Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News - February 2014

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estaurant News R February 2014 Vol. 20 No. 1

Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40010152

N A T I O N A L

C O V E R A G E

R E G I O N A L

David Hawksworth Newsmaker of the Year The Newsmaker of the Year award recognizes special achievements that have positive effects on the hospitality and foodservice industries.

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hen Newsmaker of the Year David Hawksworth talks about the pressures facing young chefs today as the reason he founded his namesake industry scholarship, rest assured he knows what it’s like to work one’s way up the foodservice chain.

Hawksworth remembers walking into a hostel in England in 1991, having packed his knives and crossed the pond at the age of 21 in search of a culinary great to help him learn his craft.

“My family encouraged me to go, and so I sent off a couple of letters saying that I’d be arriving in

a week, bought my ticket and told them where I’d be staying. And when I walked into the Bayswater hostel in London, the guy at the desk was like, ‘Some guy named Marco called for you’,” he laughs. The life-changing call came from esteemed chef Marco Pierre White, a celebrity even in the early days of food media, and a Michelin-starred restaurateur who trained cooks with now ubiquitous names such as Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal.

Before he knew it, Hawksworth was ensconced in the back of house at The Canteen restaurant. Although he’d worked in kitchens throughout his native Vancouver, the young cook quickly felt he was in over his head.

CHANGING LIQUOR RULES IN BC, AB

“I had no idea what I was getting into,” said Hawksworth. “It didn’t start getting uncomfortable until I started working … then reality hit.

They’d tell me ‘Go get the turbot,’ and I’d think ‘That’s part of a car’,” he joked. “There was no messing around.

I got served a large slice of humble pie there, but I survived.”

It was in this atmosphere that Hawksworth found a kitchen camaraderie that would shape his future career, especially under the mentorship of chef Stephen Terry, who remains a friend to this day. “It was a very bonding experience because it was so busy, and expectations were pretty high,” he says.

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KELSEY’S GOES URBAN WITH NEW LOOK

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WESTIN WHISTLER GETS A FACELIFT

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When it comes to feeding hotel guests, today’s operators are fine-tuning the balance between the convenience of graband-go options and more traditional room service methods.

Chef/Owner, Hawksworth Restaurant

By Leslie Wu, editorial director

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Co-owners Sherri Zarandooz and Javeed Somji. Photo by Hamid Attie.

Robson St. location interior. Photo by Ema Peter Photography

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PappaRoti comes to Vancouver VANCOUVER—Malaysian café PappaRoti opened its first Canadian location at 1505 Robson St. in January, with future expansion planned across Canada.

The café’s mainstay is a coffee-caramel coated bun, which can be sold plain or with the option of adding an additional topping such as Nutella or fresh jam supplied by local supplier Eat It Up. The crusty outer layer gives way to a softer, croissant-like interior with a slightly

salted buttery filling, franchise co-owner and director of business development Sherri Zarandooz told PRN. The buns will sell for $3.65 before tax.

The 1,700-square-foot, 44 seat flagship space will have lounge seating inside with potential patio space planned in the future, she said.

Zarandooz and franchise co-owner Javeed Somji hold the master franchises across Canada, and are looking at bringing either the café

concept or a smaller kiosk further east.

Although each location will adapt to the local neighbourhood, the Vancouver site makes use of restored furniture and vintage items such as a 70-year-old espresso grinder to create a “French bistro meets West Coast feel,” said Zarandooz.

The brand originated in Kuala Lumpur in 2003, and has more than 400 locations worldwide.

Kelsey’s new image TORONTO—A $1-million overhaul of the Kelsey’s location at the corner of The Queensway and Islington Avenue has Cara Operations poised to push the brand into the future by rolling out the new look at more locations this year.

Established in 1978, Kelsey’s has 71 locations in Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta, including 16 corporate stores.

With large windows, exposed brick walls, reclaimed wood tabletops, graphic wall treatments and vibrant outside signage, the prototype (which opened in November following a five-week renovation) is representative of Kelsey’s new direction.

Vice-president of operations Dave Barton said he thinks the new identity will ensure the longevity of the brand. He called the project, which piloted at 1011 The Queensway, a revolution rather than a renovation. “Now, we want to do that with the rest of the brand,” Barton told PRN. Senior brand manager Anesie JohnsonSmith said the brand is aiming for a “social dining and bar experience.”

The original concept for Kelsey, she said, was bar-focused and attracted a younger crowd, but as its clientele aged, Kelsey’s evolved into more of a restaurant than a bar.

The idea, said Johnson-Smith, is to “draw in a younger crowd, get back to its roots of being a bar-focused destination and, also really important to us, is to make it a social environment. We had to knock down walls in order to do that.”

With an open concept design in the 5,000-square-foot, 280-seat restaurant, the bar became “the focal point of the entire design,” said Johnson-Smith. In the summer, the walls will open to a 65-seat patio.

In the process of re-establishing Kelsey’s, the team found it hard to pinpoint the brand’s identity. “It was meant to be something for ev-

erybody, so it had, over the years, lost a little bit of its personality,” Johnson-Smith said.

She said what resonated was that Kelsey’s is an unpretentious place with a focus on local community relationships. “We changed our tagline from ‘Your neighbourhood bar and grill’ to ‘Ambitiously hardworking and sociably unpredictable’,” she explained. A sign above the bar reads: “H.A!”, which stands for “happiness always.”

Barton said they started with the corporate location to prove the brand works because it sees a good demographic mix of families and millennials, has good visibility and a lot of nearby competition.

Corporate chef Richard Allardyc headed up Kelsey’s new food program, keeping popular items Kelsey’s Queensway location exterior. such as the four-cheese spinach dip.

“We’re starting to introduce a merlot and pinot noir), which are priced at $1 lot more approachable, unique, differentiatper ounce. ing foods. We came up with a concept called “Since we opened in November, our results ‘foodie-crazed fun,’ which is light-hearted, have far exceeded our expectations and we’ve two-handed [food],” said Johnson-Smith. had double-digit increases in both sales and Barton points to the Reuben spring rolls guest counts,” Johnson-Smith said. served with horseradish beer mustard as a She noted a sharp increase in competition prime example of a new food item. in the market, with coffee shops getting into Entrée prices range from about $14 for a the lunch game and grocery stores ramping up burger or salad to $24 for the fire-grilled sirloin home meal replacement options. “The amount with chipotle shrimp or bacon and goat cheese. of competition out there is so intense now that Average check is similar to other Kelsey’s locayou have to evolve your brand in order to stay tions, according to Johnson-Smith. relevant,” Johnson-Smith said.

The beverage program includes a selecThe company plans to renovate at least tion of Canadian craft beer, including Musfour existing locations in 2014. koka Mad Tom IPA, Mad & Noisy Hops and Kelsey’s first East Coast location (with the Bolts and Granville Island Pale Ale. The bar new look and potentially some regional menu also serves four wines on tap made by Vineitems) is slated to open this year, but which land Estates (a pinot grigio, riesling, cabernet province was not disclosed.

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RestaurantNews

Comm e n t

Child’s play

www.pacificprairierestaurantnews.com Editorial Director Leslie Wu ext. 227 lwu@canadianrestaurantnews.com Senior Contributing Editor Colleen Isherwood ext. 231 cisherwood@canadianrestaurantnews.com Assistant Editor Jonathan Zettel ext. 226 jzettel@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

PAC I F I C / P R A I R I E R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

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n a cry heard around the world, a recent clash between a four top with a baby and the privileged patrons at a high profile restaurant in Chicago opened the babygates for operators to chime in with their takes on the uneasy mix of children and fine dining.

It’s the balancing act played out by front of house staff across the country: at what point does a cranky child become downright disruptive to other patrons? In a case such as the aforementioned Alinea, where seats are sold in advance at hundreds of dollars a pop, guests have high expectations of ambience and service, both of which can balance on a hair.

Although some operators have tried an outright baby ban, which is often met with a hue and cry on social media, most operators prefer not to take a public stand against infants. After all, a Brampton restaurateur found himself faced with a potential lawsuit last year after denying guests entry with a stroller to his small restaurant because of space restrictions. Many restaurants may choose to be more oblique with their policies and make it clear through lack of child seating, menus, etc. where their affiliations lie.

