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R e s t a u r a n t D a i l y N e w s 5 M o n d a y, M a r c h 5 , 2 0 1 2 Continued on Page 13 AMERICOLD: MAKING THE GRADE Forget Zagats. Today your customers may be checking their ABCs as they look to the Health Department's grading system for food and safety. In July of 2010, the relatively new grading sys- tem began issuing and requiring restaurants in New York City to post grade cards to show prospective clientele their performance on sanitary inspections. The grading program, which was 18 months in planning and now is a year and a half old, was created as a way to reduce the occurrences of food hazards and promote the safest pos- sible dining. This information previously only available on a DOH website, now is literally in the public domain as restau- rants are required to post their "grade" in their windows or within five feet of their entrance. This can substantially impact restau- rateurs if they don't "make the grade" and is precisely why Americold has stepped into the arena to help. The grading system requirements are for food handling, food temperature, per- sonal hygiene, facility and equipment maintenance and vermin control. Every violation accrues points and when the points are totaled, restaurants get the report card reflecting where they are. Grade A: 0 to 13 points for sanitary vio- lations Grade B: 14 to 27 points for sanitary vio- lations Grade C: 28 or more points for sanitary violations The inspections are unscheduled, but once the restaurant is given a grade by the DOH, it has to either post the grade (typically A grade recipients are happy to do this) or it can post a card that says "Grade Pending" until it has a chance to defend itself to the Health Tribunal and have the chance to bring its equipment and practices into better compliance and up to a better grade. Here is where Americold is standing toe to toe with its all-star line-up of food- service clients. As part of their "white glove service program" the company has extended its services to include rapid response to impromptu inspections by the DOH. Restaurants that are visited by a Health Department official are encour- aged to call Americold and a technician specialist will immediately be dispatched to the location to provide onsite supervi- sion during the inspection. Bob Levine, president of Americold, comments, "We are dedicated to the food protection business and we know the importance of safety with regard to food consumption and storage. For our valued clients, we wanted to provide them with another level of support as they meet the requirements of the DOH." He adds, "Often times the violation can be remedied easily, if only the technician is there to help, and now they are." Americold is so com- mitted to its clients that it has expanded its consultative services and is proud that they have team members on staff certi- fied by the NYC Department of Health in Food Safety and Handling. Most recent- ly, Christy Garramone, Americold's Service Consultant and DOH Food Safety Specialist, has been certified and Levine is now encouraging all of his staff to pursue this same qualification. "We want to provide our clients with information so that they can make the best decisions with regard to their refrig- eration equipment. Their business is pro- viding culinary experiences―our busi- ness is refrigeration. I certainly think it is in their best interest if we can help guide them as to what the DOH requires with regard to performance of their refrigera- tors and the importance of temperature requirements." For their efforts and dedication, Americold gets the "A." For more information on Bob Levine and Americold's commitment to food preservation and refrigeration, or to find out about his services and maintenance programs, visit booth 1116 or contact Americold at info@americoldny.com or by phone at 631-262-7964. About Americold Leading New York restaurateurs, hospi- tals, catering facilities, universities and dealers count on Americold Refrigeration Consultants to select, install and maintain reliable refrigeration equipment that will perform at its highest level and prevent costly downtime and revenue loss. In operation for over 25 years, Americold has developed a reputation for consis- tently delivering exceptional customer service, earning the trust and loyalty of some of the region's most demanding restaurateurs. Utilizing a dedicated team approach to fulfilling the customer's needs, Americold emphasizes strong communications, strategic planning and internal controls to help clients build a dependable refrigeration system they can count on. Visit them on the Web at www.americoldny.com. NEW MARGARITA MADNESS ELITE SERIES BLENDERS: A CATEGORY OF THEIR OWN For all who have tried the original Margarita Madness 1.5-horsepower blender, it's hard to imagine a way to improve on the sleek design, impressive crushing power and outstanding perform- ance. The team at Waring Commercial Products took on the challenge and found multiple ways to raise the bar, once again reinventing the professional blender cate- gory with three powerful new models of the Margarita Madness Elite Series. With the glut of underperforming low-power blenders on the market and an overabundance of pricey high-power models, this line introduces a brand new category of 2-horsepower, high-perform- ance, affordable blenders. The series delivers the economy of standard bar blenders, yet stands up to the perform- ance and durability of the high-priced machines. Combined with the aggressive new jar and blade configuration, the upgraded, true 2-horsepower motors can produce three 16-ounce frozen margari- tas in eight seconds or less and pulverize an entire tray of ice cubes into snow in seconds! That impressive power and perform- ance are standard throughout the line; the only variations between the models are found in the controls. The original sim- ple-to-use toggle switch design is still front and center on the MMB145, mak- ing it easy to operate in dimly lit bars. Now there's also a pulse option for chop- ping and drink refreshing. On the next tier, the MMB150 offers the same dual speed and pulse features, but with an electric membrane keypad that cleans up with a quick swipe of a cloth. The MMB160 features the electric keypad as well, plus a 60-second countdown timer that adds a valuable multi-tasking option. The timer lets the user "set it and forget it"―set the timer, turn it on, tend bar or work the crowd and come back to per- fectly blended drinks! All three models come equipped with a 48-ounce stackable jar, tailored specifically to work with the 2-horse- power motor. The jars are made of unbreakable, dishwasher-safe BPA-free co-polyester, with a light ergonomic design for easy pouring. Since they're stackable, several can be kept on hand and they can be swapped out, enabling fulfillment of several orders at once while keeping precious counter and sink space clear. Both the jar coupling and the drive coupling on the motor are easily user replaceable and constructed of durable stainless steel to resist wear and ership," said Anthony Ciepiel, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Vitamix. "By focusing on designing blenders for the most demanding users and the most demanding applications, Vitamix creates blenders that last longer and need fewer repairs. Other blenders may cost less in the initial purchase, but cost more over the life of the blender due to early end-of-life failures, higher repair expenses and lower reliability resulting in lost sales," Ciepiel added. "Our customers' reputations are built on quality. Whether our products are being used in a coffee house, smoothie bar or one of the finest restaurants in the world, we'll continue to create value and versatility to help ensure success," Ciepiel stated. For more information, visit www.vitamix.com/thequietone or call 800-4DRINK4. Vitamix (Con't. from p. 4)