WINTER 2011

The road to success...

can be a piece of cake.

WWW. TASTINGSUCCESSMAGAZINE.COM

CONTENTS

16 FEATURE
His journey to success

Mark McEwan:

Technology
4_ Apps and Appetite 28 Why Digital Menus Could Work For You

Insights
87 Would You Make a Good Restaurateur? 10 Upgrading Your Skills 26 Menu Psychology

Business
79 Staffing Your Restaurant 11 Sommeliers and Your Restaurant 12 Using Locally Grown Foods 20 Dishing Inspiration 24 Unwrapping Red Tape

Features
22 Restaurant Cost-cutting 101

Marketing
5 Positioning Your brand 6 Internet Coupons
Tasting Success Magazine @Tasting_Success

Crafting Culture

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tastingsuccessmagazine.com

Winter 2011

EDITORIAL

we invite you
To the premiere edition of Tasting Success

From top right (clockwise): Yeamrot Taddese, Kaitlynn Ford, Jessica Lee, Nadia Persaud and Hina Jasim

or the last six months our editorial team has been out hunting for issues that matter to Torontos restaurateurs. We have sat down with many of you, heard your thoughts and we know your concerns.

Toronto is a very diverse place with over 3,000 restaurants. We understand the pressure involved in building your own distinct brand. Thats why in our premiere issue, we bring you innovative and exciting new ideas in areas ranging from staffing matters to digital technology and red tape. We have tips on how to improve your menus with eye-catching designs, how to use social media to market your business and how locally grown foods give your business an advantage. This is only the first of many issues of cutting-edge ideas that will not only inform you, but also inspire your thoughts as to how to expand your bottom line. Tasting Success aims to help your business grow by becoming your go-to guide and forum on the ins and outs of running a restaurant. We want to hear about the concerns you have in your industry or ideas you want to share with others. Cheers,

Tasting Success
Editorial Team

CONNECT WITH US: Twitter: @Tasting_Success 4

Winter 2011

Facebook: Tasting Success Magazine

TECHNOLOGY

Social and Digtal Marketing

Creating an online presence beyond websites
BY: YEAMROT TADDESE

Apps and Appetite

Dine T.O.
Were actually the only restaurant guide in the world that integrated restaurant menus on our app as opposed to just linking them to [restaurants] website, Pantelley Damoulianos, vice-president of the company, said.
Photo by: Yeamrot Taddese

Now Magazine
Now Magazines food critic Steven Davey goes out to Toronto restaurants and reviews them based on their food, ambience and service. The review, which appears in both print and online, is automatically uploaded on their restaurant app.

Foursquare
Thousands of people also use Foursquares app on their phones to locate the nearest restaurants in their vicinity. 35,000 new users join foursquare everyday. Restaurants can add special offers users can see when theyre in the area. Best of all, its free to use!

Blog.TO
Blog.TOs iPad and iPhone app has a lot of the websites content, which allows users to access and share restaurant information, inluding photos, reviews, location and phone number. Users can also look up DineSafe info if it is available.

Tweeting: Social Media and your Restaurant

Hospitality social media expert Jill Clark begins her work by looking for keywords related to the venue she is representing. When she is on Fish Bars Twitter account, she searches for words like oysters in Toronto, dinner in Toronto or Ossington Avenue, where the restaurant is located. I look for real time conversations about any of the keywords Im looking for, she said. If she finds that a person likes wine, she suggests they try the special for $5.99 at Fish Bar. Marketing through social media is much more targeted. Qunice Bistro owner co-owner Jennifer Gittins uses Facebook for information that needs a larger platform, like new a new menu and pictures. While time restricts her venture into other outlets like YouTube, Gittins finds that social media advertising is a winner compared to print. Ads do nothing. They cost you a lot of money and do nothing, Gittens said blatantly. She added that a small ad in Toronto Life costs her about $1,000. It brings me about... Ill go really high - 25 people, she said. One thing is for sure when restaurant owners take their brands online, customers will take their complaints to the same venue. People complain and now they do it online, Clark said. She added that the key is to apologize quickly and sincerely. Ninety-nine per cent of the time, it works, she said. All [commentators] want is for the business to know theyre pissed.

Winter 2011

MARKETING

your restaurant
M
BY: Kaitlynn Ford
themselves in online restaurant-specific cism from the users. directories, they need to make sure The owners of the Crepe Kitchen in they work together with the site hosts Oakville make sure to never miss an to portray their brand the way they opportunity for customer-suggested want. If they leave their profile for the growth when the situation arises. host or the consumer to update, the Within their first two years of business, information presented may be wrong they have already altered their hours or outdated, of operation, added missing links, ....If [restaurants] brand items to their menu, photos and and started bottling other informa- is not portrayed in the right and selling their own tion. homemade dressing, way, it could harm their Many all based on customers business. times with suggestions. these websites You have to take - Damoulianos you can have the opportunities when a disgruntled they come, Anns Siles, employee putting up a negative review, co-owner of the restaurant, said. Daor you can have a competitor putting moulianos agrees. up a negative review, PapachristopouAs a marketing company we can los said. only fill up so many seats at the restauBut it is also important to consider rant, but whether or not the customer what the reviewers are saying, especially is going to come back depends on the if two or more people are posting their restaurant, he said. concerns. While marketing your brand is great, If they keep on seeing the same Damoulianos added the restaurant will review over and over again then they always speak for itslef. should look into that and do something Branding is always great ... but about it, Papachristopoulos said. A always stick to the basics which is sersmart restaurant owner would look at vice and great food, Papachristopoulos that and look at it as constructive critisaid. arketing is the best way a restaurateur can distinguish their eatery from its competitors. At the very least, they should know their target demographic, the image they want to project and the avenues and types of media they plan to use for advertising. Pantelly Damoulianos, the vice-president of Dine.TO says online presence is increasingly becoming important. There are so many other websites out there and if [restaurants] brand is not portrayed in the right way, it could harm their business, he said. Restaurateurs can differentiate themselves from the competition by appealing to quality and price, functionality or design, sales promotion and advertising, availability, and location. Restaurateurs should also consider Facebook, Twitter, email blasts, restaurant directories or marketing online as part of their advertising strategies. An independent [restaurant] will set up a Facebook page or Twitter page and then they kind of forget about it and it does more harm than anything else, Stratos Papachristopoulos, president of Dine.TO, said. If restaurateurs choose to include

brand

How to

Winter 2011

MARKETING

Entertaining Your Guests

Casa Barcelona, a Spanish restaurant, hosts flamenco dancers, mariachis and belly dancers every weekend. But when the Bollywood awards were in Toronto this summer, they offered Indian-style dancing.

