Chef Connexion - Fall / Winter 2018

FALL/WINTER 2018-2019

Plant-Based Proteins Are Putting Down Roots

p. 18 p. 27

CRÉPE Affaire p. 69

A PPETIZERS

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THIS ISSUE

D E PA R TM E N T S 2

President’s Letter

5

Great Advice

14 Staying Ahead 47 Inspired Menu 55

Taste Nation

65 Recipe Central

FE AT U R ES 22 IN SEASONS Souper!

27

69 Chef Connexion is published twice a year by Greenbridge Foodservice

Creative Direction and Production

Managing Editor Jane Auster

Translation

Contributing Writers Suzanne Boles Darren Climans Jenny Companion Lawrence Herzog David Hopkins Alison Kent Cherie Thompson

Mailing Address

Bravada Consumer Communications

Jérôme Kurès

Chef Connexion Magazine Greenbridge Foodservice Inc.

WHAT’S UP! Brand Points PLUS

31 OPEN MENU Java Savvy 37 MARKETING 101 Internal Marketing 40

FOODIE Nowhere To Hide

49

COST CHECK A Taste For Cheese

61 GOOD BUSINESS Washroom Confidential

1373 Victoria Street N. Unit 201 Kitchener, ON N2B 3R6

www.chefconnexion.ca www.brandpointsplus.ca

Look for Brand Points PLUS qualifying products throughout the magazine!

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Labour Saving Tips & Tricks According to Restaurants Canada, labour costs continue to be one of operators' biggest beefs. It goes without saying, foodservice can be a very tough business. Margins are slim, food costs are rising, wages are heading up, competition is constant. But there are a number of strategies you can adopt to help you manage your labour costs, from back to front of house.

Wrestling this bear, says HotSchedules, a company that provides mobile, cloud-based technology for the restaurant, retail and hospitality industries, boils down to three main strategies: Cut costs.

One of the best ways to do this is through more effective purchasing. Your distributor reps can help you make wiser decisions for your specific operation. Have you considered, for example, using value-added products that help reduce labour costs? Another strategy is recipe reformulation and the creative use of less expensive ingredients. Corporate chefs can help you develop menus that deliver on cost as well as taste.

Manage your business to keep costs at optimal levels.

It's time to take aim at labour inefficiencies that can cut into your profits. For instance, how closely are you scheduling and monitoring your staffing? Whether it's under- or overstaffing, you won't have a handle on labour costs until you build schedules around accurate sales and guest volume data. Understanding the ebb and flow of your operation will help you hire and deploy your employees more effectively.

Measure performance to ensure your efforts continue to produce the right results.

You can't manage what you don't measure. How is your operation actually performing?

How often are you measuring your labour costs versus sales? Here's where you can really examine the numbers: from initial budget to sales per labour hour to see if you're on target.

We're here to help. Chef Connexion is full of business tips, analysis, while our team herecan offer solutions and strategies to help you manage costs. And we're not just looking at food – we take a holistic view of your entire operation, from the coffee you serve to the washrooms your patrons use.

Happy reading and bon appétit!

2

FALL/WINTER 2018-19

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OUR CRUST. YOUR CANVAS. www.richscanada.com

Great advice

by Lawrence Herzog

Catering to Kids

Turning pint-sized patrons into tomorrow's loyal diners Trending Kids’ Menu Formats EGG ENTRÉE ............... +33% FRUIT SIDE................... +25% STEAK ENTRÉE............. +22% SLIDERS...................... +18% COOKIE..................... +17% YOY at Leading Canadian Restaurants Technomic® 2018

Where children prefer to dine, parents

is the focus. Kids can design their own

will follow. Kids have big influence on

sundaes, play games on 14-inch mega

where their families choose to eat, and

touch screens, and interact with super

restaurants that meet their specific

heroes. Children love having their

needs are better positioned to capture

photo taken with mascots, and they’re

their repeat business.

an excellent way to market and brand

Parents are always eager to find places

your operation.

where their children like the food,

“It’s all about entertainment, and

where they will eat healthy meals, and

fun, and giving them reasons to

have a great time. By building loyalty,

keep coming back,” says operations

your pint-sized patrons will come back again and again – and they’ll bring their parents, families, and tell their friends, too.

manager Paul Teague. “Our two booths with the mega touch screens are always the first to be booked, and consistently the most popular.”

Joe Dog’s adds value with frequency cards that reward kids every fifth meal

Family-friendly fun At

Joe

Dog’s

Gasbar

with stuffed toys and other goodies.

Grill

in

Burlington, Ont., family-friendly fun

“We’re focused on building loyalty and a sense of fun,” Teague explains.

CHEFCONNEXION.CA

5

GREAT ADVICE

38%

of Millennial parents let their child decide where to eat

Technomic® 2018

Top kid dining tips • Consider that it’s often the kids who make the decisions where the family is going to go.

• Serve kids meals that are healthy, visually appealing, and taste great.

• Hire staff that are fantastic

Kids menus are growing up

Engaging activities

Today’s young online savvy diners are

While they are waiting for their food,

much more discerning than we were

engage

children

as kids. “They’re looking for healthier

games,

colouring

options like kale and quinoa salads,”

puzzles. Consider providing online

he says.

access with tablets or computers where

When you’re thinking about kids'

children can register for an online club

menus,

think

adventuresome.

interactive

activities,

and

and watch videos.

with children and inspire them

“Everybody – kids included – knows

Kids love to photograph their food

to ensure they receive special

more about food than ever before,”

attention.

and post their pics through online

says Christine Couvelier of Victoria-

apps like Instagram. “It’s insta-licious,”

based Culinary Concierge. “Let’s do

Couvelier says. “You could have a

something exciting and different that

contest and provide recognition for

with games, colouring activities,

will be a food memory for the kids,

posting their photos.”

puzzles and online access where

so they will want to return with their

they can post pics.

families again and again.”

• Engage kids at the tables and elsewhere in your establishment

• One size does not fit all: Remember that four-year-olds and 12-year-olds have very different expectations and needs.

• Ensure your booster seats and high chairs are in good working order, clean, and safe.

• Offer well-balanced kid-sized meals that are healthy and fun.

• Choose a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables and serve creatively.

• Watch your price points.

• Provide nutritional information like calorie count and fat and sugar content.

• Pay close attention to allergies and gluten-free designations.

6

with

FALL/WINTER 2018-19

Pint-sized beverages Children love fun drinks, especially if they come in a distinctive container.

Mocktails are great for kids who want something fun and different.

“They want to be the first to try something new and then they will tell their friends,” Couvelier says.

“Whatever you do, make sure that it’s all about taste. Kids, just like adults, notice taste in what they eat and drink, and it must be delicious.”

of the

Passion in Tradition Quality without Compromise

Traditional

Unique Our traditional Eastern European Pierogies are so versatile they can be served as a savoury main course, appetizer or as a tempting dessert.

You can turn this simple cost-effective dish into a gourmet delicacy by experimenting with various flavours and toppings. Your customers will love them because they can be eaten warm, cold, baked, fried or boiled.

Supreme Pierogies are individually frozen for convenience and are available in a variety of flavours and sizes to fit your menu needs.

Talk to your distributor sales representative to learn more.

supremepierogies.ca

GREAT ADVICE

by David Hopkins

Opening a new restaurant requires good decision-making, the kind of decision-making critical to avoiding pitfalls along the way. Here are some of the most common missteps new owners make when opening a new restaurant:

1

Under-capitalization

The easiest way to set yourself up for failure is to get to opening day without a penny in the bank and still owing money for construction, inventory, etc. A successful restaurant is carefully thought out, and all aspects are important to its success – consistent brand, great menu, unique atmosphere and décor. When you realize you are running out of money, you start to swerve away from the original game plan. New owners tend to cut corners on the brand and décor, cut back on staff training, drop the marketing program and withhold on the product. u

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FALL/WINTER 2018-19

GREAT ADVICE

CHEFCONNEXION.CA

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2

Conceptualizing on “If you build it, they will come”

Today, being new and open isn’t enough. The restaurant world is a

very

competitive

landscape.

Guests need a reason to come to your

establishment.

Partnering

with a marketing company (even if just for the opening) to execute a communications strategy is crucial.

New owners will benefit from this, as it will help to generate the buzz and continue the narrative for your brand.

3

Taking possession of the space too early

Once you take possession of a space, you are on the clock with the landlord.

Whether you have fixturing period or free month’s rent is irrelevant – the clock has started and you are now into your fixturing period. You want to ensure that when you get possession, you are ready to rock. Contractors should be starting renovations on day one. This means you need your drawings

done,

your

contractor

selected (either by tendering process or other) and your building permit in place. All of this can take six to eight weeks. When you negotiate and finalize your lease for the space, ensure your possession date is two months in the future.

4

Not creating a detailed business plan

A business plan helps you make certain the space is right for you.

The business plan defines the space requirements, location and how the profitability model is going to work.

Too many people start looking for a location without a business plan completed. For example, new owners will go out looking for a 3,600 sq. ft. space, when perhaps what makes the most sense (after flushing everything out in a business plan) is a 2,800 sq. ft. space.

Also, a proper business plan can help realistically plan out an opening budget and help to avoid Pitfall #1.

5

Not conducting dry runs

Dry runs are dress rehearsals for your opening. Friends and family are invited and play the role as real guests who have the chance to experience the restaurant before it is open to the public. This allows the new owners, chefs and servers to fix any kinks and mistakes.

Conduct as many dry runs as needed to ensure things are running the way they should. Remember that when you first open, every guest is critiquing you, even more than with an older restaurant. From the very beginning, it is fundamental to be delivering that 11 out of 10 guest experience.

6

GREAT ADVICE

Lack of staff before you open

Don’t hire what you need – hire about 20% to 30% more than what you need. Some staff will quit before even starting and in the first few weeks, some others will feel overwhelmed and not make the cut.

You don’t want to be left short-staffed one month into your opening.

7

Not overstaffing when you first open

The first few months of a restaurant opening are all about one thing – making guests happy! Set yourself up to make profit for the next 10 years, not a plan for only the first three months. Too many operators worry about controlling labour cost as soon as they open and end up delivering an exceptionally poor guest experience. Overstaff…by a lot! Ensure that guests are wowed by their entire experience.

8

Printing expensive menus

New owners will make the decision to print very expensive menus before the opening. If you are a new concept, remember that everything is “theoretical” until you open to the public. Once you conduct the dry runs and when the doors open, you start to see how your menu plays out – pricing, kitchen bottlenecks, etc.

CHEFCONNEXION.CA

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9

Overpricing menu items

You are being judged more than ever when you first open a restaurant, as you are new and untested. New owners need to remember that judgment is all about value and you need to ensure you are providing exceptional value. If anything, underprice your menu (again the first few months are not about making money). It is easier to increase your price point a bit after three to six months than to be overpriced at first and try to win guests back who didn’t see the value in your offering.

GREAT ADVICE

60%

of independentlyoperated restaurants fail within their first 3 years of business.

THE GLOBE AND MAIL

Not hiring experts to help you Opening a restaurant is one of the hardest things to do. However, hiring industry professionals is the best investment you can make to ensure you are a successful restaurant. This is one of the main reasons approximately 80% of new restaurants fail. It is imperative that you hire experts in the industry who will help you avoid falling into the pitfalls.

*David Hopkins is the president of The Fifteen Group Inc., a consulting company dedicated to maximizing restaurant profits through effective sales generation and disciplined cost control management.

CHEFCONNEXION.CA

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STAYING AHEAD

Plant-Based Proteins Are Putting Down Roots

by Alison Kent

Remember Meatless Mondays? Well now, meatless days are taking over the calendar. Meatless proteins – both plant-based and meat-substitutes – are here and on the move.

This ever-growing trend now sees dishes featured at all meal occasions including those involving beverages and snacks.

According to Technomic, plants are cropping up on menus across the country, with spiralized veggie noodles, nut and grain-based milks and indulgent plant-based proteins all poised to become a substantial focal point on many menus in Canadian restaurants. In fact, 27% of consumers aged 18-34 regularly consume vegetarian substitutes, compared to 15% of consumers aged 35+, and we all know how Millennials are influencing the culinary zeitgeist.

Want to jump on the plant-based revolution? u

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FALL/WINTER 2018-19

STAYING AHEAD

HIGH PROTEIN PLANT-BASED FOODS ARE SEEING STRONG GROWTH

CHEFCONNEXION.CA

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STAYING AHEAD

27% OF CONSUMERS AGED 18-34 REGULARLY CONSUME VEGETARIAN SUBSTITUTES They will not sacrifice flavour or selection so operators will need to keep things interesting.”

Veg that burger Burgers and patties, meatless or otherwise, are still some of the strongest menu items going. Here’s what burger-related trends McCormick Canada is tracking and exploring: “The veggie burger has come a long way,” says Snellen. “What used to be a toasted bun layered with lettuce, tomatoes and onions has now become a serious menu item representing a

Don't be a has-bean

Flex your options

growing percentage of sales.”

Beans and legumes are a great source of

Add more meatless options to your

protein, with interest in previously lesser

menu to appeal to the new flexers.

Peas please

known varieties sparking customers’ interest. McCormick Canada Executive Corporate Chef Juriaan Snellen shares his insights: “In the McCormick test kitchen, we have been playing around a lot with beans and using them in alternative ways. Black beans in chocolate brownies add fibre and moistness without negatively affecting flavour. We’ve also seen an increase in the usage of more uncommon beans

16

The eating habits of Canadians are ever-evolving, as Darcy Ring, Director of Sales, Ontario/Atlantic, Maple Leaf Foods, illustrates: “In Canada we are seeing a rise in flexitarianism, with 80% of meateating

Canadians

consuming

meatless meals at least two times per week. These consumers are choosing to eat less meat in their diet, with

As for patties themselves, “Pea protein seems to be the ingredient of choice,” Snellen offers. “Made from yellow split peas, it delivers the right texture as well as a helping of essential amino acids.

This protein powder is usually mixed with beet juice to naturally resemble the appearance of a beef patty.” But without the guilt.

like mung or adzuki. These types of

two types of “flexers” – unconscious

Make mine umami

beans are an excellent base for dips or

and conscious. The unconscious

When it comes to flavourful add-ins,

spreads. We currently serve an adzuki

flexer is looking for taste and variety

Snellen suggests, “At McCormick, we

bean dip seasoned with Berbere Spice

while the conscious flexer is looking

like to pair up alternative meat proteins

to illustrate our East African trend in

to reduce (meat consumption) for

with umami flavours, as this is a great

the 2018 Flavour Forecast.”

lifestyle reasons – but taste is a must.

way to boost the overall flavour u

FALL/WINTER 2018-19

LE O

TB 49% They are healthier 31% Trying something new 22% Eating less meat/dairy 18% Tastes better 8% It's "trendy"

QUICK

S

PLAN

ENU

Why are consumers turning to plant proteins?

Technomic’s Report 2018

NM

TM

AS

D

E T O PR

B E C O M E A ST E V A H AB INS

OS

E

STAYING AHEAD

FACT

consumers are more likely to pay extra for vegetarian, vegan and perceived healthy options.

Technomic’s Consumer Trend Report CHEFCONNEXION.CA

17

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Quinoa Mushroom Burger • Garden Vegetable Bites • Black Bean Bites • Spinach & Chickpea Patties

Garden Vegetable Bites

These are not only unbelievably delicious but are also rich in flavour, nutrition and protein good for you, your customers and the planet!

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experience without going overboard on sodium and sugar levels. You can add umami seasoning to pretty much anything, from sauce and condiments to cheese and freshly baked buns.”

QUICK

STAYING AHEAD

No meat, no problem!

At Maple Leaf Foods, they’ve been on top of the meatless burger and patty trend for quite some time, as the recent oh naturel!® launch will attest to. “oh naturel!® has been building a real-food revolution with plant protein using the simplest ingredients that are rich in flavour, nutrition and protein,” says Ring. “Together, with our world-class chefs, we’ve crafted four outstanding products using only non-soy plantbased ingredients like Portobello mushrooms, sweet potatoes, quinoa, long grain brown rice, roasted green and red bell peppers, chickpeas, spinach, black beans and more. These are not only unbelievably delicious but are also good for you and the planet!” Maple Leaf Foods’ new oh naturel!® lineup includes a Black Bean Bite, a Garden Bite, a Portobello Mushroom Patty and a Spinach and Chickpea Patty.

FACT

80% OF MEAT-EATING CANADIANS CONSUME MEATLESS MEALS AT LEAST TWO TIMES PER WEEK. Technomic’s Consumer Trend Report

Regardless of the protein, great taste is decidedly key. “Alternate proteins are here to stay as an addition to meats, but not to replace them completely,” says Snellen. “We could all use more plant-based proteins in our diets, but this doesn’t always have to resemble common meat products like burgers, bacon or sausages. A healthy helping of vegetables in a vegetarian salad or stew is just as appealing, provided it tastes good!”

QUICK

Toast the taste

FACT

LENTILS ARE AN EXCELLENT SOURCE OF LEAN PROTEIN.

CHEFCONNEXION.CA

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STAYING AHEAD

GOOD THINGS COME IN PACKAGES small

by Cherie Thompson

Universally adored, dumplings are

cheeseburger, lemon chicken or Korean

He reminds operators that fillings

as diversified as Canada’s population

pork. “The traditional flavours will

for dumplings are most likely part of

and can fit into any restaurant's all-star

always be favourites, but customers will

your existing mise en place like Maple

lineup. With dumplings on the menu,

be intrigued by chef-inspired offerings.”

Leaf’s industry leading RWA (Raised

your customers are one bite away from a series of world flavours providing a big win for your team.

With the rise of ethnic-influenced street eats, dumplings are breaking out as the new versatile dish that crosses

A swit ch hit ter

products and plant-based proteins.

Easily mix and match doughs and

without an increase in pantry items.

fillings to create signature dumplings to reflect the style and personality

The flavour combinations are limitless

of your operation. Remember to

The b ases are loaded

switch between cuisines – think an

Changing positions on the menu from

Asian dumpling wrapper with pulled

an appetizer to a small plate, small

pork, roasted jalapeño and corn

plate to side or even to dessert attracts

filling or a chickpea and paneer tikka

attention and interest. Don’t forget

masala with dropped cilantro yogurt

your delivery and takeout menus.

flour dumpling.

“Operators

dumplings. “The first would be the

“Restaurants that have trained cooks

providing small plate dishes as

flour, baking powder and milk variety

creating signature dishes can add

they tend to have a higher average

dropped and cooked in a chicken or

‘from scratch’ dumplings to the menu,”

price

beef stew. The other would be the

says Keppy. “Often customers order

These flexible dishes are being

pierogi.” Other dumplings were not

products that they don’t make at home

used to cater to snacking and social

on his radar, he adds.

and dumplings fall into that category.

occasions,” says Technomic’s report

Dumplings, a typically humble offering,

But, it’s important to tell the story on

on starters, small plates and sides.

can take so many forms. Keppy

the menu so customers appreciate the

Spicy flavours are still leading flavour

suggests trying out-of-the-box fillings:

value of your ‘house-made’ offerings.”

trends, however independents are

many cultures, from the traditional Asian-influenced dumpling and soup dumplings to more adventurous takes with innovative, spicy fillings.

James Keppy, National Culinary Manager

Foodservice

at

Maple

Leaf, grew up eating two types of

20

Without Antibiotics) pork and poultry

FALL/WINTER 2018-19

should

compared

to

consider

appetizers.

STAYING AHEAD

ADD NEW STARS TO YOUR MENU LINEup

cashing in on Asian-specific flavour trends by offering an eclectic variety of ethnic flavours, according to Technomic’s latest Canadian Ethnic Food and Beverage Consumer Trend Report. The key is balancing authenticity and accessibility.

The go-ahe ad run “For the past year, operators have been struggling to determine how they can balance increased costs from food

and labour against having to raise menu prices. Premade dumplings are quick for service and create a consistent product,” says Maple Leaf’s Chef Keppy.

This global team provides the flavour profiles your customers crave, while being light on your food cost budget.

Rarely is a menu item such a wellrounded player. With dumplings on the menu, you’re sure to be in a league of your own.

Mandu – Korea Pelmeni – Russia Samosa - India Knish – Eastern Europe Jiaozi - China Empanada – South America Tamale - Mexico Bao - China Ravioli - Italy Pierogi - Poland Gnocchi – Italy Pasty – Great Britain Coxinhas – Brazil Momo – Nepal Spanokopita – Greece Kroppkakor - Sweden CHEFCONNEXION.CA

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IN SEASONS

QUICK

FACT

45% OF CONSUMERS AGED 18-34 WOULD ORDER SOUPS MORE OFTEN IF RESTAURANTS OFFERED A WIDER VARIETY TECHNOMIC® 2018

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FALL/WINTER 2018-19

M

IN SEASONS

FOODS T R FO

U PSCAL

EI NG RE NTS

Thin

DIE

kC O

by Lawrence Herzog Cooler months are the top time for hearty broths, chowders and gumbos.

After all, who doesn’t love a delicious bowl of soup with some bread on the side on a brisk fall or winter day?

N RAM EN BO W LS

LA

VOU

RS

ASIA

THAI I

ED NSPIR

F

CHEFCONNEXION.CA

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IN SEASONS

SAVVY OPERATORS ARE TURNING CLASSIC COMFORT FOOD DISHES INTO SOUP FORMAT Comfort in a bowl Savvy operators are turning classic comfort food dishes into soup format.

Think lasagna soup, mac ‘n cheese soup. “It’s all about familiar with a twist,” says Juriaan Snellen, executive corporate chef at McCormick Canada.

“This is an innovative way to encourage less adventurous customers to try something

different

beyond

the

trusted chicken noodle soup. It’s also a fantastic way to introduce new upscale ingredients as well as trendy flavour profiles that bring the classic comfort food dishes into the 21st century.”

Look east for on-trend inspiration Ethnic and world-inspired flavours are driving innovation and sales of soups. “The flavour lifecycle suggests growth for Asian ingredients such as curry, ginger, coconut and lemongrass,” Technomic reports in its 2018 Canadian Soup & Salad Consumer Trend Report.

Asian soups are popular at both Asian specialty operations as well as those with more Canadian menus. Consider Thai-inspired noodle soups layered with curry, chilies and coconut milk and Japanese ramen – powerful broths garnished with a variety of toppings that provide protein, flavour and texture.

Soups as the main event By rotating daily soups, operators can increase variety and make best use of seasonal ingredients. “Soup as a meal is becoming more mainstream and allows you to infuse specific regional flavours into a dish,” Snellen says.

Three Cheese Vegetarian Lasagna Soup Recipe using Campbell's® Signature Vegetarian Vegetable Condensed Soup

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FALL/WINTER 2018-19

Hot pot sessions are a perfect example of combining the communal dining trend with the popularity of flavoured broths, he says. This East-Asian inspired phenomenon allows communal diners to cook a variety of veggies and thinly sliced proteins in a steamy pot of deeply flavoured broth. A classic favourite can be easily changed up to go Mexican or Caribbean just by altering the broth.

Soup that eats like a meal To take chowder to the next level, High Liner Foods Chef Philman George puts a cod filet on top, sprinkles it with cheese and bakes it in the oven. “Oh my!” he says. “Simple, craveable and pure comfort. I would position this hearty creation as a soup that eats like a meal.”

Chef’s tip: To go from freezer to plate in less than 7 minutes, deep fry the cod from frozen and then finish it off in the oven.

Soup as snack The popularity of snacking soups consumed in the afternoon that are meant to power you through your day is starting to take off, according to McCormick’s Flavour Report.

IN SEASONS

CRISPY COD CLAM CHOWDER

T R E N D I N G S O U P F O R M AT S Bean/Lentil +60% Chowder +16%

Vegetable +7%

Soup of the Day +6% TECHNOMIC® 2018

Drinkable soups made from a variety of

some great vegetables, and have a

mushrooms, avocado, thyme and sage

quick and easy flavourful soup.

create the ultimate natural pick-me-up.

Here are some other easy-to-create

Besides being nutritious, great soups

examples:

are low-fat (or fat forward with good

• Start with cream of onion to craft a magnificent mulligatawny with apples and curry – warm, comforting, and on-trend.

fats) and – above all! – they taste great.

Time savers Curries from North Africa, the Middle East and India are a hot trend in soups, but making your base can be timeconsuming, notes Richard Calladonato, director, Campbell’s Culinary and Baking Institute. “Fortunately, there are easy ways to reduce the time involved.

Take a can of tomato, add curry paste,

• Begin with cream of mushroom and add a full reduction of onions, top with Gruyere cheese for a tempting, aromatic heartier variation.

• Add bold flavours and texture to your soups with stock, coconut milk and some great vegetables. u

More Recipes: http://www.clubhouseforchefs.ca/ recipes/flavour-forecast/herbedmushroom-sipping-broth-withavocado-oil-drizzle http://www.clubhouseforchefs.ca/ recipes/flavour-forecast/smokyavocado-and-mushroom-drinkable-soup http://www.clubhouseforchefs.ca/ recipes/flavour-forecast/puebla-hotpot-broth-with-avocado-crema http://www.clubhouseforchefs.ca/ recipes/flavour-forecast/persianminestrone https://www.campbellsfoodservice. ca/recipe/three-cheese-vegetarianlasagne-soup/ CHEFCONNEXION.CA

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IN SEASONS

Variety in proteins

Get creative!

Thinking of turning your soup offerings into mains? Alternative proteins like bison, duck and wild game are well suited for soups, Calladonato says.

“Bison has lower fat, a health-halo perception, and it isn’t that expensive.

Canadian chefs have been leading the way with using some of these meats, and expanding the choices.”

• Tempt your guests with soup shooters and soup flights that provide them with the opportunity to sample smaller portions of different soups.

• Arrange appropriate garnishes in the centre of a soup bowl and serve the soup on the side so your guests can control the amount of soup they want by pouring the desired quantity into the centre bowl.

QUICK

FACT

Soup takeaways • Soup and salad remain among the most menued items and are especially common at FSRs. • Flavour lifecycles suggest room for growth for ethnic flavours for both soup and salad.

• Asian soups are particularly common at LSRs, while rotating “soup of the day” options lead at FSRs.

Source: Technomic 2018 Canadian Soup & Salad Consumer Trend Report

Serve this green curry SOUP over rice, glass noodles or with warm flatbread as a hearty soup inspired by authentic Thai flavours.

PREP TIME: 20 MINS • COOK TIME: 25 MINS • TOTAL TIME: 45 MINS • MAKES: 8 SERVINGS

1 pouch (1.81 kg/4 lb) Campbell’s® Verve® Green Thai-Style Curry Chicken Soup 2 cups (500 mL)

Campbell’s® 30% Less Sodium Chicken Broth

2 cups (500 mL)

peeled diced butternut squash

2 cups (500 mL)

canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 cups (500 mL)

baby spinach

2 cups (500 mL)

baby kale

Serving: 8 large sprigs Thai basil 1. Pour soup and broth into large saucepan; bring to simmer. Add butternut squash and chickpeas; simmer for 20 minutes or until softened. Stir in baby spinach and kale; remove from heat. Hold warm for up to 4 hours. Makes 12 cups (3 L).

Serving: Ladle 1 ½ cups (375 mL) soup into shallow bowl. Garnish with sprig of Thai basil. https://www.campbellsfoodservice.ca/recipe/butternut-squash-and-chickpea-curry-soup/

26

FALL/WINTER 2018-19

stories

IN WHAT’S SEASONS UP?

By Lawrence Herzog

The premier foodservice loyalty program Kristen Storer, vice-president of marketing and operations with Greenbridge Foodservice, answers some top questions about the program.

What is Brand Points PLUS? BP+, as we call it, is the premier loyalty program for the foodservice industry. We focus on independent foodservice operators from coast to coast by supporting their business with nationally recognized brands they know and trust.

BP+ has more than 6,000 food items in our program that allow operators

to buy products and earn points they can redeem for valuable merchandise.

Our online catalogue has more than 1,500 items to choose from including electronics, housewares, clothing, gift cards, tools, and recreation items.”

When was it launched and why?

We launched the program in the spring of 2015 at our distributor trade shows across Canada. We wanted to reward our restaurant operators for being loyal to our distribution members, but also to help promote the purchases of national branded foodservice products. As the proliferation of private label products

continues to be forced on restaurant operators – at the expense of national brands – we wanted to support our customers by helping them to buy trusted brands that offer consistency and quality.

What are the benefits to operators?

The obvious answer is rewards, but it’s so much more. The ease of access to the rewards and the ability to redeem rewards make BP+ a great way to incent staff, or donate the items to a charity while building value of their own brand. BP+ offers menu ideas, tips on CHEFCONNEXION.CA

27

WHAT’S UP?

“ All an operator has to do is buy qualifying products from our distributor members, sign up to BP+ and they automatically start earning points.”

how to run a successful business, food trends, new flavours, industry stats and so much more. Our products are all top-quality items that are backed by national manufacturers – not private label products where the quality and manufacturer is never known.”

The team at Casino Rama Resort decided to donate their points to the Lighthouse in Orillia as a gift.

“We thought: What could we do to make an impact on the community?” explains Jeff Mustoe, the casino’s director of procurement. “We really wanted it to be from our culinary team to someone else’s culinary team and when we found out what the Lighthouse was doing, it just seemed like a perfect fit.”

How does it work?

All an operator has to do is buy qualifying products from our distributor members, sign up to BP+ and they automatically start earning points on the products they purchase every day. Our program is different from other loyalty programs in the industry with its back-end sales data push. This makes the need to collect invoices/product labels/ velocity reports unnecessary. Points are automatically uploaded to the restaurateur’s BP+ account every week – making them almost a live update.

