FFM Summer 2019

PLUS page 64 PR Machine PR Machine Collaborations make a bar fly,

page 66 MONEY & SENSE MONEY Name or No Name or No Name Should you hire a somebody?

page 52 FOOD PEOPLE FOOD Maximize your labor, Jack of All Trades of All Jack

Sharing the Love of Food—Inspiring Business Success Business of Food—Inspiring Sharing the Love

FOOD page 14

Make it with meal kits, Assembly Required Assembly

GRILLED DESSERTS TAKE OFF TAKE GRILLED DESSERTS

FIRE CATCHING

FOOD FANATICS CATCHING FIRE SUMMER 2019 ON THE COVER Elvis’ Coal Roasted Banana Boat is all about smoky, melty, oozing goodness with the help of the grill. See recipe on page 38. Summer 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics

FOOD SEA CHANGE Small business is no small task. Four ways to net a profitable So Progressive offers commercial auto and business and sustainable catch. 5 insurance that makes protecting yours no big deal. Local Agent | ProgressiveCommercial.com OUT OF THE BOX Take a taste of the meal kit action. 14 THE ISLES HAVE IT IN EVERY ISSUE Afro-Caribbean cuisine charts a TREND TRACKER course toward mainstream success. What’s on the radar, at high alert 22 and fading out? 42 SUGAR AND SMOKE FEED THE STAFF Desserts ignite the grill, and they’re How to maximize the labor pool in creating some serious heat. a tight market. 32 52 PR MACHINE FOOD PEOPLE Make a bar fly with food and drink I CAN’T HAVE WHAT SHE’S HAVING? collaborations. Win over diners with restrictive diets. 64 45 IHELP SPEAK EASY Get a reboot on your POS. Q&A with a chef who’s changing the 70 conversation on pay inequity. 48 ASK THE EXPERTS Solutions to try right now. ROAD TRIP! 73 East Coast or Pacific Northwest? BEYOND THE PLATE Desserts Both Portlands have it going on. deserve a 56 Five approaches to greater sustainability. turn on 74 the coals, MONEY & SENSE 32 RISE OF THE GROCERANT I’LL DRINK TO THAT! How to compete with the big dogs. Cannabis in cocktails is hotter 59 than ever. 76 NAME OR NO NAME CHEF The pros and cons of hiring a BY THE NUMBERS somebody. Cool down with ice cream.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVA KOLENKO EVA BY PHOTOGRAPHY 66 80

Progressive Casualty Ins. Co. & Af liates. Business and Workers’ Compensation coverage provided and serviced by af liated and third party insurers. liated and third by af and serviced provided Compensation coverage Workers’ Business and liates. Af & Co. Casualty Ins. Progressive USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 1 Your Summer 2019 Food Fanatics® Go om t grl magazine is here! Summer in the restaurant business means many things today: deck parties and beer gardens, cool drinks and desserts to quench the mid-  t rden party USFoods.com/foodfanatics year swelter – but with enough grilled delicacies to keep a fire burning Inspired by the French pastry, our Hilltop Hearth® 4.5" Brioche US FOODS ADVISORY BOARD in your diners’ bellies. President and Chief Executive Officer Bun has a light-yellow crumb and a rich, buttery flavor. It’s perfect Pietro Satriano to partner with the juiciest, meatiest hamburgers or pulled pork Chief Merchandising Officer With the right touches to your operation, summer can be a season Andrew Iacobucci barbecues and accompanying sauces. Our brioche hamburger for big profits, too. In this issue of Food Fanatics, we’ll show you how Senior Vice President, Marketing bun is perfect for both the casual burgers and sophisticated Diane Hund grill-prepared desserts – like the decadent Elvis Coal-Roasted Banana sandwiches on your menu. Senior Vice President, Innovation and Quality Stacie Sopinka Boat you see on our cover – have become the industry’s hottest new trend. To fan those flames, we’ll tell you how resourceful operators are Hilltop Hearth 4.5" Brioche Bun | APN 6534430 Vice President, Creative Jovo Balach making the most of sustainable seafood, and we’ll highlight the spicy Manager, Content Marketing Jasmine Jones rise of Afro-Caribbean cuisine – from a strictly shorts-and-sandals affair to an elevated fine-dining experience. CHEF CONTRIBUTORS/RESTAURANT OPERATION CONSULTANTS Jeffrey Bland, Salem, VA John Byrne, At Large Eric Bogardus, Seabrook, NH Keeping the focus on your bottom line, we show you how some Charles Ramseyer, Pacific Northwest restaurants are leaning into the meal-kit craze – and growing their profits in the process. If you have square footage to spare, exploring PUBLISHING PARTNER Feedback We welcome your comments. the grocerant concept is another idea we recommend that can make Contact Food Fanatics at: [email protected] on-the-go easy for your customers, while boosting your business. And Content Chief Laura Yee Contact Bite This Media at: [email protected] learn how to increase your margins and decrease stress on-site by Creative Director Joline Rivera Unless otherwise specified, all embracing, rather than shunning, diners with dietary restrictions. It’s all correspondence sent to Food Managing Editor Fanatics is assumed for publication covered in the pages ahead. Peter Gianopulos and becomes the copyright property of US Foods. Contributing Writers Lisa Arnett Advertising Information But building your best business isn’t only about profits – it’s about Kate Bernot For rates and a media kit, contact Amber Gibson Jasmine Jones, (847) 720-2578 or people, too. In Speak Easy, a conversation with Talk Shop Live alum Alison Grant email [email protected]. Alicia Kennedy Food Fanatics is the go-to source Kiki Louya reveals strategies for helping operations bridge the pay Matt Kirouac for the foodservice industry and Kate Leahy anyone truly passionate about gap between front- and back-of-house staff. And to give all those Megan Rowe food, food people and improving Mike Sula the bottom line. Issued quarterly employees the tools to thrive in their roles, our Jack of All Trades section and hand-delivered to readers, the Copy Editor magazine is a US Foods publication covers how you can leverage technology to cross-train for a killer team. Natalie Jew produced by Bite This Media.

Cover Photography For more information on the Eva Kolenko Food Fanatics program, visit ® USFoods.com/foodfanatics. At US Foods , we’re staying in touch with the latest industry Photographers All rights reserved. © Eva Kolenko trends, and working with our suppliers to ensure you have the Kat Foley Frank Lawlor most up-to-date information, advice and tools to make this summer your most rewarding yet.

About US Foods Enjoy the issue! US Foods is one of America’s great food companies and a leading foodservice distributor, partnering with approximately 250,000 chefs, restaurateurs and foodservice operators to help their businesses succeed. With nearly 25,000 employees and more than 60 locations, US Foods provides its customers with a broad and innovative food offering and a comprehensive suite of e-commerce, technology and business solutions. US Foods is headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois, and generates approximately $25 billion in annual revenue. Discover more at usfoods.com. For more information, visit usfoods.com Andrew Iacobucci or contact your US Foods® representative Chief Merchandising Officer and reference the product number. US Foods

9300 W. Higgins Rd. Suite 500 EXCLUSIVE Rosemont, IL 60018 (847) 720-8000 BRAND usfoods.com

© 2019 US Foods, Inc. 03-2019 FOF-2019030606 FOOD Make a splh Yron yr w menu SEA WITH OUR BARRAMUNDI

Our line of barramundi from Harbor Banks® offers you a versatile whitefish and hotan opportunity to turn yourspot menu into a masterpiece. Our barramundi are ocean-farmed and chemical-free, with a moderate oil level that keeps the fish moist and tender, so they won’t dry out during cooking. With their consistent CHANGE size and individual-vacuum packaging, this line of fish shows where easy preparation meets creative presentation.

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USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 5 Ligurian Wood- Roasted Branzino Chef Amy Brandwein Centrolina, Washington, D.C.

1 branzino, scaled, gutted deboned, spine intact 2 sprigs rosemary 2 sprigs thyme 1 lemon, thinly sliced Kosher salt, as needed Freshly ground black pepper, as needed 1 Roma tomato, quartered When a prolonged 2 tablespoon Taggiasche black toxic algae bloom olives, whole, pitted known as red tide 4 fresh basil leaves, plus 2 Wpostpones local leaves chiffonade crab season or catch Olive oil, as needed limits are placed 1 ounce white wine on bluefin tuna, 4 slices potato confit, consumers and chefs recipe follows alike are reminded 2 tablespoons pecorino, grated that the global supply of seafood is far from Butterfly branzino and stuff limitless. with herbs and lemon slices; tie But awareness in with string. Season fish with salt environmentally and pepper. responsible fishing— from procuring more Place tomatoes, olives and four plentiful species basil leaves on sheet pan. Place to breakthroughs branzino on top. Drizzle with olive oil in aquaculture and and white wine. Roast in wood-fired fish processing— oven at 650 F for 10 minutes. has made inroads in sustainability, To plate, place four pieces of popularizing potato confit on the plate to form a varieties and square shape and top with pecorino making them followed by tomato and fish. Drape more affordable, with chiffonade basil and drizzle with such as branzino, olive oil and salt. Makes 1 serving. barramundi and Arctic char. Today, To make potato confit: Cut 2 large it’s more important unpeeled and scrubbed Yukon Gold than ever to serve potatoes into ¼-inch-thick slices seafood that and place in baking dish with 2 cups satisfies two needs: extra-virgin olive oil, 2 dried bay diners seeking leaves, 2 smashed garlic cloves, ¼ healthier options teaspoon whole black peppercorns and their interest and ½ tablespoon of salt. Cover with in supporting aluminum foil and roast potatoes in sustainable fishing. a preheated 275 F oven for 30 to 45 Here’s a start: minutes until tender. Cool in liquid.

USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 7 1. BEND WITH THE TIDE limited, executive chef Kua Speer also Consulting the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s looks for sustainable seafood from farther Seafood Watch program and working afield, including certified fair-trade shrimp with sustainable fish vendors requires 70 from Mexico. Percent of consumers agree operators to be flexible, especially when To get a better price, Speer buys the that people should switch favorite varieties are not available or cost small 71/90 per pound-sized shrimp for his to another type of fish if it’s prohibitive. This means enticing the public prawn enchiladas. Paired with the tortillas more sustainable. to broaden the types of fish they eat, which and a rich sauce—either red or green—the is an achievable goal with the help of a tiny-shrimp enchiladas are a year-round knowledgeable staff. treat that tastes substantial while also For example, grilled Maine salmon with eliminating the labor required to chop mustard spatzle, bacon, Brussels sprouts larger-sized shrimp. and apple puree needs no explanation at “If you are paying for sustainability, Boston’s multi-unit Island Creek Oyster 83 you need to make sure that whatever Bar. But a “good choice” under Seafood Percent of consumers you sell the guest has to be of value as Watch, such as Chesapeake black bass with feel that seafood should well,” Speer explains. shiitake mushrooms, Fresno chilies and be protected for future Better quality fish can also mean better yellow curry, can prompt questions about generations. yield, even if the raw product is pricier. At the fish’s flavor and texture. That’s when locations of grab-and-go concept Proper training helps spread the sustainable word. SOURCE: The Marine Stewardship Council Food in San Francisco and New York City, Mac Hay, who has bought directly the house’s sustainable salmon teriyaki hot from local fishermen since opening a plate is always popular. fish market on the town pier in Wellfleet, Executive chef Juan Munoz says the fish Massachusetts, 25 years ago, recommends costs more than other farmed options, but pairing the unfamiliar with the familiar. he makes up for the price by emphasizing “A lot of these products that are its flavor and appearance. When a 6-ounce undermarketed (and plentiful) have a great portion is cooked, it loses half an ounce of price point,” says Hay, who owns three THE DAILY weight before it’s packaged with broccoli, restaurants in and around Wellfleet—Mac’s (SUSTAINABLE) sugar snap peas and sesame seeds. Cheaper Shack, Mac’s on the Pier and Mac’s Fish salmon, however, can lose 1 to 1.5 ounces House—as well as several fish markets. CATCH when cooked. Take monkfish, a local, affordable option “You know the salmon will taste good,” that is less familiar to Hay’s customers SALMON with fennel, orange and Munoz says of the sustainable variety. than popular cod or swordfish. To entice parsley compote, French beans and “There is no super fishy taste. It’s a good people to try it, the fish is paired with lobster sauce. portion size. That’s why that dish speaks clams and mussels in a smoky pimenton- Sam’s of Gedney Way, White Plains, to people.” spiked sauce. “We can make good money on New York it and it is still (priced) below swordfish on 3. ADOPT A FIN-TO-HEAD PHILOSOPHY our menu,” Hay says. “I can do a monkfish TROUT with grape tomatoes, red It’s one thing to source better fish, but it’s special at $22, while swordfish might be onion, herbes de Provence and another to ensure none of it is wasted. $28 on the menu.” served with chimichurri. At Commonwealth in San Francisco, Urban Plates, multiple locations executive chef Jason Fox serves carefully 2. PROVIDE VALUE prepared portions of fish but also leverages Sustainable options can cost 15 to 30 COD pan-seared with arroz blanco, the rest—heads, tails, livers and skeletons— percent more than conventional ones, tomatillo sauce, roasted green chili, to bolster the restaurant’s pantry. depending on where they’re sourced and mango and avocado-corn salsa. Take trout, which is sourced from the level of sustainability. King salmon El Charro Cafe, Tucson, Arizona a sustainable trout farm in Northern from New Zealand or barramundi from California. He smokes the bones to impart Australia may cost more because the ARCTIC CHAR with salsify, leeks, umami to dashi broth, then scrapes the eco-friendly standards for farm-raised oyster mushrooms and grapefruit. skin clean, cooks it, dries it and fries it to products are higher than in other locations. Fork, Philadelphia When fish, such make fish skin . He even uses the liver by That said, look for ways to showcase value. as branzino, isn’t adding it to the broth to deepen the flavor served whole, BLUE RUNNER nigiri (Florida fish At Nick’s Cove in Marshall, California, reduce waste by in the final dish. local fish delivered to the restaurant’s often used as bait). using the bones to It comes together in a dish of cold-smoked dock is an easy sell. But since options are Mayanoki, New York City make a stock. trout glazed with miso, fermented vegetable

