Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News - August 2016 by Ishcom Publications

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P A C I F I C / P R A I R I E August 2016 | Vol. 22 | No. 4

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Culinary couple open two new eateries By Kristen Smith

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CALGARY — Restaurateurs Dwayne and Alberta Ennest are turning their focus to vegetarian cuisine at their new restaurant, but they are not exactly kicking meat to the curb. “We’re kicking it out front,” Alberta said. In addition to White Rose Vegetarian Kitchen, which opened at 6512 Bowness Road NW in mid-July, the husband and wife team also opened The Coal Shed Smoke House. The barbecue joint is housed outside of the restaurant in a shipping container equipped with a woodfired smoker and a separate kitchen. The Ennests met while working at River Café in the late ’90s, Dwayne as the executive chef and Alberta as front of house manager. The couple opened their first restaurant about 15 years ago, Diner Deluxe. Over four years, they also opened four more food businesses. The Ennests still own and operate Open Range and Big Fish. A decade since opening a new foodservice establishment, Dwayne joked they were rusty and forgot how much hard work it takes to open a new restaurant. White Rose is named after a gas station that occupied the property in the 1950s. The 2,200-square-foot space most recently housed an auto body shop. Renovations were extensive, including new floors, walls, plumbing and electrical. A new garage door was installed, a nod to the building’s past tenants, a theme Alberta kept in mind while designing the restaurant with a vintage feel in an effort to fit into the historic neighbourhood. Owning a vegetarian restaurant is something that has always appealed to Alberta, a vegetarian herself. “We really wanted to showcase a satisfying experience without meat on the plate. Given our other concepts, most particularly our steak-

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EDIBLE MARGINS Alberta and Dwayne Ennest. Photo by Shannon Johnston. house concept, it was a nice branching out into some territory that we haven’t explored very much prior,” said Alberta. “I just really wanted to bring something new and exciting into the Calgary food scene and take advantage of Dwayne’s unique ability to create vibrant dishes with interesting ingredients.” As a well-rounded omnivore, Dwayne’s intention was to create a menu that would satisfy diners regardless of their dietary preference.

The menu includes a selection of $12 dishes, such as crispy halloumi cheese, three-onion marmalade, yuzu oil and whole grain crisps, as well as $18 options, including blackened tofu, rocket, chickpeas, fresh coriander, pickled radish with tamarind coconut broth; and crispy yellow beet risotto cake, radicchio, pluot plum, goat cheese and almond harissa.

PAYING ATTENTION TO COSTS WILL hAVE YOU PAYING LESS fOr INGrEdIENTS

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Honeycomb.ai app helps diners find allergen-free meals VANCOUVER — A diagnosis of ulcerative colitis has led to the creation of an artificial intelligencebased chef capable of highlighting possible allergens in restaurant menus. After receiving the diagnosis, Tamir Barzilai, a Vancouver-based restaurant consultant and marketer, found it difficult to pinpoint which menu items would aggravate his condition. “I found myself not really knowing where to go or what to eat,” Barzilai said. “I knew there were so many places to eat, but I would have to do a lot of manual work to find them.” To simplify his search, Barzilai has created Honeycomb.ai, a mobile app that breaks down the ingredients in menu items as a way to identify allergens. The beta version of Honeycomb launched in Vancouver in August as a web application.

“Once we have some results and feedback, we will put it into an iOS and Android version,” he said, adding the app will be introduced to more major Canadian cities following beta testing. Honeycomb offers two levels of restaurant involvement. The free option allows a restaurateur to post 30 menu items and ingredients on the app. The app’s virtual chef is then able to analyze the ingredients to pull keywords and flag potential allergens. The system is about 75 per cent correct in its analysis of a restaurant’s menu, and the results are not posted as “verified” by Honeycomb. For $29 a month, the menu is analyzed and physically verified by Honeycomb. Restaurant owners are also able to post unlimited items and get access to a dashboard for modifications to their offerings. Restaurants are required to have an average of

three stars on popular review sites before becoming eligible for Honeycomb. For consumers, creating an account and searching for allergen-free meals is free of charge. “It’s a huge help from the service side for restaurants,” Barzilai said. “It’s almost like extending your customer service reach to have a 24-7 person work for you.” The menu-centric app may also be used as a marketing tool for restaurants. By asking its users their preferred menu items, as well as items they avoid, restaurants are able to market to a specific customer base. “The way restaurant marketing is today is like throwing something out of an airplane and hopefully finding your target from 30,000 feet in the air,” Barzilai said. “With Honeycomb, with precision you can make sure that package is hitting the target.”

