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WINTER 2015 IT PAYS TO BRAISE FOOD PAGE 20 COVER STORY Crank it Out 8 Add a housemade pasta program to reel in the dough.

Heads or Tails 12 Take a chance on the everlasting, ever-changing menu power of bouillabaisse.

Taking Root 16 Dig into the latest menu trends show- casing underground vegetables.

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4 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 Get the dish on FOOD the latest trends

Bring on the Dough Housemade pasta rules on menus

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Filippo Berio® Culinary Selection™ Sauté & Grill Oil • A blend of 80% high oleic canola oil and 20% extra virgin olive oil • Delivers superior performance during high heat food preparations • Use for sautéing, grilling, roasting, pan and deep frying applications For additional product information, visit www.cargilldso.com or call 877-376-6250. For the latest Filippo Berio® Culinary SelectionTM Filippo Berio® is a trademark of SALOV S.p.A., used under license. ©2014 Cargill, Incorporated promotions, visit www.foodservicepromos.com foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 7 Most foods that endure generations evolve with the times. Pas- ta, however, is staying relevant by devolving. In line with the artisanal boom, some restaurants are getting back to basics and crafting their own pastas the way people did long before dried variations became mainstream: with flour, water and, for the most part, their hands. “It’s a matter of care and craftsmanship that’s passed through the generations,” says Ryan Bartlow, chef de cuisine at Frankies 570 in New York. “I’ve learned from the Franks (owners Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli), who learned to cook from their grandparents.” Now Bartlow is teaching a new generation of chefs to mix and knead, roll and thin, and extrude and cut.

The Proof is in the Pasta Once upon a time, pasta prep solely consisted of opening a package, but the finished product often ended up gummy and soggy. “Freshly made pasta is a revelation for many people: the flavor, the tooth,” says Jason Strat- ton, chef of Spinasse in Seattle. Spinasse follows the traditional ratio of Piedmont for ta- jarin (thin egg noodle) using only egg yolks—40 per kilogram of flour. The result, as with most fresh pasta, is a tender, rich strand with a true bite. Spinasse’s customers call it “pasta crack.” “The love and craftsmanship of a skilled chef producing handmade pastas can never be replicated by a machine,” says Merick Devine, chef de cuisine of Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, Colorado. “Whether or not our guests know just how much work goes into producing the pastas, their dining experience is undoubtedly elevated.” In other words, the proof is in the pasta.

Flour Power The difference between good pasta and great pasta depends on many variables. Among them: weather, humidity, water content and

whether the pasta is made with a machine or a Fresh, handmade pasta is pair of hands. tender but also has a true And the kind of pasta, of course. When Phil bite and flavor, a revelation Rubino, former sous chef of Cicchetti in Chica- for many diners. go, produces filled pasta, he prefers the dough a tad softer; if it’s a hand-formed shape, he wants

8 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 it a little bit drier. Strings? Somewhere in be- Saffron Cavatelli At service, cook cavatelli in salted tween. But nothing else matters if the dough is WHAT ABOUT GLUTEN? water. Transfer to a large saute pan with BIG TIP Some pasta-focused restaurants with Anchovy, enough pasta water to cover the bottom not mixed properly. “This means making sure of the pan approximately ¼-inch deep. are scrambling to adjust to the liquid-to-dry ratio is right and the dough Cauliflower and Add anchovy essence, and over medium gluten-free diners. has mixed long enough for the gluten to devel- heat, toss pasta as the water evaporates Training a cook to make pasta can op,” Rubino says. Sultana Raisins and an emulsion is formed. Mark Ladner, chef at Del Posto in be painstaking but passing on the While most recipes are strictly defined and Chef de Cuisine Merick Devine trade can improve kitchen morale. New York, for example, is about Add raisins with 1 tablespoon of the scientific in nature, even the best chefs still em- Frasca, Boulder, Colorado “Not only are we creating a better to launch an ambitious gluten- raisin liquid, pine nuts and roasted ploy trial and error. “Ricotta goes in our cavatelli cauliflower florets. Spoon 3 tablespoons product, we have a skill to teach free pasta pop-up concept, Pasta 2 grams saffron, toasted recipe so sometimes you have to add water to cauliflower puree onto the plate. Spoon someone,” says Jonah Rhode- Flyer, with satellites in six cities. 200 grams water it or not, depending on the humidity,” Bartlow cavatelli into the middle of the cauliflow- hamel of Oliveto. “That keeps em- 200 grams semolina rimacinata er puree. Makes 4 servings. ployees here longer. It is cheaper says. “It takes hundreds of times to get it right. Frasca Food and Wine in 200 grams semolina flour If there is a trick to it, it is practice and knowing Boulder, Colorado, now offers all ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil in the long run.” The prep pays To plump Sultana raisins, bring them to the feel and the look, how to do it and why.” housemade pastas in a gluten- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced off, too. Fresh pasta takes a few a boil with ¼ cup white wine vinegar, 2 12 salt-cured anchovies, rinsed, minutes to cook, while dried pasta free option, using milled to order tablespoons verjus, 2 tablespoons water Reeling in the Dough filleted and minced can take up to 13 minutes. wheat-free flour from Anson Mills and 2 tablespoons sugar. Simmer for 2 10 black peppercorns, coarsely Making pasta by hand is undoubtedly labor inin South Carolina. minutes, drain and reserve liquid. tensive. At Spinasse, two full-time employees ground 1 fresh bay leaf and one part-timer are dedicated to its produc- Pinch red chili flakes tion. But like any expense, it’s all about balanc- 1 small head cauliflower ing overall food and labor costs. 1 cup cream “The training process takes a few months ½ teaspoon lemon juice of making mistakes and refining technique,” Kosher salt as needed Stratton says. But the margin is large enough to ¼ cup Sultana raisins, plumped, recipe follows compensate for labor costs. Even when using 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted first-class foodstuffs, flour and eggs are inexpensive. This allows restaurants to experiment Bloom saffron in water headed to 120 F. with pricier accompaniments such as pig trot- Combine flours and stir in saffron water. ters or rabbit livers while still maintaining an Let stand 1 hour. Cut into cavatelli. appropriate food cost. “Pasta is pure profit,” Bartlow says. “The In a large saute pan, combine oil, garlic, anchovies, peppercorns, bay leaf way the margins break down, it makes perfect and red chili flakes. Heat to 160 F and sense.” The handmade options at Frankies 570 toast 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally range between $15 and $22 while Spinasse’s to encourage even cooking; cool and pastas run from $15 to $26. discard bay leaf. Some restaurants, like Nellcôte in Chicago (where pasta dishes run $6 to $17), have taken Remove florets from cauliflower and cut to size of a nickel; roast and set aside. the handmade approach to extremes by grind- Slice remainder into rings approxi- ing their own flour with a custom-made mill. mately ¼-inch thick and place in large This produces a flavorful, aromatic product will stay with a diner far longer, Van Camp says. saucepan. Add cream, lemon juice and ready-made flour can’t replicate. Of course, as artisanal pasta goes main- THE LOVE AND CRAFTSMANSHIP OF A enough salted water to cover. Cook until “When you buy already-ground flour at the stream, the early adopters can only shrug. cauliflower is tender; correct seasonings SKILLED CHEF PRODUCING HANDMADE and puree. grocery store, it could have been sitting on the “We are not making our own pasta because shelf for over a year,” says Jared Van Camp, it is currently hip,” says Jonah Rhodehamel, PASTAS CAN NEVER BE REPLICATED BY Nellcôte’s chef-partner. “That’s akin to grind- executive chef of Oliveto in Oakland, Cali- A MACHINE. ing black peppercorn on the spot versus buying fornia. “We make our own pasta because it is —Merick Devine, chef de cuisine of Frasca pre-ground pepper.” better than any we can buy. And that’s who Food and Wine The noodle’s rougher texture enables, say, we are.” n the pine nut pesto to cling better to Nellcôte’s chilled squid ink strozzapreti with Maine lob- Jeff Ruby is the dining critic for Chicago maga- ster, Fresno chilies and scallions. And the taste zine, a freelance writer and an author.

10 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 11 AD HE S

Start at the Beginning In Chicago, Chef Mike Sheerin, for-

or Before improvising, it’s always best merly of Cicchetti, gives bouillabaisse

to understand the origins of a dish. the Italian treatment. His shareable

T By definition, “bouillabaisse” means bowl of Venetian Seafood Stew ($34) S A “to boil and to lower” or “to reduce by has been on the menu year-round, built I L evaporation,” which is a key technique on a foundation of brown butter, toma- for a traditional bouillabaisse. toes, cinnamon and spicy-sweet pickled “It’s a fish boil, not a fish stew,” says piquillo peppers. He adds onion, garlic cookbook author and food historian and chili flakes, cooks it down and passes Clifford A. Wright. “The reason for that is the base through a food mill. the broth and the olive oil must emulsify, “It’s still kind of chunky,” he says. which can only happen through a “That’s the base of the actual dish. Up vigorous boil.” until we add the seafood, it’s vegetarian.” Bouillabaisse’s base of flavors makes Mussels, prawns, lobster and braised it unique among fish soups: a Mediter- octopus are cooked to order before the THE TIME IS ranean blend of saffron, olive oil, orange ingredients are added to the thick broth. zest and anise liqueur. It features ap- The rich soup is beefed up with fregola proximately three parts white fish to one sarda (tiny pasta that resembles Israeli RIGHT TO TAKE part dark, oily fish. Restaurants usually couscous). An herb salad of green onion, add shellfish for the wow factor. cilantro, mint and a little fried rice gar- A CHANCE ON The fish boil is garnished with toasted nish the dish. Ciabatta is served on the bread slathered with rouille—a mayon- side, holding true to the restaurant’s Ve- naise-like blend of bread, saffron, garlic, netian roots. BOUILLABAISSE tomato paste and cayenne emulsified in egg yolk and oil. Some restaurants also Backyard Fishing BY HEATHER LALLEY serve sliced cooked potatoes with the dish. The local sustainable fish movement has been a boon to chefs exploring the The Global Melting Pot flavor possibilities of bouillabaisse. At Chiba, a modern Japanese restau- Leaning heavily on Gulf seafood like rant in New Orleans, the Oak Street oysters, shrimp and black drum, as Some argue that a clas- Bouillabaisse ($25) has been a top-sell- well as some mussels from Prince Ed- ing entree (100 orders a week) since the ward Island, co-executive Chef-owner sic should stay true while restaurant opened nearly three years Rich Taylor of the Scarlet Rabbit in others believe such dishes are ago. The dish begins with onions and Round Rock, Texas, considers his Tex- lemongrass sauteed in oil infused with as Bouillabaisse ($17) one of his signa- like jazz improvisation: open to tom yum chili paste (Thai herbs, chil- ture dishes. He starts the soup with the interpretation and invention. es and galangal) and is heavy on local “Cajun trinity” of onions, celery and The French staple bouillabaisse is one shellfish and fish, including crawfish, green bell pepper, and builds upon the of the latest classics to receive that second shrimp and grouper. The red miso shell- foundation with white wine, seafood treatment as chefs around the country are fish broth is streaked with bok choy and stock and cayenne. reinventing Marseille’s traditional fish served with rice. “It’s a pretty simple dish, but it’s doing boil in intriguing ways. They’re capital- “I just had a woman from the Loire Val- really well for us,” he says. After being izing on local, seasonal fish and produce ley (in France) say it was the best bouilla- open for just 14 days, the small restau- to make bouillabaisse variations popular baisse she’d ever had,” Chef-owner Keith rant was selling up to 75 orders of the and profitable. Dusko says. “We’re very proud of it.” dish per week.

