MAY 2024 VOLUME 4 ISSUE 3
Travel Insurance?
Nancy Kombert
Relive the Flavorful Moments:
Arrive. Preheat. Wait. Wait. Wait. Who has time for all of that? iVario. The Game Changer.
rationalusa.com
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01.03.2023 12:24:41
What Does a Military Cook Do? A military cook, also known as a culinary specialist or military chef, is a member of the United States Armed Forces whose responsibilities focus on preparing food for other military members either in the field or on military bases. Their duties are to prepare the kitchen before each meal service, cook food according to menus for the day, read and follow recipes, clean the kitchen after service, and operate and maintain kitchen equipment. They also perform light equipment maintenance and repair duties and wash and sanitize dishes and cooking pans and utensils after preparing meals. Military cooks work in teams with other cooks. How to Become a Military Cook You need United States military member qualifications to become a military cook. To join the military, you speak with a recruiter to outline your goals for becoming a chef and discussing the best pathway to do so. You need to complete boot camp and physical strength and endurance tests as well as all required paperwork to enlist. Military cooks then have on-the-job chef training to learn more about their job duties and enhance their skills in the kitchen. During training, you also learn about military menus, following recipes, and cooking quickly for large groups of military members.
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16 ACF Tampa Bay Honor Society Event
30 Baldor Bite Closes Out Another Success
32 What Does Hospitality Mean to the Average Person
SHFM Critical Issues 24
14 Jake Katz
03 Military Appreciation Month
Owner of Katz's Deli
Michael Muzyk Winds Down His Illustrious Career with Baldor
28
Nancy Kombert ACF Long Island’s New President
18
Publisher's Note 06
If You Love Algebra, Try Baking with Cannabis 46 What Would You Do With Beets, Monkfish, and Prunes? 47 41 Janine Kalesis New York based food and beverage stylist
The Drinks & Entertainment Business 08
Giving The Next Generation
a Strong Start 19
How Will Foodservice Employees Embrace Technology?
Behind the Front Lines 09
22
55
38 Latino Food Industry Association
48
A Sweet Future for Young ACF Chef
Do You Need Travel Insurance?
Calendar Of Events 67
Crackerjack Promos “Imprints the Minds” 80
Ignite Foodservice Solutions 74
69 2024 Summer Fancy Food Show
Navigating the New Era of Outdoor Dining with STREETSEATS
Kristin Hankins Appointed Hotel Manager at InterContinental® New York Barclay
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Recipe: Easy Asian Shrimp Bowl By Vanessa Marquis, Published May 21, 2024, 5:30am EDT Dinner DeeAsFOX 13 News
Letter from the Publisher
Hospitality News will be covering several of the upcoming industry conferences and events through the rest of this year. If you or your colleagues will be at the following events, please say hello to us. Association for Healthcare Foodservice’s Annual Educational Symposium & Vendor Exhibition: Elevate… New Perspectives in Healthcare Food Service on June 14th Specialty Food Association’s 2024 Summer Fancy Food Show from June 23rd to June 25th The 2024 American Culinary Federation National Convention from July 14th to July 17th We hope our readers will come to use us as a resource for all the industry events so they can relive the experience and insights or, if they were unable to attend, learn what took place. You can look forward to seeing stories, photos and videos from Hospitality News from these events and more this year.
Thank you for your continued support of Hospitality News and please keep sharing our coverage via social media or our website.
Eddie Daniels
PUBLISHER EDDIE DANIELS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ALEXANDRA ZENDRIAN
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EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT CAREN FRANKLIN ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES CAROL TERRACCIANO MARTIN DANIELS PODCAST HOST CHRIS PALMER GO CRY IN THE WALK IN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS JEANINE BANKS VERONICA MCLYMONT LINCHI KWOCK
PIZZA TOMORROW SUMMIT PAVILION TO BE FEATURED AT THE 2024 CALIFORNIA RESTAURANT SHOW SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 25-27 IN LOS ANGELES business education, all while in the presence of hundreds of exhibitors in the restaurant, foodservice & hospitality community. (Formerly the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo) The newly renamed California Restaurant Show is better than ever. Have the opportunity to join your peers in experiencing the hottest menu trends, state-of-the-art design and décor, and the best in
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The drinks & entertainment business When John Pawluk opened Twisted Cow Distillery, he didn’t realize he’d be entering both the alcoholic beverage and entertainment businesses. By Alexandra Zendrian ohn Pawluk, previously a Wall Street accountant, opened Twisted Cow Distillery in East Northport about a year and a half ago. J Since then, it’s been a giant learning experience for him, and he’s been fortunate enough to have learned from some of the best in the industry. About six months after opening, Pawluk realized that in addition to crafting unique liquor, he needed to create an experience that captures people and makes them want to spend time (and money) with you. This doesn’t just require local musicians, although that is a part of the puzzle. It can also be events like his recent sip and paint one. When it comes to crafting his liquor, Pawluk takes everything in a measured approach (pun intended) and utilizes mill grain that is treated in a certain way to create his authentic blend. It’s also all in how you agitate, Pawluk says. His stills aren’t made with copper, which not only makes them safer and stronger but then the liquor is also not reactive. The distills are also square and the agitators are conical in shape. This was all reverse-engineered so Twisted Cow could be flexible in what it makes. After all, you can't craft a whiskey and an apple brandy using the same equipment while doing each of those products justice. Pawluk’s favorite part of the process is bottling and barreling. “You get a little banter going,” Pawluk said describing the bottling process. “Friends will come down for bottling.”
