MRM News Bites: Charitable Chefs and Streamlined Digital Menus on This Week’s Plate

Each week, Modern Restaurant Management magazine compiles restaurant industry headlines in MRM News Bites. This week, we feature chefs reaching out to support great causes, new restaurant technologies and restaurant openings.  Send items of interest to Executive Editor Barbara Castiglia at bcastiglia@modernrestaurantmanagement.com.

Cooking Live! for Family Reach

Hosted by Family Reach National Advisory Board President, Chef Ming Tsai, Cooking Live! brought together some of  the nation’s top celebrity chefs for an evening of wining and dining. Guests watched up close as chefs give live cooking demos before serving a five-course meal in New York City. Each dish was inspired by special guests of the evening: The families battling cancer that Family Reach has supported Family Reach Foundation is a financial lifeline to families fighting cancer.

For more than a decade, Family Reach has helped families with a sick child or parent pay for the simple, everyday bills that can quickly bankrupt them.

Family Reach is a national non-profit dedicated to eliminating the financial burden of cancer for patients and their families. Working in close collaboration with more than 165 hospitals and cancer centers nationwide, the organization provides immediate financial assistance, education and outreach to qualified families in need. For more than two decades, Family Reach has helped families with cancer manage the overwhelming financial and emotional barriers of the disease so that they don’t have to choose between basic human needs – do they buy groceries or pay for treatment? Pay rent or the electric bill? Family Reach is a financial lifeline for all those they serve.

Family Reach provides assistance to families in a number of ways. To date, a majority of their support has been through grants that help cover costs such as mortgage or rent payments, transportation, utilities, uncovered medical expenses and everyday expenses such as groceries.  Family Reach also provides an educational handbook that helps newly diagnosed patients learn about potential financial challenges, how to identify roadblocks and where and how to seek financial help.

The organization is also launching the Financial Treatment Project, a groundbreaking program that will address individual families’ whole financial health through financial coaching, navigation, and education as well as direct monetary and in-kind assistance. The Financial Treatment Project will kick off as a pilot at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and Tufts Medical Center.

Chef Tsai was deeply touched after meeting a Family Reach grant recipient, and has since committed his time to helping families fighting cancer – generously performing cooking demos at Family Reach partner hospitals, and hosting numerous fundraisers for Family Reach. For more information on the event, visit www.familyreach.org.

In top photo, Bryant Gumbel, left, chef Ming Tsai, second left, Family Reach National Advisory Board President, Carla Tardif, center, CEO, Family Reach, with twins Olivia and Sabrina Lorusso, right.  (Photo by Diane Bondareff/Invision for Family Reach/AP Images)

NYSPCC Features Gramercy Tavern Chef

The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (The NYSPCC) hosted its annual Food & Wine Gala featuring Chef Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern and Untitled at the Whitney Museum of American Art who designed a one-of-a-kind menu for more than 200 guests. The exquisite food – notably, Chef Michael’s signature mushroom lasagna – was paired with a selection of wines from Tournesol and Caymus Vineyards.

The NYSPCC was grateful to have wonderful participants at this year’s gala. Fox News Anchor and Analyst Kimberly Guilfoyle participated as the host, the Editor in Chief of Bon Appétit Magazine Adam Rapoport was the guest speaker and renowned Christie’s auctioneer Lydia Fenet led the gala’s reverse auction. This year’s gala raised a total of nearly 600k to fund The NYSPCC’s Trauma Recovery Program which offers a specialized therapeutic program for children, ages 5-18, who have experienced physical or sexual abuse, neglect, traumatic bereavement, or who have witnessed family violence.

“This [The NYSPCC] is an agency that does life-changing work,” shared Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is a member of The NYSPCC’s Children’s Council. “So many times I get asked to get involved with different organizations and charitable causes, and many times I do try to do my best to lend my voice and support because I definitely want to be able to give back, but this is one that I chose.” Kimberly also spoke about her years working as a prosecutor at the district attorney’s office in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and how it has strengthened her resolve to help save endangered children.

The NYSPCC holds its Food & Wine Gala fundraising event every year to raise vital funding for the agency. The NYSPCC’s unique work serves as a model for child welfare agencies across the nation. Since its founding, The NYSPCC has investigated more than 650,000 cases on the behalf of over two million children and has educated over 46,000 professionals on how to identify and report child abuse and neglect.

“We are the go-to agency for New York City” said Dr. Mary L. Pulido, Executive Director of The NYSPCC, who delivered a heartfelt speech about the need to protect children from abuse or neglect. “When you hear about a horrific story in the media, we are called to help. When a child endures indescribable abuse, we are called to provide counselling in our trauma recovery program.”

Escoffier School Names New Disciples

Escoffier School of Culinary Arts announced the newest additions to its Disciples d’Escoffier; a global society focused on the promotion and preservation of excellence in cuisine, culinary education, wine culture, spirits and hospitality. The new disciples include some of the area’s top culinary leaders – Chef Curtis Duffy, chef and owner of three Michelin star restaurant Grace; Duffy’s inspiration and former home economics teacher, culinary educator Ruth Snider; and Doctors Robert and Sonat Birnecker, founders and owners of KOVAL Distillery. Escoffier also announced a partnership with Duffy to promote the importance of culinary education to aspiring culinarians through a number of presentations and events involving the school as well as a $25,000 Curtis Duffy scholarship program.

The disciples will be recognized at a seven-course dinner and induction ceremony at Grace on November 21. The Disciples d’Escoffier International is a premier gastronomic society with a worldwide membership of more than 20,000. The goal of the Disciples d’Escoffier International is to honor the memory of French chef, restaurateur and culinary writer Auguste Escoffier, promoting and preserving his work and maintaining the great culinary traditions in which he started. Michel Escoffier, the great grandson of the renowned chef and president of the Auguste Escoffier Foundation and Museum, will be in attendance from France.

“The esteemed Disciples d’Escoffier promotes culinary education and apprenticeship and was designed to inspire and encourage others to continue to pursue the highest standards,” said Jeremy Wheaton, President and CEO of Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. “Our four newest inductees exemplify local culinary at its best and truly personify this mission in their work.”

Curtis Duffy overcame a difficult childhood and family tragedy to become one of the most acclaimed chefs in Chicago, receiving numerous recognitions throughout his culinary career. In addition, Duffy was recently the subject of the documentary For Grace, a James Beard Award nominated film. The movie chronicles the chef’s remarkable journey of opening his restaurant, Grace. Duffy’s teacher, Ruth Snider, sparked his initial interest in cooking and remains one of the strongest support systems in his career. The two will be joined in the Disciples d’Escoffier by Dr. Robert Birnecker, one of America’s top distilling experts, and Dr. Sonat Birnecker, co-founder  and president of KOVAL Distillery, which produces organic whiskey, liqueurs and speciality spirits from scratch, embracing a grain-to-bottle mentality.

“I am truly honored to be inducted into the Disciples d’Escoffier,” said Curtis Duffy. “This is one of the great honors a chef can receive, and I am humbled to be able to share this with my amazing friend and teacher Ruth Snider. Such an honor…”

To learn more about Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, visit www.escoffier.edu.

Streamlining Digital Menus

DT Research, which designs and manufactures of purpose-built computing solutions for vertical markets, said its MA series Multi Screen Appliances now include a Media Wizard for Advertisement Applications that supports multiple display zones with customized LED resolutions. Restaurants can now play and track high definition advertisements and promotions with set playlists and timed expiration using the DT Research MA Multi Screen Appliances.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Menu Labeling Requirement Act, set to go into effect on May 5, 2017, requires any food service operation with 20 or more locations to have calorie counts and other nutritional information included in their menus. As restaurants and other food establishments prepare to comply with the new requirement, the DT Research system is designed to streamline menu item changes through integration with database and Point-of-Sale systems.

“We are committed to helping restaurants maximize digital menu boards to enhance and simplify their business,” said Daw Tsai Sc.D., president of DT Research. “These new capabilities can help food establishments generate advertising revenue using digital menu boards and ease compliance with the upcoming FDA Menu Labeling requirement.”

New enhancements to the DT Research MA series Multi Screen Appliance system include:

Media Wizard for Advertisement Applications: DT Research Digital Menu Board users can play advertisements and promotions in a specific zone of the digital menu board using a new Media Wizard for Advertisement Applications. Users can use this wizard to import existing media files to each zone. The wizard will guide the user through media files using an Excel file (.xls, .xlsx and .txt) to each zone, which will apply the media order, duration and attributes (transaction duration).

Database or POS API Integration: The DT Research menu board editor now provides a simple way to connect with a database to display item information easily. The database supports MySQL, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL and remote CSV files. The menu board also can be customized with a 3rd party Web API to leverage an existing POS (Point-of-Sale) system.

Customized Resolution: Restaurants can display advertisements and their own promotions in high definition. Users simply choose a customized resolution in the Web Content Manager (WCM) for LED advertisement applications between 80 x 80 to 8000 x 8000 or use the default resolution, which is 1920 x 1080.

Media Expiration: Restaurants can schedule promotions and advertisements and control the number of times they play during a set period of time, such as within a 24-hour period or once a week. Users can set a start time and end time as a media attribute in the playlist or set to Loop Mode, which will play the media repeatedly within the available range. Based on the playlist, users can track sales back to the time that the advertisement played to measure impact.

Contactless EMV Available in U.S.

Gemalto, a digital security company, brings the next wave in payment technology: Contactless EMV to the United States. Contactless EMV provides the same high level of security as contact EMV cards, combined with a tap-and-pay feature that significantly speeds up transactions, benefitting issuers, merchants and cardholders alike.

Contactless cards are already able to be used anywhere mobile payments, such as Apple Pay™, are accepted, including major retailers, supermarkets and fast food restaurants all over the United States. More than 1.2 billion such cards delivered worldwide in 2015. Gemalto  has delivered more than 1 billion of those globally during the past five years. Gemalto’s contactless cards are now in 77 countries worldwide, including the U.S., Australia, China, U.K., Canada and Brazil.

“We provide a full-service portfolio of card and wearable EMV options for issuers,” said Bertrand Knopf, Senior Vice President for Secure Transactions at Gemalto. “Consumers already have contactless EMV cards in their wallets from several major banks, and now they can tap to pay at many of the places they shop most often.”

Contactless payments coexist alongside major mobile payment options like Apple Pay™, Android Pay™ and Samsung Pay™, and consumers can apply for contactless cards at many large issuers.

The Gemalto contactless portfolio is available immediately and is fully EMV certified.

Two New Openings at Prudential Center

Craveable Hospitality Group, the restaurant group behind concepts such as fabrick, David Burke Kitchen, and JIMMY in New York City, David Burke’s Primehouse in Chicago, and many more, unveiled two new offerings at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.: Skully’s Fat Belly Clam Shack and Caputo Pizzeria. The two new dining venues join Craveable Hospitality Group’s Bacon Bar and Handwich Shop, currently located at the arena.

Skully’s Fat Belly Clam Shack is a classic New England-style fish concept serving Atlantic and local seafood while Caputo Pizzeria celebrates Italian favorites like crackly crusted pizza and an assortment of antipasti. Both menus were developed by Craveable Hospitality Group’s Culinary Council lead by Culinary Director Matt O’Neill. 

“To complement the superior entertainment at Prudential Center with premier dining options, resulting in a complete night or afternoon out, is exactly the kind of experience we aim to provide for our guests,” says Craveable Hospitality Group President and CEO Stephen Goglia. “We’re thrilled to partner with Legends Hospitality to be part of the arena’s continued commitment to diversifying culinary offerings with the openings of Skully’s Fat Belly Clam Shack and Caputo Pizzeria.”

Skully’s Fat Belly Clam Shack is available in Prudential Center’s Jeep Frontier Club and Caputo Pizzeria is available in Club Lounge East, both located on the arena’s main concourse.

Craveable Hospitality Group’s urrent concepts include David Burke Kitchen (New York, NY), JIMMY (New York, NY), David Burke at Bloomingdale’s (New York, NY), David Burke fabrick (New York, NY), Spyglass Rooftop Bar (New York, NY), Burke in the Box at McCarran Airport (Las Vegas, NV), David Burke Primehouse (Chicago, IL), David Burke Prime (Foxwoods Casino, CT), Skully’s Fat Belly Clam Shack, Caputo Pizzeria, Bacon Bar, and Handwich Shop at Prudential Center (Newark, NJ), and Trilogy at Silverspot Cinemas. Several additional projects are in the works. Opened in October 2007, the state-of-the-art Prudential Center arena is the home of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) three-time Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils, Seton Hall University’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball program, and more than 175 concerts, family shows and special events welcoming 1.75 million guests annually.

Wagamama Opens in New York City

Famed London restaurant wagamama opened its first New York location at 210 Fifth Avenue at 26th Street.