At the same time, we’re seeing more concepts springing up that cater to children and the people who love them. Within the past few years, kid-friendly cafés are becoming more common, keeping adults caffeinated while offering children milk drinks, arts and craft areas and yoga.

Family-based chains are stretching beyond the kid’s menu and are serving up free child care with meals, such as an Olive Garden in Orlando teaming up with a neighbouring child activity centre for a promotion for parents to enjoy childfree dining. Paradiso, a restaurant in Washington, even offers a private dining room where tots are served by their own attendant while watching movies and colouring.

By segregating children from the rest of the restaurant, however, are the needs of the parents being served or are operators merely banishing them out of sight, like smokers in the glass enclosed rooms of the past decade? Considering that some families already feel that casual dining is the only resort for eating out, such programs may just exacerbate the divide between parents and childless patrons.

In the end, the definition of disruption may

Bi t s Extreme weather takes toll on sales Publisher Steven Isherwood ext. 236 sisherwood@canadianrestaurantnews.com

Volume 20 Number 1 Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News is published 6 times per year by Ishcom Publications Ltd. which also publishes: Ontario Restaurant News, Atlantic Restaurant News, Canadian Lodging News, Canadian Chains 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 & USA: $24.95/ year or $39.95/two years Single copy: $5.95 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to circulation department, 2065 Dundas Street East, Suite 201, Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2W1 Publication Mail Agreement No. 40010152 ISSN 1702-3483 GST number R102533890

TORONTO—More than 60 per cent of operators noted bad weather in December hurt business and more than one-third of restaurateurs saw lower sales in the last quarter of 2013 compared to previous years, according to the latest Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association’s Outlook Survey.

According to the survey, which tracks business conditions for nearly 5,400 establishments nationwide, a quarter of foodservice operators expect sales growth to cool over the next six months and 44 per cent indicated they would have to raise prices during the first half of 2014 to cope with rising costs and business challenges.

“Ice and snow are slowing business down, but they aren’t the only challenges facing the restaurant industry,” Garth Whyte, CRFA president and chief executive officer, said in a release.

Bad weather was cited as the fourth largest issue having a negative impact on restaurant industry, with labour costs, food cost and weak economy topping the list.

a nd

at 2240 Chippendale Rd. following the Dec. 31 dinner service.

In October, Fraîche welcomed chef Nicholas Lim to the kitchen as executive chef. The announcement at the time indicated Lim would be working with general manager Paul Garbini to launch Fraîche Catering. Lim replaced Carol Chow, who reportedly stepped down to pursue a lifestyle change.

Trace amounts of pesticide on organic produce OTTAWA—According to a CBC News analysis of data supplied by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), 45.8 per cent of samples of organic fresh fruits and vegetables contained some trace of pesticides.

The samples were taken between September 2011 and September 2013. Reported by the CBC on Jan. 9, a smaller amount (1.8 per cent) violated Canada’s maximum allowable limit for the presence of pesticides.

The CFIA told CBC News none of the test results posed a health risk and none of the food was prevented from being sold as organic.

Chuck E. Cheese parent company agrees to acquisition

Sysco, US Foods antitrust battle brews over proposed acquisition

IRVING, TX—Chuck E. Cheese’s parent company CEC Entertainment has agreed to be acquired by an affiliate of Apollo Global Management for about $950 million.

Founded in 1977, the chain made over its mascot two years ago in an attempt to refresh its image.

The company and its franchisees operate more than 570 Chuck E. Cheese’s stores in the U.S. and internationally, including 14 Canadian units in the provinces of British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario.

WASHINGTON—Rising costs for the foodservice industry will likely be the focus of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) overseeing the antitrust battle over the deal that would see food giant Sysco Corp. buy US Foods, Reuters reports.

The $3.5-billion deal—announced in early December—would bolster Sysco’s position as North America’s largest food distributor and add brands including Cattleman’s Meats Co. and Devonshire Desserts Ltd. to the company’s U.S. portfolio.

According to Reuters, national buying groups who purchase food for hospitals, restaurants and hotels will no longer be able to leverage low costs between the two groups if the deal goes through.

If the merger will drive up costs or damage competition, the FTC could try to stop the deal or require assets to be sold off.

Fraiche closes VANCOUVER—Fraîche Restaurant served its last dinner on New Year’s Eve. After five years, co-owners Barbara Inglis and Paul Chalmers of the West Vancouver eatery—who also operated the previously closed Beachside Forno—shut the doors permanently

vary by establishment: to some restaurateurs, a small child may be no noisier than a table full of inebriated patrons, a loud cellphone conversation, or flash photography shoots at a dining table. Much of the press surrounding the baby controversy has boiled down to the need for a restaurant to have clear-cut policies regarding disruption of any kind, including children, and being consistent, but not inflexible, in its enforcement. Other public spaces, such as the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, have no qualms about plainly stating that all babies are forbidden from entering its hallowed halls to ensure peaceful performances.

Banning children outright from a restaurant space may spare other diners from noise during their meal, but cuts down on the amount of exposure that tomorrow’s diners may get to the restaurant experience. And to be sure, parents, more so than publicans, are responsible for policing the behaviour of a child in a fine dining setting; a reminder enforced by one Atlanta restaurant who posted signage asking parents with disruptive children to take them outside out of respect to other patrons.

After all, in a shared space such as a restaurant, certain courtesies governing behaviour still hold true, whether the patron is eight months or 80 years old.

Leslie Wu Editorial director

Bi t e s

“Sysco operates in a highly competitive and fragmented space,” the company said in a statement defending the deal. “The proposed merger will allow us to take meaningful cost out of the system and thereby make Sysco more competitive.”

According to Technomic, Sysco reported US$39 billion in revenues in 2012 while US Foods generated $21 billion.

A company spokesperson told PRN in December the proposed deal would have no effect on Canadian operations.

Second Cup gets new CEO MISSISSAUGA, ON— The Second Cup announced the appointment of Alix Box as the company’s president and chief executive officer. Box will also serve on the board of directors effective Feb. 24.

For the past six years Box has been an executive with Holt Renfrew and prior to that she served for 10 years as vice-president of operations, company and licensed stores at Starbucks Coffee Company. During her time with Starbucks, Box oversaw 675 Canadian stores.

“Alix possesses the ideal combination of related retail experience and leadership attributes to lead Second Cup into a new era of success,” Second Cup chairperson Michael Bregman said in a release.

“I am eager to work with our loyal franchise partners to improve café performance while providing Canadian coffee lovers with an upgraded, modernized vision for the future,” said Box. Box will replace Stacey Mowbray, who is leaving the company to pursue other opportunities. Mowbray, a former chief marketing officer at Molson Canada and senior vice president of marketing and branding at Cara, has been with Second Cup since March 2008, when she was hired to replace then president Bruce Elliot.

Mowbray took over the CEO position after Gabe Tsampalieros, CEO and owner, died in March 2009.

Second Cup was founded in 1975 and has more than 350 locations across Canada.

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David Hawksworth

PRN NEWSMAKER OF THE YEAR: Continued from cover

While intense, the pressure of the kitchen helped drive Hawksworth’s competitive nature and pushed him to challenge himself. “There was no ‘Oh, sure, I’ll wait for you for that’. In the restaurant industry, there are no second chances … you have to be on the ball and it’s such a steep learning curve,” he says. “I had never worked a 7:30 a.m. to midnight shift before. We did 120 to 180 covers for lunch and then had to do it again for dinner.”

At some point, Hawksworth realized that he needed to start at the bottom to really hone his skills. “Everyone that I was working with had worked at one or two Michelin-starred restaurants for years. If I wanted to learn, I needed to be a commis in the kitchen and work my way up,” he says.

Hawksworth was spurred on to try out for another job at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, and landed the position on his second interview. The first interview was derailed when his cab driver fell asleep and hit another car head on, causing Hawksworth to spend the day strapped to a board in the hospital, he recalls.

As commis and, eventually, sous chef at Le Manoir, Hawksworth was able to train under chef/owner Raymond Blanc. “I learned a lot from being able to do every section,” he says.