He believes in supporting the people who have helped him along his journey, including nearby Sand City Brewing Co. and the Foster family. He also gets his barrels from the Adirondack. Twisted Cow self distributes and utilizes 100 percent of its grain from Long Island. Pawluk's New York pride extends to utilizing only New York State wood in his Hewitt Square location. You might be asking yourself how an accountant came to know so much about distilling? Part of Pawluk’s decision came from no longer appreciating his long train commute from East Northport. Pawluk describes himself as “not a cocktail guy.” He likes the vodka he makes but overall isn’t a fan of the alcoholic beverage. He enjoys the Rye Dog that Twisted Cow creates; he has crafted his liquors to be consumed neat to show off their grain. Although they can also be combined with juices and other items to make a mixed drink, like at his East Northport location. After getting an “awesome reception” from the Town of Huntington and local people, Pawluk wants to grow efficiency and barrel inventory in the coming years. He also would like wholesale to be a more significant part of his business. And Pawluk is also always on the hunt for places that appreciate locally made products, so you may see him at nearby farmer’s markets.
BEHIND THE FRONT LINES
Inside discussions with culinary mavericks in America’s military
By Amelia Levin - ACF National Culinary Review Magazine
he ACF has enjoyed a decades-long partnership with the U.S. military dating back to the 1970s. T The ACF's current President Rene Marquis is the first veteran to hold this role. “The late Lt. General John D. McLaughlin did so much for military chefs; he paved the way with the help of the ACF to bring culinary arts to the forefront and make ours a profession of true talent rather than one of servants,” says ACF National President Chef René Marquis, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC , a retired 21-year U.S. Army veteran, former enlisted aide for three- and four-star generals and decorated military chef competitor who served through 15 deployments in 57 countries. “Even today the schoolhouse at Fort Gregg-Adams is called the McLaughlin Building.” Chef Marquis adds that the military’s partnership with the ACF brings credibility to armed forces foodservice and serves as the backbone for culinary instruction and certification of members of the armed forces. Each branch maintains its own methods for training cooks and culinarians depending on the nature of the service. But, once a year in the spring, the branches come together to compete against each other in the Joint Culinary Training Exercise, the largest military competition in the country held at Fort Gregg-Adams in Virginia (see Sidebar). Leaders from that competition are often chosen to be part of the U.S. Army Culinary Arts Team (USACAT) that competes in the IKA/Culinary Olympics every four years. “The enthusiasm and dedication of military culinarians is inspiring,” says retired Army Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Phillips, chair of the ACF Military Task Force created last year and a retired, 36-year veteran of the U.S. Army currently serving as president of the nonprofit Reserve Organization of America. “Providing quality food to our troops directly contributes to military
readiness, and one of my prime interests is enhancing an understanding of that value among senior military leaders.” Phillips says his main goal as the ACF Military Task Force chair is to continue to get the word out about ACF certifications among members of the military and also facilitate ACF civilian and military member visits to bases and installations to help train and teach future culinarians. We caught up with some of those ACF military chefs to hear their stories about life on the front lines — and in the kitchen. ACF Chef Guy Winks, CEC , also serves on the ACF Military Task Force; he is a retired military chef of 25 years. As a chef for the U.S. Special Forces (Green Berets), he has jumped out of airplanes, climbed mountains and scuba dived in sub-zero waters. As a former U.S. Army enlisted aide, he has also cooked fine dining meals for high-ranking generals in the U.S. Army. THE LIFE OF A GREEN BERET CHEF
Most recently, Chef Winks, a longtime competitor whose team won the 2008 Installation of the Year at the JCTE, has served as a culinary instructor at the Joint Culinary Center of Excellence at Fort Gregg- Adams.
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THE LIFE OF AN ENLISTED AIDE Master Sgt. David A. Marcelli, CCE, CEC, PCC, AAC, has been cooking since he was 14 and worked as a country club chef in his early 20s before joining the U.S. Army more than two decades ago and working up the ranks as an enlisted aide like Chef Winks. “Stressful, demanding, challenging, satisfying, rewarding.” Those are the words Chef Marcelli uses to describe what it’s like to be a military chef. He’s been on four deployments (three to Iraq and one in Afghanistan) and has had to manage high-volume kitchens both on a base and in the field. “Most of our military kitchens are set up to
“Food is morale in military,” he says. “I’ve been in hostile areas where there are just 12 guys on a team and me, the cook, and a supply person and maybe a couple other support people, but that’s it. When you’ve been out crawling in the mud or trudging through the woods or dodging landmines or completing extreme cold weather missions, you see how much great food can change the whole atmosphere. When you go out of your way to cook a vegetarian meal for someone you know doesn’t eat meat or make someone’s omelet just like they like it in the morning and always have hot coffee running 24 hours a day, you know you’re doing your part as a chef in the armed forces.” Chef Winks first got wind of the culinary world after going through initial occupational training at Fort Gregg-Adams (then Fort Lee). “I was a young private who got put on detail washing dishes for the Culinary Olympic team,” he says. “I was immediately hooked and wanted to be a part of that.” Considering himself “lucky to be in the right place at the right time,” Chef Winks was stationed at Fort Carson in 1995 and observed airborne military cooks for the Green Berets. “I went to their compound and asked how to be a cook,” he says. “The dining facility manager for the special forces said if I can decorate a cake for the grand opening of their compound I could gain acceptance into the unit. I went back to the artillery unit where I was stationed and asked the head chef to teach me how to do that. I managed to pull off the assignment and ended up in special forces for the next 14 years.” During his career, Chef Winks also had the opportunity to go to the Culinary Institute of America as a military liaison for a year and earn ProChef Level II certification. In the 2010s, Chef Winks was as a member of the esteemed USACAT team and competed internationally at the Culinary Olympics in Germany and Expogast in Luxemburg, later becoming an advisor for the team. He was a coach for the team this year, and for the last 12 years, he has served as master of ceremony for the Joint Training Culinary Exercise at Fort Gregg-Adams. “Winning gold medals is great, but what it all boils down to is better food for service members,” says Chef Winks. “We take kids from all branches of the military and train them to do advanced level cooking and represent the U.S. They get to go back to their bases and train others.”