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Beau’s goes national By Bill Tremblay VANKLEEK HILL, Ont. — Beau’s All Natural Brewing is marking its 10th anniversary by distributing its product nationwide. In July, the brewery announced its flagship Lug Tread Lagered Ale would be available throughout most of Canada by the end of summer. “In turning 10, we’ve been doing a lot of soul searching,” said Beau’s co-founder Steve Beauchesne. “We took the milestone not as an opportunity to pat ourselves on the back, but to set forth direction.” About a year ago, Beau’s took its first steps into the Canadian market, outside of Ontario, into Quebec. Within six months, Quebec represented about 10 per cent of the company’s sales. In 2015, the brewery sold five million litres of beer. “Our success in Quebec has given us the confidence to push beyond the regional basis we were holding,” Beauchesne said. “We were able to do in one year in Quebec what it took us five years to do in Ontario. We’re still seeing it grow at a magnificent pace.” The expansion began with New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island,

Manitoba and Alberta. In mid-July, the company gained approval to sell in British Columbia and Newfoundland. “By this time next year we’ll be in all the provinces. We’re hopeful we might get into the territories as well,” Beauchesne said. The expansion strategy will begin by establishing relationships with bars and restaurants throughout the country, explained Beauchesne. “When you go that method, you don’t expect overnight success. It’s kind of hard work and patience that wins the day,” he said. “We’re not coming in with a giant advertising budget thinking we will just take over and sell all the beer.” Beauchesne added craft breweries being purchased by large beverage corporations also sparked the move to national distribution. “There’s a real need for strong independent Canadian voices in the beer world, in particular craft beer,” he said. He added when a small brewery is sold to a major brand, Beau’s inbox and phones lines are overwhelmed by customers ensuring they don’t plan to make the same move. “A part of why people love us

is we’re local and independent,” Beauchesne said. Beau’s also celebrated its 10th anniversary by selling the company to its employees, through an employee share ownership program. “It’s purchasing real shares. It’s not profit sharing or virtual stock,” Beauchesne said. Through the program, employees receive an annual dividend, with a third-party firm calculation of the brewery’s valuation. Each year, employees also have a chance to purchase stock. “The goal is to move it so 100 per cent of the company is owned by people that are active in the company,” said Beauchesne. “The power this has for our employees is tremendous.” As well, the brewery announced a legacy gift for students in Niagara College’s brewmaster and brewery operations management programs. Each year, the brewery will provide three $1,000 awards and one $2,000 scholarship to students for diversity in brewing and for innovation in brewing. While the brewery makes its way across Canada, Beauchesne said he doesn’t see the company opening secondary breweries outside of Vankleek

Steve Beauchesne Hill, Ont., to meet demand. “We will need to expand in terms of internal capacity,” he said, noting the brewery has enough space to pro-

Bowness, a bonus

NEXT offers food lab for restaurateurs WINNIPEG — Restaurateurs in Winnipeg have a new venue to test innovative menu ideas. The Forks, a 54-acre tourist destination in downtown Winnipeg, has created a rotating food kiosk where local chefs have the opportunity to test new restaurant ideas. Dubbed NEXT, the kiosk invites restaurateurs to set up an experimental foodservice idea for three-month intervals. “The idea is we will get chefs who want to try new concepts that have brick-and-mortar concepts they’ll continue to run,” said Clare MacKay, The Forks’ vice-president of corporate and community initiatives. “We get four million visitors a year, so we’re a pretty enticing space to be in, especially during the summer months.” In July, Xiao-fei Zuo of the Dancing Noodle was the first chef to set up in NEXT. Zuo hand-pulls his noodles as part of his made-to-order menu. “He closed his restaurant in another area of Winnipeg to open at NEXT,” MacKay explained. The Forks, located where the Assiniboine and Red rivers meet, is also home to The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (the only national museum outside of Ottawa), a boutique hotel, farmers’ market, honey pro-

ducing beehives and an orchard. “There’s a bit of everything here,” MacKay said. NEXT is part of The Forks Market, a food court housed in two century-old hay stables connected by an atrium. The market is home to 50 retail spaces, including 20 quick service restaurants and three full service restaurants. “Our whole site is local. There’s not a Starbucks to be found and it’s going to stay that way,” said MacKay. Last year, the market underwent a $2.8 million renovation, allowing the addition of four new food kiosks. The new spots were outfitted with all the kitchen equipment needed to open a quick service restaurant, including a POS system and menu boards. “In past years, all of our tenants came in and did their own tenant improvements. We’re trying to remove as many barriers for emerging entrepreneurs as we can,” said MacKay. “Rather than someone come in and put $50,000 into kitchen equipment, we own it and maintain it. They can come in and plug and play.” The food hall is also now equipped with a craft beer and wine market in a freestanding kiosk surrounded by the various dining options. The seasonal list of 20 beers and

duce five times more beer. “If we did open up other breweries, it would be to solidify our connection with other communities.”

Xiao-fei Zuo, Dancing Noodle. 20 wines was curated by Toronto sommelier Will Predhomme. “It’s the first of its kind in Manitoba,” MacKay said. “The craft beer industry is just starting to emerge here.” As for NEXT, MacKay said they

are fielding inquiries to determine who will fill the spot after the Dancing Noodle. “It has definitely created buzz. We do have a lot of interest,” MacKay said. “Where it will land and where it will go, I’m not quite sure yet.”

Continued from cover While Dwayne uses dairy products in his cooking (and eggs for brunch), he also incorporates nut milk and coconut butter, making about seven dishes vegan. “It was a lot of research and it was a lot of fun to delve into something I hadn’t done before,” said Dwayne. The couple lives nearby in the Montgomery neighbourhood and spends a lot of time in Bowness. Alberta said the neighbourhood — one they had wanted to open a restaurant in for “a very long time” — was a large factor in deciding to open the smoke house in addition to the vegetarian restaurant. “Bowness is a very diverse and eclectic neighbourhood; there are all different walks of life living down here. So we really wanted to have something that would appeal to the neighbourhood as a whole, imagining that not necessarily everyone is going to be super-excited about a chef-driven vegetarian restaurant,” she said. While the Coal Shack is primarily for takeaway orders, the Ennests set up two eight-seat harvest tables — separate from White Rose’s 45-person dining room — where customers can order from the vegetarian menu or bring food in from the smoke house. Plans also call for a 25-seat patio.

