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N A T I O N A L
C O V E R A G E
A room with a view
By Kristen Smith, assistant editor, digital content
FIKA BRINGS SWEDEN TO KENSINGTON
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PLAYING THE FIELD: THE CCFCC TURNSrestaurant 50
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Fionn MacCool’s
A CUT ABOVE: From established 1996 whole beast butchering to using off-cuts, here’s how some operators are bringing home the bacon.
PARIS, ON—Matt Cummings and Red Seal-certified chef Will Thompson opened Stillwaters Plate and Pour on the Grand River shore in the County of Brant on June 3. Both restaurateurs have industry experience: Cummings opened the Cobblestone Public House a block north of the new restaurant in 2008 and Thompson, the former executive sous chef at St. Anne’s Spa in Grafton, ON, left his former post to compete on Top Chef Canada last winter.
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The décor – hardwood, with tin burger made with corn flakes as an ceiling and turquoise accents – was example. created for Kenu restaurant, which The open-concept kitchen has a closed after nine months in the same large rotisserie and Thompson makes location. the sauces and ice cream in house. The three-room, 3,700-squareWith a spa in the same building, foot restaurant in the River’s Edge Stillwaters also features a spa tasting building at 61 Grand River St. North menu of lighter choices and smaller can seat 110 and has room for about portions. 30 more on a side patio. An additional Cummings called the restaurant 80-seat, 2,500-square-foot rooftop paconcept affordable elegance. He noted tio offers its own bar and kitchen. Both while there certainly are successful patios boast views of the picturesque fine-dining establishments in Ontario, Grand River. the middle-of-the-road restaurants It was for those views that the coare thriving. owners charged ahead, going full tilt “You need to make the fine-dining for about a month to get the restaurant menu accessible to those who have ready to open. “We didn’t want to miss changed their dining priorities,” said the patio season,” said Cummings. Cummings. “As much as people prefer Thompson said the menu items to spend less when they eat out, people aren’t rudimentary, but people can reare also eating out more often,” and it’s late to them. He told ORN the menu important to appeal to those diners was developed with the Paris, ON resinot out for a special occasion by creatdents in mind. ing “a place where people feel comfortWith an average check of $25 inable enough to come after a ball game, cluding wine, dishes range from wings after hockey, or just because they don’t and mussels, to oysters shucked onhave time to cook,” he said. site, parmesan-crusted, dry-aged beef “We are trying to be accessible to tenderloin with Yukon gold matchthe farming community and the comstick potatoes or golden teriyaki Asian munity around here [including Kitchstir-fry. ener, Milton and Hamilton],” said “We wanted to make sure we were Thompson, who originally hails from accessible to the public. For the most Caledonia. “This is the community I part, we’re doing the basics as far as want to cater to.” what we’re serving, but we’re doing it with our own flair,” said Thompson, 61 Grand River St. N, Paris, ON. (519) who points to a gluten-free turkey 302-3000. JOSH PEACE Franchise owner
“Just another day at the office.”
From left: Will Thompson and Matt Cummings.
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the ORHMA board representing a stronger voice to lobby government ORHMA and OAA join forces new category of independent innto protect our livelihoods,” Mahussifranchising@primerestaurants.com 1-877-694-8186 ext. 404 primepubs.com By Colleen Isherwood, senior contributing editor
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Photo from Odd Bits.
Client: Prime Restaurants
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Docket: Development
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MISSISSAUGA, ON—Tony Elenis, president and CEO of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association (ORHMA), announced June 3 at their annual general meeting that the Ontario Accommodation Association (OAA) would cease opera-
restaurant
keepers. tions of its 64-year-old non-profit “This is exciting news for Onassociation and conduct activities tario’s hospitality industry, but this through the ORHMA starting Project: RestaurantNews Ontario Edition 10” x 3” is| Build: 100% |ORHMA Colors: CMYK not about or OAA. It's 1 | Trim: in | Revision: August. about [the] innkeepers and their Elenis said that members of the businesses,” Elenis said. OAA unanimously voted at their re“OAA members joining ORHcent annual general meeting to join MA will create a stronger, united inwith the ORHMA. dustry association, that will benefit Both John Burnside and Sharon all of us with more leveraging power Mahussier of the OAA will serve on to negotiate member benefits, and a
er said at the OAA AGM. “The ORHMA is in a unique position to thrust on the opportunities RN_JOSH-ONT and possibilities that lie ahead and develop more synergies,” Elenis said. “The ORHMA has a strong government relations presence and our on going work is helping but much more must be done.” Continued on page 7
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Fionn MacCool’s established 1996
“Just another day at the office.”
SUE CHRISTENSEN Franchise owner
franchising@primerestaurants.com 1-877-694-8186 ext. 404 primepubs.com Client: Prime Restaurants
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Docket: Development
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Project: RestaurantNews Ontario Edition
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MTY takes majority of Extreme Brandz By Elaine Anselmi, assistant editor MONTREAL—The biggest acquisition in MTY Tiki Ming Enterprises Inc.’s history will see Extreme Brandz’ two largest concepts, as well as its co-founder, transfer over to the QSR giant. The deal will also lead to the launch of a new company overseeing Extreme’s remaining banners—with more concepts in the pipeline. In late May, MTY announced its plan to purchase the majority of the assets of Extreme Brandz—franchisor of Extreme Pita, PurBlendz, Mucho Burrito and most recently Via Cibo. “It was well in the works since the end of January or February, but it has definitely been a long process,” Extreme Brandz co-founder Sean Black told ORN. “I think very early on, Stanley [Ma, CEO of MTY] had an idea of acquiring some growth brands in our category.” With 90 per cent of Extreme Brandz’ concepts in storefront locations, Black said the move shocked many, as Ma is widely considered a sort of “food court king”, with MTY’s banners including Thai Express, Manchu Wok and the recently acquired SushiGo. The transaction is scheduled to close by mid-September of this year, with Extreme Brandz’ two largest concepts – Extreme Pita and Mucho Burrito – taken over by MTY for a total of $45 million. Along with the two core brands, Black said approximately 70 combination locations that include both Extreme Pita and PurBlendz – a fresh smoothie concept – will move over to MTY. Black said they tried combination stores with Extreme Pita and MTY’s Jugo Juice years ago, and he sees the PurBlendz concept ultimately rolling into Jugo.
“There’s a real synergy there beFrom left: Mark Rechichi, Alex Rechichi and tween the brands and the two parent Sean Black. companies,” said Black. He noted that MTY’s successful track record is clear and wants to see the Extreme Brandz labels continue to grow. “The opportunity for MTY to grow some of their great brands is for sure there as well, and our experience across Canada and North America, and internationally will help a lot,” said Black. “Extreme Brandz in the U.S. represents the first entry for MTY into the U.S., and they’ll use that as a launching pad for other banners.” Ma noted in the release that the acquisition “will complement MTY’s current portfolio not only in terms of from the franchisees in seeing a part of their offering to its customers, but also in terms of executive team going with them,” said Black. “A geographical location; the 40 stores in the Unitbig part of the faces and names that run and oped States will be MTY’s first stores on American erate the brand today will still be the guys runterritory,” he said. “The ice is now broken.” ning and overseeing Extreme Brandz.” Extreme Brandz was co-founded by Black, As for the remaining founders, the Rechichi Alex Rechichi and Mark Rechichi, and has officbrothers will head up the newly named Krave It es in Toronto, Calgary and Scottsdale, Arizona. Restaurant Group (KRG), overseeing Extreme Following the acquisition, staff at the Toronto Brandz’ other banners: Stoney’s Bread Comoffice will relocate to MTY’s Richmond Hill, pany, Burger’s Priest and Via Cibo. ON location, while other offices will remain as “Alex and Mark are really excited,” said they were. Black will move over to MTY with Black. “The team and franchisees will be happy Extreme Brandz, as chief development officer with this deal.” Black said some of the capital for all brands in MTY’s portfolio. from the MTY transaction would be used to Along with Black, members of his developfuel the growth of the new brands. ment team and the brand leaders for Extreme “We’re guys that worked for 15 years plus at Pita and Mucho Burrito, Mark Cunningham this to grow it, and have a lot of our equity tied and John Delutes respectively, will also move up in it,” he said. “This is an opportunity to take over to the new company. some money off of the table and focus on a new “I think there was some genuine comfort and high-end, fast-casual [concept].”
Manitoulin Hotel and Conference Centre offically opens its doors By Elaine Anselmi LITTLE CURRENT, ON—At the end of June, the newly opened Manitoulin Hotel and Conference Centre hosted the wedding of a woman born on Manitoulin Island (a Haweater as they refer to themselves) and her Turkish fiancé. The couple live in London, England, and returned to the island for the first time in ten years for their wedding.
“We’re becoming a destination, now that we can offer conference-based catering,” Sheila Bellefeuille, general manager of the Manitoulin Hotel and Conference Centre (MHCC), told ORN. The 5,600-square-foot, $10.8 million project is a joint venture between six First Nations bands and the Great Spirit Circle Trail (GSCT), the aboriginal tourism organization representing the group.
“This is definitely a case study for First Nations, in terms of business development,” Kevin Eshkawkogan, CEO of the GSCT and president of the MHCC, told ORN. The facility will have two major market focuses, he said: the group tourism industry and large meetings, particularly First Nations meetings. More than two dozen weddings are already booked for the hotel and the in-house operated restaurant opened for business in early July. The 70-seat space sits just off the main lobby and offers a patio overlooking the North Channel. “It’s an independent restaurant that will cater to meetings, conferences and special events,” said Bellefeuille. The fine-dining menu has a variety of unique dishes and aboriginal infusion, said Eshkawkogan. Continued on page 16
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RestaurantNews Senior Contributing Editor Colleen Isherwood ext. 231 cisherwood@canadianrestaurantnews.com Assistant Editor Elaine Anselmi ext. 226 eanselmi@canadianrestaurantnews.com Assistant Editor, Digital Content Kristen Smith ext. 238 ksmith@canadianrestaurantnews.com Senior Account Manager Debbie McGilvray ext. 233 dmcgilvray@canadianrestaurantnews.com Account Manager Kim Kerr ext. 229 kkerr@canadianrestaurantnews.com Production Stephanie Giammarco ext. 0 sgiammarco@canadianrestaurantnews.com Circulation Manager Don Trimm ext. 228 dtrimm@canadianrestaurantnews.com Controller Tammy Turgeon ext. 237 tammy@canadianrestaurantnews.com How to reach us: Tel (905) 206-0150
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Chasing imperfection
yan Donovan, owner of Toronto’s Richmond Station, is happily butchering a lamb for a silent room of professional chefs in the middle of a hotel ballroom in Edmonton for the Canadian Culinary Conference. Under the spotlight, he and partner Carl Heinrich segment lamb sections, while Donovan recounts the story of his mother, as a horrified child, watching his grandmother slaughter a chicken. “My grandmother told her, ‘You’re a little crazy if you think that you’re going to go your whole life without slaughtering a chicken’,” he laughs. “But my grandmother was wrong. My mother has gone through her entire life shopping at grocery stores.” The anecdote gets a laugh in the room, but also some thoughtful looks. It is fairly rare that even chefs, who work closer to the bone than most diners, will break down a whole animal carcass in their kitchens, let alone slaughter their own animals. “Animal anatomy is a mystery to most of us,
including chefs, who rarely learn how to handle a whole animal in cooking school,” writes chef Jennifer McLagan, author of Odd Bits: How to cook the rest of the animal. “Chefs are turning to butchers to understand how an animal is butchered, so that they can break down a carcass themselves. Some chefs have even left their stoves to work in a cold room, and butchery is becoming a newly ‘sexy’ profession.” For some chefs, whole animal butchery is a pragmatic decision based on cost; for others, it satisfies a desire for a visceral connection with the product. This month, ORN speaks to those ideas: whether in a farmer’s field or restaurant’s dining room, how chefs today are meeting these needs and making those choices. We’ve all heard the discussions in recent years about the increased sense of separation between the diner and the ingredient, and how chefs, through dealing directly with farmers and suppliers, are the link between the two. Today, more so than previous generations, chefs deal
BITS Publisher Steven Isherwood ext. 236 sisherwood@canadianrestaurantnews.com
EDITORIAL ADVISORY COUNCIL Mickey Cherevaty Executive Vice-president, Moyer Diebel Limited Marvin Greenberg President, S+H Realty Corporation Jack Battersby President, Summit Food Service Distributors Inc. Barney Strassburger Jr. President, TwinCorp Paul LeClerc Partner, Serve-Canada Food Equipment Ltd. Michael Stephens Director of Retail, Inventory and Wholesale, LCBO Ralph Claussen Director Food and Beverage Operations Woodbine Entertainment Group Adam Colquhoun President, Oyster Boy John Crawford Director of Sales-Canada, Lamb Weston Tina Chiu Chief Operating Officer, Mandarin Restaurant Franchise Corporation Matt Johnston Vice-president, Marketing, Moosehead Breweries Martin Kouprie Chef/Owner, Pangaea Restaurant Joel Sisson Founder and president of Crush Strategy Inc. Leslie Wilson Vice president of Business Excellence Compass Group Canada Chris Jeens Partner W. D. Colledge Co. Ltd.
