2011 Aug Newsletter LoRez

8/4/2019 2011 Aug Newsletter LoRez

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www.TheTasteofNC.c

One Community. One Vision. One Voice.

Made in North Carolina!

www.NCRLA.biz

6036 Six Forks Road

Raleigh, NC 27609

Phone: (919) 844-0098

Become a Fan of the Taste of

North Carolina on Facebook!

Were getting your taste buds ready for 2012!

Menu Highlights from the 2011 Taste of North Carolina

STATION 4

Junior Johnson Country Ham and Egg Sliders and

Fairview Lump CrabcakesCountry Ham, Baby Shrimp and Butterbean Succotash, Ham Hock Jus

Neomonde Kaiser Rolls

Natty Greens Flanders Style Sout Ale

Biltmore Estate North Carolina Chardonnay 2008

Biltmore Estate Chateau Reserve Blanc de Blancs

The North Carolina Egg Association

Tat Incredible Egg!

Te North Carolina Egg Association was a proud

participant partner in the 2011 aste o NC event.

Egg and Ham Sliders were highlighted at the very

popular Food Station #4. Te association educate

consumers on the nutritional and economical valu

o the incredible egg. Te Certied Egg Program,

represented by the association, assures that eggs

displaying this specic certication actually do

come rom hens living in humane conditions.

Did you know:

NCRanks12thineggproductionintheUS!

EggsareNCs8thlargestcashfarmproduct!

2


2/12

October 3, 2011NCRLA Industry

ReceptionFat onys Italian Pub

Wilmington, NC

October 4, 2011NCRLA Board o

Directors MeetingWrightsville Beach, NC

October 24, 2011NRA PAC Fundraiser

Angus BarnRaleigh, NC

February 27, 2012aste o North Carolina

Pinehurst Resort, NC

visit

NCRLA.BIZor more details

www.NCRLA.biz

August 20One Community. One Vision. One Voice.

NCRLA Industry Reception, Wilmington, NCFat Tonys Italian Pub, 250 Racine Drive

Enjoy a great opportunity to network with ellow hospitality

industry olks. Any owner or general manager o a hotel or

restaurant in the area is invited to this complimentary reception.

Tere will be no ormal presentation but a ew hot topics will

be discussed briey: School Start Date, 11 a.m. Sunday ABC

Sales and the New North Carolina Food Code requirement.

CommunityCalendar

Written by Michelle Arnold

As an intern with the North Carolina Restaurant and LodgingAssociation, I was granted the privilege o shadowing Mr. MikeMartino, General Manager o the Sheraton Imperial RP. He hasheld this position since 1990 and has been with Starwood Propertiesor 28 years.

Surprisingly, Mr. Martino did not begin his career in the hospitalityindustry. He holds a degree in accounting and shortly ater attendingschool, he began his employment at a public accounting rm. Sometime later, he was hired or a hotel controller position. For three

years he worked his way up to overall manager or the property.

Mr. Martino has shown his trucommitment or the industry withis active involvement in the NHospitality Education Foundatio

When asked how he began servi with NC HEF Mr. Martino stateTe uture o the industry is dependeon the people who truly understanhospitality.

He is a strong advocate o educating the youth about the vast number o opportunities withithe hospitality industry. By simply explaining to students what hospitality really means, thimportance o being involved, or just having a casual conversation about the industry, hdemonstrates how a small act can have a major impact. Continued on page 5

Save the Date: Monday, October 3, 2011

Job Shadow Day: Walking in Mike Martinos Shoes


3/12

Annas PizzeriaBlack Water Grille

Delivery Concepts East

Gaskets Rock o Coastal CarolinaMichaelangelos Pizza & Subs

RhettsSR Max Slip Resistant Shoesabor Espresso Corporation

Te Q ShackripAdvisor

Tank You - Renewing Members!

