September 2021 - Total Food Service by Total Food Service

NEWS

By Fred Klashman

SPECIAL EVENTS

MARRIOTT TABS MEYER’S USHG & USE UNITS TO OPERATE $50 MILLION+ MARQUIS F&B

ince last December, the restaurant and hospitality industry has waited with bated breath to see who would win the right to operate food and beverage at one of the world’s largest hotels properties. Late last month, the news was finally confirmed that iconic restaurateur Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) had been awarded the contract to operate the food and beverage at Manhattan’s Marriott Marquis Hotel. USHG will operate the hotel’s restaurants and bars, and Union Square Events (USE) will manage catering on the property. The size and scope of the Marriott Marquis food and beverage operation is eye opening. The 1,966 room Times Square facility restaurant and catering operation generates some $50 million plus per year. Shortly after Christmas 2020, the Request For Proposal process began with contract feeders being invited to bid on the Marquis contract. The move came on the heels of Marriott’s termination in December of approximately 850 employees in the Food & Beverage Department and in some other departments, including housekeeping. USHG’s Marriott initiative will be guided by a pair of veteran executives: Tony

Mastellone and Anton Nocito. Mastellone is the Division President of Union Square Events. Meyer and his team are no strangers to the hotel food and beverage industry. Their partnerships include The Redbury,

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Gramercy Park Hotel and Conrad in NYC, as well as the Thompson D.C. Mastellone leads Union Square Events as a 30-year veteran in the New York City hospitality business. After graduating from The French

Culinary Institute, Mastellone honed his skills in various culinary roles at the New York Hilton. He then joined Marriott Management Services as a Sous Chef in the corporate dining sector, steadily advancing through numerous leadership roles. Prior to joining Union Square Events, Mastellone was Senior Vice President at an international corporate dining company, where he was responsible for a diverse, national portfolio of Business & Industry clients. During his tenure, the Brooklyn, NY native drove significant growth in the market with breakthrough activities in Airline Lounges, Off-Premise Catering, and Retail Dining. Nocito is the Executive Chef of Restaurants & Bars at New York Marriott Marquis. Before embarking on a career in the hospitality industry, Nocito served in the United States Air Force and spent time overseas in the Gulf War. After moving back to New York, he attended the French Culinary Institute and soon after took a job as a line cook at Union Square Cafe in 2001. Later, he worked on the opening team at Terrace 5 and Cafe 2 at the Museum of Modern Art. Nocito then left USHG to launch P&H Soda, an artisanal soda company.

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September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 3

MARRIOTT MARQUIS F&B Nocito rejoined USHG in 2016 as the Executive Sous Chef at Porchlight, where he elevated its culinary program, resulting in the craveable, southern-inspired menu served at Porchlight today. In 2018, Anton was named the Executive Chef of Porchlight and the Opening Executive Chef of Cedric’s at The Shed in 2019. In 2021, he was named Executive Chef of Restaurants & Bars at New York Marriott Marquis. As with many New York City hotels, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to Marriott looking to reduce costs in New York and other major markets across the country by shedding long-term employees and replacing them with a subcontracted workforce. In unionized Marriott hotels in New York City, union workers did not have their jobs subcontracted, shining a spotlight on the importance of union protections. With foodservice off the table, the local Union HTC set its sights

from page 2

“We look forward to bringing our shared commitment to hospitality to the resurgence of the Theater District as Broadway reopens and the iconic destination welcomes back visitors to experience the performing arts this Fall.” on unionizing housekeeping workers. “Our union already had an ongoing organizing effort in progress, including a strong organizing committee who were doing their best to convince their coworkers to sign up with the Union,” Lead Organizer and Director of Organizing Julia Rybak remarked. This led to the successful unionization of the Marquis housekeeping staff earlier this year. “The shock of the massive food and beverage termination provided the final push to give the Union a super-majority,”

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Rybek continued. “This is a bittersweet victory because 850 Marquis workers learned, too late, that corporations are not driven by sentimental feelings like loyalty.” Workers in the hotel’s Food and Beverage department were told they would not receive priority to be rehired if their positions eventually return. There had been discussion with State Sen. Brad Hoylman office about introducing a “right of recall” bill at the state level, which would require employers to re-hire former workers if their jobs came back.

It would seem as if the results were that HTC-Union picked its battle and that was to choose between housekeeping and food and beverage. “Even though it took longer than we would have liked, we are delighted that the Marriott Marquis is now a union hotel and we warmly welcome the Marquis workers into our ranks,” added HTC President Rich Maroko. “Union Square Hospitality Group and Union Square Events are thrilled to collaborate with New York Marriott Marquis on the latest chapter of the storied property,” a USHG spokesperson said. “We look forward to bringing our shared commitment to hospitality to the resurgence of the Theater District as Broadway reopens and the iconic destination welcomes back visitors to experience the performing arts this Fall.”

September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 5

NEWS

SHOWS

By Brian O’Regan

NAFEM PULLS PLUG ON ’21 EVENT WITH EYES TOWARD 2023 RETURN

or Rob Connelly, the last Friday in July was like none other in his illustrious management career. He could see the news about spikes from the Delta variant. As president of the nation’s food equipment manufacturers trade association with a major trade show set for the end of August, Connelly was on the hot seat. So NAFEM’s president took to the phones through that weekend with a goal of having the needed info to make a really tough decision. Based on that input from many of the nation’s dealers and consultants and with the guidance of NAFEM Executive Director Dierdre Flynn and her staff, the decision was made to cancel the 2021 event. NAFEM has recently announced that the NAFEM Show 2021 has been canceled due a surge in the Delta variant of the coronavirus in the Orlando, Florida area, where the show was set to be held. The NAFEM Show, a trade show for foodservice equipment manufacturers, was originally scheduled for February of 2021 before the show’s organizers rescheduled the trade show to occur beginning August 26th and running through August 28th, before it was ultimately canceled. “It was extremely disappointing and extremely challenging to cancel the show,” said Connelly. “The ultimate challenge was that we needed to avoid a failed show, and a failed show was worse than a canceled show. What we originally hoped for when planning our 2021 show was that it would be at a time when the

“The ultimate challenge was that we needed to avoid a failed show, and a failed show was worse than a canceled show.” — Rob Connelly industry was starting to come back and that the show would be a great opportunity for everyone to reconnect and see each other again. Unfortunately, at this time we had to make a difficult decision, but it is one that we are comfortable with. As an association we did not feel that it was responsible to amass such a large crowd indoors nor did we feel that we could provide an adequate showcase if we had a limited number of attendees.” The showcase was set to consist of more than 400 different exhibitors and bring nearly 10,000 visitors to the Orlando area. “At the end of the day we need to make sure that we provide an experience that ensures the integrity of the NAFEM Show, while also making sure that there are enough attendees and volume to make it worthwhile for all participants,” said Connelly. “Two of the reasons as to why we decided to cancel the show was that we started to see some fall out in attendees. We then made some calls to larger

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attendees to try and get a feel for their attendance and saw that it was questionable. Additionally, we had a responsibility to our exhibitors, the ones who had a greater investment in the show, to make sure that there were enough attendees to make it worthwhile for them. In the end we no longer felt comfortable that there would be enough attendees to make it a successful show and that by canceling the show we could save our exhibitors some money.” The NAFEM Show which occurs biennially is set to return to the Orange County Convention Center in 2023. “We value our longstanding relationship with NAFEM. We understand the unique circumstances facing The NAFEM Show and look forward to their return to the Orange County Convention Center in 2023,” said convention center executive director Mark Tester. “We remain committed to the safety of our employees, clients, attendees and exhibitors and continue to adhere to the CDC’s guidelines and our comprehensive health and safety protocols in our Recovery and Resiliency Guidelines.” NAFEM will refund registration fees by Sept. 3. The next show is scheduled for Feb 1-3, 2023, in Orlando. To contact NAFEM, email info@thenafemshow.org or info@nafem.org.

Main Office 282 Railroad Ave. Greenwich, CT 06830 Publishers Leslie & Fred Klashman Advertising Director Michael Scinto Art & Web Director Mark Sahm SCOOP News Editor and Senior Contributing Writer Joyce Appelman Contributing Writers Morgan Tucker Francine Cohen Leslie Super Editorial Interns Hank Bedingfield Alycia June Cahn Claudia Giunta Brian O’Regan Gabrielle Reagan Eva Karoun Scott Phone: 203.661.9090 Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com

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Cover photo by Liz Clayman Total Food Service ISSN No. 1060-8966 is published monthly by IDA Publishing, Inc., 282 Railroad Ave., Greenwich, CT 06830. Phone: 203.661.9090. This issue copyright 2021 by IDA Publishing Inc. Contents in full or part may not be reproduced without permission. Not responsible for advertisers claims or statements. Periodicals Postage paid at the post office, Greenwich, CT and additional mailing offices. Additional entry at the post office in Pittsburgh, PA. Subscription rate in USA is $36 per year; single copy, $3.00. Postmaster: Send address changes to Total Food Service, P.O. Box 2507, Greenwich, CT 06836

September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 7

NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT

WITH LESLIE SUPER

SAN FRANCISCO MEETS THE CHALLENGE OF A POST PANDEMIC COMEBACK

s Total Food Service continues our look at how the restaurant industry is faring in key cities across the country post pandemic, we are turning our focus on San Francisco. The city that brought us such culinary luminaries as Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, Thomas Keller of French Laundry and Judy Rodgers of Zuni Café, is facing a different landscape today because of COVID. It’s been two months since San Francisco dropped all restrictions after it shut down on March 16, 2020. While the industry is trying to steady itself after a year and half of

“The uptown residential neighborhoods are where there is a lot of life right now.” Batey said, “The residential restaurants are packed and impossible to get into.” disruption, the Delta variant is now reminding us, we’re not out of the woods yet. Along with the uptick in COVID cases, comes debates about employee and customer vaccine restrictions, mask mandates, on top of staff shortages. “I don’t think people are thinking about closing because of the vari-

ant,” says Eve Batey, former editor Eater San Francisco, now editor of the NOSH. “But many of San Francisco’s big-name restaurants remain closed, partly because of it.” When asked, what does San Francisco’s restaurant scene look like at the moment, Batey said, “The city’s residential neighborhoods have as-

A sampling of cuisine from The Bird, a fried chicken sandwich restaurant from Adriano Paganini’s Back of the House Restaurant Group.

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Leslie Super, is a writer who focuses on the food, wine and spirits industries. In addition to Total Food Service, her work has been in New York Magazine, Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, InStyle, and Beverage Media, among other publications. On top of her writing, she has worked in the wine and spirits distribution side of the business. Leslie can be reached at sleslie335@gmail.com.

cended, while its downtown area, with the fancy restaurants and cool chefs, have receded from the spotlight. Most significantly, because tourism is not up to full capacity and people are not working downtown at the levels they used to.” Laurie Thomas, executive director of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association (GGRA), who also owns Rose’s Café and Terzo restaurants, both in Cow Hollow, offered, “We are fortunate our restaurants are not in downtown. The neighborhoods are where there is a lot of life right now.” Batey said, “The residential restaurants are packed and impossible to get into.” Where are we talking about? “Already established areas like the wealthy Noe Valley are seeing a resurgence of busy restaurants, and the same is true for locations like the Sunset and Richmond Districts. Both are located by the beach. Before you might have seen just serviceable dining options, now places are popping up that people can’t wait to eat at,” shared Batey. Louis Cornejo, president of Urban Group Real Estate, stated, “Even in these trending areas you’re still seeing a 20%-25% drop in rents com-

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September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 9

NEWS

SAFETY SOLUTIONS

WITH CHANGE IN LOCAL REGULATIONS, YELP AND OPEN TABLE LAUNCH NEW TOOLS TO ENSURE DINING SAFETY

n this next chapter of the pandemic, restaurants and diners are facing new hurdles as they look to navigate changing restrictions, masking and vaccination requirements and more. While in NYC the rules are clear - as of August 16 you must show proof of vaccination to dine indoors - in other cities the rules vary. To help, OpenTable, the world’s leading provider of online restaurant reservations and part of Booking Holdings Inc. have rolled out updated safety precautions, which now include details on COVID-19 vaccine requirements, and Direct Messaging to streamline communication between restaurants and diners. “Dining demand in the U.S. is down

13% compared to just one month earlier with cities like Minneapolis, Seattle and New York showing significant declines. Just as restaurants were starting to rebound from a devastating 2020 - the Delta variant and ever-changing mandates come as another hurdle,” said Debby Soo, CEO of OpenTable. “Our hope is that these new tools make it easier for restaurants to continue to welcome people in and help diners feel safe and informed about dining out.”  Proof of vaccination is becoming a new safety standard that people will need to navigate. To simplify that process, OpenTable now allows restaurants to display COVID-19 vaccine requirements to diners, allowing

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“Our hope is that these new tools make it easier for restaurants to continue to welcome people in and help diners feel safe and informed about dining out.” — Debby Soo up-front communication about what people can expect before dining in. As a part of OpenTable’s existing “Safety Precautions” feature, this new vaccine requirement option continues to allow restaurants to clearly communicate what health and safety steps they are taking in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Soon, OpenTable will also launch a national list, updated in realtime, of restaurants that are currently requiring proof of vaccination - for more information visit the OpenTable blog at https://blog.opentable.com/vaccine-requirement-restaurants-safety-precautions/ These new features join OpenTable’s existing resources and tools to help support restaurants and ensure people can dine out safely, including its reopening heat map, Open Near Me tool, virtual waitlists and more. Since the beginning of the pandemic, OpenTable has been at the forefront of supporting the industry through a number of initiatives, such as the State of the

Industry dashboard showing global dining demand, expanded reservation capabilities to grocery stores, bars, wineries and college dining halls, new tools like virtual waitlists and safety precautions, enhanced takeout and delivery offerings and more. Open Table’s competitor Yelp develops, hosts, and markets the Yelp. com website and the Yelp mobile app, which publish crowd-sourced reviews about businesses. It also operates Yelp Reservations, a table reservation service. With the increase in Delta cases, Yelp has announced two new, free attributes – “Proof of vaccination required” and “All staff fully vaccinated.” Users will be able to filter by these attributes when searching for local businesses on Yelp and will easily see “Proof of vaccination required” indicated on restaurant, food and nightlife businesses in search results. OpenTable, part of Booking Holdings n powers reservations for the hospitality industry. OpenTable’s software seats more than 1 billion people per year and helps more than 60,000 restaurants, bars, wineries and other venues attract guests, manage capacity, improve operations and maximize revenue.

September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 11

NEWS

by Gabrielle Reagan

REOPENING STRATEGIES

SCOTTO SISTERS BRING AUTHENTIC TASTE OF ITALY TO MIDTOWN OASIS

hile it’s typically a faux pas to employ a cliché in writing, the revival and adaptation of Midtown Manhattan restaurant Fresco by Scotto reveals a bona fide ‘when life gives you lemons’ moment— literally. Serving the bustling business scene in Midtown since 1993, the family-owned and operated eatery suddenly faced mounting bills and permanent closure amidst the pandemic. With a business hovering on the brink of bankruptcy, sisters and co-owners Elaina and Rosanna Scotto launched a major reimagine. Inspired by the Italian island of Capri known for its enticing cuisine, awe-inspiring

coastline and electric blue waters, the Scotto sisters have turned Fresco by Scotto into a culinary escape in the heart of the city, complete with lemon trees. “When COVID hit we were in a very desperate situation,” Elaina said. When we did reopen, we were almost completely empty. There were nights when we had five customers in the restaurant. Now people are lining up at six o’clock to get into the restaurant,” Rosanna said. They love the music. They love the vibe. They feel like they’re on vacation.” The vibe—another city within the city— is thanks to world famous party planner Larry Scott whose talent for

Sisters and co-owners Rosanna and Elaina Scotto stand in the outside seating of their Midtown Manhattan restaurant Fresco by Scotto

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“They love the music. They love the vibe. They feel like they’re on vacation.” — Rosanna Scotto ambiance turned Fresco’s everyday sidewalk seating into a destination. Happen upon Fresco by Scotto on East 52nd Street and the scene could easily pass as a postcard from Italy, featuring lush lemon trees, verdant plant life and suspended twinkling lights. “People are so happy to be out,” Rosanna said. “There are nights where impromptu dancing on the street happens and the vibe is just there. People want to escape, and they can come to our restaurant to do it” Another stellar addition has been Chef Ben Kacmarcik, previously of Pastis, who the Scotto sisters heard about through a former chef. Pitched as a young, energetic, and creative talent who can put out hundreds of covers, Elaina and Rosanna took a chance and hired him without having him cook a single dish for them first. “When someone gives you a menu, you can tell just by the ingredients, and whatever they’re putting on it whether they’re the right fit or not,” Elaina said. The Scotto sisters describe their menu as healthier than it’s ever been with several dishes featuring a healthy grain or a salad like the branzino with quinoa and arugula. The menu provides prix fixe lunch ($39) or dinner ($84) options alongside a la carte additions and is diverse with both lighter fare and items for those who wish to indulge including

the Rigatoni Bolognese and a Prime New York strip steak. The reimagined menu and atmosphere has Fresco by Scotto doing better than the sisters expected, with celebrities such as Kelly Ripa, President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton and Wendy Williams frequently dining in. Despite soaring volume, the Scotto sisters are remaining realistic about the future months as the pandemic begins to ramp back up. “We can’t afford another shutdown,” Elaina said. While the restaurant can’t afford another shutdown, the owners are keen to pivoting. During lock down in New York City, the Scotto Sister’s began sharing recipes and kitchen tricks on Instagram Live starting with just one viewer, their mother Marion who too works and co-owns Fresco by Scotto. Now with thousands of viewers, the sisters share stories, recipes and laughs weekly on Instagram, starting at 4:30pm EST on weekdays. “Whatever happens, we will adapt,” Rosanna said. Judging by their most recent success, it’s clear the Scotto sisters know how to stay positive and optimistic in the face of a crisis. They were even able to hire back 80 percent of their former staff. As the winter months approach, the sisters plan to work with Urban Umbrella to help enclose their outdoor patio and bring in heaters to continue offering New Yorkers an outdoor culinary escape even throughout the colder months. Best part, no passport required.

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September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 13

NEWS

NEW OPENINGS

HIGHLY ANTICIPATED MARGARITAVILLE RESORT TIMES SQUARE MAKES DEBUT

t its 2021 Investor Day today, President and CEO Kevin Hourican and other senior executives of Sysco Corporation (NYSE: SYY) presented a strategy update and highlighted initiatives to transform Sysco into a more growthoriented, purpose-led, agile, innovative and customer-focused company. Times Square is now home to the newest edition of Margaritaville’s international lodging portfolio. The latest property, Margaritaville Resort Times Square, is located at 560 Seventh Avenue in Manhattan and officially opened its doors this summer. The building rises 32 stories above 40th Street and houses 234 guest rooms, five restaurants and bars, a year-round outdoor heated pool, and a ground-floor Margaritaville retail store. Dining options include the twostory Margaritaville Restaurant that features New York’s largest tiki bar and a 32-foot replica of the Statue of Liberty with margarita in her torch hand. “The opening of Margaritaville Resort Times Square is an incredible moment for the hundreds of team members involved in this property and for the city of New York after such a challenging year,” said Sharif ElGamal, chairman and CEO of Soho Properties and owner and developer of Margaritaville Resort Times Square. “This resort will provide an unparal-

leled getaway never before experienced in Manhattan and we are thrilled to be welcoming guests today and for years to come.” The project team also includes Margaritaville Hospitality Group, Flintlock Constructions Services, and IMCMV Holdings for the property’s food, beverage, and retail concepts. Total construction costs hover around $370 million. Manhattan-based design studio Stonehill Taylor and interior designer The McBride Company were retained to complete the look and feel of the building. The 32-story glass-clad structure features a multi-story podium, a series of cantilevered blocks that help maximize interior floor area, several open-air recreational terraces, and an ornamental concrete crown. The Stonehill Taylor design includes the building’s façade being covered in a glass curtain wall with a setback on the southern elevation to allow for the pool terrace. The entrance, which is

“This resort will provide an unparalleled getaway never before experienced in Manhattan and we are thrilled to be welcoming guests today and for years to come.” — Sharif El-Gamal 14 • September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

marked by a marquee, leads to a retail space on the first floor, and elevators that take you to the hotel lobby on the fifth floor, where guests can find Joe Merchant Coffee & Provisions, the License to Chill Bar, and a set of stairs that leads downstairs to the pool on the fourth floor, as well as the indoor/outdoor LandShark Bar & Grill. The second and third floors are occupied by the Margaritaville Restaurant, which is accessible by an escalator on the ground floor. The guestrooms sit above these main public spaces and the 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar spans the top two floors has terraces that offer striking views of Times Square. A synagogue will also be housed within the building to replace the worship space that was formerly on-site within the previous building belonging to the

Parsons School of Design. Margaritaville and The McBride Company developed custom artwork for the property. Pieces include the “Dripping 5 o’Clock,” a nod to Salvador Dali’s famous clock painting, and a Roy Lichtenstein-inspired print titled “Darling…This Looks Just Like Margaritaville” that pays homage to Lichtenstein’s famous work Masterpiece, Margaritaville, and the nearby Jones Beach. “We cannot wait to welcome local New Yorkers and the city’s global travelers to Margaritaville Resort Times Square,” said Margaritaville Time Square general manager Kori Yoran. “The resort brings paradise to the island of Manhattan and offers something for everyone from families to happy hour with friends.”