Volume 28 No. 6 Ontario Restaurant News is published 12 times year by Ishcom Publications Ltd., which also publishes: Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News, Atlantic Restaurant News, Canadian Lodging News, Ontario Chains and the ORN Buyers’ Directory. 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201 Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2W1 Tel: (905) 206-0150 Fax: (905) 206-9972 In Canada 1 800 201-8596 Subscriptions: Canada: $52.33/year or $78.57/2 years, $102.67/ 3 years; U.S.A.: $58.85/year or $84.85/2 years, $108.70/ 3 years. Single copy: $5.95 (Plus taxes where applicable) Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to circulation department, 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201, Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2W1 Publication Mail Agreement No. 40010152 ISSN 0834-0404 GST number R102533890
with the ramifications of industrialization and globalization, and the effect of those factors on the ingredients coming into the kitchen is a much argued and evolving topic. But perhaps, instead, what this shift really accomplished is consistency; a state that diners are now rebelling against with each purchase. In one generation, we’ve moved from putting into place the mechanisms that ensure perfection to craving the imperfection of an heirloom tomato, the rot of a dry-aged steak or the wildness of foraged greens. We’ve gotten to the stage where large-scale fast food restaurants are mimicking hand-cut items, prizing the ragged appearance that our forefathers worked so hard to smooth out. As our notions of what constitutes luxury and scraps are interwoven and exchanged, we look towards imperfection as a way to discover authenticity and a sense of place. Whether it manifests through nostalgia, memory, or an idealized version of the past, these imperfect imprints of yesteryear and our search for the flaws that connect us with nature are entering our world today in our lives and on our plates.
C OM M E N T
www.ontariorestaurantnews.com Editorial Director Leslie Wu ext. 227 lwu@canadianrestaurantnews.com
O N TA R I O R E S TAU R A N T N E W S
Redberry buys 32 more Burger Kings TORONTO—Redberry Investments Inc., a Burger King master franchisee for nearly 300 restaurants, added 32 Ontario stores to its portfolio, expanding its Canadian footprint to 126 company-owned locations. The Quebec-based company announced the investment of $20 million on June 18 to acquire the additional locations from U.S. franchisee Heartland Food LLC. The 32 restaurants, which generate $45 million in annual sales, will retain all existing staff, according to a release. The transaction follows Redberry’s purchase of Burger King Restaurants of Canada from Burger King Worldwide announced in April. (See the May issue of ORN for coverage of the transaction.) “Since launching in 2005, Redberry has increased the number of restaurants we operate by 970 per cent,” said general manger Christian LeBrun. “Future investments planned by the company in the coming years will total more than $90 million.” Redberry Investments Inc. is introducing
Paradiso marks double decades BURLINGTON, ON—The owners of Paradiso kicked off celebrations for a duo of milestones on May 30, marking the 10th anniversary of the Burlington location and two decades in Oakville. Co-owners Stéphane Sauvé, Paul Asaris and Kerry Campbell purchased the Lakeshore Road location in 2000, seven years after it opened in downtown Oakville. Three years later, the trio opened a second location on Pine Street in Burlington’s historic Village Square. The restaurant paired up with Vineland Estates – which is poised to celebrate 30 years in 2013 – to create a private label for the two, 160-seat locations. The varietals include a pinot meunier and pinot grigio. For the anniversary, executive chef Adam Mackay developed a menu by drawing inspiration from popular items over the years. Sauvé said food and customer expectations
Leslie Wu, Editorial director
AND
BITES
a number of enhancements to Burger King restaurants across Canada designed to grow the brand and change the dining experience for its customers, including ongoing menu innovations, broader marketing and communications, and a new restaurant opening and remodeling strategy.
The container design resulted from a partnership with Montreal-based Muvbox. “This project, for me, is about giving students a first job, in a very fast-paced atmosphere, whereby they will be better suited to the growing industry in Toronto,” he said.
Thinking inside the box
Hey Cabbagetown, it’s Lucy!
TORONTO—Blue Goose, Sully’s Honest Dogs and Lobster Roll moved in on the Toronto lake shore in converted, solar-powered shipping containers. The foodservice operators will be at The Harbourfront Centre, at 235 Queens Quay West) until October. Ingredients are antibiotic, steroid and pesticide-free, according to a news release. “We are cooking honest ingredients that taste great. We are offering something for everyone,” said chef David Chrystian in a release. Chrystian, executive chef and co-owner of Victor at Le Germain Hotel, created the menus.
TORONTO—Cabbagetown in Toronto’s east end will be the newest location of Urban Dining Group Inc.’s Hey Lucy! The Italian concept currently has two locations in the Annex and King West neighbourhoods, and the third outpost will open in mid-July. The Cabbagetown location will offer backyard seating for 80 people and a similar antique and vintage décor to its two predecessors. Wood-fired oven pizza, pastas and martini specials are also on the docket for the new space at 229 Carleton St. Urban Dining Group operates several brands including Hush Restaurant, Gabby’s and Amsterdam BrewHouse (see page 13).
have changed over time and Mackay’s new menu gives the items a more modern twist. For the celebration, Mackay took the traditional Greek salad and combined it with an olive and seared feta dish. “Everything has some form of the twist in it,” said Mackay, who noted some items, such as the crab ravioli in a spicy basil cream sauce, have been on the menu for 15 years and changed very little. Mackay, who has been with the restaurant for 11 years, said dishes created from scratch intrinsically represent his style. It was interesting, he told ORN, “taking a different idea and making it my own.” Sauvé said the restaurant’s longevity comes from caring about the guests. “The theme was always the same,” Sauvé noted. He said the restaurants’ kitchens have always been open-concept,
and ingredients always fresh and sourced locally, the gnocchi hand rolled and sauces made in-house. When customers came in with gluten allergies five years ago, they adapted the menu. Some guests get meals specially prepared. “Make them what they want,” he said. Paradiso owners, from left, Paul Asaris, Kerry Campbell and Stéphane Sauvé.
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O N TA R I O R E S TAU R A N T N E W S
Canadian Restaurant Investment Summit rundown
From left: Mark Pacinda, Paul Hollands, Tom Gaglardi, Derek Doke, David Aisenstat and Robert Carter.
By Elaine Anselmi TORONTO—With nearly 200 foodservice executives gathered at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Toronto, the Canadian Restaurant Investment Summit offered a full plate. The summit kicked off in late May with a networking event in collaboration with the Canadian Hotel Investment Conference, which led into a full day of discussions and seminars and, of course, food. Edward Khediguian of GE Capital Canada – the summit’s host – opened the day on May 30 by saying that the foodservice is a “vibrant enough industry, important enough industry and diverse enough industry for an investment-focused platform.” Keynote speaker, lead food and beverage business at Google, Dan McPhee, used this platform to talk about foodservice-friendly technol-
ogy and how it can boost the operator’s bottom line. “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do; technology is interwoven into your daily life,” McPhee illustrated the importance of embracing technology and social media and using the tools the company provides. Ever wonder what time of year your restaurant gets the most search queries, or with which words it is most often correlated? Walking the group through Google Trends, McPhee showed how restaurateurs can use these tools to improve both their online profile and revenue. “More than ever, it’s become a battle for marketshare,” said NPD’s executive director, Robert Carter— the theme of his “Facts and Figures” presentation of the Canadian Chain Restaurant Industry Review. The review, funded by GE, was researched and analyzed in a collabora-
The 2013 NRA show Chef Ricardo Zarate on the demo stage.
CHICAGO—The 94th annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show held mid-May at Chicago’s McCormick Place saw an increase in both attendee and exhibitor numbers. This year’s four-day event attracted over 62,500 registrants from the U.S. and more than 100 countries. On the exhibitor side, growth was demonstrated by the opening of a third exhibit hall, which housed more than 400 exhibitors, according to show organizers. Exhibit space totalled more than 579,000 square feet with more than 2,100 exhibiting companies, nearly 40 per cent of which were new. Over 60 Canadian firms were on hand, including Fiera Foods, Solis Foods, Squirrel Systems, Unichairs, Canada Beef and Oakrun Bakers. Prince Edward Island hosted a pavilion highlighting the province’s bounty. There was also high international presence, including China, which had about 100 booths. This year’s show featured sustain-
ability, health, children’s nutrition and technology. Sustainability was a prominent theme, with biodegradable paper products and bamboo dinnerware on offer. Nearly every exhibitor offered a gluten-free alternative, from sauces to desserts and snacks, taking wheat dietary restrictions into account. Organic, healthy and natural foods saw a large showing, including vegan marshmallows and baked chips and granola clusters. The NRA Show 2013 offered additional features and programming, such as the Alternative Bite Styles pavilion for those with special dietary needs, health care consultations, a hydroponic garden, international chefs, and keynote presentations by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and chef/author Anthony Bourdain. The 6th International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event featured hundreds of alcohol beverage brands and labels and offered interactive demonstrations across two days.
tive effort between NPD Group and fsStrategy. Among the statistics presented were some stern warnings for industry members that change and adaptation are necessary. “Our go-to market strategies must change,” said Carter. He confirmed a rise in the fast-casual sector which will strongly affect other sectors and discussed the changing demographic shift of consumers. (See the Decoding the Data column of the June issue of ORN for more on catering to millenials and boomers.) fsStrategy contributed a comment on competition from our neighbours, “The U.S. competitors will come up here, the question is ‘will their formulas work?’ But, they will with deep pockets.” A panel discussion on restaurant design brought together the perspectives of the restaurateur, architect and
contractor. “I find that expectations fall when communication isn’t clear,” Adrian Mauro, of Chamberlain Architect Services Ltd., offered in a seminar discussing design and construction. Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria’s founder Justin Lussier and Robert Downey of BLT Construction joined Mauro to talk about the important relationship between all parties involved in a restaurant build-out. Communication was a popular subject at the seminars, showing that seamless execution relies heavily on transparency and understanding, regardless of the size of business. Jill Aebker of Tim Hortons discussed the sometimes-tenuous relationship between franchisees and franchisors with Perry Maisonneuve of Northern Lights Franchise Consultants Corp. Seminars included community sponsorship within the restaurant industry and how it affects ROI, and the move from a local restaurant to a broader chain—with a panel including Smoke’s Poutinerie founder Ryan Smolkin. Carter took the stage again to moderate a panel discussion on western Canadian chains moving east. Panellists included David Aisenstat of
the Keg, Derek Doke of Joe’s Original, Tom Gaglardi of Moxies, Paul Hollands of A&W and Mark Pacinda of Boston Pizza. Following Aisenstat’s colourful commentary on B.C.’s primary export and the rise in hungry diners, the group talked about crossing provincial borders, lessons learned the hard way, finding success and new frontiers. The event closed with a conversation with Annie Young-Scrivner, president of Starbucks Canada, hosted by the Business News Network’s Andrew Bell. From expansion to product development and community involvement, Young-Scrivner discussed some past successes of the coffee giant, as well as some new ventures. The caffeine-focused brand has been experimenting with liquor sales and evening offerings catered towards women, said Young-Scrivner. Starbucks Canada also recently released a coffee that is all Canadian. Young-Scrivner hinted at the Truth North coffee at the summit, saying it is Starbucks’ Verandah brew, and referenced the finding that 80 per cent of Canadians take their coffee with cream or sugar. The coffee rolled out in stores in June. The day wrapped up the way it began, with a discussion on the importance of online presence in this increasingly competitive industry. “Our brand is about moments of connections,” said Young-Scrivner. “Social media is a way to do that beyond the four walls of our store.”