28

FALL/WINTER 2018-19

The key to success for our customers is to watch for e-blast, flyer, online and ‘Coming Soon’ social media posts and check the BP+ website under Bonus Offers. Distributor sales reps are also a great source for current bonus point opportunities. We offer one point on products year-round, but the key to being a successful shopper is to watch for the point multipliers that range from two to 20 times the points on products for eight-week time periods.

By purchasing the products that are on promotion operators increase their bank of points to earn rewards faster.

Lori Rice, kitchen manager at Slemon Park Hotel & Conference Centre in Prince Edward Island, redeemed her points to get an iPod to replace a static-prone radio in the kitchen. “I always read the flyers that came to me with the products that were featured and it sometimes gave me good ideas for specials and I earned points at the same time. I just never thought they would build up so quickly.”

How can operators get the most out of the program?

There are several ways an operator can get value from BP+. They can watch for bonus features with significant points multipliers on products they buy every day, or look to transition from a product

that is not in the program to ones that provide valuable points. Our e-blasts build on the quality of the vendors we represent and our flyers are loaded with menu ideas and recipes. Our distributor trade shows are a great way to learn more about the program.

Browse the loyalty products tab on the BP+ website and find all the products we currently carry with points and bonus point promotions where applicable. If there is a product they are looking for, they can click the ‘Request Product Information' at the top of the vendor pages and we’ll make sure they get everything they need to get more quality products on their menu.

Josie MacDonald, co-owner of Sixth & Railway Grill and The Cork & Kettle in Rosthern, Saskatchewan, worked with her Pratts rep to start earning rewards. “We order quite a lot of Brand Points PLUS-supported products, so our points add up pretty well. One day our rep reminded me that we had accumulated a lot of points, and so we began looking at redeeming. We’ve installed a patio, so we got some chairs for that, and we got some kitchen gadgets that we likely wouldn’t have spent the money on. It’s a great way to add to our business without any effort on our part.”

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Crouton Soup & Salad Garnishes

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s Makes 12 piece

ocolate es Hershey’s ch Cookies 6 ounc ive st ge Di re 12 Da allows 6 large marshm olate for garnish and grated choc Caramel sauce

Cracker & Fine Bread Appetizers

Breading, Stuffing, Graham Crumbs and Other Ingredients

Stack

Thank You Mints

Method: olate and the melted choc of each cookie in e sid e on p Di 1. d paper to cool side up on waxe te ola oc ch ce pla oven to 350ºF 2. Preheat the ocolate side up a baking sheet ch on ies ok co 6 3. Place rshmallow and top with a ma is softened, the marshmallow til un en ov e th 4. Place in te side down cookies chocola 6 e th ith w p to remove and ick together allow so they st hm rs ma rm wa e touching th 5 . Cool

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CHEFCONNEXION.CA

sauce

33

OPEN MENU

30

FALL/WINTER 2018-19

OPEN MENU

H ER E'S HO W T O A DD PER K T O Y O U R COF F EE CO U R SE

By Suzanne Boles According to the Coffee Association of Canada, coffee is the most commonly consumed beverage among Canadians.

In fact, in 2017, 71% of Canadians, aged 18 to 79, consumed more coffee than tap and bottled water, tea, alcohol, milk beverages, juice, pop and other drinks.

That’s a lot of joe!

u

CHEFCONNEXION.CA

31

OPEN MENU

COFFEE AND TAP WATER ARE THE MOST COMMONLY CONSUMED BEVERAGES 71%

67%

44%

48%

43%

43%

32%

29%

COFFEE

TAP WATER

BOTTLED WATER

TEA

ALCOHOL

MILK/MILK BEVERAGES

JUICE

POP

3%

SPORTS DRINKS

3%

ENERGY DRINKS

COFFEE ASSOCIATION OF CANADA

% Canadian Aged 18-79 Who Drank Espresso-Based Beverages Yesterday 18 -2 4

25%

25-34

24%

35-40

27%

50-64 65 -79

21%

Despite the number of coffee shops –

over your competition. So, while it

both chains and independents – full-

seems appealing to choose a lower-

serve restaurants can certainly get a

priced coffee, that may not actually

big piece of the coffee consumption

be the best option.

dollar with a little bit of java savvy.

Grabinski points out that while

To be clear, we’re not talking

the price may be $20 more per

necessarily

and

case, when you break it down, “it’s

espressos. If your establishment is

fractions of a penny per cup.” That

mainly focused on food and your

small price difference could mean a

coffee comes from a brewing machine

big difference in taste.

about

lattes

in a regular pot it’s still a great opportunity to tap into this lucrative niche and up your coffee game. Here are some ideas to keep the pots flowing and your bottom line growing:

18%

Speaking of taste, Grabinski points

COFFEE ASSOCIATION OF CANADA

Trending coffee

YOY at Leading Canadian Restaurants

+23%

Iced Coffee

Mocha

+5%

Americano

Of consumers who drank a hot specialty coffee drink in the past month bought it from a food service location TECHNOMIC® 2018

28 32

Don’t cheap out

out that 75% of the market in Canada

“For fractions of a penny per cup you

coffee. For the average, independent

can have a great tasting cup of coffee as opposed to something inferior,”

+8%

FALL/WINTER 2018-19 2017

Promote the right taste profile for your diners

says Alan Grabinski, Director of Sales,

Foodservice,

for

Mother

Parkers Tea & Coffee Inc.

today prefers light to medium roast restaurant you can only serve one taste profile so it should be one that appeals to the largest percentage of the market. For that reason, he advises, “Don’t let the chef or owner’s

Coffee drinkers are discerning and

own taste profile or preference be

most look for a smooth cup with

the final determining factor” when

great flavour. You might even go so

choosing the coffee you’re serving

far as to say that, when it comes to

your customer “because if you’re

breakfast and brunch menus, a low-

somebody that loves dark roast and

quality acidic cup of coffee could

says ‘that’s what I want to serve,’

impact a customer’s decision about

you’re only appealing to a small

whether to choose your restaurant

portion of the market.”

We’ll always be there to fill your cup.

For 106 years, Mother Parkers has been serving Canadians with: The broadest range of quality products – coffee, tea & specialty beverages The most reliable brewing equipment 24/7/365 uncompromising customer & service support Customized solutions based on your specific needs

To deliver a Better Beverage Experience to your customers, call 800-387-9398

mother-parkers.com

Don't be afraid to compete with local roasters “That's something we do all the time,” says Grabinski about Mother Parker’s, a privately-held, family owned business manufacturing and selling coffee, tea and some related beverages, with the bulk of their business in the foodservice industry.

The best way for operators to compete with local roasters is by offering consistent quality, service and your restaurant’s great reputation. You've already got name recognition.

To pod or not to pod

QUICK

Interested in competing with the local coffee shops with their espresso and latte combinations? You might want to consider a pod or capsule machine.

These sleek, compact coffeemakers have

FACT

TOP SPECIALTY COFFEE FORMATS

1. LATTE 2. CAPPUCCINO 3. ESPRESSO 4. MOCHA 5. AMERICANO TECHNOMIC® 2018

34

FALL/WINTER 2018-19

become a regular sight at even some of the finest Michelin-starred restaurants.

They're easy to clean and versatile, plus they are a fraction of the cost of fine espresso machines, which can run in the tens of thousands - not only for the equipment but also the staff training (think baristas) and maintenance.

Top tips to up your java savvy Equipment service, maintenance and cleaning A properly working coffee brewer that provides the right level of water to coffee ratio means a consistent cuppa with the right taste profile: • Check your machine daily to make sure it’s brewing a full pot – not too little or overflowing.

• Make sure your brewing temperature isn’t too hot or cold.

Correct brewing temperature means the perfect extraction of flavours.

• Wipe the spray head daily with a wet cloth to ensure it’s not getting clogged and no grains are getting into the filter.

Upselling coffee Customers are there already. Don’t let the opportunity slip away.

To your diners • “Would you like coffee or tea?”

Reminding customers can be enough to prompt a coffee or tea

sale. Upselling your coffee course is also a great way to upsell dessert with beverage for as much as a 20% lift in the dining tab.

• Run a promotion like coffee with dessert specials.

• Have takeout cups and offer coffee to go. Here's an added opportunity to brand your establishment and build good will.

To your waitstaff • Train your waitstaff not to think of themselves just as order takers. They can be your greatest ambassadors in promoting every course of the menu, but they need to be trained to be top salespeople.

• Consider holding competitions for the server who upsells the most coffees and desserts in a week.

The server who upsells the most gets a free meal or some other suitable incentive.

• Make sure servers don't just offer beverages. They should be romancing the entire after-dinner menu, from coffees and desserts to after-dinner drinks.

• Train waitstaff to use suggestive language to upsell coffees and desserts. Instead of "anyone for coffee or tea," consider "you really should try our special dessert of the day, and we've just put on a fresh pot of coffee."

• With this type of java savvy, you're bound to keep your diners in their seats instead of heading to the local coffee shop.

Get the Original COLD CUP SIP LID Great for thicker beverages

Easy-quick snap-on lid

Liquid flows evenly with ice Lids fit various cup sizes

Since 2003 – POLAR PAK has offered this straw alternative, now the world has caught up! And you can choose from recyclable or compostable lids.

Contact your local POLAR PAK representative for more information.

www.polarpak.ca

POLAR PAK

Pleasure The of Pasta

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Rotini Giardiniere

Casareccie Carbonara

Calamarata with Salmon

Rigatoni with meat sauce

Made with pure premium Durum Semolina, our pasta is one of the finest in the world!

For more information visit grisspasta.com

MARKETING 101

TOP TIPS TO GET YOUR STAFF TO BUY IN – AND STAY IN!

By Jenny Companion

Internal marketing is the process of promoting your brand and products within your organization. In a restaurant, the internal communication between owners and employees is an important factor that contributes to the success of a restaurant. Restaurant operators who implement internal marketing programs recognize that their most valuable marketing media are the people who work for them.

Communicating brand and product knowledge to your employees doesn’t have to be boring.

Here are some tips on strategies you can implement and execute to promote internal marketing within your restaurant: u CHEFCONNEXION.CA

37

MARKETING 101

Brand points Plus rewards are a great way to ‘incentify’ employees wants to bring friends or family, the meal discount also extends to them.

