August 2022 - Total Food Service

NEWS

DINING OPTIONS

OUTDOOR DINING IN NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY REACH CROSSROADS

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lthough they are geographically connected, New York and New Jersey simply could not be further apart when it comes to the status of outdoor dining.

Within hours of each other, a lawsuit was filed to end outdoor dining in New York City, while in New Jersey, the state signed off an extension of their al fresco program.

The lawsuit, filed by 35 plaintiffs in New York late last month, , cites a multitude of complaints ranging from excessive noise, traffic and sidewalk congestion, garbage and uncontrolled rodent populations as reasons to end the Open Restaurants program.

These conditions, the plaintiffs claim, cause them to be “unable

“I’m a big supporter of outdoor dining. As it has been reported previously over and over again, the nightlife is a multi-billion dollar industry. And our restaurant owners have gone through a very difficult period.” — NYC Mayor Eric Adams to safely navigate the city’s streets and sidewalks, and a diminution of available parking upon which some of the petitioners depend,” according to the official complaint. The lawsuit also blames the city for allowing or lending public spaces like sidewalks or roadsides in order to make outdoor dining a permanent fixture – benefiting private businesses but making it harder for residents to continue to reside in their communities.

The New York City Council passed legislation to make outdoor dining permanent in February of this year, however this has been delayed by another lawsuit which calls for an environmental impact review.

The Open Restaurant Program was launched during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in order to help keep businesses afloat by allowing them to expand outdoor seating, however the lawsuit claims that “in fact, there is no public health emergency in New York City and, as shown above, there is no existing regulatory infrastructure in place tailored to respond to any such emergency.”

Some businesses, the lawsuit claims, aren’t even utilizing outdoor dining spaces for actual dining experiences.

“Now some restaurant owners are using the sheds for storage, not for outdoor dining (…) some are filled with garbage,” Brooklyn Community Board 4 Chair Robert Camacho said in an affidavit with the lawsuit. “Some are filled with garbage. Some have kids in there getThe NYC lawsuit alleges that many of the outdoor dining sheds have fallen into disrepair, and “are used for storage, not for outdoor dining (…) some are filled with garbage.” ting high.”

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NYC Mayor Adams said in a press conference that he supports the continuation of outdoor dining which he believes has positively impacted local restaurants and bars is helping them economically recover from the pandemic.

“I’m a big supporter of outdoor dining,” Mayor Adams said. “As it has been reported previously over and over again, the nightlife is a multi-billion dollar industry. And our restaurant owners have gone through a very difficult period.

Some of them are still back in their payments. And whatever I can do to help our restaurant industry that employs dishwashers, waiters, bus boys and girls, this is an important industry and it is an indicator of our city. And so the lawsuit is going to play itself out.”

However, Mayor Adams did acknowledge that if there were sufficient claims that some outdoor dining establishments or constructions were hazardous, he and his administration would look into requiring some modifications.

“I think we need to modify it because some of the outdoor dining locations have become a hazard,” said Adams. “And I think there’s a way to modify to standardize what the structure should look like, and they have to be used. It can’t be

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August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 3

NEWS

UPCOMING SHOWS

CHEF SPIKE MENDELSOHN TO KEYNOTE DAY TWO OF PLANT BASED WORLD EXPO The renowned chef and entrepreneur will discuss how and why he built two successful plant-based food companies and how he puts his passion for food equity and education into action.

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lant Based World Expo (September 8-9, 2022) is pleased to announce that restaurateur, TV personality, entrepreneur and food policy advocate Chef Spike Mendelsohn will keynote Day 2 of the Plant Based World Expo on Friday, September 9, 2022.

From chef and restaurateur to television personality, food policy advocate and entrepreneur, Chef Spike Mendelsohn is a force to be reckoned with in the culinary world. In 2019, he co-founded PLNT Burger, a fast-casual chain dedicated to celebrating classic American comfort foods in a way that is better for people and the planet. His desire to make a positive impact on our food system also led to the founding of plant-based snack company Eat The Change with friend and fellow entrepreneur, Seth Goldman.

“We’re fortunate to have some of the best and brightest plant-based food industry leaders and pioneers speaking at this year’s conference,” said Ben Davis, Content Chair and Strategic Advisor at Plant Based World Expo.

“Speakers like Chef Spike Mendelsohn and others will share their expertise as well as real-world case studies and best practices designed to help attendees successfully develop, source and distribute plant-based products, and gain insights they won’t find anywhere else.”

This year’s Plant Based World Expo Conference Program at the Javits Center in New York has been carefully curated in partnership with the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) and Eat For the Planet, to help retail-

Chef Spike Mendelsohn

ers, foodservice operators and other industry professionals advance their businesses in the plant-based sector.

There are three tracks–Retail, Food Service, and Industry–that make it easy to find topics related to specific businesses, as well as a world-class lineup of speakers from Kroger, Target, Dot Foods, Sodexo Campus, PBFA, Mintec. and many more Session highlights include: • Understanding the Consumer Shift Away from Animal to Plant-Based • Celebrating, Elevating, and Amplifying Diversity in Plant-Based Foods • Thriving in Food Service • The Importance of Collaborating with Brands in Retail • Securing a Resilient Plant-Based Future: Building Domestic Supply Networks • Plant-Based Food Pricing and the Impact of Inflation • Addressing Operational Challenges of Plant-Based Menus • Much more!

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“The success of Plant Based World Expo speaks to the explosive growth of the plant-based foods industry,” said Rachel Dreskin, CEO of PBFA. “We are thrilled to partner with the PBW team to curate educational content that expands retailer and foodservice operators’ understanding of the overwhelming demand for plant-based foods, and offer an exciting, meaningful opportunity for our membership to get their delicious and innovative foods in front of industry leaders and consumers.”

The 2022 Plant Based World Expo Conference Program was created in partnership with the Plant Based Foods Association and Eat For the Planet. All sessions are programmed with guidance from the world-class PBW Advisory Council and Buyers Council.

Plant Based World Expo is North America’s only 100% plant-based event designed exclusively for foodservice and retail professionals, distributors, investors, and manufacturers. PBW combines a world-class conference with an exhibition showcasing thousands of innovative plant-based food products and brands from around the world, plus high-level networking and tasting opportunities. PBW is the official tradeshow of the Plant Based Foods Association. More than 250 exhibitors and more than 4,500 people are expected to attend this year.

To learn more about Plant Based World Expo or to schedule an interview with PBW leadership, please contact Sacha Cohen, sacha@grassfedmediadc.com or 202-251-9417.

Main Office 282 Railroad Ave. Greenwich, CT 06830 Publishers Leslie & Fred Klashman Vice President of Sales and Marketing Michael Scinto Art & Web Director Mark Sahm SCOOP News Editor and Senior Contributing Writer Joyce Appelman Contributing Writers Cherry Dumaual Francine Cohen Editorial Interns Karen Jones Claudia Giunta Brian O’Regan Wyatt Semenuk Zachary Kitay Jackson Hart

Phone: 203.661.9090 Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com

continued on page 102

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Subscribe to the TFS YouTube channel Ellen Yin cover photo by Windborne Co. Total Food Service ISSN No. 1060-8966 is published monthly by IDA Publishing, Inc., 282 Railroad Ave., Greenwich, CT 06830. Phone: 203.661.9090. This issue copyright 2022 by IDA Publishing Inc. Contents in full or part may not be reproduced without permission. Not responsible for advertisers claims or statements.

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easyice.com August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 5

NEWS

By Jackson Hart

NEW OPENINGS

FRASER CONTINUES TO GROW HOSPITALITY EMPIRE WITH LA MARCHANDE DEBUT

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o the recently renovated Wall Street Hotel comes the culinary wizardry of John Fraser and chef Rick Horiike who, together, comprise the face of La Marchande.

Fraser, himself Michelin-starred and whose hospitality group has opened a slew of critically-acclaimed eateries, brings his culinary prowess to New York City with his newest concept, a French brasserieinspired fusion experience located in the busy Financial District. La Marchande, which translates from French to mean ‘the merchant,’ draws upon the heritage of its host venue as an international hub of commerce to offer its patrons a truly memorable dining experience.

Total Food Services spoke to Fraser to uncover the inspiration behind La Marchande and to explore all that his newest concept has to offer.

Despite its delayed debut, the conceptualization of La Marchande had been long in the making. Even prior to the industry shake-up induced by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, JF Fraser Hospitality Group had been shortlisted to operate the food and beverage service at the Wall Street Hotel under a licensing agreement, a partnership that is not new to the group. Under a similar agreement, they also run the F&B at the EDITION Hotel in West Hollywood, California. Their partnership with the Wall Street Hotel has been a success, remarked Fraser: “They’re very supportive,” he added about the Paspaley family, the Australian custodians of the New York hotel.

Thus, the group’s bicoastal expansion builds on prior experience and success with hotel licensing agreements, but more importantly, marks

Restaurateur and chef John Fraser

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“Using things like coconut milk to lighten things up so the [fare] isn’t as heavy, or soy sauce and fish sauce – [ingredients] that aren’t typically found in a French bistro.” — Jon Fraser a bold and promising step for the group following the difficulties of the pandemic. Despite the group’s commitment to remaining “asset cautious” due to continuing fluctuation and uncertainty within the workforce, restaurant industry, and economy, La Marchande’s debut signals renewed faith in on-premise dining and the hospitality industry as a whole. Still, “the scars of COVID run deep,” admitted a wary Fraser.

As with virtually every property he has created, Fraser’s latest has quickly opened to critical acclaim.

Finding an open table at La Marchande during the week has quickly become a tough challenge.

Fraser and Executive Chef Horiike, a veteran of both Wild Ink and Morimoto, have created a whimsical menu to rave reviews. Their menu contains both classic staples of French cuisine and modern reinventions, draws inspiration from many different sources.

While Fraser cites the rich flavors of French brasserie as his primary inspiration, he sought to create an experience that felt and tasted “young and playful.”

To achieve this, the restaurateur borrowed elements from the Wall Street Hotel’s heritage: “the formation of the stock [exchange began] on this property,” explained Fraser, “so we’re playing with this idea of a modern pantry.” Citing the hotel’s location in southern Manhattan, which, centuries ago, was home to the bustling South Street Seaport, Fraser also felt inspired by the culinary techniques of fishermen, some of which are reflected in the menu.

As suggested by its name, which translates from French to ‘the merchant,’ La Marchande’s menu perfectly reflects the heritage of its location. With that the restaurateur posed himself a question: “What kinds of things could we introduce into a classic French bistro?” In response to the quandary of how he could facilitate this incorporation, Fraser reinvented some brasserie classics: “using things like coconut milk to lighten things up so the [fare] isn’t as heavy, or soy sauce and fish sauce – [ingredients] that aren’t typically found in a French bistro.”

His non-traditional approach to French cuisine celebrates lightness and vibrancy, a departure from the more heavy-leaning recipes that constitute much of brasserie fare.

By swapping out heavier, often cream-based sauces for vinaigrettes

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August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 7

NEWS

KITCHEN STRATEGIES

Article contributed by John Mahlmeister, COO, Easy Ice

SIX TIPS TO MAINTAIN ICE PRODUCTION IN SUMMER MONTHS

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t’s been a warmer than usual summer for most of the country, and for restaurant kitchens that means they’re hotter than they want to be. With greater restaurant and bar traffic, the rising temperatures can wreak havoc on a commercial ice machine’s ability to keep up with ice production and can increase the machine’s propensity for breaking down.

Ice-cold drinks are in high demand during summer. The last thing a restaurant owner needs is the loss of ice production. To keep customers hydrated and happy, below are six recommendations to maintain an ice machine during unrelenting summer heat.

Cool Location An air-cooled ice machine uses a fan to suck air in the front of the ice maker and across the condenser to cool (remove the heat) from refriger-

ant that is used to produce ice. This is why the recommended ambient temperature of 70 degrees keeps an ice maker producing optimally.

In addition to the ideal ambient temperature, the ice machine needs to be in a space with proper ventilation. If the ambient temperature is too hot, coupled with a snug or crowded location, the lack of airflow can lead to an overly hot microclimate. Add hot summer temperatures to the mix and it’s a recipe for ice machine failure.

It’s important to understand that ice makers perform best when the ambient room temperatures are between 45 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, but 90 degrees push it as ice production begins to slow. At 100 degrees, ice production can stop completely, and the ice in the bin can begin to melt, leaving even less ice for customers.

Fix slow production by lowering

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the room’s temperature. If it’s impossible to reduce the temperature, move the machine to a cooler location that can support electrical and water needs. This laborious move can be avoided with a well-ventilated initial installation away from other heat producing kitchen appliances.

Maintain Water Temperature Ice machines function best with an optimal water temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit. If incoming water heats up, the ice maker must work harder to freeze the water and produce ice. For each degree above 50, expect a lower ice volume. If water temperatures increase too much, the ice maker could shut down.

A change in water temperature is less common since the water lines are insulated by being buried underground. Inevitably, some water lines lose insulation when they are threaded through walls or a roof

which potentially exposes them to summer heat. Easy Ice technicians have recorded incoming water temperatures as high as 140 degrees for unburied lines in hotter temperatures.

Check incoming water temperatures. If they are much higher than 50 degrees, contact your local plumber for other water supply options such as additional insulation or even moving the water lines to allow more consistent insulation.

Room To Perform Ventilation is a critical factor for ice machine function, particularly during hot summer months. Best practices include adequate room for ventilation around the machine to allow the hot air to disperse from the ice maker. If this hot air gets trapped, it is sucked back into the ice maker,

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August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 9

NEWS

REMEMBRANCE

INDUSTRY REMEMBERS THE ONE AND ONLY DICK CATTANI

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he restaurant and hospiHe is a former Fellow of The Cutality industry recently lost linary Institute of America and a one of its truly iconic leadformer board member of the Sociers. Dick Cattani served in ety for Hospitality and Foodservice a number of roles before retiring at Management (SHFM). He was honthe end of 2021 as the President and ored with a Conti Distinguished CEO of Restaurant Associates (RA).

Professor Chair at Penn State UniCattani started with Restaurant versity, a Distinguished Visiting Associates right out of college as a Professor at Johnson and Wales Uniback of the house steward. He evenversity in Providence, RI and a Wise tually became General Manager of Professor at the University of Delathe famous “Newarker Restaurant” ware. Dick has also been the comat Newark Airport. Over the years, mencement speaker at Paul Smith’s Dick had held many regional and College (twice) and the Culinary Incorporate operating positions. He stitute of America in Hyde Park, NY. became President of Restaurant He was awarded the International Associates in 2003 and, under his Foodservice Manufacturers Assoleadership, grew the company three-fold in ten states.

“As we reflect on our loss and celebrate his life, we are reminded of his genuine kindness, inspiring vision, passion for life, and love for his family,” noted RA’s president Ed Brown.

“A winning combination for a truly exceptional leader. Dick’s legacy is unparalleled, and his memory will live on through all of us. His favorite quote will forever echo in our hearts: Work Hard and Be Nice.”

Cattani, often referred to as ‘The Gentleman’s Gentleman’, brought a wonderful combination of innovation, attention to detail, humanity and humor and he will be deeply missed.

“Dick was a hospitality legend, a transformational leader and a trusted partner,” Brown continued, “He made a lasting impact on Restaurant Associates and a far-reaching one on the Dick Cattani whole industry.”

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“A winning combination for a truly exceptional leader. Dick’s legacy is unparalleled, and his memory will live on through all of us. His favorite quote will forever echo in our hearts: Work Hard and Be Nice.” — Ed Brown ciation 2005 Silver Plate Award, the industry’s premier accolade, for his achievements in the Foodservice Management category.

In addition to his visionary leadership, Dick was known for his empathy, kindness and philanthropy. He personally and professionally supported many organizations and causes as well as mentoring young professionals and at-risk youth.

He was a board member of the New York Common Pantry, dedicated to reducing hunger in New York City. Dick and Restaurant Associates were honored as Employer of the Year by Job Path New York, for showing a strong commitment to hiring and creating opportunities for employees with developmental disabilities. In 2018 at Compass’ Annual Global Conference, representing 50 countries, he was honored with the Company’s first Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dick grew up in the hospitality business in New York City.

His grandfather was an executive chef and his father was also in the industry. Dick worked in

the kitchen of his father’s hotel, first as a dishwasher and later as busboy, learning the business at its most basic. In 1964, he graduated with a hospitality management degree from Paul Smith’s College in upstate New York. Dick was awarded the Adirondack Medal of Honor in 2005 in recognition of his twenty years of selfless service and leadership at Paul Smith’s College.

Dick Cattani is survived by his wife Nardyne; his daughters Danielle, Dorian and Dara; and his 4 grandchildren. Condolences may be sent to: Nardyne Cattani , 12 Fairway Drive, Lenox, MA 01240.

In lieu of flowers, the Cattani family asks that donations be made to: Paul Smith’s College: https:// www.paulsmiths.edu/give/ NY Common Pantry: https:// nycommonpantry.org/donate-tonew-york-common-pantry/ American Cancer Society: https:// www.cancer.org/involved/donate. html International Myeloma Foundation: https://www.myeloma.org/ donate

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 11

REOPENING STRATEGIES

WITH LAURA CRAVEN

LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN NJ FOR INNOVATIONS EXPO ‘22

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s with most people and companies, we are ready to move forward and get back to business. Our annual Northeast trade shows were put on hold for two years, but Imperial Dade is ready to host our Innovations Expo, in-person on Wednesday, September 21st at the Meadowlands Exposition Center, in Secaucus, NJ. While Zoom calls and emails have been an adequate substitute during the pandemic, customers are hungry for connections, conversations, and experiences – that’s what we’re looking forward to providing during our upcoming event. It’s those ‘aha’ moments when a customer can lay their eyes on a solution. We’ve missed the opportunity to walk our customers

Many first-time attendees are coming to our shows, finding products for their new businesses that have opened recently. through our catalog in person, where they can not only see, but touch thousands of foodservice and facilities maintenance products.

Figuring out how to navigate the different channels of communication for various topics has been a learning curve for the whole industry. Some topics could be addressed using technology but when it comes to selecting packaging for the burgers and entrees on your menu or seeing a demonstration of a new floor scrubber, it’s much more effective to see those things in

person. You can see and feel the products, test them, and turn them upside down; and talk to the people that make our industry so dynamic and interesting, that’s the fun part.

After running shows earlier this year in Ft. Lauderdale and last year in Atlanta, there are a lot of new customers emerging. Many first-time attendees are coming to our shows, finding products for their new businesses that have opened recently. Catering towards these newcomers ensuring that they’re gaining all the value they can from the event, and that their experience is comfortable, is one of the main goals for the upcoming expo.

The customer experience we create for our shows is only as good as

Snap the QR above for more information about registering for the Innovations Expo

12 • August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Laura Craven is the Vice President, Marketing & Communications at Imperial Dade.

Laura oversees marketing and corporate communications for Imperial Dade, a national distribution company headquartered in Jersey City, NJ. Her responsibilities include marketing communications, brand and reputation management, internal and external communications, experiential marketing events, and media relations. Laura has been with the company for over 18 years and has contributed to the organization’s growth and brand awareness. A LEED AP, Laura consults on sustainability initiatives and as a GBAC Trained Technician she assists customers develop cleaning programs.

our ability to tailor the event for our vendors that exhibit as well. That’s why it is so important to us that we find exhibit halls like the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus that check all the boxes. We make sure that our general contractor and our venues are both exhibitor friendly. We treat our exhibitors to refreshments and snacks during set up and throughout the day of the show to enhance their experience and thank them for their support.

Our exhibitors love our shows because of the quality of attendees we attract. They’re the decision makers, they own businesses, manage hotels or restaurants. They’re looking for solutions, not swag.

Aside from the relationships being built, and products being showcased, we understand that fun and education are also attractions of the event.

Once again in ’22, our Expo will feature New York Rangers alumni signing autographs, great food, seminars on sustainability, food safety, and facility maintenance, and a returning favorite from the 2019 Expo, the women’s lead-

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waringcommercialproducts.com

@waringcommercial

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 13

FIORITO ON INSURANCE

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE AND ACTIVE SHOOTER PREPAREDNESS FOR RESTAURANTS & HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES

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ith over 300 mass shootings so far already across the United States in 2022 1, these tragic incidents have brought to light the reality that restaurants and all hospitality businesses need to be aware of to protect their employees from workplace violence.

Restaurant workers have been on the front lines since the very beginning of the pandemic, and as such, have been increasingly exposed to the risk of violence, potentially exacerbated by the current stressors, such as health concerns and economic uncertainty.

As high profile acts of targeted mass violence continue to occur in workplaces across the nation, many employers are wondering how best to protect their people, property, and profitability. In one instance, Starbucks recently announced that it is permanently closing 16 locations in various markets over safety concerns and is instituting new strategies to ensure the well-being of employees inside its cafes.2 According to OSHA and leading industry associations, the short answer is employers should develop and implement a Workplace Violence Prevention Program to identify concerning employee behaviors early and provide a structured approach to prevent and respond to violence and threats.

As restaurant owners and managers, it is your responsibility to ensure a safe environment for your employees and patrons.

The best time to develop a workplace violence prevention program is before you need one. Therefore, if you don’t have one in place, now is the time to be prepared. Workplace violence consistently ranks in the top three causes of worker fatalities, and OSHA reports that over 2

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million people are affected by workplace violence annually.

Although it is crucial to take steps to protect from hostile intruders, it is also important to remember that many incidents of workplace violence occur from within. When hostile workplace behavior goes unchecked, it can have wide-ranging impact. The consequences can be severe; from lost productivity, employee turnover, reputational damage, lawsuits and even workplace

Robert Fiorito serves as Vice President with HUB International Northeast, a leading global insurance brokerage, where he specializes in providing insurance services to the restaurant industry. As a 25+ year veteran and former restaurateur himself, Robert has worked with a wide array of restaurant and food service businesses, ranging from fast-food chains to upscale, “white tablecloth” dining establishments.

Robert can be reached at 212-3382324 or by email at robert.fiorito@ hubinternational.com.

violence/loss of life.

Recognizing the warning signs of workplace violence and taking appropriate action is essential. It’s important that the focus is not just on individual illegal behaviors, but more broadly, the toxic workplace cultures that create unproductive, disheartened workforces. When unaddressed, toxic cultures and

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BURRATA

Soft and delicate, with a slightly sweet, milky flavor, BelGioioso Burrata is made with hand-crafted Fresh Mozzarella filled with Stracciatella, a mix of soft mozzarella shreds and cream.

Enhance your menu by creating a deluxe Caprese salad with spooned sections of Burrata beside ripe tomatoes and fresh basil, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Or enrich your pizza or pasta by topping with a garnish of this fresh, creamy cheese just before serving.

Available in 2 oz., 4 oz. and 8 oz. Burrata balls, 4 oz. balls with Black Truffles, and 8 oz. and 1 lb. Stracciatella.

For more info and samples, please contact: foodservice@belgioioso.com 877-863-2123

belgioioso.com/Foodservice

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 15

NEWS

By Karen Jones

BEVERAGE MENU STRATEGIES

CALIFORNIA VINTNER ADOPTS TIKTOK TO BRING FUN TO WINE

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avid Choi is taking wine appreciation to places it has never been before. Boasting more than a quarter million followers, this Millennial vintner is a TikTok phenomenon. With a knack for storytelling and games, Choi shares with his peers the skill of making the best wine selections while remaining within budget. His posts also help to improve awareness for the art of pairing each bottle of choice with the right foods. Choi who is President of Angel Falls Wines and Magna Carta Cellars in Napa Valley, California, said this opportunity to engage with others virally was born after he witnessed a knowledge gap within his demographic while on an assignment some time ago.

“I was shooting for some YouTube personalities for their show in New

“For me it was learning that [TikTok] is how the next generation of wine drinkers were consuming information and for me to make it in a way that they would understand in 15 to 30 to 45 seconds, and getting straight to the point not using all the big words and fluff that that turn people off. It’s growing. TikTok is here now. We don’t know what’s coming tomorrow but this is the way that that information is going to be consumed, even for my kids.” — David Choi York and it came about after I took them into Astor Wines in NYC. Whenever I am in New York City that’s one of my favorite wine stores. I went in there and their eyes opened up and these are big food personalities. They had no idea about wine. This is a great wine store, but it’s not directed by like Cabs or Merlots. It is done by region.

David Choi

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So, if you don’t know what you’re looking for, you don’t even know where you’re going,” Choi said.

An attempt to explain the variations to the influencer, made Choi realize the potential his wealth of information shared in bite sized pieces could have on the market. “When I spoke to him off camera it wasn’t like they didn’t want to understand, they just thought it was going to be too much work.”

His first decision was to broadcast his suggestions on another platform. “Instagram was great because you can visually show beautiful food, beautiful things, but the information and value that we could bring in there was really tough. You couldn’t speak about different things. It was more about a lifestyle that you were showing and that’s when I chose TikTok. You can speak about something that maybe completely foreign to an audience and it enables people to understand as long as you are relatable to them.

