Washington Hospitality Association February Magazine 2019

WA S H I N GTO N

“WE’RE ALL A COMMUNITY.” ONE RESTAURANT PAVES THE WAY FOR GIVING BACK

HOTEL EMPLOYEE SAVES TRAFFICKING VICTIM

February 2019

MEET PROSTART

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Washington Hospitality Association 510 Plum Street SE Olympia, WA 98501-1587

February 2019 │ 1

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EDITORIAL STAFF Publisher, Anthony Anton Executive Editor, Lex Nepomuceno Managing Editor, Morgan Huether Art Director, Lisa Ellefson Copy Editor, Paul Schlienz Contributing Editors: David Faro, Jillian Henze, Sheryl Jackson, Lisa Leinberger and Nicole Vukonich

Inside

February 2019

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chair: Chad Mackay, Fire & Vine Hospitality Vice Chair: Ron Oh, Holiday Inn Express North Seattle Shoreline EXECUTIVE TEAM President and CEO, Anthony Anton Vice President, Teran Haase Chief Financial Officer, Darin Johnson Senior Director of Communications & Technology, Lex Nepomuceno Director of Local Government Affairs, John Lane Director of State Government Affairs, Julia Gorton Director of Membership, Steven Sweeney

510 Plum St. SE Olympia, WA 98501-1587 T 360.956.7279 | F 360.357.9232 wahospitality.org

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360.956.7279 stephaniec@wahospitality.org Washington Hospitality Magazine is published monthly for members. We welcome your comments and suggestions. email: news@wahospitality.org, phone: 800.225.7166.

Circulation: 6,310

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Features 12

One Restaurant’s Impact: Tibbitts@FernHill Gives Back

17

Ending Human Trafficking: See Something, Say Something

20

Meet ProStart

22

What’s Hot: 2019 Culinary Forecast

26

Members Give Back

In Every Issue 6

From Your President and CEO

8

Local GA Update

10

State GA Update

28

Calendar and New Members

30

Ask the Expert

HEALTHCARE

SOLUTIONS

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HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS WA Hospitality Benefits Specialist Holly Hahn 877.246.0545 wahospitality.org/wise-buy/health-care-solutions

President and CEO

We’re in This Together I was at a cocktail party over the holidays when I met a musician who had recently moved here from New Jersey. When he heard I represent our state’s hospitality businesses, he asked, “Well, what are the top issues for hotels?”

Among the issues I mentioned were solutions to homelessness.

His response was, “Why would hotels care about homelessness?”

It pointed out how the general public does not understand how a community’s top priorities are also hospitality’s top priorities.

Anthony Anton President and CEO

We are a unique industry in that we depend on the success of our community to build successful businesses.

Here’s the reality of that important symbiosis with our community.

If people feel unsafe coming to a downtown hotel property or if employee safety is constantly an issue, guests stay elsewhere, employee turnover increases, resources are wasted and a hotel is no longer a good investment.

If people feel unsafe being in your neighborhood after 9 p.m., they don’t come and have your great happy hour and custom-made cocktail at a time where sales can make the difference.

It’s in our interest to make sure that our guests and communities have strong economies. If the community itself doesn’t have the money to visit your business, you won’t be successful. When unemployment increases to high levels, often travel and meals are the first things to go.

We’re passionate about helping the five homeless people outside your front door because those are five people who could be guests or great employees.

If we want great businesses, it’s up to us to lead and play our part in helping our community succeed. It means stepping out of our comfort zone.

That’s why I applaud the restaurateurs and hoteliers who have gotten involved in the Third Door Coalition to end chronic homelessness. They have realized that Seattle won’t hit its true potential if many of our residents are living in tents instead of homes.

And while the solutions are complicated, sometimes controversial and certainly not easy, creating great communities was never easy. It should be a challenge, and our leadership should step up to meet it.

We’re only great when our communities are great. And when we’re great, we create a sense of hospitality, openness and home that our communities desperately need in times like this.

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Government Affairs | Local GA Update

Travel Tacoma Announces New CEO, Merger with Tacoma South Sounds Sports Commission

Seattle: Initiative 124 Ruled Unconstitutional—City Appealing to Supreme Court

Spokane: Visit Spokane Announces New President and CEO

Seattle: Short-Term Rental Ordinance Now in Effect

Travel Tacoma + Pierce County announced last week that it will merge with the Tacoma South Sound Sports Commission, according to The News Tribune. Dean Burke, a seven-year veteran of the sports commission, will be the CEO of the combined organizations. Travel Tacoma interim CEO, Chelene Potvin-Bird will return to her role as vice president of sales and service. The new combined organization does not have a name yet.

Visit Spokane hired a new president and CEO in January.

Meg Winchester comes to Spokane from Galveston, Texas, where she was director of the Galveston Island Convention and Visitors Bureau. She brings decades of convention sales and marketing experience with her to the position.

