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traDItIoN TWhIet sho uap -t WISt and-sandwich menu category is revamped

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Features With time and  12 the WoW FaCtor 41 rapID reSpoNSe Spoon and Fork’s multi-ethnic concept is resources at a premium, operators are taking winning converts as it expands across the a closer look at rapid-cook technology Greater Toronto Area By Jackie Sloat-Spencer By Denise Deveau

The gourmet comfort of 16 beWICh’D 012 today’s soups and sandwiches is captivating Departments e 2 Th ort diners By Mary Luz Mejia Rep 2 FroM the eDItor BAR 3 MaStheaD N

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V (left to right ): Susan Bull, manager, Nutrition and Foodservices; Anne Marie Males, vice-president, Patient Experience;

O oN the CoVer: C Deborah Lennox, chef, Nutrition and Foodservices — all from The Scarborough Hospital - General Campus in Ontario

FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 1 FroM the eDItor

For daily news and announcements: @fsworld on and Foodserviceworld on twitter Facebook

hItthenI iNt comGes to ptrodhucineg a tMhat oanly mrakesK the end result stronger, national magazine, feedback ultimately benefiting the reader. is always crucial. After all, We’re proud of our affiliation with the how do we know we’re doing a great job industry’s best, and we’re happy to if no one tells us? Sure, our talented announce we’ve recently added several Wteam of writers and editors can generate members to our Board, strengthening myriad story ideas based on market - what was already a solid group. Last place news and trends, but there can be month, F&H featured a double-page a disconnect between what we think spread ( see September issue, p. 26 ), high - readers want and what they actually lighting our updated EAB. For those who need. At the end of the day, how do we may have missed the issue, visit kostuch - really know we’re hitting the mark? media.com for a snapshot or take a look at That’s usually where readership surveys our masthead ( see p. 3 ) to glean the Board’s come in. Every few years, we commis - composition. Undoubtedly, you’ll agree we sion a research company to survey read - have the foundation of a great group of ers to find out what they think about industry leaders, one that can only make our magazine. But, above and beyond our publication stronger. As a group, we that, direct reader interaction is always meet twice a year for in-depth discussions best. And that usually comes in the form about how to improve the magazine. We of letters to the editor, via social media brainstorm on story ideas to focus our We’re proud of outlets such as Facebook and Twitter efforts and determine how best to reach and through personal interaction with our potential. Beyond that, the Board acts our affiliation with “ readers at industry events and meetings. as ambassadors of our publication, keep - the industry’s best, But, at Kostuch Media, we’re also fortu - ing us connected to you, our reader, to and we’re happy nate to engage our readership through ensure we never rest on our laurels. We another tool: our Editorial Advisory look forward to working closely with the to announce we’ve Board (EAB). Board so we can best serve your needs — recently added For more than 40 years, Foodservice today and beyond. several members and Hospitality has prided itself in keep - ing connected to a strong group of indus - to our [Advisory] try-leading advisors. We’ve typically mad e Board, strengthening use of the Board to connect to our evolv - what was already ing readership. Since the EAB is reflective of the industry it serves, representing var - a solid group ious segments (chains, independents and the supply chain), it provides us with a ” wonderful resource to cull from for story ideas, marketplace know-how and as a sounding board for new company initia - tives. Occasionally, members of our EAB write columns, lending their knowledge and expertise; sometimes they share con - tacts to make our stories stronger and more relevant, and other times they lead Rosanna Caira us in new and interesting directions. Editor/Publisher Either way, it’s a winning collaboration [email protected]

2 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM HOW DO YOUR SANDWICHES STACK UP?

PRESIDENT & GROUP PUBLISHER MITCH KOSTUCH [email protected] EDITOR & PUBLISHER ROSANNA CAIRA rcaira@ kostuchmedia.com

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Volume 45, Number 8. Published monthly 12 times per year by Kostuch Media Ltd., 23 Lesmill Rd., Suite 101, Toronto, Ont. , M3B 3P6. Tel: (416) 447-0888, Fax (416) 447-5333, website: foodserviceworld.com.

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Canada Post – “Canadian Publication Mail Product Sales Agreement #40063470.” heights, contact Piller’s Foodservice Sales. Postmaster send form 33-086-173 (11-82). We’re experts at helping your foodservice programs climb Return mail to: Kostuch Media Ltd., 23 Lesmill Rd., Suite 101, Toronto, Ont. , M3B 3P6. to their potential. Member of CCAB, a Division of BPA International, International Foodservice Editorial Council, Canadian Restaurant & Foodservices Association, The American Business Media and The Canadian Business Press. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Foodservice Sales • 1-800-265-2628 Canada, through the Canadian Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities. www.pillersfoodservice.com Printed in Canada on recycled stock.

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a FaMILY aFFaIr Susur Lee isn’t the only member of his family working on new culinary projects. His sons, Levi and Kai Bent-Lee, recently opened their first restaurant, Bent, in downtown Toronto, with Susur helming the kitchen. “It’s a variety of very healthy and light he days of frozen hamburgers and soggy fries are long gone. Students attending eating,” says Susur of the menu Toronto public schools will soon be eating from a new, healthier, student-inspired menu designed by Susur Lee. The internationally renowned chef of the Toronto-based that features sharing-style plates tLee restaurant is the face of the new My Food My Way campaign, which has been creat - of crudo, sashimi, ceviche and ed to draw students back to the cafeteria and promote healthy eating. It’s an urgent issue, braised, slow-cooked food. too, since dozens of cafeterias in Toronto closed after lagging sales, following Ontario’s Expect dishes of tuna and 2008 ban on selling foods containing trans fats in schools. The My Food My Way pro - gram — organized by CUPE Local 4400 and the Toronto District School Board as part watermelon ceviche with shaved of a larger Healthy Living Healthy Learning campaign — began with a social-media red onion, cilantro, crispy drive on Facebook that determined kid’s food and even cafeteria decor preferences ( see shallots, fresh citrus juice and sidebar below ). Lee will helm the culinary facet of the program, offering more appetiz - ing options, including dishes that reflect the city’s diversity. “My role is to [offer] anoth - rocoto chili ($15) or chicken er way to look at the multicultural face of food and give kids more variety, so they don’t dumplings, filled with mushroom want to [leave the building] and eat somewhere else,” he explains. In addition to revamp - and leeks, goat cheese sauce, ing the food offerings, the chef will be hosting cooking lessons in cafeteria kitchens as roasted chorizo and pesto ($16), well as organizing a student culinary competition, which will see the winning dish added to the school’s menu. “I really want to get involved in learning what [students] like and complemented by a list of Sake also give them a sense of freedom,” says the chef. In the meantime, Lee hopes to help and wine. revamp the atmosphere of the cafeterias to better appeal to kids by eliminating fluores - cent lighting, adding artwork and making the spaces tech-friendly, for example. “Kids can stay there, do their thing; I like to see kids mingling around, communicating,” he says.

KIDS CONNECT My Food My Way organizers are soliciting input from students the kid’s way — through Facebook. The marketing team created a survey where students can state their preferences on cafeteria foods, lunch budgets and favourite places to eat. The site also features food facts, fun food-related pictures (LED-light sabre chopsticks, anyone?), and even a recipe for Kanye West’s Maple Salmon. “Kids are smart. We want to give them the chance to voice their opinions and take an active role in this campaign,” says Ahmad Ktaech, managing director of K&Co, the branding and marketing firm behind My Food My Way. For more details, visit myfoodmyway.ca.

FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 5 FYI

The onset of autumn presented the perfect opportunity for Tundra, located in the main level of Toronto’s Hilton hotel, to unveil its renewal, A PRETTY PINOT tundra showcasing a new menu and upgraded design. Executive chef Kevin Two Oceans, the South reborn Prendergast is now preparing locally sourced, seasonally inspired foods African wine brand, with dishes such as buffalo mozzarella with petit pois, charred leeks, pea recently introduced its shoots, pickled fiddleheads and pine nut shards ($16) as well as seared new Pinot Grigio, featur - scallops with saffron wheat berries, sautéed watercress and carrot coconut ing a floral aroma and emulsion ($19). Complementing the beauty of the Northern landscape, flavours of peach, apricot the new design, by Montreal-based firm Lemaymichaud, incorporates and hints of lychee. It’s elements of fire, Earth, wood and metal, with bright tangerine hues that available for sale across are meant to evoke The Northern Lights and augment the wood accents Alberta, Ontario, in floors and tabletops. “Everything we do at Tundra is Canadian-inspired. Manitoba, Saskatchewan, The food is inspired by the landscape; it’s very simple,” Edwin Frizzell, the Nova Scotia and hotel’s GM said of the nature-inspired design that’s complemented by Newfoundland. stones and botanicals. — Jackie Sloat-Spencer

NO CHUCKING AROUND Owners of Holy Chuck Burgers recently landed in hot The Holy Chuck water after receiving complaints regarding the names of two of its burgers — The Half-Breed and The Dirty Drunken Half-Breed. “When it was brought to our attention that the burger names had a racist connotation to the Aboriginal people — Mètis to be exact — they were removed within the hour. We do not find racism acceptable by any means,” explains Johnny Prassoulis, owner and chef of Holy Chuck Burgers, who has kept the burgers them - selves on the menu but is in the process of renaming them. Meanwhile, this is not the first offensive burger name to grace the menu; the You Fat Pig Burger, The Go Chuck Yourself and The Greek Bahahastard are menu mainstays.

