Lights, Camera, Eat!

MARCH 2017 VOL 6, ISSUE 6

LIGHTS, CAMERA,

EAT! How restaurants and chefs are taking a starring role in Georgia's booming ﬁlm industry + Wines of South Africa

RestaurantINFORMER.com | 1 Join Gas South for an awesome Shindig on March 23rd at SweetWater Brewing Company! Enjoy food, beer & music while helping us to raise funds for Gas South’s 6th Annual Charity Cornhole Challenge that will take place at the 2017 SweetWater 420 Fest on April 23rd at Centennial Olympic Park. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for updates and information!

DEPARTMENTS 3 Editor’s Note 4 GRA News 11 Quick Bites 12 ACF Update 29 Snapshots 31 Industry Events 32 Restaurant Report 22 26

FEATURES Locally Grown 6 Meet the six selected this February to be the 2017 Georgia Grown Executive Chefs.

GRA Taps Brian Bullock 8 as 2017 Board Chair A look at this year’s GRA Chair plus 11 new board members.

Georgia Heavily Represented in This Lights, Camera, Eat! 9 Year’s James Beard Award Semi-Finalists 18 By Candice Dyer Find out which 14 chefs and restaurants made the Movies and TV are big business here in Georgia, and cut this year. restaurants are taking a starring role.

4 Ways to Handle Drink Garnishes Safely Modern Wines From Old Roots 10 Drink garnishes may look good, but they also need to be 22 By Lara Creasy handled safely to protect your guests from foodborne If you don’t already have some South African wines on illnesses. your menu, it’s time to set up a tasting. Plus, 7 recommendations to get you started. When Fake News Gets Real 14 By Ellen Hartman 25 Years of Wine 3 lessons learned from Pizzagate – when a gunman opened 26 The High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction has raised more ﬁre in a D.C. restaurant last December – to protect than $26 million in proceeds over 24 years. This year your brand against false information. promises to be another winning event.

MARCH 2017 VOL 6, ISSUE 6

Publisher: John Sawyer Restaurant INFORMER is the official Editor: Christy Simo magazine of the Georgia Restaurant Graphic Designer: Scott Bagley Association and is published by Sawyer Direct, LLC at P.O. Box 49053, Contributing Writers: Karen Bremer, Colorado Springs, CO 80949. Lara Creasy, Candice Dyer, Ellen Hartman © 2017 by Sawyer Direct LLC. All rights reserved. LIGHTS, CAMERA, Cover Design: Tanya Shaw Jeffrey, EAT! For subscription or advertising How restaurants and Ginseng Creative chefs are taking a information, call 719.599.7220 or starring role in Georgia's booming ﬁlm industry email [email protected] + Wines of South Africa

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ou’ve no doubt spotted those mysterious yellow signs with the state has welcomed movies like the Oscar-nominated Yblack block letters and an arrow around your town. But if Hidden Figures, Captain America: Civil War – the biggest you haven’t seen the cryptic signs that point cast and crew to blockbuster of 2016 in the world – several of The Hunger a film set yet, you certainly will soon, because Hollywood has Games movies, and shows including Golden Globe-winner come knocking on our door. Atlanta, last year’s surprise hit Stranger Things, and of course, It may be hard to believe, but Georgia is actually the third the No. 1 most-watched show on TV, The Walking Dead. most popular state to film in in the country – behind only But why is Georgia’s film and TV scene booming? Back in California and New York – and is tied for third in the world. 2008, the state’s Entertainment Industry Investment Act began We’ve even earned a few nicknames, like Y’allywood and providing tax credits to help entice film, TV, commercial, Hollywood of the South. music video and video game productions to Georgia. Couple Last year Georgia played host to 245 feature film and TV that with ease of transportation – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta productions, which generated an economic impact of more International Airport is the world’s most traveled airport – than $7 billion. That’s no small potatoes. relatively mild weather year round and a state full of rolling And you, as a restaurant owner, caterer or chef, can get in on mountains, coastal waters and big city lights that can sub in for the action. You can open your space up for filming scenes for a practically anywhere else in the world, and you have a thriving movie; you can provide food on location to the cast and crew; industry that shows no signs of slowing down. or you can even prep and style food for the scenes themselves. If you’re interested in getting involved in the film and TV It can be arduous work and long hours, but it can also be a world or just want to see what it’s like, check out “Lights, lot of fun. In other words, it’s a lot like the restaurant industry. Camera, Eat!” by Candice Dyer on page 18. And welcome to These aren’t small productions either. In the past few years, the Hollywood of the South!

Christy Simo Editor

25 offices across the country, our

RestaurantINFORMER.com | 3 NEWS

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO New Administration, New Policies, New Strategies

t’s full steam ahead as we’re adjusting to some of the major changes we’re seeing on follows through on President Trump’s Ithe new Trump Administration and the issues of importance to our industry. campaign promise to increase border 115th Congress. The Georgia Restaurant • Minimizing the Economic Burden of security by planning, designing and Association (GRA) supports the National the Patient Protection and Affordable constructing a physical wall along Restaurant Association’s (NRA) efforts to Care Act Pending Repeal, Jan. 20, sets the U.S.-Mexico border. educate the new administration and con- the stage for ACA reform by granting • Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior gress about the issues that impact Amer- federal agencies leeway to change, delay of the United States, Jan. 25, calls for the ica’s restaurant industry. There are lot of or waive certain provisions of the law if removal of undocumented immigrants items at stake this year, from healthcare to they deem them to be overly costly. who have been convicted or charged with tax reform to legal challenges facing our • Expediting Environmental Reviews and a criminal offense, or who pose a risk to industry, so there is plenty to dig our feet Approvals for High Priority Infrastructure public safety or national security. into in the first half of this year. Projects, Jan. 24, calls for quicker envi- • Protecting the Nation from Foreign Since President Trump has taken office ronmental review and approval time for Terrorist Entry into the United States, on January 20, he has signed several Exec- high-priority infrastructure projects. Jan. 27, establishes an “extreme vetting” utive Orders, Presidential Memoranda and • Border Security and Immigration protocol to prevent foreign terrorist Proclamations. Here is a quick rundown of Enforcement Improvements, Jan. 25, attacks on U.S. soil. It suspends the U.S.

2017 Board of Directors and GRA Staff Georgia Restaurant Association Staff Executive Committee Mike Dixon, Focus Brands, Inc. Karen I. Bremer, CAE, CEO Chair - Brian Bullock, Legacy Ventures | Restaurants Jamie Durrence, Daniel Reed Hospitality Yvonne Morgan, Executive Assistant Vice Chair – Kelvin Slater, Slater Hospitality, LLC dba Nine Stuart Fierman, Fifth Group Restaurants Katie Jones, Public Affairs Coordinator Mile Station - Skyline Park Stephanie Fischer, Hojeij Branded Foods Daniel New, Public Affairs Assistant Secretary - Archna Becker, Bhojanic | Owner Matt Hansen, KBP Foods Ryan Costigan, Director of Membership Treasurer - Perry McGuire, Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP Shawn Hooks, Firehouse Subs Tandelyn Daniel, Member Development Executive Past Chair - Paul Baldasaro, Home Grown Industries of Ellen Hartman, Hartman Public Relations Chris Hardman, Member Development Executive Georgia, Inc. dba Mellow Mushroom Kevin Jones, Jones Restaurant Consulting Group Rachel Bell, Director of Marketing & Communications CEO - Karen Bremer, CAE, Georgia Restaurant Association Julie Kritz, Chick-fil-A, Inc. Melissa Ledford, Marketing Coordinator Charles Kuck, Kuck Immigration Partners Board of Directors Nils Okeson, Arby’s Restaurant Group Alexis Aleshire, Fork U Concepts, Inc. | Taqueria Tsunami, Advisory Board Staci Parker, Gas South Stockyard Burgers, Pressed Panini Bar Patrick Cuccaro, Affairs to Remember Caterers Vipul Patel, US Café Lisa Allen, Wine Insite Philip Hickey, Miller’s Ale House Ryan Pernice, Table & Main | Osteria Mattone Floyd Anderson, Cowabunga, Inc. dba Domino’s Pano Karatassos, Buckhead Life Restaurant Group Jay Bandy, Goliath Consulting Bill Ray, US Foods Alan LeBlanc, Brewed to Serve Restaurant Group Will Bernardi, Bloomin' Brands, Inc. | Carrabba’s, Krista Schulte, The Coca-Cola Company George McKerrow, Ted's Montana Grill Bonefish Grill, Outback Steakhouse Mitch Skandalakis, Waffle House, Inc. John Metz, Sterling Spoon Culinary Management, Scott Bishop, TriMark Century Concepts Dave Snyder, Halyards Restaurant Group Marlow’s Tavern, Aqua Blue Federico Castellucci, Castellucci Hospitality Group Shelly Sweet, West Egg |The General Muir Mick Miklos, National Restaurant Association Jeremy Chambers, Jim N' Nicks Bar-B-Q Jay Swift, Noble Fin Nancy Oswald, Ruth's Chris Steak House Shannayl Connolly, TM Restaurant Group, LLC Mike Torino, Amici Food Group, LLC M. Anderson Piper, Chick-fil-A, Inc. dba T.MAC, Taco Mac Ryan Turner, Unsukay Community of Businesses Jim Squire, Chairman Emeritus, Firestorm Walt Davis, Retail Data Systems Bob Wagner, NetFinancials