12 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 13 ! Cotija, Kinmont, a sustainable fish restaurant in Chicago, serves a Fisherman’s Stew ($45) that’s reminiscent of bouillabaisse. Chef Duncan Biddulph’s creation changes with the seasons. Ay, Caramba! In late fall, he builds the dish from a base of frozen heirloom tomatoes, fish bones, aromatics and anise liqueur. In the spring, diners will find peas, asparagus, green garlic puree and grilled green onions in their bowls of stew. Grilled Gulf prawns and, increasingly, farm-raised shrimp from Indiana appear in the dish, along with clams, mussels and firm-fleshed fish like halibut. It’s served with housemade country bread. With two quarts of broth and about three pounds of seafood per bowl, it’s meant to be shared.

Stock Brokers Fish and seafood, as chefs know, don’t come cheap. So, how are they turning a profit on bouillabaisse? Most restaurants serving a bouillabaisse variation make the broth ahead but prepare the bouillabaisse to order. At Cicchetti, portioning ensures each order gets a half a lobster, two prawns, eight mussels and one baby octopus. Taylor, of the Scarlet Rabbit, agrees. “It’s all about portioning,” he says. “We control exactly what the customer gets. We don’t ladle it out of the pot.” Using local, seasonal fish and produce is another way to control costs on the dish, particularly utilizing scraps from cutting fillets. And fish bones never go to waste when they can be used to flavor stock. “We’re capitalizing on something we’re already selling,” RE-INVENTING Oak Street Bouillabaisse Biddulph says. “It’s a dish that exists to cross-utilize other BOUILLABAISSE Chef Keith Dusko Chiba, New Orleans ingredients in the kitchen. We’re preventing waste and not Bouillabaisse-inspired dishes are purchasing anything additional for the dish.” n hitting menus around the country— 2 tablespoons vegetable oil often in surprising forms: Heather Lalley is a Chicago-based writer and classically 1 small onion, chopped trained chef. 1 stalk lemongrass, chopped Rabbit in Flavors of Bouillabaisse ¾ tablespoon Hondashi (saffron ravioli with rack of rabbit, 4 tablespoons oyster sauce This hard, crumbly Mexican cheese is the perfect topper turnips, carrots, leeks, tomatoes 2½ tablespoons tom yum paste

2½ tablespoons lemon juice to any Hispanic dish. With its wonderful sharp bite, and rouille), $55 as part of a two- ! course dinner, Batard, New York 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon red miso it’ll have your customers saying, “ Ay Carumbles!” 6 Louisiana crawfish Bouillabaise de Mariscos Espanol 6 calamari tubes TELL ME (Spanish seafood soup with clams, 6 calamari tentacles mussels, shrimp, calamari, scallops 6 mussels A STORY and seasonal fish), $28, Galvez, 2 ounces grouper, halved New Orleans 2 ounces salmon slices 2 small heads baby bok choy Seafood Stew (mussels, lobster, shrimp, calamari, Heat oil in large pot and saute onions and Bouillabaisse is a dish known for its richness. Legend has white fish and chorizo), $30, Ward lemongrass, 5 minutes. Add 1 quart of water and simmer 30 minutes. Strain and add Hondashi, it that Venus served bouillabaisse to her husband, Vulcan, 8 in Boston oyster sauce, tom yum paste, lemon and lime “to lull him to sleep while she consorted with Mars,” says juice and red miso. Clifford A. Wright, a food historian. The dish’s name first New England-Style Bouillabaisse appeared in a dictionary from 1785, where it is described (oven-roasted cod, shrimp, crab, Bring mixture to a boil and add remaining in- as “a fisherman’s term, a sort of ragout consisting of boiling clams and new potatoes), $30 gredients. Cook through and serve with jasmine some fish in seawater.” Adelene, Ocean City, New Jersey rice. Makes 1 serving.

14 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 Download the app on iTunes or view the magazine online at of the FOODFANATICS.COM

Dig into the creative uses and potential profit of root vegetables BY JILL CORNFIELD

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT. THAT’S BEEN THE PRINCIPLE LONG GUIDING SUSTAINABLE FOOD TRENDS, INCLUDING SNOUT-TO-TAIL COOKING AND USING EVERY PART OF A FISH. FOR ROOT VEGETABLES, THIS TRANSLATES TO ROOT- TO-STALK. Growing in popularity as chefs continue partnering with local farms, root vegetables are proving they can do more than be roasted with sea salt and olive oil. These underground dwellers are making a statement as the stars of appetizers, chunky or pureed soups (roast first) and side dishes (often pickled). They’re also infusing ice cream, sweet custard and vodka. And in a nod to sustainability, the once discarded tops are appearing in a number of dishes, helping overall food costs. Step into the underground world of root vegetables and their limitless possibilities. 16 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 17 Grilled carrots with house yogurt, spicy Scallops, sunchoke puree, pine nut dolmas honey, and pistachio and seed granola and sunchoke chips Alden & Harlow, Cambridge, Massachusetts Outpost, Goleta, California Price Matters Just because a restaurant blows through thousands of pounds of carrots a year for stock doesn’t mean they come cheap. PARSNIPS TURNIPS Parsnip cake Smashed turnips with roasted Brussels “Vegetables are something we don’t see as a low-cost item,” Nectar, Berwyn, Pennsylvania sprouts and spiced apple says Cortney Burns, co-chef at Bar Tartine in San Francisco. Post & Beam, Los Angeles The restaurant typically pays $5.95 per pound for certain Parsnip ice cream with white chocolate and types of pork and the same for many vegetables, such as Je- sunflower fudge Sweet and sour turnips with bacon rusalem artichokes for desserts, salads, soups and finishing oil. Bar Tartine, San Francisco Boca, Cincinnati You can’t charge too much for vegetable dishes, says Marc Ma- RADISH Duck with roasted turnips, braised leek, rone, executive sous chef of Lavo Italian Restaurant in Las Vegas. Crispy radish cakes with wild mushrooms, turnip and apple puree, and pickled A solid garnish, though, can send the price north. An $8 or $9 peanuts and mushroom soy dipping sauce mustard seed soup, garnished with shrimp or short rib, can bump the price up Doi Moi, Washington, D.C. Parish Hall, New York to $13, he says. Appetizers starring baby beets can go for $15 to $18 when goat (or feta or blue) cheese is incorporated. Roasted radish bruschetta with lemon, garlic TOPS and parsley Radish and turnip green mayonnaise for BEETS Pastaria, Clayton, Missouri smoked potato and black garlic Salt-roasted beets with Thai green curry Bar Tartine in San Francisco Beet gnocchi with whipped coconut galan- ROOT COMBOS gal cream Carrot, parsnip and turnip pancakes Chicken sausage-stuffed chicken, onion Dirt Candy, New York Kitchenette, New York soubise, crispy potato galette, radish greens and Gilfeather turnip broth Sticky chocolate beet cake Rainbow root salad (baby purple and Craigie on Main, Boston n Amali, New York orange carrots, baby chioggia beets and baby turnip with rutabaga puree and rosemary Pork with beet hash, creamy kale, bourbon balsamic vinaigrette) Jill Cornfield is a New York-based freelance- pork jus and walnuts Bisou Bistronomy, San Francisco writer who regularly cooks for three guys. Passion 8, Fort Mill, South Carolina Roasted beets with spiced carrots, yogurt CARROTS and pistachio vinaigrette Vegan Reuben with smoked carrots, kimchee Locanda Verde, New York and white bean puree on pumpernickel Vedge, Philadelphia RUTABAGAS Charred rutabaga with dried cherries, sam- Thumbelina carrots with blood orange, bal honey butter, candied pecans grapefruit and lollipop kale Lavo Italian Restaurant, Las Vegas Rutabaga la plancha with tempura mar- inated onion, black mole sauce, pumpkin seed manchego, poblano tofu crema, carrot-guajillo sauce and caper-cauliflower- Bistro Beet Burgers Place rice, lentils and raw beets in food avocado smash Veraisons Restaurant at the Inn at Glenora processor. Pulse 15 to 20 times until Wine Cellars Etch, Nashville mixture comes together and has ground Dundee, New York meat-like texture. Transfer to mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients except olive Fried rutabaga tossed with housemade 3 cups sushi rice, cooked oil and aioli; chill at least 30 minutes. Shape shrimp paste 2 cups lentils, cooked into 7-ounce patties and saute in olive oil Fung Tu, New York 2 cups red beets, shredded to heat through. Serve with aioli on toasted ¼ cup onion, finely chopped ciabatta buns (add lettuce and tomatoes if SUNCHOKES 4 garlic cloves, minced desired). Makes 12 servings. 2 teaspoons dried thyme Sunflowermeze of sunchoke yogurt, sun- 1 teaspoon ground fennel To make vegan tarragon aioli, process 1 flower seed granola, shrimp ‘chorizo’ and ¼ cup almond butter block silken tofu, ¼ cup tarragon, 2 table- sunchoke relish 2 teaspoons dry mustard spoons white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons The Libertine, Clayton, Missouri 1 teaspoon salt lemon juice, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Sunchoke ice cream and custard Olive oil as needed and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper until Bar Tartine, San Francisco Vegan tarragon aioli, recipe follows smooth. Makes about 2 cups.

