Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News - June 2015 by Ishcom Publications

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P A C I F I C / P R A I R I E June 2015 Vol. 21 No. 3

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PARAMOUNT HEADS WEST

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Edmonton-area restaurant gets Kickstarted By Don Douloff, Assistant Editor

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BEAUMONT, Alta. — A young family in Beaumont, Alta., is realizing its goal of bringing French Canadian food to this Edmonton-area town after a two-month crowdfunding campaign raised almost $108,000 for Chartier restaurant, set to open early next year. It has been the dream of Darren and Sylvia Cheverie to open a restaurant in Beaumont (population: 16,000), a community with deep French Canadian roots, where Sylvia was born and where the couple has returned to raise their one-year-old daughter. Launched March 5 on Kickstarter, the fundraising drive surpassed its $95,000 goal. The crowdfunded money represents one-quarter of the necessary startup capital and will be used as leverage for loans and to cover initial consulting, said Sylvia. All told, the campaign garnered 559 supporters, 75 per cent of whom live in the Beaumont area. Chartier will operate in a threestorey retail/condominium building under construction in the centre of town. Construction is expected to be completed in December and Chartier

is slated to open in January, said Sylvia. “Kickstarter allows us to create a direct relationship with our customers before we even open,” said Sylvia. “It gives them a stake in our success and allows them to join us in serving our community.” Rewards on Kickstarter included having contributors’ names posted on the Family Wall inside Chartier; free coffee for life; a Christmas party for 40 people; and naming rights to the restaurant’s signature poutine and cocktails. “We could have opened a restaurant in Edmonton, but we wanted to do something that would mean something special to the community we actually live in,” said Darren. “Unbelievably, Beaumont has no French Canadian restaurant, so opening Chartier here would be absolutely perfect. French Canadian food isn’t found much outside of Quebec, and our goal with Chartier is to be on the map nationally.” Darren has 10 years restaurant management experience and until recently was general manager of a Cactus Club Café in Edmonton, while Sylvia, a strategic marketer, has a long history of restaurant and bar work.

Sylvia and Darren Cheverie on site of their future restaurant. Photo by Jeff and Ingrid Vanelle. In keeping with its French Canadian theme, the restaurant will feature a rustic look — barnboard-clad walls; exposed brick and ductwork; post-and-beam accents; and concrete floors. In the dining room, there will be about 90 seats, including seven at the bar, augmented by another 20 on a patio. The couple has enlisted Edmonton chef Brad Lazarenko of Culina Restaurants & Catering. A strong

proponent of local sourcing, Lazarenko will create the menu — French Canadian comfort food classics given a modern twist — and hire Chartier’s permanent chef. Yvan Chartrand, of Edmonton’s Boulangerie Bonjour, “will work with us to develop recipes and procedures for making bread in-house, hire and train one to two bakers, source ingredients and equipment and will act as a supplier for dough that requires

longer fermentation processes that cannot be easily duplicated in a nonbakery environment,” said Sylvia. Complementing the food will be a wine list featuring vintages from B.C.’s Okanagan Valley, Ontario’s Niagara Region and France; a beer list spotlighting local craft brews; and a cocktail list featuring three signature drinks (for which naming rights were sold) that will be custom-created and tailored to those contributors’ tastes.

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Paramount Fine Foods heads west TORONTO — Lebanese restaurant chain Paramount Fine Foods is in the midst of expansion, with its most recent openings in Niagara Falls, Ont., and Toronto, and will open its first out-of-province locations this year, including an Edmonton outlet. Paramount president and chief executive officer Mohamad Fakih said his current position is the result of a very good mistake. Fakih was picking up baklava when the bakery owner recognized him from a magazine article and asked him for a loan. “Two days after, he called me and said the money’s gone and I’m not paying you back,” Fakih said. He decided to buy out the nearly bankrupt Paramount Fine Foods. “I realized there is a big gap in that niche market,” he said, adding the majority of Middle Eastern eateries were small, disorganized and sometimes unclean mom and pop operations. He decided to take the Middle Eastern experience he knows and deliver it in Canada. He took over the Mississauga, Ont., space at Dixie Road and Eglinton Avenue in 2007, knowing nothing about the food industry. Having quite a bit of experience in other areas of business, he learned quickly and hired the right people. “It was a challenge in the beginning; very

difficult. When I took it over, it was $60,000 to $70,000 in sales a month; we turned it into $90,000 in sales a week by introducing [more] Middle Eastern food,” said Fakih, adding Paramount’s focus turned from sweets to include more meals. In 2009, he opened another location, which Fakih says was a mess. He took a two-year hiatus from opening new stores to create a replicable system and consistent recipes. The solution was to cook in a distribution centre for both locations. Opening at Toronto’s Yonge and Dundas at the end of 2010 was a test for the brand, moving out of the suburbs to an area with plenty of eating options. “It was a good move; it’s one of our most successful stores,” said Fakih. He opened two more corporate stores (in London and Hamilton, Ont.) before franchising, which started last year. There are now 15 locations under the Paramount Fine Foods system, which includes Paramount Butcher Shop and the recently launched quick-service concept Fresh East.

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By the end of the year, Fakih said there should be 29 locations system-wide including two in Edmonton and three in Florida. Fakih said he is also considering the British Columbia market. The first Fresh East location opened last year in London, Ont. at Western University and one opened in Erin Mills Town Centre in Mississauga in March. Two more Fresh East concepts are in the works. “Last year we moved our production to a very big building — 15,000 square feet,” said Fakih, adding this allows Paramount to accommodate university and hospital foodservice.

Stampede food lineup as diverse as ever CALGARY — From cockroaches on pizza to red velvet chicken strips and the latest variations of the mini-donuts staple, the food at the 2015 Calgary Stampede will once again give its customers a punch to their palates. This year’s edition of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth runs July 3 - 12 and includes 29 new selections that have been cooked up at state fairs in the U.S. and Canada leading up to the Stampede, as well new concoctions from the festival’s vendors. This summer’s annual fear factor food is the cockroach pizza (following the scorpion version last year), to go along with the $100 dragon hot dog infused with Louis XIII cognac, a fourpound ice cream cone, a cactus burger and a glazed donut grilled cheese sandwich. But no Stampede is complete without minidonuts and midway operations manager James

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Radke said this year’s varieties are garnering attention. “You don’t mess with their mini-donuts apparently, so they seem to be really excited about the jalapeno poutine mini-donut bowl,” Radke said. The mini-donut popsicle is another adaptation and the importance of the bite-sized treats isn’t lost on Radke. “That’s just how our culture is here,” he said. “Whereas you can go down to some places in the United States and they can’t sell one mini-donut for the life of them. “BBQ chicken is really, really popular in Vancouver, but we couldn’t sell a chicken here in Calgary if we tried,” he added. Other new items include a lobster corn dog, deep fried cheese pie and Bourbon St. Peppercorn Steak Poutine.

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P A C I F I C / P R A I R I E

EDITORIAL

t wasn’t until I spent time volunteering on an organic farm in Flamborough, Ont., that I understood the work that goes into growing vegetables: planting, weeding and harvesting by hand. We were often out in the fields from sunrise to sunset, but no one complained or even seemed to mind. The goal was a simple one: protect the plant and help it grow into nutritious, clean, accessible food. I’ve often heard chefs call farmers the rock stars of the food industry and I couldn’t express it any better. When a neighbouring farm needed help, the interns were deployed to lend a hand. There is a culture of co-operation and shared values that might be unparalleled in any industry other than, perhaps, foodservice. This year’s Terroir Symposium theme, Pioneering Change, definitely struck a chord with me. (Full coverage is on page 8). When I tackle topics like sustainable agriculture and seafood, I address the restaurant’s role with respect to both buying power and consumer education and awareness. We heard from Canadian chefs David

Hawksworth and Ned Bell about their recipes for cooking up change. We heard from Sarah Weiner about San Francisco’s Good Food Awards, highlighting “tasty, authentic and responsible” artisans and the need for a widespread cultural shift that would allow integrity to be financially rewarded. “Anyone making good food with integrity is a colleague,” said Weiner, speaking to the collaborative nature of the Good Food Awards and its entrants. We heard from Yaron Migrom of Local Mission Eatery and Local Mission Market about how there are a number of farmers operating at a loss and how asking them to produce more with less damages the food system and the end product. I’m no social activist, but I did get into journalism with the audacious and idealistic aspiration of effecting positive change through information. So imagine my delight when I was allowed to be a fly on the wall at the Chefs for Oceans panel discussion held in Toronto on May 13 as part of Terroir. It brought together a full range of experts: Chefs for Oceans founder Ned Bell, of course; Ocean Wise representative AnnMarie Copping; and Alex Cruz and Cyrill Gomez, Société-Orignal, just to name a few members of the 14-person panel.

