Restaurant INC Spring2018 by Performance & Reinhart Foodservice Publications

VOL

06,

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2018

$5.99

R E S TA U R A N T I N C | the business of food | ISSUE 02: 2018

PLANT FORWARD A Growing Passion for Produce at the Center

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PRODUCE-ING

CRAVEABLE FLAVORS!

“WHAT DO YOU WANT TO EAT?”

hat’s the universal question whether you’re eating at home or dining out. While consumers are deciding dinner based on what they have on hand (34%), as well as the amount of time and effort to make it (18%), operators face similar challenges. How can you keep your menu fresh without constantly bringing in new products for one or two applications? Additionally, Limited Time Offers (LTOs) are becoming increasingly important to concepts as younger people want “new.” 47% of Millennials and Gen Zers combined visit a restaurant specifically to order a LTO. In a world where pantry and cooler space is limited, operators are increasingly striving to create fresh concepts without taxing shelf space!

DIFFERENTIATION DRIVES TRAFFIC Consumers are increasingly likely to order an item if it comes with a unique sauce, pointing to the growing importance of differentiation and customization. While new, innovative offerings can drive traffic, unique options also help ensure return visits. By adding an additional ingredient to flavored dressings to use as a dip, marinade or condiment, you can introduce a new experience with low risk for you and the consumer.

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FRESH FRUIT FLAVOR FOR YOUR MENU!

By finding new ways to use products already in your pantry, you can serve flavors your customers crave!

KOREAN GOCHUJANG BACON RANCH Culinary Secrets Originals Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (RFS 12340) Bacon, cooked, chopped Gochujang Chili Paste Let rest 2 hours before serving.

Watermelon, peeled cut into 1” cubes Tomatoes, cut into 1” cubes Mesclun Lettuce Blend Feta Cheese, crumbled Culinary Secrets Tropical Mango Vinaigrette (RFS 28702) Pine Nuts, toasted

2 cups 2 cups 2 cups 1/4 cup

2-1/2 oz. 1 Tbs.

CHEF’S TIP: Give your salad a sweet citrus flavor profile by replacing the Tropical Mango Vinaigrette with a mixture of Culinary Secrets Balsamic Vinaigrette (RFS 12808), lemon juice, orange juice and honey!

1 gallon 24 oz. 2 cups

OF MILLENNIALS

report wanting more vegan/vegetarian-friendly restaurants, but that doesn’t mean they want to sacrifice flavor. Charred and smoked flavors are highlights on menus right now as consumers look for authentic cooking methods that impart great flavor and depth to vegetables. Bring additional flavor to charred and grilled vegetables by basting with a mixture of Culinary Secrets Distinctions Italian Dressing and a smoky barbecue sauce!

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LETTER FROM REINHART

DEAR RESTAURANT INC. READERS: Hi, I’m Tim York, President of Markon Cooperative, and I’m proud to share healthy, tasty, produce-centric information with you in this month’s issue. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the cornerstone of every good menu, and a sure bet when it comes to satisfying the wants and needs of today’s diners. More than 30 years ago, Markon was created as a cooperative between North America’s largest, independent foodservice suppliers with the sole purpose of purchasing the finest, safest, most delicious fruits and vegetables specifically with you—the operators—in mind. During these three decades in partnering with our growershippers, distributors and operators, we have created dozens of new and desirable products, foodservice-friendly packs and time-saving cut sizes that make life in the kitchen easier, more sustainable and more profitable. At Markon, one core value is “people matter.” From the daily harvesting crews who wake at dawn to pick the juiciest berries and lushest lettuces, to the truck drivers ensuring on-time deliveries, to the chefs transforming nature’s bounty into crave-able meals, and everyone in between on the fieldto-fork continuum, we embrace those who bring food to our tables every single day. We developed the Markon 5-Star Food Safety Program long before others understood the importance of a comprehensive plan. It’s because your business and customers matter. Markon, in fact, was the first to require regular, third-party audits, water testing and the introduction of many measurable metrics to keep your fresh produce as safe as possible. And that work continues. In addition to articles focusing on critical food safety measures, sustainable practices and evolving farming and processing technologies, this issue of Restaurant Inc is packed with produce-centric recipes, strategies to bring produce to the center of the plate and fresh ideas for the creation of the healthy, flavorforward meals today’s customers crave. You will learn about Markon, our growers and what it takes to bring fresh produce to your tables. Though much has changed in the foodservice industry during our existence, what has remained steadfast is our passion to provide Reinhart Foodservice and its customers with the best and safest fresh fruits and vegetables possible. We hope this issue will inspire you to highlight big, bold, plant-centric recipes on your upcoming menus. Enjoy! Best regards, Tim York | President, Markon Cooperative, Inc.

To learn more about Markon & Reinhart's produce program go to

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CONTRIBUTING EDITORS/WRITERS AUDARSHIA TOWNSEND A Chicago-based author, seasoned food & cocktail culture writer and regular contributor to Chicago’s top-rated WGNTV’s “WGN Morning News,” Audarshia Townsend is Restaurant Inc’s new Managing Editor. She enjoys discovering new dining and drinking trends in her hometown and beyond.

ARI BENDERSKY A Chicago-based lifestyle journalist specializing in food, wine, music and travel and the author of "1000 Food & Art Styling Ideas” Ari, the former founding editor of Eater Chicago, has been writing for 20+ years and his work has appeared in the New York Times, WSJ magazine, Associated Press, Men's Journal, Wine Enthusiast, Departures, RollingStone.com, Crain’s Chicago Business, Restaurant Inc, Huffington Post and many more publications.

NICOLE L’HUILLIER FENTON Owner of Skillet Creative, Nicole has extensive experience in food marketing and journalism. As a former awardwinning broadcast journalist, she has turned her love of storytelling into a design and marketing firm that supports specialty food producers nationwide as well as regional and local food markets. She lives in Vermont, one of the leading food-forward states and home to an unprecedented number of craft breweries.

MINDY S. KOLOF The more complex the subject matter, the better Mindy likes to break it down and communicate it with passion. Twenty+ years of experience translates to writing about every type of culinary trend, cuttingedge product and visionary foodservice leader. As principal of her own boutique public relations firm, she’s crafted numerous top-notch communications programs. Her favorite mashup: the intersection of health, wellness and culinary. Mindy graduated from University of Illinois, Champaign, with a bachelor’s in Journalism.

MARY DAGGETT A veteran creative professional with experience working in television, as a vice president at an advertising and PR firm and operating her own freelance business, Mary has specialized in event marketing, video production, PR and advertising campaigns. Her foodservice clients have included Reinhart, Kraft, the Wisconsin Dairy Industry, Manitowoc Ice Machines and Ambrosia Chocolate. She has won NAMA "Best of Show" and numerous other accolades.

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JENN BUSHMAN Jenn is a Creative Services Manager, Art Director, and Graphic Designer based in Chicago, IL. She possesses a combination of conceptual and strategic strength and technical proficiency. Jenn always knew she wanted to pursue a creative career. Though she spends most of her days on the computer, she is passionate about finding ways to work with her hands. Art has always been her first love and she continues to paint in her free time. On the cover is her oil painting of green cabbage. See more about her paintings on page 141. JENNBUSHMAN.COM

LAUREN JONSON Lauren is an avid baker who does graphic design, in that order. She has a passion for creativity, and typically says yes to any challenge – in and out of the kitchen. Designing for over 12 years, she has developed multiple magazine concepts and marketing campaigns all while perfecting her grandmother’s bourbon pecan pie. Lauren’s life is a flavorful collaboration of art and raising her two beautiful children.

DAN COHA Dan Coha is a mainstay in Chicago food photography. He has worked with many advertising and promotional agencies, and packaging and design firms, as well as direct corporate clients over the years. His studio is located in Chicago’s River West neighborhood. COHAPHOTO.COM

CREATIVE CONTRIBUTORS

DREW FRIGO A well rounded creative professional, Drew brings bold ideas to the table. Thinking through drawing, he has very few limits or rules when he draws, which attributes to his knack for generating fresh ideas. With that said, his photographic eye, technical savviness, and being surrounded by a great team help bring these ideas to life. Orange juice, family, fat biking, creating art, and music are huge motivators.

MORGAN GILMORE Morgan is the Junior Graphic Designer on the Marketing Team at Reinhart Foodservice Chicago. Having just joined the team back in July of this year, she is excited to dive in and get to know the ins and outs of the foodservice industry.

SUSAN BARRIENTOS-HEVEY Susan is a Le Cordon Bleu trained chef who began her career in New York’s Mercer Kitchen, and followed Jean Georges to Minneapolis’s Chambers Kitchen. Always aspiring to make food beautiful, Susan's career in the food styling world has allowed her to work on many brand names. She has contributed to projects for General Mills, Target, Bush’s Beans, Walmart, and continues with Reinhart's Restaurant Inc and The Dish. SUZFOODSTYLE.COM

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 03 Contributors 08 Quick Bites

10 VENDOR SPOTLIGHT 12 MARKON: A History in Produce 14 Sustainable Salad Co.: Is On Cutting Edge 17 New Technology: Converts Onion Waste to Energy 18 Do You Know the Veggies in Your Neighborhood? 22 Greens Get Extended Life: At Hydroponic Farm 24 New England Spuds: Farm Boasts Rich History 26 Sunrise Orchards' Quest To Grow Perfect Apples 29 WOKE: Eating is Believing at Vegetable Forward Restaurants 32 Ramp Up Your Menu with Unusual Spring Produce 34 Get Inspired with Garden Gourmet Recipes 62 Ugly Produce Comes in for a Close Up EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Eric Cronert MANAGING EDITOR Audarshia Townsend ART DIRECTION & LEAD DESIGNER Jenn Bushman DESIGNERS Drew Frigo, Lauren Jonson, Morgan Gilmore PHOTOGRAPHER Dan Coha FOOD STYLIST

64 What does ‘Organic’ Really Mean 66 Organic Growth 68 4 Trends from the Eastern Mediterranean 72 Good Roots Is a Good Name to Remember 76 3 Superfoods to Watch in 2018

Susan Barrientos-Hevey Reinhart® Foodservice, L.L.C. welcomes letters and comments. Mail should be directed to: Reinhart Foodservice, L.L.C., Attn: Marketing, 6250 N. River Road, Suite 9000, Rosemont, IL 60018 or magazine@rfsdelivers.com

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TOC co n t in u e d 78 Impossible Burgers Spawn Impossible Tacos

110 Israel Offers a Melting Pot of Flavors

80 Everbody, Just Lighten Up

112 Celebrity Chefs & the Appropriation of Ethnic Cuisines

82 Cutting Edge Gadgets to Help You Make the Most of Your Veggies 84 You Don't Know Jack Fruit

120 Don't Mock These Drinks

86 All the Modern Conveniences in the Produce Category

122 Turn Trash Into Drinkable Treasures

88 Spring Awakening

124 This Juice is Anything But Green

90 Attract Diners Like a Magnet with Tantalizing Spring Salads

128 Look Beyond Usual Skillset When Considering Job Applicants

91 A Seasonal Favorite: Strawberries

130 A Feast Fit For Your Work Family

92 20 Ways to Use Asparagus ... From Stalk to Tip.

132 Markon 5-Star Food Safety Audit Program

94 Will Swim for Food

138 Food Safety Tips for Your Alfresco Affair

98 Infinite Zest

140 Summer Sneak Peek

101 Into the Forest We Go 104 FORAGING for Safety's Sake 106 Chef Spike Mendelsohn Adds Food Advocacy to His Plate

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114 Seeding the New Diner

141 Advertiser Index 142 About the Cover 144 Creative Corner

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T R E N D I N G

N O W

QB Quick Bites for Your Brain

Before we feast upon this issue, here’s something to whet your appetite: From hot new books and social media feeds to dining and drinking establishments getting the most buzz. Compiled by Audarshia Townsend

Liquid Inspiration DUCK A L'ORANGE OLD FASHIONED AT COMMUNITY TAVERN

GET READY FOR REMNANT BREWING

– CHICAGO

Only 15 minutes outside of Boston, this multi-functional brewery expects to satisfy all types of palates when it opens this spring. Remnant Brewery is the largest component of Union Square’s Bow Market, and it offers 4,000 square feet (including a coffeehouse and 1,000-square-foot biergarten). Eight house drafts will always be on tap, and may include New England-style IPAs, pale ales, sour beers and session beers.

This updated version of the classic whiskey sipper has been on the menu since the restaurant opened in 2015. It sets itself apart from others with unconventional accents: bitter amarena cherries originating from northeast Italy, burnt thyme garnish, and duck fat-washed bourbon—which adds to the texture of the whiskey. COMMUNITYTAVERN.COM

– SOMERVILLE, MASS.

FOR YOUR INSTAGRAM FEED

@EATORIMARKET

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@MORELSCAFE

@SHELBURNEFARMS

Interested in recommending a book, app or social media account? Email us magazine@rfsdelivers.com with your suggestion.

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EVEN TASTIER BITES

TRAVERSE CITY WHISKEY CO. The Michigan-based whiskey company wants to take your libations to the next level with this brand-new, premium cocktail cherry line. All cherries are harvested in Traverse City, and prior to cooking, they’re soaked in bourbon, producing just a hint of bourbon flavor. TCWHISKEY.COM/

BIG BOI (LOS ANGELES) The owner behind Los Angeles sensation B Sweet Dessert Bar has opened a brand-new spot paying homage to her late Filipino father. Big Boi’s version of traditional Filipino dishes includes chicken adobo, a monthly rotating selection of Filipino canned meats and a family recipe for lumpia, or Filipino eggrolls. There’s also calamansi juice, or Filipino limeade, on the menu. GOBIGBOI.COM/

MAKING PEACE WITH CONFLICT CUISINE “As immigrants from war-torn countries continue to settle in the United States, often the only part of home they can bring with them is their recipes. The proliferation of Middle Eastern, Ethiopian, El Salvadoran, Turkish, Cuban and Vietnamese restaurants in the Washington, D.C. area alone is just the beginning.” – Spike Mendelsohn of Good Stuff Eatery GOODSTUFFEATERY.COM/

For Your Nightstand

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Vendor Spotlight “Better together” is at the heart of what Reinhart Foodservice is all about. Since 1972, we’ve been one of the leaders in the foodservice industry, and our partnerships with top-notch vendors have been instrumental in keeping us focused and at our best. From coast to coast, we’ve sought out well-respected, innovative and conscientious companies to help us distribute superior produce to our customers. The California-based Markon Cooperative Inc., for example, was the first to institute field-to-table food safety standards above and beyond government regulations. The company’s inspectors, referred to as “boots in the field,” are an invaluable part of Markon’s safety program. The full-time inspection staff walks the fields of the growers six days a week to ensure what customers receive is what they expect. Markon now sets the standard for the rest of the industry to follow. There is also Szawlowski Potato Farms, a New England potato farm that’s been around for more than a century. Four generations in and it’s bigger than ever, operating on 5,000 acres and cranking out marvelous gold, red, round white and Russet potatoes year-round. They’ve also partnered with potato farmers in Virginia, North Carolina, Maine and Canada to pack and ship potatoes from a newly built, state-of-the-art packing and cooling facility. Our vendor partnerships are invaluable and buzzworthy. A revolutionary and exciting growing concept called “aquaponics,” the symbiotic relationship among fish, beneficial bacteria and plants, is what drives the Wisconsin-based Superior Fresh. Opened in 2017, it is the largest aquaponics facility in the world. Superior Fresh’s amazing 720-acre farm is an efficient ecosystem operating 365 days a year. In its 123,000-square-foot glass greenhouse, which is fully operational, premium produce is harvested to the tune of 1.8 million pounds of leafy greens. These include several varieties of head lettuce and baby greens. Read on to learn more about our exceptional vendors and how they aim to take your business to the next level.

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MARKON:

A History in Produce by Ari Bendersky

This Reinhart partner has been a leader in quality produce distribution since 1985. Here's why.

Since 1985, Salinas, Calif.,-based Markon Cooperative, Inc., has been a leader in distribution of high-quality produce. With seven independent foodservice distributors across North America, including Reinhart Foodservice (publisher of Restaurant, Inc.), and $24 billion in annual sales, Markon works with more than 260 suppliers, big and small, including Driscolls, Dole and grower- and family-owned Church Brothers Farms. The company has 70-plus distribution centers from British Columbia to New Orleans and New York to Phoenix â&#x20AC;&#x201D; so they are able to get you fresh, sustainably grown produce whenever you need it. During the more than 30 years since launching, Markon has been a leader in production and distribution of high-quality fruits and vegetables and now supplies more than 800 SKUs. We wanted to highlight just some of the company's accomplishments in sustainability, expert food quality and its commitment to good business practices.

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Harvesting broccoli in Yuma, Arizona

1985 Markon launches in Salinas, CA. 1986 Markon is first company to focus solely on

produce for foodservice.

2008 Joins the Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops

as a founding member.

2010 Happy 25th anniversary, Markon!

1986 Industrial Distribution magazine awards

2012 In a move to adopt real-time tech-based updates,

Markon the Innovative Distributor Trophy for its forward-thinking approach to the procurement and marketing of produce. The company also was chosen as Foodservice Distribution's Innovator of the Year.

1989 Introduces method to ship ice-free products like

broccoli, cilantro and parsley, thus reducing waste and mess.

Markon starts the practice of sending inspectors into the field during harvest to record live videos and real-time updates on weather, growing conditions and more.

2012 In another savvy tech move, Markon launches its

Produce Guide mobile app, offering recipes, nutritional information, pairing suggestions and more.

1996 Markon launches its Ready-Set-Serve line

2013 The company introduces Markon Essentials, a

of pre-washed and ready-to-use fruits and vegetables. Then, knowing it would help reduce prep time in restaurants, the company introduced washed and trimmed green leaf and romaine lettuces. Finally, to adhere to the highest safety standards, Markon initiates its 5-Star Food Safety program, which goes on to be an industry leader.

2001 Markon moves away from messy mesh produce

bags and switches to shipping product, like onions, in easy-to-store cardboard boxes. Others in the industry follow suit.

2002 After successfully introducing onion boxes,

Markon lightens the load with a 40-pound celery pack, introducing lighter standard sizes making moving and lifting cartons easier for staff.

budget-friendly, year-round collection of necessary produce, including bell peppers, citrus, cucumbers and mushrooms.

2014 The Markon Mobile Inspector app goes live,

allowing inspectors to immediately communicate any concerns regarding food safety and quality conditions with photos, text and video.

2015 Markon turns 30! 2016 Yield Savings Calculator launches to let operators

compare savings by ordering Markon's ReadySet-Serve and Markon First Crop products.

2017 To help operators store produce at optimal

temperatures, Markon introduces the Virtual Cooler. n

2006 Company president Tim York teams with

University of California, Davis to create the Center for Produce Safety. More than 10 years later, the organization continues to work with scientific, academic and government agencies to research and advance food safety practices.

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Sustainable Salad Co.

IS ON CUTTING EDGE Contributed by Markon Cooperative

Taylor Farms is one of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most dependable grower-processors of packaged salads and fresh-cut vegetable packs. With several stateof-the-art facilities operating under the strictest food safety programs, you might not expect that this multimillion-dollar company is dedicated to leaving the world a better place. Yet this company, founded in 1995 by Bruce Taylor and other multi-generational produce partners, understands the importance of adapting to an everchanging industry with ecologically sustainable processes.

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Three-Step Approach

Waste Reduction

Sustainability has become a critical part of keeping Taylor Farms and its products relevant in the 21st century. The company focuses on three key areas to reducing its carbon footprint: solar and wind energy, water treatment/recycling and waste reduction.

Taylor Farms continually works to reduce, reuse and recycle. An average of 3.5 million pounds of fresh produce per year is donated to food banks, the Salvation Army and other charitable organizations like Ag Against Hunger. Healthy, delicious food that would otherwise find its way to landfills is now feeding thousands of people in the local regions where Taylor grows and processes. In addition, the vegetable byproducts that canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be eaten are being converted to animal feed and being used for composting.

Solar and Wind Power Taylor Farms embarked on its first commercial-scale energy project, a solar installation, in 2012. Since then, the company has added four more, totaling five megawatts of solar power across California, Texas and Tennessee. Next, Taylor installed Bloom fuel cells and a cogeneration plant, which both use natural gas to produce on-site power for two of its California facilities. In 2014, Taylor Farms also installed a one-megawatt wind turbine at the Gonzales, Calif., plant, which utilizes solar, wind and cogeneration to provide more than 90 percent of its power needs. In fact, this plant is just one step away from complete energy independence.

Water

Every Salad Counts Why go through all this trouble? Taylor Farms knows that one bag of salad won't change the world, but it understands that how itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s made just might. It seems the company has accomplished its mission to be North America's favorite maker of salads and freshcut vegetables, yet continues to work hard toward accomplishing that goal with a genuine commitment to responsible practices. n

In addition to a SmartWash system using 10 percent less water than other industry programs and added collection lines capturing plant juices to reduce overall water consumption by 12.5 percent, Taylor Farms has opened its first water treatment and recycling plant in Tennessee with plans for expansion.

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The first step in composing a craveable menu is using the finest fresh fruits and vegetables. Markon First Crop®, Ready-Set-Serve®, and Markon Essentials® produce items ensure that your recipes will be filled with high-quality, healthy, delicious ingredients every time. Give classic fluffy flapjacks a vibrant flair with bright pink beet juice. The flavor is a bit earthier, but remains on the sweet side. Top with crunchy, crimson cactus pears, passion fruit pulp, and delicate edible flowers for an instagrammable presentation. Be inspired at markon.com.

Join Markon’s online community today and enrich your knowledge and connections. Browse: markon.com Learn: mobile app Connect: social media

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NEW TECHNOLOGY

Converts Onion Waste to Energy Contributed by Markon Cooperative

Gills Onions, a family-owned processor of fresh onions in Southern California, slices more than 800,000 pounds of this foodservice staple every day. Due to the nature of the peeling and slicing processes, more than 40 percent of the total onion mass is lost, creating a huge amount of agricultural waste that used to be unsustainable and costly. Company founders Steve and David Gill had a problem on their hands. They were spreading as much of the byproduct as possible over other fields, but it was affecting these crops and they needed a better solution. Though nothing like this had been created before, the company embarked on a research project that took more than 12 years and resulted in one of the most innovative, sustainable facilities in the world. Using anaerobic reaction technology and a power generator, the company can generate enough electricity to supply 100 percent of the baseload requirements of the plant. That eliminates 200,000 pounds of peelings from the waste totals per day, not to mention the significant greenhouse gas reductions due to the transportation pollution that was eradicated. What the Gills’ team did was put together a crack team of engineers with both foodservice and energy experience to develop the technology to extract and digest the onion juice, then convert it into methane gas which is treated, compressed and used to power the plant. The remaining onion pieces that cannot be converted into juice are used for animal feed, further reducing total waste. The Gills team is proud that they are currently 99.8 percent sustainable with only hairnets and gloves going into the landfill. That’s a huge accomplishment. Gills has set the trend in foodservice for this sort of energy recovery system, leading the way for like-minded companies to create their own systems that can only improve the industry’s overall carbon footprint. The Gills family asserts that their goal is to recycle as much onion waste as they can, stating that though it’s a budget saver for the company, it’s also accountability to the environment. n

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Do You Know the Veggies in Your Neighborhood? by Mary Daggett

How Regional Produce Shines on Menus from Coast to Coast

The countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regional cuisines beautifully illustrate the importance of produce in the development of each distinctive culinary style. What was cultivated in the different regions of the country reflected the background and cultures of the immigrants who settled there, as well as native plants. Some people brought seeds from their native lands to propagate in America. Heirloom varieties, for example, are cherished today more than ever. Perceptive and innovative chefs are the catalysts in spreading the word that vegetables and fruits from other parts of the country are wonderful delights just waiting to be discovered. Perhaps your customers would enjoy a bit of culinary adventure focused on produce that is new to your neck of the woods.

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Daily menu specials in South, East Coast get extra special treatment with local produce The East Coast has long had an abundance of beautiful apples, pumpkins, grapes and other fruits; and restaurateurs tempt diners with fruit pies, cobblers and crisps. At Gramercy

Tavern in New York, the dessert menu is a veritable fruit salad of goodies, from apple drop doughnuts to a caramel quince tart. On the savory side, pickled grapes accompany the beef tartare. Brussels sprouts and baked beans are just two of the vegetable varieties from the East Coast that have penetrated all regions. Whether north, south, east or west, apple pie ala mode makes a fine comfort dessert.

At Magnolia

in Charleston, a prized appetizer

is fried green tomatoes with caramelized onion and white cheddar cheese – one of the most iconic Southern dishes. The restaurant also features artichokes au gratin laced with spinach, which illustrates the point that chefs love to introduce diners to innovation. Black-eyed peas (also known as “cowboy caviar”) and collard greens are traditionally eaten throughout the South on New Year’s Day to promote good luck, and are popular sides the year round. Sweet potato yaya, deep-fried okra and fresh peach pie may not be a big deal in Georgia, but seeing these dishes on the menu would seem special and intriguing to many Northerners.

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West Coast staples artichokes, avocados, kale continue to dominate Those three West Coast denizens – artichokes, avocados and kale – are still spreading across all regions. Artichokes are favorites atop pizza, in pastas and sandwiches. Whole chokes make a great first course with aioli for dipping. Avocados made their mark first in Mexican restaurants, and are now mainstream in everything from avocado toast to entrée salads. Kale has become a true nutritional superstar nationwide. At Redbird

in downtown Los Angeles, the avocado salad sits atop little gem

lettuce. Smoked bacon and buttermilk blue cheese vinaigrette complete the dish. California citrus is wildly popular right now. The baby red beet salad at the Screen Door in Portland, Ore., makes one feel healthier just reading the ingredients, which include frisee lettuce, pickled kohlrabi, grapefruit, cara cara and blood oranges, and a goat cheese and avocado spread. It’s tossed in a charred Meyer lemon vinaigrette and sprinkled with toasted pistachios. For a change of pace, consider delighting your patrons with produce headliners from different regions of the country.

Revolutionary and Exciting News There is currently a lot of buzz around a revolutionary and exciting growing concept called “aquaponics,” which is the symbiotic relationship among fish, beneficial bacteria and plants. Superior Fresh, the largest aquaponics facility in the world, opened last year in Northfield, Wis. This amazing 720-acre farm is an efficient ecosystem operating year-round. In the 123,000-square-foot glass greenhouse, which is fully operational, premium produce is harvested 365 days a year to the tune of 1.8 million pounds of leafy greens. These include several varieties of head lettuce and baby greens. The 40,000-squarefoot steel fish house has the capability to produce 160,000 pounds of fish. First quarter 2018 will see the first crop of rainbow trout reach maturity, and Atlantic salmon will follow in the second quarter. Distributors pick up fresh product directly from the facility. The chart below illustrates how the operation works. For more information, visit superiorfresh.com. n

Fish We feed the fish a specialty formulated diet free of hormones and antibiotics

The fish produce the ammonia and solids

Filtered water is re-introduced back into the fish tanks

Beneficial Bacteria The solids are broken down from ammonia to nitrites then nitrates, making nutrients available for plant uptake

Nutrient-rich water is pumped into the greenhouse for the plants

Clean water is pumped back to the aquaculture system

Leafy Greens Plants utilize nutrients and in turn clean the water

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Markon First Crop®, Ready-SetServe®, and Markon Essentials® fruit and vegetable products give you the versatility to create colorful, flavor-packed recipes. Markon’s full-time inspection staff literally walks the fields six days a week to ensure that what you receive is what you expect. They check product quality, size and weight specifications, growing conditions, weather patterns, worker welfare, and overall sanitation. They visit cold rooms to inspect post-harvest storage temperatures, processing plants to review critical-control points, and shipping facilities to oversee loading. They are your eyes and ears, or rather, Boots in the Field®. Be inspired at markon.com.

Join Markon’s online community today and enrich your knowledge and connections. Browse: markon.com Learn: mobile app Connect: social media SPRING 2018 RFSDELIVERS.COM

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Greens Get Extended Life AT HYDROPONIC FARM by Nicole L’Huillier Fenton

Don’t get caught saying “spring mix” around the greenhouse of lef Farms. That phrase will cost you a quarter in the office swear jar. The founders of this innovative hydroponic farm in Loudon, N.H., believe their mixes of fresh, pesticide-free baby greens are so distinct and pleasing to the palette that they deserved unique names such as smooth, balance and spice. “We worked with regional chefs and a consumer advisory panel to test over 200 varieties of greens,” says Donald Grandmaison, sales and marketing manager of lef Farms. “We whittled it down to the three mixes we have now and felt they were so delicious that they should be known by the flavor or complement that they bring to the meal.” Lef Farms is the vision of Henry Huntington, his father Jon, and brother Jeff, who all have gained their agricultural prowess in the family company, Pleasant View Gardens. Recently, the Huntingtons decided to build a new 75,000-square-foot hydroponic greenhouse facility to grow fresh baby greens year-round under the lef Farms brand.

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Hydroponic greenhouse production, however, takes a considerable amount of technology to get it right. The Huntingtons traveled the world searching for the best automated growing technology and found it from Finland-based company Green Automation. With a few modifications to their baby leaf lettuce system, like using peat instead of rock wool as a growing medium, lef Farms says they can grow, harvest and ship greens fresher than anyone around. “Our greens will get to you within 24 hours of being harvested,” says Grandmaison. The short harvest to delivery time can potentially result in less waste in the kitchen and an increase in shelf life. Plus, lef Farms aims to provide 20 percent more plates per pound, which could be good news when reviewing portion costs. “It’s going to taste better, be free of chemicals and you don’t have to throw any away,” says Grandmaison. The farm is also harvesting its greens using a method called cold harvesting, which Grandmaison says increases their shelf life from 14 to 23 to 28 days. All the technology aside, the Huntingtons simply believe greens need to be grown where they will be eaten, so you can enjoy them at their peak freshness. They have plans to build on another six acres of land and increase their hydroponic production, perhaps putting them on the road to changing the perceptions and flavor of greens in the Northeast. n

“WE WORK WITH THE GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK AND THE NEW HAMPSHIRE FOOD BANK TO PROVIDE THEM WITH FRESH, DELICIOUS GREENS GROWN LOCALLY, IN THE WINTER.” “BECAUSE OUR GREENS ARE GROWN IN A GREENHOUSE, THEY ARE REALLY PROTECTED FROM THE ELEMENTS.” “WE WANTED TO ELEVATE GREENS, SET A NEW STANDARD FOR GREENS IN THIS INDUSTRY.” – Don Grandmaison.

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New England Spuds Farm

BOASTS RICH HISTORY by Nicole Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Huillier Fenton

When John Rupert Szawlowski stepped onto Ellis Island in 1902, he probably couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have imagined that his vision for a family potato farm would still be in operation more than 100 years later. Four generations later, the Szawlowski family farm, or commonly known as Swaz Potato Farms, is one of the largest potato farms in New England. Growing round white, red, Yukon Gold and russet potatoes on 5,000 acres, the Szawlowski family knows the land their great-grandfather chose on which to build has added to the success of this family business.

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“Our farm lines both sides of the Connecticut River Valley in Massachusetts,” explains Diane Szawlowski Mullins. “This is some of the richest soil on the earth. We have been fortunate to grow potatoes on incredibly fertile land, and geographically we are perfectly situated to distribute to some of the most densely populated areas in the Northeast.” Even in the most productive agriculture soils, the growing season for potatoes in New England is still pretty short. Mullins says they typically harvest potatoes from the beginning of August to early November, oftentimes putting 25 trailer loads of potatoes a day out for distribution. About 15 years ago, the Szawlowskis decided they wanted to expand their potato offerings year-round. They began partnering with potato farmers in Virginia, North Carolina, Maine and Canada to pack and ship potatoes from a newly built, state-of-the art packing and cooling facility. “By working with some of our farm partners, we are able to serve the big retailers and foodservice players 12 months a year, while also providing a local connection and outstanding service for customers in the North,” says Mullins.

The Szawlowskis also think it’s important to be good neighbors in their community as well as good stewards of their land. Annually, they donate more than 100,000 pounds of potatoes to the Foodbank of Western Massachusetts. And in 2010, in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the farm, they launched a foundation providing scholarships to regional high school students who want to continue their education in agriculture. Their hope is to support future farmers who may also value and respect the land that has given this family so much for which they are proud. n

“CHEFS WANT THEIR PRODUCE TO BE AS LOCAL AS POSSIBLE, AND WE ARE CLOSE TO SOME OF THE MOST DENSELY POPULATED AREAS IN THE NORTHEAST, SO FOR MANY RESTAURANTS AND RETAILERS, WE ARE LOCAL.”

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SUNRISE ORCHARDS' QUEST TO

GROW PERFECT APPLES by Nicole Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Huillier Fenton

Christiana and Barney Hodges purposely keep a close eye on bugs. Monitoring the population of insects in their more than 40-year-old orchard helps them decide how to treat their apple trees. By following a strict growing program called EcoApple protocol and Integrated Pest Management, Vermont-based Sunrise Orchards has grown into one of the Northeastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most prominent orchards. They produce more than 130,000 bushels of apples each year, including popular apples like McIntosh, Empire, Cortland, Macoun and Granny Smith.

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The Hodges’ family transformed a 200-acre dairy farm into an orchard in the 1970s in the Champlain Valley, an area of Vermont known for farms and outstanding orchards. Working with distributors Black River Produce, Reinhart and non-profit Red Tomato have helped them expand into Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. “We love what we do even though it’s super challenging,” says Christiana Hodges. “Growing apples isn’t easy. Most consumers expect the fruit to be free from blemishes, taste delicious and be about the right size.” “We are growing food outside; out in nature. People forget about all of the pressures that are in the natural world,” says Hodges. She knows the way they approach growing apples is what is makes theirs some of the best. They helped develop the EcoApple program with non-profit organization Red Tomato, other growers in the Northeast and scientists from Cornell University and the University of Massachusetts. The protocol supports and rewards environmentally responsive growing practices to strive for superior local food and a better planet.

Harvesting at the right time is also key to the apples’ success; not picking too early or too late is important. Hodges says storage is essential to the overall health of the apple. “We want to feel good about the food that we ship out of our orchard. We pay attention to the details and quality of each season.” Sunrise Orchards is continuously aiming to be innovative in its approach to growing apples while also being conservative. Moving forward, they hope to keep an eye on the cider market to provide existing and new cider varieties to appeal to the hard cider consumer. n

“WE ARE A COMPANY, WITH A BRAND, BUT BEHIND IT WE ARE A FAMILY WITH 60,000 TREES IN OUR YARD.”

At Sunrise Orchards that can mean pruning and shaping trees in the winter to increase their light and productivity. The rest of the year, they work tirelessly to prune and remove brush, bring in 150 hives of bees, mow the fallen leaves, monitor insects and fungus, and only apply spray when weather conditions or trap captures warrant treatment.

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Seared Halibut in white wine butter sauce, with herbs and tomatoes.

From iron skillet to brick ovenâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; Hidden Bay Halibut Portions and Cold Water Lobster Meat are the top choices for dressing your menu. No matter what style table, our premium seafood offerings will stand out on flavor and presentation.

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WOKE: Eating is believing at vegetableforward restaurants

the revolution is in full flower by Mindy S. Kolof As vegetables continue their inexorable journey from small side corner to the very center of plate, restaurateurs who adopt this way of dining are rapidly becoming the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest overnight sensations, some with decades of experience. We talked to pioneers and newbies alike to learn why they were inspired to become part of this revolution in dining, and how to build devoted followings with offerings that entice the non-vegetarian.

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Those who’ve carved a niche in the vegetable-forward space are distinctly diverse, yet share similar inspiration: enlightenment about the cuisine’s unimpeachable attributes coupled with a recognition of the relative scarcity of appealing options. Says pioneering chef Amanda Cohen, who opened her now iconic Dirt Candy restaurant in 2005: “I had been working in other people’s restaurants for more than 10 years and realized that no one was going to let me try my ideas about vegetables unless I opened my own place. “Back then, most restaurants that served vegetables either relegated them to the sides section of the menu, had a grilled vegetable or Mediterranean plate as the entree, or imitated the ‘meat and two veg’ formula with a chunk of protein at the center of the plate, a heavy sauce and some vegetables around it.” Vegetarian status is not a requirement, just a genuine admiration for the role of vegetables, says Jill Barron, who established Chicago’s Mana Food Bar in 2008. It’s often ranked as one of the city’s best vegetarian restaurants. “Then, I felt there was a lack of overall respect for veggies in Chicago,” adds Barron. “I wanted to create a place where vegetarians and non-vegetarians could eat together.” There is also a deep sense of giving back, whether to the environment or to the less fortunate. It underlies Beefsteak, the vegetable-focused passion project of renowned chef José Andrés, for example. A partnership with Veteran Compost, a Maryland-based, veteran-owned business turning organic waste into compost for a local urban farm, and kids-eat-free-Wednesdays encourages youthful adoption of healthier, more plant-based dining. Ran Nussbacher, owner of the award-winning, plantbased Shouk, fervently believes that “it’s a foregone conclusion that we need to change from a culture that relies heavily on meat, fish and dairy to one that brings in more vegetables, nuts and seeds. People are starting to wake up to how the usual way of eating wreaks havoc on their bodies, and there is a growing appreciation for how this is taking a toll on the planet.” Likewise, Aubrey and Kale Walch were moved to open Herbivorous Butcher, the first vegan butcher shop in the United States, because “even a modest reduction in the consumption of animal products would not only spare billions of animals from inhumane treatment every year, but have a huge environmental impact.” Finding success in this space requires a healthy mix of passion and practicality. Our panel of veggie-forward champions shared their notes from the frontlines of a culinary revolution:

Jill Barron, Mana Food Bar

Amanda Cohen, Dirt Candy

Remember your base of potential customers is more diverse than you may imagine.

A tasty signature item? Yes indeed, and burgers can top your list.

Walch says: “If you hang out at Herbivorous Butcher on any given day, you'll see people from every race, gender and age come through the doors. People from all walks of life are pursuing veganism right now.” At Dirt Candy, Cohen says diners split almost evenly between omnivores and vegetarians/vegans. Nussbacher confirms that Shouk customers are all over the board, with the vast majority not vegetarian, but just diners who want to try everything…and “they keep coming back, attracted by the freshness of the cuisine.” Mana attracts a crowd that can’t be neatly pigeonholed either, ranging from foreign tourists to local stroller moms.

The sheer range of bestsellers is testament to the cuisine’s wide appeal. At Herbivorous Butcher, vegan Korean ribs and pastrami fly off the cutting boards; Dirt Candy’s Portobello mousse, Korean fried broccoli, carrot sliders are perennial favorites, along with flashier dishes like hush puppies with maple butter and Brussels sprout tacos. Others have created vegetarian burgers that pack a meaty punch: Beefsteak’s version has been rightfully termed a masterpiece, featuring a thick, juicy peak-of-season beefsteak tomato sprinkled with sea salt on an olive oil brioche bun, while at Mana, the ever popular sliders are made with brown rice and

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Misconceptions? There are a few. The bland label has stuck to veggies over the years, along with a vibe of “good for you, but not fun.” That reputation is easily shelved with well-curated offerings, says Eric Martino of ThinkFoodGroup, Andres’ operating company. “When done right, with crunchy textures, and sweet,

Aubrey and Kale Walch, Herbivorous Butcher

Ran Nussbacher, Shouk

José Andrés, Beefsteak mushrooms and tucked into a Hawaiian roll. Nussbacher promises that Shouk’s is “the best veggie burger you’ll ever have. We don’t try to make it behave like beef, but celebrate the grains and beans.” Diners and critics agree, with terms like “revelatory” bandied about to describe the Shouk patty made of chickpeas, black beans, lentils, mushrooms and cauliflower, wrapped in a fluffy pita.

savory, salty, tart flavors, vegetables are completely craveable.” How about the perception that vegetarian food is not satiating? Nussbacher says simply: “After trying this food, that view disappears forever.”

Sell it with authenticity, and not just to vegetarians. “A lot of places doing vegetarian food focus on the health and beauty segment of the market, their menus covered with virtuous names for dishes and claims about antioxidants,” says Cohen. “To me, Dirt Candy is a fine-dining restaurant that specializes in vegetables the same way Peter Luger specializes in steak or Le Bernadin specializes in seafood.” At Beefsteak, where “vegetables unleashed” is the slogan, everything

from the soil-like floors to the bright blue ventilation system encapsulates the experience of veggies as the main attraction. Shouk markets itself as a new take on comfort food and emphasizes its dishes as Israeli-inspired rather than vegan.

Get started. Some words of advice from Cohen: “Don’t expect to sell a lot of alcohol, be prepared to hold your customers’ hands more since a lot of this will be new to them, and really train your staff to understand the food so they can talk about it with surety.” Martino recommends partnering with a great local farmer, and sticking with only seasonal vegetables. Barron urges: “Be confident that non-vegetarians will love your dishes once they

PHOTO BY TJ TURNER

try them. I take a gamble when customers hesitate and tell them it’s on me if they don’t like it.” And by all means, begin with a vegetarian pizza or flatbread offering, but she beseeches restaurateurs: “If you’re going to do a pasta, please put some thought into it way beyond a pasta primavera.” Finally, know that even though vegetable-forward menus may be multiplying as quickly as Instagram food posts, you’re not too late to the party. Says Cohen: “There are so many things to try, so many vegetables to discover, so many crazy techniques to use with them that vegetables have become the unexplored territory of Western cuisine.” n

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Ramp Up Your Menu with Unusual Spring Produce by Mary Daggett

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Here are some of the spring valuables to keep in mind when looking for renewed menu interest:

Every spring brings delightful renewal. Nature gives a nudge to dormant plants to begin anew the growing process. This time of year is especially welcome in the restaurant business because an abundance of unusual produce is again readily available -- through local growers, distributors and professional foragers. Operators and chefs are eager to add fresh items that will re-awaken those bored winter palates. Foragers must be thoroughly knowledgeable of their craft because many of the plants growing in the wild could be lethal if consumed. Knowledge is passed down through generational learning, foraging classes and manuals devoted to forage education. Once a means of survival, foraging is being eagerly embraced again across the nation. Seattle, in fact, has instituted a remarkable public works project called the Beacon Food Forest. Here, anyone can pick fresh produce for free in an edible forest ecosystem. The project invites all ages and ethnicities to forage what they need.

Fiddlehead Ferns

The unfurling young sprouts of ferns are one of the first greens to appear in early spring. The fiddleheads of the ostrich fern are considered best by many foragers. Their flavor is similar to a blend of asparagus, green bean and artichoke.

Ramps

These pungent harbingers of spring grow in abundance in the Appalachian Mountains and much of the Midwest and East Coast. Also known as “wild leeks,” their strong flavor evokes onions and garlic. The city of Chicago’s name is derived from the Native American word for ramps—“shikaakwa”—which grew in abundance in the surrounding area.

Rhubarb

This herbaceous plant has toxic leaves; however, the crisp, juicy stalks (petioles) with their strong, tart taste are prized for jams, pies and other desserts. While hothouse varieties are available in late winter/early spring, outdoor rhubarb is ready to pick by April/May. Chefs are discovering ways to use it in savory dishes. It is also emerging as a great candidate for pickling.

Watercress

One of the oldest leafy vegetables consumed by humans, cress grows best in aquatic surroundings, such as spring-fed streams. The delicate leaves pack a zesty flavor punch. Chefs use watercress in salads, sandwiches, scrambled eggs and soups. Bunches can be found at farmers markets April through June. n

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B E V E R A G E

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GET INSPIRED WITH GARDEN GOURMET Now that spring is here, you’ll suddenly find yourself inundated with the freshest of produce. So much that you won’t know what to do with it all. Asparagus. Cauliflower. Lettuces. And, of course, berries of all varieties. Honestly, it’s a great problem to have because what you don’t use now you can always pickle or turn into preserves to use during those months when you don’t have such an abundance. If you’re feeling uninspired of what to do with all the great produce you have coming in, this issue’s Food Fight should grab your attention. Our Reinhart chefs had fun with this feature, squaring up against one another with their favorite produce-driven recipes. For example, Chef Jeff Merry of Boston goes head-to-head with Chef Brian Funk of Shawano, Wis., pitting asparagus-topped grilled flatbread

against tempura asparagus and poached egg. What a battle, but luckily you don’t have to choose only one. Recreate them both. For berries, it’s sweet vs. savory in two classic dishes re-imagined by Corporate Chef Paul Young and Chef Kevin Nash (Eastern Pennsylvania), respectively. Young refines his berries presentation with Spanish lavender, heavy whipping cream and a taste of honey. Meanwhile, Nash upgrades the traditional caprese salad: tomato, mozzarella, fresh basil and balsamic vinegar punctuated by fresh strawberries and blueberries. Your guests will thank you berry much! In all, Food Fight highlights 30 producefocused recipes. On the next several pages, you’ll find inventive ways to prepare classic dishes with the season’s bounty.

Photography by Dan Coha Photography Food Styling by Susan Barrientos-Hevey

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SHARE-ABLE DELIGHTS Punch up your small plate menu with flatbread topped with asparagus and other market fresh vegetables.

Tempurabattered asparagus is a real crowed pleaser.

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asparagus RI_BODY_Spring 2018_v2.indd 37

TEMPURA ASPARAGUS W/ ROMESCO & POACHED EGG

GRILLED FLATBREAD W/ HUMMUS, ASPARAGUS, MORELS, RAMPS

CHEF SCOTT COLLINS | REINHART BURLINGTON

CHEF JEFF MERRY | REINHART BOSTON

INGREDIENTS [Servings: 10]

INGREDIENTS [Servings: 1]

2 lbs

Asparagus, #19878

2 oz

8 oz

Almond, Sliced, #23064

1 Ea

European Panini Bread, White 8",

8 oz

Roma Tomato, #25998

#G7160

4 oz

Olive Oil, Pomace, #W6620

2 oz

Asparagus Jumbo Fresh, Seasoned

1 oz

Dijon Mustard Grained w/ Wine,

& grilled, #AD598

#26866

1/8 oz Morels, soaked #KB606

8 oz

Tempura Batter Mix, #11390

Hummus, Classic, #A5528

1 oz

Ramps, trimmed & cut

10 Ea Egg, Extra Large, #L3744

4 oz

Mozzarella Cheese, Shredded

4 oz

Red Pepper, #12312

#20139

1 oz

Honey Extra Light Amber, #22148

PREPARATION Roast the pepper and the tomatoes until they're charred in appearance in a 400°F oven with ½ the olive oil for 10-15 minute or until desired char. Let chill, remove peppers to separate tray to remove skin, stems and seeds. Save oil that peppers and tomatoes were roasted in to flavor the romesco. Roast the almonds. Add tomatoes, pepper, almonds and mustard with remaining olive oil and blend until smooth with some remaining texture. Salt and pepper to taste, add honey if needed (If sauce has any bitter after taste from the roasting).

PREPARATION Grill flatbread. Spread hummus, top with grilled asparagus and sautéed ramps and morels. Top with cheese and place under broiler until cheese is melted.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS W/ TOMATO & GOAT CHEESE • PAGE FIFTY-EIGHT

ASPARAGUS Dip in tempura batter, shake off excess and fry until done. Plate up- spoon sauce on plate, top with tempura asparagus and poached egg.

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BERRIES, REFINED Update this classic French dish with fresh lavender.

Give the caprese salad a boost with blueberries and strawberries.

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berries

STRAWBERRY CAPRESE CHEF KEVIN NASH | REINHART EASTERN PA

BERRIES W/ LAVENDER CREME ANGLAISE

INGREDIENTS [Servings: 1]

CHEF PAUL YOUNG | REINHART CORPORATE

4 oz

Mozzarella Cheese Log, Fresh, #M9604

INGREDIENTS [Servings: 1]

6 oz

Tomato, Extra Large, #25942

3 oz

Strawberry, #39142

1/8 oz Basil, #75016 1 oz

Balsamic Vinegar, #F6473

1 oz

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, In Tin, #23159

PREPARATION Slice the mozzarella and the tomato evenly (in thickness). Clean the strawberries and cut in half; remove stems. Arrange the cheese and tomato on a plate and arrange the strawberry. You can pre plate these items and keep covered in cooler when ready to expedite. Chiffonade the basil if desired and drizzle the vinegar and the oil around the plate. Raspberries, blueberries, peaches, figs can be substituted or added.

SPINACH BERRY SALAD â&#x20AC;¢ PAGE FIFTY-EIGHT

2 oz

Strawberry, #67154

1/8 Ea Blueberry, 1 /2 Pint Fresh, #77258 1/2 Ea Raspberry 1 /2 Pint Fresh, #A6118 1 Ea

Egg Large, Yolk only, #L3384

3 oz

Milk, Whole, White, #71380

3 oz

Heavy Whipping Cream, #71216

2 Tbsp Sugar, Extra Fine, #16728 1/8 tsp Extract Vanilla Artisan, #24827 1/8 tsp Honey, #KB356 TT

Spanish Lavender

PREPARATION In a heavy bottomed sauce pot, heat the milk, cream, vanilla and lavender. The mixture should just bubble on the sides and not come to a full simmer as not to singe it. Meanwhile whisk together the sugar and egg yolk until the yolk has doubled in size and has become pale in color. Slowly add 1/4 cream mixture to the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Then add the egg mixture back into the pot while stirring always. Put the mixture on medium low heat while stirring constantly. Once the mixture coats the back of a spoon it is done. Strain and cool. Place the creme anglaise on top of the fresh berries. Garnish with fresh or dried lavender.

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RATATOUILLE CRUDO â&#x20AC;¢ PAGE FIFTY-EIGHT Keep vegetables crisp and fresh in this modern take on a classic French dish. RI_BODY_Spring 2018_v2.indd 40

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brian funk

BRIAN FUNK • REINHART SHAWANO For a real burst of springtime, try the Almond Duck Salad, an exquisite mix of sweet and savory flavors that's ideal to serve as an elegant lunch, or a light but completely satisfying dinner. The beet burger can also pull a double shift on the menu...use its earthy goodness and piquant blend of spices for a veggie-centric snack or side with Asian slaw for a delightfully healthy main entree.

ALMOND DUCK SALAD

BEET-ER LATE THAN NEVER BURGER

INGREDIENTS [Servings: 1]

INGREDIENTS [Servings: 6]

4 oz

Duck Tenderloin Marinated Almond

Breaded, Frozen, #43122

16 oz Red Beet 1 1/3 oz Oatmeal Quick Rolled 3 1/3 oz Lentil Triple Cleaned Box Dry 2 1/4 oz Flour All Purpose 3 oz Onion Diced 3/8" Fresh 1/2 oz Cilantro Fresh 1/2 oz Basil Fresh 1/3 oz Garlic Chopped In Water Refrigerated 1 Ea Focaccia, Seeded Salt & Pepper 4"

1 ½ oz Cranberry Dried Sweetened, #82696 1 ½ oz Blueberry Whole, #61562 1 ½ oz Carrot, Shredded, #79764 1 ½ oz Gorgonzola Cheese Crumble, #BL284 1 oz

Onion Red, Sliced 3/16", #75620

1 oz

Walnut, #23044

MAPLE VINAIGRETTE 40 oz Syrup Pancake Maple Flavored 40 oz Mayonnaise Extra Heavy Duty 2 oz

Vinegar White Distilled 5%

3 oz

Arcadian Harvest Blend Lettuce,

#V7192

PREPARATION In a bowl, toss mixed greens with maple vinaigrette. Place in cold salad bowl. Top with walnuts, blueberries, cranberries, red onions, carrots, and gorgonzola. Place duck tenders in fryer for 5-8 minutes, reserve. Place duck tenders on salad.

ASIAN SLAW 32 oz Cabbage Green, Shredded Separate Carrot & Red Cabbage Fresh 1/8 oz Soy Sauce 1/2 oz Lemon Juice 1/2 oz Sesame Oil, Blend 8-10% Sekura BASIL-SRIRACHA AIOLI 2 oz Basil Fresh 8 oz Mayonnaise Extra Heavy Duty 1/3 oz Lemon Juice 1/4 oz Sriracha

PREPARATION Grate beets. Add the beets, along with all of the remaining ingredients to the food processor. Pulse, stopping to scrape the sides, until the mixture comes together. Form into 4 patties. Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the patties. Cooking them low and slow is the key for good texture. Cook about 3-5 minutes per side, until they are nicely browned on both sides and hold together well. Serve hot on a bun with Asian slaw, basil-sriracha aioli and your favorite burger toppings.

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CAULIFLOWER'S TIME TO SHINE The ever-versatile veggie that continues to flower as pizza crust, risotto substitute or seasoned and roasted like a steak.

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cauliflower RI_BODY_Spring 2018_v2.indd 43

CAULIFLOWER W/ CURRIED ONION DRIZZLE & SPICED TOMATO

INGREDIENTS [Servings: 5]

CHEF DAVID QUICK | REINHART KNOXVILLE

30 oz Cauliflower Floret, #78328

INGREDIENTS [Servings: 1] 1 Ea

Cauliflower, 1.5" steak slices

BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER CHEF BRIAN FUNK | REINHART SHAWANO

3 1/3 oz Flour All Purpose, #27636 1/8 oz Garlic Powder, #24372 1/8 oz Salt, #31984

¼ Tbsp Garlic & Herb Seasoning #13720

1/8 oz Pepper Black, #24114

¼ Tbsp Rotisserie Seasoning, #24832

8 oz

3 oz

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, #10081

1/2 oz Honey Extra Light Amber, #22148

¼ lb

Onion Green Scallion, #76207

1 oz

Chive, #T3544

PREPARATION

2 Ea

Garlic, whole, #V5377

1 oz

Paste Curry Red Thai Style, #H8076

¼ lb

Tomato Roma, #13766

1 oz

Red Onion, slice super thin, #14042

2 oz

Lime Juice, #T1911

1/8 oz

Cilantro, just a few leaves, #78014

¼ tsp

Garam Masala, Ground, #KL802

Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Prepare batter for the cauliflower by combining the water, flour and seasonings in a medium bowl. Mix until batter is combined (it will look like pancake mix). Dip the cauliflower in the batter (you can do this in batches), shaking off the excess batter before placing the cauliflower on the baking sheet. Lay the cauliflower in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown. While the cauliflower is baking, combine the hot sauce and honey in a medium bowl. When the cauliflower is ready, remove it from the baking pan and toss it in hot sauce.

PREPARATION Slice head of cauliflower into steaks about 1-1.5" thick and lay on parchment lined sheet tray. Rub with olive oil and then rub with seasoning mix, marinade for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°F while steaks are marinading. Wash and dry onion and chive. Lightly oil and place on char grill, turning and watching. Char the onions, but do not burn them (same with the chives, but will go much faster). After they are charred pull off and place directly into VitaMix or your favorite blender. Place garlic cloves, remaining oil and curry paste. Blend this until super smooth. I add about 2-3 tablespoons of hot water to make for a better and smoother texture. Slice tomato into thin wedges, add julienned red onions, lime juice, salt and garam masala; leave to the side to marinade.

Hot Sauce, #10014

CAULIFLOWER STEAK • PAGE FIFTY-NINE

Place cauliflower steaks in hot oven and roast for 15-20 minutes (should turn a light brown). Bring out of oven and cool. Place on char grill or flat top to mark and heat through. Place curry drizzle on bottom of plate, charred cauliflower steak on top, and garnish with spiced tomato salsa.

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B E V E R A G E

SHOW YOUR COLORS

Vibrant, natural and bold, produce picked at its peak transforms your dishes into Instagram-worthy beauties. 44 RFSDELIVERS.COM ISSUE 2, 2018

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jeff merry

JEFF MERRY • REINHART BOSTON After a long, cold winter, renew your menu with this refreshing combo of earthy beets, fresh rhubarb and tart goat cheese nestled in a spring green mix of arugula and baby kale. Beets offer a consummate canvas for your signature touch, from a simple salt and pepper shake or a citrus zest to a slow roast in infused oils. In this salad, let the tartness of the rhubarb and the crunch of the beets shine. Add fresh figs or Fuji apples on the side for a welcome touch of sweetness.

ROASTED RHUBARB & GOLDEN BEET SALAD W/GOAT CHEESE

PASTA W/PROSCUITTO SPRING PEA & LEEK CREAM SAUCE

INGREDIENTS [Servings: 1]

2 oz

Rhubarb

4 oz

Pasta Capellini, 10" Cut Angel Hair,

1 Ea

Beets Baby Gold or Red, Peeled, cut in half

cooked al dente

1 oz

Oil Olive Extra Virgin In Tin

6 oz

Pea Fresh, cleaned & cooked

1/4 oz Seasoning Steak Northwood Salt

4 oz

Fresh Leeks, seasoned, roasted, chop

Garlic,Black Pepper, Onion, Red Pepper

4 oz

C Heavy ream

1 oz

Cheese Goat Crumbled 2Lb Tray

1 oz

Cheese Caesar Blend Parmesan Asiago

3 oz

Urban Blend Salad, Baby Red Chard,

& Romano Shaved

Wild Arugula & Baby Kales Fresh

1 oz

Prosciutto, julienned

PREPARATION

In bowl combine rhubarb and beets. Toss with olive oil and steak seasoning.

In a saucepan heat heavy cream. Add peas and leeks and continue cooking. Once sauce has reduced add pasta and prosciutto.

Place on sheet pan and roast at 350°F until tender. Allow to cool. Toss with urban blend and goat cheese.

Adjust seasoning. Toss, plate and top with shaved parmesan.

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BEYOND MEAT & POTATOES A burst of bounty accompanies your grilled, chipotle-enhanced steak.

A nice, frosty beer pairs well with a fried pork belly, fennel, orange and peanut salad.

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protein RI_BODY_Spring 2018_v2.indd 47

FRIED PORK BELLY, FENNEL, ORANGE & PEANUT SALAD

CHIPOTLE RUBBED STRIP STEAK/ CARROTS & CORN

CHEF KEVIN NASH | REINHART EASTERN PA

INGREDIENTS [Servings: 1]

6 oz

Pork Belly Skinless, #53054

10 oz New York Strip, grill, #43854

1 Ea

Fennel Anise Fresh, #G1186

2 oz

Pepper Chipotle In Adobe Sauce,

4 oz

Orange Navel, #13758

#73054

3 oz

Peanut Salted In Shell, #E9082

2 oz

Sugar Brown Dark, #81496

1/2 oz Vinegar White Balsamic, #K4398

1/4 Ea Cilantro, #14040

1/2 oz Extra Virgin Oil Olive, In Tin, #23159

2 oz

Orange Navel, #13758

1/8 oz Salt Kosher, #70268

3 oz

Carrot, Peeled, #76354

1/8 oz Crushed Red Pepper, #24018

2 oz

Barbecue Sauce

1 Ea

Corn On The Cob 3"

PREPARATION Cut belly into 4 pieces - sear in hot pan on both sides and reserves. Braise in oven with pork stock for 2.5 - 3 hours and reserve. Cut the fennel in half and roast the one half in 350°F oven for 1 hour brushing with oil. Segment the orange and reserve the juice. Once cooled, cut the belly into large square pieces and fry in fryer for 6 minutes. Take the reserve fennel and shave thin (place in center of plate). Spoon reserve orange juice over the sliced fennel and season with salt and pepper. Cut the cooked fennel into four and place in bowl; add the orange segments, the belly and the oil and vinegar. Place over the shaved fennel, garnish with deep fried peanuts in the shell.

PREPARATION Pat dry the steak. Combine chipotle, brown sugar, chopped fine cilantro, juice of the whole orange, and one tsp of veg oil. Rub the steak and let marinade for 10 minutes. Get grill hot -sear both sides for 1-2 minutes making sure not to burn. Add desired salt and pepper at this time. Finish in 400°F oven for 5 minutes. Quick fry the carrots and place in pan with warming barbecue sauce - baste until coated. Brush the corn and grill for 8-10 minutes for nice color. Trim both ends and then cut into 2. Place the carrots and corn to the side and fan out the sliced steak. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

CREAMED CORN W/ CORNISH GAME HEN • PAGE FIFTY-NINE

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F O O D

B E V E R A G E

VEGETABLE DISHES WORTH INSTAGRAMMING!

Colorful heirloom carrots and tempura soft-shell crab gazpacho should catch guests' attention this season.

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SCOTT COLLINS â&#x20AC;˘ REINHART BURLINGTON Summon up springtime dining at its finest with this Tempura Soft Shell Crab & Roasted Pepper Gazpacho, a tantalizing fire and ice combination. The tangy heat of peppers and tomatoes is perfectly balanced by the crisp chill of cucumber and cold crabmeat. My other favorite way to use spring vegetables is to roast at a high heat and let the incredible flavors of produce in its seasonal prime come through. Top with a fresh Moroccan marinade that has the look and feel of a chimichurri sauce.

TEMPURA SOFT SHELL CRAB & ROASTED PEPPER GAZPACHO

ROASTED SPRING VEGETABLES W/ CHERMOULA SAUCE

INGREDIENTS [Servings: 10] 10 Ea Crab Soft Shell 12 oz Pepper Bell Orange 12 oz Pepper Red Whole 1 Ea Cucumber Select Whole 6 Ea Tomato Round 1 oz Garlic 4 oz Oil Olive Pomace 4 oz Vinegar White Wine, Champagne Style 2 oz Basil Tops Each Avocado Hass Green 4 oz Sour Cream 8 oz Batter Tempura Mix

INGREDIENTS [Servings: 10]

PREPARATION Roast peppers and the tomatoes until they're charred in appearance in a 400Â°F oven with the olive oil 10-15 minutes or until desired char. Let chill; remove peppers to separate tray to remove skin, stems and seeds. Save oil that peppers and tomatoes were roasted in to flavor the gazpacho. Dice the garlic and cucumber and add to the pepper tomato and olive oil from roasting pan. Add basil and about half the vinegar and puree; smooth with some remaining texture. Add more vinegar and salt and pepper to desired taste. Avocado crema: Blend the avocado and sour cream until smooth; add salt to taste. Dip crab in tempura batter, shake off excess and fry until done. Plate up- a wide bowl of soup topped with the crab only slightly submerged on one side topped with a quenelle of avocado crema on crab. Additional garnish suggestions; julienned cucumber, smoked paprika, pepilas and/or cumin oil.

35 oz

Carrot Baby Rainbow Peeled With Top

2 lb

Beet Candy Stripe Fresh

3/4 tsp Coriander Ground 3/4 tsp Cumin Seed Ground 1/2 oz Garlic Whole Peeled Fresh Each

Lemon Choice Fresh

3/4 C

Oil Olive Pomace

1 tsp

Paprika Spanish

1/2 tsp Pepper Red Crushed 1C

Cilantro Washed Fresh

Parsley Curly Fresh

Mint Fresh

PREPARATION Roast carrot until browned but still with some bite add for 6-8 minutes. Peel beets and roast until tender and charred about 25-30 minutes. CHERMOULA SAUCE 3/4 tsp coriander seeds 3/4 tsp cumin seeds 2 garlic cloves 3/4 C extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest 1/4 C fresh lemon juice 1 tsp smoked paprika 3/4 tsp kosher salt 1 /4-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 1 C (pkd) cilantro leaves with tender stems 1 C (pkd) parsley leaves with tender stems 1/2 C (pkd) mint leaves salt to taste Arrange vegetables and drizzle about 2 tablespoons of sauce Chermoula Sauce.

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FRESH SEAFOOD & VEGGIES Spicy halibut and fresh vegetables are easy on the waistline.

Pump up the flavor on chipotle-infused salmon with fresh cilantro, limes and onions. 50 RFSDELIVERS.COM ISSUE 2, 2018

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seafood

KORMA CURRY HALIBUT RECIPE PROVIDED BY BEAVER STREET

CHIPOTLE SALMON W/ CILANTRO LIME CREMA

INGREDIENTS

RECIPE PROVIDED BY BEAVER STREET

1 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion, large, chopped 1 garlic clove chopped 1 red bell pepper chopped 15 oz baby corn, drained 1C broccoli florets 1C portobello mushrooms sliced 4 oz snow peas 15 oz Pataks korma curry 16 oz Yellow potatoes, diced 1 Tbsp tomato paste 1C veggie stock 8 oz halibut, cut into chunks Basmati rice for serving

INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION Heat the oil in a deep pan and gently fry the onion, mushrooms, potatoes, red pepper and garlic for about 5 minutes until soft. Add the baby corn, broccoli and snow peas. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the korma curry sauce and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute or until evenly distributed. Slowly add the veggie stock and stir. Bring to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are softened, then add the halibut chunks. Cook the fish for 5 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Serve immediately with the basmati rice.

CURRY POACHED COD W/ GREEN PESTO â&#x20AC;˘ PAGE FIFTY-NINE

4 6 oz salmon fillets TT Kosher salt 1 Tbsp chipotle chili powder 1 garlic clove minced 1 Tbsp olive oil 2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice 1 /4 C finely chopped cilantro leaves 2 green onions finely sliced 1/2 C Mexican crema Zest & juice of 1 lime PREPARATION Dry the salmon well with paper towels and season it all over with salt. In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, garlic, olive oil and lime juice; stir to form a paste. Spread the paste all over the salmon fillets in a thin layer, distributing it evenly. Set aside at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Stir cilantro, green onions, crema, lime zest and juice, and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more lime juice or salt as needed. Transfer to a small serving bowl and set aside. Set a large nonstick or well-seasoned grill pan over medium-high heat and wait for it to get hot, about 5 minutes. Brush the surface with vegetable oil and add the salmon fillets skin-side down. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, pressing down on the fillets with a spatula to make sure the skin is making contact with the pan. Cook until the skin is crisp, about 6 minutes. Turn the salmon and cook on the flesh side until the salmon is done to your liking (about 1 minute longer for medium-rare). Transfer the fish to a warm plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving with the sauce.

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KALE & GRAPEFRUIT GUACAMOLE Combine avocado pulp, kale, grapefruit segments, poblano, cilantro, green onions and salt until incorporated.

Tacos just got better this season; they're stuffed with your favorite grilled veggies and premium ingredients.

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tacos, tacos, tacos

GRILLED GARDEN TACOS

SMOKED JACKFRUIT

CHEF GREG REITER | REINHART KNOXVILLE

INGREDIENTS [Servings: 1]

CHEF DAVID QUICK | REINHART KNOXVILLE

5 oz

Jackfruit Green, Young In Brines,

drained & dried, #KE242

1 lb

Asparagus, ends removed, #78990

2 Tbsp All American Barbecue Char Crust

12 oz

Shiitake Mushroom, no stems,

Seasoning Rub, #LK254

#P6498

2 Ea

Tortilla Corn White 6", #R8452

6 1/3 oz Onion Green Scallion, #76207

2 oz

Cabbage Green Shredded, Separate

4 oz

Chipotle Pepper In Adobo Sauce,

Carrot & Red Cabbage Fresh, #75055

Smash peppers until paste, #83382

1 oz

Red Bell Pepper, julienne, #13706

1/2 Ea

Cauliflower, Cut into steaks, #P7124

1 /2 oz Jalapeño Pepper, julienne, #13670

2 Tbsp Garlic, Chopped, #68069

3 oz

1 Tbsp Canela/Olive Oil, 80/20 Blend, #T2570

Extra Virgin Oil Olive, In Tin, #23159

Orange Juice, #P2118

1 Tbsp Salt Coarse Kosher, #31708

1/4 tsp Coriander, Ground, #24046

2 Ea

Avocado, Cut into slices

1/4 tsp Cumin Seed Ground, #24318

1 Ea

Lime, Wedged, #13506

2 oz

1/4 C

Cilantro, Rough cut, #78015

8 Ea

Tortilla Corn Yellow 6", #66040

4 oz

Sour Cream, #T9027

PREPARATION

Cheese Cotija, crumbled, #KA546

PREPARATION First open and drain the jackfruit. After this, sprinkle with barbecue rub and place on smoker at 225°F for 1 hour.

In mixing bowl add first 8 ingredients and toss together, let rest room temp for 30 minutes.

In bowl, combine ingredients to make the slaw,

Place on hot char grill, grilling for 4-5 minutes

including cabbage, julienne peppers, seasonings,

rotating as needed.

oil and orange juice. Toss these to combine and set to the side.

Quick grill tortillas, place on tray and begin to fill evenly with all grilled ingredients; breaking

Remove jackfruit from smoker, grill off two

cauliflower up, and cutting shiitakes in half.

tortillas and start assembly. Tortilla, jackfruit slightly pulled (leave in chunks if possible) and top

Fold taco and plate, placing avocado slices in

lightly with slaw. Do not smash down. Top with

each, topping with cilantro and sour cream,

crumbled cotija cheese and serve.

garnish with lime , Enjoy!

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LENTIL HASH • PAGE SIXTY Modern version gets a bit of pizzazz — and color.

Grilled veggies and grilled bread complement roasted red pepper hummus and hash.

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this, that, & the other

BEET TARTARE â&#x20AC;¢ PAGE SIXTY

GRILLED SPRING LEEKS W/ ROMESCO

SHAVED FENNEL & BLOOD ORANGE SALAD

CHEF PAUL YOUNG | REINHART CORPORATE

INGREDIENTS [Servings: 2] 1 Ea

Leek, Cut in half lengthwise

1/8 oz

Onion Green Scallion

1/4 oz

Onion Yellow Jumbo

2 oz

Tomato Roma

2 oz

Pepper Red Whole, Roasted

1/2 Tbsp Vinegar Red Wine 1/2 Tsp Paprika Ground 1/8 oz

Almond Sliced Blanched Raw,

Toasted

1/8 Tsp Pepper Red Crushed 1/4 Tsp Garlic Whole Peeled 1 Ea

Baguette French Demi Partial Baked

2 Ea

Egg, Poached

PREPARATION Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the tomatoes, onion and garlic on a sheet pan and roast for approximately 15 minutes. Place the ingredients into a food processor. Blend with the

INGREDIENTS [Servings: 1] 1/2 Ea Fennel Baby, Shaved thin 3 oz

Orange Blood Fresh, Segments only

1/2 oz Cheese Goat Crumbled 1/8 oz Walnut Halves & Pieces Raw, Toasted 1/4 oz Arugula Lemony, Sorrel Leaves 1/2 Ea Lemon, Juice & zest 3 oz

Oil Olive Extra Virgin

1/8 oz Onion Red, Sliced thin 1/4 tsp Salt Coarse Kosher Box 3/4 oz Mustard Dijon PREPARATION In a bowl whisk together the lemon juice, Dijon mustard and salt. While whisking slowly add in the olive oil to make a Dijon vinaigrette. Toss the arugula, red onion and fennel with the vinaigrette and place on a large plate. Top with blood orange segments, walnuts and goat cheese. Garnish with lemon zest.

vinegar, paprika and crushed red pepper. Slowly drizzle in the oil to emulsify. Add the almonds and 1/8 of the bread and blend well. Cut the rest of the baguette on a bias and grill. Poach the eggs. Meanwhile grill the leeks and green onions. Place the romesco sauce on a platter and top with the green onions and leeks. Top with a poached egg and serve with grilled crostinis.

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ROASTED BEET REUBEN SANDWICH

CAULIFLOWER TACOS

SPANISH TORTILLA BITES W/ RADISH & CILANTRO

BABA GHANOUSH W/ HALLOUMI & POMEGRANATE

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ROASTED BEET REUBEN SANDWICH

CAULIFLOWER TACOS

INGREDIENTS [Serves 4] 8 slices dark or marbled rye bread ¼C unsalted butter, soft ¼C low fat mayonnaise 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 Tbsp ketchup 1 Tbsp cornichons, chopped 4 beets, roasted and sliced 2C Korean kimchi 4 slices low fat Swiss cheese

PREPARATION Butter one side of each slice of bread. Arrange on a baking sheet, butter side down.

markon

Blend together mayonnaise, lemon juice, ketchup, and cornichons. Spread equal portions on four slices of bread. Top with sliced beets, kimchi, cheese, and remaining slices of bread, butter side up.

RI_BODY_Spring 2018_v2.indd 57

Place baking sheet under the broiler and cook until bread is toasted and cheese melts.

SPANISH TORTILLA BITES W/RADISH INGREDIENTS [Serves 8] 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 MFC Yellow Onion, chopped 2 cloves Ready-Set-Serve (RSS) Peeled Garlic 1 ½ tsp kosher salt ¼ tsp black pepper 1 lb Markon First Crop (MFC) Idaho Potatoes, peeled & sliced 6 eggs ¾C sour cream 6 oz. Manchego cheese, grated ¼C aioli 3 watermelon radishes, thinly sliced ½C RSS Washed & Trimmed Cilantro PREPARATION Heat olive oil in a large skillet; saute onions, garlic, ½ teaspoon of salt, and black pepper until soft. Add sliced potatoes and cook two more minutes. Take off the heat and cover with lid; set aside until cooled. Whisk together eggs, sour cream, cheese, and remaining teaspoon of salt. Add potato mixture to eggs. Pour all into a greased baking pan and bake for 20-30 minutes (until firm, but not browned). Cool and cut into squares. Top each squash with a small dollop of aioli, followed by a thin radish slice and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.

INGREDIENTS [Serves 4: 2 tacos each] Ready-Set-Serve (RSS) Cauliflower Florets

2 Tbsp olive oil 1 tsp

kosher salt

1 tsp

ground cumin, toasted

½C

Oaxacan brown mole sauce

½C

Markon First Crop Red Onions, pickled

½C

RSS Washed & Trimmed Cilantro

½C

Cotija cheese, crumbled

1 Tbsp sesame seeds 8

house-made corn tortillas, grilled or warmed

PREPARATION Toss cauliflower with oil, salt, and cumin; roast until tender and starting to brown (approximately 20 minutes). Fill tortillas with equal parts roasted cauliflower. Drizzle each taco with mole sauce. Top each taco with equal parts pickled onions, cilantro, cheese, and sesame seeds.

BABA GHANOUSH W/ HALLOUMI & POMEGRANATE INGREDIENTS [Serves 4] 2 Markon First Crop Eggplants ½C tahini ¼C Ready-Set-Serve (RSS) Peeled Garlic, roasted until soft ¼C RSS Lemon Juice 1 tsp kosher salt 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper ¼C pomegranate molasses 8 oz Halloumi cheese, cut into 8 strips PREPARATION Prick each eggplant with a fork in multiple areas. Place over an open flame or a grill and char the skins completely (approximately 10 to 15 minutes). Transfer both to a baking sheet and put in a hot oven until soft (another 10-15 minutes). Cool eggplants and then scrape the soft flesh into a food processor. Add tahini, garlic, lemon juice, one teaspoon of salt, and cayenne. Blend until chunky, but somewhat smooth. Set aside. Place halloumi strips on a hot grill pan and cook until both sides are crisp and brown. Scoop dip into a wide bowl and top with halloumi strips. Drizzle pomegranate syrup around the outer edge of the dip and garnish with pomegranate seeds, mint, lemon, and parsley. Serve with toasted pita or sesame crackers.

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ROASTED ASPARAGUS W/ TOMATO & GOAT CHEESE CHEF BRIAN FUNK | REINHART SHAWANO

RATATOUILLE CRUDO

CHEF BRIAN FUNK | REINHART SHAWANO INGREDIENTS [Servings 4]

INGREDIENTS [Servings: 4]

8 oz

Squash Zucchini Fancy/Medium Fresh

4 oz

Pasta Penne Rigate Ridged

8 oz

Squash Yellow Straight Fresh

8 oz

Carrot Matchstick Fresh

12 oz

Asparagus Large Fresh

5 oz

Mushroom Large #1 Fresh

8 oz

Tomato Roma Fresh

4 oz

Arugula Wild Fresh

3 oz

Oil Canela 90% Olive 10%

4 oz

Cheese Parmesan Shaved Refrigerated

8 oz

Arugula Wild Fresh

4 oz

Parsley Italian Fresh

2 oz

Shallot Whole Peeled Fresh

2/3 oz

Caper nonpareil Import Plastic

1 oz

Juice Lemon 100% Plastic Bottle

2 oz

Oil Roasted Garlic

3 oz

Honey Extra Light Amber

1/8 oz

Salt Table Iodized Bulk

6 oz

Olive Kalamata Pitted Black

1/8 oz

Pepper Black Grind Regular 30 Mesh

2 1/2 oz

Mustard Dijon Classic Plastic

3 oz

Basil Fresh

8 oz

Cheese Goat Crumbled

PEA PESTO 8 oz

Green Peas

PREPARATION

2 oz

Butter Blend 60/40 Solid, Salted

Cook pasta according to directions, reserve. Place asparagus and wedged tomatoes on sheet tray, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in oven at 400°F for 6-8 minutes. Cut asparagus down to an inch and let cool.

1/8 oz

Salt Table Iodized, Pinch

3 oz

Extra Virgin Oil Olive, In Tin

1/2 oz

White Truffle Oil

Dijon dressing: Combine oil, honey, shallots, lemon juice, kalamata olives (diced). Add salt and pepper and mix.

12 oz

Red Bell Pepper, Medium

1 1/2 oz

Extra Virgin Oil Olive, In Tin

4 oz

Shallot, Whole, Peeled

1/2 oz

Vinegar Sherry Classic All Natural

Place arugula in bowl and mix dressing together. Place penne in bowl and gently mix with the dressing. Plate, then top with tomatoes and asparagus. Crumble goat cheese on top.

SPINACH BERRY SALAD

CHEF MARK SMITH | REINHART SHREVEPORT INGREDIENTS [Servings: 1] 4 oz

Spinach

Egg, large, sunny side up

2 oz

Dressing Vinaigrette Raspberry

4 oz

Strawberry Fresh, SLICE

1 oz

Cheese Feta Crumble Plain Natural, crumble

2 oz

Pecan Halves, toasted

Red Onion, Jumbo, shaved

RED PEPPER COULIS

PREPARATION Gently toss vegetables with arugula, cheese and herbs. Mix in oil, capers, salt and pepper. To plate, smear pea pesto in a half-circle on one side of plate. Gently mold vegetable mixture on the plate slightly covering the pesto. On the other side, squirt several dots of red bell pepper essence. PEA PEST: Cook and shock 1 cup fresh peas in salted water. Puree with 2 tablespoons each of melted butter, water, truffle oil, olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and pinch of cayenne. Push through sieve. RED PEPPER COULIS: Cut peppers in half, roast in oven 25 minutes, peel skin, add to mixer and add olive oil, shallot, and vinegar and puree until very smooth.

PREPARATION Preheat nonstick skillet. In a mixing bowl combine spinach, dressing, toasted pecans, strawberries, feta, cheese, and onions. Crack egg into a small bowl to ensure no shells. Cook egg on high for 30 seconds. As the white starts to cook-turn the fire off. Season egg with salt and heavy pepper. Stack salad in center of plate to ensure proper height. Egg yolk should be runny and whites cooked through. Gently place egg on top of salad.

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GRILLED CAULIFLOWER STEAK W/HARISSA BUTTER CHEF KEVIN NASH | REINHART EASTERN PA INGREDIENTS [Servings: 1] 1/2 ea

Cauliflower Fresh

8 oz

Butter, Salted Sweet Cream

4 oz

Pepper Chili Dried Aji Paprika Destemmed

1 tsp

Seed Caraway Whole

]1/4 Ea

Cilantro Bunched Fresh

1/8 oz

Cumin Seed Ground

1/4 oz

Garlic Whole Peeled Fresh

1/8 oz

Salt Kosher

2 oz

Oil Olive Extra Virgin In Tin

1 Ea

Lemon Choice Fresh

PREPARATION Clean head of cauliflower, then slice it lengthwise through the core into about 4-inch steaks (reserve). Chop cilantro fine and add all ingredients into food processor and make into a paste. Slowly add olive oil and complete forming the paste. Cut the butter into small cubes and pulse into processor one at a time to form compound butter. Roll into a 1/2 piece of parchment and into a cylinder and refrigerator. Pre-heat grill. Brush the steak with a little oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast on the grill for 4 minutes each side, then place in center of plate and finish with harissa butter.

CREAMED CORN W/ CORNISH GAME HEN

CHEF PAUL YOUNG | REINHART CORPORATE INGREDIENTS [Servings: 1] 16 oz

Guinea Hen

3 oz

Corn, Flame Roasted, Frozen

1 tsp

Butter, Unsalted

1 tsp

All Purpose Flour

1/2 oz

Pearl Onion, Halved

1 Tbsp

Salt, Coarse, Kosher, Divided

1 tsp

Italian Seasoning, Coarse

4 oz

Heavy Cream, 36% Whipping

1/2 tsp

Garlic, Whole Peeledh, Minced

2 Tbsp

Oil Olive

4 ea

Celery Stalk, Leaves only

In a separate saute pan, place the butter over medium heat. Once melted add the garlic and flour and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the cream and let it come to a simmer. Add the corn. Once the corn has come up to temperature, remove 1/2 the corn and pulse in a food processor. Add the creamed corn back into the original corn mixture and cook until it comes together. Serve the chicken on top of the corn mixture and garnish with the pearl onions and celery leaves.

CURRY POACHED COD W/ GREEN PESTO CHEF PAUL YOUNG | REINHART CORPORATE INGREDIENTS [Servings: 1] 6 oz

Cod Fillet 8-16 Ounce Alaskan

1/2 tsp

Curry Powder

4 oz

Milk Coconut

2 oz

Creamer Half & Half, Ultra High Temperature

2 tsp

Salt Coarse Kosher Box, Divided

1/8 oz

Pepper Bell Red Medium, Sliced thin

1/8 oz

Carrot Jumbo #2 Fresh Import

1/2 tsp

Vinegar Red Wine

1/8 tsp

Coriander Ground

1/8 oz

Basil Fresh

1/8 oz

Arugula Wild Fresh

1/8 oz

Parsley Italian Fresh

1/8 ea

Cilantro Bunched Fresh

1/2 oz

Oil Olive Extra Virgin

PREPARATION Pre-heat an oven to 375°F. In a medium hot saute pan add the coconut milk, curry, coriander and half and half bring to a simmer. Season the cod with 1 tsp of kosher salt and set into the cream mixture. Let it simmer slowly for about 5 minutes then turn the fish over. Add the red pepper. Meanwhile peel the carrot in long strips and toss in the vinegar and set in the refrigerator. Place all the greens into a blender and add the oil and remaining salt and blend. Place the cream mixture into the bottom of a plate or bowl. Top with the fish and red pepper. Top the fish off with the pesto and drizzle the remaining oil onto the cream mixtures. Garnish the fish with the carrot on the side.

PREPARATION Cut the Gunea hen in half and remove the spine. Season the hen liberally with 1/2 the salt and the italian seasoning. In a heavy bottomed saute pan or cast iron, add the oil. Once hot add the hen, skin side down. After about 3 minutes, turn over and place the onions in the pan. Cook in a 375°F oven for approximately 20 minutes or until an internal temperature of 165°F is reached.

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TEX-MED LAMB TACOS

CHEF DEMETRIO MARQUEZ | REINHART NEW ORLEANS INGREDIENTS [Servings: 1]

Pour lentils out on to 1/2 sheet pan, allow to cool. In large saute pan on medium heat, add remaining EVOO, add white ends of sliced green onions, red peppers, sweet potatoes and zucchini. Saute for 2-3 minutes, add spinach, sauteing additional 1-2 minutes folding all ingredients together. Add lentils and continue to heat 1-2 minutes.

2 ea

Tortilla Flour White 4.5" Pressed

6 oz

Lamb Ground Bulk Raw Frozen

2 oz

Onion Red Medium Us #1 Fresh

Garnish with scallions. Enjoy!

2 oz

Garlic Chopped In Water Refrigerated

1/8 oz

Oregano Leaves Whole

1 oz

Oil Olive Pomace Plastic Jug

BEET TARTARE

1/8 oz

Coriander Ground

1/8 oz

Cumin Ground

4 oz

Spread Hummus Classic Refrigerated

4 oz

Beet, Sliced

1 oz

Lettuce Shredded 1/4" Fresh

2 oz

Tomato Roma

3 oz

Salsa Pico De Gallo Tray Packed Fresh

1/2 tsp

Onion Red, Small dice

2 oz

Cheese Cotija Wedge Refrigerated

1/8 oz

Chive

1 ea

Egg, Large

1/4 ea

Baguette French Partial Baked, Sliced thin

PREPARATION In a medium-high sautee pan, add olive oil, then chopped red onions, garlic and ground lamb, then add seasoning and cook until done 6-10 mins. Set aside. Warm flour tortillas, then fill with hummus then add ground lamb, topped with lettuce. Finish with pico de gallo and cotija cheese.

LENTIL HASH

CHEF GREG REITER | REINHART KNOXVILLE INGREDIENTS [Servings: 9] 3c

lentils

I /4 c

diced onions

3 Tbsp

chicken base

3 Tbsp

chopped garlic

1/2 up

EVOO

Tbsp cumin

Tbsp black pepper

2 ea

bay leaves

1/2

gallon of water

1/2 oz

sliced green onions

(whites, green scallions separated)

1 ea

large red pepper (diced)

1 ea

medium zucchini (diced)

I ea

sweet potato (diced) (peeled, boiled al dente)

I /4 lb

baby spinach

CHEF PAUL YOUNG | REINHART CORPORATE INGREDIENTS [Servings: 1]

1/4 Tbsp Balsamic Glaze PREPARATION Finely dice the beets, red onion and tomato. Mix together with the balsamic glaze thoroughly with a pinch of kosher salt. Place the beet tartare in a large ring mold and refrigerate. Coddle the egg for about 3 minutes in simmering water. Crack the egg and place only the yolk on top of the beet tartare. Grill the slices of baguette and plate while pulling the ring mold off. Garnish with fresh snipped chives.

PREPARATION In medium size saucepan, on medium heat, add 1/4 cup of EVOO, add onions, simmer for two minutes, add garlic, simmer additional 1 min, add lentils, chicken base and cumin, simmer and stir I min until lentils are well coated. Add water, bay leaf, and black pepper, stir until all ingredients are blended, simmer for 20 minutes or until lentils are tender (but not soft/overcooked).

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AU REVOIR, GMOs! More than 70% of Americans say they don’t want genetically modified organisms in their food 1. Brickfire Bakery ® offers a full line of non-GMO verified Artisan Breads.

BREAD

SKU

BREAD

SKU

BREAD

SKU

French Baguette

17804

Rosemary Olive Oil Round

17930

Sourdough Baguette

17886

Rustique Rectangular Roll

17928

Roasted Garlic Loaf

17936

French Demi Baguette

17786

Assorted Dinner Rolls

17826

1/4 Sheet Focaccia

17736

Ciabatta Sandwich Roll

17748

Rosemary Pain Rustique

17710

French Dinner Rolls

17880

Rustic Dinner Rolls

17838

Consumer Reports, 2016

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Ugly Produce Comes in for a Close Up by Mindy S. Kolof

Proving Beauty is More than Skin Deep Blemished carrots, slightly discolored bell peppers, misshapen peaches, heartshaped beets. Far from being the bad apple in the bunch, imperfect produce is on its way to saving the world…feeding the hungry, putting profits back in farmers' pockets and decreasing everyone’s food spend. It’s time to recognize the inner beauty of “ugly” produce, and thanks to the efforts of a growing number of dedicated groups and individuals, that time is now.

One of the first, Imperfect, a delivery service that moves “ugly” produce from farm to consumer, was inspired by co-founder Ben Simon’s college experience, back in the not-so-distant days of 2011. Noting the amount of food wasted in his school dining hall, he worked to donate the food to area non-profits, establishing the now national Food Recovery Network. When he graduated, he wanted to do more, and recognizing that waste started at the farm level – a stunning 20 percent of edible crops are discarded - he worked with California farmers to recover imperfect produce and sell and distribute it to a growing network of environmentally conscientious consumers. From its Bay area launch in 2015, Imperfect has grown to cover Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle, and now reports more than 10 million pounds of produce saved since inception. At the end of 2017, Imperfect launched in Chicago, setting the company on a path to make an even broader impact, according to CMO Aleks Strub.

“Chicago is a food hub, increasingly known for its incredible food culture, and we want to be part of the renaissance that’s happening here,” she says. The response, continues Strub, has been incredible, putting the company two times over its target goal in just the first month. “People here are driven to try and change the system.” They’re also pleasantly surprised to find the produce is far from unappealing. In fact, reveals Strub, one of the comments she hears is that the produce is not ugly enough. “It’s such a small difference. Our produce looks like what you’d see in the grocery store, and the quality is strong.” Another group, Hungry Harvest, is similarly dedicated to ensuring that imperfect produce is rescued and sold to consumers and restaurants, as well as donated to non-profit organizations. Begun in a dorm room in 2014 and championed by Shark Tank in 2015, the company reports more than five million pounds of food recovered and 700,000 pounds donated in its first three years.

A recent partnership with the James Beard Foundation (JBF) is further emphasizing the important role chefs can play by conscientiously choosing go “ugly.” Says JBF’s Katherine Miller: “Hungry Harvest is a simple, actionable concept and participants at our recent Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change responded positively, almost immediately. For restaurants it is a winwin: affordable produce, delicious food and support of positive changes in our food system. Hungry Harvest put it squarely on the plate to connect the action of buying imperfect produce to helping feed those most at need.” The benefits are significant, she continues: “You’re making sure that farmers and producers don’t lose money, that perfectly good food doesn’t end up in landfills and, in some cases, it can be more cost effective. In most cases there isn’t a difference between ugly and perfect produce, which is the whole point! An ugly carrot looks and tastes the same chopped up, puréed or roasted.”

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“For restaurants it is a win-win: affordable produce, delicious food and support of positive changes in our food system. In most cases there isn’t a difference between ugly and perfect produce, which is the whole point! An ugly carrot looks and tastes the same chopped up, puréed or roasted.” - Katherine Miller, Senior Director for Food Policy Advocacy, James Beard Foundation

Up to 40 percent, or six billion pounds, of produce go unharvested or unsold annually, largely for aesthetic reasons.

Picture This Veteran food writer Sarah Phillips has been literally changing people’s perceptions with the launch of a 2016 Instagram campaign succinctly titled @UglyProduceisBeautiful. The glamour shots of everything from pockmarked tangerines to slightly miscolored squash have attracted more than 45,000 followers to date, and continue to expand, stoking Phillips’ mission to promote the use of imperfect produce in America. A food expert who was an early adopter of Instagram for her business, Phillips uses her stunning visuals to fuel the compelling message: “It's not too late to invoke change in the way we eat and how we eat, and what and where we buy.”

Imperfect produce is sold to consumers at 30 percent to 50 percent less than grocery prices.

“We give imperfect produce a voice. It’s fun, delicious and has character. We all have our little imperfections, so who can’t relate to that?” - Aleks Strub, CMO, Imperfect

Her collection of online recipes transforming the imperfect into the inarguably elegant is ever-growing… check out Rainbow Vegetable Tian, and more, at www.craftybaking.com/ recipe/rainbowvegetable-tian n

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Wh at doe s‘ Org ani c’R eal ly M ma e ry a dag n get ? t When applied to our nation’s food supply, “organic” refers to the specific methods and practices farmers use to grow and process agricultural products, including vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy products and meat. Produce, for example, can only be labeled “organic” if it’s certified to have been grown on soil that has had no prohibited substances applied for three years prior to harvest. Prohibited substances include most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. In the case of organic meats, regulations require that animals are raised in conditions accommodating their natural behaviors. This includes the ability to graze on pasturelands, consumption of 100 percent organic feed and forage and prohibition of the use of antibiotics or hormones.

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do you rd ine rs rea lly car e?

Some of your diners care deeply about whether what they consume is certified organic. Here’s why: Foods that are certified organic must be produced under stringent growing practices monitored and regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Organic certification, in fact, requires that producers document their processes and schedule inspections every year. Organic onsite inspections account for every component of the operation from start to finish, including seed sources, soil conditions, crop health, weed and pest management, water systems, risk prevention, stringent record-keeping and more.

Consumer perceptions are evolving as Americans become more sophisticated about the foods they prefer. Both “natural” and “organic” are buzzwords resonating with health-conscious individuals. The two, however, are not interchangeable terms. “Natural” on a food label generally means that the product has no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. It does not refer to the methods or materials used in production, as is the case with “organics,” nor are natural products regulated by the USDA.

According to the Organic Trade Association’s (OTA) 2017 Organic Industry Survey, U. S. organic food sales totaled $43 billion in 2016. The organic fruits and vegetables sector is the largest of the organic food categories, accounting for almost 40 percent of all organic food sales.

Restaurant Inc spoke with Kelly Weikel, director of consumer insights at Technomic, for her take on the organic food climate. “Consumers are becoming increasingly concerned with the health benefits of the foods they eat, increasingly acting on intentions to make healthier choices when dining away from home,” Weikel says.

“This is partly driven by consumers’ changing perception that healthy food can also be tasty. These findings have definite impact at foodservice.” Weikel continues, adding that marketing strategies will shift to focus on an operation’s overall health perceptions, and that restaurants will become more transparent and make nutritional information more accessible. When specializing in or utilizing organic products, operators should indicate this distinction on their menus and website to capitalize on the fact. n

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“ truth in truffles

The only producer of 100 percent USDA-certified organic truffle products in the country, Rosario Safina advocates tirelessly for the exotic subterranean mushroom. While fresh truffles may seem like an unaffordable luxury, Safina has developed a line of truffle oils and butters surprisingly accessible to restaurants up and down the food chain. He insists, however, on using real truffles sourced from Italy’s Umbrian Valley. His latest, a line of single-serve packaged truffle-infused oils, honey and mayonnaise, is “a game changer…the first time truffle products will be offered in such quantities en masse,” he says. The appeal? Authenticity. The synthetic chemical compound used to develop most products cannot compare to the nuanced flavor profile of real truffles, contends Safina. “Diners may not have ever tasted a truffle, but chefs certainly appreciate the full flavor of these products,” he continues. Only a small amount is required to suffuse recipes with the unmistakable truffle taste. And should you doubt its drawing power, consider that it’s gracing menus from small specialty fry places to Nobu restaurants worldwide. www.darosario.com

“

Diners may have never even tasted a real truffle, but chefs certainly appreciate the full flavor of these products... -

Microgreens are the type of high-quality ingredients key to top chefs who are looking to create amazing dishes.

”

Rosario Safina daRosario Organics

URBAN FA R M E R What a difference a few years makes. For Gotham Greens, it’s meant phenomenal growth, from niche specialty producer to multi-regional supplier to customers such as Chicago’s Gibsons Restaurant Group and fast-casual chain Tender Greens. Co-founder/CEO Viraj Puri is justifiably proud of establishing the country’s first commercial scale urban greenhouse in 2011. “We are seeing significantly increased demand as operators recognize the reliability, consistency and premium quality of crops grown under protected cover. For a chef, this can equate to freshness, better shelf life, less food waste and a better tasting product,” he says. Pesticide-free and ecologically sustainable describe the company’s top sellers, including Butterhead lettuce, sweet basil and pesto. Everything is fresh from a morning harvest that ensures produce goes from farm to fork in hours.

”

Brendan Davison, Good Water Farms

healing the planet one g r e e n at a time.

At Good Water Farms’ 32 organically cultivated acres in New York, founder Brendan Davison nurtures dozens of microgreens to their fullest potential. “Human touch is the secret ingredient,” he says, sounding like the shamanic healer he was previously. In fact, the healing power of microgreens, containing many times more nutritional value than mature greens, was the impetus for Good Water. Biodynamic farming, based on a philosophy that treats the farm as a living, breathing organism, represents the future, believes Davison. “The only way we’re going to heal the planet and the people inhabiting it is to return to farming as it was done thousands of years ago.” For operators, the vibrant color and enormous flavor punch contained in each tiny leaf of a microgreen is hard to overstate. “In a side-by-side comparison, microgreens will win 10 out of 10 times,” he predicts.

A VERTICAL SLANT

Founder of the first indoor vertical farm in the Midwest, Milan Kluko is heading into his seventh year tending the 1,715 growing stations in New Buffalo, Mich. Demand has steadily ramped up for his products, including arugula, tomatoes and leaf-only basil. “Most produce coming to Chicago from the West Coast is already a week old upon arrival. We offer a fresh product that’s cut and delivered within six hours,” he says. “You can taste that difference.” Kluko continues to look for ways to reduce what he calls his “foodprint.” As he’s asserted since the beginning, “the vertical farm to table concept is the right approach at the right time.” www.greenspiritfarms.com. n

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trends from the Eastern Mediterranean By Flavor & The Menu Staff www.getflavor.com

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The Eastern Mediterranean is a playground for chefs happily exploring the complex, intriguing and craveable flavors of countries like Turkey, Greece, Israel and Lebanon. Flavors, ingredients and dishes like harissa, ras el hanout, za’atar, halloumi and shakshuka were unfamiliar a few years ago and now are emerging on American menus.

Broadening Hummus Horizon

With that backdrop of culinary exploration and consumer discovery, the region represents big flavor opportunities for trend-forward menu development. We’re highlighting four Eastern Med-inspired trends representing flavor-rich growth opportunities for all segments of American foodservice.

Hummus has had major play on retail shelves and on trending menus the last couple of years. Further pushing boundaries, chefs are putting hummus to work in new applications—as a base for salads, or thinned out and used as a dressing or a drizzle. Chefs also experiment with the menu potential of other plant-based purées, like beet, cauliflower and carrot, and exploring menu versatility in new applications, bringing vibrant colors and flavor notes to new formats. Creative Dining Services, a hospitality and dining services provider based in Zeeland, Mich., recently launched Za’atar Hummus Bar, a bowl concept where guests choose from a selection of hummus varieties: charred carrot and ras el hanout; spring pea and spinach and beet. It gets swiped across the bowl’s base, then choices of proteins, toppings and sauces are added.

Yogurt with a Kick Crave-ability often comes down to the sauce, spread or drizzle on a menu item. Chefs are reaching for yogurt and taking a cue from Eastern Med kitchens, using it as a base for spicy additions like harissa. Combining the two as a signature condiment serves up a modern opportunity. Yogurt boasts a health halo, and its roundness of flavor makes it a great partner for popular assertive flavors like poblano, sambal and Sriracha. By pairing cooling yogurt with bold ingredients, the result is a bright flavor experience tempered by a nuanced heat delivery.

“Hummus carries with it a lot of positives. It’s familiar to diners and can take on so many different flavors,” says Ian Ramirez, director of culinary innovation and operations. “It also adds this great color and texture to a bowl build.”

Josef Centeno is chef/owner at BäcoShop in Culver City, Calif. His green herb chicken bäco features thyme, Meyer lemon vinaigrette, yogurt, green cabbage and parsley. It’s the spiced yogurt that makes the sandwich crave-able. He adds sumac and honey, and sometimes a little pounded raw chile, like habanero. “That’s the great thing about yogurt— because of its tartness, you can add either savory, hot, sweet or a combination,” he says.

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Middle Eastern Meat Centric

Falafel Steps Forward Yet another pickup from the Eastern Med momentum, the humble yet delicious falafel has all the makings of becoming a trend-forward menu star: It’s a familiar platform for American consumers because it’s easily signaturized with additional base elements, a trending plant-forward build and has the chickpea boom in its favor.

Two rising meat-centric stars hailing from the EasternMed region are catching fire on American menus: the döner kebab and shawarma. Both are heavily seasoned meats cooked on a rotating spit and sliced thinly to be layered atop a bowl or into a sandwich, with fresh or seasoned vegetables and a drizzle of a creamy sauce. “These Eastern-Med meats offer a great way to use less meat in a really flavorful way,” says Matt Harding, director of culinary at The Piada Group. “You can borrow the aggressive spicing and use it to fit your brand. There’s an incredible gut reaction to these savory, juicy, wonderful meats. Chefs are capitalizing on that and moving it to an everyday experience.” n

Chefs are upgrading the simple handheld to a layered affair spiked with pickled vegetables and creamy drizzles. The falafel is also moving into other forms (e.g. falafel sliders or a falafel “dog”) and into the bar bite arena, served with on-trend dips and accompaniments. Dune, a fast-casual Mediterranean spot in Los Angeles, offers its falafel in a house-made flatbread with organic hummus, pickled turnips, carrots, beets and onion, cabbage, fresh greens and house-fermented pickles. Sumac-dusted shoestring potatoes finish the build. “It’s super versatile and lends itself to lots of different accents,” explains chef/owner Scott Zwiezen.

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Why Chefs Use Nuts Techniques

• From fast casual to fine dining, trends are showing that patrons enjoy the flavor and texture that nuts bring to a dish. • Studies show that even adding a small amount of nuts can increase a customer’s perceived value of the menu item. • Nuts have an above average food versatility indicating that they are used in a variety of applications/dishes.*

Roasting Spread dry nuts on a sheet pan and roast at 350°F for up to 10 minutes. Remove nuts from pan and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

• Nuts are packed with protein and some varieties also provide a good source of essential vitamins and minerals. *Source: Datassential MenuTrends 2018

Penetration by Menu Part Nuts (All varieties)* Toasting Toast nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for around 5 minutes. Shake 3-4 times to flatten into a single layer and ensure toasting on all sides. Pour onto a plate or paper towel to cool.

Glazing & Seasoning Create a “spice carrier” by using a neutral oil, like rapeseed or canola, or hand whisked egg whites. Add ground spices, minced garlic or herbs and then roast in the oven.

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67% Total

42%

51%

Appetizers

Sides

17%

40%

Desserts

Entrées

*Source: Datassential Nut Overview 2016

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Is a Good Name to Remember BY MARY DAGGETT

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The Best Fresh Produce is Rooted in Healthy Plants Nurtured to Perfection More than ever before, fresh produce is the heart of foodservice. Studies have shown that consumers are making healthier choices when dining away from home, and fresh produce fills the bill with a tremendously positive health perception. Consumers are also becoming increasingly sophisticated and discerning in their tastes, and they are not willing to settle for less than the best in terms of quality and flavor in the produce they consume.

The best produce doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen by accident. Restaurant Inc spoke with Rob Ondrus, director of produce category management at Reinhart Foodservice, to get the straight story on fresh fruits and vegetables. Ondrus draws on more than 40 years of experience in the produce business. SPRING 2018 RFSDELIVERS.COM 73

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Restaurant Inc: Reinhart stakes its

reputation on the quality of its produce. What happens behind the scenes to ensure quality, freshness, consistency and safety?

Rob Ondrus: It all starts at the source, the

growerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s field, with good manufacturing practices. The soil must be nutrient rich and properly irrigated. The plants must be strong, with good, healthy roots, carefully nurtured until the produce is at the peak of perfection. Also of critical importance is getting the produce to our customers at its freshest, when the flavor is perfect.

Reinhart has always been passionate about produce. Markon, our cooperative produce buying group headquartered in Salinas, Calif., has set a high bar for food safety and quality control with its 5-Star Food Safety program. Several years ago, we took our passion for produce one step further with the development of our Good Roots brand, which focuses on locally and regionally grown and/or repacked produce. The same exacting standards established in tandem with Markon apply to the Good Rootsâ&#x201E;˘ brand. In fact, Markon oversees parts of the program, such as field inspections and third-party audits.

RI: Our readers may not all be familiar with Good Roots. Tell us more.

RO: When a Good Roots fresh produce

shipment is delivered to a customer, it comes with a commitment from Reinhart. A lot of art and science goes into the production process before the Good Roots name is stamped on the box. Supported by our strategic alliance with Markon, our certified food safety and quality assurance team has developed stringent Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) product specifications across the category. They have also forged partnerships with professional growers committed to the highest standards, best practices and continuous improvement.

"Our Good Roots growers are trusted local and regional family-run farms and

Traceability can be tracked directly from

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re-packers located in the same regions of the country as our 28 Reinhart divisions."

the field to the fork. We can boast a miniscule return rate. In a nutshell, the Good Roots brand is sourced to give foodservice operators the freshest, safest, finest quality and most flavorful produce available in the industry.

RI: Since produce is so perishable, how does the Good Roots program ensure freshness?

RO:

The answer is very simple: Our Good Roots growers are trusted local and regional family-run farms and re-packers located in the same regions of the country as our 28 Reinhart divisions. The closer the proximity to the growing fields, the fresher the product upon delivery. Sustainability is also a factor. Reinhart is focused on making a difference in the communities we serve, as are most of our customers.

RI: Freshness is a relative term, isn’t it?

In other words, isn’t it more critical to procure fresh, crispy lettuce than fresh potatoes?

RO:

While it’s true that potatoes have a longer shelf life than lettuce, one inferior potato shipment can cause as severe a kitchen nightmare as a shipment of wilted lettuce. Roughly 70 percent of the fresh produce category is comprised of potatoes, lettuce, onions and tomatoes. These are the big four that nearly every operation uses in great quantity, and these four must be consistently perfect. In addition, chefs spend a lot of time and energy incorporating seasonal, on-trend and sustainable produce items into the menu mix. These too must be consistently perfect. From the fields to the packing facilities to our distribution centers to delivery at our customers’ kitchen doors, we’re committed to providing the best fresh produce solutions. Through our exclusive Good Roots program, sales consultants in each Reinhart division are experts in sourcing the best seasonal, on-trend and sustainable fresh produce available to the foodservice industry at any given time.

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Superfoods to Watch in 2018

Nicole L’Huillier Fenton

You don’t have to look too far to find the new superfoods making headlines each year. It seems annually an obscure food pops up and finally has its chance in the spotlight. Interestingly enough, one could argue that all plant foods are superfoods. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains all have key nutrients to promote good health. You’ll find, however, that these few outstanding players always seem to catch everyone’s attention and this year is no different.

Sunflower Seeds Sunflower seeds are moving away from the snack food category and starting to take center plate. Their earthy, salty taste lends itself well to soups or salads. You can even turn them into burgers or a nutty risotto. Oftentimes you’ll see chefs grinding them into baked goods, mixing into granolas, replacing them for pine nuts in pesto and even deep-frying them. But what makes them “super?” These little seeds pack a big, nutritious punch, rich in vitamin E, copper and B vitamins like thiamine, phosphorus, selenium and more.

Cauliflower Nutritionists have been praising this unsung hero for years, and now it appears cauliflower is finally getting its shot at fame. Cauliflower has a healthy dose of antioxidants, vitamin C and fiber. It’s also pretty low in calories, 25 per one cup. Cauliflower is part of the cruciferous family, including other superfoods like broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts. It has plenty of vitamins and minerals, but real power comes from cancer-fighting compounds known as glucosinolates. You can get creative with cauliflower too by enjoying it in a variety of ways like roasting, raw, steamed, and as a substitute for rice or potatoes. Try using it in curries, soups, stir-fry recipes and even deep-fried alongside a zesty dip.

Mushrooms These little fungi are low in carbohydrates and packed full of antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals. They are real boosters for your immune system. Plus, they are an incredibly versatile plant. Their nutty, sometimes smoky flavor can enhance salads, soups, sides or even main dishes. Innovative chefs, however, are going beyond the classic mushroom toast or risotto and creating mushroom muffins, ice cream and coffee drinks. Founder of Four Sigmatic, Tero Isokauppila has created unique and flavorful dried mushroom mixes for coffee and elixirs. Isokauppila loves mushrooms so much that he even launched The Mushroom Academy to increase the knowledge of these little powerhouses to get more consumers on board with mushrooms. n

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^ Mushroom Paté

A savory starter seasoned with garlic, tarragon and rosemary paired with buttered bruschetta or crackers. One pâté serves about 4 people. Serve with buttered bruschetta or crackers.

1 Tbsp Silverbrook® butter 4 oz

Sliced shiitake mushrooms

Chopped green onions

1 Tbsp Cobblestreet Market® chopped garlic ½ tsp

Culinary Secrets® dried tarragon

½ tsp

Culinary Secrets® dried rosemary

1/8 tsp Culinary Secrets® nutmeg 1 Tbsp Culinary Secrets® sherry cooking wine 8 oz

Fair Meadow® cream cheese, softened

^ = 8 Servings Servings: 2 Paté

Cauliflower Steaks

Preparation Heat butter in a medium frying pan over medium high heat until melted. Add mushrooms, green onions, garlic, tarragon, rosemary and nutmeg and cook until mushrooms and onions are soft. Add sherry cooking wine and cook until liquid is cooked off. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Blend mushroom mixture and cream cheese in a food processor. Line two, one-cup soufflé cups with plastic wrap. Spoon mixture into soufflé cups. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or overnight for best flavor.

Type: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer

On-trend and healthy, cauliflower steaks have a smoky, nutty flavor; top them with umami-rich mushrooms, crispy fried shallots and the bitter notes of radicchio.

Ingredients

Preparation

3 Tbsp Canola oil

Slice head of cauliflower lengthwise to get a thin slab, a.k.a. steak. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in large skillet; add cauliflower and season with salt and pepper. When seared on both sides, remove from pan. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in skillet. Add mushrooms and sauté until browned; season with salt and pepper. Add shallot rings to remaining oil in pan and cook until golden brown. Arrange plate with cauliflower steak at bottom, topped with sautéed mushrooms, chopped radicchio, shallot rings and fresh thyme garnish. Serve immediately.

1 head Markon Essentials Cauliflower 3/4 C

Radicchio, chopped

6 oz

Markon First Crop Mushrooms, sliced

Shallot, sliced into rings

Salt and pepper to taste Markon First Crop Thyme to garnish

Servings: 2

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Impossible

Burgers

Impossible n w a p S

tacos

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… and the Meat May Be Better than the Real Thing Mindy S. Kolof

meat substitute that looks, cooks and tastes like beef – actually better? Done, done and done, with Impossible Meat, says Chef Tim Hockett, who uses the product with gusto at Lettuce Entertain You’s phenomenally popular Chicago restaurants, M Burger and Tallboy Taco. The hands-down success of these entrees at his meat-centric venues illuminates the growing appetite for vegan alternatives, and a no-risk way to introduce a plant-based concept to a traditional menu.

Ironically, Hockett initially had minimal interest in introducing a meatless burger, citing the unimpressive taste profile of most veggie burgers. “I was skeptical until I saw it, looking like beef, marbled with coconut fat. When I cooked it on the griddle, it seared up like a regular burger and it tasted better than a regular burger.” Now a believer, Hockett launched the Impossible Burger in summer 2017 and customers lined up down the block for a chance to try the buzzy new non-beef. The interest never waned, he says: “It sells as quickly as we get it in stock.”

The debut of the Impossible Taco at the beginning of 2018 was an immediate hit, starting with his crew – not a vegetarian among them. “They loved it, and that’s when we knew we had to try it out,” he remembers. The limited-time-only dish elicited an equally avid response from customers, a gratifying but not surprising development given the Impossible Burger’s drawing power at all six M Burger locations.

One of the only quick serve places using the Impossible Burger, Hockett says the only drawback is the higher cost. “It’s a little bit pricy ($8.99 versus $6.99 for the traditional M Burger) but because it tastes so darn good, our servers are not afraid to recommend it to anyone…and then they come back and order it again and again. It not only has a major appeal to vegetarians, with clean label and environmentally sustainable attributes, but is perfect for introducing meat eaters to a new option they can enjoy.” n

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Everybody, Just

LIGHTEN UP! 3

BY MARY DAGGETT

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A change of the season should herald at least a mini menu makeover. It’s time to lighten up the hearty fare of winter. Likely, two of the most important groups to consider when menu massaging are Baby Boomers and Millennials. Baby Boomers have or soon will reach retirement age. They want to remain healthy to enjoy their leisure years. They are seeking menus that provide healthful options such as low fat, low calorie, low carbohydrates, low sugar, heart healthy and gluten-free.

Here are a few other ideas to lighten up springtime menus: ll Use ground chicken or turkey in meatloaf, and add extra minced vegetables. ll Substitute riced cauliflower for regular rice.

Millennials are interested in maintaining a healthy lifestyle as well, and they also are very enlightened about the foods they prefer. “Organic,” “natural,” “locally grown,” “sustainable” and “grass-fed” are all buzzwords striking a responsive chord with them. Of course, the trick is to lighten up your menu fare without sacrificing flavor and enjoyment, and to find growers and farmers you can trust. All of this may be accomplished with a little help from your RFS sales consultant, who knows the territory.

ll Make zucchini and other vegetable “pasta” with a spiralizer.

The fairest of the fare at eateries across the country

ll Serve oven-roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes as an alternative to fries.

Operators across the nation are lightening up and becoming good stewards of the environment in many ways. Panera, considered one of the most innovative chains in the nation, offers an ancient grain, arugula and chicken salad with just 200 calories and seven grams of fat.

ll Top wafer-thin pizza crust with gourmet vegetables such as artichokes, heirloom tomatoes, Portobello mushrooms, shaved garlic and a sprinkling of fine cheese.

Le Pain Quotidien began life as a bakery in Brussels, Belgium. Today, cafes can be found in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Connecticut and Philadelphia. The menu features zucchini noodle pad thai at just 90 calories. It is also made with red peppers, cabbage, arugula, toasted cashews, cilantro and sesamecashew dressing. The avocado toast here is called a “tartine,” flavored with chia seeds and olive oil and arranged open-faced on organic whole-wheat sourdough. Guests may opt to add an organic hard-boiled egg or smoked salmon.

Upscale Etch in downtown Nashville presents an entrée called vegetarian katafi, comprised of pastrami-spiced Portobello mushrooms, rutabaga sofrito, Fontina cheese, carrot caraway sauce, pickled cherry mustard seeds, Sauerbraten sauce, beet molasses and apple nage. The cool thing about a recipe such as this is the vegetables can change with the seasons.

Sweetgreen, the environmentally conscientious destination for simple, seasonal, healthy food, has scores of stores in the United States. The company is offering organic steelhead trout as a sustainable alternative to salmon.

ll Offer fish or shrimp tacos as an alternative to meat. ll Develop stir-fry dishes around vegetables that can change seasonally.

ll Create a nostalgic rhubarb/strawberry dessert with oatmeal/nut topping. n

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Mindy S. Kolof

Edge

Gadgets to help you make the most of your veggies

FLO

Knives down and slicers on. These innovative products are designed to save time, labor and valuable digits when prepping vegetables in a busy kitchen. A few of the must-haves include: THE BIG SPIN. VP2 “Greens Machine,” a deluxe 20-gallon vegetable dryer from Electrolux. While its original circular tub of vibrant green is now history, the new VP2 adds color with a dizzying array of features. Chief among them is the drying power that takes all the moisture out of 16 heads of lettuce or other green leaves and cuts vegetables in fewer than five minutes.

BRE

IMMERSE YOURSELF. Bermixer PRO 750W from Electrolux. Easy to grip, use and clean, this hand-held mixer quickly proves its value in the kitchen. Mix, liquidize, whip or emulsify vegetables with a flick of the switch.

F t B A

TWICE THE SLICE. Redco Fruit Slicer and Redco cucumber slicer from Vollrath. With 28 non-corroding blades and a one-stroke operation, the fruit slicer eliminates 75 percent of the time and cost of cutting fruit by hand. A full five-inch cutting area is optimal for large fruits and provides a consistent cut for attractively presenting a variety of fruits, including pineapple, cantaloupe and honeydew melon. Great for salads and sushi bars, the cucumber slicer is three times faster than cutting by hand, with a one-stroke system that slices lengthwise and cores at the same time. n

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FLOUR-COATED ONION RINGS - BW502

BREADED JALAPEÑO CHEDDAR BITES - BW476

BREADED PICKLE CHIPS - BW500

See What’s New and News-Worthy. Fried vegetables are being spotted on more and more menus—up 12% in the past two years.1 Get in on this profitable trend with Intros® Originals brand new creations: Breaded Pickle Chips, Flour-Coated Onion Rings and Breaded Jalapeño Cheddar Bites. All are easy to prepare and ideal for menu starters, catering and special events.

Contact your local Reinhart Sales Consultant today for special offers and ideas that drive profits. 1

Mintel, Menu Insights, Q2 2017-Q2 2015

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You don't know

SLOPPY JACK FROM KAL-ISH, CHICAGO • Use one packet Upton’s BBQ Jackfruit – opened and placed in small pot. • 1-2 tsp chili powder, to taste • 1-2 T ketchup, to taste

fruit

Heat over medium until mix is hot and sauce starts to stick to the side of the pot – reduce heat to low. Add salt to taste; mix well. Add hot sauce, to taste. Cover and let sit for a couple minutes. Lightly toast white bread or burger bun, add cooked jackfruit. Serve with potato chips and cold beer. Yield: 2-4 sandwiches.

by Ari Bendersky

Much of the culinary world is slowly catching on to what vegan and vegetarian chefs have known for years: Jackfruit can work wonders in your kitchen.

hard shell and sticky-white residue can make it difficult to work with; fortunately Chicago's Upton's Naturals sells it pre-packaged seasoned and unseasoned.

Jackfruit, a hefty, hearty, hardshelled fruit that looks like an overgrown oblong-shaped spiky cantaloupe, grows in Brazil, Southeast Asia and central and eastern Africa. It has been a favorite in vegan cooking for its fibrous, stringy interior resembling pulled pork when cooked, but without the animal protein.

"Jackfruit is one of those ingredients that allows a chef to deliver a great dish that has texture and taste and looks great," says Andy Kalish, who conducts recipe development and branding at his wife Gina Marino-Kalish's Chicago vegan restaurant, Kal'ish. "Prepared well, it's delicious."

Young, unripe neutral-flavored jackfruit can get mixed with anything — barbecue sauce, curry, teriyaki sauce — and adapts that flavor. Mature ripe jackfruit has a sweetness resembling mango or pineapple. You can serve the highfiber, low-fat fruit in chili, tacos, stir fry, as a sandwich and more. Its

To help get you started, here are recipes from Kalish as well as James Beard Award-nominated vegan chef Richard Landau, who co-owns Philadelphia's Vedge, V Street and Wiz Kid with his wife, Kate Jacoby; and Jesse Houston, executive chef of Fine & Dandy in Jackson, Miss.

OYSTERS WITH JACKFRUIT NUOC MAM MIGNONETTE FROM JESSE HOUSTON, EXECUTIVE CHEF AT FINE & DANDY, JACKSON, MISS. • ½ cup of water • 1 tsp rice vinegar • Juice and zest of 2 limes • 2 T sugar • 1 bird's eye chile • 3 cloves of garlic • 2 T fish sauce • 2 T minced raw jackfruit Mix the sugar and water to dissolve. Add rice vinegar, lime juice and minced lime zest. Using a mortar and pestle, if you have it, crush the chiles and garlic and then add it to the mixture along with fish sauce. Mince jackfruit fine and whisk it in. Spoon mixture over shucked oysters. Optional garnish: quick pickled green mango and carrots, coriander flowers or cilantro.

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JACKFRUIT CHEESESTEAK FROM RICHARD LANDAU AT WIZ KID, PHILADELPHIA Jackfruit Steak Marinade • ½ cup sunflower oil • 2 tsp minced garlic • 1 tsp nutritional yeast • 1 tsp tamari • 1 tsp black pepper •

1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce

• ½ tsp salt Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Heat oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Spread slivered onions in the pan in a shallow layer to provide as much surface contact as possible. Allow to cook and only stir when the bottom begins to brown. Repeat step three until onions are fully caramelized. Salt to taste. If using canned jackfruit, make sure water/brine is drained and jackfruit is thoroughly pulled apart to achieve a "shredded" effect. Mix in steak marinade by hand and coat evenly. Season to taste. (This is best if it's allowed to marinate for 24 hours) Heat a small amount of oil in a medium saute pan until hot. Place jackfruit in pan with the desired amount of caramelized onions and sear until bottom begins to brown. Stir and repeat. Place cooked jackfruit and onions in a taco shell. Top with your favorite melted vegan cheese for a full "cheesesteak" effect.

TACOS DE CARNITAS FROM KAL'ISH, CHICAGO Use one packet of Upton’s Chili Lime Carnitas. Open packet, drain any liquid and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt; toss and let stand 2 minutes. Toss and coat jackfruit with mix of ½ cup flour, ¼ cup corn starch and ½ tsp salt. Using a sifter, shake off excess flour mix. Set aside jackfruit for a couple minutes and let the flour mix absorb some moisture. Heat a wide pan to medium high heat and lightly coat bottom with vegetable oil. Add jackfruit, taking care to not let it stick to bottom of pan. Allow oil to get absorbed. Use a wooden spoon to turn carnitas until browned and slightly crispy; add a bit more oil if not browning. Once browned and caramelized, add adobo sauce for smoky heat. Taste. To intensify flavor, cook over medium heat until desired result. Ten minutes is about the max on this dish. Warm corn or flour tortillas. Add 2 T carnitas. Top with fresh pico de gallo or chunky salsa, cotija cheese, cilantro and hot sauce (optional).

JACKFRUIT TACOS FROM RICHARD LANDAU AT V STREET, PHILADELPHIA Adobo Barbecue Marinade • ½ c rice wine vinegar • ½ c sunflower oil • 1 tsp cumin • 1 tsp smoked paprika • 3 T tamari • 1 cup water • 2 T agave • 1 cup ketchup • 1 T molasses Blend all ingredients in a blender until thoroughly incorporated. If using canned jackfruit make sure water/brine is drained and jackfruit is thoroughly pulled apart to achieve a "shredded" effect. Mix in bbq marinade by hand and coat evenly. Season to taste. Heat a small amount of oil in a medium saute pan until hot. Place jackfruit in pan and sear until barbecue sauce begins to caramelize. Stir and repeat. Place cooked jackfruit in a taco shell. Top with sliced red onion, avocado, red onion and salsa. n

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All the Modern Conveniences

in the Produce Category by Mary Daggett

Coinciding with the arrival of spring, your customers will be delighted to find your menu rejuvenated with gorgeous, colorful, fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s no secret today’s consumers desire foods that will contribute to a healthy lifestyle. More and more people have come to realize that foods loaded with healthful attributes can also be the most flavorful and delicious. Chefs may have been reluctant in the past to introduce certain items to their menus because of the prep time involved. Growers and distributors are constantly searching for ways to add convenience to the products they offer. Let’s explore some of the modern conveniences in the produce category that will refresh your menu without the need to add another cook to the chopping brigade.

Cauliflower Cauliflower is a hot commodity right now – from sautéed steaks the size of a Porterhouse to miniscule tidbits that resemble rice. Cauliflower steaks are an easy accomplishment, but the rice is a different matter. No worries. Cauliflower already nicely riced is available to easily allow you to add new and trendy items to your menu, while eliminting the carbohydrates and gluten many of your patrons wish to avoid. Items that traditionally were served on a bed of rice will get a new lease on life served atop cooked cauliflower rice. It will complement curries, stews and many Asian dishes nicely. Also consider using cauliflower rice in Mexican specialties, pilaf, risotto, stir-fry, fried “rice,” soups, stews, salads and sides. At Vedge, an acclaimed vegetarian eatery in Philadelphia, the stuffed avocado is filled with romesco sauce, pickled cauliflower, fried cauliflower rice and black salt.

Brussels Sprouts These little beauties are still sprouting up on menus, even without the ubiquitous bacon. Operators can procure Brussels sprouts whole, halved, sliced or shredded. A nifty sprout slicer utensil is available from Reinhart for those chefs who wish to style their own. Shredded Brussels sprouts add a flavor surprise and wonderful texture to slaws, salads and sandwiches. At Willow in Pittsburgh, one of the most popular small-plate offerings is fried Brussels sprouts, paired with Pecorino cheese, chili confit and garlic aioli.

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Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a list of some of the other produce convenience products that will eliminate tedious kitchen labor and give chefs more time for creativity:

Amuse Bouche

Lettuce fillets Broccoli crowns Cilantro, washed and trimmed Garlic, peeled

Onions, whole peeled Parsley, washed and trimmed Spinach, baby, organic and triple washed Romaine hearts and fillets, washed and trimmed

Why not borrow a page from the French? Add a touch of delight and whimsy to your guestsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first impression at the table by presenting them with a little bite of food to amuse the mouth and invigorate the palate while they are enjoying drinks and perusing the menu. Imagine the lovely impact made by colorful gazpacho in a double shot glass or a tiny ramekin filled with a fresh, savory fruit cocktail. n

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SPRING AWAKEN NG by Mindy S. Kolof

PLANTAINS

Rising Stars of Farm and Field In the newest crop of up and comers this spring, which fruits and vegetables will take away the crown from kale? We’ve identified several contenders springing up from all corners of the world, including veggies in hues of hot purple and deep black, spicy hot ghost peppers, green garlic. And you may want to keep replenishing your supply of kale, because it seems we’re not yet over this perennially popular green.

They look like bananas, but cook like potatoes, and are used in Cuban- and Puerto Rican-inspired dishes such as twice-fried plantain chips (tostones), as a side dish for sandwiches, or a dipping option for guacamole a la Bahama Breeze.

SUNCHOKES Also known as Jerusalem artichokes, they’re actually sunflowers resembling pieces of ginger, and can be served raw, in salads or to add crunch to an entrée. Use like potatoes, smashed, mashed or fried into chips, or pickle for use year-round.

With vegetable-forward entrees dominating the dining scene, there’s more room than ever on the plate for garden fresh, vibrantly colored produce. Mike Kostyo of market research company Datassential and Miriam Wolk of the United Fresh Produce Association provide their top picks for spring ’18:

GREEN GARLIC Harvested before mature bulbs or cloves form, green garlic is available for only a short time in early spring. Subtler than regular garlic, it adds a fresh flavor to salads, seafood and sandwiches, and with its local, regional and sustainable attributes, green garlic is expected to shine this spring. Also consider adding black garlic to the menu, simply a super-slow-roasted garlic that turns deep, dark black.

CRUDITÉ PLATTERS Not just small, modest ones for pre-meal munching, but huge, over-the-top platters that cover the entire table. While you may not go the route of the $38 platter at Chicago’s Clever Rabbit – decked out with white asparagus and truffle shavings, smoked maitake mousse and pickled mushrooms – try your own, slightly less extravagant version as a way to feature the season’s best.

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RADISHES Now valued as much for their flavor as for their bright vibrant color – ripe for Instagramming – pickled, roasted, grilled and raw radishes will be at nearly every type of restaurant. Beyond red, look for green, purple, pink and yellow colors; Daikon (white), used in Southeast and East Asian dishes; black Spanish; and watermelon, so named for its light green skin and pink flesh.

WEDGE SALAD The classic iceberg lettuce salad reboots with romaine lettuce and next-level ingredients such as blue cheese crumbles, gorgonzola or feta, and slabs of thick-cut bacon.

PREMIUM MUSHROOMS

HOT PEPPERS The two fastest-growing produce options on menus in recent years were ghost peppers and Calabrian chili peppers, with shishito peppers not far behind.

Try chanterelles and maitake, for rich, meaty flavors that can go center of the plate just like the Portobello.

SMOOTHIES What doesn’t go on the plate is going in the smoothie cup or bowl, as operators pump up the health quotient with beets, spinach, pumpkin, cucumber and green apples. New ingredients coming into play include pitaya/dragonfruit, lychee, pear and avocado.

FINALLY, KALE IS A KEEPER, “as popular as ever, but in a different role,” insists Kostyo. “Instead of being the star of the menu, it's now another healthy workhorse green that customers know and like.” n

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Attract Diners Like a Magnet with

Spring Salads BY MARY DAGGETT

Salads used to be an uninspiring first or second course. Boy, have things changed. Salads have definitely evolved into a money-making entrée category that appeals to today’s health-conscious consumers.

Spring is an opportunity to attract diners to your door like a magnet with tantalizing salad entrees. Let’s check in at several choice restaurants to see what they have to offer. Parish Café, with two locations in the Greater Boston area, has found great success with its version of Niçoise salad, a traditional mainstay on bistro menus. The Niçoise served at Parish Café features a grilled rare tuna steak topped with a dollop of wasabi aioli, served on a bed of greens. Kalamata olives, green beans, sliced hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes and cucumbers round out the meal. It’s served with fresh lemon and olive oil dressing. At just 540 calories, the Asian chopped salad at BJ’s in Fort Wayne, Ind., is a winner chicken dinner. Grilled chicken breast shares billing with romaine, bibb lettuce, Napa cabbage, red bell peppers, snow peas, green onions, shredded carrots, sesame seeds, crisp wonton strips, cilantro and mandarin oranges. The dressing is honey-ginger. One of the outstanding menu items at Bonfire in St. Paul, Minn., is the chicken apple walnut salad, which stars both watercress and baby spinach, topped with rotisserie chicken, Granny Smith apples, toasted walnuts and bacon. The dressing is bacon vinaigrette.

Mix It Up Consider these interesting ingredients for your next magnetic entrée salad: Arugula, radicchio, watercress, avocado, sprouts, heirloom tomatoes, haricots verte, zucchini, baby patty pan squash, daikon radishes, asparagus, mushrooms of all kinds, citrus fruits, pears, mango, papaya, blueberries, raspberries, watermelon, ancient grains, poached eggs, seafood and fish, cheeses, unusual croutons (toasted whole grain, Asiago focaccia, pita, naan, wonton strips), nuts and seeds (walnuts, pecans, macadamias, pine nuts, pepitos). Distinctive house-made dressings will also provide a point of difference for your establishment. n

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A Seasonal Favorite:

Strawberries Are So Versatile Nicole L’Huillier Fenton

The strawberry boasts an assorted history. Some claim ancient Romans enjoyed them, likely the wild fruit wood or mush strawberries. The most common type of strawberry that we love to eat today probably made its way around the globe, thanks to various explorers. Strawberries are often referred to as the first fruit of the seasons because traditionally they ripened in June and were harvested within a few weeks. Today the demand for strawberries from consumers nationwide and creative chefs has prompted farmers to develop methods to grow these little red gems yearround.

cheese coulis finished with mint leaf or balsamic reduction. “You not only get the sweet and tart with this recipe, you can also have a balance of textures with the crispness of the berry and the creaminess of the cheese,” says Congdon.

Strawberries aren’t just a topping for biscuits or waffles. Chefs are roasting, pureeing, pickling, drying and even grinding them to a powder, increasing the ways they can use the fruit. Their versatility allows them to be featured in appetizers, entrées, desserts and even beverages.

That delicate balance of sweetness and acidity is essential to a strawberry’s taste. When they are in their prime season of late spring, their taste is truly remarkable. There just isn’t anything like a ripe, red, juicy, just-picked-from-the-field strawberry. While savory and sweet dishes alike lend themselves well to this delicious fruit, you can always skip the flair and just load them up in a bowl and grab a spoon. n

Chef Clark Congdon of The Junction House Kitchen & Brewery in Old Town Manassas, Va., likes to stuff strawberries with a goat

Strawberry cocktail

Grilled cheese appetizer with strawberry mousse

Strawberries add a touch of spring to your entrées

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20 Ways to

Use Asparagus ... from stalk to tip. Mindy S. Kolof and Chef Paul Young

Having graced tables for more than 2,000 years, this delicately flavored yet sturdily constructed vegetable is so versatile. Asparagus has always maintained its elegant profile whether blanched, boiled, steamed, microwaved, stir-fried, grilled, roasted or pureed. Reinhart’s Chef Paul puts fresh asparagus through its paces to bring you 20 ways to celebrate springtime’s finest greens.

1. Cream of Asparagus Soup Leave some bigger chunks of asparagus in the blend for this vibrantly colored offering; garnish with asparagus tips.

2. Asparagus Bread Pudding Go from sweet to savory with a pudding made of seasoned bread, custard and deeply roasted asparagus.

3. Roasted Asparagus with smoked sea salt A no-wilt solution for asparagus with a deep smoky flavor…no smoker needed.

4. Garlic Parmesan Asparagus Simple and incredibly flavorful, drizzle olive oil over garlic and asparagus and roast. At end, sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and allow to melt naturally.

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5. Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus Wrap each asparagus stalk with prosciutto, candy-cane style, and roast, for a beyond satisfying texture and flavor.

6. Grilled cheese stuffed with Iberico ham and sautéed asparagus: Wrap each asparagus stalk with prosciutto, candy-cane style, and roast, for a beyond satisfying texture and flavor.

7. Lemon-pepper roasted asparagus: Poach before roasting asparagus, and add a mix of butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and fresh black pepper.

8. Asparagus and sauteed red pepper with toasted pine nuts:

12. Pan-seared asparagus topped with parsley breadcrumbs Go from sweet to savory with a pudding made of seasoned bread, custard and deeply roasted asparagus.

13. Balsamic roasted asparagus There may not be a better pairing than balsamic reduced to a sugary syrup and drizzled on top of roasted asparagus…a thick slice of bacon would put it over the top.

14. Asparagus over lentils and poached egg A low-carb, high-protein dish that makes a perfectly balanced lunch.

15. Roasted asparagus with endive and fried goat cheese Sweetly roasted asparagus and slightly bitter endive find their perfect match in deep-fried, creamy goat cheese.

Poach before roasting asparagus, and add a mix of butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and fresh black pepper.

16. Asparagus pesto 9. Cheesy baked asparagus A unique spin on the ubiquitous cheesy casserole, featuring buttered bread crumbs, cheesy milky sauce and asparagus; baked until golden brown.

10. Bacon, gruyere and roasted garlic asparagus: Unabashedly indulgent, with sweetly aromatic roasted garlic, smoothly melting gruyere cheese and crunchy asparagus.

11. Asparagus with hollandaise Stunningly simple, with incomparable flavor when done right; blend crab meat, egg yolks and clarified butter for a classic sauce.

Bid basil goodbye and sub in asparagus, with garlic, olive oil, pine nuts and lemon juice for a pesto that’s made for dipping or topping pasta.

17. Grilled asparagus over Romesco sauce Blend roasted tomatoes, onions, garlic, roasted red peppers and bread in food processor for the classic sauce; place grilled asparagus spears on top.

18. Chicken saltimbocca over oven-roasted asparagus A unique spin on the ubiquitous cheesy casserole, featuring buttered bread crumbs, cheesy milky sauce and asparagus; baked until golden brown.

19. Asparagus topped with fried horseradish Grate fresh horseradish into strands to deep fry and add a zesty flavor and crunch to lightly steamed asparagus.

20. Asparagus frittata Breakfast in a pan, made with eggs, cream, charred tomatoes and fresh, sliced asparagus, and baked to puffy perfection. n

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will

swim

for food

by Ari Bendersky

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Sea vegetables, like seaweed and sea beans, add FLavor and texture to dishes You don't need to dive 20,000 leagues under the sea to find interesting new vegetables to use in your kitchen. Some sit just below the water's surface while others linger near the water's edge. Or just pop by your local Asian market. Sea vegetables, which technically fall into the algae category, are often used in Japanese cooking, but are being used in other cuisines to add flavor and texture to many dishes.

You can also get playful with other sea vegetables like sea lettuce, sea grapes, dulse and sugar kelp. Many chefs enjoy working with sea beans, a crunchy, salty stalk-like plant â&#x20AC;&#x201D; also sometimes referred to as sea asparagus â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that grows along the seashore. "I love sea beans, they're the capers of the sea," exclaims Amanda Cohen, chef/owner of the vegetable-focused Dirt Candy in New York. "They're already pickled and salty, have this hollow crunch and elevate any dish naturally." Cohen enjoys raw sea beans, but thinks frying them takes them to another level. While the outside gets nice and crispy, the inside offers a great salty flavor. "It's like a deep fried pickle, but it's not wet," she describes. Jesse Houston, executive chef of Fine & Dandy in Jackson, Miss., uses sea beans raw to highlight a fish dish or pickles them to use as a garnish. He also toasts and grinds nori into a powder to use as a base umami flavor to amplify a dish or uses it to make a bright vinaigrette to dress greens and other vegetables.

Packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, seaweed might be the most common sea vegetable. And it comes in many varieties like nori, kombu, wakame and arame. Some offer a strong taste of the sea with high salinity, while some lean sweeter.

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Chefs often use one of the many seaweeds to add depth, texture and flavor to a variety of dishes. At Philadelphia's lauded vegan restaurant, Vedge, chef/co-owner Richard Landau combines sheets of kombu, with its ocean saltiness, with shiitake mushrooms to create the base for his dashi, a Japanese broth, in a number of sauces. And at his more casual vegan street food spot, V Street, he gives a traditional Italian cacio e pepe a Japanese bent by including miso butter and pickled ginger into the dish before topping it with nori powder for some intensity.

"They add more of an umami flavor versus anything astringent," Esteban says. "It adds mouthfeel or viscosity to a drink." However you use sea vegetables, experiment, but be sure to not to use too much. "You have to find the balance where that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t become the only flavor," Cohen insists. n

"Seaweed can add this subtle layer somewhere in the middle of a dish," Landau explains. "Once it's there, you won't know how you lived without it." You can even incorporate sea vegetables into cocktails to add natural salinity. Phil Esteban, research and development chef for CH Projects in San Diego, which currently has nine restaurants including Ironside and Underbelly, says they use sea vegetable oils and sprays to impart different flavors.

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INFINITE Mindy S. Kolof

Citrus sells, with big flavor from mandarins to Meyer lemons. We’ll go beyond lemonade, with some tangy ideas for squeezing every drop of opportunity from an ever flourishing crop of specialty citrus. A check in with Joan Wickham at Sunkist confirms that citrus is making major moves across the menu, from upscale to fast-casual. Not just the flesh and juice, she says, but increasingly the peel is coming to life in salads, baked goods, cocktails and mocktails, or candied for an elegant garnish. Others are charring the flesh of the citrus, bringing out a savory, rich flavor, making a fantastic garnish for meat and vegetable dishes, as well as a perfect base for fruit drinks and cocktails. One of the most popular is the Meyer lemon, a cross between a regular lemon and a mandarin. “They’re a bit sweeter and less acidic than regular lemons with a refreshing herbal scent, and have a thin, tender rind that gives them a smooth, soft feel,” says Wickham. Meyer lemon is adding its own unique zestiness to

every dish it graces, including frozen yogurt, grilled chicken with chimichurri sauce and a sorrel pesto rice bowl. Richly pink from the presence of lycopene, Cara Cara oranges are also juicing up menus this spring. The versatile, seedless fruit packs quite a nutritious punch, boasting 20 percent more Vitamin C and nearly 30 percent more Vitamin A than regular navel oranges. Their super sweetness is used to great effect in tartare with jasmine sorbet, an orange rosemary shortbread with white chocolate and a golden beet salad. How to prep your own citrus classic? “The whole fruit can be broken down and stored to use across the menu,” says Wickham. She recommends zesting before juicing and freezing some zest for future use as well. n

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When life hands you lemonsâ&#x20AC;Ś start making plans to use it on your menu.

LEMONS *Source: Technomic

increase in mentions of Meyer lemons on Top 500 menus over the past year.*

higher price for salads mentioning Meyer lemon as an ingredient.*

ORANGES

*Source: Dataessential & Sunkist

increase in Cara Cara oranges mentions since 2013*

of consumers who try Cara Cara oranges make repeat purchases

Seize your citrus

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Into the Forest We Go Foraging can provide a bounty of ingredients â&#x20AC;&#x201D; for free by Ari Bendersky

f you know what to look for and where to look, foraging offers you a bounty of fresh ingredients during specific times of the year â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and save you money. Foraging allows chefs or professional foragers the opportunity to go out into the forest, countryside, along a waterway or elsewhere to find native ingredients they would otherwise spend possibly thousands of dollars on a month. We're talking chanterelle or hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, pine needles, wild garlic, violets, stinging nettles, wood sorrel and so much more.

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"It's absolutely fun and it gives me time to be outside and in nature and in the woods," says Iliana Regan, chef/owner of Chicago's Elizabeth and Kitsune restaurants. "But with a purpose to turn it into something I can give people, like any farmer." Regan forages mostly in spring and fall throughout Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan to find everything from mushrooms and milkweed to wild asparagus and elderflowers. She may make a syrup or vinegar or end up pickling or preserving certain items to use at other times of the year when those ingredients are out of season. Last winter, she made nettle pasta and ramp top ramen noodles from items she found and preserved earlier in the year. Bluffton, S.C., restaurant FARM focuses so locally that coowner and certified forager Josh Heaton hunts for chanterelle and lion's mane mushrooms, greenbrier, day lily, shiso, violet, loquats, tea olives, sassafras and more throughout the year. Then he and partner/executive chef Brandon Carter use them in a variety of ways: fried day lily pods; crĂ¨me de violette for a gin-based Aviation cocktail; tea olive jelly for crudo. But it's really the bounty of mushrooms Heaton finds that results in a number of dishes like conserve of chanterelle mushrooms with country ham, goat's milk ricotta and buttered croutons; grilled chanterelle mushroom toast with asparagus, garlic confit, feta and arugula; and wood-roasted lion's mane mushrooms with gremolata, Madeira and celery root puree. What's more, that saves them a bundle. "We would pay $20 a pound for chanterelles and we use them for 10 weeks," Heaton says. "Our cost on the mushrooms we serve in the summer would have been $4,000 to $5,000."

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While foraging can yield great results, Tama Matsuoka Wong, professional forager and co-author of the James Beard Awardnominated book, "Foraged Flavor," cautions to not just pick anything you see. "You have to be really careful," Matsuoka Wong advises. "Just because you saw something, you can't just pick it. There are heavily poisonous plants; be careful about mushrooms." Alan Walter, creative director at Loa at International House Hotel in New Orleans, seconds that warning, but says otherwise most things found in nature are fair game.

"Unless something will poison you," Walter continues, "there's little that doesn't have the chance to entertain the palate in some way." Walter uses local foraged ingredients like Spanish moss, pine needles, clover and bamboo to also help bring diners and drinkers closer to their surroundings. "There's a margarita-like drink on our menu called the Margeurite with thyme-scented Cointreau and bay and sassafras on the rim, but with a pine needle-infused syrup that gives it a winter-fresh feel," Walter describes. "The Spanish moss in the Jean Lafitte strikes people because they aren't used to putting that in their mouth, but the rest â&#x20AC;&#x201D; it tells us something about the city." n

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foraging

for Safety's Sake

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Becoming a certifie forager isn't necessary, but it'll help guide you in the forest by Ari Bendersky Foraging can be fun, but it can also be deadly if you don't know what you're looking for during your adventure. It's for that reason some people decide to get certified in foraging, especially with mushrooms. "Chefs don't necessarily know what to look for, especially in some of the less common mushrooms," admits Josh Heaton, certified forager and co-owner of Farm restaurant in Bluffton, S.C. "To ensure public safety, some state health departments completely prohibit the sale of wild foraged mushrooms in restaurants. Some states have zero regulation." Heaton recommends taking a course, either online or in person if offered in your area. Organizations like South Carolina's Mushroom Mountain, Michigan's Midwest

American Mycological Information (MAMI) and Minneapolis-based Gentleman Forager teach one- and two-day mushroom identification and safety certification courses, which many states require if you're going to use or sell wild mushrooms at a restaurant. Naperville, Ill.,based the Resiliency Institute offers a nearly year-long much broader certification course in edible wild plants. "Anyone can go out and collect mushrooms," Heaton adds, "which is a potentially dangerous thing if they are allowed to sell or serve them to others." Knowing what you can properly forage is not only a public safety issue, it can literally mean the difference between life and death. n

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Chef Spike Mendelsohn

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Chef Spike Mendelsohn Adds Food Advocacy to His Plate By Mindy Kolof

Already a triple threat - celebrity chef, imaginative restaurateur and in-demand culinary consultant - Chef Spike Mendelsohn has been planting the seeds of food access and waste reduction advocacy for years, beginning at his influential Good Stuff Eatery in Washington, D.C.. His work with organizations like CARE, Food Rescue US, Food Policy Action, and as the first chairman of DCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Food Policy Council, stoked the passion for using his considerable industry cred to make a real impact on the food system. On a recent visit to his Chicago Good Stuff Eatery location, he graciously shared why this issue resonates deep in his soul, and how others can help solve the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most meaningful challenge.

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Q: Tell us about your work with CARE Chefs’ Table program. A: We contribute to the mission of ending hunger in

(developing nations) by helping reform the way food aid is implemented, teaching best practices to farmers, and empowering women to become agricultural participants. The difference we can make is humbling, but the learning goes both ways. When it comes to treating our food with respect, America is actually a very young country.

www.care.org/chefstable

Q: Can an individual restaurateur make a difference? A: Everyone contributes to the food waste problem every day,

consciously or not. It starts with identifying how, as an individual operator, you can implement your own best practices in terms of what you purchase, how much you purchase and the brands you support. For example, at Good Stuff Eatery, we aim for empty walk-in coolers at the end of the day. We’re also partnering with Food Rescue US, the ‘Uber of food waste,’ to recover unused food at our DC pizza restaurant and deliver it to those in need.

On a broader level, get involved in food policy for your state. It’s crucial to develop legislation designed to break down the hurdles to reducing food waste, or recommend tax incentives that encourage groceries to do business in food deserts.

You’re involved in the DC Food Policy Council…how would you advise others to participate?

Every state should have its own food policy council, and right now about 20 have them in place. If there’s one in your area, volunteer to participate; if there’s not a council, consider starting one. While there are numerous nonprofit organizations working to influence food policy as well, our goals are similar, and we’re hoping they join us. It’s far more powerful to have many voices advocating for change, because that’s when you can actually move the needle.

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Q: What is the biggest challenge ahead? A: The political climate is a little tricky these days, especially

when it comes to food. Representatives on the Hill are interested in big agro business and we have to turn the conversation to the fact that their constituents are suffering as a result of the bills they’re passing, such as the $150 million reduction to SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program). Progress in this area is going to slow down, and we need to recognize that, but the good news is that more people than ever before are paying attention to policy decisions.

Q: Do you feel hopeful about the future of food? A: Very. I think science and research has a role to play and I’m

not bashing things like GMOs because they serve a purpose. I also believe that companies committed to shining a light on food costs and food waste will succeed.

Now Available: New Food Waste Action Guide Exclusively for the Restaurant Industry ReFED, a nonprofit organization committed to cutting food waste in the United States in half by 2030, recently launched a comprehensive 2018 Restaurant Food Waste Action Guide for the restaurant industry, in partnership with the Food Waste Reduction Alliance. Today, the United States wastes 63 million tons, or $218 billion, of food annually. According to ReFED, prevention solutions are the most cost-effective and could reduce food waste at restaurants by 400,000 tons and add nearly $620 million in business profit potential annually. The benefit-to-cost

ratio of food waste reduction efforts in the restaurant industry is compelling: for every dollar invested in food waste reduction, restaurants can realize approximately $8 of cost savings. “Food waste reduction is quickly becoming a key element of financial and reputational value for restaurants and foodservice providers,” explains Chris Cochran, Executive Director of ReFED. In fact, according to a recent study cited in the guide, 72 percent of U.S. diners care about how restaurants handle food waste, and 47 percent would be willing to spend more to eat at a restaurant with an active food recovery program.

The guide provides best practices and action-oriented strategies to help restaurants develop and embed a food waste reduction culture, and extend it to the consumer. For example, adopting recycling programs such as centralized composting and anaerobic digestion could divert 2.6 million tons of waste from landfills and reduce CO2 emissions by 1.9 million tons. Additionally, serving smallersized portion options may reduce the amount of food diners leave uneaten, reported to be as much as 17percent of their meals. Download the complete 41-page Restaurant Food Waste Action Guide at www.refed.com.

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Israel Offers a Melting Pot of Flavors

Comprising dozens of cultures, Israeli cuisine is on the rise Ari Bendersky

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Israel often makes political headlines, but a number of American chefs have started shining a spotlight on the region for a much more delicious reason: the food. Israel as a modern country only dates to 1948, but the culture goes back millennia. People all over the world — from Europe and North Africa to Asia and, of course, the Levant, an eastern Mediterranean region encompassing parts or all of Israel, Iraq, Egypt, Greece, Lebanon, Turkey, Cyprus, Jordan, Palestine and Syria — have settled or passed through, bringing different flavors, techniques and culinary styles that today comprise Israeli cuisine. “It belongs to nobody, but encompasses so much history,” says Michael Solomonov, the James Beard Award-winning chef/ owner of Philadelphia’s modern Israeli restaurant, Zahav. “It’s a culmination of like 100 different cultures, and you have food practice that was shaped by the Spice Route, which is important to the cooking.” While it features meats, including lamb and chicken, Israeli cuisine focuses heavily on produce, sauces and spices. It’s a lighter style of eating, often shown through mezze, or small plates, also featuring different grains, hummus, legumes, baba ganoush, fruits, nuts and more. And it hits on many of today’s hottest dietary buzzwords.

“You can be dairy free, gluten free, vegan or vegetarian and order a full meal to share and not ask for any alterations on the menu,” says Jenn Louis, chef/owner of Ray in Portland, Ore. “It’s easy to eat a lot of food and feel good because you’re not eating a lot of cream and cheese, but grains, beans and vegetables.” You can introduce diners to Israeli flavors easily through the addition of different spices like sumac, cumin, parsley, turmeric and paprika. “Start with basic spices and learn how they interact with the foods you cook,” suggests New Orleans-based James Beard Award-winning chef Alon Shaya, who released his memoir/cookbook, “Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel,” in March. “Start simple with spice blends and tahini (sesame seed paste). Then you can incorporate that into your everyday cooking.” Shaya also recommends making hummus, a chickpea spread comprising tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. It’s delicious on its own, dipping in warm pita

or raw vegetables like carrots or radishes. But he also says you can experiment by topping hummus with different things like lamb ragu or roasted cauliflower tossed with turmeric and cumin. Louis says she likes introducing Israeli flavors by whipping ras el hanout (a Moroccan spice blend combining a variety of seasonings like cumin, dry ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander seed, cayenne, allspice, paprika and cloves) or harissa, a hot red pepper paste, into butter and cooking it with clams and white wine. “It won’t be overwhelming, but will have a nice added warmth,” she describes. You can even sneak Israeli flavors into your cocktails, which Solomonov does at Zahav with drinks like the Z&T (gin, za’atar and byrrh) and the Lemonnana (Jim Beam bourbon, muddled mint, fresh lemon and verbena). “Starting with feta brine or za’atar may be alienating,” Solomonov cautions. “But adding orange blossom, rose water, rosemary or mint in simple syrup? That’s money.” n

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Celebrity chefs and the appropriation of ethnic cuisines by Audarshia Townsend

Check any chef’s Instagram feed, and you’ll immediately discover most aren’t one-trick ponies. Celebrated Boston chef Mary Dumont of Cultivar fame is best known for contemporary New England fare, yet it’s not unusual to see her work in Italian and Japanese accents like spices, crudo and house-made pastas. In Louisville, Seviche’s Anthony Lamas puts a modern spin on homestyle Latin cuisine with Southern influences he’s embraced since living in Kentucky for more than 20 years. And in Chicago at Big Jones, the Indiana-born Paul Fehribach showcases his interpretations of classic Southern food, from the lowcountry to Louisiana. Chefs highlighting other cultures and ethnic flavors in their dishes is nothing new, however, in recent years there’s been an uproar over those who reportedly take it too far. Prominent social media influencers and activists have been vocal in calling out those they believe appropriate cuisine from marginalized ethnic groups. Some operations have even been shut down—such as a 1990s hip-hop themed eatery in Pittsburgh serving gourmet fried chicken—forcing them to change their concepts. It’s a subject polarizing many in the culinary community, yet they aim to compromise.

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Give back to the community. “We don’t have intellectual property rights in food like they do in music or technology or a number of industries, so we can cook anything we want. The conversation should be how do you reconcile the questions of privilege and the questions of power and control and benefit.”

– Paul Fehribach

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Immerse yourself in the culture and/or community. Seviche‘s Anthony Lamas suggests those eager to cook ethnic cuisine learn everything possible about it. “Traveling is a great way to learn about new foods,” he recommends, “but you’ve got to spend time in these places. “Visit a country and stay there for a month or two. Spend a lot of time with someone who understands the food. There’s a lot that goes into creating these foods from different cultures.”

Be Humble. “Reading stories about people and sharing stories with people is important because it keeps the cuisine human in my heart and in my mind,” says Fehribach. “I want to be part of the story, but I am not going to make the story about me.”

Every winter Fehribach hosts “Soul Food Week” at Big Jones. The twoweek event spotlights historic and burgeoning African-American culinary artists, and is also an educational experience for diners. As they nosh on favorites like fried okra, peach cobbler, and spaghetti and oxtails, they learn about their origins. “The history of this food is just loaded with dynamite,” declares Fehribach, who also sits on the board of the Southern Foodways Alliance at the University of Mississippi. “It’s a rich history, but it’s also full of conflict and appropriation is at the center of Southern culture. … the black hands that were creating this food didn’t get any of the benefits.” He cites fellow Chicagoan Rick Bayless, chef/founder of Mexican-inspired Frontera Restaurants group, as an example of a culinary leader giving back to a culture that’s richly benefited him. “(Rick) buys tons of ancient breed corn from farmers in Mexico every year, which allows them to retain their land and their birthright in that seed,” says Fehribach. “He also patronizes Mexican artists and he employs and trains Mexican chefs. Lots of MexicanAmericans have their own restaurants now because of him.” n

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“ Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” – Michael Pollan, award-winning author/activist, New York Times Magazine

Call it the age of the flexitarian: a 30-something who considers herself a vegetarian most days but eagerly devours grandma’s meatballs; a young professional who avoids red meat, but is always game to try a new poke tuna bowl; a retiree who’s cut back on steak, but has a newfound taste for mushroom burgers. The focus on what’s been coined “vegetable-forward” eating is a shift that spans Gen Z through Boomers and ties in with a number of important dynamics – health, weight management, energy, digestion, animal rights, food supply, the environment, religious and social reasons. That's according to Steve Walton, whose company HealthFocus has conducted extensive research on the topic. “The main drivers are consumer recognition of the importance and quality of protein, and of ‘clean eating,’ which shape a person’s identity. These are people who place great value on the idea that what they put in their bodies impacts not just their diet but the environment,” explains Walton. What it’s not about, he emphasizes, is hating meat. “Very few diners reject meat entirely; it’s more about developing a taste and palate for plant-based foods,” he says.

Those seven words, written by Pollan in his 2007 groundbreaking “Unhappy Meals” essay, may have kick-started a revolution that had been budding for years. A decade later, plant-based eating has transcended fad status and is on course to redefining what eating ell means, especially when dining out. For restaurant operators, it represents an unprecedented opportunity to win over a wide swath of generations, and ensures they’ll want a seat at your table well into the future.

Therein lies the value proposition steadily gaining traction for restaurant operators. To succeed, however, requires a thoughtful strategy that goes well beyond the menu, says Walton. “Simply offering a salad isn’t enough. It requires a deep understanding of who you are, what you stand for and then offering a ‘better for you’ item in that context.” The rewards of getting it right are substantial, Walton believes. “There’s a real opportunity here to appeal to millennials, but it’s not restricted to just that generation. Our research shows that 60 percent of all consumers say they are cutting back on meat, and all evidence suggests the move to a more plant-focused diet is a long-term lifestyle decision that continues to grow over time… there is little movement back once one starts on that path,” says Walton.

whose work at the non-profit Good Food Institute (GFI) focuses on increasing the availability of plant-based products, points to a number of watershed moments in the two short years since GFI was established. Restaurants have sprouted up nationwide, among them wellknown chains such as Umami Burger, sweetgreen and Pret a Manger. Last fall’s test of Beyond Meats burger at TGI Fridays’ hundreds of locations proved to be the “quickest test to market they’ve ever done,” reports Rabschnuk.

That’s exactly why operators don’t want to literally leave money on the table, and with big food coming on board, choices are rapidly proliferating. Alison Rabschnuk,

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The flexitarian diner provides a perfect opening for all types of restaurants, and Rabschnuk offers some smart marketing tips: Don’t segregate your meat-free offerings. “Sales spike significantly when these dishes are integrated into the menu.” Indulgent language sells. What would you rather order: ‘sweet sizzlin’ green beans and crispy shallots’ or ‘light and low carb green beans and shallots?’ Exactly what your customers think too. Avoid using “vegan” and “vegetarian” descriptors. “There’s a lot of negative baggage associated with these words.” Most important, remember to give people what they crave most about meat: protein and taste. “There’s no reason for a dish to be bland because it’s plant based,” says Rabschnuk. n

Worth Cultivating Plant-based foods named the #1 trend for 2018. - Baum & Whiteman The market for plant-based food products grew eight percent in 2017, while meat declined two percent. - Nielsen Sixty percent of consumers report they are cutting back on meat consumption. - HealthFocus Sixty-eight percent of consumers are actively reducing meat consumption are doing that both at home and away from home. - Datassentials

“Offering plant-based foods is a way to target the Millennial diner, absolutely, but it needn’t be restricted to just that generation. The preference for eating this kind of food is seen across broad demographic groups and provides a path for many older brands and restaurants to make themselves relevant.” - Steve Walton, HealthFocus

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Count on Eagle Ridge® brand of fine meats and provisions to deliver the best beef products available in foodservice. Designed specifically to handle operators’ complex foodservice needs, and cut with the consistency necessary to shine on the plate. With Eagle Ridge as your choice product line, you can deliver the best on the block–so pair it up and cook it up!

“MEAT” THE BUTCHER STRIP STEAK 101 This cut offers a rich flavor and tender, juicy texture, and is one of the most popular steaks on the menu. Try a strip steak with a Grilled Caesar Salad topped with freshly shaved Parmesan for a flavorful twist on a classic steakhouse application. For a tender, juicy steak every time, we recommend grilling, searing or broiling.

Grill Sear Broil

FILET MIGNON PAIR IT UP! PAIR UP and stuff a filet with blue cheese, wrap it in bacon and sage leaves, and really pump up the flavor. For best results, grill, sear or broil this tender cut of beef. Also known as tenderloin steak, filet mignon is the most tender cut on the whole cow, and its richly flavored meat cuts like a hot knife through butter.

Grill Sear Broil

RIBEYE STEAK PERFECT PREP Bring out the flavor of this cut by starting with a great marinade. Throw it on the grill, or sear it in a skillet for a flavorful crust, or broil in the oven to the perfect temperature. With its superior marbling, the ribeye steak has a reputation for being full-flavored and extremely juicy, and it does not disappoint.

Grill Sear Broil

Visit rfsdelivers.com to find more recipes for your menu.

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B E V E R A G E

Don’t Mock These Drinks

Ari Bendersky

Whether you call them mocktails, virgin or spirit free, adding non-alcoholic drinks to your list can boost your bottom line. Celebrated Chicago mixologist Julia Momose has a mission. She helped GreenRiver, which unfortunately closed in early 2018, earn its Michelin star. Julia grew tired of people referring to drinks without alcohol as mocktails. In her opinion, that moniker denotes something negative. Instead, she feels this category of drinks that’s growing in popularity at restaurants and bars across the country should get a new title: spirit free. “The most commonly used term, mocktail, sounds so demeaning,” says Momose, who later this year in Chicago plans to open Kumiko with partners Noah and Cara Sandoval, who own two Michelin-star restaurant Oriole, sometime in 2018. “Everyone who comes into a bar is equally important, and everyone’s needs should be met. Drinks should be made with the same attention to detail.” Momose feels that no matter if someone is 80 or pregnant or gave up drinking for whatever reason should have the same amount of fun in a bar and feel what they’re drinking is as important as that single-barrel Old Fashioned served over handcut ice. After leaving GreenRiver in late 2016, Momose teamed with the Sandovals to create a non-alcoholic beverage pairing as an option at their intimate tasting menu restaurant. She combined fresh juices, herbs, flowers, produce and teas to create well-balanced, flavorful drinks anyone could enjoy. The drinks don’t have to be overly complicated or include obscure ingredients like one she made with ginger, agave nectar, red beet, lime, grapefruit and Fever-Tree club soda; or another with tarragon, lime juice and banana. You can, of course, use more complex ingredients.

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"Everyone who comes into a bar is equally important, and everyone's needs should be met." - Julia Momose

Chicago Mixologist

“With spirit free [drinks], it’s about layering flavors into a beautiful syrup or using a combination of flavors from teas to recreate those complex flavors you’ll find in alcohol,” Momose explains. “And for a bar, people who would just have water, now may have a spirit free and that’s money they may normally not have spent, so that’s a good thing.”

or sparkling water with lime with your meal, but don’t want something with booze in it.

Alan Walter, creative director at Loa Bar in New Orleans, agrees. He says bars that don’t include non-alcoholic options are missing out on money-making opportunities.

“We should be able to offer people something that is delicious and pairs well with food that is just not necessarily a blend of juices,” says Christine Wiseman, bar manager at the Broken Shaker in Los Angeles. “We have a plethora of drinking vinegars and syrups we can make spirit free cocktails with. You have the opportunity to pair these with food that maybe wine or cocktails cannot do.”

“This is a more necessary and profitable area of a menu,” Walter explains. “I realize there are people who are with their friends and maybe they don’t drink or aren’t in the mood to drink.”

At the end of the day, it’s really considering all your patrons and making sure everyone has options to not only enjoy, but to also make them feel welcome at your establishment. n

It’s catching on as patrons have started to actively seek out non-alcoholic options. Sometimes you want more than water

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Into Drinkable Treasures

Turn

by Ari Bendersky

transform your kitchen's food waste into delicious cocktails

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Last spring, Chicago's Broken Shaker inside the Freehand Hotel hosted a pop-up for London's Trash Tiki movement. At the time, bar manager Scotty LoBianco didn't know much about it, but thought it was a passing fad. Diving into it deeper and then experiencing it first hand turned LoBianco into a believer. Now he and his staff employ Trash Tiki's sustainable message of taking spent food items — citrus rinds, pineapple husks, coffee grounds — daily to get more use out of them. "It's cost effective and sustainable in that you get a second and third use of things," LoBianco says. "It's extra work for my team to be conscientious daily to not get rid of things like mint stems or making orgeat out of almond pastries. But it's inspiring and not as difficult as I thought it could be." So now, the Broken Shaker bar team works with its kitchen as well as on-site Café Integral to get as much use out of as many ingredients as possible for use in cocktails. Coffee grounds get turned into coffee liqueur or syrup. Fresh fruit

"It's cost detrimental to throw stuff away daily," LoBianco adds. "Most restaurants operate 25 percent to 45 percent on food cost; that's because we're throwing stuff away every single day. If we're spending $150 a day on fresh citrus, you can take about a third of that away." When it opened in Brooklyn in 2016, part of Olmsted's mission was to be a zero waste restaurant. Chef Greg Baxtrom and his team grow produce, herbs, flowers and more in its backyard garden and have a living wall inside the restaurant. One ingredient, lemon balm, gets combined with grilled lemon rinds to make a Scotch-based iced tea cocktail. Salted cucumber water is added to a refreshing gin cocktail with yellow chartreuse and lime juice. "The whole industry is making a concerted effort to waste less in general," says Olmsted general manager Max Katzenberg. "People are looking at what they have and realize it doesn't have to go into the garbage, but can get repurposed into something fun and delicious. We have so much food coming into our restaurants and have to maximize what we're using." Not only will you help your bottom line and the environment, it helps keep you creative. Finding new uses for different ingredients you might otherwise throw away can help churn new ideas for your bar program. "Every day it's a little bit new," LoBianco says. "So if you feel stagnant, look at the garbage and see what you can do differently." You never know where your next great sustainable, money-saving idea will come from. n

from continental breakfast gets turned into a berry cordial. Used oranges from Old Fashioneds become a house curacao. Citrus rinds squeezed for juice get dehydrated and used as garnish. LoBianco also created a new section on the menu — Sustainable Sips — featuring three rotating drinks comprising used ingredients. One dollar from each sale is donated to a local charity.

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This Juice is Anything But Green Pairing wine or beer with fruits and vegetables isn't as hard as you may think by Ari Bendersky

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When it comes to pairing wine and food, the rule,

"What grows together goes together," usually rings true. There's a reason why so many grape varieties exist throughout Italy and why different regions are known for specific food and wine â&#x20AC;&#x201D; those things usually go well together. Same is true for many wine regions around the world. And then there's beer. It used to be thought that wine paired better with food and beer paired with, well, beer. Or peanuts. But in the last five to seven years, more beverage directors, bar managers and beer aficionados have demonstrated to diners that yes, beer does pair well with a variety of food. Think about it: With so many different beer styles, from crisp light lagers or sours to hefty stouts to citrusy hefeweizens, it only makes sense a variety of beer would pair with a range of food.

But what do you do when it comes to pairing wine or beer with ... produce? "In the context of where you're normally pairing, you're never going to plunk down a piece of fruit or a vegetable by itself," says Randy Mosher, creative partner and alchemist at culinary brewery Forbidden Root in Chicago. "There's always a lot of other stuff going on. With vegetables, the other things you put in the dish will be more overpowering. You have to think about how it's prepared: roasted or steamed, is there butter or bĂŠarnaise? Same thing with fruit; it's never just an orange and a beer." Mosher looks at contrasting elements when pairing beer with produce. He considers the different tastes on the tongue like fat, sweet or bitter and then takes aromas into account. He says you don't necessarily want to put matching tastes together, but rather things that will balance each other.

"If the beer is bitter, the dish should have some fat or sweetness to stand up to the beer," he suggests. "Then you can find the aromatic similarities. So, if you have broccoli or spinach with herbal nature, you'll want a beer with herbal hop notes like a German pils. With fruit, you have to look at it in context of the whole dish." Mosher uses grilled chicken topped with mango chutney as an example. That sweetness from the mango calls for some newer hops with tropical fruit and mango or passion fruit notes to connect the flavors, he explains. continued...

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Forbidden Root in Chicago

Carrot Daiquiri @ Dirt Candy

Adopt a chef's mindset for pairing beer, wine When it comes to pairing beer and various vegetables, think like a chef. Through fermentation and aging processes, beer can include caramelized notes. Or coffee, chocolate or toasty notes. The same thing happens when you roast cauliflower, sweet potatoes or green beans, especially over an open flame. You may not think brown ale or cream stout makes sense with a delicate vegetable, but when you bring out those roasty notes? Your options widen. The same thing goes with wine. Sometimes with wine you want truly complementary flavor matches like rigatoni with pork ragu and Sangiovese. But a big, tannic red would destroy your mouth if paired with spicy Indian food, which often also is vegetable heavy. You'd want something to cut the heat, like a GewĂźrztraminer or sweeter Riesling. The same thing goes with bitter greens. You want to look for lower tannin, lower alcohol reds and crisp whites.

"Big red wines tend to not work with vegetables because they're too overpowering," says Amanda Cohen, chef/owner of New York's Dirt Candy. "You want something that balances it out." Cohen recommends floral, fruity whites like muscatel or moscato with her dishes, but Ryan Arnold, divisional wine director of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, believes you can do a lot more with produce, especially when you introduce cooking techniques and other flavors from spices, seasonings and sauces. He admits pairing with asparagus or bitter, leafy greens can get tricky. "The trick with asparagus is to have a textured white, like gruner veltliner," Arnold explains. "It has weight and texture without the use of additional wood or sugar. Wood can introduce tannins or vanilla and baking spice

aromatics. If you find the right unoaked chardonnays or chenin blancs, those work, too." Arnold, like Cohen, suggests avoiding higher alcohol or tannic reds with leafy or bitter greens or bell peppers because they can clash with the bitterness or acidic produce. That said, you don't need to rule out red wines entirely. He recommends lower-alcohol, more delicate or fruitier reds like gamay from Beaujolais or pinot noir â&#x20AC;&#x201D; even some cabernet franc with its herbaceous aromatic components. But his ace in the hole with produce? Beer.

"I use a lot of beer as a secret weapon for salad courses," Arnold admits. "Nix IPAs. It's the same hesitation as tannins in wine: You want to watch out for hops in beer. Look for golden ales and hefeweizens."

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The Beverage Battle Don't let your pairing overpower your produce Mosher thinks hops actually can play well with produce, if you know what to look for. Hops, a main ingredient in beer, offer a range of flavors so you do need to be careful when pairing produce, or any food for that matter. "Think about the natural flavor companions to the dishes and try to find that in a beer," Mosher says.

"If it's herbal, fruity or citrusy, if you get the right kind of hops in a beer that citrusy note on the hops can really brighten up a dish." When it's all said and done, you really just want to ensure flavors complement each other, and that nothing, whether beer or wine, is too overpowering for your dish. "With pairing, you always want to avoid the Bambi vs. Godzilla effect," Mosher implores. "Vegetables tend to be on the lighter end depending how they're prepared. They don't have to be evenly matched, but make sure one doesn't slaughter the other." Because that can just kill a dining experience — and no one wants that.

Beer & Wine Pairings From the Experts With so many ways to prepare produce, whether on their own or as part of a larger dish, it can get overwhelming to know how best to pair them. Sure, you can always let your patrons drink whatever they want, but we asked Randy Mosher, the creative director and alchemist at Chicago culinary brewery Forbidden Root, and Ryan Arnold, divisional wine director of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, for their expert pairing guidance for specific dishes. We shared a list of dishes with each and asked Mosher for his beer pairings and Arnold for wine. Let's see how they compare, shall we? Spicy Mango Guacamole: Mosher: Something malty like a Mexican dark lager, which is good with spice. Or a beer with a nutty character like an English ESB to get that nuttiness to go with the avocado. Arnold: Sparkling wine. Guacamole has considerable fat, so a chardonnay-based Champagne — or anything that's above seven grams of sugar would work to help neutralize the spice. Caprese Salad: Mosher: A farmhouse type of beer like a Saison Dupont. Arnold: If balsamic vinegar isn't overused, I love a light coastal vermentino, especially from Liguria. That plays well with the basil. Falafel with Tahini: Mosher: Something dark like American brown ale. The tahini brings richness and nuttiness, as does the beer. The beer also has some bitterness that will cut through the fattiness of the dish. Arnold: You have sesame and garlic ... you could do a Provence-style, cinsault-based rosé. Watermelon, Cucumber and Feta Salad: Mosher: This is a good place for a fruited gose or a Berliner weis, maybe one made with watermelon as long as it's not artificial tasting. Arnold: Pinot noir rosé would work well. Red Car has a great one with strawberry and red fruit.

Fettuccine with Squash, Kale, Olive Oil and Calabrian Chile: Mosher: That's a pretty delicate dish, so you don't want something too rich unless you add cheese or something creamy. Find a beer like an English brown with just enough bitterness to match the fat level. Arnold: White wine from Campania like a Fiano di Avellino. That has a melon, fruity characteristic with rich silkiness that's like biting into a honeyed, ripe cantaloupe that will match the squash well. And it's lower alcohol, so the chile won't interfere and the vegetables will show through. Prosciutto and Melon: Mosher: An oak-aged bret saison, which is more exotic with a white wine mentality so the tannin will help with the richness of the prosciutto, but the acidity will balance the sweetness and saltiness. Arnold: You have salty and sweet, so you want a fruitier red wine like frappato blended with Nero d'Avola. It's easy drinking and not tannic, but silky and bright with cranberry and pomegranate. Or a dry Riesling. Chickpea Curry: Mosher: My inclination with Indian food is to stay out of its way, so a nice Czech- or German-style pils or a Belgian blonde that'll be more complex with more alcohol, but won't emphasize the heat in the dish. Too much hops will aggravate that, so stay under seven percent ABV. Arnold: Chickpeas are so hearty, so let's go with beer like a brighter-style hefeweizen. n

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Look Beyond Usual Skillset When Considering Job Applicants by Audarshia Townsend

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After college, Terry Kane set his sights on a life of performing improv comedy. Little did he know, however, the intense training he received at Chicago’s Second City would lead him to a more than 25-year career in the restaurant industry. As director of operations at Grandview Public Market, a new contemporary food hall and lifestyle destination in West Palm Beach, Fla., Kane oversees hiring staff. He’s prone to seeking out people like himself, unconventional candidates with unique experiences outside of the usual scope. That makes for a truly diverse operation, he says. “A great many people who’ve worked for me are looking for their big break in acting or singing,” he continues. “I’ve also met people who’ve been in the ministry, and they would use philosophical skills to communicate with guests.” The restaurant industry is one of the most competitive in the country, so when there’s an opportunity for an edge, it’s important to grab it. Thus, it’s a good strategy to hire employees with all sorts of skills

beyond the basics of what’s required in the kitchen or front of the house. Kane, who previously worked as general manager at Michelin-starred Naha in Chicago, says it’s important to change up the questions with each interview. “I underestimate people sometimes, so now when I interview or when I get to know (employees), I look for small things,” he says. “I ask more questions than I probably should so I can learn more about them and their potential, not what they were hired to do.” Such is the case with Kelly Carol, the special events coordinator at Martin City Brewing Co. in Kansas City, Mo. Matt Moore, who owns the brewery as well as the adjacent Original Pub and Taproom & Pizza Restaurant, says Carol was initially hired as a server to supplement her acting ambitions. When Carol’s acting career didn’t take off as planned, she stayed with the company and worked her way up to her current position. Moore says, “She’s a dream,” and a natural at running the 3,000-square-foot private

events space that was formerly a church. Carol uses her connections in the entertainment industry to find talent for wedding receptions and special events. She’s also organizing a theater troupe to take over the space once a month. “We don’t rely so much on experience,” says Moore. “We can mold you exactly how we want you. Your character is most important.” While Terry Kane uses humor to break up monotony during interviews and training seminars, Molly Melman uses interactive educational skills she attained when she worked for Teach for America. The former kindergarten teacher is now managing partner/ vice president for training for the Melman/Meers Division of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, which includes Chicago restaurants Bub City, HUB 51 and RPM Italian. “The hands-on program consists of the teacher teaching something first, then you doing it together and finally trainees are doing it on their own and you’re giving them feedback,” Melman explains. “We’re constantly looking for ways to evolve.” n

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A Feast Fit For

‘Family Meal’ allows staff gathering for good food & conversation Whether you call it family meal or comida, as many restaurants do, setting aside time for your front of house and kitchen staff to break bread together before dinner shift not only lets them sit for a while and eat a good meal, it also brings your team together for some quality bonding time. “It’s the same as a meal at home with your family,” says Ken Oringer, who along with chef and partner Jamie Bissonnette, owns Toro, Coppa and Little Donkey in Boston, New York and Cambridge, Mass. “It brings everyone together and provides people an opportunity to discuss their interests and passions.” Everyone knows tensions can run high in a restaurant during service, so family meal is a time for your staff to sit down, take a breath and regroup before opening the doors as the madness ensues for the next few hours. “Cooking for the people we work with 10 to 16 hours a day is very important,” Bissonnette says. “A great staff meal sets the tone for the night and lets staff know we are all one family.” Family meal, if you’re not familiar (and if not, you should be), is where kitchen staff — and sometimes servers and bartenders — take turns pulling together

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Your Work Family

a delicious meal. Sometimes they’ll introduce a new menu item so staff can taste it; share customer favorites; or completely veer off menu to prepare something from a cook’s culture, whether Mexican, Korean or Greek. And sometimes these off-menu meals can spark new ideas. At New York’s white tablecloth New American restaurant The Red Cat, several of owner Jimmy Bradley’s cooks hail from Mexico. They’ll often make family meal based on dishes from childhood memories or their culture. One day during family meal, Bradley says, they discussed adding a separate menu during weekday lunch service highlighting Mexican dishes, and the Gato Rojo menu was born. “(The menu) is usually five dishes and changes sometimes weekly, sometimes monthly,” Bradley says. “It’s a separate menu we hand out that’s loosely titled, ‘The menu the chefs eat.’” Family meal is a great way to show your staff you appreciate them by giving them a square meal before each service, but it can also give you an opportunity to show other restaurants in town you appreciate them, too. Nashville restaurant group Strategic Hospitality started sending staff meal to new restaurants and bars about four or five years ago, according to co-owner Max Goldberg. And, in a further show of support to other local restaurants, instead of sending food from one of their 10 restaurants, Strategic often orders food from Arnold’s Country Kitchen or San Antonio Taco Company, two local icons. “We started sending staff meal to other places as a way to let them know we’re rooting for them,” Goldberg says. “The restaurant community here is so tight knit that sending staff meal is like a giant hug.” And isn’t that what everyone wants from their family anyway? n

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Markon 5-Star Food Safety Audit Program Contributed by Markon Cooperative

Markon was the first to institute field-to-table food safety standards above and beyond government regulations, and it now sets the standard for the industry to follow. For more than 30 years, Markon has had a non-negotiable set of requirements for suppliers who pack its proprietary brands: Markon First Crop, Markon Best Available, Ready-Set-Serve and Markon Essentials. Throughout the years, the specific requirements have evolved, along with technology and science to ensure that they remain cutting edge.

Markon refers to this comprehensive food safety program for brand suppliers as “5-Star Food Safety” because it addresses risks in five key areas, comprising fields, facilities, transportation, distributors and operator kitchens. Under the program, all grower-shipper fields and facilities are annually audited for good agricultural practices, good manufacturing practices and hazard analysis critical control points.

Markon requires all brand suppliers to provide full traceback to the field level. Coding on both the master carton and internal packaging enables Markon and its supplier-partners to identify the source of the raw product that went into each carton, including harvest date, harvest field, field crew, processing team, etc. Not only does this help Markon troubleshoot quality issues when they arise, but in the event a foodborne illness is linked to a Markon brand item, the traceback coding would enable the company to isolate, recall and destroy suspect products, which stops the outbreak in its tracks.

Markon inspectors, which are referred to as “boots in the field,” are an invaluable part of the company’s safety program. The full-time inspection staff walks the fields of the growers six days a week to ensure what customers receive is what they expect. Inspectors check product quality, size and weight specifications, growing conditions, weather patterns, worker welfare and overall sanitation. They visit cold rooms to inspect post-harvest storage temperatures, processing plants to review critical-control points and shipping facilities to oversee loading.

In addition, Markon and its members promote sustainability and social responsibility through a host of initiatives driving energy waste out of the supply chain to lower everyone’s costs. It’s also dedicated to volunteerism to strengthen the communities they serve, and through strict adherence to food safety procedures above and beyond industry regulations, to provide customers with the safest produce the company can source.n

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A D V E R T O R I A L

CHEF PICKS Wish you had a chef’s mind? Well, we can get you a sneak peek into two very creative chefs and their culinary expertise using products from Reinhart Direct, Gourmet and Specialty Imports. Reinhart Direct partners with Gourmet Foodservice, providing the highest quality, origin-specific products available, from Alaska, Hawaii, Australia, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, and other regions of the world. Reinhart Direct is a virtual one-stop shopping experience for all of our customers’ high-end culinary needs.

Chef Kevin Nash

Chef Paul young

Eastern PA DIVISION

Corporate

I chose this recipe out of nostalgia. As chefs the people that we work with become integral in our lives as much as family would be to a person in any other vocation. Chefs have to be willing to learn techniques from other chefs who come through their kitchen. I was very lucky to have mine guided by Peter Dougherty. He shared this recipe with me, I will be forever grateful to Peter for his tenacity and incredible culinary talents. With a few tweaks I have shared it with you all.

63 degree egg with Truffles, chicory & asparagus 1 each 4 oz. 4 oz. 1/8 oz. 1/8 oz. 1 oz. 1/8 oz. 1/8 oz.

Large white eggs Radicchio Lettuce Asparagus Summer Truffles Red Orange Balsamic Vinegar Reduction Extra virgin olive oil Coarse kosher salt Cracked black pepper

your Joule app temperature method: Set to 145.4°F - 63°C. Place the egg in

the shell in the preheated water for 1 hour. Lightly brush the chicory (radicchio) and roast on grill for 2 minutes. Peel the bottoms of the asparagus and brush with oil and grill for 3 minutes. Place the roasted products in the center of the plate. Now take the egg out of the water and remove from the shell over the vegetables, the white and the yolk will be cooked evenly.

This salmon dish really brings me back to my French roots of cooking. The salmon is subtle yet packed with flavor. The buerre blanc adds another layer of body to complement the meal as a whole. The wild smoked salmon stands front and center in this recipe and is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Bon appetit!

Wild Alaskan salmon with lobster buerre blanc 1/8 each 1/8 each 1/2 tsp. 1/8 oz. 1/4 tbsp. 1 oz. 1 oz. 4 oz. 1 tbsp. 2 oz. 1/4 each For the buerre blanc - In a sauce pot, mix

the red wine vinegar and white method: together wine. Reduce until there is only 2 tsp of

liquid. Over medium heat add the half and half, and the butter, whisking in one pat at a time until emulsified. Add the lobster base and season if needed. For the gremolata - Mix together the green onion, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley and garlic. Season with kosher salt. Grill the sliced baguette until crisp. To plate, pool the buerre blanc sauce on the bottom of a plate or shallow bowl. Place the wild salmon on top and sprinkle with the gremolata. Place the grilled crostinis around for serving.

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Summer TrufFles l

Citrus Mix Garnish

product applications:

Wild Smoked alaskan salmon

edible Flowers

Cost effective compared to winter truffles. Great upsell to shave into soups, entrees, risotto or pasta dishes.

chef notes:

Summer truffles have a pleasant truffle flavor, great sizing and subtle aroma. Truffles are indeed a luxurious accoutrement to any dish- and these summer truffles complement them all.

product applications:

#LA534

chef notes:

pomegranate arils

#KF434

product applications:

Great for garnish with anything that needs that citric boost. Works well on salads, poultry fish, soups, etc. One of Chef Paul’s favorite mixes. Very versatile and flavorful, these greens give a little hint of acidity to any salad or garnish as well as providing a fresh crisp bite to any dish.

#KC458 Garnish for salads or desserts. Add them in baking and pastry kitchen to produce tarts, breads, muffins, souffles etc. Behind the bar they are great as an interesting finish in martinis, champagne cocktails or muddled in mixed drinks.

chef notes:

I have had the pleasure of using this fruit on numerous occasions. My favorite application for this is a simple duck breast rendered with the juice of the pomegranite. The juice would saturate just deep enough to give the breast a mock smoke ring – as if it was smoked. Then I would simply make a quick pomegranate gastric to further enhance the dish.

product applications:

#KH114 This salmon is sought after for its leaner, firm texture and bright red colored flesh.

chef notes:

The smoked wild Alaskan salmon is perfect! It not only has a well pronounced wild salmon flavor, but the natural oils add to its bite and mouthfeel.

product applications:

#KB074

chef notes:

Fantastic for garnish and flavor. Whether it be a salad, dessert, charcuterie platter or anything else, these flowers provide a beauty and interesting twist on the plate.

Garnish these flowers on desserts for an added touch. For an elegant finish, crown these flowers on top of a white cake for Mother’s Day or even weddings.

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O P E R A T I O N S

Food Safety Tips for Your Alfresco Affair What better way to enjoy the beautiful days of spring and summer than to host a picnic-style event in the park or on the beach? Be sure, however, to remember the food safety habits that protect you in your restaurantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kitchen are also important when handling food outdoors. Here are some guidelines to consider from foodsafety.gov.

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Due to a variety of factors, including warmer temperatures, foodborne illness increases in summer. Stay healthy and safe during warmer months by following these food safety recommendations.

•

Keep perishable food cold until it is ready to cook.

•

Use a food thermometer to make sure meat and poultry are cooked thoroughly to their safe minimum internal temperatures. o

Beef, pork, lamb and veal (steaks, roasts and chops): 145 °F with a three-minute rest time

Ground meats: 160 °F

Whole poultry, poultry breasts and ground poultry: 165 °F

•

Always use a fresh, clean plate and tongs for serving cooked food. Never reuse items that touched raw meat or poultry to serve the food once it is cooked.

When preparing food for outdoors consumption: •

Use an insulated cooler filled with ice or frozen gel packs. Frozen food may also be used as a cold source.

•

Foods that need to be kept cold include raw meat, poultry and seafood; deli and luncheon meats or sandwiches; summer salads (tuna, chicken, egg, pasta or seafood); cut-up fruit and vegetables; and perishable dairy products.

•

A full cooler will maintain its cold temperature longer than a partially filled one. When using a cooler, keep it out of the direct sun by placing it in the shade or shelter.

•

Perishable food should not sit out for more than two hours. In extreme hot weather (above 90 °F), food should NEVER sit out for more than one hour.

•

Serve cold food in small portions, and keep the rest in the cooler. After cooking meat and poultry on the grill, keep it hot until served, at 140 °F or warmer.

•

Keep hot food hot by setting it to the side of the grill rack, not directly over the coals where they could overcook. n

Avoid opening the cooler repeatedly, so that your food stays colder longer.

When cooking on the grill: •

When serving food outdoors:

Reference: www.foodsafety.gov

Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meat and ready-to-eat items like vegetables or bread.

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SUMMER SNEAK PEEK

CENTER OF THE PLATE RESTAURANT INC GET READY FOR THE PAGES OF RESTAURANT INC’S SUMMER ISSUE TO BRING THE HEAT. WE TAKE ON THE CENTER OF PLATE THEME, GIVING IT FRESH, NEW PERSPECTIVES FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

Through our experts as well as award-winning chefs across the country, we will inspire you to inject some creative new approaches in your menus. For example, cross merchandising meat cuts for different dayparts can save you money and attract new customers. We also introduce you to restaurants offering steak tasting menus, or steak flights, which allow diners to sample cuts they would otherwise not order. Additionally, you can never learn enough about butchering. We talk to the meat masters for advice on getting the most out of your proteins, from utilizing all parts of the animal to emerging trends in cuts. And we’re showcasing must-have tools for a beef lover’s kitchen. We’ve scoped out the latest tech toys for the grill, smoker, flat top and oven. Even technophobes will want these.

BUSINESS SOLUTIONS TO KEEP YOUR STAFF HAPPY On a more serious note, front-of-house and back-of-house staff availability is at a record low across the board. We dig beneath the surface of this critical, industrywide issue to understand why this is happening at not only small operations, but major restaurant collectives as well. Indeed, another significant concern in the culinary industry is the #metoo movement. How do you respond to the #metoo movement at your restaurant? How do you raise awareness of what constitutes sexual harassment? And how do you set incontrovertible expectations for employee behavior at all levels and create a culture of respect? We tackle these questions—and much more— head on.

CELEBRATE SUMMER ON YOUR MENU Don’t forget about dessert and take advantage of the best season of the year for fresh fruits. We’re spotlighting decadent pies, ice cream, cakes and more to help you make diners crave your desserts, thereby upping check averages. You’ll also want to use fresh fruits and vegetables for your cocktail program, and we’ve got the inside scoop on the hottest trends for summer. From low ABV cocktails to the spirits of the moment, your booziest offerings will get a boost with our suggestions.

CREATING BETTER BEVERAGE PROGRAMS Speaking of spirits, our summer issue introduces Pour It On!, a regular new feature spotlighting two beverage experts squaring off with their top selections. Pour It On! digs deeper into unique food and drink pairings (cocktails, craft beer, spirits, cocktails, etc.), yet its mission is to inspire you to have a little fun behind the bar. And on-site distilleries, breweries and micro-farms are growing nationwide as operators continue to embrace the concept of “hyper-local.” We look at what it takes to build such operations.

140 RFSDELIVERS.COM ISSUE 2, 2018

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A D V E R T I S E R

I N D E X

Culinary Secrets™ Dressings [pg IFC - 01] rfsdelivers.com

Cobblestreet Mkt™ Natural Deli Meat [pg 07] rfsdelivers.com

Markon® [pg 16 & 21] markon.com

Hidden Bay® & Nautifish™ [pg 28] rfsdelivers.com

Brickfire Bakery® [pg 61] rfsdelivers.com

Fisher® Nuts [pg 71] fishernuts.com

Intros® Appetizers [pg 83] rfsdelivers.com ®

Hidden Bay Cod

[pg 97] rfsdelivers.com

240 Group [pg 100] 240group.com

Culinary Secrets™ Toppings [pg 117] rfsdelivers.com

CMY

Eagle Ridge® Meat the Butcher [pg 119] rfsdelivers.com

Rubicon® [pg 134] rubiconglobal.com/sustainability-guide

Gourmet Food Group® Chef Picks [pg 136] rfsdelivers.com

Trident® Seafood [pg 141] tridentseafoods.com

San Pablo® Fire Roasted Tomatoes [pg 144] rfsdelivers.com

Sabra® Hummus [pg IBC] sabra.com

Cobblestreet Mkt™ Natural Deli Meat [BC] rfsdelivers.com

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A B O U T

T H E

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C OV E R

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ABOUT THE COVER RI_BODY_Spring 2018_v2.indd 143

ince the mid 2000s, Jenn Bushman’s work has involved the human form and the exploration of lines and contours. In her recent work, she continues to study nature via a unique investigation into plants, specifically produce. This exploration has evolved into monochromatic images of the leaves of cabbage plants, creating an abstract examination of the textures and forms of the vegetable. In this way, the image of the plant transcends notions of “produce” and “utility,” and challenges genre and subject matter without overtly defying the object or subject. From these paintings she isolates a detail of the plant and enlarges it onto a canvas, intensifying the clip to create a new interpretation of the plant—in much the same way a botanist might magnify and examine a leaf, or a drop of water might refract a section of a shrub. If you’re asking, “why cabbage?” you’re not alone. To guess that the artist has a strange affinity for the plant – that it’s her favorite food, or that she has an obsession with leafy vegetation – is to guess incorrectly. In fact, the unplanned series began in early 2009 when Jenn entered a Juried Art Exhibition themed “Savoring Summer” in her small hometown, Wittenberg, WI. At the time, Jenn was living in La Crosse, WI, and had been volunteering at the South Side Community Garden. While working there, she’d begun taking photographs of the plants and vegetables, and decided to use one of her pictures as the subject for her exhibition submission. Even then, Jenn envisioned more than just a still-life painting of a vegetable – she wanted it to be life-sized or larger, to be abstract. From there, she built the canvas 36” wide by 48” tall, stretched and gesso’ed by hand and began painting.

While the process challenged the artist, who up until then had strictly focused on figure drawings and paintings, she was very pleased with the end result. A few days after dropping the painting off at the gallery, Jenn was informed she was awarded Best in Show for her cabbage painting and that it had sold to a buyer! She immediately began painting another South Side Community Garden subject, and when that also sold her interest in vegetation painting more peaked. In 2012, the Pump House invited Jenn to have her first solo show in their Kader Gallery. And the rest is history, as they say. (Though Jenn does acknowledge that her role as the Creative Services Manager at Reinhart Foodservice – and 11 years spent editing images of leafy greens and other produce – may have potentially influenced her artwork). When asked to put an image of her work on the produce cover of Restaurant Inc, Jenn was thrilled. Wanting to create a new image specifically for the publication rather than repurposing an old piece, she went to work. The painting shown on this issue’s cover is 26” wide by 24” tall and took Jenn about two weeks to complete. To create these pieces, Jenn starts out by sketching in the basic lines of the cabbage, and then paints in the leaves with a scrubbing technique. Once the oils have slightly dried, she goes over the first application with multiple layers of washers to give the painting its depth and shadows, followed by added line work and crisper detailing. To see more of Jenn’s oil paintings, visit jennbushman.com/gallery/oil-paintings or follow her instagram. @jenn_bushman

A seasoned Creative Services Manager, Art Director, and Graphic Designer with over 10+ years’ experience in many facets of design and the overall creative process, Jenn received her Bachelors Degree in Fine Art from the University of Wisconsin—La Crosse and is currently a Creative Services Manager for Reinhart Foodservice in Chicago, IL. From 2008-2013, she co-founded and directed Vitamin Studio, an art studio providing the La Crosse Area and outlying communities with an understanding and example of contemporary art, various art classes, weekly figure drawing sessions, and artist/ student exhibition space opportunities. In 2012 Jenn moved to Chicago to further her career as an Art Director and Designer. She currently lives in Logan Square in Chicago.

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C R E A T I V E

C O R N E R

MORGAN GILMORE

REINHART | JUNIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER In her spare time, Morgan likes to hand letter and work on her calligraphy with her new pen set she got last Christmas. She finds it a relaxing way to let her creativity wander without boundaries and get away from the computer every now and again. If you feel like checking out her crazy lettering experiments, look at her Instagram page! @paper_writings

DREW FRIGO

REINHART | SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Drew has been playing with hand drawn words and adding them to his drawings from an early age. Digital type is great but letters done by hand have character and warmth much like the sound of a vinyl record. This piece started in his sketch book. He took a photo of it and then brought it into Photoshop to add color and the canvas texture. None of the marks were manipulated. Drew enjoys creating in a variety of different mediums with collage being his favorite.

San Pablo Fire Roasted • Fire Roasted Tomatoes offer a smoky, sweet depth not present in standard canned tomatoes. • A patented process flame-roasts the tomato, breaking its skin, so smoke from a special blend of fruit woods can infuse a mellow flavor into the tomato. • Tomatoes are grown by family farmers that are part of a grower–owned cooperative located in California’s Central Valley. • Tomatoes are grown and picked within a 17-mile radius of tomato facility, and are canned within 5 hours of harvest. • Non-intent, BPA free can linings. Available Items: San Pablo Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes in Juice San Pablo Ready-to-Use Fire Roasted Salsa For more information, please contact your Reinhart Sales Consultant.

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R E S TA U R A N T I N C |

• Whole Muscle Turkey • Hardwood Smoked Ham • USDA Choice Angus Roast Beef

the business of food

Introducing new Cobblestreet MKT.™ All Natural* Deli Meats.

Capitalize on this growing trend now: Contact your Reinhart Sales Rep for a sample.

*No artificial ingredients, minimally processed.

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ISSUE 02: 2018

Clean label sandwich options are a sensible strategy any time!