March 2020 - Total Food Service by Total Food Service

NEWS

SPECIAL EVENTS

JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION ANOINTS PHILADELPHIA AS ITS FIRST YEAR-ROUND PARTNER CITY

he James Beard Foundation’s (JBF) has announced that Philadelphia will host this year’s ceremony to reveal nominees for the foundation’s prized national culinary awards. As part of a unique new partnership between the Visit Philly destination marketing agency and the Manhattan-based foundation that aims to promote food-driven travel to Philadelphia, the city will integrate its cultural institutions into the foodie-friendly initiative, and one will even contain a cooking component for kids. The move adds another layer to an

“What this does is have Philadelphia stand out not just as a foodie town but as a James Beard foodie town,” added Jeff Guaracino President/CEO of Visit Philadelphia. “This is the lens of how we’re now telling the story of Philadelphia’s food scene.” already rich, first-of-its kind arrangement that has the most prestigious food-related non-profit in the U.S. basically giving its stamp of approval to the restaurant scene in Greater Phila-

delphia. Though sometimes Philly feels overlooked by the awards committee, as well as by the world’s dining glitterati, it does boast the 2019 James Beard Outstanding Restaurant award

winner, the 2018 Rising Star Chef of the Year, the 2017 Best Chef and Best Restaurateur winners, plus more than 240 other winners and nominees working in the area’s restaurants, bars and bakeries. “What this does is have Philadelphia stand out not just as a foodie town but as a James Beard foodie town,” added Jeff Guaracino, President/CEO of Visit Philadelphia. “This is the lens of how we’re now telling the story of Philadelphia’s food scene.” Throughout 2020, the foundation

continued on page 130

BOOTH #1214

2 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 3

NEWS

OBITUARY

NEW YORK CITY RESTAURATEUR/ MODEL B SMITH REMEMBERED

elebrated New York restaurant owner and former model Barbara Smith, better known as B. Smith, died late last month at age 70. B. Smith was a sought-after expert of food and style. “Some even thought she was on her way to becoming another Martha Stewart,” noted Hazel Sanchez of WCBS-TV. In 1986, Smith opened a restaurant in New York City, others followed in Sag Harbor, N.Y., and Washington D.C. She hosted a television program and put her name on home products. She went on to open a second restau-

“Heaven is shining even brighter now that it is graced with B.’s dazzling and unforgettable smile.” — Don Gasby rant in Sag Harbor. She also owned a restaurant in the historic Beaux-Arts Union Station in Washington, D.C.; in September 2013, it was reported that restaurant would close. In 2014, the Sag Harbor restaurant was shuttered, followed by the Manhattan location in January 2015. Smith’s interest in décor and restau-

4 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

rant design led to the development of her first home collection, which debuted at Bed Bath & Beyond in Spring 2001. She also launched a line of serveware in 2004. In spring 2007, Smith debuted her first furniture collection with the La-Z-Boy company Clayton Marcus. She also became a celebrated au-

thor with three books concentrating on recipes and presentation: B. Smith’s Entertaining and Cooking for Friends (1995), B. Smith’s Rituals and Celebrations (1999), and B. Smith Cooks Southern Style (2009). Smith and her husband released ‘Before I Forget’ in early 2016, detailing their journey following her diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s. The book was written with husband Dan Gasby and Vanity Fair contributing editor Michael Shnayerson. Husband Dan Gasby said Smith died peacefully in their home on Long Island, following a battle with earlyonset Alzheimer’s disease. “Heaven is shining even brighter now that it is graced with B.’s dazzling and unforgettable smile,” Gasby said In the fall of 2014, Smith gave family members a scare when she went miss-

continued on page 130

Boost sales with sweet and savory creations from Waring’s new product breakthroughs. From bubble waffles packed with ice cream and toppings, to mini Belgian waffles topped with syrup, whipped cream or fruit, Waring has the waffle-making solution for you. Our Waffle X series equips all our wafflemakers with user-serviceable parts for even longer lifetime value.

BOOTH #1327

Come explore at: waringcommercialproducts.com

@waringcommercial

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 5

NEWS

RESTAURANT OPERATIONS

NYC’S CHINATOWN EATERIES SUFFER FROM CORONAVIRUS FEARS

ew York City’s Chinatown is typically a bustling hub for locals and tourists alike, an economic center fueled by hundreds of independent shops selling everything from cellphones to steaming plates of shu mai. But recently, the streets of Chinatown’s corner of downtown Manhattan have been quieter. Fewer tour groups are walking along the streets, fewer people are going to the neighborhood’s most famous restaurants. Even some locals seem hesitant to go out to their favorite spots. Though Wuhan is nearly 7,500 miles (12,000km) from New York City, and there have been no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the city or state of

“We laid off about 40% of our staff to maintain the business because we’re getting less profit,” — David Ching, owner of Yin Ji Chang Fen New York, Chinatown business owners say their restaurant and shops are taking hits over fears of the virus. “We laid off about 40% of our staff to maintain the business because we’re getting less profit,” said David Ching, owner of Yin Ji Chang Fen, the sole New York outlet of a popular rice noodle roll chain in Guangzhou, China. Though the restaurant was packed to the brim with customers when it opened in September, the number

6 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

of patrons dropped off by about 40% once news of the virus spread, Ching said. Before the coronavirus fears Yin Ji Chang Fen had just a few tables open for weekday lunch. But Ching said it was about half of what they would usually get before fears over the virus started. “It’s been slow,” he said. Just down the street from Yin Ji Chang Fen, Julia Chang was the sole waitress taking orders at Julia Tea & Dim Sum House, the restaurant that bears her name. Business has been down by about 20%, forcing her and her co-owners to cut staff. “Before we put a notice for hiring [on the window], and now I have to take it off,” Chang said. “People may be scared to come to Chinatown – it’s understandable.” Though they declined to speak on the record since their managers were not in at the time, multiple employees at restaurants throughout New York’s Chinatown said coronavirus fears has resulted in a noticeable decline in business. “It’s one word: terrible,” one employee at a restaurant said. The decline in business in Chinatown coincides with an uptick in xenophobic attacks against people of Asian descent around the world. In Los Angeles, a woman said a man directed a rant about the coronavirus toward her. “I’m not even Chinese … He’s really attacking me because I look a certain way.” Though Chinatown is most known for its dining spots, other types of businesses have taken hits. Gina Ma,

Main Office 282 Railroad Ave. Greenwich, CT 06830 Publishers Leslie & Fred Klashman Advertising Director Michael Scinto Art Director Mark Sahm Director of Public Relations and Special Events Joyce Appelman Contributing Writers Warren Bobrow Morgan Tucker Fred Sampson Joyce Appelman Phone: 203.661.9090 Fax: 203.661.9325 Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com

Cover photo courtesy of Jersey Mike’s Subs

continued on page 102is published Total Food Service ISSN No. 1060-8966 monthly by IDA Publishing, Inc., 282 Railroad Ave., Greenwich, CT 06830. Phone: 203.661.9090. This issue copyright 2020 by IDA Publishing Inc. Contents in full or part may not be reproduced without permission. Not responsible for advertisers claims or statements. Periodicals Postage paid at the post office, Greenwich, CT and additional mailing offices. Additional entry at the post office in Pittsburgh, PA. Subscription rate in USA is $36 per year; single copy; $3.00. Postmaster: Send address changes to Total Food Service, P.O. Box 2507, Greenwich, CT 06836

owner of a souvenir and gift shop said that, while the winter months are typically slower, only one or two customers are stopping in around lunchtime. “On our customers’ side, we definitely understand certain parts. We cannot blame [them], but it hurts right now.” Ma noted that people who come in the store are often wearing masks, and she’s scared that even a sneeze from a cold or allergy would turn people

continued on page 130

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 7

MEET THE NEWSMAKER

Interview by Joyce Appelman

Q&A WITH STEPHEN YEN EXECUTIVE CHEF, THE TAO GROUP

n the chef scene for 10 years, Stephen Yen sharpened his distinct style of global cuisine since graduating from the French Culinary Institute (ICC). He was on the opening team for Fatty ‘Cue in Williamsburg, worked with Eddie Huang, popular for his food-driven political antics, and trained at Iron Chef Morimoto’s restaurant in the meatpacking district. He spent a year with the Omakase team before moving on to a sous position at Catch with Executive chef Hung Huynh, Top Chef season three winner. Chef Hung’s style of global seafood was not only a building block for Stephen but also a stepping-stone. He’s consulted on multiple projects and designed menus for many NYC kitchens. He was the Corporate Executive Chef for Paige Hospitality Group where he was the creative force as well as the culinary director for all the properties, and he was the Executive Chef at Sugarcane Raw Bar & Grill in Brooklyn. Chef Yen shares his inspiration as a chef, the importance of mentoring, and his industry insights. How does it feel to be the Executive Chef at The Tao Group? What kind of responsibilities comes with the new role? I can honestly say it’s great to be part of the team at Tao Group, a company with a great culture that is constantly pushing forward. The responsibility is tremendous. We have 88 heart of the house (BOH) employees, 12 of which are chefs and one purchaser on site. I oversee

an Executive Sushi, Executive Dim Sum, and an Executive Wok chef, all who manage their teams, respectively. Tao Group Hospitality operates many of the world’s most recognized brands including TAO, Marquee, Avenue, Lavo, and Beauty & Essex in six cities worldwide since 2011. Which technology does Tao Group use that is invaluable to the success in your new role? (kitchen systems, POS systems, etc). We use Compeat, TimePro, Avero, Jolt, and OpenTable just to name a few. Success comes from constant oversight. An example of this is temperature checks on all mise en place and storage areas and line checks which are sent to corporate twice a day. We have 2-3 iPads in the kitchen at any given moment. Can you tell our readers about your procurement process and how to reach you with product opportunities? We have a purchasing team led by

corporate, but we are always open to trying new products. We meet with new companies all the time. What kind of skills or talents are necessary as an Ex Chef to innovate the food industry? It’s an industry where you have to constantly evolve and continue to grow. • I spend a lot of time researching, as well as keeping up with industry trends via trade and consumer publications and social media platforms. • I believe that food, music, and fashion are very similar in terms of trends. It’s cyclical: if you keep your clothes from the ‘80s long enough, it will become popular again. • The same goes for food and music. Emerging technology will help us pay homage to the past by reinventing or rather reinvigorating the old school dishes we all know and love. Many chefs are predicting a lot of older dishes making a comeback, as long as we don’t put chopped parsley on the edge of the plate, we will be moving in the

Chef Stephen Yen speaking with C-CAP Job Training students in Lower Manhattan

8 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Chef Stephen Yen

right direction. What are you doing to help Tao Group GO GREEN? We use a BioHiTech digester that breaks down organic food into water waste. It uses enzymes to digest the organic waste into the water which then is flushed like normal wastewater. This really is an amazing way to cut down on bulk waste which would end up in a landfill. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced in the last few years and how did you overcome it? The biggest challenge is the obvious staffing issues we are facing across the country. • Working with programs like C-CAP is the only way to train young emerging talent. If I see a cook with potential, I personally invest time into them. Whether they continue to work for me or even if they move on, I have made our industry stronger by investing in that person. I never had a main mentor, but what I consider many “mini mentors” is what I try to instill in my sous chefs. I want them to become mini mentors on a daily basis. Emotional intelligence is the most important part of the hospitality indus-

continued on page 10

“ I trust the team at Singer M. Tucker to outfit and supply (and resupply) my restaurant with thoughtful, responsibly sourced goods and equipment. They listened to my vision, and helped make Il Fiorista a reality. ” - Executive Chef Garrison Price Il Fiorista, New York City

We are the Largest Foodservice Equipment & Supplies Dealer in Metro New York.

Over 400,000 Square Feet of Local Warehouse Space Equipment Furniture Disposables Jan-San Supplies Tabletop Kitchen Supplies Bar Supplies Buffet & Catering

BOOTH #1617

www.mtucker.com

800-688-2537 x227

Interior Design Foodservice Design Installation Services Procurement Expertise Supply Chain Partnership Tabletop & Smallwares Specialization l

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 9

NEWSMAKER

Stephen Yen, from page 8

try and we all need to become more aware of that. • Another huge part is to continue to train the old school chefs and encourage their evolution. We do not live in a world where throwing plates and belittling people is the norm. All the while, making sure our “old school” chefs continue to keep up with the changing times is equally important as training new cooks. Tell us about your training with Iron Chef Morimoto, Executive Chef Hung Huynh and share your thoughts on Culinary training and what training you’ll offer at TAO Group. Morimoto was the training I needed to help me focus on finesse. Japanese cuisine is simple, yet elegant and refined. You learn how to appreciate the ingredients and allow them to showcase themselves. Joining Chef Hung at Catch was a perfect move for me. He asked me this question during the interview: “Do you think you can take the techniques you learned at

the French Culinary Institute and apply them with Asian ingredients?” And that is exactly what we did there. We served global seafood with old school French techniques. We had a scallop and shrimp dumpling dish, with a base of vichyssoise and the scallop component was a French mousseline. It’s topped with caviar for that extra touch, and you can trace dishes like this back to Chef Hung’s time at Guy Savoy. • The one thing that is lacking from most training programs is constant motivation and mentoring. By that I mean set small goals for your team that they can smash on a daily basis. This will help morale and make them jump up and want to come to work. • Who doesn’t want to win? Instead of making fun of millennials wanting participation trophies, embrace it and celebrate wins while discussing losses that you can learn from. Words of encouragement are welcomed while yelling and screaming is not. If your cook made a mistake, it is because you

10 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

didn’t train them properly. I remember reading an article on Thomas Keller once. The journalist mentioned to the chef that he never saw him holding a knife. Chef Keller responded by pointing to all his cooks who were cutting at the time and said, “Look, that’s my knife, and that guy over there? That’s my knife.” What he was trying to say is that he has trained everyone to become an extension of him. That’s the mentality we like to keep as chef operators. I use the term “chef operators” to differentiate ourselves from the chefs that aren’t boots on the ground. As an Executive Chef, I technically don’t need to cook on a daily basis, but I need to for my own well-being. Finding the kitchen has helped a lot of people, including myself, and I honestly don’t know where I would be if I didn’t cook. Where do you see the food industry heading in the next 5 years? • I see a lot of technology coming in. We have skillets that can cook chicken

in less than 2 minutes. Picture a giant George Forman grill. That’s what they look like. Actually, In-N-Out burger uses them to keep up with their speed. • You are going to see more fast casuals go towards ambient temperature foods. This way your salad at Sweetgreen can sit longer without going bad before you pick it up. • I would say initially ghost kitchens, but now legislation might change to keep them from becoming too popular. They will 100% put smaller mom and pop places out of business. • There’s more interest in bespoke dining: “having it your way” is always popular, but the over-saturation of Omakase restaurants will lead to more bespoke tasting menus. I actually wanted to open a place where we prepare 30 small dishes every day, and using an app you would then swipe right if you wanted that dish, left if you didn’t. Later you just pay for what you ate. It would be like Tinder and an Omakase place had a food baby.

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 11

NEWS

Article by Easy Ice

E&S SOLUTIONS

WHAT’S LURKING IN YOUR RESTAURANT’S ICE MACHINE: MOLD, SLIME AND SCALE!

he simple fact is, without proper ice machine cleaning, your restaurant’s ice maker is at risk from slime, mold, scale, and sediment. Biological contaminants like mold and slime can lead to damaging health code violations. Scale and sediment can damage vital ice machine components, which will lead to expensive repairs. Below are some of the most common substances that could be lurking in your restaurant’s ice machine - and what you can do to eliminate them before they hurt your business. Mold and Slime Slime and mold form because ice machines provide a damp and dark environment where they can thrive. Yeast and dust in the air provide these growths with an unlimited supply of food to continue to flourish. Ice machines are also susceptible to other biological contaminants that are dangerous to customers, like E. Coli, Hepatitis A, and Norwalk Virus. In fact, a 2011 study from the Environmental Protection Agency focused on Las Vegas restaurants found that 72.2 percent of ice was “positive for pre-

Biological contaminants like mold and slime can lead to damaging health code violations. Scale and sediment can damage vital ice machine components, which will lead to expensive repairs. sumptive coliform bacteria presence.” Restaurants can clean mold, slime, and other biological contaminants from their ice machine with a few simple steps. A weekly cleaning schedule helps tremendously to keep these containments at bay, but it is not a replacement for a professional ice machine cleaning from a qualified technician. To clean mold and slime, mix a solution in a spray bottle of 20 percent chlorine and 80 percent water. Instruct employees to use the spray bottle to saturate any contaminated surfaces, and if needed, wipe the areas to remove the contaminants. After wiping, you must sanitize the area by reapplying the solution and leaving the mixture to air dry.

12 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Scale Scale is the result of mineral concentration in the water. As water flows over the ice making surface of the system, these minerals combine and cling to the ice machine. While not dangerous to customers, scale can cause significant ice machine damage. Calcium and magnesium, the minerals that form scale, are commonly found in areas with hard water. The concentration of these minerals, measured by hardness, determines how fast scale forms and how frequently a system needs to be cleaned. While scale does not present a health hazard, it will affect the reliability of your machine as well as its lifespan, which can lead to costly repairs. In the short-term, scale will clog valves and distribution tubes, slowing down the ice-making process or disabling the machine altogether. In the long term, scale buildup on the ice making surface (the evaporator) causes a condition called “pitting.” Pitting happens when scale adheres so firmly to the evaporator, it tears a microscopic chunk

out of the evaporator when removed. That “pit” attracts more scale, which causes more damage during cleaning. This cycle continues, creating a deeper pit, which leads to an expensive evaporator replacement or new machine purchase. The most severe scale condition that we observed here at Easy Ice was in southeast Ohio, where a brand-new ice maker was clogged by scale in just six days. Luckily, there are a few treatments that can help you prevent scale buildup. This includes treating the restaurant’s water supply with a dedicated water softener, adding a phosphate filter to the ice machine, or installing a reverse osmosis system. These systems either treat or reduce the magnesium and calcium particles in the water, so they don’t combine to form scale. Cleaning scale is not easy. It requires removing ice machine components and using harsh chemicals. You should consider hiring a qualified ice machine technician to avoid harm to you and your ice machine. Sediment Every water source has suspended particles and sediment. Filtration by the city’s water treatment facility manages the particulate count before it leaves the treatment plant, but a network of pipes, possibly hundreds of miles long, delivers the water to your ice machine. Some of those pipes may be old, which can flake and add particulates to the water source. Once inside the ice machine, particulates get inside the pump, valves, float switch, etc. and can gum everything up, damaging the system.

continued on page 122

BREAKING NEWS: The Newest in Crisp Food Technologies ®

Costs Less Than a Coated Paper Box

SOLVED!

French Fries

Keep Food Hot & Crispy for 30 Minutes Reduce Packaging Cost! Increase Profit Margin!

Chicken Strips

FREE SAMPLES To Test Your Food 30minHD.com/TFS

The Fry Baby™ maintains food texture and temperature for 30 minutes This clear, hinged container features an anti-fog base & lid Microwavable, Reusable and Recyclable AVAILABLE IN A FULL RANGE OF SHAPES AND SIZES

Hinged 10.5”x 9.5”

Rectangle 9” x 6”

Hinged 9”x 9”

Hinged 6”x 6”

Hinged 6”x 6” Clear

Oval 1-Comp 11”x 8.5”

Oval 2-Comp 11”x 8.5”

Hinged 9”x 6”

Square 8.5” 3-Comp

Square 8.5” 1-Comp

anchorpac.com

NEWS

ANALYTICS

NEW REPORT SHOWS TRI-STATE DINERS OBSESSION FOR ITALIAN FARE

ew Yorkers face only one rival in their love of Italian food — their neighbors across the river in New Jersey. Recipe blog Chef’s Pencil used Google search data to track Americans’ interests in international cuisine based on their search history, which offered information about the recipes Americans search for as well as the restaurants they visit. Italian food was the most popular cuisine in New Jersey, with New York coming in second, according to the data. New Jerseyans had a popularity score of 100, while New York was close behind with 97. The popularity score does not indicate that more people searched for Italian food in New Jersey than in New York, for example, only that a greater percentage of New Jerseyans searched for Italian food than New Yorkers.

A greater percentage of New Jerseyans searched for Italian food than New Yorkers. By city, New York still beat out New Jersey in their Italian food obsession, with Yonkers, New York, having the largest reported percentage of residents searching for Italian cuisine in the U.S., followed closely by New York City. New Yorkers ranked third in their interest in Chinese food — America’s most popular international cuisine, according to the study — falling behind Delaware in second and New Jersey in first. New York City was the city with the third most interest in Chinese cuisine, falling behind Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in second and Newark, New Jersey, in first. Overall, interest in Chinese food beat out Italian food in New York, with the study reporting a popularity

14 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

score of 72 for Chinese compared to 36 for Italian. The least popular food in New York was Japanese, with a popularity score of nine. America – built by immigrants and a melting pot of nationalities. And just like the people themselves, American food came from across the seas, or over the border. Even Apple Pie – so American – actually came from England, along with the apples. The survey confirmed that America is a land of diversities – of peoples, of cultures, of climates and geographies, and of lifestyles. And while Americans’ food choices are incredibly varied, there is a clear battle for supremacy at the top of the charts. While the souped-up, go-gogo East prefers one, the chilled out, take it easy West goes for the other. Mexican cuisine is the most popular ethnic cuisine in 27 states, Chinese in 22 and Thai is the most popular cuisine in two states – Alaska and Hawaii. On a state level, New Jersey (92) scored the highest interest points for Indian food, followed by Washington (75), Maryland (73) and Massachusetts (72). The clear capital for this aromatic cuisine is Fremont, California (100), while Jersey City (76) came in second. The top five is closed by Paradise, NV, Irving, TX and San Jose, CA. Among the other findings impacting Metro New York, New Jersey (100) tops the interest

chart for Chinese cuisine, while Delaware (98), New York (95) and Connecticut (94), all score in the 90s. The city that comes up top is Newark, NJ (100) and Philadelphia, PA (64) comes in second. The study showed that Chinese food dominates the North East and takes the crown as the most searched for cuisine on Google. It was the glittering promise of the Gold Rush that first drew thousands of Chinese to the US, Chinese restaurants quickly became known as some of the best on the new restaurant scene. But that didn’t save them from anti-Chinese legislation, making it difficult for Chinese immigrants to work. They ended up working in restaurants and in service for the rich, and eventually, as the numbers of middle class with money to eat out began to grow, eating Chinese, an Americanized version, became all the rage. Then, when people saw Nixon eating Peking Duck on a trip to China in 1972, interest piqued and demand grew for authentic Chinese rather than Chop Suey, noodles, and spring rolls. There is also an interesting connection between the Jewish community and Chinese cuisine. When the Chinese were being discriminated against, there was also a lot of antiSemitism. No top scale restaurant wanted Jewish clientele, but Jews were always welcome in Chinese restaurants. Also, both being non-Christian, Jews were able to eat out in a Chinese establishment when the Christian population was at home celebrating Christmas, and so began a tradition. Started as an online cookbook where professional Chefs share their favorite recipes, Chef’s Pencil has become a valuable resource for professional chef recipes, professional cooking advice, and news from the culinary industry. Chef’s Pencil was started by Sydney-based Chef Paul Hegeman. In addition to recipes, its featured Chefs also share culinary techniques, advice on cooking materials, and lots of tips for home cooks.

PL ATINUM L A BEL

Hand-forming BelGioioso Platinum Fresh Mozzarella Curd

Made with Fresh Cream for more Flavorful Pizzas, Pastas and More

Pizza with BelGioioso Fresh Mozzarella and Platinum Ricotta con Latte®

BelGioioso Platinum Label Fresh Mozzarella Curd and Ricotta con Latte® are crafted from premium fresh local milk and an extra touch of cream. The higher butterfat content adds a rich, creamy ﬂavor to gourmet pizzas, entrées and desserts.

New!

Platinum Label cheeses

BelGioioso Fresh Mozzarella

Made from fresh, local milk gathered only a few hours after milking, BelGioioso cheeses are some of the finest available on the market today. Our extensive line will fill any of your pizza making needs.

For more info and samples, please contact: info@belgioioso.com 920-863-2123

rBST Free* | Gluten Free | Vegetarian

belgioioso.com

*No significant difference has been found in milk from cows treated with artificial hormones.

BOOTH #1433 March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 15

EYE

METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE

HUB MANHATTAN CONFAB PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON PERILS AND PROFITS OF DELIVERY

n overflow audience packed the conference room at HUB Insurance’s Midtown office last month for the latest installment of the HUB/ Total Food Service Industry Seminar series. The latest topic dealt with what could only be termed as the realities of delivery with a fascinating look at the labor force that supports it. HUB’s Mark Lee gave an opening presentation that outlined an overview of issues. The next presenter was an animated Amanda Fugazy, partner from law firm Ellenoff, Grossman and Schole. Fugazy helped the room understand “that these people have to be working for someone”. She was explaining that when a delivery driver whether on a bike or in a motor vehicle hits someone or something or ha-

rasses an employee while waiting for a delivery that the restaurant cannot say that he or she doesn’t work for my restaurant unless they are in fact an employee of a delivery service. The panel then outlined exactly how this concept of Joint Employer Liability works. NYSRA’s Kevin Duggan, who is always a fountain of information, chimed in with a legislative view of how important it is that a restaurant takes the time to properly vet the delivery service it works with. Restaurants must make certain the delivery personnel are in fact employees. Ellenoff’s Ilan Weiner brought a fascinating point into play when it comes to restaurant design. “Many restaurants now have a pick-up area in the store for the delivery driver,” Weiner said. “The difference between that

HUB’s Mark Lee brought his unique insight into the risks associated with delivery program.

16 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

area being behind the counter where POS terminals and restaurant staff work and in front of that area, can actually define whether that driver is an employee or contracted worker.” HUB’s restaurant guru Bob Fiorito, with a background of having been a restaurateur himself, brought his unique perspective. His advice to the large assembly was to have whomever a restaurant’s broker is to carefully review liability policies before signing with a third-party vendor. Among the variety of topics that came up were the impact of restaurants being legislated recently to have to take cash from customers, and the growth of ghost kitchens. The panel even touched on the question over whether the restaurant or the delivery service own the customer information

data. The importance of understanding bicycle liability came to the floor. Even the most basic of traditional W-2 versus 1099 tax issues including what an employer can and cannot say to a driver that isn’t an employee. The real takeaway from the session was that today’s operator with growing delivery revenues, needs to take a long hard look at balancing the Grub Hub and Uber Eats fees (assuming the chosen delivery service employs their drivers) versus the potential liability of using a minimum wage employee of the restaurant. If this event was an indication of what’s to come in the HUB/TFS series in 2020, restaurateurs should stay tuned for the dates of the upcoming seminars.

(L to R) NYSRA’S Kevin Duggan and Ellenoff’s Amanda Fugazy anchored the panel with HUB’s Lee.

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 17

NEWS

MENU SOLUTIONS

GOLDEN GROVE GLOBAL INTRODUCES INNOVATIVE AUSTRALIAN SALT SOLUTIONS TO CHEFS NATIONWIDE

ome of life’s most simple pleasures are all too often overlooked. At the top of that list is the most basic of cooking ingredients: salt. Colorado based importer Golden Grove Global is out to do something about that with the introduction of Murray River Salt ® to the US marketplace. Competition has become so fierce among restaurants around the country, so that many chefs are now taking the time to closely reexamine every detail of how they prepare their menus. Murray River Salt offers a simple cost effective solution to replace commodity salt with a naturally different, delicious and fresh salt that is having a dramatic impact on flavor profiles from

steaks and seafood, to vegetables, desserts, and cocktails. Murray River Salt brings a storied history from the “Land Down Under”. The first explorers in Australia in the early 1800’s noted that certain springs in the Outback tasted like brine. Later as more irrigation along the Murray River took place and orchards needed absolutely pure fresh water from the Murray River. The underground brines, which were getting into the river, were diverted into a lake nearby the Murray River. Murray River Salt obtained a mining license to utilize the brines in the 1990’s and the gourmet Murray River Salt flakes were born to replace much of the salt that was imported from England.

Murray River Salt® offers a simple cost effective solution to replace commodity salt with a naturally different, delicious and fresh salt that is having a dramatic impact on flavor profiles from steaks and seafood, to vegetables, desserts, and cocktails. Golden Grove Global, founded by Aussies who love America, recognized that there was a strong interest by chefs in the USA for new products that would differentiate them from the competition. Murray River Salt searched for an importing partner that shared their goals. With Golden Grove Global they

found the compatible core values they sought. Golden Grove Global’s founders have had strong careers in finance, accounting, and technology, and experience in catering and confectionary manufacturing businesses. They also raised money for running small businesses, and with interest in various food trades and restaurants, this supported the idea for distributing gourmet imports into the USA. Murray River Salt is like nothing else on Earth, and the team at Golden Grove Global always says that it is truly a one-of-a-kind. The superior quality pink flake salt is produced using the pristine mineralized brines from ancient underground aquifers. Their customers are attracted by the light delicate texture, the solubility – as it melts into the food and the fact it is 2/3 less sodium, kosher certified and 100% free from contamination, makes it the perfect finishing salt for any dish… it’s even great on a margarita rim too! A key to the growth of the Murray River Salt in the US has been Golden Grove Global’s ability to provide distributors that serve the operator community with valuable

continued on page 132 18 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

March

22-24 | 2020 Boston Convention & Exhibition Center

Boston, MA Find new ways to entice diners and boost your bottom line with the latest technology, education and supplies.

