BCRN January 2012

bcrestaurant bc restaurant news Jan | Feb 2012

The Voice of Your Industry

bcrfa speaks with the premier

BCRFA SPECIAL SHOW EXCERPT watch for our next issue, available online www.bcrfa.com/bc-restaurant-news January 2011

| 1

bc restaurant news The Voice of Your Industry

©2011 British Columbia Restaurant & Foodservices Association

How would you feel if someone turned you on, then left?

BCRFA Staff

CEO & PRESIDENT DIRECTOR OF MARKETING DIRECTOR OF FINANCE ASSOCIATION COORDINATOR MEMBERSHIP MANAGER BCRN PUBLISHER

Ian Tostenson Sharron Tulk Durda Krilic Morgan Nugent Kelsey Klassen Candice Harvey

Provincial Board Members

PROVINCIAL CHAIR

Rob Fussey, A&W

Services of Canada John Harper, ABC Country Restaurants

Heidi Romich

PROVINCIAL PAST CHAIR PROVINCIAL VICE CHAIR

Heidi’s Restaurant

SECRETARY Liz DaMata,

The Reef Restaurants

TREASURER Peter Teasdale,

Aramark Canada

VICTORIA CHAIR Don Monsour,

inside...

President’s Message BCRFA Sits Down with the Premier Recipe of the Month Drink of the Month Thank you Sponsors Your Membership in 2012 Upcoming Events New Members Twitter Listings

5 6 10 10 11 13 15 15 15

Hospitality Associates Consultants

UPPER ISLAND CHAIR

Per (Pete) Maltesen,

New York Style Pizza & Pasta

Bryce Herman,

KAMLOOPS CHAIR

By turning off your broiler for one hour each day instead of idling you can save $200 annually!

Advance Hospitality Consulting Services

OKANAGAN CHAIR Dan Darragh,

Pizzaway

BOARD MEMBERS Richard Floody,

Floody & Associates

Gil Goldstein,

GFS Canada

Bill Waring, De Dutch

Bob Parrotta,

Butchart Gardens

BC ENERGY ADVISOR

BC Restaurant News is the official publication of the British Columbia Restaurant & Foodservices Association.

Published six times a year. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the BCRFA, the publisher. The views of this publication are not necessarily the views of the Association. The BCRFA reserves the right to refuse any advertising or part thereof.

Contact 1 877 669 2239 to become a member.

Subscription is included with membership

439 Helmcken Street

Vancouver, BC

V6B 2E6

t: 877 669 2239

f: 604 669 6175 bcrn@bcrfa.com www.bcrfa.com

2

| BC RESTAURANT NEWS

BC ENERGY ADVISOR

Our advisors offer free energy-efficiency advice, equipment and incentives for small businesses and restaurants in BC. We are here to support small businesses owners who may not have the time, information or resources to make energy efficient improvements. Visit us online to see how we can help save your business energy and money.

www.bcenergyadvisor.com

Watch for the full issue available online in February.

We dive into the latest trends in the restaurant industry and will have highlights from the 2012 BC Foodservice Expo January 2011

| 3

Message from the President

W

e are pleased to provide to you this special Foodservice Expo edition of our BC Restaurant News. We were very pleased to work with Premier Clark and her staff to organize our cover story. I want to thank the Premier for her candid comments and views on several of the key issues that continue to impact our 10 billion dollar industry. We continue to work with government to align our mutual interests to help grow our economy and as a result, our industry.

Thank you for taking the time to read.

Ian Tostenson President/ CEO 604-986-1429 | www.bcrfa.com

4

| BC RESTAURANT NEWS

January 2011

| 5

Premier

Christy Clark

The BCRFA sits down with the always smiling Premier to discuss some hot issues.

