CANADA’S HOSPITALITY BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY foodserviceandhospitality.com $4 • September 2013 CANADIAN PUBLICATION MAIL PRODUCT SALES AGREEMENT #40063470 ITALY Tony Loschiavo reimagines Italian cuisine at Toronto’s Paese Ristorante TREND WATCH Reviewing innovations in kitchenwares GAME CHANGER An interview with Joey Restaurants’ Jeff Fuller DIG IN Dissecting chicken, beef and pork A taste of BLAST FROM THE PAST F&H celebrates 45 years
Transcript
CANADA’ S H O S P I TA L I T Y B U S I N E S S MAGA Z I N E
FOODSERVICEAND HOSPITALITY
foodserviceandhospital ity.com $4 • September 2013CANADIAN PUBLICATION MAIL PRODUCT SALES AGREEMENT #40063470
ITALYTony Loschiavo reimagines Italiancuisine at Toronto’s Paese Ristorante
TREND WATCHReviewing
innovations inkitchenwares
GAMECHANGERAn interview
with JoeyRestaurants’
Jeff Fuller
DIG INDissecting
chicken, beef and
pork
A taste of BLAST FROM
THE PASTF&H
celebrates45 years
Features
12 UPPER CRUSTWith a focus on authenticity, theFamoso Neapolitan Pizzeria chain is on the rise By Jennifer Febbraro
18 MEAT MATTERSVegetarian nosh is stealing marketshare, but chicken, beef and pork continue to win fans with creative dishes from chefs across the country By Cynthia David
31 A STEP ABOVEIntroducing a series of independentrestaurant profiles By Brianne Binelli
32 TOP OF THE TOWNToronto’s Paese attracts crowds with a focus on innovation and differentiation By Laura Pratt
36 REINVENTING THE SCENEFleur de Sel commands the market,serving French-inspired cuisine in thehistoric town of Lunenburg, N.S.By Rebecca Harris
40 RULES OF ENGAGEMENTVancouver’s Bao Bei offers a spin ontraditional Chinese fare in a hip, urbanenvironment By Mary Luz Mejia
43 THE WAY WE WEREPresenting F&H’s 45th anniversary retrospective By Rosanna Caira
44 THE 45th F&H ANNIVERSARY TIMELINE By Jackie Sloat-Spencer,Brianne Binelli, Hildegard van Niekerkand Rosanna Caira
47 BUILDING A BRANDJoey Restaurants’ Jeff Fuller discusses his family ties to foodservice, expandingeastward, corporate culture and more Interview by Rosanna Caira
53 CANADA’S KITCHENThe Canadian Culinary Federation celebrates 50 years By Lindsay Forsey
Departments2 FROM THE EDITOR3 MASTHEAD5 FYI9 FROM THE DESK
OF ROBERT CARTER10 MY BEST MISTAKE: Alex Rechichi,Crave It Restaurant Group, Mississauga, Ont.
57 EQUIPMENT61 POURING FOR PROFITS64 CHEF’S CORNER: Adam Donnelly, Segovia Tapas Bar and Restaurant, Winnipeg
FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 1FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
CONTENTSVO LUME 4 6 , N UMBER 6 S E P T EMBER 2 0 1 3
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARGARET MULLIGAN
Food File
18
2 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
FROM THE EDITOR
For daily news and announcements: @fsworld on Twitter and Foodserviceworld on Facebook.
Vogue editor Anna Wintour once
said she didn’t like retrospective
magazine issues, because she
preferred to look forward not back-
wards. But, while looking back may
often seem pointless — after all, we can’t
really change history — knowing where
we’ve come from can only help us to
better understand where we are going.
When you journey back to 1968,
the year the Canadian Restaurant
Association launched what was then
known as the CRA magazine, and the
precursor to Foodservice and Hospitality,
it’s clear the foodservice industry was in
its infancy. But, restaurants have been
part of the Canadian landscape, in some
shape or form, as far back as 100 years
ago. For example, Cara Operations was
born in 1883 as the Canada Railway
News Co., in response to an increase in
passenger railway travel. Interestingly,
the term restaurant itself dates back to
16th century France, with the term
derived from the word restaurer, which
means “to restore.”
Still, it wasn’t until the late 1960s that
restaurants became influential in
Canada in terms of size and scope. Until
the first McDonald’s opened its doors in
Richmond, B.C., in 1967 and then in
London Ont., in 1968, food eaten in
restaurants was usually celebratory. The
arrival of the American behemoth, and
the ensuing proliferation of QSR as well
as the social revolution of the 1960s,
helped change that reality immeasurably
and irrevocably. Suddenly restaurants
became part of the everyday fabric of
our lives. Now, almost half a century
later, restaurants are more than just
places where we celebrate special mile-
stones but places where we drop in for
breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as
snacks — they’re places that form part
of our community.
Today, we not only expect restaurants
to be a source of food, but we want them
to be our social conscience — ethically
sound, environmentally friendly and
health-conscious. Would we have dared
imagine that reality in 1968? Then again,
could we have ever predicted the new
ground and vistas being explored for
food in this century?
To wit, just last month, news hit from
London, England that the first ham-
burger meat grown in a lab had been
created and tested. And, regardless of the
taste, it’s clear, we can expect science to
further overlap with culinary art in ways
never before considered.
In addition to this month’s journey
back through the past four decades (see
story on p. 43), F&H also takes a look
at the 50-year history of the Canadian
Culinary Federation, the association
of chefs, which was born a mere five
years earlier than our magazine (see
story on p. 53).
So, yes, while looking back may be an
exercise in nostalgia, it’s also a lesson in
how much the industry has grown and
matured, evolving in ways that will con-
tinue to impact us in the future.
Today, we not onlyexpect restaurants to be a source of food,but we want them to be our social conscience — ethically sound, environmentallyfriendly and health-conscious
ADVISORY BOARDBOSTON PIZZA INTERNATIONAL, INC. KEN OTTOCORA FRANCHISE GROUP DAVID POLNYCRAVE IT RESTAURANT GROUP ALEX RECHICHIFHG INTERNATIONAL INC. DOUG FISHERFRESHII MATTHEW CORRINHEALTH CHECK, CANADA I THE HEART & STROKE FOUNDATION KATIE JESSOPJOEY RESTAURANT GROUP BRITT INNESLECOURS WOLFSON HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT & CHEF RECRUITERS NORMAN WOLFSONMAPLE LEAF SPORTS + ENTERTAINMENT (MLSE) ROBERT BARTLEYNEW YORK FRIES & SOUTH ST. BURGER CO. JAY GOULDPRIME RESTAURANTS INC. NICK PERPICKSCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY & TOURISM MANAGEMENT, UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH BRUCE MCADAMSSENSORS QUALITY MANAGEMENT INC. DAVID LIPTONSOTOS LLP JOHN SOTOSTHE GARLAND GROUP MANITOWOC FOODSERVICE JACQUES SEGUINTHE HOUSE OF COMMONS JUDSON SIMPSONTHE MCEWAN GROUP MARK MCEWANUNILEVER FOOD SOLUTIONS NORTH AMERICA GINNY HARE
To subscribe to F&H, visit foodserviceandhospitality.com
Volume 46, Number 6. Published 11 times per year by Kostuch Media Ltd., 23 Lesmill Rd., Suite 101, Toronto, Ont., M3B 3P6. Tel: (416) 447-0888, Fax (416) 447-5333, website: foodserviceandhospitality.com.
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Return mail to: Kostuch Media Ltd., 23 Lesmill Rd., Suite 101, Toronto, Ont., M3B 3P6.Member of CCAB, a Division of BPA International, International Foodservice Editorial Council,Canadian Restaurant & Foodservices Association, The American Business Media and TheCanadian Business Press. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government ofCanada, through the Canadian Periodical Fund (CPF) of the Department of CanadianHeritage. Printed in Canada on recycled stock.
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FYIMO N T H LY N EW S A N D U P D AT E S F O R T H E F O O D S E R V I C E I N D U S T R Y
LET’S GET SOCIAL Creative marketing continues to drive customer loyalty at Dairy Queen. This summer, the chain rolled out anostalgic campaign called “Fan Food, Not Fast Food” to celebrate the customer’s relationship with the brand. Fans can also join anonline Blizzard club that provides free treats on a customer’s birthday, making it a hot spot for celebrations while generating brandloyalty. Denise Hutton, VP of Marketing for Dairy Queen Canada, sums it up: “A lot of our customers would say ‘that’s my DQ.’”PH
OTO (TOP) COURTESY OF DAIRY QUEEN CANADA
DQ, 2.0 Dairy Queen franchisees have
taken the next step in
reinvesting in store design,
adding upgrades to the
company’s 2007 modernization
project. The “Grill-&-Chill-2.0”
concept features new signage,
a choice of soft or hard seating,
self-serve drink stations and
heritage prints for the walls.
Plus, new digital feature boards
display menu options, while new
cash registers and upgraded
drive-thru communications
streamline the order process.
“We’re seeing significant
reinvestments from our
franchisees,” says Denise
Hutton, VP of Marketing for
Dairy Queen Canada. “There
is a lot of opportunity.”
The Dairy Queen team knows a thing or two about staying on top of its game in the
ever-changing QSR industry. Founded as a frozen ice-cream concept by Dick “Sherb”
Noble and business partner, J.F. McCullough, in 1938 in Kankakee, Ill., the chain’s first
Canadian location opened in 1953 in Estevan, Sask. In 2012, after 60 years in Canada, it
celebrated sales of $510 million with 648 stores and plans to add 23 units this year.
The brand’s longevity is due to the company executives’ commitment to finding the
sweet spot between evolution and tradition. This was especially important during the
recession when a diverse menu helped capture and maximize customers’ dwindling
foodservice dollars. “The fortunate thing with our brand is that we’re in lots of different
businesses,” says Denise Hutton, VP of Marketing for Dairy Queen Canada, who explains
how the brand benefited from its diverse menu of burgers, salads, chicken strips, hotdogs
and take-out ice cream cakes. “We were very fortunate during the recession that when
people really wanted to indulge and treat themselves, DQ was top of mind.”
“It’s also extremely important to stay relevant,” whether that’s in terms of flavours,
colours or taste profiles of food and dessert offerings, adds Hutton. In recent years, that
translates to catering to the health-conscious consumer. Last year, DQ introduced a 170-
calorie fruit smoothie from its Orange Julius brand as well as a mini Blizzard, which now
comprises 25 per cent of Blizzard sales. But, company leaders won’t be straying too far
from the brand’s roots, says Hutton, who isn’t worried about competition from the grow-
ing barrage of frozen-yogurt concepts. “We’ve tried lots of different things like yogurt [in
our market research], but consumers have continuously told us, ‘when I want to treat
myself, and I want to indulge, I’m not necessarily counting calories.’”
Treat YourselfDairy Queen Canada marks 60 years in business by tapping into the hearts of its customersBY JACKIE SLOAT-SPENCER
Oct. 5-9: 2013 Canadian Society of ClubManagers National Conference, EatonChelsea hotel, Toronto. Tel: (416) 979-0640;email: [email protected]; website:cscm.org.
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IN BRIEFChefs are now applying
to the Hawksworth YoungChef Scholarship competi-tion, which will see a
grand prize of $10,000
awarded to the winning
chef in October at the
Pacific Institute of CulinaryArts in Vancouver...WhileQSR chains are revamp-
ing kids menus to
include healthier fare,
Taco Bell has pulled itskids’ menu in the U.S.,
citing its low impact on
system-wide sales...PizzaPizza is honing in on theGreater Montreal Area
with six new store
openings...Tim Hortonsrestaurants have been the
epicentre of random acts
of kindness, starting at
an Edmonton store
where one customer
purchased 500 large cof-
fees for other customers
in line. Since then, simi-
lar incidents have tran-
spired in Ottawa, Calgary
and Saskatoon.
PEOPLE
Thomas Holzschuher is thenewly elected president
of the Canadian Associationof Foodservice Professionals(CAFP)...Robert Masson,Second Cup’s CFO and
VP of Finance, has left
his post after five years
with the company. SteveBoyack will serve as inter-im VP, Finance and
CFO...Denis Richard hasstepped down as presi-
dent and CEO of ImvescorRestaurants. Ming-Ming Wong,CFO, has stepped in to
serve as interim
CEO...Leslie Steh is the
new executive pastry chef
of the Chocolate Lab at
the Stock Restaurant Bar &Lounge at the TrumpInternational Hotel & TowerToronto...Myles Fedun, a 22-year-old chef, won the
top prize at the CCFCC Chefof the Year Competition inEdmonton…Rosie Macleanwas awarded a life mem-
bership award at the
2013 CAFP NationalConference, for her out-standing service to the
foodservice industry. In
other CAFP news, the
Toronto branch elected
its incoming Board of
Directors for 2013/2014.
It includes incoming
president Steve Croft.
SUPPLYSIDEBrian Wood has beenappointed CEO at
Restaurant EquipmentDistributors of CanadaLimited. Linda Forster hasalso joined the team as
VP, Business Develop-
ment...Robert M. Hund has
been appointed president
of The Manitowoc CompanyInc.’s foodservice seg-ment...Evian Natural SpringWater has debuted a newbottle design for the first
time in a decade; it’s a
label-free look and sim-
plified logo design
...California Portable DanceFloor Co. introduced itsnew Peel and Stick Vinyl
Floor Covering, a one-
time use roll that easily
changes the colour of a
floor...Cascades Tissue Groupwon a gold award at the
distributor for Blendtec inCanada...SpeedLineSolutions Inc., a Vancouver-based POS provider, has
recently been chosen to
provide service upgrades
for Capital Pizza Huts andthe Pizza Hut of FortWayne in the U.S
...McCormick Canada hasintroduced a new one-
step seasoning blend
for its Club House
collection; it’s available
in roasted cumin and
mint flavour. �
8 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
FYI
RESTAURANTBUZZToronto has experienced a cocktail revivalwith the opening of The Cocktail Parlourat Storys. The events lounge channels the1920s and 1930s, offering classics such asthe Paloma, made with grapefruit-infusedtequila, simple syrup, grapefruit bitters andsoda ($14), and the Toronto cocktail, madewith Wisers legacy rye, Fernet Branca andsimple syrup ($18)...Halifax’s Morris East is opening a second location in Bedford, N.S. The100-seat resto features an open-concept kitchen helmed by executive chef Luc Castilloux, whowill oversee both locations. The new restaurant offers an expanded menu, featuring a catch of theday, mussels and gourmet nachos...Mixologist Shawn Soole, who previously helmed the bar atChateau Victoria Hotel and Suites in Victoria, B.C., has opened Little Jumbo, a meat-centric restaurant with a hefty spirits menu and a kitchen commandeered by chef JustinHardiman...After expanding the Momofuku empire to Toronto, David Chang and Christina Tosihave opened Momofuku Milk Bar bakery in downtown Toronto, featuring truffles, pies, cakesand cookies.
Opening a new restaurant? Let us in on the buzz. Send a high-res image, menu and back-ground information about the new establishment to [email protected].
The Cocktail Parlour at Storys
Leslie Steh
MasterChefJudson Simpson,
executive chef at the
House of Commons
has become the first
Canadian to receive
a Certified Master
Chef designation.
“The Master Chef
designation is the
PhD of the culinary world. It’s a monumental
opportunity for Canada and professionals in the
industry,” said Rudi Fischbacher, coordinator of
Culinary Programs at Humber College. The two-
year program, available at Toronto’s Humber
College through the Canadian Culinary Institute,
includes courses about baking and pastry arts, garde
manger, wines and spirits as well as practical exams.
FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 9FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
The term home-meal replacement
sounds a bit technical. So, what does
it mean anyway? Coined by savvy
retailers and grocers in the mid-’90s, the
term home-meal replacement (or HMR)
refers to pre-cooked, ready-to-eat meals
purchased from a grocery store (and now
some restaurants) and packaged in take-out
containers. HMR was created so grocers
could tap into increased consumer spending
at restaurants, while catering to the growing
demand for convenient meal solutions.
THE GROWTH OF HMRAnd, consumers are responding. According
to NPD’s CREST foodservice tracking,
Canadians made more than 243-million vis-
its to grocers with an HMR program in
2012, which is a 17-per-cent increase com-
pared to 2007. Today, Canadians spend an
average of $1.9 billion on HMR, represent-
ing more than four per cent of food spend-
ing at restaurants. It seems HMR is address-
ing a need for today’s consumer, but will the
category continue to experience the same
growth over the next five years as it has in
the past five? It may, but the scene is chang-
ing. The good news is an increasing number
of quick-service (QSR) and full-service
restaurant (FSR) chains are capturing a
piece of the HMR pie by attracting con-
sumers with enhanced take-out and drive-
thru offerings. And, recent promotions,
from both QSR and FSR operators, have
focused on the convenience of restaurant
meals, be it a drive-thru open-late campaign
or the encouragement of online ordering;
the idea is to address the growing demand
for convenient, on-the-go meals.
HOW TO WIN AT HMRThe top-selling HMR food items are fairly
mundane — think rotisserie chicken, chick-
en wings, chicken fingers, potato wedges,
sandwiches, soups and salads. And, the
majority of HMR menus are geared toward
the lunch and supper dayparts, which repre-
sent 63 per cent of visits. Few HMR
programs are expanding beyond the tradi-
tional menu offerings to create a true point
of difference. Unlike the platform of menu
improvement and enhanced customer serv-
ice that has increased quick-service restau-
rant visits during the past five years, typical-
ly the HMR category is not perceived to be
as innovative. According to NPD’s Customer
Satisfaction tracking survey, 46 per cent of
HMR customers score their overall HMR
experience as less than satisfactory.
Canadians cite factors such as inconstant
quality across a grocery chain, poor cus-
tomer satisfaction and product knowledge
as well as food quality as the reasons for low
overall satisfaction scores. The opportunity
is for grocery operators to understand the
factors that drive customer visits at QSR and
FSR and consider partnering with branded
restaurant concepts, a popular strategy at
leading grocery chains.
Keep in mind, that tomorrow’s HMR
programs will become more innovative and
strategic, providing many opportunities for
grocers, QSR and FSR operators to capitalize
on the growing demand for convenience. �
Robert Carter is executive director, Foodservice Canada, with the NPD Group Inc.
He can be reached at [email protected] for questions regarding the latest trends
and their impact on the foodservice business.
BRINGING IT HOMELeverage the home-meal replacements category for foodservice
SOURCE: The NPD Group, Inc.
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
$1,866
$1,172$1,399
$852
61%
63%
Annual trend in millionsGROCERY HMR SPENDING
Lunch & Supper
Total Day
FROM THE DESK OF ROBERT CARTER
10 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MY BEST MISTAKE
A lex Rechichi has been
building his foodser-
vice empire since
1997 when he and his brother,
Mark, saw a gap in the market
for healthy, fresh sandwiches
and launched Extreme Pita in
Mississauga, Ont. Soon, Sean
Black joined the business,
which morphed into Extreme
Brandz, the parent company of
the team’s growing list of con-
cepts — Extreme Pita, Mucho
Burrito and Purblendz. Then,
this spring — after building the
company to include 325 fran-
chised restaurants across North
America — it was sold to the
Quebec-based MTY Group for
$45 million. It’s marked a new
beginning as Alex and his exec-
utive team are now celebrating
the summer launch of their
Italian fast-casual street-food
concept, Via Cibo, which falls
under the reinvented compa-
ny’s Crave It Restaurant Group.
And, the group has joined with
Toronto’s Burger’s Priest to
expand the cult-favourite
across the country. Such pas-
sion is why the trio, and the
president and CEO, have gar-
nered various accolades such as
F&H magazine’s Company of
the Year Pinnacle award in
December 2011.
WHAT WAS THE BESTMISTAKE YOU MADE INYOUR CAREER?When starting my first brand,
Extreme Pita, I was responsi-
ble for everything. I had to
learn all aspects of the busi-
ness, and I was financially and
emotionally invested in every
decision. My biggest mistake
occurred when I started to
build a team. I was afraid of
not being involved in every-
thing. At the time, it was an
obsession to ensure things
were done right. I was afraid
of someone making a mistake
with the business I worked so
hard to create.
WHAT DID YOU LEARNFROM YOUR MISTAKE?I was stuck in the ‘doer’ mind-
set rather than the leader
mindset. I was micro-manag-
ing tasks that should have
been delegated to others
inside or even outside the
company. I became obsessive
with every detail, at times, not
hearing what others had to
say. This impacted my pro-
ductivity and the productivity
of my small team.
In my fourth year of busi-
ness I focused on hiring peo-
ple who had significant expe-
rience and worked for larger
organizations. Then two indi-
viduals in particular offered
advice and viewpoints I never
considered. It hit me that I
was hiring people with talent,
so I needed to trust and value
their decisions. They brought
a fresh perspective to the
table, which positively
impacted my business. As we
worked together and added
more members to our team it
was important for me to
ensure we selected individuals
who could fit into the culture
of the company and shape its
future. Part of this process
meant team members were
given responsibilities and
challenges that made them
feel personally invested in
their roles.
HOW HAS THIS MISTAKESHAPED YOUR FUTUREDECISIONS?I now understand when to do,
when to lead and when to get
out of the way. I have not lost
or forgotten my entrepreneur-
ial ‘doer’ mindset, but I chan-
nel the energy differently. I
focus more on the team, our
strategies and the behaviours
that create success for the
company and every team
member involved. �
ALEX RECHICHI President, CEO and co-founder of Crave It Restaurant Group
Micro-managing
(l to r) Mark Rechichi, Alex Rechichi & Sean Black
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FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
UPPER CRUBY JENNIFER FEBBRAROPHOTOGRAPHY BY RANDALL COSCO
Justin Lussier, CEO and co-founder of
Canada’s Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria, knows
the feeling. When backpacking through
Europe with his girlfriend (now wife), Lussier
chanced upon his first authentic Neapolitan
slice. “Thin and crispy on the outside, chewy
on the inside — the taste was unlike anything
I had encountered before. It was quite literally
the best pizza I’d had in my life,” he enthuses.
Neapolitan pizza takes only 90 seconds to
cook in a 900°F fire oven. “It takes more time
to dress the pizza than it does to cook it,” jests
Lussier. Who knew fast-casual dining could be
so, well, speedy — and delicious?
Within hours, Lussier was on the phone
brainstorming with friends back home in
Edmonton about how to bring Neapolitan
pizza to Canada. Fast-forward to 2007, and
those same friends — Christian Bullock and
Jason Allard — joined forces to launch the first
Warning: Neapolitan pizza has been known to dramaticallychange lives. Just ask ElizabethGilbert, renowned author of2006’s book-turned-cult classicEat, Pray, Love. Her descriptionof Naples’ culinary trademarksays it all: “I am having a relationship with this pizza, almost an affair.”12 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013
With a focus on authenticity, the Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria chain is on the rise
FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 13FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
HOT CONCEPT ST
explains Allard, COO and co-founder, Famoso.
“This [is] a blue-collar town, and we weren’t sure we
would be accepted in the marketplace.” Instead,
Famoso was embraced, pulling in more than $1
million in sales its first year and doubling sales in
the next.
Within a year of opening their first pizzeria, the
ownership team launched a second Edmonton loca-
CLASSIC ITALIAN: (l to r) Christian Bullock,Justin Lussier and JasonAllard joined to open thefirst Famoso NeapolitanPizzeria in 2007. Therestaurant offers an endless array of pizza combinations
FAST FACTS
Number of Units: 20 open, 25 projected by the end of 2013
Size of Restos: Between1,800 sq. ft. and 3,200 sq. ft.
Number of Seats: Between 60 and 90
Design Teams: Janks Design Group and Omicron (both in
Vancouver) are two firms that have helped design Famoso’s
warm, casual interiors.
Sales: $1.8 to $2.2 million per year on average
Revenue Growth: Store level sales are increasing at
approximately 10 per cent a year. Some locations can
reach as high as 20 per cent growth annually.
Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria in their hometown.
Fortunately, Bullock had already built up a substan-
tial résumé in the restaurant business, having co-
founded the Canadian Brewhouse and Wok Box
chains, before selling his stake in both companies in
2007 and 2012, respectively.
Of course, there were challenges. “I was skeptical
at first to bring this new concept to Edmonton,”
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MATTERSMEAT LOVERS: Beef andpork are finding favour, butchicken remains the popular
meat on the menu inCanadian foodservice; (left)Michael Blackie of Ottawa’sNext woos diners with his
signature Blackie’s Chicken,which he deep fries andcoats in tempura batter
MEAT
FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 19FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
Vegetarian nosh is stealing market share,but chicken, beef and pork continue to win fans with creative dishes from
chefs across the country
BY CYNTHIA DAVID
Main-dish meat sales may be flat for the sixth year in
a row, but they still accounted for 1.4-billion serv-
ings across the country during the 12-months end-
ing May 2013, according to Toronto’s NPD Group Inc. Chicken
entrées account for 900-million servings, says Joel Gregoire,
Canadian food and beverage industry analyst, NPD. The
kitchen standby flies well above beef, which accounts for 300-
TTERSMEAT
FOOD FILE
20 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
CHICKEN LITTLE:Chicken is front-and-centreat Vancouver’s Homer St.Cafe and Bar where chefTret Jordan adds potatoesand jus to the meat
FOOD FILE
million servings and pork at 200-millionservings, despite the proliferation ofpulled pork and pig’s ears.
So, innovation on meat menus is grow-ing, as chefs turn to lesser-known beef andpork cuts to challenge themselves andoffer value. “I like to show different prepa-rations of a meat people are familiar with,”says Scott Vivian, chef/owner of Beast inToronto. “Instead of a slab of steak they’regoing to get a nice 90-gram portion ofstriploin, pan-seared in cast iron with clar-ified butter to medium-rare and sliced soit’s suitable for sharing.” Cam Dobranski,owner of Kensington Brasserie and wine
bar in Calgary, sells only Alberta hangersteak with classic steakhouse sauces ($24to $26), and, according to chef MichaelBlackie of Ottawa’s Next, steak tartare hasbecome “the crème brûlée of appetizers.” But, whether serving chicken, beef or
pork, chefs agree that their customerswant meat from an animal that is raisedresponsibly and locally.
CHICKENOf all the meaty mains served in restau-rants across the country, chicken rules theroost. “I call chicken the tofu of the meatworld, because it gives you really big
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22 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013
FOOD FILE
flavours,” says Dave Smart, a former vege-
tarian and the chef/owner of Front and
Central in Wolfville, N.S. The luxe chicken
pappardelle ($15) on his small-plates menu
is a prime example — wide egg noodles
tossed with arugula pesto, sautéed bacon
and mushrooms, toasted walnuts and local
Dragon’s Breath blue cheese. Even the
pasta’s shredded confit chicken thighs get a
flavour boost from being immersed in
chicken and duck fat and cooked for three
hours in a low oven until the meat falls off
the bone.
On the West Coast, chef Tret Jordan
brines and rubs whole chickens with a
world of flavours to encourage repeat visits
to the new Homer St. Cafe and Bar in
Vancouver. The restaurant’s centrepiece is a
bright red $50,000 Grande Flamme
Olympia Rotisserie oven from France with
six spits that hold 36 whole chickens. Jordan
adds potatoes and jus, and the chickens sell
for $32 (for a whole), $26 (for a half) and
$18 (for a quarter).
In his first month of experiments,
Jordan’s wet brines included a fragrant mix
of cinnamon, allspice, star anise, orange
peel, garlic and thyme, and his dry rubs fea-
tured Morocco’s ras el hanout and za’atar, a
blend of herbs, sesame and salt from the
Middle East. “In Vancouver, you have every
flavour in the world,” says the French-
trained chef. “We like to mix it up so guests
won’t get bored.”
Far from being bored, customers at Next
in Stittsville, an Ottawa suburb, can’t get
enough of Blackie’s bestselling Blackie’s
Chicken ($16). “If I take it off the menu I’ll
have a riot on my hands,” says the chef, who
learned to make the crispy dish a decade ago
while working in Bali, Indonesia. He deep
fries thin strips of boned, skinned chicken
legs coated in tempura batter and tosses
them in an “addictive” sauce of sweet
TRIED-AND-TRUE: A rotisserie oven fromFrance that holds 36 whole chickens is the centrepiece at Vancouver’s Homer St. Cafe and Bar
INGREDIENT OF THE MONTH: SWEET ONIONS
The mild flavour of sweet onions
make them a sweet accompani-
ment to meat and the ideal raw
onion for salads, salsas and
burgers. Their high water content
and low sulphur level also make
them easy on the eyes when
chopping. For a savoury side
dish, bake or roast onions whole
or serve grilled wedges. The most
famous sweet onion is the flat,
pale Vidalia, sold fresh from
Georgia between mid-April and
mid-June. After Labour Day, major
U.S. growers start harvesting their
fields in Peru, which grow the
same seed (though it can’t legally
be called Vidalia). Meanwhile,
Chile, Mexico and several other
U.S. states offer branded (and
sometimes certified) sweet onions
to offer a year-round supply of
the premium orbs.
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
I CALL CHICKENTHE TOFU OF THE MEATWORLD,BECAUSE ITGIVES YOUREALLY BIGFLAVOURS. — DAVE SMART, FRONT
AND CENTRAL
“”
ACC. MGR: Larissa PROD. MGR: Laura
F
ART DIRECTOR:Kevin ARTIST: Jocelyn
R ARTIST: Ryan
P DATE: 8-13-2013 2:32 PM PREP ARTIST: Ryan
Let the collaboration begin! Call us today at 1.877.779.3663 or visit mapleleaffoodservice.com
Working together creates
Let the collaboration begin! Call us today at 1.877.779.3663 or visit mapleleaffoodservice.com
Working together createsWorking together creates
endless possibilities
S
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
FOOD FILE
Balinese soy sauce (kecapmanis), the salty
version (kecapasin), and a touch of sriracha
sauce for heat. The dish is garnished with
cilantro stems and freshly grated ginger.
Meanwhile, despite an onslaught of
health concerns, southern-style fried chick-
en appears to be sweeping the country.
“People love fried food,” says Mark
McEwan, the Toronto celebrity chef who
offers a “super-popular” southern fried
chicken with smoked chipotle pepper sauce
and homemade biscuits ($36) at his star-
powered One restaurant in Toronto’s
Hazelton Hotel. At venerable Hy’s steak-
houses in Ontario, Manitoba and B.C., but-
termilk fried chicken ($30.95) comes with
creamed corn and bacon; and, in Wolfville,
Smart has perfected his newest chicken dish
— sous-vide buttermilk fried chicken with
cornbread and pickled peach purée ($14).
BEEFFor 56 years, Hy’s of Canada Ltd. has
offered great steak and great service. While
locations and decor have changed, Neil
Aisenstat, president and CEO, says steak
remains the same with classics such as steak
Diane and châteaubriand that his increas-
ingly younger customers (35 to 55)
demand. “People still love steakhouses,” says
Aisenstat, who’s based in Vancouver, “and
they’ll continue to gravitate to the concept
as long as it’s well executed.”
The bestselling steak at Hy’s is the 16-
ounce prime Alberta beef rib steak ($48.95).
An eight-ounce filet topped with gorgonzo-
la cheese and napped with port wine demi-
glace ($45.95) is another popular choice,
along with the 14-ounce New York steak
ALL IN THE FAMILY: Bigger portions of steak,which are perfect for sharing, are popular atrestaurants such as Earls, which recently introduced a hefty rib-eye certified Angus steak
24 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013
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FOOD FILE
with a homemade brandy green pepper-
corn sauce ($51.95).
But, these days it’s not just about the cut
of the meat, it’s also about the portion size.
“Before, our big steak would be eight to 10
ounces, and now [it’s] 14 to 16 ounces,”
says Hy’s Aisenstat, who attributes the
change to influences from Canada’s south-
ern neighbour. “We also sell a 22-ounce
bone-in New York steak ($59.95) in
Whistler, B.C., and a 22-ounce Porterhouse
in all locations ($58.95 in Toronto).”
Cooking the meat on the bone keeps it ten-
der and sweet, he says, and the larger steaks
are perfect for sharing when ordered sliced
or Englished. “In the last few years I’ve seen
this trend more and more,” he says. “If you
want to try a bit of filet or a bit of rib steak,
you can order two cuts, have them
Englished and eat them family style.”
Eating steak family style is also encour-
aged at Earls Kitchen + Bar as the
Vancouver-based chain rolls out its new
Butcher’s Cut program, starting with a 12-
ounce rib-eye certified Angus steak rubbed
with a porcini-herb seasoning blend.
Diners can order the homegrown steak two
ways, with a warm potato salad and sea-
sonal vegetables for $33, or sliced on a
board for $25 to share with family and
friends.
And, a beefed-up selection of shareable
side dishes complement the new program
and provide a hearty vegetarian option,
says Reuben Major, Earls director of
Culinary and Bar Development. The side
options include roasted ruby red beets with
goat cheese coulis and crushed pistachios;
roasted brussels sprouts with parmesan,
lemon, chili and capers (both $6); and a
barley-and-wild-mushroom risotto ($8).
The Butcher’s Cut menu, which is
expected to change every few months, fol-
lows last spring’s successful Steak
Redemption program, which featured a
16-ounce bone-in Certified Angus rib-eye
steak for $30. “We wanted to show guests
you don’t have to go to a traditional steak-
house to get a great steak,” says Major,
explaining that Redemption lifted the
company’s steak sales by five per cent in
April over the previous year.
PORKThe other white meat has always struggled
on the fine-dining scene. “Pork is the slow-
est mover on the menu,” says McEwan,
whose Toronto empire includes three high-
end restaurants, an Italian-style trattoria
and an upscale grocery store. “Cooking
snout-to-tail has garnered a lot of atten-
tion with the media, but the general public
doesn’t buy it in large quantities.”
While many Canadian chefs agree, oth-
ers believe times are changing. “Six years
ago pork was a hard sell in Vancouver,” says
Jordan of Homer St. Cafe and Bar. “Now
people get excited about things like
suckling pig. When we tell customers about
the fresh local pork steak ($20) that we
brine for two days and char-grill, served
with roasted fennel and beautiful cipollini
and a pan sauce finished with a bit of
crème frâiche and grainy mustard, they
appreciate it.”
The Brasserie’s Dobranski says pork has
sold well since he arrived in Calgary nine
years ago. “Because we’re such a young city,
WE WANTED TOSHOW GUESTSYOU DON’THAVE TO GO TOA TRADITIONALSTEAKHOUSETO GET A GREATSTEAK.— REUBEN MAJOR,
EARLS KITCHEN + BAR
“”
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28 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
FOOD FILE
IF YOU SELL AN ENTRÉE-SIZE PILE OF HEAD-CHEESE PEOPLEAREN’T GOING TO TRY IT. FOR THE ADVENTUROUS STUFF, I’LL SELL BITE-SIZE PORTIONS FOR $2 OR $3.— CAM DOBRANSKI,
KENSINGTON BRASSERIE
“”
I think people are into trying new stuff,”
says the chef, who butchers his pigs, makes
bacon and cures the jowls to make guan-
ciale. “I’ll put tête de cochon [pig’s head] on
the menu and sell out of it,” he says, adding
that pig’s ears ($5) are another big seller as a
bar snack.
The trick is to learn how to merchandise
the odd bits. “If you sell an entrée-size pile
of headcheese people aren’t going to try it,”
Dobranski says. “For the more adventurous
stuff, I’ll sell bite-size portions for $2 or $3,
or pair a piece of breaded and fried pig-face
— more of a rillette — with something
high-end like prawns or scallops. People just
love it.”
In Toronto, a porcine heart also beats at
Vivian’s tiny Beast restaurant. Along with
the weekly pig board ($14), which may
include marinated pork heart, pickled
tongue, a rustic pâté and headcheese, pork
hocks ($12) have become a signature item.
But they’re not your grandmother’s pork
hocks. Vivian braises the whole hocks
overnight until they’re fall-off-the-bone
tender, then shreds the meat, fat and colla-
gen before discarding the bone. He then
presses the meat mixture into a pan where it
forms a solid block as it cools. For service,
he cuts five-centimetre cubes, dredges a
handful in cornstarch and deep-fries them
until crisp. The cubes are tossed in sweet soy
sauce, such as an Asian barbecue glaze,
served in a bowl with gingery, garlicky
Kikkoman Orange Sauce. Crave appeal without the peel.
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FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
FOOD FILE
homemade kimchi and topped
with caramelized peanuts. The
result is sweet and savoury pork
candy.
So, although sales of meat
such as chicken, beef and pork
are flat, innovation within the
foodservice category continues
to drive sales — even as vegetar-
ian fare and “meatless-Monday”
campaigns continue to com-
mand attention. �
For expanded online coverage of
the meat Food File, including
restaurant profiles, recipes and
more, visit http://bit.ly/1e8iId5.
ON THE BOARD: Many Canadianconsumers are enjoying pork products such as those at Halifax’sRatinaud, which offers handmadeCoppa (pork shoulders) andJambon Pays (pork legs aged one year)
ABOVEIt seems there are
always new independenteateries dotting the
landscape in any givencrevice of the country,but there’s also a smat-tering of restaurateursthat don’t survive theprofit-margin squeezeand are pushed out of
the market.
The good news is, after years of economic
turmoil, many of the strong independents
are elbowing their way through the
competition, winning their share of the
market. In this special segment report,
F&H highlights three independent
operators who are doing just that. Find
out what is setting Paese apart from the
other Italian eateries in Toronto, how
Fleur de Sel is successfully peddling
French fine-dining in the sleepy tourist
town of Lunenburg, N.S., and why Bao
Bei is creating new buzz for Chinese food
in Vancouver. Each operator is rising to
the challenge, attracting customers to
their tables and spurring conversation
about Canadian restaurants that’s rein-
venting the independent dining scene.
INDEPENDENTS
FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 31FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
— Brianne Binelli
32 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY MAY 2013 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
TOWN
Toronto’s Paeseattracts crowds with a focus on innovation and differentiation
BY LAURA PRATTPHOTOGRAPHY BY MARGARET MULLIGAN
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 33
INDEPENDENTS
Paese and L-eat Catering, the still successful catering com-
pany from which the former was born, are the longtime
professional preoccupations of Loschiavo. The Paese team
cleave to a handcrafted approach that’s Italian-inspired,
with a made-in-Canada twist. The distinction is critical:
Paese chefs use traditional Italian techniques to create
dishes with modern, local-area appeal. “Every Italian
restaurant says it’s ‘authentic’ and ‘traditional,’” says
Christopher Palik, executive chef for the L-eat Group.
“But, we’re not in Italy, so that’s impossible.” Instead, Palik
tells the world that Paese (meaning “town” or “village”) is
“an Italian restaurant in Canada.”
Loschiavo founded L-eat (a play on “elite”) in 1983,
when he was 21; at the time it was a sandwich-delivery
business that serviced hairdressers in Toronto. Eventually,
it grew into a full-service catering operation, but finding
staff was tricky since catering is such a weekend-focused
enterprise. So, when a neighbouring pizza joint dropped
its lease, Loschiavo bit. “If I opened a small restaurant, I
could build a stronger culinary team.”
The 860-sq.-ft. Paese Pizzeria, located at Bathurst Street
and Wilson Avenue, was opened in 1989 with 32 seats and
insufficient equipment. The under-counter dishwasher
was so slow management had to buy more dishes to avoid
washing plates during service. “It made for a long night,”
says Loschiavo, whose CV includes stints at former
Toronto hotspots Noodles and Fenton’s. Paese’s customer-
following took shape when Loschiavo realized he had to
differentiate the restaurant from the competition. So, he
went to George Brown and studied wine under lead som-
melier Jacques Marie. The wine cellar in which he subse-
quently invested was among the largest Italian collections
in the city (and remains impressive). At one point, Paese
had nearly 600 labels on its wine list, including 70
Amarone wines.
The original Paese restaurant now has 80
seats on the ground floor and two second-
floor private dining rooms. The clientele is
mostly neighbourhood regulars who often
linger over their meals and possess a fierce
loyalty. “Whenever we change our menu
on Bathurst Street, we get a huge
kickback from our clients,” says Loschiavo.
Favourites include ricotta gnocchi ($18)
and margherita pizza ($15).
Meanwhile, Paese King Street, which
opened in 2010, is a haven within Toronto’s
theatre district. The restaurant has a heated
patio, a 10-seat bar with foodservice and an
exposed-brick-and-butcher’s-block-table-
adorned dining room for 90. The clientele
is transient and includes a lot of tourists. Accordingly, the
dishes are more current and prone to experimentation.
The menu includes extras such as hand-rolled cavatelli
($16) and wild boar orecchiette ($19).
Interestingly, Loschiavo struggles when asked what
makes his restaurants exceptional, casting about from
comments about food to wine to fresh takes on attracting
customers. Recently, Paese shifted its focus from tradition-
al advertising to marketing initiatives that benefit cus-
tomers more directly. On Bathurst Street, new clients get a
250-mL bottle of olive oil, adorned with Paese’s logo and
contact information. Then there’s Loschiavo’s commit-
ment to a mere $25 markup on its wines, a sliding scale
that means a bottle that retails for $20 may cost $45 at the
table, but one that retails for $300 is only $325. And,
uniquely, the restaurant offers free corkage Sunday to
Friday. Guests bring their own stash, and Paese staff
accommodate with the appropriate Riedel stemware and
decanters. “The other day a regular comes in with his son,”
Loschiavo regales. “They’ve brought a $400 bottle of
Quintarelli Amarone for dinner. But their bill with us was
just $65. That’s awesome.”
Lately, the food focus has been about updating the
menus to make them more health-conscious, with low-
carb, no-carb and gluten-free options. Many of the ingre-
dients are local, sustainable and organic, but they’re not
terms Loschiavo favours. “You have to put food first,” he
qualifies. “Food has to do with flavour and presentation —
organic doesn’t always deliver that and local and sustain-
able almost never do. The only vegetables in my garden
today are rhubarb and bok choy. I have no potatoes, and
God forbid you ask me for a squeeze of lemon.”
But, it’s the garden that makes this restaurant special. A
block from the Bathurst Street restaurant, chefs tend to a
The first time Tony Loschiavo’sfather saw an automobile was 1965,when the family arrived in Torontowith a pocketful of seeds fromCalabria, Italy and a dream for a better life. Almost five decades later, Loschiavo has built a thriving restaurant and catering empirearound those same imported seeds.
INDEPENDENTS
3,000-sq.-ft. space with some 40 dif-
ferent plants. It’s here that Loschiavo’s
parents’ original Italian seeds contin-
ue to bear fruit.
And, to combat the increasing
operational challenge of finding capa-
ble staff, Loschiavo has redoubled his
focus on training. Once a week, the
sommelier opens a couple of bottles
of wine and lectures about the prod-
uct; similar lessons are conducted in
the kitchen, where ongoing training
exposes young chefs to new trends.
And, every month, Paese hosts a com-
petition for its cooks and sous chefs,
which is centred around one ingredi-
ent. “To be a chef, you have to be real-
ly creative,” says chef Miheer Shete,
who’s worked at the King Street Paese
for three years. “This [competition]
inspires and really motivates
[employees].” The prize? Bragging
rights and cookbooks, of course.
The efforts are paying off. Last
year, the revenue at the King Street
location was $1.8 million, while the
Bathurst Street location topped $1.6
million, and the parent catering busi-
ness drew another $5 million. Palik
credits these results to Loschiavo.
When the cook became executive chef
for the L-eat Group six years ago, he
was grateful for the opportunity to
work “under an old-school restaura-
teur.” As much as ambiance and qual-
ity of food can carry a restaurant, he
believes it’s Paese’s one-on-one serv-
ice that sets it apart. “I don’t have to
take things up five flights of stairs to a
guy sitting at a desk who has lost
touch with his customers.”
Innovation has always been para-
mount. After all, Paese was a pizzeria
before pizza swept Toronto, it offered
wine excellence before the competi-
tion, it was home to a cocktail pro-
gram and a gifted cocktail manager
when the demand struck, and, during
the recent resurgence of “rustic
Italian,” well, Paese was already on
point. What’s more, the team at the
King Street location recently intro-
duced a late-night meatball menu
that spins creative versions of this
Italian staple to customers from the-
atres down the street.“We’re constant-
ly changing,” says Loschiavo. “That’s
the trick.” �
FOOD INNOVATION The food at Toronto’s Paese Italian restaurant is created to change
people’s perceptions. So-called “authentic Italian” is not part of the
oeuvre at the two locations; instead, it’s about new twists on con-
ventional Mediterranean food. For example, Christopher Palik, exec-
utive chef, pairs luxurious eats, such as lobster, with peasant grub
such as quinoa ($29). Paese’s steak and poutine ($28) features
gnocchi (in place of fries) and in-house-smoked mozzarella. And,
once his tomatoes are ripe, Palik will augment the traditional ingredi-
ents of a Caprese salad with cucumbers and watermelon. “I think:
what can I do to take [this salad] to the next level; to push it just
enough that [customers] are exposed to something different?”
For information, contact Browne at 877.327.6963
Fleur de Sel commands the market, serving French-inspired cuisine in the historic town ofLunenburg, N.S.
REINVENTING SCENETHE
BY REBECCA HARRISPHOTOGRAPHY BY NANCE ACKERMAN
INDEPENDENTS
FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 37FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
“We’ve been around for 10 years now, but the idea that
someone could come to Lunenburg and eat veal sweet-
breads blew people away [at the time we opened],” says
Martin Ruiz Salvador, chef and co-owner of Fleur de Sel,
who runs the restaurant with his wife, Sylvie, who manages
the front-of-house. “They couldn’t believe that this [high-
end] restaurant was in town. There really aren’t any other
restaurants doing what we’re doing.”
Martin and Sylvie, both natives of Halifax, opened Fleur
de Sel (named for the gourmet salt “harvested by hand
along the coasts of France and Spain”) in June 2004 after
returning home from three years abroad. Martin had
apprenticed at Dublin’s Michelin-starred Commons
Restaurant before honing his French cooking skills in the
culinary mecca of Lyon, France, while Sylvie worked as a
server at a bouchon called La Plage.
When the couple returned to Nova Scotia, they set up
shop on Montague Street in the historic downtown area.
“We both wanted to open our own place,” says Martin. “We
chose Lunenburg because of how nice a town it is, and it’s
the second busiest tourist spot in the province.” Given the
town’s small population, and influx of tourists in the sum-
mer months, Fleur de Sel is only open from April to
October for dinner and Sunday brunch.
Fleur de Sel’s menu constantly evolves based on what’s
in season, melding Martin’s classical French training with
local ingredients. Main courses include handmade salt cod
gnocchi, peas and carrots, and dill and parsley emulsion
($36); as well as P.E.I. beef tenderloin, confit of beef shank,
swiss chard, Yukon gold potato purée and veal jus ($42).
“There’s such a buzz over [local food], but
that’s basically what we’ve been doing since day
one,” says Martin. Nearby, the Annapolis Valley
and New Germany offer an abundance of pro-
duce, while local fisheries keep the restaurant
stocked with fresh seafood. Fleur de Sel’s
Bomba Rice dish ($29) for example, uses scal-
lops from Adams & Knickle, a nearby 116-year-
old fishery.
Even the drink options have a local focus.
One wine list is devoted to Nova Scotia wines,
(the other is devoted to international wines)
and, Fleur de Sel’s cocktail menu features
spirits from Lunenburg’s Ironworks Distillery,
which is where cranberry liqueur, blueberry
liqueur, apple brandy and pear eau du vie are
made using local fruit. The cocktails are round-
ed out with simple spirits and fresh herbs. For
example, the Pink Fog Martin contains gin,
cranberry liqueur, fennel and nutmeg syrup,
lemon juice, cinnamon and dill ($12).
The 36-seat restaurant, with an additional 22 seats in a
garden patio, is housed in a former sea captain’s wooden
house built in 1840. There’s also a luxury suite upstairs,
which Martin and Sylvie rent out for romantic overnight
packages. The co-owners worked with original architec-
ture of the building when designing the restaurant, bear-
ing in mind their location. This was especially important
since Lunenburg is designated a UNESCO World Heritage
site due to its British colonial wooden architecture.
Fleur de Sel’s interior is both intimate and elegant, with
high ceilings, intricate woodwork, pale blue/grey walls,
modern light fixtures and white linens. “It’s a fine-dining
atmosphere, but it’s more light and elegant than formal,”
says Sylvie.
When it comes to her customer-service approach,
knowledge and elegance are important to Sylvie.
“Personality is a big part of ‘place,’ and I try to allow each
server’s individual personality to come through,” she says.
Fleur de Sel’s top-notch food and superb service have
earned it numerous awards and accolades, including the
CAA/AAA Four Diamond Award (2007-2013) and the
Taste of Nova Scotia Restaurant of the Year (2008 and
2011) and The Chronicle Herald Restaurant of the Year
(2008) honours as well as a spot on EnRoutemagazine’s list
of Top 10 New Restaurants in Canada (2005).
But, the acclaim hasn’t slowed the couple down. During
the winter, the co-owners host events, such as winemakers’
dinners as well as New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day par-
ties. “They’re special events for our local customers, just to
keep things moving and keep in touch,” says Sylvie. And,
The historic seafaring town ofLunenburg, N.S., has the makings for a picture-perfect touristbrochure, with its colourful buildings, a fisheries museum andfresh Atlantic lobster. But, with apopulation of 2,300, the tiny townis not the type of place you’dexpect to find a French-inspired,fine-dining restaurant servingdishes such as veal sweetbreads.
38 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
INDEPENDENTS
the pair also owns another restaurant
down the street from Fleur de Sel;
the Salt Shaker Deli opened six
years ago and serves soups, salads,
sandwiches and pizza. Its specialties
include Lobster Mac & Cheese ($18).
Meanwhile, the biggest challenge for
the co-owners is staffing. “It’s hard to
hold onto [staff] when you’re not
open year-round,” says Sylvie. It also
causes a bit of a financial drain at the
start of every season. “There’s training
costs in the beginning when you’re a
bit slower and you’ve got labour
[costs] through the roof,” adds Sylvie.
“It’s refreshing, because we get a new
injection of fresh talent almost every
year, but it’s also a challenge, because
it takes so many weeks, months to
train and build [the team].”
Aside from that (and Martin calls
this a good challenge), Nova Scotia’s
growing season is short, so much of
the produce comes in all at once. “It’s
a matter of trying to use it all,” says
Martin. To that end, last fall Martin
did a stage at the Cultured Pickle in
Berkeley, Calif., to gain knowledge
about vegetable fermentation. He
learned how to preserve fruits and
vegetables without the use of heat or
vinegar, keeping the natural flavours
of the produce. “We have been exper-
imenting with that … to make pro-
duce last a bit longer,” says Sylvie.
Overall, running approximately 70
covers on weekend nights at a small
fine-dining restaurant in the East
Coast takes some finesse. “[It’s about]
keeping everything tight — labour
and food costs, especially. [It helps
that we’re] here all of the time and are
owner-operated — Martin cooks, and
I am on the floor as much as possi-
ble,” says Sylvie. “There is a balance
between how much business you
want to do versus the cost of doing
business. Bigger is not always better.”
There may be challenges, but
attracting a steady stream of
customers in a small town isn’t one
of them, as good word-of-mouth
and a solid reputation are winning
acclaim at Fleur de Sel. As local writer
Richard Levangie wrote in a review of
the establishment on his blog: “This
restaurant would be noteworthy if it
opened in Halifax or Montreal. That
it thrives in a small town with barely
2,500 souls is simply a wonderful fact
of life.” �
KEEP IT SIMPLEFrench-inspired cuisine that highlights local ingredients is the recipe
for success at Fleur de Sel. “[The menu] is not traditionally French,
but everything we do is classically styled French,” says chef Martin
Ruiz Salvador, adding that the restaurant makes a variety of stocks,
braises and reductions. For the chef, the high-quality ingredients
sourced from local farmers and fisheries are what make Fleur de Sel
stand out. “And, there’s not too much fabrication of the food,” he
says. “It’s straightforward and simple cuisine.” One highlight on this
season’s menu is sweet cheeks: paneed halibut cheeks, pan-roast-
ed veal sweetbreads, courgette cream, pattypan squash, swiss
chard, white lima beans and veal jus ($32).
COMING INNOVEMBER
HOSPITALITY MARKET REPORTFOOD: Fish and Seafood
EQUIPMENT: Rapid Cooking
POURING FOR PROFITS: Vodka
To advertise, call(416) 447-0888, ext. 240 or
visit our website,foodserviceworld.com
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Vancouver’s Bao Bei offers a spin on traditional Chinese fare in a hip, urban environment
BY MARY LUZ MEJIA
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBERT KARPA
FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 41
This Chinatown mecca was founded in 2010 by Tannis
Ling, a former bartender at Vancouver’s Chambar. Ling
enjoyed the physical and creative aspects of bartending,
but it wasn’t her passion, so she made a change and opened
a restaurant, which allowed her to remain in the industry
and town she knew. “It also allowed me to combine my
love for food, Chinese food specifically, and my love for
design,” adds the Bao Bei owner. “I didn’t know what the
hell I was doing, so sometimes I think it’s a miracle it
worked out.”
The miracle has been garnering praise from food critics
and food lovers alike, since opening day in 2010. Bao Bei
(which means “precious” in Mandarin) appealed to the
press, who were interested in Ling’s post-bartending foray
and Watanabe’s interpretation of modern Asian food.
“This is one cuisine that doesn’t get messed around with
very much,” explains Ling. “We give people an opportuni-
ty to taste things they would normally never [taste] unless
they had a strong knowledge of Asian cuisine.”
The buzz resonates with Alexandra Gill, The Globe and
Mail’s West Coast restaurant critic, who attributes the
restaurant’s allure to a number of factors. “It’s a combina-
tion of things — the welcoming ambiance, the high-qual-
ity traditional Chinese foods offered in a different setting;
you don’t get a big lazy Susan in the middle of your table;
instead you’re served small plates that you can share with
your dinner guests. They don’t dumb down flavours like a
lot of modern incarnations of restaurants do,” she says.
These days, on an average night, the restaurant serves
160 people or, on busy evenings, as many as 320 guests
from all demographics and walks of life. Be prepared to
grab a craft cocktail at the bar and wait for 20 minutes
before being seated, because no reservations are accepted.
Like most successful independents, Bao Bei is a reflec-
tion of Ling and Watanabe’s personal sensibilities that also
resonate with their diners. “We’re situated in this perfect
spot between casual and fine-dining, where a loud Rolling
Stones song will be playing while you dig into your per-
fectly executed food and drink, a nice Barolo or a Piña
Colada,” explains Ling. Watanabe adds: “The staff here is
pretty cool; [they help] create a certain atmosphere that’s
comfortable — not too rigid or over-systemized. It comes
through as a casual yet funky eatery.”
The restaurant’s decor also contributes to that funky
vibe. Local designer Craig Stanghetta worked with Ling to
tell a visual story about his client’s Chinese ancestry, with
a nod to industrial modernity. When the owner was
dreaming up ways to design her future restaurant, she was
living in London, England where the history and what she
calls “oldness” of the place resonated with her in a big way.
When she returned home, she knew she wanted to com-
bine vintage European, almost French-looking design,
with a Chinese twist. “It was also important to balance this
oldness, and to some extent femininity, with modern,
industrial, cleaner looking lighting,” she says. For example,
the sleek space offers a wall showcasing a row of white
knives by the pass window, and there are cheeky nude pin-
ups in the bathrooms.
The food also comes with a twist. Watanabe, the
French-Canadian and Japanese executive chef, offers a dif-
ferent perspective. “[My food is] authentically Chinese in
some cases, and, in others, halfway between authentic and
modernized versions of a dish. Some things have one foot
in Chinese roots and the rest is way out there.” Take, for
example, the umami-rich combination of pickled chili
mustard root, roasted garlic, white pepper, soy sauce and
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
INDEPENDENTS
Imagine thousands of fingers texting, tweeting and generating word-of-mouth buzz, as well as lineups that materialize fasterthan a flash mob, and the elusive restaurant “magic”of Bao Bei becomes clear. On the fringes of Vancouver’sChinatown, Tannis Ling andher chef, Joël Watanabe, haveunlocked the door to restau-rant success with their personal and independentChinese brasserie.
ginger served with taro root chips that
has made Bao Bei’s beef tartare ($14)
a fan-favourite since the resto’s incep-
tion. “People would freak out if we
took that off the menu,” says
Watanabe, whose offerings share
roots in Shanghainese, Taiwanese and
Vietnamese cooking, with a few
French flourishes.
And, the ingredients for the menu
are in line with a growing consumer
interest in authentic flavours. The
chef sources quality free-range, hor-
mone and chemical-free meats;
organic, local produce; and he uses
house-made condiments (without
MSG). The downside is the difficulty
in sourcing. “Right now, I’m looking
for organic tomatoes, but the guy I’m
talking to isn’t delivering to restau-
rants anymore — he’s only going to
big suppliers like GFS — or he’s at
farmer’s markets, so that’s got me
running around a lot.” He runs to
farmers markets and green grocers
shops in Vancouver’s Chinatown to
source his ingredients.
The community is important to
the restaurant team. In fact, Bao Bei is
one of the title sponsors of the
Chinatown Night Market in which
Ling serves as the managing director
of the volunteer team organized by
the Vancouver Chinatown Merchants’
Association; it’s her mandate to revi-
talize the formerly ho-hum affair.
The team has implemented out-
door ping-pong matches, movie
nights and hip-hop karaoke as well as
food trucks and vendors to liven up
the neighbourhood in the evening.
“[It’s] a worthwhile community
project to help the night market reach
its potential as a city event, which
celebrates the history of Chinatown
and its culture and engages the
community in a more relevant way,”
says Ling, who also opens a Bao Bei
patio on market nights to serve
curious tourists, locals and to further
cement a presence on Vancouver’s
culinary scene.
Remaining engaged and relevant is
how Ling keeps attracting crowds of
diners while honouring her Chinese
heritage.
That’s not just a gift, it’s a precious
commodity. �
INDEPENDENTS
MENU UNDER THE MICROSCOPEThe Bao Bei menu offers an ever-evolving roster of small plates
divided into the snack/starter “Schnacks” and the meant-to-be-
shared “Les Petits Plats Chinois.” And, since the restaurant is also
a Chinese brasserie, Watanabe peppers his dishes with French
inspirations based on his years of cooking in Montreal. When
creating a new dish, he starts by thinking of the best way he can
cook an ingredient — not just from a Chinese culinary technical
perspective but from any perspective that sparks his imagination.
“And, then I bring it back to being an idea of Chinese — that’s
always in my dishes, whether it registers with people or not.” He
constantly asks himself what ingredient he can put in a dish that
will make it more Chinese. He considers ingredients such as
scallions, ginger and szechuan peppercorns. “Once satisfied,
I’ll see how far I can go outside of this picture so that it’s not
too many colours,” explains Watanabe.
FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 43FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
F&H 45TH ANNIVERSARY
WE WERETHE WAY
When F&H debuted in 1968,the Beatles were still performing, Neil
Armstrong had yet to land on the moon
and McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada
had barely just arrived on the Canadian
landscape. It’s hard to believe how much
has changed in the nearly half a century
since the magazine began covering the
dynamic foodservice-and-hospitality
scene. Back then, the industry didn’t carry
the same clout as it does today, with only a
handful of chains and a smattering of
independents making headlines and post-
ing multi-million-dollar annual sales. Tim
Hortons, a national icon today, was but
four years old in 1968, and Tim Horton
himself was still playing hockey. Little
could we have known that the foodservice
industry would grow and evolve to the
status it now enjoys or that restaurants
would become as frequented as they are
today — and so integral to our lifestyle.
Then again, who would have ever imag-
ined that chefs themselves would take on
“rock-star” status and food would become
as dissected, as discussed and as debated as
it is today, with so many cultural, ethical
and societal ramifications. One can only
imagine what the next 45 years will herald.
— Rosanna Caira
TABLEMANNERSWomen’s lib, breakfast and finger foods, madean impact on thefoodservice industry in the ’70sBy Jackie Sloat-Spencer
PIZZA PARTY: On a chillyNew Year’s Eve in 1967, Pizza
Pizza opened its first location at
the corner of Wellesley and
Parliament Streets in Toronto.
BURN BABY BURN:Tableside entertainment heated
up with the newfound populari-
ty of flambéing. A favourite was
the Crêpe Suzette, which was set
ablaze with a squirt of Brandy.
RISE AND SHINE: In 1971, asimple invention changed the
course of the QSR breakfast
sandwich when Herb Peterson, a
McDonald’s franchisee, designed
a handheld version of the Eggs
Benedict. By
1976,
McDonald’s
released a
breakfast menu,
featuring the
Egg McMuffin.
DO THE DIP: In the 1970s,on-trend restaurateurs were
offering tabletop fondue pots
for dipping breads, fruits and
meats. A favourite Canadian
spot was Vancouver’s Fondue
Inn, which served a swiss-cheese
fondue ($4.95) and chocolate
fondue ($2.75).
EQUAL RIGHTS:Feminist writer Betty
Friedan’s 1963 book,
The Feminine
Mystique inspired
women to join the
workplace, but it was
hard to win top jobs in the
kitchen. “Girls are left with the
salad and sandwich positions —
the average restaurant, for
example, just doesn’t hire a man
to do salads, and they won’t hire
a woman for the best job,” Trude
Spika, a Southern Alberta
Institute of Technology
foodservices instructor told
CRA magazine in July 1971.
QSR TOP DOGS:McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried
Chicken and A&W were the top
three franchising organizations
of the mid-1970s, according to
F&H’s second-annual franchis-
ing report.
RAISING THE BAR: After atainted beef scare in retail out-
lets, the public became con-
cerned about sanitation prac-
tices in the foodservice industry.
Thanks to a $600,000 fund
and widespread industry sup-
port, the National Sanitation
Training program was born,
training up to 6,000 students
in a three-year program.
OPPORTUNITYKNOCKSTechnology, growth and innovation werekey drivers in the ’80s
By Brianne Binelli
CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES:1983 marked Cara Operations’
100th anniversary. Originally
named The Canada Railway
News Company, it morphed
into a multi-faceted organiza-
tion, including brands such as
Swiss Chalet and Harvey’s.
