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INTERNATIONA L TRADE JOURNAL EDITION 4/2011 FOR THE HOTEL , R ESTAURANT www.food-service-europe.com AND CATERING INDUSTRY www.cafe-future.net

Special Feature: 40 Years McDonald’s in Europe Hiltl

tibits

Swiss veggie pioneers: The Frei brothers Christian, Daniel and Reto (left to right) with Rolf Hiltl (r.). Out of the Eco-freak Corner

Although things looked different some years ago, vegetarian and vegan increased from 250 to around 550, in - cluding 120 on the terrace. d restaurants are still a niche market – primarily because most ‘normal’ Rolf Hiltl’s main objective is to make the restaurants have upgraded and increased their range of meatless dishes company name relevant for future gener - n ations. The former completely full-ser - to cater for mixed groups. Although the number of (part-time) vegetar- vice concept has given way to a more a ians is increasing, there is still not enough of them to counteract the ve - varied and flexible blend of offers for l which the cook & chill solution previous - r to of the omnivores. However, the idea of going without meat is shifting ly used has been supplemented by an in - out of the eco-freak corner into mainstream society, thanks chiefly to creasing range of fresh dishes cooked à la e minute. The ground-floor lounge is food scandals and greater nutritional awareness. Restaurateurs wanting aimed specifically at younger target z to promote a vegetarian lifestyle must attract meat-eaters with creative groups. The multi-optional, all counter-

t service section with a separate entrance and, first and foremost, tasty recipes. Part 1 of our pan-European overview.

i accounts for around 70% of receipts and, depending on the time of day, is also a Switzerland café, bar, club and take-away zone – from w 6 in the morning until 2 or even 4 at Europe’s oldest vegetarian restaurant, night, depending on the day of the week S Hiltl (www.hiltl.ch ), was founded in – in other words, a place for breakfast Zurich 113 years ago. Since 1998, the and snacks, for a quick lunch, aperitif or family business – now in its fourth gener - a nightcap. The buffet, an island with a ation, has been run by Rolf Hiltl and his circumference of around eight metres, is wife Marielle. In 2007, the venerable positioned at the interface between restaurant was fully renovated and ex - lounge and restaurant. A choice of tended with the seating capacity being around 50 vegetarian and vegan dishes –

8 FOOD SERVICE EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST 4/11 cold and hot, the emphasis de - The restaurant is regularly fully pends on the season and weather booked up in the evening and, – is available from 10.30 to 23.00 counting all parts of the oper- hrs. Hiltl is particularly renowned ation, Hiltl welcomes an average for its Indian cuisine, which has of 2,500 guests a day. been supplemented by a variety of In the restaurant’s cookery school, other Asian specialities in recent Hiltl fans of all ages can learn how years. At lunchtime, 100 g from to prepare creative dishes without the buffet cost CHF4.90 and the meat but with an interesting price rises to CHF5.50 in the blend of spices. The explicit aim of evening. For guests with a particu - these courses for 15 to 20 people larly large appetite, there is an is to promote the vegetarian way all-you-can-eat offer, including of life. Then, transformed into dessert, for CHF57. Club Hiltl, the lounge provides the Daily and lunchtime table d’hôte setting for regular parties with menus are available in the à-la- DJs and live music. At the bar, carte restaurant and the price guests can also obtain everything spectrum for main dishes ranges they need for a vegetarian meal from CHF15 to 30. Incidentally, at home – from a Hiltl cookery restaurant guests are also wel - book and kitchen utensils to come to serve themselves at the Hiltl spices. Since 2009, Hiltl has buffet. The menu includes, for ex - also been represented by fast- ample, Hiltl-Tartar in accordance delicatessen specialities in ‘New with a secret recipe (CHF16.50), Wave’, the gourmet department ‘Züricher Geschnetzeltes’ (Emince of the Jelmoli department store. de veau ‘Zurichoise’) made using There, shoppers can choose from seitan instead of veal (CHF32.50) over 50 fresh salads, chutneys and and vegan gnocchi (CHF25.50). hot dishes at the grand Hiltl buf -

