How Does Your Garden Grow? | Restaurantville Magazine, Spring 2013

Restaurantville‘13

spring

MAGAZINE CONNECTINGTHETEXASRESTAURANTCOMMUNITY

Photo by Shayda Heath, Phoenix Farms, Bastrop

How Does

Your Garden

Grow?

The How-to’s and Why’s of Local Sourcing

2 | Spring 2013 R E STAU R A N T V I L L E M AG A Z I N E

PUBLISHERRichie Jackson, CEO

Texas Restaurant Association

EDITORWendy Saari, Vice President, Marketing & Communications Texas Restaurant Association

CONTRIBUTORS

Rebecca Ann Robinson Matthew Mabel

ART DIRECTOR Joanna King,

Graphic Design Manager Texas Restaurant Association

ADVERTISINGJoanne Pantaze, JP Solutions

Restaurantville Magazine is published quarterly by the Texas Restaurant Association.

It is the mission of the Texas Restaurant Association

to be the advocate and indispensable resource for the foodservice

and hospitality industry in Texas.

For advertising information contact Joanne Pantaze, 512 -273-2639

or [email protected].

Editorial questions can be directed to Wendy Saari at 512-457-4100 or

[email protected].

P.O. Box 1429Austin, Texas 78767

512-457-4100800-395-2872

www.restaurantville.com

MAGAZINEConnecting the Texas

Restaurant Community

Restaurantville

R E STAU R A N T V I L L E M AG A Z I N E Spring 2013 | 3

contents

D E P A R T M E N T S

22 TEXAS 360

30 COMMUNITY NEWS

CL ICK HERE TO

SUBSCRIBE

F E A T U R E S

4 HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?

18 FOCUS ON GROWTH IN 2013

‘13spring


By Rebecca Ann Robinson

Photo by Shayda Heath, Phoenix Farms, Bastrop

How Does

Your Garden

Grow?

The How-to’s and Why’s of Local Sourcing


It’s no wonder that local sourcing came up as the number one trend in the National Restaurant Association’s What's Hot in 2013 survey.

Local bounty is showing up everywhere, and not just farm to table restaurants. Local sourcing has gone corporate with large hotel chains, retail stores and now schools. People are much more aware of, and concerned about, their food and where it comes from. They are more health-conscious than ever before. They are sensitive to growing environmental stress and reducing our ‘carbon footprint’ on the planet. It’s a top trend because customers are now demanding it.

“I don’t want this to be a trend,

I’d love to see local sourcing

become the new norm.”

– Valerie Broussard, Forager &

Food/Beverage Buyer, W Hotel, Austin

Bisonburger,BoilerHouseRestaurant,SanAntonio


It’s ironic that what used to be a normal way of life (imagine explaining ‘local sourcing’ to a Pilgrim) is now a trend. Af-ter decades of industrialization, population boom, two World Wars and geographical spread which led to mass food process-ing and packaging, people are fi-nally getting back to their roots.

The many great reasons to go local are obvious; positive eco-nomic effect on local communi-ties, the wonderful taste of fresh product (who can dispute the flavor of a freshly picked Texas peach?) and of course, attract-ing customers. The positive envi-ronmental impact has also been proven; the closer a product is to home, the less fuel, packaging and waste.

However, at the end of the day, business is business. When sur-vival in a tough economy means paying strict attention to the bottom line, how practical is it to source locally and what is the best way to go about it?

Mythbusters: COST

Valerie Broussard is a profes-sionally trained chef with a de-gree in Food and Nutrition from Florida State University and a Master’s Degree in Food Cul-ture and Communications from


the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy. She’s devoted her career to conscious cuisine. Her title at the W Hotel in Austin speaks to her and the hotel’s phi-losophy: ‘Forager, Food & Bev-erage Buyer.’ It also befits the philosophy behind the hotel’s restaurant, TRACE, which refers to the traceability of ingredients.

What does that mean exactly, a ‘forager’? “I have a hybrid posi-tion,” Broussard says. She oper-ates much like a director of pur-chasing, but shops and sources locally.

As a professional forager, Broussard states that one of the most common misperceptions (and therefore barrier) to local sourcing is cost. While it’s true that in some cases locally grown products can be slightly higher, prices have dropped dramati-cally over the years as consumer (and chef) demand have in-creased. Many local farmers and purveyors will often offer a bulk discount.

Texas is very fortunate to have John Lash, owner/operator of Farm to Table, LLC, one of only

three people in the United States who makes his living serving as a middleman between chefs and local farmers.

Located in Austin, and working with his son and about a dozen employees, Lash is able to order from numerous local producers and is competitive, if not less expensive, than traditional dis-tributors.

