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| September 2007 |
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TART FROZEN YOGURT CHAINS CULTIVATE A DEDICATED URBAN FOLLOWING
Tart frozen yogurt churns out a strong urban following
What some people are calling "The Third Coming"
of frozen yogurt is happening in New York and Los Angeles, but the jury is still out on whether this infatuation with a newer,
high-tech version of a product that fizzled in the early 1980s will blossom into a love affair. The charge of a new, tart
style of yogurt is being led by Pinkberry, a Los Angeles-based chain that debuted in 2004 and now has 24 units there and four
in New York. It offers just two flavors-plain and green tea-that can be topped with an array of fruit, cereal, nuts and candy.
RESTAURANTS GO THE EXTRA GREEN MILE
Becoming a certified-organic eatery is a long process, but operators say it's worth it
Green is the new
black. As organic food continues to come into fashion, all manner of organic foods are available at retailers and popping
up on menus nationwide. Still, when it comes to dining out, how do customers know if their meals are authentic Versace or
just Chinatown knockoffs? Because of government regulations, consumers can be confident that the organic products they purchase
in specialty grocers are the real deal-pesticide-free, with no additives and cultivated through environmentally friendly means.
Restaurants, however, do not need to be certified to claim they use organic ingredients.
A FRUITFUL MARKET
Smoothie operators find abundant opportunities as consumers slurp up blended beverages
"I see smoothies
where the specialty coffee industry was just 10 years ago," says Sheri Miksa, the former chief operating officer of Seattle's
Best Coffee. Miksa now heads up the 118-unit Robeks' chain, which serves made-to-order smoothies in 15 states and the District
of Columbia. Citing a recent report by Mintel International Group Ltd., a London-based consumer and market research firm,
Miksa says Americans are buying about $2 billion worth of puréed fruit drinks a year and are expected to buy 10 percent more
than that next year.
INNOVATION REIGNS IN SPAIN
The country's rising chefs deconstruct and reassemble culinary traditions
Spain has produced a generation
of young chefs for whom immersion circulators, soda siphons and hypodermic needles are basic tools of the trade. While testing
the boundaries of the culinary arts, these heirs of the innovations of such chefs as Juan Mari Arzak, Martín Berasetegui,
the Roca brothers and, the most famous of all, Ferran Adrià, are not turning their backs on tradition, but finding fresh uses
for traditional ingredients and deconstructing classic dishes.
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LONGTIME CHEF CORBETT REMAINS A 'LOUISVILLE ORIGINAL'
Chef S. Dean Corbett runs two restaurants, has a third in the works, hosts a local television show, produces a variety
of gourmet products sold in local Louisville, Ky., retail stores and supports several charities. In addition, he was-until
recently-an avid Harley Davidson enthusiast. "I have a 29-month-old and another baby on the way," he says of the sale of his
customized Harley. "That kind of took the wind out of my sail on that one."
BECKER DRAWS ON HIS CULINARY CAREER TO GIVE BACK
As a child, Franklin Becker cooked a lot with his mother, essentially serving as her hands after a stroke left her
partially paralyzed. He has worked in restaurants since age 14 and later gained acclaim for his work at Local, Capitale and
Trinity in New York City before taking the helm as executive chef at Brasserie. Becker, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes
at age 27, also is the author of "The Diabetic Chef," which was published in 2005.
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VANILLA - London
"Some people say vanilla is boring," says Matthieu Destandau, restaurant director of Vanilla, a recent arrival
on the London restaurant scene. "But who doesn't like vanilla? It's a default flavor, but it can be quite exotic." Destandau
collaborated on the newly launched restaurant, which is owner David Alberto's first foodservice enterprise. Destandau, who
has worked in catering since he was 16, oversaw the design, working with architects on the lighting, decor and even the white
resin flooring.
THE PALM - Washington, D.C.
The Palm steakhouse chain has taken inspiration from both the summer season and a recent film release
to craft two first-time promotional menus. In a tie-in with the movie "No Reservations," the 27-unit steakhouse chain has
developed an inaugural children's menu that draws on the input of co-star Abigail Breslin, the 11-year-old actress who also
was nominated for an Oscar for her work in the film "Little Miss Sunshine."
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Nation's Restaurant News is now providing an insider's view of the news at its new blog page: www.nrnfoodserviceblog.com Posted By: Bret Thorn on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2007
BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO WIN $500, I REALLY DO
From THE FOOD WRITER'S
DIARY
I just got off the phone with someone who used to work with Paul Liebrandt and recently opened a restaurant of his own
in Soho. I really wanted to talk to him about his own restaurant, and I did, but I also had to ask if he knew anything about
a future restaurant of Mr. Liebrandt that has been the topic of much speculation and apparently is causing quite a bit of
consternation for my friends over at Eater, so much so that they're willing to open their checkbooks over it.
(To read more from this post click here .)
If you post, please be sure to indicate your affiliation to the business and where you're located.
Visit the NRN main blog page at: www.nrnfoodserviceblog.com
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 SAVE THE DATE FOR CULINARY R&D 2007!
Join us for a one-of-a-kind learning experience for
culinary professionals from all restaurant segments.
100% focused on menu trends and recipe innovations, including:
- Japanese Cuisine workshop
- Beer, Wine & Spirits: Trends & Opportunities for the Multi-Unit Operator
- Cooking demonstrations
- Interactive roundtable discussions
- Networking receptions & more!
Sept. 28-29, 2007
Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel
Los Angeles |
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