tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11160159486799801512024-03-13T12:29:04.193-04:00Show NEWS By NRNUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-7091419841344959782010-05-25T16:14:00.005-04:002010-05-25T16:51:10.922-04:00It's A Wrap - Some of What You Missed or More of What You Long For
Charlie Rose, host of “The Charlie Rose Show” and keynote speaker of this year’s National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, noted that restaurants are key meeting places for Americans’ most important conversations and experiences.
Fittingly, the foodservice industry’s largest annual gathering once again brought operators together to learn how to serve their businesses Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-87226873620140639662010-05-25T11:45:00.014-04:002010-05-26T18:32:15.967-04:00Better Than 'Going for the Gold?'Winning it.
Villanova's Timothy J. Dietzler last night was presented the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association Gold Plate during a reception at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers.
Dietzler, center, is shown receiving the award from Norb Mayrhofer, left, IFMA chairman and vice president, global, for Procter & Gamble Professional, and Larry Oberkfell, right,Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-16864480696213570032010-05-24T22:24:00.015-04:002010-05-26T13:49:42.830-04:00Using His Head, Feet, Tail...
Chicago chef-restaurateur Rob Levitt, of Mado, on Sunday demonstrated techniques for butchering a whole pig. Levitt recently staged a series of butchering demonstrations at his North Milwaukee Avenue eatery. Attendees paid $50 each but went home with a sampling of pork cuts. An advocate of using the whole animal, his current menu includes marinated pork tongue, spicy pig head stew and Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-11502950930562170902010-05-24T16:32:00.020-04:002010-05-24T19:42:25.928-04:00Producing in SchoolJeffrey McClure of Sodexo discusses using more fresh produce in school meals at the National Restaurant Association’s World Culinary Showcase, a cooking pavilion at the show that will be featuring more demonstrations today and tomorrow.
&NRN Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883863487590984225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-19693384053696472462010-05-24T14:56:00.003-04:002010-05-24T17:00:30.532-04:00The respect tipThe respect tip is bigger than the flirtatious tip, according to Mark Hanby, director of franchise development for The Tilted Kilt, a Scottish-Irish-English-themed pub and sports bar based in Tempe, Ariz.
He’s the gentleman in the picture, flanked by Lauren Muscolino (left) and Heather Green, two servers at a local unit of the five-year-old chain.
There are currently 34 Tilted Kilts scattered NRN Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883863487590984225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-56766335175297427402010-05-24T12:12:00.009-04:002010-05-24T12:49:09.652-04:00Author: No Kidding - Healthier Foods for Children a Serious MatterThe list of restaurant chains offering healthier kids meals is growing, but there’s still a lot of work to be done, according to Pam Smith, a registered dietitian and founder of Shaping America’s Health in Orlando, Fla.Smith, a panelist during Sunday’s session “The New Kids Meals: Kid Tested, Nutritionist Approved,” pointed toward such chains as Legal Sea Foods and Red Lobster as moving in the Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-58451081050345517762010-05-23T19:55:00.003-04:002010-05-24T12:45:20.150-04:00Drinking up show reconnaissance...Observations from Sunday’s show floor:
Beverages are big. Lots of cool machines, some using touch-screen technology, to let restaurateurs and/or customers customize their own drinks. You want to dial up the espresso and down the milk in your latte? No problem. Tried delicious fruit drinks, sodas, flavored ices and smoothies. Come to think of it, food was harder to come by.
Best one-liner: Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-15108044975027276982010-05-23T15:20:00.006-04:002010-05-23T17:59:28.837-04:00It's just pickled vegetables“I don’t want any dog in mine,” said a visitor to the kimchi stand at the NRA show’s Korea pavilion, and he laughed and laughed. Get it? Because Koreans eat dog. Ha ha ha.I wanted to tell him that dog is a delicacy in Korea and they wouldn’t try to just sneak it into your food, but I’d just have been reinforcing a stereotype. Besides, David Lee and Jennifer Chon of BCD Food Incorporated didn’t NRN Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883863487590984225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-59148538197923697352010-05-23T14:10:00.011-04:002010-05-25T00:07:41.646-04:00New McCormick work rules expectedIllinois Gov. Pat Quinn, left, was expected to sign legislation Monday that would overhaul McCormick Place work rules and give Chicago convention center exhibitors more rights in setting up their displays, media outlets were reporting Sunday. A spokeswoman for the National Restaurant Association, which is only committed to Chicago for the NRA Restaurant, Hotel & Motel Show through 2011, said Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-86684697730818493362010-05-23T09:22:00.002-04:002010-05-23T09:33:11.455-04:00Cathy in full commandS. Truett Cathy was on fire last night at the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's annual Salute to Excellence. His acceptance speech for the 2010 Thad and Alice Eure Ambassador of Hospitality distinction was at turns heartfelt and sincere, insightful and informative.But I had no idea how funny the man is. He had two pretty good jokes in his remarks, the first of which dealt NRN Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883863487590984225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-31115249518499295812010-05-23T03:19:00.010-04:002010-05-23T03:36:53.961-04:00NRN@NRA Chat - AudioGeoff Alexander, of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises' Wow Bao division, was a double dipper Saturday, as he was part of two NRA Show educational sessions dealing with technology. That's Geoff, at left, checking out, what he said was one of several iPad, iPod and iPhone plays for foodservice POS. (Photo by Irene Kijak Photography)
Listen to what he had to say about his sessions.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-83510842774082639722010-05-22T19:44:00.006-04:002010-05-23T18:44:35.802-04:00Food Truck SpotI promised a peek at the new Food Truck Spot on the NRA Show floor:
The Ludo Fried Chicken truck, on the top, is one of the first from new firm Mobi Munch (learn about the industry players behind that venture here), and climbing in was my first behind-the-scenes look at how mobile cuisine can work.
With standard kitchen managment technology, POS systems, and room to spare for at least four NRN Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883863487590984225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-43919380137610436422010-05-22T17:09:00.007-04:002010-05-23T18:58:04.694-04:00Which ’Wich to open R&D CenterJeff Sinelli, founder and boss at Dallas-based sandwich chain Which Wich, stopped by the NRN booth and, when I asked to take his picture, he immediately walked over to the promotional poster for this year’s MUFSO conference and posed in front of it.
Yes, Jeff knows how to show gratitude. He’s the only restaurateur to have won two Hot Concepts awards from us, one for his Genghis Grill and the NRN Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883863487590984225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-77721873295821401302010-05-22T16:06:00.004-04:002010-05-22T17:27:28.579-04:00Steve Carley stops by the boothI had a good chat with El Pollo Loco chief executive Steve Carley when he stopped by NRN’s booth this morning. He’s psyched about the chain’s steak offerings that were launched at the beginning of the year and that now account for 25 percent of the Fresh Mex section of the chain’s menu. Earlier this month the company launched the first sandwiches that they put on their permanent menu (they’ve NRN Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883863487590984225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-46015335951538805412010-05-22T14:45:00.007-04:002010-05-22T20:15:14.412-04:00Restaurateurs floored!
Okay - so the headline is a bit dramatic. But here's the show floor earlier today. Scott Windus PhotographyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-16616279121068908982010-05-22T14:45:00.002-04:002010-05-22T14:55:26.348-04:00Words matterWhile I didn't get a chance to catch their session, Tom Denari and Charlie Hopper of advertising firm Young & Laramore graciously met with me in the hallway to catch me up on the highlights of their advice for selling more with well-written menus.Just like advertising creative, marketing messages on the menu need to be concise as well as creative, Hopper and Denari told me, and cliches are toNRN Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883863487590984225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-40373540286340546012010-05-22T13:36:00.005-04:002010-05-22T14:28:56.971-04:00Twitter PatterSocial-media topics are rising from nearly every corner of the NRA Show in Chicago this year -- in this case: literally. Twitter-using attendees who are posting news and observations from the show floor with the hashtag (anything preceded with a hashmark like this "#") were published instantly to flat-screen kiosks throughout the convention floor. Consultant Aaron D. Allen, founder of the Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-44409713109649974082010-05-22T13:31:00.003-04:002010-05-22T13:39:46.104-04:00It's all happeningOnly three hours in and it's a foodservice frenzy.With more attendees than last year -- and what feels like more action -- operators, suppliers, and even just taste-testers have flooded the show floor Saturday morning. On tap so far, we've heard about sales-building strategies from Jamba Juice, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants and Street-Za Pizza, a food truck sensation from Milwaukee. Street-Za NRN Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883863487590984225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-24544270284093710822010-05-21T17:22:00.004-04:002010-05-22T14:40:04.773-04:00NRN and the NRA
New product and deal announcements are a big part of the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel & Motel Show tradition. So it seems fitting that an announcement about an upcoming strategic alliance between Nation's Restaurant News and the NRA would be made in Chicago on the eve of NRA SHOW 2010. CLICK HERE to catch the full report at NRN.com.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-37661015413181673942010-05-20T14:52:00.014-04:002010-05-20T17:10:55.624-04:00Windy City Eatin', Drinkin' & Thinkin' SpotsHere is an abridged list of NRNer picks for dining, drinking and concept snooping in Chicago. Llink to the full NRN.com spread below.
Robin Lee Allen, executive editor: While I’d still recommend such longtime favorites as Bistro 110, there are several restaurants I’m eager to visit [including] Sunda...
Mark Brandau, Chicago bureau editor: Sable Kitchen and Bar — Heather Terhune’s new Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-25767422369915152662010-05-19T20:22:00.003-04:002010-05-19T20:47:51.825-04:00Gearing up for NRA Show 2010We're getting ready for our coverage of the NRA Show this weekend in Chicago. Stay tuned here and on NRN.com ... See you there! NRN Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883863487590984225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-30646199060979207772010-02-24T23:09:00.000-05:002010-05-19T23:11:07.064-04:00Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-63456541926916634322010-02-23T18:52:00.004-05:002010-02-23T19:11:17.330-05:00Networking @ FSTECChris Ramer (left) and Brett Weiss (right), both of StreetSavings, were first-time attendees to this year's FSTEC.Why did they come? They work with both the hardware suppliers and the end-users, in this case restaurants, to help deploy seamless mobile coupons and other online loyalty programs. They were thrilled to be at FSTEC, where both suppliers and restaurateurs were in one place. Recent NRN Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883863487590984225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-33107933115394466982010-02-23T16:36:00.003-05:002010-02-23T17:01:54.894-05:00Online ordering boosts check averagesRestaurateurs attending FSTEC in Long Beach, Calif., sang the praises of online and mobile ordering, particularly when it has the effect of hiking check averages.Paul Valle, chief information officer for Papa Gino's, said orders placed online at its namesake chain run 70 percent higher than the chain's standard check average. At D'Angelo, another Papa Gino's concept, online checks are running 54 NRN Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05883863487590984225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1116015948679980151.post-33182770463100280812010-02-23T14:45:00.007-05:002010-02-23T15:05:54.031-05:00A Quick Bite to TwEat?FSTec attendees tuned into Twitter on Tuesday were getting a backyard example of how the short-form social-media service could be used for local-store marketing, especially for building business amongst the transient conference crowd. Bouchees Bistro in Long Beach, Calif., where the conference was being held, advised Twitter attendees that the restaurant was just a convenient two-minute walk Unknownnoreply@blogger.com