Download - Elements Fall 2011
volume 7 | issue 2 | fall 2011
elements
From small-scale luncheons to five-star blockbuster receptions, when it comes to catering, Compass Group can do it all
how lowe’s is using zipthru and mobile technologies to improve its campus dining experience
lights, camera, dining! on location at the famous paramount studios in hollywood, california
how to use facebook, twitter and other social media tools to create awareness and increase sales!
a publication from the Business & industry sector of Compass Group, North america
Traditional Holiday dining with an extra sprinkling of flair, flavor and excitement
8recipesunique holiday
+
CaTeRiNGTo all TasTes
elements • FALL 20112
Webtrition is Compass Group’s proprietary web-based ingredient,
recipe and menu management solution that delivers accurate
nutrition analysis and production management features. As a
reliable source of nutrition information, Webtrition promotes
healthy, wellness-driven food choices, made with fresh, quality
ingredients and provides accurate nutritional information to our
consumers.
For more information: [email protected]
BRIGHT IDEAS FOR YOUR BUSINESS
MANAGE. CREATE. RESPOND. EDUCATE.
FALL 2011 • elements 3
elements
Yes, we Cater! That’s the
message we want to
send to our clients and
customers. Our teams
have the ability, the resources, the
know-how and the culinary excel-
lence to meet and exceed catering
expectations for all event sizes. As
you browse this issue, you’ll see
our catering services capabilities
and event diversity throughout the
country.
Additionally, we are proud to
present some of the achievements
that have resulted from great
partnerships with our clients and
customers, provide success stories
associated with our business
solutions portfolio, highlight
accomplishments on the
community and wellness fronts,
and showcase our endeavors
that truly demonstrate excellence
from a service perspective.
Through the variety of our
innovative programs, we continue
to strive to provide the food,
services and solutions to attract
and retain customers and
continuously grow your business.
We hope this issue of Elements
finds you well – and we welcome
your feedback and comments!
Published by three, Atlanta www.3atlanta.com
Executive Editor Nick Wright
Account Manager Michelle Allario
Art Director Alan Platten
Editor-in-Chief Susie Weintraub
Managing Editor Amanda Brown
Assistant Editor Alison Lambert
Advertising Graphic Design Wes Brown, Mark Kaminski, Josh Mangum, Ashley Summerlin
Contributing Photographer Ashley Summerlin Recipe Consultant Chef Chris Ivens-Brown
List of contributors Special thanks to: Business ExcellenceCanteen Dining Canteen Vending Compass Corporate CommunicationsCompass GroupCompass Field System SolutionsEurest Flik Conference Centers Flik International Lackmann Culinary Services Restaurant Associates Retail InnovationsWolfgang Puck Catering
WelcomeWe are pleased to present you with the Fall 2011 issue of Elements magazine!
This edition highlights our strategic and seasonal focus on catering across the business,
and illustrates our commitment to delivering quality catering experiences that cross
the spectrum – from simple party platters to premiere events and extravaganzas.
Susie WeintraubVice President, Business Excellence
Marketing and Communications Compass Group North America
Webtrition is Compass Group’s proprietary web-based ingredient,
recipe and menu management solution that delivers accurate
nutrition analysis and production management features. As a
reliable source of nutrition information, Webtrition promotes
healthy, wellness-driven food choices, made with fresh, quality
ingredients and provides accurate nutritional information to our
consumers.
For more information: [email protected]
BRIGHT IDEAS FOR YOUR BUSINESS
MANAGE. CREATE. RESPOND. EDUCATE.
elements • FALL 20114
Tasteful • Modern • Wholesome
Simply Puur is an efficient and uniform, yet scalable concept, which combines both a timeless and food-oriented design. This is a destination that incorporates a surprising assortment of fresh products that are prepared in view of the customers, for a reasonable price. When combined with hospitable service, Simply Puur will guarantee
that customers come back again and again.
Simply Puur is a place to escape from the day-to-day commotion and relax in a different atmosphere. Whether catching up with colleagues, hosting a quiet meeting or enjoying a delicious lunch, Simply Puur is a distinctive, welcoming and relaxed environment that will increase the productivity and satisfaction of your customers.
If you feel you have a promising opportunity for Simply Puur, please contact Wallace “Buster” Johnston via email for information at: [email protected]
FALL 2011 • elements 5
Appetizers News, views and interviews from the world of Compass Group USA.
Community & Responsibility How Compass Group is supporting and participating within local communities with a selection of outreach and charitable initiatives.
CLIENT SHOWCASE:
Lowe’s Companies, Inc.
How the home improvement giant is using in-store retail technologies to improve its campus dining experience.
Contents
Compass Group North AmericaBased in Charlotte NC, Compass Group North America is the leading foodservice and support services company with $9.9 billion in revenues in 2010. With 428,000 associates worldwide, its parent company, UK-based Compass Group PLC had revenues of £14.5 billion in the year to September 30, 2010.
Compass Group is… EncompassingCompass Group North America is the leader in foodservice management and support services across the continent. With our unique sectorization strategy, we recognize that not every customer and client has the same tastes, needs and expectations. This is why we are organized into several different operating companies focused on the individual markets we serve. We serve millions, from vending to restaurants to corporate cafés to school lunches to remote sites.
Compass Group is… Sustainability Compass Group is proud to lead the foodservice industry with groundbreaking policies that champion local farmers and fair trade; reduce the use of antibiotics in chicken, turkey and pork; commit to healthier oceans by purchasing sustainable seafood, support sustainable agriculture and healthy rural economies with the NC 10 percent campaign, focus on social justice; and promote farm animal welfare though 100 percent use of cage-free shell eggs.
Compass Group is… CommunityCompass Group is committed to the communities in which we live and serve. These commitments have been formally recognized as “Compass in the Community” since 1996. We encourage associates to get involved in our communities and we recognize their community-based efforts and successes each year. A panel of Compass Group judges reviews the community projects and rewards the associates with a monetary donation to the organization of their choice.
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FALL 2011
A Fresh Approach To Catering Compass Group believes that efficiency, convenience and tried and trusted quality will deliver substantial growth in the company’s catering business in 2012 and beyond.
Partnerships & Services
Reviews of recent Compass Group client events, promo-tions and product launches.
Recipes: Holiday Specials Tired of the turkey, ham and potatoes already? Chef Chris Ivens-Brown delivers a fresh alternative to traditional Holiday cuisine with eight exciting and flavorful recipes.
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Tasteful • Modern • Wholesome
Simply Puur is an efficient and uniform, yet scalable concept, which combines both a timeless and food-oriented design. This is a destination that incorporates a surprising assortment of fresh products that are prepared in view of the customers, for a reasonable price. When combined with hospitable service, Simply Puur will guarantee
that customers come back again and again.
Simply Puur is a place to escape from the day-to-day commotion and relax in a different atmosphere. Whether catching up with colleagues, hosting a quiet meeting or enjoying a delicious lunch, Simply Puur is a distinctive, welcoming and relaxed environment that will increase the productivity and satisfaction of your customers.
If you feel you have a promising opportunity for Simply Puur, please contact Wallace “Buster” Johnston via email for information at: [email protected]
Holiday MarketplaceEurest is excited to launch its “Holiday Marketplace” seasonal catering menu. Designed with on-site and take-home catering in mind, this program offers a variety of tempting holiday favorites. The menu features holiday breads and cookie trays, savory hors d’oeuvres and a selection of Artisan and traditional sandwiches.
The Holiday Marketplace catering program will be delivered to every Eurest account in the fall. This program comes complete with menus and festive marketing collateral, which will encourage customers to take advantage of this convenient service and relax and enjoy the holiday season.
holiday marketplace_elements_half page.indd 2 10/6/11 6:36 PM
HOLIDAYS
HOMEFOR THE
HOLIDAYS SHARE A PIECE
OF THE PIEHome for the Holidays offers customers the convenience of on-site shopping for delicious take home pies. For more information on Home for the Holidays email us [email protected]
PECAN • PUMPKIN • APPLE • SWEET POTATO FRUITS OF THE FOREST • WILD BERRY
FALL 2011 • elements 7
appetizers
In a special airing of Jeopardy! earlier this year, IBM’s revolutionary new computing system, Watson, competed over three days against the show’s greatest all-time money winner Brad Rutter and the longest champi-onship streak record holder Ken Jennings. Named after IBM founder Thomas J. Watson, the artificial intelligence program has been designed to answer questions posed in natural language – including slang, shorthand and nuances – in under three seconds.
Just 17 days after winning the IBM foodservice contract at this location, the Eurest team immediately began preparing for the high-profile Jeopardy! event. In addition to the normal café and catering services offered throughout the IBM building in Yorktown Heights, N.Y., Eurest provided
buffet, sit down and drop-off meals to 150 of the show’s crew at 15 different locations. From 6 a.m. until midnight, the team managed requests from both IBM and the Jeopardy! production team.
The Eurest team was especially busy on filming days, preparing continental breakfasts, brunches, buffet lunches, snacks, formal luncheons and evening receptions. In total, more than 600 people were served multiple meals each day. “We had such great support in preparing for and executing this event – a majority of it from our great local Eurest/IBM National Accounts team, as well as extended support from the local region and Restaurant Associates,” says Dennis Weinerman, VP Operations, National Accounts. “It really was a great joint effort.”
And if you don’t yet know the outcome of the head-to-head competition, let’s just say this: If the answer is, “The undisputed Jeopardy! champion,” the question will be, “What is Watson?”
Eurest provides foodservices for special human versus super computer episode of Jeopardy!
8. Networking, personal growth and mentoring opportunities at the Women’s Leadership Network.
9. Boeing Corporation launches its “New Queen of the Skies” with a double celebration.
12. Lights, camera, action! On set at the Paramount Pictures studio lot in Hollywood.
For the 17th consecutive year, Master Chef Wolfgang Puck (below) was selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to create the menu for the Governor’s Ball, which immediately follows the Academy Awards®.
Wolfgang Puck Cater-ing served 1,500 guests, which included Oscar® winners, nominees, presenters and telecast participants.
Wolfgang Puck at the Academy Awards®
Congratulations to student Andres
Mera-Borja, winner of an Iron Chef
America-style cook-off at Johnson &
Wales University’s Culinary Program in
Charlotte, N.C.. His victory earned
Mera-Borja a job at the Eurest-operated
Bank of America Café – Taste.
THE TASTE OF SUCCESS
NEWS Q&A PEOPLE & PLACES DIVERSITY GREAT SOLUTIONS SAFETY
IT’S ELEMENTARY FOR WATSON!
vs.
=
+
Watson (IBM’s new supercomputer)
The Eurest Team (serving more than 600 people a day!)
• 5,000 wood fired Oscar-shaped flat breads
• 4,000 mini chocolate Oscars
• 2,000 miso cones
• 1,500 mini burger buns
• 1,200 Kumamoto oysters
• 500 lbs heirloom beets
• 300 blood oranges
• 200 lbs sticky rice
• 150 lbs farm-raised littleneck Clams
• 100 lbs Black Farm- raised Mussels
• 25 gallons house- made cocktail sauce
• 20 gallons spicy mustard
• 10 lbs Winter Black truffles
The Governor’s Ball Menu – By The Numbers
14. Hetzler at The Whitehouse
READ THE FULL STORY ON PAGE 11
Brad Rutter and Ken Jennings (all-time Jeopardy! champions)
elements • FALL 20118
On June 15, the WLN Northeast Chapter held its second annual Speed Networking
event. At the event, each person wrote down the names of three people that they would either like to mentor or be mentored by. Matches were then made for a mentor relationship. This innovative approach allowed employees from different sectors, career levels and lifestyles to learn about each other and to help determine who would be a perfect mentor for them.
This new, non-traditional mentoring program opened a new opportunity for the WLN Northeast Chapter to attract new membership, and offer cross-sector networking and growth opportunities and mentoring relationships. The new “Speed Networking” event will continue to be held annually.
