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Blog posts tagged with 'dinnerware'

10 Restaurant Insights That Have Inspired Us in 2014

Can these short snippets of foodservice and restaurant operations wisdom make you think differently about your work?

This is our 2014 collection of the best of the best quotes we have uncovered so far. Some quotes touch on restaurant growth and food costs, others talk about working relationships and nutrition. We've also included a timeless quote from Julia Child. There’s a little bit of entertainment and inspirational thoughts in here for everyone. Enjoy!

Alan Phillips

Alan Philips, Vice President of food and beverage for Morgans Hotel Group

"As you ponder the decision to expand your business, you will inevitably come to what I call "the expansion dilemma," and one of my favorite stories sums this dilemma up perfectly. There was once a big executive who went on vacation to an island. He was on the beach and saw a small shack where the local fisherman and his family were eating lunch. The fisherman invited the executive to join them. When the executive tried the fish, he was amazed. It was the best fish he had ever eaten. He told the fisherman that he should sell the fish. The fisherman asked how to do that, and the executive explained that first he should get a bunch of boats and start selling to the other islands, and then, after a while, build a factory and start shipping all over the world.

"And then what?" the fisherman asked.

The executive said, "Then you can sell your business and do whatever you want all day."

And the fisherman replied, "I already do that." Bottom line? Everyone has his or her own taste for life."

 

Curtis Stone

Curtis Stone, Celebrity Chef, Author & Television Personality

"I've recently opened my dream restaurant, Maude, in Beverly Hills, with a market-driven, prix-fixe menu that changes monthly with the seasons. One of my chefs, Brandon Difiglio, and I developed the Duck Duck Goose ravioli dish together for Maude's very first menu, and it has become somewhat of a signature dish.

I think the relationship you have with the people you work with and how you can develop dishes together and push each other that bit further is really interesting. Brandon and I worked really closely on this dish and bounced ideas off each other, then tested and retested it until we came up with the perfect combination of duck egg, smoked goose fat, and, of course, freshly made ravioli."

 

Julia Sweeney Elizabeth Somer

FirstWeFeast’s Columnist Julia Sweeney & Elizabeth Somer, MA, RD, Author

"Why does sugar make us feel giddy and terrible? If we want to feel better, are carbs our friend or foe? Should we mainline bananas because they're serotonin-rich? Ultimately, how does what we eat really impact our happiness? To supplement our own research, we spoke to an expert on the matter, Elizabeth Somer, MA, RD, who has written several books on the subject, including Food & Mood and Eat Your Way to Happiness. Somer confirmed the little knowledge we already knew to be true: What we're putting into our bodies has a profound, holistic impact on our emotions. "There has been a growing body of evidence, both animal studies and human studies, to support that we really are what we eat, physically and mentally," she said. "And, that makes sense considering that the only place where the brain gets its building blocks is from the diet."

 

Julia Child

Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain, From Parts Unknown

On caipirinhas: "What's magical about this cocktail is the first taste, it's like I don't know, man, it's a little too something. Then like that second sip, it's like oh, that's kind of good. Then the third sip, it's where are my pants."

 

Grant Van Gameren

Grant van Gameren, Chef/Owner, Bar Isabel with Commentary from Ian Harrison, Eater Montreal

On Vacay.ca’s Top 50 Canadian restaurants list controversy: "I thought it was a pretty solid top 50 list and we here at Isabel are pumped to be included. But I also think Au Pied de Cochon should be on any top list in Canada. It's an institution, and from my experiences, continues to make amazing food and evolve." Van Gameren went on to add that new establishments, unfairly, often trump older institutions and that "perhaps we have so many great restaurants in Canada that we [need] a top 100."

 

David Chang

David Chang, Chef and Entrepreneur

On his belief Toronto has a brilliant future as a culinary destination: "It's got a larger population than Chicago, but I don't think anyone would disagree that Chicago's got a better food scene. Why not Toronto? What's preventing Toronto from elevating to the next level? And elevating doesn't have to be fine dining or something. It's just finding its voice and being the best at that."

 

Bob Conway

Bob Conway, owner of Packhouse

Explaining why he implemented a no tipping policy at his restaurant: “We wanted our servers to participate in our productivity by giving them reasonable compensation based on sales. It takes the whim of the customers out of it."

 

Myca Ferrer

Myca Ferrer, sales and marketing manager, Ping Pong Dim Sum

How Restaurant Ping Pong uses tally sheets for customers to mark their order with mini-surveys to market to educated urbanite foodies: “People can check off if they’re in a rush; if they’re celebrating something; if they want a little bit of privacy; if they’re thirsty, to keep the drinks coming,” Ferrer says. This questionnaire helps wait staff gauge what kind of experience the guest is looking for and guarantee services that will meet these needs.

 

David Scott Peters

David Scott Peters, founder of TheRestaurantExpert.com

On questions to ask vendors to control food costs: “If I promise to buy this many tons of this product, can you give me a better price?” and “Do you have a similar product of the same quality that I can purchase for a cheaper price?” In vendor negotiations, it’s important that operators do not risk quality.

