April 2023 - Total Food Service

GORDON FOOD SERVICE ANNOUNCES TEXAS EXPANSION WITH SIX NEW HOUSTON AREA STORES

Gordon Food Service a privately held and family-managed foodservice distributor with operations in the U.S. and Canada, opened six new Gordon Food Service Stores in the greater Houston, TX area to serve local restaurants, food operations and the public. The new Gordon Food Service Stores are the first Texas locations and the most opened by the company at one time.

Primarily designed to provide chef-quality food products to restaurant owners and foodservice

professionals of all types, the new Gordon Food Service Stores will also cater to home shoppers with an assortment of packaged and fresh produce and goods, much of which will be prepared on site.

Each facility will employ an average of 40 full- and part-time team members and measure between 25,000 to 30,000 square feet in size with a modern, fresh décor and easy to navigate layouts for quick shopping.

“Gordon Food Service Store believes in the power of good food and its ability to bring people to -

gether and make moments special,” said Tim Grabar, president, Gordon Food Service Stores. “We are excited to open our doors to the greater Houston community and provide the chef-quality food products our stores are known for.”

The stores offer large seasonal produce department with an assortment of the best market-direct items available as well as fresh meats available by the piece, pound, continued on page 117

“We are excited to open our doors to the greater Houston community and provide the chef-quality food products our stores are known for.” — Tim Grabar

By Joyce Appelman

2023 RAPID FIRE CHALLENGE IGNITES MEATLESS MONDAY SINGLE SKILLET CHEF COMPETITION

The annual Meatless Monday Rapid Fire Challenge returned to the International Restaurant and Foodservice show in New York City, and this year’s competition didn’t fail to deliver a menu full of bold, inventive, and down-right delicious plant-based meals.

Seven chefs created their favorite meat-free dishes cooking with only one pan. Contestants had 10 minutes

on stage to introduce themselves, cook their dish, and present their samples to the judges via Plato, an autonomous mobile robot developed by United Robotics. The winning chef received $1,000 and was crowned the Rapid Fire Champion. Judging the event were Stratis Morfogen, Brooklyn Chop House and Pappas Tavern; Laura Bray, social influencer; Dawn Kelly, The Nourish Spot founder; Chef Renee Blackman, personal

chef, caterer & consultant; and Chef Maria Loi, Chef, cookbook author, Greek food ambassador. The MC for the event was Brian Connors, Director, Bacardi Center of Excellence and Florida International University, Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management.

The chefs competed fiercely, but when the skillets sizzled, Chef James Williamson of Brooklyn-based Blackowned restaurant JDub W/ Da Grub

found himself the champ! His passion for Southern American and Caribbean cooking, paired with his love of African flavors, inspired his winning dish: Jerk Tofu over Coconut Rice and Peas Risotto with Mango Slaw. Pairing the pungent spices of Jerk seasoning with the creamy, aromatic coconut risotto, and sweetrefreshing slaw was a match made in heaven for the judges.

Although Chef Williamson went home with the trophy and cash prize, all the Meatless Monday Rapid Fire Challenge participants competed valiantly and demonstrated the power of plant-based cooking. MM Rapid Fire Competitors:

• Chef James Williamson, JDub W/ Da Grub, Brooklyn, NY

• Sherain Rivera, Owner, Raindrops Kitchen LLC, Schenectady, NY

• Misha Levin, Director of Culinary and Executive Chef, Bareburger Group

• David Mizrahi, Managing Partner, SALT, Long Branch, NJ

• Chef Brian Morales, Owner, Carr High Cafe, Keansburg, NJ

• Chef Reinhold Teuscher, Chef/ Owner, CRCS LLC

• May Kaidee, Founder, The Vegan Restaurant, NYC

Williamson is the chef of JDub W/ Da Grub, a Black-owned, Brooklyn based full-service catering company that is run by him and his partner, Chef Cherish-Marie Collins. They specialize in creating scratchmade cuisine inspired by Southern American comfort food as well as the flavors of the African diaspora (Black,

continued on page 124

1st row: Plato from United Robotics delivered chef samples to the judges. 2nd row: Judges left to right: Stratis Morfogen; Laura Bray, Social Influencer; Dawn Kelly; Chef Renee Blackman; Chef Maria Loi. Top row: Rapid Fire Challenge Champion Chef James Williamson, JDub W/ Da Grub, Brooklyn (center) holds his trophy for his winning recipe, Jerk Tofu over Coconut Rice & Peas Risotto topped with Mango Slaw. He’s surrounded by competing chefs (from left to right): David Mizrahi, Reinhold Teuscher, Misha Levin, May Kaidee, Winner James Wiliamson, Sherain Rivera, Brian Morales, and Challenge MC Brian Connors, Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University.

SPECIALTY FOOD ASSOCIATION PARTNERS WITH MOROCCO TO BRING UNIQUE EXPERIENCE TO JAVITS SHOW FLOOR IN JUNE

The Specialty Food Association (SFA) announced late last month that Morocco will be their partner country sponsor for the 2023 Summer Fancy Food Show. The largest B2B specialty food event in the United States, the Summer Fancy Food Show features thousands of specialty food and beverage products from around the world.

The Morocco Pavilion will be 5,000 square feet and comprised of 40 companies. “The Specialty Food Association is thrilled that Morocco will be our partner country sponsor for the 2023 Summer Fancy Food Show,” said Bill Lynch, SFA president. “Morocco has a rich culture that produces an array of specialty food products, and I look forward to our buyer community experiencing the culinary treasures Morocco will be bringing to the Show.”

“Morocco Foodex is glad to announce the participation of Morocco as a Partner Country in the Summer Fancy Food Show,” said El Mehdi El Alami, director of Promotion and Development. “We are aiming through this event to spotlight the excellent quality, the authenticity, the sustainability and the diversity of

the Moroccan food products. This participation is considered to be a major business opportunity for the Moroccan exporters to connect and develop commercial operations with U.S companies. We are also preparing a cooking show program, to offer to everyone the chance to experience the specific taste of Moroccan food. Moroccan food products are a worldwide recognized production, a legacy of knowhow, an expertise in perpetual renewal and a world champion in many products like sardines, capers, olive oil, olives, etc. We look forward to meeting you and welcoming you at the Moroccan pavilion.”

The Summer Fancy Food Show will take place June 25-27 at the Javits Center in NYC. The Show is open only to qualified members of the specialty food trade, industry affiliates, and journalists.

Registration opens this month.

The Specialty Food Association (SFA) has been the leading trade association and source of information about the $175 billion specialty food industry for 70 years. Founded in 1952 in New York City, the SFA represents manufacturers, importers, retailers, distributors, brokers, and others in the trade. The SFA is known for its Fancy Food Shows; the sofi™ Awards, which have honored excellence in specialty food and beverage for 50 years; the Trendspotter Panel Show reports and annual predictions; the State of the Specialty Food Industry Report and Today’s Specialty Food Consumer research; the SFA Product Marketplace, where buyers discover new products, network and connect with SFA members; SFA Feed, the daily source for industry news, trends and new product information, and Spill & Dish: A Specialty Food Association Podcast.

Learn more at https://www.specialtyfood.com/shows-events/summerfancy-food-show/

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SCOOP News Editor and Senior Contributing Writer

Joyce Appelman

Contributing Writers

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Phone: 203.661.9090

Email: tfs@totalfood.com

Web: www.totalfood.com

continued on page 102

“Morocco has a rich culture that produces an array of specialty food products, and I look forward to our buyer community experiencing the culinary treasures Morocco will be bringing to the Show.” — Bill Lynch

HOSPITALITY EMPLOYEE CULTURE’S PIVOTAL ROLE IN BENEFITS

Employee retention is a serious issue that employers in the Hospitality and Food Services industry are facing today. When a hospitality employer makes their workforce feel that they are truly cared about, this has a rippling effect on the overall culture and productivity of an operation. An organization’s culture, employees’ emotional connection to it and the power of the right benefits to support the culture are crucial to engaging employees and ensuring long-term success.

“Organizational culture” may be an overused phrase, but culture and the employer-employee connection culture generates has become part of recruiting, retention and having the right benefits to engender long-term loyalty. How important are culture and connection within an organization? It can make a major difference in candidate interest and employee satisfaction with an employer:

• Mentioning culture in job postings increases engagement with the listing (67%).1

• Nearly one-quarter of employees say they’ll leave if they’re not happy with an organization’s culture.

• In fact, 15% of job seekers will decline a job because they’re uncomfortable with an organization’s culture.2

Keeping workers in the communication loop helps them remain motivated and engaged. Employers with effective communications are 50% more likely to have lower turnover.3 Culture and connection are important elements in building a benefits strategy based on Quality Employee Experiences, or QEX. This approach emphasizes the experience that employees have with the organization and how benefits can improve the quality of those experiences.

The power of the right benefits to support employee culture in the workplace

The importance of culture and connection is magnified by its role in the employee experience with benefits. Using technology and analytics, employers need to understand the needs of their employees, particularly the needs of individual employees. Leaders can benefit from understanding what elements make up their organization’s culture and simply recognizing what their culture actually is. For example:

• “Caring” cultures emphasize a familial environment and will offer family-centric benefits. For example, such a culture could cover costs for fertility treatments, surrogacy services and adoption.4

• “Learning” cultures put an em-

phasis on personal and employee development, through education, development plans, consistent employee evaluations, educational reimbursements, and sabbaticals.

• “High-performance” cultures are all about delivering value on time and under budget, whether that’s to customers or vendors. These cultures make benefits robust, easy to choose and that aren’t overly complex. A common misconception is that employees love their work, the company, and its brand, but often employees are connected to their teams and teammates more than the organization itself.

Understanding the difference is important. Organizations should focus on strategies that reinforce the connection with teams or alter it with benefits that deliver on QEX’s promise. Ultimately, organizations should examine their employee culture in the

workplace and determine what makes it that way, rather than imagining their culture as something it is not. Here are some best practices on evaluating and strengthening culture:

• Organizations should assess their cultures and see how well they are connecting to employees. This can require an honest evaluation of what leaders believe their cultures to be and what they truly are.

• Through analytics and data collection such as surveys and focus groups, organizations need to understand where employees are professionally and personally. This should inform the nature and strength of their relationship with the company and point the way to benefits that strengthen connection.

• Organizations should consider benchmarking against other organizations that have fostered similar cultures, which can help identify benefits that align with the organization’s culture and improve connection.

1. LinkedIn, “The Reinvention of Company Culture,” 1/18/2022.

2. TeamStage, “Company Culture Statistics: Leadership and Engagement in 2022,” accessed 6/23/2022.

3. Everyone Social, “24 Internal Communications Statistics Your Company Must Know Right Now,” 3/16/2022.

4.

11/30/2021.

Attractions, “Disney’s Family Building Program helps case members with adoption,”

Robert Fiorito serves as Vice President with HUB International Northeast, a leading global insurance brokerage, where he specializes in providing insurance services to the restaurant industry. As a 25+ year veteran and former restaurateur himself, Robert has worked with a wide array of restaurant and food service businesses, ranging from fast-food chains to upscale, “white tablecloth” dining establishments. Robert can be reached at 212-3382324 or by email at robert.fiorito@ hubinternational.com.

NATION’S RESTAURATEURS LAUD DAVO BY AVALARA FOR SIMPLIFYING SALES TAX COMPLIANCE

For many restaurateurs finding their new normal coming out of the pandemic has proven to be a juggling act. The stress welcoming back patrons to their dining rooms while maintaining takeout and delivery operations that in many cases grew exponentially during the past three years, has proven to be a major challenge.

With a labor force that has been stretched thin, many operators are simply trying to keep up the pace of business. For many the key to a solution has been to embrace technology that can solve daily operational challenges. DAVO Technologies LLC, from Avalara is at the top of the list for many restaurant operators.

DAVO’s technology automatically connects to point-of-sale (POS) systems to extract the amount of tax owed, set sales tax funds aside daily, hold the funds, and then file and pay sales tax when due to state and local tax authorities. DAVO provides merchants, restaurants, and sole proprietors with an automated sales tax compliance solution that also ensures available funds for sales tax obligations.

Operators from across the country have turned to DAVO by Avalara to bring simplicity to their operations. “I’ve been in business just about 15 years, I was late and behind tens of thousands of dollars,” noted Jeff Daigneau of West Springfield, MA based Lattitude1338. “I installed Toast in the summer of 2020 during COVID to help move the restaurant in the technology sector COVID required. I

stumbled across DAVO in the integrations section and signed up the week I installed. It has single-handedly changed my business. I’ve never been late or behind because you can’t be. I was on a payment plan with the state and once I told them I was doing this, they were actually impressed. It gives you a comfort level as a business owner as its small payments everyday vs a large pull all at once.”

Alabama restaurateurs Matthew

and Melissa Pipkin of Pip’s Surf & Turf in Greenville have found that DAVO has enabled them to automate crucial back office functions. “There is nothing to think or worry about. It’s automatic!!! It brings a level of peace of mind that you can’t imagine,” they said.

Orlando, FL restaurateur Stephen Facella operates a high-volume eatery across from Disney’s Magic Kingdom. “DAVO helps you alleviate the

time needed to manage sales tax. Time is money, not to mention the discipline needed to make sure that the cash that’s deposited is not assumed to be operating capital,” he explained. “DAVO builds in the structure needed to understand that it’s a holding account. It’s hard for restaurateurs to understand that it’s not your money. DAVO segregates it for us instantaneously and they handle the filing for me. It integrates with my point-of-sale system, so I never have to think about it and that they file immediately so I get my early filing discount from the State.”

DAVO has worked diligently to make certain that on the onboarding process is simple. “I was able to do the entire setup on the phone myself,” Facella continued. “I simply went into my point of sales system, authorized DAVO with a single click, entered my state credentials, bank account information and I was ready to go,” added the Central Florida pizza maven.

Today, DAVO supports more than 4,000 small businesses in the United States, including coffee shops, bike stores, flower shops, bakeries, restaurants, and many other types of local businesses. Integrated within trusted point of sale systems such as Clover, Square, Toast and more, DAVO alleviates the burden of sales tax management so that small businesses can focus on their core operations and customer service.

Restaurateurs seeking more information can find it on the web at avalara.com.

“It’s hard for restaurateurs to understand that [the sales tax] is not your money. DAVO segregates it for us instantaneously and they handle the filing for me.”

WHY FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT DEALERS SHOULD OFFER RENTAL SOLUTIONS TO THEIR CUSTOMERS

Foodservice equipment dealers and equipment rental companies have a long history of competition. Most dealerships exclusively sell their products, including large back-of-house equipment like ice machines, walk-in refrigerators and freezers, dishwashers, etc. Dealers are locked into the buy vs. rent debate with equipment rental companies, the two groups pitted against each other despite having entirely unique benefits and disadvantages.

It doesn’t have to stay that way. With a little bit of effort, dealers can begin to offer rental options to their customers, capturing more sales.

Why You Should Offer Rental Solutions as a Dealer

Possible Recession Now or Later Will Influence Operators to Rent More

By now, we’ve all seen economists predict a possible recession in 2023. Even if one doesn’t happen this year, recessions are an inevitable part of the U.S. economy. Sooner or later, we’ll experience one again, and when we do, the number of business owners wanting to rent instead of buy their kitchen equipment will rise. It’s a natural, logical instinct to conserve as much working capital as possible during times of economic uncertainty, especially for new businesses already at highrisk of closure due to lack of working capital. Adding rental solutions to your dealership could help your

bottom line during recessions.

2. Refer to a Third-Party Rental Company

If you’ve been in business a while, you’ve probably already done this for customers who understand the value of a rental option for certain equipment. Having a reliable rental company in your corner for referral will certainly support good relationships with your customers, but it doesn’t net you any profit. Every piece of equipment your customer rents from someone else is a sale you don’t make.

3. Partner with a ThirdParty Rental Company

Some

Operators Will Always Rent No Matter What – Stay Competitive!

Regardless of economic conditions, there will always be restaurant owners who rent some of their commercial kitchen equipment instead of buying, whether for financial or other reasons. If you want a chance to earn their business, don’t rely on the possibility of converting more of them from a rental to a purchase mindset. Be prepared to give them what they want! Offering customers rental solutions will guarantee extra business for your dealership, plain and simple.

How You Can Offer Kitchen Equipment Rental Solutions as a Dealer

So, you’re willing to consider adding rental solutions to your dealership. Here are 3 ways you can do it:

1. Offer In-House Rental Options

While this is the most obvious way to help your customers rent equipment, it’s also the most disruptive to your current business model. There are pros and cons to offering your own in-house rental equipment. On the upside, you can directly compete with third-party rental companies and make more money. You’ll also stand out in the dealer world, as most other dealerships continue to sell equipment exclusively. On the downside, creating a rental program requires a tremendous amount of capital, and running it efficiently involves committing significant financial and human resources to the program.

How is partnering with a rental company different than referring customers to one? Simple. A partnership is mutually beneficial on the profit side. When you partner with a rental company, you don’t just send your customer to that company to rent equipment with nothing to show for it. Your rental partner buys the piece of equipment from you in support of your customer account! It’s a win-win-win situation: your customer gets what he needs in a way he’s comfortable with, you make the equipment sale, and the rental company gains new business.

Adding rental options to your kitchen equipment solution menu is an excellent way to increase revenue and successfully compete

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RESTAURANT ONLINE FOOD DELIVERY: LOOKING AT THE PROS & CONS

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

How To Set Up Food Delivery Service For Your Restaurant

Since 2020, more restaurants have begun offering food delivery to customers to mitigate the losses brought about by the lockdowns. Food delivery services have helped several businesses remain afloat through the grim periods of the pandemic, and also allowed customers to eat from their favorite establishments while avoiding transmission risk. If you’re interested in setting up food delivery for your establishment, here are a few tips to consider:

Consider All Possible Delivery Options

While food delivery is often grouped under a single banner, the term represents an umbrella of options available to food business owners. The three main delivery options include:

• In-house Delivery: This option refers to restaurants delivering food with their drivers and delivery services as opposed to outsourcing it to a third party. This option involves some amount of work, expenses, and resources to set up. However, it allows you to retain customer data, and profits, and offers more control over delivery.

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

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

Acquire the Necessary Restaurant Equipment

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

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BURRATA

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

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

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

For more info and samples, please contact: foodservice@belgioioso.com

877-863-2123

belgioioso.com/Foodservice

VIRTUAL BREAKFAST SESSION TRACES THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN CATERING

Next VBS With TFS & L.Sashin On April 19

With culinary microscope in hand, Total Food Service and L. Sashin’s Virtual Breakfast Session (VBS) focused last month on the everchanging world of events and catering. The goal of the hour on-line session was to trace the evolution of catering menus from beef, chicken or fish to seafood boils, cannabis laced dishes and food as experiential theater.

The bi-monthly panel was anchored by Chef Phil Frederick as COO of Acronym Investments, he has emerged as one of the nation’s visionary toques with his adaption of cannabis infused menu. A pair of up-and-coming young stars Charles Drayton, owner of Exquisite Catering Cuisine and Queens based caterer Yvan Lemoine shared their goal of reinventing more traditional menu offerings.

For decades, it seemed as if celebratory and business events served the same fare to guests. Personal experiences may vary, but at most celebratory or corporate events the impression of the food has been mixed at best. There was a formula that you could expect. But not anymore.

“The current movement in catering is away from the traditional event and more towards customization.” stated Chef Lemoine “Know your objectives when planning an event”, added Chef Fredrick, who creates special events based around cooking with cannabis. “Always remember the party is about you!”

Chef Drayton added, “Your ideas and wants must fit your budget”. If there’s a shortfall there must be a “marriage” of flexibility and creativity to meet both the vision and pocketbook. When asked about his job in meeting a bride’s expectations Chef Lemoine summed it up by saying, “We’re here to sell life and love, that’s it.”

Two weeks later VBS focus shifted from food and fancy to food and safety. “It all starts here”, said Chef Ali Loukzada of Storico Restaurant as he held up a multipage checklist that they follow every day to ensure food safety. Lozada’s coworker and GM Christian Feglia chanted, “Follow the rules, sanitize and clean, you must restate it until it becomes an unconscious part of the routine.”. Bob Parrinello, President of President of Plum Safety and CIA Food Safety Instructor pointed out that that the single most important thing we can do to ensure

food safety and disease prevention is simple, “Wash your hands and turn the faucet off with the paper towel.”

SmartSense CEO Guy Yehiav emphatically emphasized, “#1 is food traceability”. You must know the path of the food you are about to put in your cooler took to get to your location. “You must know your distributors and their certifications and food handling. You can’t tell if your lettuce has Listeria by inspecting it!”, added Julio Garcia, President of Produce Experience. “Beware of the cross contamination of distributors that deliver meat, fish and produce in the same truck. You could be asking for trouble.”

As is the MO in all VBS sessions, the conversation then shifted from problems to solutions. “Food safety is an integral part of our regular meetings”, said GM Feglia. Mr. Parrinello applauded Feglia by saying, “Those

morning meetings are extremely important, don’t ever stop training!”.

Guy Yehiav put the candle (sanitized) on the cake by saying, “What we’ve learned is the sensors (technology) are important, but they are not the most critical piece. The critical piece is the workflow, the checklists and even more important is the culture of safety and quality first!”

The TFS/Sashin VBS Series returns on April 19th as we explore “Hospitality in 2023”. Along with the coffee, is hostility brewing in the dining room?” There are dissonant forces putting pressure on restaurants that must be addressed.

To register for the session, go to Eventbrite and type in “Virtual Breakfast Sessions”. https:// www.eventbrite.com/e/totalfood-service-l-sashin-associatesvirtual-breakfast-sessions-tickets-429338572227

The bi-monthly VBS-Virtual Breakfast Sessions are a production of L.Sashin and TFS. The programming is entering its second year with a goal of creating unique perspectives and solutions for the restaurant and foodservice professional.

Info on upcoming sessions that are held on Wednesdays can be found at: https://bit.ly/3xWUc0V

All past VBS’s can be seen on YouTube or at https://totalfood. com/vbs/

By Karen Jones

YANKEES AND LEGENDS HOSPITALITY’S FUKU

PACT HIGHLIGHTS ‘23 YANKEE STADIUM MENU

The New York Yankees opened their new season last month with a vast array of new dining options at Yankee Stadium. Brand new partners serving up their most popular items include New York traditions Fuku, Mac Truck and cheesy garlic bread by Bronx-born celebrity chef Christian Petroni.

They join a lineup of returning partners including Streetbird by Marcus Samuelsson, Bobby Flay’s “Bobby’s Burgers,” Lobel’s, Mighty Quinn’s, Chickie’s & Pete’s, City Winery, The Halal Guys, Sumo Dog, Benihana, Oatly and Wings of New York, among other favorites offering new menu items this season.

Yankee Stadium’s expanded food and beverage menu will provide some of the most unique options throughout the Major Leagues as the club furthers its efforts to enhance the fan

experience for all guests. The broad array of food options includes something for every fan, including a wide variety of gluten free, vegetarian and vegan options throughout Yankee Stadium. Food and beverage operations at Yankee Stadium are managed by Legends Hospitality.

Additionally, lettuce and herbs grown in the Yankee Stadium Tower Garden, located inside Yankee Stadium’s Gate 2, will be used in various menu items throughout the season. Using the vertical, aeroponic garden system of Tower Farms, which allows for the growth of healthy, fresh produce that requires minimal resources, the garden also serves to provide a hands-on learning experience for students taking part in the New York Yankees Healthy Home Plate Program, which the team has been proudly conducting since 2011.

Fuku is the fried chicken joint from chef David Chang – on a mission to change the way people think about fast casual. Fuku, as a concept, was built off of a delicious thigh-meat spicy fried chicken sandwich and has since grown to serve a variety of fried chicken offerings, sides, and slushies. Fuku will offer a signature sandwich named the O.G. Spicy Chicken Sando. It features a Crispy habanero-brined chicken breast, Fuku mayo, pickle, on a potato roll.

Restaurant entrepreneur Dom Tesoriero will also bring his Mac Truck to the Stadium. It made its debut during the summer of 2012 at the Historic

Saratoga Race Course in Upstate New York. The Mac Truck specializes in selling premium Mac & Cheese with an array of fun toppings. Offerings include Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese (classic mac, crispy chicken, buffalo sauce), Classic Mac & Cheese (elbow mac, baked in creamy cheddar cheese sauce), and Mexican Street Mac (classic mac, charred corn pico de gallo with crushed tortilla chips).

One of TV’s brightest food stars will join the lineup at the iconic Bronx ballpark. Born and raised in the Bronx, Christian Petroni has become one of the most prevalent chefs in Italian cuisine & the art of red sauce in the NYC area. He has become a regular on the Food Network, winning Next Food Network Star, Season 14; in addition to recurring ongoing guest appearances judging and cooking on shows like Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay, Guy’s Grocery Games, Guys Ranch Kitchen, Diners Drive Ins & Dives, Supermarket Stakeout, Tournament of Champions and more. Among his offerings are Cheesy Garlic Bread: Seeded Bronx bastone, mozzarella, Pecorino Romano and Parmesan Reggiano, Sicilian oregano, served with an 8-hour marinara.

Anchoring the Legends Hospitality team is Yankee Stadium Senior Executive Chef Matt Gibson. He earned his culinary degree from Le Cordon Bleu and moved to San Francisco early in his career, where he gained valuable experience working in a wide range of continued on page 114

“Our goal is to be able to offer high-end food that is approachable for everyone.”

— Chef Mitchell Gibson

Fuku’s spicy chicken sandwich will make its Yankee Stadium debut (Photo by Clay Williams via Fuku)

¡HOLA! CHURROS ™ : THE BEST BET FOR MENU SUCCESS SINCE THE COOKIE

To make such a declaration is a bold one. Yet, ¡Hola! Churros™ checks more boxes for menu success than the centuries-old cookie. Here’s why.

Versatility

When it comes to menu versatility, churros are at the top of the list. As a confection, churros are typically tossed or sprinkled in a cinnamon sugar that spells instant delight, but that’s just the start. Operators can create their own interpretations that make them dip sticks for dunking, sprinkled with everything from Dippin’ Dots® to colorful breakfast cereal, or dredged through caramel or chocolate. Churro bites are likely the most versatile for using as toppings over ice cream, shakes, and more.

Churros are right for any daypart. From breakfast to a late-night snack, these versatile treats are ideal for any menu and any segment in the foodservice industry. The options are practically endless.

But unlike a cookie, churros can serve as a uniquely shaped base for everything from the centerpiece of a charcuterie to a spicy delight when sprinkled with a spicy dry spice for a BBQ or burger side. Some operators even explore “loaded churros”, but sweet or savory as an alternative to loaded fries.

Best of all, operators can leverage their existing pantry for adding their own special touch to their

churros. ¡Hola¡ Churros, in their many shapes and even fillings definitely wins when versatility is a key factor.

Is It Trend Worthy?

No snack or dessert is trending higher than churros. Checking the box as a mini-dessert, dessert, breakfast dessert or snack, churros are globally inspired that offers special interest for Gen Z and Millennial customers and their children. While churros hold a 10-point lead among all competitors within the dessert category, there is plenty of room to grow. While cookies are ubiquitous on nearly 42% of all menus according to Datassential,

an operator choosing churros can set their menu apart from the rest, no matter their cuisine.

Easy To Prep? Check. Transport -

able? Check.

Labor remains a daunting challenge. ¡Hola! Churros makes prep easy. Par fried and ready to be heated in fryers, baked, or air fried, these churros can be prepared in minutes.

¡Hola! Churros come in a variety of shapes and styles depending on the intended use. The offering includes two styles. An Authentic Spanish Recipe style offers a cakelike experience while the Crispy Southwest Recipe has a crunchy

outside and light and fluffy interior.

The special formulation of ¡Hola! Churros makes them ideal for takeout, delivery, or catering. These churros have amazing holding times to offer a warm delight for dine-in or takeout applications.

What About Supply? Check.

¡Hola! Churros are a J&J Snack Foods brand. The company is a total solution provider for frozen beverages and snacks ranging from ICEE® to SuperPretzel® an Dippin’ Dots®. Thus, ¡Hola! Churros come from a leader with a new, expanded production lines to produce churros. J&J production facilities are located across America, reducing shipping times and assuring delivery.

Did We Check the Boxes?

¡Hola! Churros are versatile, trend worthy, easy to prep and always ready for your next menu. We will throw one more considerationthey’re very profitable. According to Datassential, average menu prices nationwide make churros extremely profitable.

If you are ready to explore how ¡Hola! Churros can make an impact on this year’s sales from your menu, request your free sample now at https://churros.com/ideas-guide/ by providing us with your shipping information.

Churros offer maximum versatility as a dessert or snack.

Q&A WITH JOSEPH SETTEPANI, PASTRY CHEF/OWNER, BRUNO’S BAKERY

FREEHOLD, NJ AND STATEN ISLAND, NY

Joseph Settepani is an awardwinning Pastry Chef and owner of Bruno’s Bakery, an authentic modern-day Italian bakery that specializes in seasonal Italian and French pastry, cookies, specialty cakes and seasonal homemade gelato. The family-owned bakery first opened by his father Biagio Settepani in 1973 in Manhattan and in 2004 opened in Staten Island. Over the holiday season in 2022, Bruno’s Bakery expanded to Freehold, NJ, continuing the family commitment to providing quality products and services to their ever-growing customer base.

Settepani is well-known around the world as a fierce competitor, having participated in the Societe Culinaire Philanthropique 144th/145th Salon Culinaire’s winning first prize for the best chocolate showpiece in the show. In 2012, he competed in the Food Network show “Sweet Genius” where he placed third. At The World Cake Competition, he placed second along with Charlie Tola. He supports many charities by either contributing his time to teach, provide signature desserts or make appearances at fundraising events. Some of the organizations he supports include Spoons Across

America, the Food Education Fund, City Meals on Wheels, Autism Speaks, Rising Above Bakery, and City Harvest. He also makes yearly appearances at the New York City Wine and Food Festival, and most recently, the BID Against Hunger event for City Harvest.

The chef shares his vision for the latest bakery concept and plans for the future.

Tell our readers what got you interested in becoming a pastry chef? Walk us through your career track and how you found your passion for the culinary field?

Growing up in the industry, many people assumed I became a pastry chef because my father, Biagio Settepani, is renowned in the pastry industry. But the truth is, while growing up, I disliked the whole idea of being a baker or pastry chef! I had a sports injury when I was a teenager that made me realize I would not be

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

Chef Jospeh Settepani (Photo by Scali Media); one of Bruno’s Bakery’s coveted Bombolonis (Photo by Scali Media), and a cup of their delicious Gelato.

7 THINGS TO EXPECT FROM KITCHEN MANAGERS

Over the past 20 years of coaching restaurant owners, one thing has not changed: the challenge of finding the right kitchen manager or chef for your restaurant. It’s pretty easy to convince yourself you found the right person to later find out they’re a disaster of a choice. Let’s first talk about common things that happen in a restaurant that lead you to hire the wrong person. Then let’s talk about the seven things to look for when interviewing restaurant managers for the kitchen.

First, why is it so easy to think you found the right person only to be disappointed over and over?

Sometimes you’re in a bind, and you need someone today. You’ve already been running short staffed, you’re going into season, whatever the reason, you need somebody right now. In this bind you’re able to ignore some warning signs or not ask questions that will reveal something that would make a person not hirable. Instead, you get distracted by the problems it would solve to have someone hired.

Sometimes you’re just tired. You lost your kitchen manager, and you’ve been in the kitchen for 80 hours. Maybe the kitchen isn’t even what you’re good at! You don’t want to be there anymore, and the first person that can fog a mirror that says they will accept the position is the one you hire.

Sometimes you’re looking for a lifeline. It’s just, oh my gosh, there’s chaos, no one has the right culinary skills –even you. Maybe you’re like me in the kitchen: no talent or skills for cooking. You just need a culinary pro because no one else in the restaurant can do it.

Sometimes you just really want to find a person quickly. You’re impatient

and want someone hired today. You’ve been doing this long enough and think, “How could I do any worse than the last person?” So, you hire the first person that walks in the door.

More than often that not, you pick the wrong person because of one of these circumstances. But if you can get yourself out of that cycle, allow yourself time and patience, you can find the right person.

What should you look for in a kitchen pro when you’re going to go through the interview process?

1. Somebody with a great attitude. Somebody who fits your company culture. Culture is extremely important.

2. Somebody with the culinary knowledge that’s right for your restaurant. Culinary knowledge is going to be very important or less important depending on the concept you have. For example, knife skills could be important, but maybe not a full knowledge of French cuisine or how to break down a chicken completely. Whereas if you’re a fine dining restaurant, that’s a part of the art. What kind of culinary

knowledge matches your restaurant?

3. This person should have knowledge of numbers and systems. They need to understand food cost, recipe costing cards, how to manage inventory, able to calculate yields, scheduling on budget and controlling labor on budget. It is very important that your potential kitchen leader either has a general understanding, or is willing to learn.

4. They should have experience training other team members. Training is very important and the higher you move up in the food chain, the less you’re going to touch a knife. As a kitchen manager, the job is to manage and train people.

5. Are they willing to learn? It might not be so important, depending on your concept, how deep their knowledge is if they’re willing to learn. You can provide them the right training, especially on the systems and numbers.

6. Are they willing to do things your way? All too often culinary professionals come in and say, “It’s my way or the

David Scott Peters is an author, restaurant coach and speaker who coaches restaurant operators how to stop being prisoners of their businesses and to finally financial freedom. His first book, Restaurant Prosperity Formula: What Successful Restaurateurs Do, teaches the systems and traits restaurant owners must develop to run a profitable restaurant. Thousands of restaurants have worked with Peters to transform their businesses. Get his three principles to restaurant success at http://www. davidscottpeters.com.

highway.” Well, they should go open their own damn restaurant. Whoever you hire has to be willing to follow your systems. That doesn’t mean they can’t bring improvements, and you can’t bend, but they can’t throw your stuff away. They can’t change things without your permission.

7. Make sure they understand it is your restaurant. not theirs, and the buck stops with you. This is for everything from budget to all the major decisions. You can give them the authority to make certain decisions, but anything that’s not in their authority, they have to check with you.

All things being equal, I often want to hire the person who’s willing to learn, who will do things my way and is looking to move up. When I say looking to move up, instead of hiring the seasoned chef, I want that sous chef looking for the opportunity to move up. Instead of that kitchen manager, I want that line supervisor looking for an opportunity to move up.

Why? Because ultimately, I can teach them my systems my way. I want the person who gets excited about the opportunity to move up rather than the person who’s stuck in their way saying it’s my way or the highway. Look for these seven things when interviewing restaurant managers for the kitchen, and you won’t have to settle.

MAKING ‘BAR HOLIDAYS’ A WALK IN THE PARK

Idon’t know who first said it, but somewhere along the way a very wise bartender made the recommendation that their fellow bartenders read the local paper from cover to cover every day so that they could easily converse with the guests about everything from stock prices to box scores to the storm that crossed the region and knocked out all the power, leaving the drinking water unpotable. Polarizing political points of view aside; if it’s news, you should know it. Be prepared. Your guests will feel well taken care of when conversation is made easy.

That’s great advice for an average night when the crowd ebbs and flows. Read that paper, be ready to render your opinion; or, better yet, agree with the patron so that they feel heard and engaged.

But what about those nights when you’re so very busy you’re not even sure if you remembered to breathe. What do you do to prepare for those? And how can you tell when they’re coming?

Well, anyone’s who has been in the industry for a while knows that –whether you like them or not – there are a few big drinking holidays. And preparing for them early means making them as seamless, and profitable, as possible.

Though we can’t plan for a rush of people who descend upon the bar seeking solace after a major layoff, big world news, or personal tragedy, when it comes to the spring months it is easy enough to look at the calendar and expect you’ll have a few pockets of busy nights on or around St. Patrick’s Day, during that Passover/Easter/Spring Break period, on May 5th, and early June when graduation generally takes place.

These happen every year like clockwork. So, what to do in advance?

T. Cole Newton, USBG President and Owner of Twelve Mile Limit and The Domino in New Orleans, is an old hand at big crowds. He has to be with running bars in a town that lives and breathes by it’s tourism activity and draws locals and tourists alike for festivals, parades, and all sorts of celebrations daily. He faces these busy busy kinds of days with a sense of calm, adopting the forewarned is forearmed theory, and says, “The main thing for us, aside from making sure we’re flush on the products of the day (Irish beers and spirits on St. Patrick’s, Mexican on Cinco de Mayo), is just reminding

Francine Cohen is an awardwinning journalist covering the business of the f&b/hospitality industry, and a proud native Washingtonian (DC). In addition to her work as a journalist she keeps busy fundraising for Citymeals on Wheels, Les Dames d’Escoffier, NY Women’s Culinary Alliance, and the USBG Foundation and serves as chief storyteller and brand steward for clients in the food and beverage sector by providing them with strategic marketing and business growth guidance. She has never met a cheese or beverage she does not like, and lives with her husband in New York; leaving him behind to visit New Orleans every summer. (Except 2020-21. Darn pandemic.) You can reach her at francinecohen@mindspring.com

the regularly scheduled bartenders to expect a weird one.”

While things are getting weird in New Orleans Newton’s bartenders are anticipating it. And doing what it is they need to do to deal with the incoming crowds. Newton leaves a lot of the decision making up to them when it comes to scheduling as he explains his approach to making a schedule for these big days, “I let the regularly scheduled bartenders and barbacks make that call. If

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Anyone’s who has been in the industry for a while knows that – whether you like them or not – there are a few big drinking holidays. And preparing for them early means making them as seamless, and profitable, as possible.

WHAT WE’RE READING: WHAT WE’RE WATCHING:

globe.

From battling it out in London pubs to serving dishes outside the real-life Downton Abbey — Highclere Castle — the cheftestants are faced with tons of themed challenges. The winner receives $250,000.

WE’RE LISTENING TO:

The Inn at Little Washington

Considered one of the greatest dining experiences in America, the documentary follows Chef Patrick O’Connell as he chases the dream of a third Michelin star for The Inn at Little Washington. After 40 years at this restaurant 70 miles from D.C., he has not let up in his pursuit of excellence. He pays attention to every single detail of food, service and décor. When he suffers the disappointment of not getting three stars from Michelin, he embarks on a new challenge. Explore the world of the self-taught chef, he learned by making every recipe in Julia Child’s first cookbook several times, who has become a beacon of refinement as is The Inn. This documentary proves that there are still some chefs who are operating at an extremely high level. In fact, The Inn is booked months in advance.

Top Chef: World All-Stars

The 20th season, filmed in London and Paris, will spotlight 16 all-star chefs, previous winners and finalists, picked from the original U.S. series and its 29 international versions. Host Padma Lakshmi is back, along with head judge Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons. Renowned culinary experts will also take the judges’ table, including esteemed judges from the Top Chef franchises around the

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

Win Son Presents a Taiwanese American Cookbook

by Josh Ku and Trigg Brown with Cathy Erway

Win Son is a restaurant with a bakery off-shoot in Brooklyn, New York, serving Taiwanese American food. They are part of a growing spotlight on Taiwanese food in the US, but one that also incorporates the interaction with other elements of American cuisine, as well as personal creativity.

Founders Josh Ku and Trigg Brown have teamed up with Cathy Erway, author of The Food of Taiwan, to offer this informative, ambitious, and energetic cookbook. In it you will learn about distinctively Taiwanese ingredients such as soy paste, and flavor combinations like garlic, mild red chiles, and rice vinegar.

And while the authors are clear about pointing out the Taiwanese roots of their dishes, they are also not shy about explaining the riffs that they’ve developed. A salad of marinated cucumbers is

topped with fried shallots and grated cured mullet roe. The seemingly ubiquitous sesame noodle dish goes deep into the realm of umami, first with the use of black sesame paste, and then with the incorporation of stir-fried mushrooms.

There are standout guides to creating favorites such as pan-griddled pork buns and scallion pancakes, along with milk bread and a cluster of desserts and sweet treats.

The Discovery of Pasta: A History in Ten Dishes

by Luca Cesari

Italian food historian Luca Cesari admits “it’s a little strange that a single country in the heart of the Mediterranean developed a culture with hundreds of pasta dishes, up and down the peninsula, that characterize its cuisine more than anything else.”

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By Jackson Hart

CUISINE SOLUTIONS’ PLANT-BASED INITIATIVE SETS PACE FOR INDUSTRY

What began less than a decade ago, the plant-based marketplace has quickly matured. Within an ever-growing market of plant-based offerings, global sous-vide manufacturer Cuisine Solutions has emerged as a leader. Under the tutelage of its Innovation team, helmed by VP of Innovation Bruno Bertin and Director of Innovation Nolan Popper, who leads the team’s plant-based practice, the company has brought a commitment to clean and delicious food that sets Popper and his team

a step above other plant-based providers. Restaurants, hotels, and airlines have turned to Popper and Cuisine Solutions to streamline their F&B programs, helping them to cut down on labor and waste, food preparation, and physical time in the kitchen.

Cuisine Solutions offers an extensive line of vegan-friendly alternatives suitable for a wide diversity of restaurant and foodservice operations. That, combined with the company’s innovative sousvide methodology, creates an unmatched value proposition for the

nation’s foodservice community. Popper’s vision for the creation of innovative plant-based menus comes from his personal background. A Philadelphia native, Popper’s parents’ busy schedules steered him towards the kitchen from an early age, where he quickly fell in love with culinary experimentation. Popper worked in local fine dining restaurants before earning his Bachelor’s of Science in Culinary Nutrition from Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island.

The Virginia-based chef credits an undergraduate study abroad experience working under the iconic Alain Ducasse as a crucial stepping stone. Popper apprenticed for the legendary toque in Paris and was able to learn French cooking techniques from a master. It helped him discover his passion for R&D and product development, and introduced him to Cuisine Solutions, where he’s worked for the past six and a half years. Today, Popper serves as the company’s Director of Innovation and Plant-Based Solutions, where he’s helped steer Cuisine Solutions into the growing industry of plant-based alternatives.

Steered by a team of worldrenowned chefs and armed with cutting-edge technology, Cuisine

Solutions looks to remain on the forefront of culinary innovation; as other big names began producing plant-based substitutes, the company’s CEO, alongside Popper, decided to enter the fray and produce their own lines of meat-less products.

Cuisine Solutions’ entry into the plant-based market actually began with a very popular non-vegan product from a global retailer. The keto-friendly product, which was the brainchild of a partnership between the conglomerate and Cuisine Solutions, cited Popper, easily gave way to a plant-based alternative that helped establish the company as the global leaders in sousvide plant-based cuisine. With food service platforms requesting other flexitarian menu options, Popper slowed down: “If we’re going to become the world leaders in sous-vide plant-based,” he thought, “we need to take a step back and reconsider who we want to partner with.”

To expand their offerings, Popper and his team sampled over 500 different plant-based ingredients; 85% of them, he noted, “were an automatic no – the core pillar of our business is that what we serve is delicious.” Of the remaining 15% of approved items, only around 5% receive approval to join Cuisine So -

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Cuisine Solutions’ plant based options include (clockwise from Top L) JUST Egg American Egg Bites, Plant-Based Chicken Strips, Spicy Collard Greens, and Coconut Oatmeal Bites

“If we’re going to become the world leaders in plant-based sous-vide,” he thought, “we need to take a step back and reconsider who we partner with.” — Chef Nolan Popper

By Ivy Thomas

CHAPMAN LED FRESHFRY REINVENTS HOW AMERICA’S RESTAURANTS FRY

Science and passion have often been at the forefront of modernization in the food industry. An exciting new innovation has come from a chemical engineer who has developed a product to introduce a change in the way restaurants fry that makes a big environmental impact.

“How does someone who loves food, find themselves becoming a chemical engineer?” said Jeremiah Chapman, co-founder of the company FreshFry. A company that is innovating the way the nation’s restaurants utilize frying oil in commercial kitchens. “The oil filtration process in restaurants has been the same since around 1962.” said Chapman.

This called for an upgrade that was well overdue and so he was prompted to get to work creating a solution. “As a chemical engineer, I would take old oil from local restaurants to a lab to create biodiesel. But the oil we were getting was often unsuitable for processing.” said Chapman. “I thought to myself, if they have been doing it this way how was I going to make something different.” Chapman, with his background in engineering and his passion for food, came up with an idea that the design and production of a frying pod would make the use of the oil more efficient without impacting the flavor and texture of signature menu items.

To design the product and the first prototype, Chapman listened carefully to the chef community. “Their input clearly focused us on the creation of a single pod that would fit right into the fry basket.”

The FreshFry pod is a single-use pouch that fits into a fry basket. Operators love the simplicity of

dropping the pod in the fry basket at the end of service while the oil is still hot and leave it overnight. The pod then removes the particles that alter the color, sour the taste and degrade the oil. The next day, operators simply remove the pod and oil is ready for another day of frying.

On average the FreshFry pods save customers 25% on oil consumption. The product can be used in most settings and is being used by “local businesses trying to make the pennies roll a little bit further down the street.” said Chapman. FreshFry pods don’t require any special treatment so there’s no need to change the oil you are already using. “If you want to max-

imize your savings, continue using the same oil you are currently purchasing, and you will see the benefits from there. We help commodity oil last longer and we protect the investment of your premium oil.” said Chapman. “To see the most benefits from using the pods, you must use it every day. This is where you will see the 14 gallons of oil become 10, and the twice a week oil change become one.”

The science of the design of the FreshFry pods slows the natural breakdown of the oil. Chapman quickly embraced that Fresh Fry’s growth would be based help cut down on the amount of oil purchased without affecting the taste. “We do not im-

pact the taste of your food. The pods clean the oil so your food tastes like it should.” said Chapman. The pods are made of locally sourced grain shells, they have no nutritional value and would normally end up in landfills.

FreshFry is also committed to creating sustainable solutions to meet the green and sustainable agenda of visionary operators. “Our concern is, how can we ensure that the oil that is filtered can be used to make renewable diesel fuel.” said Chapman. By securing the second life of the oil we consume in restaurants we cut down on the environmental impact. In implementing these practices, they have already repurposed 10 million pounds of environmental waste and are striving to reach their new goal of 1 billion pounds of waste by 2031. “We have what I call ‘a passion to do it in a sustainable way’. This is our passion, so our task is figuring out how to make that work for our customers while keeping our goal for sustainability at the forefront,” said Chapman. “We live and breathe making the next sustainable tech for our customers.”

With products like the FreshFry pods, Chapman is leading the way in sustainable solutions that save time and money. This simple and clean way to change fryer oil is making the future of food industry products look brighter and greener.

Operators and distributors can find additional on FreshFry’s pod solution on the web at freshfry.com, by calling (502) 977-PODS (7637), or visiting their booth #10411 in the Lakeside Pavillion at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago on May 20-23.

(L) Co-Founder Jeremiah Chapman holds a FreshFry pod. (R) Using FreshFry couldn’t be simpler: Drop a Pod at the end of the night into turned-off fryer while the oil is still hot. Let Pod soak overnight in the frying oil to catch water, acids, metals and other invisible impurities. The next day, turn on the fryer and let the warm oil drain from the Pod, and then dispose the used Pod in the trash.

“We help commodity oil last longer and we protect the investment of your premium oil.” — Jeremiah Chapman

By David Joseph, co-founder, DAVO by Avalara

TIPS TO MITIGATE YOUR RISK OF A SALES TAX AUDIT

Sales tax audit?! No business owner wants to read those words. Being a tax collector was certainly not something you expected to sign up for when you opened your restaurant. But accurately collecting, reporting and paying sales tax is a ‘must.’ The penalties and risks associated with sales tax debt are steep.

Sales tax is a major revenue source for many states and they take compliance seriously. For one, the penalty and interest that is charged on unpaid balances can be as much as 50% of the balance due. If you fall too far behind, the State may decide to place a lien on your business which creates a host of financial problems, like getting a loan. Under state law, merchants have a fiduciary or legal responsibility to comply.

Sales tax is a personal liability. Even if you close your business, you are still personally liable for the unpaid sales tax and penalties. Even in bankruptcy, sales tax liability does not disappear. You can’t escape sales tax debt, which is why it’s so important to keep good records and comply with sales tax laws to avoid penalties and fines. Following a few best practices can help mitigate the risks and hassles of an audit.

The Importance of Organized Records

The more organized your records of sales and bank statements are, the better position you’ll be in should you be subject to a sales tax audit. One of the first steps of a sales tax audit will be to compare revenue reports from your POS system with your bank re-

cords to see if sales numbers align with your bank statement. Auditors may also look at your federal or state tax returns to compare numbers. Ideally, you have reports from your POS or accounting system showing the total amount of sales, amount of sales tax due and the amount of sales tax collected. If you have a sales tax automation app, like DAVO Sales Tax, reports show the entire trail of sales tax due, collected and remitted to the state.

Keep in mind, the statute of limitations for a sales tax audit varies by state. In other words, a sales tax audit could happen years later. Make sure you retain records for the amount of time required by your state law.

Sales Tax Audit Gotcha’s

Even if you keep organized records, there are some red flags that could trigger a sales tax audit. Make sure to

watch out for these sales tax gotcha’s:

Late Filing & Payments

Not filing your sales tax by the due date and not paying the amount owed can trigger a sales tax audit. Once late payment becomes a trend, it can be a surefire way to invite a sales tax audit. Make sure to file and pay sales tax when it’s due. Some states even offer a discount for paying on time!

Third-Party Delivery App Sales

Third party delivery apps such as Grubhub, Uber Eats and DoorDash all create additional streams of revenue, typically outside your POS system. If you don’t have 3rd party apps configured correctly in your POS, you could be underpaying or overpaying sales tax for those orders. Not to mention, the laws around who is responsible for the sales tax reporting, collection and payment is changing and varies by state. It’s important to ensure the

apps are set-up correctly and you understand where the sales tax liability falls for each of them.