DE C ODI NG T H E D ATA
Foodservice heats up for the summer By Ian Wilson
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ummer weather is here again, bringing people outside and driving more visits to restaurants. In the last summer quarter, the restaurant industry saw around 735 million visits across Ontario and collected $4.9 billion. This represents a 27 per cent share of all visits throughout the year and is the strongest quarter for the restaurant industry. As witnessed last summer, a restaurant’s success depends on the weather. In Ontario, we had a record summer in terms of hot temperatures and a lack of precipitation. This heatwave translated into the strongest dollar revenues for the restaurant industry in the last six years. In fact, last summer recorded $445 million more than the average of the previous six years. Both QSR and FSR receive a spike in business during this timeframe. However, FSR is more reliant on a warm, dry summer than QSR due to the significant amount of on-premise visits this channel attracts. Specifically, the casual segment’s on-premise business during the summer accounts for 87 per cent of all its business for the quarter. This represents a +3.0 share point increase in on-premise business versus
the remainder of the year. So why is the on-premise business so important to the casual dining segment? On-premise consumers spend on average $5.40 more than off-premise consumers. This is currently 87 million visits to the casual segment during this timeframe. The increased on-premise visits represent an additional 11 million dollars in revenue over this period. Alcohol, specifically beer, sales continue to be the main menu driver of this additional revenue. Thus, it is extremely important for the weather to co-operate as more patrons will frequent patios, stay longer and spend more money during their dining occasion. Does the consumer profile change in the summer months compared to the rest of the year? While there are some noticeable changes, it is important for an operator to continue to focus on the core consumer. For the QSR operator, the core consumer continues to be a younger demographic and, more specifically, the business consumer. This consumer mainly frequents QSR restaurants during the week in the morning as they grab a coffee or something to eat on their way to work. However, a significant difference is the increase in visits during the afternoon. Consumers appear to be taking more breaks, possibly to enjoy the weather and pick up a
treat. Similarly, the weekends see more family visits, where more active consumers want something convenient so they can continue to enjoy the day. For the FSR operator, the focus remains on the 35+ adult demographic who are frequenting their restaurants at the supper and lunch dayparts (50 per cent and 30 per cent of the time respectively). The increased visits to the FSR segment have occurred around the weekday visits. Consumers are more willing to treat themselves during the week by meeting up with friends or colleagues after work. In fact, weekday visits increased +1.0 share points during the summer months versus the rest of the year. Similar to the QSR segment, weekend visits with the family jumped +2.5 share points as families tend to spend more time together. This year saw a slower start to the patio season. Temperatures and precipitation have not matched that of last year. However, there is still much time for businesses to thrive. Ian Wilson is a director of client development in the foodservice industry for The NPD Group, which has more than 25 years’ experience providing consumerbased market information for the foodservice industry. Visit www.npd.com or contact ian.wilson@npd.com.
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Going Swedish in Kensington By Kristen Smith
OAA and ORHMA become one Continued from cover
Elenis welcomed all the OAA members, and encouraged hospitality owners who are not part of OAA or ORHMA to support Ontario’s hospitality industry and its businesses, to “help improve the enormous barriers that exist, using one Ontario voice,” he said. OAA has been guaranteed one seat on the ORHMA executive committe and two seats on its board of directors. OAA’s current chair, Mahussier, and vice-chair, Burnside, have volunteered to be candidates for these seats, ensuring continuity of representation for OAA’s former members. The Gravel Family, key figures in the OAA for many years, will not be making the move over to ORHMA. “Frances and I, and for many years also our son Scott, have enjoyed serving our members and our industry for almost 18 years,” said Bruce Gravel, president and CEO. “We came to know
many fine individuals, people as passionate about serving the public as we were about serving them. “I also wish to express my admiration of the board of directors for their courage to make a tough, emotionallydraining decision, and for their strong appreciation of the work done by OAA’s staff team.” At 61, Gravel said, “I don’t think I’m old enough to retire,” when ORN asked about future plans. The Gravels are planning a trip to Hawaii to celebrate their 40th anniversary, Bruce will continue to write, and he said “we’re kicking around the idea of starting our own business.” Main photo: The ORHMA board of directors. Inset photo: Frances and Bruce Gravel and OAA office manager Sandra Nadeau.
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TORONTO—Nikki Leigh McKean has dreamed of opening a Scandinavian-inspired coffee shop since travelling to Sweden on an exchange 15 years ago. Enamoured with the coffee and food culture, she planned to call it Fika. “There is almost no translation; it’s like ‘siesta’,” said McKean. “The suggestion is that you stop, relax, have your coffee and sweets, socialize and spend time with people. And they do it religiously.” She told ORN she was fascinated by the fact that, in Sweden, take-away cups weren’t available and loved the simplicity of the fresh, minimal design. McKean opened Fika (which does have to-go options) at 28 Kensington Ave. with her husband Victor Barry, chef and owner of Splendido and The County General, in late May. With the help of designer Sarah Callanan, McKean fashioned the café with light colours, kept it open concept, and added some rustic antique touches, salvaged from the 1902 house which was the site of a former clothing store. The 1,000-square-foot café seats 12, with a 16-seat front patio. The back area houses McKean’s photography studio and will also be available to reserve for functions. McKean and Barry plan to open a second back patio next year. “I really wanted to be able to create a space that was light and bright
and you feel like you can breath in,” said McKean. “The food also reflects that; really delicious food, but really light food.” The menu items are made daily in the Splendido kitchen and brought over every morning. Items include a variety of baked goods, such as gluten-free salted caramel chocolate macaroons, and snack items, including pistachio and lemon ice cream sandwiches. Lunch items include a paninipressed mortadella, gruyere and arugula on potato bread, smoked salmon on toasted rye with crème fraiche, radish, chive and cucumber and an open-face avocado sandwich on French country white bread with coriander lime, tomato and pickled onion. Prices range from $1.25 for a shortbread cookie to $7.50 for a sandwich, with an average check of about $10. The café sources from local Pilot Coffee Roasters and offers espresso-
based beverages, iced coffee, whole leaf teas and Italian sodas. McKean said they are still adding to the menu and Barry is working on a quinoa salad. “I find that sometimes you go to a coffee shop and there is lots of delicious food, but there’s never something in between,” said McKean. She said it has been a fun challenge for Barry, as a fine-dining chef, to limit the amount of butter and cheese to create lighter, everyday items. “We’re trying to find that balance of a [creative] staple food that someone can eat every day and that is going to fuel your mind and you’re not going to feel like you have to curl up in the corner and have a snooze,” said McKean. Barry is also planning a pop-up special for the area’s monthly Pedestrian Sundays. 28 Kensington Ave. Fika.ca, @fikakensington.
Nikki Leigh McKean
Combine breathtaking wine country with professional development.
Kraft Works is sending TWO lucky winners to Napa Valley, California for 5 days to attend The Culinary Institute of America’s Worlds of Flavour® International Conference & Festival, November 14-16.
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• Roundtrip airfare & transportation to the conference • 4 nights’ stay at Rancho Caymus Inn • Conference fee to this limited-registration 3-day event • Total prize valued at nearly $3,000!
THESE ARE NOT THE OFFICIAL RULES. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Contest is open to foodservice professionals who are legal residents of Canada and aged 21 years or older. Contest begins on June 3, 2013 at 9:00am ET and ends August 30, 2013 at 4:00pm ET. To enter, log onto www.kraftfoodservice.ca and follow the onscreen instructions to enter. Prizes/Approximate Retail Value (ARV): Two (2) Grand Prizes, each consisting of a trip to Napa Valley, California, USA to attend the Culinary Institute of America’s Worlds of Flavour® International Conference. Must correctly answer mathematical skill-testing question. Odds of winning a prize depends on the number of eligible entries received. A random draw for both Grand Prizes will be held in Chicago, Illinois at 10:00am on September 3, 2013 from all eligible entries received. For official rules and complete contest details please visit www.kraftfoodservice.ca.
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O N TA R I O R E S TAU R A N T N E W S
Celebrating with the CCFCC 1.
By Leslie Wu EDMONTON—Chefs from all walks of life came together in early June to celebrate the Canadian Culinary Federation/Fédération Culinaire Canadienne (CCFCC)’s 50th anniversary. “This is our future,” said CCFCC president Donald Gyurkovits at the opening ceremonies, where junior team members showed off their skills under the tutelage of senior chefs. “This is the next 50 years.” Former treasurer and national administrator Roy Butterworth issued a challenge to the young chefs in the room. “I want to see you up here at this podium in 50 years,” he said. Butterworth, who has been the CCF treasurer since 1994, became a full time employee of the CCFCC June 1, managing the budgets for the CCFCC/CCI, Bocuse D’Or and Culinary Team Canada. Jacques LePage, executive chef at Jacques Cookhouse Services, took on the position of treasurer. LePage was the former Eastern vice-president, a region that is joining the Atlantic provinces in a new unified Eastern region. In other geographic shuffles, Ottawa and Kingston will join the central region.
LePage was also named chef of the year at the association’s gala night, where the new Culinary Team Canada cooked for attendees. Myles Fedun of the Shaw Conference Centre was declared the winner of the Tabasco national chef challenge, and Katelyn Pittman from Kelowna, B.C. won the Saputo Junior Chef Challenge.
Cooking camaraderie “Education is a big part of the next 50 years,” said conference chair Simon Smotkowicz. Throughout the conference, a collaborative sense of knowledge-sharing pervaded the demonstrations and events. “Gone are the days of hiding recipes and secrets,” said Connie DeSousa of Charcut Roast House, while demonstrating the art of blood sausage making with her partner John Jackson. DeSousa spoke about a past stage spent at a local restaurant trying to learn how to make its famed chorizo, only to discover that “the family was super secretive and would do everything alone in the spice closet.” Jackson is enthused about how chefs are digging up old family recipes. “We don’t want these skills to be lost.
Over time, we’re forgetting about what things taste like and what it should taste like.” Carl Heinrich and Ryan Donovan from Toronto’s Richmond Station interspersed a demonstration of breaking down a whole lamb with a rundown of the whole beast butchering supply model they use at the restaurant. Incorporating elements of the whole beast into different products in the kitchen such as mortadella (“a great way of getting rid of extra fat,” said Heinrich) and terrine (“it’s awesome because it can be made with kidney, lung, etc...and it’s all free,” said Donovan) allows greater cost savings and flexibility. Overall, the demonstrations pointed to a way of incorporating the techniques of the past into a new model for the future. “It’s so easy for chefs to say that ‘technology will take the soul out of my food’,” said Philip Preston, president of Polyscience, while showing off anti-griddles, sous vide baths and smoking guns. “Instead, it’s a way to constantly improve their kitchen,” he said. The 2014 conference will be held in Outaouais/Gatineau.
