Winter 2013 Spin This

FOOD FANATICS FOOD FOOD PEOPLE MONEY & SENSE PLUS Ramen Road Trip! Take-out Trends Catch the new wave Austin is big on weird, A new way to-go, What’s on fire, of noodles, page 7 page 47 page 49 page 17

FOODFANATICS.COM WINTER 2013 SPIN THIS

SPIN THIS Power greens flex their salad muscle

WINTER 2013 PAGE 12

WINTER 2013

THE NITTY GRITTY ON THE NEW SOUTH PAGE 22

FOOD FOOD PEOPLE Ride the Wave Chefs Like You 7 Diners are jumping on board for ramen, 38 There’s a fine line between the hottest noodle from coast to coast. insanity and passion? You must be talking about COVER STORY these top toques. In the Green 12 Pump up salads with some garden Glutenless Gluttony variety to rake in the green. 44 Go after gluten-free and find ways to not overdo it. Piece of Cake 18 Giving chocolate layer cake some Road Trip to Austin personality is a makeover worth trying. 47 Our resident Food Fanatic takes us to the weirdest city in Texas for an inside Southern Exposure look at the local flavor. 22 The culinary South reconnects with its roots, finding appeal down home and beyond its borders. Download the app on iTunes or view the magazine online at MONEY & SENSE FOODFANATICS.COM Team Take-Out 49 Make the main menu jealous. Show carry-out some extra love and watch it prove its worth.

Cook This How? 54 Play this game for some insight on the best grill.

Your Face Goes Here 56 Any restaurant can extend its brand with merchandise or food products. Just be prepared to work it.

Super Punch 60 Why bartenders are stoked over these bowls.

IN EVERY ISSUE YOU KNOW YOU WANT ME—

FOOD CHOCOLATE CAKE THAT’S TRULY Trend Tracker 17 You, too, can be an industry know-it-all. DESIRABLE PAGE 18 FOOD PEOPLE

Staff Meal 33 Make someone else do the work—tap the line and other staff for comida prep.

MONEY & SENSE

iHelp 53 Seriously, you still think a website is not important? Better read this now.

Beyond the Kitchen 55 A music curator can hit just the right note for your restaurant.

Ask the Food Fanatic 59 Quit your crying and let us solve some shared complaints.

The PR Machine 63 Make the daily online deals work for—not against—you.

By the Numbers 64 Proof that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. ➼ View the magazine on iPad Download the Food Fanatics app from iTunes to your iPad and on the web ➼ foodfanatics.com at FoodFanatics.com US FOODS ADVISORY BOARD President and Chief Executive Officer John Lederer Chief Merchandising Officer Pietro Satriano Chief Operating Officer Stuart Schuette Who are these people? Vice President of Marketing Marshall Warkentin Any effort worth its salt comes from a team. The braintrust includes those Brand Director/Executive Editor who conceive, create and publish a magazine, not to mention Jennifer W. Johnson all the chefs, managers and other industry pros who FOOD FANATICS FOR US FOODS John Byrne, Minneapolis give us the time of day. Some are called out here. Todd Pearson, Austin, Texas

PUBLISHING PARTNER Feedback We welcome your Carly Fisher went to school to become a comments. food photographer but left writing about Publisher Please email us at: it instead. She’s written for Food & Wine, James Meyers [email protected] Saveur, Fodor’s Travel, NBC and others, Executive Vice President Write us at: Doug Kelly occasionally conjuring up her photo skills for Food Fanatics Magazine snapshots from her recon missions. Outside Chief Content Officer Imagination Publishing Karen Budell 600 W. Fulton St., of work, she worships her grandmother’s Suite 600 Managing Director, Content Chicago, IL 60661 cooking and enjoys crossword puzzles, Cyndee Miller

Unless otherwise specified, homebrewing and desserts. Senior Art Director all correspondence sent to Nicole Dudka Food Fanatics is assumed Content Director for publication and becomes Laura Yee the copyright property of US Foods. Ari Bendersky dreamed of creating collec- Editors tions of music to sell on TV, but after making Carly Fisher Advertising Information Kelsey Nash countless mix tapes, he realized that his skills For rates and a media Content Strategist kit, contact Elizabeth Ervin were better suited to writing. When he’s not Cecilia Wong at (312) 382-7860 or email [email protected]. listening to music, he spends his days as the Account Director director of content for Abe’s Market, an online Elizabeth Ervin Food Fanatics is the go-to marketplace for natural, organic and sustain- Production Director source for the foodservice Kelley Hunsberger industry and anyone truly able products. He’s the founding editor of passionate about food, food Photographer people and improving the Eater Chicago and has written for numerous Tyllie Barbosa Photography bottom line. Issued quarterly publications. and hand-delivered to read- Contributing Writers ers, the magazine is a US Paula Andruss Foods publication produced Ari Bendersky by Imagination Publishing, Kate Bernot Inc., 600 W. Fulton St., Suite Peter Gianopulos 600, Chicago, IL., 60661, Margaret Littman is a Nashville-based Margaret Littman (312) 887-1000. journalist who loves to write, interview people Fareeha Molvi For more information on Helen Rosner US Foods’ Food Fanatics who are passionate about their work and eat Sharon Palmer initiative and program, visit Regina Schrambling food that other people prepare for her. She www.usfoods.com Lauren Viera All rights reserved. © edits the Start It Up section of Entrepreneur Erin Walgamuth Kristi Willis magazine and has written for many national food and hospitality publications. In her free As one of America’s great food companies and leading distributors, US Foods is Keeping Kitchens Cooking and making life easier for time, she is stand-up paddling in all 50 states more than 250,000 customers, including independent and multi- and eating road food along the way. unit restaurants, healthcare and hospitality entities, government and educational institutions. The company offers more than 350,000 products, and proudly employs approximately 25,000 people in more than 60 locations nationwide. US Foods is head- quartered in Rosemont, Ill., and jointly owned by funds managed by Regina Schrambling has been writing about all things Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Inc. and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. food and drink for nearly 30 years but is best known for Gastropoda, the acerbic website she started in 2002 after fleeing a second stint at the New York Times as deputy dining editor. She tweets obsessively and blogs, hoping for a following as large as her social media savvy Siamese cat, Wyl-E. 9300 W. Higgins Rd. Suite 500 Rosemont, IL 60018 (847) 720-8000

4 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2013 You’re only as good as your last dish FOOD so you better turn the page for more

Mean Mian Ramen by any other name would be just as hot as chefs weave hearty and complex flavors into bowls of comfort ➼ ANOTHER HELPING “We probably have a cou- ple hundred people come in for ramen a night,” says Bos- Instant Karma ton-based, Chef-owner Ken The styrofoam-like bricks Oringer, who offers a late eve- of instant ramen aren’t entirely absent from this ning, ramen-only menu three noodle craze. At Uni, Chef times a week at his 50-seat Ken Oringer serves crushed restaurant, Uni. chunks of store-bought Ramen has been a long-time ICTURE THE NOODLE aisle of an ramen dusted with their dream for the chef, whose accompanying seasoning fine dining destinations never powder as a bar snack. PAsian grocery: that rainbow patchwork of felt quite right for the soup’s cello-wrapped bricks and bowls, and acres Beyond Ramen laid-back vibe. But when he of instant meals. Udon, soba, ramen—all just Ramen reigns but soba renovated Uni last spring to a and udon aren’t exactly slightly funkier aesthetic, he waiting for a hungry college student or cash- slouches. Talde in New York saw an opportunity. strapped snacker to add hot water and call it serves chilled vegetarian From 11:30 p.m. until 2 a.m., buckwheat soba piled high Oringer cranks the music and a meal. with texturally contrasting seasonal vegetables, which watches the dining room and A new wave of Now forget that image completely. sells just as well as Chef bar fill with slurpers. “It’s a lot For decades, the popular picture of Japanese Dale Talde's ramen. For of industry people getting off winter, he features pickled work at midnight,” he admits, noodles is filling noodle culture has been dominated by flash- greens, mushrooms, roasted but the spot also attracts plen- squash and crispy potato ty of young people and has a fried wavy bricks and their sodium-bomb chips. USE a craving for foodie following. seasonings—the very opposite of the hearty, Mellow Yellow And the crowd keeps com- something hot warming, complex flavors of which they are a The most popular ramen ing back for more. While pale facsimile. At last, that image is changing: tends to be the slightly wavy plenty of his late-night cus- yellow noodles. Their canary tomers are first-time visitors and steamy. a new crop of Japanophile restaurateurs are hue doesn’t come from egg lured by $10 bowls of savory yolk but from kansui, an broth, many return during bringing the authentic soup out of cramped alkaline water. The desire so far Uni’s non-ramen hours for its ramen bars and into airy dining rooms where YOUR Anti-DIY refined, market-driven take seems insatiable their clientele can’t seem to get enough. Because it’s labor intensive, on sashimi. most chefs buy fresh ramen for about $1 per package. BY HELEN ROSNER Ramen Ps and Qs A simple fish or chicken ➼ broth works but a connois- seur’s ramen involves layers of flavor. Start with a dashi (stock) base with bonito flakes for depth.

Miso ramen incorporates soybean paste, shoyu ramen has a hit of soy sauce and shio ramen features a broth made with shirojoyu (white soy sauce). Tonkatsu (pork cutlet) ramen, perhaps the king of noodle broths, goes a step further. To achieve the iconic cloudy liquid, the broth cooks for hours at a ripping boil to emulsify the bones’ marrow fats—no nice, slow simmered consommés N dL here. E Miso Turning Japanese All In the Details A pop-up ramen restaurant-with- Chefs learn that exploring the Lobster in-a-restaurant like Oringer’s craft of ramen is not as simple as is a white-hot concept, one that it looks. Ramen doesn’t require a sushi spot to People go “You can call it noodles in broth, Chef-owner start. Lunetta, a swanky Italian but there’s so much more to it,” Frank Bonanno bistro in Brooklyn, N.Y., turns into crazy about says Matthew Lightner, chef at Bones, Denver a ramen shop on the evening of ev- New York’s two-Michelin-starred

ery full moon, swapping tagliatelle the broth. Atera. “The broth has been cooked 2 cups white wine and orecchiete for wavy noodles “ for such a long time, the noodles 1 shallot, thinly sliced in broth served to a packed house. They’re saying aren’t starchy (and) there’s in- 12 peppercorns

½ cup white wine vinegar In Oakland, Calif., Chef Kyle ‘It tastes like credibly fresh ingredients gar- ½ cup heavy cream Itani slaps a new name onto Hop- nishing the bowl.” 1 pound unsalted butter, scotch, his American bistro, once A great bowl of ramen lives or divided use a week. On Fridays from 11 p.m. to breakfast.’ dies in its à la minute prep. Noo- 4 cups lobster stock 2 a.m., Yonsei Ramen comes alive. dles are cooked separately, and And I’m like, “ 4 tablespoons miso, “There are lots of Japanese restau- once drained, are placed into wide, divided use rants in the Bay Area, and a lot of deep bowls, with broth ladled on ½ teaspoon white pepper well, that’s 2 tablespoons lemon juice them have ramen on the menu,” top. An elegant arrangement of Sea salt, as needed Itani says. “But ramen is one of the point! toppings—from sheets of toasted 8 ounces fresh ramen those things that requires a lot of nori (seaweed) and poached eggs ---- Chef Dale Talde on his noodles dedication. In Japan, a shop will morning ramen dish of peppered to delicate threads of julienned 1 cup edamame, shelled serve ramen and nothing else. It’s bacon, egg and noodles in a scallion—are artfully laid on top 1¼ pound lobster, the only thing you’re focused on buttered-toast broth. before it leaves the line. cooked, meat removed 3 scallions, cut on in that one restaurant—or in my “The dish may not cost a lot per small bias case, in that one service time.” serving, but it’s labor intense,” Itani picked up a love for ra- Talde says. “And if you don’t do it Reduce white wine, men growing up in California. But right, people will know.” shallot, peppercorns and his obsession took hold when he Attention to detail pays off with vinegar until 2 teaspoons moved to the northern Japanese extraordinary complexity. Ac- remain. Add heavy cream, city of Sendai for a few months in cording to Itani, a good bowl of reduce by ½ and slowly add ¾ pound of butter, to late 2010. “Ramen is one of those (brothless ramen) made with hot ramen should involve elements make a buerre blanc. foods that kitchen guys love—it’s a kippered salmon, fried balls of of the sea, the mountains and the Strain and keep warm. real industry food,” he says. “So be- scallion cream cheese and briny earth. This could include any com- ing a kitchen guy in Japan, I found ikura (salmon roe) at brunch. bination of fish or nori; Japanese Bring lobster stock to a other kitchen guys and we hung Ramen can also be found on mountain vegetables (plant shoots simmer, add 2 tablespoons out at ramen shops. When I came the morning menu at Talde, one and leaves) and greens; and pork, miso and season with white pepper, lemon juice and back to open Hopscotch, I wanted of Top Chef winner Dale Talde’s chicken, beef or mushrooms from sea salt; hold. Cook noodles, to bring that back with me.” three Brooklyn, N.Y., restaurants. the land. drain and keep warm. He offers “breakfast ramen” with The bowl continues to evolve Noodling Around peppered bacon and an egg atop even after it hits the table, the Melt remaining butter in Ramen may be rooted in tradi- a pile of noodles soaking in a but- first bite bearing only a passing saute pan, whisk in remain- tion, but a bowl of broth and noo- tered-toast broth. To make the resemblance to the last. “I love ing miso and add edamame. dles has become a known quan- broth, he steeps pieces of buttered the act of eating a bowl of ramen Slice lobster tail into five pieces and add all lobster tity for both chefs and diners, toast in the same tonkatsu (pork all the way through,” Lightner to pan. Heat through and offering an established template cutlet) stock he uses for the dinner says. “You start with these fresh- keep warm. ripe for riffing. menu’s slightly more conventional fresh ingredients, but as you eat At Bones in Denver, Frank version. Most of the steeped toast it the greens wilt, the broth infus- To plate, toss noodles Bonanno serves a trés Francophile is removed, but a few slices are es, the noodles soften. You get to with 1 cup buerre blanc lobster ramen made with shallots blended in to thicken the broth, a point where you need to keep and season with salt and and heavy cream. Jewish-inspired which is then strained to maintain eating it, because it’s just getting pepper. Divide among four n bowls, top with lobster “deli ramen” pops up at Dassara in consistency. better and better.” mixture and scallions. At Brooklyn, N.Y., made with matzo “People go crazy about the the table, pour miso lobster balls, Montreal-style smoked meat broth,” Talde says. “They’re say- Helen Rosner is the senior web broth into each bowl. and celery during dinner, and a ba- ing, ‘It tastes like breakfast.’ And editor for Saveur magazine. She Makes 4 servings. gel-inspired version of mazeman I’m like, well, that’s the point!” lives in New York City.

foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 11 FOR MORE RECIPES go to FOODFANATICS.COM COVER STORY

By Regina Schrambling

MESCLUN HAS ALWAYS sounded French for dainty. But not these days. As salad greens have gotten beefier, even babies are bulk- ing up. All across the country, leaves that once would have only been served cooked—and cooked for a good long time— are now raw favorites. Consider the mesclun that Keith Stewart, who farms in New York’s Hudson Valley, brings to the Greenmarkets, Manhattan’s farmer’s markets. It’s a peppery mix of mustard greens, tatsoi, red oak lettuce, mizuna, dandelions and four kinds of kale: lacinato, rainbow lacinato, Russian and curly leaf. His arugula almost tastes wimpy by comparison. Dark leafy vegetables such as kale and mustard greens are flexing their menu muscle ➼

their starches to sugar. In fact, benefits of kale to patients with Kale Salad demand for local greens has driv- high blood pressure. In the cook- with Roasted Squash,

en farmers to extend the season ing classes she teaches for the Marcona Almonds and Buttermilk using hoop tunnels and different People’s taste “ David Druker Center for Health Vinaigrette seed varieties to yield leaves that Systems Innovation, massaged can be picked young and tender are changing. They’re kale salad with sliced apples, pepi- Chef Gavin Kaysen, Cafe Boulud and sent naked to the table. tas and shaved Parmesan figures New York Just a few years ago, most of open to something into every course menu. She uses 3 bunches kale, divided use Kale, in particular, has been these greens would have been des- different. a lemony dressing because acid Olive oil as needed taking over America’s salad bars tined for a saute pan, if not a brais- makes food taste salty without salt Salt and pepper as needed — Farmer Jeff“ Bialas and bowls. It’s pushing aside ing pot. But now you can hardly on raw greens and pepitas for fiber and potassi- 1 small delicata or other hard romaine, getting tossed with pick up a menu without seeing um, as well as crunch and flavor. squash, halved everything from Parmesan to kale dressed and stepping out Sturdy greens are also muscling 4 tablespoon butter pepitas and vanquishing ice- with cheddar and almonds, for ex- their way onto salad bars at col- 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon black pepper berg—a “green” so void of nutri- ample, as it does at Northern Spy lege campuses, including North- 1 teaspoon brown sugar ents the Bronx Zoo won’t feed it Foods in Manhattan. Tatsoi turns Caesars are always moneymak- western University in Evanston, 1 teaspoon salt to the animals. up at Cypress in Charleston, S.C., ers for restaurants, and kale ups Ill., and the University of Califor- 2 cloves And it comes in a veritable rain- paired with beets in walnut oil, the ante. Skillet in Seattle serves nia, Berkeley. Run by Bon Appetit ¼ cup buttermilk bow of colors. Paffenroth Gar- feta and orange vinaigrette, while its rendition with boquerones, Management, these institutions, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar dens, which supplies many New Chez Philippe in Memphis teams croutons and creamy Parmesan along with corporate foodservice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 3 cups olive oil York City chefs, grows a palette of it with mizuna, enoki mushrooms, dressing and offers fried chicken including Google’s famous cafete- ½ cup Marcona almonds, toasted green, white, red and black kale. goat cheese and pistachio brittle thigh or sockeye salmon on top for ria, are seeing more greens. To its credit, kale contains pro- in champagne vinaigrette. an extra $5 or $7, respectively. Even chains are catching on to Remove the middle stem from all the kale, ensuring that the leaves Interestingly, a doctor was ap- tein, carbohydrates and twice the The mini-chain of Dig Inn in the craze. The Cheesecake Fac- are dry. Layer 1 bunch of kale on a Recommended Daily Allowance Manhattan recently added tender parently among the first to real- tory has a kale salad on its menu, sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, salt (RDA) of Vitamins A and C. But mustard greens to the baby aru- ize kale had potential beyond the sandwiched between corn dogs and pepper and bake in a preheated the plethora of iron and other gula, spinach and romaine house pot. Dr. Andrew Weil, with the and the crab and artichoke dip. 325 F oven for 15 to 20 minutes minerals in these dark, sturdy blend on which all its salads are help of Chef Michael Stebner at It includes cranberries, apples, until crispy. Set aside. greens are just one reason that built. Andrew Carmellini at Lo- True Food Kitchen in Scottsdale, Marcona almonds and green Lay squash, cut-side up on a sheet chefs are picking them more of- canda Verde in New York uses Ariz., created a Tuscan kale salad beans in a buttermilk-black tray and divide butter among the ten. Primarily it’s a matter of taste. a mix of Castelfranco radicchio, using ingredients that are now pepper dressing. halves. Toss together cinnamon, Dan Barber, chef-owner of baby kale, little frisee, radicchio, almost formulaic: lemon juice, As Jeff Bialas, another New black pepper, brown sugar, salt and clove; sprinkle on squash and roast Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone watercress and escarole in his olive oil, garlic, hot pepper flakes, York farmer who supplies chefs, in preheated 375 F oven about 45 Barns in New York, is plating salad with toasted hazelnuts, Par- Parmigiano-Reggiano and bread- puts it: “People’s tastes are chang- minutes or until tender. Remove sturdy greens in winter with no migiano-Reggiano and smoked crumbs. Subsequent variations ing. They’re open to something from skin, slice into 2-inch squares dressing—not even salt and pep- speck. have relied more on curly leaf kale, different.” And they’re learning and set aside. per. “People think it’s a little pre- Gavin Kaysen of Cafe Boulud which most chefs agree needs to that good and good-for-you are no Whisk together buttermilk, red wine tentious but these hearty greens in New York says he can barely be “massaged” to make it more longer mutually exclusive. n vinegar and mustard and slowly add take on the craziest flavor after keep kale in the kitchen since tender than lacinato (also known olive oil to emulsify. Season with salt several freezes,” he says. “When adding a salad with raw and as dinosaur kale). Regina Schrambling is a long- and pepper. you concentrate, you can taste crisped greens with roasted Linda Shiue, an internal med- time food writer in New York To plate, divide crispy kale and the characteristics.” squash and Marcona almonds icine physician at the Palo Alto City who blogs and tweets as raw kale on plate with squash and As Barber notes, greens like kale with buttermilk vinaigrette to Medical Clinic in the San Francis- @Gastropoda, and prefers her almonds. Drizzle with dressing. thrive in the cold, as frosts convert his menu. co Bay Area, promotes the health salads on the dark side. Makes 2 servings.

THE STARRING ROLES THE SUPPORTING CAST How do you build a salad with muscle—the kind that packs more nutrients than a classic one could ever fathom? Start with these stars:

Tatsoi Kale Mizuna Dandelion Mustard greens Spinach Fruit Citrus Nuts Crunch Dressings Cheese (Lacinato, Tuscan, Apples, pears, Lemon or orange in Pepitas, Marcona Croutons, Melba toast, Toasted peanut vinaigrette, Parmigiano, feta, dinosaur, curly and Russian) pomegranate, dates, dried vinaigrette; orange or almonds, hazelnuts quinoa, farro, freekeh, smoked cashew dressing, cheddar, Manchego

IMAGES FROM THINKSTOCKPHOTO.COM IMAGES apricots and raisins Clementine in segments granola creamy Parmesan

14 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 15 TREND TRACKER The heat index on what’s hot

Wallets still recovering from the recession Pastry chefs take a break from fine dining and turn to get sweet on casual concepts. savory menus and open their own restaurants.

Prep for a Customers crudité want in on awakening exclusive as raw ticketed vegetables dining get posh. events. Because any The Guajillo Pork Torta from Xico in Portland, drink is better Ore., elevates the take-out window. Learn how to cash in on better carry-out on page 49. with an umbrella, behold the re- surgence of tiki cocktails. Please. Stop. With. The. Salted. Get nostalgic Caramel. with sophisticated touches on regional American favorites.

WARMING UP ON FIRE COOLING OFF

Slurp’s up! When every third Everyone is riding restaurant has Always a favorite, the ramen a charcuterie fried chicken wave. menu, it’s time struts its stuff in to change your Can’t find a range of global game plan. investors flavors. for your concept? Try Kickstarter.

Kuaytiaw Reua “Boat Noodles” by Pok Pok in Portland, Ore., and New York. Salads discover a whole world of greens beyond iceberg lettuce.

South American moves beyond No one wants to drink steakhouses a bouquet. If you Asian-fusion fizzles. Next up: with can’t be subtle, take Southeast Asian-inspired coastal- the herbal and floral from Vietnam, Thailand and driven infusions out of the the Philippines. cuisine. cocktail. ALL IMAGES FROM THINKSTOCKPHOTO.COM, EXCLUDING XICO AND POK POK PHOTO BY DAVID REAMER BY DAVID EXCLUDING XICO AND POK PHOTO FROM THINKSTOCKPHOTO.COM, ALL IMAGES

foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 17 WEDGES OF FLOURLESS chocolate cake and mounds of the molten lava variety are fixtures on dessert menus. But the classic chocolate layer FOODFANATICS.COM cake seems to have taken a hike. Get chocolate Maybe grocery store cake mixes are to blame, cake recipes from hotshot pastry chefs making the staple appear pedestrian and unwor- thy of the plate. But it shouldn’t be that way, says Amanda Cook, the pastry chef at Cookshop and Hundred Acres in Manhattan. When chocolate layer cake is treated right, it’s a show-off. “We looked at the menu and realized that some- thing chocolate was missing,” Cook says, “but we wanted it to be over the top.” Her solution: Choc- olate Deliciousness—layers of classic chocolate cake, brownie and malted milk chocolate mousse covered with gianduja ganache. When plated, it’s accompanied with a quenelle of whipped cream and little crunchy chocolate-covered balls. Light and airy or dense and fudgy, the ideal SHUT all-American chocolate layer cake finds perfection somwhere in the middle. Here are some ways to YOUR strike that balance. ➼ CAKE HOLE! This classic dessert has something to say