feed hundreds to thousands of service members; whereas a small restaurant kitchen may have one large steam jacket kettle to cook maybe 10 gallons of soup,
a lot of our kitchens are set up with 100- to 200-gallon pots, several tilt skillets, and several industrial ovens all blazing away for most of the day to keep up with the demands,” he says. As an enlisted aide stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii, “We entertain foreign dignitaries, senators and foreign senior military liaisons from all over the world,” Chef Marcelli says. “One of the coolest things I’ve gotten to do most recently was work with the Japanese consulate here to build foreign relations — their military team recently came here to help us with one of our functions.” Outside of his regular duties Chef Marcelli has taught culinary arts classes at Fort Gregg-Adams and participated in several culinary competitions while serving in the military. “I was a support member of the 2012 United States Army Culinary Arts Team (USACAT), which competed in the 2012 Olympics in Erfurt, Germany, and I have competed personally in the Fort Gregg-Adams Joint Culinary Training Exercise, winning ACF gold in nutrition and several other individual and team medals.
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A founding member of the newly created ACF Military Task Force, Chef Marcelli hopes to “dispel myths about the ACF among new military cooks that it’s not some secret club that you can only be a part of if you are a senior rank,” he says. “The ACF has done so much for the military and military chefs that I think it’s important to share best practices and continue to help each other.” FEEDING THE NAVY Senior Chief Petty Officer Michael Edwards, CEC, joined the U.S. Navy shortly after 9/11 at the age of 30 after owning a catering company in California for several years. He started his naval career
“I think that is where the ACF really can help,” he says. “Making everyone feel like they’re professionals in their trade and helping [military chefs] like me feel like we can cook head-to-head with other chefs in the industry.”
feeding crews on aircraft carriers, providing four meals per day, 24 hours a day, for up to 5,000 people. That’s when he transitioned to a captain’s cook, which is similar to an enlisted aide position but on board a carrier.
The U.S. Coast Guard’s culinary program made history in 2022 when two of its culinary specialists (Danielle Hughes and Troy Shaw) took home not only the esteemed ACF Chef of the Year Award but also the ACF Pastry Chef of the Year Award in the same year, beating out all other members of the military as well as civilian competitors. THE COAST GUARD ’ S CULINARY PROGRAM
Chef Edwards, who says he’s currently serving the highest ranking admiral in the Navy, also acts like an “estate manager,” coordinating any work that has to be done in the house in addition to serving as a private chef-in-charge. “I’ve done events up to 3,000 people and as small an evening as two people sitting at a table. I’ve cooked everything from simple casseroles to 12- course fine dining meals.” Lately, as a member of the ACF Military Task Force, Chef Edwards has been working to try to bring back the Adopt-a-Ship program, a partnership between the ACF and U.S. Navy that brings civilian chefs aboard ships to train and work with naval cooks. “I think that is where the ACF really can help,” he says. “Making everyone feel like they’re professionals in their trade and helping [military chefs] like me feel like we can cook head-to-head with other chefs in the industry.” At one point, Chef Edwards served as secretary of the Navy mess at the Pentagon. He has taught advanced culinary arts at Fort Gregg-Adams.
ACF Chef Edward Fuchs, CEC, CCE, an E8 U.S. Coast Guard chief culinary specialist, wasn’t surprised. “We’re one of the only performance-based advancement [culinary programs] in the military,” he says. “Our training is based off of ratings, so each person who comes in and wants to be a cook has to go through a 13-week culinary program and a number of practical factors to demonstrate their understanding of the culinary arts.”
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HOW AIRMEN FEED THE U.S. AIR FORCE
Culinary specialists with the Coast Guard prepare meals with the highest standards of nutrition, taste and food safety and also are responsible for logistics, accounting, menu planning and inventory management. Culinary specialists may work ashore at stations, at VIP facilities, or they might be assigned to galleys on cutters. “We teach the same curriculum that you would get at any culinary school, but we have to do it in a more condensed timeframe because we have to get people out to the fleet, so our program takes place over the course of 13 weeks,” Chef Fuchs says. Culinary specialists can continue their education on the job as a line cook (or duty cook) while also learning “firefighting, navigation, line handling, rigging and all those other skills necessary to be successful on a cutter. If you’re an honor grad for a graduating class, you’re going to get your No. 1 pick, and then so on down the line depending on how well you perform in your school. With our advancement being performance driven, you can advance to the next pay grade through continued study and performance on the job.” Essentially, Coast Guard enlistees — after completing eight weeks of boot camp — have a choice to go directly into culinary or they can choose to pursue a different rating, Chef Fuchs says. Any degrees from an ACF-accredited culinary program that an enlistee already has completed could count as an equivalent to a Coast Guard training program and even have that enlistee signing on as a culinary specialist second class (E5). Located in the Two Rock Valley of Petaluma, Calif., the Coast Guard Training Center operates seven schools with courses for health service technicians, electronics technicians, information systems technicians and culinary specialists. Guard launched an ACF-approved apprenticeship program and earlier this year had its first graduating class. “We graduated 14 culinary specialist third classes, but also members from the Filipino Navy, who received their [Certified] Fundamentals Cook certification,” says Chef Fuchs. This is required in order to earn the rank and rating of a culinary specialist third class (E4). The culinary program is so rigorous that just last year, the Coast
ACF Chef Jazmen Davis , technical sergeant, CWPC, oversees culinary instruction for the U.S. Air Force at Fort Gregg-Adams in Virginia and enjoys teaching new recruits the fundamentals of cooking. At Fort Gregg-Adams there are two main kitchens, including a demo lab for basic culinary instruction that lasts about a week. “Then we take the training wheels off and have everyone take a menu and feed about 60 people at a time and then switch them to a bigger kitchen,” says Chef Davis, noting that her team teaches about 900 airmen per year and can have between 60 and 80 students in a class. “By the time they leave their duty station, they will know how to do batch cooking and mass cooking, and they will also spend time in our field kitchens.” Within six months students might have “I enjoy getting people excited about food because I think when people join the military, especially the Air Force, they think they’re going to jump out of planes and do things like that, so many of them are shocked when they get assigned the job of cooking,” says Chef Davis, explaining that this military branch is different from others in that airmen are assigned jobs — they don’t choose them — and they rotate frequently. their first deployment, so they’re trained not just on cooking but also on airplane mechanics and other duties.
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“For my first duty station I was stationed in Las Vegas and we had a partnership with the casinos so I was able to work as an intern at the bakery at Caesar’s Palace,” she says. “By the end of the internship, I was baking cakes for celebrities like Mike Tyson, Wayne Brady and Celine Dion. Those experiences and certifications are definitely a stepping stone for transitioning to civilian life after serving in the military so we’ve been working hard getting the word out about the ACF and the certifications offered.” ACF member Edward Manley, a retired U.S. Navy lieutenant commander and culinary/foodservice management trainer, says the partnership between ACF and the military is critical. “It’s so important to connect with our military members, especially the younger ones, and encourage them to get involved in ACF. There are wonderful jobs in foodservice as a member of the U.S. military, but not everyone knows that. From some of the research I’ve done, those who earn certifications are three times more likely to get promoted to [higher ranks like] E7, E8 and E9.” Chef Marcelli shares the same goals as a member of the ACF Military Task Force. “I hope to dispel myths about the ACF among new military cooks that it’s not some secret club that you can only be a part of if you are a senior rank,” he says. “The ACF has done so much for the military and military chefs that I think it’s important to share best practices and continue to help each other.”
The Air Force does send airmen to compete at the Joint Culinary Training Exercise at Fort Gregg-Adams, says Chef Davis, but she’s always looking for more participation. “I feel like there is a lot of hidden talent in our kitchens so we’re trying to identify those [airmen] and give them opportunities to compete. There are also opportunities for airmen to work in the field.”
Jeffrey E. Phillips, CC - Chair Guy Winks, CEC - Vice Chair David A. Marcelli, CEC, CCE, AAC - Western Task Force Member Jazmen Y. Davis, CWPC - USAF Member Michael R. Edwards, CEC, PCEC, CCA USN Member Edward E. Fuchs, CEC, CCE - USGG Member Eric Johnson - USN member Dominic Difatta - Advisor David Ivey-Soto, CEC - Civilian Advisor René J. Marquis, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC Board Liaison THE ACF MILITARY TASK FORCE
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KATZ’S DELICATESSEN: A NEW YORK LEGACY n 1888, a small deli by the name of Iceland Brothers was established on Ludlow Street I From Humble Beginnings to Legendary Status in New York’s Lower East Side by the Iceland brothers. Upon the arrival of Willy Katz in 1903, the name of the store was officially changed to "Iceland & Katz.” Willy’s cousin Benny joined him in 1910, buying out the Iceland brothers to officially form Katz’s Delicatessen. Their landsman Harry Tarowsky bought into the partnership in April 1917. Katz’s Deli was moved across the street, to its present location, during the construction of the subway system. The vacant lot on Houston Street (pronounced "House-ton" after a Dutch emigrant of the same name) was home to barrels of meat and pickles until the present storefront facade was added between 1946-49.
MEAT OUR PRIDE AND JOY
Katz’s finished product can take up to a full 30 days to cure, while commercially prepared corned beef is often pressure-injected (or "pumped") to cure in 36 hours. Yep, you read that right. 30 days vs. 36 hours. Now, which sounds like the better meat to you? Building a reputation on longevity alone is nothin' to brag about, which is why Katz’s built its on quality. Now that's somethin' special. They only select the best cuts of beef for their corned beef, pastrami, brisket, and other fine foods. Katz’s corned beef and pastrami is cured using a slower method, which best flavors the meat, without injecting chemicals, water, or other additives to speed the process. Each week thousands of visitors from around the world flock to Katz's to dine in this legendary deli, and to feast on the most delectable sandwiches, platters and meats. But it's really New Yorkers that have made Katz's Delicatessen what it is, making Katz's an inherent part of the city's culture and history. They enthusiastically spread the word, brought their friends in, wrote books, shot films, and kept coming back for a pastrami on rye.
BORN IN NEW YORK'S LOWER EAST SIDE
In the early part of the twentieth century, the Lower East Side was home to millions of newly immigrated families. This, along with the lack of public and private transportation, forged a solid community such that Katz’s became a focal point for congregating. On Fridays, the neighborhood turned out to enjoy franks and beans, a Katz tradition.
KATZ’S shares a successful partnership with the FOODWORKS program, read more about it the next edition.
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MEMBERSHIP APPRECIATION
BASEBALL OUTING Find more events
WWW.ACFTAMPABAY.COM/UPCOMING-EVENTS
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SEE PICTURES FROM THE RECENT ACADEMY OF CHEFS EVENT AT THE FORT HARRISON
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ACF TAMPA BAY HONOR SOCIETY EVENT
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Nancy Kombert ACF LONG ISLAND’S NEW PRESIDENT She would like to see more chefs mentoring the next generation, among other things
By Alexandra Zendrian
ancy Kombert has been in the culinary field for more than 20 years. She’s a certified executive N chef who has owned and operated a restaurant on the south shore of Long Island. She’s also the newest President of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Long Island chapter. The industry is “in my blood,” Kombert said. Her father owned a country club and the chef there was a second father to her. Kombert has been part of the ACF since she was in high school. In her new role as President, Kombert hopes to make the Long Island chapter “more cohesive” and to offer more opportunities to junior chefs. To achieve the latter, Kombert needs the help of chef mentors and for more chefs to take on this role. She would encourage young chefs like her younger self to join the ACF because they can network during the meetings and gain opportunities including stages, internships, externships, and jobs from ACF members. Kombert is a firm believer in promoting from within, so it’s all about getting in the door sometimes.
“I love when someone out plates me,” Kombert said, referring to the competition she has among her students to be featured on her Instagram account (nkchef123). She uses this healthy competition as a tool to encourage her students to excel as it’s not a given any student will make the Instagram account any particular week. Which means when students accomplish this feat, they’ve truly earned it. In addition to wanting to see more mentorship within the ACF, Kombert also hopes that the group becomes more inclusive and that everyone feels welcome. “Any time I ask chefs for help, they always want to do something,” Kombert said, referencing chefs donating food, etc. “There’s a lot of talent out there,” Kombert said of the budding chefs she’s seen. “Don’t count them out. Some of these chefs will give you a run for your money.” The next generation of chefs has grown up with social media, including Instagram, and the internet. Because of that, they think of plating differently than other young chefs. Kombert hopes many more people will join the “big- hearted” chefs of the ACF Long Island. For questions or for more information about the ACF Long Island, go to lichefs.com.
Kombert is so excited to see the budding chefs, including Taylor DiBiase (see page 55). Kombert was fortunate to have her father’s chef as a mentor and “because of him, I strived.” She has an associate’s degree from the Culinary Institute of America. Whether it’s the program at Sewanhaka High School or culinary programs including hers at Wilson Tech, it's important to maintain these opportunities because they give up-and- coming chefs a chance to see what they like.
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Giving The Next Generation
a Strong Start
The largest group of students participated in this year’s Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe College scholarship competition
By Alexandra Zendrian
Dean Costantino is encouraged by the caliber of students participating in these competitions in recent years and it’s been noted that the high schools’ junior classes are even more accomplished and larger than those of graduating seniors. mystery baskets (although they always include chicken) to create a meal within an hour. ACF-LI chapter members act as coaches of the teams. This is the 10th year The Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe College has bestowed scholarships to high school students via a one-hour-long cooking competition. Teams of two or three students are given ore than $700,000 in scholarships -- $712,000 to be exact – were awarded at M the 32nd annual American Culinary Federation Long Island Chapter (ACF-LI) Gala in March. The Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe College Dean Frank Costantino noted that 30 students competed for these scholarships, three times higher than the usual 10 students who typically participate.
For students interested in this scholarship opportunity, Dean Costantino advises asking their BOCES instructors about it. Constantino’s admissions application for him. When he went to the bursar’s office and heard the cost of tuition, he had another look on his face, and it wasn’t good. At the time his dad had cancer and he knew he couldn’t go home to his parents asking for money. Someone told him about a scholarship opportunity that involved writing an essay and that enabled Dean Constantino to go to culinary school. For Dean Constantino, doling out scholarships -- the largest of which this year was $40,000 to the winning team members – warms his heart, recalling that someone gave him a similar chance to go to school. When he was a junior in high school, a guidance counselor said he wasn’t fit for college but then he noticed a classmate had applied to culinary school and it piqued his interest. After seeing the kitchens at City Tech, he was blown away and a staff member, noticing the look on his face, practically filled out Dean
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-read more-
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Challenges and solutions for restaurants
By Alexandra Zendrian
At this year’s Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management (SHFM) Critical Issues Conference, the focus was on bridging the A gap between hospitality and technology. After all, as Harpreet Cheema, Senior Director of Digital Design and Development at Sodexo, noted, “By 2030, 75 percent of jobs will have a tech skill requirement.” In this industry in particular though there’s a dichotomy because, as he points out, “we didn’t join this industry because we love working behind a laptop.” So how will the foodservice industry surpass whatever inherent gap it has with tech and learn to use tech that will be beneficial? When people in the industry think about a tech gap, they need to embrace that people have various levels of tech literacy and literacy overall, said Alice Fournier, Chief Information Officer at ISS Americas. Fournier suggests rather than putting someone without digital skills in a negative place before they even start work, such as a digital onboarding, to be cognizant of where each employee and potential staff member is at in their lives, which also includes neurodiversity.
“Automation drives fear because of the lack of knowledge,” said Rob Brummett, Director of Digital Strategic Accounts at Aramark Workplace Experience Group. Other tips for making the tech experience more inclusive is not assuming that everyone’s default language is English, Cheema said. For him, ultimately, “success around digital is not to have to train employees on anything.” Therefore, if there’s a lot of training required, perhaps this isn’t the best solution. But, if there is training involved, it can be helpful to have employees train other employees on the new tech, Brummett noted. “There is untapped talent within the resources you have today,” said Elicia Young, Global Food Program Manager at Intuit. And many of the day’s panelists agreed that the industry shouldn’t clamor for tech as the cure-all. The best approach to solving an issue is determining what the problem is and then assessing from the ground up what’s required to achieve the goal.
She suggested recording people interacting with the tech to see where people struggle and how it can be more accessible and inclusive. Cheema added that anything that you would ask a frontline worker to try, the leadership team should be experiencing first. “Digital knowledge can be acquired by everyone,” Fournier said, adding that it’s all about the willingness to learn. There are some, particularly those in Gen Z, who are digitally native already, said Ennis Olson, Global Insights and Innovation Lead at the Food Program at Google, which may be adding to the width of the tech gap. But the training and adoption of tech that even a few years ago when it came out wasn’t relevant isn’t helping foodservice employees trust that tech will be beneficial for them. Throughout the conference, it was stated that nothing will replace the human touch so people in foodservice don’t need to head for the hills. But it is time to, at the very least, dip their toe into tech. People within the foodservice industry create tasty, beautiful plates of food, noted Haroon Qureshi, Chief Executive Officer of omniXM. “You’re food people; you can do anything.” When modernizing tech training, Brummett suggests using media platforms such as YouTube and having shorter sessions that better suit a person’s attention span. Gamification also makes the experience more enjoyable. When it comes to tech adoption, it’s important to get key stakeholders into the process “very, very early,” Fournier said. “Don’t focus on creating a technology idea; create an idea,” said Jungveer Randhawa, Chief Technology Officer at Compass. “You can wrap technology around that idea.”
“We’re feeding the people who are driving the world forward,” said Joseph Shoemacker, Founder of FoodSpace.
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SHFM CRITICAL ISSUES
May 1st, 2014 | Hudson Center at Warner Bros. Discovery | NYC Bridging the Gap Between Hospitality and Technology.
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SHFM CRITICAL ISSUES
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2028 ACF Culinary Competition Team
ACF Culinary Team USA is the standard of excellence for the culinary industry, advancing and promoting professionalism, leadership and collaboration. We will set high goals and take pride in hard work, persistence and success. We will respect our colleagues, build productive relationships, network and collaborate productivity with our members and partners. Be a part of this exciting culinary adventure! The 2028 ACF Culinary Team USA is now accepting applications for the 2028 Culinary and Pastry Team and Assistant Team Manger positions. The Assistant Team Manager provides leadership and oversight for the national, regional, youth teams and includes coordination of tryouts and practices. They will assist the team in adhering to budgets and fostering relationships among teams, team members, coaches, advisors, national office, ACF board and sponsors. Deadline for application submittals is June 15, 2024. Apply Now!
Michael Muzyk winds down his illustrious career with Baldor
Bronx, NY—June 12, 2023 – Baldor Specialty Foods, one of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic’s largest food distributors, announced today the upcoming retirement of Michael Muzyk, longtime President of the company and an icon in the food distribution industry. Muzyk’s retirement will commence at the end of 2023. Wind Down His Illustrious Career spanning almost 30 years, Muzyk has been looking forward to enjoying more downtime with family and friends in retirement. Because of his dedication to the company, however, he didn’t want to leave until he felt Baldor was well-positioned for the future. “Seeing the strong leader TJ has become and the leadership team he now has behind him, I know this is the right time to move on,” he says. Muzyk joined Baldor in 1996 as a sales representative when the company was still in its early days, operating out of a modest 25,000-square-foot space in Maspeth, Queens. His exceptional understanding of the culinary world, gained from his studies at the Culinary Institute of America and his experience in the kitchen
Doing so, he soon became the indispensable “right hand man” of Baldor Founder and CEO Kevin Murphy, eventually taking on the role of vice president and then president. In 2013, he had the challenging task of helping the company move forward following Kevin Murphy’s untimely death and assisting Kevin’s son TJ Murphy to assume the CEO and Owner position, which he continues to hold today. at fine dining establishments like La Côte Basque, played a vital role in his success as a Baldor salesperson. He understood what chefs needed and made it his goal to solve their problems. Muzyk's dedication to working closely with restaurant owners and chefs combined with his unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality ingredients and best-in-class service established Baldor’s stellar reputation and propelled the company’s unprecedented growth. During his career, Muzyk played a pivotal role in the company’s expansion and success. He helped Baldor establish its 290-square-foot HQ in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx, and then expand service from
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Maine to Virginia, opening regional distribution centers in Boston, the suburbs of Washington, D.C., and in Philadelphia. He expanded the company’s product catalogue beyond produce to include specialty, dairy and meat; he also led the acquisition of Pierless Fish. He spearheaded the development of Fresh Cuts, Baldor's processed fruit and vegetable operation, which has now grown to employ over 300 workers. Muzyk also played a crucial part in various significant initiatives, including the company's involvement in aiding the city's recovery after the tragic events of 9/11, delivering essential food supplies during the NYC blackout, giving aid during Superstorm Sandy, and keeping the Baldor trucks running when the company pivoted to home delivery during the Covid 19 lockdown. Today Baldor sells more than 5,000 SKUs, and services more than 400 routes for 12,000-plus customers. Speaking on his career, Muzyk stated, “I don’t reflect much on the past, because I’ve always been so focused on the future, but looking back, I do see my fingerprint all over Baldor, and I’m proud of what we’ve done. In the last few years of his life, Kevin and I spoke often about the future of the company, and I committed to doing everything I could to make Baldor and TJ successful. I think I’ve lived up to that promise. I’m grateful for the trust and support I received from the team and our customers to enable my success.” Commenting on Muzyk's retirement, TJ said, "I’ve known Michael most of my life, and I can say that his dedication to Baldor over the years has been astounding. His career here has been defined by his huge heart and his unwavering commitment to our
As always, Baldor remains committed to sourcing the highest quality food, delivering exceptional service, expanding its coverage areas, and exploring new opportunities for growth. The company will continue to build upon its market presence, utilizing the foundation laid by Muzyk's years of dedicated service. Between now and end of year, Muzyk will work closely with Murphy to ensure a smooth transition and the continuation of the excellence Baldor customers have come to rely on. Muzyk will focus on knowledge transfer and ensuring continuity for the team. He will also participate in the hiring process for new leaders, providing his expertise to facilitate a fluid succession process. Moving forward, TJ will continue to guide the strategic vision of the company along its current growth trajectory. He and Michael have been collaborating for more than a year to plan for succession, and right away they decided that they would not appoint another president. “I couldn’t expect anyone to fill Michael’s shoes,” said Murphy. “He’s one of one.” But they did decide that they needed to bolster the leadership team with subject- matter executives from larger companies who could help Baldor continue to scale up. So, in the past 18 months, they have added eight people to the VP/SVP level, and they will continue to hire a few key roles to the C-suite in coming months. customers, vendors, and employees. He’s touched thousands of lives and careers, including my own. I’m personally so grateful for his many contributions and his help transitioning this company from my father to me, and I wish him the best on a well- deserved retirement."
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Filling Minds and Bellies with Good Ideas
By Alexandra Zendrian
In a world where items can so easily be ordered online, it takes a lot to get someone to travel and attend an event in person for several hours. Baldor respects that chefs particularly have a very limited time off, so this isn’t just another boring work event. The event planning’s team joy in creating the Baldor Bite shines through, said Margaret Magnarelli, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Baldor. his year’s Baldor Bite, which brought together growers, producers and chefs, was a delicious T and fun experience with a record turnout of 3,500 people and more than 200 vendors. So, what’s the secret to an event that even afterwards got mostly nine out of 10 scores in feedback?
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This year’s Baldor Bite also boasted the likes of famous restauranteur and Founder of Union Square Hospitality Group Danny Meyer and Chef of Restaurant Tatiana and Dogon Kwame Onwuachi as its speakers. Baldor puts an intense focus on this biannual event, the next of which will begin being planned six months after the last one ended, Magnarelli explained. She noted that the company takes very seriously being the “to” in farm to fork. “We want to be known for throwing a good party,” Magnarelli said, adding that she wants people to come away from the Baldor Bite with their minds and bellies filled with good ideas. This year, the event planning team wanted chefs and participants to dive into their sense of childlike wonder with the theme “play with your food.” Some of the most memorable parts of the event included Natalie’s speakeasy, which had a front and back booth, and the food tattoo station. Within minutes, the four-tattoo-artist station was booked up. There were even four people who got tattoos of the Baldor truck (note: these were permanent tattoos, so that’s some love of Baldor!)