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CoMING eVeNtS 2012 Canadian Restaurants Trends & Let’S Go oct. 16: Directions Conference, Pearson Convention VeGGIe Center, Brampton, Ont. Tel: (416) 447-0888  x236; email: [email protected]; website: foodserviceworld.com. Subway’s Aloo Patty Sub Host 2012 — B.C.’s Tourism & Nov. 4-6: North American chains are finding new ways to appeal to vegetarian customers in India Hospitality Conference, Vancouver. Tel: (250) 382-3303; email: [email protected]; — they’re removing meat from the equation. Subway recently opened its first vegetarian website: hostconferencebc.ca. restaurant at the Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar, India in September, offer - ing vegetarian ingredients such as chickpeas, aloo patties, veggi shammi and paneer- 10th Atlantic Conference on the Nov. 6-7: based sandwiches and salads. “At Subway we take pride in being able to adapt our menu Food Industry, Best Western Plus, Dartmouth, to honour local religious and cultural food preferences. Although our core menu is pre - N.S. Email: [email protected]; dominately the same all over, our menu in India includes many items that were specifi - website: atlanticfood.ca. cally selected to appeal to the Indian taste palate,” said Les Winograd, public relations specialist for Subway. In similar news, McDonald’s announced the opening of two new Gourmet Food and Wine Expo, Nov. 15-18: vegetarian-based units in Amritsar, India. According to The Globe and Mail , the new Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North meat-free McDonald’s locations will offer the McVeggie; a McAloo Tikki burger, made Building, Toronto. Email: info@foodandwineex - with a spicy fried potato-based patty; and the McSpicy Paneer. po.ca; website: foodandwineexpo.ca.

Kostuch Media’s 2012 Pinnacle Dec. 7: TOTALLY TIFF Awards, Fairmont Royal York, Toronto. Tel: (416) 447-0888 x236; email: tinadim@kostuch - Real Sports Bar & Grill and E11even restaurant were part of the official Toronto media.com; website: foodserviceworld.com. International Film Festival (TIFF) celebrations for the first time this year. The restaurants served as the backdrop for the opening night party attended by an estimated 3,000 B.C. Foodservice Expo, jan. 27-28: guests, including Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt who star in Looper , which Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver. opened TIFF. “With events like the festival that are the launching point for the best of Tel: (604) 685-9655, ext. 2 or (866) 300-7675; international, Hollywood and Canadian cinema, it continues to reinforce that our city email: [email protected]; is a great place to live and visit,” said Robert Hunter, executive vice-president, Venues & website: crfa.ca/tradeshows/bcfse. Entertainment, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, owner of Real Sports and Guelph Organic Conference E11even. Meanwhile, food trucks — such as Hogtown Smoke and The Food Dudes — jan. 31 - Feb.3: & Expo, Guelph University Centre, Guelph, lined the red carpet outside the cinema at Bloor Street West. Ont. Tel: (519) 824-4120 x56311; email: [email protected]; website: guelphorganicconf.ca. reStaUraNt bTopU Chzef z Canada winner Dale MacKay has shuttered his two Vancouver restaurants, Ensemble and Ensemble Tap , reportedly due to steep rent. “It was hard and emotional,” MacKay told The Vancouver Sun of FaSt FaCt: his last service. “Everyone stuck through it to the end.”... Famous Dave’s Limited-service chains — where of America, Inc. opened its first Canadian outpost in Winnipeg, as part patrons generally order and pay at the of the Minneapolis-based chain’s goal of expanding its footprint to nearly 500 restaurants across North America. The 200-seat resto offers barbecue counter — are tops in the foodservice ribs, chicken, wings, sandwiches and burgers such as the True Blue industry, according to data from cheeseburger made with lettuce, tomato, red onion and topped with tangy blue cheese dressing and crumbles on a toasted bun ($12.99)... Smoke’s Chicago-based research firm Poutinerie (pictured ) is continuing to expand across Canada, opening another unit in Waterloo, Ont., just Technomic. The data shows LSRs are steps from Wilfrid Laurier University ... Toad in the Hole Pub and Eatery opened a new whisky bar within its establishment that caters to the 25-and-over crowd, according to The Winnipeg Free Press . The bringing in 73.3 per cent of the top bar serves 78 varieties of whisky as well as wine and imported beer. 200 chain sales in Canada, making up

Opening a new restaurant? Let us in on the buzz. Send a high-res image, menu and background 85.5 per cent of the industry in 2011. information about the new establishment to [email protected] .

FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 9 FYI

hit the streets of Toronto, serv - IN brIehFas partnered ing slow-cooked meat sand - boston pizza with to serve wiches such as The Toronto Starbucks Starbucks’ Blonde Roast coffee Cheesesteak, made with a medi - and Tazo Teas in Boston Pizza um-rare rib-eye, caramelized locations in B.C., Northern onions, Havarti cheese and a turn youry Alberta., Quebec and Atlantic fried egg ($8 for a large). Canada... the Wine Council of and four Ontario winer - ontario food waste ies, including peopLhae s been appointed burning Kiln David pace , to the Board of Directors of Winery pillitteri estates into watewater. , Pace is the executive Winery puddicombe estate jamba, Inc. and vice-president and chief Farm and Winery have resource officer for Southbrook Winery bloomin’ received the Premier’s Award For ... is the brands Inc brett Willis Agri-Food Innovation Excellence... new senior vice-president of Franchise Sales at the Denver- the british Columbia based QSR chain. restaurant and Foodservices Smashburger recently inducted In his new role, he will focus on association * of the franchise recruitment initiatives GUARANTEED blair rasmussen , in the U.S. and continued Vancouver Convention Centre of expansion in Canada. Wash 100% of your organic waste down the Sebastien Le Goff Cactus as well as drain in 24 hours. No trucksrucks to haul it off, no Club Cafe jim and of treliving George Melville fees for disposal, no smelly dumpsters into the SHoUustponp-baLseYd SIDe boston pizza 2012 b.C. Sysco or compost stations... the EnviroPure system ... and Brampton, restaurant hall of Fame Corporation eliminates waste and wastefulness. International chefs flocked to Ont.-based Cardinal Meat Cape Breton Island, N.S., at the recently Specialists Ltd. Through the use of our proprietary, tail end of summer for the launched its “Revolution all right food festival, which Burger.” It’s prepared using a natural Bio-Mix additive, EnviroPurEnviroPure Some Good hosted chefs such as , new Natural Texture Forming Chris bell systems break down anywheranywhere from and technology, which makes a patty Mariano D’antonio alan 120 – 6,000 lbs. of foodwaste daily into , at the eight-day celebra - with a lighter density and tex - safe Coxon clean water that can be used for agricultural tion of the Island’s indigenous ture than traditional hand- ingredients... formed burgers... , passion for pork Ultima Foods needs or just sent down the drain. Whether is sweeping a yogurt manufacturer and mar - restaurant Week it’s steak bones, oyster shells or just plain through Western provinces, one keter based in Longueuil, Que., lettucelettuce, EnviEnviroPureEnvir handles it all. week at time, until mid-October. has launched its new yogurt Chefs from Whistler, B.C., brand — . It has 40 flavours Iögo Contact us ffor more information. Vancouver, Edmonton and and seven product lines that Ca lgary are championing include probiotic, Greek and

*We guarantee that your properly sized Champion Enviropure system, pork-themed dishes as part of nomad drinkable yogurt... operated within the simple operational guidelines, will turn your organic the initiative… based in alberta pork tomlinson Industries, waste into wastewater that meets wastewater discharge standards. If the ’s food truck has Cleveland, Ohio, has introduced system does not perform as guaranteed within the first 60 days, we will Fidel Gastro its new 800-watt remove the system at our expense and refund your purchase price. Glenray , an adjustable P