AN EXPERIMENT: NicholasKurti, an Oxford physics profes-
sor, was said to have coined the
term ‘molecular gastronomy’ in
the ’80s. The technique, which
combines science with the art of
cooking, was later popularized
by famed chefs such as Ferran
Adrià in Spain and
Heston Blumenthal in
England.
VIRGINREFRESHERS: Ascampaigns against drunk
driving ignited during the
decade, bartenders respond-
ed by adding non-alcoholic
mocktails to their drink
menus.
MIXING IT UP: Fusion foodwas a hot trend in the ’80s. In
1987, renowned chef Susur Lee
was cooking dishes
such as Chinese
ravioli and black
olive sauce with
corn and crab bisque
at his new Lotus
restaurant in
Toronto.
44 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013
F&H 45TH ANNIVERSARY
BUZZWORDS OF THE DECADE:finger foods, sanitation,
labour shortage, drive-in,French cooking
TECH-HAPPY: The ’80s werea time of technological
advancements. According to the
F&H archives, Squirrel intro-
duced a POS system called The
Li’l Squirrel in 1988. It retailed
for $9,000 and offered operators
modern, compact equipment to
fit their growing needs.
A NEW SIBLING: In 1988,Kostuch Publications intro-
duced Hotelier magazine, the
new sister to Foodservice and
Hospitality.
MARKING MILESTONES:The ’80s were a big decade for
McDonald’s Canada. In 1988,
George Cohon, president and
CEO, announced plans to open
20 restaurants in Moscow in
what was reported to be the
largest agreement ever signed
between a food company and
the Soviet Union.
Meanwhile, the next year, the
exec celebrated the opening
of the 600th McDonald’s
restaurant in Canada at the
iconic SkyDome baseball sta-
dium in the heart of Toronto.
A PRIME EXAMPLE: Thelandscape of the foodservice
scene shifted in 1989 when
Prime Restaurant Systems Inc.,
(owned by Rothchild Holdings
Inc.,) purchased the Pat and
Mario’s, East Side Mario’s and
Casey’s franchising systems
from Yesac Creative Foods Inc.
BUZZWORDS OF THE DECADE:
technology, science, growth,fusion, franchising
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
F&H 45TH ANNIVERSARY
GROWTH SPURTThe growth of the Internet andevolution of the customer created a new urgency for convenience andvalue in the ’90sBy Hildegard van Niekerk
FAMILY MATTERS: Womenspent more time at work and
less time at home, spurring an
eating-out evolution. It meant
fine-dining lost market share to
casual family restaurants as
romantic dinners for two
became more of a family affair.
Guests and operators
alike flocked to find
better value for
money with kids’
meals and
coupons.
MESSAGE ONTHE BOTTLE: The VintnersQuality Assurance (VQA),
founded in Ontario in 1988 by
Donald Ziraldo (co-founder of
Inniskillin Wines), was made
the province’s designated wine
authority in the 1999 VQA Act.
In 1990, Canada’s wine appella-
tions expanded as VQA was
launched in B.C.
BIG BROTHERIS WATCHING:Government reg-
ulations took
their toll on operators in the
’90s. On New Year’s Day in
1991, the seven-per-cent goods-
and-services tax (GST) went
into effect. The decade was also
marked by changes to
smoking regula-
tions, liquor
legislation,
employ-
ment stan-
dards, equity laws and accessi-
bility requirements.
BLAST OFF TO CYBER-SPACE: The foodserviceindustry went digital with the
commercialization of the
Internet. Cyber cafés — which
originated in London, England
in 1994 with the opening of
Cyberia — soon spread across
the globe, making email and
espresso a hit duo.
TIM AND WENDY’SAFFAIR: In 1995, TimHortons merged with Wendy’s
International Inc. (The affair
ended with the separation of
the two brands in 2006.)
ANCILLARY ARTILLERY:Convenience stores began
offering packaged sandwiches,
muffins, hamburgers and pizzas
(and the use of a microwave)
for on-the-go customers.
Quick-service restaurants also
partnered with supermarkets,
department stores and conven-
ience stores. It was a time when
express Tim Hortons sites
began to invade gas stations.
TALK TO THEHAND: Bagels, sand-wiches and wraps were
the “it” foods of the
decade. Canadian
brands such as The Great
Canadian Bagel (1993), Pita Pit
(1995), Tim Hortons (which
launched bagels in 1996) and
Extreme Pita (1997) cashed in.
A WHOLE NEW WORLDFoodservice went through a metamorphosis in the ’00sBy Rosanna Caira
Y2WHAT?: Despite the debateas to whether the new millenni-
um began in 2000 or 2001, the
industry and the world fixated
on Y2K, fearing computers
would crash and create mass
calamity. But the new century
came and went without a hitch.
Still, fear was pervasive as 9/11,
SARS and the Avian flu shaped
what we ate, where we travelled
and how we lived.
FOOD SAFETY FIRST: AnApril 2000 Toronto Star series
called “Dirty Dining” put food
safety in restaurants under the
microscope, and crises like BSE
(Mad Cow Disease), the
Walkerton Water Crisis and a
Hepatitis scare at Capers
Restaurant in Kitsilano,
Vancouver further reinforced
the importance of food safety.
DESPERATELY SEEKINGWORKERS: Labour shortagescontinued to create buzz as
restaurateurs struggled to fill
jobs. And, it got worse in 2001
when the Bank of Canada
announced the country’s
unemployment rate was the
lowest it had been in 25 years.
Meanwhile, Kostuch
Publications held its first
Labour 20/20 conference in
May 2007.
A NEW BEGINNING: A col-lection of fine-dining restau-
rants, including Toronto’s
Avalon and Truffles, closed
their doors. On the flip side, in
2003, Joey Tomato’s, the precur-
sor of Joey Restaurants, opened
in Calgary, marking a new era
for casual dining.
HEALTHY EATING: Whetherfuelled by aging boomers or
consumers’ new appreciation
for better living, healthy food
was the hottest trend of the
decade, witnessed by the elimi-
nation of trans fats in food
products as well as more
healthy options on the menu,
reduced sodium and a continu-
ing discussion about nutritional
labelling and obesity. In 2004,
McDonald’s launched its
Healthy Lifestyle Menu.
MEAT MANIA: Betterburgers, steaks and a
fascination with
charcuterie put
meat in the spot-
light and turned
chefs into butchers.
KEEPING IT REAL:Consumers and operators alike
embraced local, seasonal fare,
giving rise to the term “loca-
vore” and a new appreciation
for food products grown in
our backyard.
U.S. INVASION: Today,American chains are hotter
than ever with concepts such as
Five Guys Burgers and Fries,
Menchie’s, Chipotle
Mexican Grill and Panera
Bread finding success
north of the border.
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 45
BUZZWORDS OF THE DECADE:better burgers, snout to tail,local, sustainable
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1
ROSANNA CAIRA:Your father, Bus, musthave had an impacton your career sincehe was the owner ofthe first A&W fran-chise in Canada. Canyou talk about that?JEFF FULLER: As far asI can remember, I’ve been
around restaurants. We
used to have a coffee shop
concept called Fuller’s,
and running behind the
counter and pouring your
own pop was a really cool
deal, and it really stuck in
my mind. I remember the
A&W brand, of course. I
[also] worked at a
Mother’s Pizza when I was
14…. I’ve been inspired by
both my father and my
brother, Stan, [the owner
of Earls Kitchen + Bar]
who’s been a bit of a men-
tor, although a competitor
these days. It’s a very
addictive business. Most
people come into the busi-
ness with the intention to
make some money while
going to school, and they
get hooked because it’s a
fantastic way to make
money and have a great
social life.
FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 47FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
ICONS & INNOVATORS
Joey Restaurants’ Jeff Fuller discusses his family ties to foodservice, expanding eastward, corporate culture and more
BUILDINGA BRAND
INTERVIEW BY ROSANNA CAIRA
48 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
ICONS & INNOVATORS
RC: What is the mostimportant lesson youlearned from yourfather?JF: There are a lot of les-sons, but there’s always
great wisdom with the
experience he has. When I
complain [about] how I
missed this location, I
should have been a bit
more aggressive, he’ll say,
‘there’s always going to be
another location.’ He’s a
wonderful resource. I’ve
also learned that if there’s
a part of the business that
you’re struggling with, you
can’t get too fixated on it,
you’ve got to keep work-
ing on the part that’s real-
ly working well.
RC: Can you talkabout the birth ofJoey Restaurants in 1992?JF: The very first storewas called Joey Tomato’s
Kitchen, and there were
three people involved in
the creation of it, although
I was less creative and
more interested in the
management of it. At 25, I
was gung-ho. David Vance
did the decor and the
naming of it. It was very
much a slapstick Italian
concept. If there was any-
thing innovative, it was
the forno ovens that are
now ubiquitous. So, that
style of cooking pizza and
stuff was quite popular
and caught on right away.
We had a chef by the
name of Larry Stewart. He
was very talented, but the
first menu was rather
ambitious. We had 10 prep
charts, and I could see
very quickly that this
wasn’t going to be a sol-
vent business very long.
We were really busy, but
we weren’t making a lot of
money. Then we built a
couple more stores, one in
downtown Calgary, in the
Eau Claire centre, which
saved my bacon in the
lean years, because it was
really busy from day one
and still is. Then, in 1995,
we went from four to nine
restaurants in just over six
months. It was really
good, because we didn’t
actually build another
restaurant until 1998 —
I believe Barlow Trail
opened in Calgary. [Then]
there was a huge transi-
tion, [from] getting stuck
working in the business to
being able to work on the
business and see it from a
different angle, which is
when we really endeavored
to change the brand sig-
nificantly. As we evolved
the brand, we decided to
move from just Italian —
mostly pizza and pasta —
to a more Mediterranean
influence. And, as we
opened the bandwidth, we
were rewarded with sales.
Then we thought, why put
any restrictions/barriers
on the bandwidth?
RC: Did you have tochange how the com-pany operated as youstarted expanding?JF: We had a huge change
in 1998 to 1999 when
our value proposition
changed. We went from
being overly casual, and
the price point was more
family driven, to taking it
a bit more premium, and
we continued on that goal.
So, it wasn’t that we were
changing it as we were
building in different
regions, it was that the
whole brand was under
an evolution — a strong
one. We did a renovation
of a store in Calgary, and I
think our sales were up 60
per cent. So, while it was a
more expensive proposi-
tion to change a brand
versus maybe trying to go
after the value proposition
in the family sector, it
paid off.
We made a transition in
1998. From 1992 to 1998,
I was going to the school
of how to build teams.
But, the really big change,
for me was — this is going
to sound ridiculous — but
I wanted to eat in my own
restaurant, and be enter-
tained in my own restau-
rant and be passionate
about it. So, David Vance
exited the business, and
we found a great chef in
Chris Mills, and then I
went from being more of
a manager stuck working
in the business to starting
to work on the vision of
the business, and that was
really inspiring. There
were other people headed
that direction as well, one
of them being my brother.
That also created competi-
tion that, to this day, has
been very healthy.
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RC: Can you talkabout your company’scorporate culture?JF:We’re really in thepeople game. It’s a bit
cliché to talk about it, but
it’s our number-1 focus.
We may be considered top
heavy with management,
but it’s because every one
of our chefs and GMs has
come from within the
organization — they’re
steeped in the culture. We
don’t sit and try and
define the culture, it’s a
by-product of our focus.
We give a lot of leeway
and empowerment, we
encourage people to take
risks, but we really do
measure them by the peo-
ple they surround them-
selves with. We’re a meri-
tocracy. We post our
schedules that way; we let
the best players get the
best shifts. When we have
new opportunities we
open post them, there’s an
interview process —
[employees] know where
they stand with the com-
petition within the com-
pany. So, it is the chess
game that we are con-
stantly talking about.
RC: How do you treatyour employees differ-ently than the compe-tition?JF:We have lots of pro-grams — particularly the
Red Seal program — to
help cooks get out of the
restaurant to get educated.
We help them with knives,
books or supplies and rec-
ognize them for those
types of efforts. We’re tak-
ing 30 or 40 people to
Italy this fall. We do these
trips, between the GMs
and chefs every other year,
[and] it’s not just about
being a tourist, there’s
work involved. Most
importantly, at the server
level, a pat on the back is
important recognition.
We have an awards’
ceremony every year
that we call the JALA
Awards (Joey Annual
Leadership Awards).
RC: Joey is a casualchain, but it’s got anupscale feel. How doyou achieve that?JF:We want to push theenvelope and keep our
guys challenged…. One of
the best things we’ve done
— we were on the ninth
floor in the Bentall Centre
in Vancouver, and, as I was
looking at the office space
in the building, the realtor
said, ‘BDC is moving out
of the ground floor, do
you want to put a restau-
rant there?’ and I went,
‘Yeah, I do.’ So, it’s been
our test store, and we real-
ly work that hard. It’s an
ongoing thing; it’s not an
exact science. We look at
our sales mixes, but we’re
not infatuated with that.
We realize that sometimes
you have to have a loss
leader. Each dish has its
own story on our menu
and some that have come
off have resurfaced; we’ve
tweaked them.
RC: What are some ofthe hot food trendsyour company hastapped into recently?JF: Down the road, you’regoing to have to define
your caloric content. And,
everybody in the business
knows you’ve got a few
items on the menu that
will drop somebody’s jaw.
So, we’re recognizing that.
We’ve just released a salad
under test called The 500.
It’s a wonderful light salad
with kale, barley and
watermelon radish. We’ve
endeavored to bring sushi
on, and we’re going to go
a little deeper in that role.
We’re heading towards
craft-type skill execution,
as it’s a differentiator.
RC: Are you tappinginto the gluten-freetrend?JF:Whenever we’ve gonewith something strictly
vegan or gluten-free it suf-
fers on the sales mix, and
it takes up territory. So,
we’ve done a combination
of things: we can modify
items. That’s what’s great
about having Red Seal
chefs in the program;
they’re good. We have spe-
cific information readily
available, so they know
what they can modify.
RC: How have yousuccessfully transi-tioned from Westernto Eastern Canada?JF: It was a lot of work atthe ICSC [International
Council of Shopping
Centers] — wining and
dining and begging and
pleading just for our first
location. It was really our
relationship with Cadillac
Fairview that let us get
into Don Mills, [Ont.].
And, of course, we opened
Don Mills a month after
the world melted down. A
lot of the retail had pulled
out, GE had pulled out
50 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
ICONS & INNOVATORS
FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 51FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
ICONS & INNOVATORS
some financing, and it
wasn’t a pleasant way to
come into the market. But,
we were lucky in that it
was just an overlooked
area that had great
demand, great clientele.
RC: You’re buildingunits in Ottawa,Markham, Ont., andSherway Gardens inToronto. What do yousee beyond that?JF: It’s not about howmany, it’s just about good
locations and not getting
too close. Our philosophy
is to spend a bit more on
the units [and] keep them
in pristine condition.
We want to keep them
in distinct markets, so
they’re not cannibalizing
each other.
RC: You have threeunits in Seattle. Doyou operate thoserestaurants differentlythan the Canadianones? JF: For sure, it’s made usstronger [from a] human
resources point of view.
It’s very litigious in the
U.S. But, it’s really helped
us, because it’s brought
practices into our
Canadian operations that
we otherwise wouldn’t be
as diligent on. We are see-
ing great sales numbers in
the U.S., this year in par-
ticular. It was during the
economic crash, literally
when Wachovia went
down, it was a 15-per-cent
drop across the board. We
slowly fought to bring that
back. They are very brand-
driven, as we are in
Canada, but even more so
in the U.S. There are little
nuances we’re learning,
but we’re starting to get
momentum, and we have
a letter of intent on a
place in northern L.A., in
Topanga Canyon (to open
in 2015).
RC: Is the cost offood cheaper in theU.S.?JF: It is. Alcohol is lowerand the taxes are less, too.
But, the portions tend to
be a bit bigger. So, it’s a lit-
tle different; the food cost
is a little bit less, but
labour is a little bit higher.
That’s probably just
Washington state, which
has quite a high minimum
wage — $10, I believe.
There’s a magic number
between cost of sales and
labour, and we manage
that well above and below
the border.
RC: Do you and yourbrothers operate outof separate buildingsand keep your differ-ent foodservice con-cepts separate?JF:We’re completelyautonomous. So, we run
our own payroll. For me,
if you’re going to hold
people accountable, they
have to be working within
your four walls. It’s not
just that we want the best
GM running X store —
we want the best payroll
person, because they’re a
service provider to our
service operations…. It
allows us to compete; it’s
what keeps us on our toes.
Within the family, there’s
some fun dysfunction —
and then you have my dad
over all of it pushing but-
tons, poking and prodding
and just loving it.
RC: How do you getinspired to innovate?JF:With innovation, 90per cent of it comes
through travel for me. But
there’s also another big
piece: we run a league of
extraordinary chefs that
[our chef] Chris Mills pre-
sides over. [It’s] an oppor-
tunity for our chefs to cre-
ate a dish, and they
regionally go through a
competition, and it gets
narrowed down and then,
at our annual awards
event, the winner is
rewarded. So, things like
that are very inspirational.
We’ve taken our chefs
down to cook at the James
Beard House twice....
Innovation is great, but it’s
got to make sense. What’s
been great for us is we use
our test store as a test
store. Now, with more and
more units, it’s a lot of
work to plug something
in, and if you haven’t vet-
ted it within reason, you
hurt the confidence of
your operators.
RC: What makes agood leader?JF: I feel like I get greatloyalty. I can be tough on
people, but we also have a
good time. We work hard
and play hard. I give peo-
ple a lot of leeway, mostly
because I’m easily dis-
tracted, but, for me, lead-
ership has always been
about surrounding your-
self with people that are
better than you. Then if
you can make them even
better — that’s what it’s all
about. That’s what I would
say to any young managers
or leaders within my
organization or any other.
If you hire and surround
yourself with great people,
life becomes a lot easier.
RC: How do youdefine great service?JF: Great service is nottechnical. The technical
piece you can train, and
we have lots of great train-
ing. You can’t train the
caring piece. So, if some-
one is genuinely interested
in being of service, then
the technical piece is very
easy. For us, we want peo-
ple to say they experienced
something they didn’t
even know they wanted.
So, it’s giving them leeway,
empowering them. I really
like what Danny Meyer
[CEO of Union Square
Hospitality Group in New
York] said in his book
about a charitable
assumption: if [employ-
ees] make a mistake, or if
they start their shift a little
bit late, you don’t start
their shift off by giving
them the evil look,
because how are they
going to be great if they’re
under the gun from the
get-go? Also, great service
comes from the un-fun
stuff, not the things we got
into the business for but
having enough people,
having enough forks.
RC: Did you increaseprices in the last fewyears?JF: Absolutely. We followthe index; you have to. We
stay away from discount-
ing. When we had Joey
Tomato’s we figured out
then that the loyalty of
that customer was to that
discount and not to the
brand. So, we focus on the
value proposition.
RC: Where do youwant to be five yearsfrom now?JF: We have, from a suc-cession plan, made some
very great strategic moves,
including promoting
Tyson Rideout to VP,
Eastern Market. So, we’ve
done some things prepar-
ing for growth. We have
certain numbers we proj-
ect even though we don’t
have the locations of how
many units we want to
build — whether we fulfill
those or not, we’ll know in
five years. But, probably
two to three of each brand
[Joey and Local Public
Eatery] a year is where I’d
like to be in five years. �
52 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
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FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
CCFCC RETROSPECTIVE
The gang included 24 culinarians, many of whom were rail-
way hotel chefs from Western Canada, who joined on
April 22, 1963, to form the Canadian Federation of Chefs de
Cuisine (CFCC). The meeting was inspired by the idea of
promoting the culinary industry coast to coast, at a time
when being a chef mostly meant working in a kitchen
preparing meals for patrons. Today, Canadian chefs have
vast international opportunities to apply their skills. Some
The Canadian Culinary Federation celebrates 50 years
BY LINDSAY FORSEY
Fifty years ago,
Canada’s Kitchen
FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 53
even reach rock-star celebrity status with bona fide fans clutching
cookbooks in place of albums. And, just as the profession has grown
and changed, so too has Canada’s professional culinary organization.
It didn’t take long before it was clear that the original CFCC mem-
bers were onto something. Within a year, the group nearly tripled its
membership, making inroads with Eastern Canada’s chefs. The group
flourished over the next decade and, in 1974, hosted the first World
Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) Bi-Annual Congress ever held
outside of Europe, in Banff, Alta. More than 700 international chefs
convened in Banff that year, each gifted with an iconic white Stetson
cowboy hat as a show of Canadian hospitality. “I give great thanks to
the founding [CFCC] members for allowing me to be who I am
today,” says Donald Gyurkovits, current president of what is now
called the Canadian Culinary Federation — Fédération Culinaire
Canadienne (CCFCC). “In the past, chefs were considered domestic,
but now we’re seen as professionals, held in very high regard. It’s
incredible to put on our whites and proudly hold up our heads. The
federation has been pivotal in gaining that respect in the community.”
The organization updated its name several times over the years to
match its changing membership. In 2003, the current moniker was
chosen to reflect inclusiveness: no longer was the federation a place for
only chefs and cooks, but also for bakers, pâtisseries, apprentices and
other culinary professionals. Since 1963, the CCFCC has registered
10,600 members and today has more than 2,000 active members in 29
chapters across the country, including 800 junior participants. (Junior
membership is open to anyone working in a commercial kitchen or
studying culinary arts at a college or other institute.)
Junior programming includes the CCFCC/Saputo Junior Culinary
Exchange, which Judson Simpson, chairman of the Board of
Directors, considers one of the organization’s great successes. “The
national exchange program is an incredible opportunity for young
chefs to travel within Canada and learn new skills,” he says. The 2013
exchange was hosted in Charlottetown, where four junior chefs went
foraging for mussels and worked alongside P.E.I. chef Michael Smith,
the Food Network television host and cookbook author.
“[The Board of Directors] has taken some criticism for junior pro-
gramming, because their membership doesn’t always roll into nation-
al membership,” Simpson confesses. “I’ve always maintained that once
they get a job making a decent salary, they will come back to us.” The
program is only eight years old, so the CCFCC will have to wait to see
if and when its junior members return to the organization. In the
meantime, national executive director, Roy Butterworth, echoes
Simpson’s sentiments. “I see the junior program as paying it forward,”
he says. “As experienced chefs, we must remember that there was a
time when someone preened us. Now it is our time to give young peo-
ple an opportunity.”
CCFCC RETROSPECTIVE
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Education is an important element in the organization’s mandate
and not just for its juniors. In June 2013, Simpson became the first
Canadian Master Chef — a designation that equates to a PhD in the
culinary world. The certification track for the world’s highest culinary
credential recognized by WACS was developed by the CCFCC, in part-
nership with Toronto’s Humber College, where it is offered exclusive-
ly. “Graduating as the first Master Chef in Canada was a highlight of
my experiences [with the CCFCC], but the Federation has so much to
offer and at times we don’t celebrate that enough,” Simpson says. “The
opportunities are tremendous.”
Maurice O’Flynn, a member (from the early 1970s to 1993) and
former national secretary for the organization, also believes the
CCFCC presents opportunities for those with the drive to seek them
out. “You take any association, whether it’s for chefs or accountants or
physicians, and you have the option of tapping into its resources,” he
says. “If people are serious about getting focused on their career and
networking, then [the CCFCC] can be a stepping stone.” O’Flynn’s
time with the Federation saw him manage and lead numerous com-
petitive culinary teams to national and international victory. The
CCFCC has also led Butterworth to exciting career opportunities,
such as cooking for Princess Haya bint Al Hussein of Jordan and cre-
ating a culinary program at a school in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Even with all of the opportunities it offers its members, the CCFCC
still faces challenges, one of which is connecting with restaurant chefs.
“It’s a problem, because we’re not getting a full perspective of the
industry,” Simpson says. “Many restaurant chefs are very engaged in
the day-to-day operations of their businesses and often don’t have the
time to attend our conferences. We’re trying to make the organization
more accessible by offering chefs the chance to drop in for a day,
rather than committing to the entire event.”
CCFCC president, Gyurkovits, wasn’t always sure he wanted to
become a member. “I thought I wouldn’t fit into the organization,”
says the chef who once owned a restaurant, as well as three catering
companies. But he’s fit in quite well and moved quickly up the ranks,
since joining the B.C. Chefs Association seven years ago. “Canadian
chefs are respected around the world as culinary leaders,” he says.
“The educational programs developed by the Federation are out-
standing and have helped us to create some of the highest-rated
cuisine internationally.”
And, Gyurkovits and his fellow chefs are happily putting their
top-notch skills to work for the greater good. The CCFCC recently
partnered with the Canadian Cancer Society to create recipes for
cancer survivors and, on Oct. 20, a group of B.C. chefs will cook
meals for hungry people in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside neigh-
bourhood. Now that’s something that would make the founding
members proud. �
CCFCC RETROSPECTIVE
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FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
When it comes to
sourcing equip-
ment, restaura-
teurs have their work cut
out for them. Tight mar-
gins and increased com-
petition often mean they
have to get creative with
their choices, from the
kitchen to the tabletop.
Whether choosing ultra
high-tech, multi-function
equipment to save energy
and reduce labour costs,
back-to-basics low-tech
cookware, or innovative
table settings for added
pizzazz, there are plenty of
options to suit any opera-
tion or budget.
EQUIPAGEDavid Zabrowski, director
of Engineering for the
San Ramon, Calif.-based
Food Service Technology
Center, says there’s a lot of
buzz around a few select
equipment categories.
“One of the biggest things
is that induction is com-
ing on strong. It’s not
new, but with more reli-
able, robust and cheaper
products from a bigger
number of players, more
and more companies are
adopting it.” It’s not just
cooktops anymore, he
adds. “We’re seeing induc-
tion warmers, braising
pans and griddles being
offered by CookTek, Dipo
and Electrolux. Garland is
really stepping back up
and making a serious
commitment.” Interest in
induction is most notable
at the chain restaurant
level. “Induction adds
flexibility and the poten-
tial to operate without a
hood. And, the low heat is
a big deal when it comes
to energy use and staff
comfort,” says Zabrowski.
So, it makes sense that
heat-recovery systems are
being integrated into
warewashing equipment.
“This was pioneered in
Europe, but it was slow to
come here because of the
added cost and complexi-
ty [associated with venti-
lation requirements],”
Zabrowski explains.
Conversely, there’s a
trend toward control sys-
tems on ice machines and
walk-in refrigeration sys-
tems, he adds. The sophis-
ticated units optimize
cycles and save energy by
directing the production
of ice and by defrosting
when needed.
Speed cooking is also
being reinvented as
incumbents such as
Turbochef (with its G5
multi-level unit), and
newcomers such as
Dallas-based Ovention
(with its conveyor prod-
uct), offer innovative
products with multi-func-
tionality. “Speed ovens
aren’t just for sandwiches
and pizzas anymore,”
Zabrowski says.
But it’s not just about
speed. Combined func-
tionality is critical at lim-
ited-service hotel and
foodservice operations
where it can be a chal-
lenge to find employees
that possess refined culi-
nary skills. “We’re seeing a
lot of developments in
terms of control, accuracy
and functionality,” says
Patrick Watt, principal
with A Day in Life
Foodservice Development,
a Saint John, N.B.-based
consultancy. “Accelerated
cooking systems are really
[catching] on now in lim-
ited-service environments,
because they don’t need
ventilation to operate.”
For example, Rational is
introducing ventless hood
features that save mechan-
ical costs and make it easy
to move equipment.
“Ventless hoods mean you
can take that combitherm
oven anywhere. It may
cost $3,000 to $5,000, but
you could easily spend
more than that on a
EQUIPMENT
TAKING INVENTORYRestaurateurs are keeping their operations lean and mean with multi-functional, efficient equipment, tried-and-true pots and simple tabletop designsBY DENISE DEVEAU
GAINING FAVOUR: Chef’s such as JonathanChovancek of Vancouver’sBittered Sling catering company are warming up to grilling, while some — including students atToronto’s Humber College — are turning to induction cooking and others are using Le Creuset pots, which cook food “beautifully”
FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SEPTEMBER 2013 57
hood,” Watt says.
And, as consumers look
to healthier, flavourful
menu options, many chefs
are opting for solid fuel
cooking such as barbecu-
ing, grilling and smoking.
“Mobile barbecue systems
are a trend that’s grow-
ing,” Watt says. “Southern
Pride has got barbecues
that are basically trailers.”
Even small grills have
their place. Chef Jonathan
Chovancek, co-owner of
the Vancouver-based
Bittered Sling event cater-
ing company, enjoys
grilling, because he can
create quality meals for
catered events. “What I
love about it is there’s a
direct focus on heat
energy and flavour.”
Depending on the size
of the event, one of his
favourite tools is an inex-
pensive Bodum charcoal-
only grill. “It’s exactly like
a Weber but only has a
two-and-a-half foot
grilling service. It’s usually
all I need.”
STIRRING THE POTSWhen sourcing pots and
pans, a common-sense
approach is best, advises
John Higgins, director and
corporate chef, Centre for
Hospitality & Culinary
Arts at George Brown
College in Toronto. “You
want good conductors of
heat that come from a
reputable manufacturer
and will last years. I’ve got
some phenomenal pans
from WMF in Germany
that are 20 years old.”
Tried-and-true prod-
ucts continue to be
favoured in today’s
kitchens. “I love cast
iron,” Higgins says. “It’s
solid and a great conduc-
tor of heat. Le Creuset
pans, for example, are
especially good for
braising in the oven.”
Faizal Hassam, execu-
tive chef of Cibo Trattoria
and Uva Wine Bar in
Vancouver, admits he’s old
school when it comes to
pots and pans. “Our menu
is rustic Italian, so we like
to slow cook the food in
the traditional way.” So,
the chef looks for heavy,
flat bottoms, since they
hold the heat better,
reduce the risk of burning
and withstand a lot of
wear and tear. “My
favourite cast-iron skillet
is a Le Creuset one. It
cooks beautifully, is easy
to clean, and it can [be
transferred] from stove to
oven without worry about
toxic fumes,” says Hassam.
Another essential for
Hassam is a large ron-
deau, a wide heavy-bot-
tomed pot with straight
sides. “It’s great for brais-
ing or even cooking risot-
tos, because you have a
wide canvas of heat to
work with,” he says. But,
when it comes to sauces,
the chef prefers copper
pots because of their heat-
conducting properties.
Meanwhile, Rudi
Fischbacher, professor and
coordinator of Culinary
Programs, for Humber
College’s School of
Hospitality, Recreation
and Tourism in Toronto,
recently switched to
heavy-duty stainless-steel
pots and pans from
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Browne.“The ergonomically shaped handle
doesn’t get hot, so it’s great for preventing
burns. It also uses uni-metal so the bottom is
not added on after the fact, and there’s no
chance of it cracking and splitting,” says
Fischbacher. “They’re almost indestructible.”
Whatever the brand, the key consideration
should be the weight and thickness of the
steel, Fischbacher says. He recommends 3/8
to 1/2 inch as a minimum base thickness.
TABLEAUX VIVANTS In the front-of-house, restaurateurs are
differentiating themselves while reducing
overhead costs. For example, linen is losing
favour, due to the cost and labour involved in
its upkeep, explains chef Michael Bonacini,
partner, Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants in
Toronto. Instead, the culinary boss of restau-
rants such as Luma, Bannock and Canoe,
prefers dishwasher-safe eye-catching cover-
ings, such as custom-cut and -coloured vinyl
placemats to top bare tables.
And, wood, laminate and natural and
man-made stones are among the popular
backdrops for table settings. “There’s also
faux finishes — ivory, leather, even metal
mesh set in resin,” Bonacini explains.
Rounding out the table’s finish are hardwood
edges on laminate or metal banding (cold
rolled steel, bronze or brass) that increase a
table’s longevity, he adds. There’s also a
revival of irregular edges.
Atop the table, cutlery remains simple and
contemporary while white continues to be
the go-to choice for dishware. That said, there
is a trend toward dishes that make portions
look larger, says Joel Sisson, president and
founder of Crush Strategy, a Mississauga,
Ont.-based foodservice consultancy. “We’re
seeing plate surfaces shrink by one or two
inches, because oversized plates are too hard
to fill.” Adding height to the plate also helps,
he adds. “Galvanized buckets for fries, for
example, make it look like diners are getting
better value.”
Restaurateurs are also getting creative with
side plates, salt-and-pepper shakers and
condiment caddies. “Individual salt-and-pep-
per shakers are great for sprucing up plates,
and they’re not that expensive,” Sisson says.
In terms of glassware, vintage designs are
making a return to cocktail circles. “What
was dorky 10 years ago is in today, like gold-
leaf-plated glassware from the Montreal
Olympics. Vintage coupes [saucer-shaped
glasses] are cropping up everywhere,” notes
Lauren Mote, co-owner of Bittered Sling. As
far as mainstream cocktail glasses are con-
cerned, the mixologist and sommelier choos-
es classic styles with heavy bottoms that are
wide enough to handle a two-inch-square ice
cube. She adds: “The biggest bang for the
buck [for wine glasses] is probably Spiegelau,
while Riedel is great for specialized needs.”
Whatever the choices, durability is
essential. “Opening inventory can cost
$30,000 to $50,000, so choose your items
well; stick to a brand, and don’t pick things
that go out of fashion. It’s all about increas-
ing longevity without compromising style,”
advises Bonacini. �
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POURING FOR PROFITS
Beer is booming. This
may seem blatantly
obvious considering the
rise of craft beer, which has been
experiencing double-digit
growth. And, there’s also the
decade-long upsurge in the sales
of imported beer, more of which
is being consumed in Canada
today than ever before. Yet, over-
all, the beer market has been
growing at a fairly glacial pace
during the past dozen years.
In fact, according to Statistics
Canada, while the population of
Canada increased by approxi-
mately 12 per cent from 2000 to
2012, total beer sales during that
same period grew by only eight
per cent. This is reflected in
a per-capita beer consumption
decline of almost five litres
per person since the dawn of the
new millennium.
Still, the best performer has
been craft beer. Although precise
numbers for the country are dif-
ficult to gather, it is telling that
the LCBO in Ontario, almost cer-
tainly the nation’s top seller of
craft beer, reports 746-per-cent
craft beer sales growth in the last
decade. Also notable has been the
increase in the sales of imported
beer in Canada, which has more
than doubled in volume between
2000 and 2012.
Such news has contributed to
unprecedented beer selection for
restaurateurs and the question of
which beers are best to stock:
imports, regular domestics or
craft beers? “The advantage [of
imported beers] for us is that
it gives us a distinction; people
come in expecting to taste
beer they’ve never had before,”
says Justin Tisdale, GM of
Vancouver’s Chambar, which
stocks almost exclusively Belgian
beers, from draught La Chouffe
to the rich and potent Rochefort
10. “I won’t say anything bad
about our local brewers — there
are some great beers — but they
are a little more widely available
than the beers we carry.”
The yin to Chambar’s yang is
C’est What?, an establishment
that has sold exclusively domes-
tic craft beers, principally from
Ontario brewers such as King
and Black Oak, for most of its 25
years in Toronto’s downtown
core. “One of the advantages [of
domestic craft beer] is you get to
deal directly with the brewers
rather than a third party, and
they tend to give better customer
service,” says George Milbrandt,
C’est What? co-owner. “Beer is
best consumed fresh, and beer
that is brewed close to you is the
freshest.”
Of course, domestic craft beer
also offers the added attraction
of premium pricing, as do
imported beers. The major
domestic brewers, such as
Molson and Labatt, may still
account for the bulk of Canadian
beer sales — by most estimates,
more than 80 per cent of overall
beer sales in 2012, down roughly
10 per cent from 2000 — but a
casual survey of Toronto beer
destinations shows that crafts
and imports can command up to
$1.50 more per pint. It’s less
important when imports can
command a hefty 50-per-cent
keg price premium but a signifi-
cant amount when you consider
that some craft beers are priced
competitively with mainstream
domestics.
In the end, what you stock
should be a reflection of the mes-
sage you are trying to send your
clientele. Are you a premium
place of discovery, like Chambar;
a champion of local brewers, like
C’est What?; or a comfortable
purveyor of the tried and tested?
Stephen Beaumont is the author of
eight books about beer, including
his latest, The Pocket Beer Guide,
co-written with Tim Webb, and
available this month. He can be
reached at stephen@beaumont-
drinks.com. �
BEER BATTLEChoosing between domesticand imported beer is a matter of tasteBY STEPHEN BEAUMONT
WHAT IS “CRAFT BEER” ANYWAY?It’s a topic long debated by beer aficionados: where does mainstream beer end and craft begin? Or, further still, is small-
brewery beer from outside the country craft or imported? While it remains a divisive subject, there is growing acceptance
that craft beer is more an approach to brewing than it is a measure of size or even quality. Craft beer brewers tend to
eschew what industry types refer to as adjuncts, usually meaning corn or other sugars added to barley malt to lighten
rather than add flavour to the finished beer. Further, they also tend to forgo the industry practice known as high-gravity
brewing, in which beers are fermented to elevated levels of alcohol and then reduced with water at packaging. Ultimately,
it may be that craft brewing is truly measured in innovation, experimentation and style exploration, regardless of the
brewery’s size or its country of origin.
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