Hashtag NRA Show

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There’s something special about the #NRAShow [National Restaurant Association Show]. Billed as an “international foodservice marketplace”, the NRA Show is big news to a lot of people, perhaps because nearly one in 10 American workers are employed in the restaurant industry – ‘big’, to say the least. More than 60,000 buyers and suppliers are expected to attend the four day event at McCormick Plachydroponic_image_250pxe beginning this Saturday, May 18th.

There will be loads of educational sessions, guest speakers, (Starbuck’s CEO, Howard Schultz, will be doing the keynote), celebrity chefs, and numerous special exhibits such as a “fully functioning hydroponic garden that will grow local, all-natural, pesticide-free produce – on the show floor”. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants in a water and mineral nutrient solution without soil.

Show Local Supportshowbooth - small

We are equally excited to be an exhibitor at the show again this year. In the meat industry this year’s hottest trends are: gourmet burgers, grass fed beef and local.

The definitions of “local” and “sustainable” are changing rapidly and expanding beyond environmental concerns as the marketplace responds to consumer interest for healthier eating, humane animal treatment and better food quality. ‘Local’ points to these issues and more – food safety, family farmers and sustainable agriculture – to name a few.

BuedelLocalLogoTMOur company is a family owned business and in honor of all local and family owned businesses we are launching a new program in show of support at the NRA Show. (Please feel free to use our local logo to share in the cause!) We’ve also put together a great little cheat sheet on How to Buy Local explaining the basics of what to look for when buying local and sustainable foods. Stop by the Buedel booth at the show for more information, #7864!

Fun Foods

Part of the fun at the NRA Show is of course, the food. The exhibit halls are filled with new products to sample. Here are some of the new items we’ve put on our must see list:

Ditka Hot Beef Polish Sausage – an eight inch long, 1/3 lb. spicy sausage from Vienna Beef tditkasausagehat’s geared to be a “Grabowski” classic.

Upland Cress – just one of several specialty greens from family farmed and  sustainable, Living Water Farms in Strawn, Illinois.

tspwillieTeaspoon Willies Everything Sauce – a gourmet, all natural, organic tomato based sauce to be used as a staple condiment at every meal. (We have to try it, just because of the name!)

Grandpa G’s Jalapeno Butter Mustard – noted as a “relish”, Grandpa G’s has  ProductLarge4981.jpgfresh grated jalapenos mixed in with sugar tangy mustard. 

All Butter Croissant Roll Round – round shaped croissants for sandwiches; great idea!

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From the desk of John Cecala Twitter @ Buedel Fine Meats  Facebook  Buedel Fan Page 

Ribs 101 for Summer Grilling

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The summer grilling season is fast approaching and for those of us who live in four season climates, reuniting with our backyard barbeques is an annual rite of spring. Whether you grill year round or not, no matter how you fire it up, it’s that first grill of the season that rejuvenates our fervor for outdoor cooking.

Pork Rib Diagram v4Soon we’ll start seeing ads for ribs – Baby Back, Spare, St. Louis, Country Style, Tips, Roasts and Chops – a wealth of options to grill and prepare. Here’s a quick 101 primer for

distinguishing between rib varieties and some tips on the best ways to grill ribs this season.

Hog Anatomy

We’re all familiar with the term “Rib Cage”, where there is an arrangement of long bones that surround the chest to protect internal organs. Long rib bones start from the top of animals by the spine and extend downward with a curved shape towards the belly.  These are the ribs butchers break down for consumption.

BabyBackRibsBaby Back Ribs   The most popular of all pork ribs, Baby Backs are the most lean and tender.  These types of ribs are located at the top part of the rib bone that is connected to the spine (backbone), just below the loin muscle.  The name “Baby” is derived from the fact they are shorter than spare ribs, and “Back”, because they are nearest the backbone.

Butchers make Baby Back Ribs by cutting them where the longest bone is, around 6″ from the spine.  The meat on top of the bones is tender and delicious.  Depending on how they are butchered, Baby Back Rib racks weigh about 1.75-2.5 lbs and will normally have between 10-13 bones per rack.  Baby Backs  can be grilled, barbecued, roasted and smoked. They are typical to the northern region of the U.S. and  Canada.

SpareRib 416Spare Ribs  The Spare Rib starts from the end of Baby Back Ribs and extends to the end of the rib bone.  Spare Ribs are bigger with more meat between the bones than the top of the bones and are a little tougher and fatter, but much richer in flavor.  Spare Ribs average 10-13 bones per rack weighing between 2.5 – 3.5 lbs. They can also be grilled, barbecued, roasted and smoked.

St. Louis Ribs  This style of ribs was popularized in the 1930′s – 1960′s by butchers in the St. Louis area who wanted a better rib cut than they were receiving from big meat packers at the time.  St. Louis Ribs, or St. Louis Style Ribs are actually Spare Ribs with the rib tips cut off where a lot of cartilage and gristle exists with very little meat.  ”Pork Ribs, St. Louis Style” officially became an official USDA cut standard NAMP/IMPSStLouisRib416a #416A in the 1980’s. Spare Ribs and St. Louis Style Spare Ribs are found on grills and smokers in the southern states of the U.S.

Rib Tips   Rib Tips are found at the end tips of the rib bone. They are the by-products of St. Louis Ribs where butchers cut the tips off the end of the ribs into strips with a saw. Even with little meat and a lot of cartilage and gristle, Tips are rich in flavor due to the presence of bone and higher fat content.  People generally either love them or hate them.

CountryStyleCountry-Style Ribs   You may be surprised to know that Country-style Ribs are not cut from the rib cage but from the front end of where the Baby Back Ribs are near the shoulder blade.  They are the meatiest variety of ribs and are perfect for those who prefer to use a knife and fork rather than eating with their hands.

Rib Chops & Roasts  Rib bones are also used in other types of butcher cuts.  Rib Chops are produced where the loin meat is kept attached to the bone and portion cut into a chop.  The end of the rib bone can also be exposed to create a “French Cut” Rib Chop.  A Crown Roast is created when instead of cutting the loin into chops, it’s formed into a circle and tied to look like a crown.  Crown style roasts are  seasonal holiday favorites.

Beef, Lamb & Veal Ribs

The anatomy of pork, beef, lamb and veal is pretty much the same.  Beef ribs are typically produced as Beef Back Ribs, Beef Short Ribs and Beef Rib Chops – aka bone-in rib eye steak.  Denver Ribs are like St. Louis pork ribs but cut from lamb.

A set of five or more ribs together is known as a “rack”; veal and lamb ribs are sold as ‘racks’. Lamb and veal racks are typically roasted whole or cut between the rib bones into chops.

Top Grilling Tips

Regardless of the species, ribs are full of flavor and can be prepared in any number of ways.  You can be creative with different rubs, sauces and marinades, to grill, roast, smoke or braise a variety of rib dishes.  Our Corporate Chef, Russ Kramer, shares his top grill tips below:

Tip #1 – Cook to Perfection

There are a few methods to prepare pork ribs for the summer. Your number one goal should be to serve ribs that have a tender bite off the bone but never where the meat falls off the bone. Ribs that fall off the bone will do you in at competition BBQ s!

Tip #2 – Use Rubs

Rib rubs differ from steak rubs because they are generally sweeter; steak rubs are more savory. As a general guideline, use a Paprika base with spices such as, garlic, onion, cinnamon, clove and dry mustard. (For sweet, I use turbinado sugar.) Herbs are best left for steak rubs.

Generously sprinkle your favorite rib rub a good hour before cooking to let the flavors work into the meat. Be creative and experiment with your different combinations of spice and sweet until you find your favorite.

Tip #3 – Cooking Method

Over medium heat, grill the slabs until they are seared and caramelized, then switch to the indirect heat method and slowly finish cooking. This can take about 3 hours to get the nice bite off the bone. Then sauce them at the end.

Extra Tip  Use a spray bottle with some apple juice in it and spray the ribs every 30 minutes to help keep them moist.

Tip #4 – Smoke Ribs (Competition Style)

Stoke the fire using lump charcoal and fruit wood such as apple. The fruit woods work well with pork since their smoke profile tends to be milder than a hickory or mesquite. Pork, being a lighter meat works best with a milder smoke.

Generously sprinkle your favorite rib rub a good hour before cooking to let the flavors work into the meat. You can also rub on some yellow mustard for a tangy flavor.

Maintain the smoker temperature at 250 degrees. Place ribs in the smoker and slow smoke for 4 hours spraying them down every 30 to 40 minutes with the apple juice infused with a bit of apple cider vinegar.

Foil the slabs after 4 hours by wrapping each slab individually in foil. In the foil pouch, add brown sugar and/or honey, some butter and a little apple juice to help steam the ribs a bit while in the smoker for the final time.

Let them cook for an hour and check for doneness. You will see the bones exposed a bit at the bottom of the slab – that’s a good sign. Remember that ‘tender bite off the bone’ is what you are looking for.

