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Brussels Sprouts Reign on Menuspage 16

Brussels Sprouts Reign on Menuspage 16

PLUS page 27 Trends TrendsTrends Stay ahead of the curve, Stay

page 52 SnackSnack Time Time menus, Cash in on anytime Cash in on MONEY & SENSE MONEY page 46 Road Trip! Snack Time Road Trip! RoadRoad Trip! Trip!

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SandwichesSandwichesSandwiches

Trends between the slices, between Trends

reign on menus reign Brussels sprouts sprouts Brussels

JEWELSJEWELS

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Meat in the Middle 07 Our love of has chefs looking locally and beyond the borders for inspiration.

Pearls of Wisdom FOOD PEOPLE 12 Get the word on oysters, from the vari- eties that will hook newbies to ones that will bring connoisseurs back for more. The Picture of Good Health 38 Diners want to eat healthier—just don’t call them out on it. COver stOrY Look What’s Boy Wonder 16 42 Here’s the chef who can make fun of Mario Smokin’ Hot Now Batali on national television and get away with it. The Brussels sprout sheds its dull and dowdy image. Chefs on Tap 44 Meet two cooks you’d like to share a beer with. Thrill of the Grill 20 Get on the road to charcoal nirvana Road Trip to Los Angeles to see where a love for all things 46 Tinseltown’s health-happy rap doesn’t mean its grilled leads. food scene isn’t happening.

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FOOD Trend Tracker 27 GetTrend in front Tracker of the curve on what’s happening in page 3 00 You,food too,and canbeverage. be an industry know-it-all.

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foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 7 JUST HOW IMPORTANT ARE SAND- OUSEN WICHES? WHETHER AT BREAkFAST,

AN H LUNCH, DINNER OR ANy TIME IN BETWEEN, DINERS CONSUME MORE THAN 45 BILLION A yEAR. By A LICE V Their prevailing popularity demands attention, thanks in part to the haute sandwich effect ignited by ’s ‘wichcraft in , Graham Elliot’s grahamwich in Chicago and other celebrity chef concepts. Upscaled ingredients, blurred geographic boundaries Y and combinations influenced by what’s happening on the center of the plate are breathing new life into the sandwich world, where unusual combinations are making rdinar a home between the slices. “Chefs, no matter how high the toque, are always fine- tuning the sandwich,” says Joseph Brady, managing director of the Foodservice Research Institute, which reports that the frequency of sandwiches on menus increased 20 percent in cutting edge independents, 13 percent in casual independents and 8 percent in casual chains from 2005 through 2009. A study conducted last year by restaurant research firm Technomic, Inc., shows the surge is continuing. When 43 percent of consumers say they eat at least four sandwiches per week and buy half of them at restaurants or other food- ns are an Y thing but O service locations, it pays to be sandwich savvy. But before overhauling sandwich offerings, operators should take stock of what’s going on between those slices of artisan and specialty breads, rolls, , , pita

hese uni O hese and even waffles. t Fill-er Up Housemade meats and cheeses, heritage pig breeds and

h farm-specific, sustainable meats are standard at chef- driven sandwich shops and restaurants. At Cochon Butcher in New Orleans, the classic muffaletta is compiled with housemade Italian meats such as salami, while the Cubano is filled with roasted pork and housemade ham ($10). Pork overload is the name of the game at Noble Pig in Austin, Texas, where the house sandwich combines pulled pork, spicy ham and bacon ($8). , such as heritage pork and local prosciutto, are

C andwi piled on grahamwich’s Cuban Press ($11), while chicken breast and cherrywood-smoked bacon hook up with cran- s berry wasabi ($5.99) at Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop based in Eau Claire, Wis., with 50 locations nationwide. f It’s almost expected that chefs translate their center-

O of-the-plate thinking into sandwiches. Fine dining Chefs Matthew Bickford and Mike Ryan offer tuna confit on with black olives, cucumber and preserved lemon ($12.50) at their casual Be’ Wiched Sandwiches and Deli in Minneapolis. Chef-owner Ryan Pera of Revival Market in

ver Houston is clearly influenced by his fine dining days at the e At Flour Bakery in Boston, Chef-owner Joanne tate Chang unites roasted chicken with arugula, roasted Four Seasons Hotel and other white tablecloth restaurants he red peppers, caramelized and brie on grilled with his confit Gulf with remoulade, , t s housemade bread ($7.95). expanding peperonata and salsa verde ($12).

8 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 9 Hold the Meat pork belly, chicharrónes, pickled Recent menus show that lobster is on a roll, and spread ($6) for his smaller portion lemon aioli while local and seasonal seafood like smelt, bánh mì but also offers a vegetarian version, For sandwich shad roe and soft-shell crabs have a get- swapping out meat for tofu and choosing a recipes, go to unique sandwiCh COnCepts FOODFANATICS.COM it-while-you-can appeal (e.g., “fresh sardines mushroom spread over the onion one ($4). Spread the Love when available” at American Sardine Bar At Star Provisions in Atlanta, Chef-owners Bäco Mercat In Los Angeles serves Chef Josef in Philadelphia). Clifford Harrison and Anne Quatrano’s rendi- Centeno’s flatbread sandwiches stacked with a variety of fillings (pork, beef, poultry, seafood If it spreads, chefs are using it, be it Vegetarian customers are always grateful tion features glazed pork belly and pickled chile and vegetables, $9 to $14), topping out with an bechamel, chimichurri, aioli or pesto. for meatless options. , portobello mush- on a toasted baguette ($13). oxtail hash creation and a meatball sandwich Garnishes can be found in pickles rooms and fill pitas at Colorado’s with raisins, pine nuts and tomato. of every persuasion. Kimchi, kraut, Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill. Vegan coconut New Oldies Sriracha and pimiento cheese have Fóumami Asian Sandwich Bar in Boston serves cultish followings. curry hummus on organic naan and organic Regional sandwich classics are getting contem- tofu po’boys, gyros and lighten things up porary revamps on their home turf and taking Pan-Asian fillings on freshly baked shao bing bread, described on the menu as “crisp and HBH in Brooklyn, N.Y., uses spaghetti at Urban Cannibals in Atlanta. trips across state lines. flaky on the outside, chewy and soft on the squash “sour kraut” on its Reuben When in doubt, add a fried egg to the fillings, Blossom in Charleston, S.C., does a inside” ($6.75 to 7.95). sandwich ($13/$15) while bacon just like Primanti Bros. in Pittsburgh and Paris Lowcountry spin on the BLT with lump crab relish brightens a grilled green bean Sandwich in New York. and fried green tomato, applewood-smoked The globetrotting sandwiches at Viennese sandwich with soft-boiled egg, Par- bacon and crab remoulade ($12). import Duran European Sandwich Café’s first mesan and aioli ($8) at Meat Cheese U.S. location in Chicago are not only smaller, Bread in Portland, Ore. Sandwiches Without Borders get a second life with Korean chimichurri Global flavor mash-ups are an easy way to bulgogi at Sandwich Shop in Los Angeles, and they’re open-faced ($2.50 to $3.50). Noni’s in Atlanta spreads it on thick energize the menu. braised short rib with taleggio, pickled shallots with a combination of housemade Chai Pani in Decatur, Ga., serves an and chive aioli on onion ciabatta ($15) at HBH mozzarella, Sriracha, sweet pickles Indian-accented Sloppy Jai: spicy lamb hash Gourmet Sandwiches in Brooklyn, N.Y. and seasonal fruit preserves on its with tomatoes, ginger, onions, cilantro, green A “Hot Bama” Brown co-opts the Kentucky prosciutto and turkey “Patricia” ($9). chutney and sweet yogurt served on toasted favorite with flash-fried seasoned turkey, Par- buns ($9.99). In Charleston, S.C., Butcher & mesan and blanco cheese, mushroom beef Bee offers Korean short rib with spicy slaw gravy, Conecuh bacon and sliced tomato on and a fried egg on brioche ($12). toasted sourdough ($9.49) at Baumhower’s But the bánh mì is the inspiration of the Alabama chain. moment. At Double Dragon in Portland, “All the menus we see tell us that there’s no Ore., Chef Rob Walls devotes a section limit to creativity,” Brady says. “If anything, of his menu to eight versions of bánh mì. our appetite for sandwiches will continue to sriracha His revamped versions of the traditional grow in terms of diversity and variety.” n Vietnamese sandwiches have fillings such as orange sesame soy curls and chicken Alice Van Housen is the Chicago editor of chorizo ($8 to $12). Zagat Survey who writes for numerous Chef-owner Michael Voltaggio of Ink.Sack national and local publications. in Los Angeles brings together pork butt,

according to foodservice research institute, 85 21% percent of sandwiches pork “spring from a platform.” primary multiple proteins show up in 10 proteins are: percent of all sandwiches, with 27% second protein popularity going to turkey, bacon and ham. in addition, hot sandwiches reign chicken 26% supreme, with 30 percent more listings on american menus than their cold counterparts.

10 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 beef foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 11 f only the great food writer from shore alive and dispatched with M.F.K. Fisher, who asked a shucking knife minutes before us to consider the oyster serving. Seasonal? The taste and in her famous 1941 book, texture of an oyster change dramat- I ically over the course of its yearly rOister wi could step up to a raw bar th t today. She’d be blown away. reproductive cycle, as water tempera- YOu h tures change month by month. what need tO Kn e Alongside the briny Wellfleets and Ow t Blue Points of her era, she’d find an Sustainable? Almost all oysters are O O eye-popping array of bivalves with cultivated on farms—not harvested get it Y names she’d never heard of: Dabobs, in the wild—and actually improve the O n w Dosewallips, Witch Ducks, Naked health of offshore ecosystems, thanks i S Cowboys, Hama Hamas and Little to the mollusks’ filtering effect. th t Skookums—each with flavors as Each nuance of flavor and texture in h T subtle and varied as a fine wine. a well-farmed oyster is a vivid expres- e B y h Even as natural oyster stocks sion of the inlet or estuary it came D a A L from; everything from tidal flows to V E in North America have steadily f ID aquatic nutrients plays a part in how M s declined, oyster farming has gone C h A supernova. A boon of emerging it tastes. It’s a quality that Rowan N e R IN L and established producers are Jacobsen, author of “A Geography of C L H meeting growing demand by Oysters,” sums up with the phrase cultivating and branding previously “oysters with somewhereness.” unknown varieties, often using new aquaculture techniques. “Back in David McAninch is editor-at-large for the 1990s, it was very difficult to buy Saveur magazine and has yet to meet a oysters,” says Sandy Ingber, executive bivalve he doesn’t love. chef at the Grand Central Oyster Bar in New York City. “We were lucky to have three or four on the menu during the summer. Today, we’ve got 25 or 30.” Restaurant-goers are discov- ering that oysters embody foodie buzzwords every bit as much as an heirloom tomato or grass-fed steak. Farm-to-table? There is nothing more direct-source than an oyster on the half shell, which was shipped

12 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 13 Go topless or not? Oysters with Spicy Share your oyster Kraut and Sesame preferences on Chef-owner Stuart Brioza Twitter @foodfanatics State Bird Provisions,

2 cups kohlrabi, grated 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons Meyer lemon zest, finely grated Six to Seek Out 2 tablespoons shiro dashi 1 dozen oysters on the half shell, such as Hog Island kusshi Atlantic or Beausoleil Vancouver Island, British Columbia 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted Kusshis are the original tumbled oysters, Chile oil to garnish cultivated through an increasingly popular West Coast practice of Toss kohlrabi with salt; let sit 15 minutes. Add Meyer suspending bags of oysters from racks lemon zest and fill a large-mouth jar with mixture, pushing in the jostling tides so that they knock down to extract liquid. Add brine (2 teaspoons salt per 1 against each other, developing a deep cup water) if necessary to cover. Store in a cool, dark area cup and firm meat that fills the shell. for 5 to 7 days. Refrigerate afterwards. Anticipate a mild, clean flavor and a jewel-like plumpness. At service, stir the shiro dashi into 1 cup of the kraut and top each shucked oyster with a spoonful (about the size of Beausoleil the oyster). Sprinkle with sesame seeds, drizzle with chile Miramichi Bay, New Brunswick oil and serve immediately. Makes 1 dozen oysters with leftover kraut. Want to guarantee a successful first bite? Go with this petite, pretty bivalve for a fresh, bright taste born of the chilly waters of Canada.

