France Is Getting Aggressive with Food Waste

We wrote recently about tackling food waste, a major contributor to climate change causing emissions, by embracing ugly food. Although the ugly food movement has footholds worldwide, some of it’s strongest proponents are in France, including Nicholas Chabanne of Gueules Cassées. But as wonderful as the idea is to get “imperfect” produce out of landfills and onto our plates, it requires reversing a lot of momentum and decades of habits for both consumers and suppliers. Since the French government has stated that they intend to cut food waste in half by 2025, they are pulling out all the stops necessary to do so.

In May, the French National Assembly passed legislation requiring grocery stores to have formal contracts with food banks and implementing hefty fines for throwing out food or deliberately spoiling it (an apparently common practice to prevent dumpster diving). Now the French government has made it illegal for large restaurants (generally those seating over 150) not to offer doggy bags to all guests. Since the French do not have a native word for the concept, it could be slow to catch on, but every bit counts in a nation where restaurants are such a vital part of the national economy.

To read more, click here.

Andrew Carmellini Comes to Brooklyn

Andrew Carmellini’s NoHo Hospitality Group, which brought Manhattan border-hopping concepts ranging from the French bistro (Lafayette) to the Italian cafe (Bar Primi) to the American oyster-house (The Dutch), not to mention a few hotel restaurants (Locanda Verde and Little Park), will finally come to Brooklyn this summer. The NoHo group, which includes Carmellini and partners Luke Ostrom and Josh Pickard,  will be taking over food and beverage operations at The William Vale hotel: a 21 story building with 183 rooms, a ballroom, indoor-outdoor bar, and an elevated 15,000 square ft. public green space. They will be responsible for the hotel’s dedicated restaurants, as well as the bar, room service, and any events catering. Fortunately their CVs are up to the task and they have the enthusiasm to match. In a statement to BKMagazine, they said “We love Williamsburg and know this property will be an anchor for the neighborhood. The timing is just right.”

To read more, click here.

 

New Year’s in Times Square Can Cost You $1,700

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All over the city, “open bar” is the name of the game on New Year’s Eve. It makes sense: on the biggest party night of the year, bars and restaurants want you to commit to staying there. And since many people will overestimate their alcohol tolerance and underestimate the lines (or forget that tips are not included), an open bar can feel like a great deal.

There are certainly some reasonably priced covers scattered around the city, but you would be hard pressed to find them near Times Square this year. There, major chains are getting in on the action by charging triple figure covers for an all inclusive night with dinner, drinks and a (usually obscured) view of the ball drop. Olive Garden’s New Year’s dinner buffet and bar will cost you $400 a head, Bubba Gump Shrimp is $799, and Ruby Tuesday goes up to $1699 for the exclusive “couple’s table.” Maybe people got word that the recession is over – Bubba Gump Shrimp has sold out at least, according to their website.

To read more, click here.

Williamsburg’s Biblio Closes

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In a statement posted to Facebook this week, the owners of Biblio at 149 North 6th St. in Williamsburg announced that they would be closing the doors to their book-themed bar and restaurant. Biblio opened in 2013 with a cozy, library atmosphere and a number of literary touches, including a menu divided into sections like “Forward” and “Preface” which they simplified in eventually pared down to gastropub classics and lighter takes on comfort food.

In their statement on Facebook, the restaurant’s owners thanked their patrons from the past two years, but explained that business has not been strong enough to sustain them, particularly in 2015. They did not give a specific date for their final day.

To read more, click here.

Move to End Tipping Gains More Momentum

yI1Ya0x8QbiTi7potxLc_022.jpgDanny Meyer’s decision to end tipping at all his restaurants has already become the sort of high profile case that’s likely to spark conversation and debate in circles reaching far beyond the industry. As two more restaurateurs move to join him, it now seems like his announcement represents a major tipping point (pun intended) in what is considered standard.

This week both Gabriel Stulman and Andrew Tarlow announced that they would eliminate tipping at some or all of their restaurants. Stulman is the owner of six casual restaurants in downtown Manhattan, including Fedora on West 4th where he plans to eliminate gratuities in January. Stulman calls this a test drive of the new system, but ultimately he hopes to implement it at more of his restaurants as well. Tarlow, who is responsible for Diner and Marlow & Sons, said he plans to completely eliminate gratuities at all of his restaurants in 2016.

Although Meyer seems to have set off a domino effect, the trend is likely also due to the $2.50 increase in New York’s tipped minimum wage, which will go into effect in January. For many restaurants, it makes more sense to eliminate tipping altogether and hope that they can communicate the change effectively and avoid sticker-shock at higher prices.

Although the anti-tipping movement cites fairness as a major motivator, with higher wages for back of house workers as well as well as front of house, some employees may balk at the change, which puts more money in the employer’s pockets (at least until it reaches the workers paychecks). Stulman in particular is preparing for this backlash by offering “guaranteed wages for the members of our dining room team to be consistent with what they were averaging before the change.” To meet this requirement he’ll be increasing prices around 25% across the board.

To read more, click here.

Maman Opens New Location in Tribeca

 

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On Monday, the French cafe Maman opened the doors to its newest branch on 211 West Broadway in TriBeCa. The new location is broken up into two rooms with a much larger total square footage than the SoHo original. The front room is lined with comfortable couches and ample room for enjoying  lunch or pastries, and the back room opens up into a full-service restaurant seating 40. Dinner service starts this week with specialties like scallop carpaccio, braised beef cheeks, and red tuna ceviche.

Maman in SoHo was opened last year by chef Armand Arnal, baker Elisa Marshall, and restaurateur Benjamin Sormonte. Since then it’s become a popular destination for both eating and Instagramming. The new space will likely become popular as well, particularly with parents and families. Marshall told the NYTimes that Maman TriBeCa would be “very kid-friendly,” and even has a stroller valet.