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September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 15

NEWS

By Brian O’Regan

MENU SOLUTIONS

NEW SURVEY STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF INGREDIENT VARIETY TO DRIVE POST PANDEMIC COMEBACK

ver the course of this past year, the restaurant and foodservice industry has been reshaped by the pandemic. Forced to close their doors, restaurant owners and food service operators had to shift their business models to focus on takeout and delivery. Now with restaurant doors reopened, owners and operators will need to adjust some of their ingredients to reflect the return of in-restaurant dining and support the newly acquired “to-go” avenue streams. According to a new study commissioned by Tyson Foods and conducted by Technomic, the restaurant and food service industry is looking to condense and streamline their ingredient and menu component orders. The study titled, “Fresh Meat Purchasing, Menuing and Influences Among Restaurant Operators,” focused on the purchase and use of fresh beef and pork. The research consisted of surveying one hundred and fifty chefs and menu decision makers across fast-casual and full-service restaurant spaces. “We are not there to provide meat, we are there to provide solutions,” said Ozlem Worpel, director of marketing, Tyson Fresh Meats. “We believe that if we are going to position ourselves at Tyson as experts, and propose solutions, that we need to first understand the issues and needs of our customers. That is why we do the market research and partner with companies like Technomic, to be able to understand the common issues that face the foodservice industry.” One of the common issues that the Tyson and Technomic teams identified through the survey, was the mindset owners and operators have when considering the role of the price of

beef and its profitability. “The findings on both pork and beef were very similar, except for when it came to the operator’s perception of the cost - profit ratio of beef,” said Worpel. “Beef is a higher priced element than pork, which causes the operator to rely heavily on the percentage of total food cost when considering the profitability of an item. This way of thinking obscures the fact that a smaller percentage sold of a higher priced menu item, like beef, can still result in a larger profit when compared to selling a larger percentage of a less expensive item such as pork.” Worpel continued, “this was one of the findings that we wanted to help our customers consider more when they are looking at ingredient choice.” In addition to adjusting how an operator looks at their total food cost, sales and profit, the study found other ways that restaurants and food service

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“You cannot tell if something will hold a permanent place on your menu without first trying it. You have to try an item and make sure that the customers connect with the flavor, the taste and the cut of meat that make up your new dish.” — Ozlem Worpel operations can rebound from the pandemic. “The study found, and we encourage our customers to utilize limited time offers(LTO’s), when it comes positioning new menu ideas,” said Worpel. “You cannot tell if something will hold a permanent place on your menu without first trying it. You have to try an item and make sure that the customers connect with the flavor, the taste and the cut of meat that make up your new dish. Limited time offers are an opportunity for our customers to

try different things, to see what their customer response will be to a new dish, in addition to seeing if that dish is profitable.” The study also found that in addition to utilizing a variety of ingredients in an assortment of ways, that there is an increase in demand for fresh, allnatural, antibiotic free ingredients especially when it comes to beef and pork. “We look at our products in two ways, the first way is the quality attributes of the product and the other way is the production attributes of the product. Quality attributes include high choice cuts of meat, better marbling and various other taste related attributes,” said Worpel. “On the other hand, production attributes include being antibiotic and hormone free. The emphasis on fresh, natural and no antibiotics is drawn by a health-conscious consumer, one who is making a life choice about what they want to eat.” For industry professionals interested in learning more about the study, information can be found online at https:// tysonfreshmeats.com/get-in-touch. For those who are interested in more information regarding the Tyson Fresh Meats Foodservice, it can be found online at https://tysonfreshmeats.com/ foodservice.

September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 17

NEWS

By Hank Bedingfield

EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLY SERVICE

XOi BRINGS NEW VIDEO BASED TRAINING AND OPERATIONAL TRANSPARENCY TO INDUSTRY’S TECHS

n the budding age of iPhones and Apps, where short attention spans and 30 second videos define business, XOi is bringing service technicians in kitchens and beyond to the forefront of technological advancement. The company’s platform includes both a unique video approach to training and a state of the industry video solution for the professional E&S service provider. Growing up in Michigan in a small, family-run manufacturing business, Aaron Salow, Founder and CEO of XOi Technologies, was surrounded by people who earned a living with their hands. The grandson of farmers, son of a family of manufacturers, and a Dad who served as a plant

manager of a Nashville-based construction manufacturing company, Salow has intimate knowledge of the skilled, blue-collar trades industry and its growing issues. Through XOi, the self-proclaimed “geriatric millennial” has given his proud, blue-collared roots an update. “The impetus for the company is how we use technology to solve the skilled trades gap,” Salow said. The company, initially inspired by the groundbreaking advancements of Google Glass, outfitted over 1000 technicians with live-video glasses to guide and document their work. “We learned a lot of very good lessons about the curb-to-curb space and all the communication gaps with the customer and to the office

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technology and resources to fix them. “When you are working in a commercial kitchen environment, on the rooftop, or on a High Performance Computer (HPC) system, you are by yourself with a smartphone. So, it’s really important to be connected to information, connected to an office, and connected to the client,” Salow noted. “That’s where we really excel and drive our product.” The product itself is an all-inclusive resource for the curb-to-curb work of service technicians and a comprehensive window of accountability for their clients. The XOi platform offers videos, in a checklist format, that provide a step-by-step guide to workers for each specific repair, replacement, or job. Additionally, they can submit clips of their work for real-time support, as well as added accountability, building trust with clients and all-but ensuring a job is properly done.

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REOPENING STRATEGIES

WITH LAURA CRAVEN

CREATING A CULTURE THAT ATTRACTS AND RETAINS TOP TALENT WHERE EVERYBODY BELONGS

hile there was a moment of hope and with vaccinations we still may be near the end of the pandemic, the main concern across the restaurant industry is still surrounding labor. As we talk to our customers, whether staff was furloughed, or changed industries, or operators just shut down, labor is still the main issue for the industry right now. With the persistence of the Delta variant, staffing challenges may persist in the industry for some time. While industry pundits are pointing to extended unemployment benefits, I think there are a lot of other facets to this issue. At risk of speculating, I think the biggest factor right now dissuading employees from working at restaurants is the uncertainty surrounding the industry. A lot of people are worried about restaurants closing or being restricted again, and without the security of steady, consistent work, people are hesitant to return. If restaurants and related businesses are to remain viable and successful, it’s time for owners to get creative and with obvious financial limitations the incentive to work is going to have to be more nuanced. At the forefront of any kind of solution to labor challenges needs to be dedication to a positive, inclusive, and diverse workplace. People work in this industry for the environment. They want to be around people and surrounded by co-workers they can call friends. Central to that kind of space needs to be a commitment to diversity and inclusion. While the industry is fairly diverse, there is a lot of work

We challenge our leadership to ask themselves if they would want their best friend or close family member to work in our environment. The answer needs to be “yes.”

to be done to make it more inclusive. We have to put a lot of effort into removing the barriers that may prevent people from having fair opportunities based upon their personal identity. Our company has been built on what is now approaching the acquisition of almost 40 companies. They are far flung geographically with the addition of new locations in California and Connecticut this summer. We’ve taken the approach as we look at inclusion, that we are knitting a tapestry. To do that successfully, we need to let the culture and personality of our people shine through. With a commitment to a positive workplace, recruiting and retaining talented, driven employees that want

20 • September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

to work. At Imperial Dade, we’ve sustained consistent growth by focusing on an evolving culture that values employees and provides them with the opportunities they need to succeed and grow as well. We are consistently promoting from within and our people have come to understand that if you work hard and learn you have the opportunity to advance in the company. Our focus is to cultivate a workplace of belonging. If people feel that they belong, then they’re going to thrive. That kind of a commitment can only transform a company if it comes from the top. We challenge our leadership to ask themselves if they would want their best friend or close family member to work in our environment. The

Laura Craven is the Vice President, Marketing & Communications at Imperial Dade. Laura oversees marketing and corporate communications for Imperial Dade, a national distribution company headquartered in Jersey City, NJ. Her responsibilities include marketing communications, brand and reputation management, internal and external communications, experiential marketing events, and media relations. Laura has been with the company for over 17 years and has contributed to the organization’s growth and brand awareness. A LEED AP, Laura consults on sustainability initiatives and as a GBAC Trained Technician she assists customers develop cleaning programs.

answer needs to be yes. People want to feel a sense of camaraderie when they work and, above all else, they really want to feel heard. It’s up to owners, executives, and general managers to cultivate a workplace where those needs are met. Another part of retaining talented and loyal employees is encouraging creativity and innovation. At Imperial Dade we really focus on storytelling. When an employee hears about a customer’s problem and they have the ingenuity to solve it, they deserve to be publicly congratulated. That’s not only to recognize the employee but to share knowledge and demonstrate that if you problem-solve, you’re appreciated. With all the difficulty and turmoil of the past year and a half it’s time to take care of employees, listen to them, value them, and cultivate an environment of workplace positivity. It really comes down to belonging. When it comes to diversity, and employees in general, it’s not about numbers. It’s about people. When people feel wanted and know they belong they will thrive and for the industry to recover we need everyone to thrive.

September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 21

TREND TALK

WITH JOYCE APPELMAN

NICOLE GAJADHAR,

CHEF DE CUISINE, THE LOYAL

ongtime West Village resident and Chef Nicole Gajadhar, credits her daily stroll to work with providing her the time she needs to plan and reflect. For 17 years Gajadhar has walked the downtown streets and crafted great menus and unified kitchen brigades; first heading over to NoHo where she made a name for herself running the kitchen as Chef de Cuisine at Saxon and Parole. After leaving the place she helped turn into a downtown favorite her culinary expertise needed a new home. She joined Restaurateur & Michelin-starred Chef John Fraser,

a culinary trailblazer, best known for redefining the role of vegetables in American cuisine from imaginative fine dining restaurants to nostalgic neighborhood brasseries, as the Chef de Cuisine at Nix, Fraser’s Michelin-starred vegetarian/vegan restaurant in the West Village. In May, The Loyal, Fraser’s beloved West Village bistro re-opened with Gajadhar as Chef de Cuisine. Since opening in 2017, the restaurant has become a neighborhood institution. The Loyal serves seasonal American dishes and cocktails for indoor dining, plus 30 outdoor side-walk seats on Bleecker Street.

Fraser made a point of staying open during the trying times to keep his employees working, and to be a beacon of light for the neighborhood. Gajadhar’s place as the lighthouse keeper is cemented every day as she takes in the changes, ebbs and flows in the neighborhood and interprets that in her menu. How did you get interested in becoming a Chef? I was raised on my grandparent’s farm in Trinidad, always playing in the kitchen and learning to cook as well as planting, growing and har-

Nicole Gajadhar is the Chef de Cuisine at The Loyal in the West Village in New York City, serving up American dishes and cocktails

22 • September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

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

vesting our crops seasonally and I was influenced by the East Indian and Caribbean cooking styles creating meals from the surroundings. This had a profound impact on what I wanted to do with my life. My family moved to America when I was nine-years-old, but I wasn’t sure about my career goals. I spent two years in college Borough of Manhattan Community College, graduated not knowing what I wanted to do. I always knew I wanted to do something creative. One night my aunt had attended an event at BAM where she spoke with the chef. As I was chatting with her about her experience at the event, chatting with this female chef about the food being served that night, I was reminded of how much I loved cooking when I was a kid and how I thought I wanted to be a chef. The conversation inspired me to explore a career that was once important to me, so I set out on a course that led me to study at the New York City College of Technology. I chose NYCTT because they were not only a good fit financially, but they also offered a well-rounded degree with their program. It enabled me to begin working towards a B.A. in Hospitality Management. I was inspired to follow my dreams into the culinary arts and set out on

continued on page 94

September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 23

PROVISIONS PREVIEWED

WITH LMT PROVISIONS

OUR FASCINATION WITH AUTOMATION

he dining public has long been delighted by automation. Consider the automats of the 20th century, conveyor-belt sushi in the early 21st, and the humble, ubiquitous vending machine. Contact-free dining has brought us speed, convenience, and – yes – novelty. Simultaneously drawing inspiration from a bygone era and utilizing technology that seemingly comes from the future, operators are reinventing contact-free dining. This evolution is equally driven by operators and diners. Operators, facing suddenly increasing demand combined with an ongoing labor shortage, are seeking creative, revenue-generating solutions. Diners, eager to eat out and do it safely, are simply more aware of the amount of contact traditionally in the dining room. Of course, both sides share an increased priority to limit unnecessary contact, to protect diners and employees alike. Expectations have changed, yet we still want to feel like we’re in a restaurant. Enter the hybrid model, the best of both worlds, combining the

advantages of contact-free service with the warmth of human interaction. Washington D.C.’s newly opened Tap99 exemplifies this evolving model by combining a classic dining experience with a very innovative bar experience. It’s the first fully self-pour pub in DC with, yes, 99 taps serving rotating selections of beer, wine, cider, seltzer, and cocktails. On entry, customers are given a contactless smart card linked to their chosen form of payment. It activates any of the 99 self-pour taps, which are connected to touchscreens for easy selection. Patrons are charged by the ounce, allowing them to easily sample Tap99’s vast selection. The result is an interactive experience with fewer points of contact and shorter wait times. The gastropub atmosphere remains, thanks to a playful menu and the high-volume kitchen that makes it possible. Singer Equipment Company was proud to work with the Tap99 team on their kitchen design and build out. Ninety-nine taps call for an equally impressive kitchen and our team, led

by James Feustel and Dave Ball, was certainly up to the challenge. The kitchen and menu are anchored by a cool black, Rotator brick pizza oven from Marra Forni, bringing high-tech functionality to pizza making, and allowing for consistent, high-volume output. Alongside the pies, you’ll find riffs on classic bar bites and shared plates, thanks to a reliable and powerful Pitco fryer and Southbend range and griddle. Hoshizaki’s Crescent Cube icemaker, refrigeration from Hoshizaki and Turbo Air, and stainless steel worktables and sinks throughout from John Boos and Krowne complete the kitchen. Whether it’s contact-free taps, contact-free delivery options, or using a smart phone to view a menu, order, and pay, choices for operators to innovate are only increasing. We need these options in 2021, for obvious reasons, but I maintain there’s something fascinating about them too. Do I feel like an astronaut when I wave a card and the result is beer? Yes. The future, it seems, is here. Start building the kitchen of your

Andrew Geoffrey Beres is the Marketing Operations Specialist for Singer Equipment Company, developing global marketing strategy and tactics for the enterprise. He holds a Master of Management in Hospitality from Cornell University, a Bachelor of Arts in French and Francophone Studies from Columbia University, and a lifelong love of restaurants and dining. Andrew is based in Manhattan and can be reached at aberes@ singerequipment.com.

future today, with Singer Equipment Company. For more information, please contact marketing@singerequipment.com. Photography provided by KC Photo and Media

Singer Equipment Company was proud to work with the Tap99 team on their kitchen design and build out, including a Marra Forni pizza oven and Krowne stainless steel worktable

24 • September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

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September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 25

FIORITO ON INSURANCE

MANAGING INCREASING CYBER RISKS IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

he hospitality industry, like others, have had to reinvent themselves since the start of the pandemic. While hoteliers, restaurateurs, and other business owners forged new methods of surviving and thriving during the pandemic, this time unfortunately also brought new attack vectors and vulnerabilities to exploit. Protecting your organization and assets from this complex and rapidly evolving threat is no longer optional and can also be difficult. Cyber-attacks are not relegated to certain hours, operating environments, or location. The hospitality industry is especially vulnerable due to various required brand partner software or networks, influx of customers that could be the attackers, high staff turnover rate, and the multitude of vendors required to run your operation. According to IBM’s 2021 Cost of a Data Breach Report, the average cost of a data breach is $3.28 million with an average cost (per each lost or stolen record) of $161. Quick Service Restaurants Point-of-Sale data breaches are the most common cyber-attacks for Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs). QSRs have seen a change from staff to self-service ordering kiosks. These devices are all built on new or existing networks that can be susceptible to malware attacks, both

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.

INSURANCE PROTECTION Fortunately, the insurance industry has developed policies that can transfer these risks. The basic elements of a cyber liability insurance policy can typically include coverage for the following: • Forensic Expense • Legal Expense • Notification Expense • Regulatory Fines and Penalties • Credit Monitoring and ID Theft Repair • Public Relations Expenses • Liability and Defense Costs

from the kiosk itself and from the network. Full-Service Restaurants With e-commerce food delivery platforms being integrated with new apps and hardware, restaurants have a great deal more exposure for breaches that may not have been considered with their current IT infrastructure. Given the rising incidence of cyber-crime, especially in these challenging times, minimize your risk with the following 4-pronged approach: • Make sure anything sensitive is encrypted, including company passwords and personally identifi-

26 • September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

able information of employees and customers. • Install strong firewalls and intrusion detection systems. Develop robust policies and procedures pertaining to document handling. • Develop an incident response plan in advance. Don’t wait until a breach occurs to create a response and continuity plan – be sure to involve legal counsel, a notification vendor, and a public relations firm. • Transfer your risk. Examine all vendor, cloud, and partner contracts. Do liability agreements indemnify you should they cause a breach of your data? Have you demanded proof of insurance?

In addition, crime insurance policies can cover fraudulent fund transfers associated with e-mail phishing or social engineering, which is the latest human-based fraud being used to steal from companies. Cyber risk is a very real issue that can impact any business and have a lingering effect on your ability to operate. Taking the proper risk management steps, as well as obtaining the proper insurance coverage, will help ensure that your bottom line is protected. Working with a specialty insurance broker, who understands the hospitality industry’s unique coverage issues and negotiates coverage that is customized towards your business’ risks, is key in preventing additional disruption to your business.

September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 27

MEDIA CORNER

With Joyce Appelman

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING: From The Vine A downtrodden man experiences an ethical crisis and travels back to his hometown in rural Italy to recalibrate his moral compass. There he finds new purpose in reviving his grandfather’s old vineyard, offering the small town of Acerenza a sustainable future, and reconnecting with his estranged family in the process. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

her celebrity friends, TV personality she navigates new ingredients, new recipes and exotic kitchen appliances, going from the grocery store to the finished table spread. First aired on YouTube and was a viral sensation. Watch on Netflix.

Cooking With Paris With an anyone-can-cook attitude, Paris Hilton adds her own flair to every dish. Fun is just one edible glitter bomb away. With the help of

The Forager Chef’s Book of Flora by Alan Bergo Recipes and techniques for edible plants from garden, field, and forest

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

28 • September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

BOOKS, TV, FILM, AND PODCASTS

WHAT WE’RE READING: This practical book from a former restaurant chef demonstrates the versatility of a wide range of plants, from familiar vegetables to those we might overlook in a stroll across a meadow or a hike in the forest. Imagine making dumplings from a mix of spring greens and ramps. Or, taking inspiration from Harold McGee, infusing a tomato sauce with a few of the leaves from the plant. How about making a kimchi from abundant hosta shoots, dressing milkweed-colored pasta with fresh milkweed buds, or replacing Szechuan pepper with the berries of the native prickly ash plant? Acorn grits, “capers” made from

WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO: a variety of wildflower buds, even a key lime pie flavored with spruce buds. As we said, versatile indeed. We Are What We Eat: A Slow Food Manifesto by Alice Waters with Bob Carrau and Cristina Mueller Early on in this book, Alice Waters asks, “What good is what we’re doing at Chez Panisse and other places if it’s not making a deeper impact, if it’s not penetrating the culture at large?” We Are What We Eat is a call to action by a legendary chef, who has long been at the forefront of the movement toward sustainable ag-

cheapness above all other qualities. An important blow against this way of thinking is to reconnect people to the process of making good things: “Once you can’t imagine how things are made, you are free to have an utter fantasy that everything can and should be cheap.” A crisp and thoughtful distillation of a lifetime’s advocacy.

riculture. In truth, she argues for a food culture in general that does not elevate speed, convenience, and

Add Passion and Stir Every week, Billy Shore, founder and chairman of Share Our Strength, hosts Add Passion and Stir, a podcast exploring the role of food in our society by convening leaders from the worlds of food, education, policy, government, and beyond committed to ensuring everyone has access to the food they need. Food plays a central role in our

lives — from our health and the health of the environment to a child’s educational achievement and opportunity — and yet, hunger is a daily reality for many. Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts. The Sporkful Hosted by Dan Pashman of Cooking Channel’s You’re Eating It Wrong

and the book Eat More Better, the weekly show, using humor and humanity to approach food from many angles, including science, history, race, culture, economics, and lengthy debates on the best way to layer peanut butter and jelly in a sandwich. This podcast is not for foodies, it’s for eaters. Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher.