Belon Boothbay Harbor, Maine Top Toppers Grown predominately in Maine and often referred to as big and bold, the Oyster purists shun the thought of putting anything Belon is most appreciated by the between shellfish and taste buds, but chefs love to play NOT QUITE A seasoned oyster slurper who loves its with accompaniments. Stuart Brioza, chef-owner of State notoriously metallic finish. Bird Provisions in San Francisco, has been experimenting DIME A DOzEN with pickled and fermented toppings. “Fermentation kumamoto provides an acidity that offsets the richness of a cool wholesale prices for live east Coast and West Coast season oyster,” he says. His Beausoleil oysters with spicy kohlrabi kraut and toasted sesame seeds has become a west Coast oysters generally range from $7 This sweet, petite specimen—a sub- best-seller. “It’s as much about the garnish as it is about to $12 per dozen, depending on the variety. species of Pacific oyster whose name the oyster,” he says. Here are a few other ideas: this does not include shipping, which can suggests its Japanese ancestry—offers the perfect introduction to West Coast Summer vinaigrette with tomato water, raw add considerable cost, especially if the oysters, which lean toward fruitier, less , sherry vinegar and basil oil oysters have to travel between coasts. briny flavors. State Bird Provisions, San Francisco “i basically take the price i paid, plus the Naked Cowboy Champagne vinegar mignonette with freshly grated Long Island, N.Y. KumamOtO horseradish freight, and i multiply by three,” says sandy The Walrus and the Carpenter, Seattle ingber of new York’s grand Central Oyster The bivalve’s name (an homage to the eponymous guitar-strumming street Cucumber lemon granita, tangerine salsa bar. the formula yields a different to-the- performer in Times Square) is a grab- R’evolution, New Orleans penny menu price for each variety. renee ber, while its refreshingly salty, minerally, firm-fleshed traits deliver on flavor. Applewood quick smoked, with fried wild rice erickson of the walrus and the Carpenter in and pork belly seattle takes a slightly different approach, Olympia Ruxbin, Chicago marking up some oysters more or less than Puget Sound, Wash. Red onion shiso others to create more standardized menu This silver-dollar-sized oyster is a Juvia, Miami Beach, Fla. prices. “all our oysters are usually either $2, West Coaster’s holy grail. Imagine an naKed COwbOY $2.50, or $3 apiece,” she says. intense metallic flavor that can send Oyster water and limoncello granita beginners running back to their sweet Fiola, , D.C. Kumamotos. 14 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 15 COver stOrY POWER BaLLS Brussels sprouts are winning over a new generation of diners

By CARLy FISHER Brussels sprouts come from a class of PHOTOGRAPHy By green vegetable underdogs. They’re like the odd-ball relative— STEVEN MCDONALD smelly, bland and disrespected until someone who can see the PHOTOGRAPHy underlying potential steps up. Instead of Brussels sprouts to a gray death like their parents once did, chefs are breaking out some new moves. They’re and shocking. to caramelize. Deep . Shaving into a salad. Tossing with cured meat. Or loading with infused butter, combining elements of sweet, salty and a bright splash of acidity. Executive Chef Jess De Guzman’s It’s working. The price-stable vegetable is driving revenue starting point for a Brussels sprouts and building devotees who see the dish as a reason to return to side dish at Sunda includes green the restaurant. ’s cousin is officially cool. onion and chiles. 16 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 17 The warm Brussels sprouts salad with parsnip, candied olives and preserved lemon vin has big fans at Swift’s Attic in Austin, Texas.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts Salad Executive Chef Jess De Guzman Sunda, Chicago There’s More Than One Way 3 pounds Brussels sprouts, To Cook a Sprout thinly sliced Brussels sprouts’ versatility has helped 3 ounces , shredded the vegetable shed its unpopular past: 3 green onion, chopped 1 carrot, julienned Steamy Scenes ❯ ½ red chile, thinly sliced Boiling or Brussels sprouts is acceptable, ½ jalapeño, thinly sliced but be sure to blanch and shock them (to retain ¼ red onion, thinly sliced their bright green color) and then reheat at service. 2 ounces fried shallots Toss with duck herb butter, brown butter or an Salt and pepper to taste anchovy butter like at R+D Kitchen in Yountville, 3 ounces sweet chile sauce Growing Power Brussels sprouts. They mingle with bacon and Calif. 1 ounce lime juice The steamed Brussels sprouts with anchovy grapes ($6) at La Condesa in Austin, Texas, 1 ounce water butter are a seasonal staple at R+D Kitchen in while Charleston, S.C., restaurant Butcher Fry, Baby ❯ 4 ounces shrimp, cooked Yountville, Calif. and Executive Chef Sheamus & Bee serves them with bacon, apples, and The mantra “everything taste better fried” applies and chopped Feeley brings them back each year. “I can sell peanuts ($6). to Brussels sprouts, whether just the leaves or the 2 chives, chopped upward of 40 or 50 orders a day between fall But with all the converts, chefs are taking whole vegetable. Lavender Lake in Brooklyn, N.Y., serves them fried with a sweet lemon aioli ($6) while and winter,” he says. “There are some people the next steps with the vegetable. Flash fry Brussels sprouts for 20-30 Miami’s Sakaya Kitchen has built a cult following for who come in specifically to eat that dish.” At Cook and Brown Public House in seconds, drain. Toss with cabbage, ginger-fried Brussels sprouts ($6). green onion, carrot, chile, jalapeño, red At some restaurants, the vegetable is sprout- Providence, R.I., Chef-owner Nemo Bolin onion and shallots, or plate separately. ❯ ing up on menus all year long. At Denver Italian prepares it three ways in one dish. The sprouts Roasts with the Most Season with salt and pepper; set aside. restaurant Panzano, Chef Elise Wiggins can are quartered and blanched along with the Roasting or sauteing Brussels sprouts to char or caramelize brings out their sweet, earthy side. barely keep them in stock. After introducing outer leaves. Some are also roasted before SOUTHWESTERN GRILL , RIGHT: COURTESY OF KACHINA Combine remaining ingredients as a her fried Brussels sprouts with apple cider re- the vegetable is tossed with toasted farro, Etch in Nashville, Tenn., serves them charred with dressing and season with salt and pep- butter ($5 and $7) while Ajax Tavern in per. Place salad on one side of plate duction, pistachios, rosemary salt and sliced manchego cheese, shaved acorn squash and Aspen, Colo., opts for sweeter counterparts like green apple ($12) in 2009, customers were up aged vinegar. and serve with dressing on the other. pomegranate, molasses and chestnuts ($8). Makes 2 servings. Menu price: $15. in arms when the dish left the menu. “Before “This way you get three variations, both everyone started going Brussels sprouts crazy, texturally and flavor-wise, of the sprout it- A Close Shave ❯ it was very seasonally driven in fall,” she says. self,” Bolin says. “The nutty characteristics Other restaurants are treating the Brussels sprout like “Now, the demand is so high that they’re grow- of the toasted farro, manchego and squash all its gargantuan relative, the cabbage, by shaving into a slaw or salad. It’s the star green at Salty Sow in Austin, ing them year-round.” pair nicely with the sprouts. The aged vine- Texas, served with candied almonds, dried cran- At nearly 300 orders weekly, Wiggins’ gar lifts everything up and brings some much berries and Parmigiano-Reggiano ($8). At Denver’s

Brussels sprouts have eclipsed other items as needed acidity.” Kachina Southwestern Grill, Brussels sprouts sub for PHOTO LEFT: COURTESY OF SWIFT’S ATTIC;

the top appetizer, including calamari. “Any cabbage as the slaw topper for The Pueblo , TOP time you do vegetables, your profit margin The New served with achiote pork, tomatillo salsa and jalapeño Before everyone started going can be really high,” Wiggins says. “I think Don’t be surprised if you blink and Brussels jack cheese ($5). P HOTO vegetables keep things light and people will end sprouts becomes as standard as broccoli. Brussels sprouts crazy, it up eating more.” Demand aside, the price and quality remain The charred Brussels sprouts with pearl on- constant year-round, , which can be a huge sell- was very seasonally driven ions ($8) have sold so well over the past five ing point for both the chef and the customer. “ years at Delicatessen in NYC that Chef-partner “I don’t serve sides of other products , such as Michael Ferraro serves them year-round. “My asparagus and tomatoes, when they’re out of in fall. now, the demand is restaurant in peak season does about 7,500 cov- season because the price jumps too much and ers per week, and sales on Brussels sprouts may the quality goes down,” Ferraro says. “Not the so high that they’re growing be 5 to 7 percent of total sales,” he says. “We go case with Brussels sprouts.” through maybe three cases of Brussels sprouts Customers have finally come full circle with them year-round. a week—to only be served as a side dish.” Brussels sprouts, Wiggins says. “People will -Executive Chef Elise Wiggins of come in and say they don’t like them because Panzano in Denver Just Add Bacon of the way their mom made them,” she says. The industry joke about being able to sell “A friend will convince them to try them, and any dish by adding bacon also applies to they’re hooked.” n 18 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 ” foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 19 Swordfish kabob with lemon, red onion and parsley sauce inspired by Chef Mike Isabella, who recently opened kapnos in Washington, D.C.