At 26, he then opened Le Petit Blanc Brasserie as head chef, then in 1996, moved to the top spot at Marco Pierre White’s L’Escargot. “I kept getting put in these positions as head chef, but I wanted to go work for chefs that had a different style or technique or knowledge so that I could build a solid base for myself,” he says. “It was never about how much I was going to get

paid, but always about what I was going to learn there. I was investing in myself.”

At The Square in London, Hawksworth got his wish, working as a sous chef in 1998 under Philip Howard. “It was refreshing to see a different style of food and not be confined to one way of doing things,” he says. “Phil would fully admit that he would have no idea what something was, but he had a two star Michelin restaurant.”

Although much of his career until that point had been in the United Kingdom, Hawksworth wanted to make his mark on his hometown of Vancouver.

As a cook, you don’t do it for the money.

There’s supposed to be a payday at the end, and if everything works out, you just might not die in front of a stove.

David Hawksworth “My goal was to go to somewhere to learn a lot and then take that and use what I’d learned to fulfill my dream of doing something here in Vancouver,” he says.

In 2000, he returned to his hometown as executive chef of West and in 2008—the same year he became the youngest honoree in the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame—he opened his namesake restaurant in the Hotel Rosewood Georgia.

Today, Hawksworth is the mentor overseeing young chefs as they take their first steps in the professional cooking sphere. Based on his experience in Europe, he starts chefs on the garde

Judging at the scholarship competition.

manger station. “They basically do laps of the kitchen, plus a few months in our more casual Bel Café,” he says. “They can’t cherry pick what they do, and this way, they get full exposure to what we do and how we do it.”

Although Hawksworth thinks that his kitchen is a “lot more low key” than the pressure cooker environment he faced overseas, he stresses the necessity of exposing young chefs to the skills that they need for future kitchen careers.

“Back then, it was extremely different: if you mentally couldn’t cut it, they just got rid of you. You had to have to have the stamina to do five or six double shifts, which was often challenging when you were putting young, uneducated people in the kitchen,” he says. “At the same time, you think about how costly it is to run a restaurant, and how important it is for young chefs to learn how to run a meat section, get organized, and make sure that the guys in your kitchen are covered on your day off.”

Recognizing the struggles that young chefs face while starting their career, and wantDavid Hawksworth ing to give back to an industry and community that he had been a part of since his teenage years, Hawksworth started an annual scholarship. With a $10,000 bursary supplied by the Chefs’ Table Society of BC and the choice of an international restaurant to perform a stage, the award is designed to mentor and recognize emerging Red Seal-certified chefs under the age of 28 who are currently working in a restaurant kitchen.

Hawksworth approached sponsors such as Le Creuset and Canadian Linen to help fund the event, and also held fundraisers with participating guest judges including local chef Vikram Vij. “Restaurants get hit everyday for charity requests—it was odd, to say the least, to go to someone else to ask for their support,” he says.

The competition has expanded in scope this year, with regional heats and groups of judges across the country, which Hawksworth hopes will bring more aspiring chefs to the table.

“I really wanted to highlight how good our young talent is here in Canada,” he says. “Other competitions are different from the day-to-day of a working kitchen. Our competition is about the reality of a kitchen: how you run your section and the taste of the plate.”

The scholarship gets young chefs going in the right direction, says Hawksworth, and

com i ng Feb. 22-25: Canadian Society of Club Managers National F&B Conference, Delta Bessborough Hotel, Saskatoon, SK. www.cscm.org Feb. 25: BC Leadership Night, CAFP Vancouver, Vancouver. www.cafp.com March 2-4: CRFA Show. Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto. www.crfa.ca

e v e n t s

March 24-27: International Pizza Expo, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas. www.pizzaexpo.com

service Professionals 2014 National Conference, Delta Ottawa City Centre, Ottawa. www.cafp.com

April 12-13: National Franchise & Business Opportunities Show, Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver. www.franchiseshowinfo.com

May 6-7: Canadian Restaurant Investment Conference, Eaton Chelsea Toronto Hotel, Toronto, ON. www.restaurantinvest.ca

Apr. 24-27: Canadian Association of Food-

gives them the chance to try a stage without the months of frantic working ahead of time to build up enough money to go and learn as he did. It also instills in them the confidence that they can hold their own in an international kitchen and gives them a bit of a foundation.

“I think we have some great restaurants in Canada, and it kills me when we’re not listed on things like the San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Doing things like this, we get noticed more in Canada, and it pushes more young chefs into the international spotlight so that they can go challenge themselves,” he says.

Ultimately, Hawksworth hopes that he can inspire young chefs to invest in their own careers. “As a cook, you don’t do it for the money.

There’s supposed to be a payday at the end, and if everything works out, you just might not die in front of a stove,” he jokes.

“I’ve always said to my cooks that if you don’t learn as much as you can and invest in yourself, the other side of this is that you’re going to be making a very low wage and be 50 years old.

And if you’re fine with that, carry on,” he says.

“But I want people to have a career and survive in this very tough industry, and that depends on you working hard, keeping focused and getting it together.”

May 12: Terroir Hospitality Industry Symposium, Arcadian Court, Toronto.

www.terroirsymposium.com May 12-13: Alberta Foodservice Expo, BMO Centre, Calgary. www.albertafoodserviceexpo.ca May 17–20: National Restaurant Association Show, McCormick Place, Chicago, IL. show.restaurant.org

www.pacificprairierestaurantnews.com

F E B R U A RY 2 014

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NPD 2014 predictions Quick service burgers will still be big sellers in 2014, according to an NPD report.

TORONTO—Canadians spent more at restaurants this past year than in 2012—a three per cent increase surpassing $49 billion in sales—despite consumer traffic remaining flat, according to the NPD Group.

At the end of 2013, the NPD Group reviewed what Canadians have been eating for the last year and where those meals have been coming from. Recent studies from NPD looked at dining habits compared to previous years and what those trends likely mean for the foodservice industry in 2014.

The number of restaurants across the country also increased, adding another 1,000 units to the foodservice landscape, with well-known chains outpacing smaller independent establishments.

“Independent operators that are not prepared to steal share from their more popular counterparts will fold under the pressure of a highly competitive marketplace,” Robert Carter, executive director of foodservice at the NPD Group, said in a release. “The fight for dollars was very aggressive [last] year and, out of necessity, the same competitive attitude is expected to uphold through 2014.”

Operators who increased sales by more than three per cent in 2013 grew at a faster rate than the overall market.

The NPD Group predicts that it will be challenging to convince Canadians to dine out more often. Despite flat traffic, NPD expects customer traffic to grow for some segments of the restaurant industry.

According to the research firm, Canadians are still motivated by the menu innovation at burger operations, so this quick service segment is expected to continue doing well. In the past five years, players in this category have successfully expanded menus beyond core burger offerings, with key growth (nine per cent since 2008) taking place during the end-of-day snacking period. In addition, snacking increased steadily during the same timeframe and has attracted more consumers to quick service coffee stores.

“The snacking trend shows no sign of slowing down and while this is promising for quick service restaurants, it’s taking its toll on the full service sector,” said Carter. “Visitation for this group has been on the decline for the past several years and much of this is due to Canadians’ increased need for food on the go.”

According to NPD research, traffic in the full-service segment is down 89 million visits per year from 2008, and the per-capita use of these restaurants has decreased from 55 visits per year in 2008 to 48 visits in 2013. Though limited overall market growth is anticipated in 2014, spending is still expected to increase in the full-service segment. “The battle for share in the full service segment led to a series of brand and chain consolidations in 2013,” said Carter. “Given the continuing struggle for growth in this segment, I would expect more consolidations in 2014.”

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National Restaurant Association trends WASHINGTON—The National Restaurant Association asked professional chefs and members of the American Culinary Federation, about trends that will be found on restaurant menus this year.

Modifiers like locally-sourced, environmentally sustainable, gluten-free and organic will continue to see success in 2014.

New trends to hit the market include quinoa noodles, internationally-inspired breakfasts and hybrid desserts like the cronut, townie and ice cream cupcake.

Also look for Peruvian cuisine to make waves and for chefs to find ways to cook

nose-to-tail and root-to-stalk recipes to reduce food waste.

Top 10 food trends 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Locally-sourced meats and seafood.

Locally-grown produce.

Environmental sustainability.

Healthy kids’ meals.