LEARNING AND ENCOURAGEMENT“Our focus on mentoring has been a great means to developing and growing our women's cross-sector. And based on our last Metro East Chapter
The need for
Compass Group Women’s Leadership Network (WLN), Northeast Chapter Launches Innovative Mentoring Event With Speed Networking.
The WLN mission is to
advance Compass Group’s
ability to attract, develop and
retain female employees by
providing real opportunities
to learn and grow, thereby
creating a competitive busi-
ness advantage and making
a positive impact in our
industry. WLN’s membership
comprises 1,800 members
within 14 regional Chapters.
The WLN Mission
SUNTRUST’S SUMMER MENU UNVEILEDSummer may bring long, sunny days and balmy
evenings, but it is often a very quiet time for the
catering industry. At SunTrust’s Virginia offices,
the Restaurant Associates catering department
decided to buck the trend and build on the buzz
of a profitable first six months of the year by
introducing a brand new menu at a catering fair for
prospective and existing clients. The event led to
more than 50 inquiries and eight definite bookings.
Quick bites
survey, networking and mentoring partnerships ranked highest in what was most important to our members,” explains Paula Schaire, Co-Chair of the WLN Northeast Chapter. “Our turnout at the Speed Networking Event this past June was evidence as to what our membership really needs – an opportunity to meet other executives, cross-sector and maybe develop a relationship that fosters learning and encouragement.”
Adds Steven M. Sweeney, President & CEO, Chartwells, “My most treasured mentoring experience lasted for 17 years. I had the privilege of being mentored by both Ruediger and Julie Flik, the original principals of Flik International. From a career perspective, that mentoring relationship took me from a young Unit Manager to a Vice President. As mentors, Rudi and Julie never gave up on the vision they had of my potential. My successful career in the foodservices industry and my style of manage-ment is a reflection and byproduct of that mentoring relationship.”
Above: Speed networking at the WLN’s annual event gives Compass Group’s female employees the opportunity to mentor and to be mentored.
SPEED
appetizersNEWS Q&A PEOPLE & PLACES DIVERSITY GREAT SOLUTIONS SAFETY
SUPPLIER OF DISTINCTIONJones Lang LaSalle's new Supplier of Distinction
Awards Program recognizes supplier partners that
have helped elevate the company's ability to deliver
the highest caliber of services, value and innovation.
During Jones Lang LaSalle’s Management Training
Conference, five companies were recognized in the
program’s inaugural year. Compass Group received the award for Total
Cost Management. Eurest CEO Michael Svagdis and David Rodenhiser,
VP National Accounts Sales, were present to accept the award.
FALL 2011 • elements 9
DID YOU KNOW?
The Boeing Delivery Center in Seattle supplies 30 aircraft per month to airlines around the world.
MIXING POLITICS AND DRINKSDaiichi Sankyo and Eurest Café hosted a cocktail party for New
Jersey Lt. Governor and JOBS on July 13, 2011. Although the guest
list doubled in size just a few days before the event, the entire
Daiichi team went above and beyond
to execute a flawless event. “Could not
have been better! Everything was
fabulous,” said Nancy Carnahan,
Coordinator for Government Affairs
and Public Policy, and party attendee.
STREET FOOD SUCCESS AT RAYMOND JAMESLackmann’s popular “Street Food Around The World” series featured
such diverse items as Korean bulgogi, Vietnamese banh mi and
Austrian schnitzel burger. On July 13, Raymond James created
an explosion of flavors in its Café with a focus on Indian pani puri.
The promotion was made available to the entire Raymond
James community at the company’s headquarters in
St. Petersburg, FL. The promotion, which increased sales by
some $500 versus the previous week, generated huge interest
with many visitors requesting the recipes for the dishes served.
When Boeing Corporation organized a huge
double celebration for the maiden flight of
its newest aircraft, Eurest and Thompson Hospi-
tality were asked to cater the important event.
Nicknamed the “New Queen of the Skies,”
Boeing’s new 747-8i aircraft left Paine Field Air-
port in Everett, Washington early in the morn-
ing on March 20, 2011 and conducted over four
hours of in-flight testing before safely landing in
Seattle. The latest version of the iconic Boeing
747 was welcomed by hundreds of employee
volunteers and invited guests, including Mr. Jo-
seph Sutter, known as the “Father of the 747,”
who celebrated his
90th birthday with the crowd.
Boeing partnered with Eurest and Thompson
Hospitality Flightline teams to cater the events
in Everett and Seattle. Feeding more than
300 volunteers in two sites more than 50 miles
apart, the teams were able to collaborate and
synchronize the multiple events throughout
the day. Executive Chef Kevin Leith and his
experienced culinary team in Seattle provided
two VIP luncheons for Boeing management,
Mr. Sutter and the families of the pilots. Left: Celebrat-ing Cinco de Mayo. Above: A selection of appetizers and entrées. Right: A demonstration of traditional Mexican music.
On May 5, 2011, Fidel Miranda and José
Barrera brought the celebration and
traditions of Cinco de Mayo to the Eurest
Café at Ameriprise Financial in Minnesota.
Executive Chef Richard Dollarhide asked
the former residents of Puebla, Mexico to
create their traditional family recipes for
the celebration.
The chefs prepared traditional tamales
and the region’s molé for over 240 guests,
while educating the diners on traditional
Mexican culture. “Working with the two
Chefs and seeing them get excited and
explaining their traditions to the group
was a lot of fun,” Dollarhide says. “I went
from chef to student and it showed that
everyone can learn from each other.”
In addition to the celebration of
Mexican cuisine, the Eurest catering team
also hosted a Spring Catering Fair to
showcase the new Spring menu, other
authentic Mexican dishes and music.
Diversity
AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL UNVEILS AUTHENTIC CINCO DE MAYO RECIPES
DOUBLE AVIATION CELEBRATION
elements • FALL 201110
1. Chef Anthony Capozzoli
dazzled Bank of America
associates in New York with
his magic-themed Chef’s Table.
Pulling out all the stops for
his spectacular show – food
levitation, fire, flames, and
disappearing and reappearing
acts – Capozzoli’s event gener-
ated the highest sales for a Chef’s
Table to date at One Bryant Park.
2. At the 40th Annual Induction
Reception and Dinner for the
American Academy of Chefs
(ACC), Douglas Patten from
Flik International at Rye Brook,
N.Y. was one of 20 inductees into
the ACC, the honor society of the
American Culinary Federation.
Patten has more than 33 years
of experience in the culinary
industry and has worked for Flik
International/Compass Group
for a decade. A member of ACF
since 1983 and a member of
ACF Epicurean Club of Boston
since 1995, Patten has served on
his chapter’s board as secretary
and has participated in many
events and fundraisers.
3. Eurest Executive Chef
Jim Chapman visited the
Morrison Management Services-
managed Northwestern Lake
Forest Hospital, IL as a Guest
Chef. Executive District Chef
at Baxter Healthcare, Chef
Chapman prepared a delicious
autumn dish of poached tilapia
accompanied by grilled Michigan
apples, Portabella mushrooms,
caramelized Vidalia onions, grape
tomatoes, white wine and lemon
vinaigrette.
4. Food Network star contestant
Chef Katy Clark stopped by the
Eurest Café at Bank of America in
Brea, Calif. in June to showcase
her exciting meals and to share
healthy cooking tips. Chef Katy’s
delicious salad was a huge hit
with customers. “We were very
honored to host famous Katy
Clark here at Brea. We are always
looking for ways to excite our
guests and offer them healthy
choices. She was the perfect
choice for this cause,” says
General Manager Burak Akalin.
5. Set amid 300 acres of rolling
hills and woodlands, the Wolf-
gang Puck Catering/FLIK-man-
aged ACE Conference Center in
Philadelphia features 50,000 sq.
ft. of event and meeting space,
numerous ballrooms, breakout
rooms, and outdoor event space.
1 2 4
3
People & Places
NEW DINING OPTIONS AT TIFFANY & CO.Lackmann is providing dining services at
Tiffany & Co.’s new pantries at its corporate
headquarters at 200 5th Avenue, right in the
heart of the Flat Iron District of New York City.
Services include 11 coffee pantries, including
three located on the executive floor. Local NYC
coffee roasters provide freshly ground coffee, while each pantry boasts a
complete selection of eco-friendly paper goods. The retro-style services
are a wonderful and exciting addiction to the Tiffany & Co. dining options.
Quick bites
A CELEBRITY STYLE MENU Among the many tempting
selections at the New American
Café at the Museum of Fine
Arts in Boston, Mass. is a special
Americas Tasting Menu. Inspired
by celebrity Chef Kenneth
Oringer, co-owner of the
renowned Back Bay restaurant
Clio. The $36 prix frix menu will
5
FALL 2011 • elements 11
A Remarkable Risotto and Perfect Panini
Burak Akalin (above left), Eurest General Manager at the Bank of America Café – Brea, recently hired David Henderson, an associate from the Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness (GLAD) who is hearing impaired. Akalin became acquainted with GLAD after the Job Placement Coordi-nator at the agency responded to an advertised opening. “We believe that employees from diverse backgrounds bring motivation and culture train-ing to our teams,” Akalin says.
To ensure that the work-place was welcoming to the hearing impaired, sign language documents were posted in the kitchens to facilitate easier communica-tion between individuals. The team has also begun to learn sign language. A coach assisted the new associates from GLAD for one day and after that, the associates have been providing support to the rest of the team.
The highly anticipated Compass Celebrity Chef Series is a popular promotion that brings the exquisite culinary talents of some of the world’s finest Chefs, including Compass Group’s very own celeb-rity Chefs, right to you and your café guests!
Each month, beginning October, 2011, Compass will ask a regionally or nationally
renowned Chef to share their passion for specialty ingredients and their favorite cuisine
for which they have earned acclaimed status. Throughout
the series, clients will have access to each Chef’s unique skills and expertise in their café, serving up acclaimed recipes and dishes. Get ready to give your guests a taste of celebrity style cuisine!
INTRODUCING THE COMPASS CELEBRITY CHEF SERIES!
Great Solutions
appetizersNEWS Q&A PEOPLE & PLACES DIVERSITY GREAT SOLUTIONS SAFETY
change seasonally and feature
flavors of Mexico, and Central
and South America. The first
Americas Tasting Menu offers
ceviche of North American
tuna with coconut, cilantro,
and jalapeño as the first course,
followed by Al Pastor (vertical
rotisserie grilled) marinated
organic chicken, with Cuban
black beans, sweet plantains,
and salsa verde. Dessert is
churros con chocolate with
chestnut honey and orange
cinnamon sugar. On the open-
ing day, Restaurant Associates
served 937 covers and gener-
ated $16,000 in revenue. The
New American Café is a popular
attraction for the museum.
FLIK CATERS THE JONES NEW YORK FASHION SHOWLast Fall, the FLIK team in Westfield, N.J.
catered the Jones New York Fashion show
at Lord & Taylor. Charlie Prestigiacomo
prepared the food from the sister unit in
Paramus, while Arnulfo Lopez expedited
the food on site. The first fashion show
with Lord & Taylor partners in Westfield
was a rousing success.
At the end of each semester, the
Bank of American Café –Taste,
mentors students at Johnson
& Wales University’s Culinary
Program in Charlotte, N.C. and
asks interns to participate in an
Iron Chef America-style cook-
off. The contestants prepare a
meal – in this case risotto and
panini – which is judged on
creativity, taste, presentation
and texture. “We chose risotto
because it is a popular dish and
we felt it would be a good idea
to incorporate into the com-
petition,” said Eurest Director
Courtney Ellis.
The cook-off isn’t just about
fun, excitement and entertain-
ment, however. During the
competition, students have to
cost out the ingredients, work
out their profit margin and then
set an appropriate retail price.