gLObaL fLavOrs heat up menusBy kATE LEAHy in big, bOLd waYs

20 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 21 EACH SUMMER, AMERICANS BECOME a high fat content while avoiding flare-ups. Get Bocanova’s HEiRLOOM TOMaTOES Also, its versatility gives him the ability to grill recipe for Grilled squash saLad AMATEUR Wagyu Steak and tender parts of tongue meat like steak and tend MACHINES—ANyONE Epazote Pesto at $.70 food Cost: $2.78 to more delicate stalks of romaine. FOODFANATICS.COM RiCOTTa CAPABLE OF WIELDING “Sashimi and sushi are very subtle,” Kato SaLaTa menu price $14 TONGS IS CHARRING says. “Americans are used to stronger, bolder $1.44 25% flavors, and robata has a more robust flavor.” BURGERS, AND Executive Chef-partner Timon Balloo CORN-ON-THE-COB OVER decided a smokier flavor better suited his 52% A FLAME. Asian- and Latin-inspired menu at Sugarcane Heirloom Squash in Miami. On one end of his six-foot robata grill, This passion for the grill didn’t always he burns hickory to add smoky layers to dishes Salad with Ricotta transfer to professional kitchens, where grills such as galbi (thinly cut Korean marinated competed for attention with fryers, broilers, short ribs) and skewered octopus tentacles Salata and Burnt ovens and flat top . In many cases, grill brushed with a marinade of soy sauce and aji Citrus Vinaigrette use was perfunctory, to create burn marks on a panca (a dark red Peruvian chile). Executive Chef John Jackson piece of meat or fish. “Grill marks signified that “During the winter months, we go for a more Bocanova, Oakland, Calif. it was cooked on a grill and it was fancy,” says robust flavor profile,” Balloo says. “Spring and 1½ pounds heirloom squash Edward Lee, chef-owner of 610 Magnolia and summer, we lighten it up with neutral woods.” 1½ pounds heirloom cherry toma- MilkWood in Louisville, Ky. “And then it would toes be cooked in the oven anyway.” korean (gogi gui) 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Grilling complacency is hard to imagine Thinly sliced, marinated meat grilled quickly 2 sprigs oregano today. Armed with robata grills and , over a charcoal grill. Salt and pepper to taste chefs seek charcoal nirvana, mining the globe Rice bowls are the calling card at Bibigo, a 16 ounces ricotta salata for menu ideas. Just take a look at what’s being 23-unit, fast-casual chain based in Seoul, Ko- 1 cup red wine vinegar 1 orange, charred and peeled served at the University of , rea, with three restaurants in Los Angeles. The 1 grapefruit, charred and peeled Amherst: Korean bulgogi (marinated beef), most popular toppings, like bulgogi, come off a 3 shallots, chopped Thai with peanut sauce and Argentinean charcoal grill. 3 Fresno chilies flank steak with chimichurri. “It’s grilled Korean barbecue style,” says ¼ cup agave nectar No matter the inspiration, the call of the grill Christy You, Bibigo’s senior marketing 2 tablespoons lime juice is universal, perhaps even primal. “There is this coordinator. “We use a charcoal grill with zest of ½ grapefruit thing about grilling that you can’t get with any oakwood charcoal to create the traditional ½ teaspoon cayenne 1 tablespoon kosher salt other technique, and it’s this smoke flavor,” Lee Korean flavor.” 5 cups says. “There is physiologically something in The set-up works well in a counter-service ½ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted our DNA that is programmed to be attracted to environment. Proteins—beef, pork, poultry, Marash and aleppo chile flakes, cooking outdoors.” fish and tofu—are marinated, often in a blend to taste Here are some global grilling styles that are of soy sauce, , sesame oil, minced garlic, catching fire and a few hints on how to adapt black pepper and ginger. The protein is quickly Halve squashes lengthwise and toss with tomatoes, extra-virgin olive oil, them to a kitchen: cooked to order over high heat before topping oregano, and salt and pepper to the rice. taste. tomatoes for ease and Robata Along with charcoal and marinade, Korean grill lightly. Grill squash until still firm, A Japanese grill used for searing small pieces of barbecue success hinges upon butchery, Lee cool and slice into triangular wedges; meat, fish and vegetables rapidly with the help of says. “A Korean chef must know how to cut set aside. Grill ricotta salata; set aside. white-hot Japanese charcoal. against the grain of meat to get that perfect Japanese chefs pore over every detail of food cross-section of meat.” Combine all remaining ingredients in a blender except canola oil, pumpkin preparation, and grilling is no exception. Chan- Too thin and it will fall apart on the grill; too seeds and chile flakes. Process, then neling this perfectionist ethos, Chef-owner thick and it will be chewy. HEiRLOOM slowly add canola oil. Season to taste SQUaSH Gene Kato mans two robata grills at his restau- Lee draws inspiration from Korean EXTRa ViRGiN BURNT CiTRUS with salt and pepper. PUMPKiN rant, Sumi Robata Bar in Chicago. One is for barbecue for the pork belly that garnishes OLiVE OiL/ ViNaiGRETTE OREGaN0 SEEDS & CHiLE $.29 items he brushes with tare (a thin soy glaze), scallops served at MilkWood. Instead of $.13 FLaKES To serve, toss squash and tomatoes while the other is for food he seasons with Jap- the belly until tender, Lee thinly $.04 with 1½ cups vinaigrette, crumble anese sea salt, black pepper or sansho (a citrusy slices raw belly against the grain, then grills $.18 ricotta salata on top with pumpkin seeds tossed with chile flakes. Makes Japanese pepper). it over high heat with a glaze of strawberries, 10% 5% 8 servings with leftover vinaigrette. The key to this grilling method is the char- tamarind, honey, sesame oil and brown sugar. 2% coal. Kato uses Japanese white oak for its in- “You get the flavor of the pork belly melting 6% tense heat, which allows him to sear meat with onto the scallops,” he says.

22 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 23 wOrds tO griLL bY people think it’s just Recent books that dwell Food skewered on a spit rotates around a heat source for indirect cooking. grilling. it’sFor basic. more drink but on heat and smoke: recipes, go to Spit-roasting is one of the most universal inside-The-Box Thinking there isFOODFANATICS.COM a lot of atten- cooking methods, but it’s especially popular in Executive Chef Ralph Romano fires up a caja china tion to detail prior to Mediterranean and Latin American countries. at the Red Knot, his restaurant located at Galloping Chef-owner Rick Hackett installed a verti- Hill, a public golf course in Kenilworth, N.J. Named putting something on cal rotisserie at Bocanova, his pan-American after the ovens used by Cuba’s Chinese popula- restaurant in Oakland, Calif. “It gives you the tion—translating to “Chinese Box”—the contraption the grill and while it’s opportunity to do larger things, like big cuts of is large enough to hold a 300-pound pig. Heat on the grill. meat or fish,” he says. comes from a tray of charcoal placed on top, which Romano covers with a grill rack for quick grilling. – Gene Kato of Sumi Robata Bar Hackett’s rotisserie rotates around a gas For special events, he uses the box to prepare flame, but radiant heat from the sides cooks the cochinita pibil, a classic slow cooked pork from proteins. The rotisserie is used daily to cook Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. While the pork cooks, meats such as achiote (annatto seed)-rubbed Romano can keep golfers happy with “Live Fire: 125 Recipes for Cooking chicken and pork ribs brushed with a gua- and hot dogs. Outdoors” va-chile barbecue glaze. For specials, Hackett by Michael Chiarello (Chronicle prepares whole legs of lamb in the rotisserie, Books) Chiarello of Bottega in Yount- coating the meat with achiote, garlic, bread- ville, Calif., shows how to maneuver in crumbs and parsley and roasting for 45 min- a fireplace, among other hot spots. utes. “The rotisserie gives it a nice exterior car- Recipe to try: Skewered quail with grape salad and citrus-rosemary salt amelization,” Hackett says. Chef-partner Jim Botsacos wishes he had a rotisserie at Molyvos, a Greek restaurant in New York City. “In the Mediterranean, they spit roast their lamb all the time,” he says. “It gives the lamb its smoky essence.” To mimic the effects of a smoky rotisserie, he uses the restaurant’s five-foot grill. After seasoning lamb with a classic Greek marinade of lemon zest, olive oil, garlic and oregano, he sears the meat over high heat, simulating open fire by throwing wood chips on the grill. He then cooks the lamb in the oven on a bed “Smoke: New Firewood Cooking” of onions and lemon until tender. To finish, he by Tim Byres (Rizzoli) serves it with an Ionian garlic sauce. “It’s work- The chef of Smoke in Dallas shows how to build your own pig roaster. ing with limitations,” he says. Recipe to try: Tejano Parrilla To marinate skirt steak for churrascos—the icon- A barbecue grate placed over hot coals used ic skewered meat served at South American steak- throughout Latin America to grill meat, from houses—Lamas uses chimichurri made with fresh Peruvian to Argentinean churrascos. oregano, parsley, cilantro and garlic. “Chimichurri South America may have more terms for is more of a steak sauce, but I love to use it as a mar- barbecuing than any other continent, and its inade,” he says. styles vary from indirect-heat rotisseries to Even without a grill, it’s possible to achieve a parrilla direct-heat planchas (cast-iron griddles). All effect. To get grill marks on 10-ounce pork chops, of these implements may be used at an Argen- Executive Chef Brandon Warren of Tortilla Republic in tinean asado (a barbecue party). But at its most West Hollywood, Calif., uses a cast-iron grill-top skillet. basic, Latin American grilling revolves around Before the chops hit the pan, Warren marinates “Smoke and Pickles: Recipes and a parrilla (a wood or charcoal-fueled grill). them in an ancho chile brine to ensure they cook even- Stories from a New Southern Kitchen” Before grilling comes the marinade or rub, ly without drying out. “There are no coals necessarily, by Edward Lee (Artisan) says Anthony Lamas of Seviche in Louisville, and you can get the marks,” he explains. n With the extra For this Louisville, Ky.-based chef, Ky. For a Latin-inspired take on shrimp cock- dimension of smoke is as much a taste as sweet, tail, he seasons shrimp with aji rocoto (a spicy Oakland-based writer Kate Leahy earned her flavor that comes sour, bitter, salty and umami. with grilling, all a Recipe to try: Peach-ginger glaze red Peruvian chile), garlic, cilantro, cumin grilling chops while working on the line at Terra in vegetable needs is on anything grilled and coriander. St. Helena, Calif. sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. 24 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 25 TREND TRACKER The heat index on what’s happening

Restaurateurs double up with slashie concepts— bakery/ restaurant, deli/bar, etc. Time-crunched chefs realize Macarons are as foraging is colorful and cute as best left to the cupcakes—and just Chefs cater The next gener- experts. as cliché. to afternoon Keep it cool ation of internet customer with chill food photography: cravings desserts Vine videos. with snack whenever the menus. mood hits. Download the story on iPad Smartphones from iTunes. can handle it all, including mobile payment Craft beer systems. menus become less rare and more requisite.

WARMING UP ON FIRE COOLING OFF COOLING OFF

Chefs put Sandwich anything wicked twists between artisanal on deviled bread and customers eggs. will eat it up.

Diners carb up on housemade pastas, pizzas and bagels. Oysters are one trend Pop-up restaurants we’re not ready to Frozen yogurt start to fold back. shuck yet. shops flood the market, increasing demand for good old-fashioned ice Farm-to- cream. table heads indoors with in-house hydroponic systems. PHOTOGRAPHY ON MOBILE PAYMENTS BY SUSANNA DEUTSCH BY SUSANNA ON MOBILE PAYMENTS PHOTOGRAPHY

foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 27

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30 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 31 fOOd peOpLe Voices impacting the industry

Have a Field Day Staff excursions to a farm or purveyor can fuel passion and increase knowledge

Flying Fish Cafe's Executive Chef Tim keating (top left) and his staff visit an organic orange orchard.

32 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 33 feed the staff

BEFORE CHEF TIM kEATING TOOk HIS STAFF TO LAkE MEADOW NATURALS IN OCOEE, FLA., FEW OF THEM kNEW HOW RHODE ISLAND RED CHICkENS SHOW AFFECTION. “They peck at your shins,” Keating says. “We had the team out in the middle of hundreds of these chickens. It’s a blast. Everyone’s literally picking up eggs—probably some of the best eggs I’ve had in my life—from under these chickens. The people who’ve been there, they get it. They understand it and they’ll never forget it.” Keating, the chef de at Flying Fish Cafe, a 180-seat restaurant inside Disney’s BoardWalk Villa Resort in Orlando, Fla., knows he doesn’t have to organize these field trips every other month. No one requires him to build relationships with farmers or coordinate transportation for groups as large as 60 cooks and servers. But the returns he sees from these visits are unmistakable: a greater respect for the ingredients, less waste in the kitchen, a stronger understanding of the menu and a rejuvenated, enriched staff. “The young culinary professionals come back with a whole new idea about what they’re serving, and they can tell a story about it,” Keating says. “We have an open kitchen and we’re interacting with customers every day. Having been to a farm really puts something very personal in the dish that you’re preparing and serving.” Practically speaking, it can also put something new on the menu. Without last year’s trip to The Culinary Vegetable Institute in Huron, Ohio, Chef Jonathon Sawyer—owner of the Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland—says he wouldn’t have thought up the restaurant’s popular “veganbop” meet spin on bibimbap. “We got tons of menu items that to this day we’re still using,” Sawyer says. “It probably wouldn’t have happened had it not been for us totally immersing ourselves in this farm and challenging ourselves to use ten more vegetables YOur Connecting your crew to the source in one plate.” can inspire your staff and deepen its High-profile chefs—like of This goat and five acres of Chicago’s Frontera Grill, who takes his staff to appreciation of quality ingredients vegetables,including heirloom tomatoes, greet staff from Big Bowl Mexico each July to seek culinary inspiration— By kATE BERNOT in Chicago when staff visit Rustic have long been proponents of hands-on maKerr Road Farm. 34 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 35 Get a farm inspired recipe now Servers, cooks and managers from Flying Fish Cafe in Orlando, Fla., meet Rhode Island Red Chickens during a field trip, (clockwise from bottom) while family members of staff at Big Bowl are regular guests at Executive Chef Marc Bernard’s Rustic Road Farm outside of Chicago.

theY’re nOt gOing tO waste prOduCt OnCe theY advertisement KnOw what went intO it. -Chef Jonathon Sawyer of Greenhouse Tavern page 37

learning. But increased public interest in meals on the road and factoring in lost time 3 REaSONS WHY FiELD TRiPS local ingredients is making it worthwhile for that cooks could be in the kitchen. Still, restaurants to invest in this type of education. Sawyer says he sees tangible results long BENEFiT EVERYONE At Buttermilk Kitchen in Atlanta, Chef after a farm field trip is over. Deepens knowledge of ingredients. Cooks Suzanne Vizethann carves out time between “Fruits and proteins grown like that often have newfound appreciation after a making biscuits and tomato marmalade cost more than the industrial version, but to bring suppliers and farmers to her 68-seat my kitchen is more likely to respect those field trip, but the servers are the true ambas- breakfast and lunch spot to meet the staff. ingredients, to try to use all of it,” he says. sadors. After they’ve seen the hives where Though it would mean an extra-long work “They’re not going to waste it once they honey is collected or understand the impor- day, she hopes to organize a trip to Woodland know what went into it.” tance of bees in nature, that enthusiasm is Gardens Organic Farm in Athens, Ga. While his staff jumps at the chance to visit easily conveyed to diners. “Part of our concept and our survival is to the strawberry fields in Plant City, Fla., or Bonding is a good thing. Gathering educate people about the local and organic the largest organic citrus orchard in the U.S., coworkers in different settings allows col- ingredients we’re using and why we’re using Keating has also had success recruiting cooks leagues to see each other in a different light. them,” Vizethann says. “Knowing the farm and servers from other Disney restaurants to This can be especially important for front and helps you to do that.” visit sturgeon fisheries, clam beds and even a the back of the house staff, whose interac- Of course, sourcing from small shrimp processing plant. tions tend to be frenetic. suppliers—and transporting staff to visit “I hear it once a week: ‘Chef, when are we Instills a sense of pride. When staff visit them—comes with costs. The Culinary going to go?’” he says. “In the beginning, a mom-and-pop tofu company, a farmer, the Vegetable Institute, for example, charges it took a little bit to invigorate them, but stockyards or an industrial cheese plant, restaurants for research and development people across (Disney) started hearing that learning how the product is made and seeing trips based on attendance. And even a day we were doing this and now they say, ‘Make those who make it can be gratifying. trip to a nearby farm means gas money, sure you ask us, too.’”

36 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 HEaLTHY, STEaLTHY & DINERS WANT OPTIONS THAT SNEAk IN GOOD NUTRITION WITHOUT SACRIFICING TASTE WiSE OR VALUE By JUDy SUTTON TAyLOR

THE POST “SUPER SIzE ME” ERA IS OFFICIALLy HERE: RATHER THAN SEEkING MEGA ExTRA VALUE MEAL DEALS AT RESTAURANTS, DINERS ARE OPTING FOR REASONABLE PORTIONS OF HEALTHIER FARE. “Consumers are hungry for restaurant meals that won’t expand their waistlines,” says Hank Cardello, author of “Stuffed: An Insider’s Look at Who’s (Really) Making America Fat and How the Food Industry Can Fix It.” “Operators need to respond by reducing the number of calories they sell per person. The numbers show that if you don’t serve customers looking for healthier options, you risk a decline in (sales).” The “numbers” he’s talking about come from a report released earlier this year by the Hudson Institute, a think tank where Cardello is a senior fellow and director of its Obesity Solutions Initiative. Titled “Lower-Calorie Foods: It’s Just Good Business,” the report analyzed 21 of the largest quick-service and sit-down restaurant chains (think McDonald’s, Bell, Applebee’s) and found those that increased servings of lower-calorie items generated a 5.5 percent increase in same-store sales from 2006 to 2011, compared with a 5.5 percent decline among chains selling fewer lower-calorie servings. Lower- calorie food servings increased by 500 million, Cardello says, while traditional servings saw a decline of 1.3 billion from 2007 to 2011. Restaurants need to connect with diners who have been given a reality check on America’s obesity crisis and want healthier options when they dine out, Cardello adds. “It’s a different era now and it’s time for new rules,” he says.

HEaLTHY BUT TaSTY Those new rules boil down to offering lower calorie, well- balanced menu items alongside the popular high-calorie ones,

38 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 39 FOUR WaYS which still bring in plenty of customers. The trick for this dining segment, Cardello says, is not labeling them as “diet” foods, which can be a turn-off. “Give me something tasty—just find a TO GO way to extract calories from it,” he says. “Customers don’t care how you do it. They just want you to figure it out.” John Keller, the executive chef at Dinner on Ludlow, an LEaN American bistro on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, says his 1. Offer popular, high-calorie menu items in smaller duty as a chef is to make any food he serves taste good. “Just portions and price them to generate a comparable margin. because it’s healthy doesn’t mean you have to compromise MaSS aPPEaL The Cheesecake Factory offers a Skinnylicious menu taste,” he says. taKe a Cue frOm restaurants Keller points to his Caesar salad as an item that supports printed on long, thin paper, which includes dishes such as COnneCting with heaLth health without skimping on taste. “I substitute kale for crispy crab bites and “skinny” cocktails. traditional Romaine to boost and levels,” he COnsCiOus COnsumers: says. “But I always do my best to offer indulgences as well as 2. Push low calorie beverages like diet soda with the same very healthy counterparts. I give guests the flexibility to choose Sbarro recently introduced a “Skinny Slice” of profit margins as their high calorie alternatives. pizza featuring roasted peppers, portobellos, whatever side they desire, from healthier broccoli with garlic to a hearty, indulgent macaroni and cheese.” caramelized onions and a sprinkling of mozzarella 3. Use healthier cooking oils (such as omega-9 sunflower and Romano cheeses. Each slice comes in at The word “healthy” is no longer a restaurant taboo. “I think 270 calories, compared to 460 for the traditional we are becoming a more health-conscious society,” Keller blends) that help fried foods stay tasty. cheese pizza. says. “Healthy for me means doing my part in sourcing quality Sonic Drive-In is offering freshly brewed ingredients, knowing where food comes from.” 4. Take a “stealth health” approach to promoting green iced teas, along with several sugar free mix-ins. The Westin Resort & Casino in Aruba highlights its lower calorie fare by grouping items and featuring them McAlister’s Deli offers a regular selection of menu’s healthier options with a sailboat logo. “It’s all about more prominently. Just refrain from using the words “diet” low-calorie sandwiches, salads and soups, which surrounding yourself with fruits and vegetables, grains— or “healthier.” evolved from a successful limited-time offering. such as quinoa, wheat berries and barley—greens and salads, . the right oils and ,” says Matthew Boland, the resort’s executive chef. “You can come up with so many new ideas that will please diners.”

a MODiFiED aPPROaCH For operators worried their customers still expect large portions, Cardello suggests looking at their overall “calorie footprint.” “Instead of trying to micromanage individual menu items, push to deliver fewer calories per customer overall,” he says. “This way, customers leave having consumed fewer calories, which is the overarching goal.” Chef-driven restaurants are taking a holistic approach toward the healthier dining segment. “The high-end diner today wants quality, flavor, nutrition and presentation,” says Lee Morcus, owner of Figue Mediterranean in La Quinta, Calif. “They want it all out of their food.” As a result, value is not necessarily about getting the most food, but the best. The key is dishes that are “sourced, prepared and served with passion, love and respect for the ingredients,” he says.

Judy Sutton Taylor is a Chicago-based editor and writer who always looks for the healthiest menu items, and sometimes orders them, too.

40 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 41 Chef prOfiLe

Chef

prOfiLe James Beard Award winner SYMON SaYS He ratchets his persona up a He’s a regular guy who notch on air, but with an ease and chemistry among his four co- happens to be a TV chef. And hosts that didn’t exist in the early the wOrLd aCCOrding tO days of the show. sYmOn he’s good with that “A year of ‘Chew’ is 226 episodes, Favorite road trip food: Salt and and after a while, it becomes vinegar chips and Tate’s chocolate chip By LAURA yEE second nature,” he says. “You don’t cookies Author even notice the cameras. I knew Mario (Batali, fellow mega-star Condiment you’d kill for: Cleveland’s restaurateur) pretty well and felt Bertman Ballpark Mustard comfortable making fun of him, but Anyone can play the fame game—if you can get I wasn’t sure about the other three. A burger is not complete without: Cheese to “start.” Everyone knows each other now.” (cheddar, if I have to choose) For , it began after Food & Wine magazine That familiarity, trust and a zeroed in on his hometown, Cleveland, recognizing that talent proven track record—along with you’re reading right now: “The Tattoo could be found outside major cities. In 1998, a year after opening his knowing his limitations—fuels Zuni Café Cookbook” by Judy Rodgers first restaurant, Lola, the magazine named the then 28-year-old one Symon’s restaurant empire. Liz of the 10 Best New Chefs in the country. Symon, the chef’s spouse and you’d throw a shoe at the TV when this is Each time Symon rolled the dice, he advanced: restaurants, reg- business partner, designed the on: ’s “Semi-Homemade Cooking” ular gigs on the , , product endorsements restaurants and the award-winning and the ABC daytime TV food and lifestyle show “The Chew.” beverage programs, so she has final your culinary sense would be questioned if He credits “being at the right place at the right time,” but that’s say in those areas. Doug Petkovic, people knew you loved: Lay’s potato chips what you’d expect from a modest, regular guy with a genuine, ear- also a partner, manages operations, with French onion dip to-ear grin and infectious laugh. He thinks it’s his beloved dogs which means he has the last word Ruby, the bullmastiff, and Ozzy, the Olde English bulldogge, that there. Along with their core team in What would you rather do—clean the turn heads in his Gramercy Park, New York City neighborhood— the Cleveland corporate office, they grease trap or fire an employee? Clean the not the “: America” dude. have all worked together for the last grease trap “I’m still a Cleveland kid at heart, so (the fans and attention) still two decades. stuff You amaze me,” Symon says. “All the mail that comes to the (ABC) stu- “You’re only as good as the people Would you ever eat supermarket sushi? dio—I look at everything and do my best to answer all the mail. If around you,” says Symon. “If they No. It scares the hell out of me Ought to Know you’re not flattered and don’t appreciate the attention, something’s aren’t strong in their areas of ex- about me wrong with you.” pertise, it’s never going to work. We Worst kitchen crime you’ve committed: But down-to-earth doesn’t mean drab. Symon’s path veers never open the second place until Gave a cook cornstarch instead of powdered Culinary Institute of Amer- toward the untested, not the tried and true. “The Chew” launched we have the best people to run it.” sugar for cotton candy ica graduate; won a James in 2011 as the network’s first daytime , but with not- The focus now is on growing Beard Award for Best Chef: Which actor would play you in your Great Lakes; author of three so-great ratings. Symon’s B-Spot Burgers restau- cookbooks and e-books; biopic? Robert De Niro “It’s always fun to be a part of something that hasn’t been done rants, the synthesis of his meat-cen- Detroit restaurant, Roast, before,” he says, pleased that the show’s audience has grown to a tric, comfort-food style (think named Restaurant of the respectable 2.5 million daily viewers. burgers, and beer). Dumbest thing a cook has ever done: Using Year by the Detroit Free With Lola, Symon chose Cleveland’s dicey Tremont neighbor- “I don’t know in 10 years from food coloring to get to the shade of saffron Press; opened Bar Symon in i’m a happY guY right nOw. i’LL dO tv as LOng as theY’LL hood. People thought he was crazy, but grew quiet after limos now where I will be, but if I am here, instead of the real deal for saffron risotto. Chef the Pittsburgh International Airport last year. Among his have me. i’LL trY tO grOw the restaurant brand and trY nOt became a regular sight at the restaurant and crowds never ceased. I’d be ecstatic,” Symon says. “I’m a then mocked me for being a purist many tattoos, he has “Got tO dO anYthing stupid. He’s also the first celebrity chef from Cleveland to play with the Bigs happy guy right now. I’ll do TV as Pork” paired with two pink Best hangover cure: Bloody Mary or a in New York (his Greek concept, Parea, closed after a year, but it’s long as they’ll have me. I’ll try to pigs on his chest. Lola is not in Symon’s DNA to dwell on it). grow the restaurant brand and try runny egg on a soft roll with cheese, bacon named after his aunt. And Symon seems as comfortable on TV as he is in the kitchen. not to do anything stupid.” n and mayo

42 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 43 Culinary Institute of America graduate Graduated from The Art Institute of Houston

Menu WHERE

stuff You Ought to Know Dishwasher about me THERE’S Culinary Institute of America graduate; ca- tered events for up to 10,000 people for the Cooking MacArthur Park Restaurant in Palo Alto, Calif.; SMOKEY, shows developed menus for more than she can count on one hand; doesn’t like combat- Travel ant TV cooking shows but thinks PBS culinary THERE’S FiRE programming is educational. The heat of the kitchen guides this chef By LAURA yEE

the wOrLd aCCOrding tO miLLer Walter Smokey Waters’ name is a tribute to his grand- MELiSSa MiLLER’S father (Walter) and great-grandfather (Smokey), but stuff You Ought to Know about me: Graduated from The Art Institute of Houston. Started as a dishwasher at Favorite road trip food: the corporate chef for Taco Cabana has also lived up sandwich from Roli in San Francisco Houston-based eatZi’s. Took a pass on fine dining because foams and nitrogen to the moniker. didn’t do it for him. Married. Loves what he’s doing now—allows for creativity, EXCELLENT “I was notorious for burning everything,” says travel and a normal life (off on holidays, late nights and weekends). Ingredient you’d kill for: Pimenton de la Vera (Spanish smoked paprika) Waters, recalling his youth spent preparing meals for family and workers at the 2,700-acre south Tex- aDVENTURES A burger is not complete without: The as farm he grew up on. “I would get so excited about perfect bun stuff, walk away to do something else and come This chef’s wanderlust has taken her through great back to something unrecognizable.” Cookbook you’re reading right now: Those kitchen fire days are done, replaced by kitchens and the great outdoors “Mediterranean Fresh” by Joyce Goldstein honed skills and love for a different kind of smoke. the wOrLd aCCOrding By CARLy FISHER you’d throw a shoe at the TV when this Waters, 31, is sweet on mesquite and oak for smok- tO waters is on: Pretty much all of the Food Network ing brisket. He loves the simplicity of these flavors, a passion he carries into his role at Taco Cabana, Ingredient you’d kill for: Would you ever eat super- your culinary sense would be ques- Cilantro on a taco market sushi? I’d like to say Melissa Miller has worked in enough kitchens local growers to provide seasonal produce a 162-unit, fast-casual Mexican concept in Texas, tioned if people knew you loved: Our New Mexico and Oklahoma. no, but I have to solve just about any problem, even a bear and game. house-made ranch dressing A burger is not complete “We try to bridge that gap between what every- munching on wedding cake before the bride When the allure of Alaska wore thin for this without: Blue cheese Worst kitchen crime you’ve and groom. native New Yorker, she headed south to Cali- What would you rather do—clean the one knows, like a beef taco, with guajillos (chiles) committed? Left a fish carcass “Since it was a beautiful day, I had the door fornia to work with some of the biggest names grease trap or fire an employee? The and cilantro,” Waters says. “For a street taco from Cookbook you’re reading in the kitchen toolbox of a open,” says Miller, recalling the scenario at in the business: Mary Sue Milliken and Susan grease trap. Guadalajara, we do a charred salsa that can be add- right now? “Mexico: One Plate co-worker who used to give at a Time” by Rick Bayless (again) her restaurant at the time, the Four Seasons, Feniger of the Border Grill; the legendary Bar- ed at the fresh salsa bar, but we add some ranch me a hard time. It was the mid- Would you ever eat supermarket dressing and sour cream to cut some of the heat dle of the summer in Houston in Soldotna, Alaska. “I looked around the bara Tropp of China Moon Café; and Mark you’d throw a shoe at the TV sushi? I’d rather not… and round out the flavors.” corner and suddenly there was a bear in the Franz/Jeremiah Tower at Stars. From there, when this is on: “.” Which actor would play you dining room. He was just helping himself to the bigger seemed better, and Miller left fine dining Which actor would play you in your While variety comes by way of menu specials ev- So overplayed in your biopic? Zach Galifi- wedding cake. We banged pots and pans and he for noncommercial foodservice, running the biopic? Susan Sarandon ery six months or so, the focus now is on consisten- anakis from “The Hangover.” took off. After a bit of frosting adjustment, no dining program at Stanford University. Today, cy and freshness, from tortillas made in-house to My culinary sense would be I’m kind of a goofball questioned if people knew I one was the wiser.” she manages three restaurants at SAP Labs in Dumbest thing a cook has ever done: flame-grilled meats and charred chiles. loved: A Big Mac Miller’s career has proven she knows how to Palo Alto, Calif., as an executive chef with Bon Accidentally ignited a punctured can of “You have to do what you are known for doing Dumbest thing a cook has spray oil ever done: A guy put ice in the get things done. She started as a waitress and Appétit Management. And somehow, between great, like cooking from scratch and retraining all What would you rather the cooks so that every restaurant makes rice and fryer. It shut the kitchen down bar manager and then went to culinary school. her many adventures, she’s found time to be- Best hangover cure: More of the same, do—clean the grease trap or Long before it was cool, Miller was preparing come a licensed private pilot. plus poached eggs in spicy crushed beans the same exact way,” Waters says. “This is fire an employee? Clean the Best hangover cure: Menudo bread and pasta in house and contracting with Who knows where she’ll end up next? n tomatoes and a crusty baguette. what I’m fired up about now.”n grease trap (tripe soup)

44 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 45 FOOD FANATIC ROAD TRIP! Get a mouthful from our resident expert

the highLights The right kind of changes add up ink (west hollywood) mOneY & sense Michael Voltaggio is about pushing boundaries. Think octopus over buttered- popcorn puree. Chi spacca, pizzeria mozza or Osteria mozza (west hollywood) Any of these places under the Italian empire of Nancy Silverton, and Joseph Bastianich are excellent bets.

night + market (west hollywood) Tiny kitchen. Badass Thai . Get your pork here. animal and son of a gun (mid-City west) Renegade chefs—Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo—know how to cook. Get your meat on at family-style Animal or get your fill of delicious, inexpensive seafood at Son of a Gun. (Try the shrimp toast. You can thank me later.) hinoki & the bird (west La) or Los angeles Comme Ça (west hollywood) David Myers emphasizes style LA is about flash and cash. Movie stars, socialites and head and elegance at the Japa- honchos being seen on the scene, photographed wearing nese-inspired Hinoki & the Bird. the latest whatever. There are plenty of places for star Try beef bourguignon, bone mar- spotting, from The Tower Bar—a post-Oscar favorite—to row and oxtail jam at Comme Ça. classics like Cecconi’s and The Ivy. In the ’80s, LA was a dining destination thanks to places giO LabiLe’s aLpha rita like Spago and Michael’s, but its star faded as other cities 2 ounces cilantro and serrano infused tequila, began to shine. Over the past few years, it’s seen a culinary recipe follows fOOd fanatiC renaissance, boasting everything from gastropubs to food ¾ ounce key lime juice trucks to the Hollywood staples of sushi and macrobiotic- ½ ounce elderflower elixir Aaron Williams is a Food 4 spritzes of Lagavulin 16 Fanatic for US Foods in LA. organic-vegan cuisine. Himalayan salt, as needed He’s a proud dad of three kids The once-seedy downtown Arts District now sees 1 sprig cilantro who hopes they’ll grow up limos pulling up to places like French bistro Church & 1 serrano chile, sliced on bias to be adventuresome diners. State. Melrose Avenue is home to plenty of shopping, Follow the Food Fanatic on just like in “Melrose Place” and “90210,” and great Combine infused tequila, key lime juice and elder- Twitter @ChefAaronW places to eat like Hatfield’s, Osteria Mozza, Ink and The flower elixir into shaker with ice. Shake and pour over ice in a glass brimmed with salt. Spray with Lagavulin Free to Range Foundry on Melrose. The Cahuenga corridor in the 16 and garnish with cilantro and 1 serrano ring. heart of Hollywood is a hot nighttime spot, where diners Find more A primer on product labeling at places like The Hotel Café can catch live music in an To infuse tequila, combine half bunch of chopped of Chef cilantro and half of a thinly sliced serrano in whip intimate setting. Aaron’s LA canister filled with one liter of Abreojos tequila. picks in No matter where you go, you never know which ce- Charge with nitrous oxide canister, let sit for an hour, this video. lebrity you’ll run into while grabbing a bite to eat. Now, release gas and strain. Makes one drink, courtesy of where’s my fork and knife? n Ocean Avenue Brewing Company. illustration by Tim Marrs illustration