BCRFA: Thank you Premier for taking the time to discuss issues that affect not only our industry but also the economy as a whole. The restaurant industry, as you have acknowledged is an important contributor to the BC economy from an employment (especially youth and flexible workers), taxation and cultural point of view. There are several challenges industry has faced over the recent years and we appreciate this time to talk with you about them…

Your first anniversary as Premier is approaching. What have been the top three frustrations and the top three pleasant surprises you have encountered?

Christy Clark: We have accomplished a lot in the last 10 months. We raised the minimum wage and cut BC Hydro rate hikes by 50 percent. We’re bringing in a municipal auditor general to make sure taxpayer dollars are being well spent. We are bringing profound changes to protect the rights of children — the first changes to the Family Law Act in 30 years.

We are executing the most comprehensive jobs plan in British Columbia history. The BC Jobs Plan has been the ultimate highlight -- and as a subset of that, being awarded the federal shipbuilding contract. It’s the biggest federal procurement in British Columbia’s history, worth $8 billion. Our government put a huge amount of energy into trying to make that happen and it’s going to mean thousands of well-paid jobs for British Columbians, not just now but for a few generations.

6

| BC RESTAURANT NEWS

January 2011

| 7

“Our government put a huge amount of energy into... thousands of well-paid jobs for British Columbians, not just now but for a few generations.”

On the flipside, I knew there would be surprises; that’s the nature of the job. Some of the things I expected; the HST, for example, but some of the issues with CLBC and BC Hydro, I didn’t expect them but we’ve dealt with them by keeping the best interest of BC families in mind.

BCRFA: Now that HST has been repealed, when do you expect that we will return to the old system, and do you foresee any difficulties for small business owners transitioning back to the PST/GST system?

CC: The Province is moving back to the GST/PST system quickly as we responsibly can. Changing a province’s tax system is a very complex process for both business and government and is expected, as reported by the Independent Panel, to take approximately 18-24 months. With harmonization, B.C. was really just eliminating one tax, the PST, and changing the rate of an existing tax that businesses were already familiar with.

While there are some minor differences, like point of sale rebates, basically the HST was just the GST at a higher rate (i.e., 12 percent HST instead of 5 percent GST). Re-implementing the PST is different. It is not just changing the rate of an existing tax.

Businesses will need to adjust their accounting and administrative systems and prepare to collect and comply with a second tax with its own set of rules and procedures that are separate from, and in addition to, those they have to follow for the GST. By the time the transition is complete, about 30,000 new businesses in B.C. will have started up under the HST. They will need to learn to administer the PST in tandem with the GST. The Province needs to develop complex transitional rules, rewrite provincial 8

| BC RESTAURANT NEWS

tax laws and regulations, and rebuild the capacity to administer the PST. The BC Ministry of Finance is fully engaged in discussions with Finance Canada concerning the development of HST transition rules and we are committed to moving back to the PST/ GST as efficiently and responsibly as we can.

BCRFA: We know that the industry was appreciative of the server’s minimum wage cap as it pertains to alcohol servers. As youth unemployment is approaching 15%, can you see allowing for an orientation wage that would reflect the inexperience of new workers and the employer cost with training?

“The minimum wage is at a level that allows employers to succeed, while at the same time providing workers some fairness.”

business permit and licensing process across three levels of government and cuts the time spent researching forms from a full day to about 20 minutes.

Reducing red tape is good for small business in B.C. That’s why we reduced regulatory requirements by 42 per cent since 2001.

sults - during the first year of the new impaired driving legislation there was a 40 per cent reduction in alcohol-related fatalities- which means 45 people are still living because we are no longer tolerating impaired driving.

B.C.’s continuing leadership in regulatory reform has been widely recognized most recently by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business who gave B.C. an A for its work in this area – the highest provincial score in Canada. Moving forward, the Regulatory Reporting Act, enacted in November 2011, will require the Province to publish annual reports on its regulatory reform progress no later than June of each year. This legislation ensures government meets high standards of accountability and keeps the province at the leading edge of regulatory reform.