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all may be harvest season for farmers, but for restaurateurs, the bountiful crop of patio-loving consumers tapers off as the weather cools. The drop in commercial foodservice traffic from the Fsummer (June, July and August) to the fall (September, October and November) was just under four per cent in 2011, which equates to a decline of 65-million visits and is consistent with years past. Among the foodservice segments, quick- service burger restaurants p rove the most susceptible to the change in seasons with traf - fic falling by 13 per cent from summer to fall in 2011. On the other hand, traffic at quick- consumers in the home can help offset traffic to suit the season. Not surprisingly, hot cof - service pizza outlets grew by just under 19 per losses in the fall, and quick-serve pizza is well fee gets a bump in servings in the fall, as cent over the same period. positioned to provide in-home meal solu - does pizza, but that’s not all. Pasta dishes, for As the weather cools down, so does the tions. This is particularly important whe n example, had a 19-per-cent season-over-sea - inclination to eat out. The simple solution targeting parties with kids, which drives the son increase in traffic in 2011, followed by for consumers has been to order in, as deliv - decline in traffic between the seasons. soup at 16 per cent and Asian offerings such ery traffic increased by 28 per cent between Providing convenient delivery options as Thai food at 13 per cent. the summer and fall of last year. Efficiently isn’t the only solution to a decline in traffic; The good news is chefs can be creative and effectively providing food offerings to it’s also important to adjust menu offerings with soup and pasta. For instance, operators can provide harvest-inspired soups made from vegetables typically grown in Canada. ChaNGe IN SeaSoNaL traFFIC — qSr & FSr As for pasta, a hearty Bolognese sauce infused (000,000) with wines from the Niagara or Okanogan -2.2% regions could become a customer favourite. Family friendly offerings that appeal to kids as well as mom and dad are also essen - tial. Though pizza and pasta resonate with children, baked dessert offerings such as 1,124 1,099 cookies, cake and pies register a noticeable bump in the fall. As with the pasta and soup, providing innovative dessert offerings that -3.1% warm the cockles is yet another draw for consumers in the autumn. 439 426 The onset of fall does not have to equate to a drop in business. Understanding con - sumers’ seasonal preferences and respond - ing to these demands can ease the transition QSR FSR from one season to the next. Foodservice I Summer I Fall operators should look to the changing leaves

SOURCE: The NPD Group/CREST - Canada, Seasons in 2011 of autumn as inspiration for innovation. G

Robert Carter is executive director, Foodservice Canada, with the NPD Group Inc. He can be reached at [email protected] for questions regarding the latest trends and their impact on the foodservice business.

FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 11 hot CoNCept

THE WOW Spoon and Fork’s multi-ethnic concept is winning converts as it expands FACTORacross the Greater Toronto Area In this new economy, where restaurants operate within smaller footprints, with less staff and a higher turnover of tables per night, the Toronto-based Spoon and Fork is taking a differen t approach. At the budding L all-you-can-eat concept, bigger is better, and there are no signs development is slowing.

Inside the chain’s 6,000-square-foot, 170-seat restaurant in Etobicoke, Ont., the atmosphere is frenetic. Servers in black uniforms rush to and fro picking up plates of Japanese and Thai dishes from an open-concept kitchen. The well-dressed clientele linger over afternoon business meet - ings or dinner dates. The energy is contagious, filling every nook and cranny, from the packed booths to the busy bar to the line of customers Continued on pg. 14 Co-owners Matthew Lam ( left ) and Sunny Chong

| PHOTOGRAPHY BY MAY TRUONG by jackie Sloat-Spencer 12 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM qUICK FaCtS parent Company: Fuki Trading Inc. Symbolics architect/Designer: Architecture and Design, Toronto L Five. (Three Number of Units: Japanese/Thai concepts and two Thai/Vietnamese concepts.) 4,400 average Square Feet: $35-$50 per Check average: person Undisclosed Sales:

FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 13 hot CoNCept

concepts called Prince Japanese Steakhouse and JJ Japanese Thai, also located in the GTA. The secret to their success is exceeding cus - tomer expectations. “If you go into any one of my restaurants … you’ll get a wow feeling, and that sets the tone of the dining experience,” explains Lam, referring to the restaurant design by Toronto’s Symbolics Architecture and Design firm. In fact, the Etobicoke loca - tion was featured at the IIDEX Canada “Dine by Design” hospitality show last September. Here’s why: a grand entryway greets guests, introducing the restaurant’s intricate design that’s augmented by long panels of glass and hollow wooden lights from Italy. A grand painting depicting a Buddhist figure covers who may wait an hour to be seated. one wall, while a large booth in the back sits underneath a chandelier The owners of the Japanese/Thai concept take cultural cuisine to made of spoons, forks and knives. another level, offering a multi-ethnic, all-you-can-eat model in an The setting is opulent, but the mandate is to offer a fine-dining upscale environment. Diners choose from unlimited or à la carte experience without pretense or exorbitant expense. “We try to define Japanese dishes such as fried wonton, fresh mango salad and spicy our customer,” Lam explains, alluding to the $27.99 unlimited menu, tuna maki, or Thai dishes such as curry pumpkin soup, sweet-and- à la carte pricing and the restaurant’s policy of charging diners for sour fish and smoked duck curry. Each item is plated in a simple, unfinished items. “If I start with a lower price, then [I] attract the individual-sized portion, ideal for sharing. To wash it down, the staff wrong crowd.” The crowd typically includes couples, businesspeople serves Sapporo from the tap or premium Sake martinis, such as the and tourists, who share their experience with friends and family. And Saketini made with sake, vodka or gin, with a twist of lemon ($8). word-of-mouth is the PR machine, since little is spent on advertising. Guests can choose from 10 brands of Sake, which range in price from Other restaurateurs are seemingly taking notice, too. Lam says $4.95 for 180mL of Gekkeikan Premium House Sake, to $43 for combining Japanese and Thai has inspired a chain reaction in the 300mL of Wakatake Ginjo Onikoroshi Sake. The menu also offers 36 city. “When we put the Japanese and Thai together tons of people wines from Canada, France, Australia and Chile. started opening [similar concepts]. And then we started all-you- Although the concept is sprouting up in all corners of the Greater can-taste, and people started doing all-you-can-eat. But they don’t Toronto Area (GTA), the brand hasn’t always been so fruitful. It orig - do the same thing we do,” Lam boasts, explaining that his restau - inally opened as a Thai and Vietnamese concept in 2003 in Etobicoke, rants stand out from other Asian concepts because of the unique but when Hong Kong-born Matthew Lam and Sunny Chong, decid - design and decor. ed to replace Vietnamese with Japanese, their business blossomed. By What differentiates Spoon and Fork is its owners’ commitment to 2012, the family of restaurants had grown to include three Spoon and serve quality, good-tasting food, but that’s only part of the recipe to Fork Japanese/Thai locations units in Woodbridge, Etobicoke and success. “Obviously the food has to taste good. To me, that’s Oakville; this fall the owners will open one more Spoon and Fork in Restaurant 101. We spend money on the ambiance, and hopefully our West Oakville. Overall, the duo, who have been friends and business wait staff does a good job. Then, you put the three together and that partners for more than 10 years, oversee five Spoon and Fork opera - becomes a dining experience. That’s our goal,” Lam says. “[There’s] tions (two Thai/Vietnamese, three Japanese/Thai), plus, two other lots of room for improvement but that’s what we are trying to do.” Growth is on the agenda, but the owners are hesitant to jump into new markets without studying the trends and demographics. “We MeNU SaMpLer always check the market, check what kind of food is more sellable and $27.99/person (Fri-Sun), $26.99 (Mon-Thurs) for “All-You-Can-Taste” menu: what kind of food is not, and sometimes we add a new dish and thai Spring rolls change some dishes, too. It just keeps on changing,” adds Chong. Glass noodles, cabbage, taro, black fungus, carrot and onion, wrapped in a The fluid nature of the business is evident in each of the individ - crispy Thai pastry, and served with Thai sweet chili garlic sauce ual designs and menus. It’s about constantly surprising guests by Curry pumpkin Soup A sweet and spicy blend with a hint of basil, garlic, chili and coconut milk curry adding elements of the surrounding community to each site, such as incorporating Roman-style columns into the design of its Spicy Salmon Maki Salmon, avocado, crispy crumb and spicy sauce Woodbridge location to reflect the Italian heritage of its community. As the owners anticipate the upcoming Oakville opening in early Smoked Ginger Duck Smoked duck sautéed in shredded ginger, black mushrooms, sweet red and October, they are experimenting with adding new dishes such as green peppers, carrots, green onions and garlic sauce pasta to the menu. Surprising, yes, but it’s another detail that creates a wow experience. G

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The gourmet comfort of today’s soups and sandwiches Bis capEtivatWing dineirs CH’D By MARy Luz MEjiA

othing says comfort like the tried-and-true pairing of a soup and sandwich. While the gourmet burger phenomenon skyrockets across Canada, foodservice operators are taking a bite back by upping the ante with new, gourmet soup-and-sandwich choices where, often, the diner gets to create their ow n bespoke meal in a market where freshness, quality, nutrition and value reign supreme.

qUICK, heaLth-CoNSCIoUS aND VaLUe-DrIVeN Healthy eats continue to drive the QSR soup-and-sandwich market. “We now have eight core menu items in Canada that are six grams of fat or less, and the nutritional values of many of our more indul - FaSt FaCt gent items are quite favourable when compared to those from other chains,” says Chris Martone, exec - utive chef of the U.S.-based Subway, which operates 2,700 locations throughout Canada. “Promotions Vegetable and new product introductions often include a high percentage of healthier options.” is the most At Subway it’s all about offering value. For example, the suggested retail price for a soup is $2.29 per serving, with Cream of Broccoli, Roasted Chicken Noodle, Cream of Mushroom and Cream of popular soup Potato and Bacon accounting for 50 per cent of the chain’s soup sales alone. In 2008, the company in Canada, but Nreduced the sodium levels of its soups by 25 per cent, further reinforcing its healthy alternative the “all-other” angle. All soups, notes Martone, are pre-made at suppliers’ facilities and shipped to restaurants; the recipes are a collaborative effort between vendors and the internal R&D team. category has Of course, guests are in the driver’s seat at this chain, but turkey and ham subs account for seen the most roughly 25 per cent of the chain’s sandwich sales. The latter two are part of the six grams of fat or less selections. The chain’s chicken-based subs are just behind the top three as the next bestsellers. growth. Martone adds that egg salad was originally introduced at Subway restaurants in Canada as a limit - — The NPD Group ed-time offer and a value item, but it was so popular, it became permanent. “Our influences when creating food come from traditional home cooking to up-and-coming ingredients found in gour - met markets, to the ethnic diversities found throughout the world. We’re constantly evaluating the

16 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM CSoanUapd-ianNsD a-Srea wNaDrWmiInCgh u Cpo toM bo: gourmet soups and sandwiches, such as the chili, lime, tortilla soup (top ) and smoked salmon sandwich on pretzel bread at Toronto’s Bannock restaurant ( below, right) and the trio of McBistro chicken sand- wiches at McDonald’s ( below, left) P H O T O S

O F

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Subway hise feaeLdtinhg K cIuCsKto: mer demand for healthier fare by offering sandwiches, such as turkey and ham, (pictured ), with 6 grams of fat or less

Beverage, at The NPD Group says ham sandwiches remain the most popular amongst Canadians, with bacon sandwiches, such as the BLT, seeing growth in the past five years. This could explain why Tim Hortons offers bacon or ham in four of its eight sandwich selections; other menu options are predominantly chicken-based. And, every Tim Hortons offers a rotating roster of soups. Glenn Hollis, the company’s vice-president, Brand Marketing, says com - fort in a bowl is the idea behind the soups with flavours such as Creamy Field Mushroom, Chicken Noodle and Hearty Vegetable. The latter two have three grams of latest flavour trends and incorporating them fat for every 10-oz. serving and 29 per cent into the Subway menu,” says Martone. In less sodium than they used to have. fact, the company is evaluating gluten-free “We hear: ‘Carry familiar and trusted products in a few test markets. soups and sandwiches and make it interest - Similarly, at McDonald’s there’s a push ing for me with ins and outs that jazz things towards healthier choices with three McBistro up and get a little daring,’” explains Hollis, chicken sandwiches, offered grilled or deep- which is why Tim Hortons offers a two-tier fried. And, a recent McDonald’s TV commer - approach to higher-end soups, sandwiches cial shows a ctual employees dancing while and hot bowls. But, health and wellness, preparing sandwiches that appear to be dietary needs, evolving tastes and demo - casual-dining, health-conscious options. graphics are driving new menu decisions like The ad’s focus is on seasoned, grilled, all- the panini. “These are exactly what our white chicken breasts that sit atop whole- guests and the ‘burger-weary’ customers are grain buns dressed with gourmet offerings. begging for — to make lunch interesting All sandwiches — the Swiss Mushroom again. We have varieties like Tuscan Chicken Melt, the South West Chicken and the and Cheese, Tomato and Bacon,” Hollis says. Chicken BLT — are priced at $5.19. Tim Hortons, on the other hand, dedi - FULL-SerVICe FaSt cates a menu section to ‘Sandwiches, Wraps The fast-casual/full-service segment offers and Hot Bowls.’ Any menu item with a green diners ethnic flavours with more of a nutri - INGreDIeNt oF the MoNth: KaLe High in vitamins A, C and K, kale is packed with check lets customers know it contains eight tional punch at a slightly higher price. calcium and is the new go-to green in salads, grams of fat or less, and patrons customize it “Customers are asking for healthy. Not just soups, noodle and rice bowls. Canada’s Food by selecting the bread size and type (small or healthy as in salads and wraps, but [it’s about] Guide recommends eating at least a half a cup of large, white or whole-wheat homestyle bun), what’s going into them,” says Matthew Corrin, green vegetables every day, and it’s been nutri - toppings and sauce. CEO of the the international Freshii chain, tionally proven that the darker the greens, the Joel Gregoire, industry analyst, Food and which boasts a chef-designed menu. Top sellers greater the nutritional impact. The antioxidant is Continued on p. 22 naturally low in salt and a good source of fibre, FaSt FaCt iron, potassium and magnesium. The versatile ingredient can be used in soups, sautéed or Sandwiches continue to be a mainstay in the Canadian diet, steamed and added to rice or noodle dishes, dehydrated and offered as “chips” or eaten raw in with the average Canuck eating 136 of them per year across salads, sandwiches and wraps. all meal occasions — The NPD Group

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soup is served with a wedge of bread to accompany its top-selling Italian Wedding soup, split pea and ham or cream of bro - cooli ($4.69 per bowl). According to founder and co-owner Michael Simeone, one of the cornerstones of Artisano’s philosophy is to “Come up with unique menu items that you can’t see anywhere else. We grill our own chicken, steak and vegetables such as Freshii appeals StoM coonKsINum’: ers by using zucchini, eggplant and portobellos every day at unique ingredients and every store.” The result is gourmet sandwiches gourmet tastes, offering items such as Spicy such as grilled sirloin and portobello mush - Lemongrass soup and room on Tuscan Filone bread ($10.49) or pani - Smokehouse burritos (pictured ) ni such as grilled chipotle chicken and avocado ($10.49). include the pho-inspired, made-from-scratch Corrin’s customers want to know which Inspiration is drawn from customer Spicy Lemongrass Soup ($8.69) and the Vegan ingredients can make their meal healthiest. requests and market trends. “We’re not Wrap and Bangkok Burrito (both $7.49). Serv- “They want to see unique ingredients, so we bleeding edge, we’re cutting edge. We’re ed on whole-wheat tortillas packed with fresh have focused on superfoods like kale and foodies of Italian heritage who grew up with ingredients, the idea is to offer as much local quinoa,” he says. good food all around us,” explains Simeone, product as possible, give it a gourmet twist At Toronto’s Artisano Bakery Cafés the adding that he works with his store man - and (once again) put the customer in the dri - aroma of in-house bread baked daily, using agers to create new dishes such as the ver’s seat. in-house recipes, draws customers. Every Islington store’s popular chickpea and