The winning dish was prepared
by student Andres Mera-Borja,
who created a wild mushroom
risotto and five star Philly. Not
Diversity
Bank of America Inspired by Diversity
Andres Mera-Borja’s winning wild mushroom risotto and
panini landed him a job at the Taste Café at the Johnson
& Wales University.
only was his dish featured on
the Chef's Table and sandwich
station the following week, he
was also able to secure a job at
Taste. Congratulations, Andres!
elements • FALL 201112
elements What food services do you currently provide for Paramount Pictures? Veronica Kellar: Eurest currently handles all of the on-site dining ser-vices at the Paramount lot. We have the Dining Room, which is open from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. We also manage the Studio Store, which is the retail outlet for the lot, as well as the Water Tower, where we have a grill that offers take-out and deliv-ery services. The Commissary, which we recently remodeled, averages about 1,200 people a day. We also have a high-end dining room, which is open for two hours a day to VIPs, executives and celebrities.
e When did Eurest take control of Paramount’s dining services? VK: We started managing the ac-count and remodeling the dining services five years ago. Previously, all of the dining services on the lot were managed and operated in-house. Paramount looked to
appetizersNEWS Q&A PEOPLE & PLACES DIVERSITY GREAT SOLUTIONS SAFETY
Lights, Camera, Dining!Q &A
Veronica KellarEurest Resident District Manager
“We receive urgent and
unique requests all the
time and part of our job
is rising to meet those
demands and challenges.
We have a ‘whatever
it takes' attitude.”
– Veronica Kellar, Compass Group
Located on 64 acres in the heart of Hollywood, Paramount Pictures offers a variety of dining services to celebrities, industry insiders, employees, and studio tourists. Elements talks to Veronica Kellar, Resident District Manager, about how Eurest is constantly innovating the studio’s dining and catering experiences.
Eurest to improve efficiencies and to lower the costs of food and beverage – which we have done.
e What are some of the unique challenges that you face?VK: We receive urgent and unique requests all the time. Our job is to rise to meet those demands. We have a “whatever it takes” attitude. For example, we pro-vided dining services for the MTV Video Music Awards several years ago and had to handle the special requests that the kitchen received. The value Eurest offers is having the experience and the resources to respond to any situation.
e How does Eurest continue to innovate the dining services at Paramount Pictures? VK: We are always focused on taking catering services to the next level. When we first took over the account, our plan was to com-pletely revamp the food services
at Paramount. Our first objective was to enhance the Dining Room experience and then to restructure the Commissary. This year, our primary focus is catering.
e What are your plans for re-structuring the catering services? VK: After reviewing and research-ing the existing catering services, we have several developments in the works, including a new online ordering tool. We are also creating menus and providing smallwares. Because we can provide multiple levels of catering services to fit any event requirement, I am very optimistic about where our current projects are heading and what Eurest and Paramount can accom-plish together in the future.
e How closely did you work with Paramount Pictures on the creation of the catering services?VK: We worked very closely with Paramount’s marketing depart-
ment to develop the look and feel of the online program. To promote some of the menu items, we orga-nized a photo shoot for the small ware items and hired a food stylist to ensure that the food looked exactly how it will be presented to guests. A lot of preparation time and expense was put in to the perfection of this presentation.
e What is the biggest challenge in expanding Eurest’s catering services? VK: Creating awareness and bringing Eurest to front-of-mind among the employees that commission catering services. We believe that if we can give people a cost-effective in-house catering option, they will not need to ven-ture off-site to request items. It’s a win-win. So rather than seeing it as a challenge, we look at it as working hand-in-hand in growing the business and that helps create efficiencies for Paramount.
For more [email protected]
Food service operations tend to expend a large amount of waste and energy. The Love Food Not Waste campaign has been developed to bring awareness and address client concerns about the waste that is created and its cost impact to the operation. The campaign is composed of four key areas of waste related to food service; Food Waste, Water, Energy and Reuse/Recycle. Each area addresses ways that our staff and guests can impact the amount of waste they produce by encouraging them to change their behavior.
Love Food Not Waste will bring attention to not only the environmental concerns, but also to the costs that can be saved by making a few simple changes. A comprehensive list of materials that can be easily introduced has been created for both the back of house and also for the café.We encourage our clients to implement each of the four points to drive a change in behavior.
THE LOVE FOOD NOT WASTE SERIES WILL LAUNCH WITH WATER CONSERVATION TIPS
AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN CELEBRATION OF WATER DAY ON MARCH 22, 2012.
The Delaware chapter of La Confrérie
des Chevaliers du Tastevin – an
exclusive Burgundy wine enthusiasts
club – selected Longwood Gardens
in Kennett Square, Pa. as the location
for its 2011 gala in February.
Restaurant Associates provided
an exquisite nine-course dinner for the
63 guests and host Mr. Nathan Hayward,
President of Longwood Garden’s Board of
Trustees. The dinner was paired with exceptional
wines, including a 1970s vintage. Executive Chef
Jason Belkov and Restaurant Chef Thomas McMullen
applied a modern spin to the menu enjoyed at the
1974 Tastevin event that was held at Longwood
Gardens, the highlight of which was a duck and
goose soufflé. Ed Brown assisted with the menu plan-
ning, while the Longwood Horticultural Department
provided greens and garnishes for the salad course.
The guests, who were delighted by the astounding
level of service, quality and venue, gave a standing
ovation to the Chefs at the end of the meal.
Bank of America Hola Affinity Group recently
partnered with Eurest and Thompson Hospitality to
celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and the Diverse
Culture of Foods of the Hispanic Latino countries in
Newark, N.J.. The Bank of America Group prepared
and served food in the Café from 17 of the Latin
American countries featured in the celebration.
By setting up tables representing the various coun-
tries with cuisine from each, the event shed light
on both the diversity among Bank of America
associates as well as its customers.
CELEBRATING HISPANIC AND LATIN AMERICAN HERITAGE
BEAUTIFUL SCENERY, FIRST-CLASS ENTREES AND VINTAGE WINE – YES, IT MUST BE THE TASTEVIN EVENT!
Diversity
elements • FALL 201114
Whether you need a comprehensive Food-to-Go program, an exciting, upscale convenience store or a scaled down dining center, Outtakes provides a variety of unique and profitable solutions. Outtakes is one of Compass Group’s most successful branded dining experiences – currently operating within hundreds of locations throughout the country, including many business, hospital and school environments. Outtakes adapts to meet your site’s unique and specific demographics.
It’s so much more than a store!
If you feel you have a promising opportunity for Outtakes, please
contact Wallace “Buster” Johnston via email for information at:
uttakes Solutions are much more than stores, they are destinations. Outtakes blends upscale design with a wide selection of great food and unique items
to create an inviting atmosphere that keeps your customers coming back.
Our formats are flexible and adaptable to provide an attractive and cost-effective solution that makes it possible for you to offer a wide selection of food and retail offerings in an operationally friendly environment.
appetizersNEWS Q&A PEOPLE & PLACES DIVERSITY GREAT SOLUTIONS SAFETY
At the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week at
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
in New York, Restaurant Associates (RA)
provided hospitality to more than 30,000
attendees and event staff. During the
eight-day event, more than 90 shows
were staged under 18 interconnecting
tents over 130,000 square feet.
Responsible for all the backstage
hospitality, RA managed the Fashion
Café, the Mercedes Benz Star Lounge, the American Express Sky Box, the
IMG Lounge and the Circa Lounge. Some of the highlights were backstage
Diet Pepsi bars promoting Pepsi’s new “Skinny Can,” an outdoor risotto party
for the Allegri Fashion Presentation, and an IMG-sponsored Vodka ice bar.
Richard Hetzler, Restaurant Associates' Executive Chef at the National Museum of American Indian in Washington, D.C., attended the White House Native Lacrosse event to talk about the snacks and refreshments from the museum’s Mitsitam Native Foods Café that were provided for all of the participants.
Hetzler served a Native power bar made from cashews, quinoa, amaranth and chia seeds, as well-dried fruit pemmican of strawberries, blueberries and apples. Finally, cold cups of mango agua fresca sweetened with agave nectar was enjoyed by everyone, including all of the children!
Truffled roasted fingerling potato salad (New York), Thyme-scented roasted forest mushrooms (Pennsyl-vania) and Maple Lane Farms blackcurrant lemonade (Connecticut), were just a few of the local items prepared by Flik International’s Executive Chef Chip Miller and the FLIK Team at Aetna’s Headquarters in Hartford, CT for its Sustainable Spring Forum featuring local and green foods. The forum started the morning after the recent retirement dinner for the company's exiting CEO Ron Williams.
The retirement party started with an in-house sushi and sashimi station, passed hors d’oeuvres and a Mediterranean display, followed by a three-course dinner for 300 guests, featuring blistered tomatoes, yellow fire roasted peppers, balsamic cippolini, focaccia croutons, sweet herb vinaigrette, thyme seared French breast of chicken, warm Dijon lump crab salad and sea salt lime roasted asparagus.
The FLIK Team rallied again early the next morning for Aetna’s Sustainable Spring Forum for 250 guests, featuring ingredi-ents straight from local farms. Chef Miller and his team put together a local menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Aetna Catering – Featuring Local Delicacies
Mixing Hospitality with Style
HETZLER AT THE WHITEHOUSE
Great Solutions
Compass Group International’s partnership with the UJA-Federation provides Kosher foods to its network of more than 100 beneficiary agencies, human service agencies, Jewish community centers, and humanitar-ian aid organizations. UJA-Federation operates under the value of Tikkun Olam which means "to repair the world” and is the world’s largest local philanthropic organization.
The FLIK Team at UJA-Federation rolled out their new Kosher Catering service at the company’s NYC Regional Meeting in July, serving guests with hors d’oeuvres of smoked salmon, buckwheat blini, lemon caper aioli, tomato basil bruschetta, and Maryland cod cakes with spicy remoulade together with a catering table of cold parve sandwiches and wraps.
FLIK’s Kosher Catering is one of the few kosher busi-nesses in New York City to hold an “A” from the City of New York’s Health Department.
Kosher Catering at Flik
FALL 2011 • elements 15
Whether you need a comprehensive Food-to-Go program, an exciting, upscale convenience store or a scaled down dining center, Outtakes provides a variety of unique and profitable solutions. Outtakes is one of Compass Group’s most successful branded dining experiences – currently operating within hundreds of locations throughout the country, including many business, hospital and school environments. Outtakes adapts to meet your site’s unique and specific demographics.
It’s so much more than a store!
If you feel you have a promising opportunity for Outtakes, please
contact Wallace “Buster” Johnston via email for information at:
uttakes Solutions are much more than stores, they are destinations. Outtakes blends upscale design with a wide selection of great food and unique items
to create an inviting atmosphere that keeps your customers coming back.
Our formats are flexible and adaptable to provide an attractive and cost-effective solution that makes it possible for you to offer a wide selection of food and retail offerings in an operationally friendly environment.
Kosher Catering at Flik
elements • FALL 201116
Right and Far Right: The Eurest team
helping tornado-ravaged communities in
North Minnesota.
Braving the Storms
COMMUNITY & RESPONSIBILITY
HEARTLAND REGION THRIVES IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY
DISPATCHING COMFORT WITH FOOD AND SUPPORT
After deadly tornados ripped through various parts of the country, Eurest associates were quick to respond with support throughout the damaged communities.
Within hours of the deadly tornado that recently hit parts of Massachusetts, Hanover Insurance and Eurest dispatched relief supplies, including sand-wiches and bottled water, to shaken residents and emer-gency workers. Touched by the devastation he witnessed throughout the community, Foodservice Director John Mauro gave the shirt off his back to a shivering little girl still wearing the wet sundress she
had on when the storm hit. When one of the poorest
and most under-served regions in Minneapolis was recently devastated by tornados, Jay Randolph, General Manager of Eurest at the Federal Reserve, partnered with AmeriCorps to assist a disabled homeowner in cleaning and rebuilding his storm-damaged house.
Staff from the Federal Reserve and Polaris Wyoming began by raking up debris, painting inside the house and removing a ravaged, half-standing tree in the backyard. When the project was com-plete, the homeowner shed tears of joy.
