Lifestyle
David Zebny's non-chain chain Z Square

On the face of it, David Zebny might sound like the typical restaurateur wannabe: Bored real estate broker/developer/banker with plenty of scratch and a vague idea about doing something more “creative” moves to Europe and sees his future. Except that the man behind Z Square already has two locations under his belt and is about to add more. He may even have discovered an underserved niche between the bakery-cafes (read: Panera) and the casual dinnerhouses (Applebee’s, et al). Z Square was designed to be hip, high quality and reproducible.

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Grow a bigger nest egg

If all goes well, Albert Hall expects to one day pay off a $585,000 debt on his restaurant and knock out a little extra for retirement down the road. But in a business this volatile, nothing’s a certainty. Which is why planning for retirement—a dicey venture for anybody these days—is so important for Hall and many others like him. We talked to Hall and two other restaurant owners who need a little help ensuring a comfortable financial future. Then we brought in a group of personal finance experts...


Extreme food vacation: Southeast Asia

A universe apart from the ethnic mom-and-pop eateries stateside, a first encounter with Asia can stagger even sophisticated food professionals. “Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo is a life-changing moment for any chef,” declares Anthony Bourdain, author of the irreverent “Kitchen Confidential,” whose wanderlust has spawned TV series such as “A Cook's Tour” for the Food Network and “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” for the Travel Channel. "Nothing ever rocked my world like that. I didn’t know there was so much fish in the sea."

A history of the wine bottle

Sensuous mouth, slender neck, graceful shoulders, sleek body, a lovely punt. The wine bottle. It’s an elegant package indeed. United States glass manufacturers alone will ship over 2 billion wine bottles this year, according to the Glass Packaging Institute. And that’s nothing; Italy and France each produce about double the amount of wine that American wineries do. It all amounts to a lot of glass. Especially considering that it wasn’t until the 20th century that wine packaged in bottles even appeared on retailers’ shelves...

John Merlino, Claim Jumper's R&D genius

If John Merlino were a gymnast, his event would be the balance beam. At 42, the corporate executive chef and R&D director for Claim Jumper walks a fine line between tradition and trend. On one side, there is the long-running success of a much-loved 30-year-old brand; on the other, fast-moving food trends and changing consumer expectations. One wobble, and the contest could be lost.

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Eating your way through Milwaukee

Eating Your Way Through MilwaukeeMilwaukee may be renowned for beer, bratwurst and hogs (Harley’s, that is), but while its Bavarian and blue collar roots still lend distinctive flavor, the city today is a cosmopolitan destination with much to be savored.

In Their Own Words

JEFFREY CHODOROW, LAREN GARTNER, EDNA BAYLIFF, GEORGE KATAKALIDIS, RICK DOODY, JOHN METZ, JR. Six very different entrepreneurs on the lessons, the labors and the passions of the restaurant life.

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