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2 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
3 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Speakers from the Green
Restaurant Association, the
Environmental Protection
Agency, and the National
Football League talked to
about 50 members of the food service
and energy industries last month at
the Meadowlands Environment Cen-
ter in Lyndhurst, providing strategies
for businesses to reduce their energy
usage - and costs.
"You can find your profits in the
trash can in the restaurant business,"
said Mark D. Koeck, sales manager for
energy management company Pow-
erhouse Dynamics of Newton, Mass.
Koeck wasn't exaggerating. Accord-
ing to John Filippelli of the EPA, res-
taurants throw away approximately
30 percent of their food - around
$48.2 billion worth of food a year.
"Ninety-five percent of the waste
that a restaurant creates can be elimi-
nated, reduced, or composted," said
Michael Oshman, founder of the
Boston-based Green Restaurant Or-
ganization.
Oshman, who started the GRA in
1990 at the age of 19, spoke about his
ambitious goals to make the Mead-
owlands area a GRA-approved "Green
Dining Destination." He will be work-
ing with the New Jersey Restaurant
Association and the state Chamber of
Commerce to promote his cause and
he is seeking 4-8 restaurants in the
area to use as case studies, tracking
the benefits of environment-friendly
practices.
Most of the event's attendees were
not restaurant owners or managers.
Oshman wasn't surprised - he said
the organization is planning to re-
cruit by literally going door-to-door
and pitching the idea.
"Restaurants notoriously don't
come out of their businesses," Osh-
man said after the speakers finished
at around 11 a.m. "Because you know
what they're doing right now? They're
preparing lunch."
The GRA's guidelines urge restau-
rants to make economical decisions
about energy. Oshman said buying
specific kinds of lighting, HVAC sys-
tems and other products can help sig-
nificantly reduce both short term and
long-term costs. He also listed some
intangible benefits of helping the en-
vironment, including increased me-
dia attention, positive staff morale,
and heightened customer attraction
- a recent study found that 79 percent
of customers prefer dining at "green"
restaurants.
While many of those in attendance
represented energy companies, some
members of the food service industry
were present. Catherine Medrano,
the executive chef of the Hyatt Re-
gency in Jersey City, was there to "get
some guidance on how to go green ef-
ficiently and make the right choices,"
she said.
Oshman said buying specific kinds of lighting, HVAC systems and other prod-ucts can help significantly reduce both short term and long-term costs.
Meadowlands Restaurants Urged To "Go Green" For Super BowlWith the national spotlight soon to shine on the Meadowlands for next year's Super Bowl,
environmental organizations are working to ensure that the area is "greener" than ever.
// NEWS SUSTAINABILITY
Restaurants notoriously
don't come out of their
businesses. Because
you know what they're
doing right now? They're
preparing lunch.
4 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Main Office: 282 Railroad AvenueGreenwich, CT 06830
Publishers: Leslie & Fred Klashman
Advertising Director: Michael Scinto
Creative Director: Ross Moody
Contributing WritersWarren Bobrow
Wyman PhilbrookNoelle Ifshin
Andrew Catalano
Phone: 203.661.9090 Fax: 203.661.9325
Email: tfs@totalfood.com Web: www.totalfood.com
Total Food Service ISSN No. 1060-8966 is published monthly by IDA Publishing, Inc., 282 Railroad Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830. Phone: 203.661.9090. This issue copyright 2013 by IDA Publishing Inc. Contents in full or part may not be reproduced without permission. Not responsible for advertisers claims or statements.Periodicals Postage paid at the post office, Greenwich, CT and additional mailing offices. Additional entry at the post office in Pittsburg, PA. Subscription rate in USA is $36 per year; single copy; $3.00. Postmaster: Send address changes
to Total Food Service, P.O. Box 2507, Greenwich, CT 06836
New York restaurant group
Fatty Crew, owner of the
popular Fatty Crab and
Fatty 'Cue concepts, has
inked a deal with Philadelphia-based
restaurateur Stephen Starr to go na-
tional. Mr. Starr, owner of Buddakan
and Morimoto, will help open Fatty
Crab restaurants in eight cities in the
U.S. and one in London.
The Starr partnership signals the
latest growth spurt in Fatty Crew's ex-
pansion of its Southeast Asian dining
concept, which aims to grow to a $60
million to $80 million company within
the next five years. Fatty Crew owns
four restaurants in New York City, one
in the U.S. Virgin Islands and a recently
opened Fatty Crab in Hong Kong.
"We traveled the country and the
world to figure out what spots we
wanted to hit next," said President Rick
Camac. "Our last stop was in Philly, the
closest city to us, and all the restaurants
I loved were Stephen Starr restaurants."
That gave Mr. Camac the idea to
reach out directly to Mr. Starr to gauge
his interest in opening up a series of
Fatty Crab restaurants together. “Very
simply, I love their operation and I love
their name,” said Mr. Starr. “We want
to be a part of their growth, and I think
with our name and their culinary cre-
dentials, we can do really well.”
Starr, who came to New York in 2006
with Morimoto and Buddakan, copies
of two of his 20 Philadelphia restaurants
will be the operator and will run the
day-to-day management. Fatty Crew
will collaborate on the dining experi-
ence and develop city-specific menus
that focus on local and seasonal ingre-
dients. Chef Zakary Pelaccio, while still
a partner in Fatty Crew, stepped out of
the day-to-day operations two years
ago to focus on his restaurant venture
Fish & Game in Hudson, N.Y., though
he may consult on new menus.
The move comes on the heels of
Starr's successful bid to handle cater-
ing at the New York Botanical Gardens.
Stephen Starr Events will start doing
the food in the cafes at the Botanical
Garden, with an emphasis on herbs
and vegetables. His company is also
dishing up lamb Tellicherry and Goan
spiced clams at Serai, the cafe in the
Rubin Museum of Art, which features
the art of the Himalayas. And he is serv-
ing Italian food at Caffè Storico at the
New-York Historical Society.
This fall, he will take charge of the ca-
fes, bars and banquet areas at Carnegie
Hall, beginning with the season’s open-
ing night, Oct. 2, when the Philadelphia
Orchestra, from his hometown, will
perform.
The first joint venture will open in
Washington, D.C., in about three to
six months. The team is seeking exist-
ing restaurant spaces, cutting down on
build-out time and expenses. Each new
eatery will cost between $600,000 and
$2 million, depending on the size and
location.
The Starr partnership is part of Mr.
Camac’s business plan to grow Fatty
Crew. He will continue to run the exist-
ing Fatty Crew-owned and -operated
stores, maintain licensing deals such as
the Williams-Sonoma Fatty ’Cue sauce
collection, develop partnerships such
as the one with Starr, continue to grow
its wholesale business with outlets
such as the Barclays Center food court
and FreshDirect, and build a new ca-
tering division.
NYC’s Fatty Crab Teams With Philly Restaurateur Starr For National Roll OutStephen Starr who imported Brooklyn BBQ king Fette Sau to Philadelphia is set to
bring another major New York restaurant concept to the Keystone State and to
outposts across the country.
// NEWS MILESTONES
Starr, who came to
New York in 2006 with
Morimoto and Buddakan,
copies of two of his 20
Philadelphia restaurants
will be the operator and
will run the day-to-day
management.
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Aseminar at the law
offices of Davis and
Gilbert LLP in New
York City discussed
just such issues.
The event was co-
sponsored by the New York State Res-
taurant Association and was attended
by a mix of real estate and law profes-
sionals as well as restaurant owners
and employees.
The ideal real estate situation for your
restaurant involves limiting the sur-
prises, said Robert Karin, a real estate
partner at Davis and Gilbert who’s
been involved in restaurant leases
for big chains, like McDonalds and
Smashburger, and high-end establish-
ments, like Marc Murphy’s Landmarc.
“When you’re developing a restaurant
those surprises can be very expen-
sive,” he said.
A restaurant’s real estate decisions
impact many aspects of the business.
“Being in the right location for that
right market you identified” is impor-
tant, said Lawrence Cohen, the hos-
pitality group leader at Marks Paneth
and Shron, an accounting firm. He
was previously the CEO of the Griffin
Group, which owned and operated
hotels, among other ventures.
“If the perfect space for your high-
end restaurant is at a mall, there’s a
miss-match of markets, said Cohen.
Identify the market and make sure the
right patrons will come to the location
you’re interested in,” Cohen said. Too
many people think, “If you build it,
they will come.”
Finding restaurant real estate is dif-
ferent than finding home properties
in many ways. When renting an apart-
ment it’s unlikely renters will gut a
kitchen, but that’s just what many res-
taurants end up doing. Find out what
the construction regulations are and
what updates you can do to the kitch-
en exhaust, electricity, and plumbing,
Karin and Cohen suggested.
Getting proper licenses might also
hold up your lease or your opening
date. Do you need to get a liquor li-
cense? This could take 3-5 months. Do
you have your heart set on an outdoor
space? Getting approval could take
“forever” warns Karin.
Both Karin and Cohen strongly sug-
gest not going into restaurant real es-
tate alone. A professional can help you
negotiate to get the lease you want and
warn you of issues before they arise.
Taiki Wakayama, the president of W
and E Hospitality, Inc, attended the
seminar. The lease negation discus-
sions were particularly helpful, he
said, because he recently spent time
working in Japan where businesses
operate quite differently. “It’s a bit
more efficient. It only takes a month
to open a restaurant,” he said. Imag-
ine that.
Contact The New York State Restaurant Associationin NYC: 212.398.9160
in New York State: 518.452.4222
www.nysra.org
The Real Deal on Restaurant Real Estate in NYCWhen finding a studio apartment in New York City can become a full-time job for home
hunters, it’s hard to imagine what finding a space to rent for a restaurant might be like. The
old adage, “location, location, location,” is, of course, important, but what about kitchen
exhaust, lease terms, and liquor licenses?
// INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE FROM
If the perfect space for your
high-end restaurant is at a
mall, there’s a miss-match
of markets. Identify the
market and make sure the
right patrons will come
to the location you’re
interested in,
The ideal real estate situation for your restaurant involves limiting the surprises, said Robert Karin, a real estate partner at Davis and Gilbert.
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It could be a listing of the specials
and prices at each table, a list of
the specials and prices present-
ed with the menu, or, finally, a
prominently displayed posting,
such as a blackboard or whiteboard,
listing the specials and prices. You will
note that verbally transmitted informa-
tion is NOT an option.
Why am I bringing this to your at-
tention again? Because I recently read
three different food critics who stated
that they cannot understand why es-
tablishments continue to NOT have
servers offer the price of the specials or
have a printed list of the specials with
prices. In fact, one critic stated that fail-
ure to do so would affect her review.
About four years ago, I brought this
consumer issue to your attention I
have asked the editor if she would pub-
lish it again. In the event it has been
your policy, for whatever reason, not
to offer this information to your guests,
you might want to reconsider.
From a reader…
“Hi, Fred, I keep getting hit with this.
Go into a family-type operation and
the wait staff begins to recite the night-
ly specials. The list goes on and on. Of
course, no one can possibly remember
all of this, so he/she leaves a card after-
ward the card contains the items and a
brief description but no prices!!!
“I understand in some high-end es-
tablishments this is protocol. At least,
that is what some knowledgeable res-
taurant people have told me. I disagree,
but okay. It’s like, if you have to ask the
price, you don’t belong in here. But now
this high-end special idea is filtering
down to the local Mom and Pop, and it
drives me wild.
“Talk to me and your readership
about this soon, okay?”
My response…
About three years ago, I conducted
a survey of a group of frequent and, I
would say, knowledgeable diners. One
of the questions I asked was, “What is
your reaction when your server de-
scribes today’s specials?” Each ques-
tion was accompanied by enough
space for detailed answers.
While the vast majority said they
were interested, 90 percent stated that
they wanted to know the price and were
annoyed if they had to ask. Other com-
ments included, “the server speaks so
fast and, as a result, it is difficult to fol-
low him or her”; “when there are many
specials and the server is describing
the ingredients, it’s almost impossible
to remember any of them”; and “if the
server has any type of accent, it be-
comes difficult to thoroughly under-
stand them.” One of the respondents
summed up the feelings of the group
as follows: “Specials should always be
accompanied by their prices and not
show up on the bill as a rude surprise.
Many restaurants print up their spe-
cials as an addendum to their menus,
which is very helpful.”
One respondent said he had to ask
for the price of desserts, which were
also recited, and the server acted like
if you have to ask the prices, maybe
you don’t belong here. I have also had
friends tell me they feel somewhat em-
barrassed by having to ask for prices;
particularly if they are with friends,
they insist on knowing how much they
are spending.
For those operators who feel that
verbalizing prices is not necessary or
is unsophisticated, think about this.
About ten years ago, in a New York
Times editorial, the industry was taken
into task about the wait staff failing to
inform guests of the prices of specials.
There was also an insinuation that per-
haps such a practice should be prohib-
ited. Certainly the last thing we need is
another law, but it does appear to be an
irritant to a majority of restaurant pa-
trons, which can be eliminated. (At the
time this article was written, the Nas-
sau/Suffolk County laws had not been
passed.)
And finally, I have been associated
with the food service industry for six
decades, and I still do not understand
why management would not have
servers include the price when verbally
presenting the specials. There is an
axiom in our industry that the first 15
minutes of server-guest communica-
tions is critical to insuring a satisfac-
tory experience for the guests, and I
might add, that includes the attitude of
the server as well. If including the price
when reciting the specials enhances
this relationship, why not do it?
I realize that many of you reading
this do not have your servers offering
prices when presenting the specials. I
would very much appreciate hearing
from you as to why. My e-mail address
is fredsampson1@comcast.net. I will
not quote you.
In a recent column, I informed you that Nassau and Suffolk counties, both located in New
York State, had passed legislation requiring food-service operators to provide written
notice of the prices of all restaurant specials offered to their customers.
// INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE
Fred G. Sampson,President of Sampson Consulting, Inc.
fredsampson1@comcast.net
WITH FRED SAMPSON
Re-Visiting What Seems to Be A Major Consumer Complaint
While the vast majority
said they were interested
in specials, 90 percent
stated that they wanted to
know the price and were
annoyed if they had to ask.
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With the back-
drop of a newly
renovated and
r e c h r i s t e n e d
Javits facility,
show manager Phil Robinson has
unveiled plans to recharge the 98th
annual IHMRS set will run Saturday,
November 9, through Tuesday, No-
vember 12, 2013, at New York City’s
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
“This year's show will launch our
new approach to creating a uniquely
New York experience,” noted Rob-
inson. “We have identified 6 key
themes that will enable restaura-
teurs and food service operators to
come away from the show with an-
swers that they can put to work im-
mediately to make them more prof-
itable."
"From our Locally Sourced pavil-
ion to our Grab N' Go and Gluten
Free concepts, the goal is to create a
program of cooking demonstrations,
the chance to learn from specialists
and network with fellow restaura-
teurs and even meet a celebrity sign-
ing their latest book," Robinson con-
tinued.
In addition, the show will feature
pavilions dedicated to Baking, Yo-
gurt, and Mix & Mock (beverages/
cocktails). "This new approach will
enable the show exhibitor to maxi-
mize their trade show expenditure
by laser focusing their resources on
their priority products for each of the
6 key themes that we have identified,
" Robinson added. "With everything
from the Cronut to Greek yogurt and
issues including the replacement of
room service at local hotels, our goal
was to create a new level of access for
our exhibitors and attendees."
Following the Hospitality Leader-
ship Forum, a full day of conference
and networking activities, on Sat-
urday, November 9, the IHMRS will
feature three days of exhibits of new
products and services for hotels and
foodservice properties from Sunday,
November 10, through Tuesday, No-
vember 12. IHMRS is co-located with
the 4th annual Boutique Design New
York (BDNY), featuring suppliers of
high-end, unique and innovative in-
terior design products for hospital-
ity. The combined market presents
over 1,000 hospitality industry sup-
pliers and attracts more than 22,000
trade visitors.
IHMRS is sponsored by the Ameri-
can Hotel & Lodging Association
(AH&LA), the Hotel Association of
New York City, Inc. (HANYC), and the
New York State Hospitality & Tour-
ism Association (NYSH&TA), and
is managed by Hospitality Media
Group (HMG).
// EVENTS
"Javits Is Cooking" Set To Take Center Stage At IHMRSLook for a brand new look and feel to the upcoming International Hotel and Motel
and Restaurant Show at the Javits Center in New York this November.
METRO NEW YORK FOODSERVICE EVENTS
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With multiple
rooms (includ-
ing a game
room) the sleek
space is perfect
for mitzvahs, weddings, corporate
meetings and holiday celebrations.
In a style similar to New York’s Meat-
packing District, The Studio Space
provides 3,200 square feet of ex-
posed brick walls and cement floors,
making this urban chic room ideal
for more intimate gatherings.
In 2014, the firm will be the exclu-
sive caterer and operator of these
unique event spaces. "We have de-
veloped a boutique service for The
Loading Dock & Studio Space in
which clients will be able to design
menus and decor that are reflective
of who they are; a very personalized
approach," noted the firm's presi-
dent Jim Kirsch.
Clients are often drawn to the
structure, designed by New York ar-
chitect Robin Elmslie-Osler, for its
minimalism and prefer to maintain
that feeling by using simple lounge
furniture and some lighting to create
a look that is fabulously industrial
chic. Still, there are others interested
in a truly unique ambience, like the
charity-event hosts whose theme
was “Bollywood.”
Abigail Kirsch will be taking over
for the owner of the property: Mimi
Sternlicht. Sternlicht has always
been involved in creative businesses.
She started her career as a creative
director in advertising and has been
known to attend design meetings
with her husband, Barry S. Sternli-
cht – founding chairman and CEO of
the Starwood Capital Group and cre-
ator of the Starwood Hotels. One of
her most notable contributions was
coming up with the “W” brand name
for the luxury boutique hotels.
The Loading Dock draws clients
from all of Westchester and Fairfield.
Events run the gamut from wed-
dings to corporate parties to photo
shoots and charity fundraisers. Last
year, Ridgefield High School decided
to hold its prom at the site, with 400
students attending the party.
Recently, The Loading Dock
launched Studio Space, which pres-
ents an alternative look with its ex-
posed brick walls and diminutive
size. The site is used as an add-on
to parties. If someone is planning a
wedding or a bar mitzvah and wants
to have the service on the premises,
this gives the client another room
and another feel. The intimate set-
ting is also ideal for smaller events
like Sweet 16s, Quinceañeras and
dinner parties. Recently, the locale
was used for a Jack Wills fashion
show and a Reebok exercise video.
Sternlicht opened the Loading
Abigail Kirsch Expands Empire with Stamford Loading Dock AcquisitionAbigail Kirsch Catering has announced its latest partnership with The Loading Dock &
Studio Space in Stamford, CT. Located in Fairfield County, CT, The Loading Dock, which was
designed by NY architect Jeremiah Bailey of EOA and Paula Fox Interiors, offers 10,700 square
feet of industrial, loft-like white space.
// NEWS CATERING
continued on page 69
The firm's President Jim Kirsch
Abigail Kirsch Catering has announced its latest partnership with The Loading Dock & Studio Space in Stamford, CT.
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On Saturday, July 20,
the James Beard
Foundation toasted
Andrew Zimmern,
T V- p e r s o n a l i t y,
chef, food writer
and teacher at their annual Hamptons
tasting party and fundraiser, Chefs &
Champagne® New York. Zimmern,
the creator, host and co-executive
producer of Travel Channel’s hit se-
ries, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zim-
mern and Bizarre Foods America, was
among more than 1,000 guests who
attended the benefit at the Wölffer Es-
tate in Sagaponack, N.Y. The event fea-
tured flowing champagne, the wines of
Wölffer Estate Vineyard, Stella Artois®
Belgian lager and delicious tastings
from a select group of more than 35
fine chefs, including numerous James
Beard Award winners.
