Food

Today, we're revisiting the story of a foodservice hero from Portland, Maine. Her name is Natalie DiBenedetto, but she is more recognizable to locals as  Chef Figgy, the owner of Figgy's Takeout and Catering. One of her claims to fame, in addition to her amazing fried chicken, is winning episode 39 in Season 8 of Food Network's "Chopped" in 2018.

Reducing kitchen waste and keeping food budgets lean have always been big challenges for foodservice professionals. Now more than ever, it’s essential to do both.  

Supply chains are being disrupted. Customers’ behavior is becoming harder to predict. Nevertheless, chefs and operators carry on the heroic work of keeping people fed in restaurant, healthcare and institutional kitchens. Hamilton Beach Commercial is here to help. With the help of expert chefs, we’ve found effective strategies for getting the most out of every ingredient.

Some 54 percent of restaurant operators have temporarily switched to off-premises service only.  They face formidable challenges: marketing takeout and delivery options to customers, crafting new menus, and keeping food costs down and quality high, all while operating with a reduced staff.  

Here are tips from chefs and restaurant operators across the country, from fast casual to fine dining, on how to build a takeout and delivery business in challenging times. Hamilton Beach Commercial is here to help operators do more with less.

In a commercial kitchen, a stand mixer is a true utility player. It kneads. It stirs. It whips. And it beats. Best of all, it operates hands free, allowing kitchen staff to turn their attention to other tasks.  

Yet not every restaurant has one, because chefs and managers wonder if it’s worth investing the money and the kitchen space. That’s why we made the 8 quart/8 liter CPM800 stand mixer. It’s compact, so it saves counter space. It’s affordable and seriously durable, so you know it’ll be a worthwhile investment. And it can do more than you ever dreamed.

In the United States, food waste is a staggering problem. Approximately 20 percent of the nation’s cropland is used to grow food that isn’t consumed, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Wasted food produces more greenhouse gases than 37 million cars.   

School nutrition programs are a key touchpoint in reducing food waste, not only in how meals are served today, but in teaching children mindful eating strategies they can use lifelong. But it can be tough to implement strategies for reducing food waste in schools while still meeting federal school lunch nutrition standards and health-code regulations — and keeping kids happy!

 In the lunchroom, several strategies have been proven to work:

• Setting up a sharing table, where kids can place items they are not going to consume (milk, packaged items, or fresh fruit; only USDA food is allowed).
• Letting children take their food to go — specifically fruits, vegetables and healthy hand-held snacks
• Not pushing milk on children who don’t want it.
• Scheduling lunch after recess, which can reduce plate waste by as much as 30 percent
• Enlisting students’ help in reducing food waste with waste weigh-in competitions, taste-testing sessions for new menu items, etc.

 But what about the back of the house? Here are some best practices finding success in local school districts.

For decades, veganism was described in the language of deprivation: no meat, no fish, no dairy, no eggs, no fun.

“When I first began eating vegan…23 years ago…I was sad because I was hungry. I wanted to eat food — a lot of it,” chef Doron Petersan told Nation’s Restaurant News. Now, Petersan and other chefs are developing plant-based menus to satisfy big appetites and adventurous eaters. “We’re not specializing in delicate microgreens; we’re not touting ourselves as a health food diner,” says Petersan, founder of Washington D.C.’s Fare Well. “There’s cookie dough pancakes with a side of tofu scramble. It’s still indulgent and still fun.”

While just 3 percent of Americans consider themselves vegans, nearly 40 percent are “actively trying to incorporate more plant-based foods into their diets,” according to Nielsen. And they’re hungry! It’s time to give the people what they want.

Can you believe the oldest millennials are now 37? That means it’s time to retire the tired jokes about millennials killing mayonnaise, breakfast cereal and casual dining, and discover the new truths: What is Generation Z eating? And how can restaurants win them over?

Next in our series of interesting applications for an in-chamber vacuum sealer -- did you know that you can use it to preserve the freshness and color of baby greens and herbs? 

QSRs were built on consistency. Now, people crave novelty.

Limited-time offerings can give sales a short-term boost, earn media mentions, build social buzz and even entice lapsed customers to return. Nearly half of all consumers try LTO menu items every month, QSR magazine reports. 

It makes sense. Not only are people programmed to crave novelty (new flavors, new dishes), but they respond strongly to scarcity, perceiving scarce items as more valuable and conferring status on those who possess them. But how can you ensure an LTO is a success? First, consider these five factors.

Next in our series of interesting applications for an in-chamber vacuum sealer is experimental cooking. The effects that vacuum sealing has on food mean that you can play and create new presentations of old favorites.