, leading to the same problems you would see if the ice machine’s environment was too warm. If you haven’t already

had your ice machine professionally cleaned this year, do it before summer begins, and consider scheduling more than two maintenance visits annually.

If you think your ice machine should be re-installed in a different location, now is the time to call your local ice machine service company and schedule the move! Don’t wait until it’s over 100 degrees outside.

Is the Air Cool Enough?

Most businesses that use a commercial ice machine have an air-cooled model. Air-cooled ice machines use the air in their environment to cool the refrigerant enough to make ice. The hotter the air around the ice machine, the harder it must work. Manufacturers instruct users to keep the ambient temperature in your ice machine’s location no warmer than 70°F to ensure maximum ice production.

To keep the air around your ice equipment cool enough, you should:

• Keep the thermostat in the ice machine’s room set to 70°F or below, especially during business hours.

• Make sure the ice machine’s room has proper ventilation, especially in the machine’s immediate vicinity.

• Do not allow clutter to accumulate on or around the ice machine, as it will trap the hot air the ice machine expels. Always keep a foot of clear space on all sides of the unit.

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The last thing you need on a sweltering July day is a broken ice machine and a bunch of irritated customers with lukewarm drinks.

By David Joseph, co-founder, DAVO by Avalara

BEST PRACTICES FOR SALES TAX MANAGEMENT WITH FOOD DELIVERY APPS

Food delivery apps offer opportunities to expand your business through new customers and increased sales. For many restaurant owners, the additional revenue can help fuel growth and expansion. However, without the right set-up and management, these apps can cause more pain than profit. Get the most out of your food delivery partnerships by following these best practices for managing food delivery apps inside your POS.

The Restaurant or the Delivery App?: Learn Who is Responsible for Collecting and Remitting Sales Tax

One of the most important aspects of integrating a food delivery app into your POS is the sales tax set-up. In some cases, the delivery company is responsible for collecting sales tax on the order, reporting it and then paying it to the state when it’s due. If this is the case for one of your partners, you do not want to erroneously report on and pay sales tax on that same order.

On the flip side, if the restaurant is responsible for reporting, collecting and paying sales tax on delivery app orders, you want to ensure the POS is configured properly. The penalties for underreporting sales tax can be steep. And mistakes can trigger sales tax audits, which can be a real hassle for any business owner.

Review your agreement with each food delivery service to see exactly who is responsible for filing and remitting sales tax. You can also review the DAVO Sales Tax state-by-state chart for some of the major, national

delivery apps to see which party is liable.

Add Delivery Orders to Your POS

Your POS system should be the official record of all sales for your restaurant. Orders including dine-in, takeout and food delivery should all flow through your POS. To ensure you’re accurately recording the revenue, sales tax, delivery charges and other fees with food delivery app orders, you’ll need to enter each order as it comes in.

When each food delivery order is

entered into the POS, orders flow into the kitchen more efficiently and you’ll spend less time reconciling POS, delivery service revenue, and bank records. Consult your POS partner or read our guide to setting up 3rd party delivery app sales.

Common Mistakes

When a restaurant is liable for paying sales tax, many restaurant owners don’t realize that they must pay sales tax on the entire amount of sales tax collected on the order – regardless of the delivery service fee. In other

words, the restaurant is responsible for sales tax on the total sale, not the net amount from the food delivery service.

When the food delivery service is responsible for paying sales tax, some business owners may find they’ve been double paying. Consult your financial advisor or State Department of Revenue on how to file an amended return and potentially get a refund. In the meantime, make sure your POS is configured for this scenario.

Add Sales Tax Automation to Your Tech Stack

Food delivery apps can be a great source of additional revenue. Make sure you’re managing sales tax correctly and efficiently. Don’t lose any more valuable profits to inefficiency or costly mistakes.

DAVO Sales Tax integrates directly with the most popular POS systems in just a few minutes. From there, the app calculates sales tax daily, puts the money aside and the files and pays on time when sales tax is due. Automating sales tax takes just a few minutes to set-up and then you never have to worry about sales tax again. Give it a try today. Your first monthly filing is free. Put your sales tax on autopilot and stop worrying about how it will get paid.

As a former restaurant owner, David Joseph is no stranger to the struggles of restaurant sales tax. A self-proclaimed sales tax evangelist, David co-founded DAVO by Avalara, a sales tax automation platform that integrates directly with the point of sale.

For many restaurant owners, the additional revenue from food delivery apps can help fuel growth and expansion. However, without the right set-up and management, these apps can cause more pain than profit.

BURRATA

Soft and delicate, with a slightly sweet, milky flavor, BelGioioso Burrata is made with hand-crafted Fresh Mozzarella filled with Stracciatella, a mix of soft mozzarella shreds and cream.

Enhance your menu by creating a deluxe Caprese salad with spooned sections of Burrata beside ripe tomatoes and fresh basil, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Or enrich your pizza or pasta by topping with a garnish of this fresh, creamy cheese just before serving.

Available in 2 oz., 4 oz. and 8 oz. Burrata balls, 4 oz. balls with Black Truffles, and 8 oz. and 1 lb. Stracciatella.

For more info and samples, please contact: foodservice@belgioioso.com

877-863-2123

belgioioso.com/Foodservice

LATEST VIRTUAL BREAKFAST SESSION OUTLINES WESTCHESTER RESTAURATEUR HERRERO’S KEYS TO SUCCESS

Last month’s Total Food Service/L. Sashin Virtual Breakfast Sessions (VBS) set its compass to follow the paths of a trio of culinary visionaries. The goal was to uncover the keys to their quest for business, financial and personal success. Not surprisingly, we found it’s not necessarily where and how you start, it’s more like how you handle the bumps and opportunities that are presented to you on your path to food service “nirvana”.

Jumpstarting the month was “Coffee with… Peter Herrero Jr”, the President of the New York Hospitality Group. His rise from dishwasher to employer of over 200 people reads like a Hollywood script, but when asked how he accomplished it he named his eagerness to help and learn. “I was always at my job a half hour early volunteering to help. Every time I helped a chef prep I learned a skill.” This paid off when a constantly late Sous Chef was chastised by the chef who then blurted out, “Now I need a new dishwasher!” Herrero remembers thinking that he thought he was the first person to be fired for coming in early, but instead he was elevated to sous chef. Like a duckling laying eyes on his mother for the 1st time, this habit of “playing nice with others, so they want to help me out,” became imprinted in his psyche and has guided him through the good times and the bad.

Having built an iconic career, Herrero has now set his sights on a new phase of his life, The White

Plains restaurateur is drawing back, doing the things he likes best about hospitality and letting others handle the day-to-day operations. Predictably, Peter has assembled a staff that like him, treat the staff like they are people. “I know them all, their families, their motivation and what they want to achieve. I give them opportunity.”

The TFS/L. Sashin mid-month offered exit plan strategies. “It’s been an amazing run, but what’s your exit strategy?” was anchored by VBS Alumni and longtime consultant, Bob Heiss, who helped guide Herrero’s

path to success. Heiss was joined by Golf Kitchen Magazine founder Diana DeLucia, and Acronym Investments’ CEO Phil Fredricks.

Heiss started the session off with, “Most people look at an Exit Strategy as just a plan to leave a business, but it’s also a valuable tool to prepare your business and you to do other things like mergers and taking in partners.”

DeLucia, who just took on partners who will handle the back end of her Golf Kitchen business noted: “I just asked for help. My new partners now do all the essential things that I found a drudge. It frees me to do the compo-

nents of the business I love.”

As a warning to all restaurant owners, who are building something to support their families Fredricks strongly suggested, “The restaurant world is wrought with nepotism, just because you are a Michelin Star chef and a successful business owner doesn’t mean your child has the same skillset or capabilities. To keep the business healthy, sometimes you must plan to reach outside of your home.”

The TFS/Sashin VBS Series returns on May 31st as we have “Coffee with… Fred Klashman”, publisher of Total Food Service and Co-Host and CoProducer of the Virtual Breakfast Sessions”. For over 30 years he’s been the one who’s ask the tough questions, now he’ll have to answer a few.

To register for the session, go to Eventbrite and type in “Virtual breakfast Sessions”. Info on upcoming sessions that are held on Wednesdays can be found at:

https://bit.ly/3xWUc0V

The bi-monthly VBS-Virtual Breakfast Sessions are a production of L.Sashin and TFS. The programming is entering its second year with a goal of creating unique perspectives and solutions for the restaurant and foodservice professional.

All past VBS’s can be seen on YouTube or at https://totalfood. com/vbs/

“My entire career is based around helping. Helping my boss, then my co-workers, employees, clients and especially my patrons. I live hospitality.” — Peter Herrero, Jr.

By Tommy Cross

SEASONED COLORADO RESTAURATEUR DEBUTS NEW BOULDER OUTPOST

Picture this: you’re walking through the front doors of Stella’s Cucina. You are greeted by a hallway, where, as you make your way down to the lobby, you reach a hidden bouncer behind a window in the oak wall who checks you in. A secret door opens, revealing the interior, where the host then takes you down the dim corridor into the dining area. As you step inside, your senses are met with the aroma of fresh Italian cuisine wafting through the air and the sight of an interior unlike anything else in the city complete with curved ceilings, a sleek, modernized style, and an inviting ambiance. This is the experience Stella’s Cucina owner Stella Spanu seeks to deliver.

The fine dining restaurant recently opened to the public and claims to be

a modern twist on authentic Italian cuisine with the intention of creating a feast for the senses. Its unique design and sense of culture allow it to stand out among other restaurants in Boulder, particularly with the speakeasy concept which, according to Spanu, “incorporates art, music, design, and of course, premier service.”

Spanu comes from a family of restaurateurs with a rich background in authentic Italian cuisine. This is ap-

parent in the menu, which was created with fresh ingredients and traditional dishes in mind. Many of the products used are sourced from local Colorado farms, others imported directly from Italy, for a largely farm-to-table dining experience. The pastas are made in-house as well to provide the most genuine Italian experience possible. Spanu noted: “that this stays true to how Italians eat, and offers a way of eating that is both clean and simple

by cooking with the right techniques and the freshest ingredients— that’s true Italian.”

Some of the menu’s highlights include their Tagliolini All’agnello, a house-made pasta with a lamb ragu sauce, the Mar Tirreno, seared octopus with spicy tomato sugo sauce, and the Spigola al Forno, a wholeroasted seabass which is said to be flown in from the Mediterranean three to four times per week. In addition, they offer vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free options as well. The wide variety of dishes from all of various regions of Italy help Stella’s Cucina stand apart from standard Italian restaurants while honoring Spanu’s heritage.

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Stella Spanu, owner of Stella’s Cucina The interior at Stella’s Cucina, Boulder, Colorado

“That this stays true to how Italians eat, and offers a way of eating that is both clean and simple by cooking with the right techniques and the freshest ingredients— that’s true Italian.” — Stella Spanu

By Parker Shatkin

CHEF PHAM BRINGS HOT CHICKEN CRAZE TO SALT LAKE CITY

If you’ve been keeping your eye on culinary trends, you might have noticed an abundance of Tennessee styled hot chicken concepts crop up over the last ten years. This is likely in no small part to Chef Viet Pham, founder of hot chicken restaurant Pretty Bird. With four locations and counting, Pretty Bird is bringing the heat to Salt Lake City through a perfected hot chicken recipe and culinary excellence.

Pretty Bird chef Viet Pham grew up around food—his parents were caterers and managed a number of catering trucks. As he got older, he found cooking was something he was good at and, most importantly, liked. “Friends would come over and I was always the one cooking, grilling, barbecuing—it’s something I’ve always really enjoyed,” he said.

Pham decided to take his new passion to the next level when he

took a break from college to attend culinary school, which he described as a mixed experience. “I wasn’t being challenged and my peers didn’t seem to take school very seriously. The required internship, proved to be an invaluable experience. It’s where I really cut my teeth as a cook,” he said.“I’d never pushed myself harder in anything I’d done up until that point. I knew that being a chef at this higher level was what I wanted.”

When an opportunity opened up for him to open a restaurant in Provo, Utah, with a friend, he jumped

on it—even though he’d never been to Provo. Although the partnership was tense, it set the stage for Pretty Bird; unsatisfied with the job, “on my free days I would drive to Salt Lake City, explore different spaces, and just fantasize about the kind of restaurant I would open.” It seemed to be kismet when he found a property for rent on Craigslist that the owner wanted to turn into a restaurant. “The next day, I was let go from my truly unsatisfying job, and I signed the lease soon after for my own place. “

The space became Forage, Salt

Lake City’s first tasting restaurant. The innovative restaurant gained Pham some media attention; enough to star in a number of Food Network shows, including Extreme Chef and Iron Chef America, and even beat Bobby Flay—twice. Eventually Pham ended up on Food Network Star, where the winners get a chance to host their own show. He was eliminated halfway through the season, but while still in LA he traveled to see a friend who was in the process of trying to convince a chef from Memphis to move out to LA to start a fried chicken restaurant. “This was 2012 and hot chicken wasn’t a thing then. When I tried that chicken, I knew immediately— I’m going to open up a fried chicken restaurant.”

From 2012-2018 Pham spent continued on page 126 continued on page 114

“We think about the method, the ingredients, the balance, all the things that make fine dining really great.” — Chef Viet Pham

(L) Chef Viet Pham in his kitchen (R) The Pretty Bird fried chicken sando combo

THE DEMAND FOR CHARCUTERIE AND GRAZE-STYLE DINING

Q&A with Cory Hibbard, President of Graze Craze

Charcuterie and graze-style dining has been around far longer than most realize but it has exploded in popularity in recent years. The National Restaurant Association identified it as a top 3 menu trend and No. 1 in appetizers for 2023.

With the rise of keto, gluten-free, and other diets, charcuterie has become a simple, delicious, and flexible meal. More restaurants have added charcuterie to their menus, offering an assortment of meats and cheeses as an appetizer.

Leading the craze for grazing is Graze Craze, whose in-store Grazologists™ curate hand-crafted, impeccably designed, sweet and savory charcuterie boards and picnic boxes made with the highest quality ingredients and arranged with perfection. Ideal for every occasion, Graze Craze sees

charcuterie as more than grazing but as an opportunity for social gathering. Growing from a concept founded by a woman entrepreneur and US Air Force veteran, Graze Craze has grown significantly and is now among the Starpoint Brands™ constellation of trusted companies within the United Franchise Group, representing the very best in their industries.

Curious about the continued growth of charcuterie and Graze Craze, we sought out the company’s president, Cory Hibbard, who drives the strategic direction of the rapidly growing brand.

Can you tell our readers more about what Graze Craze is?

Absolutely! Graze Craze is the leading franchise within the graze style food category. We offer an alternative experience to traditional dining options as well as catering for every

occasion. We specialize in artfully designed, hand-crafted charcuterie boards of gourmet meats, cheeses, fresh fruits, veggies, sweets and more.

In 2021, United Franchise Group formed a strategic alliance with Graze Craze to launch and oversee its franchise program. We began franchising Graze Craze in August of that same year, and the rest is history.

What makes Graze Craze different from other concepts?

We see ourselves as the first consolidated concept in the marketplace. Charcuterie is a fragmented industry with little consistency; we aimed to change that. We’re the first to scale the proposition into a proven franchise concept.

With Graze Craze, customers can be assured that they are receiving the highest quality product handled with

the utmost care and safety. We have strong vendor partnerships and stringent food safety protocols in place, and we provide in-depth training for all our franchise owners and their staff.

How is Graze Craze’s food presented?

We offer Grazing Style Boards, Grazing Boxes, and Grab And Go options. Our boards come in small, medium, and large, serving between six and 12 people depending on the size. They are fully customizable so our customers can curate their own selection of premium meats and cheeses, fresh

continued on page 108

Joyce Appelman is the SCOOP News Editor and Senior Contributing Writer for Total Food Service and previously the National Communications Director for C-CAP, Careers through Culinary Arts Program. An industry leader supporting education and scholarships, she has been instrumental in opening career opportunities for many young people in the foodservice industry. Email her at joyceappelman@gmail.com

(L-R) Graze Craze President Cory Hibbard; a Char-Cutie-Cup; and the Large + Small Picnic Boxes (Photos Courtesy of Graze Craze)

HOW METRICS CAN TRANSFORM YOUR RESTAURANT’S PERFORMANCE

Have you heard the term KPI? K-P-I stands for key performance indicator, which is a number you measure to measure your success. It’s a target number you use to help you know what’s working and what isn’t. KPIs are also great for setting expectations with your managers and employees. In the world of restaurant systems, you start with your current results in an important area you need to see improvement. Then you implement a system to affect change in that area, then measure again after the system has been used for a set amount of time. If your number has changed in the right direction, then your KPI is trending in the right direction, and everyone can celebrate.

Let me share with you a handful of KPIs I teach my members that basically allow them to hit a 15–20% profit margin.

1. You must create a budget. Your budget is your plan for success. Taking the past 12 months and knowing that if you operate the next 12 months the same way, you can see what you’re likely to make or lose. Then you decide what systems to put in place that can help you lower costs and increase revenue, how quickly

you can get each system in place, and who to train and hold accountable to your timely goal. Just about every KPI you put in your restaurant is derived from your budget.

2. When it comes to cost of goods sold (COGS), you have budget targets, and you need to be calculating your actual and your ideal COGS. Why? Because they’re going to give you different measurements. Your budgeted COGS is what you need to hit to make money. Your actual COGS is based on beginning inventory plus purchases minus ending, which is use ¬– or what left the shelves. Use divided by sales is food cost. Set a budget target to make money and then you measure it. Are you making the money you’re supposed to?

A lot of people stop there, but I teach restaurant owners to measure their ideal to actual. An ideal food cost is based on accurate, up-to-date recipe costing cards. What you sell each item for and what your customers actually

purchased, tracked in your POS system, tells you your ideal food cost, or what it would be if you had no waste, no theft, no spoilage and ran a perfect restaurant. Of course, perfect isn’t going to happen, but the truth of the matter is that’s where your number should be. So, you compare your ideal to your actual to see if your menu even gives you a chance to make money. More importantly, ideal to actual tells you how good your chef or kitchen manager are doing. If your ideal is 30, and they run at 32, they’re a rock star. Most restaurants run seven to nine points above ideal so when you have one that comes in two, maybe even three points above ideal, you know they’re doing a great job. Then you take your ideal food cost and compare it to your budgeted food cost and if your chef or kitchen manager are getting it this close, maybe there’s room to do even more.

3. Budget your labor. If you don’t run a restaurant on a budget, I can guarantee you’re running your restaurant labor cost on an incorrect number. There’s no way to know where your labor cost should be without a budget. That’s because some months require more staff during high traffic

continued on page 124

Let me share with you a handful of KPIs I teach my members that basically allow them to hit a 15–20% profit margin.

David Scott Peters is an author, restaurant coach and speaker who coaches restaurant operators how to stop being prisoners of their businesses and to finally financial freedom. His first book, Restaurant Prosperity Formula: What Successful Restaurateurs Do, teaches the systems and traits restaurant owners must develop to run a profitable restaurant. Thousands of restaurants have worked with Peters to transform their businesses. Get his three principles to restaurant success at http://www. davidscottpeters.com.

CONSTELLATION CULINARY BRINGS INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO WEST COAST CORPORATE DINING

Since 2008, Constellation Culinary has brought quality, sustainably sourced meal options to corporate dining cafeterias in offices across the country, keeping clients and their employees productive and healthy.

Originally known as Starr Catering Group, the corporate dining business established partnerships primarily on the East Coast before it was acquired by the Paris-based Elior Group. In 2018, it rebranded, officially becoming Constellation Culinary, and now, it’s on a mission to further its impact on the West Coast, providing thoughtful food in various locations from museums to tech start-ups.

According to the American Heart Association, 90% of employees be-

lieve that the quality of food offered at their workplace is important to their overall health and would make them more productive at work, reduce stress, and increase mental health. This fact is one that Constellation Culinary takes seriously, explained Felipe Jimenez, the company’s Regional Operations Manager of the West Coast.

“We’ve done a great job in focusing on foods that keep people productive throughout the day. That’s what corporate dining is about,” Jimenez said. The veteran foodservice executive has been in the business of corporate dining for 32 years and joined Constellation Culinary last year. With his expertise and knowledge of how food contributes to productivity, he has become a driving force behind

many of the company’s latest developments at its West Coast locations.