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

EDITORIAL Wage increases are costly, but good staff is priceless Over the years, restaurant associations have spoken out against minimum wage increases, calling out the government for placing an extra burden on small business owners in an industry already squeezed by tight margins. Often, it’s not the right time or simply too much money. British Columbia recently announced an increase in minimum wage from $10.45 to $10.85 effective Sept. 15. In Ontario, minimum wage is set to increase 15 cents to $11.40 per hour. In Saskatchewan, minimum wage is adjusted annually relative to the consumer price index and average hourly wage; on Oct. 1, it will increase 22 cents to $10.72. These all seem fairly reasonable. For a staff of 10 on the floor during a four-hour service, the B.C. increase would equal $16, which certainly adds up over the course of a year. But the kicker is in Alberta. At the beginning of October, minimum wage will jump $1 to $12.20, the first of three planned increases to bring it to $15 by 2018. On the one hand, it’s a tough pill to swallow for small business owners who will have to plan for increased labour costs, which already amount to about 33 cents from every dollar. It could mean fewer jobs for youth and labour

cuts in general, the main concern for Restaurants Canada. “We believe that the minimum wage for full-time work should at least allow people to meet their basic needs,” said Alberta Labour Minister Christina Gray. Restaurants Canada doesn’t disagree, but they were asking the province to maintain the liquor server wage (scheduled to be axed in October), introduce a youth wage and delay wage increases until the economy improves. Restaurants Canada is clear: it is not opposed to minimum wage increases. “Our industry is concerned about the unintended consequences of increasing the rate too quickly,” said Western vice-president Mark von Schellwitz. “We will get to a $15 minimum wage in time, but imposing a 50 per cent increase in just three years (a whopping 63 per cent increase for liquor servers) is simply too much, too fast given the current state of Alberta’s economy.” More than 120 people attended a June forum where Joseph Marchand, associate professor of labour and demographic economics at the University of Alberta, discussed his recent research into the impact of the minimum wage increases. “If a third energy boom is not on the horizon for 2018 … then policy makers should consider moving their intended goal of $15

back by a few years, until energy prices pick back up,” Marchand said. On the other hand, what’s good for employees could be good for the bottom line by boosting morale, loyalty and perhaps even quality of life. People account for at least half of a customer’s foodservice industry experience. A restaurant’s employees are its frontline workers and brand ambassadors. In a time when people are questioning the traditional foodservice model, where there is talk of eliminating tipping and paying a “living wage,” perhaps we should consider paying our talented staff more, before we are forced to by regulation. With a strong, well-paid labour force, average check could see a boost or tables could turn a little faster. If not, raising menu prices to cover costs might not be a terrible thing, especially if both food and service are on point. Increased wages are coming and a labour crunch is looming, if not already upon us, so perhaps it’s time for some pioneering thinking. Nothing will ever change by doing things the same way.

REGINA — Minister of Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority Don McMorris provided all 700-plus permit holders in the province with details of how new liquor retailing will work in Saskatchewan. According to an announcement, this new direction allows the government to collect the same amount of revenue through a new wholesale markup, while creating a level playing field for retailers by having them operate under the same set of rules. Changes include: one licence for all liquor retailers (Retail Store Permit); one wholesale, unified price for all RSPs; the conversion of 40 public liquor stores to RSP; hours of operation, where and from whom permittees can buy from; equal access to any mainstream beer products and no restrictions to chilling; SLGA wholesale ordering process and manual. These changes will enable commercial permittees like restaurants, sports facilities and convention centres to purchase products from any liquor retailer, rather than the current requirement that they purchase exclusively from SLGA liquor stores and franchises. The implementation date for these changes has not yet been set, but will likely take place in autumn.

JUST EAT celebrates 10M orders In July, Just Eat Canada delivered its 10 millionth order since its launch in 2009.

4 | Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News

Mark Watts of Toronto placed the order and received a surprise gift pack for helping the United Kingdom-based delivery company reach the Canadian milestone. As JUST EAT completed its 10 millionth delivery in Canada, the company also announced it is preparing to launch test runs of delivery robots in London, England. The robots, created by Starship Technologies, have already driven about 8,000 km and met more than 400,000 people without a single accident, using cameras, sensors and other technology to navigate their way through urban streets.

TouchBistro adds QuickBooks TORONTO — TouchBistro, an iPad point-of-sale (POS) solution for restaurants in 37 countries, now offers integration with small business accounting software QuickBooks. Provided as an option for TouchBistro POS app users, the integration helps restaurateurs reduce accountant fees and bookkeeping hours by eliminating double entry of operating data into restaurant accounting records. During the initial installation of the integration, TouchBistro revenue and cost categories are mapped to the related accounts the restaurant has set up in its QuickBooks application, ensuring accuracy between operational and accounting reports to better manage the business. Existing TouchBistro users on the latest version can simply activate the integration.

