Resources
>
BLOG

LYFE Chat Featuring Chef Tal on Facebook & Twitter

Jul 30, 2011

Chef Tal Ronnen will be visiting the San Francisco and Palo Alto communities next week on Wednesday, August 3, through Friday, August 5.

He also wants to talk to YOU, so join us for our next

LOVE YOUR FOOD EVERYDAY Chat on Facebook & Twitter:

Thursday, August 4, 2011
4 pm Central (2 pm Pacific / 5 pm Eastern)

What would you like to ask Chef Tal?

Resources
>
BLOG

Food Trends: Steakhouse Redux

Jul 25, 2011

By Joan Lang

As part of my food writer existence I track new restaurant openings obsessively, and lately I’ve been noticing more steakhouses. It’s a sign both of hopefulness in the economy and of Americans’ newly reminted interest in meat, especially pork, beef and other proteins that have been responsibly raised, artisanally butchered and marketed with an eye to what used to be considered the lesser cuts (think short rib and flatiron steak).

The menus at these new spots are next generation, too. In San Francisco, Michael Mina converted his eponymous haute cuisine restaurant in the Westin St. Francis to Bourbon Steak, with a menu that touts not only prime CAB and Wagyu cuts but also such classics as “38 North” Chicken n’ Waffles, lobster pie, and Black Truffle Mac & Cheese. Douglas Keane, who made his name at Cyrus in Healdsburg, CA, has cast his newest restaurant as Shimo Modern Steak , marrying a do-it-yourself noodle bar and other Japanese-style comfort foods to some serious wet-and-dry aged steaks (in Japan shimo refers to “well-marbled”).

Here’s some more evidence from the land of the reborn steak:

• Cibo Matto, an Italian restaurant in Chicago, has added an enhanced meat section to its menu, featuring naturally raised beef, pork, lamb and veal with Italian preps and such a la carte sauces as Barolo demi and horseradish Gorgonzola cream

• Also in Chicago—no surprise, given the city’s Stockyards heritage—the planned opening of a III Forks will bring a 400-plus-seat dining room and a classic formula of big steaks, shareable a la carte sides, and starters like tomato and onion salad to the Windy City

• Abe & Arthur’s small steak menu section includes a number of classic-making add-ons, from sauces like Bearnaise and au poivre to toppings that can turn a steak into a Rossini or Oscar. This new Manhattan spot also has a raw bar and a full selection of appetizers, salads, and entrees, as well as 11 unique, sized-for-sharing sides

• The new Lounge at Gotham Steak in Miami’s Fontainebleau Miami Beach features a casual environment and an accessible menu of meaty small plates and sandwiches as well as some of the same chops and steaks served at Gotham Steak proper

• The E&E Grill house in New York City defines itself as a “modern, more approachable take on the traditional steakhouse featuring novel and contemporary grilled foods” (translation: hanger and tri-tip steaks as well as filet and sirloin, along with chicken, salmon, ravioli and other non-steak options)

• Gibsons Restaurant Group’s latest Hugo’s Frog Bar, located in a new casino in Des Plaines, IL, takes the usual 50-50 meat-to-seafood ratio of the original FB and adds in more of the Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse menu to create a meat-heavy hybrid that still features the same signature crab cakes and frogs’ legs the place is known for

Resources
>
BLOG

July 2011 Newsletter

Jul 24, 2011

Synergy

Greetings!

With this month’s newsletter, we’re especially excited to share news of one of our latest and most interesting projects yet, LYFE Kitchen. Synergy Consultants was asked by the founders of this new healthy, socially conscious restaurant concept to build the organizational and operational infrastructure needed to roll out the “LYFEstyle brand.” This transformative concept marries great-tasting, better-for-you food with a variety of philanthropic and community initiatives, supporting the ultimate mission to “Eat Good. Feel Good. Do Good.” We attended the groundbreaking ceremony in June, which took the form of a “fork-lifting” and tasting. We can’t wait to share the future of LYFE Kitchen as it grows.