The company currently has cafes in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Greater Phoenix, and Las Vegas metro areas. It specializes in serving food at in-office cafes, and many of these cafes also offer catering services. Jimenez said that the structure of each cafe varies from place to place, but that many of them operate “more like a marketplace.”

Employees will find an array of both

hot and cold stations that they can pick and choose from throughout their day.

Most cafes serve both breakfast and lunch, and some even provide take-home dinner kits or pre-made, microwavable meals. The company uses Imperial Dade to coordinate eco-friendly, biodegradable containers for employees to take their food back to the office or home for dinner

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“We’ve done a great job in focusing on foods that keep people productive throughout the day. That’s what corporate dining is about,” — Felipe Jimenez

(L-R) Felipe Jimenez; one of Constellation Culinary cafe’s fresh made smoothies; the interior of one of the corporate cafes.

By Ivy Thomas

INDUSTRY VETERAN ELLISON TAPPED FOR NEW EARL DEVELOPMENT POST

As you pass through the airport looking for your gate or walk through an arena and look for your seat, travelers and ticket holder will pass numerous concessions stands. Each of them offers menu fare from wellknown brands.

Very rarely does that consumer ever give any thought to how each of those brands were selected for a given space. Earl Enterprises, the company behind restaurant concepts like Planet Hollywood, Earl of Sandwich, Bravo Italian Kitchen and more have just added a new member to their team whose expertise is to create a winning mix of concepts for non-traditional venues from airports to stadiums.

Valentina Ellison has joined Earl Enterprises as their new Chief Development Officer, Nontraditional. Ellison has over 15 years of experience working for companies like Areas and REEF. She brings a deep book of relationships with a variety of foodservice brand operators in helping them grow in nontraditional spaces such as sports arenas, travel plazas and airports. “For most of my career I worked with Areas USA, the third largest airport concessionary in the world based out of Barcelona, Spain. Fast forward over a decade later, I worked for REEF where we covered 12 airports, 10 travel plazas and nearly $500 million worth of revenue. My whole career has been working with clients to negotiated contracts in nontraditional spaces” Ellison said.

When looking to add a new restaurant or kiosk to a

new space like an airport, one needs to plan far ahead and Ellison has that vision.

“The way the airport contracting process begins by starting the bidding process. These contracts are 8-10 years long, so it’s crucial to have good relationships and the trust of venue operators and identify the concepts they want,” Ellison explained.

“For a process this in depth, the factors to consider are location, clientele and budget,” the veteran foodservice executive continued. “The consumers and their desires will differ from operator to operator. You have to consider things like age groups, travel time, employees and more to narrow down a concept.”

“The process begins with identifying the brands, relationships, and minority partners,” Ellison said. “The next step is to create renderings for

kitchen layouts, and match that with potential menus. After that you must submit a proposal and present your concept. Then if you are successful, the construction and design teams take over and begin fabricating the concessions.”

“A real win for us is when we can create a single commissary kitchen to support multiple concession outlets. Future success for us lies in creating one kitchen space for all our brands to work from. With my former experience and what Robert Earl has brought from the virtual dining space, we will be able to execute our vision.” Ellison detailed.

The consumer base over the past few years has changed and with that so have the considerations when Ellison and her team create their proposals. ‘The Pre-pandemic tourist was, much more business oriented but with the younger generations have entered the space and forced changes in the type of concepts that will succeed, Ellison added. “Before the focus was on celebrity chefs, local cuisines and food that shared a sense of place. The younger travelers have different values than their predecessors” Ellison said. “There is more emphasis on longevity of brands, quality of food versus price, and reliability.”

So, with these concerns of safety, quality and accessibil-

ity Ellison is taking her expertise and expanding the brands at Earl Enterprises to meet the needs of a new generation. Plans to create extensions of Earl Enterprises brands will also play a role in the new market.

“We are constantly finding new ways to present our brands to fit the needs of our consumers. For example, Brio has reimagined its format for airports and other settings called Brio Vino. It’s a smaller scale, attractive restaurant with smaller portions perfect for traveling. We are doing the same thing with Bucca de Beppo, by adjusting the portions and expanding ‘to go’ options we now have a new extension known as Bucca Express,” Ellison said.

The environment to introduce these brands in new spaces isn’t limited to travel areas either. As she looks to the future, Ellison is creating momentum towards moving into new spaces. “While the airports are our first priority, we are also interested in pursuing colleges and universities. We are working with different operators in stadiums, large box-retailers, military bases and so on,” she concluded.

With Ellison steering the vision, the development of restaurant brands at Earl Enterprises is focused on reaching new audiences with dynamic new concepts. The goal is to bring value to the world’s consumer from airports to arenas and stadiums and even the highways travel plaza. For Valentina Ellison nothing less than quality and reliability will make the grade.

“There is more emphasis on longevity of brands, quality of food versus price, and reliability.” — Valentina Ellison

Valentina Ellison

NEW CHOCOLATE-FILLED 10” ¡HOLA! CHURROS™ TAKES THE WORK OUT OF SERVING DELIGHT

Churros are the fastestgrowing dessert* and ¡HOLA! Churros™ make it even easier for selling delightful, high-profitable desserts.

“We’re always at work finding new, easier ways to help operators to set their menus apart from their competition,” says Norma Jean Abbattista, Senior Director of Marketing for J&J Snack Foods. “Since we rolled out our new ¡HOLA! Churros brand earlier this year, we’ve experienced tremendous demand because of our constant innovation

in delightful and decadent desserts and snacks.”

¡HOLA! Churros replaced J&J Snack Foods’ California Churros™ and Tio Pepe’s™ brands to make ordering churros easy for operators nationwide.

From ¡HOLA! Churro Bites, Loops and Traditional churros, operators have more choices in selecting the perfect type for their operation than any other brand. The new 10” chocolate-filled churros join a line that includes various fruits, Bavarian cream or cajeta (Mexican caramel).

Churros are the darlings of smart operators because of their versatility as a dessert, snack, or treat. Churros can be prepared in minutes in a deep fryer, air fryer or baked. ¡HOLA! Churros hold times make them perfect for grab & go, drivethrough or delivery. As a mini-dessert, churros have grown by +110%*. Among regular desserts, churros are the fastest growing within the category at +36%*.

¡Hola! Churros is one of J&J Snack Foods’ solutions to easy, profitable items for foodservice. SUPERPRET-

ZEL®, ICEE®, Dippin’ Dots®, Funnel Cake Factory® Fries and Cakes, Bavarian Bakery™ and Brauhaus™ soft pretzel, and pretzel buns make J&J Snack Foods an operator’s onesource solution for snacks, desserts, and frozen treats.

For more information, visit Churros.com and be sure to download a new ¡HOLA! Churros Ideas Guide or request a free sample.

* Datassential, 4-year growth, May 2023

New 10” Chocolate-Filled ¡HOLA! Churros is a welcome addition to the lineup.

HOW TO USE QR CODES TO PROMOTE YOUR RESTAURANT

In the restaurant industry, restauranteurs can use QR codes for a variety of purposes. They can advertise the restaurant’s app or loyalty program, share the menu, place orders, connect on social media, and more.

While there’s no limit to creative marketing efforts, here are 8 ways you can use QR codes to promote your restaurant. We’ll explore each one in more depth in this article.

1. Order from Your Restaurant through Delivery Apps

Carryout and delivery are huge segments for most restaurants,

and they’ve grown over the years to reflect more and more of a restaurant’s bottom line. Many restaurants now do most of their business off premises even.

The shift to off-premises eating has presented challenges and changes to marketing and adver-

tising. By adding a QR code to your packaging, the receipt, or a promotion attached to your packaging, you can link the QR code to your restaurant on a variety of food delivery apps.

2. Promote Downloads of Your

Own App

Speaking of apps, if your restaurant has an app, you can use QR codes to promote downloads of it. Put a prominent QR code on your packages that directs users to download the app.

You don’t have to provide a fully immersive augmented reality experience or partner with top celebrities to use QR codes to promote your own app. Consider providing a discount or some other incentive in exchange for users to download the app.

3. Link to Your Website or Menu or Share Your Address or Phone Number

If you don’t have an app, you can still use a QR code to encourage customers to connect with your restaurant. You can link your QR code to your restaurant’s website, even directly to your menu page.

You can also use QR codes in this way to create a contactless ordering experience—for dine-in and delivery orders. That way, customers can scan the QR code to open a digital menu where they can place their order without the need to handle a menu or interact with a server.

continued on page 34

The shift to off-premises eating has presented challenges and changes to marketing and advertising. By adding a QR code to your packaging, the receipt, or a promotion attached to your packaging, you can link the QR code to your restaurant on a variety of food delivery apps.

4. Promote Your Loyalty or Rewards Program

Loyalty programs help bring customers back repeatedly and to increase your bottom line. Takeout customers who use rewards programs also spend more on restaurant food than other customers.

If your restaurant has a loyalty program, you know that encouraging customers to use it is crucial to its success. Here again, you can use QR codes to encourage people not only to enroll in your rewards program, but you can also reward those valuable customers by giving them double points or other incentives for using your program.

5. Give out Coupons—and Connect Via Email or Text

QR codes are a great tool for encouraging repeat business among your customers. You can put a QR code on carryout or delivery packaging that shares a discount through your app, website, a thirdparty app or website, or even your rewards program. Those coupons could provide a discount on a customer’s next meal or promote a new menu item or bestseller.

You can optionally tie these coupons to customers sharing their email address or phone number with you. Then, you can email or text coupons, promotions, or new menu announcements to your customers, reminding them about your restaurant and rewarding them for coming back time after time.

6.

Connect on Social Media

Connecting with customers on social media can be an important part of your restaurant’s market -

ing and advertising. You can use QR codes to link directly to your social media profile or encourage guests to engage with you on social media. You can also use QR codes to prompt users to post a message on their own social media profiles— tagging your account or sharing a personalized link.

7. Encourage Reviews

It’s no secret that the competitive restaurant industry thrives on reviews. Yelp, Trip Advisor, and other review sites are also highly likely to appear in place of your restaurant to customers searching for a place to order food. If you have a Google My Business listing, reviews from across the web will also appear

there.

So, what if your packaging could also encourage customers to leave you a review? With QR codes, it can. You can give customers a way to leave a review on your Yelp, Google, or other review page.

8. Share Your Brand’s Story

Every good hero has an origin story and so should your restaurant. By telling your story, you can connect with customers. It’s a terrific method for sharing the values that your company operates by as well as your history and purpose.

Telling your brand’s story may not be as hard as you think. Ask yourself why you first opened your doors, where the inspiration for the busi -

ness or menu came from, and what history or traditions you uphold. Either way, you can use QR codes to tell that story to people.

Get More Insights about Food Packaging from the Pros

As an innovative food packaging provider, Inno-Pak doesn’t think outside the box; it reinvented the box. For more than 30 years, InnoPak has had the pleasure of providing the most innovative packaging and best-in-class customer service to the foodservice, grocery, and convenience store industries. With a wide array of domestic and international partners, we look forward to working with you to find the packaging solutions your business needs.

If you’d like more tips on how to get more from your packaging, visit Inno-Pak’s blog at https://www. innopak.com/blog/. There, you can find information about using QR codes, how sustainability factors into consumers’ decisions, the latest trends in packaging and how they’ll impact your business, and more.

BRANDON CHROSTOWSKI Founder, President and CEO, EDWINS

Brandon Chrostowski is a chef and entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to helping others through food. Born and raised in Ohio, Chrostowski overcame a difficult childhood marked by poverty, addiction, and crime to become a successful chef and restaurateur. He trained at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America and went on to work at some of the finest restaurants in the country, including Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago and The French Laundry in Napa.

But Chrostowski’s true calling was not just to create beautiful and delicious food, but to use his skills to help others. In 2007, he founded EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute, a nonprofit organization that provides culinary and hospitality training to formerly incarcerated individuals to help them reintegrate into society and find meaningful employment. EDWINS also operates a highly acclaimed French restaurant in Cleveland, OH, where the program’s graduates work alongside industry professionals to gain practical experience.

Chrostowski’s work with EDWINS has received national attention and acclaim, including features on “60 Minutes” and “CNN Heroes.” He has also been recognized with numerous awards, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s prestigious “Culture of Health Prize” in 2016. Chrostowski is a true visionary and a shining example of how food can be a force for positive change in the world.

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Brandon Chrostowski, Founder, President and CEO, EDWINS (Photo Credit: Molly Nook)

When Total Food Service heard that he had been nominated for Restaurateur of the Year by the James Beard Foundation, we knew it was time to share his amazing journey.

For those who don’t know you, can you share a little bit of your background before you came into the industry?

Before I came into the industry, I was in a bunch of trouble. It’s a pretty simple story. A lot of energy and no direction, the classic story.

I started dabbling in the industry when I was 16 years old by waiting tables in my hometown of Detroit. When I was 19, I walked into a restaurant downtown on Woodward Avenue next to the Fox Theatre and Chef George Kalergis took me in and changed my life. I worked for about a year and a half, and he taught me it’s not practice that makes perfect, but perfect practice that makes perfect.

What led to the creation of EDWINS? Talk a little bit about how this whole thing came about.

I was 18 when I got arrested. I spent some time in the County jail but never prison because the judge gave me probation. It was a gift that I didn’t really understand at the time. I started cooking for Chef George and I knew right away that I loved it. The chef wrote a letter of recommendation to the CIA. Next thing I knew I was in Poughkeepsie in school and that led to an amazing internship in France.

You went from the CIA in Poughkeepsie to France?

I apprenticed in Paris at a Michelin three-star restaurant that turned into a gig in New York at Le Cirque. I wanted to be the best chef in the world, and we all know for a chef that Manhattan is the center of the world. I was in the right place. I started getting calls from back home from Chef George about people getting murdered back in Detroit or put in prison. I knew that I was lucky to be where I was. I was cooking with

Bonnet ovens, copper pots and we were selling $10,000 bottles of wine. I felt it was amazing, but someone else’s life. I sensed a calling and that was the beginning of the idea that I’m going to build this restaurant. But it’s going to be more than a restaurant, it’s going to also be a school. It’s going to help people that need the same break I got.

What were those first steps in 2004, did you open the school or the restaurant first?

The hard part was there was nothing out there like this. There were obviously organizations like C-CAP that were training people and helping them. At that time, I was cooking for Donald Tober from Sugar Foods, and he connected me with C-CAP’s Founder Richard Grausman.

I knew I needed to write a business plan. The problem was I didn’t have a clue how to do it. Between the public library and taking extension classes, from Oswego, I figured it out.

I was teaching at BOCES in Duchess County, NY. Having to write the plan was a blessing because I realized the things that were weak and would need to go figure out to make sure the project was a success. I needed to learn how to work a dining room and develop an understanding of wine. On top of that, I needed to learn how to start a nonprofit, a 501(c)3. In 2007. I got the certification, and the next step was to find a city that really needed a restaurant and a school. I ended up going to Cleveland, OH, in 2009. I was working elsewhere and found a local prison to start testing the educational program. I started working in a prison and teaching a class.

I found a warden who really understood what we were trying to accomplish. That was in 2012 and a year later we opened the restaurant. It took about a good 10 years to develop the idea and work on the weaknesses. Then come up with where to do it, how to do it, and fundraise. It wasn’t easy!

Who did you work for to add those skills?

Karen and David Waltuck at Chanterelle gave me a wonderful opportunity to grow. They had a great sommelier, Roger Dagorn, what a teacher!

Karen and David really took me under their wing. And they moved me up to a management position, so I was the maître d’ and managing the restaurant.

It was a dream come true. I was in great restaurants learning amazing things. I simply would not have been able to create EDWINS without them.

Hold on, what did you learn about how to work a dining room properly?

David Waltuck confirmed that you don’t need a formal education to work properly with people. He was a college dropout who opened

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Brandon Chrostwoski speaks to students and attendees at an EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute event

Chanterelle when he was 24 yearsold and he had this amazing touch. David and Karen were also parents with a special needs child and that gave them this amazing patience. I had come from a background of throwing plates or having them thrown at you. You get burned or beat in the kitchen because you messed up an order.

What’s the correct response to the customer who looks you in the eye and says ‘This food is terrible’?

You say ‘It’s a lovely jacket you’re wearing, sir.’ We try our best to hire robots, but we get humans instead. We’ll work on this soon. I mean, that was the Waltuck’s approach. They were very friendly and very forgiving. They had a touch in that dining room and won all kinds of awards for best service in New York year after year. At the same time, they wanted people to be themselves. It was okay to be yourself, but you had to understand the fundamentals. The result was that the guests felt that positive energy. The key to this day is that you need to be patient

with yourself.

What we are really talking about is learning the blocking and tackling for the front of house. More than that because to get it right you need to start looking at the profit and loss. I was able to save Chanterelle 14%-15% by eliminating some inefficiencies. They saw space between tables as crucial to the guest experience.

With a limited floor plan of 11 or 12 tables in the dining room, I figured out a way without compromise to the customer experience to fit two more tables. Think about the value of two additional tables with two turns a night over a full year.

There are little things like the cost of using an Egyptian cotton tablecloth that needed to be dry cleaned rather than a tablecloth that we could launder internally. It all added up to a significant bump to the bottom line.

Was the initial opening of EDWINS

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Cuisses de Grenouille from EDWINS Leadership Restaurant Institute

everything you thought it would be?

There’s a lot of fate involved in this whole journey. I’m not kidding you with things that have happened in my life that you couldn’t make up. Let’s just say that the Cleveland restaurant community didn’t exactly welcome me with open arms. Zac Bruell was opening a French restaurant in the heart of Cleveland, which is surrounded by the Cleveland Clinic, the Cleveland Orchestra and Case Western University and he hired me to open the Brasserie. We were absolutely killing it. Next thing I know Crain’s Business writes an article about the Brasserie hiring ex-cons. The story that was planted by a well-known Celebrity Chef with the hope that it would keep diners from coming to eat. It had the exact opposite effect; more people came than ever before. Then there was a need to know what I was going to do next and so when EDWINS finally opened in 2013, it was a hit and we’ve never looked back. People came and we packed the house. I had $10.48 in my bank account when we opened, I had enough for two weeks of payroll in the bank for the business. We packed the place for two straight months and made it.

What’s the legacy from there?

It’s always been the same, central to everything is someone who’s got a need, that we can help. There’s no book of needs from some author. What we do know is that the first step is always the highest standard of training in this business for people coming in and out of prison. That all begins with the teaching we do in prison. Once a week, we teach in juvenile corrections and five days a week, we have the capacity to reach up to 400,000 inmates nationwide, with our online training program. The next step was how to provide housing for someone in or coming out of prison. We created a case manager position to manage that process. We then signed deals on three houses without any money and then raised the funds. Went have two apartment buildings, one house for graduates, one house for families. Then it became how can we deepen our education curriculum. We opened a butcher shop and bakery. The we moved onto childcare and this month; we opened a childcare center.

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Foie Gras poêle sur brioche from EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant Institute

Find a need and fill it. That’s what you’ve done.

Yes, and most importantly sustain it. It’s easy to open up restaurants, keeping them open as we all learned with the Pandemic is another question. We doubled our business during COVID. Because of the stupid table spacing, limitations I could only put so many people in a dining room. That limited how many of our people we could teach. We needed more space and opened a second restaurant because we were busy. That restaurant is still open today and packed.

How many graduates have come through the campus?

We’ve graduated almost 600 people. Many of these folks have gone on to open other restaurants for major restaurant operators. Our grads are doing great!

We also have grads that have opened their own bricks and mortar restaurants or even a hot dog cart. One of the keys is to understand is that everybody’s definition of success is different. It’s our goal to give them the skills they need to make their life dream a reality and to get them to that next step. Bottom line is that less than 1% have gone back to prison.

Maybe it’s the stress of trying to keep a restaurant afloat, that leaves no time for crime?

I think it’s an innate sense of humanity. You’re nourishing your mind and body with a primal need to be hospitable. You can find out very quickly that if you work hard that you get pretty good at serving others. When you’re good at something, it’s kind of fun. If it’s kind of fun, you’re focused on doing it consistently.

The drive is to get the skill to the next level. At its simplest, if I ask you to peel a carrot, you may or may not do it correctly. But if I can teach you the best and most efficient way, you end up with a truly valuable skill set. Now not only do you have the skill but you can teach it to others. Our

goal is to train leaders out of here who can then go and lead in other places. We need to deconstruct the wheel in our industry and then reassemble it with their perspective.

How did you double business during COVID?