4 | Restaurant INFORMER March 2017 Refugee Admissions Program for 120 days and immigration from countries with ties to terror for 90 days. • Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Appointees, Jan. 28, effectively bans executive branch appointees from participating in lobbying activities on behalf of the agencies where they worked for five years after leaving office. • Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs, Jan. 30, aims to slash federal regulations on small businesses by requiring agencies to cut two existing regulations for every new regulation. 2017 Spring Of particular interest to the restaurant industry are President Trump’s Executive Orders on the ACA, border security and immigration, and reducing regulations on businesses. We Culinary strongly support the effort to cut regulations, and the NRA has been making the rounds on Capitol Hill to highlight the regulatory burdens our members face. The GRA will join the NRA and hundreds of restaurateurs from across the country for the Trade Show 2017 Public Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C., March 28-29. We will meet with elected officials on Capitol Hill to continue discussing the issues affecting our industry. The conference is an opportunity to introduce a brand-new Congress and Administration to the restaurant indus- Tuesday, try. Our mission is to help the 115th Congress understand what it takes to run a restaurant business. March Sincerely, Karen Bremer, CAE CEO, Georgia Restaurant Association 28th, 2017

THANK YOU to the following members for their continued support! Infinite Energy 2B Whole, LLC dba 2B Whole Gluten Free Bakery Georgia Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus 3127 LLC dba The Crystal Beer Parlor Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Center at Gwinnett ACF Atlanta Chefs Association, Inc. TOT's Kitchen Georgia Organics Ackerman Security Systems Goliath Consulting Group Agave Restaurant Green Table Inc. dba Miller Union Anis Café and Bistro Imperial Fez Moroccan Restaurant Atlanta Community Food Bank Jake 22 Management Co. dba Jersey Mikes 9 AM - 3PM Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau + Cowboy Chicken Atlanta Restaurant Group JAM & ROX Inc. dba Bill's Barbeque Auto-Chlor System JM Williams Contractors 24 WEEKS Barbara Jean Bruin Legacy Restaurant Partners Be Our Guest Investments, LLC dba The Nook Moon River Brewing Company, LLC Big Sky Buckhead Peach Dish OF SAVINGS Bloomin' Brands dba Carrabba's Italian Grill, Bonefish Performance Foodservice Grill, Outback Steakhouse/O.S.I. Restaurant Partners Project Open Hand - Atlanta Inc. Blue Bicycle, Inc. Raging Burrito Boar's Head / Lorenzo Provisions Savage Pizza Brewed to Serve Restaurant Group Inc. dba Max Lager's Smith & Howard Wood-Fired Grill & Brewery and White Oak Kitchen Southern Fried Hospitality dba Chicken and the Egg, Brine Burgers and Custard Corporation Seafood Shack, FEED Fried Chicken & Such dba Culver's of Dawsonville Sysco Foods Century House Tavern The Atlanta Botanical Garden Inc. dba Longleaf Restaurant Chattahoochee Technical College - Culinary Institute The Catering Institute Clean Plate Hospitality dba Reel Seafood & Nawlins The Colonnade Restaurant Community Coffee Co., LLC The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States Cowabunga, Inc. DBA Domino's The Giving Kitchen Initiative Culinary Creations Catering The Half Shell at the Pier, LLC dba The Half Shell Darden Restaurants, Inc. dba Olive Garden, LongHorn, The Local Pizzaiolo Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52, The Capital Grille Tourism Leadership Council Of The Greater Savannah & Yard House Area, Inc. Delaware North Valdosta BBQ, LLC dba Sonny's Bar-B-Q Diced White Glove Restaurant Solutions Edgar's Grille/Goodwill Willis Towers Watson - Willis Insurance Services of GA Ganaway Contracting Company Willy's Mexicana Grill

RestaurantINFORMER.com | 5 MEET THE 2017 GEORGIA GROWN EXECUTIVE CHEFS

he Georgia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. collective group of unique talents,” Bremer says. “The goal is to have T Black and Georgia Restaurant Association (GRA) CEO Karen these chefs continue to promote Georgia Grown products and build Bremer announced the 2017 Georgia Grown Executive Chefs on relationships between chefs and farmers in our state.” Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017, at the GRA’s 9th Annual Taste of Georgia Now entering its sixth year, the Georgia Grown Executive Legislative Reception, held at the Georgia Railroad Freight Depot. Chef Program seeks to promote the Georgia Department of The six chefs announced for 2017 are: Chef Jason Paolini of Agriculture’s Georgia Grown campaign statewide. The program Longleaf, Chef Rusty Bowers of Pine Street Market, Chef Nick offers participating chefs a mark of honor and distinction while Leahy of Saltyard, Chef Dusty Grove of PACCI Italian Kitchen + increasing awareness for both restaurateurs and consumers about Bar, award-winning cookbook author and Chef Cynthia Graubart which local Georgia products are available for the cooking season. and Chef Megan Brent of White Oak Kitchen + Cocktails. These As the program grows, it will create a pathway for consumers six chefs are joining the ranks of 21 other chefs in the Georgia to find Georgia Grown products in their communities in order Grown program, which is comprised of cookbook authors, caterers, to support local, seasonal foods when dining out. It also aims to executive chefs, university affiliates, grocery stores and more. highlight and involve public school culinary education and school “All of these chefs bring such a diverse background to make one food nutrition in terms of increased opportunities for Georgia Grown products, training and recipe development. The chefs will participate in a spring and fall school event, an For more on this year's Georgia Grown organized farm tour, at least one seasonal cooking clip with the chefs and the annual Taste of Georgia Department of Agriculture and at least one Georgia Grown cooking event designated by Commissioner Black. The chefs also have the event, see Snapshots on page 29. opportunity to prepare a dinner at the James Beard House in New York City. ■

6 | Restaurant INFORMER March 2017

GRA Taps Brian Bullock as 2017 Board Chair

he Georgia Restaurant Association as well as assists third-party owners with Tannounced the 2017 Chairman development, operations management of the Board for the association, Brian and asset management services. Bullock, Chief Operating Officer of Bullock has been a part of the Legacy Venture Restaurants. Therestaurant industry for 20 years, after company owns or manages two dozen receiving his associate degree in Culinary hotels and restaurants, including STATS, Arts from Johnson and Wales University Der Biergarten and Twin Smokers BBQ, and his bachelor’s degree in Hotel and

Restaurant Management at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Prior to joining Legacy Ventures in 2010, Bullock began his career with Houston’s Restaurants and was promoted to General Manager. Under that role, he operated restaurants in New Orleans and Houston. Later, he became the Vice President of Operations for Border Café Restaurants, where he served for seven years. In his current role as COO of Legacy Venture Restaurants, Bullock is responsible for running the day-to-day operations. He is also involved in the development and growth of the company on the restaurant and hotel food and beverage side. The GRA also welcomed 11 new board members for 2017. Among those joining the board are restaurateurs Mike Dixon, Focus Brands; Stuart Fierman, Fifth Group; Stephanie Fischer, Hojeij Branded Foods; Vipul Patel, US Café; Shawn Hooks, Firehouse Subs; Charles Kuck, Kuck Immigration Partners; Staci Parker, Gas South; Bill Ray, US Foods; Shelley Sweet, West Egg and General Muir; Mike Torino, Amici Food Group; and Bob Wagner, NetFinancials. ■