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The Washington State Court of Appeals ruled that Seattle’s Initiative 124 was unconstitutional because it violates the single-subject rule. The city is appealing this ruling to the Supreme Court and Mayor Jenny Durkan announced she will work with the city council to put forward new legislation to address the health and safety of hotel employees. We will keep you updated on any developments.

Seattle’s short-term rental ordinance was approved by the City Council a little more than a year ago and went into effect Jan. 1. A big win for the Seattle Hotel Association, the ordinance limits the number of units any given operator may have and establishes safety, insurance and licensing requirements for short-term rentals.

Giving Thanks to our Sponsors & Participants The Washington Hospitality Association would like to thank the following sponsors and participants for making Hill Climb and Taste Our Best Legislative Reception 2019 a success.

Presenting Sponsor

Diamond Event Sponsor

Coffee Sponsor

Gold Event Sponsors PUB & EATERY Est. 2009

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Silver Sponsors

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Participants

Government Affairs | State GA Update

Protecting Workers, Providing Panic Buttons On Jan. 25, the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee heard Senate Bill 5258, a bill that will help protect workers by adding anti-sexual harassment training, policies and procedures in addition to providing panic buttons to employees who work independently. Julia Gorton, director of State Government Affairs, testified in support of these worker protections on behalf of the Washington Hospitality Association and Anna Boone, Local Government Affairs senior manager, testified in support on behalf of the Seattle Hotel Association.

Hot Topic: Single-Use Plastics Bans

The 2019 Legislative Session is in Full Swing The 2019 Legislative Session began Jan. 14. Are you on the list to receive important weekly legislative updates? These updates are your opportunity to stay current on what’s happening in Olympia. This is a budget year and a long, 105-day session.

Please email Nicole Vukonich at nicolev@wahospitality.org to join the list.

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Removing single-use plastics from the environment is a hot topic of the legislative session. The Washington Hospitality Association is generally in support of these efforts as long as there are reasonable alternative products available in the market.

On Jan. 21, Samantha Louderback, Senior Government Affairs Manager, testified in support of a statewide plastic bag ban with the inclusion of language that allows our members to uphold the wellness and safety of customers and comply with Department of Health regulations (House Bill 1205). It is still early days of the session and there is much work ahead on these bills.

Government Affairs | State GA Update

2019 Top Priorities

Your State Government Affairs Team will be focusing on two priorities during the legislative session: affordable housing and workforce development. These two issues are central to the present and future success of our industry.

Affordable Housing

Workforce Development

Affordable housing in all communities across Washington means we need to find solutions for skyrocketing rents, rising rates of homelessness and some of the hottest housing markets in the country. Increased support for housing options at all price points will benefit us all. This session we will partner with other stakeholders in the business community to lend our support to affordable housing solutions.

We know that one of the largest challenges facing the industry today is the labor shortage. With low rates of unemployment, it is difficult to find workers to fill important positions in the front and back of the house. By continuing efforts to create public/private partnerships with state agencies and local nonprofits, we can help fulfill the needs of the industry. We’ve learned in the past year that we cannot succeed alone – we are more powerful together. This session, that State Government Affairs team will work to find legislative support and funding for hiring events to create win-win situations for job seekers and employers.

While the topic of affordable housing may seem out of the ordinary for our industry, the reality is that the topic is interconnected with our industry. We want our employees to have affordable housing options within their communities, close to their jobs if they choose. Living closer to work means less time spent commuting and more time spent with those who matter most. Whether we are seeking affordable housing for members of our community, those experiencing homelessness or looking to find parity with short-term rental platforms, affordable housing is an element of our industry.

While we have achieved some piece-meal victories in short-term rental parity at the local level, we look forward to closing the gap between home rental platforms and lodging establishments at the state level. We want to see all lodging establishments held to the same health and safety standards. Creating this equity will benefit all lodging guests in Washington state.

Last session, Washington joined the rest of the country by establishing and funding the Washington Tourism Marketing Authority (WTMA). This venture will help market our state to out-of-town guests and provide some much-needed advertising for the state. We know that Washington is a great destination, however, we cannot compete with other states that spend millions of dollars attracting visitors.

The hospitality industry is proud to offer all levels of employment – from first jobs, second chances and lifelong careers. Nine out of ten of our owners and operators began their careers in entry-level positions in the hospitality industry and worked their way up. This rise was made possible by the determination and passion for the industry.

Additionally, partnering with the Washington Hospitality Association Education Foundation, the State Government Affairs team will seek support for high school students involved in pre-apprenticeship programs including ProStart.

These opportunities allow high school students to prepare for their future while gaining valuable and transferable life skills in hospitality.

February 2019 │ 11

One Restaurant’s Impact: Tibbitts@FernHill Gives Back

By Paul Schlienz

Tibbitts@FernHill is one of a kind.

A small restaurant with a big impact on its community, Tibbitts@FernHill is easy to miss if you're not looking for it, but it's well worth seeking out. This 25-seat eatery, located on a quiet street in Tacoma's Fern Hill neighborhood, in the city's southernmost reaches, has already achieved accolades, awards and a loyal clientele in its short two-year existence.