Acro Cae -NC Museum O Natural Sciences

Amos Mosquitos Restaurant & BarApple-J

Arturos Mexican RestaurantAuto-Chlor SystemBistro-By-Te-SeaBlack Water GrilleBlue Moon Bistro

Bonesh GrillBrixx Franchise Systems, LLC

Bufalo Wild Wings Grill & BarCarrabbas

Cleveland Drat HouseCow CaeCranll, Sumner & Hartzog, LLP

DC ServicesDistilled Spirits Council o the United States

Gilbert Foodservice, Inc.Jujube

KathrynsKings Barbecue and Restaurant

Market PlaceMortons O Chicago, Inc./Corporate

Outback Steakhouse

Owens RestaurantP.F. Changs China Bistro

Poppyseed MarketRed Rocks Cae

Rucker JohnsRyans Steaks-Chops-Seaood

ableTe Peddler Steak House

Tompson & Little Inc. Restaurant Suppliesand Equipment

Western Sizzlin Family Steak House

THANKYOU,2011CORPORAE PARNERS

Current 3 Star PartnersIFH Foodservice DistributionOne of the 13 largest food

distributors in the country.

SIA GroupServing insurance needs of

businesses and individuals

since 1975.

PepsiPerhaps one of the most famous

brands on the planet.

S&D Coee, Inc.

A leading US coffee roaster cateringto the foodservice industry, S&D

Coffee serves some 100 million

pounds of coffee to more than 70,000

customers in the US.

FHM InsuranceFHM Insurance Company is one of

the oldest and most experienced

workers compensation companies

in the Southeast.

NC Hospitalityis the Ofcial Publication o the

NORTH CAROLINA RESTAURANT

AND LODGING ASSOCIATION

News Items andadvertising inquires:

Laura Folkl

Email: [email protected]

1 (800) 582-8750

Read NC Hospitality Online!

Visit

www.NCRLA.biz/Newsletter

www.NCRLA.biz


4/12

Your PartnerBeyond the PlateDEFINES US. ITS WHAT WE ARE.AND WHAT WE DO. EVERY DAY.

To exist in todays world, showing up to the party isnt enough...

You have to bring your A game. You have to have unquestionableproducts and service. You have to fuse strong and enduring

connections with business partners and the

communities in which they live.

You have to live Beyond.

This is U.S. Foodservices belief.

We are dedicated to being the most

trusted, respected, knowledgeable

and service-oriented partnerone can choose.

We believe in makinga difference and goingbeyond the plate to

help customers win.As Your Partner Beyond the Plate,

U.S. Foodservice offers a tremendous

variety of the worlds finest food, equipment

and supplies. But we know the power of

brands, too. Our collection of exclusive

brands, as well as national and local/regional

manufacturer brands, provides a product

selection unmatched in its variety.

RALEIGH DIVISION

1500 NC Highway 39Zebulon, NC

919.404.4100www.raleigh.usfoodservice.com

FORT MILL DIVISION

125 Fort Mill ParkwayFort Mill, SC

803.802.6000www.fortmill.usfoodservice.com

www.NCRLA.biz


5/12

Poppyseed Market just celebrated its 5th anniversary in June, satiating NorthRaleighs craving or gourmet deli ood in a relaxed ca setting. When askedto what she credits this longevity in an uncertain economy, owner/che JuliaMcGovern replies customer service-customer service-customer service!

Yes, we strive or excellent ood, says McGovern, but anyone can make a

good burger or steak. Its the customer interaction and over-the-top service thatkeeps them coming back. McGovern learned her going above and beyondcustomer-service ethic working in the restaurant industry rom age 15 andserving in numerous capacities including tending bar at Angus Barn.

Te cas North Raleigh location-location-location has certainly played itspart in Poppyseeds growth. McGovern scouted out the site while working her way through Wake echs culinary artsprogram. Te space became available when she was ready to make her dream a reality, and by the end o Poppyseeds rst

year it became evident that ca style dining was North Raleighs preerence. Ater initially adding outdoor seating, andthen expanding into the adjacent space, Poppyseed is just months away rom expanding a second time to include a cae and

wine bar, encouraging a growing dinner business. Te new space will seat approximately ty and eatures an inviting oakbar, hand built by McGoverns husband Jim, along with a bar countertop made rom local recycled glass.