I I I Business Characteristics I I I I I I I I I G Vegetarian restaurants are a niche market. This applies to both fullservice and quickservice operations. So far, only a few at - tempts at establishing chains have been successful, individual operators are dominant. Hiltl in Zurich, opened in 1898, is the oldest vegetarian restaurant in Europe. G Out: regarding vegetarians as ‘cranks’. The aim now: reverse the negative image that meat-free food cannot be enjoyable. Fact: good vegetarian cuisine needs very good chefs. G In most European countries, well below 5% of the population are vegetarians. Considerable increases in the wake of the BSE and foot-and-mouth crises. For girls and young women, kind - ness to animals is often the reason (no dead animals on the plate), rather than dietary considerations. G Being vegetarian is not the same as eating only organic foods or wholefoods. Those in the latter two groups may also be vegetar - ian. However, many consumers automatically make the following association: vegetarian=organic=healthy. G Typical best-sellers: salad bars, vegetable dishes, juices. G Target groups: 1. Vegetarians, and 2. Meat eaters, who do not eat meat in some situations (= part-time vegetarians). The sec - ond target group is at least as important as the first. It is import- ant to realise that the recent scandals in the food industry re - sulted in an increase in turnover of 10-20% for vegetarian restaurants. However, the demand for vegetarian dishes in ‘nor - mal’ restaurants has increased, rather than the demand for more vegetarian restaurants. Amongst others, top dishes are pasta- vegetable combinations. G By the way: It is not unusual for operators of vegetarian restaur- ants to be meat eaters themselves.

FOOD SERVICE EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST 4/11 V EGETARIAN R ESTAURANTS

fet. As in the restaurant, food is charged of London-based designer Tricia Guild. Apart from this, more and more Ger - by weight. And, of course, there is a Although the concept is highly success - mans have a critical attitude to meat range of fruit juices, iced teas and ‘home- ful in Switzerland, the move to Britain consumption. Just on two thirds (65%) of made’ soft drinks. with two restaurants in London was not all women and 38 % of the men even now The influence of Rolf Hiltl also extends easy. The outlet in Westfield White City claim to be part-time vegetarians, mak - to another vegetarian concept – a fast- opened in 2008 and had to be closed ing around 42 m ‘flexitarians’ altogether. food formula called ‘ tibits by Hiltl’ shortly afterwards. Subsequently, all ef - Their number is evidently on the rise, (www.tibits.ch ), which is now to be forts have been focused on the city-cen - and already accounts for the majority of found at five locations in Switzerland (in tre unit near Regent Street where smaller the German population. Zurich (2x), Basel, Winterthur and Bern) plates and lower prices are matched to Many caterers’ assortments and menus and one in London. All are places where guests’ needs and expectations. are now reflecting this trend more strong - lovers of vegetarian food can find tasty, Ten years after the launch, the Frei ly. There is scarcely a restaurant that uncomplicated and, above all, meatless brothers are forging new plans for expan - does without vegetarian offerings. After dishes. sion. They would like to open outlets in all, in heterogeneous groups, it is usually With their idea for a fast, fresh and at - St. Gallen or Luzern, as well as new loca - those who refuse to eat meat that decide tractive restaurant, brothers Daniel, Re - tions in London, and make a move into where to eat. In most of the bigger towns to and Christian Frei won Venture 98, a Germany. and cities, there are rather few exclusive - business-plan competition organised by ly vegetarian