The Region’s Largest Foodservice Event! Register online with Promo Code TFS3 for a $25 Registration! WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS • • • • • • •

300+ Exhibitors New Products & Services Show Specials Educational Sessions Keynotes Tasting/Sampling Pavilions Live Culinary Demos Sponsored by:

Anyone involved in the running of restaurants and foodservice establishments such as but not limited to: • • • •

Restaurant Owners Executive Chefs Purchasing Managers F&B Directors

• • • •

General Managers Bar Managers Caterers/Event Planners Executive Management

To register and for full details, visit

www.NewEnglandFoodShow.com March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 19

FIORITO ON INSURANCE

SAFEGUARD YOUR RESTAURANT AGAINST COSTLY WAGE & HOUR CLAIMS WITH PREVENTATIVE MEASURES

ast year, the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recovered a record $322 million in back wages1. Wage and hour claims can be triggered by any number of complaints, including pay discrepancies and employee misclassifications. Workers can file a lawsuit when they are just a minute late for a meal or rest break, or if their overtime was miscalculated even slightly. And, more and more hospitality employers are being investigated for Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) compliance. Common Exposures & Preventative Measures In recent times, Employment Practices Liability (EPL) insurance is often associated with protection against the financial ramifications of the dramatic uptick in sexual harassment claims in the workplace. This vital coverage can be utilized for a multitude of risks and exposures, especially for the hospitality industry (and particularly restaurants), given the right endorsement.

Wage and hour claims can be triggered by any number of complaints, including pay discrepancies and employee misclassifications. Workers can file a lawsuit when they are just a minute late for a meal or rest break, or if their overtime was miscalculated even slightly. However, when it comes to costly wage and hour related claims, EPL can only be used for is defense costs, putting an emphasis on the importance of preventative measures. The first step of prevention is understanding the most common pain points for exposure. There are certain factors that make employers the restaurant industry uniquely at risk for wage and hour violations: • Since restaurant employees mainly rely on tipping, this makes minimum wage compliance matters more com-

plicated for this industry. The minimum wage for tipped workers is lower than the regular minimum wage, but if an employee’s hourly wage plus tips does not equal the regular minimum wage, then the employer must make up the difference, known as the “tip credit.” Restaurant employers who pay their tipped employees the tipped minimum wage without ensuring that the standard minimum wage is met when adding in the tip credit, may find themselves subject to a claim and violation. • Restaurant employees rarely work the standard 9-5 working hours, so the irregular scheduling structure can lead to unauthorized overtime violations. • Having multiple restaurant locations can make it difficult for management to accurately track employee hours or ensure employees are taking their required breaks. Document your company’s wage and hour policies/procedures, train your managers to thoroughly understand them and ensure that they are implementing them on the ground. They should have a very thorough understanding of how the rules work and be able to explain it to workers to

20 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

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, Bob 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 212-338-2324 or by email at robert.fiorito@ hubinternational.com.

avoid any misunderstanding or potential violations. It’s advisable to always consult with outside counsel specializing in employment law in your state. Even a quick consultation to discuss the company’s policies and practices could avoid a future claim. As a leading global insurance brokerage specializing in food service and hospitality businesses, we can provide a complimentary expert analysis of your wage and hour risk prevention practices and review of your current insurance portfolio to ensure you have the financial protection in place against costly defense costs associated with these claims. Contact me directly today to get started!

1. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ whd/data

A Full Line of Superior Cooking Oils, and of course the Most Amazing Mayonnaise! Some would call Chefler CEO Michael Leffler’s passion for quality “obsessive.” Leffler himself has always seen it as the natural force that has driven his quest for perfection. At Chefler Foods, we aim to not be just a source, but a resource. With a talent for problem-solving and a “just-in-time” business model, our goal is to be both a purveyor of top quality products at affordable prices, and a supplier of solutions. Mike’s Amazing Mayonnaise is Leffler’s signature brand. Made from scratch onsite at his state-of-the-art facility, Mike’s Amazing uses only the highest quality vegetable oil and the freshest eggs and contains the perfect balance of vinegar, lemon juice, real sugar, and natural spices. It’s formulated to be “Extra Heavy,” so it won’t separate when you use it in any recipe. From one Chef to another, don’t try any other! Official Mayonnaise and Vegetable Oil of the New York Yankees!

*All New York Yankees trademarks and copyrights are owned by the New York Yankees and used with permission of the New York Yankees.

Mike Leffler, CEO

cheflerfoods.com • 800-506-1925 • 400 Lyster Ave. Saddle Brook, NJ 07663 March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 21

MIXOLOGY

WITH WARREN BOBROW

THE MANHATTAN COCKTAIL: 3 WAYS (INCLUDING THE CLASSIC)

can see it now, the stack of letters, stating how dare I change a classic with something unheard of. What would that mean to the mixologist? Well, let’s take this experience one step further. The answer is quite simple. It’s about marketing. If your cocktail list only shows one or two specialty cocktails like a Manhattan, then it is boring. Why not try to change things up a bit? Couldn’t hurt, to flex your bar educational muscles, even a little bit? Read up on my friend, the late Gaz Regan. Why not? You could always go back to the way things were, or in the present state, are now. And that’s pretty mundane, isn’t it? Sure, it is. The Manhattan Cocktail. First of all, if you are making this venerable drink with bourbon, it is wrong. The recipe calls for rye. And you should

be using a decent rye. I recommend one that is bottled in bond and one hundred proof, no less. You should be refrigerating your vermouth and if not, throw out whatever you have now and get another bottle, stat. Vermouth may be fortified wine, but it is certainly not given a lifespan of more than a week or so out of the cold box. Refrigerate your vermouth always! If you’re storing on top of the reach-in, you fail! Most drinkers of a Manhattan are accustomed to the typical Angostura Bitters in their Manhattan’s. That’s fine for the classic, but not for my drinks. There are dozens of different varieties of bitters on the market, so choose accordingly. I’m particularly fond of a line of bitters, by the recently late Joe Fee. Fee Brothers, along with Angostura Bitters and Peychaud’s Bitters date back to the 19th century. They are authentic and bold in your cocktails. And no, they don’t need to be refrigerated, not like that ancient bottle of vermouth lurking in your speed-rack. Didn’t I tell you to throw that puppy out? Sure, I did. Joe Fee made bitters exciting again with a wide range of intense flavors like lime, Mexican Mole’, cucumber, mint, lemon, whiskey barrel, and many, many more. The fun thing about bitters are the way they change up the classics, like the Manhattan Cocktail! If you need help sourcing bitters, ask your liquor distributor, they should be able to help. Otherwise, there is that thing called the internet. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?

The world lost a marvelous man recently. Joe Fee of Fee Brothers Bitters in February 2020. We will always miss you, sir.

Manhattan - The Classic Rather Dry and Boring… Ingredients:

22 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

•

2 oz. Rye Whiskey- I use Straight Rye-Bottled in Bond. 100 Proof is essential. Straight Rye is 51% Rye and is aged in New American Oak for two years. Anything else is NOT Straight. Just like in Bourbon there are specific rules, but that’s another story. .25 oz. Sweet Vermouth- I use Dolin from France. It has a lighter profile than something like Carpano Antica from Italy. Carpano tends to overpower the delicate and aromatic rye. Dolin is sophisticated and almost refreshing across the tongue.

Warren Bobrow is the creator of the popular blog The Cocktail Whisperer and the author of nearly half a dozen books, including Apothecary Cocktails, Whiskey Cocktails, Bitters and Shrub Syrup Cocktails, and his most recent book Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails, & Tonics.

•

2-3 shakes Angostura Bitters or Fee Brothers Aromatic BittersDid you know that Angostura was invented for the alleviation of the symptoms pertaining to dysentery? It also works really well for seasickness and for, dare I say- hangovers? Not that

continued on page 128

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 23

NEWS

EXECUTIVE PROMOTIONS

CULINARY PLATFORM C3 NAMES REYNOLDS TO COO POST

3 (Creative Culinary Communities) which describes itself as a revolutionary culinary platform, recently launched as a subsidiary of sbe, has announced the appointment of Bradford Reynolds as its new Chief Operating Officer. Based in Los Angeles, Reynolds will be responsible for the operational excellence of C3 as it disrupts the food and beverage industry through the incubation of limited service culinary brands. He will provide strategic guidance and cultivate key partnerships for the platform as it develops its innovative food hall, ghost kitchen, and mobile delivery offerings. Mr. Reynolds joins the impressive eight person team that has already been brought on to drive C3 in its important mission. “I am excited to welcome Brad to the C3 team,” said C3 CEO and Founder Sam Nazarian. “Brad brings a long career and successful track record to a growing C3 team. With a wealth of restaurant experience and a deep understanding of dynamic consumer tastes, Brad will give C3 a strong foun-

“With a wealth of restaurant experience and a deep understanding of dynamic consumer tastes, Brad will give C3 a strong foundation as it changes the way the world approaches ghost kitchens, food halls and mobile delivery.” — Sam Nazarian dation as it changes the way the world approaches ghost kitchens, food halls and mobile delivery. This is the beginning of the rapid and strong expansion of the team at C3 as well as sbe.” Reynolds said, “I am extremely excited to be part of this innovative new venture and I am honored and delighted to work with Sam Nazarian, who is such a visionary. With C3, we have the chance to modernize the culinary experience, providing innovative solutions to address the new ways consumers want their food. In rethinking every step of the dining process, from the longevity of delivered food to efficient and sustainable packaging and distribution, C3 is bringing to market

24 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

an incredible offering that the hospitality industry has never seen before.” A tenured leader in hospitality innovation, Bradford joins sbe from Smashburger, a concept-driven fast casual restaurant brand, where he served as the Chief Financial Officer and Head of Strategy. In his role at the Denver-based company, Brad oversaw several functional areas for the brand’s 350 restaurants in nine countries, including supply chain, real estate acquisition, construction, design and IT. Before joining Smashburger, Brad spent nearly a decade as an investment banker focused on mergers and acquisitions. Reynolds joins C3 amidst its launch, in partnership with Accor and Simon Properties. C3 will act as an incubator of limited service culinary brands, comprised of both new concepts and evolutions of established, highly successful full-service sbe restaurant. Previously, C3 announced the plans for Citizens, a 40,000 sqf culinary destination by award-winning designer David Rockwell in Manhattan West, the eight-acre complex Brookfield is developing on Manhattan’s Far West Side. C3’s new concept will bring together a curated collection of established and new proprietary culinary brands at two full-service restaurants, multiple bars and a fast-casual market hall.

C3 is pleased to announce the hiring of 8 other members to its executive ranks: Dan O’Donnell joins as Vice President Operations based in New York. Dan most recently served as Culinary Director for OTG Management overseeing the culinary operations for full service and QSR dining locations in 8 airports totaling more than 200 locations. Dan previously served in progressive culinary leadership roles with Ruth Chris’s Steakhouse in NY. Calvin Simmons joins as Director of Digital Marketing/Ghost Kitchens. Previously, he was part of Uber, working across marketing and operations for the Uber and Uber Eats products. Before his time at Uber, he worked with Sysco Foods and Intel. He studied at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Lauren Henderson joins as Senior Director of Marketing for C3. She was previously an executive with Uber Eats helping to grow it into a household name through strategic partnerships and experiential marketing. Chef Romain Fournel joins as Corporate Executive Pastry Chef for EllaMia. Chef Romain was most recently with the JW Marriott in Nashville where he led the development, creation and vision of the pastry department. Before joining their culinary team Chef Romain spent almost ten years at Jean Phillipe Patisserie in Las Vegas, where he served as the Assistant Executive Pastry Chef, and was the direct assistant to world pastry champion Jean Phillipe Maury and Executive Pastry Chef Nicolas Chevrieux. Jenny Billard joins as Senior Director of Event Sales. Her experience includes Soho House West Hollywood and The Standard Hotel where she directed events sales. Jenny joins us most recently from The Jane Club, a member only workspace for women and mothers. It was there that she led all programming and curation of events, implemented new systems and event protocols, and handled all brand activations and partnerships. Adam Rinella joins as Director of

continued on page 124

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 25

MEET THE NEWSMAKER

Q&A WITH DEBORAH SMITH OWNER, FOXTROT MEDIA

oxtrot Media is a full-service marketing agency. One of their specialties is food service, specifically restaurant marketing. 13 years ago, the owner Deborah Smith, launched a blog focusing on food news in New Jersey called JerseyBites.com. As the blog grew in popularity, she began to get requests from restaurants who were looking to be featured. Soon, restaurateurs were looking for more help in marketing so her agency launched MarketToFoodies.com, specifically for food and beverage clients. We first met Deborah when she was serving on a marketing panel at a conference and were so impressed with her knowledge of social media marketing, that we chose to collaborate with her on the TFS social media strategy. The more we’ve talked to Deborah over the past month, the more we learned that she comes to the table with a very diverse background in marketing and we wanted to sit down to learn even more. Where did you grow up? I was born and raised in Fair Haven, New Jersey and then later Red Bank. I’m now a full-time and very grateful resident of Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey. My office is also in Point Pleasant, about a half mile from the ocean.

Where did you go to college? A Jersey girl through and through, Rutgers College was the only school for me. Fun fact, my mother was going for her Masters at Rutgers at the same time I was a freshman. Actually, it really wasn’t that fun of a fact for me. What did your career path look like after college? Oh boy, it’s quite a winding path but one that piled on the skills I use now everyday on behalf of my clients. My first job out of college was as an Executive Director of a Chamber of Commerce. Well before the internet was anything, I learned about the importance of Network marketing the old school way. Networking became the theme for the rest of my career. Our local councilman was elected to the New Jersey Senate and since we’d worked together in my role with the Chamber and he liked me and my work ethic, he hired me to be his Chief of Staff. I was later brought on to the marketing department at the New Jersey lottery after our Assemblywoman was named Director. I was 27. At 31, I had my first child and decided I was done with working for someone else. The Internet was brand new and I looked at it as a way to start a business and still be home with my baby. I launched a

“While [clients] may not like this development [of paid social advertising], there are a lot of great advantages to being able to pay to reach your perfect audience instead of crossing your fingers and hoping that your organic posts are hitting the right people.” 26 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Nanny Recruiting Website after a year of research and online networking. I ran NannyClassifieds.com for 11 years finally selling it in 2012. Through marketing my own online business, I grew up using the digital marketing tools and evolving with them. What led to an interest in marketing? I think if you are a creative person, you are just drawn to marketing. I wrote my first 30 page “short story” in the 3rd grade. If I wasn’t writing, I was painting, acting, singing, drawing. And I always paid attention to commercials and loved critiquing them. What drew me to social media marketing was the affordability and effectiveness of it and all the data you can get on the back end. Testing different ads to find the one that really hits the mark. There is a lot of creativity that goes into that as well. Where did the idea for your agency come from? The cart came before the horse with Foxtrot. I saw the social media train coming before most businesses because I was already knee deep in it with my own company. I started consulting other local business owners before my company was even formed. Then I started conducting workshops and speaking. For a few years, I was traveling all over the country teaching businesses about social media marketing. The more I spoke, the more I realized that these businesses were going to need help with execution. Back then there was no “Social Media Manager” person in-house. So, we started offering the day to day services that were needed and we’ve never looked back. How long have you been in business? Foxtrot was officially formed in

Deborah Smith, Owner, Foxtrot Media

2010. We are in our tenth year and it’s been a very interesting and exciting ride. Initially our target was small businesses but soon we were working with major hospitals on their recruitment marketing and had a wide variety of clients. Our clients range from a national printing company to a nightly news program in addition to our many restaurant clients. Who was the target customer? We’ve worked in many types of industries, but we love working with restaurants and other food-focused businesses number one because it’s a passion of mine and number two because we have our own secret weapon in JerseyBites.com and the social following we’ve developed for it. 82% of our social following is interested in restaurants, food & grocery and we can use our accounts to help our clients reach a broader audience. I personally love the content creation, photography, video etc. that goes with restaurant marketing and it’s so easy to show a fantastic return on investment. How have the needs of the customer bases evolved since you opened? Well, when we started, there was no

continued on page 120

Fully Cooked Chef Convenience

Our Fisherman’s Pride® frozen fully cooked Octopus legs are 100% all natural, wild caught, and imported from Spain. Fully cooked to perfection and individually quick frozen within hours of harvest to preserve their fresh tender sweet flavor. With the growing trend of educated consumers, perfectly cooked Octopus is now a must for every menu. Considered once as one of the most complicated menu items Fisherman’s Pride® has now made it the simplest. From freezer to plate in just minutes, high in protein with unsurpassed quality. Call 866-CALAMARI today for your nearest distributor.

Ruggiero Seafood, Inc.

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

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 27

NEWS

EXPANSION

MIGHTY QUINN’S SET TO ADD PAIR OF MANHATTAN LOCATIONS

arbecue favorite Mighty Quinn’s is expanding its NYC footprint with two new locations inside Madison Square Garden. The first of the two opened in January, and the second is set to open by the end of this month. Both locations are counter-service spots and will be the only ones in NYC serving the chain’s signature black cherry barbecue ribs sandwich. The two new locations mark the 10th and 11th locations for the chain, which first got started as a stall at Smorgasburg in Williamsburg. Success in Williamsburg propelled pit master and co-founder Hugh Magnum to open his first full-service restaurant in the East Village at the end of 2012. The chain has since become one of the best barbecue destinations in the city. Mighty Quinn’s also has locations in Westchester, New Jersey, and Dubai. The founders of Mighty Quinn’s, a fast casual barbeque chain, are more than just partners. They’re bros— literally. Celebrity chef Hugh Mangum and financing veteran Micha Magid are stepbrothers, and their third partner, Christos Gourmos, is Magid’s brother-in-law. “We’ve created a simple operations model that centers around a slow-cooked, fast-served experience for our guests and gives operators a scalable model,” Magid said about the brand that is now preparing to expand via franchising. “As fast casual continues to grow as a trend nationwide, our mission is to replicate our highly-acclaimed, craveworthy barbeque that can be enjoyed either sitting down or Mighty

“This scalable approach, paired with the unbeatable taste and convenience that has made our corporate stores so successful, creates an amazing opportunity in the barbeque segment.”— Micha Magid on the go on a national scale, without cutting corners during the process.” The brothers believe that their chefbacked product, engineered buildout and unit-level economics will impress possible investors. They aren’t the only ones, however. In March of 2013, New York Times food critic Pete Wells sat down at a table with a tray filled with food to see what the hype was all about. Shortly after, the paper awarded Mighty Quinn’s a 2-star rating, and it landed on New York’s “10 Best Restaurants in 2013” list.

Quinn’s Legendary Brontosaurus Rib

28 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

“That was a big moment for us,” Mangum said.. “We were meticulous about our product, design and operations. We wanted to create something bigger than just another barbeque place. The New York Times helped validate our hard work.” The restaurant, which can operate out of a 3,000-square-foot flagship restaurant that can act as a central kitchen for up to three additional restaurants, is a great opportunity for multi-unit operators to get into the brand and grow quickly in a market. The equipment package from the be-

ginning has been created in collaboration with New Jersey’s Economy Restaurant Supply. And that goes for international brands, too. In 2016, for example, three international operators from countries traveled to New York City to seek out the food for themselves. Shortly after, the Mighty Quinn’s leadership team worked with each one to develop the menu and operations to fit each market’s needs. Now, the brand has five international locations in Taiwan, The Philippines and Dubai. “Since our founding, we have trained three separate teams and executed three franchise agreements overseas,” said Gourmos. “To ensure success through the Mighty Quinn’s operating model, we are dedicated as a leadership team to work with franchisees until they are able to replicate the model that we’ve found success within New York City.” With initial investments for satellite and flagship locations ranging from $581,750 to $1,113,750 and reported average unit-level economics as $2,246,412 to $3,273,192, Mighty Quinn’s is targeting entrepreneurialminded, process-focused operators to expand the brand in key markets across the U.S., in key markets like Boston, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and New Jersey. In the next five years, Mighty Quinn’s plans to open 60 stores throughout the country. “Our franchise offering is strategically designed to provide the opportunity for quick success and expansion through the lens of multi-unit growth,” said Magid. “This scalable approach, paired with the unbeatable taste and convenience that has made our corporate stores so successful, creates an amazing opportunity in the barbeque segment. We can’t wait to build on the success we have seen in New York City and introduce everyone to their new favorite Urban BBQ joint.”

Fla v

ark

et da

s it e

n

le v e

produ TP ct inn RODUC ova tio TS AND S UPPL IES

o rs F rom Around the Wor l d s live culinary n d e stra t i o

t r a Sm

mon

WHAT FEEDS s n o i s YOU? er v n o c

e ught leaders n i s B u t ho

on i t cr e a te n

employee

ol S ss

s n o i ut

talks

i n c re as e d sales

t i on

ce l e

brit y

c h e fs

Hungry for higher margins, lower staff turnover, and creative ideas? The National Restaurant Association Show is the only place you can learn, sample, experience, and connect with everything you need to give your foodservice business an edge. From efficiency-boosting equipment and technology to expert advice on emerging dining trends to the ingredients your guests want next, find what feeds you.

M AY 1 6 -1 9 , 2 0 2 0

McCORMICK PL ACE

| CHICAGO, IL

IT’S ALL HERE. YOU SHOULD BE, TOO. nationalrestaurantshow.com Powered by

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 29

INTERIOR DESIGNING

WITH DALA AL-FUWAIRES

5 PEOPLE TO KNOW BEFORE SIGNING A COMMERCIAL LEASE

nvolving the right key players before signing a lease allows you to get instant feedback on the big decisions you have to make. Get these professionals engaged early on for their advice—doing so will help complications down the line. Each one of these professionals can lean on each other, too, and answer certain questions when evaluating a potential commercial space. It is sort of like a domino effect; the designer designs the space, a contractor gives you an estimate based on design and then you negotiate a contract with the landlord based on that determined budget. Here are the five people you need to know before signing any commercial lease. One: A Banker or Lender Very few people can finance a restaurant out-of-pocket. So, where does the money come from? You could seek-out investment partners or use personal funds, but most aspiring restaurateurs obtain funding through bank-backed loans. Bankers can help you with a starting budget by giving you an estimat-

Each one of these professionals can lean on each other, too, and answer certain questions when evaluating a potential commercial space. ed loan approval amount. They can share their experience and knowledge on navigating the world of commercial loans. Having a solid all-in budget is helpful in many different respects, but the main advantage is knowing how much money you have to spend on what will likely be your biggest expense: The build out. In addition to the build out, there are other expenses to account for, including interest, rent, restaurant insurance and license fees, beginning stock and inventory, working capital and marketing capital. An initial loan qualifier from the bank is a good starting point, but engaging the remaining experts on this list will give you a better idea of just how much money you’ll need in order to start your business. Two: An Insurance Agent

30 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Restaurants are exposed to a wide range of risks that make them vulnerable to lawsuits. Rather than waiting to be sued, stay ahead of the curve and get the right type of coverage to protect you against potential hazards. The cost of insurance varies from business to business, and each restaurant and bar has its own set of unique qualities that expose them to different types of risk. But, common factors that impact your rate include the type of food or drink you’re selling, cooking methods being used in your kitchen, the building itself and employee-specific concerns. Three: An Inspector Have a commercial real estate inspector walk the prospective building before you sign a lease. These professionals have a keen eye and look out for what could potentially need to be

Dala Al-Fuwaires, Principal of FJI, a hospitality design firm with a sweet spot for food and beverage interiors, is a dreamer, designer, and doer. 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 www. fji.design

done in the next five years. Is the roof in good condition, or will it need replacing in the near future? Can the heating system get by with normal maintenance? Does the electrical work need to be upgraded due to the change in use of the structure? Parts of a common inspection include the structure (foundation and roof ), internal systems (HVAC, electrical and plumbing), exterior (parking lot, sprinklers and drainage), interior (light fixtures, ceiling and windows) and accessibility (exits and

wheelchair user-friendliness). A quality inspector should be able to detect any hidden issues that could be a potential hit to your budget or timeline, and should offer insight on whether to follow through with leasing that commercial space. Ultimately, a professional inspection can rule out potential problems and ensure that the property you’re looking at is worth the investment. Four: An Interior Designer As interior designers, our number-one priority is to create functional spaces. Walking prospective units for lease with a designer in-tow is a smart and efficient way to evaluate whether the space can successfully accommodate your requirements.

In addition to a spatial evaluation, a professional interior designer can help you assess and determine the maximum occupancy load, which is an early estimation of how many people you’ll be able to serve at any given time. Other logistical questions a designer can help answer include, “What’s the natural light like and how much

artificial lighting is needed?” “Are the existing materials salvageable?” “What general flow and path of travel can be achieved?” All of these factors need to be considered when evaluating the pros and cons of each potential commercial space. Five: A Contractor Assembling your team of trades

early on is invaluable! This includes an architect and contractor. Because they know much more about building costs, your contractor will be able to work side-by-side with your designer and architect to help determine estimated costs. Similar to the inspector, a contractor will be able to catch issues that may result in a high cost for repair or build out. Their insight and immediate feedback can help the designer make sound and strategic decisions throughout the design process. And, if the contractor you worked with on a preliminary bid was selected to build out your space, chances are they will feel more connected to the project since they’ve been around from the get-go.

RegretTABLE Wobbly tables are annoying, just like this ad.

selves. Maybe they’ll Maybe customers will fix it them simply won’t come back. have a server fix it. Maybe they plaint that you may never Wobbly tables are the #1 com ® ® or our FLAT Equalizers hear, but with FLAT Table Bases will enjoy their experience (for existing tables), customers with level, stable tables. efits of having your tables Discover all the amazing ben stabilized with FLAT.

FlatTech.com • 855-999-3528 BOOTH #1976

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 31

Q&A

EXCLUSIVE FOODSERVICE INTERVIEW

HOYT JONES

President, Jersey Mike’s Subs

ersey Mike’s Subs is a wellknown franchise restaurant chain that has grown dramatically from its humble beginnings in New Jersey to one of the nation’s most dynamic brands. The Garden State based chain is one of America’s fastest-growing franchises thanks to their mission to deliver quality products with superior service. Total Food Service had the chance to speak with Jersey Mike’s president Hoyt Jones on what makes their subs so successful, and what the future holds for the chain. Tell us about your background and what sparked your interest in the restaurant foodservice industry? I grew up in South Jersey and spent lots of time going to the Jersey Shore. My career began working on the boardwalk making pizzas as a teenager. I went to college and continued working in the foodservice industry. Along the way, someone suggested that I pursue a Mas-

ters in Hospitality, which I did from Purdue in Indiana. While I was out there, I managed a pizza restaurant. After I got married and had kids, I saw there was an opportunity in Philadelphia with Domino’s Pizza. There were only two stores there at that point and it was the very beginning of East Coast growth for the company. I was able to get in rather early and that’s how I really got started with franchises. The culture was great, and I learned a lot. How did Jersey Mike’s founder Peter Cancro find you? We met via a friend I knew at Purdue. We had always stayed in touch and then my friend introduced me to Peter in the 1990s. Peter and I started talking about different things and before I knew it, I was part of the team. Jersey Mike’s Subs had a similar culture to Domino’s, and it felt like the right move.

continued on page 34

I think [Jersey Mike’s is successful] because we’re selling an authentic East Coast sub sandwich. You know it’s fresh when you place the order, with high-quality meats and cheeses and more. We have a great flavor profile that people love. It’s just a strong recipe for success. Hoyt Jones, President, Jersey Mike’s Subs

32 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 33

Q&A

HOYT JONES, from page 32

When you went there, what was your agenda? The vision was to always grow the company. The product had been very similar to what it was back since its inception in 1956. When Peter bought the company, he really never changed the product or service. This model was great, and I recognized that when Peter showed me income statements from some of the stores. I realized that the business model was strong, and I could use that to help it grow. They had some strong franchisees and we were fortunate to grow on that model to bring in some super capitalized franchisees, who also had access to people and knew the restaurant space. From there we went into new markets like Chicago and D.C. Once we got the momentum, we really grew and now we’re just under 1,700 stores with almost 500 franchisees. What was the key to that dynamic growth? We knew there were strong markets that we didn’t have any penetration in yet. I was fortunate to bring on some franchisees that knew the market. I was lucky because I had a relationship with a lot of Domino’s owners who had left the system and were looking for the next opportunity. I just happened to have one for them.