18 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 19 BRAISEDBRAISED INFUSEDINFUSEDLow and slow cooking reboots flavor versatility and the bottom line & BY KATE LEAHY

Veal shank is braised for an entree at Abboccato, left, while lamb shoulder works for shepherd’s pie at Remedy Wine Bar. 20 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 21 ININ THETHE EARLYEARLY YEARSYEARS OFOF THETHE 21ST21ST CENTURY,CENTURY, pork bellies were reserved for commodity “I really like mole,” says Arias, explaining the traders, and few chefs risked serving food that chocolate inclusion. “You get a little bit of bit- LIQUID ASSETS quivered in its own fat. Yet in less than a decade, ter chocolate flavor, and there is a nice color on STOCK UP ON THESE Every cut of Sterling Silver® Premium Beef is carefully hand selected to ensure it’s fork-tender and brimming with juicy flavor. So when you rely this rich, braised cut of meat has ascended to the sauce.” restaurant staple. Its versatility has also helped INGREDIENTS FOR A on the unmatched quality of Sterling Silver®, you can rest assured knowing that our hands have selected it, so that your hands can perfect it. reinvigorate a cooking method once known Heat and Serve BETTER BRAISE more for substance than style. At Remedy Wine Bar in Portland, Oregon, Chef “Historically, that was the slam on braises: Ingrid Chen wanted to offer a wine-friendly They weren’t pretty,” says Suzette Gresham, braise on the menu. The problem: Her kitch- executive chef and co-owner of Acquerello in en consisted of a single induction burner and WINE: San Francisco. a small oven that couldn’t fit much more than At Remedy Wine Bar, Ingrid Chen That slight doesn’t ring true for the elegant three quarter-sheet trays. mixes white and red wines together oxtails and short ribs Gresham and her chef “I love a braise,” she says. “I wanted to find a to avoid an overly tannic braise. If de cuisine, Mark Pensa, churn out. And they’re compelling way to serve it at the wine bar with- she doesn’t have stock to cut the not the only ones. Bolstered by rising protein out cutting corners.” wine, she uses water and adds costs, creative techniques and global influenc- She found her answer in shepherd’s pie. The roasted stock bones, which essen- es, chefs are moving beyond pork belly and giv- day before serving, she braises seared lamb tially creates a stock in the braise. ing everything from chicken to beef tongue the shoulder in a commissary kitchen, using a mix low and slow treatment. of white and red wine, and water or stock. The next day, she heats the meat with some of the Tough Love strained braising jus and blanched carrots, At The Radler in Chicago, Chef-partner Nathan peas and pea shoots. The mixture goes into PIG’S FOOT: Sears is making a case for beef tongue with sau- individual gratin dishes, topped with mashed When braising pork shoulder or erbraten (a sweet-sour German preparation). potatoes mixed with a grated sheep’s milk chicken at Absinthe, Adam Keough throws in a soaked pig’s foot to Sears marinates the tongue in red wine, vin- cheese, like pecorino. To order, she heats the fortify the braise with flavor, marrow egar and spices for five days until it is nearly gratin dish in the oven until browned on top and gelatin. It’s an old French cook- pickled and then braises it gently until tender. and warmed through. ing trick, he says. Thin slices of the tongue are griddled to order, and at tableside, servers pour gravy made with A piece of dark chocolate adds another layer of the braising liquid and thickened with ginger- flavor to veal shank osso buco at Abboccato Italian snaps. Though tongue won’t usurp pork belly Kitchen in New York. anytime soon, Sears is willing to take a hit on APPLE SOUR: the menu price to entice more people to try one Carlo Apolloni favors apple sour of his favorite preparations. when deglazing the pot for slow- “You are getting people to eat something that cooked wild boar ribs at Grissini in doesn’t cost much but tastes delicious,” he says. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. He Some of the world’s most popular braises likes its clean, light flavor that com- emerged out of this very idea: Take a tough, plements apples in the braise. awkward cut of meat and make it delectable. The enduring popularity of osso buco is one such example, and the dish is typically on the menu at Abboccato Italian Kitchen in New York. Executive Chef David Arias braises a va- COLA: riety of proteins, from pork shank to monkfish, Cooking carnitas with cola isn’t so but the more traditional route is slow cooking different from basting ham with the Request a complimentary Sterling Silverinformation pack & find out 14-ounce veal shanks in white wine, stock and soda—it infuses the meat with a subtle sweetness, says Adam Rose what chefs, like Ted Hughes, are saying about Sterling Silver. mirepoix, finishing with garlic, shallots, toma- of Villalobos. toes and parsley. But he also adds a piece of visit ff.sterlingsilverstories.com dark chocolate.

SS14854_FoodFanatics_Filet_Hughes_LAYERED.indd 1 9/25/14 8:32 AM Introducing the newest Tyson Food Service creation, The Corner Table Blog. For industry trends, operator information, and much more visit TheCornerTableBlog.com Wine-Braised Lamb Shoulder Shepherd’s Pie Chef Ingrid Chen Mexican Original® Remedy Wine Bar, Portland, Oregon Corn Tortilla Chips Tyson ® Red Label™ 4 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, Grilled Chicken Filet cut into large cubes Tyson ® Red Label™ Salt and freshly ground black pepper Grilled Strips to taste ¼ cup canola oil 2 carrots, cut into large chunks 1 large onion, quartered 1 stalk celery, cut into large chunks 2 cups white wine 1 cup red wine Water or meat stock 8 sprigs thyme ® 4 sprigs rosemary Wright Brand 2 fennel tops, quartered Bacon 2 cups carrots, sliced and blanched 2 cups peas, thawed 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cubed 1 cup milk ¼ pound cold butter, cubed ½ cup hard cheese, your choice, shredded

Season meat with salt and pepper and sear in oil over medium-high heat in large Dutch oven. Move meat to sheet tray and brown carrots, onion and celery for about 5 minutes; deglaze with wine.

Return lamb pieces to mixture and add stock or water to almost cover lamb. BONICI® Add herbs and fennel tops. Cover tight- Flatbreads ly with foil and braise in preheated 325 F oven about 3 hours or until tender. Strain liquid and reduce by half. Re- Tyson® move meat from pot and add to liquid. Flamebroiled Beef Burger Add carrots, cook for a few minutes and add peas. Correct seasonings; set aside. Tyson ® Boil potatoes in salted water, strain, Chicken Wings add milk, butter and salt to taste. BONICI® Stir in cheese. Meatballs

Divide warm filling among 16- ounce ramekins and top with a solid layer of mashed potatoes. Grate more cheese over top if desired. Place on sheet tray and bake in pre- MORE day parts. MORE price points. MORE quality. heated 400 F oven for up to 15 minutes. Serves 10.

Contact your Tyson Food Service or Distributor Sales Rep or visit TysonFoodService.com for more info.

24 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 ©2014 Trademarks and registered trademarks are owned by Tyson Foods, Inc. or its subsidiaries. Remedy’s Wine-Braised Shepherd’s Pie Menu Price: $18 Raw Ingredients: $4.25 Food Cost: 23.6 percent Instead of lamb, try pork shoulder “Lamb shoulder is really great,” Chen says. or beef shank “The yield is high for the cost, and it’s good for something like a shepherd’s pie when the meat is broken up into pieces.” When Adam Keough took over as executive chef at Absinthe Brasserie & Bar in San Fran- cisco, he quickly learned coq au vin would be in Instead of his future. “The chef before me took it off the peas, try menu and there was a bit of an uproar,” he says. Instead of mashed lima beans potatoes, try mashed “When I started, I was asked 150 times if I was parsnips and turnips going to bring it back.” He has since embraced the dish, which takes three days to prepare. On the first day, Keough butchers the chickens—separating the legs from the bone-in breasts—seasons the meat and makes a stock with pig’s feet and chicken bones. The next day, he braises the bone-in breasts and legs separately in stock and reduced red wine for even cooking. The final day, he cuts the breast meat off the bone and strains the braising liquid, which he fortifies with bacon, garlic, thyme and reduced red wine, and then thickens with roux. Once that’s done, the pick-up is simple. Like Searing meat like oxtails, Instead of carrots, left, or short ribs first try sweet potatoes Chen, Keough assembles the dish in a heat- helps with the aesthetics or rutabaga and-serve vessel. On a night the symphony of braised foods. plays, Absinthe will seat 100 people in an hour. “This is the type of dish that saves the day,” Keough says. he says. “It gives the chicken a subtle smoky fla- it to Acquerello to prepare oxtails and other Bird is the Word vor.” Once cool, he separates the birds from the tough meat cuts. While the growth of braised dishes on menus liquid, breaks each one down into eight pieces “The evaporation level of the liquid was across the country has been flat, the number of and pulls the meat off the bones. almost nonexistent,” he says. “When you dishes with braised chicken grew 6 percent in Faced with an overabundance of fat left from cook with it, it leaves a more intense flavor the first quarter of 2014 over the same period cooking carnitas, Executive Chef Kyle Rourke in the meat.” Try different cheeses, Because presentation suffers with this prepa- such as manchego, in 2013, according to Technomic, a foodservice uses it (along with some leftover bacon fat) to pecorino or Gruyere research company. confit chicken thighs and drumsticks at Red Star ration, he tends to reserve the pressure cooker Part of the reason is cost (although chick- Tavern in Portland, Oregon. After lightly curing for pasta fillings. When presentation matters en prices keep rising), but most of it has to do the chicken, he cooks them in the fat at 180 F for more, Pensa and Gresham have found success with versatility. Braised meats of all kinds are 12 hours. To order, Rourke deep fries the chicken with sous vide. Pensa sears short ribs with but- integral to the Mexican menu at Villalobos in and serves it with a chili-caramel sauce. ter, herbs and garlic before cooking them vacu- Montclair, New Jersey, but braised chicken is The dish has a low food cost—the thighs have um-sealed in a water bath at 62 C for 24 hours. especially flexible. a 16-percent food cost while the drumsticks av- “When you slice it, instead of seeing the gray- “It could be in a torta, it could be a filling for erage 12 percent—and it has become a staple on ish-brown, it is pink inside,” Gresham says. tamales, it could be in a taco, it could be a filling the happy hour menu. “It has that salty-sweet “But it eats like a braise.” for sopes,” Chef-owner Adam Rose says. thing going on,” Rourke says. “Beer goes really No matter the equipment, fundamentals, Rose brines chickens with epazote and arbol well with it.” such as seasoning the meat well and evenly chilies for 24 hours. The next day, he slightly searing it before cooking, still apply. “The tech- flattens the meat, sears the birds and braises Under Pressure nique doesn’t change,” Pensa says. n them with caramelized carrots, onions, garlic, About four years ago, Mark Pensa started ex- toasted arbol and guajillo chilies, stewed toma- perimenting with a new stovetop pressure Kate Leahy is a San Francisco-based writer, toes, chicken stock and bay leaves until tender. cooker at home. Technological advancements cookbook author and regular contributor to “We also add chipotle peppers in adobo sauce,” produced results encouraging enough to bring Food Fanatics.

26 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 27 TREND TRACKER The heat index on what’s happening

Coffee programs are No need for brewing to be the complicated next big thing. dishes—diners like it simple and straightforward. Jacking up prices for shareable beef and seafood entrees means never having to say you’re sorry. Operators elbowing in Millennial nos- There are more Southeast Maple syrup talgia pushes than eight Asian might does more the arcade and reasons to love do well to try than top game bar trend. octopus right another trend. pancakes. now.

WARMING UP ON FIRE COOLING OFF

Styrofoam packaging is Make a state- edged out in ment with the green age. From the brag-worthy punch bowl to functional

Robert E. Meyer the tap, bot- showpieces. tled cocktails With so many are the next mobile pay- wave. ment options available, why

are you still Crank out an in-house cash only? pasta program.

