Food Fair Magazine Spring 2019 NRA Show Chicago Buyer's Guide Issue

STYLISH, DURABLE AND COMFORTABLE. Dickies Chef Takes the Heat and Belongs in the Kitchen.

Visit us at Booth #614

Spring 2018 NRA Show Issue

HOLLOWICK

Rolls out Nexus® by Hollowick at NRA 18.

According to an excited Joel Nye, VP Marketing, this is truly the future of flameless lighting.

North Hall Exhibit 6034

Take a look at the

TableCheck

First Impressions

They still mean everything!

Page 28

Delivery

What exactly are the risks and the regulations?

Page 16

tablet seating management system and why G.W. Horn, GM of County Line BBQ in Austin just can’t live without it. Interview Page 14 South Hall Exhibit 1460

STERNO PRODUCTS

introduces Sterno Delivery at NRA 18.

David Amirault, VP, Marketing discusses the industy and the research behind Sterno Delivery products.

Page 8 North Hall 6912

DICKIES

has embodied the American worker since 1922 and has stood for quality.

But did you know Dickies Chef Uniform also offer shirts, hats and aprons for both front and back of house?

Page 18 South Hall Exhibit 614

treat yourself to a MAC-OVER! Visit us at booth #8802 in Lakeside Center

www.jtmfoodgroup.com/macover

Booth #1460 South Hall tablechecktechnologies.com email us today! tablecheck@yahoo.com

Visit us at booth #614

Spring 2018

First Impressions:

Food Fair

They Mean Everything!

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business in depth...

BusinessFocus Sterno Delivery Hollowick TableCheck Technologies Dickies Chef Uniform Oneida Earthborn Studios Strahman Valves Blaze Products NRA Show 2018 Show Schedule

Food Fair Business Editor

We have a rapidly growing thirdparty food delivery industry to consumers potentially adding risk.

Jim defines the risks and assesses the options in this detailed expose.

see ‘em at NRA 18

8 12 14 18 24 36 38 48

From Risk to Regulation: How Safe Are Our Food Deliveries?

by Jim Lopolito

23 5

Obtaining Accurate Recipe Costs

By Mark Kelnhofer, CFBA, MBA Usually recipes are not written to determine accurate costs. They are generally written in cookbook terms rather than manufacturing terms.

Thinking about a restaurant as a manufacturer is a unique concept.

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RUNNING YOUR RESTAURANT

by Jane Tolman, MS Jane shares her observations and speaks with smaller artisan shops to large international vendors who share their thoughts on the meaning of creating lasting impressions to diners.

Top Wines

of 2017 as reviewed by Wine Spectator

New products to check out at 20 NRA this year!

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OAXACA, MEXICO

CUISINE TERROIR,CULTURAL IDENTITY & CERTAIN SECTRETS We speak with Chefs Celia Florian and Pilar Cabrera about the journey of going from mother’s kitchen to having their own world class restaurant as well as the role of women, the meyoras, of the Oaxacan kitchen today. We also interview Jaime Munoz who owns one of the most dramatic front rooms in town with an exciting fusion menu.

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Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

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Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

Hello, Welcome to our 14th NRA issue!

In this issue Jane Tolman covers the topic of just what makes a restaurant a special place, a memorable place, to a diner. What is it about the first impressions created with dĂŠcor, table wares and lighting? Are you overlooking something very basic in your front room?

Jim Lopolito discusses food delivery and what you should be aware of in terms of liabilities in this possibly bourgeoning segment of your business.

As Foodservice Daily News transitions to Food Fair, a yearlong process, we are adding a new departments one of which is Food Fair Travels. The goal being to present cuisine and culture from the US and the rest of the world. We initiate this with coverage in Oaxaca, Mexico.

We also depart from a bi-annual publishing schedule to quarterly issues in 2018. Be sure to sign up for both print and digital copies.

Have a great NRA show!

Cheers,

Editor & Publisher Christopher R. Gudenzi

Daily Media Group, LLC www.foodfairmag.com

Features Editor Jane Tolman

info@foodfairmag.com (720) 808-0209

Business Editor Jim Lopolito Regional Editor Romana Hussain Art Director Kelly Isaacs Contributing Editor Mark Kelnhofer Advertising Sales Lisa Collins Frank Rogers Advertising Coordinater Sherry Adams

Daily Media Group, LLC does not accept responsibility for the advertising content of this publication nor for any claims, actions or losses arising therefrom. Products and services advertised within this publication are not endorsed by, or affiliated with Daily Media Group, LLC. Foodservice Daily News and Food Fair magazines are publications of Daily Media Group, LLC San Francisco - Frankfurt Since 2004 Printed in the United States 2018

Circulation Logistics Printing / Production Robert MacDonald

TBJ Gourmet’s award winning Bacon Jam helps chefs consistently create the perfect bites that make memorable meals. Build a signature burger. Innovate traditional appetizers. 65oz shelf stable packaging.

Reduce food cost. Eliminate labor and inconsistency is you make your own.

Find us at Booth # 7579

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Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

Sterno Products introduces Sterno Delivery at NRA 2018 to meet the rapid demand of quality home delivery.

BusinessFocus: Sterno Delivery David Amirault VP of Marketing

As

North America’s most recognized name in portable w a r m i n g products, Sterno® continues to expand their foodservice line beyond their iconic legacy chafing fuels.

Restaurant food delivery is already a $43 billion business— and will be worth $76 billion by 2022, according to an analysis by Cowen and Co., an investment banking firm.

Seeing an opportunity that aligns well with Sterno Products’ market position, David Amirault, Vice President of Marketing for Sterno Products, recently announced Sterno’s latest line of industry leading products for the foodservice marketplace. Known as Sterno Delivery®, this line of Insulated Food Carriers features:

• Multi-reinforced, crosswoven, high-tensile strength liners, creating a super tough, leak-proof environment.

• Dense-gauge urethane foam with high Insulation value, providing state-of-the-industry heating/cooling performance.

Pizza XL

• Continuous formed foam vertical wall construction, degree delivering 360 temperature protection.

In preparation for the launch of this product line, Mr. Amirault and his team spent several months in the field working with operators large and small to learn what works and what doesn’t when it comes to launching, maintaining, and growing a successful restaurant delivery program.

Here are the top takeaways: 1) The key to a successful delivery program is repeat sales. When a customer has a positive experience at every point in the transaction (from

order placement through to the last bite) they are likely to order again.

to palatability) that they’d get were they to order in the actual restaurant.

2) Customers expect the same quality of food (from presentation

3) Every delivery order, whether by 3rd party (GrubHub,

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Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

Delivery

Catering

In preparation for the launch of this product line, Mr. Amirault and his team spent several months in the field working with operators large and small to learn what works and what doesn’t when it comes to launching, maintaining, and growing a successful restaurant delivery program.

UberEats, EatStreet) or selfop is an opportunity to make a positive brand impression. Make certain delivery partners/personnel understand this and are clear on expectations. Some operations set up a random ‘secret delivery diner’ quality assurance program to ensure standards are being met once the order leaves the restaurant.

4) Choose packaging wisely.

One size does not fit all in the delivery business. Customers want appropriately filled, leak-proof food containers that communicate thoughtful preparation and professionalism.

5) Whenever possible, brand

Delivery DLX

Stadium

Visit sternopro.com/ sterno-delivery and stop by NRA 18 South Hall Exhibit 6912 the exterior of the insulated carrier. This provides a positive association with the restaurant and also provides a level security to the customer (i.e., knowing who is at the door).

6) And whether the actual delivery is handled in-house or by a 3rd party vendor, the importance of using sturdy, reliable, highquality insulated carriers can’t be overstated. Hot and cold foods should always be packaged separately and in separate insulated food carriers. Keeping food at the proper temperature for the transit time required—hot food hot, and cold food cold—is essential for both food safety and brand protection.

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Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

Your Bar’s Biggest Problems Solved: Flat Beer, Fruit Flies and Glass Polishing

Bar Maid Corporation developed the 5-brush electric glass washer in the 1960’s and has been making it better ever since. Today, Bar Maid is the number one manufacturer of electric glass washers in the world!

“The increasing popularity of ‘Craft Beer’ has made this more important than ever!” says George Shepherd, Bar Maid’s President.

“An improperly cleaned glass is sure to draw the carbonation out of any beverage, especially beer.

Proper glass cleaning maximizes beer ‘head,’ flavor, customer satisfaction and operator profits. In fact, properly clean glasses can yield as many as 50 more glasses of beer from a standard keg. At $5 each x 50 glasses x 8 kegs a week… that’s a lot of profit!

“There’s a misconception that

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

washing with a 5 Brush Washer is slower than other methods.

The truth is, under-counter washers have to be loaded, cycled, unloaded and then after cooling, the glassware checked for lipstick,” says Shepherd. “And then there’s all those racks to deal with… not to mention chemicals and maintenance. With a Bar Maid washer, you handle the glass once and it’s clean. That’s why most chains use a Bar Maid washer in their bars.

They do studies and they know what works.”

Bar Maid Electric Glass Washers offer unmatched quality, performance and safety. These are the manufacturing principles that made these electric glass washers the hospitality industry standard over nearly 60 years. Bar Maid is backing that with a new 2-year warranty.

With the goal of creating more innovative, money saving products, Bar Maid recently introduced a new Glass Polisher. “It pays for itself in months,” says Shepherd.

“The Bar Maid GP-100 is five times faster than hand polishing, more sanitary and virtually elimi-

nates breakage and the associated injuries. The cost is insignificant compared to the benefits.”

Focused on developing more solutions for operators, Bar Maid now manufacturers keg management carts and dollies, an extensive top quality line of bar supplies, and an innovative line of pesticide-free Fruit Fly control products, including the award winning FLY-BYE Floor Drain Trap Seal. The Drain Trap Seal is low cost, installs in seconds and virtually eliminates evaporation, odors, gases and bugs… all big floor drain problems.

For more information on Bar Maid Corporation and their products visit booth # 11425 at the NRA Show or www.BestintheBar.com.

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Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

BusinessFocus: The Future of Flameless Lighting

Hollowick Marketing Director Joel Nye

A

t Hollowick, we aspire to be the leader in restaurant table lighting. This means always pushing for product improvement, searching for product innovation and striving to better the users’ product experience. For us, “users” refers to both the restaurant operator and the patron. Ultimately, our job is only done well if both users are more than satisfied with our products.

For the restaurant operator, our products must admirably perform in the demanding commercial foodservice environment. For the patron, Hollowick lighting must subtly enhance the dining experience by creating a warm, inviting communal space.

This year, our efforts to lead the flameless lighting category yield a wave of new products. Most notable in this new collection is our Nexis® LED Candle System. Nexis® establishes a new high-water mark for rechargeable candles.

We designed Nexis® from the ground up, paying meticulous attention to the needs of our customers who want good value products that are intuitive, long-lasting and environmentally safe.

There is a special connection between live flame candles and the fine dining experience. Nothing can affect mood/ ambiance at the table like the glow and aura of a real dancing flame. But we acknowledge that there are places where a live flame is not the best solution for the operator. In these instances, Hollowick offers the industry’s best LED options.

The Nexis® charging station might be the most significant product innovation. With a quick release from the magnetic power connector, the station transforms into a bussing tray for up to 40 candles.

The thoughtfully designed ergonomic handle allows for one-hand-free table

bussing, making table setting and tear down a breeze. Saving precious counter space, the efficient charging grid top maximizes candle placement for the smallest possible footprint.

For the patron seeking an intimate candlelit dining experience, Nexis® candles offer the most authentic real flame color available.

Likewise, the LED flicker has been carefully devised to appear more subtle and natural. This combination of genuine color and flicker, especially when placed in the right lamp, gives the dining guest no indication that the candlelight they are enjoying is digital.

Nexis® offers many more great features including a brightness-boosting “High

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Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

Light” setting when extra light is needed. Also, a multi-function remote controller and magnetic, water-resistant candles add some nice value.

offering commercial grade durability at an affordable price.

A convenient USB power connector provides extra flexibility for charging.

For those operators pursuing Green Restaurant certification, or just looking for environmentally-friendly solutions, Nexis® is endorsed by the Green Restaurant Association. All components are RoHS compliant, meaning Nexis® exceeds the most stringent international standards for lead and other heavy metal controls. Moreover, the patented wireless charging system requires 50% less power to charge the candle batteries.

Nexis® by Hollowick is truly the future of flameless lighting!

Rounding out the new Hollowick LED product assortment is an updated set of solid wax LED Pillar candles. The improved candles are now powered by C-cell batteries, bumping the run time by more than 30%. The redesigned candle flame tips are more attractive, and the magnetic remote controller includes auto-timer controls and brightness settings. These commercial grade wax candles are a perfect accent lighting solution for any hospitality venue.

You get the aura of a real, burning wax candle, without the real wax candle replacement costs or melted wax mess.

Also new to the Hollowick flameless lighting family is an entry level LED candle system called V12TM. V12TM is a category leader for value systems,

Our new flameless lighting selections and much more will be on display in our booth (#6034) at the 2018 #NationalRestaurantAssociationShow.

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NRA Booth #6034 Visit Hollowick.com to see our complete lamp collection.

For more information, contact Hollowick at: info@hollowick.com.

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Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

BusinessFocus: Tablecheck Technologies, Inc. Barbara Horan General manager

F

oodservice Daily News: How do you know money is walking out the front door of restaurants?

Barbara Horan: I have done it! Advertising dollars got me in the door but circumstances soon after entering made me walk out again. Why? Too noisy; wait is too long; host leaves me standing alone to go find a table; I am told to wait while I see empty tables not being seated.

FDN: How big a problem is this?

BH: I am guessing that since I have left and I have seen others leave about the same time as I have, that it happens on a regular basis. As an example of the enormous problem this can be, let’s assume it happens just 3 times per week - one party of 4 comes in and goes back out without spending a dime. How much will that cost you? If your check average is $15, then you are losing at least $9,000 per year and probably much more! I want that money to stay in your hands, not walk out and go next door.

