Vol 86, No 4, Fall 2011

Transcription

Uno Dué Go readies for Boston prime time– page 3
Foodservice East
Volume 86, Number 4
•
Fall 2011
•
THE BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS PUBLICATION FOR THE $80 BILLION NORTHEAST FOODSERVICE INDUSTRY
OFFERING INFORMED REPORTING & COMMENTARY FOR THE FOODSERVICE PROFESSIONAL
INSIDE
The way we eat today…
THIS ISSUE
Food For Thought
Tough times lead many to
revamp and re-evaluate
Floyd Cardoz, best known for
his role at Danny Meyer’s Tabla
in Manhattan and his cookbook,
“One Spice, Two Spice,” takes on a
Page 4
new challenge.
FoodTrak
Longtime hotelman Tim Kirwan
looks at the changes in lodging
food and beverage over the past
Page 6
decade. .
The Way We Eat Today
That’s our theme for this issue as
we look at the high end becoming
more accessible and QSR raising
the bar! Stay tuned for Wintertide
2012’s The Way We Drink Today.
B
OSTON – Change is
a constant in today’s
world which grows
more complex daily,
faster paced and
full of more sophisticated diners
with a drumbeat of demands.
For commercial foodservice
operators in virtually every
segment, this has meant reevaluating the menu and other facets of operations.
The result is a growing
number of adaptations – high
end restaurants that are still
high end in style, price and
quality, but take a more casual approach, and quick service
restaurants offering a fresh,
local, sustainable focus.
EATING TODAY
Continued on page 16
Scan with your phone.
Mexicue morphs from food trucks to brick & mortar
PERIODICAL
N
EW YORK –
With two food
trucks and a
brick and mortar restaurant
up and running, two young
men who came into the industry from unrelated corporate
jobs opened a second restaurant on this city’s Lower East
Side earlier this year, reveling
in what they view as an amazingly successful first year.
“I approached Tom Kelly,
now co-founder and CMO,
director of culinary development, from a corporate sales
job,” says Co-founder and
CEO of Mexicue, Dave Schil-
lace, “because I knew he was
a great chef and wanted to do
this.
The pair, who’d become
intrigued with the food truck
craze, scouted for a used DSL
truck, eventually finding and
outfitting what was to be their
first. The startup cost was
$70,000, well under the approximately $500,000 cost of
doing a brick and mortar establishment.
Both agree that the cost
differential led them to start
with the truck. “It’s a great
MEXICUE
Continued on page 12
A second unit opens following a
whirlwind start that brought two trucks
and an initial restaurant to Manhattan
2
Foodservice East • Fall 2011
Healthy
choices
encouraged
at Freshii
An eco-friendly
QSR opens in
downtown Boston
B
OSTON - Chicago-based Freshii,
growing rapidly
both in North
America
where
nearly 100 units are anticipated to open by year-end and
others are in development in
18 cities worldwide, opened
here this fall in the city’s Financial District bring an admittedly fresh look to quick
service concepts.
Franchisee Josh Schaer,
who discovered the concept
while traveling in a corporate
financial post and
today, looks to do 10
outlets in the next
decade with partners.
“We want to fill a
niche,” he explains.
“Our food is healthy
but not heavy. It’s large portions and very customizable.
I liked the healthy, fresh, ecoconscious environment it creates and it offers a fun environment.”
He’s looking at sites downtown currently. From the buffalo chicken wrap to an Asian
noodle bowl, customers have
the ability to tweak each item
by with many choices of possible additions. “There are a lot
of variety and flavor profiles.”
Freshii is not your father’s
fast food. Biodegradable and
recyclable packaging, an
outside composting
system,
custom
mixing
bags with
a carbon
footprint
said to be five
to seven times
smaller than that of dishwashers, and other eco-friendly practices set it apart.
Freshii’s interactive website allows diners to create
virtual meals that instantly
show nutritional values of seFRESHII
Continued on page 9
Proudly representing quality hospitality furnishings
Stop by IHMRS/BDNY and visit Shafer - Booth 3128
Stop by IHMRS/BDNY and visit Bertolini - Booth 2976
Stop by IHMRS/BDNY and visit Outdoor Lifestyle - Booth 2853
CR Peterson Hospitality & Design Represents:
Amisco • Artganiks/WITC • Bertolini • Buhler Hospitality • Carroll Chair Co. • Century Industries • Domitalia/IMS Italia • Kara Furniture • OC International
Old Dominion Woods Products • Outdoor Lifestyle • Palliser Contract • RPI Industries • Shafer Seating • Southern Furniture
CR Peterson Hospitality & Design • 31 Eastman Street • PO Box 295, Easton Ma 02334
1-800-257-4040 ext. 120
• Cell 508-509-8433
• www.crpetersonhd.com
Fall 2011 • Foodservice East 3
B
OSTON – Uno
brings its new
Uno Dué Go fast
casual café concept to downtown
Boston’s Summer St. this fall,
the first corporate-owned location of the three year-old
concept which debuted in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX with franchisees who now plan 30 more
across their state.
“We’ve been off Broadway,”
declares Vice President of
New Concept Development
Jamie Strobino, “but now
we’re ready for prime time.”
Since the startup in Dallas
Fort Worth International Airport, the concept has opened
on several Midwestern college
campuses.
Uno President and CEO
Frank Guidara notes that
in launching the concept, it
merged three customer needs:
“the ability to either get in
and out in a hurry or to linger
and relax, the great-tasting,
high quality, nutritionally
balanced food we know they
crave, and the hospitality they
expect and deserve.”
In Texas, franchise operators FGR Food Corporation
report three years of doubledigit growth from customers
responsive to the focus on
organic, natural and locally
sourced ingredients and a
Café has
many unique
items
as well
as traditional
pizza
Uno Dué Go ready for
prime time
Fast casual unit meets challenge to raise the bar
style that’s appealing to busy
guests along with those looking for a place to relax.
Individual deep dish, thin
crust and gluten free pizza
have a place on the menu but
there are also unique items
such as a prosciutto, fig and
Vermont cheddar sourdough
bread panini, a chopped vegetable salad and a vegetarian black bean burger wrap,
plus “the world’s best grilled
cheese sandwich.”
The
grilled
cheese, Strobino recalls, was
“a three monthlong
odyssey.
We kept challenging
the
team to raise
the bar.”
In the morning, a line of
muffins
includes
three
based on successful
Uno
cocktails such
as the lemon
drop martini. “We wanted to
stand out,” says Strobino.
The menu, he declares, offers “a symphony of flavors.”
From organic Fair Trade coffee to cage free eggs to “better
for you food,” the concept is
“an urban oasis,”
Strobino estimates average
unit volume could be around
$2 million to $2.2 million. The
average check will be about
$7.50 to $9.
He sees the concept as an
“urban/suburban evolution”
offering both self-service and
seating for 90 people plus a
communal table made from
reclaimed oak. The concept
was designed for franchising.
Reflecting the company’s
focus on nutrition and caring
for guests with food allergies,
a comprehensive guide to all
menu items and ingredients is
available on electronic kiosks
in each location.
4
FOOD
FOR
Thought
A culinary
dialogue
of current
perspectives
and techniques
Moving from the
Indian fare
for which he
became well
known,
Cardoz will
focus on seafood
Chef Floyd Cardoz heads
in a new direction
North End Grill will be a spot for
neighbors to gather in Battery Park
N
EW YORK –
Floyd Cardoz,
known for his
role with Union
Square Hospitality Group’s acclaimed Tabla, which closed late last year,
is shifting gears as he looks
forward to the start of a new
journey.
He’s opening Danny Meyer’s newest venture, North
End Grill, in Battery Park
City here where he will be
chef-partner.
A radical change from
Tabla, which introduced New
Yorkers to New Indian cuisine
with the flavors and spices of
his homeland, North End Grill
will be a neighborhood gathering place for an under-served
downtown area, featuring seasonal dishes with an emphasis
on seafood.
His culinary philosophy is
simple. “I believe in good food.
Cooking is not just about how
food looks and tastes. It’s how
good it makes the cook and
the diner feel.”
It’s a philosophy honed over
the years since discovering, at
age 20, that being in the kitchen made him feel “relaxed and
happy.”
A student of biochemistry,
he was ready for fresh start.
Growing up in Bombay,
Caroz always loved to cook
and eat. It was while making
a chicken curry for his father
that he experienced an epiphany. He was ready to embark
on a new career path and that
realization led him to culinary
schools in India and Switzerland.
In his 2006 cookbook, “One
Spice, Two Spice,” he writes:
“That modest chicken curry
marked a turning point in my
life.”
Off he went to Switzerland to study cooking at Les
Roches, and later, to America
where he took an entry-level
job with Gray Kunz at Lespinasse where the wedding of
Asian flavors with French resonated with him. He stayed
for seven years, rising to executive sous chef.
Here in Manhattan, seven
thousand miles from India,
he’d never felt more at home.
Over the years, he’s come to
realize just how much he en-
Kitchens make
Cardozo
“relaxed and
happy”
joys being a chef. “It’s my being,” he declares simply.
When Cardoz joined forces
with Danny Meyer in 1997
to create Tabla, he sought to
bridge cultural divisions and
bring Indian cuisine to an
American audience.
Indian food’s innate healthfulness (it uses very little
butter or cream), and its emphasis on fresh vegetables appealed to the changing American palate and spawned a new
category of contemporary Indian restaurants before closing after a 12-year run.
During that time, his creativity shone in such events
as the “Unleavened Bread
Bar” during Passover where
he offered an Indian-spiced
Passover Seder, applying his
signature approach to a traditional Passover meal served
family style. Among the dishes were Matzoh Ball Soup
with Toasted Coriander, Kerala Banana Leaf Wrapped Fish
Patties, Goan Spiced Brisket
and a Walnut Orange Cake
with orange Clove Sorbet. The
idea for the event came from
the wife of a regular customer.
In its last year, Tabla introduced a new menu unifying
what had been two menus,
one for Tabla and one for
Bread Bar. The market-driven
menu offered more flexibility and choice with small and
large plates, starting at $7.
Today, Cardoz also serves
as consulting chef for USHG’s
El Verano Taqueria at the
Met’s Citi Field, and two years
ago, launched a line of meals
for Fresh Direct, an online
grocer.
This year, Cardoz won the
title, Top Chef, on Bravo’s Top
Chef Masters series, and the
grand prize, $100,000 for his
charity of choice, the Young
Scientist Cancer Research
Fund at the Mount Sinai
School of Medicine here.
“I enjoyed being on the
show with the other chefs.
There was a lot of talent
there,” he recalls.
The many chef/cooking
shows on television, he feels
have, however, led young
viewers with a culinary bent
to believe they can “be a chef
right away” following graduation, Cardoz observes. He
urges them to “spend six years
cooking on the line and learn
the nuances, the techniques,
and how to deal with problems as they arise. They need
to learn respect for their mentors and the equipment.”
