February 2016 - Total Food Service

BOOTH #2213

2016_IRFSNY_TFS_Main_Updated Ad:12_29_15

12/29/15

4:00 PM

Page 1

Exceeding Culinary Expectations — MASTER THE EMERGING TRENDS —

March 6–8, 2016

Javits Center

N e w Yo r k , N Y

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS: Food Trends Experience, Ferdinand Metz Foodservice Forum, Live Culinary Demonstrations, The Pub, New Product Showcase, US Pastry Competition, Taste NY & Craft Beverage Showcase, 550+ Leading Vendors, and more!

Presenting:

Sponsored by:

Produced & Managed by:

Highlights Include:

Featuring: SM

GAIN A FRESH PERSPECTIVE ON YOUR BUSINESS

®

www.internationalrestaurantny.com

2 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

BIGGER IS BETTER. TouchBistro is the

1st Restaurant POS on the iPad Pro.

COME SEE A LIVE DEMO OF TOUCHBISTRO ON THE IPAD PRO! At the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York

Mar 6-8 Booth #1521

Visit us online at touchbistro.com or call us at (855) 440-8446.

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 3

NEWS

MENU INNOVATIONS

NYC Based OLO Raises $40 Million For Delivery Module Rollout

O

lo, the digital ordering business, has raised $40 million in funding from The Raine Group. The capital will be used to expand its recently launched Dispatch delivery service.

With over 150 restaurant groups as clients, New York-based Olo works with large chains, including Chipotle, Five Guys and Jamba Juice, to power their online ordering and pick-up business.

Olo provides the white label software that integrates with its in-store point-of-sale (POS) payments sys-

tem and the website checkouts. It has similarities to some Square offerings, but Olo has focused on larger chains, whereas Square has gained traction with mom-and-pop shops.

After 10 years in the order pick-up business, Olo is hoping to leverage its

existing clients to master the delivery business. Olo wants to be the “Kayak. com for delivery,” says founder and CEO Noah Glass. “Dispatch will reach out to a number of different delivery providers, including Uber and Postmates. It will find a driver that will get

Olo wants to be the “Kayak.com for delivery,” says founder and CEO Noah Glass.

4 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

it there the fastest and the cheapest.”

Founded in 2005, some say that Olo was ahead of its time, and gained more traction in recent years. While Glass says that they’ve had nearly 100% customer retention, they are not quite ready to go public.

“It took the restaurant industry sometime to warm up to what we do,” said Glass. “We’re not in any rush to do an IPO.” Olo previously raised at least $23 million in funding from RRE ventures, PayPal, Founder Collective and famed restaurateur Danny Meyer.

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 5

NEWS

REAL ESTATE

Major Upheaval As Mix Of Grand Central Eateries Evolve

G

rand Central Terminal is going to start serving commuters and visitors some new restaurant menus, making it the latest New York City commuter hub to roll out changes on the food front.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which is the terminal’s landlord, is planning a series of swaps at the historic station, with 15 leases either turning over or up for grabs.

In the spring, Copenhagen chef Claus Meyer, known for the restaurant Noma, considered one of the best in the world, is opening a Nordic food hall and brasserie in the western half of Vanderbilt Hall. Meyer and his American investors were reportedly the highest bidders among 15 groups that responded to the request for proposals to use the hall and adjoining areas in the terminal. The rent in the first year of the 10-year lease will be $1.8 million.

Other eateries are shifting out of the station as rents rise. Brooklyn-born

“You have to stay fresh,” Nancy Marshall, the MTA’s director of retail leasing at Grand Central said. “We are like the old lady now.”

Junior’s, the bakery and sit-down deli famed for its cheesecake, is exiting Grand Central’s lower level in June or July, after already closing its spot on the upper concourse, which lost its lease and vacated on Jan. 6.

The sandwich chain ‘wichcraft, owned by celebrity chef Tom Colicchio, is moving into the lower-level space while Juice Press will replace the upper-level space. Two Boots Pizza, also in the lower level, is getting the boot, to

Grand Central Terminal 6 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

be replaced by celebrity restaurateur Donatella Arpaia’s Prova Pizzabar.

The changes come as new restaurants have opened up near the terminal, competing with its offerings.

“You have to stay fresh,” Nancy Marshall, the MTA’s director of retail leasing at Grand Central said. “We are like the old lady now.”

The fates of two denizens of the station, the cocktail bar Campbell Apartment and Cipriani Dolci, are waiting to hear from the MTA about whether they can stay.

Commuters into Grand Central are not alone in getting some fresh restaurant options. Those who commute into the Port Authority Bus Terminal will see signs of a new food court starting this month. The Port Authority board approved OHM Concession Group, which builds airport food courts nationwide, to build one at the bus terminal that will include three “diverse, high-end dining options.”

OHM will fork over $15.2 million over a 10-year year lease for the dining space near the main ticketing plaza.

That’s much higher than what a Deli Plus, a post office, and Jamba Juice currently pay for the same space.

As of this month, Penn Station commuters also have a new option called The Pennsy, where a number of wellknown chefs have joined in on an upscale food court, including Mario Batali, who partnered with caterer Mary Giuliani on Mario By Mary, and a new outpost of The Little Beet by chef Franklin Becker.

Main Office: 282 Railroad Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830 Publishers: Leslie & Fred Klashman Advertising Director: Michael Scinto Art Director: Mark Sahm Contributing Writers Warren Bobrow Laurie Forster Morgan Tucker Fred Sampson Staff Writer Deborah Hirsch Intern Alexis Robinson

Phone: 203.661.9090 Fax: 203.661.9325 Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com

Total Food Service ISSN No. 1060-8966 is published monthly by IDA Publishing, Inc., 282 Railroad Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830. Phone: 203.661.9090. This issue copyright 2016 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

SIMPLIFY YOUR ICE SUPPLY! All-Inclusive and Cost-Effective!

LE ICE AB T C

PRE DI

Commercial ice machine, maintenance, repairs, water filters, cleanings & more for low monthly fee.

PR

IC E

Compare to buying or leasing an ice machine!

P R E I C TA B L D

E

Affordable. Reliable. Simple!

(327-9423)

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 7

NEWS

POS TECHNOLOGY

A 10-Step Guide: Getting Your Staff Onboard With Your New Restaurant POS

Y

our staff are on the front lines of your business, so arming them with a powerful POS that can increase their efficiency and enhance customer experience is key to your restaurant’s success. Now that you’ve decided to purchase a new POS, getting buy-in and adoption from your staff is essential; a thoughtful presentation of your operational changes will make all the difference. This 10-step guide will help you set expectations from the get go and prepare your staff for an easy transition to a new POS.

1. Involve your staff early on If you want your team to welcome your new POS with open arms, be sure to include them in your decision making process from the get go.

First, identify what you, as a manager, are looking for in a POS, then evaluate how the system can help meet your staff’s needs as well. Plan a brainstorming session with your employees on POS features - the good, the bad and the ugly. The key takeaway from this meeting should be a concrete list of staff input, relieving a little stress from the decision maker’s job and giving your employees a voice in the process.

2. Provide training Training is a win-win. You’ll be doing your due diligence by not only providing your staff with the resources needed to be successful, but also by minimizing frustrations

and decreasing the amount of time needed for onboarding. When you invest in making sure your staff are thoroughly trained on your new POS, you’ll save time and reduce headaches in the long run.

3. Don’t overwhelm them Pulling a full 360 in your restaurant’s operations is likely to overwhelm your staff. Your kitchen staff doesn’t necessarily need to know the ins-and-outs of cloud reporting, so to keep potential anxieties about the transition at bay, during training focus only on the areas of the POS that are relevant to them. Introducing your POS’s wide range of abilities in small, thoughtful steps will allow them to focus on the areas of the system that you really want them to master. If you’re switching from another POS, you may want to consider starting off by introducing your staff to any features they’re already famil-

8 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

iar with and how they work on the new POS. Once they’ve got the hang of it, introduce them to all of the enhancements your new and improved POS has to offer. A gradual introduction to all the bells and whistles of your new POS will help ensure your staff doesn’t experience information overload during the transition.

4. Set a dry-run The best learning experiences are hands on; give your staff a chance to really get to know the software prior to going live with the system. Setting up a test account for your employees will allow them to get familiar with the software without any repercussions. Practice makes perfect, so encourage staff to practice tasks such as processing sales, splitting a bill, or inputting customer information. It will make them more confident and comfortable when the time comes for them to use the new POS to serve

a table of customers.

5. Listen and take feedback Organize a meeting in order to gain insightful feedback from your staff following your dry run. By establishing open lines of communication, you can make sure any and all questions or concerns are ironed out prior to your launch. After you go live, check in regularly with your staff about how the POS adoption is going; they’re in the trenches daily with the POS, so take their feedback seriously.

6. Nurture your superstars Instead of having a full staff sit in on your system’s training, at TouchBistro, we suggest identifying a few POS “superstars” to help ease your staff into your venue’s transition. By designating a few superstars, you can lighten the load of questions or concerns that may come your way, with a few POS ambassadors on stand by. These superstars will also help create an excitement and interest around the new POS, which will trickle down to the rest of the staff.

To identify these superstars, look for employees who are respected within your restaurant and who will be confident in situating themselves as the go-to expert for all things POS.

7. Reward the natural leaders Not every employee will jump at

continued on page 98

February Issue_Layout 1 1/14/2016 11:52 AM Page 1

Midtown

FiDi

70 W 36th St

125 Maiden La

WEST STORE ON 3 FLOORS

PRIME CORNER STORE UP TO

IN THE HEART MIDTOWN’S TOURIST HOTSPOT 6 HOTELS ON THIS BLOCK!!

HIGH VISIBILITY DUPLEX CORNER

9,669 RSF

5,350 RSF

16,535 RSF 50’ + ON MAIDEN 88’ ON PEARL ST

ALL SPACES EASILY VENTED

Scott Klatsky

212-206-6155

SKlatsky@timeequities.com Melissa Shafton

212-206-6163 We’re proud to welcome McGettigan’s NYC to it’s new location in the east retail store at 70 West 36th St (photos above).

Photos of McGettigan’s NYC‘s build out.

No warranty, or representation is made as to the accuracy of the above information and same is submitted subject to errors, omissions, change of price, rental or other conditions, prior lease or withdrawal without notice, and to any special listing conditions, including the rate and manner of payment of commissions for particular offering, the terms of which are available to duly licensed brokers. This listing is subject to the aforesaid conditions and is not to be deemed an employment nor a binding contract of any kind unless or until our brokerage agreement is fully executed.

mshafton@timeequities.com

TIME EQUITIES INC www.timeequities.com 212-206-6000

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 9

RESTAURANT RENAISSANCE

WITH FAITH HOPE CONSOLO

Eat Where You Shop

A

s I always say, Food Follows Fashion and you will find no better example than right here in Manhattan.

Dine where you shop without ever having to leave the store…..

Best of Boutique Dining and Flagship Food Armani Ristorante 5th Avenue, 717 Fifth Ave., 3rd fl. (5 Av/56 St) is Giorgio Armani’s exclusive megastore with an Italian restaurant as the crown on the top. Creative presentation featuring fresh and healthy fare. The dazzling decor by Fuksas is complimented by breathtaking culinary creations.

Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar, 551 Fifth Avenue inside the two-story flagship is frisky and fun.

The hip, intimate Marlin Bar features hand-crafted cocktails, while the bright second-floor restaurant is an oasis in the middle of the urban jungle. I can almost hear the waves….

Ralph Lauren Polo Flagship, 711 Fifth Avenue, showcases the Men’s, Women’s and Children’s Polo collections, as well as Ralph’s Coffee. The Polo Bar, Ralph Lauren’s first-ever restaurant (and pet project) in NYC, an offshoot from Paris is just around the corner on East 55th Street. His dream was the restaurant and he basically built the Flagship around it. Ambiance is of an Ivy League club with an old New York feel; leather banquettes, fireplace and brass topped bar.

ABC Home, 888 and 881 Broadway, is a palace of design and carefully curated collections. The dining options here are equally majestic and distinct. ABC Cocina with Jean-Georges, 38 East 19th Street is locally sourced and globally diverse; the focus is on environmental consciousness. ABC Kitchen with Jean-Georges, 35 East 18th Street, presents a seasonal menu. Both are divine and the décor is a work of art!

Delicious Department Stores Barney’s, 660 Madison Avenue is world renowned for famous Freds Madison Avenue. Lunch, dinner, and cocktails served daily with brunch on weekends. Also offers full-service on- and off-premise catering and event planning….located on the 9th Floor. Gene’s Café aka GENES@BARNEYS is the place to grab a quick bite and catch up on what’s new and of note in the store.

Sit at the digital table and touch screens let you shop at Barneys. com.

Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Avenue has two dining options that are as luxurious as the designers offered there. BG Restaurant on the 7th Floor has sensational views of Central Park open for lunch, tea, cocktails and dinner. Good Dish is on the lower Beauty Level and offers sandwiches, salads, coffee, tea, wine and sweet treats.

Bloomingdales, 1000 Third Avenue, 59th Street and Lexington Avenue has something for everyone. 40 Carrots on the 7th Floor; Le Train Bleu is on the 6th floor as well as B Café; a beautiful and bustling Magnolia Bakery and David Burke Restaurant are both on the 1st floor; and Flip is on the lower level. Visit Bloomingdale’s SoHo, 504 Broadway, and treat yourself at 40 Carrots on the 2nd Floor.

Lord & Taylor has both the renowned Sarabeth’s Restaurant, 5th Floor and Sarabeth’s Cafe, 6th Floor.

Perfect place to stop for coffee and Sarabeth’s traditional cuisine and treats in a lovely atmosphere.

Stella 34 Trattoria inside Macy’s in Herald Square, 34th Street

10 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

Faith Hope Consolo is the Chairman of Douglas Elliman’s Retail Group.

Ms. Consolo is responsible for the most successful commercial division of New York City’s largest residential real estate brokerage firm. Email her at fconsolo@elliman.com

Macy’s in Herald Square, 34th Street pleases every palate and every price point. Au Bon Pain, the Boston based bakery café, is located on the 8th Floor. The Herald Square Café offers coffee by Starbucks, chocolates by Vosges Haut-Chocolat and champagne from Moët & Chandon; located on the 2nd Floor. Juice Press is on the 8th Floor, Just Salad is on the 4th Floor, McDonald’s is on the 6th floor, and Pinkberry is on the 7th Floor. Chef Street is coming soon featuring four trailers named Taquitoria, Rollie’s, Tabo Noodles and Crumb on Parchment to be debuted in One Below level along with a forthcoming Rowland’s Bar & Grill. Of course Starbucks can be found in multiple locations throughout the store. Stella 34 Trattoria is a modern Italian trattoria offers great views of the Empire State Building from the 6th Floor.

Stella 34 is open 7 days a week for lunch, dinner and drinks at the bar or lounge. Find 6th Floor express elevators at the Macy’s Broadway and 35th Street entrance.

Happy Dining and Happy Shopping!

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 11

EYE

METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE

Metro New York Chapter And Local Reps Win Prestigious Awards At National MAFSI Conference

T

he Manufacturers’ Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry (MAFSI) released the winners of their biennial MAFSI award recipients at their 2016 Business Development Conference held last month in Phoenix.

MAFSI’s biennial award program properly recognizes those individuals who have performed in an exemplary fashion, and serve as recognition to ensure the future success and professionalism of the association, and the industry.

Nine MAFSI members, one MAFSI chapter, and two non-members were presented with awards for their demonstrated leadership, as nominated by their peers.

It was a banner trip for the Metro New York MAFSI Chapter. The MAFSI Region 03 – New York Metro Chapter won top national honors as the organization’s Chapter of the Year. The award is given as encouragement and recognition for exceptional achievement as a MAFSI regional chapter, as active and effective chapters are

Larry Cantamessa, Posternak Bauer Aitkenhead Cantamessa, accepting MAFSI’s Pacesetter Award.

needed to achieve MAFSI’s goals and further the mission and vision of the association.

Heading the list of Metro New York winners was legendary rep Elliot Horowitz of Elliot Horowitz Associates. The Manhattan based sales professional was presented with MAFSI’s LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP AWARD. The award is presented to a representative that has been a member of the organization for at least 10 years and who has contributed to the foodservice industry through significant association involvement.

A duo of local reps were presented with MAFSI PACESETTER AWARDs. Larry Cantamessa of Eastchester, NY based Posternak Bauer Aitkenhead Cantamessa and Joe Ferri of Pecinka Ferri Associates in Fairfield, NJ topped the list of national winners. The award is given to individuals who work for MAFSI agent member companies only, for demonstrating the highest degree of devotion and distinguished service in conjunction with MAFSI projects and activities.

Elliot Horowitz (c), Elliot Horowitz Associates, accepting his Lifetime Membership Award, Jeff Couch of The Preferred Marketing Group, and Alison Cody, Executive Director of MAFSI.

12 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

The Manufacturers’ Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry (MAFSI) is a 66 year-old, professional trade association comprised of 270+ independent sales and marketing agencies and 260+ manufacturers of commercial foodservice equipment, supplies, tabletop and furnishings.

Representing over 2,400 sales and

marketing professionals and manufacturing executives across North America, MAFSI provides market forecasting, networking and partnership opportunities, industry stewardship, education and resources, and member advocacy for the $11 billion commercial foodservice E & S industry.

Members of MAFSI Region 3 – New York Metro, were on hand to accept the Bill H. Loveless Chapter of the Year award.

(L-R): Emma & Robin Ashton of Foodservice Equipment Reports, Joe Ferri, of Pecinka Ferri Associates, Rich Chrampanis of Foodservice Equipment Reports, Deirdre Flynn of NAFEM, and Joe Ferri Jr. of Pecinka Ferri Associates

Joe Ferri, Pecinka Ferri Associates, accepting MAFSI’s Pacesetter Award, from MAFSI President Jeff Couch of The Preferred Marketing Group, and Alison Cody, Executive Director of MAFSI.

BOOTH #2213

M.Tucker is a Leader in Foodservice Design, Equipment and Supplies.

We surround our customers with a circle of support: _ $20 million of in-stock inventory _ 70 knowledgeable, professional salespeople _ Fleet of 48 trucks delivering from Connecticut to Maryland _ 60 years of experience serving the Northeast markets

Call 800-688-2537, ext 227

to find out how we can help you.

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 13

LITTLE M. TUCKER

WITH MORGAN TUCKER

Wanderlust W

eeks after New Year’s resolutions have been broken and restaurateurs return from their well-deserved time off in early January, something exciting happens in our business. The buzz of CHANGE… You’re about to be inundated with a lot of noise about what’s hot and what’s about to revolutionize our businesses, but you’re also about to see the future.

When I was a child, I collected snow globes. If you know me personally, your assumption that I had hundreds of them organized by size and location is completely accurate.

My favorite part was that pivotal moment after you’ve shaken one and the sparkles pause in perfect alignment and the landscape looks the way you dreamt it could… when you’re inspiration manifests into something tangibly beautiful and mindful.