The severe winter storms earlier this year brought many businesses to a grinding halt. Despite the frozen roads and dangerous conditions that affected many parts of the country, however, Eurest Heartland Region associates went above and beyond the call of duty to thrive during the inclement conditions.
Duke Energy associates were on mandatory storm duty, and District Manager Bill Tardy praised his team’s hard work, saying, “These outstanding individuals fully understand the importance of providing great service and food during difficult times.”
At Covidien’s offices in Ohio, Foodservice Director Gary Spezia showed strong leadership and dedication, sending his team home while he stayed to ensure that breakfast and lunch would be served the next day.
Numerous Eurest associates worked during their scheduled vacation time, helped pick up stranded associates and even spent the night to provide early morning food service across the Heartland Region. Eurest’s efforts were noticed by the region’s customers, clients and leaders, and even in the special edition newsletter Heartland Heroes of the Storm.
As winter storms, tornados and flash floods hit the country, Compass Group was on hand to help people and communities in need.
FALL 2011 • elements 17
The Eurest and Caterpillar
Leadership Team joined
forces to support Hesed
House, a shelter in Auroa,
IL that provides relief to
the hungry and homeless.
Volunteers at Caterpillar
Aurora’s Café prepared
bagged lunches for
residents, while Chef Marty Burton and the Eurest team
prepared a delicious dinner of grilled chicken, mashed
potatoes, green beans, dinner rolls and cookies.
Meanwhile, the Caterpillar Leadership team served food,
washed dishes and supplied toiletries and medication.
PARTNERING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Each year, Eurest’s Quark Café Team at Jefferson Lab
in Newport News, VA has sponsored a picnic to kick
off the organization’s annual United Way fundrais-
ing campaign. Last year’s event, led by Foodservice
Director Gaye Davenport, raised more than $1,300.
Eurest donated picnic items, including hot dogs,
hamburgers, veggie burgers, chips, soda and bottled
water. For just one dollar, attendees could choose any
food or bever-
age item. All
proceeds from
the picnic were
donated to the
United Way.
EUREST STAFF HOLD PICNIC BENEFIT FOR UNITED WAY
At the 14th
Annual Fairmont
Hotel and Resorts
Grand Chef Gala
and Jean Banchet
Awards for Culi-
nary Excellence,
an astounding
42 Chefs and 17 Pastry Chefs prepared signature dishes
to a sold out crowd of 750 guests. The Fairmont Hotel
was fashioned in stunning décor to illustrate the theme
of “The Emerald City.” Eurest’s Jim Chapman was
recognized at the event – which raises funds to help
find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis – for his outstanding food
preparation by receiving the People’s Choice Award.
EUREST EXECUTIVE CHEF RECEIVES TOP HONORS
whole+sum is an exciting new station destination featuring distinctive world cuisines and American favorites. whole+sum capitalizes on the growing consumer trend of customization by enabling customers to create their own meal from healthful components that total no more than 600 calories.
For more information please [email protected]
elements • FALL 201118
TAKING FOOD PRODUCTION BACK TO ITS ROOTS!The Restaurant Associates (RA) team plants a patio garden at Royal Bank of Scotland’s offices in Stamford, CT to coincide with the company’s World Environment Day celebrations.
“The Growing Connection (TGC) was developed in 2003 using EarthBoxes to grow vegetables in pretty much any location. There are now more than 130 TGC sites around the world”
Top left: The Restaurant Associates team and RBS employees proudly display their new EarthBoxes. Above: A selection of vegetables grow alongside RBS’ expansive patio.
COMMUNITY & RESPONSIBILITY
The RA team, headed by Director of Operations Frank Miglino and RBS Americas employees, planted 50 self-sustaining EarthBoxes along the perimeter of the Café’s expansive patio. In addition, 50 more
boxes were donated to the local community of behalf of RBS Citizens.
Bob Patterson from The Growing Connection (TGC) – a grassroots project developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – taught volunteers how to create the EarthBoxes with a peat-based soil and how to plant tomatoes, lettuce, rosemary, basil and other herbs and vegetables.
Patterson believes that many people in modern society have lost touch with where their food comes from, and hopes that initiatives such as this will “reengage people in the food production process.” TGC was developed in 2003
using EarthBoxes to grow vegetables in pretty much any location. There are now more than 130 TGC sites around the world.
“After working with Bob Patterson and The Growing Connection in 2008, we found how easy having a patio gar-den can be,” said Jason Dichiara, RA’s Regional Director for RBS and RBS Citizens. “Our Chefs and our guests get local, quality, fresh ingredients and we can support our client’s environmental efforts through education and great food.”
Lorraine Gibbons from Garden State Urban Farms also attended the launch. An expert in growing food in non-traditional places, Gibbons assists in launching gar-dens in inner cities to provide employment and educational opportunities as well as inexpensive and nourishing food.
Earlier this year, RBS’ foodservice facility achieved a four-star rating from the Green Restaurant Association.
FALL 2011 • elements 19
“Promotions will give customers the tools to make informed choices that address their health concerns”
In partnership with EatingWell Media Group,
Compass Group is expanding the standard and
customized levels of its wellness program,
Balance, and adding to its customer wellness
information and health-oriented menu options.
EatingWell recipes are now offered as standard
in Compass Cafés, while additional resources,
including wellness features and 500-calorie dinner
menus, are available at the Balance website. The
EatingWell Media Group, part of Meredith National
Media Group, publishes an award-winning national
consumer magazine, food and nutrition-related
books, a website and e-mail newsletters.
In response to the growing demand for an
expanded focus on health, Compass Group
has moved from seasonal to monthly wellness
promotions. Programs such as National Nutrition
Create prepares customizable flatbreads, salads and scratch made soups from simple, whole ingredients that are healthy, delicious and affordable. Some of our items are locally sourced, some are organic and all are fresh and of the highest quality that we can find.
Create’s identity is also driven by its unique method of prepara-tion which revolves around the Evo grill, providing a more nutri-tious alternative to frying. If you feel you have a promising oppor-tunity for Create, please contact Wallace “Buster” Johnston via email for information at: [email protected]
create
create
CREATEMonth and Earth Month will be joined by oppor-
tunities to highlight other nationally recognized
health programs, including Diabetes Awareness
and Cholesterol Education.
Beginning January 2012, monthly promotions to
increase awareness of a range of health topics will
be available to clients. Combining educational mate-
rials with healthy menus, the promotions will provide
tools to make informed choices that address health
concerns. To increase opportunities for collabora-
tion with other client efforts to improve employee
health, the promotions will align with the awareness
campaign of national health organizations.
www.balance.compass-usa.com.
UPDATE
elements • fall 201120
As one of the country’s most successful retail chains, Lowe’s knows all about managing heavy foot traffic, but the task of catering for some 3,600 associates every day is a stiff
challenge – by anybody’s standards. Understand-ing that the quality of the lunchtime dining services plays an important role in attracting and retaining employees, Lowe’s goes to great lengths to ensure that the dining experience at its corporate campus is as quick, convenient and pleasurable as possible for staff and visitors. “The company is proud of its status as a preferred employer and views innovation as a way of staying ahead of its key competitors – both in its stores and in regard to the amenities it offers its employees,” explains Eurest Resident District Manager Randy Hollifield. Eurest, which manages all of the catering and dining options at the Lowe’s corporate headquarters, including a Starbucks Coffee shop, an Outtakes franchise, a Café and a mall-style food court, was challenged to bring the advanced POS checkout technologies used by the company in its stores into the campus.
The Challenge: Increase Zipthru participation; give customers more ordering and checkout options
While Lowe’s offers many on-site campus dining options for employees and visitors, the main Café is easily the most popular venue. During the lunch rush, the restaurant has to accom-modate more than 800 customers in less than an hour during lunch. However, with only four fixed cash registers, the Café desperately needed
a more efficient payment system. The main chal-lenge was that while Lowe’s had already installed Compass Group’s Zipthru cashless technology, many restaurant customers were still using cash and debit and credit cards to pay for their meals, resulting in long lines and a lengthy checkout process. The key objectives for the new dining program were to encourage more Zipthru par-ticipation and to give customers more checkout options with the long-term goal of making the dining experience more relaxing and enjoyable.
The SoluTion: Combine checkout and payment technologies to enhance the customer experience
In order to achieve the goal of making lunchtime dining more enjoyable while at the same time improving efficiencies, the Eurest and Lowe’s Dining Team combined three innovative tech-nologies into one integrated system.
1. Combine Zipthru cashless payment card
with employee security badge
In order to encourage staff to use the cashless system to pay for Café meals, Eurest and Lowe’s decided to combine the Zipthru cashless payment card with the security/identification badge that all employees are required to carry on campus. Staff can register and add funds to their card se-curely online at the Zipthru website then simply swipe their security badge through a checkout reader in the Café to pay for meals. Lowe’s employees can also utilize the online Zipthru
When Lowe’s looked to upgrade the on-campus dining experience at its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters, the company turned to long-time partner Eurest to help implement more efficient checkout and payment systems for associates and visitors.
2. Through September
2011, Lowe’s has processed
more than 172,000 Zipthru
transactions. The weekly
customer count is 16,500.
That’s 3,300 per day!
3. The average Zipthru
check is 60 cents higher
than cash transactions.
The average Zipthru check
is $3.26 versus $2.67 for
cash payments.
1. Lowe’s Mooresville
Campus Cafés service on
average 1660 people during
a three-hour lunch period.
3 Fast Facts
Client Showcase
LOWE’S COMPANIES, INC.
A Quicker, BetterCafé experience
fall 2011 • elements 21
Using Zip-ThrU To rewArd heAlThier ChoiCes
while Zipthru is primarily a cashless pay-
ment system, the program can be tailored
to reward participation and even help
companies encourage their staff to make
healthier dining choices. Aligning the
Zipthru rewards program with the lowe’s
corporate wellness initiative, for example,
led to an increase in the consumption
of the more nutritional options at the
Café. while the standard Zipthru rewards
program enables customers to earn points
for every dollar they spend, the lowe’s
Café Team was able to adjust the program
so that bonus reward points were offered
for purchasing healthier items, such as
bottled water, fruit, yogurt bars and fish.
The points can then be redeemed for
other nutritional options, including salads.
Desktop Ordering program to place a lunch order from their computer or smartphone. Staff who place orders in advance can arrive at the Café with their lunch already prepared.
2. Introduce mobile checkout options
to keep the lunch lines moving
In addition to encouraging more Zipthru participation, the Dining Team introduced mobile checkout tablets – similar to those used at Apple Stores – to the Café. Giving Eurest employees the flexibility to checkout customers anywhere in the serving area, not just at the fixed registers, the mobile tablets also operate as express lanes during busy periods.
The mobile POS system also delivered the added benefit of increasing participation in the Zipthru program. “When people standing in line to pay for their meals with cash or credit cards see how quickly their colleagues are being processed, it’s like a free ad for the Zipthru system,” Hollifield says. “If you have a Zipthru card, you can quite literally checkout while you’re pouring a drink.”
3. Introduce “smart” offers for smartphones
Utilizing Microsoft Tag Technology, Lowe’s is able to take the marketing and promotion of its dining services beyond the four walls of the Café.
e
Café experience
Employees who use their smartphones to scan tags that are strategically placed throughout the campus are instantly directed to special offers and promotions within the Café. To redeem coupons or discounts, customers simply show their phone screen to a Café team member and the offer is applied without any paper exchange. “The con-tent for the tags changes from week to week to coincide with new promotions and offers within the Café,” Hollifield says. “The combination of different technologies has been a huge success.”
left: Mobile PoS systems help reduce long lunch lines. above: The lowe’s corporate campus. Right: The Café is the most popular of the campus’ dining options.