"I didn't want to do what everybody else did," said Chef Shawn Tibbitts, the restaurant's owner, "I wanted to have my own creative niche, my own outlook on flavors that I built throughout my whole career as a line cook."

Acts of Mercy Doing the right thing, for Tibbitts, means serving his community. Growing up poor in the Fern Hill neighborhood, where he has now found unimagined success and recognition, he has never lost sight of his roots and is passionate about helping the poor and needy.

And he remembers that it was because of one man's charitable giving that Tibbitts@FernHill exists today as a restaurant.

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"Tibbitts@FernHill came to me from a blessing," said Tibbitts. "By all rights, Tibbitts@FernHill should never have happened."

Tibbitts' mother died shortly before the restaurant's opening.

"I had all my money saved up," Tibbitts recalled. "When she passed, I took all the money that I had, and I gave her the best funeral a son could give his mother. I was broke."

Then came an unexpected act of mercy. A friend Tibbitts hadn't spoken with in 15 years reached out to him.

"He asked me 'What would it cost to open your restaurant?'" Tibbitts said. "I gave him a number and he cut me a check. I opened my restaurant with $32 in my bank account and a prayer."

Success came more quickly than Tibbitts could ever have anticipated.

"After the first six months − BOOM! − all of a sudden, I'm getting more people into the restaurant, so I launched my first give back," Tibbitts remembered. "I always knew that if

Chef Shawn Tibbitts (just left of the yellow post) with a few of his many fans. (Photo: Shawn Tibbitts)

I were in a position to give, I wanted to give back to the less fortunate. It was long one of my dreams."

At this point, Tibbitts began realizing his dream, eventually feeding more than 300 people for free each holiday during 2017. During 2018, his mission to give back to the community continued and expanded its reach. This past Christmas alone, he fed more than 200 people at no charge.

"Now I have over 10 other restaurants that donate food to help these people," said Tibbitts. "These folks get some of the best food Tacoma has to offer. It's not about one person or one restaurant anymore. We're all a community. Here in Tacoma, we all need to band together and support each other and not worry about competition because I don't have any competition. Now I'm not just a restaurant. I'm a community of restaurants."

Tibbitts' community service doesn't stop with feeding the less fortunate. He collaborated with a local elementary school on a survey of the kinds of lunch menus − rewarding participants with an ice cream party. Additionally, he has given cooking demonstrations at Tacoma's Lincoln High School, where he also answers students' questions and discusses his experiences in making a career out of hospitality.

"I'm just one single guy, but I believe one single guy can change a city for the better," Tibbitts said. "I've fed over 3,000 people in two years. That's free food and it's nothing to do with money. It's giving back. It's showing the community that you can thrive if you do these things."

“It's not about one person or one restaurant anymore.

We're all a community.

Here in Tacoma, we all need to band together and support each other and not worry about competition because I don't have any competition. Now I'm not just a restaurant. I'm a community of restaurants.”

– Chef Shawn Tibbitts

February 2019 │ 13

Marching to a Different Drum Tibbitts@FernHill really is different. For one thing, Tibbitts works his cooking magic on the most basic equipment − two small burners and an oven. The food is completely locally sourced and his menu items are unique creations.

Tibbitts' eclectic, original cuisine offerings are the culmination of a long apprenticeship in the restaurant industry.

"I never went to culinary school," Tibbitts said. "I simply worked at a lot of restaurants. My first chef told me to never work in one place too long so you can learn about different foods. From there I job jumped a lot, working in a lot of places in Tacoma. By the time I was 40, I had worked in over 40 restaurants in 25 years."

Always observant and willing to take input from whomever was his chef at the time, Tibbitts worked in European, Asian and Hispanic cuisine, gathering a storehouse of culinary knowledge he would bring together in new and original ways when the time came for him to open his own restaurant.

"If you're creative, if you find your niche and don't do what everyone does, that's fun," Tibbitts said. "That's a place people are going to go to and want to see for themselves."

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Chef Shawn Tibbitts in his kitchen (Photo: Shawn Tibbitts) Tibbitts@FernHill's unique menu has, indeed, paid off − big time − in recognition and rave reviews. It was voted one of the top five new restaurants of 2017 by food critic Sue Kidd of The News Tribune. Tibbitts, himself, was honored as Best Chef 2018 and his eatery was recognized as the Best New Restaurant 2018 by South Sound Magazine. Seattle.

Eaters.com named Tibbitts@FernHill one of 24 "Essential Tacoma Restaurants" while Yelp! rated it the No. 1 farmto-table restaurant in Tacoma. Additionally, Tibbitts was featured as a guest host and cook-off contestant at the 2018 Taste of Tacoma.

Happy customers at Tibbitts@FernHill. (Photo: Shawn Tibbitts) "It's all been a huge achievement for me, but I've got to stay humble, too," said Tibbitts. "I want to do the right thing."