Te wine bar menu will be inspired by comort ood with a air, and the beveragelist will include six drat beer options, unique bottled options and emphasizeboutique wines at a very reasonable price point. Co-managers Matt & Dave havebeen instrumental in dening the new menu and matching the beverage selectionaccordingly.

Customer input has had a big inuence on Poppyseeds menu. When the oodiesasked or pizza and microbrews, McGovern and her culinary crew experimented

with recipes that were eventually incorporated into the menu. Te beer selectionbecame an eclectic mix o local breweries and microbrews to complement the pizza.

Poppyseeds success is denitely a amily aair. McGoverns mom, Mary Kay handles the accounting and helps out in theront o the house during busy periods; her husband, Jim built many o the counters and urnishings, as well as the invitingoak bar that is the ocal point o the new addition; her ather, Ken, pitches in wherever hes needed, and lead the grandopening marketing blitz by going door-to-door throughout the neighborhood distributing menus.

Poppyseeds ve year run has not been without its challenges. Food costs have been hard to keep down, said McGovern,and we have had to go up in price. McGovern credits great supplier relationships in keeping overall costs down. Opening anew venture, we really relied on nding and keeping great vendors and service providers, rom plumbing to electricians.

McGovern enjoys many o the benets aorded by NCRLA membership. Ourexperience with NCRLA has been most positive, especially regarding the Merchant

Services contacts. We are constantly being asked to allow competitors to quote our creditcard needs, but we proudly say we have the best deal out there, because it is through theNCRLA. Knowing that the research has already been done is a great time saver or us,too, and allows us to concentrate on providing the best ood and customer service we canhere at Poppyseed Market, commented McGovern.

We appreciate the act that the NCRLA is pulling together or the best interest o itsmember restaurants and hotels, whether it be involving tax issues, legal changes or gettingthe best rates on insurance.

Poppyseed Market Celebrates Five Years and Expands Next DoorPoppyseed Market Celebrates Five Years and Expands Next Door

www.NCRLA.biz


6/12www.NCRLA.biz

Candlewood Suites Opens in Wake Forest

When I sat down with Milan Patel, 25, the Chie Operating Ofcer o Milkam Hospitality, Inc., he jokingly boasted

that his newest property, the Candlewood Suites, was the tallest building in Wake Forest. Its our stories.

Te Candlewood Suites opened its doors in June this year in a tough economy and ater many challenges that pushedthe opening date to two years rom breaking ground. Financing was difcult, said Patel. o date were one o theonly hotel deals with Wells Fargo.

Te construction phase was certainly not seamless, and Patel hadto be a hands-on project manager. Tis site was basically a ditch

when the project began, and a huge amount o dirt had to bebrought in, said Patel. Te city required the property to have itsown well or irrigation, another lengthy process.

Patels lodging business model, especially in the extended staymarket, is a lean operating budget and outstanding customerservice. Teir marketing tagline is We put the amenities wherethey count in your room. Te hotel does not serve breakast,rather oers ruit and packaged breakast/snack items or sale atthe Candlewood Cupboard. Te typical guest takes advantageo the modern kitchen, well-appointed with granite counter topsand ull-sized appliances.

Additional cost-saving measures include natural gas as opposed to boilers, pressure-assist toilets, motion sensor lightingand an energy management system or PAC/HVAC. We dont have a pool, because theyre not environmentally

riendly, said Patel.While business has been slow to start, repeat business has kept numbers steady. Patel afrms that its Candlewoodsservice that keeps people coming back, and is proud to say that the hotel is rated #1 in Wake Forest on rip Advisor.I look to all industry backgrounds when hiring sta, placing an emphasis on skill set, passion and motivationover hotel-specic experience, says Patel. He also makes every eort to personally respond to online reviews, bothnegative and positive.

Patel serves as an NCRLA Board member, and has seen direct benets is the areas o advocacy and legal expertise.Teres no other organization that I know that has these connections at the state level and with key hospitalityindustry people. Te availability o an open dialogue with people that are helping guide and change our industry orthe better is invaluable.

Job Shadow Day Continued from page 1

Some o the most memorable moments I experienced at the Sheraton Imperial were my interactions with the sta.Everyone at the Sheraton was very welcoming and pleasant, and many o them had been with the hotel or eight plus

years. I was impressed to hear about the low turnover rate at the property. When I asked Mr. Martino about this,his response was very straight orward in stating, Its all about employee maintenance! Simply treating employees andmanagement with respect and dignity, the quality o understanding and knowing that they are not just employees,they are a amily. Te Sheraton also has a Kindness Fund which is a signature nancial relie und available to allemployees.

My experiences at the Sheraton Imperial denitely made my classroom knowledge about the hotel industry becomea reality. I was able to gain a great deal o useul inormation about successully running a lodging property. I trulyenjoyed my time with Mr. Martino and his sta at the Sheraton Imperial, and I appreciate Mr. Martino or providingavenues o opportunities or the uture leaders in the hospitality industry. Mr. Martino, I salute you!


7/12

NCRLA presented the 2011 Restaurant Neighbor Awards or restaurateurswho go above and beyond in giving back to their communities. North Carolinaaward recipients were Wilmingtons Fat onys Italian Pub in the small businesscategory; Pinehursts Dugans Pub in the cornerstone humanitarian category; andRaleighs Apple Gold Group dba Applebees in the large business/national chaincategory.

Accepting on behal o Dugans Pub was owner Alan Riley. In conjunction withBack Pack Pals o Moore County, Riley initiated a program that oers weekendsnacks, juice and ruit to children enrolled in North Carolinas Moore CountySchool System kids who have little or nothing to eat over the weekend. At theend o 2010, nearly 780 kids were enrolled in the program.

o und Back Pack Pals, Riley organizes a school supply undraiser and our events throughout the year with contributiongoing to purchase healthy ood, small treats, school supplies and small gits or the holiday season. So ar he has helped rai$40,000 to operate the program. In 2011, Riley expects between 950 and 1,000 children to enroll in the program.

Owner Eric Rylander and General Manager Jimmy Hart accepted the award obehal o Fat onys Italian Pub in Wilmington. With 2 locations and 65 employee

the Fat onys crew raised $14,000 over a 2-year period with the WilmingtoOktoberest, a German cultural estival or amilies in the community.Cape Fear Literacy Council was selected as the 2010 Oktoberest beneciary duto the importance o their contributions to the restaurant industry. In suppoo Oktoberest, some 100 community volunteers join sta, riends and amimembers gathered to coordinate this three-day outdoor estival in the parking loo Fat onys.

Rylander and Fat onys management has had rst-hand experience with adults who have difculty reading, rom applicanto employees who struggle with literacy skills. We believe the Cape Fear Literacy Council serves an important role iimproving the literacy skills o adults, said Rylander, and we welcome their reerrals or entry-level kitchen positions.

Accepting on behal o Apple Gold Group was company owner Michael Olander,operator o over 70 Applebees restaurants, o which 49 are in North Carolina. Olandersteam o dedicated employees helped raise over $1,300,000 or charitable organizationslocally. In 2010 alone, employees donated over 20,000 hours o their time and moneyto participate in over 1,200 undraisers. Non-prot recipients include: cancer researchand support, other medical support, school and education, animal rescues, Boy & GirlScouts o American, religious organizations, athletics and outreach/mentoring.

Our community service program, Flapjack Fundraiser, really took o with thecreation o a web based participation platorm, says Olander. Organizations are able

to go online to request an event date and location. Apple Gold Group provides therestaurant space, ood, and kitchen sta or the event along with a yer and tickettemplate or printing. Te organization provides volunteers to serve at the event, andkeeps all o the ticket sales revenue minus about $2 per person to cover ood costs.

Apple Gold Group strives to be a great neighbor in the community, says Olander. Te Flapjack Fundraisers bring peoptogether or a common cause, and aords us the opportunity to give back to our customers.