8 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 9 juices and dashi, enriched with the smoked Smoked Trout with Fermented bones and crisped skin. “We like to build Glaze, Cucumber, Sake Lees flavor; we want to make a representation of Cream and Tapioca that particular fish,” Fox says. Chef Jason Fox Commonwealth Restaurant, San Francisco 4. BUY BETTER FARMED FISH Sustainably farmed fish, especially for 1 3-pound trout inland cities, can often be a fresher, more Brine, recipe follows consistent option. Glaze, recipe follows When Jacob Verstegen became executive 1 head fennel, sliced chef at LondonHouse Chicago’s LH 1 large leek, white part only, sliced Rooftop in Chicago, he swapped out tuna ¼ cup dried, smoked shiitake mushrooms for a number of options, including Arctic 1 star anise char, from a Wisconsin farm. The fish not 2 teaspoons fennel seed only is sustainably grown and harvested 1 teaspoon black pepper but also comes with data points logged 1 arbol chili through the process—if a quality concern Salt to taste arises, the farm proactively calls Verstegen. ¹⁄8 cup dried seaweed, such as wakami or hijiki Dehydrated fish skins add flavor and texture. More importantly, his customers like the 2 cups tapioca pearls, cooked See recipe on the right. fish’s rich flavor and color enough to stop 1 English cucumber, sliced into thin rounds asking for spicy tuna rolls. ½ cup mint and dill, picked In the winter, Verstegen serves the Sake lees cream, recipe follows fish hot with braised kale, garlic, chilies Fish cracklings, as needed, recipe follows and crisped sunchoke skins, while in the ASK YOUR FISH VENDOR summer he cold-smokes it and prepares it Butcher trout into skinless fillets; reserve scraps. with preserved green walnuts and dashi. Brine trout for 20 minutes; open-air dry overnight. To reach sustainability goals, these basic “It’s a freshwater fish, but it eats like an questions show vendors you’re serious, ocean fish,” he says. “You can go raw or Brush trout with glaze and smoke, about says Cape Cod chef and seafood buyer cooked, crispy skin or poached.” 40 minutes, until barely cooked through. Mac Hay. And it helps ensure that you’ll While Amy Brandwein buys local wild- Smoke bones and fish scrap alongside. Chill receive a consistent product. caught seafood, the chef-owner of Centrolina trout; portion fillets into 3 ounces each; reserve. in Washington, D.C., acknowledges that WHO caught that fish or harvested the one fish she can’t take off the menu is Make stock with fish scraps, fennel, leek, that oyster? Does the supplier in the sustainably farmed branzino. mushrooms, star anise, fennel seeds, black supply chain know? Can the fish be Although most farmed branzino come pepper and chili. Add seaweed and steep traced accurately? from Mediterranean waters, the expanded 10 minutes. Strain, chili and reserve broth. carbon footprint—and sometimes loss WHAT was caught? Is the labeling correct? of flavor—that arises from shipping To plate, brush fillets with glaze, and torch If it’s a farmed fish, what is the feed ratio? them from abroad has opened up an lightly. Place fillet in a serving bowl with tapioca, If it takes 2 pounds of fish feed to raise 1 interest in domestically farmed branzino. cucumbers and herbs. Add broth, sake lees pound of fish, ask for better options. New operations, such as Ideal Fish in cream and fish cracklings. Makes 8 servings. Connecticut, seek to create more eco- WHERE was it caught? Certain species are friendly alternatives albeit at a tad steeper To make brine: Bring 2 quarts water, ½ cup sustainable when caught in places where price tag. kosher salt and ¼ cup sugar to boil, stir and cool. populations are steady. Factor in its carbon Whatever sustainable branzino you footprint: A fish may have been harvested choose, Brandwein recommends quickly To make trout glaze: Combine 2 cups mixed sustainably, but did the fishermen burn dipping the fish in a salt water brine to fermented juices (ramp, kohlrabi, onion, etc.), through gallons of fuel in the process? refresh before placing it on ice. She stuffs the ¾ cup miso, ½ cup brown sugar and ¼ cup verjus fish with herbs and lemon and then roasts in a pot over medium heat until heated through. WHEN was it caught? Ensure dates are it in the wood-burning oven. Adorned with accurate to avoid spoilage and ensure potato confit, tomato, basil and a little white To make sake lees cream: Blend 1 cup soy proper rotation. wine, there is little to hide behind. milk and ¼ cup sake lees together until smooth. “It’s about the freshness of each piece Season with salt and rice wine vinegar to taste. HOW was it caught or harvested? Wild of fish,” Brandwein says. “People like that fish caught via rod and reel helps to avoid sweet firm texture; it’s not overly fishy and To make fish skin cracklings: Cook skin in salted bycatch, but what about other methods? it goes really well with Italian ingredients.” water until tender. Dehydrate or fry at 375 F.

10 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 11 Smoky Monkfish, Mussels, Clams with Muhamarra Red Pepper Dip Chef Mac Hey Mac’s Seafood, Wellfleet, Massachusetts Harbor Banks® Seared Yellowfin Tuna Slices are filtered with ® Olive oil, as needed Gowoodsmoke – a Clearsmoke Wild patented technology – that helps ½ cup sweet onion, chopped fine these sashimi-grade tuna slices retain their taste, texture and 1 tablespoon shallot, minced color. Our tuna is wild-caught in the waters off Vietnam. It’s 3 cloves garlic, minced rubbed with pepper and garlic, then seared – and features no ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes artificial ingredients or added preservatives. It’s pre-sliced, 1 teaspoon smoked pimenton pre-portioned and vacuum-packed into three-ounce Fresh thyme, as needed servings with 18 grams of protein. ½ cup white wine Harbor Banks Seared Yellowfin Tuna Slices | APN 9192185 2 cups vegetable stock 1 26-ounce boxed or canned chopped tomatoes 1 pound monkfish 9 littleneck clams, scrubbed 9 mussels, scrubbed, trimmed Sea salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Parsley leaves, as needed, minced Crusty country bread, toasted ½ cup muhammara roasted red pepper dip, recipe follows

Heat a few tablespoons olive oil in large Dutch oven and saute onion, shallot and garlic until aromatic. Stir in red pepper flakes, pimenton and thyme. Add wine and simmer until almost evaporated, add vegetable stock and juice from the tomatoes and simmer.

Cut monkfish into chunks and generously season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle oil in a skillet and when smoky, sear monkfish until caramelized and nicely marked.

Add tomatoes and clams to the pot first. As they open, add mussels. As they open, add monkfish and cook through.

Serve stew in wide bowls with minced parsley and toasty bread on top. Scoop a spoonful of muhammara red pepper dip onto the toast and some into the stew. Makes 3 servings. For more information, visit usfoods.com ® To make muhammara red pepper dip: Place or contact your US Foods representative 10 ounces roasted red peppers, 4 ounces and reference the product number. toasted walnuts, 2 tablespoons bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses and 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper in a food processor. EXCLUSIVE Pulse to mix and slowly add ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil. Correct seasonings with salt. n BRAND

© 2019 US Foods, Inc. 03-2019 FOF-2019030606

12 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 Watermelon OUT Pickles OF THE BOX Dressing

Mixed Greens Watermelon, Cucumbers, Tomat o es, Jalapeno

Marinade

Farm-Raised Salmon Take a Taste of the Meal Kit Action

BY MIKE SULA PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVA KOLENKO

14 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 15 Pork Pickled Watermelon and Mojo Pork Tacos with Refried Beans Shoulder Tomato Salad with Grilled Chef-owner Sera Cuni Cilantro Lime Salmon The Root Cellar, Chapel Hill and Pittsboro, Chef-owner Sera Cuni North Carolina The Root Cellar, Chapel Hill and Pittsboro, North Carolina 3 pounds pork shoulder ¾ cups orange juice 2 limes, juice and zest ¼ cup lemon juice ½ cup cilantro, chopped, divided use 1 small yellow onion sliced 1 tablespoon honey ¼ cup garlic 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon oregano ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon salt Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon ground cumin Onions, to taste ½ teaspoon black pepper Cilantro

2 6-ounce center-cut portions sustainable ¹⁄3 cup cilantro, leaves only, plus extra VER THE LAST 13 YEARS, farm-raised salmon for garnishing Sera Cuni has sold 2 cups cubed seedless watermelon 1 teaspoon smoked paprika tens of thousands 2 cups tomatoes, different colors, sliced Cabbage slaw, recipe follows of weekly to-go meal kits ½ cup watermelon pickles, recipe follows Sliced red onions, as needed right through the front doors 1 small cucumber, seeded and sliced Lime wedges, as needed of the Root Cellar in Chapel Hill and 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced Corn tortillas, as needed Pittsboro, North Carolina. 2 cups mixed greens Refried beans, recipe follows These scratch-made, locally sourced ¼ cup basil, chiffonade Spicy Mexican street corn, recipe follows dinners—such as mojo pork tacos with Dressing, recipe follows Refried refried beans and brown rice or braised Score fat of the pork and braise with orange Beans short ribs with mashed potatoes and Combine lime juice and zest with ¼ cup cilantro, and lemon juice, onion, garlic and seasonings roasted vegetables—have built a following honey, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in a preheated 300 F oven for 5 to 8 hours or among fans of the 21-year-old institution. and marinate salmon for at least 60 minutes but no until fork tender. Queso Busy families. University students. Young more than 8 hours. professionals. They all line up for them. Drain liquid but reserve to reheat pork; So what advice does she have for Mix together watermelon, tomatoes, pickled shred pork. operators thinking of supplementing their watermelon, cucumber, jalapeno, greens and dine-in business with grab-and-go and remaining cilantro and basil in a bowl and toss To assemble tacos: Add pork, cabbage slaw, deliverable meal kits at a time when ease with dressing. sliced red onion, cilantro to corn tortillas; add a and convenience are driving consumers’ squeeze of lime. Serve with refried beans and decisions more than ever? Grill salmon to desired doneness and serve Mexican street corn. “I would say watch out for the Blue Aprons over salad. and Hello Fresh because they’ve taken a big To make cabbage slaw: Combine 4 cups hit out of the market,” she says. To make pickled watermelon rind: Combine shredded cabbage, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, Corn With experience comes wisdom. 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup water, ¾ cup 1 teaspoon sugar and freshly ground salt and To r tillas According to industry consultants sugar, 2 ounces sliced ginger root, 4 teaspoons pepper. Pentellact, the $2.2 billion meal kit kosher salt, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 industry will grow 25 to 30 percent by teaspoon allspice berries, 1 star anise pod and To make refried beans: Heat 2 tablespoons olive 2022. That’s a credible threat to brick- 1 cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. While the oil in a saute pan and sweat ½ cup finely chopped and-mortar restaurants. Why? “… They pickle cools, peel outer watermelon rind and cut onion and 1 finely chopped garlic clove. Add 2 Cabbage Slaw are bringing the experience of eating out into 1-inch cubes. Add to pickling and marinate cups of cooked beans, water as needed, cayenne to the home,” wrote Bob Goldin and Barry for 2 hours. Refrigerate overnight and consume and salt and pepper to taste. Heat through, mash Friends in a 2017 report, “with experience within a month. slightly. Garnish with shredded cheese. Spicy Mexican defined in the context of differentiated Street Corn recipes, specialty ingredients, variety, a To make dressing: Combine 2 tablespoons red For spicy Mexican street corn: Slice corn from ‘fun’ factor and overall high quality.” wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed 6 ears and saute in 2 tablespoons salted butter But there’s no reason chefs and owners lemon juice and 1 teaspoon salt. Slowly drizzle with ½ tablespoon ancho chili powder and salt to can’t take a piece of the action, especially in ¼ cup olive oil while whisking mixture. Season taste, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle crumbled queso now that Blue Apron is losing market share. with kosher salt and pepper. fresco and lime juice.

16 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 17 Industry experts say the subscription model has worn thin while the novelty MEAL KITS has worn out among millennials who see Calabrian Steak, Potato by the Numbers dinner as a last-minute decision. Spiedini and Salsa Verde The restaurant industry has a distinct Chef Katie Collier advantage. Independent operators, large Vero Pizza and Pasta, St. Louis and small, are building on unique concepts, loyal followers, and nimble social media 2 lemons, divided use marketing to reach customers who’d love Chili oil, to taste to eat their food in the comfort of their own 1 tablespoon sea salt 8 mental (and physical) pajamas. Freshly ground black pepper PERCENT OF 1 large NY strip steak, cubed AMERICANS Lemon ¼ pound multicolor fingerling SPREAD THE WORK AROUND potatoes, sliced into SUBSCRIBE Chef Iliana Regan offers fans of Kitsune, chili oil ½-inch disks her Chicago izakaya, the chance to pick up marinade Wood skewers, soaked in water TO AT LEAST ONE two different assemble-at-home ramen kits 1 pint cherry tomatoes every Saturday for a month for $100. All Calabrian salsa verde, MEAL KIT the instructions, says Regan, are included, recipe follows so even the most inexperienced home cook can assemble them. They require heating Juice 1½ lemons and combine a quart of broth and pouring it over the with chili oil, sea salt and pepper; noodles. Customers then rewarm the egg, Don’t forget set aside. add pickled green beans and preserved NY Strip Steak lemon, then top it with the meat. And for to soak your Thread strip steak, fingerling 9 those seeking an extra kick, there’s some Wood skewers potatoes and cherry tomatoes onto PERCENT OF chili paste or tare. 4 skewers. Place skewers into shallow food-grade container, AMERICANS HAVE THE BENEFIT: By capping production at 25 add marinade and refrigerate kits a week and spreading the prep among 30 to 60 minutes; reserve extra TRIED AT LEAST ONE her staff, the boxes can generate $2,500 a marinade for basting. month. “There’s our rent,” says Regan. In MEAL KIT OVER A the restaurant, Regan charges about $15 Place skewers in a well-oiled, SIX-MONTH PERIOD per person to offset ingredient, rent and preheated grill. Cook 5 minutes on labor costs, but when the ingredients are Fingerling Potatoes each side or until steak is grilled to BETWEEN 2017-2018. picked up, it’s possible to drop the cost to your liking and potatoes are tender. $12.50, a far-more attractive price point. Calabrian Baste with marinade as needed. Remove from grill and allow to rest. TAKE A TIP: Regan initially produced salsa verde almost 200 soup boxes a week and used a Place skewers onto serving platter. third-party service for delivery. But quality Garnish with Calabrian salsa verde control became an issue when meal kits and lemon wedges. were left in a mail room unrefrigerated or 49 “in a bush or behind a gate that they didn’t To make Calabrian salsa verde: PERCENT OF normally use,” she says. Regan reduced Combine 1½ cups chopped flat leaf CONSUMERS the number of kits, which are now picked parsley, 2 tablespoons capers, up by customers, and the prep is divided 2 white anchovies, 1 Calabrian chili WOULD BUY A among staff throughout the week. “Making or 1 teaspoon Calabrian chili oil, 50 portions of ramen a week is nothing we 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, MEAL KIT FROM can’t do in our regular prep time,” she says. Che r r y Tomat o es 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard, 1 minced garlic clove and salt and THEIR FAVORITE ADDED BONUS: The kits have provided freshly ground black pepper to RESTAURANT. her chef de cuisine, Ian Jones, an outlet for taste in a food processor. Slowly research and development that’s produced add extra-virgin olive oil until recipes such as shio mushroom, duck confit desired consistency is reached. SOURCES: Nielsen, National and chicken yuzu, all of which have been Makes about ½ cup. Restaurant Association offered on her regular menu.