34 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Why do you think you’ve been so successful as a business? I think it’s because we’re selling an authentic East Coast sub sandwich. You know it’s fresh when you place the order, with high-quality meats and cheeses and more. We have a great flavor profile that people love. It’s just a strong recipe for success. Are you in the quick serve business or in the fast food business? We do everything when the person orders, so we consider ourselves to be in the fast-casual business like Chipotle or Panera. Customers are looking for quality and value. We offer that plus friendliness. E-commerce and Amazon has created this decimation of Main Street USA. How has that helped your franchisees’ ability to get into great real estate that maybe you couldn’t get into before? We want to be next to Starbucks, Chipotle and other stores like that. We want to be in new shop-

continued on page 36

(L to R) Jersey Mike’s Founder & CEO Peter Cancro (l) and Jersey Mike’s President Hoyt Jones (r)

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 35

Q&A

HOYT JONES, from page 34

ping centers, end cap properties and the like. We find that landlords like us in there because we provide a lot of good value to customers, who want to spend more money. We’re seeing a lot of vegan and plant-based menus popping up. What are your thoughts on customer tastes and do you chase these trends? We look at everything and we try not to chase the latest trends. There wasn’t an authentic vegan sub sandwich back in 1956, so we don’t have one. We’d rather look at the quality of the meats and cheeses. We offer antibiotic-free meats and quality vegetables like organic tomatoes and lettuce. We even have glutenfree bread products and are trying to do things that enhance the over-

all experience for each customer rather than chase something that is most likely going to be some shortterm trend. How do you go about figuring out where to open new stores? We’ve done numerous studies with outside firms that look at where existing stores are, and break it down via demographics and sociographics. We look at how and why those existing stores are successful and then scan the rest of the country where we don’t have stores and then if there is commercial property open. We blend our location decisions on analytics, but we also use common sense to see what will work.

continued on page 38

THE FRESH ORIGINS

QUALITY DIFFERENCE OTHER

MICROGREENS

SHORT/THICK STEMS

LONG/STRINGY STEMS

LARGER LEAVES

TINY LEAVES

DEEPER COLORS

PALER COLORS

TOP FOOD SAFETY

FOOD SAFETY?

VISIT OUR MICROGREENS 101 SITE: WWW.FRESHORIGINS.COM/101

ON TOP OF THE

WORLD’S FINEST CUISINE

Visit us at

PETITE® WATERCRESS PINK ICE™ Lamb Loin, Chestnut Caramel, Kale, Cider Carrots, Pecan Oil & Powder

Booth #1532

600+ MICROGREENS

Behind the counter at Jersey Mike’s, crew members top fresh sliced subs Mike’s Way.

36 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

freshorigins.com

BOOTH #1825 March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 37

Q&A

HOYT JONES, from page 36

States including Connecticut have raised the minimum wage. What are your thoughts on growing your business with these new wage laws? Our core business requires four to six people to work the busy lunch rush, so we have a tight nucleus of people. It’s not a lot of labor that goes into our stores. Our approach is to protect that core team by paying higher than minimum wage. What about the new green and sustainable legislation? How do you balance your commitment to your P&L and being a good neighbor? Our stores have very little waste as it is, since we don’t use plastic plates or utensils. The subs are wrapped in paper and that’s your plate. We have paper straws and use various things to be more sustainable as much as we can. Peter’s (Cancro’s) daughter just graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in sustainability, so she recently did a big paper for us on the topic. You also have a wonderful program called A Month of Giving. Can you talk about how that started? It started in Dallas, Texas, when

our area director did a promotion to raise some money for Wipe Out Kids Cancer. Many of us thought it was a cool idea, so more stores decided to do it. We raised more than $7.3 million last year, and over $31 million since we started. It keeps growing every year. It’s all driven by our franchisees. They choose a particular charity they want and then donate some of their proceeds to it at the end of the month. What’s on the agenda for the future? We’re hoping to build 200 more stores this year and know we’ll reach it if we continue on our current course. We have the potential to get there (or do more). About 80% of our stores are being built from existing franchisees, so they’re obviously making money on the first one to open the new one. We really focus on training for our operators, so that they are successful. There are a lot of neat things happening with technology and we always incorporating that into our business model. All photos courtesy of Jersey Mike’s Subs

A fresh sliced Jersey Mike’s sub

38 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

WHOLESALE CHEF STORE

We’ve Got

YOU COVERED FROM FRONT TO BACK!

Whether it’s beautiful, front-of-house table linens or back-of-house, high performance chef wear from Bragard, we provide an extensive offering with quick delivery and exceptional customer service at wholesale prices.

shop today

WHOLESALECHEFSTORE.COM March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 39

NEWS

EVENTS

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR PLANT BASED WORLD CONFERENCE & EXPO JUNE 5-6 IN NYC

lant Based World Conference & Expo (PBW) is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 2nd annual event, scheduled for June 5-6 at the Javits Center in New York City. Following a successful launch, attendees will visit more than 250 plant-based vendors in the exhibit hall and have access to educational sessions in three different forums focused on business, healthcare, and community as well as extensive networking opportunities. “We have listened to our partners, attendees, and exhibitors and have streamlined our education program, expanded our exhibit floor, and added new features,” said Chris Nemchek, General Manager of Plant Based World Conference & Expo. “We are thrilled to announce that we will once again be working with The Plantrician Project, Eat for the Planet, the Plant Based Foods Association, and others to deliver a stellar conference program for retail and foodservice professionals, healthcare professionals and the general public.” Conference highlights include: • The Business Forum programmed in partnership with Eat for the Planet – - this track is designed to educate buyers of plant-based products across retail and food service on the latest consumer trends, and business opportunities. • A Healthcare Forum programmed by The Plantrician Project – this track features experts in the medical community sharing the latest research on

the link between diet and chronic disease. • Two keynote presentations will feature prominent speakers from across the plant-based movement. Both are free and open to all attendees. • NEW: Community Day sessions will be open to all attendees on Saturday June 6. • NEW: PBW Connect!, a matchmaking program where exhibitors will be able to meet one-on-one with buyers in retail and foodservice. The expo hall will have hundreds of exhibitors and sponsors from a wide variety of product categories including meat alternatives, dairy alternatives, plant-based seafood, and more whole-food plant-based and nonfood products such as clothing and cleaning products. Exhibitors that have already signed up to participate in this year’s event include Follow Your Heart, Plantmade by Matthew Kenney, Good Catch Foods, Miyoko’s, Beyond Meat, No Evil Foods, Califia, Otamot Foods, Daiya Foods, Before the Butcher, Sweet Earth, Tofurky Company, The Meatless Farm, Conagra, Dr. Bronner’s, Elmhurst, Atlantic Natural Foods, Upfield and Laird Superfoods. “Attendees can choose from a variety of passes to attend PBW. There will be an All-Access Conference Pass for the education sessions in the Health Forum and Business Forum and a new single day conference pass,” added Nemchek. “We will once again offer a Free Expo Pass for Qualified Trade Professionals, and a Community Day Pass on June 6, which gives access to

40 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

everything in the expo hall including exhibitors, the Learning Garden, Culinary Theater, Keynotes, and Community Sessions.” The Culinary Theater will offer cooking demonstrations from plantbased chefs and the Learning Garden, sponsored by SIDDHI, will offer education presented by industry experts covering everything from nutrition to plant-based product trends. Early Bird pricing is available until April 10, 2020.

Plant Based World Conference & Expo is produced by JD Events, dedicated to the creation of targeted and innovative industry-leading events that deliver results. The company brings together highly qualified buying audiences, education-rich content and high-level networking opportunities -- all geared toward increasing collaboration in the markets it serves. Visit www.jdevents.com for more information.

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 41

SCOOP

INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE

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

ANDRÉS TO OPEN 2 NOMAD RESTAURANTS BY 2021

José Andrés

SCOOP hears that José Andrés is expanding his NYC footprint with two new Nomad restaurants that will be a part of a new 500foot Ritz-Carlton hotel that’s currently under construction in Nomad, at 1185 Broadway, at West 28th Street, and will debut in 2021. In addition to

42 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

the restaurants, Andrés’s ThinkFoodGroup will also be in charge of in-room dining, a rooftop bar and lounge, and the food and beverage program at the hotel’s lobby lounge.

FDA RELEASES FINAL GUIDANCE ON LABELING Scoop notes that the FDA has issued final guidance on serving sizes and dual-column labeling on Nutrition Facts labels. It finalizes draft guidance that was issued back in November 2018. Changes from the draft guidance include providing additional background information in response to a question regarding reference amounts customarily consumed for non-juice beverages for infants and young children, modifying a question and response concerning whether the Nutrition Facts la-

bel for products sold in small packages must list all nutrients of insignificant amounts, and modifying the response to a question regarding the placement of the Nutrition Facts and Supplement Facts labels to clarify that the labels should not be placed on the bottom of packages. Manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual sales were required to switch to the new label by January 1, 2020; manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual food sales have until January 1, 2021 to comply. During the first 6 months following the January 1, 2020 compliance date, the FDA plans to work cooperatively with manufacturers to meet the new Nutrition Facts label requirements and will not focus on enforcement actions regarding these requirements during that time. FDA intends to exercise enforcement discretion to give manufacturers of single-ingredient sugars such as honey and maple syrup, and certain cranberry products, until July 1, 2021 to comply.

continued on page 44

BOOTH #444

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 43

SCOOP

METRO NY INSIDER NEWS, from page 42

proud seventh generation Vermonter and lives with her family in South Burlington where she is also very involved with local community events. Apart from work, Erica spends her time outdoors, hiking, gardening and enjoying Lake Champlain.

ERICA HAVERS NAMED PRESIDENT OF BLODGETT OVEN GROUP Erica Havers has been promoted to President of Blodgett Oven Group, effective immediately. In her new role she will direct and oversee the Middleby brands Blodgett, Perfect Fry, Marsal and BKI, all of which are manufactured in Essex, Vt. “Erica has proven herself to be a very effective and highly-respected leader. She brings a track record of success in many business areas and an impressive, accomplished tenure with Blodgett which will serve her well in her new role,” said Steve Spittle, Middleby Group President, who made the announcement. “Additionally, Erica played a critical role in helping execute the seamless move of the Blodgett operation to Essex in the second half of 2018, as well as incorporating additional Middleby brands through the expansion of the Essex manufacturing campus. The entire process has exceeded our expectations due to solid planning and the unwavering commitment of Erica and the entire Blodgett team.”

STUDENTS CROSS SOCIAL BOUNDARIES DURING FIRST MIX IT UP AT LUNCH DAY Erica Havers

Also recently, under her leadership, the Blodgett engineering team introduced and expanded the industry-leading Hoodini Ventless series of products ranging from combi to convection ovens solutions. Erica has been a loyal Blodgett employee for 27 years. Prior to her promotion she was General Manager and before that held senior positions in the accounting department, most recently, Controller. She started her career at Blodgett as an accounts payable clerk. Erica received her Bachelor’s Degree in accounting from Champlain College in Burlington. She is a

HAWTHORNE COMMERCIAL TRUCK CENTER’S

TRUCK MONTH ALL MONTH LONG

ONE OF THE LARGEST CHEVY & HINO DEALERS IN THE TRI-STATE AREA: ROAD READY TRUCKS AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY

SAVE UP TO

Scoop hears that Whitsons School Nutrition recently partnered with Lincoln Charter School in York, PA, to participate in Mix It Up at Lunch Day. Lincoln Charter School students are now among over one million other students across the country and around the world to help break down social and racial barriers by participating in the First Annual Mix It Up at Lunch Day. The event was brought to the school and implemented by Kelly Friend, COO and John Koutras, District Manager, of Whitsons School Nutrition. According to our team, it was a huge success. “We were thrilled to see so many children actively participating and excited to be a part of the event. The interaction was sensational, and the expe-

WORK TRUCK SPECIALS 2018 GMC

SAVANA

REFRIGERATED CARGO VAN

29,000

NEW 2019 CHEVY

3500 LCF

14FT CREW CAB BOX TRUCK VIN #KS800581. STK #C198301. 4 DR, V8, AUTO, RWD, MSRP $64,829. DUAL REAR WHEELS, BACK-UP ALARM.

4500

10FT FREEZER UNIT BOX TRUCK VIN #KS806688. STK #C199264. 2 DR, V8, AUTO, RWD, MSRP $78,285. DUAL REAR WHEELS, 10FT COLD CAR, LOW TEMP BOX, REACHES -30 DEGREES.

ON ALL REMAINING, IN-STOCK WORK TRUCKS*

44,950

$ BUY FOR:

VIN #J1902736. STK #C2763A. V8, AUTO, RWD. REAR CAMERA, CRUISE CONTROL, INSTALLED REFRIGERATED UNIT. 9,058 MI.

NEW 2019 CHEVY

PRE-OWNED SPECIAL

NEW 2020 HINO

338

26FT REFRIGERATED BOX TRUCK VIN #L5S60492. STK #H209403. 6 CYL, AUTO, 4X2, MSRP $128,565. CURB SIDE DOOR AND PULLOUT RAMP.

54,513

$ BUY FOR:

SAVE OVER: $10,300

65,980

$ BUY FOR:

SAVE OVER: $12,300

99,550

$ BUY FOR:

SAVE OVER: $29,000

Prices include all costs to be paid by consumer, except for licensing costs, registration fees and taxes. Consumer responsible for doc fee of $399. See dealer for complete details. *Savings available on New 2020 Hino 338 26FT Refrigerated Box Truck. VIN #L5S60492. STK #H209403. 4 CYL, AUTO, RWD. MSRP $128,565. Purchase Price: $99,550. Offers expire 3/31/20.

HAWTHORNECOMMERCIALTRUCKCENTER.COM | 591 GOFFLE ROAD WYCKOFF, NJ 07481 | 973-427-6505 44 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Teachers and students pose at the Mix It Up Lunch

rience brought such positive energy to the environment,” said Friend. “We added some additional entertainment with a photo booth where the students could express their personalities with fun props. This helped facilitate a connection among students who participated, many who they had never spoken to before. The schools created large posters for the students to color together, giving them another opportunity for them to engage with each other,” said Koutras. The Southern Poverty Law Center estab-

lished Teaching Tolerance in 1991 to provide educators with free resources designed to reduce prejudice, improve intergroup relations and support equitable school experiences for the nation’s children. The Mix It Up event originated through the Teaching Tolerance Project in 2002, encouraging students to sit with someone new in the cafeteria for one day, and then to incorporate the day into year-long efforts to promote a healthy school climate. School cafeterias are the focus of Mix It Up because that’s where schools’ social boundaries are most obvious. “Mix It Up is a positive step that schools can take to help create learning environments where students see each other as individuals and not just as members of a separate group,” said Teaching Tolerance Director Maureen Costello. “When people step out of their cliques and get to know someone, they realize just how much they have in common.” The Mix It Up initiative is in alignment with Whitsons’ mission of Enhancing Life One Meal at a Time™. Whitsons plans to expand the program to other school districts that are interested in partnering on this important program, knowing that positive interactions that start in the school cafeteria can lead to greater diversity and inclusion throughout the school district. About Lincoln Charter School Lincoln Charter School is a public charter school located in York, PA. It serves 695 students in

grades K-5. Lincoln Charter School became the first and remains the only conversion charter school in Pennsylvania. Whitsons School Nutrition® provides a wide range of highly customized dining services to public schools, with a strong focus on nutritious, high-quality meals made from wholesome, fresh ingredients. Whitsons has a long and proud history of excellence and growth since 1979 and is setting new standards for the foodservice industry with wholesome foods and family values. For more information, please visit www.whitsons.com or find us on Facebook or Twitter.

ITALIAN RESTAURANT TO OPEN IN UES HOTSPOT SCOOP learned that shuttered Rotisserie Georgette already has a replacement. Nick Tsoulos and Nick Pashalis, who are partners with Tao Group’s Marc Packer in the uber- popular Avra restaurants on East 48th Street, East 60th Street, and in Beverly Hills, have signed a lease on the location and plan to transform it into a traditional Italian restaurant, slated to open this summer. The focus of the new spot, which is next

continued on page 46

All-Inclusive Ice Machine Subscriptions

Commercial ice machine, maintenance, repairs, water ﬁlters, cleanings & more for a low monthly fee. Compare to buying or leasing an ice machine!

AFFORDABLE. RELIABLE. SIMPLE!

(327-9423)

SIMPLIFY YOUR ICE SUPPLY!

ICE

PR E

LE ICE AB CT

PREDICTAB

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 45

SCOOP

METRO NY INSIDER NEWS, from page 45

door to Avra Madison, will be Neopolitan pizza along with pastas, salads and more substantial dishes such as veal Milanese and chicken parmesan.

SUSTAINABILITY AND DIVERSITY ON BEVERAGE AGENDA FOR 2020 Scoop notes that the need for sustainable practices and greater inclusivity in the workplace are some of the pivotal issues facing the wine and spirits industry this year, according to an expert panel at “The Next Big Sip,” an inaugural event presented by Les Dames d’Escoffier New York (LDNY) at Del Posto. Panelists included Eric Asimov, chief wine critic, The New York Times; Erica Duecy, Editor in Chief & Chief Content Officer, VinePair; Elana Effrat, National Events & Training Manager, Sweet Amber Distilling; Mary Gorman-McAdams MW, Director, International Wine Center; and Rita Jammet, Chief Bubble Officer, La Caravelle Champagne. The panel moderator was Karen Goodlad, Associate Professor, Hospitality Management, New York City College of Technology (CUNY). The Next Big Sip was sponsored

46 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

by Aperol, Russell’s Reserve, Beverage Media Group (BMG), Monogram, Wine Services International, Oxo, Wine Enthusiast, Rabbit, Illy and Wolf Gourmet. Six Key Trends Emerged From The Session: 1. Climate Change is impacting every aspect of the wine conversation. From viticultural practices to packaging and final sales. 2. Education is still accessible only to certain segments of the popular be it because of cost or availability. Restaurants can do their part to train staff. 3. Consumers are asking for organic and natural wine but don’t necessarily use the word sustainable. 4. Spirits, Sake and hard seltzer are making inroads in the industry across sectors. 5. Women are still underrepresented in the beverage industry and are still compensated less than their male counterparts. Beverage companies are lagging behind CBD companies in this vein where women are making strides. 6. Tariffs are a big uncertainty. Some were pushed to the year 2021 but the beverage industry is concerned about potential impact. A portion of event proceeds will benefit the Les Dames d’Escoffier NY Scholarship Fund.

PUTTING THE TASTY AND HEALTHY INTO HOSPITAL FOOD Five nonprofits unite to advocate for plant-based options for patients Scoop hears that many hospitals have a negative reputation for serving patients dry, mushy, bland or fat-laden foods. Good news! There’s a movement that’s working to put the tasty and healthy into hospital food. Last year, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed landmark legislation that guarantees hospital patients are offered a healthy plant-based option at every meal. Five nonprofits have formed a coalition advocating for plant-based food options in hospitals. The Humane Society of the United States, Oldways, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Health Care Without Harm and Meatless Monday, have united to provide support, resources and hands-on cooking trainings for plant-based menus. HSUS offers new hands-on training for chefs, di-

continued on page 48

BOOTH #2035

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 47

SCOOP

METRO NY INSIDER NEWS, from page 46

etitians and physicians within healthcare. The goal is to work with health care systems all over the country and help them commit to 50% plant based daily offerings by 2025. PCRM’s registered dietitians, nurses and medical doctors deliver lunch-and-learns and employee wellness programs in hospitals to provide education about plant-based nutrition. Meatless Monday provides free resources and creative materials to encourage people to start with a small change that can improve their health and help reduce environmental impact. Oldways is providing free access to The Plant Forward Plates Healthcare Toolkit, a downloadable instruction manual on how to add plant-based meals to hospital menus. Health Care Without Harm provides technical support in implementing plant-forward menus, and assists health care facilities in tracking, goal setting, and quantifying greenhouse gas impact through the Cool Food Pledge. This new coalition for plant-based foods in hospitals is determined to accelerate the drive for healthy food in hospitals. Join them!

FORMER JUNGSIK CHEF KIM OPENS JUA IN NYC The Restaurant Showcases Wood-Fired New Korean Cuisine Via An Ambitious Chef ’s Tasting Menu Scoop notes that Executive Chef/Owner Hoyoung Kim, formerly of the venerated Jungsik restaurant at 36 East 22nd Street New York City, opened JUA, in the heart of Manhattan’s Flatiron District. The restaurant is in partnership with Hand Hospitality, the hospitality group behind celebrated restaurants such as Atoboy, Atomix, Her Name is Han, O:N, and more. The restaurant spotlights New Korean cuisine with a focus on wood-fired grilling by way of an ambitious nine-course tasting menu, priced at an accessible $95pp++. Chef Kim, with desserts from the creative mind of Jungsik’s pastry chef, Eunji Lee, JUA’s opening menu begins with Kimbugak (a snack of smoked caviar with crispy seaweed), followed by a “bread” course of Goon Goguma (wood-roasted sweet potato with homemade butter). Guests are then served a coldsmoked Mackerel; Truffle Jjajangmen (Noodle); Flounder with dashima-brown butter and grilled

The interior at the JUA Restaurant

scallions; 2-Week Aged Duck with charcoal kale, apple molasses jus; and Galbi (Marinated BBQ Shortrib) with cabbage dongchimi. To round out the meal, there are two sweet courses: one with Omija Pear, and a smoky Charcoal-infused Ice Cream to finish. Small snacks will be available a la carte at the sevenseat bar. Menus will change often, pending market availability for ingredients. Seasonal supplements featuring Abalone and King Crab may also be added

continued on page 118

MARCUM’S

FOOD & BEVERAGE SERVICES GROUP

We have the perfect recipe of knowledge and service capabilities to help you stay ﬂexible ‒ accounting, tax, and consulting services so that you can concentrate on the growth of your business.

2020 Marcum Food & Beverage Summits Gathering the best and brightest in our ﬁeld for an evening of networking and vital information.

Join us:

May 14: San Francisco May 27: Providence September 10: New York City

marcumevents.com/food-beverage

48 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

BOOTH #1508

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 49

LEGAL INSIDER

FROM ELLENOFF, GROSSMAN & SCHOLE LLP

CLEARING THE SMOKE: ADDRESSING WORKPLACE PROBLEMS WITH MARIJUANA

ver the past few years, the legalization of marijuana has clouded ballots and elections across the country. Some states have gone completely “green,” legalizing the recreational use of marijuana. Other states permit the use of marijuana only for medical purposes. A majority of the states have decriminalized marijuana, while under federal law it remains illegal. With so many different laws related to this marijuana reform movement, how is an employer in New York supposed to comply? Medical Marijuana Under the Compassionate Care Act of 2014 (“CCA”), the use of medical marijuana is legal in New York. The CCA also provides protections from discrimination in the employment context to certified medical marijuana patients. Accordingly, New York employers are prohibited from discriminating against an employee in the terms and conditions of employment, or firing or refusing to hire an employee, based on that

Beginning May 10, 2020, NYC employers are prohibited from conducting pre-employment drug testing for marijuana or “THC” on most employees employee’s status as a patient who is certified under New York law to use medical marijuana. In fact, under the New York State Human Rights Law, certified medical marijuana patients are considered disabled. Thus, employers must engage in the interactive process and provide reasonable accommodations to those employees certified to use medical marijuana. Notably, the Act specifically permits employers to restrict employees from performing their duties while under the influence of marijuana, even when it is medically prescribed. Therefore, employers can implement drug and alcohol policies prohibiting employees from working under the influence of any substance. Further, employers who work with the federal government are not required to permit the use of

Medical marijuana rolled into joints

50 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

medical marijuana where it would cause that employer to lose a federal contract or funding. Drug Testing Beginning May 10, 2020, New York City employers are prohibited from conducting pre-employment drug testing for marijuana or tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) on most employees. Pre-employment marijuana testing is still permitted: • for certain safety and security sensitive jobs such as construction workers; police officers; commercial drivers; teachers, teachers’ aides or day care center employees; any job that requires the supervision or care of patients in a medical, nursing, home or group care facility; or any job that has the potential to significantly impact the health or safety of employees or members of the job; and • for jobs with employers hiring under a federal contract or grant that requires pre-employment drug testing. Importantly, employers should note this law has no impact on their right to drug-test current employees. If an employer reasonably suspects an employee is working under the influence, they may ask the employee to stop working and question the employee. Employers should document the employee’s conduct which is consistent with working under the influence. If such conduct meets the threshold requirements under the company’s drug

Mitchell F. Borger is a Partner in the Labor and Employment group of Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP (“EGS”) and has more than twenty-seven years of experience practicing Employment Law. Mr. Borger advises clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, drafts employment agreements, severance and release documents, handbooks, and policies, is well versed in alternative dispute resolution (with an emphasis on mediation and arbitration programs), and performs employment-related corporate due diligence. Mr. Borger is current chair of the New York State Bar Association’s (“NYSBA”) Corporate Counsel Section, served as its 2005 Chair and is a twenty-year member of its Executive Committee. Nicole M. Vescova is an Associate in the Labor and Employment Practice Group. Ms. Vescova represents and advises clients in a variety of labor and employment matters, including workplace issues such as proper pay practice, employee classification, discipline, termination, and leave. Ms. Vescova drafts various employment policies and agreements such as company handbooks, commission agreements, and non-competition and non-disclosure agreements. She also defends employers against wage & hour claims, and discrimination & harassment claims. Mitchell F. Borger (mborger@egsllp. com) and Nicole Vescova (nvescova@ egsllp.com) can be reached via phone at 212-370-1300.

testing policies, a drug test may be administered. Unfortunately, because marijuana stays present in an individual’s body for a significantly longer period of time than alcohol, testing positive for marijuana is not conclusory evidence that the employee was in fact under the influence in the workplace. Consequently, terminating an employee solely on the

continued on page 114

SCJP_fanMAX_TF_HalfAd2020_p.pdf

2/24/20

1:06 PM

SAFE O

ALU

MINU

CMY

Formulated for Commercial Applications Removes Stubborn Carbon Deposits Non-Corrosive NSF and Kosher Certified

Buy it today from Read label before use. Use only as directed.

www.webstaurantstore.com March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 51

PRESENTED BY:

CHEFCETERA

MANHATTAN CHEF MCFARLAND BUILDS MULTI UNIT LOBSTER EMPIRE

he choice for so many chefs today is how to maintain consistency in their kitchen and then to balance the potential paths of growth. For Chef Ed McFarland, that decision has been to focus on customers first. The rewards have been an unprecedented thirteen plus year run in his Manhattan eatery Ed’s Lobster Bar, and now an expansion into the Hamptons. McFarland has combined a unique skill set of culinary talent and savvy business sense. Since the opening of Ed’s Lobster Bar in 2007, he has transformed the place on Lafayette Street into a busy lunch destination. At night, the bar is full with regulars and enthusiastic new guests, soon to become part of McFarland’s community. The New York City native’s recipe for success sounds simple, but is in fact very difficult to accomplish. It started with an atmosphere that can only be described as comfort with aromas of freshly prepared seafood – sweet, salty and creamy. Most regulars come for the famous lobster rolls, others strictly for the grilled fish or the clam chowder. Among Chef McFarland’s signa-

“Seafood fascinated me. The delicateness and high food cost of seafood makes it a challenge. Not to mention small quantities and the frequency of deliveries. Very few restaurants are willing to take that risk on and really embrace it.” — Ed McFarland ture items are a bucket of steamers, crab and artichoke dip, served in a glazed clay dish cooked to perfection with white toast or steamed lobster. That is combined with an unmatched attention to service. “I grew up in a family in which home cooked meals were a way of life. It began in Brooklyn and then onto Staten Island. In the winter, it was lots of traditional American cooking, and then in the summer, big family barbecues.” The New York City native began his culinary journey at the age of 17 at a Staten Island pizzeria. Chef McFarland’s career was impacted by his decision to attend what was then the French Culinary Institute. I was working at the pizzeria and

Ed McFarland, Chef/Owner, Ed’s Lobster

52 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

I dropped out of college, so one day I picked up a magazine and that’s how I decided to attend culinary school. The real take-away from French Culinary was an in depth understanding of basic cutting and cooking techniques, McFarland continued. I also made connections that have been a part of my career ever since.” Among those key connections was FCI’s Alain Sailhac who introduced McFarland to Chef Terrance Brennan of Picholine. “He knew the type of motivated students that came from the school and hired me on the spot,” McFarlane explained. “It’s interesting that even though I had trained in traditional French technique, many of those skills I have

continued to use,” McFarland added. “Even though it seems as if everything has evolved to everybody being in a rush and healthier dining, traditional skills like cream sauce reductions are a staple in our restaurants today.” McFarland’s career moved to the legendary Le Cirque. “It wasn’t a great fit for me because it really was a seamless machine that was producing up to a 1000 covers for lunch, dinner, and banquets. It was very interesting to watch the systems that the Maccionis and their team put into place but very little room for creativity. I really learned that you need to always be ready and prepped up.” McFarland then worked at a number of smaller bistros around the City. “I knew that my love was seafood and I was determined to find the right opportunity to work exclusively with seafood. I had the perfect scenario at Pearl’s Oyster bar as the sous chef. My six and a half years there gave me the experience I needed to open my own place.” “Seafood fascinated me. The delicateness and high food cost of seafood makes it a challenge. Not to mention small quantities and the frequency of deliveries. Very few restaurants are willing to take that risk on and really and really embrace it. When we opened Ed’s Lobster Bar, it gave us

continued on page 134

The front interior at Ed’s Lobster Bar in SoHo, New York City

Mendon Truck Leasing & Rental

Your source for Full Service Truck Leasing and Commercial Truck Rental in the New York and New Jersey metropolitan areas. mendonleasing.com 877-MENDON-1

840 Garrison Avenue The Bronx, NY 10474 41-65 Doremus Avenue Newark, NJ 07105 362 Kingsland Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11222

1360 New Jersey 88 Lakewood, NJ 08701

148 Duffy Avenue Hicksville, NY 11801

8215 Foster Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11236

Mendon is a member of NationaLease

THE #1 PLANT-BASED BRAND IN FOODSERVICE1 Please call 877-511-5777 for more information. ®, ©, TM 2020 KELLOGG NA CO. 1 NPD SUPPLY TRACK LAST 12 MONTHS, SEPTEMBER 2018

SAUSAGE-STYLE CRUMBLES & CHEESE PIZZA March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 53

NEWS

EQUIPMENT INNOVATIONS

UNIVEX BEAST 8713M IS THE GEAR DRIVEN SLICER YOU NEED!

ithin the foodservice industry, there are many categories that a restaurant/supermarket or Deli owner needs to investigate, to have a complete and full kitchen. Within this category lies the category of slicers. There are many companies out there who produce quality slicers, but Univex is in the top tier of quality and performance. With categories broken up into economy, value and premium slicers, there is a make and model for all types of applications. The 8713M – Gear Driven Supermarket Quality Premium Slicer has been taking the country by storm with its powerful gear driven drive, sleek design, and top performance. This slicer is perfect for any Deli or Supermarket looking for a topquality premium slicer. Univex has been leading the foodservice industry for over 70 years, with their manufacturing plant based out of Salem NH. They have 14 rep groups that cover the United States, as well as both Canadian and International representation. O’Neill Marketing Agents is their Metro NY Representatives who have done an excellent job helping end users and equipment dealers pro-

vide top quality equipment such as the 8713M and other pieces of Univex equipment within the territory. With over 40+ years in the foodservice industry, OMA has the extensive knowledge and background to succeed. Their relationships with the dealers and customers in the Metro NY area is what sets them apart from their competition. The 8713M is designed for power and production. This model is made to be used all day, every day at top tier facilities. Univex always has quality, performance, and safety in mind when designing and selling their products.

