Pg. 68 // Carlo’s Bakery
Pg. 32 // Ocean City BYOB Vote Is Off in NJ for November
Pg. 2 // Manhattan Based Zagat Acquired By Google
Metro New York’s Foodservice Newspaper • October 2011 • Vol. 21 • No. 5
Barbara KaneSociety for Foodservice Management
Q&APAGE
28
2 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
The founders, hus-
band and wife team
Nina and Tim Za-
gat, said they will
remain co-chairs
of the 32-year-old
company and will
use Google’s resources and expertise to
expand. “We are thrilled to see our baby
placed in such good hands and to start
today as official ‘Googlers,’” the found-
ers said in a joint statement.
Local commerce offers services such
as finding a discount from a nearby
store, or a review of a neighborhood
eatery, and the world’s No. 1 search en-
gine plans to compete in this market
against Yelp and OpenTable.
The deal, for which Google did not
provide financial information, gives it
valuable content about restaurants, ho-
tels and nightclubs that can be paired
with its popular online maps and mo-
bile search services. The 32-year-old
Zagat, which polls consumers and com-
piles reviews about restaurants around
the world, will become a cornerstone of
Google’s “local offering,” Google said.
“Google needs to provide more than
just directions to consumers seeking
information about restaurants and
other local businesses,” said Marissa
Mayer, Google’s VP of Local, Maps and
Location services.
“It’s also about getting them a sense
of the place. A sense of what to expect,”
said Mayer. “Zagat reviews, in a few
short lines and a few scores, gives you a
great sense of a place very quickly when
you’re on the go.”
The move is part of Google’s push
to adapt its online services for a world
in which consumers increasingly ac-
cess the Web on mobile phones such
as Apple Inc’s iPhone and rely on social
networking services such as Facebook
to get information from friends.
Last month, Google announced
plans to acquire mobile phone manu-
facturer Motorola Mobility for $12.5
billion. The deal, if approved by regu-
lators, will allow Google to produce its
own line of smartphones based on its
Android software.
“A reasonable person would say that
Google may never beat apple in prod-
uct design by itself. At least not for a
sustainable period of time. But Google
could better integrate content and have
that become another reason to buy
those devices,” said Stifel Nicolaus ana-
lyst Jordan Rohan.
“This underscores Google’s local and
mobile initiatives,” said Brian Pitz, an
analyst at UBS, who expected the ac-
quisition to provide a boost to Google
Maps as customers look for restaurants.
Last year, Google moved Mayer, a top
search executive, to head its local initia-
tives.
Google needs reviews and other con-
tent for its “Google Places” websites, in
part to fend off criticism. It has been ac-
cused of using comments from review
sites such as Yelp, essentially siphoning
off their readers and, more importantly,
their clicks. “Google has toned down its
borrowing of comments recently,” Pitz
said.
The Federal Trade Commission has
been looking into the issue as part of a
broad antitrust investigation, a source
familiar with the probe has said. The
move raises the question of whether the
search giant will start its own restaurant
reservation service, building on exist-
ing ties with restaurants that advertise
on it.
The shares of restaurant-booking
service OpenTable, which also pub-
lishes reviews and ratings, closed down
more than 8 percent at $57.50 on news
of the Google/Zagat deal. OpenTable
is already reeling from financial results
that have disappointed investors this
year and the departure in May of CEO
Jeffrey Jordan, who joined venture-cap-
ital firm Andreessen Horowitz. Jordan
remains chairman.
Pitz said expanding into reservations
would require extra steps such as build-
ing out reservation software and getting
restaurants to install it, as well as building
different relationships with the restau-
Manhattan Based Zagat Acquired By Google Google Inc. bought popular dining ratings authority Zagat, last month with the goal of adding a valuable brand to its content offerings and bolstering its push into the rapidly growing local commerce market.
// NEWS
“Google needs to provide more than just
directions to consumers seeking information
about restaurants and other local businesses. ”
DEALS
3 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Main Office:
282 Railroad Avenue
Greenwich, CT 06830
Publishers:
Leslie & Fred Klashman
Advertising Director:
Michael Scinto
Creative Director:
Ross Moody
Phone: 203.661.9090
Fax: 203.661.9325
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.totalfood.com
Total Food Service ISSN No. 1060-8966 is published monthly by IDA Publishing, Inc., 282 Railroad Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830. Phone: 203.661.9090. This issue copyright 2011 by IDA Publishing Inc. Contents in full or part may not be reproduced without permission. Not responsible for advertisers claims or statements.Periodicals Postage paid at the post office, Greenwich, CT and additional mailing offices. Additional entry at the post office in Pittsburg, PA. Subscription rate in USA is $36 per year; single copy; $3.00. Postmaster: Send address changes to Total Food Service,
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rants. “It’s apples and oranges,” he said.
Zagat gave Google a tongue-in-cheek
rating on its home page recently, award-
ing the Internet company a maximum
30-point rating for its “local, social, mo-
bile and usefulness” categories. Indus-
try analysts regard the local, social and
mobile markets as some of the fastest-
growing areas of the technology sector.
Zagat enlisted Goldman Sachs to ex-
plore a sale as early as 2008, although
no buyers emerged in the middle of a
recession. The company might fetch as
much as $200 million, it was reported at
the time.
In late 2009 Google was in talks to ac-
quire Yelp for at least $500 million, ac-
cording to news reports at the time, but
the deal fell apart. This “iconic” pub-
lisher of restaurant reviews is “trusted”
and “well-loved” by foodies. Customers
love its “ability to innovate” and gush
over its “tremendous insight.”
BGC Partners analyst Colin Gillis said
the purchase was smart. He said Zagat
is like the little brother of Yelp, the lead-
ing online review site and a pioneer in
a space that was founded in 2004. Za-
gat, based in Manahttan, covers the Tri-
State area with four different guides.
The Metro New York books include
yearly updates for New York City, New
Jersey, Long Island and Westchester/
Connecticut.
4 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
5 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
The Ledyard, Connecticut-
based gaming facility is
the largest in North Amer-
ica, and the tribe’s debt
restructuring is the highest among In-
dian gaming tribes. Like many tribes,
the Mashantucket Pequots expanded
its casino during the credit bubble.
In April 2008, the tribe announced
plans for a new $700 million resort, the
MGM Grand at Foxwoods. But days
later, Lehman Brothers filed for bank-
ruptcy protection, and like dominoes,
financial institutions crumbled, and
the global economy sank. Struggling
to pay back its highly leveraged debt,
the Mashantucket Pequots reached an
agreement with senior lenders in Jan-
uary 2010 to extend and restructure its
debt forbearance (in which creditors
agree not to press demands for pay-
ments).
“It’s the same old story,” Joseph Kalt,
co-director of the Harvard Project on
American Indian Economic Devel-
opment,” said. “A lot of cash flowing,
tribes investing like mad and then get-
ting hit by the recession.”
Now the Mashantucket Pequot
Tribe hopes that debt can be renegoti-
ated. Under new agreement terms, the
tribe’s $1.5 billion now owed would
be restructured in obligations at fa-
vorable six percent and eight percent
interest rates with a lengthy payment
Foxwoods’ Mashantucket Pequots Near Debt Restructuring DealThe Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation plans to finalize a deal with creditors by the end of 2011 to restructure more than $2 billion in financing related to its Foxwoods Resort Casino and cut the tribe’s debt load by half a billion dollars.
// NEWS DEALS
continued on page 16
6 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
For the sixth year in a
row, the event wel-
comed an incredible
roster of chefs, pas-
try chefs, somme-
liers, mixologists, and
more, for three days
of networking, product demonstra-
tion, and industry exchange. It’s the
6th Annual StarChefs.com Interna-
tional Chefs Congress, an event unlike
any of its kind in the country.
For a professional chef audience,
it’s as important to address the prac-
ticalities of opening a restaurant and
outfitting a kitchen, as it is to discuss
the concepts and techniques that in-
spire industry leaders. And what dif-
ferentiates the ICC from other indus-
try gatherings is its dual emphasis on
the business and creative sides of the
industry. ICC programming spans the
gamut—from Business Seminars and
Main Stage demonstrations to Hands-
On workshops and original competi-
tions—which enables its audience to
encounter product and personality
side by side, in creative tandem.
Each year, the ICC centers on a
theme that pervades the industry,
from the back of the house to the front,
an idea that is as likely to affect multi-
unit concepts and corporate outfits as
it affects a single chef-owned start-up.
In 2009, the ICC tackled the concept of
American Cuisine; in 2010, it asked the
question “What is Creativity—an Art
or a Craft?” And this year, the ICC cen-
tered on a concept that seems at first
glance abstract, but actually goes to
the roots of the practices and profes-
sions of hospitality: The Sixth Sense.
Even if most industry professionals
don’t use the term on a regular basis,
they practice it. The Sixth Sense is sim-
ply that added value that makes hos-
pitality more than mere accommoda-
tion, and cuisine more than satiation.
And while it’s typically associated
with avant-garde chefs and high-tech
equipment, the Sixth Sense isn’t lim-
ited to conceptual or haute cuisine.
It pervades every facet of hospitality;
and the implications for the main-
stream, from products to equipment
and personal expectations, are major.
Keeping up with the tradition of
opening the Congress with a direct
confrontation with the year’s theme,
programming on the ICC Main Stage
launched a keynote discussion on the
Sixth Sense between Kim Severson of
The New York Times and American
culinary trailblazer (and conceptual
magician) Grant Achatz. A roster of
globally influential chefs, pastry chefs,
mixologists, sommeliers, and business
leaders continued the conversation
over the course of the next three days.
StarChefs.com recently launched a
preview of its 2011 ICC programming.
Among this year’s sessions were Chef
continued on page 16
Annual StarChefs.com Congress Set For NYCFrom October 2nd to the 4th, StarChefs.com welcomed more than 3,000 professionals from all corners of the food and beverage industry to the historic Park Avenue Armory.
// NEWS
“Each year, the ICC centers on a theme that
pervades the industry, from the back of the house
to the front, an idea that is as likely to affect
multi-unit concepts and corporate outfits as it
affects a single chef-owned start-up. ”
EVENTS
In his Workshop, “Top Chef All Stars” Richard Blais demonstrated the power of the Jade plancha
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For anyone who has a sense of
how the culinary world oper-
ates, that’s no small feat. Chef
egos can run as bold as their
food and demanding personalities are
an inescapable part the industry.
According to Ivan Ruiz, the founder
and executive director of the festival,
and owner of The Wine List of Summit
retail store downtown, when he started
the event three years ago, it was a tough
sell to lure world-class chefs. “When I
would call, they would say ‘where the hell
is New Jersey” Ruiz said. “They said ‘we
don’t want to come to New Jersey.’ It is a
negative all the way in our industry.”
How then did Ruiz, a self-proclaimed
“wine geek” convince between 34- 48
chefs, 50 Sommeliers and 60 winer-
ies not only to participate, but also to
return year-after-year? “Service,” Ruiz
said. “We have very warm hospitality
for these folks. We treat them well.”
While that may sound trite, service is
an expectation for people who lead the
restaurant industry. The Summit Wine
and Food Festival has become known
as one of the few food festivals that re-
moves the hype from a food and wine
event and focuses on the true gastro-
nomic experience. “We want the focus to
be on the chefs and their food, not on their
restaurant (or anything else),” Ruiz said.
Much of the event’s success has to do
with Ruiz’s own relationship building
and standards for success. A somme-
lier and former restaurateur, Ruiz col-
lected contacts like he collected wine
and he has a strong understanding of
how chefs and wineries can create both
gastronomic and business synergies.
As an equally impressive wine event,
the festival is attended by industry
leading Sommeliers who offer apprais-
als of wines. A positive review from top
Sommeliers can make or break a bud-
ding vintner or help re-establish an exist-
ing one with revamped wines.
The festival then becomes a destina-
tion for wineries that are looking to have
a breakout year. “We tell wineries that
when we bring in their product, it will be
sampled by 50 sommeliers and then we
have 35-40 chefs who also will try their
wine. That’s 85 potential buyers. It would
take them a whole year to visit 85 restau-
rants and they would be lucky to open
three accounts,” Ruiz said.
The three-day festival is a fairly even
blend of wine tastings and demos,
and food demonstrations and com-
petitions. The three-day program was
filled with events that range from the
educational, such as “Think like a Som-
melier,” and “The Art of Blind Tasting,”
to various cooking demos to the main
event of the three days, the “Caja China
Cookout Competition” - a cook-off that
tests chefs ability to roast pork, goat or
lamb, for example, on an open pit.
It portends to be a food and wine
experience like no other. Apparently
word of that reputation is growing as
attendance continues to increase each
year. With just over 2000 attendees last
year, up from 1,600 its inaugural year,
Ruiz welcomed well over 2,000 this year.
And of the 2000 attendees, local at-
tendance is growing as well. Ruiz said
that three years ago, the majority of at-
tendees were from New York. This year
more than 40% of event attendees were
from New Jersey.
That’s a number Ruiz wants to con-
tinue to improve as the reason he start-
ed the festival was to energize Summit
locals and attract new stores to the
downtown. “We started the festival
because we wanted to help Summit,”
Ruiz said. “In 2009 when I walked up
and down (Main Street) with council
members and the mayor, we counted
22 empty storefronts. We asked what
we could do to promote our town.”
That New Jersey emphasis runs
throughout the event. As in years past,
Ruiz donated all event profits to the
Community Food Bank of New Jersey.
Through that relationship, the festival
gives volunteer sous chef opportunities
to students at the Food Service Training
Academy, which provides training and
employment opportunities to individ-
uals in low income communities.
Jersey Chefs Highlight Summit Wine And Food FestivalThe featured 34 chefs, about 20 of who were from New Jersey. When the Summit Wine and Food Festival kicked off last month at the Summit Grand Hotel it represented one of the most prestigious gastronomic festivals on the East coast.