Gluten-free cuisine.

Hyper-local sourcing.

Children’s nutrition.

Non-wheat noodles (e.g. rice, buckwheat, quinoa).

9. Sustainable seafood.

10. Farm/estate branded items.

Top 10 alcohol trends 1.

2.

3.

4.

Micro-distilled/artisan spirits.

Locally produced beer/wine/spirits.

Onsite barrel-aged drinks.

Culinary cocktails (e.g. savoury, fresh ingredients).

5. Regional signature cocktails.

6. “New make” (unaged) whiskey.

7. Gluten-free beer.

8. Edible cocktails.

9. Food-liquor/cocktail pairings.

10. Food-beer pairings.

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PAC I F I C / P R A I R I E R E S TAU R A N T N E W S

When it comes to feeding hotel guests, today’s operators are fine-tuning the balance between the convenience of graband-go options and more traditional room service methods.

PUTTING ‘SERVICE’ IN ROOM SERVICE

By Marni Andrews

F

or many hotels, employees are taught to avoid saying no to guest requests. Best laid plans, however, even at well-run high-end properties that generally excel with service, can still go awry if crucial sectors such as foodservice aren’t properly planned.

Moustafa ElGayar, food & beverage manager for the 119-room Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver, remembers working overseas at a large five-star property a few years ago when he received a nervous call from the inroom dining manager, who had been left alone to answer the phone, take in-room dining orders and prepare them. Since phones needed to be answered in fewer than four rings, he was getting behind quickly.

ElGayar found out the rest of the man’s five-person team had been dis-

patched to help a guest move boxes to his car: a task that should have taken 10 minutes but ended up removing the entire food and beverage team for more than half an hour.

When the team returned, three days were spent on educating them on appropriate alternatives to saying no in a similar situation.

The biggest contributor to a hotel’s F&B revenue is usually either the restaurant or banquet operations, says ElGayar. Combined, they can account for almost 70 per cent of F&B revenue. Bar revenue is usually a big contributor as well (up to 20 per cent), especially if the bar concept is innovative. In-room dining comes next at about 10 per cent of total F&B revenue.

While these revenue mixes depend on the type of hotel and the

“The challenge for the accommodation sector is to grow traffic while incentivizing the consumer to spend more and drive incremental dollars in addition to foot traffic.”

— Joel Gregoire, foodservice industry analyst at The NPD Group.

type of F&B operations, it’s still easy to see how guest satisfaction across these areas, no matter the number of stars held by the property, can be a big driver for success, especially when saying no is not an option.

For the year ending August 2013, foodservice traffic at Canadian hotels is up substantially over the past year at seven per cent and accounts for more than $1 billion in sales, according to Joel Gregoire, foodservice industry analyst at The NPD Group.

Most of this growth is coming from breakfast and lunch with breakfast representing 42 per cent.

In the same period, hotel restaurants accounted for six out of 10 visits of total hotel food business, says Gregoire, but this has dropped over the past year from 65 per cent. He says room service is capturing more share (from four to six per cent), while beverage/snack stations are growing share from three to five per cent. Catering occasions represent 16 per cent of accommodation traffic (up by 12 per cent).

“The challenge for the accommodation sector is to grow traffic while incentivizing the consumer to spend more and drive incremental dollars in addition to foot traffic,” suggests Gregoire.

Robert Hood, corporate food and beverage manager for Atlific Hotels, offers some tips to get the most out of in-room dining. He calls it a science that starts with proper in-room dining tables, hot boxes to keep food warm and the appropriate silverware and plates to make the experience feel as if the guest was sitting in a restaurant or bar.

Hood offers some tips to help keep your room service looking pristine: • Serve sauces on the side so the food does not arrive a mess.

• The right menu is key. For example, large, full bowls of soup don’t transport well.

• The food has to make the journey while holding the correct temperature (whether hot or cold). The outcome will be different in a property with 36 stories compared to a property with 10.

• Tiles in the lobby as opposed to carpet will affect the outcome of the food. Bumps are not a delivery cart’s best friend.

• An important question to ask the guest is: “Would you like me to bring the tray or in-room dining table into the room?”

Many Atlific properties do rigorous testing with a full mock-up of the process from when the call is received and even tracking the temperature of the food over the journey.

“In-room dining is someone coming into your personal space.

The way our in-room dining associates handle this is pivotal. How the knock sounds, how they announce themselves,” he says.

“Go through the order with the guest. Make sure they have everything they need and what to do with the tray or table afterwards.

The fond farewell and letting the guest know to touch “0” if they need anything else. I like a follow-up call within 10 minutes so that when the guest is sitting down with their sandwich and wants some mustard, there’s still the opportunity to have it brought up,” says Hood.

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TALKING TRENDS

Portable and flexible: “The line between hotels and restaurants in foodservice is blurring,” says Garth Whyte, president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA). “Hotels are understanding what repeat customers like and how to make them happy. People want smaller, quicker meals and flexibility. Some want 24-7 availability, others want snacks. Health and wellness is a huge trend, so are healthy kids’ meals.”

Home away from home: Erica Benes, foodservice coordinator for Sol Cuisine, calls hotel stays intimate experiences—guests’ home away from home. “I’m impressed to see how quickly dining establishments are responding to dietary and principled concerns. There is increasing demand for healthier options, with meatless and gluten-free driving the market. We’re seeing menu legends with tags for glutenfree, vegetarian, and even locally-sourced ingredients,” says Benes.

Taste of place: Experiencing local food is an important part of travel, says Steve Flagler, director of food and beverage at the 970-room Blue Mountain Resort in The Blue Mountains, ON. Offering locally-sourced menu items is a win-win for everyone, he explains, because guests receive fresh products, staff has a story to tell, the chefs have an intimate experience with the food they are preparing and the company supports the local business community.

Catering to the experience: “Food has become a key part of the resort experience. It is part of the togetherness,” says Grace Sammut, executive director of Resorts of Ontario, which has more than 100 member properties. “Food is being consumed more within on-site restaurants or pubs whether it’s a weekend getaway, five nights with the family or a couple’s weekend. There’s a greater appreciation for wine and beer pairings, while some of our family resorts have children’s buffets with a lower table and food palatable to children. Children love it.”

International flavours: Michael Delli Colli, marketing manager at Expresco Foods—whose most popular items are fully-cooked and ready-to-cook chicken and beef satays— thinks healthier options and international flavors are strong trends in hotel foodservice.

Shangri-La Vancouver tea.

Reinventing room service Kendall College’s School of Hospitality Management in Chicago published a trends outlook demonstrating that many hotels are reinventing their room service programs in the face of declining sales. Some properties like the New York Hilton have eliminated it entirely. Yet, some hotels have found ways to make it work by upgrading items and emphasizing impeccable delivery.

“Room service is all about comfort food,” says Marc Dorfman, director of food, beverage and catering for the 259-room Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. The hotel offers a mobile phone app with menus from which the hotel guests can order room service. “We have geared our menu to create a mix of international street comfort food with great success.

From pad thai to Greek souvlaki, the menu is very popular with Canadians and international travellers.”

Robert Hood, corporate food and beverage manager for Atlific Hotels’ 55 properties, says that all of Atlific’s full service hotels offer in-room dining because it is a guest expectation and has even experienced a resur-

gence over the last few years.

“Traditionally, room service has been either really good or terrible as a category. We call it ‘in-room dining,’ which gives it a little more panache and so the guest understands what to expect. The hotels with a market for it can develop in-room dining into a very profitable department. It’s not just putting food on a tray and transporting that to a room,” Hood says, adding in-room dining is more about relaxation.

“Properties that are very successful at it understand one very simple principle: our guests aren’t idiots,” says Hood. “They have a certain expectation of what the food and the service has to look like and feel like—from the initial phone call to food being presented to the followup call. A lot of properties that fall short don’t understand that,” he says.

“Certain cities full of restaurants still do very well with in-room dining. If it’s cold or the hockey game’s on, people will stay in. We’re able to measure the potential capture ratio for the number of rooms we’re selling. In-room dining never runs at a

deficit because we charge a premium price,” he explains.

