The Main Ingredient - Early Fall 2016

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Charcuterie Boards

Crafting the Perfect Pizza

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Table of Crafting the Perfect Pizza

06

Contents 04 Food Service Facts 05 Flavour of Canada Profile Cathedral Social Hall, Regina, Saskatchewan 06 Crafting the Perfect Pizza What goes into building the perfect pizza? You may be surprised to learn it’s a lot more than flour and cheese.

We All Scream for Ice Cream

10

10 We All Scream for Ice Cream Today’s ice cream consumer wants to indulge in a healthful way. Think portion control and less sugar and fat.

12 “Stir”-ing it up @ Sysco 14 The Main Ingredient Exclusive Recipes 16 The Growth of Grab and Go Customers want quality meals fast and ready-to-eat.

Restaurants looking to hike profits should consider grab-and-go meal options.

19 Flavour of Canada Profile L’Oeufrier Boufferie De Ville, Laval, QC

A Guide to Charcuterie

22

20 Eating with Your Ears The songs you play can actually influence how customers eat and drink. Let music help you drive profits.

22 A Guide to Charcuterie From pâté to soppressata, building the perfect charcuterie platter can be easy with a bit of planning and prep.

26 Sysco Marketing Associate Profile, Beth Henry Sysco Inside Sales Representative, Scott Robinson

Published by: Sysco Canada 21 Four Seasons Place, Suite 400, Toronto, ON M9B 6J8 T: 416-234-2666 F: 416-234-2650 www.sysco.ca

We welcome your comments and suggestions.

Contributors:

Write to us at: marketing@corp.sysco.ca

• Beth Henry

PRINTED AND BOUND IN CANADA ADVERTISED ITEMS MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE AT ALL OPERATING COMPANIES.

• Kelly Putter • Scott Robinson

Foodservice Looking Up Canada’s foodservice industry started the year on a strong note as commercial foodservice sales rose by 5.4% in the first quarter of 2016, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada.

This is on the heels of a 4.3% increase in the fourth quarter of 2015.

Health Matters According to a report by Restaurants Canada, 30% of restaurant customers search out nutritional information about menu items.

Commercial Foodservice Sales Increase Year-Over-Year in Canada JAN-15

6.4% 4.1%

FEB-15 MAR -15

3.0%

APR -15

4.7% 4.5%

MAY -15

3.6%

JUN -15 JUL -15 AUG -15

5.0% 2.6%

SEP -15

4.5%

OCT -15 NOV -15 DEC -15 JAN -16

4.5% 3.0% 5.1% 4.8%

What’s Hot for 2016 FEB -16 7.7% Non-Alcoholic Beverages: MAR -16 3.9% 1. Coconut water Source: Statistics Canada. Note: Growth rates include menu inflation.

2. Green tea/ matcha 3. Organic / fair-trade coffee 4. Specialty Iced Tea (Thai style, Southern) 5. House-made lemonade Desserts: 1. Sweet and salty desserts 2. Bite-size / mini desserts 3. Artisan / house-made ice cream 4. Salted caramel 5. Deconstructed classic desserts Top Preparation Methods 1. Food Smoking 2. Pickling 3. Slow cooking 4. Fire roasting 5. Sous Vide Appetizer/Starter Picks for 2016 1. Charcuterie/house-cured meats 2. Ethnic/street-food inspired appetizers 3. Artisanal poutine 4. House-made artisan pickles 5. Vegetable/vegetarian appetizers Look for these menu trends in 2016: 1. Comfort foods 2. Do-it-yourself ingredients (preserves, pickles, sausage) 3. Fewer choices on the menu 4. Small plates/tapas/mezze/dim sum 5. Gourmet/build-your-own burgers Sources: Restaurants Canada, Statistics Canada

4 :: Early Fall 2016 :: the main ingredient

Flavour of Canada Profile:

Cathedral Social Hall

A

s the owner of Cathedral Social Hall, Mike Tate has one fairly simple mission – he wants this newly revamped restaurant to provide customers with an unmatched beer experience in Regina.

Located in the heart of Regina’s Cathedral district, the well-known watering hole formerly called Cathedral Village Freehouse had been serving locals and visitors since 1996. The beautifully restored establishment now offers patrons a singular beer experience with 30 draught options and a delicious high-end casual menu.

The restaurant’s unique location in Regina’s eclectic Cathedral area gives it a prominent downtown connection, serving hotels, businesses, residential and casual foot traffic.

The menu, which includes gluten-free and vegetarian dishes, offers a wide variety of choices featuring beer and local Saskatchewan fare. From Off the Hops to Mains to Sweets, the menu’s main theme is that of fresh, homemade dishes including burgers, pulled pork, pizzas, fries, stew, chili and wings. There is also plenty for those who want flavours and textures that might be a bit off the beaten path: cast-iron blackened walleye, a charcuterie plate, beer-infused soups, fresh salads made

with unique ingredients including Saskatchewan pulses.

Chef Zachary Boehm is a new team member at Cathedral Social Hall, having joined the staff in early July 2016, following the renovation. Boehm, who is inspired by dishes that are local, fresh and fun to create, expects the menus will change with each season. One of his favourite menu items is the portobello veggie burger, which includes

portobello mushroom, avocado, goat cheese, arugula, tomato and chimichurri on a vegan-friendly bun.

The restaurant’s vibe comes in part from its décor which is marked by wide open clear sightlines that include plenty of fresh and natural light, infusing the space with a very comfortable and social atmosphere. The walls are decorated with murals on canvas made by local artists.

