NRA supports increase in business meal tax deduction

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The National Restaurant Association (NRA) voiced support for legislation to increase the business meal tax deduction, which the NRA deems very important to the restaurant industry.

Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.) is now the lead co-sponsor of H.R. 3333, a bill to increase the current 50 percent federal tax deduction for business meals to 80 percent. The bill, co-sponsored by Reps. Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) and Sam Farr (D-Calif.), would restore fairness in the tax code for legitimate business deductions and help local restaurants and small businesses keep jobs and promote economic growth, according to the NRA.

"Restoring this deduction is important to small and independent businesses as well as the foodservice, travel, tourism and entertainment industries," said Scott DeFife, executive vice president of policy and government affairs for the NRA, in a statement. "We are grateful for Rep. Berkley's leadership on this issue."

For more information, visit www.restaurant.org/advocacy.
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Chef to scale Everest in the name of charity

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Chef Gabriel Viti at the 18,500-foot summit of Kala Pathar

Gabriel Viti, chef/proprietor of Miramar Bistro, Highwood, Ill., and mountain climber (pictured, above), will climb Mt. Everest to raise money for "Climb for the Keshet Kids," a charity that funds Chicago-area summer camps and activities for children with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Viti is currently situated at at base camp on Mt. Everest, where he will spend the next two months training for the climb on nearby smaller mountains. He is blogging about his expedition at www.humanedgetech.com/expedition/viti/. People can sponsor the climb at one cent per foot, five cents per foot, or make donations of $2,500, $5,000, $10,000 or $25,000. For more information, visit www.keshet.org.
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Roadfood Festival celebrates regional American cuisine

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An estimated 30,000 visitors attended the second annual New Orleans Roadfood Festival, the regional American food festival that took place March 27 to 28 on Royal Street in New Orleans. Nearly 50 restaurants representing four states participated in the event, which is a joint venture of Roadfood.com and the New Orleans Convention Company.

(l to r) John, Gail and Anthony Uglesich accept the inaugural Roadfood Blue Plate Award*

At the opening night party, held at the Boucvalt House, Gail and Anthony Uglesich, of New Orleans restaurant Uglesich's, received the first-ever Roadfood Blue Plate Award, which honors cooks and restaurateurs who have made a unique contribution to regional cuisine, helping sustain American foodways. The weekend also included a street festival of sample-size eats from legendary road food restaurants and the Roadfood Festival's sister event, the Louisiana Oyster Jubilee. Next year’s festival is scheduled for March 26 to 27, 2011.

*Photo courtesy of Stephen Rushmore
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Sodexho exec becomes NRA policy leader

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The National Restaurant Association (NRA) has named Joan Rector McGlockton vice president of industry affairs and food policy, where she will oversee food regulatory policy and advocacy efforts. McGlockton most recently was senior vice president of corporate affairs for Sodexho Inc.

"Joan brings a breadth of knowledge of foodservice and restaurant operational issues to this key leadership role for the association," said Scott DeFife, executive vice president of policy and government affairs for the NRA, in a statement. "Food safety and nutrition are critical issues for the NRA and our members. We are pleased to welcome Joan to our team, and we look forward to her leadership and expertise."

McGlockton spent 12 years at Sodexho, where she also served as associate general counsel. Before that, she was corporate secretary at Marriott International Inc.
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The center of the plate doesn't need to be a lonely place

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SPONSORED POST


Enter the Grade Me Recipe Contest for foodservice professionals, sponsored by Bush Brothers! Contestants have until May 14 to submit to www.grademerecipecontest.com an original side dish that incorporates at least one Bush's Best product. Anyone who visits the Grade Me Recipe Contest Web site can vote on the entries using an A to F scale. Contestants will have the chance to win $5,000 or an XL Big Green Egg grill in addition to being showcased as a Bush Brothers featured chef. Voting ends May 31, and the winners will be notified by June 11. For more information, visit www.grademerecipecontest.com.
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RCA elects new Board of Directors

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The Research Chefs Association (RCA) has announced the results of its recent Board of Directors election for the 2010-2011 term. Here are the new directors:
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Six-member ACF Culinary Team USA selected

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After successfully competing in the hot-food and cold-food competitions, six chefs were selected for American Culinary Federation (ACF) Culinary Team USA for savory. They will represent the United States at the Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg this November and the 2012 International Culinary Art Exhibition (IKA) in Erfurt, Germany.

Judges evaluated presentation and layout, composition and harmony of ingredients, correct preparation and craftsmanship and serving methods and portions. The following chefs will represent ACF Culinary Team USA:
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The Liberty owners appear on 'The Chef's Wife'

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At a recent appearance on WTVI's "The Chef's Wife" cooking and talk show, Charlotte, N.C. chef Tom Condron and his business partner Matthew Pera share a behind-the-scenes look at opening The Liberty restaurant in Charlotte. The two-part webisode, titled "Do You Have What it Takes to Open a Restaurant?", can be viewed at www.chefs-wife.com/resources/webisodes.

The dining room at The Liberty

Condron and Pera opened The Liberty restaurant, an American-style gastropub, in October 2009. For more information, visit www.thelibertycharlotte.com.
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NRA Performance Index reaches highest level
in over two years

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Driven by a solid improvement in restaurant operators' outlook for sales growth, capital spending plans and staffing levels, the National Restaurant Association's (NRA) Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) rose to its highest level in 27 months in February. The comprehensive index of restaurant activity stood at 99.0, up 0.7 percent from January and the highest since November 2007.

Although same-store sales, customer traffic and capital expenditures remained negative, restaurant operators said they are more optimistic about the direction of the economy. Thirty-eight percent said they expect economic conditions to improve in six months, while 13 percent expect economic conditions to worsen during the next six months. To view the complete data, visit www.restaurant.org/trendmapper.
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