Moderator Dan Donovan, of Hooked and Slow Fish Toronto, introduced the topic and moderated the panel. “It’s the old story of industrialization of society and the reduction in variety,” Donovan explained. It seems that while local and sustainablyproduced food is widely supported, the conversation about sustainable seafood is still in its infancy even as Ocean Wise celebrates its 10th year. As a diner, I feel much more comfortable asking where my vegetables come from than whether my shrimp is sustainable. Perhaps this boils down to confidence in understanding the answer. We drive past farmland all the time, but fishing and aquaculture are often out of sight throughout most of this country. Consumers have also become less familiar with preparing fish, with two thirds of seafood consumed outside the home. This is why chefs play such an integral role in advancing the conversation and raising awareness. “I think you would be doing yourself a great disservice to underestimate the effect your menus have on broader consumption,” said Donovan. Kristen Smith Associate Editor

NEWS BRIEFS Cook it Raw comes to Alberta CALGARY — Cook It Raw has partnered with the Alberta Culinary Tourism Alliance of Alberta (ACTA) to announce its eighth edition, unrolling from May through September in Alberta. The first gathering was held in Lac La Biche from May 19 to 22 and featured 14 of the region’s most innovative chefs. Conceptualized and directed by Alessandro Porcelli, this year’s program is focused on the discovery and collaborative shaping of the culinary identity of Alberta. “To participate in shaping the fundamentals of a region’s culinary identity and bring this narrative to a global audience is something that Cook It Raw arguably does better than anyone else, and has done since its inception,” said Porcelli. “The distinctiveness of the Alberta landscape, its richly diverse population and the relative newness of its gastronomic culture all make for a compelling story that the culinary world will be eager to discover. This year, we are returning to Cook It Raw fundamentals, which — for me — is the most engaging aspect of what I do. My passion to find and tell the story of food is ultimately why the Cook It Raw project exists,” he added. The May gathering was exclusively for Alberta chefs, while the September gathering will include invited international chefs, who will collaborate with their local peers to create final dishes. Drawing inspiration from First Nations traditions and reverence for the land, Cook It Raw will act as a conduit for discovery, discussion, collaboration and creation, bringing local and interna-

4 | Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News

tional chefs together for a full immersion into the landscape, customs, and culinary culture of the region.

Pizza 73 turns 30 EDMONTON — Western Canadian chain Pizza 73 is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a variety of new launches and a new partnership with the Air Miles rewards program. The company opened the doors to its first location in Edmonton in 1985 with a mission to provide a “better meal at a better deal”. Building on this foundation, Pizza 73 is going to mark the occasion by offering rewards and added convenience for its customers including the launch of a new website, iPhone app and mobile website. According to the company, Pizza 73’s digital customer base exceeds 40 per cent of its business and the company expects to see further growth with the new upgraded platforms. Over the past three decades, Pizza 73 has grown from its first location at 9234 34th Ave. in Edmonton to 73 stores across Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

Manitoba hikes minimum wage WINNIPEG — Manitoba’s April 30 budget raises the hourly minimum wage by 30 cents to $11 as of Oct. 1 – a move that Restaurants Canada said will hurt jobs in the province’s foodservice industry. Restaurant Canada’s Manitoba-Saskatchewan vice-president Dwayne Marling called it a “placeholder budget” without a

clear vision for the business community. “Raising labour costs at a time when the province’s restaurant industry is struggling is bad for business, bad for the economy, and bad for Manitobans,” said Marling. According to Restaurants Canada the October minimum wage increase will cost the restaurant industry $8.3 million a year, or $3,330 per restaurant. “Our members want to hire more Manitobans, but budgets like this make that hard,” said Marling.

Survey shows pessimism in Alberta foodservice industry TORONTO — After years of strong gains, Alberta’s restaurant industry is feeling the strain of a slowing economy, according to the Restaurant Outlook Survey released on April 28. Almost 40 per cent of restaurant operators in Alberta expect their sales to slow down over the next six months, compared to the Canadian average of 14 per cent of operators. According to Restaurants Canada, almost half of restaurateurs across Canada — a survey record — expect sales to accelerate over the next six months, while only a quarter of Albertan operators share that optimism. The survey reported that a weak economy is a concern for 63 per cent of Albertan respondents. Nine in 10 Alberta restaurateurs will maintain or grow their workforce over the next six months, which is comparable to the hiring intentions in the rest of the country. Restaurants Canada attributes this to a labour shortage leaving many Alberta restaurants running with a reduced staff.

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Industry professionals gather for 2015 CRIS By Jonathan Zettel TORONTO — More than 200 of the industry’s top brass came together at the annual Canadian Restaurant Investment Summit at the Toronto Hilton on May 6. Attendees heard industry reports from experts and keynote speaker Curt Steinhorst on how to manage the millennial generation. Breakout sessions included: opportunities and risks for restaurant tenants and landlords; brand reputation and online presence; big data; and a workshop pairing millennials with baby boomers to bridge generational gaps. The day wrapped up with a discussion on the impact of oil prices on the restaurant industry.

State of the industry The NPD Group’s Robert Carter gave an overview of how the industry is faring, while GE Capital’s Todd Jones talked about what’s happening in the U.S. Carter said growth will remain relatively flat for the next while with a modest one per cent increase. Mean-

while, average checks continue to rise by about four per cent year over year. Overall, there were 6.6 billion restaurant visits in 2014, generating $57 billion in sales. A total of 47 per cent of those visits were to quick-service restaurants. “The lunch segment will be the battlefield over the next while,” Carter said. According to Carter, the top chains are stealing share with menu innovation for both food and beverage, expanding beyond core dayparts (especially into breakfast), investing in restaurant updates and renovations, premiumization of core menu, and by balancing quality-driven value with price-driven value.

A millennial message As keynote speaker and millennial expert, Curt Steinhorst spoke about the ways to bridge the gap between generations. Steinhorst said it important to understand millennials, not only to sell products to them, but also have them as employees. “Millennials are the fastest growing demographic and within a couple

Keynote speaker Curt Steinhorst. years, they will outspend baby boomers,” Steinhorst said. According to Steinhorst, millennials have a feeling of entitlement, largely in part to having baby boomer parents wanting their children to have it easier than they did. “And I have to say, you guys nailed it!” Steinhorst joked to a predominantly baby boomer audience. Steinhorst said when communicating with millennials, texting is preferred and they need constant

feedback about how they are performing. He suggested casually telling an employee they are doing well goes a long way. Steinhorst gave three areas where millennial employment can be improved. First, they need specific ideas of what is expected and these ideas should be presented visually through videos or photos. Second, they need constant feedback. “Millennials think that if the

boss doesn’t talk to me, I’m doing something wrong,” Steinhorst said. Lastly, employers need to know the first day of work is the most important day. “Millennials come in with huge expectations,” Steinhorst said, adding it is important to get a peer — someone the same age — to give a tour on the first day. He also recommended giving business cards to new employees, so they have something visual to prove they are part of the team.

Tandoori Flame heads to B.C.

Rendering of The Fork’s new food hall.