Cathedral Social Hall is open 11 a.m.

Regina, Saskatchewan

to midnight from Sunday to Thursday and until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Though its relationship with Sysco is a new one, Sysco Marketing Associate Angie Heisler has brought a good number of building blocks to the table, including assisting in the areas of menu development, recipe management, inventory control and food costing, which have been immensely helpful in getting this new restaurant up and running smoothly.

Although it’s not yet set up for online ordering through Sysco Source, the restaurant will definitely take advantage of this service in the near future.

Restaurant staff used Sysco’s test kitchen for four days as they were gearing up to open. Chef Zach created dishes and offered tastings with the restaurant’s owners and management, an exercise that proved to be invaluable.

The staff at Cathedral Social Hall enjoys dealing with Sysco because the company provides high-quality service in addition to just selling products. They enjoy Sysco’s fresh products and reliable service and look forward to continuing their partnership with Sysco.

The future of the restaurant business is to continue to be inspired by local suppliers and ingredients and evolve with the seasons and taste profiles. the main ingredient :: Early Fall 2016 :: 5

6 :: Early Fall 2016 :: the main ingredient

the Perfect

Crafting

What goes into building the perfect pizza?

You may be surprised to learn it’s a lot more than flour and cheese.

By Kelly Putter Old timers and minimalists may wonder how something as simple as pizza got so complicated.

Whether our quest for the perfect pie initiated from restaurant patrons looking for the next best thing or the pizzaiolos who make it, we have elevated this most simple food to a high-end art. But who are we kidding? It is pizza’s simplicity, when all is said and done, that makes it an enduring, crowd-pleasing favourite.

With that in mind, we went to some of the country’s best pizza makers to get their take on how to craft the perfect pie.

We also asked them to brag a little about their signature pizzas. You may be surprised to learn that their answers are as varied as their creations:

Pacifico Pizza – Vancouver, BC I think it’s all about the person making the pizza. If the person is skilled and experienced, that is what makes the perfect pizza. Anybody can have good ingredients but you don’t always have the knowledge. I think you need about three years as a pizza maker to really get it right.

Our signature pizza is the Vesuvio, a mix of hot Italian sausage, Genoa salami, spicy capicola and spicy pepperoni, with four cheeses – mozzarella, quark, Gouda and Asiago.

– Marius Craciun, co-owner and general manager

Four Brothers Pizza – Oakville, ON The most important thing is having the right temperature when you proof the dough. The temperature needs to be at 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Balancing out the ingredients is also critical when making a good pizza. Some pizzerias put too much of one item or not enough of another and as a result you get an uneven pie. Because almost everyone is making pizza, your ingredients need to be top quality. Our signature pizzas include a meat lover’s, a chicken bruschetta and a BBQ pizza.

– Latif Ghousy, owner

the main ingredient :: Early Fall 2016 :: 7

Crafting the Perfect Pizza… continued.

Bozzini’s Restaurant – Chilliwack, BC The secret to making great pizza is good ingredients and the person who does the cooking. It’s all about the process that matters most. It’s how you put the flour in the mixer, when you are using oil in the dough and the order of your ingredients that makes a huge difference.

Our signature is called Bozzini’s, a traditional pizza.

– John Asprakis, owner Chicago Style Pizza – Hamilton, ON Pizza is such a fantastic food with so many varieties that are all amazing: light and fluffy, thin and crisp, thick and chewy, gourmet in a wood burning oven… and endless topping choices. Our pizza is made in the traditional style that started in the ‘40s in Chicago where my aunt and uncle first started out in the business, and it has continued through with my parents and now me. That’s 70 years and running!

We make ours with a golden crisp and firm crust to support a generous amount of fresh tomato sauce and high-quality mozzarella.

We are most famous for our stuffed pizza which is made in a deep-dish pan, like a pie. All of the sauce, tons of cheese and toppings are inside the pie with more sauce covering the top layer. It’s a beautiful thing!

– Pat Delle Grazie, general manager Double Zero Pizza – Calgary, AB At the end of the day if you are putting love and care into what you are doing, it will always show. Take your time in everything you do. This includes ensuring you are using the best ingredients possible.

Show love to your product and it will love you back.

Double Zero doesn’t necessarily have a signature pizza, but we definitely have a guest favourite. That would be our wagyu beef pepperoni. Again, this goes back to using the best ingredients possible. For this pizza we use Stainslaus Alta Cucina tomatoes for the sauce, local Alberta full fat mozzarella and a custom made all-beef pepperoni made with 100% Alberta wagyu beef. I love it and it loves me back.

– Robert Jewell, area executive chef

Milltown Bar and Grill – Richmond, BC Good dough is the key element. It doesn’t need to be overly complex to get a nice crisp bottom and light and fluffy top. I also think some pizza makers put too many ingredients on their pies, leading to taste-bud confusion and sogginess.

You’re better to have fewer flavour profiles, but those that are complementary.

Making the perfect pizza is dancing a fine line between too much and not enough, but when you get it right it can be something pretty great.

Our signature pizza is like a charcuterie on a pizza. It’s called the Georgia Strait, which is roasted garlic and olive oil base with prosciutto and blue cheese and it’s finished with arugula and red grapes.

– Darryl Ponech, chef Jopapas Pizza Milton and Mississauga, ON Bottom line? I think you need a heart for pizza making and a passion to really make things work. Experience helps. I have been making pizza for 13 years.