“when people standing in line to pay for their meals with cash or credit cards see
how quickly their colleagues are being processed, it’s like a free ad for Zipthru.”
elements • fall 201122
S ony Electronics’ promotion for its new WX9 Cyber-shot® digital camera took on a culinary-inspired twist when the compa-ny invited a select group of food bloggers
to spend a few days at its headquarters in San Diego, CA. Each blogger was given a brand new camera to use while strolling through the local Oceanside Farmers Market. Chef Chris Ivens-Brown, Eurest’s Vice President of Culinary Development, led the walkthrough of the market and prepared a seasonal beachside lunch and an epic dinner for the bloggers.
In addition to many other special treats from Sony, each blogger was given a copy of Chef Chris’ Planet to Plate book, which was created for the event and contained the recipes and photos of each dish. The book also included informa-tion on how local Californian foods were used throughout each of the day’s events.
Matt Parnell, Sony Public Relations Manager, said that Eurest exceeded all of his expectations. “You guys accomplished what we wanted – to totally impress these food bloggers. The night
wasn’t even over and they were already posting photos and comments on their blogs.”
industry insight Chef Chris also made a presentation to 150 students at Sony’s adopted Orange Glen High School, where many of the students are transport-ed in from the inner city. Culinary Program Director Brenda Umbro and the school’s Vice President Penny Parker said the students were thrilled to learn about the foodservice industry. Manny Gomez, Eurest General Manager at Sony, plans to start a mentoring program with other managers and Chefs in the San Diego area to provide further insight to interested students. “We were truly honored to have had an opportunity to be involved in the production of this event. I have never seen an event as beautiful as this,” Gomez says. “It was amazing. The detail, quality and presentation were all cutting edge and the wine pairing was just phenomenal. We’re looking forward to Chef Chris’ next visit to Sony!”
Sony celebrates the launch of its new digital camera by treating bloggers to a seasonal beachside lunch and an epic dinner.
blogging, dining, mentoring
Chris ivens-brown (above) and the eurest and sony catering team at the company’s blogger event in san diego, CA.
“Each blogger was given a brand new Sony camera to use while strolling through the local Oceanside Farmers Market.”
fall 2011 • elements 23
Earlier this year, Eurest successfully transitioned 27 Johnson & Johnson
accounts in eight states and Puerto Rico.
The sites, which comprised three company stores, two company kiosks, four child care
centers and one executive dining center, featured over 150 office coffee stations, nearly
200 vending machines and four new Austin Grill Express venues. In total, more than 300
associates from Eurest, FlIk and Canteen partnered with 25 Johnson & Johnson clients in
managing the transition. The project went incredibly smoothly and the team was praised
for such a successful and well planned undertaking. “After what we’ve seen, we could
not imagine what it would be like to work with any other foodservice partner,” Johnson &
Johnson management’s team said upon completion of the project.
Customers at the New York Stock Exchange recently had
the opportunity to test Compass Group’s new smartphone
app, which enables you to pre-order and pay for meals
from wherever you are.
Orders, which can be placed from PCs, laptops and even
iPads, are pre-paid so all customers need to do is arrive at
the pick-up window, show their ID, take their bag and go!
The whole transaction takes less than 60 seconds.
Staff were able to order items from the whole+sum well-
ness station as well as from the grill, deli, pizza and hot entrée
stations. “Since the majority of traders are unable to leave
their desk for extended periods of time, being able to order
lunch from their
phone and then
just pick it up
makes it easy and
convenient for
them,” says Bryce
Cole, lackmann
General Manager
of the Café.
PArTnErInG FOr SuCCESS AT JOhnSOn & JOhnSOn
ZIPThru SMArTPhOnE MAkES nyC DEBuT
FrESh ATMOSPhErE AT VISA CAFÉ
partnErShipS & SErvicES
The Metro 1 Café at the Foster City, CA campus of Visa recently received a
fresh renovation, delivering an exciting new atmosphere to the Café as well
as numerous features for an enhanced dining experience.
Since the renovation at the beginning of the year, the Eurest Café has enjoyed a
participation increase of around 10 percent while maintaining its pre-renovation check
average. The new look, which included a completely redesigned ceiling to allow more
natural light to flow into the dining area as well as the showcasing of Visa Card artwork
from around the world, was supplemented with numerous additional features, including:
• A Zipthru cashless Visa-based system
• Grill ordering through a pager system
• New Rise ‘n’ Dine breakfast menu
• Coca-Cola’s popular new Freestyle
drink fountain with more than 100
beverage options
• whole+sum station
• Full-service Starbucks Coffee bar
open during the day
• Chef’s Corner entrée station with daily options
Patrons have praised the Café’s improved circulation, plentiful seating and pleasing
aesthetic appearance. Three different seating zones accommodate any type of group
or personal preference, from lunch meetings to a sports bar dining experience or even
a distraction-free social dining area. All of the seating is mobile and can be reconfig-
ured to accommodate a variety of social occasions.
• BYOB™
• 2Mato™
• MondoSubs™
• whole+sum™
• Simply Puur™
• Outtakes™
• CrEATe™
For more information on Zipthru Mobile Ordering or other
Compass technology solutions, contact Compass Group at
704-328-4000 and ask for an FSS Field Service Manager.
The mobile ordering service can be used to order from
other café menu stations and retail brands, including:
elements • fall 201124
1. A One-Stop-Shop Solution
Until recently, ordering catering
and planning events at Microsoft
was a tedious task. Three differ-
ent ordering tools, a variety of
event planners and four separate
catering teams each with varying
menus created confusion.
After reviewing customer
feedback, Compass Group and
Microsoft Real Estate and Facili-
ties (RE&F) partnered to develop
Microsoft Meeting Solutions
(MMS) – a one-stop-shop that
combines conference planning,
audio visual and catering services
into a seamless, single point
of contact.
The new division not only
merged the four catering teams,
but also supports event ser-
vices, including meeting space,
furniture, AV support and even
podcasting, becoming a single
dedicated planning management
all event logistics.
2. A Shining Example
in Culinary Excellence
Led by Microsoft District
Chef Craig Tarrant, the new
Culinary Guild manages ethnic
concepts, seasonal menus,
local purchasing, dietary needs,
custom menus as well as continu-
ous culinary improvement.
The guild communicates with
MMS event planners who then
work directly with customers to
create specialized catering styles
Combining various
departments and central-
izing the catering experience,
Microsoft Meeting Solutions
has increased catering sales,
improved customer loyalty,
and completely re-invigorated
the Microsoft catering brand.
ROCKs thE SEnSES!WolFgAng PuCK
wAyS TO BlAZE A TrAIl In CATErInG
EMp dishes will feature fresh, seasonal
ingredients and cage-free, ocean-
friendly, and humanely-treated proteins.
Wolfgang Puck Catering (WPC) has been named the exclusive caterer for the EMP Museum in Seattle, WA. The prime destination in the Seattle area to experience music, science fiction and pop culture, the massive 140,000 sq. ft.
Frank O. Gehry-designed building houses an array of magnificent event spaces, including an outdoor plaza featuring astounding view of the Space Needle. The museum’s interior houses numerous striking event spaces as well as the world’s largest HD LED video screen.
“The intersection of two organizations focused on creative evolution provides an exciting and unique opportunity for events,” states Carl Schuster, CEO of Wolfgang Puck Catering. “The Seattle market is an incredible resource, enabling our chefs to showcase their talents.”
EMP opened in 2000 and has since become one of Seattle’s most recognized nonprofit arts and cultural organizations as well as a popular attraction for visitors.
An exciting exclusive partnership brings the world-renowned
Chefs and catering experience of Wolfgang Puck to the unique
and innovative EMP Museum in Seattle.
5
PhoToS: AZZurA PhOTOGrAPhy (ExCEPT TOP rIGhT)
fall 2011 • elements 25
Utilizing a revolutionary and comprehensive
new technology program, Canteen has rolled out
a new vending platform that caters to the ever-
changing needs of specific customers.
Canteen, Compass Group’s Vending Sector, has been
developing a new Dynamic Customization program,
which utilizes Sku technology to customize vending
product offerings based on the demographics, sales history
and regionalized preferences of its customers. In addition to the
new customization technology, Canteen is also introducing
machines that accept debit and credit cards. Scheduled for 2012,
a mobile app from Canteen will allow customers to use their smart-
phones to access nutritional information and a machine locator.
for individual events. Recent
menu development projects have
included a new breakfast menu,
a holiday promotional menu and
the re-launch of the pizza brand.
3. Creating and Maintaining
Beloved Brands
Compass Group worked with
Microsoft RE&F Communication
to create a recognizable brand
image that would align with the
existing RE&F branding. The new
logo is displayed in all promotion-
al materials and communications.
Brands were also incorporated
into the catering menus and have
been key to driving customer
loyalty and enhancing variety.
4. New Levels of Customer
Satisfaction
MMS added a Customer Advo-
cate to the team, whose goal is
to support sales growth by
developing customer relation-
ships, enhancing Event Planner
sales skills, and increasing market
share capture. The Customer
Advocate conducts focus groups
and menu tastings, and also
spearheads competitive analyses
and meets with the Event
Planners and culinary team to
ensure cohesive communication
between customers and staff.
5. Get Innovative with
your Catering Marketing
By creating an identity on
officeTalk – Microsoft’s employ-
ee social networking site – MMS
was able to generate interest
by posting a selection of special
offers, info and menu links.
The team also hosted active
menu sampling events. The
new pizza brand was promoted
using magnetic fleet signage
and social medial posts to give
customers clues on where they
could find free pizza!
With help of Executive Vice
President Charles LaMonica,
Restaurant Associates (RA)
has partnered with the Pencil
Partnership’s Principal For A Day
and Guest Reader program at
P.S. 330 in New York.
laMonica was the Principal For A Day and recruited Marc Scheuer, Julie
Sajda, Gina Zimmer, Vicki rosen and heather Eaton as Guest readers.
The group read their favorite childhood story to a class of kindergarten
students. Central Catering kitchen provided breakfast for the volunteers
and teachers while rA’s client at random house Publishing, Mariella Molly,
generously donated 450 books for the children to use in both the class-
room and at home. The Pencil Partnership’s goal is to build and support
customized relationships between business leaders and principals to inspire
innovation and transform public schools.
PEnCIl PArTnErShIP
partnErShipS & SErvicES
when Compass Group’s newly designed dining websites
are integrated with Webtrition, Compass’ proprietary
menu management and nutrition program, customers
have convenient access to a wide range of up-to-date
information about your dining center, including:
• Easy access to dining-center related resources
• Daily and weekly menus
• Links to catering ordering and other resources
• Easy online access to nutrition information*
• Customized nutrition reporting*
* only available to locations using Webtrition.
Webtrition, Compass Group’s proprietary online ingredient,
recipe and menu management solution, was recently unveiled
to positive acclaim at the the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The Affordable Care and Patient Protection Act of 2010
mandated far more extensive nutritional labeling and information
availability in facilities operated by companies with over 20 units.
As soon as nIh was aware of this new requirement, they engaged
Compass Group’s divisional, regional and on-site teams to begin
planning for the implementation of Webtrition. A rigorous timeline
was developed to ensure completion of the project with accurate
information. The unveiling of Webtrition serves as a reminder
of the importance that proper nutrition plays in keeping us all
healthy and productive.
WEbTRiTioN uNVEilEd!
MENu MANAGEMENT juST A CliCK AWAY
wEBTrITIOn uPdATES
A CuSTOMIZED VEnDInG ExPErIEnCE
elements • fall 201126
EurEst Airport LoungEs rEcEivE top rEcognition Three Eurest-managed facilities are highlighted in Frommer’s Travel Guides definitive list of the uSA’s top-10 airport lounges.
quICk BITES
More than 7,500 GE associates and
family members showed up at the
company’s lynn, MA site to
experience GE Family Day. The
event featured hot air balloon
rides and many children’s activities.
Serving more than 3,500 breakfasts,
amazing lunches and health bars,
a Eurest team of over 100 associ-
ates worked throughout the week
to ensure the event was a huge
success. In total, some 1,400 lbs
of beef tips, 3,200 pieces of whole
fruit, 1,000 lbs of pulled chicken
and more than 10,000 hamburgers
and hot dogs were served.