Switching it up:

Internet Coupons:
Photo by: Nadia Persaud

A simple offer brings thousands of customers

BY: NADIA PERSAUD

ouponing websites are the newest marketing tool available for restaurants, which allows them to advertise to a much larger audience than the traditional form of marketing: newspapers. A lot of restaurants do traditional marketing in magazines and newspapers like Now Magazine but that has blind spots. You dont know how many people will come into your restaurant from that ad in Now Magazine unless it is an offer of some sort, Jeff Hermsen, President of LivingDeal.com, said. Couponing websites display local deals for users who sign up using their email address and enter their location. They then get deals from salons, dental offices, restaurants and services in their neighbourhood. It also shows how many people bought certain deals and how much time a user has left to purchase a deal. Hermsen points out that the website is a good way for restaurants to find out how many people have bought their coupon as well as how many people use it, because they would have to print out the coupon and take it with them to the restaurant. But JJ Sytsylt, supervisor at Lai Wah Heen, an upscale restaurant, said couponing websites might not benefit all restaurants in the same way. According to Sytsylt, a sister restaurant, Lai Toh Heen, used a couponing website to market themselves when business was slow. For an upscale restaurant you are going to need customers who can afford it, explained Sytsylt. But with these couponing websites you get people who go to try it out because theyve heard of it before and just want to try it out. She said the restaurant did get business from the coupon but it slowed down again after the offer expired. Hermsen said that could be a problem because the coupons are offered to prospective patrons at the restaurants cost. While he agrees this could defer restaurants from participating, it is also an important way to build and market a restaurant. I had one [restaurant] owner tell me that he wasnt concerned with the cost, said Hermsen. He just wanted his restaurant to be busy because if theres people inside the restuarant that would make people from outside the restaurant come in and hell make money to offset the coupons. Sytsylt, an ocassional user of couponing websites agrees, I used to go to this other restaurant on the Danforth and after they offered coupons the place just got so much people. Its kind of nice when a restaurant you enjoy is suddenly enjoyed by everyone else.

Miranda Ramrop, manager of Peoples Chicken, says, If its jazz on Saturday, we get a typically older crowd, but during the week when we have more top 40s kind of bands then you see more of a younger crowd.

Different music appeal to different audiences:

A lot of entertainers will typically approach restaurants looking for places to play. We get emails and phone calls all the time from artists looking for a place to play. What we do now is ask someone to send us a link for a website that goes to a video or something that we can listen to a band perform and judge on that, Ramrop said.

You dont have to look far:

If you charge a cover, it might deter patrons. Ramrop suggests increasing the drink during entertainment hours and encouraging patrons to spend a certain amount of money.

You dont always have to charge a cover:

Winter 2011

INSIGHTS

Why Personality Matters

Your attitude could make or break your business
BY: JESSICA LEE

o youve decided you want to try running a restaurant. Maybe you have a great idea or youre a fantastic cook. But hold on for a moment. Being a good chef or having a great concept doesnt mean your restaurant will succeed. According to Heather and Andy Dismore, authors of Running a Restaurant for Dummies, there are key traits a person must have to be suited for the food business. In their book, they list passion, presence, creativity, tolerance, flexibility, positivity, leadership, business sense and schmoozability - most of which can be learned on the job. Out of all the traits, the Dismores believe that business sense and schmoozability are the most important traits needed to succeed. Business sense is essential and sadly, often overlooked, says Heather. So many people get into the restaurant business for the apparent fun and excitement, without realizing that it is, first and foremost, a business. Heather added that a restaurant is run much like any other business, with the same challenges like managing people, retaining customers, and marketing your business and metrics for success such as controlling costs and turning a profit. If youre not running your business by the numbers, you wont be running it for long, she says. The Dismores define schmoozability as the ability to make the diner feel welcome, at home, and important in a room full of other people that youre also trying to make feel important. Its often the reason that a diner chooses your restaurant over another, adds Heather. Further down the list of important traits are creativity, leadership skills and passion. I think that passion and creativity are innate, says Heather. These two traits give you the drive to develop the other key traits, in a sense. In a real life example of creativity at work, Andy witnessed a Chicago restaurant requiring servers to wear double-sided tape to the bottoms of their shoes to pick up loose pieces of debris on their carpeted floors. At the same restaurant, the menus were changed daily to use the freshest ingredients available. Special menus were also created at a moments notice to accomodate

Photo by: Jessica Lee

Pangaea restaurant manager Peter Geary says restaurateurs should lead their staff by example.

Winter 2011

INSIGHTS
guests with specific allergies or food preferences. skills, Geary says. Heather says once a restaurateur has passion for the At the same time, managers should be flexible and tolerbusiness and a curious, creative mind, they can use them ant to the many different types of personalities they ento develop leadership skills, become increasingly flexible counter in their restaurant. To maintain a steady cash flow, and hone their business skills. they need to be accepting of all the preferences of their Without passion or creativity, she added, a restaurateur customers, and work hard to accommodate their needs. cannot sustain the positive energy needed for their busiWhatever we need to do, we need to do to make sure ness. the customer experience is as good as we can make it, Ali Gaeeni, a manager at Scaccia Italian restaurant, says Geary says. that restaurant managers should like their jobs. Restaurant managers also need to be persistent in their You have to try to stay positive. You have to enjoy what goals. McEwan believes his success in the food industry is you do, he says. the result of hard work. If a restaurateur doesnt have passion, they will ulYou have to be very determined to see it through, he timately fail to keep up with the stresses of the business. says. You have to be very dedicated to the aspect of serYour passion will also ensure your staff understands the vi- vice and quality and product and the relationship you have sion you have for the business. It affects their performance with the client. and the way they treat customers. Its a tough business in one way. But once you get the Mark McEwan, a Canadian restaurateur and owner of formula moving and going, if you have a good sort of think several restaurants, two catering businesses and a grocery tank of people working with you, then you can keep a good store, says that restaurateurs should know what they are culture going in the kitchen and the front of the house. getting into. Though McEwan has never taken a business course; [Its] very very important that you dont fall into a posi- he learned how to run his restaurants and grocery store tion for the wrong reason, he says. You have to have an through experience. ego, but you also have to let other people have an ego. You Heather agrees that you learn a lot of what you need to have to be fair. You have to be demanding of people but know on the job. realistically demanding of people. In this business, time on the floor and in the trenches is Peter Geary, owner and manager at Pangaea restaurant the ultimate teacher. believes that a good restaurateur should lead by example. Geary adds that your colleagues could also school you You [have to] roll up your sleeves [sometimes], he says. just by doing, or not doing, their jobs. Though he usually works behind the bar, Geary says that First guy I worked with in London was just brilliant on if servers are busy with other customers, he will help out the front door, so I learned a lot of those skills by watching with their other tables. him and seeing how he handed it, he says. Being around When it comes to hiring staff, McEwan believes in being bad restaurant managers is also a learning experience as a good judge of characwell because it shows how not to manage a ter. He uses his instinct to restaurant. You have to try to stay decide whether an employee Also critical to success is a sense that good should be fired based on positive. You have to enjoy enough isnt, Andy says. What was cutting their actions. edge and new yesterday is pass and tired what you do. You [have to] listen tomorrow. intently and you [have to] -Ali Gaeeni Having a presence in the restaurant counts observe people. I mean, too. Even if a restaurant can function on its you ask a person a question own without a manager to supervise the staff, and theyll usually tell you what you want to hear. But you the Dismores encourage restaurateurs to visit their estabwatch them in action, you see them actually executing. lishments frequently so staff know they are there and will They cant really hide it then. So its very very important not be tempted to slack off. that you observe people and watch them in their daily Making your presence known to diners also ties in with operation and then you get a realistic portrayal of who that schmoozability - customers like to interact with owners person is. and managers. Communication skills are also essential to any trade Andy encourages restaurateurs to do their research and where customer service is involved. Both Gaeeni and know the market. If there is a restaurant that packs in Geary stress the importance of handing people well. On a guests night after night, he says to talk to the guests and daily basis, restaurant managers must ensure customers are the owner to find out why. Often, the owners pride will happy and their employees feel appreciated. loosen their lips and cause them to spill their secrets to You need good people skills, good conflict resolution success, which is highly useful information.

Winter 2011

BUSINESS

Photo by: Kaitlynn Ford

Staffing:
Choosing the best employees for your business
BY: KAITLYNN FORD

inding qualified staff and keeping them too is a leading concern in the restaurant industry.