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quinoa salad (full size, $9.99; half size and rotisserie sandwich cafés such as $6.99). And, gluten-free breads, pizza dough Vancouver’s Meat and Bread. “Rotisserie and desserts (such as chocolate banana meats, artisanal breads, specialty condiments pound cake), vegan sandwiches and soups and local ingredients put together make a are coming soon. But, next up are seafood fantastic sandwich,” she says. This could sandwiches such as grilled Arctic Char. explain why Boxwood’s Bowden Farm Naturally Raised Rotisserie Chicken served on house-made ciabatta with a garlic scape DoING It DIFFereNtLY Independents such as Calgary’s Boxwood and lemon preserve aioli ($11) is the restau - café and O&B’s Bannock take a slightly dif - rant’s most popular sandwich. ferent approach to soup and sandwiches. (l to r ) Chefs continue to create the Like any dish, Boxwood’s soup choices Set apart: Both are equally quality-conscious, provid - classics with a twist, offering sandwiches such as continually evolve with the seasons. Toronto restaurant Bannock’s avocado, tomato ing top product at good value, but neither and pimento cream sandwich; its brisket with Favourites include the Bowden Farms chick - claim to be health-driven. arugula on pain au lait; and its Waldorf croissant en broth with caramelized onion and hand- Boxwood’s Kristi Peters Snider, the former torn noodles ($10) or the warm Lemon 12-year GM at sister restaurant River Café We like to provide gluten-free options and Lentil Dahl with spinach, cumin and corian - and now marketing and communications experiment with recipes based on the der ($7). They’re made with fresh, local assistant for both establishments, was part of demand of our clientele,” says Peters Snider. ingredients that admittedly challenge the

the team that launched Boxwood. Here the At Boxwood, butchering, brining, curing budget, says Peters Snider. P H O T

chefs use made-from-scratch, artisanal prod - and smoking products in-house is part of the Stephen Pynn, executive chef at O&B’s O

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ucts and local ingredients from farmers who preparation process, which is good, because Bannock, echoes Peters Snider. “The challenge C I N

practice responsible stewardship. “We high - Peters Snider is noticing a growing gourmet is using quality ingredients without relying on D Y

L light whole grains in side dishes and salads. sandwich market, propelled by food trucks pre-processed/pre-packaged items while hit - A

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Presented by: ting our food cost and not gauging the cus - Pynn changes the soup variety daily, but cus - Indeed, every restaurateur wants to hit tomer, but rather, having them leave feeling tomers’ favourites include the Chili Tortilla upon the “lunchtime game changer,” provid - they received value for their dollar.” The solu - and Gazpacho Verde ($5 small, $8 large). ing value, a gourmet twist and a delicious rea - tion is to be smart and make sure quality Whether guests eat in or buy from the son for a return visit. Supporting local pro - ingredients are served and prepared so they’re “Grab-and-Go” counter, Pynn strives to ducers, creating artisanal products, injecting accessible from a cost perspective, says Pynn make tasty, light meals for people on the ethnic flavours into dishes and hitting upon of the restaurant that serves sandwiches such move. “It’s got to be fresh, creative and deli - health-and-wellness trends are vital to meet - as a chicken caesar wrap, BLT and smoked cious and that’s sometimes a challenge, but ing demands most operators hope to extend salmon (each $8.41 to-go; $12 to $16 eat in). it’s always interesting,” he says. well beyond the lunch rush. G

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WWW. OAKRUN. COM/ FOODSERVICE/ ENGLISH- MUFFINS the NeW FaCe oF h(leoftS tpo ItriaghLt )F: oSuosDa:n Bull, Anne Marie Males and Deborah Lennox of The Scarborough Hospital — General Campus

26 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM paSSIoN Institutional foodservice is being repLaYsuscitated with fresh-food ideas bY aDrIaN beLL

“The times they are a changin ’,” sang Bob Dylan. Indeed they are, and it’s no different at Canadian institutions where food — historically tasteless and uninspired — has been refreshed. The bland meals have been replaced with quality dishes, a new paradigm and heaps of passion as non-traditional foodservice operators feed diners at hospitals and universities a local-food mandate. It’s about growing vegetables, preserving and canning them for off-season, instituting local food days and offering special dietary options.

photoGrapheD bY MarGaret MULLIGaN FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 27

KAte SeopdINexGo ’sIt u GnirveresiNty: client campuses, food is prepared on site by chefs using fresh ingredients in a variety of formats — from salad stations to market options

through the pods, we reinvest in pro - duction,” Males adds. It’s that redistri - bution of labour that made it possible for TSHGC to swap frozen food for fresh food. “We used to have one cook who came in and did the prep for the food we were going to put on the belt line,” says Males. “With pod assembly we can easily deal with different orders; we don’t have to do every tray the same.” In TSHGC’s case that means focus - ing on fresh comfort foods. For exam - ple, instead of buying frozen lasagna, it will be made fresh; even the chicken stock is being made and banana bread is being baked. “We’ll be bringing in roast beef — we haven’t done that for years. We’ll bring in turkeys, [but] we won’t be using the rolled turkey We’re constantly working with manufacturers breasts,” says Bull, of the new pro - gram that will also include vegetarian to create new products and working with and ethnic options. our culinary team to create recipes that are Cooking from scratch sounds good, but it’s a huge undertaking at “tasty, diverse and acceptable institutions. Just ask Barry Telford, senior VP, Education and Healthcare, But, it’s been an upward climb to success. “Ask your friends at the Burlington, Ont.-based Sodexo contract-catering compa - about hospital food,” begins Anne Marie Males, vice-president, ny. Usually, re-therming food is a big part of cooking for large Patient Experience, The Scarborough Hospital - General Camp”us groups, but, the senior VP isn’t a fan of re-thermalization, which (TSHGC), in Toronto. “People liken it to airline food; it doesn’t can result in “a poor product.” So, it’s not surprising that Males have the greatest reputation. People make jokes about hospital has also moved away from re-therming at TSHGC, but her issue food,” says the champion of from-scratch cooking who’s creating with the cooking technique differs from Telford’s point-of-view. a TSHGC food program based on simple food with a modern “The issue is most people who are re-therming are buying food twist. It’s meant changing the seven-day menu cycle and reducing in large bags. How you heat it up isn’t the issue, it’s the quality what was 40-per-cent patient food waste. “We had the seven-day going in that varies greatly.” cycle, because we were relying so much on frozen foods that it Like many, Telford believes fresh is best. “[At Sodexo] food is allowed us to make the same meal day in, day out, year in, year prepared onsite by certified Red Seal chefs who use fresh ingredi - out and control the costs,” says Males, who spends as little as $6.50 ents. The advantage of cooking from scratch is we have flexibility per patient, per day. “It [didn’t] allow us to add fresh produce, and complete control of our recipes,” says Telford. “For example, which was the major problem with that approach.” we can control the sodium content of our food.” At many Sodexo The new approach wasn’t without its hiccups either; it client locations ‘just-in-time’ cooking means each meal is cooked à spurred changes with kitchen equipment. “Our gas-fired cook - la minute. “Your pasta, for example, is cooked right in front of you,” ing line was replaced; we have new steam kettles, we’ve got a says Katherine Power, vice-president of Communications, Sodexo range with eight burners — we’re now able to do small sauce Canada. “At Brock University you feel like you’re going through a preparation,” says Susan Bull, manager of Nutrition and market,” she adds, offering a client example. Foodservices for TSHGC. “We’ve eliminated an old conveyor Institutional cooking has earned a new reputation, but it line used to do tray assembly and replaced it with efficient B- takes a lot of effort to realize change. “We’re constantly working Lean pods from the Burlodge company,” explains Bull. The pod with manufacturers to create new products and working with system frees up staff to prep food. “Every bit of time we save our culinary team to create recipes that are tasty, diverse and