Notable guests included Ted Allen,
multiple JBF Award-winning cook-
book author and TV personality of the
series Queer Eye and Chopped, as well
as iconic African-American restaura-
teur and lifestyle expert, B. Smith.
The James Beard Foundation’s Chefs &
Champagne® New York is considered
the East End’s premiere culinary event.
A silent auction consisting of fine din-
ing experiences, wines and spirits,
cookware, and culinary travel pack-
ages raised over $65,000 to support the
James Beard Foundation’s mission and
educational programs, including culi-
nary student scholarships and the or-
ganization's annual food conference
on sustainability, public health, and
nutrition. Silent auction items includ-
ed a chance to attend opening night of
the New York Film Festival and Dansk
Classic Enameled Cast-Iron Cookware
by Mario Batali.
Carrying on its long tradition of sup-
porting culinary education, the James
Beard Foundation was proud to an-
nounce Jhonel Faelnar of Jamaica, NY
as the 2013 Christian Wölffer Scholar-
ship recipient. Established in 2006,
the Christian Wölffer Scholarship as-
sists students in their study of food
and wine, and with this honor Jhonel
will begin the Intensive Sommelier
Program at the International Culinary
Center this fall. Also in attendance
was multiple James Beard Foundation
Scholarship recipient Christina Cas-
sel, who is pursuing an advanced de-
gree from Johnson & Wales University
with the goal of teaching.
Chefs & Champagne® New York par-
ticipating chefs included:
• Franklin Becker, Cast Iron, NYC
• Ari Bokovza and Colleen Grapes,
James Beard Foundation’s Chefs & Champagne New York Heated Up the Hamptons with Andrew ZimmernJames Beard Foundation’s Chefs & Champagne® New York Heated Up the
Hamptons with Andrew Zimmern on July 20th.
// EYE METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
Participating chefs with honoree Andrew Zimmern and James Beard Foundation President Susan Ungaro at the James Beard Foundation’s Chefs & Champagne® New York fundraiser held at Wölffer Estate Vineyard in the Hamptons on July 20, 2013. Photo courtesy of the James Beard Foundation
25 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
The Harrison, NYC
• Anthony Bucco, Ryland Inn,
Whitehouse Station, NJ
• Floyd Cardoz, North End Grill,
NYC
• Patrick Feury, Nectar, Berwyn, PA
• Timothy Fischer, Restaurant
Latour at Crystal Springs Resort,
Hamburg, NJ
• Tom Fraker, Melissa’s
• Alex Guarnaschelli**, Butter
Restaurant and The Darby, NYC
• Evan Hanczor, Parish Hall,
Brooklyn, NY
• Todd Jacobs, Fresh,
Bridgehampton, NY
• Stefan Karlsson, Fond,
Gothenburg, Sweden
• Dan Kluger, ABC Kitchen, NYC
• Matthew Lightner, Atera, NYC
• Dean James Max and Ali Goss,
Parallel Post, Trumbull, CT
• Shane McBride, Balthazar and
Schiller’s Liquor Bar, NYC
• James McDevitt, ESquared
Hospitality, NYC
• George Mendes, Aldea, NYC
• James Merker, Mile End
Delicatessen, NYC
• Ashley Merriman, The Waverly
Inn, NYC
• Eric Miller, Madison & Main, Sag
Harbor, NY
• Todd Mitgang, Crave Fishbar,
NYC
• Masaharu Morimoto, Morimoto
and Tribeca Canvas, NYC
• Billy Oliva, Delmonico’s, NYC and
Southampton, NY
• Ron Paprocki, Gotham Bar and
Grill, NYC
• Carolina Perego, Citarella and
Fulton, NYC
• Bryan Petroff and Doug Quint,
Big Gay Ice Cream, NYC
• Maricel Presilla**, Cucharamama
and Zafra, Hoboken, NJ
• Olivier Quignon, Bar Boulud,
NYC
• Michel Richard**, Central Michel
Richard, Washington D.C. and
Villard Michel Richard, NYC
• Rosa Ross; Scrimshaw,
Greenport, NY
• Alex Stupak, Empellón Cocina
and Empellón Taqueria, NYC
• John A Suley, Celebrity Cruises®
• Abby Swain, Craft and Craftbar,
NYC
• Jason Weiner, Almond and L&W
Oyster Co., Bridgehampton, NY
and NYC
• Hayan Yi, Corkbuzz Wine Studio,
NYC
• Zac Young, David Burke Kitchen,
NYC
• * * James Beard Award Winner
This year’s guest of honor announced
a charitable partnership with eyebobs,
a leading U.S. eyewear company spe-
cializing in reading glasses. In col-
laboration with eyebobs, a portion of
the proceeds from “The Zimm,” Zim-
mern’s new style of limited-edition
eyeglass frames, will be dedicated to
furthering the James Beard Founda-
tion’s mission and programs.
The event sponsors are Badoit® Spar-
kling Natural Mineral Water; Celebrity
Cruises®; Delta Air Lines; evian® Nat-
ural Spring Water; ForbesLife; Forever
Cheese; Melissa’s; Roland Foods; Royal
Cup Coffee; Skuna Bay Salmon; Stella
Artois®; VerTerra; Wölffer Estate Vine-
yard; WVVH-Hamptons TV®.
Chef John Suley’s Chilled Maine Lobster Salad with Avocado, Hearts of Palm, Compressed Pineapple, and Lemon-grass–Vanilla VinaigrettePhoto courtesy of the James Beard Foundation
(From L-R): Dan Gasby, JBF President Susan Ungaro, B. Smith, 2013 Honoree Andrew Zim-mern and 2013 Honoree Ted Allen Photo by Mark Von Holden
Participating chef Timothy Fisher’s Blue Crab with Huitlacoche and Sweet Corn Photo by Mark Von Holden
VIP after party sponsored by Empire City Casino at the James Beard Founda-tion’s Chefs & Champagne® New York fundraiser Photo by Phil Gross
26 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
We are so excited to have you coming to New York this year. I cannot tell you. Well I, as well. There are
extra special years, our twentieth an-
niversary in North Texas was amazing,
and our Tropicana year, in Saint Pe-
tersburg when we took over Tropicana
field was an amazing year. Two years
from now our twenty fifth anniversary
is coming up. This will be the top of
the 23 years, because I keep saying to
people it's New York. And even better
it's Brooklyn. We are so pumped.
What year did this begin? And where did this whole idea come from?It started in Minnesota in 1992. A cou-
ple years before that Minnesota was
announced to be the host for Super
Bowl XXVI. The host committee start-
ed, growing and being put together
and I was asked to serve as the chair
of the restaurant committee and coor-
dinate the 3,000 restaurants in Minne-
sota. The term that the Super Bowl was
here I was going to be the president of
the Minnesota Restaurant Associa-
tion. So that kind of overlapped, and
it made sense.
So are you a restaurateur by trade? Is that your background? Oh God, that's my day job. Yes I've had
about 10 restaurants over the last 35
years. That's what I do for a living and
for the last number of years I've been
winding down the restaurants. I have
one now that's been around about 15
years and then we have a food service
operation at the Minnesota state fair
for 15 years. It allows me to pay the
bills and the mortgages. Really our
Franklin Street Bakery operation. It's
a wholesale bakery where we special-
ize in great breads and ship to over 20
states across the country through SYS-
CO, US Food Services, etc. So that's
how I make a living. This is all volun-
teer work and I'm blessed.
That's fantastic- what a great story.Well, that's why I know food service
and that's why I knew when the Super
Bowl was coming here. And I've been
involved with hunger programs for
about 10 plus years and I’m also on the
board of Share Our Strength, and on
the board of Jeff Bridges' End Hunger
Network and so the idea came to me.
Our fine dining restaurant offers dif-
ferent benefits for hunger around the
country. Wolfgang Puck has his Meals
on Wheels. And, in Chicago we have a
charitable event we send our restau-
rant to, and in Miami etc. We would
participate in different events so from
my end, I was in the business that I
knew and how incredibly charitable
the hospitality industry is and plus I
knew a lot of chefs on restaurant tours.
And it made sense to create an event.
The hip scene in Brooklyn is exactly
what we need. To make this work,
we've got to bring the kind of fresh
and youthfulness into this event after
22 years. And I can't think of a bet-
ter place to do it than Brooklyn but I
// Q&A
Wayne KostroskiTaste of the NFL Founder,Minneapolis, MN
Wayne Kostroski is set to bring the excitement of the Super Bowl's annual food service signature event: Taste of the NFL to Brooklyn in February
The hip scene in Brooklyn is exactly what
we need. To make this work, we've got to
bring the kind of fresh and youthfulness
into this event after 22 years.
27 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
mean you ask anybody on the street
and they'll tell you for 20 minutes why
they're proud to be there. And then,
you know, we've got Ted Allan who
lives there and couldn't be prouder
of Brooklyn. Andrew Zimmern spent
some of his growing up time in Brook-
lyn. One of our board members is from
Brooklyn. As I talk to more people, if
you and I aren't from Brooklyn, what's
wrong with us? It's amazing how many
people are willing to, and interested
to step up and really shine a huge
spotlight on Brooklyn. And I have to
tell you, there's very little doubt in
my mind, short of a Hurricane Sandy
coming through there's very little
doubt in my mind that this year's
event will be the largest net event,
we will top. A million dollars. We will
beat North Texas. But also, because
it's New York and you know, Bobby
Flay is on our board. And our support-
ers and people ready to go with us are
Tom Colicchio and Thomas Keller. In
New York we're doing an event with
Danny Meyer and Share our Strength
in September. We're doing something
at the New York Athletic Club in No-
vember. It's going to be a season-long
campaign to raise awareness and dol-
lars for hunger. This year Cake Boss’,
Buddy is going to make a cake of Super
Bowl worthiness.
If a New York restaurant owner or If you're a food distributor or somebody in the industry and you want to be either affiliated with the Taste of NFL, or you want to be affiliated with one of the lead up events what kind of opportunity is there to get involved, and how does one go about getting involved?To help out you know, I believe in the
hospitality industry and I believe in
this country. I mean I'm not running
for office here. But if someone identi-
fies a need to someone, that someone
will at least consider, pretty quickly if
they can help, and if they can they'll
do it, and if they can't, they can't. In
the hospitality industry, we are incred-
ibly giving. Who do you always turn to
first when someone puts on a charity?
So, we made a conscious shift about 15
years ago to really focus on our volun-
teer base being culinary schools, culi-
nary students and part of that was to
have them work elbow to elbow, plant-
ing the seed with their heroes that, you
know, you should be involved with I'm
here prepping this dish for Taste of
NFL tomorrow night or tonight. If you
are a culinary student, you know you
are helping me, thank you very much.
But let me tell you I am Bobby Flay, I
am Todd English, I am whatever and
I'm here because I think we should
be helping in our community. Now,
since we've been around for 22 years, I
run into so many kitchen workers and
chefs and restaurant people who have
said, you know, I helped out at your
Atlanta event in 1994 and now I've got
my own restaurant.
So, where do you see this 10 years down the road? God willing, nobody will be hungry anymore. But in the off chance that somebody still might be hungry where are you headed and where are we going?We really do play in the grand scheme
of things but unfortunately a pretty
small role in the cause and effect. And
really the purpose continues to be,
you know, is to spotlight the issue as
often as we can. Not only to benefit
"the event" of the kick hundred chal-
lenge or whatever but just to raise
the awareness that, you know, it's
not always checkbooks or anything
else. Look, around at your neighbor.
Hunger is an invisible issue. If you see
someone in a box under a bridge, obvi-
ously, they're homeless, I mean okay?
You get that. You see that. And, then,
when you build a house with Habitat
for Humanity or repair houses and all
those great things that happened to
you, have an end result and you look
at and say, there, now there's a house,
people can live in it. Hunger is, you
know, so tricky, so invisible.
Working together and particularly
with the chefs and the players who
could be making a lot of money sign-
ing autographs. Super Bowl weekend
and chefs would certainly rather be
in the restaurant, you know, taking
care of their guests. But they are here
so I've got to continue to find ways to
have them feel fulfilled. They have got
to find that their work is good. And a
lot of that has come through a season
long with this Kick Hunger Challenge
and other things. That they're active
in their community now, players and
chefs, through the entire season. And
this just isn't a get together party, raise
money; now we've solved the prob-
lems, see you later. And there's Tom
Colicchio's film A Place at the Table.
The part of the message, if you will, is
that he's not asking for a dime. He's
saying we need to change. Hence the
political will. We've got to, change the
visibility and the awareness of what's
going on here. And, get both sides of
the isle, and every office you can to say
locally and nationally we're involved.
It's going to be a season-long campaign
to raise awareness and dollars for hunger.
This year Cake Boss’, Buddy is going to
make a cake of Super Bowl worthiness.
Kostroski has harnessed the power of his superb management skills to keep the yearly event fresh and local
28 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
29 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Tools for your restaurant such
as the newest, most inte-
grated POS system, the most
expensive kitchen and bar
equipment, and even the best oper-
ating systems and procedures do not
mean anything without a well-trained
staff.
People run your business and your
business is only as good as your peo-
ple. An effective training program is an
owner’s key tool to ensure consisten-
cy in product and customer service,
which is a basic tenant of running a
restaurant.
Here are four key elements of such a program:Proper Training Materials
Codifying operating procedures so
they make sense to you is easy, howev-
er organizing and presenting the ma-
terials in a way that your staff will un-
derstand them may not be. Your staff
probably comprises a diverse combi-
nation of people from different socio-
Restaurant owners are often frustrated by not achieving their goals in relation to quality,
customer satisfaction and financial benchmarks, yet many times they have not given
themselves the appropriate tools to do so.
A Well Trained Staff is Your Secret Weapon
// FOOD SAFETY
Noelle Ifshin, President & CEO,4Q Consult ingNew York, NY
noe l l e@4QConsu l t .com
WITH NOELLE IFSHIN
continued on page 86
30 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Biagio Settepani began his
career at the age of 13 in a
small pastry shop in Brook-
lyn, New York, spending
his next few years learning as much
as he could. At the age of 21 he took
over the reins of Bruno Bakery, a well
known bakery and cafe in New York
City.
Since then, his dedication to excel-
lence has brought him around the
world in search of knowledge. He
has competed nationally and inter-
nationally for over a decade, earning
him several medals and numerous
accolades.
In 2001, he became a C.M.B. (certified
master baker). He now runs together
with his family, two retail shops in
Staten Island, and one in New York
City. He still finds time to share his
knowledge by teaching at various
schools to the new generation of pas-
try chefs.
You’ve been baking since you were a young teen. What was it like, starting out so young?I came to this country in 1973. I actu-
ally started working at a bakery quite
by accident! My parents wanted me
to do something with my life, not run
in the streets. So I started working in
a small pastry shop in the Bronx, and
I found I liked it.
I was there a long time. But after my
first year in college, I wanted to work
full-time. Baking was my passion. I
asked my boss and he said, “We’ll try
it for one night and then in six months
we’ll see.” It sounds funny but it really
hurt me. I stayed another four or five
months but all the time, I was looking
for my own place and finally, I found
it, a little shop in Bay Ridge, Brook-
lyn – for $19,000. My parents helped
me buy it. After I ran it for a couple of
years – doing the whole thing – bak-
ing, ordering, waiting on customers,
the books – my brother and I decided
to buy another bakery by NYU, and
we went from retail to wholesale,
where we had 140 accounts – restau-
rants and hotels and shops. And the
rest is history.
How has the business changed in the last 30 years?The mom-and-pop bakeries are pret-
ty much over. Today you can’t be just
a bakery; you also need other kinds
of food. I also believe that outsourc-
ing today is a good idea. You might be
better off in the long run, rather than
dealing with a staff, equipment, sup-
pliers.
Who would you say has inspired you most?Without a doubt, that would have to
be Robert Ellinger. I met him once at
a demonstration given by a German
company and the second time, we
took a class together in Gettysburg
and then we became friends and I
looked up to him as a professional,
more than anybody else in this indus-
try. Robert was one of those guys, if
you have a question, you just picked
up the phone and he was like a walk-
ing library. He never let his sickness
stop him, and when I have a rough
day, I think of Robert, and I stop com-
plaining.
What’s the hot, new thing today in pastry?Classical is coming back. It’s like the
fashions, you know? What’s hot today
may not be hot tomorrow, but it will
be back. Last year it was cupcakes.
This year it’s the cronut, half-cros-
sant, half-doughnut. Everyone is al-
ways looking for a new idea. But there
are no new ideas. They’re old ideas
that are renovated. Another trend is
gluten-free. We try to satisfy every-
one. We have some sugar - free items,
lactose-free, and now, gluten-free.
You became a certified master baker in 2001, and have won numerous awards in competitions. What is that like for you?Of course, it is wonderful! But you
have to work very hard, harder than
you ever thought you could, and
Biagio Settepani, Co-owner & Executive Pastry Chef at Pasticceria Bruno
// PASTRY CHEF OF THE MONTH PRESENTED BY IRINOX
Biagio Settepani is the Co-owner & Executive Pastry Chef at Pasticceria Bruno Bakery and Restaurant
The mom-and-pop
bakeries are pretty much
over. Today you can’t
be just a bakery; you
also need other kinds of
food. I also believe that
outsourcing today is a
good idea.
continued on page 83
31 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
32 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
As you might imagine,
fitting all that into a
venue required a lot
of space. This year
the event took up two
floors of the Javits Center as well as the
North Hall.
It was great to see the Javits take the
wrapping off of a multi-million dol-
lar upgrade of the center. For upcom-
ing exhibitors and attendees for the
IHMRS show in the fall, it will mean
a beautiful new venue to get the most
out of their fall show week.
The halls were divided into national
sections with the major food exporters
like Italy and Spain occupying large
swaths of space on the main floor,
with smaller producers like Great Brit-
ain and Morocco in relatively small
spaces.
EYE finds that the show offers a win-
dow into new taste trends and every
year more exhibitors at Fancy Food
package products for foodservice.
The show is marked by endless nib-
bling, cheese, charcuterie, sweets and
even alcoholic beverages. This year
the big trend was gluten free prod-
ucts: everything from popcorn to fro-
zen tandoori chicken was labeled as
such. There was far less discussion of
non-GMO foods, but I predict that by
next year that this discussion will be
as prevalent as gluten was this year.
There was also a lot of cheese, it was
everywhere. You could also find plenty
of domestically produced charcuterie.
Montclair chocolate master Susan
Fine of The Chocolate Path came to
the event. “I come because I’m al-
ways on the lookout for new, high-
quality products,” said Fine. “It’s also a
chance to hear the stories behind new
companies, face-to-face. You learn
things you can’t find on the Internet or
get by phone.” While Susan sampled
dark chocolates with laser focus, she
also cast a wider net in search of over-
all food trends.
EYE found that adding natural
fruit flavors, such as coconuts, pear,
pomegranate, and blood orange to
chocolate is still very much in vogue.
A bit more cutting edge were the tea-
infused chocolates, such as those pro-
duced by the Tea Room. The Califor-
nia-based company introduced their
Lapsang Souchong chocolate bar fu-
sion at the show, where it was offered
alongside their Raspberry Rooibos,
Earl Grey, and Black Masala Chai bars.
As with ice cream and other sweets,
it was hard to find a line of chocolates
that didn’t offer a “caramel sea salt”
flavor. Speaking of sodium chloride,
many companies are mixing all sorts
of flavors into sea salt. Smoked Bacon
Chipotle salt, anyone? And how long
before someone combines that with
chocolate?
One of the most curious new prod-
ucts were Christine Le Tennier’s “Fla-
vor Pearls.” The tiny, luminescent balls,
made of thin alginate (also known as
seaweed extract), pop in your mouth
and release powerful savory and sweet
flavors such as balsamic vinegar, truf-
fles, maple syrup, and pink grapefruit.
The strawberry and black currant
pearls would pair perfectly and look
lovely tossed into Holly’s Yankee Doo-
dle Cocktail.
