• The Egg Harbor Café of Lincolnshire, IL grew by 7% with the introduction of one new unit. This increased its units from 14 to 15. These family/casual American restaurants offer breakfast and lunch for around $3 to $8 per person.
• Sweet Lorraine’s of Southfield-MI grew by 33% with the addition of one new unit (now totaling four). Additionally, the restaurant chain ventured into the state of Pennsylvania. Serving American cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in an upscale concept environment, patrons can expect a per-person check average of between $15 and $30
• Ann Arbor, MI-based Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea experienced 50% growth when it increased its units from 2 to 3. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, these quick-serve cafes offer meals averaging between $2 and $6.
• Mr. Greek Restaurants of Toronto, ON increased its number of units by 4, growing from 13 to 17—an increase of 31%. These family/casual Greek restaurants offer lunch and dinner with a full bar option and a check average between $6 and %15+ per person. There is also a second restaurant concept called Mr. Greek Express, which grew by 18% during the same period, with the addition of four new units (22 to 26).
• New York-based Il Mulino grew by 9% with the addition of an additional unit (now totaling 12). Additionally, the restaurant chain expanded into the state of Georgia. These upscale Italian restaurants offer dinner with a full bar option and have a check average of $15 to $50+ per person. In addition to its locations in NY and GA, Il Mulino can also be found in DC, FL, IL, NJ, and NV.

So, aside from looking for a job, you may wonder if there are other things you should be doing in order to increase your chances of landing a position when you get the opportunity to interview. When the potential employer looks at you and asks, “What have you been doing from December 2007 until now?” you want to have an impressive and truthful answer. So, here are the things I would recommend for your consideration:

• Go back to school: Using the time for self-improvement is always an impressive move. It shows that you are willing to better yourself and learn the latest in your field of study so you’ve got one-up on the rest of the competition.
• Networking: While this effort should actually be part of your full-time job search, I include it in this list because you also need to think of it as an extracurricular activity as well. Keep in mind that you never know where you are going to meet your next potential referral (at the park, in a grocery store, at a friendly gathering, etc.). So, be prepared to spend extra amounts of time leveraging your networks.
• Take up exercise: Studies have shown that individuals who invest time in working out are more productive on the job…an attribute that certainly appeals to potential employers.
• Focus on new hobbies: When I say “new hobbies,” I don’t necessarily mean scrapbooking. I am talking about mind-expanding activities that will show you didn’t simply sit at home watching TV. Think about learning a new language, working with the disabled, or volunteering your extra time at an animal shelter. The additional areas of interest look great on a resume.
• Freelance: The last thing you want to have happen when “in transition” is for your mind to go soft and to begin forgetting your tools of the trade. There are many sites out there such as Guru or eLance that will help you keep your talent and skills fresh while you’re searching.

Going green has gone from a catch phrase to a way of life. The concept has infiltrated almost every aspect of the everyday and businesses have smartly tuned into this, adjusting processes from the back to front end. Here, we examine a few great examples of how select companies are making this work for them, how your business can do the same, and primarily how adopting this approach will be the key to a successful recruiting and retention strategy from now into the future.

Score for the Environment

Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization developed for the sole purpose of bringing together consumer and companies in the fight against global warming. Each year, the firm announces the results of its annual Company Scorecard, a process whereby companies are rated on their greenhouse efforts and making that information applicable to consumers. Its second annual results, released in late spring of 2008, revealed that Google, Anheuser-Busch and Levi Strauss had the largest score improvement, each jumping over 20 points from the year before. Nike was ranked No. 1, while 84% of the scored companies all made improvements in their efforts.[i]

Wrapping It Up

A prominent factor of food service is packaging. From to-go cups, to portable trays, to the bags in which they are carried, all are components requiring a second look by establishments and especially the manufacturers with whom they choose to do business. A great example of a recent evaluation and complete restructuring of process and approach is that provided by Freshens, the frozen yogurt and smoothie chain. Just this past fall, the company revealed its latest sustainability initiative, the “ecotainer.” The company recognized that the billions of plastic, paper and foam cups purchased each year were not recyclable. So, they went out to bid in search of a manufacturer that could produce a fully-compostable cold cup. They found just that and have launched the first-of-its kind in the United States.

Food Service Application

Going back to the results of the Scorecard produced by Climate Counts, we find that “the Food Services sector had the lowest average (11.5 out of 100) of any of the eight sectors measured with smallest overall improvement.”[ii] And, according to an article earlier this year in USA Today, “Restaurants are the retail world’s largest energy user. Nearly 80% of the $10 billion dollars that the commercial food service sector spends annually for its energy use is lost in inefficient food cooking, holding and storage, says PG&E’s tech division.”[iii]

Imagine what could be accomplished if each establishment took this on as a personal challenge to make one significant process change in the New Year. How much of an impact could be made on our environment? It’s up to you to do just that. And not only would you be improving your world, but your business appeal would increase as well. According to research conducted by Harris Interactive, 1/3 of workers said they would accept a lower salary in exchange for working for a green company.[iv]

For ideas on conservation and a “greener” way of running your food service establishment, visit www.conserve.restaurant.org.

When you think about globalization and how it affects the food industry, there are probably two immediate impacts that come to mind—the outsourcing of jobs to cheaper labor and the need for enhanced communications options for those with English as a Second Language or who do not speak English at all. But globalization affects the industry in a much bigger way. And even the small, local shops are being influenced, possibly without even knowing it, by trends that have evolved through globalization.

In 2007, Mr. Mats Östblom, Independent Operator Representative for the IH&RA Board of Directors made a presentation to the Chinese Food Festival in Qingdao, China titled “Trends in the Global Restaurant Industry. Following are the ten food services trends he says are being seen on a worldwide basis.

Quick-fix Prepared Foods—With an increased focus on family and quality time doing less menial tasks, consumers are demanding meals that will allow them to spend the least amount of time in food preparation.

Drive-and Go Take Out Foods—People worldwide are moving at a faster pace and are demanding their food be prepared in a way that complements this lifestyle. Additionally, a large portion of the population has evolved way from the typical 3 meals a day toward the 5 to 7 smaller “snacks” instead. Consumers want portable, on-demand items that are conducive.

Inherently Healthy Foods—These are the items that have a positive pharmaceutical benefit that goes beyond basic nutrition. This includes oatmeal, whole-grain breads, cranberry juice, nuts, etc. which offer consumers added benefits such as anti-oxidants, omega 3, and cholesterol-lowering ingredients.

Fancy Premium Gourmet Foods—Have you noticed that the local burger joint has begun advertising a fresh fish option? This is in line with the trend that consumers want to see more gourmet options from their everyday favorite places to eat.

Authentic— The push toward organic and other inherently healthy foods has never been so great. Consumers are growing not only to expect such options from their local grocer, but from food service establishments as well.

Ethnic Foods—The true sign of increased globalization is the desire for more ethnic foods right here at home. You no longer have to go to Epcot Center to find the tastes of different lands around the world – you just have to go around the corner.

Security in Foods—Not only is contamination in the spinach and tomato fields here in the U.S., but in other places from which we import food products. Globalization makes the world much smaller—increasing the ease of doing business with and importing from countries where production is cheaper. But with it comes the responsibility of safety and security for consumers’ health…a trend much more closely monitored these days.

Layering Flavors—As other cultures permeate our own, our palates change, a trend most noted in the increase in demand for more flavor including spices, oils and vinegars.

Healthier Snacks—Candy bars just aren’t cutting it any more for many. Instead, health-conscious individuals are looking for smoothies, frozen yogurt, and health bars.

Calorie-Minded & Light Products—Going out to eat no longer is taken as a “free pass” to eat whatever one wants. Consumers expect that food establishments will offer them light and/or calorie- and fat-minded choices as well.

The state of the economy has been a source of concern for many during the past year, to say the least. Almost every industry has experienced cutbacks, downsizing, and every other word that makes the average professional lose sleep at night. That is, except for the restaurant industry.

If there is one thing to be thankful for during this time, and it’s a big one, is that you have chosen to work within an industry that remains virtually unchanged by the current economic climate. In fact, according to the National Restaurant Association, the restaurant industry is one of the nation’s largest private-sector employers, with a total of 12.8 million employed today and an expectation of adding 2 million more new jobs between 2007 and 2017.

So, the question now is: Will the predictions prove true or will the restaurant industry feel the impact of economic woes? To answer this question, we need to evaluate the trends that could present the biggest challenges, a task we take on here in this outline of restaurant industry employment expectations for 2009.

Hourly vs. Salary

One of the most notable trends that has been occurring and could be on the rise as we get further into the New Year is the practice of bringing on more hourly employees. Salaried workers are locked in, so to speak, whereas hourly workers offer variability. This provides restaurant operators the ability to adjust the amount of workers and their hours according to budget as the climate fluctuates (more in peak times, less in off-peak times).

Decrease in Open Positions

In that same vein, restaurant operators are also beginning to save more money by scaling back on the amount of time employees are working by taking on more work themselves. This means either an hourly cut-back, or worse—an elimination of positions. According to the Daily News of Lower Columbia, “Restaurant owners are laying off their managers and taking on more of the work themselves in an effort to stay afloat. Some are trimming back restaurant hours. They’re also cutting staff at the front of the house.” This, of course, means tighter job markets for both hourly and salaried employees should this trend continue.

Salary Expectations

Currently, PayScale.com lists the average salaries for the following positions:

·      General Manager, Restaurant = $44,725

·      Restaurant Manager = $38,959

·      Restaurant Assistant Manager = $34,258

·      Executive Chef = $52,225

·      General Manager, Food Service = $47,232

·      Food Service Manager = $39,288

·      Kitchen Manager, Restaurant = $40,256

While salaries have been historically increasing at least a small percentage every year across the board, it is not necessarily expected to continue into 2009. According to a recent survey conducted by Outside the Lines, a wine and hospitality consulting firm, salaries are not expected to increase or decrease, but rather stagnate or rise at the rate of inflation.

Keep it Realistic

While the restaurant industry is not likely to get hit near as hard as many others, there are some real factors impacting profits. As long as healthcare, fuel, minimum wage, and food costs are up, cut-backs will be seen within the industry with a noticeable decrease in available positions. The best thing you can do is be realistic about possible influences to job security in the New Year, stay on top of the latest news, and be proactive in your career plan—be prepared now for changes in the future.

Even during the post Christmas sales, you could find huge sales of nearly 75% off on retail products.  But I think that Guy Kawasaki made a great point in his recent blog posting when he noticed a lot of sales at the Stanford Shopping Center. Click here to see the pictures from blog posting.

In almost all the stores at the shopping center, huge discounts were being offered. All but one store. At that one store, there were a ton of people looking and buying. That one store was Apple Computer!

Seth Godin goes farther with his recent blog post – Change Your Price. The first line of the post is very poignant. “When a restaurant goes from a la carte to either a buffet or a prix fixe meal, it is able to find a new class of customers.” What I think the industry has in store for 2009 is something of great significance.

Although this is a very bad economy, in it is a lot of opportunity. Remember the last down economy that we saw in 2001? During that time we also saw a huge amount of innovation – the introduction of the iPod and Microsoft’s Xbox. The great restaurant leaders are going to see beyond this economic mess and turn lemons into lemonade.

It’s long after Election Day and the buzz is still abound of cheers and fears when it comes to anticipating what things will be like when Obama becomes our next President. There are those changes that undoubtedly will be refreshing and good, while there are those that we simply must not only be cautious of, but have a voice about when it comes to preserving a certain way of life. Many of you will agree with me that the card-check legislation is a change that falls into the latter classification.

Democrats for the most part seem to side with the President-elect that this is a good idea, but as you look across the vast majority of workers who would actually be affected and whose voices should be heard—democrat or republican—it isn’t a popular idea. I want to take this opportunity to take a brief look at the issue, the implications of its approval, and what both sides are saying.

What Is It?

For those of you who may not already be aware, the card-check legislation, also known as the “Employee Free Choice Act,” is a piece of legislation that will in essence remove the ability of employees to vote by private-ballot in elections—a current right provided to union members. The moniker donned by this bill, as you can see, is a false-front, advertising an untruth to unknowing and unwitting employees as it actually strips free choice away. By signing a card, the majority of employees can effectively elect for union representation and lose their right to vote. 

What’s the Problem?

The issues with this piece of legislation are multi-fold.

1.     Introduction of Coercion—Currently, private-ballot elections are overseen by the National Labor Relations Board, which ensures fraud-free elections without the threat of coercion. Without this protection, coercion, intimidation and peer pressure are all re-introduced.

2.     Abolition of Privacy—The basis of a union has always and should continue to come with the right to keep that association private, a right that will no longer exist with a card-check system. Unions, employers and coworkers will all be informed.

3.     Elimination of Democracy—Quite simply, the right to vote is what democracy is all about. By taking this away from the American worker, you remove a civil liberty.

4.     Problems for Employers—Companies too will be negatively affected as unions impose stringent guidelines, effecting freezing control in the workplace.

What Is Everyone Saying?

The position on the democratic side of the fence, clearly by those who are not going to be affected by the passing of such a bill, is in clear support of this movement. In fact, President-elect Obama said that card check will be “the law of the land when I’m President of the United States.” On the other side, we see as I said from the beginning, are the workers, owners and managers who will be profoundly affected by this decision. And, according to a recent poll by American Solutions, 77% of republicans, 79% of independents, and 82% of democrats are against the implications of card-check legislation. Yet, only 30% of employees are required to sign the card in order to give the union power. Clearly, more of these workers need to be educated on the implications of such a bill.

For more information on this legislation and the efforts in place to stop its enactment, visit the U.S. Chamber of Commerce at http://www.voteforbusiness.net/article.jsf?postId=897.

The authors compared children’s entrees, credited restaurants for having healthy adult options that would appeal to the young palate, evaluated healthy vegetable and fruit sides and drink options that go beyond sugar-laden soda, and docked points for restaurants still dishing out unhealthy trans fats or for refusing to release any nutrition information to their customers.

The result is a Restaurant Report Card that holds each food chain accountable for the fare they’re serving up — to moms, dads, kids, teens, and everybody else — along with a survival strategy for making it through any meal unscathed.
Did your favorite restaurant make the grade?

A

Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A excels in every category we tested for. With a slew of low-calorie sandwiches, the country’s “healthiest” chicken nugget, a variety of solid sides like fresh fruit and soup that can be substituted into any meal, and nutritional brochures readily available for perusing at each location, Chick-fil-A earns the award for America’s Healthiest Chain Restaurant (for kids, for the adults who drive them there, plus anybody else wise enough to make it their fast food choice).

Your Survival Strategy: Even the smartest kid in the class can still fail a test, so be on your toes at all times, even at Chik-fil-A. Limit salads with ranch or Caesar dressings, any sandwich with bacon, and make milkshakes a special treat, not an everyday beverage.

A-

Subway

A menu based on lean protein and vegetables is always going to score well in our book. With more than half a dozen sandwiches under 300 calories, plus a slew of soups and healthy sides to boot, Subway can satisfy even the pickiest eater without breaking the caloric bank.

But, despite what Jared may want you to believe, Subway is not nutritionally infallible: Those rosy calorie counts posted on the menu boards include neither cheese nor mayo (add 160 calories per 6-inch sub) and some of the toasted subs, like the Meatball Marinara, contain hefty doses of calories, saturated fat, and sodium.

Your Survival Strategy: Cornell researchers have discovered a “health halo” at Subway, which refers to the tendency to reward yourself or your kid with chips, cookies, and large soft drinks because the entree is healthy. Avoid the halo, and all will be well.

B+

Boston Market

With more than a dozen healthy vegetable sides and lean meats like turkey and roast sirloin on the menu, the low-cal, high-nutrient possibilities at Boston Market are endless. But with nearly a dozen calorie-packed sides and fatty meats like dark meat chicken and meat loaf (which contains an unfathomable 55 ingredients!), it’s almost as easy to construct a lousy meal.

Your Survival Strategy: There are three simple steps to nutritional salvation: 1) Start with turkey, sirloin, or rotisserie chicken. 2) Add two noncreamy, nonstarchy vegetable sides. 3) Ignore all special items, such as pot pie and nearly all of the sandwiches.

B

McDonald’s

Though not blessed with an abundance of healthy options, Mickey D’s isn’t burdened with any major calorie bombs, either. Kid standards like McNuggets and cheeseburgers are both in the acceptable 300-calorie range.

Your Survival Strategy: Apple Dippers and 2% milk with a small entree makes for a pretty decent meal-on-the-go. McDonald’s quintessential Happy Meal(R) makes this possible — just beware the usual French fries and soda pitfalls. Adults should go for a Quarter Pounder without cheese.

C+

Domino’s

Domino’s suffers the same pitfalls of any other pizza purveyor: too much cheese, bread, and greasy toppings. If you don’t order carefully, your child’s pizza might come laden with more than 350 calories per slice. To its credit, Domino’s does keep the trans fat out of the pizza, and it also offers the lowest-calorie thin crust option out there.

Your Survival Strategy: Stick with the Crunchy Thin Crust pizzas sans sausage and pepperoni. If your must order meat, ask for ham. And whenever possible, try to sneak on a vegetable or two per pie.

C

Burger King

BK has only four legitimate kids’ entrees on the menu, and none of them — French Toast Sticks, hamburger, mac and cheese, chicken tenders — are particularly healthy. And while the recent addition of Apple Fries provides a much-needed healthy side alternative for kids, the menu is still sullied with trans fats. BK pledged to follow in the wake of nearly every other chain restaurant and remove trans fats from the menu by the end of 2008, but so far, we’ve seen little action. In fact, a large order of Hash Browns has an outrageous 13 grams of the heart-threatening fat, and even an order of Cini-minis will add 4.5 grams of trans fats to your kid’s breakfast.

Your Survival Strategy: Adults can sign on for the Whopper Junior and a Garden Salad, and escape with only 365 calories. The best kids’ meal? A 4-piece Chicken Tenders(R), applesauce or Apple Fries, and water or milk. Beyond that, there is little hope of escaping unscathed.

D

Chipotle

We applaud Chipotle’s commitment to high-quality produce and fresh meats, but even the most pristine ingredients can’t limit the damage wrought by the massive portion sizes the chain serves up. The lack of options for kids means young eaters are forced to tussle with one of Chipotle’s behemoth burritos or taco platters, which can easily top 1,000 calories. Don’t think you’ll escape by ordering up a salad, either — even a leafy bowl at Chipotle can knock out more than half a day’s worth of calories.

Your Survival Strategy: Stick to the crispy tacos or burrito bowls, or saw a burrito in thirds.

F

Applebee’s, IHOP, Olive Garden, Outback, Red Lobster, T.G.I. Friday’s

These titans of the restaurant industry are among the last national chains that don’t provide nutritional information on their dishes. Even after years of communication with their representatives, we still hear the same old excuses: it’s too pricey, it’s too time-consuming, it’s impossible to do accurately because their food is so fresh. Our response is simple: If every other chain restaurant in the country can do it, then why can’t they? Recent New York legislation requiring these restaurants to run calorie counts on their menus gave diners a glimpse of what these establishments are hiding: At Friday’s, no fewer than nine sandwiches and ten appetizers topple the 1000-calorie barrier, at IHOP, the “healthiest” entree-size salad has a staggering 1050 calories, and at Outback, even a simple order of salmon will wipe out 75% of your day’s caloric allotment.

Your Survival Strategy: Write letters, make phone calls, beg, scream, and plead for these restaurants to provide nutritional information on all of their products. Ask them why they refuse to tell us the truth!

For a comprehensive A-to-F breakdown on 30 other chain restaurants — plus the best and worst meals at each — see the complete EAT THIS, NOT THAT! For Kids Restaurant Report Card at eatthis.com/restaurants.

EAT THIS, NOT THAT! For Kids is available nationwide on August 19th.

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My recollection of cooking school was distant as I have not cooked for a very long time, but I got back in touch with school as I wanted to be able to give back and help in any way that I could – especially with my work in executive recruitment.

Our first night back in Vermont was scheduled with a dinner to be hosted with one of my chef instructors – Chef Michel LeBorgne.  Me and a couple of other alumni who were in town were to have dinner with the keynote speaker at graduation – Chef Susan Spicer of LaBayonne fame in New Orleans. Unfortunately, Chef Spicer’s plane was delayed and she could not join us for dinner. She did miss a truey memorable dinner. It was amazing to see what second year students can produce. Here was the menu:

Amuse Bouche

Bone Marrow Broth, Sausage Ravioli Seared Foie Gras, Vanilla Gnocchi, Poached Cherries Veal Tongue Salad

First Course

Skate Wing Beurre Noisette Salsify Puree, Wilted Spinach, Lemon Caper Essence

St. Urbans-Hof “Leiwener Laurentiuslay Riesling Spatlese, 2005

Second Course

Crispy Veal Sweebreads & Crepinette Forest Mushrooms, English Pea Puree, Foie Gras Emuslsion

Domaine de la Janasse “Terre de Bussiere”, 2005

Third Course

Lamb Sirloin Poached Marrow, Potato Puree, Fava Beans, Fine Herb Cabernet Reduction

Dutcher Crossing “Taylor Reserve” Cabernet Sauvignon, 2002

Cheese Course

Au Gratin Bijou, Clover Honey, Toasted Pistachio, Brioche

Dessert Course

Chocolate Coated Mint Cannoli with Trio of Seasonal Fruit

What do Cracker Barrel, Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts have in common with Wal-Mart, Levi’s and American Airlines?

Answer: Gay people either like or despise these companies. A recent Prime Access/PlanetOut.com survey shows that gays, lesbian and transgendered consumers put Starbucks at the top of their list of “gay-friendly” businesses while Cracker Barrel and Dunkin Donuts (along with Wal-Mart) are at the very bottom. 

Interesting to find out that the gay community finds Dunkin Donuts at the bottom of being “gay-friendly”. Not sure what it is about the Canton based company that makes them not “gay-friendly” and Starbucks a place were gay and lesbians can hang out.

By the way, I am not gay…not that there is anything wrong with that!!!!