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Volume 7, Issue 24 June 15, 2007 |
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Weekly News in Review
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| Woman sues restaurant after being asked to leave while nursing |
A woman has sued a restaurant that asked her to leave after other diners complained about her breast-feeding her infant.
Boca Raton resident Simone Bertucci filed the complaint Monday against Hillstone Restaurant Group in state court, seeking unspecified damages. Hillstone is the parent company of Houston's restaurant in Boca Raton.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: Miami Herald Media Co. |
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| DeVito Opens Restaurant With Red Carpet Event |
Actor and director turned restaurateur Danny DeVito is bringing the stars to Miami Beach Wednesday night for the launch of his new restaurant "DeVitos South Beach".
DeVitos South Beach, formerly Ocean Drive’s trendy Joia, will open in true Hollywood style with plenty of stars walking the red-carpet.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: CBS Television Stations Inc. |
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| Thieves Target Restaurant Toilets |
Investigators are trying to catch a pair of thieves who are stealing chrome toilet fixtures from the bathrooms of North Texas fast-food restaurants, NBC 5 reported.
Jack in the Box placed surveillance photos of the thieves on their doors and drive-through windows after four of their locations were hit in Arlington, Irving and Grand Prairie.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. |
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| Technomic Identifies Broad Opportunities for Growth in Breakfast Sales |
Away-from-home breakfast sales are growing, but remain a major underdeveloped opportunity for restaurant operators according to new research by Technomic. Even though the vast majority of consumers still prepare breakfast at home, sometimes eating it in the car or at school or work, consumers' demand for time-saving convenience continues to grow, signaling breakfast growth opportunities in both limited- and full-service restaurant segments.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: Yahoo |
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| Ihop bids for Applebee's restaurants, people say |
Ihop Corp., the biggest U.S. pancake-house chain, offered to buy Applebee's International Inc., people familiar with the matter said.
The bid was for more than $2 billion, a person with direct knowledge of the offer said. There may be other bidders, said the people, who declined to be identified because the proposal isn't public. Applebee's stock-market value is about $1.92 billion.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: Bloomberg News |
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| At restaurants, takeout takes off |
Stuart Kroll recently pulled his 83-foot yacht into the marina in St. Simons Island, Ga., and did what any good yachtsman would do: He ordered out.
Not just any takeout, mind you. A gourmet dinner of fresh grouper, vegetable medley and fine wine was wheeled to his boat from Coastal Kitchen Seafood & Raw Bar, an upscale marina restaurant 400 feet away. Dinner for two: $150.
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Read Article Browse All News | Source: USA Today |
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The Worst Customer Complaint: Foodborne Illness
By Lacie Thrall
Food service managers and crew try to follow the rules of food protection. Yet, occasionally a complaint may arise and these calls take priority over all other daily crises. If you have been in the food service industry long enough, you may have gotten one of these. A customer may claim, "I think your food made me ill." These words inflict instant anxiety. If it happens, here are some next steps to think about in advance of such a claim:
First, have a crisis plan in place that includes what to do if a foodborne illness (FBI) call comes in, as part of your overall crises plan. Plan the initial response in advance of such a call. The manager is not always on site, so decide who is next to take that call. It should be a member of management—not your newest employee. Keep in mind one of the best allies may be your health department. In your favor, they may be able to quickly disprove that the complaint was from your food. In the worst case, if more than one call comes in from a second unrelated customer, take the high road and contact the health department first before they contact you. The crisis plan should include who to contact in your chain of command including supervisors, insurance, medical, and legal advice if necessary.
For a reality check, take a look at the legal side of foodborne disease. Go to www.outbreakinc.com/news.htm. Marler & Clark is a well known law firm to the food industry and it explains terms such as “strict liability” and gives its advice on how to avoid foodborne lawsuits.
Is it really from your food? Realize there are a number of possible scenarios here. One is that the customer is indeed suffering an illness, and that it is unrelated to the food you have served. Another is that the customer has a personal reaction to a particular food — an intolerance or even an allergy. Of course, it could be a foodborne illness caused by pathogens, too. The source could be from the customer’s home kitchen, your operational practices, or from serious contamination introduced into the food before it even reached your operation. So, how do you begin to sort it out?
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"The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes."
- William James
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View updated pricing and information each week on the website for the following food-commodity markets:
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Beef, Veal & Lamb |
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Beef production last week was 4.2% less than the previous year. Most beef markets continue to track downward as buyers limit purchases for immediate needs expecting lower beef prices in the coming weeks. The average decline for the USDA choice boxed beef cutout over the next 6 weeks is $10 a hundredweight which would suggest that a 6.8% decline in beef prices will occur from now until the end of July. The depreciating beef markets are setting the stage for notable August beef retail features which would likely be accompanied with a strong surge in beef prices. Prices per pound FOB from USDA.
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Dairy |
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Strong world dairy protein demand continues to bully most of the dairy markets higher. 2007 dry whey exports through April were 22% larger than the prior year accounting for 47% of whey output compared to 39% in 2006. There was essentially 10% less dry whey available on the US market during the first 4 months of this year compared to a year ago. Some modest whey price relief is expected this summer. Still, cheese and whey prices are anticipated to remain significantly above normalized levels. Prices per pound, except Class I Cream (hundred weight), from USDA.
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Poultry |
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April US chicken exports were 4.2% less than last year and the lowest for the month since 2004. 2007 US chicken exports through April were 3.8% lower than a year ago accounting for 14.1% of total output compared to 14.2% in 2006. US chicken exports could suffer some this summer due in part to inflated leg quarter prices. The 6 week moving average for broiler chick placements is a whopping 3.7% larger than last year indicating that chicken producers are boosting output. However, if feed prices remain elevated chicken production may be curbed later this year. Prices per pound except eggs (dozen) FOB from USDA.
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Seafood |
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April US shrimp imports were 3.2% lower than last year. US shrimp imports could modestly struggle in the coming months due to the devalued US dollar. The shrimp markets are fairly steady. The salmon markets are weak. There is concern that the spring and winter Chilean earthquakes could cause a supply shortage for Chilean salmon this fall. Prices for fresh product, unless noted per pound from Fisheries Market News.
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Pork |
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April US pork exports were 11.2% lower than last year due in part to a continued significant decline in trade with Mexico. 2007 US pork exports through April were 1.4% less than a year ago accounting for 9.6% of pork output compared to 10% in 2006. US pork exports could recover some in the coming months due to rising world protein prices. The pork markets are likely to move modestly upward over the next few weeks as pork production seasonally declines. Prices per pound FOB from USDA.
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Produce |
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The iceberg lettuce market is firming due in part to solid demand. Various farmers are reported to be harvesting lettuce prematurely which may cause fairly firm iceberg prices to persist during the next few weeks. The yellow onion market is coursing upward as Texas output decelerates. Onion supplies are likely to remain limited into mid July. The tomato harvests are transitioning north which may cause some moderate tomato market volatility through the end of this month. Prices shipping point unless noted (terminal) FOB from USDA
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Oil and Grains |
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The USDA is forecasting 2007 US winter wheat output to rise 24% from a year ago. Adverse weather and tight world stocks are pressuring the wheat markets upward. Prices per pound (oils) or bushel (grains) FOB from USDA.
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Canned and Frozen Food |
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Tomato Products, Canned - The USDA is projecting 2007 California tomato for canning tonnage at 11.8 million, 18% more than 2006. Canned tomato stocks should improve in July which may put downward pressure on the markets. Price per case (6/10) FOB from Supply and Market Report.
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Processed Fruits and Vegetables - 2007 corn for freezing production is forecasted at 1.524 million tons, 7.5% less than a year ago. Modestly higher frozen corn prices are anticipated. Prices FOB per case from Supply and Market Report.
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The Employment Center is your gateway
for posting job listings or your resume
into 3 of the most
popular sites
in the foodservice industry.
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Always looking for dessert ideas...
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I have been making the desserts at the restaurant I manage and have been fairly successful with it. However...I do tend to get bored. I always keep the standard coconut cream and triple choc mousse (ugh..Sysco favorites that I can't seem to get rid of!) and I make a homemade cheesecake, pecan fudge pie and bread pudding. I rotate 2-3 others....this past month I have had creme brulee, chocolate creme brulee, triple layer carrot cake, deep dish key lime pie, strawberry shortcake with white chocolate mousse, peanut butter pie, key lime cheesecake and a dark chocolate cheesecake with a white ganache topping. All have done well but I am always on the hunt for new ideas....any suggestions or favorites?
This week I will stick with the triple layer carrot cake and a coconut creme brulee.
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Little Insults
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Lady comes in today, orders a beef brisket sandwich, says I don't want the chips they're disgusting [we make our own homemade potato chips, folks crave them], she says can I get a discount, my waitress tells her no, the price is determined by the brisket, she repeats, well I think your chips are disgusting. I wanted to tell her to ****, but I didn't.
She was incredibly rude, no need for her BS. Any good ripostes, not to insult, just to let her know she was out to lunch while being out to lunch!
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As a grain I am a historical staple
I wish they could get my name straight. From Callaloo to Inca Wheat to love-lies-bleeding, it's all me but in many different forms. Even my primary name origin is confusing. It is derived from the Greek meaning unfading love flower. Found throughout the world but mostly in the tropics, I am an ornamental plant, a grain and an edible leaf. We also do food coloring, but that’s another quiz. My value as an ornamental is made quite obvious by my long clusters of beautiful red flowers and fiery red leaves. My plant grows up to 36 inches and each one of us can contain as many as 500,000 seeds. As a grain I am a historical staple. This changed when conquistador Hernando Cortés, in reaction to the Aztec’s donation of me in religious related rituals, ordered my field’s to be destroyed and removed by the hands of any farmers who planted me. So my humble Mexican beginnings were halted but not eliminated. My resistance to drought, ease of growth, and nutritional benefits prevailed and today I am popped, sprouted, used as a cereal, or a moist and sweet (yet unlevening) flour. As a long edible leaf, I can be green, red, gold, or any combination of the three. My colorful tasty green is often substituted for spinach in soups, pasta dishes or vegetable dishes. Fry, steam or boil me briefly, as I do not require much heat to become tender. My amino acids are very well balanced (they don’t even wobble). I am rich in lycine, methionine and tryptophan, and provide an excellent source of magnesium, iron, phosphorus, copper and zinc. So in one form or another, regardless of what you call me, I’ll be there.
What am I?
View the Quiz Archive
The Food Quiz has is brought to you by Culinary Specialty Produce, a specialty produce broker that scours the world for the very best in specialty produce. Contact them at 908-789-4700 or by sending an email to info@culinaryproduce.com.
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