Te dedication the restaurateurs o North Carolina show, year-in and year-out, is simply phenomenal, said Alyssa Barklespokesperson or the charitable NC Hospitality Education Foundation. We are incredibly lucky to have such hard-workinand dedicated restaurateurs in our state. Seeing what these people are able to do or their communities is an inspiration.

NCRLA Recognizes Restaurants for Excellence in Community Service

www.NCRLA.biz


8/12www.NCRLA.biz

7

Upcoming ServSafe Classes in North Carolina

Did you know you can nd upcoming ServSae classes inyour area by visiting the NCRLA website? By having amanager complete ServSae certication, your oodserviceestablishment can receive a 2 point bonus on your nexthealth inspection!

Here are a listing o just some o the upcoming ServSaeclass dates by county in North Carolina; or a morecomplete listing, including times and contact numbers orthese class listings, visit NCRLA.biz/servsae!

Forsythe

September 19-20October 5-6

GuilordSeptember 19-20

MecklenburgOctober 3-4October 14-15New HanoverSeptember 28-29

October 3-11

Buncombe

September 7-8September 14-15

CabarrusSeptember 6-7September 21-22

CumberlandOctober 10-11

DurhamOctober 24-25

WakeSeptember 12-13September 20-21September 24 ANDOctober 1 (Saturdays)October 3-24 (Mondays)

704-574-8112

Need to have a class listed?Send it to NCRLA via

[email protected] and we willput it on our website!


9/12

Are You Taking Advantage of Your Staples Discount?

Meet the Newest NCRLA Team Members

www.NCRLA.biz

Ken Martin joins the NCRLA team as the Regional Membership Director riangle Area. Kens ocuswill be selling and renewing restaurant and lodging membership in Wake, Durham, Orange, Johnstonand Chatham. He will be also working on converting memberships with our partners at SIA, First Dataand BMI.

Ken comes to us with 20 years o mortgage and insurance sales experience and is a major oodie! Kensstrength lies in his ability to build rapport quickly and genuinely and to ask key questions. Ken and his

wie requently explore riangle area restaurants, and this amiliarity with the local market provides theaccessibility and trust actor that is vital to building membership.

I you have a lead in the riangle area eel ree to contact Ken directly. He can be reached by calling ourofce or by email, [email protected].

Laura Folkl comes to NCRLA with a wealth o experience in clear, compelling, results-oriented marketingand communications. Most recently, Laura served Evmark, the Downtown Evanston, Illinois marketingand management organization, where she was instrumental in a complete re-branding process, successulsponsorship campaigns, created a complete company marketing plan and maintained all electroniccommunications and web content.

Laura is also well versed in social media and is looking orward to rapidly expanding our presence in thisarea. She will oversee all marketing, communications and publications or NCRLA and NC HEF andlooks orward to getting around the state to meet and learn rom our awesome members.

I you have any exciting news to share or i you are interested in newsletter and web advertising, Laura canbe reached by calling our ofce or by email, [email protected].

Staples is an NCRLA strategic partner

which translates to big savings or you!

Our members save up to 60% of

manuacturer list prices on over 400 items!

Other program eatures include:

Freeandfastdelivery

Detailedreportingperproperty

AwardwinninginternetorderingsystemStaplesLink

Specializedpricingonyourpropertiesmostcommonlyusedocesupplies

Customizablebilling

VendorconsolidationutilizingStaplesPrinting,Adspecialty,andJanitorialprograms

Click on the Staples icon at ncrla.biz to register or Call Jill LaBombard at 800-582-8750


10/12

Lower Your Processing Costsand Build Your BusinessWeve negotiated a great rate with First Data for

payment processing, available only to our members.