In hotels with the size and class to offer room service, the growing influence of asset managers looking to trim marginal operations is one of the biggest dangers for the program, says Dr. Gabor Forgacs, associate professor at Ryerson University’s Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Previously, if an operation made enough through catering and banquet to cover room service losses, the F&B division was left alone if budget was met. Not any longer. Room service now needs to stand on its merit, says Forgacs.

“Room service still has a value add in certain hotels but if a given hotel doesn’t cater to the high end of the affluent segment with timely and courteous service, even for unconventional requests, they will struggle to keep the lights on,” says Forgacs.

With access to healthier food options on a room service menu, this department can contribute “enormously” to F&B revenue, says Delli Colli of Expresco Foods. On the other hand, if smart food options are not available, guests will leave the hotel to find them, he says.

Serving up revenue Properly executed food and beverage areas of hotels can be a great revenue source.

Dan Young, public relations manager for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, says that less than two years after the debut of the Sheraton Social Hour, which offers guests a curated menu of premium wines and weekly tasting events, results have exceeded expectations.

Participating hotels have higher bar Café Boulud in The Four Seasons Toronto. Photo by Christian Horan.

RevPAR, better year-over-year performance in bar and F&B RevPAR, and saw an average 20 per cent increase in year-over-year beverage revenue at the lobby bar.

For example, the Sheraton Kansas City’s wine sales increased 43 per cent in the bar and lounge, Sheraton Seattle saw a 39 per cent sales increase, and The Sheraton New York Times Square’s bar revenue is up 20 per cent since introducing the program.

In Canada, Giblin of SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts says that his properties can see up to a 40 per cent margin with food and beverage, depending on a good mix of meeting

and catering space and a restaurant/ bar operation.

“Local markets are important but when competing against local restaurants, it’s critically important for us to provide what meets the customers’ needs,” explains Giblin.

“In my opinion, the hotel business has lost a significant amount of revenue potential mainly because we weren’t competent in F&B. Products were overpriced and service was slow. And we didn’t keep up with food and beverage trends throughout the world,” he says.

“I’m a big believer in looking outside the hotel industry to see where we need to go,” says Giblin.

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Grab-and-go options When renovating the on-site restaurant last year, the 120-room Holiday Inn and Suites Mississauga made the decision to add a grab-and-go market to their lobby due to the opening of many coffee shops and small stores in the area, drawing away guests for food purchases.

“We thought if we could keep that coffee and snack business with-

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out increasing labour, why not? Our weekly corporate clients told us they couldn’t wait until the Marketplace opened,” says general manager Ash Constantine.

“Only 50 per cent of them were dining in our restaurant, while the rest were running out to coffee shops to grab quick snacks,” he says.

The Marketplace offers Starbucks coffee, frozen dinners, muffins, pastries, snacks and sundried fruits. Microwaveable brand names such as Mr. Noodles and Kraft Dinner are also on hand, says Constantine.

Instead of ordering pizza from their room, guests might now come down in pajamas and slippers to the Marketplace for frozen dinners and stop at the front desk to chat.

The positives also extend to the bottom line, says Constantine, with the Marketplace adding between 10 and 15 per cent to F&B sales. Coffee, muffins and pastries have at least a 70 per cent markup while other items are closer to 40 per cent.

“The common expression we hear now is, ‘Charge this to my room’,” says Constantine.

“It’s a niche market that’s not taking away from our restaurant. If anything, we’ve added sales to the Motivity Café because many guests now

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The grab-and-go market at Holiday Inn and Suites Mississauga.

get something from the Marketplace after dinner to take up to their room,” he explains.

Robert Hood, corporate food and beverage manager for Atlific Hotels’ 55 properties, says grab-and-go markets are great revenue-generating investments. “Full service hotels have let themselves down. Guests can order from the menu but ask for a bag of chips and they have to leave to look for a convenience store,” says Hood.

“We’re getting rid of vending machines in favour of grab-and-go because people don’t carry cash anymore and the machines can be empty late at night if they’re serviced by a

third party,” he says.

Steve Giblin, president and CEO of SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts with 20 properties in Canada, likes to have a grab-and-go market on the property wherever and whenever possible.

In the new Doubletrees in Regina and West Edmonton, the market was added to the lobby. “We train our people to tell the customer when they come in and want something quick to eat, ‘Let me go get that for you,’ even if it’s late at night and the kitchen is closed,” says Giblin. “People love options.”

The 201-suite Residence Inn by Marriott Vancouver Downtown is

owned and operated by SilverBirch.

General manager Suzanne Allemeier says the market next to the front desk sees a steady flow of business. “Our biggest sellers are potato chips, pretzels, etc. and water. One other option is grocery service,” says Allemeier.

“We have a welcome basket in the room with a bag of popcorn, a message from the manager and a grocery list with preprinted essentials. Bring the list to the front desk in the morning and we’ll have the groceries delivered and put away by the end of the business day at no charge beyond the grocery cost. The guest chooses the store,” he says.

Holiday Inn and Suites Mississauga Starbucks.

Suntory to buy Beam Foraging for energy savings

By Colleen Isherwood, Senior contributing editor

Laphroaig is one of the brands being acquired by Suntory.

OSAKA, Japan—Suntory Holdings Limited has agreed to buy Beam Inc. in a US$16-billion deal announced in January.

The sale is expected to close in the second quarter of this year. It will potentially make Suntory the third largest distillery in the world, according to the CBC. Suntory, whose portfolio includes both alcoholic and non-alcoholic brands such as Ribena, posted sales of $17.6 billion in 2012 and has more than 28,000 employees.

With the acquisition of Beam Inc., Suntory’s net sales of spirits will exceed $4.3 billion, according to the company. The move will add: Jim Beam, Maker's Mark and Knob Creek bourbons; Teacher's and Laphroaig Scotch whiskies; Canadian Club whisky; Courvoisier cognac; Sauza tequila; and Pinnacle vodka to Suntory’s portfolio.

Currently the company pro-

duces Japanese whiskies Yamazaki, Hakushu, Hibiki, and Kakubin, Bowmore Scotch whisky and Midori liqueur.

"I believe this combination will create a spirits business with a product portfolio unmatched throughout the world and allow us to achieve further global growth,” Suntory’s president and chairman of board Nobutada Saji said in a release. “We are particularly excited about the prospect of working more closely with Beam's excellent management and employees who will play an integral part in the growth of the business."

Beam management, including president and chief executive officer Matt Shattock, are expected to remain in place at Beam headquarters in Deerfield, IL. Worldwide, the company has 3,400 employees and posted 2012 sales of $2.5 billion.

VANCOUVER—Covers are up, energy costs are down and Forage restaurant executive chef Chris Whittaker has a lot to smile about.

A little over a year ago, Forage restaurant opened on Robson Street in the Listel Hotel space formerly occupied by O’Doul’s restaurant. The space was gutted, renovated and rebuilt, keeping energy efficiency in mind.

The project was a key element of The Next Course Project with BC Hydro and LiveSmart BC. Using the baseline established from kitchen metering at O’Doul’s, Forage has achieved energy savings of 30 per cent in natural gas and 18 per cent in hydro, for an average of 24 per cent over its first full year of operations.

In dollars and cents, that’s more than $4,300 in gas (about 600 gigajoules) and $4,000 (66,000 kWh) in electricity costs saved using Energy Star rated gas and electric cooking equipment and refrigeration. The energy cost per meal served at Forage is only 45 cents, down from over 60 cents previously.

Those efficiency numbers improve further with 12,000 additional meal occasions served at Forage last year versus O’Doul’s in the year prior.

There’s also additional catering and banquet business drawn to the ‘longon local’ menu.

Changes made during the renovations contributed to the savings.

Some existing kitchen equipment was replaced with more energy-efficient models and other equipment was set up to work more efficiently.

An on-demand exhaust system has made a difference in savings. The exhaust hood is typically the largest energy user in a restaurant kitchen and most restaurants operate their exhaust at full speed all day long. A variable-speed motor can cut fan energy by 50 per cent and heating and cooling energy by 25 per cent.

Forage’s new system automatically powers down when the kitchen is not cooking intensively.

The restaurant’s gas-fired griddles were replaced with electric induction griddles, and there are new fryers that offer more than energy savings. The oil lasts longer because these fryers don’t burn oil as quickly.