46 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 47 NOT TOO LONG AGO, diners “People use terms like ‘grass-fed,’ ‘natural’ and ‘antibiotic free,’ with STUDY GUIDES had modest expectations for menus. their fingers crossed behind their People perused them, rather than THE EAT WELL GUIDE: Farms, restaurants, back, so it’s hard for consumers to studying each ingredient in detail. bakers and butchers who ascribe to the Ignorance was bliss. know exactly what they are getting,” site’s definition of “locally grown” and Such is the case no more. As local, Kastel says. sustainable and all-natural products If chefs want to offer that point of “sustainably raised” food. Eatwellguide.org continue to gain relevance, more differentiation, he says, they are best restaurants—from fine dining to quick served by paying extra for products REAL TIME FARMS: Crowd-sourced online casual—are using these ingredients labeled “organic”—a regulated term food-tracing system featuring farmers and and increasingly touting their that requires meeting strict govern- food producers. Realtimefarms.com presence. Diners eat it up, poring over ment guidelines. But as Frank Klein, CEO of the Asian menus with the same scrutiny they THE CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE: An online MENU TERMS LIKE apply to grocery labels for those feel- Box restaurants based in Palo Alto, good buzzwords. Calif., says, there are high-quality pro- reservoir of scorecards, reports and alerts LOCAL, SUSTAINABLE But what do these labels really ducers who can’t afford the organic on producers and products meeting stan- AND ALL NATURAL mean and are the products worth the certification or haven’t been in busi- dards outlined by the organic movement. typically higher costs? What’s the ness long enough to earn one. Cornucopia.org ARE INCREASINGLY difference between grass-fed and grass- Instead of promising organic prod- finished beef? Between antibiotic- ucts, Asian Box spells out its own APPEARING ON MENUS, free and no antibiotics administered definition of “all natural,” pledging chickens? Or an all-natural product that its products have not been treat- The fast-growing Veggie Grill restaurant group BUT WHICH HEALTHY versus an organic one? ed with antibiotics, hormones, pes- based in , for example, adheres to a CLAIMS ARE VALID AND Confused? You’re among the masses. ticides and unnatural additives—a 100-percent plant-based standard, which includes Other than USDA-certified organic commitment often referred to as a ban on meat, dairy, trans fats, honey and refined MATTER TO DINERS? labeling, the majority of these menu “never-ever.” . buzzwords lack regulation and stan- “We always go back to the source to “We don’t beat our chests about it,” CEO Greg dardized language. Nebulous claims can verify what’s on a label,” Klein says. “If Dollarhyde says. “We emphasize ‘craveability’ more be made without ramifications. we get pork, for example, it will have a than anything, but we make all our vendors sign As a result, it’s fallen to restaurant USDA number on it. We trace it back to agreements. We demand a complete list of all the owners and chefs to devise their own the producer and ask questions, ‘Tell ingredients used in the products we order. It’s our way definitions. In some cases, operators us the heritage. Is it natural? What of ensuring everyone meets our guidelines.” create standards, educating customers does it get fed?’ It’s not that we distrust while feeding them. anyone in the process; it’s just that if It Will Cost You we’re making a claim, we want to make Like any operation, concepts like Asian Box and Veggie How Do You Know? sure it’s accurate.” Grill base menu prices according to their food costs. But Mark Kastel, co-founder of The Cor- what about restaurants considering “organic” or “nev- nucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based Find A Niche er-ever” proteins, such as chicken or beef? food watchdog organization, says that This trend for food labels has created Depending on commodity prices, contracts and when it comes to most food labels, an opportunity for operators to focus overall orders with food distributors, costs are likely chefs should turn to one principle only: on unique and emerging food philos- to be 10 to 30 percent more than those of regular items. buyer beware. ophies breaking into the mainstream. But costs could be more than 150 percent greater for

TERMS TO TRUST

USDA Organic: Regulated USDA Process Verified No Antibiotics Adminis- term from the United Grass-Fed: Although tered: Meat and poultry States Department of grass-fed does not products stamped with Agriculture that ensures exclude the use of this term ensures that a product is free of antibiotics or hormones, no antibiotics were ever synthetic fertilizers, the term ensures that given to the animal during genetic modification and animals ate grass or their lifetime. This should toxic pesticides. Certified foraged greens for their not be confused with “no organic beef, poultry entire lives, instead of added” hormones. and dairy products are being grain-finished in guaranteed to be free of the final months before hormones and antibiotics. slaughter.

48 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER/FALL 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 49 certain certified organic or certified sustainable “Chefs and customers are both crying out for proteins like seafood. more traceability throughout the food chain,” Managing food costs with higher-cost prod- says HarvestMark founder Elliott Grant, whose ucts depends on menu balance. Some operators labels are placed on everything from strawberries are fine with a lower profit margin on a dish, see- to individual pieces of produce cultivated by small ing it as a point of differentiation. Others might farmers in the Pacific Northwest. “We let the increase the cost of a popular item to offset the market tell us what they want our labels to say.” loss, or simply charge more and explain the rea- Carbon footprint information and crowdsourcing sons to diners. data from diners and chefs are likely to follow. While Datassential’s studies show a tremendous Play Detective uptick in the use of terms like “hormone-free,” Often the best way to ensure that beef is grass- “grass-fed” and “sustainable,” the 2012 Eco Pulse fed or poultry has never been treated with report from the Shelton Group, a Knoxville, HealtHy Halo: drugs is by doing extra homework, says Chef Tenn.-based communications agency, shows that The assumption most consumers apply David Coleman of Michael’s on Naples in Long labels indicating “no antibiotics or hormones” to organic products, automatically Beach, Calif. Contact the farmer or rancher rank similarly with “organic” and “all-natural” in correlating the term with better taste, raising the product or take advantage of new terms of importance for most consumers. fewer calories and stronger values technologies that can trace their ingredients As a result, many restaurant owners, like Gerry even if they’re no different than their non-organic counterparts. to the suppliers. Cea of Café Prima Pasta in Miami Beach, Fla., have HarvestMark, for instance, creates specialized begun testing the waters by putting antibiottic- labels that can be applied to clamshells, boxes or free chicken specials on their menu, using it to individual pieces of produce. A chef merely has gauge consumer interest and create a dialogue Top Three descripTions to scan the label with a smartphone or type its about the health benefits of such products. consumers wanT To see 16-digit code into a computer to find a wealth of “I think it’s going to work the way gluten-free on foods labels are: information about that product, including a de- has,” Cea says. “Once I started talking about scription of the farm it came from or a video of the health benefits with people, they tried No artificial flavors, the farmer talking about how he raised that par- them and kept ordering them. People want colors, additives or advertisement ticular product, or whether it is part of a recall. to eat healthy. But in the end, it’s going to be preservatives The system also allows chefs to provide feedback how good these [products] taste that’s going to 100 percent natural directly to the grower. make the biggest difference.” n No antibiotics or page 51 Peter Gianopulos, an adjunct professor and dining critic, began paying more attention to the hormones transparencies of food labels after spending a “vacation” working on a farm in Tennessee. terms requiring investigatiOn

Free Range: The term Natural: According merely denotes that an to the Food and Drug animal has access to the Administration, the outdoors for a portion of term can be used if an the day. However, length item is free of added of time outdoors and the colors, artificial flavors type of environment it had or synthetic substances. access to can vary greatly. That says nothing about how an animal was raised and leaves a host of additives that can be added to a product.

Antibiotic Free: The Never-Ever: Often USDA says it doesn’t connected to describing authorize the use of the natural, this is an term “antibiotic free,” so unregulated term for the label has no specific proteins that have never meaning. Chefs should been given antibiotics or also be wary of the hormones. phrase “no antibiotic residues,” which implies antibiotic levels are below a certain threshold. BY JOLINE RIVERA; ILLUSTRATIONS BY SHANNON DIAMOND; Sources: Eco Pulse BY JOLINE RIVERA; ILLUSTRATIONS 2012 Report, The Shelton Group; FoodNavigator.com; Datassentials; Cornell University Food and Brand Lab. P HOTOS

50 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 For more drink recipes, go to FOODFANATICS.COM

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52 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 53 Bar R’evolution can add up to $10,000 a week in sales from the bar menu during off- hours with dishes like an egg-topped burger and a charcuterie plate (bottom right). Balancing act: How to WHEN MID-AFTERNOON HUNGER HITS, TODAy’S DINERS Manage the Chaos ARE LESS LIkELy TO BE MET WITH A BOWL OF PEANUTS Adding a snack menu can make the line AT THE RESTAURANT BAR OR A CANNED RESPONSE OF chaotic while cooks prep for dinner. That means the menu needs to work with—rather “THE kITCHEN OPENS AT 5.” than against—the kitchen’s usual pre-service INSTEAD, A BONA FIDE SNACk MENU, ONE THAT APTLy duties. STRADDLES THAT AWkWARD TIME BETWEEN LUNCH “It is kind of wild and crazy in here,” says Yoni Levy, chef de cuisine at Flora in AND DINNER, IS BECOMING THE NORM. IT’S THE FOURTH Oakland, Calif. “Sometimes the grill is filled DAyPART: A VERIFIED OPPORTUNITy FOR ADDITIONAL with 15 burgers and I have to jump in and help finish prep while the cooks finish the REVENUE AND ECONOMIC EFFICIENCy. burgers. Sometimes it is a challenge, but it makes our cooks stronger.” “They work because they fill a gap,” says Chef many people cut their costs at those periods, Rick Tramonto, who creates snack menus for but that is not thinking long term.” It’s also important to consider customers’ Bar R’evolution at Restaurant R’evolution in time constraints. Flora and the adjacent Fauna New Orleans. These gaps can be obvious, such 4. Increases Sales. It doesn’t get more cater to those coming to the neighborhood’s as those between lunch and dinner or dinner compelling than the bottom line, and serving live music venues. Snack dishes include chicharrones (fried pork rinds), burgers and and lights out. But snack menus also can fill diners during down periods translates into other finger foods that are easy to enjoy demographic holes, allowing folks who can’t af- increased revenues. Tramonto estimates that quickly before a concert starts. ford the full dinner menu to still get a taste of it. a restaurateur can add $8,000-$10,000 to the Need convincing? A snack menu boasts these coffers weekly with the right snack menu. “We additional benefits: will do a couple thousands dollars at the bar What’s An In-Between Times Menu? before we are even open,” he says. Call it a snack or bar menu, small bites or 1. Cuts Food Costs. A well-planned bar Chef James Rigato of The Root Restaurant anytime offerings—they feature diner favorites or creative takes on: menu reduces food waste and costs. and Bar in White Lake, Mich., agrees, as At Story in Prairie Village, Kan., short ribs appetizers generally have the best food costs. ❯ Appetizers scraps from the dinner menu end up in gnoc- “You can sell something for $12 that has 20 Heirloom tomato salad and prime steak tartar with ❯ Finger foods chi on the snack menu. Cuts left over from the percent protein. Most people want to sell wine a local duck egg are snack options at ❯ Easy-to-prep dishes Annie Gunn’s. halibut entree are transformed into seafood bottles, but the glasses have much better cost. It Eat This ❯ Ingredients already featured risotto on the bar menu. is the same thing with a snack menu.” on the lunch or dinner menu Don’t approach snacks as glorified “It might be a little more work, but we turn bar menus, but rather a way to it to our advantage (and) use all the odds and 5. Hones the Staff. Smaller menus are show off skills and use ingredients ends,” says Carl Thorne-Thomsen, Story’s perfect training ground for cooks who aren’t creatively to feed hungry custom- owner and executive chef. ready to plan a full dinner menu. ers between meals. Chef James “This is a great place for a chef to tell a line Rigato of The Root Restaurant and 2. Puts you On Trend. Snacks are the cook, ‘I need bar apps. Why don’t you try not everybody gets Bar specifically designs his dishes to pair with beer. “It is food that new supper. Good kitchens don’t reinvent to do this?’” Tramonto says. “It gives them makes you want to drink,” he says. themselves every time the public has a whim, opportunity to engage.” to eat breakfast at but keeping current is important. An appetizer- Here’s a cross section of some style menu for off-meal hours shows you’re up 6. Builds the Customer Base. If your lunch 7 a.m. and lunch at dishes that make us want to skip to date. and dinner menus are more substantial, they lunch and go straight to a snack: may be the occasional treat for diners in your noon. having the staff ❯ 3. Serves a Changing Workforce. Be- neighborhood. But a more affordable bar snack Creole snapping turtle and the food available soup at Restaurant R’evolution in tween-meals menus accommodate an emerging menu turns locals into regulars. New Orleans workforce that operates outside 9-to-5 hours. Flora in Oakland, Calif., sees some diners means people know Restaurant workers, swing-shifters, telecom- eating at the bar four to five times per week. ❯ Tuna tartar with cucumbers, mint, potato chip and caviar at Story in Prairie muters, business travelers, nurses and graduate Adds Story’s Thorne-Thomsen: “We are an Village, Kan. students are just some of these professionals upscale restaurant in a city that does not really that you are a place to with schedules that break from the norm. go for upscale. This lets us also be perceived as ❯ Vegan Michigan cranberry bean hummus with pickled onion, balsamic syrup, sumac and grilled pita at The Root Restaurant and Bar in White Lake, Mich. “Not everybody gets to eat breakfast at 7 a.m. accessible.” n go to at 3 p.m. and lunch at noon,” says Mark Hinkle, manager - Manager Mark Hinkle of Annie Gunn’s ❯ Caramel popcorn with candy floss at Diversion, a Seattle pop-up tapas of Annie Gunn’s in Chesterfield, Mo. “Having Margaret Littman writes and lives in Nash- restaurant from Chef Sam Crannell the staff and the food available means people ville, where there’s never a shortage of good know that you are a place to go to at 3 p.m. So bars and good bar food. ❯ Salumi and pickled hot pepper at Maialino in New York

54 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 55 Jack Dusty at beYOnd the pLate The Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota, Fla., groups low- backed chairs and low settees with large coffee tables.

THE PART OF dining out that achieve this goal, chair back dimensions should should keep patrons at the edge of their seats be at least 18 inches high and have a base (seat) is an epic dish—not an uncomfortable chair. at least 20 inches wide. But choosing a superb seat can be tough. It’s Space is a premium at French bistro La Coop a combination of knowing your concept and in Louisville, Ky. Co-owner Steven Ton tackled market, deciding between chairs, stools or the problem using classic wooden Bentwood benches, and taking stock of comfort, utility chairs in the dining room and bar stools for and space constraints. So pull up a chair and counter seating. get schooled on striking the right balance “The dimensions fit the small dining space, between form and function. the style is appropriate for the concept and the unpadded wooden frame provides the needed transparency for a larger spatial feel- Lap of Luxury ing,” Ton says. Chairs are the tacit centerpieces of hospitable spaces, inviting people to sit and relax. The Sit, But Not Too Long most common seating features are a slightly Want to give guests a place to park themselves lower stance, a wide, deep seat and low-slung immediately but prevent lingering? Go with The Hot Seat arms, but a good chair is a balance of propor- hard surfaces, little to no padding, narrow seat- what’s next in chair trends? america’s tion rather than dimension. ing, low (or no) backs and no arms. leading designers weigh in: “Style and context determine the appropriate Ton opted for a classic upholstered Ladder- look and feel for any furniture group,” says back chair with a metal laddered back in the All About The Fabric Patrick O’Hare, vice president at EDG Interior dining room at his other Louisville restaurant, Michelle Bushey, design director at ID Studio 4 in Irving, Texas, says Architecture + Design in San Rafael, Calif. Doc Crow’s Southern Smokehouse and Raw “Typically, a lounge-style chair is grouped to upholstered chairs are on the rise Bar. “The chairs provide adequate comfort and for restaurants wanting to convey take advantage of the intimacy afforded by a support without the luxurious touches,” he comfort and sophistication. Because comfortable setting, which is inspired by high- says. Barstools with semi-backing also encour- food and drink stains are inevitable, end residential settings.” age turnover throughout the evening. she recommends using luxury vinyl or O’Hare used this grouping strategy while Ultimately, a good chair comes down to pur- faux leather with a matching back or coordinated fabric. designing luxury seaside lounge Jack Dusty at pose and proportions. Figure out the core of The Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota, Fla. Low-backed your concept and how long you want guests to seating with enveloping arms pairs with low Flex your Armrests stay put. At the very least, it’s worth having a Armrests add an element of relaxation settees and large coffee tables. Light fabric and few folks test a seat ahead of time before mak- and tend to promote longer meal pe- leather, enhanced with splashes of colorful ing a big investment. n riods. To minimize table squatters, use throw pillows, provide a casually elegant beach chairs made of wood or metal with house look, while commercial-grade, stain-re- little to no padding and backs that ex- tend to the middle of patrons’ backs, sistant coatings protect against wear and tear. Rob Benes is a Chicago-based journalist who The dining room at Brooklyn, N.Y., hotspot says Ed Norman, president of MVP has written about the hospitality industry for Services Group in Dubuque, Iowa. TaKE a Fushimi leans towards plush, comfortable 10 years. seating. Douglas Horst, president of Horst De- Play With Texture sign International in Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Timeless colors and patterns picked horseshoe-shaped enclaves with deep always convey a sense of luxury, padding and soft velour-type upholstery that says Melanie Corey-Ferrini, founder Brooklyn’s Fushimi uses plush seating for a of Dynamikspace in Seattle, Wash. provide full-height back support. sultry vibe. “A luxurious seat option includes an ex- Pick chairs with soft textures and neutral patterns to create an tra-wide seating area and fully supporting back effortlessly chic look. rest,” Horst says. “The higher the better—both PUT YOURSELFSEaT iN THE DRiVER’S aesthetically and ergonomically.” Tight Quarters The Ladderback chairs SEaT FOR GUEST COMFORT at Doc Crow’s Southern Raw materials without upholstery, such as By ROB BENES Smokehouse provide wooden or metal chairs, can make a smaller just enough comfort. space feel larger and provide visual interest. To

56 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 57 iHELP Be efficient and tech savvy at the same time PR MACHINE Sharp ideas to get butts in seats

changes can be a time suck. Web- a database of thousands of wines, based platform HotSchedules, beers and spirits with pictures of Restaurant Opening Red Flags: Set Yourself Up for Success which updates and streamlines labels, information on vineyards By EllEn Malloy scheduling via desktop computer and food pairing recommenda- or smartphone app can help. tions. Restaurants can customize ThE rEsTauranT opEninG Managers and employees can wine lists, which customers can — Don’t forget the small stuff Do address those view their schedule, request browse via tablets at the table for new or relaunch—can be an Take time to vet your own facts. Look for a shift swap or release, and an interactive experience. exhilarating rush of realized message co-workers to see who’s transposed telephone numbers, misspell- devilish details working during a particular shift. Who’s using it: Restaurants, hotels, dreams or a white-knuckled roller ings of the chef’s name, missing addresses Due diligence may HotSchedules can be integrated country clubs and casinos that coaster ride of doom. No matter and other inconsistencies like variations of not be sexy, but it’s with most major POS systems. offer a separate wine list and the situation, mission-critical typically carry more than 60 the restaurant’s name. Is it upper or lower “due” for a reason. Who’s using it: About 2,000 customers wines, beers, spirits or cocktails. flare-ups are waiting around case? Does it include “The?” Most impor- Are you OSHA such as restaurants Customers include the Congres- every corner. compliant? Is your credit nationwide and AJ’s Seafood & sional Country Club in Bethesda, tantly, don’t publish or share any menus Oyster Bar in Destin, Fla. Md., and Mesquite Chop House without prices. Ever. card processing secure and with locations in Memphis, Tenn. From staffing sorrows to decor updated? Does your insurance Cost: Starts at $25 or $62.50 (per disasters, fires rage all around, company cover credit card month) with an existing POS Cost: Starts at $150 per month. with new ones ready to spark. system, plus a one-time setup fraud? Have you taken photos With so much emergency fee per location. Daily business analysis: Restaurateurs DO EngAgE YOUR COMMUnITY of the key players, menu items often receive more data than management, it’s tough to step AnD ASK FOR SUppORT and interiors so they can be Digital Dish Instant customer feedback: Unhappy they have time to analyze. back to ensure your bases are patrons will turn to Yelp to Copilot Labs aims to break Social media is a great opportunity to grow a devoted used on your website and How tech makes operations easy vent instead of a manager. Talk- through the “information covered. To help, here’s a checklist audience. For restaurants, in particular, marketing on social media sites alongside ToTheManager allows restau- overload” with software that to ensure crowds instead of quiet: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can be as easy as menus and restaurant FAQs? rants to receive and respond to reviews everything from sales sharing what you do each day. Still, make sure you have Everything should be available By Monica GinsBurG anonymous texts from cus- volume to table turnover in tomers as they dine. It also lets conjunction with Micros and a weekly plan for what you’ll share and stick to it. for sharing via email, too. customers know when an issue Aloha POS systems. Copilot also is resolved. Positive feedback compares data anonymously to Don’t wash your hanDs Technology is infiltrating is ready, tracks wait times and can be posted to social media. similar businesses and identifies of responsibility the hospitality industry like the number of guests waiting. opportunities for growth. Whether you have a PR firm DOn’T ATTEMpT AnY pROMOTIOn OR never before with the arrival Who’s using it: Restaurants include or a staff member handling OUTREACh WIThOUT A FOLLOW-Up pLAn of mobile devices at the table, Who’s using it: Approximately 3,000 Serendipity Cafe and Lounge in Who’s using it: Approximately marketing, you’re still online reservation systems and restaurants including Umami Seattle, and Pinocchio’s Italian 100 restaurants and small responsible for getting the Getting bodies in the door means alternative payment methods. Restaurant Group in California, Eatery with locations in Colorado. restaurant groups, predomi- Do play to your strengths right information out the nothing without a plan to bring “Restaurants have been slow and Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Projected to have 2,000 service nately in California. A good marketing and public relations plan is door. Establish a process them back. If you’re gathering to adopt new technology, but nationwide. and hospitality businesses on as essential as great ingredients and a capable for sharing names for a mailing list, for example, Cost: new dishes, there’s no avoiding the smart- board by year’s end. Currently no fee for have a strategy for how often you’ll phone and tablet revolution,” Cost: Free for unlimited one-way software or email reports. Fees staff. Know what makes your restaurant special changes says Aaron Allen, CEO of Aaron text messages and end-of-day Cost: $29 per month per location for additional services are being and share it—details big and small—with the in hours send information. Allen & Associates, an Orlando, summaries. The premium for unlimited text messaging. tested in San Francisco and are and other OND media and social sites like Facebook and Twitter. news. Fla.-based restaurant consult- package ($49 per month) expected to be available by the IA m ing firm.“ It’s time to update. includes two-way texting, Digital sommeliers: Many diners end of the year. customized text notifications are uncomfortable ordering Don’t assume you won’t get reviews on your first night It doesn’t matter whether you’re officially open or doing a practice run with Mobile Waitlisting: Deep six paper and additional analytics. wine from traditional wine Monica Ginsburg is a business waitlists and buzzers. NoshList lists because they don’t want to friends and family. You can bet that guests will be tweeting and instagramming reviews before night one is over. Be on your A-game to problem solve on the fly. Streamlined labor management: writer for a variety of publica- notifies customers by text or gamble with an unfamiliar bottle. tions, including Crain’s Chicago phone message when their table Schedule requests and shift New iPad app Uncorkd features Business. BY JOHN HOLCROFT ILLUSTRATION BY S HANNON D ILLUSTRATION Ellen Malloy is the founder of Restaurant Intelligence Agency, a web-based tool that simplifies marketing for chef-driven restaurants.