Highlights From New York's Summer Fancy Food ShowThe Summer Fancy Food Show, North America's largest specialty food and beverage event,
took place at the Javits center last month. The industry-only event is a showcase for over
180,000 different food and beverage products as well as ancillary industries such as
printing, packaging, and point of sale systems.
// EVENTS METRO NEW YORK FOODSERVICE EVENTS
A large contingent of International buyers came to the Colavita booth to display their latest offerings
Jamie Wichlacz anchored Belgiosio's Javits booth
33 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Now in its 59th year, the show is the
largest marketplace devoted exclu-
sively to specialty foods and beverages
in North America and a must-attend
event for top names in retailing and
foodservice in the U.S. and abroad.
This year’s event marked the official
launch of the Specialty Food Associa-
tion’s new brand to promote and rec-
ognize the industry: Specialty Food.
Craft. Care. Joy. The newly named As-
sociation, formerly the National As-
sociation for the Specialty Food Trade,
Inc., created, owns and operates the
Fancy Food Show.
Returning to its longtime home in
New York after two years in Washing-
ton, D.C., the show is the largest to
date, with 354,000 square feet of ex-
hibit space. More than 2,400 compa-
nies from across the United States and
80 countries and regions are present-
ing their latest cheeses, chocolates,
vinegars, oils, grains and other spe-
cialty foods at the event.
“Our show celebrates the passion
and creativity that fuel specialty food,”
says Ann Daw, president of the Spe-
cialty Food Association. “This is our
largest show ever, and center stage are
new and innovative foods and bever-
ages that come directly from people
who care about producing top-quality
food.”
Show highlights included a keynote
address on taste and innovation by in-
ternationally-acclaimed Chef Marcus
Samuelsson, owner of Red Rooster in
Harlem and The New York Times best-
selling author of Yes, Chef. He will also
present the 41st annual sofi Awards for
the outstanding specialty foods of the
year, and awards for the Outstanding
Specialty Food Retailers of the year.
A full menu of workshops and semi-
nars, including “Start-Up Sunday” for
beginning food entrepreneurs and
roundtables on the FDA’s Food Safety
Modernization Act. Cooking demos
from top chefs presented by the Spe-
cialty Food Association and Cooking
Channel, including José Andrés, Sara
Moulton, Kelsey Nixon and Roger
Mooking.
The Specialty Food Association cel-
ebrated its 60th anniversary in 2012. It
is a not-for-profit trade association for
food artisans, importers and entrepre-
neurs established in 1952 in New York
to foster commerce and interest in the
specialty food industry. Today there
are more than 3,000 members in the
U.S. and abroad. The Specialty Food
Association operates the Summer and
Winter Fancy Food Shows and pres-
ents the sofi™ Awards honoring excel-
lence in specialty food.
A donation of 150,000+ pounds of
specialty food to City Harvest was de-
livered at show’s end.
Roland Foods’ Lisa Kartzman (c) welcomed a number of guests to the firm's new booth
Many of New York's best-known res-taurant brands including La Esquina brought the flavors of their restaurants’ new retail offerings at the show
Bazzini's Nancy Friedman (R) helped buyers update their grab and go strategies
Sarabeth's Sarabeth Levine captured top honors for her new tomato soup
Sunny Kim and Josh Hodapp led a large contingent of Dean and DeLuca's NYC based buying team
34 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Successful restaurants un-
derstand the importance
of evaluating and updat-
ing their menus based on
season, consumer appe-
tites, and simply to stay current; how-
ever, what a successful restaurant
also needs to understand is the im-
portance of treating the ‘behind the
scenes’ factors of their operations in a
similar fashion.
A restaurant requires proper man-
agement of financials (such as cash
flow, and fixed cost), payroll, comput-
er software updates, and much more.
Your overall operations and office
procedures are what will truly affect
your bottom line. There are options
available to help you properly manage
these items and make your life easier,
that you may not even be aware of un-
less you are evaluating your current
objectives and processes. It is impera-
tive to seek advice from trusted advi-
sors and professional service firms, in-
cluding payroll companies, insurance
brokers, legal and accounting firms,
amongst others to make sure you are
properly and effectively running your
business.
Below is just a sampling of the vital
aspects of your office procedures that
you should strongly monitor and may
want to consider outsourcing or pay-
ing closer attention to:
Computer Software & HardwareNew software is constantly being de-
veloped and marketed to large corpo-
rations and small businesses. There
are programs available that could
make your life easier and keep your
business running more efficiently,
and you may not even know that they
exist. Many restaurants do not con-
sider the importance of keeping their
software up to date. Choosing the
right software for your company is
important to your productivity, accu-
racy and overall bottom line. The right
software can keep all of your business
and financial data accessible and or-
ganized. When you hire an IT consul-
tant or other recognized expert, you
can gain insight into which servers,
programs and other software/hard-
ware can meet your needs and your
budget according to your business
plans. Without spending time on IT
purchasing decisions, you'll be able to
focus more on the core of your work.
It’s also of the utmost importance to
make sure that your systems are prop-
erly configured to avoid hacking or
other types of extortion – see cyber li-
ability section below for insurance to
protect against these perils.
Payroll and Employee BenefitsManaging payroll and staying com-
pliant with the Department of Labor
rules and regulations can be a time
consuming challenge. Calculating
employee earnings, factoring deduc-
tions and benefits and getting checks
out on time are just some of the as-
pects companies big and small must
abide with when it comes to payroll.
For many companies, the solution to
keep this in good order is to utilize
payroll accounting software or pay-
roll management companies. With all
of the Health Care Reform (HCR) re-
quirements being implemented, man-
aging the employment status of your
employees is more vital than ever.
Starting in 2015, a “large employer”
(defined as an employer who em-
ployed an average of at least 50 full
time employees for a calendar year)
will be subject to a penalty under the
federal HCR law if it fails to provide
minimum value health benefits to all
full-time workers. Determining full
time status is crucial and can be com-
plicated.
A full-time employee is an indi-
Keeping Your Business Ingredients Fresh, Outside of the KitchenRestaurant and food service companies should continuously be updating their office procedures the way they would treat the items on their menu.
// INSURANCE FIORITO ON INSURANCE
Bob Fiorito,Vice President of Business Development at Hub International
Robert.Fiorito@hubinternational.com
There are options available to help you
properly manage these items and make
your life easier, that you may not even
be aware of unless you are evaluating
your current objectives and processes.
35 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
vidual who is employed on average
at least 30 hours of service per week.
Proposed regulations are expected to
provide that 130 hours of service in a
calendar month would be treated as
the monthly equivalent of 30 hours of
service per week. In other words, for
a 12-month measurement period the
employer would add up all of an indi-
vidual’s work hours for 12 months and
then divide by 12. Is that number more
than 130? If yes, then the employee is
considered full time. Contracting out
your payroll management will not
only assist you with HCR compliance,
but it will free you and your personnel
up to handle other matters and help
optimize productivity.
Online Presence/Cyber Liability InsuranceAlmost every restaurant or food ser-
vice business has some kind of net-
work, database, or online presence
that puts it at risk for litigation. If you
have website content, your company
can be targeted for violating copyright
or intellectual property laws. Consider
the following scenarios: Personal and
financial information of customers
sits on your servers, and is hacked. A
company laptop that is stolen or for-
gotten in a taxi can launch a long and
costly nightmare involving theft or
extortion. An employee posting on a
blog, social media page, or discussion
forum can make your company liable
for slander or defamation. Yet many
businesses do not have insurance that
covers these risks nor are they aware if
their software has the proper malware
protection in place. As your company
grows and succeeds, savvy business
people understand that a higher pro-
file equals higher risk. Look at your
current insurance program and make
sure it matches your current needs
and has grown with you as you’ve ex-
panded or made changes. Chances
are, you have left yourself too vulner-
able for comfort in today's cyber busi-
ness world. Review your business in-
surance program with your broker to
make sure you are protected in case of
a breach – this requires an additional
cyber liability policy in most cases to
get adequate coverage for these and
other losses.
Speak with your insurance advi-
sor to make sure you have the proper
protection in place, and for advice on
consultants and procedures necessary
to make your restaurant the business
it truly is.
Robert Fiorito serves as Vice Presi-
dent, Hub International Northeast
where he specializes in providing in-
surance brokerage services to the res-
taurant industry. As a 20-year veteran
and former restaurateur himself, Bob
has worked with a wide array of res-
taurant and food service businesses,
ranging from fast-food chains to up-
scale, “white tablecloth" dining es-
tablishments. For more information,
please visit www.hubfiorito.com
36 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
For those that don’t know you, tell us a little about your back-ground. Where are you from? Where did you study? What’s your food and wine back-ground?
I’m from Massapequa, NY and studied
at the CIA. My first job in the culinary
world was working at the take-out
counter of a Chinese place.
What led you to become a world-fa-mous Food and Wine festival orga-nizer? Tenacity.
With the thousands of New York res-taurants, how do you possibly plan all the events into four days?Strategically. We use a variety of venues
throughout the city and we’re always
on the lookout for new places. Our
program is constantly evolving until
the day our tickets go on sale.
Talk a little about the NYC Festival’s program. Is it specifically built for the city and what are some of the staple events that make it such a great event? New this year, we’ve moved our central
hub into Midtown West and Hudson
New York serves as our Headquarter
Hotel. Both new and returning signa-
ture events are taking place at new lo-
cations – with Pier 94 as the new home
of the Southern Wine & Spirits of New
York Trade Tasting presented by Bever-
age Media Group and our Grand Tast-
ing presented by ShopRite featuring
KitchenAid Culinary Demonstrations
presented by MasterCard. The adjacent
Pier 92 will host the Festival’s iconic
Blue Moon Burger Bash presented by
Pat LaFrieda Meats hosted by Rachael
Ray and Olmeca Altos Tequila presents
Tacos & Tequila hosted by Bobby Flay,
as well as new events including: Jets +
Chefs Ultimate Tailgate presented by
diet Pepsi hosted by Joe Namath & Ma-
rio Batali, and La Sagra Sunday Slices
sponsored by Time Out New York host-
ed by Anne Burrell & Adam Richman.
Who are some of the partners that help make the festival come together and how does their role help? All of our partners are important to us
in a variety of ways – starting with our
title sponsor Food Network and pre-
senting sponsor FOOD & WINE. Our
friends at The New York Times, Delta
and MasterCard, our official card, and
many others, all contribute to our suc-
cess.
Lee Schrager, Vice President of Corporate Communications & National Events at Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc.
// MEET THE NEWSMAKER
Lee Brian Schrager, one of the nation’s preeminent event planners and public relations experts, serves as the Vice President of Corporate Communications & National Events at Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc. He joined the company in 2000 and oversees projects for the company in all 35 states in which it does business.
continued on page 69
Strategically. We use
a variety of venues
throughout the city and
we’re always on the
lookout for new places.
Our program is constantly
evolving until the day our
tickets go on sale.
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Aduo of two of the
industry’s young
and brightest stars;
Rada Tarnovsky and
Leon Lubarsky, have
teamed up to cre-
ate Letter Grade Consulting (LGC).
The Brooklyn based firm has created
a portfolio of solutions to establish a
strategy that enables the restaurateur
to stay ahead of the strict demands of
the health department.
“A client of ours did some studies
and research and he found out that if
his A grade dropped to a B, that would
cost him roughly 30% in revenue,”
Tarnovsky explains the difference be-
tween letter grades. “The city also put
out a number stating that restaurants
that have an A letter grade have 9.7%
greater income than those who don’t,”
Lubarsky noted on statistics.
Initially, Letter Grade Consulting
based their idea off their desire to as-
sist food service establishments in
complying with NYC health depart-
ment regulations, which has become
a key element to their survival, and
ultimately a philosophy. “When we
moved our law practice to a new loca-
tion in Carroll Gardens, where we were
surrounded by restaurants, we saw the
struggles and disconnect between the
health department and restaurants.
It was a natural progression to make
a bridge between the two,” Tarnovsky
stated. With a common goal to give
the customer a “worry-free” meal, LGC
provides programs to help improve
your business. This philosophy has
spread like wild fire and seems to be
a necessity for most restaurants in the
Metro NYC area.
Earlier this month, NYC Food Ser-
vice Restaurants slapped the Depart-
ment of Health and Mental Hygiene
(DOHMH) with $150 million lawsuit
claiming that violations issued dur-
ing health department inspections
were excessive and unjust. Although
this caused revenue for the city, there
was ultimately a loss of business. Forty
restaurants filed the complaint in NY
Supreme Court claiming that the in-
spectors were not properly trained
and that most of the fines given had
nothing to do with food.
According to the team behind LGC
“Food service establishments have a
duty to serve and prepare food in an
environment that operates accord-
ing to the rules and regulations set
out by the health code. Consumers
have a fundamental right to eat food
that is free from contamination and
prepared in clean violation free sur-
roundings. The Letter Grade System’s
requirement of posting a grade in the
window has not changed any rights or
responsibilities of operators. What it
has done, is given consumers access to
information so that they are able make
informed decisions when choosing
where to dine. Although compliance
with this system is not new, or impos-
sible, it requires consistent oversight.
We strive to provide operators with
the tools necessary in order to ensure
compliance.”
LGC offers services, solutions, edu-
cation, training, attorney tribunal
representation and much more. They
serve various establishments includ-
ing corporate cafeterias, restaurant
chains, upscale restaurants, hotels,
catering companies and local eater-
ies. “We inspect for everything every
single time to eliminate error. Our
monthly mock inspections take out
the element of panic.”
Their fundamental objective is to
maintain a violation free kitchen and
testimonials prove just that. “We give
them a daily protocol to follow so they
know what to do and what to look for,”
Tarnovsky notes on the system they
established to help restaurant owners
succeed.
Letter Grade Consulting has opened
the eyes of many in the Metro NYC
area. “We believe that the system is
here to stay for all of the good reasons
of why it was implemented. We live in
an age of social media and awareness
so it is here to stay, ” Tarnovsky notes
on the increased knowledge of this
philosophy.
With similar letter grading headed
for outposts across the country, look
for LGC to become a national leader
as well in the near future.
Letter Grade Consulting Offers Solutions For Health Department Inspections’ Portfolio Of NYCA restaurant owner’s biggest fear is being shut down by the health department. With the
use of social media, public awareness of food borne illness has spread like the plague in
cyber space. In New York City, the difference between an “A” or a “B” letter grade in your
window can make or break your restaurant business.
// NEWS HEALTH INSPECTION
We strive to provide operators with the tools necessary in order to ensure compliance.
39 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
In the last couple of monthly col-
umns we addressed risk-based
systems and a general overview
of what are Prerequisite Pro-
grams (PRPs). I wrote about the two
major food safety systems for food-
service establishments, active mana-
gerial control and Hazard Analysis
Critical Control Points (HACCP).
In this column we will focus on the
later. I have found in my years of con-
sulting and operations, that HACCP
is sometimes misunderstood in re-
tail operations. In many cases it is a
regulatory requirement due to risk
level or a process that is used in a
facility. As previously stated in past
columns, the perception is that an
operator only needs a written plan
to turn into the regulatory depart-
ment so that a variance or approval
is issued to use a special process or
deviate from existing guidelines i.e.
FDA Food Code. Many operators will
reach out to a consulting company
like mine, which are specializing in
HACCP and ask two questions- How
quickly can you write a plan? - How
much will it cost?
HACCP is more than a stack of papers.
Developing a HACCP Plan & SystemBuilding on solid foundation of Prerequisite Programs to control food safety risks.
// FOOD SAFETY WITH WYMAN PHILBROOK
Wyman PhilbrookOwner of Phi lbrook Food & Beverage Consult ing And Training
phi lbrook_fandb@comcast.net
continued on page 76
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Fluent in English, Italian and
Spanish, he was expected to
become a translator, but fol-
lowed his true passion and
attended the Marco Polo
Culinary Institute in Genova. Fedozzi’s
career began in the kitchens of some
of Europe’s most renowned establish-
ments including: The Savoy Hotel in
London, England; Louis XII Restaurant
in Monte Carlo, Monaco; and Grand
Hotel Park in Gstaad, Switzerland. At
Ristorante Aladino in Genova, Fedozzi
became one of the first chefs in Italy to
present nouvelle cuisine. He strives to
share his enthusiasm for taste and pre-
sentation and lives by the philosophy
that “the quality of ingredients is every-
thing and simplicity of execution is a
must.”
What inspired you to become a chef, where did you study?My parents. Watching them creating
culinary masterpieces inspired me and
introduced me to the culinary world. I
studied at the Marco Polo Culinary In-
stitute of Genova where I got a Master in
Culinary and a bachelor in Hotel & Res-
taurant Administration.
What was the transition like com-ing from Italy to the States in terms of working in a restaurant for you? I spent a lot of time working abroad
and experienced many different work
environments. It is very easy for me to
adapt to new situations and work envi-
ronments. I guess I was lucky enough
to already know the language and open
a restaurant for childhood friends in
Manhattan.
Have any mentors? What have you learned from them?All the great Chefs/Teachers I worked
with in the past, but most of all my
parents. They taught me to be humble,
to have respect for others and to work
hard.
What are a few of your favorite ingredi-ents to cook with?Most definitely, house made pasta, fresh
herbs and EVOO.
Are you using sustainable sources for your dishes?As much as I can. I have been lucky
enough to work for companies that are
very committed to sustainability and I
always try to follow those guidelines as
strictly as possible.
What advice would you give to young chefs just getting started?To really take a hard look at this profes-
sion. It is a very rewarding job but it can
be extremely difficult. They have to be
willing to work very hard if they want to
be successful.
Do you change your menu seasonally? What’s the process in developing new menu entrées? Right now I don’t. In menu develop-
ment, the most important fundamen-
tal is the study of the demographic in
which you are cooking so you may es-
tablish and build the taste for your audi-
ence. After that, the availability of prod-
ucts especially if you are using local and
seasonal ingredients is critical. Another
Executive Chef Massimo FedozziGraceful Rose, Port Jefferson, NYWhile growing up in Northern Italy, Fedozzi was intimately involved with food from a
young age. He learned about pastas and antipasti at his parents’ salumi shops in Genova
and delighted in the meals and aromas while his family gathered around the kitchen table.
// CHEFCETERA UP CLOSE WITH METRO NEW YORK'S CHEFS
Fedozzi’s career began in the kitchens of some of Europe’s most renowned establish-ments including: The Savoy Hotel in London, England; Louis XII Restaurant in Monte Carlo, Monaco; and Grand Hotel Park in Gstaad, Switzerland. At Ristorante Aladino in Genova, Fedozzi became one of the first chefs in Italy to present nouvelle cuisine.
continued on page 75
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EYE notes that the 24th
Annual Wine, Spirits &
Culinary Celebration
& Casino Evening was
once again held at The
Lighthouse at Chelsea
Piers last month. The mission once
again was to raise money for the Nata-
lie Toedter Scholarship Fund to sup-
port students in their culinary educa-
tion — our future chefs, in cooperation
with C-CAP (Careers through Culinary
Arts Program) and culinary schools in
the New York Metropolitan Area — The
Culinary Institute of America, Johnson
And Wales, New York Technical College
and other philanthropic venues.
Attendees enjoyed a wide variety of
extraordinary food and desserts pre-
pared by leading chefs, plus fine wines
and spirits contributed by prestigious
wine distributors.
For one night only, the wonderful
creations of the chefs of some of the
finest restaurants included: Philip De
Maiolo - Pier 60 Chelsea Piers, NYC;
Kirk Avondoglio Perona Farms, NJ;
David Burke David Burke's, NJ, NYC,
Chicago, LasVegas; Ikuo Kamata Chez
Kama, Great Neck, NY; Sani Hebaj Mar-
riott New York Downtown, NYC; Randy
Zablo Foremost Caterers, Moonachie,
NJ; Uwe Toedter Columbia University;
Armando Monterroso New York Mar-
riott Marquis; John Halligan Park Steak
House, Park Ridge, NJ; Michael Lomo-
naco Porterhouse, NYC; Ben Pollinger
Oceana Restaurant, NYC; Mark Arnao
Ritz-Carlton Central Park, NYC plus
many more in one place at one time.