CC: I believe raising the minimum wage and eliminating the training wage was a fair and reasonable step forward in putting families first, while building our economy and protecting jobs. The minimum wage is at a level that allows employers to succeed, while at the same time providing workers some fairness. When workers have more money in their pockets, they are in a better position to support themselves and their families - and that’s good for the food services industry and for the economy in general.

BCRFA: Your government has been advocating the reduction of red tape for small business, how has this benefited the BC restaurant owner, and are their further changes in the future?

BCRFA: Along with the economy, the drinking and driving regulations have had a very negative impact on industry sales. Creating safe streets and reducing deaths is of priority importance. Do you think that we have inadvertently targeted the person between .05 and .08 at the expense of those that register over .08?

BizPal is a great example of how we can help. It’s an online tool that streamlines and simplifies the

CC: We believe small business owners should spend less time filling out forms and more time selling to customers. By decreasing the amount of paperwork, restaurant owners are free to spend more time where it matters most – promoting their restaurant, ensuring customers satisfaction, stimulating economic growth and creating jobs.

BCRFA: What is your favourite meal to make at home?

“By decreasing the amount of paperwork, restaurant owners are free to spend more time where it matters most – promoting their restaurant”

CC:

CC: While I understand the impact the regulations have had on the food services industry, we must take public safety on B.C. roads very seriously. It’s important to note that only about one third of the immediate roadside prohibitions issued by police were ‘warns’ for drivers who blew between 0.050.08. The other two thirds (over 18,000) were issued to drivers who blew over 0.08, over the legal limit.

Drinking and driving will not be tolerated in British Columbia. The good news is we’re seeing real reJanuary 2011

| 9

Recipe of the Month

Thank you Sponsors!

Grilled Maple Salmon with Ginger and Garlic This month’s feature recipe reflects one of the Premier’s favourite dishes. Pair this local salmon mean with the Okanagan’s Gray Monk Pinot Noir.

Thanks to Forte’ Fat for their recipe post. Check out more of their recipes at www.fortefat.blogspot.com

INGREDIENTS METHOD 4 salmon fillets 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 1/3 cup maple syrup 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger 3 cloves minced garlic Sesame seeds

• I n a bowl whisk the maple syrup, soy sauce, orange juice, ginger, and garlic.

• Then pour the marinade into a baking dish, place salmon in the marinade, and refrigerate covered for 24 hours.

• Brush your grates with olive oil. If you feel the need, season salmon fillets with a pinch of sea salt and pepper • Grill 3 minutes per side, only turning once • When you turn your salmon brush the grill marked top with your leftover marinade and then sprinkle the sesame seed on the top.

• Pull your salmon of the grill and serve.

Drink of the Month

Strawberry Kiss

Treat yourself or someone special to you with a fresh and fancy Strawberry Kiss.

Recipe from www.barnonedrinks.com.

Photo Credit Absolut Vodka

INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 oz. Absolut Vanilla 1/2 oz. strawberry liqueur Splash of Cranberry Juice Splash of Pineapple juice Champagne

METHOD •M ix the Vanilla, Strawberry Liqueur and Cranberry Pineapplie juice •P our into Champagne Flute •T op with Champagne • Garnish with a strawberry.

10

| BC RESTAURANT NEWS

January 2011

| 11

your

membership for 2012

Kelsey Klassen Membership Relations Coordinator

Over the past 10 months, I had the opportunity to speak with many of our members. Having heard your stories and discussed your concerns, I took account of what our members really wanted and needed.

Together, our team at the BCRFA endeavored to respond to your needs by developing brand new offerings to the industry. Our valuable, innovative benefits are designed to help you achieve two things: cut your costs and grow your business.

Some new features of our membership include our new website and database system – set to launch mid-February – providing members with streamlined access to events, membership registration, and member-to-member deals. Also included is a premium website listing for members, full social media integration, and a platform for online discussions with access to local chapters, enabling you to network within your community.

For an even more competitive advantage, we’re organizing several dine out events this year, to ensure all of our members throughout the province have the opportunity to market and promote their business.