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PACIFIC/PRAIRIE RESTAURANT NEWS VOLUME 22 · NO. 4 · AUgUST 2016

Kristen Smith Managing Editor

NEWS BRIEFS Saskatchewan announces new liquor retailing rules

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Steven Isherwood ext. 236 · sisherwood@canadianrestaurantnews.com

BC food safety goes mobile VANCOUVER — A new app designed in Vancouver is providing diners with data surrounding food safety. FoodSpect lets its users know the latest food inspection data for restaurants throughout British Columbia. The app organizes reports into four categories: food sources and protection; temperature; equipment, utensils and cleaning; and employees. The app is also designed to provide leads for those who work in pest control, refrigeration and cleaning. A happy or sad face icon then determines whether or not the restaurant is up to code. In August, the company began to expand its service to Edmonton and Calgary. The app is available for Android and iOS.

Fake restaurant gets real WINNIPEG — The setting for the fictitious Dark Roast Cafe in the comedy series Sunnyside is about to become an actual foodservice establishment. In July, the City of Winnipeg’s board of adjustment approved opening a licensed pizzeria in the heritage building located at 164 Langside St. that served as the set for Dark Roast in the CityTV series. The restaurant’s name will be Corticelli, and will serve appetizers and pizza, as well as wine, beer and cocktails. The restaurant, owned by by siblings Jason, Shelley and Ryan Armstrong, will seat about 30 people inside, with a 28-seat patio.

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superfood your

burger

Fully Cooked 3 oz Turkey Burger

NOtable burger.

B u r g e r Business The better burger segment is still growing in Canada and operators can take a bite out of the strong category sales by paying attention to its components.

By Kristen Smith

urgers are a menu staple for a reason. Between May 2015 and May 2016, more than 725 million burgers were served in Canadian restaurants, according to The NPD

Group. Sales of the classic dish increase annually by about two to three per cent, according to Scott Stewart, account manager for Canadian foodservice at NPD. He said this means burger sales are on par or even “slightly outpacing” the industry, which is flat at about one per cent growth. The Canadian market is seeing growth in what has been dubbed the better burger segment, which has also been driving much of fast casual’s success. Stewart said this has resulted in a bit of a trade-off: many of the big, traditional burger players have turned their attention to another menu category, such as chicken or breakfast. Burger-centric fast-casual concepts “came in with a bang,” said Stewart, and now that they have been around for a few years, he expects to see a ripple effect in quick-service restaurants. “There is a bit more focus coming back to burgers it seems, and a lot of the messaging is around quality, customization,” he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw more attention coming back to burgers.” Stewart thinks there is an opportunity for full-service operators to get into the burger game, or if they are in it already, dust off their equipment. “Most FSRs have always had a burger, but they’ve started to up the game as far as changing the protein, [adding] new toppings,” said Stewart. “They’re really upping their game and we’re seeing that reflected in the numbers.” He noted customers are accepting the idea that they can get a good burger at a place that doesn’t focus on burgers, but their expectations for what makes it good have increased. They want gourmet toppings and artisan buns.

6 | Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News

“Certainly it comes down to execution, but I would say that even if you are branded as something other than a burger guy, there is still an opportunity to win with a good burger, or four, on your menu, if they fit,” said Stewart.

Pleasing patties At Parts & Labour, executive chef Matty Matheson’s burger creation spawned the opening of a burger-focused joint at Queen and Spadina in downtown Toronto. When Matheson was crowned Burger Wars champ, it resulted in between 200 and 300 people ordering the winning creation every evening at the full service restaurant. The Social Group opened P&L Burger to satiate people’s appetite for the popular menu item. Social Group director of operations Ricardo Santos said a great burger boils down to simplicity and freshness. “It all starts with the cut of meat. Picking something that has a good natural ratio of fat to meat, so you’re not blending different things,” said Santos. Parts & Labour uses either chuck or brisket in its recipe. “When they’re being ground, they’re balled out of the grinder. They never get pushed or processed from that point until they hit the flat-top griddle,” said Santos. “Then, it’s minimal amounts of pressure. You squish it just enough to make it round and into a patty shape and then you let it cook. You give it one flip and let that side cook, making sure you put it on another part of the griddle,” he said. “The key with these burgers is using clean griddles and never using the same spot twice without cleaning it, so you really get caramelization on the burger and it seals in the juices.” NOtaBLE has been an Alberta Burger Fest winner for three years running. In 10 days, the Calgary restaurant served 890 of its burger creations, a patty made from wagyu beef and Berkshire pork, topped with truffle aioli, Oka cheese, crispy onions and served on a sesame seed bun. “It all starts with great ingredients,” said chef de cuisine Ryan

