NRA: Customer loyalty programs drive business in tough times

By

More than three-quarters of restaurant operators recently surveyed by the National Restaurant Association (NRA) said guest loyalty programs helped grow business during the economic downturn. In addition, 90 percent said loyalty programs give them a competitive edge, and the vast majority said they are planning to invest more in their programs because of their proven ability to drive business growth.

The NRA partnered with Loyalty 360--The Loyalty Marketer's Association and rDialogue for its first-ever study of the level of penetration of loyalty programs in the restaurant industry; the types of loyalty practices being used; how performance is being measured; and the level of dedicated resources supporting strategy, implementation, and management of the programs. The survey, conducted earlier this year, had 1,300 respondents.

Additional survey results found that 41 percent of respondents currently operate a loyalty program, and nearly half (47 percent) are planning to launch one. Moreover, 74 percent of respondents use social media to support their loyalty program such as Facebook, Twitter and blogging.

For more information, visit www.restaurant.org.
0 comments
Labels: ,

ACF honors nation's best chefs at National Convention

By

On the final day of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) 2010 National Convention held Aug. 2 to 5 in Anaheim, Calif., chefs, culinary industry professionals and foodservice establishments were honored for their contributions to the foodservice industry.

Among this year's notable chef winners were:
  • U.S. Chef of the Year, sponsored by Unilever Foodsolutions: Michael Matarazzo, executive chef, Bear Mountain Inn, Bear Mountain, N.Y.; ACF National Chapter
  • ACF National Pastry Chef of the Year, sponsored by Splenda: Andreas Proisl, executive pastry chef, Isleworth Country Club, Windermere, Fla.; ACF Central Florida
  • Chef Professionalism Award, sponsored by Minor’s: John Reed, CEC, CCA, owner, Customized Culinary Solutions, Skokie, Ill.; ACF Windy City Professional Culinarians Inc.
  • Hermann G. Rusch Chef's Achievement Award: Americo "Rico" DiFronzo, CEC, AAC, executive chef, American Food Systems, Inc., Burlington, Mass.; ACF Epicurean Club of Boston
For a complete list of awards and winners as well as a full recap of the 2010 ACF National Convention, visit www.acfchefs.org.
0 comments
Labels: , ,

CIA grad Brandt wins Allure of the Seas Culinary Challenge

By

Maureen "Molly" Brandt, Culinary Institute of America (CIA) graduate, won the Allure of the Seas Culinary Challenge and a one-year paid contract to be the chef de cuisine of 150 Central Park onboard the Allure of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship.

Maureen "Molly" Brandt plates her dishes during the final challenge

Brandt was one of six chefs--all CIA graduates--to be a finalist in the challenge, a contest open exclusively to The CIA's alumni network. The six chefs participated in a two-part final challenge at the college's Hyde Park campus in New York on Aug. 5 and 6, where they prepared a three-course meal for a panel of judges from Royal Caribbean and The CIA. The panel also interviewed the finalists.

(l to r) Frank Weber, vice president, food and beverage operations, Royal Caribbean International; Maureen "Molly" Brandt; Lisa Bauer, senior vice president, hotel operations, Royal Caribbean International; and Ron DeSantis, director, CIA consulting, The CIA

Brandt's winning dish consisted of chilled lobster with fennel, carrots, citrus, caviar and tempura battered lobster; Provencal lamb loin with Dijon potato purée, ratatouille, pattypan squash and olive tapenade; and pistachio cake with whipped rosewater crème fraîche and carbonated raspberries.

For more information, visit www.allureoftheseas.com.
0 comments
Labels: ,

Competitors announced for U.S. selections of '11 World Chocolate Masters

By

Seven of the country's leading pastry chefs and chocolatiers have been selected to compete in the U.S. selections for the 2011 World Chocolate Masters event in Paris. The competition, organized by Barry Callebaut, will take place Sept. 27 and 28 during the International Baking Industry Exposition in Las Vegas. The contestants will make Aztec-inspired sculptures out of gourmet chocolate.

The winner of the U.S. selections competition will advance to the 2011 World Chocolate Masters, where he or she will compete against culinary artisans from approximately 20 other countries. (Pictured, right, Lionel Clement, former chef chocolatier at the Wynn Las Vegas, was the last U.S. National Chocolate Master.)

