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Culinary schools train thepros of tomorrow

ulinary schools train the

cooking!ook whosLook whosLook whos

Pacific Institute of Cu linary Arts,

Granville Island, Vancouver, BC.

COFFEE & TEA SHOW

COVERAGE INSIDE!

SPE I LSPECIAL

also inside

Roadside Willies grabs loyalty in NSRoadside Willies grabs loyalty in NSAcme Caf channels retro chic in BCAcme Caf channels retro chic in BC

Amigos stacks longevity3 Amigos stacks longevityin QCin QC

FEBRUARY 2011 WWW.YFMONLINE.CA

THE

WINNERSCIRCLE

ISSUE


2/56


3/56 www.yfmonline.ca FEBRUARY 2011 3

On the MenuFebruary 2011 | Volume 7 | Number 1

35

BUNN .......................................... 45

CAMBRO .....................................23

CAMPBELLS ..........................16, 46

THE CANADIANCOFFEE & TEA SHOW ..........28 & 29

CONAGRA ...................................41

CRFA ...........................................15

CTHRC...........................................9

THE DRINKS SHOW ......................42

HEINZ .......................................... 34

HIGH LINER .............................2, 49

INTERAC .......................................4

KIKKOMAN....................................7

KRAFT ..............................33, 55, 56

NRA SHOW..................................19

UNILEVER.............................12 & 13

YFM.............................................11

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE

47

51

mains14 CRFA Show

New team delivers new vision

17 CATEGORY REPORT:Work your apps & sides

Exercising your meal choices = profits

COVER STORY

20 Look whos cooking! Culinary schools train the pros of tomorrow

35 Top dog promos Brand power lifts limited time offers

38 Idea incubator Pratts Food Service adds value as a one-source solution

43 INNOVATORS: Iconic character Roadside Willies taps the loyalty business

47 INNOVATORS: A fresh twist Acme Caf channels retro chic in an unlikely locale

50 INNOVATORS: ndale, ndale! 3 Amigos shares its clever strategies for longevity

and no slow days

drink up!SPECIAL COFFEE & TEA SHOW COVERAGE

30 Percolating opportunitiesfor growth

Insights from the 2010 Canadian Coffee & Tea Show

32 Specialty tea reaches a rolling boil Foodservice takes notice of top performer

sides5 Editors Message

6 Bits & Bites

8 Snapshot

10 World Wide Wow

52 Make It!

54 Takeout

20Coverstory

30

THE

WINNERSCIRC

LEISSUE


4/56

?

The Interaclogo, the armoured truck design and Everyday Simply are trade-marks of Interac Inc. Used under licence.

For merchants with chip terminals, please remember to have your customers

insert their chip cards. This will avoid an unnecessary swipe of their card,

and reduce the chance of fraud. The risk of fraud is further reduced when

you remind your customers to protect their PIN. If your terminal doesnt

accept chip, consider upgrading it. Your customers will appreciate the effort.

And you can help put the brakes on fraud.



EDITORIAL

EDITORJane Auster

[email protected]

CONTRIBUTING EDITORLawrence Herzog

TRANSLATION

Danielle Hart

DESIGN

PUBLICATIONS MANAGINGART DIRECTOR

Jason F Schneider

ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTORNancy Peterman

JUNIOR EDITORIAL DESIGNERLindsay Bailey

PRODUCTION

PRODUCTION MANAGERDerek Estey

PRODUCTION COORDINATORMichael Kimpton

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERBritt Wilen

EVENTS

DIRECTOR OF EVENT SALESMichael Cronin

[email protected]

GENERAL MANAGER EVENTSRussell Hoffmann

[email protected]

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/NATIONAL SALESMartin Rissin

[email protected]

GROUP PUBLISHERAlan Fogel

[email protected]

ADVERTISING SALES AND EDITORIAL OFFICE

Fulcrum Media Inc.508 Lawrence Avenue West, Suite 201

Toronto, Ontario M6A 1A1TELEPHONE:416.504.0504

FAX:416.256.3002EMAIL: [email protected]

WEBSITE:www.fulcrum.ca

YFM is published six times a year by Fulcrum Media Inc.

YFM is circulated to foodservice operators, buyers and, bar

& beverage professionals working in Canadas foodservice

sector. Please direct inquiries to the editorial offices. Contri-

butions of articles, photographs and industry information

are welcomed, but cannot be acknowledged or returned.

Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. No part of this publica-

tion may be reproduced in any form, including photocopying

and electronic retrieval/retransmission, without permission

of the publisher.

Printed at Point One Graphics Inc. in Canada.

CHANNEL ALLIANCES

M E I A

EDITORS MESSAGE

A few years ago my husband and I were taking a holiday in New England. It

was time for dinner, and we found ourselves in Vermonts capital, Montpel-

lier, with little knowledge of the restaurant scene (and no app to guide us).

We did, however, know about the New England Culinary Institute and its

reputation for turning out the chefs of tomorrow. We decided to take a chance

on their student laboratory restaurant, Main Street Grill, and were more than

pleasantly surprised at the

professionalism of the operation.

Everyone from the head waiter

to the dishwashers was a student

and each one performed his or

her job with aplomb.

I was reminded of this

experience when interviewing the heads of some of Canadas culinary

institutes, which are incubating the chefs, restaurant owners, and institutionalcooks of the future. We can thank these schools for raising the level of

culinary excellence in this country, influencing what diners are eating, and

contributing to a buzz about food that shows no signs of letting up.

And far from being trend followers, the schools are often ahead of the

game, experimenting with market gardens, bio-fuel production and disposal,

and eco-initiatives, as well as working with local producers. The students

have changed, too. The wired generation entering the culinary institutes has

greater expectations of what awaits them after graduation. Whether its the

influence of the Food Network or the rise of Canadas chef-superstars, these

students are pumped to cook and cook big.

According to all the people I interviewed, students are pushing hard tolearn more than the basics. And it shows in the results. Theyre going on to

open their own restaurants, compete in the Culinary Olympics, and add spice

to the catering world.

In this issue with its winners circle theme, the culinary schools deserve

our thanks for turning out the winners of tomorrow.

Young culinary heroes

We can thank these

schools for raising the

level of culinary excellence

in this country.

Jane Auster

EDITOR

[email protected]


6/566 FEBRUARY 2011 www.yfmonline.ca

Tipping the scales for

Alberta restaurantsSeveral Alberta restaurants aud-

ited by the workers compensa-

tion board have been surcharged

for excluding recorded gratuities

as insurable earnings. In re-

sponse, the CRFA has asked the

board and the provinces employ-

ment and immigration minister

for a change in policy. It is the

associations position, and that

of its members, that all voluntary

gratuities should be treated

equally because the employer

does not control them. As well,

they point out, tips are not wage

income subject and not subject

to payroll source deductions.

Green-Eats in OntarioToronto Hydro, alongside

Enbridge Gas Distribution and

the Ontario Restaurant Hotel &

Motel Association (ORHMA), is

launching Green-Eats. This new

program provides one conven-

ient location for local restaurants

to source available programs and

financial incentives to help payfor the cost of energy efficiency

retrofits. Green-Eats participants

receive incentives for energy

improvements in lighting, water

use, ventilation, air conditioning

and other qualifying building

upgrades related to energy ef-

ficiency. Green-Eats is available

to all Toronto restaurants that

are members of ORHMA and

have commercial accounts with

Toronto Hydro and Enbridge Gas

Distribution. For more info, check

out green-eats.ca

Green is good forbusiness in QuebecLAssociation des restaurateurs

du Qubec has launched Resto-

Vert, a certification program

intended to enhance and recog-

nize the environmental efforts

of the restaurant industry in the

province by providing incentives

and tools to support an eco-

friendly approach. The first step

is the creation of a sustainable

development strategy, which is

now in the works. It is expected

to be completed by the end of

this year.

Quebec restaurantshit sales milestone2010 is expected to be a

milestone year for Quebec. For

the first time in the provinces

history, the foodservice industry

is expected to reach $10 billionin sales. According to the CRFA,

the sector is currently the third

largest employer in the province,

with nearly 250,000 employees

more than finance and insurance,

agriculture and forestry combined

It is also a major employer,

providing jobs for nearly one in

five Quebec youth, or roughly

100,000 young people.