FDN: What is the solution to this problem?

BH: Creating efficiencies at the host stand will go a long way in eliminating this waste! One of the best solutions is the TableCheck Seating Management System which helps in all the ways that caused me to leave: Reduces noise in the restaurant. Helps get

more people in seats while they are still streaming in the door.

Informs hosts of immediate table information so they can seat all the open tables.

A red light means the table needs busing, a Green light means the table is available and a yellow light means the table is reserved. Tablets are mounted at the bus station, the dingin room wall and the host station. Tablets are portable as Barbara demonstrates.

FDN: What if it doesn’t work?

BH: I personally guarantee that by using the TableCheck Seating Management System correctly you will serve morev people and make lots more money on EVERY shift when you have a wait! If it does not work for you for any reason, then I will take the product back and return all of your investment including any shipping or installation charges.

It is a guarantee. You will get your money back if it does not do everything I say it will!

Stop by the TableCheck Technologies booth 1460 and chat with me about keeping all the money that comes through your front door in your restaurant! Let me know you read this article to receive a nice little surprise.

VISIT US AT NRA SHOW BOOTH #1460 SOUTH HALL

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

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Interview with GW Horn, GM, County Line Barbeque in Austin, TX

C

hris: What’s your name and position with the restaurant, and where is the restaurant?

GW: GW Horn, County Line Barbeque in Austin Texas. I’m the general manager and have been with the company 32 years.

Chris: Oh wow, that’s quite a stretch, congratulations!

GW: Thank you.

Chris: You use a product called TableCheck which is an electronic seating system, is that correct?

GW: That’s correct Chris: And do you have the new tablet version or the older mount tablet version?

GW: We have the old original; I think we were the first place this was installed. (1993) Chris: Okay, wow, and the very same system is still operational today?

GW: Absolutely.

Chris: So tell me about it, how much do you love it and just what does it do for you really in the front of the house?

“I couldn’t imagine not having it, rather than a host or manager walking around writing down what tables are available or what tables are dirty or what not, you actually just go up to it and you tap it, if its green its ready to seat,…”

GW: I couldn’t imagine not having it, rather than a host or manager walking around writing down what tables are available or what tables are dirty or what not, you actually just go up to it and you tap it, if its green its ready to seat, if its dirty mark it red so the bussers can clearly see it in the kitchen and they know when there’s dirty tables out there, and then if there are no lights on it then somebody is sitting at it.

GW: For a party of 4 or whatever

Chris: Okay, and so there is a screen at the front at the host stand?

Chris: Okay, and do you ever experience any down time with the system?

GW: We have a main headboard that’s at the host stand, and then there is a couple of other boards throughout the restaurant that you can look and gaze over the restaurant and see which tables are available or not available, we call it updating, you can update the system.

GW: Knock on wood, very seldom.

Chris: You can update it…

GW: So all the hosts are trained to go around, if the head host says go update for me that’s what they are referring to, they want you to go check the tables to find out if their dirty and if they are they will mark them red, if there clean and empty they will mark them green that means there ready to seat, or you can make them yellow which case that’s going to be a reservation.

Chris: Okay so that table is ready to go but it’s reserved.

Chris: So you feel the entire front of the house operation, not to put words into your mouth but, runs smoother and that you turn over tables quicker correct?

GW: Oh Absolutely!

Chris: Do you have anything you want to add to that, I mean it sounds like something you absolutely love using so.

GW: Oh yes I couldn’t imagine being without it!

Chris: That’s pretty cool, okay great well you know that sounds like a stellar review, thanks very much. When I’m in Austin I’ll stop by and have some food!

GW: Please do, thank you!

Chris: You got it, have a good day sir…

GW: Yes sir, you too.

Chris: Bye Bye

tablechecktechnologies.com

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Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

Food Fair Lon g R e a d

From Risk to Regulation:

How Safe Are Our Food Deliveries?

By Jim Lopolito Food Fair Business Editor & President Lopolito Hospitality Consultants, Corp

We have a rapidly growing third-party food delivery industry to consumers that is increasing the likelihood for foodborne related illness while potentially adding risk to the food production businesses supplying them. On the edge of these conditions is a Sanitary Food Transportation Act (SFTA) waiver in place that appears to permit this to occur. This is a startling thought but with unregulated third-party deliveries the likelihood of added risk of foodborne illnesses and other forms of sickness will escalate unless we consider revising current rules or mandate new regulation to inspect these services. There is additional need to look at how food preparers are packaging their product to reassure safety during transfer.

The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rule on Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food is now final, advancing FDA’s efforts to protect foods from farm to table by keeping them safe from contamination during transportation. This rule is one of seven foundational rules proposed since January 2013 to create a modern, risk-based framework for food safety. The goal of this rule is to prevent practices during transportation that create food safety risks,

such as failure to properly refrigerate food, inadequate cleaning of vehicles between loads, and failure to properly protect food. 1The Sanitary Food Transportation Act (SFTA) allows the agency to waive the requirements of this FSMA rule if it determines that the waiver will not result in the transportation of food under conditions that would be unsafe for human or animal health, or contrary to the public interest. The FDA has published three waivers for businesses whose transportation operations are subject to Federal-State or local controls.1 One of these waivers includes third-party transportation as follows: Shippers and carriers in operations in which food is transported from the establishment as part of the normal business operations of a retail establishment, such as:

•

delivery of the food directly to the consumer(s) by the authorized establishment or a third-party delivery service. 1 The FDA has taken considerable time and with good intention to establish these rules, however from a reasonable perspective an unregulated area has developed with the allowance of this SFTA Waiver that may not have been foreseen.

The SFTA Waiver appears to differentiate that a business is performing their own deliveries, or the third-party is, and therefore they will perform due diligence in this regard due to their obligatory Health Department Regulations. cont’d on page 22

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

Managers Corner Managers Corner

By Mark Kelnhofer

Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

Obtaining Accurate Recipe Costs Obtaining Accurate Recipe Costs

CFBA, MBA

By Mark Kelnhofer CFBA, MBA

A fairly accurate assessment of current restaurant operations today do not have accurate recipes costs. Recipe costsrestaurant are the foundation much strategic A fairly accurate assessment of current operations of today do more not have ac- functions such costs. as the Recipe menu engineering andoftheoretical curate recipes costs are theprocess foundation much morebenchmarking. strategic func- Too frequently recipes are not written to determine accurate costs.

They Too are generally tions such as the menu engineering process and theoretical benchmarking. written in cookbook terms and not manufacturing terms.

Thinking about a restaurant frequently recipes are not written to determine accurate costs. They are generally as ainmanufacturer is aand unique concept and terms. not typically applied. a concept that written cookbook terms not manufacturing Thinking about Ita is restaurant bring aboutis greater as improving profitsItand as acan manufacturer a uniquebenefits conceptsuch and not typically applied. is a greater concept efficiencies. that There are two primary concepts to assist in obtaining accurate costs. can bring about greater benefits such as improving profits and greater efficiencies.

Theprimary first is to understand what means to treat recipes There are two concepts to assist in itobtaining accurate costs. like manufacturers. rule states anytime a product The firstThe is tobasic understand what that it means to treat recipes or likeproduction manumatter simple it may or seem, the costs should item changes form, ruleno states thathow anytime a product production facturers.

The basic accounted As an example, take freshthe basil. purchasitembechanges form,for. no matter how simplelet’s it may seem, costsWhen should ing fresh basil from locallet’s produce company, comes packaged usube accounted for. As an your example, take fresh basil. itWhen purchasthe from pound. is stillcompany, on their itstems it is received by ing ally freshbybasil yourThe localbasil produce comeswhen packaged usurestaurant.

In order make the basil basil by leaves allythe by the pound. The basil istostill on their stemsusable, when itall is the received the need restaurant.

In orderoff. to make the basil usable, all the basil leaves to be picked Although in terms of complexity, this is a very simneed be picked off. Although in for terms complexity, this is aweight. very sim-If we pletotask, we need to account theofloss or the finished ple paid task, $7.50 we need to account or thefor finished weight.

If wewe would a pound and for didthe notloss account the loss properly, paidhave $7.50 a pound and did not account foran theounce loss properly, we wouldThe realused the incorrect cost $0.469 on our recipes. have thenot incorrect cost $0.469 an ounce on example our recipes.

The realityused is that everything is useable.

In the we used, it was deity istermined that not everything is useable.

In the example we used, it that only 11 ounces were useable resulting in awas newdecost of were resulting a new When cost of working termined that 11 ounces theuseable accurate cost toinutilize. $0.682 peronly ounce.

This is $0.682 the end accurate cost to utilize.

Whencan working withper fineounce. dining This and is high restaurants, the recipes be very comwithplex fine and dining and high end restaurants, the recipes can be very comthe simple example above only reinforces the need to account plexfor and the simple example above only reinforces the need to account the known losses and the associated costs. for the known losses and the associated In addition to accounting for costs. proper yields, the second piece of In addition to accounting for proper yields, secondprofessional piece of recipe costing is taking a recipe written by athe culinary and recipe costing is taking a recipe written by a culinary professional and many converting it to proper weights and measures. As an example, converting to proper and measures.

As anorexample, many recipesitwill call outweights for a spoodle, tablespoon teaspoon of an ingredirecipes will call out for a spoodle, tablespoon or teaspoon of an ingredi-execuent. Utilizing these utensils ensures portion control and proper ent.tion.

Utilizing these utensils ensures portion control proper However, for recipe costing, we need to and account forexecuthe associated tion.weights.

However, forexample, recipe costing, needspoodle to account for the associated For a onewe ounce of feta cheese is not going weights. For example, a one ounce spoodle of feta cheese is not going to be an ounce for costing. When the spoodle of cheese is placed on a to be an ounce for costing. When the spoodle of cheese is placed on a digital scale, what you will discover is that the true weight is not close to digital scale, what you will discover is that the true weight is not close to an ounce (0.3 ounce). Just as accounting for the proper yields is imporan ounce (0.3 ounce). Just as accounting for the proper yields is important, it is just as important to account for the proper weights and meastant, it is just as important to account for the proper weights and measures to determine your recipe costing as well. ures to determine your recipe costing as well.

Accurate recipe costs become the base of many other things such as menu Accurate recipe costs become the base of many other things such as menu engineering, obtaining theoretical costs and commodity price impacts. Without deengineering, obtaining theoretical costs and commodity price impacts. Without determining accurate costs, the operation possibly plan properly for success. termining accurate costs, the operation cannotcannot possibly plan properly for success.

With the high level of competition in the industry, it would be detrimental not to make With the high level of competition in the industry, it would be detrimental not to make most informed decisions. the emotion of menu a newitem menu itemtoneeds to be the the most informed decisions.

SomeSome of the of emotion of a new needs be combined with the analytical side to confirm the addition or the removal of an item. combined with the analytical side to confirm the addition or the removal of an item. somework initial work and investAlthough pursuing a higher of accuracy maysome takeinitial Although pursuing a higher level level of accuracy may take and investment of time it is energy and money well spent in theItend.

It willinassist in improving ment of time it is energy and money well spent in the end. will assist improving the profitability of the restaurant operation. the profitability of the restaurant operation.

“Too frequently “Too frequently recipes are not recipes are not written to deterwritten to determine accurate mine accurate costs. costs.

TheyThey are are generally generally written in cookwritten in cookbookbook termsterms and and not manufacturnot manufacturing terms. ” ing terms. ”

Kelnhofer, CFBE, MarkMark Kelnhofer, CFBE, MBA, MBA, President and CEO of Return On Ingredients President and CEO of Return On Ingredients LLC LLC International Speaker and Author with over 20inyears in management International Speaker and Author with over 20 years management accounting experience including many years in the fine accounting experience including many years in the fine dining dining (614) 558-2239 and restaurant industry.

Hebecan be reached restaurant industry.

He can reached at (614)at558-2239 and Mark@ReturnOnIngredients.com.

Mark@ReturnOnIngredients.com.

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Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

Trending Business: Dickies Chef

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

Visit Booth #614 Dickies Executive Chef and Cool Breeze Coats Set the Standard.

Chefs need to concentrate on the kitchen, not the clothing they are wearing, and Dickies Chef wear makes sure that’s the case.

Dickies Chef includes two Executive Chef coat styles with fluid barrier protection that provides long-lasting protection against spills and stains, and are made with a breathable twill fabric for unmatched comfort.

Cool Breeze coats with mesh vent back and Classic coats for men and women are designed for comfort, while delivering exceptional functionality and style. All Dickies Chef coats are guaranteed to present a professional look that holds up in the toughest conditions.

Women’s Classic Chef Coat available in black, white and pink

Hard-Working Dickies Chef Takes the Heat and Belongs in the Kitchen.

Since its beginning in 1922, the Dickies brand has stood for the quality, toughness and pride that embody the spirit of the American worker. Dickies Chef continues that work wear heritage in apparel designed for the restaurant and hospitality industry.

Our complete line of chef wear includes coats, shirts, pants, hats and aprons for men and women in both back-and-frontof-house positions.

We’re confident you will appreciate the comfort, durability and exceptional functionality of Dickies Chef.

Quality, Durability and Comfort.

The same attention to quality and appreciation of the American worker that has built Dickies into the number one manufacturer of work apparel is built into every Chef garment bearing the Dickies name.

Executive Chef Coat WITH STAIN REPELLANT

Repels liquids.

Long-lasting protection against spills and stains.

Extends the life of the garment.

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

Durable cotton/poly 7oz. twill fabric is absorbent and breathable

Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

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Collar stands up with topstitching and superior construction

Dropped shoulder with back yoke for unmatched comfort

Stain repellant on fabric repels liquids

Pocket has reinforced, mitered corners to resist wear and tear

Thermometer pocket on sleeve

French cuffs

Generous sizing, longer length, designed for comfort

YOU CAN’T MAKE A TRULY GREAT CHEF COAT WITHOUT ALL THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS.