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September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 29

HOSPITALITY MARKETING

WITH REV CIANCIO

15 WAYS TO SOLVE THE LABOR CRUNCH How to Hire Faster, Recruit Stronger Employees and Retain Them Longer Without Going Broke On Wages

he Coronavirus pandemic continues to throw a spanner into the restaurant business, especially in hiring and maintaining a labor force. With government support being paid out many people have chosen to sit home and collect unemployment instead of returning to the workforce. Additionally, competitive wages are seeing a lot of people switching between employers, and even industries, for different rates of pay or conditions. But restaurant operators are resil-

ient. Rolling with the punches and constant adaption is par for the course in this industry. People love to eat at restaurants and operators love being hospitaliable so the drive is there to figure things out for everyone’s benefit. Many restaurants have increased their base wages, added signing bonuses as well as additional perks. As an example, chains like McDonald’s are starting to roll out child care. With a labor shortage, increased wages, decreased foot traffic, product inflation and more, there is a lot of stress on restaurant operators to find new ways to maximize their business to be profitable. When my friends at Ovation, an incredible software company that helps restaurants get feedback and open direct communication with their guests, asked me if I would collaborate with them to come up with ways that restaurants can best the labor crunch, I immediately said yes. I love restaurants, I love the business and I do all that I do to help elevate the industry to create incredible experiences for consumers. I’m here to help you. Together we gathered up some incredible tips and suggestions (found at https://

30 • September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

ovationup.com/help-with-hiring/), 15 of them to be exact, from incredible thought leaders and experts from around the restaurant industry that can help inspire changes in your branding, your communication and your operation that will help you to hire faster, build stronger and retain employees longer. You’ll find powerful ideas from: • Eric Bam of Perfect Crust Pizza Liners • Bruce Irving of Smart Pizza Marketing • Ken McGarrie, Author, Founder of Korgen Hospitality • Fred Glick, President at Amergent Hospitality Group • Ryan Gromfin, Owner of The Restaurant Boss • Derek Williamson, President at HigherMe • Joe DeSimone, Former Business Development and Recruiting Manager at Source One Hospitality • And more! Here is one of my favorite ideas and an example of what you’ll find when you check it out: Emphasize what you can do for job candidates in job postings rather than what you’ll get out of them. That’s what they care about. — Bruce Irving, Owner of Smart Pizza Marketing These tips are not your run of the mill ideas like increase wages or add a signing bonus, we assume this a

David “Rev” Ciancio is a former New York City bar owner and knows exactly how hard it is to operate and brand a hospitality business. He is now a hospitality marketing consultant, customer and technology evangelist with more than 20 years experience in B2B digital marketing and business development, specializing in hospitality marketing, content, local SEO, reputation management and influencer marketing. He helps technology companies, brands and restaurants to acquire and retain customers. Rev is known as an “expert burger taster,” pens hospitality and marketing tips on his Instagram @revciancio, as well as his LinkedIn Profile. He believes that Pizza is a religion.

practice you’ve already seen others doing and are doing yourself. We went deeper. We are suggesting you look inside your business and ask: • What makes my employees want to work here? • What is it about being a part of this team that is special? • What do my team members gain while helping to fuel this business? • Who do they become as a result of their time with us? Answering these questions will put you in a frame of mind to be more effective, to attract better, to keep people longer and motivate them and you to be more incredible. So please, go check out the video compilation we created as well as a checklist of the tips on Ovation’s website. You’ll also find links under each person’s lists of suggestions if you want to hear the full interviews with more details and ideas for you to incorporate into your business. All the best to you!

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September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 31

Q&A

EXCLUSIVE FOODSERVICE INTERVIEW

JOHN FRASER

President & CEO, JF Restaurants

estaurateur & Michelinstarred Chef John Fraser is a culinary trailblazer, best known for redefining the role of vegetables in American cuisine from imaginative fine dining restaurants to nostalgic neighborhood brasseries. John’s restaurant group, JF Restaurants, is behind some of America’s most exciting new restaurants, including Times Square’s first & only fine dining restaurant, 701West, America’s only Michelin-starred vegetarian restaurant, Nix, Ardor in West Hollywood, and his signature neighborhood brasserie, The Loyal in the West Village. Someone forgot to tell John about the Pandemic as his team continued to open restaurants including Iris in Midtown-Manhattan and the North Fork Inn on Long Island’s North Fork. Born and raised in Los Angeles, John still draws inspiration from the nostalgia of neighborhood bars and comfort food he grew up around in California. He refined his fine dining expertise under the mentorship of Thomas Keller at The French Laundry in the Napa Valley, before moving abroad to Paris to work at the revered fine dining restaurants Taillevent and Maison Blanche. After moving to New York City, he delved into his Greek heritage while working at Snack Taverna in West Village,

continued on page 34

John Fraser, President & CEO, JF Restaurants (Photo by Liz Clayman)

32 • September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

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September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 33

Q&A

JOHN FRASER, from page 32

before becoming Executive Chef at Compass which was awarded two Michelin stars. A dream to create the entire guest experience, from food, to wine, to service and ambience, led John to move beyond the kitchen and into creating entire restaurants. JF Restaurants is a collaborative, creative hospitality group with a mission to create moments that move people through food, beverage, service & design. Total Food Service caught up with Fraser, one of the most reluctant ever Q&A interviewees and the reward was an in-depth look at one of the industry’s more complex portfolios of eateries. Who spurred you in cooking and where are you from? I am originally from Los Angeles and what spurred me into cooking was my time working in restaurants during college. I went to college at the University of California San Diego and while I was there, I worked in a variety of positions including a bartender, a cook and a general restaurant worker. That’s when I started cooking and I’ve stayed cooking and working in restaurants ever since.

career path? I began my culinary career at The French Laundry. After my time there I worked briefly in Paris before coming to New York in the early 2000s and I haven’t left. When I first moved to New York I opened Snack Taverna, a small Greek restaurant in the West Village which was really the first time putting myself out there in addition to my first time being reviewed. After my time at Snack Taverna, I worked at Compass Restaurant in the Upper West Side. It had gone through a number of chefs at that point, and through lots of hard work, I was able to stabilize that restaurant. From there I worked towards saving money and in 2007 I was able to open Dovetail, my first fine dining restaurant. In 2014 while still a partner in Dovetail I opened Narcissa, a contemporary American restaurant inside The Standard, East Village hotel. I also opened Nix in 2016, which was a vegetarian restaurant in Greenwich Village that unfortunately did not make it through COVID. Finally, in 2017 I opened The Loyal in the West Village.

Any formal culinary education? Who are some of the key mentors that have had any impact on your career? I attended The French Laundry where I was able to learn the art of cooking for fine dining from Thomas Keller. I already understood the operational side of being a chef, but what I really learned at The French Laundry, especially from Thomas, was how to use the creative muscles when it came to creating and expressing an idea through my cooking.

What insight did your Narcissa and Nix experiences give you in opening The Loyal? I feel that those experiences were of great benefit in moving forward. Not many chefs enjoy operating a restaurant inside of a hotel but my past experiences of working in hotels have definitely helped me in shaping our ability to work inside of a hotel. I personally love the idea of different meal periods that is open 24 hours a day creates. Additionally, I love staying in hotels, I love the feeling of room service and I think my past experiences have helped me to become creative in these kinds of spaces.

Can you walk us through your

continued on page 36

34 • September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

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September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 35

Q&A

JOHN FRASER, from page 34

What was your approach over the last year? My posture towards life is let’s fight, not let’s take a break, and over the course of the past year, I had a staff around me that helped me to fight. We were able to open both Iris and the North Fork Table & Inn, because of the dedicated staff that I am able to work with. Lots of your contemporaries focus themselves on building a brand that is dependent on media, books and now TV shows. You have taken a different approach by focusing on several collaborative deals. Can you take us inside that strategy? I am not a fan of writing books or doing TV shows. I got into this business selfishly. I came in wanting to have the career I have now, and I feel that writing books or doing TV shows distract me from what I am doing now. Which is what I am good at and what I enjoy doing. How did the deal come together with Ian Schrager? While I was living in Los Angles I worked as a cook at the Mondrian Hotel and I was able to see the magic, the aesthetic, the point of view of an Ian Schrager hotel. Working in an environment like the Mondrian which incorporated the food, the culture the vibe of the hotel, all that made me want to work with Ian Schrager. When I heard about the Times Square addition, I bid on it. I thought that New York deserved a good restaurant in Times Square, and I felt very excited to serve New Yorkers in Times Square. It was a major risk for him to take me on and I think that once we started working with one another, going through the weeds with one another we recognized that we are working for the same side and our goal is to produce the best experience we can. What led to the opportunity in Southold? What are your goals for the space? Presently we have the café, four inn rooms and coming online some-

North Fork Table & Inn is an East End institution, celebrating the bounty of Long Island’s farm, vineyards & waterways. The restaurant is housed in a carefully preserved, historic countryside home in Southold, Long Island. Restaurateur & Michelin-starred Chef John Fraser and his team have revitalized the historic property and reimagined the dining experience, while staying true to the ethos he shares with founding owners. As a longstanding champion of farm-to-table philosophy, it has been John’s dream to open a restaurant on the North Fork, surrounded by farms, vineyards and fisheries.

time this year we will have 20 hotel rooms and 20 boat slips. The hotel space is something that I am interested in and this felt like the perfect opportunity to try and see what we can do. It was dilapidated section 8 housing that we have turned into a space that you can come in, pull your boat up and stay.

36 • September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Why the North Fork and not the Hamptons? It’s a funny story actually, back when I was in college, I had a friend who was from Montauk and told me that every summer he would go back to Montauk and in a couple of weeks of working he would make enough for tuition. Now being from Los Angeles I had never been to Montauk

but, I started going out in the summer working as a bartender and cook. Now fast forward and after 17 years of living in New York, I find the South Fork to be very similar to the city. I go out there to try and escape. About 10 years ago I started to go to the wineries in the North Fork and I

continued on page 38

September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 37

Q&A

JOHN FRASER, from page 36

realized that this is what it looks like to leave the city. This little world of the North Fork is more like New England than it is a city, and it was just a place that I wanted to be. What’s your approach to building a team across your various ventures? My approach for the various ventures is to be decentralized when it comes to creativity and centralized when it comes to finances, human resources, and other business operations. The blessing and the curse of running a business driven by creativity, compared to running a business based on profits, is that I was much more interested in creating a brand that stood for things than I was in the bottom line. We are now in a place where we have a brand and we have options when it comes to where we want to work, with whom we work and who our partners are. Centralize menu planning?

“My approach [in team building] is to be decentralized when it comes to creativity, and centralized when it comes to finances, human resources, and other business operations. The blessing and the curse of running a business, driven by creativity, compared to running a business based on profits, is that I was much more interested in creating a brand that stood for things than I was in the bottom line. We are now in a place where we have a brand and we have options when it comes to where we want to work, with whom we work and who our partners are.” We do not have a centralized menu, but I do write all of the menus with the executive chef. Doing this I feel provides them the foundation to be creative and one of the lead actors when it comes to the menu of the restaurant that they are working in. Crystal Ball. What do you see five years out?

One of my goals specifically with The Loyal, is to expand it to where people have moved because of COVID. What I would like to do, based on the idea that people have moved outside of cities and city centers towards suburbs, is to take The Loyal to those suburbs. The Loyal offers an incredible point of view, in addition to its commitment to consistency, there is a vibe to it. What

I would like to do is to put a team around The Loyal that will support it being expanded to suburbs, to bring a New York City-style restaurant to the people who have moved out of New York City. All photos courtesy of JF Restaurants. Article contributions by Brian O’Regan

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SPIRITED NEWS + VIEWS

WITH FRANCINE COHEN

THE WAITING GAME: HOW DELAYS HINDERED AND HELPED THE BEVERAGE INDUSTRY

irthdays. It’s the one day of the year where waiting for what you want is no big deal. In fact, it’s kind of cherished; the anticipation of what’s to come and it being a surprise is rather exciting. But the rest of the year? Having to wait when you’re counting on something’s arrival? Something you need to get work done? Like making that classic Pisco Sour that’s been one of the top three biggest sellers on your menu since you opened your restaurant doors fifteen years ago? No way can you stand the wait. Yet currently, thanks to this global pandemic, the beverage industry is finding it has to. From product getting stuck in foreign ports, to backed up on ships waiting their turn through the Suez Canal, to not having enough glass bottles available to hold the product, a shortage of wood for pallets, skeleton crews at production facilities, or enough truckers to deliver product to the distributor warehouse, all sorts of unexpected roadblocks are hitting the alcoholic beverages industry in the face. Did we ever put two and two together before now? Surely there’s lots of attention paid to the annual harvest of grapes and shortages that may occur from mother nature making a particular vintage available in limited quantity; but to not get it at all because despite the fact that the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) represents people working in jobs that is the most dominant job in 29 states, this country is short about 60,000 drivers right now? Who else is going to get our wine and liquor from point “a” to point “b” if they’re not available to do it? And pre-pandemic, would this issue have even occurred to you it would raise its

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head as a problem complicating sales at the restaurant level? Frederic Yarm, a brand Ambassador for Angel’s Envy and who also bartends at Smoke Shop BBQ in Somerville, MA saw the impact, and pain points, immediately. At Smoke Shop, where they have the largest American whiskey collection in the Northeast, being out of a bottle or two of whiskey is only a minor complication when there are at least 200 other selections to choose from. But when the well tequila is no longer available, that’s a problem! At the restaurant level, swapping out one tequila that is available for the one that you usually order but currently

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can’t doesn’t seem like a big deal. Sure, you may have to change the menu to reflect the new brand, and reprogram your POS, but it’s simple to do. Where shortages like the ones we are seeing really hurt the most is on the sales side as Yarm points out. The impact here can resonate for months. Yarm explains, “There are reps out there who have a portfolio of brands they represent so they’re in better shape than that one who just reps Bombay Sapphire and is faced with a blue glass shortage. There’s nothing he can do but wait.” Yarm continues, “Since you can’t have a menu item featuring tequila

Francine Cohen is an awardwinning journalist covering the business of the f&b/hospitality industry, and a proud native Washingtonian (DC). In addition to her work as a journalist she keeps busy fundraising for Citymeals on Wheels, Les Dames d’Escoffier, NY Women’s Culinary Alliance, and the USBG Foundation and serves as chief storyteller and brand steward for clients in the food and beverage sector by providing them with strategic marketing and business growth guidance. She has never met a cheese or beverage she does not like, and lives with her husband in New York; leaving him behind to visit New Orleans every summer. (Except this one. Darn pandemic.) You can reach her at francinecohen@mindspring.com

without your well tequila you bring in another one for the same price. Well, someone worked really hard for that placement. It’s hard to get it on. And once you get it on and did all the leg work it’s lost if it gets replaced with another brand because when someone has a problem ordering a product for their bar, they’ll just give up. Then the salesperson has to come in again and it’s not just a month to get back in the well, it’s three months or eight months of fighting for your square footage on the drink menu. It’s like dating, nobody is going to wait for you. Maybe

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Shop Online: allenbrothers.com - or - For Chefs: chefswarehouse.com September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 41

NEWSMAKER

RHK SEAFOOD BOIL AND BAR, SOUTH NORWALK, CT

he recently launched RHK Seafood Boil and Bar in South Norwalk, CT brings Cajuninspired seafood boils and new American flavors to lower Fairfield County, inspiring people to gather, eat and have a good time together. Featuring locally sourced seafood, the boil menu allows diners to select their seafood and sides and customize the seasonings and heat level; other house specialties include the RHK Cajun Ramen Noodle made from the broth of the boils, the RHK Burger, sandwiches, salads, vegetarian options (including a vegetarian boil), and brunch options. With a focus on Japanese Whiskey, the beverage program includes beer, wine, nautically-inspired cocktails and custom milkshakes, as well as integrating coffee beverages from its sister Round K brand in New York. Total Food Service caught up with RHK’s owner, Ockyheon Byeon to learn more about the recent opening. Please share your background and experience with our readers. Like most people, I started out with a childhood dream. As an 8-year old boy, I wanted to make my mother a cup of coffee before she ran off to work. So, I did, and

from that day forward my love of coffee started to grow. I realized food and drinks are not only to satisfy hunger but also a moment to share and be together. During my college years, I was selling coffee from my small 2-seater used car. It was the best time of my life, and it was the beginning of my dream. But of course, all dreams come with obstacles -- my skills and professionalism were questioned. No one believed a college student could serve “correct” coffee. I entered a coffee competition in Korea, attended many coffee workshops/conferences in Japan, volunteered at coffee farms in Vietnam and visited coffee farmers in Indonesia but it was just not enough. I had a hunger to learn more, so I bought a one-way ticket to Italy, packed a backpack and off I went. In Italy, my skills were recognized, and I became a head barista in Florence. I spent the next few years studying the culinary arts, business and marketing. I travelled from one European city to the next consuming everything that I could observe and immersing myself in every aspect of the hospitality industry – from the kitchen to interior design. I spent time with chefs, purveyors, growers and in restaurants throughout Brazil, Russia, Hong Kong, Ockyheon Byeon

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Tokyo, London, Germany, Czech Republic, Belgium, Vietnam, and of course my beloved Italy. But, most importantly, I refined my skills and palate and gained a better understanding of human needs and expectations. I eventually landed in New York City and made my coffee dream a reality. I opened, my first coffee shop, Round K Café, on the Lower East Side. Round K quickly gained recognition for innovative drinks including the Matte Black Latte, Egg Cappuccino and Astronaut Coffee. As with anyone who is passionate about a dream, I am grateful that I realized my coffee dream. Now I’m chasing a bigger dream – to become recognized as a culinary chef and restaurateur who delivers great food and service in a passionate and creative way to guests. RHK in Norwalk, CT is my first restaurant and my second RHK is slated to open early next year in Tennessee. What was the vision behind RHK Seafood Boil and Bar? My vision for RHK is to give you, the guest, what you want. I strongly believe you must first love what you

cook before you start to share what you cook. So, everything on the menu is food that I love to eat and to make. That’s the secret behind all of RHK’s food and curated cocktail menu. RHK’s menu is loosely inspirated by the seafood from my hometown in Korea accented by my travels throughout Europe and Asia. I understand to make a business successful, or to make “money”, many restaurants gear their menu toward what they think will sell best. I do take into consideration what sells well, but stick to my core goal, which is to serve what I love to you and to your loved ones in a way that I would serve it to my loved ones. What were some of the challenges and fears that came with the opening during these trying times how have you tackled those? It’s a very difficult time for every industry. The hospitality industry continues to struggle, as variants and new waves of the pandemic continue to hit and recalibrate how we serve our guests. These two years has been full of challenges none of us could ever

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September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 43

NEWS

by Hank Bedingfield

CATERING

BILL HANSEN CATERING LOOKS FOR POST-COVID GROWTH IN SOUTH FLORIDA MERGE

ill Hansen Catering & Event Production, a company with more than forty years of reputation and resources, has merged with Eten Catering. This will allow both companies to reach new markets and expand their South Florida service as the country works towards a postpandemic rebound. The acquisition grants Bill Hansen Catering access to the South Florida waters and large yachting community, enjoying the success and reputation of Eten Catering in that market. “This deal was a perfect fit,” Hansen of Bill Hansen Catering & and

Event Production told Total Food Service. “First, it enabled me to jump in and serve their market, mainly the South Florida yachting community and Broward County. And it allowed the owners to explore other culinary areas and run their businesses from abroad.” Collaborating in an 8,000-square foot commissary kitchen, both brands will continue to operate as distinct entities, but with the advantage of shared resources like the kitchen space and a fleet of temperature-controlled vans. Where Bill Hansen Catering offers well-developed infrastructure to enhance and grow both brands,

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“We’ve maintained and enriched all of the relationships that are so important in this industry and continue to serve clients with tastings and presentations with all of the Eten Catering recipes that they developed over the years.” — Bill Hansen Eten catering brings a world of new clients and high-end global cuisine. Both brands also look to maintain high quality service through key employees and relationships, talented teams of chefs, and tested recipes. “Eten Catering has retained key employees and consistent recipes so that we can continue to offer clientes impeccable, detail-oriented service, despite the new ownership,” Hansen said. “We’ve maintained and enriched all of the relationships that are so important in this industry and continue to serve clients with tastings and presentations with all of the Eten Catering recipes that they developed over the years.” As the country emerges from over a year of pandemicplagued difficulties, Bill Hansen Catering is hopeful that the hardship will soon subside. As events return, Bill Hansen believes that this is the perfect time for a catering expansion. “Our governor here in Florida has done magical things to keep us going. So, with the wedding

business back on its feet and other large events finally up-and-running, we thought this was the perfect time to grow the business further,” Hansen said. “We are still missing our corporate clientele, largely, but with some bookings coming in and things trending in the right direction, we are all hoping for a strong fourth quarter.” Apart from classic event catering where Bill Hansen Catering provides food and beverage service, Bill Hansen is looking to revolutionize the industry as Bill Hansen Hospitality Group aims to streamline every facet of event production. “What we are essentially offering is the entire party or wedding or corporate event experience through one company,” Hansen said. “We handle the venue sourcing, the catering, the staffing, the transportation—everything. It’s a one-stopshop for event planning.” Through a company which has served four U.S. Presidents, handers of Fortune 500 firms, over 5,000 couples, and a pope, the acquisition of Eten Catering is another step forward for the Hansen brand.