We came into it as a resilient and creative organization. We hired 16 people that first month in April 2020. We took any student who wanted to work and turned them into an employee because we couldn’t operate the school. We created four meals for $40 that could feed a family. We were baking our own desserts and employing somebody to cut meats. The distributors loved us, and they had fire sales on everything. It wasn’t unusual for our $40 for four to include lobster or Filet Mignon. My attitude was these bills are not going to get paid magically. Our staff wasn’t going to let anything get in the way of working hard and surviving. This was their second chance, and the mentality was we’re gonna get through this.

That attitude certainly doesn’t reflect all of the labor issues that we’ve listed to over the past year.

I just spoke at a couple of industry events. All the industry giants are there, Daniel Boulud, Alice Waters, Lidia Bastianich. The problem is we don’t have a labor shortage, we have a leadership shortage. We have this incredible knack as an industry for going out and finding an auto loan or a mushroom. We can forage for these things, but chefs are choosing to do that rather than creatively find talent, in places like a prison or a juvenile justice center or a shelter. It’s up to us to find this next wave of talent, train them properly with an understanding that they need to be paid a wage that sustains a business and sustains the person. We have 50 or 60 people lined up here for our program. We pay only a stipend, but people see a future. Compare that to Amazon that paying $20 an hour in Cleveland and turns over 50%

continued on page 46

of their staff every month. People don’t work for wages; they work for a future.

What role does technology play in the industry going forward?

I still think this is a skin-to-skin business. You know, and people will come back for the way they felt not because of your efficiency. I’ve tried for a long time to take the reservation system, not out of here, but reduce it down to a handwritten book. But I will tell you that our teaching across the country is very much dependent on tablets!

What about social media and stuff like that?

I just got rid of my flip phone! We got a social media guy here. I’ve never seen it once. I don’t engage in any social media now. I just trust him that things are working well. I’m old school with a publicist that gets the word out.

What’s your approach to your wine and spirits menu?

We are in a full-scale Bourbon boom. We are primarily a French restaurant with a large French wine list. I’m not an American wine fan. We need to offer them because of the pricing of French Burgundy and Champagne. We have spirits from around the world and we are seeing an inclination towards the old school spirits like Armagnac.

What are your thoughts on being recognized by your peers with a James Beard Award nomination?

What’s truly exciting is the access that an award like that gives you. Win or lose, it creates another PR opportunity to tell our story. With that will hopefully come a chance to meet with the Governor of Illinois and expand the work that we are doing in places like Cook County. The nomination drives me to work twice as hard to expand our program into places that have said no before. It

gives us that opportunity to have a bigger sphere of influence for us to help develop more leaders.

What’s the crystal ball look like? Would you like to build one of these programs in every state in the country?

We have so much going on with the focus on maintaining our standard. It’s continuing to run our successful sustainable restaurants and educational programs. Making sure our campus and new childcare program is running smoothly. Most importantly, it’s deepening our impact to develop leaders. Because we don’t need 600 restaurants, we need 600 leaders who can run restaurants and open restaurants, right? We want to be the “Harvard” of hospitality training. Our prison program is expanding and we consult around the country.

In places like New Mexico, we are helping to make a difference with our training. We are looking for

more partners like the Cleveland Browns. They will pay for transportation to get someone to Cleveland from another prison if they complete our 30-hour program. Our fund raising right now is focused on more family housing to support our participants.

You said that every human being regardless of their past has a right to a fair and equal future.

That’s it, that’s what we fight for. And we know civil society wins, government will validate what civil society puts out there. The goal is to really change the perception of what someone thinks a person out of prison looks like. We’re changing what it looks like!

ALL PHOTOS courtesy of EDWINS unless otherwise noted

Learn more about Brandon Chrostowski and EDWINS at their website: edwinsrestaurant.org

WHAT WE’RE READING: WHAT WE’RE WATCHING:

Matt Sartwell, Managing Partner, Kitchen Arts & Letters Bookstore in New York City shares his book reviews...

Ikoyi: A Journey Through Bold Heat with Recipes by Jeremy Chan

The exciting debut cookbook from the acclaimed chef of the two-Michelin-starred London restaurant Ikoyi.

WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO:

STREET FOOD: USA on Netflix

Get a taste of the most beloved bites on American streets and, along the way, discover the heart, soul and wildly diverse real people behind the food.

V IS FOR VINO

V is for Vino is your window into the wine world! In each episode, your host and certified sommelier Vince Anter, takes you to a different wine region to explore its culture and history, taste the wine and meet the winemakers, and cook delicious food pairings in

a local restaurant. He breaks down topics in fun and easy to understand ways, helpful to anyone wanting to learn - from your casual wine drinker to more serious wine studying professionals. You can even buy the wine featured in each episode at visforvino. com and drink along with the show - a one of its kind when it comes to experiencing wine & travel!

Grab a glass and get ready to watch, learn and drink - welcome to V is for Vino!

Ikoyi, named as one of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2022, is one of the most original, flavor-driven restaurants of its time. Run by childhoodfriend duo Iré Hassan-Odukale and chef Jeremy Chan, the innovative culinary mind behind the unique tasting menu, its menu is inspired by the spices of Sub-Saharan West Africa and produce from local farms and artisan producers.

The book includes narratives throughout illustrating Ikoyi’s inspiration and inception, as influenced by Chan’s experiences living, cooking, and traveling in Hong Kong, Canada, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Europe. Each recipe in this fascinating book features a story about how the dish was developed, plus the influences of seasonality and produce from local producers. This debut cookbook tells the compelling story and journey of Chan and Ikoyi, with 80 recipes that Chan has carefully developed to encapsulate bold heat: his signature style.

• The book includes narratives throughout illustrating Ikoyi’s inspiration and inception, as influenced by Chan’s experiences living, cooking, and traveling in Hong Kong, Canada, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Europe

• Ikoyi was named one of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2022

• Each recipe features a story about

how the dish was developed, plus the influences of seasonality and produce from local farms and artisan producers

• Chan is an acclaimed Londonbased chef with two Michelin stars and a widely admiring international audience, with diners from all over the world

• With stunning food and atmospheric photography by Maureen Evans

Err:

Urban Rustic

Thai by Duangporn (Bo) Songvisava and Dylan Jones

Imported from Thailand, this book is self-published by chefs Duangporn (Bo) Songvisava and Dylan Jones and features “the Thai food we wanted to eat when we were drinking with our mates.”

Songvisava and Jones were featured on Netflix The Chef’s Table series for their restaurant Bo.lan, which had earned a Michelin star. The food at continued on page 50

their second restaurant, Err—the word is slang meaning, roughly, yeah!—is less refined and heartier, and captures a late-night, street food vibe that’s long on flavor and on the use of ingredients you would not commonly find in a fine dining restaurant.

Among the recipes:

• Fermented pork sausage

• Grilled pork neck

• Thai-style arancini filled with fermented fish

• Mussels with Thai herbs

• Watermelon seed salad with ginger, chiles, and lime leaves

• Steamed egg custard with braised pork and eggplant

Energetically designed, the book is bilingual in English and Thai. The authors’ voice is fun-loving, irreverent, and emphatic, which adds to the sense of vibrancy created by photographs of not only the food of Bangkok Street and market scenes.

A glossary of terms elaborates on specialty ingredients and a few techniques, and the authors at times

transliterate some Thai words differently than they commonly are; this is in order to help English speakers sound more like native speakers. For instance, the dish which shows up on many menus as pad Thai they call phat Thai—and insist that it’s not what they’re serving anyway.

Editor’s Note About Podcasts- Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, including on Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Audible & more.

FLAVORS UNKOWN

Join Emmanuel Laroche as he takes you behind the scenes of trending kitchens and bars with emerging Chefs, Pastry Chefs, and Bartenders who are redefining and disrupting the industry with flavor innovation and talent. He has conversations with culinary leaders who share how their successes, failures, and cultural identity shaped their creativity and have enabled them to develop

trending restaurants and bars that are sought out by foodies today.

THE WELL-SEASONED LIBRARIAN:

In Conversation with Food Writers, Chefs, and More!

Dean Jones is a librarian and food writer and the host of The Well-Seasoned Librarian, one of the fastest growing Food Podcasts online. Recent guests include Dorie Greenspan, Rose Levy Beranbaum, Beth A Leem, Nick Malgieri, Jeremy Lee, Angela Clutton, Joanne Weir, and more.

WHAT THE HEALTH IS GOING ON AT CURE’S N A C L CAFÉ, AT 345 PARK AVENUE SOUTH?

In New York City’s Silicon Alley, you’ll find Cure’s new, stateof-the-art headquarters at 345 Park Avenue South. Cure is a healthcare innovation campus where leading life science, digital health, and tech-enabled companies from around the world come together to uncover cutting-edge solutions for those in need. Cure provides laboratories, engineering and computing space, and other

supportive services to help today’s thought-leaders build a better tomorrow.

To keep these thought-leaders in good health day by day, Cure’s NaCl Café offers a tempting variety of readily available plant-forward dishes. And to keep dining at the café or ordering takeout enticing, Executive Chef Mike Smith works collaboratively with Barbara Younger, Cure’s Food and Beverage Direc -

tor, to create delicious, nutritious meals that please diverse palates.

Chef Mike joined Cure in November 2021, trained at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), and worked in NYC’s top restaurants. He joined Restaurant Associates (RA) in 2008, starting at the Metropolitan Museum of Art before joining The New York Times. Chef Mike returned to The CIA where they partnered with RA for their student dining commons, The Egg. There he collaborated with students and faculty to introduce Menus of Change Principles into all student-dining programs.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Chef Mike to ask him about his approach to menu development at Cure’s NaCl café. In addition to the café, Chef Mike also prepares tempting refreshments for Cure’s special events, including their popular Tuesday Talks, hosted by Cure CEO Seema Kumar, and held in the event space of Cure’s Rooftop terrace with incredible city views.

First, for the sake of

Cherry Dumaual is a seasoned contributing writer for Total Food Service, bringing years of experience in culinary communications to her role. As the former Partnerships Director at The Monday Campaigns/Meatless Monday, she was responsible for spearheading the PR and partnership development for Monday initiatives, including Meatless Monday. During her tenure, she successfully forged partnerships with renowned organizations, such as C-CAP (Careers for Culinary Arts Program), the American Institute of Cancer Research, and New Jersey Healthy Kids Initiative. Prior to joining TMC, Cherry held the position of Senior Vice President at leading PR agencies, where she worked with major food and healthcare clients. Her passion for learning and cooking international cuisines has led her and her husband to explore local food markets and restaurants in over 50 countries. This firsthand experience has allowed her to gain a deep understanding of different cultures and cuisines, which she brings to her work in the food industry.

TFS readers, could you clarify the definition of plant-forward based on Menus of Change, which you helped introduce at The Culinary Institute of America’s student dining programs?

I define it as making it easy to fill your plate with whole grains and vegetables before finishing it with an impactful and well sourced protein. Our Market Bowls are a great

continued on page 106

Inspired curated chef-driven plant-forward menu development is going on!

Executive Chef Mike Smith at Cure’s NaCl Cafe; Smith doing food demonstrations

INDUSTRY LEARNS LOGISTICS OF LATEST PIZZA TRENDS AT PECINKA FERRI PIZZA FORUM

With six pizza styles including the introduction of Brazilian styled pizza, the annual Pecinka Ferri Pizza Forum took centerstage last month. “It’s just taken off,” noted Pecinka Ferri principal Joe Ferri. “Pizza has become a staple on menus where you would expect to see it and many that you never would have dreamed of.”

A highlight of the event has always been watching Pecinka Ferri principal and corporate chef Nick Mercogliano team with corporate chefs from across the country to demonstrate the current trends on pizza menus.

The 2023 event included the very latest trend: Brazilian pizza. Created with a special blend of cheese from South American processor Catupiry, importer Jeannette Catena was on hand to field questions. In addition, the Pecinka Ferri culinary team created “Detroit” and “Roman” styles with fresh ingredients that made the pies pop.

Pecinka Ferri’s state of the art test kitchen in Fairfield, NJ created the perfect backdrop for the industry to come together and learn. “Our goal was for anyone in our industry that loves pizza and wants to learn,” Ferri said. Tri-State chefs, decision makers, restaurateurs, general managers, F&B managers, and pizza aficionados enjoyed a full day of pizza baking, classroom opportunities, innovative pizza making strategies with leading vendors.

Among the highlights was the raffle of a special trip to Middleby’s Innovation Kitchen in Dallas, TX that was won by Singer’s Ashley Bradford. Break-out sessions throughout the day covered choosing the perfect oven for fun and profit, cheese shredding at the speed of light, Wine Tast-

ings and Latte Art.

In creating the agenda, Pecinka Ferri focused on the importance of beverage creativity and profits. “We also believe that the pizzeria, or [any] restaurant making pies, needs to be rethinking the beverage side of their business,” Ferri continued. “Our goal is to showcase both value-added wine and beer selections, and the technology to manage them, at the Pizza Forum. Operators need to understand the profit potential of their beverage business to balance the increase in other expenses.”

The Pecinka Ferri Culinary Center is a test kitchen with the largest selection of ventless cooking supplies, where all stages of food and beverage production is live and hands-on. Located an hour outside of NYC, the event featured the very latest in pizza making prep and cooking equipment. The Pizza Forum showcased, slicers, mixers, with equipment from Blodgett, Marsal, Bakers Pride, Middleby Marshall, Doyon, Globe, Varimixer, and Turbochef.

Founded in 1972, Pecinka Ferri Associates is one of Metro New York’s leading manufacturers’ agents to the foodservice industry. Pecinka Ferri Associates represents internationally recognized brands by providing enduser knowledge and solutions, supporting dealers and consultants, and innovating marketing services in the greater New York Metro area.

Pecinka Ferri’s John Alfano (C) talked design with Ryan Stack (L) and Brett Farrell (R) of RRA Design

A large contingent of dealer salespeople including (L to R) Emily Tylman and Ashley Bradford of Singer/M Tucker enjoyed the day’s festivities

The Pecinka Ferri team once again hosted a unique look at the future of pizza

(L to R) A pair of the industry’s bright visionaries, TFS’s Mike Scinto and Malachy’s Rich Farrell

(L to R) Joe Ferri Jr of Pecinka Ferri and Edward Don’s Joe Manente

Pecinka Ferri partner and corporate chef Nick Mercogliano displayed his passion for making great pies

A NEW NONPROFIT MAKING AN IMPACT ON NYC’S RESTAURANTS

In March 2020, as the pandemic began to ravage the country and shelter-in orders forcing friends and neighbors indoors and restaurants to shutter, the city that never sleeps came to a sudden halt, silent but for the sounds of ambulance sirens wailing through the streets. With the restaurant industry seemingly decimated overnight, Andrew Rigie’s work was just beginning.

As president of the NYC Hospitality Alliance, Rigie has been a champion for the industry for the past 10 years, advocating for restaurant and nightlife communities in the halls of city and state government. During COVID, he and the Hospitality Alliance team nearly singlehandedly saved the restaurant industry, creating key life-line programs and successfully implementing legislation establishing Drinks-to-Go, Outdoor Dining and Open Streets, creating an amnesty program for fines, supporting the Paycheck Protection Program and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and so much more.

With the pandemic (hopefully) in the rear view mirror, Rigie might have taken a breather and

continued to merely (wink wink) focus on the heavy lifting around government advocacy. But no, Rigie was not interested in a breather. He was not done. Instead, he decided to dig deeper into the problems faced by restaurants across New York City—lack of staff and trouble with diversity—and also the larger issue of food insecurity.

In late 2022, he founded the New York City Hospitality Alliance Impact Foundation, a new 501(c)(3)

nonprofit organization devoted to supporting the restaurant and nightlight industry and the communities they serve in unprecedented ways. The overarching goal: make a major impact for good.

“The NYC Hospitality Alliance is a 501c6 trade organization that has always engaged in philanthropic activities outside of its direct mission of government advocacy and industry education,” said Rigie. “For years, we had discussed a complimentary 501c3 nonprofit to be able to enhance the impact that we make and better serve our communities. With this new nonprofit, we are determined to make an impact in a more streamlined and transformative way.”

Andrea Strong started her career as a lawyer and transitioned to journalism after working in some of New York City’s most acclaimed restaurants. For the past 20 years, Andrea has been reporting on food from every angle— restaurants and chefs, trends and lifestyle, food policy, hunger and childhood nutrition, and food justice. She is a staff writer for Jose Andres Media editorial team, and writes the acclaimed Substack newsletter, The Strong Buzz about NYC restaurants and life around the table. She runs a full-service copywriting studio for the food & beverage industry where she provides all sorts of copywriting—website, bio, origin story, newsletters and more. Email her at andrea@andreastrong. com for more information.

While the Impact Foundation is in its infancy, it has an impressive set of goals for its first year, focusing on three major issues plaguing the industry and its communities: staffing, diversity, and food insecurity. Its first area of focus is to support a more diverse and inclusive workforce, bringing more BIPOC communities into restaurants in front and back of the house, and to sup -

continued on page 60

Workforce development, emergency meals, and a scholarship fund are on the agenda for the newly created NYC Hospitality Alliance Impact Foundation

Andrew Rigie, NYC Hospitality Alliance

IMPACT FOUNDATION

from page 58

porting their growth and development. The Impact Foundation has already begun this work, making its first $25,000 grant to the Food Education Fund which grants culinary school scholarships to marginalized, low-income and BIPOC high school students.

The Impact Foundation is also working to support workforce development and stem the staffing crisis that has crushed the industry since the pandemic. According to a 2022 survey by the National Restaurant Association, seven of 10 operators reported not having enough employees to support demand at their restaurants and the majority said they don’t anticipate the labor situation to improve in 2022. As of Q1 2023, New York City’s restaurants and bars employ 35,000 fewer people compared to pre-pandemic employment levels in 2020.

What’s more, according to one POS survey, 51% of restaurant operators name staffing as a top challenge to success, while 35% say training staff is a top challenge. Turnover in the restaurant industry is at an all time high, at 75%, and it can cost $2,000 to hire and train a new staff member, and $15,000 to hire and train a new manager, costs that can significantly impact a small businesses bottom line and ability to survive, let alone thrive.

For Rigie, the long term health of the industry hinges on empowering more folks to join the ranks of the hospitality industry. To help create more opportunity for jobs, the Impact Foundation plans to make a

first year $25,000 grant to fund highquality hospitality industry training for New Yorkers in their first jobs in the restaurant industry. The Impact Foundation will also fund programs that “upskill” — training a server to become a manager, training a manager in human resources, budgeting and financial management, and more.

Rigie was inspired to pursue this sort of workforce development by a program piloted a few years ago during the opening of The Rockaway Hotel in Queens. But the owners of the hotel, themselves longtime Rockaway residents, were not tone-deaf to opening a boutique hotel complete with luxurious pool, private cabanas, and a restaurant peddling oyster towers in a neighborhood with the 13th-lowest median household income among the City’s 55 neighborhoods ($44,400), and the second-lowest in Queens.

The team not only committed to hiring at least 100 workers from the area, they implemented their signature “Hospitality Way” curriculum, an innovative and free 5-week jobtraining program to introduce local residents to the business of restaurants and hotels. The program culminated in a job fair that gave many students jobs they still hold today in the hospitality sector. “The program at the Rockaway Hotel is an impressive model of workforce development that taps into a community and truly transforms lives,” said Rigie. “We hope to be able to scale this pilot so that it can make a bigger impact on communities across

the city.”

Rigie’s final area of focus (for now) is food insecurity. “Whether 9/11, Superstorm Sandy, COVID-19, floods in Queens, or fires in the Bronx, the city’s hospitality industry regularly provides meals, labor, and monetary support to New Yorkers in the wake of disasters,” said Rigie. “The pandemic laid bare the razor thin line separating many families from food insecurity and the ways in which emergency feeding disaster response is underfunded.”

Impact Foundation Board of Advisors:

Alfredo Angueira, Hoodspitality Group

Andrew Walcott, Fusion East NY

Jennifer McMahon Elliott, Great Performances

Michael Brady, Bar 47

Andrew Rigie, NYC Hospitality Alliance

Dhruv Chopra, Elsewhere

Liz Murray, Marlow Collective

Terence Tubridy, In Good Company

Andrea Strong, Journalist and Advocate

Jeffrey Bank, Alicart Restaurant Group

Melba Wilson, Melba’s Restaurant

Rigie intends to use the Impact Foundation to create a more streamlined response to disasterfeeding, funding restaurants to cook and serve their communities in times of crisis. The Impact Foundation has already carved out $25,000 to support emergency feeding, and will make a $5000 per borough grant to local community agencies working to stem food insecurity. The Impact Foundation’s Emergency Meals fund will also support seasonal food donations like Thanksgiving Turkey Drives, Holiday Meals, and the like.