Manhattans remain a Natural, premium beef that delivers the exceptional taste and classic, but the negroni is stealing German food thunder. Humanely and sustainably raised, without hormones or antibiotics. gets trendy? You better Know your baharat believe it. from your za’tar. Middle Eastern OCTOPUS PHOTO BY TYLLLIE BARBOSA BY TYLLLIE BARBOSA PHOTO OCTOPUS RESTAURANT COURTESY OF THE BRISTOL PHOTO PASTA cuisine is hot. COURTESY OF EUROVINTAGE.ETSY.COM SLICER PHOTO MEAT Learn more at meyernaturalfoods.com • 1-888-586-2208 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 29 Connecting with industry FOOD PEOPLE matters of the moment

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES Carving a legacy Chefs reach into their THIS IS JUST THE FIRST COURSE IN CHANGING THE FOOD INDUSTRY family’s past to bring

Amazing things happen when people with a common passion This industry-leading magazine, available in print, online and on the together the staff and purpose come together, and that is certainly the case with our iPad, has gathered insights and inspiration for chefs, restaurateurs Food Fanatics® movement! Our team of nearly 20 chefs, bringing and food lovers everywhere. An advocate of the business we all love, decades of experience on the frontlines of cooking and running the Food Fanatics movement has captured the excitement of the restaurants, have traveled from city to city, sharing their expertise year on video and through blogs so that it could be shared with to inspire business success. Within this movement, the Food Fanatics restaurants from one coast to the next. As the year comes to a close, Live™ shows, hosted throughout the country, have brought the most expect more from the Food Fanatics movement as we continue to cutting-edge food trends to life with on-stage cooking demonstrations. share our passion for all things food to inspire business success. Executive Chef Brandon Frohne of @FOODFANATICS by Ron Manville Photography Mason’s in Nashville foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 31

Bleed Size: 9.25” x 10.75” Trim Size: 9” x 10.25”

Job Number: MKG- 2014101008 Design Manager: ED PETRUCZENKO Released: 11/03/14 FF Letter/Ad Copy Writer: N/A Printed: YES Last Modified:11.03.14 Designer: JIM DIMITRIOU PDF: NO Modified by: JIM DIMITRIOU Proofreader: JULIA GRANEY FEED THE STAFF

Grandma Knows Best Some of the most indelible From one type of family meal memories of food come from to the next grandmother’s table, meals brought to life by her trove of By Margaret Littman recipes handed down from one THESE ARE TRADITIONAL generation to another. These recipes can often be found in restau- SIMPLE FOODS, LIKE rant kitchens, where chefs are using comida WHAT PEOPLE MADE AT as a way to bond with staff members. After all, the ritual of sharing food at the fami- HOME. I LIKE TO TELL ly dinner table is an ethos that jibes with THEM ABOUT WHERE I restaurant missions everywhere. For Luis Cabanas, sous chef at Paley’s COME FROM AND WHERE Place Bistro & Bar in Portland, Oregon, I USED TO LIVE. serving recipes from his native Yucatan is a —Luis Cabanas of Paley’s Place Bistro & Bar way to share his culture and his history with his co-workers. His arsenal is heavy on traditional Mexican family recipes, including braised chicken with mole, tacos and sopes (thick tortillas topped with ingredients). “These are traditional simple foods, like what people made at home,” Cabanas says. “I like to tell them about where I come from Many constraints on staff meal are the same Just as Grandma needed to clear out the ice- and where I used to live.” ones matriarchs faced at home, namely scarci- box, all restaurants look to use those last wilted For staff meal at Malai Kitchen in Dallas, ty of time and ingredients. greens and any other leftover vegetables. co-owner Yasmin Wages often serves her At Mason’s in the Loews Vanderbilt Ho- At 404 Kitchen in Nashville, Chef Matt grandmother’s mari wara kukra, a Tanza- tel in Nashville, Executive Chef Brandon Bolus uses scraps to make a rustic zucchini nian chicken dish stewed in black pepper, Frohne often dips into a treasure trove of bread served at staff meal. The bread, which ginger, garlic and red pepper. “I still re- family recipes to make dishes that can satisfy he remembers having available all summer member helping her cook when I visited,” a hungry crew and be prepared quickly using long, is made from a recipe passed down she says. “The smell of butter and freshly ingredients on hand. His interest in Asian from grandmother to mother to son. crushed peppercorns from Zanzibar was cooking, the Japanese heritage of several “We cook staff meal here the way we always my favorite. I remember those aro- staff members and the dishes he inherited by cook everything else: uncomplicated mas to this day.” marrying into a Filipino family provide plen- (and) honest,” Bolus says. “Best of all, it’s Nostalgia aside, Wages says the recipe is easy ty of recipe options. relatively inexpensive, which is perfect to make on the fly. “Mari wara kukra makes for Dishes such as inarizushi (rice-filled fried for staff meal.” a great staff meal because it’s simple,” she says. tofu), tamagoyaki (layered omelet) and yel- Sharing one family recipe often spurs the “It doesn’t take long to prepare, the spice level low mustard fried rice easily come together sharing of another. Following the zucchi- is manageable and the flavors are unique.” She fast. Speed is essential for a team that has ni bread, Bolus’ butcher, Luke Williams, usually serves the dish with jasmine rice or tor- just 30 minutes to prep and eat before the brought his grandmother’s manicotti recipe tillas to add familiarity for the staff. dinner rush. to staff meal. Photography by Nathan Michael Photography

foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 33 That said, some chefs don’t have the luxury of drawing upon hand- me-down recipes from a talented matriarch. “My mom could not cook,” quips Chef de cuisine Mathew Jack- son of Il Casale Cucina Campana in Lexington, Massachusetts. “That is why I became a chef.” But he does want to serve good food to a hungry crowd in a short amount of time (and to serve something other than pasta). So Jackson makes the kinds of food his mother made, but with better ingredients and with a chef’s flair. Instead of Hamburg- er Helper, there’s stroganoff; from- scratch mashed potatoes instead of spuds from a box. A staff that expresses joy about eating and acknowledges the food that someone else prepared is, well, just like what Grandma used to make, Wages says. n

Margaret Littman is a Nashville- based business, travel and food writer.

Mari Wara Kukra (chicken cooked in black pepper)

Owner Yasmin Wages Malai Kitchen, Dallas

3 to 4 large tomatoes, chopped 1 onion, chopped 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 small chicken, cut into pieces 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon ginger root, minced 1 tablespoon garlic, minced 1 small red bell pepper, chopped ¼ cup butter 1½ tablespoons black pepper, crushed

Process tomatoes and onion in a blender. Heat oil and brown chicken; drain. Add other ingredients (except butter and pepper) and saute. Add tomato mixture and simmer until chicken is cooked.

In another pan, melt butter. Add the black pepper. Once it starts sizzling, add chicken mixture and cook for a couple minutes to combine flavors. Serve with rice, roti or tortillas. Makes 4 servings.

34 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 TALK SHOP

For more help, go to FOODFANATICS.COM or download the magazine app WHAT’S from iTunes THE BEST MEDICINE FOR AN BY KEEPING YOUR ENERGY AILING FOCUSED ON YOUR QUALITY EMPLOYEES, RESTAURANT? YOU CAN BUILD By Laura Yee A TEAM THAT WILL TAKE YOUR IDEAS AND RESTAURANTS DON’T GET YOUR VISION SICK AND DIE OVERNIGHT. TO THE NEXT BUT THE AILING ONES ARE LEVEL ... DON’T OFTEN PREDISPOSED TO BE CONSUMED CONDITIONS SUCH AS BY MANAGING A LACK OF FOCUS AND “Give an honest assessment of the situation. Do a top to bottom and back to front evaluation of your business. Try to look at your restaurant POOR UNBALANCED FOOD AND from the customer’s view. Be objective and emotionally unattached. Be PERFORMERS LABOR COSTS. A FEW harsh and be honest. SUCCESSFUL OPERATORS DAVE DAVIS > Streamline and simplify. Often restaurants try to do too much or AND THOSE too many things at once and it simply waters down and minimizes WHO DON’T OFFER THEIR RX FOR Executive chef at the Sink in what you do well. A small streamlined menu is almost always more BRINGING A RESTAURANT Boulder, Colorado, and president successful for many reasons. Smaller inventory is required and few- CARE. BACK TO LIFE. of the American Culinary Federa- er staff people needed to execute. Purchasing and storage become far —Dave Davis tion’s Colorado chapter easier, and most importantly, you clearly define and proclaim your place in the market. By keeping your energy focused on your quality employees, you can build a team that will take your ideas and your vision to the next level. Don’t be consumed by managing poor performers and those who don’t care. Get them out of your operation.”

foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 37 GARY COHEN > Vice president of operations for Glory Days Grill, a 22-unit sports bar concept in the Washington, D.C., area, which has enjoyed five consecutive years of sales growth

“Restaurants have to have some core principles. At our restaurants, there are 50 TVs in each one, and we always have something on for kids like the Car- toon Network—even when it’s Sunday football. Each table also has a speaker box so they can actually hear the program. Food quality is a principle as well. If you want to serve great burgers and wings, they’ve got to be fresh, and if they can’t be, you ought to make something else the focus. Everyone in our industry knows you cannot be successful if costs and goods are over 60 percent. Whatever your approach to labor and food costs is, know that technology is your friend, meaning you have to watch your trends. If you see food costs going up and the sales trends are going down, you’ve got a problem. It sounds elementary, but if sales are down, your costs have to go down, too. Know who you are and stick to it. People panic when sales are down and they tend to move away from their core philosophy, like offering coupons and other goofy ideas. If people know what you stand for, they may check out the new restaurant down the street, but they will be back.”

WHATEVER YOUR APPROACH TO LABOR AND FOOD COSTS IS, REMEMBER THAT TECHNOLOGY IS YOUR FRIEND. —Gary Cohen

RICKY MOORE > Former fine dining chef and current chef-owner of Salt Box, a single concept seafood stand in Durham, North Carolina, which opened about two years ago

“Revisit recipes of all dishes and do a tasting with staff to get honest feedback. Don’t be defensive and remember that you are not the audience. Your servers are in the trenches every day, talking to customers and seeing what gets left on the plate. Take the feedback and make necessary changes. Look at training. Ensure that the service team knows the dishes inside and out, and everyone knows the kind of customer service you want to convey. If you’re a neighborhood restaurant, be a rock star and connect with your diners—it’s the one thing you will have over the chains. Service must be your No. 1 priority. Let your service team know that the consumer has a lot of dining options in today’s restaurant climate. Don’t take that for granted. Use social media aggressively but only if your core clientele is on social media. You want to make sure you are shouting to an audience so be sure that you pay to play on Facebook by boosting your posts. You don’t have to spend a fortune, but $5 per post and targeting to your neighborhood can make a difference.”