The culinary world changes
constantly and today, Cardoz
believes, “more people want
food that is less fussy, simple,
easy to use and love. That’s
the direction most restaurants are going in.”
At North End Grill, he explains, “we’ll use seasonal
ingredients and have a seafood focus. It’ll be different – I
haven’t had that before.” He
expects to enjoy “just being
with the food and expressing
the passion I have for it” as he
begins work on setting up systems for the new venture. The
biggest challenge, he says, is
being ready for intangibles
that can occur.
North End Grill will have
118 seats with 12 seats overlooking the kitchen at a dining counter.
“We’ll have a Scotch Bar
which will be very nice,” he
adds. A recent Scotch Whiskey Association report shows
Scotch exports to the US in
the first six months of this
year up eight percent. Meanwhile, for the first time, The
Glenlivet, a single malt, saw
its sales rise approximately 33
percent in the past two years,
according to the Shanken Report. “We feel Scotch has come
a long way,” says Cardoz.
In keeping with Cardoz’
emphasis on fresh, local, seasonal fare, there will be a
rooftop garden with a variety
of vegetables yet to be determined.
In addition to his culinary
activities, Cardoz has been
extremely active in Share Our
Strength and four years ago,
was named “Humanitarian of
the Year.” He recently urged
colleagues in the industry to
support SOS’ Dine Out No Kid
Hungry campaign, noting that
it serves as a way to counter
recent “shocking poverty statistics” that showed one out of
every four children in America
is hungry.
“Cooking,”
says Cardoz,
“is my
being.”
Watermelon Lime Salad
Chef Floyd Cardoz
Serves 6
2 limes
1 teaspoon peeled minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon minced mild to moderately hot fresh green
chile, seeds discarded if desired
3/4 teaspoon chaat masala
½ tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 discs of watermelon ½ inch thick
1 cup spicy Arugula gently cut into fours
¼ cup chopped peanuts
¼ cup sliced red radishes
1/2 cup packed Chiffonade mint leaves
1/4 cup packed Chiffonade coriander
Salt
3 tablespoons Crispy fried capers for garnish
2 tablespoons Dhana dal for garnish
1. Remove zest from 2 limes and cut into thin strips. Juice
the limes and reserve the juice .
2. Combine lime zest, lime juice, ginger, chile, chaat masala, black pepper, and olive oil in a bowl.
3. Place watermelon on a tray and season both sides with
salt and half the above mix. Sprinkle half the mint and
coriander leaves
4. Combine radishes, peanuts, Arugula, mint, and cilantro
in another bowl.
5. Just before serving, slowly pour dressing over arugula
mixture, season with salt and combine gently.
6. Place the salad between the two discs. Place on a plate
7. sprinkle with capers and dhana dal
8. Serve immediately.
6
FSE
FoodTrak:
Navigating
the new
terrain
in hotel
foodservice
Lifestyles have
changed and
today, “less is
more,” says
Kirwan
B
OSTON – If any
hotelier in Boston stands out as
a fixture in the
industry here for
the past three decades, shaping the level of hospitality
across the city, it’s Tim Kirwan, managing director of the
424-room
InterContinental
Boston on the waterfront.
From his start in the industry at The Last Hurrah at the
iconic Parker House before
moving to what became The
Copley Plaza and later becoming food and beverage director
at the Hyatt Cambridge, to
managerial roles at The Bostonian and Hotel Commonwealth, followed by a stint
down in Providence, where
he ran the 364-room Westin,
he’s seen the role of hotel food
and beverage undergo major
changes through the years.
Today, he notes, “more and
more hotels are getting out of
managing their own food and
beverage operations. It’s become a national trend (to outsource), especially in the past
two years.”
But the biggest shift has
been the move to dining at the
bar and the separation of bars
from the dining room.
Today, we see the impact
of lifestyle changes in the last
three decades, he observes.
“The 70’s, 80’s and 90’s saw
a shift from peanuts or a
nut mix at the bar to actual
meals. It’s all about a change
in lifestyles. People now work
through the traditional meal
periods.”
“It’s a huge thing,” says
Kirwan. “Dining has become
much more casual, partially
because of the cell phones,
iPads, iPods, etc. Everyone is
trying to communicate or network and dine all at the same
time. You know how there was
rush hour? Now it’s rush day,
all day.”
We’re seeing later breakfasts with meetings at them
and lunch can now start at
one with a meeting that goes
to 3:30. Dinner can be anything – there are so many
options. People don’t sit
through three, four or
five course dinners as a
regular thing any more.
Now, dinner is lighter
and there’s less food with
smaller portions. We’ll
do a multi-course honey
dinner at Miel with honey from our bees, but
that’s more of a special
occasion.”
The hotel’s bees on
the roof produced enough
honey this summer for
two harvests, and is used
in various recipes, as a
product for sale in the gift
shop, and in the spa as
well.
Hotel restaurants
adjust to lifestyle
changes
Today’s diners work through
traditional meal periods and
eat at the bar as they use
their cell phones and iPads
Kirwan sees
recent
development
as a
harbinger
of more
Boston Tea Party Ships &
Museum will open adjacent
to the hotel. Kirwan points
to the pioneers of the new era
here – Barbara Lynch, Legacy
Restaurant Group, and this
summer’s opening of Jerry
Remy’s, Temazcal, Del Frisco’s
and Legal Harborside as harbingers of more to come.
FSE
FOODSERVICE EAST
D
esserts now go in
cycles, he adds.
Now the number
of desserts we’re
selling is up, but
there was a time when only
one in eight people would order dessert.”
Even the desserts in favor
have changed, he adds. “There
are more flavor sensations
rather than over the top, fattening desserts. You no longer
see a giant piece of pie with a
big scoop of ice cream on top.
Less is more. We have more
fruits and foams.”
Today, he continues, customers are eating more during the day and less in the
evening. There’s more snacking and small plates. And now
we’re all more cognizant of
gluten free, vegetarian and
FOODSERVICE EAST
(0885-6877)
One hotel rooftop
creates a buzz
with thousands
of bees
vegan customers. There are
more options for them. We do
$30 million in food and beverage here.”
At the bar, the hotel does
more with themed cocktails,
says Kirwan who recalls that
when the property opened, it’s
Sushi-Teq concept was viewed
as unusual. “It really turned
out to be another trend – the
pairing of sushi with tequilas,” he says. I see a lot more
bars and clubs today with a
thematic alcohol component.
At Miel, we have a lot of rosés, carrying out the Provencal theme.”
This year, the classic cocktails are back and Scotch is
gaining new popularity from
21 to 30-year-olds, he observes.
“Dark spirits are coming
back again. It’s no longer vodka or rum and Coke.”
“These are pretty good
times,” he declares. “Restaurants and food and beverage
operations are doing well
again. But there’s a finite
amount of growth for everyone to succeed. Many of us
are concerned that there will
be a shakeout with all the
new restaurants that have
opened this year. We all try
to help each other. We’re excited about the growth here
on the waterfront. When we
opened here five years ago, it
was a very different place and
the Channel was a mess. But
the plans then to develop the
Seaport gave us comfort when
some thought we were crazy.
Now, we’re excited about
Trade opening next door with
creative small plates that offer our guests yet another option. It will be a great asset to
the area.”
It’s an area, he adds, that
continues to develop. Next
summer a new $15 million
The Business-to-Business
Publication of the $80 Billion
Northeast Foodservice Industry
Published by
LRH Ventures
Susan G. Holaday, Editor& Publisher
Richard E. Dolby, Publisher in Memoriam
Graphic Design: Knight Design Studio
Website: Ecothink Design Studio
Contributing Photographer: CB Haynes
Contributing Photographer: Bill Heald
197 Eighth St., No. 728
Charlestown, MA 02129-4234
617-242-2217
E-mail: [email protected]
FOODSERVICE EAST is published five
times a year: Wintertide, Spring, MidYear, Fall Equinox and Fall. Susan G.
Holaday, President and Treasurer. Periodical postage paid at Boston and additional mailing offices.
USPS #0317-380. U.S. subscription
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Production in whole or in part without
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POSTMASTER: Send address changes
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8
mitted to providing the hospitality
industry with high quality, durable
and safe products. Visit Shafer
at Boutique Design New York at
IHMRS. Go to www.shafer.com.
ChefTec releases updated
software package
Fall Panorama
PRODUCTS
4 year aged Vermont
Cheddar from GVC
Grafton Village Cheese offers a
raw milk 4 year aged Tavern Select Cheddar from Vermont family
famrs, with a pronounced, mature
flavor, smooth finish and dry, crumbly texture. The company’s cheeses recently took medals at the Big
ChefTec TT, a major new upgrade from Culinary Software
Services, is designed to provide
business building benefits and
the ability to keep pace with
the changing foodservice industry. The Production Management Module is enhanced, as is
the Nutritional Analysis aspect,
now increasingly important
due to federal regulations and
more nutritionally conscious
consumers. Operators can now
print the ingredients of a purchased item on the Nutrition
Facts Label and allergen data
can be downloaded directly into
CheTec TT using the Online Nutritional Analysis Service. New
security features make the
software secure, robust and
stable. A new Caterease import
allows a Banquet Event Order
to be imported to a Production
Sheet. Go to www.cheftec.com.
Uncle Ben’s® steers
a new path in kids’
menus
Whole Grain products from
Uncle Ben’s® make healthy
eating fun and easy for children
with numerous flavor combinations and products such as
Roasted Chicken and Asian
Style Brown Rice which combines whole grains and nutrients in an easy, tasty form. The
products contain all natural
flavors and colors. Call 800423-2331 or visit online at www.
marsfoodservices.com.
E in West Springfield, MA. Go to
www.graftonvillagecheese.com.
Lactose free yogurt
rolled out
Green Valley Organics rolls out
new real dairy lactose free kefir
and real cow dairy yogurt as well as
sour cream. GVO yogurt and kefir
contain Flourish®, a custom blend
of 10 live active probiotic cultures
that promotes optimal digestive
and immune system health, eight
more health-promoting cultures
than USDA’s yogurt requirement
of two. For information, see www.
greenvalleylactosefree.com.
The Perfect Purée
introduces cranberry
puree
The Perfect Purée introduces a
new limited edition cranberry puree frozen and packed in 30 oz.
jars with online pricing at $25 a
jar. The product is also available
from foodservice distributors or
online at Amazon.com. Go to www.
perfectpuree.com for recipes and
suggestions.
Bertolini stands behind
every chair
Gluten free chicken
nuggets, patties &
tenders
STONE HEARTH AND SPECIALITY
COMMERCIAL COOKING EQUIPMENT
Discover why over 9,000 Wood Stone ovens, rotisseries,
broilers and tandoors have been sold by Food Service
Professionals in 75+ countries around the world.
woodstone-corp.com
tf (800) 988-8103 • t (360) 650-1111 • f (360) 650-1166
Golden Platter Foods introduces
a heat and serve line of chicken
foodservice nuggets, patties and
tenders, all gluten free. The product comes in 5 lb. poly bags, four
to the case. Very tightly controlled
handling is required to protect the
products’ gluten free state and
avoid cross contamination. The
chicken has only eight grams of fat
and 16 grams of protein per each
three oz. serving. Go to www.goldenplatter.com.
Shafer joins Hospitality
Sustainable Purchasing
Shafer Commercial Seating recently joined the Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Consortium.
The family-owned manufacturer
of chairs, tables and booths for the
hospitality industry, Shafer is com-
owned company has been making
world class options with its lines
of stackable hospitality seating.
Visit http://bertolinihd.com/index.
shtml.
Bertolini stands behind each and
every banquet and
conference chair with its Flex-Fit™ Seat
and other innovative features. All
chairs are manufactured in the
US with locally sourced materials.
For more than 50 years, the family-
Organic soup line in five
ready to serve flavor
Dr. McDougall’s Right Foods®
expands its soup line to include
organic vegan ready-to-serve
choices. Five flavors include lentil
vegetable, tortilla, lower sodium
black bean, lower sodium vegetable and lower sodium tomato.
They join a lineup of nine other options and are high in plant-based
protein and fiber, are non-GMO,
vegan and all natural. Go to www.
rightfoods.com.
New plant based products
by Earth Balance
Earth Balance introduced new
plant based products at Natural
Products Expo East in Baltimore
this fall including Organic Soy Nog
Jones Dairy Farms intros uncured turkey bacon
Jones Dairy Farm, a 122-year-old
family business, introduces uncured all natural turkey bacon
to its foodservice offerings. The
product has 70 percent fewer
calories and 80 percent less fat
than pork bacon and is made
without mechanically separated
meat. Only 100 percent turkey
thigh meat is used, with no fillers, MSG, nitrites or nitrates. The
product is certified gluten free
and comes in a 10 lb. case with
14 to 18 slices to the pound. Visit
www.jonesdairyfarm.com.
made with certified organic, nonGMO Project verified soybeans.
The product is lactose, cholesterol
and gluten free and has no artificial ingredients. The new Organic
Coconut Spread with organic extra virgin coconut oil replacing
soybean oil is vegan and a perfect
butter alternative for baking and
cooking. Another product, Earth
Balance® Mindful Mayo™ Dressing & Sandwich Spread, is cholesterol, egg and dairy free and has no
GMO ingredients. Use in recipes
or sandwiches as an alternative to
mayonnaise. Visit www.earthbalance.com.
Nemco heat shelf holds
ready to serve meals
Nemco Food Equipment’s new
heat shelf warmer holds readyto-serve plated food, boxed-to-go
orders and other menu items at
optimum temperatures. The heating element reaches temps of 220
degrees Fahrenheit and maintains
uniform heat across the surface
without cold spots. The stainless
shelf has powder-coated sides,
rounded corners and aesthetic appeal and comes with an ergonomic
control dial with variable temperature setting capabilities and
a lighted on/off switch. Go to www.
nemcofoodequip.com.
Volcanic Burst® rides
organic products
trend
Volcanic Burst®’s Lemon
Burst® and Lime Burst® organic citrus juices contain organic essential oils and guarantee a fresh taste. The products
join Dream Food International’s super-premium, organic,
Kosher, not from concentrate
citrus juice line that also includes Italian Volcano® Blood
Orange Juice Tangerine Juice,
Old Fashioned Lemonade and
Limeade. Go to www.dreamfoods.com for recipes and help
locating area suppliers.
Red Jasmine rice
imported from Asia
Gorton’s offers gluten
free line of grilled fish
Indian Harvest introduces Red
Jasmine rice from Asia, an heirloom long-grain, unmilled variety
with red bran. Nuttier in flavor
than white rice, the product has a
12 to 15 month shelf life. Red Jasmine complements a variety of international and American regional
cuisines. Recipe suggestions are
available at www.indianharvest.
com/recipes.
Gorton’s Seafood in Gloucester,
MA introduces a new gluten free
grilled fish line with salmon, tilapia, haddock and all natural Alaska Pollock fillets. Additionally, the
company offers several new gluten
free recipe ideas on its website,
www.gortons.com/glutenfree.htm.
Consumer Marketing Director
Zach Soolman notes that gluten
free options are both flame grilled,
seasoned for great taste and are
an excellent source of protein.
Eastern Fisheries
introduces seafood
condiments
Eastern Fisheries Inc. in New Bedford, MA introduces a new line of
Master’s Signature Seafood Sauces
created by Master Chef George
Karousos with fresh quality ingredients and six varieties. Choose
from Exciting Avocado, Creamy
Feta, Fire-Roasted Red Pepper,
Spicy Cocktail, Tasty Tartar, and
Zesty Mustard, all suitable for a
wide number of seafood dishes and
applications. The company is said
to be the world’s largest harvester,
processor and marketer of scallops. Go to www.easternfisheries.
com.
Rok Cooking introduces
new stainless tray
Rok Cooking redesigned its stainless steel tray to minimize the impact of thermal expansion, giving
it a diamond shaped depression to
prevent bulging in the middle and
causing the hot rock to teeter, a
common problem with other trays.
Use this modern stone-age cooking product to prepare food with
no oils or fats that is fast, healthy.
Cook steaks, scallops, and more using any type of stove for cheaper,
healthier high protein, low fat
meals with lower labor costs, says
Rok. Visit www.rokcooking.com.
Healthy choices
FRESHII
Continued from page 2
lected ingredients and place
to ability to control calorie
counts in the guest’s hands.
Toppings are categorized as
light with extremely low fat
content, high fiber, essential
vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and lean proteins;
balance, with essential fats,
slow burning carbohydrates,
healthy oils and a high protein count; and classic – great
traditional flavors to enjoy in
moderation.
Bowls, cups, cutlery and
more are made from biodegradable vegetable starches
and the units have no dishwashers, hoods, ranges or ovens. All natural custom mixing bags allow customers to
make salads quickly and reduce cross-contamination.
The first unit has seats for
36 plus a shared outdoor patio
on High St. with four tables,
and an indoor atrium in the
building also serves as an additional sit-down area for customers.
“It’s a feel good experience,”
says Schaer, who sees Boston
as a city with large numbers
of young, hip customers seeking healthier, more nutritious
and “green” choices.
Linda Bean from the trusted L. L. Bean family introduces a new line of
authentic lobster meals sourced directly from her wharves in Maine.
Kettle Cuisine
introduces new
foodservice soups
New for fall and winter months
are Kettle Cuisine’s steak & ale
soup and curried cauliflower
soup. Steak & ale is a hearty
pub-inspired option with Angus
beef, sharp cheddar and amber
ale, while curried cauliflower
has authentic Indian flavors
and is vegetarian. Call 800-969SOUP or visit www.kettlecuisine.com/foodservice.
Linda's new line features frozen entrees that include Creamy Maine Lobster
Bisque, Maine Lobster Traps, Maine Lobster Cuddlers® cocktail claws and
Maine Lobster Parmesan Cream Sauce.
With Linda Bean's new frozen lobster meals, you'll be able
to increase your product offering; energize your
menu with new innovative
products that are sure to
keep your customers
coming back for more.
Linda L. Bean of the
trusted L.L. Bean family
10 Foodservice East • Fall 2011
Art museum foodservice paints a brighter picture for visitors
B
OSTON – Art
aficionados
are
enjoying a renaissance period all
their own this
year as museum restaurants
grow in sophistication, moving away from a style that for
many years resembled somewhat of a mix of 1960s tearoom
and cafeteria.
“Museum venues began
to look at foodservice as part
of the entire experience,” declares Richard Coraine, chief
operating officer of Union
Square Hospitality Group in
Manhattan which has been on
the cusp of that trend, opening
stylish outlets at the Museum
of Modern Art and most recently, The Whitney.
“If you have world class art,
the food should complement
the venue,” he believes. When
MOMA underwent a redesign
in 2002, USHG “decided to
raise the bar. We asked why it
had to be a cafeteria line expe-
Food offerings
now viewed as
part of the art
lover experience
rience. We challenged the conventional wisdom.”
This year at The Whitney,
he’s “very, very proud” of what
the group has done, called
Untitled. “We looked around
and asked what was missing
from the neighborhood, and it
was coffee shops and diners.
They’d vanished from Madison
between 65th and 85th Sts.,
the result of rising rents. We
wanted to re-imagine those
critical elements and offer the
best coffee available. We had
a relationship with Stumptown from Portland, OR, small
batch roasters. We opened
this spring and had great response.”
In 2015, the group will do
a restaurant in the new Whitney with a concept similar to
Untitled, he says. I feel we’ve
gained the confidence to do
the museum with a fresh eye.
The food has to be consistent
and we’re proud to be part of
that wave. Wolfgang Puck did
it out West and was a ground
breaker.”
“We’ll continue to refine
what we have at MOMA too.
Those restaurants have become brands in and of themselves and The Modern has a
Michelin star.”
USHG was one of the first
to enter the museum arena, he
adds. “The biggest challenge is
to keep things evolving while
not changing the concept com-
pletely. Every day is not the
same, unless you’re a neighborhood destination. You have
to make a first impression every day because people in museums come from all over, and
that is not easy.”
At Untitled, breakfast is
served all day as well as lunch,
and brunch on weekends and
offers dinner on weekends.
Menus feature updates on coffee shop classics
In Boston, the Museum
of Fine Arts’ New American
Café in the Art of the Americas Wing, opened last fall with
a prix fixe tasting menu from
local chef, Ken Orringer that
changes seasonally, and a separate a la carte menu serving
classic American dishes with a
regional twist.
Over the years, the style of
service has gone from an era
when a “ladies group” would
offer tea receptions, says
Gregg Fontecchio who oversees operations for Restaurant
Associates at the site.
The Museum has a variety
of dining options for all tastes
and budgets. Members save
15 percent in all MFA restaurants. In addition to the
136-seat New American Café,
visitors can dine at Bravo, the
fine dining venue with eclectic
menus for lunch, dinner, and
brunch featuring internationally and seasonally inspired
cuisine and a diverse wine list.
The dramatic space, located on
the second floor of the I.M. Peidesigned Linde Family Wing
for Contemporary Art, showcases contemporary artwork
from the Museum’s collection.
Two casual dining venues are
also located in the Linde Family Wing. The Galleria, on the
first floor of the wing near the
Bookstore & Museum Shop
and the Remis Auditorium, is
a self-service café open from
lunch through dinner featuring light, contemporary cuisine, including hearty soups,
gourmet sandwiches, and specialty salads. The Garden Cafeteria, located on the lower level of the wing, offers a variety
of selections, from breakfast
through late lunch, including
muffins, soups, sandwiches,
hot entrées, and desserts in a
family-friendly setting.