It’s this time of year that my wan-

14 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

derlust is truly satiated and I get that same feeling of sparkles in alignment all over again. I’m certainly not an expert on tipping, cuisine, or emerging concepts, but I can tell you about tabletop. New releases are here! It’s time to explore them and curate the most innovative tablescapes yet.

Originating from German words, to hike and desire, wanderlust is an intense urge for development. As the Director of Business development, I will spend the next few weeks hiking all over the globe at half a dozen trade shows admiring collections I helped to design, and others that are being presented to me for the very first time.

What am I loving right now? Neofusion from Rak Porcelain. Taking inspiration from mineral matter, Neofusion has the strength of porcelain and the look of ceramic dinnerware in six hand-sprayed, non-porous glazes: Sand, Stone, Terra, Magma, Ember, and Volcano. Want to really elevate your presentation with hand-made shapes? Completely unvarnished line extensions from Revol marry the authenticity of traditional French porcelain and the ability to imprint culinary expertise in pioneering innovation.

Color is still king… and not only in dinnerware. Throughout this show season you are going to see A LOT of colored and textured flatware in a multitude of finishes. Building on Mepra’s pewter look released in 2014, and Sambonet’s Vintage and Antico in early 2015, 2016 is the year of metal in rose, gold, bronze, titani-

Morgan Tucker is a Senior Account Executive and Director of Exclusive Collections at M. Tucker, a division of Singer Equipment Company. Her sales and marketing team, “Little M Tucker” provides equipment and supply solutions for a wide diversity of acclaimed restaurateurs, celebrated chefs, and industry leaders. Ms. Tucker is based in NYC and can be reached at mptucker@mtucker.com.

um, and more. And… our exclusive gold rim glassware from Steelite is officially in stock!

It’s February ladies and gentlemen, and the theme is romancing the diner. Happy Valentine’s Day, and please enjoy whatever trade shows you have the privilege of attending.

If you’re like me and traveling the world as well as exploring locally, I hope you #findyourtruenorth. If you plan on spending the 14th at Ambiente, I look forward to seeing you in Frankfurt. If you’re traveling to LA anytime soon, please visit http:// wanderlusthollywood.com/ where you can practice yoga and taste @ SeamusMullen’s #HeroFood on Mepra Pewter Flatware, and Dudson Evolution dinnerware. To follow all my adventures, please find @littlemtucker on Twitter and @littlemtuckernyc on Instagram.

BOOTH #1930

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 15

INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

WITH FRED SAMPSON

You Can Lead a Horse to Water, But You Can’t Make Him Drink

W

hile this expression is from another era, it is still as applicable today as it was then. Note, for example, this excerpt from The New York Times of December 6, 2015. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Americans remain very overweight. About 38 percent of adults were obese in 2013–14 compared with 32 percent just 10 years ago. This is in spite of huge efforts to get people in the United States to eat more healthily.” The article was written by Aaron E. Carroll, professor of pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine. The lead in The Times reads as follows: “More menus have calorie counts, yet obesity rates remain high.”

The article deals with the Food and Drug Administration’s nutritional information program, which is scheduled to take effect on December 31, 2016. This action by the government will cover foodservice establishments with 20 or more outlets, and includes alcoholic beverages, which are on menus and menu boards. Mixed drinks at the bar will be exempt. It will also encompass supermarkets, vending machine operators, convenience stores, amusement parks, and pizza parlors.

Even after published reminders by the government for the millions of patrons who have read the menu boards listing calorie counts, plus media coverage, the response

has been poor. The New York Times summed it up as follows: “Many studies find that menu labeling does very little to alter consumer behavior.”

The Times went on to point out a study closer to home. “Another study from this month was also on point. In New York City, menu label mandates began in 2008. Back then, people reported that they saw and used calorie counts more often than people did in restaurants without labels. However, every year after that, fewer and fewer people reported noticing them or considering them. Over time, consumers started to ignore the labels. More significantly, at no time did the labels lead to a reduction in the calories of what diners ordered. Even if people noticed the calorie counts, they did not change their behavior.”

And finally: “A systematic review, published this year, reviewed all the existing studies looking at menu labeling in the medical literature through October 2013,” and ultimately reported: “The Department of Agriculture’s Nutrition Evidence Library concluded that ‘limited and inconsistent evidence exists to support an association between menu calorie labels and food selection or consumption.’ ” So much for leading a horse to water.

This is my third column in the last 16 months dedicated to this issue.

Why, you may ask? Because in spite of this overwhelming evidence that

16 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

labeling is not working, the Food and Drug Administration continues to force chains with 20 or more outlets to prepare for menu labeling by December 31, 2016. In addition to mandating it, to the best of my knowledge no one has seen the regulations as to who will be enforcing it or what the punishment will be, if violated.

I think many people forget that this posting of calories was born in New York City in 2008, and by the time Congress passed the Affordable Care Act, it was included with very little fanfare and discussion and thus became a federal law.

In addition, I have yet to see an estimate from any reliable source as to how much it will cost for this development of calorie counts for dozens of food items and alcoholic beverages on a menu. Will these calorie estimates have to be certified and be available to inspectors? How much tolerance will be permitted?

If you think foodservice has a problem, just think what the supermarkets, convenience stores, vending machine operators, amusement parks, and pizza parlors face.

I would not be surprised to see any one or all of them seek relief in the courts.

This is the type of government control that the business community is urging be curtailed. Here we have a mandate that will cost millions for industries, it will impact the way they do business, and is — by

Fred G. Sampson is the retired President Emeritus of the New York State Restaurant Association. He began working with NYSRA in 1961.

Within the next four years the NYSRA more than tripled its membership and expanded from one regional chapter to eight. Sampson played roles in representing restaurants on issues including paid sick leave, minimum wage, liquor laws, a statewide alcohol training program and insurance plans. Comments may be sent to fredgsampson@juno.com

any stretch of the imagination — failing to accomplish its mission.

The last paragraph of the Professor Carroll report reads as follows: “We can help people make healthier choices in restaurants. Menu labeling might be the method of policy makers’ choice, but it might not be the proper prescription.”

This is a classic example of a present-day expression: “Don’t confuse us with the facts; our minds are already made up.”

W

re Resta

s Shop ant ur

he

®

RESTAURANT DEPOT

WE HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR YOUR RESTAURANT, CATERING & FOODSERVICE OPERATION Visit us at the

®

• Fresh & Frozen Meats • Provisions / Deli Meats • Fresh & Frozen Seafood • Farm Fresh Produce • Frozen & Refrigerated Foods • Groceries & Dry Goods • Domestic & Imported Cheeses • Full Line of Paper Products • Cleaning & Janitorial Supplies • Kitchen Equipment Wine & Spirits in Select Locations

International Restaurant & Foodservice Show Jacob Javits Convention Center, NYC

BOOTH #2244 MARCH 6-8, 2016

Wholesale only • Not open to the public Please bring your reseller’s permit on your first visit.

For Locations, Directions & Store Hours visit us at: www.restaurantdepot.com

We’re Hiring!

We’re Looking For:

EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES MANAGERS & BUYERS PURCHASING CLERKS & BUYERS WEBMASTER / CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS EQUIPMENT WEBSITE MANAGERS Send Resumé to: RDHiringEC@gmail.com All resumés will be kept confidential upon request

®

~ RESTA

UR ANT DEPOT~

The Nation’s Prem iere Foodservice Cash & Carry is look ing for dynamic, driven recruits to jo in our team.

With over 11 5 loca tions across the country, chances ar e you are just minutes away from your new career!

• Competitive Sa laries • Comprehensive Benefits Pack • Nationwide Opp ortunities • Equal Opportun ity Employer

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 17

18 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

Often Copied, Never Duplicated

The Original.

BOOTH #1844

Fisherman’s Pride® Fully Cleaned Calamari

THE PRIDE OF THE INDUSTRY”

“

RUGGIE RO S E A F OOD , I N C.

Distributors of Frozen Calamari and other Seafood Products

866-CALAMARI • www.RuggieroSeafood.com

Our Fisherman’s Pride® Calamari is 100% all natural, wild caught, and fully cleaned. Our offerings include domestic east coast Calamari as well as imported varieties from China, India, Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, and Peru. They are flash frozen within hours of harvest to preserve their freshness and sweet flavor making it the perfect Chef’s ingredient for any seafood dish. Fisherman’s Pride® exceeds the highest standards of quality and is used by some of the most reputable Chefs worldwide. Supervised under HACCP guidelines and the strictest of quality control for consistency, excellence, and value with every pound purchased.

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 19

COFFEE STRATEGIES

WITH JONATHAN WHITE

True “Craft” In Craft Coffee

W

hen I grew up, the word “craft” was always linked with “arts and”. Today, the word “craft” is attached to foods and beverages of all kinds. Craft beers, craft ice cream, and of course, “craft coffee”.

The “craft” designation has been used (and maybe overused) in so many contexts… but the definition from my childhood rings true- a “craft” is linked with “art”, requiring special, “hands on”, skills.

I recently toured Brooklyn to check out many coffee bars purporting to feature “craft coffee.”

Many of them are serving truly high quality brews.

But buyer beware- a fancy sign, an inflated price, a cool looking café, a unique brewing method, or an attractive website does not mean that the coffee is worth another cup.

How can you be sure that your “craft coffee” is truly “better quality coffee”? Don’t be afraid to ask these questions: Start with the green beans: First, who buys them? Do they have Q grading certification? Or if not, what expertise do they have? Coffee is the kind of world where people have lived it for generations- and that expertise is irreplaceable.

And second, where are the beans from- a unique story about “the beans on the side of this special hill” is often great - but you also have to be careful that the buying strategy is not so locked into a particular single farm that if that farm has a bad crop

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.

or becomes unreliable, that the entire product disappears.

Move on to the roast:- How do you know that every roast will be consistent? (hint- just having a hip roast master who watches every bean, as expert as they are, may not be enough if he/she is not there on any given day). A strong supplier needs to have a structure in place, greater than any one person, to insure the same results roast after roast.

Aside from the people who make the product, what formalized quality control system is in place to verify that the product is in specification every time? (including in-house objective monitoring, subjective

20 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

cupping, and third party testing).

Finally, what machinery is used to get the roast done? - A 12 kilo hand roaster is not the only machine that can do craft coffee - in fact, that degree of art may lead to inconsistency. But the system needs to involve “hands on oversight”, not a fully automated system.

Being craft shouldn’t mean being unsafe. Quality and food safety go hand in hand. What outside agencies review the roasting facility to insure compliance with federal, state and local regulations?

Hand in hand with the product is the brand. Brand alone without the product behind it won’t bring repeat customers and the web can make

any coffee look like the real thing.

But great coffee without any branding at any level (it doesn’t have to be retail) can be challenging. The brand needs a real story, with a true vision/mission/history behind it.

Longevity, past practices, innovation, and market presence are all part of it. At its core, is the brand genuine and made to last the test of time, rather than just a fad that will be gone in a matter of months?

To validate a brand with staying power, look for a diverse, real, longtime, client list. This reinforces that the company can not only talk the talk, but walk the walk, day in day out, over years of real business.

When all this is in place, the result is a true craft product, worthy of the art behind it. Then enjoy!

BOOTH #1425

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 21

NEWS

FOOD SAFETY

Chipotle’s Food Safety Crisis: 4 Lessons for Restaurants

W

hen customers leave your restaurant, you want them talking about your amazing food and service… not driving the porcelain bus! Chipotle knows about this far too well. Mild to violent gastrointestinal distress from E Coli, Salmonella or norovirus leaves more than a bad taste in your customers’ mouths.

Foodborne illness is Not a recipe for success!

Chipotle’s food safety issues began in the Northwest, causing the temporary closure of 43 outlets. At first glance, the supply chain appeared to be the primary issue. Yet Chipotle seemed unable to determine what food products (presumably produce) and which suppliers were delivering tainted product.

Then 140 reported cases of illness were linked to a Chipotle in Boston.

Then it was norovirus in Southern California. Then customers in the heartland and in Canada were reporting food poisoning, culminating in classaction lawsuits and a federal criminal investigation.

As more and more customers were seeking treatment for Salmonella, E Coli and norovirus after eating at Chipotle, it was clear the outbreaks were not just “isolated incidents” but a systemic problem. Chipotle’s sales began falling off with fourth-quarter same store sales dropping nearly 11%. And Chipotle’s stock went from a high of $624 in November 2015 down to $404 in mid-January, 2016.

To make public perception worse, Chipotle’s CEO, Steve Ells, was slow in

releasing a statement to the press.

“From the beginning, all of our food safety programs have met or exceeded industry standards. But recent incidents, an E. coli outbreak that sickened 52 people and a norovirus outbreak that sickened approximately 140 people at a single Chipotle restaurant in Boston, have shown us that we need to do better, much better,” Ells said in his mea culpa.

Yes, Mr. Ells, Chipotle can and must do much better!

For restaurant owners, studying Chipotle’s mistakes and missteps provides a bevy of food safety lessons.

Lessons from Chipotle’s Food Safety Crisis Lesson #1: Know your supply chain Supply chain management can be especially tricky for a brand like Chipotle which prides itself in “locally sourced” products. For a chain with vast geographical reach, multiple suppliers are used regionally. Just because food product is local or sustainable doesn’t mean it’s free of pathogens. E Coli can enter the food chain through meat, dairy, raw vegetables and fruits.

Restaurant Finance interviewed food safety attorney William Marler who said “a lot of times what happens is you get these big chains to make a contract with their supplier and it all becomes an issue of squeezing down on price, which is understandable, but you’re only as safe as the products coming into your restaurants,” said Marler.

Saving a bit of money on the front end through your supply chain is not

22 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

worth the savings if you’re putting your customers at risk!

Lesson #2: Food Handling Practices “Anytime health officials are dealing with food contaminated with pathogens such as E. Coli, Salmonella, and norovirus it can be serious to the public if immediate action is not taken.

The most effective way to prevent food poisoning incidents in the foodservice business is to develop a food safety culture within the company. Daily audit or inspection should be done to identify food safety infractions and to correct all infractions ASAP, as this can reduce food poisoning risk,” says Former Public Health Inspector, Jim Chan.

General food safety tips that reduce contamination and sickness: • Always store meat and perishables at the correct temperatures.

• All restaurant employees must abide by proper and frequent handwashing. This means washing with soap and hot water (at least 100 degrees).

• Cooking and storage surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized frequently.

This includes cutting boards, tabletops, containers and all utensils from knives to ice scoops.

Lesson #3: If you’re sick, stay home!

One of the class-action lawsuits, along with federal investigation, revolves around a sick kitchen manager at a Simi Valley, CA Chipotle location.

The employee was said to have “gastrointestinal symptoms”, yet was still working and handling food! Dozens of customers were diagnosed with

norovirus, which is transmitted by fecally contaminated food or water and spreads easily from person-to-person.

When you hear the words “food” and “fecal” in the same sentence, it makes you gag a little, right?

“Food safety starts with frontline food handlers all the way to the CEO and everyone must take their responsibilities seriously all the time. You don’t wait until an outbreak like this (Chipotle’s) to remind everyone about food safety as it’s too late and people are already sick,’’ Chan remarked.

Restaurants must have a firm policy against sick employees coming to work. Working paid sick days into your restaurant’s compensation plan is worth it! Not only will you have more loyal employees and less turnover, you avoid risking your customers’ health and your restaurant’s reputation.

Lesson #4: Training As staffing continues to be a problem in the restaurant space, staying on top of training new employees is an endless task… But imperative! Employees must have a firm grasp of personal hygiene, cross-contamination risks, sanitation, temperature control and allergens.

The simplest way to train new and existing restaurant staff is to have them certified through a program like ServSafe’s food handling and safety curriculum.

Lesson #5: Come clean with your customers and inspectors If your restaurant discovers a foodborne illness outbreak, the sooner

continued on page 109

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 23

NEWS

EXPANSION

Legendary Russ & Daughters Ink Pact To Bring Iconic Operation To Brooklyn

A

n iconic family-owned Jewish appetizing shop on Manhattan’s Lower East Side is opening a second retail location, in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Navy Yard announced last month that Russ & Daughters, founded in 1914, will be the anchor tenant of the forthcoming food hall at the massive Building 77.

The business will have 14,000 square feet on the ground floor of the renovated 16-story building.

Russ & Daughters, which has sold smoked fish and other Ashkenazi favorites from a small Houston

Street shop since 1920, is opening a 14,000-square-feet store in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

In addition to the planned new retail location, which is expected to add 30 jobs and a new bakery, Russ & Daughters in 2014 opened a cafe on the Lower East Side and will be opening a second one in The Jewish Museum.

The shop’s former owner, Mark Russ Federman, published a cookbook in 2013 called “Russ & Daughters: Reflections and Recipes from the House that Herring Built.”

The new store will be part of a new

get

“We are home to some of NY’s biggest and most innovative manufacturers and are continuing that tradition by adding Russ & Daughters to our community,” said Ehrenberg.

d r a o b on

24 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

800-333-9133 www.amnow.com/IRFSNY

60,000-square-foot food hall in the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s Building 77, which is undergoing an $80 million renovation. The venerable Lower East Side institution is set to make its presence known across the East River.

Brooklyn Navy Yard President & CEO David Ehrenberg called the Lower East Side appetizing shop a “quintessential New York institution.”

“We are home to some of NY’s biggest and most innovative manufacturers and are continuing that tradition

continued on page 109

booth #1231

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 25

26 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 27

NEWS

BEER SOLUTIONS

Want More Beers On Tap? Use The Space Saving Magic Of A Remote Beer System

B

eer choice is exploding! Between domestics, crafts, and imports there has never been a time where more is better, especially if you want to keep the customer coming back for variety. Whether owner, manager or bartender, you’ve probably spent time pondering the pros and cons of different beer dispense systems.

You’ve probably thought about a kegerator under the bar counter, where it’s very near the faucet. This is appealing because it reduces the likelihood of temperature problems, foam, and wasted product.

But do you really want to cart your beer kegs through a crowd of customers? And, more important will that provide enough variety on tap?

You’ve also probably considered a remote dispense system, where the kegs are stored in a walk-in cooler and beer is delivered to the faucets through beer lines hundreds of feet away. How can you be sure the beer maintains a consistent temperature over the length of the tubing? The slightest change in temperature can cause foaming and quality problems at the faucet.

Maintaining beer temperature is the role of trunk line, to deliver cold beer to the faucet. Trunk line is

specially insulated beer tubing (“python”) that weaves through the attic or floor of a building carrying beer from the keg cooler to the faucet. Unlike normal beer lines, trunk line can dispense beer long distances with no foam waste while maintaining product quality and temperature.

Not all python is created equal, though. To truly maintain temperature consistency, you need a highquality python. Trunk line protects the investment you’ve made in bringing in keg beer.

Look beer tubing in the python to have an inner bonded liner that is designed to be an extension of the keg. This liner protects the brewers’ art while transporting it to the cus-

28 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

tomer’s glass at the desired temperature. Think of the tubing as being glass-lined, as if you were picking up the keg and pouring the beer directly into the glass.