BY LAURA YEE THE MANY SHADES I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Palet d’Or While butter has its unquestionable place in pastry, OF CHOCOLATE other fats work better for chocolate cake. (Devil’s Food Cake) Not all chocolate is created equal. Mayonnaise, for example. It’s the primary fat Chef-owner Thomas Keller Each varietal’s origin and quality for the ultimate chocolate cake, a tidbit Thomas Executive Pastry Chef Sebastien Rouxel, Bouchon Bakery create a distinct flavor profile that ranges New York, Las Vegas, Beverly Hills and Yountville, Calif. from notes of caramel and floral to even a desirable Keller reveals in his recently published Bouchon bitterness. Choosing a type all depends on the Bakery cookbook written with Executive Pastry 101 grams all-purpose flour desired application. Some considerations: Chef Sebastien Rouxel. 31 grams unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder “Sebastien wanted the cake to be moist and rich 2.5 grams baking soda but not oily from too much butter,” Keller writes. “He 0.5 grams baking powder COCOA POWDER decided to try mayonnaise. It was a brilliant revela- 1 gram kosher salt The top choice for baking, available in natural or Dutch tion. Little did he know that chocolate mayonnaise 56 grams eggs processed. Some pastry chefs prefer the latter, saying it cake was trendy in America, oh, some 80 years ago. It 126 grams sugar provides a more complex flavor, while others appreci- 2 grams vanilla paste ate the natural form for its fruitier tone and lighter color. worked great then and it works great now.” 86 grams mayonnaise At Lee & Marie’s Cakery Company on Miami’s 105 grams water, room temperature South Beach, Chef Yannis Janssen prefers oil as the 25 grams brune pâte à glacer, melted MILK CHOCOLATE fat in his chocolate cake. “We have been reformulat- Chocolate pastry cream, recipe follows The most familiar type of chocolate. Because it has ing our recipes for the past few years, replacing but- Chocolate glaze, recipe follows more sugar than dark chocolate, keep a look out for ter partially or completely with a nice oil with a low Gold leaf for garnishing artificial ingredients to ensure a clean flavor. acidity,” he says. “This creates a softer, lighter cake Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking that lets the chocolate flavor shine more.” powder, and combine with salt; set aside. Beat together DARK CHOCOLATE eggs, sugar and vanilla paste and whip for 10 minutes Preferred for coating, ganache, mousse and frostings. Tender is the Light until the mixture is thick and pale yellow, scraping down Be sure to check the origin and percentage of cocoa Many pastry chefs include milk or buttermilk. Both sides and bottom of bowl after 5 minutes. Add mayon- to sugar to determine its best application. Look for act as an acid and leavening, along with baking pow- naise and whip to combine. a complex range of fruit, coffee, molasses, nut and floral notes, and a nice finish. Base your choice on the der or baking soda. Fold in half of the dry ingredients, then the water into degree of desired bitterness to balance or contrast the egg mixture and repeat with remaining flour and “They work to give the cake a nice rise and to make sweeter flavors. the cake more tender,” says Cook, who earned a de- water. Pour batter into a greased half sheet tray lined gree in food science and technology before heading with a nonstick baking mat and bake in preheated 325 F oven for 10 minutes. Cool. IS WHITE CHOCOLATE AN OXYMORON? to culinary school. Other types of acid, such as vine- gar, work equally well, says Melissa Chou, pastry chef Remove cake from baking mat, cut into two 7¼-inch Since it’s stripped of all chocolate solids, using white circles and spread the pâte à glacer on each surface; at Aziza in San Francisco. chocolate might garner serious slander from purists. freeze. Place 8-inch pastry ring on a sheet tray lined But if you must, make sure it contains at least 20 per- with a cooling rack. Place one layer of cake inside the cent cocoa butter and no more than 55 percent sugar Deep, Dark Secrets ring and pipe a ring of chocolate cream to fill the gap. or other sweeteners. Beware of imitations made with More often than not, cocoa powder—not solid choc- Pipe a spiral, beginning in the center of the cake and hydrogenated vegetable oil and animal fats. olate—is preferred. “I like to use a Dutch-processed extending to the edges of the ring. Center the second cocoa because the flavor is deeper and the color is cake layer over the first layer. Repeat piping, using more intense,” Chou says. She and other chocolate enough cream to reach the rim of the ring. Sweep a long offset spatula over the cream for a perfectly smooth cake loyalists use water, coffee or other liquid to add surface; freeze. dimension and a deeper, richer flavor. Remove pastry ring by warming sides with your hands or warm towels. In one smooth, quick motion, pour Building Blocks the chocolate glaze over the top of the cake through After creating a moist, flavorful cake, pastry chefs a sieve, beginning from the edge in a circular motion start building components with complementary and toward the center. When set, place gold leaf on cake. contrasting flavors and textures. Makes 8 servings. “Depending on the season, it can be a nice choco- Chocolate cream: Whisk 50 grams eggs, 100 grams late ganache, caramel or sometimes a touch of fruits egg yolk and 83 grams sugar in double boiler to 183 F or roasted nuts,” Janssen says. and whip on medium-high for about 7 minutes, until the At Aziza, Chou’s latest version begins as chocolate mixture thickens. Whip 333 grams of heavy cream, fold cake accented with rum and warm spices such as a third into 233 grams of melted 64 percent chocolate. Fold in egg mixture and remaining whipped cream. cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger. A layer of pu- erh (post fermented black tea) cream offers a subtle Chocolate glaze: Bring 150 grams heavy cream, 225 smoky, earthy profile while dark chocolate mousse grams sugar and 180 grams water to a boil and whisk in 75 grams cocoa. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the provides contrast. A touch of black currant gel adds mixture has reduced by about one-third. Remove from brightness and offsets the richness. heat and whisk in 7.2 grams softened silver leaf gelatin. Finished with a chocolate streusel crumble for some texture, it’s different enough to offer a new take Adapted from Bouchon Bakery by Thomas Keller and on that childhood classic. n Sebastien Rouxel (Artisan, 2012).

20 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 21 cuisine to reclaim thern an Am Sou eri of can ots cu ro lin he ar t y to tr n a i d g i ti in SWEAT, o g n g i D

SORGHUM AND SOUTHERN

S T E O GRIT T R TA Y S B F Y O C S AR AD LY E F E H IS TH HER BY / ILLUSTRATIONS

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22 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 23 Seeds of Change When Chef Frank Stitt opened his acclaimed Highlands Bar and Grill in Legendary chef and Southern culinary forerunner Frank Stitt of Highlands Bar Join the Birmingham, Ala., in 1982, ingredients as The Culinary South and Grill divides the South into three key regional districts: conversation on simple as stoneground grits seemed facebook.com/ usfoodfanatics impossible to find. Mass produced quick grits were the industry norm. “For a few years, I had to go to a health food store to buy organic stoneground grits until I contacted a source in North Carolina and bought them directly,” Stitt says. Stitt, along with esteemed chefs Louis Osteen, formerly of Louis’ Charleston Grill in Charleston, S.C., and Ben and Karen Barker, formerly of Magnolia Grill in Durham, N.C., were among the first to cham- pion better regional ingredients and refined cuisine in the 1980s, bringing a cross-polli- nation of ideas to the first Salute to South- ern Chefs gathering in 1992 in Charleston. For the next six years, these annual dinners provided a forum for Southern chefs from Texas to Washington, D.C., to learn about each other’s regional nuances, and more importantly, to find out who had the goods. As the Salute to Southern Chefs dissolved, an academic institute, the Southern Food- ways Alliance, began to take shape at the University of Mississippi. Founders John Egerton and John T. Edge, along with a pan- el of 48 contributors, began documenting the oral histories of gumbo cooks, oyster outhern chefs are tired of apol- mongers, boudin makers and other work- ing-class culinary artisans. Many chefs ogizing for their food. Deemed fried, fatty, loaded credit the organization as the catalyst of the new Southern table. with butter or ignorant, this misunderstood “In white tablecloth restaurants, what CAJUN/CREOLE APPALACHIA LOWCOUNTRY regional cuisine has suffered serious insult for you see is chefs reinterpreting provincial Louisiana North Alabama, Georgia, Coastal Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia,

S foodways,” Edge says. “That seems a great Kentucky, Tennessee Upper Gulf Coast years. It’s no one’s fault, really. The ingredients flowering of the research we’ve done over the years.” just weren’t there. Sorghum, an ingredient that was nearly obso- remind them of their childhood. “People come

A Regular Southern Revival Over the past two decades, a movement has been lete until recent years, has seen a huge comeback. to Husk because they’re hungry for a story and Stitt now has an abundance of regional It’s making a cameo on many menus, from being What’s happening now a connection and emotions,” he says. “It’s not building across the South and beyond as chefs Alabama produce to choose from, such as drizzled over johnnycakes at Holeman & Finch about paying for something; it’s about experi- North Chilton County peaches and apples, in Atlanta to enhancing the “Muddy Pond” baked is the rest of the country is encing something.” resurrect a culinary tradition through modernist and Cullman County sweet potatoes. The beans at Beasley’s Chicken + Honey in Raleigh, starting to realize how important “ rebirth of heirloom varieties has fostered N.C. It’s also touching desserts like the spicy sor- Southern cuisine is, Rebuilding Life Back Home techniques, sourcing near extinct ingredients and creativity, bringing a dash of modernity to ghum pecans at Silo in Nashville, Tenn. Like many Southern fine dining chefs, John so the people who“ are traditional dishes. “When I grew up, there Aside from elevating quality, resurrected in- Besh spent the early part of his career distanc- reintroducing good ol’ fashioned storytelling. was always pickled peppers and hot pepper gredients like sorghum, Carolina gold rice and born with it in their ing himself from the cooking of his New Orleans The result is contemporary Southern: a cuisine vinegar that were used on the table,” Stitt bennecake flour symbolize traditional South- blood celebrate it. home. “I took it for granted,” he says. “I wanted says. “I think we’ve gotten a lot more cre- ern home cooking. Teary-eyed customers are to go to Europe and learn a more refined style —Sean Brock of Husk Restaurant heavy on seasonal vegetables and driven by histor- ative with using persimmons or figs, and we not uncommon at Husk in Charleston, S.C., says of cooking. Yet every time that I moved away, didn’t have as many heirloom varieties as Chef-owner Sean Brock, whose diners wax nos- I craved coming home for that food that I grew ical inspiration. we do now.” talgic about the tomatoes or pork chops that up with.”

24 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 25 BREAK IT DOWN Keep your food costs Blame the negative perception on stereotypes using throwback recipes with a refined, seasonal in check without or the widespread bastardized Southern cook- edge. Favorites like gumbo, étouffée, boudin and compromising great ingredients or your ing—dishes saturated with spices and low-qual- fried okra often fit the bill. “Building authentic- bottom line. ity ingredients, and lacking the simple flavors ity comes from your background,” Besh says. “I Shrimp ‘n Grits from the “holy trinity” of Creole cooking: on- always say the proper way to make a gumbo is Chef Jeff McInnis PER SERVING: $2.03 ions, bell pepper and celery. the way that your mama made it. It comes down Yardbird Southern Table & Bar “I think it’s just a backlash from so many poor to the rudimentary food, family and table.” Miami touristy restaurants not applying great tech- ½ cup yellow stone-ground grits nique to the food and allowing it to become The Southern Disciples 1 cup chicken stock loosely defined into what most people think is The definition of “Southern” is characterized 1 cup whole milk Creole food,” Besh says. “I didn’t want to be one by more than a geographical border, which has ¼ cup heavy cream of those chefs who just threw a bunch of stuff in many interpretations. Over time, Southern mi- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, a pan and called it Creole.“ crocosms have popped up across America—in divided use 1 teaspoon kosher salt, Yet when Hurricane Katrina devastated Chicago, the San Francisco Bay Area and New plus extra for seasoning New Orleans in 2005, Besh realized the area York City. Some purists will always contest these 1 tablespoon vegetable oil was at risk for losing its culture and cuisine. enclaves’ authenticity, but Stitt argues that rep- 1½ ounce country ham, His passion for New Orleans regional cooking licating the spirit of Southern cooking is no dif- julienned renewed, spawning an empire of nine proper- ferent than mastering any other ethnic cuisine. 2 ounces red onion, julienned ties, including James Beard award-nominated “You need to understand the history of a dish, 5 large Gulf shrimp, peeled restaurant, August. the ingredients that are important to it, and then and deveined Freshly ground black pepper Besh and his contemporaries, like Susan you can represent your own take on that dish,” to taste Spicer of Bayona and Donald Link of Herbsaint Stitt says. 1 teaspoon Montreal steak and Cochon, are preserving regional tradition In fact, it was a Yankee—Ari Weinzweig from seasoning Zingerman’s Roadhouse in Ann Arbor, Mich.— ¼ cup beer who introduced Stitt to a bacon-infused seafood 1 ounce slow roasted tomatoes, dish called Carolina Fish Muddle from coastal halved North Carolina. ¼ cup rich veal stock 1 tablespoon green onions, Still, ambassadors looking to redefine South- chopped ern food haven’t always been welcomed with Cover grits with water in a large open arms. When Chef Paul Fehribach opened bowl and whisk vigorously. Let his 2008 coastal Southern restaurant Big Jones stand for one minute, skimming Some call it ‘soul in Chicago, diners accused him of being any- away any chaff with a fine-mesh thing but authentic. With only a handful of sieve. Drain.