Double-breasted front with clothcovered buttons

Topstitching details on hem and collar give a finished, professional appearance

The Executive Chef Coat. Available in black, white and white with black piping. Learn more at dickieschef.com

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Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

Nexis® LED Candles by Hollowick®, Inc. Nexis® LED Candles by Hollowick, Inc. is the most advanced rechargeable candle system in the world. Many innovative features make Nexis the smart choice for worryfree flameless table lighting. The future of flameless table lighting is here. Booth #6034.

JTM’s new beer cheese base provides a simple way for you to create your own signature item with the beer of your choice whether it’s a local favorite or a national brand. You can even use a seasonal beer to create a summer beer cheese, an Octoberfest, a winter beer, or get your customers involved and run a monthly promotion allowing them to vote for the beer they would like blended into the beer cheese. Booth # 8802

Functional and covet-worthy new products from France and Spain are on display at booth #217.

See artisanal Jars tableware from France, the Emile Henry Welcome serving collection from France, Mauviel table service from France and Lekue baking molds from Spain.

The Drain Cleaner and the all new Hydro Flex 3-4 drain cleaner are two additional attachments to further our ever-popular Hydroswivel sweeper line. These attachments are designed to effectively clean and clear our floor drains. Booth #2484.

Blaze Products is the clear leader in superior chafing dish fuels. Clean, green and safe, Blaze fuels burn hotter and last longer. See what Chefs want!

Ask for Blaze — the safest and hottest chafing dish fuels. Visit us at booth #3784.

Tri-Gen® Next Generation Cookware by Winco® , is the newest addition of induction ready, tri-ply stainless steel cookware that brings high-performance, durability and value to demanding, high-volume commercial kitchens. The series is designed for maximum function and comfort. Booth #649.

Unifying your dining concept with the tabletop design helps to define the guest’s experience to create a lasting memory. the meal is a true multisensory experience, and we want to leverage tabletop design to help the visual, tactile and emotional elements of the meal combine to create a truly enviable tabletop. Booth #7207

Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

Earthborn glazes are the result of years of testing refractory material and its relationship to the clay. These ‘borosilicate’ glazes are extremely hard and withstand the daily use seen in restaurant environments, including the thermal shock of dishwashers and abrasive detergents. Booth #11108

Your Virtual Money Machine!! Tablecheck Seating Management Systems increase your table turns, increase your revenue, and your profits.

Booth #1460

21

Luxor™ by Hollowick, Inc. Luxor™ lamps are solid Egyptian alabaster. Available in three sizes, each Luxor™ vessel has its own innate character derived from the quarried natural alabaster stone grain. This exotic stone broadcasts candlelight in stunning fashion, and Luxor lamps epitomize this trait. Booth #6034.

JTM put a unique and flavorful twist on a classic comfort food! This sweet and spicy sloppy joe is created by blending lean ground beef with honey, red peppers and other spices. Great for sandwiches, sliders, potato toppers, nachos, flatbreads, pizzas and much more.

Booth # 8802

Stop by and experience the best cutlery and cookware and meet Guest White House Chef Guy Mitchell Booth #424

TBJ Gourmet’s award winning Bacon Jam helps chefs consistently create the perfect bites that make memorable meals. Build a signature burger. Innovate traditional appetizers. 65oz shelf stable packaging.

Reduce food cost. Eliminate labor and inconsistency is you make your own. Find us at Booth # 7579

Bar Maid’s FLY-BYE™ Floor Drain Trap Seal is a patented one-way valve that allows water and solids to drain, while preventing odors, sewer gases and insects such as fruit flies and cockroaches from entering up through the floor drain grate. Booth #11016

Our multilayered insulation protects from outside temperatures while maintaining temperature inside the IFC, keeping your hot food hot, and your cold food cold, for longer!

Superior Grade, tear resistant, vinyl liner holds up to the rigors of the industry – includes a 5 year Leak-Proof Liner Warranty. PLUS, reinforced stitching in high-abuse areas help prevent rips and tears.

Booth # 6912.

The durable stain repellant on this Unisex chef coat offers a protective shield against spills for the life of the garment. Dropped shoulders offer unmatched comfort, and the cotton-rich fabric breathes naturally.

The double-breasted coat, available in black, white or white with black piping, has French cuffs and a thermometer pocket on the sleeve.

Booth #614

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Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

cont’d from page 16

From Risk to Regulation: How Safe Are Our Food Deliveries The primary concerns are threefold; third-party deliveries are not required to be inspected, they are not required to follow the health and sanitary procedures of the food preparer providing them the product, and there is no regulation that they must be managed or employed by individuals that maintain training in food handling procedures.

Every day there are dozens of articles outlining occurrences in the marketplace with recalls due to mislabeling, allergen intrusion, extraneous materials, and serious foodborne illness. In the 24 days between March 15, 2018 and April 8, 2018 a news agency known as Food Safety News http://www.foodsafetynews.com/ reported a minimum of forty nationwide instances of foodborne illness cases and recalls, and these alerts come from inspection regulated entities. How an unregulated food delivery market will influence foodborne occurrences is concerning and remains to be seen.

The trend of food deliveries by restaurants, catering businesses, supermarkets, and meal kit businesses are on the rise, and many use third-party services as a method of delivery. With labor costs rising and difficulty finding employees the brands delivering their own food is not as common as in the past.

Many third-party deliveries are being conducted by privately owned vehicles, trucks, and bicycles. We want delivery services to have good intentions and practical methods for keeping our food safe during transfer, although we are not currently monitoring their actions and current new regulation may have

missed the mark for protecting us from the risks that ride alongside this growth.

Food deliveries by third-party services to the consumer are not being inspected to protect us, and this is not good news for anyone.

Food preparers should also look at their methods for packaging prior to handing their product off the others, or if you perform your own deliveries. This may include the preparer packaging the items in a heat or cold storage insulated container to protect the temperature integrity of the product as long as possible, and not trust what the delivery company is using. These can be returned by the third-party delivery company upon each return, sanitized, and put back into service. While preparers cannot guarantee that the third-party delivery company is handling the transfer to any specific guidelines, in the interim of any new regulation that may come along you may at a minimum be adding to your due diligence as a preparer. There are a number of food transfer containers on the market, and one such item to review is Sterno Delivery insulated food carriers. The product and performance can be found at http://sternodelivery.com/. Every step you can take as a food preparer for delivery impacts the quality of the end product.

It is everyone’s responsibility to keep food safe for consumption, and failure to maintain proper receiving, preparation, and distribution checks along with Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) monitoring can result in recalls, violations, or an illness or poisoning condition. cont’d on page 40 43

NRA Show Schedule 2018 For the compete listing of educational tracks and events please visit the NRA Show website.

Saturday, May 19

Sunday, May 20

Monday, May 21

Tuesday, May 22

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Last Day

9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Exhibits Open

9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Exhibits Open

9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Exhibits Open

9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Exhibits Open

North Hall, South Hall, and Lakeside Center

North Hall, South Hall, and Lakeside Center

North Hall, South Hall, and Lakeside Center

North Hall, South Hall, and Lakeside Center

10:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

Foodamental Studio Demos

10:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

Foodamental Studio Demos

10:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

FABI Awardee Tastings

10:00 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.

Foodamental Studio Demos

South Hall, Booth #2389

South Hall, Booth #2389

South Hall, Booth #2389

South Hall, Booth #2389

10:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.

On-Floor Education Sessions

10:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.

On-Floor Education Sessions

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

On-Floor Education Sessions

10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

On-Floor Education Sessions

Innovation Theater North Hall, Booth #5575

Innovation Theater North Hall, Booth #5575

Innovation Theater North Hall, Booth #5575

Innovation Theater North Hall, Booth #5575

TECH Talks - North Hall Booth #5575

TECH Talks - North Hall, Booth #5575

TECH Talks - North Hall, Booth #5575

TECH Talks - North Hall, Booth #5575

The Learning Center - North Hall, Booth #7400

The Learning Center - North Hall, Booth #7400

The Learning Center - North Hall, Booth #7400

The Learning Center - North Hall, Booth #7400

10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

World Culinary Showcase Demos

10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

World Culinary Showcase Demos

10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

World Culinary Showcase Demos

10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

World Culinary Showcase Demos

Lakeside Center, Booth #10357

Lakeside Center, Booth #10357

Lakeside Center, Booth #10357

Lakeside Center, Booth #10357

10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Bar Stage Demos and Sessions

10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Bar Stage Demos and Sessions

10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Bar Stage Demos and Sessions

10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. | Bar Stage Demos and Sessions

Lakeside Center, Bar Pavilion

Lakeside Center, Bar Pavilion

Lakeside Center, Bar Pavilion

Lakeside Center, Bar Pavilion

11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Celebrity Chef Book Signings

11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Celebrity Chef Book Signings

11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Celebrity Chef Book Signings

11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. | Celebrity Chef Book Signings

Lakeside Center, Adjacent to World Culinary Showcase

Lakeside Center, Adjacent to World Culinary Showcase

Lakeside Center, Adjacent to World Culinary Showcase

Lakeside Center, Adjacent to World Culinary Showcase

5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. | International Reception

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. | Signature '18

8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. | Young Professionals Party

North Building, Room N427

Grand Ballroom, S100, Open to all badge holders

More information to come.

9:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. | National Restaurant Association Show Block Party Various venues along Hubbard Street. Free to all Show badge holders.

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Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

New 3D Tool Helps Operators Set Their Vision on the Table

H

ow many hours have you spent flipping through tabletop catalogs, looking for that spoon with just the right curve or a bread-andbutter plate that conjures fond memories of grandma’s kitchen?

You know the right piece when you see it. But imagine skipping the hunting process, and going straight to seeing a 3D visualization of your perfect tabletop.

That’s the idea behind Plate Envy, a new digital tool from Oneida.

“We’ve talked to a lot of operators, and we understand how much blood, sweat, and tears go into the unique guest experiences they’re creating,” says Jeff Jarrett, CMO of The Oneida Group.

“The tabletop is a crucial finishing touch in delivering the one-of-a-kind dining experience that will keep guests coming back,” says Jarrett. “But the traditional tabletop selection

process can be time-consuming, and potentially disappointing.”

“Operators told us they need an easier way to find products that match their vision. So we put a lot of research and time into creating a quick, easy way to get that vision out of their heads and onto their tables.”

The tool works by walking users through a three-step process.

It starts by asking a handful of questions to discover your restaurant’s style, setting, and cuisine. The tool responds with recommended place settings to match your restaurant’s aesthetic and your personal vision.

Unifying your dining concept with the tabletop design helps to define the guest’s experience to create a lasting memory,” says Paul Gebhardt, SVP of Design & Creative Director of The Oneida Group. “The meal is a true multisensory experience, and we want to leverage tabletop design to help the visual, tactile and emotional elements of the meal combine to create a truly enviable tabletop.”

Place settings come to life in 3D on a virtual table, so you can visualize and swap dinnerware, flatware, and glassware to see how various combinations look together. Unlike flat photography, the 3D imagery puts contours in perspective, so you can tell how deep a soup bowl is or whether the lip of a dinner plate flares the way you want it to.

That makes it easier to narrow down your top choices, so you can request physical samples to try out—and have a high degree of confidence those products are likely to meet your needs.

“We created Plate Envy to recommend dinnerware, glassware, and flatware combinations tailored to each operator’s unique vision,” Oneida’s Jarrett says. “As a leading manufacturer, innovation is front and center for us. We’re really excited about this new way to partner with operators in driving successful, memorable guest experiences.”

The tool works by walking users through a threestep process. It starts by asking a handful of questions to discover your restaurant’s style, setting, and cuisine.

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

STUDIO POTTERY™

Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

PENSATO™

RUSTIC™

Discover. Visualize. Sample.

A new way to turn your vision into reality.

Booth #7207

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ONEIDA

&

The Duck Inn

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

A Neighborhood Tradition with an Eye on Innovation

T

he Duck Inn on Chicago’s South Side opened in 2014, but its roots go far deeper.

Owner Kevin Hickey grew up in the industrial Bridgeport neighborhood, where his grandma used to operate a lunch counter of the same name while the family’s funeral home struggled. Workers in the area could duck in to get a bite before or after their shift, and despite the new iteration’s fine dining pedigree, it still has a working class spirit.

Chef Hickey and Chef Kris DeLee have curated a menu of inventive, yet approachable food, like fried cheese curds served with bloody mary ketchup, a Chicago-style duck fat hot dog and a hamburger sandwich featuring brun-uusto cheese and a house-made dijonnaise. For more discerning gourmands, there is a tasting menu and a selection of unique eats, including a scallop and pork belly dish.

Both the bar classics and finer fare are plated with care on Oneida dinnerware, including Knit pattern plates, along with Lancaster Garden and Lava decorative bowls. One dish in particular that captures attention in Lancaster Garden is snails and spaghetti, featuring escargot and black garlic pasta. The dish stands out on the soft, floral decoration of the bowl within the cozy bar atmosphere.

The neighborhood bar feel and fine dining experience complement each other, rather than butting heads, by taking the best aspects of both.

“Not everyone can go to a Michelin restaurant on a daily basis, so we bring those flavors to a bar where you can enjoy a beer and a well-crafted hot dog,” said DeLee. “With such a small kitchen and dining room; however, it is hard to store a lot of product. Oneida products have been extremely versatile, clearing room in the back of the house, and these pieces are a perfect canvas for our food and plating technique.”

As The Duck Inn continues to wow Chicagoans, making list after list of best hot dog, hamburger and brunch, Oneida will be there to showcase their culinary creativity. If you’re lucky enough to make it to the restaurant,

Chef Kris DeLee you are likely to find something new, presented on an Oneida product. Take as one last example, the pig head candy bar, a breaded, fried bar of slow cooked pig’s head with tomato jam, dill aioli and spicy serranos, which is carefully placed atop an Oneida Knit plate.

Oneida products have been extremely versatile, clearing room in the back of the house, and these pieces are a perfect canvas for our food and plating technique.”

