Special focus: Salt
Salt is probably the most widely used ingredient in the restaurant kitchen. In the past, plain table salt was the go-to seasoning for both the back- and front-of-the-house, but now chefs (and diners) are using crystals of different sizes, textures, colors and even flavors.
Table salt, also called granulated salt, is the most basic mineral composition of sodium and chloride. It can be mined from dried oceans and underground sea beds or harvested from evaporated brine/sea water. It is screened to provide a range of specific crystal sizes....
A Kick to Fast Food’s Buns: Bread as more than an afterthought
The quest for better burgers isn’t leaving the bun behind.
The sandwich upgrades underway at several quick-service chains focus as much on the bread as what’s between it. The perfect example: Wendy’s, whose buns are about to be buttered....
Sourcing challenges: As demand rises, so do seafood prices
Aweakened dollar, high commodity costs and increased global demand for seafood are combining to push up prices this season. Fernando Navas, corporate chef for the six-location SushiSamba, names “price” as his number one sourcing challenge. “Prices have gone up 50 percent for sushi fish, such as tuna, hamachi [yellowtail] and salmon,” he says. Navas explains that the Japanese market is a prime driver of seafood prices, even when the fish is not sourced from Japan. Right now, the yen is stronger than the dollar....
Summer picks: A bounty of fresh produce
August is a dream month for sourcing local fruits and vegetables all over the U.S. Here’s what’s at or near its seasonal peak this month:...
Drinks: Go with the flow
Selling bottled water in restaurants has had its ups and downs. Used to be a bottle of water at every table was seen as the big markup savior. Then water sommeliers were the rage in fancy restaurants. Next came the bottled water backlash, when no self-respecting restaurant would be caught dead menuing ecologically disastrous spring water imported from the other side of the globe. Water from the tap reigned supreme—but of course, operators couldn’t charge for that....
Cold cases
Unlike back-of-house equipment, refrigerated display cases are on the front lines, seen day in and day out. Not only do they need to perform efficiently, they have to look attractive. Many models on the market perform as good as they look.
Making the case
The guidelines for buying refrigerated display cabinets are pretty simple. First, determine if you need an open-front or glass-front design....
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