As long as it was entertain-

ing you are able to grab their attention that way and you’ll fill them with a lot of information more so than any other platform that is out there and still is today.”

For all the success that he has found as an entrepreneur and now a viral tastemaker, Choi said it was never his intent to carve a career in this industry. “I would like to say that it sort of found me in a sense. I grew up in humble beginnings we really didn’t drink a lot of wine. We usually only had it on special occasions. So, my oldest memories of wine were before I was able to drink, I was really smelling wine, you know the nuances of it, and we’d have wine when we’d go to a steakhouse for someone’s birthday. And it was always Bordeaux.”

Now, he is fully immersed and on a mission to transform his generation’s view one bottle at a time. Born in LA, Choi later returned to his roots in Northern California as a seasoned industry expert after honing his skills at the iconic location Pearson’s Wines & Spirits in Washington D.C. “I would have to say that my real training in wine started when I became part of that retail wine store. At that time,

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August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 17

NEWS

By Stephen Hosey, blending application manager, Vitamix ®

BEVERAGE SOLUTIONS

THE SIMPLE PERFECTION OF COLD FOAM

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t’s the veil of sweetness and light that transforms ordinary iced coffee or a cold brew into a decadent, luxurious, and beautifully striking treat: creamy cold foam poured or spooned over the top.

Just like steamed milk layered over cappuccino, a layer of cold foam can elevate all manner of iced and caffeinated beverages and will complement fruity drinks and iced teas as well.

Many purveyors of cold drinks and coffees have been upping their coffee game with this small indulgence, raising the bar on the daily grind and spurring undeniable demand. Quick-serve establishments hoping to compete for some of that demand should consider its versatility and low cost. In addition, be-

cause it dresses up ordinary beverages and can be customized for the individual consumer, you may find it supports a premium price.

This nuanced, premium topping is also deceptively simple to make, requiring minimal added equipment and ingredients.

How to Make Cold Foam There are different methods for making cold foam, but the simplest, quickest, and most flexible approach centers around a staple ingredient for many establishments: nonfat or skim milk. By aerating the milk with a blender such as The Quiet One® made by Vitamix Commercial, paired with the Aerating Container, also by Vitamix, you can create a dense foam in under a minute.

The Aerating Container can accomplish this thanks to its blade, which is actually a disc perforated with holes. It quickly incorporates air into the milk, expanding the volume by up to three times. The special container is very easy to use with The Quiet One motor base, which comes with two programs dedicated to making foam, one longer than the other – although both are done in under 30 seconds.

While ingredients and temperature also affect the outcome, in general, the longer blending program results in a denser product with more stability, while the slightly shorter program turns out a looser, pourable foam. In both cases, the foam will gradually smoke down into the beverage, although the rate

By aerating the milk with a blender such as The Quiet One® made by Vitamix Commercial, paired with the Aerating Container, also by Vitamix, you can create a dense foam in under a minute.

18 • August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

at which this occurs varies by recipe and processing power.

Among dairy options, skim milk is the most foamable base ingredient for cold foam, although 2% milk can also be used. The lack of fat, combined with the proteins in the skim milk, helps to create the most dense and stable foam.

Compared to other methods of making cold foam, the Aerating Container has several advantages that are especially germane to today’s beverage market. Not only is it fast, but it is also flexible in terms of the number of servings it produces.

It can produce one serving uniquely customized for the individual consumer or produce multiple servings

continued on page 107

MOVING FORWARD 2

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Register at ImperialDade.com or scan QR code August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 19

NEWS

Article contributed by Marqii

TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

5 COMMON MISTAKES RESTAURANTS MAKE WHEN REPLYING TO REVIEWS

I

t’s no secret that customers turn to online reviews to help them decide where they should have their next lunch, brunch, or work happy hour. Monitoring your reviews – and how you respond to them – might seem tedious, but it’s just as important as the reviews themselves.

Here are 5 mistakes restaurants should avoid making when replying to online reviews: Responding only to positive (or negative) reviews Replying to customer reviews should be a top priority for reputation-minded restaurant owners. Yet often, restaurateurs make the mistake of focusing only on positive or negative reviews. Sure, responding to five-star reviews with an expression of glowing gratitude feels great. After all, who doesn’t like a little appreciation for a job well done? However, onestar reviews can be just as influential as negative reviews and shouldn’t be ignored.

Every review is an opportunity to engage with a customer, strengthen your restaurant’s respectability, and convert potential guests into loyal customers. Regarding restaurant review management, it’s important to show customers you value all feedback – no matter how favorable or unfavorable the review.

Failure to respond quickly Promptly responding to online reviews demonstrates your commitment to providing an enjoyable experience. Every review should receive a response within two to three days, if not the same day.

Suppose this task seems too daunt-

ing, or you’re dealing with a high volume of customer reviews. In that case, you can opt to utilize a review management software like Marqii to monitor and provide personalized and authentic responses to customer complaints and reviews.

Not responding at all!

If a customer leaves a review, responding is worth your effort. Whether good or bad, replying to customer reviews can help build brand loyalty and shows customers that you appreciate their feedback. In addition, your response provides potential and existing customers with an inside look at how you manage customer relations and can even encourage more business if done right.

Not every review will be helpful, and negative reviews can impact your brand reputation. However, no response at all is more damaging. Think of customer reviews as an opportunity to strengthen customer relations and

20 • August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

thank every customer who leaves one – however unjustified!

Responding to negative reviews with hostility or defensiveness Sometimes how you react to negative reviews is more influential than the review itself. When a customer leaves an unfavorable review, your first reaction might be to fight back.

It’s understandable - constructive criticism can be challenging to accept!

Negative or low-star reviews can feel unfair and downright personal.

Still, no matter how hurtful the review might be, refrain from writing a defensive or hostile response. Instead, formulate an empathetic reply, own responsibility, and offer a solution to remedy the issue. Remember your response is public and potential customers who discover your restaurant will be able to see how you handled a scathing review. Your response can make or break a reader’s decision to dine at your establishment.

Offering discounts or incentives to negative reviewers Offering a discount or incentive to negative reviewers might seem like the best remedy for a poor customer experience, but relying on this approach can come across as disingenuous.

Generally, customers simply want to be heard. They want to know you care about their experience. Therefore, acknowledging the complaint, gathering more details on what went wrong, and providing a tailored solution to the complaint can help encourage dissatisfied customers to give your restaurant another chance.

In some cases, you can offer a special discount or an incentive to return; however, this shouldn’t be your go-to solution for all negative reviews.

We make restaurant review management a cakewalk.

Whether positive or not, responding to customer reviews will enhance your restaurant’s image, attract prospective diners, and strengthen your relationship with current customers.

Improve your review management practices by partnering with Marqii, a digital review management platform for restaurants and the hospitality industry. We’re here to help you monitor and respond to customer reviews - the good and the bad - across multiple platforms such as Google, Facebook, and Yelp.

Schedule a demo today and learn how Marqii can help you generate the positive reviews you deserve and increase your restaurant’s ratings and search results: https://marqii.com/ schedule-a-demo

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August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 21

TREND TALK

WITH JOYCE APPELMAN

Q&A WITH DIANA DELUCIA

D

PUBLISHER, GOLF KITCHEN

iana DeLucia is the Publisher of Golf Kitchen and has traveled around the globe photographing and interviewing the chefs and teams behind the culinary excellence at Private Golf and Country Clubs.

As a woman in a publisher’s position, she prides herself in being collaborative in all aspects of the Golf Kitchen portfolio including a bi-annual magazine, books, unique culinary events, and an annual program, the Golf Kitchen Culinary Excellence Awards which is held at GlenArbor Golf Club in Bedford Hills, New York.

Total Food Service caught up with DeLucia to discuss the state of the clubs, trends, the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Tell us about your professional life before launching Golf Kitchen in 2014.

I have been living in the USA for 20 years and began my debut in the magazine industry in New York in 2004. I was part owner of NY Restaurant Insider and as the lead photographer, I photographed many of the world’s most famous chefs. My extensive work portfolio includes Alain Ducasse, Anthony Bourdain, Joel Robuchon, Donatella Arpaia, Maria Loi, Charlie Trotter, Daniel Boulud, David Burke and more.

We closed the magazine in late 2009, and I began looking for areas where chefs were not illuminated.

That’s when I found the Private Golf and Country Club industry and embarked on authoring a book. After many conversations with club managers and executive chefs and in particular with the team at Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton, NY, I began my first book titled Golf Club World, Be-

hind the Gates.

I went to 12 golf properties globally, and it was self-published in 2013. It sold out and then I embarked on my second book after producing several columns for Destination Golf Magazine ~ China Edition that we titled Golf Kitchen. My second book took the same title, Golf Kitchen. Limited quantities are left, but this 568-page coffee table book is a part of golf’s culinary history.

After launching the book at luxury member/guest events at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, NY, and again at Cassique at Kiawah Island Club, SC, the magazine was born. This September is the 5th Anniversary of the magazine.

I’ve created two Culinary Events, the Golf Kitchen Punta Mita, which took place in Punta Mita, Mexico. These were four-day culinary extravaganzas

Joyce Appelman is the SCOOP News Editor and Senior Contributing Writer for Total Food Service and previously the National Communications Director for C-CAP, Careers through Culinary Arts Program. An industry leader supporting education and scholarships, she has been instrumental in opening career opportunities for many young people in the foodservice industry. Email her at joyceappelman@gmail.com

featuring private golf and country club chefs from various properties in the USA and South America.

In the fall of 2018, the Golf Kitchen Culinary Excellence Awards launched.

Thanks to the support of Morgan Gregory, President, his team, and membership at GlenArbor Golf Club, Bedford Hills, NY, we are celebrating our fourth year. We have added the Golf Kitchen Invitational on the same day this year. (September 8th, 2022)

continued on page 100

Diana DeLucia has traveled around the globe photographing and interviewing the chefs and teams behind the culinary excellence at Private Golf and Country Clubs. For example, this renowned group above includes :(L-R) Fernando Silva, Wine Director at GlenArbor Golf Club; Juan Pablo de la Sota Riva, Executive Chef at Royal Poinciana Golf Club; Marisa Hernandez, Executive Pastry Chef at GlenArbor Golf Club; Michael Ruggiero, Executive Chef at GlenArbor Golf Club, Jonathan Hancock, Executive Chef at Richland Country Club, Diana DeLucia, President at Golf Kitchen; Dominic Calla, Executive Chef at Round Hill Club; Kevin Sullivan, Executive Chef at Innes Arden Golf Club (Photo by: Michael J Fiedler)

22 • August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 23

NEWS

WORKFLOW SOLUTIONS

CAN TECHNOLOGY REDUCE STRESS FOR RESTAURANTS?

B

etween the covid pandemic, labor shortages and a struggling food supply chain, it’s no wonder that restaurants are feeling the heat. Finding ways to alleviate stress on your business and staff is necessary to survive and succeed. Technology can provide the tools to make managing day-to-day logistics easier.

Technology has become the norm for most industries across the globe, and even the more-traditional food industry is embracing some high-tech solutions. Stay on top of technology trends to tap into where digitization can help staff save time and energy, what’s popular with customers and what your competitors may already have in place.

Combating Staff Shortages and Keeping Track of Supply Shortages of products and people have been a problem since the start of the pandemic, but the situation has become more dire this year. International conflict has crippled the supply chain with a lack of crucial products like wheat and oil, and rising energy prices have made transportation costly. Staffing shortages that started during the pandemic have continued to be a looming problem for the industry.

For many restaurants, these two problems are intertwined. Problems with suppliers and missing supply fall on your staff to manage. Menus have to be revamped with little notice, alternative products have to be ordered and your staff have to make it happen.

Choco makes the process of communicating with suppliers easier and less time-consuming. Choco is an app where you can order from all your suppliers in a single place. Your whole team can see what’s available, submit

Stay on top of technology trends to tap into where digitization can help staff save time and energy, what’s popular with customers and what your competitors may already have in place.

an order in minutes and talk with your suppliers. “Before Choco, I used to spend at least one hour ordering every day, now I can do that in just 5-10 minutes. There’s no tension or pressure,” Pujan Sarkar, Chef at Rooh in San Francisco, described the app.

With turnover at an all-time high and shortages making it difficult to find qualified employees, technology can help to make regular tasks easier and less stressful for your staff.

Online Ordering & Portable Payments Online ordering became the norm in the industry during the height of the covid pandemic. It’s now become an expectation from consumers to be able to place and pay for take-out orders independently. While online ordering is a reality for the industry, tech solutions can take some of the stress

24 • August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

out of handling take-out orders with less time spent answering calls and processing payments over the phone.

A newer trend popping up throughout the industry is the prevalence of portable payments. Many popular restaurant POS options offer portable payment devices so staff can take and process credit card payments at the table. This is an extension of the touchless payment technology already popular in the industry.

Some restaurants are taking it even further with technology for customers to browse the menu, order and pay all from the table. This self-service phenomenon is popular in larger restaurant chains where a large waitstaff is needed to serve every table. Letting customers order and pay themselves leaves staff free to serve food and handle online orders.

While not every ordering and pay-

ment option is needed for all restaurants, customers and staff can benefit from self-service options that make the process of sending tickets to the kitchen and getting paid for your services easier.

AI Advancements in Food Production For a long time, artificial intelligence has been a concept for the future. No longer. Artificial intelligence is already at work in many industries in the world, including food. Automated machines can analyze production lines to pull out bad produce, count the seeds on a bun or even combine pre-made ingredients into a dish and serve it to a customer.

While it may take some time and refinement before robot waiters or line cooks are a reality for the average restaurant, there are already machines at work in restaurants across the country.

Fast food restaurants like McDonalds and others are using ordering kiosks to reduce the need for human cashiers and long lines for customers. Not only does this cut down on the need for staff to keep an eye on customer flow and be ready to jump in during a rush, but it allows staff to focus more energy on producing and serving food. While these machines are basically larger versions of a handheld ordering and payment device, some companies are also experimenting with virtual assistants to answer customer queries or even facial technology to recognize repeat customers.

The food industry is evolving and technology is playing its part. While the heart of the restaurant will always be the kitchen and the creative minds that serve up satisfying meals, tech can be a solution for other hassles adding stress to your operation.

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August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 25

RESTAURANT EXPERT

WITH DAVID SCOTT PETERS

WHAT DOES INFLATION MEAN FOR YOUR RESTAURANT BUSINESS?

I

nflation in the restaurant business feels like it could be the knockout punch after the one-two combination that started in 2020. First the restaurant industry was hit with business restrictions and then the Great Resignation and now inflation is affecting your bottom line. The good news is you can do something about it today.

What exactly is inflation anyway?

Well, dictionary.com defines inflation as the general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money.

The gas station is a great example. The cost of gas is so high that people must start making decisions about how to spend their money so they can afford gas. They will also limit the use of their gas.

Gas costs go up on manufacturers, so they charge distributors more, and they pay more for their goods and their gas, and then you’re paying more for the products you need and there is only so much your customers are willing to pay for your food. At some point during inflation, the cost of the food and the experience of eating your restaurant’s food outpaces the value.

What is a restaurant owner to do?

Well, here’s what I teach my members every day.

1. Create a budget. That’s your proactive plan for success. That means everything on your budget is on the table for consideration. You do whatever it takes to get your prime cost to 55% or lower (total cost of goods sold + total labor cost). Your budget is your plan for how you’re going to make changes

David Scott Peters is an author, restaurant coach and speaker who teaches restaurant operators how to take control of their businesses and finally realize their full potential. His first book, Restaurant Prosperity Formula: What Successful Restaurateurs Do, teaches the systems and traits to develop to run a profitable restaurant.

Thousands of restaurants have worked with Peters to transform their businesses. Get his three principles to restaurant success at https://dsp.coach/ three-key-principles.

dropped top sellers on purpose because the labor to prep and make them is so high it outweighs the profits on other items.

to overcome these challenges.

2. Attack your menu. Attacking your menu means reducing the number of items that you’re selling to create efficiencies in the kitchen. This can be reducing prep so you can reduce the number of cooks you need on the line at one time. Adjusting your menu to lower labor cost is one way to fight inflationary pressure. Recipe costing cards are essential because you have to know what every item you sell costs you so that you know what you can sell it for. Then you can use your POS mix, what your customers purchase,

26 • August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

your actual recipe costs, and what you sell it for and calculate out what your ideal food costs should be based on what your customers actually purchase. This also gives you the ability to reengineer your menu and reduce your food costs, often by 3–7 points if you’ve never done menu engineering in the first place. Knowing what the products you sell cost you also allows you to make changes that shift customers to other items that are more profitable.

No matter what, you have to be prepared to attack anything on your menu. I have members who have

3. Proactively budget for labor. With a budget, you can tell what your labor costs should be by period, whether you’re in a 13-period accounting cycle or monthly. What is your labor cost for that individual period? And in doing so, I teach a system called the Restaurant Payroll Guardian, which tells your managers how many hours they have and how many dollars they have available to schedule next week on budget.

The idea of budgeting is to turn things around instead of being reactive. The most common way of managing labor that I see is to bring people in and cross your fingers that you’re busy enough to afford the hours.

When you’re not busy enough, you send them home before it’s too late. I teach restaurant owners how to proactively schedule on budget knowing that you have a set number of hours in the kitchen and that’s it.

While this is certainly not an exhaustive list, these are the things I recommend my restaurant coaching group members, and I want you to do and start them today.

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 27

MEDIA CORNER

With Joyce Appelman

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING:

The Bear The series is one of the most vivid, authentic portrayals of what it’s like to work in food service. The Bear showcases the gritty, chaotic reality of life in a regular neighborhood restaurant that’s on the brink of financial collapse. Carmen Berzatto, a high-profile chef takes over his family’s failing Italian beef restaurant after his brother’s death and he fights to transform the shop and himself. As he works alongside a rough-around-the-edges crew, they ultimately reveal themselves as his chosen family.

The series also crystallizes much of what we’ve learned about the impact of this kind of high-stress environment has on the people who make the restaurant industry possible, specifically mental health struggles and substance

abuse disorders.

Kitchen Crash If you didn’t tune in for Season 1, in every episode, three chefs are tasked with crashing a block party and invading the residents’ pantries for ingredients to use in a cooking competition. The chefs have to be super innovative while cooking in their mobile kitchens because they only have 10 minutes to shop, can only use as many ingredients as they can fit in one basket, and cannot gather more ingredients after they leave the house.

The first four episodes of Season 2 are filmed in the Metro New York area with Episode 1 featuring Host Jeff Mauro and three chefs descending on Harrington Park, NJ, turning a neighborhood’s annual Battle of the Block party into a world class

28 • August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

BOOKS, TV, FILM, AND PODCASTS

WHAT WE’RE READING:

cooking competition. Chefs convince unsuspecting homeowners to let them crash their kitchen for ingredients. One winning chef splits a cash prize with their lucky family.

Matt Sartwell, Managing Partner, Kitchen Arts & Letters Bookstore in New York City shares his book reviews...

Koks: Faroe Islands Flavor

by Poul Andrias Ziska and Tim Ecott One of the most remote of all the Michelin-starred restaurants, Koks is dedicated to the foods of the Faroe Islands.

Nominally a part Denmark, the Faroes consist of 18 islands in the North Atlantic, several hundred miles from any other land.

Poul Andrias Ziska, a native of the

WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO: Faroe Islands and chef of Koks, notes in his introduction, “To be Faroese is to understand that we have had to survive in an isolated landscape for more than a thousand years, a place where no trees grow, where the soil is thin, and the wind makes growing crops a daily challenge. We have always eaten what is available locally, the plants, the animals and fish that survive here. The flavours I create in the kitchen come from that landscape; they can be raw and powerful, and some of our ingredients— such as wild sea birds—may be challenging.”

In this sweepingly gorgeous book, Ziska, working with writer Tim Ecott and photographer Claes BechPoulsen, demonstrates resourcefulness and beauty. There is a chapter for every one of the 18 Faroe islands, further emphasizing the differences within this compact ecosystem.

Koks: Faroe Islands Flavor contains recipes, one for each island.

But because the dishes are unstintingly Faroese, those of us who live elsewhere and lack access to the likes of fresh puffin will find it most appealing as a source of inspiration.

And as proof of what can be wrought from the humblest of ingredients.

continued on page 30

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August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 29

MEDIA CORNER

from page 28

truffle butter and red wine jelly.

Pig Beach BBQ Cookbook: Smoked, Grilled, Roasted, and Sauced

by Matt Abdoo and Shane McBride Matt Abdoo (formerly of Del Posto) and Shane McBride (formerly of Balthazar) learned from—and beat—seasoned Southern pitmasters at the famous Memphis in May barbecue competition. They went on to open Brooklyn-based Pig Beach. In Pig Beach BBQ Cookbook, they put a multitude of American barbecue styles on the plate.

Abdoo and McBride discuss regional influences which they, as New Yorkers, felt free to adapt, from mayonnaise-based white sauces out of Alabama to basic salt-andpepper rubs from Texas. As smokers are a requisite for most recipes, they provide recommendations on buying them and instructions for creating your own with an inexpensive kettle grill.

In a hefty chapter on rubs, seasonings, sauces, and marinades, don’t miss recipes for their competitionwinning world champion mustard sauce and their NYC White Sauce, an ode to the chicken and rice carts scattered throughout the city.

Readers move through core recipes like pulled pork, smoked pastrami, and chipotle-rubbed beer can chicken, and into the kitchen with dishes like brisket ravioli with

Editor’s Note About Podcasts- Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, including on Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Audible & more.

The Southern Fork Host Stephanie Burt travels the South -- with her fork -- and chats with chefs, farmers, bakers, brewers, pitmasters and fisherman to learn about the stories behind Southern food.

Guild of Sommeliers Produced by By GuildSomm, Master Sommelier Geoff Kruth covers wine tasting, pairings, regions and service -- all from the perspective of Sommeliers. Perfect for wine geeks or anyone with Master Sommelier aspirations, this podcast features members of the Guild of Sommeliers, winemakers, importers, writers, etc.

30 • August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

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CHEF SANTO BRUNO August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 31

NEWS

TAKEOUT & DELIVERY STRATEGIES

RESTAURANT ONLINE FOOD DELIVERY: LOOKING AT THE PROS & CONS

O

nline food delivery has been one of the hottest foodservice trends in recent years and is pegged at having a market value of over 150 billion dollars. The market for food delivery has tripled since 2017, especially being fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions brought with it. Online food delivery is set to grow further due to no signs of slowing customer demand and is slated to make up to 40% of restaurants’ revenue by 2023. Despite all the advantages of offering online food delivery to customers, the approach has its own set of pros and cons business owners should consider before offering delivery options to customers. We look at the various considerations before setting up a delivery option for your business and the benefits versus the shortcomings of this option.

How To Set Up Food Delivery Service For Your Restaurant Since 2020, more restaurants have

begun offering food delivery to customers to mitigate the losses brought about by the lockdowns. Food delivery services have helped several businesses remain afloat through the grim periods of the pandemic, and also allowed customers to eat from their favorite establishments while avoiding transmission risk. If you’re interested in setting up food delivery for your establishment, here are a few tips to consider: Consider All Possible Delivery Options While food delivery is often grouped under a single banner, the term represents an umbrella of options available to food business owners. The three main delivery options include: • In-house Delivery: This option refers to restaurants delivering food with their drivers and delivery services as opposed to outsourcing it to a third party. This option involves some amount of work, expenses, and resources to set up. However, it allows

32 • August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

you to retain customer data, and profits, and offers more control over delivery.

• Third-Party Delivery: Third-party deliveries are carried out by a dedicated company specializing in delivering food to customers. Think GrubHub or UberEats. While this option is very easy to set up and has marketing benefits tied into the deal, the margins are quite high, and can potentially eat into your profits. It also does not allow you much control over delivery and does not allow you access to customer data and order history.

• Hybrid Delivery: Many establishments split their online orders between both a third-party application and their own delivery service. This option can allow better profit retention while avoiding too many expenses when offering delivery. Hybrid models also involve taking orders from the third-party application but delivering the food using your own fleet.

Equipment To offer delivery to customers, you will need top-notch restaurant equipment, so you must purchase the necessary restaurant equipment before you get started. Commercial refrigeration, cooking equipment, storage equipment, and packaging & delivery supplies are essentials if you’re looking to offer delivery.

Acquire the Necessary Restaurant

continued on page 94

Invest in Online Ordering Tech Investing in an online ordering system will allow you to accept, track, and fulfill orders in time. While third-party applications allow you to do this, they might not integrate with your existing point-of-sale systems. Also, having your own system allows you the sole ownership of data and order history, allowing you to have more control over marketing and delivery.

Train Your Delivery Staff You must chart and follow a fool-

­

Ruggiero Seafood, Inc.