38 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 more women and boosted off-peak sales. “We barbecue-centric menu and appeal to his fe- have groups of women having wine and appe- male audience. He estimates that 85 percent of tizers at 3 p.m., a time that is normally slow,” the vegan burgers ordered at Wood Ranch are he says. sold to women. RM has found success with certain menu In Chicago, Chef Guillermo Tellez recently items and promotions, Dexter says, noting that revamped the menu at Municipal Bar + Dining women place approximately 90 percent of its Co. to include 10 slider options, which are more dessert, cheese and mignardise orders. appealing to his female diners than large burg- It pays to learn the new ers or sandwiches. He estimates 15 to 20 per- Listen and Learn cent of female diners order the sliders wrapped school of appealing to Learning more about the preferences of female in lettuce, rather than with a bun. women diners diners doesn’t mean hiring a consulting or market research firm. Jamie Dunham, owner Subject to Change BY KATE BERNOT of Brand Wise, suggests that restaurants create As millennials enter peak consumer spend- Appealing to women diners is simple: their own informal focus groups. ing years in a few decades, they will bring with “Women love to give you their opinions and them a new set of attitudes about gender. Focus on low-calorie dishes and typi- tell you what your next great menu item could White wine for the lady and Scotch for the gen- cal girly drinks, right? Sure, maybe 25 be, whether it’s through an informal focus tleman isn’t necessarily the way of this gener- years ago. group held in your restaurant or just some gen- ation, which views gender roles as somewhat As social expectations of gender roles eral questions sent out to your email database,” flexible, according to a 2012 U.S. Chamber of change and blur, determining what fe- Dunham says. Commerce report. male diners want is more complex and Social media can also provide a wealth of Subtle marketing tweaks, such as changing counter to how we try to approach it,” Dexter requires an approach that’s far from one- feedback. “You get real-time feedback and in- the wording of promotional materials, can of- says. “We try to think more about a lifestyle, size-fits-all. sight into what the consumer wants, and in this ten make big impacts. RM describes brunch as talking to friends and family and the type “It’s such a hard conversation to have,” case, what women want,” Dexter says. “At RM, “your weekly Champagne fix.” It’s not an explic- of women we’re trying to attract to find out says Chris Dexter, a partner in the Ele- the number of times I’ve seen a social media itly feminine call-out, but the tone reflects that what they like.” n ment Collective restaurant group, which post saying, ‘this is how a lady wants to live’ lets women drive most of RM’s Champagne sales. includes Chicago’s Old Town Social and you see what women are reacting to in terms of “Ultimately, the notion that one thing Kate Bernot is the nightlife editor at Redeye RM Champagne Salon. “It can teeter food and design. It can be very specific.” is female-friendly versus male-friendly is Chicago and a freelance writer. on misogynistic to say ‘women will like Knowing which dishes or promotions appeal this.’ What does that even mean today?” to current female diners can also help replicate Still, it’s a question restaurants need to that success. “I talk to managers and servers answer to stay relevant to customers and and walk through the dining room to see what’s The New Rules turn a profit. selling,” Dexter says. “If you see it sell like cra- If a restaurant bases its marketing on outdated notions of what women want, it risks losing not only “Women aren’t a niche market, they zy and the servers say it’s all women ordering female consumers but men as well. Consider the old and new approaches: are the market,” says Beth Perro-Jarvis, a it, there’s no cultural judgment there, but you Old School New School partner at Minneapolis-based marketing know you’ve got it right with that dish.” strategy firm Ginger Consulting. That means a tighter focus. Hand the check to the male in a group Wait for a diner to reach for the check, or leave it Rethink Healthy in the center of the table “If it’s food-related, we might target Restaurateurs think that healthier menus at- people who are much more gourmet or tract female diners, and most marketing ex- Show images of women as either moms or at Share diverse representations of women, such as organic-driven or others who are much perts agree. But because women define health bachelorette parties single moms, business travelers and grandmothers more convenience-driven,” says Per- differently, it’s worth considering special diets ro-Jarvis. “If you don’t close the aperture and preferences. Assume single women at the bar are waiting Know that single female diners may be business a little bit and refine your target, you’re “Healthy has a broader definition than it did for a date to arrive travelers or solo customers going to be in trouble.” four or five years ago when it was more calo- Believe low-calorie is queen Customize menu items to serve diverse Changes in eating habits are also con- rie- or fat-driven,” Perro-Jarvis says. “Now it’s dietary needs tributing to the way restaurants can mar- more quality-driven. A woman might say ‘I’m ket to female diners. For example, 24 per- happy to have the pork as long as it’s sourced Label bar or dinner specials as ‘Girls Avoid labels altogether. Women can still find the cent of women are snacking much more well and I can order it without the cheese.’” Night Out’ specials that appeal to them often, according to a 2013 report from Dietary preferences, such as gluten-free or The Hartman Group. vegetarian, along with expanding definitions Steer women toward certain ‘lighter’ cocktails Ask a woman what other drinks or foods she Alex Benes, partner and culinary di- of healthy eating are drivers of an important or dishes prefers and adapt recommendations rector at California-based chain Wood menu trend across the board: customization. Assume that a male-female couple is on Understand that millennials are more likely to have Ranch BBQ & Grill, found that his half- At Wood Ranch, Benes says lighter options a date opposite-sex platonic friends priced Wine With Us Tuesdays targeted such as halibut, trout and salmon balance the

40 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 41 FOOD FANATICS ROAD TRIP! Hitch a ride with us

THE HIGHLIGHTS

Fette Sau This barbecue joint studies more than smoking. Chef-owner Joe Carroll and his staff know every aspect of their products’ life cycles, from the farms the animals came from to the wood flavoring the meat.

Glasserie In the former home of the Greenpoint Glass Works, Chef Eldad Shem Tovthe serves market-driven Middle Eastern cuisine packed with hearty vegetables, whole grains, nuts, spices and herbs.

Lachlan Stand-outs at this neighborhood gastropub include charred octopus with grapefruit, shishito peppers, pickled onion and madras yogurt and a burger with duck fat potatoes.

Talde The flagship restaurant of Chef Dale Talde’s Park Slope empire puts an inventive touch on Asian-American dishes. Don’t miss the Korean fried chicken and the pretzel pork and chive dumplings. Brooklyn For more highlights, go to FoodFanatics.com Who needs Manhattan when you have Totonno’s Pizzeria Napolitana and a hot Brooklyn? The once rugged city streets of dog from Nathan’s Famous. RECIPE this New York borough have seen a surge This is definitely a pizza town with of gentrification as old warehouses and plenty of divisive opinions. Some swear CHINATOWN COCKTAIL buildings have become the new enclaves by the coal brick oven pizzas at Grimaldi’s Bartender-partner John Bush for young, talented chefs looking to make while others show up early to wait in line at Talde, New York their mark. Di Fara’s. There’s also a whole generation of First, grab a falafel from one of the local hipster pizzerias such as Roberta’s, Speedy 3 lime wedges 3 Amarena soaked cherries street carts and head to Brooklyn Heights. Romeo, Lucali’s and Motorino. 1 brown sugar cube You’ll find the most epic views of New York The DIY ethos is strong here with a 3 dashes lemon bitters while strolling the Promenade and crossing focus on locally grown ingredients and 5 ounces Diplomatico Rum the Brooklyn Bridge. After all, you’ll need to unique artisanal foods sprawling through ½ ounce Lairds Applejack Brandy work up an appetite before digging into all neighborhoods like Williamsburg, Lime wheel the amazing restaurants. Greenpoint, Red Hook, Bushwick and Black pepper, freshly ground For a taste of old school Brooklyn, head to Park Slope. And the latest crop of James Muddle lime, cherries, brown sugar and L&B Spumoni Gardens for grandmother- Beard Award-nominated restaurants lemon bitters. Add ice and remaining approved Italian-American. Coney Island like Delaney Barbecue, Mile End, Maison ingredients. Shake and pour over a strainer might feel like a tourist trap, but it’s Premiere and The Elm prove that there’s into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime

worth the trip if only to grab a slice from no stopping Brooklyn. n wheel and black pepper. by Tim Marrs illustration

42 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015

1705-019452-14_FarmhouseHam Ad_jbF_CSP.indd 1 9/29/14 4:16 PM Insight and ideas to keep the cash MONEY & SENSE flowing in

Kid stuff Show the parents some love to score higher sales and brand loyalty

foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 45 Check out which mommy blogs provide further insight into family dining at FOODFANATICS.COM

MeetTo win younger the customers, Parents avoid the kid’s tricks and focus on Mom and Dad BY PETER GIANOPULOS

THE DAYS OF CRAYONS Pampering the Parents AND CHICKEN NUG- Take care of parents and the rewards can be fruitful. Forty-nine percent of GETS ARE NUMBERED. parents visit family-style operations on SOPHISTICATED, a weekly basis, and parents are likely to return even when they’re not with their HEALTH-CONSCIOUS children, according to Technomic, a YOUNG PARENTS AND foodservice research company. THEIR TABLET-TOTING Many national chains are taking notice. Olive Garden made national KIDS ARE FORCING headlines in February by offering free FAMILY-FRIENDLY babysitting at various My Gym franchises. And select Chick-fil-A franchises RESTAURANTS TO offer a “Mom’s Valet” service that pro- GROW UP. vides full-service dining, from setting up Merely keeping kids distracted long high chairs to organizing meals. enough for Mom and Dad to wolf down Independent restaurants are also go- a meal is no longer enough. The new ing the extra mile. At Crosby’s Kitchen restaurant toy box is filled with a cre- in Chicago, owner Derek Rettell wid- ative mix of entertainment options ened the entrance to accommodate that captivate children’s imaginations double strollers and installed easy-pivot and allow parents to dine on their own hinges that allow even the scrawniest terms. Savvy operators know that cater- of 5-year-olds to hold open the door for ing to parents can create loyal custom- Mom. Inside, Rettell offers a compli- ers and increase business beyond the 20 mentary stroller valet, a kids-eat-free percent of total restaurant sales made policy from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and a build- up by families. your-own ice cream bar that has boost- “Parents today expect a more evolved ed dessert sales. dining experience,” says Ed Doyle, “A restaurant like ours depends on president of RealFood Consulting Inc. repeat guest visits,” Rettell says, “so we “They want to give their children a spe- took a long-term approach. We wanted cial experience they can’t get at home to give families reasons to try us and but they also want to enjoy themselves.“ then come back.”