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September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 45

MEDITERRANEAN MENU TRENDS

WITH CHEF MARIA LOI

SUMMER TOMATOES A SEASONAL AFFAIR

ew seasonal ingredients have such a striking effect on me like a late summer tomato, and there’s a reason for that: there is NOTHING quite like a flawlessly ripe tomato – sweet, juicy, perfectly acidic without being overbearing, and tenderyet-firm to the touch – it’s a sensory spectacular! Growing up in Greece, I loved the summer fiercely for this very reason. When I was young, I would select my preferred tomato of the day, and pluck it from the vine with great anticipation of the succulent, tart-yet-sweet juices that would run down my chin as I ate it like an apple. I did this every day as my afternoon snack during tomato season, even though I knew that we would enjoy a large Horiatiki Salata, or Village Salad (what people know as a Greek salad) with our dinner each evening – you could say that I was tomato-obsessed.

This iconic salad – the Horiatiki Salata, or Village Salad – is known and served all over the world…so the question is: why? Because of the juicy, refreshing tomatoes that everyone loves! They pair beautifully with the crisp cucumbers, crunchy green bell peppers, sharp red onions, briny Kalamata olives, and tart-yet-creamy Feta cheese,

all dressed with a touch of sea salt, freshly ground pepper, dry Greek oregano, and of course, Greek extra virgin olive oil. The combination of all these flavors yields the most satisfying, memorable bite…all tied together by the tomato! The beauty of the tomato lies in its simplicity and its versatility. While of course it can be used raw in sal-

Uses of tomatoes in Mediterranean cuisine include (top) Kranios Me Ntomata - Stone Bass with Cherry Tomatoes; (bottom L-R) Horiatiki Salata - Village Salad, and Gigantes - Braised Giant Beans (Photos courtesy of Loi Estiatorio).

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Chef Maria Loi is an Entrepreneur, Greek Food Ambassador and Healthy Lifestyle Guru. The author of more than 36 cookbooks, she will also host a new show, The Life of Loi, debuting on PBS in 2021, which aims to build an inspirational and 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 and olive oil sold on QVC, at Whole Foods Markets and in other stores. The namesake of three restaurants, her current one is Loi Estiatorio in the heart of Manhattan. Connect with her on LinkedIn and learn more about her food philosophy atloiestiatorio.com/chef-loi/.

ads, salsas, and dressings, when you apply heat to this gorgeous piece of produce, a whole world opens up! They can be baked, roasted, blended, stuffed, or grilled; they can play a supporting role or be the focus of the center of the plate; they can be used in sweet or savory applications; and their ‘state of matter’ is mutable – they can be a sauce, a paste, a water, or even a powder, all simply by applying different methods to the same piece of produce. As a child, I watched my grandmother and aunts grate fresh tomatoes and combine them with tomato paste to make dishes like Fasolakia – stewed Greek green beans in fresh tomato sauce with tomato paste and olive oil; Gemista – summer vegetables (like tomatoes, green peppers, and zucchini) stuffed with rice and fresh herbs – always with a spoonful of tomato paste to enhance the natural flavors; or Gigantes – braised giant beans with tomato paste, fresh herbs, and olive oil.

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September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 47

RESTAURANT STRATEGIES

WITH RYAN GROMFIN

COMPLAIN OR GET TO WORK

y first job in the restaurant business was at an ultraexclusive country club in Beverly Hills, California. I was working harder than any other 15-year-old I knew then or know now for that matter. I was not hanging out with my friends and chasing girls all summer long. I wasn’t doing whatever stupid things kids going from their freshman to sophomore year in high school do during their summers. Instead, I was getting driven by my mom to my job in the kitchen. Can you imagine how the cooks treated me when they saw my mom dropping me off at the country club to work my shift?! I don’t know where I got that work ethic from, but I have always had it. Many of you do too. Many of you actually have a great work ethic, but the world is not treating you fairly, so you get frustrated. This frustration leads to poor decision-making and poor decision-making leads to less than desirable results and that leads to giving up. SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST The world has not set you up to succeed. It has set you up to survive. but you don’t want to merely survive; you want to thrive. Being the best is not about being born with more talent than others. The great professional basketball player Kobe Bryant was often criticized by his teammates and by commentators for not passing the ball enough. But Kobe lived by what he called the “Mamba Mentality.” This meant he showed up to practice earlier than anybody else, stayed later than anybody else, and worked harder than anybody else. Was he selfish for not passing the ball? He was often quoted as saying that with 3 seconds left on the clock, why would he pass the ball to a teammate when he had practiced the shot 10,000 times more than they had. He would add that as soon as his team-

Ryan Gromfin is an author, speaker, chef, restaurateur, and founder of therestaurantboss.com, clickbacon. com, and scalemyrestaurant. com. He is the most followed restaurant coach in the world helping Restaurant Owners and Operators increase profits, improve operations, and scale and grow their businesses.

mates put in the same amount of work he did, he would pass the ball to them. He believed, and his record proved, that since he put in the work, he was more prepared than anybody else on the court to take the game-winning, buzzer-beating shot. This idea of outworking everybody else is the hard stuff teachers are not teaching in school, that our parents are not telling us, and that our friends are not willing to say to our face. Sure, they say you have dig in and work hard. But they aren’t talking about the same level of hard that the best work at. That is a whole new level of hard. That is working hard, but also practicing right and practicing the right things. You can pass a class with a C or even a D, but that won’t work in the real world. Say you get a C on a test of 100 questions; that’s roughly 75 correct or 25 wrong. Imagine if you serve dinner to 100 guests tonight and get 25 of the orders wrong. A teacher would say that you passed, you got a C, you can now open a restaurant. If your kitchen is making mistakes, don’t just say we need to do better tomorrow or we need to stop making mistakes. Find out what mistakes are being made, why they are being made,

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and then develop a new system and training to prevent this from happening again. Work with your kitchen staff and practice until that mistake is no longer an issue. Then do it again and again and again until your kitchen is perfect. Will you ever achieve perfection? Probably not. But in the pursuit of perfection, you will get a lot better. Practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. THE ONLY WAY TO FAIL IS TO GIVE UP There are two things holding you back from getting everything you want; not believing that you deserve it and not willing to find the knowledge you need to get it. I’m certain that somebody from a worse position than you are in now has achieved more than you can dream of and I can guarantee you that if you give up, at any point, you will not achieve whatever it is that you want. The great Winston Churchill once said, “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” Failure is such a terrible word. I wish that the word “failure” did not exist. Why? Because failing is actually a good

thing. It’s an opportunity to try again and try differently. It lets you know that you have more work to do. Think about the nerves on your fingertips. They are there so we don’t hurt ourselves. If you touch something that’s hot, your brain makes you feel pain so you pull your hand away quickly and don’t touch it again. It’s a survival mechanism. So, nerves help keep you safe, in fact, they keep you alive. Failure is similar. Our brain interprets failure as a threat against our life, when in reality it is not. But that reaction is designed to keep us alive and to keep us from doing the same thing over and over again. We feel the pain of failure so we can get better. If we don’t improve and keep doing the same things, we run the risk of going broke, suffering from depression, or missing out on the joys of life. Instead of allowing fear to paralyze you and make you feel sorry for yourself, use that pain to improve. WHY NOT YOU? Seriously, why not you? It does not matter that you’re not where you want to be right now. Don’t let the past dictate your future. That is what this is all about; it’s about believing that you can do it, understanding the rules to the game, learning how to use the tools you will need and then doing it. You can have excuses or success, just not both. So, why not you and why not now?

September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 49

NEWS

E&S SOLUTIONS

Article from USACBDExpo.com

CBD BEVERAGES: A SIP OF BENEFITS

BD is one of 70 cannabinoids present in the Cannabis Sativa plant; it is not psychoactive and is extracted from leaves, flowers, and resins. CBD Beverages (referring to any beverage that contains the cannabinoid) go from teas to kombuchas that claim to produce the calming effect of CBD, without the high of THC, the psychoactive compound in the cannabis sativa. Each CBD beverage is created according to the type of product itself: sodas, drinks, teas, etc. Usually, all of them follow their usual process and are then infused with CBD. Here are some facts about these beverages and a few examples of some of them.

What type of CBD do CBD Beverages Have in Them? Commonly, CBD beverages are infused with Full or Broad-spectrum CBD. There are three types of CBD as follows: CBD isolate doesn’t contain THC or other cannabinoids or plant compounds. Broad-spectrum: it is made with other cannabinoids and terpenes (another plant compound), but not THC. Full-spectrum: it is not as pure as the other two types of CBD, as it’s mixed with many other natural compounds; and it can contain up to 0.3% THC, the maximum THC level allowed in many states. The Benefits of Drinking CBD As with any CBD-infused product,

CBD Beverages (referring to any beverage that contains the cannabinoid) go from teas to kombuchas that claim to produce the calming effect of CBD, without the high of THC, the psychoactive compound in the cannabis sativa. beverages have several benefits. The first one is related to anxiety. Research has found that CBD can help reduce anxiety because it affects how serotonin levels work on the brain. The latter is significant because serotonin regulates the digestive system, sleep, mood, and human behavior. CBD also helps decrease inflammation and chronic pain and is a neuroprotector, meaning it can protect the nervous system from damage and injury. It is essential to mention that CBD can also control pain because it stimulates the reuptake of the neurotransmitter adenosine, which boosts the adenosine levels in the brain and inhibits pain sensation. Finally, CBD has been verified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat seizures. The FDAapproved drug is called Epidiolex, and it is explicitly used for seizures in small kids. Beyond that, it has other health benefits yet to be verified and recognized by users and researchers. Five CBD Beverages in the Market Sprig Melon Sprig’s CBD beverage is a refreshing drink that comes in the form of a sparkling soda. It has seven ingredients in total and no artificial sweeteners. The labeling says it has 20 mg of natural hemp per can.

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Zolt Zolt sells “mixie sticks” that have hemp in them. Depending on your everyday needs, they come in different blends with different results like “balance” or “boost,” depending on your daily needs. Buddha Teas Buddha Teas began as an organic tea company, so they offer a very high-quality product. Now, they offer CBD teas. To make them, they use a water-soluble CBD powder to ensure it doesn’t stick like oil. Aurora Elixirs These are CBD-infused sparkling refreshers with unique flavors, from rosemary to citron, and a cocktaillike feeling. Endo Water These are preservative-free flavored waters infused with a proprietary CBD oil. As a plus, they have no sugar added to them. What this variety of CBD-infused beverages prove is that there is a market for CBD drinks and that are answering consumers’ needs. In an evolving market, CBD-derived products like these seem to be an excellent option to find calmness, and pain relief, among other benefits.

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September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 53

NEWS

By Brian O’Regan

COMMUNITY SERVICE

HENNY PENNY DONATES $100K EQUIPMENT PACKAGE TO LOCAL GROCERY CO-OP

ollowing a year where society saw many great acts of selflessness and helping others in need, Henny Penny continued its legacy of impactful, intentional giving to hunger relief initiatives through an equipment donation to Gem City Market, a newly opened community owned cooperative grocery store in Dayton, Ohio. Henny Penny, a commercial foodservice equipment manufacturer, donated state-of-the-art kitchen equipment and training to Gem City Market in support of their mission to bring fresh, healthy, affordable foods to local residents. “We are a 64-year-old company that has been employee owned since 2015, and that sense of ownership and engagement really drives a culture in which we collectively create a positive environment to work and grow,” said Henny Penny Chairman and CEO, Rob Connelly. “Within that culture, we have placed a strong emphasis on relationships… relationships with our customers, suppliers and especially with the community. We believe our company should play an active part in contributing to, and supporting, the community where we live and work.” Gem City Market addresses the challenges created by large commercial supermarkets moving out of the area, creating a food desert, or an area

in which community members lack convenient access to fresh produce, healthy foods and reasonable prices. “I met Lela Klein (co-executive director of Co-op Dayton) when she was just beginning her mission of positioning the cooperative model as a solution,” said Connelly. “Hunger relief is one of our primary areas of philanthropic focus, so we were naturally drawn to the project. But there’s also a deeper alignment between our organizations’ values. We know the concept of ownership is powerful and rewarding.” As for how a company like Henny Penny, which supplies equipment to restaurants including Chick-filA and McDonald’s, as well as large chain supermarkets, became involved with the Gem City Market, Connelly has the answer. “I knew we could not only offer Gem City equipment and resources, but we could also offer expertise, guid-

Rob Connelly, Henny Penny Chairman and CEO

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“Within that culture, we have placed a strong emphasis on relationships. Relationships with our customers, suppliers and especially with the community. We believe our company should play an active part in contributing to, and supporting, the community where we live and work.” — Rob Connelly ance and access to our network,” said Connelly. “We have experience working with supermarkets. I knew Henny Penny could be very engaged with the project, especially during the planning stages when they expressed interest in offering hot, freshly prepared food. At that point, it was as simple as understanding their ideal vision, menu, and space. Then we were able to involve our chefs, our sales specialists, really our entire team and provide the necessary equipment to bring it to life.” In addition to aiding in the design and equipment selection and providing extensive product training, Henny Penny has been able to assist Gem City Market in other ways. “This fit with our mission to help the community, it fit with our industry knowledge, and it also fit with our interest in fighting hunger,”

said Connelly, who also serves as the President of the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers. “As a company, we are also interested in education, in helping people cook healthy meals and providing them access to fresh affordable ingredients. This project allowed us to achieve all those goals and reaching the broader Dayton community through our involvement with Gem City.” The equipment package provided by Henny Penny donation allows the co-op to operate a full-service hot food deli in addition to providing fresh meats and produce to its customers. The high-volume pressure fryer, a multi-well open fryer, two combi ovens and a heated holding cabinet enables Gem City Market to offer foods ranging from freshbreaded fried chicken to an array of baked, grilled and roasted items. With a recipe of commitment to its customers, its employee owners and the community it calls home, Henny Penny has found the ingredients for success.

When you choose Henny Penny, you get a partner that’s with you every step of the way. That means 99% + product uptime 24/7 customer support, and 35% fewer service calls. You’ll quickly find that life’s better with Henny Penny. Learn more at hennypenny.com/better

September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 55

LEGAL INSIDER

FROM ELLENOFF GROSSMAN & SCHOLE LLP

PROOF OF VACCINATION REQUIRED FOR NYC INDOOR DINING BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 2021

n an effort to encourage New Yorkers to get vaccinated, New York City has launched the Key to NYC program which requires certain individuals to be vaccinated in order to participate in indoor dining, fitness, recreation and entertainment. Indoor dining includes spaces that have a roof or overhang and three or more walls. Specifically, employees, customers/patrons over the age of 12 and contractors must provide proof that they have received at least one dose of a FDA or WHO-approved vaccine in order to enter a food service establishment for indoor dining/ events. Acceptable proof of vaccination includes an individual’s Excelsior Pass, NYC COVID Safe App, CDC vaccination card or an official

Acceptable proof of vaccination includes an individual’s Excelsior Pass, NYC COVID Safe App, CDC vaccination card or an official vaccination record. Additionally, customers/ patrons over the age of 18 will be required to provide identification that matches their proof of vaccination. vaccination record. Additionally, customers/patrons over the age of 18 will be required to provide identification that matches their proof of vaccination. Acceptable identification must contain either (1) the individual’s name and photo, or (2) the individual’s name

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and date of birth, e.g., driver’s license, non-driver government ID card, IDNYC card, passport, school or work ID card. Is my food service establishment subject to the Key to NYC program? It depends. All food service establishments that are part of the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s restaurant grading program, and offer indoor dining or beverage service, are required to comply with the Key to NYC program, e.g., restaurants, bars, coffee shops, night clubs, and cafeterias. Additionally, grocery stores, food markets, bodegas, and other food retailers that are regulated by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, and offer indoor on-site eating areas, as well as businesses that operate indoor seating at food courts or provide on-premises catering services, must comply with the Key to NYC program. Food service establishments are not required to comply

Nicole M. Vescova is an Associate in the Labor & Employment practice group at Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP in New York City. Ms. Vescova represents and advises businesses across all industries in a variety of labor and employment matters, including proper pay practice, employee classification, termination, and leave. Ms. Vescova drafts employment policies and agreements such as employee handbooks, separation agreements and restrictive covenant agreements. She also defends employers against claims brought by employees in federal and state court, and before administrative agencies, such as the EEOC and NLRB. Ms. Vescova (nvescova@egsllp. com) can be reached via phone at 212-370-1300.

with the Key to NYC program if they only offer take-out and/or delivery. Is anyone exempt from providing proof of vaccination? Yes. Food service establishments are not required to verify the vaccination status of individuals entering the establishment for a quick and limited purpose, such as placing or picking up a take-out order, entering the establishment to use the restroom, delivering supplies or

continued on page 98

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RESTAURANT EXPERT

WITH DAVID SCOTT PETERS

TRAIN TO DECREASE TURNOVER AND INCREASE SATISFACTION

ost employees who leave their jobs in the first 90 days of employment do so because they don’t know what their job is, how to do it, how well it should be done or by when. They also likely have a manager who doesn’t know either, which leads to a vicious cycle of ignorance, confusion and dissatisfaction. How do you stop this situation? You create a proper training system for every new employee and every employee who changes jobs. To start, you need a job description for every position. The job description is the critical piece to a great training system. When you start creating a job description, you need to take the time to understand what the responsibilities of the position are and what qualifications a person needs for that position. This is how you accurately explain what the job is, how to do it, how well it should be done and by when it should be done. What the job is: Let’s say the job description is for a server. The job of a server is a bunch of processes, such as taking food and beverage orders, delivering the order, closing out a ticket. How to do the job: For a new server to do each process well and to your satisfaction, you must explain the

When your managers know the job standards, and they’re all making sure people are doing the job the same way every single time, you have a positive work environment, which reduces turnover. steps to doing it well. For example, taking food and beverage orders after accurately listing and explaining the specials, suggesting items and upselling when appropriate. Now, you’ll have a whole list of those processes of what a server is expected to do in a day-to-day process. How well it should be done and by when: Next, you’re going to define the performance standards for each process. And this is incredibly important because the job performance standards are the core of your job description. Once you have a great job description, you’ll have the foundation of a great training program. The new training program is the list of all the steps for each one of those processes for each new hire and what they need to learn to do that job. For example, for a server, let’s go back to “what the job is,” which was

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taking food and beverage orders after accurately listing and explaining the specials, suggesting items and upselling when appropriate. Here’s what you might list out as your steps, assuming there are four steps for taking the food and beverage order: • First, greet guests, list and explain specials, make recommendations and upsell. • Second, write the order. • Third is enter/submit the order. • And maybe the fourth step is the expectation of what happens from there, such as marking tables and so on. The performance standards measure how well each of those steps in the process are executed. No one should ever have to assume how you want the job done or what process to follow. You don’t know where people are coming from and what kind of training they’ve had in the past. Their standards could be way below yours, and you need to make your expectations very clear. Once you’ve documented all the processes, the next step is to break them up into lessons so you can teach all the steps that need to happen in as many days as you want your training program to be. It may take two weeks. It may take three days. It should be as long as you need to test them through the processes. This ensures each person is going to learn what needs to be done. But to make that happen, you’ve got to make sure you train the

David Scott Peters is an author, restaurant coach and speaker who teaches restaurant operators how to take control of their businesses and finally realize their full potential. His first book, Restaurant Prosperity Formula: What Successful Restaurateurs Do, teaches the systems and traits to 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 https://dsp.coach/ three-key-principles.

trainer. Each manager needs to understand each of the positions and their processes to properly train a new employee. I don’t care if they’re the best server in the world or best cook in the world, the managers must understand what the job is, how to do it, how well it should be done and by when. This gives you consistency in management, which puts you on a path to becoming an employer of choice. When your managers know the job standards, and they’re all making sure people are doing the job the same way every single time, you have a positive work environment, which reduces turnover. When you have a great training program in place, not only will your employees stay longer because they like where they work, productivity increases because when you keep people longer, you get better efficiencies. Toxic workplace culture is what’s killing our industry right now. We’ve had too many years of people abusing line employees and not treating them like people and understanding their importance to the business. A great training program creates a safe workplace where expectations are clear. This leads to lower turnover, consistency in food preparation and service and a stronger bottom line. It’s up to you to make it possible.