// NEWS
“The festival then becomes a destination for
wineries that are looking to have a breakout year. We
tell wineries that when we bring in their product, it
will be sampled by 50 sommeliers and then we have
35-40 chefs who also will try their wine. “
EVENTS
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“All of these
new eco-
restaurants
reflect the
brand’s com-
mitment to
social responsibility and sustainabil-
ity,” said Marketing Director Eliza-
beth Stewart, who heads the Subway®
brand’s corporate social responsibility
efforts. “We have made a commitment
to make our restaurants and opera-
tions more environmentally respon-
sible. As the largest franchise chain in
the U.S., we know we can make a real
difference and are working towards
that goal.”
Leading the initiative are a pair of
newly renovated rest areas off the
Merritt Parkway in North Haven, Con-
necticut. They each include a Sub-
way® Eco-Restaurant package with
eco-elements, that operate off of a
light harvesting system through solar
panels, high efficiency air condition-
ing, and they even have environmen-
tally friendly plants that do not require
any water maintenance.
Going green is something franchi-
see Dr. Burhan Ghanayem takes very
seriously. Burhan retired as an environ-
mental health scientist, although his
passion for conservation continues.
Burhan recently opened two Eco-
Restaurants in Cary and Durham,
North Carolina, with his brother Mar-
wan. Both restaurants are recognized
by the U.S. Green Building Council
with Leadership in Energy and Envi-
ronmental Design (LEED) certification.
“I have been a customer of Subway
all my life,” said Burhan, who owns a
total of 10 Subway® restaurants with
his brother. “I love the food and the
freshness. Compare our food to burg-
ers and other fast food restaurants and
ours is a lot healthier.”
Along with the great Customer Ser-
vice experience his restaurants pro-
vide for customers, Burhan says his Eco-
Restaurants are educational as well.
Burham plans to continue building
Eco Subway® restaurants, with two
new locations already on the hori-
zon. “I actually learned so much from
building my first two eco-restaurants
that I want to make my next even
greener,” Burham said. “I really care
about the environment. If we can all
chip in, we can really make a big dif-
ference.”
LEED is a third-party certification
program for the design, construction,
and operation of high performance
green buildings. As part of their Eat
Fresh, Live Green™ initiative, the Sub-
way® brand encourages franchisees
to create Eco-Restaurants when pos-
sible. Many who cannot rebuild their
restaurants are incorporating Green
elements into their stores such as
low flow faucets, energy saving appli-
ances, motion sensor lights, recyclable
trashcans, and more.
George Estep, franchisee of the
newly opened Eco-Restaurant in Ko-
komo, Indiana, constructed a free-
standing drive-thru restaurant en-
tirely from recycled material. Estep’s
// NEWS SUSTAINABILITY
continued on page 40
Connecticut Franchisees Lead Subway Expansion Of Green Units The Subway® restaurant chain announced the opening of five new “Green” Subway® Eco-Restaurants - with more on the way - each designed with environmentally friendly aspects to reduce energy, water, and waste consumption in cost effective ways.
All of these new eco-restaurants reflect
the brand’s commitment to social
responsibility and sustainability.
Franchisees and brothers,
Burhan and Marwan Ghanayem,
stand in front of their new "Eco"
SUBWAY restaurant in Durham,
NC, which has been recognized
by the U.S. Green Building Coun-
cil with Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED)
certification.
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Her work at the south
St. Louis restaurant,
with chef-owner Kev-
in Willmann, received
numerous accolades
in its first year and a half.
Fitzgerald, 28, has accepted a job
at Westchester Country Club in Rye,
N.Y., where she’ll be assistant pastry
chef. “I just wanted to learn and see
more, to better myself in this indus-
try,” Fitzgerald says, adding that her
time away from St. Louis will be tem-
porary and that she hopes to work
with Willmann again.
Farmhaus manager Eric Scholle
says the feeling is mutual. “Katie has
been an awesome, awesome part
of our team since the beginning,”
Scholle says. “We’re sad to see her go,
but she knows she always has a spot
here when she returns.”
Fitzgerald carved a reputation in
Missouri as more than a pastry chef.
Before dinner service, not only did she
ready desserts and start to get her sta-
tion organized for the next day, she also
helped other cooks break down chick-
ens and prepare pans of roast beef.
Scholle said Willmann and his crew
will pick up where Fitzgerald left off
with desserts, adding that Willmann
created the sweets at his previous res-
taurant, Erato in Edwardsville. And
just in case the Farmhaus crew has
any trouble, Fitzgerald says she threw
them a bone.
“I left them with my recipes to help
them out if they are ever in a bind.”
St. Louis Chef Set For New Pastry Post At Westchester Club
// NEWS PEOPLE
Katie Fitzgerald, the
pastry chef behind
Farmhaus’ fried apple
pie, pecan financier,
strawberry-rhubarb
empanada and other
desserts, is leaving St.
Louis to pursue other
culinary opportunities.
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16 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
time line. The tribe would make pay-
ments over extended periods; some
bondholders would not receive their
dues for up to 18 years.
The Nation has been dealing with
banks and bondholders, including
Bank of America Corp., this summer in
the hopes of sealing the deal. To swim
up their debt waterfall, the Mashan-
tuckets’ restructuring will need ma-
jor lenders to extend a total of $650
million in loans previously used as a
credit line. Meanwhile, senior bond-
holders would continue a $550 mil-
lion investment over 13 years, costing
some bondholders 65 percent of their
investment under the deal.
Other bondholders would take a 28
percent reduction in their original in-
vestment. These tiers of bondholders
would receive a security that could po-
tentially lead to additional payments
should Foxwoods’ business pick up.
The Malaysian company KienHuat,
which provided the Mashantucket Pe-
quots with their initial loan to build
Foxwoods, would receive $21 million
in the deal. But the Mashantuckets
seek to stop its $8 million yearly pay-
outs to KienHuat.
The casino’s business is also report-
edly improving since the November
appointment of chief executive Scott
Butera, widely anointed as a “turn-
around artist” for his role in leading
Las Vegas-based Tropicana Entertain-
ment, which owns nine casinos in
five states, on a restructuring of its fi-
nances and operations. Butera helped
rescue the company from Chapter 11
bankruptcy in March 2010.
Still, Standard & Poor rated the
Mashantuckets’ bonds the lowest “D”
rating.
Connecticut’s only other federally
recognized Indian tribe, the Mohegan
Tribe, which operates the Mohegan
Sun, expects to close on a deal to re-
finance some of its $1.6 billion in debt
in the next few months.
Foxwoods, from page 5
StarChefs, from page 6
Mossimo Bottura of innovative Italian
Osteria Francescana, who got to
the roots of his native cuisine, and
New York’s own Daniel Boulud, who
discussed building the charcuterie
program of his epicurean empire on
the Main Stage. Andoni Luis Aduriz
of Spain’s hyper-seasonal Mugaritz
led a Savory Hands-On demo to fol-
low up his Main Stage presentation
on “Feast and Feeling,” while Pastry
Chef and macaroon master Pierre
Hermé did the same in his Pastry
Hands-On workshop.
Beyond the big names them-
selves, workshops at the ICC once
again featured top of the line prod-
ucts. In his Savory Workshop, “Top
Chef All Stars” winner Richard Blais
demonstrated the power of the Jade
plancha; bread-obsessed Pastry
Chef Timothy Healea used a Bax-
ter Hybrid Convection Oven in his
bread workshop; Jonathan Benno
of Lincoln used the Blodgett Combi
Oven and sous vide to fuse dispa-
rate proteins; Aki Kamozawa and
Alex Talbot of Ideas in Food applied
their hyper-analysis to the art and
craft of sous vide with Poly Science
immersion circulators; Ralph Per-
azzo of Clio using Carpigiani took
soft serve, the pastry surprise of
2011, to another level; Craig Hop-
son of Le Cirque showcased Meat
& Livestock Australia’s Wagyu with
the CVap; and “Top Chef” winner
Stephanie Izard of Girl & the Goat
played with the latest refrigerated
charcuterie table from Unified
Brands.
MIX@ICC, StarChefs.com’s mix-
ology program at the Congress,
once again featured top talent from
17 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
behind the bar, which presented
topics and tools at the forefront of
mixology, with an emphasis on the
ICC theme. Mixology-godmoth-
er Audrey Saunders led a female
foursome on the topic of the Sixth
Sense value of the female impact
on the industry.
Crush@ICC featured seminars
led by the likes of Francois Charti-
er, who presented on his chemical-
compound-matching pairing tech-
nique (crystallized in Taste buds
and Molecules). And Master Som-
melier Fred Dexheimer, Cicerone
(Beer Sommelier) Michael McAv-
ena, and Chef Adam Fleischman
determined what pairs better with
a classic burger: champagne or
beer.
The 2011 ICC also marks the sec-
ond year of StarChefs.com’s origi-
nal competitions, the Somm Slam
and the StarChefs.com Interna-
tional Pastry Competition. Hosted
by Fred Dexheimer, the wine pair-
ing battle once again featured
eight sommeliers from around the
country, pairing Artisan Wisconsin
Cheese, and then cuisine from this
year’s featured chefs with a limited
cabinet of wines, which included
wines provided by Wine Australia.
And the 2nd Annual StarChefs.com
International Pastry Competition,
presented by PreGel, pitted pastry
chefs from across the country in a
four day battle that was uniquely
geared around the skills of the res-
taurant pastry chef. Last year’s in-
augural winner, Pastry Chef Ron
Paprocki of Gordon Ramsay at
The London, returned as a judge,
alongside Pierre Hermé, Eliza-
beth Faulkner, David Burke, Cur-
tis Duffy, François Payard, Claudia
Fleming, and Jeffrey Steingarten.
And a program of targeted Busi-
ness Seminars addressed details,
victories, and defeats behind-the-
scenes. Topics this year ranged
from a social media seminar featur-
ing Amanda Hesser of Food52.com,
a discussion on the Sixth Sense and
Kitchen Design with Jimi Yui of
YuiDesign, and a seminar on “Ho-
listic Hospitality” in Hotel Design
and Service with hospitality expert
Elizabeth Blau of Blau & Associates.
In between sessions, attendees
were able to stroll the ICC Products
Fair, which ran all day long and fea-
tured products and equipment that
led the industry in the coming year.
18 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Celebrated Philadelphia Chef/Restaurateur Returns To His Alma Mater
Scoop hears that Jeff Michaud, ex-
ecutive chef and co-owner of Phila-
delphia’s Osteria and Amis restau-
rants, challenged graduates of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA)
to always learn and pursue new expe-
riences. Michaud was a recent com-
mencement speaker at the CIA’s Hyde
Park, NY campus. If you think you’ve
learned everything, you have chosen
the wrong profession. Someone will
always be better, faster, smarter, and
more creative than you,” Michaud
told 61 recipients of associate degrees
in culinary arts and baking and pastry
arts. “Learn from them to better your-
self. Even the greatest chefs continue
to learn from each other.” A 1998 CIA
graduate, Michaud worked in Aspen
after completing his CIA studies be-
fore becoming sous chef under Phila-
delphia chef Marc Vetri, who would
later become his business partner.
Discovering a love for Italian cuisine,
Michaud spent three years gaining
additional experience in restaurants
in Italy. “You can’t be afraid to travel
and move away from home. Go out
into the world and experience what
is out there,” the Nashua, NH native
advised his newest fellow CIA alumni.
“Take the knowledge and experience
from the years you put in - then forget
all of that and start cooking from your
heart. Food made with heart and soul
is extraordinary.” Following his own
advice, Jeff Michaud won the James
Beard Foundation Award as Best Chef:
Mid-Atlantic in 2010, and this year,
Philadelphia magazine named him
“Best Chef in Philly.” In addition to
his successful restaurants, Michaud is
active in the effort to develop healthy
lifestyles and eating habits among chil-
dren, serving on the board of directors
of the Vetri Foundation for Children.
Bake With Jersey Cake Boss’ Buddy Valastro
Scoop hears that Buddy Valas-tro, a.k.a. the “Cake Boss,” is coming
to Staten Island on Nov. 2 at the St. George Theater to kick off his road
tour. Valastro, a fourth-generation
baker from Hoboken, is a master
baker and owner of a family-run busi-
ness, Carlo’s Bake Shop. Buddy’s also
the star of several reality shows - Cake
Boss, Kitchen Boss and Next Great Baker, to name a few. He strikes a
chord with viewers because he seems
unpretentious, very family-oriented
and approachable, a craftsman who’s
a hard worker, but a regular guy who
knows how to have fun. Among Va-
lasatro’s biggest fans in the borough
are 8-year-old twins Carmelina and Caterina Pica of Randall Manor. “I
think Buddy is very funny and very
creative,” Catarina said. “He makes
amazing cakes and some are very,
very tall and big,” her sister added. We
recently gave the twins an advance
copy of Valastro’s book, “Baking with the Cake Boss” (Free Press), due out
in November, and let them test drive
a recipe or two. The book walks the
reader through Valastro’s career, gives
us non-professionals a “pep talk” and
sets us on a kitchen tour, telling how to
create the right environment at home
for some serious baking. Recipes start
// SCOOP INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE
Jeff Michaud speaking at The Culinary Institute of America on August 19, 2011.
Buddy Valastro is taking his show on the road. He was joined recently by ITW’s Tom Szafranski(L) and Michael Posternak of PBAC to celebrate his new Jersey City facility.
19 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
with a basic butter cookie recipe and
work up to donuts, pies, cakes and
cupcakes. The book is illustrated and
includes step-by-step photos. What
recipes would Buddy recommend
to young bakers looking to tackle his
book? “We do a mean Double Choco-
late Chip-Chocolate cookie. I mean,
who doesn’t like chocolate?” Valastro
answered. “As for a cake one, probably
just start with our basic vanilla cake.