And to guarantee your success, we’re setting to launch our CEO e-chat, providing you with exclusive access to industry stats, trends, and government issues – keeping your informed and up-to-date on current topics that may affect your bottom line.

Our goal in developing all these new initiatives is simple – to offer the most comprehensive benefits package while providing a return to our members of overwhelming value. We still have our partner program from before, but we have added a new twist to some while adding new benefits entirely. Our success is measured by the success of our members, and having personally gotten to know many of you throughout the past few months, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

With your membership, we also now provide a free website start-up package and online tutorials. These newly-introduced one-hour seminars have already proven to yield results for our members.

Moving online in more ways than one, this year’s Buyers Guide will be our first online-only edition, offering our supplier members a more detailed directory, the ability to update contact information any time, and the added feature of building in links to your company’s website. With the addition of our unique, first-ever supplier’s app for your mobile device, your business is guaranteed to grow.

12

| BC RESTAURANT NEWS

January 2011

| 13

Have a bite, stay the night.

upcoming events

Wine & Dine Thompson/Okanagan The annual Thompson/Okanagan Wine & Dine is back!

Restaurants around the Thompson and Okanagan regions create a set menu, of either $15, $25, or $35 where they pair a delicious meal with a local wine.

Feburary 17 to March 16, 2012 Three course dinners $20, $30 or $40 per person

Menus are available online.

January 18 — February 5 2012 www.bcrfa.com

Accommodation Rates $69, $79, $99 or $129

Dine Around & Stay in Town Dine Around & Stay in Town is the best way to sample Victoria’s best restaurants. The annual event will be taking place between February 16 and March 16, with plenty of menus to chose from.

BRAVO!Victoria Discounts on select performances

welcome new members Enviro-Tech Mechanical Services Ltd Secure-Rite Mobile Storage

Restaurants create a set menu, either $20, $30, or $40, while participating hotels offer room rates of $69, $79, $89, $99 or $129. Don’t miss one of Victoria’s most popular events!

February 16 — March 16 2012 www.tourismvictoria.com/dinearound Do you have an event you want featured?

Email bcrn@bcrfa.com with the details.

Sips Artisan Bistro The Fairmont Empress Smoken Bones Cookshack The Tudor House Pub Candice Harvey Designs Fiesta Mexicana Restaurant Enter to WIN a deluxe Dine Around & Stay in Town Prize Package!

Reward your tastebuds with carefully crafted three-course dinners, entice your imagination with live performances and then rejuvenate your soul (and let someone else make the bed!) with an overnight stay.

TourismVictoria.com/DineAround

Langara College Fire & Water Fish & Chop House Forester’s Bistro & Bar Italian Culture Centre Hei-Ro Enterprises IHOP

stay connected

follow @bcrfa and our members on twitter @crestaurant @GoldfishKitchen @WickInnBC @mybcinfo @Irashai @TheRefineryVan @YBC_brewing @foodie_photo @TasteofKelowna @grousemountain @sushiinsooke @luporestaurant @Heather2020 @HotelVancouver @luporestaurant @Glowbal_Group @DynamicHR @HamiltonStGrill @urbanthaibistro @CruRestaurant @HartHouseRest @BurgooBistro @ElixirVancouver @petesplacepizza @naturesfare @HyattVancouver @winebcdotcom @dedutch @thereef @OPUSBar @PowerSmartBC @cactusclubcafe @BCPubs @wildapplemanteo @MonkMcQueensVan @Targetchatter @kelownamuseums@TheSmokingDog @VancouverAqua @charmmodernthai

The Lease Coach

BRAVO!VictORiA 14

| BC RESTAURANT NEWS

Haarsma Waste Innovations The Restaurant at Spirit Ridge January 2011

| 15

Request your copy today.

small usage

www.bcrfa.com 604-669-2239 info@bcrfa.com 16

| BC RESTAURANT NEWS