“This $25,000 emergency meals allocation is just the beginning,” said Rigie. “We hope to establish and strengthen new relationships with local community leaders and outreach organizations in each borough doing this work to help

amplify their work.

Looking ahead, Rigie hopes that the Impact Foundation can make a meaningful difference to the restaurant industry and the dedicated people that make up its workforce. “We are using this first year to show proof of concept,” he said. “We hope to make an impact in these three areas and then plan on scaling up and raising more money to increase annual grants and giving in the future.”

To make a donation to the Impact Foundation and to learn more please visit https://www.thenycalliance. org/Impact-Foundation/.

Follow the Alliance on Instagram at @thenycalliance , and the Impact Foundation at @nycimpactfoundation.

DON’T LET CHILD LABOR VIOLATIONS LAND YOUR BUSINESS IN HOT WATER

As labor shortages continue into the summer months for many U.S. businesses, employers-including those in the hospitality industry – may turn to employing minors to help meet staffing needs. If your business employs or is considering hiring minors (i.e. individuals under 18 years old)– whether seasonally or year-round, you need to be aware of the rules and restrictions that apply.

The U.S. Department of Labor is paying attention to when and how minors are being employed and has reported a nearly a 70 percent increase in child labor violations since 2018. If your business is audited, the Department of Labor may request information about minors you employ, including the hours and type(s) of work being performed, to ensure you are complying with applicable requirements.

Violations of child labor laws can expose businesses to significant penalties. Establishments such as bars, restaurants and music venues that operate longer hours may be more prone to unknowing violations of the rules, including restrictions on the hours and times of day minors can work. In addition, minors working for restaurants and other food- service establishments are more likely to encounter prohibited tasks (such as operating and cleaning meat slicers and grinders and certain bakery machines).

To avoid penalties, and to ensure

minors are being employed safely, businesses should ensure that they understand and are complying with applicable laws.

What are the Federal Rules on Employing Minors?

At the Federal level, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) imposes restrictions on the employment of minors, including:

• Under Age 14. With very limited exceptions, minors under 14 cannot be employed.

• Ages 14 to 15. 14 and 15-year-

olds are generally permitted to work outside of school hours for limited periods in non-hazardous and nonmanufacturing jobs. Note that 14 and 15-year-olds may work in food preparation, but they may not perform baking activities and only limited cooking tasks (e.g., they are not permitted to operate broilers or a rotisserie, use a high-speed oven or cook over an open flame).

• Ages 16 to 17. 16 and 17-year-olds may work in non-hazardous occupations and are not restricted from working during school hours. Note that

Jasmin J. Farhangian is a Partner in the Labor & Employment practice group at Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP in New York City. Ms. Farhangian advises businesses on all aspects of the employment relationship, from recruitment through separation of employment. Ms. Farhangian’s practice focuses on providing business-minded advice to clients and counseling them through challenging workplace issues. Ms. Farhangian is skilled at helping employers navigate compliance with rapidly changing laws. Clients appreciate Ms. Farhangian’s thoughtful and proactive approach to workplace issues, with an eye towards offering practical solutions and mitigating risk to the business. She routinely advises businesses regarding employment matters affecting employees throughout the United States. Jasmin J. Farhangian can be reached via email at jfarhangian @egsllp.com or by phone at 212-370-1300.

state law may impose limits regarding work hours even if not restricted under Federal law.

Are There State Restrictions to be Aware of?

Yes. Businesses must be aware of state laws, including those regarding minimum work ages, hours of work, types of employment permitted and required documentation for minors. Work permits or certificates may be required by state law, and employers should confirm the requirements in the state(s) where they employ minors, as well as any specific requirements that may apply to their industry.

New York has particularly strict child labor laws. New York limits the number of hours minors may work during the school year and generally prohibits work during school hours.

When school is in session, 14 and 15-year-olds are limited to the follow-

continued on page 122

FERRARO FOODS MAKES MAJOR COMMITMENT TO FOODSERVICE COMMUNITY WITH NEW LONG ISLAND HOME

Something that sets apart Italian cuisine from others is its inherent need for the freshest ingredients. Without it, the pastas, pizzas and classic dishes just don’t hold up and altogether lose the very essence that makes this style of cooking so unique.

When operating a restaurant that serves Italian fare, it requires one to find vendors and distributors who prioritize both your customer’s experience and delivers on its promise for the highest quality ingredients. With that, Ferraro Foods has worked diligently to be a premier distributor whose devotion to superior product and hospitality has distinguished them from their competitors.

Ferraro Foods is a specialty dis-

tributor that debuted in New Jersey before adding a location in Melville, NY. Established in 1975, Ferraro set out with the vision ‘to become the premier supplier to the Italian pizza trade, not only selling quality products, but also in delivering premium delivery service’. “Since the beginning we have stuck to our core mission of delivering outstanding product value and unmatched service to Metro NY pizzerias and restaurants,”

said Dan Hill, CEO of Ferraro Foods. “From pastas and premium cheeses to everyday basics like pizza boxes and food containers, our customers know they are getting the industry’s leading value.”

Over the last 40 years of operations, Ferraro has become one of the largest specialty distributors selling its products to customers across 26 states. “We focus on the key products that enable our 8,000 customers to

stay ahead of the competition everyday,” explained Hill. Their commitment to high quality Italian foods, dependable delivery, and customer service has been the value that truly sets them apart and put them in the position for greater expansion in the market.

“Even after the COVID-19 outbreak, it has been amazing to see how resilient our customer relationships have been through unprecedented times,” Hill explained. “Now that they’re back these restaurateurs bring boundless enthusiasm and menu creativity to their consumers who can take full advantage of dine in and take out options.”

With Ferraro nearing the end of its continued on page 110

(L) Ferraro Foods’ Dan Hill; (R) The new Ferraro Foods distribution cernter in Suffolk County, NY

“Since the beginning, we have stuck to our core mission of delivering outstanding product value and unmatched service to Metro NY’s pizzerias and restaurants.”

— Dan Hill, Ferraro Foods

ICONIC CHEF BOULUD & TEAM CELEBRATE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF RESTAURANT DANIEL

Chef Daniel Boulud celebrated the 30th anniversary of his eponymous, two Michelin-starred restaurant, DANIEL, late last month. This milestone marks three decades of innovative fine dining and inspired French cuisine paired with a quintessential New York City luxury experience, raising the restaurant’s profile as one of the city’s most respected and favored culinary destinations.

“My heart is full when I think back over the past 30 years of Restaurant DANIEL,” said Daniel Boulud. “It is my first restaurant, my namesake, and the foundation of my restaurant group. It is very personal to me, because this restaurant is all about the personal relationships with the many talented team members we have had over the years and have today; with our suppliers who provide

the finest ingredients; the partners who have always been by my side, and above all, our guests for their loyalty, generosity and support over the years. These relationships mean everything to me, and to Restaurant DANIEL.” Boulud continued, “Restaurant DANIEL is a family, but of course I cannot forget to thank my own family, whose encouragement and support has made my personal life and work all possible.”

DANIEL opened on 76th Street on New York City’s Upper East Side in 1993 as Chef Boulud’s first independent project. After moving from France to New York City in 1982 and working in many of the city’s most prestigious French restaurants over the course of nine years, opening one of his own was the realization of a lifelong goal. Raised on his family’s farm outside of Lyon, France, the dinner table at home was a

relationships with the many talented team members we have had

years

have today; with our suppliers who provide the finest ingredients; the partners who have always been by my side, and above all, our guests for their loyalty, generosity and support

daily ritual filled with the freshest home grown and organic products in a rustic and delicious way. Chef Boulud has always shown an appreciation for seasonality with menus driven by a creative approach to exceptional ingredients and soulful and classic balance. Upon his arriv al to New York City, as a young, pas

sionate chef, he was eager to take part in the French dining renaissance the city was experiencing. In 1998, five years after its opening on 76th Street, DANIEL relocated to a new home on 65th Street, where it remains today. This loca -

continued on page 116

“It is very personal to me, because this restaurant is all about the personal

over the

and

over the years.”

— Daniel Boulud

All of the stars came out to celebrate Chef Daniel Boulud (in his traditional chef wear) and restaurant DANIEL, including (from L to R): Martha Stewart; Marcus Samuelsson, Maya Haile, Guy Fieri, Sandra Ripert; and Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten

WITH CHEF MARIA LOI MEDITERRANEAN MENU

PYRINOKARPA FRUTA = STONE FRUITS

Iabsolutely love June – summer is nipping at my heels, most days we bask in a delightfully warm glow that reminds me of Greece, and finally, stone fruit season is upon us! Juicy peaches, tart cherries, succulent plums, sweet apricots – all ready to grace our respective cuisines with the culinary blessings of summer.

To me, summertime and stone fruits go hand in hand to bring about a deep sense of joy and nostalgia.

Romancing the Stone… Fruit

When I was a child, at the start of summer, as soon as the cherries ripened and turned perfectly scarlet red, my sisters and I would gently pluck the perfect twin cherries off the trees, so we could hang them on our ears to wear as earrings. With the single cherries, we would bite them half way, and then ‘apply’ our cherry lipstick. We would dance around, singing and laughing, pretending to be fancy with our dangling earrings and red lips.

My mother and Yiayia (grandmother in Greek) both found this ritual to be incredibly amusing, and would occasionally watch our ‘fashion show’ – but usually, they would ask us to collect the cherries for Yiayia’s incredible Glyka tou Koutaliou, traditional spoon sweets. My favorite of the ones yiayia made was Vissino, made from the sour cherries that grew in our backyard. During the summer, she would make a lot of these, so we could have them yearround.

The excess juice and syrup that resulted from making the sour cherry spoon sweets was also bottled, and called Vissinada. This magical cher-

ry syrup was used to make an incredibly refreshing beverage with water (either sparkling or still) - I would crush the ice for the drink when I wanted to be fancy, but I loved it any way I could have it…I even used to put vissinada on our homemade ice cream and yogurt for a sweet treat.

My Papou (grandfather in Greek), on the other hand, taught me how to select a perfectly ripe piece of stone fruit every time, in particular peaches and apricots (though he told me the same applied to nectarines). He told me that I had to follow my nose

– if I could smell the delicious scent of the fruit as I brought it to my nose, and could feel the supple firmness of its flesh – not too soft, but not rock hard either – then this piece of fruit would be the best I had.

Of course, Papou was always right, because once I learned that lesson, I never ate a mealy peach again! Papou also told me that eating these fruits would not only keep me healthy and strong during the summer, but that they would keep my belly from bloating and showing. As it turns out, he was right again,

Chef Maria Loi is an entrepreneur, Greek food ambassador and healthy lifestyle guru. The author of more than 36 cookbooks, she is also the host of The Life of Loi, which premiered on PBS and PBS Passport in December 2022, now available on Amazon Prime and Apple TV. The Life of Loi aims to build an inspirational, educational movement around the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle. Her Loi Food Products, a specialty brand built on traditional ingredients from Greece, includes pastas, beans, botanical herbs, refrigerated dips, honey, holiday cookies, and olive oil sold on QVC, at Whole Foods Markets, and in other stores. The namesake of Loi Estiatorio in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, she also has the Loi Specialty Shop at The Plaza Hotel. Connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on Instagram and Facebook, and learn more about her food philosophy at loiestiatorio.com/chef-loi/.

because stone fruits are full of fiber – but remember to always ask your doctor about incorporating it into your diet regularly….

Growing up with stone fruit all around me, it’s hard to imagine that these species weren’t always part of Greece’s landscape, but that’s not completely true.

Origin Stories

Peaches originated in China, estimated to first have been cultivated around 6000 BC, made their way through Japan and Korea, towards Asia Minor and Persia, and reached Greece around 400-300 BC. Alexander the Great is sometimes credited with having introduced peaches to Greece after conquering Persia. According to certain ancient traditions, peaches represent the fruit of purity and immortality.

Cherries originated in Anatolia, also known as Asia Minor, a large

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Assorted Stone Fruits (clockwise from Top L) Peaches, Cherries, Plums, Apricots. (Photo credit: Christodoulou Bros. SA.)

peninsula in Western Asia. They were found in the fertile lands between the Black and Caspian seas, likely brought to Europe by birds. Cherries were first mentioned in the book, History of Plants by Theophrastus, an early Greek botanist and protégé of Aristotle, in the 3rd century BC. Cherries were known to the Greeks, who cultivated them for many centuries.

Plums have a similar history, as the divergent species originated both in China and Japan, and simultaneously in Eastern Europe / Western Asia thousands of years ago. The cultivation of plums has been done since prehistoric times, longer perhaps than any other kind of fruit except the apple. The plum arrived in Greece around 400 BC after the Greek Persian war and quickly

gained popularity as it spread rapidly throughout Europe and beyond. Apricots were cultivated in China and Central Asia as early as 2000 BC and migrated with the country’s traders, who traveled the Great Silk Road. Like the peach, apricots were introduced to Greece by Alexander the Great. In Greek mythology, apricots were believed to be “golden apples,” and grew in the Garden of the Gods in the nymphs Hesperides’ realm, near the Atlas Mountains, where the nymphs tended the garden, protecting an apple tree gifted by Gaia. Legend has it that the retrieval of the golden apples was one of the Twelve Labors of Heracles (Hercules).

A Prunus for All of Us

All varieties of stone fruit come from the genus Prunus, indicating

the stone ‘pit’ at the center of the fleshy fruit. Also known as ‘drupes,’ stone fruits tend to have thin skins that can be either fuzzy or smooth. The pit itself is actually a large seed, and stone fruits can be either ‘clingstone’ or ‘freestone,’ depending on how easily the flesh pulls away from the seed.

What’s truly amazing is how incredibly good for you stone fruits are!

Most if not all stone fruits offer highly impressive nutritional profiles, full of essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and perhaps most importantly, phenolic compounds known as antioxidants (similar to those found in extra virgin olive oil), meaning that stone fruits may offer protection against heart disease, neurodegenerative conditions, diabetes, and certain cancers.

Additionally, many stone fruits are dried for consumption, which have additional health benefits, such as plums becoming prunes, which are an excellent natural resource for aiding in bowel and bone health.

It’s important to remember that dried stone fruits are much more calorically dense than ripe fruit, and though easy to eat, can also add extra calories and fiber to your daily diet, which can sometime have unwanted effects – be sure to ask your doctor.

Not Your Average Stone Fruit

Though it’s virtually impossible not to love at least one variety of stone fruit, what makes this group of produce so special is the culinary versatility it lends.

The physical structures and countless varieties of peaches, plums, apricots, and nectarines all lend themselves not only to sweet dishes, but many savory ones as well!

Grilling stone fruit is a delicious way to take advantage of the bounty

of the season. Heating fruit draws out the juices, elevates aromas to new levels, and intensifies the sweetness through caramelization—all of which are perfectly paired with a hint of smoke from the grill. Just don’t forget to coat the cut, fleshy side of the fruit and your grill with some fat, to prevent sticking, as those sugars from the fruit love to cling to the grill.

Poaching stone fruit is another heated method that always yields delicious results, and can be served hot or cold, infused with herbaceous notes, or enjoyed completely sweet. Use sliced or diced stone fruit to add a bright and sweet note to salads and cold preparations, balance light and bright summer sauces, or garnish your favorite appetizer. Pair with a pungent cheese for the ideal savory/sweet balance on a cheese board, or let the vivid flavors elevate a charcuterie platter. Make a cold and refreshing summer soup, like a nectarine gazpacho, or allow cherries to enliven your preferred animal protein.

It’s worth mentioning that if you cannot find quality stone fruit – either during or after the seasonthere’s no harm in using canned fruit or purees, as long as they are packed in water or natural juices. One of my favorite brands that I use when fresh fruit isn’t available is Christodoulou Bros. from Greece – their quality is

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Kerasia - Cherries in Greece Mini Plums and Mulberries

Donut Peaches

Glyka tou Koutaliou - Sour Cherry Spoon Sweets

PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS

WITH DAY & NITE/ALL SERVICE’S MIKE BERMAN

UNDERSTANDING THE POLITICS OF COOKING

Last month, I was reading about celebrity Chef Jose Andres receiving a waiver to cook with gas for his new restaurant in Palo Alto. It left me scratching my head because as I read my paper everyday in Metro New York, it kept telling me that New York governor Kathy Hochul wanted gas banned for residential cooking.

I’ve always thought of commercial kitchen cooking as anyone competing with my wife or someone’s mother to serve food and beverage. Okay I’ll keep my day job and I know it’s no joke but exactly what is going on with the politics of gas and or versus electric cooking?

At Day & Nite, we service both gas and electric ovens 24/7. As I look at this with that background, I started by searching for the the differences between cooking with gas and cooking

with electric? In a word efficiency, with radical differences defining efficiency. Gas stoves have proven to be far more efficient from a culinary perspective, but electric stoves are more energy efficient. Theoretically, we could cut right to the cash, because if you are asking for a dining patron to pay a premium for a great meal which in many cases requires cooking at higher heat, the choice is going to be gas. Why has the industry limited itself to building agendas that just reflect the politics of counties we serve?

Smoking, trans-fats and foam have all been eliminated as the restaurant and foodservice operator listen intently to what their dining public want from them.

We all listened intently as Governor Hochul made the use of gas for cooking an issue especially when it appeared earlier this year that her agenda included commercial/restaurant cooking. However, like many issues in the current political environment, really hard to tell if this is an issue in search of governance or elected officials in search of an issue. What we do know is, starting in 2026, New York will ban the use of gas stoves in new residential buildings.

It’s also vital to look at the politics of Palo Alto. It is considered one of the most environmentally conscious cities in the nation if not world. So much of California’s leading ESG legislation was driven by its citizens, politicians, even resident corporations. Yet Palo Alto also exempted Zaytinya from the gas stove ban. It used to be NIMBY revolts against prisons, power plants and the like. I guess Palo Alto is flipping the equation to Definitely In My Back Yard

Mike Berman is the Chief Operating Officer of New Hyde Park, NY based Day & Nite/All Service. The veteran executive joined the service leader in 2016. He has held leadership positions in his career across a range of business-to-business service sector. Prior to joining Day & Nite he served as Chief Operating Officer of Outside Ventures, LLC, the parent company for several B2B service businesses with a particular concentration in merchant services. As Director and Chief Operating Officer of Meridian Capital Group LLC, he overhauled the corporate structure and enabled the company to achieve a 2006 run rate in excess of $30 billion.

when it comes to exceptional dining experiences.

With that, I wonder if Chef Andres in California or any great chef around the world, could get an electric range the necessary temperatures to cook a $75 steak in a restaurant? I would never underestimate the industry’s pure genius, determination and proven ability to figure things out. However unlikely this seems today, commercial foodservice’s entire history is defined by its resiliency, coming up with answers to previously impossible questions. For instance, did we ever think NYC would favorably respond to outdoor dining in the winter?

In all fairness to the industry’s visionary manufacturers, as I tour trade shows there are some truly incredible advances in electric cooking. In many of the major cities on the East Coast that Day & Nite/All Service/Popular Plumbing operates in, it has meant that high end commercial cooking is now a reality without the need and expense of ventilation. Yes, I believe this combines at least a couple of sentiments: (1) efficiency, and (2) resilience. On the one hand, the knock continued on page 104

“I honestly believe all the legislative attention is misplaced. Best way to avoid having laws shoved down the industry’s throat is for the industry to identify and solve its most pressing problems.”

EQUIPMENT TRANSITIONING WITH RATIONAL - PART 1: TRAINING

Moments:

advanced technology at Quapaw Nation casinos

Space savings and versatility are just a few reasons

Greg Bolton, food and beverage director at Downstream Casino Resort, swapped out convection ovens and a rotating rack oven for RATIONAL iCombi Pro combi ovens. The Quapaw, Okla., casino operates a variety of food and beverage concepts and each one relies on RATIONAL.

“We got to a point where we knew we would be in a position to do combi cooking,” says Bolton, who’s also a RATIONAL Certified Chef. “We looked at several different styles

and brands and RATIONAL was the one that we felt fit our profile best because of all its amenities.”

Bolton oversaw the transition to iCombi Pros at the casino. He also traded a traditional tilt skillet for a RATIONAL iVario Pro. And when it came time to build Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, Ark., he helped specify iCombi Pros for it.

