Properly cleaning your foodservice equipment can lead to increased performance and product life. Here are five easy steps to take when cleaning an ice machine, courtesy of Ice-O-Matic:
1 2 3 4 5
Bin cleanup: Remove the ice in the bin and wipe down the surfaces with a mild cleaner. Rinse thoroughly.
Descaling: Following the manufacturer’s procedures, run a recommended ice machine cleaner through the machine. Purge the machine.
Sanitizing: Repeat the process with an EPA approved sanitizer. Purge again.
Condenser cleanup: Brushing down the condenser will make it more efficient and ensure maximum ice production.
Water filter replacement: Replace water filters every six months to maintain ice quality and protect the evaporator from performance-robbing buildup.
limited-time holiday menu tips
Bill Pendry, Martin Bros. Marketing Graphic/Media Designer
With Easter & Mother’s Day approaching, now’s a great time to look at tips for creating special holiday menus to attract customers and sell high-profit items! Here are eight tips for building and designing your holiday menus!
Keep it simple: Limit the number of items. Focus on a few high-profit dishes that fit the theme of the holiday. Including only a handful of items will make it easier to steer customers towards the most profitable items.
2. Highlight special ingredients: Feature unique or premium items. Holidays can be a great time to mix things up by serving items that don’t “fit” onto your normal menu and creating premium dishes to help customers celebrate the special day while bringing you increased profits.
3. Create balance: Offer a mix of traditional favorites and innovative dishes to appeal to different customer preferences. Some customers may prefer the standard recipes for traditional holiday fare. Others may want to try a new twist on the old favorites, so try introducing holiday ingredients into other dishes or alternative ingredients into holiday dishes.
4. Emphasize house specialties: Draw attention to signature dishes. The limited holiday menu is a great place to feature your best items. Consider offering special, premium versions or deluxe combos of your house specialties to showcase these items and raise profit margins.
5. Offer holiday meal packages: Selling combo deals and meal packages is a great way to simplify the ordering process for you and your guests while also increasing ticket totals.
6. Include beverage, appetizer and dessert pairings: Suggest holiday-themed drinks, wine pairings and appetizer and dessert specials with menu items. These add-ons are all great profit generators, so don’t forget to include them on your special menu. Premium specialty beverages, appetizers and desserts can be even more profitable.
7. Use festive language: Incorporate seasonal words and descriptions and have fun incorporating the holiday into your menu! Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT can make this easy. Give ChatGPT an item description, for example and ask it to rewrite it in the theme of the holiday. (Just don’t forget to proofread any AI-generated text to make sure it doesn’t contain incorrect ingredients or other errors.)
8. Add color and fun artwork: Incorporate holiday colors and imagery in the menu design to enhance the festive feel. When designing your limited-time menu, be sure to use the colors of the holiday to catch your guests’ eyes. Make your holiday menu look fun so that your customers can’t resist!
Top Easter Foods
Get started brainstorming for your Easter menu with this list of popular Easter dishes:
1. Ham: A centerpiece of many Easter dinners.
2. Lamb: Often served as a symbolic Easter meal.
3. Buns & Bread: Various options, often braided or shaped into wreaths.
4. Deviled Eggs: A common appetizer made from hard-boiled eggs.
5. Spring Salads & Vegetables: Feature fresh, seasonal produce.
6. Roasted Potatoes: A common side dish.
7. Carrot Cake: A dessert that fits the Easter theme perfectly.
8. Fruit Pies: Especially those made with spring fruits.
Mother’s Day Go-Tos
For Mother’s Day, some of the most popular things to feature on your menu are:
1. Breakfast Items
2. Brunch Features
3. Refreshing Cocktails
4. Unique Desserts
1. Springtime Chicken Salad with Honey Citrus Dressing
To make 16 servings of Honey Citrus Dressing, mix 1/2 cup honey, 1 cup olive oil, 3/4 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard and salt and pepper to taste using an immersion blender or wire whisk. For each salad, build starting with 2 oz. spring mix on the bottom. Top with cooked, sliced 6 oz. chicken breast, 1/3 cup grilled or sauteed sliced zucchini, 1/3 cup blistered grape tomatoes, 1/3 cup sliced red onion, 2 oz. fresh mozzarella pearls, 1 oz. toasted almonds and seasonal berries as desired. Serve drizzled with dressing or with dressing on the side. Yield: 1
2. Korean Chicken & Kimchi Rice Bowl
Marinade each 6 oz. chicken breast with 2 oz. Asian Sesame Dressing for at least 4 hours up to 2 days. When ready to serve, cook chicken to 165°F. Build bowl with 1 cup cooked rice on bottom. Top with sliced chicken, 1/2 cup kimchi, 1/2 cup shaved cucumbers, 1/4 cup shredded carrots, cilantro as desired and toasted sesame seeds as desired. Drizzle with 2 oz. Asian Sesame Dressing or serve dressing on the side. Yield: 1
3.Creamy Mushroom & Asparagus Chicken with Cheesy Bacon Hashbrown Bake
Creamy Mushroom & Asparagus Chicken
To make Creamy Mushroom Asparagus Sauce, melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter in a saute pan. Add 2 lb. sliced mushrooms and 1 lb. asparagus. Sauté until vegetables start to become tender. Add 1/4 cup minced garlic and continue to sauté for an additional minute, being careful not to overcook or garlic will taste bitter or burnt. Add 2 cups heavy whipping cream. Bring to a simmer. Add 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese. Stir well and continue to cook. This will start to thicken. If the consistency is too thick, thin with more heavy whipping cream. Serve sauce over 6 oz. chicken breast cooked to 165°F.