On the up and up in NS

The minimum wage in NovaScotia has gone up again. In

2010, restaurants grappled with

two increases to the provinces

minimum wage. The most re-

cent hike saw the rate rise from

$9.20 to $9.65, a 4.9 percent

jump. At the same time, the

minimum wage for inexperi-

enced workers, those with less

than three months experience,

rose to $9.15. These are the last

of the scheduled increases for

the province. In PEI, the second

stage of a minimum wageincrease is now effective, bring-

ing the minimum wage from

$8.70 to $9.00 per hour. More

increases are expected. yfm

Canadas economy is not predicted

to heat up in 2011. Indeed, TD

Economics has lowered its forecast for real GDP growth to two percent, down from

the projected three percent growth experienced in 2010. Also on the economic

menu for the next 12 months are a sluggish US recovery and reduced consumer

spending. Offsetting these fiscal impacts will require restaurants to control costs and

increase traffic, according to the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association.

Economic growth remainson back burner

BITS & BITES

BY DONALEE MOULTON

CALENDAR

February 27-March 1, 2011

International Restaurant &Foodservice Show of New York

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York

www.internationalrestaurantny.com

March 6-8, 2011

CRFA Show

Direct Energy Centre, Toronto, ON

www.crfa.ca

April 3-4, 2011

ApEx

Moncton Arena, Moncton, NB

www.crfa.ca

October 2-3, 2011

The Canadian Coffee & Tea Show

Vancouver Convention Centre, BC

www.coffeeteashow.ca


7/56



Just desserts BY DARREN CLIMANSThe power of indulgence in foodservice

W

ith the prospect of a Canadian federal election in

the spring, and the 2012 US presidential election

looming larger on the horizon, I found myselfrecently thinking back to the Clinton-Bush campaign and elec-

tion of 1992.

It was a critical moment in history. Mr. Bush was an incum-

bent president, trusted former vice president to the beloved

Ronald Reagan, and a president who enjoyed unprecedented

high approval ratings in 1991 thanks to the perceived success

of the first Gulf War.

Many established Democrats were running scared, unwill-

ing even to take up the challenge against Mr. Bush, content

to concede the election and hope for a better opportunity

in 1996. This left the door open for a young and relatively

inexperienced governor from a small southern state named

William Jefferson Clinton to emerge from the Democratic pri-

maries despite significant questions about his marital fidelity

charges about having avoided the Vietnam draft, and an already apparent tendency to bend the truth.

Clinton started as a longshot wannabe candidate in terms of

all of the things that people saidwere important in choosing the

leader of the free world: patriotism, battle-tested judgment, for-

eign policy expertise, moral fibre, and reliability. How was Clin-

ton able to defy conventional wisdom and build bridges to reach

divergent pockets of voters? His strategy came down to one key

summary mantra, Its the economy, stupid.The simple truth is

that Clintons message tapped into the thing that mattered most

to the majority of citizens their economic wellbeing.

On election day, Clinton received more than twice the

number of Electoral College votes than Bush. Clinton captured

SNAPSHOT

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

CAKE TART CRME BRULE SORBET/SHERBET VARIETY*SOURCE: DIRECT LINK

Five most popular desserts

ShareofDessertsMealS

egmentMentions

2008 2009 2010

*VARIETY includes cheese plates

and mixed dessert platters



traditional Democratic strongholds, attracted middle-class Re-

publicans, and won back large numbers of Reagan Democrats.

Knowing what motivates your customers most is critical

to the success of any business. In the increasingly fragmented

and competitive world of foodservice this knowledge is de

rigueur. This just in. when it comes to foodservice, its the

flavour, stupid.

The current foodservice media buzz suggests that consum-

ers are focused on any number of issues: cholesterol, trans fat,

sodium, carbs, omega-3 oils, calorie counts, superfruits, LEED

buildings, sustainability, fair trade and the like. There may be

truth in all of this. But the bottom line for your customers is

that it all starts and ends with indulgence.

The Direct Link Menu database tracks the offerings of

innovative independent fine dining and upscale casual oper-

ators across Canada. These operators are dedicated to ex-

pressing and developing their culinary craft. Their menus area marriage of ingredients and technique designed to provide

customers with a superior flavour experience, well beyond

the boundaries of convention. In short, they are all about in-

dulging consumers senses.

Scaramouche in Toronto is one such restaurant.

Scaramouches iconic Coconut Cream Pie dessert was recently

analyzed for dietary content. The results showed that the 310 g

serving size carries nearly 1,000 calories, a whopping 64 g of

fat, and 90 g of carbs. Clearly, when it comes to raising the bar

on flavour in foodservice, indulgence trumps sensibility.

Bill Clintons successful campaign was a validation of the

14th century rule-of-thumb referred to as Occams Razor.

This principle states that the simplest explanation is usually

the correct one. When your goal is to please, giving people

what they want with the fewest diversions and complications

may be your best path to success. yfm

Darren Climans is the senior director of market information for Direct Link.Direct Link is an organization dedicated to providing information and insights onCanadian foodservice. For more than 10 years, Direct Link has tracked restaurantindustry trends via broadline distributors and independent restaurant operatorsacross Canada. Direct Link works with innovative distributors and manufacturersto understand opportunities in foodservice.

Knowing that management and staff are on thesame page when it comes to HR and businessgoals can be a huge advantage in reducingturnover, retaining top performers, and attractingthe skilled professionals your business requires tobe successful.

- NANCY GREENE, Canadian gold and silvermedalist at the 1968 Grenoble Olympics

This program is funded by the Government

of Canadas Sector Council Program.

discovertourism.ca/yfm

This just in. when it comes to foodservice,

its the flavour, stupid.



WOW

World Wide Wow

Hellmannschampions real foodBuilding on the success of its Urban Gar-

dens and Eat Real, Eat Local programs,

Hellmanns has launched realfoodmove-

ment.ca, a website that promotes con-

sumption of food made with real, simple,

authentic ingredients. The site celebrates

Canadas tastiest, healthiest and most af-

fordable choices with information on real

food, local food finder tools, recipes, links

to articles and resources and more.

Research tells us that Canadians are

looking for real food and locally sourced

ingredients, says Toby Campbell, senior

category mix manager for Unilever Food

Solutions, North America. Out-of-home consumers are looking

for great-tasting options that align with their lifestyle. Its natural

for Hellmanns to support the real-food movement, she says, since

Hellmanns was founded on the principle of using real, simple

ingredients like eggs, oil and vinegar.

The consumer-friendly site has quickly become a resource for

Canadians to find ways to connect with real food, and a forum

to share opinions and engage with others who share that interest.

The site includes recipes, seasonal food charts, and a growing data-

base of farmers markets and vendors who sell locally grown foods.

Interactive tools make it easy to see whats in season, where to

buy local and fresh, and the many ways the food can be enjoyed.

Canadian chef, restaurateur and Food Network personality Chuck

Hughes has contributed sandwich recipes

with mom-ified and kid-ified versions

for turkey, egg, ham, chicken, BLT and

cheese. An Eat for Real link takes web

surfers to Hellmanns recipe site.

A Real Food Talk blog provides readers

with the ability to post their comments

and feedback related to Hellmanns and

the movement to embrace real food. Traf-

fic to the site is also being driven through

social media.

Downloadable Real Food Guides cover

four regions British Columbia, the Prai-ries, Quebec and Ontario, and the Mari-

times. The guides include information on

how and where to buy local food, grow-

ing your own, spreading the word, and

links to learn more.

Hellmanns has launched a $100,000 Real Food Grants Program

to help fund national and local initiatives that support the real-

food system in Canada. The company reports response has been

overwhelming, and recipients of grants have already started put-

ting the money to work.

These initiatives are just the latest chapter in Hellmanns mission to

help Canadians eat more real, authentic foods every day, Camp-

bell says. Putting its commitment into play with its own products,

the company has switched to 100 percent Canadian free-run eggs

and removed some of the unpronounceable ingredients in its

the Fat mayonnaise-type dressing.