Once the ribs have cooked to perfection, pull the slabs from the foil and brush with your favorite sauce. Return to the smoker for about 10 minutes more to glaze the sauce.

Whether you use the traditional grill or the wood smoked method, have a fantastic grilling season!

From the desk of John Cecala  Twitter @BuedelFineMeats  Facebook  Fan Page

Meat Picks | 5.3.13

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May is National Burger Month!

burgerIt seems like every time you turn around it’s a special time – take your dog to work day, social media week and yes, national burger month.

According to the Restaurant News, the hamburger first came to life in Hamburg, Germany sometime in the 1600’s. Back then it was called, “steak tartar”.  Americans can take credit for its development into a patty on a bun in the early 1900’s, in part due to the Industrial Age, where the need for easy to grab foods was favored by an ever growing working population.

In 1921, White Castle opened the first fast food burger store in Kansas. Interestingly enough, they are also responsible for starting the now annual month long burger promotion, 71 years later in 1992 – as a marketing campaign, of course.

More fun facts:

When the Heinz company opened for business in 1869, ketchup was soon married to the hamburger. It wasn’t until the 1940’s when onions, pickles and lettuce joined the wedding party.

The Big Boy chain created the double cheeseburger in 1936.

Other chain birthdates: Steak ‘n Shake, 1934, Jack in the Box, 1951, Burger King, 1954, McDonald’s (under Ray Kroc) 1955, Hardee’s, 1960  and Wendy’s, 1969.

Local Meat Men Lasso East Coast

In a recent Meat Up blog, we sTallGrassBoxhared some thoughts on how working together and embracing market trends can be a “win-win-win” for local, the economy and the consumer.

Buedel recently partnered with Tallgrass Beef to produce and distribute 100% grass-fed beef burgers for supermarket giant, Delhaize America. This is huge news because 1,400 chain stores in the east coast regions will be receiving healthier beef alternatives via Chicago. Earlier this week, Meating Place also carried the story.

Looking for more Gourmet Burger ideas?  Click here

Farmers Market Schedule

fmbannerThe complete schedule for all of Chicago’s Farmers Market locations is available here. This year, there’ll also be several after five dates where the market will stay open till 8 or 9 at night – great news for people who can’t make daytime shopping hours!

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From the desk of John Cecala Twitter @BuedelFineMeats Facebook BuedelFanPage

Cheat Sheet for Meat

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In case you missed it, there was an article in the Business Section of the Trib recently entitled, “Meat Industry Takes Knife to Names” by P.J. Huffstutter. The gist of the piece talks about how the pork and beef industries are working to rename over 350 meat cut monikers, “…to give them more sizzle”.

BostonRoastTo give you a feel for how this will play out, the pork butt, for example – which really comes from the shoulder of the animal not the back side – will now be called a “Boston Roast”.  The idea is that consumers will feel better about purchasing and serving Boston Roast vs. Pork Butt.  When you look at it like that, butt for dinner is not such a glamorous thing.

There are many nicknames already used by meat purveyors, chefs and restaurateurs in the food service industry for the different cuts of meat.  What’s most interesting is consumers are already highly familiar with a lot of them.

What’s in a Name?

Steak cuts such as, Delmonico, New York Strip and Porterhouse came by their names based on the popularity of where they were served.  A porterhouse was the name for a bar and steak house popular in the mid to late 1800′s. Legend has it that when the owner of a particular Manhattan porterhouse started serving rather large T-bone steaks, they became known as the now ubiquitous Porterhouse Steak. 

Contemporary names for meat come from a variety of resources. A recent example of this occurred when research teams at the Universities of Nebraska and Florida were looking for a new value cut from the top blade of the shoulder.The resulting value cut was shaped like an old flat iron and thus given the name Flat Iron Steak. TGI Friday’s first popularized the Flat Iron Steak and it is seen on numerous menus today. The meat industry continually looks for ways to merchandise new cuts of meat. 

Meat Lingo

When I first came into to the meat business, I quickly realized I had to learn a new language – the language of meat. One of the best things I did was attend the North American Meat Association (NAMA) Center of the Plate Training  where I learned the scientific names of each muscle, where on the animal it came from and what its common nickname was.  As I started working with restaurateurs and chefs, I soon learned another whole set of nicknames for the same cuts of meat. It was confusing at times, to say the least.

The language of meat became tacit knowledge being immersed in the business on a daily basis and I soon found myself unconsciously speaking it to my customers and colleagues.  Ironically, due to the volume and duality of meat names, confusion prevailed both internally and externally.  Ultimately, we developed a “Cheat Sheet for Meat” for the language of meat to train employees and help consumers better understand meat cuts and decode meat industry buzzwords.

BeefCutMapBiggerWhile certainly not exhaustive, below are the most common terms used in the language of meat and what they mean. For additional detail check the Meat Buyer’s Guide available in print and online. View a complete Cheat Sheet for Meat here.

 

 

POPULAR BEEF NICKNAMES
NAME DEFINITION
Ball-Tip Steak Boneless steak cut from the bottom sirloin muscle known as the ball tip / Lower cost value cut
Baseball cut butt steak Boneless top sirloin steak cut filet style / Rich and flavorful, looks like a tenderloin filet at a lower cost
Bavette Steak Name commonly used for steaks cut from sirloin flap meat  
Boston Cut Strip Steak Boneless New York Strip steak cut in half across the width  
Butcher’s Steak Another name for hanging tender steak, or hanger steaks
Club Steak Cut from the beef short loin nearest the rib / Triangular L shaped like a T-Bone steak but without the tenderloin
Cowboy Steak Bone-in Rib-eye steak with meat cut off at top end of the bone leaving about 1” exposed bone for presentation
Cube Steak Cut of beef, usually top round or top sirloin, fiercely tenderized by pounding with a meat or electric tenderizer 
Delmonico Steak Boneless Rib-eye steak with no tail fat
Filet (Tenderloin Filet) Commonly used term for a boneless steak cut from the tenderloin muscle
Flank Steak Boneless steak cut from the abdominal muscle which is called the flank
Flat Iron Steak Steak cut from the shoulder top blade muscle located inside the clod or shoulder / Tender value cut
Hanger Steak Steak cut from the hanging tender in the diaphragm of the animal / Commonly called Onglet Steak in French bistros
Kansas City Strip Bone-in Strip steak cut from the short loin
London Broil Variety of thinly sliced beef cuts, usually boneless, for broiling / Suggested cuts: top butt cap, flank, and top round
NY Strip Steak Boneless steak cut from the strip loin muscle
Onglet Steak Another name for a Hanger Steak
Petite Filet Medallion Common name given to a boneless cut from the teres major muscle in the shoulder
Porterhouse Steak Bone-in steak cut from short loin; similar to T-bone / One side is tenderloin at least 1.25″ wide; one side strip loin
Ranch Steak Boneless steak cut from beef shoulder chuck / Technical name: boneless chuck shoulder center cut steak / Value cut
Rib-Eye Steak Cut from the animal’s rib portion / Rib-eye steaks can be boneless or bone-in
Sizzler Steak Name commonly used for boneless ball-tip steaks
Skirt Steak Boneless steak cut from whole skirt muscle / Can be inside or outside skirt
Sirloin Flap Cut from the bottom sirloin just above the flank and right next to the short loin  
T-Bone Steak Bone-in steak cut from short loin similar to a Porterhouse / One side tenderloin at least .5″ wide; one side strip loin
Tomahawk Steak Name for bone-in rib-eye steak with long portion of rib bone attached and exposed for dramatic plate presentation
Top Butt Steak Boneless steak cut from top sirloin muscle, rich and flavorful / Not the actual “butt” of the animal
Tri-Tip Steak Boneless steak cut from tri-tip muscle, part of the bottom sirloin
Vein Steak Hip end of sirloin strip or short loin; shows piece of connective tissue around loin eye / Value cut from end of strip loin
POPULAR TRIM SPECIFICATIONS FOR STEAKS & CHOPS
NAME DEFINITION
Backstrap Elastin type connective tissue found in neck, blade, rib and loin / Usually removed before steaking or roasting strip loin
BRT “Boned, Rolled & Tied” / Bone is removed; meat is rolled and tied (netted) / Usual specification for boneless lamb legs  
Chine Bone Part of the backbone that remains after a carcass is split / Chine bones should be removed from beef roasts to cut through the roast prior to or after cooking
Denuded Meat cuts that have had all surface fat removed
French Cut Bone-in steaks (or chops) with meat trimmed from the bone to expose it / Like the “cowboy steak”
Lollipop Cut Bone-in steak (or lamb/pork chop) with bone trimmed down to eye of the loin / Bone is exposed further than French or Cowboy style making it look like  a “lollipop”
Mouse or Rat Muscle Small muscle part of the whole top sirloin (top butt) / Can be left on or taken off with cutting steaks
Peeled Same as Denuded; meat cuts that have had all surface fat removed
Pinned (Needled) Tenderizing process involving penetration of muscles by steel blades
Silver Skin Thin film of soft connective tissue on beef tenderloin / Can be left on or removed when cutting steaks
Tail Fat Small part of fat attached to cut of steak / Typically 1” or 2” on Strip Steaks and Rib-Eyes
POPULAR WHOLE MUSCLE NICKNAMES
NAME DEFINITION
Ball Tip Boneless sub primal found in Bottom Butt / Can be roasted or cut for “Sizzler” steaks
Bottom Butt (Bottom Sirloin) Boneless sub primal below Top Butt; includes Tri-Tip and Ball Tip cuts 
Bottom Round Bone-in sub primal from beef round or back leg of steer / Also called a “Gooseneck Round”
Chuck Bone-in or boneless containing neck, shoulder blade and upper arm / Tougher cut good for roasting and ground beef
Chuck Roll Boneless cut from the whole beef chuck
Clod Heart Flavorful less tender cut from heart of beef shoulder / Clod roast is an economical cut for roasting or grinding 
Coulotte Triangular shaped muscle beneath the surface of whole top butt muscle / Very rich in flavor, great for roasting or steaks
Export Rib Bone-in whole Rib-eye primal cut / Used for roasting or cutting into bone-in rib-eye steaks
Gooseneck (Round) Bone-in sub primal that comes from beef round or back leg of steer / Also called “Bottom Round”
Inside Round Bone-in sub primal that comes from the beef round or back leg of the steer / Also called “Top Round”
Knuckle Very lean part of the sirloin; also known as “Sirloin Tip” / Commonly used for roasts and ground beef
Lipon Rib-Eye Boneless rib section; sub primal / Used for prime rib and boneless rib-eye steaks
PSMO Peeled beef tenderloin; side muscle on / Common sub primal cut used for roasting or cutting into tenderloin filets
Short Loin Bone-in sub primal from back of the steer / Contains part of the spine and includes the strip loin and tenderloin
Strip Loin 0×1 Boneless sub primal cut without tail fat on one end and 1″ tail fat on the other / Used for roasting or cutting strip steaks
Strip Loin 1×1 Boneless sub primal cut with 1″ tail fat across the loin / Used for roasting or cutting strip steaks
Top Butt (Top Sirloin) Boneless sub primal below tenderloin between short loin and round / Used for roasting or cutting steaks rich with flavor
Top Round Bone-in sub primal from the beef round or back leg of steer / Also called “Inside Round”
Tri-Tip Boneless sub primal found in Bottom Butt / Great for roasting or cutting into Tri-Tip Steaks