Gilmore, adding the key to creating a great burger is not overcomplicating it: “making an awesome burger patty and cooking it right.” The restaurant features a monthly burger. In August, for example, the patty will be all beef with feta cheese. Burgers are cooked in an oven, which doubles as a rotisserie and grill. “We use charcoal underneath the grill and hardwood, birch and cherry to cook rotisserie. The charcoal gives a completely different flavour; it kind of gives a bit of smoke, to the meat and because it’s so hot, it gives a great sear on the outside of the burger and locks the juices in,” Gilmore said. “Just let it sit on each side for four minutes, put a piece of cheese on it and call it a day.” The staff at Vancouver-based Oakwood Canadian Bistro use whole brisket from Prairie Heritage Range-Fed Angus to make patties. Recently promoted head chef Jason Masuch said grinding it in house allows them to control the ratio of fat to meat. It’s seared on a flat top and finished in the salamander. “What that allows us to do is create a good crust on the burger and by finishing in the salamander, we are able to cook it very quickly so that it stays really moist and doesn’t dry out or shrink,” Masuch said. Burger 2.0 — topped with aged cheddar, bacon, garlic dill pickles, alfalfa and Oakwood’s take on 1000 Island dressing, gulf island dressing — is the number two seller every day at Oakwood. “It’s a complex burger that eats very casually,” said Masuch. Burgers are the core business for Ontario-based The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro. The 27-unit, full-service chain has nine patty options, all of which can be pepper-crusted: ground beef chuck, elk, bacon, beef, chicken, crispy chicken, ground turkey, portabello mushroom, vegetarian and cheese stuffed. Corporate chef Shane Kennedy said the different options allow its customers some healthier choices and the ability to try out their favourite toppings on a different base. “Everybody has different preferences,” said Kennedy.

Trendy toppings When building a burger, Kennedy looks for the next great flavour combination or for regional influences. He has found comfort food works well with burgers, whether it’s bacon or peanut butter. Kennedy said it’s important to use ingredients that not only taste good, but are also visually appealing. “Cost aside, your burger is going to be analyzed for more than just taste,” he said. “When it comes to building a burger, build it however you want, but you’re not skimping out on quality or uniqueness.” If The Works’ customers don’t feel like choosing from the chain’s dozens of burger creations, or its limited time offers, there are 65 toppings to play with. Kennedy sees topping customization happen in two ways: either a customer wants to add or subtract a topping or they want to pair up their favourites and create their own. P&L Burger’s toppings are made in house, which allows an operator to develop a signature sauce. “Don’t be stingy. Be free with your sauce,” said Santos, adding the goal is to get sauce in every bite. “A lot of people spread it thinly like they’re putting butter on and we like to squirt in on the bun and then squish it onto the topping so it kind of melts over top of everything and emulsifies all the flavours.”

The bun matters Many independent operators with pastry chefs or bakers on staff choose to make homemade burger buns. At NOtaBLE, this allows the kitchen team to change the type of bun it uses for its featured burgers, as well as use buns that are fresh from the oven. “The only way you can guarantee what goes on a plate is by doing it yourself,” said Gilmore, adding everything is made from scratch. “It’s more work, but it’s well worth the price.” Creativity doesn’t need to be limited to the burger’s inner components. At The Works, waffles have been substituted for a traditional bun. The company also offers various types of buns: white and brown, a smaller size for smaller patties, and a gluten-free option. Instead of making buns in house, P&L sources a sesame seed egg bun from a Toronto bakery. Santos said it is the perfect size and density. He said they considered making buns themselves, but then decided, “we specialize in burgers,” not necessarily every component. An important thing to consider when choosing the burger base, and often overlooked, according to Santos, is the meat to bun ratio. The Oakwood uses a house-made egg and butter bun, which Masuch said isn’t quite as sweet as a typical brioche. “We like to have a little bit of patty exposed. The bun is a vehicle, it’s not the star,” he said.

Add your own flair Boston Pizza has more than 350 restaurants in Canada. The pizza-based chain recently re-engineered its burger lineup. “We’ve been in business for more than 50 years across Canada, but the reality is, when it comes to burgers, we’re still

The Works’ 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon.

relatively low on the consideration and part of that is because we’ve only been in the burger business for seven years,” said Alex Green, vice-president of marketing at Boston Pizza. With about half of all Canadians eating a burger every week, Boston Pizza saw opportunity in giving its guests a better burger offering, something Green said guests had also been asking for. “The burger space is probably more crowded than it’s ever been before and I think it’s triggered a couple really good changes in guest expectation when it comes to burgers,” he said. “I think they’re demanding better quality ingredients, better quality burgers.” Boston Pizza delved into customer research to determine what its guests were looking for in a better burger. Quality of meat was top of mind. Boston Pizza selected Canadian beef (ground chuck and brisket) seasoned simply with salt and pepper and served with Canadian cheddar on a brioche bun. For its new creation, the Most Valuable Burger, the company leveraged a signature part of the BP experience. “Then we have our signature element, which is our signature cactus-cut dip,” Green said.

Boston Pizza’s Most Valuable Burger.

Gleanings from the Burger Route There are about 600 foodservice establishments across Canada participating in Unilever Food Solutions’ Hellman’s Burger Route. The company creates quarterly inspiration guides designed to help operators put their best burger forward. “Sometimes it doesn’t have to be significant changes that they’re making — it’s all about experimentation for the operators,” said Colleen Gagnon, Unilever Food Solutions’ senior marketing manager. At the same time, Unilever is combing through submissions for trends and ideas. “It’s a two-way street. They inspire us and we hope to inspire them,” she said, noting crunchy toppings, anywhere from fried foods to crispy vegetables, are popular options. “The basis for a great burger is high-quality ingredients. If you have an amazing patty, whether it’s beef, veggie, chicken or what have you, as long as it tastes really good, and it’s prepared well — same thing with the bun. Then you kind of up the ante with all the condiments, but you have to have that really good core and then you can make it your own,” said Kyla Turoi, corporate chef for Unilever Food Solutions. “Something like mayonnaise is a great carrier for a whole bunch of different flavour profiles.” Turoi said while burgers are somewhat exempt from food trends, they tend to follow the major ones. “We’re seeing a huge rise in people moving towards being vegetarian or a largely plant-based diet. I think we will see a lot more veggie or even seafood burgers out in the market,” she said. While Gagnon said sometimes a guest simply wants a classic cheeseburger, many consumers are becoming more adventurous when it comes to burgers. “They are just a great canvas for culinary creativity,” she said. “It’s a great way to play around with different foods, but still make it very approachable because the burger is always superpopular,” Turoi added.