restaurants executing French Quarter or meat Bring chicken stock and milk to a food,’ other people ‘n three-style concepts, Fehribach had plenty of simmer in a heavy saucepan and room to play with regional dishes. add grits. Reduce heat to simmer Ingredients such as Sea Island red peas and and cook grits, partially covered, call it ‘Southern Carolina gold rice were still new to the Midwest stirring often until thickened, about

market, so Fehribach decided to spark dialogue an hour. Stir in cream, 2 table- “ spoons butter and salt. Remove by dating a dish from 1730—a Gullah Island ver- food’—it’s food from heat and keep warm. Thin sion of Hoppin’ John called “Reezy Peezy.” Its with cream or water to keep success inspired a 2012 overhaul of his menu, creamy consistency. which now includes historically inspired and Heat oil in saute pan and render that’s made its “ dated dishes. ham until crispy and lightly “It started as a move to pass the narrative as- browned. Add onion and cook pect of dining,” Fehribach says. “I thought, what for another minute. Increase heat way throughout to high and saute shrimp. Season a great opportunity to show people how region- VEGETABLE GREEN TOMATOES GULF GRITS RED MONTREAL VEAL COUNTRY BEER with salt, pepper and Montreal ally distinctive Southern food is and how it’s not OIL ONION SHRIMP ONION STEAK STOCK HAM seasoning. Add beer and burn off $.26 $.50 $.24 the arteries of just this narrow set of dishes like fried chicken SEASONING quickly, about 35 seconds. Once $.03 $.05 $.45 $.07 $.18 $.18 and barbecue pork shoulder.” reduced by half, add tomatoes, veal $.07 the country. Even in the South, redefining regional cuisine stock and cook for another minute. is relatively new. In Miami, a city dominated by Remove from heat and whisk in ------John Besh of Restaurant August palm trees and Latin culture, Chef Jeff McInn- remaining butter. is was free from competition when he opened To serve, place a serving of grits in Yardbird in October 2011. Alongside the roster the center of the plate and top with of fried chicken and shrimp ‘n grits, Yardbird’s shrimp mixture and green onion. 1% 2% 9% 16% 18% 3% 3% 6% 35% 10% menu is peppered with Floridian touches like Makes one serving.

26 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 27 A Life in Food One of the best things about what I do is having the opportunity to meet with so many chefs and restaurateurs. I often hear a similar story of being “called” to the profession at an early age or having a “lightning-bolt moment” that grabbed them, sparked their interest in food and forever changed their life.

There doesn’t seem to be much middle ground in professional cooking—you’re either passionate about food or you’re not. The kitchen has never been a place for the indifferent or faint of heart. To succeed requires dedication, skill and lots of hard work combined with an unrelenting focus on the bottom line.

But despite the stress, the heat and the hours, most chefs say there’s no place they’d rather be than in the kitchen cooking, creating and entertaining diners.

I understand there’s something about the chaotic harmony of grilling a half dozen steaks while juggling four or five sauté pans, boiling a pot of tortellini and checking plate presentations that gets under your skin.

The excitement, challenges and exhilaration of professional cooking are why South Florida mangoes, Apalachicola oys- US Foods sponsors Food Fanatics. This is a place to meet and share the trials ters and Key West pink shrimp. Like Fehrib- and triumphs of life on the line... to shake up old ways of thinking... and to ach, McInnis has seen a upswing of competing BISCUITS ON A BENDER champion those who are breaking the rules and redefining food, flavors and restaurants since making a mark in his area. Saying ‘the dining itself. “South Florida is more of a Latin community The ubiquity of the biscuit shows the far-reaching and cuisine, but I think it was the right time to South’ is like appeal of this Southern staple. It’s a butter-loaded Response to the inaugural issue of Food Fanatics was extremely positive—thank you bring a little bit more of the South back to South guilty pleasure by itself, but it goes over the edge for your enthusiasm and support. As one of America’s leading food companies, our Florida,” McInnis says. “It wasn’t difficult by generalizing with all sorts of killer interpretations. mission is to make your life easier by delivering the innovative products, bold ideas any means—it was something people wanted be- Wing Wings San Francisco, Calif. and ongoing inspiration you need to become even more successful. cause there was a void here.” Italian or Brown sugar black pepper biscuits $1.50 “ Look for each issue of Food Fanatics to continue bringing together restaurateurs, Pine State Biscuits Portland, Ore. The Future of Southern Cuisine Chinese food. chefs and other food professionals from across the country to define the trends,

Cream-top buttermilk biscuit with jam, butter and honey, issues and opportunities in foodservice today. And, of course, we’ll continue After unearthing the historical meaning behind or Pine State pimento spread $3 regional American cooking, chefs are putting a The discussion celebrating your magical moments in the kitchen when everything comes together Sprig Restaurant Decatur, Ga. personal spin on it. At Seersucker in Brooklyn, N.Y., pimento never ends Herb biscuit with mushroom ragout $6.99 I know a life in food takes commitment and sacrifice. At the same time there’s cheese is packed into cannelloni with gran que- Hillside Farmacy Austin, Texas never been a better time to be a chef—and food fanatic—in America. about what’s “ so, pickled collard stems and surryano ham chip. Duck fat biscuits and sausage gravy $8 Inspired by a trip to Japan, Brock began a quest ‘Southern’ or Pulino’s Manhattan, N.Y. to find Southern “dashi”—the essence of his local Semolina biscuits with prosciutto cream sauce and cuisine—using regional ingredients like collard where the poached eggs $15 greens to produce seaweed or “Kentuckyaki,” Red Pony Restaurant Franklin, Tenn. fried chicken wings with pig ear lettuce wraps South is. Duck ’n Biscuits with duck rillettes, brie biscuits and and pickled cabbage. “There is a certain sacred- --- Chef Linton Hopkins of jalapeno-cranberry chutney $10 ness of being proud of the land and the connec- Restaurant Eugene at the Star tion to those farm-raised products,” Stitt says. Chefs International Varanese Louisville, Ky. Chefs Conference “Now, chefs in the South and people who love Pulled pork and sweet potato biscuit with apple butter $7.50 John Lederer Southern food are able to use great ingredients— President and Chief Executive Officer and they’re much more available. That’s been a US Foods really big evolution in the past 30 years.” n KOO WON/TIM BY DAVID PHOTO

28 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2013

Who’s fueling the passion in the industry? FOOD PEOPLE Look inside...

US FOODS AD ISSUE 1 2013 AD

Staff Meal Roulette Enlisting everyone as a potential cook can lead to a killer comida ➼

At Bar Marco in Pittsburgh, all employees get a shot at prepping

PHOTO BY ADAM MILLIRON BY ADAM PHOTO staff meal for the crew. BY KATE BERNOT PHOTO BY ADAM MILLIRON

STAFF MEAL

OOKING for the crew can feel like a real life version of Food Network’s Chopped—minus the cash prize. CThere’s a hungry group to feed, limited pantry resources and not

much time to make it all happen. When Bar Marco closes for a deep cleaning Tuesdays, the staff shares ➼ a multi-course meal. For more recipes, go to FOODFANATICS.COM

Minced Pork with Holy CHEF’S NATURAL inclination may be to tap the sous chef or to simply take the Basil and Fried Egg reins. But neglecting to include the line cooks, Rasmy “Niki” Vongthong A Uchi, Austin, Texas fresh-out-of-school hires and even servers when prepping comida means missing an opportunity to harness a kitchen’s diversity. 2 Thai chili peppers, minced 4 teaspoons garlic, minced At Uchi, a modern Japanese restaurant in 3 teaspoons shallots, minced Austin, Texas, Chef de Cuisine Kaz Edwards 3 tablespoons soybean oil, divided use often pairs seasoned chefs with less experi- 2 ounces ground pork or dark meat chicken enced cooks to prepare family meal for 15 to 1½ ounces green beans, sliced into 1½ inch 30 people. When the team gathers around the pieces, blanched table, what lands on the plate is always a bit of 1 tablespoon soy sauce surprise. 2¾ tablespoon oyster sauce 1 cup holy basil “There’s Indian; there’s Asian; there’s 1 egg classic American,” Edwards says. “The other 2½ cups jasmine rice, cooked day we did chicken-fried steak, and the next Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste day, there’s a huge spread with curry and kim- Grind Thai chili peppers, garlic and shallots into chee and all these different kinds of pickles.” a paste. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in saute pan on One of Edwards’ line cooks, Rasmy “Niki” medium-low heat and sweat paste until fragrant, Vongthong, whose family owned a small Asian about 30 seconds. Add ground pork or chicken market where she grew up learning about and cook until brown. Add green beans and onions food, has prepared some of the most memora- and saute until translucent. Stir in soy and oyster ble staff meals. sauces. Remove from heat and add holy basil, stirring to wilt. Heat another pan and add remaining “She always cooks what she cooks with her soybean oil and cracked egg. Cook until crispy on family,” Edwards says. “Rice dishes, curries, all the edges with a runny yolk. Adjust seasonings and sorts of things.” serve over jasmine rice. Makes one serving. Tapping into a worker’s background can bring authentic dishes and a creative jump- start to the table. For example, Uchi’s sake kama, or grilled salmon collar, debuted at a staff meal. before service, but Tuesdays are special For young chefs who can overcome their at Bar Marco. Doors stay closed while the jitters about preparing dinner for the staff, the staff deep cleans the restaurant before meal can even be a chance to show their chops. an intimate multi-hour meal. No matter At Craigie on Main, a Cambridge, Mass., who’s cooking, Fry says, inspiration drives beacon for local and sustainable cuisine, Chef the weekly staff meal. Recent spreads have Tony Maws says he can be analytical when a ranged from a Dominican pescado con coco new hire prepares family meal. to Syrian grape leaves, tabbouleh, kibbeh “Everything we do here is an opportunity,” necessarily the definition of good food. You declared, “I love this (expletive)!” Awhile lat- and hummus. Maws says. “We’re always watching to see can cook exquisite, really simple meals.” er, about 15 staff members and their friends “It’s supposed to be a family around here,” who’s ready to rise to the next step or ready Tapping into a worker’s ethnic A recent standout at Craigie featured and family feasted on a multi-course spread of he says. “It’s a family business and should for more responsibility. Are people using their braised veal breast with a decidedly Asian chicken paprikash, three types of gnocchi and have that family feel. The only way that the noggin? Are they planning? Are they soaking twist thanks to lemongrass, nuoc cham, soy Swiss chard inspired by Burrell’s Jewish and customers are going to be happy is for the beans today to use for staff meal tomorrow?” background can bring authentic dishes and sesame. Eastern European heritage. staff to be engaged with each other and to But Maws stresses that flash and luxury Sometimes, even the servers want in on the “We didn’t force him [to do it],” Bar Mar- have eaten really well.” n don’t catch his eye at staff meal. “There are action. At Bar Marco, a European-inspired bar co’s co-owner Robert Fry says. “He was su- and a creative jump-start to the menu. and restaurant in Pittsburgh, server Justen Kate Bernot is a Chicago-based food writer and budgetary constraints, so we’re not all sitting per inspired and having the time of his life around eating foie gras,” he says. “But we don’t Burrell teamed up with a line cook to prepare in the kitchen.” the nightlife editor of Chicago Tribune’s Red feel that the so-called luxury ingredients are a weekday staff meal. Raiding the fridge, he Most days, staff members eat quickly Eye commuter paper.