He sells to mass market cus-tomers including PTerry's, Threadgills, Kerbey Lane Cafe, Taco Deli among many others. He helps those on the restaurant side by delivering local product from many different locations and helps farmers, who may not be able to sell (or deliver) on their own.

If there is a slightly higher cost on certain items, some custom-ers are willing to pay for the ex-tra effort. Erica Beneke, Execu-tive Chef at Max’s Wine Dive in Austin observes, “There may be some higher costs associated with purchasing local foods but in my experience, customers are willing to pay that extra amount to know that their food was

While it’s true that in some cases locally

grown products can be slightly higher,

prices have dropped dramatically over the

years as consumer (and chef) demand

have increased.

JohnLash,Owner/Operator,FarmtoTable,LLC

FarmtoTabledeliverytruck


grown with love, treated with respect and that much of that money is going back in to the local economy.”

Beneke does business with Lash and also gets some of her produce from Johnson's Back-yard Garden, an organic farm in East Austin. She and her staff volunteer on the farm from time to time, and “…they pay us in vegetables!”

Broussard also views local sourcing in terms of value. Price might not always be on par every time, but you’ve got a week longer shelf life. And if in-ventory is carefully organized and managed well, there can be a savings.

“If you want the local food movement to grow and you want to have the resources avail-able to you, you don’t want to undercut them.” She says that it is important to understand their process. “It’s labor-intensive. Most don’t have machinery. They plant by hand and they pick by hand. That’s why it’s so incred-ibly fresh.”

Mythbusters:

LOGISTICS

Another common barrier to sourcing locally is logistics, espe-cially for smaller restaurants that are owner operated. Many chefs and restaurant owners don’t

have time to haunt the farmer’s markets during the week, if at all.

However, with the demand for local product increasing, many farmers and purveyors now de-liver, which was rare even just a few years ago. Sometimes once a week, sometimes multiple times per week and they vary on minimum order requirements.

Jeff White, Executive Chef of the Boiler House restaurant in San Antonio says that local sourcing has gotten to the point where farmers will find you. “They are very resilient. They put a lot of energy into what they are doing. They have superior prod-uct. Even if you are not looking for it, it eventually is going to show up on your doorstep be-cause they need your business and support. They really care.”

Not close to a market or no time to visit? Lash recommends having a conversation with the

EricaBeneke,ExecutiveChef,Max’sWineDive

If you want the local food movement to grow, you don’t want to undercut them... They plant by hand and they pick by hand. That’s why it’s so incredibly fresh.


*Certain terms and conditions apply: From July 12 – September 28, 2013, MasterCard will donate to Stand Up to Cancer $.01 per qualifying restaurant transactions of $10 or more, up to $4 million. Promotional dates may change based on contributions. The promotion applies to U.S. qualifying restaurant purchases made by MasterCard cardholders with MasterCard cards issued by U.S. financial institutions. Stand Up To Cancer is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(C)(3) tax-exempt organization. EIF meets all 20 BBB Charity Standards. Stand Up To Cancer and the Stand Up To Cancer Brand Mark are registered trademarks of the Entertainment Industry Foundation.MasterCard and the MasterCard Brand Mark are registered trademarks of MasterCard International Incorporated. Dine and Be Generous is a trademark of MasterCard International Incorporated. ©2013 MasterCard.

JOIN US IN THE FIGHTAGAINST CANCER!

From July 12 to September 28, 2013, when MasterCard® cardholders spend

$10 or more for a meal on their card, MasterCard will make a one-cent

donation to Stand Up To Cancer – up to $4 million.*

To learn how you can support this cause,go to mastercard.com/supportSU2C.


Round-UpGO TEXAN Restaurant


farmers and if they do not de-liver, sometimes they will take orders during the week and have them packaged and ready for pickup at the farmers market on a Saturday.

GETTING 'INTO THE

FIELD’

Finding out prices and delivery schedules starts with the first and most important step; get-ting out into the field (literally) and talking with local growers and purveyors. Like anything in life, ultimately, it depends upon relationships.

The best and most obvious way to do that is to visit the lo-cal farmer’s markets or the farms themselves. When you do arrive, be ready to ask questions.

•Isthereadeliveryschedule?If so, how often and what days of the week?

•Isthereaproductavailabilitylist via email? Ask to be added.

•Isthereaminimumorderrequirement?

What does Broussard look for when working with a farm? One thing she looks for when buying meat is the ‘never ever’ program. ‘Never ever’ refers to no growth hormones, and emphasizes the humane treatment of animals.

She also looks for farms that grow their food naturally—no

chemicals. She asks about fertil-izer. She says it is a good sign if animals are around, which usu-ally means that manure is used. She also looks for on-site com-posting.

To stay organized, Broussard also keeps a detailed spread-sheet of purveyors and product throughout the year.

It’s easy to get caught up in the fervor of local sourcing, but it is important to stay focused on product quality. Brooks Ander-son is Co-owner of Boulevardier and Veritas Wine Bar in Dallas, one of Texas Monthly’s (and D Magazine’s) 10 best new restau-rants of 2012. He cautions people

The ‘Never ever’ program refers to no growth hormones, and emphasizes the humane treatment of animals.

MelvinItz,ItzGarden,Fredericksburg,TX


to make sure that the product they are purchasing measures up. In other words; don’t pur-chase something just because it is local.

He strongly believes in using local whenever possible, but he makes sure that the products are outstanding. Fortunately, Tex-as has a lot of great product to choose from.

“We had a killer grapefruit season this year,” he says, “…and Texas has a number of ex-cellent purveyors. We use Texas cheeses, jerky, chocolates and even Texas spirits, which have expanded just over the last six months. Products have to reso-nate with customers.”

BE FLEXIBLE

Texans are extremely lucky when it comes to locally grown prod-ucts. Most places in the country have a June through October growing season. Texas has a va-riety of bounty year-round.

However, sourcing locally does require flexibility because even with a year-round variety of product, availability can be af-fected by a number of factors, not the least of which is the no-toriously unpredictable Texas weather.

You can use variety to your advantage. Many chefs have switched to using a seasonal menu which not only adds nice variety but also allows for fresh ingredients year round. Seasonal menus also give restaurants yet another news item to ‘announce’ and market to consumers.

Zach Lutton is the Chef/Owner of Zedric’s in San Antonio, which offers fresh and healthy take-away food. He admits that sourc-ing locally does take time and patience. Flexibility is key, be-cause a drought for instance, can affect an entire season. Availabil-ity of product greatly affects his menu and what he offers.

“We’re a very different con-cept. Everything is pre-pack-aged, fresh and never frozen. We write labels, listing out where things come from. It can be a tough thing if you are depending upon a certain product, especial-ly if you are small.”

Lutton is committed to local sourcing whenever possible and although he would love to be 100% local eventually, he does (like everyone) have to reach outside of local sources to fill gaps in availability.

Even with a year-round variety of product, availability can be affected by a number of factors, not the least of which is the notoriously unpredictable Texas weather.

Zedric's,SanAntonio


You don’t have to

go all or nothing

You don’t have to jump all in at once or turn your menu upside down. If you are just beginning to source locally, or even thinking about it, consider implementing changes incrementally. Starting small can be less overwhelming.

For example, consider high-lighting one special item on a dish. “You can highlight some-thing like a baby rainbow carrot as a specialty item for which you might pay a little bit more, but you don’t need to spend that same amount on chopped car-rots for mirepoix,” says Brous-sard.

Along the same lines, you can highlight one or two dishes sea-sonally, or eventually, most of the menu. Beneke did that with her menu when she began her job, “My first priority was to re-

Zedric's,SanAntonio

January–Julycropgrowingschedule,FarmtoTable


design our menu throughout the year as the seasons change.”

You can also get creative about the different types of local prod-uct you carry. Pick a handful of items to try. There are excellent Texas cheeses, honey, chocolate, spirits, beer, produce, meats, condiments, olive oil, spirits and over 500 Texas wineries!

TELL PEOPLE ABOUT IT

Local sourcing efforts can add leverage to your marketing. Con-sumers are increasingly aware of where their food comes from and if they haven’t asked you already, they will. Tell people about your efforts and that you are support-ing the sustainability of the local community food system, which builds goodwill and customer loyalty.

There are many creative ways you can share product informa-tion; list sources on menus or counter signs, develop a prod-uct/dish of the month or sea-son, feature seasonal desserts, highlight them on place flyers, websites or social media. Cross promote with local producers in your social media strategies.

Anderson says that when he wanted to do something to draw a crowd and call attention to Veritas Winery, they chose to partner with a local organic farmer, Kelly Farm, to host a special event. Events can be an

excellent way to cross promote and build relationships with the public. Anderson also enjoys the camaraderie. “It’s a lot of fun as a business owner to establish re-lationships with the people who provide our products.”

Local products are so ubiq-uitous now that chefs and res-taurateurs have had to become much more creative with how they utilize the homegrown trend. At Boulevardier and Veri-tas Wine Bar, Anderson does in-house pickling, from local okra to quail eggs to watermelon rinds.

Rooftopapiarywith11beehivesproducingfresh,localhoneyattheWHotel,Austin

Tell people about your efforts and that you are supporting the sustainability of the local community food system, which builds goodwill and customer loyalty.