In addition, regular guests love seeing and interacting with staff when they are

Create a fun environment Employees who enjoy their work excel at work. If employees are having fun, they’re going to work harder, stay longer and help promote your restaurant to guests in a positive way.

Be an employer they want to promote by creating a fun, efficient and wellrun working environment.

Encourage individualism For years the trend was to script everything a staff member said to guests and have them dress in branded uniforms to fit the “brand look.” Today, some of the most popular and successful restaurants encourage their staff to dress in a way that showcases their individuality. This encourages staff to be themselves and allows them to create meaningful and authentic relationships with regular and new customers.

off the clock.

Boost your staff events Company events help with team building, validate your employees, and boost company morale. There is often a gap between management and employees. To help fill this gap, look for certain ways that the team can connect outside of the restaurant parties,

environment.

wine/beer

tours,

Summer

groups or educational sessions are great examples of team bonding.

These activities in the workplace enable better communication, better relationships and ultimately increase productivity.

Set up regular tastings with suppliers Tastings are one of the most effective tools for suppliers to help build their

Discount programs for staff

that employees are keeping their

A great incentive for current employees to visit the restaurant on their days off is to offer meal discounts. If an employee

wine reps are always happy to conduct

FALL/WINTER 2018-19

Bring on the sale contests Adding an element of healthy competition can help generate engagement and potentially increase sales. Connect with suppliers and come up with a contest that promotes a great prize. The incentive will encourage staff members to be eager to win. By creating a contest like this, not only will your sales increase but the contest will also create internal excitement with the team. A win-win tactic.

fitness

own brand awareness and ensure

38

tactic to provide product knowledge to your employees in a fun way.

brand top of mind when suggesting alcoholic drinks. Beer, liquor and private tastings for restaurants that represent their brand. This is a great

Hold pre-shift meetings A part of the internal marketing management process that gets overlooked is the pre-shift meeting.

Take a few minutes before each shift to brief your staff about any promotions and features for the day.

While working in a restaurant can be fun and rewarding, it can also at times be a thankless job. Give some praise to your staff by highlighting their achievements. You can also have a chef or bartender put together a dish or drink that staff are encouraged to promote or feature for the night.

During the shift meeting, have staff try it and romance it to each other.

Jenny Companion is the Vice President of Eastern Operations at The Fifteen Group

ITALIAN INSPIRED.

CANADIAN GROWN & SIMPLIFIED. INTRODUCING PRIMO MULINO™ NEAPOLITAN-STYLE PIZZA MIX

N

eapolitan-style pizza is on the rise. And now, Primo Mulino™ Neapolitan-Style Pizza Mix makes it easy. This complete mix is ideal for creating authentic thin pizza crusts, flatbreads,

breadsticks and more in high heat ovens. It’s made with a blend of select Canadian prairie wheat varieties and other functional ingredients, so all you add is water and yeast for a supple dough that performs extremely well with long fermentation and hand tossing. If you’re looking to create Neapolitan-style crusts with a signature crisp exterior and delicate bite, now you’ve got an easy, authentic option from a trusted Canadian source. That’s the Primo Mulino difference—and the Ardent Mills advantage. For more information or samples, contact your Ardent Mills account manager, visit ardentmills.ca or call 888-295-9470.

FAMILY FARMED IN CANADA

TECHNICAL & CULINARY SUPPORT

CONSISTENT PERFORMANCE

SIMPLIFIES YOUR OPERATION

© 2018 Ardent Mills

FOODIE

NOWHERE TO HIDE

By Darren Climans

Every week, Dine Safe Peel publishes on the Dine Safe website a list of foodservice establishments that have been closed, or issued conditional warnings of closure, and the violations that have been cited.

Inspection results identify restaurants, cocktail bars/beverage rooms, bakeries and QSRs across Brampton and Mississauga, Ont. deemed by Peel Health Inspectors to be in violation of the Ontario Food Premises Regulations.

Violators run the gamut from independent bakeries, food court operators, and franchise restaurants, to independent ethnic restaurants.

The element that violators have in common is a breakdown in the processes and procedures that ensure food safety.

In a world of open social networks, there’s nowhere to hide from the downside risks of violating health codes and/or consumers being affected by foodborne illness. Thus, concern for safety needs to permeate the business culture of all operators working with food.

40 FALL/WINTER 2018-19

The Pareto Principle

Mandarino concluded that multiple

The vast majority of food safety violations fall into the following problem categories commonly identified in foodservice inspections.

Roughly 80% of the food handling practices leading to foodborne illnesses are covered by five specific breakdowns (Exhibit 1 pg 48):

knowledge, affect safe food handling

1. Keeping hot/cold food at correct temperatures 2. Proper handwashing practices 3. Food contact surfaces protected from contamination 4. Sanitation plan and cleaning schedule 5. Dishwasher procedures

Root causes Pam Mandarino, an environmental health officer in Vancouver, conducted an extensive food safety study (2017) which analyzed inspection report data on temporary restaurant closures and food handling violations in British Columbia. The study crossreferenced findings of similar studies conducted in the U.S.

factors, and not just food safety practices.

Below are some of the factors she found that influence safe food preparation practices: • Time pressures • Manager indifference toward proper food safety practices • Food safety certification and food safety training • Inadequate food handler knowledge • Poorly designed kitchen facilities and insufficient standard operating procedures

Stop food problems before they begin Proactive attention to food safety practices and processes is your best bet to circumvent a food safety crisis.

That being said, having an action plan in place to address a crisis (Exhibit 2 pg 48), isolate the causes, and map a recovery path (Exhibit 3 pg 48) can forestall devastating outcomes. u

FOODIE

CHEFCONNEXION.CA

41

Southern Comfort C

hicken & waffles is now trending on mainstream menus, upgraded from its Southern roots with a few tweaks and twists—and

offered at much higher price point than the humble original.

From bold spicing, to ethnic variations, chicken & waffle combos have become a blank canvas for chefs.

Buffalo Sauce Spicy Coleslaw Maple Sriracha Aioli

Thick Maple Bacon

Spicy Maple Syrup

Nikolaos Homestyle breaded chicken breast provides the perfect juicy and succulent foundation for your signature southern style sandwich.

Learn more visit Nikolaos.ca

FOODIE

FOOD HANDLING TIPSHEET

Gathering storm Very shortly, decisions regarding food safety will no longer be discretionary.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recently announced the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR), a major piece of legislation that will come into force on January 15, 2019. The core aim of the SFCR legislation is to require food suppliers, importers/exporters, and foodservice operators to mandate preventability and to improve traceability – not an insignificant ask, given that the majority of the food we consume in Canada comes from abroad.

MYTHS AND TRUTHS ABOUT FOOD POISONING

NOT TRUE A food with enough pathogens to make you sick will look, smell or taste bad.

Really fresh food cannot make people sick.

Only dirty kitchens can make people sick.

Properly cooked food can never cause food poisoning.

TRUE A food with enough pathogens to make you sick will look, smell or taste good.

Really fresh food can cause food poisoning if it is not properly handled.

Even clean kitchens can make people sick.

Food poisoning can occur even when foods are properly cooked.

Source: Francine L. Shaw is President of Food Safety Training Solutions, Inc.

• Label and date your products when you receive them or when you prepare them.

• Understand proper food storage temperatures and storage.

• Rotate your food products (first in, first out).

This should be standard procedure for everything: canned goods, produce, meat, dairy.

• Constantly do checks of the food in your fridges and ensure they’re set at the proper temperature.

• Reheat foods properly.

• Ensure correct handling of fresh produce, for instance not leaving it standing in cold water.

Lawrence Goodridge, Associate Professor and Director of the Food Safety and Quality Program in the Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry Department at McGill University, feels that SFCR does not go far enough. He compares the traditional “surveillance” approach to food safety to predicting the weather: Each of us checks the weather each day, yet no individual feels strongly that their specific observations can accurately predict what will happen.

Recently, smartphone apps are being engaged to cumulate user weather observations and their geo-locations.

Feeding this data into artificial intelligence algorithms promises to create more accurate meta-reports on local weather patterns in real time.

Imagine now that food safety was tracked in a similarly proactive fashion. Responses on foodborne outbreaks could be identified very early on, via smartphone, by individual consumers, leading to faster removal of contaminated food from the food chain. In the United States, New York City and Chicago are piloting this approach to tracing sources of food contamination. u

Training • Consider hiring a licensed cook with responsibility for ongoing staff training.

• Make sure all staff take a food handling course.

• Make equipment handling courses mandatory, including an annual refresher so staff understand correct operation and cleaning of all equipment.

• Work the relationship with your local health unit and ask if they’ll help with training.

• Rehearse your food handling procedures. Don’t wait for a crisis to happen, be prepared to respond.

Cleaning • Maintain a cleaning checklist, posted prominently for kitchen staff.

• Ensure your equipment is cleaned and sanitized.

• Work with your cleaning equipment supplier to recommend best products to use in the kitchen.

A lot of suppliers will come in and train your staff.

Educating • Stay on top of food safety issues. The CFIA (http://www.inspection.gc.ca) publishes regular updates on food-borne issues along with the latest acts and regulations. Food manufacturers publish regular bulletins on their products, and many distributors also send out food safety alerts.

• Sign up for the National Food Safety Training Program, offered across the country (https:// campus.foodsafetymarket.com/mod/page/ view.php?id=656).

CHEFCONNEXION.CA

43

FOODIE

Exhibit 3

Exhibit 2

Pick your motto

FOOD CRISIS MANAGEMENT FOOD CRISIS RECOVERY

The motto at the bottom of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) emblem is Fides Publica, Integritas, Scientia. This translates roughly to Protection, Integrity, Science, and summarizes its mandate, values, and scientific foundation.

1 D I AG N OS I S

Looking for a food safety mission statement for your foodservice organization? Consider the motto of the security agency of The Netherlands, the Dutch version of CSIS: Security through Foresight.

Or there’s always the somewhat fictionalized NASA tagline from the movie Apollo 13 - Failure is not an option.