According to a 2009 survey of 20 national and regional foodservice chains by the Canadian Restaurant and Food Association, the average annual turnover rate for an hourly paid employee is 104.8 per cent at a quickservice restaurant and 62.5 per cent at a casual or family dining restaurant. Bliss Associates say that the cost and impact of employee turnover can be grouped into four major categories: costs due to a person leaving, hiring costs, training costs and lost productivity costs. In their article Connecting Mission and Talent, experts at ExecSearches. com suggests the best way to ensure hiring a qualified chef or cook is to know

what you want, how much you are willing to pay, use your networks to identify talent, reference all finalists, and let common sense be your final judge.

training, and qualification diversity. For back of the house positions, colleges and universities are a great place to find up-and-coming new talent. Often colleges will have their students complete internship programs as part of the learning experience and a way to gain practical, real-world exposure. Tyler Cardy has been a hiring manager for Timothys World Coffee in three different locations since 2006. While there are some things you can do prior to hiring an employee to ensure that you dont make an oversight, Cardy says that you can never be 100 per cent sure about the type of person youve decided to take a chance on until they start. You may see a resume that looks really great but until you meet the person, you dont really know.

WHERE TO GO
Consider avenues that attract a large number of job seekers with varied qualifications and skills, such as Torontos National Job Fair and Training Expo. It is important to bear in mind the reach of the internet and employment-based websites like Monster. ca and Workopolis.com. LinkedIn is the Facebook of business networking websites. These websites serve nearly the same purpose as job fairs and training expos with regard to the volume of applicants and skills,

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Winter 2011

BUSINESS

Photo by: Nadia Persaud

Wine:
BY: NADIA PERSAUD
here is one product in a restaurant that guarantees a high reward on investment: wine. A bottle of wine in a restaurant can be marked up as high as three times its retail price. The labour cost associated with uncorking and serving a glass of wine is significantly less than any other restaurant service. But in order to reach this level of high return, restaurants cant rely on amateurs, they instead have to hire sommeliers. Armando Mano, owner and certified sommelier at Centro Restaurant & Lounge says sommeliers enhance the experience of the guest without making the guest feel they lack knowledge. All the servers at Centro are certified sommeliers. A sommeliers job could be as simple as telling the guest a short history of the wine the guest has selected or the region the wine is from. Marinno Goazanez, a certified sommelier and manager at Ciao Wine Bar, says he introduces himself to patrons and recommends wines based on the patrons price range, the foods they have ordered and the type of wine they are looking for. Ciao Wine Bar carries between 300350 labels, which are available by the bottle, but only a few of the options are available to buy by the glass. Meanwhile,

What a sommelier can do for you

Centro has over 600 labels in house they trust the sommeliers selection. and about 30 wines to buy by the glass. Just because a guest says my budget is A lot of people [at Ciao Wine Bar] like $100, doesnt mean you should choose a to get bottles, Goazanez says. But not a wine thats $100. I would pick one thats lot of people do get to enjoy a full bottle $75, because if you can blow them out because they dont have enough time, they of the water with a cheaper priced wine, have to drive or not enough people at the you build a better rapport with the custable want to enjoy the same type of wine. tomer and this builds good customer However, Ciao Wine Bar re-corks the re- relations so they come back, he says. maining wine for patrons to take home. The two restaurants do not participate Goazanez helps patrons select wines by in Torontos Bring Your Own Wine Prorecommending certain wines based on gram but for different reasons. Ciao Wine the seasons. In Bar does not allow winter I choose patrons to bring Just because a guest says more full bodtheir own bottles ied wines es- my budget is $100, doesnt of wine to the pecially for the restaurant while by glass pro- mean you should choose a Centro Restaurant gram, which is wine thats $100. charges a $35 corkthe strongest fee to defer -Armando Mano age point on my people from bringwine menu. ing in cheaper In summer, I bring more lighter wines bottles of wine from the nearby LCBO. like Pinot Noire or a Burgundy. I can tell you that if you come here This changing wine list also starts to for $35 you can get a much better bottle build regular clienteles because its like a of wine, Mano says I want to discourstarting place where you are learning and age people from bringing things that are drinking at the same time, Goazanez says. not special, if you want to bring a bottle of Mano agrees that many patrons go wine from home that is an older vintage to his restaurant to learn more about or a gift and you dont really cook at home wines but another reason is because then by all means the $35 is justified.

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FEATURE

Giving You An Edge:

locally grown foods

BY: HINA JASIM

Photos by: Hina Jasim

Toronto restaurants are embracing locally grown foods to add a unique edge to their establishments and support Ontario farmers.

hefs in Toronto are gearing their menus to a sustainable trend: locally grown foods. Bonita Magee, project manager of Get Local, a program from British Columbia brings restaurants and farmers together. Theres an odd disconnect with what people are eating and their lack of knowledge of where its coming from, Magee said. The program has an innovative way of not only encouraging local foods but also showcasing what Canadian restaurants are using. People need to know the reasons behind what theyre eating and chefs are now becoming more interested in local foods. Were actually not Winter 2011

producing as much local as what just serving it, Magee said. People people are asking for, a disappointed want local foods! Magee said. Deb Mackay, the farm manager According to the Canadian Food of Cooks Town Green, located in Inspection Agency, local food is Thornton, Ontario, has been in defined as being grown 50 km of where business since 1988 and has farm land the item is sold. of nearly 100 I think chefs have more acres with only Local farms are also less likely to 70 per cent being use hormones in fun with local ingredients used. She was in their foods. the restaurant and menus. By choosing industry for 25 locally grown before - Andrika Dias years food, restaurants joining the farm can serve fresh 10 years ago. food, support the local economy and She says she knows the needs of reduce pollution since the food travels restaurateurs and tries to deliver only less distance. Its better than just the best products. I have to make taking out frozen items, defrosting and sure the products are cleaned and