18 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 19 25 THINK ABOUT THE LAYOUT OF YOUR KITCHEN, ESPECIALLY DURING shatter HOURS WHEN IT’S QUIETER. IT’S NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN EASILY PERCENT OF DO ON THE SIDE. THERE NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED ENERGY AND EFFORT. CONSUMERS —Leanne Valenti of Bento Picnic SAY CURIOSITY INSPIRED THEM TO STANDARDS TRY A MEAL KIT FIND A TARGET MARKET GO BIG ON YOUR BRAND MEAL KITS While meal kits are usually focused on St. Louis chef Katie Collier built her dinner, Leanne Valenti of Bento Picnic in following on the good name of her two MARKET SHARE IS Austin, Texas, identified an unmet need Katie’s Pizza and Pasta restaurants to for high-quality lunches, especially for launch Vero Meal Kits two years ago. “We busy professionals and office managers. thought we might be able to create a niche In 2015, she developed ready-to-eat lunch just doing Italian food,” says her partner boxes inspired by the Japanese principles and mother, Belinda Lee. “We saw the meal of washoku. Every meal incorporates kit trend, but we saw most of their recipes $2.2 five colors, five tastes, and five elements, were broader than what we do.” but an array of options cater to different BILLION tastes. Think hormone-free pork teriyaki THE BENEFIT: Variety sells. Every two meatballs, Japanese pumpkin and potato weeks, Vero offers a new pizza option OF THE $1.5 salad and organic tomato salad—or cremini (say Fresno chili and pancetta pie) and mushrooms and sesame soba noodles with pasta plate (shishito pepper and chicken TRILLION FOOD seasonal veggies, house pickles and creamy spaghetti) that’s prepped and packaged in tamari sauce. a 2,000-square-foot commercial kitchen. INDUSTRY “You have to look at your competition. If THE BENEFIT: By focusing on corporate they’re charging $50 or $60, you can’t start catering, Valenti found it was a lot easier charging $75. Or there has to be more in MEAL KITS than trying to reach a hundred people who the box.” wanted one box ($12 each). “Now we’re REVENUE WILL straddling the restaurant-prepared meal TAKE A TIP: Packaging matters. Vero REACH model with our storefront,” she says. “We kits arrive with individually portioned just have a static price and are flexible with and packaged ingredients—such as the what works within that price.” steak and marinade for grilled kabobs— chilled with ice packs and insulation. TAKE A TIP: Go slowly. Valenti gradually Plus chef’s hats and coloring pages are developed her grab-and-go business at thrown in for the kids. Sometimes recipe $10 farmers’ markets, then opened inside a cards alone don’t work so email and gym frequented by busy professionals. Facebook must be regularly checked to Now she has a storefront and dine-in provide assistance. “Customer service is BILLION destination attached to her prep kitchen. almost a full-time job.” BY 2020, UP FROM The setup allows for seasonal menus, a steady food cost and price point. ADDED BONUS: Collier’s prep kitchen $1 BILLION IN 2015 allows her to ship kits overnight as far the artisan’s beef ADDED BONUS: Leftover rice led to a west as the Rockies, south to Texas and SOURCES: Nielsen, National cracker recipe that’s now a big hit on her to parts of New England, broadening her Restaurant Association catering menu. client base. n

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20 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 © 2019 Cargill Meat Soluti ons Corporati on. All Rights Reserved. A combination of flavors, from habaneros, turmeric and ginger to curry leaves and cinnamon, are hallmarks of Afro- THE Caribbean cuisine. ISLES HAVE IT AFRO- CARIBBEAN CUISINE CHARTS A COURSE TO MAINSTREAM SUCCESS

BY MATT KIROUAC PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVA KOLENKO

22 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 The popularity of jerk chicken opens the TELL ME A STORY door for customers to If the menu offers jerk chicken, share Jerk Corn embrace other jerk- flavored dishes. its rich history. Chef Nina Compton “Jerk cooking was first created by Compere Lapin, New Orleans indigenous people, who were often nomads. (Because) they didn’t have refrigeration, they 1 cup toasted panko learned how to cook and preserve meats crumbs FOR in a way that prevented them from spoiling, ¼ cup ranch powdered as they needed to be able to consume seasoning mix it as they traveled. So from a historical 1 tablespoon crispy perspective, jerk chicken isn’t just about chicken skin, chopped a particular seasoning or flavor, as many 1 teaspoon scallions, people have come to know it, but it’s also finely sliced about the process of how you prepare the 6 to 8 ears corn, shucked meat and the history behind it.” and halved FAR —Nigel Jones of Kaya, San Francisco Jerk butter, as needed, recipe follows Housemade mayonnaise, your recipe 6 to 8 lime wedges Keeping It Real Chili powder, as needed Afro-Caribbean cuisine draws inspiration from the northern half of Africa, a result of the Combine panko with ranch TOO European slave trade that brought natives to seasoning, chicken skin and the islands. Chinese and Indian laborers also scallions; set aside. contributed to the layers of the cross-cultural cuisine, adding rice and curry to the pantry. Cook corn in lightly salted “Crops and seeds were brought over on the water for 2 to 3 minutes. boats by the slaves, or to feed the slaves,” says Drain, brush with jerk butter Barbadian-expat Paul Yellin, owner of Cane and wrap in foil. Place on a Rhum Bar in Charleston, South Carolina, “and sheet pan and roast in a 375 LONG,the culinary traditions of the Caribbean have been with them came farming practices, recipes and F oven or a medium-heat a victim of their own expansive geography. They’re cooking techniques, such as deep fat frying.” grill top for about 5 minutes. often unfairly lumped together under the catch-all Fish cakes, for example, have long allowed classification of “Caribbean cuisine.” Afro-Caribbean chefs to extend pricey seafood Remove foil and brush But as enterprising chefs have found success into affordable meals. At Cane, Yellin produces with more jerk butter. celebrating sub-regions of storied cuisines, “Stamp n Go,” a fish cake also called accra. Coat with mayonnaise individual Caribbean traditions can finally step Traditionally made with peas, herbs and flour, and roll in breadcrumbs. into a spotlight that’s all their own. accra was adjusted to include salt cod, which Dip limes in chili power Afro-Caribbean cuisine is the latest. With needed no refrigeration and provided much- and serve with corn. emphasis on nuanced spice mixes, affordable needed proteins for island living. seafood and flavorful but inexpensive cuts of They’ve become a hit, in large part, because To make jerk butter: meat, there’s never been more overlap between its of Caribbean tourism, which has introduced Combine 2 teaspoons each standard offerings and what’s trending on American Americans to native dishes. “As more people cayenne pepper, onion restaurant menus. travel and vacation in tropical locations,” says powder, salt, sugar and “Caribbean cuisine historically has been thought Yellin, “their tastes expand and they crave these thyme and 1 teaspoon of as very casual, from beachside shacks to local flavors when they return home.” each allspice, black pepper, dives,” says St. Lucia-born Nina Compton of New Nigel Jones, the native Jamaican behind Kaya crushed red pepper, cumin, Orleans’ Compere Lapin. “Now chefs are elevating in San Francisco, has found that Americans’ nutmeg and paprika and ¼ the dining experience but still offering the amazing growing appreciation for warm spices—ginger, teaspoon cinnamon. Add to fruits, vegetables, spices and seafood that have nutmeg and allspice—as well as more acidic ½ pound softened unsalted made African-Caribbean, and Caribbean cuisine in fare has increased interest in his native cuisine. butter and 1 tablespoon general, so flavorful and unique.” His menu features small plate offerings, such roasted and chopped garlic.

24 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 25 Curried Baby Goat with To make ragu, sweat remaining 2 onions, Plantain Gnocchi minced turmeric, minced ginger and habanero. Chef Nina Compton Add remaining garam masala and cook for Compere Lapin, New Orleans 5 minutes on low heat. Add goat, coconut milk, reserved stock and simmer for 45 Olive oil, as needed minutes or until meat is tender. Shred meat 5 onions, julienned, divided use into large pieces. ½ cup ginger, roughly chopped Cloves from 1 head of garlic, smashed Meanwhile, beat together eggs, plantains and ½ medium piece fresh turmeric, salt. Slowly add flour and as much needed for roughly chopped consistency to pipe logs from a pastry bag onto ¾ cup garam masala, divided use a lightly dusted cutting board. Cut into 1-inch Sachet, recipe follows logs. Place on a floured sheet tray and freeze 3 quarts brown chicken stock until ready to use. 5 pounds baby goat leg or shoulder, brined ¼ cup ginger, minced Cook gnocchi in boiling salted water. Once ¼ cup turmeric, minced they float, add to ragu and simmer for about ½ habanero, seeded and minced one minute. Add cherry tomatoes and 2 14-ounce cans coconut milk arugula greens. Plate and garnish with 5 large egg yolks cashews and pickled cilantro. Makes 5 ripe plantains, peeled and cut into pieces 6 to 8 servings. Kosher salt 1 cup flour To make sachet: Combine 2 cinnamon 15 cherry tomatoes (halved and slightly dried sticks, 1 cup curry leaves, 3 star anise, in oven at 300 F for 30 minutes) 1 tablespoon cup coriander and Arugula, as needed 1 teaspoon cloves. Toasted cashews, as needed Pickled cilantro, as needed

In a large stockpot, heat olive oil and saute 3 onions, chopped ginger, garlic and turmeric, until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add ½ cup garam masala and sachet and sweat for 5 minutes on medium heat. Add stock and bring to simmer. Pour over goat in a hotel pan, cover and roast at 300 F for 3 hours, uncovering and turning over meat after 30 minutes. Cool in liquid, remove meat from bone and cube; strain, skim off fat and reserve liquid.

USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 27 as ginger and black pepper tofu, pickled “Everyone can relate certain flavors papaya and paprika-spiced yellow yams, to their experiences,” says Felix, “even and hearty shared plates, including piri piri if the dish is something they have not chicken and oxtail stew. tasted before.” e  fish in t sea “We’re noticing that our consumer base At Jambo Cafe in Santa Fe, New ...OUR CONSUMER has diversified, and concurrently, interest Mexico, Kenyan-born chef Ahmed M. BASE HAS is growing,” says Jones. “It is rewarding Obo provides a taste of home for his to see a diverse clientele and to encourage guests, with a menu inspired by the DIVERSIFIED, AND cultural conversations through food.” food he grew up on in Lamu, an island off the eastern coast with heavy Swahili CONCURRENTLY, Evolution and Elevation ingredient staples, such as plantains, INTEREST IS For some chefs, like Compton, this coconut, yucca, tamarind and hibiscus. newfound openness to Afro-Caribbean The resulting dishes offer complex flavors GROWING. IT IS cuisine represents a rare opportunity and aromas, whether it’s plantain crab to blend traditional recipes with global cakes, shrimp with coconut-tomato sauce, REWARDING TO ingredients and techniques. jerk chicken wings with pineapple-curry SEE A DIVERSE At Compere Lapin, the curried goat is sauce or curried black bean and sweet one of the most popular dishes on its menu. potato soup seasoned with coconut milk, CLIENTELE AND It features curry-rubbed goat stewed in ginger and cumin. chicken stock and coconut milk that’s Jambo Cafe’s menu appeals to a wide TO ENCOURAGE paired with gnocchi made from flour, eggs variety of diners with many of its dishes CULTURAL and pureed sweet plantains. being naturally vegan and gluten-free. “It’s really representative of both my Every palate can find a home at Jambo Cafe. CONVERSATIONS Caribbean roots and my Italian training,” “Caribbean food is nourishing and THROUGH FOOD. she says. “The combination of the curry healing,” explains Jones. “If I was ever —Nigel Jones, Kaya in San Francisco flavor, the richness of the goat and texture of sick as a kid, my grandmother would go the gnocchi make it a pretty unique dish.” outside and she would find the right roots At Kith and Kin in Washington, D.C., to boil instead of going to the store to by Kwame Onwuachi follows a similar path. medicine.” Many of those same roots act as With family ties to Jamaica, Trinidad the flavorful foundations of his dishes. and Nigeria, Onwuachi grew up on home- cooked classics, such as king crab curry with plantain chips and finger limes as well as seared quail gumbo, grouper with yassa cream and braised goat roti. But he says American diners remain SWEET ON TROPICAL DESSERTS ® most comfortable with jerk chicken. He The Afro-Caribbean pantry of warm spices, rum and tropical fruits Harbor Banks Pressed Alaska Pollock Fillets is a wild-caught, dresses it up with tamarind jam, braised offers plenty of ways to make it hard to wave off a sweet end to a meal. deep-skinned pollock. It’s made using a press technology that cabbage and coconut rice. He even smokes keeps the fillet a consistent weight, shape and sie. Cook it in chicken wings with pimento wood from a variety of ways – pan-seared, deep fried or baked. ust add a Jamaica to draw in barbecue fans. FRIED DESSERTS: BREAD SPIKED OR blend of seasoning or sauce for your preferred taste. The African version of a PUDDING: SPICED: Island Comfortable beignet, called puff-puffs, are In the Caribbean, A shot of spiciness, Harbor Banks Pressed Alaska Pollock Fillets | APN 9899 Afro-Caribbean cuisine is, at its heart, a traditionally made with flour, bread pudding in either ice cream cuisine centered on comfort food staples. sugar, yeast and sometimes draws on the or booze form, can At Gladys in Brooklyn, St. Lucia native ginger and pepper. At Kith need for preser- upend pedestrian Junior Felix still leans on Scotch Bonnet and Kin, they’re served vation. It maximizes desserts. At Jambo For more information, visit usfoods.com ® peppers, pimento and ginger in dishes with sorghum anglaise, ingredients like over-ripe Cafe, the house’s or contact your US Foods representative like peppered shrimp and jerk wings. marionberry bananas and day-old bread, coconut black rice and reference the product number. But he also gives diners the rare treat of jam, dulce while serving as a vessel pudding is spiked with experiencing island-style barbecue. His de leche for rum-soaked raisins, rum, while Kaya whips traditional smoking techniques punch up and as in Cane Rhum Bar’s up a fiery-yet-sweet EXCLUSIVE the flavors and aromas in his smoked fish chocolate “drunken” banana chocolate-habanero offerings and egg scrambles. mousse. bread pudding. soft serve ice cream. BRAND

© 2019 US Foods, Inc. 03-2019 FOF-2019030606

28 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 STAMP n GO garlic and cilantro. Slowly add milk or water until Chef Paul Yellin a chunky batter forms. Refrigerate 30 minutes for Cane Rhum Bar, Charleston, South Carolina flavors to meld.

½ pound bacalao (salt cod) Deep-fry spoonfuls of the batter—approximately 1½ cups flour 1 ounce—in oil heated to 350 F, until golden; 1 teaspoon baking powder drain. Serve 6 per order, drizzle aioli over the ¼ teaspoon salt top and garnish with parsley, dill and cilantro. 1 onion, finely chopped Pair with banana ketchup. 1 red pepper, seeded and finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced Alternative serving option: Drizzle aioli onto a ¼ cup cilantro, chopped rectangular plate and place six fish cakes so they ¾ cup milk or water don’t slide. Sprinkle cilantro, parsley and dill on Vegetable oil, as needed top and serve with banana ketchup. Chopped parsley, dill and cilantro, to garnish Curry aioli, recipe follows To make curry aioli: Blend 2 cups mayonnaise

Banana ketchup, recipe follows with 1 tablespoon toasted curry, 1 teaspoon ® The Chocolate Resource BACK-OF-HOUSE minced garlic, squeeze of lime juice, few drops Cut bacalao into chunks, place in pot, cover with cane syrup and salt and pepper to taste. water, and boil on high for 15 minutes. Change water and repeat. To make banana ketchup: Blend 2 ripe bananas RELIABILITY with 8 ounces of ketchup, 1 minced garlic clove, Remove cooked fish from liquid, shred and set 1 teaspoon pepper sauce and salt and pepper aside to cool. Combine flour with baking powder to taste. n and salt and toss with bacalao, onions, peppers, ® –––––––– FOR ––––FRONT-OF-HOUSE–––– SUCCESS.