54 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Evan Priesel, Marketing Director for Univex stated: “The 8713M is one of our most popular slicers, since it is gear driven and extremely powerful. Designed with ease of use, power and safety in mind, the new sleek design is perfect for any supermarket or deli! This powerful slicer is comprised of a 1/2 HP motor, adjustable slice thickness, quick and simple disassembly for easy and thorough cleaning, as well as a permanently

mounted protective edge guard for operator safety. With absolutely zero plastic on the machine, the quality speaks for itself.” Univex also has a full line of Pizza and Bakery equipment, ranging from mixers, divider/rounders and both bakery and Dome Pizza Ovens! Univex is excited to showcase all their equipment at national tradeshows this year such as the International Restaurant and Food Service Show in New York City in March, and the National Restaurant Show (NRA) in May. Check out Univex’s entire line at www.univexcorp.com If located in Metro NYC please contact: O’Neill Marketing Agents 845-638-9306 JIM@ONEILLREPS.COM

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 55

PROVISIONS PREVIEWED

WITH LMT PROVISIONS

FLATWARE IN FOCUS, INTRODUCING STUDIO WILLIAM CUTLERY

ust last spring, Alain Allegretti stepped into our New York City showroom for a meeting with our tabletop procurement team. It wasn’t any typical showroom visit; that day, we were set to introduce Allegretti to Studio William cutlery. William Welch, Founder and CEO of Studio William, had flown across the pond for just a few days to meet with our ambassadors and preach the power of selecting culinary cutlery with purpose, the foundation of his brand. An industrial engineer by trade, Welch boasts himself a “flatware geek” enamored with perfecting and challenging the norm of the various dining instruments we use today, a rare obsession indeed. Even rarer is the opportunity to truly leave an impact on our guests. When Allegretti, the Michelin-wielding, internationally acclaimed French chef, was first revealed to Studio William’s Creative Dining series, the reaction was what can only be described

William Welch, Founder & CEO of Studio William Cutlery

as magic. We know magic in foodservice is rare and therefore memorable—just ask the makers of magic, the good people at Disney in Orlando, Florida. Since the budding of our partnership last spring, Studio William’s brand awareness has grown. Next month, Patina Restaurant Group (PRG) is set to launch into space with the opening of Space 220 inside EPCOT Center, creating everlasting magic in the city known for doing just that. The 375-seat restaurant is inspired by the cosmos, and to anchor their tabletop specification in a space with so much gravity (or lack thereof?), PRG’s procurement team selected the ultrasleek Tilia pattern, in black. “Tilia by Studio William really caught our eye due to its elongated shape. The line was extremely modern and had a space-age quality we couldn’t resist,” says Jaclyn Lerner, Art & Style Director for PRG. Everything in this UK-based cutlery

company’s portfolio is suitable for fine dining establishments no matter which galaxy of hospitality you’re orbiting but make no mistake— Studio William is definitely down to earth. “My design inspiration for sculptural form comes from nature,” says Welch. “For more than two decades, I have been working with top chefs from around the world, listening, observing and developing creative flatware tools to add sensory experiences and memorable moments to enhance the customer’s dining experience.” Each pattern is named after a unique tree species, and a portion of the brand’s proceeds are donated to the International Tree Foundation’s efforts to prevent deforestation in Kenya, paying their inspiration forward to Mother Nature. If you’re looking for flatware dug from the earth and archives, look no further than Studio William’s sister brand, Charingworth Cutlery. This commodity driven catalog of patterns

Tilia black flatware by Studio William Cutlery, pictured at Wild Ink in New York City

56 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Sarah Bulmer works on the LMT team at Singer Equipment Company. Ms. Bulmer specifies tabletop products that tell distinct stories and speak to a myriad of unique operational needs. She studied Journalism & Mass Communications with a focus in food writing at the University of Iowa. Sarah is based in Brooklyn, New York and can be reached at sbulmer@mtucker.com.

focuses on the most rudimentary needs of foodservice, with a cheeky design-forward spin on old school patterns, like our flagship favorite, Fiddle Vintage, which we’ve reviewed before on LMTprovisions.com. Other classics include Baguette, with a unique twist of fate—the dinner knife also features a scalloped handle to match the other pieces in this range, and the brand’s most recent launch Planish, is a satin finish hammered pattern which will be in our booth at the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show in New York City this month. We encourage you to join us at the IRFSNY from March 8th-10th to celebrate our partnership with Studio William. For more on Studio William Cutlery and all products displayed by LMT in the Singer M.Tucker booth at the IRFSNY, please send us an email at LMT@singerequipment.com.

Fiddle Vintage flatware by Charingworth Cutlery

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 57

NEWS

SHOW PREVIEW

NEW ENGLAND FOOD SHOW ‘20: NEW TRENDS, TECHNOLOGY, AND STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

ew England Food Show is gearing up for its 2020 edition which takes place March 22-24 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in Boston, MA. New England Food Show is the region’s largest restaurant and foodservice event serving both the foodservice and retail sectors. The latest products, services, and technologies will be showcased for the industry, along with a comprehensive and leading-edge program of education that will provide restaurants and foodservice establishments from New England with the best tools to grow and improve their business. Exhibit Hall The 2020 show will feature 300+ exhibitors showcasing the latest products, services and technologies from the following product groups: Alcohol/Bar Products; Apparel & Uniforms; Beverages; Equipment; Food; Furnishings & Décor; Services & Supplies; Tableware; and Technol-

ogy. Exhibitors will also be featuring new products that have been released within the last year as well as onsite show specials that will only be available to attendees during the three show days. Pavilions The show floor will also showcase 4 unique pavilions for attendees to satiate their pallets with the latest in equipment, farm to table, alcoholic, and small business offerings. • TriMark United East Pavilion the go-to equipment testing hub at New England Food Show. Attendees can experience a variety of equipment and supplies to find the right solutions for their operations. • Alcohol Pavilion - this is the place where attendees can sample new beverage selections from exhibitors focused on the wine, spirits, and beer industry. • Harvest New England Farms Pavilion - highlighting

58 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

local farms and suppliers that can add homegrown flavor to menus. • CommonWealth Kitchen Pavilion - focused on the CWK collaborative community members and small business entrepreneurs offering new and exciting products for the food industry. Center Stage The hub of the show where industry leaders take the stage for keynotes and culinary demos. This year’s lineup includes Paul Wahlberg, Richard Blais, Kelsey Barnard Clark, Jeff Danzer, and Shaun O’Neale.

Ed-Quarters There will be 12 dynamic education sessions on leading topics in the industry organized by the Massachusetts Restaurant Association and open to all attendees. Topics will include: Cannabis Regulations; Restaurant Technology Developments; Butchery; Gluten and Allergen Free Menus; and Improving Profits. Bring the Whole Team Why attend solo when the show is an excellent opportunity and must attend event for entire teams to build relationships, grow, and benefit from by sourcing new products, gaining knowledge from industry experts, and networking with colleagues, and have a little fun – all in one place. Full details on registration, exhibitors, keynotes, culinary demos, and education sessions can be found at www.NewEnglandFoodShow. com

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

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 59

RESTAURANT MARKETING

3 WAYS BIG DATA CAN GROW YOUR RESTAURANT

ur entire world revolves around technology and data. Everything requires a login and a password. Everything has an agreement on “terms and conditions.” Everything asks you if you are okay with “cookies” --which is a pretty good name choice in my opinion, I mean who isn’t okay with cookies? In all seriousness, the current tech environment is amazing! It is a whole world of opportunity and in this world, data is king. In this article, we are going to walk you through 3 ways you can use big data to help your restaurant. The type of data you should be most interested in is your customers’ data. Your customers are what keeps your business alive. Without them, without understanding them, and without being able to reach them, your restaurant can fall behind and become lost in the masses. Ok, so you want to collect customer data, but what does that really mean? What kind of data are you collecting?

Ok, so you want to collect customer data, but what does that really mean? What kind of data are you collecting? Ultimately, you want to build a database of unique customer-identifiers and points of contact. The three that we are going to focus on are email, phone number, and Facebook Messenger Subscription. You can use each of these data points to help your restaurant in 3 major ways: 1. Cost effective remarketing 2. Competitive advantage 3. Creating a personal connection with your customers Before we jump in, I want to preface this by saying that you don’t need to sell your customers’ data in order for it to be a profitable asset for your business. These are your customers and you should treat them well. Selling their data and

60 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

filling their inboxes with spam isn’t going to help you grow in the long term. Let’s start with how you gather this information. There are several ways to get customers to offer up their contact info, and it’s actually easier that you may think! The easiest and most passive collection tactic is to take advantage of your POS system. Most systems have built in features that can prompt guests to enter their information. This is an easy way to collect email addresses. Your POS system may even automatically collect several useful data points! Phone numbers prove to be a bit harder to collect. However, we’ve found that customers are much more likely to share their phone number if they are met with an offer--free fries or a drink, for example-on their next visit. Phone numbers are often seen as a more personal piece of information and given out less often. Proposing an incentive helps to bring down that guard. The third data point you want to collect is a Facebook Messenger Subscription. You can collect this data directly though Facebook by creating ads on Facebook Ads Manager with the “send message” objective. An attractive of-

Brett Linkletter is the CEO & CoFounder of Misfit Media. He has an aggressive willingness to take on new challenges and a strong understanding of scaling a business from scratch. His vision is to disrupt the restaurant marketing space by empowering business owners with predictable, scalable marketing strategies so they can grow their business based on insights and data, versus guesswork and course correction. Brett’s specialty lies in creative content creation, brand messaging, social media growth hacking, and business development. His biggest role model and lifetime hero is his great grandfather, Art Linkletter, who was a famous TV personality and businessman. Ariana Brajkovich is Misfit Media’s inhouse media buyer. She is a data-driven individual who loves to take the creative route to achieve results. Ariana studied business and marketing at the University of Southern California and has found her niche in the restaurant world. She thrives in competition and is inspired by Misfit’s drive to take restaurants across the world to the next level. Outside of the office, you can find her skiing, rock climbing, or baking. Contact the team at hello@ misfitmedia.com or 424-289-8648

fer, high quality food picture, or an announcement about a special event are great ways to entice social media users to engage with you through Facebook Messenger. Popups on your website or in-store QR scan codes that request access to Facebook Messenger are also effective ways to gain subscribers, especially when they offer an incentive similar to the ones mentioned above. So now you have data. What do you do with it? As mentioned before, there are 3 simple, but essential ways in which you can help your business grow using big data. 1. Cost Effective Remarketing

continued on page 126

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 61

NEWS

SPECIAL EVENTS

ICC SET TO HOST PASTRY PLUS CONFERENCE THIS MONTH IN NYC

he International Culinary Center (ICC) in New York City, in partnership with Callebaut has announced the return of industry conference Pastry Plus, on Sunday, March 29, 2020. In its third and most exciting year, the theme of the conference will reflect “The Business of Taste,” and continue to build a pastry community that promotes a constructive exchange of ideas and information to secure the future of chefs and the niche industry. This year’s programming will open with a welcome address led by Founder of ICC’s Pastry Plus, Jansen Chan, followed by an all-female lineup of panel experts Emily Luchetti (Chief Pastry Officer of Big Night Restaurant Group), Lani Halliday (Owner of Brutus Bake Shop), Sherry Yard (Pastry Chef & Author), and Kirsten Tibballs (Pastry Chef/Founder of Savour Chocolate & Patisserie School) as they discuss the business of baking. A series of breakout classes that stem from the pillars of craft, innovation, and workplace are available thereafter curated by pastry legends such as Jacques Torres, Christina Tosi, and Ron Ben-Israel.

“It is a reinvestment in our future. With this conference we’re able to connect fellow pastry chefs of all skill sets and give them an opportunity to learn, network, and be inspired by peers and mentors.”— Jansen Chan Burlap and Barrel takes you on a journey of spices you thought you knew, and some you’ve probably never heard of before, to explore the impact of single-origin spices • The Resurgence of Bread: Ryan Morgan from Sixteen Bricks shares his story of a family business, turned leading bakery for the Cincinnati area,

Offering an interactive and personal look at forecasted trends, conference attendees can choose three of the nine classes and seminars throughout the day. A sampling of them include: • Ruby Chocolate Innovation: International Pastry Chef Kirsten Tibballs, Founder of Savour Chocolate & Patisserie School in Melbourne, leads a class focused on chocolate techniques including use of Callebaut Ruby and Callebaut Gold Chocolate •

Understanding

Your

Spices:

62 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

embracing the flavor of wheat • Team Diversity & Inclusion: Jackie McMann-Oliveri educates on promoting workplace diversity and best practices for a productive and inclusive work environment as Director of Talent and Culture for Bobby Flay Restaurants

• Plant-Based Future of Pastry: Plants are the future; Eclipse Foods and Katzie Guy-Hamilton, Author of Clean Enough, discuss the trending plant-based industry and its impact on the pastry market Additional activities throughout the day include a keynote address, networking reception and new to 2020, pre-conference Industry Field Trips at Union Square Hospitality Group’s Gramercy Tavern, Daily Provisions and The Modern, as well as Ron BenIsrael Cakes. “Pastry Plus is one of the rare opportunities to gather the pastry industry and foster a community,” said Jansen Chan, Founder of Pastry Plus and Director of Pastry Operations at ICC. “It is a reinvestment in our future. With this conference we’re able to connect fellow pastry chefs of all skill sets and give them an opportunity to learn, network, and be inspired by peers and mentors.” Preceding Pastry Plus on Saturday, March 28, 2020 is Pastryland, a community bake sale presented by ICC that features never-before-tasted creations from more than 20 top pastry chefs. The bake sale will be held from 12 – 3 p.m., with VIP entrance from Noon – 1 p.m., and allows locals and pastry lovers to get a taste of edible works of art for $15 general admission and $50 VIP. All proceeds from Pastryland bake sale will go to charitable partner Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. The International Culinary Center® (ICC®) is a global leader in professional culinary, pastry and wine education in New York City with graduates from more than 90 countries. The renowned six-month Total ImmersionSM program has produced such talents as Bobby Flay, David Chang, Dan Barber, Christina Tosi and 15,000 more under the guidance of deans including Jacques Pépin and Jacques Torres. ICC’s mission is to train the next generation, providing students with the credentials, confidence and connections to chart a successful career anywhere in the world.

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 63

RESTAURANT EXPERT

WITH DAVID SCOTT PETERS

HOW TO MAKE MENU ENGINEERING WORK

o you know what the number-one sales tool is in your restaurant? It’s your menu. Your menu is critical to your restaurant’s success. In fact, if you can control your menu, you can adjust your cost of goods sold without giving up guest satisfaction, without cutting quality sales report, PMIX report, velocity on the products you serve, without report and item-by-item sales reraising your prices. But there are a port - whatever you call it. couple things you have to have in Every item you sell on a daily basis place to adjust your menu for a lowis listed on the product mix report. er cost of goods sold. When you have this information – To make your menu engineerwhat you sold, how many you sold, ing effective, you have to have two and what you sold it for ¬– you can things in place: figure out your ideal food cost. This Number one is accurate recipe is the food cost you’d have if you costing cards. They need to be up had no waste, no theft, no spoilage, to date in pricing, ingredients, meaa perfect restaurant. Your ideal food surements and portions. You can do cost is a key component in managthem by hand, in a spreadsheet or ing your budget, your ordering and in a fancy software (software is great your profits. because it automates the process If you have this data, you can imand ensures your recipe costing pact your bottom line by 3-7 percards are accurate - but it’s centage points the first time not mandatory). All you do it. This is with that matters is acthe same items and curate recipe costing the same customers. cards are critical to This is because you menu design. Withwould know where to out them, you are increase prices and throwing your profitwhere not to, and ability away to what where to put items David Scott Peters is a resI call dumb-ass luck. on your menu to intaurant coach and speaker If you don’t have crease their sales and who teaches restaurant operators how to use his traderecipe costing cards, your cash contribumark Restaurant Prosperyou don’t really know tion. You would have ity Formula to cut costs and which items you an idea of which picincrease profits. Known as THE expert in the restaurant should be merchantures to include or industry, he uses a no-BS dising, and you could which items to box for style to teach and motivate lose money faster emphasis. With this restaurant owners to take control of their businesses instead of making knowledge, you can and finally realize their full more money. take control of your potential. Thousands of resSecond, you need business. taurants have used his formula to transform their busito use the product Pro Tip: How your nesses. To learn more about mix report from your menu is designed is David Scott Peters, his forpoint of sale (POS) critical to how effecmula for restaurant success, or his online courses, visit system. This is also tive it is as a sales tool. davidscottpeters.com. known as the daily When you have accu-

64 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

If you can control your menu, you can adjust your cost of goods sold without giving up guest satisfaction, without cutting quality on the products you serve, without raising your prices. rate, up-to-date recipe costing cards and you use your product mix report, you should find a professional to help you fix your menu’s design. And look for a company that uses data, such as that on your product mix report, to guide the menu en-

gineering process and end design. Avoid the company that asks you what your top money-making items are - that’s not menu engineering. With these systems and the right data, you can use menu engineering to improve your bottom line.

Proud Supporter of

tuxton.com 1.877.2.TUXTON

METRO NEW YORK CUSTOMERS: ASK US ABOUT $1000 FREE FREIGHT Represented in Metro New York by TD Marketing CO Visit us at our showrooms: 261 Madison Ave., Suite 9015 New York, NY 10016 & 84 Mayfield Ave Edison, NJ 08837 732.339.3266 tdmarketingco.com March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 65

NEWS

EVENT COVERAGE

THE INAUGURAL FEDD CONFERENCE GATHERS 80 INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS TO TALK DIGITAL MARKETING

n February 5th at the Confidante Hotel in Miami Florida, Rich Malachy (Owner at Malachy Parts and Service) and his Director of Marketing Angel Quiroz assembled a grouping of 11 keynote speeches all about how to incorporate digital marketing into the food equipment world. The FEDD Group began when Rich Malachy and Angel Quiroz started a private Facebook group dedicated to helping all channel partners communicate more effectively and frequently. They used it as a way to educate others about the perks of digital marketing. The group quickly shot up to 400 industry professionals and this made Rich and Angel re-evaluate the function of the group. It quickly became clear that the natural trajectory of this group would be an industry event. The FEDD Group’s primary objective as Angel describes, is to raise the profile of the skilled trades all together and help to fix the dreaded trades gap by providing an authentic look into the industry via digital content. The Conference hosted people from all sides of the food equipment and digital marketing industry, including companies like Hobart, Heritage and

The FEDD Group’s primary objective as Angel describes, is to raise the profile of the skilled trades all together and help to fix the dreaded trades gap by providing an authentic look into the industry via digital content. Univex. Also in attendance, a variety of industry CEO’s like Josh Zolin and Joe Ferri. When asked for a synopsis about the conference, Josh Zolin (Owner at Windy City Equipment) said: “The FEDD Conference undoubtedly provided much-needed perspective to, not only myself, but all the attendees about the importance of utilizing digital media to expand their presence in the industry. It was a truly eye-opening and inspiring experience!” Similarly, “If you’re not here, you’re way behind,” said Terry Strong of Hobart Service when he was asked about what he thought of the event. Evan Preisel, Director of Marketing at Univex was also quoted saying “Not only do I want to go to the next [conference], I want to speak at the next one!”

Among notable speakers were Carlos Gil, Marketer and Best Selling author of the book “The End of Marketing”

66 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

The conference was jam packed with speakers and panels. A panel specifically teaching how to use YouTube in the food equipment world as well as a panel on how to better communicate between channel partners using the digital platforms we have available for free. There was even a whole session dedicated to connecting with each other on LinkedIn and Instagram. Cory Yates, (Owner at Alpha Omega Restaurant Equipment Repair) stated that this was “A gathering of industry professionals all looking to increase their footprint and invest in their companies to become better leaders.” He went on to say that he was “Honored to be among my peers and be a part of the 1st FEDD (Food Equipment Digital Disruptors) Conference. Big thanks to @richmalachy for pulling this weekend together.”

Among notable speakers were Carlos Gil, Marketer and Best Selling author of the book “The End of Marketing”, and Jennifer Davis owner of Davisware. The topics ranged from “customer intimacy strategy” all the way to “Humanizing your brand” and even a deep dive into the differences between corporate and personal branding. The consensus was clear, this was the food equipment industry’s first digital marketing conference and most of the attendees left with a better understanding of how to utilize the digital world for their specific company needs. Malachy has already announced the FEDD Group’s second event, an industry-wide event in Jersey City specifically for Women. A place where women in the blue collar world can meet and showcase their stories in order to encourage new generations of women to join the trades. The event is set for August and details still remain to be announced. If you are looking to get involved with the FEDD group feel free to request to join the Facebook group at www.thefeddgroup.com

Rich Malachy addresses attendees to the first annual FEDD Conference

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 67

68 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 69

NEWS

SHOW PREVIEW

TRI-STATE FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY SET TO DESCEND ON JAVITS FOR ANNUAL IRFSNY SHOW

housands of restaurant and foodservice professionals will gather this month at the Javits Center in New York for the 2020 International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York. Once again the show will be come to Manhattan’s Westside from Sunday, March 8 through Tuesday, March 10. The trade show will be co-located with the Healthy Food Expo New York and Coffee Fest and attendees will have access to all three exhibit halls and education programs. Among this year’s show highlights is the annual Rapid Fire Challenge that is scheduled for Monday, March 9, 2020 from 3:30-5:00 pm. With a dessert theme chefs were encouraged to get creative and submit their most delicious and creative dessert for a chance to be crowned the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show Rapid Fire Champion, receive $1,000, and bragging rights. “The Rapid Fire Challenge has become a must see event during the International Restaurant Show and we invite local chefs to compete and be recognized for their creative desserts. We thank our professional judges, our partner Total Food Service and our sponsor Boldric,” said Tom Loughran, Vice President, Clarion UX Food & Beverage Group. “We are looking forward to receiving the dessert recipes local chefs enter and seeing who our loyal social media audience selects to compete live during the Show.”

The IRFSNY Show will have access to a full agenda of subject matter experts that will lead 58 complimentary education sessions. The Education Program will include six tracks focused on Bar & Beverage, Employees & Staffing, Health & Diet, Hot Topics, Marketing & Social Media, and Operational Excellence. “The restaurant industry is constantly changing and we are pleased to be working with industry thought leaders who will deliver 58 timely and informative sessions offering restaurant and foodservice professionals insight on everything from corporate social responsibility, delivery systems, CBD in drinks and food, negotiating leases, and much more,” said Loughran. “We know one of the top reasons industry professionals attend our show is to have access to our excellent faculty and this year they will focus on the most pressing issues and hottest topics impacting restaurants and foodservice establishments.” The Health & Diet Track, which is part of the Healthy Food Expo, will feature sessions with topics ranging from CBD in Drinks and Foods, Food Allergies, Gluten-Free, Healthful Menu Choices, Aquaculture, Specialized Diets, Plant-Based Diets and much more. Mareya Ibrahim, The Fit Foodie and founder of eatcleaner.com will emcee the Center Stage at the event and will lead a session on the 8 Hottest Healthy Food

70 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

continued on page 72

Highlights from the 2019 International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York included celebrity chefs, seminars, equipment trends, and much more

Visit us at the 2020 New York Show Booth 1205

The SelfCookingCenter®. The perfect centerpiece for your kitchen. The RATIONAL SelfCookingCenter® combi-steamer is revolutionizing the way commercial kitchens operate. For more information go to: rationalusa.com

US_Ad_FE&S_SCC101-XS_9_5x4_9_inch_New_York_Show.indd 1

25.02.2020 11:21:31

BOOTH #1672

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 71

IRFSNY SHOW PREVIEW & Beverage Trends for 2020 and how they will impact restaurant businesses. The Bar & Beverage Track will feature Michael Farrell, CEO, The Forest Farmers who will discuss Tree Saps & Syrups for the Beverage Industry; a dynamic panel of experts who will discuss Building a Rockstar Beverage Program; Doug Radkey of KRG Hospitality will present Developing an Epic Beverage Program; and Peter Camps of Heineken USA will present The Quality of Beer: The Perfect Pour, Maintenance and Improving Sales. The Employee & Staffing track will offer sessions on Building Healthier and Happier Kitchens, Managing Generations Y and Z, Ergonomics, Talent in the Kitchen, Faith in Your People, Inspiring Employee “BuyIn”, and Restaurant Psychology. Einav Gefen, Executive Corporate Chef and FairKitchens Representative for Unilever Food Solutions will talk about FairKitchens, the initiative that aims to table real issues and creative positive, grassroots change in professional kitchens focusing on culinary management, employee retention, and creating more empowering, equitable workplaces.

from page 70

“We know one of the top reasons industry professionals attend our show is to have access to our excellent faculty and this year they will focus on the most pressing issues and hottest topics impacting restaurants and foodservice establishments.” —Tom Loughran There will be 30 sessions in the Hot Topics Track with discussions focused on Delivery Through Technology, Maximizing Instagram, Succession Planning, Catering Profits, Creating Memorable Guest Experiences, Creating Value for Clients, and much more. Peter Ivey, CEO/ Founder, The Reggae Chefs and Mission:FoodPossible will talk about Using Corporate Responsibility (CSR) to Tackle Global Problems and Increase Profits. The Marketing & Social Media Track sessions will include such topics as Profits in Email Marketing, SEO Strategies, Psychology Based Marketing, Communicating Your Culture, Marketing Healthy, and more. Enjelika Kour, Founder and CEO of DigitalDesign NYC will dis-

The Torch Award will be presented to the leadership team of P.S. Kitchen, a social business, artisanal and plant-based restaurant in New York City with the mission of leveraging the power of good food and an open heart to lovingly serve their clients, employees, society and the earth.

72 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

cuss how apps and innovative food technology have influenced the way consumers eat and how food businesses operate. Attendees will receive a comprehensive analysis and understanding of how technology and the rise of the digital age are altering diners’ eating habits Speakers in the Operational Excellence Track will talk about New Employment Laws, Negotiating Restaurant Leases, Theoretical Food Cost, Accommodating Food Allergies, The Right Recipe to Franchise Your Restaurant, Controlling Food & Beverage Costs and more. A team of seasoned hospitality industry professionals will break through the smoke and mirrors of what it takes to develop, operate, and sustain a successful restaurant in the session

Dirt to Digital: Key Aspects of Opening a New Location. This spirited conversation will concentrate on the critical aspects of opening a restaurant from the real estate, to operations, to marketing, and ultimately, to launch. The 2020 International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York will be held Sunday, March 8 - Tuesday, March 10 at the Javits Center in New York. The tradeshow and conference will provide thousands of industry professionals with access to the hottest menu trends, state of the art design and decor, a renowned education program, special events including Hip Sip: Battle of the Modern Bartender, Rapid Fire Challenge, Cake Decorating & Gelato Competitions, several culinary demonstrations and two awards presentations, as well as, hundreds of leading vendors and purveyors dedicated to serving the restaurant & foodservice community. The International Restaurant & Foodservice Show is produced and managed by Clarion Events, and sponsored by the New York State Restaurant Association.