8 | Restaurant INFORMER March 2017 GEORGIA HEAVILY REPRESENTED IN THIS YEAR’S JAMES BEARD AWARD SEMI-FINALISTS

n February, the James Beard Founda- finalists; only three (Kevin Gillespie, industry professionals who oversee policies, Ition announced the semi-finalists for its Gunshow; Steven Satterfield, Miller procedures and selection of judges. annual awards, and this year Georgia has Union; and Staplehouse) made the cut for Finalists will be announced March 15; quite a few names in the list. Some are well- finalists, but none took home an award. awards for Restaurant and Chef categories known names that have been nominated in The James Beard Awards were established will be presented at the awards ceremony past years; others are new to the group. in 1990 and recognize culinary professionals in Chicago May 1. Congratulations to all Last year, there were 15 Atlanta-based for excellence and achievement. Each award of the Georgia-based semifinalists, and restaurants and chefs named as semi- category has an individual committee of good luck in the months ahead! ■

Georgia Contenders Re BREAK THE FOODSERVICE DISTRIBUTOR Here’s the local people and places named ere st h au DELIVERY CYCLE BY SHOPPING AT this year by the James Beard Foundation W r a as semi-finalists for its 2017 awards. n t RESTAURANT DEPOT s ® • Cakes & Ale, Decatur

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• Brian So, Spring, Marietta Fresh & Frozen Meats • Provisions/Deli Meats • Fresh & Frozen Seafood (Rising Star Chef of the Year) Farm Fresh Produce • Groceries & Dry Goods • Frozen & Refrigerated Foods • Aria, Atlanta (Outstanding Service) Domestic & Imported Cheeses • Kitchen Equipment & Supplies • The Federal, Atlanta Full Line of Paper Products • Cleaning & Janitorial Supplies (Best New Restaurant) • Empire State South, Atlanta 1803 Roswell Road 1455 Ellsworth Industrial Blvd. 6655 Crescent Drive (Outstanding Wine Program)* Marietta, GA 30062 Atlanta, GA 30318 Norcross, GA 30071 • Five & Ten, Athens (770) 971-2800 (404) 351-2501 (770) 416-6490 (Outstanding Restaurant)* • Kimball House, Decatur (Oustanding Bar Program)* www.restaurantdepot.com • Miller Union, Atlanta Wholesale only • Not open to the public • Please bring your reseller’s permit on your first visit. (Outstanding Wine Program)* facebook.com/restaurantdepot *also nominated in 2016

RestaurantINFORMER.com | 9 WAYS TO HANDLE DRINK GARNISHES 4 SAFELY olished food and beverage presentation contributes to posi- of garnishes at once, avoid placing them in one big vessel; Ptive guest experiences, which is why many bartenders top off spreading the supply across several smaller containers allows drinks with aesthetically pleasing, edible garnishes. you to keep more product in the refrigerator for longer, which While the fruits, vegetables, herbs and other flavorful bites lessens the potential for waste. commonly accompanying cocktails and beers may be decorative, they are classified as ready-to-eat food and should be handled Product access at the service area: To reduce safely. To help protect your guests from foodborne illness, ServSafe 3 contamination threats, cover garnish containers and place Alcohol shares these four drink-garnish food-safety tips: them within the interior area of the bar, out of customers’ reach. If you allow customers to top their own drinks at a Prep: Many bar areas are not designed for food preparation. designated self-service area, reference ServSafe’s self-service 1 Produce handling should take place on approved food- food-safety tips. Tongs or skewers must be utilized in either set- contact surfaces that have been cleaned and sanitized. For up to access the garnishes. example, citrus and celery should be sliced on a clean, sanitized cutting board, not the bar countertop. Garnishes that are TCS Bartender hand hygiene: Handwashing helps prevent food, such as bacon or roasted vegetables, should be cooked to 4 the transfer of pathogens to food and surfaces. For this minimum internal temperature requirements. reason, don’t bounce between handling edible garnishes and handling money, cleaning surfaces or glassware, or Refrigeration: When garnish prep is complete, cover completing other duties without washing your hands. Say 2 and store product you will not immediately use in the you’re cleaning used glassware and a customer sits down and refrigerator at 41°F (5°C) or lower. TCS food should not orders a drink. Before reaching for a clean glass and starting to sit at room temperature for more than four hours. Beyond make the drink, wash your hands to reduce contamination. ■ that window, discard the items. If you prep a large quantity Source: National Restaurant Association

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10 | Restaurant INFORMER March 2017 Quick BITES Each month, Restaurant Informer is asking some of the hospitality community’s top leaders to give their insight on today’s biggest issues and trends in the restaurant industry. Answers have been edited for space or clarity.

Has your restaurant been used as a ﬁlm/TV set? What was the experience like, and would you do it again? Jim ’N Nick’s has been featured a couple of times on Chrisley We have had HGTV use Halyards for reality shows involving Knows Best as well as a few other Atlanta reality TV programs. real estate. It’s a very simple scene of a conversation between Overall, it was a fun and easy experience. Staff really enjoyed homebuyers and their agent. the attention and seeing themselves on television. We would Because Halyards is dinner only and they filmed during definitely do it again … any exposure is good exposure. the day, it was very easy, and we would do it again. The only – Jeremy Chambers, Jim ’N Nick’s Community Bar-B-Q hiccup was their contract needed some tweaking as it gave the show permission to rename the restaurant. Taco Mac was used for a movie [Hall Pass], and we were shut – Dave Snyder, Halyard Restaurant Group and Hook and down for a whole day. Knife Charters – Shannayl Connolly, Taco Mac

Why Become a Member of the Georgia Restaurant Association? Whether you are looking to get involved with shaping public policy, for discounts on programs and services that are critical to running a restaurant or to stay informed about changing laws and regulations affecting the foodservice industry, you’ll find it all at the GRA. Online applications are available at www.garestaurants.org. For questions, contact GRA Director of Membership Ryan Costigan at ryan@ garestaurants.org or (404) 467-9000.

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RestaurantINFORMER.com | 11 ACF UPDATE

TEE UP TO GIVE BACK MARCH 28

or the past 25 years, the end of March has marked the Fannual Charity Golf Tournament for the ACF-Atlanta Chefs Association, and this March is no exception. The chefs have taken this exciting day of delicious food, fun and camaraderie to some of Atlanta’s greatest and most challenging courses, including Settindown Creek Golf Course, Piedmont Driving Club, Druid Hills Golf Club, The Standard Club and Legacy on Lake Lanier Golf Club. Players have come not only from the Atlanta culinary industry, but from all professions to help promote those things the chefs hold dear to their hearts. Hosting this annual event is one way the chefs give back to their Atlanta community. Over the years, funds raised from this event have touched lives far and wide. Because of the generosity of our supporters, soldiers traveling to and from deployment have had food to eat at the Hartsfield- Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s USO, and nutritionally at-risk children have learned about healthy eating and taken home food packs to nourish them through the weekends. Donations have been made to culinary students through the ACF-ACA John Piskor Student Culinary Scholarship Fund, The Giving Kitchen, High School Pro-Start Program, ACF Culinary Team USA and so many more. On March 28, 2017, golf shoes will be shined, clubs dusted off Club Choice Ireland to give away a golf package for two to the and carts fully charged at Settindown Creek Golf Club to keep Southern Coast of Ireland. this tradition going. There is still time to join this year’s event. This year, the ACF-ACA has partnered with Club Choice Ireland and Italy Tours by Leonardo to offer a choice of Hosting this annual event is one way the chefs customized golf packages to Ireland. Packages range from three, six or 10 days of golfing, sightseeing and dining in give back to their Atlanta community. Over the beautiful Ireland from May 22 through June 1. Package years, funds raised from this event have touched costs vary from $995 to $2,385 per person. Learn more lives far and wide. about this opportunity by contacting Leonardo Ruscitto at [email protected], 404.556.7633 or To register call Cheryl Glass today at 850.556.7736 or visit www. visit www.italytoursbyleonardo.com. acfatlantachefs.org for more information. With the fast pace we live in, take a moment – or in this case In 2016, the ACF-ACA marked its 25th year of this charity three, six or 10 days – to smell the flowers along the golf fairways golf tournament. The ACF-ACA had the privilege to partner of life, and be sure to register for this year’s golf tournament on with the Irish Chamber of Atlanta, the Irish Tourism Board and March 28. ■

12 | Restaurant INFORMER March 2017 In southeast Georgia, the cow goes “ M é u .”

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RestaurantINFORMER.com | 13 When Fake News Gets Real 3 lessons we’ve learned from Pizzagate to protect your brand against false information By Ellen Hartman

he lines between real and fake news have become To help protect your restaurant from potential fake-news fallout, Tincreasingly blurry this year, a point brought to a terrifying, consider taking the following first steps as soon as possible: nearly business-ending point on Sunday, Dec. 4, when a fake news report led to a gunman opening fire in the Washington Monitor Social Media. D.C., pizzeria Comet Ping Pong. 1 To effectively combat negative attacks on your brand, you Most of us thought the incident would put to rest the must see them coming. conspiracy theory – one of the internet’s strangest – involving In the case of Comet Ping Pong, much of the “chatter” that Hillary Clinton, said pizza parlor and a child sex ring. Sadly, the fueled the conspiratorial fire happened on Twitter and Reddit. rabid conspiracy theorists have now named other pizza parlors Moreover, many of the supposed accounts spreading the theories as participants. This week, New York’s DNA Info reported that were bots operating at superhuman speed. Brooklyn pizzeria Roberta’s received a threatening phone call Implementing a social media monitoring system makes your suggesting it was linked to Pizzagate, a rumor likely started by brand aware of any negative information in real, superhuman what the outlet called “an eerie YouTube video.” time, so that you can respond quickly and, in the best case, stem The unchecked spread of these “malicious and utterly false the fire. accusations,” to quote Comet Ping Pong owner James Alefantis, A wide range of companies offer social media monitoring, is reason for pause. On a universal and personal level, it is now each with tools to monitor specific sites. Hootsuite, for example, time to take these seemingly ridiculous fake news stories very, offers 11 tools that monitor sites such as Reddit, where much of very seriously. As Hillary Clinton said in a speech denying the the conspiracy theory was fueled, and review sites so that you Pizzagate claims, “it's now clear that so-called fake news can can engage with reviewers and resolve any issues in a timely have real-world consequences.” manner. It’s also time for restaurant brands to toss the old crisis communications plans and start from scratch. In today’s reality, Engage with Legal Counsel. protecting your brand requires a new approach that reflects both 2 Discuss potential responses with legal counsel well ahead the 24-hour, social nature of news distribution – and the ideas of time, and work with them to develop a series of responses that masquerading as news. can be used immediately if an attack comes. This could include requesting social media sites to pull a false story or post, but it is important to know your legal standing before anything may Implementing a social media monitoring happen. Perry McGuire, counsel with Smith, Gambrell & Russell at system makes your brand aware of any its Atlanta office, recommends using both legal and nonlegal negative information in real, superhuman tools to manage an incident. “The legal remedies are many time, so that you can respond quickly and, and can include a suit for damages, injunctions and potential criminal charges,” he says. “However, these remedies can be in the best case, stem the ﬁre. costly, both financially and in terms of distraction from your business. Having a non-legal strategy may be best in any given situation. Our firm has been successful in having false posts removed, but it is not a slam dunk in every case.”

14 | Restaurant INFORMER March 2017 Strategize with Public Relations Advisers. action, ads from major brands were appearing on the conspiracy 3 It is critical to discuss a crisis communications plan with site, adding an element of legitimacy. a public relations professional, even if you do not currently have Prior to that, in mid-November, Facebook and Google one on retainer. Agencies are up to date with the latest research, announced steps to prevent fake-news websites from generating are highly experienced with reputation management and can as- revenue through their ad-selling services, a sign that the two sist in both long-term strategy and short-term crisis response. giants are taking misinformation seriously. As you put a strategic plan in place, an agency can recommend Whatever the fate of false news, it is time for your brand to get and implement the tools needed to protect your brand, and real about protecting itself. ■ initiating a relationship with the agency ahead of a crisis allows your brand to respond more quickly. Ellen Hartman, APR, Fellow PRSA, is the CEO Amid a crisis, the agency will develop communication of Hartman Public Relations, a full-service elements – releases, statements, advertisements – that your brand public relations agency specializing in the foodservice Industry. Hartman has experi- can use to respond quickly. They will also have key relationships ence working for Coca-Cola, Concessions with media and social media influencers that you will need so International, Chili’s, Huddle House, Billy your side of the story is heard. Finally, an agency will be familiar Sims BBQ and Uncle Maddio’s and many with policies and procedures of the most popular social media QSR brands including Popeyes, Church’s and sites and can assist your legal team if needed. Arby’s. An industry leader for more than 25 The devastating events at Comet Ping Pong, as well as the years, Hartman is active in the Women’s Foodservice Forum, Les Dames d ’Escofﬁer International and has served on the Georgia impact of false news on the presidential election, do have a State University School of Hospitality board. She earned her APR silver lining. As a direct response to the shooting at Comet Ping accreditation from the Public Relations Society of America and Pong, Reddit added its conspiracy subreddit, where much of is a member of PRSA’s Fellow program for senior accomplished the Pizzagate vitriol was posted, to its "no ads list." Before this professionals.

RestaurantINFORMER.com | 15 p usfoods.com Scoop features products you can’t ﬁnd anywhere else. Try these trendy, unexpected new products that are energizing menus, driving sales and creating delicious new memories for your customers. Contact your US Foods® sales representative to learn more! Photo courtesy of Atlanta Movie Tours Dumb and Dumber To filmed at No Mas! Cantina in downtown Atlanta in 2013. LIGHTS, CAMERA, EAT! Movies and TV are big business here in Georgia, and restaurants are taking a starring role By Candice Dyer

hen the cameras roll productions were shot somewhere in opening your space as a film location, ca- Win Georgia’s boom- Georgia, generating an economic impact tering for the crew, or assisting with props, ing film industry, you usual- of $7 billion. And most, if not all, will restaurants are finding that film and tele- ly can spot food and familiar need a restaurant to shoot in. vision offer a sizable revenue stream along restaurants in supporting – “Sometimes we’re looking for the with star-power marketing opportunities. and maybe even starring – roles. quintessential diner, sometimes the ‘date’ For many restaurants, opening your restaurant, and sometimes the hipster business to a film or TV crew can be a hangout,” Thomas says. “They may pick a boon for business – it’s great marketing, restaurant because it looks as it is written can put you on the map for fans of the and doesn’t require redressing, or the film and most crews will pay to rent out restaurant has flexible or limited hours your space, but knowing the ins and outs that allow shooting, or it may be that it is of being caught on camera is important convenient to another featured location. before you make the decision. We have hundreds of restaurants in our “It is very rare that we receive a script photo library database to help incoming that doesn’t have at least one restaurant in productions find what they’re looking for.” it – usually there are a variety featured,” Georgia now ranks No. 3 in the country says Lee Thomas, deputy commissioner for film productions, and it is tied at No. Photo: Gena Berry of the Georgia Film, Music & Digital 3 worldwide, which means Georgia restau- If an actor eats just one thing on camera, a food Entertainment Office. Last year, more rants across the state are getting in on the stylist must prep dozens for multiple takes, like than 245 feature film and television action with more than just popcorn. From these waffles for the current TV show MacGyver.

18 | Restaurant INFORMER March 2017 “The Silver Skillet has been used many, new set up with the cameras from many times – Remember the Titans, An- different angles, with maybe three or four chorman 2, Trouble with the Curve, and takes per angle, so it all adds up to a lot of many others,” Thomas says. “Other favor- plates with a lot of food.” ites include Homegrown on Memorial, The Livingston Restaurant in the Georgian Intense preparation and historical Terrace, and numerous Waffle Houses. Of research are involved in each scene. course, one restaurant in one film revital- “Before we even begin, I get the story- ized an entire town – The Whistlestop Café boards and attach pictures of each food in Juliette from Fried Green Tomatoes.” to each scene,” says Berry, who recently When a restaurant offers its infrastruc- worked on the Oscar-nominated film ture as a set, it typically shuts down its Hidden Figures. “That movie was set in normal operations for at least three days, the 1960s and featured a church pic- or maybe a week, depending on how many nic. Many people don’t realize this, but scenes are shot, and its kitchen is not used Tupperware has changed over the years, to feed cast, crew and extras. Film com- both in its shape and its colors. Today, it’s panies rely on their own caterers such Gena Berry, founder of Culinary Works brightly colored, but it started out in pas- as RoadShows and Goldbug, which are tel colors, so I chose a light aqua for that geared specifically to the movie industry. Abundance, too, is critical. When food scene. And bundt cakes didn’t get popular Even more specialized is, in the showbiz appears in a scene, expect to use at least until the late ’70s, so I couldn’t use those. lingo, the “crafty,” which is what celebrity 10 to 20 plates of it. And if a Thanksgiving Those period details are important.” chef Jim Stacey is doing nowadays after tableau calls for a turkey, plan to have She says that when she worked on Halt hosting Offbeat Eats for the Cooking more than 10 on hand, already golden and Catch Fire, set in the early 1980s, “I Channel and Get Delicious for PBS. He brown. came on set drinking Tab and Fresca just currently works behind the scenes on “You’re usually seeing it from more to fit in with the cast!” projects such as The Vampire Diaries, than one angle, for instance if the actors Then there is the painstaking styling Ozark, and Pitch Perfect 3. are sitting at a table,” says Gena Berry of the camera-ready meals, which “Right now, we’re filming at Fort of Culinary Works, which handles all requires an artful eye and quick-thinking McPherson, and not everybody wants to things culinary, from food styling and resourcefulness, as well as consideration eat the catered food,“ he says. “So I create preparing and handling on-camera food of the actors’ dietary needs. two meals per day, fresh-sourced, made to recipe writing, editing and culinary “We were filming a shot of Lenny from scratch, with a vegan option. I work event planning. “At some point you see Kravitz, who was supposed to be eating out of a small kitchen in a small trailer everyone’s face, which means an entirely tuna tartare,” recalls Berry. (The scene and produce at least 300 meals a day – today I fed 1,000 extras – so this is work that involves a lot of hustle. It gets crazy!“ Another consideration: Everyone must stay hydrated in the Georgia heat. “We go through a lot of bottled water and energy drinks,” he says. Restaurants also face other challenges that may not seem obvious. Sets need quiet, even amid the frenetic activity of the crews and extras. When Anchorman 2 was looking for a bar with 1970s retro décor, the obvious choice was Manuel’s Tavern, but there were noise concerns. “They didn’t want any clattering from our kitchen,” recalls owner Brian Maloof, “and they also didn’t want the vibration of our air conditioners. So they had their own air system that pumped air into the building remotely. I thought, ‘Really? This Photo: Gena Berry is an expense you want?’ But it evidently Prepping cakes for a scene for Parental Guidance, a film starring Billy Crystal and Bette Midler that filmed wor ke d .” in Georgia in 2011.

RestaurantINFORMER.com | 19 Dendrobium orchids and orange swirled wheels; it was beautiful. For the passed tray, we used beautiful extra large, tail- on marinated shrimp and used a light green platter. The white onion slices and the minced parsley made the light pink shrimp just pop out.” In addition to appearance, edibility is another factor, especially for actors who are conscious of their weight. Don’t think these projects are all gourmand and glamorous, Berry notes. “There is usually a spit bucket involved,” she says. “If scenes have to be shot multiple times, the actors get full and they begin to appear to chew and swallow, but then when the camera is off, they use a spit bucket.”

Berry employs a variety of tricks to achieve special visual effects. “I had to provide 27 ice cream cakes for Parental Guidance with Billy Crystal and

Photo courtesy of Atlanta Movie Tours Bette Midler,” Berry says. “Obviously not Ian Macken of Meehan’s in downtown Atlanta welcomes Clint Eastwood to the restaurant to film a scene of the Eastwood-directed Sully. real ice cream as they had to sit out for hours, but they had to look as if they were was for the new show Star on Fox.) is not focusing on the food, you need to melting and be edible at the same time. So “Lenny is a vegan who only eats raw food. set it with the idea that the camera will just we used a concoction of bakery icing and So we improvised. We concocted a tower pan over it,” Berry says, “so you need to nondairy whipped topping and melted using compressed watermelon for the make sure there is plenty of light coming it using a blow dryer just to the point of tuna, watermelon radishes, microgreens, through the food and that it’s not ‘white’ being kind of drippy. When it cooled, it basil oil and mango. It looked right, and and reflecting back the light. Today I was stayed put for days, literally.” he loved eating it.” up to my elbows in 25 pounds of shrimp However, her “wackiest” challenge so Sometimes the colors of foods should be for MacGyver. We needed to make sure far involved The Three Stooges. vibrant, and other times the fare needs to the shrimp really ‘popped’ on the plat- “They had a huge 20-foot long seafood blend in with the background. “If a scene ters so we garnished with [edible] purple buffet,” she says. “It was filmed poolside in the heat of the summer. They had Eskimos in full gear with fake fish on spears, the actors and background folks were passing out from the heat, so they kept taking all my ice-packs I had tucked under the seafood to keep it from rotting. All the

20 | Restaurant INFORMER March 2017 And very rarely does a restaurant keep Atlanta Movie Tours plans to add a its own name; usually set decorators will “food and film” tour later in 2017, Burns come in and cover over the name with a says. It will feature restaurants used in different one. movies and television shows with small “Due to trademarks and other con- nibbles at each spot. cerns, most establishments are turned “It gives tourists and locals the chance into something else and not left as their to try out new places, learn more about original name,” she says. filming around Atlanta and grab a bite,“ An exception is Meehan’s, which was she says. “We love showing off locations, used in the recent Tom Hanks movie and when paired with food and drinks it’s Sully. Identity Thief with Jason Bateman all the better.” and Melissa McCarthy was filmed at the Would you like for your restaurant to venerable The Colonnade Restaurant, and cater for a movie or television show? Visit One of the more unusual tasks of a No Mas! Cantina in Castleberry Hill tends the Reel Crew database at www.Georgia. food stylist? Creating an edible bug. to be used for more tech scout meetings org, which is a free service for vendors and crazy king crab legs having to stand up than actual filming given its unique look. crew. If you would like for your restaurant and point every which way, huge shrimp, It has a cavernous amount of space, and to be used as a film set, visit the same site there was a fake octopus that was tossed after the initial location scouting the and click on the “List My Property” tab, and stuck to someone’s face, you can just crew will come through for a technical where you can upload photos and provide imagine. It was a challenge.” scout, which generally involves all of information. the department heads with the director, If your restaurant been used as a set for So say you want to have your production manager and production a movie or TV show and you’re interested restaurant used as a set. designer. Since Castleberry Hill is scouted in being a part of Atlanta Movie Tours’ The locations team generally finds restau- so often, it’s a good middle ground for upcoming Restaurant Tour, go to rants, as well as other locations, based on tech scout lunches and strategy sessions. atlantamovietours.com. ■ source materials from the production team. They are skilled at finding the perfect spots that match the scenes. The State of Georgia film database, through their camera-ready program, also has thousands of locations that are open and accepting of filming. That’s one of the keys to finding a great location – making sure everyone is happy to have the filming there, including the restaurant itself. Sometimes location scouts have to search al- ternate sources for locations, and restaurants can be tough due to consistent scheduling issues and the overall cost to close a restaurant, whether for a few hours or days. “There are few times that a restaurant will not have to close for filming, and some make it a rule not to allow it,” says Carrie Burns, founder, CEO and Head Movie Buff of Atlanta Movie Tours. She has also served as a liaison between film and television crews in Atlanta. “Generally the relative size of the crew and production equipment requires the closure due to safety and security.” She also notes that in general, production companies do not lock in on exact dates to film in the restaurant too far out, making it difficult for a restaurant to close

or even to block reservations to accommo- Photos: Gena Berry date the shoot. Hidden Figures filmed in several locations across Georgia in 2016.

RestaurantINFORMER.com | 21 Modern Wines From Old Roots South African wine should be on your radar... and your wine list By Lara Creasy

f you don’t have experience with the that South Africa has a wine heritage on their way from Europe to Asia, they Iwines of South Africa, now is the time dating back as far as the year 1659. In fact, needed a place to resupply, and wine was to look into them and consider adding a South Africa has been growing grapes a commodity they couldn’t live without. few to your wine program. for winemaking longer than parts of the A Dutchman was assigned to man the I was lucky enough to be invited to Medoc. station and plant vineyards. The first experience South African wine country harvest took place in 1659, just 7 years first hand recently, and I realized Wine To Go after the Dutch first landed in Africa. there were many things for American If there is one thing we know about Settlers went on to establish the first consumers to learn about this wine Europeans, it’s that they love their wine. wine estates in 1685, at Constantia and industry that is thriving half a world away. So it should come as no surprise that one Boschendal. Wine farms boomed for When we talk about Old World wines of the first things the European explorers a time, but over several decades many vs. New World wines, we usually mean did when they dropped anchor in another farmers decided to replant with other European wines vs. the rest of the world. part of the world was either figure out more profitable crops, like fruit and The assumption is that Europe has how to get wine to them by ship, or figure alfalfa. been growing grapes to make wine for out how to make wine where they were. In the 19th century, South Africa fell centuries, and the rest of the world has The Dutch East India Company set up under British rule, which turned out to be been chasing their lead. South Africa is a supply station near modern-day Cape a boon for the wine industry – the Brit- by all accounts a New World wine region, Town in 1652. As trade ships rounded ish started to import quite a bit of South but many people are surprised to know the bottom of the African continent African wine. Sadly, the phylloxera epi-

22 | Restaurant INFORMER March 2017 Old Roots

demic, which wiped out European vineyards in the 1860s, also found its way to South Africa at the end of the 19th century. Following this devastation, most vineyards replanted only high-yielding varietals, like cinsault. As a result, by the early 1900s, there was a glut of wine in South Africa. It’s said that some producers took to dumping their extra wine into rivers and lakes just to get rid of it. To fight this problem of lopsided supply and demand, in 1918 the South African government funded the formation of an organization known as the KWV. All photos: Lara Creasy Originally formed as a co-op to The Boschendal estate, founded in 1685, was one of the first wine estates in South Africa. Above, the winery’s help farmers market their grapes, shiraz vineyards.

RestaurantINFORMER.com | 23 Boschendal’s shiraz vineyards near Pniel, South Africa

When we talk about Old World wines vs. New World wines, we usually mean European wines vs. the rest of the world. the KWV grew to hold a position of When apartheid ended in the 1990s wines. By 2003, the tables had turned, power, setting prices, restricting yields and the door to world trade was once with 70 percent of the country’s yield and establishing policies for the entire again flung open, the wine industry began hitting the market as wine. South African wine industry. to experience a renaissance. There was no market for wine grapes The KWV became a private enterprise. Distinctly South African outside of the KWV, with more than 95 Consulting winemakers from Europe The company that hosted me on a recent percent of South African grape growers began to visit. Vineyards were replanted trip to South Africa, DGB International, belonging to the co-op. To mitigate the with suitable varietals, and vineyard sites has been around since 1990, when two grape surplus, the KWV encouraged the were chosen not for maximum yield wine companies merged to become one production of fortified wine and distilled but for best quality. Once wineries were of the country’s largest independent wine spirits like brandy. While the aim was to allowed to export, says Niel Groenewald, producers. Even today, about 80 percent stabilize the South African wine industry, winemaker for Bellingham, they could of South Africa’s wine is produced by the KWV also wound up stifling it, killing specialize in certain varietals in certain co-ops, 66 in total, according to Jacu any pursuit of innovation or quality areas. They discovered Chenin Blanc Potgieter, chief oenologist for DGB. improvements that might have emerged. works better in Stellenbosch, for example, However, DGB is a private company, and Sauvignon Blanc works best in made up of independent, historic wine A New Century Durbanville, he adds. South African wine estates, such as Boschendal, founded in For a lot of the 20th century, South estates began to trade their quantity focus Stellenbosch in 1685, and Bellingham, African wine received little international for a quality one, once and for all. originally founded in Franschhoek in attention. This was partly because of its An illustration of the quick turnaround? 1693. decline in quality and partly because In 1990, 70 percent of grapes grown in Bellingham is of particular interest be- of trade embargoes levied against the South Africa were sold off for distillation cause of its previous owner, Bernard Pod- country in response to its apartheid into brandy or eaten as table grapes, and lashuk, a British airman who purchased policy. only 30 percent were made into quality the rundown estate in 1943. Known as

24 | Restaurant INFORMER March 2017 “The Maverick,” Bernard planted varietals that no one South African Wines to Try else was planting mid-century. He made dry whites like rousanne and marsanne when others were making Boschendal 1685 Sauvignon Blanc, Franschhoek 2016 sweet wines. He made the Cape’s first rosé in 1949 and Available from Atlanta Wholesale Wines, $16.16 the first single varietal Shiraz in 1956. This zesty Sauvignon Blanc, with 8 percent Semillon, gives New Zealand a run Eventually, Bellingham settled on making Shiraz, for its money. The nose is very perfumed and herbaceous, and the palate is very Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and tropical, but the acidity is never over the top. A go-to by-the-glass option. Pinotage, South Africa’s “native” varietal. A cross between pinot noir and the high-yielding grape The Beachhouse Rosé by Douglas Green, Western Cape 2016 cinsault, pinotage has gotten a bad rap over the years, Available from National Distributing Company, $12.24 with poorly made examples exhibiting aromas of burnt A lifestyle brand made to appeal to consumers who don’t overthink their wines, rubber, bananas and nail polish. this bottling still overdelivers on quality for the price. This rosé of pinotage has a According to Groenewald, the biggest challenge with candy aroma on the nose (SweetTarts, cotton candy) and a fresh minerally palate. the grape is to properly limit its yield. It has a short Strawberry, raspberry, rose petals and lollipops are other flavors that spring to growing cycle, which is good because it ripens before mind. Pair with sushi, smoked salmon, burgers and barbecue. South Africa’s late summer heat wave. The challenge is that the short ripening period means it has less time Bellingham “The Old Orchards” Chenin Blanc, Paarl 2015 to develop complex flavors. Growing the grapes on Available from Atlanta Wholesale Wines, $15.32 bush vines allows them to be grown in windy areas. Amazingly versatile with food, Chenin Blanc is a star in South Africa but could The wind blowing over the vines allows the grapes to use an ambassador to boost its sales in the U.S., says winemaker Niel Groenewald. develop more slowly. Bellingham’s Chenin grapes grow on 25-year-old dry-farmed bush vines, which “Made right,” says Groenewald, “Pinotage can age produce exceptional quality fruit. “I don’t call myself a winemaker,” Groenewald better than Cabernet.” says. “With these sorts of grapes, you’re just a fermentation controller.” The wine Bellingham and Boschendal both make excellent is textured and dusty on the palate but ripe with stone fruit, honey and citrus examples of this distinctly South African varietal (see marmalade flavors. Oak aging gives the wine a buttered toast aroma to round out sidebar). Other red grapes that shine in the Cape: its freshness. So much wine for the price. Shiraz/Syrah (British consumers prefer the varietal to be labeled shiraz, while Americans prefer it to be Boschendal Elgin Vineyard Pinot Noir, Western Cape 2014 labeled syrah) and Cabernet, which loves the South Available from Atlanta Wholesale Wine, $35.61 African heat, according to Groenewald. This single-vineyard pinot noir hails from one of the highest elevation vineyard Still, only 35 percent of South Africa’s wine sites planted in the Elgin Valley. The cool climate allows for long, slow ripening production is red. What to seek out in the other 65 for an outstanding, balanced pinot noir. The mature vineyard guarantees flavor percent? Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc thrive in concentration. Tart cranberry fruit, leather, oak spice. the Cape. In fact, some of Boschendal’s single-vineyard Sauvignons could easily be mistaken for Sancerre Boschendal Sommelier Series Pinotage, Western Cape 2015 or Pouilly-Fumé. But the Cape’s real champ: Chenin Available from Atlanta Wholesale Wine, $15.32 Blanc. South Africa has done a lot of work on Pinotage to overcome its former negative Another star of the Loire, Chenin has character in image. Gone are the days when burnt rubber, banana and nail polish aromas spades. Ranging from bright and fresh to textured predominated. Instead, this dry-farmed bush vine wine, whose first vintage was and wooly, South Africa’s Chenin Blancs are some 2014, offers a rich, elegant style, with flavors of black currant, plum and spice. of the finest wines they produce. (See sidebar for On-premise only. recommendations.) If you don’t yet have a South African wine on your Bellingham, Bernard Series Bush Vine Pinotage, list, call your sales rep and set up a tasting. You’ll find a Stellenbosch 2015 wine that surprises you, guaranteed. ■ Available from Atlanta Wholesale Wine, $36.85 A low-yielding vineyard of bush vines planted in granite soils gives us a savory, Lara Creasy is a consultant with age-worthy Pinotage. Flavors of truffles, smoked meats, violets and black cherry more than 15 years experience in integrate with oak spice for a succulent experience. Ready to drink now but built to beverage management. She has develop for the next 10 years. A fine example of what Pinotage can be. developed wine and cocktail programs for such restaurants as St. Ce- Rib Shack Red by Douglas Green, Western Cape 2015 cilia and King + Duke through her Available from National Distributing Company, $13.27 consulting business Four 28, LLC. A blend of Shiraz and Pinotage, this wine is peppery, oaky, smoky and juicy. A perfect pairing for burgers, grilled meats and barbecue of all kinds.

RestaurantINFORMER.com | 25 HIGH MUSEUM CELEBRATES 25

YEARS OF WINE All photos courtesy of the High Museum Art

n 1993, Jurassic Park and Mrs. Doubtfire were big at the Since 1993, the annual High Museum Ibox office, gas cost $1.16 a gallon, and the first High Wine Auction has welcomed more than Museum Atlanta Wine Auction was held. Since then, the auction has become the largest charity wine auction in 400 Wineries the U.S. benefiting the arts and the 10th largest overall, according to Wine Spectator. Sites that have hosted the It’s also the largest fundraising event for the High Museum auction, most recently at the 100 of Art – proceeds over the past 24 years have totaled more 6 Green Lots at Turner Field than $26 million, providing significant funding for the CHEFS High’s exhibitions and educational programming. “The High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction has put Atlanta on the map for winemakers and food and wine lovers 12,000 alike,” says Steven Satterfield, chef and owner of Atlanta Guests restaurant Miller Union and a longstanding supporter of Bottles the Auction. “As the dining scene in Atlanta has grown, of Wine we’ve seen the Auction flourish as well, contributing to the 60,000 recognition of our regional strengths on the national level.” This year’s two special guest of honor are Jim Clendenen, owner and winemaker of Au Bon Climat, and Michael $2 million Browne, co-founder and winemaker for Kosta Browne The most the auction has netted Winery. in one year (both in 2007 and 2008) The annual Trade Tasting, open only to those in the restaurant and hospitality industry, will be held Thursday, March 23, in the Green Lot tents at Turner Field in Atlanta. $213,750 Sponsored by Restaurant Informer and Muss & Turner’s, 85 the event offers more than 100 premium wineries Highest auction bid in the auction’s Restaurants represented by winemakers and principals. For more history, in 2016, for wine, food and participated music at The Roxy in The Battery Atlanta information or to register for the trade tasting, go to in 2016 atlanta-wineauction.org/trade. ■

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RestaurantINFORMER.com | 27 Put Your Supplier List

RestaurantINFORMER.com’s directory puts supplier contact information — phone, email, web site link and more — right in your phone. With more than 40 product categories, you’ll ﬁ nd a company to supply what you need, whether it’s baked goods, kitchen equipment or POS services.

One Tap Access — visit RestaurantINFORMER.com on you phone and look for the pop-up instructions to set an icon on your phone to open the site with a quick tap. Then, you can view the most recent industry news, events and supplier directory.

Suppliers — get your directory listing for only $95. Don’t be left off your buyers' contact list! Email jsawyer@ sawyerdirect.com today to learn how. SNAP Taste of Georgia Photos: Spravka Imaging SHOTS ore than 400 people attended the MGeorgia Restaurant Association’s Taste of Georgia this year. Held in the Georgia Railroad Freight Depot in downtown Atlanta in February, the annual event is an opportunity for GRA members Team Hidi Five to showcase their food to elected officials Photost: Erika Bottled and for state legislators to network with n January, the fifth annual Team Georgia’s restaurant industry. The 2017 IHidi event raised more than Georgia Grown Executive Chefs were also The American Roadhouse team. $550,000 for The Giving Kitchen, announced at the event. For more informa- which provides emergency assis- tion, go to www.garestaurants.org. tance grants for Atlanta-area restaurant workers facing an unanticipated hardship. This year the event was held at a new location, The Stave Room and ASW Distillery, where 44 chefs, 16 bars and 6 breweries were represented at the event. Nearly 800 people attended. For more on The Giving Kitchen, visit thegivingkitchen.org.

Chick-fil-A was one of many restaurants who participated in this year’s Taste of Georgia.

The 2017 Georgia Grown Executive Chefs were announced at the event. From left, Agriculture Commis- sioner Gary Black; Chef Jason Paolini, Longleaf; Holly Chute, Executive Chef for the Georgia Departments of Agriculture and Economic Development; Chef Dusty Grove, PACCI Italian Kitchen + Bar; Chef Megan Brent, White Oak Kitchen + Cocktails; award-winning cook- From left, Holly Chute, Executive Chef for the Georgia book author Chef Cynthia Graubart; and GRA CEO Kar- Departments of Agriculture and Economic Develop- Atlanta-based Second Self was one of 6 en Bremer. Not pictured: Chef Rusty Bowers of Pine ment; State Senator Butch Miller; and Ellen Hartman, breweries that participated in this year’s event. Street Market and Chef Nick Leahy of Saltyard. founder of Hartman PR.

Athens Wine Weekend Photos: Wingate Downs he 8th annual Athens Wine Week- al Foundation, which provides perform- Tend was held at the Classic Center in ing and culinary arts scholarships to downtown Athens in early February. The high school and college students in the event benefits The Classic Center Cultur- Athens community.

More than 44 chefs and restaurants were represented, including Staplehouse, which as a for-profit subsidiary of The Giving Kitchen do- nates all profits to the organization.

Attendees enjoyed food and drinks in The Classic The Bellini Station Center in downtown Athens.

RestaurantINFORMER.com | 29 High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction March 22 - 25, 2017

Industry Tasting

Sponsored by Restaurant Informer and Muss & Turner’s

Thursday, March 23, 2017 12:30 PM – 4:00 PM

The High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction offers the South’s finest industry-only wine tasting featuring more than 100 premium wineries represented by winemakers and principals.

Restaurant Informer is a proud sponsor of this exciting event for the 10th year. And for the 8th year, Muss & Turner’s will present a delicious buffet during the tasting.