Confi dence for you. Superior fl avor for your guests.

Contact your Cargill Foodservice Sales Representative today or call 800-227-4455.

30 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 © 2019 Cargill All Rights Reserved COVER STORY SUGAR

AND SMOKE DESSERTS IGNITE THE GRILL AND THEY’RE CREATING SOME SERIOUS HEAT

BY PETER GIANOPULOS PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVA KOLENKO

Peaches benefit from the grill. See recipe on page 39.

32 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 33 Smoked Potato Dauphine with Goat Cheese Mousse AMERICA’S LOVE FOR and Poached Blueberries Chef Carrie Blease Lord Stanley, San Francisco BARBECUE IS UNWAVERING, 400 grams Idaho potatoes, cooked, skin on 1 handful of wood chips, preferably applewood A PASSION THAT’S LIGHTING 1 cup milk 225 grams butter 20 grams sugar A FIRE FOR DESSERTS. 10 grams salt Reaching for tongs, wood chips and oil cake with orange zest, she slips them 175 grams flour smokers, pastry chefs are getting a turn on a griddle or skillet over the open flame. 8 eggs on the grill to create caramelized fruit It’s important to use a super-dense cake Goat cheese mousse, recipe follows desserts, grilled cakes and smoked batter. Owens’ olive oil cake is as crumbly Poached blueberries, recipe follows chocolates so alluring that diners are easily as cornbread and brushed with anise- or Aged goat Gouda, to taste compelled to stick around for dessert. lavender-infused simple syrup to ensure According to Technomic’s Ignite menu optimal caramelization. She refrigerates Peel potatoes, mash and pass through a data, mentions of “grilled” preparations in the cake before it hits the grill, quickly tamis. Heat barbecue to medium-high heat, the dessert category are up 13.9 percent in sears it, then removes it with a wide place potatoes on a sheet tray on a rack in the past five years, including a 100 percent spatula. barbecue. Add wood chips and close lid; rise in desserts that include ice cream. “The grill loves cakes infused with olive smoke for about 10 minutes until it takes on Grilling desserts doesn’t require the oil,” says Owens, noting that the process a strong smoked flavor. same amount of time or expertise as most amplifies their underlying flavors. Fruity savory preparations. Whether it’s a quick oils can generate banana notes and lighter Meanwhile, bring milk, 1 cup water and butter sear on the grill or an infusion of smoke, oils can yield a focaccia-like butteriness. to boil in saucepan, then add sugar, salt and adding barbecue notes to best-selling flour. Stir until combined and smooth. Add mix desserts allows for a better profit margin › Kindle Up the Campfire to a standing mixer with the potato and beat without too much additional work. During the summer, Mitch McCamey, on medium speed. While mixing, add eggs one owner of Kermit’s Outlaw Kitchen in by one. Place into a piping bag and set aside. › Redefining the term “Hot Cakes” Tupelo, Mississippi, taps into everyone’s When it comes to caramelizing the nostalgia for campfires and s’mores using At service, pipe mixture into a nest shape on exterior sugars of cakes and pies, there’s his Argentinian-style wood-fired grill. oiled parchment. Carefully drop nest into a nothing an oven can do that a grill can’t McCamey’s kitchen team rolls up fryer heated to 375 F and fry until golden. do better, says pastry chef Krista Owens chocolate, marshmallows, local honey, of the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in bananas and freshly made peanut butter Place fried potato dauphine nest on plate Tucson, Arizona. in a foil wrap and throws the bundle on the and dot goat cheese mousse around base “Grilling and applying smoke to grill or directly into the coals. “Instead of of the nest. Cover with blueberries. Using a desserts is one of the least expensive getting that direct fire, you get more of a micro plane, grate cheese to garnish. ways to transform a traditional dessert slow roll,” says McCamey. “The foil still has into something novel,” says Owens. She some cracks in it so you don’t get too much To make goat cheese mousse: Place 500 smokes her signature apple pie—made with smoke. We still want the ingredients to grams soft goat’s cheese (chevre), 100 grams mesquite flour and topped with streusel speak for themselves.” cream, zest of 1 lemon and 10 grams salt into made from local acorns—with a battery- After all those flavors melt and blend a bowl and mix until thoroughly incorporated. operated smoke gun by covering it with together, the dessert is set onto an old- Place into a piping bag. Chill until ready to use. a cloche and blowing plumes of mesquite school pie pan and topped with gelato, into the enclosure. “You don’t want to crushed graham crackers and fresh mint. To prepare blueberries: Combine 1 pint overwhelm the pie with smoke,” she says, “People like to watch a live fire burn,” blueberries, 50 grams elderflower cordial “just allow the crust to absorb the smoke so says McCamey. “There’s something about a and juice and zest of 1 lemon in a saucepan. it lingers in the background.” smoky dessert that disarms people. It slows Bring to boil, remove from heat and set Grilling cakes is easy, too. For her olive them down and keeps them in their chairs.” aside to cool.

34 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 35 Grilled Olive Oil Cake Pastry chef Krista Owens Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson, Arizona

1 cup sugar Zest of 1 orange 4 eggs Today’s guests are always looking for better ways 2 tablespoons vanilla 1¹⁄3 cups olive oil to enjoy their favorite foods. Complement your carefully 3 cups flour crafted breakfasts with quality spreads. Smucker’s® Natural 2 tablespoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt fruit spreads, honey and breakfast syrup deliver ingredients ²⁄3 cup whole milk guests’ recognize from a brand they trust. Simple syrup, as needed Confectioners’ sugar, as needed Free from No high artificial colors, Rub zest into sugar to release oils. Add fructose corn Non-GMO* eggs, zest and sugar and beat until pale flavors or syrup and doubled in volume. Add vanilla and preservatives slowly add oil to emulsify.

Sift remaining dry ingredients. Fold in half Visit SmuckerAwayFromHome.com/Naturals of the dry ingredients to the egg and sugar mixture followed by half of the milk. Add or contact 877-335-4474 for more information. remaining dry ingredients and the milk.

Bake in a greased loaf pan in a preheated 325 F oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour; cool. *NSF International is an independent accredited organization. The NSF Non-GMO Good memories True North standard was created to ensure the integrity of non-GMO claims. ™ Slice, grill and drizzle with simple syrup and ©/® The J.M. Smucker Company in the making. confectioners’ sugar if desired. 28186 03/13/19

36 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 ® Elvis’ Coal-Roasted Banana Boat Owner Mitch McCamey Kermit’s Outlaw Kitchen, Tupelo, Mississippi BURNT IS BETTER: CARAMELIZING FRUIT Hickory Grilled Peaches with 1 banana Nothing caramelizes better than Ginger Gelato and Granola 1 jumbo marshmallow natural sugars in fruit. Open fires Christian Graves 2-ounces quality chocolate baking take familiar one-note fruit notes and Citizen Rail, Denver, Colorado bar broken into pieces char them into sweet-smoky alloys Peanut butter sauce, recipe follows that bring welcomed but unexpected 4 medium-sized peaches, halved and pitted Vanilla ice cream backyard flavors. 2 tablespoons of honey Graham crackers 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped Honey, as needed Coconut: At Etaru, a robatayaki 1 ounce bourbon rum or sherry concept in Fort Lauderdale and Zest of 1 lemon Cut banana laterally with peel intact, hit the Hallandale Beach, Florida, chef 1 cup granola, your recipe grill to mark and remove. Place on a large Luca Spiga inserts charcoal embers 2 cups ginger gelato, your recipe enough piece of foil that can be folded to from his robata grill into a fresh batch cover the dessert. of coconut milk. The intense heat Marinate peaches, honey, thyme, bourbon turns it bittersweet before it’s folded and lemon zest in a sealable bag for 2 hours or Halve 1 jumbo marshmallow and place into an egg-y meringue and added overnight. Place peaches cut side down on a hot onto banana. Add a few pieces of chocolate. back into a blackened coconut shell grill, over direct heat. Wrap and place on the grill or submerge into and moated by a ruby red passion hot coals—until chocolate melts. Open and fruit sauce. Cook peaches until lightly charred with “zebra drizzle with peanut butter sauce and serve marks,” approximately 5 minutes. Remove with vanilla ice cream and graham crackers Pineapple: At Cantina Laredo in peaches, place in individual serving bowls and drizzled with honey. Chicago, chef Daniel Espinoza salts cool. Scoop gelato in centers and dust evenly › Smoke Your Chocolate and grills pineapple to create a with the granola. Makes 4 servings. For peanut butter sauce: Melt 1 cup peanut After leaning heavily on a barrel smoker smoky variation on tamales canarios. butter down. Add ½ cup heavy cream and ½ to produce his Appalachian-inspired fare The smoked juice and pineapple cup honey slowly. Let mixture thicken to your at Whitebird in Chattanooga, Tennessee, bits are added to the masa, rolled preference and cool. executive chef Kevin Korman found it in a grilled banana leaf, foiled up also could produce a chocolate cake that and steamed for 45 minutes. The highlights the pleasantly bitter qualities remaining grilled pineapple is diced of chocolate. with bits of the banana leaf and “Diners want to order chocolate desserts,” walnuts to make a compote, which he says, “but you need to give them is topped with cold-smoked honey something unique, so they say, ‘I need to whipped goat cheese. try that.’” Finding the right balance of textures and Peaches: Sometimes the fruit should chocolate notes is essential. Although the speak for itself. Christian Graves base of Korman’s black cocoa cake leans of Citizen Rail in Denver marinates on a standard hot-water technique—the his peaches overnight with honey, addition of boiling water to the batter thyme, bourbon and lemon zest. At produces a pound-cake texture that won’t service, they’re grilled and topped crumble on the grill—Korman also smokes with vanilla ice cream and granola. 72 percent dark chocolate and cocoa for snaps of bitterness. Citrus: A boozy marinade helps It’s simple to smoke the cocoa nibs unlock the innate sugars with slightly since they won’t melt, but the 73 percent bitter or acidic fruit. At Masters chocolate is placed in a perforated pan— Kitchen and Cocktail, chef Andre then set atop another pan lined with ice— Clark II makes a sweet variation on and smoked for 20 minutes until it sweats. a smoked citrus parfait by grilling “It’s a subtle flavor,” he says, “not like heavy peel-on grapefruit and oranges, then bacon but more like the scent and flavor of dressing them with reposado tequila a campfire.” and flambeing them. After a dip in Then come repeated layers of chocolate agave syrup they’re flambeed again, flavors. The cake is placed over a smear then topped with pomegranate of milk chocolate mousse. Smoked cocoa seeds and micro-cilantro.

38 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 39 nibs are folded at the last minute into ice Blease’s dessert-style potato dauphine Grilled Cream Cheese cream so they don’t crumble. And finally, a draws on diners’ unyielding love for Strawberry Brioche bitter crumble—made with milk, coffee and mashed potatoes by smoking a traditional Executive Chef Frederic Delaire smoked cocoa nibs—are sprinkled over the potato puree—“everyone already knows Preston’s Market, Loews Miami Beach top like bits of black forest streusel. how to use the grill anyway,” she says— Hotel Dining Room, Miami “I love a dessert that has a balance then piping it into a choux-inspired nest of flavors, texture and temperatures,” says shape. At service, it’s fried golden brown, 1 brioche loaf Korman. “When you have both warm and a before some goat cheese mousse is also 10 ounces butter cold element, you’re guaranteed success.” piped inside along with blueberries and a 10 ounces sugar grating of an aged goat Gouda. ¼ cup cream cheese, softened › Get Cheesy “The potato gives it a gooey interior— 1 cup pastry cream, recipe follows Carrie Blease, co-owner and chef of Lord almost like a mashed potato consistency 1 pint fresh strawberries cut in half or sliced Stanley in San Francisco, loves post-dinner instead of your typical baked choux,” says Strawberry coulis, recipe follows cheese courses but struggled to sell them Blease. “People tend to compare it to a until she employed charcoal. funnel cake, crispy yet lightly sweet.” n Slice brioche into four 1-inch thick pieces. In a pan, melt butter with sugar and cook until it turns into a caramel-like sauce. Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved.

Remove pan from stove and dip four slices of brioche into the sauce. Place the four slices on a butter-greased grill and cook until crispy.

Add cream cheese to pastry cream and whip until fluffy. Place one slice brioche on center of plate and add pastry cream/cream cheese mix on top. Place strawberries on top and drizzle with strawberry coulis.

To make pastry cream: In medium bowl, whisk together 6 egg yolks, 1½ cups whole

milk, ¹⁄3 cup sugar, and ¼ cup cornstarch; set aside. Bring 1½ cups half-and-half, ¼ cup sugar and a pinch of salt to a simmer. Add half of the hot mixture to the eggs and whisk. Return to saucepan over moderate heat and cook, whisking constantly, until pastry cream simmers and thickens, about 1 minute. Transfer immediately to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto surface; cool.

To make coulis: Heat 10 ounces frozen strawberries in a saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, zest of a half lemon and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Cover and simmer until strawberries are broken down, about 10 minutes. Cool and puree.

40 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 TREND TRACKER ON THE RADAR HIGH ALERT SMOKIN’ HATE HOT FOR CARBS Carbs are back but supercharged with SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED protein-rich grains. Drivers snacking on takeout meant for your customer DESSERTS Hit the grill with seasonal fruits, cake TRY THIS INSTEAD: Offer and charge for is not urban legend. Get ahead of the problem with slices and other treats to create DO THE SALSA crusty and flavorful multigrain bread. Swap branded labels or tape as a seal so no one will need charred eye candy. See page 32. But shake it up in high-protein grain pasta and arm servers to give it a second thought. green, like the with the ratios to share with diners. yuzu kosho salsa verde paired with romanesco and hazelnuts at DRAW THE LINE No more whining or ALL PUFFED UP Blackship in Pizza disguised inside a large airy, crispy pocket? blaming slim margins for Los Angeles. Hell yeah, says David Chang on Instagram. Look for not paying better wages Modernist Cuisine’s new tome on pizza later this year. or benefits. Add a service fee and explain why you’re doing so to avoid backlash. FISHING FOR TRY THIS INSTEAD: Los STYLIN’ AND Angeles’ Petit Trois adds PROFILIN’ COMPLIMENTS, 18 percent to the check, CRUNCH TIME which clearly states it’s not A gooey, oozing Nuts are the new bolts, as hazelnuts, walnuts and sando will make ARE YOU? a gratuity but to ensure peanuts help lock in extra texture and tasty flavors. Dive into ways to improve some diners a livable wage. The fine sustainability in seafood salivate, but the LAST SEEN: Roasted short rib, Castelvetrano print also says to fill in to net some serious green Japanese sandwich olives, celery, walnuts and horseradish at Il Buco the tip line if service was cred. See page 5. is all about taste Cena in New York and Brussels sprouts with “exceptional.” See page 47. and aesthetics. peanut sambal at Nunu in Philadelphia. > LAST SEEN: Fried local oysters with kimchi and slaw and YOU SEE ME, RIGHT? TAKE SOME HEAT fried shrimp cake Ignoring older diners—typically Guajillo, pasilla and serrano with tartar sauce people over 50—isn’t a good thing. are sharing the global stage and slaw, both on TRY THIS INSTEAD: They’re the with Calabrian chilies, Indian Japanese bread at reshampatti peppers and Adana in Seattle. most loyal demographic so work it. Bahamian bird peppers. FADING OUT FADING

42 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 43 FOOD I CAN’T PEOPLE HAVE WHAT SHE’S HAVING? Win over diners with restrictive diets—without blowing the budget or your cool BY LISA ARNETT PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEXA SUTER PHOTOGRAPHY A Pizza for Every Diet Paleo Friendly Mici Handcrafted Italian—a counter-service pizza and ❱ A vegan, paleo pasta concept with five locations in Denver, Colorado— adapts its offerings to meet customers’ dietary restrictions. The concept’s flexible approach to making 10-inch thin- diner and a person crust pizzas inspired these work-arounds: Suitable for Vegan with multiple Paleo or Vegetarian Diets › Meat and/or veggie toppings › No cheese allergens walk into › Cauliflower crust Diners who adhere to a paleo diet avoid dairy, but they a restaurant. welcome vegetables and meat, including pepperoni or Is this a chef’s worst nightmare or the preps two versions of certain dishes. soup or extra ingredients tossed into sausage. A cauliflower crust can also be gluten-free. new norm for Saturday service? “When we have anchovy in a dish, let’s say a salad. Given the recent uptick in restrictive it’s an anchovy vinaigrette, we’ll always For meatless diners, CEO Elliot Schiffer Vegan diets, the honest answer is probably both. have a second vinaigrette with no anchovy would rather feature vegetables than meat › Veggie toppings More than a third of respondents in a 2018 in it (for vegetarians),” Vincent says. substitutes at Mici Handcrafted Italian. › No cheese survey on food and health reported that The other option is to adopt a “one dish Even though it might be cost effective to › Traditional crust they follow a “specific eating pattern,” serves all diets” approach. At ArtScience toss tofu or tempeh onto his pizzas, doing If requests for vegan pizza heat up at your place, offer a such as paleo, gluten-free, high-protein Culture Lab & Cafe in Cambridge, so would subvert the brand’s identity. “The dairy-free cheese. Otherwise, stick to sauce, vegetable or ketogenic diet, according to the Massachusetts, executive chef Benjamin beautiful thing about (us) is for $10, you toppings and a good crust. International Food Information Council Lacy ensures at least one of his offerings can get something that’s really authentic Foundation. will comply with multiple restrictions. and comes from this long line of family Vegetarian “I’ve heard people say things like, ‘ “Oftentimes, I’ll move my vegetarian history,” says Schiffer. “Using a protein › Veggie toppings Why don’t they just stay home if that’s options to be gluten-free, dairy-free vegan that’s soy-based is just too far away from › Cheese all they can eat?’” says Jason Vincent, options,” says Lacy. the heritage and the culture.” › Traditional crust chef-partner at Giant in Chicago. “They Pick a dish—think soups—that will be Instead of relying on overplayed veggie toppings, like black want to go out, and we want them to come as good without the gluten or animal PRESERVING PROFIT olives, green peppers or red onion, try yellow squash, out. We want to make them what they products. Case in point: mushroom bisque How do you make sure your diet-focused Broccolini or red and orange peppers. want to eat whenever possible.” and breaded sweetbreads made with rice diners aren’t eating into the bottom Successfully meeting the needs of such flour instead of wheat flour. “No one does line? Executive chef Ralf Schlegel of Gluten-free customers can pay off handsomely. Given this anymore, but bisque is traditionally Plume in Washington, D.C., preserves › Diner’s choice of veggie and meat toppings how tribal diners with restrictive diets supposed to be thickened with rice, not profit by setting prices with possible › Cheese can be—not to mention how quickly they flour,” says Lacy. Sweetbreads are dredged accommodations in mind. “During › Gluten-free crust exchange information via social media— in a mixture of dried, locally foraged menu planning, we are already putting To avoid cross-contamination, use different pizza cutters and going the extra mile for one person can mushroom grounds and rice flour, which thought into it, specifically what we can lay down parchment paper between the crust and the oven. Gluten-Free generate a ripple effect of positive buzz. delivers a crisp exterior without gluten. alter to accommodate the usually heavily And what better way to gain their trust Chicken can stand in for diners who aren’t frequented restrictions,” he said. “Since Options than by being more accommodating than into offals. the same—if not more—effort goes into a your competitors? dish with special instructions, we charge GIVE AND TAKE ACCOMMODATIONS the same price point for it as that of a MEET THE CHALLENGE Harley Peet, executive chef at regular dish.” Specialty menus at chains, such as the Sunflowers & Greens in Easton, Maryland, Other times, there’s no profit to be had— gluten-free section at The Cheesecake adheres to the motto, “If you can, then which can be OK. “We make no money Factory or vegan menu at Buca di Beppo, do.” But when he can’t cater to particular upgrading people to a gluten-free crust for have set the expectation that smaller restrictions—demand for gluten-free $3,” Schiffer said. “I think the gluten-free independent restaurants can instantly bread, for example, is sporadic and community is so tired of eating bad crust, adjust their menus. freezing a few loaves just doesn’t work— that’s a 75 cent upgrade. I think what we But that’s not so easy. To ensure his he makes up for it by offering a free lose in terms of margin on that we gain in

kitchen is ready for substitutions, Vincent upgrade or add-on, like a gratis bowl of terms of loyal customers.” n PHOTOGRAPHY BY HENRIQUE FELIX PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVA KOLENKO

46 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 47 Kiki Louya, opposite page left, and below, with business partner, Rohani Foulkes, are working to ensure all workers are valued equally at The Farmer’s Hand and the adjacent Folk.

❱ KIKI LOUYA, CHEF AND CO-OWNER OF FOLK AND THE FARMER’S HAND IN DETROIT, KNOWS WAGE inequity is a problem. Consider tipping, which she says is rooted in racism and sexism. When the 13th Amendment abolished slavery in By ensuring a fair for wage all, one chef redefines equality one chef redefines 1865, tipping wasn’t favored in this country. But employers preferred it because it allowed them to pay lower wages, which discriminated against people of color. Today, it’s still happening. When Louya and her business partner, Rohani Foulkes, compared gratuities among servers, they noticed that their highly skilled black women servers earned lower tips than their white male counterparts. To address the problem, a small wave of independent chefs and restaurateurs, including Louya and Foulkes, are including the gratuity in the check, a movement that New York restaurateur Danny Meyer of Union Square Hospitality Group pioneered in 2015 as a way to close the wage gap between the front and back of the house. Change isn’t easy—as evidenced by challenges Meyer has with his tipping policies—but Louya and Foulkes believe it’s worth the effort.

Q. Besides the inequality piece, which is huge, what motivated you and Foulkes to end tipping?

A. There can be a lot of resentment. You see people who are bartenders and servers taking home $400 a night, hundreds of dollars in tips. In the back of the house, you work in a kitchen that’s very hot—not always in the ideal conditions. I’ve worked in basements with no windows when you don’t know the time of day, when you’re making $10 an hour and your dishwasher $8 . There is something wrong with that. How is that working

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAT FOLEY BY KAT PHOTOGRAPHY as a team? BRIDGING THE GAP

USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 49 BULK YOGURTS THAT PERFORM.

Q. Are there incentives?

A. We offer the ability to buy into a health care plan. We might bring in a financial expert to talk about money From tub to bag, Greek to traditional, management or offer a super discount in the restaurant. make the best choice for every application. There can be creative ways we can structure the business so our employees have a better standard of living. I am for sure not saying that we have the whole With innovative packaging like our Yoplait® ParfaitPro® and picture figured out or all the answers. As restaurateurs, our premium, European-style Mountain High™ Yoghurt, we are always thinking about how to retain employees More About Louya and how to level the playing field. General Mills has top brands that deliver versatility,

With a bachelor’s eciency and quality. • Q. What’s the next challenge? from the University of Michigan, she was expected to A. Because we are a brunch-focused restaurant, go to law school. people aren’t working crazy nights—they’re looking for more balance. It will be interesting to see what Completed • happens when we add dinner service and alcohol (this culinary program summer). We’re still trying to figure this out, especially for at Le Cordon bartenders who are used to making a lot of money. How Bleu College of do we balance that? What kind of people will we attract Culinary Arts in to work nighttime at Folk? Chicago instead. Worked at various restaurants, front This all plays into a bigger picture for the Q. Pardon the pun, but what was the tipping point? and back of the Q. restaurant industry? house, in Chicago and New York. A. Tipping doesn’t guarantee a steady wage. We started to think of ways to counteract it—and the only The traditional hierarchy in the kitchen isn’t In 2015, she met A. way is to take it away from the customer. It’s now a • business partner respectful to everyone. You have servers barking orders hospitality charge: 18 percent added to the bill to ensure Rohani Foulkes, at the kitchen and cooks working a marathon each night that all the staff is on a level playing field. who had similar under rough conditions within a system of pay inequity. goals and opened To feel valued and respected, there has to be a trajectory The Farmer’s Hand, for pay and advancement. (Ending) the pay inequity is a Why not raise prices a buck here or there to n Q. a 300-square-foot start. I’m excited to hear more ideas. ensure a livable wage for lower paid workers? counter cafe and market stocked A. Tipping actively discriminates. We’re all in this with local produce together. This is why the tip pooling is really a beneficial and products. practice. It makes everyone feels respected and that our work matters. • Won 2017 Eater Award for Best Market-Cafe If a server can make more money at a restaurant Q. Combo of the Year. across the street that doesn’t pool tips for everyone, why would they work at Folk? • Opened Folk, a 24-seat breakfast A. You have to believe in our values. At other places, and lunch globally there can be so much infighting and resentment. The inspired restaurant next door. Dinner wage is steady here, not unpredictable. Because of our Equitable pay among staff is one of the ways The size, and Detroit in general and its income per capita, it’s service begins Farmer’s Hand and Folk are creating a respectful easier here than a larger city with a high cost of living. this summer. working environment. For more yogurt inspiration, talk to your General Mills Sales Representative. 1-800-852-5252 | generalmillscf.com 50 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 JACK OF ALL TRADES, MASTER OF ALL

ADOPT LEARNING-ON-DEMAND TECH ADDRESS MULTIPLE LEARNING STYLES Operators can create videos and Printed manuals? Videos? post them on their own YouTube Shadowing? Interactive web- channel to help the front- and based slides and quizzes? Yes to back of house staff learn skills all, but the format should reflect outside their wheelhouse the audience. “You have to reach or consult services such as out to millennial workers and Cross-training, whether Restaurant Ready, a mobile app speak to them in a language they developed by ExpandShare. know,” says Lucas Dudley, director formal or ad hoc, is a It provides online videos on of operations for multi-unit familiar way to maximize plating, cashing out guests and Bennigan’s. That means designing even dealing with drunk patrons. fun, engaging experiences that resources. The nature Whenever trouble arises­, such utilize tech. The same goes for Gen of the business— videos can come to the rescue. Z workers. unpredictable demand, Eric Harsh, ExpandShare’s Pie Five, a Dallas-based pizza CEO, says managers and owners chain, trains with web-based video high employee turnover shouldn’t shy away from producing vignettes and interactive modules and low unemployment— their own videos. “A lot of people that demonstrate how to build a means staff members panic when they see that record pizza. “It’s a pretty easy process,” button,” he says. Instead, use your says Tim Breen, vice president of often need to slip into phone, point the camera at the operations. “I could teach you how different roles. food, drink or table and go. Just to make a pizza over the phone.” New technologies make sure to keep the message short: two minutes at the most. and management “We encourage Snapchat-like philosophies can quality because that’s what your especially help, producing staff is used to,” he adds. EXPLAIN After training videos cover the HOW TO jack-of-all-trades basics, real-world experience is employees who generate essential for reinforcement, as THE “WHY” MAXIMIZE is sign off from a trainer. Some If you want to get team members time- and money-saving restaurants even follow up with jazzed about cross-training, make THE LABOR efficiencies while feeling tests and certificates. it clear how training will benefit a greater sense of loyalty “We’re constantly quizzing and them in the long run, says Jeff POOL IN engaging, moving them around Kahler, president of Ready Training. to their employer’s to different stations to prevent Describe a career path. Explain A TIGHT operations. stagnation and to see where they how versatile employees tend to To jump-start efforts, can really shine,” says Jonathan earn more hours. And above all, Mendez, chief operating officer make them feel important, so they MARKET here are some insights for Saloniki, a Boston-based take ownership over their various BY MEGAN ROWE to consider. restaurant group. responsibilities.

52 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 53 JUST THIS EVENING’S OPENING? ENTERTAINMENT SLOW THEMED PAPER PLACEMATS With the Monogram® Dino-Themed Kids Paper Placemat DOWN and Valu+Plus® Fish-Themed Kids Paper Placemat, children Timing is important in cross- can stay entertained throughout every course of dinner. training. Pie Five, for instance, Our placemats are double-sided and provide easy cleanup. postpones training for the first DON’T This is quality entertainment you can pair with every meal. month after opening a new restaurant. “It’s so busy then that it’s better to have experts on each FORGET station,” says Breen. One person or team assigned to a task is more efficient than multiple players MANAGERS multitasking. So don’t wedge cross Billy Dec, who owns Sunda, an training into the busy holiday Asian-inspired restaurant in season or crowded nights. Chicago and Nashville, Tennessee, ensures his managers continue to evolve as well. In addition to working the line as expediters, TRAINING FOR ALL they learn how to handle social If you’re running a fast casual media and marketing, and they are operation with a lean staff, it pays required to devote a minimum of to cross-train everyone. At Junzi two hours a week to work outside Kitchen, an Asian fast casual the restaurant, either promoting concept with locations on the East business or facilitating off-site Coast, all new employees undergo CREATE A CARROT events. “They become active in a three day orientation. They Dishwashers who master the promoting and marketing instead taste and study the entire menu, salad station or servers willing of just sticking to repetitive, learning all the steps involved in to tend bar should be sufficiently consistent routines and systems assembling bowls as well as cashier motivated to keep climbing. Some within the four walls,” he explains. responsibilities. operators offer a slight wage Chicago managers also learn Other restaurants, however, need bump, badges, different colored how to manage Underground, Monogram Dino-Themed Kids more specialized talent to handle uniforms (such as Starbucks’ Dec’s nightclub, so they can fill Paper Placemat | APN 1678633 certain jobs, including bartender, black apron), small bonuses and in as needed. “That helps them Valu+Plus Fish-Themed Kids sous chef or sommelier positions. other incentives. “Little tokens become more versatile, excited Paper Placemat | APN 6859593 But at the very least, says Dudley, of appreciation, in addition and energized, and they come back “the No. 1 thing is to not limit folks to money, make a big impact,” with new ideas and perspective,” in their ability to learn. All team says Kahler. “There are a lot of he adds. members should be able to learn people who will do anything for a Cross-training has been a anything in the business.” different colored shirt.” way to cope with high turnover Nicky Chang, co-founder of and unreliable employees, says Junzi Kitchen, thinks career Ashley Rosenfeld, senior associate growth and the ability to pick up with Houston-based A La Carte EXCLUSIVE more hours are essential to its Foodservice Consulting. The cross-training program. “The most difference today, she adds, is BRAND important thing is to empower and “operators do it on purpose—and it For more information, visit usfoods.com enable our employees to find their makes people feel more involved in or contact your US Foods® representative full potential,” she says. the company.” n and reference the product number.