U.S. Foodservice Donates During Hunger Month
Scoop notes that U.S. Foodservice
is raising awareness as they took ac-
tion to fight hunger in America last
month during Hunger Action Month. Several U.S. Foodservice-sponsored
activities were underway nationally
and in local divisions, which included:
The U.S. Foodservice-Atlanta divi-sion donated $25,000 to the Atlanta Community Food Bank from a re-
cent employee fundraising drive. The
Knoxville, Tennessee, division do-
nated more than 52,000 pounds of
food to Second Harvest Food Bank. The Fort Mill, South Carolina, division
donated a refrigerated van to Char-lotte, North Carolina’s, Second Har-vest Food Bank. U.S. Foodservice also
recently donated 25,000 pounds of
food to two Chicago-area food banks.
The donation was part of the com-
pany’s annual “Winning Weigh Chal-lenge,” which matches the pounds
lost by employees in food donations.”
Hunger Action Month is an oppor-
tunity to call attention to the issue of
hunger in America,” says Dave Esler, chief human resources officer, U.S.
Foodservice. “Our support of Hunger
Action Month is part of U.S. Foodser-
vice’s longstanding commitment to
strengthening communities and im-
proving lives.
Magnum® Ice Cream Continues To Take The New York Fashion World By Storm
Scoop notes - it has graced the fash-
ion pages, appeared alongside the
world’s hottest celebrities and became
a fixture among the fashion elite. Now
Magnum® Ice Cream, the super-pre-
mium ice cream synonymous with in-
dulgent pleasure, inspired the palates
of the world’s top trendsetters during
the fall’s biggest fashion event in New York. Last month Magnum Ice Cream
bars appeared at three fashion hot
spots, including: The Independent Fashion Blogger Conference, hosted
by the Independent Fashion Blog-
gers Network, where the industry’s
top fashion bloggers gathered inside
the renowned Milk Studios in New York’s Meatpacking District. Guests
stopped by the ultra-luxe Magnum & Manicures Lounge to be treated
to more than just an ice cream bar: a
custom-designed manicure inspired
by nail designer-to-the-stars, Lisa Lo-
gan, who has created two unique nail
treatments inspired by Magnum spe-
cially for the attendees. These custom
manicures were shared with Magnum
fans on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.
Lounge visitors also had the opportu-
nity to freshen up their tips at the DIY
nail bar while snacking on a treat from
the world’s most luxurious ice cream
brand. The “V Magazine” Black and White Ball, a celebration of the pub-
lication’s landmark Elizabeth Taylor - themed editorial from its September
issue, Magnum offered hundreds of
the biggest names in fashion, media
and entertainment the opportunity
to indulge in Magnum Ice Cream bars
and Magnum-inspired signature cock-
tail. “After the extraordinary reception
Magnum Ice Cream received from
fashion influencers during the Tribeca Film Festival in April, we were excited
to capture the attention of the fashion
world on its biggest stage,” said Mike Hurley, Senior Brand Manager for
Magnum Ice Cream. “As a luxurious,
indulgent treat, Magnum Ice Cream
has been embraced by our stylish fans
as the sweetest fashion accessory of
the season.”
NJPlacesToEat.com Launches New Garden State Restaurant Dining Guide
Scoop notes that a new website
launched gives New Jersey restaurant
owners a way to find new customers.
Getting listed in this restaurant direc-
tory is easy, simple, and affordable. It’s
CONNECTICUTNEW YORK
NEW JERSEY
• 181 Marsh Hill Road• 1966 Broadhollow Road • 720 Stewart Avenue• 43-40 57th Avenue• 515 Broadhollow Road• 1335 Lakeland Avenue• 650 S. Columbus Avenue• 1050 T.Busch Mem Hwy• 777 Secaucus Road• 45 East Wesley Street• 140 South Avenue• 1135 Springfield Road
• Orange, CT 06477• Farmingdale, NY 11735• Garden City, NY 11530• Maspeth, NY 11378• Melville, NY 11747• Bohemia, NY 11716• Mt. Vernon, NY 10550• Pennsauken, NJ 08110• Secaucus, NJ 07094• S. Hackensack, NJ 07606• South Plainfield, NJ 07080• Union, NJ 07083
• 203-795-9900• 718-707-9330• 631-752-3900• 516-794-9200• 631-752-3900• 631-218-1818• 914-665-6868• 856-488-4288• 908-791-2740• 201-601-4755• 201-996-1991• 908-964-5544
continued on page 42
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22 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// NEWS CHARITY
Cafe Chef Kate Orlando, of Dartcor,
the food service provider for Park Av-
enue at Morris County office campus,
challenged the award-winning Chef
James Laird, owner of Restaurant Sere-
nade in Chatham, to a throw down-style
cook-off—where a winner was not de-
termined—to benefit the Community
FoodBank of New Jersey.
“The campus at Park Avenue at Morris
County, six buildings that total 1.2-mil-
lion square feet, is considered trophy
quality property,” said Sam Buckley, se-
nior vice president for leasing agent CB
Richard Ellis.
“One of the things we do is make
things lively for the tenants by trying
to give back to the community,” Buck-
ley said. “How do you give back? Make
it interesting to come to work. Provide
amenities that attract people. This event
is for the FoodBank of New Jersey.”
Tickets to the challenge were avail-
able to all Park Avenue tenants.
“Chef Kate runs three cafeterias in
Park Avenue,” Buckley noted. “She
works for Dartcor Food Service, argu-
ably the best. The diversity she’s capable
of is simply incredible.”
Orlando, popularly known as Chef
Kate, began her career in food service
more than 25 years ago.
“I love good food. Growing up, my
mom did all the cooking,” she said. “I
knew I wanted to be in this business. I
was at Fairleigh Dickenson University
in Madison and worked at the Madison
Hotel. I went to the New York Restau-
rant School, which was part of the New
School a long time ago.”
Chef Kate has been with Dartcor for
more than seven years now. “We do
events for 2,500 people, cooking for the
masses,” she said. “I have a good team.”
Last month’s event was Chef Kate’s
first cook-off challenge.
She chose Laird as her opponent.
Jersey Chefs Go To Battle To Benefit Food Bank CharityDueling chefs battled on last month in the atrium of Park Avenue at Morris County in Florham Park.
continued on page 24
From left: Rich Uniacke, Community FoodBank of NJ; Greg Barkan, CB Richard Ellis; Chef James Laird, Restaurant Serenade; Michael Frodella, Park Avenue Club; Chef Kate Orlando,
Dartcor; Sam Buckley, CB Richard Ellis.
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Laird worked in France and Italy, trained
at the Culinary Institute of America, and
held positions at restaurants such as The
River Café, Aureole and Ryland Inn. He
opened his own seasonal restaurant 15
years ago with his wife, Nancy. “I started
it when I was 10,” he said, jokingly.
Michael Frodella, a former restaura-
teur in Fairfield, served as the emcee
for the challenge. He is the executive
director of the Park Avenue Club, a pri-
vate dining club on the property whose
proceeds support 11 charities. The ac-
tual property on which the campus was
built has an interesting history, accord-
ing to Marketing Administrator Marga-
ret O’Keefe.
“This area was a farm owned by the
Sisters of Charity,” O’Keefe said. “Our
building was the original barn, which
was turned into the Park Avenue Club.
Thirty percent of the club’s membership
is concentrated in this office park.”
Three official judges were invited
to the challenge: Teresa Politano, resi-
dent critic for The Star-Ledger, Inside
Jersey Magazine and author of “Celeb-
rity Chefs of New Jersey,” which shares
stories of 22 top chefs, published in fall
2010 by Rutgers University Press.
Nate Pugliese, branch manager and
registered principal of Ameriprise Fi-
nancial, was a second judge. “We’re a
new tenant in the park,” Pugliese said.
“My girlfriend is an avid cook. You will
find my feedback very simple.”
Judi Rothenberg, lifestyle editor at NJ
Savvy Living, was the third judge. “I do a
little bit of food,” she said, “but I’m not a
restaurant reviewer.”
At 11:30 am, approximately 50 people
were seated at tables around the food
station, while many observers watched
from the wings. Buckley opened with an
introduction.
“Kate Orlando feeds 2,000 people
per day,” he said. “Chef James Laird has
been seen on Martha Stewart. Thanks
for coming. We’re going to have some
fun today.”
The challenge involved preparing a
dish using fresh salmon paired with lo-
cal ingredients. The chefs worked side-
by-side at a cooking station set up in the
center of the atrium.
Laird made a tomato salad with wa-
termelon and basil, using wild salmon.
Chef Kate made salmon and goat cheese
“truffles” on fried green tomatoes with
corn relish, using farm-raised salmon.
There was no winner—at least be-
tween the chefs. The point was to savor
the experience. However, thanks to the
event, The Community FoodBank of
New Jersey became the day’s winner,
receiving $2,000 in proceeds through
the campus ownership and individual
donations.
How do you give back? Make it
interesting to come to work. Provide
amenities that attract people. This event
is for the FoodBank of New Jersey.
Jersey Chefs, from page 22
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// NEWS EDUCATION
continued on page 40
The Culinary Institute of
America has announced the
creation of a new organiza-
tion within the college, the
Industry Leadership and Advance-
ment Division; to integrate the CIA’s
thought leadership and institutional
support initiatives. Co-led by Victor
Gielisse and Greg Drescher, the divi-
sion will be responsible for CIA in-
dustry leadership, corporate relations,
alumni relations, strategic partner-
ships, conferences, new media, and
consulting services.
“At a time of major changes within
our country and the food world we
serve, this new organization will bring
attention to the innovative programs
and thought leadership the CIA pro-
vides,” said Dr. Tim Ryan, president of
the CIA. “The Industry Leadership &
Advancement Division will more fully
demonstrate how CIA teaching and
research add tremendous value to our
industry and society.”
Victor Gielisse will serve as the Vice
President - Advancement & Business
Development for the new division. He
formerly served as associate vice presi-
dent for business development for the
college, where he directed the college’s
relationship within the food service
industry for business development
and consulting. Earlier he served as
the CIA’s dean of culinary, baking, and
pastry studies for the college’s degree
programs. Gielisse is one of 66 Certi-
fied Master Chefs (CMC) in the United
States, and holds a Bachelor of Science
Degree, a Master of Business Adminis-
tration (MBA), and a Doctorate in Busi-
ness Administration (DBA) from The
School of Administration and Manage-
ment of California Coast University.
Greg Drescher will serve in the newly
created role of Vice President - Strate-
gic Initiatives & Industry Leadership. In
his previous role as executive director
of strategic initiatives, he was respon-
Ryan Launches New Industry Leadership Division At CIAThe Culinary Institute of America has announced the creation of a new organization
within the college, the Industry Leadership and Advancement Division; to integrate
the CIA’s thought leadership and institutional support initiatives.
27 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Represented in Metro New York by: DMM Enterprises 111 Leunig Street South Hackensack, NJ 07606 800.243.8366 www.dmmreps.com
28 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
How did you get into the Foodservice Industry?I’ve always been in the hospitality in-
dustry; starting my career with Marri-
ott Hotels and moving from operations
into the supplier side of the business.
The operations experience gave me a
great perspective on how to meet the
needs of our customers. Like many in
our industry, I also changed jobs but
stayed in the business. Starting my ca-
reer at Sara Lee I learned the nuances
of coffee and then came to Ecolab to
learn about cockroaches! Needless
to say it was never boring. Staying in
foodservice for 26 years is based on
the passion we “foodies” have for our
industry. There are unique challenges
associated with foodservice that can’t
be found in any other industry. It’s
those challenges that make our indus-
try interesting!
What is your agenda and priorities for your term as incoming president of SFM?The overarching goal is to create value
for our members. Value may be differ-
ent for each member so we will focus
on building quality programming that
mixes old with new; whether it’s tech-
nology, networking or membership.
The key is to pull from the collective
energy and synergy which comes from
our members shared and mutual in-
terests and needs.
Another priority is to utilize a vari-
ety of public relation efforts to let the
foodservice industry as a whole know
about SFM and the great work they do
to educate and connect its members.
What does SFM bring to its members?SFM brings its members a unique op-
portunity to learn about our industry
through educational content and net-
working with other on-site foodser-
vice professionals.
We offer a variety of Opportunities
to share mutual challenges and work
as a team to explore a rapidly evolv-
ing business segment, onsite dining.
Members can utilize our national
conference, critical issues conference,
regional/local networking events and
our new website (offering commu-
nities for all members and a Body of
Knowledge section) offer a broader
spectrum of what’s going on in the in-
dustry.
What are your goals for the upcoming conference in Philadelphia?The goal for me personally is to lis-
ten and learn, meet as many people
as possible and truly understand the
needs of the members. As President-
elect this will help establish the foun-
dation for the future, while welcom-
ing the new, thanking those who have
been there from the beginning and
solicit as much feedback as possible.
At each conference I always set a goal
to meet at least 20 new people, intro-
duce half of those to other members,
Barbara Kane, PresidentSociety for Foodservice ManagementBarbara Kane, President of the Society for Foodservice Management (SFM) sat down with Total Food Service to discuss her extensive career in Foodservice and some of the major changes going on in the industry.
// Q&A
29 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
and solve at least one current issue a
customer is experiencing.
What are the major changes that you have seen in the industry?There are so many major changes that
the B&I industry has seen in the past
10 years, but the evolving role of the
client liaison seems to be the most
impactful. Client Liaisons no longer
manage just the foodservice aspect
of their corporations. Many have in-
creased their role to include functions
such as media and AV, conference cen-
ter operations and mailroom manage-
ment. SFM therefore must evolve with
the roles of the client liaison and in-
crease our offerings to include these
different functions.
