Food and nutrition services leaders in hospitals and senior living facilities face daunting challenges in this era of unpredictability about government funding, the effect of mergers and acquisitions among healthcare systems and staff recruiting and retention.
Developing a plan to cut food waste is one thing. Actually seeing results is another.
For foodservice operators considering entering a space previously occupied by another restaurant, veteran service agent John Schwindt offers a few pointers on evaluating existing infrastructure items such as hoods, grease traps and walk-ins.
What’s new in college and university foodservice catering? A lot, as it turns out.
When Klaus Mager visited China’s White Swan Hotel back in the ’70s, he was treated to an early preview of what was to become a sensation in the states decades later.
Behind any kitchen upgrade lies the drive for greater efficiency. Many chefs dream of a complete renovation. Not every operation, though, can fund an extravagant redesign in the back of the house.
The sports bar segment ups its game with more high-end menus and trendy cocktails to entice customers to stay after the games end.
The kitchen is a hot spot on university campuses across the nation — as well as in corporations, retirement centers, hospitals, food halls and other public spaces. And we’re not talking the familiar behind-the-scenes, back-of-the-house commercial kitchen where chefs and cooks do their thing. Rather, these emerging hot spots are kitchens designed and built as teaching facilities, where education, engagement and community building around food are primary objectives.
We all scream for ice cream, but new twists and trends in summertime treats actually impact equipment and supply needs, too.
Students living in Alumni Quad residence hall at the University at Albany in Albany, N.Y., enjoy the benefit of eating in the university’s most recently renovated dining hall. “We had an all-you-care-to-eat dining program with a service line, but it wasn’t working,” says Stephen Pearse, executive director, University Auxiliary Services. “Students who live at this downtown campus location are transient, attending classes uptown, and their traffic patterns were inconsistent. We couldn’t keep them satisfied.”
Wood-fired cooking is hot, both literally and figuratively. The cooking method that was once used strictly for pizza now shows up all across the menu, from appetizers to desserts. Placing a wood-fired oven on a cookline visible to diners adds the one-two punch of eye-catching drama and subtle, smoky flavor overtones. Simply adding one piece of equipment could provide chefs with nearly limitless opportunities for menu expansion.