At the W Hotel in Austin Brous-sard talks about an herb garden on the fourth floor of the hotel and most recently, a rooftop api-ary with 11 hives for fresh honey. “We are working with a nonprof-it, Central Texas Bee Rescue that uses bees that have been res-cued rather than exterminated,” she says. And on Trace’s bever-age menu locally sourced beers are listed from ‘Texas, USA’. As for the rest? ‘Less Cool Places’.

CONCLUSION

There are definitely still some challenges with sourcing lo-cally; cost, availability, logistics and consistency. However with increased demand by both con-sumers, chefs and restaurateurs, the challenges have lessened over the years and for many, the benefits far outweigh them. Many chefs are seeing return on investment and sourcing locally has already become their new normal.

Beneke is ok with the challeng-es. “In my eyes, they remind us that there are struggles associ-ated with growing food, which teaches us to respect the land and those who work so hard to grow it.”

TIPS ON GOING LOCALFrom Valerie Broussard, Forager, Food & Beverage Buyer

TRACE, W Hotel, Austin

1. Visit farms and farmer’s markets

on a regular basis. Develop

relationships with growers and

purveyors.

2. Do your research and ask

questions. Do the farmers make

deliveries? How often? Will they

offer a bulk discount?

3. Market your efforts, share your sources with your

customers.

4. You don’t have to revamp your entire menu or source

everything locally all at once. Start with a few products

at a time or try rotating seasonal dishes into the menu.

5. Be flexible. Understand that weather and other factors

will affect availability.

HELPFUL LINKS

www.ediblecommunities.com

www.localharvest.org

www.organicconsumers.org

www.gotexan.org


CHOOSE YOUR JOB POSTING SERVICE

Would you like:

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B. A source of experienced candi-dates, with resumes organized and hosted for you? If so, go to PoachedJobs.com.

WRITE YOUR JOB POSTING

Job titleName the position(s) that you’re looking for.

CompanyDon’t even think about being coy and mysterious and leaving out the restaurant name. It’s annoying, and it reduces the effectiveness of your ad.

Job description Be specific, be enticing, but don’t sugar coat. Include:• Shifts/hours • Minimum years of experience • Salary • Special requirements (drug

testing, bilingual, lift 50 pounds, etc.)

Sweeten the pot Make sure you get the cream-of-the-crop by enticing them with a few niceties, such as:• Room for upward mobility • Competitive wages • Medical benefits • Discount programs • Vacation • Paid sick leave

Describe the restaurant Just a sentence or two is fine, not a dissertation.

Submission requirements Let the applicant know exactly what you want and how you want them to apply.• Cover letter, resume, references,

salary history • Apply online, no calls/no walk-

ins, or apply in person

LASTLYDon’t be tempted to in-clude your company email address. Unless you enjoy getting spam.

Spell check, grammar check, punctuation check, and give it to someone else to read. Use proper English, fer cryin’out loud.

PoachedJobs.com is an elegantly intuitive job hosting site for the food and drink industry. PoachedJobs is headquartered in Portland, OR, with additional job boards for Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Austin, Dallas, Houston, and Chicago.

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Focus on Growth in 2013By Matthew Mabel, Surrender Inc.

"Every day they hear

stories about operational challenges

and the perils of coming healthcare

expenses..."

Who knows you better than the vendors who serve you? Maybe nobody.

That’s why it’s interesting that your vendors rate the growth of same-store sales as the biggest is-sue and challenge they see for res-taurateurs in Texas. And the sec-ond-biggest issue is a tie between finding real estate for new units and obtaining necessary financing.

These priorities were revealed by a survey of Texas Restaurant Asso-ciation allied members conducted by Dallas-based Surrender, Inc., a 20-year-old hospitality and organizational de-velopment consulting firm, in partnership with TRA.

Many TRA members have had trusted rela-tionships with their ven-dors for decades. Together, they have been through the ups and downs of economic cycles, eating trends, and shifting consumer tastes. It is not surprising that TRA allied members have a clear perspective on issues that are important to their customers.

“You might not have expected that ven-dors are most focused on the growth of their customers’ business-es. Every day they hear stories about opera-tional challenges and the perils of coming healthcare expenses, yet they still say that growth is their most important emphasis,” commented Surrender Inc. President Matthew Mabel. “We believe this is an indi-cation of positive economic condi-tions here in Texas. There is a good chance that vendors in other parts of the country might not have the same perspective.

“At Surrender, we notice that too. All of our clients are pursu-

ing growth, reflecting the belief that condi-tions for business will be positive and that the positive indicators outnumber the nega-tive. I also believe this represents the entre-preneurial spirit held by so many restaura-teurs. After a few years of recovering from the Great Recession, it is in an entrepreneur’s

blood to grow businesses—you can only keep them down for so long.