September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 59

NEWS

PRESENTED BY:

PANDEMIC CHALLENGES

NYC HOSPITALITY ALLIANCE’S RIGIE SEEKS TO HELP INDUSTRY NAVIGATE CHOPPY SEAS

t the crossroads of a or capacity restriction, the vaccinaculture war, logistical tion requirement has left the indusuncertainty, and the retry and city divided. “We’ve heard doubled forces of COVfrom a lot of restaurateurs that acID-19’s Delta variant, New York City tually support this requirement. restaurants face new mandates and And we’ve heard from others that vaccination requirements. At the are fuming mad. Most people just helm of the NYC Hospitality Alliwant to see specifically what these ance as Executive Director, Andrew requirements are going to be,” Rigie Rigie, hopes to steer the industry said, speaking on behalf of restauthrough turbulence as almost two rant owners and hospitality workyears of culinary chaos drags on. ers dizzy from the endless whiplash Rigie spoke last month to a group of industry leaders. organized by Singer/M.Tucker and Total Food Service. “The Wednesday Call” had become a staple for industry operators and vendors that support them through the Pandemic. The energetic association executive explained that on Aug. 16 NYC became the first major US city to require proof of at least one vaccine dose to dine indoors—along with other indoor activities— in response to a surge in Delta variant-fueled COVID-19 cases. The mandate also applies to restaurant employees and will be enforced starting Sept. 13, after a brief transitionary period. While most restaurants are willing to try anything (L-R) Andrew Rigie and Senator Chuck Schumer to avoid more lockdowns

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“Speaking with restaurants from Manhattan to Staten Island, there are a lot of different opinions and perspectives.” — Andrew Rigie of shifting guidelines. “There are so many questions that have come up and the city hasn’t given us many answers.” This restriction is also poised to affect different areas of the city differently, driving a wedge further between areas of high vaccination rates and areas of more vaccine hesitancy. Restaurants in neighborhoods with lower vaccination rates will be forced to turn away wouldbe patrons and suffer economically. “Speaking with restaurants from Manhattan to Staten Island, there are a lot of different opinions and perspectives,” Rigie said, outlining the geopolitical divide among restaurants. “Unfortunately, even the idea of vaccination is highly politicized and polarized.” One question restaurant owners are focused on across the city regards those ineligible or exempt from vaccinations — for medical or religious reasons. Owners also have questions about service

providers across the industry who are not required to be vaccinated by the city in their own respective jobs, but now require vaccinations to enter a restaurant. With services like wholesale delivery and appliance repair in mind, owners are concerned by potential disruptions. Even for those who support the mandate, enforcement is a major concern. For restaurateurs and employees who have barely endured a grueling 16 months of stress and upheaval, this mandate is another exhaustive opportunity for frustrations to boil over. Simply, many restaurant owners feel that they don’t have the resources or energy to enforce vaccination checks and survive disgruntled customers. “I think there’s just an overall feeling amongst many restaurateurs I’ve spoken with that they are just exhausted of so much of the COVID requirements being focused on them, and being in the middle of not only a public health crisis, but kind of a culture war,” Rigie said. “People are going to hate us, not the city.” Ultimately, the NYC Hospitality Alliance supports the city and vaccination requirement hoping

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CITRINCOOPERMAN.COM

CITRIN COOPERMAN

STACY GILBERT, CPA New York City Managing Partner and Co-Leader, Restaurant & Hospitality Practice sgilbert@citrincooperman.com

RESTAURANT & HOSPITALITY PRACTICE

You know our clients because we work with hospitality businesses in your neighborhood, as well as the ones known throughout the world we help them focus on what counts so they can thrive in any outcome.

September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 61

by Eva Karoun Scott

CHEFCETERA

CHEF CINTRON TAKES HELM OF LOEWS BOSTON HOTEL/PRECINCT KITCHEN + BAR

oews Boston Hotel and Precinct Kitchen + Bar, tucked into Boston’s Back Bay, recently welcomed Travis Cintron as their new executive chef. He is overseeing the culinary operations for both the hotel and restaurant to develop the menu and continue the Loews’ tradition of creating an exceptional guest experience. Cintron brings more than 20 years of culinary and hospitality industry experience with him to this new position. He received his culinary training from City College of San

Chef Travis Cintron

Francisco. Following his education, he remained in San Francisco where he worked as the executive sous chef at Loews Coronado Bay Resort, sous/pastry chef at the Loews Hotel, banquet/sous chef at the Four Seasons Hotel, as well as positions in several independent restaurants. In reflecting on his career path, Cintron said, “Not one person really stands out in my mind. I met the right people at the right time, and we drove each other to be the best. All my friends growing up or in this industry are my mentors.” Loews Boston Hotel and Precinct Kitchen + Bar’s location in the historic Police Headquarters on Berkeley Street in Back Bay, is a unique place in the city. People walking by may be surprised to find the decorated patio, but this restaurant offers an approachable atmosphere unlike that of other establishments of similar caliber. Cintron described the restaurant as “prohibition-like” with its old-school décor and dim lighting. As a hotel, it can be difficult to attract local guests, and, unfortunately, tourism remains limited as

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“Our goal with each of our culinary programs is make our dining options approachable. Programs such as this give different clientele a chance to get out and enjoy the food and atmosphere offered.” — Travis Cintron the pandemic continues to evolve. However, Precinct Kitchen + Bar provides a convenient opportunity for Loews Hotel guests to get a taste of the classic Northeastern cuisine, as well as a comfortable place for locals to enjoy outstanding food. Loews Boston, with Cintron’s culinary guidance is finding ways to maintain their guest numbers through this period of the pandemic. Cintron estimates their current guests to be evenly split between tourists and locals, and they are continuously putting in new efforts to attract new guests. After participating this summer in the City of Boston’s Dine Out Boston program, both the hotel and restaurant are continuing to focus on its local Flavor program. Flavor by Loews Hotels allows guests to try local food and drinks from around the city in one convenient location. Their partners include Boston Harbor Distillery, Q’s Nuts, and Little G’s Ice Cream. “Our goal with each of these programs is make our dining options approachable. Programs such as this give different clientele a chance to get out and enjoy the food and atmosphere offered,” Cintron continued.

The Precinct Bar + Kitchen uses US Foods as their primary distributor, although, Cintron has some wiggle room to reach out to smaller local shops for ingredients. “If, for say, our produce distributor does not have a certain item and a local supplier does, and I believe it will work well on the menu in several ways, I will make it happen,” said Cintron. The gifted toque has also established an herb garden full of basil, rosemary and more that he incorporates into dishes and cocktails currently on the menu. As for the equipment in the kitchen, Cintron has learned that what’s not broken doesn’t need fixing. As guest numbers continue to rise and fall with changes in the current pandemic, it is difficult for him to make any serious changes while maintaining consistency in the kitchen. The feedback Cintron has received from his menu thus far has been great. Again, there is a need to balance innovating the kitchen and menus alongside developments in the pandemic, “it is a matter of how can we prioritize and adjust the menu to get it where we want it.” Cintron is excited to continue to develop the menu ahead of the Fall and winter season.

September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 63

NEWS

by Brian O’Regan

RESTAURANT IT STRATEGIES

VALIANT CHAMPIONS CREATIVE IT STRATEGIES TO WIN BATTLE AGAINST CYBER ATTACKERS

he good news is that the Restaurant Revitalization Grant program brought much need financial aid to the nation’s foodservice community. The bad news is that with full transparency of how the funds were distributed restaurants now have a giant target on them. A world of cyber terrorists are licking their proverbial chops in anticipation of plundering the bank accounts of an unprotected industry. That has left the restaurant and foodservice professional scrambling to defend their turf. With that in mind, an enterprising IT professional: Georg Dauterman has positioned his company to provide industry specific cyber-security to protect the interests of the nation’s restaurants. Over the course of the past year many restaurants and food service operators have shifted the way they have run their business, from analog systems to more advanced digital systems. With this change in operational systems many restaurants are finding themselves susceptible to cyber-attacks. Dauterman and his Valiant team offer a comprehensive cyber defense for the restaurant and food service operator.

“The business disruption caused by a cyber-attack, piled on with the pandemic is a deadly duo for any business.” — Georg Dauterman

“Our company provides numerous services to our customers and functions in a variety of ways including an IT help desk for your daily needs, all the way up to strategic consulting for the technological side of your business,” said Valiant’s President, Dauterman. “Our goal is to create a technological environment and infrastructure that allows an entrepreneur’s vision to come true. We do this so that the entrepreneur can focus on building their business, being creative and serving their dining patrons.” For those questioning if retaining a cybersecurity company like Valiant is a savvy investment, Dauterman has the answer. “Most entrepreneurs are optimists; they do not plan for negative events like a cyber-attack. Forty percent of small to medium size businesses can be out of business in a year after suffering a cyber breach,” said Dauterman. “Say you lose your ability to process credit cards, it will turn into the loss of your customer’s trust. The business disruption caused by a cyberattack, piled on with the pandemic is a deadly duo for any business.” In the wake of the pandemic when

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many businesses shifted to a virtual approach cybersecurity, Dauterman suggests, should be a top priority for any restaurant or food service operation. “Our working environment has dramatically changed from working in an office or a secure place, to working remotely, through laptops and phones. What that means is that data needs to be available to anyone at any time,” Dauterman continued. “This shift to working remotely has spurred on the enhanced need for cybersecurity. In the past data used to be in this vault or safe that was hard to get at. Now data has become much more complicated to secure, this has spurred on the need for cybersecurity. The bad actors are taking advantage of the fact that your business’ data is now out in the wild and no longer secured in your office.” For those who are wondering what steps Valiant would take in providing the cybersecurity for their business Dauterman has the answer. “We suggest to every business that they follow a set of best practices. The first step is to identify the critical systems that you need to operate your business or perform a business impact analysis. What

we do is work with the entrepreneur or business operator to see what systems they need to operate,” outlined Dauterman. “The second step that we perform is to make sure patches are up to date, that their passwords are secure, and that they have multi-factor identification in place. We do this because, if there is a breach, we can identify the individual component that is breached and make sure that the attackers cannot spread to other areas of your business.” Following a year of lost profits and slimmer margins, two questions that many restaurant owners and food service operators may have are: how much will these services cost, and what services does my business need? Again, Dauterman has the answer. “The way we do pricing is based on a per user model, or the number of users that your system would have. We also consider some variables such as complexity of environment, shared resources and the number of workstations or terminals in a restaurant. In addition, to looking at the hours of operation and the size of the facility,” Dauterman concluded. “There is a line of demarcation of cost when it comes to cybersecurity, there is reasonably priced practices that everyone should be doing, and then there is the next level of expense where you add in a 24/7 security operations center. Our prices differentiate based upon the needs of your business and if you need this 24/7 security monitoring. Usually, restaurants and hotels do not need this monitoring.” More information regarding Valiant and their cybersecurity services can be found online at the Valiant website at https://thevaliantway.com/.

September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 65

NEWS

By Hank Bedingfield

MENU SOLUTIONS

FROM BEANS TO BLENDS, CONSISTENT QUALITY IS KING AT L.H. HAYWARD

ne Louisiana family has long epitomized the cuisine of the Cajun south. That company L.H. Hayward has supplied New Orleans restaurants with their classic red kidney beans for literal generations. Now, they have expanded into a regional provider, offering a full portfolio of gulf flavors and iconic blends and spices. L.H. Hayward, once synonymous with Camellia beans flavor, now offers a range of culinary solutions, all of which exemplify New Orleans flavor and its regional prowess.

Vince Hayward

What began as a multigenerational bean company, built on the staple of red beans and rice, has expanded to showcase a range of products and flavors. With the acquisition of Gulf Coast Blenders, L.H. Hayward now offers operators seasonings, blends, batters and more—in addition to iconic Camellia beans. “My family came here in the 1800s and we’ve been in the bean business ever since,” L.H. Hayward CEO, Vince Hayward explained. “When the opportunity to acquire Gulf Coast Blenders came along, a company steeped in New Orleans tradition, we thought it would be a great fit.” With the acquisition of Gulf Coast Blenders, L.H. Hayward brings a deep-rooted commitment to consistency. Dating back to the inception of Camellia, consistent quality is guaranteed through relationships, some of which—between farmers and suppliers— reach back generations. “It’s not uncommon to be doing business with a grower who my grandfather did business with,” Hayward said. Gulf Coast Blenders hopes to bring that same consistency to the flavor profiles of restaurant kitchens. The company appeals directly to small operators offering personal

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“You don’t have to pay someone to stand there all day mixing spices and you don’t need to teach them to get that perfect seasoning. All the work is already done.” — Vince Hayward attention and custom spice blends, with affordable pricing. “We have chefs on staff and then we work directly with the chefs or the owners of the restaurants to take their vision and turn it into a commercially viable product,” Hayward said. “And then they can use that product in their systems with their culinary teams to create food with proven, consistent flavor.” The process is said to save operators money and time by supplying bulk quantities of consistent, preblended seasoning that the restaurant can use to deliver the same flavors, time and time again. Gulf Coast Blenders also works directly with large distributors, reaching restaurants and small operators with convenient deliveries from industry names like Sysco or US Foods. “A lot of our target customers already have relationships with a preferred distributor. So once we develop a product on their behalf, the distributor, most of the time, is happy to take the product,” Hayward said. Addressing issues of labor which grip the restaurant industry nationwide, Hayward added, “Our blends save time and labor across the board. You don’t have to pay someone to stand there all day mixing

spices and you don’t need to teach them to get that perfect seasoning. All the work is already done.” As trends toward health-conscious foods spread increasingly across the nation, decadent meals like fried seafood seem to be threatened, and with them companies like Gulf Coast Blenders(gulfcoastblenders. com), but L.H. Hayward sees balance as the key. “I think what we’ve decided as a culture is that it’s okay to have fried foods, just not every day,” Hayward said. “But if you’re going to eat it, you might as well have the best.” The Gulf Coast Blenders portfolio is also well suited for dynamic and varied products, well accommodated by traditional gulf coast fare. “A lot of our products are designed for boiling, steaming, and grilling. So, if you aren’t looking for fried products, we have plenty of healthier choices,” Hayward said. The line of products offered by Gulf Coast Blenders ranges from Biscuit Mix to Gumbo Mix including highlights like Beignet Mix, and Batter Binder, a dairy-free wash for frying any protein. To view Gulf Coast Blenders’ full lineup of products, visit: gulfcoastblenders.com

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September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 67

NEWS

EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLY SOLUTIONS

TEXAS SCHOOL DISTRICT LATEST TRAULSEN AND HOBART SAVE YOUR KITCHEN 2021 WINNER

TW Food Equipment Group is proud to announce the third winner of the Save Your Kitchen 2021 campaign sweepstakes that took place in honor of the School Nutrition Association’s Annual National Conference in July. Palmer Independent School District based in Palmer, Texas, won by random selection, the third and largest of four drawings for 2021. This sixth iteration of the popular K-12 kitchen equipment makeover initiative kicked off in February of this year. Save Your Kitchen provides free Traulsen and Hobart kitchen equipment to four winning sweepstake entrants in four different drawings throughout the year. Winning the largest giveaway of the year, Palmer ISD is the third recipient this year of the new kitchen equipment prize package from the Save Your Kitchen campaign. Palmer ISD is a high performing school district in North Texas that serves 1,260 students in PreK-12th grade. Palmer’s mission is to be the pride of the community and continually strives to provide a safe environment that encourages lifelong learners by developing individual leadership

skills. They believe that quality educators will inspire a student’s learning ability toward their personal potential through real life experiences. The district selected a Centerline™ by Hobart standard heavy-duty Edge13A-11 slicer that delivers a clean and precise cut with ease and reliability as well as the AM16T-BAS Door Type Hobart Dishmachine just introduced in June with advanced technology to increase performance and get cleaner dishes in less time. The dishmachine was offered as a special additional prize only for the July sweepstakes winner. For their Traulsen prize choice, Palmer selected a Reach-In Refrigerator. Its industry-leading construction, performance, and smart control gives the school a durable top-of-the-line refrigerator for all its unique kitchen cooling needs which is why Traulsen refrigerators have been the foodservice industry’s gold standard for generations. “What an honor it is to be able to gift deserving schools,” said Hailey Elting, Business Development Manager and K-12 Specialist at Traulsen. “Schools are struggling to serve their students

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“Schools are struggling to serve their students with outdated items and if we can help even a few of them by providing upgraded equipment, we are happy to do it.” — Hailey Elting with outdated items and if we can help even a few of them by providing upgraded equipment, we are happy to do it. We want to be there to give them outstanding equipment that will help their productivity, keep food safe and satisfy hungry students.” “We are a very small rural school district and funding is always a challenge,” said Palmer ISD Child Nutrition Director Sheree Satcher. “We are especially excited about the new dishwasher because we badly needed one and the new refrigerator gives us the room we need to be able to store and serve more fresh fruits and vegetables. We are also exploring all the possibilities that are now available to us with a new meat slicer including more sandwich options and more meals with turkey and ham. Thank you Hobart and Traulsen…we can now use funds we’ve saved on even more great things for our students.” Traulsen, an ITW Food Equipment Group brand, has been providing the most trusted refrigeration equipment for foodservice and food retail operations since 1938. Traulsen offers a broad refrigeration product offering that includes reach-ins, roll-ins, undercounters, blast chillers, prep tables, merchandisers and milk coolers. Traulsen is part of ITW Food Equipment Group LLC (a subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works) and is proud to be an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year since 2008

An ITW Food Equipment Group brand, Hobart’s passion are people and food . For decades, the Ohio based firm has been committed to great food bringing people together. With those relationships Hobart’s goal is to feed its inspiration to be the best we can be for one another. As a food equipment manufacturer and service provider, they have been dedicated for more than a century to supporting those who are not only passionate about creating great food but are inspired by the people they serve and come to know on a daily basis. Likewise, it is their mission to provide premium food equipment that foodservice and food retail professionals can trust to work hard and deliver quality, consistent results day in and day out, empowering them to focus on what they love most—creating great food for great people. The sweepstakes is open to K-12 nutrition professionals in the 50 states and Washington, D.C. Among the products offered in this year’s giveaways are Traulsen refrigerators, a freezer and a milk cooler plus a Hobart food processor, slicer, mixer and dishwasher. Different products may be available for specific drawings. The entry deadline for the fourth and final drawing of the year is October 15, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. Sweepstakes details, entry form, products and other information can be found at www. SaveYourKitchen.com.

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NEWS

By Claudia Giunta

MENU SOLUTIONS

EURSOURCE BRINGS TASTE UPGRADE SOLUTION TO NATION’S RESTAURANTS WITH INNOVATIVE INFIBRA FLOUR

uring the peak of Covid, when grocery stores had limited inventory and customers turned to takeout and delivery, one of the most ordered food options was pizza. It’s quick, easy, and everyone loves it. However, the challenge for the pizza operator is to find authentic ingredients to ensure flavor that can be replicated both in a restaurant’s dining room and to-go. As a long time observer of pizza industry trends, Jeanette Catena brings a truly unique perspective. In her dual roles as a pizzeria owner, pizzaiola and importer, the New Jersey entrepreneur

understands the role that the right flour plays in creating signature pizza. With that in mind, Catena’s Eursource company imports the Italian made INFIBRA flour line by Molino Denti. “The wheat germ found in our flour adds a new dimension to what pizza tastes like,” Catena noted. “Flour has different roles when it comes to what you are baking or cooking. The wheat is chosen for specific purposes to ensure the final product meets the correct flavor profiles.” With Catena’s guidance many restaurants across the nation have also utilized the innovative flour to en-

1st place 2021 Pizza Expo: (L-R) Jeanette Catena, Alfredo Pappalardo, Frank Catena

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The INFIBRA flour raises the standards for takeout because of the toasting of the wheat germ which enhances flavors, ensures health benefits and enables extraordinary re-heatability characteristics.” — Jeanette Catena hance the flavor profiles of pasta and baked goods. Depending on the application, white flour with the proper amount of mineral salts for egg pasta, lower protein for pastry flour or stronger flour for bread, the wheat is cho-

sen to facilitate each process. The Molino Denti brand accomplishes these requirements with its rich farming history and carefully selected grains that ensure versatility, high quality, and ease of use. While Molino Denti has been known for its wide range of flour options-pizza, pasta, bread, pastries-- the most exciting and innovative new addition is the INFIBRA product. “What we do with the INFIBRA flour is take the wheat germ, toast it so it has extended shelf life, and then add it back into the flour so you are now getting a more complete, whole flour. Not only is it sustainable and flavorful, but it is healthier,” shared Jeanette Catena, President of Eursource. In addition to showing a restaurant how to upgrade their flour with Molino Denti, the company gives tips on simply adding a percentage of INFIBRA to their flour game, offering a signature dish therefore differentiating from the competition. As a brand of Molino Denti, the INFIBRA product will have a subtle nuttiness to itself, bringing a new facet to pizza, pasta, and bread. “I discovered this brand at a food show and

continued on page 92

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NEWS

by Eva Karoun Scott

EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES

WESTCHESTER BASED EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLY REP PBAC ADDS CORY PEREZ TO SALES TEAM

ustomers’ preferences continue to change, influencing the way the food industry evolves to serve food and therefore the equipment and supplies required to meet these needs. PBAC & Associates, LTD. is responsible for providing high quality equipment and supply brands to Metro New York’s diverse foodservice marketplace through its dealer and consultant customers. It is important that PBAC remain aware of market trends affecting dealers, consultants, and their service agent partners to support their clients in this changing environment. Cory Perez will be joining their sales team to help them accomplish these tasks. The last ten years of Perez’s career has been spent at Performance Food Service working as an area sales manager and district sales manager in Manhattan. He will be expanding his expertise as he takes on his new role at PBAC where he will have the opportunity to learn from some of the best in the industry. In 2017, the company named Larry Cantamessa as their new president to lead them into their fourth decade of business. Keith Fitzgerald is another wellknown and respected sales team veteran who has focused on healthcare for decades. “I’m excited to learn from Keith and be able to work closely with Larry and Michael [Posternak, Chairman] and help continue to grow PBAC. They’re obviously an industry leader and I consider

it a real privilege to be part of their team moving forward,” said Perez. Perez’s decision to transfer from an Account Manager with a large food distributor to an equipment and supply business is an unusual move, but one that he is greatly looking forward to. “As I started to look for other ways for me to grow, I really thought that PBAC would be a great opportunity to continue my growth both personally and professionally, to continue to learn, and, really, I’m looking forward to taking on a new challenge,” stated Perez. Perez expects to learn and grow with this company, but his background will be equally as important for PBAC. At Performance Food Service, Perez handled business with schools, independent restaurants,

Cory Perez

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“I understand what the customers’ food and menu needs are because I’ve been in the trenches for years in the kitchen seeing the day-to-day tools and equipment needed for these operations to be successful.” — Cory Perez and a tremendous number of bars and pubs, where his focus was food first. Now that focus will shift to the equipment and supplies required to answer the customers’ needs. His previous work gives him insight of what is needed to cook the foods their customers are buying. “I understand what the customers’ food and menu needs are because I’ve been in the trenches for years in the kitchen seeing the day-to-day tools and equipment needed for these operations to be successful,” Perez explained. Certain trends in the foodservice business might influence the equipment and supplies necessary moving forward, such as the demand for plant-based food items and takeout. Perez believes as plant-based food options become increasingly popular, the equipment needed will be on a case-to-case basis according to how the operators wish to prepare these items. He also believes takeout is not going away any time soon. Restaurants that did not take on this approach during the pandemic had

a more difficult time surviving than those that did and may be more adept in the future. However, Perez considers take-out to be more dependent on the disposable aspect than the equipment. He noted the push in the foodservice industry on the disposable side to improve containers. An adjustment in packaging is necessary to accommodate the larger meals, travel time, reheating capabilities, and security of the food in the containers. “For the most part, I don’t think there isn’t any company in the last 16 months, that didn’t at one point take a step back to reevaluate how they could better navigate this landscape, and everyone was forced in one way, shape, or form to really try to adapt and get creative or else you weren’t going to survive,” said Perez. The type of equipment and supplies needed moving forward will be reflected in the structural changes in the kitchen and foodservice industry. At PBAC, Perez will be instrumental to tackle these changes.

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September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 73

NEWS

RESTAURANT OPERATIONS

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: WHAT IS VENTLESS TECHNOLOGY? S tarting a new business or growing your existing one, can be overwhelming at times. It involves a lot of research, budgeting, time, and patience. After all, every single decision that is made can ultimately affect the future of your establishment. Kitchen equipment that utilizes ventless technology is the ideal solution for owners and operators looking to add a foodservice program to their business without breaking the bank. So, right about now you are probably asking yourself, what is ventless technology? Simply put, it is

specific mechanical designs that enable equipment to operate without a hood or ventilation system. No hoods? No vents? No problem! Avoid the high costs of installation and service by purchasing equipment that does all the work for you. Internal filters play a vital role in our ventless technology here at MTI. Both the AutoFry® and MultiChef™ are constructed with their own filtration systems that are responsible for catching the grease laden air produced during operation. That’s right, our equipment does double duty by filtering the air while cooking food to perfection at

the same exact time! We are often asked what benefits come with our ventless technology, and while we know that saving money is at the top of the list, so is safety. Deep fryers and ovens can offer a variety of potential risks to your employees, specifically burns. Ventless equipment is fully enclosed and cool to the touch, keeping staff safe from hot surfaces and oil. Carbon Monoxide poisoning is another danger of working with a traditional deep fryer. This odorless and col-

orless gas is emitted when something is burned. The vent or hood installed with an open deep fryer helps to redirect the poisonous gas, but if that vent or hood stops functioning properly, carbon monoxide can quickly fill your entire kitchen. By operating a ventless, fully enclosed fryer, you eliminate that risk. Bottom line? When purchasing kitchen equipment for your business, ventless technology is the way to go! To find out more visit us at www.mtiproducts.com.

No Hoods? No Vents? No Problem!

NEW OVENS AVAILABLE!

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continued 1-800-348-2976 74 • September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

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SCOOP

INSIDER NEWS FROM THE FOODSERVICE + HOSPITALITY SCENE

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

SUMMER OF ‘22 OPPORTUNITY ON EAST END

Next summer, the Pandemic will be on its way to a distant memory. With that in mind SCOOP has uncovered a unique opportunity in Montauk. This beautifully renovated restaurant site at 240 Fort Pond Road offers a casual, chic and understated opportunity. Totally renovated in 2016, this restaurant building is one of the few sites on the East End that stands out as a truly stunning dining establishment. A spacious site professionally designed to add to the overall experience. 5,400 square foot ground level building which includes 125 interior seats and 40 seats on the outside patio. A large, state of the art kitchen complements the dining room allowing for on-premise service as well as off-site catering. The second floor adds a staff apartment and/or office. The .6/acre property includes a dedicated parking lot. A one of a kind Hamptons eatery, ready for the next operator to bring their own concept to life! It is being offered at $3,250,000. The Compass duo of Hal Zwick (hal.zwick@ compass.com) and Jeffrey Sztorc ( Jeffrey.sztorc@ compass.com) are handling the listing.

IN MEMORY-NACH WAXMAN SCOOP was saddened to hear that Nach Waxman, founder of the Manhattan bookstore, Kitchen Arts & Letters died suddenly on August 4. He was 84. Fans of the Upper East Side shop are mourn76 • September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

ing his passing. “He built the store into a worldwide haven for people who were serious about food and drink books,” wrote his partner Matt Sartwell in an email sent out to the shop’s mailing list. “He encouraged the best authors, respected the passion and Nach Waxman curiosity of cooks and readers at all levels, and never lost a sense of pleasure and wonder at discovering the myriad ways people wrote about cooking, eating, and drinking.” Waxman founded Kitchen Arts & Letters bookstore in 1983 after a long career in publishing. He built the store into a worldwide haven for people who were serious about food and drink books. He encouraged the best authors, respected the passion and curiosity of cooks and readers at all levels, and never lost a sense of pleasure and wonder at discovering the myriad ways people wrote about cooking, eating, and drinking. Photo credit: Roberta Guerette

DAY & NITE AND TOTAL FOOD SERVICE SLATE VIRTUAL SUSTAINABILITY / FOOD WASTE SUMMIT NEXT MONTH SCOOP thinks that amid the craziness of Pandemic life, has been a change in priorities. It seems as if one of the central issues Pre-Pandemic was the industry’s commitment to a Green and Sustainable agenda. Understandably, the last year made “Clean and Safe” the priority. The question moving forward is how we get those two concepts to co-exist moving forward. With that in mind, Day & Nite and TFS have teamed to launch their

Inaugural Hospitality Sustainability and Food Waste Summit. Slated, for Tuesday October 12th, the virtual event will feature a trio of distinct expert panels, each led by a notable moderator, each lasting an hour with emphasis on attendee participation. 1. Localizing Global Sustainability: Certainly, the United Nations, world governments and the like have major responsibilities, but world history also shows the most dynamic leadership comes from more grassroot efforts. The crisis is quite real, combatting it requires nothing less than individual actions, sincere changes in habits 2. Making Green Thrive in a New World of Clean: Unfortunately, too many businesses associate going green with taking on higher operating expenses. Covid-19 is anything but a still-unfolding event, it is a harbinger of things to come where creating greater balance in not just meeting Board of Health standards on what to clean, but emphasizing how to clean and protect public health, the environment is nothing short of a priority, and 3. Food Waste Realities and Best Practices: While most are aware of the absurd amounts of available food left to rot, the issue is much deeper. Methane gas is far more potent than carbon dioxide, food wasting away in landfills heads the list of methane gas influences. Even more diabolical, the amount of energy and water consumed to grow, package and ship food contributes to environmental decay. “United as an industry, the summit’s objective is to not only identify practical things we can all do, but to create a living pledge,” noted Day & Nite’s Mike Berman. “Our intention is to build from a singular event, creating a community that continues to share best practices and ideas, but also track and report tangible progress. Given today’s Culinary Collaborations business you may want to join the already impressive number of companies offering qualified goods and services offering special summit packages to attendees.” For 45+ years later, Day & Nite has built its reputation by helping other businesses with an “equipment uptime” strategic approach. They offer a diverse range of refrigeration, kitchen equipment, HVAC and plumbing services including installations, repairs and sales to its diverse client base up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Industry professionals are invited to sign up for COMPLIMENTARY REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3Bh7PYh

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S P E C TAC U L A R H A M P TO N S R E STAU R A N T O P P O RT U N I T I E S East Hampton, New York A truly rare waterfront restaurant property in East Hampton is now available for a new owner. Overlooking Maidstone Marina and facing West, the property has stunning views of sunsets over Three Mile Harbor and beyond. Spanning 4.3 waterfront acres the grounds are spectacular with rolling lawns and garden space which could be newly landscaped as incredible lounge/event spaces. The restaurant building has an expansive bar, indoor dining room, large commercial kitchen and a full basement for storage. The building additionally boasts a massive indoor/ outdoor dining room with roll up marine glass windows and walls. A truly special set up for a food service group offering 165 legal seats. The amount of space both in the kitchen and entertaining areas is larger than most comparable sites. With the amazing lawn space overlooking the water and large restaurant building, this property is truly in its own league! Inquire for additional information and availability.

Montauk, New York Casual, Chic & Understated Elegance. Totally renovated in 2016, this restaurant building is one of the few sites on the East End that stands out as a truly outstanding dining establishment. Spacious and professionally designed, the finishes and attention to detail are second to none. 5,400 square feet of ground level space which includes 125 seats and 40 seats on the outdoor patio. Stunning folding glass walls connect the indoor space to the outdoor grounds. There is also a second bar outside where customers gather. A tremendous state of the art kitchen complements the dining room allowing for on-premise service as well as off-site catering. The .6/acre property includes a dedicated parking lot. A one of a kind Hamptons eatery is now ready for the next operator to bring their own concept to life! Inquire for additional information.

Hal Zwick

Jeffrey Sztorc

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson hal.zwick@compass.com 631.678.2460

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson jeffrey.sztorc@compass.com 631.903.5022

@hamptonscommercialre

| hamptonscommercialre.com

Hal Zwick, Jeffrey Sztorc, Licensed Real Estate Salespersons. Real estate agents affiliated with Compass are independent contractor sales associates and are not employees of Compass. Equal Housing Opportunity. Compass is a licensed real estate broker located at 90 Fifth Avenue, 3rd Fl. NY, NY 10011. All information furnished regarding property for sale or rent or regarding financing is from sources deemed reliable, but Compass makes no warranty or representation as to the accuracy thereof. All property information is presented subject to errors, omissions, price changes, changed property conditions, and withdrawal of the property from the market, without notice. To reach the Compass main office call 212.913.9058.

September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 77

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INSIDER NEWS, from page 76

TYSON K-12 AWARDS $25,000 IN GRANT FUNDS TO SIX SCHOOL FOODSERVICE TEAMS THROUGH THE GREAT GRANT GIVEAWAY SCOOP learned that Tyson K-12 awarded $25,000 in grant funding to six school foodservice teams through the company’s Great Grant Giveaway program. Since its inception in 2015, Tyson K-12 has awarded nearly $150,000 in grant funding to schools. Grant recipients can use the funds to purchase equipment or materials that can help enhance their foodservice operations. “We are so excited to receive this grant from the Tyson K-12 team,” said Wendy Burrus, child nutrition director, Farmington, AR, Public Schools. “We most likely will use this grant for smallwares that we have not been able to purchase.” Great Grant Giveaway recipients of $5,000 include: • Julie Kotwitz, Dallas, TX, ISD • Julia Rehder, Henry County, VA, Public Schools • Nicole

Vandermeid, Brighton Central, NY, School District • Teresa Smith, Atlantic City, NJ, Public Schools. Recipients of $2,500 include: • Erica York, Texarkana, AR, School District • Aletha Cazares, Farmington, AR, Public Schools. The Great Grant Giveaway typically takes place in-person during the School Nutrition Association’s Annual National Conference in the Tyson K-12 booth. This year, Tyson K-12 team held the grant giveaway virtually on their Facebook page, as they did last year. “Schools across the country are embarking on another challenging school year. School foodservice operators are working hard to offer their students nutritious, great-tasting meals, while continuing to adhere to safety standards,” said Brook Thomas, Tyson K-12 Channel marketing manager. “Our hope is that Tyson

K-12’s Great Grant Giveaway helps operators purchase the extra items they needed, repair the equipment that needed repairs, or boost morale for their staff of Lunch Heroes.” The Tyson K-12 team provided information on new products and other resources and awarded grant funding to six schools chosen at random from those who registered and attended the virtual session. Contact your foodservice representative, or distributor sales representative or visit tysonk12. com for more information.

CANADIAN SEAFOOD AMBASSADOR ROWE LAUNCHES MERASHEEN BAY OYSTERS IN USA SCOOP heard that Michael-Ann Rowe, better known as The Fishionista® and an Emmy Awardwinner for a food & travel documentary series called, Off the Beaten Palate, has expanded her

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Scotsman’s Prodigy Plus ice machine features make having a safe and healthy environment effortless AUTOALERT INDICATOR LIGHTS Easily visible LED lights provide key information without the need to touch / remove panels.

ANTIMICROBIAL PROTECTION Built-in AgION® components help inhibit the growth of microbes, bacteria, mold and algae.

For unit specifications and other brand information, scan the QR code to visit the Scotsman website.

78 • September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

ONE-TOUCH CLEANING Our Prodigy Plus Cuber one-touch cleaning system makes preventative maintenance simple and efficient.

XSAFE™ SANITATION SYSTEM An optional sanitation system that circulates cold oxygen plasma inside of the machine to help sanitize the air and surrounding surfaces.

Scotsman is represented in NYC Metro by: PBAC & Associates LTD 914-793-9000 Financing Options Available

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periences she helped launch the first oyster from Newfoundland; Merasheen Bay Oysters. Newfoundland is now Atlantic Canada’s coldest oyster growing region. Rowe hosted a Merasheen Merroir experience in New York giving a video presentation showcasing the seascape which dictates the oysters unique flavor profile of high salinity from the Labrador Sea, notes of seaweed, kelp, nuts and minerality, as Newfoundland is known as, ‘The Rock’. The oyster has been well-received with significant distributors like, Samuels Seafood, The Lobster Place, Blue Island, Montauk Seafood, and in the south, Halpern’s. To learn more, reach out to her at michaelannrowe@gmail.com.

A case of fresh Merasheen Bay Oysters

portfolio. She was brought up in Atlantic Canada and has lived in New York City for many years, creating unique seafood experiences including a Lobster MasterClass, unique Oyster tastings, and to return this fall (November 19-20th), the Canadian Oyster Festival, NYC. The oyster festival includes an industry day held at Docks Oyster Bar and is intended as an opportunity for US buyers, distributors and chefs to meet a host of Canadian Oyster farmers first hand, to taste the high-quality bivalves from Canada. During the pandemic, Rowe created the experience virtually, but not without providing industry gift boxes filled with 12 sample boxes of Atlantic Canadian oysters. Virtually the buyers and chefs met the oyster farmers and learned about the landscape of Atlantic Canada – why the oysters have a longer shelf-life, winter harvesting, storage and the OysterGro aquaculture system. Buyers could meet the farmers one on one in virtual meeting rooms. As an extension of her cross-border seafood ex-

80 • September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

HOUSTON CHEF CHRIS WILLIAMS LAUNCHES LUCILLE’S HOSPITALITY GROUP WITH PLANS FOR FOUR NEW CONCEPTS BY 2022 AND CHEF DAWN BURRELL JOINS THE GROUP SCOOP heard that chef and restaurateur Chris Williams has launched Lucille’s Hospitality Group, which plans to launch four new concepts by 2022. The group has brought in James Beard Award Semifinalist Dawn Burrell — known for her work at the Texas restaurants Kulture and Uchi, and soon to appear on a season of “Top Chef” —will develop a new Afro-Asian concept. Lucille’s chef de cuisine Khang Hoang is also a partner. And Williams has big plans to expand the Lucille’s 1913 nonprofit, to build it into a “conscious collective” that is looking to buy land to plant

Chris Williams and Dawn Burrell (Photo Credit: Jenn Duncan Photography for Lucille’s Hospitality Group)

community gardens to bring fresh produce to food deserts, as well as building an ecosystem to provide jobs, foodservice training and more — and food waste from the restaurants will be turned into compost to nurture those gardens. Founded in 2012 by chef Chris Williams with his brother Ben Williams and named for their greatgrandmother Lucille B. Smith, who was a pioneering African American entrepreneur, educator and chef, Lucille’s is known for refined Southern cuisine, but also for its cultural backstory. Smith had owned the businesses Smith’s BBQ and Lucille’s Fine Foods General Store in Fort Worth. She was a home economist who created one of the first college-level commercial food and technology departments at Prairie View A&M University. She published recipes and created a biscuit mix sold in grocery stores. She cooked for Dr. Martin

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INSIDER NEWS, from page 80

Luther King Jr. and Eleanor Roosevelt. Her chili biscuits were served on American Airlines flights. Williams also created the nonprofit Lucille’s 1913, which has carried on Smith’s mission through the COVID crisis by serving more than 150,000 meals to vulnerable communities.

ramen vending machines at several college campus locations. In addition to college campuses, Uproot plans on expanding to K-12 cafeterias, hospitals, and coffee shops. The company will relaunch its dispenser program this fall at Brown University, Roger Williams University, Wellesley College, Villanova University, Wesleyan University, Bennington College, Bucknell University, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Connecticut College, Johnson and Wales University and Stonehill College.

NEWS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES: KIWIBOT AND SODEXO BRINGING DELIVERY ROBOTS TO THREE COLLEGES

KING ARTHUR BAKING CO. ADDS NEW PRODUCTS Uproot’s bulk dispenser unit and branded samples

SCOOP learned that Kiwibot and Sodexo are expanding their existing relationship to bring food delivery robots to college campuses. Kiwibot will be rolling out to New Mexico State University, Loyola Marymount University in California, and Gonzaga University in Washington state.

UPROOT IS BRINGING PLANTBASED MILK DISPENSERS TO COLLEGE CAMPUSES SCOOP learned that a start-up called Uproot, based in New York City, has the mission of distributing its alternative milk dispensers to college campuses and beyond. Jacob Conway and Kevin Eve, the co-founders of Uproot, saw that plant-based dairy options were not accessible on many college campuses. 82 • September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Conventional milk is always an option for cereal and coffee in college cafeterias, but college students often have to ask the chef or cafeteria staff for a plant-based milk option. Dispensers for tea, coffee, and juice drinks already exist in college cafeterias, so it seemed like the logical option to have a dispenser for non-dairy milk. The Uproot dispensers are given to college campuses, and then the schools must purchase Uproot’s bags of milk. The company produces its own plant-based milk blends, including oat, chocolate pea, and soy. The milks are shelf-stable and are good for 12 months. A 2.5-gallon bag of milk is priced between $28-$30, depending on the flavor and food distributor. Uproot first launched its bulk dispenser program in March 2020, prior to the start of the pandemic, at Brown University and Wellesley College. The pandemic promptly shut the program down. During this time, Uproot transitioned to offer college campuses packaged 8 oz single-serving containers of its plant-based milks (which are still available for purchase). College campuses have recently come into the spotlight for becoming a place for food innovation. Chartwells Higher Education announced earlier this year its plans for launching a plantbased dining program (called 100% Plant Forward) and ghost kitchens at colleges nationwide. At the beginning of the summer, Grubhub announced its plans for bringing food delivery robots to college campuses through its partnership with Yandex. Yo-Kai shared at the beginning of this year that it had installed its automated hot

SCOOP heard that King Arthur Baking Co. has added six products to its offerings including an Organic Masa Harina, which bakers can use to create authentic Latin recipes. Additions also include four pancake mixes (Buttermilk, Carb-Conscious, Confetti, and Gluten Free Protein Pancake Mix), and Gluten-Free Confetti Cake Mix. “Over the course of the last year and a half, so many people have found comfort and joy in baking,” said John Henry Siedlecki, King Arthur vice president of innovation, in a statement. “King Arthur Baking wanted to ensure that we continued to meet the needs of all bakers with our growing portfolio of products. This meant launching both new ingredients for scratch baking, as well as easy-to-make mixes that allow bakers the flexibility they need as their lives get busier.” King Arthur has also added Organic Masa Harina, which bakers can use to create authentic Latin recipes, according to the company. King Arthur has also partnered with Mexican-born cooking personality Pati Jinich to create several masa harina recipes including Tortillas, Coricos, Tamales Tapatios, and Tamal de Cazuela.

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“I’m so impressed with King Arthur’s Masa Harina,” said Jinich, in a statement. “My tortillas puff beautifully and my masa for tamales passes the float test every time — both marks of an excellent quality masa harina. Soft, malleable and airy, but still with a sturdy hold.” All new King Arthur Baking Company products are available online at KingArthurBaking.com and will be available in stores in September.