This fall, Taste, a coffee and
wine bar joins the mix outside
the bookshop offering small
bites, Fontecchio says. “Museum foodservice today has a
much more dramatic presence
than years ago. A lot of cultural
institutions today do fine dining. Our New American Café
has been very successful with
around 500 covers a day.”
“We’ll be renovating Bravo
which has 150 seats so that all
our outlets will be up to date.
It will also get new contemporary American artwork. When
we do exhibits, the menus reflect that art. For example,
for Degas and Aphrodite, the
menus are exhibit-based and
will be three course, prix fixe
with custom cocktails.”
Museum foodservice, he
believes, is moving in the direction of being more like
mainstream establishments.
Specialty restaurants meet
the needs of higher end clients
and we’re staying on that same
track.”
He estimates the average
check at New American Café
at $18 to $20 around $40 to
$50 at Bravo. “We have a lot
of comfort elements in the
Café – pizzas, a New England
Clambake, summer vegetable
lasagna. Our customers teach
us a lot by telling us what they
like and sharing their experiences.”
Chef’s Table
visits Boston
B
OSTON – Lactalis® Foodservice
brought its Chef
Table to Boston
this fall at Artu
Rosticceria and Trattoria
in the North End, introducing foods with the company’s
cheeses to local chefs and industry experts.
Hors d’oeuvres with specialty cheeses such as Galbani®, President® and Sorrento® began the evening which
included a presentation by
East Division Sales Manager
Jim Binner on the history of
Lactalis®, its brands, and the
influence of European cheeses
in the US.
The event included an extensive menu with such items
as Galbani® Fresh Mozzarella
grilled eggplant and heirloom
tomatoes, Sorrento® Ricotta,
Romano and Galbani® Fresh
Mozzarella filled ravioli, Galbani® Gorgonzola atop herbcrusted filet mignon, Galbani® Mascarpone ice cream
and Sorrento® Ricotta stuffed
figs – among others.
877-335-2766
www.JasonBeverageConcepts.com
Photography © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Mexicue
morphs
from food
trucks to
brick &
mortar
“A great way
to introduce a
brand…”
MEXICUE
way to introduce a brand,”
declares Kelly. “Restaurants
are our future but trucks will
come to be part of the story.”
The partners plan to grow
The truck offers
great visibility
and exposure
the brand in New York but
eventually, will move to other
markets. The truck initially
allowed the partners to open
in Midtown with high traffic,
visibility and exposure.
“It allowed us to do really
high quality food and make it
affordable and accessible. We
have three tacos, three sliders, Memphis BBQ, a smoked
short rib with Memphis molé
and Alabama chicken. We do
a brisket slider with habenero
aioli, Berkshire pulled pork
with pickled red onions and
avocado smash and Burnt
Ends chili with brisket and
ground beef.”
A second truck debuted this
summer and rolled out to new
locations both in Manhattan
and the outer boroughs. Stops
were expected to include
Downtown Brooklyn, Park
Slope, Columbia University,
NYU and lower Manhattan.
The second truck allows
the company to do more private events and offers an expanded menu with rice bowls,
salads and sides.
Schillace calls the summer “incredibly exciting with
the opening of two brick and
mortar restaurants plus the
second truck. Only a year ago,
I invested my life savings into
this idea. It feels amazing to
be able to serve our food to so
many people each day – and
this allows us the opportunity to reach even more of our
fans.”
The Lower East Side (LES)
restaurant has Mexicue’s signature orange walls, natural
wainscoting, and salvaged
wood beams.
Kelly calls the neighborhood “one of Manhattan’s coolest, most vibrant and historic”
and also, one of the city’s best
food destinations.
The concept, which grew
out of its owners frustration
with quick service restaurants
seeks to give customers innovative cuisine with quality
ingredients, locally sourced,
sustainable where possible,
and to provide exceptional
hospitality.
“We’ll always be into simplicity,” declares Kelly. “We
want our food to be creative
and we refine the core menu
items and introduce new and
interesting ones.”
The past year, his partner
adds, has seen tremendous
growth. “We look at where
we came from and it’s been
very intense with amazing
response.” He estimates the
average check at around $10
in the restaurants where sales
include more beverages and
sides, and $8 at the trucks.
“Our profits have gone back
into growing the business,”
Schillace adds.
Asked what they enjoy
most about the Mexicue adventure, Kelly replies: “The
full restaurant – it’s less of a
headache.”
Schillace, however, replies:
“The truck – it’s our baby and
we built it from the ground
up. The restaurant is easiest
compared to the truck.”
High quality food gains accessibility in
a city that demands the best
INDUSTRY
SunWineFest coming to Mohegan Sun in Jan.
Indian Harvest offers an ancient roasted wheat
UNCASVILLE, CT – Reservations are already being taken for
events at Mohegan Sun’s SunWineFest, January 27-29, 2012,
with a wide array of tastings, events and celebrity chefs. From
the Bourbon Tasting by Beam Global Spirits & Wine on Jan. 17,
the Elite Cru Tasting on the 28th, and Bubbles & Bon Bons on
Sunday, the 29th, there’s an event for every taste. A new Sommelier Package is available this year as well plus a new Grain
& Grape event and a Celebrity Chef Dine Around presented by
Moet & Chandon. On Jan. 29th, watch the 8th Annual Mohegan Sun Oyster Open with the nation’s best oyster shuckers
putting skills to the test as they compete for a $5,000 purse. Go
to www.mohegansun.com/sitelet/winfestevents/html
BEMIDJI, MN – What’s old is new this year as Indian Harvest,
a major producer and foodservice supplier of specialty grains,
beans, legumes and blends from around the world, introduces
Indian Harvest Greenwheat Freekeh™ to foodservice operators
seeking a nutritious and flavorful roasted wheat whole grain.
Greenwheat Greekeh is a process, not a variety, and roasts
grains while young, green and soft. The heirloom process relies
on fire and oxygen only and has been handed down for generations. It captures the grains at the peak of flavor and nutrition and uses no additives or preservatives. In the process,
the wheat chaff is rubbed away, creating an extremely flavorful
grain with a “toothy” texture, low Glycemic index and acting as
a probiotic to promote bacteria that aid in digestion. Visit www.
indianharvest.com/getfreekeh.
Mystic Marriott wins “Best of the East” honors
MYSTIC, CT – The Mystic Marriott Hotel & Spa was honored
as “Best of the East” by Meetings Focus Magazine. The award
makes it one of 50 properties selected in the Eastern US and
Eastern Canada; The property is managed by Waterford Hotel
Group. General Manager Farouk Rajab called the presentation
“a true testament to the dedication of our team to providing our
guests with the highest level of quality service.”
Cura Hospitality partners with Whitney Center
HAMDEN, CT – Whitney Center, a non-profit accredited Continuing Care Retirement Community here, partners with Cura
Hospitality, a leading senior living dining provider focusing on
seasonal farm-fresh foods and unique and personalized dining
options by Chef Roderick Wedlowe. Richard Wagner, new general manager of dining services, brings 20-plus years experience to the post.
Uno’s introduces new deep dish pizza
BOSTON – In honor of October’s National Pizza Month, Uno’s
introduced a new deep dish crust with nine grains that can be
ordered for any of the deep dish items on the menu. The new
crust is a wheat base with rye, corn grits, brown rice, oat flakes,
triticale flakes, soy grits, flax seed, millet and barley and even
has sunflower seeds for extra crunch says Chef Chris Gatto.
Also new are three grilled pizzas – bacon, cheddar and tomato,
grilled gire roasted sweet red pepper and grilled Rustica with
cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, caramelized onions, Feta
and goat cheeses.
Green Mountain Coffee expands VT operations
WATERBURY, VT – Green Mountain Coffee Roasters is expanding its operations across this state in three communities where
it has existing operations plus new sites in South Burlington.
In Waterbury, a new 75,000 sq. ft. expansion was recently completed to its manufacturing and production operations to accommodate increased packaging capabilities. Other growth is
taking place in Essex, Williston and South Burlington.
Wireless menus catching on in Hartford area
HARTFORD – Treva Restaurant in West Hartford Center recently introduced a tablet computer menu from Maxx Media
Group, but still gives diners the option of a paper version. The
tablets come with their own GPS tracking system to prevent
theft. Downtown, Max Restaurant Group’s Max Downtown is
also using a tablet for the restaurant’s wine list. President
Rich Rosenthal points to the depth of information that can be
conveyed about each wine as the primary reason for the shift
New franchise burger brand said to go national
TAMPA – Front Burner Brands’ Burger 21 is reportedly going
national as a franchise brand, seeking regional markets in Florida and along the East Coast. The corporate entity, which also
has Melting Pot restaurants and GrillSmith, opened the first
unit a year ago here a year ago and plans a second, according to
the Gulf Coast Business Review.
Strong growth continues for bakery cafés
CHICAGO – The bakery café segment, said to account for $5
billion in annual sales and more than 3,600 units across the
US, has “navigated the middle ground between quick- and fullservice to outpace industry sales and unit growth for each of
the past three years,” says a Technomic study. Technomic sees
customers fueling growth by visiting bakery cafés in larger
numbers and more frequently, allowing them to gain market
share in a what Executive Vice President Darren Tristano calls
“a zero-growth environment.” For more information on the consumer trend report, visit www.technomic.com.
Q
A
What do B&G Oysters, The Blue
Room, The Butcher Shop, Central
Bottle, Drink, Grill 23, Harvest,
No. 9 Park, Post 390, and Sportello
have in common?
visual dialogue
logos, naming, branding, signage,
menus, package design, websites,
online marketing, and advertising
Brunswick, ME restaurant introduces lighter fare
BRUNSWICK, ME – The Tavern at the Inn at Brunswick Station introduced a lighter fare menu for the bar to showcase appetizer and sandwich staples plus new items such as buffalo
chicken sliders or crab and artichoke dip with homemade crostini. Opened this summer, the restaurant and inn is adjacent
to Bowdoin College and showcases reproductions of the Brunswick Historical Society’s extensive collection celebrating life in
that town over the years.
www.visualdialogue.com/restaurants
617.247.3658
Gewurtztraminer an interesting
match with food. Try it with a Moroccan lamb tagine for a surprising pairing. The wine is rich, dry
and elegant. Declared a “hallmark
vintage,” the wine is well balanced and may be served with blue
cheeses, Munster and more.. Go to
www.hugel.com.
Wine & Cheese
PANORAMA
Floral notes in Hugel
Gewurtztraminer
Notes of rose, orange blossoms and
even pear make the 2007 Hugel
BrugalRum introduces
1888 with style
BrugalRum, a major rum brand in
the Dominican Republic and now
available in the US, introduces a
new world class offering, 1888, a
rum aged in wooden casks either
hand crafted or hand-picked. Additionally, the casks are arranged
horizontally, keeping the rum in
contact with the wood. The result
is a full-bodied, complex flavor palate, dark amber color, and a finish
of toffee/caramel, wood and licorice. Go to www.brugal-ron.com.
