One Community. One Vision. One Voice.

6036 Six Forks Road

Raleigh, NC 27609
Phone: (919) 844-0098

NCRLA thanks you and wishes you a safe and happy holiday season!

Send us your recipes, news, and awards

and they will be in upcoming issues
of NC Hospitality. Our next issue is
scheduled for January 2011.

Be sure to catch up with any issues you

may have missed at:
• www.ncrla.biz/newsletter

Other Resources include:

Free Member Hotline 1-800-582-8750

www.ncrla.biz/hef (NC HEF)
www.ncrla.biz/laws (Law Review)
www.ncrla.biz/servsafe (class listings)
www.ncrla.biz/events (all events)
www.TheTasteofNC.com (official site)

12 www.NCRLA.biz
 November 2010

Community Award Nomination Period Now Open;

Calendar New Line-Level Employee Awards Unveiled!
December 1
Taste of NC tickets T he most coveted awards in North Carolina’s hospitality industry
are once again up-for-grabs. The award nomination period
officially opened on October 11th and will close on December 7,
go on sale at
TheTasteofNC.com 2010.

February 28, 2011 The awards for Restaurateur of the Year, Lodging Operator of the
Taste of North Carolina Year, Supplier of the Year and the Griff & June Glover Award for
Washington Duke Outstanding Service to NCRLA will once again be awarded at the
Inn & Golf Club Taste of North Carolina, on February 28, 2011 at the Washington
TheTasteofNC.com
Duke Inn & Golf Club. However, a new twist to the award
ceremony at next year’s event will be the addition of two new awards
for line-level employees: Restaurant Employee of the Year and 2010 award winner
visit
NCRLA.BIZ Lodging Employee of the Year. Brad Hurley
for more details
“These awards have been created to recognize the team members who demonstrate
outstanding service, commitment to excellence, and leadership qualities that epitomize
North Carolina’s hospitality industry,” said NCRLA President & CEO Paul Stone. “The
Arriving Soon... individuals on the ‘line of fire’ understand more than anyone who to best serve the guests.
2011 NCRLA We feel it is essential to award the best of the best who play an integral part in the day-
Member Decals! to-day success of every restaurant and hotel establishment and best represent the 475,000
hospitality team members in North Carolina.”
See award criteria on page 5.

Taste of North Carolina Tickets go on Sale December 1st; Quick Sellout Expected

I n 2010, the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging

Association announced an all-new concept for its annual
event which was designed to promote North Carolina foods, www.TheTasteofNC.com
beers, wines and hospitality. Replacing the traditional
annual dinner, the event would be called The Taste of North
Carolina.

With 300 restaurant and hotel operators expected to show up, the
buzz for the event was palpable. When 350 actually showed up,
the end result was the best hospitality event in the history of North
Carolina.

The 2011 Taste of North Carolina will be an even bigger event,

with a total sellout of 375 restaurant and hotel owners and operators
expected to be in attendance. Tickets will be $89 and will go on
sale at www.TheTasteofNC.com beginning December 1, 2010.
You do not want to miss the ultimate event for the hospitality
industry of North Carolina!
www.NCRLA.biz 1
 Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite...
I n recent months, there has been a lot of discussion about bed
bug infestations throughout the country. And while these
critters may be little, they can create a big problem.

What You Can Do

Create a formal policy on how to handle a bedbug outbreak or
complaints.

To effectively treat a one-bedroom space, pest elimination

companies estimates range from $800 to $1,200. The best
prevention is daily inspection. Employees should inspect rooms
for bed bug activity every day by inspecting:

• guestroom linens;
• mattress and boxspring seams;
• headboards;
• bedding;

Staff should be looking not only for live insects, but also for cast Client Rewards
skins or speckles of dried blood or excrement on furniture or in
places where bed bugs hide. Conner Commercial
Properties
Pay close attention to cleaning guestrooms by vacuuming
rooms and accessories daily; inspecting incoming furniture and Courtyard Statesville
wall hangings that may have been stored or warehoused; and Frymore
inspecting and repair loose wallpaper and cracks in baseboards
to reduce areas where bed bugs can settle. Harford Mutual
Hotels should also monitor the www.bedbugregistry.com,
Stanley Enviornmental
an online user-generated database tracking infestations in Services
apartment buildings and hotels in North America. Stay tuned
to NCRLA’s website for more information on certified detection
Tru
companies! United Bank Card
AH&LA Statement Vance County Tourism
Although the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) Development Athority
estimates there has been an increase in bed bugs in America over
the last several years, the increase has had a minimal impact on
the vast majority of hotels.