JOSE ANDRES RESTAURANTS PARTNERS WITH INKIND TO OFFER HOUSE ACCOUNTS

exciting program,” said Sam Bakhshandehpour, President, ThinkFoodGroup.

AEROFARMS GROWS IN MIDWEST SCOOP heard that AeroFarms is growing… to the Midwest! Expansion plans include building a 150,000 square foot indoor vertical farm, AeroFarms’ largest to date, in the greater St. Louis area in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund and the St. Louis Controlled Environment Agriculture Coalition (STLCEA). This project will allow for rapid access to retail partners throughout the Midwest, create local jobs with living wages, expand the growing AgTech innovation hub and supply healthy food year-round to St. Louis communities.

SPOT ON RESERVE LAUNCHED ENABLING RESTAURANTS TO MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE BY ALLOWING GUESTS TO CONFIRM VACCINATION STATUS

84 • September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

OPENINGS • Dominique Ansel Workshop, the chef’s flagship bakery and first NYC opening in six years, goes back to basics-sort of- specializing in croissants and viennoiseries. The dedicated croissant section is the first and largest section on the menu, and lists the seven varieties including a savory olive oil option with a touch of confit garlic and a sprinkling with rosemary that imagines the flavors of a focaccia with feathery lightness, and a multigrain croissant with quinoa and malt barley that has the surprise of an occasional seed. The pain au chocolat envelopes three batons of chocolate instead of the traditional two.

A sampling of José Andres restaurant cuisine

SCOOP learned that José Andrés Restaurants is turning to a rather traditional model in modern times by partnering with inKind to offer House Accounts through their mobile app that offers contactless payment. Here’s how it works. Guests get started by purchasing dining credit on a House Account and then get rewarded with bonus dining credit with every purchase. Use the app to redeem the dining credit and pay for food and beverage at nine participating locations. The amount you pay never expires and can be gifted as credit to friends and family all from within the inKind app--they’ll need to create an account and claim their gift in the app. “At our restaurants we are constantly innovating to ensure the best experience for our guests. Mobile payments continue to be a top request and partnering with InKind allows us to provide that option to our guests as well as offer a House Account that comes with additional spending perks. It’s a wonderful partnership and we’re excited to launch this

pliance, ensure the safety of their teams and customers, and continue growing revenue. With SpotOn Reserve, restaurants now have the ability to prompt customers to confirm their party’s vaccination status when making a reservation or joining a waitlist, with a simple checkmark. The feature is designed to help restaurants communicate vaccination requirements to their guests and avoid confusion at the door, helping restaurant staff to quickly verify vaccination cards and seat guests quickly. Once the ‘Party is Vaccinated’ box is checked and the reservation is submitted, the reservation will be marked with a Vaccination tag in the SpotOn Reserve system. Operators can also choose to make the guest’s confirmation of their party’s vaccination a mandatory requirement for making a reservation. “Our goal is to help restaurants continue to operate as safely and efficiently as possible as new guidelines are implemented,” stated Doron Friedman, Chief Product Officer at SpotOn. “With this new SpotOn Reserve feature, restaurants can clearly communicate their vaccination requirements, ensuring guests are in compliance, eliminating additional steps of service, and assuring the safety of guests and staff.” To learn more about SpotOn Reserve visit https://www.spoton.com/products/reserve

SCOOP learned that as cities nationwide impose new regulations on restaurants, SpotOn, a leader in integrated restaurant technology, has added a new feature, allowing customers to affirm their party’s vaccination status when making a reservation through SpotOn Reserve. Since the start of the pandemic, SpotOn has continued to evolve its product suite to arm restaurants and small businesses with the tools they need to maintain com-

• Across the river, the famed West Orange, NJ, Highlawn restaurant, the shell of which was built in 1906 as an open-air structure for park-goers, has new owners, the Frungillo Family and they are preparing for a relaunch as the Highlawn Pavilion with Culinary Director and Executive Chef Sam Hazen, Sous Chef Michael Aiello and General Manager Salvatore Feli. Renovations are underway, and the chef is creating a new menu featuring local seafood, Italian favorites, and prime dry-aged steaks and more. Patrons will be able to enjoy the cuisine and stunning views of the Manhattan skyline once again.

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HOSPITALITY BRANDING STRATEGIES

WITH MICHAEL SCHATZBERG

STADIUMS ARE LEVERAGING TECH TO REDEFINE THE HOSPITALITY EXPERIENCE

tadiums are getting a muchneeded upgrade. The big game, concert or comedy show in the postpandemic looks a little differently for sports and entertainment fans attending in-person events. Virtual ticket scanning on smart phones, ordering food and drinks via apps and self-pouring beverage stations to avoid high-touch surfaces are now the new normal, benefiting consumer health and safety and helping operators increase their bottom line by cutting out unnecessary labor costs. Gone are the days of fans missing a home run, touch-down or their favorite song because they’re stuck waiting in long lines at concession stands. With smart phone ordering, contactless checkouts and pick-up pods, fewer consumers are likely to risk missing the event because of the daunting lines, which ultimately negatively impact concessionaires. That’s why more operators are investing in smart technology that can help bring a VIP experience to guests right from their seats. One way hospitality-driven tech companies are merging with concessionaires at stadiums is by offering handheld tablets that integrate with POS systems allowing fans to order directly from their seats. This allows wait staff to take multiple orders at a time, reducing lines at stands and allowing runners to bring out food quickly and efficiently. “Consumers are increasingly looking for contactless service in the hospitality sector and stadium operators

are catering to this growing demand with innovative digital-driven platforms to better serve guests,” David Blitzer, Co-Founder & Co-Managing Partner of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment A number of stadiums and arenas have already implemented methods to keep fans safe during the big game by leveraging tech solutions to make the hospitality experience safer. The Prudential Center in New Jersey – known for its live entertainment and sports games -- has implemented contactless entry into the stadium with mobile ticketing and contactless payment methods throughout the arena. Fans are also able to order from concession stands via their mobile devices and get contactless pickup in sealed bags. Others, like Mercedes-Benz Stadi-

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um, the home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, introduced cashless concession stands for merchandise, food and drinks so attendees can expect speedier lines and avoid potential germs from exchanging cash. And to monitor crowd control and uphold social distancing, KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York enlisted a tech innovation platform that has an app alerting fans to how long lines are at concessions and restrooms to avoid gathering in big groups CONTACTLESS CONCESSIONS Now more than ever, consumers are demanding contactless payment methods and food pickup stations, particularly in hospitality settings. More than 74% of Americans used their phone to order and pay for

Michael Schatzberg is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Branded Strategic Hospitality and the Managing Director for Branded Restaurants. He has over 35 years of marketing, brand development, management, business development and hospitality experience. Schatzberg started working at Duke’s in 1995. He went on to turn a single concept restaurant into a multi-unit Hospitality Group -opening a second Duke’s location in Manhattan, and re-branding Big Daddy’s from a 1969 soda shop into a twist on the classic American diner. Schatzberg has developed, grown, and managed 6 hospitality concepts and advises over 22 restaurants in NYC. He is a founding member of the NYC Hospitality Alliance and Member of the New York State Restaurant Association.

food and merchandise at least once a week, with nearly 48% using their smart phones for purchases several times a week or more, according to recent data surveys. Customers also prefer to serve themselves in the age of the post-pandemic. Nearly half (44%) of consumers also surveyed in the said they wanted to use selfservice kiosks when eating out or on the go. Companies allowing for hands-free payment continue to thrive in the post pandemic. BBot, for example, lets users scan a QR code to order food and drinks with no app download. The app integrates directly with kitchens making sure orders are received and processed fast, enabling staffers to cover twice as many guests. “The thing we’ve seen work best with our stadium partners is implementing order ahead for pickup lines. Skipping the line to get back to the

game is a great guest experience and is necessary for ordering even during the game so no one misses a second,” said Steve Simoni, CEO and founder of Bbot, an order and payment software for the hospitality industry, said. Customers also prefer to serve themselves in the age of the postpandemic. Nearly half (44%) of consumers surveyed in the Appetizer Contactless Technology poll said they wanted to use self-service kiosks when eating out or on the go. Innovations like PourMyBeer, the self-pouring beverage operator, does exactly that by allowing users to pour their own drinks. And with quick-service concessions, another way operators can maximize on contactless pickup and self-service is by adding hands-free pick up pods from the service Minnow, which promotes both hygiene and reduces the need to have wait staff run food out to customers.

ER REWARDS AND LOYALTY PROGRAMS A number of stadiums are introducing value-based ticketing, promoting sales and promotions digitally at retailers and food and drink eateries at the stadium, incentivizing consumers to purchase with a brand or retailer before they even step foot inside the stadium. Tickets are also being used for loyalty programs with rewards for guests that help boost sales. Spendgo, a tech company that spe-

cializes in creating loyalty programs for businesses, allows operators to implement engaging marketing tactics like pay with points features and other ways to engage and retain customers through digital ordering, apps, kiosks, web portals and mobile wallets. Other innovations that help operators create niche loyalty programs to boost customer retention are Personica, an app that digitized the oldschool concept of customers putting their business cards in a fishbowl.

Instead, it collects data like customer emails to send out promotions while also connecting guest activity and online orders directly to a businesses’ loyalty program. With concerts, games and live entertainment in full swing in the age of the post-pandemic, operators are realizing how vital it is to optimize stadiums and arenas with tech and software that allows for a more convenient, safe and user-friendly customer and overall hospitality experience.

USING DATA FOR FEEDBACK, AND KEEPING GUESTS ENGAGED AFTER THE EVENT Concession operators can also stay connected with their guests long after the event ends thanks to tech tools capitalizing on guest feedback. Ovation, a direct-to-consumer platform for businesses, chains and other food operators like Halal Guys and 5 Napkin Burger, helps operators get feedback from customers through easy tools that incentivizes them to rate their experience after a meal or retail experience. This helps manage a business’ reputation online. For example, when a business contracts out a concession stand at a stadium, tools like Ovation allow them to monitor customer feedback to uphold brand consistency. Collecting data via ticket sales and in-stadium purchases is also crucial to bringing operators real-time feedback on customer satisfaction. Innovations like Yumpingo do exactly that by updating operators with customer satisfaction by location, shift, service and dish in cases when customers order food. LOADED TICKETS WITH CUSTOMSeptember 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 87

NEWS

LITIGATION

MARIO BATALI AND PARTNERS TO PAY $600K TO SETTLE SEXUAL HARASSMENT CLAIMS

elebrity chef Mario Batali and his business partners have agreed to pay $600,000 to accusers in order to settle an investigation of sexual harassment claims stemming from 2017. The New York State Attorney General’s office announced the agreement with Batali and his associates last month. As a result of the four-year investigation, Batali — along with his company B&B Hospitality and partner and restaurateur Joseph Bastianich — must pay $600,000 to at least 20 former employees. They must also revise training materials in all B&B restaurants and submit biannual reports to the office of the attorney general to certify compliance with the agreement. The money will be divided among

employees at restaurants that Batali owned until 2019, including Babbo, Lupa and the now-closed Del Posto. The announcement said the settlement is for “fostering a hostile work environment that permitted a sexualized culture of misconduct and harassment at their restaurants in New York City.” In 2017, the attorney general’s office opened an investigation into the claims and found that B&B, Batali and Bastianich had engaged in unlawful sex discrimination and retaliation that violated state and city human rights laws. According to the AG’s office, more than 20 employees between 2016 and 2019 were subjected to a hostile work environment in which female and male employees were sexually harassed by Batali, restaurant man-

Mario Batali

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“The past few years have truly been a transformative period. Including the pandemic, there have been a lot of lessons learned over the past three and a half years, and it has given us an opportunity to redefine our business and the culture we want to foster within our restaurants, emerging as the company we want to be,” Joseph Bastianich said agers and other coworkers. Multiple employees witnessed unwanted sexual advances, inappropriate touching and sexually explicit comments from managers and coworkers, and several female employees were forcibly groped, hugged and kissed by male colleagues. The attorney general also said Batali himself sexually harassed a female server by making explicit comments to her and grabbing her hand while she was serving him and pulling it toward his crotch. On another occasion, Batali showed a male server at Lupa an unwelcome pornographic video. “The past few years have truly been a transformative period. Including the pandemic, there have been a lot of lessons learned over the past three and a half years, and it has given us an opportunity to redefine our business and the culture we want to foster within our restaurants, emerging as the company we want to be,” Bastianich said “Celebrity and fame does not ab-

solve someone from following the law. Sexual harassment is unacceptable for anyone, anywhere — no matter how powerful the perpetrator,” Letitia James, New York attorney general, said in a statement. “Batali and Bastianich permitted an intolerable work environment and allowed shameful behavior that is inappropriate in any setting. Every individual deserves to work in a safe environment, and today’s agreement marks one more step towards remedying workplace harassment. I thank the men and women who reported this abhorrent behavior for their bravery, selflessness, and commitment to accountability.” Other female employees who spoke with the attorney general’s office also complained that chefs and managers blatantly favored male employees and made misogynistic comments to women in the workplace, including comments about their appearance, height or weight, and were told to

continued on page 94

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NEWS

CHARITABLE COMMITMENT

RAPPER NAS AND CITY HARVEST ORGANIZE QUEENS CONCERT TO COMBAT FOOD INSECURITY

he legendary Queens-born rapper Nas, who has largely shaped and influenced the rap genre starting with his 1994 debut album Illmatic, will be returning to his home borough on September 23 for a very special performance. The musician is teaming up with City Harvest, New York’s largest food rescue organization, for the charity-minded “Concert to Feed NYC” at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens. It’s Nas’ first concert in the borough in nearly three years. All proceeds from the show will go directly to City Harvest. Speaking on teaming up with the non-profit organization, which distributes food to over 70 communities and pantries serving low-income families, Nas said, “I am looking forward to returning to stage for a performance in my hometown — especially since it supports a cause [I] care deeply about.” The matter is a deeply personal one — a key motif to Nas’ art has been exploring growing up in Long Island City’s Queensbridge Houses as part of a lowincome family. Tickets range from $75-$500. VIP packages, ranging from $5,000 to an eye-popping $150,000, offer various amenities, including private suites, a chef-made meal, and pre-show access. If the prices seem exorbitant, City Harvest explicitly lists out how many individuals the purchases will benefit. (Ex: The $50,000 Secret Garden Speakeasy Suite helps feed more than 7,000 people per month.) The concert is likely to include tracks from Nas’ latest project King’s

Disease II, which was released on August 6. Over 4,000 attendees are expected to attend the event. A spotlight on food insecurity is especially vital for New York City residents right now. “During the pandemic, the need for food surged across the city—soaring 41% among all New Yorkers and a shocking 53% among children,” noted Jilly Stephens, executive director of City Harvest. Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones is an American rapper and songwriter who became a dominant voice in 1990s East Coast hip hop. Nas built a reputation as an expressive chronicler of innercity street life. His breakthrough came in 1992, when his song “Half Time” (credited to Nasty Nas) appeared on the soundtrack to the film Zebrahead. Columbia Records soon signed him to a contract. Nas also made occasional film appearances, notably in Belly (1998), a crime drama in which he starred opposite rapper DMX, and Black Nativity (2013), an adaptation of Langston Hughes’s gospel play. In 2018 he appeared in the independent film Monster, based on an acclaimed novel by Walter Dean Myers. Since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, City Harvest has rescued more than 190 million pounds of food and delivered it, free of charge, to hundreds of soup kitchens and food pantries across the five boroughs—an unprecedented effort that was more than double the amount of food the organization rescued and delivered over the same time period prepandemic.”

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FRANCINE COHEN

from page 40

the bar says you can wait for months, and we’ll bring you back on our winter menu.” That’s great…if it happens. It doesn’t always. But one chance of making it possible to get back in swiftly and back in that well or on that menu is to build strong relationships and offer value. Pallets and glass can be in high demand, but nothing beats great customer relations to keep business flowing. Early on in the pandemic Lauren Myerscough, a co-founder of Cocktail and Sons, wisely marshalled her resources, using that opportunity to reset and stockpile items they knew they would need when restaurants and bars opened up again. She shares, “Our suppliers weren’t doing much business then, so they were thankful for the income. And now they’re returning the favor when we ask for something.” As Myerscough’s company relies on shipping bottles and vats of cocktail syrups around the country the pre-emptive and collaborative effort can’t be overemphasized. It’s exactly why that while some pallets are taking their sweet time to arrive at their destination Myerscough feels securely on top of her inventory and sleeps easy at night. Michele Lex, Co-President and CMO of The Perfect Puree of Napa Valley knows there are shortages all around and she’s not different from any other manufacturer. She shares what many are facing, “The freight shortage has been horrible. For example, I have raw materials coming in on a container ship, there’s not enough labor at

EURSOURCE

the port to move the container ships through.” She continues, echoing what the TCA knows, “Freight is the biggest component that everyone is dealing with in terms of shortages in drivers. It’s not going to get any better. It’s not sexy to be a driver. These are the times when the industry says how are we going to grow when we don’t have drivers to go?” And that’s not all. A lot of companies either went belly up or consolidated during the pandemic. Many of them suppliers for Perfect Puree and Lex notes, “There’s really a whole lot of complications on many levels, and you have to pull back the onion. A lot of companies that failed or were bought up that were suppliers to us – like our label supplier; when that happens the rhythm breaks.” Her solution to the problem informs an approach that may be the thing that sets her apart. Lex sees the behind the scenes delays as an opportunity to continue her company policy of transparency and support her partners as she has since joining the company over a decade ago. Throughout the height of the pandemic, and now, Lex and her team managed customer communications more than ever, taking it to a whole new level. She notes, “We were being open and transparent about hiccups and just checking in, even when there was no sale.” Now that bars and restaurants have reopened demand is high. With a labor shortage rampant throughout the hospitality industry a quality product

that saves times and boosts profits like Lex’s purees do is a godsend. And an opportunity to embrace change and creativity. Along with shortages created by manmade problems, Mother Nature offers up only so much yield. That’s why products like the new limited edition Mango Passionfruit flavor is exciting to customers. You do what you can when you have it. As Lex points out, the bars were all really creative throughout the pandemic using what they had. And distributors were excited to offer something new. In some ways, maybe taking a step back from our “need it now” culture is a good thing. Lex concludes, “It’s like Christmas or Hanukkah five times a week when something is available.”

equipment and recipes. “The INFIBRA flour raises the standards for takeout because of the toasting of the wheat germ which enhances flavors, ensures health benefits and enables extraordinary re-heatability characteristics.” When reheated, the oils in the wheat germ are released so the quality of the meal is just as good at home as it would be in a restaurant. While the return of in door dining excites many, some have embraced

food to go from the comfort of their homes. “Operators can use this opportunity to elevate their takeout program and offer specifically formulated for take home products, or a frozen version of their made on site items that translates into indoor dining.” The INFIBRA product works well in customers’ homes and in on site restaurants, bringing a “next level” flavor experience to dishes. With the addition of INFIBRA to

SIPS TO SAVOR: Fall 2021 Edition of Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond While we would never advocate a regular morning belt of this whiskey before work, we couldn’t help but consider how good it would be in pancake syrup when we tried the fall 2021 release of Old Fizgerald Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. From barrels produced in spring of 2010 this 100 proof bourbon meets the criteria of a bottled-in-bond spirit; it’s the product of a single distillery from a single distilling season, has been aged a minimum of four years, and bottled at 100% proof. The fall 2021 edition comes to us from rickhouse EE, one of the 63 aging warehouses Heaven Hill has dot-

ting Nelson and Jefferson Kentucky counties, and offers up subtle vanilla notes, a pleasing weighty mouth feel, and lingering aromatics that make you appreciate this finely crafted bourbon well after your last swallow. It begs to be within arm’s reach for convivial evenings at the bar or at home. Photo credit: Heaven Hill

from page 70

was inspired by the wide variety and how they processed wheat in a way so that the nutrients remain in tack to its original flavor profiles. I wanted to bring this innovation and expertise to the USA to offer customers a higher quality and upgraded flavor to flour,” Catena commented. “This past year has undoubtedly set the bar for the quality of food to go. Operators had to re-think their takeout programs and consider new

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a restaurant’s menu, operators can create new and meaningful experiences for the low addition of .23 per dish. For such a low cost, and a huge flavor upgrade, operators will surely stand out. For more information visit http://www.farinainfibra.it/. ** Alfredo Pappalardo, The Winner of Best Neapolitan Pizza @Pizza Expo 2021 uses Molino Denti Flours

SOCIETY FOR HOSPITALITY AND FOODSERVICE MANAGEMENT

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NICOLE GAJADHAR

from page 22

a course that led me to spend a semester in Florence, Italy, and into the realm of a chef’s life. I externed at Tabla, worked at 10 Downing, Tertulia, and The Lion before joining the AvroKo Hospitality Group at Saxon + Parole. Tell us about the concepts you were involved with while at AvroKo Hospitality Group. I was on the opening team with Executive Chef Brad Farmerie for The Poni Room. Before that time, when they partnered with JetBlue, I was part of the team creating the menu for their Mint program, JetBlue’s new take on business class flying. We designed dishes that had to taste great, taking into account that perception of taste is altered when you’re flying and the logistics of preparing food for such a huge operation. I was on the Saxon + Parole team. When I helped open up Saxon + Parole Moscow it was all about working with locally available ingredients to create the same Saxon + Parole experience. What’s the make-up of The Loyal kitchen and staff? My kitchen philosophy is that we are a family-oriented team. My staff