A menu of Asian food inspired by the flavors of Japan includes bold donburi and teppanyaki, soul-satisfying ramen, colorful curries, gyoza and steamed buns. All dishes are prepared in an open kitchen at the heart of the restaurant, and are served as soon as they are ready—a long-established practice of wagamama.

Signatures include chili squid, tossed with seven spice shichimi, chicken katsu in a fragrant curry sauce over sticky rice, and wagamama ramen, a house specialty since wagamama’s beginning. The noodles, a proprietary wagamama recipe perfected over 24 years, are imported from the UK. A list of fresh juices, are also pressed, pulped and poured to order and include choices such as super green with apple mint celery and lime and raw juice with carrot, cucumber, tomato, orange and apple.

The Manhattan opening marks several firsts for wagamama, including the debut of an Asian-inspired weekend brunch and a full bar and cocktail list created with New Yorkers in mind. Drinks are wagamama takes on classic cocktails such as the whisky sawa with Iwai Japanese whisky and lapsang souchong liqueur and the yuzu mojito made with Tanduay rum and yuzu liqueur, in addition to an extensive Asian craft beer range.

The expansive, bi-level restaurant, with entrances on both Fifth Avenue and Broadway, is sleek and modern with exposed brick walls, pendant lamps and rich wood accents. Minimalist wood and metal stools offer seating at individual tables throughout, while communal tables—another founding principle of wagamama—seat up to 18 on long benches and establish a sense of equality among diners. Additional seating is available at a long, marble bar and on a large mezzanine overlooking the main dining room.

“Our Fifth Avenue location is really special, overlooking Madison Square Park. The whole NoMad/Flatiron area it is so vibrant and evolving fast into a key New York food hub. New York has always been on our wish list, and in my mind, alongside London, is one of the world’s two top cities,” said wagamama CEO David Campbell. “We are very grateful for the warm welcome New Yorkers have given us already, and are quietly confident wagamama will become a local favorite.”

wagamama was founded in London’s Bloomsbury district in 1992 with a clear purpose: to create a place for positive eating where the food satisfies the senses and the soul. The company is seen as a pioneer of the communal table, open kitchen and customizable, made-to-order menu, which is overseen by executive chef Steve Mangleshot. This ethos has remained for more than two decades, focusing on positivity, freshness and continuous improvement. Kaizen, a Japanese word meaning “good change,” is a guiding philosophy of wagamama. It’s about never resting in the pursuit to be better, and wagamama has practiced kaizen since the beginning.  wagamama has expanded to more than 160 locations worldwide and plans to open in additional New York neighborhoods in the future.

Guy Fieri’s Foxwoods Kitchen + Bar Opens

Chef Guy Fieri and Big Night Entertainment Group opened Guy Fieri’s Foxwoods Kitchen + Bar on the casino level of the Grand Pequot Tower of Fowxoods. 

The aesthetic of the 9,800-square-foot venue is conceived by Peter Niemitz of Niemitz Design Group and is guaranteed to wow guests with its’ open kitchen with large wood ceiling beams, floor to ceiling windows, custom furniture in brown leathers and suedes, and hand-made metal iron chandeliers which create a modern rustic feel. A 42-foot wooden top bar designed with tempered glass overlooks the casino and two 90” television screens sit above the bar for guests to view their favorite sporting events. A symbolic Eagle presides over the restaurant’s center banquette and an eight-top chef’s table located next to the kitchen provides for an all-encompassing dining experience.

“We are thrilled to welcome Guy and his incredible team to the Foxwoods and Big Night families,” said Ed Kane, Principal of Big Night Entertainment Group. “His culinary expertise combined with the full flavor profiles of his signature dishes are unlike anything offered throughout the area.”

Chef Fieri brings his signature American-style cuisine to the people of Foxwoods featuring robust, bold flavors with menu highlights like his Insta-famous Trash Can Nachos, BBQ Bahn Mi, Bacon Mac-N-Cheese Burger, and Lobster Agra Diavolo, as well as a hearty selection of signature sandwiches, burgers, fork + knife entrees and mouthwatering desserts like the Seven-Layer Dark Chocolate Whiskey Cake.

Additionally, the 258-seat restaurant features a full premium bar with an extensive selection of liquors, wines, bottled and draft beers. Chef Fieri’s creative cocktail menu includes house made syrups and craft cocktails featuring daring flavors and signature drinks like the Caliente Margarita, the Tattooed Mojito and Guido’s Freaky Tiki.