Stand-up fridges, which each had an independent compressor, were replaced with a second walk-in cooler.

Now, there’s one high-efficiency compressor located in the parking lot, which uses less energy and water, and does not create heat in the kitchen.

Staff used to store dairy and juice in a lower cooler, so the new configuration has reduced trips in the elevator.

Whittaker’s goal, shared by The Next Course Project, is the energy efficient production of local meals. As a result, 80 per cent of the restaurant’s ingredients are sourced in British

Columbia and the rest come from other parts of the Pacific Northwest and Alberta. To make the most of local produce, kitchen staff preserve and freeze foods when they’re in season.

Whittaker says with Forage, the menu can change quickly depending on what is locally available. “We can respond quickly if nettles or wild watercress come into season, because the customers don’t have an expectation of having the same meal every time,” he said.

A certified zero-waste program with comprehensive composting and recycling at Forage and the Listel Hotel, as well as Forage’s ‘made to share’ menu concept, prevent food waste. This ‘smart sizing’ and serving strategy has not only been popular with diners, but has produced a sizable reduction of 80 per cent in food scraped from plates into the organics bins, as compared to the previous conventional menu at O’Doul’s, which featured many of the same ingredients.

The ‘unbottled’ and ‘bottomless’ filtered and carbonated water program on tap at Forage has pulled more than 2,500 one-litre bottles from recycling, and saved transportation impacting the environment.

By using reusable boards and castiron pans, Forage has also reduced by 30 per cent the amount of chipped and broken china (which is not readily recyclable) going to a landfill.

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BeverageNews A REPORT ON THE BEVERAGE INDUSTRY

Big Rock builds and rebrands CALGARY—Big Rock Brewery is expanding and rebranding in an attempt to return to the company’s craft brewing roots.

The Calgary brewery has launched new

An example of Big Rock’s rebranded packaging.

B.C. toasts liquor law recommendations VANCOUVER—Premier Christy Clark announced the B.C. government’s support of key recommendations following a comprehensive liquor policy review.

Clark said the province will be opening the door to time-restricted drink specials, such as happy hours. Other changes include lifting the requirement for patrons to order food with their beverage at food-primary establishments and allowing customers to move with their beverage from one adjoining licensed area to another.

The B.C. government will also further increase flexibility around licensing by giving liquor-primary establishments and clubs, such as legions and spas, the option to accommodate minors up until a certain evening hour, for example, 9 p.m.

B.C. will extend the requirement for Serving It Right (SIR) program to all hospitality industry workers who serve alcohol. This will include, for the first time, all servers in B.C.’s 5,600 licensed restaurants, as well as staff at BC Liquor Stores and rural agency and wine stores.

On Dec. 11, in the Okanagan Valley, Clark announced manufacturers of B.C. liquor will be able to sample and sell their products at farmers’ markets, festivals and off-site tasting rooms.

It is anticipated that Parliamentary Secretary John Yap’s Liquor Policy Review final report will be publicly released by Feb. 15, once Cabinet has had the opportunity to fully consider its more than 70 recommendations.

packaging for its signature series beers and will open a brewery in Vancouver this summer and another east of Calgary within the next two years.

“We are effectively 18 months into a three or four year journey to reposition Big Rock back to its original roots,” Big Rock president and chief executive officer Bob Sartor told PRN. The Vancouver site—located at the corner of Alberta Street and West 4th Avenue—is slated to open in June and will allow Big Rock to be connected to the craft beer community and supply to the local market.

The new packaging—which features oil paintings by local artists—was released across Canada in January. “We really wanted to look at our family of signature beer as a family,” said Sartor. “The problem was each new beer that had been added to the signature series had a different marketing person and perhaps a different creative agency with a different agenda and none of the beers related to [each other] on the shelf.”

The signature series includes Traditional, Grasshopper, Warthog, McNally’s Extra, Scottish Style Heavy, SAAZ, Honey Brown and IPA. Calgary-based marketing company Cult worked with Big Rock to come up with the new designs. Each bottle features an oil painting commissioned from a local Albertan artist.

Along with the relabelling, the signature series will come in one-way bottles and not in the popular reusable Industry Standard Bottles.

“The amount of water and caustic chemicals necessary to wash those bottles and sterilize them was stunning—an enormous waste of energy and water,” Sartor said. “We thought it was the right thing to do environmentally.”

The one-way glass bottles can be crushed and reused in new glass products or roadway materials. According to Sartor, despite the added cost, the move will also ensure the bottles are not scuffed or damaged.

Within the next year, Big Rock plans to unveil another 20 limited edition beers, many of which are designed to showcase a particular style. Examples include a kvass (a 17th century Russian beer), which requires the addition of several loaves of rye bread during production, and a hop-free beer called a gruit, which includes heather, mer and wormwood, ingredients Big Rock had to get permission from the Canadian Food Inspection Association to use.

AGLC paves way for craft producers ST. ALBERT, AB— The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) is making changes to its manufacturing policies following a comprehensive policy review and consultation with stakeholders.

Announced in December and effective immediately, the organization will eliminate minimum production capacity requirements making it easier to begin a brewery or distillery, according to the AGLC. Previously, minimum capacity requirements were for 5,000 hectolitres annually for brewers, and 2,500 hl a year for wineries and distilleries.

According to an AGLC spokesperson, the agency heard from a number of stakeholders that the capacity requirements were making it difficult to start a business. Graham Sherman, co-founder of Calgary’s Tool Shed Brewing Company, told the Calgary Sun he expects a number of homebrewers will turn professional following the changes.

The AGLC is also taking steps to expand the types of products being made in the province and allow retail outlets to operate off site.

“Once the recommendations are fully implemented, we hope to see new operations, more selection for consumers and some new products being made right here in Alberta,” Bill Robinson, president and chief executive officer of the AGLC, said in a release.

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12 | Westin Whistler general manager Tony Cary-Barnard (left) and executive chef Brad Cumming. Photo by Joern Rohde.

“Cover growth in December yearover-year was, overall, 60 per cent (including breakfast, après ski, dinner and the grab-and-go area offering Starbucks espressobased beverages, sandwiches, salads and fresh fruit) and dinner covers grew by 80 per cent,” according to Cary-Barnard.

He added that internal and external capture for the month grew by 25 per cent and capture with families also increased. Average food check at dinner in December was $34 per person, he said.

In addition to increasing revenue, the Starwood/Whistler team wanted the new restaurant to complement Westin’s lifestyle branding.

“We didn’t want just another hotel restaurant—we wanted something unique,” said Cary-Barnard. The res-

Rebranding the Grill & Vine

By Don Douloff WHISTLER, BC—Westin Resort & Spa in Whistler, BC, is home to a renovated and rebranded eatery, Grill & Vine, which opened on Nov. 29.

The renovation of the restaurant cost $600,000.

“We wanted to increase our inhouse and external capture,” Westin Whistler general manager Tony CaryBarnard told PRN. Grill & Vine aims to attract hotel guests, the local Whistler population and guests at other hotels in the village in order to grow overall revenue, he said.

Strictly Canadian at North 53 EDMONTON—North 53 opened Jan. 15 near the south end of 124th Street, offering up what they are calling “progressive Canadian cuisine.”

Owner Kevin Cam, 24, said some people may be initially skeptical of the young crew (the head chef and sous chef are both 21), but after trying the menu, cynics are won over.

“We’ve gotten a lot of support from local business,” Cam added.

North 53 focuses on a six-course menu for $100, but diners can also order a la carte, with an average check of $80.

A sample of a six-course menu, which changes regularly, included a 90-day, dry-aged rib eye, cooked sous vide to medium, served with a light potato foam, burnt onion, candied pumpkin seed and blue spruce ash oil.

The lamb tartare, despite the name, uses a three-year-old ewe for a gamier taste and is served with three preparations of sunchoke (glazed in honey, fried chips and raw sliced), chestnuts, egg yolk pudding, pickled leeks, cured egg yolk grated on top and garnished with greens and rendered bone marrow.

“A lot of labour does go into the dishes. I take a lot of pride in presenting my food in a specific way,” head chef Ben Staley told PRN. “You eat with your eyes first; to me, the presentation is almost as important as the flavour.”

Staley, 21, said the menu is very seasonal with many pickled items, given the restaurant opened in the winter. All ingredients are sourced from within Canada, with about 90 per cent from British Columbia and Alberta.

“If it doesn’t come from Cana-

da, we don’t use it,” said Cam. That means no black pepper, citrus, olive oil, or chocolate—nothing from outside of the nation’s borders.

“As a cook, I feel like it’s my responsibility to cook with what’s around me,” said Staley, adding the hyperlocal cooking isn’t just a trend.

He feels that the strictness is part of what will make North 53 distinct in Edmonton, but it is also a personal challenge.

“I’m a firm believer that if you don’t challenge yourself, you’re not going to get any better. I implemented these restrictions on us so that we could all get better,” he said. “It has been a challenge, especially in the winter. It has been tempting just to reach down into Washington or California, but we’re not doing it.”

Staley said he is lucky to have his four-person team, who include sous chef Alex Kagel, Eric Hansen, Stephen Baidacoff and Josh Dissanayake.

With floor to ceiling windows, the 2000-square-foot, L-shaped room features 52-seats, with 32 in the dining area. Cam said the decor, done by nearby CKDesign, is “modern, but with a warm atmosphere,” and achieved by using white oak.

A signature cocktail, the Smoke and Oak Old Fashioned, involvedstorching a piece of spruce wood until it smokes, which then fills a rock glass. The glass is removed at the table and the cocktail is poured as the smoke escapes. “It kind of plays with the senses,” said Cam, noting the wood is then used as a coaster.

Brendan Brewster is the on staff mixologist.

10240 124 St., Edmonton. (587) 5245353, www.north53.ca, @north_53.

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taurant had operated under the previous brand of Aubergine Grill since the hotel’s launch in 2000.

The team looked to the Grill & Vine at the Westin San Francisco Airport in California, which opened in 2012, for inspiration. Components of the San Francisco restaurant incorporated into the Whistler eatery include a design that updates the classic grill: varied seating options, including communal tables, a farmto-table menu highlighted by grilled items and small, shared plates, and a wine program featuring by-the-glass vintages dispensed from an Enomatic system, augmented by flights and tastings.

For Whistler, the team sought to “take the Grill & Vine concept to the next level,” Cary-Barnard said. To that end, they added several new features: a stone pizza oven turning out Neapolitan-style pies; an open kitchen along the back wall and a grab-andgo, which also offers the full Grill & Vine menu for takeout, said CaryBarnard.

Pizza is important to attract families (a key demographic at the Whistler property), said Cary-Barnard.

Overseeing the kitchen is Vancouver-born executive chef Brad Cumming, who favours putting a modern, local spin on traditional dishes, said

Cary-Barnard. Whenever possible, food is sourced from local suppliers.

Menu items include a margherita pizza, wild boar lasagna with smoked mozzarella and Lois Lake steelhead salmon with pickled shallots.

As a complement to the food, there’s a 100-label wine list, half of which are Canadian labels. The Enomatic system—which preserves wine for up to 30 days via inert gas— dispenses 16 vintages by the glass.

Eight draft and a selection of 12 bottled beers, along with 24 cocktails, round out the drink menu.

The Grill & Vine team worked with Vancouver’s B+H CHIL Design to create an open, 3,300-square-foot, 105-seat space. Design elements include white oak accents, stone pillars and dark slate tiles.

Looking ahead, Cary-Barnard said Westin parent company Starwood Hotels and Resorts is exploring additional options and more Grill & Vine locations are “in the works,” but none have been finalized.

From beginning to launch, the Westin Whistler Grill & Vine rebranding was a two-year process that involved the Starwood team, the hotel’s food and beverage manager, Jeff O’Brien, Cumming and CaryBarnard, who joined the property just over two and a half years ago.

Stratford, ON, location.

Pita Pit plans to double up KINGSTON, ON—Ontario-based franchise Pita Pit saw its most openings to date in 2013 and is poised to beat that number this year.

The Kingston, ON chain opened 34 Canadian units in 2013.

“This year is going to be our busiest year ever in Pita Pit’s history for Canada,” Kevin Pressburger, vicepresident of franchise development, told PRN. “We’re on track to open at least 40.”

Founded in 1995 by Nelson Lang and John Sotiriadis, there are about 200 Canadian units, with locations in nine provinces. Longer term goals include plans to have a total of 400 in Canada by the end of 2018.

“We did a complete brand refresher over the last 36 months and all of our stores are getting full renovation programs. We’re just finishing the tail end of that in terms of retrofitting existing stores which have been around since ’98 and are just getting a facelift now,” Pressburger said. “That look was designed to better connect with adults, professionals and families.”

When the first location opened near Queen’s University, there was a collegiate feel and while the brand still does well with the college and

after-bar crowds, Pita Pit—as well as the clientele it started with—has grown up and has families, he noted.

New and renovated locations feature a softer colour palette, wood floors and what Pressburger described as a “more comfortable, warmer look.”

Franchises are about 1,200 square feet with 16 to 18 seats. The average check is about $10.

The brand—with 60 per cent of its locations in Ontario—has been in the Maritime and Western provinces for more than a decade.

“We’ve had huge growth in the Maritimes,” said Pressburger, who attributes recent growth to the new look.

He said the brand is becoming better known in Atlantic Canada, with about six new locations slated to open there in the next 12 to 18 months. Pressburger said a request to open in Newfoundland and Labrador, the only province currently without a Pita Pit, is being considered.

The chain introduced smoothies in 2009 to complement its lineup of pita sandwiches and another vegetarian option (spicy black bean) last year.

“There has been competition

from every concept; every concept has taken a look at their menu mix,” said Pressburger, adding fast, healthy options are becoming more available across the board. “The space has become much more competitive.”

He said 40 stores annually is the pace the company wants to maintain to reach its 2018 goal of 400 stores and becoming well represented coast to coast.

Pita Pit has opened between 20 and 22 in Canada per year on average in the past, said Pressburger.

“When it comes to growth, for us, having the appropriate capital is only one part of the equation,” said Pressburger, adding it is more franchisees share the company’s values.

“If you grow too quickly, people don’t get the proper support and it’s just growth for the sake of growth.

We’re trying to grow properly with the right people,” he said.

Pita Pit first opened overseas in New Zealand in 2007 and now has almost 60 locations there.

Last year, it opened 32 international locations and has franchises in the U.S., Panama, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, India, United Kingdom, France and South Korea.

www.pacificprairierestaurantnews.com

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2.

1.

PROD U CTS

5.

Meet Walter: premium caesar mix Brutus Beverages Inc. introduces Walter, a premium caesar cocktail mix. Walter—named after caesar creator Walter Chell—is small-batch brewed and made with vine-ripened tomatoes, grated horseradish, Worcestershire, hot sauce, select spices and real clam juice from the North Atlantic. Walter comes in two flavours: well spiced and mildly spiced.

For more information, visit www.waltercaesar.com.

3.

1. Walter, a premium caesar cocktail mix. 2. Tonguespank Spice Company’s new series of dry spices based on liquor-infused hot peppers. 3. Scotsman Ice Systems’ new under-thecounter ice machines. 4. Cascades Moka. 5. E la Carte Presto tablets.

4.

Beating the heat Chicago-based Tonguespank Spice Company has a new series of dry spices based on liquor-infused hot peppers.

Made with all-natural ingredients, rare peppers and no preservatives, the series includes Smoky Bourbon, Garlic Grappa, Citrus Rum, Wasabi Sake. For those seeking extreme heat, customers can try Tonguespank’s hottest blend: Scorpion Bourbon. According to the company, the spice blend uses Trinidad Moruga Scorpion peppers, which are 100 times hotter than jalapeños.

For more information, visit www.tonguespank-spicecompany.myshopify.com.

Compact ice makers Scotsman Ice Systems has unveiled a new line of compact, under-the-counter ice machines. The machines cater to the market’s request for a basic cuber that produces less than 100 pounds of ice daily.

The product line—dubbed Essentials—has three machines that produce between 58 and 100 lbs of ice daily. Each model is made of recyclable materials and run by a refrigerant with a low ozone-depleting potential.

For more information, visit www.scotsman-ice.com.

Bathroom tissue goes green

It’s hip to be square.

Pulp and Paper International awarded Cascades the “Environmental Strategy of the Year” and “Innovative Product of the Year” titles in December for its line of green paper products. The award-winning line Cascades Moka eliminates chemical whitening and is composed of 100 per cent recycled fiber.

According to the company, Cascades can use five times less water and two times less energy than the North American paper industry average.

For more information, visit www.cascades.com.

Introducing a new plate design that is elegant, contemporary and delivers the same Royal Chinet strength and quality. ®

Applebee’s adds tablets Applebee’s plans to install tablets on every table and multiple bar positions at more than 1,800 restaurants by the end of this year.

DineEquity, franchisor of Applebee’s and IHOP restaurants, recently announced an aggressive schedule for 2014 tablet installations throughout the Applebee’s system.

E la Carte Presto tablets will be installed, allowing guests to add to orders, pay and play games at the table.

“Let’s face it, everyone who has ever been to a restaurant has been frustrated by waiting for their check,” Applebee’s president Mike Archer said in a release. “Starting out, our goal was to create a way for guests to control when and how they pay their check. What we learned after nearly two years of testing is we can provide much more.”

In the pilot program, the tablets significantly reduced transaction times, according to the casual dining chain.

Designed specifically for restaurants, the tablets are intended to withstand spills and bumps.

Initially, the tablets will provide the ability for guests to pay, add additional drinks, desserts and other menu items to their order and also play a selection of games.

During the next 18 months, video streaming, music, additional games, social media interaction with Applebee’s online pages and gift card sales will be added.

For more information, visit elacarte.com.

www.ckfinc.com

PE OPLE

2.

1. From left: Four Seasons Punta Mita executive chef Phillipe Piel, River Café proprietor Sal Howell, River Café executive chef Andrew Winfield. 2. Romeo Oloresisimo. Photo by Aspect Arts Photography. 3. John LeBoutillier.

3.

1.

GS1 Canada appointed Unilever Canada president and chief executive officer John LeBoutillier and Grant Froese, Loblaw Companies chief administrative officer to its board of governors.

“We are proud to welcome these esteemed Canadian industry leaders to our board,” N. Arthur Smith, president and CEO of GS1 Canada, said in a Jan. 9 release. “Their knowledge and expertise will help enhance our board’s strategies, and accelerate

S uPPLy

Federal grant for processors TORONTO—The federal government has invested up to $2.65 million to the Canadian Food Exporters Association (CFEA) to help food and beverage processors compete on the global stage.

The CFEA will use the funds to attend international trade shows around the world to promote Canada’s food and beverage products and create new international contacts.

CFEA president Susan Powell says the organization is appreciative of the investment.

“We [will] leverage this support to provide export programs for Canadian small to mid-sized food, beverage and ingredient manufacturers to make them more competitive internationally,” Powell said in a release.

According to the department of agriculture, the food and beverage processing industry employs nearly 300,000 Canadians and exported $24.6 billion worth of goods in 2012.

The grant was made through the government’s AgriMarketing Program, a five-year, $341-million initiative.

industry adoption of GS1 standards, driving a more efficient value-chain.”

LeBoutillier began his career in account management at Ogilvy & Mather advertising. He joined U.S. operations at Kraft in 1992 and held several senior positions. In 2007, he was hired as senior vice-president of Unilever Food U.S. before heading the Canadian operations.

Froese joined Loblaw in 1978 as a store colleague and has held various leadership positions there.

The 20-member board, which consists of CEO-level executives, directs the overall financial and strategic direction of GS1 Canada, a member of the international supply chain standards organization.

Executive chef Romeo Oloresisimo is heading up the kitchen at the Mama San Kitchen, Bar and Lounge at the Coast Kamloops Hotel and Conference Centre.

The Asian-inspired eatery—in-

tended to complement sister eatery Prestons Restaurant—opened in late October as part of a $9-million renovation of the 202-room hotel.

Oloresisimo is Red Seal-certified and a former BC Chefs Association Master Chef winner.

He was formerly executive chef at Ora Restaurant Lounge in Kamloops, BC, and joined the Coast Kamloops team in 2011 as Prestons’ head chef.

The Asian-inspired eatery offers duck confit pancakes, house-made spring rolls and samosas, sushi rolls, bowls and salads and a variety of Chinese, Thai and Indian dishes.

Staff from The River Café partnered with the Four Seasons Punta Mita last month, travelling to Mexico for a “taste of place” weekend culinary event Jan. 17 and 19.

Proprietor Sal Howell and executive chef Andrew Winfield teamed up with Four Season executive chef Phillipe Piel and the F&B team at the Punta Mita resort to put on a cocktail reception, tequila tasting and fivecourse tasting menu.

On Jan. 19, cooking classes and a poolside dinner were on offer.

“Authenticity, exceptional quality and careful attention to detail are the foundation of every experience at River Café and The Four Seasons Resort in Punta Mita.

The local and seasonal ingredients, regional traditions, and a commitment to sustainability are part of the culture and practice we share,” Howell said in an email.

Murray McEwen will soon become a member of the Order of Canada, this nation’s highest civilian honour, “for his contributions to the food industry and for his sustained commitment to supporting his community,” as cited by the Governor General’s office.

The Erin, ON-resident spent most of his career with British-owned Tate and Lyle—which oversees North American companies such as Redpath Sugar in Toronto—and was president and chief executive officer when he retired.

McEwen was part of the team who discovered sucralose, a sugar substitute that can be used in cooking.

“In the food world, it’s seen as significant,” McEwen told the Guelph Mercury.

McEwen was a member of the board of directors of Breakfast for Learning, a national breakfast program for children. “We would kickstart community breakfast programs,” he said. “The idea was for these programs to become self-sustaining but they all needed equipment to get started.”

McDonald’s to buy sustainable beef in 2016 OAK BROOK, IL—On Jan. 7, McDonald’s announced it would purchase what the company is calling “verified sustainable beef ” in 2016.

Bob Langert, McDonald’s vicepresident of global sustainability told GreenBiz.com that the company was not yet ready to commit to a specific amount the company would buy in 2016 or when it might achieve the goal of purchasing 100 per cent of its beef from “verified sustainable sources.”

A statement on the company’s website read: “This sounds simple, but it’s actually a big challenge because there hasn’t been a universal definition of sustainable beef.”

Some aspects of beef production can be positive for the planet, such as well-managed pasturelands which support biodiversity. However, McDonald’s stated it recognizes the negative impacts of certain practices, such as overgrazing, are factors.

McDonald’s has been working with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) since 2010 to identify best practices and guidelines for sourcing sustainable beef, according to the company’s website.

“McDonald’s has a real opportunity to be a leader by driving more

sustainable beef production, which can only be done in partnership with the beef industry and its stakeholders.

The process is challenging, to be sure, but can transform both McDonald’s supply chain and the broader industry into a force for conserving some of the world’s most ecologically important regions,” David McLaughlin, vice-president of agriculture, WWF U.S., said in a statement.

McDonald’s plans to work with stakeholders and third-party organizations—including the WWF and Cargill—to draft principles and best practices for sustainable beef. The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA)—the voice of Canada’s 68,500 beef farms and feedlots—is a member of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) along with McDonald’s.

Fawn Jackson, manager of environmental affairs for the CCA, said sustainable beef is a bit of mystery and is defined, in part, by where a producer is located.

She told PRN the GRSB is defining it by principles and criteria.

“Then it’s going to go to the national level and, from there, those principles and criteria will be transformed into something on the ground,” said Jack-

son, adding this will build “a foundation upon which everybody can speak to.”

She noted sustainability must take into account a number of factors and a number of people can make the claim and mean different things.

“Really, its not one factor that defines sustainability, it’s a whole bunch of factors: it’s the economic side, it’s the social side, it’s the environmental side. It’s about the different things that fall below those main pillars,” said Jackson.

“I think it has to be all-encompassing and I think that’s why it’s so

important to have a foundation that then we can build off of,” she said.

She noted that McDonald’s is a big player in the beef industry. “I think that they have taken a really proactive approach that is going to help ensure the success of everyone; they are very interested in sustainable supply and social corporate responsibly, just as the cattle producers in Canada are,” she said.

Jackson is spearheading a Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, which has seen support from the industry and is slated to launch in the spring.

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