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Left: 200 chefs in the sunshine outside the Edmonton Marriott at River Cree Resort. Photo by Dean Skoubis, Avonlea Photography. Right: 1. Conference chair Simon Smotkowicz. 2. Chef of the Year Jacques LePage (left) and president Donald Gyurkovits (right). 3. Ryan Donovan, Richmond Station. 4. Philip Preston, president of PolyScience (left) and Joe Strybel, culinary marketing specialist at PolyScience. 5. A display commemorating the association’s 50 years. 6. John Jackson (left) and Connie DeSousa (right) from Charcut Roast House. 7. Carl Heinrich, Richmond Station. Photos by Leslie Wu.
Call of duty: inside an army kitchen EDMONTON—With pulled pork, grilled chicken and the regiment’s version of moose milk (a potent, eggnog-style drink containing multiple types of alcohol) on offer, the Edmonton Garrison hosted the CCFCC at its first catered onpremise event. Guests were able to clamber over a Leopard 2A4M tank, pose with weaponry, and experience a field dinner with service tents set up around the base. The capacity for the Edmonton Garrison can reach 5,000 people and, at any given time, its 90 cooks could be called upon to feed 800 to 900 on base, depending on training operations and other field require-
ments, said Sgt. John Woroniuk, kitchen officer. He estimated that they do 400 covers at lunch, and 200 at dinner. “One of the challenges is keeping people interested in their food, and meeting their expectations,” said Petty Officer First Class Troy McGregor. With salad bars and soup options, as well as fresh fruit on hand, the Garrison foodservice staff take suggestions to vary the seven-week cycle the meal plans are centred around. The kitchen includes woks, large soup kettles and television monitors to supervise larger areas.
Left: Sgt. John Woroniuk, kitchen officer. Right: Dinner is served in a field tent at the Edmonton Garrison.
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O N TA R I O R E S TAU R A N T N E W S
Making ends
meat
How whole beast butchery and off-cuts can make your profit margins more than the sum of its parts.
By Leslie Wu
E
very time chef Derek MacGregor takes a knife to a lamb carcass, he’s instantly brought back to the memory of how he learned to butcher. “When I lived in Toronto, my father would drive up a whole lamb and drop it off at my one bedroom apartment in High Park,” laughs MacGregor, now chef and co-owner of Le Chien Noir in Kingston. “I’d figure it out on my own for my home freezer, and the first couple, I wouldn’t want to show my chefs today.” Tied in part to increased consumer interest into the origins of their food, as well as major meat recalls making mainstream press, there’s a spotlight on the mechanics of butchery in a way foodservice hasn’t seen for decades.
Chefs are creating more opportunities to incorporate whole beast butchering into their kitchens, using the entire animal in creative ways as a point of menu differentiation. When it comes to translating those offcuts into dollars and cents in a commercial kitchen, however, operators need to have more than knowledge of butcher charts in their toolkit. ORN talked to butchers, chefs and manufacturers/processors to see how some operators are going a cut above when it comes to lamb, beef and pork. “From a chef ’s perspective, it’s really gratifying to get a whole animal and break it down,” says Scott Vivian of Toronto’s Beast
Restaurant. “There’s the sustainability factor in that you’re not letting anything go to waste. But as an operator, it makes sense cost wise: it raises labour costs a little bit, but the actual cost of meat goes way down, as long as you know what you’re doing.” The chef and co-owner of the 34-seat restaurant says that as long as the potential for higher than average labour costs are built into your business plan, the whole beast butchery model can be a profitable one. “In Toronto, there’s such a fast-growing restaurant culture that you have to offer something that sets you apart,” says Vivian. “You have to look at it from a long term perspective.”
For some chefs, the butchery itself holds its own appeal. “I love the challenge of what to do with the whole animal,” says MacGregor. “If I’m smart and use every bit of a lamb carcass, I can turn that into $1,100 or $1,200. On the bones alone, if I roast them, clarify the stock and use it as consommé with some added vegetables, I can sell it for $8 per bowl for 30 or 40 bowls.” There’s movement towards using the whole animal and restaurants have done a great job leveraging that unique proposition, says Jamie Cooney, chief executive officer of Rowe Farms. “It’s better for the planet, the animals, and the chefs because there’s less waste,” he says.
Off the beaten track
cuts to people at one time.” Girimonte sees this trend as part of a greater societal shift where consumers are no longer just looking for major brands, with travel and boredom with the traditional being major factors. “Everyone’s gone through the gamut of cuts. It’s like trying to find a cheap house in Toronto – everyone’s trying to find an undiscovered neighbourhood,” says Peter Sanagan, proprietor of Toronto-based Sanagan’s Meat Locker and a former chef. Social responsibility in younger demographics is also playing a part in the meat choices of diners. “If you say, ‘let’s not put things to waste’, that argument resonates with younger diners,” says Girimonte. “With this under-45 age bracket, it makes sense that operators can use more off-cuts to boost their bottom line.” Sometimes, trends like the proliferation of tacos and terrines can drive the demand for specific cuts of meat. “Flank steak is insanely popular right now,” says Michael McKenzie, president of Tichdale, ON-based Seed to Sausage. “Chefs are saying it’s their favourite piece of meat. It’s in part due to the popularity of tacos and the increased usage of meats that were once considered more neglected in things like terrines, which are showing up on menus everywhere.” Organ meats, hearts, kidney, livers and
tongues are a lot more prevalent, taking the place of more traditionally popular cuts says Steve Mitton, chef and owner of Ottawa’s Murray Street. “Talking to my beef farmer, I’ll ask him what he has left over to get rid of and it’s usually striploins,” he laughs. There’s also a certain level of showmanship with using offal and off-cuts. “Those cuts are time consuming and need skill to make them taste good. There are a lot of chefs trying to be different and break away from the beef tenderloin and chicken breast mold,” says Sanagan. Organ meats have always flown under the radar with the diner in the sense that there was only a specific group that would eat them, says Vince Girimonte, chief operating officer of Meaty Meats and a fourth-generation butcher. “It’s all about how you prepare them as an operator. You only have a few chances to make it a hit, because if you make it wrong, customers won’t order it again.” Jennifer McLagan, chef and author of Odd Bits: How to cook the rest of the animal, says we need to give these off-cuts more prestige, an idea that is gradually taking form across the country. “In North America, meat is still relatively cheap, and since prime cuts are easier to cook, we focus on them and give them more priority,” she says. “In Europe, when I went to buy meat, I came to realize how expensive it is in the rest of the world.”
She points to how this change has come about with a generational shift in North America, and how buffalo tongues and prairie oysters weren’t verboten as they are today. “It’s not like we didn’t eat all these dishes. Chefs like Fergus Henderson made all these dishes popular again. If you look at the Joy of Cooking from 30 years ago, there are recipes for liver, kidneys, and cockscombs in it.” Some diners today, however, view many offal cuts as a novelty, and are excited to try different things. “For a lot of people, eating brains, testicles or tripe is new and exciting,” says McLagan.
So a whole animal has landed with a thump in your walk in. Although the temptation may be to focus on the traditional money makers such as the prime cuts, there’s a wealth of revenue generators to be explored. Five years ago, off-cuts would have been used by processing plants for ground meat, says Cooney. “Now, they’re saved and sold as separate items for a price a lot higher than ground.” Sam Gundy, co-owner of butcher shop Olliffe in Toronto thinks that this rush towards tertiary cuts can be attributed in part to the fact that meat costs are rising across the board. “In restaurants, the protein is one of the most important parts of the plate,” he says. “But due to the expense of primal cuts, such as strips, ribeyes and tenderloins, it’s hard to make a margin off a high cost. People are also using more of the animal, getting more cuts out and grinding less.” Apart from cost, other factors come into play when looking at off-cuts, one of which may be simple ennui on the part of the diner as well as the chef. Diners are looking more for cuts that are rustic and traditionally viewed as cheaper, such as shank, brisket and flanks, says Alessandro Girimonte, sales and marketing director of Meaty Meats. “You couldn’t sell those
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Want to try it? Here’s how: Animal cheeks used to be cuts that were relatively hard to get, says McLagan, who remembers that when she worked in a restaurant kitchen, she had to order them in a 50-lb-box. “Something like a beef cheek makes a fabulous sauce,” she says. “It adds collagen, and doesn’t shred or break down when you cook it for a long time.” “You don’t see a lot of people using kidneys, but rabbit or lamb kidneys are delicious,” says Mitton, although he cautions that some could be turned off by the cleaning aspect of the task with lamb kidneys, which have to be clipped out on the inside to make it look appealing. “If you get a little caramelization on the outside but a rose colour inside, it’s tender and delicious,” he says. Mitton uses rabbit kidneys with rabbit heart to make an intense sauce, or serves it on toast with mushrooms, brandy and cream. Portion size is important, and using offal doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing experience. “You can make a kebab with animal heart and serve it with other types of meat on a plate, or even use ground heart to add to hamburger, which gives it a delicious meatiness and can introduce people to that type of meat,” says McLagan. Offal can be used to enhance the diner’s
Meat mindset Whole animal butchery at a restaurant requires a certain mindset. At Richmond Station, Carl Heinrich and Ryan Donovan let the ingredients drive the menu and have a precise system that they put into place to deal with the challenges of whole beast butchering. “At our previous restaurant, Marben, we used to change the whole menu every day and reprint every day. If we had pig, we had 40 servings of pork tenderloin and the next day, we wouldn’t have any pork,” says Donovan. “We weren’t going to go out and buy a new pig.” Butchering
Tips for selecting meat Overall, selecting meat is like judging the animal when it’s alive, says MacGregor. “Look at the hip and shoulder joints: are they nicely covered with meat or are the bones protruding?” he says. In terms of visual cues, Vivian looks for the telltale slashes inspectors make with knives when looking at meat, as a quick way of checking that this was done. Although colour is often used as a first visual indicator, beware of using colour as the sole guide to selecting meat, cautions Vince Girimonte. “Colour is not everything. It can be very deceiving,” he says. “If two pieces of beef touch, for example, they can change colour very easily. But also beware if beef looks overly red.”
