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COFFE SERVICE BY A ROBOT WITH YOU NAME ON IT!

DIGNITY DIVIDENDS THE OF A CHEF AND HIS TEAM CHEF DAVID PAULSTICH OF THE KNICKERBOCKER CLUB AMAZING NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO READ ABOUT: PREDICTING REFRIGERATION BREAKDOWNS TWO WEEKS BEFORE THEY HAPPEN THOMAS KELLER NEXT EDITION HOSPITALITY NEWS AIDS IN BRINGING RELIEF TO FLORID THOUGH THE ACF

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ROBOTICS SERVICE COFFEE, AND CAN EVEN PUT YOUR NAME OR LOGO ON THE COFFEE VENTLESS COOKING EQUIPMENT STREAMLINES INSTALLATION

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HOTEL, DINING, & INSTITUTIONAL FOODSERVICE TRENDS

Publisher Ed Daniels Editor-in-Chief Maria Medina Executive Assistant Caren Franklin Contributing Writers Kimberly Brock Brown Eleni Finkelstein Linchi Kwok, Ph.D. Jimmy McManus Justin Silverman Beth Torin, RD, MA Account Executive Martin Daniels Carol Terracciano Creative Director André Garabedian Social Media Director

Hampton’s Happenings What Does It Take To Be A Private Chef: Chris LaVecchia

Get A Handle on “Ghosting” And Hire The Staff You Need

Dominican Village Restaurant Satisfaction Kiosks Give Voice to Patrons and Residents

Motivated By Life’s Passion Chef Thomas Norris

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CFESA, the early years In 1963, the Commercial Food Equipment Service Agencies of America (CFESA) was headquar- tered in Detroit, Michigan. The first meeting of CFESA’s Board of Directors was held on May 18, 1963, at the Tides Inn Motel, Chicago, Illinois. The association accepted William Eichenauer

and Pete Di Pirro as the first new members and designated them as charter members along with incorporator status. The incorporators were: Philip Schoenberger, President; Jackson Hudgins, First Vice President; Elmer Schultz, Second Vice President; Ruth Lippert, Secre- tary; Spark Dixon, Treasurer; Peter Di Pirro, Vice President of Region 1; Otto McComb, Vice President of Region 2; Norman Blake, Vice President of Region 3; Michael Brino, Vice President of Region 4; Denton Lintz; along with other incorporators John Shea, Rudolph Dauber and Benjamin Hibbel. The meetings were held on a quarterly basis. The association set the initial dues structure at $100.00 per member and by the end of 1963 CFESA had 22 members.

CFESA’s very first members were: Ruth Lippert, Lippert Elec- tric Company; Otto McComb, Mid-West Appliance Service; Jack Hudgins, Old Dominion Services; Elmer Schultz, Elmer Schultz, Inc.; Philip Schoenberger, Utilities Maintenance Ser- vice; J.E. Whitley, Whitley Electric Service; Douglas Winning,

Winning Sheet Metal; John Campbell, Campbell Appliance Company; Robert Hamers, Commercial Kitchen Repair Company; George Racklyeft, E&G; Refrigeration; John Shea, Ace Service Company; Nathan Uretsky, Acme American Repairs, Inc; Thomas Lawrence, American Kitchen Machine Company; Rudy Daubers, Carl W. Daubers and Sons; Pete De Pirro, Pete De Pirro Company; William Eichenauer, Eichenauer Electric Service; Denton Lintz, Electric Repair Company; Norman Blake, Electric Motor Repair; John O’Shaugh- nessy, Equipment Service Company; Benjamin Hibble; Hibble Electric Services, Inc; Spark

NEW TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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Nick has an amazing story, one that dates back seeveral years, and although with a bumpy start, he managed to, witht he help of family and friends, find the path to success..

Josh, having a very impressive history in the service buisne- ss found the time not only ot build his buisness, but write a book titled “BLUE IS THE NEW WHITE”.

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THE GOOD FEELING OF BEING PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER THAN YOURSELF THE TRANSITION FROM BEING REGIONAL TO NATIONAL, AND THE BENEFITS OF THAT HAPPENING

Joe Hass, owner and founder of Core Service Company in Texas start- ed and ran a service business for many years. Deliberating for a while as to whether to stay as an independent or be acquired, he eventiually decided to be cquired pending the right offer. Havong become another statitistic he learned that there we good and not so good points in making the plunge, but when all was said and done, he was happy as are mnay, to have made the deal Orum am rat lande et que everibus vites a sus, coribustiis cuptatum, simus porpori berumquidus es pernat. Nem que sit lit que sint ad eos ut et que rehendenis sum facerum aut qui undus sinieni hilique ni ommos dolore eaqui quidelenis ex eseque cum enis audam qui blat.