“Bringing my restaurant to Foxwoods is a huge opportunity for me,” said Guy Fieri. “Working with Big Night Entertainment, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, and the Foxwoods team has been exciting because these are folks who know how to bring a big time experience to their guests. At Guy’s, we’re all about scratch-made food, killer cocktails, and a good time.”

Holy Chicken! Opens

Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock opened fast-food restaurant Holy Chicken! in Columbus, OH this month.

Holy Chicken!, is a fast-food “Chicken Experience” where guests will have the opportunity to taste selections from the “fast-food with integrity” menu. Dishes include Holy Chicken!’s signature dish “The Grilled Crispy Chicken Sandwich,” a special kid’s menu highlight the “Lil’ Cluckers Chicken Tenders,” made from 100 percent natural free range chickens and locally sourced and locally produced beverages. 

Suji’s Korean Grill Reopens as Full-Service

Suji’s Korean Grill  reopened after undergoing significant changes that reflect an evolving concept driven by consumers eager to experience more traditional Korean cuisine in a full-service environment.

Last month, restaurateur Suji Park shuttered her three-month old fast-casual restaurant to re-design the concept completely and re-open as an elegant, full-service restaurant, featuring table-side Korean barbecue. The change comes following feedback to her newly-opened restaurant, where diners expressed their eagerness to explore the cuisine of Suji’s homeland in a full service environment.

“We have completely re-designed our restaurant concept, and made many changes, including adding grills at every table,” explained Suji Park, Chief Inspirational Officer of Suji’s Korean Grill. “And I’m delighted to announce that we are introducing a brand new culinary team from New York City and Seoul.

The new design features table grills, so diners may enjoy Korean barbecue consisting of seared, marinated meats cooked right at the table. In addition to dishes like galbi grilled at the table, the new menu features Korean favorites including grilled beef short ribs marinated in a blend of traditional Korean seasonings, beef bulgogi, lightly marinated, ultra-thin slices of Omaha Natural Angus ribeye, and sam-gyeop-sal, a thinly sliced pork belly served with sesame dipping sauce. The menu also includes stews and rice and noodle dishes, and bibimbap, a meal of meat, vegetables and rice topped with an egg, served in traditional hot stone bowls.  Suji’s also offers a variety of local craft beer and flavorful Korean soju cocktails to compliment any meal. 

Suji’s Korean Grill is located in prime retail space at Aksarben Center at 1303 South 72nd Street in Omaha. The restaurant is the first in a proposed chain under the Suji’s brand, which already is introducing Americans to prepared Korean meals, entrees and sauces under the Suji’s Korean Cuisine label at retailers including Costco, Whole Foods, Target and H.E.B Grocers.

According to Park, while the focus right now is firmly on the Omaha restaurant, plans are already in the works to open a Seattle-based restaurant in the coming year.  “We have been exploring the possibility of opening our second restaurant in several cities, including New York,” she said. “We have settled on Seattle, which has a strong community of international food lovers and a familiarity with Asian cuisine. We are eager to open doors there and introduce the city to our exciting Korean menu.”

Suji’s Korean Grill is a full-service restaurant based in Omaha, NE, serving the authentic flavors of all-natural Korean food. The restaurant was founded by Suji Park, who runs American-themed restaurants in South Korea and Japan. The business is an expansion of the “Suji’s” brand in the U.S., where Park has established Korean retail and foodservice meals, entrees and sauces.  The company was founded in 2013 by international entrepreneur Suji Park, known for bringing America’s New York-style deli to Korea and Tokyo. 

Blue Dahlia Bistro Expands

Blue Dahlia Bistro, with locations on Austin’s East Side and in Westlake, will open its third location in January 2017, on San Marcos’ historic downtown square, announced owners Amy and Sam Ramirez today.  Austin’s answer to casual European fare and neighborhood dining for almost ten years, Blue Dahlia Bistro offers fresh, simple food in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.

Blue Dahlia Bistro will provide the San Marcos market with a casual option for those looking for fresh, simple European bistro fare served in a warm, welcoming community setting.  “Our mission has always been to create a restaurant that serves as a dining destination, but also acts as a community hub for friends and neighbors to come together, relax and enjoy a leisurely meal,” commented co-owner Amy Ramirez. “Blue Dahlia is our answer to the casual bistros that act as community centers in small villages and country towns throughout Europe.”