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www.ontariorestaurantnews.com experience, but you need to balance the menu and use small portions, says Vivian. “After a while, with too much offal, you can run into too many iron-like flavours.” With veal brains, MacGregor prefers to pan sear them, then slow cook them. “They have a mild meaty texture with a great crispiness on the outside and creaminess inside,” he says. Making an item like brain into ravioli (McLagan says brains have a whipped cream texture when cooked) and putting it on a plate with other types of ravioli can make for an easier choice for the diner. “You can call it a trio of house-made ravioli, and one of those happens to be brain,” says McLagan. “You’re not lying, and people have something else on that plate that they might be more willing to order.” The ubiquitous taco is another way to incorporate heart or tongue into a menu that is familiar to the diner. “Heart and tongue are two things that are cheap and relatively easy to cook. Heart has to be cooked either quickly or slowly, and can be added to a stir fry or made into a stroganoff,” says McLagan. Heart can also be used to make tartare (“it chops up all tender and becomes intensely beefy and delicious”) or can be braised or stewed, rather than serving the whole heart on a plate, says McLagan. Beef heart is definitely quite popular now with chefs, says Gundy, who has it as part of in house represents a shift from when the animal was broken down by a butcher in isolation to a more collaborative effort between butcher and chef (in some cases, this is the same person), says Donovan. Vivian features whole beast dinners at his restaurant, which allows a certain flexibility, but also requires some ingenuity in dealing with leftovers. “At the end of the day, you have to think that with a side of beef, you’re only getting one of each of the prime cuts and that goes fast, especially with shrinkage,” says Vivian. “You end up with a lot of flap cuts.” MacGregor, who has 65 seats inside and 60 on the patio at Le Chien Noir in the summer, uses the whole beast butchery primarily for features, but does have to bring in some meat to deal with regular menu items, such as lamb. “No local farmer can slaughter 20 lambs per week to sell me 50 racks, and what would I do with 20 sheep worth of off-bits?” he says. “120 seats in the summer does become a big operation. One lamb doesn’t even last the weekend…I have to buy two or three if I’m doing it all weekend.” Pay attention to other factors, including smell. “It should smell like it tastes,” says Girimonte. “Beware of anything that’s a bit sour. Good meat smells really good.” Like many aspects of foodservice, supplier relationships are vital. “With beef, work with your supplier to see which kind of aging works with the flavour profile you’re looking for,” says Vivian. Age on the beef can be seen in its dryness: it gets a little darker, and starts to rot on the outside surface, but shouldn’t be dried out or purple. “Steer clear if it looks wet on the surface,” Sanagan warns. In terms of fat content, this can be a personal choice with chefs: some prefer almost Kobestyle levels of marbling, while others prefer leaner meats. Sanagan doesn’t really care for
his regular inventory at Olliffe due to demand. Since tongue is a big muscle, it makes terrific tacos or corned beef, says McLagan, who also recommends grilling it on a barbecue or putting it into a croque monsieur. “Victorians used to nail the tongue to a board to keep its shape,” she says. “But once it’s cooked and the skin is taken off, it’s smooth and creamy and just looks like other pieces of meat.” MacGregor pays $1.50 per pound for tongue to make his own pastrami: brined, cured and steamed over beer for four hours. “There’s a lot of collagen in tongue, and it’s got a great fatty feel to it,” says MacGregor, who puts it on his menu in a sandwich. Prairie oysters can also be a delicacy, says McLagan. “I love testicles,” she says. “Lamb testicles are very mild, with a fabulous mousselike texture similar to a fish quenelle.” She recommends poaching and frying them in sauce or with breadcrumbs. Union restaurant in Toronto has lamb testicles on its menu that are braised, and then fried, as part of its mixed grill plate, which proved to be a popular choice for diners. “It just flew out of the kitchen when we added it to the menu,” said chef Teo Paul. Sweetbreads have to be prepared and served quite quickly. “Sweetbreads are still cheap, but they haven’t really made a comeback as much as they should,” says Paul. Although ears are often fried crisp to use
Social meatia When MacGregor received a delivery of a whole Pacific red wild salmon, his customers were the first ones to know about it. Le Chien Noir employs a social media consultant, who took a picture of the fish and posted it on Twitter and Facebook, along with the name of the fisherman that caught it, the captain of the boat, and a Google map with a dot pinpointing where the fish was caught. “People do want to know where there food comes from, and customers can see where it was caught and when,” says MacGregor. The salmon, which cost MacGregor $530, became 48 entrees at $30 a piece and 14 appetizers at $12 each – mainly from the belly of the fish – totalling $1608 and a 32 per cent food cost. The restaurant cleared the salmon in two and a half dinner services because the tweets and posts drew in diners. “It’s a lot faster than we would clear a generic salmon. There’s no way that we would sell that number of pan-seared farmed salmon in three nights. It was because we were boasting that it was wild, who caught it and where…and customers responded,” he says. MacGregor does a similar thing when farmers send pictures of cows in the pasture. “We retweet it to our followers and it’s a winwin. It puts the spotlight on the local farmers, and the returns that we’re seeing on that is great,” he says.
heavily marbled, 40 per cent fat on beef; he says he just wants enough to keep the meat moist. With pork, Vivian prefers heritage breeds with a deep colour. “If you look at a piece of raw meat, all you should be able to think of is eating it, and imagining how good it’s going to be cooked,” says Vivian. Consider a certain thickness and firmness when selecting pork belly. “If you hold it out raw, it should have a slight droop, but not be flabby,” says McKenzie. In terms of feel with pork, Vivian wants some bounceback and nothing too soft. “With the muscles, you want something that’s got a nice firm texture. Also, take a look at the fat cap: it should be nice and white and in proportion to the meat,” he says. Continued on page 12
as a garnish, MacGregor simmers them for 24 hours for a terrine, layered with leeks and herbs and put in the fridge for four hours. “The ears have enough gelatin to set the terrine into a block filled with rich, porky goodness,” he says. Feet can be simmered down to pick the meat off for ragout, as can neck and jowls, says MacGregor. Pork hocks and ears are gaining in popularity due to a changing multicultural demographic, says Vince Girimonte, especially with West Indian and Caribbean diners. Don’t forget about blood, says McLagan. Although sweet preparations, such as chef Rob Gentile’s blood chocolate custard dessert at Buca, are becoming popular, savoury dishes are also natural applications. “Just think of blood like egg yolks…it works the same way,” says McLagan. “It coagulates and can be used to set something, and like eggs, it’ll separate and curdle if it goes too far.” A spoonful of blood can be used to thicken a sauce as well. “Often, diners can think that they don’t like these things, but it’s no weirder to eat a cow’s ears than a cow bottom, when you think about it,” says McLagan. “If you work with them regularly, it’s not more squeamish to work with lungs than tenderloin – it’s still meat. You need to know what it looks like and how it cooks. It’s the same with any cut of meat. If you can cook a shank, you can cook a cheek, oxtail or neck.”
Prime your staff One of the benefits of in-house butchering is the opportunity to train staff. “At any given time, there’s a chef we consider to be a peer in our kitchen coming to learn about what we do,” says Heinrich. He and Donovan host young cooks from not only outside their kitchen, but those from within their own ranks who want to set aside a piece of meat to work with. It’s not just the kitchen staff, but also the front of house that can benefit from in-house butchering. MacGregor gathers his cooks and servers around when butchering. “The sheep, pig and cow are pretty much anatomically the same, with different terminology,” says MacGregor. “Our servers can talk about where a New York strip comes from, or relate a lamb chop with the bone in to a T-bone steak. The front of house staff is trained as to where cuts come from, which have more fat, muscles and why some have more flavour.” Staff education is also a crucial step in ensuring the diner buys into your concept. “You have to train your staff because they have to be able to describe these items to the customer,” says Vivian. “In a restaurant like Beast, I don’t get the opportunity to come out to talk to the guest as much as I’d like, so the front of house staff is extremely important as the point of contact.”
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Meat breakdown: How operators use a whole animal for their menus. For Scott Vivian, Beast Restaurant, one pig equalled: Head: whole roasted for a special dinner item for a group or braised to use for terrine or charcuterie. Shoulders: roasted or braised for the menu’s ever changing gnocchi poutine. Heart, tongue and other innards: used for the restaurant’s “pig board”, grilled first and submerged in liquid to hold, then served cold and rare, after it soaks in the marinade flavours. Belly: smoked, then brined for bacon for brunch.
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Loin: after ribs are removed, used to make peameal bacon for brunch. If there’s a whole animal dinner, Vivian uses the legs for one of the dishes. Legs: can be used as charcuterie. Trim and other meat taken off the bone: can become grind used for sausage gravy or dirty rice balls. Bones: used for stock. Tail: used as part of a whole animal dinner, or vacuum packed and frozen until enough have accumulated for a special. Trotters: boiled with the head for head cheese (the sticky collagen helps the liquid set the terrine). Hocks: braised and shredded off the bone, then compressed and tossed in corn starch to make it crispy. Served with house-made kimchi. Ears: accumulated for crispy garnish.
For Steve Mitton, Murray Street, one Rideau Arcott lamb equalled: Tongues: collected until there’s a sufficient quantity. “They’re not going to make much of a plate, but can be braised for appetizers.” Heart: chopped for tartare. Kidneys: devilled or served with cream sauce. Liver: liver parfait, fried with bacon for liver and onions. (Mitton asks his farmers to wait until the lambs are a bit older before slaughter so that they will have larger livers.) Loins: usually marinated to have on hand if he’s stuck for a main dish. “Most of our plates aren’t a la minute, but stewed, braised, or used for confit.”
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MEAT MATH For Derek MacGregor, Le Chien Noir, one lamb accounted for: Overall cost: $280 for a 60 lb. lamb, cut in half. Racks: cut into chops. Four 10 oz. racks, sold at $35 each. Loins: using a bone saw, cut into 6 oz. chops, sold at $32 each. Legs: cut into one-inch steaks, as opposed to doing a roast. Five steaks off each leg, sold at $32. Shoulders: MacGregor splits what he does with the shoulders. The first one: deboned completely, put through the grinder to
make 12 sausages, sold at $16 for lunch serving. The second shoulder: slow braised and all the meat picked off to make lamb and goat cheese ravioli as an appetizer feature, with four or five pieces per serving. Eight to 10 orders, sold for $13. Belly: Used for charcuterie plates, such as lamb bacon (brined, dried, and put into the smoker for half a day). Used to garnish salads, such as the house Caesar. Bones: used to make lamb stock. Some of it is reduced to make sauce to accompany the racks and steaks. Makes lamb, mushroom and barley soup (almost 8 gal.), with an 8 oz. serving sold for $8. Shanks: braised and meat picked to put into soup. Labour: Under one hour.
If the belly is cut open, look at the opening and pinch the belly, says MacGregor. “It gives you an idea of how thick it is, and you can check the cross section for the fat to meat ratio.” With lamb, if you can see the head, check if the eyes are cloudy, says Gundy, who also advises to avoid meat that is overly purple because it will be livery and tough. Look for a bright, pinkish hue, and a sweet smell, like lanolin, advises Sanagan.
Looking at labour At Union restaurant, head chef Ross Goodall has a unique advantage: he can stop by the restaurant’s recently launched butcher shop next door, Côte de Boeuf. “We were doing a lot of butchery in the basement of the restaurant and the space next door,” said chef/owner Teo Paul. “Now, we bring the whole animal into the shop, break it down and then source the meat for the restaurant that way.” Paul brings in a whole cow, pig and a few lambs every week for Goodall’s private supermarket, as well as retail and some wholesale. For those chefs without such an advantageous setup, one of the chief concerns with in-house, whole beast butchering is labour cost. “I don’t think that labour is as big an issue as some chefs think,” says MacGregor, who estimates that it takes, for a 60 lb. lamb, cut down to its primals with its bones removed, about 40 minutes. “The biggest thing for some chefs is the intimidation factor,” he
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Belly: smoked for lamb bacon. Trim: used for ground to make chorizo. Shoulders: smoke cured, then braised. Legs: reserved for a la minute because they’re “super tender” or marinated like loin in herb oil to make gyros for sandwiches. Lard: rendered out and used for baking lamb biscuits to be served with a loin dish. Neck and shank: confit used for rillettes and gnocchi. Photos: Pg. 10: Pig’s head and knives photos courtesy of Leigh Beisch, from Jennifer McLagan’s Odd Bits cookbook, HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. Pg. 11: Above: Carl Heinrich butchering a pig at Richmond Station. Right: Shanks photo courtesy of Leigh Beisch, from Odd Bits. Pg. 12: Meat Math photo by Mike Kennedy.
says, especially if they are teaching junior staff. “They think ‘I bought that pig that cost $300, what if I screw it up?’ To which I say, it’s pork, you can’t really screw it up. It can always be salvaged.” When teaching young chefs to filet salmon or butcher meat, for example, if they put a nick into the filet, MacGregor turns it into tartare or, if worse come to worst, “there’s always stew,” he laughs. Ultimately, the payoff for whole beast butchering manifests itself in different forms, depending on the chef. For some, in-house breakdowns of animals reinforce the notion of made from scratch that offers branding for operators, says Cooney. “It’s a great point of differentiation, and in such a competitive world, something that the restaurateur needs to consider.” For others, it’s recognition of both the value and opportunities that come with butchering the whole animal. “Chefs and restaurateurs are looking for ways to offer things that are unique, such as the bavette cut—things that might be under-utilized but are very versatile in terms of cost and serving,” says Vivian. “There are restaurants that are set up to serve filet mignon, and then there are restaurants like us that use off-bits.” Whether the decision is made for financial or creative reasons, whole beast, inhouse butchery is a way for a new breed of chef to make their bones. Want to learn more? Visit www.ontariorestaurantnews.com for tips on storage, charcuterie and more.
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BeverageNews A MONTHLY REPORT ON THE BEVERAGE INDUSTRY
Beaujolais and BBQ
Anthony Collet talks Beaujolais.
By Leslie Wu TORONTO—“After years of being down, the Beaujolais market is recovering,” said Anthony Collet, Inter Beaujolais head of marketing and communications, at a trade event on the patio of Acadia restaurant in May. “The category is up by six per cent in Canada, and four per cent in Ontario.” Collet paired 12 wines with a BBQ-themed menu from Acadia’s then-chef Patrick Kriss (see page 18), including a Louis Jadot, Beaujolais-Villages, Combe Aux
Jacques, 2011, matched with creole shrimp, and Anson Mill Grits which are harvested for Acadia upon order. The Beaujolais region encompasses 12 appellations, including Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly, Régnié, Morgon, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Moulin-à-Vent, Chénas, Juliénas, Saint-Amour, Beaujolais-Villages and Beaujolais. All Beaujolais wines are made from a single grape variety, Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc. A BBQ thematic is planned for the LCBO from Aug. 18 to Sept. 14, said Collet.
Making sense of Bring Your Own Wine By Elaine Anselmi TORONTO—With the release of seemingly low numbers of Ontario restaurants offering Bring Your Own Wine (BYOW) programs, a recent Toronto Star article questioned why the popularity of the program in an urban centre like Montreal hasn’t carried over to Toronto. ORN looked into the numbers and talked to an early adopter of BYOW to see how it works and how it’s working. At Dr. Generosity in Bloor West Village, the BYOW program was initially used to increase traffic flow early in the week, owner Houston Mausner told ORN. “It’s not necessary for us to drive traffic now, but now our customers come for it.” When the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) initiated the BYOW program in 2005, it was meant to provide flexibility and another option to establishments with liquor licenses in place, AGCO spokesperson Lisa Murray told ORN. Currently, 13 per cent of licensed establishments offer the program, but Murray pointed out that these establishments include both restaurants and banquet halls. Of the 13,300
licensed establishments in Ontario, Murray estimated approximately half of these are banquet halls. While numbers that separate restaurants from banquet halls when determining a percentage participating in BYOW are not available, Murray said she would estimate restaurants represent a higher proportion of those using the program. “Even within the restaurant category, there are certain ones that [BYOW] just doesn’t fit their business model,” said Murray. “We’ve offered the endorsement…how they promote it, how they use it and on what days, we leave that up to the individual businesses.” In order to target traffic on slower nights, Mausner said they used scaled corkage fees depending on the night of the week. “When we first started offering the service we decided to put a corkage fee deal on: Monday are $1, Tuesdays $2, Wednesdays $3, and then Thursday through Sundays is $15,” said Mausner. “When we tried to get rid of the deals early in the week, people got quite upset.” Mausner estimated that from Monday to Wednesday, 60 per cent of patrons bring their own bottle of wine, and later in the week, there
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is always a few bottles brought in. She noted the restaurant’s location across from an LCBO as a factor driving the popularity of the program. “Some people definitely want to bring in something nice,” said Mausner. “With others, we have a big sign right out front advertising the corkage fee and I think some people just see the sign and the LCBO and take advantage.” Regardless of their motivations, Mausner said the program certainly brings people into the restaurant, which has an average check price of $36 to $42, per person, for dinner. As well as enticing more people into restaurants, Murray said the BYOW program gives restaurateurs a way to offer patrons their favourite wine, without keeping it in stock. “It can be a way to drive business, provide a service, attract new patrons or get business on slower nights, if you use it strategically,” said Murray. It also alleviates the high cost of marked up wine for the patron—a topic which garnered attention in a Globe and Mail article in May. “Some people say, ‘not enough people are applying for Bring Your Own Wine’,” said Murray. “But, its really an individual business decision.”
BR I E F S
Amsterdam opens waterfront brewhouse TORONTO—Amsterdam Brewery has moved into the foodservice game with the opening of a brewhouse on Toronto’s waterfront. The Amsterdam BrewHouse opened July 1. The 14,000-square-foot craft brewery, restaurant and retail venue has capacity for 500 guests, with an additional 300 seats on its lakeside patio. In addition to the gamut of Amsterdam’s brews and seasonal releases, the menu also features cocktails and beer cocktails. Head brewer Iain McOustra has developed some unique flavours in his craft beers, according to a release. “Some of the specifics that stand out are the use of spices and various barrels for aging that creates unexpected flavour combinations or richness, smoky, sweet and, in some instances, sour,” said executive chef Avaughn Wells in a release. “These specific traits and characteristics will be expanded upon in every dish and specifically paired with the perfect beer to marry the textures, smells and flavours.” For more on Amsterdam BrewHouse, go to www.ontariorestaruantnews.com.
Colio Estates announces new marketing vice-president TORONTO—Colio Estates Wines has enlisted wine consultant Danielle Giroux as vice-president of marketing. Giroux will report directly to Colio Estates Wines president Jim Clark. Before starting her own consulting business for wineries across Canada, Giroux worked for more than 10 years in senior marketing roles with Vincor and Constellation, according to the June 27 release. Giroux’s experience combines consumer goods and hospitality industry marketing with an understanding of the Canadian wine market.
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Growing up green By Elaine Anselmi
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iting into a leaf of wasabi arugula, expecting the peppery taste of the green but instead meeting the heat of its Japanese influence, Collin Thornton, executive chef of the Fairmont Royal York, tells ORN the hard-tocome-by green adds great flavour to a salad. For
his kitchen, availability isn’t a problem; the arugula and other greens can be found a short hike up a narrow staircase, stretching from the last stop of the elevator to the roof of the historic, 28-floor hotel in downtown Toronto. “These buildings didn’t exist at the time the
Finder’s keepers
Options and Accountability
Apart from the Anishinabek elders he spoke with for a documentary on traditional sourcing, Brad Long says Jonathan Forbes is the best resource he has for foraging—high praise from the chef and owner of Café Belong at the Evergreen Brickworks, and a longstanding advocate of local sourcing on Toronto’s restaurant scene. “We’re mostly blind to the food around us,” Long says; a realization he came to on a foraging trip led by Forbes. Long’s expectations of a journey through the woods to find ramps and fiddleheads were not quite met. “I realized he saw a grocery store, where I saw a forest that led to some food somewhere.” Forbes has been supplying the foodservice industry with Canadian wild edibles for more than 15 years. His business, Forbes Wild Foods, started off working with chefs, drawing them in with a unique range of foods that, at the time, were largely unfamiliar. Recently, he says these varieties are becoming more commonplace in Canadian restaurants. “There’s been recognition – particularly in Europe with Rene Redzepi at Noma – for Nordic foods and how good they are. One of the top restaurants in the world is selling Northern Hemisphere foods, and we share that food with them,” says Forbes. “A lot of people just don’t know what’s here.” The movement of people looking at regional and slow food and asking “what is our terroir?” has brought about more interest in indigenous cultures, foods and culinary histories, says Forbes, who has pickers across the country, from Haida Gwaii to Labrador, sustainably foraging wild edibles to supply approximately 200 restaurants. Forbes says he goes through a lengthy process to take on new pickers and ensure they are experienced and competent. They look for pickers who have harvested their own food, or have worked for similar companies before. Occasionally, Forbes will put out an ad for specialized pickers, such as for juniper berries on Manitoulin Island, because his pickers in other parts of the country were unable to supply. “People are becoming disconnected from the natural world and don’t know what things are any more. It’s these people in isolated communities that are still connected to the land,” says Forbes. “I think there’s a real exploration going on by a lot of chefs into these things.”
“I had one of my cooks ask ‘what do you want to do about all these dandelions on the lawn?’” Long says. “I said ‘I don’t know. I just paid $9 a pound for them [elsewhere], what do you want to do with them?’” Despite abundance and the potential stigma of using weeds, some common varieties are being recognized as complements to many dishes. Like dandelions, these wild edibles are easily accessible and at low-risk of overharvesting—one of the biggest concerns for Alexis Burnett, head instructor at Earth Tracks. Burnett offers workshops and training programs on wild plants, foraging and herbology. He says even fiddleheads and wild leeks (ramps), two plants that have grown recently in popularity, are susceptible to over-picking. “A big issue for me is people’s lack of experience or inexperience in harvesting,” says Burnett. “People need to harvest with a caretaker or stewardship approach. I really do believe that we can harvest things in an even better than sustainable way—that really means sustaining them the way they are.” Burnett says there is a long list of plants that people consider just a weed in their garden, that are actually abundant edible greens. “I really do want people to get out and learn about these plants,” he says. “There are a lot of plants out there that we can harvest a lot of and not do much damage.” Some of these greens, which may be growing just outside your door, are: garlic mustard, stinging nettle (be careful, it really does sting), red clover, purslane, chickweed and lambs quarters (surprisingly spinach-like in taste). Burnett likens this ingredient list to a mesclun mix. When harvesting your own wild edibles, consider what the plants around them look like. If the surrounding flora is yellowish or sickly, it could be an indicator of previous land use. Knowing the history of the area that you harvest from is important, and a reason Burnett says picking weeds from an organic farm or garden, for example, is ideal because you know exactly how long they’ve been operating organically. When sourcing wild edibles, he says it is important to know your sources and hold them accountable. “Do your own research,” says Burnett. “Is this a plant that is being overharvested in the last while? What is the right season for this plant, and
roof garden started,” Thornton says, looking over the parapet of the building that was once the tallest in the city. “Now they’re all being built with green roofs, the technology for this is incredible. It’s that rural-urban movement.” The 14-bed rooftop garden offers an assort-
am I getting it at the right time? Am I getting too much of it?” Forbes speaks to the importance of experience in the picking business. “With experienced harvesters, they know where it is, how to harvest it, when to harvest it, how to carry it and how to pack it and ship it,” he says. Harvesting is an intricate process and it isn’t always easy to find the right person for the job. An understanding of how to prune plants to allow them to become even more prolific also comes with experience. With mints or nettle, only certain parts of the plant should be harvested, says Burnett. Clipping it rather than pulling the whole plant from the root allows it to continue growing for many seasons. When foraging, letting a plant go through its whole growth cycle and set seeds before harvesting allows that area to replenish. Most farming processes harvest greens before seeds are set, maintaining the flavour of that leaf that would be lost with the energy used to seed, with the land reseeded every year, or after harvest. In the wild, if that seeding doesn’t take place, regrowth cannot occur.
Background check There is accountability on the part of the chef, restaurateur and harvester when it comes to foraging for wild edibles, says Burnett. “It’s about preserving these plants and having them become more and more healthy.” Some questions he suggests asking suppliers are: • How do you harvest? • Where do you get it from? • What does it look like after you leave? • Do you harvest many different areas? • Do you go back to the same place every year?
ment of herbs, greens, vegetables and a collection of honey-producing beehives. As one of the early adopters of the grow-your-own mentality, the Royal York’s rooftop green space illustrates just how diverse the sourcing options can be for herbs and greens.
The growing season Ten years ago, the attitude towards produce was “it’s in season somewhere in the world,” says Jeff Crump, corporate chef at the Landmark Group. With focus shifting to local sourcing, those seasons have become more prominent. While greenhouse operations offer extended growing seasons and preserves are a great option for keeping out-of-season flavours on the menu, most kitchens will supplement when Canada’s four seasons start showing their colours. What customers see as spring weather, is not always matched by production on the farm, says Crump. “If we’re really eating seasonal and local, we’d be eating turnips,” he says. “We really have to play the balancing game with customers because we can’t keep telling them ‘here’s carrot puree again’.” With four operating greenhouses, Cookstown Greens has more than 1,200 plants and the option of growing its greens, even when the weather is at its worst. Vicki Blackwell, operations at Cookstown Greens, says the outdoor leafy greens are much heartier than the winter greens so extra care is taken in fostering greenhouse growth. While in season, Forbes says chefs will order from a long list of harvested and raw ingredients he offers and he is generally able to fill even larger orders with enough notice. Seasonal weather can cause problems and unpredictable shortages, Forbes says. “You never know. Last year, because we had a warm March and cold April, a lot was lost, like Saskatoon berries and tree fruits.” That aside, Forbes said most of the foraged goods he offers are available every year, largely due to his nationwide sources. His foodservice list has some items available year-round, as well as some that have a seasonal cut off time. One of Forbes’ popular year-round offerings is preserved wild edibles in 500 mL jars for foodservice. The jarred menu includes pickled milkweed pods, cattail hearts, and ox-eye daisy capers. Being in tune with the climate and weather patterns is something that Long relates back to Anishinabek traditions and the marking of what comes in and out with the seasons. “The farmers are far more into that rhythm in the first place. I struggle to catch on as the years roll through,” he says. “Nature is running the skipping rope, but they tend to have caught the rhythm. I’m trying to jump in, sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t.”
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Growing gains
Photos: facing page: the salad fields at Cookstown Greens. This page: Clockwise from top left: herbs growing in the greenhouse at Cookstown Greens just before the move outside; various salad greens in a raised box in the Fairmont Royal York’s rooftop garden; a recently sprouted row in Cookstown’s salad field; rows of plants including tomatoes and greens in Cookstown’s greenhouse; and Fairmont Royal York executive chef Collin Thornton. Photos by Elaine Anselmi.
Down on the farm Despite his dedication to food gardens to supply his restaurants, Crump says that when it comes to farming, it is a different story. “We are not farmers. We are co-producers. We are part of the system,” he says. “What I’ve learned over the years is that I let the professionals do their job.” Farms supplying herbs and greens stretch throughout Ontario’s greenbelt and beyond, even reaching into the city where Fresh City Farms operates approximately five acres of land throughout Toronto. Now in its third growing season, the farm that includes a 3,000-squarefoot greenhouse at its Downsview Park location supplies greens to approximately 700 food boxes in the city every week, and has worked with independent restaurants including the Farmhouse Tavern and The Grove. “Between all of our salad greens and heritage greens and herbs we probably have 40 to 50 kinds,” says Fresh City founder Ran Goel. While the company operates predominantly in the field, Goel says the greenhouse allows Fresh City to grow sprouts and micro-greens year round. The nature of the Canadian climate limits what greens can grow outdoors for a good part of the year, but that doesn’t necessarily mean importing is the only option. “Ideally cooks cook seasonally. A lot of the time that means having flexibility in your menu and that’s a leap of faith on their part,” says Goel. “Chefs, we find, are some of the biggest cheerleaders of local food.” While not certified organic, due to various reasons including land tenure and scale, Goel says in practice, everything at Fresh City is grown organically. “Most of our customers, by virtue of how transparent we are, reach a level of comfort
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that means more to them than the certification.” At Fresh City, Goel says companion planting is a key factor in both maintaining soil nutrition and pest control. One or two nasturtium, for example, are planted into rows to keep aphids away—a method that is particularly useful with cucumber, radishes or cabbage. Along the perimeter of the farm, Goel says, wildflowers and sunflowers attract pollinators. Gillian Flies, owner of The New Farm in Creemore, ON, says they have been certified organic since their establishment in 2005. Working through 100 km Foods Inc., The New Farm supplies 70 restaurants in the Toronto area. “We have personal relationships with all of our chefs,” says Flies. “We are strong believers in the local, organic food movement and that’s where movement starts. It starts in the upper levels and then it moves down [to the public].” For Flies, the connection to the farm-to-table movement started off with being a self-described “foodie”. With a culinary background and growing up in the industry, she says seeing the connection between chefs and farmers is one of the foundations of The New Farm. “Our big thing is quality,” she says. “We work really hard on customer service and knowing our customers.” This means also being able to supply their customers consistently. “If we’re on their menu for the summer, that product will be available every time they order,” she says. “We know they are going to want that, so we plant every week to make sure size allows and they know they can get it.” Best known for their artisanal salad, spicy, baby arugula and spinach mixes, Flies says they plant every day of the season, and harvest salads
When Crump first planted the tomato garden at Landmark Group’s Ancaster Mill, he envisioned customers coming out and picking their own tomatoes. He soon realized, with the size of the beds in comparison to the restaurant, he might have enough to last two days. Since putting in three raised beds at the Mill, in which a variety of herbs and vegetables are planted, The Landmark Group has greatly expanded their crop yield by acquiring a farm. As a pioneer of the philosophy, Crump says earth-to-table represents what is best about food. “It represents seasonal, fresh, organic cuisine,” he says. “There’s nothing more earth-to-table than growing your own food.” Another Landmark operation, Spencer’s at the Waterfront, has a whole slew of herbs and greens growing, some of which is in planted dividers throughout the parking lot. Along with the basil grown for their margherita pizzas, Spencer’s has calendula, echinacea, rosemary, sage, mesclun mix, arugula, thyme, lavender and tarragon. “We do herbs and garnished greens because you can clip them and more grow back,” says Crump. Half of Landmark’s 100-acre farm in Flamborough, ON, is leased to FarmStart, a not-forprofit out of Guelph that leases novice farmers a portion of land to work. The collaboration provides an incubator farm, says Crump, with the land divided into 26 half-acre to four-acre plots. “We have a relationship with the farmers,” says Crump. “I’m there to help relieve them of stuff if they have too much. I’ll go buy it from them.” With restaurants seating up to 200 under Landmark’s portfolio, the earth-to-table philosophy sounds daunting. Crump says that despite the large orders needed to fill his restaurants, the large-scale concept actually offers advantages in sourcing local and farm-fresh foods. The restaurant can make it worth the farmer’s while, says Crump, buying all of it rather than just a basket or bushel here and there. Larger organizations have the revenue and the three to four weeks after planting. Everything at The New Farm is done by hand and without the use of chemicals, which means significant time spent weeding and guarding from pests: a factor Flies says does increase the cost, but affords the product a longer shelf life— particularly when spared a lengthy truck ride. Members of the brassica family – mustards and cabbages – are susceptible to flea beetles that make tiny hole in the leaves, sacrificing the quality of the product. At The New Farm, hoops are placed across the bed with a polypropylene net laid across to allow sunlight in, but keep flea beetles out. With 200-foot by 10-foot beds, laying the netting and then burying the edges takes a great deal of manpower and the process is repeated six times each week. Simon Ffrench, of Cookstown Greens, says plastic covering is used on some of their beds, as well as a variety of cover crops. Plants such as rye and vetch are planted in the fall as a cover crop over some of Cookstown’s beds protecting them from weeds and harsh weather, and then turned into the soil when the planting season begins. He says they are implementing Sudan grass as a cover crop, as it turns into another organic layer that can be planted directly into. Cookstown operates on 94 acres of land, an hour north of Toronto, about 70 acres of this is actually farmed. On a yearly basis, Ffrench says about 20 acres are planted and harvested and then given a resting period. With the exception of the salad fields, which are only harvested once a year and then left for the season, allowing them to be worked every year, he says the farmed areas turn over every three years. Staff at Cookstown work closely with chefs
man-power to pull off more complicated projects. And, Crump says, “sourcing locally can be a complicated project.” Doing just over one million covers per year, Thornton says the scale of the Royal York’s foodservice requires significantly more than the rooftop food garden can yield. Producing about 50lbs of lettuce per season and a variety of herbs, Thornton says some of the key benefits of the garden is the quality of produce and experience for the cooks. “It’s fresh food. It doesn’t get any fresher than having guys come up here every morning and cutting it,” says Thornton. “It’s great for apprentices to come up and see how it works and the younger guys get right into it.” Thornton maps out the planting of the beds with a nursery and starts planting greens in May. With greens ready to be harvested in two to three weeks, he says they’ll continue to plant them, while the herbs are clipped as needed. “I think you take more care with the food you prepare and give it more thought,” says Thornton. “We’re up there daily, pulling things.” Crump says the experience builds an important appreciation and understanding in young cooks. “I have the chefs go out and pick and weed the gardens,” says Crump. “I had one chef say, ‘what does gardening have to do with cooking?’ I said, ‘it has everything to do with it.’ There is no cooking without gardening.”
Flower Power “Most herbs have flowers that we never see and they’re all edible,” says Crump. Crump’s top choice is the chive flower, a purple starburst, that he puts into warm butter and then re-chills to put on steak or salmon.
to accommodate specific requests, namely Rob Gentile of Buca has occupied both greenhouse and outdoor space for use in his Italian kitchen. Another chef, Ffrench says, requested “the besttasting iceberg lettuce”. So, he is experimenting with Webb’s wonder, a rare heritage lettuce. “We’re working on having close relationships with chefs,” says Ffrench. With three beds dedicated to chef gardens, he says Gentile is one of his predominant chef-customers, as well as a number of local restaurants such as Barrie’s Painters Hall and The Crazy Fox Bistro. There is a strong partnership to be forged between chef and supplier and a wealth of knowledge to be shared on either side. “It’s not just about what you grow, it’s when you grow it, when you harvest it and how you harvest it,” says Ffrench. Like the specific methods and preferences for food preparation, there are best practices to be found in the cultivation of herbs and greens. With diners becoming increasingly curious about where their food comes from, the ability to show them is a strong selling point. One of Fresh City Farms’ advantages is their close proximity to Toronto’s thriving restaurant industry, says Goel. Similarly, tours of the Royal York’s rooftop garden are a popular attraction for guests and tourists alike, Thornton says. Herbs and greens are being cultivated in some of the most unlikely places, allowing menu transparency and the stories behind ingredients to be a big seller for restaurants. There are an infinite number of uses for herbs and greens, and sourcing options are no different. Find the right fit for your menu, and the right person to grow it—whether it’s in-house or on the farm.
O N TA R I O R E S TAU R A N T N E W S
The Chase, an appetizer will cost between $12 and $22, and a main course can range from $18 to $40 for high-end items such as an Ontario rib-eye steak. A fish hookshaped bar in the main foyer of The Chase Fish and Oyster will house a cold bar where staff will be posted From left: Team member at The Chase, executive chef Michael Steh, assistant general manfull-time to shuck ager Kyle Sloopka, Chase Fish and Oyster chef du cuisine Nigel Finley. fresh oysters. By Elaine Anselmi an added-on top level made of glass. “Rather than having 20 different oys“We basically built a 50-foot glass ters, we’ll focus on four to six oysters TORONTO—Offering a teaser of box on top,” assistant general manthat will probably switch weekly,” said what is to come at The Chase and ager Kyle Sloopka told ORN. He exSteh. Along with the seafood selecThe Chase Fish and Oyster, execu- plained an elevator would take guests tions, vegetable options and two vegtive chef Michael Steh served up an from the lobby of The Chase Fish and etarian main dishes, which are reguapple, walnut, and lobster salad on Oyster, which has 130 seats, up to The lars on the upstairs menu, will change a fresh-baked egg roll to hungry To- Chase, which offers 200 seats includwith the seasons and the availability rontonians from a food truck in June. ing an 80-seat patio. of produce. The two restaurant concepts founded “The philosophy with both resPotvin’s wine list for the downby Chase Hospitality Group are set to taurants is healthy and thoughtful stairs space will have a focus on open in the city’s Financial District in cooking,” said Steh. “We’re creatwhites to accompany the seafoodmid-July. ing new menu items and dishes that friendly menu, said Sloopka. “What people love about down- make people feel good and have more Steh described the décor of the town is the social atmosphere. We’re of a healthy twist.” main floor as having a Hamptons mixing the gastronomic, the social Steh and his team worked in feel, with whitewashed boards and and the elegance aspects,” executive George Brown College’s test kitchdraped sails. He said they maintained chef Michael Steh told ORN, outside en to develop menus for both the structural integrity of the Dineen the food truck at Yonge and Bloor. restaurants.“Both menus were done Building, which dates back to 1897. “We’re exploiting what’s good about from a perspective of sustainable, loUpstairs, the intent was for a more fine dining.” cal and with the best produce we can elegant household environment, Steh and Steven Salm, formerly get our hands on,” he said. The team said Steh, who pointed to houses in of e11even, are behind the restaurant took a trip through P.E.I. to visit musToronto’s upscale Rosedale or Forest duo and added familiar names to the sel producers, and also work directly Hill neighbourhoods as examples. roster such as general manager and with suppliers from Nova Scotia, OnThe Chase Fish and Oyster is sommelier Anton Potvin and chef de tario and British Columbia. slated to open in mid-July, with The cuisine at The Chase Fish and Oyster With seafood sold at market price, Chase opening shortly after. “It’ll be Nigel Finley. Steh said an average check at The a soft open until both are fully comThe restaurants are located in Chase Fish and Oyster will range plete,” said Sloopka. the restored Dineen Building at 140 between $9 for an appetizer to $22 Yonge St. with Chase Fish and Oyster for a sharing plate, and between $18 140 Yonge St., Toronto. www.thechaseon the main floor and The Chase in and $30 for an entrée. Upstairs at toronto.com.