“Growing same-store sales is a constant focus of business, whether that be internal training and edu-cation to better bond with guests and sell at the table or embarking on smart marketing and branding

campaigns. Top res-taurateurs are taking advantage of tried-and-true methods of building sales in their dining rooms and in-creasing guest fre-quency.

“It may initially be surprising to think that finding locations for new units is seen

as such a challenge by vendors. But the Recession-era real estate bar-gains are gone. A sites and even B sites are in demand. We see restau-rateurs being smart and patient in considering locations that are avail-able and considering how much they are willing to bend from their site criteria in order to build units.

“It is no surprise that obtaining necessary financing is a big topic. Credit markets are not what they were. On the other hand, we see a continued interest in both bank financing and venture capital for long-standing established opera-tors and companies. There is pri-vate venture capital available from people who understand the busi-ness and know that the restaurant industry is going to continue to be an important focus of the lives of all Texans.

86% of survey respondents said they were optimistic about the fu-ture of their business. They value the strong partnerships they have with their restaurant customers and hope to help them achieve their growth goals.

www.surrender.biz


Health Care Reform: Guidance and Solutions

�GuidanceThe TRA is committed to helping you understand what the regulations mean to your business and what you need to do to comply.

�SolutionsThe TRA trusts UnitedHealthcare to develop health care solutions for the hospitality industry that comply with the Affordable Care Act.

©2013 United HealthCare Services, Inc. Insurance coverage provided by or through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or its affiliates. Administrative services provided by United HealthCare Services, Inc. or their affiliates. Health Plan coverage provided by or through UnitedHealthcare of Texas, Inc. UHCTX638981-000

To discuss UnitedHealthcare’s solutions for your business, contact Kimberlee Vandervoorn at (301) 865-7058 or [email protected].


Texas Restaurant Association combines your business with other restaurants to provide workers’ comp premium discounts and job-specific safety resources. As a member of the Restaurant Association Safety Group, eligible businesses may also qualify for both group and individual dividends and receive a discount for choosing the healthcare network option.

Dividends are based on performance and are not guaranteed.

Get A Full Serving of Savings.Reduce Your Costs and Workplace Injuries.

©20

13 T

exas

Mut

ual I

nsur

ance

Com

pany

Contact your agent or Scott Lea at (800) 395-2872 or email [email protected].


ADVERTORIAL • ADVERTORIAL

70% OF ALL ONLINE CONVERSATIONS ARE ABOUT FOODThis is pretty incredible. It’s also not really surprising when you think about it. Food is life and we share our life on-line with our friends, co-workers even strangers. Savvy restaurant operators know we are now all part of an econo-my powered by online conversation.

The Era of Social MediaWord of mouth advertising is great, but it doesn’t scale the way we want it to. As operators, we have always relied on the power of the referral; deliver a good dining experience and “hope” that a satisfied guest will tell someone and then “hope” that someone will de-cide to make a visit. Well, “hope” is not a strategy that can be relied on. Run-ning a restaurant is hard work. We are reviewed and rated, We are evaluated and judged for both FOH and BOH per-formance every guest, every meal, ev-ery time. We need feedback to improve and innovate and compete. However, prior to 2006, word-of-mouth didn’t have a platform.

The era of social media, and its mul-tiple platforms has shifted control from the operator to the consumer. Your res-taurant and its image is what the social media crowd says it is, not what you say it is. So, how does any restaurateur manage guest satisfaction in a hyper-social world?

The Era of Social Media ManagementThe foodservice industry has tradition-ally been late to the technology party; adopting and investing only when nec-essary. That has to change. We live in a world of smartphones and apps that consumers use to talk, text, search. They discover restaurants and read re-views on their iPads and iPhone. They make reservations and check-in shar-ing location and photographs of where they are, and what they are doing. To

compete, operators need to be educat-ed and be smarter about social media practices and engage with their guests interactively and frequently. They must connect, communicate, engage, and leverage social media and the array of tools and technologies that will help them manage a brand in the 21st cen-tury.

Foodservice Social Media Universe (#FSMU)Social media just makes sense and is a huge gift to the restaurant industry. As operators, we have seen how food has become a favorite American pas-time over the past 15 years. Social net-works like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google +, Instagram, Foursquare and hundreds of other apps and technolo-gies, help restaurateurs engage with their customers, find new customers and develop better relationships that can drive consumers into restaurants.

That is why FohBoh (Front of the House, Back of the House), an interac-

tive online community for restaurateurs developed Foodservice Social Media Universe.

FSMU is about education and discov-ery in a forum that is all about restau-rant social media best practices and technology.

Join us in Austin! 3rd Annual Foodservice

Social Media Universe Conference September 15 – 17, 2013

Sheraton Austin at the Capital

Special offer to Texas Restaurant Association Members

TRA members who register before June 15th receive a $400 discount off the $799 registration fee for operators and $400 off the $1,599 registration fee for non-operators. TRA believes that social media is that important. So do we.