JOE HAAS ENTREPRENEUR

Ibusdam esti consed quae quo corrum voloresti reresed eumquisite is dolor alis doluptatur, sanis- Es! Sp. Do, quis hores, patquas bon spien tus hos, qua cum es inverio, senatusa vidiendampl. Ihil- nemum ad cont. Nosulium aucit; Castre aute, dium ac tus ses cupplicam ex menditamque cultorta, unclartus ocus detimisquit. Publicipti temus facervicere ocaest? Moverio Catus hostilibus, consusu lvitam telicum tatum apesilicien Itanum commoenam diisulto egilica ducerei simmovil teristu dessimus ignat. converv ignonti sseninp rortatum pri sus bontem perfirmis. Cupered

AUDAX, DEGREE ONE GROUP, AND CMSNEXTECH, GATHER IN ARIZONA TO HEAR ABOUT THE MASTER PLAN FOR INTERGRATION, GREAT TIME HAD BY ALL

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Ibuscien Etres, Pali, ut es M. Equitiena, am ma, que creti, con tem me in pra de num dere nocam, ut po- publi ntiemurnit, virmaio nsulege rteris bonsili servi- timusse que qua Si patiam pris etia L. Valium rem obsena, verum P. Mulis coti, ublic vem furnihi liciem in sula et? Quas avo, nendum movidet? Publiaedem in diciem et; inclegili, con propubit. Consus. Habis, sceria corunum since co interenatuam potemus. Laberit. Me noterficae, quitabutem se abente ad duces- tionsum dellescisum des nemum sa condit, esin te essentea me dit. Tumedem se iu intere et apecrum publis liquide perimihilia aceponem intis, Patu virmihili catusulii terendius, caelinteatus nox nemus ia ina nu vide mandacr ebatemus nonscenius viverem, fic tus, oris ex sed re no. Valest re public modi con hilicio- ri patus, prae cum ad mente omnenti, fatum terfex spercerfiri perenatri in dientum porehen tesulic aesi- mihiline publiem ina, saturnihi, nicatast qua se et ret; hos, demei sentempl. castude temus iam aus hostam maximplibul hocchum in sent. Utus, utem, conc resimus bonsuliam fur. Ahalabu numuscem audena, untilicam prox se omnihictum inti, Ti. essoltum in vivid ad ductus se ad in sedo, se, paris atus ora Sere et ame in iae fex mor atquem dium atam te cris, dit. In vistilicae inguli, in diendii sulviri onfenscis. Solti es popublibem pro, mors et vivita, occi cur. Id cons ventu ipimiliquam susunc tabis cum interit auterus menatum ingulescia convestatume tem in tatissici se, nequis re nu quem atiam quemquas vivit renimus non di, sus convem ius eremnon striciam tem loc, quam audem. Patquam. Rum Romnem publis, Catium es reviris nium auctu quem dit. Ortusa dient. Ovem id conscidelus ela vem dees he- bus contemnius, sessime fac ret; nulto hos bonscier acidie dium libus clutem ut novis conu senatur.

in diciem et; inclegili, con propubit. Consus. Habis, sceria corunum since co interenatuam potemus. Laberit. Me noterficae, quitabutem se abente ad ducestion- sum dellescisum des nemum sa condit, esin te essentea me dit.

Tumedem se iu intere et apecrum publis liquide perimihilia aceponem intis, Patu virmihili catusulii terendius, caelinteatus nox nemus ia ina nu vide mandacr ebatemus nonscenius viverem, fic tus, oris ex sed re no. Valest re public modi con hilicio- ri patus, prae cum ad mente omnenti, fatum terfex spercerfiri perenatri in dientum porehen tesulic aesi- mihiline publiem ina, saturnihi, nicatast qua se et ret; hos, demei sentempl. castude temus iam aus hostam maximplibul hocchum in sent. Utus, utem, conc resimus bonsuliam fur. Ahalabu numuscem audena, untilicam prox se omnihictum inti, Ti. essoltum in vivid ad ductus se ad in sedo, se, paris atus ora Sere et ame in iae fex mor atquem dium atam te cris, dit. In vistilicae inguli, in diendii sulviri onfenscis. Solti es popublibem pro, mors et vivita, occi cur. Id cons ventu ipimiliquam susunc tabis cum interit auterus menatum ingulescia convestatume tem in tatissici se, nequis re nu quem atiam quemquas vivit renimus non di, sus convem ius eremnon striciam tem loc, quam audem. Patquam. Rum Romnem publis, Catium es reviris nium auctu quem dit. Ortusa dient. Ovem id conscidelus ela vem dees he-