36 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 37 What do you cook when you’re off fine sea salt, but we use kosher salt in the clock? When you own your own our kitchen. business and it’s your first one, you’re al- CHEF ways on the clock. But I spend time with What’s the Next Big Thing? Trends PROFILE my family and friends. I still like going change so often. Right now, I think it’s out to eat. I’m a big fan of the Philadel- just about good food. It’s not about the phia Eagles, so I like to watch football. fancy techniques or the farm-to-table thing anymore. The days of the themed One trend you wish would go away? restaurants and the gimmicks, I think KEVIN Hamburgers. It’s just a hamburger— they’re over. People really just want we’ve been eating them for years. I don’t good food. understand what the big deal is. There SBRAGA are some delicious hamburgers out there Finish this sentence: There’s never and I enjoy eating them, but I don’t get enough time to ...? Sleep. You get There’s no stopping the craze about them. home at 1 or 2 a.m. and have to be up again by 7 a.m. It’s tough. this Top Chef winner What’s the most overused spring BY CARLY FISHER item that you love anyway? Probably Do you have any advice for to the peas. Peas are huge in the spring and reluctant diner? Just sit back and everyone uses them but they’re great. relax. There’s no need to be a food critic There are some places that do dishes or analyze every single detail. Just relax Three years after being crowned with peas five ways, or you’ll see peas on and enjoy yourself—that’s what you’re every single course. It’s overkill, but I spending money on. on season seven of Top Chef, Kev- don’t think you can have spring without in Sbraga continues to show he’s using peas. What’s your process to developing worth his salt. Prize money and a new dishes? Most of the time it comes Your favorite kitchen tool? My spoon. from inspiration. A lot of it has to do marquee name helped him open It’s so versatile—you can sauce a plate with travel, eating out at a lot of places the doors of Sbraga restaurant in with it, use it as a spatula to flip some- or which ingredients are in season. The thing over or bang on the counter to one chef that inspires me the most is Philadelphia in 2011. But a packed get someone’s attention. It’s in my back this French chef named Pascal Barbot, house and immediate accolades— pocket as we speak. It’s a great quality who has this small restaurant called including a nod from Esquire as spoon. Any time I buy new spoons, it’s Astrance in Paris. His menu changes all the same brand—but this particular the time. The thing that inspires me the one of the country’s Best New one I’ve had since 2001. I haven’t had to most is that he is in his own lane—just Restaurants of 2012—are early throw it at anyone yet. does his own thing. He’s not “trendy” signs of more to come from this but he’s still ahead of the trends. I really What is your guiding principle to admire someone that can do that. seasoned chef. Not one to rest cooking? Make it taste good. It starts on his laurels, Sbraga recently with good ingredients, followed by good What was your biggest kitchen technique and proper seasoning. It’s disaster? We had a salamander catch launched an intimate six-seat about no boundaries. I’m open to any on fire at another restaurant I worked chef’s counter, with a six-course flavor combination and any ethnic influ- at. It was just being careless. The food themed tasting menu that chang- ence—it just has to taste good. That’s it. caught on fire, the whole salamander caught on fire and we had to use a fire es every two weeks. Maybe rapid If you had to choose one ingredi- extinguisher to spray it all down, which rotation is just an unintended ent to eat for the rest of your life, shut us down the rest of lunch. It’s about what would it be? Salt. I think it’s paying attention to the details. If you side effect ofTop Chef Quickfire the single most important thing we don’t learn from it the first time, there’s syndrome. use in the kitchen. I prefer La Baleine something seriously wrong. n WHO’S THIS SBRAGA GUY? ➼ Age: 33 Hometown: Willingboro, N.J. Education: Johnson & Wales University, Providence, R.I., and Miami. Mentor(s): Arnaud Berthelier of the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, Naples, Fla., and George O’Palenick, chef instructor at Johnson & Wales University, Providence, R.I. What makes you so special? Winner of Top Chef Season 7, Best New Restaurant 2012 by Esquire magazine and “Best Meat Presentation,” Bocuse d’Or USA, 2008. PHOTO BY MICHAEL SPAIN SMITH BY MICHAEL SPAIN PHOTO

38 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2013 CHEF PROFILE

TONY DEWALT Food, healing and inspiration come from unexpected places BY LAURA YEE

Imagine a spattering of gardens growing peas in the spring, tomatoes in the summer and herbs along with edible flowers almost year-round. They are all just steps away from a kitchen—at a hospital. This is Executive Chef Tony DeWalt’s Your favorite kitchen tool? A Do you have any advice for 10-inch Wusthof chef’s knife. I the reluctant diner? Don’t be world at the 95-bed Fauquier Hospital in can use it for cracking lobsters, afraid to talk to your waiter to Warrenton, Va., about 45 miles north of dicing up scallions and things change things up. Washington, D.C. Drawing from these five like that. What’s your process to de- gardens tended by volunteers, DeWalt creates Your guiding principle to veloping new dishes? I like specials for the patients and augments the many cooking? I’ve always been to try to keep it simple—just into simplicity—just using go with the flavors and try to food stations at the on-site restaurant, Bistro on fresh ingredients. It works go out of the ordinary. the Hill. It’s a welcome switch for DeWalt, whose out better instead of trying to former career skewed toward feeding 500-plus over-think everything. What was your biggest kitchen disaster? Some- people daily and managing larger operations. If you had to choose one one had spilled probably a Now his role is more diner concentrated, allow- ingredient to eat for the rest half-gallon of clarified butter of your life, what would it (in a new walk-in). I was ing him to focus on simple ways of conveying be? I love garlic. That would be thinking (the workers) would care with food. a tough one to do without. just scrape it up. (Instead), one of the workers got the hot What do you like to cook One trend you wish would What’s the Next Big Thing? water hose and sprayed the when you’re off the clock? go away? Fancy burgers. Small portions. Not even for butter thinking it’s just going I do a lot with smoked dietary reasons, but for the cost to rinse it up. [The butter] was meats. I like to play with The most overused spring of the way food’s going. everywhere. We got a good different woods, like cher- item that you love anyway? laugh. I learned that you real- rywood and applewood, and Edible flowers. They’re great Finish this sentence: There’s ly need to show people what meats like pork, chicken and for presentation but who really never enough time to…? you’d like them to do and duck. wants to eat flowers for dinner? Travel. follow up very quickly. n WHO’S THIS DEWALT GUY? Age: 47 Hometown: Elmwood, Ill., near Peoria. Education: L’Academie de Cuisine, Bethesda, Md.; Illinois College, Jacksonville, Ill. ➼ Mentors: Rick Stephan at 1789 Restaurant, Washington D.C., and Tom Myer at Clyde’s in Reston, Va.

40 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2013 to eat and I don’t know how ➼ much foam I can consume or WHO’S THIS have to consume to actually be filled up. I think it’s nice and HUFF CHICK? pretty, but I’m a Midwestern girl—I like my food. Age: 30 Hometown: The most overused spring Richmond, Ill. item that you love anyway? Education: Saffron. Springtime is a big Illinois time for saffron even though Institute of Art, you can get it year round. It Chicago, Ill. CHEF has a great, unique flavor. It’s PROFILE super healthy—great for vision, Mentor(s): stomach problems, joint and Terry Crandall, muscle issues. executive chef at the Peninsula Chicago, Your favorite kitchen tool? I and Thomas Keller for like the microplane, but I can’t inspiration. KENDALL HUFF leave a paring knife behind. What makes you Foam, please go away There’s always a paring knife in so special? BY LAURA YEE my bag, so it’s a tie on that one. Reader’s Choice Award 2012 and Best Your guiding principle to Restaurant of the Year cooking? You have to have 2011 from VegNews fun. There’s always something Magazine. When Kendall Huff figured out that her delicious in the end. Most of beloved cows, Sally and Butterscotch, hadn’t the time, it’s something that you’ve created from scratch. Any advice for the reluctant gone “on vacation,” she declared herself In the food business, things diner? Try a little bit of every- a vegetarian. In the 23 years since, she’s get busy and rough and a little thing. Keep an open mind. never wavered from her vow. After honing bit too stressed-out, and that’s when I just like to step into What’s your process to de- her skills at hotel restaurants, like the Pen- the kitchen and say, ‘Alright, veloping new dishes? Half of insula Chicago and The Nines in Portland, it’s relax time. What do I get the time, I just randomly think to create now?’ It’s a very of something I ate as a kid—like Ore., Huff ended up as an executive chef for refreshing feeling when you’re a pot pie or something—and Native Foods Café, a chain of quick-casual cooking. then I’ll just take that and vegan restaurants. The first one opened in recreate it. If you had to choose one 1994 in Palm Springs, Calif., followed by ingredient to eat for the rest What was your biggest restaurants in Portland, Ore., Boulder, Colo., of your life, what would it be? kitchen disaster? Doing a Seaweed. wedding—and we were about and three in Chicago, bringing the total to 14. 40 plates shy. I was covering To say she’s busy is an understatement, but What’s the Next Big Thing? for somebody else, so I just Huff wouldn’t want it any other way. It’s got to be vegetarian- assumed that everything was vegan cuisine. It’s so big right ready to rock, and I didn’t now, and just being able to check up on any of the prep. What do you like to cook tweak (them) to make com- spread that plant-based love The next thirty minutes (were) when you’re off the clock? I pletely different sauces with all around, people are getting a little bit of a disaster but, you am a huge fan of noodles, dim the same ingredients. really excited about eating know, the bride and groom sum and fresh vegetables. I healthy these days. were happy at the end of it can’t get enough ginger. I like One trend you wish would and we didn’t get in too much that you can take about five in- go away? Foam. I used to work Finish this sentence: There’s trouble. I was more upset with gredients when you’re cooking a lot with foams at the Peninsu- never enough time to …? the fact that I didn’t recheck any kind of Asian cuisine and la. They’re neat but I really like See the world. the prep. n

foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 43 No Grain No Pain

EMEMBER WHEN CHEFS WOULD First, there are those with celiac disease, an inherited Gluten-free diners want to be into you. scoff at diners with dietary restrictions, autoimmune disorder that’s treated with a gluten-free refusing to alter the menu while uttering, diet. For one in 133 people—about 3 million in the United “Too bad for you”? States—consuming gluten can be life threatening. R Such thinking no longer exists, thanks Another six percent—18 million—suffer from a Just know this segment requires more to increased competition for dining dollars and prag- gluten intolerance, a gamut of conditions that cause matic restaurateurs putting “hospitality” back into adverse responses to gluten, such as bloating and their industry. abdominal pain. Consider the attention on gluten. For restaurateurs attention than the others eager to please, jumping on the gluten-free train would The gluten-free market saw a be understandable—even expected. The demand for gluten-free food is the latest dining phenomenon, rem- BY SHARON PALMER iniscent of the low-carb, high-protein craze that nearly drove pasta, pizza and potatoes into menu extinction. 28% But many of these diners differ from those casting out carbs to drop a few pounds, so pay close attention. annual growth rate from 2008 to 2012. ➼ Go Gluten-Free FOOD FANATIC ROAD TRIP! Get a mouthful from our resident expert