restaurants, but thanks to a the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Germany loyal regular clientele, these few restaur- (ETH) and McKinsey, with their concept ants have been well-established for for a high-class, fast-food vegetarian Thanks to the food scandals of the last many years. Altogether, the theme is still restaurant. Rolf and Marielle Hiltl heard few years plus a greater awareness of the a niche. Truly innovative concepts that about the brothers and got in touch with problems posed by the growth in the raise vegetarian dining to new epicurean them. Together, they implemented the world’s meat consumption, the vegetar- heights remain the exception. plan and opened the first outlet in ian lifestyle in Germany is gaining A restaurant that deservedly attracts a great deal of attention is ‘ Chipps ’ (www.chi pp s.de ) in Berlin. The young cas- ual concept featuring greens as its cul- inary leitmotif addresses many more din - ers than a mere niche clientele. By offer - ing meat and fish as optional side orders to vegetables, it stands out as a creative and intelligent contrast to its competitors in Germany’s vegetarian capital, where meatfree restaurants have long since been a familiar part of the cityscape. The ‘Chipps Plates’ mix & match system offers guests a choice from among five basic components (pasta sheet, potato Heinz ‘Cookie’ Gindullis, Stephan Hentschel (Chipps) Chipps rösti, mashed potatoes, dumpling or rice roll) as the basis for their meals selected Zurich’s Seefeld district on 6 December ground. In 2010 alone, the membership from one of four categories (‘The Garden - 2000. Others followed in Winterthur, of the German Vegetarian Society (Vege - er’, ‘The Bowl’, ‘The Sun’, ‘The German’). Bern and Basel. The London restaurant tarierbund Deutschland – VEBU), an as - For each category there are dishes priced opened in 2008. sociation whose aim is to promote a vege- at c6.50, c8 and c9.50. Fish or meat y Subtitled ‘Vegetarian Fast Food’, the tarian way of living, went up by 20% to such as zander with horseradish sauce or concept comprises a restaurant, bar and 3,400. VEBU puts the number of vegetar - roastbeef with tomato-caper butter can n take-away with counter service (soups, ians in Germany last year at 6 m, which be ordered in 80g portions, served on a sandwiches, patisseries) in a casual would be equivalent to 8% of the popul- separate plate. In the ‘Chipps Select’ sec - a atmosphere and open daily from 6.30 ation. According to the society, around tion, guests are free to create their own to 24 hrs. The bestseller is the buffet 600,000 people are vegans and do com - compositions to their own taste from with 40 homemade salads hot dishes pletely without foods of animal origin. basic components and vegetables/top - m and snacks for CHF4.20 per 100 g. There As far as a meat-free diet is concerned, pings. They can put together their own r are also desserts on the buffet boat. They the rule is also: no trend without an salads, which come in three sizes ( c4.50, are also charged by weight (CHF3.30). event. The first ‘VeggieWorld’, a trade fair c8.50 and c10.50). The lunch menu in - e Take away is cheaper and everything dedicated to meat-free living under the cluding starter (soup or salad) and main costs CHF0.50 less. Food is weighed and aegis of VEBU, was held in Wiesbaden course costs c8.50. The average tag paid for at the counter. Incidentally, from 11 to 13 February this year. With comes to around c10.50 at lunchtime G 60-70% of the 6-7,000 daily tibits guests around 40 exhibitors, it attracted more and c16.50 in the evening. are women. The interior design is mod - than 20,000 visitors. There are plans to For more than three years now, chef ernised every two years and is the work repeat it in February 2012 at the latest. Stephan Hentschel has also spent time

10 FOOD SERVICE EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST 4/11 V EGETARIAN R ESTAURANTS

Yellow Sunshine room, which can seat 60 people. The pi - food. Since 2004, the student-service lot location, opened in April 2010, was canteens have been certified under the soon followed in February 2011 by a sec - EU organic label. On the Veggie No. 1’s ond unit with seating for 75 people on first anniversary at the beginning of the Friedrichstrasse, a popular tourist 2011, canteen manager Eva Grundmann haunt. Here the emphasis is mainly on was very positive: “The response to the takeaway options marketed under their offer is excellent. At the beginning we own takeaway brand. Recently, Gindullis had 600 meals a day and now it’s already also teamed up with the Clicquot cham - 1,000. The location is more than working pagne label to send the Clicquot Rolling to capacity.” This promising experience Diner out onto the streets for the Berlin has prompted people in the capital to Fashion Week and serve star-quality take a further step. Since mid-April 2011, gourmet streetfood ranging from vege - all larger canteens have been offering a tarian doners to curried sausage with so-called ‘climate meal’ in addition to truffles. the vegetarian dish on their daily menus. Also opened in Berlin in 2004, Yellow The climate meal is completely vegan, Sunshine (www. yellow-sunshine.de ), because the production of foods of ani - which claims to be Germany’s oldest or - mal origin like meat, butter and cream is ganic fast-food restaurant and can seat responsible for most of the greenhouse just about 30 guests in an area of 100 sq gas emissions in the food sector. m, is proof that even a traditional snack One positive side effect is that the daily, can do without meat. The self-service purely plant-based, dish also satisfies the diner offers its guests traditional fast needs of the growing target group of food ranging from burgers to curried people with lactose intolerance. sausage to gyros made of soya, seitan Ethically motivated, enjoyment oriented and vegetables. Prices range from c3 to and profitable on a modest scale: this c7. 90% of the range on offer is certified is the approach on which the vegan as organic. restaurant Zest (www.zest-lei pzig.de ) in And Berlin can provide yet another Leipzig’s dynamic Connewitz district is innovative example: ‘ Veggie No 1 – die based. With seating for 32 people in an Grüne Mensa’ (www.studentenwerk- area of 60 sq m indoors plus 24 on the ter - berlin.de ) was opened in January 2010 race, the restaurant owners have every and is Germany’s first exclusively vege - reason to be pleased about a fully booked tarian university canteen. A canteen of house almost every evening. At 6 pm, the the Freie Universität Berlin that in need daytime menu makes way for the evening Yellow Sunshine of rehabilitation has been turned into menu. Both menus are changed twice a a modern campus restaurant where month. With few exceptions, all offers are cooking in the Cookies Cream sister vegetarians, and those who are so vegan. Imaginative cross-over creations restaurant ( www.cookies-cream.de ) run by inclined, can enjoy food in a pleasant bring together influences from Southeast the father of the concept, Heinz ‘Cookie’ atmosphere. Asia, North and South America, and Cen - Gindullis. Here, however, it is purely The menu features dishes like carrot and tral and Eastern Europe. To give just two y veg etarian, with Hentschel cooking out ginger soup, celery with chickpeas, samples: bramata polenta roulade with of conviction but with understanding for kohlrabi patty with herb sauce or bread onion seed crust and nettle cream filling, n people who do not share his view: “We dumplings with mushroom-apple ragout bellpepper chipotle confit and sauteed do not want to exclude anyone. We are – some of organic standard – that are May turnips for c14.80 or puff pastry with a no fundamentalists when it comes to proof of the possibilities of vegetarian olive oil pistachio potato puree and king vegetarian cuisine! For us, however, it is oyster mushrooms, pimientos de pardon the healthier and also more sustainably and sage Madeira jus for c15.80. m Zest reasonable diet. But we are not going to It is part of the philosophy of the four r make a dogma out of it.” founders of the concept to ensure that all Just serious eating: this is the claim of the dishes are as fresh as possible, including e formula that sees itself as belonging to the the handmade production of sauces, fast-casual genre and which serves main - bread and patisserie. And a great deal ly non-vegetarians from 8 in the morning of creative thought has gone into the G to late at night. – Hentschel reckons that drinks menu as well: the melon-pepper- around 80% of the guests are not per se smoothie, pineapple-spinach-soya yog- part of the anti-meat faction, but like to do hurt-shake or kumquat-star-aniseed without it from time to time. lemonade leave no room for boredom. The food components are presented be - To raise vegan food to new heights of hind a glass counter and produced in the culinary enjoyment was the ambition open kitchen in the middle of the dining of the Coox & Candy restaurant

12 FOOD SERVICE EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST 4/11 (www.coox-cand y.de ) when it started up in Stuttgart in February 2011. Located in an old listed building, the restaurant has seat - ing for 60 guests on two storeys and a further 16 places outside for people taking a break at lunchtime or enjoying a relaxed dinner. The green upholstery in - side is not the only indication of the owners’ love of nature; there is also a 4-m-high tree in the hall. All dishes are completely vegetarian Crock & bio and are suitable for vegans. The kitchen’s philosophy is good plain in a closed world. Vegan traditional food newly interpreted patissiers, vegan caterers and veg - and influenced by international an bakers provide food for them, vegetarian cuisine. There are also discreetly, and for the most part as raw-vegetable dishes and macro - a side line. According to Sébastien biotic food on the menu. In the Kardinal who writes on vegan evening the menu includes dishes restaurants and products for like herb-polenta-slices on rata - www.v g-zone.net , “there are thir - touille or veggie ‘chicken’ on a bed ty or so vegetarian restaurants in of vegetable rice and is offered Paris, four of which are suitable from Wednesday to Sunday from for vegans, as well as one bed and 5 pm onwards. Tuesday is Pizza breakfast, which also provides an Day with six different offerings; evening meal.” the restaurant is closed on Mon - Located in the Boulevard Beau - days. marchais in the 11th arrondisse - ment, Loving Hut (48 seats) France seems to have found a consensus amongst the vegan community. In France, it would seem that The restaurant is 100% vegan. there is no single well-established Hugues Rivard gave up his job as a chain of vegetarian restaurants. specialist engineer in green build - No reproducible concepts defined ing in Canada to devote himself to by any kind of ‘charter’, as one food, which is, according to him sees in other European countries “the most immediate lever in the or in the United States. Vegetari - fight against climatic warming”. ans and vegans pass on the names He opened this restaurant two of favourite restaurants by word of years ago with his Vietnamese mouth, get advice from commu- wife, Thi Huong Rivard, and other nity web sites and exchange tips. associates. There is another estab - To get information about the sub - lishment of the same name locat - ject they have to keep their eyes ed in Menton in the South of and their ears open! France. Two hundred Loving Huts At the Veg Festival on the Place exist worldwide. The franchisor, des Innocents in the centre of based in Taiwan and who styles Paris, a square with a very sym - herself as ‘Master’, purveys a mes - bolic name, vegans were demon - sage of ecological redemption strating recently against the through the food we eat. The slaughter of farmed animals. restaurateur has adopted the logo Many of the people there were and the basic colour scheme from followers of non-consumerism, the franchisor. Hugues Rivard ‘Goths’, seemingly pretty radical serves 70 to 80% organic produce, non-omnivores. That is probably since some proteins are not yet one of the explanations as to why available as organic. “I also want this sort of restaurant is not wide - the prices to remain affordable,” spread in the French market. In he explains. The soya protein, ex - their absence, these consumers truded at high speed and fast give the impression of operating dried, is the central ingredient on

14 FOOD SERVICE EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST 4/11 Exki Exki

to the current state of the food producing that you need to get people to discover,” and processing industries where vegan says the owner. At lunchtime, the restaur- products are concerned. ant has around thirty customers and e There are no set menus; all dishes are sold more in the evening. “They are vegans but Guenmaï à la carte and are very good value: from c5 not exclusively. Some people appreciate c to 7 for starters, c8 to 13.50 for main dish - being able to eat lunch and not to feel his menu. Imported from Taiwan, this is es and c5.50 to 9.50 for desserts. On the heavy afterwards. They come once a n what replaces animal proteins. When drinks front, there is no alcohol and week,” Hugues Rivard also points out. cooked, it is found in the garnish for the Hugues Rivard provides water micro-fil - In France, where ‘good’ local products – a burger (one of the restaurant’s best sell - tered by reverse osmosis for his cus - cheese, milk, meat, butter – are favoured, r ers) and in the breaded escalope... The tomers. “Veganism is a way of life. There is farmed animals are an essential part of F menu’s composition gives an insight in - a lot of potential in this market; it’s food traditional cuisine. The fact is that a