Originally from Maine, Ramirez moved to Austin in 1998 and developed the concept for Blue Dahlia Bistro in 2007 after extensive travel throughout Europe.  She married Sam, an early investor in the restaurant and long-time San Marcos resident, in 2008 and the two have been splitting their time between San Marcos and Austin ever since.

Located at the corner of Hopkins and North Guadalupe Streets in San Marcos, the 2,000 square-foot space is in an historic 18th century building that was originally thought to be a blacksmith’s home and studio.  The Ramirez are dedicated to showcasing the building’s history, exposing original details such as pressed tin ceilings and 18-inch limestone walls.  Like Blue Dahlia Bistro’s other locations, the San Marcos restaurant will feature private and communal tables, with indoor and outdoor seating, including a front patio and back garden.

“Opening Blue Dahlia in San Marcos is definitely a passion project for us,” commented co-owner Sam Ramirez.  “It has been an honor and pleasure raising my family in San Marcos and we are thrilled to bring new business to this growing town and offer a new dining destination for our wonderful community.”

The opening menu will feature the bistro classics for which Blue Dahlia Bistro has become known, including: Salade Niçoise, Goat Cheese, Mozzarella, and Mesclun Greens salads; Tartines ranging from Ham & Gruyère to Hummus to Organic Egg to French Goat Cheese; and traditional French entrees such as Beef Bourguignon, Mussels Provençal, Ratatouille and Coq au Vin Blanc.  The breakfast menu, which is served all day, includes Croissant, Frittata, Soft-Boiled Eggs, French Crêpes, the Parisian Sandwich, and more.  The wine menu will feature an international selection of white, red, rose and sparkling wines, as well as local beers from Live Oak, 512 Brewery and Hops & Grain.  Blue Dahlia Bistro uses local and organic ingredients whenever possible and always the best quality product available.

Rubbermaid Commercial Adds Color-Coded Line

Rubbermaid® Commercial Products (RCP) has launched its Color-Coded Foodservice System, a premier food prep and storage system designed to help commercial kitchens reduce foodborne illness and cross-contamination. The new line of products is now available nationwide and recently received the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Seal of Approval.

The color-coded line covers everything from prep tools to storage, including cutting boards, a cutting board rack, tongs, high-heat spatulas, square containers with lids and round containers with lids. Seven color options are designed to facilitate the safe handling of raw meat, poultry, dairy, seafood, cooked meat, produce and potential allergens by foodservice professionals.

Commercial kitchens can choose from eight different starter kit solutions, which provide everything required to start a color-coding system. Options include 1-color, 3-color, 5-color and 7-color starter kits. To help train staff, each color-coded starter kit also includes an implementation guide and a poster.

“Contaminated food causes nearly 48 million illnesses a year in the U.S.1 and food safety continues to be a top concern for commercial kitchens and the food industry overall,” said Kristine Sickels, RCP’s senior vice president of marketing. “With our new line of products, we can help foodservice professionals maintain safer conditions at every stage of the preparation process, crucial for delivering quality service to patrons.”

The Color-Coded Foodservice System provides an easy solution to help facilitate the safe handling of food and is built to withstand the commercial kitchen environment. All products are commercial dishwasher safe. The high-heat spatulas are built to resist temperatures up to 500º F and the tongs feature rubber grips to enable better control and handling.

In November, the Color-Coded Foodservice System received the ACF Seal of Approval by the American Culinary Federation (ACF), the largest professional chefs’ organization in North America. The products were tested using multiple criteria and the accreditation is largely considered to be a benchmark of culinary excellence. The seal of approval demonstrates RCP’s commitment to quality products within the foodservice industry.

The ACF Seal of Approval Task Force applied the organization’s rigorous testing criteria to the Color-Coded Foodservice System which was tested by using many cooking, prepping and storage methods, including boiling, frying, sautéing, baking, storing and refrigerating. The task force evaluated the products’ physical performance, consistency, adaptability, and accuracy of labels and marketing claims.

The ACF Seal of Approval program offers foodservice manufacturers the opportunity to have products endorsed by the premier organization of professional chefs in the U.S. Unlike other entities, the ACF Seal of Approval requires extensive product testing and evaluation.