2 L E A D E RS H I P CO U N T S

Darren Climans is a foodservice insights professional with close to 20 years' experience partnering with broadline distributors, CPG suppliers, and foodservice operators. His practice is to understand issue-based decisions by taking a data-driven approach to strategic decision making.

• Use social media wisely. Monitor social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) and respond to negative and/or erroneous comments

1 W I N BAC K C US TO M E RS’ A N D E M PLOY E ES’ T RUS T

• Carefully (and promptly) pinpoint the source of the problem:

• Emphasize how/why their loyalty is so important

- Employee error?

• Vow to earn customer trust again

- Vendor mislabel ingredients, causing an allergic reaction?

• Talk about actionable steps to prevent recurrences

- Foods delivered/stored at unsafe temperatures?

• Realize that actions speak louder than words—so do what you’ve promised to do

2 T R A I N (O R R E -T R A I N ) S TA FF O N • Stay calm. While it’s upsetting (and terrifying) FO O D SA FE T Y PROTO CO L S to be in a crisis situation, remain calm while • Be certain that everyone is knowledgeable recovering from the incident. about food safety • When facing a serious issue, the owner - Preventing cross-contamination and should be the spokesperson cross-contact • Speak authoritatively about the incident and - Properly prepare allergy-friendly meals clearly explain plans to resolve the problem - Take temperatures of specific foods 3 M A N AG E CO M M U N I C AT I O N S

- Reading and being aware of ingredient labels

• Honest, timely, authentic and apologetic messaging

3 FO L LOW I N G O N FRO M T H E C R I S I S PL A N

• Describe the situation, how it happened

• Maintain clear, consistent messaging • Engage and involve all stakeholders - Employees

• Stay positive and solutions-focused. Don’t get defensive and don’t get sucked into negative message spirals

- Vendors - Health inspectors - Knowledge centres

• Put forward a solutions-focused plan to prevent recurrences

- The media

Source: BC Centre for Disease Control (2009), Ensuring Food Safety Writing Your Own Food Safety Plan - A Guide for Food Service Operators.

Exhibit 1

THE "TOP TEN" FOOD HANDLING PRACTICES THAT CAUSE FOOD POISONING 1 Improper cooling

30

% of Food Poisoning Outbreaks

2 Advance preparation 3 Infected person 4 Inadequate reheating for hot holding 5 Improper hot holding

17

6 Contaminated raw food or ingredient

13

7 Unsafe source

11

8 Use of leftovers

9

9 Cross-contamination

5

10 Inadequate cooking 1

44

FALL/WINTER 2018-19

2

3

4

5

6

4 7

3

3

8

9

2 10

inspired menu

BOULART BELGIAN LOAF This mountain of Coconut Crusted French Toast made with Boulart’s one and only Belgian loaf is what breakfast dreams are made of. France and Italy love to hog the limelight when it comes to bread making, but Belgians can hold their own and this loaf is proof. It’s made with unbleached, untreated, enriched wheat flour, water, sea salt, yeast and malted barley.

We’re NUTs about MILK With less fat and calories and just as much protein as regular cow’s milk, there is a big rise in consumers incorporating nut milks into their daily diet. Don’t miss out on making these customers happy when they visit your establishment and incorporate one of Danone’s 4 varieties of Silk nut milk into your menu.

Available in coconut, almond, cashew, and soy; either option is substitutable for cow’s milk cup for cup in almost any of your recipes.

paper straws Plastic straws will become a thing of the past as we see a growing consumer and Food Service & Hospitality Industry demand on limiting the environmental impact of single use non-degradable plastic products.

Stone Straws offers 7 different options of paper straws that contain an Oxo-Biodegradable plastic additive which breaks down rapidly once disposed leaving behind no harmful residues.

CHEFCONNEXION.CA

47

COST CHECK

{One who ages cheese and purveys it} 48

FALL/WINTER 2018-19

COST CHECK

A TASTE CHEESE Q

How do you know when to use which type of cheese for the menu item at hand, for maximum efficiency and cost savings – and all while still exceeding customer expectations?

by Alison Kent

Comparing milk fat in cheese for pizza

The right cheese for the job

We spoke with Casey Zheng, Associate Brand Manager

BLOCK (such as 2.3 kg Black Diamond Mild Cheddar Blocks or

– Parmalat Foodservice, about her company's cheeses in

Racolli 17% Pizza Mozzarella Blocks)

a variety of shred cuts suitable for pizza preparation. All

• Flexibility to slice, shred and cut in-house for best portion control

provide the best performance possible in stretch, browning, melting and overall coverage. Higher milk fat (M.F.) cheese generally has a higher melt with lower stretch. When used on pizza, this delivers a greater sheen and “fattier” appearance with less browning. Typical ranges of M.F. for Pizza Mozzarella are between 17% M.F., as in Racolli Pizza Mozzarella 17% Shred, and 27% M.F., as found in Black Diamond Full Fat American Mozzarella Shred.

• Versatility of being able to transform into a multitude of different formats, cuts and shapes to best suit maximum number of menu items from one block • Made without anti-caking agents such as cellulose, which could impact cheese application performance

PRE-SLICED (such as Black Diamond pre-sliced 14 g Mild Cheddar Slices) • Lower labour costs and potentially higher yield in comparison to slicing in-house

Going “gourmet” with premium cheese

• Faster speed of service

The benefits to including premium in your menu items:

• Best used in high volume settings and especially for burgers and sandwiches

• Lends a unique or unexpected flavour profile that will add a twist to

SHREDS (such as Racolli 17% Pizza Mozzarella Shreds 2.27 kg)

traditional pizza and pasta applications

• Consistency of shreds or dice size for best coverage on pizza, nachos, etc.

• Robust, bold and sharp flavours mean a little goes a long way

• Convenient and easy to use straight from the bag

• Some full-flavoured premium cheese options with a focus on the flavours

• Reduces food handling and potential cross-contamination risks

of Italy include Galbani Professionale Asiago, Romano & Parmesan Shreds blend, while other “Old World” cheese selections such as Président

DICED (such as NEW Parmalat 22% M.F. 1/8’’ frozen diced )

Professionnel Double Crème Brie add authenticity to appetizers, sandwiches

• Pizza Mozzarella is diced and frozen at the peak of performance for optimal

and more • Canadian versions of full-flavoured cheese made with 100% Canadian dairy offers a cost-effective alternative to give a gourmet boost to menu items

functionality • Consistent dice size allows for full & even coverage on pizzas • Pre-diced format for labour saving and consistent portion control u CHEFCONNEXION.CA

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COST CHECK

CREAMY WHITE CHEDDAR DRESSING Prep Time: 15 mins Total Time: 15 mins Makes: 1-3/4 cups (425 mL)

DIR E C T ION S :

INGR E DIE N T S : 1 cup

250 mL

2 tsp

10 mL

1 tsp

5 mL

milk all-purpose flour Dijon mustard

4 oz 120 g

Balderson Heritage 3-year aged Cheddar, shredded

1/2 cup

mayonnaise (regular or light)

125 mL

1.

salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste

Whisk milk and flour together in a medium saucepan; bring to boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat; add mustard.

2. For a smooth dressing, add all of the cheese and stir until melted. Or, for a chunkier dressing, reserve ¼ cup (50 mL) of the cheese to add to cooled dressing.

Let cool to room temperature.

3. Whisk in mayonnaise; season to taste. For optimum flavour, serve at room temperature, but store in refrigerator.

Chef Tips:

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•

When shredding cheese, to prevent sticking, moisten shredder with water, or lightly spray with cooking spray.

•

If desired, add crumbled crisp-cooked bacon, or finely chopped chives to dressing.

INGR E DIE N T S : 1 tbsp

DIR E C T ION S :

15 mL

Lactantia Butter

1

1 onion, finely chopped

1

1

1 1/4 cups

300 mL

garlic clove, minced short-grain rice

1 cup 250 mL finely chopped button mushrooms 1/2 cup

COST CHECK

125 mL

dry white wine

1/4 tsp 1 mL each salt & hot red pepper flakes 10 oz

300 mL

can undiluted chicken broth

2 1/2 cups

625 mL

water

1/2 cup 125 mL

Lactantia Spreadable Cream Cheese

1/4 cup 50 mL

freshly grated Black Diamond Parmesan (optional)

1/4 cup

chopped parsley (optional)

50 mL

1.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until onion is softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Stir in rice until evenly coated. While constantly stirring, add mushrooms, white wine, salt and pepper flakes. Keep stirring frequently until wine is absorbed.

3. Gradually stir in chicken broth, about a 1/2 cup (125 mL) at a time. Stir frequently until most of the broth is absorbed before adding the next half-cup.

Once absorbed, add water, half a cup at a time, stirring until almost all liquid is absorbed before adding more. Stop adding once rice is tender and creamy, in 25 to 30 minutes.

4. Stir in small spoonfuls of Lactantia Spreadable Cream Cheese, mixing well until all the cheese is used.

Sprinkle with Black Diamond Parmesan and chopped parsley, if using.

CREAMY MUSHROOM RISOTTO Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Total Time: 40 mins Servings: 3

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COST CHECK

FRENCH ONION AND MUSHROOM SOUP Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Total Time: 30 mins Servings: 4

INGR E DIE N T S :

DIR E C T ION S :

2 tbsp

25 mL Lactantia Salted Butter

1.

3 cups

750 mL thinly sliced mushrooms

2 tbsp

25 mL quartered, thinly sliced onions

2 tbsp

25 mL all-purpose flour

20 oz

300 mL condensed beef broth

2 cups

500 mL water

1/4 tsp 12 slices

1 mL Worcestershire sauce 12 slices baguette bread, toasted

1/2 pkg 1/2 pkg Black Diamond Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

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Melt butter in large non-stick saucepan; add, cook and stir mushrooms and onions over medium heat until tender and any liquid has evaporated.

2. Blend in flour; gradually stir in broth, water and Worcestershire sauce. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes.

3. Ladle soup into 4 oven-proof soup bowls.

Place 3 slices toasted bread in each bowl; top with cheese. Broil until cheese is melted.