When names like Boston Butt start popping up in our local meat cases people will ask “what’s that?”  The store managers will explain, meat companies will keep marketing it, restaurants will soon follow and before you know it, we will all be using these new names. 

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From the desk of John Cecala Twitter @ Buedel Fine Meats  Facebook  Buedel Fan Page 

Embrace Trends for the Win-Win-Win

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What could be more exciting than bringing a new brand of healthy burgers to the grocery checkout line? Nothing (in our humble book of meat feats)!  Breaking ground in new markets is always an exciting thing, especially when it helps bring notoriety to your own city.

Here’s the breaking news:

Local Meat Men Lasso East Coast
Healthy burgers on their way to Mid Atlantic & Southeast by way of Chicago

Local Meat Companies Tallgrass Beef and Buedel Fine Meats have teamed up to design and deliver a healthier burger alternative for supermarket giant Delhaize America. Over 1,000 stores across the Mid Atlantic and Southeast region will receive first shipments this week at Delhaize Food Lion, Hannaford and Sweetbay locations.

Delhaize is a global retailer with a company-wide initiative in place for sustainable business and healthy eating. They decided to partner with Tallgrass Beef to develop a burger made from, “100% grass-fed beef with no additives or imitation ingredients to deliver and educate customers on the best and most healthy options in the marketplace.”

Anytime “better choices” are brought to the marketplace it’s a good thing for consumers, and in this case, better for health, local, sustainability and the humane treatment of animals. “The new product line,” offers Tallgrass President, Bill Kurtis, “also provides Delhaize customers with the ability to show support for animals raised naturally void of added hormones and antibiotics.”

The appetite for healthy, local and sustainable foods is strong and growing. In an article published by the University of Chicago’s Environment, Agriculture & Food blog, the interest in knowing where our food comes from and the humane treatment of animals is becoming increasingly important not only to consumers but to restaurants and chefs as well.

Delhaize says they believe, “Tallgrass Burgers gives a healthy and amazing tasting product that people can feed their families while knowing without a doubt that they are buying the safest, healthiest and most nutritious beef possible!” Partnering with Tallgrass makes perfect sense for Delhaize; it also demonstrates the need for our industry to be proactive in meeting the demand for these types of food options.

The working relationship between Tallgrass, as meat provider and Buedel as purveyor and distributor on this project, exemplifies how our industry can come together in the ways we bring beef to market. When you factor in the opportunity to build Chicago as an emerging go to resource for healthy beef choices, it’s a win-win-win for the city, economy and consumers.

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From the desk of John Cecala Twitter @ Buedel Fine Meats  Facebook  Buedel Fan Page 

Moto’s Chef Richie Farina: Train Others to Take Your Place

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In his spare time – not that any executive chef has much of that – Chef Richie Farina hits the gym daily to “de-stress”, trains in the mixed martial arts on the weekends and tries to golf as much as he can. The Florida native visits his family several times a year, but says Chicago is now his permanent home.

Chef Farina gained national recognition as one of the most creative talents in the restaurant world as a featured contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef and one of four lead characters on the Discovery Network’s Future Food. Currently the Chef de Cuisine for Moto Restaurant, Farina is one of the city’s top modern culinary artists in residence.

If you had to explain to someone who knew nothing of molecular gastronomy, how would you describe it?

I believe the main purpose is taking familiar ingredients and changing the texture and composition. It could be by dehydrating it or switching up the texture of the way something is. All you’re doing is changing the normal state we’re used to seeing it in.

How do you think people perceive this trend?

Sometimes tasting menus are confused as being molecular only. When it first started you’d just do a bite of something, but the technique is so difficult to reproduce, you really need to know upfront if you need 30 servings versus just 1 or 2.

For a while, it was a big trend. The days of just having this kind of food on the menu are kind of over. The restaurants that did it well are still here – us, Alinea, Next… We push the envelope the way we present food, that’s what makes the Chicago food scene different from New York or L.A.

All the fine dining restaurants have some kind of molecular gastronomy on the menu; it’s a very cool tool. Now, it’s more about taking these ideas into regular dishes; there are very few things that are just strictly molecular. I work more on presentation using the molecular style to enhance.

At your sister restaurant, iNG, they use the Miracle Berry to replace sugar. Are you working on anything like that at Moto – maybe coming up with something to replace fat calories or sodium?

Not yet; I couldn’t let go of my salt either, I depend on it.

MBerry is a good tool for diabetics and chemo patients looking to replace sugar. At iNG, they do ‘flavor tripping’; you can have half of your course as savory and then the other half of the same exact food as sweet.

If you could invent something new, what would you want to innovate?

I would focus on the way we cook stuff.  Most people use gas, but I’d want to create a more accessible, user friendly and affordable induction unit for the home to save natural resources.

You’ve described Moto as, “By far the craziest and most fun place I have ever worked.” Why is it so ‘crazy’ and ‘fun’?

It’s ‘crazy’ because I’m always on call. I could get a call from the owner at 8 in the morning to produce something completely new or different by 2 that afternoon. I never know what’s going to happen.

The level of our food takes a lot of attention; sometimes kitchens operating at this level are run in a military style. It’s important to me to keep the mood very light. We play YouTube videos, music – everybody gets to play their song – it’s the little things. Sometimes I show up in costume (I have this whole Nerf thing going) – sometimes we play games in the alley. I manage off my personality – it’s tough enough – I want to try to create a fun atmosphere.

From an operations standpoint, what are the biggest challenges in running a restaurant like Moto?

Being consistent and new; the next step is presentation. We want people to have an experience from the time they walk in the door until they leave. We are always trying to find something different. Nothing on the menu right now is served on a traditional white plate, we treat the plate as an ingredient itself.  Seasonal menus are another challenge. We have 15 courses we change every three months.

What about cost?

Our highest cost is labor – because of the techniques and time it takes to do these things. We need a big staff.

Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

In ten years? I’ll be 40. Hopefully I’ll own a restaurant – your job as a chef, is to train somebody to take your place. I want to settle down, get married, have kids… all that stuff. It’s so easy to get lost in your work. The last thing I want to do is be working 60-80 hours a week, and I haven’t done my job to have someone take over my spot.

If you could open your own restaurant tomorrow, what kind of place would it be?

Tomorrow? It would be what I’m doing now – I love being able to be as creative as I can be. It’s great to hear good things from repeat customers – how they see progress being made under my direction.

We’ve always had great direction, and great cooks – but I think people realize now that the food is [not only] cool but also really, really good. When you sit down you may not recognize what you’re eating, but you know it’s going to be good.

Ultimately, I’d want to have a pizza place, it’s where I started. I enjoy fine dining, but just to have a small place – almost like a hobby – so when I’m sold out, I’m sold out.

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From the desk of John Cecala Twitter@BuedelFineMeats Facebook Buedel Fan Page

Meat Picks | 4.5.13

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Restaurant Social

There was an insightful article earlier this week posted on Sysomos about a Toronto area restaurant that works their digital marketing without an anchor website. Using Tumbler as their primary information resource, the FARMHOUSE Tavern, works the free social/blog platform as a base for their PR and promotional efforts across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

FARMHOUSE says they like these platforms not only because they are all free to use, but also because they feel the value of letting “people directly engage – be it through follows, tweets, likes and shares”, have allowed them to build a successful word of mouth network they couldn’t have achieved without them.

The Yoke’s on You

NRN recently reported the Egg White Delight McMuffin will make its national debut on April 22nd. This version of the iconic fast food breakfast will be made with a whole-grain English muffin, egg whites, Canadian bacon and a slice of white Cheddar for 260 calories. (A regular McMuffin has 300.) Egg white alternatives are also going to be made available for all of McD’s breakfast sandwiches.

Hands On Learning

My business partner Darren Benson and I recently attended a two day short course on Sustainable Agriculture at Colorado State University sponsored by Niman Ranch. We literally found ourselves back in school for an intense dose of actual curriculum taught by leading professors and scientists in the field.

One of many lessons learned: the best sustainable development practices plan ahead for seven future generations. Read on at: Sustainable Agriculture: The Short Course.

Bayless Beer

If you missed the recent news about Rick Bayless’ new deal with Crown Imports, check the full read here. Chicago’s own is set to partner with “the nation’s largest” beer importer (i.e. Corona, Modelo) to develop a new craft beer. Congratulations, Chef B.!

Taste On Its Way Out?

Last month Chicago Magazine published a piece entitled, 5 Reasons We Wouldn’t Be Sad To See Taste of Chicago End. Adding to the fact that the City lost over a million on the festival last year, editors added why they think the Taste just ain’t what it use to be sighting lack of food quality and diversity, among other things. Do you agree?

This year’s fest is scheduled for July 10-14.

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From the desk of John Cecala Twitter @ Buedel Fine Meats  Facebook  Buedel Fan Page

Sustainable Agriculture: The Short Course

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I recently had the opportunity to escape the daily responsibilities of adult life and go back to college for a couple of days. My business partner Darren Benson and I attended a two day short course on Sustainable Agriculture at Colorado State University sponsored by Niman Ranch.

Sustainability is a buzzword in everything from company mission statements to t-shirts these days. When we first learned about the opportunity, we thought the trip would be a fun escape from our daily grind where we could learn more about a social topic that seems to be of growing importance in the meat business.

We expected the typical business event: show up, listen to presentations, gain a few pearls of wisdom, network over dinner and have some fun. Quite the opposite was true. For industry leader Niman Ranch, educating others on topic and how it directly relates to our businesses meant presenting an intensive two day Masters level program covering sustainability from the eco-system to animal production systems. We unequivocally felt like we were back in school!

Staffing UpColorado State

Topics were approached from an academic perspective, in collaboration with Kraig Peel, PhD., Professor Animal Sciences Department at CSU and director for the Western Center for Integrated Resource Management. Dr. Peel engaged experts from the CSU staff to develop the curriculum which included a combination of classroom lectures and hands-on lab experiences. Dr. Robert G. Woodmansee, Professor at the Department of Rangeland Ecosystem Science, Senior Scientist – Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Dr. Joe Brummer, a soil and crop sciences specialist and  Dr. Jay Parsons, an agricultural production economist and risk management specialist were all part of the teaching team.

We were also given homework in preparation for the event. Resilience Thinking: Sustaining Ecosystems and People in a Changing World by Brian Walker and David Salt and numerous other pre-course white papers were assigned for reading.

Day One

The first day we learned about the scientific basis of sustainability which in essence revolves around interacting ecosystems made up of people and communities; land and water and plants and animals.

A group of parts that operate together for a common purpose or function is an ecosystem.  For example, a football team has many players each with a specific role that all must work together to win the game.

In agriculture, a farm is an ecosystem that provides a living to the farmer and her family.  In order for the farm to persist, the farmer must preserve the capability of the land he/she depends on to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.  Ecosystems are all around us, from microbiology to the Earth itself.

We learned that many of the problems we have today with greenhouse gasses, global warming, extreme flooding and vaster wildfires are largely due to a lack of sustainable resilience thinking in historical ecosystems. We also learned these types of problems are all solvable. Desired sustainable ecosystems can be created through coordinated efforts between science, management and policies. In other words, getting people with diverse self-interests to talk to each other is key.

Governmental policies are often made to solve an immediate problem for society by politicians solely interested in re-election by that society. When these policies are made without regard for the larger societal landscape, undesired future problems can occur.

An example of this can be made on the water management policies in the Florida Everglades. While their policies were put in place with good intentions to solve one problem, they unexpectedly created a new problem of cattails taking over the natural flora, which ultimately harmed the wildlife and food chain several years later. Other examples include the Farm Bill and government subsidies designed to help one group of society yet negatively impacting other parts.

It will be interesting to see how the governmental polices related to Fracking will play out with regard to our needs for oil versus food. Hopefully, there will be earnest coordination between the political, governmental and social communities to develop sustainable and resilient policies with regard to fracking.

The best sustainable development practices plan ahead for seven future generations.

Day Two

The second day we went to the CSU Agricultural Research, Development and Education Center (ARDEC) to study animal production systems in the U.S. and how Risk Management strategies in agriculture are employed.

The facility provides a wealth of opportunity to conduct investigations on agricultural problems using a coordinated and integrated approach of multi-disciplinary expertise. Such problems may include the entire system of agriculture from inputs (land, water, genetic materials) through production, to value added processing.

CSU's ARDEC

On site at ARDEC

ARDEC provides faculty, staff, students, agricultural producers, processors, agribusiness representatives, natural resource managers, governmental agencies and others with the opportunity to participate in work conducted on-site with live systems. We toured live animal operations and learned about the ways family ranchers can employ the sustainable thinking concepts on their own family farms.

Our program concluded with the Risk Navigator simulator – it was like a flight simulator for farming. We broke up into groups, and each group had to run a simulated farm for five years. We made simulated production decisions and then saw the impacts of our decisions extremely quickly on the ecosystem, animals and ultimately, the bottom line.  We had to raise cattle, grow hay, corn and other crops, practice crop rotation to preserve the soil, and cow/calf operations to preserve the herd. The simulator also threw us unexpected curve balls like drought, too much rain and disease throughout our simulation period.

It was just like being in a flight simulator. Some of us crashed and burned our farms, making fast money in the beginning but ultimately losing money or going bust in the long run by consuming the natural resources to fast. Others did exceptionally well by taking advantage of sustainable concepts and risk management strategies.

I’m proud to say that my group’s simulated farm survived and made a small profit, but I think it was mostly by accident. I personally gained a new appreciation for farmers’ life work, and just how hard they have to work make a living and preserve the farm for future generations.

Final Exam

Going back to college made me realize several things. First, how much I miss it! (How great would it be to have the priorities of a twenty year old again – just going to class and parties?) I also realized how much we take our natural resources for granted in today’s world of immediate gratification, quarterly earnings and politics.

I wish everyone could have the opportunity to fully understand the scope of sustainability and see it for more than just a buzzword.

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From the desk of John Cecala Twitter @ Buedel Fine Meats  Facebook  Buedel Fan Page

Meat Picks | 3.28.13

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Easter Feast

The “sacrificial” lamb dinner is traditional to Jewish Passover and Christian Easter. Ham also became popular in North America when pigs were slaughtered in the fall when there was no refrigeration. Leftover pork was cured (a long process at the time) throughout the winter months until it was ready in Spring – just in time for Easter dinner.

There are many fine varieties of Lamb you can choose to make this Easter from domestic American Lamb, to New Zealand and Australian imports. Buedel Managing Partner & Corporate Chef, Russ Kramer, suggests cooking Lamb Racks, Leg of Lamb or Lamb Shoulder and Shanks.

“French cut lamb racks make a beautiful plate presentation and are easy to roast,” Chef Russ recommends. “If you opt for Leg of Lamb, you can select a boneless lamb leg B-R-T, which stands for boned, rolled and tied, or, a French Carving Leg of Lamb, where the leg is boneless except for a small partial part of the bone that is exposed. Boneless Lamb Shoulder or Bone-In Lamb shanks, slowly braised, also make for a tender and delicious meal.”

Chef Russ’ favorite Easter recipe calls for a roasted Leg of Lamb studded with either, a fresh garlic and parsley, or shallot and herb smear. “Simply chop up shallots and herbs, blend with white wine and ‘smear’ it on the lamb before cooking. For something truly unique, try smoking the lamb instead of roasting it.”

Egg-cetera

Bon Appétit says the “grown-up solution” to dyed eggs is deviled eggs, but did you know that decorating eggs dates back all the way to the 1300’s? Or, that the largest Easter egg ever made was 25 feet high and weighed 8,000 pounds? It was built out of chocolate and marshmallow and supported by an internal steel frame. Find more fun facts at History.com.

Happy Easter!

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From the desk of John Cecala Twitter @ Buedel Fine Meats  Facebook  Buedel Fan Page

Helping Change the Way We Eat at the Good Food Festival & Conference

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I was honored to participate at the Good Food Festival & Conference (GFFC) in Chicago late last week. The annual event is organized by Family Farmed.org under the leadership of Jim Slama, the organization’s president and local food movement passionate.

The Family Farmed mission is to expand the production, marketing and distribution of locally grown and responsibly produced food to enhance the social, economic and environmental health of our communities. Having healthy good food produced as close to home as possible by family farmers and producers that use sustainable, humane and fair practices is a core objective.

The GFFC provides a platform to link local farmers and family-owned producers of food and farm products with the public, trade buyers and industry leaders to foster relationships and facilitate growth of local food systems. Unlike traditional food shows, Good Food is geared to connect the often disparate functions of food finance, policy, education and farming.

Good Food Finance

Day One of the GFFC is dedicated to the business side of food production at the Financing Conference. National and regional leaders in farming, food production and finance provide education and help create channels for small farms and local businesses to access capital for financing growth.

One of the educational presentations given this year was by Erin Guyer of Whole Foods Market. Guyer talked about the company’s $8 million social investment program providing low interest loans to small-scale and start-up food producers for expansion. Local businesses also learned about financing options such as Crowd Funding, the Chicago Community Loan Fund and First Farm Credit Services. Many attendees would not normally have the opportunity to learn about such things if not for the conference.

The second part of Day One is spent at the Good Food Financing Fair. Designed in a walk-around format, the fair provides a dynamic environment where farms and food businesses can meet one-on-one with investors, economic development specialists and other experts to develop relationships. Companies may also set up tables to showcase their products for investors to learn more. Contacts are made, and knowledge is shared in one convenient setting.

Good Food Symposium & Policy Summit

Day Two brings together national and local business leaders to share their experiences in taking the Good Food Movement to a higher level.

Major announcements were made last week by foodservice directors from the Chicago Public Schools, McCormick Place and Midway Airport on new commitments to purchase local food and anti-biotic free meat and poultry.

Recognition was also made for Good Food Business Leadership to Bob Scaman from Goodness Greeness for supporting local farmers and organic food. Farmer of the Year awards were given to farmers, Alex Needham and Alison Parker of Radical Rood Farm, and farm mentors, Matt and Peg Sheaffer of Sandhill Family Farms.

The quest to improve access for Chicago residents to culturally appropriate nutritionally sound and affordable food grown through environmentally sustainable ways is led by the Chicago Food Policy Advisory Council.

Food policy focus was made on building urban farms and community food systems to use local food as an economic tool. Keynote speakers discussed methods to engage the community to improve healthy neighborhood food options. Ideally, if a local community can connect to the local Good Food Movement in an organized manner everyone benefits from the symbiotic relationship. The Policy Summit facilitates these connections and provides the tools to leverage them.

Good Food Trade Show

More than 300 local farmers, distributors and artisanal food producers exhibited at the Trade Show on the last two days of the festival. Sponsor support from Organic Valley, Green Chicago Restaurant Coalition  and others, helped promote the Good Food Community and provide a platform for food producers to present their products to trade buyers and other stakeholders.

Buedel Fine Meats partnered with sponsor/exhibitor Red Meat Market, an online/offline social marketplace where meat buyers easily source and order local sustainable meat in one place from multiple local providers. Red Meat showcases all natural, organic and grass-fed beef, pork and lamb products raised in SW Wisconsin and Northern Illinois from over 100 family farms.

We featured live butcher and cooking demos in our booth geared to show people how they can easily butcher and cook local meats for tasty and economical meals at home. Our line-up was extensive: Ben Harrison of Whole Foods Market showed how to breakdown a leg of lamb provided by local Slagel Family Farm, Chef Ryan Hutmacher of the Centered Chef  showed how to make delicious lamb kabob gyros on whole wheat pita, Buedel’s own “Pete the Butcher” (Peter Heflin) demonstrated how to breakdown grass fed beef tenderloin and roll & tie a grass fed beef rib roast provided by Red Meat Market, Chef Alex Lee showed how to cook a simple pan fry with a unique salsa verde and Joe Parajecki, head butcher at  Standard Market and award winning sausage maker, prepared a special St. Patrick’s Day sausage recipe.  (To say that we had a fun, and eventful food experience at our booth would be an understatement.)

Good Food Events & Workshops

The last day of the GFFC is traditionally filled with a plethora of knowledge workshops and events geared to public awareness. This year attendees could choose from adventures such as the, Urban & Vertical Farm Tours, Home Cheese Making and the Kimchi Challenge which pitted Chicago Chefs against one other in the art of fermentation. (Elizabeth David of Green Zebra is now the new champion.) Other local Chefs, such as, Rick Bayless (Xoxo, Frontera Grill, Topolobampo), Carrie Nahabedian (Naha) and Paul Virant (Perennial Virant, Vie) conducted cooking demonstrations pairing local farmers’ products with their own uniquely creative culinary skills.

The Good Food Festival & Conference started in 2004. Each year it grows larger as more of us take the time to understand where our food comes from and interest in supporting local communities.

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From the desk of John Cecala  Twitter @ Buedel Fine Meats Facebook  Buedel Fan Page

Meat Picks | 3.14.13

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All Things Irish

According to the History Channel, Irish families celebrated St. Patrick’s Day by going to church in the morning and partying in the afternoon (Lenten restrictions were ignored for the day). People danced, drank and feasted on “the traditional” meal of Irish bacon and cabbage. In modern Ireland, the St. Patrick’s Festival in Dublin is a multi-day celebration featuring parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions and fireworks shows.

Anyone acquainted with Ireland knows that the morning of St. Patrick’s Day consists of the night of the seventeenth of March flavored strongly with the morning of the eighteenth.  ~Author Unknown

If you’re looking for some culinary inspiration, Bonappetit put a great spread out in honor of St. Patrick’s Day – lots of menu ideas and recipes for a Modern St. Patty’s Day, having an Irish Cooking Party, and even a recipe for stout floats with chocolate syrup.

May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, and may trouble avoid you wherever you go.
~Irish Blessing

The Chicago River will turn green again at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning. Due to construction, it is recommended the best sight lines will be from the East side of the bridge at Columbus Drive or upper and lower Wacker Drive between Columbus and Lake Shore Drive. The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will kick off at noon on Columbus and Balboa.

An Irishman is never drunk as long as he can hold one blade of grass to keep from falling off the earth.  ~Irish Saying

Irish pubs were included in Chicago Zagat’s most “down-to-earth-bars” showcase earlier this week. O’Malley’s Liquor Kitchen in Wrigleyville, D4 Irish Pub & Café on Ohio, Kasey’s Tavern on Dearborn and Declan’s Irish Pub in Old Town all made the list.

For more libation, eats and event ideas try these links: Suburban Pub Events, Metromix picks this weekend and TOC’s St. Patty Day guide, music line ups and other ideas.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

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From the desk of John Cecala Twitter @ Buedel Fine Meats  Facebook  Buedel Fan Page

Meat Picks | 3.8.13

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Beat Bust

One of the most trying things about a content driven society is keeping clarity. Such is the case in a recent Bloomberg post entitled, “Cattle Disappearing Amid Drought Signals”.

There’s no denying the fact the cattle industry has been challenged by drought and low cattle supply for over two years now, yet use per capita consumption of beef has declined keeping prices in check.

The sky isn’t falling yet. Consider several other facts: 1) commodity beef is being produced today with less cattle and 2) there are other protein choices in the marketplace.

Domestic and export consumer demand will ultimately dictate the impact the drought has on the price of beef.

Meat is Good Food

Red Meat Market is one of the local sponsors at this year’s Good Food Festival scheduled at the UIC Forum beginning March 14th. The annual festival, which takes the concept of “localicious” to a whole new level, is dedicated to promoting good food to schools, industry and families.

Buedel’s own Master Butcher, Peter Heflin, will be on hand at Red Meat’s booth on Friday, March 15th at 2 p.m. and then on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. to teach festival goers how to cut, trim and tie tenderloins and roasts. Purchase admission and event tickets here.

Social Savvy Sale

When Tuesday’s snow storm struck the city, Carnivale quickly crafted a deal for the “blizzard special”. Using their social media newsfeeds, the restaurant offered to pay the cab fare [restrictions applied] for patrons willing to brave the storm to come in for dinner that night.

Most commonly used for live events (think, Oscars, Idol, etc.) and to navigate customer service requests/complaints, real time social media marketing is a hot topic. Current schools of thought suggest adding it to your social tool box as one strategy among many.

Chicago Chef Week 

Chicago Chef Week, not to be confused with Restaurant Week which ran last month, will begin on Sunday March, 17th and run through the 22nd. (According to the Chicagoist, there are some establishments who only participate in Chef Week.)

Three and four course lunch and dinner deals are being offered at over 70 restaurants in the city. You can find the complete list of restaurants online and make reservations at Open Table.

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From the desk of John Cecala Twitter @ Buedel Fine Meats  Facebook  Buedel Fan Page

Beta Agonists: The Dummying Down of Commodity Beef?

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Our nation’s cattle supply is at a 60 year low, yet we are producing more edible beef today than sixty years ago. U.S. cattle numbers in 1980 were 111 million head producing 21 billion pounds of beef. In 2011, U.S. cattle numbers were 92 million head producing over 26 billion pounds of beef.

How do you get 19% more beef with 18% less cattle?  

Advances in genetics for breeding animals with higher carcass weights can be attributed in part to this issue. However, most of the responsibility of the more beef from less cattle debate points toward the use of growth promoters, such as growth hormones or steroids used on cattle.

While consumer demand for “all natural” animal proteins (without added hormones or antibiotics) has dramatically increased over the last five years, over 30 FDA approved growth-promoting products are currently being used in livestock production. Of these, there is increasing use of a class of growth promoting agents called “beta agonists” that are neither growth hormones nor antibiotics.

Beta Agonists in Cattle Production

Originally developed for the treatment of asthma in humans (think about that a moment), beta agonists were first approved by the FDA for use in cattle ten years ago. They are a growth promoter which mimics the effect of naturally occurring hormones at the cellular level but do not affect the hormone status of the animal.

Beta agonists act as a repartitioning agent in livestock changing the metabolism of the animal by converting feed energy into muscle versus fat. Animals pack on the pounds in result – as much as 25-30% more lean mass than fat. The two most common beta agonists used on beef cattle are:

Optaflexx™ (ractopamine hyperchloride) and Zilmax™ (zilpaterol hydrochloride).

Cattle nearing maturity naturally begin to deposit additional fat and less muscle during the final days of the feeding period.

Cattle who are fed Zilmax™ or Optaflexx™ during the last 20-40 days of their finishing period, demonstrate a feed-to-gain ratio increase of 10-25%; their muscle gain increases while their fat deposition reduces at the same time.

In other words, these animals swell up fast with muscle versus fat. Their weight goes up, but the quality of the meat arguably goes down.

Good Beef Economics vs. Lower Beef Quality

Feedlot operators who use beta agonists in feed are able to produce more meat without more feed in less time. On average, 30+ extra pounds of meat per animal which translates to as much as $30 more per head when sold to beef packers. Higher production output in less time and at less expense drives the economy of scale.

Today’s major beef packers, Tyson, JBS, Cargill and National Beef, all accept cattle that are fed beta agonists. These companies supply about 85% of the commodity beef in the marketplace. They determine how much to pay for cattle based on factors such as cattle weight and fattiness. The more lean muscle versus fat, the more they will pay for an animal because that is where they can make the most money.

While beta agonists may be good for the economics of beef, many believe they are bad for the quality and flavor of beef. The most notable affects to quality being, marbling and loin size.

Marbling Cattle fed beta agonists generally produce more lean muscle but with less marbling, taste and juiciness. When there is more intramuscular marbling, the USDA grade is higher; the higher the USDA grade, the better the flavor, tenderness and eating experience.

Common use of beta agonists may result in the marginalization of beef into higher percentages of lower choice and select grades. This in turn, may drive up prices for desirable higher choice and prime grades that are preferred by fine restaurants and steak lovers.

Loin Size Most chefs and restaurateurs want to serve a nice thick juicy steak while at the same time using portion control to manage food costs. Bigger cattle have bigger muscles; bigger muscles give you thinner steaks with portion control cuts.

The average weights of middle meats, such as rib eyes, strip loins and short loins, have been increasing over the years. (You can get a thicker 16 oz. steak from lighter loin than from heavier loin.) When cattle are heavier, it becomes harder to find lighter sized loins in the commodity beef market. In this scenario consumers will pay more for smaller sized loins because they will be in less supply.

Are Beta Agonists Here to Stay?

The FDA approved the use of beta agonists in swine back in 1999, for cattle in 2003 and for turkeys in 2008. Unlike swine or poultry whose litters have short maturation periods, cows are only able to have one calf at a time over a nine month gestation time frame. It takes another two years then for that calf to reach maturity. Consequently, it takes a long time to build a herd of cattle.  The use of beta agonists accelerates beef production somewhat compensating for the natural slow growth time.

To date, there are over 160 countries including Russia, China and the European Union, which have banned ractopamine the active ingredient in Optaflexx™. There are 20+ other countries, such as Japan, South Korea and the United States, which continue the approved use of beta agonists.

Whether beta agonists are a better way to feed the masses or simply a vehicle for making more money with blander beef remains debatable. Consumer demand will ultimately decide the fate of the use of beta agonists in livestock. If demand for commodity beef remains constant or increases, the use of beta agonists are likely here to stay.

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From the desk of John Cecala  Twitter @Buedel Fine Meats  Facebook  Buedel Fan Page

Meat Picks | 2.26.13

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Best Biz Eats

Crain’s 7th business dining survey just came out. Newcomers, Tesoris, Piccolo Sogno Due, Bavette’s, Tortoise Club, Acadia, Tavernita and Maison Brassierie all received the green light for  great business feed and meets. Seventeen established restaurants also received the stamp of approval under “tried and true favorites” from the Pump Room to Shaw’s Crab House. (See the entire list here.) Most of the call outs were made with lunch in mind, but several restaurants were also noted for breakfast meetings; Chicago Cut Steakhouse on LaSalle and Pierrot Gourmet in the Penninsula.

 

Social Rankings

The top 250 restaurant rankings from the fourth quarter of last year have posted and according to the Restaurant Social Media Index (RSMI), more than one third of consumers in the U.S. now connect to restaurants on social media. (Complete roll call here.)

Big news comes in the Top 10 where long time #1 Starbucks was dethroned to the second slot by McDonalds. All but two of the top ten were fast serve chains: Buffalo Wild Wings and Hard Rock Café.

 

This ‘n That

Did you hear that tickets for Baconfest sold out in 41 minutes when they went on sale last week for the April 20th event? Baconeers devour more than 4,000 pounds of bacon each year at the event. Talk about sizzle!

Nostalgic L. Woods Tap and PineLodge in Lincolnwood recently introduced online ordering available for pick-up and delivery. 2013 marks L. Woods’ 15th year in business; congratulations!

BTW… Did you know Lincolnwood was originally called Tessville  when it incorporated in 1911? The village was first known as a “saloon infested farm town” until the name was changed in 1936.

In case you missed it, here’s the BK Twitter hack from last week. The hacked headline was up but one hour before it was taken down.

Upside? BK got new followers from the snafu which just proves the old adage – any press is good press.

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From the desk of John Cecala Twitter @ Buedel Fine Meats  Facebook  Buedel Fan Page

Martin Mongiello Part II: Former Executive Chef to the President & Master Strategist

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Part II of II  Extreme Cost Savings & Profitable Business Strategies

Few hospitality professionals can attribute part of their expertise to having “managed earth’s most exclusive resort… Camp David.” Nor can they claim product creation credits with Fortune 25 brands, globally published business plans or achieve 35% client growth levels during an economic downturn. Chef Martin Mongiello can.

In the last post of our two part interview, Chef Mongiello shares his insights on shaving operating costs and thinking outside the box.

You’ve done a variety of consulting work with major brands. What is working with enterprise accounts like?

Brands may come to us when they want to get into a certain country. ‘How do we get to know the chefs there? Get into certain stores?’ If you’re only selling in the U.S. market you’re not making a ton of money. When you get into 70-80 countries…

Large companies want you to get in and out asap. It’s just the opposite of what Mr. Wonderful on Shark Tank says, “everyone wants a royalty” – they don’t want that. We create, and we’re gone. Boca saw me shredding their burgers for chili on TV, and I helped developed crumbles.

What measures do you take to save money for your restaurant these days?

We’re ‘famous’ for cost savings. Lots of people are saving grease for sale. We have huge vats and make a deal with a local company that’ll pick it up. In North Carolina, it’s a criminal offense to steal more than $400 of grease. That’s how important it’s become.

Our food costs are at 12.87%, and we’re upset about that because last year they were 11%.

Wow – good is like 28%!

We don’t throw anything out except meat fat into the trash. We also have a massive 40 foot composting operation. You’d be surprised at what chickens eat – they’re like goats. We started our own pineapple farm too, they’re very easy to grow.