This year's competitors for the U.S. selections for the World Chocolate Masters include:
0 comments
Labels: , ,

The lexicon of kitchen ventilation

By

by Russell L. Bean, CFSP

In "Venting in the kitchen" (read it here!) in the August 2010 issue of Chef Magazine, we discuss the latest in kitchen ventilation technology, from green Type I hoods to ventless systems to ultraviolet light solutions. To prepare you for speaking with your ventilation system specialist, Chef has pulled together a ventilation jargon and acronym guide.

Type I Hoods
Designed to capture heat and moisture, plus smoke and grease, these hoods are typically required for frying, broiling and griddle cooking operations. These hoods must have water-tight construction and a built-in fire suppression system.

Type II Hoods
Designed to capture heat and moisture, they also can be used for dishwashing and some baking and steam equipment.

Unlisted Hoods
Unlisted hoods must meet the materials, design and exhaust rate requirements of local building and health codes.

Listed Hoods
Listed hoods are tested to meet a recognized standard, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Standard 710, which specifies construction materials, design requirements and capture performance.

Ventless Hoods/Systems
These are smaller hood systems that capture then clean air using multiple filters, before exhausting the "clean" air back into the kitchen.

Proximity Hoods
As the name implies, these are back-shelf, pass-over and eyebrow-style hoods that are positioned just above the cooking equipment.

UV Systems
These are hoods that use ultraviolet light to convert--or reduce the size of--a significant portion of grease particulate into carbon dioxide and water.

Side Panels
Full and partial side panels are designed to help capture and contain effluents at the end of a hood.

Plenum
This is a transitional sheet-metal fabrication that connects the hood to the exhaust duct.

Effluents
Effluents are a commonly used collective for all cooking process byproducts including heat, moisture, combustion gases, smoke, grease and odors.

Capture and Containment
The goal of all hood systems, to "capture" 100 percent of all effluents produced by cooking processes, plus waste heat and humidity; and "contain" these cooking byproducts until they are either exhausted to the building exterior or filtered and returned to the kitchen.

Makeup (Supply, Replacement) Air
This is the fresh air brought in to replace air consumed by gas burner combustion or exhausted by the ventilation system. Air removed by an exhaust hood must be replaced by an equal volume of replacement air.

Microns
Effluent particulate is typically measured in microns, a unit of measure that is one-millionth of a meter, or .000001 m.

CFMs
Short for cubic feet per minute, CFMs are a measure of the air volume removed from a kitchen by an exhaust hood and venting system, and/or the volume of makeup air added or returned to the kitchen.

FPM
Short for feet per minute, this is a measurement of the speed of air moving through an exhaust system or part thereof.
0 comments
Labels:

RATIONAL SelfCooking Center® overnight cooking feature increases productivity in foodservice kitchens

By

SPONSORED POST

For foodservice operations large and small, it might seem like there are never enough hours in the day to complete everything on the daily prep list. RATIONAL's overnight cooking feature can reduce the unevenness of the work during the day by conducting some of the longer cooking processes unattended after hours. The SelfCooking Center and its overnight cooking feature enable operators to make the use of their equipment during non-operational hours--leaving the unit available during operational hours to prepare foods that can't be made ahead of time.

RATIONAL SelfCooking Center

Specifically, the overnight cooking feature can be used to prepare a wide variety of meats, typically larger cuts of meat including prime rib, roasts, pork medallions, ribs, turkey breast and roast duck. The feature is easy to use, chefs select the browning and desired doneness of the food, and the SelfCooking Center determines the cooking time. The process keeps the meat tender and juicy without the need for monitoring the cooking process or basting. Meats of different sizes and cuts can be prepared simultaneously to specification.

Epicurean Catering in Centennial, Colo., uses the SelfCooking Center for overnight cooking at INVESCO Field at Mile High. "All the roasts for the 144 carving stations in the suites are done overnight. We just load the units the evening before, and when we take them out in the morning, we have unbeatable quality with almost 50 percent less shrinkage than traditional cooking methods," said Larry DiPasquale, Epicurean president and CEO. Instead of coming in at 2 a.m., using overnight cooking, DiPasquale's staff can arrive at 6 with a good portion of their work completed.