46 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 47 BIG TIP Seasoned advice on the DEAR FOOD FANATIC front and back of the house

Before making a restaurant more kid friendly by catering to parents, be sure not to alien- ate a core clientele group like singles or older diners who might not be thrilled to share space with the rugrat set. Shoot My servers just don’t care like for slow nights or times when non-parents aren’t dining. they used to. How do I find a new co-owner. “We are trying to acknowledge this need and make it a priority to accommodate din- class of longtimers? The New Kids’ Meals ers of all ages.” Five tips for sprucing up the MAKE MORE OF AN EFFORT TO ARTICULATE OPPORTUNITIES kids’ menu without losing The New Playpens street cred. At the Second Home Kitchen + Bar in Denver, Gen- as a way to motivate staff. Instead of hounding them to % eral Manager Megan McGinness believes the fami- › At the Asian-in- upsell desserts, appetizers and beverages, show them how Rename It: lies that play together, dine together. Every Sunday spired Mama Fu’s concept, higher check averages result in tip increases. Because kids are drawn to its Ninja for the last three years, she’s converted her private Families that20 represent total Noodles (teriyaki chicken over dining space into a kid-friendly pajama brunch. nothing speaks louder than money, create monthly contests based on noodles) and Dragon Tails Kids can hang out with beanbags, game tables, TVs sales of specific items, such as wine or appetizers. restaurant sales -NPD Group (chicken nuggets) because of and dig into a child’s buffet while adults dive into their names. the DIY bloody mary bar, bottomless mimosas and brunch offerings. › Tweak Think Smaller: “The program has allowed us to attract more reg- be willing to teach. Beware the applicant who play. Try reserving a certain portion of the menu signature items for children’s Q. New Year’s Eve is amateur night, Play Time ular customers who then come back to dine with but we still want to stand out from the has worked everywhere in town, talks as if for seasonal items and another small percentage palates. Burrito-focused chain Scott Wise, president and CEO of Indiana-based us for dinner,” McGinness says. “It’s created a great competition. Got any ideas? he knows everything and is so confident in for your short-term features. Short-term Boloco offers kids mini PB+J Scotty’s Brewhouse, spends more than $100,000 deal of crossover business.” A. Revelers will come out no matter what, so his abilities that training seems unnecessary. features are easy to market using social media, wraps. SushiSamba serves each month catering to children at his 11 restau- Warren Solochek, vice president of client services be sure to offer celebratory packages. Think of As tempting as it may be, these applicants chalkboards and inserts, and as verbal specials. baby bento boxes filled with typically end up having a corrosive attitude, Seasonal menus can easily be inserted into the rants. But he says the repeat business and alcohol and development for market research company those who want to have an early dinner before purple mashed potatoes and they ring in the new year elsewhere. Rather resist direction and are not good at getting menu in place of high-cost, low-sales items. purchases more than make up for it. the NPD Group, says a memorable impression is a sushi bites. than courting couples, try catering to families along with others. Don’t forget about applying the same philosophy “These are good investments,” says Wise, whose branding tool like no other. “When parents go out and larger parties to fill more seats. You can to desserts and cocktails, which also can be restaurant perks include roaming magicians, bal- › End on a Good Note: At with their kids and have a good time, they talk to entice these customers with specials that aren’t Q. My customers don’t want change. They seasonal and give you a competitive edge. loon acts and face painters on Tuesdays and Sun- Barn & Company in Chicago, other parents about it,” he says. available later. Also consider bar specials and like things the way they are, but my business is days, his designated kids-eat-free days. “When kid-friendly barbecue offer- But don’t stray too far from the restaurant’s core snacks for the crowd that comes in post-dinner dying. Suggestions, please. Q. We are constantly being asked for parents are driving home from soccer practice and ings are complemented by a concept, Solochek says. If the operation has an open as a way to build extra late-night sales. Lastly, A. Yours is an all-too-common scenario: donations, especially during this time of the catering to a customer base for 10 to 20 years year. How do I figure out a fair way to dole rainbow of snow cones on the consider offering group dining takeout, but they ask their kids where they want to eat, they say, kitchen, find a way to boost children high enough only to find you have been alienating diners out freebies? dessert menu. remember to cut off times for pick-up early in ‘Scotty’s!’ and it all comes back to us.” to take in the action. If pizza is your strong suit, let the day to avoid getting slammed later. by offering more of the same. Try creating a A. Think of these freebies as part of your His littlest customers can dig around a toy chest children build their own pizzas at the table. “classics” section on your menu to showcase local marketing costs. It’s easy to just give out › At for free small toys, but to keep older children and Avoid Allergens: Or turn part of an outdoor space into a giant Q. Why am I constantly looking for line longtime hits, and slowly introduce new dishes, gift certificates, but it may be more meaningful Firewürst outlets in North parents happy, he installed cable TV monitors in sandbox like The Lot in Dallas. While parents play cooks? I am so frustrated with the turnover in using specials as a testing ground for both. That to engage your community in a deeper way. Carolina, parents can order my kitchen. I provide a good environment and way, you can keep the regulars happy and entice For example, if you reward area students the booths, set up QR codes that link to music vid- custom veggie dogs and corn hole in the beer garden, kids play with pails, eos and is now devising a plan to allow diners to dump trucks and chalkboards. Managing partner competitive wages, and I don’t think I’m an new customers with experimental options. for reading a certain number of books, ask sausages made without MSG, abusive chef. What gives? your staff to volunteer in schools as reading rent iPads. John McBride originally built the kids’ space to gluten and other common A. Accept the ugly truth that some people Q. As soon as I put one thing on the menu, coaches. Donate to organizations behind Still, not every restaurant needs to make the allergy-inducing ingredients. avoid losing family business; now families are the will come and go, whether they’re looking for another 10 new items hit the scene, making walkathons or races, but also encourage staff switch to high tech. Families that dine at the focus of his business. the next opportunity, even the slightest wage me want to overhaul the menu with trendier to participate. Decide how much money you landmark Tavern on the Green in New York can › Play with Shapes: Take a “The more kids’ meals I sell, the more alcohol we bump or perhaps a job in a different industry. products. How can I get some balance? want to allot for donations each year, and set order from a toy menu tied to the restaurant’s cue from Disney World by sell,” McBride says. “It’s become an old-fashioned Rather than focusing on experience alone, A. It can be challenging to stay ahead of the a deadline for organizations to make requests gift shop featuring unique wind-up toys, rain- fashioning breakfast staples gathering space now. While the kids go off to play, look for attitude, aptitude and the ability to food trend curve, but that’s where your seasonal (and stick to it). Lastly, it always makes sense to menu, and weekly and nightly features come into support causes you believe in. bow makers and kid-friendly books that double and desserts into recogniz- parents chat. Everyone winds up happy.” n get along with others. For your part, you must as take-home souvenirs. able shapes, such as mouse- “In the past, it was less appropriate to bring shaped pancakes or animal Peter Gianopulos is a freelance writer and dining children into this type of environment, but now sugar cookies. critic who’s always curious to see if restaurants can it’s more common,” says Jim Caiola, the Tavern’s keep up with his 5-year-old son. Got a question for the Food Fanatic? Send your challenges, comments and suggestions to [email protected]

48 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 49 SPECIAL SECTION

ECKERT S COUNTRY RESTAURANT WhIte Fence Farm BellevILLE, IllINOIS Lakewood, Colorado

eckerts.com wff-co.net

Ruckus pIzza, pasta & spIrIts MorrIsvIlle, North CarolIna GIUSEPPES ITALIAN ruckuspizza.com RESTAURANT & PIZZERIA Ruther glen, vIrGINIA giuseppespizzaladysmith.com

Our Top Family Friendly Restaurant contest has given top honors to five restaurants that represent the best in family friendly dining in the country. Selected from an outstanding pool of applicants, these restaurants offer some of the most unique offerings making family mealtime more fun and LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONTEST A Salute to the NatIons enjoyable. From petting zoos and arcades to build-your-own AND OUR WINNING RESTAURANTS AT Top FamIly FrIendly pizza nights, the winning restaurants can be considered foodfanatics.usfoods.com/ the go-to dining destinations for the best family friendly blog/family-friendly Restaurants! experiences. Congratulations! THE MILL PIZZA,REMERTON, BUFFET GEORGIA AND GAMES themillpizzabuffet.com

50 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 51 FOR MANY RESTAURANTS, NO ONE—NOT Healthy EVEN THE FOOD CRITIC—IS MORE DREAD- Recovery ED THAN THE BADGE-FLASHING HEALTH Whether you’ve been fined, INSPECTOR WHO SCRUTINIZES THE downgraded or shut down, here are ways to save face. PREMISES AND PROCEDURES AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR. TO HELP EASE THE PRO- 1. Address issues while the health inspector is on CESS, FIVE OPERATORS OFFER COMMON premise. For example, if MISTAKES, TIPS TO PREPARE FOR IN- a kitchen staff member is missing a hat, dispense the SPECTIONS AND WAYS TO ACE THE TEST. appropriate garb. Rocky Cirino, managing director 2. Take notes during the inspection by document- Altamarea Group, New York ing violations and poten- For the past six years, Cirino has worked tial remedies. If you don’t for Michael White’s New York-based understand a violation, ask restaurant group, giving him firsthand questions. experience with the former coding rules and the letter-grading system imple- 3. Don’t argue with the INSPECTOR mented in 2010. “It was a lot easier to not health inspector. Such care before,” he admits. “You could get a behavior might aggravate B or C, pay your fine and get on with your the situation. If you think any day. There was no visual cue to visitors.” of the violations are bogus, However, the prominently displayed pursue remediation through grades have changed the restaurant the appropriate channels. game. “It challenges operators to set 4. Don’t procrastinate. up systems,” Cirino says, “which is the Aim for perfection on the only way to pass the tests as consistent- re-inspection. ly as possible.” GENERAL Even after implementing health de- 5. Be preventative. Set Leah Cohen, chef-owner partment training, monthly in-house aside 10 to 15 minutes daily Ben Byruch, operating manager reviews and bimonthly extermina- for a senior staff member Pig and Khao, New York tions, he has still weathered bad in- to inspect the operation to Pig and Khao on Manhattan’s Lower East Side holds an A rating from spections. He recalls one spot inspec- ensure that all health codes the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, but it tion when the staff didn’t even have a are properly followed. has been temporarily given a B due to past violations. 15-second warning from the front of Byruch estimates the restaurant has paid up to $6,000 annual- the house. “The inspector walked into 6. Be proactive. Any media ly in related fines. This tally does not include litigating contended the kitchen to find my head chef eating statements concerning violations or losing revenue when an inspection occurs during ser- a grape at the pass, a cook drinking wa- health violations should be brief and reassuring. Apol- vice. “Inspections often interfere with the dining experience and ter from an open container and anoth- ogize for inconveniences make guests wait 45 minutes or longer for food,” Cohen says. “For er cook with no hat on,” Cirino recalls. and, when possible, offer a small business, all the related costs and BS can add up quickly “To get a B is 14 (to 27) points. That assurance that no customers and hurt a restaurant.” was 16 right there.” became sick. To buy time and spread the word that an inspector is on premise, Yet these interactions have helped Pig and Khao workers know to detain the individual at the front of Cirino develop a levelheaded, pragmat- 7. Consider retaining an the house for as long as possible. An order is put into the POS system ic approach. “A lot of my peers think it’s independent consultant to flagged with ‘bingo,’ and that code word is passed verbally among staff. a far more combative relationship than conduct spot inspections. Make an ally—not a foe—in a health inspection with As a courtesy, a staff member will call restaurants on the block to alert it should be,” he says. “I say you can Use the help as coaching to them that health inspectors are working in the area. never argue against safety.” beat the next inspection. tips from our restaurant pros BY NEVIN MARTELL ILLUSTRATION BY RYAN TODD

foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 53 USF Ad_Layout 1 9/12/14 2:24 PM Page 1