Bed bugs are brought into hotels by guests; it is not a hotel

sanitation issue. Education, awareness, and vigilance are critical. NC Hospitality is the Official Publication of
A trained and knowledgeable housekeeping staff is one of the the North Carolina Restaurant
best lines of defense, along with having regular pest control
and Lodging Association
inspections.
News Items, profile requests,
Typically, the bites produce redness, swelling, and itching. It
is important to note bed bug bites do not transmit any human recipe submissions andadvertising inquires:
diseases. Derek Levandowski

Though not empowered to set standards for the lodging industry, DerekL@NCRLA.biz
the association offers additional resourceful tips, information, (800) 582-8750
and products for hoteliers through its Educational Institute,
based in Orlando, Fla.
2 www.NCRLA.biz
 U.S. FOODSERVICE®
YOUR PARTNER BEYOND THE PLATE™
U.S. Foodservice's® roots go back a long way…more than 150 years. Our company is an
extraordinary collection of foodservice distributors such as Rykoff-Sexton, PYA/Monarch,
Alliant Foodservice and others. We are proud of our heritage and the strong reputation
that these companies have built over the years. Through acquisition and organic growth,
we’ve steadily built upon our greatest asset—our people. They are our equity…they are
our prized inventory.

U.S. Foodservice® is a federation of extraordinarily diverse and talented people. Their

talents have been blended together to create a team capable of catering to any need.
Working as partners with our customers, we are dedicated to doing whatever it takes to
help our customers reach their business goals.
 “Your partner beyond the plate®”.... More than
words…it’s our anthem. A promise backed by three
pillars guaranteed to place us a notch above:

INTEGRITY SERVICE RESOURCES

Together we— Raleigh Division

Provide food and related 919.404.4100
products and services to more www.raleigh.usfoodservice.com
than 250,000 customers, including
restaurants, hospitals, hotels, schools and Fort Mill Division
governmental operations. 803-802-6000
www.fortmill.usfoodservice.com
Employ more than 26,000 associates and operate
more than 60 distribution centers.

Offer more than 300,000 fresh, frozen, dry and nonfood

products from every major national brand and a robust offering of
exclusive brands of our own.

www.NCRLA.biz 3
 Foster’s Market: Innovative, Enduring, Amazing!

T he Restaurateur of the Year award is given each year to a restaurant operator

that is viewed as highly successful in the eyes of other restaurateurs,
employees and within the community. It is, without a doubt, the most prestigious
award that any restaurateur can receive in North Carolina, and in 2010 the award
went to the iconic Sara Foster, of Foster’s Market.

Foster has provided over 20 years of hospitality as the owner of Foster’s Market,
which has become a favorite restaurant for students, families and young
professionals in the Triangle. She has led the way with innovative concepts, such
as combining specialty food groceries with dine-in options. She has even gone as
far as to partner with a local yoga studio to offer yoga to the community!
Sara Foster receives her 2010
Her restaurant, Foster’s Market, is a gourmet food market and cafe, focusing Restaurant of the Year Award from
on scratch made soups, salads, casseroles, sandwiches and more. Everything is 2009 winner Mickey Ewell (top).
made in-house for maximum freshness. The delightful food, the superior service,
and helpful staff are what makes the Foster’s Market experience a unique and
rewarding one.

Through her authentic and flavorful cooking style, Sara shares more than just
her amazing recipes. She encourages home cooks to use all of their senses when
preparing a meal, and uses that philosophy in her own restaurant by pouring her
heart and soul into every flavorful dish’s recipe.

In recent years, Sarah Foster has become one of North Carolina’s most recognized
restaurateur. Foster has appeared on the following television and radio shows and
stations: NBC’s Today Show, From Martha’s Kitchen, PBS, QVC, MARTHA,
Turner South’s Home Plate and NPR.

Sara Foster and Foster’s Market have also been featured in the following
publications: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Bon Appetit, Cottage Living, Country
Home, Country Living, Home Companion, House Beautiful, Martha Stewart Living,
Oprah, The New York Times.
Foster said in her speech she was
“Sara Foster has earned a stellar reputation in the hospitality industry on a “ honored” to win the award (above).
multitude of levels. This 2010 Restaurateur of the Year Award was a testament to
her dedication and hard work,” said NCRLA President and CEO Paul Stone.