Small Footprint, Big Impact

Bolton has walked into plenty of kitchens throughout his foodservice career; his mother started her first restaurant when he was nine

years old. Over time, one thing he’s noticed is that kitchens are growing smaller.

“At the end of the day, our footprint is only going to become smaller in the back of the house and larger in the front of the house, requiring more production from a smaller footprint,” Bolton says. “With a RATIONAL, you have that capability.”

Downstream Casino Resort, for example, replaced six convection ovens with four iCombi Pros in its buffet and still managed to increase production amounts, even with

fewer staff members. The equipment cooks fast, Bolton says. Plus, it can do so much more than a convection oven; the casinos use iCombi Pros to slow roast meats overnight, proof dough and even cook sous vide-style.

Making the Move

To ensure employees used the iCombi Pros to their full potential, and didn’t default to dry heat in manual mode, Bolton focused on training. He took the following steps:

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The Downstream Casino Resort replaced six convection ovens with four iCombi Pros in its buffet and still managed to increase production amounts, even with fewer staff members.

Teachable

Hands-on training leads to getting the most out of iCombi Pro’s

Got up to speed. He learned everything he could about combi ovens. “I was intrigued because I knew from the beginning the equipment was going to do two things: It was going to be more efficient and it was going to be a labor-costs savings,” he says. By learning as much as possible, he in turn could better walk staff members through the transition.

Worked side by side. “The key thing for a chef overseeing a transition from convection to combi is to be hands-on and being able to be

there,” with staff members, Bolton says. “Keep an open mind that they don’t like change and they feel uncomfortable sometimes.” Throughout training, he collaborated with employees and touted the benefits of the equipment. He continues to train, helping employees find new and better ways to do things.

Slow and Steady

Staggering the equipment installations also helped with training.

Downstream Casino Resort first added an iCombi Pro to its bakery, and then gradually put in the rest.

“We kept the installations about

six weeks apart so each kitchen would have time to acclimate,” Bolton says.

The iVario Pro marks one of the casino’s most recent installations and employees are exploring all the ways to use it. Bolton appreciates its programmability—especially helpful with industry-wide high turnover rates—and the even heat distribution. In the future, he is hoping that other items in his kitchen, such as his flattop grill, would work as efficiently.

All photos by Allison Rezendes

“I was intrigued because I knew from the beginning the equipment was going to do two things: It was going to be more efficient and it was going to be a labor-costs savings.”

— Greg Bolton, Downstream Casino Resort

By Ivy Thomas

KOUTSOUDAKIS LED FIRM, KI LEGAL, BRINGS

LEGACY OF RESTAURANT INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE TO METRO NY’S HOSPITALITY COMMUNITY

The relationship between restaurant owners and lawyers is not often described as symbiotic. Typically, we see lawyers called in to defend a client when a restaurant needs finds itself facing potential litigation.

In reality, However, working with an attorney who specializes in hospitality law can be a real asset that helps a restaurant business solidify their daily operations with the goal of growing to the next level. Today’s restaurateur is faced with a variety of legal challenges. From wage and labor compliance to the creation of real estate lease agreements and succession plans that set business owners up for success, selecting the correct attorney is vital for the future of your restaurant.

Andreas Koutsoudakis is the Co-Founder and Litigation Division Managing Partner of KI Legal. Koutsoudakis has created a law practice that specializes in working with restaurants and foodservice entities across the NYC metro area. As a young man, Koutsoudakis grew up in his father’s restaurant, spending most of his summers and college days helping the family business serve its loyal customer base.

His calling proved to be the law, and it evolved to give him the opportunity to utilize all his family business background to assist others in the restaurant community. Follow-

ing his graduation from law school in 2008, the Manhattan-based attorney started his career working with businesses to settle wage and hour lawsuits. Soon after, he realized that there

was more he could do to get ahead of these problems for his clients. “Quickly I realized I didn’t want to build a practice whose main purpose was just settling malpractice suits. I wanted to build a firm concept that could provide more for restaurant businesses by being providing preventative and proactive services.” explained Koutsoudakis.

With this goal in mind, Koutsoudakis and his fellow CoFounder,Michael Iakovou, began to create labor and employment compliance packages that were both accessible and broad enough to fit the needs of most restaurant business models; by doing so, Koutsoudakis aimed to put the power in the business owner’s hands, allowing them to become compliant and get ahead of any other potential legal complications. Through these packages, Koutsoudakis drafted policies and plans for clients to handle their labor and employment compliance, from record keeping for hours todiscrimination and harassment defense, and more. Ultimately, Koutsoudakis designed a full portfolio of afford-

able legal systems designed to cater to the needs of the unique needs of the restaurant community.

Part of KI Legal’s hospitality services has always been to debunk the many myths associated with on-going labor compliance – one such myth being that an operator can rely ontheir payroll company to provide the proper documentation to keep them from potential discrimination actions. According to Koutsoudakis, “the payroll company’s focus is primarily on sending out the printed checks to your employees. However, this can be misconstrued as legal compliance when in fact it’s merely record keeping. The contribution these companies provide solely deal with the taxes and withholding, not necessarily keeping track of the actual number of hours worked. In other words, they will factor in however many hours the payroll manager inputs, which sometimes may be inaccurate. You must also consider the independent restaurants that have employees working off the books, which then becomes a tax issue not a payroll issue. How do they stay complaint? These companies don’t necessarily account for certain

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“You need to look at your restaurant through a different lens. We help our client base see not just a 10-seat pizzeria, but a business - and your restaurant deserves to have professionals on your side that really understand the dynamics.”

— Andreas Koutsoudakis

Andreas Koutsoudakis

OUTDOOR DINING SOLUTION TAKES SHAPE IN NYC

Acompromise between the Mayor and City Council for the new permanent outdoor dining program has been reached and we are thrilled!

The NYC Hospitality Alliance always knew that the temporary emergency Open Restaurants outdoor dining program we helped secure for our industry in June of 2020 - during some of the darkest days of the pandemic - would eventually end. But we strongly believed that going back to the old expensive, lengthy, restrictive, and overly difficult sidewalk cafe law was not an option.

The rest of Manhattan will pay $31 per square foot. Previously it was charged at $40 per square foot. So, a HUGE reduction in fees!

Now after two years of discussions and negotiations with the mayor’s administration and the City Council, led by our attorney and sidewalk cafe expert Rob Bookman, a new outdoor dining program is coming.

Sidewalk Café and Roadway Streeteries Included! When compared to the old sidewalk cafe law, the new permanent program, which allows for year-round sidewalk café

dining, will include a faster, less expensive, and a less complicated licensing process for sidewalk cafes than existed previously.

The new law will also include seasonal roadway dining from April through November as part of the permanent transformation of our streets, something that before the pandemic was not even a dream. We strongly believe it is better to have eight months of roadway than no roadway dining at all, even if it’s not allowed during the winter. How this process is managed will be determined in the future by the Department of Transportation rule making process.

And outdoor dining will now be legally available to restaurants in all neighborhoods across the five boroughs, and no longer primarily concentrated south of 96th Street in Manhattan like it was before the pandemic.

Here are additional highlights of the agreed upon outdoor dining program, which still must be enacted by the Mayor and City Council before taking effect:

The outdoor dining license fee will be $1,050 for a four-year license. Previously it was a similar amount, but the fee was paid every twoyears. License renewals will also be every four- years.

The consent fees will range from $6 per square foot to $18 per square foot in areas north of 125th Street in Manhattan and the other boroughs. Previously it was $30 per square foot. 80% of the city will pay the lowest $6 per square foot rate. The rest of Manhattan will pay $31 per square foot. Previously it was charged at $40 per square foot. So, a HUGE reduction in fees!

The fees for the roadway dining will be proportionally less because it’s permitted only eight months a year. Applications will no longer require plans to be prepared by a professional architect or engineer saving additional monies. Hours of operation will be 10:00 a.m. to midnight.

First time violations will get an opportunity to cure with no fine. The required approval by the Landmarks Preservation Commission in the old

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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. Learn more at https:// www.thenycalliance.org/

NYC’s Scarpetta’s outdoor dining setup

WOOD STONE LAUNCHES ONEREV ROTATING PIZZA OVEN: THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION FOR PERFECT PIZZA AND LABOR CHALLENGES

Wood Stone Corporation is proud to announce the launch of its latest innovation, the OneRev Rotating Pizza Oven. This revolutionary device is designed to make perfect artisanal pizzas without the pizza chef constantly turning and moving the pizza in the oven. Since you don’t need a person to continuously watch the pizza in the oven, it can be a great solution to the labor challenges that pizzerias and restaurant businesses face today.

The Wood Stone OneRev Rotational Pizza Oven makes the perfect artisanal pizza in just one rotation, every time. All you need to do is build and load the pizza, remove it when it’s done, and serve it to your customers. The OneRev Oven takes care of the baking process from start to finish, making it easier for businesses to produce high-quality pizzas consistently, at volume.

“We are excited to introduce the OneRev Rotating Pizza Oven. It is a revolutionary device that will transform the way pizzas are cooked in food service establishments. With its labor-saving features, businesses can reduce

costs while maintaining consistent quality, making it the ultimate solution for any food service establishment looking to improve their pizza program.”, says Dean Tryon, Director of Innovation and Engineering at Wood Stone.

This innovative oven is ideal for businesses looking to reduce labor costs while maximizing throughput.

With the ease of operation, there is no need for a trained pizza oven operator to use the OneRev Rotating Pizza Oven, which can result in labor savings of $30K or more. Businesses can now easily hire and train new employees, without the hiring and retention headache. The OneRev Oven is versatile and capable of baking multiplesized pizzas with various toppings at the same time, thanks to the Pizza Tracker, an innovative dynamic thermal management system. With zero recovery time, there is no impact from continuously loading pizzas, enabling maximum throughput and reducing wait times. The center, underfloor, and finish flames ensure even baking of every pizza, making it the ideal choice for food service establishments that want to stand out from the competition.

“At Wood Stone, we believe that innovation is key to success, and the OneRev Rotating Pizza Oven is a testament to that,” said Chris Trout, President and CEO of Wood Stone. “With the labor challenges faced by the food service industry, we invested and developed a solution that saves on labor costs and makes it easier for businesses to hire and

retain employees. Restaurants and pizzerias are able to consistently provide great tasting pizzas to their customers.”

To celebrate the launch of OneRev Rotating Pizza Oven, Wood Stone is offering a special package deal for a limited time. The launch package includes a free powder coating of the oven in the customer’s choice of color, a custom brand panel to display the customer’s logo or artwork and a custom arch doorway for a unique look. Additionally, the package comes with a OneRev tool set to help businesses get started with their new oven right away. Don’t miss this opportunity to get a top-of-the-line pizza oven with added customization options.

The OneRev Rotating Pizza Oven was on display at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago from May 20th to May 23rd, 2023, Wood Stone booth # 4012.

About Wood Stone: Wood Stone Corporation, based in Bellingham, Washington, is a leading manufacturer of high-quality commercial cooking equipment, including stone hearth ovens, plancha griddles, rotisseries, charbroilers and more. With a commitment to innovation, sustainability and customer service, Wood Stone has been providing exception products and services to the food services industry for over 30 years. Wood Stone’s equipment is used by top chefs and operators in restaurants, hotels and other food service establishments around the world. For more information, please visit: www.woodstone-corp.com

INAN LED GALAXY DEBUTS NEW E&S DISTRIBUTION SOLUTION

Many industry pundits are predicting that we are about to enter a Golden Age for restaurant expansion. The Pandemic has created many real estate opportunities for visionary operators. With a bevy of new eating establishments making their debut, a key to their success is finding value added commercial kitchen cooking and refrigeration solutions.

Innovative entrepreneur Hakan Inan has set his sights on helping restaurateurs and the dealers and consultants that serve them find the essential equipment needed to get open on time. Last month, Inan opened the Galaxy Group. The new wholesale distribution business based in Kearny, NJ offers an extensive range of in-stock commercial kitchen and refrigeration products.

“Before we launched the Galaxy Group, I spent over 10 years in the industry as the President and cofounder of Atlantic Restaurant & Supermarket Equipment,” Inan said. “By training, I am an electrical engineer with a graduate degree in electrical

and electronics engineering, and also an MBA. I spent a long career in engineering, operations and executive management, before I decided to start my own business.”

Inan’s engineering background although non-traditional for the E&S industry, has proven to be an invaluable asset. “Our engineering expertise in mechanical systems, energy efficiency, and product design drove our equipment selection and evaluation. It has ensured compliance with industry standards for optimal performance and customer satisfaction. “

Inan and his Galaxy Group cofounders began as small local suppliers of kitchen and supermarket equipment to restaurants/grocery stores and food service establishments in the NY metropolitan area. “Over time, we expanded our offerings and grew our business to become one of the leading suppliers of restaurant and supermarket equipment in the region, the veteran industry executive noted. We invested heavily in technology and innovation, constantly seeking new ways to improve the efficiency and functionality of our products.”

Inan’s experience in operating the Atlantic dealership, whose history dates back to 1993, has given his team a deep understanding of the restaurant and supermarket industries as they enter the distribution business. “We work closely with our clients to provide products and services that meet their specific requirements,” he

said. “We are committed to our core values of integrity, quality, and exceptional customer service. We take pride in our ability to build long-lasting relationships with our clients and support their growth and success with an ear for the evolving demands of our customers.”

Building a successful E&S supply business is contingent on the ability to shop the world to find the highest quality equipment. “For the last 10 years we have started working with Turkish manufacturers,” Inan explained. “Today, Turkey has the number two manufacturing capacity in Europe, rivaled only by Italy. You can find the same European-quality in the products, but they are much less known in the U.S. We saw a huge potential in bringing these high-quality products that we tailor specifically to meet the needs of the US market to our customers.”

To build Galaxy’s inventory, Inan forged strategic partnerships with leading Turkish manufacturers to launch six new brands: Luna Refrigeration, Pegasus Cooking Equipment, Polaris Preparation Equipment, Nova Commercial Dishwashers, Venus Display Cases and Vista Walk-in Coolers. All products offered by Galaxy have undergone rigorous testing and adhere to the highest US standards and certifications. “This commitment to quality and safety ensures that customers can trust the reliability and durability of the products they pur-

chase, Inan added.”

Each of the products in the Galaxy lines have been picked specifically to meet the demands Inan and his team are seeing in the market. “Our Pegasus Cooking Equipment provides a wide range of gas and electric pizza ovens, from countertop to deck type pizza ovens. Introducing electric cooking equipment that includes electric induction cooktops, ranges, hotplates, griddles, fryers and pizza ovens all readily available in stock at competitive prices.

Galaxy’s line of Polaris Preparation Equipment offers planetary and spiral mixers, meat grinders, cutter mixers, food processors, dough sheeters. “Superior quality with very competitive pricing,” Inan said. “Our Luna Refrigeration is manufactured by Ugur, a major supplier for some of the biggest brands in the world including Coca Cola, Pepsi, Unilever and Nestle, with an incredible production capacity of 4500 units a day.”

The Vista line features Walk In coolers and freezers at any custom size, from a small walk-in cooler for a small deli to a large refrigerated warehouse, ready to ship within a few days. Galaxy’s Venus Display Cases feature remote display cases for supermarkets such as multi-deck merchandiser, glass door freezers. The Nova Commercial Dishwashers being stocked in New Jersey offers high temp undercounter and hood type dishwashers.

Galaxy also understands the peace of mind that the right warranty offers the foodservice community. “Our warranties and service network are key strengths that sets us apart. We have a widespread presence throughout the USA, we provide comprehensive sup-

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“We saw a huge potential in bringing European-quality products that we tailor specifically to meetthe needs of the US market to our customers.” — Hakan Inan

Hakan Inan

RECHARGING MORE THAN VEHICLES: C-STORE FOODSERVICE FOR EV CUSTOMERS

There is no denying that over the last few years more and more people are switching from gas to electric vehicles. In fact, according to the International Energy Agency, “Sales of electric cars (including fully electric and plug-in hybrids) doubled in 2021 to a new record of 6.6 million, with more now sold each week than in the whole of 2012…”. As car manufacturers focus their futures on electric vehicles, convenience stores with charging stations are being given a unique opportunity to capitalize on the time it takes to recharge hybrid or fully electric automobiles.

Depending on the car or truck, and how much they are looking to charge up, customers could be at a charging station for 15 minutes or even an hour. Who knows, maybe even longer! Either way, this is a chance for c-store owners and operators to increase foodservice sales and specifically market towards EV drivers.

For instance, create promotions or campaigns that benefit electric vehicle owners. Maybe patrons that are recharging also receive a discount on a popular menu option. 50% OFF LOADED TATER TOTS WITH YOUR FIRST EV CHARGE! Or how about a loyalty program where drivers receive a free menu item? FREE BREAKFAST SANDWICH FOR EVERY TEN EV CHARGES! The possibilities are practically endless.

Convenience store owners and op-

erators will want to make sure they have a reliable foodservice program that can support these promotions and campaigns. This means using kitchen equipment that is not only efficient, but reliable as well. Automatic deep-fryers like the AutoFry and highspeed ovens like the MultiChef are the perfect fit for stores with charging stations. They are so easy to use any employee can operate them, eliminating the need for a professional cook. Both pieces of kitchen equipment use advanced cooking technologies that allow them to deliver great tasting final results, each and every time! Serve up delicious offerings like nachos, pizzas, chicken wings, French fries, beignets, tater tots, breakfast sandwiches and more with the push of just a couple buttons. Foodservice has never been easier!

It has also never been safer. Did you know that AutoFry and MultiChef are extremely user friendly and also keep staff extremely safe? Both are completely ventless and fully enclosed trapping and filtering toxins that can develop during cooking, requiring no additional ventilation from an above hood system. They even stay cool to the touch, reducing the risk of burns and giving owners piece of mind knowing that their employees and property are safe from potential dangers.

With just two pieces of equipment any convenience store can easily implement a successful breakfast, lunch,

or dinner menu. There are foodservice profits to be made when it comes to EV customers, let AutoFry and MultiChef help your business get started!

To learn more about how ventless kitchen equipment can benefit your business, visit mtiproducts.com today!

CHEF ABDOOL BRINGS HIGH QUALITY FARE TO FLORIDA HOTEL EATERY

In a market as competitive as South Florida, it takes the vision of a gifted chef to stay ahead of the competition. Diplomat Prime, located in Hollywood, Florida, is a luxury boutique steakhouse and lounge helmed by Executive Chef Rashaad Abdool which truly sets the standard for seafood and steakhouse fine-dining.

The restaurant boasts a reimagined menu of prime dry-aged beef, seasonally driven seafood dishes, and select delicate fare. The beverage program includes a variety of renowned old world and new world wines available by the glass and bottle, as well as an extensive list of classic cocktails designed to complement the steakhouse fare. Inspired by the hotel’s iconic period through the 1950s, the design of the 108-seat restaurant incorporates elements of sophistication and playful femininity to a steakhouse space that historically had masculine overtones.

As with so many top toques, inspiration to become a chef started at home.

“It was definitely my grandmother,” Abdool said. “Ever since I was a kid, I always remembered my grandmother in her garden. She used to grow so

many fruits and vegetables and herbs. When she would be in the kitchen cooking, she would always be sure to include my cousin and me. Whether it be washing the produce or measuring ingredients, I always had a role in the kitchen at a young age.”

Chef Abdool brought an extensive portfolio of success to his post as the Executive Chef at Diplomat Prime Steakhouse, “I have been a steakhouse chef for the last 12 years,” he said. “Before my role here at the Diplomat, I was the Executive Sous Chef at Steak 954, a boutique steakhouse by restauranteur Stephen Starr.”

Chef Abdool and his team with their on-going commitment to serve the very best steaks have added Japanese A-5 Wine-Fed Wagyu to their menu. One of the rarest select cuts in the world, this selection comes from a supremely minimal selection of cows within Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture wine region, which are fed fermented ingredients from the wine production process along with barley and grains. This introduces polyphenol levels within the cows, creating not only one of the lowest-stress meats with unbeatably

ideal marbling and consistency + flavor, though it has also been described as the most tender cut of choice beef available. Diplomat Prime is one of the only steakhouses in South Florida to carry this choice cut.

