By mid-summer, 2018 had already been a busy year on the food-safety front. Hit with a long list of recalls and high-profile outbreaks from a variety of sources — romaine lettuce, precut melon and veggie trays, fresh eggs, a cereal brand and McDonald’s salads among them — industry and consumers alike were reminded that victory remains elusive in the battle against foodborne illness. Despite today’s more sophisticated systems and increased regulation, pathogens, pests and other substances harmful to human health continue to make their way into the food supply.
Making restaurants allergen friendly is no longer a fad. It’s a serious business decision that dictates a multifaceted process that spans from ordering to serving.
Paul Pumputis was not wired for a career as an electrician in upstate New York. He began wiring houses during the construction season but like so many others would often get laid off when winter rolled around and building ground to a halt. Looking for something more stable, he answered an ad looking for a service technician placed by Duffy’s Equipment Service, then an upstate N.Y. service agent. He joined the company, began training under Patrick Duffy and never looked back.
Purchasing and installing a new piece of kitchen equipment and is an expensive and time-consuming process. To help this process go as smoothly as possible, operators and service agencies should work together to set out exactly what an install covers.
Retail, meal kits and wellness reign in healthcare foodservice.
Depending on the situation, a service agency could be the difference between success and failure for a professional kitchen. It only makes sense, then, for operators to do what they can to get the most out of their service team.
With an increasing number of diners seeking authentic, regional and more diverse ethnic dishes, Italian restaurateurs look to perfect their cuisine. Internationally inspired menu dishes present an opportunity for restaurants as international foods continue to trend. Only one in five consumers prefer Americanized international types over authentic versions, according to Mintel’s International Food Trends, U.S. report.
Sliced, diced, shredded, spiralized, juiced — no matter how foodservice operators use or serve it, fresh produce keeps growing its presence on the plate. Trends like plant-forward menus, farm-to-table concepts, vegan and vegetarian diets, clean eating, and whole foods continue to flourish. And that means more produce coming in the back door — cases and cases of it, all needing to be kept cool, trimmed, washed, drained, processed, prepped and stored again before service.
There was a time when patient feeding was the center of the healthcare foodservice universe. Thanks to insurance companies and managed care, though, the length of time patients spend in hospitals continues to shrink. As a result, most healthcare foodservice operations tend to resemble more of a hybrid model, one that includes some patient feeding with a growing emphasis on corporate dining/retail solutions, catering and more.