Comps

According to sales and use tax law, even when an item is comped, you should be paying sales tax on that comped meal. If you use the manager’s comp for staff meals, the restaurant is responsible for the use tax on the comped meal. If tax is not reported on manager comps, it will be up to the owner to pay it out of their own pockets.

Automate Your Sales Tax and Leave the Worry Behind

If you are facing an audit or you owe sales tax, consult an experienced tax attorney for assistance. One of the best ways to stop stressing and leave sales tax worry behind is to put a sales tax system in place and better yet, automate it.

DAVO Sales Tax integrates directly with the most popular POS systems in just a few minutes. From there, the app calculates sales tax daily, puts the money aside and the files and pays on time when sales tax is due. Automating sales tax takes just a few minutes to set-up and then you never have to worry about sales tax again. The app is free to try for the first month. Put your sales tax on autopilot and stop worrying about how it will get paid.

As a former restaurant owner, David Joseph is no stranger to the struggles of restaurant sales tax. A self-proclaimed sales tax evangelist, David co-founded DAVO by Avalara, a sales tax automation platform that integrates directly with the point of sale.

DEB PERELMAN Founder, Smitten Kitchen

Deb Perelman has become a digital sensation over the past decade. Her enormously popular blog, Smitten Kitchen, has turned into a burgeoning media empire with three bestselling cookbooks and her branded content on the Food Network. Her books have enabled her to talk with adoring fans during book signing tours from Coast to Coast. She boasts some 1.7 million followers on Instagram.

After writing online for fun for several years, Deb had the idea in 2006 to start Smitten Kitchen. At the time she was an IT reporter (and before that, an art therapist, record store supervisor, barista, swimming instructor, you name it), a job she kept until 2008. She and her husband lived in an apartment across town in Chelsea with a similarly small kitchen and a positive attitude about it to match. There she began to cook and photograph original recipes and became known as an obsessive home cook.

She became a master of battling a challenge that we see every day in commercial foodservice: minimal prep and cooking space. The genius of Deb’s recipes is that they combine great ideas, while only using ingredients and equipment that the average cook has at their fingertips.

With so many of us looking to find their “new normal,” Total Food Service sought out Deb to get her thoughts on how “out of the box “ creativity can create success in 2023.

Can you share a little about your background prior to creating the Smitten Kitchen?

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Deb Perelman, Founder, Smitten Kitchen (Photo by Christine Han Photography)

Sure. I grew up in Somerset, New Jersey. After college, I had a lot of different jobs. I was an art therapist for a bit, I was a law manager at a record store and I worked for a B2B tech publication. I wrote about business tech and I was very bad at it. I was very bad at most of these jobs, to be honest.

Did you ever work in a restaurant environment?

I worked in a bakery when I was in high school, and at a coffee shop and an ice cream shop when I was in college. I always loved being around food, but I didn’t start working in it for many more years.

Where did the idea of Smitten Kitchen come from?

I had started cooking a lot more at home, and I really just wanted a place to collect my go to recipes. My chicken always works, don’t make this, make cake, make this one, and just the stuff that I was figuring out. When I find something that works, I want everybody else to make it the way I do.

When you launched Smitten Kitchen, did it start as a part time hobby? Talk about what it is and how it has evolved.

When I started, it was just a food blog I was working on in the evening. Sometimes I would take pictures of my food, not always in the beginning, and I would say, here’s something I made for dinner last night, it was really great. And it was really just “Here’s the recipe, this is how I’ve tweaked it,” that kind of thing. And it was always about going to keeper recipes, things that I felt were worth your time, and things I wanted to give you a head up about. It pretty much started as that, and then as it gained an audience and it gained a

lot of following and a lot of energy, it became my full-time job.

What is it that attracted people to the brand? Was it you or the food? Talk a little bit about that.

I’m very nitpicky about recipes, not about making them fussy, but about making them work. And I think we’re all just looking for recipes that work. We like it when people explain it to us in plain language. I have no cheffy authority whatsoever. I’m always just trying to say it to you the way it would sound if I was saying it to you right now. And I think that makes it a little more approachable, nobody’s being bossed around or condescended to, it’s just about making it work in your kitchen. So, it was just one home cooked to another. I always thought of showing my age here, but you know in the kitchen you have the long telephone cords back in the day, I always had this image of my mother, she’s making dinner and she’s talking on the phone to another friend. And they’re like, oh, so this is how you do

it. You do it this way. Okay, so I cut it this way. And I just didn’t see or hear a lot of that in cooking conversations. It was always about chefs telling you what to do. But that’s not necessarily relevant to my life at 5pm when I’m trying to get some food on the table.

We’re fascinated by this idea of fearless cooking. What is it?

I think people are so intimidated by home cooking, I always hear, “Oh, I can’t work with yeast, or egg whites never whip for me, and I just don’t think I’m going to make caramel.” And I’m like, it’s just melting sugar. You just put the sugar in the pot. I try to just get people to do things they’re afraid of, because I don’t know about you, but I get most of my energy from doing things that scare me and pulling them off, so I want people to have those triumphant feelings in the kitchen.

Cooking can accomplish that. I think it can! The first time you’ve made bread from scratch, you proba-

bly felt pretty triumphant, right? That was way more fun than just defrosting it.

You must have an interesting perspective looking at the restaurant foodservice industry. Do we have any idea what we’re doing? What do you see?

I think that you have a lot of idea what you’re doing. I think I have very little idea. But we go out to restaurants a lot. I live in Manhattan and we go out, I love going out, and I love seeing what restaurants are doing. And I always wonder, how do they make this work? How does this work? How do you get all these short ribs executed? How do you get all these seasonal vegetables in March in New York City? I’m not an expert, but I’m an observer of the end results.

As you observe and you watch, you remember the days when we had these open kitchens, and that was

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Deb Perelman’s first two cookbooks (L to R): The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook (2012), and Smitten Kitchen Every Day (2017)

a big thing. What are your observations of how the restaurant business has changed and evolved? And obviously, we just went through two and a half years of either being closed, or takeout and delivery, etc.

I think that restaurants really took a hit, it was really horrible, the way it was so damaging and how people would make time for almost anything besides going to a restaurant. And I know it was really damaging, we lost a lot of really great ones that we shouldn’t have. I also think that you’ve got the shipping prices, and then you’ve got inflation, and food costs are just off the chain right now. And it’s just even little things. I see it in the restaurants, I can’t get over what some things cost anymore, and it’s really making people baulk just as they come back. I want to come back and support these restaurants, and I want everyone to be paid fairly, but I also cannot afford to order short ribs at a restaurant anymore. It’s just not a thing. I can’t do it. I think the restaurants that are doing a really interesting job are finding ways to do really amazing work with lesser expensive cuts of meat. And really, this is what you want a restaurant to do. You want them to transform an ordinary ingredient to the extraordinary. So, I think that it’s maybe less on the high ticket known things and more on creativity. I had an incredible beef rib at a restaurant last night, which was, I don’t want to say it’s reasonably priced, because it’s Manhattan, but it was a lot better price than I’d seen. I haven’t done a lot with beef ribs, and I want to play around with this. I thought that was a really interesting pivot.

You mentioned cooking like a restaurant chef. What does that mean? What’s your definition of that?

To me, it’s a completely different process than any of us have as home cooks. You’re going to mix it out, you’re going to have everything prepped beforehand, you’re going to

fire it per order. I don’t think when you look at a restaurant chef’s recipe, it works for home cooks, I think that we cook completely differently. We’re chopping as we go, and we’re not firing each dish individually. A lot of times when you look at a restaurant recipe, it doesn’t work for you at home. But if somebody can take those ideas and parse it in a way that we could make it on a Tuesday night, there’s stuff there that you can use. But it’s a completely different process at a restaurant.

We often wonder if home cooking and being a restaurant foodie can coexist.

They should coexist. That said, when I go out to a restaurant, I’m kind of looking for something, maybe I’m not pulling off at home. If it feels like something, I could just make so easily it doesn’t feel that special. But I like seeing, show me something cool you can do. As I said, the restaurant process is so different, where you’re prepping everything in advance, and you can go singe and sear and make a quick sauce to order. I want that, I want that thing I can’t do at home. It’s just like everything in a pot and you bake it or you boil it. I’m like, I’ve got that covered.

The other thing we’re always curious about is equipment. A restaurant has a broiler that can do 700 degrees or a pizza oven, etc. Should home cooks feel limited by the equipment that they have access to? Should they adapt? What difference does driving a ‘big car’ or a ‘small car’ make when you’re cooking?

It can make a really big difference if you’ve got access to a pizza oven, I know people who have them at home, and their ovens are really hot, they’re very happy. That said, my obsession is recipe writing, and I think a good written recipe will get you as close as you can with what you have. I’m

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writing for people with crappy ovens like mine, and are trying to, so get as close as you can, and here’s a cool technique I found, that it doesn’t quite give you the crust of a 900 degree pizza oven, but it’s getting there.

What will an example be of something like that?

It’s not perfect, but I know a lot of people like pizza stones and stuff like that. There’s also these pizza seals that have become very popular in the last several years, you get it really hot. I actually like a longer ferment almost softer dough because it gets less crackery, and you get more of those big and small holes you’d like from a pizza. Again, I haven’t quite worked it out, but just getting your oven as hot as it can go, keeping it there for a while and having something in there that’s already hot, it’s not the same, but you can feel pretty good about it in a home cooked kitchen, and then you save some money.

We live in an industry that was reimagined by social media. We went through this entire period where everything was about how you could shoot a picture of it, and what it would look like on Instagram. It’s kind of what you do for a living. Where does social media fit in terms of how a Smitten Kitchen or a restaurant could be marketing, what it is that they’re doing?

It really matters and it’s not going anywhere. Even if I’m going to a restaurant, I want to flip through, not just their pictures of the food, but I also sometimes look at what people are tagging them. You kind of flip to the backside of the screen and then you can see just how the dishes are looking. It gives you an idea of whether you want it, and I think it’s really nice to have those visual guides. I’ll even go on Google listings and flip

through pictures of the restaurant. It gives you an idea of whether the vibe is really fancy or really casual. You can’t always get that from a restaurant description or the menu. I find it really helpful, and I don’t think it’s really going anywhere, I think it helps us make better decisions. In the same way I write cookbooks, and when a cookbook recipe doesn’t have a photo, we’re all kind of like, and that used to be standard that not every cookbook recipe had photos, but nowadays when a cookbook recipe doesn’t have a photo of their dish, you feel a little lost. You’re like, I can’t picture it, can you just show me what this looks like?

Do you have any advice for a restaurant tour trying to use social media

to properly market?

I don’t think it needs to be. I think get away from the super edited, super touched up. I think people just show bits and pieces from behind the scenes, like here’s something new we’re working on, or oh, we’re so close to this. People love it and it really builds your restaurant community because if this is your neighborhood restaurant, and they’re just chatting oh my god, we got the first rhubarb from the Union Square Greenmarket today, we’re going to make these tarts with it tonight. In fact, when overly marketed and edited, you can feel that a marketer or PR agency did it. You don’t really want that. So, I think a little messy, a little scrappy, and just do it on your phone, don’t worry about the lighting.

We’ve spent a lot of time in our world on the addition of plant-based food. What are your thoughts? What are your comments? Is it a fad? Is it something that’s here? I’m confused because all I seem to see is food that’s replacing the existing. I don’t understand it. It’s interesting because I think there’s two parts here. There’s a vegetable centric diet, which I think more and more people are interested in, and they want to see innovative uses of vegetables, and have vegetables in the center of the plate, and maybe meat on the side. They want to have a vegetarian main that’s not just like a pasta with chopped eggplant or something like that. And I think that’s not going anywhere. And I eat like that too. We do eat meat, but I love that. And then you have the food product and fake meat. And I don’t know, I’m not an expert, but as a consumer, I look at it and there’s a lot of ingredients. There’s a lot of ingredients, there’s a lot of processes. And I just don’t know, personally as somebody who just likes lentils, beans, tofu and vegetables, that it’s not really for me, but I think for a lot of people it’s allowed them to go over to a less meat centric diet. It’s been like a stepping stone for them. I don’t know if it’s going to be really big in a couple years the way it is now, but I think for a lot of people, it’s sort of their entry point to eating less meat centric, which is probably better for the earth in the long run.

What about things like seaweed? Do you see other cooking techniques that are impacting how people cook at home? And now I’m seeing a decent amount of seaweed in commercial kitchens as well. What are your thoughts? What do you see?

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A sampling of the recipe photos from Deb Perelman’s Instagram page: @ smittenkitchen

I think it’s not going anywhere. I think people really like the texture, and in part for a restaurant, they can sort of do this. This is the kind of thing you’re probably not going to do at home, the 14-hour seaweed. Who plans like that? In two days, I’m going to go eat this thing. For restaurants it’s great. And then they can kind of sear it off in a pan and you get this unbelievable texture. And they’re taking the same piece of meat that you can buy but they’re doing something with it that you would never get at home. I think it’s great. And I think I totally see why people want to experiment with it at home. I don’t think it’s going anywhere even if it might have its ebbs and flows.

The other thing that’s interesting is the definition of a foodie. Is a foodie now somebody who does what you do and cooks at home, and also goes to restaurants and eats out? In other words, what’s a foodie? How do you define it?

I don’t think there’s exactly one answer, but generally, it seems for people food has left the realm of sustenance and become a hobby. Or maybe it’s chasing new foods. Maybe

it could be trying new foods at home, but I feel like there’s definitely something where it’s a bit of a hobby to chase new flavors and new chefs. I guess it’s an activity and not just about like, I have to live so I will eat many meals a day.

You must see a lot of new and innovative equipment for residential kitchens. What does that whole world look like? Are manufacturers doing a good job of listening to folks like you about what you need?

Talk a little bit about that.

People were making more complicated pasta shapes at home, they have these machines now that you just dump in the flour and it’s done. For me, I have the pasta wheel, so I’ll make spaghetti or linguini or lasagna sheets, but I’ve never done extruded pasta. Lots of people are doing extruded pasta at home, I think it’s really interesting. I probably don’t need to mention the Insta pot or the air fryer, they’ve had a hold on the market for years now. I see a lot more people using the good ice cream makers at home, the ones with the compressor versus the freezer bowl, they have to freeze for two to three days to use once. I’d love it if the prices came down on that even further, they’ve come down a lot. I actually bought one when they came down a couple years ago. But I can see a lot more people buying that and making ice creams at home. I love doing that.

We want your thoughts. Can you learn to become a great cook?

Absolutely. I actually don’t think

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Deb Perelman’s latest cookbook: Smitten Kitchen Keepers: New Classics For Your Forever Files (2022)

DEB PERELMAN , from page 44

there’s bad cooks, I think there’s bad recipes. I think the right recipe should get you there. If you follow it, and you do exactly what it says and look out for the things, that’s my goal in recipe writing. I don’t think that you should have to know how to sauté or mix fried rice or anything like that, I should be able to explain to you. And if it’s not working for a lot of people, I didn’t explain it well enough.

Good answer. We just chatted with Emeril Lagasse a few weeks ago, he just went to work for Carnival as their Chief Culinary Officer. It was shocking that he said that they’re getting out of the business of people eating 10 meals a day on a cruise. Are we getting out of the gluttony business? Is there finally light at the end of the tunnel in terms of how we are eating and what we’re eating?

It’s hard to say because I think you always have these dueling forces. Most of us are looking for a nice dish with vegetables that isn’t too over the top. It

might be our ages or what our bodies are doing. We want to feel good. And I think the health and wellness moment has made us want to eat food that feels good and feels sustainable. That said, I don’t think fast food has ever been more popular. And it’s not even the opposite, but you also have people who have like crunch wrap supreme copycats, and Doritos crusted chicken fingers are delicious and not going anywhere. So, I think that there’s always going to be both, we’re never just going to be salad people all the time. In terms of the volume we eat, I think that there has been a good conversation happening for a lot of years that our dinner plates are just bigger in this country, and they get bigger every 10 years, and we put more food on them. And our idea of what a portion is, is really out of whack with the rest of the world. I think this is important stuff to know about

Do you feel any responsibility to kids in the next generation to help them

learn how to eat properly?

I think being able to cook is a life skill. And previously, we would teach it to women, and it was part of the Home Economics class. Then we started teaching it to nobody, which I don’t think was a winning battle either. We need to remove the gender of it. Everybody needs to learn. My son wants to learn how to scramble eggs and make an omelet, make spaghetti sauce. I want to arm him with the ability to take care of himself with basic, inexpensive foods that will fuel him. To learn how to make a salad dressing. It’s not complicated, but I think it’s life skills, it should be as important to teach your kids as how to tie their shoes and make their bed.

We managed to genderize everything. Yeah, but we just took it away from everybody. I think we’re coming back. And I actually see a tremendous amount of younger people at my book tour events, where somebody will come with their 10 and their 13-year-

old and they’ve cooked through my book! That’s amazing.

Love it. Why should a restaurant tour or somebody working for a food distributor take a look at becoming part of the Smitten Kitchen community? What’s there that’s fun and interesting?

Great conversations from people, and also, the recipes work. I’ve done a lot of work to remove steps from recipes and get the most flavor out of simple ingredients, and I very rarely call for anything complicated. It’s a lot of one bowl cakes, and reliable zucchini bread, and a perfect weeknight lasagna with a lot of vegetables in it. And I just test and test and test until I’ve removed all of the scrap, all of the headaches, all of the extra steps. And I feel like that could be useful because you still need these things.

Learn more about Deb Perelman at https://smittenkitchen.com/

NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHERS Welcome Back! How Women in Foodservice Are Forging the New Normal

The importance of women in the restaurant industry cannot be overstated. After spending the last three years doing the heavy lifting from advocating for industry funding with Congress to feeding first responders, clearly, they bring a unique perspective, new ideas, and a more collaborative approach to problem-solving. However, women still face significant challenges in this industry, including discrimination, harassment, and unequal pay. To ensure that women continue to play a crucial role in the success of the restaurant industry, it is essential that we work as an industry to address these issues and create a more inclusive and equitable workplace.

Our goal in bringing back our “annual” list was to focus on the importance of women in the restaurant and foodservice industry, their contributions, and the challenges they face and have overcome.

The current landscape has enabled women to follow paths in the industry that weren’t available in the past. Women bring a different perspective

to the industry. Doors have opened to create a path that can quickly lead to equity and management participation and success for Women in the industry.

Women are having a major impact not only in the kitchen and frontof-the-house, but on the bricks and mortar design of restaurants, the sales of equipment supplies and service, and the distribution channels. They also have major impact on what food and beverage is being served on local menus, and the management and marketing of foodservice facilities.

We once again give special thanks to a number of colleagues that represent many segments of the National foodservice community. They were gracious with their time to help us build this list of the “best and the brightest” women in our industry.

The industry has come a very long way from 1989, when the then-upstart Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) conducted a survey of women in the foodservice industry, specifically asking them about professional aspirations. Not one respondent expressed desires to be CEO. Our goal is to share some of their amazing stories and to make all of us realize that any goal is accomplishable with a measure of hard work and some good

luck sprinkled in. These women have found the recipe for success!

Leslie Klashman

Fred Klashman Publishers, Total Food Service

Lori Adkins President, SNA-School Nutrition Association

In addition to serving her term as president of SNA, Lori also serves as Child Nutrition Consultant for Oakland Schools ISD in Michigan. Since 2010, Lori has supported Oakland County’s child nutrition professionals, working in 28 school districts, serving 175,000 students. Her work helps Oakland Schools’ meal program operators improve their menus and services, manage finances, expand access to school meals and boost student meal participation. Notably, Lori

led the Oakland County “Better with Breakfast” multi-sector partnership and program, the first of its kind nationally, aimed at addressing food insecurity and student access to breakfast. During the pandemic, Lori supported the county’s transition to emergency curbside meal services, helping school cafeterias reopen safely. Lori also serves on the Oakland County Food Policy Council, helping to lead Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility efforts surrounding community food access. The Eastern Michigan University graduate is representing SNA’s 50,000 school nutrition professional members nationwide.

Lauren Bailey Co-Founder & CEO, Upward Projects

Lauren is an established restaurateur as well as the CEO and cofounder of this community focused restau -

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from page 48

rant group, Bailey is responsible for continuing the group’s growth while maintaining its vision. Her success is evident through Valley favorites such as Postino, Joyride Taco House, Windsor, Churn Ice Cream and Federal Pizza. Lauren always knew that one day she would rock the restaurant industry. With a degree in Business and Fine Arts from Arizona State University in one hand, and lifelong passion for hospitality in the other, Lauren set out to do just that. A creative powerhouse and master strategist, Lauren focuses on strategy, conceptualization and development for 18 restaurants and five brands spanning three states.

Amanda Cohen

Chef and Owner, IRC/Dirt Candy

Amanda’s Dirt Candy is an awardwinning, Michelin-starred vegetable restaurant on New York City’s Lower East Side. It was the first vegetable-focused restaurant in the city. Dirt Candy’s original location only had 18 seats and was open for seven years, during which time it became the first vegetarian restaurant in 17 years to receive two stars from the New York Times. It was the first restaurant in the city to eliminate tipping and share profits with its employees. Amanda was the first vegetarian chef to compete on Iron Chef: America and her comic book cookbook, Dirt Candy: A Cookbook was an instant bestseller. She is a board member and treasurer of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs. Amanda came to the national forefront as a founder and visionary leader and industry advocate with the IRC-Independent Restaurant Coalition during the Pandemic.

Pinky Cole CEO and Founder of Slutty Vegan

Bringing vegan options and food awareness to Atlanta’s West End has always been a life dream of Pinky Cole. From her beginnings in a shared kitchen to a food truck and eventually to seven brick and mortar locations, Cole is building an empire. With a rotating menu and a standard two-hour wait to pick up made-to-order food, Slutty Vegan is considered a game changer, with revenues growing to $4 million within the first six months of its grand opening. Last year, Cole debuted Slutty Vegan Brooklyn to much fanfare in New York. Cole believes her business journey should help others along the way and, from the very start, has incorporated a strong positive culture into the Slutty Vegan brand. She is focused on building strong teams, empowering people to be entrepreneurs and helping make those dreams into realities.

message from a company that has grown into a multi-unit powerhouse across the nation and now into Canada. She also serves as the Distributor Director on ISSA’s (International Sanitation Supply Association 2023 Board of Directors, giving a voice to a crucial segment of the supply chain. From front-of-the-house training to best practices in the kitchen, Laura is helping to shape the future of cleaning and safe operation in restaurant and foodservice operations across North America.

Jessica Curtis

Senior Vice President, U.S. Restaurant Practice Leader, CBRE

Alice Elliot Chief Executive Officer, The Elliot Group

Laura Craven Vice President of Marketing/Communications, Imperial Dade

Laura serves as the voice of one of the nation’s fastest growing distributor of paper, packaging, and janitorial products. During her tenure, she has helped to guide the

Jessica is the Leader of CBRE’s Restaurant Practice specializing in Emerging Brands. For the past 20 years, she has had her finger on the pulse of trends in retail, dining and hospitality. Jessica’s career has been highlighted by significant landlord consulting assignments for organizations like Rockefeller Group, RXR, Blackstone, and SL Green. She has led the real estate initiative for Barteca Restaurants for over a decade, securing upwards of 55 locations for their two brands. Jessica has completed transactions for and with brands including Shake Shack, Del Frisco’s, Little Beet, Melt Shop, Fields Good Chicken, Five Guys, Mexicue, Ruth’s Chris, and Starbucks, as well as a number of notable and award-winning chefs. With a goal of encouraging more talented women to enter the industry, Jessica created the first female-oriented scholarship through the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Alice Elliot is universally recognized as one of the foremost advisors in executive search, human resources, and leadership. Her expertise within the restaurant, hospitality, retail, lifestyle, and service industries is unparalleled. Alice was named Nation’s Restaurant News 2019 Norman Award winner and is the recipient of The Culinary Institute of America’s 2020 Augie Award. She collaborated to launch The Underground Culinary Tour. Alice is the recipient of multiple awards, including the coveted Women’s Foodservice Forum’s Trailblazer Award and the prestigious Roundtable for Women in Foodservice’s Pacesetter Award. Alice co-founded The Elliot Leadership Institute, a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to executive leadership development and committed to the next generation of leadership. The Elliot Group successfully pairs talent and companies in ways that unlock growth and make futures happen.

Anne Fink President, Global Foodservice, Pepsico

Anne oversees a global portfolio enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more continued on page 52

than 200 countries and territories. Its beverage and convenient foods portfolio includes Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. Since 2016, Fink has led Sales, Marketing, Strategy and Operations for PepsiCo’s North American and Global Foodservice business. The Holy Cross College grad has served in diverse leadership roles, developing broad business and general management expertise spanning foodservice, retail, e-commerce, strategic customer management, marketing, operations, franchise management and business development. An executive known for talent and leadership development, Anne is an executive sponsor for Pinnacle, PepsiCo’s women’s leadership program. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Dick’s Sporting Goods, The Culinary Institute of America and the National Restaurant Association.

Amanda Fugazy

Director, Labor & Employment Law Group Co-Head Hospitality Practice Group, Ellenoff, Grossman & Schole

Amanda represents businesses (both for-profit and not-for-profit) and executives in litigation, arbitration and mediation. She also provides counseling and preventative education with regard to wage-hour compliance, discrimination, harassment, labor relations, leave laws, internal investigations, contracts, manuals, and severance agreements. She is one of the most experienced wage and hour law practitioners in New York. Amanda has litigated dozens of federal and state court cases involving claims under

from

the Fair Labor Standards Act and the New York Labor Law. She also serves as a mediator and has successfully resolved many cases privately and by appointment through the Federal Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

Therese Gearhart

CEO and President, Women’s Foodservice Forum

Therese is an international operations leader with more than 30 years of experience across several industries. She has global consumer marketing expertise and a record of growth and reinvention in complex global markets. Throughout her career she has developed a reputation for unlocking business performance by being an inclusive and authentic leader. A 20year veteran of The CocaCola Company, Therese led Business Units in Latin Center and Southern Africa and spent six years working within the North America Foodservice business. She was also co-chair and a member of the company’s Global Women’s Leadership Council responsible for advising the CEO and executive leadership on strategies to accelerate the development and advancement of female talent.

Kimberly Grant

ing and scaling restaurant and F&B companies in both the privatelyheld and publicly-traded sectors. She brought unique operational expertise to the posts that includes leading a decentralized workforce of over 30,000 team members, multiunit operators, and support center operations. She began her career at Morrison Restaurants as a server in the early 1990s. Kimberly found her way into operations and finance at Ruby Tuesdays. That evolved into becoming VP-Controller as the company went public. Kimberly then managed the fortunes of a pair of small restaurant chains in the southeast. Prior to joining the Four Seasons, she served as the CEO of Jose Andres’ Think Food Group (TFG).

family of brands, serving in a variety of roles, including Vice President of Operations and Human Resources and Senior Director of Operations Services. Genifer studied hospitality management at the University of Georgia and executive leadership at Kellogg’s School of Business at Northwestern University. She is passionate about giving back to organizations like Make-A-Wish® and Habitat for Humanity.

Joanne Henderson

Senior Director Human Resources, Darden Restaurants

Joanne has over 10 years of progressive human resources leadership and consultative experience. She has built her reputation as a distinguished problem solver focused on leadership and organizational change management skills.

Genifer Gray COO, Top Golf

Genifer oversees Topgolf’s food and beverage program, Guest support center, golf services and Topgolf Coach instruction, and high-priority strategic projects. She joined Topgolf from Maggiano’s Little Italy, where she served as Co-President and Chief Operating Officer, overseeing 53 restaurants and 10,000 employees.

Joanne understands strategic partnership in aligning the Human Resources functions with corporate strategy. Under her tutelage, Darden provides employee relations support, guidance and direction to its operations partners at five specialty restaurant brands including The Capital Grille, Eddie V’s, Seasons 52, Bahama Breeze and Yard House. The Amberton University grad also serves as CoChair for Darden’s African American Network.

Kimberly serves as both the Global Head of Restaurants and Bars and Senior VP, Food and Beverage. She has over twenty-five years of hospitality industry experience lead -

Genifer began her career at On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina in 1998 as a server and bartender and worked her way up through the Brinker International

Global Head of Restaurants and Bars, Four Seasons Hotels

Cheryl Henry President & CEO, Ruth’s Hospitality Group

Cheryl has served as the chief executive officer since 2018 and was appointed to the board of directors on that date. Prior to that, she was president and chief operating officer. Cheryl served as senior vice president and chief branding officer and served in various roles with the company, including chief business development officer. She joined Ruth’s in 2007. The UMass-Amherst grad has overseen all aspects of the single-chain company’s operations at various points during her tenure, including HR, IT, development and culinary. Cheryl serves on the boards of The Culinary Institute of America and the Center for Creative Leadership.

Saru Jayaraman

President and Co-Founder, One Fair Wage (OFW) & Restaurant Opportunity Center (ROC)

Saru is an attorney, author, activist and an advocate for fair wages for restaurant workers and other service workers in the United States. Saru guides her national organizations by campaigning and fighting for a full, fair minimum wage for every person who works in America. She is also the Director of the Food Labor Research Center at University of California, Berkeley and Co-Founder of the

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Restaurant Opportunities Centers

United (ROC United). After 9/11, together with displaced World Trade Center workers, she co-founded ROC United initially as a workers’ relief center, but eventually grew to become a national organization that works to improve wages and working conditions for the nation’s nearly 14 million restaurant workers.

Chef Maria Loi is an internationally renowned entrepreneur, Global Ambassador of Greek Gastronomy, author, television per-

sonality, and philanthropist working to change the world, one healthy bite at a time. She’s the founder of Loi Food Products, the namesake of Loi Estiatorio in Manhattan, and the author of over 36 cookbooks. She is the host of The Life of Loi on PBS, which debuted on broadcast in December 2022. It aims to build an inspirational and educational movement around the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle – from ancient to modern, food to culture and everything in between.

time is dedi cated to help ing organiza tions navigate shifting regula tions, consum er demands, and business strategies, while help ing her clients build cyber security and privacy programs to protect revenue and build value. She focuses on developing strong relationships with her clients across the lifecycle of business, from transaction M&A diligence to optimizing businesses at scale. Deborah holds a master’s degree in Cybersecurity from Fordham University, amongst other data geek accolades in her academic history.

Debbie Roberts

Bread

Tracy Skean COO & CPO, Yum Brands

Deborah Nitka Senior Manager, CohnReznick

Deborah is a senior manager with CohnReznick’s Cybersecurity, Technology Risk and Privacy team, and leads privacy services for consumer driven industries. For nearly two decades, Deborah has been helping clients understand their data in an ever-evolving marketplace. Her

Debbie joined Panera as the EVP and Chief Operating Officer in 2020. Debbie brings along with her nearly 30 years of world-class restaurant leadership. Before joining Panera, she joined McDonald’s in 1990 in accounting, soon after achieving her CPA and finding professional growth working crossfunctionally in finance, field marketing and operations roles, including franchise operations and relations. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign grad’s leadership roles have included VP/ General Manager Midwest Region, East Zone SVP Restaurant Support Officer, Northeast Zone President, and East Zone President where she had responsibility for 7,000+ restaurants.

Tracy joined Yum Brands in 2000 and has since worked her way up through the ranks. Now, as the company’s chief operating officer and chief people officer, she oversees many parts of the global restaurant company. Under her leadership as Chief Transformation and People Officer, in 2020 Yum! integrated The Habit Burger Grill and Heartstyles, a team member leadership development program designed to transform the employee and customer experience and championed the company’s Unlocking Opportunity Initiative. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Skeans’ cross-functional and operations leadership was critical. Tracy played a central leadership role for Yum! Brands’ transformation strategy to move to a heavily franchised and more profitable business model. Prior to that, she served as President of Pizza Hut International. Tracy serves on the board of directors for the BrownForman Corporation and the Women’s Foodservice Forum.

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Maria Loi President, Loi Products

EVP & COO, Panera

Shauna Smith Chief Executive Officer, Savory Management

Shauna is a seasoned restaurateur that brought her expertise to the financing side of the industry. Prior to launching the $100m Savory Fund in 2020, she was a master franchisee for bakery/café concept Kneaders, growing it to 50 stores. She and Savory managing director Andrew Smith then built Four Foods Group to 170-plus locations, including franchised units of Kneaders and Little Caesars as well as a majority stake in fast casuals R&R BBQ, Swig and Mo’Bettahs. After they sold off their franchised restaurants and struggled to get matched with the right private equity firms themselves, the Smiths built Savory, which is a division of Salt Lake City-based growth fund Mercato Partners. Through the Million Dollar Restaurant Launch, Savory is able to award an inspiring restaurant entrepreneur the resources to launch their concept or scale to their second location. With over 60 veteran restaurant operators, operational team members and financial experts, Smith partners with high potential restaurant brands to deliver necessary capital, industry knowledge and operational prowess as they grow into multiunit brands.

Morgan Tucker

Vice President, Marketing, Singer/ M Tucker

Morgan oversees the corporate marketing agenda at the Singer Equipment Company, as a member of the senior leadership team. She works with a wide diversity of acclaimed

restaurateurs, celebrated chefs, and industry leaders across the U.S. to provide foodservice equipment and supplies, expertise, and consulting services. Her imprint, LMT Provisions, a curated collection of tabletop supplies, connects responsibly sourced international tabletop products to the U.S. foodservice market. The Cornell University graduate is an experienced writer and speaker in the hospitality industry and has been awarded the industry’s top sales honor, Representative of the Year.

out that passion. The Binghamton University graduate serves on the board of the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation (NRAEF), and the Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF).

Melba Wilson Founder & Owner, Melba’s

Kelli Valade Chief Executive Officer, Denny’s

Kelli joined Denny’s in 2022 and has spent more than 30 years in the restaurant industry as a purpose-driven leader. Prior to joining Denny’s, she served as CEO of Red Lobster and CEO of Black Box Intelligence. Prior to this, Kelli spent over 22 years at Brinker International, including serving as Brand President for Chili’s Grill & Bar where she was responsible for 1,600 restaurants. While at Brinker, she previously held other leadership positions including Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Human Resources. Kelli landed her first restaurant job at age 16 as a hostess. She discovered early where her passion for life intersected with work, and she’s built a career living

Melba is a Harlem-based restaurateur caterer, cookbook author and a Food Network personality. Wilson has been called both the Queen of Soul Food and Comfort Food. Her first paying job was as a cashier in Harlem and then she taught acquittal law for a company. She left the law to learn the restaurant business as a cashier, hostess, manager and finally worked her way up to become an assistant catering manager at her aunt’s eatery. Her positions at Sylvia’s, Rosa Mexicano and Windows on the World Restaurant enabled her to notice how successful restaurants work. During her run with Sylvia’s Restaurant, Melba launched the widely popular Sunday Gospel Brunch. Later she won an episode of the Food Network’s Throw Down with Bobby Flay. Melba later helped to launch the New York Hospitality Alliance of which she currently serves as President.

Lisa Yeung

Director, Food and Nutrition Services, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Lisa is a seasoned Food & Nutrition Service Leader with over 20 years of experience in the industry. Prior to joining MSK, she served as Senior

General Manager for Restaurant Associates at New York-Presbyterian’s Koch Center where she built a reputation for delivering hospitality excellence to healthcare with a best-inclass Retail and Patient Dining Program. Her career highlights include a stint for Morrison Healthcare at Mount Sinai Hospital that included the launch of Catering to You & Room Service Choice Program.

Owner/Operator, High Street Hospitality

Ellen Yin has over 25 years of experience as an owner/operator of multiple restaurants in Philadelphia including Fork, High Street Philly, a.kitchen & bar and High Street Hoagies. She was a James Beard Award nominee for Outstanding Restaurateur in 2018, 2019 and 2022. Ellen also holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business and is involved on the boards of many community organizations including the Philadelphia Award, Delaware River Waterfront Corporation and Arden Theatre Company. She is a founding member of Sisterly Love Collective, a non-profit to elevate the voices of women in the food and beverage space.

Ellen Yin

PRESENTED BY:

2023 METROPOLITAN CLUB FOUNDATION REGIONAL VENDOR SHOW

Ihave been a professional food photographer for over 20 years and have had the pleasure to photograph the cuisine of Eric Ripert, Thomas Keller, Charlie Trot

In all my years covering the culinary side of the private club industry, I had ye to attend the Metropolitan Club Foundation Vendor Exhibition at Glen Island Harbour Club. After attending this year, I discovered one of the most professionally run events I have attended. I sat down with Randy Ruder, COO and General Manager at the Beach Point Club, who chairs the event, to learn more.

What is the actual history of this event, and how long have you been involved in it?

In 1995, some managers and members of the Metropolitan Chapter of CMAA (Club Management Association of America) thought it would be great to produce an event that ties club managers and vendors. It began at Westchester Country Club and ran on a volunteer basis. I got involved in year two, and ever since, the event has become bigger and bigger. Many

amazing club managers and the Managing Director of our Chapter and Foundation, Heather Apgar, contribute in big ways to the event’s success showing up year after year to do their part.

At one point, we took over all of Westchester Country Club, and after 8 years, we outgrew the property and moved the event to the Glen Island

About 15 years ago, I was working at Willow Ridge Country Club when Paul Smith approached me and said, “Tommy, you do so much club business in the New York, Long Island, and Jersey areas. Why don’t you join us, get a booth at the Glen Island Harbor Club show, and participate in the Metropolitan Club Foundation Expo?”

Harbour Club in New Rochelle, New York. Glen Island is not a private club; it’s a beautiful event space on the water that hosts weddings and many events. It has the feel and look of a country club. What’s excellent about Glen Island Harbour Club is that it’s big enough that we can layer everything on top of each other due to its multi-levels and vast function spaces. We do a luncheon for the vendors at 11:00 a.m. and attendees can eat between 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.

The trade show runs from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

With our family growing and many working part-time after school and full-time at the company, it was a great opportunity in our line of work. It has been nothing short of amazing. We started with one booth. Then graduated to two booths, and over the last eight to 10 years, we took over three booths. It’s also been a showcase event for us on a personal and business level. Our customers are friends, and they prefer to buy from us. The proceeds and the charity aspect sweeten it even more. As I get older, what I generally appreciate in life is to be able to give back. —

Tommy Capobianco, HAFSCO

What types of vendors attend the event?

The trade show consists of club-specific vendors selling everything from golf and tennis supplies

to restaurant equipment and services such as payroll, human resources, health insurance, utilities, and staffing services. We hold concurrent education all day, such as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, best management practices, IT solutions, etc. We advertise the classes to attract different participants throughout the day and bring bursts of people to the show. At the show’s conclusion, we hold a grand cocktail party inclusive of a tasting from regional club culinary teams led by the Club Chefs of Westchester. It’s not a cooking competition, but it feels like one! Each club with an action station created a signature dish that ties to educational experiences that the club chefs visited that year. This year they visited the Pacific Northwest, so the menu was focused around Napa,

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(L to R) The HAFSCO family team of Briana, Tom, Darren, Mario, Austin & Demi Capobianco

Sonoma, and Oregon.

from

Is the liquor industry heavily involved?

They are permitted to show off their products and brands during the day but only to serve tasting samples during the Cocktail party. It is a popular and fitting way for them to network with industry teams with purchasing power.

How many industry folks attend the event?

Typically, each club will bring a team of six or seven, usually General Managers, Executive Chefs, Controllers, Event Management, Dining Room Managers, and Sous Chefs. We had over 700 club attendees this year.

We chose March to hold this event in the Northeast; everyone’s back from vacation and preparing to open for the season, and everyone’s looking for last-minute products or seasonal sourcing. Every year it sells out! Only people related to the private club in-

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dustry can exhibit at this show. And only people that work in private clubs can, can participate in it.

Tell us about the Metropolitan Club Foundation.

Metropolitan Club Foundation (MCF) and our charity fund are the beneficiaries of this event. The Metropolitan Club Foundation funds all kinds of scholarships. This includes food and wine scholarships, conference scholarships for people to attend the National conference and student scholarships for those in the industry pursuing management or hospitality degrees.

MCF also funds all of the monthly education speakers that come in to speak to the club managers. Another piece is our hardship fund. We raise money for managers facing hardship for whatever reason; they might have lost their home or are coping with a family illness or sudden death; there’s a mechanism there for managers to evaluate hardship for those in need

The pilgrimage to New Rochelle has been a Spring tradition for many Club professionals over the past 20 years. It’s a special time of year when we get to gather with some of the area’s best vendors, reconnect with some of our dearest friends and hopefully make new ones as well.

I recall making the trip back in 2001 as a sous chef. At that time, it was at Westchester Country Club, and it was great to see the faces of some of the companies I had become accustomed to doing business with, and also their extended product lines. In 2003, Glen Island Harbour Club started hosting, and for me, it had become even more special. It seemed that everyone had elevated their game.

Over the years, I have gone to many of the vendor shows. I have to say, this year I was even more impressed. The MCF had put together some very interesting education sessions and the club Chefs activation stations were amazing. Chef Justin Lozza’s scallop dish, Chef Blake Verity’s crispy short rib were definitely some of the highlights! All of the Chefs really delivered their best! The wine and spirits tastings were excellent! It was great to see some local products as well. ( I think next year I might break out the cocktail shakers and do a special activation with my team! #chefandchic) — Shaun

C. Lewis, CCM, General Manager | COO, Old Westbury Golf & Country Club

and then help with some of their unforeseen expenses.

It’s so important that the vendors understand the positive impact they make on our industry. Some vendors already deal with most clubs but enjoy this show because they see everybody at the beginning of the season. Other vendors have said it’s the best regional

show they participate in because everybody comes to visit them in five hours. It saves so much time from driving all over the tri-state region to do business. It’s the industry event of the year for the private club industry!

PRESENTED BY:

WHY RESTAURANTS AND FOODSERVICE PROVIDERS SHOULD CONSIDER WINE & NON-DAIRY CHEESE TASTINGS

Authors of new book Cheese Not Cheese say why

According to a new report issued by the Plant Based Food Association (PBFA), nearly half (48.4 percent) of US restaurants now offer plant-based options, representing a 62-percent growth since 2012. Dairy alternatives are also growing, but it’s the plant-based cheese category that is generating the most excitement across menus.

This report came to mind when I received a copy of Cheese Not Cheese, a new book co-authored by Lucie Doughty and Lisa Botts. The book features five steps to creating a beautiful plant-based cheese board that will seriously wow a crowd. With the growth of wine-related tasting events, restaurants can capitalize on the increasing popularity of non-dairy cheese to attract new customers.

How then do you develop a tempting wine and non-dairy cheese tasting menu? I asked Lucie and Lisa to share their tips and insights.

What inspired you to co-author Cheese Not Cheese?

We love to entertain and our cheese platters were always the hit at any gathering. When we decided to make the move from vegetarian to vegan we both said “but what about the cheese platters?” Thankfully this was a time when non-dairy cheese was becoming available in mainstream stores. One day we stopped in at BESTIE’s vegan paradise, a vegan market Los Angeles, and they had an entire deli case filled with non-dairy artisanal cheese. We tried them all and left with a grocery bag full. We got home and were really amazed at the textures and flavor profiles. These were cheese platter

worthy cheeses! We decided then that it was time to write Cheese Not Cheese.

What specific research did you do to determine if there would be an audience for Cheese Not Cheese?

We researched food trends and where the plant-based cheese market was headed. But, the most surprising statistic we found was that approximately 68 percent of the world’s population is lactose intolerant. That’s a big number so we knew the market was there. According to an article from childrenshospital.org, 30-50 million Americans

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

are lactose intolerant, including 80 percent of all African-Americans and Native Americans, and over 90 percent of Asian-Americans. People just need to know the cheese is available and it’s delicious!

Why should a non-vegan restaurant or foodservice operation consider offering a wine and non-dairy cheese tasting?

Based on the statistic that 30-50 million Americans are lactose intolerant. There’s a good percentage of people who have suffered in silence with lactose intolerance and will welcome an alternative. It also

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Vegan wine and cheese pairings as recommended by Cheese Not Cheese co-authors Lisa Botts (right) and Lucie Doughty

IRFSNY ’23 DRAWS ENCOURAGING 9K+ RESTAURANT & FOODSERVICE PROFESSIONALS TO NYC/JAVITS

One of the key questions coming out of the Pandemic continues to be with the use of Zoom, what will the role of in-person gatherings be as we all seek to find our “new normal”? Clearly in Metro New York, the indications are that people do in fact want to be in social gatherings for both business and pleasure.

Confirmation of this came last month as 9,186 restaurateurs, foodservice and specialty beverage professionals attended the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York and Coffee Fest New York at the Javits Center in New York City. The two events brought together four hundred exhibiting companies and provided over 80 hours of education programs, dozens of special events including culinary competitions, demonstrations, and several networking opportunities.

“We are pleased to report that attendance was back up to pre-pandemic levels with a 50% increase in attendance from our event in 2022. The aisles were packed and there was an excitement that was felt, about the changes we made – reformatted education, new conversation corner and changes to center stage and the competitions,” said Rita Ugianskis, Vice President, Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group. “It was amazing to walk the show floor and talk to the exhibitors and attendees and hear the great conversations and watch business being done. The industry is strong, and the two events proved that exhibitors and attendees were ready to get back together and get down to business. The overall sentiment was that the quality of attendance was terrific, and exhibitors

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Tracy and Jim Renneker anchored the Lloyd Pans booth

Tri-State Marketing’s Lynne Schultz and Bart Gobioff

(L to R) Singer’s Fred Singer with legendary deli maven Ron Dragoon of Ben’s Kosher

(L to R) TFS assembled an All-Star team of judges for the annual Rapid Cook competition including Chef Maria Loi, restaurateur Stratis Morfogen, and chef Dawn Kelly

(L to R) United Robotics Group’s Olivia Patterson, Dylan Stitzlein, and Phil Marion unveiled their new Plato robotic technology

(L to R) RAK Porcelain’s John Marino, Jennifer Rolander, Kimberly Ungro and Tom Gallagher

HUB International’s Louis Fugazy and Bob Fiorito

(L to R) Access One’s Robert Taichman with TouchBistro’s Christian Middlestaedt and Alec Groud

IRFSNY 2023 RECAP

from page 66

were seeing buying teams.”

Exhibitors shared very positive feedback and had this to share. “I am so pleased with the amount of people who came through our booth; the show was back to pre-COVID traffic. The quality of buyers was great, restaurateurs gave up their time to attend, and brought their staff. We were able to see key people – chefs and owners – and talk to the entire decision-making team. That made a big difference,” said Matthew Brigotti, Promotion Director, Idaho Potato Commission.

“I can’t say enough positive things about the show, we got a ton of quality leads and talked to a bunch of new people,” said Made in Cookware. “The show had great foot traffic. This was our first time at this show, and we have a lot of great leads from both restaurants and coffee shops,” said Fold Up. “We are beyond happy with how everything went at the show,” commented Social High Rise.

Among the challenges that the 2023 edition of the show tackled was how the industry can deal with the advent of the “$17 dishwasher”. For many that means a look at how robotics could be integrated into daily operations. With that in mind, the show’s Center Stage also had several interactive robotic activations for the audience members to enjoy and engage. This included a Plato the Robot from United Robotics Group who delivered the food from the chefs to audience members. Servi also served food to attendees at Center Stage and education theaters with a click of a button. Both are great solutions for restaurants to bring to their customers.

The March event has always brought intense culinary competition to the Javits Show floor. Among the highlights were seven chefs who cooked up delicious meatless dishes in a single skillet during the Rapid Fire Challenge: Meatless Monday Single Skillet Edition. The judges for the competition were Chef Maria Loi, Chef Renee Blackman, Stratis Morfo-

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(L to R) TD Marketing’s Glenn Tunis and Jeremy Heim of MAP

(L to R) Elegant Eatings’ Tony Bruno and Neil Schumer

(L to R) Alicart Restaurant Group founder Jeffrey Bank with Dennis Durante of Direct to Chef

(L to R) Sofitel New York’s Simon Antoine and Singer’s Morgan Tucker Arc Cardinal’s Alyssa Stewart

Beth Eisenbud (2nd-L) led her Old Mill Inn hospitality team on their show tour

Davo’s Ryanne Joslin

Mr.and Mrs David Holmes of NJ’s Gumbo House

Cheshire Pizza’s Brianna Mosma (C) led a large contingent from the Connecticut eatery

(L to R) Jay Sorenson and Kevin Blaser anchored the Java Jacket booth

Zero Hour’s Tami Maldonado and Roslyn Stone

The legendary Farmer Lee Jones shared his vision for 2023

IRFSNY 2023 RECAP

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gen of Brooklyn Chop House, Influencer Laura Bray and Dawn Kelly, The Nourish Spot. The judges selected Chef James Williamson from JDub W/ Da Grub who won $1,000. The event was sponsored and moderated by Total Food Service.

With a trip to Napa at stake, the Hip Sip: Battle of the Modern Bartender Competition featuring Lipservice Rye Whiskey was hotly contested. Kristo Tomingas of Butterfly Cocktail Catering beat out 4 other competitors and won the trip to California from Savage and Cooke Distillery including flights, accommodations, a tour of the distillery, and a meet & greet with the master distiller. Mia Mastroianni and Phil Wills from Bar Rescue teamed up with Savage & Cooke’s Art Sutley to judge the annual Hip Sip event.

Once again, a highlight of the show was The Center Stage for Culinary Demonstrations. The three-day event included Chef Maria Loi who prepared a delicious dish from Greece; Chef Barbara Sibley from Mexico who cooked during a Let’s Talk Womxn panel with Amy Scherber, Amy’s Bread; May Abraham Fridel, Passion for Spices; and Naami Tamir, Lighthouse Restaurant. Chef Renee Blackman discussed her time on Netflix’ Pressure Cooker; Chef Jamie Simpson and Farmer Lee Jones discussed sustainability; Chef Michelle Bernstein spoke about the art of layering and Executive Chef Ali Loukzada of Constellation Culinary Group demonstrated duck liver mousse and also gave everyone in the audience a chef’s apron.

The education program offered dozens of sessions delivered by subject matter experts who spoke on a variety of important topics for restaurant and foodservice professionals, and coffee shop owners. Noncompeting sessions were held in the new How-To Theater, Business Solutions Stage and Conversation Corner featuring important information for attendees to take back to their businesses on marketing, staffing, cater-

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(L to R) Sani-Professionals John Caton and Steve Hermosura

(L to R) WeClean’s Danilo Miglietta and Anatracy Hawkins

(L to R) BSE’s Jeff Hessel and NYU’s Owen Moore

(L to R) Arctic Gardens’ Marie Helene Courtois and Marie-Eve Ooft

(L to R) Singer/M Tucker’s Jason Grecco, Con Ed/National Grid’s Ed Wiernaszt and Molly Agrimson

Robot Coupe’s Steve Coltran

(L to R) Ecolab’s Edmond Bohemi and Michael Chung Loy

(L to R) NCCO’s Rick Martunas and David Verderber flank Singer /M. Tucker’s Permal Colaco

Sterno’s Thaddeus Smith demonstrated the company’s new Speed Heat technology

Hakan Inan of Atlantic Restaurant Supply

Lisa Mendelson brought her innovative Solato gelato dispensing technology to Javits

(L to R) Craft Pizza’s Radomin Bojovoic, Jacqueline Gojac and Alessandra Maniscalco

ing, food safety, plant-based trends, leasing, tax rules, and so much more.

The annual Coffee Fest brings unmatched youth and excitement to the show floor. The co-located event shares the floor with the restaurant show and brings it over caffeinated energy. Coffee Fest announced the winners of an exciting competition and several awards. Matty Bolchi was named the winner in the Latte Art World Championship Open. BPM Craft Beverage as awarded Best Cold Crew and Tiki Breeze was named “Best of Fest” People’s Choice Award. Latte artist Marc Chuisano was presented with The Daniel Lee Giving Tree Award.

With Ugianskis’ vision, the show understands its role in the communities it shares. With that, at the close of the Show, City Harvest, rescued 3,000 pounds of food including cheeses, oat milk, juice, pasta, tomato sauces and more, which were all delivered to their partner agency Children of the Light in Brooklyn on the last night of the event.

Look for an expanded show floor in ’24, with a number of companies looking to return after Pandemic hiatus. “The good news is that we have many ways for a company to participate in the show – as an exhibitor, as a sponsor, as a thought leader,” Ugianskis concluded.

The 2024 International Restaurant & Foodservice Show and Coffee Fest New York will be held March 3-5, 2024, at the Javits Center in New York City.

(L to R) Winco’s David Ciampoli and Levant Tosyanli of Loventi

(L to R) The show attracted notables including Brooklyn dumpling shop founder Stratis Morfogen and SA Restaurants Greg Giannone,

(L to R) East Hampton Golf’s Kevin Kruel, and Tony Sessa

(L to R) The Cambridge Club’s Ted Rapone, Tammy Ward, Nazine Shehu

(L to R) Creative Financial’s Chris Fallon with Singer/M. Tucker’s Sarah Bulmer and Eric Santagata

Driscoll Foods’ Steve Donnelly toured the annual event

(L to R) White Plains Linen’s Mike Ritter and Daniel Kaufman

(L to R) Sebastian and Sasha Orloski of Maud’s Tavern

(L to R) Chief Fire’s Caitlin Felder, Silfranny Almonte, and Monique Felder

(L to R) Singer/M Tucker’s Jennifer Seisdeos and Andrew Beres

(L to R) Singer/M Tucker’s Lori Grippo and Kim Lehr of P3 Reps

(L to R) Perona Farms’ Mark and Bryant Avondoglio

Marra Forni’s Todd Griffith worked closely with customers throughout the show

WITH CHEF MARIA LOI

GLORIOUS GARLIC –THE AMAZING ALLIUM

Who doesn’t love springtime? Green buds on trees, fresh flowers in bloom, and warmer weather putting a little extra spring in our step! I recently discovered that, even though it’s not harvested until June or July, April is National Garlic Month!

As one of the most ubiquitous ingredients on earth, present in every world cuisine, and a known medical phenomenon, why wouldn’t we celebrate this incredible allium for all its glory?! Let’s start with a little bit of history…

Ancient People … Ancient Allium

Mentions of garlic can be traced back to over 5,000 years ago, across different cultures in different parts of the world, originating in Asia. What’s most interesting, perhaps, is that though culinary mentions are present, the overarching context is garlic being used for medicinal purposes.

In ancient Greece, garlic was eaten regularly, used both as seasoning as well as medicine! Garlic was associated with strength, stamina, and virility, and therefore was an important part of the military diet, as well as that of the Olympians. Garlic could be considered one of the first ‘performance-enhancers’ in history!

Hippocrates, who is widely regarded as the father of Medicine, made garlic part of his therapeutic regimen, advocating its use for respiratory issues, parasites, fatigue, as a cleansing or detoxifying agent, and for abdominal/digestive issues.

Garlic can also be found in Greek mythology, as a sacrament for the

goddess Hecate, known as one of the deities who protected the house and home (as well as the goddess of wilderness and childbirth). Ancient Greeks would leave garlic on the piles of stones at cross-roads, as a supper for Hecate to protect them from demons. They would also hang garlic in their homes to ward away evil spirits and cause them to lose their way.

In ancient Egypt, garlic was part of the daily rations for the slaves building the pyramids, as it was thought to increase their strength and endurance, and ward off illness. It was also given to regular laborers for the same reasons.

In ancient India, garlic was used to treat maladies such as arthritis,

parasites, leprosy, and heart disease, as well as every day symptoms like fatigue and indigestion. Ancient Indians believed in both the medicinal, and culinary benefits of garlic, as can be seen in ancient Sanskrit texts. The Sanskrit word for garlic is mahoushudh, which means panacea, or “cure-all.”

In ancient China, by 2000 BC, the use of garlic was widespread and considered part of their daily diet, especially when consumed with raw meat. As it was considered a ‘spicy’ food, regular consumption was recommended, but in limited amounts.

Garlic as Medicine

It’s become clear that garlic was looked upon in the ancient times as

Chef Maria Loi is an entrepreneur, Greek food ambassador and healthy lifestyle guru. The author of more than 36 cookbooks, she is also the host of The Life of Loi, which premiered on PBS and PBS Passport in December 2022, now available on Amazon Prime and Apple TV. The Life of Loi aims to build an inspirational, educational movement around the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle. Her Loi Food Products, a specialty brand built on traditional ingredients from Greece, includes pastas, beans, botanical herbs, refrigerated dips, honey, holiday cookies, and olive oil sold on QVC, at Whole Foods Markets, and in other stores. The namesake of Loi Estiatorio in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, she also has the Loi Specialty Shop at The Plaza Hotel. Connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on Instagram and Facebook, and learn more about her food philosophy at loiestiatorio.com/chef-loi/.

a medicinal food that had the potential to sooth and possibly cure various illness.

Pliny the Elder, the Roman historian, believed that garlic cured colds and warts, helped hair grow, prevented fainting spells, improved circulation, and reduced high blood pressure.

What’s interesting are the applications – sometimes it was prescribed raw, sometimes cooked; sometimes as a whole clove, other times as a paste or poultice; sometimes in a solution, other times as a beverage – the permutations of the medicinal applications of garlic are endless, but the results were profound.

Family Story – Papou and the Garlic Braids

My papou (grandfather in Greek) was colloquially known as the ‘Modern Day Hippocrates’ by my family, and our village. He had a remedy

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Garlic Heads and Cloves

and explanation for just about everything, and garlic was often involved! One of the things my siblings and I loved to do with him was preserving our garlic after the harvest. We would gather the fresh heads of garlic, braid them together, and then all take a trip to the sea to spend the night keeping watch to preserve

them.

Papou and my older siblings would build a fire that we would all sit around taking turns telling stories, while keeping watch over the garlic that was submerged in the sea. It was important that the garlic stayed underwater, where it absorbed the salt from the sea which

helped to preserve it. We took turns keeping watch (I always was paired with my papou), to make sure the stones stayed on top of the garlic to prevent the waves from washing it out to sea. And in the morning, we would remove it, and leave it out in the sun to dry.

Once it was preserved, Papou used to store the garlic in honey for two weeks before ‘prescribing’ it to our fellow villagers to lower high blood pressure. When it came to the medicinal effects, the villagers would come back and let Papou know that it worked, and I was always amazed at how such a simple – and delicious – combination of ingredients could have such positive results! Of course, Papou always knew best, but it’s important to ask your doctor before trying any medication, natural or otherwise.

Rx: Garlic

As we have seen, garlic has been a panacea for thousands of years, and with good reason! Garlic is low in calories and rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6, and manganese, and contains trace amounts of various other nutrients. It contains antioxidants that can help protect against cell

damage and aging, and may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Allicin is one of the main active [sulfur] compounds in garlic, with the ability to help prevent certain cancers and may help lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure.

So, if you’re looking for a natural – and delicious – remedy for that which ails you, you may not need to look any further than the produce aisle! But remember, always ask your doctor.

Is it Even Food If There’s No Garlic?

It seems like no matter the food, if it’s savory, garlic belongs. In Greek cuisine, we used it often, and even have dishes that are solely focused on the flavor of garlic, like Skordalia, a garlic dip with multiple variations, the favorite of which is garlic and potato, or Skordosoupa, a savory garlic soup.

The simple combination of garlic, oregano, lemon, and olive oil is the basis for countless pasta dishes, and the perfect marinade for many animal proteins. It’s also the perfect flavor profile for dressings, and as the base flavor for numerous soups, stews, casseroles, and pies.

Garlic is ‘a given’ in world cuisines, in that it is a flavor that is ubiquitous all across the globe, with too many recipes and iterations to list! When in doubt, roast a head of garlic with some olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper, and then use the sweet, garlicy paste as a base of flavor, a marinade, a sauce, or just eat it on its own with some crusty bread! Celebrate garlic in all of it’s glory, happy garlic month!

Shrimp with Skordalia - Garlic Potato Dip

Skordosoupa - Garlic Soup

Braided Wild Garlic

IN THIS INDUSTRY, LEGAL OBLIGATIONS TO YOUR EMPLOYEES COME EARLY AND OFTEN: UNDERSTANDING WHEN TO ACT AND FOR HOW LONG

The list of laws and regulations hospitality employers must comply with keeps getting longer and more onerous with each passing year. As a result, New York restaurants and bars are very used to being told what to do, and how to do it, as it concerns their operations. Hospitality employers, however, occasionally lose sight of when, or how frequently, they must comply with certain obligations to their employees and are thus urged to familiarize themselves with the below requirements so as not to risk legal liability that may be easily avoided.

Payment of Wages

How often should employees be paid?

The number of lawsuits alleging frequency of pay violations continues to increase. As a result, New York business are being put on notice of their need to possibly adjust how often they pay their employees, which is an extremely easy issue to correct, but extremely costly liability to face. We reminded all New Yorkbased hospitality establishments that they must pay their employees weekly in the June 2022 issue of

Total Food Service (https://totalfood.com/frequency-of-pay-issuesfor-manual-workers-continue-topresent-significant-liability-risksfor-ny-hospitality-employers/), and just last week the New York Post ran a front page article on this legal issue alone.

The applicable section of the New York Labor Law states that businesses must only pay their manual workers (which the Department of Labor interprets as at least 25% of working time engaged in “physical labor”) on a weekly basis. Importantly, business in the hospitality industry (any “restaurant” or “hotel”

as defined in the New York Hospitality Wage Order) must generally pay all employees, and not just manual workers, weekly.

Uniform Purchase

How soon should employees be reimbursed?

If your business requires that your employee purchase a uniform, you must reimburse the employee for the full cost of that uniform no later than the next regularly scheduled payroll date. That does not mean, however, that you must pay the employee for the cost of regularly maintaining that uniform. Busi -

Ilan Weiser is a Partner in the Labor & Employment practice group at Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP in New York City. Mr. Weiser exclusively represents businesses of all sizes and sectors on how best to comply with the federal, state and local labor laws that govern their operations. Mr. Weiser’s principal area of expertise is employment law litigation and has vigorously defended hundreds of his clients in federal and state court and before various governmental agencies against claims of employment discrimination and unfair pay practices. Mr. Weiser has particularly indepth knowledge of wage and hour law and regularly defends and counsels his clients in class and collective lawsuits concerning claims for unpaid wages. Ilan Weiser can be reached via email at iweiser@egsllp.com or by phone at 212-370-1300.

ness operators are urged to read Nija Davis Pedlar’s article from the March 2023 issue of Total Food Service (https://totalfood.com/doesyour-restaurants-uniform-or-dresscode-policy-comply-with-the-law/) for more detailed guidance on this issue.

Maintain Employment Records

When can records of former or current employees be discarded?

An unfortunate reality is that if your business is faced with a future wage and hour litigation your best defenses will most likely concern the strength of the time and payroll records you have on file for the employee(s) in question. It is the employer’s burden, only, to maintain contemporaneous employment records, including but not limited to daily time and weekly pay records, for six years. I recommend doing so for a minimum of seven years to be

continued on page 122

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY CONFERENCE BRINGS CLARITY TO 2023

Nobody does a better job of tackling the tough issues than Andrew Rigie and the New York City Hospitality Alliance. Once again, the challenges facing New York City’s operators took centerstage at the Alliance’s annual State of the Industry Conference.

“Our goal is to bring together hospitality professionals to connect and learn about the latest issues and trends impacting the restaurant and nightlife industry,” Rigie commented. An overflow crowd came together last month for a half day of panel discussions, speakers, and networking to gain insight into the biggest challenges and opportunities facing hospitality. With a backdrop of the spectacular midtown etc. venues, leading operators and vendors came together for a day of thought-provoking panels and networking.

The day kicked off with Rigie’s overview of welcome and update on Government Affairs Impacting the Hospitality Industry. The State of the Industry was discussed by an all-star cast headed by: Meridian Retail’s James Famularo. Adriana Marianella of CultureWorks, Hoodspitality’s Alfredo Angueira, Queens Night Market’s John Wang and Bill Bonbrest of Tao.

Restaurant coach Chip Klose’s presentation on social media was timely. The Restaurant Strategy chief talked about “TikTok Isn’t the Destination, It’s Just What’s Next”. TFS’s Fred Klashman and Brooklyn Bar owner Megan Rickerson Someday Bar hosted the annual trivia challenge.

A highlight of the annual confab was a special session with veteran res-

continued on page 82

(L to R) Sylvia’s Crizette Woods and Taniedra McFadden

(L to R) SA Restaurants’ Greg Giannone, Marc Fuchs of Singer/M.Tucker and PBAC’s Michael Posternak

(L to R) Vincent Vela of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, Miguel Matos of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce and Michelle Foster of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce

(L to R) Gotham’s Brett Csencsitz and Minaka Garfinkel of SpotOn

(L to R) The Hospitality Alliance’s Andrew Rigie with New York Post’s Steve Cuozzo and restaurateur/newscaster Rosanna Scotto

(L to R) Shin Slover and Prudence Singh of Jack’s Wife Freda

(L to R) Anton Rayetskyy of CohnReznick and Elliot’s Barry Herbst

(L to R) TripleSeat’s Rachel Calkins and Azure Collier flank Amira Gertz of Brooklyn Winery

NYC HOSPITALITY ALLIANCE

from page 80

tauranteur/TV anchor Rosanna Scotto interviewing long time NY Post writer Steve Cuozzo. Scotto did a brilliant job of bringing out the best of Cuozzo that included his thoughts on everything from the end of outdoor dining to the noise at the newly opened Bad Roman.

The closing session took attended on a deep dive into Hospitality Technology in 2023.

The panel included: Branded Hospitality Ventures’ Michael (Schatzy) Schatzberg, Scott Landers of Figure 8, SpotOn’s Ben Gliner, Loycent Gordon of Historic Neir’s Tavern, CohnReznick’s Cindy McLoughin and Morgan Wiley of Union Square Hospitality Group.

The NYC Hospitality Alliance is a not-for-profit organization formed to represent the 24,000 eating and drinking establishments throughout the city’s five boroughs which employ close to 1 million people.

(L to R) Toast’s Macjej Kleban and Fawad Ali of DeliverEct

(L to R) Adriana Marianella of Fotografika, Joseph Famularo of Meridian Retail Leasing and Ron Bookman of Pesetsky and Bookman

(L to R) Paycom’s AJ Lapitino and Lauren Ginsberg visited with Eventi Hotels’ Chris Lauber

(L to R) Figure 8’s Janie DeVito and David Landgraf

(L to R) KI Legal’s Michael Iakovou and Andreas Koutsoudakis

(L to R) Carolyn Morrison of Alicart, Concierge’s Drew Davis, Alicart’s Laura O’Neill and RC Cepeda of The Digital Uproar

(L to R) Bianca Esmond of SevenRooms and Altamarea’s Eliza Poehlman

(L to R) Michael Fuquay of The Queensboro and Jonathan Forgash of Queens Together

(L to R) Cliff Crooks of BLT and SpotOn’s Ben Gliner

(L to R) Bobby Lloyd of Magnolia Bakery and Kira O’Brien from Emma’s Torch

(L to R) Sarah Diehl of Empowered Hospitality and Neil Owens of EB Cohen

(L to R) Jeremy Wladis of the Restaurant Group and Luca DiPietro of Taralucci e vino

(L to R) Leah Shoot of DeliverZero and Foodprint Group’s Christina Grace

HOBART SET TO DEBUT NEW ADDITION TO CONTINUOUS-FEED FOOD PROCESSING PORTFOLIO

Hobart, the premium commercial food equipment manufacturer known for designing and building some of the most reliable, must-have equipment, has expanded its continuous-feed food processor offering to include the FP300i floor model. This maximum heavy-duty food processor can process up to 88 pounds of product per minute and comes complete with the base, a stacking feed cylinder and a manual pusher plate for increased versatility.

The large, full moon-sized cylinder allows for processing a variety of products and eliminates the need for pre-cutting. The manual pusher plate features an ergo-loop that provides a lever effect, reducing the need for manual force when processing large, hard products, such as root vegetables, cabbage and cheese. The 45-degree angle of the cylinder and the convenient height of the FP300i floor mount design make it easy for operators to load products with less fatigue. Hobart offers an optional bulk feed hopper and cylinder set for purchase. The cylinder funnels product into the bulk feed hopper and is best for efficiently processing round products such as potatoes, onions and tomatoes. An optional four-tube feeder is available for loading long, narrow products like cucumbers, carrots and celery.

The FP300i food processor provides a plate speed of 500 rpms, the ideal speed for processing without bruising the product. Available cutting tools allow operators to slice, dice, shred, grate, crimp, julienne and more, and the unit includes an exclusive decoring screw that deflects product from the plate hub to ensure complete processing. A 1 hp motor with planetary

drive supports optimal performance.

Hobart designed the FP300i food processor with a stainless steel hopper and housing. All removable parts and cutting tools from the FP300i are dishwasher-safe for improved sanitation and cleaning. To provide operator assurance, the FP300i food processor features a double interlock switch to keep it from running when the pusher plate is open or swings away. It also has a no-volt release that prevents it from turning on if power is lost.

The release of the new FP300i processor joins lineup of Hobart equipment that was showcased at this year’s NAFEM show. Hobart Food Prep Equipment Legacy+® maximum heavy-duty mixer line with the exclusive VFDAdvantage PLUS System to drive more power to the bowl has cre-

This maximum heavy-duty food processor can process up to 88 pounds of product per minute and comes complete with the base, a stacking feed cylinder and a manual pusher plate for increased versatility.

ated a great deal of excitement.

The Hobart Commercial Dishwasher line’s new features have quickly become an industry favorite with advanced technology that save time and money. These include Automatic Soil Removal, which reduces pre-scraping labor by 20% and wash-water changes by 50%, and Two-Level Washing, which doubles racks per hour to increase capacity and wash more ware in less time.

Hobart Weigh Wrap Equipment includes the HTi-7ELH5 scale with 7-inch customer display and a linerless label cassette that eliminates backing paper and allows dynamic label sizing. The FreshServe self-service fully-integrated scale, stand and printer will also be on display, plus the FreshXpress retail omni-channel order management software. This software allows online and kiosk orders to be deployed directly to the scale for operators to see immediately, so there is less wait time at the deli or meat counter.

Traulsen TF Flex Drawer undercounter refrigerator/freezer that allows drawer temperature to be changed from cooling to freezing at the touch of a button. Each drawer can operate at a different temperature setting.

Baxter ‘s OV520G2 energy-efficient double-rack gas oven, provides operational history, operator training animations and FAQs. The new OV320G

mini rack oven, designed with simple, programmable Smart Touch control panel for easy operations.

At Hobart, an ITW Food Equipment Group LLC brand, the mission is to provide premium food preparation equipment that foodservice and food retail professionals can trust to work hard and deliver quality, consistent results day in and day out, empowering them to focus on what they love most—creating great food for great people.

From one plate to one thousand, Hobart goal is to help operators satisfy every appetite. From mixing and chopping to grinding or peeling, Hobart’s legendary equipment is the perfect partner. Backed by a nationwide network of 1,500 factory-trained service technicians, Hobart is always nearby to install, maintain and service your equipment. Hobart is part of ITW Food Equipment Group LLC (a subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works Inc.) and is proud to be an ENERGYSTAR® Partner of the Year since 2008

Hobart food processors like the FP300i floor model can save time and money in the kitchen. For more information on the company’s full food processor offering, visit the Hobart food processor web page. Explore Hobart by visiting Hobartcorp.com, by connecting with us on Facebook at Facebook.com/hobartcorp or by contacting your local Hobart representative at 888-4HOBART.

Booth #4031

MULTICHEF XS: BUILT FOR THE BAR

There is something special about enjoying an ice-cold alcoholic beverage with delicious, hot food at your favorite bar. Whether it is 5 o’clock on a weekday, or noon time on a weekend, the pairing of the two can really bring in the crowds. The key to executing a food menu that is equally well-received as your drink selection is by investing in equipment that is practical, reliable, and profitable.

Compact, high-speed ovens, like the MultiChef XS, are increasingly becoming staples in commercial kitchens. Their quick cooking capabilities combined with their convenient sizes make them the perfect fit for bars. The MultiChef XS is equipped with convection, rapid

impinged air, precision microwave, and constructed of high-quality, stainless steel with a distinctive, removable catalytic converter. Unlike traditional ovens, it is easy to operate and built to last!

Now, do you know what this oven was also BUILT for? The bar…like, literally! The MultiChef XS is only 16” wide and just over 30” deep, making it ideal for just about any countertop space. Plus, the sleek design allows this oven to be set up in the front of the house if necessary. Once a definitive area has been chosen, all that is left to do is plug in and start cooking!

As we said earlier, the MultiChef XS is easy to operate. So much so, any employee can cook with it. No need to hire a professional cook or

chef. Simply insert the food product into the oven and select the appropriate, pre-programmed recipe. The MultiChef XS will take it from there, creating final results that are sure to impress. Pump out tasty offerings like quesadillas, nachos, paninis, tater tots, sweet potato fries, and more. Maybe there is something you would like to prepare in the MultiChef XS but there isn’t a pre-programmed recipe for it. Worry not! Creating and adding new recipes to the oven is quick and straightforward. With the press of just a few buttons you will be ready to go! And did we mention the MultiChef XS is super safe for employees? Despite reaching an internal temperature of 500 degrees, the outside

of this oven remains completely cool to the touch. What about when it comes time to insert and remove food products from the internal cavity? Every oven comes with a stainless steel pizza peel designed with a protective heat guard to shield staff member’s hands from hot product or grease splatter. This greatly reduces the risk of burns for staff and creates an overall safer work environment.

Making decisions for your business can be overwhelming. Keep your guests staying longer and coming back more often by making the MultiChef XS the star of your bar!

For more information on how MultiChef can help your business, visit MTIproducts.com

Loaded tater tots fresh from the MultiChef

FISCHETTI BRINGS CREATIVE FARE NORCAL’S VA DE VI BISTRO AND WINE BAR

Va de Vi translates to “It’s all about wine!” in Spain’s Catalan language. But at Walnut Creek, CA’s Va DeVi Bistro and Wine Bar, it’s all about food, too!

Chef Michael Fischetti’s menu encourages diners to explore and share a variety of eclectic, international small plate portions. There are bold tastes that encourage diners to explore and pair with the large international wine list, easily navigated by tasting notes. Many wines are offered by the glass in addition to pre-arranged flights to allow diners to compare different wines and discover new favorites.

A warm, casual elegance defines the ambiance of the suburban San Francisco eatery. Outdoors, diner can eat under an ancient oak tree or grab a table in the picturesque lane.

As with many top chefs across the nation, it was family that drove his career ambition. “My parents worked a lot when I was younger, and my grandmother would watch my siblings and me, Chef Mike explained. I was always in the kitchen helping her gather ingredients, prep all the stuff she didn’t want to, and carry anything she didn’t want to carry. She was the first executive chef I worked

with who delegated a lot of grunt work to me...lol. I always loved being in the kitchen with her; she was very serious about feeding our family and instilled in me at an early age that the joy of feeding people was overwhelmingly gratifying. Cooking reminds me of gatherings with friends and family: grazing, chatting, laughing, and having a good time. I try to incorporate those same vibes into my work kitchen with my staff and guests who enjoy what we do!”

Chef Mike began his career in Florida. After graduating in 2006 from Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, he joined forces with Cindy Hutson at Ortanique in Coral Ga -

continued on page 115

Chef Michael Fischetti

The Shakshouka from Va DeVi Bistro and Wine Bar

“Cooking reminds me of gatherings with friends and family: grazing, chatting, laughing, and having a good time. I try to incorporate those same vibes into my work kitchen with my staff and guests who enjoy what we do!”

FINLEY’S HOSPITALITY ADVISORY BRINGS TAILORED SOLUTIONS TO NATION’S OPERATORS

As the hospitality industry continues to evolve, new technologies are emerging to help operators streamline their operations and improve their guest experience. With extensive industry experience, Rob Finley was convinced there had to be a better way to merge the basics of equipment and supply solutions with what seems like an endless array of technology aimed at the food service marketplace.

Armed with extensive industry experience with distribution and manufacturing, more recently with Steelite, Finley created The Hospitality Advisory. The firm’s mission is to offer a range of curated solutions to meet the unique needs of operators across the nation as well as inform their inventory, delivery, and other processes for a more efficient and cost-effective strategy.

At the heart of The Hospitality Advi-

sory’s (THA) offerings is a suite of cutting-edge technologies that leverage the power of data to help operators optimize their businesses. “We’re using advanced analytics and machine learning to help operators make datadriven decisions that can boost their profitability and drive growth,” Finley explained.

Based in Columbus, OH, The Hospitality Advisory partners with best-inclass leaders and partners in mobility, digital storage lockers, micro stores, robotic fulfillment, and delivery to help their clients identify new opportunities and make data-driven decisions to boost their bottom line.

One of the key technologies offered by Finley’s, Aapya Solutions, is a cloud-based platform that does not rely on but can work within a range of analytics, including point of sale systems, customer feedback tools, through an innovative optical inven-

tory management system.

This allows operators to gain a comprehensive view of their business performance and make informed decisions based in real-time data.

THA is also offering select equipment manufacturers including ITV and Migali, the opportunity to become part of a comprehensive “tech & equipment” play. “We found that manufacturers may in fact have their own tech solution built into their equipment, but real value comes from being part of a larger solution,” Finley noted.

To accomplish his goal, the hospi-

tality industry maverick has partnered with Aapya Solutions and Welbilt’s former tech leader Ramesh Tirumala to bring cutting-edge technological solutions to the foodservice industry. “We are in development of proprietary optical inventory management systems in the latter alpha stage,” Finley proudly revealed in our conversation. “This new technology has massive implications for inventory management across retail convenience, along with cold and dry storage and food service. Aapya Solutions, a technology firm based in Tampa, FL, specializes in the development of mobile applications, data analytics, and IoT (Internet of Things) technologies, which can be applied to a variety of industries.

As the hospitality industry continues to evolve, companies like Finley’s Hospitality Advisory will play an increasingly important role in helping operators stay competitive and meet the changing needs of their guests. With his tailored solutions, experience and expertise, THA is poised to change the face of the hospitality industry and bring about a new era of innovation and growth.

“Whether it’s expanding into new markets, launching a new brand, or enhancing their marketing strategy, we’re here to help,” Finley concluded.

More information is available online at thehospitalityadvisory.com or by phone at 614-284-5348.

“We found that manufacturers may in fact have their own tech solution built into their equipment, but real value comes from being part of a larger solution.” — Rob Finley

OVERCOMING THE DRIVER SHORTAGE: HOW RESTAURANTS CAN MAINTAIN SELFDELIVERY WITHOUT HIRING MORE DRIVERS

With a shortfall of over 450,000 jobs from pre-pandemic levels, the restaurant industry has the largest employment deficit among all industries in the United States.

As a result, restaurant operators are struggling to meet the rising demand for food delivery due to a shortage of delivery drivers.

For restaurants looking to maintain the self-delivery model without the burden of trying to hire and retain more delivery staff or turning exclusively to third-party fulfillmentdelivery management software is the solution.

Self-delivery risks and solving fulfillment issues

The growing demand for delivery, lack of employment benefits & tips, and increases in fuel prices have led to the driver shortage.

As a direct consequence, restaurants are struggling to fulfill orders and deliver on time. This results in lost revenue and disappointed customers leaving bad reviews.

The self-delivery model has many advantages. Being able to fully control the entire delivery process (including service levels & compliance) is one of them.

Another reason why restaurants prefer the self-delivery model is the ability to save on high third-party delivery fees.

However, self-delivery also has its drawbacks, particularly with regard to finding, hiring, and retaining delivery drivers. These challenges can be both time-consuming and costly. This is especially true when we take into account factors such as insurance costs, driver scheduling, and ensuring a steady workload.

Restaurants looking to fulfill all of their delivery demand without taking on more hiring risks are turning

to technology solutions.

The reason for this shift is directly linked to the capabilities and opportunities that delivery management software provides.

Now, restaurant owners are able to set custom rules that will automatically redirect excess delivery orders to a third-party fleet during times of peak demand, or when the restaurant’s in-house team reaches capacity.

This hybrid model is a win-win for restaurants. It removes the need to hire more drivers while increasing order fulfillment rates.

This solution can help operators fulfill 100% of their orders, avail of the most competitive thirdparty delivery fees on the market, and regain full visibility over their delivery orders - regardless of the fleet used.

Low-cost delivery

The labor shortage has left restaurants with very limited, margin-eroding options when it comes to delivery.

They can either choose to halt their delivery services, attempt to hire additional delivery drivers, or rely solely on marketplace delivery and take a huge revenue hit.

However, many operators are unaware that there is a fourth option - outsourcing orders to a third-party delivery provider or marketplace fleet at a significantly discounted rate. By partnering with multiple delivery service providers, delivery management software can help restaurants to secure low-cost third-party delivery fees in order to generate more off-premise revenue.

Features such as order stacking can also help operators minimize the number of trips required by drivers when 2 or more orders are due

continued on page 124

PARTRIDGE CLUB CELEBRATES ST. PATTY’S WITH HARMONIE CLUB CELEBRATION

There’s always something special about a trip into Manhattan on St. Patrick’s Day. For members of the Partridge Invitation Scholarship Fund, this means navigating a safe passage around parade traffic to toast the wearing of the green.

Once again Partridge Club president Roger Oliver welcomed a large group of St Patrick’s Day revelers to the Midtown Harmonie Club. Club members and their guest simply could not stop raving about the warmth of the historical venue and the caring service provided by the club’s manager Davina Weinstein. In addition to also being a member of the Partridge Club, Weinstein was the first female to be handed the reins to one of New York City’s 40 private clubs.

Among the celebrants were healthcare’s Tatinisha Peets, Veronica McClymont, Stephen Chen and Mimi Wang. The equipment and supply channel was well represented with Singer/M. Tucker’s Marc Fuchs, and PBAC’s Michael Posternak, Steve Bauer, Cory Perez and David Aitkenhead. A number of key industry consultants including Romano Gatland’s Christopher Brady, Bob Doland of Jacobs|Doland|Beer, and Arlene Spiegel were all on hand. Metro New York’s Ecolab team were back en masse as well to enjoy the day’s festivities.

TFS can’t say enough about the Partridge Club’s scholarship initiatives, which are led by Marc Sarrazin of DeBragga and Spitler. The event raised Partridge grants, which go to such noted institutions as the Culinary Institute of America, Johnson and Wales, Cornell University, the University of Massachusetts and Paul Smith College. Under the guidance of the club’s President Oliver and a visionary Board, the

club continues to fulfill its mission of making a culinary or hospitality education a reality for many students with its scholarship programs.

The Partridge Club was formed in 1935 at the Victoria Hotel in New York City. The membership was made up of leading purveyors to the hotel, club and restaurant trade. The Holiday luncheon brought the mission of the Partridge Foundation to raise scholarship funds for institutions of higher learning providing training for students pursuing a career in the Hospitality Industry.

Leading school foodservice professional Anthony Trentacosti (L) of Cater To You welcomed guests

Harmonie Club manager and host Davina Weinstein and her team put on a dazzling culinary display

(L to R) Country Club of Fairfield’s Tim Minshaw with Doug Rodda and Marc Sarrazin of Debragga and Spitler

Kimberly and Frank Capasa of Ecolab

(L to R) Beach Point Club’s Randy Ruder led a large contingent of club managers to Partridge’s St. Patty’s celebration and was joined by John Peraloza of Development Site Advisors

Robert Kasara of Wykagyl Country Club and fellow club managers made a very generous contribution to the Partridge Club’s scholarship initiative

(L to R) Christine Gurtler and Ed Hull of Jacobs|Doland|Beer with PBAC’s Josh Erdheim

(L to R) The event drew some of the biggest names in healthcare foodservice including Stephen Chen of VA Healthcare and consultant Veronica McClymont

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

EASY ICE RELEASES 2023 BEST ICE MACHINES GUIDE

SCOOP learned that Easy Ice, the only national provider of commercial ice machine subscriptions, has released their Best Ice Machines of 2023 Guide. They give their ice machine picks by ice type, machine type, and industry. With over 33,000 ice machines under management across 47 states, Easy Ice has unmatched experience with commercial ice machines on a technical level. Informed by this expertise, their best-of guide will help business owners currently in the market for an ice machine select the perfect model for their needs. Learn more at https://www.easyice.com/best-commercial-icemachines/?utm_source=industry-publication&utm_ medium=digital&utm_id=best-of-2023

IMPERIAL DADE TO OPEN NEW LOGISTICS HUB IN NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV

SCOOP learned that Imperial Dade, a leading independently owned and operated distributor of ecofriendly food service packaging and janitorial sup-

plies, is opening a new state-of-the-art logistics hub in Clark County. This new facility includes a 102,000 sq ft warehouse plus office space and will support the company’s expanding customer base in the West. The Las Vegas market has been identified as essential to Imperial Dade’s strategic plan to grow. “Our Las Vegas team is very excited to be relocating to the new facility in North Las Vegas. This larger building will position us to enable growth. A special thanks to our corporate team and all who were involved in the transition,” said Brian Leftwich, Branch Operations Manager. Glenn Ziegler, President - Western Region, added “Our company has been experiencing explosive growth in the Las Vegas market. We are excited to increase our footprint, which will enable us to continue to provide our customers with outstanding service for years to come.” For additional information, please visit www.imperialdade.com.

NBR EQUIPMENT LINKS UP WITH ABILITY REPS FOR NEW ENGLAND MAFSI 1 AREA

SCOOP learned that NBR Equipment of Cranbury, NJ is now represented in the New England/MAFSI 1 area by Ability Reps of Gloucester, MA. Stainless steel foodservice equipment that’s great quality and even better in price, especially since as of March 20th, NBR raised standard discounts across the board! Brand new products such as faucets, waste drains, ice bins WITH cold plates, bottle wells, sink covers, and more are also now in stock and ready to ship. Learn more at https://www.nbrequipment.com/

RATIONAL WINS FACTORY OF THE YEAR 2022

SCOOP heard that Peter Wiedemann, Chief Operational Officer, RATIONAL, accepted the award for the “Factory of the Year 2022” at a conference in Munich. The jury, consisting of renowned experts from industry and science, made their decision based on the fact that the production facility in Landsberg successfully faced diverse challenges such as a resilient supply chain, more sustainability, and demanding recruitment of skilled workers. In recent years, RATIONAL has been a regular award winner in one of Europe’s most prestigious industry competitions. This year, it continued on page 98

Imperial Dade’s upcoming logistics hub in North Las Vegas

The RATIONAL team celebrates its Factory of the Year honors

was the overall winner.

For over 30 years, companies have been competing against the best of the best to show where they are one step ahead of the rest. At RATIONAL, the jury identified the secret to our success is in our continuous development process, long-standing supplier relationships, and the independent work of each employee as part of our U.i.U. principle. “We simply try to have a more emotional take on everything,” Wiedemann states. For example, the company initially rewards each suggestion for the Continuous Improvement Process (CIP) with 10 euros, and at the end of the year there is an award for the best suggestions, which are again rewarded with substantial amounts of money. According to Wiedemann: “It’s up to the teams to decide what they want to do with the money. This makes a significant contribution to team building and motivation.”

The award was also given for the principle of entrepreneurship within the company (U.i.U.), which begins with training. Two years ago, this led, among other things, to the founding of a junior group that came up with its own product and marketed it as its own company. This product, a charcoal grill, is now very popular with the company.

On the second day, the conference participants were able to see the winner’s production facility for themselves. During a factory tour lasting several hours, the RATIONAL team explained the reasons behind their success as the global market leader.

The management consultancy, Kearny, organizes the competition together with SV Events. The winners were selected in two stages. In the first step, the participating companies had to complete a detailed questionnaire on all aspects along the value chain. Based on these key figures, a top group was identified and then visited by an audit team in a second step. Learn more at https://www.rational-online.com/ en_us/home/

ANDROBAR USA AGREES TO DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT WITH BARVENTORY

SCOOP has learned the state-of-the-art liquor control system AndroBarUSA has recently agreed to a distribution agreement with Barventory. Founded in 2018, Barventory was started by a team of bar owners and operators with decades of combined experience, who knew there had to be a better way to manage their inventory and bar that didn’t involve the traditional methods of pen, paper, old school scales, or other costly options, like off-site inventory management. The team set out on a mission to revolutionize the industry, looking to build a better system

to weigh and track inventory. One that was digital, more efficient, easy to use, enterprise-grade, and affordable. AndroBarUSA formed in 2022 by industry veteran Bill Muise to provide world class hospitality solutions. The advanced software design allows the AndroBar liquor control system to receive bar orders sent from most POS systems and present them to the bartender for preparation. Muise adds, “The ability to get data from the front of the house operations is key to financial success. Barventory and their team have created a world class solution for liquor and draft beer inventory using wireless scales and Cloud reporting. Fast and easy to use.”

TWO NEW HOSPITALITY TRAINING CENTERS OPEN

SCOOP learned that Boston-based BEST Training Center has a new home at the Boston Omni Hotel at the Seaport, a combined community effort to address hotel staffing demand in the city. SOWELA Technical Community College in Lake Charles, Louisiana, also opened a new $10.8 million Culinary, Gaming and Hospitality Center.

ATTEND THE FUTURE OF WOMEN IN FOOD IN BROOKLYN

SCOOP heard that the loudest, most frequently heard voices in the plant-based & animal-free spaces right now are male. The Vegan Women Summit is working to change that, by hosting the world’s only

event spotlighting women and BIPOC-owned brands and leaders in the plant-based and animal-free Food Tech and lifestyle industries May 18 - May 20, 2023 in Brooklyn. Guests will be able to:

• Eat & Explore: over 100 top plant-based brands at the VWS Compassionate Marketplace, including Brave Robot, Miyoko’s Creamery, Melibio, Impossible, Ripple, The Vurger Co, and more.

• Listen & Learn: to Keynotes and Panels from plant-based celebrity speakers, leaders, influencers and CEOs, including Miyoko Schinner (Miyoko’s Creamery), actress Persia White (Girlfriends), actress Harley Quinn Smith (Cruel Summer), nutritionist Tracye McQuirter (By Any Greens Necessary), Emmywinning journalist Jacque Reid (Vegan Sexy Cool), European Parliament Member Sylwia Spurek, Celebrity Chef Priyanka Naik, Irina Gerry (Change Foods), Courtney Cochran (EVERY™), Sandhya Sriram, PhD (Shiok Meats), Michelle Ruiz (Hyfé Foods), Sweta Chakaraboty (We Don’t Have Time), Isaias Hernandez (QueerBrownVegan), and more to be announced!

Tickets available at: https://veganwomensummit. com/nyc

ATTEND BRISKET KING BBQ EVENT-LANDING IN QUEENS

SCOOP learned that in its 12th year, Brisket King NYC is throwing down a high quality and meat-centric event focusing on top pitmasters from all food genres and going head-to-head in competition for the first time in Astoria, Queens, Wednesday, April

continued on page 100

One of the keynote seminars from a previous Vegan Women Summits

26, from 5-9 pm. Attendees walk around sampling of a variety of BBQ foods, libations, beers, ciders with BBQ sauce brands and accoutrements. Chefs include:

2023 Brisket King Participants:

Bret Lunsford, Blue Smoke, NYC

Michelin-starred Chef Therdtus “Tony” Rittaprom, Zabb Pu Tawn NYC special pairing with Singha

Robert Austin Cho, Kimchi Smoke, Westwood, NJ

Joey Machado of Texas Charcoal, Seguin, TX- will be rocking the Pig Beach station.

Sean Keever, Big Guns BBQ, Fishkill, NY

David Gill, Wildwoods BBQ, Wildwood, NJ

Darlene Lawrence, Sands Jerk Hut, Brooklyn, NY

Mario Chape, Big Papa Smoke ‘M, Bogota, NJ

Eli Goldman, Tikkun BBQ, Queens, NY

Ruben Santana, Bark Barbecue, Queens, NY

Joe Musngi, SmoKING of Meats, Belleville, NJ

Cenobillo Canalizo, Morgan’s Brooklyn Barbecue, Brooklyn, NY

Jase Franklin, Jase’s BBQ, Queens, NY

Eric Vitale, Eazy’s Craft BBQ, Kenilworth, NJ

Jeff Schmidt, Hindsight BBQ, Waterbury, CT

Leland Avellino, Avellino Family BBQ, Norwalk, CT

Tastings from local vendors include: Ramstein, Highpoint Brewing Company, Montclair Brewery and Harlem Brewing Company, Brooklyn Cider House, New York Distilling Company,

Coney Island Saucery, and Rocket Fuel Foods. Guest Judges this year will include: Andrew Rigie, NYC Hospitality Alliance; Peter J. Kim, Founding Director of the Museum of Food and Drink; Kim Plafke, The Meat Hook; Clay Risen, Author, New York Times Editor, Andrea Strong, The Strong Buzz; Misty Banchero, Seattle Butcher’s Wife; Nick Solares, Meat Life Media; Brimstone, Larger Than Life!; Gennaro Pecchia, The Good Food Fellas Podcast; Adam Poch, Sirius XM Radio; Ethan Fedida, Campfire Group; Ashley Moore, Cooks Country.

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brisketking-nyc-2023-tickets-481257713777

ANNOUNCING STARCHEFS 2023 NEW YORK CITY RISING STARS AWARD WINNERS

SCOOP sends its congratulations to all the Award Winners!!

CHEFS

Jackie Carnesi of Nura

Chris Cote of Pearl Street Supper Club

Calvin Eng of Bonnie’s

Aretah Ettarh of Gramercy Tavern

Esther Ha of Momofuku Ko

Jeremy Salamon of Agi’s Counter

Ed Szymanski of Dame and Lord’s GAME CHANGER

Presented by S.Pellegrino

Rafiq Salim of Rolo’s PASTRY CHEFS

Presented by TCHO Chocolate

Celia Lee of NARO

Amanda Perdomo of Cool World BARTENDERS

Presented by Beam Suntory

GN Chan and Faye Chen of Double Chicken Please Matt Reysen of Al Coro, Discolo, and Mel’s Javelle Taft of Death & Company

SOMMELIERS

Blake Bernal of Le Pavillon

Ren Neuman of Happy Cooking Hospitality

COMMUNITY

Presented by Resy

Petrushka Bazin Larsen and Nick Larsen of Sugar Hill Creamery

Telly Justice and Camille Lindsley of HAGS

CONCEPT

Presented by Jade Range

LeAnn Darland and Tara Hankinson of TALEA Beer Co.

ARTISANS

Baker Nora Allen of Mel The Bakery Charcutier Marcelo Argueta of Cochonneries

MENTOR CHEF

Presented by Vitamix Commercial

Jeremiah Stone of Contra and Wildair

STEW LEONARD’S APPOINTS COO

Stew Leonard’s named Jake Tavello chief operating officer. Tavello joined Stew Leonard’s in 2003 while still in high school and has served as VP of stores since 2020. In this role, he has managed companywide technology initiatives and sales opportunities.

As COO he will oversee product quality and freshness, customer service, and employee development.

Tavello is the grandson of store founder Stew Leonard and a nephew of the company’s current president and CEO, Stew Leonard Jr.

DAVID HAAF TAKES HELM FOR THE INTERNATIONAL DAIRY DELI BAKERY ASSOCIATION

SCOOP learned that The International Dairy Deli Bakery Association, (IDDBA),’s Executive Committee announced the appointment of David Haaf as the associations’ new President and CEO. Haaf brings over 30 years of retail foodservice and culinary experience to the trade association. Haaf’s most recent position was Vice-President of Foodservice & Starbucks Operations for Abingdon, VA based K-VA-T Food Stores Inc.

THE MICHELIN GUIDE ADDS EIGHT WASHINGTON, D.C. RESTAURANTS

SCOOP sends its congratulations to the eight Washington, D.C. restaurants added to The Michelin Guide 2023 edition. They include Bar Spero in Capital Crossing, Opal in Chevy Chase, Causa in Blagden Alley, and Mandu in Mount Vernon Square. The coveted stars will be announced in the spring.

MICHELIN-STARRED CHEF JOHN FRASER LAUNCHES THE INDUSTRY TABLE

SCOOP heard that Michelin starred Chef John Fraser launched The Industry Table, an initiative that invites hospitality workers to dine at cost at his restaurants. The Industry Table launched across Fraser’s entire New York portfolio, including IRIS, La Marchande, North Fork Table & Inn, and The Terrace and Outdoor Gardens at The Times Square EDITION. A table will be reserved every night of dinner service for each restaurant. The program is designed to foster community amongst the hospitality industry by gathering around the table and making dining out accessible to all. Restaurant workers will enjoy prices at about a 70 percent discount of what is listed on the menu.

continued on page 102

Jake Tavello

THE INDUSTRY TABLE EXPERIENCE

• Enjoy a dinner for two at IRIS, La Marchande, North Fork Table & Inn, and The Terrace and Outdoor Gardens.

• At least one guest must be currently employed in the restaurant industry.

• Alcohol is not included (due to the law), but exploring our beverage menus is encouraged!

• At the end of your evening, you will be charged at our food cost.

• Sit back, relax, and let us take care of you!

• At the end of your evening, you will be charged at our food cost.

• Sit back, relax, and let us take care of you!

Reservations for this industry-exclusive experience can be made by filling out The Industry Table form on the JF Restaurants website.

FOREVER OCEANS RECENTLY NAMED ONE OF WORLD’S MOST INNOVATIVE FOOD COMPANIES

SCOOP has learned that Offshore aquaculture pioneer, Forever Oceans, was recognized this month by Fast Company magazine as one of the world’s most innovative food companies for 2023. The company also appeared for the first time at Seafood Expo North American in Boston, March 12-14.

“We’re arriving in Boston this year riding a wave of momentum,” said Bill Bien, CEO of Forever Oceans.

“The Fast Company recognition is a real honor – we receive the award alongside other impressive food & beverage innovators – and we continue to hear great feedback from the restaurants now serving our fish. We look forward to sharing our more sustainable, tech-driven approach to aquaculture and unparalleled product with this year’s Seafood Expo attendees.”

Regarding the Fast Company recognition, Forever Oceans is one of 10 food and beverage companies this year to receive Most Innovative Company recognition. Others include YouTube food influencer MrBeast, non-alcoholic beer company Athletic Brewing, and Tazo, for committing to source its entire tea supply chain from farms that use regenerative farming.

“What a strange and thrilling year it has been to honor this year’s Most Innovative Companies. This year’s list compiles some of the most cutting-edge groundbreakers who are changing our world every single day,” said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. “Everyone on this list does something completely, uniquely different, yet, they all have one thing in common: innovation,”

Fast Company’s editors and writers sought out the companies making the biggest strides around the globe. The World’s Most Innovative Companies is Fast Company’s signature franchise and one of its most highly anticipated editorial efforts of the year. It provides a firsthand look at the inspiring and innovative efforts of companies across all sectors of the economy.

More than 75 restaurants across the country now

feature Forever Oceans Kanpachi on their menus. An exhaustive list of locations is available on the Forever Oceans website.

NATIONAL RESTAURANT NEWS: • SOUTH NORWALK, CT:

Los Remolinos, a spirited Latin-inspired restaurant and bar featuring elevated fare and craft cocktails is now open in Washington Street Historic District. Spearheaded by Edwin Montoya and Chef Ismael Carias, the duo behind the successful Appétit Bistro in Port Chester, NY, Los Remolinos features dishes (and cocktails!) from Columbia, Mexico, Venezuela, Spain, and beyond.

“This concept has been in the works for a while now, “said Montoya of the decision to switch gears from the Appétit Bistro brand which originally occupied the space at 136 Washington Street in 2022, “Los Remolinos is a fabulous fit for the neighborhood and the energy that SoNo’s dining scene is known for.”

Chef/Co-owner Ismael Carias, Montoya’s partner from the popular Appétit Bistro in Port Chester (since May 2015), has created a menu that takes its culinary cues from Latin America. Menu highlights include appetizers such as garlic shrimp served with tostones, house-made empanadas filled with beef, chicken, chorizo, morcilla, pork, or potato, and a fun and interactive “Bandeja De Boquitas” ($12 per person) with shrimp, steak, scallops, chorizo, and seasonal vegetables cooked over a tabletop flame and served with sauces for dipping.

• FT. LAUDERDALE, FL:

La Fuga at Kimpton Shorebreak Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort is making its mark in the South Florida culinary scene, offering locals and tourists a diverse selection of coastal Italian classics. Executive Chef Michael Mayer is introducing the authentic Italian spot with a flavorful menu of dishes including handmade pastas, locally-sourced seafood, wood-fired pizzas, salads and hand-crafted cocktails. La Fuga translates to “the escape,” which is the original name of the property that opened in Fort Lauderdale in 1949. Every item on La Fuga’s menu is made in-house by Chef Mayer and his dedicated team utilizing local, fresh produce and seafood sourced straight from the sea to the plate. Chef Mayer carries an impressive resume of culinary experience, having the opportunity to cook alongside renowned chefs at fine dining establishments across the country.

“Developing La Fuga’s menu allowed me to tap into my creative side and play with expressive flavors

continued on page 104

Chef John Fraser

A Forever Oceans technology-driven enclosure off the coast of Panama

SCOOP

INSIDER NEWS, from page 102

to curate dishes that spoke to Fort Lauderdale’s love for the sea while staying true to the authenticity of classic Italian dishes,” said Mayer, who previously received rave reviews as executive chef of neighboring restaurant Lona Cocina Tequileria. “Each menu item at La Fuga is focused on authentic techniques, whether we are making pastas by hand, tossing our homemade pizza dough before baking in a high temperature oven or preparing all of our own sauces, reductions and stocks daily. Our focus is based on traditional methods and high-level ingredients in every dish.” Marco Zaccariotto is the General Manger of Food and Beverage overseeing the extensive selection of hand-crafted cocktails plus La Fuga’s not-tomiss house-infused Limoncello.

• MIAMI BEACH, FL:

Authentic Greek restaurant Calista Greek Seafood Taverna introduced its new location on the revitalized Española Way on Miami Beach. Now open, the refined eatery offers a variety of Greek specialties, signature cocktails, a curated wine list, craft beers, and weekly programming with live entertainment. The site is owned and operated by Grillas, Executive Chef Partner Thomas Fotouras, and Partner Charissa Davidovici.

• NEW YORK CITY:

-Located in the heart of New York’s bustling Rockefeller Center, Chef Greg Baxtrom has opened Five Acres. He’s made a name for himself with the acclaimed Olmsted, Petite Patate and Patti Ann’s in Brooklyn. Each element of the restaurant-from the intimate private dining room built from wood from the Chef’s family farm to the ethereal design of the dining room filled with vibrant greenery and natural textures-nods to his family’s five acre farm right outside of Chicago.

-S&P has opened in the former home of Eisenberg’s, one of Manhattan’s last old-school lunch counters that closed during the pandemic. Not much has changed on the menu, including tuna melts, peanut butter and bacon sandwiches, pastrami on rye, matzo ball soup, latkes, cheeseburgers, and egg cream. The owners are Eric Finkelstein and Matt Ross, owners of Court Street Grocers.

-Balkan StrEAT is new fast-casual spot in the West Village serving burek, yeasted doughnuts, cevapi, and Balkan-style burgers from William Djuric, an alum of Bouchon Bakery, Gramercy Tavern, and Momofuku Ssam Bar.

-Tara Kitchen has opened in Tribeca with Chef Aneesa Waheed, who was born in Mumbai but was smit-

ten with Moroccan food during a visit to Marrakesh, is already something of a Food Network celebrity. She appeared on Guy Fieri’s Grocery Games and Beat Bobby Flay; she also has her own line of jarred sauces and a cookbook. She first established branches in upstate towns Troy, Schenectady, and Guilderland and on the Jersey Shore in Wildwood before opening in Manhattan.

• VENICE, CA:

Chef Enrique Olvera is expanding further into Los Angeles soon, opening his third restaurant on Abbot Kinney in Venice later this year. Atla Venice should open sometime around spring as a West Coast outpost of the existing Atla in New York City’s NoHo neighborhood. Diners will get the same seasonal menu under the direction of executive chef Marisol Corona as the New York City branch. The incoming Atla is part of Olvera’s hospitality company Casamata, which currently operates 17 esteemed restaurants in Mexico City, Cabo, Oaxaca, Riviera Nayarit, New York City, and Los Angeles under group CEO Santiago Pérez. The restaurants include some of the most highly sought-after dining destinations in the world, including Pujol, Criollo, Manta, and LA’s Damian, as well as the upcoming projects Atla Venice and Tacos Atla in New York City.

CHEF AARON SANCHEZ SET TO COME TO AID OF LA RESTAURATEURS IN NEW TV SERIES

Celebrity Chef and restaurateur, Aarón Sánchez, is returning to our screens in a new six-part cooking series, “El Toque de Aarón”, brought to us by a partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Hispanic, GroupM and Cocina Media.

According to the exclusive announcement on Variety, Chef Sánchez will venture into Latino restaurants with untapped potential, eager to transform their businesses and guide them to enhance their menus, space and public image. In each 30-minute episode, the renowned chef will provide his personal touch to the dishes while coaching the restaurant’s chef and

sharing trade secrets.

Joining Sánchez are designer Cris Mercado (“HGTV Star; Remodelaciones con Celebridades”) and project manager Ángel Riveros (“Hogar Star”), who will help renovate and bring out the true soul of each restaurant. The show adds an exciting twist to its mission with a ticking timer that requires all renovations, from the menu to the space, to be completed in just four days.

Gonzalo Del Fa, president GroupM Multicultural said “At GroupM, we are proud of our ability to integrate the brands we serve into culture-defining properties like ‘El Labor de Aarón’ while accessing premium talent and partners.

“We are thrilled to be part of the journey to elevate the passions and stories that will truly resonate with consumers.” Gonzalo Del Fa Sarah North, chief creative officer, Cocina Media, the company co-founded by Sánchez, said “This series is particularly close to our hearts, executive produced and starring our company’s co-founder Aarón Sánchez and dedicated to the goal of uplifting Latino businesses.”

The new series will be available on Discovery Familia GO app for mobile and streaming viewers. Also on Discovery Familia and Hogar de HGTV’s social media platforms which will feature the restaurant profiles and behindthe-scenes footage.

Sanchez latest project comes on the heels of Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund collaboration with Chef Emeril Lagasse’s Foundation. The partnership established a fund that was developed to focus on two pillars: culinary arts education and human ser-

vices programming. “We are pleased to be working with our good friend Chef Aarón to help fulfill his philanthropic vision,” said Lagasse. “Our shared mission to enable youth to reach their full potential makes this a perfect alliance.”

The Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund aims to uplift the lives of Latino youth through food. The culinary arts education pillar will diversify kitchen leadership through scholarships, financial support, mentoring, and career pathways guidance for future generations. The Aarón Sánchez Scholarship Fund, established in 2016, will serve as the signature education program of the impact fund. The human services pillar will work toward changing the trajectory of Latino youth lives through better food access, nutrition education, crisis feeding programs, and more.

“The Emeril Lagasse Foundation has been a great supporter of the Aarón Sánchez Scholarship Fund over the years, and with this new partnership, we can further our reach and impact within a growing Latin population across the U.S.,’’ concluded Aarón Sánchez. “We have just scratched the surface with our culinary scholarships, and while we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished thus far, we’re excited to better serve our community in more diverse ways.”

“We are thrilled to be part of the journey to elevate the passions and stories that will truly resonate with consumers.”

— Gonzalo Del Fa Sarah North

Chef Aaron Sanchez and his team will help Latino restaurateurs

FLORIDA RESTAURANT & LODGING SHOW JOINS THE PIZZA TOMORROW SUMMIT TO COLOCATE AT THE ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER IN ORLANDO NOV. 8-9, 2023

Coffee Fest Orlando to Follow Nov 10-11, 2023

The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, the premier event for Florida’s hospitality industry, owned by Clarion Events and sponsored by the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association has announced plans to join The Pizza Tomorrow Summit, owned by Grand Slam Events, in a co-location of both events taking place Wednesday, November 8 and Thursday, November 9 at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, FL. In addition, Clarion Event’s Coffee Fest Orlando will be held November 10-11, also at the OCCC, providing a week of trade shows and conferences in the Florida marketplace for thousands of movers and shakers in the restaurant, pizza, foodservice, lodging and specialty coffee industries.

“There is undeniable synergy between our two Shows – Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show and Coffee Fest -- and Grand Slam Events’ Pizza Tomorrow Summit. We are thrilled to offer industry suppliers unprecedented access to this combined group of highly qualified buyers in what is one of the largest and rapidly growing food and beverage markets in the country. This is a brand-new opportunity for owners and operators to come together, learn, support, connect and be inspired. Attendees will return to

their businesses with an even greater array of products, services, and experiences to offer their customers,” said Rita Ugianskis, Vice President, Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group. “Restaurant, pizza, foodservice, specialty coffee and lodging professionals will find a convenient and efficient way to access top subject matter experts addressing key issues in cross over education, see a full range of products from leading vendors, and be inspired and entertained from several exciting special events and competitions.”

“We had a fantastic launch event in 2022 and are beyond excited to welcome The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show which will bring an even broader segment of buyers to our exhibitors, as well as a newly ex-

panded educational program to our attendees,” added Glenn Celentano, Co-Owner, Grand Slam Events, LLC. “The Pizza Tomorrow Summit will once again provide independent pizza operators with an immersive and fun experience, a wide range of products, a robust conference program, plus entertaining and informative pizza competitions and demonstrations. Our attendees will have the opportunity to explore hundreds of exhibitors and have access to new companies, products, ideas, and initiatives that will help propel our evolving industry into the future.”

“Florida is known for bringing together the best across the food and beverage industries and producing top notch events to build excitement

to take our industry to even higher levels of success,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “The creativity and innovation that comes from these events, as well as the connections of consumers, industry professionals, and exhibitors will provide unparalleled opportunities for growth and invention. The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association is thrilled to partner with our long-time partners at Clarion Events, to produce even greater content, attendance, and success for the co-located shows this year.”

FL Restaurant & Lodging Show and Pizza Tomorrow Summit will sit side by side in the same exhibit hall, so registrants will have easy access to both shows. Coffee Fest will offer similar access to its Show which follows. Each show will host their own competitions and demonstration stages. Clarion and Grand Slam events will share education theaters on the show floor and host education together since the needs of both audiences are so similar. Attendees to the FL Restaurant Show and Pizza Summit can also learn about coffee, tea and other specialty beverages by attending Coffee Fest, on November 10-11, enabling them to of-

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LOEWS REGENCY NEW YORK HOTEL TAPS MANOHAR TO EXECUTIVE CHEF POST

There was big Midtown news last month as Loews Regency New York Hotel and The Regency Bar & Grill appointed Manjit Manohar to their Executive Chef post.

As Executive Chef, Manohar will be responsible for the entire kitchen operation for the hotel including The Regency Bar & Grill, home to the “Power Breakfast” as well as all inroom dining operations. He will also focus his efforts on ongoing menu development, staff training, supervising culinary presentations and ensuring exceptional experiences for the restaurant, special events and hotel guests.

Manohar joins with a new vision and outlook for the restaurant. “I want to re-establish The Regency Bar & Grill as a true neighborhood spot,” said the chef. “I am fortunate to be a part of a restaurant that already has such a strong reputation as the ulti-

mate breakfast spot in New York City.

I am excited for our current guests and new clientele to enjoy an expansive lunch, dinner and bar menu full of classic recipes and dishes filled with local and seasonal fare.”

Some of the new items that Chef looks forward to guests sampling are the: Crisp and Dip, available on the bar menu, featuring tzatziki, hummus, baba ganoush, festive olives and pita crisps. Ideal for sharing, this dish features an award winning baba ganoush recipe not to be missed. Another must-try will be the White Asparagus Vichyssoise prepared with ramps, hazelnut and chive oil. For entrees, the Chef recommends the Diver Scallop, prepared pan-seared and topped with charred cauliflower, pickled raisins and ramps. And lastly, Chef looks forward to serving a classic Strawberry Shortcake topped with macerated strawberry and basil.

In addition to new menu offerings, Chef Manohar is also debuting a monthly dinner series in the Regency Room. Each month, Chef will partner with a local beverage purveyor and develop a multiple course pairing menu for guests and locals to enjoy. The dining series will debut on Tuesday, April 25 with a “Rose around the World” theme. On May 23, guests can enjoy an evening of Tequila and Mezcal; June 27, a night with Prisoner Wine Company and July 25, join us as we celebrate National Wine and Cheese Day. Guests can visit the restaurant’s Resy page to purchase tickets for these events and learn about future dates for the dining series.

Before heading to Park Avenue, Chef most recently served as Executive Chef of Millennium Hilton Hotel, where he oversaw all food and beverage activities across the hotel’s various outlets including Ambassador Grill, Ambassador Lounge, Sky Lounge as well in-room dining and catering. Prior to that Manohar spent time in some of the most prestigious kitchens in Manhattan including The Standard Highline, where he oversaw The Standard Grill, Biergarten, The Living Room and Top of the Standard along with The Pierre Hotel where he served as both Assistant Executive Sous Chef and Executive

Sous Chef.

“Manjit has over 20 years of experience working in the culinary industry before joining us on Park Avenue,” says John Maibach, Managing Director of the iconic hotel. “As we head into our 60th year serving our guests, I am confident Manjit will continue to lead the culinary team to provide memorable experiences without sacrificing quality, consistency, creativity and service time and time again.”

When Chef is not working in the kitchen, he enjoys having comfort food, especially Thai cuisine, spending time with his family, taking long drives and watching cricket.

Situated boldly on New York’s Park Avenue, Loews Regency New York Hotel is conveniently located on New York’s famed Upper East Side. Each of the stunning 379 guestrooms and suites seamlessly blend iconic Art Deco design with modern sensibilities, craftily merging form and function to complement nearly 60 years of service expertise. Guests can experience the allure of Park Avenue at The Regency Bar & Grill or Julien Farel Restore Salon & Spa. Loews Regency New York Hotel sets a new standard in luxury and thoughtful design with a legacy of hospitality expertly orchestrated and masterfully performed.

“I am excited for our current guests and new clientele to enjoy an expansive lunch, dinner and bar menu full of classic recipes and dishes filled with local and seasonal fare.” — Chef Manjit Manohar

Chef Manjit Manohar

By Jackson Hart

SEWARD LED FLORIDA FIRM REINVENTS RESTAURANT VENTILATION STRATEGIES

In the commercial kitchen industry, designing, installing, and maintaining a ventilation system often involves the coordinating of multiple contractors and manufacturers. With that mixing and matching often comes a big headache for restaurateurs and foodservice operators.

With his renowned line of ventilation systems, Advanced Hood Systems CEO Jeff Seward and his team keep it all under one roof. Promising highest-quality turnkey systems that are designed, installed, and maintained in-house, Advanced Hood Systems has truly become a commercial kitchen game changer.

Founded in 2007 with the goal of manufacturing and installing full turnkey hood and ventilation systems for restaurants, Advanced Hood Systems quickly expanded their business to cover the continental United States and Caribbean. The visionary Seward saw the opportunity to build off his partnership with renowned commercial kitchen ventilation system specialist and manufacturer CaptiveAire to create a true “one-stop” resource for the commercial kitchen industry.

Advanced Hood Systems entered the ventilation installation industry with their own all American-made product line. “We saw that the installation business required a different business model than what CaptiveAire was geared towards,” commented Seward; “they are a manufacturer after all that produce high quality hoods, so

from a business perspective it made perfect sense.” Today Advanced Hood Systems counts several household names amongst its clientele, including Denny’s, Five Guys, and The Breakers Palm Beach, and has established itself as the leading providers of full-service, turnkey ventilation system installation and servicing.

Although primarily centered on being a leader in ventilation installation, through a business model that embraced vertical integration, Advanced Hood Systems morphed into a one-stop-shop for all things clean air. “It’s a small industry – there are very few other businesses out there that do what we do,” remarked Seward; “we design, sell, install, service, and perform preventative maintenance under one house on one specialty product. Our commitment to fine craftsmanship and expertise, has become the calling card of our brand. After you start doing a few jobs, word of mouth spreads between developers, engineers, contractors – they know who we are,” Seward explained.

Having one preferred vendor for every step of the ventilation process, therefore, saves restaurateurs from another vendor headache.

Despite being a small industry, hood and ventilation system installation is no easy feat, and constitute some of the most difficult aspects of a commercial kitchen buildout. By perfecting every step of the process, from system design to post-installation regular maintenance, Advanced Hood Systems fixes the disconnect between the mechanical and food service industries that can cause unnecessary appliance change orders and poor vetting: “We’ve bridged all of those gaps and offer turnkey systems all done in-house,” Seward said.

Advanced Hood Systems’s reliable products helped bolster the company

during the COVID-19 pandemic and opened new doors of product expansion. As restaurateurs looked for ways to increase the safety and cleanliness of their operations – both in the front and back of the shop – in light of the airborne nature of the coronavirus, Advanced Hood Systems took hold of an up-and-coming ventilation advancement: the 100% outside air unit. Seward noted such products, which use outside air to dilute airborne bacteria particles, “became a staple of design spaces in many everyday restaurants” and “really catapulted our Paragon line of outdoor air units forward.”

A recent addition to the Advanced Hood Systems suite of products and a foray into a new market comes in the form of fire suppression systems. They can be designed as part of Advanced’s hoods solutions to assist a preexisting ventilation systems or function separately. “We also wanted to grow to become a turnkey operator to provide restaurant and foodservice with fire suppression industry,” Seward said of their expansion.

As a manufacturer, there are different kinds of fire suppression sys-

continued on page 120

“A lot of restaurants focus on meeting safety code requirements but being up to code and properly protected are two very different things.” — Jeff Seward

ONLINE FOOD DELIVERY

ing to offer delivery.

Invest in Online Ordering Tech

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

Train Your Delivery Staff

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

Online Food Delivery: The Pros

While food delivery has several advantages for both business owners and customers, we list some of the most important advantages for food service owners:

Convenience

Alongside the pandemic, customers have also begun considering convenience as the major factor when buying food. Online food ordering

YANKEE CONCESSIONS

restaurants and traveling through Europe and Asia before settling in New York City. After a residency at the W hotel where he worked as the Executive Sous Chef for renowned Chef Jean Georges at “Spice Market,”

“Our goal is to be able to offer highend food that is approachable for everyone,” Gibson explained. With that goal, among Legends highlights are the 99 Burger (Two 4 oz. American Wagyu beef patties) New School American Cheese (caramelized onions, se-

from page 14

and delivery offers a major element of convenience as customers can enjoy a great meal from the comfort of their homes.

Healthier Food Options

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

Contactless Delivery

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

Improved Brand Outreach

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

Gain New Customers

Online food delivery allows businesses to be exposed to a larger mar-

from page 18

cret sauce, brioche bun, dill pickles).

The stadium fare will also include a tender pork shoulder Bronx-baked hero, Chopped Crispy Chicken & Jalapeno Bacon Ranch Cheesesteak, and the Veggie Bronx Burrito (flour tortilla, cheddar cheese, fried sweet plantains, rice and beans, salsa verde, chipotle mayo with a choice of Melinda’s hot sauces).

Among the returnees for the 2023 season are Streetbird that debuted in James Beard Award-winning Chef

ket. This enables better engagement and provides greater opportunities for gaining more customers. The reach of online applications and ordering websites is also not as limited as a brickand-mortar establishment’s, allowing wider prospects for business owners.

Online Food Delivery: The Cons

While online food delivery offers a large number of advantages to business owners, it also comes with several disadvantages that can make it less attractive if your business goals are not fully adaptable to these factors. The cons of online food delivery are:

Delayed Delivery

Offering delivery to your customers comes with the probability of deliveries being delayed due to several factors; be it a busy day in the kitchen, traffic, or vehicular issues. Delayed delivery, even if it is through a third party, can mean a loss of reputation for businesses, as customers associate mishaps directly with the establishment.

Requires Dedicated Effort & Resources

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

Lower Control

Since your customers won’t dine at

the establishment, you will automatically have lower control over the dining experience. Other variables such as delivery times, food temperature at delivery, texture, and interactions of the customer with delivery agents also tend to be relatively out of your control.

Pricey for Customers

Though convenient, customers end up paying more for food delivered to them. As a business owner, you will be forced to charge customers a little extra for the packaging and the delivery itself. This might be a concern for customers who have issues with paying delivery charges.

Disconnect

Since there’s barely any interaction between you and the customer during online ordering and delivery, there’s a palpable disconnect. Food service establishments rely on making a good reputation in person, and this might be an alien and potentially unnerving concept for a few business owners new to online food delivery.

Conclusion

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

Marcus Samuelsson’s adopted hometown of Harlem. It infuses old-school, hip-hop swagger and style into a fried chicken joint with his riffs on comfort food classics. City Winery is back with new Custom blend burger, red wine caramelized onions, garlic herb cheese spread, baby arugula on a toasted brioche bun.

Lobel’s fare will include a Meatloaf Burger (toasted brioche bun, housemade meatloaf burger, crispy fried onions topped with BBQ aioli). Bobby

Flay will once again be featuring his American burger concept at Bobby’s Burgers. It combines Flay’s passion for grilling and traveling, bringing to life a menu that captures an array of bold flavors. Other major New York brands returning for the 2023 season include Mighty Quinn’s BBQ, Pete Ciarrocchi’s Chickie’s & Pete’s, The Halal Guys, Nathan’s Famous, Wings of New York and Jeffrey Lunak, formerly of “Iron Chef” Masaharu Morimoto’s team brings his Sumo Dog to Yankee Stadium.

CHEF MICHAEL FISCHETTI

bles, working his way up from Line Cook to Sous Chef, and then on to Chef de Cuisine at Ortanique in Grand Cayman, which won the AAA 5-Star Diamond Award while he was at the helm.

He then returned to Miami where Fischetti served as Chef de Cuisine at Zest and Zest MRKT, a contemporary restaurant, offering an ethnically diverse, and seasonally driven culinary approach embracing global cuisine with nuances of island flavors.

While considering their next step, Chef Mike and his wife fondly remembered a trip they had taken to Napa, and realized the Bay Area would be a great fit for the both of them. With his wife aspiring to further her wine industry career, and Fischetti’s passion for fresh highquality ingredients, they chose the East Bay as their new home in January 2018.

Chef Mike brings his unique culinary perspective and flavors to Va

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de Vi’s well-known international small plates concept. A key to Fischetti’s success has been his ability to build his culinary team and support their efforts with the highest quality ingrendients. “I chose to work with The Chefs’ Warehouse because every person who works with the company is super professional and helpful. In addition, the company truly has the best ingredients, Chef Mike detailed. The dish I am highlighting is our Shakshouka. We use Simply Red brand tomatoes and Calabrian chilis, and many different spices that we purchase from Chefs’ Warehouse to make the spiced tomato sauce. Simply red tomatoes are such a great product; I love that the tomatoes are local to California with the flavor of imported Italian DOP canned tomatoes. “

For Chef Mike Fischetti and Va de Vi’s, the recipe for success has been a commitment to consistent creative fare that keeps Norther California guest returning.

they think they can handle it by just hustling hard, I’ll defer to them.”

In Birmingham, at cocktail spot Queens Park and the more casual, but no less fun, Neon Moon, owner/operator Larry Townley gets in deep with his staff for these big days. He has to. Events are their bread and butter and to get it right every time he needs them prepared; winter, spring, summer and fall. Townley explains, “We have weekly meetings/trainings with our staff and always use those times to set expectations of our upcoming events, as well as make sure we have dedicated time for extra cleaning of the space and making sure we have decorations ordered/ installed prior to the beginning of events.”

He continues to share their approach to successfully embracing all holidays like they do, “We always do our best to make sure we are transparent in the expectations of our staff and let them know ahead of time that we will be changing our set schedule to prepare for holidays and dates we expect an increase in business. We encourage people to take time off during the weeks before or after major holidays and will often bring in additional ‘seasonal help’ from in town/out of town in an effort to make sure we don’t put too much stress on our normal staff.”

Avoiding that stress also involves everyone feeling comfortable with the holiday offerings. Townley notes, “We also use this time to taste and give details about all of our additional menu items and any special events taking place during any holidays/expected times of business increase.” This is particularly important for a bar that, for the square footage, is the country’s busiest Miracle Bar during the holiday season, and one that goes into every single holiday with the same level of gusto.

Creating that same level of enthusiasm in the guests who walk

through the doors anticipating the best time celebrating these days has to both entice regulars to return and new guests to explore the bar for the first time. Of course the hope is that it’s a successful effort and regulars keep coming back and the first time guests convert to regulars; and social media is a great tool for getting the word out.

Townley leans into it, increasing their social media during expected busy times so that anyone viewing the bars’ social media platforms has a clear idea of what they are doing, when it will occur and what to expect from the business whenever they are planning their visit. He says, , “We also like to make sure we have message discipline from in-person and digital so that we are creating a clear and consistent message of what our brand is going to look like for first time visitors. This is also a good time to get people who may not be familiar with your business style to prepare for what they would order when they get into our space.”

In New Orleans, Newton’s approach is a little different. He shares, “I might make a passing reference to it, like referring to St. Patrick’s as, ‘our annual Finn Mc -

Cool’s overflow party,’ referring to our good friends at the other end of the block, likely the most popular Irish bar in New Orleans, but we don’t increase the volume.” Keeping the volume steady is in line with Newton’s philosophy as a bar owner and good community leader that, “The two main drinking holidays, Saint Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo, are pretty racist in their current manifestations, which is one of the main reasons we don’t lean into them.”

One thing that is worth leaning into even when dressing up your bar for a holiday, is smart inventory management and staying true to your concept. Townley advises, “It is very important that no matter what holidays and different events are going on in the area, that you never do anything that compromises the main idea of what your concepts are on a day to day basis.

So, while we will increase the amount of product that we order to prepare for special events, we also like to make sure that we don’t order too much of products that we would not use during normal service. It’s always easier to run out of specialty items during the course of the end of special events, than to have to

create ways to sell items that don’t fit conceptually into your business.”

Keeping that business afloat year round, and riding the wave on those big busy days simply requires having a good high-volume game plan set up in advance while maintaining consistent operations. And knowing your market. Because he is operating in Birmingham Townley looks at it like this, “In the terms of an old football coach that I had when I was young, ‘You never know how you’re going to react, until you get hit.’ The service industry is no different, and the increase in business is definitely something that takes a little different approach than your typical everyday service. As in most businesses, our level of experience is always different from one of our team members to the next. So I always plan on doing my best to keep everyone calm, and keeping an eye on less experienced employees and encouraging/helping them as needed. It’s hard to prepare people for a busy chaotic shift, without them having experienced it before. If I’m managing or hosting, I also plan to touch tables more often and open dialogue for guest feedback, as often during times of increased business, we have the ability to entertain guests for the first time, and I find their information to be unbiased and extremely helpful in helping our teams grow.”

Because of his city’s reputation for being a good time all the time Newton sees that there’s nothing really different necessary -- aside from inventory and maybe a few more staff people on hand -- about running a bar program on these exceptionally busy days. He conclude, “That’s pretty much it, just more people making worse choices. We’re used to large numbers of people making bad choices, though; so, it’s just a degree of scale.”

GORDON EXPANSION

or case.

The Texas stores feature wholesale walk-in customer coolers housing cases of produce, meats, and dairy items. Each Houston unit will include a Tortillerias that produces fresh tortillas daily.

The company is entering Houston as the retail vacancy rate in the region has dropped below 5 percent. The company filled a former Goodwill space at 12553 Westheimer at Dairy Ashford; a space at North Oaks at 4601 FM 1960 West; a former Sears Hardware at 649 Mason Road in Katy; and a former Palais Royal at 215 W. Main St. in League City. Future stores are slated to open on North Braeswood Boulevard at Chimney Rock in a former Belden’s grocery store and in Antoine Square, 5151 Antoine Drive at Pinemont Drive, in a former Kroger.

The company has also brought it Gordon Go! Program. The free wholesale loyalty program is available to businesses and nonprofit customers to earn points that can be spent like cash or redeemed for $1,000 checks. The stores also feature Convenient online ordering for same day in-store pick up. There is also same day Express Van Delivery service available. Gordon Food Service Stores will operate 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. CST Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST on Sunday.

The family-operated company was founded more than 125 years ago as a butter and egg delivery service. In 2014, it acquired Houston-based Glazier Foods, a family-owned food-service company, to grow its presence in the Southwest. The first store opened in Wyoming, Mich., near Grand Rapids, in 1979 to serve restaurants that ran out of product between deliveries. The company has 175 stores in 13 states, with most in Michigan.

Because it is privately held, Gordon Food Service does not disclose financials but it claims to be the largest family-managed broadline food distribution company in North America. It is entering the grocery market in Houston, which is home to Sysco, the nation’s largest food-

from page 2

service operator with global sales to commercial clients of more than $68 billion.

What’s more, he asserts, the ideas that many contemporary Italians have about how pasta should be made, shaped, cooked, and served are disconnected from their culinary roots.

So, in this very readable survey of what is known about the origins of dishes such as fettucine Alfredo, pesto alla genovese, and ragu alla bolognese, Cesari draws on a wide variety of sources (documented in endnotes, thankfully), that range from Horace and Boccaccio to histories of Italian bandit leaders, and from 18th-century Friulian agronomists to Gualtiero Marchesi.

Cesari’s research is thorough, comparing one edition of an early 19th-century Sicilian cookbook against another. And he resists the urge to determine authenticity when evidence of evolution is much more interesting. He reprints early recipes, such as a Neapolitan lasagne from 1773, and a potatoless gnocchi drawn from a 14th-century manuscript in the library of the University of Bologna, not because he necessarily expects you to cook them, but because they bear out just how much things have changed.

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

Google Podcasts, Audible & more.

Speaking Broadly with Dana Cowin

An interview show highlighting the brilliant, curious, game-changing women in the food world. Host Dana Cowin, former long-time Editor-inChief of Food & Wine Magazine and current advisor to individuals and companies, holds intimate conversations with creators and innovators. These are moving stories of struggles and triumphs, personal and professional, that provide lessons and inspiration for anyone looking to succeed in any industry.

FOOD and WINE with CHEF

JAMIE GWEN

Explore the culinary world with Chef Jamie Gwen and meet top chefs, master sommeliers, cookbook authors and artisan food makers. Two hours of delicious conversation weekly. In addition to being a Syndicated Radio Host, she is a Culinary Institute of America and Le Cordon Bleu Graduate, Certified Sommelier, Public Speaker and 7-Time Cookbook Author.

gives restaurants and foodservice operations a point of difference and the opportunity to attract new customers.

What marketing techniques would you recommend to draw customers to a wine and non-dairy cheese tasting?

Make it fun! People love to eat and drink so go with that. Come up with a catchy name like Sip+Taste and a tagline saying “experience new tastes in cheese with your favorite wines.” Keep it focused on how delicious the cheeses are. People will eat it if they like it and they’ll like these cheeses.

To introduce customers to a tasting, what perfect pairings would you suggest to please both vegan and non-vegan palates?

A few of our favorite pairings are:

• Cheese and pickle, a British favorite and nod to Lucie’s heritage, which includes smoked cheddar on

toast topped with a dollop of sweet, onion pickle like Branston pickle. Serve with your favorite vegan beer.

• Crostini and castelveltrano olives on beds of Violife feta. Add a sprinkle of lemon zest for color and zing. Pair with a vegan Viognier.

• Another good one is a bloomy brûlée bite. Maverick from Bandit is a bloomy, soft white, cave aged cheese that tastes best with genuine flavors. Keep it classic on a butter crisped crostini or plain cracker with brûléed stone fruit topped with hazelnuts and un-honee. Pair with vegan red zinfandel.

For Meatless Monday insights, marketing materials, and how-to’s for foodservice, go to: https://www. mondaycampaigns.org/meatlessmonday/foodservice

The site features resources to boost plant-based sales and drive repeat customers, especially on a Monday.

ADVANCED HOOD SYSTEMS

tems for different kitchen appliances; Advanced Hood’s goal, Seward added, is to select and design the correct suppression system for the correct application to ensure the best fireretardant potential. “A lot of restaurants focus on meeting safety code requirements but being up to code and properly protected are two very different things,” the executive explained; “there are plenty of systems on the market, but in the wrong application, they are insufficient and inferior at doing their jobs.”

In terms of technological advancements in the commercial ventilation industry, remarked Seward, the direction seems to be headed towards making better use of manufacturing practices: “Technological advancement has leveled off in hood ventilation,” he commented; “we’ve pushed the envelope already in terms of hood aerodynamics.” Instead, he envisioned, the next big push should come from the already-popular Paragon line of outdoor air units and

streamlining the manufacturing process to reduce costs and build products faster. After all, “exhaust hoods are not a complicated component: they require precise engineering, but it’s not rocket science,” quipped the CEO.

With their one-stop-shop ventilation system offerings, Advanced Hood Systems saves restaurateurs countless hours of searching and guarantees craftsmanship, reliability, and excellence all around. Their existing ventilation products, alongside their all-outdoor Paragon line of products and suite of fire suppression systems, ensure that restaurants continent-wide can operate at the pinnacle of safety. Seward and his team’s care speaks for itself: “we treat every job as if it were for a restaurant that our family owned and operated.” For more information regarding Advanced Hood Systems and their line of products, visit www.advancedhoodsystems.com.

safe.

Employers who operate a tip sharing or tip pooling system must also keep certain records for the same six year period, including a daily log of the tips collected by each employee on each shift, whether in cash or by credit card, a list of occupations that the employer deems eligible to receive tips through a tip sharing or tip pool system, the shares of tips that each occupation is scheduled to receive from tip sharing or tip pooling, and the amount in tips that each employee receives from the tip share or tip pool, by date.

Businesses who are in the process of changing service providers whose job it is to store and maintain certain employment records, such as payroll companies or professional employer organizations, should know that those companies will not keep your records forever. Those businesses are urged to consider options such as paying their former providers a fee to store their records electronically, however, that may not be the best strategy if that provider eventually goes out of business. Instead, businesses should consider gathering all your data from the provider you are leaving and ensuring it is stored elsewhere, safely and securely, under your own control.

from page 12

with rental-only equipment companies. The easier you make it for your customers to rent when they want to, the more attractive you’ll be compared to other dealers in your locale. If offering in-house rental equipment is too far a departure from the way you’re used to running your dealership, consider partnering with a rental company willing to buy their equipment from you. It’s the easiest way to help your customers rent while maximizing your dealership’s profit margin.

Fast Food Employers

How far in advance must employees be notified of their weekly schedule?

Those businesses considered fast food employers under applicable law with workers in New York City have unique obligations with respect to their employment practices. Specifically, fast food employers must provide an employee with a regular schedule that includes the number of hours the employee will work per week, the expected number of days per week, the times and location of the work, and the date the regular schedule will take effect, at least 14 days before the first day of that regular work schedule. Schedules must cover at least 7 calendar days, and include the dates, times and locations of shifts. Schedules must be updated within 24 hours, or as soon as practicable, from the time an employer knows of a change, be provided to the affected employee and posted in the workplace. Penalties for non-compliance may result in increased pay for the employees, and depend inpart on when the employees was advised of the change in schedule, e.g. less than 24 hours’ notice vs. less than seven days’ notice vs. less than 14 days’ notice.

fer these products to their customers.

For exhibitor information for the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show contact Paul Pedrow at (475) 282- 0607 or paul.pedrow@clarionevents.com. For exhibitor information about the Pizza Tomorrow Summit contact Dave Kellogg at 203-788-3794 or david@pizzatomorrow.com. For exhibitor information on Coffee Fest Orlando, contact Anya Falcone at 253-999-5698 or anya.falcone@clarionevents.com.

Grand Slam Events, LLC is a partnership between industry veterans Doug Miller and Glenn Celentano. With an established reputation in the trade show industry that precedes them, Doug and Glenn bring nearly 60 years of experience running largescale B2B and B2C events around the country. For more information on The Pizza Tomorrow Summit, visit www. pizzatomorrow.com.

The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show and Coffee Fest are owned by Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group and sponsored by the Florida Restau-

rant & Lodging Association. The Clarion Events Food & Beverage Group also includes the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, The NGA Show, and the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo. Clarion Events operates over 180 events in 50 countries from 15 offices in the UK, the US, South Africa, Brazil, Germany, Singapore, UAE, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and the Netherlands. Clarion can trace its roots back to 1947 and takes great pride in being one of the oldest independent event organizers in the UK. More recently the firm has developed an international portfolio of brands and now has interests in a number of global vertical industries including energy, security and defense, hospitality, electronics, technology, fashion, retail, gaming and marketing. The teams at Clarion create uniquely effective and stimulating environments that can serve as a platform to build businesses, enhance customer relationships and accelerate product awareness. us.clarionevents.com.

John Mahlmeister is the chief operating officer and co-founder of Easy Ice. Co-headquartered in Phoenix, AZ and Marquette, MI, Easy Ice is the only national provider of allinclusive commercial ice machine subscriptions. Since its founding in 2009, Easy Ice has rapidly grown their number of ice machines under management to over 30,000 units across 47 states and partners with dozens of foodservice equipment dealers to offer ice machine rental solutions to their customers. For more information, please visit EasyIce.com.

RAPID FIRE

from page 4 2023

Southern, Caribbean, and Latino). He is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education.

Here’s Chef James Williamson’s winning recipe:

Jerk Tofu over a Coconut Rice & Peas Risotto topped with Mango Slaw

1 package extra firm tofu, sliced 1inch thick

Jerk Marinade:

• 1/2 Jerk seasoning

• 1 bunch scallions

• 2 oz ginger

• 2 oz garlic

• 1.5 cups oil

Coconut Rice & Peas Risotto

DELIVERY HELP

from page 92

to be delivered to similar locations. This helps to reduce the total cost of delivery even further by charging a single delivery fee for multiple order fulfillment.

Once again keeping delivery costs to a minimum for operators while also resolving the driver shortage issue.

How can outsourcing delivery help operators regain control?

Restaurants offering self-delivery do not want to turn to marketplace fulfillment during a labor crisis. This is due to their ever-increasing delivery fees.

Frustratingly, operators also have no control over orders fulfilled by marketplace fleets once they leave the restaurant. This lack of visibility often results in a bad delivery experience for the end customer and negative online reviews for the restaurant.

Having the same level of visibility that is captured with self-delivery over orders fulfilled by third-party fleets is possible with the right delivery management provider. This will enable your restaurant to cap -

• 1 onion, small diced

• 2 tbsp garlic, minced

• 1 cup Arborio rice

• 2 cups veggie stock

• 1 can coconut milk

• 1 sprig thyme

• 1 spring scallions

• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper

• 1 oz whole allspice

• 2 oz coconut-based sour cream alternative

Mango Slaw

• 1 mango, small diced

• 1 small green cabbage, thinly sliced

• 1 small onion, thinly sliced

• 1 cup carrots, shredded

• 1 Scotch bonnet, thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup scallion, chopped

• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

• 1/2 cup white vinegar

ture the what, when, how, and why of delivery orders fulfilled by thirdparty and marketplace fleets.

The outcome is the elimination of concerns regarding the driver shortage coupled with improved & consistent service levels for your restaurant’s delivery orders.

To sum up, the driver shortage will persist for the foreseeable future. If restaurants wish to continue operating a self-delivery model without having to hire more delivery drivers or pay expensive third-party delivery fees, the adoption of technology is vital.

As many as 50% of U.S. restaurant operators are planning to implement automation technology in the next 2–3 years to address staffing shortages. Therefore now is the right time to search for a provider that can fulfill your delivery requirements.

If you’re an operator looking to minimize driver employment risks, avail of discounted third-party delivery rates, and maintain full visibility over orders fulfilled by marketplace fleets, visit our website (www. vromo.io).

• 1/4 cup lime juice

• 1/4 cup sugar

• Salt, pepper to taste

1) Blend together all the ingredients for the Jerk Marinade. Place tofu in a container and pour marinade over it.

2) Mix together ingredients for Mango Slaw and set aside.

3) In a pan over medium heat with canola oil start to toast the arborio rice.

4) In a separate pot, bring coconut milk, veggie stock, scotch bonnet, thyme, scallion, and allspice to a boil. Turn down to a simmer.

5) Add onions and garlic to arborio rice. Sauté until translucent.

6) One ladle at a time begin to add coconut veggie stock mix to the arborio. Stir constantly so it does not

burn.

7) In a pan over high heat, begin to sear tofu 2-3 minutes on both sides till they’res nicely browned and heated through. Set aside.

8) When the risotto is almost tender and creamy, fold in red beans and coconut sour cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

9) In a bowl, assemble the jerk tofu on top of the risotto. Top with mango Slaw and thinly sliced scallions.

10) Enjoy!

CUISINE SOLUTIONS

from page 30

lutions’ portfolio of up-and-coming plant-based producers: “These products contain clean ingredients that meet our stringent standards and make us say ‘we love this, this is where we want to go’,” explained Popper.

Their global partners like Daring Foods, a leading plant-based company, are able to see a dramatic enhancement in their product’s flavor, texture and color by implementing the sous vide method. In addition, by using sous vide partners can create a ready-to-eat product with a frozen shelf life of 18 months or more.

The company looks for one or two producers of an individual product, such as an egg or chicken replacement, and then combines them into a single product, like their plant-based egg with vegan spicy jalapeño sausage and cheese. “Combining these three superb, individual plant-based products into one home is not something that someone else can bring to the table,” Popper added.

Adding plant-based to the menu, found Popper, is less about finding one-to-one substitutions and more about redesigning offerings and sticking to the principle of providing vegan options to patrons: “I believe in committing to plant-based and not trying to hide that,” the expert explained; “I don’t believe the future of plant-based eating is about finding meat alternatives – 20 to 30 years down the line, consumers won’t be looking for a product that looks, tastes, and feels just like chicken.” For now, however, Popper recommends sticking to the familiar; by incorporating meatier flavor profiles and textures, chefs and restaurateurs can help steer diners to adopting more flexitarian diets and embracing plant-full options.

“It gears very well towards the food service industry,” commented Popper; “adjusting towards flexitarian diets is, after all, all about taking your consumers on a journey with delicious, emotional food.”

Cuisine Solutions’ partnership

with a global retailer has helped the company develop hands-on experience with developing and rolling out new plant-based menu items. Looking to expand their veganfriendly menu items beyond the Impossible Breakfast Sandwich, the chain placed the menus of select stores in Cuisine Solutions’ hands; as a result, the company completely changed the menus by adding over 20 new plant-based options as part of an ongoing trial run. Their test phase is also part of an experiment to drive up business after the chain’s peak hours, which are usually between six and eleven in the morning, by offering an expanded line of plant-based snacks and small meals to fuel patrons throughout their days.

With an expertly curated line of safe and high-quality menu options, Popper and his Cuisine Solutions team continue to lead and innovate in the plant-based space. The company’s exclusive partnership developing plant-based items with this global retailer attests to their commitment to providing customers with healthy, clean, and delicious vegan alternatives that celebrate the ever-popular flexitarian diet. For more information regarding Cuisine Solutions, their line of products, or to schedule an opportunity to visit the brand in-person, visit www.cuisinesolutions.com.

Cuisine Solutions is the world’s leading manufacturer and distributor of sous vide foods. Led by an international team of award-winning chefs, Cuisine Solutions is recognized as the authority on sous vide— the innovative precise-cooking technique that the company pioneered, perfected, and popularized decades ago. Headquartered in Sterling, Virginia, Cuisine Solutions services more than 35,000 restaurants and 6,000 retailers, as well as first and business class on the top 10 airlines in the world, and major hotels. To learn more, visit http://www.cuisinesolutions.com

going pro. I took a trip with my father to different areas in the country where he was teaching classes, and I had the opportunity to assist him in those classes. While at The French Pastry School in Chicago, I had an epiphany and fell madly in love with the industry. I felt I found my place in the world. Seeing all of the chocolate sculptures and perfect baguettes, I knew this was where I wanted to be so I applied to the Culinary Institute of America. After I graduated from the CIA, I went back to where I fell in love with the industry, becoming a teacher’s assistant for a year. I learned so much during my time in Chicago. I returned home and began learning the family business to see if this was something I wanted to take over and run as a business for the future.

I’d love to learn more about Bruno’s Bakery, can you talk me through the concept and what the bakery specializes in?

We specialize in many different baked goods; some are our specialty fondant cakes that have won many awards. We also have our amazing dessert table displays and our upcoming gelato shop that will remind you of Italy when you savor it. I think out of all our products, the dessert that is coveted the most is our Panettone during the holiday season. My family has been making this delicious product for over 40 years. Our Panettone comes in a variety of flavors and has developed a cult following. Customers look forward to having this Italian sweet bread on their tables every year. The Panettone line ships nationwide and can be ordered through Shopify and on our website.

Tell our readers about your “family” business. Lessons learned from working with family and carrying on the traditions.

When people ask this question, I always start off by laughing hard and asking if they have seen “the Simpsons” and how Homer strangles his son Bart sometimes? This is how I describe working with family. Mixed

emotions! One moment you’re laughing, and the next you just want to strangle your sibling. However, it is probably the most amazing thing because in any business, but especially in the food industry, it takes a team to strive for greatness and also to survive. I would have never survived COVID if it wasn’t for my family. We probably would have closed during the pandemic, but because we worked together, we were able to survive and overcome the uncertainties we faced. The most important thing I have learned through working with family is there has to be a line of proper communication in everything you do for the business. Everyone must agree before going forward, and there has to be a line of respect. You cannot yell or say anything negative to each other, especially in front of employees, because it is unethical and sets a bad example about the leadership team.

The last and most important thing is, if we see an employee doing something that you deem incorrect, it’s best to ask who taught them this procedure. If the procedure was taught by a family member, we just ask the family member in private why that person was instructed that way and we come to a mutual agreement on how to go forward.

Carrying on the tradition of Bruno’s is important because it’s not just a family business. Bruno’s is who we are. This family business has given my father and mother an opportunity to live the ‘American Dream’ when they moved to this country from Italy, and they have successfully accomplished this. Now, it’s all about elevating the brand and making sure it will last for many more years with the possibility of one of our children taking over in the future. You never know!

Why Freehold, NJ, for the new Bruno Bakery?

During the pandemic we relocated and now live 20 minutes away from Freehold. We heard from the community and saw a need for an old school style bakery on Main Street.

What made you take the leap into entrepreneurship?

It is in my blood; I like to tell people. There was and still is this fire inside me to always be my own boss and do things that I want to do and have no limits in what I can or cannot do and be free to make mistakes and learn from them. There is a sense of joy, even though you work 24/7 there is this joy of when a customer comes in and says everything is amazing and thanks me for opening this beautiful shop. This hits a cord in my body and just gives me this sense of purpose. The other amazing thing that I truly love is that I can teach my kitchen team and front of the house team something new every day, and teaching people what I love brings me absolute joy.

What are key elements for running a successful bakery business?

Be aware of food cost! You constantly must be on top of your vendors and their pricing, and more importantly how much you can stretch out of more products. A prime example is so many people throw out their cake trims but instead of throwing them out, you make cake pops or crumble it and put it at the bottom of your pies, or even use it to decorate the outside of a cake or make ice cream. You just must be creative and find ways on how to get the most out of a product to extend it and make the most of your money out of it.

What’s been the hardest part about working for yourself and how do you manage this?

Managing emotions when things are tough and understanding things won’t always go as planned. There may be weeks when you may not take home money because of dead weeks throughout the season. Also, understand that it’s ok to take five minutes and breathe because the place won’t burn down when you take time for yourself. But, I think the most important, and I say this because I have a family of my own, is finding that correct balance in

life that you can spend quality time at home. If you don’t have a family, then spend time with friends. You cannot neglect your own personal life. One hundred percent, you need to take breaks every once in a while, and just breathe and re-energize.

What’s your favorite piece of equipment that you couldn’t live without?

I think it is my sheeter machine that I cannot live without, nor would I want to go back to rolling out croissant dough and puff pastry dough by hand! I love that machine! It saves so much time, and most importantly, saves my forearms from falling off.

What’s your greatest aspiration for Bruno Bakery?

I’d like to open a total of four stores between New Jersey and New York City, but also to be known as a destination place by people around the country and the world.

Who were/are your mentors?

Besides my father, who continues to be my mentor to this day, Chef Robert Ellinger, Chef Dimitri Fayard, Chef Gary Rulli, Chef Josh Johnson, Chef Chef Joel Reno, Chef Jacquy Pfeiffer, Chef Sebastien Canonne, Chef Charlie Tola, Chef Frank Vollkommer and my brother Sal Settepani.

Ingredients and Brands that you use— i.e. chocolate, etc?

Some of my go-to brands I love to use are Nielsen Massey for Vanilla, I only use Cacao Barry Chocolate, for gelato, all of my ingredients are shipped from Sicily. For specialty flour items, I use a brand called Molino Pasini, and in the U.S., I use King Arthur or Harvest King. For all my specialty items I am using Paris Gourmet, they provide some of the best ingredients and are amazing people to work with.

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