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FEATURE
sanitized before being delivered, Mackay from Cumbraes Farm in Ontario and explained. their seafood comes from Lake Erie and The farm is well-known for their Huron. salads, seedlings used for garnishing, and We make sure we get our produce root vegetables like carrots, beets and from a long-time supplier, one the owner potatoes. has known for years. Our produce comes Local food has been happening for in daily, seafood is maybe twice a week, nearly 20 years now and we were actually Dolly added. one of the first farms to be involved in Toronto resident Andrika Dias is a the now well-known trend, Mackay said restaurant enthusiast and enjoys the local with a smile. food trend but finds that it doesnt suit Cooks her student Local food is something you can Town budget. caters trust, its not being handled by someone Its kind out to of sad that restaurants from God knows where. you have to like Booca, - Andrika Dias pay more Pangaea, for food just Canoe because the and Harbor 60. They also provide service food is coming from a certain amount to major hotels like Four Seasons, Ritz of kilometers [away], Dias said in Carlton and Sheraton. disappointment. Theres more availability with local Mackay says customers are getting foods now than there was 10 years ago what they are paying for. and chefs prefer it, Mackay said. Our products are more expensive than According to Restaurant Central, a a retailer but its because everythings survey done by Ispos Reid showed 86 per done by hand, by all of us here she cent of Canadians believe food produced explained. in Canada is safe. Eight out of 10 agree For Dolly, locally grown foods also its important to know where your food make for a unique dining. comes from. Another survey done by the Using local foods will make us stand Canadian Restaurant and Foodservice out from other restaurants, its a betterAssociation this year found that choosing tasting product and I believe it will cost locally grown foods is the leading trend less to use local items and its fresher, he in the business. The CRFAs also claims said. that Torontonians spend 20 per cent Whats the difference of their food expenditures on local between a local products. food item Adam Dolly, the head chef at Hanks versus an Wine and Bar, located at 9 Church St., imported only cooks with local products. The ne? owner, Bryan Burke, took over the restaurant from Chef Jamie Kennedy two years ago and carried on Kennedys commitment to local farmers. We have a wide variety of items available. For example, our asparagus is unbeatable and strawberries, which come fresh from the farmers market, Dolly said. Us using local foods is a way of supporting our local farmers and the money is being spent in our economy and city. Ninety per cent of our menu is local foods. The restaurant gets all their cattle beef Lets use asparagus as an example, Dolly said. Its sweet and juicy from Ontario but if you get it from Mexico, its duller in taste and color. Our strawberries are much richer in taste and bigger in size, compared to ones from California, he said. You as a customer know where the foods coming from, or you should know. Youre not just supporting local foods but also the local wineries we have. I think chefs have more fun with local ingredients and menus, Magee laughed. Local items like burgundy radish, baby pea tendrils and purple basil are all examples of items used to decorate and garnish dishes and the names sound exotic and fun. Local food is something you can trust, its not being handled by someone from God knows where. I think local food tends to be fancier and in my opinion, it has an expensive menu, Dias said. Restaurants and small local farms have a mutually beneficial relationship, Mackay said. According to Cooks Town, Canadian produce gets the premium price in the U.S. market because it has more flavours and Canada has the cheapest food in the world. Chef Dolly explained one setback with using local foods. Sometimes the items do get limiting, its a really hard season for produce. You have to go out of the box, go somewhere else to get specific foods, he said. But one thing is for sure, Dolly said. You as a customer need to know whats in your food, I feel its necessary to spread local food in the economy.

Winter 2011

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FEATURE

Crafting culture
Yeamrot Taddese looks into how you can use culture to entice even the most picky eaters

server at Rendezvous an Ethiopian restaurant. Ethiopian restaurant After finding out about walks out of a busy gursha, the kids could not kitchen with a fresh, furiously stop stuffing food into each smoky pan of roasted coffee others mouths even after beans. they went home. Guests enjoying injera and wot Breaking the barrier dinner at throw out their arms to utensils create and wave the aromatic smell to their introducing Ethiopian food tables. as bonding experience Owner Banchi Kinde knows makes people want to come what it takes to get even the back for more, Kinde said. most unadventurous Torotonians The commercial hooked on Ethiopian food. is already made. [The Walking into an Ethiopian customers] are all yours. restaurant is a challenge for many Although hospitality is a people, she said. She looked generic rule for restaurants, at guests tearing injera, a thin Kinde says its one of the pita-like bread, with their fingers qualities of Ethiopian from a shared platter. They use culture her restaurant takes the piece to scoop some wot or advantage of. stew and gobble up the bite-size When people go to roll. Ethiopia and come back, the When you eat with your first thing they talk about hands, it creates an attachment is about our hospitality, not with yourself, said a soft-spoken really the food, she said. but firm Kinde. Thats why When they come back Ethiopian food makes you fall in here, they expect the same love with yourself. treatment. Its a bold statement, but one In a growingly dietKinde strongly believes in. The conscious society, the large Rendezvous Ethiopian restaurant owner Banchi Kinde key to getting customers to come selection of vegetarian pours Ethiopian coffee. back for more, she said, is to dishes in the Ethiopian explain the Ethiopian culture of palette also drives business eating, like gursha putting a piece of injera and wot into a to Rendezvous, Kinde added. But despite the spicefriends mouth. intolerance nature of many non-Ethiopians, Kinde believes Its an intimate thing, she said. Once they [customers] its important to retain the original ingredients. find out [about gursha] next time they want to bring their The way Ethiopians eat it is the way its served, she wives or someone else. said, adding that Ethiopian food has many Kinde mentioned a recent episode of The Simpsons dishes that are not spicy. Watering down the spicy in which Marge becomes adventurous and orders the dishes compromises authenticity, she stated. craziest thing on the menu for her and her children in Authenticity is something Jay Yoo, the operations Winter 2011

Photo by: Yeamrot Taddese

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FEATURE
manager at Nami Japanese restaurant, also values. From the food to dcor and staff uniform, Japanese culture is imbedded in the whole restaurant, he said. A lot of Japanese restaurants are actually Korean- or Chinese-owned. At Nami, 99 per cent of staff speak Japaneseour head chef is from Japan. Authenticity at Nami is also seen in how the staff do their job, Yoo added. Nami Japanese restaurant prides itself in serving authentic food. All staff at Nami speak Japanese. Theres a strong Many ethnic restaurants in Toronto, Waxman noted, sense of team work alter original recipes either because the ingredients are not [among the staff ], which is very Japanese, he said. available or because they want to cater to what they believe Most of these staff, he stated, have worked at Nami for a Canadians find delicious. very long time and keep the 25-year-old restaurants food Berber Moroccan restaurant assistant manager Medhat and service consistent. Lotify agrees. Owned by Italians who love Moroccan We havent been in business this long because of a oneculture, a first glimpse at the downtown restaurant hit wonder thing, he affirmed. We try to make the dining prepares its patrons for a true Mediterranean experience as experience consistent. Every time people come, they know far as ambiance and entertainment are concerned. what theyre getting. The tent ceilings, dim lighting and red cushions on The wait staff at Nami are dressed in traditional Japanese bench sofa seats give a feel of a different world. Belly kimono, something Adam Waxman, a food writer at DINE dancers move around the restaurant ringing shimmy Magazine who has eaten around the world, believes adds to sounds of North Africa. But when it comes to the food, the dining experience. Lotify said local touches are a must. If you go to a Japanese You cant do everything Moroccan, restaurant where the waiters ...Ethiopian food makes you he said shaking his head. You have to are wearing kimono and fall in love with yourself. add North American elements to suit another one where they are tastes]. wearing black pants and shirts, Banchi Kinde [Canadian Moroccan food can be very sweet how you relate to your waiter is and buttery, Lotify said, adding that different, he said. it could be hard to savour for those who dont have the But authenticity in clothing, and especially food, is acquired taste. something only those who know about the culture in The same goes for drinks. While Berber sells Moroccan question can recognize, he said. Authentic food, Waxman wine, it also has wines from other parts of the world added, can make one restaurant better than another because guests have their preferences. but that its not something people think of when theyre Even when changes are made to accommodate local hungry. needs, there are problems. After eating braised lamb with The motivation for going out for dinner is often prune sauce for dinner, customers call to complain about determined by hunger, he said. Youre eating for fuel. stomach problems. If you want to have a quick lunch, who cares about Its not a problem with the food, Lotify chuckled, authenticity? adding that prunes are simply natural laxatives. He added that people often settle for authentic enough but rarely accept bad service or little value for money.

Photo by: jessica Lee

Winter 2011

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FEATURE

Mark

McEwan
Story and photos by: Jessica Lee

shares his secrets to success

Mark McEwan moves like a fish in water at his high-end grocery store in North York. He is the boss after all. He laughs with his staff, adjusts products and greets customers with a sincere smile. Dressed in a pressed navy blue suit with a pale blue dress shirt underneath, he looks every bit the part of a proud owner. After over 35 years in the food industry, McEwan has opened four restaurants, a grocery store and two catering companies. He has also published two books, stars in two television shows and launched an eco-friendly pots and pans line. The road to this point, however, has not been easy. He first decided to become a chef in 1976, after finishing high school. I sold my car, I took our Actually, a lot of people thought I was sort of crazy to be going into the business, he wedding money I didnt says. They had no understanding of food. You tell people that youre going to be a chef today tell my wife this I took all and they go oh thats great. Back in my day, they looked at you like youd bumped your head. Back then, the Food Channel did not exist, nor did the media blitz revolving food and the money for the wedding restaurants. and bought a share for the It was a very different playing field, McEwan says. He took an apprenticeship in the kitchen at Sutton Place, an upscale hotel in downtown restaurant. Toronto, and eventually became the executive hotel chef as his career progressed.

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That was my first big job. And then from there, I segwayed into restaurants, he says. In 1985 he bought Pronto restaurant with two other business partners. After doing the hotel for two years, I was bored already, he says. I looked around and thought, I dont want to be here my whole life. I dont want to be at a food and beverage meeting every Thursday and listening to the same people talk about why they cant things done. McEwan was passionate about his new restaurant venture and did what he had to do to make ends meet. I sold my car, I took our wedding money I didnt tell my wife this I took all the money for the wedding and bought a

share for the restaurant. I went from [earning] $65,000 a year [at the hotel] to a $32,000 salary. At the time, Pronto was already a successful restaurant. McEwan and his team kept the pot bubbling and in 1990, opened a new restaurant, North 44. It was not easy. When you go to the bank and you want to open up a business, you sort of sell your soul, McEwan says. McEwan and his partners split shortly after opening North 44. His partners ended up with Pronto and McEwan got North 44. Enter the recession. With $2 million in debt and a restaurant to run, McEwan

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continued to work in North 44 and managed to establish a regu- also knows that quality control in a restaurant is extremely important. lar clientele. Finally, in 2002, he was ready to embrace another You dont ever get that moment to open again, McEwan challenge. He opened his second restaurant, Bymark, in the fisays of restaurants. nancial district, which has gone McEwans expectations are exon to become just as successful I think [being a middle emplified in his TV series, The Heat as North 44. child] is a benefit. I think when with Mark McEwan. In one episode Success is a curvy road. youre young and you get too where the company was catering You have to work it, work it, a large event, despite doubts from work it all the time. You have much attention for the wrong his staff, McEwan outlined exactly to find an idea and if it doesnt reasons, I dont think its good for what they could do in the timework, you have to figure it out character. frame and made it clear in a stern and be tenacious about it, manner what he expected them to McEwan says. accomplish. Though he has never taken Hes a perfectionist, first and foremost, and hes very simple any business courses, he has a natural talent for it. As a young and fair but at the same time he demands a lot, Sash Simpson, entrepreneur, the changing of weather meant McEwan mowed executive chef at North 44 and a long-time employee of McElawns, raked leaves and shovelled driveways. wans, says. The moment I was old enough to get a job, I got a job. I think its natural that people sort of fall into [business], McEwan HIRING AND FIRING says. When working with new employees, McEwan relies on his McEwan knows that guests at his restaurant like to feel instinct, which he says are generally right. Employees, he says, special and makes time to chat and meet with them. He are essentially the most difficult equation of the business to knows what he wants and expects his employees to deliver control. it. He tries to visit all of his restaurants every day to oversee I dont even believe in the three strikes youre out rule, the staff and keep a watch for new needs that may present McEwan remarks, I believe certain things, one strike and themselves. youre two thirds out the door. Even a hint of it again, youre Tim Salmon, general manager at One Restaurant in gone. Because I know [the character] resides in you and I Yorkville, one of McEwans eateries, describes him as very dont want to have to deal with people like that. on the ball. He says that the failure rate of new employees in a new McEwan is up-to-date on the latest trends but also uses business is relatively high. When he was opening one of his good old-fashioned logic to make his decisions. Deciding to restaurants, the general manager was fired within two weeks go with the more costly paper bags to be eco-friendly at his grocery store despite plastic bags being cheaper shows how attuned he is to the green progression that is occurring in the industry. Hes a very astute businessman, says Salmon, who has been an employee of McEwans for 17 years. Hes very smart. He knows exactly what figures need to go he knows the numbers. McEwans ONE Restaurant, located in the glitzy Yorkville district, is a prime spot Salmons boss for socialites and celebrities.

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McEwan begins his day by working out at 7:30 a.m., then immediately hits the office to start his work. for failing to meet standards. You never know until boots are on the ground and you start adding pressure to the bottle what happens to a person. Then you see the true character of a person come out. And until theyre tested, you dont know, McEwan says. His employees agree. He expects his team to work as hard as he does. If he thinks youre not working hard and not doing what you should be doing, hes got no time for you, Salmon says. Simpson is grateful for the position McEwan gave him and for everything he taught him in the kitchen. For me to take over and run [North 44] for him was a blessing, Simpson says. What he showed me is being really good at what you do, and that is what he is. Pretty much everything he touches turns to gold, Salmon adds. Hes very strong-minded, Salmon says. Hes not wishy-washy at all. McEwans strong vision of what he wants and extensive expertise in the field such as knowing what diners want, what would look good in his grocery store have so far brought success. Every detail, down to the employees uniforms, were meticulously planned and thought over. McEwan believes his unrelenting personality comes from being a middle child in a large family. He emphasizes that everything he has - he had to work hard for. I think [being a middle child] is a benefit. I think when youre young and you get too much attention for the wrong reasons, I dont think its good for character.

LOOKING BACK
Out of all his projects, McEwan felt that the most difficult one was opening the grocery store. I think it was probably the most satisfying [to complete] because it was probably the biggest thing Ive ever done. Id talked about a store for 10 years. Probably a good 10 years, says McEwan. To sit across the street on the park bench and actually see the store operating was quite a thrill, he remarks. Having just released a new cookbook on Italian food last month and opened an Italian restaurant (Fabbrica) last year, there is no telling what he is up to next. There are book signings to be done, foods to be taste-tested, events to cater and decisions to be made. I like what Im doing at 54 and I think thats a good place to be, so Im a happy guy, he says.

WORKING HIS WAY TO THE TOP

Not one for superficial talk or time wasting, McEwan established an empire at age 54 simply due to focus and hard work. Where other people like to talk endlessly over plans but never set their plans to action, McEwan is the kind of person who gets things done. He sets his mind to his goals, makes plans, assigns projects to the staff best suited for the job and waits for it all to come to fruition. I dont have a lot of patience for unnecessary meetings and endless structure and paperwork. I like to be hands-on. I like to see things come about and I think by me controlling it, I can be very spontaneous in that way - create a lot of change and a lot of action in a short period of time.

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PHOTO

Playful
Cambria Dinnerware Dinner plate (set of four): $51.80 Salad plate (set of four): $41.44 Cereal Bowl (set of four): $41.44 Mug (set of four): $41.44 Classic cutlery (20 piece set): $207.22

Antique
Pie Crust Dinnerware Bowl: $16.00 Tea cup: $12.00 Small plate: $16.00 Large plate: $24.00 Cutlery (set of five): $28.00

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TASTING SUCCESS

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Dishing Out Inspiration

Photos: Jessica Lee

Besides taste, food is often judged on presentation. The food is the show and the dinnerware is the stage. Both are important to setting the taste of the meal, which is why we have picked out a few themes to give you ideas for your winning dish.

Minimalist
Bowl: $4.39 Plate: $6.99 Cup and saucer: $2.99 Eclipse spoon: $2.39 Eclipse fork: $2.39 Eclipse knife: $2.99 Available at Tap Phong Trading Co.

Winter 2011

TASTING SUCCESS

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Restaurant Cost-cutting 101

How to save on expenses you dont need
BY: JESSICA LEE

t is a common practice for people to cut the fat off of their meat before cooking it. Similarly, when running a restaurant, it is essential to cut the fat off of whatever is holding your business back from making higher profits. In other words, slashing the costs of what is not necessary is important to the financial health of your establishment. Typically, the expenses are split up with a third of spending going into hiring labour, a third going into food, and the rest towards everything else, including rent. In a Canada-wide survey of 2,000 restaurants, The Bottom Line, a guide that has statistics of Canadas food business budgets reports that the average Canadian restaurant spent 31.4 per cent on food and beverages, 26.1 per cent on salaries, wages and benefits and 12.2 per cent on rent in 2010. The rest was spent on entertainment, utilities and other expenses. Richard Wade, a hospitality management professor at Ryerson University and restaurant consultant, suggests that no more than 10 per cent of the costs should go into rent. Since the cost of rent is often not flexible, variable costs in running a restaurant are usually limited to just labour and food. To save on labour costs, Mike Wilson, a restaurant consultant based in Toronto, advises having the management team work longer hours to cover some of the hourly paid employees, since managers are paid by salary. However, Wilson warns that this method should not be casually employed as it puts more stress, sometimes too much, on managers, which can lead to further problems like mismanagement of the staff. Winter 2011

Wilson, who has 35 years of experience in the restaurant business, began his career in culinary school as a chef. He has worked in a hotel, various restaurants, and also for the largest food manufacturer in the world, Nestle. While he does not openly recommend buying cheaper ingredients to save on costs, he says, If its a small part of the ingredient, it doesnt necessarily affect the quality. He advises chefs to make the same dish using different brands of flour or sugar. If there isnt a difference in the quality of the food, and one brand costs less than the other, it makes economic sense to switch brands. For example, if a baker making bread saves 10 cents a loaf by using less expensive flour, he ends up saving $100 per 1,000 loaves sold. The best quality [foods] taste better in the end, Wilson says. But if its a small ingredient like coriander seed or something like that, it doesnt make a big difference. If youre talking about something like saffron that makes a big difference, if its something delicate. Vegetables should be as fresh as possible, he adds. Many restaurants will also try to work out a deal with food suppliers. In Canoe Restaurants case, since the restaurant belongs to a larger chain, Oliver & Bonacini, the company has saved money by buying in bulk for all of its restaurants, according to general manager Paul Martin. Besides being known for its view (the restaurant is situated on the 54th floor of the TD building on Wellington Street in Toronto), the restaurant has a reputation for high-quality dining.

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Once the food is bought and prepared, [at Canoe], Martin says. Everymany restaurant experts recommend mak- thing that we butcher that isnt used ing sure that the right portion is on the in a specific dish can be used in a plate. sauce of some kind. I have stood in the kitchen looking Removing the garbage cans from at all the food that is coming back on the the cooking area, and giving employees plates, and seeing what keeps coming back clear plastic bins to throw their scraps in, on the plates. Maybe you see a lot of French also helps monitor waste. Managers can fries that are coming back or mashed pota- then make comments to the cooks and retoes, Wade says. train them if good, usable product is being At Canoe, food is weighed before bethrown out. ing served on the plate. Martin says any Training chefs to learn new skills such as serious restaurant would weigh its food butchering also saves money paid to meat before serving. Even drinks are measured processing centres. at Canoe. When you train your chefs, also include For glasses of wine, for example, we use your managers. a cortino, which is a little craft which has Professor Wade, who has had over 50 a lined edge on it so we know how much years of restaurant experience, says that to pour into [the glasses]. For everything managers should be able to do everything else, we use shot glasses and make sure that their staff members can do. that everything is proper. We wont do free One of the problems restaurants get pouring as some places might do, he says. into, he says, [is that] they dont know While measuring may seem like a hassle, much about food preparation and they it will save you dollars in the long run. leave that with the chef. Well if the chef Monitoring inventory levels and keeping then says, Well Im going to leave, then an inventory that matches your needs is where are you at? also another way to reduce costs. Keeping None of your staff should feel indispensinventory low reduces the waste in unsold able, he adds. Its much better if they food. It also keeps track of what is supknow you can do their job. posed to be in stock. Wade stresses that conducting research, If theres a fluctuation in [our inventory knowing various skills and being prepared numbers], well know that something is not is essential to keep the business running. alright, Martin says. For new restaurants, he encourages plotDishonest employees could also mean ting out all the expenses they will need, and losses. Wilson recomto really do their mends setting up None of your staff should homework. security cameras and All too often feel indispensable. making sure the back what restaurants door is not close to -Professor Richard Wade will do is underesthe kitchen in case of timate their cost of internal theft. When opening a restauthe restaurant is busy, rant and so what and managers are focused on the customhappens is they become under-financed, so ers, things can walk out the back door, he when they actually open their restaurant, says. theyre already sort of tapped-out finanSome restaurants will go as far as not let- cially, he says. ting the employees take out trash without He adds that new restaurants should opthe managers approval. Dishonest employ- erate under the assumption that they wont ees may throw out expensive items such as be making any profits for three months, or wine and rescue them later when disposing even a year. He also does not recommend of the trash. trying to cut costs or cutting down staff Wilson also recommends using clear when first opening. garbage bags to see what is being thrown You dont want to be displeasing your out. If there is a lack of training, some customers simply by cutting back on staff cooks may throw out usable product withor cutting down on portion sizes or simply out knowing it. taking shortcuts with the food preparaTheres very little waste in the kitchen tion.

Leasing might save you money

Depending on your financial standing and number of years in the business, leasing equipment, instead of buying it, might leave extra bucks in your pocket.

Leasing: Pros Good when youre just starting out with a new restaurant and dont have a lot of money to spend. Youre not stuck with equipment, can return it anytime if it breaks or just stops working. Some vendors might waive the monthly fee, if you have a new restaurant.
Cons Extremely high interest rates Dealing with credit checks Having to return item once lease is up

Buying: Pros It works for owners who have knowledge of taking care of restaurant and equipment. You have complete power over item, its yours.
Cons Up-front cost is higher It takes away from your budget, profit. You have to deal with the maintenance/ repair yourself.
- By Hina Jasim

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Photo by: Jessica Lee

UNWRAPPING RED TAPE

Municipal and federal governments are taking steps to reduce bureaucracy for restaurateurs

BY: YEAMROT TADDESE

Restaurant, Hotel & Motel Association, said. Regulatory burden is a huge restraint financially and on time. A survey conducted last year by the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association found that nine out of 10 restaurateurs feel red tape is huge problem for their businesses. Restaurateurs also have to deal with different departments to fulfill each requirements. Giannetta said a one-stop shop for all hospitality licensing will make the process more streamlined. She added that a simpler way of communicating requirements will also be useful since restaurateurs are often unsure of what is expected of them. Were not opposed to the regulations; safety is a number one priority for us, she affirmed. But each individual

iquor licence, check. No smoking signs, check. Elevator safety requirement, check. Alarm system, check. Correct kitchen sink positioning, check. If your regulatory compliance checklist looks like this, youre probably less than a quarter of the way to completing your requirement before you could open a fullservice restaurant. In addition to hiring, firing, serving and purchasing, many restaurateurs have to deal with painstaking paperwork and scattered administration to stay in line with regulatory laws imposed by municipal and provincial governments. [Restaurant owners] should be focusing on growing their businesses but they are stuck in their offices filling out forms, Brandy Giannetta, a spokesperson for the Ontario Winter 2011

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requirement should be made clear. It affecting business owners. shouldnt be a guessing game. [Regulators] fail to take a look of Grilled Pit restaurant owner the total regulatory burden placed on Victor Alvarez is thankful for having business owners, she said. had experience in the hospitality Anabel Lindblad, spokesperson business prior to opening his for the Ottawa-based Red Tape restaurant because for someone Reduction Commission, said partly who is new, it can be a bit of a because of the commissions work, guessing game. some of Giannettes concerns are Looking back, he thinks the listed in this years federal budget. process of opening a restaurant Federal regulators, she said, will could have been easier. use a small business checklist to [The procedures] are very ensure that new regulations take into cumbersome; you have to be very account the particular circumstances organized and detailed, he said, of small business owners. frowning in discontent. But whats The commission, created by the most frustrating is the wait [for federal government last year, is also permits]. working to increase transparency and Walking predictability, around his [Restaurant owners] should Lindblad restaurant, added. be focusing on growing their Alvarez is The proud to businesses but they are stuck in government show off has made a their offices filling out forms. his sticker commitment from the -Brandy Giannetta to post all Electrical regulatory Safety consultations Authority. on the Consulting with Canadians Three years ago, he had to get a web portal as well as in Canada green light from officials before he Gazette. could close off his restaurants roof Lindblad added that the sharing of lest he break everything down if he information allows business owners didnt meet the electrical standards. to not only foresee new regulations Like Giannetta, Alvarez said but also provide their inputs when the regulations themselves arent a regulations are designed. problem. Regulatory obligations vary If you follow all the regulations, from one municipality to another, youre safe, he said. You have to requiring restaurateurs to start comply for the safety of yourself and the process of obtaining a licence your customers. from scratch when they open a new If there could be one department restaurant in a different city. that can handle these procedures, it Bruce Hawkins, a spokesperson would be great. for the City of Torontos Municipal Giannetta said organizations like Licensing and Standards, said the city the Ministry of Health, Ministry of is taking steps to make the licensing Labour, Workers Safety Insurance process more streamlined. He said Board and Alcohol and Gaming most resources are now available Commission of Ontario could work online to help self-employed business together to make the process easier owners save time. for restaurateurs. Licensees can now pay most She highlighted that each newly invoices, including licence renewals, imposed regulation doesnt take into online, saving them a trip to the account how other regulations are licensing office, he said. But for those like Alvarez, who would appreciate some kind of manual on what the requirements are and how to fulfill them, the city is still falling short. Why doesnt someone write a book about how to do this? Alvarez said jokingly. Unlike Alvarez, who had to start his business from scratch, Abyssinia restaurant owner Sirak Ayele bought an establishment that was previously a small eatery near Bloor Street and Ossington Avenue. In addition to having patrons walk in his restaurant since the day he opened, buying an existing operation also meant the previous owner could transfer most of his inspection approval stamps to Ayele. For me, it was like buying a car without tires and then putting on the tires myself, Ayele said. But now, Ayele wants to build a patio for his Bloor Street restaurant and his construction application has been in city hall for nearly three months. Every step youre making, the city has to know, he said. If you want to knock down a wall, you have to go through a process. However, Ayele is thankful for online application forms the city has made available, which he said helped save him a lot of time when he opened his establishment. Handling all the deskwork becomes so time-consuming that restaurateurs often hire other people to do it. Before deciding to take on the initial paperwork all by himself, Ayele had contacted an accountant who could do the job for him. He [the accountant] asked me for $2,000, Ayele exclaimed. I said, No! I had the luxury of time, so I did it on my own.

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INSIGHTS

THE SCIENCE BEHIND BUYING

Psychology
Arranging your spread to sell certain dishes or sell more of them
BY: JESSICA LEE

Menu

Photos by: Jessica Lee

W
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hats the difference between writing 9 and $9 on your menu? Making or not making $9. Its all about menu psychology: using research and psychological tactics to influence the customer to buy a particular item, or buy more of the same item. So where do you start? The first thing youve got to do is write a mission statement, says former restauranteur and current George Brown hospitality professor Andy Hickl-Szabo. Then from there flows the menu, from that really flows everything else. In an article by the New York Times, writer Sarah Kershaw used restaurateur Danny Meyers new Indian restaurant, Tabla, as an example of how to successfully brand a dish. The name of one of the dishes, Boodies Chicken Liver Masala, draws from the observation that people like to buy products associated with persons. This is because the name gives a sense of tradition attached to the product. For Meyers restaurant, Boodie is the name of the head chef s mother. Consumers are more likely to buy Grandmas Oples apple pie, burgers freshly ground at Uncle Jakes, or Aunt Jeminas pancakes.

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If the food is from a special place, when describing it in the menu, you want to mention it as well, says Hickl-Szabo. For example writing Berkshire pork or Kenyan coffee is better than simply offering pork and coffee. is a simple comparison strategy when pricing their items. In the heart of the trendy SoHo district in New York, a restaurant named Balthazar has a seafood dish for two priced at $80. It wasnt selling because it was a ridiculous price, so they made the box wider and beside it, they put a similar thing, but for [$125], says Hickl-Szabo. So what happens now is that people by default look at that, and the one they wanted to sell, which was the cheap one at $80 now sells incredibly well because its positioned next to one thats stupidly priced.

MAKE USE OF BOXES, LINES AND HOT SPOTS

Georgia State University hospitality professor Dave Pavesic says that too often, menus look like they are put together last minute. In a carefully designed menu, restaurateurs can take advantage of prime menu space and strategically place items they want to sell in those areas. Much of the menu design is also adapted from retail merchandising principles that set up displays in department and other retail stores to catch the eye of the shopper, says Pavesic, adding that no one ever purchased something that never caught their attention. Boxes, dotted outlines, or even extra white space can make items stand out. For efficiency reasons, Pavesic advises not to put items in key spaces if they take more than 10-12 minutes to prepare and need to be moved to two or more stations in the kitchen. Another way to push sales is to put little icons beside the dish. But not too much, advises Hickl-Szabo, because if everything is special, nothing is special.

THE PRICE IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT

At Meyers restaurant, the price of Boodies chicken livers is $9, but its written simply as 9. According Kershaw, 9 is a friendly and manageable number. Stuff at $9.99 sells much more WRITING LYRICS FOR YOUR than stuff at $10, says Hickl-Szabo And if you dont put the dollar sign DISHES in front of 9.99, it sells [even] better. However, some researchers say No matter how good the design that the extra .99 makes the price of your menu is, if the food does not seem tacky sound attractive, and cheap. no one will eat at Depending on your restaurant. the brand of The chefs your restauwrite the music rant, the way and the menu beyou word comes the lyrics, your pricing and sometimes is critical to the music is gorhow many geous and its got items you sell. the wrong lyrics Hickland the lyrics Szabo, who can torpedo the has more than music, Meyers 25 years of told the New York experience in Times. the restaurant Describing the business, says ingredients in the that a good food stimulates menu does guests appetites, not emphawhich encouragsize the price. Celebrity chef Jamie Kennedys Gilead Bistro es them to order Dont the dish. doesnt use dollar signs in its menu, draw dots Clich words keeping the focus on the food. from the and phrases can menu item to ruin the game. the price. Dont put the price all in a Hickl-Szabo advises to steer clear straight line. You dont want to hide from grilled to perfection or senthe price, but you dont want to draw suous. He also says to use simpler attention to it because there are a cer- words when describing food. tain number of guests who just look Youre not fooling anybody, he down the price column and shop that says. Youve got to tell the truth, way, he says. youve got to sort of dress it up, but Another tool restaurateurs can use its got to be clever and discreet.

