Green Dining Best Practices guide for chefs

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Corporate cafeterias, museums and restaurants across the country are about to take a bite out of foodservice costs by sparing the environment.

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Restaurant Associates (RA) unveiled their Green Dining Best Practices--a comprehensive set of science-based recommendations for environmentally friendly foodservice. The practices have been tested by two RA clients, Random House and Hearst Corp., early results will save over $85,000 each year at the two sites, cut 275 tons of carbon pollution and reduce landfill waste by 60 tons annually, among other environmental benefits.

In a National Restaurant Association survey of trends for 2009, environmentally friendly equipment and sustainable practices topped chefs’ lists of hot trends and top cost-savers. The Green Dining Best Practices, available free of charge at www.edf.org/greendining, focus on aspects of the foodservice and restaurant industry with the biggest environmental impacts, including food purchasing (addressing specific products like meat, produce and seafood), facility operation (improvements in the use of energy, waste, and water), packaging, transportation of food, and the use of toxic cleaning chemicals. The best practices provide clear, objective, science-based advice for dining managers and chefs to make smart choices in their kitchens to improve environmental performance across the board. See video below for more information, or visit the EDF Web site.
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Register for the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo

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SPONSORED POST

Join us at the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo Aug. 30 to Sept. 1 at the San Diego Convention Center. As always at the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo, you’ll discover the absolute best in foodservice and business solutions--solutions you can apply to your business immediately.

• Educational sessions highlighting the latest information, including: sustainable seafood and responding to allergy trends
• ACF Culinary Competitions and Hot Spot Chef demonstrations
• The most extensive hospitality networking anywhere

REGISTER TODAY!
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Team Coast Guard wins Armed Forces Iron Chef Competition

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Team Coast Guard was named the Armed Forces Culinary Iron Chef Champions at the 2009 Armed Forces Iron Chef Competition on May 16 held at Olympic College in Bremerton, Wash.

The team of chefs from the ISC Seattle prepared five dishes in 60 minutes against seven other teams from Washington installations and units composed of Air Force, Army and Navy chefs. The secret ingredient was kumquat.

Team Coast Guard (from l to r) Petty Officer 2nd Class Ricky Uyeno, Petty Officer 1st Class Galen Varon, Senior Chief Petty Officer Lorn Gordy, Petty Officer 3rd Class Candace Gracik with son Romeo and Petty Officer 1st Class Doug van Kampen

Service members competed in five other events as part of the culinary competition: a chili cook-off, best barbecue ribs, hors d'oeuvres, cake decorating and a sugar art display. The team from Naval Base Kitsap was selected as the overall winner of the six-category competition.
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SOS to hold Great American Dine Out summer webinars

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Share Our Strength's Great American Dine Out is offering a series of summer webinars to provide strategies and ideas for restaurant operators who want to participate in the dine out for charity, which takes place from Sept. 20 to 26.

The Great American Dine Out is a week-long, nationwide event in which participating restaurants donate a portion of proceeds to help end childhood hunger in America. It is a flexible program, meaning operators can decide how they want to implement and promote it.

The first webinar takes place from 11:30 a.m. to noon EST on July 1. Operators considering joining the cause or seeking ideas and strategies can register for the webinars at www2.gotomeeting.com/register/831234170.
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PMA to host July produce conference

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Foodservice and produce industry members from across the supply chain will gather July 24 to 26 in Monterey, Calif., for the Produce Marketing Association's (PMA) 2009 Foodservice Conference & Exposition.

The conference is part of a multiphase effort by PMA, the National Restaurant Association and International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) to identify opportunities to increase fresh produce use in foodservice and promote healthy lifestyles. The opening session will summarize findings of a comprehensive operator research initiative currently under way that is examining opportunities and barriers for greater produce use in the foodservice sector.

Foodservice operators who register by July 10 can get discounted registration rates. For more information and to register online, visit www.pma.com/foodservice.
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ACF announces 2009 Achievement of Excellence Award winners

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The American Culinary Federation (ACF) has announced the 15 winners of the 2009 Achievement of Excellence Awards, to be honored at ACF's 2009 National Convention, July 11 to 14.

ACF's Achievement of Excellence Awards recognize foodservice establishments that have been in operation at least five consecutive years, nominated by an ACF chapter and recognized as an industry leader.

And the winners are:

Casual Dining
Boca, Cincinnati
Cafe in the Square, Buffalo, N.Y.

Culinary Program Full-Service Restaurant Facility
Riverside Community College Culinary Academy, Riverside, Calif.

Fine Dining
All in Good Taste Productions, Pittsburgh
Charlie Trotter's, Chicago
Daveed's at 934, Cincinnati
Deco, St. Augustine, Fla.

The French Laundry, Yountville, Calif.

Hartstone Inn, Camden Maine
The Inn at Little Washington, Washington, Va.
Le Coq Au Vin, Orlando, Fla.
The Yorktowne Hotel, York, Pa.

Pastry Shop/Bakery
Servatii Pastry Shop & Deli, Cincinnati

Private Clubs or Resorts
Kenwood Country Club, Cincinnati

Noncommercial Dining Establishment
The Seven Hills School, Cincinnati
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NRA names new staff to public affairs team

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The National Restaurant Association (NRA) announced several new staff members joining the organization.

Chris Raymond has been named vice president of political affairs for the NRA. In this role, Raymond will develop the association's political strategy on key initiatives and priorities. Raymond will work closely with members of Congress and Administration officials, manage grassroots efforts, and oversee the association's Political Action Committee (PAC) and the Save American Free Enterprise (SAFE) program. Prior to joining the NRA, Raymond was vice president of government relations for the National Council for Higher Education Loan Programs. Raymond also held several positions on Capitol Hill, including chief of staff/legislative director for Congressman Joe Sestak (D-PA).

David Koenig joins the association as director of tax and profitability, where he will develop and implement the association's public affairs strategy on tax and profitability at the state and federal level. This includes issues such as restaurant depreciation, business meal deductibility, and the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, among others. Prior to joining the NRA, Koenig was tax policy director for the American Forest and Paper Association and held previous positions with Texaco and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Caitlin Donahue has been named the director of the association's PAC. In this role, Donahue will handle the day-to-day management of the PAC and set strategy to align and support the Association's strategic plan. Most recently, Donahue was executive director of candidate advocacy for the Business Industry Political Action Committee. Donahue previously worked as manager of political involvement for Procter & Gamble.
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Houston seafood buffet restaurant turns 10

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Todai Houston is celebrating its 10th year anniversary. The restaurant features a 100-foot-plus buffet of fresh seafood and classic Japanese, Chinese and American cuisines.

"Time does fly when you are having fun," chef/owner Mark Shim said in a press release, "and we have fun at Todai Houston. In the past year, we have added a Churrascaria Rodizio service for the carnivores among our diners which includes continuous service featuring twelve different roasted meats, and an Enigmatic Wine System for the freshest wines by the glass."

Todai Houston will celebrate its anniversary with a four-day special event July 13 to 16, featuring its signature selection of international cuisines for a casual, family friendly and festive cruise-like dining experience including chef specials.
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