May 2010 Blog Posts (52)

Praying for salvation: when will we be rid of stinky corks?

Originally published in Sommelier Journal (January 2010):

The fall of 2009 was not a particularly kind on my longtime love/hate relationship with natural corks. It started with attendance an East Coast wine festival, where I was asked to judge 24 chardonnays. Two of them are badly… Continue

Added by Randy Caparoso on May 28, 2010 at 1:00pm — 2 Comments

Non-Operator FOHcus: Engagement

Image taken at Flea Street Cafe by Michael Biesemeyer

We hear the term engagement thrown around a lot these days. "We need to engage with our customers." "We need to find new ways to be more engaged in the social media space." " We had better start engaging with our audience before we lose their attention to… Continue

Added by FohBoh on May 28, 2010 at 12:00am — 1 Comment

Non-Operator Thom Crosby on Information Technology

At the May 6, 2010 Pal's Business Excellence Institute training class - Achieving World-Class Resutls - Thom Crosby answers questions about Pal's Sudden Service approach to using information technology.

Thom addresses how IT is approached in the front-of-the- house as well as the back-of-the-house. This Q&A session with Thom is a feature of Achieving World-Class Results…

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Added by Clay Rolston on May 27, 2010 at 3:29pm — No Comments

Non-Operator Why Franchise? Or Why Not?

The subtitle for this week might be “Franchising -- Not For Dummies”. We’re continuing along the first few steps in the path I introduced recently, looking at some of the key success factors -- and pitfalls -- for franchisees and franchisors. This week’s focus is on the franchisor.…

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Added by Rod Guinn on May 27, 2010 at 4:00am — No Comments

Is the iPad a realistic point of sale device?

Over the past few weeks there has been some talk of companies building point of sale software to run on the iPad. This sounds fun, but I'm not sure anyone who has worked in an actual restaurant environment would consider it a good idea. The iPad was not designed for a restaurant environment and would probably drive waitstaff and managers alike crazy.

Here's…

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Added by Steven Wei on May 26, 2010 at 7:30pm — 5 Comments

Social Media and Restaurants

This week at the NRA Show there was a lot of chatter about the future of social media and how it will be used in the restaurant world. Right now most, like myself, are just trying to find our way. Youtube is five years old and growing up fast. Facebook, twitter, and all the rest are changing by the day if not minute. There is a new tool being created constantly. So how do you figure out what, how and when? Who cares, stop over thinking this and get in on the action before it is too late.…

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Added by Michael Minichello on May 26, 2010 at 2:00pm — 22 Comments

Honestly Presented

Did you know that the FDA Food Code has a provision that says that species…

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Added by Better Seafood Board on May 26, 2010 at 10:30am — No Comments

Operator - Chef Sulfite vs Tannin Reactions in Wine

Many people assume that they have a sulfite reaction to drinking wine. In actuality there is a very small portion of the population with a sulfite allergy. Most people are experiencing a tannin reaction to red wine.

Here is one way to self test. Eat some bright apricots. If you get the same reaction from eating these as when you drink wine then you have a true sulfite allergy. These bright apricots are loaded with sulfites.

Most people associate red wines with sulfites, but… Continue

Added by Marcus Guiliano on May 26, 2010 at 10:00am — 1 Comment

Non-Operator Writing a Restaurant Business Plan

by Doug Marranci

In the early 90’s I wanted to create a business plan to open my first coffee house in Charlotte NC. I did a lot of research and found many different types of plans that could be written. After going to the library and looking at many books and SBA information about writing a business plan, here are some of my thoughts on writing that first business plan.

1. If you address all of the areas of a standard business plan, you will probably have uncovered all… Continue

Added by Doug Marranci on May 26, 2010 at 5:15am — No Comments

Everything You Wanted to Know About Everything Bagels

Everything bagels, at GTBagel, morphed! Thank you Professor Richard Diamond for bringing it to my attention:) Richard is a Law Professor at Georgetown University Law School, a bagel aficionado, regular customer, and when he takes the time to shoot me an email, I listen. In his words,

I LOVE your bagelry. I buy them by the dozen at the store off River Road. And, I would know a good bagel. I am from NYC, where all the bagels used to be boiled first and…

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Added by Mary Beall Adler on May 25, 2010 at 5:30pm — 1 Comment

Hold the Server, I'll Tweet My Order

Waiting for our food to come, I was discussing with one of my good friends the possibilities of using Twitter in restaurants and bars. We weren't sure if such a place existed, but how cool would it be to be able to order your dinner via Twitter or even by texting?

I'll spare you the intricacies and hilarious details we brainstormed between the time we ordered and when we got our food. But after dinner, I began to think about all of the things that are near automated in our culture.… Continue

Added by Josh Hersh on May 24, 2010 at 10:00pm — 11 Comments

Texas Pepper Works Candy Crisp Deli Slices

The beauty of a truly transformative condiment is that with one twist of the lid or bottle top an everyday burger or humble turkey sandwich is elevated to new and exotic heights. Condiments, so wonderfully…

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Added by Elizabeth Blumberg on May 23, 2010 at 2:33pm — No Comments

Les Sans Culottes

Les Sans Culottes

1085 Second…

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Added by Elizabeth Blumberg on May 23, 2010 at 2:31pm — No Comments

DAWG Talk: Perspective That Will Rile a Reporter

Have you ever been watching a live news report and noticed someone in the background waving? It’s often someone young, or young at heart. For a fleeting few seconds, that person’s sole objective is to be seen.

The calm and professional reporter will often move seamlessly through the report. Of course, we’ve all seen the videos of reporters who lost their cool (search: “Reporter Freaking Out” on You Tube for a sample) only to recall that there are cameras recording the… Continue

Added by David Rose on May 23, 2010 at 1:24pm — No Comments

Chef Brad Announce's HRBAudit's June 2010 - ServSafe® Food Manager Certification Classes for Alabama

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Added by Chef Brad Peters on May 23, 2010 at 12:50pm — No Comments

Non-Operator Server Not Servant, Question #1

Book Chapter: Manners/Gratitude

Shortly after deciding to write a book, I circulated a questionnaire to everyone I knew and everyone I met to solicit their insights, opinions, and stories about customers, servers, hospitality and human interactions. I'm still accepting completed questionnaires for my…

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Added by Patrick Maguire on May 23, 2010 at 11:00am — 5 Comments

PRIVACY DOES MATTER

It is with some amusement tempered by grave concern as I follow the debate over Facebook's latest so-called "privacy policies". Is the default "opt in" or "opt out"? Is it Tuesday or is it Thursday. It's hard to know what the current state of affairs up with these developments and when they impact some 400 million + members of Facebook, including all age groups. I have children (14 and 22) and we have consistently drilled into them the dangers of exposing private information and to carefully… Continue

Added by Richard Heaps on May 22, 2010 at 5:04pm — 3 Comments

Soft shell crab week is coming to downtown Baltimore

What a great way to show off one of Baltimore’s and Maryland’s

regional specialties by creating Soft Shell Crab Week in downtown Baltimore. Let’s give a hand to the Downtown Partnership. This isn’t the first Soft Shell Crab week, it kicked off last summer and was so successful it has become an annual event. Soft shell crab lovers, dig in!

Check out my page for the entire… Continue

Added by Dara Bunjon on May 22, 2010 at 12:30pm — No Comments

The Wonderful World of Wine

I have been reading a lot lately about the health benefits of drinking wine on a regular basis. New findings are showing that Moderate drinkers have lower rates of heart disease, obesity and depression than people who abstain from alcohol entirely, the report indicates.…

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Added by Kelly on May 21, 2010 at 1:40pm — 1 Comment

Non-Operator FOHcus: We Are Growing

FohBoh is growing and changing along with the needs of our community. Our platform for connecting the members of the foodservice industry is a dynamic space; creating and maintaining an environment where people can interact demands constant innovation and adaptation.

It'd be easy to get caught up in the numbers, but there is something more meaningful taking place here. FohBoh is a representative cross section of the collective brain trust of the emerging 'socially networked'… Continue

Added by FohBoh on May 21, 2010 at 1:00am — No Comments