For more information, please visit http://fohboh.com/profile/FSMU or http://fohbohfsmu.eventbrite.com.

22 | Spring 2013 RESTAURANTVI L LE MAGAZINE

TEXAS 360

What do these words mean to your business?Attend a Healthcare Solutions Seminar and find out!

Individual Mandate

EMPLOYER MANDATE

Minimum Essential Coverage

Stabilization Period

Affordable Coverage

Employee N

otice Rule

SUBSIDIZED COVERAGE

PENALTIES

Full-T

ime E

qu

ivalen

t

Exc

han

ges

SAFE HARBOR

LOO

K B

AC

K P

ER

IOD

Healthcare: Are You Ready? The January 1, 2014 deadline established by the Affordable Care Act is looming before the restaurant industry. Owners and operators are struggling to understand exactly how the law impacts their business and what strategic decisions they need to make now to comply.

The Texas Restaurant As-sociation recognizes that this is an incredibly complex issue and is working to provide res-taurant owners and operators with the tools and information they need to successfully navi-gate the myriad regulations and make informed decisions.

To help restaurateurs prepare, the Texas Restaurant Association is presenting Healthcare Solu-tions, a series of free regional seminars bringing a panel of lo-cal, state and national experts to cities around the state to answer questions on managing health-care implementation for contin-ued operational success.

We are also offering four ses-sions at the Southwest Food-service Expo June 23–24 at the Dallas Convention Center. These seminars are FREE to attend.

Find more information at www.restaurantville.com/healthcare

FREE REGIONAL SEMINARS

Dallas, Blue Mesa Grill | May 13 | Register

Fort Worth, Hurst Conference Center | May 15 | Register

The Woodlands, Lone Star College | May 30 | Register

Austin, County Line on the Lake | June 5 | Register

2013 Southwest Foodservice Expo | June 23–24 | Register TRA PRESIDENT’S GALA


TEXAS 360

Take a Stand and be a Part of the Fight Against Cancer MasterCard and Stand Up To Cancer Kick-Off 2013 “Dine and Be Generous” Program

This summer, MasterCard is once again supporting Stand Up To Can-cer by offering the restaurant com-munity and their patrons an oppor-tunity to help raise money in support of cancer research.

Dine and Be Generous is a national marketing campaign designed to raise funds for Stand Up to Cancer, a

charitable initiative that raises funds to accelerate the pace of ground-breaking translational cancer re-search that can get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives.

HOW IT WORKS

From July 16 to September 28, 2013, when US MasterCard cardholders use their card to pay for their bill of $10

or more, MasterCard will make a one-cent donation to Stand Up To Can-cer—up to a total of $4 million.*

GET INVOLVED

Restaurateurs can join this effort by simply supporting and promoting the program in their establishments using MasterCard-developed tools.

Go to www.mastercard.com/supportSU2C to learn more. We’ve proven that we can make a difference, one precious cent at a time.

*Certain terms and conditions apply: From July 16 – September 28, 2013, MasterCard will donate to Stand Up to Cancer$.01 per qualifying restaurant transactions of $10 or more, up to $4 million. Promotional dates may change based on contributions. Promotion applies to U.S. qualifying restaurant purchases made by MasterCard cardholders with MasterCard cards issued by U.S. financial institutions.

Stand Up To Cancer is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. EIF meets all 20 BBB Charity Standards. Stand Up TO Cancer and the Stand Up to Cancer Brand Mark are registered trademarks of the Entertainment Industry Foundation.

MasterCard and the MasterCard Brand Mark are registered trademarks of MasterCard International Incorporated. Dine and Be Generous is a trademark of MasterCard International Incorporated. ©2013 MasterCard. All Rights reserved.

Please join us for theTRA PRESIDENT’S GALA

SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2013 OMNI DALLAS HOTEL

For more information and to RSVP, go to www.restaurantville.com/gala

benefiting

PRESENTING PARTNER


TEXAS 360

Big Ideas. Big Results. Only at the 2013 Southwest Foodservice Expo.

June 23–24, 2013Dallas Convention Center | Dallas, Texas

The restaurant business is ever-changing and you never know where you’ll find the next big idea. Whether you are a veteran or a novice to the restaurant industry, you will be motivated and inspired by the big ideas at Expo!

Full event details and more information at www.swfoodexpo.com

Special Guest Celebrity Chef Robert IrvineYou know him as the host of TV's top-rated restaurant makeover show telling it like it is to save restaurants from imminent failure. His advice might be hard to hear, but the end result is worth it!

Chef Irvine will share his expert insights as the featured

speaker at the Experts Forum on Sunday, June 23. These 30 minute sessions are open to all attendees on a first come basis. Show up early with your impossible restaurant questions. Then don't miss Chef Irvine when he takes the Culinary Showcase stage to share his vision, creativity and passion with the crowd.

Robert Irvine sponsored by:


TEXAS 360

Register online before June 18 for $40 advance registration rate!

NOTE: Current TRA restaurant members can register online for free before June 18. Click here for the promo code. After June 18 everyone will have to pay $50 at the door.

www.swfoodexpo.com

Robert Irvine sponsored by:

Buyer Incentive ProgramFollow the fork! This unique program encourages business transaction on the show floor. Participating exhibitors will proudly display the TRA Fork to indicate they have an Expo-only Show Special. Every attendee who makes a purchase or places an order will be eligible to enter a daily cash drawing! Look for and use #FollowTheFork at Expo.

Healthcare Solutions Presented by the Texas Restaurant Association

Restaurateurs need to be planning now for the changes resulting from implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The Texas Restaurant Association is bringing experts with extensive restaurant and healthcare knowledge to Expo to answer your questions. We'll present the big picture and the details at four sessions that are free to Expo attendees.

Northwest Wine ExpoNew in 2013! The Northwest Wine Expo is co-locating with Expo and you are invited to learn about the exciting developments and growing stature of this region while tasting the distinctive qualities of their wines.

Registration for the Northwest Wine Expo is separate from registration for the Southwest Foodservice Expo. On-site registration is $50 per day. Visit www.nwwineexpo.com for more information and to register.

Experts ForumNew in 2013! For the first time, Expo is offering one-on-one and small group discussions with experts in the fields of restaurant financing, energy management and restaurant design. Sit down with an expert and get your business questions answered!


TEXAS 360

The Association of Zoos & Aquari-ums (AZA) announced that the Moody Gardens Aquarium Pyramid and Moody Gardens Rainforest Pyr-amid were granted accreditation by AZA’s independent Accreditation Commission.

“The Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredits only those zoos and aquariums that meet the high-est standards,” said AZA President and CEO Jim Maddy. As proven lead-ers in in the care and conservation of wildlife and education outreach, the Moody Gardens Aquarium Pyramid and Moody Gardens Rainforest Pyra-

mid are ranked among the best zoos and aquariums in the world.”

To be accredited, the Moody Gar-dens Aquarium Pyramid and Moody Gardens Rainforest Pyramid under-went a thorough review to ensure they have and will continue to meet ever-rising standards, which include animal care, veterinary programs, conservation, education, and safety. AZA requires zoos and aquariums to successfully complete this rigor-ous accreditation process every five years in order to be members of the Association.

www.moodygardens.com

AZA Grants Accreditation to Moody Gardens Aquarium Pyramid and Moody Gardens Rainforest Pyramid

(l-r) Gary Geddes, Director of Zoological and Environmental Education at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and Chair of the AZA Accreditation Commission; John Zendt, President/CEO of the Aquarium & Rainforest at Moody Gardens, Inc.; Greg Whittaker, Animal Husbandry Manager at the Aquarium & Rainforest at Moody Gardens, Inc.; and Kris Vehrs, AZA Executive Director.Moody Gardens

Aquarium Pyramid and Moody

Gardens Rainforest Pyramid are

ranked among the best zoos and

aquariums in the world.

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Our Culinary Arts program offers: • Small class size • Personal attention with our industry experienced chef instructors • Day and evening classes • Career placement assistance*

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TEXAS 360

The Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio Confers First Degrees

Seventeen students at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), San An-tonio received their Associate in Applied Science (AAS) diplomas during commencement ceremonies at the Pearl complex on Friday, April 12. This graduation marks the first degrees conferred at the college's San Antonio campus.

The commencement address was presented by Kit Goldsbury, a San Antonio philanthropist whose devel-opment company, Silver Ventures, is responsible for the development of Pearl. His gift to the college and generous support of student schol-arships made the CIA campus in San

Antonio a reality. During the ceremo-ny, CIA President Dr. Tim Ryan pre-sented Mr. Goldsbury with an hon-orary Doctor of Humane Letters in Culinary Arts degree.

"We are here to celebrate the re-alization of your dreams. You have persevered, thanks to the desire and drive to develop your culinary talent at The Culinary Institute of Ameri-ca, the best culinary college in the world," Mr. Goldsbury told graduates. "With good decisions and hard work you can make your stamp here in San Antonio, or wherever your dreams take you."

Philanthropist Kit Goldsbury Receives Honorary Doctorate

The 17 members of the first class to earn associate degrees in culinary arts from the CIA San Antonio celebrate their graduation.