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Reading the menu requires a bit of imagination, for dishes carry puzzling names such as “Under a coloured (snow) blanket” and “On the left bank of the river”. Joia opened in 1996 as a wholly vegetarian restaurant, but Leemann was ahead of his time and to stay in business he added a few fish dishes to his menu. Two years ago, finally, he was able to get back to the origins and now no fish is to be found in his kitchen. In Milan vegetarians have many other options to eat in restaurants and cafés Montali that have banned meat and fish. One of these is the Biobar opened in April 2010 from -, so that vegetarians can eat out restaurant is rich in art itself and regular - inside one of the shops of the Centro with non-vegetarians. For the same rea - ly hosts exhibitions and live music. Here, Botanico organic food shop chain son, mainly vegetarian restaurants may too, the accent is on fine food. No bland (www.centrobotanico.it ). The Biobar has offer non vegetarian dishes. vegeterian options here, but colourful about 30 seats and is open during shop It’s a thorny issue and even the web site of and tasteful dishes, here too directly in - hours o the focus is on lunch and take a vegan association carries a link to a site spired from Italian tradition. 70% of the away. Here the approach is fundamen - recommending “places where you can ingredients used are from organic pro - tally vegan and raw, though, as explains eat vegetarian, too” (but not exclusively). duction. For instance, fresh egg pasta is restaurant manager Marcello Rohrwass - The Montali country house in Umbria prepared with organic flours and cakes, er, “we also include milk, cheese and (www.montalionline.com ) is 100% vege - bread and desserts are also made on the honey in some recipes for our vegetarian tarian. It is the brainchild of a vegetarian premises. At lunch the focal point is the clients.” The biobar kitchen, though, is a couple, Maria Lucia Simoes da Cunha buffet with over fifty different dishes pre - “raw food workshop”, where they experi - and Alberto Musacchio, who in the 90’s pared with organic products and cooked ment with ever new recipes with raw decided to open a gourmet vegetarian re - in technological ovens to preserve their food (which is not always really raw but sort in the countryside. “We try and cook nutritional qualities and exalt their taste. cooked under 45°C), such as the ‘semi - a colourful, intriguing vegetarian cuis- Prices vary from c12 on weekdays, c15 cold’ and ‘raw’ soups, hummus, and a ine, natural and fresh,” says Maria Lu - on Saturdays and c25 on Sundays and raw lasagna made with apples and cia, “with lots of flavour and taste. We public holidays. Dinner menus change zucchini. Prices vary from c29 to 33 per want to show that vegetarian cooking seasonally and always carry vegan op - kilo for the buffet and take away food, can be fun, too. My main inspiration is tions. There are a few set menus, from and there is a ‘botanical dish’ for c10.50. traditional Italian regional cuisines, c26 to 60, and many a la carte dishes. On the drink side, one can choose from which I mix with spices and flavours Milan boasts Joia (www. joia.it ) the first organic fruit juices and squashes made from other parts of the world. In fact, we and still the only vegetarian restaurant at the moment and tropical fruit juices mix vegetarian and Mediterranean cuis- in Italy to gain a Michelin star. Joia is the sourced from a farm in Sicily. ine, that’s why we’ve coined the term brainchild of Swiss chef Pietro Lee - Apart from wholly vegetarian restaur- ‘vegetarranean’ cuisine and have pub - mann, a serious scholar of antroposo - ants, there quite a few chains spe - lished a book of our recipes under this phy, ayurveda and Chinese philosoph- cialised either in organic or green food title”. At Montali they produce their own ical doctrines which he has digested and that cater to vegetarians and vegans too. olive oil and herbs, and vegetables, fruit assimilited into his own highly personal Insalateria is a chain of salad restaurants and cheese are sourced locally. More idea of natural cuisine: healthy and well with outlets in urban hotels in Milan than 90% of resident clients come from balanced food, made with the freshest (www.insalateria.it ), specialized in sal - abroad, mainly from Northern Europe, ingredients, either raw or cooked ac - ads of all types, mainly vegetarians but

y but in the last few years Italians are in - cording to its nature, to maximise their also including meat, cold cuts and fish.

l creasing. Montali also organizes cooking “vitality” and nutrition for our body. Alce Nero is a chain of organic and fair courses and specialist vegetarian cours - Above all, his food must be honest: he trade food shops with a couple of cafés in

a es for other cooks. considers it as his mission to respect the Bologna and Cesena ( www.alcenero - In Rome we find one of the first Italian sacrality of food and to cook it in the best caffe.com ), mainly vegetarian but serv - t vegetarian restaurants, Il Margutta Vege- possible way for his clients so that in ing also fish and honey, as the chain has I tariano (www.ilmar guttave getariano.it ). eating it they can both feel pleasure and strong ties with organic farmers and bee Opened in 1979 by vegetarian owners, it be healthy and maybe even glimpse the breeders. sits in a street famous for its ateliers, beauty of life, the natural world and the Contributing Authors craftsmen workshops and art galleries, in spirit. Despite his serious philosophical Switzerland/Germany: BM a very popular tourist district (the Span - approach, Leemann likes to play in the France: Lydie Anastassion ish Steps are a few minutes away). The kitchen, and his dishes are never boring Italy: Flavia Fresia

18 FOOD SERVICE EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST 4/11