Forks’ food court refresh From left: Anil Bhatt and Anil Lekhwar and owner Shraey Gulati inside the Mississauga location. MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — When Shraey Gulati was out for dinner on his one-year wedding anniversary in 2009, he jokingly asked to buy the Brampton, Ont. restaurant. Six months later he took over operations of the 14,000-square-foot Indian restaurant and opened another 10,000-square-foot Tandoori Flame location in Mississauga in 2013. Now, Gulati is scouting locations for Tandoori Flame Toronto and Vancouver with plans to open within a year. He said the size of the south Asian markets there indicate there is a good chance for success. The plan is to take the concept to smaller municipalities, such as Calgary or Edmonton, further down the line. Gulati said he has found that those unfamiliar with the cuisine are unsure of the strong flavours. “We want to take the concept to the mass-

es and let them know Indian food can be made mild and is not necessarily always spicy,” said Gulati. In the spirit of serving the masses, buffet checks range from $13.99 for lunch to $22.99 for a weekend dinner. Gulati said head chefs Anil Bhatt and Anil Lekhwar are given the freedom to test new dishes and once given the thumbs up from management, they are added to the menu. The buffet has 11 food stations with regularly changing dishes, such as its signature paneer pasanda or Gulati’s mother’s murg saagwala. He said his mother, Jyoti Gulati, can often be found testing the dishes and checking that the spices are right. “On a busy night, we actually have to ask her to leave the kitchen,” Gulati laughed. Tandoori Flame is a family business Gulati owns with his mother,

6 | Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News

father, Gajendra Gulati, and brother, Aman Gulati. It’s Gajendra Gulati who travels India collecting artifacts for the restaurants’ decor, and he has been busy getting ready for the Brampton location’s revamp, set to begin in September with an investment of nearly $1 million. Shraey Gulati said the food will follow the same concept in the new locations, but each restaurant will have a unique decor with emphasis on Indian artifacts as a consistent common element. Each restaurant gets its own version of the name. In Brampton, Tandoori Flame Grand Indian Buffet can seat more than 500 guests and Mississauga’s 350-seat location is called Indian Kitchen. In Vancouver, Gulati said they plan to call the location Tandoori Flame Indian Village.

WINNIPEG — The Forks revealed its roadmap for a $2.5 million overhaul of its centre court and atrium slated to reopen later this year. According to a statement, “the design philosophy honours the roots of the buildings by combining rustic, rich handmade materials with a contemporary urban feeling.” With the addition of a craft beer and wine kiosk, the centre court will be renamed “food hall” and will feature 10 kiosks and vendors, five existing and five new ones, for which a request for proposal was issued on May 13. “For those five spaces, we’re really looking for local up-and-comers, those with a passion for food,” said Paul Jordon, The Forks North Portage chief executive officer. “Winnipeg has one of the coolest food scenes in North America and we want to tap into that and bring it here. We have some great vendors, now we want more.”

According to the RFP, The Forks is looking for “great food, not fast food. Franchises and chains need not apply.” The Forks will entertain applications for unique concepts and will give “weighted consideration” to owner-operators and great menus with fair market prices. Leases are available for a threeyear duration and facilities are about 235 square feet and include basic kitchen equipment. Winnipeg-based Wood Anchor created a bank of tables that can be converted to become an 80-person harvest table. “This table represents our design philosophy and The Market’s aim — bring people together,” said Jordon. “Plus, we’re really emphasizing the local aspect in this entire refresh. Tables, ironwork, lighting, artwork are all being sourced locally.” Renovations began May 18 and will be finished by the end of the year.

Deafined dining By Don Douloff

Flying The Coup By Lucas Meyer CALGARY — Opened 10 years ago by two vegetarians with loans from friends and family, Calgary’s The Coup has found its place as an alternative favourite. The 2,000-square-foot, vegetarian restaurant on busy 17th Avenue S.W. just rolled out its new menu, but co-owner Ian Armitage said after building a loyal customer base through original recipes from local and organic products, there’s only so much they can alter. “We can’t change a lot of the items on our menu because of those amazing regulars and guests, they come in expecting their specific dishes,” he said. But they did experience a big change last year when they decided to knock down their middle wall and eliminate the adjoining lounge. The Coup purchased the space in 2009, but it had essentially been used as a waiting area with drinks for the main restaurant. “What we were going to do was just renovate the kitchen, but it made more sense to knock the wall down, serve lunch and dinner and make a real bar in the space,” he said. “There was some apprehension, we have a lot of loyal customers and loyal guests — they really loved the cozy space that The Coup was,” he said. They kept much of the furniture and fixtures while adding a little more contemporary style and the change paid off, as they kept their menu the same. Those items range from falafel quesadillas to tempeh shawarma to veggie thai and power of pesto pizzas, developed by co-owner Dalia Kohen, who has been with the restaurant from the beginning. Armitage joined in 2013 and said along with the unique menu, researching the latest food trends around the world is key. “You need to be the trend before the trend starts,” he said, adding it’s an area his team has to take advantage of. “We don’t have the money behind us to do some of these things that these amazing restaurants do in Calgary,” he said, adding although The Coup has seen success as the little vegetarian restaurant that could, it’s important not to get too comfortable. “I feel like we’re the underdogs in still being in such a meat-centric city,” he said, citing difficulty in finding chefs who want to cook vegetarian cuisine as opposed to meat. That being said, in a city where eateries of all kinds compete for skilled chefs, turnover in the 80-seat restaurant is actually manageable. “Because once someone does find us, they stay because of the culture and the type of food that we serve,” Armitage said. It appears the customers aren’t going anywhere either.

VANCOUVER — Inspired by the blind-dining trend he helped launch in Canada, restaurateur Moe Alameddine opened a Vancouver restaurant in early May employing deaf and hard of hearing wait staff serving guests in American Sign Language. “The hospitality industry must pay attention to hiring people with disabilities,” Alameddine said. Launched May 7 in Vancouver’s Kitsilano area, Deafined caters to the “huge demand for unique dining experiences” that exists in the Canadian marketplace, said Alameddine. He speaks from experience, having opened blind-dining restaurant O.Noir’s Montreal and Toronto locations in 2006 and 2009, respectively, and having launched Vancouver’s Dark Table blind-dining eatery in 2012. (He’s no longer involved with O.Noir.) Deafined follows the summer 2014 opening of Signs deaf-dining eatery in downtown Toronto. When recruiting staff for Deafined, Alameddine worked with the Job Readiness Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing at Vancouver Community College, the YWCA Metro Vancouver, Work B.C. and the Western Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. After completing the hiring process, Alameddine enlisted Dark Table managers to train employees, and also helped out with front-ofhouse staff orientation. Pivotal to the restaurant’s service strategy

Deafined owner Moe Alameddine. are four floor supervisors, comprised of a mix of hearing and deaf employees, who greet and seat customers, introduce wait staff to the guests they’ll be serving, and make themselves available to smooth out any communication issues that may arise between servers and customers. There are 10 servers, all deaf or hard of hearing, and none with previous hospitality experience. Hearing customers communicate their orders via numbers listed in American Sign Language next to each menu item. Servers write down the numbers then show them to customers, to confirm. Via pads and pens on each table, hearing customers relay any food allergies and restrictions to wait staff. Front- and back-of-house employees communicate with each other via writing pads, and hearing staff members are learning the basics of American Sign Language, said Alameddine. Open for dinner seven nights a week, Deafined has 65 seats inside and another 25 on a pa-

tio. On the plate, it’s Eastern Mediterranean, incorporating influences from Lebanon, Cyprus, Jordan and Syria and overseen by chefs Kristina Walgenbach and Yasser Ziyada. The launch menu features fried cauliflower with tahini, mint-crusted lamb burger, Mediterranean ratatouille and desserts such as cardamom chocolate mousse and rosewater sorbetto. Checks average $30 per person without alcohol. It’s early days, but Alameddine expects Vancouver’s deaf community to account for “a large part” of Deafined’s business. “They feel accommodated,” he said. On a Saturday night soon after launch, almost half of the customers were deaf, and deaf birthday groups have booked at the eatery, he said. Looking ahead, Alameddine said he “could consider” deaf-dining restaurants for other Canadian cities. He added, however, that he likes to “take his time,” typically two to three years, when launching a restaurant project.