INGR E DIE N T S : 1, 16-inch 1 cup

DIR E C T ION S :

40 cm

ball raw pizza dough

250 mL

prepared rosé sauce

2 cups 500 mL

Racolli Pizza Mozzarella shredded cheese

1 cup

bite-size pineapple pieces

250 mL

COST CHECK

1 cup 250 mL

chopped sweet green bell peppers

1 cup

250 mL

dried tomato pieces

½ cup

125 mL

chopped white onions

1 cup

250 mL

sliced black olives

½ cup

125 mL

sliced mushrooms

1.

On a floured surface, roll out pizza dough, stretching to fit on a lightly-greased, 16-inch (40 cm) pizza pan, allowing for 2-inch (5 cm) crust.

2. Spread evenly with rosé sauce; sprinkle with half of the Racolli Pizza Mozzarella shredded cheese.

Scatter green peppers evenly over surface, followed by tomatoes, then onion, then, olives, and finished with mushrooms. Sprinkle evenly with remaining Racolli Pizza Mozzarella shredded cheese.

3. Bake in a pre-heated 450°F (230°C) oven until golden brown on the bottom, 15 to 20 minutes. Let sit for 3 minutes before slicing.

Information, recipes and images provided by Casey Zheng, Associate Brand Manager – Parmalat Foodservice.

GARDEN DELUXE PIZZA Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Total Time: 20 mins Servings: 12

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TASTE NATION

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FALL/WINTER 2018-19

TASTE NATION

OUR HOME AND NATIVE FOOD Meet an ancient cuisine enjoying modern interest

By Lawrence Herzog

As a little girl on the Blood Reserve in southern Alberta, Shantel Tallow watched her elders prepare food the traditional Blackfoot way from what they had hunted and gathered. “Those lessons of respecting the ingredients and appreciating the food are in me,” she says. “Those lessons helped me become who I am today.” u CHEFCONNEXION.CA

55

TASTE NATION

“

Concepts dedicated entirely to authentic Indigenous ingredients and preparations will continue to emerge as diners’ interest in First Nation cuisines grows

” Tallow and her partner Paul Conley are part of a new generation of Indigenous cooks determined to preserve and share the food culture of their ancestors. Their Calgary-based venture, Aahksoyo'p Indigenous Comfort Food, is rising at a time Canada is trying to reconcile with its uneasy colonial past, and as Canadians are discovering a renewed appreciation of First Nations culture and food. (Aahksoyo'p means "we're going to eat" in Blackfoot.)

Bannock – a quick bread of flour, baking powder and water fried on the stove top, baked in the oven or rotated on a stick over an open fire – is among the most recognizable Indigenous dishes. Just as her grandfather did, Tallow bakes the mixture and flips it to make it crispy on both sides.

She dries beef flank and makes it into pemmican – a lush mixture of the meat, Saskatoon berries (sometimes

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cranberries) and fat. It’s a four-day process that begins with slicing meat and then smoking it for two days and another day of open drying.

It’s all served up from a bright red and

“I started this because I wanted the comfort food that I grew up on. For me, that is what my grandma and grandpa made. Dishes like hamburger gravy, potatoes and bannock. Simple and so good.”

interest for what we are doing, and the

Indigenous street food

white truck designed by Heiltsuk artist KC Hall featuring berries, squash corn and beans. “There’s a lot of support and media coverage has been a real boost,” he says.

A taste for tradition Indigenous eateries are popping up all over Canada, with a range of food trucks, catering businesses and sit-

Vancouver's first Indigenous food truck, Mr. Bannock, opened early in 2018, with creations from Squamish Nation chef and owner Paul Natrall and his team.

Their truck and catering menus include a range of bannock-based dishes, a BBQ salmon burger, and house-made tacos made with chili.

down eateries. Indigenous cuisine

Chef Natrall calls it “Indigenous street food. We’re focusing on traditional foods and cooking methods and mixing it with other cuisines. We love being creative to see what we can make with what’s fresh and available.”

as diners’ interest in First Nation

Wherever Chef Natrall would use other breads, he uses bannock instead. “It’s so versatile.” Their waffle bannock is a pan bread baked in a waffle press, not fried.

are bringing new ideas to their plates.

hits two major food trends, Technomic reports. It fits demand for ethnic foods and answers consumer interest in local and domestic ingredients.

“Concepts

dedicated

entirely

to

authentic Indigenous ingredients and preparations will continue to emerge cuisines grows,” Technomic predicts.

Many of the ingredients, long valued

by Indigenous people, are now being discovered by a new generation of chefs who employ modern techniques and They are leading the way in a revival of long-neglected culinary traditions and a reawakening of our collective history.

TASTE NATION

BANNOCK

CHEFCONNEXION.CA

57

TASTE NATION

“ ”

Fresh and local ingredients, prepared with an eye on seasonality.

Basics with flair

Going fresh, local, inspired • Respect the traditional way of hunting and gathering with local sourcing of ingredients. Pay attention to seasonality.

• Swap ingredients such as cheese and wheat flour with beans, corn and squash.

• Practise sustainable food culture and reduce waste by utilizing the entire animal.

• Get playful and have fun.

Tempt customers with modern fusion creations that combine traditional ingredients and world culinary tastes.

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FALL/WINTER 2018-19

Working with Songhees Nation members, Songhees Seafood & Steam Executive Chef David Roger built a menu with fresh local ingredients that authentically incorporates the craft of traditional recipes with the flair of modern techniques. “It’s simple cooking, back to the basics, with a twist,” he says. “Lots of marinade, lots of smoking, fresh and local ingredients, prepared with an eye on seasonality.”

Their menu, served from a food truck on the Songhees Nation just outside downtown Victoria and during catered events, includes smoked brisket poutine, caribou pot pies, venison sausage rolls, bison burgers, salmon salad, and bannock and jam. They use foraged ingredients as much as possible, too, like stinging nettles from their rooftop garden.

What is Indigenous food?

It’s a broad range of foods reflecting ingredients harvested and prepared by Canada’s First Nations peoples – from salmon on the coast to bison on the plains. Traditional Indigenous cuisine is based on living in balance with our surroundings, giving back to the earth, respecting life, and no-waste head-totail cooking.

What are considered Indigenous ingredients and dishes?

Game meats, fish and seafood, fruits, berries, mushrooms, herbs and flowers hunted, fished and foraged locally. (In most provinces meat that has been hunted cannot be served to patrons, meaning wild game such as moose – a staple in many Indigenous communities – cannot be served in restaurants.)

Popular dishes include bannock (bread), pemmican (a concentrated mixture of meat, fat and berries), Ojibwe wild rice, salmon chowder, venison chili, Nehiyaw tacos and bison pot pie, to name a few.

How can operators incorporate Indigenous dishes into their menus?

Start basic with items like bannock and Saskatoon jam, and put them in a basket and onto the table as starters, recommends Chef Shantel Tallow. A berry soup, using seasonal Saskatoon berries, is an easy mixture of water, berries, sugar and a little flour to thicken. “It is good hot or cold, and it’s a great detoxifier.”

Uncle Ben’s offers a variety of blends and wholegrain products to meet the needs of today’s consumers desire to eat healthier. Chefs are turning to rice and grain blends as a flavourful foundation for building innovative side, main dishes and vegetarian entrees.

UNCLE BEN’S Brown Rice with Red & Black Quinoa boasts the appeal of the exotic and health conscious consumer.

QUÉBEC 450-449-4171

ONTARIO 905-625-4469

ALBERTA 403-207-3203

BRITISH COLUMBIA 604-526-1788

unclebens.ca

GOOD BUSINESS

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FALL/WINTER 2018-19

GOOD BUSINESS

What happens behind closed doors?

by Cherie Thompson

Eating out is a whole body and mind experience. Sure, the food brings in the diners, but the experience continues in places you might not normally consider, such as behind the privy door. You know, that place.

So, what’s behind your bathroom door? And if you think your WC doesn't matter, think again. People talk/text/message/post about the good, the bad and the ugly. Never mind the stinky. If renovations are not in the budget to make your washrooms veritable palaces, what can you do? Simply use good sense – in fact, use all five senses for a well-planned and maintained bathroom.

SEEING IS BELIEVING You never have a second chance at a first impression, so make that first one count.

Proper signage to find the facilities is a good start, but this is a no-brainer. Open the door to a clean, well-lit space with everything customers need and you will be off to the races. Well-placed hooks in stalls and near counters for purses and a garbage can in more than one place are two touches appreciated by customers with minimal cost to you. u

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GOOD BUSINESS

André Daviault is the marketing director of Cascades PRO whose product offerings include hand towels, bath tissue, dispensers, facial tissue and wipers for foodservice. You can be sure Daviault observes the state of restaurant bathrooms. “The very first thing I notice is the overall cleanliness.

Similarly, I notice whether or not it is well-stocked.

“High capacity dispensers and paper products can help restaurants avoid running out of paper during busy periods and lower costs in the long run since they require fewer roll changes than standard dispensers,” he advises.

THE NOSE KNOWS A bathroom doesn’t need to be doused in fragrance to be appealing. In fact, it is likely the opposite. The best "air freshener" is, in fact, a clean washroom.

Be cautious of the hand soap scent as well. When a customer goes back to the table, you don’t want the lingering smell from the soap to overpower or detract from your delectable meal.

EAR TO THE GROUND The vibe of your establishment should be continued in the bathroom and that

Easy Upgrades • Add extra hooks for purses in stalls and near counters • Consider an extra garbage pail near the door • Minimize nooks and crannies to enable easier cleaning

includes sound. Music in the dining room sounds different in a tiled and porcelain space – check the volume.

If you are using hand dryers, is the decibel level too loud for the size of your space? Young children in particular can be put off by loud sounds.

KEEP IN TOUCH ...with the environmental times and let

• Make sure the stall doors close properly

your customers know you care.

• Add a fresh coat of paint to brighten your washrooms

it would be beneficial to make the

“To improve green business practices, switch to 100% recycled fibre and green-certified paper products, like

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FALL/WINTER 2018-19

the Cascade PRO Perform™ collection of bathroom tissue and paper towels,” says Daviault.

