Credit Card Fees: Restaurants Are Fighting Back

Most restaurants still take credit cards, to the tune of thousands of dollars in fees each month. Operators weigh card acceptance over cash, and the consequences often. The National Restaurant Association is now lobbying to have credit card fees lowered. Huffington Post reports.

MAISON KAYSER

MAISON KAYSER
1294 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10021 (Upper East Side) • 212.744.3100

maison-kayser-nyc-upper-east-side-french-bakery-bread

Their Success… New York can now sink their teeth into a new baguette on offer.   Eric Kayser, from Paris, France is known the world over as a baker, most notably for his baguette.  His bakeries are said to set the example of Paris’ best with 100 bakeries in 14 cities.  Opening an international brand in a foreign city can be challenging: to really capture the true essence of the culture and maintain consistent product.   Maison Kayser has achieved this and more.  In anticipation of the launch, the team was steadfast in bringing in talent from their Paris Shops and not skimp on creating the Parisian feeling that we here at TaraPaige Group love so much.

What We Learned… In a city full of bakeries, there is still room for more, and New Yorkers will always crave the ambience of a french cafe and tasty bread.  To standout, play up your strengths. Here, the counter staff romance their dialogue with “merci”, “bonjour”, and other French words. The staff wear French shirt and the music is French. The energy is brisk and New York, but the team is pure Paris. America loves imports.

Take Aways… We talk with a lot of enterprises that are looking to open overseas.  There is great opportunity in brand exposure as well as financial success.  In doing so, make sure to not just sell, but to really keep to the core of the business, culture and product.

Fancy Food Show Highlights and Trends 2013

In case you weren’t at the Fancy Food Show in person, we’ve gathered some post-show articles for you here.

The Mercury News photos will make you feel like you were there.

Specialty Foods‘ own “Trenspotter Panel” covers some well-stocked categories.

SFgate gives a local’s perspective, in photos.

USA Today gives a video glimpse.

Our feet aren’t tired from looking through the above. Did you attend the show this year? What did you think? Will you be at the New York show this summer?

Letter Grades Are Coming to Yelp

The New York Restaurant Association has been objecting to the letter-grade system since 2010. Now, the Daily News reports , one more reason to gripe: those grades will be posted on Yelp within the next month.

Keys to Building an Effective Performance System

Talent Management asks a crucial question: “Do bonuses work?” and discusses successful reward systems for employees.

Good Food Awards Wrap Up

We were on hand this weekend in San Francisco for The Good Food Awards, and it was quite an array of traceable food and beverage. We got to meet artisans from all over the country, and are still pining for the CHOP butchery pâté.

and The Winners Are:

BEER

Ballast Point Brewing Company, Winter San Salvador Black Lager, California
Bear Republic Brewing Company, Tartare, California
Deschutes Brewery, Obsidian Stout, Oregon
Elm City Brewing Company, Monadnock Mountain Ale, New Hampshire
Full Sail Brewing Co., Ltd6, Oregon
Fullsteam Brewery, First Frost, North Carolina
Hopworks Urban Brewery, HUB Organic Lager, Oregon
Independence Brewing Co., Convict Hill Stout, Texas
Jester King Craft Brewery, Boxer’s Revenge, Texas
Lakefront Brewery, My Turn: Luther & Wisconsinite Summer Weiss, Wisconsin
Mill Valley Beerworks, Four Brothers, California
Pagosa Brewing Company, Chili Verde, Colorado
Rolling Meadows Brewery, Abe’s Ale, Illinois

CHARCUTERIE

CHOP Butchery & Charcuterie, Chicken Liver Bourbon Mousse, Oregon
Columbus Foods, Finocchiona, California
Cypress, Picante Salami, South Carolina
EcoFriendly Foods, Iberico Americana Long Leg Ham 20 Month, Virginia
Fra’ Mani Handcrafted Foods, Salame Toscano, California
La Quercia, Borsellino Salami, Iowa
Olympic Provisions, Lomo Di Parma, Oregon
S. Wallace Edwards & Sons, Surry Farms Surryano Ham, Virginia
The Linkery, Country Ham, California
The Meat Hook, House Ham, New York
The Meat Market, Chicken Liver Mousse, Massachusetts
Transatlantic Foods, Aux Delices des Bois Chorizo, New York
Underground Meats, Coppa & Goat Salami, Wisconsin

CHEESE

Avalanche Cheese Company, Goat Cheddar, Colorado
Belle Chevre, Pimento Chevre, Alabama
Bellwether Farms, Whole Milk Ricotta, California
Briar Rose Creamery, Briar Rose Chevre, Oregon
Carr Valley Cheese Company, Cave Aged Marisa, Wisconsin
Cobb Hill Cheese, Ascutney Mountain, Vermont
Nature’s Harmony Farm, Fortsonia Gruyere, Georgia
Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co., Bay Blue, California
Spring Brook Farm, Tarentaise, Vermont
Uplands Cheese Company, Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Wisconsin
Weirauch Farm & Creamery, Saint Rose, California

CHOCOLATE

Amano Artisan Chocolate, Chuao 70% Dark Chocolate, Utah
Askinosie Chocolate, Dark Milk Chocolate Bar + Fleur de Sel, Missouri
Dandelion Chocolate, Madagascar – 70%, California
Fresco Chocolate, PNG 220, Washington
Fruition Chocolate Inc., Dark Milk with Fleur de Sel, New York
Madre Chocolate, Triple Cacao, Hawaii
Patric Chocolate, 67% Madagascar Bar & 75% Madagascar Bar & In-NIB-itable Bar, Missouri
Potomac Chocolate, Upala 70% Nib and Salt, Virginia
Raaka Chocolate, Bourbon Cask Aged Bolivia, New York
Ritual Chocolate, Costa Rica & Madagascar, Colorado
Rogue Chocolatier, Hispaniola & Rio Caribe & Sambirano, Massachusetts

COFFEE

1000 Faces Coffee, Ethiopia – Shakiso Mora Mora, Georgia
Case Coffee Roasters, Kenya – Nyeri Gaturiri Co-Op-Peaberry, Oregon
Cuvee Coffee, El Salvador – El Molino Witness Project, Texas
Evans Brothers Coffee, Ethiopia – Yirgacheffe Birhanu, Idaho
Flying Goat Coffee, Ethiopia – Wottuna Boltuma, California
Gimme! Coffee, Colombia – Finca San Luis La Gloria, New York
Heart Roasters, Ethiopia – Yukro & Kenya – Ndumberi, Oregon
Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea, Kenya – Gichathaini & Kenya – Kangocho, Illinois & California
Joe, Ethiopia – Camp, New York
Joe Bean Coffee Roasters, Nicaragua – Don Roger Pachi, New York
Kickapoo Coffee, Ethiopia – Organic Yirgacheffe Haru Cooperative, Wisconsin
Panther Coffee, Colombia – Finca El Ventilador, Florida
Portland Roasting Coffee, Ethiopia – Organic Sidamo, Oregon
PT’s Coffee Roasting Co., Ethiopia – Nanno Challa Heirloom, Kansas
Verve Coffee Roasters, Ethiopia – Birhanu & Panama – Elida Estate Gesha,California

CONFECTIONS

Arrowhead Chocolates, Huckleberry Truffle, Oregon
Bees & Beans, Mint Bar, Oregon
Big Picture Farm LLC, Goat Milk Chai Caramels, Vermont
Escazú Artisan Chocolates, Dark Chocolate Basil Ganache, North Carolina
Feve Artisan Chocolatier, Pistachio Rosemary Caramel, California
Her Coconess Confections, Vanilla Bean Salted Caramels, California
Lillie Belle Farms, The Most Awesome Chocolate Bar EVER!, Oregon
Looking Glass Creamery, Carmelita, North Carolina
Serendipity Confections, Fleur de Sel Butter Caramels, Colorado
Sweetdragon Baking Company, Black Sesame Brittle, California
Zoë’s Chocolate Co., Sesame Tahini Crunch, Pennsylvania