B&B LAWSUITS

cooked with me when I was a cook; they still work with me for more than 10-years, and joined me at the new restaurant. Everyone is super equal, I have three cooks, one prep cook and one part-time pastry chef and together we serve 70 to over 100 covers per evening. I highlight diversity and inclusion in my kitchen and this resonates throughout the restaurant. What’s on the menu? We offer a menu that’s manageable, seasonal and highly flavorful. Guests enjoy the dishes. Top-selling dishes are the house-made pastas and vegetables-vegetarian dishes. Notables include the ½ pound Piedmontese burger, Sweet Potato Curry, Duck Tots and the dessert Sundae Set. Beverage Director of John Fraser restaurants Amy Racine directs The Loyal’s wine & cocktail program, which serves innovative cocktails with a cheeky twist and an adventurous wine list laced with surprises. What’s your view on the industry today? We need to take a very holistic view of sustainability that crosses over to the entire operation. It’s

about sustaining the planet and sustaining our team. It’s about “hospitable thinking and acting” in every arena. The industry is changing; undergoing a renewal and reopening, with a bigger perspective of how we handle things. The main focus now includes finding staff, homing in on the treatment of staff and moving in a different direction with new attitudes about sustainability, a healthy work culture and the food purveyors we engage moving forward. The industry overall must support staff getting proper wages to live fairly. I applaud my boss John Fraser for reopening The Loyal during the pandemic so that our staff could work. It showed appreciation for his employees and support for the community. You are a member of the New York Women’s Culinary Alliance, why did you join and what do you see as the role of the organization for the industry? I have been a member since 2019. Working in kitchens is very timeconsuming. I literally have no time to network or build relationships. I wanted to join a group I know would understand, uplift and also encour-

age growth of their fellow peers. I served on the Task Force in 2020 with Alliance founder Sara Moulton to pave the way for a healthier culture within the Alliance. I felt it was important for the Alliance to be rebranded and evolve and actually begin thinking about community, things going on in the industry too. Our purpose was to refocus, to update issues that matter, changing the code of ethics, branching out the membership to be more diverse, and holding individuals accountable in their behavior towards each other. I am proud of our accomplishments, especially the new mission statement that is on the website, https://nywca.org/ and for making the Alliance relevant today for all members. Our members are from all sectors of the industry. I enjoy the networking, building new friendships, keeping relevant in our industry and supporting talented women. Portions of this interview appear in the NYWCA newsletter. Photo Credit: Karlie Louise

from page 88

wear makeup or get breast implants. B&B managers also discouraged the reporting of sexual harassment claims and didn’t take action when witnessed or confronted with reports, and no action was taken against the harassers. “When my female coworkers and I were being sexually harassed by multiple people at Del Posto, the restaurant’s leadership made us feel as if we were asking for it — as if it is a rite of passage to be harassed at work,” Juliana Imperati, a former line cook at Del Posto, said in a statement. “Sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation should never be normalized in any industry or workplace. This settlement is an im-

portant step in holding the powerful accountable, and I thank attorney general James for continuing to right the wrongs done to countless workers in the restaurant industry every single day.” “Throughout the course of my employment at Del Posto, I endured constant, escalating sexual harassment,” Brianna Pintens, a former server at Del Posto, said in a statement. “Management routinely ignored these behaviors, made excuses for the perpetrators, and often used victim blaming as a way to avoid having to deal with a workplace culture rooted in fear and humiliation. While I can’t speak for the countless other victims who faced

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ongoing harassment and discrimination, I can say that my time working for B&B permanently tarnished my goals and passions for hospitality. I have immense gratitude for

the Attorney General’s Office for believing us, taking us seriously, and giving hope that this industry is on its way to healing and repairing a deeply flawed history.”

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MARIA LOI

from page 46

The culinary flexibility and benefits of tomatoes are known far and wide, but what about the health benefits? Raw tomatoes are full of vitamins like A, C, K, as well as vitamins E and B, but once you cook them, that’s where you get the real benefits, because the cooking process enhances the antioxidant activity, in particular that of lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant that comes from vitamin A, a carotenoid, which not only gives tomatoes their beautiful red color, but also has protective qualities to guard against cancer – in particular prostate cancer. It’s also known to be great for cardiovascular health and helping lower the risk for heart attacks and other diseases. This magical fruit-turned-vegetable is known and used throughout the world, and is integrated into almost every cultural cuisine, especially Greek cuisine…but how did this come to be? There were no tomatoes in ancient Greece! Tomatoes are native to the Americas, and though they came to Europe in the 1600s, they didn’t become popular in Greece until the 1800s when they became almost synonymous with our country’s cuisine. By the early 1900s, tomatoes were so ubiquitous and bountiful in Greece, there was a need for large scale preservation methods like canning and producing tomato paste. I have to tell you that tomato paste was king of all the recipes, not only in my family, but in homes all over Greece, passed down from generation to generation. Tomato paste was and is a household staple, and is always noted as the ‘secret ingredient’ to taking a dish from great to mouth-wateringly amazing. I remember going with my father to visit the Kyknos Factory to see how they preserved and canned tomatoes. I was awestruck by the bounty of beautifully ripe, red tomatoes and how the machinery worked to take this perfect item and turn it into something else that my family used at home all the time.

Kyknos was established in 1915, and has been making the best quality tomato products – especially their tomato paste – ever since! In Greece, there is no home without a Kyknos product in its cupboards, and I love that they have not only survived the past century, but truly thrived. Not only are their products essential parts of the Greek pantry, but their packaging is as well! You can find Kyknos cans used as flower pots and planters all over Greece! All of these wonderful food memories make me hungry for my family’s cooking growing up, but given the timeliness and seasonality of tomatoes, I would suggest you head to your nearest farmer’s market and pick out your preferred, perfectly ripe, late summer tomato to enjoy! Dress it simply with a pinch of salt, some freshly ground pepper, a touch of Greek oregano, and a healthy dose of extra virgin olive oil – you will love it! Kalí órexi! Enjoy your meal!

Tomatoes on the vine in Greece

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SAN FRANCISCO RESTAURANTS pared to pre-pandemic. Now landlords might be asking for $6-$7 per square foot monthly, where before they were getting $9 per square foot for the same space.” Can the restaurants left standing today attest their success to a survival of the fittest? According to Batey, “This was definitely a period when being small and able to be nimble was a benefit.” Cornejo said, the smaller spaces that were barely making it before COVID didn’t have enough reserves and had to give the keys back to the landlord. The places able to switch to delivery, were able to work out a deal with their landlords. Restaurateurs looking to open restaurants now are looking for smaller spaces. A few reasons for this include, it costs less to build out the interiors and it’s easier to run with less staff.

LEGAL INSIDER

from page 8

Let’s look at the concepts trending now: burgers, pizza and specialty sandwiches, “anything grab-andgo is booming. Yes, it’s a pandemic thing, but I don’t see that going away. It used to be there’s a sandwich shop on every corner how can they all stay in business, now it’s like there’s a sandwich place on every corner and they’re all jam packed,” shared Batey. Thomas Keller was doing takeout. Alice Waters is still doing takeout. Chez Panisse isn’t expected to open for indoor dining until October. Even prolific restaurateur Adriano Paganini’s Back of the House Restaurant Group is getting in the game, opening up a second location for his fried chicken sandwich restaurant, The Bird, in the Hayes Valley. Palm City in the Sunset District, opened two weeks before the shelter in place happened. Den-

nis Cantwell, alumni of Michelin starred restaurants, Zuni Café and Nopa, where he was wine director, and his wife Monica Wong, intended to open it as a small-plate restaurant, but with lockdown getting things set up with purveyors proved very difficult. “We were like, well we can at least get bread and we can get sliced meats, let’s just do hoagies,” recalled Cantwell, a Philadelphia native. That pandemic twist landed them on Esquire’s list as one of America’s best new restaurants to open in 2020. The magazine writes “they now offer some of the most nuanced classic hoagies in the country.” Cantwell shared, “The hoagies have been keeping our lights on.” Thomas shared, some of the initiatives the city has taken to help the other restaurants keep their lights on include the Shared Spaces

Program, now a permanent measure, which allowed restaurants to repurpose curbsides, sidewalks and open lots into outdoor seating for their dining establishments. Batey lamented, as indoor dining resumes the question I’m hearing from many owners now is, “how do I balance this huge revenue boost from takeout, service diners seated indoors, and accommodate the unexpected tabletops resulting from the newly created outdoor spaces. In some cases, these kitchens are 10ft. by 12ft. and they are being stretched beyond capacity.” Time will tell how they will manage it all but considering all the other hurdles restaurants have had to overcome this past year, this one is a nice problem to have.

the food service establishment. The New York City Health Department has published a sign and a template written implementation plan that businesses may use for these purposes (See https://www1.nyc.gov/ site/doh/covid/covid-19-vaccineskeytonyc.page). At the time this article was submitted for publication, there was no explicit requirement that businesses covered by the Key to NYC program maintain a record of each individual whose proof of vaccination was provided. However, the New York City Small Business Service advises that covered businesses will likely be required to maintain a proof of vaccination log in the future, similar to the customer contact tracing and customer/employee health screening logs previously required under the New York State’s reopening guidance for food services establishments.

While the Key to NYC program launched on August 17, enforcement does not begin until September 13, 2021. Food service establishments may be subject to a fine of $1,000 for their first violation and repeated violations may result in additional fines. Food service establishments are encouraged to begin making efforts now to ensure compliance with the Key to NYC program. However, please be advised that the Key to NYC program is subject to change and food service establishments are encouraged to speak with their legal counsel for the most up-to-date information.

from page 56

making necessary repairs. Additionally, children under the age of 12 may participate in indoor dining/ events without providing proof of vaccination status. Any individual who is not required to provide proof of their vaccination status is required to wear a face mask whenever they are inside the establishment and unable to socially distance from other people. While there is no per se exemption to the proof of vaccination requirement for individuals who cannot be vaccinated, food service establishments must still engage in the cooperative dialogue, and if reasonable and/or feasible, provide reasonable accommodations to: (1) customers/patrons who need them because of a disability; and (2) employees who need them because of a disability, pregnancy, religious belief or their status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking or sex offense. For customers/patrons, potential reasonable accommodations may include having the cus-

tomer purchase food for takeout or sitting outdoors. For employees, reasonable accommodations may include having the employee work only in outdoor areas and enter the premises for limited purposes, or placing the employee on a leave of absence until they can obtain a vaccine. Businesses are not required to provide accommodations that are not feasible or unreasonable, e.g., waiver of the vaccination requirement for any individual. Is my food service establishment required to post and/or maintain any documents related to the Key to NYC program? Yes. Food service establishments are required to (1) post a sign in a location that is easily visible by individuals before they enter the establishment that notifies individuals about the vaccine requirement and (2) adopt a written implementation plan describing how the business will check the vaccination status of individuals upon entry to

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When do I need to begin complying with the Key to NYC program?

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RHK SEAFOOD BAR

from page 42

have imagined. From the crazy price of inventory to the challenges hiring staff to providing a safe space for staff to work and guests to enjoy. The food cost is something that I fear the most now. Suppliers are increasing their prices each week, but I can’t increase my prices every week. So, my challenge is to find a balance on pricing that is fair to my guests but still allow me to find a point where I can keep my places running and all staff paid. Let’s talk location. You operate Round K based in New York City. South Norwalk seems like a perfect match for RHK’s offerings. Why attracted you to Connecticut and what were you looking for in terms of space? I was raised in a southern city in South Korea that’s very similar to South Norwalk. Where I am from, seafood is the prime core economic source and the backbone of the community. When I first visited South Norwalk two years ago, it felt reminiscent of my hometown in Korea, and I knew that South Norwalk, CT was the place that I wanted to open my first RHK. Every day I park my car on the top floor the highest level in the Maritime Parking garage next to the restaurant, so that I can enjoy the expansive ocean view and feel like I am home. The restaurant features a nauticallyinspired motif playing off the seaside concept featuring large windows, fish nets, ship wheels, shellfish, oars and portholes. What designer/consultant did you work with to develop RHK’s dining room? I guess you can say the interior of RHK is a bit of a collage of my travels across Europe and Asia. Time spent in the seaside town of Bari Italy, inspired the nautical elements like the nets, ship wheels and the portholes. Everywhere you go in Bari you see the ocean and nautical vibe. The big windows and gold decors on windows are something I got from NYC. The shellfish and lighting are designed from scenes I remembered from Vietnam and Japan. Please discuss some of the commer-

cial kitchen equipment being used at RHK. Who did you work with to outfit and develop the kitchen space and what are some key pieces of cooking equipment that helps your culinary team? We did a good amount of research to determine the best setup of the kitchen and how to make it easier for kitchen staff. I consulted a few chefs and visited different restaurants to find the best setup that would work for us. The location of the grill and fryer is arranged in a way that it won’t cause traffic in the kitchen. We’ve divided the kitchen into stations and use a system where one cook can work in one station but help another station if needed. One of our key pieces of kitchen equipment is the dicer. It’s very labor intensive to dice all the onions, tomatoes, garlic, shallots etc. for our most popular dishes. We want our cooks to focus on the taste of our food, so having this piece of equipment saves a lot of time and guarantees the consistency of our food. From POS to inventory control and online ordering and delivery, what types of technology is RHK currently using if any? We use our own proprietary inventory system. It’s not a well-known system, but it’s designed for our needs and keeps things flowing and keeps waste low. For every one of our restaurants, we will create or build on our previous inventory system to fit the needs of each restaurant. We are currently in the process of bringing in online ordering and delivery service to our restaurant. With the new pandemic wave coming, we want to be prepared for a cohesive delivery service. What’s your approach to building a team? What helped to bring RHK to fruition to create a unique dining experience that’s unique to traditional seafood fare. The best way to find people is to first find their innate skills. I have encountered a lot of people that are treasures that need to be dug up and polished. I’ve also come across some who are just in the wrong field. For example,

100 • September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

one of my staff that worked for me for 5 years at the original Round K. Over the years I saw his potential and knew he could be successful operating his own place. So, I licensed the Round K name to him, helped him to find a location, and assisted him with marketing and menu design. There are many cases where I find people from one industry and are unhappy with what they are doing so I guide them to use their skills in a field they are happier in. This is how I build my team. I observe skills and find the best place for those skills to shine. I believe everyone has an opportunity to shine and sometimes they just need a nudge to find it. RHK is a competitive environment where if you prove yourself capable, you can go from a dishwasher to line cook in one day. Using this approach, the RHK team has built a unique dining experience and service. In fact, one of our servers recently received a $1,000 tip on a $503 check from a party of 10 because the guest said RHK was the best restaurant (food and service) his family had been to in 2 years. So, something we’re doing must be working.

RHK’s seafood is locally sourced. What local CT/NY seafood purveyors have you partnered with? And with rising food and seafood costs, does partnering with a locally sourced supplier become more challenging cost-wise compared to a national distributor? For meat, we use NYC meatpacking district based“Golden Packing Meat Purveyors. They curate some of our best beef patty choices for our burger. The bakery that we use is Leaven Bakery, based in the Bronx. If you ask me, buns are one of the most important elements of a good burger or lobster roll, and Leaven does not disappoint. Norwalk based Pagano’s is our local seafood purveyor, and they supply us with the best quality seafood. We’re also in discussion with a few local farmers about chicken, vegetable and meats. While we know that national and larger distributors are less expensive, I prefer working with our local businesses to supply my businesses. In addition to supporting the local economy, our local people are more stable as far as taste, flavor, and quality.

RHK beverage program includes a strong focus on Japanese Whiskey. How Japanese Whiskey compliment RHK’s Cajun-inspired menu? I want to give people more exciting alternatives and choices. I believe that whiskey offers a new opportunity for food pairing, instead of the typical wine pairing. When you think about Japanese food, seafood food is one of the first things that come to mind. This is one of the main reasons why I curated a Japanese Whiskey menu. Most people think of whiskey as a hard liquor that has a very strong flavor. My sense is that the intense flavor is a good balance for the strong flavor of Cajun seafood. Its bold and unique flavor doesn’t overpower the food, but at the same time maintains its own character. Niki from the barrel is a good example, it’s very strong but at the same time very smooth and silky, and one of the best choices to cleanse your palate to taste new flavors.

What are some of the safety precautions and procedures that have been implemented into RHK’s program to protect their staff and guests during the COVD-19 resurgence? All of our staff is fully vaccinated, and we require them to wear masks. For those that don’t have masks, we provide them. If staff member is not feeling well, we request that they do not come to work, and stay home to take care of themselves. We offer outdoor seating for those that don’t want to eat indoors, and our indoor seating is safely spaced. We clean our tables with disinfecting sprays in between customers , and every night, and mop the kitchen and dining room with a disinfection solution. We offer hand-sanitizing throughout the restaurant and have a few contactless forehead thermometers on hand so we can check guests and staff for fevers. And we will continue to follow CDC and Norwalk guidelines to keep our staff and guests safe.

September 2021 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 101

XOi FOR TECHS

from page 18

“We take specific videos made by skilled, veteran tradesmen, load them onto our platform, and send them directly to technicians out in the field. Now technicians, with little experience, know exactly how to do a job and it’s all customized and exact. With one of our partnerships, re-services and callbacks went down by 85% after we came in,” Salow concluded.  For an industry marked with stereotypical distrust and a few memorable scoundrel companies, honest technicians and service companies are determined to recover the industry’s reputation. XOi allows equipment providers, along with service and repair companies, a chance to rebuild trust through honest accountability. “I believe that the trades in general have misperceptions of dishonesty when it comes to repairs. Transparency is the only thing that can change perception to reality,” said Rich Malachy, CEO of Malachy Parts & Service, and an XOi customer. “Our end-user operators want to be in the know more than ever and XOi tech allows us to deliver it.” XOi, through videos, pictures, and hyperlinked diagnostic reports, sends customers information directed in a clear, transparent way. With the click of a link, clients can view a servicing or repair from start to finish, along with time-stamped hours of work and exact billing. The XOi program also allows customers to track serial numbers, identify missing parts, and pay invoices. For Chicago based service provider Windy City Equipment, the XOi portfolio of solutions has been a game changer. “They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so what is a 30 second video worth,” quipped Windy City’s CEO Josh Zolin. “We are now able to provide our customers with a time-stamped, recorded, Work Order and send it internally to the appropriate department to handle it. So, not only are we now able to provide a level of transparency that few other companies in our industry are able to, but we are

also able to automate many of the processes that would previously require multiple redundancies.” “We no longer have to struggle to justify when a unit isn’t worth repairing, now we can just share the video,” Zolin continued. “The same holds true for parts identification. Anyone in this industry knows that one letter or number off with the part number can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. In short, it has built trust with our customers to the point where they feel many of the aforementioned needs, procedures, or precautions are no longer needed. They see what we see, they hear what we hear, and they know what we know,” Zolin concluded. With the intrusion and inconvenience of COVID-19, where physical interaction was more limited than ever, virtual oversight became more important than ever. As the entire world shifted to video, through XOi, the technician and equipment service industry did as well. XOi also claims to extend the lifetime of costly equipment, a benefit made more valuable with shortages caused by the pandemic. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, XOi Technologies offers further information at 800-520-9432 on both its educational and operational transparency. Demos are available for all interested service providers, through a team of customer service specialists across the country. Learn more at https://XOi.io/

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ANDREW RIGIE

from page 60

that the demand will not only curb the increase in COVID-19 cases, but also attract more COVID-wary customers and labor back to restaurants. After a straining couple months of labor shortages, Rigie expects that this new requirement may bring some employees back, with the promise of a safer working environment with less risk to personal health. “The same goes for many customers. We’ve been hearing from many people who say this change will make them much more comfortable dining out and dining out more often,” Rigie said. The NYC Restaurant Hospitality Alliance also expects an increase in business from corporate events among companies that have adopted vaccine requirements already. “On the flip side, we’re also recognizing that some employees may not want to get vaccinated and will leave, unvaccinated people won’t be able to eat indoors which will hurt

businesses, and some events will be cancelled,” Rigie explained. “It’s an imperfect system, it poses challenges, and it’ll take some time to see how it all ultimately plays out.” “It also puts restaurant workers in a difficult position to be the enforcers, so we need to urge everyone, regardless of their opinion about the vaccine requirements, to be respectful to workers,” Rigie expanded. “In the meantime, we need to keep fighting for policies to support our industry, like replenishing the Restaurant Revitalization Fund so all the restaurants and bars that got shut out if they need relief they need.” “It’s in our industry’s best interest to get as many people vaccinated as possible. No matter what side of this requirement you fall on,” Rigie concluded taking an official stance. “The vaccine is the tool to get us out of the pandemic, so the more we can encourage people to get it, the better.”

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