Yelp Gets Personal and Long John Silver’s Golden

This edition of MRM News Bites features Yelp, Long John Silver’s, Aramark, Inspire Brands, Papa John’s,  Grubhub, General Mills Foodservice The Denver Art Museum, Rich Products, Friendly’s® Restaurants, the ITW Food Equipment, L’Avenue at Saks and Bindi Dessert.

Yelping a Little More Personal

Yelp Inc. launched new personalization functionality that tailors the app to people’s individual preferences and lifestyle. For the first time, when two users with different lifestyles open up the Yelp app from the same location, they’ll see a completely different homescreen and search results based on their personal preferences. Yelp users will now find it easier to discover their favorite types of businesses, faster.

As part of the new update, users will be able to indicate their personal dietary and accessibility preferences, lifestyle attributes — like whether they’re a parent or homeowner — and things they like to do. Yelp will do the heavy lifting by processing the information in real-time and transforming the user’s homescreen and search results into a completely personalized experience represented by Yelp’s newly created heart symbol — including search result rankings, shortcuts to filters, and personalized highlights that tell the user why they might like the business based on their preferences.

“As Yelp turns 15 this year, we’re embarking on one of our most significant product updates with the introduction of a new personalized experience,” said Vivek Patel, Yelp’s chief product officer. “Yelp has always been a helpful discovery platform that surfaces great local businesses based on your search. By making it more personalized, we’re saving people time and giving them an easy way to find the right business for them. Now, Yelp will help you discover businesses and activities based on who you are and what you like to do.”

With its vast amount of rich content and data — which includes more than 192 million reviews, as well as millions of photos and attributes generated by an engaged community of users and business owners — Yelp is able to identify and surface business information that is deeply aligned with consumer needs. Rather than serving recommendations solely based on a user’s search history, Yelp is starting an open conversation with consumers to better understand their preferences and interests in order to customize the app to show them what they want to see more of. The preferences a consumer shares with Yelp will only be visible to them, and the information will only be used to personalize their experience on Yelp.

Yelp is making it easier and faster than ever to find a business that’s right “for you” based on personal preferences:

Dietary Preferences: 32 million Americans1 have food allergies and many more care about what they eat. Yelp is now surfacing information that helps people discover which restaurants have options for those who are gluten-free, halal, keto, kosher, pescatarian, vegan or vegetarian. Personalized highlights within their search results will identify if a restaurant has some or many food options based on their dietary preferences.

Food and Drink: People can choose from more than 30 food and drink categories — from brunch to happy hour, and Chinese to pizza — letting Yelp confidently recommend cuisines they’ll enjoy most.

Interests: The new personalized Yelp experience will suggest more than just restaurants. People can also select their favorite things to do, so Yelp can recommend activities most relevant to them — including surfacing live music bars, farmers markets, date night spots, suggesting kids activities, hikes and more.

Lifestyle: Parents and pet owners can better plan their next outing with personalized shortcuts to filters. We’re also helping people find their next go-to business, whether that’s a new hair salon, massage spot or landscaper.

Accessibility: People who need wheelchair accessibility or gender neutral restrooms will benefit from greater visibility of relevant search filters and personalized highlights within their search results.

Personalizing Yelp is now an option for millions of app users, with all iOS users expected to have access this fall. The launch of a more personalized Yelp marks the beginning of major product changes the company is undertaking to significantly evolve and improve the consumer experience. In the next year, Yelp will unveil a new design of its app and website that better integrates all of Yelp’s products that save consumers time and money, including Yelp Reservations, Waitlist and Request a Quote.

Long John Silver's Turns 50

Long John Silver’s is celebrating its golden anniversary The first Long John Silver’s opened in 1969 after an enterprising businessman and restaurateur named Jim Patterson experienced a truly exceptional Fish and Chips meal while vacationing on the coast.  

“The idea of Long John Silver’s was simple,” Patterson said. “Take the unique seafood experience from the coast and make it accessible to all. It’s what drives us to provide every guest who sails with us moments of sea-prise and delight, with ring-the-bell service and real fish sourced responsibly from real places.” 

In addition to making waves with its new grilled menu, Long John Silver’s has also been making music and cranking out “fintastic” hits with its very own record label, Fish! Yeah Records. The seaworthy success of the record label this spring inspired a summer follow-up album celebrating Fishmas – the summer season of seafood.  The brand has also been spreading Fishmas cheer with seafaring swagger and swag in an effort to sea-prise and delight its social media followers. These whimsical innovations have swept throughout the company’s branding.  Seen online, with their new website and in person with their redesigned packaging – both aimed to amplify the overall guest experience.