PO Box 5369 Newark, NJ 07105 - info@ruggieroseafood.com - www.ruggieroseafood.com

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 33

NEWS

By Jackson Hart

BAR TECHNOLOGY

INDUSTRY VETERAN CRAFTS NEW LIQUOR CONTROL STRATEGY

G

reat minds think alike and ultimately find each other. With that, the brilliant liquor-control software technology of AndroBar and the visionary leadership of Bill Muise have come together.

AndroBar offers an exclusive and affordable designed liquor control system to interface with any kind of POS system. Guiding the vision to bring the product to North America’s restaurant, hospitality, and nightlife professionals is veteran industry professional: Bill Muise.

The newly appointed President & CEO of the AndroBarUSA brings a diverse background to his new post.

From his days working behind the bar in his native Nova Scotia, Canada to his ascent as a Middelby Corp executive, Muise brings a unique understanding to the challenges faced by the beverage dispensing professional.

AndroBar features advanced

technology that promises users improved cocktail consistency, increased customer satisfaction and saved revenue. While such fantastic benefits may seem hard to obtain, AndroBar’s software will interface with other POS systems and targets a wide audience.

“While working my way through college, I noticed very quickly that the bartenders seemed to be having the most fun,” Muise began. His near-decade tenure tending bar, a profession he enjoyed, provided him with a unique perspective on beverage and POS systems that he operated as a bartender, bar manager, owner, and sales representative.

Muise built upon his already vast experience by entering the POS industry, helping sell hardware to restaurants and bars. With his entry into the selling side of business that Muise met the legendary Rick Martindale, who he credits with teach-

34 • August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

“AndroBar USA wants to revolutionize the bar experience. What the combi-oven brought to kitchens; we want to bring to your bar. We partner with food equipment dealers and existing POS systems so the end user can focus on having their staff serve drinks consistently and increase their profits.” — Bill Muise ing him much of what he knows about the liquor control industry.

Martindale, best known as the founder of Wunderbar, imparted valuable advice to Muise that he uses to this day, “It’s all about installing and supporting a product that builds confidence in the bartenders that are using it every day.”

With that understanding, Muise became an industry “go-to” for both operators and barkeeps looking for the latest beverage dispensing a solution. Looking for his next challenge, Muise wanted to take control of a product that checked all the boxes in terms of building and keeping the confidence of barkeeps.

“I was looking for a product that I could 100% stand behind. One that could really solve a problem [in the hospitality industry].” After prudent research, he found AndroBar, a unique automated liquor control system, and contacted the owner to join the company as both a partner and shareholder to sell the product nationwide.

AndroBar has “three superpowers,” as Muise affectionately calls the control device’s three primary selling points. The first is its Punch

to Pour™ technology, which prevents a drink from being served until it’s been entered into the POS system.

The second is the AndroBar’s software ability to prepare pre-entered cocktails, allowing for each drink to be poured consistently and made to the specifications required by the location. “What the combi-oven brought to the kitchen; we want to bring to the bar.”

The third is the hardware itself: “It’s manufactured by a company that’s been producing liquor-control hardware for over twenty years and has a track record of building durable and consistent hardware.”

As a result, Muise has added a fiveyear warranty to each AndroBar purchase, reflecting his confidence in the product. After all, Muise quips, “my dad always said – if it moves, it breaks!” Clearly, product quality is a tenet of business operation that sticks with the AndroBar CEO. Together, these superpowers help AndroBar remedy the problem of drink consistency. Consider Muise’s example of how consistency behind

continued on page 110

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 35

Q&A

EXCLUSIVE FOODSERVICE INTERVIEW

ELLEN YIN Restaurateur & Co-Founder and Owner, High Street Hospitality Group

H

eralded as one of Philadelphia’s most ingenious restaurateurs, Ellen Yin has certainly established herself in the culinary industry. Her numerous James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur nominations attest to her success as a founding member of High Street Hospitality Group whose portfolio includes many acclaimed restaurants such as High Street and a.kitchen + bar.

A native of New Jersey and a second-generation American, Yin knew even from a young age that she wanted a career in the food industry. Armed with an incessant passion for service and a business school degree, Yin opened her first restaurant, Fork, in Philadelphia in 1997. Alongside her talented team – which includes many chefs who themselves have received James Beard nominations and her longtime business partner Eli Kulp – and her twenty-odd years of experience in fields including healthcare, consulting, and cuisine, she transformed Fork, and later HSHG, into a renowned culinary institution.

Lately, Ellen has expanded her vision beyond the walls of the kitchen to include the communities in which she works. Her membership in organizations such as Sisterly Love Collective, which is an alliance empowering female entrepreneurs and restaurateurs in Philadelphia, is

a testament to her drive to not only support her team, but those around her.

As the food services industry continues to endure pandemic-related hardships, Yin provides insight into her success, her charity, and the future of the restaurant.

Where did you grow up? What was family life like for you?

I was born in Santa Clara, California, moved to New Jersey, and spent most of my childhood years in a small little town by the shore in Monmouth County. I’m the child of immigrant parents who wanted me to succeed, but I was one of those black sheep, because I excelled in school but always wanted to do something against the grain. My mother was an incredible cook and entertainer, so we always had great food around us and food was the centerpiece of every holiday.

What spurred your passion and love for food and cooking?

When I was 14, I got my first job at a little Chinese restaurant in my hometown, and when I gained the confidence, I went to the French restaurant around the corner called The Fromagerie because I thought, I want to do more. The Fromagerie at that time – this was the 80s and,

continued on page 38

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Ellen Yin, Restaurateur & Co-Founder and Owner, High Street Hospitality Group (Photo Credit: Windborne Co.)

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 37

Q&A

ELLEN YIN, from page 36

in its heyday, hosted people like Jacques Pépin and Julia Child. The Peter Brothers, who founded the Fromagerie, taught me everything I know, and I fell in love with everything about service and hospitality.

I started as a busgirl at the Fromagerie, but they trained me as a server, bartender, coat-check attendant, I was everything. I knew in my mind that I wanted to open a restaurant, but my parents discouraged me and made sure that I had a backup plan.

When I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, I had written a business plan for a restaurant, but then realized that there was no way I could open my own restaurant at the age of 23, so I resigned myself to looking for a job. I worked in advertising, then in non-profit fundraising, but still always felt that none of these jobs were as satisfying as working in the restaurant industry.

I got to a point in my career where I was either going to be fired or have to go back to school, so I took the

“In 2014, [chef Eli Kulp and I] ended up meeting Alex Bois, a very talented young baker, and Jon Nodler and Sam Kincaid, and that core group became the start of High Street Hospitality Group. The five of us really helped to create a concept for High Street that was what we wanted: craft-driven, artisanal, authentic food. Soon after, High Street was named Bon Appetit’s Number Two Best Restaurant, and our business exploded.”

school route. I kept thinking, Whatever I do, I am going to keep preparing myself to open a restaurant, and got an MBA in Healthcare Management from the Wharton School.

You know, in my high school days, in addition to being a busgirl, I was a candy striper. I do love caring for people, and serving people, so it made perfect sense considering healthcare and hospitality are aligned. I ended up being in debt, and I figured I better try consulting or investment banking, because if I didn’t, I might regret it. I stayed with this path until I was able to open my own restaurant.

How did High Street come together?

I was looking for a new chef, and I was introduced to Eli Kulp and was completely blown away by his cooking. He wanted to make a name for

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himself and thought that rebranding an iconic restaurant would also be to his benefit, so he became the chef at Fork.

We had already grown to the restaurant next door called Fork, etc. which was a prepared foods place, but it could never get a dinner vibe going because it looked like a daytime establishment. Eli was very excited to try to make that into a chef-driven boutique restaurant. After getting great reviews at Fork and finishing our reinvention, we did a major renovation of the dining room and set forth on trying to figure out what to do with the space next door.

In 2014, we ended up meeting Alex Bois, a very talented young baker, and Jon Nodler and Sam Kincaid, and that core group became the start of High Street Hospitality Group.

The five of us really helped to create a concept for High Street that was what we wanted: craft-driven, artisanal, authentic food. Soon after, High Street was named Bon Appetit’s Number Two Best Restaurant, and our business exploded.

Eli also wanted to go back to New York to open a restaurant, and so we decided we were going to open

continued on page 40

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 39

Q&A

ELLEN YIN, from page 38

High Street on Hudson. We raised the money, found a location, and then his accident happened, and that changed the momentum of our group for the next five years. I’m really happy to say that he has this incredible podcast, he does a lot of programming, and we still consult together, and of course, he’s still a partner. I grew tremendously because when Eli came, I learned a lot from him. In his absence, during his physical recovery, a lot of us had to step up more.

Can you talk about programs such as the Sisterly Love Collective?

The Sisterly Love Collective came out of the pandemic. We have a leadership team that is responsible for trying to identify and create opportunities. But we have more young entrepreneurs in the start-up and development/growth phase than we

do people like myself, and I think that’s where we thrive, trying to create mentorship opportunities. We’re trying to develop an accelerator program and raise money to give women access to capital they have not had.

We’re working on a couple of events coming up, but they’re mostly to try to increase the reach of our cause and fundraise. We raised $25,000 last month for Women Against Abuse and still managed to pay every woman who provided food at the event, so we’re very proud of how we’re doing and how we’re advocating for that problem.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I do love what I do, so I don’t really think of it as work, per se. So much of what we do is community-driven. We had an event for the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation; their vision

was to create a waterfront that was accessible to Philadelphians, and being a part of that process over the past ten years is very redeeming, so I include that as work even though that’s how I spend my spare time.

That and Sisterly Love. I love it. I love seeing people grow; for me, that’s great. In terms of relaxing, I’m going on vacation for the first time since the pandemic. I love what everybody else loves: to travel, try new places, and meet new people.

How did High Street survive the pandemic? Are takeout and delivery something to which your business adapted during the pandemic?

Well, we’re open! We have one quick-serve operation that is exclusively takeout and delivery, but High Street, the daytime program in particular, lent itself to takeout and delivery, so we were kind of equipped

for that. Fork, on the other hand, doesn’t do takeout and delivery. During the pandemic, the team was a little frustrated because we tried to do staff meals that were like family meals, but that wasn’t what people were looking for. Someone came up to me and said, “If we make a donation, would you make meals?”

We raised close to $150,000 to help support frontline worker meals, and over the course of two months, we made nearly 10,000 meals. The only thing I regret is that I didn’t use that money to create a bigger program.

What do you think the “new normal” will look like? Is there a lot of retail space available that might not have been before?

I think it’s market-by-market and neighborhood-by-neighborhood. I

continued on page 42

Fork, the flagship restaurant for High Street Hospitality Group, has celebrated over 20 years of hyper-seasonal, ingredient-driven contemporary American cuisine.

With its bold murals painted by former server Anthony DeMelas and classic interior designed by Marguerite Rodgers, Fork is a timeless restaurant that continues to push the envelope of dining in Philadelphia. (Tablescape photo by High Street Hospitality; Interior photo by Windborne Co.)

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WHAT YOU NEED WE’VE GOT IT WHAT YOU NEED WE’VE GOT IT WHAT YOU NEED WE’VE GOT IT Streamlined buying and supplying with Choco. The food industry lifesaver.

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 41

Q&A

ELLEN YIN, from page 40

do think that there’s opportunity but maybe not in the same way as before.

In New York City, for example, the rental rates are not that much lower, but maybe you can strike up a deal to do a different type of model that might need less real estate because you’re thinking of your business in a different way.

It depends on risk, too. There are certainly people shopping, there are a lot of spaces that you can strike a great deal for, and there are great spaces that are still going to be recognized as such and be costly. I’ve been so lucky because most of my opportunities have come from collaboration with people. My colleagues at a.kitchen have reinvented themselves and are growing again, and I was able to work with them during the pandemic to relocate High Street, and we reopened in a 500 sq/ft space with our entire bread-baking operation. Now we’re considering growing into the space that was a full-fledged restaurant.

I have to be more creative because it’s in a unique location that’s right

by Jefferson Hospital, so there’s not much nighttime business but the hospital is there and the employees are not remote, so I have to think of it a little differently.

How do you feel about your James Beard Restaurateur of the Year Nomination?

Obviously, it’s a tremendous honor. I’m not the type of person who seeks out recognition, but it means a lot for our group, for my team members who have worked tirelessly during the pandemic to have our entire group recognized. Really, Outstanding Restaurateur is about the organization and the team, and so it meant a lot to all of them, and I know they were all very excited.

Was your success completely selfmotivated? Who were important mentors to you, and how did they impact your career?

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I’m sure it’s a little bit of both, mentorship is one of those funny little words. Sometimes a mentor is someone you spend a lot of time with, other times a mentor is someone who goes in and out of your life.

I’ve always maintained really positive relationships with everybody.

I would say that nobody could talk me out of opening a restaurant as that passion and desire were always there. I watched carefully everything that would happen at the restaurants where I worked, but I wouldn’t really say that any of the people that I worked for were really mentors. I would say that they were really the people who gave me an opportunity.

I had a very entrepreneurial spirit, which is why I call myself the black sheep of the family; my brothers and father were all engineers. I would never really follow what others told me, I always tried to figure it out myself. My mentor in my healthcare job just threw me into the woods, and I really had to figure everything out

myself. I’ve always been that kind of person. Over time, I’ve developed mentors, people who may be in the industry. Other entrepreneurs that I’ve worked with, who’ve given me advice and who I’ve built trust with.

Any thoughts on expansion beyond Philadelphia…maybe returning to New York at some point?

I get calls all the time about expanding, but I want to do it in the smart way. I’ve been in business for 25 years, so I want to start thinking about how all of this can benefit my leadership team in the future. I think that our main growth strategy is looking at the High Street model and thinking about how to commissary the bread and open satellites in different neighborhoods. But at the same time, that goes against our concept of being artisanal and a small, producer-driven restaurant.

Obviously, we’re focusing on managing risk during this time period and being smart about expansion.

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 43

INTERIOR DESIGNING

WITH DALA AL-FUWAIRES

THREE TIPS TO HELP RESTAURATEURS SAVE MONEY ON AN INTERIOR DESIGN BUDGET

T

he restaurant industry is making a comeback as diners post-pandemic are yearning to go out and enjoy a sit-down dining experience once again. The increased demand of customers looking to eat out again means that the most creative minds in the industry can create new and unique foods and spaces for restaurants of all varieties from fast casual to fine dining.

However, as demand for restaurants is increasing so are the costs associated with building those restaurants. Inflation across the world is making it more costly for restaurateurs to craft their ideal dining experience. This increased cost is definitely seen in the interior design of a restaurant as everything from seating to lighting to menu

up purchasing expensive materials that either don’t physically fit in the space or that don’t look as aesthetically pleasing as you thought. A test fit is an absolute necessity for any restaurant owner looking to get the most out of their interior design investment. A test fit consists of layout plans to help gauge the client’s need in a given space. It helps the restaurant owner asses the appropriate number of seats they can comfortably fit in their space. This is essential to the success of the restaurant, ensurLiberty Market in Gilbert, AZ ing that areas don’t feel tight, selected items fit in material is not only harder to find, the space, and blockage is but is also more expensive. Designminimal to guest and service flow. A ing the perfect restaurant space test fit can show truly how many tawhile dealing with significantly risbles and chairs you need for a space ing costs is a huge challenge for any and allows you to have a better unrestaurant owner but it is not an derstanding of how statement piecinsurmountable challenge. es can fit throughout. Seats equate As experts in restaurant design, to revenue, so you want to have just our interior design firm has helped the right amount. many restaurant owners stay on Many interior design firms can budget without sacrificing their vieven create 3D models of your hysion during a tricky economy. Here pothetical restaurant space to have are a few tips to budget your resa clear understanding of how the taurant’s interior design plan more vision of your restaurant plays out efficiently. in reality. The 3D model software allows you to see everything from the Conduct a test fit lighting fixtures to the wall decor, The vision of the restaurant in and the accessories used to bring your head is always easier to manthe space to life. age than the space you have in reThe test fit will allow you to betality. Not understanding your space ter understand what feels good in can be disastrous when you can end a space before you commit to the

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Dala Al-Fuwaires, Dala Al-Fuwaires, Principal of HOUSE OF FORM, a globally recognized boutique interior design studio specializing in commercial interiors, residential interiors, product design, branding and graphics.

With over a decade of experience in the interior design field, Dala has worked on hospitality and retail design projects ranging in size from boutique to national rollouts.

Dala graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from Arizona State University and a Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design from Purdue University. Outside of design, Dala can be found traveling to new places, hosting dinner parties for friends and family, remodeling her home, and photographing all of the above. Learn more at houseofform.com

investment of the interior pieces.

Set realistic expectations and avoid blindly following trends It is important that restaurant owners and the interior design teams they hire do their research on pricing. The reality is that many restaurant owners are working with an outdated understanding of the cost of materials. A restaurant owner

continued on page 108

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 45

SPIRITED NEWS + VIEWS

WITH FRANCINE COHEN

THE TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT INSIGHTS THAT LEAD TO BETTER BEVERAGE BUSINESS

W

hen those back-toschool commercials started popping up in mid-July, it was pretty jarring. How could it already be time to think about bookbags and lockers and kids home from camp when our guests were still lingering late over cocktails or cold beverages as the sun remained high in the sky? Was summer fun really coming to a close soon?

We don’t think so. We are still looking forward to another four or six weeks of warm weather dining and drinking al fresco or in a crisp dining room where the GM knows that a few degrees above cellar temp in the dining room is the perfect antidote to beat the heat. But we’re willing to give in on one thing – it’s never too early to plan ahead for a successful fall season.

So we talked with owners, manager and consultants around the country to see what technology and equipment they’re recommending and embracing to boost profitability and streamline their business operations.

Natalie Freihon, founder of Strange Bird Hospitality, knows that there’s no such thing as a business operation without the funding to open your doors in the first place.

As the vision behind such popular spots in NYC as The Orchard Townhouse, Nat’s On Bank, Nat’s on Bleecker and soon Nat’s Mountain House Freihon has managed to run her business without outside investors, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t need liquidity and we all know how tough that can be to come by in the bar and res-

taurant business. So she’s partnered with In Kind, a new app that provides up front funding and marketing for bar and restaurant owners and engages with guests to create house accounts.

According to Freihon, It was built to be a funding tool for smaller groups that have a hard time getting funding. In Kind doesn’t have the same requirements as a bank would, so funding comes through faster and with fewer hoops to jump through. The benefit of working with In Kind as she notes is, “It’s great to get your name out there and develop a regular clientele.

Guests pay up front which encourages them to come more frequently. They can also use the house account for the hospitality group at any of the restaurants they own. So, it also encourages them to try other restaurants in our group. That has been the most successful part for us for sure. For guests there are discounts, promotions and having that cool thing of just paying on your app and not having to wait for a check.”

Benefits all around, but, as Freihon notes, it’s not free money. She ex-

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plains, “There is a cost, so you have to really understand the full KPI. If it gets more people in the door more frequently and at more of your restaurants that certainly gets more butts in seats. But if you don’t work to build the network with them you just have a cost and no benefit.”

The cost of losing time making drinks can run into the millions over time. That’s just one of the reasons Don and William Ray, twin entrepreneurs who are former bartenders themselves created Craft Standard, a kegged cocktail solution for high volume bars and venues. William explains the impetus for their patented product was enabling college-town bars to keep up with demand while remaining profitable “We’re here in Arkansas in a college town and the bars are quite large.

We realized that it just took too long to make a real handcrafted cocktail. So, we started experimenting and looking at how homebrew guys were doing things and the vessel they used. The Cornelius keg worked, but it created another problem – handcrafting these kegs in batches meant we still couldn’t keep up. So we wondered if there was a way to commercialize it.”

He continues, “We needed to figure out how to develop a product that was simple, where a bartender didn’t have to clean anything or make a change in their bar, and we came up with plastic one use kegs. Then we began tinkering with different ways of opening up the valves so we could put the mix in the keg and the customer could put their alcohol and any modifiers in.”

Craft standard was born

Francine Cohen is an awardwinning journalist covering the business of the f&b/hospitality industry, and a proud native Washingtonian (DC). In addition to her work as a journalist she keeps busy fundraising for Citymeals on Wheels, Les Dames d’Escoffier, NY Women’s Culinary Alliance, and the USBG Foundation and serves as chief storyteller and brand steward for clients in the food and beverage sector by providing them with strategic marketing and business growth guidance. She has never met a cheese or beverage she does not like, and lives with her husband in New York; leaving him behind to visit New Orleans every summer.

(Except 2020-21. Darn pandemic.) You can reach her at francinecohen@mindspring.com

when the patented Spiker was created; it uses gravity to add spirits, juices and other modifiers to the mix in the keg, giving bars the ability to make their drink special.

Drinks that guests can count on getting fast are important in a highvolume bar setting. That they’re a specialty of the house is a bonus for the bar that keeps them coming back for more. And that creativity is built in as Don Ray explains, “As bar owners we’ve all bought Margarita mix or sour mix from others with Craft Standard they can manipulate the mix – if they wanted to add more lime juice to our margarita mix, they could. They could infuse it with some sort of flavor profile. We’ve created a way for them to batch, it’s just different than before.

But the customer still gets the same drink every time. They get it fast, and the control is there for the bar.

At large venues where Craft Standard is served cocktail revenue has gone up without cannibalizing beer and wine sales. One venue put in over 20 taps and when they pulled year over year data realized that more than 15,000 cocktails were sold with the new draft system. When you partner

continued on page 48

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August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 47

FRANCINE COHEN

SIPS TO SAVOR

from page 46 new equipment like Craft Standard with existing taps that’s the kind of impact speed and consistency can do for bars large and small.

Small coffee shops in New York City are embracing CupZero, an environmentally friendly program that helps build repeat business while offering a cost savings to store owners. Like with all coffee shops your beverage of choice can be enjoyed in-house or on the go, but here your cup is returned by the customer and sent off for sanitizing. Think of it as a dishwashing station, off-site.

Business owners are thrilled by the fact that CupZero undertakes all the marketing and social media necessary to introduce the program and app to its customers. And there’s a feel good along with the cost savings as Cofounder Zsolt Bendel shares, “By joining the program coffee shops become part of a growing network of shops that offer a sustainable solution to

continued on page 91

We wanted to call this month’s sidebar something old and something new. But then we realized it really was more like yes, you can teach an old dog some new tricks! We’re pouring a legacy brand’s newest expression (Mateus Dry Rosé 2021) and a new vodka from America’s oldest cordial producer Charles Jacquin et Cie., Inc. (Union Forge Vodka).

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Mateus Dry Rosé 2021 Even if you’ve already got a couple of rosé wines on your list, you’ll want to add this one. Just imagine its beautiful bottle gracing every table in your restaurant. Rest assured, its beautiful bottle is matched by its taste. 80 years of production in Portugal is time enough to get winemaking right, and this bottle proves it once again. The 2021 Mateus Dry Rosé is the third vintage released in the United States and features Portugal’s traditional red grape varietals Baga and Touriga Nacional among others. The wine offers notes of raspberry, red cherry and strawberry balanced by refreshing acidity and a perfectly balanced lingering finish.

Union Forge Vodka From the oldest continually operating distillery in the state, in the hands of the third generation to take the helm of Charles Jacquin et Cie, comes Union Forge Vodka. Made

of Pennsylvania Rye from McKean County and pure spring water found at the Jacquin’s historic distillery Union Forge Vodka offers something new to consumers with its clean, crisp profile and a subtle spice on the finish. This new vodka John Cooper created represents the spirit and resilience that has guided the company for generations and provides new generations of vodka drinkers an opportunity to make their own mark at the bar.

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 49

LEGAL INSIDER

FROM ELLENOFF GROSSMAN & SCHOLE LLP

NEW YORK STATE LAUNCHES NEW HOTLINE FOR COMPLAINTS OF WORKPLACE SEXUAL HARASSMENT

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n July 19, 2022, New York Governor Hochul announced the launch of a state-wide, toll-free, confidential hotline for complaints of workplace sexual harassment.

The hotline was implemented pursuant to an amendment earlier this year of the New York State Human Rights Law, N.Y. Exec. Law § 296, requiring its establishment. New York employees may now call 1-800-4272773 (1-800-HARASS-3) to receive free legal counseling regarding any complaint of workplace sexual harassment or to submit a complaint to the New York State Division of Human Rights (NYSDHR) regarding such harassment. Employees who call the hotline will speak with a pro bono attorney for the NYSDHR. The NYSDHR will provide the caller with information about how to file a sexual harassment complaint with the agency and, if the caller is interested, connect them with an attorney.

Restaurant employers need to take action now to protect their employees from sexual harassment and their businesses from costly lawsuits. Many factors unique to the restaurant industry contribute to increased exposure to such lawsuits including late night operations, a fast-paced work environment and consumption of alcohol by customers. In light of this legal development, which can be expected to lead to increased complaints of sexual harassment, it is more important than ever for employers in New York State to review and reinforce their

efforts at preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. Employers should consult with experienced labor and employment counsel and discuss a proactive strategy to avoid workplace sexual harassment claims.