The Beacon Award will be presented to Allison Kave and Keavy Landreth, from Butter & Scotch, a feminist cocktail bar & bakery in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.

www.cardinalfoodservice.com #CardinalEverywhere

LET US SET YOUR TABLE GLASSWARE • DINNERWARE • FLATWARE

Visit us at the

Come make pasta with us! INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT SHOW NEW YORK MARCH 8–10, 2020

JAVITS CENTER

Booth #1613!

The Only Full-Service Pasta Machine Manufacturer in North America

@ARCOBALENOPASTA.COM

1-800-875-7096 March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 73

SKILLED TRADE INSIDER

WITH JOSH ZOLIN

BLUE COLLAR VS. WHITE COLLAR: UPDATING OUR PATHS TO SUCCESS

hen you think of a plumber, or an electrician, or a service technician, what comes to mind? Is it intelligence? Abundance? Wealth? Of course not. It’s a dirty uniform, a wrench, maybe a beard or a belly. Now picture a college graduate. I bet they’re a little cleaner. Let’s be perfectly clear about something. This is no accident. For the majority of our country’s storied history, the skilled trades were respected, revered, and even coveted. It was an honor to contribute to the fabric of society by building it with your bare hands. Then, in the 60s & 70s the common perception of the tradesperson began to shift. Colleges began to be run more like businesses and educators began to push the idea of college being the surest path to success. Students around the country were beginning to drink the Kool-Aid and believe that their only shot at happiness was by getting a degree. Simultaneously, media portrayals of

According to the College Board, a moderate college budget (to cover tuition, books, and supplies, as well as living expenses) for an in-state public college for the 2017–2018 academic year averaged $25,290 over four years, that’s a total of $101,160, and more and more students are taking longer than four years to finish. trades people reinforced this narrative by depicting mechanics & skilled workers as lazy, dumb, and genuinely unsuccessful. That’s where your mental image comes from. Because of this, it didn’t take long for the trades to become something of an inferior profession. An “alternative” to college. Basically, if you’re not smart enough for college, turn a wrench. Eventually the skilled trades were relegated to low-level, low-income, blue collar work. Something that wouldn’t require you to actually

74 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

think for a living. 50 years later we find ourselves in a major economic paradigm that has resulted in an absence of skilled labor and a $1.5 Trillion dollar student loan debt crisis. Go figure. Here’s the truth of the matter: College doesn’t pay anymore. Not for everybody, or I would argue, not for the majority. According to the College Board, a moderate college budget (to cover tuition, books, and supplies, as well as living expenses) for an in-state public college for the 2017–2018 academic year averaged $25,290 over four years, that’s a total of $101,160, and more and more students are taking longer than four years to finish. (1) In fact, per the Institute of Education Sciences, the six-year graduation rate for first-time, full- time undergraduate students who started in fall 2010 was only 60 percent. (2) What’s more, a study found that in 2010 only 62 percent of US college graduates had a job that required a college degree, and just 27 percent of college grads had a job that was closely related to their major. (3) So, what does all this mean? Well, it means that for the majority of people, a white-collar career that requires a college degree is the posterchild of a

Josh Zolin is the CEO of Windy City Equipment Service, a restaurant equipment and HVAC repair company with branches in Phoenix, Tucson, and Houston. From his start as a technician, Josh rose to become CEO, helping to grow the company from 2 to 50+ employees. From 2014 to 2018, Windy City’s annual revenue rose from $1.2 million to $7.5 million, and in 2018 & 2019 the company was named to Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in America. In May 2019, Josh published his first book, Blue is the New White in hopes of using it as a tool to shatter the perceptions of the trades and encourage kids to live their own version of success through practicality & hard work. Visit www. blueisthenewwhite.com for consistent content on the skilled trades and visit www. wcecommercial.com for all your service needs.

bad ROI. Yet, it’s peddled as the ultimate measure of success. Enter the skilled trades. Plumbers, HVAC, Kitchen Equipment, & Refrigeration Technicians, Electricians, Linemen, etc. The backbone of what makes civilization civilized. And the very services that many commercial facilities & restaurants rely on every day to effectively operate their business. The industry is booming, but the profession is dying. Because of the perceptions & the infinite wisdom of “those who know best,” these “low-level” careers are being disregarded and written off. Obviously, this has created a severe shortage of talent. So much so that these brilliant minds are now some of the highest paid individuals in the country. These are just some examples of the types of skilled trades I’m talking

continued on page 112

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 75

MEET THE NEWSMAKER

ITALIAN MANUFACTURER ADDS CASA DILISIO TO PORTFOLIO WITH GOAL OF GROWING FOODSERVICE BUSINESS IN US

espect and passion were hallmarks of the iconic Westchester County, NY entrepreneur Lou DiLisio. So when the sauce-making guru went in search of the right partner for his Casa DiLisio prior to his passing, the requirement was going to be much more than just the highest bidder. DiLisio, who passed away in January, had many suitors come to his door during his legendary career. But it wasn’t until a visionary Italian company came knocking that Mr. DiLisio considered selling. Daniele Diotallevi of BC Gourmet USA (Buona Compagnia) checked all of the boxes that Lou DiLisio was looking for. BC Gourmet USA brings a legacy of success to Casa DiLisio and the US foods service marketplace. The company has a pair of factories in Italy, BC’s Treviso, factory produces its award-winning gnocchi, which is made exclusively with fresh potato. Its Savona facility produces Pesto and a full line of sauces. “Our goal when we make product is to be efficient without being industrial, so that our custom-

“Our goal when we make product is to be efficient without being industrial, so that our customers get authentic flavor. Think of it as product like our grandmothers used to make without preservatives.” — Daniele Diotallevi, BC Gourmet USA

ers get authentic flavor. Think of it as product like our grandmothers used to make without preservatives,” Diotallevi continued. Casa DiLisio’s approach reminded us of how we produce our pesto in Savona. We only use fresh basil and a recipe that is pure. That has enabled us to accomplish a level of quality that is virtually impossible for an industrial operation to achieve. We have built a successful footprint in the UK, Germany and France and now most recently in the United States.” “When we first opened our BC Gourmet USA operation in Lynn, MA, I would run into Lou at trade shows,” noted Diotallevi. “From the very first conversation, you could just feel the passion and uncompromising commitment to the quality that Lou and his family produced their sauces with.” BC Gourmet USA’s opening in Greater Boston has been a homecoming of sorts for the company’s president. After completing his undergraduate studDaniele Diotallevi, BC Gourmet USA (Buona Compagnia ies in Rome, Daniele Gourmet)

76 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Diotallevi earned his MBA at MIT’s Sloan School in Cambridge, MA. Casa DiLisio offered the perfect conduit for Diotallevi’s company to expand from retail/grocery into foodservice in the US. “Like many other folks that came knocking at his door, he wasn’t interested in talking to us at first,” the Italian sauce impresario added. “We were able to begin to talk seriously when he saw that we were serious about building upon his legacy. The discussion focused on whom the primary suppliers needed to be to ensure the standards Lou had set for the Casa DiLisio sauce line. We are so fortunate that Lou’s daughter Linda who worked at his side and the team in Mt. Kisco has joined the BC Gourmet USA team. She has a great feel for the needs of the US foodservice end-user customer and the distributors that support them.” With the move to Lynn, MA, Casa DiLisio’s product line can now be executed with FDA approval, and are certified SQF Level II. “This will open a number of doors for us that we previously did not have access to,” noted Linda DiLisio. Casa DiLisio joins BC Gourmet USA’s Sauces ’n Love, lineup of brands in the US. In addition to foodservice the portfolio includes Retail Refrigerated, Retail Shelf Stable, Private La-

bel, Bulk Pouches, Hotel Mini Bar and Co-Packing capability from its North Shore facility in Massachusetts. BC Gourmet USA’s goal is to provide their customers with the traditional Italian, fresh, and homemade flavors. Since 1999, BC Gourmet USA has produced fresh, healthy and delectable sauces and pasta. The line features sweet and savory tastes that are sugar free, gluten free with delectable vegetarian sauces, pastas and dips. “Our approach will continue to be to have our product tasted side by side with our competition which will enable chefs to appreciate the difference,” Diotallevi explained. “Lou did that for years and it is a tested approach that we believe in. Walking the streets, knocking on doors and sitting in front of chefs simply can’t be replaced. The goal is for chefs to taste and realize that we can provide them with consistent flavor that is perfect for foodservice and stands the test of time. Let’s take an example of a Hilton Hotel. It may have four restaurants and a chef may get promoted. With our sauces, you can lock in the consistency you need throughout a property.” “We feel a lot of responsibility to continue to do things exactly as Lou was doing them. He had the most wonderful commitment to ethics how he treated his product and his customers. His mantra was truly to take care of his customers and that legacy will inspire us as we move forward,” Diotallevi concluded. The foodservice industry is excited as we see the iconic Casa DiLisio brand continue the legacy of one of its true legends: Lou DiLisio with the visionary stewardship, Daniele Diotallevi at the helm.

WWW.MRWINTERINC.COM

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 77

ASK ANDREW

FROM THE NYC HOSPITALITY ALLIANCE

PRESENTED BY:

NYC IS FUMING AT GRUBHUB, SURVEY SHOWS Nine of Ten Respondents Say Fees Are Unreasonable

ew York City has voted to ban cashless businesses because it is ‘elitist’ and 12 percent of the city’s residents don’t have bank accounts. A recent NYC Hospitality Alliance survey shows the NYC Restaurants and Bars that are fuming at Grubhub. Take a look at the full survey results. Restaurants and bars in the nation’s hospitality capital are fed up with GrubHub, according to the results of a survey released today by the NYC Hospitality Alliance. The survey respondents – owners of 300 restaurants and bars – sounded the alarm about GrubHub’s unreasonable fees that force operators to raise menu prices or take a hit on business. “Restaurants and bars are having a hard enough time as it is making it in New York City, and this survey confirms what we’ve been hearing for a long time: that GrubHub is preying on New York City restaurants and bar

with ridiculous fees and imaginative scams,” said Andrew Rigie, executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance. The survey found that: • 90.3% of respondents said GrubHub/Seamless’ fees are unreasonable. • 78.2% of respondents reported GrubHub/Seamless increased fees on their restaurant at least once. • A majority of respondents have either raised menu prices or are being forced to consider raising prices on consumers to offset GrubHub/Seamless fees. • More than 90% of respondents have had a negative experience with GrubHub/Seamless. • One fifth of respondents said their GrubHub/Seamless orders resulted in a net loss. • A majority of respondents said that customers who used to order direct from their restaurants now order via GrubHub/Seamless, forcing the res-

78 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

taurant to pay a fee. The NYC Hospitality Alliance conducted the survey in an effort to better understand the industry’s experience with GrubHub after news broke that the company was charging their restaurant clients fake fees for phone call orders that customers did not place. Further reporting uncovered that the delivery company was engaged in other questionable business practices that come at the expense of restaurants, which resulted in U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer calling on Grubhub/Seamless to fix their exploitative business model. Since then, The New York City Council has also held an oversight hearing into the restaurant delivery industry. Much of the testimony at the hearing, and the conversations about Grubhub/Seamless have focused on bogus fees, market dominance, increased fees, customer data policies, and technological strategies that drive

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.

restaurants’ direct orders through Grubhub/Seamless’ own channels to increase the fees they collect from restaurants. More recently, news broke that the company was listing restaurants on their website without receiving consent, which has caused problems for the businesses and consumers. It’s also been reported that the City Council, and other regulatory bodies, are now considering regulatory measures to reign in the giant delivery company. Download the GRUBHUB / SEAMLESS SURVEY 2020 at https:// bit.ly/37o3KlM

Into Action

EVOLUTION

You know our clients because we work with hospitality businesses in your neighborhood, as well as the ones known the world over.

CITRIN COOPERMAN

RESTAURANT & HOSPITALITY PRACTICE

Visit us at citrincooperman.com

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 79

SCHOOL FOODSERVICE INSIDER

WITH BRIGITTE ROUNDS

KEY ISSUES FACE METRO NY’S SCHOOL FOODSERVICE DIRECTORS AS SECOND HALF CALENDAR KICKS OFF

chool foodservice has found its way out of the food section of major national news sources including the New York Times (Page 1 – Saturday, 1/18/20). Thus, Total Food Service sought out one of Metro New York’s and the nation’s leading experts on school nutrition and food service: Brigitte Rounds from Long Island based Advantage Marketing. Our goal was to get an update on the challenges facing the K-12 foodservice community.

“It’s really about creating peanut or allergy awareness through a great teaching opportunity to address with the full student, teacher, staff and parent population.” each week. So for instance the school food service director that wants to offer a turkey sandwich needs to build out the recipe to include 2 Grain Oz Equivalent, 2 Meat/Meat Alternate, 2 servings of Fruit and Vegetables And 8 oz fluid milk.

What are the priorities facing the school foodservice director as we How has this changed what the manhead into the 2nd half of 2020? ufacturers you represent need to do to There’s no question that the priormeet USDA requirements? ity is feeding the students healthy and For a long time, many manufacturnutritious meals that the stuers provided product to schools dents will enjoy eating while with a CN label approved by at the same time conUSDA. Many manutinuing to comply to facturers still provide not only the USDA regCN labels and others ulations to meet the now provide a Product Child Nutrition StanFormulation Statedards but also to comment indicating the municate a clear bid meal components procurement process Brigitte Rounds is the Vice their product meets. President at Advantage Marto industry for their This documentation keting, one of the oldest and USDA and Commerhelps schools with most seasoned food service cial foodservice needs. brokerage firms in Metro their state audit proNew York/New Jersey marUnder the guidelines cess to assure compliketing area and the nation. from USDA, each state ance with the USDA Navigating the food brokeraudits school menus age landscape in a world in regulations. which most independent and are rated based brokers have been acquired on meeting the strinWhat are some of the by large national firms is trugent daily nutritional ly a unique accomplishment. issues within the bidAdvantage Marketing requirements. These ding that complicates opened its doors in 1974 as include whole grain the process for the the first independent foodrequirements, a specifservice brokerage firm in the K-12 food service diMetro area. Up until then, the ic amount of proteins rector? foodservice brokerage inand vegetables which The challenge is to dustry was generally a small must include different division and afterthought of understand what the grocery and supermarket recolors of vegetables student population tail brokers. over the course of wants to eat on a dai80 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

ly basis and to balance that with the USDA and individual school district nutritional requirements and communicate this in writing. A bid template from the USDA would help the process to create specifications that meet their needs. An individual school district may set even higher standards than USDA minimum requirements, and publish a banned ingredient list and specific nutritional guidelines. It is up to the state to interpret the minimum qualifications and then in many cases an individual school district may tighten the specifications even more. A leader in setting high nutritional and product specifications is the New York City Department of Education, the single largest school feeding program in the US. What is happening with pricing? Prices continue to climb due to a number of factors. The cost of shipping and trucking has risen substantially over the past year due to government regulations and time constraint on the shippers. A driver could be five minutes from a distributor but forced to stop because of the GPS Technology on a given truck. It’s like a pilot with a restriction of an eight-hour shift from throttle to throttle. On top of that are labor issues with manufacturers. A company like Amazon opens a plant across the way from a food manufacturer and the food manufacturer is battling to keep that employee with better benefits or train a new staff if

they can even find workers to hire. This situation may cause down time in production and delays in shipping goods to the distributors, and therefore to the schools. Profit margins are being reduced and the end result is that school districts have fewer distribution options to service their needs and may pay more for the finished products. You have lived through s couple of generation of school foodservice directors. What type of person is coming into the K-12 school foodservice industry today? Under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 the USDA set Professional Standards and minimum hiring standards for school nutrition directors. Most of the people coming today into School Foodservice as a career have more professional degrees then when I first started. They typically have a more comprehensive academic background with a master’s degree in food management, nutrition or business. They are true professionals in the industry and very dedicated to serving students nutritious and great tasting meals with limited resources, equipment, staff, and funds. We live in a world that has become even more complicated with food allergies. What are you seeing? The individual school allergen policies are getting stricter. School districts have started to post allergen information on their websites. Many schools simply avoid the most common allergens such as peanuts and tree nuts, however there is no guarantee that exposure to an allergen is prevented simply by banning the item.

continued on page 82

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 81

SCHOOL FOODSERVICE INSIDER It’s very much a community issue with how vocal and involved the parents are in a given school district. I try to point my school clients in the direction of the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network and the Dept. of Health and Human Services that publishes the Voluntary Guidelines for Managing Food Allergies In Schools and Early Care and Education Programs These agencies are supported by many school principals and nurses and provide guidelines and information that are very helpful. Most importantly they have easy to follow recommendations for a school district to set up an allergen education program in a school. It’s really about creating peanut or allergy awareness through a great teaching opportunity to address with the full student, teacher, staff and parent population. Does food safety continue to be an issue in school foodservice? All foodservice workers need to pass a food handler safe practice test. The

from page 80

dedication of the staff that work in the K-12 school industry to serving food that is safe for the students is amazing. I can’t tell you how many school cafeterias I have seen that are neat, clean and sparkling while carefully following guidelines for food safety They are on top of it and it starts with a dedicated director and their management approach. From soda to chocolate milk, the beverage sector has always been a hot button when talking about school food service. It is much more restrictive today because there is a full set of nutrition guidelines published by USDA for serving beverages and drinks as part of the SMART SNACK guidelines. Schools may serve water and 100% juice. Each individual school is left to make their decision about milk selections and may offer unflavored or flavored fat free or low fat milk and milk alternatives.

82 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

What changes are you seeing in the type of equipment that is being utilized? Since food is our focus, I reached out to one of the most respected voices in our business: Nancy Padrone, who is now at the Babylon (NY) schools. She insists that the first priority should be on updating the serving line; “because that’s what the kids see everyday.” Nancy also mentioned that a combination of a convection oven, a tilting skillet and a steamer (operates like a pressure cooker) can give a school foodservice operator the flexibility needed to keep menus fresh for their student population. Your company Advantage Marketing offers a very comprehensive line up off menu solutions that you like to refer to as “best in class’. What’s new that our school foodservice operators should consider adding to their menus? We pride ourselves in being a valuable source of information for the

school foodservice directors and assist in presenting new menu options reflecting trends in the foodservice industry. Among the most exciting additions in our line up are a number of new innovative K-12 solutions from Schwan’s. Their line of MINH Asian inspired items has been a big hit with our school customers. Highlighting the Schwan’s products have been trendy ethnic menu items including Whole Grain Vegetable Egg Rolls, All Natural Asian Sauces, and Chicken Stir Fry Kits. They are now adding the CHEF ONE Brand of Whole Grain Asian Dumplings and Yakisoba Noodles. Bowls are on trend in the restaurant space and Schwan’s Asian Bowls concept enables a school food service operator to utilize their USDA Chicken and Vegetables to offer students an authentic Asian Inspired meal with these new MINH and CHEF ONE components. We love working with J&J Snack

continued on page 116

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 83

NEWS

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

FORMER CULINARY TV PRODUCER PUTS NEW FACE ON CHILDREN’S NUTRITION

ou’ll excuse Sita Lewis if a good fight doesn’t faze her. Because as a young girl, she grew up with a legendary boxing promoter as a Dad: Butch Lewis. “My father, who put together some of the biggest boxing matches in history, allowed me to understand that whatever we want in life is atyears of creating programming strictly tainable,” noted Lewis. So it comes as for teenagers, I created a show at BET no surprise that the New Jersey based networks called “Heart and Soul”. The entrepreneur has chosen a truly chalshow was a lifestyle magazine show lenging battle: childhood obesity. with healthy cooking segments as part Lewis’ interest in the culinary arts of the lineup. I did not have a budget in fact came from sitting ringside with to hire another on-air correspondent her family. “I gained a passion for so I decided to host those segments cooking as a child because my father myself. I shot the food segments for was very strict about the kind of food the show from my own home kitchwe ate,” Lewis explained. “We did not en. I landed sponsorship deals from eat processed microwaveable meals. various culinary brands like CuisinInstead, everything in our kitchen was art, HealthCraft, and KitchenAid and made from scratch. The passion came those companies stocked my kitchen from working side by side with my with the best culinary equipment that Mom and working as her sous chef. I knew about at that time.” Because of that, I naturally became Lewis has now set her sights on a whole foods home chef. Chopping, slicing, and dicing became second nature for me.” Lewis career then moved in a different direction. After graduation from Georgetown University she found a job at a local TV station. “Before you know it I was applying to be a production assistant at a national cable network, BET. I got the job and the rest is history. I began the life of a TV producer and went on to produce some award-winning shows.” It was just a matter of time before her love of culinary, and knowledge of TV came together to forge her career path. “In 1998 after 8 Sita Lewis posing with her Miracle Butter Cream

“So, one week I explained to my class that we were going to create a skin moisturizer instead of a food recipe and that I wanted to see if it would clear up their eczema.”

84 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

the battle against child hood obesity. “This is as tough an opponent as you will ever face, Lewis said. Everything we do today is instant. Instant communication, instant shopping, and of course, our meals are instant. We are bombarded with ads that promote instant everything. I think that all of the preservatives and chemicals in packaged foods are causing obesity along with major health issues.” A friend of Sita’s asked her to join the Healthy Harlem department at Harlem Children’s Zone (NYC’s largest Charter School) and teach high school students TV production and healthy eating. “I had just finished producing cooking segments for the Bethany Frankel show. I said to myself, what the heck, this will be fun. I needed a break from the stress of producing syndicated TV. So, I created a cooking show for the school called “Recipe Remix” as an elective after school class that the students could sign up for. The students were the hosts of the show. I taught them how they can take their favorite “unhealthy” dish and turn them into healthy ones. We had an in-house production crew shoot and edit all of our episodes. We cooked everything from healthy bean burgers and pizzas to

healthy popcorn. The students were never previously exposed to those types of whole foods or herbs before. I taught them how to flavor their foods with herbs instead of salt laden spices. And we kept the added sugar down by using things that contained natural sweeteners. They were shocked at how good food could taste without all the junk. Students were pressed to get into my class because they heard the food was so tasty and the bonus was they got to eat all the things we cooked.” Lewis vision for victory in the battle against obesity lies with school curriculums. “Schools don’t have healthy eating courses that they offer as electives or as mandatory classes. Just how “basic life skills” (car loans/mortgages) aren’t taught in schools, neither is “healthy cooking or eating”. They leave those areas up to the parents. Unfortunately, many parents don’t have the knowledge or information surrounding healthy cooking or eating. I think it’s important that schools add this to their curriculum.” The Obama and Trump presidencies have taken vastly different approaches to the national school lunch program. Lewis would like to see her tried and tested approach taken on a national level. “I would do what I did for Harlem Children’s Zone. I created a healthy cookbook filled with whole food recipes and each recipe yielded 175 servings. The entire school consisted of three cafeterias on various campuses and they distributed my finished recipe book to the cafeteria staff in charge of making the school lunches. The school went on to implement those recipes into the daily lunch menus at the school. We did the cookbooks as a class project and the students helped create the book. We had the book bound and the rest is History. Also, Harlem Children’s Zone just recently built a new kitchen based on a design I sketched by hand while I was there and even in my absence they built the kitchen exactly like the drawing I submitted. I was honored!”

continued on page 126

BOOTH #2007

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 85

NEWS

NEW OPENINGS

FORMER YANKEES CHEF CARDONA TAKES TALENTS TO BROOKLYN

ast Williamsburg’s increasingly crowded and eclectic dining scene is getting a new entrant. Ricardo Cardona, best known for being the chef to the New York Yankees and a personal chef to musician Marc Anthony, is teaming up with Carlos Letona, a Jean Georges and Per Se alum, to open Aura Cocina, a Cuban-Asian fusion restaurant coming to the Brooklyn neighborhood later this month. The 200-seat restaurant, located at 315 Meserole Street, between Waterbury and Bogart Streets inspired by Cardona’s recent visits to Thailand and Japan. “I found many similarities between the food there and Latin American cuisine, particularly the use of cilantro and coconut, and the interplay of sweet and spicy flavors,” Cardona noted. Chef Cardona is a self-trained chef with over twenty years experience in American, French and Latin cuisines. He began his career working in some of the nation’s leading restaurants. His hands-on, classical training is evident in his work that portrays a fusion of the range of culinary styles. He has been the Executive Chef at several New York metropolitan restaurants: Mamajuana Café, Hudson River Cafe, and Sofrito and Chef at Lua, Josephina, Time Cafe and Disney Land. Through his private catering venture, Cardona Catering, Ricardo can share his fare with families, friends, and businesses that wish to enjoy wonderful food. His cuisine has delighted such luminaries as Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Jennifer Lopez, and the New York Knick’s basketball team. He has also shared his expertise and creative talent on the popular cooking competition show, “Chopped”, and

“I found many similarities between the food [in Thailand and Japan] and Latin American cuisine, particularly the use of cilantro and coconut, and the interplay of sweet and spicy flavors.” — Ricardo Cardona as one of the chefs helping struggling restaurateurs on “Mission Menu” on TLC International/NuVo TV. He also continues to make appearances on numerous prime time shows and channels including Good Morning America, Despierta America!, FOX and WPIX 11. That inspiration can be seen on the new menu at Aura Cocina in dishes like spring roll with oxtail; tuna ceviche with yuzu, jalapeno and fresh mango; churrasco steak with chimichurri, hoisin, wild mushroom, soy

86 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

and yucca fries; churros with ginger and dulce de leche; and lemongrass creme brulee with passionfruit sauce. Appetizers will run from $10 to $15 and mains will cost between $18 to $30. Cardona, who runs his family’s catering company and has been feeding a range of high profile clients including the Yankees and Anthony, is collaborating with restaurateurs Steven and Elaine Almonte on the new place. Letona, who’s also worked at other fine-dining restaurants like Tribeca’s

Atera and Soho’s Le Coucou, serves as the co-executive chef along with Cardona. Steven Almonte is a Bushwick , NY native who grew up in the restaurant business. His grandmother and uncle owned restaurants, serving as the entrepreneurial inspirations that Almonte aspired to imitate. He started off as a busboy and moved up to become a waiter, bartender and eventually manager. “I’ve always loved it,” he said. “I wanted to do it myself, and I went up through the ranks.” Raised in Richmond Hill, Almonte joined the U.S. Army at 18 years old. He said he did not want to go to college, but desired to “do something with my life.” He served in Iraq in 2003, and was awarded a Purple Heart after being wounded in combat in Mosul.

continued on page 130

scrumptiously convenient.

Why I got Broasted!

“Genuine Broaster Chicken lets me serve restaurant-quality foods quickly and conveniently. And my customers can’t get enough!” ®

Convenience store shoppers love food fast. Why not also give them the conveniently delicious chicken thatʼs cooked to tender, crispy perfection and loved by millions? Thatʼs what you get when you add the Genuine Broaster Chicken branded food program to your store.

WITH NO FRANCHISE FEES AND NO LICENSING FEES, YOU KEEP THE PROFITS YOU EARN!

For more information visit genuinebroasterchicken.com

Business is better broasted

THE SUM IS GREATER THAN THE PARTS. In corporate cafeterias, hotels, casinos, mixed-use buildings, solid fuel cooking in restaurants. Big or small, smoke, odor, and grease don’t stand a chance. From design to sale to service, we have it covered. Listen to what our customers have to say about the SmogHog experts. Clean Air. It’s What We Do.®

www.parker.com/kitchenventilation March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 87

NEWS

CATERING TECHNOLOGY

CT CATERER CREATES INNOVATIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE STAFF MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE: QUICKSHIFT

hen Marc Weber returned to his alma mater earlier this year, he outlined his recipe for success. The graduation class of the CIA-Culinary Institute of America heard his message of the importance of confidence and humility. “It’s important that we have confidence,” Weber told recipients of associate degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts. “You need to be confident to be a leader. But without humility, it’s really impossible to grow.” With that very same confidence, Weber and his two partners, Harrison Keefe and Noah Borts, have ventured into a new territory: software solutions. “For years while operating our ONTHEMARC catering firm, we struggled to find a software solution that could enable us to manage multiple teams of staff simultaneously,” Weber noted. “In order to run multiple corporate events in Manhattan and weddings in Connecticut on the same day, a caterer needs software that can support a distributed workforce.” The 2005 CIA graduate has built his events company and catering business by providing industry leading cuisine and the highest quality service to the Stamford, CT’s customer base and venues. The software is called QuickShift and has been released following four years of extensive beta testing. “The work that we do in building teams for our events, has given us a unique understanding of what it takes to plan and pay our staff,” noted Weber. “Keep in mind that

keeping a staff happy includes getting them paid on time and correctly. In many cases, the taxes that need to be deducted for a staff member in Manhattan include both City and State taxes. To address both the frustrations with scheduling our staff and paying our staff,we designed an all-in-one platform that gives the caterer complete control with the simple touch of a button.” The Weber approach has always been for the greater good. Active in his community, Weber donates food and time to non-profit organizations and, through his company, provides meals for the homeless. His philanthropy also includes the ONTHEMARC Young Caterer’s Scholarship at the CIA. So it comes as no surprise that Weber and the QuickShift team have made the decision to make the software available to the entire industry, including their competitors, at a fraction of the cost of existing platforms. Borts’ software expertise was a key to QuickShift’s development. “As we looked at what was being utilized in catering, we saw the use of Excel spreadsheets and Google Drive to track employees and their shift availability,” Borts’ explained. “QuickShift eliminates hundreds of wasted hours entering information into multiple databases and creating separate reports. We knew that in order for QuickShift to make sense, we would need an integrated calendar that can keep both management and staff updated on upcoming events,” Borts continued. “The QuickShift calendar syncs schedules with Google Calendar, Outlook, and Apple Calendar.