Small is Beautiful

One thing is for sure: In addition to Tibbitts' unique locally sourced culinary offerings, his community service will continue making Tacoma a better place to live for a long time to come.

With his restaurant's quick rise, one can only wonder what the future holds for Tibbitts.

"I'm a giver," Tibbitts concluded. "It's all heart. I can't change."

"I was looking at a second location," Tibbitts said. "I decided I didn't want to do that because that was going to take away from my spot, my dream of being part of the Fern Hill community. Overhead is the biggest breaker of every small business restaurant, so I'm going to keep it small. I'm never going to expand, but I'm probably going to do some summer hours. I'll keep changing my menu four times a year. I'll also be doing some dinners starting in February − three nights a week."

“I’m just one single guy, but I believe one single guy can change a city for the better.”

– Chef Shawn Tibbitts

Chef Shawn Tibbitts. (Photo: Shawn Tibbitts)

February 2019 │ 15

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Ending Human Trafficking: See Something, Say Something

By Katie Amodei, Communications Manager, Business Ending Slavery and Trafficking, and Alisha West Technology Coordinator, Business Ending Slavery and Trafficking

Recently, we were able to speak with Alison Galioto, vice president of Hospitality Associates, a Northwestbased hotel management group, about why she has worked so diligently to make sure her staff at their 26 hotels are trained to handle human trafficking.

“Some of the activity is obvious,” Alison explains, “I’ve seen women wearing hardly any clothing and they would come in with a man who paid in cash. The paying in cash is a definite sign. Sometimes they said they didn’t have a bank account or were not able to check-in with a credit card in their name.

Sometimes they would check in under a name you could tell was a false name.”

But other times, Alison says, “It’s not always so obvious. If they wear everyday clothes, and they do use a credit card, and are not bringing in a lot of men, sometimes it’s hard to see. That’s why we want to do this training, so our staff are able to detect the less obvious signs of sex trafficking.”

Though she’s a vice president now, Alison started her hospitality career working as a housekeeper at a hotel

in Grand Coulee, Wash. From there she became a front desk clerk at a Spokane Valley hotel before moving on to become a general manager at a hotel in Seattle.

Throughout her career journey, she has personally witnessed some of the tell-tale signs of sex trafficking in hotels. This knowledge and first-hand experience made her even more dedicated to educating employees working on the front-lines.

According to Alison, front-line staff first need to be aware that sex trafficking can happen even at nice hotels and that it is not a victimless crime.

Secondly, staff need to know what indicators to look for and how to report the crime when it happens.

Just these simple things can help more girls, boys, women and even men escape a life of sexual exploitation.

Alison shared a story about a time when her staff successfully intervened to help a young woman in need.

The employees at the front desk heard two women arguing loudly in a public bathroom in the hotel. There was a young woman and an older woman, who had not yet checked in, and the employees were able to tell that the younger woman was in distress. The two women then took their argument to the parking lot where it became physically abusive.

Judging that it was safe to do so, one of the front desk employees intervened in the argument and brought the young woman back into the hotel while the older women

February 2019 │ 17

drove off. The young woman explained to the front desk staff that she had been offered a ride to California, but instead was brought to the hotel where the older woman tried to coerce her into trafficking. The hotel manager then called the police and the FBI task force came to help the young woman with her situation.

It’s rare to have the chance to intercede before any sexual exploitation occurs, but this young woman was lucky enough to find herself at a hotel where the staff didn’t look the other way. Alison’s staff may have saved this young person’s life.

Stories like this one made Alison determined to create a workplace culture where employees know what to do when they see potential sex trafficking. With 26 hotels in the ownership group, Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) was thankful and honored when Hospitality Associates chose to partner with us for this training. In fact, Hospitality Associates have already trained its senior-level management.

At their corporate retreat last year and are now rolling out the staff training to all its properties throughout Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho and Montana. BEST is providing Hospitality Associates not only with training, but also with informational posters to be displayed in the employee break rooms, indicator cards describing possible warning signs and instructions on what to do if staff see indicators of sex trafficking.

When we asked Alison if she had any advice to give to other vice presidents who are thinking of implementing training, she said, “I had to really keep pushing for this training to happen, and I’ve been pushing for about two or three years. I know this is an uncomfortable topic, but you can present it in a way that makes it not uncomfortable. BEST’s videos really help with that. It’s important. It’s just part of running your business. These are some of the important talks we need to be having with our staff.”

Katie Amodei is Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking’s (BEST) communications manager, and Alisha West is its technology coordinator. BEST raises awareness about how employers can help stop human trafficking. BEST consults on best practices and provides model policies for employers. BEST trains employees to implement best practices and stop exploitation before it happens. BEST enables employers to provide jobs for survivors of trafficking and people considered at-risk.

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Ending Human Trafficking: Association Members Receive FREE Human Trafficking Prevention Training Use BEST’s Inhospitable to Human Trafficking Training to train your staff and managers to see the signs

The Washington Hospitality Association is pleased to announce that we are providing free human trafficking training for all our members and their employees.