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Cooking up change

Connie DeSousa interviews Mark McEwan on the world of food TV. By Kristen Smith TORONTO — Co-host and sea urchin diver Roderick Sloan opened the ninth annual Terroir Symposium with the Norwegian concept of dugnad, which he explained as “putting in more than you take out.” With the theme “Pioneering change: crafting the way we eat,” this idea permeated many of the presentations of the food and drink visionaries who contributed to the symposium on May 11 at Toronto’s Arcadian Court. Sarah Weiner spoke of launching the Good Food Awards five years ago, an event that has shone a spotlight on “tasty, authentic and responsible” artisans. Since inception, the San Francisco awards have grown from 700 entries to 1,462 in 11 categories. “In the food world, a good idea is a dime a dozen,” said Weiner, adding chef and activist

Brad Long (left) and Eric Werner.

Alice Waters once told her it’s only as good as the person behind the initiative. Weiner said she has found the key ingredients to success are co-operation and giving back. The current economic model when it comes to food does not financially reward integrity, said Weiner, pointing to the need for a widespread, cultural shift that can’t be achieved alone. She said within the realm of responsible producers, they aren’t competitors, but rather work together to increase education and awareness of slow food. “Anyone making good food with integrity is a colleague.” With the average farmer operating at a loss, Yaron Milgrom created Local Mission Eatery and Local Mission Market in San Francisco. He said asking producers and farmers to do it for less money only damages the product and the food system. He suggested asking instead, “What can we do for you?”

Sarah Weiner.

“Market forces are fierce, but they’re not forces of nature,” said Milgrom. “A sustainable food system can support the whole supply chain.” Milgrom encouraged attendees to pay full price and to do so directly and to serve and shape what he called “the model eater,” someone who understands the work of the farmer and the care and dedication of the cook, baker and butcher. A panel discussion featuring Zita Cobb, founding innkeeper at Fogo Island Inn in Joe Batt’s Arm, N.L., and Lindis Sloan, an anthropologist and community developer in Steigen, Norway, discussed making it work in small, isolated communities. “You just have to slow down and be a servant of the place and the place will show you the way,” said Cobb. She said when it comes to food: “Shame on us if we muck it up by overmanipulating it.” Diners should be able to tell that a turnip is a turnip. Mark Schatzker, author of The Dorito Effect, spoke about how flavour is linked to nutrition, which served an evolutionary purpose helping us find the food we needed to survive. But since we started creating flavours and putting them on everything, whole food has been getting blander. “Buy food that tells the most thrilling version of itself,” Schatzker encouraged. Author and roving reporter Ian Brown told the audience about his assignment to eat his way across Canada. “I was an empty vessel without a point of view for sale,” said Brown, adding his mission was to fill that vessel with food and stories. He said there is a lot of terrible food out there, but once he got over how bad road food can be, he found out how good it can be. Calling Nova Scotia an “eater’s paradise” and B.C. naturally abundant when it comes to food, Brown said people always ask him about

Lindis Sloan (left) and Zita Cobb.

what constitutes Canadian cuisine. “Of course we do have a national cuisine,” said Brown, listing off a number of ingredients, such as salmon, pickerel, maple syrup, wine and corn. “Until recently, we never really thought to call it our national cuisine,” said Brown. “It isn’t just the meals I remember, but my hosts and their generosity,” he said. A panel of Canadian foodservice members cooking up change included Jean-Francois Archambault, founder of La Tablée des Chefs in Montreal, Vancouver’s David Hawksworth and Chefs for Oceans founder Ned Bell. The Hawksworth Young Chefs Scholarship has grown from 20 applicants in 2013 to 150 with regional heats in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal. “I think Canadian cuisine should be on a higher stage than it is right now,” said Hawksworth, adding this is a way to encourage, showcase and organize young talent. In an interview with Connie DeSousa of Calgary’s Charcut, Mark McEwan noted that chefs are lucky food is in fashion and that people have fallen in love with their craft. He said while food TV is interesting, it’s gotten carried away. “As chefs, instead of looking south for a model … we should create our own model because I think we have enough talent to do that,” said McEwan.

Award winners The fourth annual Terroir Awards of Excellence in Hospitality were given out during the symposium. Winners were judged by a jury of their peers. Outstanding chef was awarded to Antonio Park of Park Restaurant in Montreal. Prince Edward County’s Norman Hardie was named outstanding beverage professional. Outstanding service professional went to Tobey Nemeth, Edulis, Toronto.

Antonio Park.

For the love of lakes, rivers and oceans TORONTO — Go meet your fishermen. That was the actionable item that stemmed from the 14-person, sustainable seafood panel at a May 13 Chefs for Oceans meeting held at Ryerson University a as post-Terroir Symposium event. In an effort to cover a large subject in the span of a morning, expert panellists were given a question in advance to address for the chefs in the room. “Fishing is integral to the fabric of Canada,” said moderator Dan Donovan, of Hooked and Slow Fish Toronto. “Chefs represent a constituency in this conversation that’s really important.” With two thirds of fish consumed outside of the home and people less comfortable cooking seafood, Donovan noted that chefs influence what people are eating. Both in Canada and the U.S., much of the seafood is being exported, resulting in not very much being available locally, said Donovan.

8 | Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News

“It’s the old story of the industrialization of society and the reduction in variety,” he said. The top five consumed species, according to the U.S. National Marine Service, are shrimp, salmon, canned tuna, tilapia and pollock. “That’s not the product you’re looking for; I know it because I take your calls,” said Donovan, noting there is a disconnect between what chefs are using and what the seafood industry is producing. When a Toronto chef puts a fish species on the menu, Donovan said Hooked sees connection with what his customers are looking for at the Kensington Market seafood market. “I think you would be doing yourself a disservice to underestimate the effect your menus have on broader consumption,” he said. Ned Bell recognizes the effect foodservice can have on responsible consumption of seafood and founded Chefs for Oceans because he said he realized the conversation wasn’t being had on a national stage.

Members of the sustainable seafood panel in Toronto on May 13. “We are the conduit to the three rock stars: the farmers, the fishermen and the artisans,” said Bell. For seafood expert and Honest Weight coowner John Bil, seasonality plays a factor in his sourcing. “My criteria for buying live shellfish changes week to week,” said Bil, adding for fin fish it’s more static and he usually gets wildcaught fish frozen.

“Taste is the number one concern for me,” said Bil, noting that it is subjective: for example, some people think mackerel is smelly. He encourages transparency, suggestive selling and tasks chefs with making lesser-known species less exotic. He also pointed to the financial advantage of less common fish — rockfish and mackerel coming in as bycatch can be delicious and profitable choices.