Uwe Toedter stated, “We have come
together to enjoy a selection of deli-
cious foods prepared by some of New
York’s finest chefs and some chefs who
have joined us from far away. Here you
may sample great food, paired with an
assortment of fine wines and spirits —
all at one place under one roof — sup-
plied by our local distributors. This
generosity is for one purpose only —
to raise money for the Natalie Toedter
Scholarship Program. We are most
proud to see the dedication, encour-
agement and support from the chef
community and our suppliers at this
evening’s event. We are excited to share
the extensive list of generous prize do-
nations from New York landmark ho-
tels and superb restaurants and many
friends and supporters from around
the country. We aim to make tonight’s
event memorable for all — our chefs,
suppliers and supporters, and most of
all you, the guests and friends of Es-
coffier! Although we can look back on
a very successful year, this year will be
even more rewarding. Our aim is to
preserve and continue the dream of
Natalie Toedter with the scholarship
in her name that will make a dream
become reality for another young stu-
dent. We can do this only with your
support, and we appreciate all of your
continued assistance. The funds raised
this evening will go toward the Natalie
Toedter Scholarship Program to assist
deserving students pursuing careers in
the hospitality industry in the New York
metropolitan area. Keep in mind that
‘the students of today will be the chefs
of tomorrow!’
We wish to extend our sincere thanks
and appreciation to the talented chefs,
wineries, spirit sponsors and all the
other participants in this evening’s
festivities. Last, but certainly not least,
we extend our heartfelt appreciation
to you, our guests, for supporting the
efforts of Les Amis d’Escoffier of New
York and the Natalie Toedter Scholar-
ship Program!”
Uwe Toedter, who served as execu-
tive chef at the New York Hilton and
Columbia University established the
scholarship for young women interest-
ed in pursuing a career in the hospital-
ity industry, in memory of his daughter
Natalie, who passed away unexpected-
ly of heart failure at the age of 21."Nata-
lie's dream was to be in the hospitality
industry," Toedter explained.
24th Annual Wine, Spirits & Culinary Celebration & Casino EveningNew York Cooks For Natalie, Benefits The Natalie Toedter Scholarship Foundation
// EYE METRO NEW YORK'S FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
(L to R) Joseph Manfredi & Carmine A. Marletta
(L to R) Rossano Philip, Sylvestry K., &Nick Eltz (L to R) Uwe Toedter, Jens Stumpf, Kurt Keller, Philip De Mailo
45 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
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Connecticut Chef and Res-
taurateur, George Pasto-
rok, has earned a great
reputation in the Nutmeg
state for offering mouth-
watering offerings at rea-
sonable prices over the years with in
smaller towns where great restaurants
are hard to come by. His most popu-
lar restaurant operation was a high-
end steakhouse out of Newtown, CT
called G.P. Cheffields. Though the
very successful steakhouse has been
closed for quite sometime as George
Pastorok left the foodservice indus-
try to focus on his insurance busi-
ness, he still had a passion to get back
into the foodservice industry. George
partnered with his brother Gregory
to open a new pizza establishment
called GG’s Wood Fire Pizza.
What or who inspired you to become a chef, any culinary training?I had many sources of inspiration
that led me to become a chef, well the
obvious answer coming from an Ital-
ian family, my mom and grandmoth-
er, but there are more influences such
as, Pacelli’s Bakery or Frances Pastry
Shoppe, going to Sorrento’s Market
and Venetian Gardens, or into a base-
ment of a home that was converted
into a small restaurant where Nonna’s
and Zia’s would be making macaro-
ni, sauce, tying and frying braciole,
pressing pizzelle’s.
There I found people to be so happy,
and never did I encounter someone
that was cooking not to be in a good
mood and it was obvious they loved
what they were doing.
My love and passion for food came
from working alongside my grand-
mother, her sisters and my mother,
helping roll pasta, stuff and cut ravi-
oli, rolling meatballs, and frosting
cookies. This led me to Johnson and
Wales in Providence R.I, where I stud-
ied Culinary Arts and Business. Back
in the 70’s and 80’s JW was not only
teaching you how to cook, but how to
run a business. They were not look-
ing to compete with the other schools
that pumped out chefs with no idea
how to run a kitchen.
After closing G.P. Cheffields and leaving the food industry for some
time, what brought you back?After selling G.P. Cheffields to the Vaz-
zano’s in 2003, I went on to sell food
for Dairyland The Chef’s Warehouse
for a couple of years. This education
on the road opened my eyes to many
different styles of restaurants; in my
travels I saw the true business side of
running a restaurant. I absorbed all
the management styles and buying
procedures from some of the great
restaurant owners in CT. So when I
made my mind up that I was going
back to the food industry I pulled on
all the resources I had obtained dur-
ing my stint at Dairyland and worked
on a concept that I knew would make
both me happy cooking and be eco-
nomically prosperous in today’s mar-
ketplace.
Why a pizza establishment so close to the ever popular New Haven Style pizza locations rather than another upscale restaurant?Opening a Pizza parlor, I love that
phrase, just reminds me of going to
the old Jennies on Grant St. or Jerry’s
Pizza in Bridgeport CT. When my
brother Gregory and I decided we
were going to do a Pizza Parlor so
close to two of the most famous piz-
za parlors in the country, we weren’t
worried but the people around us
were.
I felt that if we could make our piz-
za with the same passion from our
high end dining establishments, and
use the best ingredients available
we could be successful wherever we
opened.
You’re using a Mugnaini 160 oven imported from Italy? How was the decision made over some of the other popular ovens in the market?Using the Mugnaini oven from Italy
was a great choice of oven for us. We
had looked at others but kept coming
back to the Mugnaini. My first en-
counter was when my friend Gianni
Strano from Brewster NY had one in-
stalled at his home. It made delicious
pizzas and when we made our way to
Mario Batali’s Tarrytown location and
the Westport spot we knew we had
found our oven. At that point we real-
ized we could bake the style of pizza
we wanted to make in the Mugnaini.
In your opinion, is there a differ-ence in using wood or coal as a heat source for your oven?Using wood has made a difference
in our pizza that you can’t get us-
ing a coal-fired oven. The high heat
and flame results in a charring of the
George Pastorok, Co-Owner of GG’s Wood Fire Pizza, Milford, CT
// MEET THE NEWSMAKER
GG's Wood Fired Pizza restaurant owners George Pastorok (R) and his brother Gregory (L), pose with their Italian brick oven in Milford, CT.
PIZZA
47 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
dough that imparts the flavor of the
seasoned oven floor and the wood
we burn. The double fermentation
process we use to make our dough
allows the dough to fully cook in the
short amount of time it spends in the
oven. This process makes our pizza
more digestible and does not leave
you with that feeling of stuffiness af-
ter polishing off a pie by yourself!
Your main focus is pizza, any other menu items?Our main focus is pizza; it truly is the
star of GG’s. We have also developed a
wood-fired chicken wing that is deli-
cious and already has its own follow-
ing of wing connoisseurs. Our wings
bring back memories when we all ate
chicken with the skin on.
The oven chars and crisps the wings
and gives them an off the grill taste,
but does it in minutes as we put
them directly over the burning wood.
We also have beautiful salads, all of
which can be ordered family style for
the table. The same goes for our pasta
dishes.
My fourteen-year-old daughter
Belle makes our cavatelli, which she
learned to make beside my mom. All
our desserts are made here at the res-
taurant. We have a great Italian cook-
ie plate, a bungalow cake inspired by
one of my mentors Dominic Picarazzi
of Frances bakery, and also make the
sorbets and plan on having Italian Ice
for the summer months. We also have
a great local source; Bucks Ice Cream
here in Milford for salted caramel and
vanilla bean ice cream.
You play a key role in marketing the restaurant. What are some of those responsibilities and how important are they for running a successful res-taurant? Using Groupon, Facebook, etc.?
My brother Gregory has really opened
my eyes to the value of social net-
working and the Internet to market
our establishment.
Right now we are relying on a lot of
word of mouth to spread the word of
our opening, but we also use Face-
book and Twitter to talk about spe-
cials we have or upcoming events.
We would like to have our website
be a place where people can find out
about upcoming events, as well as
be interactive and a place where we
can all chat about what’s going on.
We are also marketing the restau-
rant through our local presence with
school groups and sports teams.
What are a few of your most essential ingredients for a great pie? Where are you sourcing your ingredients?Our pizza ingredients are fresh and
simple. We use San Marzano toma-
toes from Italy, imported Buffalo
mozzarella as well as our own fresh
mozzarella. We also make our own
sausage and use a pepperoni made in
Seattle that we slice ourselves.
We use the Mugnaini oven to wood
fire the onions, peppers, tomatoes
and vegetables we use as toppings.
Our clams come in daily right off a
boat that goes out of Devon CT. The
time we spent over the years in fine
dining has taught us using the high-
est quality ingredients and treating
food with respect will yield a great
product.
Our idol Dominic Demarco of Di
Fara’s in Brooklyn extols this philoso-
phy as you watch him make each pie,
hand grating the Grana Padano, tear-
ing at the buffalo mozzarella and clip-
ping the fresh basil as his pizza leaves
the oven. I use Dairyland- The Chefs
Warehouse as my lead purveyor, and
my salesperson Tim Mullen is an ex-
chef who always points us in the right
direction when choosing a product
for the menu.
Work with any local CT consultants and dealers for seating, kitchen equipment and installation?
Since coming back to CT in 1986 and
opening our first CT restaurant we
have developed some great relation-
ships within the food industry.
So when I decided to jump back in
this time, we had a readily available
stream of purveyors, printers, archi-
tects, and construction guys we have
used in the past. We have had a rela-
tionship with Warehouse Store Fix-
tures in Waterbury since 1986 when I
dealt with Oscar Silverman, a man of
great integrity who has since passed.
His son’s David and Roy have taken
up his passion and compassion for
their clients, and David helped us in
the early design stages and supplied
us with all of our kitchen equipment.
Creative Wholesale Meat in Fairfield
CT owner John Cuddy has been with
us since 1996, John’s knowledge of the
wholesale meat industry is second to
none.
The restaurant industry has a broad range of foods, what’s your buying approach?All of our relationships over the years
have made buying an easy task. You
still will need to know the market and
have multiple purveyors for items
that define your menu to keep every-
body on their toes. I always try to buy
the best quality ingredients for the
restaurant, and not all are the same,
for example you can buy hundreds
of great extra virgin olive oils from
all over the world, but if I need one
to dance a peppery dance on your
tongue, I will find the right one.
In your opinion, what’s the biggest changes you’ve seen in the restau-rant/pizza industry whether good, bad or both?One of the big changes I have seen
I felt that if we could make our pizza
with the same passion from our high
end dining establishments, and use the
best ingredients available we could be
successful wherever we opened.
continued on page 83
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Marsal Teams With Jersey Pizzeria To Anchor Expansion Scoop says for Ray Daruku, the chal-
lenge of growing his Ray's Traditional
pizza empire has been to find an oven
that would enable each of his units to
maintain the quality of the original
pie. So when it came time to add his
latest in Hillside, New Jersey to res-
taurants in Rochelle Park and Creskill,
Daruku turned to Marsal Ovens. In
the world of pizza ovens, Marsal &
Sons Inc. has been offering premium
quality ovens for over forty years. They
refer to themselves as “The new stan-
dard in the pizza industry.” For Ray’s
traditional pizza, this stands true.
Having been in the business since
1999, Ray’s Traditional only uses the
best. Having been in the industry for
a decade, he has encountered many
ovens and has found that “Marsal’s ov-
ens are just the best. With consistency
and everything. Just the best.” The SD
series commercial deck ovens have a
two-inch-thick cooking surface and
an exclusive left-to-right burner sys-
tem, ensuring that every pie has part
of the burner system directly under-
neath it. “When you put the pie in the
oven, you don’t even have to move it.
The consistency is perfect,” Ray noted.
Even heat distributions is what allows
for this consistency.
NYC’s ICE Hosts Pastry “Oscars”SCOOP says “Who are the best pastry
chefs in America today?” Every year
Dessert Professional magazine cel-
ebrates the Top Ten Pastry Chefs in
America with an awards ceremony at
the Institute for Culinary Education
in New York City. But while the chefs
themselves get the honor, attendees
- mostly industry professionals get
to sample desserts from all 10 pastry
chefs. While it's relatively easy and
convenient for the NYC pastry chefs
to create desserts for the 300+ guests,
there's always chefs who travel to NYC
and have to sort out a kitchen in which
to make their desserts. Sometimes this
proves a challenge. One of this year's
Top Ten is Roy Shvartzapel, from
Houston, Texas. Currently working
on the opening of Common Bond, his
new bakery in Houston, Shvartzapel
// SCOOP INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE
For Ray Daruku, the
challenge of growing
his Ray's Traditional
pizza empire has been to
find an oven that would
enable each of his units
to maintain the quality
of the original pie.
The Garden State's Ray's Traditional Pizza chain has built its new menu around the flexibiility
of the Marsal oven
New Yorkers topped the 2013 Pastry
Awards at ICE
51 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
connected himself to a commercial
kitchen in Queens, NY, where he spent
a week creating an array of pastries for
the crowd, and a few cakes that were
"just to be displayed." Then tragedy
hit the morning of the Awards, an as-
sistant at the kitchen where Shvartza-
pel was working managed to spill the
entire speed-rack full of 20 trays of
pastries, sending 500 individual petits
gâteaux tumbling to the ground.
Paramus Lands First Shake Shack In JerseyScoop sees that Shake Shack, the su-
per-popular burgers, hot dogs, fries,
and milkshake restaurant that has
drawn lines of customers everywhere
is now opened, from Manhattan to
Washington, D.C. to Istanbul, and is
coming to Paramus.
Edwin Bragg, director of marketing
and communications for Shake Shack,
confirmed what has been rumored
around Paramus since April - that the
borough had landed New Jersey's first
Shake Shack location. Shake Shack
will move into the space formerly oc-
cupied by the Stacks pancake restau-
rant. Workers are gutting the interior
and beginning the remodeling proj-
ect. Bragg said the Paramus Shake
Shack is scheduled to open in the
fall. The Shake Shack chain was born
in 2001 when New York restaurateur
Danny Meyer opened a hot dog stand
in Madison Square Park in Manhattan
to help raise funds to restore the park.
The stand was an instant hit, attract-
ing long lines of patrons, and by 2004
it had moved into a permanent loca-
tion in the park, and had expanded
its menu to include burgers, fries, and
ultra-rich shakes.
The chain now has more than 30 loca-
tions in the United States - including
the Mets' Citi Field - and in foreign cit-
ies, including London, Dubai, and two
locations in Istanbul. Meyer's Union
Square Hospitality Group also oper-
ates fine-dining restaurants in New
York City, including the Union Square
Café and Gramercy Tavern.
Shake Shack is the latest competitor in
the burger and milkshake category to
enter the North Jersey market, follow-
ing rapidly expanding chains such as
Smashburger and the Sonic drive-in
restaurants. Shake Shack falls into a
category that food analysts call "better
burger" - restaurants that feature 100
percent Angus beef, and hormone-
and antibiotic-free meats.
In A Twist, Manhattan Bar Is Served ‘On The Rocks’SCOOP sees that a new Midtown bar
Minus5, it’s not just manners that
compel patrons to use a coaster. With-
out one, their glasses, made of ice,
might fuse with the bar, which is also
made out of ice.
The same goes for the walls, the
shelves, even the chairs. The bar’s
co-founder, restaurant and entertain-
ment entrepreneur Robert Sabes, is
betting his ice bars are the next hot
trend. He opened the first two Ameri-
can Minus5 locations in Las Vegas in
2008. Last month, Minus5 Manhattan
opened the doors into its 23-degree
Fahrenheit interior. (That’s minus 5
degrees centigrade, hence the name.)
Inside the bar, a New York motif is
etched into the icy walls: the Manhat-
tan skyline; the Brooklyn Bridge; win-
try trees that are meant to evoke Cen-
tral Park; and a carving of the Statue of
Liberty.
There’s also a “boardroom” for busi-
ness-inclined New Yorkers, with ice
benches covered in faux deerskin. Mr.
Sabe was so convinced ice bars were
the next big thing, he and co-owner
Danny Meyer is set to open a Shake Shack unit in Paramus
Without a coaster, their
glasses, made of ice,
might fuse with the
bar, which is also made
out of ice.
The Shake Shack chain
was born in 2001 when
New York restaurateur
Danny Meyer opened
a hot dog stand in
Madison Square Park in
Manhattan to help raise
funds to restore the park.
continued on next page
CONNECTICUT NEW YORK
NEW JERSEY
• 181 Marsh Hill Road• 91 Brainard Road• 566 Hamilton Avenue• 15-06 132nd Street• 1966 Broadhollow Road • 720 Stewart Avenue• 43-40 57th Avenue• 1335 Lakeland Avenue• 650 S. Columbus Avenue• 305 S. Regent St.• 777 Secaucus Road• 45 East Wesley Street• 140 South Avenue• 1135 Springfield Road
• Orange, CT 06477• Hartford, CT 06114• Brooklyn, NY 11232• College Point, NY 11356• Farmingdale, NY 11735• Garden City, NY 11530• Maspeth, NY 11378• Bohemia, NY 11716• Mt. Vernon, NY 10550• Port Chester, NY 10573 • Secaucus, NJ 07094• S. Hackensack, NJ 07606• S. Plainfield, NJ 07080• Union, NJ 07083
• 203-795-9900• 860-549-4000• 718-768-0555• 718-762-1000• 631-752-3900• 516-794-9200• 718-707-9330• 631-218-1818• 914-665-6868• 914-935-0220• 201-601-4755• 201-996-1991• 908-791-2740• 908-964-5544
52 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Craig Ling put three years and more
than $5 million into the Manhattan
bar, which is at the Hilton on Sixth Av-
enue. Minus5 was a tough sell at times
when seeking out locations, said Mr.
Sabes.
Nobody in the U.S. has heard of the
likes of an ice bar. He and Mr. Ling,
who opened the first Minus5 locations
in Australia and New Zealand, finally
talked the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las
Vegas into housing the first American
location. Messrs. Sabes and Ling are
“in expansion mode” with Minus5,
said Mr. Sabes. They’re looking at loca-
tions in Washington, D.C., Miami, Chi-
cago and San Francisco among other
cities. Minus5 Manhattan’s $20 cover
charge comes with a borrowed parka
and gloves. For a little more, patrons
get a faux fur coat, or, as part of a VIP
package, a signature Russian-style hat.
Minus5 Manhattan fits about 50 or 60
patrons, most of whom stay in the
frigid temps for somewhere around
45 minutes. In Las Vegas, though, said
Mr. Sabes, a group of Canadians took
it upon themselves to set a record and
stayed in the bar for six hours.
Bubby’s To Pull Off Soda-Fountain TakeoutScoop hears that The Meatpacking
District is going to get a little more
wholesome this fall. Bubby’s, which is
slated to open just its second US store
in that neighborhood the first week in
September, will include a takeout area
with an old-fashioned soda fountain
shop. "Like the iconic Tribeca original,
made famous by glamorous diners
like John Kennedy the new location at
71-73 Gansevoort St. will be open from
6am to 4am daily," Chef/Owner Ron
Silver said. In the morning, the 2,800
square-foot restaurant will offer coffee
and pastries from a takeout window
along with cold-pressed juices. That
will morph to sandwiches and picnic
lunches for the High Line crowd dur-
ing the day and burgers and fries for
the late nightclub crawling crowd. The
restaurant will have 85 seats in the
dining room, and a coffee and soda
fountain takeout spot in the back. The
soda fountain shop concept will allow
Bubby’s to “showcase things that are
hidden in the basement in Tribeca,”
like the way the restaurant makes its
own soda and pies about 10 pies now,
and they change seasonally.
New Jersey’s Local Smoke BBQ Sets Sights On National TitleScoop notes that Local Smoke BBQ,
a team with a restaurant in Cook-
stown, took the New Jersey barbecue
championship at the recent event in
North Wildwood last month. The team
states: We are a competition barbecue
team specializing in the art of smoking
chicken, pork ribs, pork shoulder and
beef brisket.
We've represented New Jersey at con-
tests all over the country including
Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Geor-
gia, Nevada and in almost every state
from Virginia to Vermont. We have col-
lected over 100 awards including three
NJ State Championship titles. High-
lights include 1st place in Ribs against
488 teams at the American Royal
BBQ contest in Kansas City (which
is known as the World Series of BBQ)
and 1st place in Brisket at the National
BBQ Festival in Douglas, GA.
The New Jersey State Barbecue Cham-
pionship, a three-day open-air festi-
val featuring championship barbecue
competition; live cooking demonstra-
tions, special displays, and food and
beverage vendors to satisfy every taste
and appetite.
The Anglesea Blues Festival℠ featured
both national and regional blues
musicians and was held in conjunc-
tion with the New Jersey State Barbe-
cue Championship. Throughout the
weekend, free live entertainment was
featured as well as additional acts in
neighboring establishments.
The championship competition is
sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbe-
cue Society (KCBS), the world's largest
association of barbecue enthusiasts.
Over $10,000 in cash and prizes were
awarded at the 2013 New Jersey State
Barbecue Championship. The com-
petition was officiated by representa-
tives of KCBS and a panel of volunteer
Bubby’s in The Meatpacking District will include a takeout area with an old-fashioned soda fountain shop.
The team states: We are
a competition barbecue
team specializing in the
art of smoking chicken,
pork ribs, pork shoulder
and beef brisket.
The Garden State's local Smoke BBQ Team have set their sights on a Na-tional Championship
53 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
judges, many of whom are certified in
the art and science of judging com-
petitive barbecue. The Grand Cham-
pion of the New Jersey State Barbecue
Championship℠ is eligible to compete
in the invitation only world champi-
onship, the American Royale, held an-
nually in Kansas City, Missouri. In ad-
dition, the New Jersey State Barbecue
Championship is one of an elite group
of qualifying events for the World Food
Championships, entitling our Grand
Champion to compete in the World
Food Championships in Las Vegas, NV
where the total prize purse is $300,000.
Pizza professional Agron Dushaj is
utilizing the latest from Long Island
based Marsal ovens to maintain the
very highest quality of pizza baking at
the Garden State’s newest location in
Hillside, NJ.
Meat Man Pat LaFrieda Jr. Writing Double-Cut Memoir and CookbookScoop looks forward to superstar meat
purveyor’s Pat LaFrieda’s book, cur-
rently billed on its Amazon page in
the leanest possible way as Untitled
Cookbook Memoir. What kind of liter-
ary debut can we expect from the guy
who took the hamburger-eating world
a major step forward with LaFrieda's
custom Black Label Blend?
Grind on and find out. There will be
"frenching, rolling and tying," appar-
ently, in addition to meat-buying tips
(which include "inexpensive and un-
usual cuts"), and then more advanced
home butchering techniques. Pat Jr.'s
family narrative will weave through
the pages like a larding needle, telling
the story of how the company "used
passion and hard work to build an un-
paralleled meat empire." There'll also
be "100 gorgeous coffee-table worthy
photos of meat," and additional reci-
pes from the kitchen at Raoul's and all-
stars like Jimmy Bradley, Josh Capon,
and Lidia Bastianich. The publisher is
keeping mum for now on whether the
book, which comes out May 6, 2014,
will also include specs on how to make
your own Black Label blend at home.
DiCarlo Family Feted At Long Island GalaScoop notes that the Family Service
League is pleased to announce the
Scoop looks forward to superstar meat purveyor’s Pat LaFrieda’s book, currently billed on its Amazon page as Untitled Cookbook Memoir.
There will be "frenching,
rolling and tying,"
apparently, in addition to
meat-buying tips (which
include "inexpensive and
unusual cuts"), and then
more advanced home
butchering techniques.
54 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
success of the Summer Gala, an an-
nual Hampton’s favorite, which took
place last month under the grand tent
on The Great Lawn in Westhampton
Beach. The festive South Beach atmo-
sphere combined with so many FSL
supporters made this a truly special
event.
A wonderful evening for a great cause!
The Gala co-chairs, Linda Bohlsen
and Scott J. Skorobohaty, helped cre-
ate an extraordinary evening. Donald
Eversoll received the Fay J Lindner
Humanitarian Award and DiCarlo
Food Service received the Corporate
Leadership Award. Barbara Page re-
ceived the Vaughan Spilsbury Family
Advocacy Award and New York State
Senator John J. Flanagan received the
Government Leadership Award.
The 500 guests enjoyed delicious hors
d’oeuvres, cocktails, dinner, followed
by dancing and shopping for unique
designer gifts and services at the auc-
tion. All proceeds from the Gala sup-
port the programs and services that
the agency provides for 50,000 indi-
viduals and families in need each year.
Founded in 1926, FSL is a Long Island
based non-profit human services or-
ganization providing the region’s larg-
est safety net for over 50,000 people in
need.
Services are provided through more
than 50 different programs, in over 22
Long Island locations, all addressing
some of the most prevalent and press-
ing human needs in our communities.
FSL delivers tangible help and crisis
intervention across a broad spectrum
of service areas including counseling
to children, families and adults who
suffer with emotional problems, de-
velopmental disabilities, alcohol and
substance abuse, domestic violence,
child abuse and at-risk youth as well
as many training and job develop-
ment programs.
NYC’s Smoking Ban Marks 10th AnniversaryScoop says smoky restaurants and of-
fices and even smoke-filled bars, bus-
es and trains are mostly a historical
image in New York as the state marks
the 10th anniversary of its landmark
indoor smoking ban, which advocates
say saved thousands of lives while
most of its opponents' worst fears
blew away. Few measures in Albany
changed life in New York more.
The law relegated most smokers out-
doors while relieving nonsmokers
from facing secondhand smoke every
day at work. "The passage of New York
Michael and Teresa DiCarlo with Mr. and Mrs. Vincent DiCarlo
John DiCarlo Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Wagner, Mr. and Mrs. John DiCarlo Sr.
55 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
State's Clean Indoor Air Act was a his-
toric moment for public health," said
Blair Horner, Vice President of Advo-
cacy at the American Cancer Society
Cancer Action Network. "In 2002, the
average New York bar or restaurant
was essentially a hotbox of deadly
carcinogens. For hospitality workers
clocking an eight-hour shift, this was
an incredibly dangerous situation. In
the decade ending in 2009, smoking
among New York adults declined from
22 percent to 17 percent. The share of
smokers seeking to quit increased to
65 percent, from 54 percent,” Horner
said.
But before that, it cost jobs and busi-
nesses, said the Empire State Restau-
rant and Tavern Association, which
sued the state over the ban on behalf
of restaurant and bar owners who
were "petrified by the law."
But not for long. "People lost their jobs
and lost their businesses," said asso-
ciation Executive Director Scott Wex-
ler. "But in the long term, it did not
have the impact the industry feared.”
For 18 months after the law was en-
acted, business dropped off and bars
and restaurants closed or cut jobs as
smokers stayed home or went to pri-
vate clubs and fraternal groups.
Wexler said restaurants saw a 3 to 4
percent loss of business, while bars
saw an 18 percent decline and the as-
sociation lost 20 percent of its mem-
bership. Today, few owners complain
unless they are in direct competition
with private clubs or bars without out-
door patios where smoking is allowed.
Business returned quickly, but most
operators didn't get the bump in busi-
ness that anti-smokers predicted.
Several operators did say new custom-
ers were attracted by the smoke-free
environment. "On the restaurant side
of the business, our members are now
saying the things the anti-smoking ad-
vocates said they would experience:
It's nice going home not smelling of
smoke, it's cheaper to keep the restau-
rant clean and they don't know how
they worked in a smoking environ-
ment before," Wexler said.
In 2002, the average
New York bar or
restaurant was
essentially a hotbox of
deadly carcinogens.
56 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
“The Tri-State Food Expo will
be the first of its kind to ex-
clusively serve the growing
food service and retail food and bever-
age markets across New Jersey, western
Connecticut and the New York region
including New York City, Long Island
and those counties bordering northern
New Jersey,” said Bob Callahan, show
director. “The early response from ex-
hibitors, buyers, and the region’s trade
associations has been very positive, ex-
ceeding our expectations.”
Building further interest in the event,
is Diversified’s recently confirmed part-
nership with the New Jersey Restaurant
Association (NJRA), an association rep-
resenting more than 23,000 eating and
drinking establishments in the Garden
State. The NJRA’s restaurant and vendor
members will benefit from the partner-
ship in special attendee pricing, and ex-
clusive exhibit space access at the Expo.
“This show is unique and more af-
fordable than most trade events, as we
will provide booth furnishings for ex-
hibitors, saving them the expense and
inconvenience of bringing them,” said
Mr. Callahan. “Holding the event in the
Meadowlands Exposition Center also
gives us the flexibility to keep visitor
and exhibitor costs down. In addition
to the turnkey booth package, the facil-
ity offers easy access, inexpensive hotel
accommodations and ample parking.”
The Expo will be open to qualified re-
tail and foodservice trade buyers. Buy-
ers must be affiliated with food service
establishments, institutional dining, re-
tailers or retail food service. Exhibitors
will include food and equipment man-
ufacturers, manufacturing agents and
suppliers, food and equipment distrib-
utors, dealers, brokers and traders. The
Tri-State Food Expo attendee registra-
tion will be available in June 2013. For
additional information on attending,
visit www.tri-statefoodexpo.com. For
information on exhibiting your prod-
uct or service, contact Harrison Hines,
hhines@divcom.com, (207) 842-5664
New Tri-State Food Expo for Food Service & Retail Market to Debut October 2013The Tri-State Food Expo (tri-statefoodexpo.com), a new trade show for the burgeoning New
York/New Jersey/Connecticut tri-state food service and retail food industry, will debut at the
Meadowlands Convention Center in Secaucus, New Jersey October 1 – 2, 2013.
// NEWS TRADE SHOWS
57 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
58 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
59 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
60 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
The national chain's new loca-
tion, at 136 Washington St.,
is just a stone's throw from
where it was before the Twin
Towers fell.
The new Morton's sits in front of
the National September 11 Memo-
rial & Museum and across from the
W hotel, giving it access to hoards of
tourists. Tilman Fertitta, chairman of
corporate parent Landry's Restaurants,
who made an appearance at the recent
grand opening, has lightened up Mor-
ton's design since he bought the chain
in 2011.
The split-level space with a ground-
floor lounge is decorated primarily in
black, but Mr. Fertitta installed a glass
façade. The lower-level dining room,
with surprisingly low ceilings, seats 92.
Decor aside, the chophouse is likely to
be embraced by the expense-account-
toting finance types who will fill the ris-
ing towers in the neighborhood.
Morton's The Steakhouse (formerly
Morton's of Chicago) was founded in
1978 by Arnie Morton and Klaus Frit-
sch. Today, there are 76 locations in the
chain. Morton's locations are deco-
rated with a similar style, concept and
decor. Approximately 80% of the busi-
ness for Morton's is based on business
expense accounts, with an average
guest bill being $88. 80% of the entrees
ordered are beef, while that total makes
up 38% of the restaurant's overall sales.
In December 2011, Morton’s Restau-
rant Group, Inc. announced that it had
signed a definitive agreement with Fer-
titta’s wholly owned company Fertitta
Morton’s Restaurants Inc. an affiliate of
Landry’s, Inc., whereby Feritta, through
an acquisition subsidiary, acquire all of
the outstanding shares of Morton’s for
a 34% premium.
In 2012 Fertitta was one of 21 new-
comers to the 2012 list of the World’s
Billionaires. Ranked at number 854
with a net worth of $1.5 billion.
Fertitta was raised in Galveston,
Texas, and attended Texas Tech Uni-
versity and the University of Houston
where he studied business administra-
tion and hospitality management. He
showed an entrepreneurial streak even
in college when he started his own firm
focused on marketing and sales and,
after college, development and con-
struction.
From there, Fertitta began building
homes while selling Shaklee vitamins
on the side. He moved full-time into
foodservice in 1986 working as a real es-
tate specialist for Landry's. It was only a
few short months before he bought the
chain. Initially, he was not the largest
advocate for Landry's as a restaurant,
but agreed that they had great food. He
saw potential, and knew he could make
it his own. In 1988 he became the sole
owner, buying out the Landry's broth-
ers and other investors. After some early
troubles, Fertitta expanded the chain to
include nearly a dozen restaurant chains
and individual entities.
Referred to by Forbes as The World's
Richest Restaurateur, Fertitta is an ex-
tremely successful businessman. He
attributes his successes to the priva-
tization of his restaurants, ensuring
he could invest in any properties he
thought suitable. He believes it is not
necessarily the quality of the food
served at a restaurant that brings in
the money, but the location. Placing
most of his restaurants on the coast,
he realizes that people want to enjoy
seafood, by the sea. But his restaurant
success does not end there; he has
also acquired the well-known Rainfor-
est Cafe, which earned him the title of
“a brash, arrogant, bargain-basement,
bottom-feeing acquisition nemesis.”
Words spoken by the previous owner
and founder of Rainforest Cafe.
Along with his business savvy, Fer-
titta is known for his cutthroat atti-
tude. He focuses on companies that
are going under, that he knows need
his help to get on their feet, purchases
them and makes them his own. Taking
ownership of every restaurant on the
Kemah Boardwalk in Texas, he turned
the small shrimping attraction into
“the Land of Landry's”, into a popular
theme park.
As the economy improves, Fertitta
is seeing fewer chances to make his
moves. He has turned his attention to
casinos, an industry which he is already
both familiar, and successful with. Pur-
chasing the Trump Marina in Atlantic
City, New Jersey in 2011, he rebranded
it as the Golden Nugget Atlantic City.
He has plans to renovate and rebrand
another property in Biloxi, Mississippi
as a Golden Nugget.
Fertitta now operates 56 brands and
421 locations. He owns the Golden
Nugget Casinos, Houston's Kemah
Boardwalk, the Tower of the Americas
in San Antonio and the San Luis Re-
sort in Galveston. Using Landry's as his
crutch, he entered into the restaurant
world as an investor and has come out
a complete success.
The new Manhattan outpost is
10,500 square foot Morton’s which
is being managed by Kimberly Ge-
herin, has a bar on the street level and
the main dining room and boardrooms
on a lower level. The restaurant’s wine
list includes entries at over $5000 a bot-
tle and introduced “power hours” that
feature $6 plates between 4:30-6:30 pm
and after 9 pm.
Morton’s Returns To Manhattan After Long AbsenceIn yet another sign of a reviving downtown, Morton's The Steakhouse reopened at the World
Trade Center last month after more than a decade's absence from the neighborhood.
// NEWS RESTAURANTS
The National Chain is yet another milestone in the Renaissance of the Financial District
61 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
62 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Do you support the culture of fin-ing that has existed under the current administration?I do not support a culture of
targeting small businesses and en-
trepreneurs who are trying to create
economic industries and jobs that are
vital to the city’s economy. Fines only
impose a monetary punishment to
those who have not obeyed the rules
and regulations. Fines should not be
seen as a revenue generator for the
city, and the city should not be bal-
ancing its budget on the back of small
business owners. Instead, we should
be doing everything we can to foster
and support our small business. They
are critical to our economy and pro-
vide accessible jobs.
A better approach to supporting small
businesses that usually obey the rules
is to enforce the rules on those that
do not. Those who do not are usually
just a handful of bad apples and en-
forcement can be done in a rigorous,
frequent manner with the coordina-
tion of multiple agencies and com-
munity groups. Agencies need to go
back to the basics of education before
enforcement. As mayor, I would direct
personnel from the Department of
Small Business services to work with
business owners and help them come
into compliance. Through coopera-
tion we can support business and en-
sure that restaurants are safe and fol-
lowing health regulations.
How would you enhance or reform the Department of Small Business Services
and/ or the Small Business Acceleration Team?The Department of Small Business
Services could be enhanced through
the expansion of its Business Out-
reach Team. If the city wants to truly
help businesses succeed, they need
to be available for businesses when
they need them and on their time.
The Business Outreach Team could
use more experienced field staff who
can spend more time out in the field
reaching out to business owners and
listening to their needs and bringing
much-needed resources and services
directly to them. The truth is, business
owners usually do not have the time or
money to travel to an agency or center
to get help, let alone pay fines. Busi-
ness owners are usually found in their
place of business, and that’s where the
department needs to start providing
assistance.
How would you work with borough presidents to ensure restaurants have a fair hearing at the commu-nity boards?
Having been a borough president, I
know this process all too well. And hav-
ing been a district manager of a local
community board, I know the head-
aches that businesses go through and
the terrible experience that they usually
have with the city bureaucracy–waiting
for permits, certificates of occupancy,
waiting for sign-offs on licensing, the
multiple agencies they often have to go
through and of course the economic
impact on their businesses and the
economy in general. Having said that,
I would commission my team–my five-
borough team–to work on two levels
with the borough presidents. One to
give regular briefings and presenta-
tions on all of the business services we
provide and the polices behind them to
borough boards. The other would be to
dispatch a local team from the borough
Business Solution Centers to each of the
community boards on a regular basis.
We need to make government more
user-friendly. This is not about the gov-
ernment’s convenience. It’s about the
convenience of the citizenry and busi-
nesses of New York.
Do you support the culture of fining that has existed under the current administration?I recently heard a story of a small busi-
ness that got fined something like
$14,000 for some items associated with
a toy gun. It was a little package that
had a badge, a toy gun and some other
things for kids. It cost the guy about $65
to buy a small case of these toys and
rather than the city coming in and say-
ing look I am going to give you a warn-
ing, you can’t sell that item because they
don’t have the bright orange cap on the
front. The city rather than saying this is
a problem you have to stop, they fined
him thousands of dollars and now the
guy has to go hire a lawyer to try to bring
that back down. At the end of the day,
it practically puts him out of business.
These are hand-to-mouth businesses.
They are stretched financially. Every
penny counts. The city should not be
in the business of punishing small busi-
nesses like restaurants. They should be
in the business of helping them to get
through difficult times and comply with
the rules. The city government works for
the businesses and not the other way
around. The city should not be using
small business as its ATM.
Adolfo Carrión, Jr.,Independent Mayoral Candidate
John LiuDemocratic Mayoral Candidate
63 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
How would you enhance or reform the Department of Small Business Services and/ or the Small Business Acceleration Team?
Small businesses have been operat-
ing in a constant state of crisis for too
long in this city. In neighborhoods like
mine in Bay Ridge, they not only serve
the community, they employ it and of-
fer their services and space to help
schools, nonprofits, and other commu-
nity groups. It's time for them to have a
Mayor that helps them in return. Many
small business owners are immigrant
entrepreneurs. As an immigrant my-
self, I want to ensure that all city agen-
cies that work with small businesses are
culturally and linguistically competent.
I'll also drag them into the 21st century
by bringing permitting and licensing
online, making applications easier and
processing time faster so that business
owners aren't forced to sit in limbo and
lose money while bureaucracy muddles
along.
How would you work with borough presi-dents to ensure restaurants have a fair hearing at the community boards?In every neighborhood that I visit, at
least one restaurateur tells me they just
aren't being heard. They feel shaken
down and then ignored by their govern-
ment. That's just not right. I'll have an
open line of communication with bor-
ough presidents and encourage them
to give restaurant-owners and associa-
tions a seat at the table when important
restaurant-related policies are being
considered.