Brian Lee, director of operations Silvan Kramer, food and beverage director Brian Zenner, executive chef Vapiano International LLC, Tysons Corner, Virginia The Dupont Circle Hotel, Washington, D.C. Oak, Dallas CAN LINeRS AND UTILITY bAGS Despite occasional frustrating inspections, “You have to practice every single day for the Zenner has worked in restaurants in Austin, Lee, who has more than 30 years of experience possibility of a health inspection,” says Kramer, Texas; Portland, Oregon; and Dallas, so he is with chains like the Olive Garden and Roma- a two-decade industry veteran. “It’s not some- accustomed to relearning the ropes, which THAT MeeT MARkeT DeMANDS. no’s Macaroni Grill, doesn’t see the rapport as thing you can get ready for overnight.” includes acquainting himself with local adversarial. He believes management should Kramer holds weekly 10-minute training health codes. foster a positive, welcoming attitude toward sessions with staff on hygiene-related issues. “I’ll call an inspector or the department inspectors and the inspection process. “They They include illuminating best practices for that oversees the process,” he says, “just to shouldn’t be feared,” he says. “I have a healthy food labeling, providing an overview of the cut- make sure I’m on the right page.” respect for inspectors. They should be viewed ting boards’ color-coding system, and a ‘first in, To ensure his team is compliant, he as a teammate who is helping you do your job.” first out’ methodology for ingredient use. prefers that staff complete the ServSafe He puts strict systems in place, such as He also tours the hotel’s kitchens and the Food Handler Program. “It takes minimal recipes with built-in HACCP standards, line onsite Café Dupont daily to monitor condi- time,” Zenner says, “and that’s invaluable checks done at the beginning of each meal tions and procedures. Refrigerators are ex- when it comes to properly running Try our new AccuFit® Liners! period and semiannual audits at his restau- amined for cleanliness and proper tempera- a business.” rants to ensure health codes are correctly tures; hot and cold foods are spot checked for This training helps create the feeling that 4Strategic national footprint and consistently followed. “It’s like the coach cross-contamination; and the premises are inspectors are colleagues, not adversaries. “Be who does everything right during practice,” monitored for rodents, roaches or fruit flies. respectful of health inspectors because they’re 4Industry experienced sales force/Regional customer service Lee says. “On game day, they can sit back and “It only takes 10 minutes a day to do an in- just trying to do their job for the common watch the operation run smoothly.” spection,” he says. good,” he says. 4State-of-the-art facilities and processes A SNUG FIT FOR COMMON CANS 4Comprehensive customized selling and training tools 4You don’t pay for plastic you don’t need 10 Common 4The AccuFit® sizing won’t let bag fall into the can 1. Food handlers who aren’t 7. Open dumpster tops or 4 Mistakes Health wearing an approved dirty surrounding areas. Designed for the most common cans and applications hairnet or hat. 4No wasted plastic–contributing to source reduction 8. Proteins or produce Inspectors 2. Lack of proper food marinating at room preparation and kitchen temperature. Love to Bust safety signage. 9. Bare hands touching Restaurants On 3. Eating, chewing gum or ready-to-eat food. drinking in the kitchen. HEALTH CODES VARY BY 10. Chipped, cracked or 4. Undated ingredients. broken dishes and utensils LOCATION, BUT THESE not taken out of service. 5. Thermometers that are ISSUES WILL USUALLY absent or improperly Now in RACK UP FINES OR calibrated. Nevin Martell is a Washing- High ton, D.C.-based author of nu- www.heritage-bag.com DEMERITS FROM COAST 6. Milk steaming wands not merous books and a food and Density! TO COAST: cleaned between uses. travel writer.

54 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 PACKAGING PR MACHINE Sharp ideas to get butts in seats IS THE FAME GAME WORTH PLAYING? THAT MAKES ALL Know the rules for getting PR without becoming a fool BY MARGARET LITTMAN FOODS APPETIZING. REUSABLE • STACKABLE • LEAK RESISTANT • MICROWAVEABLE • DISHWASHER SAFE TEXAS CHEF OTTO BORSICH won the first “Cupcake Wars” on the Food Net- APPEARED ON THE SECOND work. But that didn’t mean she skipped learning to bake. She attributes her success to mastering SEASON OF BRAVO’S “TOP her baking skills in the “underground and un- CHEF” IN 2006, AND EVEN ventilated” kitchens of her native France, not her celebrity status. THOUGH HE “PACKED HIS BE APPROACHABLE. Tattoos and mohawks KNIVES” AND LEFT EARLY IN might work for some chefs but sometimes less THE SEASON, HE SAYS THAT is more. “One of the things about being in the YEARS LATER, IT’S STILL A limelight is that you have to be approachable for everyone,” says Chef Barbie Marshall, a finalist GREAT PUBLIC RELATIONS on the 10th season of “Hell’s Kitchen.” “I’m all PIECE. for freedom of expression but if you are really Experiences like Borsich’s are part of the reason outrageous, it might be off-putting.” some young chefs aspire toward TV fame (drama DON’T BANK ON IT. Fame is fleeting, notwithstanding). The spoils of fame seem clear: Borsich cautions. Even if you find success and Just flash your pearly whites on camera while make some cash, you can’t count on that to carry wearing your chef whites and you’re golden. you for decades. Just as the young athlete plans “If someone tells you they were on one of for the days he can no longer play ball, a celebrity those shows and they don’t think it was worth chef must prepare for the day his cookbook lands it, they’re not telling the truth,” says Herb Kar- on the final sale table. Save and invest wisely. litz, president of New York’s Karlitz & Compa- BUILD YOUR BRAND. If you want to become ny, which creates and manages culinary events. known as the best pie maker in the country, get That doesn’t mean Karlitz thinks the push to- the message out, says Maggie Jessup, author of ward an entertainment-centric culinary world is “Fame 101.” Assuming you actually make great all good. Celebrity-style products and publicity pies, she suggests creating two websites: one can skyrocket a chef’s career, but taking things for you and one for the pies. Both should be in- to that level can be costly in more ways than one. tegrated with a common aesthetic, leveraging Consider the pitfalls and perks of seeking social media, videos and a blog. fame and how to get noticed without forsaking your craft—or dignity. DON’T SKIP TRAINING. Even the most seasoned TV personality probably bombed his or BE AUTHENTIC. It’s hard to believe that her first media appearance. Those bent on be- anything on reality TV might be real. But Kar- coming a celebrity chef should consider media litz and others agree it’s essential to know and training. “No one is born with a red light look- convey the craft of professional cooking. “If you ing into a TV camera,” Karlitz says. That train- don’t have culinary credibility, you don’t have ing will also come in handy at local events when anything,” Karlitz says. interacting with customers and any time a mes- DON’T OVERLOOK THE BASICS. The en- sage needs to be conveyed to a crowd. n tertainment aspect of celebrity chef-dom came naturally to former actress Elfie Weiss, who Margaret Littman is a Nashville-based busi- owns Los Angeles-based Hotcakes Bakes and ness, travel and food writer.

Even a takeout order should look enticing right up to the moment when your customers are ready to eat. Newspring® hot and cold containers, DeliTainer® and VERSAtainer® microwaveable containers and Ellipso® portion cups are designed to keep everything appetizing while providing convenience. foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 57 © 2014 Pactiv. All rights reserved.

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Job Number: MKG- 2014102101 Design Manager: ED PETRUCZENKO Released: XX/XX/14 FF Pactiv Print Ad Copy Writer: N/A Printed: YES Last Modified:10.28.14 Designer: JIM DIMITRIOU PDF: NO Modified by: JIM DIMITRIOU Proofreader: JULIA GRANEY Executive Chef Dino BEYOND THE PLATE Santonicola shows off a pizza oven, which is also a statement piece. To make a statement, restaurants are reaching espresso machine encased by three towering for the big and bold, grabbing attention with brass-domed cylinders. showpieces that bridge form and function. “The machine is big and bold and helps paint From behemoth imported pizza ovens to tow- a picture of who we are,” owner Brian Olson ONE ering custom-made espresso machines, show- says. “It’s the focal point of the whole place.” casing equipment can create buzz, reinforce And it’s a workhorse which Olson says he EVERY the brand and boost the bottom line. needs to keep up with his three busy restaurants. Two baristas can operate the machine at LIKES A The Wow Factor the same time for faster service, and its consis- Tossing out the white tablecloths and jackets, tent performance is critical for a high-demand, Chicago restaurateur Tony Mantuano brought rapid-production environment. the bar center stage at his revamped Italian An additional bonus: Its appearance shows the OW–OFF fine dining restaurant Spiaggia. At the focal restaurants are serious about coffee and quality. SH point: a hand-operated red prosciutto slicer At $40,000 per machine, Olson says it takes on a red pedestal from him two years to re- historic Dutch company coup his investment, a Berkel Inc. timeline that’s helped “It’s a connection to the Making The Right by high profit margins Make a past in the way the ma- Statement on specialty drinks. An chine is designed, and the Display the piece properly. There’s average cup sells for statement bright red color attracts no use in hiding an $8,000 piece of $3.50, and 88 percent “There are many less expensive pizza ovens people’s attention,” Man- equipment, Spiaggia’s Tony Mantu- of that is gross profit, that are easier to use,” he says. “For us, it’s a nec- with a tuano says. “They walk ano says. “If I put this in the back in he says. essary piece to produce an authentic product.” in and are amazed. It’s the kitchen, it would be a waste of like looking at an Italian money. You have to be able to show Straight to the Bigger is Better functional sports car.” it off and build a menu around it.” Source You can’t miss the chickens rolling around the But Mantuano says the Dino Santonicola, ex- oversized purple floor-to-ceiling rotisserie at showpiece $8,000 slicer isn’t just Take chances. Big equipment is a ecutive chef at the four two-year-old The Modern Rotisserie in New- for show. The precision big investment, but Marjorie Druker Cane Rosso pizzerias in ton, Massachusetts. BY MONICA GINSBURG of the machine, which is says the gamble paid off at The the Dallas-Fort Worth And that’s exactly what co-owner and exec- operated by a flywheel, Modern Rotisserie. “You become the area, says true Neapol- utive chef Marjorie Druker wants. is unsurpassed. Since its expert when you have a statement. itan-style pies require “I knew I needed a bigger than average ro- debut in May, prosciutto Our statement is ‘we make it here.’” three things: fresh, tisserie,” Druker says of the French-made and meats have become authentic ingredients; $15,000 piece of equipment. “And I didn’t want top sellers in the lounge. Train, train, train. Dino Santonicola well-trained pizza to be like everyone else.” “Our customers want says it can take up to a year to train makers; and the best The restaurant prepares 100 free-range to be part of the experi- employees to properly operate the equipment available. chickens a day, and fresh chickens are put ovens at Cane Rosso, which require a ence,” he says. For Santonicola, on every hour. To improve efficiency and consistent temperature for quality and And when his newest who attended culinary boost flavor, potatoes and other vegetables efficiency. “If you’re going to do it, do it restaurant, River Roast, school in Italy and has roast simultaneously in the top and bottom the right way or not at all,” he says. opened in July, Mantu- worked in some of the baskets. Druker credits the French-inspired ano sat a smaller $5,000 most highly regarded rotisserie style of cooking for the chicken’s countertop model next to pizza restaurants, that shellacked skin and fall-off-the-bone meat, the salad station where it is visible to the entire means a 5,000-pound, igloo-shaped, wood- and for providing a point of interaction with establishment. fired brick oven made to order by Italian com- her customers. “I feel like we’re doing justice to the Italian pany Stefano Ferrara Forni. “The open format of the rotisserie lets our culture,” he says. “It’s a sign to our guests that The ovens run from $15,000 to $30,000 and customers watch as the chickens rotate and we take what we’re doing seriously.” turn out about 600 thin, chewy-crust pies per cook, sizzling away and creating a delicious night. The original location, which opened in aroma,” she says. “Many of our customers like Making an Investment Dallas in 2011, features a red tiled dome with to pick out their chicken right as we’re taking Atlanta’s European-inspired Café Intermez- the red dog logo in the middle representing them off the spit. It’s hard to walk out of here zo coffeehouses are known for their fresh- owner Jay Jerrier’s red dog (Cane rosso means without one.” n ly ground coffee and dozens of housemade “red dog” in Italian). A granite bar and counter pastries. The showstopper, however, is their around the perimeter provide the best seats in Monica Ginsburg is a Chicago-based business custom-crafted, four-head La Marzocco the house. writer.