 

To your success,

Dean and Danny

Sign up for our Email Newsletter


 

Lyfe Begins in Palo Alto

By Joan Lang

LYFE Kitchen
LYFE Kitchen

 

Healthy, fresh, socially conscious. If that doesn’t sound like typical fast food, it’s not. LYFE Kitchen (the name stands for Love Your Food Everyday) broke ground in Palo Alto, CA, in mid-June, the first of what could be a 250-unit chain of fast-casual locations that promises to turn set ideas about both fast food and health food on its ear. The fact that LYFE is helmed by two mainstream industry heavyweights—CEO Mike Roberts, former global president and chief operating officer for McDonald’s, and Mike Donahue, former chief communications officer for McDonald’s USA—with the deep-pocket assist from Stephen Sidwell of boutique investment firm Devante Capital behind it, makes that ambitious expansion goal seem particularly promising.

But LYFE’s premise is anything but heavyweight, and in fact the concept was born when Sidwell lost 35 pounds with the help of a personal chef and reached out to Roberts with his idea. The mission: “To answer one of America’s greatest unmet consumer needs by providing great-tasting, affordable, good-for-you food while making a positive impact on all of the communities we serve.”

It’s a niche that was pioneered by Chipotle, explored by the likes of Panera and Le Pain Quotidien, and further defined by such concepts as Evos and Sweetgreen. What LYFE does is bring it all together as a “lifestyle” brand with an emphasis on ecological and social responsibility, as well as sustainable farm-based sourcing.

LYFE Kitchen also has some serious culinary cred behind it, including executive chef Art Smith (who first made his name cooking for Oprah) and consultant Tal Ronnen, a well-known vegan chef. Two physicians serve on the LYFE Health and Wellness Panel, and Olympic swimmer Janet Evans heads up LYFE’s “national mom advisory panel”

As for the made-to-order menu, the emphasis will be on healthy satisfaction—including desserts—rather than deprivation. It will sport a number of vegan and vegetarian items (Sweet Corn Chowder, Wild Mushroom Flatbread, Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries) along with Niman Ranch all-natural beef burgers with agave ketchup, Tal’s Ancient Grains Teriyaki Beef Bowl, and Smith’s justly famous Unfried Chicken. Entrée price point will be in the $8-$10 range. In addition, there will be:

• No butter or cream

• No fried food

• No high fructose corn syrup

• No single menu item over 600 calories

LYFE Kitchen has pledged to “awaken the customer’s Sixth Sense—the intrinsic desire to do good.” The nascent chain has partnered with the Global Animal Partnership to become the first restaurant to commit to that advocacy group’s 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating Standards. In addition, underlying core values include socially conscious purchasing decisions, product sourcing, environmental practices, building materials and a robust program of philanthropic and community-based activities.

Synergy Consultants was hand-picked by Mike Roberts and the team to help bring LYFE Kitchen to life by collaborating with celebrity chefs and principals to build the organizational and operational infrastructure needed to roll out the brand.

Says Roberts: “Synergy managing partners Dean Small and Danny Bendas played an integral role in developing operating strategies and creating best practices while the Synergy design team captured the vision by designing a look that supports LYFE’s transformative guest experience.”


 

Back-of-House Efficiencies Maximize Productivity—and Profits

By Mark Ladisky, Senior Operations Associate

There are many different options when addressing labor solutions, and one of them involves maximizing the productivity of your staff. In the course of performing operations assessments, Synergy often discovers ways the operator can have an impact on the cost of operating a kitchen without simply sending people home.

The first option is to hire right. It’s quick, simple, and often not practiced. One example would be in the area of wages. Let’s say candidate #1 wants $10/hr. and candidate #2 wants $12/hr. In the course of one 8-hour shift, candidate #1 could cost the business $80 vs. candidate #2 who would cost $96, so there’s a difference of $16 per day. As a result of that math, you could say that candidate #1 should be hired for reasons of economy, and you wouldn’t be alone in that decision—many operators are in your camp. But there’s a secondary screen that should be applied which involves productivity. Candidate #2 may be more experienced, and as a result is likely to be faster, more consistent, and careful, which can prevent waste, one of the secret food-cost killers. Now which candidate is cheaper in the long run?

Another consideration in BOH productivity involves the simple concept of systems. When I mention systems, I don’t mean to suggest something complicated. In fact, I would say that the use of a thorough line-check form, order guide, and production chart would improve productivity exponentially with little effort. Review your batch sizes and compare them to shelf lives and usage. If you make tomato sauce every day, and you make five gallons of it every day, consider making a 15-gallon batch every three days, thereby increasing productivity.

Line-check forms, and the actual practice of using one, can prevent the waste of time spent on producing batches or recipes that aren’t needed to satisfy predicted guest demand. Often operators have kitchens that are on autopilot and simply produce the same volume of product every day. On average, this practice can work—but on average you also don’t need to carry an umbrella every day either.

Solid and reliable recipes are another tool to improve productivity. If you have a recipe that is very complicated, consider revising it to include a labor-saving purchased product. Additionally, if the recipe proves so difficult that an associate spends half a shift producing it, review the entire dish and consider if it is really worth the cost when labor is considered. Maybe buying an already flattened chicken breast makes sense in one location because legacy wages have you paying more per hour for staff.

Another practice that can shave hours off the payroll is consolidation. If cook #1 has diced tomato on the prep list, and cook #2 has the same item, we often see the two associates preparing them individually. Revise your prep lists to consolidate like items; it’s all one kitchen, share and share alike.

Lastly, and this one may be obvious, but we highly suggest you refresh your menu at least once per year. How does that impact productivity you ask? We often see kitchen staff preparing maybe two or three components, often daily, to satisfy the prep for a menu item that they all know never sells. Because that item is on the menu, they are obligated to order and inventory product, waste product and time, all for low or no sales on one or two dishes. If you look at your product mix monthly—if not more often—then you will clearly see trends in your customer purchases. Address those trends and you will minimize wasting resources and menu real estate with items that don’t make sense.

If you feel that addressing any of these issues requires a second opinion or some helping hands to tackle, Synergy is always available. With offices in every time zone, we can provide everything from phone support to on-site management of these and many more issues.


 

The Call of Seasonal Menus

By Joan Lang

 

Summertime, and thoughts turn to sweet corn and barbecued chicken. It’s a siren call you should make every effort to answer on your menu. Properly sourced, seasonal ingredients such as produce and seafood are abundant and less expensive during their peak—not to mention more delicious. They also answer growing customer demand for seasonal and even local foods.

• Rotate in Lighter Menu Items – Grilled meats and fish, main course salads, chilled soups, and other lighter fare are particularly appealing as warm weather settles in, and should be a part of the specials lineup if not the core menu.

• Go Produce Intensive – Seasonal sides, vegetable based appetizers (heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella, anyone), sandwiches, and smoothies and juices—in addition to the entrée salads and fruit desserts mentioned elsewhere—are great vehicles for seasonal fruits and vegetables and go a long way toward positioning your menu as seasonally responsive

• Consider Buying from Local Farms. It’s not as difficult as you think, even on a large chain scale, especially thanks to new buying groups and distribution models. Bon Appetit Management , Eat’n Park, and Big Bowl have all pinned menuing efforts on seasonal and local buying strategies, and made names for themselves among consumers in the process

• Offer Fruit Desserts – Traditional summertime items like Strawberry Shortcake, Peach Ice Cream and Blueberry Pie take advantage of the season’s bounty, but warmer weather and the desire for lighter eating also point to such offerings as fruit plates and fresh berries, poached pears, lemon-based confections, and old-fashioned crisps, crumbles and buckles. Can you menu a changing Crisp of the Season, from spring’s rhubarb to fall’s first apples?

• Add Iced Coffee Selections – Iced tea has been a no-brainer in the industry for years, but now the appeal of iced coffee is building. Chains like Starbucks and Au Bon Pain have experienced unqualified success with refreshing season-appropriate items including the Mocha Coconut Frappuccino and Iced French Vanilla Coffee, respectively

• Don’t Forget Cocktails – Rum drinks, spiked lemonade, wine- and beer-based imbibes like sangria and micheladas, fruit punches, and other refreshing drinks can be prominently merchandised on the bar menu

For more advice on how to make your menu seasonally appropriate and profitable, contact Synergy Consultants.