What else do you grow yourself?Inn of the Patriots

One of the simplest things to grow is celery. Cut a celery butt off, place it in a ramekin with a little bit of water and set it by a window. Add a little bit of water in the middle when needed and in about seven days you’ll have stalks. The same principle works with garlic and onions too. We can say the garlic we’re using today is, ‘Generation 49’.

What about city locations? What do you suggest managers do when they don’t have the space for 40 foot composts?

We motivate change. For example, let’s say we challenge a chef to lower food costs from 36 to 30 percent, which translates to $ 800,000 in savings. To do this, they must maintain quality and comment cards at 90%. If they achieve the goal, they get a 90k bonus. When you can save an owner hundreds of thousands of dollars, they aren’t going to be concerned about paying out that kind of incentive. You do this with one chef – it is their mark. It’s a descending scale from there.

Dining Table

Inn of the Patriots Dining Table

Sometimes you also just need someone who can be the bad guy. We [outside consultants] can be the person you can blame who has to say the things that need to be said but can’t be by someone internally.

What are some of the top mistakes being made by resorts and hotels?

We sit on a lot of incubation boards; the marketing managers haven’t figured out how to make money. We are in what I call the ‘coupon economy’ – I’ve seen people drive up in Aston Martins to the Ritz Carlton with coupons for staying there. It’s almost a status symbol now.

They haven’t figured out how to monetize Groupon, etc. There’s no way to make money on these types of dinner deals – $50 dinners for $25. Then there’s a 50/50 split on that cost, so the restaurant makes $12.50 on the sale.

You can’t make a profit on a $50 meal at $12.50 – you have to put limits on the coupon. For example alcohol not included, or no seafood, or dessert, etc. Add ‘reservation required’ and limit it to 20 coupons per night, one coupon per table, etc. Now you can control how many deals you have coming in on any given night.

You also need to talk to the ‘retail manager’ at the promotion source. You need to know how many people your offer will be going out to – is it 35,000 or 356,000? Is your offer about making money or getting people in there? What if your split is only $10 a meal; what else is going on? Is there a gift shop, special attractions or events you want to sell?

What else can restaurants do to trim the fat? 

Look at portion control. If you have an 8 oz. Porterhouse on the menu is half of them 7 oz. and the other half 9 oz.? Why not order pre-cut, so it’s always the same? Use your tools instead – like ChefTec – what do you want your food costs to be?

You should be able to ask the chef what an item cost yesterday, today and tomorrow. If you can’t tell me every day what your item on the menu costs, you have money going out the door.

Over 85% of restaurant chef/owners don’t have the time to track receipts – half the time they’re in a plastic bag. Hire someone to type all this info into your system – don’t make chefs do the inventory – their time is better utilized; have an $ 8/hr worker do it.

Stop using menus that aren’t flexible to change, as plastic coated or heavy velour backed types. You have to be able change those menus even if it’s every seven days.

It’s about embracing the 21st century kitchen; you have to use machinery and ingenuity to your advantage. If you read the commodities futures every day, maybe you’ll find you should/could hold back on certain items a while. For example, how about a hand cut beautiful pitcher of apple juice on a breakfast table? We found that 1 out of 3 people chose the apple juice and our orange juice usage dropped 38% when costs were really high.

You have to have the data available to predict what’s coming in.

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From the desk of John Cecala Twitter @ Buedel Fine Meats  Facebook  Buedel Fan Page

Martin Mongiello: Former Executive Chef to the President & Master Strategist

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Part I of II: The White House Experience

Martin Mongiello is a former White House Executive Chef, Camp David Resort Manager, Certified Executive Chef, Master Certified Food Executive and Hospitality Industry Expert. A Zagat 27 Rated Inn Owner at his Inn of the Patriots, Mongiello has been featured in numerous local and national broadcast segments and is a highly acclaimed leader in sales, marketing and business strategies. His firm, Mongiello Associates has worked with high profile enterprise accounts such a P&G, Heinz, Metamucil and Wyndham in branding, product creation, planning and more.

The only thing that tops reading about Chef Mongiello is speaking to him – he is as engaging in conversation as his über successful profile. Part one of our two part interview with Chef M. is dedicated to his White House experience.

What was it like to be an Executive Chef to the President?

Very intense – they investigate your entire family and friends for a year beforehand. It’s an elevated position; top secret clearance – safety regarding ingestion and things like that. ‘Who’s the 28 year old that did the shopping for groceries for the meal?’ I was stunned for about half a month; then you get used to the artillery all around you while trying to fit in with everyone.

At Camp David, we’d shop at different stores, never to the same place twice. There are certified providers and sometimes unique ingredients. President Clinton’s pickled watermelon rind threw me for a loop.

‘Pickled watermelon rind’? What is that?

You eat it as a delicacy, usually on the olive tray. I tried it and actually liked it; it’s like pickled corn or okra.

What were some of the challenges you faced from a professional perspective?

Chefs were brought in to work with doctors. You had to learn how to cook all over again, and anyone who didn’t want to do that was asked to leave. For me, it was exciting. I learned how to cook low fat spa cuisine with Dr. Dean Ornish. He worked with me on cooking for preventive medicine. I also got to work with Dr. Connie Mariano. I enjoyed being reprogrammed; some of the chefs did not and left.

Did you have to cook for large events during this time too?

State dinners were challenging. Much of what was involved is still considered ‘classified information’ but the non-threatening info had to do with putting it all together. There were usually 40-50 waiters, a dozen chefs and sometimes military chefs.

The night of the dinner was the big crunch – we’d barely finish 10 minutes before the food was served to avoid “rubber chicken” pitfalls. All the chefs would literally form an assembly line over sheets and sheets of food. One chef would work a pastry bag, the next would sprinkle fresh herbs onto that, and so on, following each other down along the line, so the food was absolutely fresh when it went out.

The “Grip & Grin Circuit” was a challenge in creativity. How do you make a dinner stand out when those in attendance go to so many of these types of events? These were people who’d receive 12…13 invitations to dinners like this every week. Where do you find inspiration to keep that fresh?

Where do you?

This is why chefs watch each other a lot. We also keep an eye on every evolving product, read a number of magazines – it’s a mishmosh blend. Sometimes inspirations come from grocery store items, the gourmet market, specialty markets, institutional products, club stores, you may see specific sized things there – you have to always monitor things.

Next Part II of II: Extreme Cost Savings & Profitable Business Strategies.

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From the desk of John Cecala Twitter @ Buedel Fine Meats  Facebook  Buedel Fan Page

Meat Picks | 2.6.13

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Creekstone Farms Comes to Chicago

Executive Chefs and Restaurateurs familiar with Creekstone Farms know it stands for superlative quality. Stringent USDA certification, proprietary genetics and humane treatment, are just some of the reasons why Premium Black Angus Beef from Creekstone Farms is a top shelf pick.

Until recently, Creekstone was not available in the Chicago market. The premiere brand is now set to launch here with the help of Buedel Fine Meats.

Nathan Stambaugh, National Director of Foodservice Sales at Creekstone Farms, says the company chose to work with BFM because, “Buedel is steeped in tradition and has built their business the old fashioned way through honesty, integrity and customer service. These qualities were exactly what we were looking for in a Chicago area foodservice distributor.”

We are very – make that super excited to be selected as Creekstone Farm’s partner in the Chicago market. Welcome, to Chi-town!

Want more info? Direct requests here.

 

3 Tweaks for Restaurant Week

Chicago’s Restaurant Week is in full swing now through the 10th. Here are several quick tweaks you can add to the experience: 1). Vegetarian menus are being offered at several restaurants in the City. 2) Nominations for Chicago Eater’s Hottest Chef 2013 are now being taken by email through February 11th. 3) There are about 30 suburban restaurant locations participating in the celebration this year.

 

Baggin’ it on the Fly

We found a great little article on cheap marketing ideas for doggie bags. Adding personalized notes, stickers, etc. to plain bags and containers can provide that little something extra to the guest experience. Hand written notes work especially well.

 

Congrats to the Grads

Congrats to all the grads of Red Meat Market’s first Whole Hog Butcher Breakdown & Cooking Class, which took place at the Centered Chef on January 26th. Buedel’s own Master Butchers taught the class how to break down a fresh hog carcass. Buedel Managing Partner, Tim Vlcek (kneeling left) & Jack Ranaldo (right).

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From the desk of John Cecala Twitter @ Buedel Fine Meats  Facebook  Buedel Fan Page

Eddie Merlot’s Top Chef, Tony Dee

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Known for their fresh take on steakhouse ambiance, upscale menu, wine selection and five star service, Eddie Merlot’s has taken the Midwest by storm with locations in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and most recently, Illinois, in Burr Ridge, Warrenville and Lincolnshire. 

2013 promises to be another stellar year for the mini chain with new openings scheduled in Bloomfield, Michigan, Pittsburgh and Denver. At the core of it all, is the company’s Executive Chef, Tony Dee.