Finding a dependable purveyor to source their menu has been a crucial part of Diplomat Prime’s success. “I have had the pleasure of working with The Chefs’ Warehouse for well over 10 years now, Chef Abdool explained. They have an extensive selection of products from spices to meats. One of the best things about working with them is the customer service. I’ve been lucky enough to have the same sales rep for several years, who does a fantastic job. Two of our signature dishes come from Chef’s Warehouse’s

Allen Brothers brand. The first is a 22oz 45-day dry-aged Prime bone-in ribeye, which is one of our best-selling steaks. The other is a whole roasted cauliflower. This one is oiled and rubbed with zaatar and then roasted until tender and golden brown. It’s then finished with crispy pepitas and a smoked paprika aioli, of which all of the ingredients come from The Chefs’ Warehouse.”

Abdool sees his passion as a key to continuing to deliver quality fare to the Diplomat Steaks’ guests. “My objective as a culinary enthusiast is to always keep furthering my career and knowledge of food and the latest food trends to maximize our guests’ experience,” Abdool concluded.

Chef Rashaad Abdool

“This one is oiled and rubbed with zaatar and then roasted until tender and golden brown. It’s then finished with crispy pepitas and a smoked paprika aioli, of which all of the ingredients come from The Chefs’ Warehouse.”

— Chef Rashaad Abdool

UNMEAT OFFERS PORTFOLIO OF COST EFFECTIVE AND TASTY PLANT BASED SOLUTIONS

The growing demand for plant-based menu items is opening up new possibilities for restaurants and food service operators. What emerged as a trend in the last 5 years is now here to stay.

Regardless of dietary restrictions, more and more people are choosing plant-based proteins for their health benefits. “The category for burger substitutes has been around for 45 years. If you look at other cuisines, plant-forward meals have always been part of the everyday diet.” said Patrick Baskin. “We are finding in the last 10 to 15 years that the market has grown to a point where we have to consider plant-based protein as a stand-alone product, not just a substitute for a traditional burger.”

Baskin is the US market lead for unMeat, a new product line from Century Pacific Foods. unMeat, unlike many other vegetarian brands, offers the restaurant and foodservice operator a vast array of tasty menu options. “Very early in the process, we understood that chef’s need to know that the flavor and taste is going to pop”, Baskin continued.

To accomplish that goal, they have expanded their portfolio to include new and exciting offerings. The line now features a Hungarian style sausage link. These links are perfect for a barbecue, as a breakfast side or an added protein to a fresh salad. Another addition to the line is the fish-free tuna available in water, sun-

flower oil and hot & spicy flavor. The luncheon style meats are reminiscent of spam and has the same versatility as its meat-based counterpart. unMeat also has meat-free Tapa and Tocino ‘steak’ strips, Sunshine Skinless Longganisa breakfast sausages, and the Sunshine corned beef. They even have a line of oven-ready pizzas with flavors like margherita, unMeat lovers, and sausage & peppers. All made with vegan cheese and faux proteins! unMeat’s meatless burger patty and beef-free crumbles to make things like veggie burgers and tacos have become a staple in US kitchens.

unMeat also understands that there needs to be a commitment to transparency in terms of the ingredients being used to create the product line. With that in mind, every item in the line is from non-GMO soy and wheat and each product is sold in sustainable packaging. Because unMeat is high in fiber and low in sodium these products are healthier for you than traditional meats. They are also free of trans-fats, cholesterol, eggs and preservatives. unMeat has mastered the

art of providing guilt-free foods while retaining its nutritional value.

Baskin’s innovative approach has enabled the brand to build market share in both foodservice and in supermarkets across the nation. The products are packaged either frozen or shelf-stable and are available for commercial and retail purchase. “We are providing a range of different products so that you aren’t limited to just burgers or grounds. It’s important to provide commodities that people have never seen before or maybe even thought about,” said Baskin. With this product range managers and chefs have more options to create dishes that feature these proteins and breathe new life into established meals. This could offer a freedom from the conventional ways of thinking around vegan and vegetarian meals and a departure from the overutilized veggie burger.

unMeat also understands the importance of being part of the menu creation process for its restaurant and foodservice customer. unMeat’s web site provides recipes that put a modern twist on family favorites and original dishes. The recipes can be seen as a starting point or a source of inspiration when developing new recipes of your own. “We have a team of in-house chefs

based in the Philippines who develop unique and exciting recipes to spark creativity. It’s expanding the possibilities of what you can cook and challenging you to think of protein in new ways,” said Baskin. Products like these make adding a health-forward option seamless and doesn’t sacrifice quality or cost.

The unMeat line brings the advantage of flavor and diverse alternative meats while offering a healthier and safer option. “With traditional meats there is always the risk of foodborne illness due in part to food handling issues. However, plant-based meats carry a much lower risk of things like that,” said Baskin.

Often the fear of putting a new item like this on the menu is cost especially with the rise of inflationary pricing and supply chain issues. “We have been able to keep our costs close to traditional meat by utilizing tried and true plant protein sources like soy or peas,” said Baskin. Due to soy and wheat being the main ingredients in all the products they can keep their costs closer to meat while still providing good quality. “What makes us different is that with our manufacturing expertise we can control the entire process,” said Baskin.

unMeat has become a restaurant and foodservice favorite a recipe for success based on flavor, flexibility (from tuna to burgers) and competitive pricing.

More information and samples are available at meetunmeat.com

“Very early in the process, we understood that chefs need to know that the flavor and taste is going to pop,” — Patrick Baskin

INSIDER NEWS FROM THE FOODSERVICE + HOSPITALITY SCENE SCOOP

Do you have the SCOOP on any foodservice and hospitality news? Send items to SCOOP Editor Joyce Appelman at tfs@totalfood.com

SFA ANNOUNCES 2023 SOFI AWARD WINNERS

SCOOP heard that Specialty Food Association has revealed the winners of its 2023 sofi Awards. Short for specialty outstanding food innovation, the sofi Awards are a celebration of creativity and culinary excellence.

Available only to product-qualified members of the SFA, the sofi Award entries were judged at the Food Innovation Center at Rutgers University, SFA’s partner for the awards. FIC experts evaluated products in anonymous tastings across 53 categories using criteria that included flavor, appearance, texture, aroma, ingredient quality, and innovation. There are 97 Gold and New Product sofi Award winners in total. A list of these products can be found here.

“The breadth of creativity and quality showcased by this year’s winners represents what the sofi Awards have been recognizing for over 50 years–the best of the best in specialty food,” said Denise Purcell, vice president, resource development for the SFA. “The innovation and care SFA’s members put into their products are the foundation of our industry and are what makes specialty foods special.”

UPCYCLED FOOD ASSOCIATION APPOINTS CRONE AS PERMANENT CEO

SCOOP heard that The Upcycled Food Association announced that Angie Crone has assumed the role of permanent CEO. Crone has been with UFA and recently served as interim CEO. Under her guidance, the organization’s membership grew 38 percent and its flagship program, Upcycled Certified, doubled to include 374 certified

products and ingredients.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead UFA into the next phase of growth,” said Crone in a statement. “I am grateful for the trust that the board and our team have placed in me, and I look forward to continuing to work with our talented team, UFA members, and our trusted partners to advance our mission and make a significant impact on the interconnected crises of food waste and climate change.”

Crone brings over a decade of experience in sustainable food systems, working with the CPG industry to implement global programs related to sustainable agriculture, ethical sourcing, and food security.

SODEXOMAGIC APPOINTS CHARLES JOHNSON AS PRESIDENT

SCOOP heard that SodexoMagic, the joint venture between Sodexo and Magic Johnson Enterprises (MJE) announced the appointment of Charles Johnson as its new President. Johnson, who played an instrumental role in creating SodexoMagic by proposing and brokering the deal between MJE and Sodexo, brings a wealth of experience in business strategy and development to the position.

“This is a full circle moment and we are excited to welcome Charles back to SodexoMagic,” said Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Chairman and CEO of MJE and Owner of SodexoMagic. “His experience, expertise in our business, and strong relationships will be critical in driving SodexoMagic’s growth and building on our reputation as the premier Minority Business Enterprise in our industry.”

During his previous tenure as vice president of business development at SodexoMagic for seven years, Johnson helped make the company the fastest-growing minority-owned food and facilities service company in the U.S. He returns to SodexoMagic after starting Ideal Concepts Group, a consulting firm which focuses on strategy, government relations, and supplier diversity. John -

son also served as Vice President-Partner of FH Paschen, a Chicago-based general contractor and construction management firm with annual revenue of $800 million, and is a co-founder of Art in Motion School in Chicago, which educates over 600 students.

GARLAND APPOINTS VP SALES

Garland, a leading Welbilt brand of commercial cooking equipment announced the appointment of Bob Dellert as Vice President of Sales. In his role, Dellert will lead all commercial activities across the Garland brand for both the general market and chain accounts.

He will develop and implement sales strategies to grow the business and build and strengthen relationships with key business partners including reps, dealers, buying groups, and consultants to deliver industry-leading solutions for customers. Dellert has been in the industry for over 15 years at various foodservice equipment companies starting at Lincoln Foodservice. He rejoins the Welbilt brand portfolio after most recently serving as Vice President of National Accounts at Alto-Shaam.

Commenting on the appointment, Graham Sams, President of Garland and Lincoln, said: “Bob Dellert is an accomplished and results-focused senior sales executive with extensive industry knowledge and exceptional leadership skills. He delivers impactful business solutions that provide direct and measurable ROI, consistently exceeding expectations.”

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Bob Dellert

BCA

GLOBAL ANNOUNCED NEW ADVISORY COUNCIL

SCOOP heard that BCA Global announced the Advisory Council Members including Bren Smith, C.B. Murray, Karla Coffee-Dunning, David Castro, Marc Mathelier, Kim Bookard, Nathaniel Baker, Rami Alame, Valerie Spain, and Vineeta Jagana.

JOHNSON & WALES UNIVERSITY AWARDS DAVID BURKE HONORARY DOCTORATE

SCOOP presents today’s trivia question: Who is the only chef to have a U.S. Patent and a honorary doctorate? As of last month, it is David Burke.The globally acclaimed chef known for his creative approach to modern American cuisine, has received an honorary doctorate in business administration, from Johnson & Wales University (JWU) for his outstanding achievements in the culinary world during a career that began in 1983 and is going stronger than ever with the debut of four new restaurants to date this year. The presentation was made at JWU’s Charlotte campus’s annual commencement ceremony. Burke is the first chef in a decade to be recognized with the honorary degree that is awarded every year at the JWU Charlotte ceremony. “I have been privileged to re -

ceive a number of accolades over the years, but this honorary doctorate from Johnson & Wales is particularly special to me because education is so important, especially in the culinary arts, which the university is rightfully so well known for,” said Burke. Testimony to his interest in education is his 2021 institution of the Chef David Burke Scholarships at Brookdale Community College’s Culinary Education Center in Ashbury Park, NJ. The scholarships, funded by Burke’s annual $10,000 donation, pays the tuition for two students every school year – one culinary arts and one hospitality management major. The scholarship recipients are also awarded invaluable hands-on experience with paid six-month internships at one of Burke’s eight NJ restaurants. Upon graduation, they have the option to explore long-term employment with Burke and his team at his 20 restaurants located in New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Rhode Island. Bottom line, in 30 years, TFS has never seen him say no to giving back.

CHIP CITY TO OPEN SIX NEW LOCATIONS IN NEW YORK ON ITS PATH TO CROSS 40 OPEN STORES BY THE END OF 2023

SCOOP heard that Chip City Cookies, the gourmet cookie brand from Peter Phillips and Theodore Gailas, that rotates its flavorful and sizable cookies every week, currently has leases signed to open six new locations in New York City and Long Island. The new locations are the latest additions to the brand’s growing footprint as it plans to cross 40 open units by the end of 2023 and strengthen its position in the competitive cookie segment.

In 2022, Chip City received a $10 million investment from Enlightened Hospitality Investments (EHI), the growth equity fund associated with Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG). The investment will be used to support the brand’s multi-state expansion and growth of its direct-to-consumer business, bolstered by its ship-anywhere partnership with Uber Eats.

CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF DOMESTIC RE-FRANCHISING PROGRAM

SCOOP heard that California Pizza Kitchen (CPK), announced the launch of its domestic refranchising program. The brand is now looking to partner with experienced multi-unit restaurant operators interested in purchasing existing CPK locations within select markets in the U.S.

Refranchising is an excellent opportunity for those looking to expand their franchise portfolio in an expedited way by allowing partners to fast forward through the traditional new-build process, while taking advantage of the many perks of an existing location, including its already-established customer base. To learn more about franchise development opportunities and available markets with California Pizza Kitchen, visit www. cpk.com/franchise.

AMERICAN FARMERS NETWORK LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE PROVIDING TURNKEY SOLUTIONS FOR RETAIL, FOOD SERVICE AND CPG BRANDS

SCOOP heard that American Farmers Network (AFN), the nation’s largest domestic grass-fed beef company, which supports over 2,000 independent small family ranchers across the United States, has launched a new website. With a fresh and user-friendly design, the new website aims to serve as a digital hub for AFN’s online audience, its ranchers, and its customers alike.

The new website features a range of resources, including an extensive overview of AFN’s products and process, and the company’s commitment to sustainable, regenerative agricultural practices. It also has customer portal and a blog which covers everything from the company’s stance on why it’s important for more transparency around food labels and claims, to profiles on the ranchers who raise their cattle.

CULTIVATED MEAT NEARS U.S. APPROVAL

SCOOP heard that Lab-grown meat, also known as cultivated or cultured meat, is gradually receiving domestic support. Advocates indicate the industry is on the cusp of a milestone.

Over the last few months, the FDA has cleared two American producers of cultivated meats to

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Chef (and Honorary Doctor) David Burke

bring their products to market. The two companies only seek USDA approval before they can start being sold in the U.S. The Department is currently deciding how to label the meat product and inspect facilities that approve it, with guidelines expected to be released this year.

SCOTTS PIZZA TOURS CELEBRATES 15TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY

SCOOP learned that since April 27, 2008, Scotts Pizza Tours have hosted over 100,000 people and spent well over $1.5 million on pizza at independent shops in Manhattan and Brooklyn. They have launched a nonprofit that feeds people in need through a network of pizzerias. Owner Scott Weiner remarked “Thank you for joining us on this journey! This is totally bonkers but I ran my very first pizza tour exactly 15 years ago today. I had no idea what I was doing, all I knew was that I loved pizza and I loved talking about it with fellow pizza enthusiasts. My goal was to create a format for supporting that concept. I remember six months in people would ask how long I’d been

giving pizza tours and they were shocked it was such a young company at the time. Then they’d ask if I still saw myself doing it 10 years later. Here we are, 15 years later with an incredible team of guides and a community of pizza lovers who help us celebrate this food that merges history, science, culture, politics, and economics in a way that’s totally delicious.”

NEW PLANT-BASED MICROWAVABLE FOOD CONTAINERS ADDRESS SINGLE-USE PLASTIC CRISIS

SCOOP heard about the launch of good natured®’s GoodToGo™ Microwavable collection, one of the first-of-its-kind to change environmental standards for restaurants, cafés, supermarkets, and to-go food producers. The collection combines 7 years of biotech innovation with a design made specifically to address clarity, heat, sustainability, and human health, proving that it’s possible to replace single-use plastic with an eco-alternative.

Poised to help combat over 9 million tons of disposable foodware and packaging used by the restaurant industry each year, the new collection consists of 16 oz and 24 oz sized containers in Stone, Mist, and Dusk colors, available for purchase online in the US & Canada here and on

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Amazon.

Coming off the heels of the White House’s National Biostrategy announcement, which established a bold new goal to replace 90% of today’s petrochemical plastics with those that are biobased, GoodToGo™ was created for businesses and consumers looking for to-go packaging that addresses both environmental and health concerns. The product is free of chemicals of concern like BPAs and phthalates, leak-resistant, and super stackable making them ideal for transport. They’re also made from renewable materials that can be commercially composted at the end of their useful life, along with any residual food materials left inside, which is a common challenge for other types of food packaging that claim to be recyclable.

MOHARI HOSPITALITY FINALIZES ACQUISITION OF TAO GROUP HOSPITALITY

SCOOP heard that Mohari Hospitality, an investment firm focused on the luxury lifestyle and hospitality sectors, announced the completion

of its acquisition of the $550 million valued Tao Group Hospitality, a global leader and innovator in restaurants, nightlife, and entertainment from Sphere Entertainment Co. and other limited partners.

Tao Group joins Mohari’s extensive portfolio of luxury and lifestyle properties and operating companies, including the Peninsula Papagayo in Costa Rica, anchored by a Four Seasons luxury resort; Centro Canalejas Madrid, featuring the Four Seasons Madrid; and The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. All of which aligns with Tao Group’s global collection of 80 branded locations in over 20 markets, including TAO, the Michelin Star-awarded Hakkasan, OMNIA, Marquee, LAVO, Beauty & Essex and more. Monarch Alternative Capital LP served as the lead lender for the debt financing associated with the transaction. For Mohari Hospitality, Moelis & Company LLC served as financial advisor and placement agent, Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal advisors and Deloitte served as accounting and tax advisors. For Tao Group Hospitality, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC served as financial advisor, Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP served as legal advisor and Ernst & Young LLP served as accounting advisor.

OLYMPIA HOTEL MANAGEMENT NAMED KARL MCELLIGOTT DI -

RECTOR OF FOOD & BEVERAGE

SCOOP heard that McElligott was previously the Director of Food & Beverage at Fathom Companies in Portland, overseeing all F&B operations at The Press Hotel and Canopy Portland Waterfront. Before that, he was the Director of Food & Beverage at Stowe Mountain Lodge and the Director of Restaurants at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa.

An Irish-born American national, McElligott’s education includes degrees in Hotel Management and Business Studies from the Dublin Institute of Technology and the Dublin College of Catering, respectively. He is a certified member of the Court of Master Sommeliers.

Olympia Hotel Management has over 30 hotels and restaurants under management, including award-winning properties like Inn by the Sea, The Alfond Inn at Rollins, SOPHY Hyde Park, and The Glen House; city hotels like The Revolution Ho -

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tel in Boston and the new Benson Hotel & Faculty Club in Aurora, CO; campus hotels like The Inn at Swarthmore, Inn on Boltwood at Amherst College, and the Historic Boone Tavern Restaurant, owned by Berea College; and select-service brands, including properties by Wyndham, Hyatt, Hilton Garden Inn, and Hampton Inn.

MEET NEXTUP™ SMART PICKUP LOCKERS: THE NEXT BIG THING IN ECOMMERCE TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION

SCOOP learned that Apex Order Pickup Solutions introduces its new NextUp™ Series of indoor/outdoor smart lockers designed to provide efficient, frictionless ecommerce and digital order fulfillment.

NextUp Smart Pickup Lockers ensure secure order pickup with minimal employee labor while providing customers with quick, convenient, and secure access inside or outside of the store 24 hours a day. This solves many of the inefficiencies encountered by businesses that rely on digital ordering for on-site pickup. Businesses can now manage this influx of digital orders more efficiently than with traditional pickup processes, minimizing labor to fulfill orders.

This new series uses proprietary ApexIQ™ software, which offers easy integrations with popular enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, pointof-sale (POS) software, mobile apps and more. This creates a seamless, more efficient experience for employees and customers. ApexIQ software also offers features specifically designed to enhance efficiency, such as a visual loading guide for employees, directional pickup guides for customers, and an easy-touse portal that lets authorized users manage locker features and view data from one location or across their enterprise.

NextUp lockers help reduce errors for both employee order loading and customer pickup. They virtually eliminate mistaken pickups and stolen orders, ensuring that the right order goes to the right customer, at the right time. They also offer a helpful feature that automatically pops open the door if a customer leaves part of an order in the compartment. The lockers are IP54 rated, so they can be placed outside or in a store vestibule to give customers flexible, 24/7 access to their orders, without the need for an employee to be there.

This “anytime” availability is a significant advantage for busy customers--they can order online, via mobile app, phone, or text, and pick up when it’s convenient. By shifting these customers to 24/7, self-serve pickup, businesses can reduce lines at

their service desk and provide a better experience for customers in their store. In addition to this customer-centric technology, the business advantage is an increase in order efficiency, labor savings, and profit margins.

“NextUp Lockers offer a smarter way to manage order fulfillment, but the benefits extend so much further,” said Mike Wills, CEO at Apex. “They also help businesses complete the digital chain of custody for digital and ecommerce orders, from the moment that order is placed until the customer or delivery driver picks it up.”To learn more about the NextUp Series, visit http://apexorderpickup.com/solutions

NEW YORK METRO:

Michelin Star Chef Jiho Kim opened JM Bakery in Olly Olly Market in New York City, a combination of classic French Pastry with whispers of Asian influence and American nostalgia. The menu selections include baked goods, their unique Cookie Bread (a play on traditional Korean Soboro bun), grab and go desserts in the cold case, savory sandwiches some of which are made on a soft house made milk bread (a nod to the beloved convenient store food culture in Japan), and playful beverages that include bubble tea inspired by the American soda shop.

DALLAS, TX:

Miami-based Groot Hospitality has opened a Dallas restaurant in The Epic Development, Komodo, their first location outside of South Florida. The

Southeast Asian-inspired restaurant offers guests access to some of the most exclusive culinary dishes from the Miami location, the highest grossing restaurant in the U.S., as well as Texas-exclusive menu items such as Szechuan Texas Quail and Texas Wagyu Skirt Steak, Filet, and Bone-In Ribeye. Renowned chefs, Tony Mai, the Corporate Sushi Chef and sushi specialist from New York City, and Executive Chef Christian Budamante deliver delicious takes on Southeast Asian dishes, all of which have been developed and interpreted with a global approach.

ORLANDO, FL:

Eli Kaimeh, the former chef de cuisine of Thomas Keller’s landmark Per Se restaurant has joined the Orlando-based Tavistock Restaurant Collection, which operates 15 concepts in Central and South Florida as well as in Atlanta, Boston, and, Las Vegas. Kaimeh is the group’s new culinary director, working alongside vice president of food & beverage Michael Ferraro, formerly the beverage specialist from Aspen’s The Little Nell and Chefs Club.

CHICAGO, IL:

Torali, The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago’s 12th-floor modern Italian steakhouse, has appointed Executive Chef Guenther Moreno to lead the restaurant’s culinary program. Moreno attended the Florida Culinary Institute (now Lincoln Culinary Institute) before starting his career working alongside the chefs at the fivestar Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach. Moreno moved to the Windy City to work for The Peninsula Chicago before joining The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago team.

AUSTIN, TX:

Austin Barbecue Truck LeRoy & Lewis will be opening a restaurant in the Garrison Park neighborhood later this year. Joining Co-owner and pitmaster Evan LeRoy in this new venture are partners director of operations Sawyer Lewis and Nathan Lewis, along with co-owner Lindsey LeRoy. The space will be designed by design and architecture firm OPA Design Studio, brand design studio Helms Workshop, and interior design company McCray & Co.

WELLINGTON, FL:

Maxwell’s Plum, one of Manhattan’s most famous restaurants and singles bars, open from 1966 to 1988, has returned in Wellington, FL, by Jennifer Oz LeRoy, the daughter of owner Warner LeRoy, also behind Manhattan restaurants Tavern on the Green and the Russian Tea Room

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Apex’s NextUp series of smart lockers

is commercial foodservice is slow to change. Yet on the more practical hand, commercial foodservice is often far nimbler than it’s given credit for.

To me, the raging debate over gas vs electric is an opening act of far greater consequential changes the industry must demand from its downstream suppliers. Even if these are uniquely polarized political times, government tends to not get involved with commercial matters when an industry innovates. Restauranteurs ultimately always figure things out, but everyone would be far better off if throughout the industry’s demand chain key suppliers and influencers proactively stepped up with meaningful solutions.

With all of this said, it’s important to read the politics of what is going on. At present, we do not see any stateby-state patterns on this or other high-impact industry issues. To on extent or another, every state in our self-performing Atlantic seaboard operation has one bill or another floating at/around the committee level. But I honestly believe all the legislative attention is misplaced. Best way to avoid having laws shoved down the industry’s throat is for the industry to identify and solve its most pressing problems.

Let’s get away from the politics and look at how successful restaurant operators make it happen regardless of obstacles. NRA’s longstanding statistics that 80% of all restaurants fail within 5 years of operation, 60% within the first year is a huge issue. No other business segment on the planet lives with that kind of carnage. Deep examination of the prevailing model, introduction of new methods and means to assure greater industry vibrancy, prosperity, profitability is very much in order.

So, when I hear prosperity and profitability, I think economics. Both gas and electric are pretty much always the same: well-maintained equipment always produces more favorable yields both in quality output as well as reduction in overall energy and labor expenses. Going back as far as the earliest covid stages we publicly advocated commercial foodservice

adopt more agile budgeting models, one early example here: Planning and Purposeful Pivoting For Foodservice & Hospitality - Total Food Service How much of the anti-gas legislation prompted by poorly maintained equipment? When equipment maintenance is managed as a distinct line item, treated as a cost to marginalize, the boomerang hits much harder in the most sensitive of all areas.

However, there is the reality of my very own electric bill. Even with signs inflation is leveling off, we’re still nowhere near The Fed’s targeted 2% goal. It’s really hard to imagine how anywhere close to 2% inflation can be realized, with recent events suggesting more interest rate hikes will create a host of newer, different and larger problems. Yes, cost of energy is and will likely be an inflation leader for a long time coming. This ties back to our advocating for integrated expense management where, at minimum, effective equipment maintenance is a prerequisite.

But the age of equipment is likely an even bigger issue. Commercial foodservice is one of the few industries on the planet still running equipment to fail. Older equipment poses greater risk and cost. Consider this one of the most critical prevailing industry model aspects in need of deep examination, new solutions.

I opened this column emphasizing one word—efficiency—and will close with an equally important word that should be uppermost on every operator’s mind: sustainability. From the energy sources used to prepare exquisite delicacies to the useful equipment performance lifecycle to our planet and literally everything else under the sun, an operator prioritizing efficiency and sustainability will always flourish.

Lots to think about and we are here to help. The Day & Nite family of companies is more than prepared to help operators think these important matters through, recognizing our accountability we have a myriad of customizable proprietary solutions poised to deliver. Best way to get started is an email to jbf@wearetheone.com.

IBIZA:

The MAINE’s newest international location opens this summer in Ibiza. The new restaurant takes over a carefully restored 18th century finca by the small church of Sant Francesc de S’Estany. MAINE Ibiza will feature 200-cover alfresco dining split across two levels, offering a locally inspired menu, magnificent mixology, and a thoughtfully crafted entertainment program. Designed by The MAINE’s Founder, Joey Ghazal, the 18th century ‘white washed’ parish has been restored to feature vintage Spanish Colonial pieces sourced from mainland Spain, amongst a beautifully curated garden.

SAVANNAH, GA:

Thompson Savannah announced new team members including Hyatt Hotels & Resorts veteran Keith

Butz as General Manager, hospitality expert Olivia Williams as Director of Culture and Programming, and Georgia native, Victoria Shore, as Executive Chef. Additionally, the hotel’s Lead Concierge, Amanda Marks, has earned the prestigious and highly coveted Les Clefs d’Or keys and is the only concierge in Savannah with this high honor. With more than 26 years of Savannah-based hospitality experience, Thompson Savannah marks the 13th Hyatt Hotel General Manager Keith Butz has worked with, and the sixth where he has served as GM, coming full circle from his first position with the hotel group as an intern nearly 30 years ago. Prior to Thompson Savannah, Keith held General Manager positions at Hyatt Fisherman’s Wharf, Hyatt Regency Calgary, Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, Grand Hyatt Kaua`i, and The Confidante.

choose not to locate within the City. This would be an unfortunate loss for the residents of Palo Alto, as well as a compensable loss for which SPG would be forced to seek redress,” Shimko said.

Born in Spain, where he learned the craft of cooking first from his parents and then in the kitchen of Ferran Adrià’s groundbreaking avant-garde restaurant elBulli – José Andrés immigrated to the United

PLANT BASED

from page 52

example, it’s always encouraging to watch the residents graze and fill their bowls with veggies, greens and grains before finishing with a simple protein.

Could you explain how you and Barbara work together to develop the menu at NaCl?

Barbara has known most of our residents for many years and I’m fortunate to have someone with her finger on the pulse of the community here. From the beginning her guiding principle has been for us to find a balance between “Wellness” offerings and comfort food. What that means has continued to evolve and our process incorporates all the feedback Barb gets as well, as comments and suggestions we receive

from page 78 KI LEGAL

realities of the business that a lawyer will understand.”KI Legal offers a full range of multi-disciplinary services under the over-arching umbrellas of general counsel, litigation, and transactions. Koutsoudakis believes that all restaurant owners must “look at your restaurant through a different lens. We help our client base see not just a 10-seat pizzeria, but a business - and your restaurant deserves to have professionals on your side that really understand the dynamics.”

Koutsoudakis and his KI Legal team also understand the nuances of a post-pandemic real estate market,

States in 1991, first to New York City and later to Washington, D.C., where he and his partners established a group of restaurants that has earned countless fans and won numerous awards over the years.

Andres holds close both his identity as a Spanish immigrant and an American citizen, placing upon himself the responsibility of both culinary ambassador and immigrant representing the two nations. He

is a visionary and a humanitarian, establishing World Central Kitchen in 2010 as a means for feeding the many – using culinary training programs to empower communities and strengthen economies as well as food disaster relief in the wake of emergencies around the globe.

He has been widely recognized for both his culinary and his humanitarian work, including by the James Beard Foundation – which named

him Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in 2003, as well as Humanitarian of the Year in 2018; TIME Magazine, which included him on the list of 100 Most Influential People in 2012 and 2018; and President Obama, who awarded José the National Humanities Medal in 2015. José holds two Michelin stars for his avant-garde tasting counter minibar by José Andrés in Washington, D.C., as well as four Bib Gourmands.

from Resident Polls each week. And of course, we also have all the great programs that Restaurant Associates and Compass provide to us.

Where do you find inspiration and ingredients for creating inventive plant-forward breakfast and lunch menus at NaCl?

I think the main source of inspiration is always our purveyors and the seasonal ingredients we have access to. A very close second is the conversations the team here has every day with our guests. I think it’s important to point out here that “Plant Forward” does not always mean vegan or vegetarian. We try to take everyone’s ideas and suggestions and see how we can add some whole grain options, feature an ex -

tra vegetable or two to the plate and choose the protein to be impactful and compatible with the grains and vegetables it’s served with.

Can you name and describe one of your most inventive plant-forward creations that’s popular with Cure residents dining at NaCl?

I can’t take any credit for the most popular plant-forward dish that we serve here, it came out of our celebration of Women’s History Month and all the credit goes to Jane Goodall! Her recipe for Vegan Banana Pancakes with Berry Syrup has been a big hit and it is constantly being requested. Another great find for us during the Women’s Month celebration was a dairy-free “Creamed Spinach” dish from Michele Obama.

Can you describe your Wednesday Chef’s Table events and how you involve Cure residents in them?

The themes for our Wednesday Chef Table can be ingredient-related or focus on a Diversity Celebration, but the items that have been received with the most interest have been dishes inspired by conversations and suggestions from the residents. Just this past week we celebrated the food of Rome, Italy for a resident that was craving the flavors of home. It was a wonderful, seasonal dish of Roasted Lamb with Dandelion Greens and Roman-style Steamed Artichokes with Garlic and Mint!

which has seen more New York restaurants taking advantage of new opportunities. Their diverse experience providing guidance on the negotiation of lease agreements between restaurant operators and existing and potential landlords has proven to be invaluable.

“As a practicing lawyer right now is the time to do more than sign the standard lease agreement. Everything is negotiable.” said Koutsoudakis.

“Our approach is to help operators looking for a space for the first time to arm themselves with extensive knowledge about the industry and the community that they are moving into”

Koutsoudakis noted.

By educating restaurant owners and sharing this valuable information with them, KI teachesthem to use that information to their advantage in that initial meeting with the landlord.

“Knowing the realities of the industry you’re going into – such as moving into a space where people haven’t returned to their pre-pandemic work schedule -can be useful information to justify certain asks when making a deal with a landlord. These landlords want to fill the spaces to pay their mortgages, they are more willing to work with knowledgeable business operators

who are prepared to face those issues head on,” Koutsoudakis explained.

KI Legal brings New York restaurant owners specialized restaurant and hospitality industry knowledge. KI Legal’s commitment to understanding the constantly changing hospitality law and relaying to owners how such law will impact them and their business is what ultimately drives them to success.

For more information about how KI Legal can help your restaurant business go to kilegal.com or email the team at info@kilegal.com to request a consult.

produce, sweet treats, dips, etc. The boards are hand-crafted and artfully designed so they’re a very visually appealing product and can elevate any event, big or small. We also offer Grazing Tables for larger events, which can serve hundreds of people.

Our Grazing Boxes come in two sizes – The Lone Grazer for one or two individuals, and The Picnic Box for four people. Our Grab And Go options include the Grab And Graze which is designed as a small meal for one, as well as our Char-Cutie-Cup which is designed as a snack for one on the go.

Does this generate any cost savings for the brand and/or its owners?

Our model is designed to be cost-effective for our franchise owners. Most of our locations are retail storefronts so there aren’t dining rooms. This means a smaller real estate footprint and lower overhead costs. And because our food doesn’t require cooking, there’s no expensive kitchen package or bulky equipment to worry about.

We offer similar ingredients in our charcuterie boards, streamlining our supply chain and minimizing shipping distribution costs. Our Grazologists™ also reduce food waste by repurposing fruits that may not meet aesthetic standards for jams and other accompaniments on our boards.

You recently announced that you were advancing your expansion in the Atlanta metro area. What is drawing you there?

We already have a few locations in the Atlanta metro area which are seeing great success. Atlanta is a thriving metropolis with an awesome food scene, a growing population, and a strong business culture. While not everyone knows this, Georgia is an upand-coming wine destination as well.

Atlanta is located just about an hour south of the Dahlonega Plateau, which has the highest concentration of wine producers in the state. Charcuterie and wine is a perennial combination, and we see it as a growth opportunity for our brand.

Can you share more about your brand growth and development?

The launch of our franchise program in 2021 catapulted our growth and development nationwide. We more than quadrupled our number of open locations last year and were averaging approximately one new location per week by Q4 2022. Looking ahead, we plan to maintain that momentum with 29 new locations coming soon and expansion into four new states.

What is involved in running a Graze Craze?

As a franchise, our owners are given a turnkey opportunity that provides proven systems and processes, as well as ongoing support in areas like marketing, operations, and training. That said, running a Graze Craze can be simple – if the proper steps are followed – as it mitigates a lot of the leg work often required in a start-up operation. Moreover, prospective owners aren’t required to have food prep experience – we teach them everything they need to know!

Day-to-day, Graze Craze operators usually have a staff of 2-4 people to help fulfill orders and design boards. We call them Grazologists™ and they provide a fully accessible concierge grade of customer service, working closely with customers on the little details that matter most.

What can we expect from Graze Craze in the future?

Graze Craze is in the midst of a significant growth period right now and we don’t foresee that slowing down anytime soon. We expect more domestic development from us in the U.S., driving our footprint into more states, as well as some international expansion. We’re also looking to launch new menu items to expand our offerings, provide a consistent and delicious product across the globe, and introduce additional revenue streams for our franchise owners.

How can someone in the industry place an order from Graze Craze?

Orders can be placed at any of our locations with one of our in-store Grazologists™ or we offer online ordering at www.grazecraze.com.

FERRARO FOODS

from page 62

current facility lease, they have announced plans for rapid and aggressive expansion. Positioning themselves near major highways and in the most populated area for Italian restaurants and pizzerias in the world, Ferraro has declared its plans to move to a new facility in Edgewood, NY. “We knew with our time coming to an end in Melville that we were going to need to start to look for a new home. So, in January we began looking at new sites and came across this wonderful new building that was only a couple of years old.” Hill said.

Ferraro’s new warehouse and distribution in Suffolk County boasts some 230,000 square feet. The Edgewood center is five times larger than the Melville space making room for new products and broader options for their customers. “This will give us a tremendous opportunity to add additional SKUs and products to our current offerings, which will add all kinds of new menu ideas for our res-

taurant and food service customer base,” Hill said.

Along with the new project, Ferraro has reestablished its devotion to their customer base in the NY metro area. When talking about their expansion to Long Island, the CEO explained, “Our roots in Long Island run deep. We carefully listen to the needs of our customers and spend time building our relationships. In some cases, these customer relationships go back 2 or 3 generations. It has been my delight to experience the warmth between our sales team and our Long Island operators, sometimes even having conversations in Italian!”

In addition, Hill believes this move will provide jobs and new opportunities to the community. “We anticipate in the beginning to have between 50-70 jobs or more to bring to the community. To my surprise, since the announcement my mailbox has been full of new applicants interested in joining our team in

Edgewood and we are so happy to have them.”

Ferraro Foods has committed themselves to delivering on their promise made back in their inception; to provide quality foods and foodservice supplies, dependable delivery, and exceptional customer service. With new development, the company will continue to grow to new heights expanding their offerings and customer base while

providing great service.

“We are doubling down on our belief in the resiliency and vision of the restaurant and pizzeria operating community,” the veteran executive concluded. Operators who would like more info on to Ferraro Foods and what their portfolio of menu solutions has to offer, can contact them on their website at ferrarofoods.com/customer or email Dan Hill at dhill@ferrarofoods.com.

excellent, and they capture the fruit at the peak of ripeness to get the best out of it! I particularly love their canned peach halves, and their purees of black cherry, organic apricot, and plum - unlike anything I’ve encountered in the US to date.

So, no matter how you choose to incorporate stone fruit on your menu, remember that the season is short – yet bountiful – and with proper care and planning, you can enjoy these flavors all summer long, and into the cooler months to elicit the nostalgic flavors of summer.

Peach Salad with Loi Feta-Yogurt Pougi

Serves 4

Ingredients - Salad:

2 firm-ripe peaches

Greek extra virgin olive oil, for grilling

Salt and freshly ground pepper

12 ounces of Arugula

4 heaping tablespoons of Loi Feta-Yogurt Pougi

Ingredients – Dressing:

6 tablespoons Greek extra virgin olive oil

6 teaspoons of organic wild honey

½ lemon, juiced

½ teaspoon lemon zest Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Wash, dry, and halve peaches to remove the pit, keeping the skin on.

2. Brush peach halves with olive oil, and season lightly with salt and pepper.

3. Grill flesh side down over medium-low heat for approximately 1-2 minutes, until peaches soften slightly and grill marks are noticeable as the natural sugars caramelize; remove from the grill, and reserve skin side down/ flesh side up on a plate.

4. Combine salad dressing ingredients in a small mixing bowl, whisking to fully combine.

5. Add arugula to a large mixing bowl, season lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper, and toss gently with 5 tablespoons of dressing.

6. To serve the salad, divide arugula evenly into four separate bowls, placing grilled peach half in the center of the arugula bed. Top each peach half with 1 heaping tablespoon of Loi Feta-Yogurt Pougi in the center, and drizzle each salad with remaining dressing – enjoy!

Grilled Peach Salad with Loi Feta-Yogurt Pougi

that night.

Jimenez has worked to build partnerships with local food businesses to ensure that each cafe provides local, sustainable, and nourishing food. Many cafes collaborate with artisanal bakeries and produce companies that deal specifically with local vendors. “We try to connect people with the source,” Jimenez said, an attempt that is reflected in the satisfaction of Constellation Culinary’s clients.

The company focuses on creating diverse, well-rounded menus at each of its cafes, from plant-based to vegetarian to vegan. Some clients want to see “above-and-beyond, Michelin-star” style food in their cafe, with crudo bars and high-end proteins, while others keep it simple, serving smoothies, juices, and simple, from-scratch cooking. Regardless of the specific menu offerings, each cafe relies heavily on fresh and local foods, avoiding all things processed, a detail that Jimenez says is to the client’s benefit, as it provides employees with fuel to stay productive throughout the day.

Much of the menu diversity also comes from the company’s welcoming attitude towards the creativity of its chefs. In California, Constellation Culinary works with various clients that have multiple offices throughout the state, so collaboration is a common theme among chefs. “We try to incorporate everybody’s style into their cafe,” said Jimenez, “It’s

what keeps them engaged; it’s what keeps them interested in actually working there: as they see their ideas to the table.”

The food options that Constellation Culinary cafes offer are subsidized by their corporate clients, which Jimenez said is a benefit to employees. Because clients try to subsidize as much as they can, depending on their budgets, their employees experience “restaurant quality food at a much-discounted price.”

During the pandemic, Jimenez said that the company was fortunate to remain on target because of the company-client relationships it has forged. “A lot of the clients were actually paying the employees to stay there on site,” allowing cafes to continue getting business and, in turn, stay open. Now, some clients are “offering discounted meals, free food once or twice a week, or inviting them to afternoon events,” he said, to keep people coming into work and visiting the cafes.

Of course, a visit to an in-office cafe wouldn’t be possible without Constellation Culinary employees, from its chefs to its cashiers, who are “committed to performing well, to doing a good job, and to providing great customer service,” said Jimenez. Those meaningful relationships between Constellation Culinary and its clients, and the innovative, healthy, fueling food offerings, are why it stands out among corporate dining programs.

A staple of any great corporate cafe is fresh brewed (and strong) coffee

tion is especially meaningful to Chef Boulud as it was the former home of Le Cirque while he worked there as Executive Chef.

In its first year, Restaurant DANIEL received immediate recognition, including a four-star rating from The New York Times and was cited as “one of the ten best restaurants in the world” by the International Herald Tribune, quickly rising through the ranks to earn its place alongside other legendary fine dining establishments. Less than a year later, Chef Boulud was recognized with the James Beard Foundation’s “Outstanding Chef” Award, celebrating his work at the restaurant. This was the first of many for the restaurant and its staff which was also honored with the James Beard Award for “Outstanding Service” in 2009 and “Outstanding Restaurant” in 2010. Since 2005, Restaurant DANIEL has maintained its Michelin-starred status and currently has two Michelin Stars. Chef

Boulud was also honored with The World’s 50 Best Restaurants’ “Lifetime Achievement Award” (2015), “The World’s Best Restaurateur” by Les Grands Tables du Monde (2021), and La Liste’s “Innovation Award” (2023), among many other awards over the years. Today, DANIEL has attained global icon status, is consistently recognized with new awards, and maintains its role as the most coveted table in New York.

After thirty years, DANIEL continues to set the standard for New York City fine dining, relentlessly reinventing itself along the way. The restaurant’s four- and seven-course menus, led by Executive Chef Eddy Leroux and Executive Pastry Chef Shaun Velez, rotate seasonally, featuring the finest ingredients and exploring new ways to prepare classic French recipes with creative techniques, tastes and presentation.

For the past 25 years, DANIEL has hosted the annual Gala for Citymeals on Wheels, a char-

ity that provides New York City’s homebound elderly with nutritious meals, of which Chef Boulud is copresident. In total, these annual events have raised over $20 million towards the organization’s mission to feed New Yorkers in need.

With each decade, DANIEL has continued to evolve, while maintaining its cuisine and elegant atmosphere. Just last year, the restaurant debuted the final phase of its latest renovation, unveiling a new bar and lounge area in partnership with the Paris-based Lalique Interior Design Studio. Throughout the years, Chef Boulud has published ten cookbooks, and has constantly renewed Restaurant DANIEL with exceptional art, inspired interior design, creative cocktails and its notable wine list.

While Chef Boulud’s restaurant group, the Dinex Group, has grown to over 20 venues worldwide, including two new openings in 2023 to date, DANIEL represents his con -

tinually evolving journey as a Chef, entrepreneur, and mentor.

“Daniel has not only built one of the world’s premier restaurant groups, he has done it with endless passion and ingenuity. I am continually impressed by his dedication and commitment to excellence. As we look to the future of The Dinex Group, these qualities will continue to be the foundation of our restaurants,” said Sebastien Silvestri, CEO of The Dinex Group. “I am thrilled to be a partner of this incredible journey alongside Daniel, and our entire global team.”

sidewalk cafe law has been restricted compared to their authority under the pre-pandemic sidewalk café law, both by shortening the amount of time they must sign off on applications and by clarifying their limited jurisdiction over outdoor dining applications as they generally have no impact on landmark buildings or neighborhoods. This will speed up the process for restaurants and reduce bureaucracy.

And very importantly, there will be a transition period where every business that currently has a permit under the emergency Open Restaurants program will continue to be able to operate until their application under the new law is acted upon by the city. (There will be a time by which the applications must be filed after the new law goes into effect. If a business doesn’t file an application by that deadline, they can no longer offer outdoor dining.) This is a huge win, so businesses don’t lose out on months of outdoor dining as they and the city transitions into the permanent program.

There is also a lengthy transition period for the existing roadway dining structures operating under the emergency Open Restaurants program. Non-compliant structures must be removed by November 1st, 2024. However, many will be removed sooner when their application is acted upon if the structure does not comply with the new Department of Transportation rules which will be adopted in the future.

There will be a variety of temporary outdoor dining permits available in the future. The first temporary permit will be issued to a new tenant if the premises had a licensed outdoor cafe within the prior two years, as long as it is essentially the same setup as the one previously licensed. The second temporary permit will be for new applicants who will not have to wait the full lengthy amount of time to receive a revocable consent and can get temporary permission to operate sooner while their application is pending.

Future increases to the consent fees will require the mayor’s adminis-

from page 80

tration to go back to the City Council for approval. They only have the right to solely increase consent fees for the limited enclosed sidewalk cafes that remain every four-years.

IMPORTANT: While we believe sidewalk cafes will look like they did under the pre-pandemic program, it is IMPORTANT to note that we do not know yet what the design guidelines will be for roadway dining structures, however we know they will not allow fully enclosed structures like some restaurants currently have. We will

work with the Department of Transportation on the development of the design guidelines, including requirements for four months that roadway dining will not be allowed.

We thank Mayor Adams and his team, Speaker Adams and her team, and Councilmember Marjorie Velazquez the prime sponsor of the legislation for working tirelessly to come to this historic agreement which will benefit our restaurants and teams, our neighborhoods, our visitors, and our great city. We also

thank all our members and the advocates who helped inform and support this process, along with other supportive members of the City Council. We’ll keep you informed as this process continues.

pany-sponsored Paid Parental Leave (PPL) benefit. The employee also should be advised how to contact the company’s Short-Term Disability (STD) provider. Once payment commences, the plan pays up to 60% of the employee’s weekly salary to a maximum benefit. This will be discussed with the employee by the STD carrier. Managers should not attempt to calculate the employee’s benefits for her. The amount of time an employee will be on maternity leave depends on the state in which she is located and the type of delivery.

• Non-Occupational Illness/ Injury: Employees can be eligible for leave and disability benefits for non-occupational injuries or illnesses. These are injuries/illnesses that occur away from work and during non-working hours. Employees who are injured or become ill as a result of their job during working hours may be eligible for workers’ compensation (WC), but the following will focus on non-occupational conditions.

Let’s consider that an employee advises his manager that he is having surgery and will be unable to work for eight weeks. In this scenario, the company checks his eligibility and determines he is eligible for leave under FMLA and for ShortTerm Disability (STD) benefits. The disability plan has a 14-day (two week) elimination period (EP). Once payment commences, the plan pays up to 60% of the employee’s weekly salary to a maximum benefit. This will be discussed with the employee by the STD carrier. The manager should not attempt to calculate the employee’s benefits for him.

• Workers’ Compensation: A manager returns from a 2-week vacation and receives notice that one of his employees has been injured at work. Employees who are injured or become ill during their working hours may be eligible for WC. This type of leave could be simultaneous with FMLA if the eligibility requirements are met.

In this case, the manager must:

- Ensure the employee has appropriate care whether medical attention is needed or not.

- Contact the company’s Human Resources Department immediately.

- Follow any protocol for documenting workers’ compensation incidents.

- Know that reporting the incident enables the employee to qualify for coverage as soon as possible. Late reporting may result in the employee’s delay or denial of benefits.

In this scenario, the company will determine if the employee is eligible for leave under Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and/or any similar state leave laws. The manager should not attempt to advise the employee on eligibility. Human resources will provide information about the benefits the employee may be eligible to receive while on WC leave.

There are also specific scenarios where these reasons for leave would not be eligible for FMLA so each scenario must be handled individually. Workforce leave and absence policies help not only to shape your business culture but are integral to operational efficiency. HUB can help you gain the insights you need to align all aspects of your benefits program. To discuss how your programs stack up against this study’s benchmarks or how effectively they support your overall benefits strategy, contact your insurance advisor for WAM consulting.

a provision requiring restaurants in a historic district or at a landmark site to receive approval by the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission for an outdoor dining site — a policy that could affect restaurant-heavy neighborhoods like Greenwich Village and Park Slope, Brooklyn.

The legislation ends months of waiting for restaurant owners and diners. The industry has been clamoring for guidance about what outdoor dining would look like in the future since Adams took office last year.

The new rules are likely to reduce the current footprint of outdoor dining, which soared to include more than 12,000 restaurants since early in the pandemic. But it is expected to allow for far more outdoor dining options than were in place before 2020. Restaurants will be required to have a license from the city to offer outdoor dining and to pay fees based on their location and square footage, with higher fees in Manhattan south of 125th Street.

The proposed plan was warmly received by City Council members. “It was important for the outdoor dining program to be affordable, equitable and successful and available in every borough,” noted speaker, Adrienne Adams.

“The models that we will have for the outdoor dining space will be removable to allow for emergency vehicles to come through, to allow for sanitation to help clean out,” Councilwoman Marjorie Velasquez added.

Sara Lind, an executive director at Open Plans, a livable streets group, said that she was “relieved and pleased” that the program would become permanent, saying that “New York City’s outdoor dining culture has quickly become a fixture of modern

city life.” But she lamented that outdoor dining in roadways would not be available during the winter.

The Transportation Department will oversee the permanent outdoor dining program. Restaurants will be allowed to offer outdoor dining from 10 a.m. until midnight, according to the bill. Sidewalk cafes are regulated separately from roadway cafes. City

officials are hoping to expand sidewalk cafes, which were mostly located in Manhattan before the pandemic, and to lower the fees restaurants that operate them have to pay.

The next step for the implementation of the new rules will come later this month. The City Council is expected to vote on the bill.

NYC’s Fresco by Scotto’s outdoor dining setup

Is the Water Cool Enough?

Ice machine manufacturers strongly recommend keeping your water supply at around 50°F for maximum and efficient ice production. Ice machines can tolerate water as warm as 90°F but perform best at 50°F and should not cycle water hotter than 90°F. The warmer the water entering your ice machine, the longer it takes to freeze and the less ice the machine makes.

Summer weather can sometimes affect your business’s water supply for the worse. If your water lines are underground, the summer heat shouldn’t be an issue. If your water lines are above ground, there’s a higher chance the water temperature will

rise to ice machine-threatening levels. Easy Ice technicians have found water as hot as 140°F at above-ground water lines! If your water lines are above ground, consider having your plumber insulate them to keep the water cooler. It might also be possible to move the above-ground water lines to a position with less sun exposure.

Are You Handling the Ice Bin Properly?

You may not know it, but ice bins are unrefrigerated! All the more reason to make sure your ice machine is installed in a sufficiently air-conditioned room with enough clear space around it. Ice in a full bin should stay frozen long enough for you to use it, but if hot air enters the bin through-

from page 60 LEGAL INSIDER

ing hours in most occupations:

• No more than 3 hours on any school day

• No more than 8 hours on a Saturday or non-school day

• No more than 18 hours per week

• No more than 6 days per week

When school is not in session, and during vacations (where school is closed for the entire calendar week):

• Minors under 18 may not work more than 8 hours a day, 6 days a week

• 14 and 15-year-olds may not work more than 40 hours a week

• 16 and 17-year-olds may not work more than 48 hours a week

Businesses employing minors must be aware of these and other hour restrictions as well as restrictions on the times of day that minors can work (e.g., 14 and 15-year-olds can only work between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. during the school year and between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. when school is not in session).

In New York, minors need an employment certificate (“working papers”) in order to work. A parent or guardian signature on the application is required.

What Steps Can My Business Take?

Businesses that choose to employ

minors may consider the following to help ensure compliance with applicable requirements:

• Establish a clear internal policy regarding hiring and employing minors that complies with applicable requirements;

• Ensure that managers and others who may hire and oversee the employment of minors are aware of and trained on your policies and requirements;

• Review internal practices and ensure that any existing employment is in accordance with applicable requirements so that you can catch issues first.

Employers should keep age certificates, work permits or other required documentation on file throughout the minor’s employment and for time periods required by applicable law.

Is There Anything Else My Business Should Consider When Hiring Minors?

Yes, the above does not cover all of the distinctions or considerations from an employment-law standpoint when employing minors. For example, some states have specific meal and rest break requirements, and some states have specific recordkeeping

out the day, some of the ice may begin to melt before you reach it.

• Always close the bin door immediately after scooping out the ice you need.

• If you have an ice dispenser, which does not require a bin, make sure the air and water temperatures are at recommended levels, or the ice stored inside will melt and cause a leak.

Take the Right Steps Now

Your walk-in refrigerator, dishwasher, and ovens may not need preparation for summer—but your ice machine does. After you finish taking care of what you can do yourself, call an ice machine service provider you trust and make an appointment for maintenance and inspection. You’ll be

glad you did when you reach the end of the summer without having ever run out of ice.

John Mahlmeister is the chief operating officer and co-founder of Easy Ice. Co-headquartered in Phoenix, AZ and Marquette, MI, Easy Ice is the only national provider of all-inclusive commercial ice machine subscriptions. Since its founding in 2009, Easy Ice has rapidly grown their number of ice machines under management to over 30,000 units across 47 states and partners with dozens of foodservice equipment dealers to offer ice machine rental solutions to their customers. For more information, please visit EasyIce.com.

requirements for minors. Employers should also consider “consent” issues that may arise if they run background

checks or if they require minors to sign employment-related agreements.

Specialty Food Retailer Tour: A Taste of NYC Innovation

Gain behind-the-scenes insights into innovations in food retail with the Specialty Food Retailer Tour provided by Retail Store Tours. The Flatiron District walking tour will showcase a wide variety of food vendors and new approaches to retailing. Benefits of the tour include gaining insider perspectives from subject-matter experts, staying up to date with industry trends and technology, and networking with peers. The tour is offered on Saturday, June 24 at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4 p.m. Cost is $90. Register here now!

sofi™ Products of the Year Judging

The sofi Awards for Product of the Year and New Product of the Year will be unveiled on Tuesday, June 27 at 10:30 a.m. on the Big Idea Stage. This year, buyers will select the winning products based on blind tastings during the first two days of the Show.

About the Specialty Food Association: The not-for-profit Specialty

from page 4

Food Association (SFA) is the leading membership trade association and source of information about the $175 billion specialty food industry. Founded in 1952 in New York City, the SFA prides itself on being an organization by the members and for the members, representing thousands of specialty food makers and manufacturers, importers, retailers, buyers, distributors, brokers, and others in the trade. The SFA owns and operates the Fancy Food Shows—which are the largest specialty food industry events in North America—as well as the sofi™ Awards—which have honored excellence in specialty food and beverage annually since 1972. The SFA produces the Trendspotter Panel annual predictions, the State of the Specialty Food Industry Report, Today’s Specialty Food Consumer research, the Spill & Dish podcast, year-round educational programming for professionals at every stage in their business journey, and SFA Feed, the industry’s goto daily source for news, trends and new product information. Find out more online and connect with SFA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.

from page 84

port and assistance to our customers wherever they are located. For refrigerators, we offer a 3-year warranty covering parts and labor, with an additional 5-year warranty for the compressor. For our other products, we provide a 1-year warranty that covers parts and labor. We are committed to providing peace of mind and reliable performance for our customers,” Inan added.

Galaxy’s launch in Metro New York, is the first step in a national rollout. The strength of our company’s supply chain lies in its robust infrastructure and strategic partnerships. With a 50,000 square foot warehouse in New Jersey, Galaxy is slated to open six new warehouses across the country within the next two years. Inan’s engineering background led to the creation of a

state of the industry tech infrastructure to drive the growth.

“Providing the right products at the right time to our customers is our number one priority,” he said. “Our manufacturing partners maintain diverse and flexible supply chains to allow them to effectively navigate global supply chain issues and adapt to changing market dynamics, ensuring a reliable flow of products. When a customer calls us to request a product, they can come and pick it up within 24 hours.

“Please call us or visit our website at https://www.galaxygroupcorp.com. We invite dealers, distributors and manufacturers’ reps to discover the products and exceptional services we offer,” Inan concluded.

from page 24

times while you might have low traffic times and can’t have any fewer staff on the schedule, so your labor cost is all about balance. One of the things you want to do when it comes to budgeting for labor is go into the week on budget using a system I teach called the Restaurant Payroll Guardian. It budgets labor hours and dollars so your managers know how to schedule the following week. This way when they’re using that fancy scheduling software and they see they’re 14 hours over budget in the kitchen, they can figure out how to start trimming hours before the money has been spent. You also need to start tracking labor on a daily basis. When you follow my systems, you’re going to have a different labor target by day of the week so now you can be on the same page with your management team.

4. Based on your budget targets, you need to be tracking your operating expenses such as

occupancy costs, paper supplies, restaurant supplies, janitorial supplies, comps, credit card discount rates, and much more. With a budget and your KPIs, you’re now in a position to say that which we measure improves. Tracking your KPIs allows you to do things like adjust your menu prices before it’s way too late, change your menu to reduce the number of prep hours needed, know when to add or subtract employees from your roster and much more. Collecting data can be as simple as a yellow tablet, a pen and a calculator. Creating spreadsheets can do the trick for most of it, but I want to be very clear that for big things like food cost, you’re going to need software.

I don’t think I can overstate the importance of creating and measuring your KPIs. The potential benefits of using the data will help you make informed decisions for your restaurant success and that’s priceless.

his free time perfecting what would become Pretty Bird: “I was driving around town on my days off with two turkey fryers in the back of my Prius, willing to cook fried chicken for anyone that was willing to taste it.” It was worth it—currently in their fifth year, Pretty Bird has gained a lot of local and national momentum, and recently opened their fourth location.

Pham cites a number of things that have made Pretty Bird stand out as a successful restaurant, the first being consistent customer service in multiple locations. The secret? Paying employees fairly. “We’re proud to pay our employees some of the highest wages in the area. They also get PTO and benefits. In return, they take pride in the restaurant and treat it like it’s their own.”

Pham also works closely with lo-

STELLA’S CUCINA

cal distributors and bakers to provide high quality ingredients, from chicken to bun. But what really makes Pretty Bird unique are the fine dining principles that Pham has integrated from his culinary school days. “We think about the method, the ingredients, the balance, all the things that make fine dining really great,” he said.

Most importantly, where did the name Pretty Bird come from? A surprising source— “I was flipping channels one night,” Pham explained, “and I saw that scene from Dumb and Dumber where the kid in the wheelchair is playing with that headless bird, just calling it ‘Pretty Bird, Pretty Bird.’ And the name just came to me.” In yet another twist of fate, Pham later learned that the scene was filmed just two blocks from Pretty Bird’s first Salt Lake City location.

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Stella’s Cucina also has an impressive drink selection, with a wide variety of options ranging from imported fine wines from Italy to their gorgeous signature cocktails, all made with the highest quality ingredients and expert precision. Some of the more popular mixed drink options include the Stella’s Hugo spritz and the espresso martini. The dining area features a wraparound bar uniquely positioned to welcome customers from any point in the room. A skylight sits above it, casting a constant stream of sunlight onto the bar throughout the day. This skylight also serves as a solar dial, tracking the movement of the sun. As the day draws to a close, the lighting in the room begins to shift, gradually dimming in preparation for the evening’s entertainment.

The restaurant then doubles as a lounge after dinner service Thursday- Saturday, with DJ’s, live music, and a dance floor. This makes Stella’s feel like an all-around destination for dining and entertainment and helps it stand out among the area’s best restaurants and bars. This is all a part of Spanu’s mission to create a feast of the senses.

The ambiance at Stella’s Cucina is unmatched, with an extensive lighting system perfectly tailored to the restaurant and an Art Deco inspired design with navy-blue and gold coloring that allows it to feel contemporary while harkening back to 1920’s and 30’s aesthetics. Spanu added: “that this allows it to feel upscale but not stuffy,” as she ultimately wants to create an atmosphere that works as a “midground between fine dining and casual dining.” This is apparent in the dress code, which allows customers to wear whatever they choose, as there is no requirement to dress up. However, one may feel a bit underdressed showing up with just jeans and a shirt, as the restaurant’s atmosphere is suited for more of a business-causal at least.

Ultimately, Stella’s Cucina excels at being a space that is modern but with a classical feel. It brings authentic Italian ambiance to Colorado while simultaneously being something completely different. It is more than just a restaurant; it is an entertainment experience and a culinary destination for those who desire the best the Boulder has to offer.