Chef Kevin Hickey Collections Featured: • Knit • Lancaster Garden • Lava

foodservice.oneida.com

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

ONEIDA

&

Fork and Barrel

Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

27

Refined Food

meets reclaimed decor

C

ozy, but welcoming to all is the way the Fork & Barrel in Louisville, Kentucky appears upon first entrance. A repurposed serving fork from the Cooper collection by Oneida takes the place of a door handle on the dark wood door in the front. Already, it is obvious that the name of the restaurant matches the spirit of the place. Chef Geoffrey Heyde, an 18-year veteran in Louisville’s flourishing culinary scene, describes his newest venture as upscale New American with a focus on local ingredients and a casual environment.

Whether you prefer jeans or a suit is irrelevant; you’re bound to see both at Fork & Barrel. Heyde would rather you focus on the food, whose presentation is also a mix of flare and functionality.

A prime example is the red wine braised short rib, which sits atop saffron risotto lined with brown sugar glazed carrots in a deep white Oneida plate from their Sant’Andrea Botticelli collection. This classic dinnerware is uniquely paired with striking, Artisan flatware from the Cooper collection, which boasts an open hole handle and brushed finish. Chef Heyde worked with Zink Foodservice Group to select these pieces, which fit the trend of combining tableware from seemingly different design aesthetics to create a look unique to any operation.

Wild Maine Mussels served with couscous in a white, widerimmed bowl would feel familiar in a white tablecloth establishment, but the dish looks even more beautiful against the dark stain of the reclaimed wood tables. This contrast is at the core of the restaurant’s purpose for Heyde, who in the same conversation pointed out the use of Mercedes leather as upholstery for a lengthy bench seat and the repurposing of bourbon barrel rings as light fixtures above the bar.

“I worked side-by-side with

my wife, who has a great mind for design, and my friends to transform this restaurant from a dark Asian fusion theme – constructing bench seating ourselves and bringing in a long table made from a split tree,” said Heyde. “We chose a combination of Oneida products for our tabletops, because they made for a setting that no one else has and fit our budget.”

Chef Geoffrey Heyde, Fork and Barrel Restaurant

We chose a combination of Oneida products for our tabletops, because they made for a setting that no one else has and fit our budget.

Indeed, mixing Cooper flatware and Sant’Andrea Botticelli dinnerware is a rare combination, but it contributed perfectly to Heyde’s desire for a functional, trendy fine dining experience.

Collections Featured: • Sant’Andrea Botticelli • Cooper Flatware • Studio Pottery – Blue Moss foodservice.oneida.com

They still mean everything!

By Jane Tolmanv, MS Food Fair Features Editor

Y

ou have heard it before. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. And in the restaurant business, that can spell disaster in the way of lost sales if your customers choose not to return, just because something didn’t strike them quite right as they walked in the door.

Running a restaurant is a lot like performing on a live stage. You never know who you are playing to or what diners will think about your restaurant before they even put that first bite of food into their mouths. And boy do you need to think on your feet to right a wrong before, or after, someone notices, so that everyone enjoys themselves. When your customers leave happy, they will likely return for another meal, and most likely recommend you to their friends as well.

This is why it is so important to wow them the minute they walk in. The plates they will eat off of, the glasses they be drinking out of and the flatware they will be using all need to make your customers feel comfortable throughout their dining experience. The colors of the tablecloths and napkins also make an impression, as do the candles you may choose to put on the tables or the vases you choose in which to put fresh flowers.

That is what makes it crucial to consider every detail that a diner might encounter before a plate of food even arrives at the table. If customers are satisfied with their surroundings, their meals may often be more enjoyable, making their entire experience a positive one, and an experience that they will likely return experience again.

That is what makes it crucial to consider every detail that a diner might encounter before a plate of food even arrives at the table.

Getting a customer isn’t nearly as hard as keeping that customer coming back, with friends, and filling the restaurant’s coffers time and time again. If your restaurant sends the wrong message to its diners just as they walk in the door or sit down, they are less likely to return again, and instead of recommending your restaurant to their friends and family, might instead steer them away from the establishment as well, simply because it just didn’t have the right vibe.

Those in the tableware industry, in particular, are acutely aware of this potential stumbling block, and make it their business to make sure their customers get products for their restaurants that are sympatico with its surroundings. They even make it their business to make sure a restaurant’s first impression appeals to the specific type of diners their establishment might regularly attract, be it millennials, baby boomers or those in their golden years.

Attractive Table Presentation is Critical Tena Z. Payne, the owner and designer for Earthborn Studios, Inc., in Leeds, AL, says that the role that table presentation plays before a diner even sits down is “critical.” Customers subconsciously compare their experience to those they’ve had at other restaurants, and you want to be the restaurant that comes out on top, Payne says.

“Attention to plating tells the diner ‘this is a complete thought--start to finish-there’s something special here,’” she says. Earthborn Studios is a company that manufactures and provides unique pottery in the form of restaurant plates, bowls and other tableware.

Payne doesn’t hesitate when asked which piece of tableware makes the biggest impression on diners. “Definitely the plate,” she says, commenting that the plate creates its own sort of frame for a chef’s unique creation. “The plate becomes part of the whole, not competing with the meal, but enhancing the enjoyment of it because there’s more going on to support the main character the food,” Payne says.

So, the weight or texture of the flatware matters.

The way the food looks on a plate matters.

The way a drink looks in beautiful glassware or crystal matters. It’s all part of creating that multi-sensory dining experience.

Make the Experience Memorable Jessica Downs, brand manager for the Oneida Foodservice division of Oneida, Ltd, a major brand in the flatware and tableware industry, believes that you need to put forth a first impression that helps to create a lasting memory of a restaurant long after you leave.

“Dining experiences are all about making lasting memories that will make your guests want to come back again,” Downs says. “Tabletop products are a part of creating that memorable experience. You don’t just taste with your mouth – you taste with all of your senses. So, the weight or texture of the flatware matters.

The way the food looks on a plate matters.

The way a drink looks in beautiful glassware or crystal matters. It’s all part of creating that multi-sensory dining experience.”

She goes on to point out that when tableware choices harmonize and pair with the restaurant’s overall design aesthetic is when you are able to make the biggest and most significant impression on diners. The entire restaurant experience is planned to make an impact, whether striking or subtle, on diners, creating a positive lasting memory that will make them want to return.

“And tableware is a great way to improve that experience,” Downs says.

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Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

Booth #217

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

FRAMING CULINARY ART SINCE 1997 ORIGINAL ORIGINAL ARTISAN ARTISAN STONEWARE STONEWARE WWW.EARTHBORNPOTTERY WWW.EARTHBORNPOTTERY.NET .NET NRA NRA BOOTH BOOTH #11108 #11108

High Opportunity to Impress Joel Nye, marketing director for Hollowick, Inc. in Manlius, NY, has a somewhat different take on how tableware can have an impact on restaurant customers.

“In my opinion,” Nye says, “the average patron will only be subconsciously influenced by tableware, unless it is really special, or really terrible.” But when it comes to flatware and glassware, in particular, Nye sees a more direct association developing.

Nye also highlighted the importance of appropriate table lighting as an essential part of a diner’s first impression on a restaurant, particularly the various benefits of candelight.

“Humans are put at ease by the hypnotic dance of fire,” Nye says. “Candlelight creates a more inviting space and also provides a very flattering light quality. The light position and color of a tabletop lamp are ideal for lighting the human face. Wrinkles & blemishes disappear, skin looks flushed and healthy. Magically, you’re in a better mood.”

He notes that if customers are made to feel more comfortable and more at ease in a restaurant, such as using the allure of “hypnotic” candlelight, then they are more apt to stay longer, more apt to return with friends, and more apt to post pictures on Instagram and other social media websites, getting even more exposure for your restaurant.

Don’t Forget About the Bar The enticing atmosphere of a restaurant bar can also go a long way in enhancing a customer’s dining experience. As famed mixologist Ivy Mix of Leyenda in Brooklyn, NY puts it, “Diners experience a drink first, before they taste it.” Providing them with a beautiful glass and an impressive presentation ensures that that first impression.

Such is the living, breathing, ever-changing experience of running a restaurant, It is, in fact, very much like performing live on stage. All eyes are on everything, and those eyes are expecting you to give them a great experience. So it’s up to you to make sure that all of your restaurant’s concepts dovetail nicely, making sure that your diners are able to feel comfortable and happy right away, without even knowing that they’ve been brought to that place with something as simple as the right candle flame.

“We Eat With Our Eyes” Eric P. Jones, the USA director of foodservice sales for Mauviel USA, a producer of professional chef and restaurant products, has this to say about first impressions at a restaurant.

“We eat with our eyes - presentation and attention to detail set the tone.” How a restaurant makes a guest feel has every bit as much to do with how much they enjoy their experience as does the taste of the food itself, he said. “It’s a social experience.”

When restaurant owners ask for help in picking out tableware arrangements that help to embody the ambience and mood of their restaurant, Jones says it is important to be able to help them manage what a customer experiences from the moment they walk through the front door. “We explain to our restaurants that we have products that will differentiate them from “all of the rest” and add value to the guest experience,” Jones says.

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Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

BusinessFocus: Earthborn Studios, Inc.

T

he universal question is: ‘but will it work for me’? …or some derivative thereof…

Earthborn pottery has been proven in the restaurant industry since 1997. The journey started with a willing chef and a hungry potter who both had something to gain from the relationship.

Earthborn pottery and its process developed over time and yielded a product uniquely situated to custom design. Working one-on-one with the chef, insights to specific functionality can easily be translated into a finished vessel. The collaboration between the two artists yields a personal statement available in no other way.

Here are the reasons Earthborn pottery has achieved so much success for so many: Just like creating successful food, it’s all about the science….

Core Materials Earthborn begins with a custom blend of clay designed for strength and beauty. High in iron content, the clay is fired to maturity at 2400 degrees. When it chips (and it takes a beating to make it chip) it chips dark, disappearing into the natural edge and design of each piece. Vitrification prevents any absorption.

Process Ram press vs casting: When clay is cast, it is dissolved in water and poured into a mold. When Earthborn clay is Ram pressed there is already more material in the vessel because the ratio of clay to water is higher.

Hence the piece is more dense and stronger because of this process.

Glazes Earthborn glazes are the result of years of testing refractory material and its relationship to the clay. These ‘borosilicate’ glazes are extremely hard and withstand the daily use seen in restaurant environments, including the thermal shock of dishwashers and abrasive detergents. High-fired and intrinsically interesting, the glaze and vessel fuse to form a tight bond and beautiful frame for culinary art.

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

Temperature Earthborn pottery is fired twice—bisque and glaze. The final glaze temperature tops out at 2400 degrees. The clay is totally vitrified at this point.

Customization One of the beautiful things about Earthborn pottery is the design attribute availability to the chef/culinary professional. Chefs are artists too, and—rightly so-- want the proper frame for their creations. This is where Earthborn excels. One-on-one collaboration results in a truly unique-to-the-property dining experience.

Made in America A potter since the 1970s, Tena Payne developed Earthborn specifically to make plates for chefs. A coincidental meeting in 1997 led to the creation of tableware for the now-famous Hot and Hot Fish Club.

Now Tena and her family create plating for over 100 properties worldwide. Made in Leeds, Alabama, and housed in a re-purposed watch factory, Earthborn Studios is a Certified Woman-Owned Business.

Satisfaction guaranteed.

Earthborn stands behind their product 100%. If for any reason a customer is unhappy with the product or its performance, Earthborn will replace.

NRA 2018 Booth #11108 Earthborn Studios, Inc. 7575 Parkway Drive Leeds, AL 35094 205-702-7055 (Studio)

www.earthbornpottery.net

Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

“It’s an honor for me to work these plates and I put my reputation on the quality of these great products.”

Chef Timon Baloo Executive Chef/Partner Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill, Miami, Las Vegas, Brooklyn

“I just took inventory and have over 90% of the product I purchased from you 15 years ago.”

Jeff Jackson, The Lodge at Torrey Pines

“Earthborn is the only plate ware I will use at Springhouse.”

Chef Rob McDaniel, Springhouse at Russell Crossroads

“Their handmade quality brings out the beauty of our artisanal fare, and presents our guests with a truly exquisite and delicious experience.”

Chef Daniel Doherty Chef de Cuisine of Duck & Waffle, London

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Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

BusinessFocus: Strahman Valves Products

For ninety years, Strahman Valves has designed and manufactured the bestperforming and highest-quality wash down products in the world. We manufacture and sell a full line of wash down products, including hoses, hose stations, nozzles, water and steam mixing units and hot and cold water mixing units; plus now, we sell some of the best-performing and highestquality pre-rinse nozzles, handles, hoses, risers, goose-neck springs, faucets and our Pivot Pro™, the world’s only pre-rinse ergonomic swivel connector.

KWIK CLEAN 3 Our Kwik Clean 3® is simply the best pre-rinse spray nozzle – proven by having received the NRA’s 2011 Kitchen Innovation™ Award. It is an ultra-low-flow (less than 1 gpm), ultra-high-performance spray nozzle with the world record cleaning time, lowest per nozzle water and sewage use, lowest energy consumption, and it has a 2-year warranty. So, for every Kwik Clean 3® you buy, you’d have to buy three or four of our competitor’s nozzles. Now, that’s real value.

STRAHMAN VARI - SPRAY

We’ve also introduced yet another great pre-rinse nozzle – our VariSpray®. This fantastic nozzle, also a NRA Kitchen Innovation™ Award recipient, allows a user an immediate choice of infinite spray patterns, from a gentle hollow cone to a powerful jet blast, by simply applying different pressure to the trigger.

Simply put, we turned the handle into a high-performing nozzle.

Vari-Spray® has all stainless steel operating parts versus the industry standard plastic and chrome-plated brass. At 1.25 gpm, it uses 12% less water, sewage and energy than the standard nozzle at 1.42 gpm; so it saves about $450 per year in utility costs. And, it’s also warranted for 2 years.

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Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

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Please visit our website at www.strahmanvalves.com to learn more or to order products from our online store.

For more information about Strahman’s products, please call (877) 787-2462, or email strahman@strahman.com.

PRODUCTS HYDROSWIVEL SWEEPER The HydroSwivel Sweeper™ is a multi-functioning cleaning tool for cleaning virtually any surface!

It features all stainless steel and acetal polymer construction, interchangeable tips with varying flow rates, a high-impact thermally protective cover, and comes with a bronze Mini M-70 spray nozzle.

The sweeper uses high-velocity water at normal domestic supply pressures to effectively clean most surfaces with minimal impact. Spray manifold rotates a full 360 degrees, 5.9 GPM at 60 psi, supplied with both 1/214 NPT Female and 3/4 Garden Hose supply connections.

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Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

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cont’d from page 22 40

From Risk to Regulation: How Safe Are Our Food Deliveries These same rules should apply after the product leaves the preparers facility to a third-party transportation or delivery service providing to the enduser public. However, under the FSTA Waiver no one is asking these drivers to wash their hands, keep their vehicle clean, or hold the food to proper temperatures, and these are all troublesome risks to the public. A food preparation facility must maintain the safe condition of your food up to the point of delivery, however upon leaving their doors the responsibility and liability becomes uncertain. If a thirdparty delivery company is not regulating themselves it appears no one else is.

When I asked Jason Foscolo at The Food Law Firm (http://www.foodlawfirm.com/) who bears the responsibility when a food manufacturing or restaurant supplies goods to a thirdparty delivery company that delivers to the end-user, he says “prior to giving the product to the delivery company the highest level of care is the responsibility of the food manufacturer or preparer to create and place food into the stream of commerce in a safe condition.” Foscolo adds that “not my fault are not defenses,” and encourages food preparers to “have strict liability principles and to make the decisions and investment to prepare food properly and also check the product they receive.” Jason was unable to comment on the responsibility after the transfer, so the question becomes who is accountable?

Along with deliveries to homes we are also seeing stand-alone vehicles that pick up food from restaurants and sit on the sides of roads with packaged

hot and cold food to purchase out of vehicle trunks and back seats and these personal vehicles have no effective methods to keep the food refrigerated or heated to the proper temperatures for any length of time.

Without any regulation there are no rules to follow. These scenarios without regulation have increased probability of a foodborne illness, and right now we have no idea where the liability will fall.

In a situation where a restaurant is providing the product and then hands off to a third-party delivery service, and someone becomes ill, we just don’t know if the liability will fall upon the restaurant that provided the food, or the company delivering, or both.

While there is this question of who is responsible, the logic should be; we must modify our current rules or enact new measures to reduce the potential for anyone from becoming ill.

As a foodservice operator you need to consider the risk you may incur when handing your food to a third-party delivery service. Anything can occur after the transfer, from the introduction of allergens, time and temperature failures, introduction of foodborne disease-causing organisms, and chemical transfers. An animal in the vehicle can cause the introduction of a biological or unsanitary hazard. The driver may have poor sanitary and health procedures, The food may fall and open only to be placed back into the containers without anyone’s knowledge. What if your delivery company decides to purposely influence damage to your product to affect a poor result upon your business? This may result from how little you paid cont’d on page 43

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NAMED GLASS POLISHING EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH – Louie’s Wine Dive, Clayton MO

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Our portable glass polisher saves time and effort by ensuring damp glasses get gently polished and dried simultaneously in seconds, eliminating the need for potentially unsanitary hand polishing and reducing breakage. Essential for hotels, caterers, bars, restaurants, event venues and glassware rental companies for whom consistently brilliant glassware is important for maintaining their reputation.

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cont’d from page 40

From Risk to Regulation: How Safe Are Our Food Deliveries them to deliver your food, or how poorly they were treated by your staff during the pickup. In many cases you are risking your business to someone you do not employ or know.

In June of 2017, Gizmodo writer Rhett Jones posts: Couple Claims They Ordered Pizza on UberEats But Received... Oh My God What Is That?! The company said the driver has never had complaints and has a rating of 4.8 out of 5. Had he been plotting this dastardly switcheroo with garbage food for months? Was he just waiting for his moment to ruin the appetites of two customers? 2 The assumption that this cannot not happen may be an irresponsible way to manage the future of your business. Cause to any complaint could be placed on the business that prepared the product, the delivery service, or both. Without a risk assessment on your deliveries you open yourself to the potential of an incident that damages your business reputation.

Delivery of food items have been around for as long as restaurants have been in existence. However, there is a significant difference from where we were ten years ago to where we are in 2018. In the past the practice of delivery to the end-user was more often than not performed by the business itself with the expectation that their own employee has knowledge and maintained all Health Department Regulations. It was normal that a doorbell rings and the person at the door was a representative of the company providing the product you ordered and it can be assumed that this person was being held to the standards of the

company in their compliance to make sure their employee has washed their hands, delivered quickly, and they did not do anything questionable to the product during transfer. Today, the expectation that the person delivering is a direct company employee from where your food came from is no longer real or customary and this changes everyone’s risk. With this in mind, the SFTA ability to waive the FSMA rule on third-party direct to consumer’s food deliveries most certainly increases the potential for foodborne risk because there is no due diligence expectation or Health Department Regulations with these services.

To ease the stress on the food preparation side, concepts are taking hold of software that will streamline online order taking, thus allowing staff to concentrate on the preparation and delivery setup.

When phone calls become tedious and delivering a ticket to the kitchen be comes complicated with staff point of sale there are companies like Ueat https://ueat.io/en/ that allows the ordering process to go from the customer directly to the kitchen. This process takes out two steps with the phone call and order entering process and allows staff to concentrate on the preparation of the delivery. Seeking this type of solution may support your performance and delivery abilities.

With meal kits, food manufacturers that box these items must maintain some of the highest levels of sanitation of machinery and temperature monitoring required in the industry, but a meal kit subscription does not eliminate risk. Placing an order on-line cont’d on page 45

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Visit us at Exhibit 8802 Lakeside Center www.jtmfoodgroup.com

JTM Food Group is an international, multi-segmented, forward-thinking food-processing company still rooted in the same principles of the original butcher shop: quality and value. For four generations, the campus of food professionals at JTM has provided great-tasting, quality foods and the highest level of customer service, both domestically and abroad, to customers who demand the best.

Partnering with JTM means working with some of the industry’s best, including a dedicated team of support professionals. The JTM team will work hand in hand with your operation to make sure your next product rollout is a success. JTM is proud to offer the following services: • Research and Development • In-house Culinary Experts • Sales and Customer Service • In-house Marketing and Graphics Department • Product Distribution and Transportation Stop by JTM booth #8802 in Lakeside Center to learn more about JTM Food Group and sample our new, great tasting products that include Mac & Cheese, Beer Cheese, Hot Honey Sloppy Joe, Hatch Queso Fundido, Cheesy Grits and many more.

Branding for Food Trucks: The Definitive Guide Deciding how to brand your food truck may be the most important decision you’ll face as a food-on-the-go entrepreneur.

A well-branded truck can draw attention to your business all day, every day, everywhere it goes.

Follow our food truck branding guide and your truck will race ahead of your competition.

1. Know Your Brand Start by taking the time to figure out what your brand is.

Please don’t get me wrong – I’m not asking you to make up a brand.

Believe it or not, your brand already exists.

You just need to take the time to refine it and clearly articulate it.

If you’re thinking of starting a food truck business or already have, you probably have a passion for food. I’m guessing you

want to share your unique menu with the world.

You probably also have some sort of personal value system. You might value hard work, honesty, integrity. Maybe you want to help others and make the world a better place with your food.

Whatever your values are – you already have some.

And finally, you have a personality.

You’re rebellious or sweet. Maybe both?

You may be casual, playful or formal. Your personality is uniquely you; and, it already exists.

In order to find your brand, these are the places that you should be looking.

1. Examine your menu and cuisine style – what makes it unique? What foods are you excited to make and share?

2. What values are most important to you that you want to see manifested in your food truck business?

3. And which of your personality traits do

you want to help define your business?

The best brands are authentic brands. They are derived from the actual passions, values and personality traits of the folks who run the business.

So start looking within.

2. Lock it Down with a Mission Statement Now that you generally know your brand, it’s time to make it concrete. All of that research and soul-searching doesn’t get you much if you don’t translate what you’ve learned into a useable form.

Your mission statement should serve as a reminder and a guide for who your business is and what it’s about. Use it as a reference whenever you’re making decisions about your brand.

Your customers should be able to read your mission statement and say, “Yeah, that sounds like them!”

3. Get Professional Design Help You wouldn’t hire a graphic designer to cook for your customers – because they’re

not qualified. If your expertise is food, you probably shouldn’t do your own graphic design.

So, hire a professional to do your design work.

If you’re on a budget but want top-of-theline results, consider crowdsourcing your branding design. Crowdsourced design allows you to choose from dozens of design options for far less than you would spend at a traditional design studio.

Crowdspring helps small business with their branding every day. In fact, with projects for logos, vehicle wraps, websites, social media assets and clothing design, crowdspring is a one-stop food truck design shop.

Katie Lundin is on the customer support team at crowdspring, one of the world’s leading marketplaces for crowdsourced logo design, web design, graphic design, Contact https://www.crowdspring.com and www.crowdspring.com/blog.

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cont’d from page 43

From Risk to Regulation: How Safe Are Our Food Deliveries for a meal kit has a low level of risk from the influence of allergens, chemicals, or pesticides; however foodborne illness from bacteria and viruses remains high when the delivered food is not temperature packaged properly for length of shipment, and/or the package sits outside for any length of time before being refrigerated or cooked.

Shape.com posted in October 2017 asking: Is the Food In Meal Kit Delivery Services Actually Safe to Eat? The articles goes to says “with the overflow of these subscription services, some skeptics are asking about the negative implications—like the environmental impact of packaging and all those boxes piling up in your lobby. Another icky thought: Is the food really kept at a safe, cold enough temperature during transit? 3 Not always, according to Dan Flynn and a Rutgers University study. Researchers placed orders for delivery of 169 meal kits, including entrees of 271 meat items, 235 seafood items, 133 game items, and 39 poultry items.

What the researchers found raised concerns about pathogens, packaging, labeling and cold-chain integrity.

TSU research found the products are likely to be left outside for eight or more hours before they are opened and refrigerated. Only 5 percent require a signature upon delivery.4 With varying outdoor temperatures around the country and delivery times that may not coincide with someone being home, packages that are outside 2 or more hours with internal temperature that end up in the Danger Zone (Between 40 degrees and 140 degrees F) it may be safer to just

throw these items away when you know they have been kept at an unsafe temperature for too long. While safety is of great concern, most delivery recipients have no knowledge of safety zone issues and go on to consume the food no matter the temperature, thus elevating the risk of foodborne illness to themselves, and especially the very young and the very old.

Speaking with Scott Absher, CEO of ShiftPixy.com who saw a need to fix the high turnover rate in the hospitality industry, Scott says “foodborne concerns are built into their core values.”

ShiftPixy offers companies a form of “sharing platform where one client can share employees with another client, all the while being under the employment of ShiftPixy.” ShiftPixy will take “a couple of company people per shift and hire them directly and provide auto insurance, and deliveries can still be provided under the brand name.”

During the hiring stage, ShiftPixy “performs due diligence to adapt the brand and regions curriculum in food safety during the hiring process.” This was a heartening conversation to hear Scott speak about food safety concern and principles as part of ShiftPixy’s everyday process. While third-party is still ShiftPixy’s makeup with their foodservice hiring’s, this is an encouraging model to watch.

A 2016 article: The changing market for food delivery by Carsten Hirschberg, Alexander Rajko, Thomas Schumacher, and Martin Wrulich: Online food-delivery platforms are expanding choice and convenience, allowing customers to order from a wide array of restaurants with a single tap of their mobile phone. cont’d on page 66

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

CHAFING DISH FUEL

SEE WHAT CHEFS WANT!

Visit Our Team at the NRA Show Booth #3784 www.blazeproducts.com

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BusinessFocus: BLAZE Products Tommi Earls Blaze Director of Sales

Tony Pardo

E

International Sales and Export - Manager

xperience and dedicated customer-focus define the business sales team at Blaze Products. Tommi Earls, Director of Sales, and Tony Pardo, International Sales and Export Manager, have cultivated a keen sense of consumer needs and trends in today’s marketplace while acquiring a wealth of knowledge in the chafing dish fuels industry.

Tommi Earls’ 25 years experience in the B2B marketplace exemplifies her skill at build-ing the customer relationships that lead to success. Her direction fuels Blaze’s recent growth and positions the company for an exciting future.

Blaze is trusted worldwide to provide superior chafing dish fuel.

Tony Pardo brings 20+ years of highest quality service, sales, marketing and business development experi-ence to Blaze’s expanding international customer-base. At home in Spanish and Eng-lish, he ensures clients worldwide receive excellent attention and product service.

The Blaze Story Blaze Products is headquartered n Shelbyville, Kentucky, a few miles east of Louis-ville. In production since 1979, Blaze follows the highest quality guidelines and manu-facturing practices and is one of only two full-line canned chafing dish fuel manufac-turers in the USA. In fact, Blaze is the world’s largest exporter of canned heat fuel products, producing them from raw materials produced in the USA. Today, with its impressive product line, Blaze provides consumers the right product choice to meet their chafing fuel needs. Customers expect and rely on Blaze fuels to provide optimum flame and heat spread, increased burn time, constant temperature and competitive prices.

Blaze is the world’s largest exporter of canned heat fuel products, producing them from raw materials produced in the USA

VISIT OUR TEAM AT THE NRA SHOW BOOTH 3784

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The Blaze Way Clean, Green & Safe Blaze products are the first choice of top-quality hotels, resorts, clubs, caterers and res-taurants to heat prepared food for buffets, banquets and catered functions. Safe, relia-ble and even “green” — with environmentally-friendly, plant-based fuels and recycla-ble, seamless cans — Blaze fuels are clean burning, producing no offensive odor. Natural and organic, Blaze fuels are produced using sustainable resources. They’re biodegradable, smokeless, odor-free and non-toxic, producing no harmful emissions.