EurEst tEam sErvEs thousands on GE Family day
In celebration of the new partner-
ship between California-based
eBay and Philadelphia-based GSI
Commerce, Eurest hosted a wel-
coming party for the joint company.
For the occasion, each company
wanted a regional menu that repre-
sented its home location.
The Eurest team, led by District
Chef Gregg Pearson and head
Chef at GSI Commerce Chef
Matthew Vesci, created two menus
with dishes from both California
and Pennsylvania, including a dis-
play of cupcakes in the shape of the
eBay logo (above.) The event was
attended by over 850 associates
and received unanimous acclaim.
EBay Joins Gsi CommErCE
partnErShipS & SErvicES
oneworldLos Angles Int’l Airport
A collaboration between
qantas, British Airways and
Cathay Pacific, Oneworld is
open from 6:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.
seven days a week and features
a relaxing bar, 42- and 52-inch
plasma televisions equipped
with DirecTV, zoned music
programmed by Prescriptive
Music, nine showers and inter-
net café-style work stations
and buffet areas.
terrace loungeSeattle-Tacoma Airport
The Terrace lounge has been
operated by Eurest since its
2001 opening. Subsidized by
British Airways, the lounge
serves up to 100 people per
flight, seven days a week.
“we want our customers to
have the feeling of being in a
prestigious environment,” says
Manager Michael workman.
“Our staff works around the
clock to make that happen.”
Presidents ClubHouston George Bush
Intercontinental Airport
Operated by Continental
Airlines, the 26,000 sq. ft.
Presidents Club lounge, which
serves 2,000 people per day,
exudes Texan charm with dark
wood, leather and many mod-
ern accoutrements. “It’s our
focus on service that makes us
ten notches above everybody
else,” says General Manager
kenneth Farrar.
Restaurant
Associates’ (RA)
new Wine & Spirits
Consulting Service
provides custom-
ized training and
education for clients
and associates.
Spearheaded
by Thierry Pradines
(right), rA’s
Director of wine
& Spirits, the consult-
ing service’s seminars can be conducted at client premises
and tailored to fit any group. wine seminars range from
formal classroom-style instruction to carefully catered
cocktail parties to interactive wine challenges.
quICk BITES
Philips’ annual Vendor Day has
traditionally been hosted at an
off-site location, but the company
decided to stage the 2010 event
at its corporate headquarters in
Andover, MA, and asked Eurest to
provide catering services. Over two
days, the Eurest team prepared
and served a Greek salad with beef,
chicken or lamb, beef tenderloin,
seafood, hors d’oeuvres and
house-made desserts. Boxed
lunches were also provided to
visitors with tight travel schedules.
A huge success, Eurest has already
been asked to host the 2011 event.
Conveniently located on the
outskirts of the Dallas-Fort worth
Metroplex, the 40,000 sq. ft.
Infomart is one of Dallas’ premier
venues. The perfect location for
a sales meeting, training event or
a holiday party, The Conference
Center at Infomart features two
large ballrooms with a grand view of
downtown Dallas, and 12 meeting
rooms that overlook the Atrium’s
Italian crystal fountain. The exclusive
caterer, Eurest provides a range of
dining options, from a beverage
service to continental breakfasts to
three-course plated meals.
lEt’s mEEt in dallas!
EurEst takEs PhiliPs vEndor day to thE nExt lEvEl
Wolfgang Puck Catering (WPC) has been named
the exclusive caterer for The Sunset Room event
venue at National Harbor, Washington D.C..
A premiere lifestyle destination bringing togeth-
er recreation, work, living and entertainment on
a magnificent panoramic waterfront location, the
national harbor (above) offers spectacular views
of the Potomac river and the washington D.C.
skyline. The Sunset room, which is currently being
remodeled, will host convention groups, local
gatherings and memorable social occasions.
wPC looks forward to managing the highly
preferred event spaced with a magical combination
of ambiance, cuisine and service.
The third Annual Zone 2 Green
Summit was held at SEI, Oaks, PA,
bringing together eco-friendly prac-
tices, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.
This year’s summit, hosted by Maggie
Fisher, regional Vice President of the
Delaware Valley region of Eurest,
featured keynote speaker Dan Cassidy,
Energy Manager for the workplace
and Site Operations group at Johnson
& Johnson. Dan shared J&J’s best
practices on several topics, including
solar energy, recycling and conserva-
tion. Deanne Brandstetter, Compass
Group’s Vice President of wellness
and nutrition, shared how incorporat-
ing Balance can help achieve CSr
goals. SEI’s Green Team then gave an
update on how its “Green Journey”
has been successful over the years.
GrEEn SuMMITThInk yOu knOw wInE & SPIrITS?
wOlFGAnG PuCk CATErInG ExPAnDS PrESEnCE In ThE CAPITAl
To learn more about this exciting new service, go to:
www.rawineandspirits.com.
• Wine & Spirits list
Selection
• Cocktail Selection
• Cellar Management
• Cost Control
• Senior Executive
Coaching (for execu-
tives responsible for
entertaining clients
and associates.)
The service also provides staff training for management,
sommeliers, wait staff and bartenders. Classes include:
“The many benefits of using Compass Group rather than a local company to provide catering
services include convenience, higher quality food and service, reliability and cost efficiency.”
Catering
fall 2011 • elements 29
Compass & CaTerinG
On any given day, thousands – if not millions – of people across the country will walk into a Compass Group-oper-ated café, restaurant or bistro at
lunchtime and sit down to enjoy an exciting, flavorful and nutritious meal prepared by a team of skilled Chefs and foodservice professionals. Then, not realizing that they have a team of Compass Group culinary experts in their own building who can meet all of their catering needs, those very same associates will sometimes head back to their offices, pick up the phone and call an outside vendor to cater their next event, working lunch, banquet or conference.
“Food – it’s what Compass does best. And what better way to make your event spectacular than to partner with our creative Chefs who have the expertise, experience and know-how to bring it all together,” says Chris Ivens-Brown, Eurest’s Vice President, Culinary Development. “We can serve
lunch to several hundred people a day at a large corporate campus and, at the same time, cater a small meeting for five people, an event for several thousand invited guests, or an at-home specialty dinner party. No request is too small or too grand.”
The benefits of using Compass Group’s campus-based Chefs rather than a local company to provide catering services are numerous and include convenience, higher quality food and service, reliability and cost efficiency. “We pride ourselves on providing a nutritious lunch for a small meeting just as much as we do a special Holiday catering event for a hundred guests,” says Ivens-Brown. “We are excited about our current and upcoming holiday catering programs, and we plan to take an aggressive and strategic approach in promoting them to our clients and customers.”
Given the diversity of the tastes and flavor profiles of its customers, and the many food
TO ALL TASTESCatering
Whether it’s providing a sandwich selection for a small departmental lunch, or
Kumamoto oysters for several thousand guests at the Academy Awards,
Compass Group has the experience and expertise to meet your catering needs.
s
elements • fall 201130
preferences throughout the wide range of Compass operated business and industry accounts across the country, delivering a “one solution fits all” catering program is both impractical and unrealistic. Compass has instead opted to develop a series of core regional and seasonal menus built around key parameters that its individual operations can customize to meet the needs of their clients, while still adhering to their local food buying guidelines.
Compass Group offers catering services with seasonal menus that highlight locally sourced ingredients. In support of the viability of the mid-sized American family farmer and local communities, Compass promotes buying and eating locally. Every menu is custom designed
to fit both the season and our client’s needs with food that is skillfully created.
“Although we can create it, we don’t believe that many of our customers are looking for exotic or fancy foods like tapas, canapés, steak tartare or ceviche for their catered lunches – especially in the current economic climate,” Ivens-Brown says. “More than anything else, we believe our customers are looking for quality, convenience and consisten-cy, so that’s where we are going to focus most of our attention from a menu engineering standpoint.”
Compass plans to awaken the senses this Holiday season and bring more awareness to its many catering programs. Here is a summary of the new Compass Group catering initiatives planned for 2012 and beyond.
Compass Catering: success stories
LACKMANN HOSTS SpeCiAL NYSe eveNT in april, Lackmann Culinary services hosted a special event for the society for Foodservice management (sFm) and Vip clients at the new York stock exchange. sFm executives and
Vip clients were treated to a sustainable lunch buffet, which included Violet Farms guinea hen, wine glazed, line-caught black cod with sweet soy, spiked asian long beans and ginger coconut sticky rice. at the eve-ning cocktail event, attendees were treated to a custom menu created by regional executive Chef Kenneth scotland and general manager Bryce Cole, featuring Kobe beef strip loin and rib eye seared and seasoned on hot Himalayan
rock salt with thin sliced uzo spiked hamachi, crunchy kim chi waikame seaweed salad and chai tea soba noodles station.
FLUOR ReACHeS New HeigHTSin previous years, engineering consultancy firm Fluor has al-ways outsourced its annual Holi-day Lunch but, in 2010, eurest was asked to prepare and serve the meal for 75 people. “the meal was prepared and served to perfection,” says eurest
District manager r.t. Wargo. “everyone went above and beyond to make sure that eurest shined with every detail.”
Fluor’s adrian Kirk told the team that everyone had raved about the entire meal. “the quality and consistency of each dish was amazing, especially considering the number of people served. i was at the back of the line and the temperature of everything was just right. the tenderness and flavor of the prime rib were excellent.”
LigHT Up bLUe gALAeurest Foodservice Director Christina Wessner and executive Chef glenn marshall Batten together with the tiaa CreFF Café team provided great service at the inaugural “Light up Blue” gala event in
e
“every Compass menu is custom designed to fit both the
season and our client’s needs with food that is skillfully created”
fall 2011 • elements 31
Compass & CaTerinG
aid of the autism speaks charity. a scintillating menu featured hor-d’oeuvres of maryland crab cakes with spicy roasted pepper dip, tomato basil soup shots with fresh mozzarella and chicken satay with a spicy apricot smear. guests were then treated to a sit-down menu of duet entrées, including grilled petit filet mignon with spicy shiitake mushroom demi glace and a cast iron seared pepper and dill sea bass with a march de vin prawn sauce.
TevA TeAM’S ReCORd-bReAKiNg SeRviCe
the eurest team at teva pharmaceuticals in Forest, Va recently held a spaghetti dinner for 650 people to celebrate the company’s achievement of an 85 percent product delivery quota. the team fed the entire plant across three shifts. the challenge for eurest was that the request was received at 10 a.m. on march 17 and the event was to take place the next morning, beginning at 4 a.m.
the original plan was to have a pizza party, which would have required cooking some 200 pizzas. However, using just one single-stack oven, it would have taken the foodservice team some eight hours to cook all of the pizzas. not wanting to let the client and the employ-ees down, the eurest team suggested a spaghetti dinner instead. “the client loved the event and was very impressed that we pulled it off with such short notice,” Ledbetter says.
gMAC RiSiNg eurest at gmaC in Fort Washington, pa has increased catering sales this year by 55 percent. increased catering needs onsite have boosted sales and expanded exposure for the catering services avail-able at the site. Customers are impressed by the excellent service and top quality food selections and options, includ-ing site-wide picnics, Chinese dinners, hors d’oeuvres parties and standard catering events.
Chef Dennis shannon (above) is always looking to improve each event and the customers love the special attention they receive from the whole team.
Meeting Well Meeting Well is a program created, managed and trademarked by the American Cancer Society (ACS) to encourage a healthier workplace. The ACS has developed guidelines, suggestions and tips to plan healthy meetings and events by promoting more nutritious meals and snacks.
Home for the HolidaysOffering the convenience of on-site shopping, Home for the Holidays provides a selection of Sara Lee take-home pies. All pies are already thoroughly cooked, so all you need to do is reheat and enjoy!