MERCY CHEFS ON THE GROUND MAKING MEALS FOR MANY FLORIDIANS

I remain in awe of the people and volun- teer organizations who feed people on the scene of natural disasters. Here’s an orga- nization I didn’t know about before, Mercy Chefs. (You can donate here.)

“More than 1.2 million people are without power in Florida, many residents of the county where I am and where Ian made landfall still have no running water. Find- ing your next meal under the circumstances is difficult,” Ali Velshi said.

“But luckily, there are several volunteer groups who have come here to help feed those in need. Mercy Chefs was founded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Now the organization is in Fort Myers where it serves thou- sands of hot meals and comfort to victims, to volunteers, to first responders. They plan on distributing up to 30,000 hot meals a day. “With us now, Gary LeBlanc, founder and CEO of Mercy Chefs. He’s a native of New Orleans. He started Mercy Chefs after seeing his hometown devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Since then, his organiza- tion has served over 22 millions in 27 states and 11 countries. His team was in Puerto Rico serving meals to victims of Hurricane Fiona. “What I’m talking to people who have lost everything, their homes there, clothes, their money, their trans- portation, their vehicle, you can’t think about your next decision until you’ve eaten. Food is what you are searching for, you will not move forward,” Velshi said. “Well, we think amazing things happen over a shared meal, which is why we put so much love into it. We see a lot of people who have not even had a moment to contemplate their circumstances. That hot meal is love, it is compassion, it is hope in the form of a meal. We have a lot of tears and a lot of breakdowns over our meals,” LeBlanc said. “We have to be fully self-contained when we get onsite, we want to make sure that we are not a burden to the community in any way. We bring our own water, we bring our own food, we bring our own equipment, everything we need is self-contained. I have three trucks of food here on site, we have three more that are on the way. I have two of my big mobile kitchens, I have a third on the way. When it is all said and done, it is this huge operation. Imagine a caterer or hotel that was able to serve 30,000 meals a day and put wheels under that and move it into a zone with absolutely no support. That is what Mercy Chefs does on a daily basis.” LeBlanc said he volunteered after Katrina. “I saw the meals that were being sent out, God bless anybody did that, but I thought there was a better way. I thought you could do handcrafted, chef-prepared meals in volume under the same circumstances and do it

with love. That is what we put into these place that we serve, our heart is in there, our mission is in there,” he said. “But luckily, there are several volunteer groups who have come here to help feed those in need. Mercy Chefs was founded in

the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Now the organization is in Fort Myers where it serves thousands of hot meals and comfort to victims, to volunteers, to first responders. They plan on distributing up to 30,000 hot meals a day. “With us now, Gary LeBlanc, founder and CEO of Mercy Chefs. He’s a native of New Orleans. He started Mercy Chefs after seeing his hometown devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Since then, his orga- nization has served over 22 millions in 27 states and 11 countries. His team was in Puerto Rico serving meals to victims of Hurricane Fiona. “What I’m talking to people who have lost everything, their homes there, clothes, their money, their transportation, their vehicle, you can’t think about your next decision until you’ve eaten. Food is what you are searching for, you will not move forward,” Velshi said. “Well, we think amazing things happen over a shared meal, which is why we put so much love into it. We see a lot of people who have not even had a moment to contemplate their circumstances. That hot meal is love, it is compassion, it is hope in the form of a meal. We have a lot of tears and a lot of breakdowns over our meals,” LeBlanc said. “We have to be fully self-contained when we get onsite, we want to make sure that we are not a burden to the community in any way. We bring our own water, we bring our own food, we bring our own equip- ment, everything we need is self-contained. I have three trucks of food here on site, we have three more that are on the way. I have two of my big mobile kitchens, I have a third on the way. When it is all said and done, it is this huge operation. Imagine a caterer or hotel that was able to serve 30,000 meals a day and put wheels under that and move it into a zone with absolutely no support. That is what Mercy Chefs does on a daily basis.” LeBlanc said he volunteered after Katrina. “I saw the meals that were being sent out, God bless anybody did that, but I thought there was a better way. I thought you could do handcrafted, chef-prepared meals in volume under the same circumstances and do it with love. That is what we put into these place that we serve, our heart is in there, our mission is in there,” he said. “If you are going to serve somebody that has just lost everything, you should do it to the very best of your ability. That is our challenge and that is what we work so hard to do.” Mercy Chefs’ website has links to sign up as a volunteer, and to make donations. There’s nothing more basic than feeding people. Topics: Florida, Gary LeBlanc, Mercy Chefs

Our corporate partners can partner with us in a number of ways: equipment and product donations, financial contributions, matching gift programs, and volunteer initiatives.

O ne man’s vison became a reality for many

Chef Gary LeBlanc After 35 years in the hotel restaurant business, Chef Gary LeBlanc unexpectedly discovered his passion while volunteering during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. As he describes it, he watched from his television in Portsmouth, Virginia as the hurricane hit his hometown of New Orleans. Seeing people he recognized standing on overpasses in hopes being rescued and watching the report of his daughter’s neighbor- hood, completely underwater, struck him in a way nothing had before. Immediately, he knew he had to help.

Gary volunteered with every agency he could find to do food service for those displaced by the hurricane. What he witnessed during his short-term volunteer experience compelled him to be a part of lasting impact in the field of disaster relief and ultimately changed the entire trajectory of his life. He describes it like this: Katrina created a chaos that our country had never seen before: Americans fighting for their lives, city wide devastation, children without water and a public failure of our federal and state govern- ments to respond. The community was in ruins and recovery seemed out of reach. It was there in the midst of the chaos that I realized the incredible difference that a hot meal can make, and at the same time, I was struck by the lack of care put into the relief meals. In Cajun culture, food is love, and Gary grew up watching his Cajun grandmothers cook for every occasion and often for no reason at all. The contrast between his childhood experience and the food he saw being served to the victims of Hurricane Katrina shocked him. There was no love or passion being put into the meals. It was all about fast, cheap and mass quantity.

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A special thank you to the Horm AHF 2022 National Conference

AHF Board of Directors

rmel Company for their support of the e

ACF, LONG ISLAND CHAPTER, in March at lenard’s of Great Neck had their annual awards night, covered by HOSPITALITY NEWS, was a successful event. Many who attended received recogntion for their outstanidn achievement and generousity during the past few year which were challenging due to the pandemic.

March 2022, RICH’S recieves an award and hearty thank you from the ACF Long Island, for their gen- erous donations during the pandemic,

Andrew Greene, an active member of the ACF, and part of the pprocur- ment team of Compass USA, talks about the Rich’s contribution and what it meant to the ACF

31 Martin Daniels, Hospitality News, interviews Rich’s senior rep, and learns more about behind the scenes of RICH’S and shares with -HN- readers tha tinteresting story

As Smithfield Foods is committed to helping feed a world of nearly 8 bil- lion people. We are working harder than ever to provide families with wholesome, safe and affordable food with outstanding quality and val- ue. We also are working hard to find innovative ways to accomplish that — through new products and processes, while being ever mindful of the impact our operations have on our planet. It’s our responsibility...and our promise. We’re made in the USA and found on tables everywhere.

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Woaman in food service is certainly not anything new, but woman getting recognition is relivavely new. Magazines have already profiled woman who became icons and brought innovation to the food service and hospitality industy is exciting and HOSPITALITY NEWS has com- mited to shocae some of the woman who “made a difference in the world of food service and hospitality. If you know woman wih “made a differnece or feel an honorable mention is worthy, please forwar that information to HOSPTILITY NEWS Editor-in-Chief MARIA MEDINA

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suggest a free pair of shoes for one worker offer to Dominican Village

About Us Chefs Helping Chefs, LLC officially started in 2008, however our name has been used since 2003 when Chef Jeff Rotz began assisting cooks and chefs in their initial ACF Certification and continuing educa- tion training. To date, Chefs Helping Chefs, LLC has trained over 3500 Food and Beverage Team Members at over 50 Hotels and Resorts throughout the South- east United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. The team of Chef’s Helping Chef’s is a dedicated group

of individuals with various levels of experience and certification to bring you the latest information and developments within the hospitality industry. Each member of our team has no less than 15 years each of experience in the Hospitality industry. All of our team members regularly attend conventions, meetings and trainings to continuously upgrade our education and services that we offer. It is in this way that we are able to guarantee your staff will be given the most up to date information and guidelines as

HOW CAN YOU PARTICIPATE? All Chefs from around the globe are invited to host their very own Growing A Healthy Future workshop in their region. It can be a workshop for your own children, or a workshop for 300 children, every child can benefit from this experience. It is important to share this opportunity and message for every child to learn and enjoy eating something new! A toolkit, provided by Nestle Professional, with everything you need to run an event, from instructions to materials to recipes to social media tips, has been prepared for you. The complete toolkit can be downloaded below. A special thank you to the Chefs who contributed to the 2022 campaign by submitting recipes! International Chefs Day Committee members and Nestlé Profes- sional regional managers in selected areas are standing by to help you find a venue, connect with schools and more. We are always here to support you. For help or suggestions in hosting a Growing A Healthy Future workshop on or around October 20, 2022, please contact Vanes- sa Marquis, Chairman, International Chefs Day Committee at internationalchefsday@worldchefs.org Download your toolkit today and join Chefs from around the world by sharing and making a big impact with the children in your lives and community.

ACF - ORLANDO - ACF

ACF Strategic Association Partners American Culinary Federation is proud to have formed partnerships and relationships with other organizations. Together we represent the entire foodservice industry. Our official part- nerships provide the pathways for us to collaborate on projects, ideas, events, and educational opportunities which benefit and add value to our members, as well as the members of our Association Strategic Partners.

Affinity Group, a North American-based team of professionals focused on pro- viding the foodservice and food retail industry with sales support, planning and strategy, is proud to announce a new partnership with the American Culinary Federation, the largest professional chefs’ organization in North America. Known for being a bridge to success when it comes to the foodservice and retail food channels, Affinity Group of- fers full-service support. From strategic sales planning and culinary solutions to consumer insight and training, this is the team in the know. So, partnering with the American Culinary Federation makes perfect sense as it will further their en- deavor to help those in the foodservice and retail food industry grow in all ways. Boasting more than 14,000 members belonging to more than 170 chapters in four regions across the U.S, the American Culinary Federation is an ideal collabo- ration for Affinity Group. “Our team and

About Affinity Group Affinity Group’s experience in all aspects of the foodservice and retail industry make us the perfect partner to help our customers grow their brand and drive results for their business. Our talented team of sales pros have the in-depth knowledge today’s culinary brands need to make sure they stay connected to a community of re- sources and relationships.

our 100+ culinarians couldn’t be happier to join the collective of the ACF’s diverse range of relationships with client manu- facturers, operators, and retailers,” says Affinity Group Chairman, Enzo Dentico. “We see partnering with a premier indus- try association like the ACF as major step forward for not just our client and oper- ator partners, but the entire industry as a whole.” Looking to the future, Affinity Group is excited to work with the ACF as a proud sponsor of the 2022 American Culinary Federation National Convention July 25-28th in Las Vegas, Nevada. The larg- est annual gathering of chefs, students and foodservice professionals in the U.S. features an array of seminars, cooking demonstrations, networking, and social functions. Affinity Group will be sponsor- ing a 60-minute educational session dis- cussing the topic of Food Brokerage 101 as well as showcasing capabilities during the tradeshow.

AMERICAN CULINARY FEDERATION The standard of Excellence for Chefs

Read more about how the AFFINITY GROUP works with the AMERICAN CULINARY FEDERATION in the next issue of

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INFLATION HITS RESTAURANT TRAFFIC

E arlier this year, we raised the argument that surging food prices could give restaurants an edge because the price gap between dining out and cooking at home had become narrower (Kwok, 2022). In fact it did not take long for inflation to finally hit restaurant traffic as well. INFLATION ALMOST HIT A 40-YEAR HIGH In April, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 8.3% from 2021 levels (Cox, 2022). Not only was it higher than Dow Jones estimated at 8.1%, but it remained close to the highest level since the summer of 1982. After removing food and energy prices, the core CPI still rose 6.2%. This exceeded an anticipated level of 6%. Because of record-high inflation, workers’ real earnings have dropped 2.6% year-to-year despite average hourly earnings increasing by 5.5%. The unexpected high inflation in April cast doubts on the market about whether the inflation “peak” in March had really hit the ceiling. So what does that mean for the future restaurant industry?

RESTAURANT TRAFFIC, ESPECIALLY DRIVE-THRU, DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY IN APRIL Data has shown that restaurant traffic in April dropped 9.4% from 2021 level (Kelso, 2022). Notably, the continually rising and record-breaking gas prices likely have discouraged people from driving. Drive-thru traffic for restaurants was down by over 13%, whereas dine-in patrons increased by 2.4%. Because many restaurants had raised menu prices to offset the inflation of “everything,” restaurant sales did not get hit as much as store traffic. Nonetheless, it seems that consumers had reached a threshold, and would begin cutting restaurant visits and non-essential spending. It is uncertain whether less foot traffic in restaurants will help ease the industry’s labor shortage challenge. Drops in traffic have certainly worried many restaurant owners and operators. How concerned are you about inflation’s effects on restaurant traffic and sales? n

LINCHI KWOK, PH.D.

CONTRIBUTING WRITER linchikwok.net REFERENCES Cox, J. (2022, May 11). Inflation barreled ahead at 8.3% in April a year ago, remaining near 40-year highs. CNBC News. Available on https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/11/cpi-april-2022.html Kelso, A. (2022, May 12). Inflation is starting to take a toll on restaurant traffic. Forbes Magazine. Available on https://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciakelso/2022/05/12/inflation-is-starting-to-take-a-toll-on-restaurant-traffic/ Kwok, L. (2022, February/March). Can inflation be a good thing? Hospitality News Magazine, 2(2), p. 14.

Tanya Hill-Holliday knows the value being prepared to make a strategic move. So she seized the moment when presented with the chance to expand her business opera- tions. In March, she acquired two McDonald’s restaurants in Bensalem and Hatboro that were formerly operated by another busi- ness owner.

“I had an opportunity to pick up a restau- rant from an operator who retired and/or left the business,” said Hill-Holliday, who is Philadelphia’s first Black female McDon- ald’s franchisee. “It’s about preparation and opportunity and I went for it. You always have to be ready, so you don’t have to get ready.” The businesswoman went from serving customers as a McDonald’s crew member to becoming the largest Black-owned McDonald’s franchise owner in the Philadelphia region. In 2009, Hill-Holliday became the first African-American woman to own a McDonald’s in Philadelphia when she purchased two restaurants on City Line Avenue. She currently owns 12 McDonald’s in Pennsylvania. In December 2020, she expanded into South Philadelphia and acquired the restaurant located at 24th Street and Oregon Avenue. And in 2018, Hill-Holliday became the first African American woman to own a McDonald’s in Allentown. She recently remodeled six of her locations, which have been outfitted with self-ordering kiosks. And plans are in the works to knock down and rebuild her recently acquired Bensalem location. Working with financial institutions throughout the years has been instrumental to Hill-Holliday’s success as a businesswoman. She’s had a relationship for with Beneficial Bank for about seven years, which she retained when the financial institution was integrated into WSFS Bank. “The financials are the foundation of a business and so the relationship is huge,” Hill-Holliday said. “I’ve had a very good longstanding relationship. It is one that if I need to pick up the phone and call, I feel free to do that. I feel comfortable to do that.”

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Toni Watkins Wins 2021 Silver Plate Award for Health Care Congratulations Toni! Your great accomplishment is so inspiring! IFMA’s annual Gold & Silver Plate Awards honors the nation’s leading foodservice operator talent. Silver Plate winners are nominated by IFMA members and industry leaders, then select- ed by a distinguished jury including national trade press, foodservice experts and past Gold & Silver Plate award winners. From the Silver Plate winners, one is chosen by the jury to receive the industry’s most prestigious recognition, IFMA’s Gold Plate Award, revealed for the first time during the live 67th annual Gold & Silver Plate Awards Celebration taking place virtually on September 14. It is an honor to work with you over the years.

How to Handle Challenges You meet challenges every day. How do you deal with them? How do you handle them? Do you quit? Do you give up? One strategy is attitude. Attitude is a way of thinking, acting and feeling which brings about success…or failure. Attitude is important. It’s vitally, critically important. It’s more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than fail- ures, than successes, than what other people think, say or do. It is more important than appearances, giftedness or skill. The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. What is the attitude that you and I hold every day? What is your team’s attitude about what they do? The one thing we completely own is our attitude. We have a choice every day about the attitude we take. I can’t control what happens to me, I can control how I react to it. We are in charge of our attitudes. For more advice from Dr. Carlton Green, listen to our podcast. *Excerpt from our very own success coach: Green, Carlton. (2005). What is the PURPOSE OF A BANANA? Critical Success Factors for Effective Leadership. Lessismoore Publishing.

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GET A HANDLE ON “GHOSTING” AND HIRE THE STAFF YOU NEED

G hosting. A phrase that first became popular to refer to that dreamy Match.com suitor ducking texts and calls after what seemed like the best third date ever. Recently, its meaning has morphed to include what job seekers sometimes do to employers and recruiters in one of the toughest job markets in years, especially in the hospitality industry. Finding the perfect candidate for a position is akin to finding a four-leaf clover. The excitement after a prospect nails the interview is a rush. Then emails go unanswered, voicemails are probably not even listened to, and texts just seem to fade into the unacknowledged abyss. As thousands of Gen-Zers don the cap and gown this month and boldly enter the job market, ghosting is an issue that needs to be understood so it can be prevented. What really went wrong here? BY: CHRISTINE DEVITA FOUNDER AND CEO OF DEVITA & HANCOCK HOSPITALITY, INC.

process. From the employer’s point of view, ghosting is rude and unprofessional. The act itself can be seen this way, sure. But the question needs to be asked: How can the overall approach to hiring evolve to excite these new job seekers and keep them engaged in the process, right up to a successful hire? Transparency and consistency are the key. Answer all questions the interviewee has honestly and promptly. Emphasize the candidate’s

“ The excitement after a prospect nails the interview is a rush. Then emails go unanswered, voicemails are probably not even listened to, and texts just seem to fade into the unacknowledged abyss. ”

strengths and how they would be integral to the business’s success. Showcase the company on social media with “A Day in the Life” videos on TikTok and Instagram. Demonstrate a clear path to advancement. Connect with them on a personal level and find out their long-term career goals. Another tip to avoid this scenario is to be as responsive as possible during the process. Employers often interview several candidates for a position and only reach out to the ones they will move to the next steps. This leaves someone who thought they crushed it frantically checking their emails and phone for weeks. If these communication

The answer is twofold. In this job market, potential employees have expectations. A Monster.com survey found that today’s job seekers’ top priorities are a competitive salary, job security, a true path to advancement, diversity, and work-

life balance. If during the interview a position doesn’t seem to check all the candidate’s boxes, the candidate may lose interest and will most likely disappear from the

expectations aren’t clearly managed in the initial interview, don’t be surprised when the next best management prospect pulls a Casper and *Poof*. n

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A MENTOR IS A VALUED ASSET TO YOUR CAREER PATH

As this year’s college graduates stream into the work- place, it seems a good time to mention a powerful con- cept for building a successful career: Getting Mentored You can gain a mentor at any age, but it’s particularly helpful for entry level employees who can benefit from the experience of a career professional whose work style, knowledge, success and business ethics they respect. Your mentor can be someone you work with or an ex- perienced businessperson in or outside your chosen field. Most importantly, a mentor typically doesn’t find you – you find them. Your mentor’s expectations are often higher for you than those you set for yourself. They are excellent coaches, someone to share concerns and challenges with, and some- one who will help you navigate your goals, leadership growth, a difficult obstacle or even explore the concept and business plan of an entrepreneurial business venture you have been pondering. If you’re embarking on a career, or at any stage throughout, I encourage you to find a mentor. If you are a more “seasoned” professional, think about mentoring a Millennial or GenZ. continued on page ?? Click “Here”

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2022 ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM & VENDOR EXHIBITION SYMPOSIUM REVIEW

Many exhibitors came together on June 24, 2022 at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel for the Association for Healthcare Foodservice, New York (AHFNY) Annual Symposium. The event created the opportunity for discussions on the challenges facing healthcare foodservice. From supply chain challenges to employee positivity and retention, AHFNY is making it easier for the essential workers of New York to overcome the hurdles before them and just keep going. Thank you to all the exhibitors who came out and supported the annual symposium.

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WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND! AHF invites all chefs, foodservice professionals, and aspiring leaders to check out AHF membership and attend the conference in Scottsdale. AHF hosts educational sessions focused on culinary innovations, Tradeshow & Exhibit Hall with over 90 exhibits, and an annual culinary competition. 17 CEUs are offered by ACF, ANFP, and AND.

FRESH CHALLENGES FRESH PERSPECTIVES an innovative look at what comes next

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WHY IS REFRIGERATION MONITORING MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER?

I f you’re responsible for the cold storage of your kitchen’s inventory, you know how important it is to maintain proper temperature. You take precautions to manage temperature, but what happens when no one sees the threat coming, and it hits at the worst possible time? You’re probably doing more with less, especially now with the staff shortages that many are facing. While you’re short-staffed, the last thing you need is an emergency. Diverting staff to manage a refrigeration breakdown adds to your workload, generates loss, and negatively impacts morale. The OneEvent® remote refrigeration monitoring system provides real-time oversight of temperature inside chilled storage, empowering staff with real-time alerts when the temperature rises or falls beyond pre-set thresholds. Door monitoring allows you to know when inventory is accessed and assures that doors are closed properly. The remote monitoring system typically communicates to the Internet via cellular network or WiFi. Data is then transferred to the cloud for storage, retrieval and analysis. OneEvent’s® exclusive Thermo Heartbeat™ alerts you, in advance, when a unit needs adjustment or service, thus preventing costly breakdowns and excursions before they occur! OneEvent® provides automated daily temperature reports and monitors cooler and freezer performance as well as door activations and door open times. With intuitive windows display data, the systems can be customized to provide seamless data exports. Another benefit is eliminating the laborious (and error prone) task of manually taking temperature readings.

Initially, the implementation of smart technology was considered an added benefit to help staff better understand and manage their responsibilities. These benefits, in turn, safeguard refrigerated inventory more efficiently and effectively. But now, it’s undeniable that these technologies are becoming a critical part of day-to-day operations and are necessary to assure vital inventory is protected while effectively managing staffing resources. For a FREE no obligation site-survey, quote or more information, visit OneEventTech.com. n

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PREVENT TURNOVER WITH FOOD SAFETY TRAINING

T here is quite a bit of turnover in food service these days. Staff can barely get an employee trained before they resign for another job. This is so frustrating that many operators don’t bother, feeling that it is a waste of time if people are going to leave.

Think about your pot washer. Have you taken the time to teach employees how to use a test strip and what to look for? It only takes a few minutes to show someone how to wash, rinse, sanitize, and use a test kit.

It might surprise you that once you make sure an employee understands their job and feels important, they will more easily and happily comply with health code regulations. They’ll feel like part of the team, and they can feel good about contributing to a successful inspection. This is evidenced by the many smiles that we get when we ask employees to use the test kit and they’re able to do it seamlessly.

However, training is so important when it comes to running a safe kitchen. Two months ago I walked into one of my clients’ kitchens. I quickly noticed young men with hair restraints that did not cover most of their hair. Per the Model Food Code, I asked them to put on hair nets. When they asked why, I explained that hair restraints help to prevent cross contamination. If

Unfortunately, most people do not train their staff in this manner; they leave it up to the other employees and/or a written policy. My staff and I often find that when we ask “Who trained you?” we hear, “No one” or “One of the other employees”. This causes poor practice and food safety errors. This will inevitably impact inspections negatively and contribute to turnover. Consider gloves and how many employees use them incorrectly. This leads to cross contamination of foods. Such oversights are all because someone did not take the time to teach employees that they need to wear gloves when they are handling ready-to-eat food, and they need to change them often. Don’t waste time Googling policies and procedures only to put them in a manual that sits on a shelf. Develop a training program that is inclusive, teaches employees how to do their job correctly, and why it’s so important to follow certain rules. If you do this, you are guaranteed to improve compliance significantly, make your kitchen safer and cleaner, and decrease any turnover you might be experiencing. Good luck! n

an employee’s hair is dirty, you risk adding extra bacteria to the food. Not to mention, no one wants to take a bite of food and find a hair. I also explained the FDA Food Code 1-102.10 (Intent–food safety, illness prevention, and honest presentation). According to the FDA, “The purpose of this code is to safeguard public health and to provide consumers with food that is safe, unadulterated, and honestly presented.” When I returned to the same kitchen a month later, two of the young men had their hair appropriately covered and the third no longer worked there. A new employee wore the correct head covering because the other two had explained why this was important, based on my instruction. Better Call Beth (BCB) had a similar experience with hand sinks in another facility. Restaurant staff consistently used the hand sinks as dumping sinks, and the managers became frustrated with the situation.

BETH TORIN, RD, MA

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER bettercallbeth.com Beth Torin served as the Executive Director for the New York City Department of Health Office of Food Safety (NYCDOHMH) for 14 years.

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