A few key steps for New York employers to take immediately: • Ensure your workforce has received or is scheduled to receive sexual harassment prevention training as required annually by law for all employees, contractors and interns under both New York State and New York City law.

Online training is available on the

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New York State Division of Human Rights website https://www.ny.gov/ programs/combating-sexual-harassment-workplace and, for those operating in New York City, on the New York City Commission of Human Rights website: https://www1. nyc.gov/site/cchr/media/sexualharassment-campaign.page.

Be sure to keep records of when and where employees attend such training each year. In-person training is often the most effective training and should be discussed with your employment counsel.

• Make sure your Sexual Harassment prevention policy is compli-

Jennifer M. Schmalz is a Partner at Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP in New York City in the in the Labor & Employment practice group. She counsels employers in all facets of labor, employment and employee benefits law, with broad experience in preventing and resolving workplace disputes, compliance with the variety of laws governing the workplace, and the labor and employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions. Ms. Schmalz has successfully litigated matters involving employment discrimination, Title III of the ADA, wrongful termination, violations of restrictive covenants, breach of contract and wage and hour violations. She works with clients in a wide variety of industries including hospitality, real estate, transportation, retail, financial services, health care, manufacturing, technology and not-for-profit corporations. Jennifer M. Schmalz can be reached at jschmalz@egsllp.com or via phone at 212-370-1300.

ant with federal, state and local law. Include a complaint form for employees who choose to submit a claim in writing (written complaints are not required but encouraged).

Model policies and a model complaint form are also available on the NYSDHR website in many languages since the policy must be provided to employees in their primary language.

• Make sure managers and supervisors understand the importance of reporting all complaints immediately to the person responsible for Human Resources matters for your restaurant. A thorough and prompt investigation must be done as required under the law. Require managers and supervisors to acknowledge their role in enforcing policies prohibiting harassment and setting the example in the workplace.

• Be sure to post all notices re-

continued on page 110

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 51

PLANT BASED NEWS + TRENDS

WITH CHERRY DUMAUAL

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE 10TH ® ANNUAL MENUS OF CHANGE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT With Greatest Impact on the Foodservice Industry

T

he Menus of Change® Leadership Summit is a widely anticipated annual event for both the foodservice industry and culinary professionals. Since its launch in 2012, the joint initiative between The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has provided the foodservice industry timely and indispensable information for offering healthy, sustainable, delicious food choices, and an ongoing series of tools and guidelines for foodservice

professionals.

For the last three years, the CIA, Food for Climate League, and the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative have commissioned a nationwide survey of 1,500 Americans, facilitated by research firm, Datassential, to probe consumer beliefs, attitudes, and aspirations that underlie the plant-forward trend. The survey highlights are announced at the Menus of Change summit at the CIA’s campus in Hyde Park, NY. Since the Menus of Change initiative has sparked such significant interest within the foodservice industry, we reached out to Allison Righter, MSPH, RDN, director of health and sustainability programs for the Strategic Initiatives Group at the CIA.

Allison Righter, MSPH, RDN is director of health and sustainability programs for the strategic initiatives group at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA). She oversees a portfolio of conferences, collaboratives, and other thought-leadership initiatives advancing health and sustainability efforts across the foodservice and healthcare sectors.

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We asked Ms. Righter questions that will give Total Food Service readers a better understanding and appreciation of the positive impact of Menus of Change across foodservice.

1. What is the overall goal of the Menus of Change initiative?

Menus of Change aims to spark new insights and innovative solutions within the foodservice industry to address our most pressing public health and environmental challenges — obesity and chronic illness, and sustainability and climate change. At the core of Menus of Change are 24 principles of healthy, sustainable menus which provide chefs and foodservice leaders guidance for creating recipes and menus that are nutritious, environmentally

Cherry Dumaual is the Partnerships Director, The Monday Campaigns / Meatless Monday. She oversees PR and partnership development for the initiatives of The Monday Campaigns (TMC), including Meatless Monday. She has forged partnerships with leading organizations, such as C-CAP (Careers for Culinary Arts Program), the American Institute of Cancer Research, and New Jersey Healthy Kids Initiative, Prior to joining TMC, Cherry served as svp for leading PR agencies and worked with major food and healthcare clients. Passionate about learning and cooking international cuisines, Cherry has traveled to more than 50 countries where she and her husband explored local food markets and restaurants. She earned her communications degree cum laude at Hunter College, CUNY.

sustainable, socially responsible, and — most importantly, delicious.

The annual summit and related educational resources support foodservice operators’ ambitions to effect change in food purchasing, menu development, training programs, and within the larger food system.

2. Why and how did it get started?

Who attends the initiative?

For over 20 years, the CIA and Harvard Chan School have been working together to translate nutrition science into actionable strategies for shifting people’s diets and improving public health. As scientific evidence began mounting on the link between diets and personal and planetary health, our team identified an opportunity to educate the foodservice sector and empower the next generation of culinary and business leaders to effect change in their communities.

The first leadership summit took place in 2013, in Boston, at which

continued on page 98

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 53

NEWS

MENU STRATEGIES

NEUMAN’S NEW BOOK TAKES RESTAURATEURS INSIDE THE SECRETS OF EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

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or the restaurant and B&I foodservice chef extra virgin olive oil is a kitchen pantry staple known for its health benefits, versatility, and the rich flavor that is associated with it.

Unknowingly, they may be purchasing extra virgin olive oil with defects, that has spoiled, or even worse, that should be used for soap.

Soap? What? In his book “Extra Virgin Olive Oil: The Truth In Your Kitchen”, David Neuman hopes to educate the consumer on what quality extra virgin olive oil should taste like so they can enjoy a higher standard of culinary experience and not be fooled by mislabeled brands.

David Neuman’s 35-year career has taken him on a journey throughout North America.

After working in Washington, DC throughout the 80’s and 90’s for Sutton Place Gourmet & Whole Foods Markets, he moved on to Natures Path Organic Cereals in Vancouver, Canada as Executive Vice President of marketing and global sales for

the next ten years. His experience in natural and specialty foods led him to take a position as president of Lucini Italia Olive Oil Company in Miami in 2006, and this is when he first became interested in quality olive oil. However, for the first five years of his career at Lucini, he had limited experience in the world of olive oil. “From 2006 to 2011 as I am president of Lucini, my direction from the founders was “don’t worry about the olive oil, worry about the business”. At the same time, I was responsible for our supply side in Italy,” said Neuman.

By 2011, Neuman realized that he needed to learn more to successfully grow the Lucini Italia Olive Oil brand. He decided to attend ONAOO (Organizzazione Nazionale Assaggiatori Olio di Oliva), an international accredited Olive Oil Tasting school in Italy (the oldest) that has trained over 15,000 olive oil tasters. By 2018, he graduated as a professional panel taster and must keep his accreditation each year

David Neuman

by returning to Italy for a refresher where he samples olive oil from around the northern hemisphere.

He is required to taste the cultivar and the intensity of its attributes as

Seasonal Recipes Solutions & Services Industry Articles VIEW ISSUE HERE

54 • August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

well as defective oils, their intensities and causation of the defects. “If you can believe it, I ran a big olive oil company for five years and did not know what attributes and de-

“If you can believe it, I ran a big olive oil company for five years and did not know what attributes and defects were.” — David Neuman fects were”, he continued.

Neuman’s on-going commitment to education has enabled him to develop an Expert Taster’s level of understanding of what makes great Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Attributes refer to fruitiness, bitterness, and pungency of varying degrees and according to the USDA law, can only be validated by a human tasting panel in order to be labeled as extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin cannot contain a single defect, under 2.5 defect is considered virgin, above 2.5 is considered Lampante (lamp oil translated) and is used for soap.

Defects can be caused by improper handling of the olive oil, HALT (Heat, Air, Light, Time), or grubby, caused by the olive fly that will burrow into the olive and create a particular taste and aroma rendering the oil defective.

So how do the attributes and defects of olive oil effect the US chef and foodservice professional? According to Neuman, “most of these bottlers do not think the American consumer cares about defects so they put defective oil in a bottle and call it extra virgin”. The USDA standard is voluntary, so it is up to producers to properly bottle and label the oil. The end result is the majority of olive oil that is sold in America is maliciously bottled defective or was at one-point extra virgin and has been handled improperly during transportation and has now become rancid. With California only producing 5% of our domestic need, we will always need to import olive oil with Spain, Greece, and Italy being the top three exporters.

The foodservice chef has a tougher issue than the consumer.

The variety of bulk quantity extra virgin olive oil for purchase is limited. Chefs are trained when it comes to produce, meat, and seafood purchases but do not have sensory training to determine the quality of the olive oil they are purchasing and could unknowingly be ripping off their customers. “I’ve gone to Michelin Star restaurants where they serve completely rotted Lampante olive oil with $100 euro dinners”, said Neuman. When he has approached food service groups and asked who does their in-house evaluation, they almost always have a purchasing agent or chef in charge of orders. Neuman says that “When I taste the oils that they buy and sell, they are almost always bad.”

With 20 years managing big brands, 3 years as a consultant, and owning his own tasting business and brand, Neuman believes his book can change all of this. “My book, which is very easy to read, solves the problems for the trade and solves the problems for consumers. The book will help anyone in the trade, not just consumers, understand the depth of the problem because unless you learn how to smell and taste olive oil you will always be taken advantage of,” Neuman concluded.

Neuman’s book, Extra Virgin Olive Oil- The Truth In Your Kitchen”, is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble among others, and sold wholesale by the case to the trade at his web site: www.evooguy.com. This is a must read for the professional chef and restaurateur.

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 55

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Get a FREE sample and recipe ideas at www.simplotfoods.com August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 57

EYE

FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE

NATION’S K-12/SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE DIRECTORS MEET IN ORLANDO

F

rom school lunches to nourishment standards, the School Nutrition Association (SNA) helps to offer industry professionals the best guides for the most efficient practices. The centerpiece of that initiative is the recent Annual National Conference (ANC), which was held in Orlando last month.

The SNA has a goal of advancing the quality of school meal programs which is accomplished by taking initiative and advocating for support programs, coordinating with the USDA, and educating communities.

The annual ANC held in Orlando, FL, enabled everybody, from school nutritional professionals to vendors, to congregate and share their experiences about the world of feeding students. Diane Pratt-Heavner, director of media relations for the SNA mentioned that “trying to connect members with solutions and networks,” is another feature of the event that she hopes conference-attendees have taken away.

This was the first in-person annual conference since July 2019, since the pandemic did not allow for mass gatherings. Covid life for the school nutritional industry was one filled with essential workers, as they were responsible for feeding not just students but entire communities. “The whole country saw how nutrition professionals went to work so that kids and their families could continue to be fed,” Pratt-Heavner said.

“Drop off points where families depended on meals,” were also crucial to the survival of so many from 2020 to 2022.

Before the pandemic, families eligible for the national school lunch

During ANC 2022’s Closing Session, SNA welcomed Lori Adkins, MS, SNS, CHE, as president for the 2022/23 School Year.

SNA President Beth Wallace recognizes SNA’s national Industry Member of the Year, Frank Massabni, Cool Tropics; National Director of the Year, Robert Rolfe, Henderson County Public Schools, NC; National Manager of the Year, Sharon Owensby, SNS, Lee’s Summit High School, MO; and National Employee of the Year, Stephanie Sheley, Holmen High School, WI.

More than 5,000 school nutrition professionals from across the country participated in School Nutrition Association’s (SNA) Annual National Conference (ANC), July 10-12 in Orlando, FL.

program for free or reduced priced meals had to apply for the program based on their income. In March of 2020, the USDA waived that application so that schools could serve all students regardless of if they were eligible or not. That program was extended until the end of June ‘22, when President Biden signed the Keep Kids Fed Act of 2022.

SNA’s lobbying efforts pushed the release of The Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act, the much-anticipated Child Nutrition Reauthoriza-

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ANC attendees sampled low-sodium entrees and whole grain foods; previewed equipment to improve labor efficiency and software to help eligible families apply for free and reduced-price meals; and showcase marketing materials to promote healthy school meals.

tion (CNR) bill from the House Committee on Education and Labor. The bill, which includes long-term solutions and critical support for school meal programs and students.

In Orlando, the SNA advocated for key provisions in the bill, including strengthening the Community Eligibility Provision and Direct Certification to increase student access to free school meals (for SY 2022/23, eligible families must apply for free and reduced-price meals). Additionally, the bill raises the federal reim-

bursement rate for school lunch and provides commodities for school breakfast to help school nutrition programs manage increased costs and persistent financial challenges. SNA urges Congress to preserve these critical provisions and reconsider the bill’s mandate to establish additional school nutrition rules, which SNA has cautioned could be unachievable and result in fewer students eating healthy school meals.

continued on page 68

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SNA ANC 2022

from page 66

“As rising grocery prices leave families nationwide struggling to put food on the table, the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act takes critical steps to expand access to free, healthy school meals,” said SNA President Lori Adkins, MS, SNS, CHE. “Costs are rising for school meal programs as well, and this legislation acknowledges the need to increase funding for these programs, which support student success in and out of the classroom.”

Issues like supply chain shortages and the quality of school meals, along with solutions from professionals were all on the table at the Orlando conference. The SNA and other organizations have worked hard in recent years to improve the quality of school menus and nutritional content. This brings the seemingly everlasting issue of kids complaining about school lunches one step closer to being alleviated.

Pratt-Heavner noted that research has shown that kids are eating their healthiest meals at school, a fact that encourages SNA workers to continue towards advancing the quality of school meals.

With that new culinary focus, there were a number of exciting events to enhance professionals’ learning experiences, including culinary skill labs, culinary demonstrations, education sessions, and the largest exhibit hall in the industry.

Some impressive keynote speakers included Duncan Wardle, former head of innovation and creativity at Disney, and Shayla Rivera, aerospace engineer and former NASA rocket scientist. With speakers like Wardle and Rivera, the comparison could be made that designing school lunches may be just as tough as rocket science and requires a little bit of magic to put it all together.

The SNA has also issued its “Staying Afloat in a Perfect Storm” report that details insights from a series of listening sessions with 274 school meal program operators, K-12 industry representatives and State Agency officials. The sessions were hosted in May 2022 by the School Nutrition

More than 100 education sessions offered strategies for minimizing product shortages, improving staff recruitment and retention, accommodating food allergies and special diets, and addressing unpaid meal debt; and menu solutions such as incorporating spices to boost flavor, reduce sodium and expand cultural diversity in school meals.

General Session Speakers including Duncan Wardle, Former Head of Innovation & Creativity at Disney.

ANC featured the largest Exhibit Hall in the school nutrition industry with exhibits from more than 300 companies, partner organizations and US Department of Agriculture divisions.

Culinary skills labs offered tips on preparing, cooking, serving and garnishing school meals for maximum student appeal.

Association (SNA) and School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) with support from Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign. The report is a follow up to SNA’s November 2021 Supply Chain Survey found virtually all school meal programs struggled with product shortages (98%), rising costs (97%) and labor shortages (95%). This new report confirms these issues persist as schools continue to struggle to obtain the foods, beverages, supplies and equipment they require in a timely manner, in sufficient quantities and at a contracted and budgeted price.

School nutrition professionals have responded to each new challenge with determination and out-ofthe-box thinking. With that in mind,

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among the solutions discussed in Orlando and in the recent report are numerous strategies utilized to manage supply chain and labor challenges. These menu solutions include: the streamlining of menus to reduce inventory and order more versatile products that can be used in different recipes/menu options. Increasing purchases from local producers and swap canned/cupped fruit with more readily available fresh, whole fruit options. Maintaining a supply of shelf-stable milk and freeze menu items to serve in case of delayed/ cancelled deliveries. The report also suggested cutting pizza boxes and clamshell containers in half to use when lunch trays are unavailable.

The School Nutrition Association

(SNA) is a national, non-profit professional organization representing 50,000 school nutrition professionals across the country. Founded in 1946, SNA and its members are dedicated to making healthy school meals and nutrition education available to all students.

For more information about ANC, visit www.schoolnutrition.org/anc.

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 61

MEDITERRANEAN MENU TRENDS

WITH CHEF MARIA LOI

PDO AND PGI: THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTED PRODUCTS

H

ard to believe, but it’s already August! I spent the entire month of July in my homeland of Greece, where I was hard at work creating and sourcing the best new products for my CPG lines and for Loi Estiatorio. I visited the farms, the fields, and the factories, and saw the entirety of the production process for many products – PDO (Protected Designation of Origin), PGI (Protected Geographical Indication), and otherwise.

on the salad is a white cheese, it is definitely not feta…

As someone who knows what real Greek Feta is, you’re disappointed, and perhaps even a bit mad at the misrepresentation by the establishment.

However, what about the uninformed consumer? Now they think that they know what Greek Feta is, when in fact, the cheese they tasted may have come from Bulgaria, Denmark, or Wisconsin even! And worse than that? It doesn’t taste at all like real Greek Feta, so now they know even less than they did before!

Why do PDO and PGI certifications matter?

Since PDO and PGI certifications reThe Feat of Feta spectively have much (or everything) Feta cheese was registered as a PDO to do with the specific place where product in 2002 through the European they are made, the products themCommission, fully supported by over selves are representative of their re6,000 years of history, including menspective country/geography of origin tions in Homer’s Odyssey! Nevertheon the world’s stage.

It is important to note that other countries outside the European Union (EU) are allowed to register PDO and PGI products with the EU, as the certifications and logos are recognized world-wide.

In this current global economy, with chefs and consumers looking to create authentic culinary experiences reflective of specific cuisines, PDO and PGI products are essential components.

Imagine going to a nice restaurant, perhaps one that specializes in Mediterranean cuisine. There are some Italian dishes on the menu, some Greek dishes, and some Spanish dishes…you order a salad, which includes Feta cheese, and upon arrival at the table, you can immediately unFeta cheese from Greece derstand that while the substance 62 • August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

less, there have been many imposter cheeses over the years, most recently out of Denmark.

Over three years ago, the European Commission brought a case against Denmark to the Court of Justice of the European Union (EU), on behalf of both Greece and Cyprus, stating that Denmark violated European law by allowing Danish companies to sell cheese called “feta” outside of the EU. Finally, in July 2022, the European Court officially announced that the term “feta” can only be used for cheese made in Greece according to strict guidelines, as it is a PDO product.

Denmark admitted that their cheeses were labeled as “feta,” but argued that selling the products to countries outside of the EU did not violate the law, as it did not mention exports. The EU’s highest court did not support their argument, and found that exports are also included in PDO laws.

This was a major victory for Feta producers all over Greece, including Epiros Dairy, who produce one of the best Feta cheeses in the region of Epiros, and export their products all over the world.

What exactly are PDO and PGI certifications?

Let’s start with PDO and what it means – according to the European Commission, product names registered as PDO are those that have the strongest links to the place in which they are made.

• Products: food, agricultural products and wines.

• Specifications: Every part of the production, processing and preparation process must take

Chef Maria Loi is an Entrepreneur, Greek Food Ambassador and Healthy Lifestyle Guru.

The author of more than 36 cookbooks, she is also the host of The Life of Loi, debuted on PBS in 2021, which aims to build an inspirational and educational movement around the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle. Her Loi Food Products, a specialty brand built on traditional ingredients from Greece, includes pastas, beans, botanical herbs, refrigerated dips, honey and olive oil sold on QVC, at Whole Foods Markets and in other stores. The namesake of Loi Estiatorio in the heart of Manhattan, she also has the Loi Specialty Shop at The Plaza Hotel (open through January 2023) Connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on Instagram and Facebook, and learn more about her food philosophy at loiestiatorio.com/ chef-loi/.

place in the specific region. For wines, this means that the grapes have to come exclusively from the geographical area where the wine is made.

• Label: mandatory for food and agricultural products, optional for wine.

• Example: Kalamata olive oil PDO is entirely produced in the region of Kalamata in Greece, using olive varieties from that area.

On the other hand, according to the European Commission, the PGI certification emphasizes the relationship between the specific geographic region and the name of the product, where a particular quality, reputation or other characteristic is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.

• Products: food, agricultural products and wines.

• Specifications: For most products, at least one of the stages of production, processing or preparation takes place in the region. In the case of wine, this means that at least 85% of the

continued on page 64

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 63

MARIA LOI

from page 62

Potato fields on Naxos, a Greek island in the Southe Aegean Sea

grapes used have to come exclusively from the geographical area where the wine is actually made.

• Label: mandatory for food, agricultural products, optional for wines.

• Example: Giant elephant beans from Prespes, Florina called Fasolia Gigantes Elefantes Prespon Florinas P.G.I are produced by Pelekanos, a bean farmers cooperative from Prespes National Park. These beans are distinguished for their special flavor characteristics, being cultivated in the fertile soils and microclimate of the region Florina.

grown and how they were cultivated.

During my time in Greece last month, I visited the 3Alfa premises, who are the number one beans, rice, and pulse company in Greece. I hadn’t seen Ms. Olga Kourea, 3Alfa’s Director of Marketing, in over fifteen years, since we had worked on a philanthropic endeavor to help the homeless through the Municipality of Athens.

Ms Kourea and I spoke about how no one used to care about where the beans came from specifically, because we knew that they were good – it was obvious to everyone, so no one thought about it. She then told me how nowadays, transparency and traceability are highly valued by consumers (in both retail and wholesale),

The Beauty of the Bean While beans grow all over the world, Greece’s unique soil profile and variety of microclimates has created the perfect storm for incredible PGI beans, in particular in the area of Prespes in northern Greece. The Prespa PGI Giant Elephant Beans and the Prespa Florina PGI Megasperma Beans are both known for their thin skins, creamy texture when cooked, and delightful chestnut-like flavor, thanks to where they were 3Alfa Elephant Giant Beans from Prespes 64 • August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

and people want to know where their food comes from.

I was so impressed by how advanced 3Alfa’s business has become – they are able to trace their product from seed to bag – they know from what field, which farmers, and which harvest each bean comes from – amazing!

Product Appreciation as a Kid Growing up, it wasn’t about labels or certifications – it was about agricultural pride. During my father’s travels for work, he would often come

Krokos Kozanis PDO - Greek Saffron

home with different treats for the family – sometimes beans from Northern Greece, other times these unbelievable apples from Zagora, and sometimes he would bring us the most incredible Krokos Kozanis – Greek saffron – which my grandmother taught me how to cook with. My father always made sure that we had Mastiha (mastic resin) from Xios at home, because it was a wonderful homeopathic remedy for almost all digestive issues, which he learned from his father – my Papou (grandfather in Greek).

I remember on a special trip with my father when I first encountered potatoes from Naxos – he went on and on about them, talking about this small island and all of the amazing food they produce. I must have been 8 or 9 years old, and food was already so important to me – but I couldn’t comprehend how those potatoes could be any different from the ones we grew at home…until I tasted them.

It’s not that you could put your finger on a particular quality they had that made them so much better than our homegrown potatoes – it was the overall experience when you ate them.

They were that much creamier, that much smoother, their flavor was almost concentrated and heightened…. the proof was in the potato.

Product Appreciation Today Nowadays, I know that all of those products my father introduced us to were indeed special – because of where they were grown, how they were harvested, or how they were made – as all of them now have PDO or PGI status. But, at the time, I just knew that they were good and I liked them….

With all of the obstacles we face in the culinary industry related to rising costs, shrinking quantities, shipping delays, and supply chain issues, it’s easy to think about making the choice to swap out your PDO and/or PGI products for something that’s easier to source.

But remember, these products are certified for a reason – there is a special, unique quality to each and every one for which there is no substitute.

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 65

NEWS

RESTAURANT OPERATIONS

PIZZA SHOP PROFITS: FOCUS ON FRIED FOOD

A

t times, fried food can seem like a menu filler for pizza shops. All the buzz is based around the pies and rarely, if at all, are fried items getting their time in the spotlight. Now, we can totally understand why the main menu option that owners and operators want to highlight would be their pizza. It is the heart of the business. The pairing of dough, sauce and cheese is revered across the world! But they’d be crazy not to capitalize on the flavor and profit potential that freshly fried foods can being to the table.

For starters, some things are just meant to be together. Like Mario & Luigi, or Thelma & Louise, pizza & wings are two of those things. A classic combination craved by many on a Friday or Saturday night. Nothing like a cheesy peperoni pizza and

pile of buffalo wings to celebrate the weekend! This is a great opportunity to run promotions and increase foot traffic and delivery orders.

But it doesn’t stop at chicken wings. French fries, onion rings, jalapeno poppers are just some of the deep-fried add-ons that can lead to a rise in earnings. The important thing to remember is that your customers can only order these menu items if they know they exist. So, make sure to get the word out and promote these crispy choices as much as possible. We’re talking Instagram, Facebook, and even TikTok. Utilize all the social media outlets!

Now, just because fried foods can make delicious appetizers or sides doesn’t mean they can’t be part of the main dish. Combine crunchy, breaded, boneless chicken, Buffalo sauce, mozzarella cheese and blue

cheese dressing to create a Buffalo Chicken Pizza. Or load up a crust with French fries, bacon bits, cheddar cheese, chives, and sour cream for a Loaded Baked Potato Pizza.