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What does TA
mean to the average person
o the average person, hospitality embodies the warmth, friendliness, and attentiveness T extended by hosts or service providers to guests or customers. It encompasses the overall experience of being welcomed, cared for, and treated with kindness and respect in various settings, such as restaurants, hotels, resorts, or even someone's home. Here are • Welcoming Atmosphere: Hospitality is about creating an inviting environment where guests feel comfortable and valued from the moment they arrive. • Friendly Service: It involves genuine interactions and positive communication between hosts or staff and guests, fostering a sense of rapport and connection. some key aspects of hospitality from the the perspective of the average person: • Attentiveness to Needs: Hospitality entails being attentive to the needs and preferences of guests, anticipating their requirements, and providing prompt assistance or solutions. • Personalized Experience: Offering personalized attention and catering to individual preferences enhances the hospitality experience, making guests feel special and appreciated. • Quality of Service: Providing high-quality service, including efficient and effective assistance, contributes to a positive perception of hospitality.
• Professionalism: While friendliness and warmth are essential, professionalism is also important in delivering hospitality. This includes competence, reliability, and integrity in service provision. • Going Above and Beyond: Exceeding expectations and providing unexpected delights or gestures of generosity can leave a lasting impression and enhance the sense of hospitality. • Respect and Courtesy: Showing respect and courtesy towards guests, regardless of their background or circumstances, is fundamental to hospitality. • Creating Memorable Experiences: Hospitality involves creating memorable experiences that guests will cherish and remember fondly, encouraging them to return and recommend the establishment to others. • Feedback and Improvement: Finally, hospitality involves being receptive to feedback from guests and continuously striving to improve the quality of service and overall experience. Overall, hospitality is about more than just providing goods or services; it's about creating meaningful connections and fostering a sense of warmth and care that leaves a positive impression on guests or customers.
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PRESS RELEASE
Perkins, Huddle House parent company names James O’Reilly CEO
Ascent Hospitality Management, parent company of Huddle House and Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, has named James O’Reilly as its CEO, effective June 19. He replaces Michael Abt, who has been in the role since 2012. O’Reilly is charged with leading growth and development across Ascent’s brands, which count nearly 600 locations across the U.S. and Canada. He is also tasked with identifying additional brands to acquire as part of the Ascent portfolio.
Ascent Hospitality Management, parent company of Huddle House and Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, continues to build momentum in 2023 with several consecutive multi-unit agreements. In the past five months, Ascent Hospitality Management has closed five multi- unit agreements for a total of 14 restaurants across five different states, including Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, and Texas. Perkins Restaurant & Bakery® Appoints Diana Garcia-Lorenzana Vice President of Marketing Perkins Restaurant & Bakery® , a leading family-dining restaurant for more than 60 years, has named industry veteran Diana Garcia-Lorenzana as Vice President of Marketing. She is a results-oriented marketer that will lead the Perkins marketing team in building loyalty with a younger consumer audience base, reaching consumers digitally and conveying the brand’s legacy story. Perkins Restaurant & Bakery Celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week with Special Offer for Teachers All Week Long | RestaurantNews.com From Monday, May 8th through Friday, May 12th, Perkins Restaurant & Bakery® locations will provide all teachers who present a coupon and a valid teacher ID* with a 20% discount. The coupon is reusable throughout the entire week and can be used on multiple visits. Parent of Huddle House and Perkins Builds Growth with Several Multi- Unit Deals | FSR magazine
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FOODWORKS LAUNCHES NATIONAL CELEBRITY CHEF ALIST PROGRAM With Chef Kai Chase, Chef Stephan Baity and Chef Aaron Mccargo
FOODWORKS , a national restaurant incubator under Compass Group USA that’s committed to shaping the future of dining through a local lens, proudly announces the official launch of its celebrity chef program, ALIST, in partnership with notable food-tech marketplace HUNGRY. Through this partnership, FOODWORKS and HUNGRY will connect businesses and organizations to top-tier culinary professionals for various catered events, dinners, cooking demonstrations and more. The ALIST program, coined as a "personal concierge to the country’s best chefs" by FOODWORKS President John Coker, brings America’s current and up-and-coming culinary talents to hosted parties or events across the country. The program offers cooking demos, catering, and unique culinary experiences curated to meet the diverse needs of events such as sporting occasions, large-scale gatherings, and workplace engagements. With an all-star chef roster, including Chef Kai Chase, Chef Aaron McCargo Jr. and Chef Stephan Baity, FOODWORKS and HUNGRY have collaborated to create an exclusive and personalized experience for every business. Chef Kai Chase, a celebrity chef in California’s Bay Area, is known for her modern approach to New American cuisine and has served A- list celebrities and political figures, including President Barack Obama, Kevin Hart and Michael Jackson.
With an all-star chef roster, including Chef Kai Chase, Chef Aaron McCargo Jr. and Chef Stephan Baity, FOODWORKS and HUNGRY have collaborated to create an exclusive and personalized experience for every business. Chef Kai Chase, a celebrity chef in California’s Bay Area, is known for her modern approach to New American cuisine and has served A- list celebrities and political figures, including President Barack Obama, Kevin Hart and Michael Jackson. FOODWORKS offers multiple tiers and options for the ALIST program, providing every party and organization the opportunity to find the right chef and culinary expert for them. Options include: • Notable celebrity chefs to cook signature meals at various events, company meetings, celebrations, and more • Hire a favorite celebrity’s personal chef for a unique tasting and intimate behind-the-scenes experience • Meeting with renowned health and nutrition specialists for tips and tricks to health and plant- forward dining • Access to a roster of top specialist chefs that cater to a specific region, offering a hands-on cooking approach using local produce and ingredients
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