TOP 50 Chains Report Pacific/Prairie Restaurant Ne wsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; yearly report highlights the top-perfor ming chains in the region. While the top player s continue to dominate the field, it is interesting to note that in some cases an increase in units has not translated to an increase in g ross sales and a decrease in units does not always indicate lower sales numbers. This seems to highlight the immense importance of stealing share in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foodservice industry. Please note that in some cases, numbers have been estimated or rolled over from a previous year because companies did not respond and the infor mation was not publicly available. R E S E A R C H BY P E T E R E L L I OT T

RANK 2015

RANK 2014

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

1 2 5 3 6 4 7 12 8 9 11 10 13 14 15 17 16 18 24 22 23 26 20 21 19 28 37 25 27 30 29 33 31 34 32 38 36 35 46 40 39 N/A 42 41 50 43 47 49 48 N/A

COMPANY Tim Hortons (Restaurant Brands International) McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Ltd. A & W Food Services of Canada Inc. Boston Pizza International Inc. Starbucks Coffee Co. Subway Franchise Systems of Canada Ltd. KFC Canada (Yum! Brands Inc.) Earls Restaurants Keg Restaurants Ltd. Wendy's Restaurants of Canada Inc. Dairy Queen Canada White Spot Limited Pizza Hut Canada (Yum! Brands Inc.) Panago Pizza Inc. Cactus Restaurants Ltd. Original Joe's Restaurant & Bar (Franworks) Moxie's Restaurants L.P. (NOR) Smitty's Canada Ltd. Ricky's All Day Grill (FDF Restaurant Brandz) Burger King Restaurants of Canada Inc. Pizza 73 Inc. Swiss Chalet (Cara) Denny's of Canada Inc. (Dencan) (NOR) Montana's (Cara) Quiznos Canada Restaurant Corp Domino's Pizza Brown's Socialhouse Milestones (Cara) Booster Juice Mr Mikes Steakhouse Casual (RAMMP) Taco Time (MTY Group) Triple O Burgers (White Spot) British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. Red Robin Restaurants of Canada Ltd. Papa John's Little Caesars of Canada Inc. Second Cup Ltd. Humpty's Family Restaurants Menchie's Frozen Yogurt Jugo Juice (MTY Group) Edo International Food Inc. Fatburger (Frankie's Burger Enterprises) OPA! of Greece Joey's Only Franchising Ltd. Blenz The Canadian Coffee Company Ltd. Arby's of Canada Old Spaghetti Factory Canada Ltd. Extreme Pita (MTY-Extreme Brandz) ABC Country Restaurants Inc. (FDF Restaurant Brandz) Chili's Grill & Bar

Please email updates to pelliott@canadianrestaurantne ws.com.

SALES 2015 ($MILLIONS)

SALES 2014 ($MILLIONS)

UNITS 2015

UNITS 2014

1,507.40

1,462.17

875

853

1,262.90 589.45 570.80 526.00 475.10 278.66 265.00 210.00 203.00 168.00 160.00 155.00 123.00 120.00 110.00 108.00 105.00 92.00 90.00 89.67 88.90 88.00 85.00 80.00 78.00 75.00 70.15 67.64 65.00 61.00 60.00 56.70 52.00 51.00 50.50 49.91 48.00 46.00 45.50 45.00 43.00 40.00 39.00 38.40 36.00 34.00 33.00 30.00 30.00

1,290.00 540.90 551.00 503.00 545.87 275.00 159.00 209.00 203.00 164.50 166.00 140.00 122.00 116.60 110.00 111.00 105.00 92.00 85.00 82.70 69.00 86.00 86.00 91.00 64.50 49.00 73.50 67.20 60.00 60.50 57.00 59.50 52.00 57.00 46.50 50.63 51.00 36.00 44.50 44.50 35.00 39.00 39.00 33.60 38.23 34.00 33.00 33.00 30.00

483 441 207 526 1,071 239 55 42 129 336 62 167 164 27 64 36 82 71 89 73 35 43 33 160 156 34 22 163 26 122 55 36 18 51 101 92 48 46 91 90 43 80 52 48 45 13 85 25 13

483 432 203 503 1,045 275 53 43 129 329 64 145 163 25 64 37 82 71 85 73 40 42 33 182 128 23 21 168 24 121 53 42 18 57 93 96 50 36 89 89 37 78 53 42 49 13 85 28 13

June 2015 | 9

TOP 10

Breakfast Chains

RANK 2015 RANK 2014 COMPANY

SALES 2015 ($MILLIONS)

SALES 2014 ($MILLIONS)

UNITS 2015 UNITS 2014

1 2

N/A N/A

Smitty's Canada Ltd. Ricky's All Day Grill (FDF Restaurant Brandz)

105.00

92.00

N/A

Denny's of Canada Inc. (Dencan) (NOR)

88.00

86.00

N/A

Humpty's Family Restaurants

48.00

51.00

N/A

ABC Country Restaurants Inc. (FDF)

30.00

33.00

N/A

Cora Franchise Group Inc.

28.00

29.00

N/A

De Dutch Pannekoek House Restaurants

23.00

20.00

N/A

Perkins Restaurant & Bakery

22.00

N/A

Salisbury House of Canada Ltd.

19.00

21.13

N/A

International House of Pancakes IHOP

17.00

12.00

TOP 10

Chicken Chains

RANK 2015 RANK 2014 COMPANY

SALES 2015 ($MILLIONS)

SALES 2014 ($MILLIONS)

UNITS 2015 UNITS 2014

1 2

KFC Canada (Yum! Brands Inc.)

278.66

275.00

239

275

Swiss Chalet (Cara)

88.90

69.00

Mary Brown's Inc.

24.75

15.60

Nando's Flame Grilled Chicken

20.00

21.00

Chicken Chef Canada Ltd.

16.00

Chicken Delight

10.00

10.50

Church's Chicken

7.00

6.50

Buffalo Wild Wings

5.00

Wild Wing Corp.

5.00

4.50

Chicken on the Way

2.50

1 0 | Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News

TOP 10

Burger Chains

RANK 2015 RANK 2014 COMPANY

SALES 2015 ($MILLIONS)

SALES 2014 ($MILLIONS)

UNITS 2015 UNITS 2014

1,262.90

1,290.00

483

589.45

540.90

441

432

1 2

McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Ltd. A&W Food Services of Canada Inc.

Wendy's Restaurants of Canada Inc.

203.00

129

White Spot Limited

160.00

166.00

Burger King Restaurants of Canada Inc.

90.00

85.00

Triple O Burgers (White Spot)

60.00

57.00

Fatburger (Frankieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Burger Enterprises)

43.00

35.00

Harvey's (Cara)

25.58

15.00

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

13.00

N/A

Carl's JR. Restaurants

8.00

6.80

TOP 10

Pizza Chains

RANK 2015 RANK 2014 COMPANY

SALES 2015 ($MILLIONS)

SALES 2014 ($MILLIONS)

UNITS 2015 UNITS 2014

1 2

Boston Pizza International Inc. Pizza Hut Canada (Yum! Brands Inc.)

570.80

551.00

207

203

155.00

140.00

167

145

Panago Pizza Inc.

123.00

122.00

164

163

Pizza 73 Inc.

89.67

82.70

Domino's Pizza

78.00

64.50

156

128

Papa John's

51.00

57.00

Little Caesars of Canada Inc.

50.50

46.50

101

Fresh Slice Pizza

25.50

Pizza Pizza Limited

21.20

20.13

Western Pizza Express

14.00

June 2015 | 1 1

TOP 10

Sandwich Chains

RANK 2015 RANK 2014 COMPANY

SALES 2015 ($MILLIONS)

SALES 2014 ($MILLIONS)

UNITS 2015 UNITS 2014

1 2

Subway Franchise Systems of Canada Ltd. Quiznos Canada Restaurant Corp

475.10

545.87

1071

1045

80.00

91.00

160

182

Arby's of Canada

36.00

38.23

Extreme Pita (MTY-Extreme Brandz)

33.00

Mr. Sub (MTY Group)

25.50

Sandwich Tree

7.00

Badass Jack's Subs

5.00

6.50

Cultures (MTY Group)

4.00

4.50

Great Canadian Bagel, Ltd., The

2.00

2.50

Country Style (MTY Group)

0.50

2.00

TOP 10

Coffee/Pastry Chains

RANK 2015 RANK 2014 COMPANY

SALES 2015 ($MILLIONS)

SALES 2014 ($MILLIONS)

UNITS 2015 UNITS 2014

1,507.40

1,462.17

875

853

526.00

503.00

526

503

1 2

Tim Hortons (Restaurant Brands International) Starbucks Coffee Co.

Second Cup Ltd.

49.91

50.63

Blenz The Canadian Coffee Company Ltd.

38.40

33.60

Bean Around The World Coffees

24.00

Good Earth Cafes Ltd.