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1:16:12 PM acceptable,” says Anne Marie MacKinnon, director, National Food and Nutrition Operations Excellence at Aramark, which provides foodservice to more than 50 Canadian school cam - puses and 200 healthcare operations. Part of the culinary inspiration at Aramark came when chef John Cirillo was hired as a contract consultant. “John understood our needs and patient expectations. His culinary expertise has inspired us to put some pride back into hospital food.” His chef-inspired recipes will soon enter the testing phase as the Aramark team seeks patient feed back. The institutional foodservice story isn’t much different at McGill University in Montreal where local food, cooked simply is the mandate, too. “Montreal is a food city,” says Mathieu Laperle, director, Food and Hospitality Services, McGill. “So we wanted to create the flavour of Montreal on campus.” And, the answer was a lot closer than one might think; in fact, it was across the field on the university’s 191-year-old farm, which had never supplied food to the school’s foodservice program. That Mathieu Laperle, changed when Laperle took the reins with the help of his new tdhireec tForr, eFSohod-M aanKd eHroSsp: itality Services at executive chef, Oliver de Volpi. “We started from zero; the first Montreal’s McGill University, works with Oliver de Volpi, the school’s new executive year we bought more than 5,000 lbs.; three years later, it’s now chef, to champion a farm-to-fork mandate more than 45,000 lbs.,” says Laperle. “We have to be realistic; it’s not a five-star hotel. The clientele is not sophisticated like a fine- It’s tough, but McGill is already reaping the benefits. Now dining restaurant.” He adds: “We have to be careful with costs — the new food program is supporting the campus, student the department is a self-financing unit, so we make sure our research, employment and McGill’s reputation. “We have 2,500 [prices] pay for expenses.” Laperle’s food cost averages 36 to 38 students a day, [eating] three times per day; that’s a lot of cook - per cent, while the food from local suppliers costs close to 50 per ing — a big operation,” Laperle says. “Just imagine, with the cent, depending on the season. staff and professors, we’re talking between 42,000 and 45,000 FaSt FaCt Mark Kenny, purchasing co-ordinator, Hospitality Services, University of Guelph. “We try to buy as much local product as The amount of food being served at institutions we can. Right now our produce is about 45-per-cent local. I can tell you exactly what items come from within a hundred miles is staggering. Aramark, an international contract of the campus. Things like grape tomatoes and peppers and caterer, serves more than two-billion meals cucumbers … things we put into our salad bar,” says Kenny. globally per year, and the average customer “Our students, faculty and staff have voted with their forks for our support of local food on campus.” He adds: “The quantity eats 440 to 500 lbs. of grub annually. Aramark’s of local and regional food we purchase each year continues to Menu Management System keeps chefs increase and many positive comments from students pop up focused. “[It’s] very much in line with the desire on a weekly basis.” “It has come a long way,” says Sodexo’s Telford, speaking of for local, healthy and fresh foods; a less institutional food, which continues to evolve. “We’ve landed a complicated journey from field to fork and a model that works for the client and is tasty and nutritious for cleaner, simpler ingredient list,” says Tina the customer.” Today, Sodexo provides fresh foods prepared on site by Red Seal chefs, and there’s a plan to focus on sustain - Horsley, director of Wellness and Sustainability ability and wellness. “For our Expressly-For-You program, we order food from approved suppliers with [a] focus on buying locally produced products. It’s delivered to our kitchen, cooked fresh daily on site and plated and delivered hot.” Non-traditional foodservice is transforming as local, quality people. So, if 45,000 people start buying a coffee per week — food sourced and prepared sustainably becomes the norm. But, the potential is amazing.” it’s going to take continued effort and a shift in people’s beliefs The potential profit is equally inspiring at the University of to effect permanent change. “I hope we’re moving to a place Guelph in Ontario, where the home-grown theme continues. where good food in a hospital becomes an expectation not an “We try and showcase all local food. Even things like the oddity,” says Males. “That’s my hope — and with the whole- University of Guelph honey we use exclusively on campus — food movement and the slow-food movement building steam, it’s from the apiary here. We use that across campus, too,” says I’d love to see that happen.” G

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32 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM the 2012 bar report A RETuRN

The annual TO GLAMOuR BAR Report What do shoulder pads, Elvis shows a new hairstyles and pleated skirts have generation of in common? They’re all retro, drinkers is and nowadays customers are warming up tipping their hats to alcohol that to chic epitomizes retro glam. old-fashioned In the beverage world, traditional blends beers from Europe and old wines such as Malvasia and Malbec are winning popularity. But the rebirth By Liz Campbell of the classic cocktail is surprising even the most seasoned bartenders. “I’ve been in the bar business for 12 years but in the last couple of years, I’ve made more Old- Fashioneds and Manhattans than in my whole career,” remarks Lance Seward, bar manager at The Bitter End, a martini bar in Halifax. “We used to go through a bottle of bitters in six months; now it’s three or four a month.”

FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 33 MoLeCULar MIxoLoGY Frankie Solarik, owner of Toronto’s Bar Chef, doesn’t like it when his cocktails are referred to as molecular, but he’s using many of the same techniques used by chefs of molecular gastronomy to cre - ate innovative beverages. For retro ISLaND FUN: example, The Black Truffle Calgary’s Raw Bar staff craft retro sippers with a Polynesian ($25) is comprised of truffle twist such as the Halekulani Hai ( above ) and the Island Fix dust, coconut foam, smoked salt, fresh lime rind and fresh dill on five different spoons Justin Taylor, head bartender at Yew in 5,724 last year. Nonetheless, liquor stores alongside a cocktail of gin, Vancouver and a lead mixologist for the and agencies sold $5.1 billion worth of elderflower liqueur and Beverage Committee of the Four Seasons spirits during the year-ending March 31, coconut rum. The guest Americas, points out that many of the new 2011, up 2.9 per cent from the previous bars contributing to the city’s burgeoning year. And, according to NPD, alcohol serv - cocktail culture “take you back to the ings rose four per cent in the last year. speakeasy era; you feel like you should be Part of the reason for the discrepancy wearing a fedora.” And, he adds, “At Yew, could be the definition used to identify we’re serving drinks like the Clover Club ‘drinking establishments.’ “The market for that was invented in Philly in the 1930s.” bars is shrinking. In response, many have Remember the Tiki? At Calgary’s Raw diversified to full menus, so they no Bar this year, Colin Tait is crafting retro longer fit the definition,” Garth Whyte, cocktails with a Polynesian influence. president and CEO of the Canadian Umbrellas and bamboo cocktail sticks dec - Restaurant and Foodservices Association,

orate drinks sporting names such as Island points out. “For example, there are Irish L Fix ($12, coconut ice cream, Orgeat, lime pubs that are now serving breakfast.” and rum). “Cocktails sales this year have The beverage of choice for Canadians is blown me away,” he admits. “We expected changing, too. According to Stats Can, a to sell 60 a week; we’re topping 200.” decade ago beer had a market share of consumes the contents of all Despite this apparent renaissance, about 52 per cent in terms of dollar value, according to Statistics Canada (Stats Can), compared with about 23 per cent for five spoons then sips the the number of Canadian drinking estab - wine. It was a slightly different story in the drink. “It creates a unique lishments has been steadily declining, year-ending May 2012, when “Foodservice flavour profile,” says Solarik. from an all-time high of 8,882 in 2004 to accounted for more than 400-million “I’m always striving for the next flavour profile and experi - ence.” the hickory Smoked CaNaDIaN 51.6% (above ), for exam - beVeraGe Manhattan 44.9% ple, ($45) combines a classic SaLeS cocktail with a blend of rye

with vanilla cognac, 30.2%

cherry vanilla bitters and hick - 25.9% 24.9% 22.5% ory smoked syrup (all made in-house), poured over hand- chipped ice and presented inside a bell jar. The server lifts the lid and the smokiness

washes over the senses. 2000 2011

Chart courtesy of Statistics Canada I SPIRITS I WINE I BEER 34 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM

servings of alcohol in Canada, with beer accounting for 51 per cent, wine for 32 per cent and cocktails for 14 per cent,” says Joel Gregoire of NPD Group. These days, Canadians are choosing more glamorous drinks. “Sales of premi - um beverages are rebounding and con - sumers are trading up again as the econo - my recovers,” says Julie Rosenberg, senior communications consultant with the LCBO. According to Stats Can, the vol - ume of imported spirits sold in Canada increased from 26 per cent of all spirits sold in 2000 to 34 per cent in 2011, an indicator of higher-end buying.

reD aND WhIte The move to premium wines points to “consumers who are much more educated and engaged and make their buying deci - sions [based] on knowledge and experi - ence,” says John Szabo, Master Sommelier, wine columnist and beverage director for The Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto. But while the older, sophisticat - ed consumer has been the traditional wine purchaser, the landscape is changing. “The 25- to 45-year-old bracket is becoming increasingly important,” says the sommeli - er. “These drinkers have fewer pre-con - ceived notions about what good wine means, leading to the success of creative brands outside of traditional wine-growing areas and varieties or blends.” Yew’s Taylor encourages customers to be adventurous with wines from lesser- known regions with the help of some rel - atively new technology. “The Enomatic L lets me pour rare and obscure labels by the glass,” he enthuses, talking about the product that keeps the wine fresh after it’s been opened. “And we can do tasters of

The 25- to 45-year-old bracket is becoming increasingly important.These drinkers have fewer pre-conceived notions about what good wine means, leading to “the success of creative brands outside of traditional wine-growing areas and varieties or blends 36 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 ” FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM two, four or six ounces. On Wine Wednesdays customers can sample sev - eral unusual wines. And we support it with a massive tweet-out.” A huge wine list sounds sexy, but Szabo suggests a slimmed-down list to

eliminate “the tyranny of choice.” He L notes: “Alcohol levels are coming down; consumers are turning away from mon - ster, over-ripe oaky wines. Moscato (muscat) made in a light, slightly friz - zante style (especially from California) is growing by leaps and bounds and appears to be the latest craze.”

