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Add Umami with Miso Powder

Jul 02, 2014

These days, chefs and home cooks alike have umami on their minds. Known as the “fifth taste,” the term umami is predominantly described as a savory flavor. Are you looking for a way to enhance your dishes with that savory, delicious taste that guests crave? There are many foods that contain glutamate, the amino acid compound that imparts wonderful umami flavor– parmesan cheese, soy sauce, mushrooms, tomatoes, carrots, and shellfish, are just a few examples. Looking for something new? Try miso powder. Famous Japanese chef Nobuyaki Matsuhisa (widely known as Nobu) discovered the powder by accident when he left a tub of his miso paste uncovered in the refrigerator and decided to use the dried out product anyways. The results were good and his small mistake turned into his signature seasoning. Try sprinkling miso powder on fish, meat, chicken, and even salads. Read more here.

Here are some more creative ways you can cook with miso powder (dry miso):

1. Dressings and gravies
2. Broths
3. Jams
4. Glazes
5. Marinades

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June 2014 Newsletter

Jun 24, 2014

Greetings!

Winter may have been tough on businesses (not to mention agriculture) in many parts of the country—persistent heat and drought in the West, snow and cold weather as far south as Atlanta—but things are looking up for many sectors of the restaurant industry as foodservice spending returns to pre-Recession levels. It’s not just the top of the market, either; the rising fortunes of companies like Denny’s and Cracker Barrel are pointing to improved economic health in the middle class as well.

Our industry has always been adaptable and resilient, adjusting menus and price points to respond to rising food and labor costs and fluctuating consumer demand. Case in point is the growing fast-casual sector, where big chains and upscale chefs and operators alike are developing concepts that answer the call for quality and convenience at a value price point; see our story this month for some of the latest evidence of this game-changing “polished casual” trend.

We’ve also got a call to action from our associate Karen Brennan on the importance of paying attention to the “experience economy,” where the whole package offered by any given concept is crucial, beginning with the food.
Finally, with the arrival of hot weather, it’s time to make yourself a refreshing Gin & Tonic and read about seasonal summer cocktails.

To your success, Dean Small and Danny Bendas

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“Polished Casual”: The New Revolution in Fast Casual

By Joan Lang

Karen Brennan’s excellent article on the “experience economy” hits the nail on the head about the new breed of fast casual restaurants—she calls them polished casual—and it’s the truth behind why so many established companies and entrepreneurial chefs are weighing in with their own versions of the quick-service upgrade. Elevating not only the food but also the entire guest experience package in a brand spinoff seems to be the right formula for success in this marketplace.

Grilled steak laab bowl Shophouse Southeast Asian Kitchen | Photo Credit Flickr User T. Tseng CC by 2.0 License
Grilled steak laab bowl Shophouse Southeast Asian Kitchen | Photo Credit Flickr User T. Tseng CC by 2.0 License

Chipotle may have invented the model, and now Chipotle is digging even further with the ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen concept and the new Pizzeria Locale, which collectively give customers fast-casual versions of all three of the “first generation” ethnic concepts (Mexican, Asian and Italian).

But Chipotle’s not the only long-timer playing in the bigger, better quick-service sandbox. Taco Bell is working on a spinoff called U.S. Taco Co. and Urban Taproom which represents a logical extension of its hugely successful premium Cantina Bell platform in challenging Chipotle and appealing to more sophisticated consumers. Though the company is keeping details close to the vest, observers are predicting two models, one of which will capture imbibers with an extensive collection of beers and a buzzy beer milkshake.

Meanwhile, Taco Bell sibling KFC is sidling into Chik-fil-A territory with Super Chix, which a pared-down menu specializing in sandwiches, boneless tenders with mix-and-match sauces, fries and newly-trendy frozen custard. Tellingly, the new concept eschews its KFC connection in all its branding. With irons in multiple fires, the chicken giant has also opened KFC Eleven, with its amped-up menu that includes such of-the-moment offerings as salad, rice bowls and flatbreads.

As if that weren’t enough evidence that YUM Brands is in experimental mode, the company has recently launched Banh Shop, an Asian sandwich shop in Dallas that will sell variations on the iconic Vietnamese banh mi.

And Pizza Hut is dabbling with upscale notions such as display kitchens, customized pie builds, interactive ordering , and better-quality products, such as the new Firebaked Style Flatbread Pizzas, while Sbarro does upscale with its new Pizza Cucinova platform.

Legal Sea Food is working in the opposite direction, scaling down to conquer with Legal Crossing, the first in a line of standalone casual eateries designed to cater to individual markets where a full-scale LSF would be inappropriate. Next up, Legal Oysteria, with an Italian coastal vibe, which will join the stable that include Legal C Bar and its abbreviated but classic “seafare” menu. While these are not fast-casual concepts per se, they certainly follow the trend of creating a brand that’s more accessible to a wider variety of consumers, focusing on value as well as quality and an overall experience.

Fox Restaurant Concepts , a multi-concept, mostly full-service restaurant company with notable strength in Arizona, has recently opened Flower Child in Phoenix, which promises retro-chic “healthy food for a healthy world” in the form of salads, vegetable and grain plates, and whole-grain wraps. Vegans and vegetarians can order many of these items as-is, while omnivores have the option of adding grass-fed beef, natural chicken or sustainable salmon.

Fast-casual and casualized fine dining also hold great appeal for white-tablecloth chefs with their eyes on bringing their food to more people—and the huge paychecks attendant with chainable concepts. Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich are just the latest in a long line of name brand chef/restaurateurs (Bobby Flay, Danny Meyer, et al) experimenting with better burgers, with the new B&B Burger & Beer, in Las Vegas. Brad Ogden, who made his James Beard-winning bones with restaurants like Campton Place and Lark Creek, has opened Funky Chicken in Houston, with his son Bryan (way to get the family in the business, Dad). And Cathal Armstrong, of the highly rated Restaurant Eve in Restaurant Eve in Alexandria, VA, now has Eamonn’s, a “Dublin chipper” dispensing fish and chips and other fanciful fried foods, including fried Snickers bars.