 

Tip of the Month

 

Thinking of going Green? The buzz has certainly been building for “green” businesses of all kinds, but just exactly what does green mean for a restaurant business? The Green Restaurant Association has some answers, guidelines, and lots of resources. Going Greener is intended for the Chicago area, but is still a valuable source of information. And ConSERVE is the National Restaurant Association’s greener restaurant program.

Resources
>
BLOG

Delicious burgers…made with liquid nitrogen?

Jul 23, 2011

Many times you’ve devoured your favorite house specialty burger at the local hot spot wondering to yourself, “How do they make this so good? And how can I make this at home?” You curiously ask the server what’s in the tasty patty and they kindly reply, “Sorry, it’s a secret ingredient!”

Darn.

Typically these favorite menu items are a highly regarded secret. Perhaps there’s a special blend of herbs and seasonings, selected high grade beef, or a just some good-ol’ fashioned home-cooking love. But how exactly does liquid nitrogen sound as a prime ingredient for mouth-watering burgers?

Dr. Myhrvold, chief technology officer for Microsoft and the author, with a team of collaborators, of “Modernist Cuisine,” is the foremost expert on using science and technology to enhance cooking.

Let’s look at a couple of common problems with cooking burgers and how modern science can create a solution.

When you cook a burger and press it down with a spatula, lifting the burger off the grill becomes quite difficult as this action makes steam escape. Further, when a patty is cooked directly on a griddle, it’s nearly impossible with just a spatula to create contact on the entire surface due to the nooks and crannies of the burger.

Dr. Myhrvold’s solution? It’s twofold (source: NYTimes)

“‘First, put the beef patty in a plastic bag and cook it sous vide — immersed in warm water for about half an hour until the core temperature reaches about 130 degrees. Next, dip the patty in liquid nitrogen for 30 seconds to freeze the outer millimeter of the meat, and then deep-fry in 450-degree oil for one minute.’

‘The freezing followed by the burst of high heat lets you brown the outside without overcooking the inside,” Dr. Myhrvold said. And the deep-frying is supposed to be a technological improvement over the classic White Castle spatula-on-a-griddle technique.’ “

Although the combination of science and food is a beautiful marriage for better tasting food, it certainly is not the only way. Call Synergy and we we’ll show you how to achieve amazing results without all the hassle (and a laboratory). Contact us for a complimentary initial consultation regarding your restaurant menu.

Resources
>
BLOG

Incubator kitchens help those on a tight budget to develop their concept

Jul 19, 2011

Many food entrepreneurs have great ideas, are expert chefs but have a modest budget. This leaves many trying to think of ways to stretch their budget while still doing what they love. Food trucks have become a haven for such people as their much-lower-than-average overhead helps turn a profit. Same for those prepared food sellers at farmers markets. So, if you don’t have a food-truck or rent a retail space, and don’t have hundreds of thousands in capital to build a full commercial kitchen, where can you prepare and cook your food? You certainly can’t cook from your home kitchen as it will not meet state safety requirements.

Incubator kitchens to the rescue.

Also known as culinary incubators or “kitchens for hire,” incubator kitchens are state certified and inspected commercial kitchens available 24 hours. The cost? The fully-equipped space can be rented for only about $15-75 an hour. Renters can even have ingredients delivered to the kitchen and stored. Even better is the atmosphere– kitchen managers are like business advisors, lending valuable advice on marketing, business plans while fellow users are like a community of entrepreneurs lending support and guidance.

Some people are still unaware of such gems. For example, The Chef’s Commercial Kitchens Co-op opened in Los Angeles has been around since 1984. But unfortunately, there are still not many around there across the nature.

 

Recently, Synergy Consultants had teamed up with LYFE Kitchen, headed by former McDonald’s President, Mike Roberts, to develop a fantastic concept: affordable-health fast food chain. Utilizing incubator kitchens (we used Logan Square Kitchen) was just one method we used to facilitate testing new menu ideas and other concepts before rolling them out and determining their viability.