Sara Foster has also helped to brand her Market with a variety of cookbooks.
Currently, she has three cookbooks available on her website (Fostersmarket.com):
The Foster’s Market Cookbook, Fresh Every Day, and Sara Foster’s Casual Cooking.

“Sara Foster has remained true to her beliefs and conviction that good, honest
food can be deliciously simple,” says Martha Stewart in the foreword of Foster’s
latest publication, The Foster’s Market Cookbook.

You can meet Sara Foster at the 2011 Taste of North Carolina, where she will be
presenting the award for the 2011 Restaurateur of the Year.

For more information on Foster’s Market, visit www.fostersmarket.com or call

directly at 919-967-3663. Foster’s cookbooks and healthy recipes
have received national attention!
4 www.NCRLA.biz
 Hospitality Awards and Criteria
Restaurateur of the Year: Nominees must be restaurant members in good
standing with NCRLA. Nominees’ operations must be viewed as highly
successful in the eyes of his or her fellow operators, employees, and the
community. Other areas of consideration include the nominee’s ability as
an operator and his/her community involvement. In addition, nominees
should have made contributions to the industry on the basis of his/her own
business ethics, and have enhanced the overall image of the foodservice
industry. In general, nominees should show an interest in protecting and
promoting the foodservice industry. Self-nominations are not permitted.
Download the nomination form at www.TheTasteofNC.com.

Lodging Operator of the Year: Nominees must be lodging members in

good standing with NCRLA. Nominees’ operations must be viewed as
highly successful in the eyes of his or her fellow operators, employees, and
the community. Other areas of consideration include the nominee’s ability
as an operator and his/her community involvement. In addition, nominees
should have made contributions to the industry on the basis of his/her
own business ethics, and have enhanced the overall image of the lodging
industry. In general, nominees should show an interest in protecting and
promoting the hospitality industry. General Managers, management
company executives and property owners are eligible. Self-nominations are
not permitted. Download the nomination form at
www.TheTasteofNC.com. The 2010 Award Winners will present the
awards to the 2011 Award Winners, which
Supplier of the Year: Nominees must be individuals working for allied will be announced in January.
members of the hospitality industry and in good standing with NCRLA.
Nominees must be viewed as highly successful in the eyes of his or her
fellow operators, employees, and the community. Nominees should have
made contributions to the industry on the basis of his/her own business ethics and have contributed to the overall image
of the hospitality industry. In general, nominees should show an interest. Download the nomination form at
www.TheTasteofNC.com.

Griff & June Glover Award for Outstanding Service to NCRLA: Nominees must be members in good standing with
NCRLA. Your nominee should be someone you feel has gone above and beyond the call of duty for NCRLA this past
year and should have made contributions to the association as well as provided the time and energy in helping NCRLA
accomplish its mission. Self-nominations are not permitted. Download the nomination form at
www.TheTasteofNC.com.

NCRLA has also announced two new awards for line-level employees at member restaurants and hotels!

Restaurant Employee of the Year: Nominees must be from members in good standing with NCRLA. Each NCRLA
member restaurant can nominate one individual from their non-management staff to receive this award. Each nominee
should have shown an excellent level of commitment to customer service and leadership. Each nominee must have been
employed at a current NCRLA member restaurant for one year as of 11/1/10. Download the nomination form at
www.TheTasteofNC.com.

Lodging Employee of the Year : Nominees must be from members in good standing with NCRLA. Each NCRLA
lodging member can nominate one individual from their non-management staff to receive this award. Each nominee
should have shown an excellent level of commitment to customer service and leadership. Each nominee must have been
employed at a current NCRLA lodging member establishment for one year as of 11/1/10. Download the nomination
form at www.TheTasteofNC.com.

www.NCRLA.biz 5
 The Sea Ranch Hotel: The Only Thing They Overlook is the Ocean!

D idn’t get enough of the Outer Banks this summer? Plan a

winter trip to one of the most fabulous and oldest beachfront
hotels in Kill Devil Hills on the Outer Banks. Watch breathtakingly
beautiful colors as the sun rises over the Atlantic Ocean…all while
eating breakfast in your oceanfront room at the historic Sea Ranch
Hotel!

The Sea Ranch Hotel is one of the few luxury hotels with exceptional
accommodations and lodging - all rooms have microwaves,
refrigerators, Cable TV with HBO, and wireless internet. There is
also an enclosed heated swimming pool, in case the winter waters are
too cold for your evening swim.

A slew of testimonials on their website include the following praises:

“The Sea Ranch is one of the Best places I’ve ever stayed,” said one guest from Richmond, Virginia. “The staff was
very nice from the front desk to housekeeping. I would recommend people to stay when they are in this area,” said
another guest, from Chester, Virginia.

The Sea Ranch Hotel has purchased a Y-Amenities family membership for all its guests providing full YMCA
privileges at the Outer Banks YMCA, just down the bypass in Nags Head. No matter what the weather is doing,
rain or shine, your Outer Banks vacation will be enjoyable, fun and full of activities.

For more information, visit www.searanchhotel.com or call 1-800-334-4737 to book your reservation today!

6 www.NCRLA.biz 6
 North Carolina is Showing Promising Hospitality Growth

A ccording to the Charlotte Business Journal, North Carolina’s hospitality industry has shown promising growth. From
the Charlotte Business Journal, “Although much of North Carolina’s economy may be struggling, the state’s leisure
and hospitality sector is on the rebound. Figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show the Tar Heel State has
added 26,600 jobs in that sector during the past five years. The leisure and hospitality sector encompasses a broad range
of industries, including restaurants, bars, hotels, motels, theaters, museums and professional sports teams. Only New
York and Texas have done better. Thirty-six states and the District of Columbia have registered gains in such employment
during the past five years, while 14 states have suffered declines.”

Supplier Directory Can Connect You with Goods and Service Providers
What is the Supplier Directory?
NCRLA has hundreds of Allied Members who supply
goods and services to restaurants, hotels and other
businesses throughout North Carolina, many of whom give
discounts to NCRLA members! The supplier directory is a
comprehensive searchable list of these suppliers!

NCRLA encourages our restaurant and hotel members

to support NCRLA’s allied members when seeking
services for your restaurant or hotel. Visit the NCRLA
Supplier Directory at www.ncrla.biz/suppliers to find www.ncrla.biz/suppliers
the goods or services you need:

Please note...if you have a good relationship with a

supplier that is not listed in our directory, we encourage
you to get them on board as an allied member by letting
us know who they are so we can contact them about
membership. Please send any suppliers you would like
to see become a member to DerekL@ncrla.biz.

7 7
6 www.NCRLA.biz
 Current 3 Star Partners
IFH Foodservice Distribution
One of the 13 largest food
distributors in the country.

SIA Group
Serving insurance needs of
businesses and individuals
since 1975.
Have you completed your
checklist? Pepsi
Perhaps one of the most famous
brands on the planet.
Before your first guest walks in the door, you need to
know who will represent you in case of liability claims
from employees or patrons, incidents of food borne S&D Coffee, Inc.
A leading US coffee roaster catering
illness, dram shop litigation, business disputes including
to the foodservice industry, S&D
leases—the list goes on. Cranfill Sumner Hartzog offers
Coffee serves some 100 million
experienced legal guidance for the lodging/restaurant
pounds of coffee to more than 70,000
industry. Make us part of your team.
customers in the US.
: I 8 E = @ C C  J L D E < I    ? 8 I K Q F >  CCG
FHM Insurance
BECAUSE WORKING WITH YOUR LAWYER SHOULDN’T BE A TRIAL. FHM Insurance Company is one of
CSHLAW.COM
the oldest and most experienced
RALEIGH t

CHARLOTTE t WILMINGTON
workers’ compensation companies in
the Southeast.
8
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 NCRLA’s Alyssa Barkley Receives FHM Insurance Now Rated ‘A-’ by
Scholarship, Promotion A.M. Best

A lyssa Barkley, long time NCRLA

staff member, has been awarded a
$1,500 scholarship by AENC (Association
Executives of North Carolina) to use
toward tuition at the Institute for
Organization Management, administered
by the US Chamber of Commerce, of
which she will complete her 3rd of .
Alyssa’s expertise on health department
issues and overall leadership qualities have
also been rewarded, as she was recently
promoted to Director of Health and Safety
and Director of Operations for NCRLA.
C ongratulations to NCRLA Corporate Partner
FHM Insurance Company for being up-
graded to an “A-” Rating by A.M. Best.
FHM is an industry leader in worker’s
compensation insurance that has saved many
NCRLA members thousands over their current
plan! To be contacted for a quote, call us at
1-800-582-8750.
Alyssa Barkley has been
recognized for her hard
work and expertise.