TRA Awards W. Price Jr. ScholarshipsEach year the Texas Restaurant Association awards the W. Price Jr. Memorial scholarship to students with a growing passion for the foodservice industry. The scholarship is named for W. Price Jr., the first executive director of the Texas Restaurant Associa-tion.

This year, scholarships for $2,000 were awarded to four graduating high school students attending a post-secondary culi-nary program and two students currently enrolled in a post-sec-ondary culinary program. Con-gratulations to these outstanding students!

Jasmine Germiller St. Phillips College, San Antonio

Giavanni Rosas El Centro College, Dallas

Patrick Garcia Rockwall High School, Rockwall,

plans to attend University of Arkansas

Hailey Dallas Central High School, San Angelo, plans to attend Johnson & Wales

Fisher Sutterfield Bowie High School, Austin, plans to attend The Culinary Institute of

America

Trenton Shank Byron Nelson High School, Trophy

Club, plans to attend The New England Culinary Institute

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Byron Nelson’s culinary team

placed sixth out of 43 teams and Rockwall’s

management team placed 15th out of

40 teams!

Texas ProStart Students Shine at National ProStart Invitational The teams from the Academy of Culinary Arts at Byron Nelson High School (Chef Instructor Steve De-Shazo) and Rockwall High School (Chef Instructor Cody Hayes) did the Lone Star state proud at the Nation-al ProStart Invitational competition. Byron Nelson’s culinary team placed sixth out of 43 teams and Rockwall’s management team placed 15th out of 40 teams!

More than 350 top ProStart stu-dents from 43 states, territories and Department of Defense bases, com-peted for their share of $1.4 million in

scholarships by demonstrating their mastery of restaurant leadership skills —culinary and management—in a fast-paced competition.

Congratulations to our Texas ProS-tart teams and thanks to all of the vol-unteers, mentors, instructors, parents and staff that helped with the Texas ProStart Invitational competitions.


COMMUNITY NEWS

TRA Chapters & Members Step Up to Help West, Texas

TRA President Scott Plowman Takes His Message to Chapters HOUSTON GALA

SABINE AREA SCHOLARSHIP DINNER

SAN ANTONIO GALA

Members of the Waco chapter cre-ated a campaign that will benefit the community of West. Customers at participating restaurants and re-tail stores pay $1 and have their name placed on a decal that hangs in the

business to show their support. Egg & I corporate offices in Colorado cre-ated the image and campaign for vic-tims of the Colorado fires last year and, thanks to local franchisee Mike Beheler, generously allowed Waco to

adapt it for use locally.

On April 29, Texas Road-house in Corpus Christi, owned by chapter presi-dent Mike Schmidt hosted an all-day fundraiser, do-nating 10% of all food sales to West relief organiza-tions.

Schlotzsky’s had a fund-raiser on April 30. Partici-pating stores donated 15% of sales from 4pm to close to the West, Texas relief program.

BJ’s raised funds by con-tributing a portion of sales from all 28 BJ’s in Texas on Tuesday, April 30, with a commitment to make a minimum donation of $20,000.


COMMUNITY NEWS

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ADVERTISING INDEX

FOH-BOH .................................................................................. 21

GO TEXAN ................................................................................ 10

HEARTLAND ........................................................................... 36

LOOPER REED ........................................................................ 29

MARKETPLACE .......................................................................27 FAZOLI'S

GLAZIER FOODS

REMINGTON COLLEGES

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POACHED ...................................................................................17

SOUTHWASTE .........................................................................33

STAND UP TO CANCER ..........................................................9

TEXAS MUTUAL ..................................................................... 20

UNITED HEALTHCARE .......................................................... 19

PROPOSED TRA BYLAW AMENDMENTSThe Board of the Texas Restaurant Association has voted to propose a number of amendments to TRA’s Bylaws for consideration for adop-tion by a vote of the membership at the Annual Meeting to be held at the Dallas Convention Center at 9:30am on June 23. The full text of the by-law amendments, with notations on the proposed changes, is available to

members in the members’ only sec-tion of TRA’s website.

The highlights of the changes are the addition of the Immediate Past President to the Association’s Offi-cers, a definition of “emeritus member of the board”, limiting board mem-bers to two consecutive terms, folding the Pension and Retirement Commit-tee into the Finance and Investment

Committee, clarifying that it is regular members that are used to determine the number of TRA directors for a chapter, various other amendments concerning application for member-ship and notice provisions.

Galveston Chapter Golf Tournament Benefits Francisco ‘Paco’ Vargas Scholarship Fund

Paco Vargas pictured with scholarship recipients

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How Does Your Garden Grow? | Restaurantville Magazine, Spring 2013

Documents

Transcript of How Does Your Garden Grow? | Restaurantville Magazine, Spring 2013