Manufactured with our clients in mind, Blaze produces chafing dish fuel for all types of warming and portable cooking applications. That kind of consumer interaction leads to unique products, developed in partnership with our customer Chefs.

One such product is Clearwick, the only clear-container wick product on the market. Clearwick’s unique design gives visual inspection of fuel remaining, allowing for planned replacement and the ability to reuse unspent fuel. These unique products combined with a new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, has Blaze well positioned to meet the needs of its customers.

Blaze Product Safety & Quality Food safety tops the list for product manufacturing concerns at Blaze. All Blaze fuels burn hotter and longer, ensuring that the temperature of food served reaches and re-mains at levels safe for consumption.

Underwriters Laboratories verifies Blaze fuel products are manufactured to UL safety requirements. Blaze is also the only chafing dish fuel manufacturer that is ISO 9001 certified, assuring customers of product reliability, quality and consistency in every can. Blaze fuel products are NSF Certified, a label that protects consumers for food, water and goods. And Blaze and its product standards has met Kosher certification inspections.

Fueling Your Needs Contact the Blaze business team —Tommi or Tony today.

Visit Blaze at booth #3784, the website at www.blazeproducts.com,email at customerservice@blazeproducts.com or call Blaze at (502) 633-0650. Find out more on how Blaze can fuel your needs — cleanly, safely and always with the highest quality.

www.blazeproducts.com

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Check out the digital version for easy links and expanded video content. Want to keep receiving the print version? Go to foodfairmag.com and subscribe. It’s easy!

C H I C A G O

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BOOTH ONE RESTAURANT Booth One is a classic Chicago restaurant and social dining scene in the heart of the Gold Coast at the Ambassador Chicago. Drawing inspiration from the legendary restaurant at the former Ambassador East Hotel, there’s not another room like it in all of Chicago. Booth One serves modern American cuisine which is complemented by champagne and contemporary takes on classic cocktails. Eat and drink in this inspired setting or enjoy a delicious meal delivered right to your room.

With a rich history rooted in Chicago’s Jazz Age, Ambassador Chicago is the city’s original boutique hotel dating back to 1926.

Located in the iconic Gold Coast neighborhood, famed Ambassador Chicago has been a destination for film and music celebrities, fashion icons, politicians and travelers from all over world. Since its purchase by Journal Hotels in 2016, a re-imagined Ambassador Chicago with a new restaurant concept by Lettuce Entertain You “Booth One” continues to provide curated and inspiring experiences. A famed hotel with legendary past, rooted in posh neighborhood of Gold Coast, is fashionable spot to see and be seen.

Ambassador Chicago is nestled among stunning mansions in a quiet, gilded neighborhood tucked into the center of the Windy City offering incredible views of Lake Michigan, and with easy access to Chicago’s main shopping boulevard, Michigan Avenue.

Ambassador’s 285 spacious guest rooms and suites are individually furnished with taste and functionality. Over 9,000 sq. ft. of event space, two full bars, screening room and Booth one restaurant are designed to celebrate Ambassador’s history with fresh, timeless look.

www.ambassadorchicago.com - 312-787-3700

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Top 10 of 2017 Top 10 of 2017

Of the nearly 17,000 wines reviewed this year, more than 5,600 rated 90 points or Of the nearly 17,000 wines reviewed this higher on Wine Spectator’s 100-point year, more than 5,600 rated 90 points or scale. From that starting point, we looked higher on Wine Spectator’s 100-point for wines that excelled in four criteria: scale. From that starting point, we looked for wines that excelled in four criteria:

1

From the thousands of bottles tasted by Wine editors in 2017 From theSpectator thousands of bottles tasted quality (based on score), value (price), availability (cases made or imported into quality (based on score), value (price), the U.S.) and, most importantly, a comavailability (cases made or imported into pelling story behind the wine, something the U.S.) and, most importantly, a comwe call the X-factor. Many high-scoring pelling story behind the wine, something we call the X-factor. Many high-scoring

2

1

Duckhorn

Merlot Duckhorn

Napa Valley Three Palms Merlot Vineyard 2014 Napa Valley Three Palms Score 95 Vineyard 2014 Price $98 Score 95 Cases Made 3,170 Price $98 Tasting Note Cases Made 3,170 A powerful red, with conTasting Note centrated flavors of red A powerful red, with conplum, cherry and boysencentrated flavors of red berry that are layered with plum, cherry and boysenplenty of rich spice and minberry that are layered with eral accents. Touches of slate plenty of rich spice and minand cardamom make for a eral accents. Touches of slate complex finish. Drink now and cardamom make for a through 2023. complex finish. Drink now —Kim Marcus through 2023.

Special Designation: —Kim Marcus Highly Recommended Special Designation: Region: Highly Recommended Napa Valley, California Region: Issue Date: Nov. 30, 2017 Napa Valley, California Issue Date: Nov. 30, 2017

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

4

5

4 Casanova di Neri

5Château de St.-Cosme

Brunello di Montalcino Casanova di Neri 2012 Brunello di Montalcino

Gigondas Château 2015 de St.-Cosme Score 95 Gigondas 2015

K

3 Château Coutet

Syrah

K

Barsac 2014 Coutet Château Score 96 Barsac 2014

Issue Date: Aug. 31, 2017

tities and high prices, a reflection of ongoing wines didn’t make the list because of limited quantrends in the greater wine world. –Wine Spectator. tities and high prices, a reflection of ongoing Read the full story and see the top 100 wines of trends in the greater wine world. –Wine Spectator.

2017 at WineSpectator.com Read the full story and see the top 100 wines of 2017 at WineSpectator.com

3

2

Walla Walla Valley Syrah Powerline Estate 2014 Walla Walla Valley Score 95 Powerline Estate 2014 Price $45 Score 95 Cases Made 1,319 Price $45 Tasting Note Cases Made 1,319 A knockout Syrah, precise Tasting Note and impeccably built but exA knockout Syrah, precise plosive with personality. and impeccably built but exSmoky roasted meat and floplosive with personality. ral blackberry aromas comSmoky roasted meat and flobine with bold, supple ral blackberry aromas comflavors of dark plum, pepper bine with bold, supple and licorice. The tannins are flavors of dark plum, pepper big but polished. Drink now and licorice. The tannins are through 2024. —Tim Fish big but polished. Drink now Special Designation: through 2024. —Tim Fish Highly Recommended Special Designation: Region: Highly Recommended Walla Walla Valley, WA Region: Issue 31,WA 2017 WallaDate: Walla Aug. Valley,

by Wine 2017quanwines didn’tSpectator make the list editors because ofin limited

Price $37 Score 96 Cases Made 4,000 Price $37 Tasting Note Cases Made 4,000 This shows the vivid, racy Tasting Note side of Barsac, with streamThis shows the vivid, racy ing flavors of pineapple, yelside of Barsac, with streamlow apple, green plum and ing flavors of pineapple, yelwhite ginger, displaying low apple, green plum and lovely energy from start to white ginger, displaying finish. Ends with enough lovely energy from start to honeysuckle and orange finish. Ends with enough blossom notes to balance the honeysuckle and orange richness. Best from 2020 blossom notes to balance the through 2035. richness. Best from 2020 —James Molesworth through 2035.

Region: —James Molesworth Bordeaux, France Region: Issue Date: Bordeaux, France MarchDate: 31, 2017 Issue March 31, 2017

Score 95 2012 Price $65 Score 95 Cases Made 6,054 Price $65 Tasting Note Cases Made 6,054 Effusive aromas and flavors Tasting Note of raspberry, cherry, floral, Effusive aromas and flavors mineral and tobacco are at of raspberry, cherry, floral, the center of this linear, vimineral and tobacco are at brant red. Well-structured, the center of this linear, vithis offers terrific length on brant red. Well-structured, the sinewy finish. Best from this offers terrific length on 2020 through 2035. the sinewy finish. Best from —Bruce Sanderson 2020 through 2035.

Region: —Bruce Sanderson Tuscany, Italy Region: Issue Date: Tuscany, Italy June 15, 2017 Issue Date: June 15, 2017

Price $43 Score 95 Cases Made 4,000 Price $43 Tasting Note Cases Made 4,000 A textbook version of the Tasting Note brawny side of Gigondas, A textbook version of the this offers a grippy alder bass brawny side of Gigondas, line underneath layers of this offers a grippy alder bass dark currant and fig fruit, line underneath layers of while lots of tobacco, rosedark currant and fig fruit, mary and bay leaf fill in while lots of tobacco, rosethroughout. Muscular and mary and bay leaf fill in energetic, this is built for the throughout. Muscular and cellar. Best from 2019 energetic, this is built for the through 2030. cellar. Best from 2019 —James Molesworth through 2030.

Special Designation: —James Molesworth Highly Recommended Special Designation: Region:Rhône Valley, France Highly Recommended Issue Date: Region:Rhône Valley, France Nov. 30, 2017 Issue Date: Nov. 30, 2017

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53

Top 10 of 2017 Top 10 of 2017

6 6 Domaine Huët Vouvray Demi-SecHuët Le Mont Domaine 2016 Vouvray Demi-Sec Le Mont Score 95 2016 Price $44 Score 95 Cases Made Price $44 2,000 Tasting Note 2,000 Cases Made This tilts toward the flatterTasting Note ing off-dry,the showing Thisside tiltsoftoward flattera plump feel to theshowing core of ing side of off-dry, creamed pear,towhite peach a plump feel the core of and yellow apple fruit. creamed pear, white peach Lovely verbena, and yellow applehoneysuckle fruit. and mineral accents keep Lovely verbena, honeysuckle this balanced and driven, and mineral accents keep with a long finish that lets this balanced and driven, the fruit echo.

Drink now with a long finish that lets through the fruit 2032. echo. Drink now —James through 2032.Molesworth Region: LoireMolesworth Valley, France —James Issue Date: Sept.

30, 2017 Region: Loire Valley, France Issue Date: Sept. 30, 2017

7

8

9

10

7Château Canon-La

8

9

10Château de St.-Cosme

Gaffelière Château Canon-La St.-Emilion 2014 Gaffelière Score 95 2014 St.-Emilion Price $61 Score 95 Cases $61 Made 4,083 Price Tasting Note 4,083 Cases Made This cuts a wide swath, with Tasting Note mouthwatering and This cuts a widetobacco swath, with warm ganache notes leading mouthwatering tobacco and the way, followed by aleading wave warm ganache notes of blackberry thefig, way, followed and by a black wave currant preserves.

Shows reof fig, blackberry and black markable definition already, currant preserves. Shows reeven though the structure is markable definition already, strident.

Tempting now, but even though the structure is just put this in the back of strident. Tempting now, but the Best 2020 just cellar. put this in from the back of through 2035. the cellar. Best from 2020 —James through 2035.Molesworth Region: Bordeaux, France —James Molesworth Issue Date: March 31, 2017 Region: Bordeaux, France

Meyer Cabernet Sauvignon Meyer

Pahlmeyer Chardonnay Pahlmeyer

Napa Valley 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Score Valley 95 2014 Napa Price $70 Score 95 Cases $70 Made 1,200 Price Tasting Note 1,200 Cases Made Strikingly complex and deTasting Note tailed, withcomplex supple, and harmoStrikingly denious blackberry, tailed, with supple,currant, harmoanise, licorice andcurrant, crushed nious blackberry, rock flavors.

Gains depth anise, licorice and crushed while holding focus and perrock flavors. Gains depth sistence.

Drinkfocus now and through while holding per2032. Drink now through sistence.

—James Laube 2032.

Region: —James Laube Napa Valley, California Region: Issue Date: Napa Valley, California Sept. 30, 2017 Issue Date:

Napa Valley 2015 Chardonnay Score 95 2015 Napa Valley Price $75 Score 95 Cases $75 Made 2,500 Price Tasting Note 2,500 Cases Made This offers a gorgeous Tasting Note mouthful of buttery This offers a rich, gorgeous Chardonnay, loaded with mouthful of rich, buttery exotic tropicalloaded fruit, pear, Chardonnay, with melon and pineapple flaexotic tropical fruit, pear, vors.

Impressive for its opumelon and pineapple flalence and silkiness, a nice vors. Impressive for its opucombination.

Drinkanow lence and silkiness, nice through 2022.—James Laube combination.

Drink now Special Designation: through 2022.—James Laube Highly Special Recommended Designation: Region:Recommended Napa Valley, CA Highly Issue Date: JulyValley, 31, 2017 Region: Napa CA

Sept. 30, 2017

Issue Date: July 31, 2017

Gigondas 2015 Château de St.-Cosme Score 95 2015 Gigondas Price Score $43 95 Cases Made 4,000 Price $43 Tasting Note4,000 Cases Made A textbook version of the Tasting Note brawny sideversion of Gigondas, A textbook of the this offers a grippy alder bass line brawny side of Gigondas, this underneath layers of darkline curoffers a grippy alder bass rant and fig fruit, while lots of underneath layers of dark curtobacco, and bay rant and rosemary fig fruit, while lots of leaf fill inrosemary throughout. tobacco, and Muscubay lar energetic, this isMuscubuilt leafand fill in throughout. for the cellar.

Best from 2019 lar and energetic, this is built through 2030.Best from 2019 for the cellar.

—James through 2030.Molesworth Special—James Designation: Molesworth Highly Recommended Special Designation: Region:Recommended Rhône Valley, France Highly Issue Date: Region: Rhône Valley, France Nov. 30, 2017 Issue Date:

Click here to March read the full story on the top 100 wines of 2017 at WineSpectator.com Nov. 30, 2017 Issue Date: 31, 2017 Click here to read the full story on the top 100 wines of 2017 at WineSpectator.com

Oaxaca Text & photos by Chris Gudenzi.

Oaxaca did not produce the first Mole, at least that is the official story. There are several.