“We want to thank all the people who’ve joined us on this 50-year journey,” said Stephanie Mattingly, CMO of Long John Silver’s. “From the partnership of our franchisees and our restaurant crews to the guests they welcome aboard every day in our restaurants; the loyalty and continued support Long John Silver receives is what inspires us to seas every moment!”

Aramark President to Retire

Aramark said Chairman, President & CEO Eric Foss is retiring and Lead Independent Director Stephen Sadove has been named non-executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. Foss will remain in an advisory capacity until October 2. The company’s board has established an Office of the Chairman, whose members will oversee the Company’s day-to-day operations and engage with the Board on a regular basis until a successor to Foss is named.

The Office of the Chairman will consist of Sadove; Stephen Bramlage, Chief Financial Officer; Lynn McKee, Executive Vice President, Human Resources; and Lauren Harrington, Senior Vice President, General Counsel. The Board has commenced a search for a successor.

“We thank Eric for his leadership and strategic contributions that position Aramark for future success. In addition to solid financial performance, Eric built a strong management team and advanced the Company’s efforts in diversity & inclusion, health & wellness and frontline education,” said Sadove. “As a Board, we are committed to conducting a comprehensive search, including seeking input, to identify the next Chief Executive Officer to execute on our growth strategy and lead our 270,000 team members, for the benefit of all of our shareholders.”

“It has been an honor and privilege leading Aramark through a transformative journey, from a successful IPO to an impressive run as a public company,” Foss said. “I am enormously proud of the Aramark Service Stars around the world and what we have accomplished together. The Company’s future prospects are extremely encouraging and I look forward to a smooth transition.”

Sadove, who has been an independent director on the Aramark Board since 2013, is the former Chairman and CEO of Saks Incorporated and former Chair of the National Retail Federation. A graduate of Hamilton College and Harvard University (MBA), Sadove currently serves on the Boards of Colgate-Palmolive Company, Park Hotels and Resorts and Movado Group, Inc.

Taylor Named Arby's President as Lynch Leaves for Papa John's 

Inspire Brands said Jim Taylor has been named President of Arby’s. Taylor, who most recently served as Chief Marketing Officer of Arby’s, will report to Paul Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Inspire. Taylor succeeds Rob Lynch who was named President and Chief Executive Officer for Papa John's International. 

“One of the many strengths of Inspire is our development of future leaders, and we are thrilled to have Jim lead Arby’s,” Brown said. “During Jim’s time at Arby’s, he has helped introduce one of the most dynamic and innovative product pipelines in our industry and has a proven track record of driving strong sales for the brand. The Arby’s business, our team members, and franchisees, are in great hands with Jim at the helm.”

“It’s an honor to lead Arby’s and continue to build on our strong foundation,” Taylor said. “Over the past several years, we’ve achieved record-level sales and unit growth, welcomed millions of new guests to our restaurants, and developed an incredibly strong franchisee community. I look forward to continuing this momentum to help Arby’s reach even greater heights.”

 “Rob was a great business partner for the past six years and a key member of the leadership team as we worked to transform Arby’s,” Brown said. “I’m thankful to Rob for his many years of leadership and wish him the best on the next chapter of his career.”

Prior to his most recent role as Chief Marketing Officer of Arby’s, Taylor served as Senior Vice President of Brand Advertising and Activation, as well as Senior Vice President of Product Development and Innovation. Taylor worked for Darden Restaurants prior to joining Arby’s, where he served as Senior Vice President of Enterprise Strategy, Innovation, and Marketing, among other positions. Taylor began his career at P&G, where he served in various finance and marketing leadership capacities during his 15-year tenure with the company.

Jeff Smith, Chairman of the Papa John’s Board of Directors, said, “I am thrilled to welcome Rob to Papa John’s at this pivotal moment in the company’s history. His proven record transforming organizations and realizing the growth potential of differentiated brands is ideally suited for Papa John’s as the company sets forth on its next chapter. I would also like to thank Steve Ritchie for his steady leadership as CEO over the past year and a half. Papa John’s is stronger today because of Steve’s good work stabilizing the company, and our business continues to perform on plan. We are all grateful for his dedication and contribution to the company for more than 20 years and wish him success in the future.”

As recently disclosed, Papa John’s reported continued progress against its strategic plan in the second quarter of 2019, including a significant investment in marketing and the franchise system, improved profitability and a third quarter of sequential improvement in comparable sales. The company also announced that operating results were in-line with its fiscal 2019 plan. On the basis of continued solid results as of the current date, the company has reaffirmed its most recent outlook for adjusted diluted earnings per share and North America and international comparable sales.1

“I am humbled and excited by the opportunity to work with this outstanding team to help make Papa John’s the best pizza company in the world,” Mr. Lynch commented. “Papa John’s has the most loved pizza in the industry, incredibly dedicated team members and franchisees that have proven their resilience and commitment, and a long history of innovation that puts the company at the front of where the foodservice industry is going. I look forward to building on these strengths, working with Papa John’s team members, franchisees and business partners. I absolutely believe that Papa John’s best days are ahead.”

Since 2017 Rob Lynch was President of Arby’s and led the company’s operations, marketing, culinary, and development, as well as its digital transformation. Mr. Lynch joined Arby’s as Chief Marketing Officer in 2013, during which time he created the “We Have the Meats” campaign. As President of the Arby’s Franchisee Association since 2013, he rebuilt strong franchisor/franchisee relations, driving the first new restaurant growth in ten years.

Lynch has also held leadership positions at Taco Bell, HJ Heinz Company, and Procter & Gamble and has 20 years combined experience in QSR and consumer packaged goods. Among other recognition, Mr. Lynch was named the 2017 Outstanding Marketer of the Year by PRWeek, the 2017 Content Marketer of the Year by Digiday, and a 2015 Marketer of the Year by AdAge. He is a graduate of the University of Rochester, where he obtained his B.A. and M.B.A.

Grubhub and Dine Brands Expand Partnership

Grubhub expanded partnership with Dine Brands, the parent company of Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar® and IHOP® restaurants. Nearly triple the number of Applebee's and IHOP locations will be available on the Grubhub marketplace, and the collaboration will also build a deep integration to maximize incremental growth.

Grubhub's marketplace will extend coverage to more than 3,000 locations between Applebee's and IHOP brands, giving diners even more opportunity to get their favorite dishes delivered. Grubhub and Dine Brands will be working towards a direct-to-POS integration for menu syncing and order submission across Applebee's and IHOP. Restaurants will receive orders directly to their existing in-house POS, creating a more efficient process in receiving and fulfilling orders. Additionally, Grubhub worked closely with Dine Brands to address the needs and requirements of its franchisees in the U.S. to give guests the best possible experience.

"Delivery is an important part of our strategy to provide Applebee's and IHOP guests with even more convenience to enjoy our great food wherever they are. We're thrilled to both expand our presence on Grubhub's growing marketplace, and also streamline operations with our direct-to-POS integration," stated Steve Joyce, CEO at Dine Brands. "This approach and our valued relationship with Grubhub allowed us to build a win-win partnership that benefits our brands, guests, and franchisees."

Through the Dine Brands partnership, franchisees who work with Grubhub as their preferred delivery marketplace will have access to additional marketing benefits, as well as advanced analytics capabilities made possible given the close nature of the partnership.

"We're excited about our expansion with Dine Brands, building out our relationship with two brands diners across the country know and love: Applebee's and IHOP," stated Seth Priebatsch, head of enterprise at Grubhub. "We worked closely to help Dine Brands build their online business while allowing them and their franchisees to 'own' their online diners. Now with our deeply-integrated partnership, even more guests have access to their favorites, whether that's pancakes for dinner or a classic cheeseburger for lunch."

Ordering through Grubhub for pickup and delivery will be available across more than 1,700 Applebee's and 1,300 IHOP locations across the U.S. 

Neighborhood to Nation Winner

General Mills Foodservice announces that Kevin Brown, executive chef of SELECT Restaurant in Spartanburg, S.C., is the Grand Prize Winner in the 5th Annual Neighborhood to Nation™ Recipe Contest, which celebrates independent family or “neighborhood” restaurants and food trucks and the one-of-a-kind dishes that reflect their local flavor. A team from General Mills, including the Pillsbury™ Doughboy, surprised Brown with the news during a celebratory event at SELECT on Saturday.

As the Grand Prize Recipe Winner, Brown receives a total of $10,000 in cash and $2,000 to share with a local charity as well as a three-day trip for two to the 2019 New York City Wine & Food Festival, the premier food and wine event that celebrates America’s favorite foods.  His award-winning Strawberry Pandowdy combines PillsburyTM Southern Style Easy SplitTM Frozen Dough Biscuits, broken into pieces, with a creamy, sweet strawberry mixture that is baked and served warm in a small skillet, adorned with vanilla bean ice cream. The contest judges raved that the dessert was “an authentic signature item,” “very unique” with “fantastic aroma” and “lovely flavor,” among other accolades.

“Our judges loved everything, from the flavor inspiration to the presentation of Kevin’s dessert item,” said Alyca Judge, senior marketing manager for General Mills Foodservice, which supplies restaurants with high-quality products to help make the signature dishes and familiar favorites their customers love. “His modern twist on old-school bread pudding makes innovative use of biscuits with the fresh taste of strawberries, creating a new dessert that his diners are already clamoring for.”

To celebrate its fifth year of recognizing great food and flavors across the country, the Neighborhood to Nation™ Recipe Contest doubled the number of regional winners to give even more independent restaurants and food trucks the chance to win part of the more than $200,000 in cash and prizes awarded in the contest. Restaurants and food trucks from around the country submitted original recipes that used at least one ingredient from General Mills’ list of eligible products.  The only foodservice recipe contest of its kind drew entrants from across the country and resulted in 10 regional winners with one being named as the Grand Prize winner. Brown was one of two winners from the South East Region and chose to share his $2,000 donation with Greer Community Ministries, which offers programs and services to ensure no elderly, homebound or disadvantaged person in the Greater Greer area will go hungry.

The other regional winners are:

West Region:

Nick Shipp, Executive Chef and Partner, Upper West Restaurant in Santa Monica, California, for his Lamb Chili Bolognese with Macaroni and Whipped Goat Cheese

Todd Skinner, Food Service Manager of Chuckwagon in Surprise, Arizona, for his Cowboy Cookie Sandwich

North Central Region:

Nancy Butcher, Operations Consultant/Baker, Nutcracker Family Restaurant in Pataskala, Ohio, for her Double Decker Banana Crème Cake

Zach Wulfekuhle, Manager and Cook, DT’s Pub and Primetime Pizza in Fayette, Iowa, for his Bourbon Chicken and Waffle Sliders

Northeast Region:

Richard Spurlock, Banquet and Catering Chef, JD’s Pub & Grille in Smithville, New Jersey, for his Red Hot Waffle with Buffalo Shrimp and Yogurt Dipping Sauce

Leslie Wyman, Cook, Byrnes’ Irish Pub in Bath and Brunswick, Maine, for her Lucky Charms™ Cheesecake

South Central Region:

Brooke May, Owner, Hecho en Queso food truck and La Luncheonette Craft Food in Belton, Texas, for her Black Bean and Corn Empanadas with Spicy Yogurt Dip

Suzanne Raiford, Owner and Chef, Daisy’s Lunchbox in Searcy, Arkansas, for her Strawberry Almond Shortcake Roll

Southeast Region:  

Laura Smith, Co-owner, The Biscuit and the Bean in Winterville, North Carolina, for her Pear Tart

Each regional winner received $5,000 in cash and an additional $1,000 to share with a local charity of their choice. Throughout August, the Neighborhood to Nation “prize patrol” traveled to each of the winners’ hometowns to host special celebrations with staff, friends, family and the greater community.

“Traveling the country and celebrating with great food, recognition and conversation has provided a wonderful window into the world of cooking, recipes and creativity,” Judge added. “With double the number of prize winners this year, we had even more reasons to connect and celebrate.  We enjoyed every minute of it!”

New Dining Concepts at DAM

The Denver Art Museum (DAM) will debut two new dining concepts set to open in June 2020, coinciding with the first reopening phase of the DAM's Martin Building, following an extensive multi-year renovation. With expanded offerings including a restaurant and a quick-service café, museum visitors will have more space and more choices during their museum visit. The Anna and John J. Sie Welcome Center, which includes the two new dining spaces, the Bartlit Learning and Engagement Center and the first phase of renovated galleries, will open to the public in June 2020.

"Creativity at the Denver Art Museum won't stop at the galleries when we begin our phased reopening. We're delighted to present artful dining experiences to the museum visit, alongside an incredible partner with the expertise to bring our vision into reality," said Christoph Heinrich, Frederick and Jan Mayer Director of the museum. "Named to honor the legacy of famed Italian architect and original Martin Building designer Gio Ponti, our new restaurant and café will offer two unique gathering spaces for museum visitors and the surrounding neighborhood."

The Ponti
Through a collaboration with James Beard Award winner and celebrated Denver chef Jennifer Jasinski, the concept of The Ponti was born. Serving as the restaurant's consulting chef, Jasinski will develop menu concepts, as well as help select and train the restaurant's culinary staff. The Ponti will combine art and dining, presenting a locally-sourced and inspired menu with high standards of sustainability. The Ponti's distinctive offerings will include an emphasis on vegetables, utilizing ancient grains and heirloom legumes complemented by handmade pastas, fish and meat. The seasonal menus offered at The Ponti will align with the high standards of sourcing and sustainability for which Jasinski is known.

Designed by Denver-based firm BOSS.architecture in collaboration with Jessica Doran Interiors, The Ponti will boast an expansive outdoor terrace, as well as indoor public and private dining spaces spanning a total of 3,715 square feet. Located on level one of the DAM's soon-to-open Sie Welcome Center, The Ponti will be an immersive dining environment. The Ponti joins an impressive list of five other downtown-Denver restaurants headed by Jasinski: Bistro Vendôme, Euclid Hall, Rioja, Stoic & Genuine and Ultreia.

"I'm super excited to create the menus and concept for the Denver Art Museum's new restaurant," said Jasinski. "I'm a big fan of the arts and feel like food is a form of art all its own. I can't wait for people to experience these unique dining concepts located at the iconic Denver Art Museum, and look forward to partnering with the museum and its great reputation for excellence and community involvement."

Café Gio
In addition to The Ponti, the museum also will offer quick-service casual dining at Café Gio. With visitor spaces also designed by BOSS.architecture and Jessica Doran Interiors, Café Gio will be located across the main hall from The Ponti on level one of the welcome center. Patrons of the café will be able to enjoy both indoor and outdoor seating, with a 1,273-square-foot interior, and a 1,088-square-foot terrace.

Café Gio will be open seven days a week during regular museum hours.

Rich Acquires Christie Cookie

Rich Products recently acquired Christie Cookie Company, based in Nashville. The privately-owned maker of gourmet cookies, brings more than 35 years of insight and expertise in premium baked goods with customers across foodservice, regional in-store bakeries, e-commerce, corporate gifting and retail bakery outlets. 

“The acquisition of Christie Cookie Company furthers our position as a premier supplier in the growing cookie category,” said Ray Burke, President of Rich’s U.S.-Canada business. “Adding the iconic and beloved Christie brand of products to our portfolio is something we’re very excited about as we move forward.”

Christie’s employs nearly 100 associates, with one manufacturing facility and a strong direct-to-consumer platform that includes e-commerce and a highly-regarded corporate gifting program. In addition, Christie owns two popular retail bakery shops in Nashville, with an additional location in Bridgestone Arena, home of the Nashville Predators. The company produces approximately 100 million cookies per year. 

“As a private, customer-centric company that values the long-standing relationships we have with our customers, Rich’s was a natural fit to help take our business to the next level,” said Fleming Wilt, President of Christie Cookie Co. “In Rich’s, we have a partner with a 75-year track record of success, one that’s dedicated to ongoing innovation and growth and a company that not only values quality, but culture, too. We’re proud to join the Rich family of associates.”

New Websites for Vulcan, Wolf and Berkel

Foodservice industry leaders Vulcan, Wolf and Berkel of the ITW Food Equipment Group debuted new websites. The redesigned sites feature major user experience improvements and buying tools to assist in product selection. The clean, intuitive designs enable quick navigation and help guide buying decisions with educational content and tools, supporting the company’s mission of delivering innovative solutions to their customers.

“Today, digital channels are the food service industry’s main source of information when researching products for purchase. We want to make sure our websites are providing the resources and tools they need to make an informed decision while also providing an engaging and streamlined digital experience,” said Brenda Rice, Director of Marketing for ITW FEG Cooking Division.   

Visitors to the sites can find quick and easy access to product resources and information, plus new tools to help determine product needs. The Vulcan Equipment Guide helps users quickly narrow down and find the exact equipment they need based on product feature requirements and operational characteristics, like menu choices, seating capacity and available utilities. The sites also feature improved search capability, enhanced product filters, and side-by-side comparison tools that let users compare up to three pieces of equipment at once. 

Deliciously Celebrated

Friendly’s® Restaurants has launched a new company-wide initiative – aptly named “Deliciously Celebrated” – through which it honors those who give back to their communities with complimentary in-restaurant celebrations. The program, which is part of the company’s “Acts of Friendly’sness” platform, relies on Friendly’s guests and the community at-large to nominate deserving individuals through a simple online nomination process. 

“Our steadfast commitment to the communities we serve is carried out through a promise that Friendly’s be a heart-warming place for customers to create lasting memories while enjoying handcrafted ice cream and delicious food,” said George Michel, Chief Executive Officer, FIC Restaurants Inc. “Through ‘Deliciously Celebrated,’ we seek to reward actions that make the world a friendlier place, one scoop at a time.”

Friendly’s invites consumers to participate in the program by nominating who they think deserves to be Deliciously Celebrated and why. “We’re seeking stories of all kinds demonstrating community members’ Acts of Friendly’sness, so if you know someone who has gone above and beyond to give back to their community, we want to know,” said Michel.

]Nominations will be reviewed regularly and those selected will be invited, along with 20 of their friends and family, to a Friendly’s restaurant to be Deliciously Celebrated with a special menu for guests, festive decorations, a commemorative parting gift and more. Guests are also encouraged to share and post event photos using the hashtags #ActsofFriendlysness and #DeliciouslyCelebrated to let others know how to get involved and nominate someone who should be Deliciously Celebrated. 

Domenech Named Executive Chef

L’Avenue at Saks, an upscale Parisian dining experience within the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship, has named Cedric Domenech Executive Chef of the American outpost, marking it L’Avenue’s and the Costes Group’s first endeavor outside of its critically-acclaimed landmark in Paris.

With more than 15 years of experience in the culinary industry, Chef Cedric Domenech is excited to be a part of the L’Avenue at Saks team, where he is bringing the beloved Parisian menu to the New York market. In his role, he will spearhead all matters pertaining to food and beverage, alongside a masterful team of 60 culinarians. The restaurant’s menu, curated by Chef Didier Coly of the premier Costes Group, has been finessed by Chef Domenech to cater to American fare and local audiences, while maintaining a close resemblance to the dishes presented at L’Avenue in Paris. 

Designed by renowned architect Philippe Starck, L’Avenue at Saks marks the first and only venture for L’Avenue outside Paris. The restaurant spans two floors with a French art deco-inspired dining room and Le Chalet — a bar and lounge that offers cozy après-ski style interiors, accompanied by a chic outdoor terrace. The main dining room features an all-day menu of traditional French, Asian and American cuisines, and desserts by world-renowned French pâtissier Pierre Hermé, plus an exclusive cocktail menu by mixologist Nico de Soto. Signature dishes include Avocado and Tuna Tartar, Morel Rigatoni, Tom Yam Chili Sea Bass, Spicy Thai Beef Tenderloin and more. 

Chef Domenech shared, “I am truly humbled and honored to be a part of the L’Avenue at Saks culinary team here in America.” Adding, “As I continue to discover new, regional ingredients and seasonality, I am excited to share my ideas for new dishes and memorable events with my counterparts abroad. Everyday, my amazing team and I work to bring a fresh and creative approach to the kitchen. From facilitating provisions with suppliers or putting the last touches on a plate before it is served to our guests, I ensure each  dish is reflective of the Parisian and Asian-inspired cuisine that have become synonymous with the Paris restaurant scene.”

Growing up in the South of France, Chef Domenech learned the basics of cooking at a young age from his grandmother, who taught him everything from how to cook with olive oil to picking out the best produce from their backyard. After five years of culinary school, where he learned from and worked alongside notable Chef Gilles Goujon at L’Auberge du Vieux Puits, Chef Domenech moved on to work under Alain Ducasse in London and Las Vegas. Prior to L’Avenue at Saks, Chef Domenech was the Chef de Cuisine for Sylvain Portay at Le Bilboquet in New York City.

Bindi Goes Agave

 Bindi Dessert introduces Agave-Sweetened Gelato in Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry flavors to their already gluten free make-up. 

The classic trio sweetened with agave syrup and no refined sugar compliments Bindi’s offerings targeted to fulfill the needs of the health-conscious consumer looking to enjoy such a beloved treat. They are available in a Pan (1.24g/5L) of approximately 54 portions.

With a production facility in Belleville, New Jersey, and two distribution centers in New Jersey and California, Bindi North America offers delivery and guaranteed product preservation and freshness out of a cold chain distribution network.