58 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 59 iHELP Be efficient and tech savvy at the same time

inventory at his fingertips alone Critics at Your Fingertips is worth the investment, which is Taste Savant is leveling the playing about $15 monthly per iPad. field among professional dining critics and citizen commentators Redefining the Washroom like those on Yelp. thawsome! A bathroom can speak volumes Taste Savant aggregates reviews Nothing beats our premium thaw & serve bread products. about a restaurant so imagine a from dining critics and food writ- toilet that doesn’t just flush, but ers while also considering major also moves, cleans, heats, washes awards and ratings from diners. and sanitizes. The result is an overall one-to-10 After seeing modern bidets in score, represented by a graphic of Tokyo restaurants, Amelia Sawyer, a thumb—either up, sideways or owner of Trentina in Cleveland, down—to designate “love,” “like” installed the G500 Toto Washlet or “skip.” The site, which is free Integrated Toilet. to restaurants and users, links to The lid opens and closes au- OpenTable and partners with ce- tomatically, the toilet flushes on lebrity chefs, such as Grant Achatz, its own, and a remote control al- David Chang and Michael White. lows guests access to numerous features, including a bidet with The Digital Delivery Race adjustable water temperature, a Services like GrubHub Seamless heated seat, an air deodorizer and charge sizable commissions to purifier, and a warm air dryer. restaurants that use their online Tech Trends ordering system. Expect more No Palming Necessary competition like ChowNow, which In the old days, greasing the charges a flat $99 monthly fee. host could land that perfect ta- ChowNow doesn’t work through Worth Watching ble. Today, the process has gone a third-party app; instead, it inte- Toilets with a brain coming your way online, creating another profit grates ordering into a restaurant’s center for restaurants. website or Facebook page. BY ANTHONY TODD Table8, a website company Operators with multiple restau- based in San Francisco, promises rants, like Mario Batali and Thom- “last-minute reservations at the as Keller, have already started With a new year around the cor- DiMarino uses Tastevin, which most popular restaurants” that are using ChowNow. The service also ner, it’s time to truly embrace presents his wine list via iPad. otherwise full. builds custom smartphone apps technology that will contribute iPads (which serve as wine Restaurateur Pat Kuleto of for restaurants, allowing diners to to your bottom line in unexpect- menus for the customers) con- Boulevard in San Francisco was download and place their orders. ed ways. nect to the restaurant’s POS sys- one of the site’s early partici- “ChowNow reduces the margin Here are some of high-tech tem. “As wines are ordered, they pants. “We saw this as an op- for error because customers are trends bound to make an impres- are depleted from the iPad wine portunity to extend our brand able to input exactly what they sion in 2015. list,” DiMarino says. “When the of hospitality to those diners want and how they want it, which beverage manager orders wines, who couldn’t plan ahead,” he keeps things from getting lost in Save Some Trees he or she inputs them into the says. “Table8 mostly brings us translation,” says Chef Govind Electronic wine and beer lists iPad inventory. The manager last-minute business diners and Armstrong of Willie Jane in Ven- have been quietly brewing for also adds pictures, technical data locals who want to be sponta- ice, California. a few years but they’re expect- and tasting notes.” neous about their fine dining.” “They are also able to input the ed to blow up in 2015. Pick a The app already has a volume Restaurants choose the num- time they want to pick up their food, third-party app you like and of wines built in, minimizing the ber of tables to set aside and split and if the kitchen is slammed, we stick with it, recommends Mau- time staff devotes to inputting proceeds from reservations with can communicate that it may take rice DiMarino, wine and bev- them. “Vintages can be updated Table8. While the service is cur- an extra five minutes,” he says.n erage manager for the Cohn easily and there is no need to re- rently limited to San Francisco, it Restaurant Group based in San print the wine list so frequently,” is slated to launch in 15 to 20 cities Anthony Todd is a Chicago-based ® commodity breads · buns · specialty buns · sandwich breads Diego, California. DiMarino says, adding that having by the end of 2015. freelance writer. BY MIGUEL MONTANER ILLUSTRATION Contact your Flowers Bakeries Foodservice Representative www.europeanbakers.com 60 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 I’LL DRINK TO THAT!

CONSIDERING THE ATTEN- New Jersey to develop the “Quatrième Union TION PAID TO THE DECOR, Square blend” and an espresso roast, both exclusive to their restaurants. MENU, MUSIC AND EVEN At Makovitzky’s restaurants, drip coffee THE GRADE OF TOILET PA- costs $3.50; espresso drinks run $4.50 to $5. A 12-ounce bag of Quatrième sells for $14. At PER, WHY IS THE COFFEE AT roughly 40 cups per pound of coffee, the mar- MOST RESTAURANTS SUCH gins have clear room for profit. A SNOOZER? She also invested in an $18,000 La Marzoc- co espresso machine, which she calls “our Restaurants determined to stand out are Ferrari,” and had it custom painted brown giving coffee a jolt, recognizing that a cup of and pink to match the Quatrième logo. “If joe can be a profit center and another way to you’re in this beautiful café in Union Square, GET WITH THE PROGRAM build a top-notch reputation. Make sure your coffee stacks up with your coffee better be great and memorable,” While better brews warrant higher prices, high-end espresso bars. Some tips: she says. “That’s how you keep it busy.” upgrading a coffee program takes commit- Working with a smaller roaster doesn’t ment. Well-sourced beans typically cost dou- › Develop a coffee palate require sticking local. Danny Fisher, gen- ble the price of ground coffee. State-of-the-art Sample a variety of coffee black and look eral manager at Ripple in Washington, D.C., espresso machines and accessories can top for notes that signal quality, much like wine. switched to cult-favorite Stumptown Cof- $20,000 and often require ongoing training. fee Roasters from Portland, Oregon, earlier › And that’s just the beginning. Do the homework this year. “It’s not enough to just change coffee,” says Look at coffee offerings you’re impressed “They’re passionate about what they’re do- by and adapt them to your needs. Request Chuck Patton, owner of Bird Rock Coffee ing and it really shows in their product,” Fish- samples from vendors and learn as much Roasters in San Diego, California. “You have er says. “Consistency is a huge concern, and as you can about the product and process. to change your methodology, too: how you they’re extremely consistent.” grind, brew and present it to your customers. Ripple uses a $6,000 espresso machine › Stay seasonal It’s a ton of work on the restaurant’s end. It’s and serves five types of coffee and espresso Like any agricultural product, beans are not for everyone.” ranging in price from $2.50 to $8 for a two- seasonal. Buying at peak times can save Still, some restaurants are finding that cup French press. Coffee sales are up 10 you money. partnering with small, independent roast- percent this year, Fisher says. The restau- ers supplies them with more than just beans. › rant limits drip coffee service to brunch, Know your roaster Many offer regular staff training and equip- Look for roasters who are passionate when turnover is quick and pots don’t sit ment support, and some are on call in case a about beans. Pay attention to their on burners long. machine breaks down. Another benefit: Bou- philosophies and how they source and Fisher says that ongoing training, both tique roasters typically require a weekly order roast their beans. Also pay attention formally with Stumptown and informally ranging from 25 to 40 pounds rather than an to batch sizes and storage. Training is at the restaurant, has been key to the pro- exclusive long-term contract, and coffee is de- essential; some will help with equipment gram’s success. livered within 24 hours of roasting to ensure planning and purchasing, designing cof- “Our coffee program is definitely some- peak freshness. fee bars and crafting menus. thing we take pride in, and I’m constantly Those who embrace a know-your-farmer watching over what people are doing,” he philosophy often find common ground with › Name drop says. “You have to trust your employees to fol- small or local roasters, who tend to build rela- Brand recognition is important—but only low through on proper operation and main- A solid coffee program can tionships with growers around the world. if it’s going to help drive sales. tenance. Anyone can make great coffee taste That can help a restaurant stand out in a bad. There’s a lot of room for human error. It’s › Pay mind to presentation crowded market, says Jo-Ann Makovitzky, a big investment, and it only makes sense if Teach staff about flavor descriptors and percolate into profits who opened her New York City brassiere The you have the passion to do it.” n how different coffee styles pair with food. By Monica Ginsburg Fourth—also home to 23-seat coffee bar Qua- Make sure servers can share back- trième—in May 2013. Makovitzky, who also ground about the coffee. owns New York restaurants Tocqueville and Monica Ginsburg is a Chicago-based freelance

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSE CARMODY PHOTOGRAPHY 15 East, worked with a private label roaster in business writer.

62 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2015 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 63 BY THE NUMBERS Make these figures count time to Ask chefs why pork ranks as a favorite protein, and chances are they’ll point to its versatility. Here’s how some cuts and prep are stacking up along with get real consumer insights.

Years of consecutive growth in consumption Percentage40 of chefs featuring pork on the menu 53Percentage of menus that pork appears on as 2.3 PERCENT 1.1 BILLION an appetizer or entree Increase in pork bacon from 2013 to 2014 Servings of bacon diners ate in the year ending April 2014

HOG WILD Pork’s position among the top eight proteins

64 Fazzoletti Pasta with Pork Ragù Get back to basics with authentic flavor. Made with just a few simple ingredients, classic pork ragu from Emilia-Romagna reminds you that the most delicious things come with time and care. Discover how pork satisfies DinersPERCENT who eat some type of at PorkFoodservice.org and sign up for our newsletter, The 400. pork once a week or more often shoulder Pork chops Pork Baby back ribs

Route# Date: Prod AD Proofer/Writer AE CD Studio Billing # NPF26748 Tracking # NPF27434 Cr. Director S. Martineau File Name Bleed 8.75" x 10.75" CMYK Insertion: Art Director C. Smith NPF27434_PorkRaguFullPgAd_FF.ai Trim 8.5" x 10.5" Copy Writer S. Martineau Initial Keyline Date: 9.24.14 Food Fanatics Account E. Martin Live 7.75" x 9.75" 1 Production A. Wood SIZE TEAM Tra c A. Wood NOTES COLOR USE COLOR Retoucher R. Ortiz ALTS

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