The Works’ Nacho Libre.

Cheeseburger with grilled artichokes. Unilever Food.

Herbed feta turkey burger. Unilever Food Solutions.

P&L Burger.

August 2016 | 7

June 2015 to June 2016 Food price comparison

2.6% Mea

1.0% c chi

4.4% Fis

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The edible margin Food costs are an ongoing struggle for most restaurateurs. However, there is brief relief in the consumer price index and methods exist to avoid eating your profits.

2.1% YOGURT

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By Bill Tremblay

0.6% egg

6.1% Fru

2.9% veg

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s 2015 drew to a close, the cost of food became the number one concern for foodservice operators throughout Canada, according to the fourth quarter Restaurant Outlook Survey conducted by Restaurants Canada. Double-digit price increases for fruits, vegetables and proteins meant 70 per cent of operators surveyed recorded increased food costs, and 60 per cent of those surveyed planned to raise their menu prices. By the end of the first quarter of 2016, the situation had not improved. Foodservice operators reported an average 4.6 per cent increase, year over year. The increase translated to 63 per cent of full service restaurants and 44 per cent of quick service operators surveyed by Restaurants Canada reporting plans to raise their prices in the next six months. By the end of March, 73 per cent of operations reported paying higher food costs, the highest level recorded since Restaurants Canada began its quarterly outlook survey in 2011.

There’s good news

1.4%

In June, food prices fell 0.3 per cent compared to the previous month, according to Statistics Canada. As well, the consumer price index held at 1.3 per cent compared to the previous year. “Prices are actually dropping across the e T e/ board these days,” said Dr. Sylvain Chare F coF lebois, dean of management and professor Graphics by Freepik.com in food distribution and policy, faculty of

Source: Statistics Canada

8 | Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News

management and faculty of agriculture at Dalhousie University. Red meat recorded the largest price drop, falling 2.6 per cent compared to June 2015. Kevin Grier, an agriculture and food market analyst based in Guelph, Ont., said an ample stock of beef eases the effects of supply and demand. “Right now we have more beef. Therefore prices are going down,” Grier said. Following record high beef prices in 2015, Charlebois explained customers began looking for alternatives. A study at Dalhousie found high prices drove 37 per cent of beef consumers to look for other proteins. “I’m not surprised prices are dropping. I don’t think they will be dropping a lot, but there is contraction in the market,” Charlebois said. “On one hand, you’ll have retailers trying to protect their margins, but on the other hand, they’re dealing with softer demand.” The effect of the tumbling Canadian dollar has softened, Grier explained. Purchasing of imported goods found a stable trading range of about 77 cents US. “It only impacts things when it’s going one way for another,” Grier said. Higher food prices will also soften as importers begin to renegotiate their contracts, Charlebois said. “Prices can only go up for some time,” he said. “If you give people some time to read-

just, then you’re able to give them time to find new suppliers.”

The Wal-Mart effect While food prices have dropped in most provinces, British Columbia and Quebec have recorded the largest decrease. Charlebois attributes the decline to “The WalMart Effect,” as grocers begin to compete for business throughout Canada. “I started to look at some of the things happening in those markets. Where WalMart and Costco have gained the most, is B.C. and Quebec,” Charlebois said. “When Target closed, Wal-Mart bought 13 Target stores, mostly in Quebec and B.C.” New competition means more pressure to lower food prices. “Wal-Mart is becoming better and more effective in food retail,” Charlebois said. The possibility of a new competitor may have retailers looking to solidify their market share. In the United States, for example, Amazon launched an online grocery delivery service in 25 cities, and Charlebois believes Canada is an attractive market for the service. “Perhaps there will be a new player in the marketplace, which will tighten things up even more,” he said.

Know your supplier While food prices do fluctuate, there are methods to ensure you’re getting the most out of your ingredients. When Salad King opened 25 years ago