As DiPasquale learned, products prepared using the overnight cooking feature have significantly reduced yield loss compared to conventional cooking equipment. For example, to yield 7 pounds of cooked product, a chef would cook 8 pounds of meat using the overnight cooking process instead of 10 pounds using conventional cooking equipment. This equates to a product cost savings of 20 percent. In addition to the cost savings, the overnight cooking process also follows all of the HACCP guidelines--ensuring that the operation is running within industry standards.

RATIONAL provides a hands-on experience with the SelfCooking Center® through its TeamCooking Live events. Register for TeamCooking Live at www.rational-usa.com. The events, which take place on a range of dates at over 100 venues nationwide, are guided by one of the company's culinary consultants.
0 comments
Labels:

CHART members volunteer at NoLa Habitat for Humanity

By

During the Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers (CHART) 80th semiannual Hospitality Training Conference in New Orleans last month, nearly 40 CHART members and guests came a day early to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. The volunteers traveled to a residential neighborhood where they helped a homeowner paint, put up a fence and install insulation.

CHART members and guests at the Habitat for Humanity volunteer site

"CHART comes to its host cities with an attitude of caring," says Mike Amos, franchise consultant for Perkins and Marie Callender's Inc. and president of CHART, in a statement. "We want to give back to the local community, while creating bonds among members and providing them an example of volunteerism they can take back to their restaurants and hotels."

Community service projects have been incorporated into CHART's semiannual conferences since 2002. The next conference will take place Feb. 5 to 8, 2011, at the Hilton in the Walt Disney World Resort. For more information, visit www.chart.org.
0 comments
Labels: , ,

United Fresh applauds child nutrition bill

By

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (S. 3307), which passed the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent on Aug. 5, is supported by the United Fresh Produce Association. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ariz.), chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, introduced the legislation earlier this year.

"The drive for healthier kids through increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is something that United Fresh and the entire produce industry has pursued for many years now," said United Fresh president and CEO Tom Stenzel, in a statement. "United Fresh commends [chair] Lincoln, ranking member Saxby Chambliss [R-Ga.] and the Senate Agriculture Committee and members of the Senate for their passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. This bill provides a clear road map for healthier school meals and greater access to fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables."

United Fresh and other members of the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity Coalition urge the House of Representatives to pass child nutrition legislation before the programs expire on Sept. 30. For more information about the bill, visit www.ag.senate.gov/site.
0 comments
Labels: ,

Seeking culinary arts director

By

SPONSORED POST

Francis Tuttle Technology Center, Oklahoma City, is under construction on a 34,000-square-foot school of culinary arts and is seeking a culinary arts director. This individual will be involved in all aspects of opening, staffing and operating this state-of-the-art facility.

Work in an environment where:
  • you can share your knowledge and experience of the culinary profession;
  • you will have an integral role in the program planning and design and curriculum development for a facility consisting of eight instructional kitchens and an a la carte kitchen as part of our teaching restaurant; and
  • excellence, innovation and continuous improvement are fostered and where respect and appreciation for "employees as our greatest asset" are part of our core values.
Francis Tuttle Technology Center, located in northwest Oklahoma City is one of the finest technology centers in the nation. Access our Web site at www.francistuttle.edu for information about the school. Annual Salary: $60,000 to $70,000. Comprehensive Benefit Package to include paid health and dental insurance and 100 percent contribution into the Teachers Retirement System of Oklahoma. Relocation costs are not covered.

Primary Function: Will provide leadership, coordination and supervision for the school of culinary arts. This individual will also play a prominent role in the local culinary industry and is expected to have national connections within this industry.

Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts or advanced industry-related certifications required. Must have a minimum of five years of culinary experience with at least three years recent experience in a managerial capacity or as an executive chef with supervisory responsibilities. Instructional and supervisory/managerial experience with a culinary educational institution preferred. Must hold or qualify for an Oklahoma Secondary Vocational Teaching Certificate.

Apply Today: Website: www.francistuttle.edu/discover/jobs for additional information and application. Or contact Human Resources at (800) 722-7799, ext. 4331, to obtain application and extended job description. EOE

Job closing date: August 16, 2010

Submit completed application and resume to:
Francis Tuttle Technology Center
Human Resources
12777 N. Rockwell Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73142-2789

Questions:
Bill Allen, Director
Personal Services Programs
(800) 722-7799, ext. 4333 · (405) 717-4333
ballen@francistuttle.edu
0 comments
Labels: