May 2009 Blog Posts (122)

Pressure Cooker-the movie, Rated G for Great

Pressure Cooker documents three Philadelphia inner-city culinary students and their teacher who drives them, empowers them to make changes in their lives. It is about a competition called C- CAP (Careers through Culinary Arts Program) that awards scholarships for the underprivileged students in Arizona, Chicago, Hampton Road- Virginia, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington DC.

Read the review and watch the trailer at… Continue

Added by Dara Bunjon on May 31, 2009 at 7:33am — No Comments

Michelle Obama's victory garden

The First Lady met with the school children to discuss the success of the garden. Link to Dining Examiner for the complete story direct from the White House

Added by Dara Bunjon on May 30, 2009 at 9:56am — 1 Comment

Non-Operator The Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009

This legislation uses the food provisions of H.R. 759, the Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act of 2009, as it's foundation.

An article posted on FoodserviceDashboard discusses the finer points and mentions the $1000.00 fee as problematic for smaller businesses/farms.

I agree.

It seems to me that… Continue

Added by Paul Green on May 30, 2009 at 7:28am — No Comments

Are happy thoughts key to ending recession?

Maybe Peter Pan had it right - maybe thinking happy thoughts is the key to rising up out of the recession.

Reports this week show that consumer mood has given stocks a boost. According to Chain Leader:

The stock market rose for the first time in a week Tuesday as unexpectedly strong data on consumer confidence sparked optimism that…

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Added by Dani on May 29, 2009 at 8:06am — 2 Comments

End of an Era : Will "Guiding Light's" Cancellation Spell the Demise of Soap Operas ?

I was shocked, but not surprised, when I read that CBS had decided to

cancel "Guiding Light" after more than 72 years on the air. (The show premiered in 1937 as a 15 minute serial on radio and moved to CBS Television in the 1950s. It started as "The Guiding Light". Sometime in the

1970s, some genius, decided to remove the "The" , without changing the

story).

I was shocked, because the time the program has been on the air, further, the fact that it is the longest… Continue

Added by Keith Bernhardt on May 29, 2009 at 5:30am — 2 Comments

Non-Operator Recent News On The Economy; Getting Agreements In Writing

Two topics this week, and the start of what I hope will be some useful guest columns in coming months.

First, the topic on everyone’s mind -- the economy. Recent articles and forecasts are worth reviewing here. On May 19, the Wall Street Journal contained two articles about different components of the economy, in separate sections, but remarkable for their unintended interaction and consequence.

Article One: The headline on Page One was… Continue

Added by Rod Guinn on May 29, 2009 at 3:00am — 1 Comment

Non-Operator The President's Food Safety Working Group (FSWG)

The Food Safety Working Group is an advisory group focused on:

".....how we can upgrade our food safety laws for the 21st century; foster coordination throughout government; and ensure that we are not just designing laws that will keep the American people safe, but enforcing them."

It has sections for education, participation, and staying informed.

Each section has links for… Continue

Added by Paul Green on May 28, 2009 at 2:10pm — No Comments

FROM MY WINDOW: FRESH THE MOVIE - is a call to action to better our food system,

What I like about the reviews is that it means to inspire its viewers to positive change, not scare them into a terrified complacency. A movie whose goal is to create a more healthy, tasty, and sustainable future. There will be screenings all over and you can check it out at http://freshthemovie.com.

The majority of the screenings will be followed by a panel discussion with local representatives from the sustainable food movement so audience members can learn what’s going on in their… Continue

Added by Michael Albert on May 28, 2009 at 10:35am — No Comments

Operator WoWGreen International

Independent Distributors

PLEASE WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW AND PASS IT ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!

IT SHOWS THE EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO TOXIC CHEMICALS FROM HOME CLEANING PRODUCTS ON INFANTS IN THE WOMB! IT GOES ON TO SHOW THAT WHEN TOXIC CHEMICALS IN OUR BLOOD STREAM, KNOWN AS THE BODY BURDEN, REACH A CERTAIN LEVEL, CANCER AND OTHER DISEASES ARE ABLE TO OVERPOWER OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM!…

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Added by Ulrich Koepf on May 28, 2009 at 8:57am — 1 Comment

Grain Markets Concerns

The chart of the week is corn, soybean and wheat ending stocks per use ratios. Basically, an ending stocks per use ratio formula is; stocks leftover at the end of the business day on the last day of the crop year divided by how much we use in the crop year. So for example, if we have 10 bushels of corn leftover and we use 100 bushels for various outlets during the crop year, we would have a 10% ending stocks per use ratio. What you need to know looking at this chart is that the lower the ratio… Continue

Added by David Maloni on May 28, 2009 at 8:50am — No Comments

Linear Thinker

Alright, so by natural path I am an:

Operational

Business

Strategy

Trainer

In

Needed

Areas

To

Excel

….or OBSTINATE if you are looking for an acronym. If I had a nickel for every time someone said Andy, don’t be so damn obstinate this is a lot bigger issue than you think! Yeah, whatever…..

I identify operational issues that are causing either a hardship to the guest,… Continue

Added by Andy Swingley on May 27, 2009 at 7:33pm — No Comments

Creating Effective Loyalty Programs

I'll never forget the first time I walked into one of my favorite restaurants. I was greeted at the door, had a good experience with my server and enjoyed my meal. At the end of the meal, our server asked if I'd like to be part of their "Special VIP" club. My first thought, of course, went to how much this "Special VIP" program was going to cost me. When the server explained that there was no cost to the program and that I would be receiving special email offers, I signed up and gave my… Continue

Added by Jessica Lundberg on May 27, 2009 at 12:28pm — 12 Comments

<b>To Show or Not to Show</b>

I started planning my trip to the NRA Chicago food show in mid February. Naturally, the first thing I did was ask my friends & associates in the industry if they would be attending. As you might expect, many of them used lines like- “Not in this Economy” or “We are cutting back this year (show included)”.

Now, being one of operators that has been affected (down a modest 10%), I understood why my friends & associates would not be attending. It’s time to tighten the belt! It’s… Continue

Added by Dan Parsons on May 27, 2009 at 6:46am — No Comments

We can talk social media until we are blue!

I always ask my friends, do you want the good news or bad news first? Facts are today that the restaurant industry is faced with the first negative index in more than 25 years, comps are down in 94% of the industry, food index is showing signs that all this could actually get worse before it gets better for the restaurant industry. Most my friends want the bad news first "most are in the restaurant business".

After all that doom and gloom many are asking where will the restaurant… Continue

Added by paul barron on May 27, 2009 at 5:39am — 11 Comments

Non-Operator Pizza Restaurant Tells Monster Pizza Story On CNN

Restaurant Marketing: When all pizza restaurants are pretty much the same, what makes one restaurant stand out from the other is simply their “story.” I helped Graziano’s Original Pizza in Las Vegas develop their “Monster Pizza” story and it was featured on CNN.

Without a story, there’s nothing to tell. Without anything to tell, there’s nothing for the guest to remember. When there’s nothing for the guest to remember, then you’re just another pizza restaurant among the thousands of… Continue

Added by Joel Cohen, RestaurantMarketing.com on May 27, 2009 at 5:19am — 1 Comment

Non-Operator Buy/Sell Restaurants - A Guide from We Sell Restaurants

Buy/Sell Restaurants - a Guide from We Sell Restaurants

Written By: Eric Gagnon

There are three main categories of restaurants for sale:

* Restaurants for Sale by Owner

* Franchise Restaurants for Sale by Franchises

* Restaurants for Sale by a Business Broker

First and foremost, understand who's representing you. In the case of a Restaurant for Sale by Owner, Buyer Beware prevails. You represent yourself. The seller represents himself. There… Continue

Added by Eric Gagnon on May 27, 2009 at 4:54am — No Comments

Non-Operator Buyer Due Dilgence -- Not on the Business - On Yourself

This ten step questionnaire will help you define what you want and more importantly, what fits your lifestyle before you go on the search for the perfect restaurant. This is vital to the buying process and the step that most buyers overlook. Prepare first, since once you being to make inquiries, multiple opportunities will surface. It's also important to do your homework up front since you can't be taken seriously when you inquire about everything from $55,000 asset sales to $2.5 Million dollar… Continue

Added by Eric Gagnon on May 27, 2009 at 4:51am — No Comments

Non-Operator Eric Gagnon One of Only Fourteen GA Business Brokers Named to Million Dollar Club

Despite economic turmoil, 14 members of the Georgia Association of Business Brokers earned membership to the prestigious Million Dollar Club for 2008.

Each year the GABB, the state’s only professional association dedicated to buying and selling business, recognizes the state’s outstanding business brokers. To earn this distinction, a GABB professional must have produced business sales of a million dollars or more. This year’s list includes 14 professional business brokers whose hard… Continue

Added by Eric Gagnon on May 27, 2009 at 4:48am — No Comments

Non-Operator Atlanta Restaurant SOLD by We Sell Restaurants

New York Style Pizzeria established for more than a decades is now under new ownership. Pizza Construction Company located on Cobb Parkway in Atlanta has a new owner thanks to We Sell Restaurants. This decades old Pizza restaurant features a fabulous slice. Michael Burkholder of Wel Sell Restaurants was the listing agent on this location.

You can visit our listings online at www.wesellrestaurants.com

You can follow us on… Continue

Added by Eric Gagnon on May 27, 2009 at 4:45am — No Comments

Non-Operator Atlanta Restaurants Coming Soon, Closing Down, Changing Hands

Rumor Has It....

Trahumata Mexican Grill is opening a new location at 6195 Winward Parkway in Alpharetta.

Station House opened May 4th at Station C****** (125 Tribble Gap Rd).

Frankie's Italian - a Marietta mainstay changed hands at the Canton Road location effective April 20th.

Oak Leaf Restaurant is opening in the Former PJ's Cafe on Canton Rd. in Marietta.

Pointe is opening on Norcross Road in Duluth in the former Encore… Continue

Added by Eric Gagnon on May 27, 2009 at 4:42am — No Comments