The companys Canadian foodservice website unileverfoodsolu-

tions.ca is a separately run business unit.yfm

BY LAWRENCE HERZOG

realfoodmovement.ca

Key features and benefi ts: Interactive tools to see whats fresh and in

season, and where to buy local Downloadable Real Food Guides for four

regions across Canada

Sandwich recipes from acclaimed chef

Chuck Hughes

Real Food Talk blog to post comments and

learn from others

Research tells us that Canadians

are looking for real food and

locally sourced ingredients.


11/56

DAVIDSIMARD

Watch for these 6 issues in 2011

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The saying goes that when times get tough, the tough get

going. Many of them to the CRFA Show, it turns out.

This years show, March 6 through 8 at Torontos Direct

Energy Centre, aims to build on last years, which attracted

more than 12,000 industry professionals and 1,300 exhib-

itors. The Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association(CRFA) has brought in a new team to deliver their new vision

for the show.

Its going to be more than a

trade show; its going to be an excit-

ing event, and a celebration of our

$60-billion-a-year industry as cus-

tomers and suppliers come together,

says Garth Whyte, CRFA president

and CEO. Were

optimistic about this

years show, and

about getting out of

the economic dol-

drums and moving enthusiastically forward.

The show uses a one-stop marketplace ap-

proach to connect restaurateurs, chefs, and

industry leaders with food distributors, equip-

ment manufacturers, foodservice suppliers and dealers, among

others. Industry-specific seminars, educational workshops and

presentations present strategies to help foodservice profession-

als work smarter and be more successful.

Now is the time to be in the water waiting for the wave

to come and not standing on the beach, Whyte says. Were

hearing that people are looking for new opportunities, new

partnerships, new customers, new products, and theres an

energy building.

Energy continues to be a dominant area of interest in the

industry, and operators pursuing innovation and sustainability

will find ways to reduce energy consumption, increase effi-

ciency and refine their operations. The Centre for Sustainabil-

ity, one of the big hits at last years show, is returning againwith solutions and insights into foodservice energy efficiency

and the quest to reduce carbon footprint.

Daily sessions will address industry trends and forecasts

marketing and sales, and cost control and human resources.

New this year are healthy-eating sessions, offered in partner-

ship with the Guelph Food Technology Centre, and the Can-

adian Culinary Federation will host a culinary salon with a

junior professional competition.

Celebrities, knowledgeable speakers, and 10 superstar

chefs are scheduled to perform, and culinary competitions and

cocktail contests will be sprinkled over the three-day event.

Headline chefs include Vikram Vij of Vijs in Vancouver, res-

taurant owner and TV host Mark McEwan of Toronto, EzraTitle of Torontos Chezvous Dining, and internationally re-

nowned chef and farmer Michael Stadtlander.

Were in the food business, and people want to see it, taste

it, drink it, smell it, says Carmine Aquino, show organizer

for CRFA. In tough times, everybody is looking for that little

extra edge, and if you come out to a show and pick up two or

three ideas, then youve paid for your time, and more.

Whyte says CRFA wants participants to have fun while

they meet their colleagues in the business, network, discover

new ideas and learn from innovation. We want to make this

show the go-to place where people mark it on their calendar

and dont dare miss it. Were mixing in a high-quality audience,

high-quality exhibitors and some fun, and thats the sizzle as

well as the steak. yfm

CRFA ShowNew team delivers new visionBY LAWRENCE HERZOG

CRFAs 2011 Show

MARCH 6-8Direct Energy Centre, TORONTO

REGISTRATION$25 before March 5$40 after March 5 and at the door

FOR MORE INFORMATIONWWW.CRFA.CA/TRADESHOWS

Its going to be more than a trade show;

its going to be an exciting event, and a celebrationof our $60-billion-a-year industry as customers andsuppliers come together...


15/56


16/56

A pureed sweet potato bisque deliciously lavoured with a warm blend of spices and a hint of cream.

campbellsfoodservice.ca

1-800-461-SOUP (7687)

C A M P B E L L S

Vegetarian

Cinnamon Sticks

Goat Cheese



CATEGORY REPORTDiners today are looking for an ex-

perience unlike the typical fare they

eat at home. For chefs and restaura-

teurs this is an opportunity to give patrons interesting options, particularly in

the appetizer and side dish categories. It could be something new, or a twist

on a favourite. For example, french fries become a new experience topped

with low fat sour cream, fresh chopped bacon, shredded cheddar cheese and

chopped green onions. Or drizzle them with a thick sweet balsamic reduction

and a hint of truffle oil, then lightly garnish with fresh-grated parmesan.

You can also mix it up. Sweet potato fries could be a side dish, an add-on to

a main course, or an appetizer. Salads are always a starter option, but health-

conscious consumers will sometimes opt to replace a high-carb main dish side

with leafy greens or eat a salad entre enhanced with a protein like chicken.

People are looking formore healthy alternatives

to regular deep fried whe

theyre eating outandwe try and accommodate

that with healthier featur

for sides and appetizers.

Henry Stobbe, foodservice

manager, Henrys and the

Boars Head Pub, located at the

historic 32-room Queens Inn, in

operation for over 150 years in

Stratford, Ontario.

Exercising your meal choices = profits

Work yourapps&sides BY SUZANNE BOLES

BRITTWILEN



Category ups and downsThe last 18 months have been all about shifts

and changes in foodservice. Direct Link, Can-

adas foodservice information source, has a

database of operator purchases that reflectsbroad consumption in foodservice and also

tracks all Side Dishes including Appetizers/

Hors dOeuvres.

The recession hit foodservice hard in

2009, as seen by the total market decline of

-1.1%. According to Direct Link, Side Dishes

fared better than the market and actually had

nominal dollar growth of +1.1%. Appetizers/

Hors dOeuvres trended below the market in

2009, but has paralleled the dramatic recov-

ery seen in the first quarter of 2010.

Whats hotWithin the Side Dishes sub-component of Ap-petizers/Hors dOeuvres, the top categories

tracked by Direct Link in 2009 included: On-

ion, Cheese, Spring Roll, Guacamole, Vegetable,

Pat/spread, Egg Roll, Vegetable & Cheese,

and Bruschetta. Some of the other appetizers

tracked include Seafood, Calamari, Crab Cake,

Escargot, Sushi, Won Ton, and Samosas.

For side dishes, Cindy Wennerstrom, cus-

tomer marketing manager for McCain Foods,says their companys research found that

health is the number one driver.

Consumers are trending towards healthier

items, she says, and potato, a McCain staple,

is at the top of the consumer decision tree for

side dishes.

And not just simple white potatoes. The

health benefits of sweet potato [for example]

are largely understood by consumers vita-

mins, nutrients, antioxidants, fibre, etc. are

among the closest associations, she adds.

Mashed potatoes are also seen as healthy

natural, low in fat, low salt, not processed,lower in calories.

As well as potatoes in numerous forms,

from fries to the companys roasted red skin

potatoes seasoned with rosemary and garlic,

McCain also offers popular sides and appetizers

like onion rings, twiggs & tanglers (onion be-

ing the most popular segment in the Appetizer

category, according to Direct Link for the year

ending December 2009), breaded and bat-

tered mushrooms, mozzarella sticks, zucchini

sticks, Poppers stuffed jalapeos, broccoli

florets & bites, hot dips, Chinese dumplings

spring rolls, egg rolls and more.

High Liners extensive line of shrimp

products, including butterfly cut black tiger

and shrimp and seafood skewers on the side

as well as other fish and seafood delights

gives operators opportunities to change up

their menus and offer something new.

Marsha Ditri, culinary advisor with High

Liner Foods Inc., says their companys research

shows that seafood not only increases average

cheque size, but its also tied in with a higher

overall dining experience. Seafood is con

sidered more of a delicacy and, as such, has al-

ways commanded a higher price on the menu.

Top Appetizer Types1) ONION

2) CHEESE

3) SPRING ROLL

4) GUACAMOLE

5) VEGETABLE

6) PAT/SPREAD

7) EGG ROLL

8) VEG & CHEESE

9) BRUSCHETTA

10) OTHERSOURCE: DIRECT LINK;Year-ending December 2009

2006 2007 2008 2010Q1 Only

Total Market

Appetizers/Hors dOeuvres

Total Side Dishes

2009

Side DishesSub-Components

Appetizers/Hors dOeuvresCerealsEthnic DishesPotatoesRiceSalads, PreparedSoups

8.9%

-2.7%

SOURCE: DIRECT LINK

Growth by Meal Segment

Work yourapps & sides

Creative platings + smallerportions = bigger sales.

Appeal to health-conscious dinerswith menu descriptions that will tell themtheir choice is a wise and healthy one.

Infuse your appetizer and sideofferings with some internationalcuisine.This could be as simple astaking a North American product andadding some European, Asian or otherinternational flavour.

Add dips to your appetizersfor avariety of flavours.

Include a spicy appetizer and/orside dishto your menu to capture thehot trend.

Make room for new items, changethem to see whats popular and askcustomers for their feedback on some ofthe newer offerings.

Add sauces to appetizers breadedcalamari rings and strips with tzazikicocktail sauce, chipotle or honey ginger;

fries and curry, chipotle or jalapeomayos.

TOPTIPS



Pub grub to fi ne diningHenrys and the Boars Head Pub, located at

the historic 32-room Queens Inn, in oper-

ation for over 150 years in Stratford, Ontario,

feature distinctive offerings under the super-

vision of foodservice manager Henry Stobbe.

Open year-round, the Boars Head Pub

serves local clientele, while Henrys featuresseasonal dining offering an upscale menu

focused on the theatre clientele (who come

to Stratford to take in the many plays from

spring to fall). Stobbe says at least 15 side

dishes and appetizers are offered between

the two venues.

Popular sides at the Boars Head include

standard pub fare like loaded potato skins,

loaded french fries, battered onion rings,

sweet potato fries, and battered mushrooms.

Lighter sides or appetizers include soup, sal-

ads and an Atlantic salmon citrus salad.On the finer dining side at Henrys, there

are whipped and baked redskin potatoes and

rice pilaf sides. Popular appetizers include

tiger shrimp cocktail, mussels, bruschetta, sal-

ads, soup and fresh vegetables.

Stobbe finds his diners are increasingly

interested in the health benefits as well as

taste of their apps and

sides. People are looking

for more healthy alterna-

tives to regular deep fried

when theyre eating out

and we try and accom-

modate that with health-

ier features for sides andappetizers, he says.

Ringing in profi tsStobbe says theres a lar-

ger profit margin on appe-

tizers and sides, compared

to most entres.

High Liners Ditri says seafood offers

growth opportunities for restaurants and sug-

gests seafood-based sushi is an underdeveloped

opportunity for health-conscious consumers.

McCains research sources show a definitegrowth opportunity in this category. For ex-

ample, 403.2 million appetizer servings were

served in the last 12 months, with 183.8 mil-

lion of these at casual restaurants, for a menu

importance of almost 26 percent, and 101.1

million servings were at family/midscale res-

taurants, indicating almost 11 percent menu

importance. [This shows] an

opportunity to grow appetiz

ers in this segment, says Wen

nerstrom, adding that ethnic

and seafood appetizers are showing the great

est percent change versus a year ago with re-

spect to servings ordered.

First presented at the table, accompany-

ing a main course, or even taking centre plate,appetizers and sides are a great opportunity

for restaurateurs to cash in on a mix of sta-

ples and innovation. yfm

Your feedbackis important to us!

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Lookwhos

cooking!Culinary schools trainthe pros of tomorrow

BY JANE AUSTER

Everyone today, it seems,wants to be a chef.

Thanks to the allure of the Food Network and celebrity

chefs adding sex appeal to the kitchen, Canada is full

of aspiring culinary superstars waiting to imprint diners

gastronomic imaginations.Fortunately, this country is only too happy to train

students bitten by the cooking bug. There are dozens of

schools, from local Mom and Pops to the world-renowned

heavyweights like George Brown Colleges Centre for

Hospitality & Tourism Management, with a passion for

incubating the chefs of tomorrow.

Here YFMprofiles five schools across Canada. The list is

by no means exhaustive, as the culinary school movement

is blossoming in every corner of the country. Bon appetit!

Cover Story

THEW

INNERSCIRCLE



Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts

SNAPSHOT

Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts

offers two diploma-granting

programs, Culinary ArtsandBaking & Pastry Arts.

PICAs own resto, Bistro 101,was founded to create a real-

world training experience

for the schools professional

Culinary and Baking & Pastry

Arts students. PICA was the first

private training facility in Canada

with a fine dining restaurant on

the premises.

Situated right at the arch of

Granville Island in Vancouver,PICA is coming up on 15 years

old and features floor to ceiling

windows, eight commercial

kitchens, the training restaurant

(Bistro 101), and a six-year-old

bake shop (Bakery 101), being

redesigned for better flow, which

will be ready by March 2011.

The school admits up to 54studentsper intake, withenrolments four times a year for

the six-month program. Culinary

students are in the kitchen eight

hours a day, including one in

the lecture room, for a total of

935 hours. After three months,

they graduate to the advanced

program.

90% graduate, 80% continue inthe hospitality industry.

Intense training with small classes featuring a student-teacher ratio

of 15 to 1 for Culinary and 12 to 1 for Bakery & Pastry helps set

the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts apart from many other cooking

programs. So, too, do the demographics of the students themselves, a

diverse population spanning ages and the globe.

Its from right out of high school to one student who is retired and

has written a book about coming to culinary school to have a second

life after retirement, says executive chef, vice-president & chief oper-

ating officer Julian Bond. Also, we have an international focus and

work with that in class.

The restaurant, Bistro 101, is where students can show whether

they cut the mustard. They gain top experience managing front and

back of the house, learning from any mistakes they might make.

We had a party of 30 for whom we were cooking beef tenderloin

medium rare, and the student cooked it 40 minutes, says Bond. We

apologized to the group; we screwed up. We made chicken breasts

instead and turned it into a positive learning experience. There are

no stupid mistakes.

BCs Pacific Institute of Culinary Artsfeatures state-of-the-art kitchen

facilities as well as a fine dining training restaurant, Bistro 101, designed to

allow students to experience every facet of a real restaurant operation.



Business management, menu development, Wine & Spirit Educa-

tion Trust (WSET) Foundation level wine certification are all part of

the learning. Increasingly, so are green issues. PICA works closely

with organizations like Green Table (first culinary school), and invites

guest lecturers from local wineries, Salt Spring Island Coffee Com-

pany, Whistler Beer, even the Vancouver Aquariums Ocean Wise

(founding culinary school member) discussing the good, the bad and

the ugly of fish.

Its all part of providing a holistic approach to culinary education.

Everyone wants to be the next Gordon Ramsay, says Bond, so wehave to teach them the reality check. Youre going to go out there and

pay your dues. Its like a pyramid, I tell them, and school is only the

bottom layer. Then they have to build on their layers.

SAIT Polytechnic School ofHospitality and Tourism

SNAPSHOT

The school includes hospitality

management, professional

cooking, travel and tourism,baking and pastry art, meat

operations and management,

cook and bake apprentice

programs.

There are close to 1,100studentsin the school.

SAIT started its first hospitality

program in the early 1960sandadded cooking and baking in the

late 60s.

30 percentof students come tothe SAIT program straight out of

high school, while the rest range

in age from 19 to around 55,

including those pursuing second

careers and refreshers. Student restaurant, The

Highwood, has 120 seats andruns five days of lunch or four

evening services every week

throughout the school year.

96 percentemployment rate inthe industry in 2009.

The school has 70 faculty,including a number of top chefs.

PICAsBakery & Pastry Arts program

exposes students to the rigours of

creating a sweet end-of-meal experience

as well as offering sweets for sale in a

professional bake shop. The school also

features guest lectures, including from

the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.

Youre going to go out there and

pay your dues. Its like a pyramid,

I tell them, and school is only thebottom layer. Then they have to

build on their layers.