Synergy has over 20 years experience in helping new concepts come to life. Please contact us for more information on concept development or assistance with commercial kitchens.

Resources
>
BLOG

Can Your Customers Trust You?

Jul 15, 2011

A recent Restaurant Briefing post pointed up the need for more transparency in business operations in these post-economic meltdown days, with a number of specific recommendations on how restaurants could help rebuild the trust of their patrons.

We would like to take this a step further and suggest that the current climate rivals the post-Watergate era in its capacity for shaking consumer belief in the very foundations of our economic and social system, and could create an entire new generation of distrust. And that suggests that no effort to demonstrate authenticity and transparency is too small.

Here, then, are some more opportunities:

SERVE REAL FOOD.

Authenticity in experience has become a megatrend byword for these uncertain times, a tenet that extends throughout virtually every customer-facing industry. For restaurants, the food is the most obvious expression.

You can convey the authenticity of your food in a variety of ways, starting with the menu. The copy itself should be clear, descriptive, and free of hyperbole (such as “cooked to perfection”—what, after all, does that mean?). It should convey quality and freshness, and play up the attributes of individual ingredients, without going overboard.

This is not to say that everything needs to be farm-raised and artisan-produced—there will always be a role for speed-scratch and prepared ingredients in all but the most rarefied kitchens—but many consumers are increasingly aware of where their food comes from and how is it made, and the more informative you can be about your food, the better.

That’s the reasoning behind the sourcing lists seen on so many menus today, crediting local farmers, cheesemakers, ranchers, and so on. Product qualifies such as aged cheddar cheese, housemade dressings, and imported prosciutto will go a long way toward proving authenticity.

EMPHASIZE FRESHNESS.

Many observers believe that fresh is the new shorthand for healthy, and it’s certainly something your patrons are looking for. You can get a fresh message across in a variety of ways, both subtle and overt. One is through the simple display of ingredients—a very famous restaurant in New York has a farm table in its entryway that holds a big bowl of seasonal ingredients such as apples and pears. Impeccably fresh flowers on the tables can do the same thing, along with fresh ingredients displayed on service stations.

Another way to say “fresh” is through customization. When customers are able to order menu items the way they want them, you’re telling them that the food is made-to-order just for them—the ultimate statement of freshness.

Seasonal menu changes also work wonders with freshness impressions. For more on this, read “The Call of Seasonal Menus.”

BE FAIR AND OPEN WITH EMPLOYEES.

Authenticity and transparency have a way of percolating through an entire organization. Of course it almost goes without saying that you want to train your staff members, both front- and back-of-house, to be able to translate your menu and quality standards to patrons.

But it’s just as important to respect your employees as it is to respect your customers, and that respect will translate through to patrons. This does not have to be financial.

• Be upfront with staffers: tell them how your business is faring and what your goals and expectations are. Allow employees to learn about your business—it will help them, and you

• Maintain an open door policy for listening, not just for problems and grievances, but also their solutions and suggestions. The people who are closest to the trenches may have some very good ideas for improvements.

• Respect their need for a full and balanced life, with adequate time off and flexibility in scheduling.

• Make a commitment to staff development. It doesn’t have to be expensive, and it will help improve morale. You might want to investigate online training or subsidized training opportunities that may be available in your state or town

• Encourage reading, volunteering, attending local conferences and seminars, and anything else that will help your staff grow

Resources
>
BLOG

Veggie burgers and flexitarians

Jul 12, 2011

When you think of devouring your burger, you’re likely picturing sinking your teeth into a juicy all-beef patty with all the fixings. You probably have scoffed at the thought of vegetarian or tofu burgers. However, the stereotype of bland, cardboard tasting fake meat burgers is being dissolved away.

In fact, many chains are giving veggie burgers a chance on their menus, creating not only healthy alternatives but tasty too, for both omnivores and carnivores alike.

Burger behemoth Red Robin has a veggie burger — so does Johnny Rockets and even fast-food giant, Burger King. What’s fueling so many restaurants to hop on the veggie bandwagon?

It’s a way to cater to the growing consumer segment called “flexetarians” — a term to describe those who are not 100% vegetarian, but looking for meatless options whenever they can.

Some operators like Burger King and Red Robin use premade vegetable patties but some have their own special in-house recipes. The Wynn Resorts, for instance, plan to introduce a veggie burger made of soy, quinoa, wheat protein and pea blends.

Additionally, LYFE Kitchen, the new up-and-coming socially conscious healthy fast-food chain in which Synergy was hand-picked by Mike Roberts (former president of McDonald’s) and the team to help bring the concept to life, aims take beloved menu items like burgers and transform them into truly healthy meals as well. While collaborating with the LYFE Kitchen team and chefs, we developed a spectacular menu that also includes vegetarian and vegan options.

Keep your eye out on more beef-less burgers as the demand for vegetarian options is growing

Resources
>
BLOG

Consumers Define Healthy Eating Whey they Go out to Eat

Jul 06, 2011

Organics, all-natural, low-carb –these are all hot buzz-words you hear all the time when in reference to healthy-eating. Catering menus to consumers changing needs is an important task for restaurant owners but surprsingly, according to a recent study by The NDP Group, Americans are actually not willing to pay more for healthy menu items. The information below from the study may help restaurant operators balance the menu prices and healthy options.

Key findings in the “Consumers Define Healthy Eating Whey they Go out to Eat” study:

– About 70 percent of consumers over 50 years old, those who tend to show more interest in healthy diets, said no when they were asked if they’re willing to pay more for healthy menu items whereas 25 percent said they would be willing to spend more.

– Consumers ages 25 to 49 stated they expect to pay the same for healthier menu items than standard items whereas 9 percent said they would be willing to pay “a lot more” for healthy options.

– Of all age groups, 18 to 24 year olds were most inclined to pay more where 15 percent were okay with paying a premium and 44 percent saying they would not want to pay more for healthful items.

How you modify your menu and prices will be dependent on many additional factors like the type of restaurant operation, (ie quick-service or full-service) type of cuisine offered and geography to name a few. For further assistance, please contact Synergy.

Resources
>
BLOG

Leveraging Demand for Appetizers

Jul 01, 2011

Like fashion, food trends come and go, but the overall consumer appetite for appetizers seems to be staying put. In fact, 77% of patrons are ordering starters in fine-dining restaurants—even if it is in lieu of a more traditional main course.

We’ve briefly covered the bar food trend , in our February newsletter, it seems like a great time to delve into an exploration of some of the other au courant apps on menus today. Culled from a very quick perusal of full-service restaurant menus, these ideas demonstrate what’s selling best around the country—note that many of them are also cost-effective, easy to execute and/or vegetarian friendly.

 

  • Dips and dunks. Served with crackers, crudité, bread/pita or other scoops, dips ranging from guacamole and pimento cheese to ethnic specialties like hummus and taramosalata (Greek caviar spread)
  • Bruschetta, crostini and flatbreads. Can you say low food costs and great product utilization?
  • Mussels. The version with almond-garlic butter served at Fore Street restaurant in Portland, Maine, is still one of the most popular items on the menu, but versions range from traditional white wine and garlic to Thai curry and more.  Tony Maw, of Craigie on Main near Boston, prefers his with Buttery Miso Broth
  • Charcuterie and salumi. For kitchens with the skill, this almost-lost butcher’s art has been found again, there’s no shortage of sources for high-quality prepared versions of items like pate and artisanal hams.
  • Specialty fries. Frites with dips, poutine (the French-Canadian specialty that started with gravy and cheese curds but went on to sport toppings ranging from duck confit to goat cheese), sweet potato and other fried vegetables, and housemade tater “tots” all make worthy appetizers.
  • Ceviches and seafood cocktails. Upscale, elegant, and a bit easier to pull off than raw bar items.
  • Satays and skewers. Fun, dramatic and back from the ‘70s kabob craze, skewered foods can run the gamut from grilled meats to items like cherry tomatoes and bonconcini (small mozzarella balls) speared and served with pesto. Friday’s has just introduced two new skewered appetizers: a Mediterranean and a Japanese Hibachi.

Contact Synergy Consultants for more ways to translate current food trends into more profitable specialties for your menu.