FALL 2019 Fall 2019 Usfoods.Com/Foodfanatics

PLUS page 68 Picture This Picture Build Instagram-worthy plates, page 57 MONEY & SENSE MONEY Remote Controls Remote Ghost kitchens go the distance, page 47 Suit Up Suit FOOD PEOPLE FOOD Cash in on business diners,

Sharing the Love of Food—Inspiring Business Success Business of Food—Inspiring Sharing the Love

FOOD page 4

Next gen chilies pay off,

Compounding Interest Compounding

SPREAD THE FAT THE F WORD THE

FOOD FANATICS THE F WORD FALL 2019 Fall 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics

Small business is no small task. So Progressive offers commercial auto and business FOOD MONEY & SENSE insurance that makes protecting yours no big deal. COMPOUNDING INTEREST REMOTE CONTROLS Next gen chilies pay off with Ghost kitchens go the distance Local Agent | ProgressiveCommercial.com more than heat. with delivery. 4 57 HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW CHEWING THE FAT How FOMO fuels pop-ups. Cooking with the F word is back in a 62 big way. 14 IN EVERY ISSUE SEASON’S EATINGS TREND TRACKER Profit from holiday dine-in and What’s on the radar, at high alert takeout options. and fading out? 23 44 SPEAK THE NEW LANGUAGE OF SPICE IHELP Fluency starts by understanding The plus side of re-examining global commonalities. accounting strategies. 34 60 PR MACHINE FOOD PEOPLE Work gimmicky food holidays. WORKING THE WORKERS 66 How to succeed with business diners. 47 ASK THE EXPERTS Answers to everyday problems. SPEAK EASY 67 Award-winning chef Edouardo Jordan on breaking barriers. Go behind the BEYOND THE PLATE 50 scenes for the Plating strategies that win over making of the fall diners at first sight. issue at usfoods. 68 ROAD TRIP! com/foodfanatics. Taste North Carolina’s trifecta triangle. 54 ON THE COVER I’LL DRINK TO THAT! With greater The steep profits of tea. acceptance of fat 72 among diners, chefs can be more open about using schmaltz, BY THE NUMBERS pictured, and other Here’s the beef.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVA KOLENKO EVA BY PHOTOGRAPHY fats, page 14. 76

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Our world is getting smaller and more accessible by the day, a USFoods.com/foodfanatics trend that is unmistakably apparent in the foodservice industry. As global ﬂ avors continue to grow in popularity, diners are being US FOODS ADVISORY BOARD President and Chief Executive Officer connected more than ever to new cultures and cuisines. Once- Pietro Satriano exotic tastes are being shared with, and increasingly demanded Chief Merchandising Officer Andrew Iacobucci by, the American diner.

Senior Vice President, Marketing Diane Hund Tapping into that trend is the subject of our cover story. As we Vice President, Creative Jovo Balach open up the global pantry for a peek inside, we encourage you to Manager, Content Marketing open your mind. Discover a world of far-ﬂ ung ﬂ avors, spices and Jasmine Jones ingredients, and introduce them to your diners. Trust us: they’ll be

CHEF CONTRIBUTORS/RESTAURANT OPERATION CONSULTANTS pleased to make the acquaintance. Angela Joy, Phoenix Erin Gonzales, Plymouth, MN Ryan Hicks, Eastern North Carolina Lance Reynolds, Phoenix That’s where this issue starts to heat up. First, we explain how chiles are heating up menus, demonstrating their versatility and

PUBLISHING PARTNER proﬁ tability. We then remove the taboo from a culinary F-word, by

Prop Stylist helping you rediscover the beneﬁ ts, indispensability and joy of fat. Amy Paliwoda Content Chief Then we’re off on a road trip to the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Laura Yee Feedback ON-DEMAND We welcome your comments. Triangle in North Carolina, where we unveil a world of bold ﬂ avors. Creative Director Contact Food Fanatics at: Joline Rivera [email protected] Managing Editor Contact Bite This Media at: And because we’re always on the lookout for new opportunities for Peter Gianopulos [email protected] you, we get down to business: in our Money & Sense section, you’ll Contributing Writers Unless otherwise specified, all Lisa Arnett correspondence sent to Food learn how a pop-up restaurant can help a new chef or established Kate Bernot Fanatics is assumed for publication Min Casey and becomes the copyright restaurant group create buzz, or test a neighborhood before putting Amber Gibson property of US Foods. Alison Grant Alicia Kennedy Advertising Information down permanent roots. Food holidays are a great marketing tactic, Matt Kirouac For rates and a media kit, contact Kate Leahy Jasmine Jones, (847) 720-2578 or and you’ll get advice on how to leverage social media – and a Liz Logan email [email protected]. OPA! Megan Rowe simple hashtag to turn an otherwise average day into an event. Food Fanatics is the go-to source for the foodservice industry and Copy Editor anyone truly passionate about Finally, discover how to capitalize on the business diner crowd, Natalie Jew food, food people and improving the bottom line. Issued quarterly making the most of encounters with open expense accounts. Cover Photography and hand-delivered to readers, the Eva Kolenko magazine is a US Foods publication produced by Bite This Media. Photographers In the restaurant world, the ground never stops shifting. As always, Eva Kolenko For more information on the Frank Lawlor Food Fanatics program, visit we’re here with trends and tips to help you stay a step ahead. USFoods.com/foodfanatics. Food Stylist All rights reserved. © Adam Pearson Enjoy the issue!

About US Foods US Foods is one of America’s great food companies and a leading ® foodservice distributor, partnering with approximately 250,000 chefs, With Molly’s Kitchen Spinach & Cheese Filos, it’s easy to offer restaurateurs and foodservice operators to help their businesses succeed. With nearly 25,000 employees and more than 60 locations, US your guests a rich, savory slice of Greece. Known traditionally as Foods provides its customers with a broad and innovative food offering and a comprehensive suite of e-commerce, technology and business spanakopita, this crisp, flaky filo triangle filled with spinach, feta solutions. US Foods is headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois, and generates approximately $25 billion in annual revenue. Discover more at usfoods.com. and cream cheese is a distinctly delicious appetizer that bakes Andrew Iacobucci from frozen in 10 minutes or less. Chief Merchandising Ofﬁ cer ® For more information, visit usfoods.com US Foods or contact your US Foods® representative. 9300 W. Higgins Rd. Suite 500 Rosemont, IL 60018 (847) 720-8000 EXCLUSIVE usfoods.com BRAND © 2019 US Foods, Inc. 06-2019-FOF-2019051711 FOOD

Next gen chilies pay off with more than heat

By MATT KIROUAC Photography EVA KOLENKO Prop Styling AMY PALIWODA Food Styling ADAM PEARSON Compounding Interest

Chilies add heat and complexity to ingredients, such as butter, opposite page.

4 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 5 EVER SINCE A CERTAIN BUILD-YOUR-OWN BURRITO CHAIN

TRANSFORMED THE Urfa chilies from Turkey produce an Beer-battered Heirloom Corbaci equally balanced kick of sweetness and Peppers with Pepper Jam HUMBLE CHIPOTLE spice. Jimmy Papadopoulos of Bellemore in Chef Conrad Gonzales INTO A CULINARY ICON, Chicago sources these dark, maroon-hued Valle Fresh, Los Alamos, California peppers as dried, ground flakes and uses DINERS HAVE BEEN them in marinades for chicken, lamb and 2 eggs sturdy vegetables, such as broccoli. “Urfa 8 ounces beer, hop-forward flavor DOWN WITH ALL THINGS chilies deliver a uniquely complex and deep 1 teaspoon chili powder flavor,” says Papadopoulos. “It provides a 1 teaspoon paprika CAPSICUM-PACKED. beautiful warming burn that never becomes 1 teaspoon garlic powder Add America’s obsession with hot sauces, overbearing but reminds you it’s a chili.” 1 pound corbaci peppers the spike in spicy fast-food offerings and Espelette pepper, which hails from the 1 pinch pepper the growing love for international cuisines French side of Basque Country, grows 1 teaspoon salt, plus extra for seasoning and it’s clear diners’ want extra heat. on chef Sean Fowler’s family farm near Freshly ground black pepper, if desired In response, chefs are spotlighting chilies his Raleigh, North Carolina, restaurant, 1 cup tempura flour native to Asian, Indian, Latin American Mandolin. Commonly dried, ground and Vegetable or other oil for frying and Middle Eastern cuisine. They’re using used like cayenne, the pepper is used fresh 1 tablespoon jalapeno jam, recipe follows them as a relatively inexpensive source of to make hot sauces. Fowler also adds a Manchego cheese, grated, as needed heat, which are delivering richly nuanced pinch to his coffee meets Videri chocolate Turkish sumac, as needed flavor notes that turn one-dimensional fire chess pie for a pop of flavor. “They’re really into multidimensional spice. Jalapenos the perfect pepper,” he says, “imparting In a bowl, whisk together eggs, beer and all and milder peppers have their place, but modest to medium heat, with nuanced seasonings, except sumac. Whisk in flour to form chilies such as the Japanese sansho and the floral notes.” a thin batter (but thick enough to coat peppers). Turkish urfa are stepping up menus. ✱ Naked and Unafraid Lightly coat peppers with batter and fry 10 to ✱ Fruit Meets Fire In terms of profitability, blistered pepper 12 minutes in 350 to 365 F preheated oil or until For dishes that don’t need to scale heat starters are the french fries of the appetizer lightly golden brown. Transfer to paper-lined in Scoville units, look for chilies that world: Inexpensive and easy to prepare, bowl to drain. Season with salt and pepper. deliver a slow steady burn instead of they’re also spicy enough to inspire diners throat-clutching heat. Start with costeno to order plenty of beer or cocktails. Rather Place a layer of jalapeno jam on center of plate chilies from Oaxaca, recommends chef than stick to old standbys—like jalapeno then place corbaci peppers on top. Sprinkle Katy Smith of Puesto, a growing Southern poppers or pan-fried shishitos—try a lesser- cheese on top. Finish with heavy pinch of California-based Mexican concept. known pepper. sumac. Instead of the fiery red-hued costeno At Valle Fresh in Los Alamos, California, chilies, she prefers the nutty dark-fruit Conrad Gonzales uses Turkish corbaci For jalapeno jam: Chop 2 poblano peppers, flavors of the milder yellow-skinned peppers. “They’re sweet to mild,” says 2 Anaheim chili peppers and 10 jalapenos, varieties. They produce a versatile puree Gonzales, “and have a strong smell like discarding seeds depending on desired heat. that pairs well with pork and chicken. The they’re going to be spicy.” He lightly Place all peppers into a saucepan with 1 cup of puree’s texture hovers between ketchup batters and deep-fries them before adding apple cider vinegar and 1 small packet of pectin. and tomato paste, which concentrates the garnishes, including jalapeno jelly, shaved Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Add 5 Fried corbaci chili flavor without overwhelming the other sheep’s milk cheese and sumac. cups of sugar and return to a boil for 1 minute, peppers add ingredients. “It reminds me of a mild curry,” Peppers also play a pivotal role in Spanish stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim swagger to she says. “Intensely flavored but not spicy.” and Basque cuisines. At Duende in Oakland, off foam. menus.

6 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 7 Costeno Amarillo, Mexico Flavor profile: Lighter and fruitier than red costenos, with Heat citrus notes on the back end. Last seen: A yellow mole made with costeno amarillos complements banana leaf- Seekers wrapped sea bass at Caracol in Across the globe, Houston. peppers come in all different sizes, flavor profiles and heat levels. Aji Amarillo, Peru Flavor profile: Bright and fruity yet quite spicy, hovering between habaneros and jalapenos. Last seen: At La Mar Cebichería in San Francisco, Guajillo, Mexico the house’s Arroz Norteno Flavor profile: Surprisingly (Peruvian wok-fried rice) mild with undercurrents of comes topped with a smooth cranberries. aji amarillo cream. Last seen: At Opus Co. in Seattle, chef Mark Schroder dresses mussels with guajillo chili and pairs it with a carrot slaw.

Choricero, Spain Flavor profile: Offers a mild, rich, earthy flavor that’s especially beneficial to soup and sauces. Also excellent for flavoring oil. Urfer Biber, Turkey Last seen: Chef Paul Canales Flavor Profile: Smoky makes a salsa with it to pair chocolate-like sweetness that’s with musky meats. Turn to ideal for rubs and heavy stews. page 10 for the recipe. Last seen: Robert Curtis of Hazel in Washington, D.C., uses urfa peppers and mala oil to give roasted broccoli raab a sweet-spicy edge.

8 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 FOR ME, PEPPERS ARE TO INDIAN CUISINE AS SUGAR IS TO CANDY. —Chef Hemant Mathur of Miami’s Maska

California, chef Paul Canales turns versatile Roasted Lamb with choricero peppers into salsas for musky Choricero Salsa meats, including lamb, but also has a sweet Chef Paul Canales spot for guindillas, a mildly spicy pepper Duende, Oakland, California that’s similar to a banana or yellow wax pepper. “They’re best,” he says, “served like ¹⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra Padron peppers—blistered and dusted with for brushing sea salt and a squirt of lemon.” Tell servers 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped to suggest a sherry with it. ½ cup Marcona almonds, roughly chopped ¹⁄3 cup choricero paste ✱ Look to the Far East 1 teaspoon pimenton picante Few peppers are as versatile as a Japanese 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar sansho. Though not a chili, its heat and 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra spice can be numbing. At Avery in San for seasoning Francisco, Rodney Wages uses green 1 rack of lamb sansho for balance. “Japanese green sansho Freshly ground black pepper, to taste is much more citrusy and not as numbing as the typical Sichuan peppers you’d see in Heat oil in a small saucepan with garlic until it Chinese cuisines,” says Wages. He seasons sizzles; add Marcona almonds and reduce heat grilled sturgeon with sansho powder and to medium low and saute 1 or 2 minutes. Add serves it with an onion soubise and an choricero paste and pimenton picante (hot artichokes barigoule. “The idea behind the Spanish paprika) and cook for another minute. sansho was to add a citrusy note,” he says. Finish with 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar and 1 “After you’re eating the dish, the sansho teaspoon salt. Remove pan from heat; set aside. kind of lingers in your mouth, and it makes you keep thinking about the dish.” Brush lamb with olive oil and season well with At Miami’s Maska, chef Hemant Mathur salt and pepper. Brown top and bottom in a uses reshampatti peppers, a dark red chili saute pan over high heat. Place lamb in low- commonly used in India’s Jaipur region, sided baking pan fitted with a rack and roast where they’re dried and ground or blended in a preheated 500 F oven. Check internal into pastes for curries, chutneys and meaty temperature after about 8 minutes. When proteins, including laal maas, a chili- and temperature reaches 125 F, remove rack from yogurt-marinated lamb. oven and let rest for at least 15 minutes, until “For me, peppers are to Indian cuisine medium-rare. as sugar is to candy,” says Mathur. “I encourage people to introduce more Slice rack of lamb into chops and place A salsa made peppers in their cooking; start with the face-up onto a warm platter. Drizzle any resting from choricero paste wins milder ones and see how they enhance the juices over chops. Top with a generous with hearty flavors of your dish. Go ahead, spice up spoonful of the choricero salsa onto each chop. fall proteins, your life a little.” Makes 3 to 4 servings. especially lamb.

10 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 11 Citrus Chili Butter Chef Moosah Reaume Commons Club, Chicago

800 grams red finger chilies, half seeded and stemmed 100 grams red Thai chilies, seeded and stemmed 90 grams kosher salt, plus extra as needed 50 grams orange peel, pith removed 25 grams garlic, chopped 5 grams grapefruit zest 5 pounds unsalted cultured butter 31 grams lemon zest 27 grams Aleppo pepper

21 grams orange zest ® The Chocolate Resource BACK-OF-HOUSE 14 grams lime zest

Place chilies, salt, orange peel and garlic into a food processor to make red chili ferment. Puree RELIABILITY until smooth, transfer to a narrow container and let sit in a warm place for 24 hours. Strain 30 minutes in a chinois. Fold in grapefruit zest.

Meanwhile, beat butter with 64 grams chili ® ferment until homogeneous. Fold in remaining –––––––– ingredients plus salt to taste. Add to seafood, such as seared scallops (pictured) or roast chicken. n FOR ––––FRONT-OF-HOUSE–––– SUCCESS.

Conﬁ dence for you. Superior ﬂ avor for your guests.

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Chewing the Fat

Cooking with the once ostracized F word is back in a big way

By MIN CASEY Photography EVA KOLENKO Prop Styling AMY PALIWODA Food Styling ADAM PEARSON

14 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 15 Beef tallow Geraldine’s Pig changes Face Candy Bar everything, elevates fat to especially for basting and glossing steaks, caramelizes another level. frying fries. onions in schmaltz and makes “pulled” shortrib tacos in smoked beef fat, almost like rillettes. Thanks to nose-to-tail dining and a spike in high-protein, low-carb diets, chefs across the country are once again experimenting with everything from marrow to duck and goose fat as well as lard, schmaltz, tallow, suet, drippings, caul and even lamb fat. Whether it’s chef Isaac Toups’ confit chicken thighs with collards at Toups’ Eatery in New Orleans or chef Ori Menashe’s roasted bone marrow spinach gnocchetti with citrusy bread crumbs and aged balsamic at Bestia in Lost Angeles, fat is producing deeply flavorful and richly textured dishes that appeal to the carb- conscious and carnivores alike.

Pig Face Candy Bar Chef Stephen Bonin Geraldine’s, Austin, Texas

1 pound marbled heritage pork head meat with fat, diced 2 tablespoons pork stock 1 tablespoon pickled mustard seed 1 tablespoon caraway mustard 1½ teaspoons green onion, charred 1½ teaspoons salt AS FAR AS SCOTT 1½ teaspoons shallot, minced CAMPBELL IS CONCERNED, ½ teaspoon garlic, minced ½ teaspoon tarragon, minced MEAT FAT IS A KITCHEN ¼ teaspoon parsley, minced SUPERSTAR FOR BASTING, Raw sugar Pear and jalapeno chow chow or other BOOSTING FLAVOR AND pickled relish ENHANCING TEXTURE. Housemade crackers, your recipe “It never disappoints,” says Campbell, the executive chef at Butcher & Banker in New Combine pork and pork stock in a Cryovac bag York City. “A little duck fat or tallow, it’s and sous vide at 180 F for 12 hours. like having the 64-color box of crayons. There’s nothing it can’t do. But for a while, Combine pork, mustard seed, mustard, green it wasn’t something diners wanted to know onion, salt, shallot, garlic, tarragon and parsley; about. Fat was a little scary.” grind with medium die plate. Line small sheet After some nutritionists declared fat tray with plastic wrap, pack mixture in even layer as verboten, many diners shunned it, too, and wrap in several layers plastic. Chill 24 hours. while olive oil became the new golden Carefully unmold; cut into 4-by-1-inch portions. › child. “You couldn’t even say the word ‘lard’ much less use it,” recalls Campbell, At service, coat top with even layer of raw sugar. who calls on it with abandon. He renders With hand torch, brulee sugar until crackly and tallow from the trim of aged prime beef for crisp. Serve with chow chow and crackers.

16 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 17 Sauteing with schmaltz adds dimension.

Pick a Fat, Any Fat Gio Osso, chef of Virtu in Scottsdale, Tennessee, wasn’t taught to work with Arizona, can’t imagine not taking anything but butter in his early years, but advantage of meat fat. “It’s a flavor bomb when he made a pie crust with leaf lard, he that explodes in your mouth,” he says. became a convert. “As a Southern boy, it’s “We’ll do grilled asparagus tossed in hard for me to say this, but even my mother garlic butter and topped with a duck egg, taught me wrong,” he admits. candied bacon and foie gras hollandaise.” Inspired by Emeril Lagasse’s “fat is His spin on eggs Benedict relies on foie fat flavor” mantra, Niel often uses lard rather than butter for its silken finish. He and tallow, in part because they’re by- also confits short ribs in beef tallow. “It products of the butchering he does at gives a beautiful texture and really beefy Main Street Meats. He also uses duck fat flavor,” notes Osso. “Guests say they taste to make simple sautes and wraps proteins beef instead of braising liquid.” He’s also in lacy sheets of caul fat. “I love what caul served lamb braciole, which is stuffed in fat does, melting entirely into the sausage, a traditional Neapolitan way and then leaving incredible flavor,” cooked in rendered lamb fat. “I didn’t order he says. enough last time,” he says. “We ran out AS A halfway through Saturday night.” Duck and Take Cover New to Osso’s lineup is fat rendered from Meat fats aren’t limited to preparations. duck breasts that have been house-smoked Chef Adam Wendt’s fried duck fat chicken MATTER over hay, coffee beans or fruitwood. He nuggets served with garlic-ranch and uses it for a dressing, mixing it with sherry honey-Dijon dipping sauces were an vinegar. “It’s great with swordfish collars, instant hit when The Feller, inside the Spilt cut with a bone to look like tomahawk Milk Tavern, opened in Chicago. “They’re OF FAT steak,” he says. super moist and juicy with strong poultry The saturated fats found in meat Trevor Hoyte of Machine in Chicago flavor. The duck fat puts them exactly long have been blamed for a litany of also reaches for foie gras to enhance a where we want them to be,” Wendt says. He health woes, but Nina Tiecholz, adjunct seemingly simple preparation of mussels also adds duck fat to sherry-onion jam that professor at New York University and in broth. “The foie melts and brings tops cheeseburgers, while rendered tallow author of “The Big Fat Surprise,” insists roundness and complexity. It doesn’t hit is earmarked for gussied up gorditas. it’s largely unfounded hooey. you 100 percent that it’s from foie gras, “Thing is, fats are essential. They carry but it takes the dish to another dimension, flavor, keep foods from being dry and are “Saturated fats have been unfairly bringing an almost umami-like quality.” integral to everything,” says Wendt. “For vilified and do not cause heart disease To keep the richness in balance, Hoyte chefs, meat fats are right up there with salt the way they’ve been portrayed,” she finishes the dish with pickled fennel. “The as an indispensable ingredient.” says, adding that this hypothesis, which acidity adds balance,” he says. Deneb Williams, CEO and chef of WM emerged in the 1950s, hasn’t been At Geraldine’s in Austin, Texas, chef Restaurants in Sacramento, California, scientifically proven despite testing Stephen Bonin’s pig face candy bar has including its flagship restaurant Allora, in rigorous trials. “But we’ve believed been a surprise hit. A rustic, country-style is such a fan that he describes animal fat it for so long that there is a whole pate made from pig head is formed into as an ingredient and a technique. “When system of recommendations around logs and cut into uniform rectangles. A you talk about infusing foods with flavor, it.” Indeed, a 2014 article in the Annals bruleed sugar finish adds a bittersweet good culinary fat really is the best,” he says. of Internal Medicine concurred, saying counterpoint to the rich base. “It’s worlds better than hydrogenated oils, it had found no evidence to support purer and healthier. Any day of the week guidelines that say people should Heeding the Caul I believe people want real food. It leads restrict saturated fat consumption to Erik Niel, chef-owner of Easy Bistro & Bar people back to what is natural, and that’s lower their risk of heart disease. and Main Street Meats in Chattanooga, always better.”

18 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 Green Tea-Brined Quail Crepinette Chef-owner Erik Niel Easy Bistro & Bar and Main Street Meats, ... FATS ARE Chattanooga, Tennessee ESSENTIAL. THEY 2 quarts water ¼ cup matcha green tea ½ cup sugar CARRY FLAVOR, ½ cup kosher salt 20 black peppercorns KEEP FOODS FROM 6 fresh bay leaves 1 head black garlic, peeled BEING DRY AND 6 whole quail breasts, boneless 6 sheets caul fat, about ¼ pound ARE INTEGRAL TO Butter for basting EVERYTHING.” Heat water to a simmer and add green tea, stir. —Adam Wendt of Chicago’s The Feller Add sugar, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves and garlic; cool. Add quail and brine for 12 to 24 hours.

Remove quail from brine and pat dry. Wrap each quail in a sheet of caul fat, trimming any excess. Roast in a preheated 325 F oven in cast iron until birds are cooked through. Remove from oven and baste with butter to crisp the caul fat. n BIG FAT SECRETS? Whether it’s wise to call out specific fats on a menu has always been open for debate. While duck fat fries always seem to draw crowds, Butcher & Banker’s Scott Campbell doesn’t specifically mention that his steaks are basted in beef fat or that his short ribs are confited in smoked fat: “If someone asks, our servers describe the preparations and ingredients. But the truth? Sometimes they’re happier if they don’t know.”

Easy Bistro & Bar’s Erik Niel says if you don’t see it on the plate, it doesn’t have to be mentioned on the menu: “If there’s something you don’t put in your body, you tell me rather than the other way around. I’m here to make it good.”

20 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 SEASON’S EATINGS SEASON’S EVA KOLENKO EVA Photography ARNETT LISA By Prop Styling AMY PALIWODA Food Styling ADAM PEARSON Styling Food

Shelf-Stable, Plant-Based California Dried Fruit Toppings are Essential for Every Kitchen Pantry. Using premium dried fruit as a topping results in better visual A desire for healthier, cleaner and taste appeal. Menu items lifestyles is motivating consumers with dried fruit offer nutrient Riffs on to incorporate more natural, dense flavor with a vibrant color, classics and plant-based ingredients such as making them a smart topping for Increasingly, dried fruits into their diets. consumers and operators alike! diners want celebratory someone else to prepare touches turn holiday meals. a holiday For more information, please call 1-888-708-2222 profit or email us at [email protected] For the Birds Sous Vide Peruvian Turkey Turkey is still king for Thanksgiving, Chef Cliff Denny especially if it’s prepared with creative Andina, Portland, Oregon bastes and brines. At Colorado-based ViewHouse, executive chef Alex Pineda 4 quarts water serves roasted turkey breasts, brushing 1 cup kosher salt, plus extra as needed them with a honey glaze flecked with ½ cup sugar thyme, rosemary and parsley. “By not ½ cup pisco preparing and serving a whole turkey, we 6 garlic cloves, crushed, divided use save on labor and time and there is less 6 sprigs fresh thyme, divided use waste in giving our guests what we are sure 3 sprigs rosemary they will enjoy,” says Pineda. The approach 3 sprigs fresh sage also applies to takeout for those who prefer 2 aji amarillo chilies the breast portions over dark meat. 2 bay leaves To ensure a moist product, Denny serves 1 tablespoon juniper berries sous vide turkey breast brined with pisco 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns and aji amarillo, a mild Peruvian pepper, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use to stay in line with the South American Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste concept. The plate is accompanied by a 3 tablespoons unsalted butter As more Americans run short on time and gooseberry compote and rustic crushed 2 turkey breasts, skin on adopt a “why cook and make a mess when potatoes. Oil, as needed you don’t have to” approach to the holidays, For last year’s annual holiday lunch, No. restaurants are stepping in with takeout 9 Park in Boston served a seared goose Bring water, salt and sugar to a boil. Add and dine-in options for Thanksgiving, breast and confit leg meat with fried sweet pisco, 4 garlic cloves, 4 sprigs of thyme, HanukkahA and Christmas. potato, an orange canele and kale pistou rosemary, sage, chilies, bay leaves, juniper Some 45% of millennials who eat turkey made with Parmesan, lemon zest and chili berries, peppercorns and 1 tablespoon likely would purchase a prepared bird flakes. Limited quantities added to the unsalted butter. Simmer for 1 minute; cool. for a holiday meal, according to a 2019 appeal. “There are only two killings of Technomic trend report. Technomic data geese,” says chef de cuisine Heather Neri. Brine breast for 24 hours; discard brine, also shows that of the consumers who order “So once we order them, that’s all we get. rinse breasts and pat dry. Season breasts catering for social occasions, 59% use it for People were so excited about it.” with kosher salt and ground black the holidays. pepper. Place in the sous vide bag with 2 “We double our revenue on busy holiday tablespoons butter and a sprig of thyme. days,” says Cliff Denny, executive chef Seal. at Andina in Portland, Oregon, which cranked out a Thanksgiving tasting menu Sous vide breasts for 2½ hours at 145 F. for 700 covers last year. At service, sear breasts skin-side down Traditional offerings, such as turkey, in an oiled cast-iron skillet until lightly stuffing and apple pie, are common but golden brown. Add remaining garlic, butter Creative brines and thyme and shake pan to distribute more often than not, selections are for holiday tweaked, imprinted with the restaurant’s turkeys can ingredients, spooning butter over the breast. concept or subverted for a new take on bring in the Cook until crispy, turn over, remove from a classic. big bucks. heat, rest and serve. Makes 2 to 4 servings.

24 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 25 A fall salad of Broccolini, apples and feta rounds out holiday offerings. Revamped Sides Warm Broccolini and Compressed Bone Marrow Matzo Balls Diners flock to creative sides that retain Apple Salad Chef Jeremy Salaman some tradition, whether the audience is Chef Bobby Hodge The Eddy, New York dine-in or takeout. “A little bit of a modern Oak Steakhouse, Nashville, Tennessee touch or flair is totally appropriate, but I 8 tablespoons marrow (from about 13 try and hit as close to home as possible,” 3 large honey crisp apples, diced small pounds beef bones) says Jeremy Salamon, executive chef at The 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 eggs, separated Eddy in New York City. For Hanukkah last 2 tablespoons benne seeds, smoked 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped year, he served matzo ball soup inspired 4 bunches Broccolini 2 teaspoons salt by his Nana’s traditional recipe, swapping Olive oil, as needed Pinch of nutmeg, freshly grated schmaltz for bone marrow. Food costs are Salt, as needed 1 cup matzo meal low, and it can be produced in volume—two White balsamic vinaigrette, recipe follows 2 quarts chicken stock necessities for all sides. 1 cup feta Herbs, your choice, to garnish Although casseroles hit those two targets, 5 to 6 radishes, thinly shaved interest in sauce-soaked greens is waning, 2 cups walnuts, toasted and chopped so repurpose broccoli or sprouts into warm Soak marrow bones overnight in salted water salads. At Oak Steakhouse in Nashville, Place apples and apple cider vinegar in a Cryovac to release impurities. Tennessee, chef Bobby Hodge serves a warm bag, seal and let set for 1 hour. broccolini salad with compressed apple, Roast the bones in a preheated 400 F oven white balsamic vinaigrette, feta, smoked Cold-smoke benne seeds by lining a 600 pan for 20 to 30 minutes; cool slightly. benne seeds and shaved radish. “The with hickory chips and topping with a 4-inch compressed apple gives it a little vinegary perforated pan lined with cheesecloth. Pour in benne Push marrow out of bones and transfer to a pop,” says Hodge, “and you’ve got the smoky seeds, cover and cook on stovetop. Once smoke small bowl. Combine with 2 egg yolks, parsley, seeds, salty cheese and peppery radish. It starts to billow, turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes. salt and nutmeg. Add matzo and mix until sells like crazy.” Remove seeds. thoroughly combined.

Blanch Broccolini for 2 minutes, then shock. Toss in In a separate bowl, whip remaining egg olive oil, season with salt and grill until lightly charred. whites until they hold peaks. Gently fold into $ DINE-IN TIPS bone marrow mixture. ❱ Cater to couples by offering special Toss in vinaigrette, top with feta, apples, radishes shareable dishes for two. and walnuts. Sprinkle benne seeds on top to garnish. Form dumplings into small balls. Drop into Makes 4 servings. simmering chicken stock 4 to 5 at a time. ❱ Try a limited-run lunch. If you’re usually closed for lunch, capitalize on the daytime For white balsamic vinaigrette: Whisk Cook for 10 to 15 minutes per batch, then crowd—think holiday shoppers and office 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and 1 teaspoon honey transfer with slotted spoon to a serving bowl. workers looking to celebrate. with 1½ cups white balsamic vinegar. While whisking drizzle in 1½ cups olive oil. Season to taste with lemon Ladle chicken stock over matzo balls and ❱ Set up a buffet to draw special-occasion juice, salt and hot sauce. garnish with herbs. Makes 6 to 8 servings. diners looking for an indulgent all-you- can-eat experience.

❱ Start a specials series that continues over a number of days and encourages repeat business. A LITTLE BIT OF A MODERN TOUCH OR FLAIR IS ❱ Introduce a signature dish with an annual variation. Returning diners relish being a TOTALLY APPROPRIATE, BUT I TRY AND HIT AS part of the tradition. CLOSE TO HOME AS POSSIBLE.” ❱ Advertise far in advance, at least four to —Jeremy Salamon, executive chef at The Eddy in New York City six weeks, with in-store notices as well as social media and print campaigns.

USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 27 BREAK AWAY FROM THE COMPETITION WITH

Maintaining food quality throughout the delivery process and the on-the-go dining experience are vital for repeat customer business. Packaging that prevents leaks and spills and can be used to serve and eat from is critical to successfully delivering the brand ADVERTISEMENTexperience to a variety of different dining hot spots. PAGE 28

EXCLUSIVE BRAND Using bone

® marrow for matzo For more information about Monogram products, balls elevates the please visit www.usfoods.com or contact your local classic soup. US Foods® representative. Turn to page 27 for the recipe.

28© 2019 FOOD US FANATICS Foods, Inc. | FALL All rights2019 reserved. USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 29 The 8 Nights of Latke holiday promotion at Marjie’s Grill includes a Korean-style version.

Regional and Global Influences Korean Seafood Latke Matt Gandin serves a Mexican-style Chef Marcus Jacobs brisket for Hanukkah at Comal in Berkeley, Marjie’s Grill, New Orleans California, which includes an adobo made with ancho chilies, vinegar, garlic clove, 8 russet potatoes, peeled black pepper, allspice and cumin. The and grated brisket is part of a ticketed 24-person 1 large yellow onion, grated dinner called Oaxanukkah served family- ½ cup flour style with tortillas, rice, black beans, salsas 1 tablespoon kosher salt and braised mustard greens. 1 teaspoon black pepper Meanwhile in New Orleans, Marjie’s Grill 1 teaspoon baking powder offers an 8 Nights of Latkes menu featuring 2 eggs riffs on the classic potato-based dish that 1 cup kimchi retains its integrity as a to-go option. “It has ¼ cup shrimp, peeled and become one of the busiest weeks of the year chopped for us,” says owner Caitlin Carney. Recipes ¼ cup chopped squid tentacles include an “everything bagel” latke and a TO-GO ¼ cup chopped oysters Korean seafood latke made with shrimp, Schmaltz or bacon fat for squid, oysters and kimchi. Even with the frying shrimp, squid and oysters, it remains profitable thanks to the low cost of the Toss potatoes and onions. potatoes. Using a cheese cloth or clean Savory bread pudding—with andouille TIPS linen towel, squeeze as much sausage, cheddar, cayenne hot sauce—has water as possible from the been a Southern-inspired hit for David How to maximize holiday takeout potato-onion mix. Guas, chef-owner of Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery in Arlington, Virginia. It’s ❱ Offer complete meals or parts Add flour, salt, pepper and offered as a half or full sheet for large of the meal that diners prefer not to baking powder; mix thoroughly; gatherings and potluck dinners. make, such as gravy and pies, which set aside. are often vexing for home cooks. Seasonal Endings Whisk eggs in separate bowl Pastry chef Ann Kirk veers from the ❱ Provide take-and-bake sides, and add kimchi, shrimp, squid traditional pumpkin pie for a cardamom such as mac and cheese, that can and oysters. Fold mixture into coconut cream pie at Little Dom’s in Los be made at home instead of being potato mixture. Angeles. “Many of our customers entertain warmed. or need host gifts, and the coconut cream Heat enough schmaltz or bacon pie is not only delicious but pretty and fun,” ❱ Offer a variety of sizes. For fat to reach ½-inch deep in a she says. each portion, consider 4 ounces for large cast-iron skillet. In batches For dine-in dessert, an interactive vegetables, 6 ounces for starches to avoid overcrowding the skillet, experience adds to any holiday celebration. and 6 to 8 ounces for proteins. scoop out about 3 tablespoons Barbara Lynch’s No. 9 Park offers a cookie potato mix per pancake. cart, which pastry chef Tab Volpe decks ❱ Sell by the foil pan, quart or out with holiday lights and nostalgic treats, pint-sized containers. Fry for about 4 minutes on including gingerbread and madeleines. each side until golden brown. “Before they were finishing their meal, they ❱ To control food costs and labor, Transfer latkes to a resting rack would look at their servers like, ‘Hey, do I offer a discount for early orders and or a paper towel-lined plate and get the cookie cart?’” Neri says. a surcharge for last minute ones. finish frying. Makes 12 latkes.

30 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 31 Change up a classic dessert Pillsbury™ Delivers with winter squash. the

Honeynut Squash Cheesecake Pastry Chef Lauren Scully Delight of Homemade The Lakehouse, Seattle

1 honeynut squash Same great product from case to case, minimal waste. 8 ounces cream cheese 1½ cups sugar 3 eggs 1 egg yolk Pillsbury™ Biscuits oer superior quality and consistency with a light buttery ﬂavor ¼ cup creme fraiche ½ teaspoon cinnamon that is perfect for both sweet & savory dishes. With a moist, tender center and ¹⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated golden brown crust you can serve scratch-like quality anytime. ¹⁄8 teaspoon cloves 1 tablespoon flour 1 teaspoon vanilla Housemade granola, your recipe Pomegranate seeds, to garnish

Slice squash, scoop out seeds for another use, and roast in a preheated 350 F oven for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost fork tender. Remove a small section to dice for a garnish, return squash to the oven and bake until fork tender. Cool and transfer 15 ounces of squash to a food processor; mix until smooth.

Using paddle attachment in a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth and add sugar, eggs, yolk, creme fraiche, and spices; beat until smooth. Add flour and vanilla and mix until combined.

Pass mixture through a chinois. Scoop batter into desired silicon molds or cake pan and bake in a hot water bath at 325 F for 40 minutes. Check that the cakes have minimal “wobble” after 40 minutes and are properly set.

Remove from oven, cool and chill to allow cheesecakes to setup. Freezing slightly allows for easy unmolding. To plate, serve with granola, pomegranate The key to my success with biscuits, is that I don’t view it as a biscuit. I see a piece and diced squash. Makes 6 to 8 individual cheesecakes. n of dough that can be manipulated to create all sorts of sweet and savory ideas. – Chef Ted, General Mills - Sr. ITQ Chef

To read more from Chef Ted visit his blog at 32 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 GeneralMillsCF.com/culinary/blog/beyond-biscuits Get the recipe for romano beans with baharat and other spices SPEAK on page 36. THE NEW

LANGUAGE OF SPICE

FLUENCY STARTS BY UNDERSTANDING GLOBAL COMMONALITIES By KATE LEAHY Photography EVA KOLENKO Prop Styling AMY PALIWODA Food Styling ADAM PEARSON

USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 35 Dukkah can easily add a Dukkah taste of the Chef Abra Berens Middle East Granor Farm, Three Oaks, Michigan to greens or root vegetables. ½ cup hazelnuts ½ cup almonds ½ cup pistachios ½ cup sunflower seeds THE GUARDRAILS 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon cumin seed ON AMERICAN 1 teaspoon coriander seed CONCEPTS ARE 1 teaspoon kosher salt 02 Make Fresh Spice Blends flavor profiles can be uncannily alike, but Cast-Iron Roasted Romano Beans Toast all the nuts until fragrant; cool. In a When Sarah Schafer cooked at Eleven COMING OFF, each culture takes it to its own place.” Here with Baharat & Charred Garlic Aioli dry frying pan, combine the spices and Madison Park in New York City, the are five ways to turn up the flavor. Chef-owner Sarah Schafer toast over medium heat until fragrant. restaurant shared a backdoor with Floyd ALLOWING LESSER- Irving Street Kitchen, Portland, Oregon Cardoz’s Tabla, allowing her to catch In a food processor or by hand, finely glimpses of the Indian restaurant’s KNOWN SPICES TO 01 4 tablespoons coriander chop the nuts. Add sunflower seeds, glassed-in spice room and watch cooks Spice up Seasonal and Local 4 tablespoons cumin seeds paprika, cumin, coriander and salt. Pulse working with those seasonings. Some of SCORE ON MENUS When San Francisco chefs Gayle Pirie and 4 tablespoons ground black peppercorns a few times to blend. Store in an airtight that spice envy has been remedied at Irving John Clark took over Foreign Cinema in 4 tablespoons cloves container on the counter. Street Kitchen, Schafer’s restaurant in THAT ONCE PLAYED 2001, they planned to continue cooking 1 tablespoon cinnamon Portland, Oregon, where she makes her with local and seasonal ingredients. But 8 teaspoons paprika Recipe adapted from “Ruffage: A Practical own baharat, a blend of chilies, cumin, IT SAFE. their 18,000-square-foot location in San 4 teaspoons chili powder Guide to Vegetables,” by Abra Berens, coriander and warm baking spices. Today, a kaleidoscope of spices and spice Francisco’s Mission District, with its bar, 4 teaspoons ground cardamom Chronicle Books. Even though baharat is more common blends from the Middle East, South Asia restaurant and enclosed patio, was so big 2 teaspoon nutmegs, freshly grated in Arabic cuisines, Schafer finds the and Japan are making headway. It’s OK if a that a menu based solely on seasonal food 2 tablespoons olive oil spice blend works well on her North diner does not know what a particular spice got lost. Their solution: remove muted 2 pounds romano beans, trimmed American menu, where she uses it in a is, let alone can pronounce it. dried herbs and replace them with a broad 1 sliced shallot sherry vinaigrette to accent fried Brussels Even the standard issue is no longer blend of spices. Salt, to taste sprouts or drizzles it over flatbreads and standard. Take paprika: Do you want it “A Provencal brandade got green chilies Lemon wedges, to garnish lentils. Cooking can mute spices, but the smoked, sweet or spicy? and toasted cumin,” Pirie explains. “A Charred aioli, recipe follows vinaigrette keeps flavors bright, Schafer “When I started in culinary school in the traditional seafood stew got a fenugreek says. She also ensures that her cooks blend early 1990s, even fresh herbs were hard to broth. We were supplying everyday things Grind whole spices and combine with remaining and grind only what they can use, as spices get,” reflects Nathan Beauchamp, chef- with a little twist, a unique kind of bite that ones to make baharat; set aside. do have a shelf life, especially after they’re owner of The Fainting Goat in Washington, you couldn’t put your finger on.” ground, Schafer says. D.C. “The world of spices has completely Today, ras el hanout, a North African Heat olive oil in a cast-iron pan over high heat Even though The Fainting Goat is changed for the consumer and the chef.” spice blend that means “top of the shop,” and add beans and 2 teaspoons baharat. Slowly an American gastropub, Beauchamp Spices and spice blends, once uncommon perfumes quail and Madras curry fried cook until they absorb all the spices and oil, about makes his togarashi—short for “shichimi outside of restaurants serving food of a chicken. A mix of four peppercorns (green, 10 to 15 minutes. Add shallots during last 3 to 5 togarashi,” a Japanese seven-spice specific country or region, have become white, black and Sichuan) blended with minutes of cooking and season with salt. Serve mixture—for the same reason Schafer so familiar that chefs without cultural fennel forms a rub for duck breasts. One beans with a few lemon wedges and aioli on the makes baharat: brighter, fresher flavor. allegiances are leveraging these flavors year, the chefs bought ajwain seeds because side for dipping. Made weekly, the blend comprises orange on all parts of the menu—even dessert. of their similarities to cumin and caraway. rinds dehydrated at the restaurant and Last year, the five fastest-growing spices When a friend gave them a bag of cacao To make aioli: Slice the top off 1 head garlic dried red peppers from a local farm. While on menus were star anise, roasted cumin, nibs, they were inspired to blend the nibs and season with kosher alt and pepper. Drizzle traditional togarashi contains sesame anise, furikake and turmeric, according to with ajwain, creating a mole-inspired 1 tablespoon olive oil on top and wrap in foil. seeds, Beauchamp adds benne seeds for market research company Technomic. seasoning for steak. Place into the coals of a fire or a preheated a nuttier flavor. He also ups the zing with Understanding the commonalities Instead of overwhelming the local 375 F oven for 30 minutes or until tender and Sichuan peppercorns. And like Schafer, between the flavor profiles of different produce, the spices remain supporting charred; cool and squeeze garlic from cloves. he uses the spice blend in untraditional cuisines should be the guiding principle actors. Daily staff tastings are essential Chop until smooth and whisk with 1 egg yolk, ways, sprinkling it over avocado toast or in effectively using these spices. “The to ensure some spices—like Sichuan 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard, ¼ cup blending it into mayonnaise to complement blueprint of spice blends is often the same,” peppercorns—haven’t become champagne vinegar and juice of 1 lemon. his perennially popular fried chicken explains Heidi Krahling, chef-owner of overpowering. “The key is how to support Slowly drizzle in ½ cup neutral oil while whisking sandwich served with miso pickles. “I like Insalata’s in San Anselmo, California. the main ingredient and not run it over,” to emulsify. Season with pinch of cayenne and the sweet savory-ness of it, and it’s a little “Take baharat and curry powder: Their Pirie says. salt to taste. spicy as well,” he says.

36 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 37 Ras El Hanout Marshmallow Sift together flours and cornstarch; set aside. To make marshmallows: Whisk 278 grams egg with Graham Sable, Smoked Cream unsalted butter and powdered sugar whites on low speed until soft peaks form. Heat Chocolate and Sea Salt with salt until light and fluffy. Add egg and 790 grams sugar, 160 grams glucose syrup and Pastry chef-owner Megan Fitzroy Phelan mix until combined. Combine wet and dry 235 grams water to 284 F, remove from heat.

Longoven, Richmond, Virginia ingredients and roll out dough to about ¹⁄8-inch With mixer running on low, slowly add hot sugar thick between parchment. Freeze. Cut into 2-inch to softly whipped egg whites. Increase speed to 185 grams flour squares and bake on a silicone-lined sheet tray high and whip. Reduce speed and add 33½ grams 40 grams whole wheat flour in a preheated 320 F oven until golden brown. bloomed gelatin and whip on high speed. Add ras 50 grams cornstarch el hanout to taste and whip until cooled slightly. 145 grams unsalted butter To plate, char the tops of the marshmallow Working quickly, spread out evenly on a silicone- 25 grams powdered sugar cubes with a blow torch; cool slightly. Using a lined and greased half sheet pan. Smooth top as 2 grams salt squeeze bottle, squirt chocolate onto the center flat as possible, then cover with greased plastic 54 grams egg of each graham sable square. Sprinkle with salt wrap. Let cool until set. Marshmallows, recipe follows and top with marshmallow squares. Make dots Smoked milk chocolate, melted, as needed of chocolate on a plate and top each one with Crunchy sea salt, as needed a square. PLANT-BASEDdelicious, SNACKS *

ORDER THROUGH YOUR FOOD SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE TODAY! to go!

USF ASYS 5343456

USF ASYS 654269 USF ASYS 654293 38 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 *Keep Refrigerated. ©2019 Sabra Dipping Company, LLC 03 Serve More Veg 04 Create Next-Level Takeout 05 Find a Sweet Spot Global spices have grown more popular because they draw out the At Insalata’s, Krahling’s main dining room stays true to The pastry side of the menu hasn’t ignored the explosion in savory DINERS AGES innate flavors of vegetables. Mediterranean flavors—she may have a Turkish spoon salad and spice blends. At Longoven in Richmond, Virginia, co-owner/pastry At Bar Beau, an all-day cafe in Brooklyn, New York, Executive an Italian pasta on the menu, but not on the same plate. Yet at chef Megan Fitzroy Phelan was drawn to using ras el hanout in Chef Gemma Kamin-Korn created a dish highlighting carrots for a Insalata’s takeout counter, Krahling can offer more experimental a dessert after honeymooning in Fez, Morocco. There, vendors special dinner. To pique the interest of diners, she relied on a range fare, serving Asian-inspired noodles and Italian meatballs next to created different blends for cooking meat or fish—so why not make 18 TO 34 ARE of spices: In addition to the buttery carrot puree she serves with grain salads accented with harissa or za’atar. a blend suitable for dessert? udon noodles, she also makes a frico with Grana Padano cheese, The reason? Variety generates repeat visits. “A lot of our takeout Inspired by a smoked cinnamon marshmallow she’d made at Madras curry powder and nigella seeds. customers are eating from our takeout several times a week as Daniel in New York, she adds a ras el hanout blend containing “It’s a velvety, luxurious puree with fun flavorful flourishes,” opposed to the restaurant, where customers might come in every spices, such as cumin, ginger, coriander and cloves, to the 18% MORE Kamin-Korn says. “The vegetable is a complement and vehicle to few weeks,” Krahling says. marshmallow at the end of the mixing process so she can check the spices you’re pairing it with—they’re working in tandem.” Parents may order noodles for their kids, then reach for the flavor before pouring the mix into a pan to let it set. To INTERESTED IN NEW lamb grilled with chermoula for themselves. Like the lamb, complement the sweet-savory flavors, she pairs it with whole grain salads also get a flavorful boost from spices. Housemade wheat sables, smoked milk chocolate and flaky salt. Sometimes FLAVORS THAN harissa—containing peppers, coriander, caraway and cumin— adding sweetness unexpectedly to spices can bring out flavors you forms the base of a ginger-accented curry vinaigrette used on may have not noticed before, she explains—and she hasn’t stopped OTHER CONSUMERS. quinoa or toasted farro, giving the grains a flavorful boost that with marshmallows. “Sometimes, adding sweetness to a spice such —Technomic ,Inc. holds up to refrigeration. “Takeout food needs to be familiar and as cumin can bring out subtle flavors you may not have noticed adventurous,” says Krahling. before,” Phelan says.

THE GLOBAL PANTRY, Achiote Madras curry spikes pickled accents butternut FROM ALEPPO TO ZA’ATAR mussels, grilled squash puree, flatbread, carrot slaw coconut milk, and coriander mayo. puffed rice and Gochugaru —Opus Co., Seattle spices up cultured pepitas. butter and honey served —Limewood, with bing bread. Berkeley, —Momofuku CCDC, California Washington, D.C. Aleppo pepper adds zip to avocado toast with farmer’s cheese and red chili honey. —Tupelo Honey, Raleigh, North Carolina

Furikake Chermoula Za’atar adds spice and life complements raises the bar on to french fries. chickpea stew, warm flatbread —Restoration cauliflower, brushed with olive oil. Kitchen and buckwheat groats —Rally Pizza, Wine, Torrance, and yogurt. Vancouver, California —Sachet, Dallas Washington

40 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 41 Persian-Spiced Pacific Tuna with Green Olive Tapenade and White Butter Bean Puree Chefs Gayle Pirie and John Clark Foreign Cinema, San Francisco

3 tablespoons sumac 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, toasted and ground 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground 2 center-cut skinless sushi-grade tuna portions 2 teaspoons sea salt Olive or safflower oil, as needed Fennel salad, recipe follows Olive tapenade, recipe follows White butter bean puree, recipe follows

Combine spices. Season tuna with salt. Roll logs in spice mix, pressing to adhere spices to fish.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high, add one tuna piece, and sear for 1 minute on each side, 4 minutes total. Repeat with second piece. To serve, cut tuna into ¼-inch slices. Divide among four plates. Top with fennel salad, tapenade and smear of bean puree on the side. Makes 4 servings.

To make the fennel salad: Shave 1 trimmed fennel bulb and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and pinch of kosher salt.

To make the olive tapenade: Stir together 75 grams pitted green olives, 60 milliliters olive oil, 1½ tablespoons rinsed and coarsely chopped capers, 1 minced garlic clove, 1½ teaspoons lemon zest and 2 teaspoons tequila. Chill 1 hour before serving.

To make white butter bean puree: Cover 2 cups of dried large white butter beans with cool water by 2 inches, cover and refrigerate overnight. Drain and rinse beans and transfer to a heavy 4-quart saucepan with 6 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium, skimming away foam. Add ½ onion, ½ carrot, ½ rib celery, 1 bay leaf, 2 peeled and smashed garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and creamy inside, about 1½ hours. Strain and puree, adding cooking water, if necessary. Correct seasonings. n