Need help with your fast-casual idea or concept? Contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants.


 


Flavors of the Season: Summer Cocktails

By Joan Lang

 

With the dogs days of July and August arriving in many parts of the country, now is the time to switch out wintertime warmers and whisky-based drinks, to incorporate lighter spirits, more refreshing mixers, and fresh fruit and vegetable elements. In fact, if you’re not changing your cocktail list to follow the seasons, summer is the time to start—especially if you have outdoor dining space.

Even if your staff does not include a bar manager or mixologist who’s adept at creating signature cocktails, there are many popular classic and new-era imbibes to experiment with.

Gin & Tonic

Spain’s obsession with this beloved summer cooler has caught on stateside, turning your Dad’s old highball into a specialty drink made with a growing variety of different kinds of gin, artisanal or housemade tonic, and interesting garnishes and muddles ranging from strawberries to star anise. The selection of G&T’s at Michael Chiarello’s Spanish restaurant Coqueta, in San Francisco, or the D.C.’s Nora hint at all that is possible.

Bucks

This refreshing category of drinks uses ginger ale or ginger beer to bring a kick to citrus and spirits, such as vodka (called a Moscow Mule) and rum (including the famous Dark ‘n’ Stormy). Like the Gin & Tonic, this category is catching on thanks to wider availability of artisanal carbonated ginger beverages.

Classics

The Daiquiri and the Collins – Here are two traditional warm-weather cocktails that are making a comeback. Simply upgrading the spirits-and-sour-mix formula with freshly-squeezed lemon or lime juice, simple syrup, and small-batch or specialty rum (in the case of the Daiquiri) and gin, vodka or rum (the Collins) is enough to set these standards on a new track. But the beauty of both these drinks are their endless versatility to incorporate fresh fruit or juice (such as blackberries in a Daiquiri or honey and peach puree in a Collins) and other ingredients, such as sparkling wine or rhubarb bitters.

Mojitos

Lots of muddled mint and lime plus rum, sugar and a splash of soda create this iconic Cuban cocktail, which can be switched up with the likes of fresh cucumber, berries, mango and more. On a trip to the Florida Keys this winter, I fell in love with the dirty mojito, made with dark rum and Demerara sugar.

New-Wave Highballs

At its simplest, a highball is nothing more than a spirit plus a mixer such as ginger ale or soda water, served over lots of ice in a tall glass. But upgrade the mixer to something like Italian grapefruit soda or housemade tea soda, and/or add another liquor and some bitters, and you’ve got something sophisticated and worthy of premium status.
By the Pitcher – We all know how great a pitcher of Sangria can be on a hot day, but there are many cocktails that also can be marketed in this larger format, including the White Negroni (gin, white vermouth and Cocchi Americano), rum punches, Pimms Cup, and more.

Don’t forget to summarize your wine and beer selection too, with lighter-drinking rose, white wines such as Pinot Gris and Gruner Veltliner, hard cider, and refreshing suds such as summer ales and wheat beers. In fact, craft brewers are making it easier all the time with their own seasonal beer selections.

For more cocktail inspiration, check out this collection of more than 250 recipes from The Food Network.


Winning in the Experience Economy

By Karen A. Brennan, Marketing & Branding Strategy

Synergy just celebrated its 25th anniversary, and it’s clear that the industry has changed remarkably since the company began. The ‘60s and ‘70s had ushered in the modern “fern bar” with chains line TGI Fridays in 1965, Red Lobster in 1968 and Chili’s in 1975. Other seeds of the modern restaurant business—like Subway in 1965, Starbucks in 1971 and Chuck E. Cheese in 1977—also had their impact. These concepts are still around today, influencing how guests view their dining experiences. In a way, it shows us that there is nothing really new under the sun:

• Chipotle used the Subway model of food assembly with fresher, better ethnic flavor profiles (and a little tequila on the side).

• Chuck E. Cheese paved the way for the “eatertainment” trend of the ‘90s, like Rainforest Café in 1994, Dave & Busters (which went public 1995) and ESPN Zone in 1998.

• And what casual restaurant doesn’t aspire to create the “third place” connection and loyalty that Starbucks has been able to engender over the years?

Chipotle’s focus on upgraded food and customized ordering has created a new-concept revolution
Chipotle’s focus on upgraded food and customized ordering has created a new-concept revolution

Clearly, the opportunity lies in variations on the themes. The Chipotle model is being replicated all over, from Chipotle’s own ShopHouse Asian fast casual to Columbus-based Piada Italian and Sbarro’s new Pizza Cucinova, a build-your-own pizza concept.

And while “eatertainment” seemed like a major trend of the ‘90s, it fell a little short, as some operators lost focus on the food and are no longer in business. As Wolfgang Puck’s entry into Las Vegas with Spago showed, it’s about the food, not the entertainment. Puck changed the face of eatertainment by showing that regardless of the entertainment value in the venue, it’s ultimately about the food. In the “new normal” marketplace, entertainment is ‘necessary’ but not ‘sufficient’ to a great dining experience.

Ultimately, restaurants can’t make it without a great overall food experience with the emphasis back on food. Think of it as formula for success in the new “Experience Economy”:

E = MC2

Experience (E) = Meal (M) x Circumstances (C)

• (M) = THE MEAL
– Food
– Beverage

• (C) = THE CIRCUMSTANCES
– Service Model
– Physical Plant
– The Fit

And the squared part? As any Einstein can tell you, in the restaurant business that means consistently, every single shift—it’s the exclamation point of the formula.