SIZE MATTERS
Many consultants lean towards having smaller menus. According to research from Gallup, a news database from the U.S., the more time a customer spends looking at the menu, the longer the table turnover time is, which means less tables can be served, and less profit is made. I would rather not see a humongous menu, says Hickel-Szabo, If I see a menu thats many many pages, the first thing I think is none of its fresh. Id rather see a smaller menu that changes more often. At the very least, you should change three times a year. He also adds that people will get tired of the same selections, and that chefs always want to be using ingredients that are in season. Another reason to keep menus shorter, Hickl-Szabo says, is because too much choice will confuse patrons. Winter 2011

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TECHNOLOGY

Photos by: Kaitlynn Ford

Electronic Trends: Digital Menus

BY: KAITLYNN FORD
ill you miss the waiter? E-menus are eliminating the server from the ordering process altogether. Diners use a touch-screen computer located at their table to place their order which goes directly from the computer to the chef, who is ready and waiting in the kitchen. The servers are converted to runners who bring food for the guests. When the patron has finished their meal, they simply pay using the E-menu computer. The computer used for E-menu isnt confined to the ordering process it adds another level to the dining experience by providing the guest with information and entertainment at the tips of their fingers. Israeli-based company Conceptic, one of the few providers of electronic menus, allows their users to use their product in a number of different ways. Users are also able to play a bevy of different games, find locations for other entertainment venues like movies or clubs or even order a taxi. Digital menu boards are flat screen Winter 2011 televisions that display user-specific information. Restaurants are able to upload the items of their choosing, like their menu and promotions, before setting up the slideshow. These are most often seen in fast food chains. Digital MenuBox is an outdoor electronic menu display that allows passers-by to take a look at the menu without having to be seated, or even enter the restaurant. But Derek Valleau, a partner at Amaya Express, told Leanne DeLap of the Toronto Star that even though people dont have to enter the restaurant to see if theyll like the food offered on the menu, the Digital MenuBox is still capable of attracting more business. Touch-screen menus mostly come in the form of iPads, but one of their competitors is E La Carte, developed by MIT drop-out Rajat Suri. E La Carte, unlike iPad, also allows the customer to pay using the machine itself in a fashion similar to E-menu. E-menu and touch-screen menus are best suited for fine or casual dining establishments rather than fast food companies. Ease of updating was one of the main reasons [we substituted hardcopy menus with touch-screen menus] theyre really easy to switch on the fly, Vito Marrinuzzi, owner of 7even Numbers, said. And saving all the paper we burned through tons of paper printing a new wine list every night. But starting at $519.00 for each iPad 2 and $90.00 for the top-of-the-line OtterBox protective cases, the start-up costs cant be spent on a whim. Marinuzzi suggests using sponsors to help deflect the costs if the option is available. Marinuzzi says the iPads are low-maintenance. With batteries that last 10 to 11 hours with constant use, the only upkeep they require is charging the battery every couple of days. I love the idea [of iPads as menus], Cory Cook, a server at 7even Numbers, said. I think that theyve made the servers job much, much easier. We thought people over 50 wouldnt take the iPad, but quite the opposite, Marinuzzi said. Theyre the ones who love it because its bright they can read the menu.

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BRIEFS

Sharpening Your Skills:

Courses you can take to stay in the loop
To remain competitive and successful in their industry, restaurateurs could always update their skills.

Paid Options
Colleges and universities offer a number of educational opportunities in addition to their undergraduate programs: continuing education or studies, graduate & postdoctoral programs, seminars, workshops and events. Centennial College
Centennial College offers a two-year restaurant management program followed by an internship. Courses offered include finance, human resources, marketing and revenue, labor relations, customer service and event management.

Free Options
If youre not up for spending money, there are still ways to brush up your knowledge on your craft. Books from Toronto Public Library
Public libraries house thousand of books on business that can help expand your knowledge at your own time and pace. Many of the seminars the Toronto Public Library offer are based on financial information, specifically taxes. The library also offers recurring seminars for entrepreneurs. The seminars are not too long and are also offered in the evening for those who are too busy during the day. Some of these include: Small Business Information Seminar, Taxation Workshop, Saving on Your Taxes, Financial Services, Income Tax Clinic, Business Communication Circle, 2011 Top Ten Tax Saving Strategies, and Financial Literacy: Lessons for Life.

Seminars at Toronto Public Library

George Brown College

George Brown College offers a two year food and beverage management program. Courses include food and beverage cost control, finance and business communications, bartending, dining room operations, menu management, food safety, and wine and beverage management.

Seneca College

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Photo by: Kaitlynn Ford

Seneca College offers a number of one-day business skills seminars, such as body language for leaders, creativity, innovation and continuous improvement, customer service excellence and smarter goal setting.

LAST WORDS

Gee, Thats Funny

The restaurant business is exciting and all, but sometimes it can be too much. Jessica Lee compiled a bunch of funny and bizarre restaurant stories to keep things light-hearted because working in a restaurant can be entertaining sometimes.

Other uses for oil

A high-end restaurant in a glamourous downtown area was having a cocaine problem in their bathrooms. The manager ordered the staff to spray cooking oil on the toilet seat lids so that cocaine would clump together if it were lined up on it. The problem went away after a week.

If the shoe fits

A woman found her husband having a meal with another woman at a downtown restaurant. In an angry fit, she took off her shoe and started hitting him with it.

Bad call
At an upscale dining room, a highstrung lady was yelling and swearing at a restaurant manager, causing a big commotion because there were no tables to seat her. She said she had made a reservation a week ago and this morning, the restaurant called back with the confirmation. The manager looked at the reservations list, where her name was nowhere to be seen. He asked the staff whether they remembered the name of the lady but no one could recall her name. He then asked to see the call history on her cell phone for the supposed reservation. Sure enough, she had made reservations at another restaurant.

Free falling
It was a sunny morning at a downtown restaurant patio when suddenly, a loud commotion was heard from the hotel above. A nude man was climbing out the window when he accidentally fell onto a brunch table. Not a word was said and he ran down the street. It was later discovered that he was a high-profile businessman. He was fired because of the incident.

Kissing catastrophe
A couple was kissing passionately all night at a bar. After dinner, the man pays for the meal and the couple leaves. The bartender discovers that the man left his credit card behind due to his drunkenness and decides to track him down by searching for his name in the phone book. Luckily, the man had a unique last name. The bartender calls the number and the wife picks up. Your husband left his credit card at our bar last night when you were here, but you dont have cancel the card, you can come pick it up. The wife says, Thats funny, my husband said he was on a business trip this week.

Lottery loser
A restaurants staff decided to contribute to a lottery pool where the pay off was $4 million. One employee was about to contribute, but decided last minute that he wanted to snack on a hot dog after work instead of chipping in. One of the tickets ended up winning, and the lottery was split between all the contributing staff. It was the most expensive hot dog the employee had ever eaten.

Penny pinching
After a meal of wings at a bar, two men decided to split the bill. One man paid with a debit card. The other? In fourteen rolls of pennies, forgetting to leave a tip for the waiter and also shorting him $0.86.

30

Winter 2011

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