Cheesy Bacon Hashbrown Bake
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix together 1 box Basic American Golden Grill Russet Hashbrowns, 32 oz. sour cream, 1 qt. cream of chicken soup, 2 lb. shredded mild cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup seasoning and 1-1/2 lb. cooked, chopped bacon. Pour into 1 or 2 fullsize 2-inch pans prepared with food release, depending on how thick you want to serve the bake. Cook until top turns light brown and it is cooked throughout. May hold in steam well for up to 1 hour. Yield: 48-60
Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup (510030 – 12/50 oz)
McCormick Lawry’s Roasted Garlic & Red Bell Pepper Seasoning (473241 – 1/21 oz)
HOW TO: To blister tomatoes, heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and allow them to cook for about 2 minutes or until they start to blister. Stir and allow to cook about one more minute.
Tips
Increasing Revenue
- 1/7.5 in)
Scott Fadden, Martin Bros. Corporate Chef
Martin Bros. Culinary
CHEF SCOTT FADDEN
1. Loaded Grilled Breakfast Burritos
Heat 12-inch flour tortilla on a flattop grill. Arrange 3 oz. heated scrambled eggs, 2 strips chopped cooked bacon, 2 oz. heated sausage topping, 1 prepared chopped hashbrown patty, 2 oz. pico de gallo and 1 oz. shredded mild cheddar cheese in a line down the center of the heated tortilla. Fold the sides of the tortilla inwards over the fillings. Roll the tortilla over the fillings, tucking as you roll. Serve burrito seam-side down.
Yield: 1
2. Sunday Buffet Strata
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix 1 qt. scrambled eggs, 2 lb. hashbrowns, 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 8 oz. chopped cooked bacon, 2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Pour into half size hotel pan prepared with food release. Bake 30-45 minutes or until firm
Yield: 12-15
Catallia Flour Tortilla – 12 in (949990 – 8/12 ct)
Land O’Lakes Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese (354590 – 4/5 lb)
Michael Simply Potatoes Shredded Hashbrowns (361518 – 2/10 lb)
Kemps Heavy Whipping Cream (347225 – 6/.5 gal)
Land O’Lakes Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (901560 – 4/5 lb)
SCRAMBLED EGGS 2 Ways
Scott Fadden, Martin Bros. Corporate Chef
Martin Bros. Culinary
CHEF SCOTT FADDEN
Cost with a side of fruit and toast.
Chicken Kiev
1 each Koch Chicken Kiev (806230)
PREP | Prepare chicken kiev according to manufacturer directions.
YIELD | 1
Garlic Cheddar Mashed
1 bag Basic American Potato Pearls Excel Gold Mashed Potatoes (602950) 1/4 cup Minced Garlic (391021)
3 cups Land O’Lakes Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese (354590)
2 Tbsp McCormick Lawry’s Salt-Free Garlic & Herb Seasoning (475601)
PREP | Pour 4 Liters hot water into 6-inch deep half-size hotel pan. Add all ingredients. Stir for 30 seconds. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir.
YIELD | 1
CHICKEN KIEV (806230 – 36/4 oz)
Select chicken breast meat hand-formed around a generous portion of seasoned butter, lemon juice and chives all coated in crumb breading, par-fried and quick frozen.
POTATO PEARLS
EXCEL GOLD MASHED POTATOES (602950 – 8/34 oz)
Just add hot water. Stir for 30 seconds. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir and serve
Minced Garlic in Water (391021 – 1/1 qt)
Land O’Lakes Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese (354590 – 4/5 lb)
2. Smithfield Silver Medal Original Pit Ham (915080 – 2/13-16 lb)
3. Orange Agave Glaze
In a saucepan, whisk 2 cups orange juice, 1 cup blue agave syrup, 1 cup orange marmalade, 1/2 cup Dijon mustard, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon and 1 tsp. ground allspice. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 25-30 minutes or until reduced to approximately half and a syrup consistency.