Salad King in Toronto is celebrating its 25th anniversary. “Have scales on line and portion out everything. Portion near Yonge and Dundas streets in Toronto, chicken phud Thai sold for $6.50. Today, the same phud Thai, the restau- control is key.” While fresh product is appealing to customers, a high rant’s most popular dish with more than 3,400 sold in June turnaround of ingredients also appeals to an establishment’s alone, sells for $9.75. In fact, 2015 was the first year the Thai restaurant’s bottom line. Frankel advises ensuring purchases are controlled to menu items exceeded $10. The average menu price is now avoid over-ordering ingredients. $10.20, with customers spending $12.50 on average. Weekly variance reports also help keep Frankel’s restauAlan Liu, managing director of Salad King and Linda Modern Thai, explained building the right rapport with rants on top of their inventory. “At Tap & Barrel restaurants, we strive for the freshest suppliers will land restaurant owners the right price on inproduct possible, so we keep our gredients. pars very tight and control them “You need to build a level of trust. closely,” Frankel said. It’s simple things like paying your bills The consumer doesn’t “That way food is not hanging on time,” Liu said. Thanks to established relationnecessarily think that around and we are always servthe freshest product possible. I ships, suppliers will let Liu know if a when prices rise in the ing would rather 86 an item than have price hike is on its way and offer an grocery store, it spoilage and waste.” opportunity to buy extra stock. “They give us a heads up. They’re affects restaurants pretty good at watching out for you,” Know your numbers the same. Liu said. Sometimes, restaurateurs just While relationships are important, have to absorb a price increase. Liu added Salad King maintains mulSean Smith, executive chef for Sean Smith tiple suppliers. Lou Dawg’s Southern Barbecue in Executive Chef “They are aware we are picking Lou Dawg’s Toronto and Hamilton, explained up food from one or the other, so it price might determine where a cuskeeps them competitive to give us the best price possible,” tomer eats in the competitive fast casual market. Liu said. “They don’t see it as a case of playing one off the “You can’t just raise your prices. It will put off the cusother. They see it as a fair way of doing business.” tomers,” Smith said. “Sometimes the consumer doesn’t necLiu noted the quantity of ingredients purchased for essarily think that when prices rise in the grocery store, it Salad King does influence suppliers. For example, the res- affects restaurants the same.” taurant uses 1,500 litres of coconut milk a month and serves When protein prices increase, the margin on Lou Dawg’s as many as 1,900 customers a day. However, purchasing in meat-heavy menu items takes a hit. Smith explained the bulk isn’t always the answer. right side dishes help ensure their offerings stay profitable. “If a vendor can give you a 10 per cent discount by go- As well, staff will review costs every six months and look at ing up in volume, that means they were overpricing you by their menu once a year. 10 per cent. If you work well with your suppliers, they tend “Last summer when meat prices went through the roof, to not mark their stuff up too much,” Liu said. “If you’re you had to just hope prices did lower,” Smith said. “It’s a buying on a McDonald’s-type scale, that’s a completely dif- struggle, but it does fluctuate.” ferent conversation.” Liu agrees the restaurateur must sometimes absorb the Although Salad King staff are always on the lookout increase. He will review his margin weekly and look at his for a better price, Liu explained they are not quick to jump menu prices on an annual basis. from one supplier to another. “For me, it’s more about making sure we make the right “It takes a big difference before we switch. Pricing goes long-term decisions,” Liu said. up and down,” Liu said. “We don’t usually switch suppliers “My managers do the negotiations, but I look at it from a unless there is a service issue.” P&L perspective to look at the overall numbers.”

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Don’t trash your cash

Healthy menu pricing

At Tap & Barrel restaurants in Vancouver, avoiding waste is key to managing food costs. Daniel Frankel, founder and chief executive officer of Daniel Group and TAPbrands, explained kitchen management audits, including waste and par level checks, are part of the daily schedule. “Stay on top of it. This is really ongoing and needs to be done throughout the day,” Frankel said. “It should be innate and part of the routine.” He added the right recipes, and strict adherence to portion sizes, is another way to keep costs in line. “Start with great, accurate recipes and stick to them. Don’t eyeball,” Frankel said.

Restaurant prices have increased between two and three per cent in the last year, according to Statistics Canada. Charlebois believes the increase is within the “sweet spot” for food inflation. When menu prices begin to reach inflation rates around four or five per cent, the cost begins to scare away customers. “Anywhere between two and three per cent would indicate healthy growth in the business,” he said. “I think it’s indicative that restaurant operators feel they have space to move. They can move prices higher as a result of a stronger economy.”

August 2016 | 9

Jackson-Triggs founder awarded by CVA

BC Hospitality Foundation board

KELOWNA, B.C. – Donald Triggs and Shirley-Ann George are the winners of this year’s Canadian Wine Industry Awards. The awards, presented on July 6 in Kelowna B.C., are sponsored by the Canadian Vintners Association (CVA), which represents more than 90 per cent of the nation’s annual wine production. Triggs, who launched the Jackson-Triggs brand, received this year’s Award of Distinction, which is considered the highest form of peer recognition from the Canadian wine industry. In 1989, Triggs co-founded Vincor and launched the Jackson-Triggs brand and winery. He also established international joint ventures to support the development of Le Clos Jordanne and Osoyoos LaRose wineries. “We share a passion not only to create distinctive icon quality wines reflective of our Golden Mile terroir in the

The British Columbia Hospitality Foundation (BCHF) recently announced the appointment of its new board of directors. Under the leadership of chair Christine Coletta, Okanagan Crush Pad, the board includes: past chair Richard Carras, Authentic Wine and Spirits Merchants; vice-chair Dana Lee Harris, Dana Lee Consulting Ltd.; treasurer and ABLE BC Liaison Jeff Guignard, ABLE BC; secretary Kurtis Kolt, wine consultant; BCRFA Liaison Darcy Barish, Christine Coletta A&W; BCHA Liaison Heather Schroeter, Manteo Resort; and directors at large Bill Senghera, White Spot; Mark Hicken, Vintage Law, and Chris Bradburn, Milestones. Colletta has been with BCHF as a volunteer for a decade. “The next two years will prove to be full for me and no less rewarding than the last 10 have been,” she said.