Through a partnership with BEST (Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking), you now have unlimited and free access to the most comprehensive human trafficking prevention training available for hospitality employees.

To complete the training, follow these steps: 1. Go to BEST’s Training Center.

2. Register and use the voucher code: WAHospitality.

3. Select and complete Individual Manager Training.

4. After registering, log into this site at any time: training.bestalliance.org.

Do you want to train your staff? If so, go to bit.ly/2FMaWyA to read: How to Train Your Staff.

Be sure and save this article! After reading through instructions for training your staff, you’ll need to include one or more of the following voucher codes in communications with your staff. »» Individual Staff Training Course (English): WAHospitality-staff »» Individual Staff Training Course (Spanish): WAHospitality-span »» Individual Manager Training Course: WAHospitality »» Group Training Course (English): WAHospitality »» Group Training Course (Spanish): WAHospitality The user acknowledges that, by using this free training, the user agrees, on behalf of the user and the employees with whom the user shares the training, to be subject to BEST’s terms and conditions.

February February2019 2019 │ 19 │ 19

ProStart is one of the most effective industry supported career technical education programs in the nation, empowering students to achieve long-term, successful careers in the restaurant and foodservice sector.

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Source: Who Works in the U.S. Restaurant Industry? A Nationwide Survey of the Restaurant Workforce, National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, 2014

February 2019 │ 21

2019 Culinary Forecast 2019 Culinary Forecast

CBD and cannabis-infused food and beverages are among the top trends for 2019, along with zero-waste cooking, globally inspired dishes and vegetable-forward cuisine. American Culinary Federation chefs identified the trends for the National Restaurant Association’s What’s Hot survey.

Plant-based and veggie centric foods are no longer just

The annual survey asks chefs to identify food and beverage trends for the coming year. Chefs ranked 140 items — from all-day breakfast to zero-waste cooking — as “hot,” “yesterday’s news” or “perennial favorite.” The resulting What’s Hot list gives a preview of the food, beverages and culinary themes that will be the talk of 2019.

Zero-waste cooking, which transforms food scraps, damaged produce and leftovers into culinary delights, ranks third on the list of overall trends for 2019 and second in the culinary concepts category. Chefs are taking a second look at items they trashed in the past — using coffee grinds to flavor homemade ice cream and showcasing cabbage butts in crowd-pleasing stir-fries.

Nearly 77 percent of the chefs ranked cannabis/CBD infused drinks as the No. 1 trend, and 76 percent of them

tapped cannabis/CBD-infused food as the second most popular. Chefs who participated in the survey said infusing foods with the ingredients could create unique cuisine opportunities and potential new markets for experiential dining occasions. Seventy percent ranked zero-waste cooking as the third most popular trend.

“The Association’s 2019 What’s Hot report reflects contemporary consumer cravings in tandem with emerging societal dining trends,” says Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of research for the National Restaurant Association. “We’re seeing a more eco-friendly perspective and greater emphasis on global flavors/cuisines as well as enhanced availability of healthful items/children’s meals and the exploration of new food sourcing options.”

The survey indicates that Americans crave foods that not only nourish them but also help sustain the planet.

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for vegetarians. In fact, three of the 15 hottest items are plant-based sausages/burgers, veggie-centric/vegetable forward cuisine and plant-based proteins. Hyper-local sourcing, including restaurants that grow produce in their own gardens, also made the Top 10 list.

Global flavors also ranked highly, with the trend heating

up from last year. Globally inspired breakfast dishes claimed the fourth spot on the survey, followed by global flavors in kids’ meals.

In category after category, global flavors shine brightly.

The Israeli soda gazoz ranks second in the non-alcoholic beverage category. Thai-rolled ice cream placed first among sweets. African cuisines, condiments and spices trended across several categories, including items that originated in North, West and East Africa (Ethiopia). Chefs identified North African cuisine (think tajine and fuul) as today’s “hottest” global flavor.

New cuts of meat, such as shoulder tender, oyster steak

or Merlot cut, cooled some after nabbing the top spot for the past two years. As for “yesterday’s news,” chefs ranked overnight oats, anise-flavored cocktails and pretzels in desserts as trends that have come and gone.

The National Restaurant Association works with the American Culinary Federation for its annual chefs’ survey of menu trends for the coming year.

This year, the Culinary Institute of America trained chefs identified concept trends, such as zero-waste cooking, hyper-local ingredients and plant-based protein. They ranked 140 items as top trends, yesterday’s news or perennial favorites, as well as by category. Learn more at Restaurant.org/research.