© 2019 US Foods, Inc. 03-2019 FOF-2019030606 54 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 FOOD FANATIC ROAD TRIP! NOTABLES Clockwise, Duckfat must-try fries, Fore On trend at Tasty n Alder, left, and Street, MF Tasty, Piccolo and Tasty n Alder Voodoo’s iconic bacon maple doughnut. amplify farm and coast to table trends. PORTLAND, MAINE

Boone’s Fish House and Oyster Bar Legend has it that the baked stuffed lobster originated here, a place where you’ll feel like a local. Duckfat James Beard-winning chef Rob Evans has created a local staple in duck fat Maine fries, berry shakes and duck confit- pressed sandwiches.

brewpub can be found every three or four The Holy Donut blocks. Dubbed “beervana,” Portland rivals Owner Leigh Kellis uses potatoes (bacon any other city with its breadth and depth cheddar) and sweet potatoes (ginger glazed) of local beer. Today, the food is also worthy from Maine for doughnuts as well as local of praise. berries and Allen Coffee Brandy, a locally West Coast Portland has bragging rights made favorite liqueur. on Dungeness crab, but the other Portland lays claim to lobster like no other city. Piccolo Situated on a 3-mile peninsula in Casco New York chef transplant Damian Sansonetti, Bay, Eastward Portland has unique access formerly of Bar Boulud, expertly unites Their openness to global flavors—and to the cold North Atlantic waters for southern Italy with local ingredients, most willingness to wrestle with bold ideas— arguably the best seafood in the U.S., and notably seafood. Don’t miss the Sunday six- Coast to makes them more similar than their has led the charge in creating recipes using course supper. distance would normally allow. Cara sustainably sourced seaweed. Stadler’s Bao Bao Dumpling House brought You know you’re in Maine when you coast soup dumplings by way of Shanghai to order a lobster roll with chunks of meat PORTLAND, OREGON BY ERIC BOGARDUS AND CHARLES RAMSEYER Portland, Maine; California transplants barely dressed with mayonnaise inside ❱ The affinity between Portland, Maine, and Greg and Gabrielle Denton showed a top-loading bun, buttered on each side Hat Yai Portland, Oregon, runs more than name Portlanders how juices dripping from the and toasted golden. Eventide strays from Restaurants inspired by Asian flavors are deep. Though the population of West Coast Argentinian grill could put accompanying tradition by making its own bun, but no everywhere, but shallot fried chicken is not. Portland is nearly 10 times larger than its side dishes over the top. one’s complaining when the whoopie pie, Come and get it. cousin to the east, both cities have evolved Both cities are trendsetters, rather than also a local staple, rivals all. into on trend, must-visit food destinations . followers. By the time the doughnut craze East Coast or West Coast, what makes MF Tasty Affordable and laid-back with a shared took off around the country in 2011, Voodoo each food scene unique is that chefs and Transplant Eric Gitenstein brings Southwest- T ELL appreciation for rebellious ideas, the two Doughnuts in Portland, Oregon, had already restaurateurs remain true to their craft, inspired, Portland-made food to his cart. ME A Portlands have the rare geographical been serving unique flavors, including their embracing global influences in their cooking Taste the true meaning of taco Tuesday. advantage of drawing inspiration from both famous bacon maple bars, since 2003. but still retaining the local flair that has SToRY land and sea—and they’re cool enough to Same for food trucks. Portland had made each city a poster child for creative Olympia Provisions lure big-city talent, while preserving a true already been there, and done that for some coastal cooking. n Do you need an on-site USDA certified farm-to-table ethos. time, stationing hundreds of food carts, curing facility? Just goes to show how Most of their chefs—from Naomi known as pods, in parking lots throughout serious they are about charcuterie. A coin toss between pioneers Asa Lovejoy Pomeroy of Beast and Andy Richer of the city, essentially changing the way people and Francis Pettygrove determined Pok Pok in Portland, Oregon, to Sam eat. Authentic global cuisine is represented FOOD FANATICS CHEFS Tasty n Alder the name of the West Coast city they Hayward of Fore Street and Rob Evans through numerous countries—think Burma, Eric Bogardus of the Northeast and Charles There’s plenty of John Gorham to choose founded in Oregon. Lovejoy, who was from of Duckfat in Portland, Maine—can’t be put Central America, Iran and Ethiopia, just to Ramseyer of the Pacific Northwest are from, including flagship Toro Bravo, which Massachusetts, wanted to name the new into a box, other than to say they’re open name a few. Food Fanatics chefs for US Foods. Follow still has lines out the door after a decade, but settlement Boston. Pettygrove, who hailed to cooking just about anything that’s local Also noteworthy are the brewpubs. In Bogardus on Instagram at @Ericleon and his new American steakhouse/small plates is from Maine, preferred the name of the and tastes good. some quadrants of Portland, Oregon, a Ramseyer on Twitter at @Chefcharlesrams. poised to be a classic, too. already established East Coast city Portland.

56 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 57 Los Angeles-based MONEY Zinc Cafe offers a MEET YOUR SECRET INGREDIENT grocery element within & SENSE its various operations. Our Chef’s Line® buns deliver stone-baked flavor to every sandwich, so the secret ingredient to your burgers can just be the bun. Our stone-baked process features proprietary starters, long fermentation periods and only premium ingredients. Each of our buns is pre-sliced for your back-of-house convenience. Just thaw and serve.

CHEF’S LINE 4.5" TRADITIONAL BUN | APN 9576471 • CHEF’S LINE 4" BIANCO BUN | APN 6840069 CHEF’S LINE 4.5" BRIOCHE BUN | APN 9826017 • CHEF’S LINE 4" SEEDED SALT AND PEPPER BUN | APN 9576455 THE RISE OF THE GROCERANT

IF YOU For more information, visit usfoods.com CAN’T BEAT or contact your US Foods® representative and reference the product number. THEM, OUTSMART EXCLUSIVE THEM

BRAND BY FRANK LAWLOR PHOTOGRAPHY BY FOOD FANATICS STAFF © 2019 US Foods, Inc. 03-2019 FOF-2019030606

USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 59 Zinc Cafe, below and following page, long relied on are no longer inviolate. blends retail elements, from packaged “Traditional retail and innovative foods to cookbooks, that fit its brand. foodservice alternatives will take share by diminishing the restaurant advantage of enjoyable experiences, quality and convenience.” In addition to supermarkets, Technomic says meal kits, subscription services, food trucks, dark kitchens and next-gen vending also stand ready to chip away at restaurant profits. Although the last few decades have seen diners obsess over restaurants, that euphoria may not last forever. “Restaurants have to find ways to respond to these so-called grocerants,” says Aaron Allen of global food consultancy Aaron Allen Associates. “It’s not, however, going to be by selling groceries. They don’t have the space or experience to compete that way. Fortunately they have lots of other things to offer.” Allen advises against worrying too much about what supermarkets are up to. “Look at your value proposition through the lens of those it serves and then examine every element of your business— the training, technology, food, marketing, pricing and service. That’s where you’ll find ways to win.” OFFER VALUE-FRIENDLY FAMILY MEALS Edmund Halabi, owner of Italian House restaurant in Janesville, Wisconsin, knows that convenience-seekers see time as a precious commodity. “I have to figure out what customers, especially millennials, Grocers have evolved, winning consumers. Think self-branded concepts at want and be there for them as needs convenience-hungry consumers in supermarkets and even the glitzy glamour evolve,” he says. “Two stops sound like ways that should make restaurateurs of food emporiums like Eataly. a waste of time to them, so if they’re in a take notice. “For years, the trend went the other way, grocery store, they’ll stay to have dinner.” With tons of space in vast and rangy with restaurants taking business out of To better match supermarket pricing and stores, convenient locations and ample free supermarkets,” says Phil Lempert, a food family-oriented convenience, his carryout parking, they’re adding stylish destination industry consultant. menu features several bundled meals. dining spots, cool enough to convince Not anymore. Supermarkets are Mama’s Feast, for example, includes half- customers to come for milk and paper rearranging space to build fresh offerings. gallons of pasta with red sauce and salad towels and stay for dinner. The grocerant “The focus is moving to higher-margin plus housemade garlic bread. Phone orders is a thing. prepared and ready-to-eat meals. Like can be picked up at a drive-thru window. A mashup of two words, grocerant it or not, people still have to go to the “The convenience is a survival strategy; has broad meaning. According to Steven grocery store and now they see people the discount pricing is a marketing tactic,” Johnson, a hospitality-industry consultant sitting around having a glass of wine and a Halabi says. He also has a busy catering who calls himself the Grocerant Guru, nice meal.” division and sells some of Italian House’s it can be any grocery store, convenient In 2018, industry consulting firm signature breads and salads at a local store, retailer or restaurant that offers Technomic flagged the supermarket supermarket. “This is an entrepreneurial freshly prepared or ready-to-heat food to threat, noting that the unique consumer- business. You can’t just have one revenue

eat on-premise or to-go for time-starved focused traits that restaurants have stream anymore.” BY FRANK LAWLOR PHOTOGRAPHY

60 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 Pub Burger Sriracha slaw burger Featuring MorningStar Farms® Meat Lovers Vegan Burger Featuring MorningStar Farms® Chipotle Black Bean Burger USF # 9007213 USF # 4708509

Be Plant Proud This Grilling Season. DON’T DO A COPYCAT THING. ASK might need to build a meal. Zinc focuses DON’T OVERDO THE PACKAGED GOODS YOURSELF WHAT YOU CONTRIBUTE on an array of freshly made, ready-to-eat Devoting restaurant space to packaged ingredients presented salad-bar style, and foods might seem like a good idea, but TO CUSTOMERS AND THE also keeps its grocery selections limited it can be tricky. One Off Hospitality COMMUNITY AND FOCUS ON THAT. to condiments and breads. partner Paul Kahan says that Publican — Aaron Allen of Aaron Allen Associates Quality Meats, a hybrid butcher shop WATCH THE CALENDAR and cafe in Chicago, has a handful of Don’t overlook seasonal opportunities, grocery-type items, such as olive oil, such as picnic fare in the summer and wine, spices and condiments. “We’ve takeout side dishes during the holidays, scaled back a bit,” he says. “People come to enhance business. Monitoring for meats and charcuteries from the foods from Ireland. It’s a part of our brand hotel promotions is a good place to butcher shop, bread from the bakery or and works nicely for what we do, but it’s start, especially innovative spots like they’re here for the restaurant. They’re not really a profit center.” the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, not really here to get packaged foods, and California. a lot of it just sat there.” KEEP IT FRESH The hotel has found success with its Lempert concurs. “Too often in Santa Monica Seafood Market in Santa PenAir program—airline-ready meals for restaurants, packages of food become Monica, California and Zinc Cafe & guests to take aboard flights. And because a dusty pantry,” he says. “It’s a pretty Market in Los Angeles and Laguna Beach, the hotel caters to every whim and need, it hard sell.” But if you stock hard-to-find California, seamlessly merge a carefully fields phone orders for pick-up meals. imported products that you can’t find curated selection of fresh and packaged at Whole Foods, as Mrs. Murphy & Sons foods with their restaurant space. Consider SPEED UP YOUR LUNCH SERVICE Irish Bistro in Chicago does, you’re such a strategy if it jibes with your brand During lunch service, make sure the food better off. and space is available, but remember to comes flying out of the kitchen. Malibu bruschetta burger southern pimento cheese burger “It has evolved since we opened,” says source wisely. “We have strong lunch business at Big ® ® James Murphy, one of the restaurant’s In Santa Monica, the market matches Star because it’s designed to be fast and Featuring Gardenburger Vegan Malibu Burger Featuring MorningStar Farms Roasted Garlic & Quinoa Burger owners. “Customers would ask where they its complete line of fresh seafood with convenient,” Kahan says. “Quality and USF # 4699096 USF # 7304933 could get some of the products we use in equally fresh produce, condiments and great service are the best responses and

the restaurant, so we stock some authentic breads—pretty much anything customers that’s what we stick with.” n AUSTIN ELLIS [RIGHT] WADE [LEFT], BY FRANK LAWLOR PHOTOGRAPHY To learn more about these products contact your US Foods® TM or visit: www.USFoods.com/order 62 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 For more information and recipes visit: www.KelloggSpecialtyChannels.com ®, TM, ©, 2019 Kellogg NA Co. PR MACHINE Sharp ideas to get butts in seats

the OddFellows Ice Cream carnival. While stilt walkers and sidewalk jugglers drew crowds, OddFellows’ ice cream makers What churned out composed cones like caramel- popcorn soft serve and a vanilla-tangerine creamsicle blend wrapped in cotton candy. Makes A OddFellows owner Mohan Kumar, who runs scoop shops in New York, says his team worked 18-hour days during the 10 days from conception to opening. Bar Fly? “This was definitely about exposure for us,” says Kumar. “We would sell the Collaborations product at wholesale to Chefs Club. So basically Chefs Club took all the risk and between food and got the upside. But overall, it was killer.” Chefs and concepts that can develop a drink establishments cult following make the best partnerships, BY AMBER GIBSON says Chefs Club founder Stephane De Baets. His system allows chefs to test a new concept or location and get into business ❱ Cross-promotional partnerships rapidly without heavy upfront investments. between restaurants and bars are proving “We are a turnkey solution for them,” he that two is better than one. explains. “Once we identify residencies, we Whether it’s a permanent menu let them run their own show. We are merely collaboration or a summerlong series, the a facilitator for their creation.” mutually beneficial alliances can expose both brands to new diners, foster creativity Bring in the Experts ≥≥ and build connections for future growth. When mixologist Todd Thrasher opened Sportsman’s Club invites top chefs to collaborate on barbecue events. the Tiki TNT, a contemporary Tiki bar on Have BBQ, Will Travel ≥≥ Washington, D.C.’s buzzing District Wharf, CRISPNESS THAT GOES THE DISTANCE Each summer, Sportsman’s Club, a he wanted his food to generate as much taxidermy-themed bar in Chicago, invites and old favorites lures in different diners, interest as his cocktails. So he invited chefs top chefs from across the city—and while forging bonds within the restaurant to create custom or signature dishes for sometimes beyond—to fire up a barbecue- community. Tiki TNT. themed meal on its back patio. The 17- “We’re all crazy busy, but when you walk Chef Bryan Voltaggio made a salmon, ® ™ week affair helps visiting chefs win over into a bar and see your friends old and new tomato, avocado and soy-Dijon sandwich, TRY CONSUMER-PREFERRED MCCAIN SURECRISP FRIES new fans, while allowing Sportsman’s who are there to support each other, it’s named after his Santa Monica sandwich FOR TAKEOUT & DELIVERY bartenders to keep slinging drinks at a the best feeling,” Kelton says. Sportsman’s shop, while chef Erik Bruner-Yang of % profitable clip. also raises money for charities. Last year, Brothers & Sisters developed a rotisserie Takeout & delivery orders are expected to account for 100 of foodservice growth in the next 5 years.1 With fries being a popular delivery item, make sure yours Sportsman’s keeps its prices low and the series benefited Hope for the Day, a chicken. Chef David Guas of Bayou Bakery arrive with the crispy bite customers expect. With their stay-crispy clear coating, offers equitable splits. The event’s $20 price Chicago-based suicide prevention non- collaborated on dessert, including a McCain SureCrisp Fries are the long-holding, natural-looking fries consumers point allows guests to sample high-end fare profit, making it a feel-good event for all. pineapple rum upside-down cake. prefer over other clear-coated brands—even after 30 minutes of delivery.2 at a reasonable price, says general manager The names of some dishes honor their Laura Kelton, who typically gives $15 to the Ice Cream Social Amplified ≥≥ creators, driving traffic back to each For product details, fry packaging tips and other support, ask your visiting kitchen and $5 to the house. Chefs Club is one of the original chefs-in- contributor, while aiding the bar’s sales. McCain Sales Representative or visit McCainUSAFoodservice.com Sportsman’s starts planning at least residence concepts, which invites world- “We set out to create fun island-inspired three months in advance and hires a renowned chefs to take over its spaces. food,” Thrasher says. “The chefs were very “barbecue coordinator” to work with Last summer, its fast casual spinoff, Chefs hands-on in working with our culinary 1Darren Tristano, Industry Analyst, Co-Founder Technomic Information Services, Sept. 2018 2Claims based on McCain Proprietary Quantitative Consumer Research, conducted by a 3rd party in October 2018. Consumers tested were 18-54 years old in restaurants and liquor sponsors. “Inviting Club Counter in New York, went uber- team led by Larry Blevins to ensure it was four cities in CA, IL, NY and TX, who consider themselves regular users of fries in restaurants. Products tested were 3/8" (cooked measurement) straight cut ® ™ n fries for both McCain SureCrisp and nationally branded clear coat competitors in a blind tasting. All items were prepared in accordance with manufacturer neighborhood spots, new restaurants seasonal, helping launch a pop-up called exactly what they envisioned.” cooking instructions. Testing scenarios were 5 minutes out of a fryer, 20 minutes off heat on a plate, and 30 minutes off heat in a delivery setting (product in a fry sleeve, placed in a paper bag and then inside of a closed insulated bag). Conditions for actual delivery vary by delivery driver protocol, distance and climate.

©2019 McCain Foods USA, Inc. The trademarks herein are owned by or used under license by McCain Foods Limited or by one of its subsidiaries. 64 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 THE PROS AND CONS OF WE’VE HAD SUCH BY KATE BERNOT HIRING A SOMEBODY SUCCESS NAME OR WITH PEOPLE IF A FILM DIRECTOR HAS AN AWARD- “If you look at the hardest working WHO’VE WINNING SCRIPT, WHY WOULD SHE person I know, it’s Stephanie Izard,” GO AFTER ANYONE OTHER THAN Boehm says. “She’s a maniac. It’s really WORKED NO NAME A HOLLYWOOD A-LISTER FOR THE important to her that she always has her LEADING ROLE? Big names usually mean boots on the ground. She was nine months plenty of news coverage, social media buzz pregnant and still expediting at her WITH and success. restaurant Duck Duck Goat.” It’s that kind The same thinking could apply to helming of on-the-ground leadership, in terms of US FOR a restaurant. But some operators say a big managing culture and operations, that CHEF? name is not always the best bet. Hiring generates success beyond the initial buzz, A LONG a lesser-known or promising newcomer he says. to lead a new or re-concepted project can TIME avoid certain pitfalls, not the least of which SERVICE OVER CELEBRITY includes sidestepping an ego swollen by TV Media attention validates a chef and BECAUSE appearances. Whether a chef is a household brings in customers. But will they return? name or not, the considerations are many, David Spatafore, owner of San Diego and THEY including the million-dollar question: Can Coronado, California-based Blue Bridge you work together? Hospitality (Maretalia, Liberty Public KNOW Market, Stake Chophouse), says the group’s WHO’S ON THE LINE? extended relationship with longtime US; THEY Few actions gain more respect among executive chef Tim Kolanko prioritizes the kitchen crew than a working chef. customer satisfaction over media buzz or KNOW “All celebrity chefs are not created equal,” national recognition. says Kevin Boehm, co-founder of Boka “When you have a cookbook or you HOW WE Restaurant Group, which operates 16 have a TV show win, people just want to restaurants in Chicago. For Boehm and experience whatever it is you’re doing… OPERATE. his Boka co-founder Rob Katz, vetting but maybe that customer is not first (in — Jon Shook of goes beyond the surface and that means a their mind),” Spatafore says. In time, an Joint Venture commitment to actual work in the kitchen. advantage can become a detriment: Once Restaurant Group. Case in point: Stephanie Izard, chef- the cookbook is no longer a hot seller or partner at Girl & the Goat, winner of the TV show moves on, are you able to “Top Chef” season four, author of two sustain interest because you’re meeting cookbooks and “Iron Chef” veteran. customer demands?

USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 67 artisanal pizzas at Emmy Squared—can deliver top-line results, then a business- minded operator can shift a concept into IF YOU HAVE A CHEF WHO growth mode with rapid speed. PUT A QUALITY PRODUCT ON For Bolus, that’s translated into a trendy new spot called Fin & Pearl with THE TABLE, THEN THERE’S potentially more on the way, and for the NO REASON IN MY OPINION Hylands, it’s resulted in a handful of new spots last year as others move into the YOU SHOULDN’T BE ABLE pipeline. In the end, says Greenstone, “If TO GENERATE A QUALITY you have a chef who put a quality product on the table, then there’s no reason in my PROFIT AS WELL. opinion you shouldn’t be able to generate a —Fin & Pearl’s Howard Greenstone in quality profit as well.” regards to Matt Bolus, left. FAME OR ROOM TO GROW? Owners recognize that young chefs want to make a name for themselves. But they also know that giving a creative person flexibility may mean more to some. “Running a restaurant and being a media personality are two totally different skill sets,” says Jon Shook of Los Angeles-based Joint Venture Restaurant Group. Lesser- known chefs are free to change course and EXECUTIVE CHEF TIM respond to evolving customer preferences KOLANKO PRIORITIZES without considering how the media will spin that narrative. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION Every one of the company’s restaurants OVER MEDIA BUZZ OR has a chef de cuisine who began as a cook; NATIONAL RECOGNITION. Courtney Storer at Jon & Vinny’s has —David Spatafore of Blue Bridge Hospitality been with the company six years. “That to me is more important than bringing in a celebrity chef,” says Shook. “We’ve had such success with people who’ve worked with us for a long time because they know us; they know how we operate. We give them space—we give them that trust.”

IN NAME ONLY? times when we’re walking between our GET THE BUY-IN The wattage of celebrity chefs has restaurants, it’s a small town, and guests Boehm and Katz have made a launched restaurants outside of their home are stopping our chefs on the street. That’s commitment to making chefs partners base, but can the brand keep the lights on if amazing to see.” in their restaurants. It provides chefs he or she is a chef in name only? with security, which then incentivizes A one-time guest can turn into a GOOD FOOD, GOOD PROFITS a commitment to generating long-term regular when a chef forges long-standing Howard Greenstone, who’s partnered success for their ventures. “The restaurant relationships with locals. That can be with a number of elite chefs over the years, still has to deliver and execute,” Boehm accomplished by participating in charity or including recent successes with Matt Bolus says. “Sarah Grueneberg, for example, has local farmers’ market events. and Matt and Emily Hyland in Nashville, done a fair amount of TV, but if Monteverde “Our (group) executive chef Tim Tennessee, seeks out chefs whose renown wasn’t good, it wouldn’t be as busy as it is.” Kolanko as well as one of our restaurant’s is a byproduct of their exemplary culinary Spatafore says, “If your chef’s in the executive chefs, Ronnie Schwandt, have skills rather than mere showmanship or kitchen making the bread, or in the dining developed relationships with some guests charisma. If a chef’s offerings—whether room talking to people, everyone’s clearly that are equal to any server or front of Matt Bolus’ sophisticated yet approachable invested in the process. That trumps any house manager,” Spatafore says. “Often southern fare or the Hylands’ cravable TV show any day.” n LEFT], BY ANDREA BEHRENDS [TOP PHOTOGRAPHY

68 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 iHELP Be efficient and tech savvy at the same time

TouchBistro offers a mobile dongle that through with a sales rep. Look for the servers can bring to diners’ tables so they following: Does the software layout System process any type of payment—chip, pin or seem intuitive? How efficiently does it tap—says founder and CEO Alex Barrotti. handle placing orders, reordering drinks Also consider looking for POS systems, and checking out? How easy is it to add, such as Squirrel and POSitouch, that subtract or change a menu item? Reboot integrate with self-service apps, such as PayMyTab, which allows guests to split Considerations for a bills, tip and pay from their smartphones. “With POS systems allowing multiple new POS new payment systems, restaurants can see BY ALISON GRANT a significant increase in revenue thanks to lower processing fees,” says David Mitroff, UNLOCK founder of Oakland-based Piedmont Avenue Consulting. WHAT ABOUT THE ❱ THE METEORIC RISE IN MOBILE LOYALTY PROGRAM? ORDERS AND PAYMENT OPTIONS YOUR has made time more precious than ever. If your point of sales system can’t keep up, How Much Data Can It Crunch? you’ll feel it in your bottom line. A POS that Some insights are necessities, including keeps things moving, by contrast, will pay A POS SYSTEM food and labor costs. But TouchBistro for itself. suggests ensuring your POS can log in POTENTIAL The POS system at Odd Duck in Austin, THAT CAN CUT staff, track inventory, monitor table turns, Texas, for example, has helped reduce WAIT TIMES assemble sales reports and keep tabs on CHECK® Business Tools can help! Our drink wait times and overall turn times on voids and discounts. tables, says general manager Jason James. WINS OVER Loyalty program data can be invaluable suite of smart and simple business tools is The efficiency of the Toast POS allowed CUSTOMERS AND as well, especially info related to gift cards designed to help you drive traffic, simplify Odd Duck to add a new section, including TURNS TABLES. or promotions pegged to a diner’s birthday. five tables, that generate $250,000 to Today’s POS systems should catalogue your staffing and reduce waste – ultimately $500,000 in annual sales. Before making email addresses so you can contact any changes, however, be sure to ask plenty Does It Save Everyone Time? customers via direct marketing or tailor making you more money and unlocking your of questions, including the following ones: BRP’s Langdoc suggests adding or deals according to their dining habits. restaurant’s potential. building extensions to existing core POS To do so, ensure your POS has built-in platforms so diners can order food via voice marketing tools or can integrate with assistant technologies, including Amazon’s third-party providers such as Toast. Get the details at usfoods.com. Alexa and Apple’s Siri. “Customers want real recognition for their LOOK FOR A POS In-restaurant efficiencies should be loyalty,” says Langdoc, “but handled in a THAT GUARANTEES considered, too. The handheld Clover Flex subtle and influencing approach, not with helps quick-service restaurants, including intrusive, generic messaging.” SPEEDY SERVICE Olive’s in Manhattan, ease wait times by AND FLEXIBLE allowing employees to take orders and How Reliable is Technical Support? payments as diners wait in line. And at Call the POS support line. How quickly PAYMENT OPTIONS. Eventide Fenway, near Boston’s baseball do they respond? Is the support staff park, expeditors using a Toast system text friendly and informed? Other questions Can it Handle Next-Gen payments? guests when their order is on the counter. to keep in mind: What will technical “(Diners) want ease of ordering,” says “It keeps us from having to holler,” says support cost? How often is the POS system Scott Langdoc, who heads the restaurant John Myers, a manager at Eventide. upgraded? Can you expand later? and hospitality practice at Boston-based “Quality service and support can BRP Consulting, “including ordering via How Smooth Was the Test Drive? make or break your business or at least self-service kiosks, the restaurant’s mobile Always request a product demo, whether determine your frustration level,” notes app or via a third-party delivery services.” it’s an online demo or an in-person run- Restaurant Den. n © 2019 US Foods, Inc. 03-2019 OTH-2019030402 All rights reserved.

70 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 Food Fanatics chefs and restaurant operations ASK THE EXPERTS consultants help fix everyday industry issues

PROBLEM: How can we increase wine sales? We’ve tried half-priced bottles, training with winemakers, pre-shift meeting tastings and sales incentives, such as prime shifts for highest sales. What’s left? GET THE RIGHT FIT SOLUTION: What’s missing is probably the most important: sample pours. Instead of just asking if the table is ordering wine, allow servers to bring a few bottles to the table for a taste. Selling at the table is a personal sale so be sure servers actually EVERY TIME like the wines and know the backstory as well as their attributes.

BENEFIT: Better informed staff and improved sales.