Making pizza dough is not that different than making Afghan bread. I think the quality of the ingredients is also very important. We use five-star grade dough and top quality meats, cheeses and sauce.

Our signature is our meat lover’s pizza which includes pepperoni, Italian sausage, smoked bacon, red onion and garlic.

– Aman Yousufy, owner Piatto Pizzeria + Enoteca – Halifax, St. John’s, Moncton & Charlottetown It’s in the flour. We use the lowest gluten flour available for pizza making.

It makes a soft, supple texture that is highly extensible and it stretches really well. The temperature we cook at is 900 or more degrees which gets the pizza blistering. We cook our pizzas in 90 seconds or less. We use tipo 00 flour.

We also proof the dough for a bare-bones minimum of 24 hours to get the fermentation. Our signature is The Stephanie, a white pizza with extra virgin olive oil on the base, goat’s cheese, caramelized onions, and crispy pancetta – all drizzled with a balsamic reduction.

– Brian Vallis, founder

The Perfect Pair With the growing popularity of imported and microbrewery beers, pairing beer with cheese is becoming increasingly fashionable.

Like wine and cheese, beer and cheese must be carefully matched to create the best avour combinations.

Beer & CHEESE

For more information contact your Sysco Marketing Associate today!

SUPC

0059814 3248061 7072410

PRODUCT

Specialty Pub Chest 1.38kg Fine Cheese Chest 1.065kg Savoury Chest 1.2kg

the main ingredient :: Early Fall 2016 :: 9

We All Scream for Ice Cream T

here’s something about ice cream that brings out the kid in all of us, but unlike children who generally don’t worry about nutrition and calories, today’s ice cream connoisseur wants a treat that is a little better for you than the ice creams of days gone by. “While ice cream remains a treat, consumers are looking for more permissible options such as items with lower calories, less sugar and portioned sizes, says Paul De Larzac, Ice Cream Marketing Director for Nestle Canada Inc. Good-for-you ice cream This trend is evident at Vancouver’s Soft Peaks, a soft-serve ice cream shop and maker that promotes its mostly organic, non-chemical and lower sugar ice cream products.

“More people today care about their health,” says Soft Peaks owner Dan Kim. “Ice cream has a lot of sugar and higher calories so we try to make it better by taking out stabilizers and emulsifiers and using less sugar. What we use is mainly natural and organic.”

One of its most popular offerings is a frozen confection topped with fresh honeycomb and its Mudslide, an ice cream sundae drizzled with chocolate syrup and sprinkled with flakes of chocolate biscuit.

Because the manufacturer uses less sugar and looks to other healthier sweeteners to make its frozen treats, Kim describes his products as, “bad, but a good bad.”

At Moo Moo’s Ice Cream in St. John’s, Newfoundland, customers want decadent desserts but are indulging less frequently, says dairy owner Lisa Ryan.

“When they want their treat, they have it loaded up with whatever,” she says, “but then they go for a walk. They’re

10 :: Early Fall 2016 :: the main ingredient

By Kelly Putter

Today’s ice cream consumer wants to indulge in a healthful way. Think portion control and less sugar and fat.

eating ice cream in moderation and eating it responsibly.”

Moo Moo’s, which makes its own ice cream and distributes to foodservice and retail in Newfoundland, offers a good assortment of decadent frozen treats such as turtle cheesecake, English toffee and Oreo, to lighter offerings such as lemon ice.

Allergy friendly treats Next to concerns about healthy eating, foodservice should be mindful of consumers’ allergies as well, says Mary Breedon, Manager of Sales and Marketing for Chapman’s.

“It’s something that is becoming more and more important because it doesn’t just affect one child,” says Breedon. “It affects the whole family. It’s important to have a peanut/nut-free novelty in your offering today.”

Besides being a relatively inexpensive dessert, ice cream has the capacity to please just about any appetite with its wide range of flavours. Chapman’s offers more than 50 flavours in a range of frozen formats, from ice cream and frozen yogurt to no-sugar added to sorbet and a line of novelty treats. There are also thermal cups with different ice cream flavours and yogurt pucks for smoothies.

“Who doesn’t like ice cream?” says Breedon. “We receive pictures of children eating birthday cake and ice cream and we also get emails telling us about parents that have been in palliative care, and ice cream was the only thing they ate, so from start to finish we eat ice cream our entire lives.”

The latest in flavours New flavour trends in ice cream stem

from Canada’s large immigrant population, focusing on the Asian and Filipino communities, says Jennifer Scates, Vice President of Central Smith Ice Cream in Peterborough. Newer flavours include green tea, coconut and mango, red bean and purple ube.

“Though we don’t brand specialty items, we have a whole line of Asian and Filipino flavours,” Scates says.

“We’re always looking at what’s hot in the market.”

Central Smith makes a branded line of ice cream and frozen products under the name Wholesome Farms for Sysco.

Central Smith will accommodate requests for customized flavours as it has with certain restaurant chains. Generally, when that happens, the flavour is made exclusively for a particular restaurant.

Scates says restaurants in time retire the flavour and that’s when Central Smith takes it over and offers it to all customers as it did with its toasted marshmallow flavour.

Easy to Offer Scates acknowledges that at first ice cream may seem like a menu item that is difficult to serve because it’s frozen, but in reality it’s really quite user friendly. And once plated, the treat can be married with pie or cookies or brownies. Also, creative kitchen staff can really go to town creating desserts that taste delicious and look picture perfect.

“People get really jazzed up by ice cream,” she says. “It’s very friendly and everyone loves to eat it. It’s a dessert that creates memories.”

Think about adding a new ice cream creation to your dessert menu. It may be the cherry on top for your customers.

Source: www.foodincanada.com

Top flavours for ice cream in Canada: Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, butterscotch, caramel, coffee, mint chocolate chip and maple walnut.

Three major ice cream processors (Nestle Canada, Unilever Canada and Chapman’s) hold a combined market share of approx.

64% in the ice cream market.

Private label and artisanal ice cream hold 12% and 1.1% shares of the Canadian ice cream market respectively.

Source: Canadian Dairy Information Centre

Healthier eating remains the dominant trend in the Canadian food industry with emphasis on lower fat and lower calorie products with nutritional benefits. Canadian consumers seek foods with health benefits that taste good. Demand for processed cheese and ice cream continues to decline.

From 2005 to 2010, ice cream consumption has fallen from from 9.85 litres to 5.50 litres per capita in Canada. While volumes are decreasing, unit prices are increasing as manufacturers are shifting towards more premium items.

Source: Canadian Dairy Commission

the main ingredient :: Early Fall 2016 :: 11

3 GRINGOS SYSCO VICTORIA

THE PHOENIX SYSCO KELOWNA

We talked with owners Barb and Alison.

Can you tell us what the first session was about?

What value do you get from coming to the Sysco Kelowna Culinary Centre?

In the Culinary Centre they shared the story of some of the local producers we buy from Sysco, then we came back to the Phoenix and shared the ideas. This gets the staff excited about food and the menu. If we can duplicate the story of where the products come from, the servers can up sell and talk to our customers about these new products.

We get to learn and understand products in the Culinary Centre, taste and see applications, and we work together and become part of the process. It’s great to see products in the raw state, and visualize how these products can work with my menu. We’ve been open 10 months, and this is our 2nd STIR session. We come to be inspired as we up our game.

We are looking to make some changes to our menu, including adding Fish Tacos, and are looking for some ideas.

We visited the Sysco Culinary centre and chefs Daniele and Ryan made up several different styles of tacos for us to try with different products. We also changed our beverage line over to Pepsi and our coffee program.

What else has our STIR team been able to do for you?

We have a small prep and kitchen area in our restaurant which makes it quite challenging. Chef Ryan was able to come down and watch us operate during our busy lunch rush and advise us on how we could more efficiently use our space and suggested products that would cut our labour down.

What project are you working on next with our STIR team?

We are going to be coming in to see Bob Frei who will help us with our food costing. In our busy kitchen it can be difficult to keep up with it. I am interested to see how Sysco can help.

Can you share how this helps you with your business?

My commitment to STIR is that I come prepared to learn & educate myself, and then I share what I have learned with my team. As a business owner, Sysco allows me to taste and try before I buy. Our Sysco Marketing Associate sees the value to help us when we are in the Culinary Centre, and together we have each other’s full attention.

The phone is not ringing and there are no other distractions that get in the way. We follow Sysco Kelowna on social media and see the cool products they post. The Kelowna STIR team understands my business.

“STIR”-ING IT UP @SYSCO HILTON GARDEN BAR SYSCO QUEBEC

THE NEST SYSCO REGINA

Was your session helpful?

Was your STIR session helpful ?

The session was great! There was really no miss and every item shown was great. ‘Thumbs up all around’.

We got lots of ideas out of what was presented and great recipe ideas shown by the STIR team.

Did you find any cost efficient tips from the products?

As a matter of fact the chippers from McCains that were presented are better priced than what currently using and more versatile.

What will you purchase and add to your list after today?

Did you find the STIR session provided you with innovative ideas?

Yes! We loved the new STIR disposable napkins, and also loved the idea of all the new innovative appetizers and especially the pork rinds and how cost effective they are as a good side with cocktails.

We definitely will be adding 6-7 products shown from today’s session. They are: Toppits - Fish n Chip - Fish Bites Olymel - Pork Wing-Chicken Crunch for wraps McCains - Chippers-Jalapeno Poppers & Mac n Cheese Bites

Check out the NEW STIR website! @ www.syscostir.ca

RECIPE

MACHE AND ENDIVES WITH BEET SALAD

INGREDIENTS

4 - medium beets 30 ml (2tbsp) - minced shallot 1 - orange (fruit segments only) 15 ml (1tbsp) - fresh tarragon 30 ml (2tbsp) - grapeseed oil 5 ml (1tsp) - walnut oil To taste - freshly ground salt and pepper 3 - Belgian endives, leaves separated 500 ml - mache (lamb’s lettuce) 170g - Saputo Fetos cheese, diced

PREPARATION

1. Place the beets in a large pot and cover with plenty of water.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes.

2. Rinse beets in cold water and peel. Dice the beets to small cubes and cool to room temperature.

3. Add the remaining ingredients for the beet salad and combine gently.

Refrigerate for 1 hour.

4. Arrange endive leaves and bouquets of mache on individual plates.

5. Use a ring mold to mound the beet salad on the greens – top with cheese and serve.

Courtesy of:

14 :: Early Fall 2016 :: the main ingredient

RECIPE

BREAKFAST PIZZA

ICE CREAM

INGREDIENTS

Rich’s 16” Fresh ‘n’ Ready Oven Rising Sheeted Pizza Dough (SUPC 5335544) 6 Each - Eggs, scrambled 10 oz - Green peppers 6 oz- Onions 4 oz - Cheddar cheese 4 fl.oz. - Mozzarella cheese 6 oz - Ham

PREPARATION

1. Layer cooked scrambled eggs on pizza crust.

2. Add rest of ingredients onto pizza.

3. Bake until cheese is melted.

Please contact your Marketing Associate for more information.