Do you support the culture of fining that has existed under the current administration?Absolutely not. Health and safety rules
are, as the name suggests, meant to
protect the health and safety of custom-
ers and employees. They are not meant
solely as revenue generators for the city.
Under my administration, inspectors
would operate under a "warn first, help
second, fine third" approach. If an in-
spection turned up violations, owners
would be given a warning and helped to
understand how they can bring them-
selves up to code. They would be given
a period to correct the violations, after
which, if they have not done so, they
would be fined appropriately. Instead
of "dine and dash," we've been practic-
ing "fine and dash." That's not how you
protect the public or encourage small
businesses to improve.
Sal AlbaneseDemocratic Mayoral Candidate
How would you enhance or reform the Department of Small Business Services and/ or the Small Busi-ness Acceleration Team?
I would put as much of the permit pro-
curement process as possible, and all
information important to restaurants
just starting up, online in an easy to
understand format. For example, pro-
motion of the map of new restaurants
must be improved and the informa-
tion included on it needs to be en-
hanced to provide such information
as type of cuisine.
How would you work with borough presi-dents to ensure restaurants have a fair hearing at the community boards?I would have a representative from
the Mayor's Office at each commu-
nity board meeting with instructions
to work with the district managers
and board members to overcome any
obstacles that may come up for a pro-
posed restaurant. My representative
would make it known that he/she will
remain after the meeting to listen to
any objections from the community
so that my office may expeditiously
respond to them, as well as any allega-
tions that the proposal is not receiving
fair treatment from the community
board.
Do you support the culture of fining that has existed under the current administration? No. I would eliminate quotas that help
to drive the inspectors' pens and make
certain that restaurants are not looked
at as ATM's providing revenue for the
city. Summonses should only be is-
sued for serious violations. The city
should work with the restaurateur to
eliminate lesser problems without a
fine.
How would you streamline the permit process for restaurants, alcohol licenses? I would put as much of the permit
process as possible online with easy
to understand instructions in several
languages.
Erick SalgadoDemocratic Mayoral Candidate
For complete interviews and access to more NYC Mayoral Candidates, visit us at www.totalfood.com/nyc-mayoral-forum
64 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
How would you enhance or reform the Department of Small Busi-ness Services and/ or the Small Business Acceleration Team?
I will end the excessive fines and fees
on our city’s small businesses. The
city's current quota system is out-
rageous–and it will end when I'm
Mayor. Small businesses aren't ATM
machines for city revenue; they help
us create jobs and develop communi-
ties.
How would you work with borough presi-dents to ensure restaurants have a fair hearing at the community boards?Restaurants should not be punished,
lose their liquor licenses or be shut
down. I will work with all parties
involved, including borough presi-
dents, to ensure that restaurants are
given a fair hearing before commu-
nity boards.
How do you clarify for restaurant owners the regulations that pertain to them? It’s impossible to learn a lesson from
getting punished without know-
ing what you are getting punished
for. In regards to restaurants–and all
other businesses, for that matter–I
will work to make our city’s rules and
regulations easier to understand as
Mayor. That way, a business can do
things right the first time–saving time
and money.
Do you support the culture of fining that has existed under the current adminis-tration?
As Mayor, I will ensure that the city
stops nickel and diming business-
es through aggressive fines. These
last 12 years have shown that fining
doesn’t teach businesses anything,
especially when they are fined for
violations they did not know even ex-
isted. We need to reform the current
system and eliminate excessive fines
on businesses.
What are your views on the paid-sick leave legislation? Do you see any other wage/hour legislation coming?I am a staunch supporter of paid-sick
leave. We should no longer force par-
ents to choose between holding their
jobs and caring for loved ones–paid-
sick leave legislation is an excellent
way to ensure just that.
Bill ThompsonDemocratic Mayoral Candidate
How would you work with borough presidents to ensure restaurants have a fair hearing at the commu-nity boards?
Both community leaders and business
owners must be involved in a conversa-
tion about how we can grow local econ-
omies while protecting the public’s
health. As Mayor, I will work with bor-
ough presidents to develop an open di-
alogue between restaurant owners and
neighborhood leaders about defining
a fair set of criteria against which the
development and management of res-
taurants can be judged by community
boards. I will also work with borough
presidents on the development of eco-
nomic development hubs that will help
businesses navigate regulatory rules,
comply with wage and labor laws and
avoid consumer and health violations.
How would you enhance or reform the De-partment of Small Business Services and/ or the Small Business Acceleration Team?The Department of Small Business
Services must work more closely with
community-based organizations to
increase knowledge of services. SBS
currently dispenses services through
brick and mortar centers that place
the onus on businesses to seek out
help. The agency should partner with
cultural, religious and community-
affiliated groups to disseminate infor-
mation about the programs it offers. I
believe that SBS should change its cur-
rent outreach strategy by increasing the
amount of resources allotted to reach-
ing immigrant businesses at their place
of business. A targeted campaign that
goes from business to business will be
a more effective means of reaching im-
migrant businesses, many of which do
not have a history of seeking out ser-
vices at government centers.
Bill de BlasioDemocratic Mayoral Candidate
For complete interviews and access to more NYC Mayoral Candidates, visit us at www.totalfood.com/nyc-mayoral-forum
Tyler Pager is a free-lance writer based in West Harrison, New York. He is a rising freshman at North-western University's Medill School of Jour-n a l i s m . H e w a s
named the 2013 New York State Journalist of the Year by the Journalism Education Association. His work has been published in The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Caller and The Daily Northwestern.
65 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Producing these piec-
es requires a trained
eye that understands
scale, form and com-
position and a prac-
ticed hand that can
execute a vision for turning raw in-
gredients into edible art.
ICE's Techniques and Art of Profes-
sional Cake Decorating was devel-
oped for anyone with an interest in
pursuing a rewarding career in cake
decorating. This multi faceted, 240-
hour program was developed and is
led by ICE's award-winning Chef In-
structor Toba Garrett.
The program starts with the basics of piping and moves on to explore
all intricate elements of decorating,
including the many international
styles of cake artistry, such as Nir-
vana, Lambeth, Australian and Ori-
ental string.
With the final lessons of the pro-
gram supported by renowned Chef-
Instructors Elisa Strauss and Collette
Peters, you will also learn contem-
porary designs, airbrushing tech-
niques, painting with precision,
novelty cakes, advanced sugar floral
work and hand sculpting skills. Fi-
nally, at the conclusion of the pro-
gram, you will have the confidence
to tackle any cake project and will
present a grand finale of stunning
cakes and sugar artistry.
For graduates of ICE's other pro-
grams wanting to specialize in cake
decorating or existing business own-
ers looking to take their products to
a higher level, this culinary school
pastry program provides the inten-
sive training and guidance necessary
to establish a competitive advantage
in this lucrative component of the
food world.
With over a dozen international gold
and silver medals, Master Chef-In-
structor Toba Garrett is one of the
most respected artists in her field
and a seasoned instructor with years
of experience. Chef Garrett is the
author of Professional Cake Deco-
rating, the first professional cake
decorating textbook designed at
teaching all aspect of cake art, The
Well-Decorated Cake and Creative
Cookies – Delicious Decorating for
any Occasion. Garrett's work has ap-
peared on national TV and in count-
less magazines, and in 2010, Garrett
was named one of the 10 best cake
artists in the U.S. In 2011, her book
Wedding Cake Art and Design – a
Professional Approach received an
IACP award in the "Professional
Kitchen" category.
An ICE Pastry & Baking Arts gradu-
ate, Elisa Strauss founded Confetti
Cakes in 2000 after her study at ICE,
as well as Vassar College and the Art
Institute of Chicago. Her creations
have made numerous appearances
on TV (Today Show, Sex and the City,
The View, Martha, Food Network's
“Extreme Cake Challenge” where she
won the grand prize), and countless
publications (InStyle, Martha Stew-
art Weddings, Marie Claire, Seven-
teen, Elle, Vogue, Modern Bride, New
York magazine, BRIDES, Elegant
Bride, The Knot) and in 2008 was
selected as one of America’s Top Ten
Pastry Chef’s in Pastry Art and De-
sign.
Elisa’s first book, The Confetti Cakes
Cookbook, is in its sixth printing,
and her second book entitled Con-
fetti Cakes for Kids was released
in the Fall of 2008. Program Start
Date: 8/16 Schedule: 1:00-5:00pm,
Mon-Fri Duration: 240 hours over 12
weeks Tuition: $13,653.93 Financial
Aid: Sallie Mae loans may be avail-
able to those who qualify.
Approved as licensed program by New
York State Department of Education.
This program is not within the scope
of ACCSC accreditation. It is not de-
signed to provide vocational training
and is intended for students pursuing
continuing education.
New ICE Program Highlights the Art of Professional Cake DecoratingTheir ever-increasing public profile and place in our celebratory rites have created
a booming business trend within the culinary world.
// NEWS EDUCATION
ICE's Techniques and Art of Professional Cake Decorating was developed for anyone with an interest in pursuing a rewarding career in cake decorating.
ICE's Techniques and Art of Professional
Cake Decorating was developed for
anyone with an interest in pursuing a
rewarding career in cake decorating.
66 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
There’s a certain sense of
pride you should have if
your boss has assigned
a server-in-training to
you. It means that you’re
doing your job well and are capable of
showing someone else the ropes. So
take a moment to congratulate your-
self: you are a great server! But what
happens when you’re unsure of how
exactly to train someone? You may
have been doing the job for so long
that you know everything as if sec-
ond nature, so teaching someone else
without forgetting something can be
a little nerve wracking. Some restau-
rants have a strict training policy, but
others kind of just throw you into it, so
be prepared no matter which category
your job falls into.
Of course, there are a few things to
keep in mind when training: does
the person you’re training have expe-
rience…or not? At first, I would sug-
gest treating each new employee as if
they’re learning for the first time and
work from there. The more experi-
ence you see, the less you’ll be teach-
ing about how to be an actual server
and the more you’ll be teaching about
the working system of your particular
restaurant. Either way, here are a few
8 tips on how to train a new waiter/
waitress.
TIP #1: Get OrganizedThere are so many things that need
to be taught that some of us don’t
even know where to begin. If
you have enough notice from
your boss on when the first
day of training is, take some
time before then to make
a list of everything that
needs to be shown to the
newcomer. What’s
the first
thing you want to show them? What
are the most important things that
the trainee should memorize? What
do they need to learn first in order to
learn the way the restaurant is run?
Here’s an example of a list of priorities,
starting with the first day of training:
• Menu Knowledge
• Wine List Knowledge (if appli-
cable)
•Floor Plan Knowledge (table
numbers, bar area, sections,
etc.)
• Tour of the res-
taurant (so the trainee
knows where everything
is: bathrooms, stock
rooms, fridges,
stations, etc)
• How
to
clock in and clock out
• Cleaning tasks and side works
• Tables (presentation, cleaning,
preparations, etc)
• The “running” system of the
restaurants (how to run drinks
from the bar, salads, soups, hot
food, etc)
• How to greet customers
• How to take orders
• How to ring up the orders (POS
System)
• Any steps of service (check backs,
recooks, how to handle any com-
plaints, etc)
• Serving coffee and dessert
• Presenting the check
• Closing duties
• Closing cleaning tasks and re-
stocking
• Sales report at the end of the shift
• Rules of the restaurant
Make sure you follow a certain
schedule so that their training makes
sense. You don’t want to start show-
ing them how to take orders if they
haven’t even begun to memorize the
menu (although, in my opinion, the
trainee should have at least 85% of
the menu memorized by their first
day of training. Tip of the Day: Learn
Your Menu.) Following your list of
priorities will help you make sure you
didn’t skip a step.
TIP #2: ShadowingA very important step. Have your
trainee “shadow” your every move.
Before they even take an order, have
them watch every step you take. Tell
them to note how you speak with the
customers, your tone of voice, your
facial features, your posture, etc. Ev-
ery little thing is important and if your
restaurant has a way of presenting
specials, up-selling promotions, or
even describing the catch of the day
The Waitress has been working in the food and service industry for over 8 years having
experienced the restaurant business from several different angles. Her experience is
anything from hostess to waitress and expeditor to floor manager which has inspired her
to share her personal advice for servers everywhere and her thoughts on the restaurant
business. She uses her everyday experiences to gather ideas for her blog, 'The Waitress
Confessions.' To contact The Waitress or to read her blog visit thewaitressconfessions.
wordpress.com or follow her via Twitter: @WConfessions
// THE WAITRESS CONFESSIONS WITH THE WAITRESS
8 Tips On How to Train a New Waiter/Waitress
67 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
make sure that your trainee knows the
proper way to do these things. Con-
sistency is very important in the res-
taurant business.
Also, when it comes time to picking
up the speed and running drinks and
food, it’s important that your trainee
recognizes the pace of your particu-
lar restaurant and learns how to keep
up with it. At a quickly paced restau-
rant, the last thing you want is for your
trainee to get stuck in 2nd gear when
they should be shifting it up a few
notches. Tell them to keep up with
you and that you want them 2 steps
behind at all times.
TIP #3: Answer their questionsNo matter how naive the question may
seem, just answer it in a polite way. It
may seem like common sense to you,
but remember that every restaurant is
different and they just want to know
how things run at their new place of
work. The more questions they ask,
the better. Take note, however, if they
are asking the same questions over
and over. They are there to learn and
soak up as much knowledge as they
can, but if they can’t retain any of the
things you are teaching them, it may
be a red flag.
TIP #4: Ask questionsThis is the best way for new servers
to learn, especially when it comes to
learning the menu. Ask them to de-
scribe certain dishes for you. If they
stumble or come out with a wishy-
washy description, show them the cor-
rect way of describing the restaurants’
meals and tell them to practice. Ask
them to name all the beers the restau-
rant offers on tap. They may respond,
for example, like this “Uh…Heinek-
en…um, Guinness….” so be prepared
to show off a little and show them how
you list off all the beers. Asking ques-
tions before customers get a chance
to ask them is the best way for them
to be prepared when it comes time for
them to take orders. Feel free to ask
questions out of the blue and don’t be
afraid to put them on the spot. During
a rush, they’ll need to be prepared so
catch them off guard so when the time
comes they aren’t flailing for answers.
TIP #5: Role playPretend you are a customer and go
through a dry run of taking a table’s or-
der. Have them come up to you (pre-
tending to be a customer) and act out
a service. If you think it’s silly…well it
is a little. But it’s the best way for you
to get an idea of how they will be once
faced with real customers. Remem-
ber, they will be practicing on your
tables, so you want them to make as
little mistakes as possible. A dry run
will help you to correct any bad habits,
mistakes, and allow you to make sug-
gestions. Also, it will give the trainee a
chance to get out their nerves before
heading over to their first table.
TIP #6: Shadow themOnce the training has been done and
you are ready to see them in action, let
them take the reigns for a while. In-
form them that they will be handling
everything from A to Z and you’ll be
following them to make sure that they
are serving the guests properly. Be
ready to jump in when they aren’t
sure and take mental notes on any-
thing that they are doing that doesn’t
meet your restaurant’s standards. At
the end of the day, go over what they
need to work on, point out any strong
points or things that they did perfect-
ly, and ask if they have any questions
or comments about how they believe
their service was.
TIP #7: Give them spaceIf your trainee is catching on quickly
and is starting to really get a feel for
the job, give them a bit of space. Back
off and let them take the wheel for a
bit. See how they do on their own. Let
them make a few minor mistakes so
that they will learn (while making
sure it doesn’t affect your customer’s
dining experience of course). Make
a few comments here and there such
as “Hurry it up a bit” or “You forgot
to order their drinks” and ask a few
questions to help guide them such
as “What are you forgetting on that
table?” or “What’s your priority right
now?” But other than that, pretend
that they are working alone. It’s the
best way for you to see if they are ca-
pable of handling the job and the best
way for them to get a real sense of
what is expected of them.
TIP #8: Teach them how to Spoil Their CustomersEvery restaurant has a different way of
spoiling their customers. Whether it
be offering a drink on the house for a
regular customer or going above and
beyond the steps of service, there are
always ways that you can teach some-
one how the restaurants’ customers
prefer to be served. Your trainee may
have worked at a previous restaurant
that wasn’t as keen about giving good
service as you, so make sure they live
up to the standards of the restaurant.
Now you’re all set for the basics of
training a new waiter/waitress. Of
course, there are so many other little
details, but this will help give you an
overview of what to do and tricks on
how to get the best out of your trainee.
68 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
It has an existing customer base
in the region, including clients
from Delaware, Maryland, New
Jersey, New York, Pennsylva-
nia and Washington, D.C. The
new warehouse, like its existing coun-
terpart in Southfield, Mich., will be
serviced from Restaurant Equippers’
200,000-sq.-ft. distribution center in
Ohio.
“The Greater Philadelphia store will
provide tremendous opportunities
not only to expand our presence in the
region, but also to deliver our brand
of service and product offerings to a
broader base of customers looking for
a reliable supplier,” said Restaurant
Equippers President Larry Dach.
"Demand from current customers
on the East Coast, plus the potential
sales growth from new customers, con-
vinced us that a brick-and-mortar store
made sense," Dach noted. "When we
look at Philadelphia, we already have
10,000 customers and we mail more
than 100,000 catalogs to potential cus-
tomers within 100 miles of this loca-
tion."
"We stock absolutely everything a
restaurant needs at low warehouse
prices," added Howard Task , the firm's
Vice President. "Customers literally
drive away with any and every item
necessary to open their doors. "Our
customers know, if you need 40 chairs
quickly, if you need freezers, refrigera-
tors, you name it, 99 percent of it we'll
have in stock. Just bring your truck in
and you can drive it away."
The store has opened in The Point, a
former multiplex movie theater site at
NJ 38 and NJ 70 in Pennsauken near the
NJ Turnpike, I-295, and the Ben Frank-
lin Bridge to Center City Philadelphia.
"We're a warehouse store. We have low
prices on restaurant equipment, and
we have restaurant supplies," Dave
Kelly, the chain's marketing director,
said.
Why Pennsauken? "We have a strong
client base there now with our cata-
logue and our direct mail and our Web
site," said Kelly. "We have clients in
Philadelphia, New York, Maryland. We
have clients in Western Pennsylvania
who drive to our Columbus store. So
we looked at markets in the East," and
Philly was central, and affordable.
Restaurant Equippers has created a
much talked about strategy that blends
on-line retailing with "bricks and mor-
tar." "We successfully operate three
channels that provide restaurant oper-
ators with flexibility and convenience.
We operate a robust web store, mail 3.2
million catalogues annually, and with
the addition of the New Jersey store
the company now has three warehouse
stores open to the public,” Task contin-
ued.
In each of its channels, Restaurant
Equippers has focused on customer
service. "We understand that many
restaurateurs do not want to spend
thousands of dollars online for refriger-
ation and cooking equipment without
talking to a professional that can assist
them with their needs,” Dach added.
"All of our associates have restaurant
experience - from owning an indepen-
dent restaurant to managing a major
chain restaurant to working in the back
room or as wait staff. We also have con-
tinuing education classes at each store
throughout the year. When we talk
with our customers 99% of the time the
#1 reason they tell us that they shop
Restaurant Equippers is the knowledge
and friendliness of our associates. I am
very proud of our store associates."
With stores in Ohio and Michigan,
Restaurant Equippers, owned by the
children of founder Morris Dach, op-
erates some of "the largest restaurant
equipment warehouses in the coun-
try," says Brandon Anapol of Metro
Commercial Real Estate, who negoti-
ated the lease for the chain. The Point
was represented by the Glimcher
Group Inc.
"We are the fastest growing mass
merchandiser of restaurant equipment
and supply in the country," added Task.
"But we never forget that our success
has always been the ability to work one
on one with every customer.”
Restaurant Equippers Brings Dynamic New Approach to E&S with Debut Of New Jersey Store
// NEWS DEBUT
Restaurant Equippers opened its third warehouse store last month in Pennsauken, NJ.