PROBLEM: Staff members PROBLEM: We own a PROBLEM: Customers say PROBLEM: Boring pre- PROBLEM: Hiring is in a complain incessantly about newly opened bagel and they love our barbecue, shift meetings. rut. The employee pool a manager who never has sandwich shop and have but traffic is not living is lacking. anything positive to say. already outgrown our up to its potential. We’ve SOLUTION: Add front line Are they overly sensitive or capacity. Space is tight and advertised on the radio staff voices—your sous SOLUTION: Are you should I fire this person? there’s no room to expand. and we do some social chef, head bartender, looking for reasons not media. What else can we the hosts and even to hire someone when SOLUTION: Gather all the SOLUTION: Offer curb- do to bring in more traffic? accounting. Ask them to the job titles on a resume managers and discuss the side pick-up. share news about service don’t match yours? Look style of catching workers SOLUTION: Dig deeper from their viewpoint. If for experiences that doing things right. That BENEFIT: This will take into social media. Be more they have problems or meet your need. Ask means stop looking for all some pressure off your aggressive by posting solutions, share and ask candidates for anecdotes the wrongs and work on dining area, which you appetizing photos of food for input. and bring them in for a verbally commending staff may want to re-evaluate and drink and upcoming few days before hiring. In at the moment they see and adjust. events and specials every BENEFIT: A more solid, a tight labor market, look solid work happening. day or even multiple better informed staff. for reasons to hire that times a day on Facebook, candidate. BENEFIT: Positivity builds Instagram and Twitter. stronger teams. BENEFIT: Workers with BENEFIT: Your followers more varied experiences will become accustomed and a more diverse staff. n ® US Foods is your partner in the cleaning and to these posts and will ® disposables category. Monogram Can Liners are check in to see what the best in the market, with star seals, premium you’re up to. resins and easy-to-use dispensing boxes. Talk to your US Foods representative today about Got a question for the experts? Send your challenges, comments and suggestions to [email protected]. our wide variety of sizes, colors and styles. EXCLUSIVE BRAND

© 2018 US Foods, Inc. 06-2018-FOF-2018060402 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 73 GIVING TAKEOUT PACKAGING an environmental-friendly makeover may seem like an easy task until you discover that growing numbers of customers have very strong views on the matter. Just think how quickly straws became a pariah last summer. When decisions to go green aren’t made for you (think municipal bans on Styrofoam in San Diego, plastic utensils in Seattle and even plastic straws 31% 55% 35% in Disney World), an overhaul can be strategic. A Operators who expect Consumers willing Consumers willing plan should entail different approaches, including sustainable disposables to pay more for fast to pay up to ones that will resonate the most among core to be more important in food packaged in 10 percent more. customers. Why? Because building loyalty among their business. sustainable materials.

those who see sustainability as a concern can SOURCE: DATASSENTIAL 2018 impact business. To begin, consider these ideas. PULSE REPORT SOURCE: APP 2018 SURVEY SOURCE: APP 2018 SURVEY

BY PETER GIANOPULOS

1. GIVE GLASS A GO 2. CUT PLASTIC 3. TEST DRIVE 4. UPGRADE TO 5. ONE STRAW DOESN’T At Ancolie in New York THROUGH A EVERYTHING COMPOSTABLES FIT ALL City, salads, cold pasta, WIDE SWATH Adam Rosenbaum, CEO At Mason in Miami, owner Sometimes a strawless cup eggs and pastries are Revival Food Hall, a of the multi-unit Meatball Renee Nasajon sends to- does the trick. Other times, packed in glass instead 24,000-square foot food Shop concept in New York go orders out in a blend of it depends on the concept. of plastic. The cost is built emporium in Chicago, has City, puts eco-friendly bagasse (a byproduct from At Noosh in San Francisco, into the food costs, but the launched an ambitious packages through a sugarcane) and wheat beverage director Andrew packaging can be reused recycling program that gauntlet of delivery tests straw packaging, which Meltzer found hay straws, at home or returned to the includes discounts for to ensure they can take the company claims will which cost as low as 3 cents restaurant for a $2 credit. consumers who bring the heat. Will a package often disintegrate in less each, hold up in cold drinks, Salud in Long Beach, their own cups, a bag- leak if a driver flips it over? than a week and no more while Salud buys corn-based California, uses glass by-request-only policy Do lips and lids snap tight? than 90 days even in the polylactic acid (PLA) straws 5 APPROACHES TOWARD GREATER SUSTAINABILITY for juices and ties it to a and a partnership with a Does it hold food in place, harshest of conditions. from Ingeo in bulk to pair rewards program. Diners local organization called preserving an appealing Nasajon says the added with its smoothies. But Rusty who return 10 bottles earn Open Water Aluminum to look? Rosenbaum 10 to 20 percent cost of Pelican in Key Biscayne, a free juice. Salud owner serve water in aluminum recommends operators the packaging has been Florida, adopted a paper- GREEN TO GO Angela Almaguer says the cans that can be reused lean on the abundance of outweighed by positive straw-by-request policy and $1 increases she built into or recycled. All 15 food different shapes and sizes feedback from her eco- created a straw-free cocktail the prices were quickly concepts are also required of bowls so that to-go friendly customers. At to honor its link to the “Miami accepted, in part because to use eco-friendly and customers can experience Salud, Almaguer uses Is Not Plastic” campaign. the bottles are eye- compostable containers. the same look and feel as compostable bags and “You have to take it step catching, while the glass Revival’s general manager in-restaurant diners. plant-based containers by step,” says Wickes. “Not itself preserves the subtle Tim Wickes estimates the that offer the look and everyone wants to be nature of her citrus flavors food hall has reduced durability of plastic. educated while they are better than plastic. 94,000 water bottles over dining, but we can all do a year and that Revival’s some basic things to help need for plastics of all out. We can be a kickstarter varieties has plummeted. for something good.” n

74 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 75 ❱ IF ITS PAST IS ANY INDICATION OF ITS FUTURE, THE LETTERS “CBD” WILL BECOME AS UBIQUITOUS AS ANY BITTERS RIPE FOR THE PICKING OR LIQUEUR, AND EVEN A FAR MORE PROFITABLE INGREDIENT. Short for cannabidiol, CBD, the part of cannabis that doesn’t produce a high but is touted for myriad health benefits, is becoming a sought after, albeit controversial, ingredient on beverage menus across the country. Sales of CBD- infused products—from beer and water to the tinctures dropped into drinks, balms and face cream—have grown exponentially over the last five years. By 2022, CBD is expected to become a $22 billion business, according to the Brightfield Group consultancy. Greater awareness and prevalence presents opportunities for bar programs, whether diners’ interests are piqued by mere novelty or they seek relief from ailments that CBD is known to alleviate, including inflammation, anxiety and stress, among others. In CBD is revolutionizing the American bar scene powdered, oil-based or water-soluble form, CBD adds value and profit to beverages, an increasingly popular offering now that the federal farm bill has legalized industrial hemp, a form of cannabis that’s low in THC (0.03 percent or non-existent after processing).

Sueno California Senor Bear, Denver

2 ounces tequila 1 ounce lemon juice 1 ounce pink peppercorn strawberry syrup ¼ ounce honey syrup BY ALICIA KENNEDY 5 dashes Strongwater Orange CBD Bitters, 5 mg

Combine all ingredients, shake and strain into a Tiki glass.

76 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 77 RIGHT NOW, PEOPLE COME TO DENVER TO BE PART OF THE WHOLE MARIJUANA SCENE. THAT’S PART OF THE DENVER EXPERIENCE. The problem, however, is the legality of —Keegan Labrador of Senor Bear CBD versions—so he transitioned to a gin- serving CBD in restaurants falls into a gray, based drink that costs only $1 more than largely unenforced area. Despite passage other drinks. This also lowered the barrier of the federal farm bill and states where to CBD. medicinal and recreational use of cannabis is legal, the FDA continues to classify WHAT ABOUT DOSAGE both cannabis and its hemp cousin as an CHOOSE CAUTIOUSLY CBD has proven to be safe at high levels illegal substance. The stance isn’t likely to CBD products remain largely when combined with alcohol, so dosing change until it’s proven safe as an additive, unregulated, so it’s imperative to choose is more a matter of flavor and cost than the FDA has said. In New York City, the a reputable brand. wellness. health department has given restaurants At Saxon + Parole in New York City, bar Swet controls the dosage by adding until July to stop selling CBD-infused director Maxime Belfand wanted an oil Sawatch Vapor-Distilled Hemp Extract to food and drink and will start levying fines that acts as the foundation for multiple gin in the bottle, which ends up being less against those that do not comply beginning drinks, landing on Rosebud because it’s a than the recommended starter dosage of in October. In California, the health woman-owned brand and has a coconut oil 12 mg. They’re popular, he says, because of department docks points off inspections base that aligns with Saxon’s commitment their price point. unless the operation has a license. to “healthful” ingredients. It’s derived Babatu Sparrow, beverage director at “The research is really the difficult from sun-grown hemp without herbicides, abcV and abc kitchen in New York, settles part,” says Johnny Swet, owner of Grand pesticides or solvents—all important on 8 mg of CBD to ease guests into a Republic Cocktail Bar in Brooklyn, of all factors to Belfand. comfort zone. That amount can be found the available options and various murky “The amount that we use is small,” he in a Paloma-inspired cocktail with Persian legalities around the increasingly popular says, “and the taste is not strong enough lime-infused tequila, grapefruit and lime. additive. “It’s really confusing what is to develop a drink around it.” It does have hemp versus what is CBD, what is vapor- a clear coconut and marijuana flavor, but ADVANCE TO FLAVORS No New Friends distilled versus oil.” it doesn’t come through in the popular At Keegan Labrador’s Denver bar, Senor Young American, Chicago At the recently opened Chicago bar and Spritz 0 made with zero-proof Seedlip Bear, multiple flavors of Strongwater restaurant Young American, beverage Spice 94, vermouth, bitters, grapefruit, and CBD bitters—orange, cherry and 2½ ounces turmeric hibiscus tisane (recipe follows) director Julia McKinley included a CBD sparkling water. For $6 per 12 mg dosage, lavender—are available. The botanical ½ ounce agave nectar add-on to the non-alcoholic menu. In their which can be added to any beverage, he elements need to be balanced but are ¼ ounce lime juice first week, the spirit-free drinks accounted also wanted to make sure that the CBD was profitable variations of top-sellers, such ¼ ounce aquafaba (chickpea water) for 11 percent of sales—and almost all of visible to each customer. The oil droplets as Manhattans and Old Fashioneds. He 1 dropperful CBD oil those included an additional $3 CBD dose. allow guests to see the CBD even if they recommends the flavored CBD for any Any amount can increase the price of can’t taste its precise flavor. drink that calls for bitters, including Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with a drink—typically $1 to $6 per dose. But Sazeracs and Champagne cocktails. ice. Serve in a rocks glass with or without ice. before rolling out beverages, nail down EXPECT TO EXPERIMENT “We even get people who do it in their The addition of flavorless CBD oil (recommend- some basics. Swet’s made his first round of CBD vodka sodas,” he says, which is a bit of a ed dosage of 25 to 50 mg) will emulsify with the cocktails with mezcal to play with the myth surprise considering the drink is usually a drink due to the aquafaba. DO YOUR HOMEWORK that agave spirits act as stimulants: He go-to for less adventurous drinkers. “Right Inaccurate information abounds, hoped the CBD might calm guests while now, people come to Denver to be part of To make turmeric tisane: Combine 20 grams especially online, so question all claims. the spirit would be uplifting. “The effects the whole marijuana scene. That’s part of of turmeric ginger tea (many companies make Commercially sold CBD is derived from are probably subtle,” he says. “People who the Denver experience.” some combination of turmeric, ginger, orange hemp, available as an isolate, full spectrum come in and say, ‘Oh, I feel it.’ I think they’re Restaurateurs and bartenders agree that peel, lemon grass and licorice root) along with or broad spectrum. Certified and lab-tested feeling the booze, but it has the nice anti- once the conflicting regulations around 5 grams Sichuan peppercorn; 3 grams of black products that state their origins and clearly anxiety side effect.” hemp-derived CBD clear, the compound peppercorns; 10 grams of hibiscus and 30 list the milligrams per bottle or a dropper Customers are reticent to order mezcal will be a boon not just for drinks but for ounces of boiling water. Strain the next day and full are best bets. cocktails in the first place—let alone other food, including desserts. n put into a bottle for easy pouring.

78 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 USFoods.com/foodfanatics | FOOD FANATICS 79 BY THE NUMBERS Play these numbers for a bigger payout TM ICE CREAM SOCIAL TM Ice cream is a menu must-have for driving sales. Whether the treat tops a cone or paired with other ingredients, Deliciously soft. it’s a natural attention-grabber on menus and social media. Here’s the scoop: tons of toppings. POPULARITY CONTEST CROWD PLEASERS LOOKING FOR LOVE Fastest-growing ice cream flavors: Ice cream prefers to be paired off whoa. with ingredients like these:

POSTS ON INSTAGRAM* Load’d SundaesTM Unites the SALTED CARAMEL #1 Dessert, Ice Cream, with the Love of Sundaes* CE CREAM MON ANIA CHOCOATE CARAME 58% S’MORE 62% 58% 25% COOKIES 18 MILLION 43% 41% SNDAE CAE STRABERRY 34% COOKIE DOUGH 21% 20% 19% 29% 29% 27% DESSERTS 10.4 MILLION 21% ANIA BEAN PECAN PIE 13% 6% 6% 9% VEGETABLES 9.4 MILLION PUMPKIN 10% 11% 11% Gelato Frozen Sundae PEACH Novelty

SALAD Milkshake So
Serve So
8.5 MILLION Cream Ice BURGERS 4 MILLION % who love % favorite *Based on numbers at press time. READY FOR For more information on Blue Bunny® Load’d SundaesTM call 855-331-5083 or email us at RIFFING [email protected] HIGHS AND LOWS A high “unbranded purchasing 40 25 Gains and losses on menus over intent” score predicts popularity wellsfoodservice.com/loadd-sundaes Percent increase in soy, Percent of consumers almond, coconut, oat who love ice cream the last four years and a starting point for and other plant-based improvisation.* frozen desserts over a 52-week period ending ICE CREAM SANDICH in August 2018 MISHAE CHOCOATE TACO AFFOGATO AE CHOCOAE RONE AR CHOCOAEFE CH COOE E MAH CE CREAM CAONE Order information 65 1 TARTFO TRFFE ANIA ICE CREAM ANIA ICE CREAM ANIA ICE CREAM Percent of consumers Percent of Product Pack Size US Foods Item # Blue Bunny Item # who like ice cream consumers who AND CHOCOATE ITH CHOCOATE AND CARAME AND ICE CREAM PIE TM hate ice cream SYRP BONDE BRONIES CHOCOATE DRIE Chocolate Brownie Bomb 12/8.5 fl. oz. 6777770 1200105 FRIED ICE CREAM Bunny Tracks® 12/8.5 fl. oz. 4494564 1200094 *Out of score of 100 Cookie Crunch 'N Fudge 12/8.5 fl. oz. 8291327 1200112 Source: Good Food Institute MOCHI SOURCE: Datassential unless otherwise noted. Mint Chocolate Chunk 12/8.5 fl. oz. 5828191 1200137 ILLUSTRATION BY ROB WILSON ILLUSTRATION Strawberry Shortcake 12/8.5 fl. oz. 6967809 1200144 Marshmallow Crispy Bar 12/8.5 fl. oz. 9187613 1200151

80 FOOD FANATICS | SUMMER 2019 ©2019 Wells Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. 01/19 *Source: Datassential SCORES™ database, May 2017. Normative scores shown, with 100 = max possible score. Percentile scores based on comparison among 1500 desserts. WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK. AND FRONT OF HOUSE. With US Foods®, you can expect more. We have great food to keep your menu fresh, simple business tools to make your restaurant easier to manage and always-on support from our team of industry experts, so you can take on any challenge with confidence.

Mike Osinski – Executive Chef Andiamo Dearborn, MI

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