From top right: Slaw Dogs’ Reuben Dog; M’s  Black Orchid cocktail; pour-over soup adds a service flourish; the Korean taco
From top right: Slaw Dogs’ Reuben Dog; M’s Black Orchid cocktail; pour-over soup adds a service flourish; the Korean taco

The food must provide flavor experiences and presentations with flair for customers who have become increasingly more sophisticated; the beverage offerings must include surprise and showmanship; the service model is fundamental to how guests enjoy the overall experience including service style and service touches; the physical plant must be engaging rather than merely entertaining; and the experience must fit the venue and the lifestyle of the target guest. In other words, everything counts.

Baby Boomers and Millennials, because of their sheer numbers, are driving restaurant trends, and while baby boomers drove the development of casual dining, Millennials don’t remember a time before Starbucks and the Food Channel. Restaurants are integrated into their lifestyles—they can get quality food with minimal effort at a restaurant, and as a bonus, they can spend that mealtime with friends or family. As we at Synergy travel around the country, we see best-in-class examples of food, beverage, service and physical plant touches every day.

FOOD— With the increasing food savvy of today’s consumers, more and more companies are embracing a culinary culture with more interesting taste experiences and increased food sophistication, including ethnic cuisines and interesting flavor concepts (like burnt sugar waffle cones, food fusions such as Mexican/ Korean, and interesting, quirky builds like Slaw Dogs’ Reuben Dog). Likewise, presentation flourishes such as interesting serviceware and pour-over Tortilla Soup provide just the flair to motivate guests to tweet and Instagram pictures of their food to “share” with their friends (a win-win in today’s social media age.)

Brickhouse Tavern sets itself apart with service | 800 Degrees offers totally customized pizzas, made fresh to order
Brickhouse Tavern sets itself apart with service | 800 Degrees offers totally customized pizzas, made fresh to order

BEVERAGES —Surprise and showmanship in glassware, garnishes and ices (like the Black Orchid Martini at Cameron Mitchell’s M and one-of-a-kind beer flights and wine options) add to the fun of the overall experience. Smoking, muddling, flaming and pouring all create an experience, not just a beverage.

SERVICE— Approaching each patron’s meal as a Guest Journey creates an emotional connection to the brand (and emotional connection is the secret to great branding). A polished-casual vibe allows guests to feel richer than they are, and the fast casual model allows guests to be creative and participate in creating their own food, as they do with the customizable menus at concepts like Subway, Chipotle, Piada, 800 Degrees and Pizza Cucinova. Staff interaction—for example, the way the service staff at Brickhouse Tavern present their business cards when introducing themselves to guests—can seal the deal by making the experience personal, not just a business transaction.

THE PHYSICAL PLANT— Ambience and décor also allow brands to engage customers in their story, and great brands are about story telling. The keys to success are “Is the story authentic, is the story compelling and does the story connect & resonate with guests?”

LYFE Kitchen menu boards echo the concept’s focus on clean, healthy food
LYFE Kitchen menu boards echo the concept’s focus on clean, healthy food

Technology such as Specialty Café’s iPad ordering; lighting such as that at Cameron Mitchell’s M, which changes during the course of the meal; the digital imagery of LYFE Kitchen’s image boards; the freshness cues of the exposed kitchens at California Pizza Kitchen and Tender Greens; and unique seating options like soft seating, outside seating, communal seating (for example, at Brickhouse Tavern, Urban Plates, Panera, Starbucks and LYFE Kitchen)… all of these special touches create an inexplicable something that guests are drawn to on an emotional level. That’s the secret of a great brand and the secret of winning in the new experience economy.

But it bears repeating that the best restaurants focus on the FOOD: Great food is the starting point, with the overall experience being the packaging around that great food. Success = Meal x Circumstance.

 

Caption The lighting at Cameron Mitchell’s M changes during the course of the meal

The lighting at Cameron Mitchell’s M changes during the course of the meal

Mendocino Farms, a “sandwich market” with locations in the Los Angeles area, puts all the elements together
Mendocino Farms, a “sandwich market” with locations in the Los Angeles area, puts all the elements together

The Top Ten Secrets to Winning in the Experience Economy

#10 Customers are becoming more and more sophisticated
#9 Great food isn’t enough anymore; it is just the price of entry today
#8 Great food demands great presentations—how it’s served is almost as important as what is served
#7 Experience is about the meal and the circumstances
#6 The experience must connect to what guests care about
#5 The experience has to engage customers: What’s the story?
#4 The experience must be authentic or customers will turn off
#3 Today everything counts—from the seating to the sizzle
#2 If restaurants aren’t continuously getting better…they’re falling behind
#1 To win in the “experience economy” and stand the test of time, restaurants must have a passion for great food


Tip of the Month

One of the easiest ways to make your restaurant more sustainable—and to pass that eco-correct message on to your guests—is composting. The National Restaurant Associations shares 10 tips for starting or improving your composting efforts. Click here to learn more.

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Restaurants Get Creative to Mitigate Menu Price Increases

Jun 18, 2014

Many national restaurant chains are getting creative to help curb the effects of menu price increases.  Brands such as Chipotle and McAlister’s Deli are using different menu innovation tactics to soften the blow of rising prices.  In an effort to maintain value for customers, Chipotle targeted specific proteins for price increase, for example, raising the price of steak more than chicken.  McAlister’s introduced sandwiches that offered more meat for more money, instead of scaling back on protein portions to keep prices down.  To diversify their menu, BD’s Mongolian Grill added a new menu category that offers cooked-to-order entrees and sides that will complement the restaurant’s signature build-your-own stir-fry offering.  This new segment will offer a variety of price points and give consumers more choice and flexibility in their budgets.