Do you want two beers or 20 beers dispensed? No problem: trunk line is available with up to 20 product tubes and either 1/4”, 5/16” or 3/8” inside diameter. Also look for the following in trunk line: it should be designed and manufactured to eliminate heat fostering condensation build-up with a tight vapor barrier wrap. The foil and insulation layers keep the cold inside, where it belongs, making it very effective at maintaining temperature.

Remote draught system install-

ers look for the outer jacket (or tape layer) of the trunk line to reduce friction as it protects the inner bundle. This allows an installer to push it through a building’s conduit or chase system, whereas most other products - particularly ones constructed with copper tubing - must be pulled though, which is undesirable as it can result in increased labor cost and potential damage to the trunk line.

Look for an inner barrier lining of the product tubing inside the trunk line bundle that is so slick that it will not allow beer spoilers to imbed themselves, as they have with other trunk lines that utilize simple polyethylene line. Line cleaning chemicals are expensive, and line cleaners are busy… they don’t have all day to try and circulate buckets of cleaner through an inferior trunk line (which should actually have been replaced at the first sign of offtaste beer)!

Whether you’re considering a new install or an upgrade, consider investigating the quality of trunk line available on the market. Choosing the right trunk line is a great way to enhance and maintain beer quality, lower operating costs, and increase overall profits…on what is already a very profitable beverage!

DESIGN. MANUFACTURE. INSTALL.

ON TAP POSSIBILITIES DISPENSING SYSTEMS FOR BEER, WINE, WATER, AND COFFEE

Drafting Solutions from Keg to Glass.

Need a beer system? Draft beer equipment delivered in one day!

Doug Wetmore - Metro New York/New Jersey Sales Rep (610) 751-0285 (866) 327-4159 // www.micromatic.com February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 29

Q&A

EXCLUSIVE FOODSERVICE INTERVIEW

Drew Nieporent Founder and Owner of Myriad Restaurant Group

H

ow did you get into the business?

My mother was a child actress, then in radio and theater. My father worked as an attorney for the New York State Liquor Authority licensing restaurants so he was friendly with some of the most iconic restaurateurs of the ‘60s. I was exposed to every nationality as a kid.

I was exposed to restaurants very very early.

What was it that you liked about it?

It was everything, the personalities, the food, because I just loved food!

I took a job at McDonald’s in high school. I was the quarter pounder grill man. I got into Cornell Hotel Administration and that basically allowed me to enter the school of hard knocks, the work experience that I had.

What was the experience like at Cornell? What did you come out with?

Cornell provides an extraordinary education in the hospitality world.

They teach all the discipline, the finance and law and business principles and also cooking classes. The education at Cornell was as multi-ethnic as the student body was. You’re an 18-year-old kid, a freshman, and the first day meeting a kid from the Bahamas or South Africa or Hawaii really added up to a tremendous education.

You’re going to receive the Torch

we’ve done over the years is provide people with a living wage. It doesn’t resonate with me. I do understand the fight in restaurants for workers where the tips are marginal but in our restaurants, our staff is making excellent money.

Drew Nieporent entertaining guests at one of his restaurants.

Award from Master Chef Ferdinand Metz at the IRFSNY show. What does that mean to you?

I have a high regard for Ferdinard Metz, what he started and how he’s always been a very good example of our industry, someone with high standards and discipline. He’s the motivation behind the award. If you take the word “torch,” it’s the light that guides the way. I like that. When I look back on it in a career where I’ve opened close to 40 restaurants all around the world, I’ve offered tremendous opportunities to thousands of people in all parts of the industry.

ness. It was more like a lifestyle. You could operate in NY with very low rent, overhead was reasonable so you could pass on an extraordinary food value to your guests. Now the unfortunate truth is that every cost has not only risen, but it’s doubled, tripled.

Eating out has become a very expensive proposition. I’m never one to be gloom and doom but there is a factor of doom and gloom when you just can’t keep raising your prices and expect your volume to stay the same. So when there’s a drop off in volume and a raise in prices, that’s not a very good financial recipe.

How has the industry changed?

The intention early on when people opened bars or taverns or eateries, it wasn’t looked upon as a busi-

What do you think about the whole living wage thing?

When I hear people talk about, people should have a living wage, what

30 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

How has the city changed, this whole Brooklyn thing that has happened, the West Village? What’s your read on what NY looks like today?

The good news is that NY is a safer place so people are venturing into neighborhoods where they might not have gone before and the businesses starting there are seeing rents generally being low there – my own MO in Tribeca in 1985. It’s great, there’s all these neighborhoods that never had a marketplace for restaurants, like the Lower East Side, Brooklyn, the meat district. What unfortunately it’s done to some of us has diluted the pool a little so we have to work that much harder to get people to come to our doorstep. NY is a fabulous place, the premier restaurant town because there’s always this different neighborhood and ethnic restaurant proliferate everywhere. Our generation raised the bar to where this generation is really putting out excellent food.

What do you think that’s a result of?

The schools, the education, the guys like myself, the restaurateur commu-

continued on page 32

BOOTHS #1931 + 1945

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 31

Q&A Drew Nieporent, from page 30 nity who have raised the bar considerably. If you look at the family tree of chefs that came out of Montrachet, or Tribeca Grill, keep opening their own restaurants, it’s pretty prolific.

You’ve opened restaurants all over the country. What makes NY different?

There’s never a moment of boredom, never a second, it’s almost like you can’t expire the list. The minute you think you’ve been on top of everything, you think I haven’t been to Momofuku’s new place or Virginia’s in the village. There’s always something.

You have a love of sports and have been able to merge that passion with several concession projects with Citi Field and MSG. Part of the Myriad idea was to do a lot of different things with different people. Partnerships are very impor-

tant to us. That we have accomplished people and that our goals align, that’s why we call ourselves the Myriad Restaurant.

How do the dynamics of doing a concession differ from a restaurant?

Well, the risks that are involved.

When we put our own money into something and pay the rent, obviously that’s different than if we lend our name and expertise to a management deal or some sort of consulting arrangement. When you’re in someone else’s building, it’s their rules. We’re risk-averse. We prefer deals where there’s no risk involved.

One key to your success is you have had very gifted culinary and operating partners. What’s the strategy for finding the right partner?

When we say strategic partner, it depends obviously on the part of the

32 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

country we’re going to, but we look for someone who’s going to be honest and forthright and from the very beginning if there’s any indication that that’s not the case, we say no. So far we’ve never entered into a deal where we’ve had partnership problems.

When you walk a show, what are you looking for?

I walk the aisle. A lot of the reason I go is to run into people I haven’t seen in a long time. If I’m going to operate a new restaurant, I’m looking at equipment and the materials I might want.

Generally speaking, it’s a chance to see the food community at large.

You’ve designed many kitchens. When you look at a piece of space, what’s your thought behind how you’re going to design a kitchen?

I’ve learned that most of our restaurants are chef-driven. We really

need the chef to weigh in in terms of the equipment and how it’s going to relate to the menu of that restaurant.

The chef drives the spec. What’s most important is that we don’t neglect some of the areas like ware washing and storage. You need to keep an eye on that. Over the year it’s become a little onerous.

Do you have a kitchen designer you go to for that expertise?

We work with a number of people.

Over the years we’ve worked with different people. Now that there’s 32 Nobus around the world, it’s not all cookie-cutter. But there are certain things we do that work well for us.

You’re off to the Super Bowl next week. You’ve been involved with “Taste of the NFL.” How did that start

continued on page 34

We’re about to plate up an amazing leasing program.

Since 1857

Introducing the Montague® Technostar® ZERO Percent Lease.

Montague is making it even easier for you to enjoy Technostar quality in your kitchen with an equipment lease program that guarantees ZERO % interest and zero out of pocket cash.

Waste zero time and contact Montague today to get all the details on the powerful, heavy-duty Technostar Restaurant Range line and this phenomenal leasing opportunity.

montaguecompany.com

MADE IN USA

THE MONTAGUE COMPANY • 1830 STEARMAN AVE • HAYWARD, CA 94545 • 800 345-1830 • WWW.MONTAGUECOMPANY.COM

18976 P4C Zero Lease TFT v3.indd 1

1/27/16 9:13• AM February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com 33

Q&A Drew Nieporent, from page 32 and what do you hope to get out of that relationship?

We do an enormous amount of charity.

Why? Just being part of the community.

I learned a long time ago that if you talk the talk you got to walk the walk.

All the things we do, first and foremost we do them because the charities need that support. Then if it throws off some residual good will, that’s fine.

But that’s not what we’re looking for.

It’s just being a part of the community and just making sure we do our part.

From a vendor standpoint, do you look to build loyalty with food vendors or do you look to go out to bid on a regular basis? What’s that relationship look like?

We’ve been very loyal to our purveyors. When you hire a new purchasing

guy or back of the house guy, it’s inevitable that they beat up on everyone to get the best prices. You do settle into a little pattern that doesn’t necessarily work out on your own behalf.

But we’ve had an extraordinary run.

Tribeca is 25 years and Montrachet, a little over 30 years ago. I think we’re very loyal to a certain number of our purveyors.

What about technology in your restaurants? Do you look for iPads to take the place of POS? We’re still in the world of the POS systems that we’ve owned for a long time. I’m not a big iPad person for all the ordering, but anything that creates a greater efficiency for the guest is something we would look at. The more you see it today, guests want less personal service than more. At some point, you might have to recognize that they might be more comfortable

34 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

pressing a button to order rather than deal with waiters.

You worked for Warner LeRoy. What was that like? How has that affected who you are today?

He was a terrific guy. He was flamboyant at a time when there were not a lot of restaurateurs like that. He made a decision to create atmospheres like a three-ring circus. Bar in the middle, maybe more casual space on the corner, street side. Back of the restaurant with a room that mimicked Maxim’s of Paris. It was a veritable three-ring circus. At the end of the day the menus were enormous. I look back, I don’t know how we did it. But I know having worked there, whether Tavern on the Green or Maxwell’s Plum, he really drove people to higher standards.

In a positive way?

Yes. There were times when he

wasn’t realistic, he’d hire a chef from the Cunard in London and would expect that that would somehow translate into 3-star food for 2,000 people a day. We were a volume restaurant.

But when we finally settled in with people who could handle the volume and still produce high-quality, that’s when the restaurant shined the brightest. George Lang had a big impact on me.

What’s next?

There are a few things on the horizon, I always want things in special places, maybe something on the water, on a tall floor of a building. I have a couple things up my sleeve.

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 35

SCOOP Tom Valenti Named Culinary Director of Strip House Westminster Hotel in Livingston Scoop hears that Livingston’s Strip House at Westminster Hotel officially named seasoned chef, restaurateur and author Tom Valenti as its new Culinary Director, with oversight of the Hotel’s banquet and catering offerings, in 2016. Although the chef has deep roots in some of New York City’s best restaurants and has lived in Stanhope, NJ since 2009, this will be Valenti’s first New Jersey project.

Strip House Westminster Hotel, which received a 3.5-star review from “New Jersey Monthly” and is known for its prime cuts of meat, pristine seafood, signature sides and wine list, is enthusiastic about the change. “We’re delighted that Tom will be introducing some of his signature dishes at Strip House,” said Penny Glazier, Owner/ Operator of Strip House. “Equally important, he is reviewing, tasting and refining our banquet and catering menus.” According to Strip House, Valenti will also partner with Mathew Glazier in a new restaurant in NYC’s West Village (opening spring 2016).

Glazier, one of the owners, is also responsible for corporate and social

INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE catering activity at Westminster Hotel in addition to room service and owns Michael Jordan’s The Steak House N.Y.C. in Grand Central Terminal.

“Our culinary and business sensibilities are quite similar, so there’s a great fit,” said Valenti, who developed his love of cooking from his Italian immigrant grandparents. “Strip House already delivers an excellent steak house experience. I see my role not as reinventing but rather supporting the culinary team by giving them the tools and education needed to consistently deliver a superior product.”

Restaurant in Brooklyn Sells 24K Gold Flake Doughnuts for $100 Each Scoop says this year doughnuts will now cost more than just calories.

Williamsburg’s Manila Social Club presents The Golden Cristal Ube Donut, adorned with Cristal champagne icing, filled with ube mousse and champagne jelly, and sprinkled with 24K gold flakes for $100 each. Since founder and Chef Björn Dela Cruz posted a picture of their final product on Instagram last month, the golden doughnuts have surged in popularity, encouraging belt-notching New

36 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

Manila Social Club presents The Golden Cristal Ube Donut.

Yorkers to order them by the dozen for $1200.

The idea of making the golden donut started in an event where Dela Cruz had to present a unique doughnut for the gathering with the coordination of a brewery business. “The Golden Cristal Ube Donut came along because there is a brewery in Bushwick called Braven Brewery, and we know the owners Marshall and Erik. We both started our businesses around the same time. We had a doughnut event where I unveiled a doughnut with icing made with Braven White IPA, dusted with gold.

That was the beginning of the golden

doughnut idea,” Dela Cruz said. He pursued the idea because Dela Cruz believes that the latest trend in New York City gourmet scene is innovation. So he decided to do an experiment with their present product, an ordinary yam-based doughnut, and transform it into something special and expensive. “I tell my staff, look, if we want to make something really expensive, all we have to do is buy a bunch of Kobe beef, wrap it in foie gras, deep fry it, and cover it in gold.

The reason why we do this is because we’re not a doughnut shop. The golden doughnuts were only intended to be a holiday treat for their customers.

But it goes to show that New Yorkers are embracing and loving how Dela Cruz has reinvented their circular snack to the next level. Because of the demand, there has been enough interest for Dela Cruz to continue creating this doughnut throughout the year. “I wanted to add something to the menu for the New Year to celebrate how long we have been going. I didn’t know people would go and order a dozen of these at a time! But then again, it is New York, and there are people willing to put down a grand for a dozen doughnuts.”

Chef Jeremy Ford

South Beach Comes To Long Beach Scoop notes straight from Miami’s Matador Room comes Jeremy Ford, a 2016 competitor of Bravo TV’s Top Chef. He collaborated in the kitchen with Chef de cuisine Dave MacLennan for a one-time-only dinner event at James Republic in Long Beach last month. If you’re wondering what the heck is the Matador Room, be assured it’s a pretty fancy high caliber place under the auspices of renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten who’s Trump Hotel restaurant, Jean-Georges, is among only five restaurants to be awarded three stars in New York City

and whose company has created the highly regarded Pump Room in Chicago, JG in Tokyo and his namesake restaurant in Shanghai. So you know Chef Jeremy must have some pretty great cooking chops for a guy who started his career at 16 peeling vegetables in a restaurant kitchen (it was the fourstar Matthew’s in San Marco, Florida, though). He later moved on to work and learn from the kitchens at the now closed L’Orangerie and under Chef Joachim Splichal of Patina. This guy is no light weight. A few of the tastes from extravaganza were: Scallop crudo anointed with beet vinaigrette, followed by a crab fritter and its garnish of Asian pear, endive and black pepper sauce. Next, a salad of mushrooms and pine nuts (not to be mistaken for peanuts) tossed with mustard greens and tarragon dressing. And that’s just for starters and one of the desserts was a silky honey panna cotta.

Veg ‘Out’ For NYC Foodies Scoop hears that this is New York’s veggie moment. There are lines outside the vegan mecca By Chloe. Dirt Candy has moved to a bigger space.

Jean-Georges Vongerichten is getting ready to open his vegetarian eat-

ery ABCV, and every other ambitious restaurant in town has a vegan option on its menu. So the strongest El Nino ever couldn’t have hit at a worse time, changing weather and rainfall patterns, reducing the bounty from California and Arizona and driving up prices. “Cauliflower has tripled in price from under $20 a case to about $60,” says Enrico Proietti, owner of the Upper East Side Italian restaurant Bella Blu. “The vegetables that need a lot of water have been affected the most.”

Some hot spots are raising prices, but most are taking signature items off their menus. Many restaurant chefs are getting creative or just eating the cost so it’s not passed on to customers.

The restaurant Butter is still serving its signature cauliflower steak, but has also added more veggie alternatives like rutabaga and brown-butter ravioli to take up some of the demand.

Paulie Gee’s Acclaimed Brooklyn Pizzeria Sets Sites On Windy City Scoop notes a cult favorite Brooklyn pizzeria is finally solidifying plans for its Chicago location. Paulie Gee’s, a member of Eater National’s Pizza 38 that announced multi-

city expansion plans more than two years ago that included Chicago, has finally hooked onto a space - in Logan Square. The pizzeria is heading to 2451 N. Milwaukee Avenue, displacing shuttered Latin restaurant and dance club Candela Latin Cuisine & Bar. Famous for its woodfired Neapolitan pies, Paulie Gee’s original location is in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn and owner and head pizzaioli Paulie Giannone has since expanded the brand to Baltimore, Miami, and Columbus, OH. The franchised Chicago location will be owned and operated by Derrick Tung, known in these parts for running the suburban mobile pizza spot Za Pi. Giannone is hesitant to predict a specific opening timeframe for the Logan Square outpost, although he writes that “I would think late spring is a fairly safe bet.” Stay tuned.

continued on page 38

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 37

Scoop, from page 37

East End Chefs Help Fight Pediatric Cancer at Love Bites

Chef Pete Ambrose

Scoop notes that Southampton Village Mayor Mark Epley and his wife Marianne served as the honorary chairpersons for last month’s Love Bites benefit foodie event, honoring Children’s Museum of the East End President Stephen Long, Sag Harbor kindergarten teacher Nina Landi, and Dr. Diane Reidy-Lagunes, Co-Director of the Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York City.

More than 30 of the best Hamptons

chefs, restaurants and caterers hosted tables featuring their signature dishes at the event, including chef Joe Realmuto, Chef Chen of Momi Ramen; Sam McClelland of Bell & Anchor; Brent Newsom; 230 Elm; Art of Eating; The Meeting House; Arthur Wolf of Smokin’ Wolf; Harvest On Fort Pond; Backbar Grille; Lobster Grille; Dina’s Delights; Ketchum SeaFarm’s Matt Ketchum; Silver Spoon Specialties; Tully’s Seafood Market & Café; Hampton Coffee Company; Edible Encores; Erica’s Rugelach & Baking Company; Golden Pear; Chef Joe Cipro; Saaz Indian restaurant; and Pete Ambrose

of Endless Summer Catering, who served as the event’s chef chairperson. Along with the fabulous food, guests enjoyed a full open bar, auction and music from DJ Boogie.Love Bites was held at The Muses at the Greek Orthodox Church in Southampton in memory of Sag Harbor’s Katy Stewart, who died at 12 years old of hepatoblastoma, a rare liver cancer, and in honor of 8-year-old Scarlett James, who has just finished two years of chemotherapy at MSKCC for a rare form of pediatric lymphoma.

BOOTH #1652

continued on page 40 38 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 39

PACKAGING STRATEGIES

WITH BOOTH #1813

What About Your Bags?

E

very day as you run your local restaurant or foodservice operation, we know that you have “a full plate” pardon the expression.

So most restaurateurs could be excused for not thinking much about their doggie or takeout bag needs. We would like to share our thoughts on why taking a couple of minutes to rethink your bags could turn out to be a nice addition to your 2016 P&L. The right sized bags are not only highly functional but will also act as an advertising tool at the same time. In an era where branding is key, wouldn’t it be nice for your food to be delivered the same way that the chef packed them prior to leaving your location? Whether you are using plastic or aluminum – round or square containers – together with your distributor, we here at Shiprite will help you determine the right bags to accommodate your containers.

Shiprite has 25 years of experience in the flexible Packaging industry, fulfilling the needs of manufacturers, co-packers and retailers with custom printed film and bags and now focused on the foodservice industry and their needs. Working together with broad line distributers, we are changing the way food is delivered to the masses.

Today’s consumer wants a responsible and sustainable approach to

protecting our environment while using a lower cost, convenient and disposable product. These bags are Biodegradable and just as strong as ever. They are not affected by moisture and can be used over and over again.

We encourage you to find a source that specializes in bag design. It would be best to work with a team that combines the expertise of an experienced distributor that has a design relationship with a bag manufacturer. With that strategy, you have access to a team with a distributor that is out on the street every day creating solutions for customers and a manufacturer who has a feel for both design and most importantly the right materials to create the right bag.

Our bags are designed to fit your containers properly, FLAT on the bottom to help avoid the risk of food

40 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

spills and leaks. The ability to make the bag ANY size will almost insure that the food will arrive in good condition and since nothing spilled, the user will retain the bag and use it again creating a walking advertising tool, for you the foodservice operator.

Our goal from years of working with top distributors and even their smallest of restaurant and bakery customers is to help you ask the right questions.

What about your bags?

Determining the right size bag, depends on the container or box that is being filled with your food products. I always refer back to how the needs of our bakery customers have evolved. When muffins and cupcakes were getting big, customers at bakeries were not being offered a bag that was flat on the bottom to accommodate their 10- or 12-inch cake boxes

or muffin trays. All too often, customers leaving a high-end bakery would be holding the cake by the bottom or a string wrapped around the box, or worse yet, the product was put in the bag sideways. So we designed a bag with new dimensions and support that made sure that every cake made it to the party in perfect condition.

The other issue that we often hear is quantity! All too often a customer is being told that they must order 25,000 – 50,000 – 100,000 bags as a minimum order. Not with Shiprite – with minimum orders as low as 3,000 bags – custom printed with your logo!

We have built our business around the ability to deliver the right quantity for your operation and the distributor that serves you. You can also eliminate many problems by making certain that the distributor you are working with is an authorized distributor for the line... in our case “Shiprite.”

Let us know how we can help... and tune in next month when we talk about creating a simple and effective ad message on your restaurant’s bags.

Mayer Schlisser is President and CEO of New Jersey based Shiprite Packaging. He welcomes questions at mayer@shipritebags.com

BOOTH #1601

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 41

NEWS

SERVICE INNOVATION

NJ’s Purse Perch Debuts Innovative Solution To Maximize Customer Dining Experience

I

t started out as a simple annoyance when dining out. However, when vacationing in Mexico, Richard Spindler and his friend Victor and their wives noticed in every restaurant that a stand or a perch was placed near the table on which women placed their handbags.

“We were all enthused at being able to secure our personal things, totes, handbags, hats on it and then being able to enjoy a meal unencumbered,” he recalls. “When you go out with your wife or a girlfriend, the first thing they worry about is where to put their handbag. What do I do with it; do I put

it on the floor? The back of the chair?

The table itself? On my lap?”

Spindler said they noticed this perch everywhere they went. “And my wife was beating me on the head, saying, ‘why have we never seen this in the U.S.?’ We went to Paris six months later and supposedly it’s a sophisticated city. We didn’t see a purse perch anywhere, in any restaurant, no matter the price point. I was scratching my head, I couldn’t believe this. Here, in the height of elegance and sophistication, there is nothing like a purse perch that caters to a woman’s comfort and security,” he says.

The Purse Perch was born.

At first Spindler and his friend visualized this as a hospitality piece and as a furniture accessory. “We saw it in Mexico and felt that the hospitality piece has to be the primary target in the U.S.,” Spindler notes. “But we found that it has multiple targets.”

“Primarily it is restaurants and hotels, yes. But secondary markets exist.

In Mexico, there’s a major department store that’s like the Macy’s of Mexico and next to their furniture department they had an area 10 ft. by 30 ft. that housed these perches of various designs and materials, being sold direct

to the consumer as a home product for organizing in the home. Another target market is beauty supply, women going to salons, and what do they do with the handbags?”

“But there’s more to this than just convenience. A study done by Fox News in 2006, came out with an analysis of where women placed their handbags: on the floor in a restaurant or a restroom. And the results of the tests showed that 1 out of 4 had E.coli bacteria from putting them on the floor.

Then, that handbag is brought home,

continued on page 96

Details & Dimensions • The Purse Perch is manufactured in Mexico, made of high-quality tubular steel and extremely durable high-grade plastic.

• Height is 42½”– a perfect height to allow maximum stacking of handbags, briefcases and hats, yet still be unobtrusive within your décor.

• Weight is only 3.2 lbs, yet is capable of holding approximately 10 plus handbags or totes, while supporting a weight of 100 lbs plus.

• We minimize freight costs by packing the unassembled Purse Perch in a shippable box with dimensions of 30 ½” long x 7 ½” wide x 2 ½” deep.

BOOTH #2067

Easy assembly in minutes

www.purseperch.com What is The Purse Perch?

Corporate The Purse Perch Inc. 4 Floyd Wycoff Road Headquarters Morganville, NJ 07751

Now hiring distributors and reps, please call 908-692-0054.

42 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

The Purse Perch is the comfort zone for those who carry a handbag, briefcase, or a hat into a restaurant, hotel, office, salon, or into a home or bedroom. As it stands close by you, The Purse Perch is the perfect location to relieve concern for your personal belongings until you are ready to leave.

Support a weight of 100 lbs plus

42½” Great balance when supporting weight

VISIT US AT THE INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT & FOODSERVICE SHOW OF NEW YORK

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center March 6-8 BOOTH #2301

New England Clam Chowder GLUTEN FREE

Deliciously Simple

Blount offers gourmet quality, simple ingredient soups in wide-ranging varieties from seafood favorites to international recipes to indulgent comfort foods. Elevate the dining experience with simple boil-in-bag preparation. Less labor, more profit!

With Blount, you can get more because we do more.

To learn more about our artisan-crafted soups call, 800.274.2526 or visit blountfinefoods.com

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 43

INSURANCE

FIORITO ON INSURANCE

Restaurant Safety: The Back of Your House

R

estaurant employees are often hired with very little formal safety training discussed during orientation, and in many cases, rarely thereafter.

Usually management, for perfectly sound reasons, stresses the importance of customer service and ensuring the “front of the house” looks presentable at all times. However, there are many safety concerns in any restaurant that are prevalent in order to prevent injuries and accidents from occurring.

With some of the most expensive workers’ compensation claims at restaurants occurring in the “back of the house,” focusing merely on maximizing revenue in the “front of the house” can lead to a number of issues that could negatively affect employee health and safety including: • Blocked exits and fire extinguishers • Falling objects • Slip/trip hazards • Material handling • Damaged equipment • Electrical hazard • Cuts and burns

Even in a guaranteed cost program (where your insurance company pays first dollar); a poor loss history will cause your premiums to increase substantially and potentially be dropped by your insurance carrier. Indirect costs are often equal to the direct costs of the injury or higher.

OSHA, for example, has a cost model that assumes indirect losses will be 125% of direct losses, for the average business. Typical indirect costs can include the hiring of new employees, training new/existing employees, reduced productivity and potential OSHA fines.

Formal restaurant policies and procedures are instrumental in reducing the risk of employee injuries.

The following list of best practices is recommended: • Implement pre-hire screen-

For restaurateurs that have high deductible insurance programs, the direct costs are reflected immediately when you pay for the loss. For large losses that surpass the deductible, the claim history will drive up pricing for the insurance policy at renewal, similar to how a guaranteed cost program works.

44 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

ings for new hires.

• Identify key focus areas for safety improvement and develop action plans to raise awareness and control hazards.

• Ensure minimum safety standards for restaurant operations, i.e. conducting safety inspections, use of personal protective equipment, 2-person lift for heavy items, etc.

• Ensure all employees are expected to perform their tasks in a safe manner and keep an “open door” policy for safety concerns.

• Monitor and report on safety performance to all employees; i.e. tracking of open vs. closed safety action items.

• Consider safety aspects for new equipment, new construction, and modifications such as floor replacement materials.

It is also strongly encouraged that

Robert Fiorito serves as Vice President, HUB International Northeast, where he specializes in providing insurance brokerage services to the restaurant industry. As a 20-year veteran and former restaurateur himself, Bob has worked with a wide array of restaurant & food service businesses, ranging from fast-food chains to upscale, “white tablecloth” dining establishments.

For more information, please visit www.hubfiorito.com

restaurateurs conduct and document formal safety self-inspections by managers with employees. When management is involved at this level, there is a better understanding of existing safety hazards, and they have the authority to take action to address these hazards.

Safety education plays a large role in injury prevention. Training typically can be done in pre-shift meetings and supplemented with online safety training. The key is to engage managers and employees to improve safety in the restaurant with the same diligence of customer service, quality and cost.

Implementing these established practices will help to build a stronger safety culture in your organization, and reduce your total cost of risk through fewer injuries and lower insurance rates. Contact your broker to help you develop and implement a comprehensive risk management program for your restaurant.

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 45

C-CAP TRADE TALK

WITH JOYCE APPELMAN

Acclaimed Chef Daniel Humm to Receive the C-CAP Honors Award at Annual Benefit Over Forty Chefs Gather for a Grand Tasting to Honor Humm and Raise Funds for Culinary Scholarships and Educational Programs

D

aniel Humm, executive chef and co-owner of Eleven Madison Park and The Nomad, will be honored at the annual Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) benefit on Wednesday, March 9, at Chelsea Piers’ Pier Sixty. Humm will receive the C-CAP Honors Award, an award granted to individuals within the culinary industry for exceptional leadership and achievements. Funds raised will support the national notfor-profit’s mission of providing job training, scholarships, education, career opportunities and lifetime career guidance in the culinary arts to disadvantaged youth.

The event will feature tastings from forty-three renowned chefs from around New York City including Markus Glocker of Bâtard, Dan Barber of Blue Hill NY & Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Jason Atherton & Ross of The Clocktower, Rich Torrisi of Dirty French, Gabriel Kreuther of Gabriel Kreuther, and Jose Garces of Amada NYC. Assisting the chefs will be more than 60 New York City C-CAP high school students and alumni, eager to put their mark on the culinary world.

The Chair for this year’s event is Will Guidara, co-owner of Eleven Madison Park and The NoMad. The Vice Chairs are Mark Weiss and Susan and Richard Grausman, and the Chef Chair will be Marcus Samuelsson. WCBS-TV News Anchorman Maurice DuBois will be

Joyce Appelman, is the National Communications Director for CCAP, Careers through Culinary Arts Program in New York, NY. She has been instrumental in opening career opportunities for many young people

the Master of Ceremonies. The festivities will include both a live and silent auction run by Auctioneer Billy Harris.

“C-CAP transforms lives by arming at-risk youth with the skills they need to succeed in culinary arts,” said Susan Robbins, C-CAP’s President. “The new co-chairs of C-CAP’s Board of Directors Marcus Samuelsson and Mark Weiss are overseeing the Benefit to ensure that C-CAP continues to help thousands of qualified students across the country, from culinary education in high schools to career placement assistance upon graduation. We are so proud to note that since 1990, we have awarded over $46 million in scholarships and will continue to nurture the next generation of star chefs.”

“We are thrilled to honor Daniel

Chef Daniel Humm

46 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

Humm for his remarkable achievements and contributions to the industry and his commitment to culinary innovation,” said Richard Grausman, C-CAP’s Founder and Chairman Emeritus. “I never dreamed that my idea in 1990 to teach French cooking in twelve New York City public schools would become what it is today. We now have thousands of C-CAP alumni across the globe demonstrating the true potential in all of us and impacting the lives of a whole new generation of chefs. I’m so proud of each and every one of our students – they continue to impress me every day.”

Humm, a native of Switzerland, began his cooking career when he was only 14 years old. After spending time in the finest Swiss kitchens, including Restaurant Pont de Brent, where he met his mentor, Chef Gérard Rabaey, Humm moved to the Unites States in 2003. He worked as executive chef at San Francisco’s Campton Place, before moving to New York in 2006 to work with Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. In 2011, Humm and his partner, Will Guidara, acquired Eleven Madison Park from USHG. Currently, Humm is the executive chef and co-owner of Eleven Madison Park and The NoMad; both restaurants have earned Michelin stars. Humm creates modern, sophisticated cuisine that emphasizes purity, simplicity, and seasonal ingredients. A classicist who embraces contemporary gastronomy,

in the foodservice industry. Email her at joyceappelman@gmail.com

Humm’s delicate and precise cooking style is expressed through constantly evolving menus that celebrate New York State’s rich terroir.

“The benefit is our most powerful way in one evening to make a huge difference in the lives of so many young students,” says Marcus Samuelsson, C-CAP’s Board of Directors Co-Chair, and this year’s benefit Chef Chair. “As a chef and longtime supporter of CCAP’s work, this is an extraordinary program that benefits both its remarkable recipients, and the growing market and demand for skilled talent.”

Past recipients of the C-CAP Honors Award include: Richard Parsons and Alexander Smalls, Michael White, Tony May, Michael McCarty, Michael Lomonaco, Marcus Samuelsson, Drew Nieporent, Alfred Portale, Lidia Bastianich, Thomas Keller, Charlie Palmer, Danny Meyer & Michael Romano, Daniel Boulud, Jacques Pepin, Egidiana & Sirio Maccioni, Nina & Tim Zagat, and Saul Zabar & Stanley Zabar.

The C-CAP Benefit is open to the public. Tickets for general admission are $550 (limited availability); Tickets for VIP admission are $700 and $1,000.

For tickets, more information about the event, and sponsorship opportunities, call 212-974-7111 or visit www. ccapinc.org.

BOOTH #1902

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 47

CHEFCETERA

UP CLOSE WITH METRO NY CHEFS

Andrew Whitcomb Chef, Colonie NYC

C

hef Andrew Whitcomb began cooking at the age of thirteen in the kitchens of his hometown in Maine.

Growing up in the countryside, positioned in between sweeping coastlines and snow-topped mountains, he was very aware of his rural surroundings. From the adjacent farmlands and farmer markets to his parent’s gardens, local and sustainable produce played an important role in his life. After a brief stint at the University of Southern Maine, Andrew decided to pursue his passion and left to enroll at the Culinary Institute of America. After graduation, Andrew moved to New York where, in order to jump-start his culinary career, he read every important cookbook on the market from The French Laundry to The Fat Duck. Andrew began working at Colonie shortly thereafter as a line cook and quickly moved his way up the ranks to now overseeing the seasonal menu nightly. At Colonie, Andrew has developed meaningful relationships with his suppliers, making sure to use the best and the freshest ingredients from growers who are practicing smart and sustainable farming. Andrew has even begun intensive gardening at home, where he is experimenting with growing herbs and obscure heirloom vegetable varietals.

Who or what was your inspiration to start a career in this industry and what led you to New York City?

Living in Maine was very hard. Half the year it’s very busy, the other half is deathly slow. Many jobs are seasonal, so you are sent scrambling to find employment in the colder months. I got sick of the cycle and decided to move to NYC after looking at a few other places in the country. I felt NYC offered the most in terms of exposure and accessibility to great food.

What have been some of the biggest challenges in your career?

Right now, the staffing crisis is the hardest part of the job. People don’t show up, quit unexpectedly, the staff we were able to find is either under trained and looking for more money, or the lack of motivation is crippling. We usually have 12 people in the kitchen; I am currently operating with 7.... Including myself.

What’s your cooking style and philosophy?

Vegetables first, meat and fish second. I try to make sure we are using the most responsible (Organic is not a concern for me with all the smoke and mirror organic laws), financially feasible product we can find. Plant material is, in my opinion, more interesting. There’s more textures, flavors, smells, and varieties even in one product.... I can list off the top of my head 10 varieties of radish that all have different characteristics.

What is your opinion on the elimination of tipping and increase

48 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

on minimum wage in our industry?

I think it’s going to happen sooner or later, but with a little bit of suffering. The restaurants that are just getting by may not make it. I feel there will be a purge of mediocre restaurants, and staff that may not be committed.... possibly a merger of FOH and BOH as a whole.... everyone shares responsibility in some aspect.

It’s interesting to see everyone’s point of view on how they deal with the increase costs, eventually the prices will have to increase.... the question is when and how?

You’ve eliminated 95 percent of the waste at Colonie. Explain.

Tying back into the previous questions, it has been a mission of mine to eliminate costs for us as much as we can, that means making everything here and not throwing product away. I will use old stems to make into salts and vinegars. Cores, Skins, and Leafs... Dehyrdrate, Infuse into vinegar, burnt into charcoal.... They all become seasonings. We have little “food waste”.... Other wise we would send it to a farm to be composted or fed to the pigs.

What’s your opinion on local sustainability? And do you look for loyalty from your suppliers or do you go to bid each week?

I think local sustainability is becoming a bit cliché and over used. If you aren’t investing money into your local economy... how will they have

Andrew Whitcomb

the opportunity to grow? I try to support as many of the local farmers, that fit the parameters and within reason, as I can. That changes almost every day though, depending on what’s available. We have strict guidelines for the quality of product, and the farmers won’t send anything sub standard. Sometimes it gets a little tricky because we are sent scrambling looking for products... when say a deer has eaten a field of carrots... where can we find more carrots and stat!!!!

Talk about some of the key cooking equipment pieces you’re using in the BOH that make your life easier.

I’m a traditionalist. No circulators or Combi ovens, we don’t even have a convection oven. My two favorite pieces of equipment are my microplane, and Cuisinart Pressure Cooker.

Both are super versatile and open up a wide range of techniques.

continued on page 50

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 49

Whitcomb, from page 48 What role does the vendor community on both the equipment and food supply side play? And in your opinion, is today’s salesperson providing the level of service you need to succeed?

I go straight to the source. I like seeing the cows, picking the beets.... the truth is in the pudding. Mother Nature doesn’t lie. I understand the sales aspect of it, but I always want to know more, why, how, what? Many of the farmers are my friends and I love being able to connect with them and learn, as I show them new ways to use their products.

Do you feel that this industry suffers too much from Zagat and Yelp?

Are consumers depending too much on a review?

I don’t really care honestly; most of those sites are a breading ground for negativity. We know we are doing the right thing when there’s a line out the door 30 minutes before we open and people will wait the 90+ minutes for a table. We have tons of regulars, and having the open kitchen I am able to convey our mission to even more guests. The food is rustic, refined, and simple. I will know immediately if someone doesn’t enjoy their experience, and getting direct feed back is more important to me.

Looking down the road, where do you see yourself in 5 years?

That’s a great question, hopefully still pushing harder to change the perception of responsible dining.

• Designed for the Multi-Unit Operator • Cloud-Based POS • Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Model • Loyalty at its Core • Online & Mobile Ordering • PCI Compliant

For more information, contact Par today (800) 448.6505 x5849 | www.partech.com 50 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

Cuisine sample from Andrew Whitcomb at the Colonie restaurant.

BOOTH #1831

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 51

NEWS

FOOD SAFETY

Brooklyn Based Glissen Chemical Celebrates Three Generations Of Uncompromising Quality

A

visit to Glissen Chemical’s home truly reflect the changes in the daily life of the borough of Brooklyn over the past 10 years.

What used to be an ageing neighborhood of Boro Park has turned into a vibrant hub of regentrified residential and retail business.

With surging real estate prices and endless new eateries surrounding it, Glissen Chemical continues to unassumingly serve the needs of the nation’s foodservice professional. Despite the changes in the neighborhood nothing has changed inside at 1321 58th Street.

“When my Dad started the business in 1930, it was very clear that there was no way to create great products other than through a commitment to the highest quality ingredients,” the firm’s second generation president Joseph Lehr explained.

Glissen now boasts a line of more than 20 meticulously researched and designed cleaning products.

From the firm’s legendary signature Nu-Foam liquid and tablets to specialty items such as Pizza Suds and Deli Suds, the Glissen brand continues to set the bar for quality.

On a recent tour of its Brooklyn facility, this reporter was struck by the combination of a deeply com-

Glissen Chemical patriarch Joe Lehr has teamed with his grandson Richie Ryan to bring the latest technology to the Brooklyn firm

mitted workforce dressed in Glissen signature attire and the latest in manufacturing technology. “We have always stayed ahead of the curve with producing products that are environmentally friendly. We share that sense of responsibility with our distributors and their enduser customers,” Lehr added.

As with many businesses, changes in technology have had a positive impact at Glissen Chemical. And as is so often the case, the vision to embrace that technology comes from the “next generation.” Lehr’s

52 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

grandson Richie Ryan joined the company in 2014 and has championed Glissen’s commitment to add the very latest in IT innovation.

“Our ability to fulfill such a wide range of orders for our distributors is all about coordination,” Ryan explained. “I give my Grandpa and the factory team alot of credit for having the trust in me and making the financial commitment necessary to commit to change like this.”

These moves serve as the latest chapter in a script that would truly make a Hollywood box office

success.

For 86 years, the food service industry has been turning to Glissen Chemical Company for top quality products. Glissen Chemical was founded in Brooklyn, NY by Eugene Lehr along with his wife Annette in 1930. Eugene’s lessons on the importance of honesty, integrity, and quality have served his son, Joe Lehr, during his own sixty-four years with Glissen and helped build the company into a leading detergent manufacturer with distribution in 22 states.

Despite growing up in the family business, Joe Lehr at first had other career plans, but when his father became ill, Joe, who was 19 years old at the time, agreed to help the family out for a year until he recovered.

“I was very happy to do it,” Joe, now chief executive officer, recalls.

The year was 1950, and the work, as it turned out, suited him; he joined Glissen Chemical permanently, learning the business literally “from the broom, up.”

“I made up my mind at 19 years of age that I wanted to be the most professional salesperson in the industry,” Joe says. “I saw what my father was trying to do - going up

continued on page 106

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 53

NEWS

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

New Jersey Based Modern Line Furniture Offers Restaurateurs and Designers Dynamic Portfolio

W

hat started out as a small business selling home goods in 1990 to descendants and immigrants coming from Europe has exploded into one of the largest foodservice furniture design and manufacturing businesses in the U.S. Originally growing in popularity because the company was able to take upholstery styles which people loved in Europe and then modernize them, Modern Line Furniture was able to provide functional, transitional products that met both objectives, at its start.

“We grew from a line model to a furniture distribution model,” says Spivak. “We were able to provide customers classic and modern at the same time.”

As time went on, the line grew from upholstery to the selling of dining room sets and outdoor seating “Then we realized it was not only the residential market we had penetrated but the possibility of commercial customers as well,” he adds.

Many customers, viewing the company’s products online, grew to include commercial end users such as bar and restaurant owners. “They started ordering from us and asking if we can make specific changes to our

product and make it more commercial oriented, and I thought, let me learn more about this industry,” Spivak recalls. “So, I went to trade shows, NRA, HD Miami and Las Vegas, and we began selling commercial product that catered to the industry needs. At this time, we made the decision to cut off residential, because the commercial market was much more creative and sophisticated to work with.”

“We began to notice that the demand for imported goods was slowing down but the demand for custom products was growing dramatically over the last few years,” commented Spivak. “At this time, we said, we must cater to our customers’ needs and make the product in the USA.” Spivak started searching the market for additional partners in the manufacturing industries to learn more about running a US based production facility under his own roof.

Three years ago Modern Line Furniture launched their own production facility and since then has been growing rapidly.

“In our new production facility, we are able to offer our growing roster of commercial clients an enhanced level of quality control, production

continued on page 110

54 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

Modern Line Furniture has blossomed into one of the nation’s leading providers of indoor and outdoor modern, modular, contemporary and custom made furniture. Their business has evolved significantly from supplying upholstery to now offering the hospitality industry the ability to design and manufacture products and fulfill custom orders of any size while constantly innovating and introducing new items such as solid wood, live edge natural tabletops and much more. “Thanks to our fully operational US based production facility we have the ability to cater to any restaurant that needs a full interior and exterior décor delivered in a matter of a few weeks,” declared Vlad Spivak, CEO of Modern Line Furniture.

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 55

BOOTH #1361

56 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 57

NEWS

ANNIVERSARIES

YEARS

Long Island Dynasty Celebrates Fifty Years

E

dward DeFelice Sr., affectionately known as “Harry”, was 50 years old when he started Bar Boy Products in 1966 on the idea that local bars and taverns needed someone to supply them with their bar supplies.

Along with his wife Josephine, working from their garage and station wagon, “Harry” went around to the local taverns selling condiments, bar supplies, glassware, bar snacks, glass washing NuFoam etc.

Harry and Josephine took orders daily and delivered them within 48 hours of taking the order. He built his reputation on integrity, selling his products at fair competitive prices.

In the early 1970’s Harry’s sons Eddie Jr. and Lenny started working for him after school, and have been running the family business since his passing in 1994.

Eventually Harry moved the business to a storefront in Massapequa, and then in 1975 he purchased and renovated an old run down former aircraft parts manufacturing building in Farmingdale. His vision was to make the business what Bar Boy Products is now. Today, Bar Boy oc-

cupies an over 60,000 square foot building which includes a state of the art showroom, office and warehouse.

Farmingdale showroom Manager “June” Onia has been with Bar Boy for over 30 years, along with assistant managers Cynthia Nicdao for 20 years and “Reese” Calderon for 10 years, and warehouse managers Peter Damp and Paul Santiago have been with the firm over 20 years as well.

Harry and his sons brought in the best team of people to help build up the business. They began designing bars and kitchens and delivering and installing heavy equipment. The sales team went out and covered the whole island. Eventually, the territory expanded to include Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and New Jersey.

In 1986, Harry’s intuition told him that the Hamptons would be the place to expand the business.

So in 1987, when he was 70 years old, he bought a parcel of land and built from the ground up a 30,000 square foot show room and warehouse which is now home to Bar Boy

continued on page 60

58 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

(L to R) Lenny DeFelice looks on as his brother Edward DeFelice Jr. spoke passionately about his dad’s legacy at the MAFSI Awards Dinner this fall. Founder Edward DeFelice Sr. and his wife Josephine in 1991.

(Top) Bar Boy location in Farmingdale, NY. (Bottom) Bar Boy East in Hampton Bays, NY.

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 59

Bar Boy, from page 58 East. Jimmy Koch, the opening store manager, assisted in the build and is still running their Hampton Bays location.

Over the years Bar Boy has acquired additional sales people from other restaurant and kitchen supply companies such as Friedman, Elaine Products, Royal Supply, South Shore and Paragon Restaurant Supplies.

Bar Boy benefitted by bringing in sales people such as Harold Karmin, Lee Potemkin, Greg Sergin, Richie Hunt, Stu Label, Bob Mendelsohn, Frank Pennisi, Brian Jones and Jeff Desatnick.

In 2006, Bar Boy purchased assets from Nu International Restaurant Supply. Sales people such as Billy Beer, Ray Carone and Lorraine Eurich came to work for Bar Boy helping to further expand the business.

Other sales people who have joined Bar Boy along the years are

Peter Giannizzero, Tony Calabro and John Feroli. Now 50 years later Bar Boy Products, still remains a force in the NY Metro area servicing all types of restaurants, schools, hotels, motels, country clubs, fraternal organizations and healthcare facilities.

Bar Boy’s philosophy is simple,

(L) Harry, Eddie Jr., and Lenny at Restaurant Show in Nassau Coliseum, circa 1980’s.

60 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

“Understand the customer’s needs, carry the inventory they need at a competitive price and they will come.”

Bar Boy Products, now delivers to customers from Manhattan to Montauk, New Jersey, Nassau County and Suffolk County daily.

Groundbreaking at Hampton Bays location, 1987, Harry with Joe Lehr of Glissen.

Recently, the third generation of the DeFelice family have come into the business. Eddie III is in Equipment Sales and Design, Lenny Jr. is in Sales and Purchasing and Gina is in the Credit Department.

Bar Boy has been fortunate to be able to retain a loyal and dedicated staff which is the key to having a successful business. Customers receive competitive pricing and know the staff is here to service and answer any questions.

Recently, Bar Boy Products was also honored as the MAFSI Dealer of the year in 2015. It was a great honor as they embarked on their 50th year in business.

Bar Boy looks forward to continued success and being able to provide their present, and future, customers with the same service and quality they have come to expect; “Bar Boy Has it all, Does it all!”

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 61

Bar Boy, from page 60

BAR BOY AND THE MAFSI REP COMMUNITY… A LONG TERM PARTNERSHIP FOR SUCCESS “Bar Boy was the first dealer I ever knew. I remember them when my father would take me there as a kid. I started calling on Harry in 1981 and I can remember that Ed was always working with the customers on projects while Lenny was buzzing around the showroom showing customers the very latest. Their continued success comes as no surprise. Three generations, two locations and an ‘old world’ way of taking care of the customer. A real FAMILY run business with family values. They also have always realized that this business is about people. The line-up of industry professionals who were a part of the Bar Boy team is just amazing: Joe McGinn, Tony Mazurkewicz, Greg Sergin and Gene Coyne.” ~ Jeff Hessel, BSE MARKETING, New Hyde Park, NY

“Bar Boy is one of those calls that you look forward to. They do such a great job for their customers. You can always tell a great company by the fact that they have had very little turnover through the years. They treat their people the way they would like to be treated.” ~ Tom Clements, CLEMENTS STELLA GALLAGHER, Patchogue, NY “We have been working with Bar Boy for 30 plus years. They epitomize the traditional equipment and supply dealer handling all aspects from design and build to small wares and disposables. Ed and Lenny are hands on owners who are very involved in dayto-day activities. They have been very loyal customers of CLVMarketing and our factory partners. Congratulations

62 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

on reaching this milestone!” ~ Chip Little, CLVMARKETING, Farmingdale, NY “We have had the good fortune of knowing the DeFelice family since their first year in business. From the very beginning they demonstrated that they were an outstanding retailer who was extremely customer-orientated and fastidious in all aspects of its marketing and approach to serving their customers. The DeFelices have always been leading pioneers in their operation: one of the very first ‘department store’ type showrooms in Long Island. They incorporated a first class sales team and project design department way before the others and always maintained excellent inventories and always offered unique lines of china, glass, flatware, paper goods and small wares. In addition they were able to penetrate all aspects of the food service market with

their in-house designers and consultant-level staff, winning and designing world-class restaurants, bars, hotel and institutional kitchens, and beyond. Our manufacturers have been fortunate and proud vendors to such a truly first-class foodservice dealership such as Bar Boy for the last five decades. Happy 50th Anniversary, Bar Boy, from all your friends at DMM and their manufacturers!” ~ Ro Doyle, DMM ENTERPRISES, South Hackensack, NJ “I have had the pleasure of calling on Bar Boy for many years. Eddie and Lenny DeFelice are truly lovely people to work with as well as their Brother in Law Frank. Their showrooms are truly throwbacks to the level of service that has always been so important.” ~ Elliot Horowitz, ELLIOT HOROWITZ & ASSOC., New York, NY

continued on page 64

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 63

Bar Boy, from page 62 “I’ve been calling on Bar Boy since 1989. What I most admire about them has been the ability to create such a loyal customer base. As a rep, I can’t tell you how helpful it has been through the years to have two working showrooms. This gives us the opportunity to work with their team to create a unique show room experience for their customers.” ~ Erik Weiss, GOTHAM CITY HOSPITALITY, Dix Hills, NY “I have been calling on them since 1981 and in fact received my first purchase order from Greg Sergin. I can remember going to Bar Boy with my dad as a kid when he was making sales calls on Saturdays. It’s amazing that when you walk into Bar Boy today it has the same feeling that it had in the old days. Just as it was with their dad Harry, the sons Lenny and Eddie treat everybody with the greatest of respect.

They have a wonderful group of people that support them. Bar Boy is truly a throwback to what a successful wellrounded dealership has always looked like. That includes a comfortable show room, the right amount of inventory, and the capacity to handle layout, specs and bid work.” ~ Adam Kaufmann, KAUFMANN AND ASSOCIATES, Amityville, NY “It was like calling on old family friends from the beginning. Edward DeFelice Sr. who was fondly referred to as “Harry” was a dear and longtime friend and customer of my father, Joe Lehr. The stories we were told at the dinner table of how their adventures together were endless! My dad was integral in helping Harry make important business decisions that led to the growth and success of Bar Boy in those days. Harry in turn, was a very important supporter and friend

64 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

of Glissen Chemical and the NuFoam products for us. His sons Lenny and Eddie welcomed me from the beginning and helped “teach me the ropes” as they say…We still continue today, now Lehr-McKeown Marketing, working closely and enjoying the support of the Bar Boy family for all of our supply lines! Bar Boy is always responsive, service oriented and still offers their customers that family touch that is so missed today. They have added their sons, Lenny Jr., Ed Jr., and daughter Gina, to the team bringing with it a fresh, young approach and atmosphere. The sales team is a group of hard working, knowledgeable guys, a pleasure to work with as are Bar Boy’s internal team of customer service people both in the office and the best counter team going!” ~ Kim Lehr LEHR MCKEOWN MARKETING, Merrick, NY

“What a pleasure to work with such a group of professionals. Their showrooms are among the very best in the business. They work really hard to find the very latest for their customers.

The loyalty they bring to the rep-dealer relationship gets everybody pulling in the same direction.” ~ Jimmy O’Neill, O’NEILL MARKETING AGENTS, New City, NY “I started to call on Bar Boy in 1978, when I worked for Traulsen. Their success has always been as a result of putting the customer first with a commitment to service. They have always been a very hard working family with a great mentor in the their late father. They actually keep a low profile and save their energy for growing their business and serving their customers. I would best describe them as unpretentious smart

continued on page 66

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 65

Bar Boy, from page 64 people. They understand what it takes for a dealer to succeed. They’ve combined membership in buying groups, top flight sales reps, focusing on market segments including schools and maintaining a well organized and stocked showroom/warehouse in building their business.” ~ Steve Bauer, PBAC AND ASSOCIATES, Eastchester, NY “I was honored to be able to introduce Bar Boy when MAFSI honored the company last year. Being consistent in business means developing a culture that is not only known throughout the company, but FELT and REFLECTED to your customers and your industry. Clearly that is what Bar Boy is all about. The boys learned the business and began to embody the company philosophy of “doing what needed to be done to take care of the customer. They would unload trucks, stock shelves,

and eventually make needed deliveries driving the truck, even before they had their license! Bar Boy has never been shy about investing in people and resources to meet the needs of their customers.” ~ Ed Pecinka, PECINKA FERRI ASSOCIATES, INC., Fairfield, NJ “I first called on Bar Boy in 1983 when I was at Pressberg-Binder. I was always struck by their desire to sell the correct product and brand, the New Jersey based rep continued. For Bar Boy it has always been about combining their trust in a product and knowing it is right for their customer. A key to their success has been their follow up and after sales service making sure the customer is happy and satisfied with their purchase.” ~ Ken Kurzweil, PERFORMANCE FOOD EQUIPMENT, Elmwood Park, NJ

66 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

“Lenny and Eddie are all about service. They work as hard as any dealer I’ve ever seen to be in front of their customers. So the culture is that they expect the same from anybody that calls on them. If they see you on a regular basis and you have a product or idea that can help their customers do a better job; you are welcomed with open arms. Their next generation is also very impressive with a real feel for the ins and outs of bid work.” ~ Mike Klatman TD MARKETING, Edison, NJ “I’ve been calling on Bar Boy since 1982 when I joined the sales team at Traulsen. At that time they had just moved into their new location. Bar Boy has kept that local store feel to it – personalized, individual and without politics. I believe their customers like that and I know sales people calling on them do too. In 1982 Lenny and

Eddie were just kids themselves. Since then, they’ve kept the company growing in a fashion that would have made their father proud. Now with their own children coming in, they will be able to see the next generation bring new ideas and additional growth.

As in most great novels and movies, what we remember are the characters.

Bar Boy’s personnel has always been animated, opinioned and fun. From the past legends of Joe McGinn, Rich Hunt, Tony Mazurkewicz, and Greg Sergin to the current cast of Frank, Eddie, Lenny and the entire workforce of Bar Boy – they are good-hearted people, enjoyable to work with, and run their company with honesty and integrity.” ~ Lynne Schultz, TRI-STATE MARKETING, Ossining, NY

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 67

68 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 69

70 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 71

MIXOLOGY

WITH WARREN BOBROW

A Shrub Is Not A Shrubbery: Rediscovering A Historic Recipe For Cocktails Warren Bobrow is the creator of the

W

hen is a “shrub”, not a shrub? When it is a drink, not a plant! In fact, these aciduated (read vinegar based) beverages are as old as history itself.

In my recently released book, “Bitters and Shrub Syrup Cocktails”, I revealed the secrets of these refreshing beverages and attempted to introduce a flavor profile from the past into the modern era of creative mixology. But first, what is a shrub?

In simple terms, a shrub is a mixer that is included in both mocktails (cocktails without the kick) and craft cocktails. In the days before refrigeration, it was pretty evident that without some means for food preservation, keeping items fresh

popular blog The Cocktail Whis-

was difficult at best. Gastric blockages from eating food that was less than pure were the norm; people just didn’t live long because of food borne illnesses.

Back in the times of the Egyptians, the roots were sown for the argument that food and drinks were less injurious when they didn’t poison the imbiber. Food borne illnesses could be prevented or at least minimized by the use of an acid. In this case, the combination of vinegar and sugar when added to either fruits or vegetables contributed to the rudimentary food preservation system that existed into modern times.

Many people have long practiced food preservation methods; the use of vinegar is a major catalyst for add-

(L to R) Colonial Sour Cherry Shrub and Strawberry Rhubarb Shrub.

72 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

ing both spark and health to the end result. This is of course the refreshing kick that comes from drinking beverages, (and to a lesser extent) eating foods that are preserved with vinegar. But why vinegar?