To read more, click here.

Photo via Eater.com

Met Museum Adds Estela to its New Outpost

The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s new modern outpost, Met Breuer, will be opening in March of 2016 at Madison and 75th, and it’s sure to be a popular destination for art lovers all over the city. Food lovers may now have a reason to head there as well, as the Met recently announced that the outpost will include a second branch of Estela, the oft-packed bar/restaurant on East Houston run by chef Ignacio Mattos and restaurateur Thomas Carter.

Thomas P. Campbell, the director and chief executive of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, cited the restaurant’s “downtown energy,” and it’s ability to meet the needs of both formal and informal diners. Carter said that the Met’s leaders wanted something “convivial and rustic and fun.”

The new restaurant will likely not be open till Summer of 2016, and the menu is still up in the air. One thing to expect is an impressive wine list: Carter has said that the selection at the new uptown branch will “dwarf” the Houston street location, with 500 bottles to the original Estela’s 200. It never hurts to have a good glass to go with your contemporary art.

To read more, click here.

 

Apres-Ski Themed Bar on Eataly’s Roof

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Photo via eataly.com

Eataly, the Italian food mecca on 5th avenue, has opened the pop-up Baita bar on their roof with an “Italian Alps” theme. According to their website, they’ve “replaced the stone walls and nearby hills of grazing sheep with a retractable glass roof and views of the neighboring Flatiron building, but the food and drink will make you think you’re in the Italian Alps, right in the middle of Manhattan.”

Holiday shoppers, tourists and Eataly regulars can all enjoy tasty seasonal fare, like polenta and homemade sausage, while sipping on the sort of drinks you might crave after a long day on the slopes. Eataly’s brewery Birreria is running the pop-up, and pints of their cask ales will be available alongside a full wine list and house cocktails. Featured among those are mulled wine and Bombardino – a cream based Italian cocktail reminiscent of eggnog – but if the ski lodge aesthetic isn’t enough to make you forget the unseasonable warm weather we’ve been having, there are plenty of original cold cocktails as well. Other classic Italian goodies like fresh pasta and charcuterie from the market below will also be available.

If you visit and fall in love with the festive atmosphere, Eataly is also renting out Baita for parties of up to 175. But get there soon – the pop-up will only be around through March of 2016.

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Sadelle’s: Upscale Bagel Enterprise

sadelles_menu.0.0Their Success…Bagels are historically more of a commodity than a specialty, and the proliferation of corner stores have flooded New York streets with mediocre crust and cream cheese.  However, Sadelle’s has taken the common and made it special; by focusing intensely on the entire experience and artisanal production methods, the Major Food Group team has made this staple memorable again.

Quoted as one of the most anticipated restaurants to open Fall 2015, Sadelle’s has made a grand opening. Located in the heart of SoHo, the bakery and restaurant specializes in one of New York City’s classic foods-bagels. Famous baker and co-owner Melissa Weller runs Sadelle’s bagel and bakery program. Hand rolled bagels, pastries and breads are made fresh on-site throughout the day in a glass-enclosed setting at the center of the restaurant. Sadelle’s offers both breakfast, lunch, dinner and quick and easy to-go service.

Sadelle’s carries an old-west with a modern city theme throughout their restaurant. The exterior of the restaurant illuminates in a pastel blue with gold letters “Sadelle’s” at the center. The restaurant is laid out with wooden flooring that corresponds with the color theme of the brick walls all across the restaurant. The chandeliers have a vintage edge, while the center kitchen, and take-away area is clean with a glassed enclosure. Similar wooden props are used both as decorative and functional items. A wooden bagel holder is both appealing as decoration but also is a bagel slot.

The front right section of the restaurant is set for customers ordering bagels, or pastries to-go. The pastries, and bagels are displayed in a glassed casing, while chefs are seen slicing fish. This extra service similar to City Bakery, where customers can have options for either sit-down or take-away attracts more customers in the early mornings, and during lunch hours. However, because the area where take-aways can be ordered is in close approximate distance with where the hostess is, and where those waiting for a table are, there is a dysfunctional aspect to the order of service. The fluidity of the direction of the lines isn’t strict, and can potentially intimidate more customers walking in.

Take Aways…The key word for services in the restaurant industry, today, is transparency. With shifts in consumer preferences and eating habits, many restaurants are forced to form towards healthy and transparent menu options. Sadelle’s successfully appeals to the modern consumer, where consumers can watch fresh lox being sliced by chefs for their bagels, and bakers baking fresh bagels at the center of the restaurant. This open kitchen appeals to customers and attracts customers to guarantee “fresh foods.”

EATER NY asks NY’s Best Food Writers the Do’s and Don’t of Restaurants

Unknown-1Eater asked New York’s best food critics to anonymously share their frustrations about the restaurant industry. A total of 26 complaints were complied to help owners and businesses in NYC’s restaurant scene to avoid bad criticism from food writers.

Some of the key complaints from critics were that while space and real estate in NYC might be tough, over crowding of tables is a total miss on drawing comfort for eaters. “It feels like every time I go out to eat these days, my server has to pull the table out, let me in and shove it back in place like I’m being bolted into a roller coaster car.” Other critics included how restaurants with a wine list of $50+ but doesn’t accept credit cards is inconvenient and faulty especially when average checks are going to be high. Moreover, if a restaurant accepts reservations, they should allow reservations all hours instead of “before 6 or after 9:30.” Lastly, critics grieved about how places with vegetarian options tend to make things all vegan. “Theres a reason why vegetarians aren’t vegan.”

To read more on the 26 complaints by critics, click here.