“Dispensers that offer one-at-a-time dispensing and a controlled roll system, including the Cascades PRO Tandem™ dispensers, can help establishments reduce product waste by limiting the amount of paper used by guests and ensuring complete consumption of the first roll before accessing the second roll. Green cleaning products are also growing in popularity and can help lower the amount of harmful chemicals employees and guests come in contact with.”

AN ACQUIRED TASTE No one likes to clean the bathrooms.

However, managers and employees need to be well trained and committed to a regular cleaning schedule (hourly, daily, weekly and monthly) to ensure a consistent experience for your customers. Even a less than designer facility can shine when well maintained. Make it a contest among the employees – "the most pristine latrine of the month." The taste of success is a win-win for everyone.

Customers typically don’t pick a restaurant because of the washroom facilities (unless it’s on Canada’s Best Restroom list). However, over half of customers may not return if the bathroom doesn’t measure up. Using good sense behind closed doors will keep them coming back. You might be so proud of your facilities, you keep the door open.

CHANGING THE WORLD ONE TASTE BUD AT A TIME!

Silk products are always Non-GMO Project Verified, dairy-free, carrageenan-free and free of artificial colours, flavours and preservatives.

So Delicious beverages are also always Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten-free and certified organic.

SO MANY WAYS TO ENJOY DAIRY FREE! GET INSPIRED: drinksilk.ca • sodeliciousdairyfree.ca

All marks and logos depicted herein are the property of SILK ®. © 2018 WhiteWave Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

All marks and logos depicted herein are the property of So Delicious ®.© 2018 Turtle Mountains, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Silk® and So Delicious® are brands of Danone® Canada, a Certified B Corp.

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FALL/WINTER 2018-19

RECIPE CENTRAL

CrÉpe affaire Heat Things Up with Dutch-Style Pancakes

By Alison Kent In light of current trends, and especially during these cooler weather months, hot desserts are, well…they’re hot.

Consumer interest in innovative takes and ethnic twists on dessert continues to be on the rise. Surpass customers’ expectations by including an array of Dutch-style pancake offerings from Cérélia to create sweet treats (and a few savoury dishes) for your menu. Here’s a selection of tips and ideas your customers will flip over. u

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RECIPE CENTRAL

Poffertjes: Akin to mini-sized pancakes, these soft and super-puffy pancakes are a classic Dutch treat. A mainstay at festivals and fairs from street vendors in the Netherlands, they’re often served warm with icing sugar, syrup or fruit. Cérélia Poffertjes need only be heated before serving with your sweet or savoury toppings of choice.

Sweet Poffertjes – Heat and serve with: • Icing sugar and lemon simple syrup • Melted butter and cinnamon sugar • Warm chocolate hazelnut spread thinned with cream and sliced bananas • Warm apricot jam and vanilla ice cream • Warm maple syrup, caramelized apples and toasted walnuts

Belgian Chocolate Poffertjes – Heat and serve with: • Skewered, alternating with strawberries and drizzled with salted caramel sauce • Warm cherry compote and crème fraiche • Icing sugar and whipped cream • Ice cream, chocolate sauce and toasted sliced almonds • Liqueur, such as Grand Marnier, Amaretto or Advocaat and whipped cream

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FALL/WINTER 2018-19

RECIPE CENTRAL

Smoked Gouda Poffertjes – Heat and serve with: • Skewered, with prosciutto-wrapped shrimp, and served with basil pesto • Skewered, with chorizo sausage and grape tomatoes, and served with warm Marinara sauce • In a skillet, with Cheddar cheese sauce and salsa as a shared appetizer • Melted garlic butter and shredded

QUICK

Asiago cheese

TIPS

LET YOUR CREATIV IT Y FLOW • Dutch Crêpes are the perfect base for any meal • You can choose any sweet or savoury topping or filling • Dutch Crêpes and Poffertjes are trending on menus • A very versatile product that is fully cooked - ideal for QSR's

Pannenkoeken: Similar to both French crêpes (though not quite as thin) and North Americanstyle pancakes (but definitely thinner), this traditional Dutch pancake is one of the most versatile base menu items going. Plain, they can be filled, rolled, folded and topped with any number of options, from sweet to savoury and from breakfast through to dessert. A trio of filled and rolled offerings from Cérélia need only be warmed through and served as is, or with a simple garnish or two.

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Crêapan products are a very versatile, easy to prepare, and can be served as a snack, dessert or main entree – any time of the day.

FILLED CRÊPES – Belgian chocolate, strawberry or apple... simply heat and serve

POFFERTJES – A traditional Dutch treat available in smoked Gouda, Belgian chocolate chip and original flavours - just heat and serve with a topping of your choice.

Choose any sweet or savoury topping to complement our filled crepes, poffertjes or plain 7 inch crêpes. They are a delicious and trendy addition to any menu.

DUTCH CRÊPES are fully baked, just fill or garnish with a sweet or savoury filling or topping.

Learn more visit creapan.be

RECIPE CENTRAL

everyone loves CRépes.

Whether it’s for breakfast, dinner, desserts or as an appetizer 7" Plain Pannenkoeken – Heat and serve with: • Stacked as a crêpe cake with orange simple syrup and cardamom whipped cream • Whipped mascarpone cheese and whipped cream topped with fresh fruit • Spread with cream cheese and smoked salmon, then olled and sliced as canape-size “pinwheels” • Filled with sautéed spinach, ham and Cheddar cheese • Folded and topped with salami and fried egg for breakfast

Strawberry-Filled Pannenkoeken – Heat and serve with:

Belgian ChocolateFilled Pannenkoeken – Heat and serve with:

• Hot fudge or chocolate sauce • Dusted with icing sugar

• Vanilla ice cream and brandied cherries

• Drizzled with cream cheese icing

• Fresh blueberries and raspberries

• Alongside Chocolate-Filled

• Whipped cream and shaved dark chocolate

Pannenkoeken

Apple-Filled Pannenkoeken – Heat and serve with:

• Coffee or espresso-flavoured mousse

Information provided by Peter Hamel, Territory Sales Manager, Cérélia.

• As is, as a dessert-style pastry • Dusted with cinnamon and icing sugar • Warm caramel sauce • Aged Cheddar cheese and toasted slivered almonds

CHEFCONNEXION.CA

69

Fully Cooked, Sliced Carvery Chicken Slow Cooked Chicken Breasts Erie Meats Carvery Chicken is fully cooked in its own juices‌moist and tender every time. Carvery Chicken delivers 100% yield and is easy to portion. Try it in stir-fry, as a salad topping, in hot and cold sandwiches or as a quick chicken dinner. Our Carvery Chicken is Halal Certified and is vacuum sealed to preserve freshness.

www.eriemeats.com

HIGH PERFORMANCE SUNFLOWER OIL

Warm lentil salad with seared shrimp

CHEFCONNEXION.CA

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Fall/Winter 2018-2019 Chef Connexion is published twice a year

by Greenbridge Foodservice in partnership with the following distributor members: ADL Foods 400 Read Drive Summerside, Prince Edward Island C1N 5A9 888-235-6455 adlfoods.ca AOF Service Alimentaire 2150 rue Sigouin Drummondville, Québec J2C 5Z4 819-477-5353 aof.ca

N ex t Issue: SPRIN G/SUM M ER 2019 For the upcoming Chef Connexion, we’ll once again take the pulse of the Canadian restaurant industry to bring you plenty of practical information. You can look forward to carefully researched, lively articles about topics that mean the most to you and your profitability. What’s more, we’ll shine the spotlight on the many great ways you can take advantage of Brand Points PLUS.

AD IN DEX Pg Advertiser 43 Ardent Mills BC Campbell's IFC Cavendish Farms 67 Danone 33 Dare 72 English Bay 74 Erie Meats 40 Griss Pasta 50 Idahoan 49 Inteplast Group 22 Maple Leaf

Pg Advertiser 37 Mother Parkers 46 Nikolaos 14 Original Cakerie 76 Parmalat 39 Polar Pak 8 Rich's 7 Alasko 75 Saporito 11 Supreme Pierogies 63 Uncle Ben's 16 Weston Foodservice

We welcome your comments and suggestions. Material chosen for publication may be edited for clarity and fit. Please direct all correspondence to: Greenbridge Foodservice, 1373 Victoria Street N., Unit 201, Kitchener, Ontario N2B 3R6 or info@greenbridgefoodservice.ca Copyright 2018 Greenbridge Foodservice. All Rights Reserved.

Capital Foodservice 10 MacNaughton Avenue Caledonia Industrial Park Moncton, New Brunswick E1H 3L9 800-561-7026 capitalfoodservice.ca Flanagan Foodservice 145 Otonabee Drive Kitchener, Ontario N2C 1L7 519-748-2190 flanagan.ca Multi Plus DM Inc. 10389 Côte de Liesse Dorval, Québec H9P 2Z3 866-745-8881 multiplusdm.com Pratts Food Service (Alberta) 291196 Wagon Wheel Road Rocky View County, Alberta T4A 0E2 403-476-7728 pratts.ca Pratts Food Service (Manitoba) 101 Hutchings Street Winnipeg, Manitoba R2X 2V4 204-949-2832 pratts.ca Pratts Food Service (Saskatchewan) 1450 Park Street Regina, Saskatchewan S4N 2G2 306-546-5444 pratts.ca Yen Bros. Food Service 1988 Vernon Drive Vancouver, British Columbia V6A 3Y6 604-255-6522 yenbros.com

a great partnership is about

what you put in.

As your partner in bringing real, carefully crafted foods to more people, we strive to always make the best possible soups. It’s why we start each recipe at zero, carefully selecting ingredients and leaving out anything Ca

mp

be

l l ’s ®

unnecessary.

Ve r

ve ®

Carr

At Campbell’s o t Pa r

snip Bisq u e w it h G i n g e r

Foodservice, we’re

©2018 Campbell Company of Canada

always listening

Our Verve® and Signature® frozen soups are free from High-Fructose Corn Syrup • Artificial Flavours • Artificial Colours • Disodium Inosinate & Disodium Guanylate • Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein • Partially Hydrogenated Oils Visit campbellsfoodservice.ca to learn more.

to bring you the flavourful foods your guests want today and in the future.