Get Posana Cafe’s What’s the simplest but most responsible recipe for gluten-free approach to meeting customer demand THE HIGHLIGHTS cheesecake at for gluten-free items? Start with ingredi- FOODFANATICS.COM ents without gluten, of course. But also prepare the food in a designated area with Barley Swine its own utensils and equipment. Fearless eaters will rejoice at their head-to- tail cuisine. Forget pulled pork, they’re doing Take the natural route. pulled pig face and it’s delicious. Basic unprocessed proteins like fresh fish, Cheesecake is a seasonal vehicle for a chicken and beef, and grains such as quinoa gluten-free dessert. and brown rice are gluten-free. The same Uchi or Uchiko Helmed by James Beard This one features goes for fruits and vegetables. Julie Carrigan, squash, pumpkin seed Award winners Tyson Cole culinary director at Henry Ford Macomb praline and candied and Paul Qui, you can ex- Hospital in Clinton Township, Mich., doesn’t spaghetti squash. pect nothing short of inno- offer a special gluten-free menu but calls vation at either restaurant. out the naturally gluten-free items. My favorite is the short However, intolerance isn’t the only WHERE’S THE GLUTEN? Develop gluten-free mainstays. ribs, cooked sous vide for factor—an estimated 90 percent of glu- More chains have new gluten-free items, 36 hours—juicy, marbled What’s the deal with gluten? It’s the protein such as Elevation Burger, Gatti’s Pizza, P.F. and indescribable. ten avoiders shun it for personal rea- in wheat, rye and barley. But gluten is also in Chang’s and Pinkberry. At Subway, baking sons, such as weight control or health, many other foods often found in the walk-in. specialist Mark Christiano has been working even though no conclusive evidence Some of the most common culprits include: with celiac groups in test markets to develop Lambert’s Downtown Barbecue shows that going gluten-free is any bet- Beer Malt extract, gluten-free sandwich breads, as well as a A well-respected institution that marries the ter for you. Brewer’s yeast syrup, flavoring, gluten-free brownie. city’s great loves: good barbecue and live music. “Three out of five consumers de- Bulgur vinegar Morph menu items into gluten-free options. scribed gluten-free food as slightly or Couscous Malted milk Marshall Blair, chef-owner of Blair’s Restau- Torchy’s Tacos much more healthy,” says Mary Chap- Durum Matzoh rant in Los Angeles, swaps out ingredients The irreverent menu Einkorn Modified food man, director of product innovation for with gluten. “I can do just about anything on features the “Trailer Park” Farina starch food industry research firm Technomic. the menu as gluten free,” he says. “I might taco with fried chicken, Farro Oats* have to adjust the recipe to remove some- poblano sauce and the “Gluten-free options have become fair- Graham flour Orzo thing like breadcrumbs, but I try to do every- works. Get it “trashy” ly popular. In the past two years, glu- Hydrolyzed vege- Seitan thing I can to give them what they want.” to ditch the lettuce for ten-free options at full-service restau- table plant protein Semolina queso. rants have increased from around 100 Kamut Soy sauce Create a “gluten-free zone.” Austin Two dining rooms at Cornell University in items to more than 1,000.” Spelt Take a detour to the weirdest city in Texas Threadgill’s *do not contain gluten, but are at high risk for Ithaca, N.Y., offer gluten-free food stations Because the demand for gluten-free cross-contamination during processing that feature gluten-free breads, bagels, top- Its colorful past includes stints as a gas station items is being driven by three distinct KEEP A LOOK OUT pings, cereals, pasta, pizza and desserts. Tech geeks, rock stars and young chefs with big talent— and beer joint (reportedly a favorite of Janis audiences, operators should be transpar- Austin has it all. In fact, the city is so hip that locals have Joplin), but Threadgill’s now serves up Southern Gluten isn’t obvious when it comes to pre- Design a gluten-free menu. ent when diving in. It’s a lesson that can tried for years to discourage people from moving here. fare and live music. pared foods. Here are some items to keep From colleges to high-end restaurants, It’s no wonder why the city’s official slogan is, “Keep be learned from the firestorm that came on the watch list: many operations offer a daily menu high- Austin Weird.” CRISPY PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM TACOS after Dominos trumpeted the first-ever Blue cheese Imitation seafood lighting gluten-free options. gluten-free pizza crust last year. While Legend has it that Austin’s roads are awful because the Broth, bouillon Imitation bacon 1 pound portobello mushrooms, Mark up your menu. city subscribes to the “if you don’t build it, they won’t the crust was gluten free, its prep condi- Candy Marinades Identify gluten-free options by grouping gills and stems removed tions and utensils were not, leaving the Chocolates Rice mixes them or using icons. Crave restaurants, with come” philosophy. But despite residents’ best efforts, 19 2 cups flour possibility of cross-contamination. n Dry roasted nuts Salad dressings seven national locations, developed a red FOOD FANATIC million people flock to Austin annually (more than visit Salt, pepper and granulated garlic to taste French fries Sausage (processed) GF icon that indicates specific menu items, Todd Pearson is a Food the Eiffel Tower or Disneyland)—and that number keeps 1 cup egg wash Sharon Palmer is registered dietician who Gravy Self-basting poultry such as chicken wings, steaks and salads Fanatic for US Foods, a brisket growing. Whether for the music festivals that convert 2 cups panko Herbal teas Vegetarian burgers lives in Duarte, Calif., and writes about that are gluten free. aficionado and golfer abandoned lots into screaming pop-up venues or the Unflavored oil, as needed Icing 8 corn tortillas food and nutrition. extraordinaire who city’s promise of becoming the next Silicon Valley, the Ready for more? 1 cup cabbage, shredded lives in Austin. secret is out—Austin is where people want to be. Give yourself a primer on celiac disease with the help of the Celiac Disease We’ve got a booming food scene fueled by culinary Slice mushrooms into ½-inch wide strips and coat HOW MUCH GLUTEN IS HARMFUL? Foundation (www.celiac.org). Delve deeper talent, lured from hubs like Miami and Los Angeles. From with flour mixed with salt, pepper and garlic. Dip For those with celiac disease, even a speck with the Gluten Intolerance Group fried pig’s ears to fresh donuts topped with habanero strips in egg wash and coat in breadcrumbs. Fry in of gluten can damage their intestinal tract. (www.gluten.net) or the National Foundation unflavored oil heated to 350 F until golden brown, @ChefToddPearson pepper jelly, these chefs do their part to keep Austin With no official labeling standard in the U.S., for Celiac Awareness (www.celiaccentral.com), about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve on warm tortillas topped Follow the Food Fanatic on weird. For more traditional fare, we wrote the book on anyone can claim that a product is gluten-free. which offers training and accreditation specifi- with cabbage. Garnish with cilantro and lime. For Twitter for more insider tips Tex-Mex and beef barbecue. Follow my recommend- Certification efforts, however, are in the works cally for foodservice. more garnish ideas, such as black bean salsa and to exceed what the FDA deems harmful. ations and you’re guaranteed an unforgettable Austin cilantro-ranch dressing, visit FoodFanatics.com.

ILLUSTRATION BY TIM MARRS ILLUSTRATION experience. n

46 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2013 { foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 47 Ways to keep it in your pants MONEY & SENSE (as in your pocket)

A Fine Line Make carry-out a star or simply show it a little extra love and watch what happens. It’s all good ➼

Xico’s desirable line for its carry-out

PHOTO BY DAVID REAMER BY DAVID PHOTO counterpart. and enterprising restaurateurs to offer walkup windows (often specializing in a particular food) that feature wine and cocktail options and complete meal preparations. The gambit to out Xico’s take- out window worked. Some 500 free chickens later, Davis is drawing impressive traffic to her tortas window in the after- noons, while catering to newly acquired regulars at the restau- rant in the evenings. Both initiatives have lured a pair of unlikely demographics to Xico—working parents with young children and profession- als short on time. Take-out reg- ulars are also apt to return for Chef Kelly Myers’ more elabo- rate sit-down menu. “(Restaurateurs) have been slow to accept the reality that Addendum came to life in 2010 as the take-out sire low overhead is a way to be of Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc more successful,” Davis says. “A in only three months. lot of times, we don’t want to sacrifice the service and dining aspects that come with running a restaurant, but if you can do some sort of hybrid, like what we’re doing at Xico, you can have the best of both worlds.”

The new take-out window at On The Take WAYS TO FUEL TO-GO OPTIONS Hominy Grill, which includes a patio, has become a popular Thank food trucks, the proliferation of TV cooking shows Use the Staff You Have: Offering a small, simple take-out lunch menu is easier on

spot for locals. or the glamorization of farmers but in recent years, take- staff and cooks, allowing them time to prep for dinner. out has taken off. In a 2009 study by the National Restau- rant Association, some 43 percent of respondents said they Waste Not, Want Not: Create special take-out items utilizing leftover ingredients THE MOMENT LIZ DAVIS FINISHED construction on would patronize full-service restaurants more frequently if from the previous evening’s dinner service, a tactic that appeals to regulars and keeps your inventory moving. Xico, her upscale casual Mexican spot in Portland, Ore., they had convenient take-out options.

she sent 1,000 coupons to potential customers boasting “A lot of people are busy and don’t have time to sit down Know Your ‘Hood: Customize your menu to meet the needs of your surrounding Take Me a deal that sounded too good to be true: a free spice- and eat a meal,” says Chef Annie Somerville, who has been area: light meals if you’re near parks and beaches, heavier fare for industrial traffic or rubbed rotisserie chicken dinner with salsa and freshly offering take-out at longstanding vegetarian landmark easy-to-eat items near business districts. made tortillas. Greens in San Francisco since 1993. “Take-out is not only The catch? Redeemers had to order 24 hours in an important revenue driver, it’s a way of attracting new Find the Perfect Package: It’s easy to underestimate just how much room will be needed to store the packaging, bags and utensils required for take-out. Map things“ Home Tonight advance and stop by her restaurant for a quick peek. and different customers.” out early to ensure proper space. But when guests arrived, they noticed something un- According to market-research company the NPD Group, usual jutting from the side of the building, an amenity Restaurants are enticing customers change is upon us. As of August 2012, carry-out orders out- Travel Times Matter: Avoid the temptation to package signature items that can’t no other restaurant in the neighborhood could claim: a paced on-premise orders, with 29 percent of restaurant- stand travel. Cold calamari and soggy queso fundido will destroy your reputation. with tricked out carry-out take-out window offering Mexican tortas, Sonoran hot goers eating their meals at home. In 2011, two-thirds of dogs and desserts for lunch. BY PETER GIANOPULOS “This town is brunch crazy, but there aren’t a lot of places open for lunch,” Davis says. “It’s a way to put out great food that’s not expensive and costs the restaurant Take-out is not only an important revenue driver, less than having the labor of brunch or lunch.” As increasing numbers of time-crunched diners turn to sit-down restaurants for take- it’s a way of attracting new and different customers. out, a generation of creative carry-out programs have emerged, luring world-class chefs — Chef Annie Sommervile of Greens ADDENDUM PHOTO BY CARLY FISHER BY CARLY ADDENDUM PHOTO 50 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2013 “ foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 51 consumers polled by hospitality consult- iHELP Develop your inner tech geek ing firm Technomic said they purchased take-out at least three times in an average month, compared to 59 percent in 2007. At Serafina in Seattle, regulars have Dogs in Pittsburgh, specifically been boxing up pastas and parmigianas designs his restaurants’ sites for + easy navigation on a phone. to go for 21 years, but the restaurant re-  cently began a to-go wine program that WHAT TO INCLUDE Restaurateurs don’t have to be enables guests to pair take-out with dis- webmasters to have an effective Contact information: hours, counted wine. site. In fact, many are steering location and address and reser- away from complicated Adobe “We just saw it as a way of satisfying our vation information, if appropriate. loyal customers,” assistant manager Kika Flash sites in favor of self-publish- Current menus, special events ing content management systems Westhof says. “Now, with the wine, people and promotions. can re-create a full Italian dinner experi- like WordPress or Drupal, which ence at home.” The restaurant’s philosophy, staff can be changed easily in-house. The Most and links to any media coverage Owner Chris Cusack uses Word- and press contacts. Movers and Shakers Press.com to maintain the website Famous Fried Links to the restaurant’s social Tastes vary when it comes to which take- for his Houston-based restaurant, media sites on Twitter, Facebook, out is worth the price of pick-up. For some, Chicken In Down House, which includes a Yelp, Open Table, Foursquare or bi-monthly blog and photos from it’s all about the thrill—and prestige—of other tools. the World? Instagram, an online photo-shar- ordering simple homespun meals from fine dining kitch- move a spacious wood-fire grill, commandeer extra stor- Quality photos of the restaurant ing tool. ens, a trend that has gained traction in recent years. age space for packaging and reorganize his kitchen. and its dishes and video to Addendum, a For diners seeking restaurants Thomas Keller’s take-out spot Addendum in Yount- “It’s really extended our brand,” he says. “We do as give diners a live tour or show take-out nook at that can accommodate special ville, Calif., for example, offers fried chicken and barbe- much business through our to-go window in the summer behind-the-scenes footage. Thomas Keller’s dietary restrictions, websites can cue pick-up (see sidebar), while Catelli Duo, the offshoot as we do in our dining room.” iconic Yountville be a lifesaver. Robert Mayberry, of longstanding Catelli Ristorante in Voorhees, N.J., offers Calif., restaurant Ad _ executive chef for campus din- on-the-go Italian meals and steaks. Side Door to Success Hoc, may well have ing at the University of Texas, The main restaurant was expected to gross $3.8 mil- Robert Stehling, chef and owner of the Hominy Grill in set the precedent for famous chefs Virtual Maıtre d’  works with staff nutritionists to lion in 2012 with an estimated 7 percent from its takeout Charleston, S.C., sees his popular new take-out window adding carry-out to WHAT TO AVOID help code online menus for the counterpart, according to Catelli Duo Manager John and patio as a means of reconnecting locals with their sit-down menus. Titles or links that aren’t clearly seven campus eateries and provide Polizzi. culinary heritage, creating a side-door option where Bait diners with a solid online hook worded. From Thursday healthy suggestions and nutrition In Chicago, Chef Paul Kahan, who oversees one of the his neighbors can leisurely sip Southern cocktails while through Saturday, before they step through the door Music of any kind. information on the website. city’s prominent restaurant empires, converted an old waiting for the stick-to-your-ribs Lowcountry cuisine of Keller and Chef Dave Flash-based sites that won’t Mayberry has adapted to reach dive bar into honkytonk-themed taqueria Big Star, de- their youth. Cruz offer their BY KRISTI WILLIS display on mobile devices. his tech-centric dining segment, signed with take-out and dine-in customers in mind. “Unlike New Orleans, Charleston doesn’t have a long famous buttermilk fried chicken and Embedded PDFs. using Twitter and kiosks in the “Take-out windows are something most of us have history of people going out to eat,” Stehling says. “For barbecue with sides dining areas to announce seasonal grown up with, so there’s a natural comfort there,” Big years, the best food in town was the stuff being cooked in Stylized fonts or distracting and desserts in boxes. Welcoming guests to a restau- manager for Yelp.com. colors (no blinding rainbows of specials. Star’s Chef de Cuisine Justin Large says. “There’s no rea- people’s homes, so I wanted to give people the opportuni-