teChNoLoGY tether SoMethING’S breWING At the best of times, marketing beverages is a challenge. At Toronto’s Bier Markt, for example, customers The move to local continues on the can easily be intimidated by a list of 150 brews, so it’s all about educating the customer. “The server beer front. Craft beers are undoubtedly describes the feature beer, its history, flavour profile and how it works with the food. It creates a guided jour - still the hottest sellers; in Ontario, craft ney,” says Robert Medal, operating partner. “But the staff has to know and understand the products so they can help the customer try something new.” That’s where the iPad menu comes in, offering a picture of the beer continues to be the fastest-growing drink, its ingredients, its history and even its celebrity converts. Several companies offer platforms for the LCBO beer segment with sales in 2011- iPad that enable guests to browse the wine menu by region, vintage, flavour profile or price; it can include 12 up almost 45 per cent. In Vancouver, links to the producer’s webpage and even offer advice on food pairings. In Halifax, Rockbottom Brew Pub Northwestern microbreweries from uses Uncorked iPad Electronic Wine List and 7Numbers, a small Toronto restaurant chain, makes an elec - either side of the border are making tronic list with a couple of iPads in each restaurant and photos and descriptions provided by the wine dis - tributors. Technology is educating the customer, while encouraging walk-ins, but social media, such as inroads. “In some cases, it’s a case of Facebook and Twitter, can help operators get the message out, too. Toronto’s Gladstone Hotel tweets its getting back to our roots,” says Taylor. Tuesday Crappy Hour special: $8 martinis plus shrimp cocktails with a quick link to their website. “The bar - “Brewery Creek in Vancouver used to tender community here is all over it,” adds Taylor at Yew in Vancouver. “We’ve been able to do massive have dozens of breweries, and, after so tweet-outs for special events and response has been amazing.”

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FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 37 CoCKtaIL reCIpeS CherrY ChIVaS reGaL (the CCr) Recipes developed by mixologist Don’t let the colour of this cocktail fool Kevin Brauch of the you — it packs a flavour punch. Your customers Food Network’s Thirsty Traveler will be impressed. L and Iron Chef America

Ingredients:  2 oz. Chivas Regal 12-year-old Scotch Whisky 1/4 oz. McGuinness Triple Sec 2 oz. sweet pressed cherry juice 1/4 oz. fresh lemon juice 1/4 oz. simple syrup dash bitters 1 red cherry

Method: Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice. Gently shake for 15 seconds. Double strain into chilled cocktail glass (to remove as many ice parti - cles as possible). Garnish with a sweet red cherry.

The best mixologists across Canada are not Note: afraid to use premium spirits, homemade bitters and other carefully selected ingredients for their favourite drinks recipes. If your clientele is willing to pay $14 or more for a premium cocktail, pricing it at that level will increase profit margins, while demonstrating you’re on the cutting edge.

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1- 877- 620- 6082 [email protected] www.smartserve.ca many decades, they’re popping up again. The public loves it.”

Robert Medal, operating partner at Bier L Markt, a Toronto establishment with more CaroLaNS’ than 150 beers, both domestic and imported, CaNUCK CoFFee finds strongly flavoured beers are the biggest This cocktail doubles sellers. India Pale Ale and particularly hoppy as a hot cup of coffee. beers are making a strong bid for market share. And he’s seeing demand for stouts Ingredients: 1 oz. Carolans Irish Cream flavoured with everything from fruits to cof - 1/2 oz. hazelnut liqueur fee, chocolate and crème brûlée. 2 dashes orange bitters But sales of classic brews from Europe are shot fresh espresso for a bolder also peaking. “People are looking for exotics, taste (or 2 oz. fresh hot beers they’ve tried when travelling. They’re coffee) the iconic, more evolved brands,” he says. to taste freshly whipped cream “There’s demand for German wheat beers and Czech Pilsners.” Method: Connoisseurs age everything from wine to Pour Carolans and hazelnut liqueur into a tea, and beer has joined the list. Medal ages glass coffee mug with a handle. Add some beer for two years. “It imparts new orange bitters, then the espresso or coffee. Top with whipped cream. flavours as it ferments in the bottle,” he says. “The beer becomes more complex.” Sam Adams Utopia — aged up to 16 years in a variety of woods in a Boston warehouse — sells for $25 for two ounces at Bier Markt. “It’s like drinking vintage port or fine cognac,” says Medal.

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@mpibeers /McClellandPremiumImports mcclellandbeers.ca 905.238.3330 CaNaDa’S aLCohoL drinks on offer, an old ingredient that’s back SaLeS bY the LItre on the Vancouver scene is the shrub — fruit 2,351,406 2,288,928 macerated with sugar and vinegar. Used to flavour drinks in the late 1800s, bartenders today are adding shrubs made of local stone fruits and berries to their cocktails. “Rather than the usual citrus fruit, the vinegar adds Volume acidity to cut the sweetness of a cocktail,” in litres Taylor explains. “And it’s popular, because it keeps the drink local.” Keeping it local isn’t easy when it comes to bar drinks, but bartenders are making their 456,458 469,988 own bitters, adding local fruits, sweetening

209,340 209,803 with maple syrup or local honey and sourc - ing alcohol from Canadian distillers. Locally produced spirits are top notch. For example, 2010 2011 Prince Edward Distillery Gin garnered 92

Information courtesy of Statistics Canada I SPIRITS I WINE I BEER points out of 100 (the same score as megabrand Bombay Sapphire) from Chicago’s Beverage Testing Institute, an inde - MIxING It Up pendent lab that ranks alcoholic beverages. “We’re in the third Rennaissance of the Indeed, the local movement is strong cocktail. The first was during Prohibition, throughout foodservice and could prove to the second was in the ’50s and ’60s, and the be a significant differentiation from the third is now,” says Frankie Solarik, owner competition in the cocktail category. Either and executive bar chef at Bar Chef, a hot way, it’s about mixing modern ideas with Toronto cocktail bar. retro trends to bump up alcohol sales While there are plenty of contemporary across the industry. G

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40 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM eqUIpMeNt rWitha timep andI Dreso urrces eat aS prepmiumo, opNeratSors e are taking a closer look at rapid-cook technology bY DeNISe DeVeaU

hen Sherif airflow technologies as a Tadros saw a heat source that cooks rapid-cook faster than a convection oven in action eight years oven. This is not to be con - ago, he couldn’t stop fused with accelerated Wthinking about the possi - cooking ( see sidebar below ). bilities. “There are a lot Tadros’ 4-foot by 2.5- of advantages to a new foot countertop unit is generation oven,” he says. “hassle-free.” And, even Those advantages though it cost almost were put to the test this twice the price of a con - past May at the opening ventional pizza oven (at of the Pizza U owner’s more than $8,500), he quick-service outlet in estimates, once you fac - Montreal, where personal tor in the operational pizzas are made fresh on savings, payback sets in the spot. The kicker is after approximately a they can be cooked in year and a half. “You two minutes and 15 sec - don’t need to get caught onds. “Everybody wants up in construction. This  things fresh, and they particular model [the want them yesterday,” HhC2020 ventless con - Tadros says. “When veyor oven] has its own pizza oven, insurers clas - applications are proving CooKING poWer: Turbochef came out with catalytic converter and sify that as a fire risk.” rapid-cook can be much Rapid-cook ovens employ a combination of microwave, its conveyor rapid-cook ventilation system, so it While Tadros recog - more than just a high- convention and airflow oven, I knew I had a con - reuses the hot air, which nized the advantages of priced toaster oven. technologies cept that would work. It saves a lot of cost. There rapid-cook technology From fast-food outlets was like the cherry on was a huge difference in from the outset, it’s been and kiosks to healthcare to go smoothly, this tech - the ice-cream sundae.” insurance premiums over slow to catch on in North facilities and family nology is never too com - The lauded concept a traditional oven,” he America (outside of the restaurants, adventurous plicated. Staff can only uses a combination of adds. “Once you put in a sub sandwich takeouts of operators are finding press two buttons, microwave, convection and hood and venting for a the world). But new rapid-cook technology because I’ve already pro - an easy option that grammed and locked the doesn’t sacrifice quality. system,” explains Tadros.