PICKLES

Aunt Nita’s Homestyle Foods, Sweet Jalapeño Relish, Texas
Blessed Earth Farm, Summer Squash Curry Relish, North Carolina
Central Bottle Wine + Provisions, Pickled Garlic Scapes, Massachusetts
Coldwater Canyon Provisions, Tarragon Cherries, California
Cultured Pickle Shop, Japanese Cucumber and Arame Kimchee & Kasu-Zuke Jalapeños, California
Firefly Kitchens, Ruby Red Kraut, Washington
Gordy’s Pickle Jar, Sweet Chips, Washington, D.C.
Jarred SF Brine, Oven Roasted Pickled Golden Beets and Shaved Shallots, California
Midori Farm, Organic Horseradish Leek Sauerkraut & Organic Kimchi & Organic Savory Kraut, Washington
Pogue Mahone Pickles, Jalapeño Mint, Texas
Sour Puss Pickles, Plum Shrub, New York
Southport Grocery & Cafe, Dilly Beans, Illinois
Unbound Pickling, French Quarter Pickled Beans, Aromatic Cajun Spice, Oregon

PRESERVES

Alpenfire Orchards LLC, Orleans Vinegar, Washington
American Spoon, Wild Thimbleberry Jam, Michigan
Ann’s Raspberry Farm & Specialty Crops, Artisan Red Raspberry Jam, Ohio
Atwater’s, Pear and Star Anise & Plum and Vanilla Bean, Maryland
Bathtub Gin LLC, Peaches ‘n Cream, Tennessee
Chez Pim, Flavor King Pluot, California
Ellelle Kitchen, Backyard Grapefruit Marmalade with Campari, California
Farmer’s Daughter, Rosey Strawberry Rhubarb Preserves, North Carolina
Half-Pint Preserves, Apple Plum Jelly, New York
HeathGlen Organic Farm and Kitchen, Raspberry Chambord Jam, Minnesota
Hoskins Berry Farm, Blackberry Vinegar, Oregon
INNA Jam, Pretty Spicy Fresno Chili Jam, California
Johnson Berry Farm LLC, Raspberry Habanero Jam & Tayberry Jam, Washington
Josephine’s Feast!, Hand Foraged Wild Beach Plum Preserve, New York
Rinkon Farm’s Flume Creek Preserves, Raspberry Preserves, Texas
Winding Drive, Wild Elderberry Jelly, Connecticut

SPIRITS

Cascade Peak Spirits, ORGANIC NATION Gin & ORGANIC NATION Vodka, Oregon
Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, Roundstone Rye, Virginia
Charbay Winery & Distillery, Charbay R5 Whiskey Aged, California
Dancing Pines Distillery, Bourbon Whiskey & Rum, Colorado
High West Distillery, High West Vodka 7000′ Peach, Utah
Leopold Bros., Leopold’s Navy Strength Gin, Colorado
Mountain Laurel Spirits, Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Pure Distilleries, Boyd and Blair Potato Vodka, Pennsylvania
St. George Spirits, Agua Libre California Agricole Rum & Aqua Perfecta Poire Eau de Vie, California
Syntax Spirits, Powder White Rum, Colorado

 

 

Posh Tea in SoHo: Le Palais des Thés is now Open

Palais des Thés opened Wednesday in SoHo, and promises to show the French have their expertise in tea.

The 700 square foot store is an adventure in sampling and delights.

The Good Food Awards: Tonight, 1/18/2013

We’re in San Francisco for The Good Food Awards, and all are abuzz about tonight’s menu and the weekend’s events.

We’ll be reporting back with highlights on the winners. The finalists list alerted us of many newcomers that we’re excited to meet tonight and tomorrow at the marketplace.

Dunkin’ Donuts is Goin’ Back to Cali

Dunkin’ Donuts will return to California in 2015, with a planned 150 stores to open. The LA Times has the full story.

Expansion and Relocation for Steve’s Key Lime Pies

Hurricane Sandy brought major decisions and great changes for Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies in Red Hook. The company will move within the Red Hook neighborhood on April 1.

Dnainfo.com spends some time with owner Steve Tarpin and his wife Victoria Gomez.