Blog posts from March, 2016

The restaurant industry is an ever changing, competitive environment where news and trends are fast and furious. As restauranteurs and chefs, there’s a need to stay up to date on the trends to ensure there’s no key opportunities that may catch you unaware. The Wall Street Journal released a video with Nutrition Expert Jaclyn London to discuss the upcoming food trends for 2016. Check out the video below to keep up to date.

Like the best day to send emails, businesses need to know the best time to showcase offers – whether that be a sale or a new restaurant dining special. Caviar, a food ordering and delivery site that American independent restaurants can partner with to reach more customers, grow their sales and expand their customer base, used their internal data to determine “there is a noticeable upward trend in orders of categorically unhealthy items as the week progressed, with unhealthy food deliveries peaking in the middle of the weekend on Saturdays at 59 percent.”

Same. Caviar. Same.

It makes sense even based on my own dining habits – by Sunday, I’m meal planning for the week ahead, purchasing healthy foods to make, and re-confirming my desire to eat healthy. Mondays to Thursdays tend to be wholesome grains, lean proteins and fresh fruits and vegetables. Come Friday though – let’s face it, I’m exhausted – and I would say most of us are after a long work week. So I’m not interested in getting remotely close to doing anything other than ordering in a pizza or burrito (don’t judge guys), sitting on the couch with my cats, and watching Netflix. (I’m a catch what can I say?)

Judging by the infographic above, it makes sense for Restaurants and Caterers to offer healthier menus or specials towards the beginning of the week, with dining choices that appeal to our “let loose” weekend mentalities starting Fridays. Food for thought!

For those not on Instagram, it is a fantastic way to reach consumers through visual storytelling. When Instagram updated with the ability to share video, some users were quick to jump on the bandwagon, while others (like myself) have barely scratched the surface. From a restaurant point of view, there are tons of quick videos you can be updating your followers with: front of house setting the tables, writing new specials out on any chalkboards, the kitchen preparations underway, any new specials Chef is preparing or experimenting with – the sky is the limit.

I got into watching weirdly satisfying, hypnotic and mesmerizing videos on Instagram through two users I stumbled upon: echinopsisfreak – who posts slow motion cactus flowers blooming and; seblester – who posts his calligraphy. It is one of my methods of calming my anxieties when I get overwhelmed. I go onto their accounts and concentrate on their videos. They’re not only beautiful but captivating and a welcome change of pace. Because of this practice I started with myself, I thought it would be cool to share some of the most mesmerizing Chef videos on Instagram. Not all of these accounts are professional Chefs, though most are. Some are Pastry Chefs, home bakers who have become artists through their craft, and catering companies. But all bring together the love of food, video, repetition and a dash of creativity.

Chef Garry Larduinat

 

Petites tartelettes du jour!! 🤗 Roasted 🍍, vanilla panna cotta, meringue 🌀, coconut mascarpone quenelle! 😋 #garrysclips

A video posted by Chef Garry (@garrylarduinat) on Jan 27, 2016 at 9:24am PST

Chef Michael Smith

 

Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder which must be why I find the sight of a gently simmering oxtail parsnip rosemary broth so beautiful!

A video posted by Chef Michael Smith (@chefmichaelsmith) on Mar 7, 2016 at 12:59pm PST

Wolfgang Puck Catering

 

Our famous #chocolateoscar is getting ready for his big night! #🍴🌟 #WPCatering #Oscars #spraytan #golden

A video posted by Wolfgang Puck Catering (@wpcatering) on Feb 28, 2016 at 1:41pm PST

Chef Thomas Keller

 

Banana Split with two @bouchon_bistro house-made maraschino cherries on top. 🍒 #VFOscarParty #Oscars

A video posted by Chef Thomas Keller (@chefthomaskeller) on Feb 28, 2016 at 8:54pm PST

Chef Rafa Covarrubias

 

This is a sheet of pure vinegar with a bit of agar that we dehydrate then Fry into a salt & vinegar chip. With @seanymacd @alexedmonson @cruuzer @ckeverest @jmtoy @christopher_landry @louiec9 @realone007 @flyindoor

A video posted by Rafa Covarrubias (@rafacovarrubias) on Dec 6, 2015 at 12:23pm PST

SweetAmbs

 

See the full video on how to decorate snow globe cookies at YouTube.com/SweetAmbsCookies ☃ #sweetambscookies #cookieart Music courtesy of Audio Network

A video posted by Amber (@sweetambs) on Dec 17, 2015 at 2:11pm PST

Chef Jacques Lamerde

 

BROZ U NEED TO TURN OFF WUTEVER IS COOKIN ON THE PLANCHA AND CHECK MY LATEST COLLABO W/ @EATER!!!! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kuqidjKGaoE #tastingmenu #tweezers #styx #redbull #bumblebeetuna #doritos #foam #chirpingchicken #klondikebar #fourmagazine #handtorched #eater #soigné #cheflife #allofthehashtags

A video posted by @chefjacqueslamerde on Aug 24, 2015 at 11:38am PDT

Chef Dominique Ansel aka the Cronut Inventor!!

 

Hot Chocolate @dabjapan served with our vanilla #marshmallow flower that blooms in front of your eyes and hold a little surprise of a dark chocolate #truffle inside. A perfect celebration for those chilly but sunny #Spring days. (Please note this is only available in our 2/F sit down cafe.) #dabjapan #dabtokyo #hotchocolate

A video posted by dominiqueansel (@dominiqueansel) on Mar 16, 2016 at 4:35pm PDT

Photo Source: Style Me Pretty

You’ve probably seen industrial metal dining chairs before – whether at a restaurant, a café or at a rustic / industrial event. They’ve become insanely popular in home décor and wedding trends. What you might not know though, is that they’re inspired off of an 80 year old chair from a company called Tolix. The Tolix Marais A Chair was designed by French metalworker Xavier Pauchard in 1934 and since its inception has swept the world in popularity. I’m pleased to announce that we now have in stock Industrial Metal Dining Chairs of our own – to sell to restaurants, banquet halls or party rental companies looking for a classic, simple and hardworking chair that works equally well with rustic, industrial, modern and elegant event themes and restaurant ambiances.

This wholesale industrial metal chair is stackable with holes in the seat for water drainage and glides to prevent floor marring. It measures 20” W x 17” D x 33 3/8”H with a seat height of 17” H and a weight of 10.2 lbs. Pricing starts at $89.95 with volume discounts dropping dramatically after 100 chairs.

Last week, I wrote about the different event chair trends that have been prevalent through (and what I think will be enduring through) 2016. Trends are important to stay on top of so you can understand what your customers are seeing in bridal magazines, and on the internet. But let’s be honest – just because new trends come into existence, doesn’t mean a company should buy in right away. I’m not going to argue that you should invest in event chair trends all the time (especially not if it means putting your company into financial trouble), but hear me out on why I think investing in the event chairs you get asked for the most by your customers makes fiscal sense.

It’s human nature to want to buy more from a vendor that has more of what you need. It means less monetary transactions, less chances of things going wrong, and it tends to be more convenient. What also matters to customers is whether you have the inventory that a customer has his/her heart set on. Investing in new event chairs means you’re ensuring you have a refreshed inventory for existing customers – which leads to an increase in the total rental bill and also increases the likelihood of gaining new customers who are looking for the trends.

Customers are also more likely to want to work with companies who have newer more aesthetically pleasing inventory. From a bride’s point of view for example, chairs are what pulls the room together and unless the bride is looking for a shabby chic wedding they’re not going to be excited with event chairs past their prime. Event chairs that are really showing their wear and tear are less likely to woo new and existing customers into a rental contract.