From an Association perspective I
would have to say the changes in in-
formation is sharing through technol-
ogy. In a challenging economy this
is even more important. We need to
adapt so all members have availability
to programming both in-person and
virally. The Associations that make
these changes will flourish, those that
don’t will struggle. SFM understands
the importance of diverse delivery of
content and will stay strong and con-
tinue to grow.
What are some of the common goals shared by Ecolab and SFM?Ecolab and the Society for Foodservice
Management are both organizations
with strong, diverse and passionate
cultures. They share many common
goals. Both strive to provide profes-
sional development for associates/
members through collaboration, re-
search and education. Both organi-
zations appreciate innovation and
encourage creativity. Ecolab and SFM
both care about providing value and
want to deliver the best possible expe-
rience for those they serve. There is a
strong sense of pride within both or-
ganizations, and a commitment to en-
suring that the services and products
offered contribute to the best possible
solution.
B&I seems to battle through the con-cept of “self-operated” and contracted operations... what role does each of them play?In today’s world every function of an
organization explores the trade-off of
“outsource versus insource.” Our goal
is to help all members come together
and explore the trade-offs of each.
Each member organization must do
what is best for them individually. Our
goal at SFM is to offer the tools mem-
bers need to educate both self-oper-
ators and contractors on all industry
information.
I am sure many may wonder, with an
associate member as President, how
I might view this area. I come from a
unique position in that Ecolab does
not ask for a decision to insource ver-
sus outsource. Therefore I hope to
bring neutrality to this subject and yet
create a forum to explore the consid-
erations.
Great lineup of award winners at this year’s conference, what are your thoughts on some of their accomplish-ments?I say the same thing every year, but
it’s true. We are blessed with a base of
members that truly believe in giving
back to the Association and this year
is no different. Our Spirit Award win-
ner is Damian Monticello with Blue
Cross Blue Shield of Florida. Damian
has been on our Conference Planning
Committee the past two years and will
step into the role of Conference Chair
next year in Las Vegas. He is a chef and
is also trained in event planning, so it
was a natural fit for him. His enthusi-
asm for SFM is contagious!
Andrew Shakman, President of Lean-
Path, is the recipient of the Leadership
Award. The Directors’ Award for Lead-
ership recognizes an individual whose
work on behalf of SFM and the on-
site foodservice industry has resulted
in the demonstration of outstanding
leadership qualities. The Bob Pacifico
Award is a fairly new award within SFM
(this is our 5th winner) that recognizes
an Associate Member. This year’s win-
ner is Jerry White with Plate Magazine.
Jerry has won many SFM awards over
the years, but this one holds a special
place in the hearts of anyone that was
blessed to have known Bob. Jerry fol-
lows other industry greats such as Rod
Collins, Dick Hynes, Scott Siers and
Charlene Goff. As an Associate Mem-
ber I am so proud of what all our Asso-
ciate Members do for SFM. The Rich-
ard Ysmael Award, named after one of
founding members (who touch many
members hearts over the years) is Tom
Newcomb with Corporate Dining.
Tom has offered the support of Corpo-
rate Dining each year to the incoming
President. He shows such dedication
to this Association and is truly deserv-
ing of this award.
Seems to still be a big push towards healthy eating by membership and yet many members need to appeal to a broader constituency, where do you see that heading?It’s an ever-present challenge and op-
portunity. The goal for SFM is to show
our members how to offer healthy al-
ternatives that taste great. The focus
should not be on “healthy” but on
great tasting food that just happens
to be good for you. It’s about offer-
ing a variety of options. Wellness can
be tricky; this is an excellent example
of a topic we can explore as a society
and bring together ideas from all the
members.
In today’s world every function of an organization explores the trade-off of “outsource versus insource.” Our goal is to help all members come together and explore the trade-offs of each.
30 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
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// NEWS LEGISLATION
The petition calling
for a vote on BYOB in
Ocean City includes
the full text of the
proposed ordinance.
A public question on
allowing BYOB restaurants in the dry
town of Ocean City will not be included
on the ballot for the Nov. 8 election.
Proponents have withdrawn a pe-
tition that called for a public vote on
the issue. The petitioners had enough
signatures to force the binding vote in
November, but fears that a recent court
case in northern New Jersey may inval-
idate at least part of their proposal have
led them to start over.
The group will draft a new version of
a BYOB petition and seek new signa-
tures calling for a public question on
the ballot for Ocean City’s municipal
elections in May 2012, according to
Bill McGinnity, a vice president of the
Ocean City Restaurant Association.
“We don’t want people to vote on
something that’s not black and white,”
McGinnity said. “We want the commu-
nity to know that we truly mean what
we say -- that we’re trying to make it
right for Ocean City.”
Ocean City has prohibited the sale
and public consumption of alcohol
through various means since its found-
ing in the 19th century. The city has
built a reputation as “America’s Great-
est Family Resort,” and the BYOB pro-
posal has drawn staunch opposition
from many who want to preserve the
status quo.
But the restaurant owners who orga-
nized the petition drive argue that al-
lowing “bring your own bottle,” or BYOB,
restaurants could help drive visitors to
Ocean City year-round -- not just for din-
ing, but for shopping in general.
They drafted a petition in the spring
that included a proposed new ordi-
nance to regulate BYOB and replace
the local ordinance that bans it. They
successfully collected enough signa-
tures of registered Ocean City voters
(10 percent of the number of Ocean City
voters in the most recent General Assem-
bly election, in this case 498) to bring the
question to the public in November.
But while they were collecting signa-
tures, a New Jersey appeals court was
ruling on a BYOB case in Sayreville, NJ.
Sayreville passed a local ordinance that
allowed restaurants to permit BYOB.
A lower court upheld the city’s ordi-
nance, but the Appellate Division re-
versed that decision on June 13, 2011.
The decision said the state’s statute on
BYOB pre-empts the local ordinance.
The legal implications of the case are
fairly complicated, but lawyers for both
Ocean City and the restaurant owners
seemed to agree that a part of Ocean
City’s proposed BYOB ordinance (that
would regulate how much alcohol
could be brought into restaurants)
could be subject to legal challenge
based on the new precedent.
Those opinions led to the petition-
ers’ decision to start fresh. A revised
ordinance could be very similar to the
currently proposed one, according to
Jeff Sutherland, the attorney represent-
ing the petitioners. But he said the extra
time would give the petitioners a chance
to take a second look at everything.
Sutherland said the number of re-
quired signatures may change based
on turnout at the new General Assem-
bly election in November. But because
the petitioners have already collected
the names and addresses of the people
who signed the original petition, the
second signature drive could be easier.
After City Council voted on Aug. 25
not to support the proposed BYOB ini-
tiative, the petitioners legally had 10
days to withdraw their proposal.
Ocean City BYOB Vote Is Off in NJ Town for NovemberA petition calling for voters to decide Nov. 8 whether or not to allow a BYOB option for beer and wine in restaurants has been withdrawn. Petitioners will draft a new proposed BYOB ordinance and try to get another public question on the ballot in May 2012.
“The petition calling for a vote on BYOB in Ocean
City includes the full text of the proposed ordinance.
A public question on allowing BYOB restaurants in
the dry town of Ocean City will not be included on
the ballot for the Nov. 8 election.”
Bill McGinnity, a vice president of the
Ocean City Restaurant Association
33 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
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The next major upgrade from Cu-
linary Software Services was released
on September 6, 2011. The increased
business building benefits and the
ability to keep up with the ever-chang-
ing foodservice industry is what cus-
tomers have come to expect from the
industry standard.
The Production Management Mod-
ule has been significantly enhanced in
ChefTec TT, particularly when used in
conjunction with CorTec, the product
used by supermarkets and other oper-
ations managing centralized produc-
tion or centralized purchasing. The
production and transfer of produced
foods using the requisition and trans-
fer capabilities of ChefTec TT is now
easier than ever.
The Nutritional Analysis aspect of
ChefTec is becoming increasingly im-
portant to food service operations be-
cause of legislative initiatives and more
nutritionally conscious customers.
ChefTec TT includes a much requested
enhancement - the ability to print the
ingredients of a purchased item in a rec-
ipe on the Nutrition Facts Label. USDA
allergen information can also now be
downloaded directly into ChefTec TT
using the Online Nutritional Analysis
Service.
Security features have been enhanced
so the ChefTec data environment is
even secure, robust, and stable.
“One of the most exciting new fea-
tures in ChefTec TT is the new Ca-
terease import that will benefit our
catering and event center customers,”
commented Bev Daniels, General
Manager for Culinary Software Ser-
vices. “The new import allows a Ban-
quet Event Order (BEO) to be directly
imported into a Production Sheet in
ChefTec so the operator knows ex-
actly what needs to be produced at
the touch of a button. Increased ef-
ficiency means increased profits and
happier customers - both critical for a
successful catering business.”
ChefTec TT also allows for Interfac-
ing with major vendors such as Sysco
and US Foodservice, QuickBooks, and
the Online Nutritional Analysis Ser-
vices which is updated as the USDA
releases new information.
ChefTec TT Releases Major Upgrades
// NEWS TECHNOLOGY
36 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
37 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
38 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
When demand exceeds the avail-
able supply of insurance, the
effect is a hard insurance market. Ana-
lysts have been predicting turn from
our existing soft market to a hard mar-
ket, characterized by higher insurance
premiums, steady rate increases and
increased difficulty in obtaining certain
types of insurance, since the economic
downturn began a few years ago. And,
while it never quite materialized over
the last few years, analysts predict that
the record breaking amount of cata-
strophic losses across the world in 2011
will likely trigger a sudden and unprec-
edented increase in insurance prices.
The aftermath of the earthquake, tsu-
nami and radioactive meltdown that
rocked the third largest economy in the
world, followed by a large earthquake
in New Zealand, as well as the unrest in
the Middle East, has created a capacity
problem in the reinsurance market.
Not all insurance products will rise at
the same pace when the market turns.
The reinsurance market will harden
sooner than the primary insurance
market, so heavily reinsured lines of in-
surance, such as excess liability or um-
brella coverage, will likely increase more
rapidly.
During a hard market, increased in-
surance premiums usually attract an
influx of investors to the reinsurance
market, eager to capitalize on higher
insurance premiums. This in return cre-
ates more competition and an increase
in capacity to keep up with demand,
eventually bringing insurance premi-
ums back down. This is usually the sce-
nario in the cycle from a hard market to
a soft market. However, in this down
economic climate laden with skittish
investors, we may not see the influx of
investor capital needed to increase ca-
pacity. The result may be a prolonged
hard market period of higher insurance
premiums, which could last much lon-
ger than previous ones.
Increasing insurance costs are a wor-
risome proposition to restauranteurs
who are already faced with a sluggish
economy. During this inevitable and
long-lasting hard market period, restau-
rants that are able to keep their insur-
ance costs down will likely fair much
better over the coming years. Here are
a few tips that you could follow now to
better prepare your business for what’s
likely to come:
• Seek out an insurance broker that
specializes in restaurants and has a very
large book of this business, which they
can use as clout when negotiating with
insurance carriers on their client’s be-
half.
• Never assume that a renewal on
your current policy is the best option.
Make sure your insurance broker has
the right relationships and expertise to
shop for the best policy at the best rate,
as well as negotiate tricky coverages and
seek out hidden credits.
Avoiding Higher Insurance Premiums// FIORITO ON INSURANCE
Bob Fioritocontinued on page 85
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restaurant also includes a large
monitor that displays real time en-
ergy usage of the restaurant, which
has turned into a customer favorite.
Among the many soon-to-open
Eco-Restaurants is the Subway®
restaurant on the University of Cali-
fornia Los Angeles campus, which
is located in the newly renovated
“Green” student center. The center
will even feature a walkable rooftop
terrace and garden.
Many more locations have incor-
porated sustainable elements, such
as franchisee Stephen Maycock’s
restaurant in Ephraim, Utah, which
now includes solar panels to gener-
ate electricity.
“Subway® brand sustainability
efforts do not end with Eco-Restau-
rants,” Elizabeth Stewart said. They
also include packaging solutions
that are functional, operationally
efficient, and cost effective. By re-
ducing the amount of packaging,
supply chain transportation is cut
back, saving fuel costs and reduc-
ing mileage and emissions. These
reductions are a result of changes
such as recyclable cutlery and paper
napkins made out of 100% recycled
material. Other efforts include the
shift from plastic menu panels to re-
cyclable paper menus, and the new
Subway® cards, which use 30%, re-
cycled plastic.
Headquartered in Milford, Con-
necticut, and with regional offices
in Amsterdam, Beirut, Brisbane,
Miami and Singapore, the Subway®
chain was co-founded by Fred De-
Luca and Dr. Peter Buck in 1965.
Their partnership, which continues
today, marked the beginning of a
remarkable journey - one that has
made it possible for thousands of
individuals to build and succeed in
their own business.
Subway, from page 12
CIA, from page 26
sible for conceptualizing and develop-
ing the CIA’s many thought leadership
initiatives for the food service and
hospitality industries. Drescher was
inducted into the James Beard Foun-
dation’s Who’s Who of Food & Beverage
in America in 2005, and the following
year he was honored with Food Arts
magazine’s Silver Spoon Award. In 2007,
he shared a James Beard Award for his
work in developing the CIA’s “Savoring
the Best of World Flavors” DVD and Web
cast series. Drescher has also served on
the Institute of Medicine’s Committee
on Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake,
which was mandated by the U.S. Con-
gress to make recommendations about
reducing sodium in the American diet.