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One of the biggest shifts were seeing, especially in hospitality, isthe number of women coming into the program, says Tom Bornhorst,

dean of SAITs School of Hospitality and Tourism. The baking pro-

gram is now 95 percent female, culinary is 40 percent female. Even

the apprentice side is no longer male-dominated. Its a very healthy

change for everybody. Women see these as careers where they can

ascend. There werent a lot of female chefs and general managers 30

years ago. Now there are role models.

The Highwood is so popular the Thursday buffet regularly sells out.

Being on the Open Table reservation system (and regularly voted a

consumer favourite) packs in the diners as soon as dates are available.

The student chefs job is to design a menu with a feature app

and main. Students learn all about cooking methods, such as braised,

roasted or sous vide, and they get to the point of designing a five-course dinner. A fully functioning bar is part of The Highwood, so

students are taught everything from opening a bottle of wine and

food and wine pairing to the more advanced features of running a bar.

Teaching extends beyond the classroom and restaurant. Last

year (2009), we were the first Canadian post-secondary institution

to introduce a teaching garden, says Bornhorst. 170+ varieties of

vegetables, herbs, fruit, and some wheat were planted. One of our

instructors just won an award to research culinary agro-literacy. The

garden went beyond what we thought it would. Cook apprentices do-

ing their competency exam will quickly run in there and grab some

herbs, or students in the Highwood some veg for service. At 4,200

sq. ft. its not a production garden, but its a powerful living classroom.

Another SAIT innovation is the marketplace, a 1,400 sq. ft. retail

environment complete with a baking pastry art zone for students to

showcase their breads and pastries, meat cases for the meat oper-

ations students, and standup coolers for the professional cooking stu-

dents home meal replacement items.

The quality of the goods available here, says Bornhorst, is excep-

tional, and the word has spread beyond the campus, even though the

marketplace is not advertised.

On the horizon is an applied research greenhouse. The students

already produce biodiesel. They may use it in the greenhouse, says

Bornhorst, to see how long we can extend the growing season. We

have pretty much maxed out our facilities. Were already running our

kitchens 7 to 6 every day in double shifts, with four different kitch-

ens and three different bakeries back to back. Weve grown so much

were just kind of full, and thats not a bad thing. Its a testament to

how well this school has been doing.

Algonquin College School of Hospitality

SNAPSHOT

The program has been running

for 10+ years, offering anOntario ministry-approved

curriculum.

In the past, the college had to go

off-site to deliver the curriculum,

but as demand grew, the college

decided to invest in its own halflab/half industrial kitchen.

There are 14 students(outof 900 at the entire college)

registered apprentices in

the culinary program, which

allows them to attend school

on Mondays and Tuesdays for a

total of 10 hours a week while

accumulating the 6,000 hours

required to complete their Red

Seal certificate. Theyre also

credited 720 hours for the course

towards their 6,000 hours.

Students range in age from those

still in high school, in the Ontario

Youth Apprenticeship Program,

to their 50s, with half under 30.

As part of their training, they

cater six or seven functionsa year, including the Relay for

Life dinner, capital campaign

fundraisers, and a 100-mile

dinner.

100 percentof graduates returnto hospitality careers.

Within two years there will be

a new campus featuring a full-time training program.

Institut de tourisme et dhtellerie du Qubec (ITHQ) is one of Canadas oldest hospitality schools

with a very young profile of students the average age is just 21 many of whom continue to industry

jobs around the world.

DAVIDSIMARD



Algonquins program attracts a more diverse group than many

other culinary schools. Weve got the young keeners interested in

the industry because of the explosion of the Food Network, who have

a preconception of what the industry is, says Andre Renaud, foodservice coordinator of the Cook Apprenticeship Program. Everyone

wants to be a Gordon Ramsay, but they dont want to peel carrots.

Others are forced back to school because of legislation. We have a

couple people who have come from institutions (hospitals, old age

homes). SARS was the catalyst in the government-run old age homes;

the government then proceeded with the introduction of legislation

since they saw they needed to do something about food handling.

Now there is strong legislation that old age homes and hospital people

working with food must be Red Seal.

Having only 14 students and five professors ensures intense hands-

on training and a close-knit environment where professors offices are

located right off the training kitchen.

After learning the basics, in year two, the students take a course

called cuisine a la carte, where they must successfully demonstrate

a working knowledge of the operation of the a la carte kitchen. A

lounge adjacent to the dining room is turned into a restaurant oper-

ation during year two. For three or four months, students plan the

menu on Monday; by Tuesday the eatery, located in the campuss

pub the Landing is booked solid. Theres a rotation of the stu-

dents head chefs, sous chefs, servers, line cooks depending on the

complexity of the evening.

Theres a project they have to do at the end of night: costing, wast-

age, everything to do with cost of the operation, says Renaud. It can

be traumatic. There are passionate moments, and they have to work

through them. Real life problems; the shrimp is underdone and is

returned. What do you do? We dont believe in sending people into

the industry with surreal training.

Supplementing the coursework is a professional series where

food suppliers share their expertise. For instance, Maple Leaf brings

a whole pig and demonstrates butchering techniques, while Kraftcomes in to talk coffee.

By the end of their course work at Algonquin, says Renaud, we

hope the students really understand food so they have the same

amount of respect we have. I am a huge believer in the energy of

food and what it does to people, from a wellbeing and morality stand-

point, where food is the heart of the home, heart of the kitchen, heart

of the world.

Institut de tourisme etdhtellerie du Qubec (ITHQ)

SNAPSHOT The government of Qubec

founded the ITHQ in 1968with a vision of developing a

world-class tourism industry

by providing highly skilled

hospitality professionals.

Since then, there have been

8,000 graduatesof theprogram.

The school opened with culinary,

restaurant service and pastry

making programs, followed

three years later with diploma

management courses.

The school has 1,400 studentsper year at an average age

of 21. Thirty percent have

experience when they arrive,

while 30 percent are reorienting

or changing careers. All enter or

re-enter the industry when they

graduate.

The program spans three

semesters, 1,450 hours plus 400

hours in the workplace.

There are 27 specializedprograms in tourism, hoteland restaurant servicestolearn skills that are transferable

anywhere in the world, including

work-study programs with

internships in Qubec and

elsewhere.

In addition to an upscale

restaurant, ITHQ also runs a 42-room training hotel,and twodining roomswhere studentscan apply hotel-related skills.

As one of the oldest hospitality schools in Canada, ITHQ offers

an enriched official government program, but has taken the time to

change up the ingredients in its recipe for success. The cooking cur



riculum has been modified at least four or five times, with the Signa-

ture Program added in 2005-2006.

With one program, Cuisine professionnelle, we have added our own

seasonings, says vice director (directeur adjoint) Cliff Boyd. The gov-

ernment program features a modular approach to cooking. We prefer

a task approach, where we train our students in a functional manner.

We believe this prepares them much better to face the marketplace.

The Signature Program of nearly 1,500 hours, with at least 400in the workplace, helps students to master culinary techniques and ex-

plore the science of how food transforms into what appears on diners

plates. Over a 12-week period, after mastering their basics, students

are in hands-on training in ITHQs two main restaurants in the school,

learning all aspects of turning out letter-perfect breakfasts, banquet

menus and a la carte selections.

ITHQ is implementing a sustainability and environment pro-

gram, and students are pushing for the school to be more involved in

sourcing local supplies.

The institute prides itself on longstanding international relation-

ships, which benefit students interested in spreading their wings

beyond Qubec. We are the only school in North America with a

partnership with Relais & Chteaux, says Boyd. Our most passion-

ate students continue in our post-diploma program, Formation supr-

ieure en Cuisine, where they finish off the program with 10 weeks

internship in France. Five or six years following their training, we

see a number becoming chefs and restaurant owners, with more and

more of our graduates working as chefs in hotels and in charge of

top-notch restaurants in Qubec.

If theres one lesson ITHQ hopes students learn, its this: that they

be able to adapt easily to different changes in the industry and the

workplace, to understand what they are doing in the kitchen and how

to control costs, to be able to acknowledge the quality of products,

and always have respect for food.

We see a number becoming chefsand restaurant owners, with more

and more of our graduates workingas chefs in hotels and in charge of

top-notch restaurants in Qubec.