You are only limited by your own imagination!

If you’ve never served fried food before it is understandable that you may feel a bit apprehensive. But, with the right equipment, you can leave the worry behind and easily dive into the world of deep-frying.

Automatic, ventless deep fryers like

AutoFry make getting started easy and safe. AutoFry does the hard work for you, even shaking the internal basket(s) like an actual fry cook. Not to mention our entire line is fully enclosed, protecting employees from the dangers they would encounter with an open fryer. Reach out today to learn more about how your business can benefit from the power and precision AutoFry brings to the table.

Head to www.mtiproducts.com today to learn more!

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Article by The Chefs’ Warehouse

CHEFS’ HIGHLIGHTS

CHEF AARON CUSCHIERI THE DEARBORN, CHICAGO, IL

A

aron Cuschieri worked under a number of the country’s most acclaimed chefs over the last decade before joining The Dearborn to launch his vision for the urban American tavern with owners Clodagh and Amy Lawless.

A Detroit native, Aaron attended culinary school at the Art Institute of Michigan and began cooking at Assaggi Bistro in Ferndale, Michigan, where he rose from sous chef to executive chef within a year. He then staged and was hired at Chicago’s acclaimed Alinea.

Aaron soon was tapped by Chef Takashi Yagihashi to be chef de cuisine at Takashi restaurant, which led him to the executive chef position at Yagihashi’s second restaurant, Slurping Turtle. In 2015, Aaron began running the kitchen at Kinmont, where, under the tutelage of Chef Jared Van Camp, he channeled the restaurant’s sustainable “Field & Stream” ethos into eclectic menu items like the fish-focused charcuterie board.

At The Dearborn, Aaron draws from the agricultural bounty of his native Midwest in a kitchen of his own creativity, merging his fine-dining experience with a genuine, unpretentious appreciation for food.

One of Zagat’s “30 Under 30” (2013) and Eater “Young Guns” (2012), Aaron appeared on Season 11 of Bravo’s popular “Top Chef” series (2013, New Orleans) and bested Bobby Flay on the Food Network’s “Beat Bobby Flay” (2019).

What inspired you to become a chef?

I am the Executive Chef of The Dearborn in downtown Chicago’s Theatre District. We serve upscale nuanced

American cuisine with seasonal focus and worldly inspiration. I’ve always loved cooking. I remember being a young kid, and I always wanted to cook and bake with my mom in the kitchen.

I love pots and pans, and we always have fresh raspberries and blueberries in the backyard. I got inspired to become a chef in my early 20’s. I got into a leadership role in the QSR scene when I was 18. I always knew I loved food and cooking and found success in leadership at a young age. I began working in kitchens, and I fell in love with the fast-paced environment and thrill of the dinner rush. Some people turn to drugs and alcohol to forget about their life problems, and I turned to a kitchen. 10-12 hours a day, nothing else mattered but cooking. There wasn’t even time to think about anything else, and in the end, you’ve realized you’ve surrounded yourself with other people who feel the same way.

The kitchen is like a family of misfits, artists, and weirdos, and for the first time in my life, I felt like I fit right in.

On top of that, I knew I would never be rich or wealthy, and the only way I was going to get to enjoy the greatest food in the world was to become someone who was cooking it.

What made you choose the Chefs’ Warehouse as your foodservice distributor?

I think the greatest thing about the Chefs’ Warehouse is their hospitality focus. I have a great relationship with my sales rep, and I actually would consider him a friend (shout out to my man, Paul!!). They understand customer service, and the whole team at the Chefs’ Warehouse understands what we as chefs go through.

The Chefs’ Warehouse cares about

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their customers and wants to work to make things perfect for them. Their wide range of products, incredible customer service, trucks, and flexibility make them a great asset to our restaurant. I am happy to have them as an intricate part of our business because I know they will do anything they can to help our business succeed. One of our signature dishes at the Dearborn is our shrimp and grits. We source almost all of the ingredients of the dish from the Chefs’ Warehouse.

We use butter, grits, heavy cream, shrimp, cheddar cheese, and cajun spice from Chef’s Warehouse in the dish.

Chef Aaron Cuschieri, The Dearborn, Chicago, IL

One of the Dearborn’s signature dishes is their shrimp and grits

M E T I C U L O U S LY A G E D A N D H A N D - C U T B Y M A S T E R B U T C H E R S © 2021 The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Shop Online: allenbrothers.com - or - For Chefs: chefswarehouse.com

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 69

FROM THE NYC HOSPITALITY ALLIANCE

PRESENTED BY:

CELEBRATING AND REFLECTING ON TEN AMAZING YEARS

I

t’s hard to believe we’re celebrating the NYC Hospitality Alliance’s 10th Anniversary in September 2022!

What a decade it’s been. There was never a dull moment. For every significant moment— whether it was a natural disaster, political changes, or a pandemic— being New Yorkers, we fought through challenges seized opportunities.

We launched The Alliance on September 24th, 2012, with the mission to foster the growth and vitality of the industry that has made New York City the Hospitality Capital of the World. Our goal was to bring representatives of restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and partnered with industry product/service providers to collaborate and advocate for our industry.

As I reflect on the very beginning, shortly after our launch party, our city was rocked by a devastating weather event. We had barely gotten our sea legs when Superstorm Sandy walloped our area. From that moment on, we have been boots on the ground, serving our industry and supporting them through this devastation and beyond.

Because so many prominent industry figures were involved to launched The Alliance, we came out of the gate operating as if we were a long-term established organization but we were also launching a startup, you know, building the plane while you’re taking off. For example, testifying at City Hall while setting up our bookkeeping and membership database.

As soon as we opened for business, or rather, opened for advocacy, we found ourselves thrust into a role as an emergency response organization helping restaurants and bars that were literally underwater from Superstorm Sandy. We partnered with the city’s Office of Emergency Management and

While we’re still focused on advocating for support related to the pandemic, we need to also think long term into the future and focus on getting back to advocating for polices to address longstanding issues we fought for before the pandemic. other government agencies and representatives to get resources to our industry in need. We assembled volunteers from the city’s restaurant and nightlife industry who pounded the pavements of different neighborhoods hit hard and disseminated information often in waterproof bags because the businesses were underwater.

As this was happening, we were recruiting our board of directors, building our website, establishing a membership database, and creating bookkeeping systems just as you would when a new organization is formed. Members of the hospitality industry know there’s always a million fires constantly being put out and of course being pulled in different directions 24/7. So, we had that essence in our DNA, to move quickly and respond

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to the needs of the industry.

Those early needs included training and advocating, especially as it related to laws and policies. Early on, we dealt with the city’s new paid sick leave law.

We hosted education and training seminars for hundreds of restaurateurs to learn how to comply with the various and ever-changing labor laws. We hosted forums on how technology is changing the hospitality industry and continue to host them. We also ensure that the critically important conversations that hospitality operators are having in their basement while doing inventory are brought out into a forum where these conversations can happen as a collective while brainstorming solutions and then advocate together for solutions, policies, and results.

Early on, we built a reputation of de-

Andrew Rigie is the Executive Director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, a trade association formed in 2012 to foster the growth and vitality of the industry that has made New York City the Hospitality Capital of the World.

livering monumental results with the reduction of fines by tens of millions of dollars on restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. The Alliance was able to cut the red tape by streamlining permit and licensing processes so businesses could open faster. But there’s still so much more work to do. No matter how much success, there’s more to keep fighting for.

And then, March 2020 happened!

Our industry was thrown into the ring for a bout with our biggest opponent yet – a global pandemic. Just as the state and federal laws would normally affect NYC first, so did the COVID-19 virus. The challenges in its wake brought us a fight that was unprecedented. First, it was the uncertainty followed by the mixed messaging coming from all levels of government, and soon after things just moved rapidly.

The first blow was to indoor dining.

Reeling from reduced occupancy, restaurants and bars were once again hit, this time by mandatory closures. To say we were in a crisis and panic ensued does not begin to describe the true nature of what many of our peers were experiencing. More 25,000 restaurants, bars, and nightclubs throughout the five boroughs shuttered immediately.

Hundreds of thousands of workers

continued on page 102

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 71

HOSPITALITY MARKETING

WITH REV CIANCIO

WHAT YOU MISSED AT THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN FAST CASUAL AND QSR SUMMIT 2022... AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

T

he Digital Transformation In Fast Casual and QSR Summit concluded in Chicago recently. They describe it as a “2-day summit that will connect you with both emerging and nationwide restaurant leaders. Discuss, debate, identify, and utilize this ongoing change within the industry while gaining the best technological insights to adopt and implement within your organization.”

This was a small but impactful event with good content, good people and good networking. I also REALLY enjoyed the cocktail hour and smashed burger cooking contest… even if I didn’t win!

Making a reservation, placing an order, getting another drink, resolving an issue, giving you feedback … if it ain’t easy like Sunday morning, it needs revision.

Did you know that you can add a Tesla into a cart in just two clicks? You can buy almost anything on Amazon in just three actions.

Make it super easy.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

5. TIKTOK Does your Instagram engagement suck? That’s because your guests are on TikTok and if they are on Instagram, they’re consuming TikTok style

1. THE OLD MODEL IS OVER There is no going backwards. We are not returning to any state pre-pandemic or even mid pandemic. Customer expectations have changed and restaurants need to rethink, reinvent and reinvigorate their service model and menus.

4. THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY > OPERATIONS Most restaurants prioritize operations, costs, their four walls, etc. That’s all important but if it doesn’t enhance the experience or the ease of transacting with you, it’s a lower priority.

2. EXPERIENCE, EXPERIENCE, EXPERIENCE IS THE NEW LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION It doesn’t matter where you are, what you do or what you serve, if the experience isn’t an awesome you missed the mark. People aren’t buying food, they’re buying an experience.

My advice: determine if you’re a convenience brand, an experiential brand or both and then adjust everything you do to be more convenient or a better experience.

3. LISTEN TO THE COMMODORES 72 • August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

content. (Grab my ebook, TikTok for Restaurants: https://bit.ly/tiktok4r ) 6. WEB3 If you’re not already thinking about web3 for your brand, you’re already behind what your guests are interested in. Start doing your research.

7.

TECHNOLOGY IS NOT INNOVATION Technology is not innovation. Innovation is how you develop your culture and guest experience. Technology is how you execute your culture in a better, faster and more efficient way.

One of my favorite quotes from the entire event comes from Andy Hooper from &pizza, “Build by design, not by default.”

WHAT TOOLS DO YOU NEED? Here are some incredible tools that can help you with accomplishing the

David “Rev” Ciancio is a former New York City bar owner and knows exactly how hard it is to operate and brand a hospitality business.

He is now a hospitality marketing consultant, customer and technology evangelist with more than 20 years experience in B2B digital marketing and business development, specializing in hospitality marketing, content, local SEO, reputation management and influencer marketing. He helps technology companies, brands and restaurants to acquire and retain customers. Rev is known as an “expert burger taster,” pens hospitality and marketing tips on his Instagram @revciancio, as well as his LinkedIn Profile. He believes that Pizza is a religion.

above: • Bikky - guest behavior insights, segmentation and personalize email automations • Devour - NFTs for restaurants • Marqii - Listings and reputation management with a result of higher search rankings on sites like google, Yelp, Facebook, TripAdvisor, foursquare, Bing, Yahoo, Alexa, Siri, Apple Maps … and more • Ovation - frictionless guest feedback, 3rd party conversion and sms marketing • Targetable - software based, done for you digital marketing including paid ads, email, reputation management, organic social media, WiFi, local SEO and more • Spendgo - easy to implement loyalty with high redemption rates If you were at the QSR Summit, what did you take away? Thanks for reading to the bottom. You are my favorite and that’s why I take the time to write and share this kind of info ... I’m here to help you. Connect with me on Instagram or LinkedIn if you have any questions!

invites you to our

19th ANNUAL FOOD SHOW Wednesday, October 19, 2022 from 12 - 6 pm Join us at Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.

Please Pre-Register by calling: (718) 378-1122 For More Information Scan the QR Code:

MOVING FORWARD 2

0

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September 21, 2022

Scan or register at ImperialDade.com

9am-3:30pm

All businesses welcome to attend Free admission 200+ exhibitors

Product demos Refreshments

Seminars Thousands of products on display

Find new products from industry leading manufacturers Foodservice Packaging Janitorial Supplies

Restroom Supplies Chemicals

Equipment Industrial Packaging

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August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 73

SCOOP

INSIDER NEWS FROM THE FOODSERVICE + HOSPITALITY SCENE

Do you have the SCOOP on any foodservice and hospitality news? Send items to SCOOP Editor Joyce Appelman at tfs@totalfood.com

BELGIOIOSO CHEESE AWARDED FOUR MEDALS AT AMERICAN CHEESE SOCIETY CONTEST SCOOP learned that Wisconsin based BelGioioso Cheese won four prestigious medals at the American Cheese Society’s 2022 Judging & Competition ceremony on July 21st, held during the annual “Blazing the Trail for Cheese” conference in Portland, Oregon.

The contest was competitive with 1,386 entries in 120 different categories, the largest event of its kind for American-made cheeses. BelGioioso Cheesemakers took home top honors in the Burrata, Crescenza, Mascarpone and Hard Grating Cheese categories.

First-place gold medals were awarded to BelGioioso Burrata in the Burrata category, BelGioioso Crescenza-Stracchino™ in the Crescenza category and BelGioioso Crema di Mascarpone™ in the Mascarpone/Cream Cheese category. BelGioioso American Grana® received a second-place silver medal in the Grating Types category.

“Our Cheesemakers are always honored to receive awards, it reinforces their continued dedication to hand-crafting award-winning cheeses year after year,” said Gaetano Auricchio, Executive Vice President, BelGoioso Cheese. “The first-place award for Crescenza-Stracchino is extra special, it’s a little hidden treasure that’s so delicious. We hope this award attracts more attention and exposure to this premium fresh cheese.”

BelGioioso Crescenza-Stracchino™ is handcrafted in small batches, with an abundant amount of hands-on care to create a soft, spreadable cheese that offers a milky flavor and tender texture. “Chefs are starting to recognize the versatility of this cheese and are really gravitating toward its enticing flavor and soft, creamy texture for their pizzas, flatbreads and appetizers,” said Gaetano Auricchio.

“Burrata is one of our signature fresh cheeses, it has a delicate texture and a creamy, fresh flavor that people and chefs really enjoy,” said Gaetano Auricchio. “Its popularity is expanding, people who love Fresh Mozzarella are being introduced to Burrata through chefs and also friends who have tasted its quality and fresh, milky flavor.”

BelGioioso Cheese is a family-owned and operated company specializing in artisan Italian cheesemaking. Using natural ingredients and fresh, local Wisconsin milk, Master Cheesemakers hand-craft a full line of exceptional cheeses guided by a commitment to quality and a respect for tradition. At BelGioioso, every cheese is a specialty. www.belgioioso.com

ANDREW HILL JOINS PECINKA FERRI ASSOCIATES AS PROJECT ESTIMATOR SCOOP heard that Pecinka Ferri announced the addition of Estimator, Andrew Hill, a career design professional with a specialization in commercial foodservice to their growing Projects Team. Based in New Jersey, Hill has a background in design, engineering, project management and his Andrew Hill experience with foodservice equipment spans a decade. Pecinka Ferri’s clients will benefit from Hill’s engineering, confirming the proper equipment based on the application, mechanical

74 • August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

considerations, and utility specifications for their space. “Hill brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the commercial kitchen space to the team.

We are excited to have someone with such a deep understanding of the industry in his position,” said Joe Ferri.

FORMER RED ROBIN CEO DENNY MARIE POST NAMED CO-PRESIDENT OF NEXTBITE SCOOP learned that Nextbite, a leader in virtual restaurant solutions, announced that Denny Marie Post, restaurant industry leader and former CEO of Red Robin, has joined the company as co-president after serving as an advisor since September 2021.

In her new role, Denny will oversee marketDenny Marie Post ing, operations and culinary innovation for the company’s growing portfolio of delivery-only menus and provide a strategic focus on its restaurant fulfillment partners.

Denny will serve as co-President along with current President Paul Allen.

“We have sharpened our focus to make it easy for multi-unit restaurants to be successful with virtual brand offerings and Denny is the ideal executive to lead us in this next phase of growth,” said Alex Canter, CEO and co-founder of Nextbite. “Her depth of restaurant leadership experience, innovation track record and vision for the future is already proving to be invaluable as we ramp up our business.”

Denny previously served as President and CEO at Red Robin Gourmet Burgers & Brews, a 500+ unit chain of casual dining restaurants, and was the interim CEO of the Women’s Foodservice Forum, an organization dedicated to advancing women leaders in the food industry. She currently serves on multiple corporate boards.

continued on page 76

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August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 75

SCOOP

INSIDER NEWS, from page 74

Over her career in the restaurant industry, she led innovation initiatives to develop and market bestselling products for multi-unit restaurants including Pike Place Roast at Starbucks, Red’s Tavern Double and Finest Lines at Red Robin, Popcorn Chicken at KFC, and Chicken Fries at Burger King.

“Working as an advisor for Nextbite gave me a front row seat to an amazing company with a tremendous opportunity to re-imagine the restaurant industry,” said Post. “I look forward to joining the team as copresident, helping to lead its next phase of growth.”

rissey as vice president of restaurants, Todd will direct operations at Kendall’s/Bunker Hills Event Center, Tattersall Distilling River Falls, Tria, Stockyards, The Bad Waitress, Momento, and soon, Luna & Luca.

In this position, he will lead restaurant activities for the organization, ensuring quality and consistency as well as efficiency. He will develop and train teams, oversee budgets and business plans and ensure that all restaurants are operating at the highest level. Todd is a Certified Sommelier and a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

ZEROCARB LYFE LAUNCHES NEW “CHICKEN CRUST” PIZZA

NEW LAW ALLOWS SALE OF JAPANESE DRINK AT RESTAURANTS IN NEW YORK

SCOOP discovered that the ZeroCarb LYFE brand has introduced a guilt-free innovation for pizza lovers looking for a delicious grain-free, high-protein option. The new zero-carb pizza crust is carefully crafted from just four simple ingredients: chicken breast, olive oil, spices, and salt. ZeroCarb LYFE is gluten-, dairy-, and sugar-free, as well as keto-friendly. The new “chicken crust,” which boasts 37 grams of protein and zero carbohydrates, is also free of fillers, binders, nuts, soy, and wheat.

ZeroCarb LYFE pizza crust and prepared pizzas are available for purchase via zerocarblyfe.com, as well as in over 150 restaurants and select supermarkets, including Schnucks Market, with Costco and Sprouts to be added later this year.

MORRISSEY HOSPITALITY ANNOUNCES NEW EXECUTIVE SCOOP learned that Morrissey Hospitality has appointed of Todd Shepard as its new Vice President of Restaurants. This role has been newly created in response to the company’s recent growth, now overseeing management for 19 restaurants, hotels and venues across the Midwest. Todd Shepard joins the team with Todd Shepard over 18 years of experience in senior operations and food and beverage leadership positions across the country. He has extensive experience in multi-unit positions held with Sage Hospitality, Paradise Point Resort Group and Morton’s The Steakhouse. In his new role at Mor76 • August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

SCOOP learned that a new state law allows shochu, a 500-year-old Japanese alcoholic beverage that’s rising in popularity globally to become more widely available in restaurants in New York. Imported from Japan, it is commonly distilled using sweet potatoes, rice or barley and is becoming popular in highballs, martinis, the Italian cocktail Negroni and Japanese umami cocktails. Under legislation sponsored by Senator Anna Kaplan and proudly signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul, shochu may be sold under a state license that covers beer and wine.

The legislation permitting wider availability of shochu was one of several laws recently passed aimed at supporting the sale of alcohol in restaurants. The measures include a three-year extension of a law that allows greater use of side-walks for outdoor seating.

Other new laws provide exemptions for liquor manufacturers in East Hampton Town and Rochester to allow retail sales on their property.

PARMIGIANO REGGIANO CONSORTIUM REVEALS DESIGN CHALLENGE WINNERS SCOOP learned that The Parmigiano Reggiano Design Challenge 2022 competition invited the design community to imagine products at the intersection of food and design, across two categories: ‘In the Kitchen’ and ‘At the Table’. The brief required that the entries consider one or more of the following themes: biodiversity, aging, and zero waste.

The jury selected gold, silver, and bronze winners in each category at the professional designer and student levels, doling out a total of 12 awards including the Best of Show Award recipient––the Matassa Lamp

by John Jack Elliott, the Director of Graduate Studies & Associate Professor of Human-Centered Design at

Parmigiano Reggiano

Cornell University’s College of Human Ecology.

The jury evaluating the entries included some of the most influential thought-leaders in the design industry, including: Mauro Porcini, the highly respected Chief Design Officer for PepsiCo; Karim Rashid, described by Time Magazine as “The Most Famous Industrial Designer in All the Americas”; Debbie Millman, curator, and host of the podcast Design Matters; Donald Strum, president of Michael Graves Design; celebrated Italian architect and designer, Fabio Novembre; Alessia Genova, managing partner at Tihany Design; Kevin Bethune, founder of Dreams, Design and Life; and Qing Yan, the 2021 Parmigiano Reggiano Design Challenge Best of Show winner; Chef Michele Casadei Massari, the U.S. brand ambassador for Parmigiano Reggiano, and four-time James Beard Award-winning Chef Michael Nischan.

The competition was organized by Parmigiano Reggiano® in collaboration with Alessi, and with the participation of Kartell as the hosting partner for the Awards Party.

SAUCE KING NYC™ 2022 AN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS Scoop learned that Sauce King NYC™ is an international competition to determine the best barbecue sauces, hot sauces, marinades and more. A panel of expert judges from the NYC food, chef, and media community will taste each sauce, and select exclusive winners in each category who stand out for their bold flavors, excellent ingredients, and delicious taste.

continued on page 78

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SCOOP

INSIDER NEWS, from page 76

They are now accepting submissions for the 2022 competition. Registrations must be received by August 20th. Judging will take place in September, and awards will be announced the first week of October.

SECOND SIGHT DESIGN IMPLEMENTING BRAND STRATEGY, PJ’S COFFEE ANNOUNCES SIXTH CONTENT, AND DESIGN FOR ANNUAL VETERAN FRANCHISE NEW HOSPITALITY CLIENTS LICENSE GIVEAWAY

SCOOP heard that PJ’s Coffee, the New Orleansbased coffeehouse chain announced its annual Veteran Franchise License Giveaway, which was most recently awarded to a husband and wife team, Kyle and Jen McElhaney.

The franchise believes in brewing up small business opportunities for military veterans, who are looking to join the ever-growing $100 billion a year global coffee industry. PJ’s Coffee seeks hardworking, passionate applicants who align with its core values of delivering best-in-class coffee with the highest regards to service and hospitality.

“With many of our previous veteran franchisees, we’ve seen a seamless transition from military life to entrepreneurship, so we started this initiative to attract like-minded individuals to our concept, and as a way of saying ‘thank you for your service,’” said Ryan Stansbury, PJ’s Coffee Vice President of Franchise Development. “We’ve found that our veteran franchisees have an extra attention to detail and level of care when it comes to how they present themselves and our brand.”

They now own and operate two PJ’s Coffee locations within the Memphis area, with the first unit scheduled to open by the end of 2022. Kyle McElhaney attended the University of Mississippi ROTC and then served as an Army Officer, piloted an AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter, and was deployed to Jalalabad, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He then spent two years in the Mississippi National Guard where he left service at the rank of Major and was also a military recruiter for Northern Kansas before going to work for ADP, and eventually opening his own businesses.

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SCOOP heard that Second Sight Design (SSD), the design division of Eat.Drink.Sleep Hospitality (EDS), announced it has signed three new clients in California, expanding its hospitality portfolio.

SSD has been retained by San Diego restaurant group Grind and Prosper to develop branding for three original concepts: Coco Maya by Miss B’s opening Spring 2022 in Little Italy; Q and A Restaurant & Oyster Bar opening Spring 2022 in Oceanside; and Coco Cabana opening Spring 2022 in Oceanside. The scope includes brand and identity, logo, exterior signage, menu suite and uniforms.

SSD has also been retained by the new North Beach Villa in San Clemente to do branding and identity, including brand strategy and storyline, logo and illustrations. The property is scheduled to open in Fall 2022. A brand refresh is being implemented for Stones Casino in Sacramento which includes brand expression, brand storyline and architectural signage. Second Sight Design’s Art Director, Jessica Fassett, said, “Our collection of services, from web and logo design, naming, branding, to marketing collateral and packaging, wayfinding, social media management and content creation, can be utilized in total or a la carte, depending on our clients’ needs.

We are excited to bring a fresh approach to our newest clients, elevating their branding to the next level which, most importantly, drives demand for their services.”