The CIA is pioneering new research,
international programs and other lead-
ership initiatives in the critical areas of
health and wellness, sustainability and
food ethics, world cuisines and cul-
tures, and professional excellence and
innovation. The Industry Leadership
and Advancement Division is respon-
sible for directing these programs and
gaining the institutional support they
require, and it will drive the expansion
of thought leadership in these areas
through its annual conferences. These
include the Latin Flavors, American
Kitchens and Healthy Flavors, Healthy
Kids conferences at the CIA’s San An-
tonio campus, as well as the renowned
Worlds of Flavor International Confer-
ence and Festival held annually at the
CIA at Greystone in St. Helena, CA.
Planning is now underway to bring
two of the CIA’s strategic initiatives—
Worlds of Healthy Flavors, which is held
annually in collaboration with Harvard
School of Public Health, and the Worlds
of Flavor International Conference &
Festival - to the CIA’s Singapore campus
in 2012 and 2013, respectively.
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never been easier to get new patrons
into your establishment.
NJPlacesToEat.com is an online
restaurant dining guide dedicated to
the restaurants in New Jersey. It’s the
perfect way for restaurant owners to
get exposure and find new custom-
ers. Every restaurant can use more
business so why not get listed in the
best restaurant directory in the Gar-
den State? It’s convenient and afford-
able. At just only $99 your restaurant
will be published in NJ Places To Eat for an entire year, that’s less than $10 a
month. You can’t beat it! When patrons
who’ve visited your restaurant join NJ
Places To Eat they’ll have the opportu-
nity to rate and review your restaurant.
Those who have never been to your
restaurant will now be introduced to
your restaurant through NJ Places To
Eat. Your restaurant is guaranteed to
continually get new business just from
being listed. The directory is dedicated
to helping New Jersey restaurants in-
crease sales and helping NJ residents and tourists finds new eating experi-
ences. That’s why they encourage their
restaurant owners to provide their
readers with discount coupon codes to eat at their restaurant. This also
entices new customers to visit their
restaurant and it gives them an easy
way to track patrons who visited their
restaurant sent from NJ Places To Eat.
Schlossbach Bails Out Of Race In 11th
Scoop hears that restaurateur and
political neophyte Marilyn Schloss-bach has quit the race for one of two
state Assembly 11th-district seats in
Trenton. Schlossbach, owner of Pop’s Garage in Shrewsbury and a slew of
restaurants in Asbury Park, saw some
of her Asbury Park restaurants dam-
aged by Hurricane Irene, prompting
her departure from the race. “My ef-
forts at this time must be focused on
the health of my business, and pro-
tecting the jobs it has created,” she
noted. Among the restaurants she
owns with her husband, Scott Szeges-ki, are Langosta Lounge and a second
Pop’s Garage, on the boardwalk; Trin-
ity and the Pope, offering Cajun dishes
in downtown Asbury; the Dauphin Grille, a seafood spot in that city’s
Berkeley hotel. Her departure leaves
fellow Democrats Vin Gopal, who is
also seeking an Assembly seat, and
Ray Santiago, the slate’s state Senate
candidate, with a hole in the roster.
// SCOOP INSIDER NEWS FROM METRO NEW YORK’S FOODSERVICE SCENE
from page 19
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Landmark NYC Restaurant Serendipity 3 Is ‘Calling All Spirits’
Scoop says internationally re-
nowned psychic-intuitive-medium
Char Margolis led a seance to contact
the spirits of Serendipity past. The
landmark NYC restaurant, founded
in 1954, has been fodder for celeb-
rity gossip dating back to Cary Grant
and Grace Kelly, who were there on
a tryst, to Andy Warhol using the res-
taurant as his living room. Margolis hoped to reach the many bold-faced
names that frequented the restaurant
including Warhol, Elizabeth Taylor, Clark Gable, Dennis Hopper, Mae West, Marilyn Monroe, Bette Davis, Marlene Dietrich, John Lennon, John Kennedy Jr., Jackie O and many more.
The event, which took place on Sep-
tember 15th - the restaurant’s 57th an-
niversary, attracted family members,
co-stars, and other people connected
to the stars to help make contact with
the departed spirits. In addition to the
guests, Serendipity had many celeb-
rity artifacts that helped act as con-
duits to reach the spirits. Items such
as Andy Warhol’s signed life insur-
ance policy, Clark Gable’s GQ Award, Jimmy Cagney’s SAG card, Mae West’s signed movie contract, an auto-
graphed photo of Marlene Dietrich, and an original Marilyn Monroe Look Magazine newsstand poster were on
display at the restaurant, all courtesy
of Gotta Have It! “Serendipity hosted
this seance to commemorate our 57th
anniversary. What better way than to
celebrate with all our guests from the
57 years in business, past and present,
on earth or beyond.”
Smith And Wollensky Plays Mad Libs With Marquee
Scoop asks, “Have you always
wanted to make like Elaine, Rao or Boulud and have your name
printed on the marquee of a res-
taurant? Well, now you can and you
don’t have to worry about all the
trouble that comes with it (people
begging for reservations, bribing
waiters, etc.). For the month of Oc-
tober, Smith & Wollensky is becom-
ing (Your name here & Wollensky)
on their outside sign. Just like Mad
Libs! Your name can fill in the blank,
and also be printed on matchbooks,
cocktail napkins and the servers’
jackets. All you have to do is take an
online pledge professing your love
to the eatery and make a reserva-
tion during the month of October.
Good way to impress your parents
when they come into town, espe-
cially if you are asking them to bor-
row money.
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// TABLE TALK CHEFS ON THE MOVE
Will Guidara to Release The Eleven Madison Park Cookbook On November 11, Eleven Madison Park Chef Daniel Humm and the restaurant’s
General Manager Will Guidara will release The Eleven Madison Park Cookbook. The book carries extra weight (both figuratively and literally—it’s nearly 400
pages) seeing as mere months after the book’s release the pair will tackle their next
challenge — opening NoMad, their second restaurant just blocks away.
Humm and Guidara of Eleven Madison Park discuss the impact of a four-star
review on book deals, the continued evolution of EMP and how the restaurant
almost changed directions in the middle of the recession. EMP Executive Chef, Daniel Humm said: “Actually, for us to do a cookbook the way we wanted to do
a cookbook, it was kind of difficult for us to find a
publisher. Especially in the beginning, as we were
still under the radar. Publishers were interested
in us cooking at home, or something like that, but
that’s not what we wanted. We wanted a true ex-
pression of what Eleven Madison Park is. So we had
a good idea of what the book should be for about a
year before we actually signed the deal. When we
got Four Stars [from the New York Times] there
were a lot of people who were interested, but be-
fore, it was difficult.” “It also captures the time when it all kind of started. We
have a team that’s amazing and the last five years is when we’ve all sort of come
together. I think this book captures very accurately a moment in time.”
The Market at Hartford 21 launches a Guest Chef SeriesThe Market at Hartford 21 launched
a Guest Chef Series last month and
will host interactive events featuring
demonstrations and tastings through-
out the fall. Things kicked off on July
19 with a visit from Hunter Morton,
an Emeril Lagasse protégé who got
his start at New Orleans’ Nola and
currently mans the kitchen at Max
Downtown. Morton revealed some of
his resto’s most exclusive recipes and
served “the perfect summer appetiz-
ers.” Tyler Anderson, a former winner
of Food Network’s Chopped and Executive Chef at The Copper Beech Inn, hosted a long, sample-laden
demonstration in July. At the conclu-
sion of each tasting, attendees were
given hard copies of the day’s recipes
and a host of other useful tips. Six
years ago, Tim George Jr. was working
for a Manhattan restaurant that was
catering a function at a sports-car
race at Lime Rock Park in Connecti-
cut. As George recalls, the head chef
harshly criticized him, in Italian, for
altering a recipe. So George, then 24,
took a break to watch sleek Ferraris
conquer the racetrack. “When I saw
the cars speed on the track with no
police officers, I said to myself, ‘This
is what I need to be doing,’ ” George
said. George, who grew up on the
Upper East Side of Manhattan and in
Rye, N.Y., was no stranger to sports
cars. Tim George Sr. said that when
his son was 15, the police caught him
and a friend on a joy ride in his white
Corvette. Tim Jr. liked what he saw at
Lime Rock Park in 2005 and decided
to enroll in racing school. He raced
sports cars (and still does), but he is
focused on climbing the ranks of
stock-car racing and driving in the
Nascar Sprint Cup Series, which does
not attract many drivers from the
New York City area.
Pressler New Chef at Hung Ry’s Schwarz Not Returning to Crow’s NestWeilan Mark, Hung Ry’s general man-
ager and one of its owners, tells us that
Andrew Pressler is the new chef at the
almost-year-old restaurant. His résu-
mé includes stints at Fatty ‘Cue, where
he was the opening chef de cuisine,
and La Mangeoire, where he worked
with Christian Delouvrier.
Rumors in the Hamptons states that
Jeff Schwarz, a Wall Streeter who
turned chef and yogi, will not be back
in the kitchen at the Crow’s Nest in Montauk next summer. The rumor is
that he was unable to make the kitch-
en profitable. Schwartz will return to
New York to open a new location of his
Montauk-based Love: A Yoga Studio
this fall.
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Delicious Recipes from a Busy Kitchen Chef Nicole Straight knows some-
thing about timing – both in the kitch-
en and out. Her second cookbook, More Time to Eat! Delicious Recipes from a Busy Kitchen, has just been
published to coincide with her ap-
pearance on an episode of celebrity
chef Rocco DiSpirito’s new hit show,
“Rocco’s Dinner Party.” She has also
appeared on Good Morning Con-necticut, CBS News, and is a regular
contributor to the popular local food
guide www.CTBites.com.
Carmellini to Open The Dutch
Connolly parts ways with Bobo
Benihana’s closed for Renovation
Serafina Boys moving to Meat Packing District
Andrew Carmellini is opening a Mi-
ami Beach branch of the SoHo restau-
rant the Dutch, and he calls it “kind
of a homecoming.” “My dad is from
Miami and it’s always been my second
home,” he said. “My grandfather ran
clubs and hotels and my grandmother
still lives there.” Mr. Carmellini and
his partners, Josh Pickard and Luke Ostrom, will run the Florida restau-
rant, which will be in the W Hotel on
Collins Avenue, replacing Solea, the
hotel’s original restaurant. Its opening
in mid-November is planned to be in
time for Art Basel. “I never thought I’d
be taking the Dutch on the road,” he
said. “I was thinking more Italian, but
the hotel wanted the Dutch.”
The wildly expanding Serafina boys are at it again. Following reports that
they are taking over the space that
housed Tom Valenti’s West Branch
© Jacque Burke
on Broadway, and moving Sera-fina on 61st into their former Gei-sha space, Vittorio Assaf and Fabio Granato have confirmed they will
also be opening an outpost in the
meatpacking district. The duo has
just signed a lease on a space at the
corner of Ninth Avenue and Little West 12th Street, directly across the
street from Pastis. The new restau-
rant, slated for a late fall opening, is
tentatively titled Serafina Non-Stop, because they hope to keep it open
24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“We’ve missed being in lower Man-hattan since we closed our Lafay-
ette location a few years ago,” says
Granato, “We can’t wait to bring our
Serafina energy back downtown.
Patrick Connolly, the chef for the
last three years at West Village res-taurant Bobo, has parted ways with
the restaurant. We hear that the de-
cision was a mutual one between
Connolly and Bobo owner Carlos Suarez, and Suarez concurs, stat-
ing, “It’s been an amazing three years
working together and we felt that it
was just time for us each to move on.
We’re very excited about what we have
planned here at BOBO and I’m excit-
ed to see Pat go on to do great things.”
Even though we thought part of Benihana’s charm was the feeling that you just
walked into 1983, the eatery’s grills are going dark for a spell so the Midtown branch of the national chain can renovate. The restaurant closed on Septem-
ber 4th for a makeover – it will take over the first floor of the building that it
occupies, adding a sushi and cocktail bar that will provide a draw for Midtown drinkers. The second-floor dining room will get a décor spruce up, along with
an improved ventilation system and additional private dining areas. SITE, the ar-
chitecture firm that designed the original Shake Shack is behind the redo. Expect
the Japanese resto to reopen sometime in December.
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What are the highlights of what can only be called a brilliant career?Satisfying my customers and work-
ing with tremendous co-workers and
industry people. Most of all it is the
lasting relationships that were cre-
ated working with all of the above.
One key factor for me was develop-
ing great relationships with factories.
This led to better pricing which in
most cases turned into better deals
for my customers. In 53 years, I wrote
$153 million of business, something I
am particularly proud of.
How would you describe your sales style and how did it enable you to be so very successful?Service... service.... service. Deliver-
ing merchandise on time, doing what
you say you were going to do and give
the customer proper pricing. I am
also convinced that the key to sell-
ing is the ability to purchase product
properly. The needs today are really
the same as they were when I started:
fair price with great service.
What/who brought you into the in-dustry?I came from the Army and had no
idea what I was going to do. So I went
to an employment agency that sent
me to a famous restaurant called
Longchamps Restaurants in the City.
They had a chain of eight restaurants
in New York. One day a salesman
walked in from Elaine Products who
I was buying from and suggested that
I move into sales so I went to Elaine,
where I did everything from working
in the warehouse to purchasing.
How has the industry changed?Without question, the biggest change
has been the growth of imported
product. Keep in mind that Homer
Laughlin is probably the only remain-
ing manufacture of china in the U.S.
Secondly; the internet has had a huge
impact. But I’m a believer that noth-
ing ever takes the place of a personal
relationship in serving a customer.
The downside of imported products
has been the service that used to
come with selling decorated china.
The salesperson today doesn’t have
the knowledge of how to sell better
hand blown glass. It’s strange, you
go to a fancy restaurant today, where
you will see a mix of a very expensive
decorated serving plate combined
with the cheapest possible imported
china. In many cases broadline food
houses have gotten into tabletop
and they don’t have the commitment
or mind set towards training that is
needed, so they sell the cheap stuff.
