Serving up Healthy and Local Heirloom Café in Athens Plus Q&A with Concentric’S Bob Amick Creating an Effective Workplace Safety Program IT’S THAT EASY
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SEPTEMBER 2014 VOL 4, ISSUE 2 Serving up Healthy and Local Heirloom Café in Athens Plus Q&A with Concentric’s Bob Amick Creating An Effective Workplace Safety Program IT’S THAT EASY. Gas South is committed to supporting Georgia’s restaurant industry with customized rate plans and waived service fees for GRA business members. We are proud to offer a dedicated account manager and a feet-on-the-street team to better serve you. Learn more about the natural gas savings that your GRA membership provides by visiting gas-south.com/restaurants or calling 1-866-512-3129. Contents September 2014 DEPARTMENTS 3 Publisher’s Letter 4 GRA News 11 ACF Update 27 Industry Events 14 28 Snapshots FEATURES Georgia’s New Gun Law and You 7 Learn how the Safe Carry Protection Act, which became law July 1, will affect your restaurant. Serve Your Employees a 9 Safe and Healthy Workplace By Dion Y. Kohler An effective workplace safety program helps your employees stay safe and keeps you from violating OSHA regulations. Plus, a list of common hazards that restaurant workers may encounter. 22 18 Healthy Choices, No Sacrifices 14 By Helen K. Kelley It’s no secret that diners are wanting to see healthier Want to Grow Your Restaurant? options on the menu. But that doesn’t mean you have to 22 Get Out of It! sacrifice flavor or your restaurant’s identity to give people By Ellen Hartman what they want. Plus, a look at the Kids LiveWell program Joining a trade organization will help you define and a Q&A with Frank Bragg, owner of Atlanta’s Radial Café. your career goals, and make you a better leader. Q&A with Bob Amick: Local and Celebrity Chefs to Share 18 The Man Behind the Curtain 25 Insight at Atlanta Foodservice Expo By Erika Valko By Erika Valko Bob Amick, founder and owner of Concentrics Restaurants, Big names in the restaurant industry are on tap for this talks about what it’s like to open locations outside Georgia, year’s Atlanta Foodservice Expo Oct. 13 and 14, from a his tips on working with family and what it takes to nationally recognized celebrity chef to local restaurant be a successful consultant. owners who are seeing success. Publisher: John Sawyer Restaurant INFORMER is the official Managing Editor: Christy Simo magazine of the Georgia Restaurant Graphic Design: Scott Bagley Association and is published by Media Manager: Erika Valko Sawyer Direct, LLC at P.O. Box 49053, Art Director: Sally Dunn Colorado Springs, CO 80949. © 2014 by Sawyer Direct LLC. All rights reserved. Contributing Writers: Karen Bremer, Kully Crean, Ellen Hartman, Helen K. Kelley, Dion Y. For subscription or advertising Kohler, Erika Valko information, call 719.599.7220 or email [email protected] About The Cover: Heirloom Cafe co-owners Travis Burch and Jessica Rothacker were photographed at the restaurant in Athens, Ga., by Sarah Ellis. RestaurantINFORMER.com | 1 International Gourmet Foods, premier specialty purveyor, cordially invites you to a Food Show like no other. Monday, September 15, 2014 10:00am - 4:00pm Crowne Plaza Perimeter at Ravinia 4355 Ashford-Dunwood Road Atlanta, GA 30346 To register for this trade only event or for more information please visit our website International Gourmet Foods 5550-B Fulton Industrial Blvd Atlanta, GA 30336 Tel. 404.349.6333| www.igf-inc.com Nudging Toward Healthy early half of the population in the U.S. could have It seems that the farm-to-table craze has morphed into a Ndiabetes. Crazy. According to recent studies, the ongoing healthy dining trend, and consumers are increasingly more diabetes and obesity epidemics have combined with longer conscious of what they eat. Do you think that Chick-fil-A lifespans to increase lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes to about surpassed KFC in U.S. sales because of the perception that 40 percent for both men and women. Chick-fil-A is healthier? I do. I think moms are choosing It has become such an epidemic that doctors have coined to serve their kids Chick-fil-A over other quick-service the term “diabesity” to reflect the combined effects of diabetes restaurants because they believe the meals are healthier. and obesity. Considering 47 percent of our food dollars are Restaurants are such strong influencers on the public that spent in restaurants, this industry must bear some of the the healthcare industry is partnering with restaurateurs. responsibility for serving the public healthy food. Cleveland Clinic, one of the most respected hospitals in And, it does. the country, reached out to Zack Bruell, chef and owner of The National Restaurant Association has introduced a five restaurants in Cleveland, to co-create healthy dishes for program called “Kids Live Well,” the American Culinary Bruell’s menus. The dishes include ingredients containing Federation has its “Chefs Move to Schools” program and minimal saturated fat, sodium, sugars and syrups, no trans a large number of restaurateurs have made the conscious fats and 