Vinegar is a powerful preservative and it also adds to digestion. The acid layer that envelops the sweet sumptuousness of the fruit (often less than freshly picked) is beguiling in a liquid form, giving each sweet and tangy sip a depth unheard of prior. And the end result is good health for the entire digestive tract.

Vinegar, after all is what adds balance to the body.

Have you ever felt less than healthy from eating heavy food? Take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and

perer 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.

add it to a glass of fizzy water, drink it down and feel better quickly.

Let’s fast forward to the Colonial era when intoxicants were less than high quality. Masking the oftenassertive flavors of poorly made liquors led to the invention of Punch.

Punch was a combination of acid (usually in the form of citrus) to sweet to savory- all meant to intoxicate the drinker with a minimum of effort. Northeasterners discovered that adding preserved fruits to their spirituous beverages made for a refreshing drink, one also packed full of health giving ingredients.

Was the shrub the original health drink? Certainly to a degree, it was used for good health, right up to the time when soda pop was invented.

And soda pop as we all know, spelled out the demise of the shrub until just recently when a resurgence of old methods took place in the cocktail bar.

Shrubs are simply made with only

continued on page 100

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 73

ASK ANDREW

Does the City have any sort of program that can make the process of obtaining multiple licenses any easier?

We used to say that we were baffled how the City could coordinate multiple regulatory agencies to show up at a restaurant or bar to shut them down, but they couldn’t coordinate those same agencies to help get a new business opened up.

It was ridiculous. But after years of advocacy our voice was heard. We were invited by then Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn to advise them on ways to make the permitting and licensing process easier.

Working with our partners at the Chambers of Commerce we guided the creation of the Business Acceleration Team, which now helps restaurateurs identify the necessary

FROM THE NYC HOSPITALITY ALLIANCE

permits they need, conduct plan reviews and coordinate multi-agency inspections. This program has

Andrew Rigie is the Executive Director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, a trade association formed

been a huge help and significantly reduced the time it takes to open a new restaurant. But of course, no system is perfect, so we continue to speak with our members about the pain points they experience when opening a new business. Then we work with Mayor de Blasio’s Administration on ways to further enhance the process. We were also appointed

by NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer to his Cut the Red Tape Commission and the Health Department’s Advisory Board. Both are venues where we’re pushing for more regulatory reform. It’s an ongoing process. Persistence and patience will be key to our success.

in 2012 to foster the growth and vitality of the industry that has made New York City the Hospitality Capital of the World.

74 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

We are not hearing the same buzz that was around in the early days of letter grade health

inspections.

We won important reforms to the Letter Grade system during the latter part of Mayor Bloomberg’s time in office. A major reform was Penalty Relief which means that a restaurant doesn’t pay fines if an inspector issues them an A-letter grade. That reform coupled with others reduced fines by tens of millions of dollars a year. However, the Letter Grade system is still ripe for reform. Mayor de Blasio campaigned on further reducing regulatory burdens at the Health Department. Unfortunately he hasn’t taken real action after three years in office. So we’re still pushing for reforms that would be welcomed by restaurants and not jeopardize public health. For exam-

continued on page 104

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 75

MEET THE NEWSMAKER

Chris Freeman Imperial Bag & Paper Co. LLC

C

an you share some of the history of Imperial Bag and Paper with our readers?

Imperial Bag & Paper Co., LLC has been in business for 81 years.

By focusing on being the Distributor with VISION for our valued customers and exceeding expectation and delivering outstandingly creative solutions we have grown to be one of the largest suppliers of paper, packaging, janitorial supplies and equipment on the Eastern Seaboard.

other equivalently and that challenge has resulted in unprecedented success.

We’ll never stop attacking opportunity and we’ll never become complacent.

When did the company open the doors? Who was the entrepreneurial visionary behind the firm?

That’s a three-part question! We opened our doors in 1935. Our founder was a man named David Katz. He got the ball rolling. Then Michael Nash led the firm for 25 years and grew the business admirably, I really enjoyed working for Mike. The real entrepreneurial visionaries at Imperial are Robert, and Jason Tillis. Bob bought the company in 2007. I joined the firm in 2003 and since then we’ve grown from $79,000,000 annually to close to $400,000,000 last year. The spirit, drive, and visionary leadership manifested

by Bob and Jason are at the heart of our current success and remarkable growth trajectory.

Imperial Bag made an enormous move a couple of years ago. How has that enabled the firm to do an even better job of servicing the needs of its customer base.

We built a wonderful warehouse and work space. It took four years of planning. During the development while we were still in Bayonne on a campus of four buildings, Hurricane Sandy hit and we learned some hard lessons from that experience and assimilated that learning into our plans. For example, we built our building 14 feet above sea level and have a fully operational diesel plant to power our entire building in the event of disastrous loss of power. It’s a great, jaw-dropping facility and if you haven’t seen it you must come visit.

You have been the constant from one ownership group to the next.

Well, I’ve worked for Michael Nash and Bob and Jason Tillis. Let me tell you something, there’s been no end of learning and success under their tutelage. I think Bob and I challenge each

Imperial has always been looked to by the market for the newest packaging solutions. What enables the company to continue to source the very newest solution?

After so much time of delivering results to customers and exceeding ex-

That takes a unique skill set...how have you managed to thrive through many chapters?

I love what I do. I’m extremely passionate and I’ve been fortunate to have great guidance and an environment where I can employ my creativity... daily.

76 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

pectations the manufacturing community catches on! They now view us as the “conduit” to the marketplace and bring us their innovations to beta test.

We deliver new and unique products to key customers to experiment before they are fully commercialized even before pricing has been established. It’s pretty luxurious to have so many innovative resources available to us.

Interesting year with the implementation and repeal of a Styrofoam ban in NYC. Imperial received rave reviews from its customers for helping them manage that challenge. How did you do that?

The market changed! They passed a law. Even though the switch away from foam would have devastated many of our customers that need a low cost solution on a daily basis to transport food we supported the legislation. We fought like heck to find alternatives and honestly delivered them to customers. We are all for going green! We have a LEED CERTIFIED facility, and as a matter of fact our Director of Marketing, Grace Best is “LEED Certified.”

There is big news on the green front for us coming soon from the GRA... Getting back to foam and our approach, we did the right thing. We worked very hard to support the law (while it lasted) and our customers.

Your booth at IRFSNY at Javits in March has become a “must visit” for show goers. What goes into the concept and designs that you create every year?

I’ve told you before and it’s true I DREAM the concepts for our booths.

Chris Freeman

It’s a little scary actually because everyone waits for me to announce my vision for the show and sometimes the “dream” comes kind of late! Talk about pressure. How beautiful is that to be able to utilize that level of creativity in a work environment? It’s very fulfilling.

I love the shows. I think my love of the experience makes our exhibits exciting, different, and ultimately very successful.

What can show visitors expect to see this year?

Top secret. We’ll see you at Booths 1921, and 2025 and you can tell me if my concept was a dream come true or a nightmare! Ha ha.

Speaking of green and sustainable.

Where are we today?

Ask the GRA! Do customers see it as an obligation or responsibility?

There’s been a shift in thought driven a lot by the economies of going green.

It’s becoming more affordable, and almost everyone knows it’s the correct thing to do. Think of our kids! We

continued on page 108

BOOTHS #1921 + 2025 February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 77

NEWS

MENU INNOVATION

New Souvlaki Concept Makes Astoria Debut With National Expansion On The Horizon

A

s with so many of the wonderfully successful ideas through the ages, the newly launched SVL Souvlaki Bar came to be as the result of a need perceived by the founding entrepreneur.

It seems that a couple of years ago a bright young son of a restaurant and catering family was winding down a fun night on the town with his friends.

“It was 1:30 am and we were hungry,” noted Peter Katsiaris. We were in Astoria with my Greek pals and we were in the mood for a late night snack - where would we get a great bite to eat like a Souvlaki, maybe a nightcap and even a little dessert? The option just didn’t exist, so I started to dream.”

The result of that dream has turned into a reality as Katsiaris recently debuted the SVL Souvlaki Bar in Astoria. Upon entering the emporium, guests are taken with the clean lines of its design and the open kitchen in which SVL’s culinary team is preparing one of its soon to be legendary Greek delicacies.

“I travelled throughout Greece to create a menu that I knew had never been done in New York or the US before,” noted Katsiaris. The menu brings the very best of the country’s legendary street food as well as many of the traditional favorites reinterpreted.

A key to the success of SVL has been the restaurant’s ability to source authentic Greek product. “We are so fortunate to have found a resource in Megas Yeeros,” Katsiaris continued.

“For the first time in the US, we have a Greek manufacturer that understands how to create authentic meats,” noted Katsiaris.

78 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

“We realize that our ability to serve a great product and listen to the needs of our customers is crucial to our success in Astoria and future growth.”

Peter Katsiaris, SVL Souvlaki Bar

Megas Yeeros uses natural meats, never any fillers, preservatives or additives for a healthier and tastier end product. All its products are USDA approved and made in its modern, stateof-the-art facilities under the strictest guideline in New Jersey. The firm has become a unique resource for entrepreneurs including Katsiaris for its ability to work side by side with the restaurateur with the goal of cresting authentic Greek food and reinventing it in innovative ways.

“I was able to go to Paramus and work side by side in the plant with Nikos Stergiou and the Megas Yeeros team to create our menu,” Katsiaris explained. Among the SVL Bar’s innovations are “Siganture Sticks” that feature the traditional chicken pork and beef and “new to the US” delicacies including Kotobacon, Loukaniko and Sheftalies.

Katsiaris creativity as a marketer has come to the forefront with new items including Mini Gyro “shots”. That platter includes four delectable mini pitas that offer the patron a true taste of Athens.

“We realize that our ability to serve a great product and listen to the needs of our customers is crucial to our success in Astoria and future growth.”

Katsiaris was in fact brought to tears

recently when a customer sent him a thank you note for the Gluten Free offering on the SVL Bar’s menu. He said it was the first time in almost 20 yeas that he had been able to enjoy his favorite souvalki.

With Megas Yeeros raising the bar to new height for the SVL Bar, Katsiaris set his sites on building a stable of vendors who are best in class. SVL Bar has teamed with a local pita maker to accomplish that gluten free goal. In addition, the eatery has aligned itself with local farms that can provide the very freshest foods and produce.

SVL Bar also provides a unique twist for patrons with a sweet tooth. “We have a puffed pastry with honey or nutella called a Loukoumades that is destined to become a legend,” Katsiaris added.

Katsiaris painstakingly worked closely with Artemis Restaurant Equipment and Supply to design the restaurant. “My goal was to maximize our fresh cooking space and minimize our prep area because our goal is to be fresh. I also wanted to create a design that we could look at rolling out throughout New York and eventually across the country,” Katsiaris noted.

With a combination of a fresh menu and authentic taste, and visionary leader SVL Bar may very well be that next multiple unit concept that captures the imagination of America’s dining public.

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 79

RESTAURANT STAFF MANAGEMENT

WITH LEEANNE HOMSEY

Valentine’s Day Is Almost Here! Train Your Employees How To Use It To Up-Sell!

V

alentine’s Day is an amazing day for the restaurant industry and its employees. It is one of those holidays that is like shooting fish in a barrel. It is a self-described, special day.

No guesswork needed and your staff should capitalize on it in more ways than just one. You can help them by giving them the “lingo” that will get great reviews as well. #1) Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to get tons of mentions on social media, collect and use guest’s names, get tipped much higher and ensure guests are coming back all by using simple, suggestive words and phrases like, “It’s an honor” Instead of “you’re welcome” whenever a guest asks for anything like a photo or champagne.

Making customers feel as though you are honored to be hosting or facilitating their special occasion will have the person paying the bill digging deeper into his pocket. Using the term “It’s an honor” makes people feel as though they are really valued not just “served” and if the object of the game at each table is to sell the most, get the highest tip and make sure they come back, opening the customer’s ears (and heart) with the word “Honor” is a good first step. #2) The next step is to tell your staff to be on the lookout for incomplete parties and to also create photo taking opportunities. An incomplete party gives the server a chance to ask, “And what is your guest’s name? I’ll try to

greet her personally at the door when she arrives.” Whether the server does or does not get a chance to do that is inconsequential. The fact that he got her name is the only important part and the guest who is already seated feels like he is getting a value added service before he has even ordered anything.

Now, not only can the server greet her by name but now he has complete license to use her name while checking on them throughout the meal. This makes customers feel special but more importantly now the server can write her name in chocolate on the dessert plate and give credit to the boyfriend/ husband (Who of course will not have thought of this at all but will be eternally grateful to his server.) He will almost 100% of the time ask the server’s name and this, friends, is the start of a beautiful relationship between a firsttime customer and your restaurant. #3) The final step: The picture. Of course they will take a picture of the beautiful plate which has, “Happy Val-

entine’s Day Debbie!” written beautifully in chocolate around the rim but what good is that to you if they don’t mention your restaurant or Bob the server? This is where training Bob the “Off script” customer engagement language is important. The plate is just a tool to make sure Debbie takes her camera phone out. Bob has to capitalize on the moment by saying, “Well, how about a picture of you two with dessert?” Of course they will agree because girls like their picture taken after they’ve gotten dolled up and it was Bob’s handiwork that got them the plate she is excited about in the first place and the gentleman knows it. Now Bob should say, “Ok, let’s take one your way and then one mine.”

(Get creative) Whatever pose it is will be 100 times more exciting than their first boring picture but Valentine’s Day opens the door for one extra special photo ... the kiss! Bob can now say how about the kiss photo? No one has that one!” (And no one really does!)

Now Bob should say as he hands

Making customers feel as though you are honored to be hosting or facilitating their special occasion will have the person paying the bill digging deeper into his pocket.

80 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

LeeAnne Homsey specializes in providing consulting / training services to the restaurant industry. As a 25-year veteran, LeeAnne has worked with a wide array of restaurant businesses ranging from casual to upscale dining establishments. For more information call 1-646-462-0384, e-mail info@leeannehomsey.com or visit www. leeannehomsey.com.

back the phone/camera, “Ok, if you like my pictures better than yours can I get credit as your personal photographer... make sure you spell my name right hahaha!” This will actually get them both thinking about posting not only on their own social media but also on the restaurant’s social media and Yelp! It will also prompt the guests to ask for and actually remember Bob’s name. More than that it just reminded them that Bob went way above an added value service. This was a personalized, one-of-a-kind moment he created and then captured. This was definitely not on the menu and will probably be reflected in Bob’s tip and now Bob can tell them to feel free to request him when they return and actually ask when they are coming back and telling them that he would be honored to help create all of their special dinners and events. “So who’s birthday or anniversary is coming up next? I’ll be ready!” Will this have

continued on page 102

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 81

ON WATER

WITH BRIAN MADDEN

Lessons From Flint For Your Restaurant

L

ike everybody in the water and hospitality business, I’ve been following the water contamination in Flint, Michigan.

It has evolved into a public health crisis that will take years and millions of dollars to remedy. As you have read, thousands of children and restaurant and foodservice operators and customers have been needlessly exposed to high levels of lead in the water supply.

In April, 2014, Flint in a cost cutting measure decided that it would

switch over from the Great Lakes water it was buying from the City of Detroit to local river water. So now the challenge is to replace the corroded pipes that are carrying contaminated water as soon as possible, and to ensure that the city of nearly 100,000 has access to clean water.

I’m not here to talk about the consequences of cost cutting, government negligence, and environmental politics.

I want to talk about how Flint may teach us how to do our part to pro-

82 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

tect the water supply as part of our local communities.

It’s a tricky subject because as a food service operator, we are balancing the obvious priority of a safe water supply -the taste we need to keep our dining customers happy.

In the simplest of terms, water from a safe source will run consistently with 8 grains per gallon. The US Bureau of Standards would call that hard. In our industry it would be called moderately hard. When Flint was using the Detroit water, it had nothing to worry about because lake water is typically stable and will be above 7 grains. The challenge then becomes that a good cup of coffee needs to be in the three and five grains.

When you get colored water like they have in Flint, it’s coming from lead. That does not necessarily mean contamination. Keep in mind, for many years in Brooklyn water connections were in fact wrapped with lead. You never see it in the other Boroughs because the water is stable. It’s an on-going conversation for us with the City of New York Water department to discuss whether the TDS (total dissolved solids) makes the water aggressive or stable. That’s a cumulative amount of all the dissolved solids in the water, minerals and metals etc.

Another great lesson and example is what happened in Walketon, Ontario several years back. There was

Brian Madden is a New Hyde Park , NY native. The Western Connectcut University graduate has built a reputation as one of the nation’s leading experts on water filtration. In his current post with Pentair, he is handling sales in the Northeast. Madden’s career includes successful stints with Pepsi in Las Vegas, Metro NY with Hoshizaki as well as being deployed by Pentair to China.

a similar issue in which a water company was being criminally negligent about the treatment of water.

The local Tim Horton’s donut store refused to use the local supply until the water company management cleaned it up.

When Tim Horton’s stopped using bottled water and began using the local water, the entire community breathed a sigh of relief and resumed normal water useage.

The lesson from Flint is that as a member of your local community, your neighbors and customers look to you to be the barometer of what’s going on with local water. So take the responsibility seriously. With today’s technology it has become as simple as “Googling” New York City Water.

We would also be happy to field any questions that you have.

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 83

EYE METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE Four Tri-State Artisans Honored As Top Ten Chocolatiers At ICE NYC Event

D

essert Professional Magazine, the nation’s leading food service publication for the chocolate, pastry, cake, artisan bread and frozen desserts industries, honored their 2015 Top Ten Chocolatiers in North America at a NYC event last month.

The event was held at the spectacular new campus of ICE-The Institute of Culinary Education. The school’s new Brookfield Place home has become a centerpiece for the area’s chocolate info with its dedicated chocolate classroom suite. The event was presented by Kerekes and Cacao Barry.

Editors Tish Boyle and Matthew Stevens selected the honorees based on their talent, creativity, contributions to the industry, and dedication to creating high quality confections.

“Chocolate is one of the world’s most popular ingredients,” explains Tish Boyle, “and we are proud to honor these ten exceptional chocolatiers who create amazing chocolates every day.”

Selected from across North America, this year’s Top Ten Chocolatiers are: Oliver Kita, Oliver Kita Chocolates, Rhinebeck, NY, Daniel Sklaar, Fine &

“In the last two decades the epicenter of the chocolate world has shifted from Europe toward North America,” notes Matthew Stevens.

Raw, Brooklyn, NY, Christophe Toury, Voila Chocolat, New York, NY, Susanna Yoon, Stick with Me, New York, NY. In addition the national honorees were: Michael Antonorsi, Chuao Chocolatier, San Diego, CA, Anette Righi DeFendi, Kohler Original Recipe Chocolates, Kohler, WI,Elaine Hsieh and Catherine Sweeney, EHChoco-

Hall of Fame Honoree Norman Love and Johnny Iuzzini

Top Ten Chocolatiers, Hall of Fame Honoree Norman Love, and Jerome Landrieu, Director of Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academy in Chicago, IL 84 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

latier, Boston, MA, Slawomir Korczak, Polska European Bakery and Chocolat, San Luis Potosí, Mexico, Santosh Tiptur, Co Co Sala, Washington, D.C. and Adam Turoni, Chocolat by Adam Turoni, Savannah, GA. This year’s Hall of Fame Honoree is Norman Love, Founder of Norman Love Confections in Ft. Myers,

FL. “Norman has been tremendously influential in the establishment and development of the fine confection industry in North America,” noted Dessert Professional Magazine publisher Jeffrey Dryfoos. He is an innovator, a leader, and a mentor. We are thrilled to honor him as the inaugural inductee into our Chocolatier Hall of Fame.”

“In the last two decades the epicenter of the chocolate world has shifted from Europe toward North America,” notes Matthew Stevens. “We are excited to launch our Top Ten Chocolatiers event as an annual celebration of this vibrant and growing segment in our dessert world.”

Susanna Yoon

Oliver Kita

Christophe Toury

Daniel Sklaar

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 85

FOOD SAFETY

WITH NOELLE IFSHIN

You and Me and Restaurant Makes Three

F

amily businesses often start with a husband and wife team trying to make a better life for their families. In many cases, the marriages and the businesses become so intertwined that it becomes hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. Starting and running a successful restaurant can be more demanding than having a baby, and often couples do not survive the birth of a restaurant.

In order to ensure both the restaurant and your marriage survive, here are four important items to keep in mind when opening or running a restaurant with your spouse: Treat the business like a business, not an extension of the home. Draw a distinction and leave work in the business. If both husband and wife are to be partners in the restaurant, having a written partnership agreement is recommended – especially if you plan on having additional business partners. By the time you realize you need an agreement, due to a dispute, it is often too late. You should have a written agreement that includes: the division of ownership; an outline of the amount of, and stipulations for, taking salaries; and how to handle any profits or losses.

Don’t assume that the role in the personal relationship translates to the roles in a work relationship.

Just as you want to define the partnership agreement, it is advised that

couples decide in advance the work roles within the business – which spouse is going to do what. For example, the person who balances your personal checkbook at home might not be the best one to reconcile purchase orders and inventory. And, when defining job roles, if there’s something neither is good at, delegate it to someone else!

Couples we work with find that the key to their success as both a married couple and business partners is to continually communicate their roles and how they can help each other in those roles. In that regard: Standard operating procedures (SOP’S) should be agreed upon, set and followed. Understanding the task expectations of each role and adhering to the agreed upon SOP’S that meet them, removes the possibility of misunderstandings with couple business owners. Even the small tasks matter: agreeing upon how receipts are filed and the books are balanced; when cash is taken to

the bank and who does it; who orders food and beverages and what levels of inventory you plan to keep; and who handles staff scheduling and how are changes to the schedule made are all examples of key items to agree upon in advance.

Support each other and be unified. Present a united front to your employees at all times. As basic as it sounds, do not bicker, fight or have large disagreements in front of your staff. Like any other business partner relationships, you will have disagreements on how to run the business. Remain professional at all times and take those arguments offsite or behind closed doors.

Even though you are spending a lot of time together in the restaurant, you still need to make time for each other. Find a way to have a night together away from the restaurant – even if you end up discussing restaurant business, being in a different environment changes the conversation. And most importantly, try not to go to bed angry.

Couples we work with find that the key to their success as both a married couple and business partners is to continually communicate their roles and how they can help each other in those roles.

86 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

Noelle Ifshin has over 20 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry. She has been instrumental in growing several companies, utilizing many different concepts, and was a successful revenue management leader with a national harbor cruise company, which operates in several markets across the Eastern US. Prior to founding 4Q Consulting, LLC, Noelle has functioned in an array of roles for various organizations ranging from front and back of house, single unit management, and multi-unit director, as well as company-wide profit management duties. Her diverse experience includes Executive Chef Positions, Food and Beverage management, catering, large event management, renovations, and new build outs. Email her at noelle@4qconsult.com.

Fighting couples don’t work well together and can have a huge impact on how the business functions.

Remember why you decided to open a restaurant in the first place.

You want to plan ahead to be as successful as possible, while ensuring the demands of the restaurant don’t pull apart your marriage!

Don’t know where to begin? Do you know how to put policies and procedures in place to be as successful as possible? www.4qconsult. com can develop customized operational guidelines to meet your needs.

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 87

CATERSOURCE CONSULTANT

WITH MICHAEL ROSMAN

Catering vs. Take-out Delivery Time to Make Sure Your Clients Know the Difference

O

ne of my East Coast clients just sent me an article about an app-less food delivery service; all steps of the process—from ordering to delivery—are handled by text. Almost every week I see new middlemen emerging who make it very easy for anyone to order any kind of food from anywhere.

If you own a restaurant, this can be great news for you. Although there are caveats and issues—I’ve covered these in previous posts—most restaurant owners will welcome these services.

Caterers, however, may need to pay attention.

Started Small Many of us built our businesses on small orders. In the beginning, if a potential customer asked if we would deliver three box lunches, we were usually more than happy to oblige. As we have grown, these orders can present a dilemma—whether they come from repeat customers or new ones.

Legendary Mike Roman’s answer to the regular customer who wanted to know the cost of a three box lunch delivery was, “Mrs. Smith, if you really need only three box lunches I will produce and deliver them for free, since there is no way for me to make a profit on such a small order. When I add your order into the billing process I actually lose money; I value you as a customer, and that’s more important than the few pennies I will make or lose on this order, so what time do you need the

Michael Rosman is considered one of the foremost thought-leaders and

food delivered?”

I’m digressing a little here, but Mrs. Smith probably did ask for her delivery. Of course Mike hoped she remembered the favor and would reward his company with many more substantial orders.

One Problem One obvious problem is that today Mrs. Smith can contact a number of services who will welcome her three meal business—and maybe we should let her. If she really wants three restaurant meals dropped off at her desk in brown paper bags after they have travelled on the floor or in the back seat of some unknown driver’s random vehicle, then maybe it’s time to stop worrying about it. What we do need to do, however, is find a way to communicate that what we do is more than mere food delivery. Because as caterers, we: • Consult about menu choices.

• Advise on proper food quantities.

• Prepare food in a controlled environment within a licensed facility.

• Employ professional drivers.

• Inspect and clean our delivery vehicles.

• Ensure proper food temperature at all times.

• Pay our employees a living wage.

Can Favor, Seamless, Uber and the rest claim the same? How are they going to handle a 50-person delivery?

Do these middlemen really care if the food is late? Have any of these drivers

88 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

passed a ServSafe course?

We’re Different As caterers we need to remind our customers and potential customers that we are indeed in business to cater to them as we--as Google defines it-“provide them with food and drink in a professional capacity.” We look at the big picture, and that entails more than merely delivering a brown bag of food.

sought-after consultants in the catering industry. As a national speaker, published author and magazine columnist Michael’s pioneering membership website, The Corporate Caterer, is the go-to resource for restaurateurs and caterers who want to start or grow their corporate drop-off catering business. Michael can be reached directly at michael@thecorporatecaterer.com.

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 89

FOOD ALLERGIES

WITH PAUL ANTICO

The Financial Benefits of Being Allergy-Friendly

T

he key item report is a daily tracking tool that puts the expensive items, specials or other items in need of control in a vice grip. This report also helps prevent and identify theft, and most importantly gets the kitchen team to treat these products like precious gold.

As an advocate for the food allergy community, I can tell you that people with food allergies wish every food service facility would become more “allergy-friendly.” Yet, as a businessperson myself, I recognize that we all have to make choices and set priorities that are important for the health of our businesses. Fortunately, these two concepts are actually very much aligned. A basic financial analysis clearly demonstrates that food service establishments that become more allergy-friendly can significantly increase their sales, customers, loyalty and profits.

As a former stock fund manager with 17 years’ experience at Fidelity Investments, I’ve leveraged my background as a financial analyst to determine the economic value of becoming allergy-friendly - and it is substantial.

In fact, I can show that accommodating food-allergic diners can boost restaurants’ profits by as much as 24% or more! The business benefits for other food service establishments – including college dining halls, event venues, stadiums, amusement parks, etc. – can also be tremendous.

5+% of the U.S. population have

food allergies or intolerances. When dining out, these individuals are the “veto vote” for their parties, influencing a much larger percentage of total customers - roughly 10-15% or more.

Further, the food allergy community is extremely loyal to food service establishments that make them feel safe (and they’re very vocal about their experiences through word-of-mouth conversations, on review sites like AllergyEats, in social media forums, via online chat rooms, etc.). According to Living Without Magazine, “92% of food-allergic guests will return frequently to the same eating establishment after a positive eating-out experience.” Lastly, don’t discount the important emotional connection. “A lot of it comes down to an emotional connection as well – show your diners that you care about their health and safety and they’ll keep coming back for more,” according to an article on the QSR website.

Look, for example, at Disney World, widely known as the “Gold Standard” for accommodating food allergies.

Restaurants and cafeterias throughout the theme parks and hotels have proven themselves to be extremely allergy-friendly over the last decade.

Since 2005, as word spread about Disney’s food allergy dining expertise, food-allergic families have gone there in droves. Many parents actually plan expensive Disney World vacations primarily to give their food-allergic children their first meals out! This positive word-of-mouth praise has increased

90 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

Disney’s food allergy (and overall) business substantially. To wit: • In 2005, Disney World served 52,000 special dietary meals • By 2009, Disney World served 192,000 special dietary meals • In 2009, Disney World and Disneyland (combined) served 330,000 special dietary meals • By 2012, Disney World and Disneyland (combined) served 625,000 special dietary meals As you can see, over the past 10 years, Disney‘s efforts to expertly accommodate food-allergic guests drove huge volume increases. Fortunately, this kind of success is replicable in almost any food service establishment.

Consider this: • Food allergies affect roughly 4-5% of the U.S. population (6-8% of children) • Celiac disease has been diagnosed in about 1% of the US population • Non-celiac gluten intolerance impacts approximately 1-6% of the US population • 10% of Americans are believed to have at least one food intolerance • Up to 30% of the general population believe they have a food allergy • About 30% of U.S. adults want to cut down on gluten in their diets and 20% want to see more gluten-free options in restaurants Unfortunately, food allergies are a “growth industry” as the number of new diagnoses continues to increase significantly each year. Further,

Paul Antico is the CEO and Founder of AllergyEats, the leading guide to finding allergy-friendly restaurants.

He is the father of five children - three of whom have food allergies. As a passionate food allergy advocate, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), both nationally and for the New England chapter, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Food Allergy Working Group, the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM’s) Advisory Panel for the Consensus Study on Food Allergies, and the National Peanut Board Food Allergy Education Advisory Council.

food-allergic children are growing up and starting their own families, and a genetic component to food allergies seems likely. Additionally, adult-onset food allergies and gluten intolerance are also growing at an alarming rate.

Thus, the financial opportunity for those who can properly accommodate this community is growing accordingly, and businesses risk losing market share if they ignore this trend.

The numbers clearly show the benefits. If those with the “veto vote” – the food allergy population – are actually driving 10-15% of diner decisions, consider what that can mean to your bottom line given incremental margins on additional customers of 40-50%. Using conservative estimates, it can mean profit increases of up to 24% or more!

Certainly, a restaurant won’t recognize

these increases overnight, but the food allergy community is very vocal and extremely loyal, and those restaurants – independents and chains, casual dining and upscale – that accommodate them well will earn tremendous reputations, becoming their “go to” restaurants. Just ask Red Robin, P.F. Chang’s, Del Posto, or Blue Ginger. Representatives from each of these restaurants have publicly spoken about sales increases in the double-digit percentages, driven by the food allergy commu-

nity, and there are many, many more who have said the same.

Fortunately, the investment to become “allergy-friendly” is minimal, primarily one of commitment. Financially, the cost of equipment is roughly $500, while the training can be another several hundred dollars, depending on the number of individuals participating. That’s a minimal investment given the substantial payoff that’s possible as a result – a potentially tremendous return on investment in the

thousands of percent!

The data doesn’t lie: any food service organization that wants to stay competitive needs to be allergy-friendly. From a purely business perspective, it’s in food service professionals’ best interests to accommodate the food allergy population, which can lead to significantly higher sales, customers, loyalty and profits.

Whether you’re a restaurant, hotel, cafeteria or event venue, becoming allergy-friendly can boost your bottom

line tremendously.

The financials of being allergyfriendly is such an incredibly important and timely topic, and I speak about it often at various industry events. I’ll be presenting at the upcoming International Restaurant and Food Service Show in New York City on March 8, so please join me there to learn more about how you can boost your profits, customers, sales and loyalty by accommodating food-allergic guests.

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 91

NEWS TECHNOLOGY Former Apple Exec Tabs TouchBistro For New Beehive Eatery Sometimes disaster can bring out the best in people.

T

hat’s what happened when destructive and deadly Hurricane Sandy hit the metropolitan New York area in

2012.

Classically trained chef Treva Chadwell and her husband, John, saw the devastation in their neighborhood -- people lost their homes, were flooded out and even died – and decided to do something about it.

“It was a way for us to connect with the folks who had lost everything,” says John. “Our apartment wasn’t damaged at all. The city was entirely shut down, you couldn’t do anything. So we had to do something. Our neighbors in Port Washington got together and started baking.”

Treva, who grew up in Texas, knew the flavors and recipes of the kind of comfort food that brings instant feelings of home. A classically trained chef who is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, she went to work, using her talents to bake what makes everyone think of “home” - comfort

food, like chicken, biscuits and Frito pie. John, a native Texan, helped, too, and by the time they were done, they had served over 750 biscuits out of their home.

The neighbors, so grateful for their kindness (and, oh by the way, the food tasted great, too), couldn’t stop talking about it.

On a hunch that they were on to something, Chef Treva and John applied to the food market, Smorgasburg, and in April 2013, BeeHive Oven began bringing biscuits made by Texans to New York City. The chef’s food was an overwhelming success, and BeeHive Oven became known as not just a place for delicious food but also where the owners would chat a while.

In May 2014 BeeHive Oven opened its first restaurant, BeeHive Oven Biscuit Cafe, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, serving comfort food that reminds people of “home,” according to John.

The restaurant, which seats 30, can squeeze in a little more on its popular weekend brunches.

BIGGER IS BETTER. NOW ON THE iPAD PRO Visit touchbistro.com or call (855) 440-8446 for more info 92 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

Chef Treva learned how to make delicious meals with her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, as well as with her father in his restaurant and catering business. An eighth-generation Texan/Louisiana, the chef says it took the hurricane to help her figure out what she was supposed to be doing with her life.

With John providing the technical prowess the couple wanted, they were able to source iPad based technology that could maximize their team’s productivity.

Formerly with Blackboard, a technical education company, and Apple, he’d been in tech sales his whole career.

He knew the business needed only the best technology, so, after some study, he connected with TouchBistro.

“We looked at a lot of different companies,” he says, “but we wanted not to bring in a legacy system, something that would carry 5, 7, 10, years of baggage with it. We needed something that gave us a lot of flexibility that didn’t require a large infrastructure

John Chadwell

investment. Given that we had never been in the restaurant business, our goal was to find a solution that would make intuitive sense. We found that resource with TouchBistro. ” John notes that he wanted an iPad wireless solution, with a pay-at-table option. “I didn’t want credit cards going back behind the counter. Coming from a sales environment, where I was traveling a lot, I didn’t like the credit card being out of the hands of the con-

continued on page 104

Come see an in-person demo Mar 6-8 Booth #1521 at the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York.

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 93

LIZ ON TABLETOP

TABLETOP SOLUTIONS

Club Season On The Horizon

I

was just looking at my calendar and couldn’t believe that the annual Metropolitan Club Manager expo is just around the corner.

At H.Weiss, we’ve been serving the equipment and supply needs of club managers and their culinary teams for many years.

In recent years, we’ve found that the types of questions we field from clubs reflect a change in dynam-

ics. For decades, clubs have had a monthly minimum that a member needed to spend on food and beverage. Through the years and as a reaction to the challenging economic times circa 2007-2009, clubs have gotten away from enforcing those minimums.

At the same time, club members need to realize that they need to patronize their club’s dining areas or the level of service to which they have be-

94 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

come accustomed will diminish.

Bottom line is that clubs need to compete with restaurants. Under the category of “if you can’t beat themjoin them”, we are seeing a number of clubs hiring restaurant chefs. At H. Weiss, we have several new strategies for clubs to win that battle in 2016.

Why not retool the menu and offer more a la cart items. The buzz today is all about farm to table. So we suggest working with your produce sup-

Liz Weiss is the President and coowner of Armonk, NY based H. Weiss Co. She is known nationally as one of the nation’s foremost authorities on tabletop design. The Michigan State graduate is also actively involved with WPO-Women’s Presidents Organization. Comments may be sent to eweiss@hweiss.net.

plier to create a farm to table basket for each table in the dining room.

It may also be time to rethink those theme nights. We suggest a theme night to incorporate specific ethnic menus. How about a Thai night with some special serving pieces.

A great way to reposition your club’s brand is to go back to basics from time to time with the upscale elegance that your club probably built its reputation upon. We’ve seen many of our club customers add regional fare to an upscale menu and then dress-up the room to recreate those glory days.

A simple way to bring back that special sense of style is to replace the tired old banded china with cleaner plates. A perfect solution is for a club

to add the new Lenox restaurant ware that are really nice. It features some innovative shapes that are readily accessible and can easily be custom decorated. The line is well priced and nothing better than the Lenox back stamp - especially for country clubs.

Colored and patterned plates are back, but not for everything- only one or two on the table at once - and they look organic - not plain round and they mimic a hand made look.

A club can also win the battle to re-energize the pallets of it members with several simple tweaks to its beverage strategy. The next step is to bring your wine purveyor in and update your wine lists and offer those new additions with nicer glasses. We are here to help you with those glass

choices.

We’ve seen great success with selling wine by the glass. You’ll get maximum impact by creating a wine of the day in a special glass. How about wine paring dinners hosted by winemakers. Another great signature is to infuse your own spirits to create a signature like a pecan infused bourbon.

I’m sure that you have also seen the craft beer explosion. A simple solution is to add 4 to 8 beer taps and offer local beers.

In 2016, we see a number of interesting trends in the Grill Rooms at Tri-State clubs. With the craft beer revolution there’s a move afoot to swap out beer mugs for nicer glasses that are specific to each beer brand.

Both Cardinal and Cal-Mil offer glass

and board/paddle combos that enable you to label the mug with chalk to create that “craft” feel. We also suggest serving burgers this year on a round plate with a fry holder to replace those ovals. 2016 will also be the year of white and blues (Oneida) for those burger plates, replacing brown crockery. Those designer burgers need designer toppings including upscale ketchup (jalapeno). We are also seeing the elimination of candles. Why not add a raw bar and bacon…bacon…and more bacon.

Next month, we will be back with thoughts on outdoor dining at your club. Remember we are here to help you create a plan for any of these trends and if we don’t have the answer, we’ll get it for you!

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 95

Purse Perch, from page 42 placed on a kitchen counter, a chair, or a bed,” he states.

Spindler points out that handbags are very important to most women.

“A very personal accessory that holds anything that’s relevant for every day that a woman goes out. On top of that, handbags are a status symbol.