With 20 percent of the US population within two hours of the store, the Columbus, Ohio-
based company has brought its special approach to Equipment and Supply with its
40,000-sq.-ft. store in Pennsauken, N.J.
(L toR) Scott Sugarman (Family Member), Larry Dach/Restaurant Equippers President, Pennsauken Township Mayor Rick Taylor, Debbi Dach Sugarman (RE Vice President) Jim Ellis, Pennsauken Chamber of Commerce President
69 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Dock in 2007 when she couldn’t find
just the right setting for her son Will’s
bar mitzvah back in December 2007.
The Greenwich resident was looking
for something cool, something styl-
ish—a Connecticut venue that felt,
well, more like a SoHo loft.
For Abigail Kirsch the entry into
Connecticut marks yet another
chapter as one of the legendary suc-
cess stories in Metro New York food
service. It was the mid-sixties when
Abigail Kirsch started a cooking
school in the basement of her home.
A few years later, when success man-
dated a move to a storefront, Abi-
gail’s husband Bob sold his business
and joined her to co-found the ca-
tering business. Their son Jim joined
his parents full-time in 1980 and
they never looked back. The family
partnership expanded to include Ali-
son Awerbuch, who joined the com-
pany in 1984 and took over culinary
leadership from Abigail in 1990.
What started as a small business
serving predominately Westchester
and Fairfield Counties quickly ex-
panded to include Manhattan and
the entire tri-state area. In 1990 the
Kirschs opened Tappan Hill Man-
sion and began operating their first
exclusive venue. Since Tappan Hill,
the family has added The New York
Botanical Garden, Pier Sixty and The
Lighthouse, and Stage 6 at Steiner
Studios to their exclusive venue
portfolio. The business also operates
cafes as part of its venue operations
and caters major sports events.
Today Abigail Kirsch, Catering
Relationships is recognized as the
market leader for excellence in the
greater New York metropolitan area.
At the core of its success is an ob-
sessive commitment to perfection.
The Kirschs recognized early on that
their business was only as success-
ful as their last event. With this focus
as a cornerstone, all associates work
in unison to provide extraordinary
guest experiences.
It’s great that you have volunteers. How many work the festival and what are some of those roles? In 2012, more than 1,600 volunteers
donated over 11,000 hours of time to
help us produce the Festival. They
work in a variety of roles, including
event registration, logistics manage-
ment, sponsorship assistance, market-
ing, and more.
What hunger-relief programs benefit from the festival? To date, the Festival has raised more
than $6 million for our beneficiaries
Food Bank For New York City and Share
Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry cam-
paign.
This is the festival’s 6th year. What made you feel there was a need for the 1st festival and how has it evolved?
There was nothing like it on such a large
scale – we bring together that great mix
of pop culture and white tablecloth
lifestyle experiences so that there really
is something for everyone.
What does the NYC Wine and Food Festival experience entail?
We have 100+ events over the four days
– from grand walk-around tastings and
late-night parties, to intimate dinners,
educational seminars and brunches –
so the experience can be whatever suits
you.
What are the most challenging issues when creating a festival of this magni-tude? Aligning all of the elements – venue,
event theme, talent, and sponsors – to
create the best experience possible.
Whether you’re a foodie or a foodser-vice professional, is there a learning experience to take away from this event for everyone? We hope the learning experience is
packaged in with the fun – whether
it’s tasting a new wine or spirit, seeing
a new product, meeting your favorite
chef, or discovering a new restaurant/
venue.
Newsmaker, from page 36 Abigail, from page 18
70 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
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72 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Jersey Artisan Spirits also has
plans for a whiskey and pos-
sibly a vodka to join their ex-
pressive rums. But first, what
makes artisan rum an impor-
tant purchase? Perhaps it is the na-
ture of the craft itself. And the fact it’s
from New Jersey!
Busted Barrel comes in a hand-
some bottle somewhat shaped like a
pot still. A pot still is just that, shaped
like a pot! A column still is shaped
like a tall column. Each has very
specific tastes that come from deep
within. I love a pot still for the deep
flavors that are unlocked through the
slower distillation process. Column
stills although visually exciting are
different beasts entirely. They offer
a different flavor profile. I like them
both equally for each of their flavors.
The technology is primitive and it’s
also high tech. Distilling is an art like
brewing beer, baking bread or roast-
ing coffee. It’s only hindered by a lack
of space and spending power. It’s not
inexpensive to distill; you must have
a good source of liquid capital.
It’s not at all far fetched to imag-
ine distillation an applied art. Busted
Barrel Rum is made with care at an
old Curtiss-Wright hanger in Fair-
field, New Jersey. This is a part of New
Jersey that is off the beaten path. The
hanger has magnificent trellis work
that binds the curved ceiling to the
walls. The floors are poured concrete
and it’s obvious from the outset that
this building was constructed for
building aircraft. It looks like it could
survive a direct hit from a bomb. Set
off the main drag you might mistake
it for a hanger left over from the Cold
War and the nearby Fairfield Airport.
The small pot still drips out a pre-
cious amount of distillate every few
minutes or so, filling a large carboy
with life giving fluids. It’s very im-
pressive to watch.
Brant Braue and Krista Haley are
the gregarious owners of Jersey Arti-
san Distilling. They are in synch with
each other and the workings of this
fledgling distillery. Their rum is their
life with Krista filling out her days
as an attorney. Brant is an engineer
charged with the constant experi-
mentation and implementation of
the distillery systems. There is always
something to do in a distillery and
being charged with the ultimate re-
sponsibility of the safety of the still
and that of his neighbors, Brant is hy-
per vigilant to this task. Recent fires
at Tuthilltown Distillery in Gardiner,
NY stand as a striking reminder that
good practices must remain at the
forefront of the distilling industry.
The rules are so old, yet in the eyes
of the regulators, everything is brand
new and open to new scrutiny. Fortu-
nately industry publications such as
Distiller Magazine and the American
Distilling Institute take some of the
arcane and give new clarity to this
very new industry with roots dating
back thousands of years.
Rum is a marvelous creature when
made well. It can be slurped with
cola, imbibed straight with coconut
water ice in a daiquiri with fresh lime
juice, woven into a mint julep with
mint and lime simple syrup or even
used to marinate chicken and fish
as they do in the Caribbean Islands.
Rum used to be the most valuable
currency of the Colonial era and it
was once used as a means of trade
between New England, New Jersey
and the southern reaches of the Ca-
ribbean.
Busted Barrel Rum, now available
in New Jersey with New York and
Connecticut on the radar, is world-
class rum. The light rum is reminis-
cent of Rhum Agricole (Agricultural
rum from Martinique) in nose. The
color is crystal clear and the nose
// MIXOLOGY WITH WARREN BOBROW
Metro New York MixologyBusted Barrel Rum is a magnificent creature. Produced
with love from Louisiana cane molasses, Busted Barrel is
made by the first distillery in New Jersey since Prohibition.
Warren Bobrow
Warren Bobrow is the cocktail writer for
Williams-Sonoma, Foodista, Voda Maga-
zine and the 501c3 not for profit Wild River
Review/Wild Table, where he also serves as
an editor. www.cocktailwhisperer.com
Rum is a marvelous creature when made well.
It can be slurped with cola, imbibed straight
with coconut water ice in a daiquiri with
fresh lime juice, woven into a mint julep with
mint and lime simple syrup or even used to
marinate chicken and fish.
73 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
is pure cane with dried leather and
stone fruits predominating the long
finish redolent of citrus skins. Busted
Barrel is also aging their dark rum
in small charred oak casks, each
charged with the task of bringing the
powerfully untamed white rum into
a softer state of affairs. I enjoy the
caramelized nut aromas and freshly
cut pineapple nose of this rum. It’s
fabulous in a punch or simply with
a squeeze of lime and a dollop of
cane sugar syrup. If I was to suggest
a punch for this highly expressive
rum I’d suggest the rum version of
my Tales of the Cocktail/ Whiskey
Luau punch. I made this drink with
rye whiskey but rum would work per-
fectly and deliciously.
I call this punch the Anstruthers
Tricklet after the antagonist doctor
in Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel:
Treasure Island. The good doctor was
known to blast the minds of his sail-
ors with their daily punch and this
one certainly will not disappoint. I
would highly suggest getting a gang
of your friends together because this
recipe will erase the minds of lesser
folks.
As in all my cocktails you can cut
the ingredients down in amounts,
but you must NEVER skimp on the
ingredients. You MUST use freshly
squeezed juices. There really is no
excuse for using frozen concentrates.
I’m sure this makes the juice mar-
ket very nervous, but for my drinks I
must insist on the very best! And be-
sides if you are entertaining, doesn’t
it make sense to use the very best you
can afford? I think so. As my friends
at Employees Only in New York City
do, fresh ingredients always, and
great ice, and great glassware, it’s all
meaningful. I think it’s important to
be the best you can be when it comes
to what we eat and drink. That’s why
we are in this business. It’s eating
AND drinking that makes the world
go around!
Anstruthers Tricklet Punch
Ingredients• 1 Bottle Busted Barrel
Dark Rum
• 2 Bottles Busted Barrel
Light Rum
• 1 Quart Freshly Squeezed
Orange Juice
• ½ Quart Freshly Squeezed
Lime Juice
• ½ Quart Freshly Squeezed
Lemon Juice
• 2 – 750 ml. bottles Wilkes and
Wilson Lime, Mint Simple
Syrup
• 4- 750 ml. bottles Perrier Spar-
kling Natural Mineral Water
• 2 Quarts sweetened Coconut
Milk
• 1 Quart Monin Peach Puree
(all natural from France)
• 20 drops Fee Brothers West
Indian Orange Bitters
• 10 drops Peychaud’s Bitters
Preparation1. Place a large hunk of ice in a
punch bowl
2. Add all liquid ingredients
3. The punch will appear to be
“broken” from the coconut
milk, but worry not; the solids
will attach themselves to the
ice rendering the punch nearly
crystalline.
4. Stir and serve. Will serve about
fifty.
I call this punch the Anstruthers Tricklet
after the antagonist doctor in Robert Louis
Stevenson’s novel: Treasure Island. The good
doctor was known to blast the minds of his
sailors with their daily punch and this one
certainly will not disappoint.
Busted Barrel Rum, now available in New Jersey with New York and Connecticut on the radar, is world-class rum. The light rum is reminiscent of Rhum Agricole (Agricultural rum from Martinique) in nose.
74 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
75 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
important parameter is food trends. At
my current restaurant after taking all
of these items into account we have a
menu of items that does not change
throughout the years. We do offer a vari-
ety of specials to showcase seasonal in-
gredients and offer regulars something
new if they are interested in venturing
outside their “usual” order.
On the equipment side, do you have pieces of equipment that you like to use that makes your job easier in preparing dishes?Old style Chefs will probably say your
hands and a good knife are enough, but
I welcome any piece of equipment that
saves me time without sacrificing qual-
ity. Why knead by hand when I can use
an electric mixer?
The restaurant industry has a very broad range of foods, what’s your buy-ing approach? Do you go out to bid on
a regular basis or do you look for loyalty from vendors?I believe 100% in loyalty. I prefer to pay
more for a better quality ingredient from
a vendor that I trust.
The restaurant business can be fierce on Long Island, especially during the sum-mer season. How do you compete?Price and quality. Lately, quality seems to
be slipping in vendors and in other res-
taurants and we refuse to let that happen
here – I do not give up! Price is also a driv-
ing factor for many people when choos-
ing a restaurant and we believe some
people are willing to pay more for a bet-
ter product of higher quality. It’s also al-
ways necessary to find new ways to reach
new customers and increase revenue.
What roles does the vendor community on both the equipment and food supply side play?Extremely vital – without quality control
in both those areas I cannot be my best.
I refuse to stand for anything less and
therefore we are always seeking qual-
ity vendors (who we remain loyal to) for
both our equipment and food supply.
There’s always talks of healthier eating, are your customers looking for that at your locations, and if so, how do you ca-ter to the growing demand?Again, it depends on demographic.
Younger customers are more prone to
look for healthier eating options. It is
very easy to cater to them; just eliminate
all the unhealthy ingredients, something
we did for centuries in Italy with the
Mediterranean diet. We have all the tools
in place to prepare a healthier version of
our dishes.
Do you feel that the restaurant industry suffers too much from Zagat, Yelp, and other consumer review sights? Are con-sumers depending too much on reviews?I don’t particularly like Yelp; anybody can
write anything about anybody – whether
they have been to the restaurant or not.
It’s entirely possible a competitor put a
bad review up to try to steal customers.
Zagat it is just too political.
I do place a lot of relevance on some food
blogs that I believe have both authority
and followers. Those writers tend to be
credentialed and have more knowledge
and experience when it comes to critiqu-
ing restaurants.
Whether good, bad or a mix of both, what are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in our industry over the years? Definitely guests are more informed
about food and wine. Our profession
changed enormously in the past thirty
years. The profession and particularly
chefs have been elevated and some
turned into stars, and this is thanks to the
media and most of all the Food Network.
Fresh ingredients are more available,
accessible and more affordable than in
previous years. I only wish we trained
our young chefs better and there was a
stronger mentoring process.
Chefcetera, from page 40
76 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
It is a well-thought out preventive
system to address possible hazards
that is built on the Prerequisite Pro-
grams (PRPs) we addressed in previ-
ous columns. The plan and system
needs to be developed by members of
the company because after a consul-
tant completes his part in assisting
with its creation, the company needs
to implement and maintain it. Before
taking the first steps in developing a
HACCP plan a company should as-
sess the effectiveness of their PRPs.
Are they complete? Is the operation
implementing them as written? Are
they effective in addressing the areas
they apply to?
The preliminary steps of developing a
HACCP plan are:
Assemble the HACCP Team- The
team should consist of employees
who have skills and knowledge of
different areas in the food produc-
tion process. Each member can con-
tribute and verify what happens in
their specific area. One member is
designated as the HACCP Coordina-
tor and should be trained in HACCP.
A member who is part of manage-
ment can address issues of expenses
and commitment. Many companies
hire a consultant to guide the team or
bring them in even earlier to assess
the existing PRPs.
Describe the Product or Process & its DistributionBased on what is being produced a
description can be a specific item
or similar items that are essentially
produced the same way such as NO
Cook, Simple Cook (prepared cooked
& served) or Complex Cook (pre-
pared, cooked, cooled, reheated and
served) The description should be
very detailed about packaging, label-
ing and distribution.
Describe its Intended Use & Consum-
er- Is the product ready-to-eat? Does
the product need to be refrigerated or
reheated? Will the product be served
to a segment of the population that
has a reduced or compromised im-
mune system? (i.e. the young, elderly
or sick).
Develop a Flow DiagramDocument each step of what hap-
pens to the ingredients and packag-
ing from the time it is received until
it is shipped or served. Think about
storage, preparation, cooking, cool-
ing reheating, holding, packaging
and shipping. Include all variables
that happen sometimes but not al-
ways. The diverse knowledge of the
team assists in ensuring an accurate
picture of the process.
Confirm the Flow Diagram On-Site-
Take your documented Flow Dia-
gram and follow the actual process to
determine if it is accurate or whether
something has been missed.
When these preliminary steps are
complete you have your team estab-
lished with accurate product/process
descriptions and flow diagrams. The
principles of developing a HACCP
plan can now be started.
The Seven Principles of HACCP are:
Conduct a Hazard AnalysisUsing the process steps outlined in
your flow diagram systematically
look at the ingredients, packaging,
equipment, use by consumer and
process to determine if a Hazard
(Biological, Chemical or Physical) is
possible at this step. Determine the
likelihood of the hazard happening
based on your PRPs in place, history
in your company or similar business-
es and the most current scientific
information. (i.e. Will not happen -
Philbrook, from page 39
77 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Very likely) Based on history and sci-
entific information also determine
the severity and consequences if the
hazard did occur. (i.e. Minor injury,
Hospitalization or Death)
Determine the Critical Control PointWhen a significant hazard is identi-
fied, it must be controlled somewhere
in the process. The essential point
where the hazard is prevented, elimi-
nated or reduced to an acceptable
level is the Critical Control Point. A
Control Point is where the hazard
can be controlled but is not the es-
sential point. Example: Refrigeration
is a Control Point for raw chicken but
the Critical Control Point is cooking.
In Ready-to-Eat (RTE) food refrigera-
tion is the Critical Control Point.
Establish Critical LimitsCritical Limits (CLs) are the param-
eters used to determine if the Criti-
cal Control Points is “in” or “out” of
control. We know that according to
the FDA Food Code, chicken must be
cooked to 1650 F for 15 sec. This is a
critical limit in our CCP for cooking
chicken. Besides time/temperature,
other CLs are water activity, pH, line
speed etc. CLs need to be measurable
or visually confirmed. The screen for
physical hazards is in place or it is
not.
Establish Monitoring ProceduresThe CLs need to be checked to insure
the CCPs are in control so a method
must be established to monitor them.
The procedures should outline how
it is monitored, how often and by
whom. Monitoring is documented.
Establish Corrective ActionsWhen monitoring determines that
the CCP is not under control; a pre-
determined action must be imple-
mented and documented. Corrective
Action brings the CCP back under
control and addresses how to han-
dle food product that was produced
since the last time it was under con-
trol. All deviations should be investi-
gated to determine the cause for the
loss of control so it can be prevented
in the future.
Establish Verification ProceduresVerification is made up of two parts-
Verifying and ValidatingThe best way to remember the dif-
ference is- Verifying is ensuring that
you are doing what you say you are
doing and Validating is ensuring that
what you are doing is effective. When
a supervisor conducts a check of
monitoring records or a 3rd party au-
ditor checks your HACCP system that
is verifying. When a lab confirms that
there are no food-borne pathogens in
your food product that is validating.
Establish Record-keeping and Doc-umentation ProceduresMonitoring, Corrective Actions,
Verification as well as the HACCP
plan and all changes need to be
documented. The records provide a
history of how your HACCP plan is
working and will indicate issues of
concern that need to be addressed by
management.
The HACCP plan is an evolving docu-
ment that needs to be assessed and
updated whenever there is a change
with product, ingredient, packaging,
process, equipment or in science.
The HACCP Plan and all PRPs make
up your HACCP System. The parts all
work together to prevent and/or con-
trol hazards of concern.
Next month we will discuss what
happens in a Food-borne Illness
(FBI) Outbreak.
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It does not work that way and
that is why many business own-
ers stop their marketing efforts
because it does not work.
Marketing should be fun, and run-
ning a business should be FUN. The
definition of a business- “Commer-
cial profitable enterprise that works
without You”- Fun. If your business is
not this it is a JOB- “Just Over Broke”
not Fun. Here is how to make Your
business FUN.
Marketing is not an expense; it is an
investment and needs to be treated as
an investment. This means you must
track your results and know the return
on investment for each strategy. This
is my first clue of whether you are
running a business or a job. successful
entrepreneurs test andmeasure, others
do not.
Too many business owners say it is
too hard to track, I can’t do it, I don’t
know how to do it and there is not
enough time to do it.
Here is how you can make market-
ing fun and profitable: KEEP SCORE!
Every game or sport you play you keep
score and it is fun when you win. This
is the same with your business. Here
are some things you want to keep
score of: #new customers, # repeat
Customers, average $$ sale, Average #
people per group (Restaurant), Cost of
Acquisition, # of cars in parking lot vs.
# customers in same period, Lifetime
value of customer (How much $$$
spent in a year), # times a repeat cus-
tomer returns. These can be tracked
by averages, some will be high and
some low, You want to know the aver-
ages. This information helps you plan
your marketing.
Marketing is being creative in ideas
not just dollars spent. Ask yourself
“What do people know us for” and
“What is our WOW factor?”
Here are some samples of fun cre-
ative WOW factors:
1. A downtown restaurant has a
relationship with a women’s
clothing store across the street.
Every day at lunch someone from
the women’s clothing store will
model an outfit walking through
the restaurant, fifteen minutes
later she returns in another outfit.
It becomes a fashion show. The
restaurant’s customers love it;
the restaurant loves it and the
women’s clothing store benefits.
2. A deli has an artist come in once
a month and does caricatures of
best customers, which are dis-
played in the store. People always
tell others did you see my picture
in …
3. A restaurant owner every week
selects a hair salon to deliver afree
lunch with a variety of samples
and gives each hairdresser a one
free meal to come to the restau-
rant. Where does news spread
faster facebook or the hair salon?
4. A restaurant has a popular health
club across the street. They have
an owner of the health club, who
is also a nutritionist; work with
the chef to create the “XYZ Health
Club menu “specifically designed
to continue healthy habits outside
of the gym.”
5. A restaurant teaches all employees
to know the names of any repeat
customer, and have one employee
say hello to that person at some
point during the meal. I call it
the norm factor from the show
“CHEERS.”
6. A discount is determined by the
weight of one person in a group.
This will attract big eaters.
7. In all the restaurants I have eaten
in over the years only one server
asked me for my card and sent me
a Thank You note to ask for him
the next time I return. I will never
forget and have returned many
times.
8. A restaurant has cooking classes
on traditionally slow nights.
9. Give a VIP card that gets you dis-
counts at other local businesses.
10. Be known in title and deliver the
goods “Gigantic sandwich shop,”
Belly Buster…
11. Every time the receptionist places
a lunch order for their company
the restaurant gives her a lunch
for Free or something extra. When
people ask her where they should
order from today what is her
answer?
Here Is How Your Marketing Can Be Fun And ProfitableEveryone is looking for that one marketing strategy that will get their business to the level of
revenue & profitability that they always dreamed about.
Marketing is being creative in ideas, not
just dollars spent. Ask yourself “What
do people know us for” and “What is
our WOW factor?”
Tom MaierPresident Action Business Coaching NEShelton, CT
tomma ie r@act ioncoach .com
// BUSINESS COACHING
continued on page 93
80 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Set Up An Outdoor Dining AreaOutside is a classic family
favorite. Who doesn’t like
sunshine joined by a fa-
vorite entree! Create a fun
outdoor dining area using the good
old basics like tables, chairs, and a
friendly staff! Customers will stay
longer ordering drinks enjoying the
summer breeze.
Have A Summer Themed Promotion, Switch Up Your MenuSunny Saturday Brunch, or Summer
Fest Chicken night, choose a holiday
or theme that reminds customers
that summer dining isn’t restricted
to their at home grill. Be purposely
colorful and make these themes pre-
sentable. Take pictures and showcase
these themes on table tents. Switch
up the menu as well. Add summer fa-
vorites such as salads, berry themed
dishes, and cold fun drinks to entice
your customer’s summer taste buds.
Reach Out To Local BusinessesHave a volunteer, the over eager
waitress, or even the staff member
that enjoys to go above and beyond
reach out to newly engaged, new
grads, or any local businesses and
organizations that are celebrating
any milestones. When reaching out,
boast about your fabulous menu,
and what your business can do to
make their big day special.
Join In At An Outdoor FestivalThere are a ton of outdoor festivals,
and what do all festivals have in
common…FOOD!
Join in at a local popular festival and
offer sampling, or tasting portions at
a lower cost. Place an energetic staff
at your booth, and the customers
will definitely follow up with you at
your restaurant. Don’t forget to col-
lect customer’s information, while
handing out coupons that will get
them to visit you at your restaurant.
Don’t Forget Great Customer ServiceWinter, summer, spring, or fall cus-
tomer service is what is needed all
year round. In the summer more
people are dining out, and a new
crowd can be overwhelming. Keep
in mind that your dish is what sells
them, but your service is what keeps
them coming back. Get your staffed
prepped and prepared for whatever
crowd may come in.
Ola Ayeni is the founder of Dining Di-
alog and myeateria.com. eateria™is
a whole new way for restaurant, food,
and hospitality businesses to interact
with their customers based on their
on-the-go lifestyle. eateria™utilizes
the best combination of email, social
media and text message marketing.
A place where everything is unlim-
ited. For restaurant marketing tips,
visit our eateria™blog at eateria.org/
blog/.
5 Must Do's This Summer To Expand Your Restaurant’s Profit
// RESTAURANT MARKETING
Ola Ayeni, Founder of Dining Dialog & myeateria.com
ola@myeateria.com
WITH OLA AYENI
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since I came back to the biz is the
availability of produce items that
were once specialty items. Ten years
ago to get baby arugula you had to or-
der days in advance.
Prices still knock me off my feet and
during the last ten years in the private
sector I would shake every time I had
to buy meat, fish and liquor at retail
prices and I still do when checking
invoices. Food is very expensive and
as a chef and owner you must be very
careful how you utilize your ingredi-
ents to be most cost effective and at
the same time please your diner by
giving a perceived value.
I believe that some of the changes in
restaurants in CT have been for the
good; places like Plan B have raised
the expectations in food quality and
service in so called chain restaurants
and I see that many of the big chains
are following suit in raising their
quality.
As for the pizza industry the chains
will always affect the marketplace
and set the price bar. Patrons will al-
ways have their “go to” place and this
is where GG’s Wood Fired Pizza would
like to fit in. As we plan to grow, de-
velop our menu, add locations we
want to be that neighborhoods “go
to” place. A place where consistency
is key, all around in the high quality of
the food, atmosphere, value and the
friendliness we pride ourselves on.
Looking into your crystal ball, where do you see GG’s in 5 years?"I don't know what my title or where
GG’s will be in five years. The goal is
to be three deep by the end of 2016,
but I'd love to think I'll still be grind-
ing it out in the kitchen to please the
public, taking on responsibility and
continuing to learn, to teach and to
contribute to the success of our em-
ployees."
Newsmaker, from page 47 Pastry Professional, from page 30
along the way, you have to help the peo-
ple around you. When I am the captain,
I’m the production guy, the food guy,
because that’s what I do. When I do a
competition, I pick people for what they
are good at – good at chocolate, good at
sugar. We work together as a team and
winning is the reward!
What would you tell young people want-ing to start out today?You have to sacrifice. You have to be will-
ing to work hard. And you need to move
around a little, so you get lots of experi-
ence. You may have to work as an ap-
prentice for two years – with no financial
backing. But you have to do it. You have
to love it and be willing to do whatever
you have to, to get where you want to be.
Nothing good comes without work!
You’ve said baking is your passion. But how do you square passion with profit? One thing you never do is compromise
quality. And when I create something, I
try to stay true to my roots. Use the top-
quality ingredients, and if the price has to
be a little higher, then that’s the way it has
to be.
What’s ahead for you?My daughter just graduated from col-
lege, a marketing major. So my future
would be to expand the life of what I’ve
created, bring it into the future with my
kids. We have our two locations in Sam
Allen’s, and our original shop is in the
Village, 506 LaGuardia Place. And I also
want to give back, to teach the new gen-
eration of pastry chefs.
84 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
The quickly expanding
burger brand, through
the leadership of local-
ly-based development
agents Anthony D’Amore
and Thomas Mascia, will open one lo-
cation in the next 120 days in Garwood
with plans to add 140 jobs throughout
Union County, Garwood, and Clark,
New Jersey by the end of 2014.
“MOOYAH is a tremendous fam-
ily brand. We want all families to enjoy
outstanding service with quality prod-
ucts every day. The freshness of our in-
gredients is a key driver to bringing po-
tential franchisees into the MOOYAH
family,” said D’Amore, Development
Agent for the state of New Jersey, not-
ing that the brand celebrated a ban-
ner year in 2012 with double-digit unit
growth. “We are looking for great ser-
vice-minded franchisees who are team
players with a passion for the brand.”
MOOYAH is initially focused on
opening a flagship location in Union
County, New Jersey, prior to expanding
like a bubble throughout surrounding
areas. This development strategy was
first established in Dallas, in which
MOOYAH boosts 22 locations.
“Paired with our strong North Ameri-
can growth, including our recent 50th
restaurant opening milestone in the
United States, strong and targeted in-
dividual market development is in-
creasingly a large part of our strategic
expansion plans,” said Michael Mabry,
Director of Franchise of MOOYAH
Burgers, Fries & Shakes. “We want to
ensure our business model can finan-
cially succeed in different market sce-
narios and secure consistency across
the network. Paired with the local
developer, we have the ability to pen-
etrate a market with someone embed-
ded within the local business commu-
nity.”
MOOYAH saw tremendous growth in
the last several years, expanding from a
Texas brand into an emerging national
player and leader in the growing better
burger segment of fast casual dining.
The brand is currently in 10 states. In
2013, MOOYAH plans to continue ex-
pansion and grow internationally, to
total nearly 70 restaurants.
One way MOOYAH is able to differ-
entiate itself is through the flexibility
in its menu, including the launch of
its better-for-you, Under 600 Calories
menu, designed to support the taste
desires of females and the health con-
scious consumer.
“MOOYAH began as a simple con-
cept revolving around friendly people
serving the freshest, most delicious
burgers, fries, and shakes available.
As our brand continues to expand, we
are evolving that concept to include a
wider array of choices to appeal to ev-
ery guest’s individual tastes and favor-
ites,” said Bill Spae, MOOYAH’s CEO
and President.
Additionally, its family friendly en-
vironment helps MOOYAH standout
above its competition.
“MOOYAH prides itself on being
a family friendly business, from the
Guests we serve to the franchisees who
open restaurants with the goal of run-
ning them with people they consider
family. We designed the restaurant con-
cept with family in mind so everyone
would feel welcome and comfortable,”
said Alexis Barnett Gillette, Director of
Marketing.
Growing Fast Casual Chain Targets State of New Jersey as Key Development Focus; Plans to Add 140 Jobs Over Next Two YearsMOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes Targets Opening Two Restaurants in New Jersey in
2013. MOOYAH, a fast casual, “better burger,” fries and shakes chain, recently
announced a focused growth plan targeted in New Jersey.
// NEWS CHAINS
“We want all families to enjoy outstanding service with quality products every day. The freshness of our ingredients is a key driver to bringing potential franchisees into the MOOYAH family,” said Anthony D’Amore, Development Agent for the State of New Jersey.
MOOYAH prides itself on
being a family friendly
business, from the Guests
we serve to the franchisees
who open restaurants with
the goal of running them
with people they consider
family.
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Ifshin, from page 29
economic backgrounds and cultures
with varying levels of education; ad-
ditionally, research shows that people
learn in three very distinct ways: visu-
ally, auditorily or tactilely. A training
program that takes all of these factors
into consideration should include: job
specific written manuals (perhaps in
more than one language), demonstra-
tions and/or illustrated step-by-step
procedure instructions, and hands-on
or role-playing exercises.
Validate & Reinforce Your TrainingTo validate the efficacy of your train-
ing you must quiz, test and confirm
that the information has been learned
and absorbed. It is also important for
managers to reward and reinforce
the “good behaviors” done on the job
- those that follow operating proce-
dures as trained, as we discussed in
our blog Keeping Employees Happy
at Work – Happy Employees Part 2.
Through reinforcement, you will dis-
cover who needs more training, how
effective your training is, and perhaps
what changes need to be made to your
program.
Train Your TrainersMany restaurants often make the mis-
take of assigning their best employees
the task of training new staff without
taking the time to instruct them on
proper training techniques and meth-
ods. Just because an employee is good
at what he or she does, does not mean
that he or she can teach someone else
how to do it. Your trainers must be
fully inoculated with company culture
including policies, procedures and
daily work tasks, as well as customer
service values; they must have a com-
plete understanding of the written
manual for the job they are training;
and they must be taught how to im-
part information in the way you want,
so that training is consistent.
ABT – Always Be Training!Training should be ongoing, not lim-
ited to the initial on-boarding pro-
cess, and incorporated into the daily
routine of your operations. As we
wrote in our blog Are your Pre-Ser-
vice Meetings a Waste of Time?, there
is an opportunity every day to share
new information and keep your staff’s
knowledge up-to-date. Work closely
with your managers on what needs to
be retrained, as they should be most
aware of how policies and procedures
are being followed by their direct re-
ports.
A well-run restaurant can survive
without the newest technology or the
latest equipment. However, it can-
not succeed without people trained
to execute your vision, product and
service ideals. If you do not invest the
time and energy to have a full training
program, hitting your business targets
becomes increasingly difficult. As an
owner or operator, a well-trained staff
– from your Executive Chef to your
Bussers – is your primary and most
valuable tool.
Don’t know where to begin? Ask your-
self, do you have operational guide-
lines in place so you can be as profit-
able as possible?
4Q Consulting can develop custom-
ized operational guidelines and train-
ing programs to meet your needs:
Email us today for a free business con-
sultation at www.4qconsult.com.
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Anthony Mulé & Dennis Soriano, Waste to Water/BIO-EZ in Wethersfield, CT
What led to the creation of BIO-EZ? Mulé: The BIO-EZ sys-
tem was created in Ko-
rea to address a drastic
reduction in landfill
space. Waste to Water purchased the
intellectual property from the Korean
designers after a disappointing launch
of the Korean made units. These units
do the job of a typical garbage disposal
while using approximately 1/10 of the
water and produce an effluent more
easily treated at treatment works than
a garbage disposal’s product.
How does BIO-EZ work?Soriano: BIO-EZ has truly revolution-
ized food waste disposal by basing
it on the principle that waste should
be dealt with at its source. As waste is
generated, it is placed into the Bio-Ez,
which completes the decomposition
process automatically with the addi-
tion of bacteria. There is no residual
food waste to remove. The machine
creates a liquid that sends it back into
the eco system with a fully biodegrad-
able liquid.
Why Bio-Ez instead of composting? Soriano: Composting is great for the
environment. However, composting of
food waste in NYC has the same limi-
tations as traditional hauling. Food
waste has to be stored on site and
hauled by diesel trucks to a facility li-
censed to accept food waste, the clos-
est to NYC is currently Delaware, these
trucks create green house gas emis-
sions. The use of 1 BioEZXL eliminates
1.5 Municipal Solid Waste trailers from
the roads each month.
How much energy is required to run the unit? Mulé: The units use surprisingly little
electricity. About 4.7 KWH per day.
Who will service the unit? Mulé: Waste to Water is part of a na-
tional service cooperative that guar-
antees a service technician within 60
miles of a placement and a 24 hr. re-
sponse time.
What impact will installing Bio-Ez have on those horrible smells?
Mulé: BIO-EZ is designed to handle
food waste at its origin. Since the food
waste is not left to putrefy, the smell
along with the cost for the hauling will
simply go away.
Sounds great to be able to dump a liq-uid. What exactly is in that liquid? Soriano: The liquid is a high strength
“gray water” that contains micro nutri-
ent and organic matter that is perfectly
suited for treatment by municipal wa-
ter treatment facilities.
How much can we expect to save? Soriano: It’s a huge cost savings in that
we eliminate equipment rental, haul-
ing and landfill charges. Keep in mind
that in NYC traditional hauling charges
can be as much as $85-$100 per ton.
Our units can operate at around $58
per ton without accounting for the
cost of the employee. Since the use of
our unit is no different than the use of
a garbage compactor, I think the labor
is negligible.
Will the unit help us get rid of the flies we have? Soriano: Flies are attracted to putrefy-
ing waste. The unit will deal with the
majority of your food waste without
an offending odor that can attract flies
and vermin.
How much waste do we need to be generating for Bio-Ez to make sense? Mulé: Waste to Water is currently
manufacturing units that can handle
between 350-2000 lbs per day. R&D is
working towards a smaller model for
under counter use in smaller venues.
Besides the bottom line, what other impact can BIO-EZ have?Soriano: We’re creating a better envi-
ronment and also from an economic
standpoint we’re eliminating mate-
rial going into landfills and we’re also
eliminating one and a half trucks per
month. We’re helping to reduce the
carbon, gas and contribute positively
to the environment.
What role will M. Tucker play in the process?Soriano: We like to work with M. Tuck-
er because they already have a well es-
tablished relationship with the people
we’re trying to reach also a trust factor
and we can prove to them this is what
we say it is. They carry with them their
excellent reputations and the trust fac-
tor between buyer and seller that’s rep-
resenting a new product.
// MEET THE NEWSMAKERS
BIO-EZ is designed to handle food waste at
its origin. Since the food waste is not left to
putrefy, the smell along with the cost for the
hauling will simply go away.
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This is extremely important
for local restaurants, who
haven’t had the highest of
success rates over the past
decade. This money saved
returns to cities in the form of supplies
purchased, wages, new jobs, and profit
for other local businesses.
Identifying the need for consumer ed-
ucation of the importance of shopping
locally coupled with the growing trend
of businesses buying local, software
company Sage is currently embarking
on a 16-city nationwide decked-out RV
tour where top executives are meet-
ing with their small business custom-
ers in order to show appreciation and
spread the message of shopping locally
throughout American cities.
Sage, a leading provider of business
management software and services for
more than six million small to midsized
businesses worldwide, is continuing its
16-city, 50-day Sage Listens RV Relay,
which included a stop in New York City
and New Jersey last month.
In addition to hosting two special
events, Sage executives met with sev-
eral customers in the New York City
metropolitan area. The Sage Listens RV
Relay team met with Garden State MLS,
a residential property listing company
with the most comprehensive property
listings in North Jersey, prior to hosting
a lunch for New York City-based Net@
work, a Sage business partner, near Bry-
ant Park. Executives also hosted a cock-
tail reception at Westminster Hotel in
Livingston, N.J, for numerous Sage cus-
tomers and Livingston, N.J.-based SWK
Technologies, Inc., a Sage partner.
“As one of the leading metropoli-
tan areas in the country, and perhaps
the largest, New York City either serves
as home to many existing small busi-
nesses and entrepreneurs or as an at-
tractive lure for entrepreneurs aspiring
to launch new businesses,” said Brad
Smith, Executive Vice President, cus-
tomer experience, Sage North America.
“We’re proud to support our New York
City and surrounding area customers in
their success and excited to meet with a
few of them over the next two days.”
Sage Brings RV Tour to Metro NYC to Promote Local DiningIf $100 is spent at non-local businesses and restaurants, only 43 of those dollars are returned
to the city. For every $100 spent, the amount of money the city saves really adds up!
// NEWS LOCAL BUSINESS
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12. A new restaurant puts an offer on
Facebook that anyone who comes
in for the first time his or her meal
is Free. Their facebook grows by
thousands and so did their busi-
ness in just a month.
13. True Story – My friend was at a
restaurant where he knew the
owner. It was a slow night about
four people at the bar. Snooky
from The Jersey shore stopped in
on her way to an appearance and
had dinner in the back room with
her group. She tweeted that she
was having a great dinner at the
restaurant located at xxxx. Within
the hour it was five deep at the
bar. I don’t get it but it works.
14. I know a Dentist with $100,000’s
worth of state-of-the-art equip-
ment and everyone knows him
for the Cappuccino machine and
the three sugar free blueberry
muffins he gives you when you
leave. You can only see him by
Referral Only.
Many people say, “I am not that
creative or I could never think of
these ideas.” Wrong, there is a simple
process you can follow to create these
ideas. You need to spend time working
ON the business not just In the busi-
ness. Not every idea will work, that is
why you are testing and measuring all
your strategies.
Marketing is Simple not Easy. You
need to commit your time and not all
the time but $$$. Even when it makes
sense to outsource some of your
marketing (example Search Engine
Optimization, website…), I want my
clients to know the fundamentals on
building a Marketing plan that is FUN
and Profitable.
Tom Maier runs a Business Coach-
ing firm, which is part of ActionCoach
Business Coaching, the World’s #1
business coaching firm. If you have
any questions or want more informa-
tion contact Tom at 203-763-4005 or
email tommaier@actioncoach.com.
His website is www.actioncoach.com/
tommaier.
Maier, from page 79
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Call Vic Rose: 732-864-2220
95 • August 2013 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
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