TOP TRENDS

FOR 2019

TOP TRENDS FOR 2019

BY CATEGORY KIDS’ MEALS 1 2 3 4 5

SNACKS/SWEETS 1 2 3

1

Cannabis/CBD-infused drinks

2

Cannabis/CBD-infused food

3

Zero-waste cooking (elevated cuisine using food scraps)

Global flavors in kids’ meals Gourmet items in kids’ meals Healthful kids’ meals Whole grain items in kids’ meals Sliders/miniburgers in kids’ meals

4 5

Thai-rolled ice cream Doughnuts with non-traditional filling (e.g. liqueur, Earl Grey cream) Chocolate (responsibly sourced, new flavors) Injera chips Artisan/house-made ice cream

PRODUCE 1

4

Globally inspired breakfast dishes

2 3 4

5

Global flavors in kids’ meals

5

6

Hyper-local (e.g. restaurant gardens, onsite beer brewing, house-made items)

7

New cuts of meat (e.g. shoulder tender, oyster steak, Vegas Strip Steak, Merlot cut)

8

Veggie-centric/vegetable-forward cuisine (e.g. fresh produce is star of the dish)

9

Chef-driven fast-casual concepts

10

Craft/artisan/locally produced spirits

Uncommon herbs (e.g. chervil, lovage, lemon balm, papalo) Locally sourced produce Imperfect/ugly produce Exotic fruit (e.g. rambutan, dragon fruit, paw paw, guava) Super fruit (e.g. acai, goji berry, mangosteen)

Thai-rolled ice cream February 2019 │ 23

TOP TRENDS FOR 2019

BY CATEGORY DISHES 1 2 3 4 5

Globally inspired breakfast dishes Vegetable carb substitutes (e.g. cauliflower rice, zucchini spaghetti) Street food-inspired dishes (e.g. tempura, kabobs, dumplings) Katso Sando (Japanese cutlet sandwich) House-made/artisan pickles

GRAINS/PASTA 1 2 3 4 5

Plant-based sausages & burgers

CONDIMENTS 1 2 3 4 5

Protein-rich grains/seeds (e.g. hemp, chia, quinoa, flax) Non-wheat noodles/pasta (e.g. quinoa, rice, buckwheat) Ancient grains (e.g. kamut, spelt, amaranth, lupin) Savory granola Teff

House-made condiments/specialty condiments North African condiments (dukka, zhug, harissa, ras el hanout, etc.)

Shichimi spice/powder Gochujang (Korean red-pepper paste) Berbere

GLOBAL FLAVORS 1 2 3 4 5

North African cuisine/flavors (fuul, tajines, etc.)

West African cuisine/flavors Peruvian cuisine Ethiopian/Eritrean cuisine/flavors (Berbere, injera) Filipino cuisine

PROTEIN 1 2 3 4 5

New cuts of meat (e.g. shoulder tender, oyster steak, Vegas Strip Steak, Merlot cut) Plant-based sausages and burgers Locally sourced meat and seafood Sustainable seafood Heritage-breed meats

NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES Vegetable carb substitutes 24 │ wahospitality.org

1 2 3 4 5

Cannabis/CBD-infused drinks Gazoz (non-alcoholic spritzer from Israel) Craft/house-roasted coffee Nitrogen/cold brew coffee House-made soda

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES 1 2 3 4 5

Craft/artisan/locally produced spirits Onsite barrel-aged drinks Culinary cocktails (e.g. savory, fresh ingredients, herb-infused) Locally produced spirits/wine/beer Rosé cider

TOP ITEMS

FROM EACH CATEGORY

RESTAURANT CONCEPTS 1 2 3 4 5

Chef-driven fast casual concepts Pop-up temporary restaurants Commissaries (e.g. shared commercial kitchen space) Small-plate menus/restaurant concepts Food halls

CULINARY CONCEPTS 1 2 3 4 5

Cannabis/CBD-infused food Zero-waste cooking (elevated cuisine using food scraps) Hyper-local (e.g. restaurant gardens, house-made items) Veggie-centric/vegetable-forward cuisine Natural ingredients/clean menus

Cannabis/CBD-infused food

Protein-rich grains/seeds

1

Global flavors in kids’ meals

2

Uncommon herbs (e.g. chervil, lovage, lemon balm, papalo)

3

Zero-waste cooking (elevated cuisine using food scraps)

4

North African cuisine/flavors (fuul, tajines, etc.)

5

House-made condiments/specialty condiments

6

Globally inspired breakfast dishes

7

Protein-rich grains/seeds (e.g. hemp, chia, quinoa, flax)

8

New cuts of meat (e.g. shoulder tender, oyster steak, Vegas Strip Steak, Merlot cut)

9

Thai-rolled ice cream

10

Gazoz (non-alcoholic spritzer from Israel) February 2019 │ 25

Members Give Back

Here are a few examples of how our members enrich their communities.

By Morgan Huether

SPOKANE

UNION OLYMPIA BATTLE GROUND

KENNEWICK

OLYMPIA

Pono Payments is organized to generate ongoing residual donation revenue to nonprofit organizations from their local business community. They provide Visa and MasterCard Merchant Accounts and Payment Technology Consultation to business owners and donate 50 percent of their net revenue (a true 27.5 percent of gross) to the nonprofit of the business owner’s choice. In Washington, they support GRUB, Family Support Center of South Sound, and Kokua Services.