FeastA classic holiday promotion com-plete with a main course of turkey or ham, Holiday Feast comes with a selection of complementing home made sides. There is also a tradi-tional catering menu, recipes from EatingWell for dishes under 500 calories and sandwich recipes.
whole+sum CateringThe whole+sum catering menu items provide customers with healthy meal options and the perfect balance of vegetables,whole grains and protein. The customizable meals, each with 600 or fewer calories, feature Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Latin American and Asian cuisines, along with American favorites.
ZipThru Catering Delivering on the Zipthru promise of quick and convenient ordering, Zipthru Catering is an online food ordering system that enables authorized users to plan and manage a wide range of catered events from their office computer.
COMpASS gROUp
cAteriNG BY coMPAss
eUReST
Yes We CaterCollateral created to drive catering sales, Yes We Cater incorporates a selection of seasonal special items, including deli dishes, hot buffets, salads, snacks, sandwiches, sliders, pizzas and beverages.
Holiday MarketplaceThe Holiday Marketplace program enables customers to enjoy a catered meal in the office and/or take dishes such as platters, pies, sandwiches and cookies home to enjoy with family and friends. LACKMANN
Catering at the next Level With venues, ranging from classic elegance to conferences, Lackmann Culinary Services (LCS) provides the highest level of catering options, tailoring each menu to fit your needs.
Highlight’s of the company’s key catering programs, services and capabilities.
s
elements • fall 201132
michael Lewis was looking for ways to generate additional catering sales for eurest. since many clients have decided not to host Holiday parties due to the challenging economy, michael started “the 12 Days of Christmas,” which enables employers to reward staff with “secret santa” options instead of a holiday party. Cupcakes, brownies, cookies and choco-late dipped pretzels are just some of the offers that can be ordered from the bakery.
SeCReT SANTA COMeS TO THe ReSCUe While participating in the Home for the Holidays promotion, moore Business Forums’
gOiNg AbOve ANd beYONd AT ZiMMeR
Hosting festive and success-ful Holiday events requires a great deal of planning and preparation. However, despite a last-minute change of date, the team at Zimmer was able to pull off a stellar holiday meal for 1,900 guests. originally planned for early December, the party was moved to immediately after the thanksgiving Holiday weekend in november. several associates changed their travel
plans in order to help prepare for the event. Bonnie Flannery, general manager at Zimmer, said of her team, “We all make sacrifices for our jobs, but to give up a four-day weekend to put the needs of our client first says a lot about my team.” in addition, gingerbread houses were created and displayed with great attention to detail by Chef manager mike Castle. the decorations were described by customers as ‘fantastic.’
not only did the eurest team act quickly to ensure that every-thing was ready for the event, they were also asked to cook 30 20-lb turkeys on very short notice for a group that planned on feeding the homeless. the team received praise from administrator Cindy taylor. “this eurest team has always provided an excellent experi-ence for our holiday lunches, but this year it was exceptional! the efforts were noticed and very much appreciated.”
FLiK
Holiday CateringContinually changing the variety, quality and presentation of catered items is an integral part of the success of any catering program. FLIK’s Holiday Catering menu features seasonal items that includes breakfast bites, sandwiches and healthy snacks.
no FrillsCreated for clients looking to offer a budget-priced catering experience, FLIK’s No Frills program features a selection of simple menu items, including donuts, bagels, fruit platters
and yogurt options for breakfast, traditional lunch like meatloaf and chicken vindaloo, plus a selection of bottled waters, sodas and coffees. ReSTAURANT ASSOCiATeS
Holiday CateringCatering by Restaurant Associates (RA) is one of the premier caterers for corporate, social and fund raising events. The company caters many events for the luxury goods, fash-ion, movie and cosmetic industries. Recent events include the National
Design Awards Gala, HBO movie premieres for John Adams and The Flight of the Conchords, The Kennedy Center Honors and First Lady Laura Bush’s Global Literacy event.
wOLFgANg pUCK CATeRiNg
Wolfgang Puck sets the standard for catering and event planning, providing restaurant-quality cuisine, flawless service and creative flair. All event menus are customized using seasonal ingredients that are sustainable and ethically raised.
Compass Catering: success stories
fall 2011 • elements 33
ReCipe FOR CATeRiNg SUCCeSS AT AMwAY amway’s global Headquarters in michigan has witnessed unprecedented catering growth during the past two years. eurest catering sales increased by 18 percent in 2010 and by an
additional 20 percent in 2011. When asked to reveal the secret to the account’s success, manager rick nelson pointed to several things. early in 2010, catering manager gig Hunter joined the amway team. Working with Chef ed geiger, she enhanced presentation style, attention to detail and customer service. at the same time, a successful catering expo showcased a new menu and provided a platform to launch the new catering sales strategy.
give THANKS… wiTH COOKie pLATeS
after seeing a lot of eurest catering business at Verizon being given to outside vendors, Brian soderquist and his team began handing out “thank You” Cookie plates” to the company’s catering adminis-trators. after doing this, they started to receive more catering orders. the team now gets the majority of the catering busi-ness in the building. the clients really feel special and appreci-
ate the attention. Verizon also loves the idea and has asked that this practice be rolled out at all Verizon accounts with immediate effect.
COOKie CLASS CReATeS exTRA ReveNUe! mary marrer at mutual of omaha created a special “Home for the Holidays Cookie Class” that ended up generating some $3.5k in additional sales for her eurest account. Cookie baking recipes and other handouts were given to participants. the innova-tive program helped elevate the traditionally soft sales of a holiday month and put catering employees to work.
Compass & CaTerinG
getting “soCiaL” WITH CATERINGHow Steven Sexauer, General Manager at CalSTRS in West Sacramento, CA, is using tools like Facebook and Twitter to drive catering sales at his Waterfront Café.
elements How have you developed the catering business at CalSTRS during your first year at Eurest? Steven Sexauer: When i joined the company, i quickly realized that we needed more innovative marketing. We serve some 900 associates here and we are also open to the public, so we have a significant group of people to talk to, but our only communication piece was a brochure. i felt that a social media presence would enable us to talk with our custom-ers, so we created a Facebook page and a twitter account.
e How did you start out?SS: We started out simply by posting our Café menu together with other smaller pieces of infor-mation, including details of our catering specials. every morning, i would come in to the office early, update the page and just remind people that we are here!
e How do you drive traffic to the CalSTRS Waterfront Café Facebook page?SS: With social media platforms like Facebook it’s important to
q &a
Steven Sexauereurest general manager, Calstrs
remember that you can’t just post content and then expect to have thousands of fans overnight. You have to develop tactics that drive traffic. For example, we organized a catering fair in may and invited the Calstrs staff that ordered catering services. the front table was set up with a computer high-lighting our Facebook and twitter pages. We encouraged each visi-tor to sign up to receive updates.
e What are the challenges, if any, of implementing a social media plan?SS: one of the challenges at the Calstrs building is that Websites like Facebook are blocked. so we constantly have to remind people to check out the page either at home or on their smartphone. one thing in our favor, however, is that the Café is open to the pub-lic. it’s a thriving community and we have worked hard to become part of that community.
e What other tactics have you used to generate awareness of Eurest’s catering services? SS: Because we wanted to reach people outside of our building,
we joined our local Chamber of Commerce. We were then able to link our online presence to the Chamber’s membership network.
e Can you give us a specific example of how social media has generated additional business?SS: Very shortly after we joined the local Chamber, one of our contacts attended our catering fair after receiving an invitation sent via twitter. He has since booked a couple of events with eurest and has introduced us to his own network. marketing to the wider business community using Facebook and twitter has resulted in additional pieces of business.
e What is the most powerful content that keeps people com-ing back to your Facebook page? SS: We photograph all of our catered events and post them
to the page. We also include a selection our personal favorites – we call them “foodies” – so people who are into food can visit our page, see those links and find out what our team is interested in, what inspires us and what we’re passionate about.
e What advice would you give Compass Group managers con-templating using social media?SS: First, i would say that you have to work hard and be patient. social media success doesn’t happen instantly and you have to be prepared to work hard to build meaningful dialogue with custom-ers and your network. second, don’t be afraid to experiment. these days, we have so many different ways of delivering infor-mation to people – from twitter to Facebook to evites to smartphone apps to text messages to emails.
However, the number one ingredient for success in the online world is to present yourself as part of the community. social media is about building conversations that develop into relationships that eventually result in business. You can’t force it!
elements • fall 201134
recipes sectionelements
t he Holidays traditionally are a time for families and friends to come together to relax and to share laughs, good times
and wholesome, flavorful food – prime cuts of turkey and ham, succulent vegetables and delicious home-made pies and sides – the recipes for which have often been passed down through several generations.
Our recipe theme for this issue of Elements is traditional Holiday-style dining with a touch of flair and excitement. For example, we’ve added Porcini mushrooms and blue cheese to good old-fashioned macaroni to create a mac and cheese for grown-ups that literally bursts at the seams with flavor. At the same time, our Ahi tuna and beets tartar is a compelling contrast of colors and textures enhanced with exotic splashes of tabasco and soy sauces. And,
of course, you can’t go wrong with peppermint chocolate brownies – whatever the occasion!
However, while we will be introducing you to cuts of meat and seafood that you perhaps wouldn’t usually reach for on the shelves at this time of year, we have strived to ensure that all of our recommended ingredients are readily available, affordable and easily accessible.
Whether you’re cooking a cozy meal for two or planning an extravagent homecoming for the whole family, the following dishes are an exciting and flavorful alternative to some of the more traditional and expected Holiday cuisine.
And, who knows, cinnamon spiced rice pudding and freshly poached pear, or braised cabbage with bacon and chili just might become your new Holiday favorites!
Touch of Flair!Holiday specials With A
“the combination of the mushrooms and blue cheese is exquisite. it’s mac and cheese for grown-ups!”
“An amazing contrast in flavor, presentation, texture and taste, rice pudding can
be partnered with any fruit.”
the chef’s favorites
Blue cheese and Porcini
mushroom macaronicinnamon spiced rice pudding
with a freshly poached pear
Chef Chris Ivens-BrownEurest Vice President of Culinary Development
sss
Ingredients 6 small Heads of Endive
1 bunch of Scallions
6 oz of Snap Peas, washed
4 oz of Fresh Ginger Root, peeled
4 ea Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced
4 ea Limes, juiced and zested
4 tbsp Clear Honey
2 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
Salt & Pepper, to taste
1 lb Cooked Shrimp, peeled
2 oz Roasted Large Peanuts, shelled
Method1. remove any discolored
outside leaves from the endive.
halve lengthways and then cut
each half into six thin slices. Place
endive slices in a large bowl.
cut the scallions into thin slices.
shred the snap peas lengthways.
thinly slice the ginger and cut
into fine strands. toss endive,
scallions, snap peas and ginger
together with the garlic.
2. for the dressing, mix the
lime zest and juice, honey,
sesame oil and seasoning
together in a bowl.
3. to serve, mix the shrimp
with the salad and toss in
the dressing. scatter with
peanuts and serve.
Ingredients1 lb Wahoo Filet
Black Pepper, to season
4 ea Thin Slices Prosciutto
16 Fresh Sage leaves
2 oz Seasoned Flour, for dusting
3 tbsp Oil
12 oz Dried Linguine
3 oz Unsalted Butter
Zest of ½ Lemon
Juice of ½ Lemon
3 tbsp Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley
2 tbsp Capers
Salt & Pepper to taste
Lemon Wedges to serve
12 oz Arugula, washed
2 oz Lemon Oil
Method
1. slice wahoo into four pieces.
season with a little black pepper
(the prosciutto will add enough
salt.) Lay fish in the middle of a
piece of prosciutto. Lay a sage
leaf on top of the fish, roll up the
fish with the prosciutto and dust
with seasoned flour. secure with a
cocktail skewer. cover and chill.
2. fry remaining sage leaves in a
little hot oil for about a minute, or
until they turn translucent. Drain
on a paper towel. Bring large pan
of salted water to boil. add a few
drops of olive oil. throw in the
linguine and cook until al dente.