ITHQ features two professional

training restaurants, where

students learn all aspects of front

and back of house operations.



Holland College

SNAPSHOT

The Culinary Institute of Canada,

founded in 1982, was originallymarketed separately from

Holland College.

Six years ago, all of the culinaryand hospitality programs were

united under the Holland College

umbrella. Today there are 25coursesin the Culinary Artsprogram.

The institute, supported mostly

by tuition and government

funding, is also responsible

for Canadas SmartestKitchen, the food and researchdevelopment arm (Cavendish

Farms is a partner and

collaborator with the institute).

There are 200 students inCulinary Arts and 34 in Pastry

Arts. Culinary Arts is a two-yeardiploma program, while Pastry

Arts is a one-year certificate

program. There is also a four-

year applied degree program in

culinary operations and a two-

year diploma in hotel restaurant

management.

After graduation, 97 percentareworking in the industry;

90 percent after five years.

During Austin Clements time at Holland College, the program

manager of the culinary and hospitality programs and former chef

has witnessed the evolution of the culinary scene in Canada.

When I went into the industry, it was 10 to 15 percent female

now its over half, he says. It illustrates a change from the times

when kitchens were more male dominated. Females have taken their

membership among the ranks. We see a number of very success-

ful female chefs in high ranking executive positions, encouraging the

younger females. Some of that male, European chef kitchen is still

out there, but the Canadian chef movement is a relatively new one

Twenty to 30 years ago, chefs were coming from Europe. All of us

young up-and-comers came through those ranks, but over time we

have replaced those European chefs with our own folks.The shift is reflected in Holland Colleges culinary curriculum

where Clements team has just revisited the second year program. For

the first time, a course that used to be Eurocentric in focus is now

more international, with the flavours of India, the Caribbean, Korea,

Thailand and Japan mixing with the more traditional European bias.

Local is a huge focus for Holland College. Two years ago, 70

to 80 percent of our food product was bought from off island, says

Clement. Now of over 65 suppliers, 55 are on island. I have a very

locavore type approach, which is in tune with our current crop of

students. Why is food grown this

way, cooked this way? We are

much closer to our suppliers.

Students are trained as if

theyre already in the industry, he

says, through a robust combination of theory and hands-on training

in the Montgomery Cafeteria, for the first-year students, and the Lucy

Maud Dining Room for second years, where they learn everything

from ordering the food, creating the menu, and handling the staff.

I want them to leave with open thoughts, says Clement. We have

a much larger responsibility than just teaching them how to cook

so students should understand how to think, be problem solvers, be

wave makers, confident in their knowledge, experience and training

but not satisfied to stop there. yfm


[email protected]


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122



With global supply and demandon a knife edge, away-from-

home coffee sales in Canada are

holding their own, and successful operators are getting better

at grabbing good ideas and running with them to profitability.

Those were some of the key points expressed by four category

experts during the Coffee Industry Panel at the enormously

successful 2010 Canadian Coffee & Tea Show.

The participants provided their perspective to a room

full of delegates early on the first morning of the show held

September 26th and 27th at the International Centre, near

Torontos Pearson International Airport. It was a lively, inter-

active session that touched on global trends, best practices and

common mistakes, innovation, and foodservice opportunities.

After seven or eight years of solid growth, the economic

downturn of 2008 meant the crest has come off the wave,

said Sandy McAlpine, president of the Coffee Association of

Canada. The slowing has reigned in year-over-year sales in-

creases that were galloping along at seven to eight percent

a year and wrangled them to low single-digit growth, he

told the gathering. Even so, today Canada is the healthiest or

second healthiest coffee market in the world.

The performance is especially remarkable when you con-

sider what has happened south of the border, where the spe-

cialty coffee business is off by 10 to 15 percent in most markets,

McAlpine noted. Thats not to say the recession hasnt had an

impact on operators in Canada, as referenced by Jim Townley

of Fresh Cup Roastery in Saanichton, BC. Many of our custom

ers went down a size, and that resulted in a 10 to 11 percent

change in our revenue stream. I thought the coffee business

was recession-proof, but it isnt; it is recession-resistant.

BY LAWRENCE HERZOG

DRINK UP!

Percolatingopportunitiesfor growth

Insights from the

2010 Canadian

Coffee & Tea Show

Canadian Coffee & Tea ShowOCTOBER 2 & 3 www.coffeeteashow.ca



Counting all the beansThe world price for green Arabica beans is at a 13-year high,

and coffee futures have zoomed sharply upward since last

summer. Chris Glowienka, VP-general manager of Sara Lee

Foodservice, distributors of Douwe Egberts Coffee Systems,

said its no wonder theres anxiety around pricing. A lot of the

developing countries, particularly Brazil and Mexico with their

rising middle class, are not exporting as many beans. Its going

to mean tighter supply in the near short term.

McAlpine said the chase is really on for good quality cof-

fees, especially with a razor-thin one to two percent spread

between global supply and demand. If

Vietnam werent throwing in 15 million

bags into the world coffee market this year,

[green] coffee prices would be well over

two dollars [per pound] and may be approaching three dol-

lars. Historically thats about the level when consumers start to

change their coffee behaviour.

Adam Pesce, product specialist with Reunion Island Coffee

of Oakville, Ontario, told the audience that operators shouldnt

worry so much about the price of green coffee.

Other cost increases are more of a concern than the cost

of coffee. An increase of 25 cents per pound equals less than

one cent per cup.

Higher Margins to the Next LevelGlowienka encouraged operators to get to know their blends

so they can cup and deliver a great product. And he recom-

mended they look closely at taking advantage of their higher-

margin end-of-meal opportunities. Does anybody at the end

of a meal ever say, Yeah, Ill have a coffee, how much is it?

Its an automatic; no one is looking at the price by that point.

Theyre looking at the experience.

Panel members also touched on the growth in single-cup

proprietary systems, the convenience and renewed interest in

instant coffee, and taking fresh coffee to what Pesce called

the next level, with individually brewed cups

of coffee. Old ways of brewing are becoming

popular again, and its a continuation of the

espresso trend to regular drip coffees.

McAlpine acknowledged that the industry screwed up the

open pod system (pre-packaged ground coffee in its own filter),

but that may yet come back and penetrate.

He cautioned operators against fixating on the quality of

coffee, as most everybody is competing with very good prod-

uct, but to remember the importance of location and style of

operation. yfm


[email protected]

FROM LEFT: standing, Russell

Hoffman,moderator; Sandy

McAlpine, Coffee Association of

Canada; Jim Townley,Fresh Cup

Roastery Caf; Adam Pesce,

Reunion Island Coffee; and

Chris Glowienka,Douwe Egberts.

Does anybody at the end of a meal ever say, Yeah, Ill have a

coffee, how much is it? Its an automatic; no one is looking

at the price by that point. Theyre looking at the experience.

MATTHEWB

ROSZKOWSKI



Tea Tidbits

1) Canadian restaurantssold 354 millionservingsof hot tea inthe 12 months leadingup to May 2009.

2) Consumers going to arestaurant for healthychoices are 1.5 timesmore likely to order teawith their meal.

3) Nearly one in threespecialty tea drinkers isunder the age of 34.

4) Fifty-nine percentofspecialty tea drinkersare female.

SOURCE: TEA ASSOCIATION

OF CANADA

DRINK UP!

Specialty tea is steaming hot in Canada right now and push-

ing strong performance in the category. The Tea Association

of Canada reports that sales of specialty tea increased 163

percent between 1997 and 2009, while regular tea tallied 27

percent growth over the same period.

Not only is specialty tea outpacing regular tea, but has now

overtaken it for top spot. In 2009, the total value of all spe-cialty tea sold in Canada topped $110 mil-

lion, compared with $93 million for regular

tea. The biggest gains are being made in

Western Canada, where specialty tea now

outsells regular tea two to one.

The exceptional growth of specialty tea

was reflected on the trade show floor at the

2010 Canadian Coffee & Tea Show, held in

Toronto on September 26th and 27th. With

more specialty tea exhibitors at the show

than ever before, and packed tea work-

shops and sessions, it was easy to see why

the category has reached a rolling boil.

There are a lot of opportunities just

waiting for the right people to capitalize on

them, says Louise Roberge, president of

the Tea Association of Canada. Now were

seeing a lot more people coming at it from

a strong business perspective, and they are

combining that with their amazing passion

for the tea.

One of them is Shanti Tea, started in

2009 by Toronto couple Venkatesh Prabhu

and Priya Prakash, trained in architecture

and naturopathic medicine, respectively. They are

channelling the insights from their chosen profes-

sions and their passion for fairly traded, sustainably

grown loose leaf teas into a venture that is grow-

ing by the month. Their flexible and adaptable spe-cialty tea programs supply restaurants, hotels, cafs,

and other businesses with fair trade certified teas

preselected or custom blended.

Knowing that many foodservice operators dont

know how to serve specialty tea, they provide on-

site training. Serving specialty tea properly isnt just

putting a cup in front of them and saying here you go, Venk

says. Theres a ritual of how you prepare loose leaf tea, and

customers appreciate that process. We answer the questions

that operators have: How do I serve it? Do I put it in the cup?

Do I use an infuser? How long do I keep it there? What tem-

perature water do I use?

Just like wine and coffee, different teas have different characteristics, he explains, and there are more varieties of tea than

there are grapes for wine. We teach people how to talk about

the different teas they might offer and inform their customers

by talking about things like its fragrance, base flavour and top

notes. Knowing the story of the tea, where it came from and

who grew it enriches the experience for everybody.

Roberge says specialty tea purveyors are helping to change

the face of the industry, and build greater appreciation for

the beverage. Learning how to brew a good cup of tea and

making it good consistently is so very important. Thats always

been one of our biggest challenges in foodservice. Those that

take the time to learn it, and do it well, can gain an immediate

advantage. yfm

Specialty tea

reaches a rolling boilFoodservice takes notice of top performerBY LAWRENCE HERZOG

Now were seeing a lot more peoplecoming at it from a strong businessperspective, and they are combining thatwith their amazing passion for the tea.

Canadian Coffee & Tea ShowOCTOBER 2 & 3 www.coffeeteashow.ca


33/56

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FRANCISVACHON

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pr spromosHerv Lapointe,owner of snack

bars in hockey arenas all over Qubec,depends on the power of the iconic

Pogo to lift sales at events.



Pogos top my menu because theyre a perfect

fit for us, says Lapointe, the Qubec City-

based owner of snack bars in hockey hallows

from Montral to Lvis to Portneuf. Pogos are

great finger foods for kids and adults, he says.

The iconic Pogo (a.k.a. corn dog), a hot

dog coated in cornmeal batter and deep fried

in oil, is touted as a Canadian original with a

tradition in Qubec that goes back decades

to the first assembly line Pogo plant at Terre-bonne (a suburb of Montral). The flavour-

some frank on a stick, celebrating its 50th

anniversary this year, is a perennial favour-

ite with Lapointes customers. So when hes

cooking up promotional activity, Pogo is a

natural, says Lapointe.

Today, Pogo sticks are produced by Con-

Agra Foodservice at its plant in Boisbriand,

Qubec, where the two-layered treat is pre-

pared using high oleic, low linolenic canola oil.

Lapointes company, Gestion R.V.L Inc.,

founded in 1998 with one location, now runs

a network of 40 snack bars, making it one of

the biggest restaurant operators in arenas in

Canada. His promotions are executed at the

start of the hockey season and during major

events such as the annual Qubec Internation-

al Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament in February.

His staff of 125 serve up fast food fare to

hockey goers from August through April (five

of his arena restaurants are open year-round).

Sales sizzle during week-long promos of

his fast food fare, especially those that feature

combos of Pogos, soft drinks and French fries.At big events, we sell more than 500 Pogos,

representing a 30 percent increase over regu-

lar weekly sales, states Lapointe. During

some promotions, we also give away coffee

and go through 4,500 cups in a weekend.

What makes this possible is Lapointes

partnership with ConAgra Foods, which sup-

ports Pogo promos with danglers and posters

emblazoned with pictures of the celebrated

corn dog, and bolstered by local media ads.

Our Pogo branded promo materials are

provided to operators who feature Pogo on

their menu, explains Owen Rilan, ConAgras

national foodservice manager. The focus

is on helping the operator distinguish their

product as the #1 Corn Dog in Canada with

a recognizable brand name. And we have

also developed pay for performance incen-

tives for operators who buy in volume with

such rewards as rebates.

Rilan adds that his broker sales reps work

with distributor sales reps on specific account

opportunities. We work together to present

the branded materials available and evaluatewhich program would most effectively drive

volume with individual operators. The brok

er sales rep then provides the required ma-

terials to the location and checks in regularly

to ensure proper placement and marketing of

the brand. We also work with specific chains,

such as Scotiabank Place (with the NHLs Ot-

tawa Senators), Zellers and Normandin Res

taurants, to include the brand in their menu

with marketing funds directed at driving sales

through their operations.

Imagination and creativity in tandem with

superior graphics (danglers and posters are

examples in the Pogo package) are the prime

hooks that can snare peoples attention.

Innovation is key to brand promotionsTo help power a promotional campaign with

oodles of oomph, tapping into brand know-

how is a must. You need to be close to oper-

ators on any promotion you do to make it

successful, counsels Phillip Pavlov, senior

product manager at H.J. Heinz Company of

Canada Ltd. The key is understanding the

At big events,

we sell more than

500 Pogos,representing a

30 percentincreaseover

regular weekly sales.

Herv Lapointe boasts,quite frankly, that hiswiener wows people.Hell tell you thatswhat behind red-hotsales of Pogos at his

concession stands inrinks across Qubec.



operators objectives, agenda, needs, oper-

ating environment, and then developing

promotions that resonate with operators

and their customers.

Best known for its trademark ketchup

as well as a covey of condiments, canned

beans and pasta, the

Heinz foodservice div-

ision offers an array of

promotions, including

product focused initiatives to help achieve

a lift of existing products through rebates,

points, incentives, or to support a new prod-

uct launch; consumption focused pushes;

and recipe crafting promotions. Consum-

er campaigns draw traffic to a website, a

scratch and win contest at a restaurant, ora kids toy at McDonalds.

Pavlov points out that foodservice pro-

motions can be driven by manufacturers, dis-

tributors or operators. He notes that distribu-

tor sales reps are usually engaged through a

manufacturers sales force, distributors head

office, distributors publication or flyer, or at

a trade show or special event.

Setting your objectives is critical, he

insists. Ideally those objectives should be

measurable. Decide on prizing and incentives,

the ones that appeal to your target market.By way of illustration, Pavlov recalls

one of his most successful promotions: the

Heinz Trivial Pursuit 25th Anniversary

Contest. The campaign spotlighted special-

edition Heinz Ketchup packets distributed

to independent foodservice operators

across Canada. Consumers were invited

to play the game by registering online at

the Heinz website for games and cash give-

aways. Operators also got in the game by

earning rebates on the number of cases of

the limited-edition Trivial Pursuit Single

Serve Ketchup packs they purchased dur-ing the promotion. A successful promotion

is integrated, he emphasizes. It uses vari-

ous communications pieces (website and/

or sell sheets) that look consistent and ap-

pear to be a part of a whole, rather than

disjointed pieces.

Point-of-sale promotions are a foodserv-

ice favourite. A recent POS promo offered

operators significant savings on the cost of

Heinz ketchup and mustard Keystone dis-

pensers via mail-in refunds tied to the num-

ber of cases of products purchased. A promo-tion like this, Pavolv professes, gives value to

operators by providing dispensing solutions.

How important are

brand promotions to

restaurants? Brand pro-

motions open up lots of

opportunities for operators to offer more

value to customers, says Lapointe. Any

promotion worth its salt must be a win-win

for all. A promotion that doesnt factor in

customer satisfaction is bound to fail. yfm

THERES NOTHING

VIRTUAL

ABOUT THESESALES RESULTS*:

*Source: Fall 2010 Operators Edge promotions

Distributor sales reps

Participating operators

Cases sold

Participating suppliers

223

4,000

35,815

9

Delivering transactions.

&

Total dollars

$1,200,000

Checklist

for a successfulfoodservice

promotion

Give equal considerationtothe suggestions and opinions ofmale and female staff.

Set your objectives upfront.They should be relevant to you andyour customers.

Make sure the promotion is a

win-win.

Set the promotional period(e.g. two months).

Make sure the promotionis easy to understand andexecute.

Make the promotion standout from the rest in themarket by keeping it original andexciting to break through theclutter.

Follow up afterwards didyou achieve the goals? If not,why? Include the post-audit inyour planning.

Take the learning, repeatwhat has been successful,improve what has not worked.

TOPTIPS


[email protected]



Pratts Food Service adds value as a one-source solution

IDEAincubator BY LAWRENCE HERZOG

The idea of a place to incubatenew ideas came to Jason Baranykone day nearly two years ago. The

president of food service operations

for Pratts Food Service envisioned a

culinary test kitchen where customers

could converge to develop menus,

work with their corporate chef, tryout products and beverages, and be

inspired to operate better and smarter.

THEW

INNERSCIR

CLE



That brainwave resulted in

Bistro 101. It has been up and

running since fall 2009, and the

response has been tremendous,

Baranyk says. Its a place our

customers can come to develop

their menus, test products, teach

their staff, and dare to be creative.

Over the years, weve diversified

our services, and we thought we

could take our expertise further

and deliver a one-stop shop ap-

proach to the food business.

The 2,000-sq. ft. test kitchen

utilizes a tandem side-by-side

design that allows cooking teams

from Pratts and their customers

to work together to create and

refine menu items. This centre

of foodservice excellence, as

Pratts calls it, includes training

areas dedicated to food, bever-

ages and warewashing, a dining

room with high-speed wireless

and multi-media capabilities, and

an educational boardroom.

Its a spacious facility of warm

brickwork and cool steel, with

room for more than 90 people at

once at its various stations. Just

steps away is the well-stocked

showroom of small wares with

an array of plates, cutlery and

glassware options.

Bistro 101 is a way we add

value and differentiate our com-EVENTSHORIZONPHOTOGRAPHY

Its a place our

customers can

come to develop

their menus,

test products,

teach their staff,and dare to be

creative.

At left Jason Baranyk,

president of food service

operations for Pratts Food

Service, with corporate executive

chef Raymond V. Houdayer,

in Pratts centre of foodservice

excellence, a one-stop shop for

foodservice professionals.



pany from our competitors, he

says. We dont want to compete

on just price; we want to com-

pete on what else we do for our

customers. Bistro 101 helps us to

make them more profitable.

Founded in 1910, Pratts

Wholesale, parent company of

Pratts Food Service, began by

distributing tobacco, dry goods

and confectionery products to lo-

cal and regional retailers in Mani-

toba. Built on industry-leading se-

lection, exceptional service and

reliability, it prospered and grew.

Leonard Baranyk started with

Pratts in 1967 as an accountant

and in 1980 bought the com-

pany. With assistance from his

wife Eleane and sons Lenny, Jeff

and Jason in key leadership pos-

itions, theyve met the challenges

of the last 30 years. Jason saw

the opportunities in foodservice,

and in 2002 the team launched

Pratts Food Service. At the begin-

ning, they aimed to be a second-

ary supplier; with hard work and

by building trust, theyve become

the primary source for most of

their customers.

Today Pratts Food Service is

guided by a management team

that includes Jason Baranyk as

president of food service oper-ations Canada, Grant Avery, vice

president of food service oper-

ations Manitoba, and Rene Mil-

ler, vice president of food service

operations Saskachewan. Newly

appointed Gord Wilhelm, vice

president of Pratts food service

operations Canada, will also be

managing the Alberta operations.

The company focuses on na-

tional brand name products, and

its foodservice inventory tops

9,000 SKUs offering fresh pro-

duce, fresh protein, grocery, fro-

zen, dairy, equipment and small-

wares, chemical and warewash

and laundry service programs,

janitorial, paper and packaging,

seafood, hot and cold beverage

programs. There are another

10,000 retail items available to

foodservice customers through

Pratts Wholesale, and orders can

be placed by phoning a sales rep-

resentative, face-to-face, calling

the customer service desk, faxing,

or online.

Headquarters is a 225,000-sq.

ft. warehouse in Winnipeg, which

includes more than 50,000 sq. ft.

of frozen and cooler space, and

21 docks. The company has two

other warehouses encompassing

135,000 sq. ft. in Regina, and a

just-opened 100,000-sq. ft. fa-

cility in Calgary, totaling over500,000 sq. ft. of distribution

space in Western Canada, with

a foodservice sales force of over

50 street reps and employing

more than 450 people. Within

five years, the company plans to

open in the BC market.

Pratts Food Services solu-

tions extend to menu design and

production, marketing assist-

ance, in-house renovation design,

monthly educational sessions,

and the hands-on opportunities

offered by Bistro 101 for food

and beverage development and

equipment selection.

Here, they can taste a new

menu and actually see how cre-

ations look on a plate before

they ever get to their customers,

Baranyk says. They can test

equipment before they buy it to

make sure it will do what they

want it to do and that it is the

correct decision for them. After

all, anybody can sell you an oven

But we want to be sure that oven

will make our customers money

We want them to understand

food costs, their margins, and

develop best practices that will

help them to be profitable and

successful. yfm

Here, they cantaste a new menu

and actually see

how creations

look on a plate

before they ever

get to their

customers.


[email protected]

Pratts foodservice facility

features a showroom with

smallwares and menu design

options for operators.

ThePrattsway

Deliver a one-sourcesolution for customers

to save them time andmoney.

Offer superior value-added services.

Bring together topexpertise in a culinarytest kitchen.

Build winning menus byworking with customerchefs.

Provide customers withtraining opportunities atPratts.

Give hands-on helpfor the best customerequipment choices.


41/56


42/56

l made easy,bar t required



Roadside Willies taps

the loyalty business

[ INNOVATORS ]

character

BYDONALEEM

OULTONIconic

MICHAELG.

PIERSON

THEW

INNERSCIRCLE



When Roadside Willies Smokehouse & Bar opened

five years ago in Truro, NS, customers flooded

in the door. Owner John Henry quickly realized,however, that the business was better off with a steady stream of

customers than a tsunami and made changes to ensure fewer people

but the right people were flowing through the door.

We had too much success at the start, he says. The kitchen

couldnt keep up; serving staff couldnt keep up. So Henry turned

down the heat on his popular eatery and refocused, turning to a num-

ber of innovative ideas to build customer loyalty and repeat business.

Henry does that by giving customers a little something extra. For

many, the value added is linked

to their loyalty card. We have

one of the most aggressive loyal-

ty programs anywhere, says

Henry. You buy a card for $5and get 10 times that amount

in points to start off.

Customers who collect 250 points earn

a $10 voucher to spend at Roadside Willies. Between 2 and 4 p.m.

they earn double points. But thats just one bonus plan. There are, in

all, nine bonus programs running concurrently, offering the opportun-

ity to earn cash discounts, free products and prizes.

Theyre getting something all the time, says Henry. People love it.

The key to the programs success, he notes, is control. We dont

want our card in the hands of card collectors. We want it in the hands of

our most loyal customers, so we promote the program directly to them.

Those same true-blue customers are the first to hear about the

entertainment that has become synonymous with Roadside Willies,

which is about an hours drive from Halifax. Well-known national

acts such as Alfie Zappacosta have headlined at the 100-seat eatery,

which also includes a small, 12-seat bar. Sunday Night Jazz showcases

the talents of local jazz musicians.

We dont advertise these events,

explains Henry. We reach out to our

customers through our mailing list

This helps keep ticket costs down.What ultimately keeps custom-

ers coming back, though, is not

the lilt in the air or the prospect of

points. Its great food in a comfort

able atmosphere. Our first goal was

to define what the business was

going to be, says Henry. We de-

cided it was restaurant first and bar

second. Without great food, the rest

wouldnt matter anyway.

Henry also identified who his

primary customers would be. Wehave a lot of younger customers,

he notes, but our main target is the

baby boomer crowd.

Boomers are an eclectic group

whi

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