“Addendum was rant begins before they even set When it comes to site design, neon colors, thank you). Knowing how your customers son why you can’t put out high-quality food just because ty to take our food home and re-create those meals (and really conceived to foot inside. As more customers simplicity and timeliness are key, access information can help deter- it’s being passed through a window.” memories) at home.” meet the demand for Outdated links or sub-pages first interact with a restaurant says Mary Ann Tackett, a designer that can’t be accessed through mine where to concentrate your Large, however, didn’t expect the take-out side of the But it wasn’t easy. To convince the town’s architectur- our buttermilk fried on the internet, a restaurant’s for Minneapolis-based produc- the main navigation. marketing efforts. restaurant to explode, with lines forming even during al review board to support his project, he had to pres- chicken,” says Brian Cochran, director web presence has become its tion company The Nerdery. In- Social media can drive a Chicago’s harsh winters (the window accounted for 15.7 ent hand-drawn schematics from 1873 that showed the Poorly lit or low-quality photos of operations for virtual maître d’. cluding the restaurant’s contact of the food or decor. significant portion of traffic, but an percent of sales last year). Its popularity forced him to re- building originally had an opening where he wanted to Thomas Keller Social media tools like Twitter, information, address, hours and official website allows for greater place his take-out window. Then he had to build the win- Restaurant Group. Facebook and Yelp continue to menu might seem obvious, but control over content and an opti- “ dow near his bar space, so that bartenders could take or- “What has come out elevate restaurants’ online pres- Tackett recommends setting up mized presence in online searches. ders and mix drinks while food runners delivered to-go of it is a value lunch ence and build a community of a user-friendly content manage- “If you don’t have a website,” orders from the kitchen. option for locals  Restaurateurs have been slow to and visitors. It also dedicated fans, but maintaining ment system to accommodate * Cusack says, “you are letting other “What we’re really selling is the ‘Hominy Experience,’” NEED-TO-KNOW SEO provides additional a polished, easy-to-navigate web- quick updates like promotions Drive potential diners to your people decide for you what your Stehling says. “A kind of casual open friendliness and employment opportu- n slow to accept the reality that low overhead site is still essential for communi- and new menus. website — know the ABCs of SEO customers will see.” good food with a sense of history and place. It’s just in a nities, for existing staff cating with customers. Sites that aren’t mobile friend- (Search Engine Optimization) so is a way to be successful. portable form now.” n and new team mem- ly can be a deal breaker for diners that your website content reflects Kristi Willis writes about food and bers and sparked the “There is a population that is - Liz Davis of Xico words that diners might use to interest of developers not using Yelp and other tools, glued to their smartphones. Kevin technology, sometimes together, Peter Gianopulos is a dining critic for Chicago magazine find you or others like you. “ from the around the and restaurants are missing out Sousa, chef-owner of restaurants from Austin, Texas. She is a regular and adjunct journalism professor at Loyola University world.” if they don’t have a website,” Salt of the Earth, Union Pig and Clue in by vising google.com for contributor to Edible Austin maga- Chicago. says Kelly Stocker, a community Chicken, and Station Street Hot its SEO starter guide. zine and pens two blogs. PHOTO BY CARLY FISHER BY CARLY PHOTO BY JOHN HOLCROFT ILLUSTRATION

52 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 53 EQUIPPED TO PROFIT BEYOND THE PLATE Playing music from your iPod can be illegal without paying Cook Top Smack Down proper licensing fees to per- formance-rights organizations like Authors and Publishers Toss a burger on the flat top, throw it on a char grill or let it sizzle under infrared—it’s all the (ASCAP) and Broadcast Music, same, right? Nope. The way the heat hits the meat—or any other product—affects how the Inc. (BMI). Saha uses a Cus- tom Channels player to down- food responds. There’s a science behind making good food great and it goes like this: load and play music, paying an annual licensing fee that goes to the music labels. Restaurants’ monthly or annu- START HERE al fees to music curators generally include the licensing fee, accord- ing to the National Restaurant Does Your Playlist Need Counseling? Association. Large companies like Mood Media and indie con- Is the ticket Here’s how to work through a musical identity crisis sultants like Abrams can charge THE INFRARED GRILL a burger? anywhere from $45 a month to a BY ARI BENDERSKY few thousand dollars depending Only the thickest cuts THE CHAR GRILL on the degree of customization, Every restaurateur knows that great food and excellent service are of steaks, chops and YES NO the number of songs and the fre- fish should hit this For those perfect grill essential, while cramped seating and garish lights can send diners Whether creating an in-house quency of refreshing the playlist. motherload of heat. marks, this is the cook top straight for the door. Even worse? Playing the wrong music. These increasingly you want. Conductive heat playlist or working with a For those who want to avoid affordable grills cook from the source charges “I went into an Indian restaurant in L.A. and they were playing In- music curator, follow these paying fees or hiring a music just about anything in a the air, hitting the grate dian fusion electronic music and it felt right,” says Richard Jankovich, tips to keep things in tune: curator, there is an alternative. Are you How about nanosecond. But beware: chicken, steak and then the product, director of content and creative at San Diego-based Mood Media. Restaurants with less than 3,750 infrared heat waves pro- more about producing that excellent Do: Think about the demo- gross square feet (not including the texture? or fish? “Then, in the middle of dinner, one of the servers switched the CD and graphics of your customer vide more intense and charred flavor and aroma. the parking lot) can use audio extreme heat than other put on Nine Inch Nails. I asked for the check.” base (age, lifestyle, etc.). from a television or radio—if a grills. No rookies allowed. YES NO YES NO Jankovich, a 15-year music- and Michael White’s Altamarea Do: Think about using cover is not charged. branding veteran, helps oversee Group. “When it comes to stay- different styles and tempos Ultimately, restaurateurs need music programming for numer- ing for that extra drink or dessert, of music to create diverse to decide between tacking on re- ous restaurants like Ruth’s Chris music enhances the experience environments at different sponsibilities or enlisting the help times of the day. Steakhouse, Hooter’s and Five and makes it more enjoyable.” of an outside consultant. Either Is it It must be a Want to Guys Burgers and Fries. He’s one a regular vegetable But not everyone wants to give Don’t: Jump around from jazz way, it’s important to remember show off some of a growing population: music cut? then. up that control. Payal Saha, who to classic rock to electronic that customers are listening— grill marks? curators helping restaurants set owns fast-casual Indian restau- dance music without making whether they want to or not. n YES NO the proper tone. rant The Kati Roll Company in sure there’s a consistent YES NO YES NO Contrary to popular belief, New York and London, creates tempo across genres. Ari Bendersky is the former editor working with a music expert her own playlists. Mixing current of Eater Chicago and has written

doesn’t mean giving up an Don’t: Let the volume pop hits with Bollywood tunes compete with the level of for a number of outlets including identity. Most experts request allows her to cater to her diverse Are Really? So, chatter in the restaurant. the New York Times, Associated an initial meeting to discuss a you ruled by maybe shrimp clientele—and to control what Turning up the music will just Press, Saveur, Chicago magazine

the char? or a delicate restaurateur’s musical tastes gets played. force louder conversation. and Chicago Sun-Times. THE FLAT TOP fish, right? and the vibe of the concept. From there, they’ll compile a Also known as a la plancha or a griddle, the flat top YES NO YES NO sample playlist for review and “ provides conductive heat directly to the product. It’s a favorite among burger purists because this grill supply music intended to keep allows the meat to cook in its own fat, benefitting the customers in their seats longer. texture and juiciness. Think of the flat top as a giant “[Music] sets your image saute for more delicate ingredients. Sole, flounder or You must What the and who you are,” says Jeremy [Music] helps establish what you’re trying to get across without having to say anything. shrimp can work here. hell are you Abrams, owner of New York- like mush. -Jeremy Abrams, owner of New York-based Audiostiles cooking? based Audiostiles, who programs Thank you David Kamen, instructor at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde music for restaurants such as the Park, N.Y., for your expertise START OVER START OVER Thomas Keller Restaurant Group “ *54 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 55 N THE 1990s, Chef Daniel Orr Those without industry visibility need to intro- duce their product at a price point competitive with rose to acclaim, helming the kitchen non-branded ingredients. Chef Allen Susser, who has at New York’s La Grenouille while spent 25 years as a Miami restaurateur and now consults Walk of Fame writing cookbooks and creating with chefs looking to build their brand, says it is crucial to consider the customer. a custom line of spices called Know whether customers will buy a bottle of hot sauce IKitchen D’Orr. Several years later, he in three weeks or a year, and learn how much they’ll returned to his native Indiana to open pay to replace an empty one. A deal, such as free refills YOUR for the first year, can keep consumers connected if that FARMbloomington, reviving his brand relationship is part of bigger business goals. with a line of sauces, jams and jellies At Freshfully, a Birmingham, Ala., grocer focused on Alabama ingredients, the shelves are stocked with lines inspired by the Hoosier state. from nearby restaurants, ranging from barbecue sauces CHRISTINA TOSI, DAN BARBER, and margarita mixes to frozen casseroles. Freshfully MOMOFUKU MILK BAR, N.Y. BLUE HILL FARM, N.Y. “We still have people in New York buying the spice co-owner Jen Barnett says cooking demonstrations Customers who can’t make the A growing line of products from blends online because they can’t live without them,” Orr often drive the store’s sales because chefs are “great at says of the staying power of his packaged products. trek to New York can just add jams and pickles to soaps and what they do and know how to use the products.” egg and butter to Tosi’s mixes aprons all have Barber’s farm- With chef-sponsored cookware dominating retail Instead of trying to become the next Momofuku, Bar- for fresh-from-the-oven cookies. fresh seal of approval. NAME shelves and restaurant-branded sauce bottles and spice nett recommends that chefs start with the smallest pos- blends everywhere, it’s natural to wonder if you could get sible run and build momentum from there. That might a piece of the branded-product pie. Sure you can—it’s just mean building a local following using one spice blend a matter of how big you want to be. or one sauce with a smaller, artisanal grocer before Chefs think they can turn a really great chili recipe expanding into a national line. into a product that will put their name in lights, says However, such an approach has its challenges. Larg- Karen Foley, senior vice president of sales for Napa, er orders may be the norm for distribution outside of Calif.-based Tulocay & Co., the firm that produces regional markets, and manufacturers may have mini- Tyler Florence’s line. However, a solid product isn’t a mum order requirements for custom product contracts. straight shot to success. This means you need to pave the way to selling those “The consumer is already buying a pasta sauce,” items outside your own kitchen—and city—before IN Foley says. “You have to convince them to get off that signing on the dotted line. pasta sauce and buy yours instead. You are pulling some- Chefs, however, have distinct advantages: a restaurant one else’s stuff off the shelf to sell yours.” to showcase their product and diners who easily segue Experts cite Rick Bayless’ Frontera foods, Momofuku’s into potential buyers. While most people like to dream cookie mixes and Burger King’s French fry-flavored big, it’s perfectly effective to stay small and see your snack chips as successful restaurant- and chef-branded product as one of many marketing initiatives. n product lines. Higher-profile restaurants can charge higher prices and have more leeway to create a product Margaret Littman writes and lives in Nashville where the LIGHTS that might be a novelty or a souvenir. famous and good food often intersect. A signature sauce, TIP JAR ANDY RICKER, POK POK, TOM COLICCHIO, ’WICHCRAFT, N.Y. PORTLAND, ORE. Diners who want to skip the line at condiment or spice can be Convinced that a line of special sauces is the secret ingre- Stay involved Ricker’s authentic Thai Pok Pok Colicchio’s sandwich shop, ‘wichcraft, dient to the Big Time? Consider this advice: Just like in a restaurant, chefs have to stay involved, Foley Som drinking vinegars stand out can stock up on panini spreads. your claim to fame, but Think big picture says. Paying attention to the product consistently is key. No If the goal is TV appearances and millions of dollars, shoot for need to copy what customers love in your restaurant. Selling among the competition. you’ll need to work it more than a single famous sauce. Karen Foley of Tulocay & exactly what diners can order off the menu can cannibalize Co., says you need 10 to 15 products in a line (Tyler Florence business, says Melissa Wilson, a principal at Chicago-based has 16) to fill needs in different categories, price points and restaurant consultancy Technomic. But selling a product that seasons. “We create a suite of products that have a story to highlights a specialty, such as ingredients or specific flavor tell,” she says. profiles, can boost sales in both. BY MARGARET LITTMAN Remember the escape hatch Nail down rules and regulations An exit plan—for you and your manufacturer—should be Food safety and compliance varies depending on the prod- outlined in the contract. It might include annual clauses or uct. In general, the copacker/manufacturer is responsible for conditions based on sales volume. No one wants to be stuck meeting state and federal regulations. If made in house, the in a loser deal. restaurant is responsible. Certifications vary by state.