The agreement offers numerous benefits including:

gMoney-saving price structure for all credit and debit

card transactions

gEasy implementation and training

gOne convenient statement, incorporating all card

transactions

gOnline reporting and toll-free customer support 24/7

gAccept more payments, lower processing costs and

build your business

To begin processing today, call First Data at1-800-482-1706. For more information, visitFirstDataPartners.com/sra/northcarolina

Health Department Guidelines

Tourism is Up in North Carolina

www.NCRLA.biz

Follow us on

social media!

facebook.com/NCRLA

Twitter: @NCRLA

You can also like

Taste of North

Carolina!

Customers choosing ood rom sel-service areas can unknowingly serve themselves in ways that can put them and other

customers in danger. o protect your operation and prevent contamination, sel-service areas should be monitored closelyby employees trained in ood saety.

Use the ollowing guidelines to help train your employees to do their part to keep sel-service areas more sanitary:

Identifyallfooditems.Labelallcontainersonthefoodbar.

Donotletcustomersrelltheirdirtyplatesorutensils.Ifnecessary,handcustomersfreshplatesandutensils.

Neveruseicethatwasusedtokeepfoodorbeveragescoldforanythingelse.

o train your staf in ood saety education contact Alyssa Barkley at [email protected].

Gov. Bev Perdue announced this month that 98 o the North Carolinas 100 counties saw increases in visitor spending

in 2010, including 13 counties that had double-digit increases. Data rom the N.C. Dept. o Commerce, Division o

ourism, Film & Sports Development showed that three counties had more than a billion dollars in visitor spending in

2010 (Mecklenburg, Wake and Guilord), while Dare, Buncombe, Forsyth, and Durham counties all had more than hal

a billion in spending.


11/12

Have News? Has your business won a recent award?

Let us know! Send your news to [email protected]

NCRLACommunity News One Community. One Vision. One Voice.

www.NCRLA.biz0

Join ellow hospitality proessionals at the Welcome Show, NorthCarolinas Hospitality Expo, this September 15/16 in beautiul downtownWilmington NC. Te event will showcase everything rom the latestinnovations to the best in hospitality products, services and technologies.

Registration now open online or exhibitors and attendees at www.welcomeshow.com.

Basnights Lone Cedar CaeExecutive Che, Bud Gruninger,and NateRobinson, Saute Che, took second place in the Great American SeaoodCook O in New Orleans on August 6, 2011. Te Lone Cedar chesrepresented the state o North Carolina, and or the rst time in the historyo this prestigious Seaood Cook-O, North Carolina placedin act,it is the rst time an east coast state has taken the honors. Te winningdish showcased sustainable seaood eaturing reshly-caught redsh, lump

crabmeat and just-picked resh North Carolina vegetables.

Lil and Lori Lacassagne, owners o top-rated Saint Jacques restaurant inRaleigh, acquired the Burke Manor Inn located in Gibsonville. Te innoers exceptional accommodations, gourmet breakast and a pavilion orevents at the property. Te Lacassagnes have most recently added a privatedining room (reservations only) eaturing the Saint Jacques name, authenticFrench cuisine and ne service.

Five NCRLA member restaurants will have their ches showcased aspart o Te Southern Womens Show in Charlotte and the Southern IdealHome Show in Raleigh. Ches who will turn up the heat on the CelebrityCooking Stage in Charlotte, September 15-17 are: Lisandro Patina-

Arias o Mama Ricottas, Jared Cannon o Pacos acos & equila,im Groody o Midwood Smokhouse and a representative rom GalleryRestaurant. A che rom 42nd Street Oyster Barwill take the stage onSeptember 25 at the Home Show in Raleigh.

Te Angus Barn and Golden Corral invite you once again to join some

o North Carolinas nest Ches rom Manteo to Murphy, Monday,October 24, or the National Restaurant Associations and the NCRLAsPolitical Action Committee undraiser. Please consider donating anitem or the silent auction! Contact [email protected] auctiondonations. Member attendance is encouraged at the undraiser in supporto the important eorts o the PAC in our industry. Contact Jill Highsmithor Carol Sasseen at Angus Barn (919) 787-3505 or [email protected] more inormation on the event.


12/12NCRLA

2011 Aug Newsletter LoRez

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