Courtesy of:

the main ingredient :: Early Fall 2016 :: 15

The Back Story of Grab & Go Consumers helping themselves to ready-to-eat meal solutions can be traced back to the early 20th century. Horn & Hardart opened the first “Automat” (from the Greek automatos, meaning “self-acting”) restaurant, in Philadelphia in 1902. Customers assembled their own meals by inserting nickels into slots and grabbing their choices from compartments embedded in the cafeteria walls with glass-fronted doors. Customers found this advantageous for many reasons—they could see the food before buying it, they thought the glass-fronted compartments and shiny fittings were sanitary, and the automats had a strict fresh-food policy: no food could be left overnight.

Source: Technomic

16 :: Early Fall 2016 :: the main ingredient

The

Growth of Grab & Go Customers want quality meals fast and ready-to-eat.

Restaurants looking to hike profits should consider grab-and-go meal options

By Kelly Putter

W

hen it comes to eating well – quickly and conveniently – the lines between restaurant and retail are increasingly blurred. Supermarkets and convenience stores are typically the dominant players in the pre-packaged, ready-to-eat prepared foods, which at one time were thought of as less-than meals.

Today though, thanks to the freshness of food, speed of service, customization, diversity and visual appeal, grab-and-go food is a growing trend that the foodservice industry should take notice of.

As your customers get busier – working longer hours, fighting longer commutes, raising kids and the associated demands of family life – their desire for convenient, fresh and healthy on-the-go food will only build.

In fact, visits to retail stores for prepared foods during lunch hours increased 29% from 2008 to 2013, according to research by the NPD Group.

Restaurants by comparison lost 1% of their traffic during the same period.

“It’s a fact that retail prepared foods are taking visits away from restaurants and visits are not expected to grow much over the next decade, but there is also significant opportunity for foodservice operators to meet consumers’ needs for prepared foods,” says Bonnie Riggs, NPD restaurant industry analyst. “Learning more about how consumers use retail stores for their foodservice-type meals enables restaurant operators and their supplier partners to understand how to better compete in this area of growing consumer demand.“ NPD’s research indicates the competitive advantage retail stores have over primarily quick-service restaurants is the availability of healthy options, a good variety of foods, light meal offerings, affordability and one-stop shopping.

Retail may dominate grab-and-go meal

offerings, but its popularity has been seen within the foodservice sector with the rise of fast-casual restaurants, food trucks, meal kit providers, more sophisticated vending options and snack boxes.

According to a survey conducted by Restaurants Canada, there is a good deal of interest in grab-and-go meals, but customers don’t want to pay the same price as they would for a sit-down meal.

Only 4% said they would pay the same price for grab and go as they would for sit down, while 7% of respondents said they would like a 10% discount.

Interest in grab-and-go food jumps to 22% for those being offered a 20% price reduction, while a hefty, though unrealistic discount of 30% would garner the interest of 42% of Canadians.

According to Technomic data, operators offering grab-and-go items say that adding a transparent window to their offerings can increase sales as much as the main ingredient :: Early Fall 2016 :: 17

The Growth of Grab & Go… continued.

20%. Well-designed grab-n-go sections allow consumers to “build baskets” – construct meals out of small portions or add a bottle of wine or piece of whole fruit. This bite-sized autonomy gives customers an opportunity to build a hearty meal with a variety of flavours, textures, and degrees of healthy choices.

It’s a mix-and-match style that makes for exciting meals on the go. Operators generally support basket-building because it drives consumer interest and ultimately higher check-out averages.

“Technomic expects the foodservice grab-n-go market to continue to grow and thrive, especially as best-in-class examples keep increasing the variety and quality of their on-the-go offerings,” says Technomic president and CEO Ron Paul. “In fact, it might be more appropriate to call the segment grab-n-GROW.” Sources: Technomic, the NPD Group, QSR magazine, Restaurant-Hospitality magazine.

Get a handle on Pizza 1.

The versatility of pizza lends itself to multiple dayparts, menuparts and allows for personal customization

2.

Pizza is one of the most profitable items on restaurant menus with food costs between 20-25%

3.

Pizza dough and crusts come in a range of formats to suit all skill levels and operational needs

We have all the formats to meet your Pizza needs!

LESS LABOUR REQUIRED Dough Balls

Sheeted Dough

Oven Rising Sheeted Dough

Parbaked Crusts

Flatbreads

MORE VERSATILITY

18 :: Early Fall 2016 :: the main ingredient

Gluten Free Crusts

Flavour of Canada Profile:

L’Oeufrier Boufferie De Ville

E

stablished in 1995, L’Oeufrier’s adventure started off with a big concept in a little neighbourhood in Laval where the idea to create a breakfast place as the go-to restaurant for your first meal of the day was born.

Today, L’Oeufrier is a popular breakfast spot with 16 restaurants in and around Montreal.

Open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., L’Oeufrier offers breakfast with an urban twist.

Restaurants are small and cozy, which lends to its charm and personal and friendly service. The chain caters to families, young and old, and anyone with an appetite. Its owners would one day like to see a restaurant in every borough of Montreal, from North to South Shore.