The most common story is that it first occurred in Puebla as the nuns scrambled to prepare a feast for the visiting Spanish dignitaries back in the early 1500’s and there are several regions having made the dish for centuries but it’s Oaxaca that has laid claim to the sauce today. Mole was made in pre-Hispanic times and was the basic “roux” of the kitchen with corn as the staple and added to that in general fruit, chili pepper, chocolate, nuts and spices like black pepper, cinnamon and cumin.

Fascinating is to navigate the kitchens of Oaxaca, speaking with local chefs about the cultural involvement in food over time.

Yes, it is the year round abundance of agriculture, over 500 species of herbs and edible plants. Yes it is the pre-Hispanic and the colonial cultures coming together to create a dish that we can consider the first true New World international, but it was the dedication which the families put forward in presenting a mole feast and specific to that, how very individual each dish can be based on one family secret in one barrio, valley or region. The children, particularly the girls and women, are taught the craft early on and indeed some have carried it forward to a successful restaurant operation in Oaxaca today.

I sat down and spoke with two such Oaxacan women, Chef Pilar Cabrera of La Olla and Chef Celia Florián of Quince Letras who both learned from their mothers and grandmothers in the home from a young age.

The transition from using to the metate and the molcajete for grinding spices has been recent as high production kitchens, a relative term, have moved to mechanical means for creating authentic mole, sauces and tortillas. But nothing is lost in the process that I can easily attest to here and now. The traditional tools of the trade are still in use of course and some will say that the molcajete that has been in a family for over a hundred years will impart flavor since the stone is volcanic and will absorb that which it is used for. Makes sense.

I also sit down with Jaime Muñoz the owner of Las Danzantes, who also operates a thriving Mezcal distillery. He offers a mix of traditional fare as well as a few fusion dishes such as linguine with salted quelites (any common in season herb but mostly Amaranthus hybridus orLamb’s Quarters) and octopus in creamy pumpkin flower sauce. His indoor/outdoor dining space is simply phenomenal with 10 meter adobe brick walls surrounding a space planted with trees and a pond. Re-purposed kitchen appliances are crushed and made into sculpture which give a hip feel to the dining space.

If you are considering introducing Oaxacan cuisine on your menu, certainly go there. It’s easy and just over an hour’s flight to

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the south from Mexico City. You need to taste for yourself, from the source to have an accurate benchmark of taste.

The actual production of Mole is a process that takes a full day prior, then rests overnight and served the next day. A second day of resting is encouraged I’m told.

The kitchens I visited had distinct, sometimes subtle, differences in craft. The textures and spices of a mole Poblano smothered over Pacific Snapper or a mole Negro over chicken where evident in both density and texture but both were exquisite, sublime in their own way.

I was charmed by the honest simplicity the Sopa Campesino, or Peasant’s Soup. This lively and fresh tasting soup has its history of the country side, a farmer’s meal that is harvested that day using what was growing around the corn fields and now also found on the Oaxacan menu being consumed by urban foodies from around the world. A lot of vegetation is left growing in and around corn fields since these growth plants provide nutrients to the maize. As the cultivation of corn originates in Mexico, it’s been that way for thousands of years.

No discussion on Mexican cuisine is complete without the inclusion of insects. A bit salty and a crunchy texture of the chapulines or grasshoppers. They are roasted and either left whole for garnish as on a Mezcal cocktail, or ground as a key ingredient numerous dishes. I ventured into the realm of escamoles or ant larvae, which commands a high price in certain areas of the world and is known as “insect caviar”. I enjoyed them sauteed with onion and epazote, an herb native to southern Mexico and the Americas.

Visiting Oaxaca Of course Oaxaca, both city and state, is a fine destination in and of itself. I was immediately charmed by its Cantera rock, a volcanic regional stone used in construction of buildings and sidewalks. This green stone ages beautifully and changes hue as the sun crosses the sky and when the afternoon rains fall, takes on a reflective luminescence that seems to convert the town into a gleaming emerald. It is solidly built in an earthquake prone area. (The quake of Sept. 17 this year had little impact.)

It gained recognition as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1987. The area has evidence of habitation going back some 12,000 years with a modern history dating about 1,500 years and it could easily be older from what I gather. The city of Oaxaca was founded by the Spanish in 1529.

It rests geographically in the center of several pre-Hispanic Mayan and Aztec cultures, from the south extending to Guatemala and to the north into the Yucatan and Mexico City creating an ebb and flow of cultural influences. In the pre-Columbian era, over the years there was a succession of peoples – Olmecs, Zapotecs and Mixtecs with populations rising as high as 1.5 million in the Oaxacan valley.

The land of Oaxaca is situated in mountainous terrain averaging 6,300ft. (Most of Mexico, we may forget is predominantly a nation at elevation.) This acted to isolate Oaxaca State for some time, preserving local traditions. In fact in the countryside today 50% of the population speaks a native tongue and does not speak Spanish at all. Customs and traditions are evident everywhere and it is refreshing to glimpse a non-touristic and preserved culture in the Zocalo, or main square, as the sun sets, the air cools and the locals outnumber the tourists 3 to 1 with children playing, youth gathering and musicians, of course, playing into the night.

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nterview with Las Quince Letras chef and owner Celia Florián to get her views on the influence of geography and culture on Oaxacan cuisine.

Chef Celia Florián.

Destination: Oaxaca

Chris Gudenzi: How many generations does your family go back?

Chef Celia: Florián: I arrived here when I was eight years old. I originally learned to cook from my mom and grandma. And they used to be traditional cooks. And they pushed me around to cook and that is how I learned to cook. I didn’t take formal studies; no formal classes. I learned from the practice. I inherited all this knowledge from my family.

Chris: When was your first interest in food?

Chef Celia: Since I was a child, I was being trained to cook because in Oaxaca it is the custom that women are trained to cook, it’s their work and ever since I was young, I have been introduced to the kitchen because my grandma and mom will tell me that it is very important that as a woman, I need to learn how to cook.

Chris: So you were trained as a mayora and were taught the family secrets, passing down the family traditions of the special meals including the mole variations.

Chef Celia: Yes, usually in the kitchen you have the mayora which is the one in charge of the ancient techniques and the way of cooking that has been inherited from past generations. And also besides the mayora, there is a chef which is the one that has more technique, that has the formal studies on cooking but there is always a mayora that is in charge of traditional methods of cooking, so both are used.

Chris: Do you think it’s possible to send someone to a formal school like a culinary institute to train in the Oaxacan art of cuisine or is the mayora critical in order to get the cuisine right?

Chef Celia: There is a mayora and the regular cooks and when they have to do this traditional way of cooking, they depend on her, the mayora. They advise in other regions of the country as well. However, though the mayora is advising on Oaxacan cooking they also have the knowledge of all regions and also has to

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have been in the kitchen for a long time so that she can lead her kitchen. She can lead on the traditional food and she can lead a formal and commercial kitchen to prepare the food because she has a higher position than the traditional cook.

Also, Oaxaca is in the Valley region, so this region of the state is called the valley region because it is surrounded by mountains, but the other regions in the state; the wetlands, the coast, the mountains have their unique cuisines. And in this kitchen, the mayora has been trained on other ways of cooking from other regions. So when you go to a traditional Oaxacan restaurant, you find food from the valley region which is the most common or the most well-known but some of the restaurants also prepare food from other regions…but usually you’ll find food from the valley region.

Chris: Because of these particulars, do you believe it is possible to offer Oaxacan cuisine in the US? I ask because there is too much involved, to the geography, the training, the fresh ingredients, the mayora’s themselves?

Chef Celia: For starters you will need Oaxacan people preparing the food because they know how to prepare it.

But another big challenge there is the suppliers because you need to… in order to prepare you need a lot of herbs. Like here we use a lot of herbs for the kitchen and many of these herbs you do not find in other places because they don’t use them in their kitchen. So you will need a supplier that can get you all of these. You will need to find certain pieces of meat in some places in the United States, and once you do you will need somebody to cut it the way it is cut here, like a butcher and it has to be done with the hand not with the machine. So you will need someone to do all this for you.

1. Malbec, Nebiolo, Syrah, 2011, Aguascalientes, Mexico.

2. Starter: Quesillo de las Quince Letras, Herba Santa and ground grasshopper - Chapulines 3. Main: Mole Trilogy Trilogia de Mole...Coloradito. Almendrado Chicken, Negro 4. Dessert: Tamal de Chocolat

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Chris: So it is impossible to do it in many ways, it’s impossible to train it in a school. So you have to come to Oaxaca is that pretty much it?

Chef Celia: It’s not impossible, there are Oaxacan restaurants in all places in the world. There’s a restaurant in Madrid, another restaurant in Copenhagen with some Mexican restaurant that they have some Oaxacan dishes and other restaurants in other places so it’s possible, it’s just complicated.

Chris: What do you think are the special elements of what makes Oaxacan cuisine what it is today. This city is considered the food capitol of Mexico, what do you think are the main reasons for that title? You have the Oaxacan herbs that you mentioned, some 500 of them and then you have pre-Hispanic influence around this cuisine…

Chef Celia: For me, one of the main elements that

Continues on page 66

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Chris Gudenzi, Food Fair: where did you grow up?

Chef Pilar Cabrera : I grew up here in Oaxaca. I was born here.

Chris: When did you start La Olla?

Chef Pilar: We started 23 years ago.

Chris: 23 years ago, that’s a long time.

Chef Pilar: Yeah but we started with just four tables and not like a restaurant but like a cafeteria and then we started to change after years.

Destination: Oaxaca

Chris: Has it been in this location?

Chef Pilar: Yes, same location.

Chris: Where did you train?

Chef Pilar: I studied originally food science and I’ve been in Mexico City working as well.

Chris: Okay.

Chef Pilar: And I used to do food science and after this I come back to Oaxaca and when I come back to Oaxaca I start the cafeteria, this family business.

When I started the business, restaurant business, I took some short cooking courses in Mexico City, some in New York and then I continued working in the business but basically I learned from my grandmom.

Chris: Nice.

Chef Pilar: Also my mom and then for a business restaurant I learn in here.

Chris: And you learned as you went along as the restaurant progressed you learned also how to run the business?

Chef Pilar: Yeah, yeah.

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Chris: Okay and so in other words your mother was a big influence.

Chef Pilar: Yeah and my grandmother.

Chris: And your grandmother, which brings me to the kitchen and the use of meyoras. How important is that in today’s modern Oaxacan kitchen, the use of meyoras versus somebody who goes off and gets formal training at an institute and comes back to Oaxaca and wants to open up an Oaxacan restaurant. Is it very necessary to have a meyora in the restaurant today? What do you think about that?

Chef Pilar: Of course I have a meyora in the restaurant. I have had for many years at the beginning. We have just women in the staff and one of them is like my life training with the grand mom and mom.

When I train I train about sanitation programs, etc, but flavors you need to know, you need to feel. The students, new students, new generation maybe they started in a culinary school in Oaxaca. But part of our roots here is to feel the flavors. We have all of these women that never receive a formal training and I say okay you want to….

Chris: It’s like a family secret in a way.

Chef Pilar: Yeah.

Chris: Because people of different families make different moles because Oaxacan cuisine is a highly nuanced cuisine, yes?

Chef Pilar: Yes it is.

Chris: It’s very specific and so this is why.

Chef Pilar: But I am sure for women in this kind of work it is very important in a lot of kitchens because most of them making the production aren’t

1. Ensalate, cactus, watercress, purslane, tomato, mexicola avocado with eadible skin, dried oaxacan chili, strawberry, blackberry, oax cheese 2. Mole Verde with Red Snapper, Red Cabbage, Green Beans, Aromatic Herbs 3. Zoppa de Guias with Zucchini Flowers 4. Panna Cotta de Mame with Coffee Syrup and Chocolate from Tabasco

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just involved with the final product. But for the flavors, the flavors for making the sauce I have two different staff in the kitchen and they are women, most of the time.

Chris: Yes Chef Pilar: And they do production and another people working in the afternoon because the problem here is transportation. We don’t have a lot of transportation to go back to home. More of them are single and they work just in the morning and then come back at home and care for the children.

Chef Pilar Cabrera

Chris: Oaxaca has a great deal of biodiversity it has some four or five hundred plant species which is attributable to the excellent cuisine here, it also has a history of a trading route, it has pre Hispanic influence all of these things come into play. Could you talk a little bit about that how all the availability of fresh ingredients, the history of this location and how Oaxaca has become really an internationally known hub for cuisine today.

This is a very small and it’s a relatively isolated community in southern Mexico about an hour from Mexico City by air and yet now people come from all corners of the world to experience the food here and in fact it’s wonderful it’s an amazing cuisine.

So I’m trying to get at really the bottom… where this really all started from I mean pre Hispanic culture, the trade routes, the biodiversity I guess it all came together to create what this is today.

Chef Pilar: I’m sure part of the secret we have in our food is the freshness of the ingredients.

Here every day we stop in the market, we get ingredients, we come back and cook it.

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Chris: Every morning?

Chef Pilar: Every morning and we have a lot of locals who supply us the squash blossom for example and we have a lot of ingredients during the whole year. Right now grasshoppers are here, we have this small grasshopper and we have grasshoppers until November. hris: Yes Chef Pilar: But in November is the big ones (grasshoppers) are now but you need to try the small ones, they are delicious, we have ants we have a lot of…

Chris: You have ants yes.

Chef Pilar: But ants we have in a very, very short time maybe two weeks in the year.

Chris: And these are wild ants or…

Chef Pilar: yeah they are wild and grasshoppers are wild also.

Chris: Interesting.

Chef Pilar: And one of these ingredients when you combine in different mixtures we have a great flavors and a great food. We have seasonal ingredients like the insects but at the same time right now is the start of mushrooms.

Chris: Mushrooms.

Chef Pilar: Mushrooms and they start maybe a month with the wild mushrooms.

Chris: So June, July.