Kanon distillery from
Gripsholm distillery
Kanon Vodka is produced in Sweden in the 16th century Gripsholm
Distillery with the same process
and ingredients as used centuries
ago. Locally grown, the vodka process begins with organic wheat
and water from a private well. The
entire production process takes
place in a three mile radius and
the distillery is committed to being green and producing vodka as
it was made for nearly 400 years,
bottling only the first run. Go to
www.kanonvodka.com.
Gold medal winning
authentic brie
LeChatelaine Brie, created for the
US market, won a gold medal last
year at France’s largest food competition, the Concours General
Agricole in Paris. The traditional
cheese uses a recipe handed down
through generations of master
cheesemakers and is all natural
and preservative-free with a white,
bloomy rind and rich, buttery flavor. Distributed nationwide, it is
manufactured and imported by the
Lactalis group. Visit www.lactalisfs.com
Trapiche introduces
new label for varietals
Trapiche, a leading Argentinian
wine brand, introduces new packaging this fall with the theme, “The
Condor and the Andes,” highlighting its roots in Mendoza at the
foothills of the Andes where the
Condor is the iconic bird. New with
the ’11 vintage of its varietal range
is screw caps in the white wine collection, while the Malbec, Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah and Pinot Noir
continue with cork enclosures.
Visit www.frederickwildman.com
or www.facebook.com/Trapiche.
Torrontes from
Argentina for good
value
Alta Vista’s Classic Torrontes
2009 offers fresh and intense flavors and delicate fruit aromas
of pink grapefruit and pear. The
pale yellow wine offers a mineral
Two distinctive rums in
Mojito recipe
Vampyre
Vodka
with
smooth
taste, red
color
Vampyre Vodka, tripled distilled
with a bright red color and distinctive flavor, is distilled and
bottled in England and imported by TI Beverage Group in
Beverly Hills, CA. For a distinctive offering that lends itself to
themed cocktails, check it out
at http://vampyrevodka.com.
character and balanced acidity,
and works well with fish, seafood,
Japanese or Thai food, and cheese
fondues. Flavorful, crisp and dry at
the finish, it makes a great house
wine or wine by the glass. Go to
www.altavistawines.com.
The Balvenie takes
show on the road
The Balvenie Rare Craft Roadshow
– a nationwide search for craftsmen and artisans across America
who practice and preserve traditional crafts – is celebrating
craftsmanship and documenting
the effort in a web series and eventual documentary film, and introducing its malt whiskey products
as it travels. The distillery in Scotland will release its newest offering – Tun 1401 – in 2012, the first
“non-dated” vintage single malt
Scotch of its kind in the US. Visit
www.TheBalvenie.com.
Shipyard Brewing intros
Smashed Blueberry
Portland’s Shipyard Brewing
launches the newest beer in its
Pugsley’s Signature Series line –
Smashed Blueberry, described as a
cross between a Porter and Scotch
Ale with flavors of coffee and
chocolate with blueberry accents.
Serve with glazed duck, ribs, BBQ,
chocolate and blueberry desserts
at 55 degrees F. Go to www.shipyard.com.
DonQ Rum from Distilleria Serralles in Puerto Rico, presents its
Mojita De Fresa recipe with two of
its products – DonQ Mojito Rum
and DonQ Cristal Rum. Combine
with lime juice, two medium muddled whole strawberries and shake
vigorously, then strain simple
syrup into a highball glass with ice
and add a splash of club soda. Go
to www.DonQ.com
Rich Cabernet from
Genders Wines
Genders Wines’ special selection
2002 Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren
Vale is rich with intense flavor with
a reddish black, medium color and
notes of roses, tea, hydrangeas
and cedar from the French oak
barrels in which it is aged for two
years. Winemaker Diane Genders
calls the Cab, a tribute to her
late brother, Duncan, a wine with
“dusty tannins backed up with red
currant like fruit, reasonably fine
and elegant.” The South Australia wine received three stars from
Winestate Magazine. Visit www.
genderswines.com.
Quintas Dos Murcas
Reserva for hearty
meals
Esperao’s Quintas Dos Murcas
Reserva from grapes harvested
from old vines has deep red color
and rich notes of ripe fruit. It is
matured 12 months in French and
American oak casks and works
well with hearty dishes such as
heritage pork cheeks and belly
braised with violet mustard and
served with butternut squash puree, or traditional Douro dishes
like octopus lagareiro. Visit www.
[email protected].
Nobilo introduces fruitforward Pinot
Dave Edmonds, winemaker at
Nobilo in New Zealand, introduces
Icon, a fruit-forward Pinot Noir
targeted to the restaurant trade,
moderately priced and rich in flavor. “It’s a wine we’re pretty proud
of,” he says on a visit to Boston
this fall. “It’s a New Zealand Pinot,
not Burgundian or Russian River
Valley, very refined with flavors of
blackberries, cherries and plums.”
Visit http://nobilo.co.nz/icon.html.
B
OSTON – A new
prototype
from
Au Bon Pain, celebrating 33 years
of operation and
318 fast casual café bakeries
worldwide, steps it up a notch,
focusing on today’s lifestyles,
as it makes a “brand promise”
to its customers to deliver delicious foods, engaging service
and an energizing environment.
The redesign gives customers more options and more direct messages from the company. The messages
are on the walls,
pointing out its
use of cage free
eggs and dedication to healthy, all
natural, anti-biotic-free and better
food. “Goodness
to go,” declares
one, while others
include “Chicken
with flavor, not
additives”
and
“We crack fresh
eggs for you.”
“This
prototype,”
Morelli
says, “caters to
your lifestyle” and
to customers’ desire for healthier,
more convenient and higher
quality options.
The challenge is that life in
today’s society is very busy indeed, busier than ever with
increased demands on everyone’s time.
At the same time, consumers are more discerning and
concerned social responsibility. Au Bon Pain seeks to meet
their needs with the highest
quality and show its concern
for what matters to them.
In the next 36 to 48 months
the whole chain will undergo
refreshing including ABP’s
corporate headquarters at
Boston’s Design Center on the
waterfront.
Worldwide, growth continues too, as a new partner in
India plans to add 10 or more
units in Bangalore to its 18
original stores, and an existing one in Thailand also continues to expand.
Business is good, she notes.
“Catering just closed a very
strong fiscal year. Like others, we see revival in this area
from the recession. We’ve also
invested in sales folks, new
Au Bon Pain focuses on
today’s lifestyles
An original focus on breads and pastries
continues with new items including cupcakes
for handheld snacking
menu items, improved packaging, etc.”
It’s important today, Morelli declares, for operators to
“stay conscious of consumers
– what they want, and when
they want it.”
The new prototype offers
more self-service along with
opportunities for custom-
ers to customize their
food choices. as Managers now come out on the
floor, sampling new items
and interacting with the
guests.
The cost of the transformation to the new prototype is estimated at between
$500,000 and $1 million while
“refreshing” units costs in the
range of $150,000.
Another change is new col-
or palettes – greens, orange,
and yellow – to create
a brighter, more high
energy environment.
“Food is energy,” says
Morelli.
Twenty-plus new
units with the new
design are planned a
year, many of them
in
non-traditional
sites such as colleges
and universities and
healthcare facilities
where recent outlets
range in size from
950 sq. ft. to 5,500 sq.
ft.
One such unit will
open next winter at
Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento,
CA, a new market,
Morelli points out.
Another new market area this year is
Nashville, TN where
ABP opened in a high-profile
space within the Vanderbilt
University Medical Center
where a former McDonald’s
once was.
The choice was based on
a desire to expand healthy
food options and nutritional
awareness, hospital officials
note.
New product offerings include an egg white and cheddar
breakfast
sandwich,
Greek salad, a 12 veggie soup
rich with seasonal vegetables,
Tuscan white bean soup, and
cupcakes. Also new are soup
and salad value combos. Nutrition kiosks in the stores
help consumers make better
nutritional choices.
The beverage lineup is also
broader and more diverse
with the addition of healthy
green teas, blasts and smoothies, Silk soy milks, coconut
and other nutritious waters,
decaffeinated and regular coffees and both Pepsi and CocaCola.
A new executive chef, Stefano Cordova, formerly vice
president and executive chef
at Bertucci’s, brings more
than 30 years of foodservice
experience in a variety of industry segments to the post.
This summer, Golub Capital completed a $112 million
senior secured credit facility
for refinancing of ABP, a portfolio company of LNK Partners, a private equity firm.
The way T
we eat
today…
Comfort foods, gathering
places, small plates and
less formality become
the order of the day
EATING TODAY
High end operators embrace
a more casual, playful approach
he changes are driven not only by the
economy, but by a
new generation, the
Millennials. A recent survey by Y-Pulse LLC in
Chicago of 315 young adults,
18 to 33 years old, shows them
motivated by price and variety, eating more frequently
at quick service restaurants
than any other type, says CoFounder Sharon Olson.
Other influences are the
Baby Boomers (age 55-64) and
Gen Y (age 25-34) groups estimated to represent $65 of every $100 spent on foodservice.
In the city’s Back Bay, a new
venture from two well established operators of neighborhood gathering places, Coda
Bar and Kitchen in the South
End and Canary Square in
Jamaica Plain, Michael Moxley and Jim Cochenor, mirrors
the changes as neighborhood
gathering places raise the bar
on their menus. The Salty Pig,
designed as a neighborhood local with quality food including
many salty pig parts and well
crafted drinks in a relaxed
setting with a reclaimed wood
bar and furnishings from recycled materials.
With a menu of house-cured
meats, charcuterie and small
batch, hand selected cheeses,
wood-grilled flatbread pizzas
and signature sandwiches
and salads, the restaurant
offers a dozen draught beers
including New England craft
choices from Maine, Vermont
and New Hampshire plus
West Coast IPAs. Menu prices
range from $7 to $15.
The evolution from the traditional small neighborhood
spot to a gathering place with
more sophisticated menu offerings, casual yet stylish
ambience and quality ingredients continues in Manhattan where Brandon Gillis
and Josh Sharkey, two former chefs at high end dining
destinations including Tabla
and Jean Georges among others, opened Bark Hot Dogs
in Brooklyn serving locally
sourced fare as they work
to raise the level of a typical
“fast food” item.
In an interview with Inc.
Magazine, the young chefs
note that today there are
growing numbers of better
quality casual operations. Gillis and Sharkey seek to close
the gap between fine dining
and neighborhood spot with
a focus on quality, service and
high standards. Efficiency in
quick service, they point out,
no longer needs to come from
mass produced products.