Qualified pre-registration by food and beverage trade attendees is mandatory. Register online at atlanta-wineauction.org/trade

30 | Restaurant INFORMER March 2017 INDUSTRY EVENTS MARCH Doc Chey's Morningside Mile Classic City Brew Fest American Culinary Federation - Race and Block Party April 9 – Athens - Monthly Meeting March 26 Morningside Village, Atlanta brewfest.net March 6 – US Foods, Fairborn morningsidemile.com acfatlantachefs.org AFC Monthly Meeting National Restaurant Association April 10 – Le Cordon Bleu Atlanta, Tucker Toast of the Town Public Affairs Conference acfatlantachefs.org March 10 – Rivermill Event Centre, Columbus March 28-29 – Washington, D.C. restaurant.org/paconference toastcolumbus.com Buckhead Restaurant Week April 16-24 – various restaurants in Buckhead 2017 American Culinary Suwannee American Craft Beer Festival brwatlanta.com Federation Golf Tournament March 18 – Town Center Park, Suwannee March 28 – Settindown Creek Golf Club, Roswell suwanneebeerfest.com acfatlantachefs.org 29th Annual Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry 25th Annual High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction Performance Foodservice April 20 – Southern Exchange at 200 Peachtree March 22-25 – Atlanta 2017 Spring Culinary Trade Show ce.nokidhungry.org/atlanta atlanta-wineauction.org March 28 – Inﬁnite Energy Center, Duluth nokidhungry.org performancefoodservice.com High Museum Atlanta Wine Sweetwater 420 Festival Auction Industry Trade Tasting April 21-23 – Centennial Olympic Park, Atlanta March 23 – Green Tents at Turner Field April Dining Out for Life – A Beneﬁt for Open Hand sweetwater420fest.com atlanta-wineauction.org/industry-tasting April 26 – Atlanta diningoutforoh.org Bacon Fest For more on how to participate in or attend these events, see event websites. To see more March 25 – Dad's Garage Theatre, Atlanta 4th Annual BeltLine Boil upcoming industry events, check out baconfestatl.com April 2 – Inman Park, Atlanta restaurantinformer.com/restaurantbusinessevents. beltlineboil.com PREFERRED SUPPLIER LIST The companies listed below are leaders in the restaurant industry and should be considered a part of any restauranteur’s preferred supplier list. Each of these suppliers participates in Restaurant INFORMER’s Power of Eight marketing program. To learn more about this program, call 719.599.7220 or email [email protected]

1.866.512.3129 [email protected] gas-south.com/gra Gas South is one of Georgia’s leading natural gas providers serving more than 260,000 customers throughout the state. We’re proud to serve the restaurant industry and are pleased to provide discounted rates and waive customer service fees for GRA members.

404.316.9981 [email protected] www.georgiapower.com/foodservice Georgia Power’s Foodservice Team offers consulting services recommending the most cost-efficient electric cooking equipment options available to commercial kitchen operators.

678.424.4000 [email protected] postec.com Independent provider of custom POS solutions and award-winning support services. Top-of-the-line hardware and software coupled with custom-designed solutions and backed by a support system to provide value to your business.

678. 279.8041 [email protected] www.rdspos.com Provider of Aloha POS Systems, the management solutions forQSR, fine dining and franchise establishments. Excellent service and support packages tailored to our clients needs.

404.351.2502 770.416.6490 770.971.2800 www.restaurantdepot.com Full-line foodservice cash and carry supplier. Open seven days a week, wholesale only. Not open to public.

678.380.1212 [email protected] savdist.com Georgia’s oldest wine and spirits wholesaler specializing in craft beer, craft spirits and a diverse portfolio of wines from around the world.

404.765.9900 [email protected] www.syscoatlanta.com A leading foodservice marketer and distributor. Sysco distributes food and related products to restaurants, nursing homes, schools, hospitals, and other related venues.

770.774.8300 [email protected] www.usfoods.com US Foods®, your official food supplier, offers a broad range of products from national brands, private label, exclusive brands, equipment and supplies to all segments of the foodservice and hospitality industry.

RestaurantINFORMER.com | 31 RESTAURANT REPORT

Yard House Fred’s Meat & Meat Anh’s Kitchen Est. Opening Date: March 2017 Est. Opening Date: April 2017 Est. Opening Date: 1st Quarter of 2017 825 Battery Ave. (The Battery Atlanta) 75 Fifth St. (The Canteen) 855 Peachtree St. NE Atlanta 30339 Atlanta 30308 Atlanta 30308 American fusion cuisine, gluten-free and vegetarian options Classic sandwiches, hand-cut fries, old-school sodas from The Vietnamese concept from owners of MF Sushi. General Muir team Figo Pasta Makimono Est. Opening Date: April 2017 Grindhouse Killer Burgers Est. Opening Date: 1st Quarter of 2017 2080 Defoor Ave. NW Est. Opening Date: Spring 2017 99 Krog St. (Krog Street Market) Atlanta 30318 701 Memorial Drive SE Atlanta 30307 Relocation of existing Collier Road location. Italian menu, full Atlanta 30316 Take away sushi bar concept with to-order sushi rolls and bar available Burgers, sliders, no ABC. Biergarten-style patio with outdoor cooked bowls. games and classic movies projected. Bar Mercado Frankie’s The Steakhouse Est. Opening Date: April/May 2017 Festivals Jerk Chicken Grill 99 Krog St. NE (Krog Street Market) Est. Opening Date: 1st Quarter of 2017 Est. Opening Date: 1st Quarter of 2017 6500 Sugarloaf Pkwy. Atlanta 30307 925 Garrett St., Ste. L From the Castellucci Hospitality Group, Spanish-style tapas, Duluth 30097 Atlanta 30316 full bar. High-end steakhouse offering Italian classic dishes. Full bar. Jerk chicken, pork and fish; hoagies and flatbreads; tacos and quesadillas. Beer and wine. Jai Ho Indian Kitchen & Bar Coalition Food and Beverage Est. Opening Date: May 2017 Spiller Park Coffee Est. Opening Date: Summer 2017 560 Dutch Valley Road NE Est. Opening Date: 1st Quarter of 2017 Corner of Milton Ave. and Canton St. Atlanta 30324 2969 North Druid Hills Road NE (Toco Hills Shopping Alpharetta 30009 From owners of Savi Provisions, upscale Indian fusion and Center) American wood-fired classics from owners of Table & Main. full bar. Full bar. Atlanta 30329 Coffee, espresso, hot chocolate, teas, toast, grab-and-go Radial Cafe yogurt and granola. Adriana Est. Opening Date: Spring 2017 Est. Opening Date: 2nd Quarter of 2017 3725 Main St. Marguerite’s Jerk Bistro 4403 Northside Pkwy. NW (Post Riverside) Atlanta 30337 Atlanta 30327 Traditional breakfast, lunch; dinner entrees of short ribs, Est. Opening Date: 1st Quarter of 2017 Northern Italian fare using seasonal foods from 30 local farms. briskets, burgers and more. Full bar available. 1039 Grant St. SE (The Beacon Atlanta) Full bar. Atlanta 30315 Queenies Jerk chicken, turkey, shrimp, oxtails, curry goat, Cocoloco rice and more. Est. Opening Date: 1st Quarter of 2017 Donetto 151 Main St. Est. Opening Date: 2nd Quarter of 2017 Canton 30114 SAMA Food for Balance 976 Brady Ave. (Stockyards Atlanta) Southern-style meals made from scratch from the owners of Est. Opening Date: 1st Quarter of 2017 Menu currently in development. Goin’ Coastal. 56 East Andrews Drive NW, STe. 20 Atlanta 30305 Cactus House PizzaFire Build your own bowls using non-GMO, organic and locally Est. Opening Date: 2nd Quarter of 2017 Est. Opening Date: 1st Quarter of 2017 grown ingredients. Vegan, paleo and gluten-free options. 1020 Piedmont Ave. NE 804 Town Blvd. Atlanta 30309 Atlanta 30319 Longleaf Fast-casual taqueria, full bar. Fast-casual eatery where diners create their own pies. Est. Opening Date: 1st Quarter of 2017 1345 Piedmont Ave. NE (Atlanta Botanical Gardens) TGM Bagel Yalla Atlanta 30309 Est. Opening Date: 2nd Quarter of 2017 Est. Opening Date: 1st Quarter of 2017 Relaunch of the former Linton’s in the Garden; menu currently 75 Fifth St. (The Canteen) 75 Fifth St. NW (The Canteen) in development. Atlanta 30308 Atlanta 30308 Bagel concept from The General Muir team. From The General Muir team, second location of Mediterra- nean concept with falafel, lamb kebab, shawarma and more.

The information provided on this page on current real estate transactions, leases signed, ownership changes and business brokerage activity is provided by Restaurant Activity Report, P.O. Box 201, Willow Springs, NC 27592; (443) 974-8897; [email protected]; restaurantactivityreport.com

32 | Restaurant INFORMER March 2017 “I CUT MY ENERGY COSTS BY OVER 7,000 EGGS. ”

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To learn more, call us at 1-877-310-5607 or go to georgiapower.com/commercialsavings. ©2017 Georgia Power. Actual energy cost savings vary by customer. Person pictured is ﬁ ctitious. RestaurantINFORMER.com | 33