It’s also pretty amazing to see the gen-
trification of the Bowery with fancy
condos and restaurants.
Give me your thoughts on life with the Balters? What made the rela-tionship work for so long?Once they realize a salesperson
knows what they are doing it is a very
easy place to work and grow. There is
no big chain of command. One of the
strengths of Balter has been the in-
dependence that you are given. I did
most of the buying. Because of the
size of our super jobbing business, we
also have a tremendous advantage
with the size of the inventory that we
carry. So our street customer benefits
from pricing. But the relationships
we have built go beyond the size of
the inventory. They are very much
built around the loyalty that we show
our factories. I also can’t say enough
Stu Levitt Celebrates 53 Years in the Foodservice IndustryTotal Food Service sits down with the great Stu Levitt to discuss a few highlights and experiences of his 53 year career in Foodservice.
// LEGENDS 53 Years with Stu Levitt
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I am also convinced that the key to selling is the
ability to purchase product properly. The needs
today are really the same as they were when I
started: fair price with great service.
about the support staff that is there.
I have worked side by side with this
staff for 20 plus years.
You worked with many reps and manufacturers....who is in the Levitt “Hall of Fame?”Bryan O’Rourke at Cardinal, Chip Little from CLV, Steve Bauer from
PBAC, Jim San Fillipo from Oneida
and Jim O’Neill from O’Neill. Each
of these guys has gone above and
beyond to help us do a great job for
our customers. On the customer
side John O’Neill at Patina, Dick Cattani Restaurant Associates and
Diana Bisson from Foxwoods and
Lisa Bannis at Mohegan Sun. Great
customers are all about being tough
and demanding but they are always
respectful.
Are more chefs involved in buying today and what impact has that had?They are more involved in purchas-
ing than ever and more creative.
There’s been a huge impact from the
number of chefs that have trained
overseas. They want to bring things
they’ve seen there, that may or may
not make sense in New York. Many
of the trends like square plating have
come from chefs. A chef certainly
has a better sense of presentation for
what he or she is creating rather than
a Food and Beverage Manager.
What does the future hold? What are your plans? Can you really un-plug?At 72, a little consulting, certainly
some travel that we have wanted to
do. Of course I will enjoy a bunch of
grandchildren. I’ve made so many
friends so I’ll be around.
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MERRICK, NY-EYE notes that there
was an overwhelming outpouring of
love and affection from family, friends
and business associates to celebrate
the 80th birthday of the incomparable
Joe Lehr. The industry legend was fet-
ed by guests who took the floor to talk
about the Glissen Chemical chief who
has touched so many through his bril-
liant 60 year tenure. Among industry
leaders who spoke glowingly of Joe’s
guidance to both old and new mem-
bers of the food service industry was
Restaurant Depot’s Clark Pager. Kudos
to Mr. Lehr’s daughters Jodi, Kim and
Toni who came together to plan a truly
memorable event. EYE notes that the
night truly represented what makes Joe
Lehr unique as his genuine love for all
created a once in a lifetime memory.
80th Birthday for Industry Legend
// EYE INSIDER FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
The birthday boy welcomed a number of guests including TFS co-publisher Fred Klashman
(L to R) Restaurant Depot’s Debra Pager, Jerry and Naomi Cohen and Kim and Rob McKeown of Lehr McKeown Marketing.
The Glissen Support Team and the firm’s New England Rep Tom Vajcovec (3rd from right) celebrated with Joe Lehr (L)
Joe Lehr welcomed longtime friends Bobbi and Al Green of New Jersey’s E&A Restaurant Supply. Bobbi and Joe Lehr shared the evening with a number of notables including grandson Richie Ryan
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// NEWS EDUCATION
continued on page 85
Saladworks Chairman
and CEO John Scardap-
ane developed the con-
cept while working as a
chef at a southern New
Jersey country club. He took the
idea to the Cherry Hill Mall in New
Jersey and was told, “a salad-only
store would never survive.” The mall
later agreed to the store, but with
the provision he added sandwich-
es to the menu. After one month,
the salads were selling so well, the
sandwiches were dropped from the
menu. A year later, Scardapane’s
shop was the highest-grossing ten-
ant in the food court, ahead of na-
tional burger and pizza chains.
Today, that small store in a mall
food court has evolved into Salad-
works, the nation’s largest fresh-
salad concept. “Our main goal
was, and still is today, to provide a
meal that is healthy, quickly acces-
New Jersey Club Chef Celebrates 25th Year of Saladworks Concept It started as a simple idea: provide fresh, healthy, made-to-order, entree-sized salads as
an alternative food offering for customers on the go.
“I think we’ve achieved
and exceeded this,
offering sizable salads,
sandwiches and wraps
with ingredients that
are chopped fresh daily.”
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Steve Getman, a veteran
equipment and supply exec-
utive has joined Restaurant Depot. The Long Beach, NY
native will serve as a sales executive in
the cash and carry giant’s Garden City
store. Getman, who graduated from
Nassau Community College worked
for many years at the family’s restau-
rant supply store in Lynbrook, New
York. Working in conjunction with his
Father, the legendary Abe Getman, he
assisted a wide diversity of customers
that ranged from restaurants and delis
to nursing homes and locals. For many
years, Getman has served his commu-
nity as a volunteer fire fighter.
Restaurant owners and op-
erators looking for new tech-
nology solutions to man-
age both front and back of
the house operations will find them at
the 2011 International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show® (IHMRS), with the
launch of the i.Menu Expo. Hosted in
partnership with i.Business Magazine,
the i.Menu Expo will showcase devel-
opers of iPad and Android tablet apps,
accessory manufacturers and hardware
vendors, who will demonstrate the lat-
est menu and back-end office solutions,
including cost-effective ways to improve
productivity and bottom lines. “The
i.Menu Expo will be a great addition to
the IHMRS, as the restaurant industry’s
most influential marketplace,” said Car-mine DeSanto, founder and publisher
of i.Business Magazine. “This is the only
dining tablet menu technology expo,
created exclusively for restaurant own-
ers looking to meet experts in the field,
learn about dining tablets and embrace
the latest technology.” The i.Menu Expo will take place on the IHMRS exhibit
floor, November 13-15, 2011, and will
feature live demonstrations. The special
focus area will complement the hun-
dreds of technology resources show-
cased throughout the 3-day market. To exhibit in the i.Menu Expo, contact
Carmine DeSanto at 855-296-2928 or [email protected].
McDonald’s New York Tri-State area restaurants
launched a new Happy Meal last month in sup-
port of the company’s recently an-
nounced “Commitments to Offer Im-
proved Nutrition Choice” which strives
to help customers – especially children
and families – make nutrition-minded
choices whether visiting McDonald’s or
elsewhere. “We’re proud to be among
one of the first regions in the country to
debut the new Happy Meal,” said Ma-son Smoot, Vice President and General Manager, McDonald’s New York Metro Region.
The new Frankies 570, offers
punches like sister restau-
rant Prime Meats, they’ll of-
fer pitchers of cocktails. The
pitchers will change with the seasons
but the initial offerings include an Ap-erol Cooler, an Americano Royale, and a Basilico Spritzer. They cost $36 a
piece and yield six glass fulls.
Indian diners, meet Sirio Maccioni – the famed New York restaura-
teur just opened a branch of his Le Cirque restaurant in the country’s
capital. Judging by the images from the
Leela Palace Hotel New Delhi (Cirque
is on the 10th Floor), the eatery doesn’t
share a lot of design elements with the
New York original. Many menus have
made the voyage east, but Maccioni has expanded his vegetarian offerings
to fit with the diets of many Indian din-
ers. In addition to India and New York,
Le Cirque also operates an outpost in
Vegas, and has partnered with Holland America Cruises to bring the brand to
the seven seas.
US Foodservice hosted a Food
Show last month at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square. Food and music never
sounded better as the event included
music legends like the Black Eyed Peas. Patrons were able to take advantage of
their Rock’N Deals, taste new items, saw
the latest trends and learned how to add
some specialty items to their menus.
Many attendees raved about the oppor-
tunity to see the display of Rock ‘N Roll
memorabilia.
// QUICK BITES Metro New York’s Expressway for Foodservice News
62 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Armonk, NY---- EYE had a truly
eye-opening experience with a trip
to H. Weiss to tour Blodgett’s Mo-
bile Kitchen and Show room. EYE
was overwhelmed with the passion
that the Blodgett duo of Doug Tait
and Chef Tim Klauder brought. EYE
found Pitco’s new spinning frying
technology to be fascinating as the
industry searches for healthier fry-
ing options. “The goal with spin fresh
is to eliminate up to 30% of the oils
from a fry”, Tait explained.
EYE kudos to the duo of Ed Pecinka
and Cliff McTavish from Blodgett’s lo-
cal reps Pecinka Ferri, who are con-
stantly on the lookout to create enegy
savings solutions for Tri-State deal-
ers, consultants and their end-user
operator customers. The NEW Hy-
drovection™ oven by Blodgett unites
hot air cooking with moisture to pro-
duce a quality product faster than
Blodgett’s Mobile Kitchen and Show Room Tours Metro New YorkArmed with the latest in technology from the always innovative Middleby Corp unit, the 53
foot touring showroom once again brought cutting edge technology.
// EYE INSIDER FOODSERVICE EVENT COVERAGE
Pecinka Ferri’s Ed Pecinka co-hosted the Truck Tour
Blodgett Executive Chef Tim Klauder
welcomes the TFS Team
Chef Tim Klauder worked with many of Metro New York’s top consultants and dealers including
Westchester based Clevenger Frable
63 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
standard convection ovens. Among
local chefs untilizing the technology
is Chef Gavin Kaysen Executive Chef
Café Boulud, New York.
EYE found Blodgett’s extension of
the firm’s Combi-line on target. “Look
in a market like New York, a lot of
chefs want control. That’s what these
new models enable,” noted Pecinka
as he demonstrated the new BCM Se-
ries. The H. Weiss stop was the first in
a trio of demonstration days that saw
the truck make stops on Long Island
and in New Jersey at Robert Wood
Johnson Hospital. EYE is keeping an
eye on Blodgett and Pitco in ‘12 for
creative innovations to bring to local
kitchens.
Blodgett’s Hydrovection technology took
center stage
The knowledgeable Doug Tait fielded the Mobile
Kitchen’s guests queries
Pitco’s Spin-Fry made its New York Area Debut
888-531-CHEFwww.iceculinary.com
Pastry & Baking arts
Classes
Call For Upcoming Class
Schedule
Pacinka Ferri’s Clint McTavish detailed many of
Blodgett’s latest innovations
64 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Adam HalbergBarcelona Wine Bar & Restaurants Fairfield, Greenwich, New Haven, South Norwalk, Stamford, West HartfordWith a growing passion for American
ingredients and Mediterranean sensi-
bility, Adam traveled to Maine to work
at James Beard winner Melissa Kelly’s
seaside Italianate restaurant Primo.
This was followed by seven years in
Boston, consulting for popular restau-
rant/caterer Bakers Best and running
restaurants for both Laura Brennan
and James Beard winner Michael Schlow. Each year that he helmed Schlow’s Via
Matta, that restaurant was recognized as ‘Best Italian’ by Boston Magazine.
Before leaving Boston, Halberg also oversaw the opening of the giant bohemian
eatery and live music venue The Beehive. In Connecticut, Halberg has found his
place overseeing the kitchens for the Barcelona Restaurant Group, developing a
strong group of creative, collaborative chefs for a local bar and dining institution.
Lisa Schroeder Mother’s Bistro & Bar, Portland, OR As passionate about slow-cooked pot roast and home
made ravioli as she is about a perfectly seared foie
gras. Lisa Schroeder is a mother, grandmother, a
cookbook author, chef and restaurateur devoted to
providing better-than-authentic renditions of tradi-
tional home-cooked favorite dishes in her Portland
restaurant, Mother’s Bistro & Bar. Back in 1992, while
simultaneously working full-time in marking, catering
on the side, and raising her daughter, Lisa realized that there were no places that
served the kind of food she would make if she had the time. Lisa saw what the
world really needed was a place which served “Mother Food” slow-cooked dish-
es such as braises and stews, made with love. From that moment on, Lisa was
determined to open such a restaurant, and she spent the next eight years work-
ing toward that dream.
// FOODCENTRIC TOP CHEFS SHARE THEIR FAVORITE FALL DISHES
Calamari About 90% of the squid you eat in restaurants was received by the kitchen in
cleaned, frozen blocks. Commercial squid is actually a commodity product which
is shipped around the world. The “cleaning” process can be unappetizing with
whiteners (yes, sometimes even bleach products) being used.
At Barcelona, we have long been committed to buying fresh “dirty” squid at all of the
restaurants, and a long train of cooks have spent many hours over the years peeling
off the outer skin and pulling out the cartilidge and ink sacks. It’s a tedious, messy
job, but buying fresh ensures us the best tasting - and best textured squid around.
Butternut Squash and Apple Soup We get more recipe requests for this soup than any others. People just love it! Its
light, silky texture makes it an elegant way to start a meal, and it’s perfect for fall and
winter, when butternut squash and apples are at their peak and most affordable. The
hardest part of making this soup is peeling and seeding the squash and apples.
65 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Margherita AloiIl Palio, Shelton, CT Margherita Aloi was born on a vine-
yard in the Piedmont hills of north-
western Italy, in the small town of
Tucci. Her father, Aloi Giovanni
Luigi, was a winemaker producing
Dolcettos, Barberas, Nebbiolas and
Margherita began, at a young age, to
learn about and revel in the excite-
ment of cooking and entertaining. It
is from these humble beginnings that
Margherita rose to nationally promi-
nence, one of only four women to
hold the title of Celebrity Chef in Za-
gat for five years straight.