58 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 59 Seasoned advice on the DEAR FOOD FANATIC front and back of the house End Kitchen Nightmares take this test Work in a kitchen long enough and you’ll come across chefs so exasperating there aren’t enough expletives to describe them. While it’s standard practice to just “suck it up,” we Food Fanatics say cooks, managers and restaurant owners need to find ways to cope. Save yourself a few cold sweats by figuring out your chef’s personality type. You’ll better understand your chef—and see if you can take the heat or get out of the kitchen.

advertisement 1. When you ask your chef to lower food costs, she: what when bringing plates to the table. your chef: A. Smiles politely, nodding in agreement. A server A. Tells you to relax. A couple of flaws are no big deal. later spills that she mocked you and doesn’t plan on B. Snarls, makes a fist and says, “I’ll take care of this.” doing a thing. C. Believes it’s an opportunity to talk about the food. B. Screams at you. It’s hard to make out what she’s D. Says fire the servers—there’s only room for perfection. page 60 saying between all those F-bombs. C. Looks glassy-eyed, as if she’s in an alternate SCORING: universe. Mostly As D. Asks you to point out which part of the menu you’d The zen One. This chef might be a superficial version of like to lose quality in. Eric Ripert—amiable and friendly, minus the talent. It’s hard to get a rise out of him, and sometimes you wonder if he has 2. An unsatisfied guest unleashes a barrage of service a pulse. Reach this chef with balance. Pick your battles and complaints on Twitter. your chef: show, don’t tell, how to best solve issues. fOOd fanatiC A. Waves her hand, as if to make the problem magically Mostly Bs Scott McCurdy is a Food disappear. The Screamer. Sounds like you are working for Gordon Fanatic for US Foods from B. Retweets, adding how bleeping stupid they are. Ramsay’s doppelganger. When this chef calls you a Denver who hikes, bikes, C. Looks dumbfounded and says, “It doesn’t matter. It’s worthless piece of $#!%, don’t take it personally. Keep your hunts mushrooms and all about the food.” head down, work harder than anyone else and admit to shares the love of food with D. Hands you Sirio Maccioni’s book, “Sirio: The Story of your mistakes. If you’re a general manager or owner, talk to fellow talented chefs. My Life and Le Cirque,” and tells you to read up. the chef one-on-one, preferably at the end of the shift and over a cocktail. 3. A menu overhaul has you scratching your head— Mostly Cs the prices are out of whack and the dishes don’t mesh The Bro. His stoner, laissez-faire attitude makes you with the restaurant’s concept. The chef: wonder how he gets through the day. Appeal to his A. Says, “Everything will be OK.” sensibilities by tying in the importance of the food’s B. Gives you a cold stare. Hell just froze over. integrity. Don’t let him manage the books or food costs. C. Talks about his vision for great food. Mostly Ds @chefsmccurdy D. Gives you a dissertation about flawless execution. The Perfectionist. This person brings to mind the Follow the Food Fanatic on diligence and passion found in great chefs like Thomas Twitter for more inside tips 4. A few servers mess up position numbers when Keller. Demonstrate your commitment to excellence, but entering orders, so they’re always asking who got reinforce the importance of give and take.

got a question for the food fanatic? email challenges, comments and suggestions to [email protected]

foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 61 i’LL drinK tO that! 6 Tips for Cashing in WiTH A lUSH ArOUND on Drink Trends every corner, alcoholic drinks are 1. Start small, focusing on one trend an easy sell. But enticing custom- before adding another. ers to choose your bar requires a 2. Bartenders know what guests like, so solicit their input. beverage menu that truly stands out. Grab their attention with 3. Give out samples and get feedback. 5 ne these beverage trends: 4. Hone recipes and make them right w be every time. ve 1. Spiked Nostalgia ra 5. Educate staff so they can help upsell. ge Kid favorites such as floats, milkshakes and t egg creams get adult flair with a splash of li- 6. Tell your customers about new re quor. Boozy milkshakes go hand-in-hand drink programs. Use your website and n with burgers at Atlanta’s Grindhouse Killer promote through social media and other d Burgers, which offers a Big Lebowski-inspired marketing channels. s White Russian milkshake called The Dude- m rino ($8.50). New York City’s Evelyn Drink- a ery serves contemporary takes on classic egg k creams, including the London Cream, a concoc- i menu since opening two years ago. n tion of Earl Grey milk, bergamot, honey, lemon, “I’ve always been a firm believer in of- Purple Pin

g Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Bombay dry gin and seltzer ($9). While Evelyn’s fering some type of zero-octane cock-

a millennial demographic isn’t very familiar with tail for guests,” he says. “It’s nice to

bubbling s

the egg creams of yesteryear, partner Jared offer something outside of just a soda.” 12 ounces vanilla ice cream

p Shepard says they’re great showpieces. Bars like Pouring Ribbons in New York 1 ounce whole milk

l 1 ounce gin a “People aren’t going to drink six egg creams,

City up the ante with specialty mock- 1 ounce Crème de Violette

s but they do like to talk about them,” he says. tails that match the cocktail program, h 1 ounce raspberries featuring everything from fresh hon- By CARLy FISHER Place ingredients in a blender, process 2. Catch Barflies With Drinking Vinegars eydew and cucumber juice to orgeat top With the popularity of seasonally driven bar and serve. Makes 1 serving. to the (sweet, fragrant syrup). menus, many bartenders are stocking their stations with shrubs, drinks made by the 4. How ’Bout Them Apples? Colonial-era technique of cooking sweetened Ciders aim to be the next big thing since vinegar with fruit and letting it age. Basically the craft beer movement. Artisanal anything can be made into a shrub, from the cideries offer a spectrum of nuanced 5. Big Things in Small Batches rosemary-thyme vinegar in the McTwist flavors and techniques for pairing, from Like wine and craft beer nerds, cocktail ($10) at Joule Restaurant in Seattle dry hopping to aging in French oak and drinkers are seeking diverse spirits to rhubarb vinegar in the Simple Pleasure bourbon barrels. An added bonus: most from small-batch distilleries. Some cocktail ($9) at Minneapolis bar Parlour. ciders are gluten-free, a selling point for bars and restaurants are offer small Mixologist Lynn House, who features a those with an intolerance. specialty lists, such as Nopalito in blackberry-basil shrub at Blackbird in Chica- Co-owner Benjamin Sandler of San Francisco, which features a select go, says shrubs maximize seasonal fruits and Queens Kickshaw in Queens, N.Y., mezcal and tequila collection just shy herbs. “We are seeing a resurgence of shrubs says the number of ciders on its bev- of 30 bottles. Bistro Rollin in Pelham, because more people are realizing their versa- erage list tripled over the past two N.Y., takes the local approach with tility,” she says. “Shrubs also bring a wonderful- years, from around 10 to 30. At Ter- about 20 boutique gins, bourbons, ly unique flavor profile to cocktails.” roir’s five locations in New York City, rums and moonshines from Upstate the cider program has grown steadi- New York. “In some ways, (small- 3. Boozeless Wonders ly over the past couple years as well. batch liquors) are an extension of Not every customer wants to drink alcohol, but “It’s still a small movement, but cider an interesting wine list,” says Paul a dry customer isn’t necessarily bad for bars. is growing 15 to 20 percent per year,” Bratone, Bistro Rollin’s owner. Sober patrons might stay longer—and order says Dan Flaherty, Terroir’s beer and “Diners want ‘local,’ and some want more drinks as a result. Head bartender Kevin spirits director. “If you want to be seen a new challenge. From the restaurant’s Dietrich of Jasper’s Corner Tap in San Fran- as having a great beverage program, standpoint, it’s a minimal amount Get this boozy cisco has had non-alcoholic drinks on the milkshake recipe, you can’t leave cider out anymore.” of investment.” opposite page. 62 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 foodfanatics.com | FOOD FANATICS 63 BY THE NUMBERS Work it up with these figures

top 5 CoCktail trendS bottoms up 1. on-Site barrel-aged drinkS With the cocktail craze at its height, it’s time to take advantage of what’s on trend. Here’s a look at 2. Culinary CoCktailS (e.g., the numbers to help increase your bottom line: Savory, FreSH ingredientS) 3. regional Signature CoCktailS 4. beer-baSed CoCktailS 5. organiC CoCktailS

COCKtaiL 110 advertisement 17% Number of menus with of cocktails ordered garnish “skinny” cocktails in 2012, in the summer Locally sourced compared to 0 feature tequila produce in 2009 (fruits and vegetables) page 113 NPD GROUP, T ECHNOMIC . HE NPD GROUP, MINTEL , T , ANALYSTS INDUSTRY 8 in 10 50% Number of millennials (ages 21-34) who Frozen, slushy drinks, such as consumed an alcoholic beverage in a bar, increase76% in cocktails blended margaritas, constitute restaurant or other on-premise venue in described as “classic” half of all drink sales during the past week between 2009-2012 warmer months BAL BY NICK O’ MARA ; S OURCES : GLO ILLUSTRATION

64 FOOD FANATICS | Summer/Fall 2013 Sweet success

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Sticky Spicy Sweets and Wings

See this recipe made right now on your smartphone Simplot Sweets® don’t take away from traditional fry sales, they simply sweeten your bottom line. With their farm-cured natural sweetness and variety of kitchen-friendly cuts, you can use them to create stunning appetizers in addition to incredible fry upgrades. Discover more sweet recipes at simplotfoods.com/sweets.

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BLEED: 9.25" x 10.75" TRIM: 9" x 10.5" LIVE: 8.5" x 10" 03131775016344-13

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