UNION

Alderbrook Golf and Yacht Club offers community nonprofit groups free use of Alderbrook meeting space. The club also hosts fundraising events for many nonprofit groups and holds a monthly Community Cares Luncheon, highlighting and promoting the work and mission of local charitable organizations.

26 │ wahospitality.org

BATTLE GROUND

Mill Creek Pub owner Russell Brent is involved in many nonprofit organizations including the School of Piano Technology for the Blind, the only school in the U.S. teaching blind and visually impaired people how to tune and repair pianos. From 20132017, Brent raised $261,000 to fund after-school programs for the teens in his community.

KENNEWICK

Clover Island Inn fed breakfast and lunch to furloughed U.S. Coast Guard staff while they were on Clover Island.

SPOKANE

Feed Spokane works with several restaurant members in Spokane to safely preserve prepared foods from restaurants, which then go to nonprofit organizations who serve free meals to those in need.

Music Licensing Issues?

We Have Solutions!

SiriusXM Music for Hospitality Businesses Providing Legal & Fully Compliant Business Music Streaming Products and Services Exclusive for Washington Hospitality Association Members

1-888-318-5420 www.SiriusXM.com/WAHospitality

Introducing the SiriusXM Music for Business Program The Washington Hospitality Association has teamed up with SiriusXM Business to provide a background music program specifically for Washington Hospitality Association members. The program is packed with member-only benefits, discounts, and over 100 channels of music from the biggest name in the business.

SiriusXM Business Music Program Member Benefits

FREE SiriusXM Business Internet player ($150 value) Low, no contract, month-to-month only: $24.95 All icensing costs included – ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, & GMR Further discounts on commercial audio system hardware

SiriusXM Music for Business is perfect for: Restaurants

Hotels

Retail Spaces

Bars

Lobbies

Spas

ONLY

24.95

$

/mo

MONTH-TO-MONTH NO CONTRACT

INDUSTRY CALENDAR February/March

NEW MEMBERS AC Hotel, Bellevue Ben & Jerry’s, Airway Heights Courtyard By Marriott, Pullman

TRAINING

Eritage Resort, Walla Walla Hello Sugar, Spokane

Feb. 25

ServSafe® Manager, Everett

Mar. 5

ServSafe® Manager, Seattle (SODO)

Mar. 12

ServSafe® Manager, Tacoma

Manito Tap House, Spokane

Mar. 13

ServSafe® Manager, Fife

Northern Public House, Mill Creek

Mar. 18

ServSafe® Manager, Kent

Mar. 28

ServSafe® Manager, Spokane (Post Falls)

Register at: wraef.org 360.956.7279

MEETINGS Feb. 12

HIHIT Meeting

Feb. 13, 20, 27

GAC Weekly Calls

Feb. 13

Retro Trustee Meeting

Feb. 13

Seattle Restaurant Alliance Board Meeting

Feb. 13

MSC Sub Committee Meeting

Feb. 14

Seattle Hotel Association Board Meeting

Feb. 19

Spokane Hotel Motel Association Meeting

Mar. 5

Executive Committee Monthly Meeting

Mar. 6, 13, 20, 27

GAC Weekly Calls

Mar. 6

Seattle Restaurant Alliance Membership Meeting

Mar. 6

Editorial Board

Mar. 12

Board Development Committee Meeting

Mar. 12

Spokane Chapter Quarterly Meeting

Mar. 13

Seattle Restaurant Alliance Board Meeting

Mar. 14

Seattle Hotel Association Board Meeting

Mar. 19

Spokane Hotel Motel Association Meeting

UPCOMING EVENTS Mar. 2

ProStart Invitational @ Davenport Grand

Mar. 9

ProStart Invitational @ Seattle Central College

28 │ wahospitality.org

Home2 Suites by Hilton, Yakima Airport

Oliver’s Fish & Chips, Graham Park Lane Public House, Kirkland Wild Ginger Kitchen, Seattle

NEW ALLIED MEMBERS Bellingham Bay Builders Jeff Mack 824 N State St Bellingham, WA 98225-5019 360.733.7500 jeffm@bellinghambaybuilders.com www.bellinghambaybuilders.com Full service commercial and residential general contractor, specializing in high performance construction and tenant improvements.

Calikia LLC Dianna Pence 848 N Sunrise Blvd Unit F203 Camano Island, WA 98282-8876 360.629.2423 diannapence@windermere.com James King Roofing, LLC Kyle King 12407 Mukilteo Speedway Ste 155 Lynnwood, WA 98087-1537 425.374.7955 kylek@jameskingroofing.com www.jameskingroofing.com James King Roofing is a commercial roofing and waterproofing company committed to servicing your existing roofing and waterproofing in order to minimize the possibility of leaks and maximizing the life of your existing roofing and waterproofing systems. Our services include; Inspections/ Reports, Budgeting Services, 24/7/365 Leak Services, Corrective Repairs, Roof Asset Management (RAM), Tenant Improvements, Roof Restoration, Pedestrian/Traffic/Deck Coatings, Waterproofing and Water Repelling

Systems, and many other support services.