Thomas HenkelmannThomas Henkelmann Restaurant and Homestead Inn, Greenwich, CTThomas Henkelmann is a chef
and owner with his wife Theresa of
Thomas Henkelmann Restaurant
and Homestead Inn since 1997. For-
mer Executive Chef of “Maurice” at
the Parker Meridian in New York City,
Chef with Auberge d’I’ll in Illhausern,
Alsace, France with Paul Haeberlin,
and Aubergine in Munich, Germany
with Ekhard Weitzigman.
Salvatore Scognamillo Patsy’s Italian Restaurant, New York, NYSalvatore (Sal) Scognamillo is a co-
owner and third generation execu-
tive chef of the world-renowned Pat-
sy’s Italian Restaurant, the original
family owned and operated Italian
restaurant at its only Manhattan
location, 236 West 56th Street on
Manhattan’s West Side. Founded in
1944 by Pasquale “Patsy” Scognamil-
lo, Patsy’s has been in its current the-
ater district location (in the building
just next to the original site) since
1954. Trained by his father, Joe, and
his grandfather Pasquale “Patsy”
before him, Sal Scognamillo has
maintained the same level of com-
fort and quality that made Patsy’s
Gargenelli Dish
Nantucket Bay ScallopsServed in a potato basket with
fingerling potato puree and sur-
rounded by beets both red and
golden served with beet coulis
and a delicate horseradish sauce.
It represents the best of Autumn
in New England. Perfect for fall and
winter, when butternut squash and
apples are at their peak and most
affordable.
Tortellini with PumpkinA seasonal pasta consisting of a
very large tortellini stuffed with
pumpkin and spices in a sage
butter sauce.
Are you a Chef?If you would like to be featured in an upcoming Food Centric Column, please email your photo, bio, and culinary dish to [email protected] for consideration.
famous over 67 years ago.
In 1985, upon his father’s retirement
from the kitchen, Sal assumed the
position of executive chef. Since tak-
ing over the kitchen at Patsy’s, Sal
has continued to prepare the original
Neapolitan recipes that his grandfa-
ther cooked before him. Over the
past 26 years, he has overseen the
expansion of Patsy’s empire to
include jar sauces, prepared foods,
oils and vinegars and the best-selling
Patsy’s Cookbook: Classic Italian
Recipes from a New York City Land-
mark Restaurant.
In over 26 years as executive chef, Sal
has had the opportunity to prepare
meals for many of Patsy’s most well
known customers including Frank
Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Tony
Danza, Jennifer Lopez, George Cloo-
ney, Diddy and many more. In June
2008, Patsy’s opened their second
and only other location in The Atlan-
tic City Hilton Casino. Patsy’s was,
and remains a family restaurant. Sal
co-owns the restaurant with his
father Joe and cousin Frank DiCola.
66 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
// NEWS MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
While Imperial and
Burke will con-
tinue to operate
under their re-
spective names
and managerial staff, the combined
businesses are expected to generate
in excess of $250 million in annual
revenue and operate from more than
a half million square feet of distribu-
tion space.
“We are excited to welcome the
Burke Supply team into the fold,” said
Robert Tillis, CEO of Imperial. “With
the addition of Burke’s experienced
and knowledgeable sales force, the
combined company will be able to
provide a broader range of products
and services, as well as increased dis-
tribution solutions to our valued cus-
tomers.”
“This is about creating critical mass
as a result of huge consolidation for
both our customers and vendors,”
Tillis explained. “So the Burke acqui-
sition enables us to add buying pow-
er to reflect those changes to have a
more national presence, “ he contin-
Jersey Based Imperial Bag & Paper Co., LLC Acquires Burke SupplyImperial Bag & Paper Company, LLC , the largest single-location food service distributor in the United States, announced September 1st the acquisition of Burke Supply Co., Inc. Located in Brooklyn, NY, Burke is a leading Metro-New York distributor of innovative janitorial and chemical supplies, cleaning products, paper goods, safety supplies and industrial packaging.
(L to R) Robert and Jason Tillis
67 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
ued. “If you look at Imperial, we have
carefully consolidated the best of 11
of the smaller companies with 8000
sku’s.“ We need that level of extensive
inventory so that when a salesper-
son walks in the door, there’s always
an innovative new idea. We want our
customers to know that either Impe-
rial has it or can get it.“
“We use the line all the time: ‘It’s
not what’s your price, its what’s your
cost. For instance, our premium con-
tainers might cost you a little more up
front, but will generate twice as much
profit in the end. An end user has no
problem spending that little extra for
a product in a premium container.”
Jason Tillis, President of Impe-
rial added, “Our acquisition of Burke
supports Imperial’s strategy to re-
main the most responsive provider
of packaging, janitorial and shipping
supplies to customers throughout the
tri-state area.”
“Burke’s strengths will enable us
to build the “jan-san” side of our
business. The Burke sales team ac-
tually runs seminars for their cus-
tomers. Jan-san customers require
more training than food service. They
also want to know the specifics of
the product. So it enables us to get
away from selling a commodity and
they want to know that a garbage can
liner isn’t going to leak and that the
chemicals they buy are going to strip
the floor properly. The potential for
cross-polination for us with food ser-
vice and jan-san, is simply over the
top.
“We look forward to partnering
with the management team at Im-
perial,” said Stuart Berkowitz, Presi-
dent of Burke. “We’re happy that our
customers can expect the same great
service, while enjoying a more diverse
line of products.”
“Imperial will continue to look for
other strategic acquisitions that will
continue to expand our business,”
noted Robert Tillis.
Founded in 1935, Imperial is known
for its excellent service and quality.
Imperial offers a superior selection
of paper, packaging and janitorial
products, and is committed to think-
ing outside the box, consulting with
customers to satisfy their current and
future needs. Imperial also provides
nationwide service to chain restau-
rants and national retailers.
Burke is a premier distributor of
innovative janitorial, chemical, food
service and packaging supplies, as
well as cleaning products, paper
goods, safety materials and indus-
trial packaging. Burke is committed
to pairing high-quality products with
excellent customer service, while
maintaining low costs.
“This is about creating critical mass as a result of
huge consolidation for both our customers and
vendors,” Tillis explained. “So the Burke acquisition
enables us to add buying power to reflect those
changes to have a more national presence...”
68 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Buddy Valastro’s Approach:Our goal with the new Lackawanna
Center in Jersey City was to create a
production facility with offices and
headquarters to support our growth.
As the business continues to grow, I
consider Lackawanna a prime space
to effectively carry out the 24/7 op-
erations of Carlo’s Bake Shop. It will
enable us to broaden our creativity
and increase production while creat-
ing hundreds of new jobs. It’s a dream
come true. This enables us to make
my Dad’s dream come true of bringing
Carlo’s to a national level, Buddy will
also implement a new cross country
shipping system from this new location
to give fans a taste of the Hoboken bak-
ery year-round. My goal for the design
was beautifully executed by Gary Ben-
sky of Clevenger Frable LaVallee Inc.
We wanted state of the art equipment,
from professional-grade mixers to
large scale ovens and industrial refrig-
erators. We worked closely with a team
than included Brian Doyle from BRC
Equipment Supplies and Tom Szaf-
ranski from ITW (Illinois Tool Works)
to accomplish that goal. From a design
standpoint, we worked with a top notch
architect in Richard Lewis. We wanted
to be able to have a private setting to
host the bakery’s many designer cake
consultations. In some cases we are ac-
tually having four meetings at a time.
The space is also designed with two
classrooms that will be open to the pub-
lic: a Hot Foods Room with 16 stove-top
burners and a Pastry Room with baking
and decorating stations. In addition to
OwnerBuddy Valastro, PresidentThe Cake Boss Inc. Hoboken, NJ
Kitchen ConsultantGary Bensky, Project ManagerClevenger Frable LaVallee Inc.White Plains, NY The ArchitectRichard Lewis, PresidentRichard H. Lewis & AssociatesNew York, NY
Equipment ManufacturerTom Szafranski, PresidentITW Food Equipment GroupTroy, OH Equipment & Supply DealerBrian Doyle, Project ExecutiveBRC Commercial KitchensElmwood Park, NJ
Carlo’s BakeryLackawanna Building
Jersey City, NJ
69 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
culinary classes, the kitchen will be used
for catering purposes and our full-time
chef will prepare lunch for employees.
The Pastry Room will also serve as the
backdrop for the construction of large
scale cakes, while major cake decorat-
ing takes place in the nearby Finishing
Room. We also challenged Richard to
give us the ability to have visitors view
finished cakes and those in the works
through large windows around the pe-
rimeter of the Finishing Room. Finally,
with an eye towards the not to distant
future, we wanted Lackawanna to be
able to support the revamping of our
bakery’s e-commerce site, www.car-
losbakery.com, to accommodate or-
ders from around the country. I can’t
say enough about what a great job our
team did of accomplishing these goals
to make this a reality.
Gary Bensky’s Approach:Well, we were actually recommended
to Buddy by Baxter, because he uses
Baxter ovens. Foster(Frable) and I went
for the interview, met Buddy and we
just hit it off from the day we met. We
were all speaking the same language.
Buddy has an incredibly infectious per-
sonality and he’s amazing to work with.
I think Buddy found that our indepen-
dence was important, we don’t buy
equipment or sell equipment. We’re
purely consultants. Our goal is always
to be the client’s advocate in the design
process with a client that is as busy as
Buddy.
We knew that we would be able to
help him because, we had just done an-
other large bakery in the Bronx which
was about 40,000 square feet. When we
began two years ago, it was uncertain as
to which way his business may develop.
Buddy knew he would like to open ad-
ditional bakeries, and also to support
the existing bakery. His big problem
with the existing bakery in Hoboken
was the very small production area. His
people were on top of each other and
couldn’t produce anywhere near what
they required. They were working al-
most three full shifts to be able to pro-
duce what they needed for the bakery.
So one of the first goals of our new
design was to be able to meet his pro-
duction requirements and streamline
to two shifts. A big part of his business,
as you can see from the TV show are
The Valastro clan paid homage to their new Lackawanna commissary with a special cake depicting the landmark site.
“I went for the interview, met Buddy and we
just hit it off from the day we met. We were
all speaking the same language. Buddy has
an incredibly infectious personality and he’s
amazing to work with.”
70 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
71 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
the large unique cakes for events. We
needed to design with an understand-
ing of the architecture of these huge
cakes, and how to make them stable
enough to able to travel. There’s a big
challenge in getting many of the cakes
from the work area to a table 3 or 4 feet
away. In the case of Buddy’s cakes, they
are structurally sound. These cakes in
many cases need to travel cross coun-
try. For instance, they baked a cake for
Hobart for the NRA Show in Chicago
which they drove all the way from New
Jersey to Chicago which left and arrived
in perfect condition. One of the priori-
ties was to create a finishing area in the
design that is unusually large to allow
them to work on many of these cakes
simultaneously. With this much prod-
uct, we required a special approach to
walk-ins. The walk-ins have a 60 inch
automatic door, so that they’re able to
get these huge cakes that are a work in
progress in and out of the cooler. We
also customized them with special win-
dows in the side of the finished cooler
to support tours of the facility and the
potential for creating a retail opera-
tion in the new building. In addition to
that, we created 2 beautiful classrooms
there. One is a hot food classroom, and
one is a bakery classroom. Buddy and
his team will be teaching as well as hav-
ing some name guest chefs come in to
do specialty classes as well.
His commitment to his own people
was a big part of the thought process
with employee showers and a gym for
them. This project enabled us to under-
stand the special needs of bakeries rela-
tive to space allotment for shipping and
receiving, production, and finishing.
We also now have a working knowledge
of some of the larger pieces of equip-
ment required for baking in such large
volume.
Our approach was to get a feel for the
flow. The flow is in a U shape in this fa-
cility. It starts with delivery and moves
directly into refrigerated and dry stor-
age. Then comes the production area,
where they’re doing all of their batters,
cakes, cookies, pies as well as danish,
laminated dough’s and puff pastry. It’s
pretty amazing to see the production
of thousands of cannolis. The “U” is
completed with ware washing and the
finished cooler, where they’re working
these massive specialty cakes.
I can’t say enough about BRC’s per-
formance on this project, it was abso-
lutely amazing. It’s the best installation
I’ve seen in 12 years since I have been
here at CFL, they did an amazing job.
ITW provided the new facility with a full suite of innovative baking and cooking solutions.
72 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
They practically lived there and gave
special attention to Buddy.
Richard Lewis’ Approach:Gary Bensky brought me in because
we had done several commissary kitch-
ens with Gary and other kinds of proj-
ects with him over the years. I have also
done many commissary kitchens and
giant industrial bakeries before I even
met Gary including a bakery I did for
Zabar’s.
He has long been credited with
bringing good bread to New York. I
then did a bakery for Keith McNally of
Balthazar for Phillip Kirsch and then
Tom Cat Bakery. So I’ve been able to de-
velop some very unique expertise. What
makes the design of a bakery unique is
the very large size that you are design-
ing for.
This requires a lot of space to be al-
located for the racks and of course prep
and storage whereas in food service,
everything is super tight. In a bakery,
you need a lot of room for when bread
comes out of the oven to let it cool
down.
My role in this project was to take
equipment specs from Buddy and Gary
and then the needs of the mechanical
engineers and create a base plan and a
flow and then to design all of the non-
kitchen areas including office space.
My focus with the cooking and storage
areas was to be involved in making sure
that everything’s meeting the code.
I was very concerned with the
amount of work load and stress that the
operation will have on the structure.