So, they sell for ridiculous amounts of money today, and women are very concerned about where they secure their handbags.”

Most dining tables are about 29 inches high, and The Purse Perch stands at 42 ½ inches. “So it’s approximately 13 inches higher than the table,” he describes the item’s convenience. “It does not interfere with the waiter coming to the table because, if you have a table of 4 to 6 people, one purse perch does it. You simply put it between two of the chairs that are occupied. There’s about 18 inches between chairs in a restaurant and in that space you can hang multiple

handbags. It doesn’t affect either of the two people sitting there. The waiter has the rest of the table to comfortably serve, take dishes away, etc. It doesn’t obstruct anyone’s view because it’s a foot out from the table. You can even put it between two of the inside chairs.

It becomes even more secure.”

Spindler says he came out with a slogan for The Purse Perch, “The comfort of security. When you go into a restaurant, you’re going in for the total experience, which is that you didn’t want to cook at home, you want to be served, you want to be comfortable, you want to feel like the king and the queen.

This allows you the initial reaction of, ‘Oh, I like this place, I’m not holding a purse, a hat, and I’m comfortable here.

I can enjoy the atmosphere, I can enjoy the food.’ Your belongings are secure, you’re at ease. You can enjoy the restaurant, you can enjoy the meal.”

For more information, go to www. purseperch.com.

96 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

BOOTH #1833

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 97

TouchBistro, from page 8

the idea of change. To encourage quick adoption you can incentivize your staff to familiarize themselves with the new POS and all of its abilities. For example, since TouchBistro prompts servers for any upsells available per order, create a competition around how many servers can get a customer to add chicken breast to their caesar salad or guacamole to their nachos. Publicly recognize staff members when you see them embracing the new POS and present upsellers with a prize to reward them for their POS skills. This competition will also help to familiarize your staff with TouchBistro’s modification features, reminding them they can use this tool in other service situations, such as accompanying dessert with a coffee.

8. Encourage staff to self-teach While an initial training session is helpful, some employees may require additional assistance. TouchBistro understands that not everyone can become a POS superstar overnight, but with the help of our online support resources, equipped with countless POS tips and guides, they can come pretty close. Further empower your staff to self-teach by letting them know where to find these resources online and having some of the training documents on hand and available for access in your venue.

9. Let them know how it directly benefits them While accounting management and cloud reporting may be essential

98 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

for a manager, these features won’t necessarily excite a server, but the ability to turn tables faster and make higher tips might! The advantages of adopting an iPad POS differ from managers, servers and kitchen staff, so be sure to let your employees know how they too can reap the benefits of the system.

10. Lean on your POS support team Help is just a hop, skip and a phone call away; TouchBistro offers around the clock support, through phone or email, for any issues you may encounter throughout your transition.

In the off chance that a manager or POS superstar isn’t available to help out, TouchBistro always is! Since TouchBistro is built by industry ex-

perts, we understand the aches and pains restaurateurs experience on a daily basis. You talk, we listen; at TouchBistro, we encourage any and all customer feedback. Bonus: our product is shaped by customer feature requests - even more incentive to get your staff to speak up.

This is an exciting time for you and your restaurant! Your new POS will give you deep insight into your business and make your staff’s jobs easier and more efficient, but most importantly, it will enhance your customers’ experience. By following these 10 steps to onboard your staff smoothly, you will be well on your way to reaping all the benefits of your new iPad POS!

BOOTH #2007

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 99

Bobrow, from page 72 three ingredients, fruit (or a vegetable), sugar, and some type of vinegar.

Here is a simple recipe for a shrub that can be produced in about a week using easily acquired ingredients. It does have to be aged after the mashing of fruit, sugar and vinegar, but that timing is really up to you. It can age quickly or over several weeks.

I call this shrub the Squire’s Shrub.

It is a very easy shrub to master even with less than perfectly fresh fruit.

This is, in actuality, the preference for a softer (to the palate), yet pleasingly tangy, end result with or without an intoxicating hit of liquor.

It’s true, the Squire’s Shrub does require a couple of extra steps, but I promise it’s worth your while. Your patience will be rewarded with lush, crimson-colored syrup that’s straight out of the eighteenth century, when America was in its infancy and early pharmacists would have relied on their gardens to supply the basis for their healing tonics. (Rhubarb has been used as a digestive aid for thousands of years.)

There’s nothing difficult to it, though, beyond a little extra mixing, and roasting your fruit before making the shrub. The vinegar’s high acidity cuts through the sumptuous, charred, caramelized flavor of the roasted strawberries and rhubarb, making it a seductive addition to gin, vodka, and rum-based libations.

ing this time to combine as the berries and rhubarb give off their liquid.

Place a nonreactive strainer above a second nonreactive bowl, pour the fruit-sugar mixture into the strainer, and use a wooden spoon to mash the mixture in order to release as much liquid as possible. (Reserve the mashed fruit to use in cooking or baking, if you like.) Add the balsamic vinegar to the liquid, stir, and let the mixture sit for a few hours.

Funnel into sterilized bottles or jars,

Squire’s Shrub Ingredients: 2 cups (340 g) Roasted strawberries and rhubarb 1 cup (200 g) Demerara sugar 1 cup (235 ml) Light balsamic vinegar Time: 3–4 weeks Preparation: Add the roasted strawberries and rhubarb to a nonreactive bowl. Cover with the sugar, stir to combine, and cover it with plastic wrap. Leave at cool room temperature for 24 hours. Stir frequently dur100 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

and age for 3–4 weeks in the refrigerator. This shrub will last nearly indefinitely, but if it begins to quiver, dance, or speak in foreign languages, throw it out.

Serving Suggestion: Add a few ounces of the Squire’s Shrub to a glass of cool seltzer water for a refreshing pick me up, or add to a glass of rum to make a cocktail.

This Shrub is for good health!

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 101

Homsey, from page 80 guests thinking about their next dinner and making reservations before they leave? Absolutely it will! Thanks to you and Bob! There is quite a bit of “off script” psychology leading up to a picture, a post, subsequent referrals and a return visit but you can train your staff to use this one trick every day of the year. What the heck, your customers are going to ask for their pictures to be taken anyway. Why not set it up so that you get social media exposure, more customers, more money and an opportunity for customers to learn employee’s names plus feel valued and honored as well?

Let me know if you liked the article.... it’s just the tip of the iceberg... If your

employees were really serious about making more money they would be handing out business cards on their way to work and all the way home and ALL the surrounding business owners would know them by name and refer customers to them constantly.

I have an easy way of handing out

102 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

business cards that will give each of your employees V.I.P. status at all the surrounding businesses AND have those business owners sending in new customers daily. Give me a call at 1-646-462-0384 to train your staff to double your clientele and double sales in six hours guaranteed.

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 103

Ask Andrew, from page 74 ple, violations that are not imminent health hazards should be given an opportunity to be corrected before a fine is levied and a letter grade is impacted. Also, a restaurant’s letter grade and frequency of inspection should be based on a judge’s ruling and not the accusations made by the Health Department inspector, which happens now. Restaurateurs should be given due process afforded by the American legal system.

It’s been a warm winter… never too early to think about outdoor cafes? What’s new from the ‘City regarding that.

We got a change in the law that sped up sidewalk cafe approval process which was great. But most notably, a few years ago we worked with the City Council and other stakeholders on what became referred to as the Brunch Bill. It changed the law to allow restaurants to begin operating their side-

Beehive, from page 92 walk cafes at 10:00am on Sundays, instead of noon. The change in the law gave restaurants an important, additional two hours to generate revenue. And of course, this change was welcomed by brunch loving New Yorkers. But nothing in New York is easy. An old blue law still prohibits the sale of alcohol before noon on Sundays. So while you can now enjoy your Eggs Benedict on a sidewalk café before noon on Sunday, you can’t wash it down with a Bloody Mary. The good news is that the State Senate and Assembly have introduced legislation to allow alcohol to be served at 10:00am on Sundays. And through the NYC Hospitality Alliance’s appointment to Governor Cuomo’s Liquor License Modernization Commission, we’re hopeful that we’ll get the outdated law changed soon.

sumer. This is a much more secure way.”

He points out that this option is already very popular in Europe, and is also a little ahead of itself, given the October 1st requirement that New York City restaurants adopt the new EMV payment process, which allows consumers to use their credit cards right at the table, without ever having to hand it over to a server.

“About 15-20% of our customerbase is foreign-born. They’re comfortable with that,” he explains. “It was just a matter of training our staff. One of the big bangs of closing out for the day is going through your slips, marking down the tips. That’s money out of my pocket, so I wanted an automated process that would get it right.”

TouchBistro created a streamlined process that features, easy to read and manage information. It eliminates the confusion that comes when servers are just scratching out the information. And you find yourself wondering is that a 3 or a 5?

“TouchBistro came to us and walked us through the system patiently, explaining here’s what it does. Coming from a tech background, it was easy for me to pick up on it,” says John. “They knew what I wanted, but sometimes what you want is not what you’re looking for. There were some features I didn’t even think about, like adding the tip on the credit card, how to streamline that process and be accountable.”

It was something he didn’t think about but it now saves him 20 hours a week, four hours each per five servers.

And it saves time for the servers, too.

“I can pay them in a different way, be more relaxed, happy to pay them while they’re there but they don’t need to push paper for me,” he adds.

John was thrilled to find that the TouchBistro solution offered so much more than the ability to process orders.

“We are able to analyze data including our year to year comparisons so that we can put the info to work for us,” he concluded.

art of the

We believe menus are an integral part of the dining experience and should be viewed as the presentation: the story of who you are and what your customer can expect.

Let us help you create the presentation your food deserves. naming | logo development | branding interior menu design | menu covers talk

view

888 LOST 456 toll free 206 728 6044 tel

taste-envy.com menus brand-envy.com branding

TASTE-ENVY.COM

104 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 105

Glissen, from page 52

against the ‘big guys’ to the best of his ability and trying to be better. He was always asking, ‘How can we be the very best there is?’”

In its early years, Glissen was a very small company with just one product, Nu-Foam Glass Washing Powder. Eugene had also owned an extract company that manufactured grenadine syrup and other cocktail mixes, but as mixed drinks declined in popularity he’d looked into what else was needed in the bar and restaurant industry.

“His goal was to have the finest products in the industry for hand-washing bar glassware,” Joe explains. “He wanted to develop a product that was easy on the hands and also the best in its field.”

The result was Nu-Foam glass washing powder, which was named

by Joe’s sister, Judy Lehr Sarnoff and which Eugene himself developed and sold in and around the New York area. Soon after he joined the company, Joe was assigned the task of developing his father’s business in the New England and Pennsylvania areas. With Glissen’s single NuFoam product in hand, he started knocking on the distributor’s doors.

“The usual comments I got were, ‘Let me see your full line; let me see your catalogue,’ Joe remembers.

“But it didn’t discourage me because I knew I had something far superior to what was on the market.”

Joe did manage to convince them to try his product, and little by little Glissen began to supply the restaurant industry with Nu-Foam powder detergent. From those first seeds planted in New York, today Glissen’s products are sold through distributors in half of America.

What separates Glissen Chemical’s products from the company’s competitors, explains Joe, is the type of ingredients that are used in developing these detergents. “All of our ingredients are cosmetic-grade,

as opposed to industrial-grade,” he says. “Cosmetic-grade materials are much kinder on the hands. No matter what the use, the same standard of quality applies to all Glissen products.”

“Bar glassware used in taverns and restaurants should be absolutely, spotlessly clean,” he explains.

“Residues can kill the head on beer, and Nu-Foam doesn’t leave any resi-

106 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

due. In addition to being more eyeappealing, the head also helps the establishment to pour less beer.”

Joe has been committed to making Glissen Chemical successful not only financially, but also as a reputable, trustworthy company that customers can rely on for personalized service and uncompromising quality. “We try very hard to serve our customers as friends,” Joe ex-

plains.

The injection of new technology and a visionary third generation has solidified the key attributes of the company that have made the firm a success. That commitment to detail is why the Glissen name is synonymous with top-notch service and uncompromising quality.

BOOTH #1810

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 107

Freeman, from page 76 have mastered transitioning large and small customers to GREEN and have wonderful abilities to help them report their achievements for both PR, AND LEED or GRA certification. Going green or want to? Come see us!

What’s the attitude of mills and processors?

Lots of manufacturers are catching the fever and doing the right thing.

There are more and more options.

Come see our booth and get a taste!

As with every industry, the Internet has become a part of our world. How does Imperial keep the customer from commoditizing and shopping the net vs the value of an Imperial sales professional to suggest.

Well we don’t. We encourage it. It’s a reality. Information is readily available.

We have an enormous and terrific in house IT team that scours the net for our customers and delivers those results in the Imperial Bag & Paper Company APP, available at the Apple App

Store. Place your orders; research your payment history, search for solutions at the IBP APP. What’s the next step for a customer that would like to learn more about Imperial Bag? SEE US AT BOOTH 1921 or 2025 at the IRFSNY 2016, or call me directly at 800-794-7273 Ext. 3103. My email address is cfreeman@imperialbag.com. If you’re a customer, I love you! If you’re a prospect, come get some love soon!

NEW PRODUCTS WANTED… for the region’s #1 sales opportunity

March 6-8, 2016

Javits Center, NYC

internationalrestaurantny.com

Don’t miss this once-a-year opportunity to drive your sales & grow your business Put your business in front of more than 16,000 buyers – representing more than $132Million in sales.

Call today to reserve your space and discuss how we can help you reach your goals.

Bill: 203-484-8055 Dave: 203-484-8056 Sponsored by:

BOOTH #1213 108 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

Produced & Managed by:

Easy Ice, from page 22 you address your clientele, the better!

If you’re a big outfit like Chipotle, an official press release should be disseminated immediately. If you’re an independent restaurant owner, you can speak to your customers directly through social media.

As a restaurant owner, you have a better shot at damage control and avoiding bad press when you come clean with your constituency from the start. Be transparent! Communicate your apology and concern for your customers. And, most importantly, communicate the specific steps your restaurant will take to avoid food safety issues going forward.

During an outbreak investigation, public health officials need to know detailed information on how food is being handled from transport, production, storage, preparation, cooking to serving. This usually starts with a records review of all food items con-

Russ & Daughters, from page 24 sumed by the people that became ill in order to determine the cause of the outbreak. However, if an operator is not releasing all records to the investigators or giving misleading information, this can hinder the outcome of the investigation.

“Once a potential site is identified, inspection focuses on temperature control of food, sanitation of food preparation areas, safe food handling practices, health status and food safety knowledge of food handlers to identify food safety infractions that most likely caused the outbreak. Officials may take appropriate food and environmental samples for lab examination to isolate and identify the pathogen(s).’’ adds Chan.

For more food (and ice) safety information, please visit: http://www. easyice.com/category/food-safetyice-safety/

by adding Russ & Daughters to our community,” Ehrenberg continued.

“Russ & Daughters will be an integral part of a bustling ecosystem at Building 77 and will also help attract and support a next generation of food entrepreneurs.”

“Russ & Daughters has been a part of the fabric of New York for 102 years. We hope to be around for at least as many more. The opportunity to continue our growth within the Brooklyn Navy Yard, a 200 year old force of industry and development in New York is not only incredibly exciting, it’s a natural fit,” said Niki Russ Federman, fourth generation owner of Russ & Daughters.

Russ & Daughters will be doing quite a lot at their Brooklyn digs. Of course, you’ll get the business’s wellknown retail operation, but that’s just for starters. There will also be bakery operations, a nationwide shipping center, food production, catering for

on-site and off-site functions, training for company employees, and classes for the public. The company will be adding 30 jobs when they open this space.

The 60,000-square-foot ground floor space, which will be designed

by Marvel Architects, is looking for more businesses and has launched a Request For Expressions of Interest for the enormous structure. Upstairs at Building 77, there will be commercial space, and a roof deck atop the 15th floor. In addition to Building 77, redevelopment at the Brooklyn Navy Yard includes Admiral’s Row, which is slated to be the site of a Wegmans supermarket. Russ & Daughters’ expansion to Brooklyn comes a year after another iconic Lower East Side Jewish food establishment, Streit’s Matzo Factory, sold its building in the gentrified neighborhood and moved operations to New Jersey.

BOOTH #1966

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 109

Modern Line, from page 54

efficiency, endless customization options, and most importantly, ‘Made in USA’ products at factory direct prices.

And of course, our locally-made products comply with all US standards and fire resistant requirements.”

Modern Line Furniture now boasts the ability to provide custom made seating, tables, chairs, and even furnishes outdoor lounge areas with wicker frames and Sunbrella® cushions which are also made to order on-site.

The company owner notes he has one priority – “Delivering exactly what the customer needs. When designer or restaurant owners say, I need a live edge, walnut tabletop, 24x48” and I need it in a few weeks delivered to California, there is no way I can produce this in time unless I have control over the manufacturing process,” commented Spivak.

Spivak has further motives for moving production to the US which include “better-quality work, faster lead times, and the ability to locally source the materials needed to fulfill the order according to exact specifications,” he points out.

He says he’s now working with many prominent brands as well as several franchises that have 200+ locations nationwide. “We met at a tradeshow. The following week the client sent me a sample of what he needed to have produced together with detailed specifications and their target price. A few weeks later, when we sent over the final sample for approval, he said, perfect, this is exactly what I need. Now he’s sending purchase orders regularly and in a matter of days we are able to produce the items in-house from scratch, then, package and ship them to different

110 • February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com

zip codes across the country, dozens at a time. How could I do this unless I am in control of my own production?”

Spivak has also started working with designers. “Every hotel, every restaurant, every commercial establishment wants that wow factor,” he says. Now designers suggest crystals in wall panels. He orders Swarovski®.

“Décor is part of buying your evening.

You have to sell yourself the moment your customers step in the door,” he says.

He doesn’t feel as negatively about the Internet as other manufacturers but rather uses it as a tool for success.

“Not only does the web allow you to distinguish and filter your clientele, but, it also enables customers from all over the world to find you. It facilitates us to reach our commercial clients – including those who own night

clubs, lounges, bars, hotels, restaurants, and designers who can browse and purchase Modern Line Furniture’s complete line of contemporary, modular and custom made furniture at their leisure even though we may be hundreds of miles apart.”

The company has grown from a small building in Brooklyn to an 85,000 square foot production and warehouse facility in New Jersey, with a commercial showroom where customers can view and select whatever they’re looking for.

Spivak says it’s simple. “It’s all in your hands, you just have to think of what the consumer is asking for and follow up, that’s all.”

For more information, visit w w w. m o d e r n l i n e f u r n i t u re. c o m , email sales@modernlinefurniture or call 1-800-637-5596 ext. 1.

W E N

Grease Interceptor

EnduraXL has been designed from the ground up to meet the needs of the modern operational foodservice environment.

Compact Footprint, with a Lifetime of Performance

www.enduraXL.com Represented in Metro New York by: Tel: (201) 525-1433 Fax: (201) 525-1437

DMM Enterprises

dmm@dmmreps.com

BOOTH #1744

February 2016 • Total Food Service • www.total food.com • 111

BOOTH #1950