Proving their point that excellence need no longer be limited to the most upscale high
end, Chef ’s Table at Brooklyn
Fare, was awarded three Michelin stars this fall as the notion of excellent food and beverage widens to include less
formal operations. Last year,
the restaurant turned some
heads when it was awarded
two stars. With Eleven Madison Park, the restaurant
joined other three star recipients including Daniel, Jean
Georges, Le Bernadin, Per Se
and Masa.
At the upper end of the
spectrum, Eleven Madison
Park, part of Union Square
Hospitality Group owned by
Danny Meyer, will be sold to
Chef Daniel Humm and General Manager Will Guidara.
Meyer was recently quoted
as predicting a “blindingly
bright” future for the establishment, noting that he is not
abandoning the high end.
Elsewhere in Manhattan,
an iconic steakhouse, the Old
Homestead in the Meatpacking District, recently introduced a “recession-busting
Burger Diamonds” lunch with
a choice of three half-pound
burgers, Kobe, filet mignon
or sirloin, plus a Caesar salad
and glass of domestic wine or
beer.
“We’re giving people a
break in these tough economic
times, a lavish lunch pleasing
to the palate and the pocket,”
says Marc Sherry, co-owner of
Demand is for more
casual settings
the city’s longest continually
operating steakhouse.
Even chefs such as Chef de
Cuisine Adam Kube at Boston’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel downtown on Boston Common, sees
a growing demand for food
that’s “more simplified,” such
as the chicken pot pie on the
menu at the property’s new
Artisan Bar.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary next year, the Ritz no
longer requires coats and ties
as it did for many years, and
caters to a more diverse clientele today. “Our food is done
very well with nice ingredients,” he declares, speaking
of the pot pie, which he sees
as typifying the homey kinds
of food customers seek now,
foods that remind them of
their childhood but are made
with the best ingredients and
techniques.
As a brand, he declares, the
Ritz today is less formal than
in years past. The new Arti-
san Café is a bistro adjacent
to the Theatre District with
its own street entrance. Within the property itself, there’s a
new pub, the Avery Bar off the
hotel entrance.
“We’re attracting a more
diverse clientele and are more
like a stand-alone restaurant
with the same high service
level as the hotel. We’re serving bistro classics but also
New England specialties too
such as Georges Bank braised
monkfish,” Kube declares. The
room is designed to become a
meeting and gathering place
for locals and visitors alike as
well as the many condo dwellers in the property.
Legal Sea Foods’ CEO Roger Berkowitz, pointing to the
“slowing of fine dining” the
past few years, calls today’s
restaurant scene more about
eating than dining, and in his
new three-level Legal Harborside in Boston’s Seaport
District, offers a “democratic”
casual restaurant, an upscale
special occasion operation and
a rooftop oyster bar/cocktail
lounge that’s all about fun. It’s
his response to a changed environment.
Even the middle is no longer
the same, says Brad Dalbeck,
partner in Boston’s Legendary
Restaurant Group with moderately priced concepts from
Tavern on the Water and Max
& Dylan’s to Papagayo. The
company, he discloses, plans a
new burger concept next year
in Somerville, MA.
“There’s no middle any
more,” he notes. “People are
still spending and going out
but they’re looking for value
and many middle of the road
places are gone. We see more
people today eating at the
bar, sharing apps and small
plates, so we expanded our
bar. At our Scollay Square
restaurant we never used to
serve burgers at night. Now
we do. Burgers are huge, and
thanks to the tequila market,
Mexican has become huge.”
One high end chef, Michael
Schlow, agrees. Responding
to changes in the market,
he opened Tico this year in
Boston’s Back Bay to meet
demand for “more casual settings.”
At dinner, he offers 53
dishes, 43 of which are small
plates. “The guest dictates
their own experience. They
can sit at the seviche bar by
EATING TODAY
Millennials
drawn to
quick service
places, study
shows
C
HICAGO – Today’s Millennial
generation, age
18-30, tend to
eat out based
on price and the variety of
menu offerings, but target
largely quick service outlets, a recent survey shows.
Half of the young adult
diners surveyed recently
by Pulse LLC shun coffee
shops, fast-casual and high
end restaurants in any given week and are most likely to choose quick service
outlets and pizzerias.
These diners choose outlets that offer “low prices,
great service and proximity to home or job,” and
offer rewards for frequent
purchases or visits. Other
attractive factors included
curbside pickup, communal lounge seating, free
Wi-Fi and ample laptop
plug-ins. Being a place
also frequented by friends
is a major drawing point.
Millennnials also cited
establishments that offer
food they want to eat, a
wide variety of menu options, health/organic choices and “to go” opportunities
as among the top reasons
for frequenting an establishment.
“We found it interesting that high school aged
respondents replied quite
similarly to the older respondents on most every
question.
And, regardless of age, this generation
seeks information from
known sources like friends
and family rather than following restaurants or social
media sites,” Olson says.
“They are discriminating in
the sources that they trust
for recommendations.”
Additionally, the respondents largely chose
restaurants based on word
of mouth from family and/
or friends, and 80 percent
reported little or no interest in finding new places
through social networks.
Opening a new unit in a casino setting,
Tunney eyes what people need & want
H
The way we eat today…
EATING TODAY
the open kitchen or they can
order $35, $55 or $85 worth of
food picked by the chef. Today,
the speed of life has quickened. People want choices.
We’re in a building with 5,000
people. At lunch our menu is
more traditional. We want
this to be their lunch room.
Our average check bounces
around $38. We have a communal table for 10 and eating
at the bar is huge.
Meanwhile, if there’s any
question that the industry’s
quick service sector has shifted radically, one need look no
further than Madison Square
Garden in New York where
a new signature collection of
“exclusive world-class food offerings by top talent” was recently unveiled.
In a radical transformation,
chefs Jean Georges Vongerichten and Andrew Carmellini,
restaurateur Drew Nieporent
and Aquagrill chef-owner Jeremy Marshall, will create exclusive offerings for the MSG
Signature Collection debuting late this fall. Additionally,
the Arena food offerings will
be upgraded with items from
Carnegie Deli, Hill Country
Barbecue, Carlos & Gabby’s,
Magnolia Bakery, and more.
In the Arena’s new suites,
menus will be available from
Chef Vongerichten.
You Work Hard on Your Menu . . .
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to Chef Paul!
Choose from 28
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Blend products
Order Direct 800-457-2857
Questions? Contact Gregg Villarrubia (504) 731-3519 for Distributor and Product Information
www.chefpaul.com
As Chef Paul says,“Good Cooking, Good Eating, Good Loving!™”
UNTINGTON,
NY – Why would
the operator of
three successful
Mexican restaurants with two more on the
drawing boards open a major
Italian concept in a casino setting?
“A new ‘baby’ is always exciting,” Tunney, the owneroperator with partners David
Tunney and John Reiger in
Besito Restaurant Group here.
He’s referring to BALLO Italian Restaurant and Social
Club, the 16,000 sq. ft. restaurant modeled after a 12th century Gothic abbey in Tuscany,
that opened this fall at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT.
“Italian,”
says
Tunney,
“brings everyone together.” The
300-seat restaurant includes a
gigantic Carrera marble bar
with a more casual ambience
than the dining area and a
classic Berkel slicer where Italian cold cuts are sliced before
the customers’ eyes.
The restaurant, a departure from Besito, his stylish
three-unit Mexican concept
with units in Huntington and
Roslyn, NY
and
West
Hartford, CT,
attracts a diverse clientele, Tunney
notes.
“ S o m e
nights, late,
it’s all Asian,
and others, locals. We might as
well be in Disneyland, there’s
so much diversity here. At any
given time you can have a person playing a $10 hand in the
casino or one who just lost $1
million. Our company has a
real affinity for both Mexican
and Italian culture and cuisine.”
It’s the 12th restaurant for
an operator who began in the
industry at age 14.
The average check varies
widely, he says, noting that
“self incurred damages,” as he
calls it, can range from $15 or
less to hundreds, depending
on wine choices. An extensive
wine list complements a menu
with menu prices in the $20
range.
The food, he points out, is
local, fresh, sustainable and
created by talented chefs. “We
try to deliver great value. Today, people want unbelievable
food and a great experience.
Hospitality is as important
as the food. Whether you order a burger or a filet mignon,
the service should be great.
This concept is based on what
people need and want today,
L to R: Chef Todd English, The
Olive Group, Ballo owner John
Tunney, Chef Bobby Flay, Bar
Americain and Bobby’s Burger
Palace, and Summer Shack’s
Chef Jasper White hang out
at the after party at Mohegan
Sun’s 15th anniversary party
this fall.
whether it’s a pizza or a $345
bottle of fine Italian wine.”
What he enjoys most about
his business, he says, is “to see
300 to 500 people having an
amazing time. It’s very exciting.”
BALLO, he adds, was challenging to build. He’s especially
proud of creating 125 new jobs.
Today, he observes, “the
days of being too fancy are
over. The value of the diner’s
dollar is perceived more carefully. And everyone is looking
to eat healthier. My diners, at
BALLO and Besito, are more
educated and are eating lighter. They’re splitting appetizers and eating fewer desserts.
Years ago, they wanted lots of
sauce. Today, they seek finer
flavors and less (food).”
At his Mexican concept, he
has two New Jersey restaurants in the works and is looking, he says, for sites in Boston.
“It’s something that’s missing
in that marketplace.”
Catering takes new directions in Philadelphia
P
HILADELPHIA
– Catering, like
other facets of
foodservice, is undergoing change
as the economy makes its
mark this year, necessitating
creative ways to meet customer needs.
In this historic city, an acclaimed chef and GuestCounts
Hospitality, the owner of Max
& Me Catering and Culinary
Concepts Catering, joined forces recently, seeking to set new
standards for catered events
and broaden its services with
the creation of Brûlée Catering
by Chef Jean-Marie Lacroix.
Lacroix, a James Beard
award-winning
culinarian,
brought together a pool of talented chefs from his two decades at the city’s Four Seasons
Hotel and Lacroix Restaurant
at the Rittenhouse Hotel as he
and GuestCounts Hospitality
move forward to create what
he calls “a bright new future of
hospitality for our clients, as we
are able to offer a wider range
of services than ever before.”
With an expanded fleet of
vehicles, multiple kitchens
and a talented team, the new
entity will offer both on-premise and off-premise services.
As the merged entity begins
with nearly 20 years of experience behind each former brand
name, it will serve the tri-state
Delaware Valley region and
the New Jersey shore, and
will be the exclusive foodservice provider at numerous
prestigious venues from The
National Constitution Center,
the American Cancer Society,
Drexel University, Independence Visitor Center and many
more.
Chef Lacroix‘s presence,
says Jan DeMarzo of Guest-
Photography Matthew McMasters
2 companies
merge best of both
to deliver more
services
the standard sit-down dinner
which now must be elegant but
also satisfy customer budgets.
It’s about flexibility, creativity
and satisfying customers. It’s
become a world of customiza-
tion.”
“We listen to the customer,”
Lacroix points out, “so we can
learn what they want.”
DeMarzo sees the goal as
keeping the customer for life.
Business, she observes, may
be difficult today but “weddings still happen. Corporate
entertaining is off and is coming back differently. Today,
they want one to two hour receptions, not sit-down dinners.
Conventions are back.”
Lacroix views his customers
as friends and believes “if you
get involved, they’ll love you.”
It’s a “cautious corporate
market,” DeMarzo observes,
with bookings made on a short
term window.
The most fun for Lacroix is
developing dishes for up to 500
guests. “That’s a challenge as
we look for the besst dish and
service. It’s not impossible to
have restaurant quality. It’s
not easy but it can be done.
The goal is to have all the chefs
do the same quality food.”
“This is a foodie town,” adds
DeMarzo. “They understand
food and this is about bringing restaurant quality into the
catering market. Chef JeanMarie brings a high profile to
sales meetings and is instrumental in setting the tone. It’s
a beautiful marriage.”
Counts Hospitality, “has added
to the excitement.” Lacroix
had decided to retire but was
approached by Max & Me and
rose to what he saw as a challenge.
“Catering off-premise,” he
notes “is a challenge and I like
that. It’s to produce the best
dishes and service.”
Like all businesses this
year, DeMarzo adds, catering
has seen “new norms. Customers are looking for a deal. We’ve
got to be flexible and creative.
Our approach is changing at
anything but cookie-cutter
Naturally Hickory Smoked HamS tHat StaNd out!
©2011 Smithfield Foodservice, Inc.
SMF-11-111_Holiday_Ad_FSE.indd 1
10/21/11 2:50 PM
faces
&
moves to vice president of real
estate for the New York City
market.
Cactus Jack’s. He most recently was executive chef at a
North Chelmsford, MA Italian
establishment.
GIELISSE
BANKERT
CULINARY
INSTITUTE
OF AMERICA – Victor Gielisse, former associate vice
president for business development, was named vice
president – advancement &
business development at the
Hyde Park, NY campus. He
is one of 66 Certified Master
Chefs in the US.
CASTLE HILL INN – In Newport, RI, Bob Bankert was
promoted to executive sous
chef from chef tourant at the
Relais & Chateaux property.
He will work closely with Executive Chef Karsten Hart
on all aspects of the culinary
program.
SPIRIT OF BOSTON – This
Boston cruise ship appoints
Liz Rentschler executive
chef of the Seaport Elite, a
smaller, intimate cruise ship
for private functions. He
brings 20 years experience to
the post, most recently pursuing a license as a dietition
with Massachusetts General
Hospital.
LA MAR CEBICHERIA PERUANA – Chef Gaston Acurio’s new establishment in
Manhattan named his trusted
kitchen assistant Victoriano
Lopez executive chef and N.
A. Nadir, previously general
manager at Japonais in New
York and Las Vegas, assistant
g.m. at Bar Americain and
g.m. and managing partner of
Pico in New York as general
manager.
places
VIERA
GARCELON
HARVEST – In Cambridge,
MA, Brian Mercury becomes executive pastry chef
at this iconic Harvard Square
restaurant. He previously
worked with Chef Peter Davis and Executive Pastry Chef
Dan Angelopolus at The
Charles Hotel and Executive
Pastry Chef Susan Abbott at
Rialto.
THE WALDORF=ASTORIA
– David Garcelon becomes
culinary director with responsibility for the entire kitchen
operation of this iconic New
York property. He previously was executive chef of the
1,364-room Fairmont Royal
York in Toronto, Canada’s
largest hotel. Eric O. Long,
general manager, notes that
Chef Garcelon “has a history
of commanding the kitchens
of progressively larger and
more complex hotels.”
WATERFORD
GROUP
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specializing in assisting
buyers and sellers of
Massachusetts
All Alcoholic Beverages and
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Call 781-319-9800
www.atlanticlicensebrokers.com
–
SPINNATO
Timothy Santos was promoted to general manager at
The Courtyard by Marriott
in Norwich, CT, a 120-room
property, after several years
as operations manager within
the Marriott brand. Previously he was general manager
of the TownPlace Suites by
Marriott in Williston, VT and
chief engineer at the Burlington, VT Courtyard by Marriott Burlington Harbor
Hotel, Townplace Suites
(Burlington) and Courtyard
in Middlebury, VT. In Southington, CT, Rosemary Viera
was appointed manager of
the 122-room Holiday Inn
Express from manager of
SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Waterford, Waterford,
CT. At Courtyard by Marriott Norwich and SpringHill
Suites, Kara Spinnato was
named director of sales from
sales manager for the Providence Biltmore Place.
LEGENDARY
RESTAURANT GROUP – This Boston
restaurant group named Bob
Murphy to the management
team as director of operations.
Formerly, he was president of
operations at Border Café
Restaurants.
AU BON PAIN – Bill Murphy, who has been a vice president and real estate director
with Jones Lang LaSalle,
SMITH & WOLLENSKY –
In Boston at the new Atlantic Wharf location, David
Doyle, former general manager at the Washington, DC
restaurant, becomes general
manager. In other appointments, Valeriu Domnici,
previously at the Las Vegas
property, was named assistant general manager; Lisa
Rossetti, with Boston’s Back
Bay Restaurant Group for 16
years, becomes catering &
private events manager, and
Matthew King, most recently at the Back Bay Smith &
Wollensky at The Castle, becomes executive chef.
THE COPPER DOOR – Zachary Martineau becomes
executive chef of this new
restaurant opening late this
year, developing a menu of
simple, fresh farm-to-table
fare. The restaurant is owned
by Great NH Restaurants
which owns T-BONES and
FISCHER
FLIK
INDEPENDENT
SCHOOL DINING – Christian J. Fischer becomes corporate executive chef to create
“a visionary culinary agenda.”
Most recently he served as
corporate executive chef for
Lackmann Culinary Services
after having his own four-star
restaurant in Connecticut.
was promoted to senior vice
president of sales and marketing from vice president of sales.
Patrick Meade joins
Dur-A-Flex, Inc.
SUPPLIERS
CORNER
Beverage-Air makes
two appointments
WINSTON-SALEM, NC –
Beverage-Air named Rob August
president and Tom Hotard executive vice president recently.
August succeeds Filippo
Berti who transitions to become chairman and continues
to serve as president of All
North American, working from
the Beverage-Air office here.
Formerly, August
was
executive vice president of
Beverage-Air. Hotard previously was vice president of operations and development. He
continues to be responsible for
the Brookville facility and Engineering Department.
Separately, Jennifer Ward
EAST HARTFORD, CT
- Patrick Meade joins Dur-AFlex, Inc. bring more than 20
years of sales and business development background to his
post as vice president, sales
and technical support. He previously was director of sales
with Lutron, Inc. and director,
Business Development Group
with Stonhard, Inc.
Dannon Company builds
foodservice team
WHITE PLAINS, NY – The
Dannon Company, Inc. named
Eric O’Toole as senior vice
president of the new Foodservice & Restaurant Business
Unit; Luciano (Lucho) LopezMay senior vice president,,
sales; and Sergio Fuster, senior vice president, marketing.
O’Toole was previously vice
president of sales strategy
and resource allocation.
Lopez-May has been vice
president of sales strategy and
planning and earlier headed
Dannon’s Hispanic market
development efforts.
Fuster formerly was vice
president, marketing for Dannone Mexico.
IFMA forms a new initiative to gather research and inform members
C
HICAGO – The International Foodservice Manufacturers Association
launched a new
initiative here with StageGate International, forming
the Center for Innovative Excellence to develop and bring
best practices and proven
methodologies to the industry that will improve the effectiveness of innovation to
ensure success.
The initial phase of the
project was completely recently when IFMA produced
its first white paper entitled
“Product Innovation – A Common Framework for Foodservice.”
Behind the program is a
recognition that the industry
needs innovation and that
manufacturers and operators,
working together, can come
up with “solutions fundamental to grow and sustain their
The industry, the spokesman notes, has an appetite
for innovation and significant
opportunity exists to improve
the processes of both manufacturers and operators.
The Center of Innovation
Excellence is comprised of
“Founding Members,” a core
group of forward-thinking
companies who support the
efforts, including: Proctor
& Gamble Professional®,
Land O’Lakes®, the Schwan
Food Company, Rich’s®, Otis
Spunkmeyer, Kellogg’s® Food
Away From Home, International Paper, Basic American
Foods, Insight Beverages®,
The Coca-Cola Company,
Sara Lee® Foodservice, Bama
Companies, Basic American
Foods™, Lyons Magnus, Sargento®, General Mills and
McCain.
To learn more, visit http://
www.ifmaworld.com/docs/cie/
ciewebsite.html
MARKET PLACE EAST
SERVICES
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Louis Mastriano joins
Baker’s Pride
BURLINGTON, IA – Louis
Mastriano becomes vice president of sales and marketing
for this commercial bakery
and manufacturer of privarte
label and proprietary brand
bread, cookie, brownie and
cake style donut products, a
new position for the company.
He brings 25 years experience
at Kraft North America, most
recently as senior director of
in-store merchandising.
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Athens Foods names
new president
CLEVELAND – Athens
Foods, manufacturer of dough
and fillo products, names
Scott Sumser president. He
previously was vice president
of North American sales and
retail marketing for ASPIRE
Brands/BONNE BELL, INC.
and earlier held multiple roles
with Kraft Foods.
business.”
The goals include establishing a common language and
framework to improve innovation collaboration and efficiencies in the food supply chain;
providing an understanding
of the drivers of success that
are unique to the foodservice
industry; allowing access to
resources to help organizations improve capabilities;
and focusing on the “products
to launch” area of innovation.
For several years, IFMA
has been exploring ways to be
more efficient, and engaged
in research with 10 manufacturer members before coming
up with a white paper for the
operator community as well
as members.
Phase 2, a spokesman says,
will be a quantitative research
benchmarking study of what’s
happening in foodservice, followed by Phase 3, a best practices study.
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Margaritas
plans steady
growth course
P
ORTSMOUTH –
Making the guest
feel cared about
is the mantra at
Margaritas, a 23
unit, 26-year-old restaurant
chain headquartered here,
that’s moving into the New
Jersey market this year for the
first time.
“It’s not rocket science,”
declares Marketing Manager
Patrick Dowling. “but if you
can make people smile and
share our passion, that’s good.”
Today, Margaritas does
about $21 million in annual
revenue. Beverages comprise
45 percent of sales. Average
volume is between $2.5 and $3
million annually.
This year, Dowling observes, has been “very challenging. The economy is not
getting better any time soon
and we will move along at the
pace we’ve been developing.
We’re helping the New Jersey group grow and there are
always opportunities coming
up.”
Over the past three years
Margaritas has boosted its
growth and moved into the
world of franchising, shifting
former Director of Operations
Tom Radomski to head that
effort as vice president of franchise development. Plans call
for at least one new companyowned unit annually.
“We advertised in The Wall
Street Journal,” Dowling recalls, “and conducted lots of
interviews. We felt great about
the New Jersey group, Circle
10 Restaurant Group, which
opened their initial restaurant
in Livingston. It’s the chain’s
first move outside New England.”
A new president, Hugo
Marin, joined the company
this summer from Al Copeland
investments in New Orleans
where he was chief operating
officer. Earlier, he served as
vice president of operations for
Ted Turner’s Montana Grill.
“He’s amazing,” Dowling declares, “and he will change our
dynamics in a positive way.”
With a menu of Mexicaninspired fare – Executive Chef
Martha Leahy and management travel several times a
year to Mexico for ideas – and
décor purchased from artists
and artisans on those journeys,
Margaritas seeks to impart the
feel and flavors of Mexican culture and cuisine.
“We’re committed to using
authentic Mexican flavors in a
new way,” says Leahy, who has
added 15 new and improved
items to the menu, all made
from scratch to order with special food styling.
“We tested the new items in
three units and got great feedback,” says Dowling. It was
then expanded to two more
restaurants before rolling out
chainwide. “We learned a lot
and we did a new menu design
with food photography. People
gravitate to new items, and
we retooled the classic items,
brought back some old favorites and added new ones.”
Now, he says, Margaritas
also offers vegetarian options.
“We don’t try to be purely authentic Mexican but we love
that food and can bring the flavors and influences and put our
own twist on it. We don’t presume to be authentic Mexican
but we want to make that
cuisine more accessible.
When Martha does
fact-finding trips, we
study flavors and culture. All our décor is
from there and we’re
excited to bring it to
the Northeast.”
The chain does an
educational outreach
with a staff member who does a DVD
presentation as part of
field trips with schools
about the art and folk art of
Mexican and serves the students lunch. Twice a year we
bring in artists from Mexico
who go to the schools and
do presentations on
culture and history.”
The com-
pany, he notes, “has an amazing culture, developed since
it opened in Concord, NH in
1986. It’s all about making
people feel appreciated and
valued, and engaging them.
Atlantic Restaurant Brokers announces new division
aiding buyers & sellers of MA alcoholic beverage licenses
Red CapeSM Service. Only From Taylor®.
FROZEN DESSERTS FROZEN BEVERAGE GRILLED SPECIALTIES
1030 University Avenue Norwood, MA 02062
P: 781.551.4450 or 800.245.4002 www.taylornewengland.com
M
ARSHFIELD,
MA – Atlantic
Restaurant
Brokers introduces its new
division, Atlantic License Brokers, a service to connect buyers with sellers of Massachusetts all alcoholic beverages
and wine and malt beverages
licenses.
“For the past 10 years,”
says President Dan Newcomb,
“we’ve been helping restaurant owners either buying or
selling a business. A recurring
challenge has been finding a
license when the state issued
quota has been met.”
Out of 350 towns and cities,
he notes, in Massachusetts, 62
are currently at quota for issuing new licenses.
“First time buyers often
don’t know what to do to find
a license,” he points out, “and
sellers of licenses sometimes
don’t know the value. We track
towns that are at or near quota
and will find out who to call.”
Atlantic Restaurant Group,
a major real estate firm, specializes in selling and leasing restaurant properties in
Greater Boston and Southeastern Massachusetts.
The new division, says Newcomb, is an ancillary service.
In the last six months, he
points out, calls to his office
about obtaining licenses have
picked up significantly. Dedicating resources to the new
division will help buyers connect with sellers and find the
licenses they need.
“All a buyer has to find is
one person who’s willing to
sell. Most restaurants are sold
together with their license.
We’ve dedicated the resources
to identify licenses and sell-
ers and we have a relationship
with licensing boards, attorneys and buyers.” Atlantic License Brokers will be paid by
the seller.
“We attend hearings and
network with the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission and
local licensing boards,” Newcomb says. “This has, over the
years, become a really big part
of our business. We saw a huge
opportunity to be the number
one license broker in Eastern
Massachusetts. Today, attorneys don’t have the time to
find a licenses for their clients.
We use traditional marketing
or auction methods to get the
sale completed, and we have a
large database of resources.”
The trigger for closing a sale
is always the license and we
know how to shorten that window and navigate the transaction.”
COOK
BOOKS
for
COOKS
Green
PRODUCTS
Ultra-green spoons
from EcoTensil
EcoTensil introduces eco-friendly and
smooth paperboard utensils such as
the EcoTaster, a tasting spoon or the
EcoSpoon, a larger, full sized spoon
suitable for bowls of frozen yogurt or
hot chili. The products are made of
sustainable materials that are both
recyclable and biodegradable. Go to
www.ecotensil.com.
Bridge-Gate compostable
tableware available
Excellent Packaging & Supply, a
distributor, adds Bridge-Gate compostable plates, clamshells and
hinged containers, platters, trays
and lids, made from renewable, organic, GMO-free agricultural wheat
fibers, to its product line. The products can be used with hot or cold
foods, are microwaveable, chemical
and bleach-free. Go to www.excellentpackaging.com.
Website of resources on
commercial composting
MeadWestvaco Corp. (MWV)
launched a website to help operators make businesses more
sustainable with resources on
how commercial composting and
compostable packaging can help
develop a more environmentally
conscious business. Go to www.
mwv.com/greentogo.
Tribe Mediterranean
“goes green”
Tribe Mediterranean Foods introduced new green packaging for it
entire product line including four
new flavors of hummus – Cilantro Chimichurri, Olive Tapenade,
Savory Mushroom and Mediterranean Style. The hummus is free
of artificial flavors, preservatives,
cholesterol, hydrogenated oils
and high-fructose corn syrup. Visit
www.tribehummus.com.
A guide to delightful
delicacies.
One Spice, Two Spice,
Floyd Cardoz with Jane Daniels
Lear, William Morrow, $35.95
Chef Floyd Cardoz, a partner with Danny Meyer in the
now-closed Tabla and soon to
open new North End Grill in
Manhattan, grew up in Bombay, India and while training
to become a biochemist, realized his passion for food and
never looked back.
A culinary education in
both India and Switzerland
led him to come to New York
where he worked at Lespinasse with Gray Kunz, moving through the ranks to become chef de cuisine.
In this book, he describes
his mission as one of bridging the gap between his childhood’s food and the American
palate. A “modest chicken
curry” he was making for his
father provided the ‘aha’ moment in which he realized his
desire to become a chef. The
seasons and spices drive his
culinary creativity and in this
book, he shares simple dishes
that can be quickly prepared
along with some more involved items from Tabla.
Readers will learn about
the numerous spices that go
into Indian cuisine, playing a
major role and be introduced
to the techniques Cardoz employs to create his dishes.
From Goan-spiced crab
cakes to pumpkin rasam, a
spicy soups, to his grandmother’s bacalao stew, Chef Cardoz
offers a wealth of suggestions,
tips and recipes.
Culinary Tea,
Cynthia Gold and Lisa Stern,
Running Press, $22.95
Culinary Tea is all about
cooking with one of the oldest
ingredients available, drawing on classic ways from Cuba,
India, Japan and other Asian
countries as well as Britain and
France.
Readers will learn about tea
and the many varieties and
blends available today. Chapters on home blending, buying
and storing tea, and techniques
of cooking with tea introduce
the reader to a new world of culinary possibilities.
Recipes add to the journey – starting with Mexican
Black Bean Soup with Lapsang
Souchong tea leaves, Shrimp
in Lemon Tea Aspic with BasilTea Jelly, Slow Cooked Chinese
Pork Shoulder with loose leaf
Pu-erh tea leaves, and many
more. Tea finds its way into
flavorful and creative desserts,
and as a base for other bever-
ages including cocktails, both
based on water-steeped tea and
some with tea-infused spirits.
Cuisine Foundations,
The Chefs of Le Cordon Bleu,
Delmar Cengage Learning, $67.95
A handsome culinary reference book with nearly 2,000
photographs, this book celebrates French culinary technique and the secrets of Le
Cordon Bleu chefs.
Step by step photos are
provided to illustrate many of
the techniques detailed in the
book which was two years in
the making.
Basic
recipe
highlight
preparation of stocks, sauces,
thickening agents and patisserie that chefs need to know
and master. Cuilnary French
sidebars define commonly used
French terms and conversion
charts at the back of the book
offer a useful reference guide.
More than 160 classic Cordon Bleu recipes are offered to
illustrate putting various techniques to work.
Classic vegetable cuts are
show in detailed photographs
as well as cuts of meats, descriptions of seven classic
cooking methods, and more.
Sidebars on each recipe detail equipment needed, learn-
ing outcomes and yields.
Readers will learn the critical elements of a professional
kitchen from knives, appliances and cooking equipment to
preparing their mise en place.
This useful reference will
refresh the memories of professional chefs and serve as
a helpful guide to those just
starting in professional kitchens.
Moorish Fusion Cuisine:
Conquering the New
World,
Zouhair Zairi, Emerald Book
Company, $38.00
Chef Zouhair Zairi offers
readers the recipes of his
Moroccan mother and grandmother, combining the traditional cuisine of his homeland
with his own showcasing of
ingredients that transforms
herbs and spices into complex
aromatic blends to be sprinkled on meat, fish or poultry.
He uses rose petals, orange
blossom water and precious
argan oil in new ways, adding
rose water to his vinaigrettes
for their fragrance.
Chef ZZ or Zack as he is
called lives in Maui, Hawaii
today but began his career as
a dishwasher when he first
came to the US at the age of
19, in Atlanta. He quickly rose
through the ranks to become
an executive banquet chef
and in 2002, opened Spices in
Maui, leaving two years later
to work at a five-diamond, JW
Marriott resort.
Becoming a chef, he believes, was his destiny. His
goal is to showcase ingredients
and “keep it simple.” Readers
will learn to make traditional
Andalusia Gazpacho, Sweet
Prawns with Lemon Olive Oil,
inspired by sushi, Chicken
Tagine with Preserved Lemon
and Moroccan Green OIives,
and Lamb Kebobs with MintTomato Relish.
March 4–6, 2012 | Jacob K. Javits Convention Center | New York, NY
NEW. BIGGER. BETTER.
THE ONLY ALL-ENCOMPASSING EVENT IN NEW YORK
BREAKTHROUGH IDEAS & TRENDS • EXPANDED SHOW FLOOR • LEADING EDGE EDUCATION
NYRSA Presents
Owned & Sponsored by
Produced & Managed by
Co-located with
Highlights Include
GAIN A FRESH PERSPECTIVE ON YOUR BUSINESS
www.internationalrestaurantny.com
®

Vol 86, No 4, Fall 2011

Transcription

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