T&S DEBUTS NEW EVERSTEEL COMPLIANCE SOLUTION SCOOP learned that T&S Brass and Bronze Works, the leading provider of commercial foodservice plumbing fixtures, recently launched EverSteel, a new line of stainless-steel products. The line features a comprehensive portfolio of solutions designed to meet all global certification requirements, and crafted from premium stainless steel. The new line comes with a five-year warranty. T&S has long been known for its innovative pre-rinse units. Once again T&S’ new EverSteel stainless steel spray valve, features a patented design with the highest cleaning power and durability of any spray valve on the market.

“Instead of focusing on just compliance, we worked hard to ensure that quality wasn’t sacrificed and are

proud that this new line reflects the heavy-duty reliability T&S is known for, at a price point that’s still affordable,” said Liz Hofius, T&S product marketing manager. “We’re excited about this new, sleek, easyto-clean finish. EverSteel is in a class by itself.”

EverSteel options are available in several product categories, including manual faucets, pre-rinse units, spray valves, glass fillers and accessories. In North America, EverSteel meets the following compliance/certifications: ASME A112.18.1 / CSA B125.1, NSF 61, and NSF 372.

LEADING RESTAURANT AND NIGHTLIFE GROUP DRG APPOINTS NEW VP OF CULINARY SCOOP heard that the Miami based Disruptive Restaurant Group (DRG), the elevated dining group from Sam Nazarian’s sbe, announced the appointment of Francisco Troncoso as Vice President of Culinary.

Following a widely successful year expanding the brand’s chef-led Francisco Troncoso partnerships, Chef Francisco’s new role and responsibilities will include overseeing all culinary operations within DRG, including cultivating a community-like experience, where he will cohesively gather celebrated chefs and curate a system where they can collaborate and innovate together all under the sbe umbrella.

continued on page 85

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 79

NEWS

By Zac Kitay

BEVERAGE DISPENSING STRATEGIES

HORNE LED EVANESCE DELIVERS SUSTAINABLE LINE OF STRAWS AND PACKAGING

A

s with so many visionary entrepreneurs, Doug Horne saw a problem and was determined to solve it. Horne had previously worked in politics and fought to promote earthfriendly values; after starting his own company, he found an outlet to advocate for those principles even further.

Horne launched Evanesce in 2016, which promotes a new future without single-use plastics. The company primarily works with molded starch and up-cycled plant materials, which are more sustainable petroleum substitutes, to create food packaging and serviceware.

Evanesce products are developed by a dedicated research and development team to ensure that everything is free from harmful chemicals and engineered to the highest standards.

“Our goal is to create food packaging

and serviceware that can decompose in 90 days or less,” Horne added.

Their innovations are key ingredients for creating products that have a positive impact on the environment through their compostable characteristics. “It looks and feels like a traditional straw would,” Horne said; “these components allow for the company’s ‘#dirttodirt’ initiative to come to life, as it’s designed to degrade over time.”

Products that are advertised as lowimpact or environmentally friendly can often be deceiving. With the various types of plastics and the assortment of recycling bins, complications often arise when a company tries their hand at recycling or composting. These issues are being reduced or eliminated due to Evanesce’s materials, and their entirely compost safe composition. “The only way to

It takes 500 years for Styrofoam™ to decompose. Evanesce® Molded Starch products take just 90 days or less.

80 • August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

“We want something that looks and feels like what people are used to, acts the same, but is made from corn starch so they don’t have to worry about where it’s going to end up.” — Doug Horne really tackle the amount of food that becomes waste in landfills is to have fully compostable foodservice items.

[With Evanesce] a consumer takes everything that’s left, throws it into a green bin, doesn’t have to think, and sends it to a proper compost operation to go back to the dirt that it all started from,” Horne explained.

Evanesce’s solution promotes the goodwill of the users and their company, with the added benefit of having a morally sound environmental conscious. Many manufacturers produce lines that claim to be produced from natural materials. In many cases, paper straw companies, produce products that dissolve in drinks and are sprayed with chemicals that make it impossible to compost. These materials and chemicals, sometimes carcinogenic, can be misleading when labeled as helpful, healthy alternatives. “We want something that looks and feels like what people are used to, acts the same, but is made from corn starch so they don’t have to worry about where it’s going to end up,” Horne said.

While sustainability is an attractive feature, a viable product for the restaurant and foodservice operator must make sense financially. With that in mind, the economics behind Evanesce’s cutlery, straws, cups, and other products make sense from a P&L

standpoint. “Our goal was to produce a line that did not stray too far from the mean price point of regular serviceware. The greatest thing about it is from a cost standpoint, it’s less than all the products that are compostable on the market,” Horne said. “The goal is to get to a point where we’re just selling the best straw in all the market, without having to describe the material it’s made from.”

Although a lot of compostable materials are traditionally flimsy, or can’t withstand grease or pressure, Evanesce prides themselves on the sturdiness and efficiency of their innovations. “Unlike some of the other paper stuff out there, if you put a hamburger and some fries on it, it’s not going to fall onto the floor. It’s a very solid, rigid product,” Horne concluded.

Being trustworthy and light on the conscious is at the core of what Evanesce products mean to consumers.

The compost-friendly aspect, without trading the valuable simplicity of typical serviceware makes the process straightforward; and in a world with an uncertain future for nature and wildlife, every choice, —even the size of a straw— can make an impact.

For more information on Evanesce and their products, call 1-800-6919158 for the sales team, or send an email through their website at https:// evanesce.com/

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 81

NEWS

By Claudia Giunta

DELIVERY SOLUTIONS

TOUCHBISTRO INKS PACT WITH DOORDASH DRIVE

O

ne of the many food serpany that was on top of technology vice trends that emerged integration,” Zabaneh said. “Techduring the pandemic nology in this marketplace is only that is here to stay is a going to accelerate and TouchBistro higher demand for delivery servichas been on top of this. TouchBistro es. With this, has come a raising of was already doing online ordering the bar for clean and safe expectaand knew it wasn’t going away.” tions during delivery and handling When Zabaneh joined the team, processes. they recognized the importance of Last month TouchBistro and providing their restaurant partners DoorDash announced that Toucha tool that gave them more control Bistro’s online ordering system is with the online ordering experinow integrated with DoorDash ence. Their integration analysis Drive. The move enables the nasystems provided customers with tion’s restaurant and foodservice details on who their guests were, operators to bring savings with a and how they specifically ordered. new flat fee delivery service for food TouchBistro understood that it was service businesses. difficult for restaurants to manThis new initiative eliminates the need for an in-house delivery fee, and establishes a cost-efficient service that connects restaurant owners with DoorDash’s army of local drivers known as “Dashers” that have become synonymous with the highest quality delivery.

This TouchBistro/DoorDash Drive integration meets post pandemic’s delivery standards with a safe contactless delivery that is additionally time and money saving and user friendly.

The alliance is being driven

by Samir Zabaneh, CEO and chairman of TouchBistro. His agenda since joining TouchBistro in the height of the pandemic has been to improve the delivery experience for the technology platform leader’s portfolio of restaurant customers. “I joined TouchBistro in April of 2021 and saw an opSamir Zabaneh portunity to work with a com-

82 • August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

“We give this information to customers for data analysis and trend analysis purposes.

This leads to better, more personalized engagement. It’s hard to please guests if you don’t know them.” — Samir Zabaneh age their own delivery services and wanted to generate a process that eliminated those challenges.

TouchBistro’s all-in-one POS and management system helps meet the ever demanding needs of the industry and allows restaurants to simplify their processes with necessary engagement through technology solutions. The user-friendly interface offers guests a way to save time and money and have a competitive advantage with new innovative technologies.

Their efforts to change the way restaurants operate have helped businesses grow and succeed in over 29,000 restaurants.

The DoorDash alliance comes on the heels of TouchBistro’s new CRM platform earlier this year. a way for restaurants to engage directly with their own guests. “This gives the restaurant professional a way to understand who their guests are and what they purchase. We give this information to customers for data analysis and trend analysis purposes. This leads to better, more personalized engagement. It’s hard to please guests if you don’t know them.”

Zabaneh commented. TouchBistro’s customers have the confidence that they can attract guests to go to their website and complete online ordering there.

The online ordering and integration with DoorDash is their first attempt to solve delivery problems.

In terms of fees, customers get full control of how much they want to pay out of the delivery. “This means that power goes back into the restaurateur’s hands, and they have power over how delivery operates. This additionally creates trust between customers and their guests.” Restaurants can set a minimum spending purchase for their customers to be eligible for delivery or waive fees depending on circumstances. Additionally, customers have full access to DoorDash delivery reports that can aid them in future business decisions. The DoorDash sharing platform not only has a marketplace for ordering, but with their Dashers (drivers) they have created a marketplace for delivery that is separate from ordering. “Essentially, this integration system allows customers to tap into the DoorDash fleet.

We are maximizing the positive experience between guests and their customers- both committed regulars and new customers,” Zabaneh concluded.

For operators interested in learning more about TouchBistro Online Ordering with the DoorDash Drive integration visit www.touchbistro.com/online-ordering to book a demo or call 1-855-363-5252 to speak with a sales representative.

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 83

NEWS

By Karen Jones

DATA STRATEGIES

GELLMAN LED RESTAURANTDATA.COM BRINGS QUALITY DATA TO INDUSTRY

T

oday, the food industry is as much reliant on data as it is on the food. It used to be that food and location were the most important components of a successful foodservice operation. That dynamic has changed and has grown to include one other fundamental component - information. In today’s highly interactive society numerous data mining agencies abound. However, Restaurantdata.com is leading the way in its provision of sales leads and contact information via an impressive database which boasts “700,000 locations in the U.S. and Canada, 4,500 corporate HQ offices, 900 franchisee HQ offices, 200,000 franchisee locations with owner names, over 8000 HQ contact direct

dial phone numbers, corporate and personal emails, and 500,000 single unit Independents.”

“We pride ourselves as being the only company that combines up to date restaurant data with state-ofthe-art data integration services.

By using AI and proprietary algorithms, combined with hands on research and dozens of up-to-date cross referenced data points, we provide our clients with idealized and fresh data for sales, marketing, and TAM purposes,” said Keith Gellman, President of Restaurantdata. com, a restaurant market research company.

What began 25 years ago “with press clippings of legal filings that were usually in the back of papers and periodicals that included up

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“Companies have grown to realize that there are golden nuggets of actionable information lying within the data that can propel them to far greater efficiencies, sales and profits.” — Keith Gellman to 60 buckets of newspapers every day in a tiny office below a residential building on the Upper West Side, publishing new lead services for New York City and San Diego,” has mushroomed into an impressive array of data mining services that allows their clients to improve sales, cut costs, and grow their business. “Companies have grown to realize that there are golden nuggets of actionable information lying within the data that can propel them to far greater efficiencies, sales and profits,” Gellman added.

Back in the day, Gellman said data was used “primarily as sales leads for direct marketing.

Cold calls, direct mail, telemarketing, and similar functions.”

That is not the case these days.

The market is inundated with data analysis competitors. Despite operating in this crowded field, Gellman and his team are confident in their products and their interactive database platform is described by some experts as being intuitive and easy to navigate.

He added that their 360-directory platform allows “industry-related suppliers, vendors and manufacturers to

view their in-house data alongside up-to-date prospect contact information within that web-based platform.” This, he said, “enables users to quickly select market segments and relevant filters. The process starts off with the entire universe of locations, headquarters, and franchisee companies in a broad mashup. Users can then narrow their selections and view and/or export the filtered results within minutes.”

For example, a plant-based meat company with ambitions to target smaller chains Gellman advised, “filters! Users can employ many layers of filters. In this example, a plant-based meat company looking for small and emerging chains would filter for “small chain headquarters,” then select cuisines such as “burger and chicken”. From there, users can review up-to-date information about the company including VP personnel and their contact information. They can then choose from a variety of job titles, like VP level Chefs, COO’s, Owners, and then market accordingly.”

As well, Gellman had specific advice for other industry operators on how they may utilize Restaurant-

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SCOOP

INSIDER NEWS, from page 78

SHFM 2022 NATIONAL CONFERENCE REGISTRATION NOW OPEN SCOOP learned that The Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management (SHFM) will host its National Conference October 17 – 19, 2022, at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel. With a theme of MILE- HIGH MOMENTS - Elevating Experiences in Workplace Hospitality, attendees can look forward to educational sessions on professional development and industry issues, interactive events, networking opportunities and national speakers.

Some of the highlights of the 2022 SHFM National Conference include: • Educational Sessions – Throughout the three-day conference, SHFM will hold several educational sessions designed to highlight changes and opportunities in the corporate foodservice and hospitality industry.

• Hunger Awareness Activity – Each year, the SHFM National Conference features an event designed to raise funds in support of local hunger initiatives.

Thanks to the generosity of SHFM members, we have raised over $100,000 to support local hunger initiatives. This year’s activity, the SHFM Hunger Games, UpRoot Colorado, an organization that works to increase the nutrition security of Coloradans by har-

vesting and redistributing surplus, nutrient-dense foods while supporting the resilience of farmers.

• Industry Networking Event – Kick off the evening with SHFM’s premier relationship-building opportunity of conference! Greet current colleagues and make new contacts over delicious food selected by the evening’s featured chef. The Industry Networking Event showcases cuisines representative of the local area – so get reacquainted with your SHFM family and experience delicious dishes from the mile-high city … all in one place! Once again chef teams from our host corporations will be displaying their culinary skills as they execute our INE chef’s menu selections.

Be sure to meet and thank our lead chefs coordinating this year’s food stations and culinary teams. Additionally, the recipients of the SHFM 2022 Richard Ysmael Distinguished Service Award, Robert Pacifico Above & Beyond Award, Jay B. Silverstein Lifetime Achievement Award and the President’s Award will be announced at the conference. For the full agenda and other details about SHFM’s National Conference visit: https://www.shfm-online.org/2022”

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM PEPPERI B2B ECOMMERCE

PARTNER SUMMIT 2022 SCOOP heard that Pepperi kicked off its 2022 Partner Summit with two jam-packed days, top industry figures from companies such as Sodastream, Chex Finer Foods, and HaCarem Wine and Spirits, cited the adoption of one technology to conduct B2B eCommerce, Sales Force Automation and Trade Promotions have given them the chance to become the disruptors and helped increase revenues by over 15%. Experts confirmed B2B eCommerce in 2021 grew 1.17 times faster than the growth of all U.S. manufacturing and distributor sales.

Looking back at how their businesses used to work, many wholesalers admitted they saw decreasing volumes and declining profitability as a result of repetitive manual tasks, not being able to compare current annual sales with previous years, or view top-selling items in different accounts or regions.

Almost all attendees at the Partner Summit agreed that the unprecedented rise of B2B eCommerce in the F&B space will require traditional distributors and wholesalers to innovate and change course, otherwise they will be left behind. Surprisingly, B2B eCommerce portal that works online/offline on mobile and web has become the key differentiator that sets disruptive wholesalers apart from all the rest.

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NEWS

By Jackson Hart

CONCEPT ROLLOUT

GABEL LED COMING SOON FOODS INTRODUCES CREATIVE NEW PIZZA CONCEPT

R

einventing New York City pizza? Coming Soon Foods may have just done so. With new introductions to its management team and continued expansion, Coming Soon Foods continues to make its imprint on the Metro New York restaurant scene.

The jewel in Coming Soon’s proverbial crown, Zazzy’s Pizza, is bringing vegan innovation to the New York City pizza scene. With a growth model, innovative unit design, an expertly designed menu and a business led by restaurant impresario Jon Gabel, Zazzy’s has a forged recipe for success.

Despite its recent launch in 2020, Coming Soon Food Group has quickly burst on the hospitality industry scene. The group’s speedy success has been driven by its team of three industry experts: Jon Gabel, alongside fellow restaurant impresario Richie Romero and the latest addition Wass Stevens, comprise the face of Coming Soon Food Group.

Originally a bar and nightclub owner, Gabel expanded his expertise to include the world’s largest New Year’s Eve event production company. Following the onset of the COVID pandemic, the impresario-turned-restaurateur decided to enter the food services industry after seeing potential in the future of the quick service restaurant (QSR) industry; thus, Coming Soon Food Group was born.

Citing the pandemic as a driving factor to shift away from third-party and ghost kitchen business models, Gabel refers to Zazzy’s Pizza, the very first brand he created under the Coming Soon

Food umbrella, as a hybrid business.

By combining the best aspects of delivery and technology alongside quality, in-restaurant dining, he has perfected the QSR model: “My philosophy is: that you can in fact offer a great in-restaurant dining experience with a great location and at the same time access great technology to support the highest quality delivery.”

Gabel’s vision is a business model for Coming Soon Foods in which the company owns it locations and does not franchise. With more direct company involvement in store ownership, Gabel highlights, comes greater opportunity for quality control and patron engagement. Each 1000sq/ft Zazzy’s unit, for example, also functions as a small-scale art gallery, where Gabel showcases work from an assortment of different local artists, including sneaker designers and street artists. With a charity-driven mission that attracts many popular pop-ups,

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“I understood very early in the process that to succeed in something as competitive as pizza that only the very highest quality product was going to be our foundation for success.” — Jon Gabel the impresario’s locations are sure to both give back to the community and lure in curious and hungry customers.

Zazzy’s Pizza, unlike other pizzerias in New York, takes pride in sourcing only the highest quality ingredients, such as Caputo flour, for its delicious pizza. “I understood very early in the process that to succeed in something as competitive as pizza that only the very highest quality product was going to be our foundation for success.

“That’s why, as we grow Coming Soon, it’s all about limiting the number of concepts we rollout and driving growth with Zazzy’s premium pies across the boroughs – and then later, to broader horizons.” Since its inception, the company has expanded its portfolio to include two brands, Zazzy’s Pizza and its sister brand: Innocent Yesterday, now operate a combined 11 locations in cities such as New York, Miami, and Cartagena, Colombia.

Another facet of its business model that sets Zazzy’s Pizza apart from the plethora of other New York City pizzerias is its dietary inclusivity – the chain prides itself on making the best vegan pizza in the city.

Gabel points to the rise in popularity of both vegan-

ism and so-called “flexitarianism,” or the inclusion of vegan fare into an otherwise omnivorous diet, to the success of Zazzy’s Pizza: “It’s the fastest growing food trend, so Zazzy’s menu is 60% vegan and 40% non-vegan,” the executive added. In his menu design, Gabel also broke from tradition.

Unlike most other vegan eateries that choose to draft their menus around popular food substitutes such, Gabel “created the menu first, and then walked through how to turn it vegan,” testing many different substitutes until he found the perfect mix.

Through it all, he remained committed and involved in creating an inclusive and delicious menu that he himself could stand behind: “Food is passion, and if you can understand that, you’ll have a really good product – you have to love what you do!”

Gabel is clearly an experienced and talented restaurateur, and his success with vegan Zazzy’s – especially in a market as traditional as New York – testifies as such. His years of experience have led him to create a brand that offers delicious pies to every customer, no matter their dietary restrictions, while also showcasing innovative technology and local art. By making the most of the COVID pandemic, the impresario continues to impress.

For more information about Zazzy’s Pizza or Coming Soon Foods, visit their Instagram page at csfoodgroup.com.

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NEWS

By Zac Kitay

FINANCING STRATEGIES

WHO YOU GONNA CALL? GHOST FINANCIAL! SPECIALTY FINANCIERS SUPPLY CRUISING KITCHENS WITH $100M IN EXPANSION CAPITAL

G

host Financial works to provide relief, insurance, and trust in the ghost kitchen industry when traditional banking won’t; the opportunities they provide are unparalleled to anybody else in the field.

Ghost Kitchens - dining-less restaurants where chefs prepare food exclusively for pickup or delivery continue to gain in popularity following two plus years of increased takeout from Covid-19. CEO John Meyer spearheaded Ghost Financial after learning firsthand about the lack of support that these types of restaurants receive from financial institutions.

Kitchen Keto, Meyer’s low carb restaurant that was founded dur-

“I’ve effectively proven as an operator myself with a well-run ghost kitchen, it’s significantly more profitable than traditional kitchens. Up to 10% higher profit margins than a traditional restaurant if it’s run right.” — John Meyer ing the pandemic and operated out of a ghost kitchen had issues gaining loans from banks due to the lack of the capability to underwrite the business properly. “After speaking to hundreds of restaurants and ghost kitchen operators, they all feel completely ignored by traditional banking,” Meyer said. By leveraging data metrics on restaurants like

The Ghost Financial team meets with Cruising Kitchens CEO Cameron Davies (Photo by Kristopher Lopez)

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hourly scales, food ratings, and food preparation, Ghost Financial evaluates and dispenses expansion loans for companies like ghost kitchens, restaurants, catering companies, and food trucks. They also supply cash back cards, helping increase other businesses’ profit margins, and cyber-security insurance to protect against hacking and internet malfunctions. “We’ve essentially adopted a model where we have reinvented the underwriting aspect of a traditional bank,” Meyer said.

Meyer started Keto Kitchens out of pocket and found the industry to be more profitable than conventional restaurants. “I’ve effectively proven as an operator myself with a well-run ghost kitchen, it’s significantly more profitable than traditional kitchens,” Meyer said. “Up to 10% higher profit margins than a traditional restaurant if it’s run right.” That higher margin along with Meyer’s ambition to support other businesses helps make Ghost Financial so unique in a rising industry.

Meyer founded Cruising Kitchens, the world’s largest mobile ghost kitchen builder, by using their prod-

Ghost Financial CEO John Meyer

ucts himself. After meeting officially through a conference, the two were quick to make a deal to support each other. “That pre-established reputation of quality and reliability around manufacturing was what led to a fast process to get this deal made,” Meyer said. Ghost Financial is working to provide Cruising Kitchens with a $100M expansion loan to build and scale their mobile ghost kitchen division. Cruising Kitchens specializes in designing and building mobile ghost kitchens for businesses, with anything from food trucks to boats.

In addition to financing small businesses, Ghost Financial has also rolled out a masterclass video series called GhostU, which teach-

continued on page 94

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elarabrands.com Sold through authorized distributors

For each case purchased, Elara donates a meal for a person struggling with hunger in America

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 89

NEWS

By Karen Jones

CATERING STRATEGIES

NATION’S RESTAURANTS TURN TO EZCATER TO GROW CATERING REVENUES AS BUSINESS RETURNS BACK-TO-OFFICE

I

t is arguable that the foodservice industry sustained the biggest trouncing when life as we knew it went into lockdown two years ago. ezCater, the self-described “food for work platform that businesses use to feed their workplaces,” understood the delivery space prior to the Pandemic. Those 15 years of understanding the needs of the nation’s restaurants created a lifeline for so many operators who depended upon takeout and delivery

to survive.

As the nation shuttered in 2020, its restaurant portfolio struggled. ezCater adopted an attitude of ‘when life gives you lemon make lemonade’. Like most in the business, they were forced to restructure. “We watched so many of our partner restaurants battle and we knew that our core value food for work could serve as a beacon to move the industry forward,” said Mike O’Hanlon, ezCater Chief Customer Care and Operations Officer.

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“They tried our Relish product for three days a week and all of a sudden, their attendance in the office went up from three days a week to five days a week.” — Mike O’Hanlon While traditional transactions in board rooms were replaced by Zoom meetings, O’Hanlon and his team refocused. “We knew that our portfolio of the traveling medical salesperson calling on doctors and the office meeting had ground to a halt,” he said. “Our goal was to find markets that were still feeding their employee base. From construction to manufacturing to distribution warehouses, retail and healthcare, we found that proverbial pulse.”

“The Emergency rooms at hospitals were busier than ever. At the height of the pandemic there were still people going into offices and they needed solutions to feed their workers safely. We saw this as an opportunity to become an industry leader in how our restaurant partners could

safely feed their communities. As we partnered with our restaurants, we devised a way to deliver lunches into the workplace individually wrapped,” O’Hanlon recounted. ezCater’s performance during that time of uncertainty, cemented their reputation as an industry “goto”. With that ezCater’s new product: Relish, brought new meaning to providing “flexible food solutions for hybrid workplaces”.

As the industry slowly navigates the road to what is being described as the ‘new normal’, ezCater has stepped in to fill the void created by the absence of the once vibrant dynamic corporate cafeteria. Now they are in partnerships with “95,000 restaurants who are really good at catering and providing food for the workplace, with great customer service,” O’Hanlon continued. “We wrap every experience with a combination of motivated restaurant workers with great processes and technology to ensure that the enduser in that office has a special and consistent dining experience.”

According to O’Hanlon, “feeding business meetings is all about an ROI that is trackable in employee

continued on page 92

FRANCINE COHEN

from page 48

their customers. Every drink enjoyed in a CupZero cup saves one of the over 50 billion single use cups that end up in a landfill or our oceans every year.

Coffee shops also save money by saving the environment since they don’t have to purchase single use cups when using CupZero cups. Joining the program also has the benefit of Increased foot traffic and additional opportunities to interact with customers when they return to a participating store to return the cup.”

