Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/310743
Re s ta u ra n t D a i l y N e ws 7 7 Tu e s d a y, M a y 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 plastics], and they are heat resistant to 500 degrees. This is key for busy kitchens, being able to use the same tool for multiple purposes. Second, DUO Tongs are designed for optimum service and comfort. We added slotted heads to drain fats and liquids for less mess. The curved steel teeth on one side and heat resistant sil- icone on the other provide a sure grip of all foods. One chef told us he loved our tongs because they made food transfer during the cooking process and plating so much easier. Our signa- ture ergonomic influence is also inher- ent in the DUO Tongs design. The angled head makes it easy to pick up foods from your pans, and the comfort grip keeps you in control. DUO Tongs received the Cooking Club of America Seal of Approval and won a Best New Products award at the 2013 Western Foodservice Show. RDN: You mentioned 'signature' ergonomics. What is Ergo Chef best known for? SS: Our knives – it's why we started the company. Long story short, I was an up and coming chef that was suddenly unable to work due to tendonitis and carpal tunnel symptoms from repetitive slicing and dicing. Rather than accept the diagnosis, I designed a better knife. After just three weeks of using my ergonomic friendly knife, I was able to resume my duties pain free – and the Ergo Chef ( Cont'd. from p. 1) rest is history. RDN: 'Necessity' truly is the mother of invention, isn't it? SS: Absolutely! Since then, the chefs who use our knives have been ecstatic with their results too. RDN: What are some of the top com- ments you get from them? SS: They love the way they feel, think they hold an edge longer than their other knives, take to sharpening very nice, and they feel the quality is the best out there for the money. RDN: What knives should attendees look for at your booth this year? SS: Definitely, the Prodigy ® , our newest NSF approved foodservice line. There are eight knives in this affordable series, including a 7.5-inch Fillet Knife, 10-inch Chef and 12-inch Slicer. We enhanced the patented ergonomic design for the Prodigy and included a non-slip handle with full tang for unmatched balance and comfort. Coming from the firsthand perspec- tive, I can honestly say it is an absolute joy for our company to supply chefs and line cooks with high quality and ergonomically healthy tools. For more information, visit www.ErgoChef.com, call 877-796-0884, email customerservice@ergochef.com or stop by booth #6849. JK: Assisted by restaurant and bar industry veterans Steve Mattison and T.M. Ashcraft, Richard began a system- atic marketing effort to fulfill his dream of building Zing Zang into a national brand. At that time, Mattison and Ashcraft were extremely active mem- bers of the Mississippi Restaurant Association, and the professional rela- tionships that they had built in the southeast enabled them to get a strong foothold on-premise, in a part of the country famous for being passionate about food and beverage quality. From there, a steady progression was made to other areas of the country, and the prod- uct began to develop a loyal following as consumers began requesting it as their preferred Bloody Mary mix. RDN: With your father's creation and your involvement, is this a family busi- ness? JK: Oh, yes. My mother has been active since the company's inception, and my sister and I became involved in the daily operation of the company five years ago. RDN: With so many Bloody Mary mixes in the marketplace, why would a con- sumer make Zing Zang their preferred Zing Zang ( Cont'd. from p. 1) Bloody Mary mix? JK: Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix is made with a mixture of the highest quality ingredients and the distinctive, bold taste reflects Richard Krohn's ded- ication to producing a mix that needed no additions. As he so aptly put it, Zing Zang was 'not just another Bloody Mary mix.' Now 18 years later, the many thousands of dedicated Zing Zang customers have propelled the brand into a national award winning Bloody Mary Mix. It is served in fine drinking and dining establishments around the coun- try, and stocked on the shelves of retail- ers nationwide. RDN: Do you have other products? JK: Yes, we produce eight other mixes that we will be showing in our booth at the show. RDN: Will there be any additions to the line this year? JK: Currently the number of products will remain the same, but we are working on some packaging and size innovations that will be introduced when ready. For more information, visit www.zingzang.com, call 888-891-7489 or visit booth #5406. sites within your facility. The unit reads the tag, noting the individual, date and time and actual inspection point particu- lars. Data goes to the cloud to create reporting documentation, thereby elimi- nating pencil whipping or incomplete facility checks. Reports generated do away with manual "red book" or spiral ICC ( Cont'd. from p. 4) book activities. Many operators have found creative places to post tags as reminders for a host of activities such as air filter changes and seating checks. For more information, visit goicc.com, stop by booth #1857 or call Candace at 877-ICC-8788 to set up an appointment with a Solutions Architect who can assist you with your specific needs. kitchen conditions. The units were recently redesigned to integrate an addi- tional vapor barrier protection to block off the moisture that may cause damage to the control electronics, and to give an even better peace of mind, they come with a two-year warranty. One of the first companies in the world to produce commercial sous vide cooking equipment, Julabo has been rec- ognized as the global leader in fluid tem- perature control equipment for research, science and industry for more than four decades. The company created the fusionchef ( Cont'd. from p. 4) fusionchef by Julabo product line to bring a new level of precision to sous vide cooking equipment and the related support services for professional kitchens. The complete fusionchef prod- uct line includes sleek, high-quality and durable immersion circulators, stainless steel baths, as well as an array of sous vide accessories designed to create an effective, customized sous vide program for any sized commercial kitchen. To find out more about fusionchef by Julabo, please visit www.fusionchef sousvide.com, stop by booth #6359 dur- ing NRA or call 877-436-CHEF (2433). by Muslims. RDN: What has Malaysia done in pro- moting Halal industry? SZ: Malaysia has been the pioneer of the development of Halal industry globally. We have laid out the world- class Halal standards which have been accepted and become a focal of refer- ence by many countries. We mobilized a concerted effort across various organizations, government depart- ments and agencies to strategize and create a comprehensive ecosystem for Halal industry. Our organization, MATRADE, in particular has a specif- ic role to provide avenues for business- es to find markets for their products and services overseas. Every year, MATRADE organizes the Malaysian International Halal Show [MIHAS] as a platform to promote Halal products to the global market. RDN: How was the response at MIHAS 2014, and what are the products promot- ed during the event? SZ: MIHAS 2014 was a great success, with total sales generated during the exhibition of $300 million, an increase of 21 percent. The exhibition attracted 20,818 visitors from 60 countries. This is the eleventh year that Malaysia organized the exhibition, and it is get- ting bigger every year. Among the prod- ucts that have attracted the visitors were MATRADE ( Cont'd. from p. 1) processed and ready-to-eat meals, frozen food, instant seasoning and spices, snacks and confectioneries, as well as beverages. RDN: What are the special programs organized for buyers to MIHAS? SZ: Every year, MATRADE organizes the Incoming Buying Mission Program, where we invite serious buy- ers to attend a three-day program, comprising of meeting with the Malaysian suppliers, visiting the exhi- bition and networking events. We can also arrange visits to the manufactur- ing facilities for follow-up discus- sions. The beauty of this program is that we take care of local transporta- tion and accommodation. The buyers just need to take care of their air tick- ets to Malaysia. We hosted nearly 400 buyers from 41 countries, including the United States. RDN: What is your final message to the readers at NRA 2014? SZ: Please visit booth #9674 where we are showcasing a wide array of processed Halal food products from Malaysia. We will also undertake cooking demonstra- tions to introduce our delicious cuisines to the visitors. For more information, visit www.matrade.gov.my, call 212-682- 0232, email newyork@matrade.gov.my or stop by booth #9674. HOUSE OF BALSAMIC ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF REVOLUTIONARY LINE House of Balsamic Chef Luca is revolu- tionizing Italian gluten-free foods with chef-created, made-from-scratch, all-nat- ural, premium quality products. Chef Luca has become one of the most authoritative gluten-free chefs in the United States. Chef Luca's mission is to surprise and delight consumers with delicious gluten-free foods of excellence and variety. Chef Luca will be offering eight glo- rious flavors of dehydrated gluten-free USD Organic Italian Risottos for profes- sional or "at home" chefs to whip up with ease in 12 minutes as well as eight Signature Gluten Free Organic Pastas will be released very soon. For more information, visit www.houseofbalsamic.com.