TaheCreC ise coLnesidrerabtlee coD nfuVsiSon. i nr thae mpaIrDke-t Cwhoeno it Kco m es to speed-cook ovens. While Depending on the The program settings some think rapid cooking and accelerated cooking are the same, the technologies actually model, rapid-cook can be easily transferred work differently and suit different environments. Operators investigating speed cooking should machines can toast sand - to another unit, which is consider their needs before deciding what would do the best job for their operation. Merrychef wiches, cook pizzas, roast another advantage for a has offered the following definitions to dispel the confusion: meats, bake potatoes and franchisor, such as • Accelerated cooking uses convection and microwave technologies. These oven systems produce cookies and pas - Tadros. “Everything are commonly used for small concession stands and snack bars or batch cooking in larger tries in less than five about belt speed, heat, models. Most models include a rotating carousal for even heat distribution. minutes. Units come in airflow, et cetera, can be • Rapid-cook ovens combine microwave and convection technologies as well as advanced all shapes and sizes, from downloaded onto a card, airflow (also known as air impingement) for ultra-fast heating and browning. This machine conveyor style to small so if I put in another has been compared to a mini combi-oven because of its versatility. Its small footprint can footprint countertop unit in another store, you typically cook up to 15 times faster than a regular convection oven and is used for single- models to machines with just upload the informa - serve snack items such as pastries, panini and pizzas. icon-driven, pre-pro - tion and you’re done. grammable touchpads. New franchisees don’t “If you want operations have to worry,” he says.

FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 41 eqUIpMeNt

streamlining operations was incredible.” in his kitchens. “I can see Having spent time using it on the line to mastering the art of finish a steak or cook an rapid cooking, Bangerter apple crumble,” he says. sees a future for the tech - When he first tested nology beyond sandwich the technology four years shops. “A high-end ago, Rosso realized it restaurant could have could revolutionize cook - one or two dishes pro - ing. “Whether you’re talk - grammed into the system ing Merrychef or Turbo- and get them out quickly. chef, there are some It would be great for amazing pieces of equip - banquets where there are choice menus. When  someone decides at the FRapSitd -acNooDk eoaveSnYs: typically last minute they want cook 15 times faster than a regular convection oven halibut instead of steak, for example, you can get them something quickly. Perhaps the biggest results as conventional corporate chef for ment. And the great thing If a steak is well done by challenge to adoption is ones. Jason Rosso’s expe - Milestones Canada, about it is it’s all pretty accident, you can get not the technology or the rience working with the based in Vaughan, Ont., much plug and play.” another one to them in price. It’s convincing systems changed his he’s looking at how Since the early days, about six minutes, rather chefs rapid-cook ovens mind. In fact, as the rapid-cook technology Rosso explored many than 20. It could also can deliver the same recently appointed can play a part in cooking possibilities with work well in a satellite F rapid-cook ovens, from kitchen, because it makes steaks and whole chick - it easier for one person ens to chocolate soufflé. to produce menu items.” “With this technology The time for rapid- you have an opportunity cooking technology is to cook at a very high definitely coming of age, level very quickly. And adds Patrick Watt, a there’s no difference in principal with A Day in the quality outcome Life Foodservice from a regular oven, but Development, a foodser - Saving money you also get time and vice consulting firm in shouldnʼt be a productivity benefits.” St. John, N.B. For the puzzle When Jason past five years, a growing Bangerter, executive chef number of his accounts for Oliver & Bonacini have begun using rapid- Canteen and Luma cook ovens to supple - restaurants, was involved ment or support shoul - in an Iron Chef der periods in opera - Foodbuy helps food service operators save money. Accelerated Cooking tions. “That’s where they competition using really come in handy. If We have over $1 billion in purchasing power and Merrychef technology you only have 10 people over 30,000 products contracted. With no four years ago, he was where there’s usually 100, membership or annual fee, start saving today! pleasantly surprised. you can fresh cook items “You definitely had to without holding them change the way you for hours. Nursing Contact us at: cooked things,” he homes are putting them admits. “But we did a in little canteens so fami - [email protected] soufflé in one minute lies can take their loved and cooked chicken from ones for toasted sand - www.foodbuy.ca raw in four. The power wiches or chicken wings.

42 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM eqUIpMeNt

tion in public-sector acute-care facility pro - and even a young kid on foodservice operations, duces meals seven days a staff with no skills can confirms Sandra week, three times a day produce a finished prod - Matheson, president of with all sorts of staff; uct exactly the way you Food Systems Consulting that’s a tremendous want it. With a shrinking Inc. in Oakville, Ont. number of people that talent pool of people “What started off as need to get it right.” who are able to cook, we microwave technology Even outside the pub - have to have products quickly became more lic sector, rapid cooking that cook for us. We need multi-task. When con - can remedy staffing to look at technology to vection was added, they issues plaguing the help us pick up the Healthcare operations suddenly became much industry. “You can lock slack,” says Milestones’ Let’S eat: are also considering Rapid-cook technology more than simply a recipes into the machine Rosso. G is often used to cook rapid cooking as a way to single-serve snack items, speed-cooking device. At move from bulk feeding such as pastries a recent tradeshow, I saw to individual room serv - a new line of countertop VeNDor INForMatIoN Check the cheatsheet below for names and coordinates of a ice. And hotels are want fryers. “It’s a nice combi-oven/steamers handful of rapid-cooking vendors: increasingly looking to alternative, because they from Electrolux that

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FOODSERVICEWORLD.COM FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY OCTOBER 2012 47 CheF’S CorNer

DreaM Craig Flinn continues to rCeacah netw hCeighhts, aes a r Halifax chef, local-food proponent, businessman and community mainstay

bY brIaNNe bINeLLI

was going to be a mapmaker,” recalls Craig Flinn, chef and proprietor average of 85 to 100 people a night at the 68-seat establishment. of Halifax’s Chives Canadian Bistro. The revelation to shift focus came “There’s a feeling of comfort for a lot of people who come to this while the hobby chef — and unhappy geography student — was restaurant — that it’s consistent and it’s friendly and it’s familiar, yet “ watching The Urban Peasant and talking to his brother. “He said: ‘Why the food is always changing,” he says, attributing his success to loyal don’t you become a chef; it’s what you love to do,’” recalls Flinn . staff, including Darren Lewis, the chef de cuisine and part-owner. I That “thunderbolt” moment marked a new beginning. “Within a Community outreach remains an integral part of Flinn’s business week, I was at The Culinary Institute of Canada having a tour of the model. The Slow Food proponent hosted the biennial Canadian school, and I signed up and registered,” says Flinn, who moved to Chefs’ Congress in Grand Pré, N.S., in September and is involved in P

Charlottetown, eventually apprenticing with Michael Smith at The Inn At myriad fundraising events. He also practises what he preaches at the H O T O

Bay Fortune, before travelling through Europe, Canada and the States. restaurant, where ingredients are approximately 96-per-cent locally G R A

Nova Scotia soon beckoned and the chef returned home. sourced. Favourites on the evolving menu include braised lamb on a P H Y

“Ironically, I left cooking and delivered pizzas for a year-and-a-half,” butter polenta with a summer succotash ($29), organic spinach salad B Y

D A

he says, explaining how he fed his business dreams in the day, while with goat’s cheese, maple-spiced pecans and honey buttermilk dressing C A L

moonlighting for cash in the night. “[I] used that money as the first ($10) and black forest chocolate cake, with honey-vanilla ice cream ($9) . L I S ;

cash instalment to build a restaurant; I saved $14,000 in tips.” The generous portions are served in a converted Bank of Nova Scotia D I G I T On Dec. 4, 2001, Chives Canadian Bistro opened on a budget of building, complete with a vault-turned-wine cellar and private dining A L

W

$84,000. Money was so tight Flinn needed sales from the first night to room. Outside, in the window-front, onlookers are entertained by a O R K

buy alcohol and food for the next. “It’s certainly a David-versus- local art installation and a “moving menu” that captures the kitchen B Y

M A

Goliath story that I’m very proud of — just the fact that we survived. staff at work. R G A

And, that is really [my] biggest single accomplishment,” says the cook - Evolution is part of the scene for the Nova Scotia native who’s penning R E T

book author and CBC radio contributor. his fourth book and hoping to open another restaurant next year. “I’m M U L L I

But success has been a long time coming. After nearly going belly- always looking at a new opportunity. I’m 11 years into this, I’m 41 G A up at least four times in Chives’ first seven years, he is now serving an years old, and I still have a fire in my belly,” he says. G N

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ART DIRECTOR:Darryl ARTIST: Ryan

R ARTIST: Kyle

P DATE: 9-10-2012 4:12 PM PREP ARTIST: kyle