23.00

22.50

Robin's (Chairman's Brand Corp)

19.50

Waves Coffee

19.00

19.50

Serious Coffee

12.50

13.50

Esquires Coffee House

10.00

17.00

1 2 | Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News

Mr. Greek plans three Winnipeg locations By Colleen Isherwood, Senior Editor TORONTO — Mr. Greek has put together a new team with the goal of adding 20 Canadian stores, more than doubling the size of the 18unit chain, said George Raios, the company’s founder, president and chief executive officer. The new team includes Raios, Fred Butson, who was hired as vice-president of business development, and Stephen Murphy, OMG Real Estate Team principal director. They also brought on former Mary Brown’s president Nigel Beattie of Push Tactical Group to help develop Mr. Greek in Western Canada. Mr. Greek Mediterranean Grill is full service with about 3,000 to 3,500 square feet, between 80 and 100 seats, 100 menu items and a wide selection of wine and beer. Mr. Greek Express is the second concept, and one that fits well with today’s economy, says Raios. “It’s smaller with an abbreviated menu, but the same quality and same Mr. Greek hospitality.” Units average 2,000 square feet and 40 to 45 seats. Raios said they have identified more than 20 possible sites in Canada, mainly for the express concept. “But we are not forgetting Mr. Greek Mediterranean Grill,” if the right opportunity comes up. Future locations include a new one

on the Danforth in Toronto, in a different building but in the same area Mr. Greek began in 1988. Other locations include Barrie, Ont., and Dixie and Eglinton in the former Boston Pizza in Etobicoke. Deals under negotiation include Pickering and three locations in Winnipeg. “While most of our locations are in the Golden Horseshoe, we are not afraid to go to Winnipeg, Edmonton or B.C. The only difference is whoever partners with us should have more than one location. That will make it work for everyone from a service point of view,” Raios noted. The company is also planning to open a showpiece restaurant Raios called “Mr. Greek 2015” on Yonge Street south of Elgin Mills in Richmond Hill at the end of July. “It will be freestanding with an outdoor patio,” said Raios. He describes the décor as both modern and rustic. “You’ll see a lot of reclaimed wood and stonework without losing the identity of being a Greek restaurant. Over the last 27 years, it’s been all about broken columns, reminiscent of another era in Greece. We are changing the ambience and the furniture with the help of the team.” Raios has noticed a shift in how people order their food. Dine in accounts for 30 to 35 per cent of their business; takeout for 25 to 30

Mr. Greek’s new look in Richmond Hill, Ont. per cent; and the rest is catering and delivery. “Greek food travels extremely well and it’s an alternative to takeout foods served for decades,” said Raios. “We were against adding chemicals, preservatives, MSG and stuff like that from day one,” he said.

“Of the 100 items at Mr. Greek Mediterranean Grill, we only fry three things.” One of those is calamari. “Greek cuisine is one of the oldest and healthiest cuisines. We have taken authentic Greek recipes and tweaked them to suit the North American palate without losing nutrition or taste.”

Chicken On The Way eyes move into new provinces

Grand Villa foodservice plans By Kimberley Molina EDMONTON — While the focus of Edmonton’s downtown revitalization is on the new Oilers arena, Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Ltd. is hoping to make its own statement as part of the Edmonton Arena District. Set to be a major hub of activity with over 60,000 square feet encompassing a casino and multi-restaurant facility, the Grand Villa Edmonton will not only replace the aging Baccarat casino, but include a fine dining restaurant, grab-and-go eatery, coffee houses and the company’s signature restaurant Match Eatery and Public House. “It’s sort of a contemporary-themed pub that offers a great sporting and entertainment experience. It will have pay-per-views, along with other sporting events. I guess you can equate it to having the comfort you might have in a British pub, a local gastro flare, live music DJs,” said Darcy Romanin, executive general manager for Gateway’s Alberta Operations. He added with a stage in the pub, they’re hoping to bring in a number of local artists for live performances. Romanin believes the pub will fill a niche market in the city’s downtown. “I haven’t found a lot of the pub-type atmospheres, as well as the

1 4 | Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News

fine dining. There’s a couple nice key ones, but there’s not a large selection here.” The pub will have everything one would expect from the Brits, with an English brunch menu including skillet hash. But some of their signature dishes are what Romanin hopes will make the biggest impression. They include skillet-roasted mussels, mini Yorkshire puddings stuffed with roast beef and a horseradish aioli sauce and what he calls their most popular item, a chicken and waffle sandwich. It’s their own take on a clubhouse sandwich, with a breaded chicken breast marinated in buttermilk and then stuffed between two Belgian waffles. On the fine dining side, Romanin describes it as an upscale steakhouse, but he said the company is keeping the specific details under wraps until a reveal campaign slated for July. Four grab-and-go restaurants will be right beside the casino and community rink, but Romanin stresses they won’t be your average food court outlets and each venue will have its own flair. “It’s going to attract everyone. From the families to the people who want to come out for a good night to watch sporting events. It’s really going to cater to the entire community.” Construction is set to begin this fall and the venues will open next summer.

Chicken On The Way exterior. By Lucas Meyer CALGARY — Chicken On The Way likes to keep it simple and even though the Calgary franchise is in the early stages of an expansion process, don’t expect that practice to change anytime soon. “We’re not aggressive,” owner and president Russ Dunn said when it comes to opening locations outside Calgary and area. “If it happens, it happens, great and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t, we’re not in it to make a ton of money.” After almost 60 years in Calgary, which includes five locations in the city and one in nearby Airdrie, the franchise is expecting to open a restaurant in Brooks, Alta., later this year. The original Chicken On The Way in Calgary’s Kensington neighbourhood opened on

August 28, 1958 by Dunn’s grandfather but a second unit didn’t open until 2012. The décor and menu, which includes fried chicken, french fries, corn fritters, potato salad, shrimp and coleslaw all made in-house, remain effective in their 1,300- to 2,000-square-foot locations. Dunn said he sees promise in opening in Edmonton, but also outside Alberta in Regina and Saskatoon and, of course, further west. “I think there’s lots of room in British Columbia, but we haven’t really pursued it too hard yet, eventually in a year or two, we will,” he said. But just as it took almost 50 years to open a second location just in Calgary, there’s no rush to open up more outside the province. Dunn said there’s no pressure for the family business to go outside its comfort zone. “We probably could’ve sold 50 or 60 different franchises in Calgary, but we don’t want any more,” he said. “All our stores are like one big family, so if we open up more, then the stores we have right now aren’t going to do as well.” Kentucky Fried Chicken will always be a competitor for any original fried chicken business, but luckily for the Dunns in beef-crazed Alberta, other competitors have been few and far between. “There’s been a lot come and go, but none of them seem to survive,” he said, although he’s not sure why. But with more five decades of experience, regardless of when and where the next locations happen, it’s clear Dunn won’t open doors until he’s sure the timing is right. “We have good food and good prices, that’s how you grow with good staff,” he said. “Once you do one, the rest are pretty easy.”

Dairy Queen turns 75 Dairy Queen is pulling out all the stops for its 75th anniversary on June 22. As part of the celebrations, DQ offered free cones on the 75th day of the year, unveiled the “Best Blizzard Menu Ever,” partnered with Jurassic World as a limited time offer and is introducing DQ Bakes, which is being touted as the largest new menu rollout in the brand’s history. It includes warm desserts such as an apple tart and triple chocolate brownie served with soft serve ice cream, artisan-style sandwiches and snack wraps. The first location opened in 1940 in Joliet, Ill., serving five-cent cones, 10-cent sundaes and 25-cent, take-home pints of soft serve ice cream. The first Canadian location opened in 1953 in Estevan, Sask., and still exists today. The Dairy Queen in Port Colborne, Ont., is the company’s last remaining location with its original 1950s design. Dairy Queen has more than 6,400 restaurants in North America and 25 other countries, with more than 615 in Canada.

FOODS ERVICE

Below, top: First DQ store opens in Joliet, Ill., in 1940. Below, bottom: 1938 John Fremont McCullough (pictured), who developered DQ’s soft serve with his son Bradley. Top, left: DQ soft serve cone (1940). Top, right: Dairy Queen operators in Texas (1964).

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June 2015 | 1 5

S U P P LY

Moneris/UnionPay partnership suits Chinese tourists TORONTO — Payment processor Moneris has partnered with UnionPay to provide Chinese tourists with the payment system used most frequently at home. The emerging Chinese middle class consists of 630 million people and is still growing. “There are more people in the Chinese middle class that there are in all of North America,” said Jeff Guthrie, Moneris spokesperson.

Forecasts indicate Chinese tourists are expected to spend $1.6 billion in travel and tourism next year, and many use UnionPay. In 2014, Canada had half a million Chinese visitors, arriving for travel, as students or for business. These travellers spent about $600 million in Canada on retail, food and accommodation. “We started looking at ways to increase value

to our customers in the marketplace a few years ago,” said Guthrie. “Now, we are the only fullacquirer of UnionPay in the country.” Other companies acquire UnionPay through a third party, meaning the process is not quite as seamless for the merchant. “We have removed all the hassles,” said Guthrie. Merchants sign up, put the UnionPay decal on the door, insert cards when they are

presented and get paid in Canadian fees. “It’s a powerful brand to the Chinese. Once Chinese people know UnionPay is accepted at a location, they will tweet and send messages to their friends saying they are able to use their card here.” Guthrie says he has seen a big uptake among Canadian retail, restaurant and hotel operators since Moneris brought UnionPay to Canada earlier this year.

Just Eat invests $6M with TouchBistro mobile POS TORONTO and NEW YORK — TouchBistro has received a $6-million strategic investment from U.K.-based online delivery company Just Eat. “We will take TouchBistro’s global expansion to an entirely new level with this latest round of funding,” Alex Barrotti, chief executive officer of TouchBistro, said in a statement. “We are delighted to have the continued support of our previous investors for our latest round and are particularly excited to have Just Eat involved as a strategic investor. We believe that TouchBistro and Just Eat individually provide restaurants with great services, but that an integrated solution makes for a much better customer experience.” TouchBistro is a provider of iPad mobile point-of-sale solutions for the foodservice industry. Within the last year, the company has opened a New York office and almost tripled

its customer base. “In the coming year, we will continue building out the functionality of our mobile POS solution, with a focus on mobile wallets, integration with popular apps that offer consumers more conveniences and extending the unique back and front of house functionality required by food and beverage services to improve efficiency,” Barrotti said. Just Eat Canada is headquartered in Toronto and enables restaurants to connect with customers ordering food for delivery. Currently, the company has more than 4,500 restaurants online nationally in major cities across the country. “TouchBistro offers a level of customer focus with comprehensive yet simple-to-use point of sale features that are exactly what food service providers need to streamline operations and ensure their customers love their takeaway experiences,” said Todd Masse, managing director at Just Eat Canada.

AHSA welcomes restaurants

Ocean Wise marks 10 years VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Aquarium is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Ocean Wise conservation program. Initiated as a local, grassroots program in 2005, Ocean Wise has grown to more than 600 partners across the country and collaborates with chefs, restaurateurs, markets, suppliers and fishers. To mark the occasion, Ocean Wise released a top 10 list of sustainable seafood items for 2015 and put together a symposium. Ocean Wise research shows that 70 per cent of seafood offered at participating Ocean Wise restaurants is sustainable, compared to 40 per cent offered at non-participating restaurants. While it is not a requirement of Ocean Wise partners to serve 100 per cent Ocean Wise seafood items, sustainable choices need to be clearly identified with the Ocean Wise symbol. Across Canada, 59 partners proudly commit to a 100 per cent Ocean Wise recommended seafood offering.

1 6 | Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News

Ocean Wise partners have not only expanded in numbers but also in scope. This year, all-natural, Canadian-made Walter Caesar mix — its clam juice is sustainably sourced from the North Atlantic — joined as a partner. As part of its anniversary year, the Aquarium’s Ocean Wise program is highlighting B.C. spot prawns, along with nine other oceanfriendly Canadian seafood items. The list includes albacore tuna; Dungeness crab; Pacific halibut; Pacific sardine; salmon (chinook, chum, coho, pink, sockeye); shellfish (clams, mussels, oysters, scallops); shrimp (spot prawns, sidestripe, humpback, pink); walleye; white sturgeon; yellow perch. Celebration events are taking place across the country this year, starting with an Ocean Wise symposium on April 27 that discussed industry best practices and the science behind managed fisheries.The discussion was streamed online and can be viewed on YouTube.

BANFF, Alta. —The Alberta Hotel Safety Association has changed its name to the Alberta Hospitality Safety Association in a bid to attract more restaurant members, new executive director Lena Cimmarrusti announced in mid-April. There has been a lot of conversation and consultation about this during the past 10 years, Cimmarrusti told delegates to the Alberta Hotel and LodgErica Blewett and Lena Cimmarrusti of AHSA. ing Association's Sunshine Breakfast. “I am excited to expand the mandate to attract more cation, while Civeo Premium Camp Services, resources for our members,” said Cimmarrusti. North-Ed (1994) Ltd. (Tim Hortons) and Shaw AHSA has restaurant members already — Conference Centre (Edmonton) maintained the name change just makes it more welcoming their COR status. Peter Lambooy, Alberta WCB director, cusand official. The association's Sunshine Breakfast hon- tomer service and risk management, was on ours hospitality employers who implement a hand to present a refund cheque for $975,251 health and safety management system that to be shared among the 66 COR certificate meets the standards required to achieve a Cer- holders under the Partnerships in Injury Reductificate of Recognition (COR). Buffalo Métis tion program. The cheque represents discounts Catering and Chili's Texas Grill Calgary were in WCB rates due to lower claims among COR among those who renewed their COR certifi- participants.

BEVERAGE NEWS

Succession planning for Mission Hill winemaking OKANAGAN VALLEY, B.C. — VMF Estates proprietor Anthony von Mandl announced on May 20 that after 23 years, John Simes has decided to transition from his role as chief winemaker at Mission Hill Family Estate to focus on the von Mandl family’s diverse Okanagan vineyards. “I see our vineyards as the last frontier in allowing our wines to become amongst the most sought after in the world. Our terroir and microclimates are found nowhere else, and it now comes down to a relentless quest to drive the most in terms of quality and distinctiveness out of each and every vine,” said Simes. “With the von Mandl family’s commitment to continuously raising the bar and their commitment to leading edge research and technology in our vineyards, there is no telling where we can go from here.” Following the early 2014 addition of CedarCreek Estate Winery, located across the lake from Mission Hill Family, the family created VMF Estates (von Mandl Family Estates) to encompass the family’s winery and vineyards in the Okanagan Valley, which began with Mission Hill in 1981, at the time one of only five wineries in the Valley. With the addition of CedarCreek Estate Winery early last year, VMF Estates added Aus-

tralian-born winemaker Darryl Brooker. Over the next several months, Brooker will transition to assume the role of chief winemaker at Mission Hill Family Estate with the 2015 harvest. Simes will complete the winemaking and all final blending for the 2014 vintage and will remain a key resource for Brooker. Brooker brings a breadth of experience to Mission Hill that began at Mountadam Vineyards in Australia, followed by Villa Maria in New Zealand and Flat Rock Cellars, Hillebrand and Thirty Bench wineries in Ontario. Simes joined Mission Hill in 1992 from New Zealand following an extensive search, according to VMF. “John has gone on to transform not only our wines, but the world’s perception of our region — indeed, he put the Okanagan Valley on the world wine map. Along the way, John was also instrumental in assembling our family’s extraordinary collection of estate vineyards located throughout the Valley from West Kelowna in the North, to Osoyoos in the south, on the U.S. border,” said von Mandl. VMF Estates includes Mission Hill Family Estate, CedarCreek Estate Winery, Martin’s Lane Winery, and the about-to-be-released CheckMate Artisanal Winery, a small, gravityfed winery located south of Oliver, B.C.

Campari expanding in Canada TORONTO — Campari Canada announced on May 27 a series of corporate initiatives and executive appointments as it continues to expand its portfolio of brands in Canada. Following the acquisition and integration of Forty Creek Distillery Ltd. in June 2014, Campari Canada appointed a senior leadership team; plans to add sales, marketing and distribution staff; and expects to move into its new Toronto head office by early September. Grimsby, Ont.-based Forty Creek distillery will continue to serve as the bottling plant and warehouse for the Forty Creek whisky brand. Plans call for expansion of the Forty Creek brand in Canada (with particular focus on Western Canada, Quebec and Atlantic Canada), said Campari Canada president Massimo Mottura. He added that Campari Canada is also looking to grow Forty Creek in the U.S. and Europe. There are also plans to grow Gruppo Campari’s core spirits — SKYY Vodka, Campari, Aperol, Wild Turkey Straight Kentucky Bourbon and Appleton Estate Rum — in the Canadian market. “It’s a very good moment for those brands,” said Mottura, citing the resurgent popularity of mixed drinks among bartenders and consumers. Canada is the largest market in the world for Appleton Estate Rum and will provide fertile ground for growth, said Mottura. Campari,

Massimo Mottura. SKYY Vodka and Wild Turkey are also poised for growth, while Aperol, described by Mottura as a “sweeter, lighter version of Campari,” is undertaking a marketing campaign in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, he said. Currently under construction, the Toronto office will be located in Liberty Village and will house sales, marketing and finance staff, about 25 people in all. The Forty Creek distillery, now managing its own distribution efforts, will serve as a central office for Campari Canada for some of its production, human resources and finance staff totalling about 55 people. Filling out Campari’s Canadian workforce is a sales team of about 30 people.

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PEOPLE

Romain Cavelier More than 300 guests gathered at the Everleigh Club in Toronto on May 25 to attend the MadeWithLove national mixology competition’s grande finale. Bartenders from across Canada battled in regional semifinals to compete in the final round. Among the 14 finalists from across the country, Romain Cavelier from Montreal took home the title of 2015 MadeWithLove Best Bartender with his Le Saint-Laurent Sour made with Wild Turkey bourbon, beet syrup, steak spice-infused apple juice, lemon juice, egg white and walnut oil. Dale Meek joined the kitchen at Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre Fort McMurray, Alta., last year and was recently appointed to executive chef. Born and raised in B.C.’s Okanagan Valley, Meek grew up with fresh produce and this influence can be seen in his new menu to be launched at Sawridge this summer. Meek started his career at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto as an apprentice. He stayed in the area for a number of years and held executive chef positions at Rosewater

Dale Meek and Bloom Restaurant. Meek’s passion for cooking has led him around the world, having worked in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and cruise ships. The Fairmont Pacific Rim recently announced that Nathan Brown has joined the property as executive chef after a decade spent at top hotels and restaurants in Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean. Brown arrives at the hotel from China, where he was executive chef for The Ritz-Carlton Beijing, Financial Street. He has also worked at The Fairmont Dubai and the Wynn Resort and Casino in Macau, China, and spent three years in Singapore as executive sous chef at the Fairmont Singapore and Swissotel The Stamford, where he was responsible for 18 outlets that ranged from casual to fine dining. Brown brings that extensive global experience to Fairmont Pacific Rim, where he is eager to start “playing” in B.C.’s backyard with the abundance of local, fresh and sustainable ingredients available.

Nathan Brown

After 23 years at the helm of High Liner Foods, Henry Demone has stepped aside as chief executive officer. Keith Decker, who had been the Lunenburg, N.S., company’s president and chief operating officer, has been appointed president and CEO. In September 2013, as part of succession planning, Demone transitioned the day-to-day responsibilities of the company over to Decker. Demone has been named the new chair of the board, replacing David Hennigar, who has taken on a new role as lead director and vice-chairman. Slow Food in Canada welcomed six new members to its board in late April after its annual national conference in Montreal. Led by former treasurer Heather Pritchard, the board represents food communities from coast to coast. Joining the table are chef Bruno Baumgartner, Christian Baxter, who runs an organic home delivery company in Wellington County, Ont., Duncan Ebata, founder of the Slow Food Youth Annapolis Valley convivium in Nova Scotia, Martin Bar-

Keith Decker

Martin Barnett

The Tourism Industry Association of BC’s board of directors named

Walt Judas its new chief executive officer. Judas is the former vice-president, marketing communications, member services and sport for Tourism Vancouver. As part of the senior management team, he managed the departments of member relations, sponsorship, marketing services, travel and trade media relations, and destination development. He also handled corporate communications and was the organization’s primary spokesperson. Most recently, Judas served on over a dozen local committees, including FIFA Women’s World Cup Advisory Committee, the Better Transit and Transportation Coalition, the Vancouver Sport Network’s Grant Review Committee, the City of Vancouver’s Transportation Advisory Group, and the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association’s Access and Mobility Committee. “I am excited to work with the TIABC board and the tourism industry across the province to advance tourism interests for the benefit of residents, visitors and businesses alike,” said Judas in a release.

nett, chair of the professional baking and pastry program at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo B.C., Ghislain Trudel, president of Slow Food Abitibi-Témiscamingue and cofounder of the Slow Food movement in Quebec and Kari Macknight Dearborn, board member of the Prince Edward County convivium and Ontario wine promoter. The Wendy’s company announced on April 27 the appointment of Kurt Kane to the newly created position of chief concept officer, responsible for all North American marketing and innovation efforts for the Wendy’s brand, effective May 4. Kane reports to president and CEO Emil Brolick and serves on the senior leadership team. Most recently, Kane served as global chief marketing and food innovation officer at Pizza Hut, Inc. There, he was responsible for developing the strategic direction for the brand, which he had joined in 2008 as vice-president of marketing.

PRODUCTS

Electrolux E-flex

Battered salmon bites

For creative fare

Microfibre cleaning

One napkin at a time

The new Electrolux E-flex glasswashers operate silently and with fewer heat emissions. A counter-balanced door with soft opening and closing avoids the risk of injury to fingers, and the recessed door handle protects the operator from getting stuck when working in narrow spaces behind the counter. Stainless-steel construction and optimized design for easy cleaning guarantee high standards of durability and hygiene. www.electrolux.com/professional

High Liner wild-caught Pacific Salmon chunks are coated in Battercrisp batter, to stay crispy even when sauced. Simple to prepare in the oven or deep fryer, each piece weighs about 17 grams. High Liner Battercrisp Salmon Bites look like they were made ‘back of the house’ and work well, for example, in Asian-inspired dishes, as an appetizer with a dip, or on the steamtable. www.highlinerfoodservice.com

From its large plates, trays and bowls to its mugs, cups and teapot, Libbey Foodservice’s 30-piece Atherton collection accentuates creative foods. A distinctive textured ring embossment adorns the rim of the collection’s pieces, drawing the eye to the centre of the plate. An addition to the patterns in the Syracuse China Royal Rideau body colour, Atherton’s coupe shape expands the plating surface without increasing plate size. foodservice.libbey.com

MicroWorks introduced a new line of microfibre cleaning products made from polyester (80 per cent) and polyimide (20 per cent) fibres. Strands are split until they are thinner than silk — 200,000 microfilaments per square inch. This expanded surface area carries a positive charge and attracts and traps negatively charged dirt. Microfibre minimizes potential cross-contamination, since products can be changed quickly and easily. www.hospeco.com

Tork Xpressnap Image Napkin Dispensing System’s ‘One Napkin, Every Time’ technology ensures that customers only touch and take one napkin at a time. In studies, use of Xpressnap resulted in a reduction of usage of at least 25 per cent compared to traditional napkin dispensers — with the added benefit of being more hygienic. Available in aluminum and genuine walnut in both traditional and café sizes. www.torkusa.com

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