100-percent whole grains. decision to serve fresh, healthy meals. It’s not easy, though. Research, recipe development, working Georgia has many restaurants leading the way, including with farmers for fresh produce and promoting healthy meals restaurants like Heirloom Café, F2O and Radial Café, which to consumers all takes extra time and effort. But, considering are featured in this issue’s cover story. your impact on your customer’s health, isn’t it worth it? RestaurantINFORMER.com | 3 NEWS MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The benefits of having your first job at a restaurant id you know that nearly one in three Americans had To help tell the story of American’s restaurant industry, the Dtheir first job at a restaurant? The restaurant industry NRA has launched an America Works Here campaign that provides a great fit for those looking for a job that has showcases the various opportunities available in the restaurant flexible hours and great opportunities. The industry tends to industry, the important skills that can be learned and the provide important job skills that individuals can use in any stories that are created from visiting a restaurant. The purpose professional setting for years to come, including customer of this campaign is to highlight the tremendous impact of service, teamwork and multitasking. the restaurant industry on restaurant owners, operators and My first job was as a checker at S&S Cafeteria in Britton employees as well as the surrounding community. NRA’s Place in Tampa, Fla. I learned from my general manager that campaign encourages all of those who have been influenced by the manager should always perform a line check to ensure the restaurant industry to share their stories and help paint a excellent food quality. This lesson taught me to always be portrait of the impact of the restaurant industry on their lives. thorough and that attention to detail is crucial in the industry Do you have a story to share about your first job experience to ensure your customers are satisfied. in the restaurant industry, what you learned and how it helped The lessons that I learned from this job helped me develop shape your future? Share your success story with the NRA a successful career in the restaurant industry and taught me at AmericaWorksHere.org or by tweeting about your first valuable skills that I was able to use not just throughout my restaurant job using the hashtag #FirstJob. ■ professional career as a restaurateur, but even now as the Executive Director of the Georgia Restaurant Association. Sincerely, The restaurant industry is unique because the jobs in this Karen Bremer industry cannot be outsourced and they are available to Executive Director individuals of any education level or background. Through Georgia Restaurant Association hard work and perseverance, you can start at an entry-level position in the restaurant industry and work your way up to management or salaried positions. In fact, most restaurant employees advance from their entry- level positions – nine out of 10 salaried restaurant employees started in hourly positions – and 80 percent of restaurant owners/managers started Why Become a Member of the Georgia Restaurant Association? in entry-level positions, according to the Whether you are looking to get involved with shaping public policy, for discounts on programs National Restaurant Association (NRA). and services that are critical to running a restaurant or want to stay informed about changing laws Part-time, entry-level work is important and regulations affecting the foodservice industry, you’ll find it all at the GRA. and contributes significantly to the nation’s workforce. It also offers great first job Online applications are available at www.garestaurants.org/Applications. For questions, contact opportunities for students, teenagers or Ryan Costigan, GRA manager of membership, at [email protected] or (404) 467-9000. those looking for a job with flexible hours. 4 | Restaurant INFORMER September 2014 2014 Board of Directors and GRA Staff Georgia Restaurant Association Staff Mick Miklos, National Restaurant Association Brian Bullock, Legacy Restaurant Partners Karen I. Bremer, Executive Director Nancy Oswald, Ruth’s Chris Steak House Chris Coan, Gas South Katie Jones, Public Affairs Coordinator M. Anderson Piper, Chick-fil-A, Inc. Cathy Colasanto, Turner Food & Spirits Co. Ryan Costigan, Manager of Membership Jim Squire, Chairman Emeritus, Firestorm Paul Damico, Moe’s Southwest Grill Tandelyn Daniel, Member Development Executive Walt Davis, Retail Data Systems Chris Hardman, Member Development Executive Executive Committee Michael Deihl, A Kitchen Kalamity Yvonne Morgan, Administrative Services Coordinator Chair - Bob Campbell, TM Restaurant Group Dale Gordon DeSena, Taste of Atlanta, DG Rachel Bell, Marketing & Communications Manager Vice Chair - Ryan Turner, Unsukay Community of Publishing & Event Sponsorship Sydne Daniels, Marketing & Events Coordinator Business Tripp Harrison, Sterling Hospitality/Sterling Spoon Nina Kamber, Marketing & Communications Past Chair - Hank Clark, Sterling Hospitality/ Culinary Mgmt.