4. Honey Brown Sugar Glaze
In a saucepan, whisk 1-1/2 cups brown sugar, 3/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup mustard, 1 tsp. ground ginger, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon and 1 tsp. ground nutmeg. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes.
5. Spinach Swiss Gratin Potatoes
Preheat oven to 400-450°F. Combine 4-1/2 qt. boiling water and 4 oz. unsalted butter into a 2-1/2 in. deep ful-size hotel pan. Stir in sauce mix from 1 box potato casserole until dissolved. Add potato slices from potato casserole. Add 12 oz. spinach, 4 cups shredded Swiss cheese, 3 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese, 1 cup diced green onion, 2 Tbsp. seasoning and 1 tsp. pepper. Bake for 45-60 minutes.
HOW TO GLAZE & COOK HAM
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place ham onto a baking screen in a pan. If you do not have a screen/grate, just put the ham into the pan. Add approximately 1/2 inch of water. Cover and cook until internal temperature of ham reaches 110°F. Remove cover. Glaze ham with half of the glaze. Return to oven. Cook for approximately 15 more minutes. Glaze ham again. Cook until internal temperature of ham reaches 145°F. Do not overcook ham. Remember, this is already a fully cooked product and can be consumed out of the package, so overcooking will dry out the ham. Let ham rest before slicing.
Pavo is the Spanish word for turkey, and this recipe is also inspired by Portuguese. This dish is perfect as an appetizer or small plate. It features seared turkey breast, potatoes and lemon slices with thyme and a drizzle of olive oil.
1. BREAKFAST Hot Honey Crispy Turkey & Waffles
2. APPETIZER Pavo Gallego
3. soup Pesto Turkey Tortellini Soup
SLICED TURKEY TENDERLOIN MEDALLIONS
Strawberry
Strawberries (377618 – 8/1 lb), sliced
(988060
(990090
(980600
Kerry DaVinci White Chocolate Sauce (733180 – 6/.5 gal)
CHEF PIERRE STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PIE (980600 – 6/10 in)
Filled with a delightful melding of sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb between two golden, tender, flaky pie crust layers.
THE FUTURE IS HERE.
Introducing Automation for
Martin Bros. is excited to introduce a new fleet of robotics −customizable to your business and that come with the full support of our Automation Specialists.
BENEFITS OF AUTOMATION
• Fixed expenses
• Reduce training costs and turnover
• Increase quality and reliability
• Setup with the help of our Automation Specialists
• Training for staff
• Ongoing support
EXPLORE PORK
THE ENTICING WAY TO SHUFFLE EXPECTATIONS.
Want to get creative in the kitchen? Cook with a delicious, versatile protein that’s easy on your bottom line. Smithfield Culinary’s portfolio of total pork offerings, including Smithfi eld ®, Smoke’NFast ® and Margherita® let you put a delightful new spin on a classic dish. For more information, visit SmithfieldCulinary.com/TME.
Most Martin Bros. webinars and events are FREE and can earn you CEUs.
Senior Living Wellness: It’s in the Eye of the Beholder
Wellness means something different to everyone you ask. Join us for an informative webinar on best practices and actionable tips to help you design and launch a wellness program that enhances the quality of life for your residents.
In this session, we will discuss the following:
1. What is wellness and why should we focus on it in senior living?
2. Discuss the different types of wellness programs/disease states.
3. Learn how to implement a wellness program in your senior living community.
Presenter: Amanda Marsh, RDN, LD, Martin Bros. Distributing
Eligible for one general hour of continuing education for Certified Dietary Managers by CBDM.
Audience: Senior Living
WEBINAR SCHEDULE 2025
January 15
EQ: Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace
February 12 MDS & Careplanning Documentation
March 26
Senior Living Wellness: It’s in the Eye of the Beholder
April 16 Nutrition Care for the Older Adult
May 7 Real Life Lessons From Real Life Claims
June 11 Best Practices: Assessing the Need For & Offering Appropriate Religious and Therapeutic Diets
July 9
Infection Control Strategies in the Kitchen & Beyond
August 13 Your Dish, Your Story: Mastering Personal Plating & Social Media
September 17 FSMA & The Food Traceability Rule
October TBD Be a Ladder Holder: A Panel Discussion on Elevating Emerging Leaders
November 12 Protecting Your Clients: Balancing Professional Ethics & Food Safety
December 10 Sharpening Your Leadership Influence to Create High Performing Teams
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