42 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 TREND TRACKER LESS IS MORE MORE Still saturating your dishes with heavy THAN A oils, lots of acid, HIGH ALERT and mounds of salt? Leaning on MEAL unpronounceable Dining out used to be ingredients to get a separate precursor noticed? Trying too to shopping or hard to get noticed CASH-FREE ISN’T a show. But why with a “wow factor” not both? Hybrid approach just gets THE ONLY WAY TO BE concepts are now you pushed aside. Going all-digital might seem inevitable, but in more experiential, some places, it’s not even legal. Philadelphia merging activities with TRY THIS INSTEAD: passed a law outlawing cashless operations, serious food. Sometimes, it’s with New York City, New Jersey and better to keep it Massachusetts expected to follow. THE FUTURE IS POST-FUSION LAST SEEN: With simple. Diners are upscale bar food and Rules no longer apply. Instead of trying more open to less TRY THIS INSTEAD: Why alienate guests with a full cocktail menu, to be hyper-authentic, chefs are working aggressive, more one payment option? Offering easy solutions, movie theater chain combinations so wild they work. nuanced flavors that like installing an ATM on-site, can pull in extra Alamo Drafthouse allow the ingredients revenue via transaction fees. sets the standard LAST SEEN: Seattle’s FlintCreek Cattle Co. to shine. for concepts such merges flavors such as blue cheese and HOT FOR MATCHA as Syndicated in PLAY IT COOL tahini as part of its crisp pickled vegetable Brooklyn, New York. Americans are crazy for the earthy flavors of First olive, then coconut, avocado and now chickpeas. Plant-based plate with toasted sesame, and heirloom grits this Japanese tea, as evidenced by the rise ice cream is making a dent in dairy with its superior creaminess and with maitake mushrooms, sherry jus, and of matcha latte concepts and matcha-spiked mouthfeel. shaved Grana Padano. dishes, from croissants and doughnuts to a brine. See page 20. LAST SEEN: Little Bean in Portland, Oregon, opened earlier this year featuring chickpea-milk ice creams in flavors that ranged from Last seen: New York Instagrammers can’t cherry chai to matcha mint. resist the pink-and-green branded matcha latte cafe, Cha Cha Matcha, which looks as good as it tastes. SLOW FOOD, DONE FAST Somewhere between the customization of fast casual and the elevated quality of fine casual, operators are finding that authentic FORM HIT THE ROAD BUSINESS NOT Italian pasta can fill a white space with solid margins. The path to flavor > LAST SEEN: AS USUAL LAST SEEN: The streamlined menu at GH Pasta in Seattle doesn’t MEETS is paved with spice skimp on creativity with dishes like bucatini with rockfish, olives, Tiger Fork in LEAVE IT TO THE KIDS that any menu can Business diners and basil. Washington, Your personal tastes in music and social media pick up. See page don’t skimp but FUNCTION D.C. serves style might be falling flat on the millennial and 34. this guest segment Functional beverages “Traditional is changing, Gen Z foodies you’re trying to impress. (i.e., drinks infused Chinese and so are their with ingredients that Medicinal” (TCM) expectations. See TRY THIS INSTEAD: Offer extra cash, comped tout specific health or cocktails. The FLIPPING OUT FOR FLAPJACKS page 47. meals or priority scheduling to employees performance benefits) are 8 O’Clock Light Thanks to creative tweaks, one of our most in exchange for curating weekly playlists. If selling like hotcakes on Show is made cost-effective dishes has become America’s they’re adept on social media, offer a step menus, from adaptogen- with astragalus next culinary darling. Think Japanese “jiggly higher in pay to tackle these jobs on a regular infused lattes to cocktails root, ginseng and pancakes” and crispy crepes made with basis. For more inspiration, check out Casey spiked with ylang-ylang. guarana seed. chickpea and benne seeds. Start stacking. Jones Village in Jackson, Tennessee. FADING OUT FADING

44 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 45 FOOD PEOPLE ORKING THE ORKERS

How to succeed with business diners By LISA ARNETT Photography FRANK LAWLOR

USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 47 Redefine Snacking: Remember that the Ronan says landlocked out-of-towners these guys got me out in 40 minutes, and oldest members of Generation Z—the typically opt for the day’s market fish so she I’m really appreciative of that.’ ” 20-somethings stepping into their first always stocks plenty of local varieties. professional jobs—were practically raised Offer Privacy: The best table isn’t always the on shared plates. Go with Surf and Turf: Ce Bian, executive most visible one. Semi-private spaces or “They’re much more about shareable chef for Roka Akor, a Japanese sushi/steak secluded corners that can accommodate lunch food and building meals out of concept with locations across the U.S., larger tables are ideal. “We find that our appetizers or snack foods,” says Danny sees less divergence in meal choices across space has lots of little nooks where you can Py, vice president of food and beverage for generations than one might expect. “Ten get a large party in and they can still (hear First Hospitality Group, which includes years ago, I would tell you that it’s the 40 well enough to) talk,” Ronan says. Brim House and The Heights in Toledo, to 65 (age group) ordering steak,” he says. Ohio. At Brim House, that means chicken “Now it’s become common to see young Give them an Outlet: Electrical outlets and lollipops with cherry agrodolce or roasted professionals actually eating steaks.” Ditto speedy Wi-Fi are a must. “Recently we have beet tart with burrata and wild onion jam. for sushi, which is beloved by middle-aged noticed more businesspeople working on Py says shared plates pay off in the long professionals and young customers alike. their laptops and devices at the bar during run, as these types of diners tend to deliver lunch hours and in the time between higher check averages per person than Nab the Grab and Go: To-go areas attached lunch and dinner service, which we take those ordering sandwiches or burgers. to a sit-down restaurant concept, such as into consideration when designing new 8UP Elevated Drinkery and Kitchen in restaurants,” says Smith of Del Frisco’s. Flag Out-of-Towners: Indulgent appetizers Louisville, Kentucky, prioritize options The chain also offers private dining rooms allow expense account holders to woo and solitude. “Millennials tend to nestle up equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth clients or celebrate in high style. At Lark with their phones and catch up on personal connections to flat-screen TVs for meetings ❱ IN THE FEVERED SPRINT in Seattle, owner-general manager Kelly business while briefly getting out for and presentations. Ronan has found that shellfish platters and lunch,” Py says. This is especially true for TO UNLOCK THE LATEST raw oysters are especially popular with older millennials, many of whom are new Acknowledge Different Service Preferences: Think Beyond the Booze: Roka Akor is ringing financial analysts, techies and lawyers. parents looking for quiet time. So make Younger millennial and Gen Z guests up success with increasingly popular AND GREATEST MOBILE “They’re all here in town,” she says, “and sure to offer quick pick-ups, such as freshly appreciate more interaction with servers non-alcoholic cocktails, such as yuzu THE BIG THREE FOOD MODEL, IT’S EASY (often) they have people coming to visit pressed juices, soups and wraps served in than baby boomers, who often gravitate lemonade and chai cola. They complement Certain dishes never go out of style that they want to take out for a nice dinner.” eco-friendly packaging. toward more traditional business meals the meal and are sold at a lower price point for business diners. TO FORGET THAT SCORES with fewer interruptions, says Scott Smith, than cocktails but higher than soda or president of Del Frisco’s Double Eagle tea. At dinner, however, drinks tend to be OF DINERS—INCLUDING Steakhouse. Staff is trained to read the celebration-worthy, including highballs Burgers THE BUSINESS CROWD— table and adjust accordingly. Ensuring of Japanese whisky served with ice spears Operators say the burger is a standard no sommeliers are available at lunch has and bottles of sparkling shochu. In the end, matter the generation. Make it your own DON’T WANT TO EAT boosted wine sales, while adding more this wide array of choices allows business with boutique cheeses and artisan breads. salads and lighter fare to its steak and diners to work—and entertain clients—in WHERE THEY WORK. seafood menu has proven beneficial in whatever style they desire. n Entree salads Hard-charging professionals—whether catering to its rising numbers of young Proteins, such as lobster, steak or salmon they’re seasoned baby boomers or professionals and female business diners. appeal to health-conscious diners across ambitious millennials—are worth some all age groups. extra love. Catering to their needs builds Watch the Clock: Time is precious for an important stable of regulars in ways everyone during lunch, says Paul Pizza that delivery apps can’t, including the real McLaughlin, managing partner at Oceana Neapolitan-style or other specialty pies whales: the let’s-make-a-deal expense- in New York City for 27 years. Most of with unique flavors are a top pick for Gen Z account holders. Oceana’s business lunchers want to be out and a can’t-lose option for most ages. A 2018 survey by the Global Business in 40 minutes. That’s why the afternoon Travel Association found that 71% of menu is packed with chilled seafood salads business diners expense client meals, 56% (tuna nicoise and lobster Cobb) and quick- expense group meals and 46% expense cooking entrees (grilled mahi-mahi or alcoholic beverages. With those kinds of seared scallops). “Lunch for me is not so Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse in Los Angeles and other locations train numbers, it makes sense to know what’s much about building check averages … it’s servers to gauge the amount of interaction important to them. Here’s insight to keep more about making friends so that you’re business diners prefer, left. Salads and the suits swiping away. thought of at the dinner hour,” McLaughlin seafood, above, and steak, opposite page, says. “(The diner wants) to know that, ‘hey, cater to the concept’s women and younger business clientele.

48 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 49 HIS

❱EDOUARDO JORDAN Q. You’re intentional about the story behind KNOWS STEREOTYPES Junebaby—there’s an encyclopedia with facts on Africa and definitions of Southern food as ARE TOUGH TO BEAT. well as a photo of black plantation workers on He opened Salare, a nose-to-tail Seattle your website. Why? neighborhood concept first, to prove he could flex his culinary talent like the best of them. Junebaby, his ode to Southern food, came second in 2017, so A. Junebaby tells the journey of Southern cuisine, from he wouldn’t be pigeonholed as someone who only Africa to the southern parts of America, about what was excelled at African American cooking. ugly and beautiful. People dying at the hands of slave Last year, he won two James Beard Foundation owners, ugly. But things happened to make the most awards—Best Chef Northwest and Best New beautiful food—the folks cultivating the land, tilling the Restaurant for Junebaby. Praise and awards from land, educating the slave owner, feeding the workers and local and national media came before, during and their own families, too. Those were the faces behind the after the historic win; Jordan is the first African stove and behind the garden and the land. American to nab the latter award. I want people to know the history and have a greater Hard work, the wisdom of mentors and learning appreciation of Southern food. Even now maybe there’s from mistakes and achievements landed Jordan still a bad connotation of Southern food—that it isn’t right where he wanted to be. But there’s no denying healthy, which isn’t true. We go to the backstory and take WAY that Jordan, 39, and Junebaby have a compelling a moment to honor and appreciate what this food has story to tell. contributed to the country. Edouardo Jordan on breaking barriers BY SHANNON RENFROE PHOTOGRAPHY

USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 51 Q. Winning double James Beard awards and all of the national praise before and after must be life- altering. How have you handled the demands of your time and expectations—your staff and the lines of customers?

A. We do it (food and service) even better and knock it out of the park. We’ve sustained our business. We have a better eye for making sure everything is on point. M Y r ® Beef up your dishes with something new: Molly’s Kitchen Meatless Crumbles There’s a lot of inspirational talk and correctional talk add ﬂ avor and bite to tacos, casseroles, chili and more. Serve up a superior (with staff). I can’t be on the floor at every moment, (but) you have strong leaders and reports (on progress). As vegetarian crumble – so your diners don’t have to miss a thing. a leader, you embrace those who show the most talent. When someone meets their challenge—trying to go to the highest peak—what’s next? If there’s more in your organization, you should give them more opportunities, but it can also mean climbing the same peak more than a few times. You try to invest in them and allow them to grow with you.

Q. Is this from personal experience?

A. I remember when I was a young cook, Corey Lee (formerly of the French Laundry and currently Benu) More About Jordan Q. Few chefs of color have become as accomplished complimented me. That’s with me forever. n as you. What are the biggest obstacles? › Grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida, A. We don’t have the resources to be in the industry and graduated from and to access finer dining. A lot of us come from the University of underprivileged areas so to make a living in this Florida with degrees in business and industry—with the number of hours required—it’s a sports management. major sacrifice on you and your family to make it happen. Those who can make the sacrifices have to look at › Launched an online opportunities. How many are given and taken by people restaurant guide of color to run a kitchen? › Graduate of Le Cordon Bleu › Studied meat curing What can be done? Q. in Italy › Junebaby was A. Chefs and owners have to open their eyes and his father’s child- understand that everyone comes from different hood name. backgrounds, resources and circumstances. It’s not cut › With Lucinda Grain For more information, visit usfoods.com and dry. If you don’t meet this preconceived mold, you ® Bar up and running or contact your US Foods representative. may need an extra boost or a different platform. How next to Junebaby, he do you surround that person with other folks and feel plans to expand into comfortable in the position? How do you allow a leader to housemade products, EXCLUSIVE shine and provide opportunities? It’s building a support such as pickles, system, being a great mentor, recognizing small everyday and retail. A non- BRAND accomplishments—all of those things come into play, food venture is also which we often take for granted. possible. © 2019 US Foods, Inc. 06-2019-FOF-2019051711

52 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 FOOD FANATIC ROAD TRIP! HIGHLIGHTS

Death & Taxes, left, and its beef fat-fried RALEIGH DURHAM

potatoes and dry-aged steak, below. Cantina 18 M Sushi Chef-owner Jason Smith worked at the Chef Michael Lee’s M Sushi is a study in Magnolia Grill in Durham, North Carolina and going the extra mile, serving freshly grated New York’s Gramercy Tavern before returning horseradish and trusted brands of imported home to open his own, including this southern sushi. Get a sense of his approach with by take on Southwestern fare. ordering his grand omakase.

Crawford & Son Mateo Bar de Tapas Chef-owner Scott Crawford’s global take on The South meets Spain at this tribute to small the South leverages ingredients from near plates, featuring dishes such as smoked and far. Think kohlrabi, fermented garlic, barbecue Marcona almonds, as well as North sesame and Thai basil, plus sweet potatoes, Carolina littleneck clams with boiled sherry abalone mushrooms, crispy rice and smoked garlic peanuts and shrimp with green tomatoes, pepper nage. chorizo and Mahon cheese.

Brewery Bhavana Saltbox Seafood Joint How do you pull off a 4-in-1 concept Classically trained Chef Ricky Moore returned consisting of a brewery, dim sum, a bookstore to the South on his own terms, redefining the and a flower shop? This is where you find out. beach side fish shack to an art form. Think crab grits (Saturday only) and Hush-Honeys (that’s Death & Taxes right, not hush puppies). Start with the latest restaurant from two-time James Beard award winner Ashley Christensen. The North Carolina shrimp with prosciutto, cauliflower, cacio e pepe and capers will give you a sense of how the kitchen commands cooking with wood fire.

in 2007 and the five additional concepts opened Hawthorne & Wood, his ode to the that followed. Cooks, who cut their teeth simplicity and freshness of the West Coast. CHAPEL HILL The Triangle in larger food cities on the East and West Meanwhile, places such as Al’s Burger Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Coasts, started coming home for a more Shack have been attracting customers far Al’s Burger Shack affordable quality of life. They met a need beyond the Chapel Hill college crowd. Local beef here means meat from a farm about North Carolina as companies recruited diverse workforces, What the Triangle lacks in pro sports a mile away. The line is worth the wait. BY RYAN HICKS who in turn demanded food options that teams or major museums, it makes up transcended Southern staples. for with diverse food options, from food The Lantern ❱ The Triangle in North Carolina is no In Durham, the redevelopment of trucks that grew into brick-and-mortar A pioneer in seamlessly melding Asian longer dining’s best-kept secret. the American Tobacco Campus for destinations to lifestyle spots that blend influences with locally sourced ingredients, Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and restaurants, retail and office space helped dining with entertainment. Now, it’s a draw this long-timer is always reservation worthy. the surrounding areas that make up the breathe new life into its downtown, from for anyone who appreciates good cooking. n Triangle long have been known as centers Scott Howell’s Nana empire (NanaSteak Lula’s for research and technology. But now the and NuvoTaco) to Damion Moore’s Dame’s Chef William D’Auvray cut his teeth on fine food scene is getting as much—if not more— Chicken and Waffles. dining, but he’s returned home with a casual attention. While I may be biased, returning Chapel Hill dining has stayed under spot named after his grandmother. Showing to my native South after years working as the radar, but not for long. Brandon FOOD FANATICS CHEFS Crawford & Son’s beef short rib, heirloom corn the influences of his famous bosses (think a chef in Sonoma Valley in California, this Sharp—a graduate of the University of Ryan Hicks is a US Foods Food Fanatics grits, baby vegetables and thyme jus, above; Michel Richard and Wolfgang Puck), D’Auvray compact trio is arguably the most exciting North Carolina and Culinary Institute of chef whose love for the South and West Coast Seafood Hotpot from The Lantern, top, with features updated classics, such as fried lobster dumplings in broth, wild local shrimp, food region in the country right now. America, who once clocked time at The shines through at Bin and Barrel, a wine bar littleneck clams, pea greens, spring rain chicken thighs with spicy pickle slaw, fried okra with relish mayo and charred pepper pimento Chef Ashley Christensen helped pioneer French Laundry in Yountville, California— he owns with his wife. Connect with him on noodles, fresh lime leaf and tomatoes and its Chef Ryan Hicks Raleigh’s revitalization with Poole’s Diner recently returned to the college town and Instagram or Twitter @chef_ryan_hicks. indoor bar. cheese on house brown butter bread. PHOTOGRAPHY: DEATH & TAXES EXTERIOR BY NICK PIRONIO, FOOD BY KAITLYN GOALEN. THE LANTERN BY LISSA GOTWALS. GOTWALS. THE LANTERN BY LISSA GOALEN. FOOD BY KAITLYN EXTERIOR BY NICK PIRONIO, & TAXES DEATH PHOTOGRAPHY:

54 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 55 MONEY & SENSE DO YOUR CONTAINERS DELIVER? Not all take-out packaging is created equal. To reliably avoid blowouts, prevent spills, protect and insulate, choose Pactiv® hinged-lid containers. Developed with EarthChoice® SmartLock® technology, these microwaveable hybrid-material containers come in multiple sizes and colors to ﬁt any to-go application.

How ghost kitchens go the distance with delivery

By MEGAN ROWE Photography FRANK LAWLOR

USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 57 The ghost kitchen concept allows chef Eric Greenspan’s ghost kitchen, Eric Greenspan, left Alt/Grub/Faction in Los Angeles, and previous page, allows for multiple concepts. to change up his all-day egg breakfast sandwiches anytime.

rise another 6 percent per year for the next provided a space is located within a you don’t do it with another restaurant five years, according to Statista. populated delivery radius. Affordable rent there, you don’t have the benefit of dine- Restaurants that aren’t equipped to and self-sufficiency drove Rich Levy to co- in or alcohol sales, which really drive handle high-volume delivery, however, found three ghost concepts in Chicago— the bottom line,” he observes. A ghost face certain challenges. The food looks Cluckson’s, Butterclaw Lobster Co., and operation on premises allows the staff to and tastes different from what’s served GuacDog. Leaving behind traditional pitch in as necessary. on premise or dine-in customers are restaurants, he targeted a specific niche, Scoping out a high-demand area alienated by slow service from an corporate catering—then set a 10-person supported by digital natives is overburdened kitchen. minimum for orders. Levy, a partner and paramount, says Jim Collins, CEO of Terri Bloomgarden, co-owner of Canter’s one employee handle all orders, and if Kitchen United, which is growing and Deli in the Fairfax neighborhood of more help is needed for events, he finds it. eying New York, Chicago, San Francisco, central Los Angeles, says kitchen logjams “In catering, the only time you have to be Los Angeles, Seattle, and some college drove her to open an off-site commissary on is when the phone rings and when you and university towns “where there is dedicated to delivery orders. “We do a lot of show up to deliver and present the food.” very deep penetration of delivery.” Ghost takeout and delivery, and if you don’t have Eric Greenspan, a Food Network regular kitchens, he says, make the most sense in a separate area for that, customers don’t and former chef at Patina and the now- cities densely populated with millennials understand what you’re doing when they closed The Foundry in Los Angeles, also and Gen Zers, who order delivery several are in the restaurant, waiting in line,” she doesn’t miss the pressures of a brick-and- times a week. says. Reaching a potential new market— mortar operation. From a rented kitchen, Food quality can be controlled best downtown Los Angeles—factored in as well. he launched Alt/Grub/Faction to allow for by choosing dishes that travel well and a more stress-free lifestyle. The virtual ensuring that hot foods stay hot and cold › WORK THE SPACE food court has incubated four concepts: foods stay cold, Collins says. Leasing and equipping a ghost kitchen Chino, a (Latin-Asian fusion), Bubu’s Ghost kitchens, for better or worse, is a bargain compared to building a new (fried chicken and burgers), Brekkie (all- depend heavily on third-party delivery, restaurant. Owners tend to face $750,000 day breakfast) and 2 On a Roll (breakfast such as Uber Eats, Postmates and When so-called “ghost kitchens” started to $1.2 million in expenses to open a small and deli sandwiches). “I can shift concepts GrubHub, which makes it tough to forge appearing on the dining scene, they seemed restaurant in a high-demand urban area. and hours of operation on a dime,” he a personal connection with diners. “It’s like an enterprising solution to several However, $50,000 or so in initial fees for says. “With a restaurant, I have to be almost at the point where you can’t take nagging problems: the tight labor pool, hiring, training and other opening costs open and completely fleshed out. Now, if I it on yourself,” Greenspan says. “It used rising costs and the public’s growing can land a leased, fully equipped facility change my hours, I’m not inconveniencing to be people would look at restaurant appetite for delivered meals. like those run by Kitchen United. anyone. I can add and take away concepts, websites when they wanted to order food. Some companies have thrived—most Unused space also can be devoted to change menu items and see what effect Now they say, ‘I’m hungry,’ turn on their notably Green Summit, which operates building out a separate identity as a ghost that has on my business.” favorite delivery app, and start to scroll delivery-only brands out of commissaries concept. Will Gilson, co-owner of Boston’s Greenspan is eying the conversion of at through to decide what they want to eat.” in major metropolitan areas. But others, Puritan & Co., converted a storage area least one brand into a growth vehicle for Cannibalization of an established IS A REMOTE RIGHT FOR YOU? including the chef-backed Maple, have into Puritan Trading Company, a takeout/ brick-and-mortar locations, but he plans to restaurant’s business is also a risk. A Some considerations before setting up a ghost restaurant: drowned in a sea of red ink. delivery concept. The move has allowed continue with delivery-only concepts. “The potential workaround? Operate delivery- Ghost kitchens—typically remote spaces him to explore global flavors. Instead landscape is changing dramatically, and I only as a “sub-brand,” separate from rented by existing restaurants to handle of braised lamb shank and mushroom think this is a good way to mitigate those your flagship operation, offering either If your current Foot traffic Launching a remote Off-site operations delivery and takeout orders—are not for cavatelli, Puritan Trading customers can changes,” he says. different food or a scaled-down version of restaurant can’t isn’t critical but concept can help don’t benefit from everyone, but they can open a new revenue order banh mi sandwiches, fish tacos and the on-premise menu. The latter could be accommodate high- driving radius determine if a risky bar sales, stream, boost profits and grab a bigger seafood dumplings with piri piri sauce. › THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS advantageous for orders placed on mobile volume takeout, a and the density or offbeat concept an argument share of the market. “The first week we were doing about the Ghost kitchens come with their own set devices, where simplicity is a plus. dedicated offsite of customers is. can work, thus for adding to an same volume that we’re doing out of the of challenges, says Lettuce Entertain You With takeout becoming a fact of life, space could be the Leasing in a less allowing chefs existing operation if › WHY GO REMOTE restaurant,” Gilson says. Enterprises chef-partner Tim Hockett. ghost operations can help restaurants answer to increasing popular area could to explore their space allows. Most operators launch a ghost kitchen to In 2017, he launched a ghost restaurant, prepare for what’s almost inevitably on the bottom line. lower costs. creativity. capture more of the hot delivery segment. › PROBLEMS THAT DISAPPEAR ASAP Poke, out of a kitchen that serves two the horizon. “If people want it delivered, U.S. food delivery sales will top $19.4 Because guest traffic typically isn’t other Chicago brick-and-mortar concepts: they’re going to have it delivered,” Canter’s million in 2019, with growth estimated to a factor, site selection is less crucial, Naoki Sushi and Stratford on the Park. “If Bloomgarden says. n

58 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 59 iHELP Be efficient and tech savvy at the same time

K NOW YOUR OUTLAYS Most expenses fit into two categories: fixed expenses (mortgage, utility and THERE’S REALLY NO Between refuse-handling costs) and prime expenses SUBSTITUTE FOR HAVING (food and beverage costs coupled with A STRONG INTERNAL ARRIVAL OF labor). There’s very little wiggle room when the Sheets it comes to fixed costs, but analyzing prime ACCOUNTING SYSTEM. costs may unearth unexpected savings. GOOD BUSINESS The pluses of Currently, more than 95% of independent operators report food and labor costs on DECISIONS ARE BASED re-examining a monthly basis. This makes for blurry ON GOOD DATA. THE FITTEST comparisons. Does one month include five —Hudson Riehle of the National accounting weekends and the next just four? Restaurant Association Simple, tidy, strong – the perfect ﬁ t for your operation. By switching to four-week accounting Monogram® Can Liners are the best in the market, strategies and measuring prime costs on a weekly with star seals, premium resins and easy-to-use basis, Kerby says it’s easier to make period- BY ALISON GRANT to-period and weekly comparisons on the T ECH IT UP dispensing boxes. products and people you truly need. In 2014, Grove Bay adopted Compeat ❱ GOOD FOOD. Accommodating service. Red flags are easier to spot and problems software to centralize workforce data Talk to your US Foods® representative Strong buzz. Loyal regulars. They’re all can be corrected before they mount. Food when the South Florida chain had two essentials for success but perhaps the most costs by individual ingredients also can be restaurants. Now with nine locations—and today about our wide variety of sizes, overlooked differentiator comes down to nailed down, catching over-portioning and six more to come—unified records are more colors and styles. the least sexy of topics: bookkeeping. waste. Plus, it’s now easier to assess when helpful than ever, says co-founder and CEO “A love of food and beverage is not enough extra servers are needed on the floor. Ignacio Garcia-Menocal, a CPA by trade. for long-term success in the restaurant The Compeat data extends from when industry,” says Hudson Riehle, senior vice C ONNECT THE FRONT AND THE BACK someone is recruited and hired to their president of research for the National Front of house POS systems that ongoing work schedules, sales reports and Restaurant Association. “It’s important connect with the back office operations payroll, thus eliminating disputes. to have a well-thought-out and honed efficiently track transactions by inventory, In Cleveland, the decision to adopt the business plan and allied accounting system labor and a host of other metrics. Linking Entrepreneurial Operating System helped to monitor and analyze the business.” vastly reduces human error, minimizes Spice Kitchen + Bar. “We’re measuring our Proper bookkeeping can vastly improve the amount of time managers spend average spend per person, the number of profitability, says Brian Kerby, restaurant inputting numbers and makes it faster to reservations at the beginning of the week operations consultant for US Foods. act on data. versus how many we need to do to make our “Most restaurant operations have 4% to Greater efficiencies can be gained budget goal,” says owner Ben Bebenroth. 6% of profitability (gain) that exists within with menu boards and tablets that allow Spice used to analyze its previous their current sales,” Kerby says. “By keeping for “yield management” or “flexible month’s data to check traffic, food and their focus on accurate and timely weekly pricing” strategies, which allow operators labor trends. “Now we’re looking back on key metrics, they can leverage ways to dig up to adjust menus and menu listings the weekly (data)… and looking at how it that buried treasure.” depending on what’s happening on the will shape (the month) we’re already in,” floor, Riehle said. Bebenroth says. D ATA, DATA AND MORE DATA At Stiltsville Fish Bar in Miami Beach, With its new, digitized intelligence, Spice First, ensure basic procedures are in Florida, part of the Grove Bay Restaurant revamped its bar snacks to stress easy-to- place, including reliable cash-handling Group, its $1 oyster promotion proved prepare plates. Per-person average bar tabs and deposit practices, profit-and-loss wildly popular. When real-time data zoomed from $22.50 to $33.80 in weeks. statements, weekly inventory calculations showed that hundreds of oysters were “I had a bar menu before that. There were and an annual operating budget. “There’s flying out the door—too many to keep up all kinds of snacks on there. It was good really no substitute for having a strong with inventory—the restaurant limited food but it didn’t have any specific purpose,” internal accounting system,” says Riehle. this offering to just six oysters per person. Bebenroth says. “Now it’s tactical.” n “Good business decisions are based on good data.” FOR ACCOUNTING TIPS ON FINDING BURIED TREASURE, GO TO USFOODS.COM/FOODFANATICS © 2019 US Foods, Inc. 06-2019-FOF-2019051711

60 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 POPPING OFF: THE 10 COMMANDMENTS OF POP-UPS

DO HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW • License or get permission from any existing brand for FOMO fuels the popularity of pop-ups pop-up references. By KATE BERNOT • Collaborate with partners outside of your market. ❱ The definition of a pop-up may be up for debate. access to a menu from Michelin-starred chef Brian Is it a one-night event, can it last a year, does it Fisher and a full bar, all of which is housed in a life- • Increase reach with need to take place off-site? There’s no denying that size replica of The Max diner from the TV show. hashtags, influencers pop-ups have become a culinary phenomenon. “It’s urgency. No one wants to miss out,” says and media coverage. Pop-Up Republic, a pop-up logistics and marketing Berry. “People think, ‘The pop-up is only for three company, has cataloged more than 30,000 pop-up months. I will get that photo in front of the door • Make an entrance— events since 2012. and with the Zachary Daiquiri. I have to go.’ ” That it’s more fun to get in Social media, specifically Instagram, gets a lot may explain why he easily sold out 300 covers a day, through a secret door. of credit for the surge, as it allows operators to seven days a week for a month when the pop-up market these concepts in real-time. But if a common debuted in Chicago. • Set an end date for the denominator among successful pop-ups exists, it’s pop-up to inspire FOMO. that diners seem to care as much about the look and Make It Immersive exclusivity as what’s served. There’s also the fear of Pop-ups are an inexpensive way to introduce missing out. diners to esoteric fare, especially if it’s coupled with DON’T an immersive environment that also celebrates the • Take on a theme you Work the Nostalgia Angle art, history and the culture of a country. don’t know; customers When it comes to choosing a concept, nostalgia At Denver’s Zeppelin Station, an airy, collective can smell inauthenticity. sells. In recent years, a number of pop culture market with food vendors, retail and bars, two pop-ups have found success, including one inspired Icelandic-themed pop-ups—Skál! and Systir, both • Revert to using by the beloved ’90s TV show “Saved by the Bell,” helmed by Michelin-lauded Icelandic chefs—served plastic decorations called—appropriately enough—Saved by the Max. pared-down menus in a visually striking space. from a party store. When Zack Eastman, Steve Harris and Derek Offerings—fried cod sandwich, potato croquettes Berry launched the pop-up in 2016, they ran a and a Reykjavik-style hot dog—were mostly priced • Serve your one no-frills guerrilla-style marking campaign. Berry under $10 and coupled with cocktail demos, region- new dish and call it launched a Facebook event page and to his surprise specific bar menus and $85 ticketed dinners. a pop-up—that’s a he awoke the next morning to find 20,000 people For the Icelandic pop-ups, Zeppelin Station’s dinner special. had RSVP’d. director of hospitality Justin Anderson and his team “The people who loved ‘Saved By the Bell’ loved it erected a giant vinyl mural of the Blue Lagoon and • Pop up in your own when they were young,” says Berry. “There was no hung moss and pelts. Since each concept lasted only restaurant without real drama in their life; it was a super fun time.” 45 days, they also generated serious buzz. a major spatial Today, Saved By The Max is officially licensed “By making our pop-up series more immersive transformation. through an agreement with NBC and has made and next-level, like you are truly in that city, we set yearlong stops in Chicago and Los Angeles. ourselves apart,” Anderson says. “By not having • Call any old guest-chef Berry sells advanced no-refund tickets through the same combination of food and retail each time dinner a pop-up. the Tock reservation system, which grants diners and folding in live-music showcases, artists and

62 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 63 makers panel discussions, cocktail demos and one- off fine dining experiences in a food hall, there was something for everyone.” Good for You, Good for the Planet – Go With Exclusivity For $20 a month, members of the Los Angeles- based Off The Menu club, can redeem one “off- Just Plain Good! menu” dish a day at a local restaurant. Its CEO and founder Lawrence Longo translates that cache By adding Gardein™ plant-based proteins to your menu once a week, you can: to a separate series of limited-run public events, including the Los Angeles pop-up of New York • Grow your revenue and proﬁ ts • Increase diner satisfaction City’s famed Prince St. Pizza in February. Although • Meet the demand for plant-based dishes • Reduce environmental impact it serves just two types of slices, it has generated long lines and more than 50 million social media impressions. Implementing Gardein™ Meatless Monday is a snap – “I want to deliver an experience you can’t get every day. Some say, ‘I’m going to do a pop-up with visit www.gardeinmeatlessmonday.com to join in! my own food,’ but I can get that any day at your own restaurant, so why is it a pop-up?” says Longo. “(People) want a different experience and will spend money to get it.”

Create a Liquor Partnership Bar-focused pop-ups not only require a smaller physical footprint than food pop-ups, they also allow existing restaurant owners to repurpose private dining rooms and underutilized spaces. Partner with liquor sponsors that can reduce startup costs and build buzz. In 2017, liquor brand Fernet-Branca approached an Emporium Arcade Bar location in Chicago to gauge its interested in transforming space off its Logan Square bar into a Branca cocktail bar. That pop-up lasted three months but has generated others, including a Pipeworks Brewing beer bar, a Netflix-inspired “Stranger Things” pop-up and a weekend-long “Love Shack” concept in conjunction with Campari. Emporium’s model proved so successful it was spun off into a separate business called Emporium Productions. “It was all about trying to keep a space fresh and unique and cool,” says Jared Saul, director of Emporium Productions. “We ran 25 concepts over the course of two years. A lot of people can’t open even one bar.” The downside? Pop-ups take a ton of effort. 79% of restaurant patrons eat Saul says it’s like running a theater company inside vegetarian items more a bar, which is why Emporium is shifting away than once a week1 Beeﬂ ess Tacos made with Gardein™ Beeﬂ ess Tips (#1611334) from extended pop-ups to more short-term pop-up events. Nevertheless, Saul says the pop-ups helped Social media can create a sense of urgency, Emporium stand out from other bars and nightlife essential for successful pop-up events. Posts options. After all, as countless pop-ups have and stories on Instagram, above, provide two shown, temporary profits are still meaningful methods that can be shared and liked. profits. n 866-816-7313 or 1MenuMonitor 2015, Center of the Plate: Seafood and Vegetarian Consumer Trends Report ©2019 Conagra Brands. All Rights Reserved. foodservice.pinnaclefoods.com 64 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 Food Fanatics chefs and restaurant operations PR MACHINE Sharp ideas to get butts in seats ASK THE EXPERTS consultants help fix everyday industry issues

FOOD PROBLEM: Comments on our takeout and delivery are HOLIDAYS harsh but our dine-in ones are great. What can we do? Save the Dates Here a few dates Put gimmicky food worth circling on your SOLUTION: Always respond promptly and ask for specifics. marketing calendar. Trace your steps back to pinpoint issues. Shy of any findings, holidays to work National create a checklist of standards and make it visible in the BY LIZ LOGAN Guacamole takeout area. Are hot and cold items separated? Have Day – Sept. 16 special instructions been met? For pickup, review the order in front of the customer. If the negative comments persist, NATIONAL BOSTON CREAM PIE DAY? WORLD VEGETARIAN DAY? NATIONAL World take a hard look at the menu. It may be time to only include BISCUIT MONTH? Vegetarian delivery-friendly dishes. Day – Oct. 1 As anyone with a Twitter feed knows, it’s the golden age of food holidays. Whatever you’re serving, BENEFIT: Happier customers. They’re more forgiving when there’s likely a food holiday to help promote it. C&S Chowder House Clam Jam Specials National Taco Although most food holidays were created by Day – Oct. 4 a business corrects a bad experience, especially with takeout. marketers and trade groups, diners love them. They provide guilt-free excuses to indulge. International Hospitality Group, which owns Truk’t. Because Coffee Day lands on Sept. 29, but what day isn’t a diners ordered food with their drinks, sales National Red PROBLEM: I’m trying to PROBLEM: I suck at PROBLEM: It’s harder to PROBLEM: How do I add PROBLEM: We’re either coffee day? And although National Deviled Egg Day increased significantly. Wine Day – expand the knowledge desserts, and our sales fill positions, so we have special dietary items, such 86-ing dishes in the middle is hardly a holiday, eggs sales rise on Nov. 2. Oct. 15 base among my young show it. How can I create to increase wages to be as vegan, gluten-free, paleo of the shift or tossing a lot Operators who dismiss these celebrations are ❱❱ ADOPT A FREEBIE STRATEGY cooks but they’re and execute a menu competitive. Is it more cost and keto without adding too of prep. How can we better likely losing out, considering that a few low-cost The 4 Star Restaurant Group always capitalizes National unresponsive. Any ideas without a budget for a effective to pay a prep cook many specialized single-use manage the menu? specials and some simple online marketing can on National Pizza Day (Feb. 9) at Frasca Pizzeria in Doughnut Day on how to engage them? pastry chef? or buy precut ingredients? products? attract droves of customers on an otherwise slow Chicago. Diners are offered one free pizza per table – Nov. 5 SOLUTION: Analyze day. If you’re planning a trip down holiday road, look with the order of any entree. More food resulted in SOLUTION: Tie in SOLUTION: Always keep SOLUTION: Review your SOLUTION: Create one or your product mix report out for these possible roadblocks. additional drink sales, generating a 49% increase incentives, such as first desserts simple and ensure raw ingredients inventory two dishes that fit the bill and identify the average in sales. “A free pizza was a huge incentive that National Spicy dibs on a shift, the option of they are of high-quality to determine what can be with a simple modification quantities sold to prep a ❱❱ DON’T FORGET ABOUT UPSCALE DINERS brought in both regulars and diners who had never Guacamole having other crew handle offerings. Determine which replaced. Maybe diced or that’s meat or dairy optional. reasonable amount of food Lunar New Year (late January or early February) is visited us before,” says Josh Rutherford. “The Day – Nov. 14 his or her mise en place for components you’re better sliced onions instead of Build a dish around whole for the shift. Have a prep list a major event for the Michelin-star restaurant chain overall sales easily made up for the cost of the extra a shift, the choice of a staff at and make those in-house. 25- or 50-pound bags of grains, low-carb vegetables, always available, properly Hakkasan, says its executive vice president of global pizzas.” Marketing the event was simple: a few press meal or anything that’s small Then purchase labor- raw onions is better. It can lean proteins and simple label prep, and be sure to restaurants Gert Kopera. Hakkasan, which has 12 placements and TV segments, social media and but meaningful. intensive items that require save you from labor, the sauces that are high on rotate out older ingredients. more skill, such as authentic 15% trim loss and the cost flavor. Bowls work and are locations, develops special menu items, fashions emails to its rewards-member list. National Pizza BENEFIT: This can help croissant dough or pastry of rotten products. typically identified as clean BENEFIT: Curbing waste innovative decor and books traditional Chinese lion Day – Feb. 9 dancers. The promotion is marketed on social media ❱❱ GIVE THEM WHAT THEY CAN’T HAVE identify which employees cream. and healthy, whole-food- and less 86-ing dishes. with influencers and VIPs. And no expense is spared Rich Clark’s C&S Chowder House in Roswell, are more committed than BENEFIT: Purchasing based options. as Hakkasan often sees a 10% jump in reservation Georgia, runs its Clam Jam on March 31, National others, and allows you to BENEFIT: Stronger dessert precut or preprocessed requests for that day. Clam Day. For the past two years, the event boosted National focus more intently on them. skills and a reputation for fresh ingredients allows BENEFIT: Satisfying diners revenues by 30% thanks to special menus, $5 pints, Margarita Day desserts as good as the your operation to schedule and using existing inventory ❱❱ DO WHAT YOU ALREADY DO WELL live music, and two discounted specialty cocktails – Feb. 22 main menu. smarter and assign labor to minimizes the risk of special For Truk’t, in Beloit, Wisconsin, celebrating that sell for $8 rather than $15. Good clams aren’t more effective tasks, such products that may be National Margarita Day (Feb. 22) is an easy sell easy to find in the Atlanta area, which attracts as employee development. initially slow moving. because margaritas are already its most popular Northeastern transplants. Clark promotes the event ❱❱ FOR A FULL cocktail. Patrons can upgrade their margaritas a month in advance with table tents, check inserts, CALENDAR OF FOOD with a premium tequila for the regular price of $10. social media blasts, and media mentions with help HOLIDAYS, GO TO Typically, the upgrade would cost $4. “So basically, from a PR firm. “I always poo-pooed these national USFOODS.COM/ Got a question for the experts? Send your challenges, comments and suggestions to [email protected]. we discount the mixers,” says Klaus Nitsch, vice holidays,” Clark says, “but now, when I look at our FOODFANATICS president of restaurant operations for Geronimo Clam Day numbers, all I can say is, ‘Wow.’ ”n

66 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 Acadia conveys a coastal feel, left, while the hot dog served at the bar, right, aims for PICTURE symmetry. PERFECT PLATES

IN THIS INSTAGRAM-OBSESSED AGE, ESPUMA CLOUDS, SLOPPY SAUCES AND BORING BLOBS HAVE NO PLACE. Striking visual appeal with structure, and black garlic dashi was plated to look color and precisely patterned garnishes like it sprouted naturally from a forest or make plating a go big or go home along the eastern coastline. “As I thought proposition. After all, the more times a about the dish,” he says, “I was reminded plate is posted and shared on social media, of my own backyard in Maine.” The plate the more momentum the dish, chef or is surrounded by actual rocks, Deer restaurant gains. Here’s a wakeup call. Isle granite, lichen, moss and seashells, which allows diners to touch and see his CREATE A SENSE OF PLACE inspiration, in addition to tasting it. If a menu or particular dish was inspired It’s like an edible terrarium, which by a food culture or region of the country, doubles down on the idea of dining as a re-create in a physical form, the actual form of armchair travel. It’s still personal terroir of that environment. but also strikingly approachable and Imported ingredients and expertly photogenic, which is why McCaskey’s rendered sauces may yield more authentic plates often receive thousands of likes flavors, but they’re indistinguishable in a on social media, especially when they’re photo. Instead, fringe your dish with natural shared by the Michelin account and other materials and physical artifacts, says two- fine dining influencers. star Michelin chef Ryan McCaskey of Maine- inspired fine dining spot Acadia in Chicago. FOOD IN MOTION Plating strategies that win over diners at first sight McCaskey says his tea-cured quail egg Jamie Simpson, executive chef liaison

BY AMBER GIBSON BY ANTHONY TAHLIER PHOTOGRAPHY with beluga lentils, maitake mushrooms for the Culinary Vegetable Institute at The

68 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 69 Clockwise: Creative plating evokes a sense proves there’s still a reason to keep a pair of of place at The Dearborn in Chicago, clean lines resonate at Rosaline in West Hollywood, tweezers in your kitchen. California and monochromatic beauty rules at Louisiana Purchase in San Diego. GO MONOCHROMATIC Culinary Director Quinnton Austin’s savory alligator andouille cheesecake at San Diego’s Louisiana Purchase is an exercise in austerity and restraint, using a black plate to highlight its earthy tones. “The varying shades of yellow create a harmony between the ingredients, along with representing simplicity,” Austin says. “I want diners to focus on the taste and texture of the cheesecake, so I opted for a simple presentation.” Austin’s crawfish cream sauce supplies the vibrant color, which is spooned over the cheesecake, followed by a simple garnish of thinly sliced green onions and greens that add a subtle color contrast to each bite. The meaty smoked Gouda and garlic cheesecake is rich, dense and meant for sharing. “The way the dish is presented makes it easy for guests to divide up and enjoy, without worrying who got the biggest or best piece.” KEEP IT CLEAN Peruvian Chef Ricardo Zarate is convinced that symmetrical dishes— composed of ultra-clean lines—never go out of style. “Humans are instantly attracted to symmetry,” Zarate says, “so I always like HUMANS ARE INSTANTLY ATTRACTED TO SYMMETRY, SO I ALWAYS LIKE to use straight lines or a pattern of some CRISPNESS THAT GOES THE DISTANCE kind to make the dish more artistic.” TO USE STRAIGHT LINES OR A PATTERN... In unskilled hands, complex platings can —Chef Ricardo Zarate of Rosaline in West Hollywood, California be disorientating, as diners have to root around to find the right flavor combinations. Zarate prefers a more predictable ® ™ progression—say protein, veggies, protein— TRY CONSUMER-PREFERRED MCCAIN SURECRISP FRIES along a straight axis, which provides diners FOR TAKEOUT & DELIVERY Chef’s Garden in Milan, Ohio, uses negative framed moment in time. a better sense of where they’ve been and % space to create a sense of movement. For a “We start with the canvas, which is where they’re going. Takeout & delivery orders are expected to account for 100 of foodservice growth in the next 5 years.1 With fries being a popular delivery item, make sure yours savory take on a sea urchin ice cream (set the baseline and undertone for the dish,” At Rosaline in West Hollywood, arrive with the crispy bite customers expect. With their stay-crispy clear coating, on a black sesame sponge cake), Simpson Simpson says. In this case, freeze-dried California, Zarate’s ensalada de betarraga McCain SureCrisp Fries are the long-holding, natural-looking fries consumers evokes the sense that an urchin is crawling marine phytoplankton are sprinkled onto (beet salad) begins with a vibrant stripe of prefer over other clear-coated brands—even after 30 minutes of delivery.2 along the ocean floor, sweeping up flavors the plate. Homemade stencils, ring cutters, magenta-colored beet puree. “The rest of as it scooted along. squeeze bottles and tea strainers are used the dish is a consistent pattern of burrata, For product details, fry packaging tips and other support, ask your “I wanted to capture a snapshot of sea to carve out unique shapes from bits of beets and microgreens that are all placed McCain Sales Representative or visit McCainUSAFoodservice.com urchin with a perspective looking down green apple, hibiscus, nasturtium, sweet the same distance apart so it’s all very from above through a lens, focused like a potato, fennel, basil, black sesame and nori. clean and angular,” Zarate says. “The microscope,” he says. It’s an offering meant The result is something that evokes wonder scattered, popped quinoa was my way of 1Darren Tristano, Industry Analyst, Co-Founder Technomic Information Services, Sept. 2018 2Claims based on McCain Proprietary Quantitative Consumer Research, conducted by a 3rd party in October 2018. Consumers tested were 18-54 years old in to tell a story about the ingredients and on Instagram—everyone is curious what making an otherwise symmetrical, angular four cities in CA, IL, NY and TX, who consider themselves regular users of fries in restaurants. Products tested were 3/8" (cooked measurement) straight cut fries for both McCain® SureCrisp™ and nationally branded clear coat competitors in a blind tasting. All items were prepared in accordance with manufacturer

n BY ANTHONY TAHLIER ROSALINE COURTESY OF THE DEARBORN, PHOTOGRAPHY: flavors on the plate and capture a freeze- the dish will actually taste like—but it also dish more interesting.” cooking instructions. Testing scenarios were 5 minutes out of a fryer, 20 minutes off heat on a plate, and 30 minutes off heat in a delivery setting (product in a fry sleeve, placed in a paper bag and then inside of a closed insulated bag). Conditions for actual delivery vary by delivery driver protocol, distance and climate.

©2019 McCain Foods USA, Inc. The trademarks herein are owned by or used under license by McCain Foods Limited or by one of its subsidiaries. 70 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 Taiwan—traditional yet modern flavors TEA MAY ALWAYS TRAIL COFFEE IN Chamomile tea, POPULARITY, BUT THAT DOESN’T opposite page, and that are often light and sippable. a woodsy cinnamon- LIMIT THE BEVERAGE’S POTENTIAL. rose tea offer layers BE AN INSTAGRAM ARTIST Sales are expected to grow at an of flavors. Don’t be afraid to borrow a page from annual rate of up to 3%, according to the Instagram all-stars who create frothy the Tea Association of the U.S.A. Inc. works of art out of foam and milk. Teas can This forecasted increase is based on the produce a wider array of colors than coffee, popularity of matcha, kombucha and whether it’s bright green matchas or golden higher quality tea, which have helped milk tea made with turmeric. encouraged tony spots such as Atera, “People asked for our golden milk so Olmsted and Eleven Madison Park in New much ... that we sell a lot of it now, with York to hire tea sommeliers. homemade cashew milk and sometimes, The growing demand for loose-leaf, local turmeric,” says Yearwood. single-estate blends is new, says Lisa She’s constantly introducing new McDonald, owner of TeaHaus, a tea retailer varieties—from fruity Persian black teas and wholesaler in Ann Arbor, Michigan. and smoky Russian styles—and teaching Her business, which supplies restaurants, her staff how to sell them. When combined bars and cafes, has enjoyed a 300% with rose water, cashew milk, rose petals increase in the last three to four years. and candied hibiscus, her teas double as Thanks to growing demand, restaurants social media clickbait. can now build profitable tea programs. Experts such as McDonald recommend PRESENTATION COUNTS monitoring the trends transforming food Although customers expect teas to cost menus—sourcing transparency, healthy less than high-end coffee, swapping out offerings and visual appeal—and then simple cups and soggy teabags for eye- applying them to a tea program. catching teaware allows for elevated prices. At Commissary, Yearwood serves tea in ADD A LOCAL TOUCH French press–type pots that go to the table Unlike coffee-drinkers, most tea at $4.50 per pot. But the delicate teaware enthusiasts aren’t chasing a caffeine buzz. can break so the staff teach guests how to At Lagusta’s Luscious Commissary!, properly use it. a cafe in New Paltz, New York, owner Lee has adopted a similar strategy, Lagusta Yearwood supplemented her everything from importing ingredients coffee program with teas after many of her to ceramic teapots directly from Taiwan. morning-coffee regulars returned in the “Almost everything is double the original afternoon for a less jittery option. price,” she says. Still, going for a delicate Hoping to brew teas that reflected her and extensive presentation with high- local terroir, she found ready-made fair- caliber ingredients is worthwhile for the trade blends from tea-growing nations impact on customers, who return for the and local infusions, like an Egyptian experience. chamomile grown in the Hudson Valley. MORE CREAM, PLEASE TEA TRAVELS Using tea as a foundational flavor in other Just as imported ingredients can hot beverages draws customers who might

STEEP PROFITS improve a menu, tea programs can benefit otherwise stick with what they know. from ordering the right teas from abroad. “We’ve been trying to push tea lattes, At Brew’s Lee Tea in San Antonio, owner both to expand our menu without adding Frances Lee and her husband, Billy Lee, ingredients and because they’re a higher Allowing who grew up in Asia, serve traditional price point,” says Yearwood. Taiwanese flavors, including floral and At Brew’s Lee Teas, they’ve included milk tea to creamy oolong milk tea. tea ice cream and split cups, so customers Their offerings are narrow but focused, can try two flavors at once. Almond winter stake a with each tea brewed every morning melon, taro coconut milk, and masala to ensure optimal flavor. The goal is Photography By EVA KOLENKO chai—priced between $5 and $8—attract claim to provide customers with a perfect Prop Styling By AMY PALIWODA repeat visitors and gives novice sippers BY ALICIA KENNEDY re-creation of what they might find in Food Styling By ADAM PEARSON something to raise their pinkies about. n

72 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 73 Introducing the WeGo Trio Utensil Dispenser

As seen at the NRA Show!

Dispense forks, knives or spoons from any of the Trio's three chutes

The most sanitary option for disposable cutlery

WeGo Utensil Bundles available in PS, CPLA and PP

Order your FREE WeGo Utensil Dispenser Today through Direct Drop Ship! BY THE NUMBERS Play these numbers for a bigger payout Amazing in any WHERE’S THE BEEF? Although food trends shift more quickly than ever, America’s love of beef is a constant. LANGUAGE To stay aligned with diners’ preferences, graze on these numbers. FLIPPING MAKE THE GRADE Emerging steak cuts continue to gain Incredible flavor is always easy to translate. volume in pounds: BURGERS Our premium beef lets your seasonings and flavors When operators reduce the number of burgers on the menu, they opt for the following FLAT IRON 70 to 77 million CHUCK EYE 14 to 15 million shine, consistently and beautifully. replacements: 2017 2018 PETITE TENDER 33 to 42 million RANCH 10 to 13 million CHICKEN 57% 72% HANGER 27 to 34 million DENVER/UNDERBLADE 2 to 4 million *from 2017 to 2018 SEAFOOD 28% 49% TRI-TIP 12 to 15 million

PORK 33% 51% ‘QUE UP Percentage of full- PLANT-BASED PROTEINS 43% 47% 2014 2018 service operators BRISKET 11% 26% who say steak increases foot traffic OTHER BEEF ITEMS 15% 9% RIBEYE 21% 19% TENDERLOIN 19% 18% NO REPLACEMENT 21% 14% CHUCK/SHOULDER 10% 14% ROUND ROAST 8% 14% SIRLOIN 8% 12% 81% PETITE TENDER 3% 8% CONSUMERS WHO SEE SOUL BEEF AS COMFORT FOOD. Percentage of TRI-TIP 3% 8% operators who buy Percentage of operators using specific meat in bulk to make cuts from 2014 and 2018, respectively. their own patties MOO OVER BEEF CHICKEN WHY? 50% LIMITED-SERVICE RESTAURANTS -0.2% 4.7% More chicken tenders on menus BEEF EATERS WHO SAY IT’S IMPORTANT THAT MEAT FULL-SERVICE RESTAURANTS 7.5% 3.6% Higher-end steak restaurant growth IS HUMANELY RAISED. LODGING -14.6% -16.4% Shift toward express formats the artisan’s beef FEED THE

COLLEGES -1.2% -1.2% More focus on meatless options ELVEY BY KRISTA ILLUSTRATION

Volume change from 2017 to 2018. Source: Technomic 2019 Consumer Trend Report. Source: Technomic for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association unless otherwise noted. Pick up some suggestions from our chef inspired recipes at: STERLINGSILVERMEATS.COM or follow us: ©2019 Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation. All Rights Reserved. 76 FOOD FANATICS | FALL 2019 US Foods Item #: 5601653 US Foods Item #: 5601729

US Foods Item #: 5601679

Lay’s, the chip that makes life flavorful. It’s the easiest way to pass on a little happiness to your customers. Call your PepsiCo Foodservice Sales Representatives about adding some Lay’s joy to your line-up.

Consumers prefer Lay’s over For each specially-marked Lay’s Smile bag Lay’s Classic is the fastest turning any other Potato Chip brand1 purchased between 07/28/2019 & 09/21/2019, salty snack product in Foodservice3 Lay’s will donate $0.01 to Operation Smile2

All snack-related trademarks are owned by Frito-Lay North America, Inc. © 2019 1. Source: Brand Share Preference Study, Ipsos, 2018. 2. Guaranteed minimum $500M. Maximum payment to Operation Smile $1MM. 3. Source: Brand Share Preference Study, Ipsos, 2018