56 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 57 Seasoned advice on the front and DEAR FOOD FANATIC back of the house

Not a day goes by when we aren’t hit up for a donation. QWe want to help the community with gift certificates but don’t want to go broke being good Samaritans.

DON’T THINK OF YOURSELF AS AN OPEN SPIGOT. Set up some criteria. Decide which kinds of organizations you want to support and stick to them. Consider the demographic of an organization A and its size, reach and influence on the community. Yes, it’s a tax-deductible donation, but think of it in terms of marketing, too. When you donate a gift certificate, you’re getting publicity.

Q. Our restaurant was the hottest spot on the Q. I’m having a hard time finding good servers— block until some copycat concept moved in next those who actually care. Is there a secret to finding door. How do we keep these guys from moving in them? $ on our turf? A. Servers need to be reminded—like we all do—that A. Nothing makes a chef see red like feeling ripped we are in the business of serving people. During the off. Keep calm, and more importantly, strategize. interview process, ask why they want to be waiters. Stay true to yourself, your concept and what you do Ditch the people looking to just earn money and keep best. Go on a recon mission to check out what your the ones who say they like making people happy. Look competitor is offering and see if you can do it better for waiters with interests or hobbies connected to FOOD FANATIC or differently. Make sure your service is top notch and caring for others—volunteering at a shelter or visiting build loyalty by engaging customers. Above all, don’t the elderly. Sounds hokey, but the theory holds water. John Byrne is a Food talk smack about the other guy—being the bigger Fanatic for US Foods, an person usually pays off. Q. My first reaction to customers whining about adventuresome diner and service is to dismiss them as nut jobs, but I know avid ice fisherman who Q. It seems like kids fresh out of culinary school that would be self-defeating. How do I respond? lives in Minneapolis. don’t have the same work ethnic we did when we A. I’ll give you a high-five for recognizing there’s a were coming up in this business. What can I do problem. Start by exceeding customer expectations and shy of making them clean the grease trap? making sure your servers enforce this. Most customers A. That’s pretty serious considering a grease trap will understand when you’re in the weeds—just let smells like a decomposing body. Kids today need to them know. If a wait goes beyond a reasonable time, feel like they’re part of the process—you have to get bring out a comp item or, better yet, distribute cards for them more involved in day-to-day operations. Seek comp apps or desserts to bring customers back. When @ChefJohnByrne their help when creating a dish or ask what they’d a guest doesn’t like a dish, don’t argue—just fix it. And Follow the Food Fanatic on do with leftover chicken. Give them a challenge or be vigilant in the dining room, keeping eyes peeled for Twitter for more inside tips a project to spark their interest. Just telling them to empty water glasses, plates that need to be cleared or put their heads down and work hard doesn’t work fidgety customers. Thanks to social media and the new anymore. transparency, there’s no more hiding. n

Got a question for the Food Fanatic? Email challenges, comments and suggestions to [email protected]

foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 59 I’LL DRINK P TO THAT!N H U The cocktail’sC predecessor is bowling over the nation, one ladle at a time Punch, in case you’ve been drinking under a rock, is everywhere. Cocktail programs across the country—and around the world—are ladling blended booze by the bowl. At craft cocktail lounges, it’s become commonplace to find at least one or Jitterbug Perfume Punch Bartender Allen Katz two seasonal bowls of the stuff listed Cãna Rum Bar, Los Angeles alongside classics. Even some for- 9 ounces jasmine-infused rye whiskey ward-thinking, high-volume night- 1½ ounces Smith & Cross overproof Jamaican rum 1½ ounces Coruba dark Jamaican rum clubs have added tableside punch 1½ ounces Montenegro amaro service in addition to, or in place of, 1½ ounces Luxardo Amaro Abano 3 ounces fresh lime juice regular bottle service. 3 ounces fresh ruby red grapefruit juice So what’s with all the punch-drunk 2 ounces honey 1 ounce water DRUNK love? Amidst a 21st century cocktail 6 strawberries, muddled 1 cup strawberries, sliced craze placing all things historic on a 1 large pink grapefruit, sliced pedestal, bartenders are stirring up Blend all ingredients, except fruit, BY LAUREN VIERA thousands of vintage punch recipes and add 15 ounces crushed ice. and adding their own renditions to At service, place drink in a punch bowl and fill with one large ice cube. LOVE the books. Add fruit and serve. Makes 6 servings. 60 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2013 Packing a Punch PR MACHINE Get out the bullhorn — it’s all about you The growing popularity of punch recipes is a nat- ural progression of the pre-Prohibition cocktail The Maxwell Heights punch at Holland trend. The newest breed of drinkers demands House Bar & Refuge new takes on historical recipes, and bartenders is a knockout, are happy to oblige. combining rum, apple “(Punches) are basically the original cock- brandy, lemon juice and other ingredients. tails,” says Max Toste of Boston’s Deep Ellum. Get the recipe at Just Deal With It That bar’s 1845 Pisco Punch (pisco, pineapple FOODFANATICS.COM syrup, lemon juice and bitters) first made an Stack the odds in your favor to ensure a payout from an online discount promotion appearance on the menu more than three years ago, but Toste won’t dare take it off. It’s now one BY PAULA ANDRUSS of the bar’s calling cards, served by the glass in- 8 WAYS TO A BETTER DEAL stead of by the bowl. Does a day go by without another When it comes to balancing a good bowlful, Be skeptical of sales promises. Jim Make sure customers leave happy. pitch from a daily deal coupon site, 1Lappas, owner of fast-casual restaurant 5Unsatisfied daily deal diners can hurt five is the undisputed magic number. Punch is Fodrak’s Gyros & Ribs in Libertyville, Ill., says your long-term reputation. A Boston a blend of—count ’em—spirit, citrus, sugar, spice such as Groupon or LivingSocial? customers spent close to the minimum and University and Harvard University study and water. Whether the base spirit is gin, scotch, Didn’t think so. were not new customers, contrary to what analyzed Yelp reviews of merchants in 20 cognac, mescal or anything in between, the the daily deal site led him to believe. large cities before and after they ran a The number of daily deal coupon daily deal. Researchers found that “while other ingredients follow suit. Lemon and orange Consider food costs. Higher food cost the number of reviews increases signifi- tend to work best for citrus and syrups make sites has exploded in recent years as means it’s harder to come out ahead. 2 cantly due to daily deals, average rating nice stand-ins for sugars, while stronger spices Restaurants with lower food costs and more a way for operators to land loyal cus- scores from reviewers who mention daily profitable items such as pizza, pasta or hold up to larger volume and sparkling water deals are 10 percent lower than scores of tomers paying full price. While the Chinese food could benefit more. adds a pleasant effervescence. their peers on average.” Bar manager Jeremiah Jason Blake swears thrill is fading for restaurants, these Focus on capturing new customers. Chef by the rule of five at the Holland House Bar and Marcus Guiliano of Aroma Thyme Bistro Time it right. Avoid busy seasons. sites are still banking mad cash— 3 Aim for slower months and days of Refuge in Nashville, Tenn. in Ellenville, N.Y., says to focus on getting new 6 nearly $3 billion in sales in 2011. customers and then market deals directly. the week. He reaches for similar-style liquors for the HISTORIC HOOCH waiting, we can offer a customer a $5 glass of punch base—a high-proof Applejack and a smooth, quickly and easily,” Blake says. “It’s a good way to get “Restaurants were hoping to get Make tracking a priority. Beth Ward, office Nix carry-out to allow for a bigger sale manager for Dilly Café in Cincinnati, says from dining in. brown sugar-style rum, in the case of his Punch technically predates drinks in hand without people waiting. Once they’re people in and turn them into repeat 4 7 the best way to track deal redemption is to Maxwell Heights punch—and always aims for the cocktail, as noted cock- settling in and relaxing, they can take time to think customers,” says Bonnie Riggs, a integrate the list of redeemed coupons into Remember the silver lining. Even if the a flavor-packed first sip. Once the ice melts and tail historian David Wondrich about their next drink.” your POS system. This prevents customers deal didn’t work, its a nice reward for documents in “Punch: The restaurant industry analyst at mar- 8 dilutes the punch, the flavors truly open up, from using it more than once. regular customers. he says. Delights (and Dangers) of ket research company the NPD the Flowing Bowl.” It came The Price of Punch

At venues with heavier volume, such as into vogue sometime in Punch is priced by the bowl, and $45 to $50 seems to Group. “But they found that (most) Holland House Bar, pre-batched punch is a the 16th or 17th century, be the sweet spot for a batch big enough to serve at took advantage of the deal and didn’t time-saver. That restaurant regularly rotates its likely loved by naval officers least four guests. Teardrop in Portland, Ore., offers punches—sometimes at the last minute. “When en route to various Indian punches—original and classic—each available as a full return.”

we know we’re going to be really busy, I’ll put one subcontinents. bowl ($50 to $56) or half ($26 to $32). Recent research from Rice Uni- up on the chalkboard so when we have people Somewhere along the way, folks started mixing Like Deep Ellum, several venues also ladle by versity shows that only 44 percent of booze with sugar and citrus the glass, usually around $9 each, such as Austin’s daily deals for restaurants and bars and stretching it out with FINO and Speak-Easy at the Omni William Penn in water; elsewhere, others Pittsburgh. are profitable. Insiders say success “ added newfound regional The very act of serving spirits in bulk can cut depends on structuring a savvy deal spices. In the 1630s, the costs—especially since punch is typically stretched (Punches) are word punch made its debut, and setting realistic expectations. with a giant melting ice cube. But there’s a delicate but its recipes had long It becomes imperative then to use been in the mix—even if balance, says Dave Whitton, partner and general basically the they weren’t written down. manager of Villains Tavern in Los Angeles. “If you the daily deal to impress new cus- By the 18th century, don’t go through your punch on a given night, you tomers and remind old ones of what colonial punch’s greatest could actually lose money,” he says. “It all depends original cocktails. hits were working their way on if you’re high volume, like we are, or you end up makes your restaurant a standout in back to England, and every- — Max Toste of Deep Ellum“ in Boston having to toss it.” n the first place. body got tipsy on the new trend—until cocktails stole the spotlight. Lauren Viera is a Chicago-based spirits and cocktails Cincinnati-based freelancer Paula Andruss writer whose work appears in Imbibe, Men’s Journal, writes for Entrepreneur, USA Today and Chicago magazine and other publications. other publications.

62 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 63 BY THE NUMBERS The early bird catches the cash Breakfast 74% Just how important is the most important meal of the day? In foodservice, the numbers speak for themselves. The morning day- part posted a 3 percent jump in traffic last year while lunch, dinner and the afternoon snack segments stayed stagnant, according to mar- ket research company, the NPD Group. So brew a pot of coffee, crack a few eggs and start thinking about what diners want because these breakfast trends are here to stay: CAFÉ AMERICANO THE (SAND)WICHING EGG-OTIC NEED FOR SPEED 74 percent of Hispanic HOUR Chefs are straying 74 percent of consumers say a Americans drink pre- from everyday convenient location and speed of Early- and mid-morning restau- mium coffee daily—12 chicken eggs, game service are the main drivers for rant customers ordered a break- percent more than for quail, emu and choosing where to buy breakfast. fast sandwich on their last visit. other Americans. ostrich eggs instead. Must be all those people in a perpetual hurry.

THE NPD GROUP, TECHNOMIC. THE NPD GROUP, COFFEE ASSOCIATION NATIONAL 74% 92 BILLION 80%

FLAVOR FORWARD SPECIALTY SWINE JUICE-OLOGY PRO PROTEIN From chorizo scrambled eggs American Culinary Consumer cravings for unusual, fresh- Protein is considered an to Asian-flavored syrup, ethnic- Federation members squeezed juice combos are bringing the bar essential nutrient to 80 inspired breakfast items are say diners are hog wild to breakfast. The juice industry is expected to percent of to all generations, a hot trend, according to 65 for artisanal bacon. grow 2 percent annually until 2015, reaching except the Gen X segment. percent of American Culinary (Think specialty wood- $92 billion. To get a piece of the action, play Add beans to eggs or turkey Federation members. smoked or jowl bacon.) with flavors to create specialty juice blends sausage to take-and-go customers can’t get anywhere else. sandwiches. MINTEL, INDUSTRY ANALYSTS, SOURCES: GLOBAL BY OLIVER MUNDAY; ILLUSTRATION

64 FOOD FANATICS | WINTER 2013