Donald Triggs South Okanagan Valley, but also to work as a partner within our industry, to continue building a future for Canadian wines around the world,” said Triggs while accepting the award. The Wine Industry Champion Award was presented to George, founder and president of the Alliance of Canadian Wine Consumers, also known as FreeMyGrapes. George is credited with leading the movement to allow Canadians to buy wines from wineries not located in their own province.

Cooking for Canada By Kristen Smith Two national culinary teams are on the road to the World Culinary Olympics in Germany this October. The journey began long before the actual five-day event (which is held every four years) with countless hours of preparation, practice, fundraising and competitions. With the exception of a few newer additions, Culinary Team Canada and Junior Culinary Team Canada have been working toward this international competition for the better part of three years. Niagara College earned the right to represent Canada in October of 2013. Its members are now graduates of the Canadian Food and Wine Institute in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. Members of Junior Culinary Team Canada include Ben Lillico, Carly Bergshoeff, Daniella Germond, David Ross, Jeremy Gilligan, Megan Proper, Robbie Aggarwal, Scott McInerney and Trevor Littlejohn. Canadian Food and Wine Institute dean Craig Youdale is the team’s manager and his pride in their accomplishments and hard work is clear. Cameron Huley.

1 0 | Pacific/Prairie Restaurant News

From left: Carly Bergshoeff, David Ross, Avi Hollo (coach), Megan Proper, Scott McInerney, Jeremy Gilligan, Robbie Aggarwal, Ben Lillico, Trevor Littlejohn, Olaf Mertens (coach), Daniella Germond and Craig Youdale (manager). “It’s so hard to put into words; certainly numbers speak volumes,” Youdale said. “It would be almost impossible to calculate the hours — it would literally be thousands that they’ve put in.” Over the course of three years, the junior team members have also been balancing school and work with practicing. “And somewhere in there, eating and sleeping. It really is at times, insane,” said Youdale. Now that they have graduated, the team has full-time cooking jobs. Youdale describes the team’s dynamic as a high-achieving and occasionally dysfunctional family. “They treat each other kind of like brothers and sisters. They have an intense family bond, and in all honesty, love for each other, but they also fight and battle and complain and challenge each other, just like a bunch of 20-year-old brothers and sisters would do,”

he explained. “As a team, they really have come together over three years ... They’re at the stage now where their communication is at a point where it’s almost unwritten and unsaid.” Germond, who won the Young Chef Olympiad in India in January and was named one of this year’s Top 30 under 30 by the Ontario Hostelry Institute, said being a part of the close-knit team has been an influential element of participating in culinary competition. “And being able to represent our country, it’s just an honour. When would you ever think that you’d be able to go to the Olympics and represent your country for cooking? It’s what we’re passionate about and I think that’s what gets us excited to come in every day and do it,” she said. Managed by John Carlo Felicella and coached by Tobias MacDonald and Bruno Marti, the core Canadian Culinary Team includes Scott Jaeger (chef/owner Pear Tree Restaurant, Vancouver); Cameron Huley (executive chef at Winnipeg Squash Racquet Club); Ryan Stone (Earls Kitchen + Bar “chef collective”); Iain Rennie (Delta Grand Okanagan Resort and Conference Centre, Kelowna, B.C.); Jason Harris (executive sous chef at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport); Fumiko Moreton (pastry chef at Terminal City Club, Vancouver); and backup member Scott Torgerson (executive chef of the Radisson Hotel, Saskatoon). Huley has been member of Culinary Team Canada for eight years. “It’s great to represent your country for something that you love doing,” he said. The team meets monthly for about four or five days, which means employers have to be on board and supportive. The process of preparing for a competition begins with brainstorming for both cold and hot

plates. “We build our plates until we get exactly what we want and then it’s practice, practice, practice to perfect timing and everything so we look like a well-tuned ballet when we’re cooking in front of a thousand people,” Huley said. Representing the nation with a “contemporary Canadian” style on the plate, the team will be facing off against the best of the best from 40 countries. Moreton said the challenging nature of being part of the team appeals to her competitive nature. She started as a supporting member and participated in the Culinary Olympics twice as part of British Columbia’s regional team. “It’s not only about winning, but you’re always learning and you get inspiration,” said Moreton. Coach Marti has been in the game long enough to know not to make the statement “we’ll be on the podium,” but that is certainly the goal. His first trip to the World Culinary Olympics was 1976 and he hasn’t missed one since. While Marti said there is reason for the team to be confident, sometimes it also comes down to luck, such as having judges who are using the same food criteria as the team. The key, Marti said, is to focus on those things you have control over. “As individuals, they are all very good chefs,” said Marti, whose first time seeing the whole team together as a group (with its two new additions Harris and Torgerson) was at the CCFCC National Convention in May. At that time, he said the team dynamic was still a work in progress. “Every time they get together doing something, they gel more and more,” he said. Marti said he felt it was important the team was void of any “prima-donna” chefs. “They’re all down-to-earth, good cooks,” he said.

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