3. While pasta is cooking, heat a
frying pan and add an ounce of
butter. as the butter foams, add
the fish and cook each side for two
to four minutes. once the fish is
cooked, discard bits in the butter
using a slotted spoon then add
another ounce of butter. When
foaming, add the lemon zest,
lemon juice, parsley and capers
and cook for 30 seconds. throw
pasta into the frying pan. toss and
coat with lemon butter. season
with salt and pepper.
4. to serve, wind pasta around a
roasting fork to form four barrels.
Place a barrel on each plate, set a
piece of saltimbocca next to it and
top with crispy sage leaves. serve
with fresh lemon wedges and an
arugula salad tossed in lemon oil.
elements faLL 2011 reciPes holIday
elements faLL 2011 reciPes holIday
chef’s notes
chef’s notes
The wahoo can be replaced with
yellow tail tuna, mahi, pompano,
bass, black cod or other firm fish.
Make sustainable choices based
on the monterey bay guidelines.
Wait until the last minute
to add the dressing so that
the salad does not become
too watery. Also, pan-fried
chicken or pork can be used
to replace the shrimp.
Touch of Flair!
shrimp and peanut salad 8 Servings
Wahoo saltimbocca with Linguine and sage 4 Servings
Ingredients 10 oz Beets, yellow or red, without greens
12 oz Center Cut Ahi Tuna (Yellow Tail or Black Fin)
½ Cup pickled Daikon or Jicama, small dice
2 Shallots, finely chopped
2 Oranges, segmented
1 tbsp Chives, finely chopped
4 ea Scallion ends or Beet Leaves, deep fried, for garnish
Dressing:
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
Sea Salt
1 Dash Tabasco Sauce
Method 1. Preheat oven to 325f.
Wash the beets and wrap in
foil and bake for 1 ½ hours or
until easily pierced with a knife.
carefully remove the beets from
the foil and cool until you can
handle them. Peel and cut the
beets into ½ inch dice.
Place beets into a medium
bowl and set aside to cool.
2. trim blood lines and visible
sinew from tuna and cut into
half-inch dice. to get a better
cut on the tuna, place in a freezer
for a few minutes. add the tuna
to the beets. for the dressing,
whisk ingredients together
and set aside.
3. Just before serving, add
the pickled daikon, shallots,
orange segments and chives
to the beet and tuna mixture.
Wait to add the dressing until
last minute to prevent cooking
the tuna. garnish with some
deep fried scallion ends or
even fried beet leaves.
Ingredients 3 ½ Lb Free-range Corn Fed Whole Chicken
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Butter
1 bottle Beer, preferably bitter
1 tbsp Butter
2 oz Shallot, fine chop
8 oz Button/Brown Cup Mushrooms, sliced
1-½ tbsp Brandy
1 tsp Brown Sugar
7 oz Double Cream
4 tbsp Butter
Salt & Pepper
Method1. heat the oven to 425f. Put
chicken on its side in an enam-
eled cast-iron pan with a little
olive oil and butter and roast for
about 40 minutes. Baste the bird
several times with ½ the beer
during cooking, turning it on its
other side and finally on its back,
breast upwards. When cooked,
transfer the chicken onto a plate,
breast down so that the juices
permeate the meat while it rests.
2. Discard the fat from the
roasting pan and add a knob of
butter. Place over low heat and
sweat the shallots until trans-
lucent, stirring with a wooden
spoon. add the mushrooms
and cook for a further three
minutes. Pour in the brandy
and scrape the bottom of the
pan to deglaze.
3. When sauce is almost
reduced, pour in the remain-
ing beer and brown sugar and
reduce by half. add cream and
reduce again to a light sauce
consistency. Whisk in 4 tbsp of
butter cut into small pieces.
season to taste. carve chicken
and add to the reduced sauce.
elements faLL 2011 reciPes holIday
elements faLL 2011 reciPes holIday
chef’s notes
A great additional side is
brussels sprouts purée.
Simply boil the brussels
sprouts and then drain.
Purée in a blender with warm
cream, salt and pepper.
Ahi tuna and Beet tartar 4 Servings
Beer Braised chicken and Mushroom sauce 4 Servings
chef’s notes
To make your own pickled
daikon or jicama, mix 1 1/2 lb
diced daikon, 1 tbsp kosher
salt, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 3
tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp very
thin matchsticks of peeled
ginger. Place in airtight con-
tainer and chill for 12 hours.
Ingredients9 oz Dried MacaroniSea Salt1 tbsp Olive Oil1 ea Shallot1 ea Garlic Clove4 oz Mushrooms, Porcini, Portobella or Mixed Wild4 tbsp Butter¾ Cup Heavy Cream4 oz Blue CheeseSalt and Pepper, to taste2 oz Parmesan, grated1 tbsp Breadcrumbs 2 tbsp Chives, chopped
Method
1. Preheat oven to 375f. Boil the
macaroni in boiling salted water.
refresh in an ice bath then toss
in a splash of olive oil. finely
chop the shallots and garlic.
sauté the mushrooms, garlic
and shallots with the butter
and cream set aside.
2. Boil the heavy cream and
stir in half the blue cheese.
Meanwhile, mix the pasta with
the mushroom mixture and toss
with the blue cheese-blended
cream. season and spoon into
individual ovenproof dishes
or one big dish. sprinkle with
remaining crumbled blue cheese,
parmesan and breadcrumbs.
Bake for four to five minutes
until the top has browned.
garnish with chives. serve hot.
Ingredients1 Large Savoy Cabbage
4 tbsp Olive Oil
6 oz Pancetta or Applewood Smoked Bacon, cut into Lardons
1 ea Garlic Clove, chopped
1ea Chili Pepper, crumbled and dried
1 ½ Cups of Water or Chicken Stock
Black Pepper
Method
1. Quarter the cabbage,
discarding the outer leaves.
cut away the core and slice
very thinly.
2. heat the oil and add the
bacon until caramelized.
add the chopped garlic and
chili pepper, and sauté for a
few minutes until fragrant.
add the cabbage and stir well.
add the stock or water. cover
and cook for 15 to 20 minutes
or until the liquid has evaporated
and the cabbage has cooked.
season with black pepper.
elements faLL 2011 reciPes holIday
elements faLL 2011 reciPes holIday
chef’s notes
chef’s notes
Bacon, especially smoked,
gives great flavor to vegeta-
bles. Any leftover cabbage can
be reused in an english dish
called “bubble and squeak.”
The dish is sautéed leftover
cabbage or vegetables and
roasted or boiled potatoes.
Simply sauté these ingredi-
ents together in a hot pan
and serve as a side.
Peeling and washing,
when dealing with fresh
mushrooms, is not recom-
mended. The best way to
clean mushrooms is to wipe
them with a clean towel to
brush off any dirt.
Blue cheese and porcini Mushroom Macaroni 4 Servings as a side dish
Braised cabbage with Bacon and chili 8 Servings
Ingredients3 Cup Half & Half
6 ea Star Anise
2 ea Cinnamon Sticks
8 ea Cardamom Seeds
9 oz White Rice, washed
2 oz Butter
6 oz Sugar
caraMeL:
8 Qt Water
2 Lb Sugar
Jus:
1 Qt Red Wine
14 oz Sugar
1 ea Banana, peeled
2 ea Oranges, sliced
1 ea Lemon, sliced
1 ea Cinnamon stick
10 ea Pears, peeled, stems on
Ground Cinnamon, to garnish
Mint Leaves, to garnish
Method
1. to make the rice pudding,
wrap star anise, cinnamon sticks
and cardamom seeds in cheese-
cloth and tie with butcher’s twine.
Bring half & half and wrapped
spices to a boil. add washed
rice and slowly return to a boil,
then simmer for 30 minutes until
tender. combine melted butter
and sugar. temper with rice
mixture and remove spice pack.
return to pan over low heat until
thickened and rice is cooked, but
not mushy. remove and cool.
2. to make the caramel, use
a sturdy large pot or pan that
won’t overflow. heat the sugar
and water over moderate heat.
ideally, the mixture should start
to liquefy at the edge first, with
perhaps a few bubbles near the
middle. Whisk gently until sauce
is smooth and color is golden
brown. turn off heat and let cool.
3. to make the poached pears,
boil the ingredients for the jus
and pass through a sieve.
reduce the liquid by half.
turn heat to a slow simmer.
Place peeled pears in poaching
liquid one at a time and let
simmer gently for about 10 – 15
minutes. test for doneness
with a small pairing knife. Pear
should be tender, not mushy.
remove pears and set aside.
3. Place spoonful of caramel
on a plate, placing the pear
upright on top of the caramel.
Drizzle remaining jus around
plate. in a ring or side dish,
place the rice pudding, gar-
nished with ground cinnamon
and a mint leaf.
Ingredients1 Cup Sugar
4 ea Eggs
1 Cup Butter
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/3 Cups Flour
12 oz Chocolate Chips
frosting:
4 ½ oz Chocolate Chips
1 tbsp Butter
1 Cup Icing Sugar
¼ Cup Sour Cream
1 tsp Vanilla
10 Red or Green Swirled Peppermint Candies, crushed
Method1. for the brownies, beat
together the sugar and eggs,
making sure that the sugar is
dissolved. Melt butter and whisk
into the eggs. add vanilla.
sift flour and add butter and
egg mix to the flour. Melt the
chocolate in a bowl over a pan
of hot water and then stir
together all ingredients.
Pour the mix into the prepared
greased tin and bake in oven
for 30 to 40 minutes at 350f.
2. for the frosting, melt choco-
late in a double boiler or over
a pan of hot water on low heat.
stir in butter, icing sugar, sour
cream and vanilla.
cover the brownies with the
frosting once they have cooled.
sprinkle frosting with crushed
peppermint candies.
cut into perfect rectangles.
cinnamon spiced rice pudding with Freshly poached pear 10 Servings
peppermint Fudge Brownies Makes 96 Brownies
elements faLL 2011 reciPes holIday
elements faLL 2011 reciPes holIday
chef’s notes
For additional mint flavor,
substitute ¼ of the chocolate
chips with mint chocolate
chips.
Chickendipity emphasizes quality, simplicity and a world full of flavor starting with three types of tenders: a classic fried buttermilk tender, Buffalo style and a grilled marinated tender. Go out and discover your favorite by having your tenders on a hoagie roll, wrap, salad or enjoy with a choice of thirteen hand-crafted dipping sauces, such as the Sweet Hot Pineapple Chili or the Buffalo Blue sauce. Don’t let your tenders be lonely; our curly fries are great for dippin too. If you feel you have a promising opportunity for Chickendipity, please contact Wallace “Buster” Johnston via email for information at: [email protected]
Chickendipity emphasizes quality, simplicity and a world full of flavor starting with three types of tenders: a classic fried buttermilk tender, Buffalo style and a grilled marinated tender. Go out and discover your favorite by having your tenders on a hoagie roll, wrap, salad or enjoy with a choice of thirteen hand-crafted dipping sauces, such as the Sweet Hot Pineapple Chili or the Buffalo Blue sauce. Don’t let your tenders be lonely; our curly fries are great for dippin too. If you feel you have a promising opportunity for Chickendipity, please contact Wallace “Buster” Johnston via email for information at: [email protected]
TONY MANTUANO
JIMMY BANNOS
JET TILA
robin rosenberg
MARTIN YAN
ED BROWN
ToO HOT TAMALES
Featuring nationally recognized celebrity chefs and culinary talents, Compass Group’s Celebrity Chef Series provides you with the opportunity to enjoy Celebrity Chef cuisine in your account, exclusively from Compass Group.
October 2011 Ed Brown
November/December 2011 Tony Mantuano
January/February 2012 Robin Rosenberg
March 2012 Cary Neff
May 2012 Too Hot Tamales
June 2012 Martin Yan
August 2012 Jet Tila
October 2012 Jimmy Bannos
CARY NEFF