Chef Pilar: Yeah but we don’t change the menus a lot like in another part of the world because always we have the same…

Cont’d on page 65.

Chef Pilar Cabrera.jpg

La Olla Restaurant.

Chris: A lot of consistency in the…

Chef Pilar: And the price is a little consistent like the squash blossom people surprised for and other parts of the world stop in Oaxaca and get the squash blossom so we have squash blossoms during the whole year and we use in different recipes.

Chris: Wonderful.

Chef Pilar: Yeah.

Chris: So the impressionist painters went to nature to be inspired to paint the light.

Chef Pilar: Yeah.

El Cocktail de Hector: Serrano, Ginger, Agave Syrup, Lime, Young Mezcal

Chris: Creating cuisine is what to you, is it art, is it science, is it cultural anthropology what is really producing this food and cuisine what does it really come from for you?

Chef Pilar: I think in Oaxaca for me is colors just to walk around the city, you walk through the market and all of these colors and ingredients invoke you to come back and you cook something delicious.

We have supermarkets but most of the people from Oaxaca never get ingredients in the supermarket, always is in the market and just a walk in the market is inspiration for all of us.

Chris: Yes…You’re a woman restaurant owner.

Chef Pilar: Yeah.

Chris: What would you tell other ladies and men as well; new restaurateurs about the first few years about what they should know from the start in order to build a great restaurant. Because as you know many of our readers are restaurant people and most of them own restaurants or shops and many of them are students as well and they’re going to be very interested and they need to get all of the information they can so…

Chef Pilar: I’m sure for…during many, many years my

grand mom, my mom and other women cooking at home and all of these women teaching man, how man decides to go to the culinary school is influenced from the house. About the restaurant business, for women it is a little hard because in Mexico we have another culture and pure men want to give women directions. This is a little hard.

Chris: This is a part of Latin culture.

Chef Pilar: Yeah, this is very, very hard. I have a sous chef now is a man.

Chris: Yes. Chef Pilar: But I have good communication with him.

Chris: Great.

Chef Pilar: In the kitchen I feel more comfortable with the women because we know better how we work together.

Chris: You’re on the same page more or less.

Chef Pilar: Yeah, yeah.

Chris: I just wanted to ask you a couple of quick little fun things at the end. Do you like cats or dogs?

Chef Pilar: I have cats and dogs. (laughing) Chris: You have cats and dogs?

Chef Pilar: In my house I have two and two.

Chris: Two and two wow animal lovers that’s great, beer or wine?

Chef Pilar: Wine.

Chris: Mezcal or tequila?

Chef Pilar: Mezcal of course!

Chris: Exactly, favorite guilty pleasure? It could be a TV show it can be ice cream at night it could be anything what’s your…do you have guilty pleasure?

Chef Pilar: Mezcal We both laugh…

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Jamie Munoz, Owner

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Destination: Oaxaca

Los Danzantes I am here with Jaime Munoz, Owner of Los Danzantes Restaurant in Oaxaca.

Chris Gudenzi: Welcome Jaime Jaime Munoz: Thank you Chris Chris: Where are you from?

Jaime: I am from Mexico City.

Chris: How long have you owned the restaurant?

Jaime: 15 years.

Chris: What does the restaurant name translate to?

Jaime: Los Danzantes means The Dancers.

Chris: This is not a traditional Oaxacan Kitchen, or is it?

Jaime: Oh it is in many regards. We use local fresh ingredient in traditional dishes.

What we do also that is different is add modern twists to traditional foods.

I am always on the lookout for new ingredients and creative combinations.

For example, we have a family living in the hills nearby that collect mushrooms for us. We have some 7 varieties and most are available year round.

This availability of quality means creative inspiration for new dishes.

We use winged ants when in season and of course grasshoppers.

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1. Ant larvae - escamoles -sauteed with onion and epazote 2. Mushroom crusted chicken breast stuffed with quesillo and pumpkin blossom in a salsa de chintextla 3. Melted quesillo huarche, nopal base, huitlacoche, grasshopper and pork rind 4. Vermicelli with avocado, chiapas cheese, cream, onion and coriander 5. Tostadas de tartar of tuna 6. Catch of the Day from Puerto Angel with Amarillo Mole

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“...we have a family living in the hills nearby that collect mushrooms for us. We have some 7 varieties and most are available year round.”

Chris: I haven’t yet tried the ants. I have enjoyed the grasshoppers in both the cocktails and in a wonderful Oaxacan cheese appetizer. It is ground and mixed with ground chili and herbs, it was heaven.

Jaime: Yes that is quite traditional. We are always in search of creative elements and combinations, but also maintain moles and other dishes you would expect to find here.

Chris: This dining room is a beautiful space. We have a bar facing the tables, standing sculptures also, explain these please?

Jaime: Here we take old pots and pans and crush them partially and then weld them together into what you see here. I like to think each pot and pan has a thousand stories to tell.

Chris: Interesting. I am looking at the number of pots and pans used, there must a few thousand tales within them. They have a wonderful look.

Jaime: Thank you.

Chris: The dining space is outdoor with a stylish canopy 25 feet above. It has a 30 foot pool on one end. The entire room is surrounded with 20 foot high brick walls that create something special I think. It is very pleasant to sit here.

Thank you, yes we like to use all local materials in the space. The walls are adobe brick, the chairs are of local straw materials. The stoneware is local as well. I try to establish a special authentic dining experience.

Chris: It works. Thanks Jaime!

Jaime: Enjoyed it, thanks.

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

65

Destination: Oaxaca

Cont’d on page 57.

explains Oaxacan cuisine is the cultural identity. We have been able to keep it alive. You can see in parts, the Oaxacan young boys and girls, how they are being taught the traditional dances and there are some communities in Oaxaca where children are very young and they don’t even know how to read yet but they know how to read musical notes and play instruments. So this cultural identity is very much alive and is an element of everything we do. Since we were children, we were being taught not only to taste but how to buy herbs, ingredients in the markets.

Chris: …and there is the local history…

Chef Celia: Mainly it is a cultural aspect that our ancestors bring, that we bring genetics, that inheritance.

Genetics is mainly considered the base of corn, corn was developed in Oaxaca. I believe that Oaxaca is so important to Mexico. Because in Guilanati a few meters from La Coruña, Oaxaca very close to there, it is the cradle of where the origin of corn and pumpkin is for more than 10,000 years. So, we are genetically tied, our Zapotec, Mixtec culture and a number of ethnic groups, we have corn in our blood, so we think that it has a lot to do with the culture and we preserve the flavors at the time of cooking, the traditions.

Another thing that is important is to make a market menu, go to the market and be in agreement with the time that is in the place of cooking.

It is a menu that you can find in the market, the edible flowers, quelites by season of rain, insects is what you cook. (quelites are any of a number of different plants commonly eaten in Mexico for their leaves, as leaf vegetables or herbs.)

Chris: Does the menu change daily?

Chef Celia: We have a menu that changes every day. What I love about Oaxaca is the fresh markets. I go to the big market every Tuesday and Friday. This is an important market which carries everything. There are suppliers that brings sea food like fresh Titus straight from the ocean direct to Oaxacan restaurants. Also, my husband goes to the market every day to get basics.

Chris: So, the inspiration to create the market menu comes from the people working in the market?

Chef Celia: When I am working in the market and I see the ingredients I can get excited for example when I see something for the first time in season.

Chris: Yes. Chef Celia: This is my favorite season of the year because it is the rainy season and there are many more ingredients available. That is, May, June, July. You find edible flowers, ants, mushrooms, and in the rainy season the grasshoppers are very small which is how they are preferred. Maguey worms too.

Chris: The Americans will have this farm to table movement for fresh food. Of course in Oaxacan cuisine this is a natural. It’s always been available.

Chef Celia: It is a way of life. It is why I am here. I am a representative for helping develop the slow food movement…producing from fresh, local suppliers. It was like this all my life and I am trying to keep this alive.

Chris: So these herbs grow wild in the area, around the corn or field…

Chef Celia: Yes, they do but they also provide a lot of nutrients to the corn because the corn needs nutrient to grow. So like the chili and the beans, they complement each other.

Chris: Very synergistic. And these herbs and vegetables that grow around the corn fields are the basis of the sopa campesina soup – the chiles, tomatoes, epazote, pumpkin flower, of course corn, and so on…

Chef Celia: that’s right.

Chris: Fantastic, love that soup!

What about the seven moles?

Chef Celia: So, the seven moles that are known for Oaxaca I think is more like a marketing technique, because there are more than seven moles in Oaxaca. It is not even defined. I was invited to an event out of town in the valley region. I had green mole but it’s not from the Zapotec people, but from the Mixtec people, which is another people that lived in the region. They each make

a green mole but they are different.

So they can have the same name but they are different.

Mole is word that means thick sauce made of chili.

The mole was prepared here by the pre-hispanic people and it was a sauce made thick by corn. But when the Spanish first arrived they brought with them ingredients from Asia, from Europe and from other areas of the world. They brought these products and they became a part of the foundation of not just Oaxacan but Mexican cuisine. This fusion, the way the indigenous prepared the food with the ingredients of the Europeans is what makes for modern Mexican cuisine.

Chris: And of course at that same time, so much food was introduced to the world from Mexico.

Such as the tomato, cacao, avocado, corn, chili, vanilla banana, lime, orange…the list is long.

So, when was the restaurant established?

Chef Celia: It was established in 1992. So, this is going to be the 25th anniversary.

Chris: Congratulations Chef Celia: It will be in December 25th Chris: What is the meaning of the name?

Chef Celia: The name Las Quince Letras has fifteen letters in it. That’s a name that has come from revolution times in the beginning of the 20th Century. It was a reference point for meeting people…meet me at las quince letras. So we wanted to keep that bit of history alive.

Chef Celia:Florián Are there any cuisines in the world you keep an eye on?

Chef Celia: I like Italian, Spanish and also Argentine and Peruvian cuisine. I just returned from the World Street Food Congress in the Philippines where most of the food was from Asia, only some from the US and Mexico. I go there every year.

Chris: Chef Celia Florián thanks so much, I enjoyed this.

Chef Celia: Thank you Chris!

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Food Fair & Foodserivice Daily News

Spring 2018 NRA Issue I www.foodfairmag.com

cont’d from page 45

From Risk to Regulation: How Safe Are Our Food Deliveries The business of delivering restaurant meals to the home is undergoing rapid change as new online platforms race to capture markets and customers across the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Although these new Internet platforms are attracting considerable investment and high valuations—already, five are valued at more than $1 billion—little real knowledge about market dynamics, growth potential, or customer behavior exists.

Research from McKinsey, based on a six-month study covering 16 countries around the globe, provides insight into this fast-changing market. Worldwide, the market for food delivery stands at 102 billion US Dollars, or 1 percent of the total food market and 4 percent of food sold through restaurants and fastfood chains. It has already matured in most countries, with an overall annual growth rate estimated at just 3.5 percent for the next five years. 5 The 20th Annual Food Safety Summit will be in session beginning May 9, 2018. On April 3, 2018, Food Safety News posted an article about the AFSS related to the new FSMA requirements specifically dealing with plant operations: This article included: “there is uncertainty as to what rules applies, what guidance should be followed, and where agency jurisdiction ends. This situation has created an almost dysfunctional regulatory situation for some operators. It’s somewhat of a conundrum for industry to understand who regulates, what they regulate, how they regulate, and when they regulate.

Throw in state regulations and authorities, and the recent Department of Justice interpretation that guidance documents are not enforceable, and it is easy to see the complexity of the situation.” 6

Where will we go from here is a question all of us must deliberate upon. The reduction of risk with the implementation of oversight in deliveries is a matter of great importance to the health and safety of us all, as well as, the protection of our businesses. If we do not rethink our packaging methods,the person that receives the product for delivery, how the product is handled during transfer including temperature controls, and cleanliness and other items in the vehicle, we will be adding great risk to ourselves and increasing foodborne illness cases across the region. If you agree that regulation of deliveries is not sufficient, now is the time to talk about this.

Reference List 1.

FSMA Final Rule on Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food https://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FSMA/ucm38376 3.htm 2.

Couple claims they ordered pizza on UberEats but received… https://gizmodo.com/couple-claims-they-ordered-pizza-onubereats-but-receiv-1795873832 3.

Shape October 2017 https://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/meal-ideas/food-safetyconcerns-meal-kit-delivery-services 4.

Dan Flynn and a Rutgers University study http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2017/05/research-shows-foodsafety-gaps-in-home-delivery-meal-kits/#.Wrpp0-jwaM_ 5.

McKinsey&Company in November 2116 By Carsten Hirschberg, Alexander Rajko, Thomas Schumacher, and Martin Wrulich https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/high-tech/our-insights/the-changing-market-for-food-delivery 6.

A conundrum: Multi-agency jurisdiction and rules under FSMA http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/04/a-conundrum-multiagency-jurisdiction-and-rules-under-fsma/#.WsO0NIjwa70

Jim Lopolito Food Fair Business Editor & President Lopolito Hospitality Consultants, Corp www.LopolitoHospitalityConsultants.com Jim.lopolito@gmail.com (845) 238-8131

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Booth #2484

For more information, please visit https://www.strahmanvalves.com/store/hydroswivel-sweeper.html

Visit us at NRA Show 2017 Booth #2484 for .a live product demonstration!

Pivot Pro™ Swivel Connector Super-Reinforced Armor-Clad Hoses 36" and 44" standard lengths

Kwik Clean 3® Pre-Rinse Nozzle

Vari-Spray® Pre-Rinse Nozzle

The Strahman Family of Pre-Rinse Products Includes: pre-rinse spray nozzles, handles, hoses, goose neck springs, risers, hose reels, and Pivot Pro™ swivel connectors. Designed for use in restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, and all commercial kitchens, food serving and food preparation applications.

Rubber-Insulated, All Stainless Steel Pre-Rinse Handle

Pre-Rinse Hose Reel

Strahman Valves, Inc.  (484) 893-5080  strahman@strahman.com  www.strahmanvalves.com