James King Roofing service rates per James King Roofing’s Roof Asset Management (RAM) Program reduced pricing structure. Please call for details.

Mannington Amtico Ken Way 601 15th Ave Milton, WA 98354-9537 253.208.8284 ken_way@mannington.com manningtoncommercial.com Mannington/Amtico is a family owned business.

We manufacture rubber flooring, rubber base, sheet vinyl, LVT, carpet tile and broadloom.

Members will receive the lowest published price Whatcom Chiropractic Gary Hodge 4097 James St Bellingham, WA 98226-7736 360.671.6867 garsta@aol.com www.whatcomchiropractic.com

RETURN TO WORK SbTyEP E D I U G STEP

GET IT AT: RETURNTOWORKWA.ORG

Ask the Expert Grow Your Business Fearlessly

By Rick Braa, CHAE

I’ve heard plenty of restaurateurs complaining about poor sales and margin compression. While I empathize with them, and our business is performing well and I’m planning on expanding, what are the key areas of focus we need to either continue or strive to meet?

The restaurant business is continually changing.

What worked 10 years ago may or may not work today. A business that loses focus on financial discipline, developing its people, growing its guest base and dominating its market position will slowly deteriorate. Below are some of the areas of focus to continue to grow unit or profit growth: Target sales to investment ratio of 3:1 or more. Whatever the cost to build a location, sales need to be triple to quadruple per year. Be cautious if a landlord offers high tenant improvements and be leery of new construction sites. Unless the brand is highly desirable, high TI’s indicate a risky location that a landlord may be having trouble filling with quality tenants. History shows a high failure rate by following high landlord TI’s.

Keep ego in check. Usually by the fourth location a founder tends to believe the brand deserves more.

Attention has been paid to the brand, perhaps even some awards, so ego kicks in and buildout costs escalate. Keep true to the brand that brought success; don’t be swayed by a shinier version of what built the brand in the first place.

When sales don’t meet the sales to investment ratio, growth is slowed by years or stalled out altogether.

30 │ wahospitality.org

Drive sales per square foot to $1,000 per square foot or above. High sales per square foot leads to lower overall percentage of costs to the restaurant from increased productivity, higher inventory turnover reducing waste, more optimal staffing levels, and a better overall feel to the restaurant.

Guests love a busy restaurant, they feel like a winner having chosen the right spot to dine and they’ll refer their friends. High sales per square foot will return higher profit if managed correctly.

New Locations deliver 40 percent cash on cash return. If a restaurant costs $1 million to build out, the cash return needs to be $400,000 or more per year. If this ratio is met, investors receive returns, banks have debt easily covered, risk is minimized and growth accelerates.

Keep infrastructure light. Focus all infrastructure on operations.

Add operations bench strength to further development of employees.

Concentrate on the best players and develop a system to replicate and retain them. The business will be able to expand as planned rather than fighting staffing constraints that limit growth.

Outsource everything until you must have it in-house. Many companies have stalled growth by adding fixed salaries, but then having a location or two fall short of expectations. Marketing, accounting and IT are prime examples to keep outsourced.

Be diligent about great culture. One of the most important factors in growing a company is a great culture. A

vibrant culture has a clearly articulated purpose that everyone buys into and values that are verbs in action. Strong culture attracts A players and provides a venue where performance is rewarded and soars.

Know critical data about guests. Install a guest tracking system that can report how many guests are repeat, new or infrequent diners. This information can come through a table management system, which may or may not have a reservation system embedded, a loyalty system or a POS system. Information from credit card companies may also be purchased. Ensure the distance from the restaurant guests live and zip code is known. Information can be cross tabulated, and marketing and promotions can be targeted to guests most likely to respond. An active social media feed will also be helpful in knowing your guests and their desires.

There are several other benefits of knowing your guests. Measuring and increasing frequency exponentially improves efficiency, marketing expenditures, sales and profit. Having plenty of information about your guests will aid in selecting future sites.

Growing a company is a both art and science. A blend of great culture and scientific metrics results in thriving employees, guests, investors and owners.

For a more information on improving profitability and driving sales, contact AMP Services at rbraa@ampservices.com. Rick Braa is the founder of AMP Services, an accounting and consulting firm specializing in helping companies grow profitability.

AWESOME BENEFITS FOR AWESOME EMPLOYEES $1OK Employee Life & accidental death coverage + Teladoc Telemedicine for the entire family + 24x7 Employee Assistance Plan =

All for only $5.54 per employee per month

Show all of your employees your appreciation for their hard work and dedication without breaking the bank. We are here to help all members of the Washington Hospitality Association provide creative and cost effective benefit solutions for your most valuable assets.

PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL FOR MORE INFORMATION. Hospitality Industry Health Insurance Trust | 877-892-9203 | hihit@hihittrust.com

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