Known for using top quality ingredients and its generous portions, the menu is a comfort foodie’s dream. Using the ethnic and cultural diversity that makes Montreal so unique, the menu references the city’s mix of ethnicities by offering everything from bagels, poutine and chorizo to Italian sausage, mac and cheese and salmon.

Large sections of the menu are devoted to a variety of smoothies, fresh juices and shakes in addition to a wide variety of Eggs Benedict dishes, omelettes, breakfast poutines, waffles, grilled cheeses, crepes, French toast and

cinnamon brioche. There’s even baked beans, fresh fruit, hash browns and pancakes plus a daily menu including soup, dessert and coffee.

As the owner and vice president of operations, Kevin Henriques, along with co-owners Pedro Medina and Tony Khoury, own two restaurants. All the others are owned and operated by business partners. In total, they oversee a network of more than 240 employees.

Kevin’s love for food is in part what propelled the drive and ambition of this self-taught chef. Making people happy is the number one motivator for Kevin, who is also inspired to create thanks to freshness and different ingredients.

As chef-owner, Kevin is responsible for making orders, creating daily menus, training personnel, overseeing kitchen operations and scheduling.

One of Kevins’s favourite dishes is the

Laval, QC

POUTINE A “30 PIASSES”, which is French for “30 BUCK” POUTINE. This poutine dish is the restaurant’s incredible breakfast poutine and signature dish. The dish is made up of 1.5 pounds of potatoes, 160 grams of cheese curds, 12 ounces of hollandaise sauce, one pound of mixed meats and it is topped with your choice of four eggs.

The challenge with operating a chain restaurant, as always, is consistency and ensuring that every time a new menu is launched, it is understood and recreated to the L’Oeufrier standard.

Kevin has been purchasing from Conan Foods, a division of Sysco, for eight years because he believes they are a leader in their industry, offering help with food costing, menu planning and food consultation. In addition, Kevin enjoys their excellent customer service, their next-day deliveries and the various products and selection from which to choose. For him, they are a one-stop shop for all his foodservice needs.

With the help of Sysco, loyal customers and business partners, Kevin is hopeful about his company’s future.

L’Oeufrier’s 16th restaurant opens this September and Kevin is hoping to reach 25 restaurants by 2018.

the main ingredient :: Early Fall 2016 :: 19

Eating With Your Ears The songs you play can actually influence how customers eat and drink. Let music help you drive profits.

T

he atmosphere of a restaurant has a big impact on our frame of mind and can tip our moods from lively and spirited to dark and serious and just about every emotion in between.

We all know how music affects our outlook. Hear a happy tune from your high-school days and that can be enough to skyrocket your mood for the rest of the day. Listen as the radio plays a depressing song that makes you think of your ex, and your good mood can deescalate pretty quickly.

As a restaurant operator, you can’t underestimate the importance of music.

Some experts even say that the mood you create, a big part of which includes the music you play, impacts the quantity and quality of what guests order. Others argue that your music must match the type of image you want your business to project.

So if you’re aiming to be fun and funky, Beethoven may not be ideal for your playlist.

Here are some considerations for the music in your restaurant: Fast & Hard – The louder and faster the music, the more people are drawn to your establishment because high-energy 20 :: Early Fall 2016 :: the main ingredient

music makes people think it’s a fun and exciting place. In fact, studies show loud and fast music prompts customers to eat and drink faster because a lively atmosphere is stimulating them to consume.

Mellow Yellow – With quieter, down tempo music, customers tend to stay much longer. Softer music leads to less consumption, some say, but leads to hikes in the enjoyment of the food and drink.

Since customers tend to hang out longer when a restaurant plays mellow music, it means there’s opportunity for them to spend more.

Bach & Brahms – Classical music is known to favourably impact the perception guests have of your restaurant. Not only do they view it more positively, they show their approval by increasing the amount purchased in food and wine.

Crank it up? – Believe it or not, music loudness is the number two complaint of patrons behind customer service, so volume can be a sensitive subject. When it comes to music, it’s important to find the perfect balance – loud enough to generate excitement and energy among guests but quiet enough not to disturb hard-of-hearing guests or those that are trying to engage in conversation with their dining companion.

By Kelly Putter

Eye on the Prize – Don’t forget to match your music with your style of restaurant. A Mexican restaurant shouldn’t play Dixieland and a fine dining establishment should rethink cranking Led Zeppelin hits. It’s important that you consider your average age group and your typical patron when determining music and its volume.

Wait Times Alleviated – People usually think their waits are shorter when tapping their toes to music they enjoy.

When your brain is distracted, say by music, you might be less likely to notice the amount of time that is passing by.

In the end, it’s important to bear in mind that music is more than just throwing on a few tunes. It plays a significant role in the ambiance of your restaurant and that’s why getting it right is important. Customers stay longer, spend more and take away certain perceptions, hopefully positive ones, of your establishment based, in part, on the music you play. Think about the image you are trying to project and the type of clientele you attract and hope to continue to pull in. Then let the music play on.

Sources: www.lightspeedhq.com, www.signs.com, www.restaurant.org, www.businessinsider.com, www.technomic.com,

The Tuneful Lowdown: • 91% of casual dining restaurant patrons say that an appealing ambiance influences their decision to visit a particular concept. For quick-service restaurants, 84% of customers say it is important that the restaurants they visit have a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere.

• Gen Z and Millennial consumers eye music and décor the most. 52% of these younger demographics say music selection is an important factor in their decision to visit a casual-dining restaurant, compared to 43% of older consumers.