With a bakery there is heavy equipment
including heavy rolling carts and mix-
ing bowls that are constantly crashing
into things. With that much stainless
steel, you need wall bumpers on every-
thing and you need really solid, floor-
ing. The flooring is a huge investment
in these facilities because there’s just so
much water and washing that requires
industrial strength. Keep in mind this
building was at one time a central fa-
cility for the railroad. So on the ground
floor where we are, there are thick
concrete floors. We had to do a lot of
trenching for the plumbing. Although
there are two or three different options,
and I prefer using quarry tile floors be-
cause it is indestructible in terms of the
hardness.
The quarry then requires the use
of epoxy grout to give you the flexibil-
ity down the road to make changes. A
bakery also has very unique mechani-
cal needs. There’s certain rooms where
humidity needs special control. All the
walk in boxes have special low temper-
ature and specific humidity. We dealt
with the high volume water demands
by putting a water tower on the roof
with the ability to pump water through-
out the facility. Our final consideration
was to create a design for Buddy’s TV
studios. That required extra wiring and
lighting that ended up being added to
the original plan. This project was all
Nor-Lake worked closely with BRC’s design team to create walk-ins that were both highly functional and aesthetically pleasing.
73 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
74 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
about what great teamwork can ac-
complish.
Brian Doyle’s Approach:Clevenger Frable LaVallee brought
us in and Buddy and I hit it off. We told
him how we attack a project and how it
was important to us for him to be happy
and to meet what Gary’s vision was.
This is Buddy’s life and with so many
of his family members involved, this
is an extension of his family. That’s the
emotion and passion he wanted to see
as well and that this was not just anoth-
er job. He definitely wanted to see that
we had the same passion as he did.
One of the challenges with the proj-
ect was to also share his vision on sev-
eral different levels. Buddy’s visions in-
clude the on-going growth of specialty
cakes which include everything from a
wedding cake to a space shuttle cake
and then growth of internet sales and
of course the retail operation which
has exploded from his TV popularity.
Years ago my very first job was in a fam-
ily owned bakery, so I had lots of hands
on experience with Hobart’s mixers. I
needed to keep in mind that this was
very different from a traditional retail
bakery.
We needed to create capacity for
the volume on the hot side to produce
but you also need to have the capacity
to store them properly before the fin-
ished product gets to the end-user. We
worked closely on the walk-in boxes to
create 24 feet of window as you’re walk-
ing by to look at the cakes. Our concept
was customers who visually were eating
with their eyes.
In many cases the customer is an
event planner and a bride. So we need-
ed to create the right type of consulting
suite. A key to the success of this proj-
ect was the commitment from the ITW
team led by Tom Szfranski and their lo-
cal rep PBAC. It started with us continu-
ally answering the key questions; How
and where am I going to store all this
product? Does he have enough prep
area to keep up with the demand? Do
we have the right balance of prep and
storage production?
So the goal was to enable him to
have all of his mixes and batches and
then deposit them onto a conveyor or
if he’s doing cannolis, send them eas-
ily to a high capacity cooking area.
The flow then continues with a pair of
The goal of the new facility was to maximize volume production with Buddy’s signature quality
The legendary Hobart mixer line was at the top of Buddy Valastro’s wish list for the bak-ery’s new commissary.
75 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
mixing kettles, from there the product
is frosted and cooled in a blast chiller,
and then stored in one of the walk-in
boxes. The product is then decorated in
the decorating room which we built out
with seven stations. Six of the stations
have two people working on marble
counter tops. What an incredible expe-
rience to be challenged by somebody as
gifted as Buddy.
Tom Szafranski’s Approach:I don’t watch a lot of TV, however I
happened to catch an episode of the
Cake Boss where Buddy Valastro and
his team were visiting Disney World. He
enters one of Disney’s many commer-
cial foodservice kitchens to create a few
masterpiece cakes and he notices they
have Hobart mixers! He then comments
how relieved he is to see them and what
a wonderful job they do and needless to
say, that caught my attention!!
Since that time, Buddy has become
a great friend and partner to Hobart.
His newly finished Hoboken facility
is stocked with Hobart mixers, Baxter
ovens and proofers, Traulsen Refrig-
eration and Vulcan cooking equipment.
Buddy’s goal was to find equipment
and ingredients that would enable him
to focus on a “back to scratch” bakery
strategy. He told us that’s what differ-
entiated our products; our investment
in quality and consistently reliable
products, which is what he does in his
bakery business every day! It is a very
unique project and we are very proud to
be able to contribute to his overwhelm-
ing success. Buddy also worked with
consultant Gary Bensky of Clevenger
Frable LaVallee Inc. and our dealer ,
Brian Doyle of BRC, all of whom did a
phenomenal job on this high profile
project. Additionaly PBAC also played a
key role in supporting CFL and BRC in
bringing this project from conception
to completion.
Buddy also made a recent appearance
at the Hobart booth during the National
Restaurant Show in Chicago, featuring
a creation of cake in the life size form of a
Hobart 80 quart mixer! He shared his ex-
periences to a packed house of excited
fans. People just love him and enjoy meet-
ing him, taking pictures and receiving
autographs. He also met Selena, a Make-
a-Wish child and her family who came to
the Hobart NRA booth. He sat down with
her for probably 20 minutes and she was
just mesmerized by his caring and friendly
demeanor. At a recent Make-A-Wish event,
we raffled off a Hobart mixer and VIP passes
for a meet and greet at one of his upcom-
ing presentations. It’s a great story – Buddy’s
a sincere individual and we respect him
both personally as well as professionally.
We have been happy to support his com-
mitment to “back-to-scratch” baking and
providing differentiated quality products.
“As the business continues to grow, I
consider Lackawanna a prime space to
effectively carry out the 24/7 operations
of Carlo’s Bake Shop. It will enable us
to broaden our creativity and increase
production while creating hundreds of
new jobs. It’s a dream come true.”
76 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Chefs Jean-Georges Vongerichten
and Andrew Carmellini, restaurateur
Drew Nieporent and Aquagrill’s chef
and owner Jeremy Marshall, will each
create exclusive offerings as part of
the new MSG Signature Collection.
The MSG Signature Collection will
debut in November and December,
following the reopening of the Gar-
den in late October, after extensive
summer construction that repre-
sents the first phase of the three-year
Transformation project.
In addition to the MSG Signature
Collection, food offerings throughout
the arena will be upgraded as the
transformation continues, with items
from restaurants Carnegie Deli and
Hill Country Barbecue. There will also
be additional food items including
Healthy Food, Gluten Free,
kosher offerings featuring Carlos &
Gabby’s, desserts from Magnolia
Bakery, sushi and the Garden Mar-
ket, which will provide a wide variety
of arena favorites, including pizza
and hot dogs. “In addition to ensuring
that Madison Square Garden remains
THE destination for historic, unfor-
// NEWS MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
Manhattan’s Top Restaurateur Highlights MSG TransformationThe Madison Square Garden Company has announced plans to bring some of the biggest names in New York food to the world’s most famous arena as part of its historic transformation.
77 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
gettable sports and entertainment
for generations to come, our trans-
formation is also designed to ensure
we become a destination for some
of the very best food in the city,” said
Hank Ratner, president and chief ex-
ecutive officer, The Madison Square
Garden Company. “Along with signifi-
cantly enhanced menu options and
upgrades for all of our food offerings,
we’re proud that some of the best
chefs and restaurateurs in the world
will offer exclusive items as part of
our Signature Collection, which will
only be available to fans attending
our events.”
Debuting in late November, Daily
Burger from top restaurateur Drew
Nieporent will feature several special-
ty hamburgers and cheeseburgers,
while Sausage Boss, by award-win-
ning chef Andrew Carmellini with his
partner Luke Ostrom, will showcase
an Italian link sausage and cheese
bratwurst sandwich. In December,
world-famous chef Jean-Georges
Vongerichten, along with partner
Phil Suarez, will open Simply Chick-
en, offering a grilled organic chicken
sandwich, chicken hot dog and sliced
chicken salad. Jeremy Marshall, from
top-rated Aquagrill, will open Lobster
Shrimp Roll by Aquagrill at several
locations also beginning in Decem-
ber. Fans will be able to easily identify
each MSG Signature offering through
distinctive branding and signage.
In addition, the arena’s 20 new
Event Level Suites set to open this
October, as well as the 58 new Madi-
son Suites that are expected to debut
for the 2012-13 season, will feature
new menus developed in conjunc-
tion with Mr. Vongerichten, including
a number of items from his various
restaurants. Additionally, items from
Mr. Vongerichten’s restaurants as well
as select items from the MSG Signa-
ture Collection will be available at the
Delta SKY360 degrees Club.
Each MSG Signature Collection
participant is excited to bring his
acclaimed culinary expertise to the
iconic Madison Square Garden Are-
na, particularly as part of its historic
Transformation:
“Simply Chicken is our vision of a
great option for Garden fans: at the
same time healthy and delicious;
both familiar and uniquely excit-
ing; affordable yet made from all or-
ganic, locally sourced ingredients.
Just as MSG is reinventing itself to
cater to the needs of the modern
sports fan and concert-goer, Simply
Chicken reflects how people are eat-
ing today. Each item on the menu
features modern and eclectic twists,
prepared with equal attention to our
customers’ cravings and their desire
to eat healthily. We are honored to
be launching this addition to our cu-
linary repertoire inside The World’s
Most Famous Arena,” said Chef Jean-
Georges Vongerichten and partner
Phil Suarez.
78 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Call Vic Rose: 732-864-2220
“As longtime sports fans and New
Yorkers, we couldn’t be more excit-
ed about contributing to Madison
Square Garden’s transformation and
breaking out Sausage Boss by Car-
mellini. We are in great company.
Think of it as a nightly party at the
world’s premier sports and entertain-
ment venue, and we’re bringing the
sausages,” said Chef Andrew Carmel-
lini and partner Luke Ostrom.
The MSG Signature Collection menu
will include the following exclusive
items: Simply Chicken (Jean-Georges
Vongerichten) - Chicken Hot Dog with
Kim Chee and Spicy Mustard; Sliced
Chicken Salad, Carrot- Miso Dressing;
Grilled Chicken Sandwich, Asian Pears,
Thai Mayonnaise (Housemade Pickles,
Basil, Potato Chips). Sausage Boss (An-
drew Carmellini) - AC’s Italian Link Piz-
zaiola and Sweet Peppers; Cheese Brat-
wurst Weinkraut and Mustard. Daily
Burger (Drew Nieporent) - Daily Burger
with Cheese and Bacon & Onion Jam;
Daily Burger with Green Tomato Rel-
ish; Daily Burger; French Fries. Lobster
Shrimp Roll by Aquagrill (Jeremy Mar-
shall) - Lobster Shrimp Roll on Toasted
Split New England Roll.
Andrew Carmellini is a Manhattan-
based chef and restaurateur who first
made a name for himself as Daniel
Boulud’s chef de cuisine at Café Boulud.
Six years, two James Beard Foundation
awards and a spot on Food & Wine’s
Best New Chef roster later, Carmellini
opened an upscale Italian restaurant
in Madison Square Park winning three
stars from The New York Times, and
one from the Michelin Guide. He is cur-
rently the chef and owner of Locanda
Verde and The Dutch, two hit restau-
rants that continually enjoy popularity
and praise. Up next, he will open an en-
core to The Dutch in Miami Beach, FL.
Jean-Georges Vongerichten is one of
the world’s most famous chefs, but his
skills extend far beyond the kitchen. A
savvy businessman and formidable res-
taurateur, Jean-Georges is responsible
for the operation and success of a con-
stellation of three- and four-star res-
taurants in The United States, Europe,
and Asia. His collection of restaurants,
along with his long-time partner Phil
Suarez, includes Jean-Georges, Perry
St, Spice Market, Mercer Kitchen, JoJo,
Nougatine at Jean-Georges, Terrace at
Jean-Georges, ABC Kitchen, and The
Mark in New York City; Prime Steak-
house in Las Vegas; Cafe Martinique
and Dune in Paradise Island, Nassau,
Bahamas; Lagoon in Bora Bora; Jean-
Georges Shanghai in Shanghai; and
Market in Paris.
The Carnegie Deli in midtown
Manhattan was opened in 1937 ad-
jacent to Carnegie Hall. Now in the
third generation of owners, the deli-
catessen is among the most visited
restaurants of its type in the city, ac-
cording to the New York Convention &
Visitors Bureau. USA Today has called
the restaurant the “most famous” deli
in the United States. It is operated by
Sandy Levine, whose business card
indicates he is the “MBD” = Married
Boss’s Daughter, namely, Marian
Parker.
MSG, from page 77
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sible and delicious,” said Scardapane.
“I think we’ve achieved and exceeded
this, offering sizable salads, sandwich-
es and wraps with ingredients that are
chopped fresh daily.”
SaladWorks, from page 60 Fiorito, from page 38
• Re-examine your classification
codes for your workers’ compensation
policy.
• Continually reevaluate if your ex-
isting insurance policy is still right for
your restaurant’s needs. There could
be changes you’ve made that will affect
your premium.
• Implement a formal safety program
and raise safety awareness to minimize
claims. A good claims history can dras-
tically reduce your workers’ compensa-
tion costs.
• Examine a limited benefit medical
plan as an alternative to more costly
health coverage.
For more tips and information on
how to navigate through the coming
hard market, please contact Bob Fiorito
at 212-338-2324 or via email at robert.
Robert Fiorito, serves as Vice Presi-
dent, Hub International Northeast.,
where he specializes in providing insur-
ance brokerage services to the restau-
rant industry. As a 20-year veteran and
former restaurateur himself, Bob has
worked with a wide array of restaurant
and food service businesses, ranging
from fast-food chains to upscale, “white
tablecloth” dining establishments. To
learn more about Bob, please visit www.
hubfiorito.com.
86 • October 2011 • Total Food Service • www.totalfood.com
Manhattan’s Chefs
Z E R OTrans-Fat Solution Is
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