88 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

The key to this was the creation of something that is both intuitive and inexpensive to use.” The QuickShift design team has also kept an eye towards the changes in how information is delivered. “We knew that catering management needed to be mobile and cloud based,” Borts added. “So with QuickShift you get a platform in which multiple event details can be efficiently retrieved from a smartphone or tablet.” QuickShift’s goal was to create both pricing and on-boarding that would set a new industry standard. “We have accomplished both of those goals with a cost effective subscription plan,” Weber concluded. “We also guarantee that a caterer will be up and operating within minutes of installation which is all handled with a simple sign-in (getquickshift.com) of the QuickShift software.”

“The key to this was the creation of something that is both intuitive and inexpensive to use.”

Marc Weber, founder and owner of QuickShift and ONTHEMARC, speaks to the graduating class of The Culinary Institute of America at the college’s New York campus this year. (Photo credit: CIA/Phil Mansfield)

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 89

NEWS

TECHNOLOGY

TOAST ANNOUNCES $400M IN SERIES F FUNDING

oast, the fastest-growing restaurant management platform in the U.S., announced a $400M Series F funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners, TPG, Greenoaks Capital, and Tiger Global Management with participation from Durable Capital Partners LP, TCV, funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, G Squared, Light Street Capital, Alta Park Capital, and others. Focused on empowering restaurants of all sizes to compete on a level playing field with global brands, Toast has quickly become the go-to partner for the restaurant industry, from entrepreneurs opening their first restaurant to enterprise brands scaling across hundreds of locations. During the course

Restaurant management platform valued at $4.9B of 2019, revenue increased 109 percent as tens of thousands of new restaurants joined the Toast community. “As a result of our tremendous growth and commitment to the restaurant industry, we have continued to see a significant amount of demand from the investor community,” said Chris Comparato, CEO at Toast. “As the clear platform leader in the restaurant space, we are excited to use this investment to extend our capabilities and drive a bigger impact for the restaurant industry.” Toast will invest proceeds from this fundraise into its technology platform to meet the evolving needs of the res-

90 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

taurant industry including: • New products designed to both deepen restaurateurs’ connections with guests and increase restaurant revenue; • Hardware and software investments to increase speed of service, streamline the guest experience, and reduce operational costs; • Capabilities to improve the restaurant employee experience, reduce employee turnover, and address the industry’s pressing labor challenges; and, • Financial products that provide quick and reliable access to funding to help restaurateurs grow

their businesses. “Just as the retail industry weathered disruption from e-commerce over the past two decades, restaurateurs now face shifting consumer expectations and a changing landscape of tech players who threaten to erode restaurant brands,” said Kent Bennett, partner at Bessemer Venture Partners. “Toast wants to partner with the restaurant community to level the playing field and strengthen this nearly trillion dollar industry. We’re thrilled to continue to support this incredible team in 2020 and beyond.” Restaurant owners and operators can learn more about Toast and schedule a personalized demo here. Learn more at www.pos.toasttab.com.

BOOTH #1833

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 91

EYE

METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE

KEY NYC HOTEL EXECS HEAD TO HYATT FOR FEATHERSTONE SHOWCASE

eatherstone Foods, the TriState area’s leading bread and baked goods distributor, hosted many of the City’s top hotel dining executives at the Grand Hyatt in Manhattan. The show enabled hotel executives from many of the Avendra buying groups brands to taste the latest offering from the visionary Bronx baked good distributor. Featherstone currently offers 4.000 items including gluten-free and organic specialties to its diverse customers base.

From DU’s fancy donuts to the full line of delectable Amy’s Bread desserts and the legendary Leaven & Co treats, the hotel community had much to choose from. “Our goal is for you to find an item that matches the quality you’re looking for at the price that you are budgeted for,” noted Featherstone’s Eli Richman. “We offer an extensive collection of items that enables the customer to eliminates having to move from one vendor to another in search of items. It’s a brand that offers everything.”

With more than 30 years in the business, Featherstone is the goto shop for everything bread. The company has remained firm in its commitment to delivering the highest quality and freshest products to customers and business partners on a daily basis. Featherstone’s 20,000 square foot warehouse in the Bronx has made the company instantly accessible to its customers in New York City and throughout the Tri-State area including Philadelphia.

The Marriott Marquis JoAnn Pizzaia shopped the show

Featherstone’s Mark Rimer (L) and Joel Schonfeld (R) welcomed the Grand Hyatt’s Kevin Reardon

(L to R) Pain d’Avignon’s Pierre Noel and Bane Stamenkovic

(R to L) Featherstone Bakery’s Eli Richman welcomed Paul Weber of the Sheraton Times Square

92 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Grandaisy Bakery’s booth was anchored by founder Monica Von Thun Calderon (C)

(L to R) Featherstone’s Tabatha Goloborodko and Carolyn Stein teamed to plan and execute the successful event

The Embassy Suite’s duo of Ciari Pena and Maria Izquierno found baked goods solutions during their tour of the event.

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 93

EYE

METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE

H.O.S.T. SUMMIT + SOCIAL NYC CONFERENCE DEBUTS

n Monday, January 27, 2020 at The William Vale in Williamsburg, over 250 hospitality professionals attended H.O.S.T. SUMMIT + SOCIAL, an all-day, inspirational, interactive and educational conference focusing on its dynamic industry. At this inaugural event, Host/Producer Shari Bayer, Founder of Bayer Public Relations, brought her All in the Industry podcast to life in a new live format, bringing behind-the-scenes talent in hospitality to the forefront. Presented by All in the Industry®, a new media and production company, H.O.S.T. – HOSPITALITY. OPERATIONS. SERVICES. TECHNOLOGY, featured leaders in the hospitality and culinary space, who were all past guests on Bayer’s popular, weekly podcast on Heritage Radio Network, in informative panels and one-onone interviews, creating a forum for the exchange of ideas, innovation and networking opportunities. Panels included:

Drinks Editor, Esquire

THE MAKING OF A DEAL: A REAL ESTATE APPROACH TO HOSPITALITY Panelists were Keith Durst, Principal & Founder, FOC, Graceanne Jordan, Hospitality, Partnerships & Investments, Milstein Companies and Jasmine Moy, Founder, Jasmine Moy Law P.C. with Moderator Kathleen Squires, Food & Travel Writer; Columnist, The Wall Street Journal; Co-Producer, James Beard: America’s First Foodie

BRANDING IN THE DIGITAL AGE Panelist were Erik Bruner-Yang, Chef/Owner of Foreign National (Maketto, Brothers And Sisters, Spoken English, Shopkeepers, ABC Pony, Hometown Newsstand), Melanie Dunea, Photographer, Author & Project Queen, Krystle Mobayeni, Co-Founder & CEO, BentoBox, Jen Pelka, Founder & Owner, The Riddler (SF & NYC) / Founder, Magnum PR with Moderator Dana Cowin, Chief Brand Advisor, Dig Food Group; Host, Speaking Broadly

RESTAURANTS & RISKS: AN INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE Panelists were JJ Johnson, ChefFounder, FieldTrip, Didier Elena, Executive Director of Food Quality & Culture, Hogsalt Hospitality, Alison Arth, Founder & Principal, Salt & Roe with Moderator Jeff Gordinier, Food &

CHANGING NEIGHBORHOODS, CHANGING NEEDS - BROOKLYN AND BEYOND Panelists were Alice Cheng, Founder & CEO, Culinary Agents, Sean Feeney, Co-Founder, Grovehouse; Owner, Lilia & Misi, and Brandon Hoy, Co-Owner, Roberta’s with Moderator Marie Elena Martinez, Founder, Meets NYC; CoFounder, New Worlder PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE OF RESTAURANTS: LESSONS FROM A LEGENDARY RESTAURATEUR Featured Shari Bayer in Conversation with Drew Nieporent, Founder, Myriad Restaurant Group BEHIND THE DESIGN: A COLLABORATION BETWEEN FRONT- AND BACK-OFHOUSE Featured Glen Coben, Founder & President, Glen & Co Architecture in Conversation with Jimi Yui, Founding Partner, YuiDesign

INDUSTRY NEWS DISCUSSION: THE STATE OF OUR HOSPITALITY BUSINESS Panelists were Aaron Arizpe, Principal, Pocketfork LLC, Lori Balter, CEO of Balter Sales Company, Rita Jammet, Chief Bubble Officer, La Cara-

94 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

velle Champagne, andwith Moderato Salvatore Rizzo, Owner & Director, De GustibusCooking School H.O.S.T. showcased outstanding food and drink throughout the day from partners, including a grand buffet provided by Breads Bakery, Du’s Donuts and Coffee, and Ora King Salmon, paired with Afficionado Coffee; delectable sweets from Caffè Panna, and savory bites by La Palapa Cocina Mexicana, Greenpoint Fish & Lobster Co. and The Meatball Shop at the energetic closing reception. Guests sipped on specialty cocktails from Woodford Reserve and Our/ New York Vodka, along with La Caravelle Champagne, Curious Elixirs, and more! In addition, many attendees joined in a special “Curated Conversations” Luncheon at Andrew Carmellini’s Southern Italian restaurant, Leuca, at The William Vale, allowing for additional time to dine with conference speakers and discuss specific, hospitality-related topics. “It was such a rewarding experience to bring my All in the Industry show to life and gather our industry together for important conversations led by our hospitality leaders,” explains Bayer, who also gave the conference’s keynote address. “We can’t wait to do it again next year!” H.O.S.T. partners also included Bayer Public Relations, The William Vale, Heritage Radio Network, Balter Sales Company, Cuisinart, OpenTable, S. Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water, Studio Industria, Baked by Melissa, Curious Elixirs, Ithaca Beer, Kim Crawford Wines, The Matzo Project, RAMONA, Ruffino Wines, Total Food Service and Via. All photo credit to Ken Goodman Photography.

The Making Of A Deal: A Real Estate Approach To Hospitality

Drew Nieporent and Shari Bayer

H.O.S.T.’S Welcome Reception

Behind the Design with Jimi Yui and Glen Coben

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 95

COFFEE STRATEGIES

WITH JONATHAN WHITE

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME: BUSINESS LESSONS FROM SPRING TRAINING

or some people, spring starts when they are able to take out the golf clubs. For others, daylight savings triggers the beginning of the season. Or maybe wearing short sleeves for the first time. For me, unmistakably, the arrival of pitchers and catchers, and the first exhibition games of the year, trigger wonderful reminders that the winter (even if there wasn’t an abundance of snow) is coming to a close. And while I revel at anticipating in the new season, there are many business lessons to be reminded of when the Boys of Summer start as the young men of spring prepare to take the field: You Need to Warm Up. No matter how many years of doing something, if you haven’t done something for some period of time, you will not likely be at peak performance. Expect a curve of improvement. Do not expect peak performance immediately. Today’s business world demands rapid response. Better to do something carefully and thoroughly than rushed.

You Need to Practice. someone who does something over and over again will likely get better at it. There is an advantage to working with a large demanding customer base (such as the daily challenges of working in New York). You get used to all sorts of situations, and you know how to respond. Make sure you have many hours of experience at something before you represent you know how to do it.

formance to the game every day.

Small Steps Count. You can’t hit a home run every time out. Today’s great power hitters, Pete Alonso or Aaron Judge, in their prime performance, fail to deliver a home run nine out of ten times. Singles count too. Move the game forward. Make progress, even in smaller increments, every day. Work with your employees, partner and vendors to help you do that.

Perfection is not likely. The greatest players in the history of the game fail two out of three times. In today’s world, no business could have that kind of batting average and survive. Still, expect that there will be a normal rate of non-success. And don’t let that discourage you from continuing to keep trying.

Experience Matters. There is a reason most rookies endure many years of minor league baseball, and why experienced players often shine much more quickly. Experience counts. In whatever you do, be someone who brings that past per-

96 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Creativity Counts. This is the counterbalance to the previous point. Experience without innovation yields to lackadaisical stale play. You need to think about new ways to play the game, all of course within the rules. Think about fielding shifts and changes in pitching strategy, less banging on garbage cans to illegally transmit signs.

Keep striving to get better. Continuous improvement matters. With all of the other challenges illustrated above, the one thing that everyone can do, by applying some of the steps above, is to get a little bit better every day. If each day we can learn a new lesson/skill, tomorrow will be better. Again, look for

Jonathan White is the Executive Vice President at White Coffee Corporation in Long Island City, NY. Learn more about how Jonathan and his team can help you at www. White Coffee.com.

your vendors, partners and employees to help you get better. You Can Start Over Again. Each spring, every team starts in first place. The blemishes of the past season no longer count in the current season. You don’t have to get caught up in past missteps. Keep moving forward. It may just seem like a place to grab a hot dog and beer, but the ballpark teaches invaluable lessons. Let the re-emergence of spring remind us of these enduring truths.

Pizza Made Simple everyone in your shop will be making pizza like a pro We offer a large selection of dough presses

Veteran or beginner, doughxpress has you covered

Provides Consistent Results

Production & Quality make 100 - 150 pizzas per hour with ease

No Flour Mess eliminate the flour mess and easily keep your kitchen clean

800-835-0606 using a dough press keeps air in the dough which will produce a light, fluffy crust just like it was done by hand.

2020 YOUR VISION. OUR MISSION.

doughxpress.com sales@doughxpress.com

Represented in Metro New York by DMM Enterprises (201) 525-1433 www.dmmreps.com New Jersey Warehouse: (973) 274-1993 10 Basin Drive Suite #110 South Kearny, NJ 07032

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 97

NEWS

RESTAURANT OPERATIONS

CRAFTING A MENU: FOOD FOR YOUR BREWERY

ow that your brewery has become well established, and your social following is going strong, it is time to implement a food service program to keep your patrons staying even longer. By adding tasty food that is easy to prepare and serve, you will create an atmosphere that makes your brewery the spot to be! With the right kitchen equipment and creativity, you can turn your taproom into a place not only for delicious craft beer, but delicious dining options as well. So, what exactly is the right kitchen equipment? Well, for starters, you will want to invest your funds in products that are not only user friendly, but also money savers. At Motion Technology, Inc., our ventless fryers and ovens are easy to operate and require no exhaust or hood installations, saving owners and

With the right kitchen equipment and creativity, you can turn your taproom into a place not only for delicious craft beer, but delicious dining options as well. operators thousands of dollars. And who doesn’t want to save money? Once you have decided on what type of ventless equipment you want to install, you can start to focus on your menu options. You will have to ask yourself a few questions. Should I implement a full dining menu, or just appetizers and small plates? What kind of items will my clientele want to order? What will keep them coming back? Crafting a menu with the AutoFry and MultiChef XL makes answering these questions easy. Our products cover a wide range of cooking ca-

pabilities including, frying, roasting, baking and steaming. These capabilities open the door for an endless amount of food service options. Maybe your menu choices will coincide with flavors that favor your brewery’s location. For example, if your home base is in Texas, your menu might include some

Tex-Mex twists. You can showcase items like Loaded Southwest Totchos, or Chicken Fajita Flatbreads, adding an element of comfort for your guests. How about more of an upscale feel? Pair fried goat cheese with a drizzle of apricot honey or top roasted Brussels sprouts with a spicy Sriracha mayo to impress the more adventurous palates. The transition to Phase Two for your brewery doesn’t have to be difficult. By applying the proper strategies, you can take your tap room to new heights. Your patrons will stay longer and spend more if you make tasty food options available to them. Don’t let that extra revenue land in the pockets of food trucks and nearby restaurants. Keep profits in house and increase your bottom line with the help of MTI.

THE FUTURE IS VENTLESS MEET US AT CBC BOOTH 36087

products.com

Your Source For Ventless Kitchen Solutions 1-800-348-2976

AUTOFRY® Automated Deep Frying Systems

MultiChef XL ™ High Speed Oven

continued on page 130 98 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 99

NEWS

EXECUTIVE PROMOTIONS

CARPIGIANI NORTH AMERICA NAMES KAMI POPPEN VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES AND MARKETING

arpigiani North America, an Ali Group Company, recently announced that Kami Poppen has been appointed Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Poppen brings more than 23 years of experience in the commercial foodservice industry to this role where she will oversee the Sales and Marketing efforts for the

Kami Poppen

company in North America. Poppen will also manage the distributor network, key accounts, and educational programs including Gelato University and Frozen Dessert University. Since joining Carpigiani in 2011, Poppen has been instrumental in securing and growing the McDonald’s business as well as supporting the US general market sales. “Kami brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our executive leadership team and we are looking forward to her driving our marketing and sales efforts in North America to new heights,” said Penny Klingler, President of Carpigiani North America. “Poppen’s extensive background and experience in the foodservice industry will be a valuable asset to the team as our company seeks to accelerate its growth year after year. We are thrilled to appoint her to this newly-created position.” “I’m excited to

100 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

“Kami brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our executive leadership team and we are looking forward to her driving our marketing and sales efforts in North America to new heights,” said Penny Klingler, President of Carpigiani North America. expand my experience and career with Carpigiani, a company that has such a profound reputation for being the leader in frozen dessert equipment innovation and manufacturing,” said Poppen. “I look forward to help driving Carpigiani’s growth in the market and ensure continuous and optimal client support, and also working more extensively with our educational programs.” Prior to joining Carpigiani, Poppen held several positions in Product Development, Food Applications, Global Chain Sales, and Equipment Project Management for ACP Inc., an Ali Group Company. Poppen will report directly to Klingler. Carpigiani Corporation began in 1946 and has been the global leader, innovator and manufacturer of

frozen dessert equipment for more than 70 years. Carpigiani is dedicated to providing the highest quality, most reliable and most durable frozen dessert equipment in the industry. Carpigiani also hosts the Gelato Festivals, the world’s largest gelato competition, and Carpigiani Gelato University and Frozen Dessert University, providing unparalleled professional education on frozen desserts for gelato and premium ice cream artisans.

Carpigiani’s gelato has been used for all varieties of fine dining dessert dishes

Largest frozen dessert equipment manufacturer in the world. New READY models from Carpigiani are the only batch freezers on the market with CRYSTAL setting that can be used with dispensing door to quickly fill pints, cakes and more.

3760 Industrial Drive, Winston Salem, NC 27105

carpigiani-usa.com • gelatouniversity.com/usa (800) 648-4389

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 101

NEWS

TREND REPORTS

FROM DISASTER FARMING TO GHOST RESTAURANTS: A LOOK INTO THE QUENCH 2020 FOOD & BEVERAGE TRENDS Article by Marie Gorman, quench

t food and beverage marketing agency quench, we’ve been forecasting food and beverage industry trends since 2009. This annual endeavor provides us with deeper insights, experience and savvy to help clients who are facing unprecedented challenges to make a market impact. Our process requires a full year of researching, writing and reviewing reports with our industry sources and connections. We focus on emerging trends, and each of the five “macro” trends we highlight

We focus on emerging trends, and each of the five “macro” trends we highlight each year is substantiated by three “micro” trends. each year is substantiated by three “micro” trends. In our new quench 2020 Food & Beverage Trends Report, we foresee these five trends making a significant impact on the future of the industry: • Hypercustomization • Back to Nature • Altruistic Food • Disaster Farming

•

Restaurants Without Restaurants

We’ve provided a look into three of these trends, below. Back to Nature Everyone, from restaurants to grocery stores, is beginning to grow their products in-house, as consumers go to unusual lengths

for food that is as natural – and local – as possible. Restaurants that grow their own produce topped the National Restaurant Association’s “What’s Hot 2019 Culinary Forecast,” as restaurateurs invest in onsite, multi-acre farms and gardens. Kroger’s partnership with Infarm allows shoppers to pick their own instore lettuce and kale, and popular restaurants like Croc’s 19th St. Bistro in Virginia Beach, VA and Blenheim Restaurant in New York City’s West Village grow their own proprietary blends of greens at on-site gardens and rooftop enclosures. Many weeds that landowners battle in their lawns are now the same ingredients appearing on restaurant menus, in CSA boxes and at the market. Also known as “field to table” and “woods to table,” the popularity of wild food is being driven by consumers looking for unique flavors in their immediate community. Uncommon herbs such as dandelion greens and lemon balm mix with nutritional powerhouses like unusual seeds (such as lotus and water lily seeds) and mushrooms as sought-after additives in snacks, desserts and functional beverages. Disaster Farming The world’s food system is desperate for an overhaul: Research shows that the planet today can only grow enough fresh fruits and vegetables to feed two-thirds of the current global population — 7.5 billion people — and experts predict that the global population will reach almost 10 billion in 2050. Companies and consumers alike will need to embrace new forms of produc-

continued on page 116 102 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 103

OUR BRAND OF FLAVOR

WITH JANET DAVIS

STRATEGIES FOR INCREASED SALES AND A BIGGER BITE OF THE PIE

onversations are still at high pitch over New Year’s resolutions. And what makes this year particularly buzz worthy is the fact that it’s also a leap year and the beginning of a new decade. But while the making of New Year’s resolutions is passé to some at this point, the resolve to grow, get better and keep up with the world around us is not without merit. For businesses it’s simply a must. Seemingly no industry has been immune to changing consumer habits aided by technology, online shopping, mobile ordering, sustainability, a leaning towards shopping local, unique experiences, and a more health-focus lifestyle. Nowhere is this more evident than the retail sector. Blue chip brands, once darlings of their domain are being eaten alive. Payless, Forever 21, Bed, Bath &

Consumers are fickle for sure. And while it’s not good business to change your business as you would your clothes, one must adopt to changes in the marketplace. Beyond, Gymboree, GameStop, and countless others have either shuttered altogether or given up significant ground with the closing of hundreds of locations. All you need do is walk through some of America’s once busy malls and hear the deafening sound of nothing. But while retail has suffered tremendously, the restaurant industry has not escaped the carnage. Subway, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Applebee’s, and Ruby Tuesday are just a fistful of chains steadily reducing their footprint. And, from all indications, the

104 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

slaughter isn’t over yet. But businesses that employ the right strategies, I believe, can position themselves to maintain their foothold. Several years ago I spoke at the annual NY Restaurant Show. This particular workshop [I was a speaker in 2018 and 2017] was centered on Cultivating Sales through Catering, steps restaurants can take to diversify their service offering, increase revenue all while maintaining brand integrity. All on the Table: Strategies for Increased Sales and a Bigger Bite of the Pie encapsulates this approach. Whether you’re a chain or a mom and pop, brick and mortar stores need to leverage the buy-in. That is, maximize on their existing customer base. Why would anyone spend on menu, marketing, and all the meat and potatoes that go into operating a company only to serve just one slice of an entire pie? Consumers are fickle for sure. And while it’s not good business to change your business as you would your clothes, one must adopt to changes in the marketplace. Restaurants, then, must be fluid enough to lean, bend but not break the bank, in order to surf these tempestuous consumer tides. I suggest a three-pronged approach to navigating these waters: • Cater to Existing Customers for Corporate and Lifestyle • Provide On-Premise with Cooking Classes and Unique Food Experiences

Janet Davis is the CEO of Cherry Hill, NJ-based JADE Jamaican Grill, a food, special event and media enterprise comprised of JADE Grill and JADE Consulting. Chef Janet has made numerous appearances on NBC, FOX, PBS and PHL TV in Philadelphia, and has been featured in Catering Magazine and the Philadelphia Tribune. A sought-after speaker whose repertoire includes Princeton, Drexel and Temple Universities, Janet has served as keynote speaker for the 3rd Annual Women’s History Month Celebration for Union Township, New Jersey, Moderator at the New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Expo and session presenter at the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York.

• Go Mobile via Food Truck Cater to Existing Customers for Corporate and Lifestyle invites clients to tap into additional service offering. The same customer that stops in for a bite is employed somewhere, has kids, is married, belongs to an association, etc. That means the average customer falls into at least several of these demographics. So, that same customer can be a client that needs catering for a corporate luncheon or a lifestyle event such as a birthday, anniversary or a graduation party. How much of a stretch then is it to establish a robust takeout and catering pickup or delivery service? The same customer visits your establishment on a consistent basis to eat food they obviously enjoy. Why not offer more to chew on. Taken a step further, you can add more to the mix by including staffing. For a corporate event, a luncheon that requires setting up a buffet station. A soiree on the other hand may demand staff to setup, serve and breakdown. Provide On-Premise with Cooking Classes and Unique Food Experi-

continued on page 132

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 105

LIZ ON TABLETOP

TABLETOP SOLUTIONS

MAJOR TABLETOP CHANGES AFOOT AS TRI-STATE CLUBS PREP FOR 2020 SEASON

pring and Summer ‘20 are getting ready to provide local operators and our BHS/H. Weiss customers with a great opportunity to expand their horizons. What we’ve found over the years is that the fine art of outdoor dining has tion size right. Because if you are going evolved into a mindset that with a litto serve a smaller portion, you are also tle planning can become both highly going to need more staff. Make money profitable and create a signature for on liquor, but tastings take more time your restaurant or club. per seating, so make it worth it. OfWe have found that operators that fer suggestions of parings with each execute successfully outside have course. built a recipe for success on three key Once again, this year, healthier ingredients: Beverage menu, food ofmenus are a focus. We are seeing a fering and proper staffing. number of the culinary teams at our Once again cocktails menus are all club and restaurant clients challenged about infusions. We are seeing both by where to add plant based items to both herbal and fruit that are aged in their menus. From the impossible their own barrels. This year is also seewhopper at Burger King to high end ing growth in both custom and house clubs, plant based burgers have found made bitters being served with bacon their way on to every menu. I am coninfusions and garnishes. Summer ‘20 cerned with the health implication for cocktails with an emphasis on wine women with soy being estrogen recocktails are huge. Many off our more ceptive. For the operator with a green creative customers are using lavender and sustainable agenda, plant based and flowers as garnishes. is a great choice with its reduced carThe last decade has brought the bon footprint. We are seeing a lot of emergence of world-class creativity with plant based wines from our region. products with the adThat local movement dition of breadfruit, has morphed into a jack fruit, and papaya vast array of local spiras meat and carb reits including malts, placement. A number bourbon, whiskeys, of our customers are vodkas (including a moving towards smallVermont vodka made er “protein” portions Liz Weiss is the President from milk!) We have and more vegetables. and co-owner of Armonk, been working with our We are looking forNY based H. Weiss Co., a customers to create division of BHS Foodservice ward to the “market Solutions. She is known nalocal pairings of food days” at 41 Madison, to tionally as one of the nation’s with locally based shop the showrooms foremost authorities on wines, craft beers and tabletop design. The Michifor the latest in serving gan State graduate is also cocktails. suggestions. Although actively involved with WPOWe love the idea frankly, over the past Women’s Presidents Orgaof small courses but nization. Comments may be couple of years, we sent to eweiss@hweiss.net. you need to think it find ourselves in those through to get the porshowroom throughout

This year’s winner is the bento box with a neat cover that creates a personal tray.

106 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

out the year looking and finding the latest trends. I have seen a number of really nice things at Eastern Tabletop and Steelite. Haber is great, including their resin items. Once again, it’s an example of how melamine has evolved. Every year, we see more creativity in melamine collections. The latest addition has been drink ware and serving pieces. We like to suggest it to our clients because it’s much easier for staff to handle, and on a buffet, it simplifies the serving process. It used to be something that we would just suggest for durability and weight but items including the Haber collection now feature a great look as well. We have always been a fan of resin for a thick

luxurious look and some really nice colors. I like Eastern’s brushed stainless finish. There’s also a fresh new approach this year with chafing dishes out and being replaced by induction. Our club customers are always looking for a creative menu and serving strategies for poolside and outdoor dining. This year’s winner is the bento box with a neat cover that creates a personal tray. On the golf course, we see a changing of the guard at the halfway house. Many clubs are closing those kitchens at the 10th tee in favor of carts delivering a preordered menu. We are also involved every day in working with our clients to select the appropriate glassware for their operation. The biggest movement in glass seems to be using interesting rocks or beverage glasses and simple glasses for the rest. We are seeing either cut or pressed glass with a heavy retro emphasis to create a classy look. We are also able to help our clients save money by selecting one great wine glass and thus breaking one of the cardinal rules of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills who demand different glasses for everything. So why not keep it simple with a 10-oz. glass, a 14-oz. glass for on the rocks and even tall drinks and then a simple glass for water. We have also noticed that as craft beer has gone from fad to mainstream that the approach to beer glasses has changed. We suggest a simple approach with one set of glasses for light colored beers and another for dark. It also might make sense to talk to your beer distributor and see what’s available for free but make sure it doesn’t compromise the look of your brand that you’ve worked so hard to create. We are looking forward to a great Spring/Summer ‘20 season. Let us know how we can help.

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 107

MODERN TECHNIQUES

WITH RONALDO LINARES

THE POWER OF GRIT IN HOSPITALITY SUCCESS

ne must have GRIT in order to succeed in the hospitality industry, without it you will fail. I have spent all my life in this industry and the common denominator of best is the way they handle adversity. Blessed with a father who has more Grit than most of the cooks I know, he could do a course on that subject alone. Here is a quick story that show a great example of grit…

I would have to sleep in the basement on the weekends at the age of 11. At that time, I did not know my GRIT was being built, that those times would get me ready for the tough times ahead. One of the lessons it taught me that no matter how bad it would get, it would not get any worse than sleeping in the dark basement. It is funny how you start life as a piece of clay on the potter’s wheel, the artist is not sure what he is going to make but he knows it will At the age of 62 my father (one of be beautiful. My life has been that, the best chefs I know) was force to time and time again I had to restart uproot the whole family from Comy piece of pottery. lombia due to the cartel wars. At the 2020 is going to be for most a conage of 62 my father had to find a tinuation of 2019, they will conway to provide for 4 kids tinue to fight, claw, and that all but I could create the life they not work and a wife deserve. My advice is that spoke no Engfor you to fight durlish. The odds were ing the hardest moagainst us from the ments, you will be go, but we never felt challenged in many it due to his GRIT. My different ways. Durfather was captured ing those times, draw Ronaldo Linares is CEO of along with hundreds lessons from your Ronaldo Linares LLC, an during the Bay of Pigs past and you will find Empowerment Coach for restaurant owners. Ronaldo invasion, he spent 3 similar moments and empowers entrepreneurs years in Cuba before find courage in them by addressing their health his release. So, in his so you could succeed. through proper nutrition while growing their business eyes this next step in Here is the definiin the food industry. Ronaldo his life was a piece of tion of GRIT: has showcased his Cubancake. Grit-courage and inspired, passion-infused culinary style on Food NetSomehow only 2 resolve; strength of work’s Chopped, BBC Ameryears after arriving character. ica’s cross-country chef to the United States The definition is competition “Chef Race,” appearances on Better TV, Fox we bought a home, simple but in my News and Telemundo, along opened up a restauopinion one that is with being a featured chef rant that stood for scary, in today’s soand speaker at live events including the Food Network’s 25 years, and this all cial climate it is hard “Food & Wine Festival”, and happened because of to find people with industry conferences. Ronhis GRIT. Grit. It could be due aldo can be reached at ronaldoscocina@gmail.com or I was able to witto that person’s upby visiting ronaldolinares. ness all of this first bringing, the individcom hand, the times that ual was not allowed

108 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

My father was captured along with hundreds during the Bay of Pigs invasion, he spent 3 years in Cuba before his release. So, in his eyes this next step in his life was a piece of cake. Somehow only 2 years after arriving to the United States we bought a home, opened up a restaurant that stood for 25 years, and this all happened because of his GRIT. to face hard moments alone, they were never faced with adversity or if they did someone did not let them fight through it. It is our job as leaders to elevate those that we lead and help them navigate the rough waters of the hospitality industry. Remember they look to you in the good moments and specially in the bad ones. When things are trending upward the words flow and leadership seems

simple but when the tide turns and trends shoot downward that is when your grit and resolve is questioned. WHAT TYPE OF LEADER ARE YOU AT THE POINT? The one that screams into the kitchen or one that looks at the situation and addresses all the small challenges to fix the situation. This is the moment your grit shows up.

Nobody knows design + build like us. For 20+ years, elite | studio e has been providing comprehensive design consulting services with an emphasis on planning within all segments of the foodservice industry. Our portfolio includes corporate foodservice, healthcare, aviation, government, higher education, K-12, charter schools, hospitality, and leisure. In every location we provide an array of services from the larger necessities ― kitchen equipment, café and dining area design ― to the details such as brand development and merchandising finishing touches that enhance your food and coordinate with your space design. CO•GA•NY•OK•PA | 631.420.9400 | elitestudioe.com

PROACTIVELY ELIMINATE RODENT ACTIVITY Ecolab’s Rodent Ceiling Service Rodents pose a significant threat to a restaurant’s brand and the safety of their food. In fact, research shows that a negative on-line review with a photo of a pest will spread 2-3x faster.1 Ecolab Pest Elimination’s Rodent Ceiling Service is the first of it’s kind in the industry. Early detection results showed a 3X faster reduction of interior rodent activity.2 1. https://revive.social/most-shared-content/

The discreet Ecolab solution combines

PATENT PENDING EQUIPMENT with regular service

2. Based on Ecolab Research

COMMITTED TO A HIGHER STANDARD To learn more: www.ecolab.com/rodent-ceiling-service

US: 1-800-325-1671 CANADA: 1-800-352-5326

1 Ecolab Place St. Paul, MN 55102

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 109

NEWS

PLANT BASED SOLUTIONS

WHITE CASTLE TO COMPLEMENT ITS PLANTBASED IMPOSSIBLE SLIDER WITH A DAIRY-FREE ALTERNATIVE TO CHEDDAR CHEESE ®

he country’s first fastfood hamburger chain will soon become one of the first fast-food hamburger chains in the U.S. to offer a dairyfree alternative to cheddar cheese. White Castle announced today that it will launch the non-dairy product on Mar. 1 in its New Jersey and New York City restaurants. Customers will be able to order dairy free cheddar to top any slider, including the Impossible™ Slider, the plant-based slider that White Castle introduced in April 2018 as a test item and then launched as a permanent menu item five months later. The protein-packed slider made from plants looks, tastes and even sizzles like real beef. “Our Impossible Slider was an instant Craver favorite, but it’s about to get a new dimension with the introduction of dairy-free cheddar,” said Jamie Richardson, vice president of White Castle. “We are excited to bring this new non-dairy, vegan item to Cravers in the New York and New Jersey areas with the hope of taking it to other markets in the future.” White Castle has been growing its plant-based menu offering for years. The Slider pioneer introduced its Veggie Slider, a vegan patty made by Dr. Praeger’s, in 2015. The Veggie Slider is available in restaurants and in retail outlets. White Castle’s Black Bean Slider is also available in retail outlets only. White Castle updated its bun recipe to conform to vegan

White Castle is the first of the fast-food hamburger chains in the U.S. to offer plant-based, dairy free cheddar dietary restrictions. With such a history in menu innovation of this type, it is no surprise that White Castle was the first fastfood hamburger chain to partner with Impossible™ Foods to offer the Impossible™ Slider, which was quickly hailed as “one of the country’s best fast-food burgers, period.” Now it’s the first fast-food hamburger chain to partner with GoodPlanet Foods, the company that makes the non-dairy cheddar. “We’re committed to innovation, and we’re always looking for ways

110 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

to do things better and make things better for our loyal customers,” Richardson said. “It’s exciting to be the fast-food restaurant that’s leading the trend in providing plantbased options for consumers.” White Castle, America’s first fastfood hamburger chain, has been making hot and tasty sliders as a family-owned business for more than 99 years. Based in Columbus, Ohio, White Castle started serving The Original Slider®, made from 100% USDA inspected beef, in 1921.

Today White Castle owns and operates more than 365 restaurants dedicated to satisfying customers’ cravings, morning, noon and night and sells its famous fare in retail stores nationwide, in a growing number of international locations, and at military exchanges around the world. The Original Slider, named in 2014 as Time Magazine’s most influential burger of all time, is served alongside a menu of creatively crafted sliders and other mouthwatering food options, including White Castle’s Impossible™ Slider, named by Thrillist in 2019 as the “Best PlantBased Fast Food Burger.” White Castle’s commitment to maintaining the highest quality products extends to the company owning and operating its own meat processing plants, bakeries and frozen-food processing plants. White Castle is known for the legendary loyalty of its team members, more than one in four of whom have worked for White Castle for at least 10 years, and of its faithful fans, affectionately referred to as Cravers, many of whom compete each year for entry into the Cravers Hall of Fame. The official White Castle app, available at iTunes App Store or Google Play, makes it easy for Cravers to access sweet deals and place pick-up orders any time. They can also have their orders delivered using one of White Castle’s delivery partners. For more information on White Castle, visit whitecastle.com.

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 111

SKILLED TRADE INSIDER about. Not only is this more than the vast majority of college graduates are earning, but it also impacts those who operate commercial facilities, such as restaurants and kitchens, in a big way. You wonder why your service vendor is so expensive? This is why. And buckle up because you haven’t seen anything yet. Hourly rates will continue to rise as the gap widens by the day. Your R&M budget will steadily eat away at your margins until you’re forced to raise the price of your product or service to compensate. So, by this point I can only hope that you’re wondering what can be done about it. The answer is in how you perceive the skilled trades. Do you truly value what these integral men and women provide? Do you really understand the earning potential that exists doing this kind of work? The amount of training, skill, and intelligence it takes to successfully perform a single repair? It’s time we wake up and realize that there is more than one path to success. It starts with one bright young mind at a time. Maybe it’s your kids, nieces & nephews, students, or just the neighbor kid that hangs out down the block. If we encourage America’s youth to pursue an avenue of education best suited to their needs & abilities instead of unanimously encouraging them to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a path that may not play to their natural strengths, we can: 1) Reduce the student loan debt 2) Prevent the inflation of skilled labor costs 3) Enable future generations to live happy, successful lives in an honorable profession Let’s face it; Blue Collar doesn’t mean the same thing anymore. By almost all measures, it has surpassed the benefits of white-collar work. Yet it still shadows in comparison to the some of the most sought-after careers in the country. And it will, until we do something about it.

from page 74 Non-Monetary Benefits of the Skilled Trades Helping People Younger generations want to help as much as possible. What better way to do it than being in an industry built to serve all of civilization and often the first to be called upon in relief efforts? Challenge vs Reward The greater the challenge, the greater the reward. When was this forgotten? Growth comes from physically and mentally pushing your limits, the trades push. Travel For training, for a specific project, or for permanent relocation. The demand in the trades often leads to travel all around the globe. Work-Life Balance Work while you’re young so you can live when you’re older. As your skills and abilities increase, you can begin to make your own schedule. No Limits There are trajectories in the trades that can take you anywhere, give you everything, and compensate you wildly. From turning wrenches, to sales, to management, to entrepreneurship.

1 “What’s the Price Tag for a College Education?,” CollegeData, accessed December 12, 2018, https:// w w w. c o l l e g e d a t a . c o m / c s / c o n tent/content_ payarticle_tmpl. jhtml?articleId=10064. 2 US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, “Undergraduate Retention and Graduation Rates,” The Condition of Education 2018 (NCES 2018-144), https:// nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_ ctr.asp. 3 Brad Plumer, “Only 27 Percent of College Grads Have a Job Related to Their Major,” Wonkblog, Washington Post, May 20, 2013, https://www. washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/ wp/2013/05/20/ only-27-percent-ofcollege-grads-have-a-job-related-totheir-major.

112 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 113

LEGAL INSIDER

from page 50

results of a positive marijuana test will likely expose employers to unlawful termination claims and/or discrimination claims if the individual is a certified medical marijuana patient. Further, if recreational marijuana becomes legalized in New York, employees may have additional protections under Section 201-d of the New York Labor Law. Under the “Legal Activities” Law, it is unlawful for employers to take adverse employment action against an employee for their legal use of consumable products outside of the workplace. If marijuana becomes a legal product for consumption, it is reasonable to expect that such activity will be protected under Section 201-d. By having contemporaneous written documentation of an employee’s conduct that was consistent with being under the influence, employers face less risk by terminating an employee who tests positive for marijuana. Occupational Safety Hazards The Occupational Safety and Health Act (“OSHA”) requires most private sector employers to abide by certain standards to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for its employees. Under OSHA’s General Duty Clause, employers have a legal responsibility to protect their employees from workplace illnesses or injuries, and are required to furnish a place of employment which is free from recognized hazards that are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to its employees. While OSHA does not prohibit the use of marijuana in the workplace, an employer’s knowing tolerance of such may create an impermissibly hazardous work environment in violation of the General Duty Clause. For example, consider a restaurateur who tolerates his line cook being under the influence of marijuana while in close quarters with other kitchen staff, open flames and sharp

knives. The restaurateur will be hard pressed to prove they furnished a place of employment free from recognized hazards when its line cook is subject to side effects of marijuana that may include impaired thinking and decreased alertness. What Should Employers Do Now? The impact of the medical marijuana reform and related laws in the workplace will vary widely from employer to employer. However,

there are proactive steps employers across all industries should take now, which include: • Adopt a clearly written drug and alcohol policy that explicitly states that working under the influence of any substance, including medical marijuana, will not be tolerated. • Engage in the interactive process with employees who are certified medical marijuana patients and train management on their protected status. • If pre-employment drug test-

ing is conducted, confer with drug testing vendors to ensure that marijuana is omitted from the range of substances tested. • If your organization operates restaurants in other states, consult with employment counsel to determine whether those states’ laws have different requirements regarding marijuana in the workplace. • Be prepared for more changes as it is relatively likely that New York will legalize the recreational use of marijuana in the coming years.

HANDS-ON CAREER TRAINING

INTRODUCING THE

NATURAL GOURMET CENTER EXCLUSIVELY AT ICE: OUR NEW PLANT-BASED PROGRAM

CULINARY & PASTRY ARTS

114 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

RESTAURANT & HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

HEALTH-SUPPORTIVE CUINARY ARTS

Pursue your future in food with ICE’s diverse menu of diploma and certificate programs. Customize career training and professional development with industry-leading instructors. 225 LIBERTY STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10281

ice.edu/iceTFS • (888) 531-CHEF

802-658-6600 | Essex Junction, VT www.marsalovens.com

Yes or No Does pineapple belong on pizza? Cast your vote with us on facebook or instagram

@marsalpizzaovens March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 115

SCHOOL FOODSERVICE INSIDER Foods because so many students have enjoyed their products at an amusement park or stadium. They “get” what students want. They’ve done it again with their new line up of Natural 100% Juice Frozen Whole Fruit Cups and new Spiced Ices for an extra flavor zing. J&J Snack is also offering a new Bavarian Whole Grain Pretzel Roll. It follows the latest fast food restaurant sandwich trends with a healthier grain

QUENCH TRENDS

from page 82

option that will be a sure hit with the students. We are also very excited about Right Start’s Whole Grain Muffin Flats. They are the ideal item for students to start off their day. The Muffin flats are visually attractive, trendy with individually wrapped, colorful graphics. The line features great tasting muffin flavors that are all natural and delicious and meet the Child Nutrition guidelines

for a 2 Grain Oz. Equivalent for a quick grab and go breakfast solution. Meatless Mondays are a fast-growing trend and Bagelino’s offers a Gluten Free Vegetarian Empanada that the students and directors love! Bagelino’s Tia Maria Empanadas are new and a delicious ethnic options for student lunches. With new menu concepts being presented continuously, Advantage Mar-

keting helps the directors keep their menus fresh and on trend for their students!

restaurant industry. Experts consider the current industry value at $82 billion (2018); however, some predictions claim that amount will triple in 2020. Already, off-premises dining — delivery, takeout, and drive-thru orders — accounts for 60 percent of restaurant occasions. These shifts are pushing restaurants to design with an eye for delivery, with menu redesigns, alternative takeout packaging and separate kitchens dedicated to mobile orders. Others are going even further, eliminating the restaurant altogether. Ghost restaurants - restaurants with no brick-and-mortar presence – allow existing companies to expand and create new supply locations and new restaurateurs to circumvent the traditional over-

head associated with opening a new location. Wendy’s plans for ghost kitchens serves as a significant part of the chain’s 2020 expansion strategy, and Uber Eats already maintains more than 1,600 virtual restaurants in 300 cities. Even QSRs and grocery stores are getting in on the movement and considering alternative means of providing a faster, more seamless experience as consumers’ cravings for – and expectations of - convenience grow stronger and stronger. Consumers no longer need to shop in-store in order to receive their meals or groceries. KFC piloted its first-ever drive-through concept store, and Walmart, following on the heels of its significant success in the grocery space, introduced its InHome grocery delivery membership program. To request a copy of the full 2020 quench Food & Beverage Trends, Vol. 11, visit quenchagency.com/ trends.

“To meet our goals we must understand that sales is not a random series of activities. It should not be a series of reactions. It is a proactive discipline with distinct steps that navigate our customer through the sales process to reach our goals.” - Brigitte Rounds

from page 102

tion – and produce - to develop the capacity to continue to support the ever-expanding global population. Indoor farming serves as one of the primary means of new production: Over the next 10 years, researchers predict that indoor farming will account for half of the industry’s leafy green production. Category leaders including 80 Acres Farms — the first fully automated indoor farm in North America – and Living Greens Farm utilize innovative designs that allow a singular, indoor acre to produce the equivalent of hundreds of conventional acres. While indoor farming focuses on vegetables, precision fermentation provides an alternative to traditional animal proteins. This process produces animal proteins more efficiently via microbes and maintains the potential to replace substances ranging from gelatin to collagen to eggs. One such company, Air Protein, converts carbon dioxide into complete proteins, using single-celled organisms capable of production in any environment. The company plans to commercialize consumer products, featuring its complete proteins as a whole-food ingredient. Other companies, such as Prime Roots and Sustainable Bioproducts, have taken a different approach by experimenting with edible fungal strains. Innovation molded to our current system may not be enough: Threequarters of the world’s food comes from just 12 plants and five animal species, and fostering an apprecia-

tion for a wider variety of animal proteins, produce and grains could help expand the world’s limited food supply. Breeders of new plants use genome editing to emphasize key character traits such as sustainability, yield and disease resistance. Blue Hill and Row 7 Seed Company work alongside breeders, farmers, seedsmen and chefs to develop these new varieties of vegetables. Produce from Row 7 - like their koginut squash - has been featured in salads sold at restaurants including Sweetgreen, a popular fast casual chain. Restaurants Without Restaurants Ecommerce and digital ordering have changed the shape of the

116 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

Marie Gorman is Account Planner for quench, and lead researcher for the agency’s annual quench Food & Beverage Trends Report. As a fullservice marketing agency dedicated exclusively to the food & beverage category, quench has a proprietary approach to food and beverage innovation, research and development. Clients include StarKist, Sun-Maid Growers of California, Labatt Blue, Seagram’s, The Hershey Company and Del Monte Fresh Produce.

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 117

SCOOP

METRO NY INSIDER NEWS, from page 48

to set menus or ordered at the bar. General Manager/Beverage Director Jaehoon No curated the restaurant’s beverage program, which was built to complement chef Kim’s wood-kissed fare. The list features a balanced selection of both Old World and New World wines - with an emphasis on natural wines - that satisfies all palates and price points. Guests can enjoy a paired beverage experience for $70pp, or order wines by the glass and bottle. JUA also offers a thoughtful collection of bespoke cocktails that incorporate Korean flavors and ingredients such as the Beauty Inside (soju, whiskey, blueberry sparkling wine, honey, lemongrass); the Body & Seoul (vodka, pamplemousse, ginger, honey, soda); and the Evergreen (gin, kale, green apple, Pineau Des Charentes, chartreuse, green plum, lime). An assortment of bottled beer, sake and soju are also available, as well as non-alcoholic drinks like the Oh Mija (omija pear, yuzu, lemongrass) and the Queen (quince, meyer lemon). The 1,700 square foot restaurant, designed by New York City-based firm Two Point Zero, evokes a sense of rustic minimalism through its sophisticated use of raw materials like brick, wood, concrete, copper, and steel. High ceilings and overhead lighting work together to create a dream-like glow throughout the 42-seat dining room, while copper-toned finishes add subtle glamour and shine. The restaurant’s clean, linear design draws eyes towards the back of the space, where guests will find an open kitchen that is lit by the flames of the wood-burning grill. Here, a handsome live-edge wooden communal table that can seat 8-10 offers guests a front-row look into the kitchen. Chef Kim is also working with Korean artist NamHee Kim on the restaurant’s ceramics and plateware.

HOTELIERS TRANSFORM 19TH CENTURY BARN INTO FARMTO-TABLE DINING EXPERIENCE 21c Museum Hotel co-founders Steve Wilson and Laura Lee Brown are opening Barn8 Restaurant & Bourbon Bar, within the historic working thoroughbred and sport horse farm, Hermitage Farm. The concept is part of the couple’s overall conservation efforts to expand the agritourism destination experience and preserve Kentucky’s rural heritage with the American Farmland Trust. “Barn8 will be one of the most unique farm-totable dining experiences in America today,” said coowner Steve Wilson. “Reminiscent of Kentucky bank barns like those on the farms my wife Laura Lee and I grew up on, Barn8 is inspired by our lifestyle and passion for preserving farmlands. We are hopeful that a 118 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

One of the dining room/event spaces at Barn 8

meal at Barn8 will help visitors understand how important it is to preserve our rural heritage.” Kentucky native Alison Settle will take the helm of the kitchen as executive chef leading her culinary team to craft a seasonal menu featuring fresh produce harvested in the restaurant’s on-site gardens, as well as bison, beef, pork and chickens from neighboring farms. In addition, chef Settle, who built a hobby out of foraging, plans to incorporate natural ingredients found throughout Hermitage’s 683 acres in both the food and cocktail menus. Like many bank barns that used to store hay, tobacco or corn, the Barn8 structure was originally built in the late 19th century as a space for farm storage before becoming a dairy barn, and later a horse barn in the 1940’s. The beautifully restored space reflects Wilson and Brown’s talent for creating playful environments that combine their passion for art, design and preservation. The couple worked with architect and project manager Haviland Argo and Bittner’s Interiors to ensure the aesthetics of the project reflect the heritage and authenticity of the farm. Every aspect of the design reflects incredible attention to detail, while remaining true to the history and aesthetic charm of the barn. In addition to the warm, natural colors of exposed wood and the original tin roof, the wrought iron rail hand forged by celebrated artisan blacksmiths from Maynard Studios, create an artistically natural setting. The venue is filled with the barn’s original rafters, loft flooring, hay rail and white oak, as well as reclaimed white ash from neighboring Woodland

Farm. In addition, art from Wilson and Brown’s personal collection will be showcased throughout the restaurant. The main dining area, which accommodates 110 guests, is comprised of long communal reclaimed wooden farm tables that line the center of the barn; individual dining rooms adapted from the barn’s original stalls; a private dining area; and an open kitchen with a chef’s bar, which also doubles as a designated space for daily bourbon tastings. A three-tier climate-controlled greenhouse offers guests an opportunity to further explore the farm through a wide variety of exotic fruits and plants, including an Orangerie. The Bourbon Bar & Lounge will feature an innovative cocktail program that utilizes ingredients from the surrounding farms, along with an extensive list of rare whiskeys and aged bourbons from Barn8’s small batch program. Guests can also purchase full bottles of whiskey in the space’s unique Bourbon Library. An impressive entrance of 100 bourbon barrels line the main staircase leading up to the second floor Hayloft, which will be used for private dining for up to 200. The room is adorned with an art installation in the form of a large Venetian chandelier set amongst the barn’s original wood construction, a customized toile featuring scenes from Hermitage Farm handdrawn by Kentucky illustrator Monica Mahoney, and features pieces from the owner’s personal art collection.

continued on page 120

In today's economic market, value, credibility and reliability are critical when deciding who to buy seafood from. That's why Fisherman's Pride® is the #1 source for Frozen Calamari and a large selection of other seafood products including Cleaned Calamari, IQF Calamari Rings, Breaded Calamari Products (Fries, Rings, Rings & Tentacles), Clams (Vietnam White & Chinese Hard Shell), Octopus, made to order fresh Gourmet Salad (Calamari, Octopus & Mixed Seafood), Mussels (Half Shell, Whole Shell & Meat), Grouper, Swai, Flounder and Scungilli (Frozen & Canned). Our years of experience and strict quality guidelines ensure you get incomparable value, variety and service from all of our products. Call Fisherman's Pride® today.

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 119

SCOOP

METRO NY INSIDER NEWS, from page 118

SIPS + SNAPS : CULINARY HEADSHOTS AND HAPPY HOUR MIXER IN NYC Scoop notes that if you would like to learn more about photography for your brand, you might like to attend this event on Monday March 16, 2020. Enjoy a fun-filled evening featuring photography, prizes, drinks and treats and an empowering panel discussion with some of NYC’s most influential bloggers, authors, and food stylists. • New headshots provided by photographer Michael C. Woods of MCORYW Photography. Perfect for a new biopic, professional portrait, or content for your social media, blog or website. • “The Importance of Photography and Your Brand” panel discussion. Get inspiration and advice from our panelist, Culinary Brand Photographer - Amanda Richardson of Amanda Richardson Photography , Tracey Ceurvels, Blogger and Author of The NYC Kitchen and food stylist Micah

NEWSMAKER

Morton ,moderated by Nancy Preston CEO of Milk Money Kitchen. Listen to them discuss the importance of photography in telling your brand story. • Fun networking activities to forge authentic relationships with fellow guests. Prizes, swag, and happy hour nibbles, grazing table designed by The Gourmet Diva and of course.....wine! This is the first in a series of professional (and fun) workshops geared towards the culinary industry to help other culinarians develop skills to advance their careers and business and break into a new level. Partial proceeds are going toward the social impact project of Milk Money Kitchen, where free commercial kitchen hours are giving to veterans and low-income food entrepreneurs. Full Event Information: https:// sipsandsnaps.eventbrite.com

CAFÉ D’AVIGNON OPENS 1ST FRANCHISE Alex Nitikin is now the first franchisee for Café d’Avignon, New York’s fastest-growing local bakery and café known for their exquisite execution of French and American pastry clas-

sics. His first location recently opened in Orlando, and he’s already signed the lease for a second location. As he works to grow the NYC café in sunny Florida, he says, “I’m willing to be adventurous with Café d’Avignon because I 100% believe in the people and product.” Café d’Avignon was conceived from wholesale bakery Pain D’Avignon, which began in 1992 when five childhood friends emigrated from Yugoslavia with a shared dream of bringing traditional European bread making to the U.S.’s East Coast. Over the last 25 years, Pain D’Avignon has distributed bread and pastries to Michelinstarred restaurants and the most highly acclaimed hotels in New York City, namely The Plaza Hotel, Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, among others. Alex Nitikin is living the American dream. Born in a small town in northeast Russia, he emigrated to the U.S. as an exchange student. After six months at a college in Queens, New York, he dropped out and started saving money to start a business. He worked 18-hour-days and only took off one day each month. By age 27, he made his first million.

BROWARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS EMBRACES PLANT BASED OPTION

Restaurants who are killing it on social media are doing a combination of things. • Sharing engaging content on a regular basis on Facebook and Instagram. • Engaging with their fans by answering questions and thanking them for comments. • Investing in paid social media ad campaigns. • Posting regular photos, posts and events to Google My Business. • Proactively going after reviews from customers, monitoring reviews and responding to them. • Managing their online data by keeping everything up to date including online menus.

Is there a fun fact you would like to share about yourself with our audience? Sure, my blog led to my first published cookbook in 2016 called The Jersey Shore Cookbook. It’s been a hit with residents and tourists. I was even on QVC when it first came out. It features 50 recipes from 50 beloved restaurants at the Jersey Shore. You can check it out on JerseyShoreCookbook. com and of course Amazon.

Scoop sees that eating a plantbased diet is a food trend that doesn’t seem to be slowing down! From meat substitutes to vegan cheeses, vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters alike are swapping many of their everyday foods with a plant-based version and Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) Food and Nutrition Services is bringing this trend to school cafeterias. BCPS Food and Nutrition Services has been offering vegetarian options to its students for many years however, they’re working on expanding that to include more vegan and plantbased items for all students. Some vegan items already on the menu include Vegan Chik’n Nuggets made with a soy blend and Vegan Bean and Chile Burritos made with black beans and green chilis. With these items gaining popularity in school cafeterias, the department decided to look into expanding that vegan, vegetarian and plant-based offering.

Deborah Smith, from page 26

pay to play on social media. It was all about organic reach. Twitter was hot. Instagram was not even a thought. Social Media was in its infancy and half our battle was getting businesses to understand this was here to stay and the sooner they got on board the better. Flash forward 10 years and now there is no denying this medium is not going anywhere and is still growing in popularity. Our latest struggle is getting clients to understand they need to invest in paid advertising to succeed on social. And, while they may not like this development, there are a lot of great advantages to being able to pay to reach your perfect audience instead of crossing your fingers and hoping that your organic posts are hitting the right people.

What have you done to meet those changing needs? We are constantly staying on top of changes in the online world and adding new tools to our client’s portfolios. When it became evident that Reviews were where it was at for Local Search, we implemented a Review Generation Service. When Local Search started relying on consistent web-based data, we began offering a tool to manage menus and other online date across all online platforms. Google My Business is one of our favorite tools these days and one that we see many businesses underutilizing. You’ve done a lot of work with restaurants. Can you share some of the common characteristics of restaurants that are doing social media properly?

120 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

What’s the next step for a prospective client that wants more info? They can visit our websites at MarketToFoodies.com and FoxtrotMediaLLC.com or email me at DSmith@ FoxtrotMediaLLC.com and of course give us a call at 732-202-6246.

Walco Idol CHAFER COLLECTION

WLB-01B Walco NSF Bent Serving Spoon

Designed to work under a Sneezeguard WI55BODY

• NSF Certified • Induction Ready • Slow Closing Hinge

74149B Walco NSF Black Plasticized Tongs

• “Drip-less” Design condensation on lid flows back into water pan • Lid Vent Hole – prevents fogging • Lowered Handle easier to use under a sneeze guard • Lid “Cut-Outs” utensils kept in food, with lid closed, at foodsafe temperature • Cover opens at 30° for use under sneeze guards BOOTH #1234

www.walcostainless.com • sales@walcostainless.com

BOOTH #1549

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 121

ICE MACHINES

from page 12

Sediment in your water supply can also clog filters and distribution tubes that lead to smaller, malformed ice cubes. The best way to prevent sediment includes using a dedicated water filter, which is the first line of defense for reducing particulates in the ice machine. Be sure to install a standard sediment water filter for the ice maker. We recommend a 5-micron sediment filter on all compatible ice machines. Sediment filters should be replaced about every few months, depending on their rating. You may require additional water filtration methods if your business resides in a challenging environment with very high sediment content in the water. Finally, routine preventive maintenance and ice machine cleaning will remove sediment buildup, so it won’t cause problems in the long run. Treat Your Ice Machine Well, and It Will Serve You Well

While many factors that can cause ice machine problems, it’s important to have a plan to identify potential risks from the start. Consistently monitor your ice machine’s performance and look for instances of mold, slime, and scale within the machine. Performance issues and the presence of contaminants won’t improve over time. Often, they lead to expensive ice machine repairs that could have been avoided with proper cleaning and maintenance. It’s also important to routinely discuss safety standards with your employees, including ice machine care and maintenance. Make a schedule detailing what needs to be cleaned and when, then delegate the job to specific employees who have had the proper training. While many preventative steps can be taken in-house to avoid large buildups of mold, slime and sediment, it’s important to have a good ice machine service provider that routinely looks for the warning signs.

122 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 123

C3 EXPANSION

from page 24

Project Development, Design & Construction. For the nearly ten years, Adam was the Vice-President of Development for Burger Lounge restaurants where he led the design process and creation of architectural and engineering plans. He oversaw all phases of construction and managed facilities for the entire company. Adrian Lungu joins as Director of Finance. Adrian was most recently with Nacho Daddy, where he led the financial accounting, cost & inventory accounting, and monthly reporting on financial and operational performance. Before joining their team, Adrian spent almost 5 years at ZUMA Restaurants where he had a chance to work with Jay Patel, working his way up to the Operations Controller. Chef Vincenzo Rossy joins as Director of Operations. Chef Vincenzo attended the University of Central Florida and he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing and Sales. He completed his Culinary Degree at the Apicius International School of Hospitality. He lived and worked in Florence, Italy where he held numerous Chef roles at various restaurants before moving to New Jersey in 2016 to be the Executive Chef at Town Bar+ Kitchen. He is relocating from the east coast where most recently he was the Corporate Chef for OTG Management in New York. C3 is being launched as a partnership between sbe; Simon, a global leader in the ownership of premier shopping, dining, entertainment and mixed-use destinations; and Accor, the world-leading augmented hospitality group offering unique experiences in more than 5,000 hotels and residences across 110 destinations. By combining sbe’s ability to build and grow successful, award-winning food and beverage concepts, Simon’s extensive real estate footprint and Accor’s international hotel base of 5,000 global properties, C3 is enviably positioned to be the leader and pioneer in this space. Established in 2002 by Founder and CEO Sam Nazarian, sbe is a privately-held, leading lifestyle hospitality company that develops, manages and

operates award-winning hotels, residences, restaurants and nightclubs. Through exclusive partnerships with cultural visionaries, sbe is devoted to creating extraordinary experiences throughout its proprietary brands with a commitment to authenticity, sophistication, mastery and innovation. Following the acquisition of Morgans Hotel Group, the pioneer of boutique lifestyle hotels, in partnership with Accor, sbe has an unparalleled global portfolio which will see 36 hotels and over 200 global world-renowned culi-

124 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

nary, nightlife and entertainment venues by the end of 2020. The company is uniquely positioned to offer a complete lifestyle experience - from nightlife, food & beverage and entertainment to hotels and residences, and through its innovative customer loyalty and rewards program, The Code, as well as its award-winning international real estate development subsidiary, Dakota Development - all of which solidify sbe as the preeminent leader across hospitality. The company’s established and upcoming

hotel brands include SLS Hotel & Residences, Delano, Mondrian, The Redbury, HYDE Hotel & Residences, and The House of Originals. In addition, sbe has the following internationally acclaimed restaurants and lounges under subsidiary Disruptive Restaurant Group: Katsuya by Chef Katsuya Uechi, Umami Burger, Cleo, Fi’lia, Carna by Dario Cecchini, Leynia and Diez y Seis by Chef José Icardi, HYDE Lounge, S Bar, Doheny Room, Nightingale, Skybar, Bond, and Privilege.

Ice Machines

NEW COM MOD ING ELS SOO N!

800.223.7750 www.admiralcraft.com

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 125

RESTAURANT MARKETING Advertising, especially when acquiring new customers, comes at a price. However, when remarketing to your existing database, you are able to reach your list of subscribers for a negligible cost if not for free. Not only are you able to reach an audience who is already interested in your restaurant, but you can reach them for a maximum of $0.01/ per person. 2.Competitive advantage

SITA LEWIS Lewis also sees the right kitchen equipment essential to implementing her plan. “The right equipment is everything to a cook or chef. I’m used to using good knives, blenders, mixers utensils, cutting boards, good pots and pans and the like. When these items are not available, it makes the cooking process that much more difficult. I had the school re-outfit all the cabinets with the best and most useful kitchen tools.” At the top of Lewis’ kitchen punch list is her Robot Coupe. “The Robot Coupe took what I do in the kitchen to a higher level. It’s beyond a blender. It’s a fully powered monster mixing machine. I was first introduced to the tabletop Robot Coupe at a restaurant where I was a kitchen consultant during the time I was teaching. I was there to make the kitchen run more efficiently. The restaurant specialized in chicken ‘n waffles and had a honey strawberry butter to go on top. The butter was delectable and the Robot Coupe pressed it all together into this naturally pink creamy consistency where it was scooped and placed on top of the waffles. I had never seen anything so easy. At the press of a button and in seconds the butter was soft smooth and delicious. I never forgot this machine!” **As with so many successful entrepreneurs, it was an epiphany while helping others that has driven her latest success. “Students that joined my class had to list their food allergies. I never saw so many food allergies in my life. Allergies to apples, strawberries, not just the typical allergies that

from page 60 Remarketing is largely neglected in the restaurant industry. Most restaurants rely on “good food and good service” to bring guests back time and time again. While those two components are absolutely essential, they aren’t unique. Any restaurant that a customer would even consider returning to has a quality experience. By reaching out to your database, you have the power to stay in front of your customers so you are the place they think of when

it’s time to eat next. 3. Creating a personal relationship A database audience allows you to reach out to customers in a 1-on-1 fashion. Although you may be messaging thousands of customers with a single campaign, you have the ability to personalize messages using collected data points, like their name or their birthday. While this may seem insignificant, these small

details strengthen the personal association your customers have with your restaurant. The benefits of big data are not limited to ecommerce and tech companies. We have larger access to more data than ever before, and it should not be ignored. If you have not yet started to build a database for your customers, it is not too late to start! Don’t be afraid to be creative and get excited to grow!

from page 84 we hear like peanut allergies. I knew there had to be a connection between food and eczema. So many of my students suffered from this dry skin condition and had rashes on their hands necks and faces.” “So, one week I explained to my class that we were going to create a skin moisturizer instead of a food recipe and that I wanted to see if it would clear up their eczema. After-all, our skin is our largest organ and it has to be fed with the proper nutrients just as our internal organs have to be fed properly. I introduced my students to my recipe for my own hand-made skin moisturizer. I remembered the machine I used to cream the butter at the restaurant and decided to give that a go with the skin cream. We blended mango butter, cocoa butter, sheaf butter, coconut oil, and four more vitamins filled oils in just the right amounts. I knew that my skin was always hydrated and healthy using this cream for the last few years, so I thought, this has got to help my students with their skin issues. Low and behold, the students began using the cream on a regular basis and within a couple of weeks their skin was smooth and the dry cracked eczema patches were completely gone. They could not believe it. I could not believe it! I thought to myself, this is a “miracle” and Miracle Butter Cream was born.” The success of the line has meant so much to Lewis. “The truth of the matter is that their skin had been starving for the proper nutrients and they received those nutrients from my special formulation of natural ingre-

126 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

dients and their skin instantly began to heal. The school was also amazed. A few months later the school administrators purchased several jars of my cream as a gift to their graduating senior class.” The growth of the Miracle Butter Cream is also a testimony to Lewis vision as an entrepreneur as she ventured into a cosmetic’s field in which she has no background. “I have always been a product snob when it comes to my skin and hair products the same way I am a food snob when it comes to good wholesome food! I’m extremely picky about what I put on my skin and hair. Over the years, I’ve created avocado masks for my hair. Egg and mayo conditioners and have used natural butters and oils on my skin. Products in the stores are filled with chemicals and preservatives. Our skin absorbs these things. I would read labels and be at a loss at all the stuff that goes into lotions. Things we cannot pronounce and artificial colors too. So, I stopped using them. Now, I always get complemented on my skin so I knew I was on to something. “ The impact that Sita Lewis and her Miracle Butter Cream has had on so many young people in many ways has taken her career full circle. “At heart, I am still a well-organized forward thinking TV producer that I am at heart and learning from my Dad that I don’t how to half-do anything. So, I created an LLC, came up with a name, applied for a trademark, opened a bank account, created the website, ordered my supplies and started selling online by March 2017. I started

advertising on Instagram and Facebook. I was now in business. By July 2017, I had to quit my job because the orders were pouring in. After 1 year in business and making the product from my dining room table, I had a lab built where I now mix and create the product. Of course, next I had to purchase the GIANT Robot Coupe floor model in order to accommodate all the batches and orders coming in. The Robot Coupe changed the game for the mass production of my skin care products. I’m now able to cold press all of my amazing all-natural ingredients into a smooth and silky cream that is instantly absorbed into the skin without leaving a greasy feeling. I went from being able to produce 200 jars a week to now being able to produce 1000 jars a week.” Miracle Cream Butter has become a favorite among number of celebrity clients including Al Roker from the Today Show, actor Denzel Washington, producer and songwriter Wyclef Jean, and actor Wesley Snipes. My products are for ALL skin types, all races, and any gender. As long as you have skin, my cream will hydrate, nourish and feed the skin with all the nutrients it needs”. Mama Sita’s products can be found at www.MiracleButterCream.com and anyone can use the discount code TOTALFOOD15 to save 15% OFF on their first order. And be sure to subscribe on herwebsite to get holiday deals. You can also follow her on Instagram @MiracleButterCream.

BOOTH #1833

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 127

MIXOLOGY

•

from page 22

anyone has ever had a hangover! 1 Luxardo cherry- is there really any other kind- unless you make your own… Preparation: 1. Fill a cocktail vessel with ice by ¾ 2. Add the rye whiskey 3. Stir lightly 4. Add the vermouth 5. Stir lightly with a ceremonial mixing spoon … Stir slowly just to cool, not to drench! 6. Strain into a chilled Martini glass 7. Dot with Angostura, place cured cherry into the glass and serve

Chartreuse Frappe’ Manhattan Imagine your classic Manhattan with a slapped mint leaf and an almost equal portion of Chartreuse and Dry Vermouth? Sure, you can.

Ingredients: • 2 oz. Bottled in Bond Rye • 1 oz. Chartreuse- I recommend the yellow- a touch sweeter • .5 oz. Dry Vermouth- Dolin works • Luxardo Cherry • Fee Brothers Mint Bitters • Mint leaf (slapped, just before serving) Preparation: 1. To a mixing vessel, fill ¾ with ice 2. Add the Chartreuse and the Rye 3. Stir lightly 4. Add the dry Vermouth 5. Stir again 6. Strain into a chilled Martini glass filled with crushed ice (frappe’) 7. Dot with the Fee Brothers Mint Bitters 8. Slap a mint leaf and garnish

128 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

9. Gently slide in the Luxardo cherry and serve with a quizzical smile

then add a healthy portion of rye whiskey over the top to “preserve” the chunks of caramelized orange.

The next Manhattan-eques cocktail is one that could only come from a truly twisted set of principles. That means there really might not be any reason why this drink is so well balanced. It just works because of the sum of the parts. I believe in the utter seasonality of cocktails, just as I did when I cooked for a living back in the 1980’s. (Yes, I cooked professionally for a while.) The time of year for citrus is now and what better way to personify the Manhattan Cocktail is to caramelize some tiny chunks of orange that have been drenched in both Fee Brothers Aromatic Bitters, and the juice from some Luxardo cherries. Slowly roast the nuggets until the oranges are nicely done- about an hour and a half- at 300 degrees. Let these little morsels cool and

Manhattan-eques Cocktail Sure, this resembles an Old-Fashioned. But it’s not. Ingredients: • 3 oz. Rye Whiskey- Bottled in Bond • .5 oz. Sweet Vermouth • 1 Orange nugget • 1 Luxardo Cherry • 2 shakes of Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Bitters Preparation: 1. Build the Manhattan per above 2. Pour into a chilled Martini glass 3. Add the caramelized orange nugget and the Luxardo Cherry 4. Shake the Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Bitters over the top and serve…

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 129

JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION will host Philly-centric dinners at its headquarters in New York City, such as member and ticketed dinners cooked by Southeastern Pennsylvania chefs, and Philadelphia will boost that signal by programming its own foodmarketing promotions elsewhere in the Big Apple. In turn, Philly is hosting an on-the-ground series of events to spotlight its best toques. Perhaps most notably, the new James Beard Restaurant Collective will present dining, educational and meetand-greet opportunities with selected restaurant personnel at their own restaurants in August. Leading up to the Collective activities, Philadelphia will host the foundation’s ballyhooed nominees announcement (for the second time since 2018) at the Barnes Foundation art museum on March 25, along with hosting a pop-up dinner at Center City’s Spice Finch restaurant in April as part of the multi-city Taste America fundraiser. “Given the impressive concentration of James Beard Award winners and other incredible culinary talent in Philadelphia, the partnership between Visit Philadelphia and the James Beard Foundation couldn’t be more natural,” said James Beard CEO Clare Reichenbach. “We are thrilled to grow our partnership with VISIT PHILADELPHIA as they promote a city that’s a

B. SMITH MEMORIAL

from page 2 top culinary destination for food lovers in the U.S. and around the world.” Guaracino adds, “By having these Philadelphia-themed events we’re saying, ‘Why don’t you come try out some of our great breakfasts, lunches, dinners, bakeries, and cocktails? Now that you’ve had a sample come do it all year long.’” The idea formed over a New York breakfast between Guaracino and Reichenbach, who realized the two organizations could reinforce their mutually shared values to support and empower community-conscious local food professionals, diners and travelers to use their platforms and their spending dollars for good. With women’s leadership programs “aimed at addressing the gender imbalance in the culinary industry” constituting a signature Beard initiative, it fits that Visit Philly will also weave its 2020 campaign to target female travelers into restaurant collective events along with hosting a special all-women-in-the-kitchen dinner at the Beard House in June. The city’s temporary moniker highlights women’s contributions to Philadelphia cuisine and culture and shows that in 2020 and beyond, Philadelphia isn’t just the city of brotherly love but The City of Sisterly Love, as well.

from page 4

ing for 18 hours after boarding a bus in Manhattan en route to Sag Harbor. CBS2 was at her home with her husband when he got the good news she was found safe at La Parisien restaurant on East 33rd Street in Manhattan, with blisters on her feet after a night of wandering through brutal weather. Smith boarded the Hampton jitney on 59th Street while Gasby waited in Sag Harbor, but she never arrived at their meeting point. Smith discussed her disease with Dr. Jon LaPook in an interview that aired in June 2019 on CBS News Sunday Morning. “Even with Alzheimer’s, I think that

things are gonna work out,” Smith said in June. “I’m gonna do my best to make it work out for me, and for as many people that I can possibly help, too.” Smith and Gasby made it their mission to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s, particularly its effects on the African-American community. In 2015, Smith decided to close her last restaurant, on Restaurant Row. That same year, she testified before a Senate committee on the need for more Alzheimer’s research. Smith’s signature tagline was: “Whatever you do… do it with style.”

130 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

CHINATOWN

from page 6

away. “People think it’s the Chinese … We’re living here in America, but people think that Chinatown has lots of Chinese, so they’re scared.” “There is concern about the cumulative effect on this community. It’s like a boxer, how many blows can you take before you go under?” said Wellington Chen, executive director of the Chinatown Partnership Local Development Corporation, which helped to coordinate the campaign. “The ultimate answer lies with public support. It is so important.” In other cities in the US, elected officials have made it a point to have lunch in their local Chinatown, reaffirming that fears of visiting the neighborhood are unfounded. “Chinatown is safe. The city is safe. America is safe. Everybody should relax,” said Kenney, Philadelphia’s mayor, at a dim sum restaurant in the city’s Chinatown district. There have been 15 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the US in seven states, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The number of confirmed cases worldwide has exceeded 75,000, with the vast majority of cases concentrated in

AURA COCINA

mainland China. Earlier this month, US officials said they evacuated 195 Americans from Wuhan, all of whom would be placed under a 14-day quarantine at an air reserve based in California. A temporary travel restriction was also put on foreign nationals who travelled to China. US citizens who recently traveled to China faced screening and are required to undertake 14 days of selfscreening. Chen has spent the last few weeks trying to assuage the public that fears over coronavirus are unfounded since the virus has not yet made it to New York City. “Someone asked very sincerely: ‘In the fish store next door, is the fish safe to eat?’ That fish is not from China, that fish is from our local Atlantic Ocean,” Chen said. “It’s generally that degree of unnecessary fear.” Chen said that he remains hopeful that people will start to realize they have nothing to worry about when visiting New York City’s Chinatown. “We just believe that you should have no fear because it’s thousands of miles away,” Chen said. “The biggest fear you should have is whether you have room for dessert.”

from page 86

“It definitely changes your input on life when your life is on the edge,” he said. “I came back motivated as hell.” After returning to civilian life, Almonte bought a small Dominican restaurant in East New York called Caoba Brooklyn Bistro, which did so well that he was able to plan for Aura Cocina. The restaurant is named after his grandmother, whom Almonte called a “hardworking, dedicated woman.” The massive space was inspired by 1950s Havana mixed with the industrial vibe of the neighborhood, according to interior designer Alfonsina Waters, who worked on the project. Leather and velvet couches are interspersed with rows of tables and chairs, exposed brick walls, a marbleclad bar, and a green wall, based on the renderings shared by the restaurant team.

Almonte, who wanted to “stun” his supporters with an innovative concept, said Aura Cocina is designed to be “modern and chic” while maintaining “old school Cuban” vibes. In addition to its venetian walls and lime plaster, he said, the interior kept some of the “rugged” concrete look to pay homage to the site’s history. “This was an old pillow factory,” he said. “To transform it to what it is today took a lot of work.” The restaurant now joins a crowded and buzzed-about dining landscape in the area that includes the likes of Taiwanese-American hit Win Son, and Guatemalan bistro Claudia’s. A first of its kind “brewery” dedicated to craft cocktails is also set to open within the same building as Aura Cocina later this year.

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 131

GOLDEN GROVE GLOBAL knowledge to share with their chef customers. As part of the education process, they organize demonstrations and lectures to culinary students on the power that salt has on food. Salts differ by weight, volume, by production, additives, solubility, source, mineral content, and of course sodium. One-quarter cup of Murray River Salt weighs less than 24 grams compared to between 40 and 70 grams for other salts. Rock salts take days to dissolve in cold water and most salts need to be boiled to dissolve. Murray River Salt is highly soluble and dissolves even in cold water, making it great for dining patrons’ digestive system. Distributors are also attached to the company’s slogan: “Everything Tastes Better with Murray River Salt!” Murray River Salt has a very delicate flavor that enhances food without overpowering it. Its’ texture and flakiness really captures the attention of chefs. It also bonds with

from page 18 the food better, as you do not see much falling off of your meat as it moves around a kitchen. A number of chefs are crusting slow-roasted prime rib with a Murray River Salt. Chefs love using the Murray River Salt on Seafood, as it looks beautiful because of the color. It can be blended with other spices easily in the kitchen, is ideal for rubbing meats and will not overwhelm the vegetables. Adding Murray River Salt to Caramel Bread Pudding, creates a precise texture and just the right amount of salinity to the caramel, to be in contrast with the sweetness and saltiness. Also, used in pickling, as other salts remain cloudy when making the brine, Murray River Salt dissolves in fresh cold water! Many operators, who have moved to kosher salt, see Murray River Salt as a perfect choice to add to their menus. The pink salt flakes of Murray River Salt are ‘Kosher Certi-

fied’ and are ideal for Koshering, a process as old as time, for removing blood and impurities from raw meats. Murray River Salt contains no foul-tasting anti caking agents common in other salts, it is much softer and easier on the hands, it is very soluble and contains less sodium by volume than other kosher salts. The Murray River Salt line has also enabled many operators to respond to the new sodium/salt restrictions that have been imposed by the City of New York. Customers of Golden Grove Global, who are nutritionists and use Murray River Salt, say the difference is the volume, because it is a very light delicate flake, and less than half the weight of other salts, it is less sodium by volume. Murray River Salt also offers a positive impact on the body from the magnesium, calcium and other natural minerals. In addition to its growing popu-

JANET DAVIS

from page 104

ences propose offering one-of-kind social and professional events during down times, off days, and in underutilized sections of your space. If you haven’t tapped into the special event market now is a good time. Obviously, not every venue is equipped to offer this due to limitations on FOH and BOH. But for those that are, this can account for a steady revenue stream. Foodies and companies looking for unique cooking and team-building activities may turn out to be a healthy addition to your bottom line. Go Mobile via Food Truck has real potential to broaden the scope of your business and drive sales 100 percent over. This model has so much upside you could be adding another business entirely, and doing so without starting from scratch. With the restaurant as home base, many of the major pieces are already in place. The only major consideration here is funding and there’s definitely ways to get around that. When the rubber meets the road, 132 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

larity in New York City, Murray River Salt’s footprint continues to expand across the US. One of the largest combined resort, convention center and hospitality projects in the world opened in Colorado – Gaylord Rockies, uses Murray River Salt in both its a la cart and catering culinary operation. A beloved Japanese chef in New York City said it best: “Your Murray River Salt is truly a gift of nature”. Chefs and their distributors that serve them can obtain samples by contacting Rebecca Wiedemer at Golden Grove Global directly at rebecca@goldengroveglobal.com or calling 720.560.0064.

if you’ve done your homework, you are on track to bringing in beaucoup dollars. Food trucks can be a money maker on wheels. Think of all the events you can service weekdays and weekends. And, not just lunch. Consumers have been renting food trucks for years for parties of all sorts. Food trucks can pull in a tremendous haul at a community festival or fair where thousands are gathered and where you’re more likely to run out of food instead of having too much. But there’s more. The icing on the cake is the built-in marketing gained from your truck going city to city, even across state lines where your print and to some extent your online presence may not reach in the same way. If you are to stay in the game it is imperative you leave it all on the table. How else will shoppers see what you have to offer? Present your customers with the whole pie. I don’t know too many people who stop after having just one slice.

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 133

CHEFCETERA

Ed McFarland, from page 52

the opportunity to expand beyond just lobster rolls and whole lobsters,” McFarland noted. “We have created a menu that features everything from lobster ravioli to lobster meatballs.” With focus on a single category like seafood, the vendor relationship becomes crucial for the operator. “You have to make certain that you are not getting gouged with pricing and that they are sending you their very best product everyday.” Ed’s Lobster Bar currently utilizes Two Cousins in Freeport, NY and Sea Salt Lobster to provide lobster to the restaurants. McFarland also likes the quality of seafood selections provided by Gotham Seafood. Much of the growth of seafood on menus has been perceived by many to be as a result of interest in healthier fare. “I disagree, I see increased interest in seafood as a result of focus on sustainability,” McFarland quipped. “It puts pressure on the chef and restaurateur to make certain that fish is

being caught in proper ways. You need to learn to understand why dredged scallops and oysters are simply not acceptable. Even though the temptation may be to use Chilean sea bass, the banquet fish of choice because it doesn’t dry out, you simply can’t.” The move from sous chef at Pearl’s to signing a lease on his own place in 2006, provided unique insight into the opening of a restaurant. “When I started at Pearl’s, it was always with a goal of opening my own restaurant. In 2006 when I signed my lease, my focus was purely on finding partners that just brought money to the equation. Ten plus years later, clearly money alone does not lead to a winning formula. In addition to money, the right partner brings marketing support and a network of clients to eat in the restaurant. You need partners that are going to help build the brand.” McFarland’s ability to continue to grow and sustain his business is a testimony to his vision. “We endured

DO YOU SERVE THE LATEST TRENDS IN BEVERAGES? We do and we’d be happy to help you!

Citrus Honeydew Strawberry Mango Tangerine Green Tea Blueberry Cucumber

ITH

MAD

E PUR E CAN R A G U S

800-SEA-BREEZE (800-732-2733) SEABREEZESYRUPS .COM

134 • March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com

ups and downs and with that the changes in SOHO in general. When I first opened, I assumed that with lobster rolls and fancy specials, we would be good to go forever. From the start, customers told us we want the basics: steamed mussels and clams, little neck clams, basic fish and chips. There was absolutely no interest in anything fancy. So I learned from the start that the customers were going to dictate the menu. This year is really the first with any significant changes, which include meat on the menu with a new burger and short rib.” The addition of the meat items in addition to expanding the menu have enabled McFarland to adjust food costs with the challenge of escalating seafood prices. “The City is ‘over-restauranted’ and even though with 30% more restaurants than every opening, we need to compete with the experimenting that goes on with our customer base.” McFarland brings interesting in-

sight into the volume of restaurant openings. “There are a number of older folks that have made money in other careers and they get hooked on the flow and excitement of the restaurant industry. It looks easy but they have no concept of all of the little things that go into it.” McFarland took a big step in the growth of his company last year when he opened a second Ed’s Lobster House in the Hamptons. “For over ten years, customers constantly wanted to know when we would open there. With the new Sag Harbor location, we took a little different approach with a pseudo-seasonal location that includes limited hours outside of the summer months. The summer is just insane and very customer driven.” The Hampton’s opening has reinvigorated Chef Ed’s desire to expand his brand. “If we would find the right spot in Miami or Las Vegas and even Jacksonville and Nashville are all on our radar as we look to grow.”

March 2020 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com • 135

See what we bring to the table. Mar 31 – Apr 3, 2020 Oct 13 – 16, 2020 10 Strawberry Street Alessi Anchor Hocking Annieglass ARC ARC Cardinal Artland Bauscher Hepp, Inc. B.I.A. Cordon Bleu Blue Pheasant Bormioli Rocco Glass Cambridge Silversmiths Canvas Home Casafina Certified International Christofle Circle Glass Costa Nova Crystal House Intl. Crystalite Bohemia Inc. Darbie Angell Daum-Haviland Degrenne Paris Denby USA Deshoulières DeVine Corp. Eleven75 Home Euro Ceramica, Inc. FIESTA® Gibson Overseas Godinger Group Gourmet Settings Hampton Forge Herend Hermès Home Essentials

Homer Laughlin China Iittala J. Seignolles The Jay Companies John Jenkins Hospitality joseph joseph Juliska Kiyasa L’OBJET LAV Lee’s Group International Lenox Corporation Libbey LSA International Luigi Bormioli MATCH Meissen Mepra Moser Mottahedeh Mr. Christmas Nambé Nikko Ceramics Noritake Oneida Orrefors Kosta Boda Over & Back Pasabahce USA Pickard China Portmeirion Prima Design Prouna Puiforcat Qualia Glass R Squared RAK Porcelain

41Madison.com A Rudin Family Building

Ralph Lauren Home Raynaud Reed & Barton REVOL Ricci Argentieri Richard Ginori 1735 Riedel Crystal Robinson Home Products Ronnie Fischer & Co Rosenthal USA Royal Albert Royal Crown Derby Royal Copenhagen Royal Doulton Royal Limoges Royal Worcester Saint-Louis Sambonet Signature Housewares Spode Steve Dolce Marketing TarHong Typhoon Homewares Tzeng Shyng Vietri Vidivi Villeroy & Boch Vista Alegre WMF Waterford Wax Lyrical Wedgwood William Yeoward Crystal Zrike Brands