 

Do you have any favourite motivational or inspirational quotes that weren’t on the list? Let us know in the comments.

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A Year in Review: Top 10 Blog Posts of 2014 (So Far)

2014 has been an exciting year for the National Event Supply Blog. We announced 5 new products and 3 new product lines including the 4.75" straight sloped bowl, 13.125" flat pizza plate, 11.125" square plate, propane patio heaters, a new folding chair dolly that seamlessly transfers from grass to pavement, a new line of wholesale tablecloths and crystal stemware. We were awarded Canadian Rental Association Ontario Division’s Supplier of the year. We invested in expanding our market as a restaurant supply in Toronto. We introduced a brand new site design and enhanced functionality including the ability to buy products online. We launched the NES Reliable Rhino Plastic Banquet Table collection – a proprietary folding table line manufactured to compete with MityLite ABS Plastic Tables at a 50% lower cost. We provided comprehensive coverage of the Rental Show 2014, the world's largest party rental, equipment rental and tool rental conference.

Over the course of the year thus far, more than twenty-five hundred readers visited our site. So what were the most popular posts of the first half of 2014?

10. How Strong are 60inch Round Plastic Folding Tables?

9. What to Expect at The Rental Show

8. It's Radiant Orchid! #2014ColorOfTheYear

7. Resin Chiavari Chairs vs. Wood Chiavari Chairs

6. How Much Weight Can Plastic Folding Tables Hold?

5. Where to Buy Wedding Linens Direct in Canada

4. How Much Weight Can a White Resin Folding Chair Hold?

3. How Much do Wedding Folding Chairs Cost in Canada?

2. How Much Do Chiavari Chairs Cost to Buy?

1. The Best Restaurant Supplies Store in Toronto

Did your favorite posts from the past 6 months make this list? If not, share them in the comments below -- and on social media!

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5 Must-Read Books for Foodservice Operators & Chefs This Summer

With the weather finally turning a corner in Canada (HELLO 32°C in Toronto!), we’ve got summer reading on our minds. With that in mind, I surveyed some of our amazing restaurant and caterer customers to find out their best recommendations for foodservice summer reads. Here’s what we came up with to keep you entertained at the cottage, at the beach or on a sunny patio during a day off. We’d love to hear what your favourite foodservice books are so tweet us or comment on our Facebook page so we can all pick up a copy to read.

Momofuku

Momofuku (By David Chang & Peter Meehan)

Written by the chef of the award-winning restaurants by the same name, Chef David Chang relays with his rise to superstardom, as well as the perils and pitfalls that marked his rise. This book portrays both the story and the recipes behind the cuisine that has revolutionized cooking with his bold Asian flavours and impeccable ingredients. As stated by Amazon – “this is a must-read for anyone who loves food”.

Read reviews of Momofuku

The Flavour Bible

The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America’s Most Imaginative Chefs (By Karen Page & Andrew Dornenburg)

Surveying dozens of leading chefs’ combined experience in top restaurants across the country, these authors create the go-to guide to coaxing the greatest possible flavour from any ingredient. Ingredient entries in the thousands, organized alphabetically and cross-referenced, provide a spectacular encyclopedia of flavour combinations. Featuring tips, first-hand stories and signature dishes from some of America’s most imaginative chefs, it was named a winner of the 2009 James Beard Book Award for Best Book: Reference and Scholarship.

Read reviews for The Flavor Bible

What to Drink with What You Eat

What to Drink with What You Eat: The Definitive Guide to Pairing Food with Wine, Beer, Spirits, Coffee, Tea - Even Water - Based on Expert Advice from America's Best Sommeliers (By Andrew Dornenburg, Karen Page & Michael Sofronski)

A fantastic read for any “business-focused” foodservice operator that lacks proper sommelier training. What to Drink with What You Eat is the definitive guide to matching food and drink and includes pragmatic advice from the best wine sommeliers and chefs in America. Though the majority of this book is focused on wine, there are matches for a variety of other beverages. Provide a value add to your customers (and a sneaky upsell as well) by utilizing this guide to pair alcohol with your specials and/or entrées.

Read Reviews for What to Drink with What You Eat

Remarkable Service

Remarkable Service: A Guide to Winning and Keeping Customers for Servers, Managers, and Restaurant Owners (By The Culinary Institute of America)

Restaurants must distinguish themselves in a market oversaturated with competition by offering consistent, high quality service. This book addresses the service needs for a wide range of dining types – fast-casual, fine dining and even catering operations. This is the best guide to service and hospitality on the market and provides foodservice operators, as well as their servers and managers the tips they need to stand out from their competition and win customer loyalty instead of customer satisfaction.

Read Reviews for Remarkable Service

Lessons in Service

Lessons in Service from Charlie Trotter (By Ed Lawler)

Charlie Trotter’s name has become synonymous with outstanding service in the restaurant industry. Trotter has perfected the subtle relationship between food, wine, ambiance and service and has trained his staff to his exacting standards. In Lessons in Service from Charlie Trotter, the author details the secrets behind Trotter’s success and shows other restaurants and businesses how to improve their levels of service.

Read Reviews for Lessons in Service from Charlie Trotter

We could go on and on with the thought provoking books we found. What other books would you add to the list?

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Lessons Learned from the 2014 National Restaurant Association Show

Jonathan and I recently attended the National Restaurant Association’s tradeshow in Chicago, IL to learn more about the foodservice and restaurant industry including the trends that are occurring, what’s new and innovative in the industry and any additional education we could learn on the industry. As a restaurant supply store in Toronto, we thought it best to see what the largest restaurant show had to offer our customers and potential prospects. We toured both the tradeshow floor to see exhibitors such as Steelite, Oneida, Dudson, Mitylite and Lenox as well as attended some sessions of interest. Here are some of the lessons learned from the show:

1. One of the most important marketing tools next to your menu is your website.

Ensuring you have fantastic pictures of your food on your page will help ensure you differentiate yourself from the multitudes of restaurants in your area. Showcasing beautiful photos of your food enhances the likelihood of a potential customer choosing your restaurant over another. We attended a session called “Food Selfie” that featured a food photographer on how to take the best pictures for your website. While I think that the session could have been done better to provide more value some of the greatest tips learned from this session include: the quality of light is the most important factor next to what camera you use to ensure a great photo – and the sun is the best quality of light. Make sure to pre-visualize your shot in your head and keep a portfolio of magazine / web images that appeal to you as a reference. And finally play around with the angle at which you shoot the photograph as well as the textures in the photograph to ensure the photo doesn’t become too one dimensional.

2. Online restaurant reviews are a hot topic in the industry.

What I heard continuously (and quite unfortunately) is with the apparent freedom of digital anonymity, often the review tends to go past the point of civility. While sitting in a fascinating “He Said/She Said Session” other restaurant operators both independent and large multinationals chimed in how they combat the negative reviews that might be received. One session attendee, an independent restaurant operator, has seen a lot of traffic (both web traffic and actual customers) from sites such as Yelp, Groupon, and OpenTable. A specific person has been allocated to monitor all the different sites that reviews can be written on. They then collate all reviews (both negative AND positive) and have incorporated the “hits and misses” into their weekly meetings with their entire front and back of house staff. This approach has not only given them the ability to actively respond to any negative reviews to thank them for their frankness but also allows them to look for trends. It can be hard to hear but if you keep getting a review saying your salmon is too dry – that is a great opportunity to take the review into consideration and better your restaurant. This operator showed how phenomenally they’ve addressed reviews to grow the restaurant and turn negatives into positives based on how the issues are dealt with. Another operator has helped train their staff to proactively identify issues so that an issue isn’t left to fester once a diner leaves the restaurant. The staff look for cues such as a meal not being finished, a takeout container not request or feedback that the meal was “just fine” and help to circumvent a potentially negative review. Regardless on how a restaurant is dealing with reviews the overall consensus was that if you aren’t responding to your restaurant reviews – you’re missing a HUGE opportunity to ensure your customers are heard and responded to.

3. Where are trends in the industry coming from?

It used to be that the trends that ultimately prevailed would start at either coast and work in. Nowadays with culinary education, the advent of the Food Network trends truly have started to pop up everywhere because of digital prevalence. While food trends can come from anywhere these days, it certainly can be from a large national chef or a small locally owned restaurant or even in supermarkets. Also, fine dining seems to not be driving the trends the way it used to and the majority of trends appear to be coming from either supermarkets or diets.

If you attended the show, what lessons did you learn? Tweet us @NatlEventSupply or Like Us and comment on our Facebook wall.

Porcelain Dinnerware vs. China Dinnerware vs. Ceramic Dinnerware

Polar White Dinner PlateThroughout the party rental, restaurant and foodservice industry there is always talk about porcelain dinnerware, china dinnerware, and ceramic dinnerware. But ever wondered what the difference is between the three different terms? This blog post will clear up any confusion related to the term porcelain, china and ceramic.

The formal definition of china dinnerware is a fine white or translucent vitrified ceramic material. The word was originally founded to refer to where “china” was originally made – the country China. Chinese china dinnerware dates back to the 1600 – 1046BC range and it wasn’t until the 16th century, when Chinese porcelains were held in such high esteem in Europe that the word china became a commonly used synonym for the term Porcelain. China dishes are made by heating kaolin clay (among other materials) to temperatures between 1200C – 1400C which bring out the durability, strength and translucence of the material. Note that china dinnerware is not to be confused with fine china or bone china dinnerware which is a separate category comprised of clay and bone ash.

The formal definition of porcelain dinnerware is a white vitrified translucent ceramic; china. The word porcelain came into existence (according to the Oxford Dictionary) in the mid-16th century from the French word porcelaine and Italian word porcellana. One could argue the word came into existence once European companies started producing china / porcelain as a way to distinguish the location where the dinnerware was made.

The formal definition of ceramic dinnerware is “made of clay and permanently hardened by heat”. As both china and porcelain includes this as part of their definitions, one can consider ceramic to be interchangeably used with porcelain and china dinnerware.

If you’re interested in learning more about our ceramic/china/porcelain dinnerware: