Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/310725
Re s ta u ra n t D a i l y N e ws 3 5 Fri d a y, M a y 1 6 , 2 0 1 4 HOURS OF PREP WORK DONE IN MINUTES Food prep labeling isn't only the law, it's the integral component in food prep that ensures safety and reduces waste. But when employees spend hours prepping hundreds of ingredients, the extra hours spent labeling eats into any establish- ment's profitability. Date Code Genie, the new automat- ed food rotation labeling system from NCCO, gives employees the power to reduce hours of food labeling work down to a few minutes. The time-saving secret lies in the intuitive touch screen that was designed specifically for kitchen employees. The interface can be fully customized with exact items, terms and ingredients for each individual kitchen. No longer do kitchens have to adapt to a food labeling system. The Date Code Genie is the first ever system that adapts to any kitchen environment. From multiple language display – including Spanish and Chinese – to cus- tomizable "favorites" for common recurring labels, the Date Code Genie guarantees a simple, automated system that turns every kitchen employee into an expert. Labels are available in permanent, removable and dissolving adhesives in both blank and color- coded day of the week styles in a variety of sizes to meet the needs of all kitchens. Use these to produce food prep information, use first labels and even nutrition labels for grab and go items. Add logos and even allergen information to ensure cus- tomer safety. An easy personalized web portal allows for free remote updates and stor- age of all food prep details in one secure place. Manage user access and customize category images to create a unique sys- tem personalized for each kitchen's needs. Food preparation is an important part of any kitchen that requires time and energy. Stop spending hours on ineffective labeling, when perfect labeling takes only minutes. Additional information can be found at www.datecodegenie.com. For a demonstration and a chance to win a Date Code Genie for your kitchen, visit booth #1690. MALAYSIAN FOOD PRODUCTS ARE AMERICA'S NEW FAVORITE By Christina Arokiasamy, Malaysia's Food Ambassador to the U.S., Malaysia Kitchen Program U.S.A. With Malaysian cuisine being named one of the top ethnic food trends for 2014, a number of Malaysian products are find- ing themselves in previously uncharted territory – American grocery stores. A Malaysian classic, Lingham's Chilli Sauce, is quickly becoming America's new favorite. Made from just four ingredients – red chilli, sugar, vine- gar and salt – and boasting a dynamic fla- vor that breathes life into a range of dish- es as both an ingredient and condiment, it's a good fit with all-natural restaurants and retailers. As gourmet hot sauces are also one of this year's biggest trends, now is the time to try Lingham's Chilli Sauce in your own kitchen. The Lingham's company was first started in Penang, Malaysia, in 1908 during the British Colonial era as a way to cater to the delights of the colonial expatriate community. In those days, simple ingredients were the standard; these same simple ingredients are the key to Lingham's success today. Lingham's is now sold in over 20 coun- tries, including the United States. The traditional recipe still contains no preservatives, artificial colors or flavors. Another sauce American shoppers should be excited to see more of is Yuen Chun light soy sauce. Naturally fermented and made with less sodium than other brands, it's ideal for stir- fry's, Malaysian Char Kway Teow and any number of other fried rice dishes. Look for Yuen Chun Organic and Gluten-free varieties as well. Asian Meals and Brahim's are two more product lines that offer simple, nat- ural ingredients that shoppers will love. They offer a full selection of ready-made sauces that simplify Malaysian food preparation into a few, easy steps. Asian Meals Satay Sauce includes the favorite Asian flavors of tangy tamarind, citrusy lemongrass and peppery galangal. Brahim's Creamy Coconut Sauce, with ginger, bird chilli and lemongrass is another deliciously fresh and aromatic solution that adds an element of the exotic to your menu. For more information about these Malaysian products, visit Malaysia Kitchen U.S.A at booth #9674 where Malaysia's Food Ambassador to the U.S., Christina Arokiasamy, will host cooking demonstrations featuring these sauces and more. For more information, go to www.malaysiakitchen.us. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT BIG THING – RAPP IS HERE RAPP is a new innovative tablet-based suite of applications from ITsoft that empowers the service based digital restaurant of the future. RAPP's elite ordering system is easy and fun for cus- tomers to use at the table and fast for waiters to use on a busy Friday night. RAPP's world class service helps restau- rants do what they do best: provide mem- orable dining experiences for their cus- tomers. "With RAPP, it's all about deliv- ering value to our clients," said Mike Treat, CEO. The RAPP system utilizes Android-based devices to service and manage every part of your business. RAPP will track and report your day to day workflow and sales, allowing all employees and managers to work together effectively. "Having your whole restaurant con- nected makes communication simple and effortless, increasing the overall produc- tivity of your restaurant and minimizing delays for customers," said E.J. Erickson, Director of Program Management. The tabletop devices are only one part of the RAPP system. RAPP as a whole offers a unified system that includes devices made specifically for every part of your restaurant, whether it's the wait staff, the customers, the manager or the kitchen staff. RAPP gives restaurants the ability to brand their per- sonal and tabletop devices with RAPP's designed color schemes. It provides six dif- ferent color palettes to change the look and feel of their digital menu, as well as the option to design their own palette. By changing the appearance of their devices, restaurants can easily reflect their brand identity to give customers a familiar feel while using the RAPP devices. Beyond maximizing the efficiency of the restaurant, RAPP also creates new opportunities to monetize cost of the service to the restaurant through increased revenues. This is achieved through advertising, entertain- ment, promotions and loyalty programs. Restaurants can update their devices with new items, specials and any- thing else they would like to promote almost instantly. "Since we specialize in custom solu- tions, we can easily make any changes or additions that are needed in the restaurant application system," said Treat. RAPP provides an unparalleled experience for restaurants and customers, while maxi- mizing profits and ensuring that business runs smoothly. For more information, stop by booth #6777. NEW EFFICIENCIES IN THESE TROUBLED TIMES With all the money issues going on these days, everything must be done to maxi- mize the dollars we have. This means eliminating things here and there and doing things we must do in a way that does not cost so much. One of the places that money is wast- ed in the restaurant involves the host stand; specifically, getting the informa- tion about open and available tables to the host who is seating guests. The time test- ed way to do this has all hosts getting tables numbers when they are returning from seating guests. This is efficient in that it uses much of the staff, but the host ends up with lots of papers without know- ing which ones are the most up to date. To fix that inefficiency, some restau- rants have gone to having one person whose only job is to get table informa- tion. Often she will use a grease pencil and map of the restaurant to collect infor- mation. By the time she gets back to the host stand though, the sections where she started have probably had their table sta- tus change. She won't know about it until she makes the rounds again. Using headsets helps this situation slightly. Now the "wandering" host never has to go back to the front. She can continue to walk around the restau- rant and report back to the front what is going on. At least two inefficiencies are found here. Information flow is limited only to those people who have headsets, and someone must be dedicated to get- ting the information at the host stand so that it is not lost. That person cannot interact with guests effectively because at any moment the "wandering" host will tell her new information that must be recorded. So, instead of just one per- son to get table information, now anoth- er one must be dedicated to receiving the information as well. All this work can be done by a sim- ple electronic system that can be used by the whole staff of the restaurant to report table status information to the hosts. One of the best is the TableCheck Seating Management System. When using the system correctly, mere sec- onds of time are needed for anyone on the staff to update the hosts in real time of the immediate table status informa- tion without adding any noise or confu- sion at the host stand. Now, by also adding the handheld tablet to the system, a "wandering" host can be dedicated to getting and sending the information to the host stand without the need for a host "receiver," while the rest of the staff use the wall mounted panels to be certain that they reflect com- plete and accurate information about table status. Stop by Tablecheck Technologies booth #5260 to chat about how you can make your restaurant more effi- cient. Taking your great work and turning it into an even more well-oiled machine! Learn more at booth #5260.