Returning customers who left their credit card at the bar or walked out without closing out their tabs could be a thing of the past if everyone signed on for the POS that DC Spirits founder Danny Ronen claims is head and shoulders above every other POS system out there…he’s talking about Union POS, based in Austin.

Why does Ronen love Union so much more than all the new ones that are open source and seem to have a handful of things wrong with them?

He shares, One reason I love it is that

the back end gives me, the owner/ operator, unfettered access to all my data so I can make on the fly business decisions I wouldn’t be able to do with something more clunky.”

Ronen also sees the benefits for distributor and brand partners. Realizing that every state has its own liquor laws about what is and isn’t legal when it comes to promotion the universal truth is that no matter what they can do, liquor companies, brand ambassadors and distributors want to execute a program that is easy to run through your POS in a way that isn’t problematic. With Union there are ways to set up a program to accommodate a single charge at the end – assuming that’s legal in your state – so final expense reporting is simpler.

Marketing is positively impacted too with specific data informing sales decisions, menu planning, etc. Ronen explains how Union allows him to see what’s happening on the bar, “I can close out and pull a detailed note on what was sold, who sold it, when

etc. and all this allows a bartender to evaluate their menu and for a brand ambassador or distributor to better understand what is moving and how and why.”

For those all to frequent times where someone walks out without closing a tab having a Union POS system eliminates the evil chargebacks and wondering about actual cash flow.

The dip a card option is available with Union and worth the extra fee according to Ronen. It enables bartenders to do a bulk close at the end of the night.

Saving that time and aggravation is as important to Ronen as is knowing that “with Union I can get as granular with the data as I need to in order to move forward in a profitable way.”

Saving aggravation and time is important behind the bar for all bartenders and bar managers. Jabriel Donohue in Seattle and Mark Schettler in New Orleans are a big fan of using Calendly to schedule distributor tastings and Donohue uses it for employee interviews too. Rick Dobbs

in California is counting on a bunch of new technology: Schedulefly, Tabbed Out (which is now Union), which lets customers pick up and pay their tabs, Xero for accounting, Bevager for inventory and ordering, and he says, “Gusto for payroll and contractors (bands, repairs, etc.) payments is a life saver. Julian Flores Torres is also a fan of Bevager and leans on Pour Cost, the app created by fellow bartender and USBG Board Member Donny Clutterbuck, Homebase, 7shifts as well.

Frederick Yarm, the General Manager of Drink, Boston’s award-winning cocktail bar, found his own life saver; a relatively inexpensive piece of equipment that has quickly improved his work-life, it is a simple Bluetooth keyboard. Yarm concludes, “I bought the Bluetooth keyboard to level up my phone to a computer of sorts without fear of autocorrect or “fat fingers” blunders. It makes social media posts, ordering, and emails a joy to do on the phone instead of a feat of patience.

Best $35 purchase I’ve made in 2022!”

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EZ CATER

from page 90

attendance. It has to go well whether you are an executive assistant or office manager feeding a board meeting or providing lunch to all your employees on Tuesdays and Wednesdays - like we do.”

He said that ezCater’s Relish product is ideal for this flexible environment and is in fact credited by one of its clients in prompting a significant uptick in attendance. “They tried our Relish product for three days a week and all of a sudden, their attendance in the office went up from three days a week to five days a week. They’ve even said how great Relish is because it provides variety, whereby one person can be on a diet and order a salad and then another could order a burger which is great when you have that variety to choose from,” O’Hanlon declared.

In explaining how Relish works he said, “If an employee will be in the office, they order and get to pick from an assortment from their fa-

vorite restaurants and we deliver it individually packaged on that day.”

He disclosed that ezCater’s partnerships with restaurants have generated profitability all around.

“We are truly partners with our restaurants. In fact, internally we refer to them exclusively as our catering partners and we send them large profitable incremental orders, which means an over $300 average order value right now. It’s also important to remember that in many cases restaurants love our orders because they can be prepped in off-peak hours with employees that they need to pay to be there anyway.” O’Hanlon added that profitability translates to the restaurants’ ezCater partnership being “their most profitable source of revenue.”

The ezCater platform has also become a vital solution in reaching that new customer that may have not been on a restaurant’s radar or was simply too expensive to acquire. “For example, that travel-

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ing salesperson who lives in Boston but they’re visiting Augusta, Portland and Bangor, ME. For breakfast, lunch, late afternoon snacks, that restaurant doesn’t know where that person is or how to get in front of that right person at all,” O’Hanlon said. He added that “most restaurants are just locally in the business around them, and they’re not equipped to do effective sales and marketing into those buildings and offices and businesses, whereas we are. So, we hear that time and again from our restaurant partners, ‘you guys send me orders that we will never ever get’.”

O’Hanlon and the ezCater team success is founded on the ability to read the changes in the nation’s work force and then provide entrée to those markets for their partner restaurants. “We’re making a lot of inroads into warehousing. The pandemic brought about a massive boom. These warehouses are going from one or two shifts to two or

three shifts and sometimes there are no restaurants open at 4:00 AM. So, we’re working with restaurants to figure out solutions for those types of warehouse settings,” O’Hanlon concluded.

He added that ezCater is also expanding its reach beyond the corporate arena forging into colleges and universities as well as professional sports endeavors. “We’re seeing a lot of success with the athletic programs. So, at these universities their traveling teams are guided to restaurants in areas where they are unfamiliar when visiting. And the same with professional sports teams. We did have some customers there before but it’s becoming increasingly big for us.”

Restaurants looking to add ezCater to their bottom line can find information on partnering with ezCater online at www.ezcater.com, by calling 800-488-1803.

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 93

ONLINE FOOD DELIVERY proof delivery plan to ensure your establishment can fulfill customer orders on time. Map out routes, and brief your drivers on the protocol to be followed while on the job. Make arrangements for seamless communication to avoid confusion and ensure easy pickups and quick deliveries. It’s also important to train your delivery staff in customer service just as well as your front house staff to ensure they’re courteous when making deliveries.

Online Food Delivery: The Pros While food delivery has several advantages for both business owners and customers, we list some of the most important advantages for food service owners: • Convenience: Alongside the pandemic, customers have also begun considering convenience as the major factor when buying food. Online food ordering and delivery offers a major element of convenience as customers can enjoy a great meal from the comfort of their homes.

• Healthier Food Options: Online food delivery also allows customers to purchase healthier options when ordering online. Assuring the freshness of food and quick delivery times can further enhance this aspect of online ordering for customers.

GHOST FINANCIAL

from page 32 • Contactless Delivery: Offering online food delivery allows you to provide contactless delivery - a safe and healthier option in times when the threat of the COVID-19 disease has still not abated. Online delivery mitigates transmission risk and allows customers that prefer eating at their homes a safe and viable option to eat good food.

• Improved Brand Outreach: Offering online delivery enables your establishment’s name to reach formerly untapped customer pools. Existing customers also get to know your brand better when they’re able to order your food online. In case you use a thirdparty application for delivery, customers also associate the promptness of the third-party driver with your establishment’s professionalism, furthering brand outreach and impression.

• Gain New Customers: Online food delivery allows businesses to be exposed to a larger market. This enables better engagement and provides greater opportunities for gaining more customers. The reach of online applications and ordering websites is also not as limited as a brick-and-mortar establishment’s, allowing wider prospects for business owners.

Online Food Delivery: The Cons

While online food delivery offers a large number of advantages to business owners, it also comes with several disadvantages that can make it less attractive if your business goals are not fully adaptable to these factors. The cons of online food delivery are: • Delayed Delivery: Offering delivery to your customers comes with the probability of deliveries being delayed due to several factors; be it a busy day in the kitchen, traffic, or vehicular issues. Delayed delivery, even if it is through a third party, can mean a loss of reputation for businesses, as customers associate mishaps directly with the establishment.

• Requires Dedicated Effort & Resources: Implementing online delivery requires extra effort as you will need to prepare a dedicated delivery menu, purchase packaging material, invest in delivery services, and train staff. These can be time, money, and resource-intensive.

• Lower Control: Since your customers won’t dine at the establishment, you will automatically have lower control over the dining experience. Other variables such as delivery times, food temperature at delivery, texture, and interactions of the customer with delivery agents also tend to be relatively out of your control.

• Pricey for Customers: Though convenient, customers end up paying more for food delivered to them. As a business owner, you will be forced to charge customers a little extra for the packaging and the delivery itself.

This might be a concern for customers who have issues with paying delivery charges.

• Disconnect: Since there’s barely any interaction between you and the customer during online ordering and delivery, there’s a palpable disconnect.

Food service establishments rely on making a good reputation in person, and this might be an alien and potentially unnerving concept for a few business owners new to online food delivery.

new obstacles that have surface for Netflix and Peloton as consumers return to work? However, thanks to the metrics that are provided by the companies Ghost Financial supports, that worry became unrealistic. “For the first time in the industry, the consensus is that the demand is greater than the supply of Ghost Kitchen real estate,” Meyer said. “We have this vantage point that lets us see the growth or lack thereof of the industry in real time.

What I can tell you is, it’s growing faster than it was during covid. It’s truly blowing my mind.” The rise of this previously unconventional dining is part of a new wave restaurant experience. It’s easier than ever for

customers to take out their phone, order delivery, and have food at their door in 30 minutes. Meyer predicts that by 2027 there will be a significant displacement of traditional brick and mortar restaurants with ghost kitchens, and the rise of robotic ghost kitchens as well.

From ghosts to robots, the industry’s future sounds like a science fiction movie; but there is nothing fictitious about the upcoming opportunities ghost kitchens will provide.

For more information about Ghost Financial, visit Ghostfinancial.com to sign up and access any products.

Conclusion Whether you’re choosing to offer food delivery services to your customers via a third party, your own services, or through a hybrid model, be sure to back up your service with quality and training for your delivery staff. Optimize your menu for delivery and use high-quality packaging materials to ensure the food you prepare remains fresh at the time of delivery.

from page 88

es up-and-coming business owners everything they need to know about managing a ghost kitchen.

“It teaches how to find and negotiate with a ghost kitchen landlord, how to launch a Facebook targeted ad campaign, all the nitty-gritty stuff,” Meyer said. As for the biggest takeaway on how to run a successful ghost kitchen, it’s all about the customers.

“Building a community and fanbase around your ghost kitchen brand pre-launch is the key,” Meyer said. “We leveraged targeted ads to build a fanbase and a community [For Keto Kitchen] on social media before it even launched, so that on launch day, we had all these orders

come in from the fanbase right away.” Typically, about 2 months before the launch date is the ideal time to start building the community online, according to Meyer. With this strategy of building a reputation, coupons and additional deals aren’t needed to increase popularity. Social media reputations develop a peering-through-the-glassdoor approach for customers – it builds an eagerness for the product before it launches, so that when it’s open to the public, there are already customers lined up.

Meyer and his team have also tackled the question of the future of ghost kitchens in a Post-Pandemic world. Would they find the same

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OUTDOOR DINING

from page 2

used for storage. It can’t be used for all other things. But I’m a supporter of the outdoor dining. And I believe it was a lifeline for the restaurant industry.”

Others involved in the restaurant and hospitality industry agreed with Mayor Adams, saying that ending the Open Restaurant Program would be a major mistake.

“Ending outdoor dining would be devastating for our city’s restaurant recover, New Yorkers’ jobs and it would be a huge loss for the countless people who love dining alfresco,” said Andrew Rigie of the New York City Hospitality Alliance in a statement to amNew York on Tuesday. “The answer is not to end outdoor dining, it’s to develop a more standardized and sustainable program as we transition out

JOHN FRASER

businesses ultimately means supporting the success of our communities. Continuing this successful practice will not only benefit small business owners, but also the many patrons who have come to enjoy the atmosphere and opportunities outdoor dining offers.”

The bill extended pandemic-era permissions for restaurants, bars, distilleries, and breweries to use outdoor spaces through November 2024. The permissions were set to expire in November of this year under a previous bill. New Jersey first loosened restrictions on outdoor dining via executive order amid 2020’s indoor capacity limits — which followed shutdowns that saw eateries restricted to takeout only for months. The bill allows the use of tents, canopies, umbrellas,

tables, chairs, and other fixtures on private property or adjacent spaces, like sidewalks, that have been designated by municipalities. Participating businesses still need to get approvals through municipal offices, but the extension of a restaurant or bar into an outdoor space while the law is in effect doesn’t require a zoning variance — which can take months for a business to secure, if it’s approved at all.

The bill also extends the time period for special permits allowing liquor sales in the outdoor spaces.

Murphy signed the bill at Vesta Wood-Fired in East Rutherford.

Both houses of the state Legislature approved it in late June. Two assembly members didn’t vote, but no legislators voted against the measure.

Fraser explained that the collaboration with Horiike, who draws upon his Japanese ancestry to create some truly unique dishes, has been a remarkably enjoyable experience.

To supplement the reimagined French fare, La Marchande boasts a masterfully created and Frenchinspired wine and cocktail list.

Curated by sommelier Amy Racine, the wine list celebrates many of

France’s distinct regions and their namesake wines; with a list that totals 120 different selections, there is no shortage of choice or variety.

The restaurant’s cocktail list attests to its French orientation: with a vermouth-centered menu, every drink offers a taste of France.

Patrons of La Marchande can expect a sublimely masterful French experience. The dynamic duo of

Fraser and Horiike has given rise to a menu that both embraces classic brasserie cuisine while incorporating a modern, historically-driven, and light twist that promises a unique dining adventure. The JF Fraser Hospitality Group’s newest licensing venture with the Wall Street Hotel in the heart of the Financial District is a beacon of hope as the restaurant industry returns.

and the team they knew just everything there was they had been there for 30 years they knew the ins and outs.”

It is interesting to note that Choi now owns that wine store – the oldest and largest in the United States.

Now, as an importer, wholesaler, and winemaker, he is aware of the changes being made to the industry as conglomerates gain ownership of familyoperated ventures. While it is concerning, Choi said, “for someone like myself it’s about the art of it still. I keep my volume small because I’m not going to take away from the quality of it.

I will never sacrifice the quality for vol-

ume. If it’s a short vintage like in 2021 where it was more concentrated and coming off a fire year and everybody looking for grapes, it was a hard year and 2022 is looking to be the same way but for me it’s still the quality. It’s still the art of what I do,” he said.

For Choi, the evolution from once sitting down with a 200-page beverage guide to doing TikTok today is revolutionary. He said, “it’s personal.

It’s the age where we have grown into technology and how social media has changed how we consume information. We don’t consume it from the books anymore. It started with blogs

online and now everything is consumed from social media platforms with our phones.

“For me it was learning that this is how the next generation of wine drinkers were consuming information and for me to make it in a way that they would understand in 15 to 30 to 45 seconds, and getting straight to the point not using all the big words and fluff that that turn people off,” Choi concluded. “It’s growing. TikTok is here now. We don’t know what’s coming tomorrow but this is the way that that information is going to be consumed, even for my kids.”

from page 6

and broths, Fraser “lightens things up,” using these elements “so [the dishes] are not so creamy and sauce-heavy.” The added benefit of a leaner menu, Fraser explained, is the revitalization and celebration of the dish’s ingredients. “The way it hits the plate is super fun!” he promises.

While the task of creating fusion cuisine may seem daunting to most,

DAVID CHOI

of the emergency version that was launched during the pandemic.”

Coincidentally within hours, New Jersey is extended its outdoor dining options. Gov. Phil Murphy teamed up with local lawmakers to extend the state’s outdoor dining bill on Wednesday.

The original bill allowed businesses with alcohol licenses to serve beverages in outdoor spaces.“My Administration worked in collaboration with the Legislature to support the restaurant industry and their customers by expanding outdoor dining during the COVID-19 pandemic. We continue that support today by extending these expanded permissions for food and beverage establishments throughout our state,” Murphy said. “Supporting the success of our small

from page 16

it was one of the oldest stores there.

One the first stores that imported Bordeauxs and burgundies and they had quite a few critics that became pretty prominent later on that had started there as just wine salespeople,” he said.

Those early years spent in this setting laid the groundwork for Choi to now make interesting wine recommendations in his fun and unique style. “The store was just like being in a school. Once I went into the store it just felt different and unique. It was a real wine store for me not like a liquor store masquerading as a wine store

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PLANT BASED

from page 52

time we also released the first of a series of reports, developed in collaboration with leading scientists and business experts from the Menus of Change Business Leadership and Scientific Advisory Councils. The reports provide a snapshot of the food industry’s progress toward health and sustainability goals.

The annual gathering, now held annually at the CIA’s New York campus, attracts more than 400 leaders from nearly every sector of the foodservice industry. The general sessions are webcast live and later posted to the website for on-demand viewing.

3. What are the benefits of attending the summit?

Attending the summit in-person provides an unparalleled inspirational and educational experience for those working to transform the future of food and foodservice in the US and beyond.

The curated sessions cover a range of topics that are critically relevant to chefs and foodservice professionals working to secure the financial viability of their operations while also advancing key imperatives around nutrition, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility.

In addition to these high- impact sessions, attendees participate in numerous breakout sessions that explore the Menus of Change principles in action through culinary demonstrations and Q&A sessions with presenters and fellow attendees.

And, of course, we are the CIA, so, of course, people come for the food! Throughout the conference the meals, receptions, and break functions showcase delicious, globally inspired, plant-forward recipes, which are then made available to attendees after the conference.

All of this, and our stunning campus, which MSN named one of the “50 most beautiful college campuses in America,” make the Menus of Change summit one not to be missed!

4. The Menus of Change began in 2012. Since then, what do you see as

its most positive, enduring impact on the foodservice industry?

Since its inception, Menus of Change has been at the forefront of food trends, research translation, and business innovation at the intersection of health, sustainability, social responsibility, and flavor. The initiative has engaged thousands of foodservice leaders and has contributed to a growing inseparability in industry conversations around personal and planetary health.

Attendees tell us that they leave the summit with enhanced knowledge, skills, and contacts to enact meaningful operational changes within their organizations that ultimately trickle down to influencing consumer food choice.

And from the publication of plantforward industry watch lists as well as the growth of the CIA’s sectorspecific collaboratives, including the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative and the Healthy Kids Collaborative, we can see that the Menus of Change principles are being adopted by operators across both here in the U.S. and globally.

5. What was the theme for the 2022 summit? What do you think were the top takeaways from the summit by the attendees?

The core theme for the 2022 summit was making the case for the restaurant and foodservice sectors, still rebuilding from the devastation of the pandemic and related labor and supply chain challenges, to accelerate their efforts in the transition to a healthier, more sustainable, and equitable food system.

With the UN Food Systems Summit and other major scientific consensus reports over the past year calling for urgent collective action to avoid catastrophic disaster, we wanted to bring together people and perspectives to help inspire deeper commitments to act, boldly, and quickly, to tackle these problems.

Key areas of discussion this year included • food policy, • consumer and industry trends in plant-based foods, effective meat re-

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duction messaging and campaigns, • the role of food procurement and menu strategy in achieving net zero commitments, • the rising influence of ESG and changing investment patterns, • and cultivating compassionate and courageous leaders to effect food system change.

Below are three top takeaways: Making changes to our diets can have immediate effects on our physical health and the health of the planet. Harvard Chan School’s Dean Michelle Williams noted, “Food can be a barrier to human thriving; but it can also be one of our greatest assets…. Chefs and foodservice industry professionals are the tastemakers; the ones with the power to make the food we eat, the food we should eat, the food we want to eat.”

Chef-Farmer Matthew Raiford reminded the audience that there’s no way to have a healthy, sustainable food system without farmers or seed savers. Sustainable means that we see beyond ourselves to the next generations and their health. We need to invite the farmers and seed savers to join these conversations.

This past year produced a flurry of new net zero commitments made by foodservice and hospitality brands and more investors are putting ESG at the center of their business, as summarized by Melanie Levine from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and Akash Mirchandani, Vice President of Kitchen Fund. Foodservice operators can contribute to net zero and other corporate sustainability goals through ingredient and menu choice, procurement strategies that push/pull value chain to reach net zero targets, food waste reduction, and offering consumers engaging and delicious experiences with healthy and sustainable food.

6. Three takeaways from the 2022 Plant-Forward Opportunity Report

by Datassential: Meat is still the top frequently consumed protein, though Gen Z indicates a potential shift away

from meat. What’s encouraging is that 21% of consumers are looking to reduce meat – up from 15% last year. Over one-third of consumers are trying to increase whole grains, and more consumers are seeking to increase vegetables and fruits, other plant-based proteins, and plantbased meat or egg substitutes compared to last year.

7. How can chefs and foodservice operators entice the non-Gen Z’s to consume more plant-based proteins and include them in the diet?

Gen Z and millennials are definitely driving the shift toward a more plant-centric approach to eating, but the data show that consumers across all generations are trying to eat less meat and more plants. As chefs do best, focus on flavor first in the creation of any plant-forward menu item and consider enticing menu language that references the taste, look, feel, culture, and/or story behind a recipe or ingredient rather than its health attributes or what it lacks.

Operators can also use promotional strategies that optimize the pricing and marketing of plantbased meals, including participating in weekly behavior change campaigns like Meatless Mondays or Plant-Powered Fridays that can help introduce diners to new dishes one day a week.

People want to feel like they are part of the movement and often need encouragement that small changes can, indeed, make a big impact.

• Nearly 1 in 5 consumers are already choosing environmentally conscious retail brands, and more consumers are open to trying environmentally conscious restaurants.

8. What specific efforts can restaurants and foodservice do to demonstrate their commitments to the environment?

Chefs and foodservice leaders who care about planetary health and want to engage with an increasingly

continued on page 108

ICE IN SUMMER MONTHS indicating the start of an ice machine shutdown.

To prevent this, make sure that your ice machine is in a space with enough ventilation. If the ice maker is too close to the wall or installed in a cabinet or cubby, the lack of airflow can lead to an overly hot microclimate. There should be a foot of space surrounding the machine.

Boxes and clutter can also block airflow above, below, or around the machine, so don’t store anything on top or around the unit.

If the ice machine is located next to other heat-generating appliances, like a grill or oven, the air around the unit may reach 100 degrees or more.

from page 8 maintenance on the unit.

services

performed

Keep Summer Cool for Customers Summer months can be hard on ice machines and harder on your customers if you don’t have ice. Nothing blows up social media faster than a bar or restaurant that has no ice for beverages, especially in the summer heat, and the cost of buying bags of replacement ice adds up quickly. There is more

to lose than ice when the ice maker breaks down in the height of summer temperatures.

Follow these tips and engage in proper ice machine care before and during summer to ensure your ice supply stays high and stress stays low as temps rise.

John Mahlmeister is the chief operating officer and co-founder of Easy Ice. Co-headquartered in Phoenix, AZ and Marquette, MI, Easy Ice is the national leader in the full-service ice

machine subscription industry with warehouse and distribution facilities in Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Orlando, New York City, and Los Angeles. Since its founding in 2009, Easy Ice has rapidly grown the number of ice machines under management to nearly 40,000 units across 47 states.

The Easy Ice commercial ice machine subscription programs include installation, cleaning, preventive maintenance, repairs, and backup ice. For more information, please visit EasyIce.com.

Keep It Clean Ice makers function best when they are clean. As dust, dirt, and grease build up on vital components within the unit, the buildup acts as insulation that holds in more heat Manufacturers recommend ice machines be deep cleaned by a technician a minimum of twice per year.

Try to schedule one of these biannual cleanings in the spring, so the ice machine is descaled, disinfected, sanitized, and running in peak shape going into the heat of summer.

Regular cleanings and maintenance should be performed, with emphasis on cleaning the air filter, the condenser, and the water filter (especially important in with hard water) to help an ice machine work efficiently through the warm season.

Regular Maintenance Is Key The standard lifespan of an ice machine is seven to ten years. Considering the high purchase price and the cost of ongoing maintenance and repairs, this makes the ice maker an expensive kitchen investment. A savvy business owner will try to keep the ice maker running for as many years as possible. At Easy Ice, we own nearly 40,000 ice makers, and we perform all regular maintenance. As a result, our machines last up to 10 years longer than the average ice maker.

Business owners can increase the value of the capital spent on an ice machine by having regular August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 99

DIANA DELUCIA

from page 22

and it promises to be a delicious event showcasing some of the industry’s culinary talents.

In 2020 during the lockdowns, a group of advisory board general managers and executive chefs assisted in developing the Golf Kitchen Certification of Culinary Excellence program. I am working on a book collection titled Golf’s Culinary Pioneers, which will be a two-three volume collection.

What is the mission of Golf Kitchen?

My mission has always been to illuminate the exemplary culinarians that work in the top 10% of the industry. I work hard on this mission, which has been challenging but rewarding.

Lessons learned from previous jobs that you’ve brought to the culture at Golf Kitchen?

On my journey, I learned that I can and will keep getting back up after defeat. When some think I will fail, I have learned to keep moving forward one day at a time and keep the snowball rolling. I owe it to all those who have championed and mentored me to succeed in my mission.