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Human Resources Expert Brian McDonough Joins Synergy Restaurant Consultants

Jun 17, 2014

Synergy Restaurant Consultants is pleased to announce that hospitality expert Brian McDonough has joined the firm’s Human Resources team. “I learned early on that Synergy’s basic premise is to provide industry expertise to those who wish to make their business better, more efficient and more profitable regardless of the company size, location or concept,” says Brian. “I am very excited for the opportunity to provide proficiency on compliance and human resource issues to accomplish this same goal.”

With over 24 years experience in hospitality human relations, Brian specializes in assisting restaurants with human resource management and has worked for both independent operations and major chains in every U.S. state, Mexico, and Canada. Brian has worked extensively with restaurateurs, operators and franchisees teaching his best practices in talent acquisition, continuing education, compliance, policies and training.

From an operations and risk mitigation standpoint, Brian has successfully defended charges that include Wage & Hour related cases in multiple states with the EEOC, the Department of Labor and Civility, safety related issues with OSHA, Worker’s Compensation cases, guest injuries, public relations matters including the NLRB, immigration difficulties and crisis management related concerns.

Brian’s keen business acumen was developed through his studies in UCLA and Cal Poly Pomona’s business programs. He achieved his Pre-Law Certificate and Human Resources Certificate from UC Irvine and an M.A. in Organizational Leadership from Chapman University.

 

 

 

 

 

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Trend Report: Salads and Greens

Jun 10, 2014

Mann’s Packing (we are proud to say they are a client!) and Technomic have teamed up to produce a comprehensive report on consumer preferences of salad greens and their trending patterns across menus nationwide. According to the report, two-thirds of diners are eager to try new salad greens and are not pleased with ordinary options offered at most restaurants. The study found that consumers prefer the robust texture and mild flavor of crunchy, dark leaves that have been chopped into bite-sized pieces. Salads are big for this summer and we highly recommend downloading this report for the valuable insight on today’s salad trends.

 

To download the complete report, click here.

 

 

 

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Panera Announces Groundbreaking New Food Policy  

Jun 05, 2014
Photo Credit: Flickr User samantha celera cc by nd 2.0
Photo Credit: Flickr User samantha celera cc by nd 2.0

This week, Panera Bread Company announced a new food policy that aims to bring more transparency to its menu ingredients and make a positive impact on the food system.  Panera plans to remove all artificial additives and preservatives from its menu by the end of 2016, a goal aligned with the company’s commitment to serving clean food.  This is huge news for the fast casual industry and a definite step in the right direction.  Hats off to Panera!

 

For more information, check out this article from Nation’s Restaurant News.

 

 

 

 

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Starbucks Is Serving Up Sodas this Summer

May 31, 2014

Starbucks is synonymous with coffee. Even if you don’t like Starbucks, you know who they are, and you see them everywhere. But that doesn’t mean that the beverage behemoth neglects to reevaluate its menu every so often. Recently, Starbucks has unveiled a new drink offering that has nothing to do with coffee (or tea) — sodas! Handcrafted sodas, to be exact. Touted as made fresh on demand with no preservatives, artificial flavors, or high-fructose corn syrup, consumers will enjoy Golden Ginger Ale, Spiced Root Beer and Lemon Ale sodas as soon as this summer.

 

Furthermore, on the heels of this news, Starbucks is planning to offer burgers as well. Actually, it’s not at their Starbucks stores, but rather at their La Boulange chain restaurants.

It’s clear that with menu development, it’s all about research and trial and error. Starbucks has had its misses in the past with failed drinks like the Sorbetto and Chantico, but that’s not stopping them from getting creative and competitive.

For more information, check out http://www.starbucks.com/promo/sodas

 

 

 

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May 2014 Newsletter

May 20, 2014

There’s no doubt that 2014 has emerged as the Year of the Healthy Menu. But what does that mean exactly? Is it low-calorie food? Organic ingredients? Allergen-free? Vegan and vegetarian?

The subject of healthy menus has always presented challenges, beginning with the fact that consumers are apt to say one thing and do entirely another, saying they want to see more healthy options and then ordering fries with their sandwich and a dessert to end the meal.

That doesn’t make it any less important to give your guests the choice, however, as clients like Tender Greens and LYFE Kitchen have proven. These and other companies like them specialize in good food that their guests can feel good about ordering, but they haven’t forgotten one crucial piece of information: People are also looking for flavor and pleasure when they dine out.

To your success, Dean Small and Danny Bendas


More Ways to Menu Chicken

By Joan Lang

chicken menu

For years chicken has been treated as an also-ran by many menu-makers, who might provide an obligatory grilled chicken breast or chicken sandwich. Now this versatile protein is getting its due, thanks in part to soaring beef and pork prices and consumer concerns about health.

Several chains are successfully treating chicken to the elevated “better burger” model, coming to market with chicken-centric fast casual menus. And it’s not just about the wings.

The 24-unit PDQ fulfills its People Dedicated to Quality promise with a menu touting fresh chicken tenders in sandwiches, salads and meals, with homemade sauces and dressings plus hand-spun shakes and homemade cookies. ChocoChicken, the latest creation of Umami Burger founder Adam Fleischman, is opening its second location celebrating the unusual marriage of chicken and chocolate, wherein the chicken in steeped in a chocolate-based marinade, dredged in chocolate laced flour, and coated with a 17-spice rub before being deep-fried.

Meanwhile, Yum Brands’ new premium Super Chix concept eschews any connection to its blue-collar sibling KFC with a pared-down menu of hand-breaded chicken sandwiches, tenders, fries and frozen custard. (KFC has its own KFC eleven experiment in Louisville, with a menu that includes chicken-based flatbreads, salads, rice bowls and sandwiches, in addition to the boneless fried chicken meals.)

Domino’s has been using chicken to help nudge itself outside of the pizza box, with the new Specialty Chicken platform, which features boneless chicken with various toppings and sauces, as well as a mix-and-match program in which the poultry can be combined with pizza, Stuffed Cheesy Bread, oven-baked sandwiches and more. Wendy’s has also been very proactive about adding signature chicken items to its menu, first with the Pretzel Pub Chicken Sandwich and now the new Tuscan Chicken on Ciabatta.