• 98% of consumers who rated a restaurant's atmosphere and ambiance as “very good” also rated their overall visit favourably. In comparison, less than half of those who rated the ambiance as bad (43%) or very bad (31%) gave their overall visit a favourable rating.

Source: Technomic: Setting the Stage: Consumer Assessments of Decor, Music and Atmosphere at Leading Restaurant Chains

About Music Licensing: When it comes to playing tunes for the public you will need a license from the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN).

This licence gives you permission to use copyright-protected music from anywhere around the world. In addition to SOCAN licenses, you many need to obtain other licenses depending on how you use music in your business.

Need help determining what you need music-wise? Find the type of licence you need for your business by using SOCAN's licence finder, and also check out SOCAN's fee calculator to calculate the potential cost of your licence – http://www.socan.ca/licensees Sources: www.smallbusinessbc.ca, www.socan.ca, www.canadianbusiness.ca

the main ingredient :: Early Fall 2016 :: 21

22 :: Early Fall 2016 :: the main ingredient

A Guide to

Charcuterie From pâté to soppressata, building the perfect charcuterie platter can be easy with a bit of planning and prep.

By Kelly Putter

T

he beauty of a charcuterie board is its simplicity. There’s no cooking involved and these delicious hors d’oeuvres can linger within easy reach of your customers’ appetites. Who doesn’t enjoy their no fuss, no muss appeal?

While a charcuterie plate is an artful arrangement of textures and tastes, there is a bit more involved to get them just right. Like the creation of a scrumptious multi-course dinner, coordinating each component takes careful planning, a well-balanced selection and some preparation.

So let’s begin building our board: The Meat If you are using two or three different meats, two to three ounces per person will suffice.

Be sure to use a mix of cooked and air-dried meats. Prosciutto and soppressata are great air-dried meats while certain hams and mortadella are good cooked choices. Be sure not to overdo your amount of cured meats because they tend to be overly salty.

Cured, hard sausages like pepperoni are an important ingredient, but mix them up so the flavours complement each other. For example, if using a hot garlicky chorizo, balance it with something sweet such as a fennel seed-flecked-finocchiona.

Try whole-muscle cuts, preferably shaved thin. Think bresaola, an air-dried and salted beef tenderloin or lomo de cerdo, often called just lomo, which is a cured pork tenderloin.

Your meat should vary in size so try to have thin slices alongside thick ones or cubes. Try to pick one meat with a little heat such as a spicy capicola.

To round out your meat textures don’t forget to add a pate or terrine. You’ll want to cut them into slices that are two- or three-bites on toast, bread or crackers.

The Bread This might be tougher than you think because when it comes to this staple item, people have strong and lifelong likes and dislikes.Try homemade toast rubbed with good olive oil and fresh-cut garlic. the main ingredient :: Early Fall 2016 :: 23

A Charcuterie

cheat sheet Dry-Cured Meat

France — Jambon de Bayonne is the most well-known French dry-cured ham.

Italy — Prosciutto is probably the most famous cured ham in the world. Coppa, made from pork shoulder, is equally tasty.

Spain — Spanish dry-cured hams like

jamón serrano are rubbed with sea salt and aged a year or more.

Germany — Real Black Forest ham is an air-dried, salt-cured, smoked ham from the forests near Freiburg.

Dry-Cured Sausage France — Saucisson sec is primarily made from pork, seasoned with spices that vary by region.

Italy — Soppressata is a sweet-tasting, coarsely ground sausage. Other classic Italian sausages include finocchiona and cacciatorini.

Spain — Chorizo gets its characteristic tangy flavor from paprika.

Germany — Chewy, jerkylike Landjäger is smoked, as many German sausages are, and seasoned with caraway and garlic.

Cooked Sausage France — Garlic sausage, or saucisson à l’ail, is delicious by itself, but it’s also a key ingredient in cassoulet; also try gently spiced boudin blanc.

Italy — Mortadella is flavoured with pistachios, black pepper, wine and sugar, then steamed.

Spain — Butifarra negra, made with pig’s blood, is popular in Barcelona; butifarra blanca, made from pork, is seasoned with nutmeg and white pepper.

Germany — Frankfurter, the original hot dog, is made from finely chopped pork and beef. Spreadable liverwurst is made from pork and pork liver.

Source: Food and Wine

24 :: Early Fall 2016 :: the main ingredient

Charcuterie… continued.

A sliced baguette would also work beautifully. Breadsticks make for a visually interesting accompaniment and can be used as a spool to wrap thinly sliced meat. Crackers and certain toasts, either plain or dotted with nuts, dried fruit and seeds, are a quick and easy carb solution for your charcuterie platter, though most will probably want to pair meats with softer breads. Unless you’re going for a specific flavour profile or combo of flavours, don’t select strong breads and crackers because you want to let the meat stand out.

The Accouterments Since cured meats are salty, here’s your chance to balance out your flavours and textures. Sweet, tart, sour, crunchy and creamy are all nice contrasts. Housemade pickled veggies or

cornichons pair beautifully with charcuterie meats as do olives, nuts and certain fruits such as grapes, apple slices and figs.

Consider adding mustards, jams or compotes to the board.

The Fromage Yes, charcuterie platters are traditionally all about the meat, but many enjoy adding a cheese or two. Be sure to choose a cheese that evens out the saltiness of the meat, so consider something like a sweeter sheep’s milk cheese called Calcagno or a sharper-tasting Parmigiano-Reggiano.

The Finish Drizzle olive oil over the pâtés and spreadables. Crack some fresh black pepper and chunky sea salt over top.

Sources: www.foodandwine.com, www.gearpatrol.com, www.epicurious.com, www.bonappetit.com

Platter Advice from the Pros: • Don’t overdo your selection of smoked meats or cheeses because everything will start to taste... well, smoky.

• Diversity is king.

• Roll meat up loosely on the platter to create visual appeal and a more three-dimensional effect.

You’ll also have more space to add colour and interest with pretty bowls or arrangements of accoutrements.

• Choose a lovely antique board or platter or slate tray to offer your charcuterie. Remember, we eat with our eyes first so attractiveness is paramount.

the main ingredient :: Early Fall 2016 :: 25

Ottawa Valley 13 years with Sysco

Q. Did you ever work in a restaurant (or any place in foodservice)?

If so does that help you understand your customer’s business needs more?

A. I started in the business with a degree in Hotel and Food administration from the University of Guelph, as well as a diploma in Culinary Management from George Brown College. I then worked as a Food and Beverage Manager in golf courses before moving on to open a restaurant and motel with my family. My education gives me the technical background to help my customers with their business acumen, while the experience I have with my family’s business allows me to fully understand the challenges facing independent operators today.

Q. What do you like best about Sysco Brand?

A. Sysco Brand offers many great and unique products that allow my customers to differentiate themselves from their competitors. The products are designed specifically for foodservice so that they meet customers’ foodservice needs.

Q. Do many of your accounts use Sysco Brand and what has operator response been to Sysco Brand?

A. All of my accounts use Sysco Brand in some form or another. There are certain items that they specifically request in Sysco brand because of the price, quality and uniqueness of products. Most customers appreciate Sysco brand, especially in produce where they know they are always getting a quality product they can trust.

Q. Describe how you have helped your customers solve problems.

A. I generally help customers solve problems by first listening to their needs and assessing what I can do to help. Whether it be my product knowledge to help them come up with product based solutions or our using our Stir Team for menu and business solutions, we can always come up with a way to help our customers succeed.

Q. What value-added services (e.g. STIR, Rewards) that Sysco offers are the most beneficial to your customers?

A. I find that STIR sessions are always great and customers love seeing new products and ideas, but recently customers have really started to buy into Sysco Rewards and see value in the program.

Q. Describe the relationship that you have with your Inside Sales Representative.

A. I have been paired with Scott Robinson since the program began 3 years ago, so we have developed a great working relationship, communicating daily. I have full confidence in the decisions my ISR makes while looking after my customers and I couldn’t do my job without his help.

Q. What are some of the advantages of using Sysco Connect (for yourself and for your customer)?

A. Sysco Connect allows me more time in the day to work with customers and it allows my customers to have a second point of contact when they need questions answered or orders entered.

Q. What are some of the advantages of using Sysco Source?

A. My customers are just starting to get onto Sysco Source so we are still in the learning stage with it, but it does allow them to look for product ideas on their own. I think the biggest advantage is that it allows them to enter their orders when it is convenient for them.

Q. What foodservice trends do you see emerging?

A. One trend I see coming is unique and interesting beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

These are a great way for our customers to drive up check averages and increase revenues without raising their menu prices.

26 :: Early Fall 2016 :: the main ingredient

Sysco Inside Sales Representative Profile

Sysco Marketing Associate Profile

Beth Henry

Scott Robinson

Central Ontario, Winnipeg, Southwest and Victoria 3 years with Sysco

Q. Describe the relationship that you have with the MAs you support.

A. I have an outstanding relationship with my MA’s. They have taken the time to teach me and have provided me with as much support as I need. They have given me a lot of trust to handle their accounts and mentored me to be a better professional and in general, a better person.

Q. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

A. Providing great customer service. There is nothing more rewarding than having a customer call or email to say you’re doing good work. It also feels great when a customer has a last minute request and I have the ability to help them out.

Q. What do you enjoy most when working with customers?

A. The people I am privileged to work with is what I enjoy most. I have a great group of customers I deal with on a daily basis and the satisfaction of providing quality support to them, from helping with ideas for a catering to breaking down the portion costs and helping them make money, is probably the most enjoyable part of my work. My longevity in the program has allowed me to develop a rapport with customers that goes beyond simply taking their order.

Q. What does exceptional Customer Service look like to you?

A. It starts with empathy. You have to really care about the people you’re working with. If a customer feels that you genuinely care about their business, they trust you more which is extremely important when you deal with people over the phone that you don’t meet in person. Efficiency, accuracy, time management and above all accountability are also key factors to quality customer service.

Q. What do you enjoy most about working for Sysco?

A. This is probably cliché, but it is the customers, both internal and external. To be a part of helping others succeed is very fulfilling. It’s also neat to drive through towns and say “there’s one of my customers”. There is a lot of pride involved in knowing how many lives you are a part of and with the scale and scope of Sysco, I’ve dealt with customers from all across the country.

Q. What do you like best about Sysco brand?

A. Quality, guaranteed. I love the strength of our brands and can sell with confidence as I know we have great products and the highest standards in the industry. Being able to give a customer peace of mind when buying our products really makes it easy, especially with our tracking methods in categories like protein and produce where PHF’s (Potentially Hazardous Foods) are a major concern for restaurants. Knowing we are accountable all the way down the line gives us an important edge and gives the customer exceptional value.

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