This is a lifestyle, not a job

Executive Chef, Tony Dee says food was a big thing in his family, so much so, in fact, that he and his grandparents would, “plan vacations around where they wanted to eat” when he was a kid. When he “had to get a job” to support his high school sports activities, he went to work as a dishwasher at the local sports bar & grill. Dee’s first culinary caper occurred one Friday night when the owner of the restaurant asked him to fill in at the last minute for the cook who took ill suddenly.

Did he know what he was doing?

“That’s what the owner asked me,” smiled Dee. “I hadn’t been officially trained, but I’d cooked for my buddies and watched the cooks at the bar long enough to know what I was supposed to do. We managed to save the shift that night and from that moment on I began ‘filling in’ more and more. Three months later, I took a job as a cook at the local country club.”

Executive Chef, Tony Dee

When Tony graduated high school several years later, he was hooked, turning down football scholarships and opting instead for culinary school. He chose Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte. One of the first culinary schools to offer business management curriculum for the restaurant/hospitality industry, Dee saw the JWU program as a career growth must have. He continued to work as a cook throughout his college years and returned home after graduation as a highly experienced emerging chef.

Zigzagging north to south and north again, Tony worked for name restaurant groups, such as Cameron and Barton G, “This is a lifestyle, not a job,” declared Dee, “lots of travel and sacrifice.” He further honed his management skills when he accepted an offer to work for a private hospitality firm in the British Virgin Islands in the role of Food & Beverage Director managing four restaurants. “I’m glad I did that because it gave me a renewed appreciation for the U.S.”, says Dee referring to the rampant lack of food safety and sanitation there.

Crediting much of his career growth to being, “fortunate to have met many great people”, Dee shared it was another chance event which led him to his current position.  “I was at a charity event and went to the bar to get a drink. It was right after I had come back to the U.S., and I didn’t know most of the people that were there. I struck up a conversation with a guy at the bar; we immediately hit it off and spent a good time chatting. At one point, I told him I’d just moved back and was looking for my next opportunity. He said to me, ‘ I know, your resume is on my desk’ – it was Bruce Kraus, Director of Operations for Eddie Merlot’s. Shortly after, I was offered the Executive Chef position in Indianapolis. Last fall I moved to the Chicago area as the Executive Chef responsible for all locations.”

Taking Care of Business

Tony Dee Interview

Tony with Buedel Managing Partner, John Cecala. Interview pictures by Jorge Took Your Picture.com.

How do Executive Chefs spend their time? Managing an ever-growing multi state operation of any kind takes organization and discipline – both inherent to Dee. He says he, “tries to do breakfast – coffee, juice, yogurt – check emails and get to his first location by 8 each morning…the phones usually start by then.” Vendor calls, catching up with Bruce, handling personnel issues and production needs fill the majority of the morning until he leaves to check in at another location. Always keeping menu and management in check, he tries to talk to “at least two” chefs every day.

What is the hardest challenge for any upscale restaurant?

“Sourcing! Getting the product you want affordably. Portion sizes are shrinking now because prices cannot continue to rise – 85% of restaurants fail in the first 11 months.”

What do you think makes a restaurant with great food even greater?

“Quality service. When I was in my 20’s I was going to catch the mistake you made, but you have to know how to deal with people – one bad meal delivery doesn’t make a bad restaurant. Knowing how to handle mistakes when they happen is crucial. We make sure our chefs are trained properly so they can train cooks better, who can train other staff better, and so on. Training…for us, it really starts with whom you hire – not just for their experience, but for their personality too.”

What do you see as a change in customer trend?

“People go out to eat today; they don’t dine; they don’t enjoy anymore. The experience has changed. No one gets dressed up to go out anymore … but the ‘good china’ shouldn’t just come out for the holidays. I don’t want people to stop – lose their passion for the food they eat – I want them to have a great meal with family and friends …it’s about the experience.”

Asked if he’d ever be interested in doing a cooking show, Dee quickly replies, “8 million people will see you make mistakes”. He is thankful for the role TV has played in nurturing public interest for the culinary arts and attributes much of the “foodie revolution” to “culinary ed-u-tainment”.

Closest to his heart is teaching. Dee would love to pay it forward and help kids go to culinary school.

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From the desk of John Cecala Twitter @ Buedel Fine Meats  Facebook  Buedel Fan Page

Meat Picks | 1.25.13

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Wake Up and Smell the Schnitzel!

TOC recently scribed “Four reasons German food will take off in 2013” citing upgrades and openings of German/Euro inspired restaurants in the city. Grubstreet echoed with Sprechen Sie Trendy [love that title!] noting the last time German was hot was in 1965.

Has it really been that long?

Adding to this micro trend (in a really big way) is Hofbräuhaus Chicago in Rosemont – yes, Rosemont – the “first and only German micro brewery, beer hall, restaurant and beer garden to call Chicago home”, which opened earlier this week.

Modeled after its 400 year old Munich namesake, the 20,000 square foot ‘haus offers seating for 700, (plus another 350 in the outside beer garden), brews its own beer on site, stages live music seven days a week, and has its own gift shop. The menu is also modeled authentic with traditional Bavarian dishes, imported bakery items and sauerkraut flown in from Germany. Executive Chef, Klaus Lotter is at the helm.

Viel Glück, Hofbräuhaus!

Restaurant Week Countdown

Restaurant Week(s) has been running nationwide since the beginning of the year. Chicago’s officially begins a week from today on February 1st and runs through the 10th. San Fran ups our ten day week by seven – their food fest began January 15th and will end on the 31st.

One of the best things people love about Restaurant Week is of course the price fixed menus; one of the worst is figuring out where to go among the over 200 participating restaurants. Here’s our top list of helpful links: Metromix Pix   Chicago Foodies   Chicagoist Staff Picks   Phil Vettel’s Recs  Event Site   Open Table Reservations.  If you’d like a chance to win a foodie gift card, link here: Sweepstakes Entry.

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From the desk of John Cecala Twitter @ Buedel Fine Meats  Facebook  Buedel Fan Page

Venison | A Winter Menu Delight!

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Venison (deer meat) has a rich complex taste and tender supple texture. High in protein, low in saturated fat and loaded with healthy B vitamins, Venison is also considered a healthier meat choice. A serving of Venison loin has less cholesterol and calories than skinless chicken and well over a third less total fat.

Venison makes a great winter menu alternative.

Farm Raised Venison

Wild or farm raised, the flavor of Venison comes from its diet. Unlike beef cattle, Venison have small simple stomachs and thus graze upon easily digestible foods such as, leaves, grass, shoots, lichens, fungi and fruit. Farm raised Venison is preferable in taste and texture than its wild counterpart.

Consumers who believe they dislike the taste of Venison usually feel that way when their experience is limited to wild-shot male game animals harvested at hunting season – at the height of their combative reproductive cycle. These animals may be several years of age, have elevated hormone content (lactic acid, testosterone, adrenalin) and may be in poor physical condition and/or under stress.  As such, their meat tends to be tougher and more “gamey” in taste.

It is for these reasons, plus species-specific and “varietal” characteristics that make farmed Venison a very different meat product which produces a uniquely different and pleasing culinary experience.

Domestic Venison

Domestic farm raised Venison is largely produced in Texas, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Ohio.

Farmed/ranched Venison cuts are quite similar to beef cuts. Mild and tender, domestic gourmet Venison is also lower in fat, calories and cholesterol than beef, pork and lamb. Gourmet chefs have a special appreciation for this lean meat.

New Zealand Cervena® Venison

Some of the best tasting Venison comes from New Zealand, certified as Cervena® Natural Tender Venison.  Cervena® is distinguished from all other Venison by the trademarked assurance that the meat has been naturally produced, and processed in accredited plants, according to a system of high quality standards.

Similar to the way Champagne only comes from France, Cervena® only comes from New Zealand under some of the highest inspection standards in the world. Cervena® certified deer must be New Zealand farm bred, entirely grass fed and raised naturally without steroids or growth hormones.

Cervena® deer must also be three years or under to ensure tender, mild flavored meat. As deer age, the tougher and more ‘gamey’ their meat becomes. Young animals produce consistently sized, delicious flavored meat. Cervena® certifications apply only to saddle and leg cuts.

For chefs, the Cervena® name guarantees they are working with the finest meat.

Popular Venison Cuts

There are seven popular Venison cuts:

  • Bone-In Saddle
  • Tenderloin
  • Strip Loin
  • Rib Rack
  • Leg Bone-In or Boneless Denver Leg
  • Ground Venison
  • Venison Stew Meat

Working with Venison is as easy as working with lamb or beef cuts. Recipes and cooking guide are readily available courtesy of Cervena®.

Tender, delicious and healthy, Venison delivers superb choice on winter menus.

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From the desk of John Cecala Twitter @ Buedel Fine Meats  Facebook  Buedel Fan Page