Indeed, taking a familiar product like chicken and merchandising it with a unique bread and condiments has helped the bird become the most-featured protein in sandwiches and wraps , according to Food Genius.

And there are plenty of more surprising and creative ways to put chicken on the menu, not only because of its versatility and low food costs, but also because consumers are more familiar with chicken and that makes them more likely to try it in a different preparation.

Chicken Menu Sampler

There’s no reason a chicken selection has to be boring, particularly now that there is wider availability of high-quality farm-raised chicken to showcase

Chicken Two Ways for Two: Confit with puff pastry, foie gras and cauliflower roasted with black truffle, celeriac and Brussels sprouts – The Lobby, Chicago

Pot Roast Chicken with Mustard (from chef Michael Ruhl)

Sunday Night Fried Chicken (family style): Black Hog Farm chicken, mashed potatoes, creamed peas, Black Sheep collard greens and biscuits – The Black Sheep, Jacksonville, FL

Chicken Noodle Soup: Ginger, herbs, sweet soy, rice noodles – Shepherd’s Pie, Rockland, ME

Amish Roast Chicken: Moroccan couscous, almonds, preserved lemon-mango chutney, raita – The Majestic, Alexandria, VA

Chicken Waffle Tenders (from Kraft)

Grilled Chicken & Portobello Risotto: Roasted garlic, basil & Parm veggies, balsamic redux – Blu, Norman, OK
Crispy Chicken Pizza Sandwich: Grilled chicken breast, ranch dressing, sautéed spinach, diced Roma tomatoes, onion, bacon, mozzarella, provolone _ Fletchers, Anchorage

Chicken Confit: Crisped-skin confit chicken leg served over farro sautéed w/ apple & fennel; topped w/ paprika gravy – The Gerald, Seattle

Thai Coconut Salad: Mixed greens, roasted chicken, grated coconut, cucumber, roasted sweet potato, peanut mango dressing – ModMarket (Colorado-based)

Contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants if you’d like a menu consultation.


 


Tableside Manner: Dinner as Theater

By Joan Lang

 

Remember the gueridon? The opulent sideboard or tableside trolley where meat could be carved and menu items finished in view of the customer now seems like a relic, but it was all in fashion in certain kinds of European-style restaurants in the 19th and early 20th centuries. A few celebrated restaurants still prepare a tableside Caesar salad or café brulot, but by-and-large this style of service has gone pfffttt in the wake of casualization—and the need to maximize seating.

But maybe it’s time for some forms of elevated service to make a comeback—service, after all, is a means for differentiation and providing a more memorable customer experience. Even something as simple as pressing down the plunger of a coffee French press when delivering it to the table achieves a level of customer engagement that will set your service apart.

Some savvy operators are even bringing back the tableside trolley, in the form of repurposed dim sum carts, as at State Bird Provisions in San Francisco and Ma Peche in New York City. Giada De Laurentiis, when she opens her new Giada restaurant in Las Vegas later this month, plans Italian-style brunch items and desserts from a roaming fleet of pink and gold carts.

It’s a brilliant way to build sales, of course, attracting a chorus of “I want that!”s even louder than the lavishly garnished cocktail or oversized dessert parading by to a neighboring table. But it also conveys personalized service in a way that few other gimmicks can. We’re not even talking about made-to-order liquid nitrogen ice cream or chefs coming out into the dining room to deliver the food, either—just good old-fashioned service with a tableside flourish.

• In honor of the beginning of the final season of Mad Men, Travelle in Chicago’s Langham hotel added tableside cocktail cart service, in the form of sleek roaming carts dispensing the specialty Madhattan cocktail, made with the customer’s choice of whiskey, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, and smoked simple syrup

Mi Dia from Scratch, in Grapevine, TX, is known for its must-order tableside guacamole, crafted in a traditional molcajete and customized with an array of interesting mix-ins, including sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts and bacon

• The concept at Penne, in Philadelphia, includes a pasta bar where guests can watch chef Eileen Watkin make such specialties as gnocchi, ravioli and linguini with seafood in a white wine-tomato sauce

• Desnuda, in New York City, offers an over-the-top Bong-Smoked Oysters in which the bivalves are smoked a la minute with lapsang souchong tea and Sichuan peppercorns

• Chefs and restaurateurs like Lafayette’s Andrew Carmellini are bringing back the dramatic art of tableside flambéing with menu items ranging from cocktails to entrees and desserts

But even if you can’t afford the cart—or the extra fire insurance—there are many simple, effective ways to provide a tableside service experience.

• Serve soup from a tureen or pitcher, ladling or pouring the liquid over solid ingredients such as garnishes in front of the customer (use a folded napkin for protection against splashes)

• Finish a shrimp cocktail at table with an optional shot of tequila or premium vodka

• Spoon dressing for salad or sauce for a meat dish from a sauceboat or caddy, along with garnishes such as cheese or croutons; the same concept works for a dessert sauce or fruit garnish

• The growing popularity of large-format dishes like roasts or family-style meals suggests a renewed opportunity for tableside carving or serving. Even presenting the item in its entirety at the table and then removing it to the kitchen for cutting and plating gets extra credit

• For “up” cocktails like Martinis and Manhattans, pour part of the mixture from a petite carafe into a chilled glass, then set the rest of the drink in a bowl of ice to keep it cold

• Create a signature dish en papillote (cooked in parchment or foil), which can be sliced open at the table to release the delicious aroma and reveal the food inside

• Mix up a dipping sauce of olive oil, cheese, hot pepper, chopped garlic and herbs at the table before presenting the bread service

• Consider adding a classic of tableside preparation or presentation, such as steak tartare or a cheese course; in the case of the steak, the meat can be ground and plated in the kitchen, but condiments such as anchovies and onions can be added to the customer’s specifications at the table

• Serve family-style side dishes in the French manner, spooning vegetables or potatoes out for each diner from a large bowl or platter

• Caramelize crème brulee or a meringue dessert with a handheld torch

• Finish affogato (gelato “drowned” with a shot of espresso) at the table, pouring the hot espresso over a heatproof container of gelato

For help upgrading your service, contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants.


Negative Yelp Reviews: To Respond or Not Respond

By Emily Callaghan, Communications Manager

Any business operator can tell you that Yelp reviews can help or hurt, and since no one can please 100% of customers 100% of the time, restaurant owners can expect a less-than-glowing review at some point. In fact, negative reviews can even be seen as a positive, showing legitimacy (no concept is perfect) and honesty (all-positive reviews could suggest paid reviews). They can also provide management with important feedback.

How can restaurant owners handle a negative Yelp review? Here are the basic options:

Ignore the review: If a reviewer absolutely hated your miso-braised short ribs but most people rave about them, it might not make sense to respond apologetically. Most importantly, don’t take an isolated complaint to heart.

Note: If a reviewer absolutely “hated” your miso-braised short ribs but your restaurant is vegan, it might make sense to respond and remind them of your offerings, suggesting that they post the review on the intended restaurant’s Yelp page instead—wrapping up, of course, with a cheerful “Have a great day!”

Respond to the review: If a reviewer had an unfortunate experience—their server was rude and messed up their order, their soup was cold even after they sent it back to the kitchen—take the reviewer’s feedback seriously and take any necessary measures to ensure that other guests don’t have the same experience. Here’s how to respond:

1. Stay Cool. Before getting defensive or upset, take a breather, waiting a few days to respond if necessary. Just as Yelp reminds businesses, your reviewers are (we must assume) paying customers. They’re also vocal, and can be quick to escalate a situation if they feel it’s been handled inappropriately.

2. Public or Private? Experts are divided on responding publicly or privately, but we like the idea of a professional, well-crafted, short-and-sweet, public response, as it demonstrates to other reviewers that you’ve taken the time and effort to make right a situation gone wrong. If the reviewer seems like a loose cannon but it makes sense to respond, consider going private.

3. Mitigate. With a cool head, thank the reviewer for their feedback, apologize for their less-than-perfect experience and assure them that you’ve taken their feedback seriously.

4. Extend an invite. Ask the reviewer to stop by the restaurant and ask for you (the owner or GM), so that you can smooth over any standing issues, offer them a discount on another meal or take care of them in another way you see fit. If they leave happy, you can bet their follow-up modified review will be a positive one.


Tip of the Month

Leave it to the Hartman Group to take a good hard look at the Health and Wellness consumer. If you’d like to download the whitepaper associated with company’s 2013 “A Culture of Wellness” report detailing the four different levels of consumer engagement with wellness (Core, Inner Mid-Level, Outer Mid-Level and Periphery), click here.

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Restaurant Uniform Trends

May 20, 2014

 

 

As the millennial generation begins to take over many dining rooms and kitchens, uniform trends are starting to change.  Many restaurant managers are leaning toward more casual and flexible uniform policies, letting cooks and servers choose the style and fit that works best for them.  This might mean wearing your favorite soccer jersey, as is policy at Chicago’s Quartino, or letting cooks wear any style of chef coat and pants that fits them best, such is the practice at Bookstore Bar and Café in Seattle.  Many restaurants have forgone chef jackets altogether and instead outfit staff in more casual dishwasher shirts and of course there are restaurants that have eliminated uniforms altogether.  What is the uniform policy at your restaurant?  It might be time to consider a refresh.

 

For more on uniforms and other trends from the 2014 National Restaurant Show, visit restaurantbusinessonline.com

 

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April 2014 Newsletter

Apr 22, 2014

Greetings!

It’s hard to say whether the House of Representative’s recent passage of H.R. 2575 “Save American Workers Act,” which changes the definition of a full-time workweek from 30 hours to the more traditional 40 hours, is really that much of a victory for the restaurant industry.

Granted, the issues raised by the Affordable Care Act are both complex and controversial, but the pendulum may be swinging more in the direction of corporate social responsibility in the eyes of the public—many of whom could be your guests. For instance, according to a recent poll by Gallop, 71% of Americans are in favor of raising the minimum raise.

This is obviously another contentious issue for restaurants. But remember the hullabaloo about Walmart soliciting donations so its own workers could afford Christmas? And who can forget when Red Lobster got itself in a PR pickle for publicly stating it would cut its employees’ hours in the face of Obamacare?

We all know that employee turnover in restaurants and lodging is disproportionately high (in fact, at almost 63%, it outpaces the private sector by a wide margin), not to mention expensive for the operator. Meanwhile, labor experts like Andrew Sum of Northeastern University’s Center for Labor Market Studies, have gone on record saying that even in today’s economy restaurants are having trouble filling jobs because they don’t offer enough hours or high enough pay.

The hospitality industry already has a long-held reputation for being an employer of last resort. It may be time for us to stop protesting so much.

To your success, Dean Small and Danny Bendas

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Using Architectural Lines in Interior and Exterior Design

By Deborah Mayne, President, Charles Ramm Associates, Inc.

Design trends—be they fashion, food or interiors—happen in direct response to current conditions, and help address our human needs.

All interiors utilize linear elements to accomplish many effects, and they have since mankind began designing buildings. In most recent times, horizontal lines in interior environments have played a significantly larger role than vertical lines, due to the emotions they play to—horizontals makes us feel secure, and give us a sense of restfulness.

Design is in constant flux, mainly driven by global conditions, events, culture, and even our economy. Perhaps the recent use of horizontal lines results from the global instability we have been feeling, which has had its effects on most of us to some degree or another. Horizontal lines help to stabilize emotions, and most importantly they help connect us visually to the earth.

 

Photography courtesy of Moreau Kusunoki Architects
Photography courtesy of Moreau Kusunoki Architects
Photo courtesy of Mara Steevensz
Photo courtesy of Mara Steevensz

 

 

How an object orients in architecture is a significant design consideration. As global conditions improve, design trends change, and the use of vertical lines and elements begins to emerge more strongly. Verticals lift the mind and spirit and give us a psychological impression of strength and steadiness; a state of equilibrium with the force of gravity, alertness yet simplicity.

 

Architects and designers use vertical linear elements to inspire awe and in some cases to diminish the significance of human scale, most notably in public spaces. Dining rooms, public gathering spaces and performing spaces lend themselves well to these vertical lines as they reinforce dignity and strength. Use of vertical lines in moderation, combined with angular or curved lines, results in a congenial space of humanized warmth and balance.

 

Photo courtesy of Gindi Holding Sales
Photo courtesy of Gindi Holding Sales
Photo courtesy of CS Architects
Photo courtesy of CS Architects

Materials and patterns of vertical design are seen with greater dominance now in architecture and interiors; these can be created with wood, stone, metal, glass, tile, fabrics, and even plantscaping, to name a few. Use of these materials with long lines and staggered patterns provides a simple yet fashionable component to the space.

 

Photo courtesy of Ann Sacks
Photo courtesy of Ann Sacks
Photo courtesy of BDG Design Group
Photo courtesy of BDG Design Group

The approach of vertical plantscaping is another current and much celebrated trend today. Living walls are green and functional in that they can be used where vertical space exceeds horizontal surface. These living walls promote immediate air quality as well as a sense of physical comfort with their effects of shade and cooling. A living wall offers a constant state of fluctuation due to seasonal color changes and growth. These walls are aesthetic in nature, with geometric, linear and organic composition. Instant results are essentially provided to an exterior space or an interior environment with a living wall, much like a beautiful painting does to a room. In a restaurant interior, they can even be planted with herbs and other edible plants. This is a trend that’s here to stay for many obvious reasons.

Photo courtesy of Urban Landscape
Photo courtesy of Urban Landscape
Photo courtesy of Seasons Living Wall
Photo courtesy of Seasons Living Wall

Environments are endless; so too are changing design trends. Our guests respond to all of this, both inside and out.


 


Asian Translation

By Joan Lang

Dim Sum at Ping Pong Restaurant
Dumplings at Ping Pong Dim Sum Restaurant

Until recently, a lot of Asian food has seemed out of bounds for all but the most adventurous diners and hardcore foodie types. Dim sum? Fear of chicken feet. Korean food? Funky flavors and smoky grills. Japanese and Thai food have had mainstream appeal for some time now, but between language barriers, location and lack of Western-style amenities, many other types of authentic ethnic Asian restaurants have been intimidating.

All that’s changing. Much of this has to do with realities of immigration. Second- and third-generation Asians are now well embedded in the American culture, many of them having been born into or drawn to the restaurant life. Take Michael Wang, for instance, the second-generation restaurant-family scion behind Foumami Asian Sandwich Bar in Boston’s Financial District. This tightly branded package sits at the junction of two megatrends (premium sandwiches and a fast casual format) and mixes it up with age-old cooking techniques (Korean-style barbecue marinades and the flaky Northern Chinese bread known as bing).

Or Jason Wang, who co-owns New York’s Xi’an Famous Foods with his father, David Shi, and has propelled the intriguing Northern Chinese menu from its hole-in-the-wall Flushing Chinatown beginnings into trendy neighborhoods in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The full-service Biang! has also joined this food-fanatic’s powerhouse.

Still others are helmed by Caucasian entrepreneurs who love Asian food and see an a tremendous opportunity in making it more accessible to a broad spectrum of diners. Which brings us to ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, Chipotle and Steve Ell’s widely publicized—and well-capitalized—foray into the contemporary Asian-fusion market.

Not surprisingly, the fast-casual niche has seen an explosion of Asian-food translations, enticing a broad spectrum diners with a familiar model of self-service ordering, friendly décor and service, mainstream menu touches like beverages and desserts, and relatively low-risk prices. The fast-casual format also lends itself to pictorial menu boards that make ordering easier.

Many of the most interesting translations of Asian cuisine into the mainstream are occurring at the hands of a new generation of chef-owners, many of whom have become celebrities in the process. Mai Pham was one of the first high-profile restaurateurs to understand the value of marrying authentic Asian food to a more approachable overall concept, at her original Lemon Grass Restaurant (opened in 1991) and now with more casual Lemon Grass Grill and Star Ginger Asian Grill & Noodle Bar.

Then there’s Bill Kim, who has fused his Korean heritage and impressive classical culinary training (Charlie Trotter’s, Susannah Foo) into the extreme popularity of Urban Belly, and the more casual Belly Shack and Belly Q, all now part of the Cornerstone Restaurant Group. Belly Q’s sleekly designed quarters and reservations-only Grill Tables turn the intimidating Korean-style barbecue model into a more modern and appealing communal experience.

And James Syhabout (who made his bones at the upscale Commis) has opened Hawker Fare in Oakland, CA, specializing in street-food inspired dishes from Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Patterned after a Southeast Asian rice bowl shop, the concept give its owner an opportunity to play in the guest-friendly under-$10-a-plate ballpark. After a fire shut down the restaurant last year, Hawker Fare emerged stronger than ever with a full liquor license and a new dinner menu featuring Northeast Thai-style specialties meant to be shred “family-style.

Here are a few more examples of the contemporary Asian fast-casual trend.

• Wow Bao: Lettuce Entertain You’s cheeky six-location “hot Asian buns” concept is snack food for the new millennium with cross-cultural dumplings, potstickers and low-cal combos

• With two locations in Southern California, East Borough promises “Fraiche Vietnamese” with elevated versions of such Vietnamese favorites as pho, spring rolls, salads and banh mi

• Also in the Los Angeles area, Take a Bao serves up righteous rice bowls, savory salads, slurpalicious noodles, tempting sides and delectable desserts”—plus the namesake bao steamed buns stuffed with everything from panko crusted fish to pomegranate steak

• San Francisco’s Bamboo Asia offers Fresh Asian Combinations in the form of a trio of separate stations dispensing custom-made versions of Japanese, Indian and Vietnamese bowls, salads, sandwiches and sushi

Ping Pong Dim Sum in Washington, DC, aims to familiarize diners with this traditional Chinese tradition by applying the seasonal, sustainable, vegetarian and allergy-friendly take on dumplings and other snacks; there’s even a menu section for beginners

• In Cedar Park, TX, PhoNatic tackles more than just the pronunciation challenge with its sleek décor and surprising authentic menu of Vietnamese appetizers, noodle soups and even beverages like the soursop smoothie


The Grilled Cheese Chronicles

 

Basil and Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwich from Cheeseboy | Photo credit Flickr User Bing License CC by 2.0
Basil and Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwich from Cheeseboy | Photo credit Flickr User Bing License CC by 2.0

A recent article in Forbes confirmed the mainstream validation of a trend we’ve been noticing quite a bit in the past few years: gourmet grilled cheese. Although the Forbes piece focuses on concepts that specialize in grilled cheese and grilled cheese only, such as The Melt (which is included in the article) and Roxy’s (which isn’t), the whole grilled cheese resurgence brings up a lot of interesting questions.

For the record, we believe these one-off concepts probably don’t have the widespread long-term appeal of a burger specialist like a Shake Shack or a Bobby’s Burger Palace, in part because grilled cheese doesn’t have as wide a following. The concept works in high-traffic settings like cities (see Little Muenster, in New York City’s Lower East Side), college campuses (the fascinating FeelGood nonprofit association), and food courts (Cheeseboy), but the sandwich itself is too easy to reproduce by the competition. Even Dunkin’ Donuts has jumped on the grown-up grilled cheese bandwagon, after all.

Which is not to say that making a perfect grilled cheese sandwich is the easiest thing in the world. Though beloved by starving artists and busy moms the world over, a great grilled cheese sandwich—like a beautiful roast chicken—is a test of skill, patience and great ingredients. It’s not just the bread and cheese, but also the butter, the technique, the timing, and the little twists and garnishes that separate Mom’s Velveeta special from a bell-ringer like the hot pressed Mozzarella & Tapenade sandwich at Tartine Bakery in San Francisco, made with fresh mozzarella, house-made Nicoise olives, and anchovy puree.

Speaking of Cheeseboy, the company released findings from its inaugural American Grilled Cheese Survey that found that 86% of U.S. adults have eaten at least one grilled cheese sandwich in the past year. Of those 2,000-plus adults surveyed, 30% had a grilled cheese sandwich at least once a month, and 27% purchased it out of the home in the past year.

So what is it about grilled cheese? Nancy Silverton tapped into its high-low appeal early on, when she famously turned Thursday night into Grilled Cheese Night with a couple of panini presses set up in the patio at Campanile in Los Angeles, more than 15 years ago. She had the chops to realize that if she loved grilled cheese, so would her customers.

Grilled cheese taps in to the kid in all of us, with its comforting connotations and satisfying blend of easy-to-like flavors and gooey-melty/crisp-buttery textures. (No wonder so many restaurants are capitalizing on the almost universal memory of a grilled cheese sandwich and cream of tomato soups with their own upscale versions, like the three-cheese Grilled Cheese & Roasted Tomato Soup served at Founding Farmers, in Washington, D.C.—there’s even an emerging franchise called Tom+Chee that specializes in the concept.)

Then, too, a grilled cheese sandwich represents a dead-simple way to satisfy vegetarian guests without scaring away omnivores. The sandwich also allows all cheese lovers to tap into the growing artisanal and import cheese scene, from the Cheese Toasties made with Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, caramelized onions and maple mustard at Cowgirl Creamery’s Sidekick Café & Milk Bar to Papi Queso’s ultra-luxe Leek and Mushroom Grilled Cheese made with Gruyere and truffled Robiola.

Which brings up the last point about why grilled cheese has captured the imagination of so many diners and chefs alike: It’s almost endlessly versatile and creative.

Here are a few quick ideas for stepping up your own grilled cheese game:

• Add sliced ripe avocado and Green Goddess dressing for ultra-creamy texture, beautiful color and the additional contrast of cool and hot

• The Croque Madame is a French grilled-ham-and-cheese classic that goes over the top with the addition of a fried egg and béchamel

• Offer a Grilled Cheese Sandwich of the Day, or a mix-and-match grilled cheese sandwich special that incorporates different breads and cheeses as well as proteins like bacon and other additions, such as strawberry jam and roasted tomatoes

• Bring back the Patty Melt, a retro lunch-counter favorite that combines the best qualities of a burger and grilled cheese

• Swap out bread for crispy waffles

• Serve grilled cheese open-faced for a variation that can also be menued as an appetizer or shareable, like bruschetta

And don’t forget: April is National Grilled Cheese Month.

Need more grilled cheese inspiration? Check out Wisconsin Cheese’s Grilled Cheese Academy website or the Food & Wine list of the Best Grilled Cheese in the U.S.


Tip of the Month

Every year, global business advisor AlixPartners conducts a survey of more than 1,000 Americans on their intentions and expectation toward dining out. Nearly a third said they expect to spend less this year. For more information about the North America Restaurant and Foodservice Review, click here.