NCRLA would like to congratulate

Alyssa on her fine achievements and thank
her for her continued hard work on behalf
of NCRLA members.

For any NCRLA members with Health

Department questions, you can contact
Alyssa at 1-800-582-8750.

OTC Tax Remitting Update

N CRLA and several lodging operators and tax experts met with the Sales & Use
Tax Division of the N.C. Department of Revenue on Tuesday, September 14. The
purpose of the meeting was to go over the mechanics of how the taxes collected by the
OTCs would be remitted by hotels and what records the Department would expect to
see or examine if they audited a hotel in the future. The idea was to get any issues out on
the table now and not wait until after January 1, when the law goes into effect.

The bulk of the meeting was spent on the logistics of how taxes are collected now and
how the new revenue would be collected and reported. The key issue for our side was
how best to remit and report the new revenue required to be collected from the OTCs.
NCRLA and our members discussed several items with the department including but
not limited to:

• What happens if hotels are audited?

• What will the audit process look like and how will this be enforced?
• How to create a system that takes into account that OTC’s all have different ways of reporting to hotels
• How to create a system that takes into account that different brands have different contractual information with
OTC’s

This meeting was purely educational for both sides so no solutions were given. Right now, the state is focused on getting its
new 2011 tax forms to the printer by October 1. The state would not be able to spend much time on this particular issue until
next month. They indicated that they would keep NCRLA deeply involved as the Department develops its guidelines and
they will continue to keep NCRLA and our members informed as they develop any interpretive bulletins coming from DOR.
NCRLA expects to meet with them in the next few weeks but doesn’t expect any official guidelines to be created until late-
November. NCRLA will continue to keep you updated on any new developments.
www.NCRLA.biz 9
 NCRL A Community News One Community. One Vision. One Voice.

In an effort to thank the nation’s veterans, Applebee’s will once again

provide a free meal to all veterans on Veteran’s Day (November 11,
2010). Last year, Applebee’s served more than one million military men
and women and expects that number to be even higher this year. The
company’s appreciation efforts last year were the largest of its kind to
give back to the communities nationwide where Applebee’s restaurants
are located.

November 15th marks the kick off of an annual holiday tradition at the
Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa: The National Ginger Bread House
Competition! Over 300 entries from 20 states. 4 age categories. Delight
in the imagination shown in these sugar-and-spice creations, strolling
through the competition is a sure way to be swept up in the holiday
spirit. The gingerbread houses will be on display from Nov. 17, 2010-Jan.
2, 2011.

...Grove Park has also announced recently that it has entered into a
partnership with FLS Energy to add solar panels to the resort’s modern
Sports Complex. The 12 panel solar thermal system at the Sports
Complex will provide about 600 gallons of hot water a day for use in the
locker rooms. The measure is the environmental equivalent of planting
22 trees per year.

Netwaiter, an online ordering service for restaurants, now offers

Facebook integration for your restaurant. Visit www.netwaiter.com for
more details.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., announced that it is

applying its industry leading, design-driven approach to its two largest
brands with the debut of new guestroom designs for Westin and
Sheraton hotels. The new room schemes, from furniture to textiles, were
custom-created by Starwood’s in-house Brand Design team led by Erin
Hoover, Vice President of Design.

Ecolab Inc. continued its ongoing commitment to help improve global

food safety by cosponsoring the fifth annual Nation’s Restaurant News’
Food Safety Symposium. A “special report” highlighting the event
appears in the October 18 edition of Nation’s Restaurant News.

Have News? Has your business won a recent award?

10
14 www.NCRLA.biz Let us know! Send your news to DerekL@ncrla.biz
 Who cares if one restaurant “makes it”, when there are
always a dozen more right down the street that might not?
Sysco does!
Every day good restaurants come and go. At Sysco, we are working to eliminate the “go”
part. We support our customers, offering expert guidance on mastering the business end
of restaurants success.

The way we see it, every restaurant that stays open is a triumph...for the owners and
staff, for us, and most importantly for the people out there who just love good food!

Sysco’s Mission
Helping Our Customers Succeed
Contact a Sysco location near you to start building for your future
www.sysco.com

Serving North Carolina

Sysco Raleigh - www.syscoraleigh.com
Sysco Charlotte - www.syscocharlotte.com
11
www.NCRLA.biz