I learned a lot from the chefs, restaurants, restaurant shows, and events like the Careers through Culinary Arts Program(C-CAP) Benefit Gala and James Beard Foundation Awards.

These events, restaurants, and chefs were my food photography training ground; they all supported me. My most memorable was Charlie Trotter’s 20th Anniversary dinner. I also remember meeting Fred Klashman and Joyce Appelman. We were all pioneers ahead of our time. I was soaking up and learning about the hospitality of a fine dining restaurant; their culture was to give the customer a mini vacation for 2-3 hours. This translated to what I found in the private golf and country club industry on a much larger and grander scale.

How are clubs bringing catering and special events back?

Clubs were very prepared for the 2021 resurgence of events. They knew in advance that they had to service all the rescheduled events from 2020 and the scheduled events for 2021.

2022 is probably the biggest year yet in regard to golf and events. The facilities are utilized more than ever, and more events are booked at the club rather than elsewhere. The biggest issue is staffing and the supply chain, but they always seem to figure it out.

Beverage trends at clubs?

Upscale wine dinners are one of the fastest-growing trends in the industry. Clubs are hiring sommeliers, and members are demanding a much higher quality for their wine cellars.

More and more members are dining at the club; they expect high-quality dining and a more robust wine list. I am experiencing high-quality Wine Estates paying particular interest in our magazine, awards, and events; we have a niche market of clubs and members who can afford to buy quality. I am particularly proud of wine reviewer Fernando Silva. Fernando is a wine director, sommelier, and wine critic. He has established our Wine Program Award as well as a niche market reviewing wines that he specifically feels should be in private golf and country club cellars and wine lists.

Artisan cocktails are also on the rise.

It’s getting quite competitive in the industry, and it is an excellent career for any bartender or mixologist; the people you meet can change your life if you are smart enough to understand this!

Are clubs having difficulty finding staff? What are your thoughts in terms of where we are in the industry, and what have they done to find the work staff to be successful?

Clubs are busier than ever, with members and waiting lists at the largest in memorable history. The dining facilities are being utilized more than ever before. The Clubs I have worked with pay more than the minimum wage, have full benefits and bonuses, and often include housing or housing allowances. Innovative employees see the vast opportunity to care for some incredible members who could be valuable connections in their future careers. Post-COVID, many clubs offer even higher salaries, work-life balance, and more.

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One of the most significant issues in the private club sector is that there is little awareness of the benefits of a culinary career outside the industry.

This industry will give you much more culinary training than your average restaurant. You will learn every aspect from breakfast, lunch, banquets, weddings, golf events, fine dining, wine dinners, and more. You will be able to shine and be a part of menu creation if that is your desire.

How has the business during COVID changed, what you’ve seen and going forward, what do you expect that to look like? What is needed for the clubs to completely recover?

Clubs had to figure out how to entertain and feed their members even when the club was closed. Clubs had to hit the ground running when they were amid COVID. Members didn’t stop being members.

I had noticed that the clubs that kept their staff employed even when there was no indication of how long before they would open have been the most successful. They are loyal to the members and owners who took care of them.

I see so many people who stay at one club for their entire life, they take care of the members, and the members take care of them in return. Look at it like a big family. I have seen young people hired because they were kind to a club manager or owner who was dining at a restaurant that noticed their character and work ethic and offered them a dream job.

How is F&B being used to attract the next generation of members?

From around 2014-15, clubs were slowly awakening and realizing they had to up their culinary game. Millions of dollars were being spent updating kitchens and hiring exemplary culinary teams. Savvy owners, general managers, and club memberships understood that the next generation would be here, and they would not accept less than a great dining experience. Some younger members joined for the social membership, further showcasing the need for talented culinary teams and dining facilities.

Once the pandemic lockdowns began, many clubs took the downtime to remodel or rebuild their kitchens, often spending millions.

Thoughts in chefs like Stephen Yen leaving Tao to go to Liberty National?

It is very challenging for a restaurant chef to transition to a club. If a diner is unhappy at a restaurant, they may not return. At a club, you work for members you might see 3-4 times a week or more. You are no longer creating everything you want; you must listen to the members and keep your ego in check. You must have a servant’s heart to make the membership happy. I have spoken to chefs that find it personally gratifying when they figure out how to turn a member’s complaint into a staunch fan. As a final note: You are now responsible for breakfast, lunch, dinner, golf events, banquets, weddings, keeping your staff engaged and happy, and so much more; however, it can be a very lucrative career that comes with many perks. It is Chef Yen’s first season at Liberty National Golf Club, and he has big shoes to fill.

What do you see for yourself, the magazine, and the Golf Kitchen portfolio?

My goal is to continue to illuminate this vibrant industry nationally and internationally. I want to continue to encourage more collaborations between club teams, find a home for our international Pro-Am, the continued development of the Culinary Excellence Awards and Certifications, Wine Program Award, and Scholarships.

I am thrilled to begin writing a new column for Total Food Service; it is an honor and assists me in my mission to bring awareness to the private club industry outside of the industry itself.

It will cover stories about young and seasoned chefs, sommeliers, and food and beverage teams and highlight abundant opportunities.

If you are reading this and think the Private Golf and Country Club industry could be a good fit, don’t hesitate to contact me. diana@golfkitchen.com @ golfkitchen on Insta and @DianaDeLucia on LinkedIn. www.golfkitchen. com.

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 101

NYC HOSPITALITY ALLIANCE were instantly jobless. It was absolute chaos and there was little to no information, and what we had changed rapidly and often was conflicting and unclear.

But, once again, The Alliance went into survival mode. The first days, weeks, and months of the pandemic we were sending out dozens of emails daily keeping people updated on all the requirements and mandates that were changing. Regrettably, we lost a lot of friends and family working in the industry, whose memory we will never forget. People lost their livelihood. People were sick. But our industry also stood up. We rallied. Amid this unprecedented crisis, our industry’s commitment to New York City shone.

Yet again, the city was front and center and restaurateurs and workers during the pandemic prepared meals and delivered them to frontline workers and other New Yorkers who needed food. Fundamentally, we were essential workers, working during a public health crisis. There was a sense of duty, but also need.

Undoubtedly, it brought a great sense of pride as we were in the middle of this crisis seeing all of our members rally to the aid their communities. A horrible crisis can bring out the best of people.

And obviously during a crisis, food distribution is one of the most essential operations. It keeps a horrible catastrophe from becoming even worse.

As the battle raged, The Alliance rolled up its sleeves. We helped raise money and coordinate countless meals to frontline workers and communities in need. Raised money for laid off restaurant workers, and restaurants and bars in need. In addition, we fought to support the survival of the city’s restaurants and nightlife industry and then we aggressively advocated for policies from a city, state, and federal level. Corey Johnson, the Speaker of the City Council at the time and I coauthored an op-ed calling on the city to allow restaurants to serve outdoors.

Following that, about a week later I was at City Hall with former Mayor de Blasio doing a press conference announcing the creation of the Open Restaurants outdoor dining program which saved thousands of restaurants

from page 70 from permanently shuttering and was responsible for hiring back at least 100,000 people to their jobs. Plus, it allowed New Yorkers to eat, drink and socialize safely after months of being in an essential lockdown, all while activate our desolate streets and brining a vital energy back to our city.

However, while some businesses reopened or restructured, tourism traffic was down, and operation costs were up. Despite their goodwill, many businesses were teetering on the brink of financial collapse. We fought more.

This time we were front and center working with local groups and with national groups advocating for financial support. We said that if government was mandating restaurant shut down, government has a duty and moral responsibility to financially support these small businesses so one day they can reopen and survive.

With that, we worked closely with our senior senator and Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer. Together and helped by other groups nationally, we secured the Paycheck Protection Program, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, the EIDL program, and more.

We also got changes made to the Paycheck Protection Program to help restaurants locally.

We took our advocacy momentum and worked on behalf our members to support their takeout and delivery initiatives. With that, we helped get Alcohol-to-Go established and got a cap on the outrageous fees charged by third-party delivery platforms. We also got a law passed that suspended enforcement of personal liability guarantees in leases so small business owners were protected from not only losing their business, but also prevented their landlords from going after their personal assets, which would have further compounded the crisis.

We got so many more policies passed during the pandemic. So many people told how we helped save the industry in NYC and it highlighted the importance of having a unified industry advocate in the city like the NYC Hospitality Alliance. With that, it was still an extraordinarily trying time. The friends and family that we’ve lost, plus the many businesses that closed, the

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financial devastation, the emotional trauma in addition to the health crisis it posed is unfathomable. It was such a massive crisis that almost no matter what you did, we still needed to do more, and unfortunately to this day, way too many businesses didn’t get the support they need.

And so now, here we are with one foot still in and the other out of what we hope is the tail end of the worst of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Some are calling it the New Normal. But I don’t like to give it a name. With the pandemic the only thing that’s certain, is everything is uncertain. And so, as we continue to emerge from the worst of the pandemic, we keep heading in a much better direction. I feel more recently that a heaviness has been lifted and more people are wanting to be out eating, drinking, socializing, dancing, and supporting their local restaurants, bars, and clubs.

Unfortunately, and shamefully about 65% of restaurants in New York that applied for the federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund were shut out when money was quickly exhausted and then the federal government failed to replenish it. There’s still a lot of restaurants around the city that are in debt and are struggling, but they are no doubt in a better place now than they were during the worst in the pandemic. The consciousness has also changed. So while we’re still focused on advocating for support related to the pandemic, we need to also think long term into the future and focus on getting back to advocating for polices to address longstanding issues we fought for before the pandemic.

These include continuing to streamline the permit and licensing process and putting government and hospitality operators on the same team rather than butting heads and being opposed to each other. We must develop the guidelines for the permanent outdoor dining program making it standardized and sustainable as we transition out of the temporary emergency program. We must also ensure that voice for the New York City restaurants, bars, and nightclub owners and operators is front and center in the halls of government.

Through our first decade, we have

been under the political leadership of three NYC mayors: Bloomberg, de Blasio, and Adams. We have always enjoyed favorable political relationships but haven’t been without significant disagreements. Our goal continues to be that government is aware of the need to partner with the NYC Hospitality Alliance. They know our city’s restaurant and nightlife industry is a political force, and we are critical to the economic foundation and social fabric of New York City and that the NYC Hospitality Alliance represents this vital industry.

I have no doubt that as we emerge from the pandemic, our elected officials will see the need to fully support our small businesses. The mom-andpop shops and our local restaurants are part of the fabric of our communities.

But so often those same government officials would then make it increasingly difficult for those exact types of businesses they claim to care so much about to survive. They need to know that a busy restaurant or bar does not mean that everything is ok and that we can go back to pre-pandemic over regulation. We need to make sure that they know that’s not an option.

And so, with 10 years in the rear-view mirror and for all the roller coaster moments we have endured, it is fitting that on September 19th we commemorate this decade of achievements, advocacy, education, support, events, and building a community – a powerful and impactful community for our city’s hospitality industry. We will recognize all that we have accomplished and all that we have collectively struggled through over the past decade and continue to strengthen those bonds and raise money so we can continue to fight the good fight.

Ten years ago, we formed and Alliance because it was felt that the New York City hospitality industry needed its own independent organization to represent restaurants, bars, and nightclubs throughout the five boroughs.

We knew the need was there, but the level of embrace and success far exceeded anyone’s expectations. It has been so rewarding and the best is yet to come. We are beyond grateful for everyone’s support and embrace!

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FIORITO ON INSURANCE

from page 14

workplace behaviors like bullying, harassment and discrimination can escalate toward violence.

is critical that your team is capable of assessing and managing the matter before it escalates.

There are actions that you can take to mitigate the risk of violent scenarios. Evaluate the workplace and identify both physical and administrative adjustments that you can make proactively:

• Provide training in defusing or de-escalating potentially violent situations and inform employees of the risks of workplace violence.

• Institute policies and procedures that indicate a zero tolerance of workplace violence and provide direction for reporting and handling incidents.

• Establish an internal threat assessment team to assess and manage any threats of violence or concerning behaviors that you may become aware. Threats toward a business can come from a variety of sources. If you become aware of a threat toward a location or person it

RESTAURANT DATA

• Consider the risk of assault when directing workers to take out garbage, store items in external areas, transport money, etc.

• Establish procedures for obtaining medical care and psychological support after a violent incident.

• Create a crisis response plan that describes procedures to follow in the event of an emergency, which should include evacuation routes and exits or building lockdown procedures depending on the situation, and have the plan posted for all staff

from page 84

data.com to reach their target. For the equipment manufacturer, Gellman said the “approaches include a variety of steps to help suppliers sell more. For example, a combioven manufacturer could enter in a Zip code and search a 5-mile radius. Results would include every restaurant and foodservice location within the search area. The manufacturer could then further filter their search by segment – that is caterers, desired spend-by category, size, cuisines, and so on.”

For the insurance company looking to support its underwriting efforts by using data to build a “model” in response to the new legislation on Drinks-To-Go, Gellman said that “the initial reconnaissance steps would include review of alcohol filing data along with restaurant supplied attributes such as Drinksto-Go. From there, we would assist the insurance companies through data AI steps to harmonize and homogenize their current data.

Using dozens of up-to-date databases alongside the Restaurantdata360 platform, we would then create models which will help the underwriters bring more products to market.”

Operating in a society where the accuracy of data is more important today than ever, Gellman said “the lines are continuing to blur between social, governmental and historical data points of view and that users today expect rapid solutions in a data clean environment.” He concluded that his company offers live demonstrations and free trials and that “the goal of the Restaurantdata360 directory is to provide fresh data on every restaurant outside your door: appropriately classified by type, style, size, and cuisine combined with over 20 additional restaurant specific attributes. No other company maintains our volume of accurate contacts, companies, and operator attributes.”

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and patrons to access.

• In the event of a shooting, management should record any physical property damage to broken windows and doors or bullet holes in walls or floors and take pictures.

business leaders, safety and security managers, and human resource professionals tasked with building a program, however, they are imperative. Work with your insurance broker and their dedicated risk management team to ensure that you’re prepared and protected.

For the latest information, guidance, and resources on to help you protect what matters most, please visit HUB’s dedicated Workplace Violence & Active Shooter Resource Center: www.hubinternational. com/products/risk-services/hubcrisis-resources/violence-resourcecenter/

Having a crisis management plan that you practice periodically is crucial. Unfortunately, senseless acts of violence are often unavoidable even with the best practices in place. Workplace Violence Prevention Program development can often be a challenging process for the

1. Gun Violence Archive: https:// w w w. g u n v i o l e n c e a r c h i v e . o r g / quer y/0484b316-f676-44bc-97edecefeabae077 2. https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/operations/starbuckscloses-some-restaurants-citing-safety-concerns

• Establish an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with trained counselors who are able to address workplace stress and violence issues. As a confidential service to employees, the EAP provider will assess whether a situation needs to be brought to management and can intervene in employee conflicts.

August 2022 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 105

RE-OPENING STRATEGIES ership panel discussion. The speakers on that panel include Valerie Burd, president of ABM Education, and Dr. Felicia Townsend, program director of the ISSA Hygieia Network, among other prominent female industry leaders.

These seminars will be offered to help provide information and solutions to some of the most important, pressing issues in the industry. Problems like inflation, supply-chain management, and differentiating your business from competition will all be discussed at the Expo. Businesses want to stand out in a crowded marketplace, we have solutions that can help our customers do just that. And, if the packaging you’ve been using for the past ten years is backordered, you’ll be able to physically look at all the new alternatives and talk with the different vendors about what readily available items can be used as a substitute or even find something better.

New solutions are provided by new products, and the future is filled with

from page 12 exciting innovations set to help the industry as needed. Robotic cleaning equipment to increase efficiency and reduce labor, sustainability and environmentally friendly packaging options, and new dispensing technology, among other products, will all take the stage at the Innovations Expo.

Those who would like to attend can do so by pre-registering at ImperialDade.com, look for the Expo banner on the home page, or walking in the day of the show to register on site. There will be free parking, and Imperial Dade is even offering Lyft vouchers for those who will be attending via a ride-sharing service.

More details are available on the Expo website.

Don’t forget to ask for me and say hi at the show!

For more information about registering for the Innovations Expo, visit ImperialDade.com or snap the QR code on page 12.

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COLD FOAM

from page 18

in popular flavors.

Drinks to Enhance with Cold Foam Cold foam is a home run and an instant classic for cold coffee drinks, including ordinary iced coffee, cold brew, and nitro coffee. The thin layer of dairy foam holds up well over these cold beverages and adds visual contrast as well as an airy counterpoint to a bold cup of joe. Enjoyed as a topping, cold foam can be blended so it sits on top, not mixing immediately into the beverage.

It can do the same for an array of other bright, bold, and tart beverages. Potential pairings include fruitinfused chilled beverages and iced teas, ranging from herbal blends to fruit teas to chai. For all of these options, the cold foam adds a note of indulgence plus a striking aesthetic quality, particularly when paired with vibrantly hued beverages.

Customizing Density and Flavor When it comes to flavor, the most effective options begin with ingredients already in your inventory, including sweeteners and syrups, as well as shelf-stable flavorings like granulated sugar, cinnamon, espresso powder, instant coffee, and cocoa. You can also make the flavoring process easier for staff by mixing the flavoring blends ahead of time, so they can be portioned out by the scoop for each serving.

Yet another way to flavor the foam is to garnish it just before serving with a sprinkling or drizzle of sugars, cocoa powder, caramel, and the like.

Try These Cold Foam Recipes Tap into the cold foam trend using ingredients you already stock, helping you get the most out of your existing SKUs. Here are a few simple recipes to make using The Quiet One: Basic Cold Foam Begin with a versatile recipe that works with many beverages and is easily customized: Add 3 ounces of cold skim milk (poured to the

height of the blade) to the Aerating Container, fitted on The Quiet One blender. If desired, flavor the milk with about ½ ounce of vanilla syrup or other flavored syrup before blending. This amount equates to 2 full pumps of syrup from a one-liter dispenser bottle. Pump dispense volumes may vary by bottle size, so you may need to adjust the number of pumps accordingly. Choose program 31 for a loose, pourable foam or program 32 for a denser foam.

Espresso Cold Foam Create a chocolate espresso foam perfect for iced coffee, nitro coffee, and cold brew: Fill the Aerating Container with 3 ounces of cold skim milk and flavor with 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of instant espresso powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar or 1 pump of simple syrup, assuming a pump dispense volume of ¼ ounce of syrup per pump and adjusting if necessary. Run on program number 32.

Matcha Cold Foam Make things even easier with this single-process recipe in which the drink creates its own foam layer: Combine 1 cup of chilled skim milk with 1 cup of ice, 1 teaspoon of matcha green tea and 1 pump of simple syrup in the Aerating Container, adjusting the number of pumps if necessary, based pump dispense volume and desired level of sweetness.

Blend ingredients using program 31.

Pour into a glass, garnish with additional tea powder, and serve.

All of these options allow for a great deal of customization and flexibility, so don’t be afraid to experiment with flavors and textures – and see how easy it can be to tap into the cold foam beverage phenomenon.

Stephen Hosey is blending application manager and culinary team member at Vitamix, where he assists commercial customers with kitchen and bar efficiency, recipe creation and menu development. Contact him at letstalkcommercial@vitamix.com.

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INTERIOR DESIGNING who did an interior design project just last year is looking at a significant increase in cost this year. Set realistic cost expectations and your interior design team will do their best to work with you on creating an ideal space with a budget you feel comfortable with. Your interior design team should do a “good, better, best” exercise with you which will help point out different design scenarios and materials you might use at different costs. Label any material or fixture you would want in your best-case scenario then do the same thing in a less ideal situation.

You can then map out the cost for each scenario.

Come into this conversation with a clear vision and be honest about areas where you would be more willing to compromise your vision and also be clear about what is non-negotiable. For instance, you may think the layout of your restaurant’s main entrance has to make a statement but the entrance along with the price of every other part of the restaurant is cost prohibitive. You might choose to invest more into the entrance of the restaurant and spend less on less trafficked areas such as the bathroom entrance hallway.

It is also tempting to craft your restaurant around the hottest trends, but the issue with this approach is that trends tend to be fleeting and more expensive because it is in high demand.

Do your best to avoid chasing trends when designing your restaurant. It is okay to incorporate them

from page 44 if they really fit with your overall vision, but you want to avoid just designing your space around the most popular things. If you work with your design team and sincerely believe in the space you are creating, you will save more money than if you create a generic space of popular designs.

Know your menu Menu clutter is a constant culprit in overinflated budgets. Designing and printing menus cost money and the more items you have on a menu the more it is going to cost.

It is important to have a clear idea of what dishes will be on the menu and what you would like the layout of that menu to be. Most restaurants today have gone with a condensed menu approach meaning less of an emphasis on the quantity of dishes and more on quality.

You can even avoid most costs associated with menu printing by doing a QR menu system that has remained popular. A QR system also allows you to quickly change menu items without having to print entirely new menus.

The restaurant industry is in a better spot than it was two years ago, but an increased cost of goods has become a new challenge for new restaurateurs in a post-pandemic world. However, these challenges do not prevent us from designing unique and beautiful dining experiences. Set realistic cost expectations, know your menu, then do a test fit and you will design a space at a manageable budget.

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PLANT BASED

from page 98

sustainability-minded dining public have enormous opportunity to do so through raising the visibility and transparency of their efforts, which will, in turn, build trust and loyalty with their customers. Beyond menu offerings and ingredient sourcing, don’t forget about packaging, since most consumers are actively seeking foods with recyclable or compostable packaging.

Taste and affordability are top concerns for consumers to consider plant-based foods.

9. How can chefs and operators concurrently meet these top concerns, maintain financial viability, and focus on sustainability?

These are real challenges with no one easy solution, hence the importance of staying actively engaged on a learning journey, personally and within your organization, to set both short and long-term goals.

One promising culinary opportunity that addresses multiple chal-

lenges, as mentioned in the Datassential report, is creating and offering mixed animal and plantbased protein dishes. Using strategies like the “protein flip” or a blended burger, where meat is combined with mushrooms, operators can create craveable, culturally relevant dishes that are more nutritious, climate-friendly, and affordable—a triple bottom line win!

For more culinary inspiration, recipes, and training opportunities, visit www.plantforwardkitchen.org.

For an easy way for foodservice providers to promote plant-based options at any type of organization: K-12 schools, universities, hospitals, corporations, restaurants, large institutions and beyond. For how-to guides, download Meatless Monday how-to guides at: https://www.mondaycampaigns.org/meatless-monday/foodservice

SOCIETY FOR HOSPITALITY AND FOODSERVICE MANAGEMENT

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LEGAL INSIDER

from page 50

quired under federal, state and local law and provide new employees with such notices upon hire. Note that in New York City all new hires must be provided the Stop Sexual Harassment Act Factsheet which can be found on the New York City Commission of Human Rights website: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/ cchr/media/sexual-harassmentact-factsheet.page Further guidance for employers is expected from the New York State Department of Labor. The law makes clear that information about the workplace sexual harassment hotline must be included in materials employers provide to employees regarding sexual harassment prevention. Employers need to promptly review all policies, handbooks, workplace postings and training materials regarding sexual harassment to ensure they are updated to include information regarding the

ANDROBAR

new hotline telephone number.

Employers should also encourage employees to submit complaints regarding sexual harassment - which they either personally experience or observe happening to coworkers - right away to supervisors or Human Resources so they can be promptly investigated and resolved.

Bystander reports of harassment are important due to the fact many individuals are reluctant or afraid to come forward. Employees should be assured that there will be no retaliation for reporting sexual harassment.

Communicating to your employees about your restaurant’s commitment to preventing sexual and other forms of unlawful harassment in the workplace is essential. Work with your labor and employment counsel to fully comply with the laws applicable to your restaurant operations and to discuss your ongoing efforts at prevention.

from page 34

bar is imperative to ensuring an enjoyable customer experience: “If I go to the bar and order a Manhattan, and it’s the best Manhattan I’ve ever had, and I go back a week later and the next bartender makes a terrible Manhattan, the guest satisfaction and experience [has just been ruined by] inconsistency.” Not only does AndroBar provide a reliably consistent experience, it helps save locations valuable revenue: “How do you make money?” Muise poses, “You serve drinks consistently.”

Muise has implemented a flexible marketing strategy to build the AndroBar brand. “Our goal is to partner with food equipment dealers and support them so that their sales staffs can focus on what they do best and not have to worry about the technical details including the crucial interface with a restaurants existing POS system. We can interface with any POS product that uses

a printer or a KDS, and we already interface with over a dozen systems,” Muise explained.

In such uncertain times, one thing is for certain: AndroBar is revolutionary. This innovative liquorcontrol software delivers better consistency, customer experience, and revenue saving, all powered by trademarked advancements like its unique Punch to Pour™ technology. Moreover, the software is easy to interface with any POS system, and avoids restaurant owners’ and bartenders’ headaches of new tech.

For more information about the software, visit http://androbarusa. com/

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Stable. Even here.

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