The Chase builds up
Building business on Manitoulin Continued from page 3
“The thing that people need to know about aboriginal cuisine is it’s not necessarily about what you’re eating,” he said. “Our diets were historically based on availability.” The menu has consistent year-round items but also has a strong variety of seasonal dishes. Eshkawkogan said game meats, such as woodland buffalo – historically abundant on the island, but have since disappeared – will be brought back through farmed sources. Eshkawkogan said the dining experience is about gathering and eating communally. “We want to provide people with an opportunity to experience something they’ve never done before and eat some foods they can’t get in too many places,” he said. The restaurant works with local farms and the organization Farm to Fork, which picks up food scraps to bring back to the farm and turn into compost. “The mandate of the hotel is to be environmentally responsible,” said Bellefeuille. “We understand this is an extra cost, but it’s important to the island and the community.” Walking through the 58-room hotel, its cultural foundations are illustrated through structure, tapestry and art—which will be on sale from local artisans in a shop off of the lobby. From the exterior, the teepee-shaped lobby draws the eye from across the harbour; inside, the wall is lined with the crests of its founding nations. The smaller of two conference rooms sits under the main lobby in a space called the Seven Grandfathers Meeting Room—named for the Seven Teachings, the Anishinaabe teachings of human conduct. The room circles around a large, local tree trunk and looks out through
a glass front, beyond a pool to the impressive stretch of Lake Huron. “An underlying theme from the beginning was cultural authenticity and we’re not compromising on that,” said Eshkawkogan. “The hotel gives [guests] a venue to sleep at, a restaurant to cater to all their needs, and keeps them here long enough to experience aboriginal culture in a really great way.” The need for hospitality businesses on the island is not a new concept. The land now used by the MHCC was commercially zoned in the 1970’s to attract this sort of business. The idea, said Eshkawkogan, is to bolster the local economy and job market by bringing more people to the island and retaining their business. Having experienced job shortages on the island first hand, Eshkawkogan said, “[My family] left because there were no jobs here, but now I’m on the other side of the table: able to work on Manitoulin and create jobs.” Of the staff at the MHCC, Bellefeuille noted 90 per cent are aboriginal and a number of them went through the Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC) food and beverage program. “The hotel is bringing additional business, not just to us, but to everybody on the island,” said Eshkawkogan. “That’s what the model was meant to do and it’s doing that perfectly.”
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PEOPLE
The Canadian Association of Foodservice Professionals celebrated Angelo Colalillo on his two-year term as president at its annual general meeting. Colalillo will become a national director, taking the place of Rosie Maclean, who was made a lifetime member at the AGM. Through his term, Colalillo has increased CAFP membership by 11 per cent including more than 200 members in student branches. The Toronto branch of the CAFP won three awards at the national convention under Colalillo’s leadership. Steve J. Croft was named the new president of the CAFP Toronto Branch and will also serve a two-year term. Mark Cutrara has taken over the kitchen at the Hawthorne Food and Drink. Cutrara stepped in after former chef Binh An Nguyen announced his departure in May. The Financial District restaurant has seen three chefs in its six months of operation, after opening chef Eric Wood left to open the Beverly Hotel in the Queen West neighbourhood. Cutrara is a veteran of the Toronto food scene, most recently as executive chef and co-owner of the abruptly shuttered Cowbell. The Parkdale restaurant had a six-year run and was marked by Cutrara’s nose-to-tail cooking philosophy. Allan Schmidt, president and managing partner of Vineland Estates Winery, was elected as the new chair of the Wine Council of Ontario
(WCO) at a June 19 board meeting in Niagara, ON. Schmidt began grape growing and winemaking in the Okanagan Valley in B.C. He also worked in California and Germany before moving to Ontario in 1987 to take up the position of winemaker and general manager of Vineland Estates Winery. Schmidt replaces Ed Madronich of Flat Rock Cellars who served a four-year term. “Since moving to Ontario, I have seen our industry show an inspiring evolution from just under 25 wineries to over 125, in a span of only 25 years. I am proud to be part of this amazing growth and am committed to championing opportunities to increase distribution for the quality wines we produce in our province,” said Schmidt in a release. The WCO board of directors elected Len Pennachetti of Cave Spring Cellars as vice-chair, Jeff Aubry of Coyote’s Run Estate Winery as secretary, Norm Beal of Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery as treasurer and Caroline Granger of The Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Estate Winery as governance officer. Newman Smith of Strewn Winery also joins the team as a new board member. Min Young Lee will be heading up the newly re-opened kitchen at Haisai in Singhampton, ON. The second of Michael Stadtländer’s restaurants north of Toronto along with Eigensinn Farm, Haisai closed last September and reopened in May with Lee at the helm for service
Steven Isherwood, publisher of Ontario Restaurant News, Pacific/ Prairie Restaurant News, Atlantic Restaurant News and Canadian Lodging News, is pleased to announce two new members to the team.
Stephanie Giammarco is the production co-ordinator, handling daily advertising design and client interaction for the production of all Ishcom magazines. Stephanie’s experience includes graphic design and production pre-press roles with small and medium-sized businesses, including restaurant branding, as well as freelance work for external clients. She has an advanced diploma in graphic design from Humber College.
from Friday through Sunday. Lee is a graduate of George Brown College’s culinary arts/chef training program and worked at Scaramouche, a restaurant that Stadtländer and fellow chef Jamie Kennedy were a part of opening in 1980. Lee will continue Stadtländer’s farm-to-table mandate, sourcing the majority of Haisai’s ingredients from Eigensinn. The menu will have more tapas-style items with small sharing plates, most averaging around $10 per plate, according to Post City. Patrick Kriss has left Acadia restaurant on College Street in Toronto. Kriss, formerly of Splendido, took up the posting about a year ago after Matt Blondin left Acadia for Momofuku Daisho. Blondin announced he would leave his post as executive sous chef at Daisho about a week later. Kriss has worked in kitchens across Toronto as well as in New York and
Allan Schmidt
France. He started as a cook at Splendido, before being promoted to chef de cuisine, then leaving for Acadia. Kriss has also worked as chef de cuisine at O & B’s Luma and Auberge du Pommier. With Kriss’ departure, Acadia owners Scott and Lindsey Selland called in the help of Dustin Gallagher, a former Top Chef Canada contender, officially announcing his appointment as chef de cuisine on June 20. Since departing from Daisho, Blondin has paired with The Grove’s Ben Heaton to cook up their own style of bar snacks for Dundas West’s Churchill. Blondin, alumnus of Claudio Aprile’s recently closed Colborne Lane, has worked in Toronto, as well as Kelowna and Whistler. After running a Kitchener restaurant for a quarter of a century, chef Peter Martin closed the doors to his gastro pub at 41 King St. “It’s been a blast,” Martin told
Peter Martin
ORN. He opened 20 King in June of 1988 and was recently made an offer on the heritage building by a local developer. He said he thought exactly 25 years had a nice ring to it. “I have some opportunities to do some other things,” said Martin, indicating he might teach, consult or get involved with a joint venture. “I’m going to keep my options open,” said the 55 year old. Martin opened 20 King at the age of 29 and expanded in 2001, buying a derelict building at 41 King St. The restaurant was restored and opened as Peter Martin’s the following year. Three years ago, he renamed the restaurant The 41 Gastro Pub. Born in Northern Ireland, Martin is trained in traditional French cuisine, and travelled to Canada in 1979 to work at the Jasper Park Lodge. Martin worked under chef JeanMarie Lacroix at the Four Seasons in Montreal as well as Stratford’s The Church Restaurant.
Celebrating 30 years of caring
Ishcom appointment notices:
Kim Kerr is a new account manager, covering territories across Canada for Ishcom print and digital products. Her sales experience includes nine years at W.T. Lynch Foods Ltd. and nine years at Intercorp Excelle Foods Inc. (Renee’s) in account manager positions. In the course of her career, Kim has dealt with a wide variety of clients in the foodservice industry, from chefs to distributors on a national scale.
Mark Cutrara
Kim Kerr
Stephanie Giammarco
MISSISSAUGA—Friends of We Care celebrated 30 years of sending children with disabilities to camps at the International Centre on June 1. The organization, supported by members of the foodservice and hospitality industry nation-wide, has raised $16.5 million for The Easter Seal Society of Canada over the three decades. The money has helped send more than 38,000 children with disabilities to summer camps across the country. Executive director Kevin Collins said the organization has maintained the same mandate since a group from Associated Food Distributors (AFD) initiated it in 1983. Collins said many former ambassadors of the charity were able to attend the 30th anniversary celebration, including graduate of The Curtis Institute and The Julliard School Adrian Kramer. The baritone singer has performed with the Canadian Opera Company and sang the national anthem at the gala. “It was just absolutely incredible to hear him and his performance was first-class,” said Collins to ORN. “There are so many incredible
stories: one of our kids is participating in the Paralympics. He was in London last year and he’s getting ready to go to Rio in 2016. We’ve got another young ambassador who was part of Team Canada’s sledge hockey that won gold in Japan recently.” He said the camps allow the children to learn life skills, but also share experiences and have fun. “Being born with a disability myself and getting the chance to attend camps for eight summers as a kid; it enables people the opportunity to realize that having the disability is not going to be as big a challenge as it could be,” said Collins. “There are many people out there that have similar, if not worse, situations than you do and the camps provide an environment where there’s absolutely no barriers,” he said. “There are no curbs, no restrictions, so these kids can be kids. They can participate in arts and crafts, swimming, a variety of sports, rock climbing walls, rope climbing, there’s a whole gamut of different things that are fully set up and adapted for kids with disabilities,” he said. The celebration – including a
cheque presentation of more than $1 million to the parent charity – drew about 1,000 guests and recognized significant contributions to the industry and community. The Gary Wright Humanitarian Award, named in honour of the founder of the organization, was presented to Don LeBlanc, director of purchasing for Darden Restaurants. LeBlanc has been involved with Friends of We Care for more than 16 years. Wright, part of the founding group from AFD, passed away a few years after Friends of We Care was launched. He had a son with a disability and, familiar with the work of the Easter Seals, arranged the partnership. Proctor and Gamble was given the Corporate Friends of We Care Award, and president and CEO of Maple Leaf Foods Michael McCain received the We Care Hall of Fame Award for his contributions to the growth and development of the industry. Friends of We Care raises funds through member sponsorship and annual events and donations.
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