Chili’s Rolling Out Pizzas, Flatbreads, Mexican

You may know them more for their Big Mouth Burgers and their “can’t get it out of your head” Baby Back Ribs commercials, but Chili’s has begun tackling three new territories this spring, as a set of pizzas have hit their lunch and dinner combo menu, new Mexican dishes are being tested, and flatbread sandwiches will start in May, Nation’s Restaurant News reports.

The four pizzas that you can order are

Southwest Chicken Pizza (“Topped with chile-rubbed grilled chicken, chipotle pesto, cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey and pepper Jack, green & red bell peppers, red onion and house-made pico de gallo. [This dish contains nuts.]“)
Taco Pizza (“Topped with seasoned ground beef, salsa, cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey and pepper Jack, red onion and cilantro with a drizzle of cumin-lime sour cream and house-made pico de gallo.”)
Pepperoni Pizza (“Topped with mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Parmesan and classic pepperoni.”)
Five-Cheese Pizza (“Topped with cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey and pepper Jack, Parmesan, diced tomatoes and green onions.”)

The pizzas are available on their $6 Lunch Break Combo menu and their $20 Dinner For 2 menu, and are focused in a new series of commercials. Chili’s is banking on their low-protein cost to be profit movers for the company.

The flatbread sandwiches will be coming in May, and have tested well with women. In addition to these, Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas and a Tex-Mex Combo Plate are currently being tested. If they are successful, they’d likely join the chain nationwide.

Rolling out new pizza dishes seems to be the highlight of many companies right now, with both Little Caesers and Pizza Hut launching new dishes. Could the big guys taking these pizza chances be a sign that you should start trying your own?… Read the rest

Wendy’s Lighting A Fire In Their Restaurant Brand

When you think of Wendy’s, your mind travels to a few standbys: a red-haired girl wearing an odd, “Little House on the Prairie” dress, Jr. Bacon Cheeseburgers, and the legendary Baconator. Thoughts may wander to their odd, greenhouse-styled fixtures, and you may lament the fact you get four chicken nuggets for a dollar instead of five now. Additionally, if you’re thinking of a Japanese Wendy’s, you’re likely thinking of some absurdities such as their Caviar and Lobster Ocean Premium Sandwiches.

Wendy’s wants you to start thinking of fireplaces, lounging, and flat-screen TVs, according to Eater. It’s a style reinvention of their restaurants that looks to go with their brand reinvention they are currently rolling out to all the restaurants. This “lounge”-style restaurant has hit 80 of the chain so far, and aims to have 200 by the end of the year, followed by 600 by the end of 2015.

For a chain with such a respectable and long history as Wendy’s (no major complaints, brand issues, or litigations), the chain’s attempts to update itself are purely to keep it in the mind of the consumer. The company has traditionally fallen behind McDonald’s and Burger King, and has never carved out a niche amongst premium burger places such as Smash Burger and Fatburger.

Wendy’s plan seems to turn the place from a restaurant that you drive through for lunch into a place where you plan to eat dinner. In some areas, this might be an harder task than expected, especially in places that know Wendy’s purely as a drive-through restaurant. The faux-leather seats, faux-fireplaces (in some of the restaurants, at least), and more redesigns offer a lounge atmosphere for those that’ll be near one of the newly remodeled restaurants.… Read the rest

Tips For Cutting Board Use

Cutting boards are a requirement for any solid home or restaurant chef, but there’s a good variety of them (a surprising amount for something that equates to “flat piece of material”) and some rules you need to follow with them. With some simple guidelines, you can maximize the use and lifespan of your cutting board.

Material

Plastic will always be the best; you can put something hot on it and it won’t be negatively affected, sure, but the most important reason for using a plastic cutting board is purely for safety. Wood boards can get cuts that can harbor bacteria and glass can shatter (alongside being bad for your knives), but plastic can be washed, abused, and brought back for more.

Avoid Food Contamination

No real issue if you’re going from cutting onions to peppers to carrots, and plan to throw them all in the same roux. The real issue comes in when poultry, or any food that will leak a flavor into others, gets involved. If you’ve got to chop poultry and other ingredients, you should either do the poultry first and clean the board thoroughly, or just do it after the other ingredients (onions aren’t going to make the chicken unsafe).

Upkeep

1 tablespoon of bleach to a gallon of water will help sanitize boards (using unscented bleach only), and no matter how well the board is cleaned, it’ll have to be replaced after time due to various nicks, dents, and cuts. If you must use wood, make sure to dry it after you clean it.… Read the rest

2012 Technology And Restaurants

We’re nearing 2013. In movie time, we’re two years away from the iconic flying hoverboards of Back To The Future.

The movie did get a few things right about our near-future. Japan’s cultural influence is readily apparent in the media (just watch a cartoon made this decade). Holofilms (like Jaws 19) can be equated to the 3D resurgence in films, and “dust-repellent paper” sounds a bit like e-readers. Giant TV screens with 300+ channels that you can video conference with? Got it. Mocking games that actually require you to use your hands? Microsoft Kinect has that figured out.

And yet, Cafe 80s is firmly rooted in the past’s conjecture of the future. We may get a Pepsi Perfect in two years, but it’ll doubtfully sell for $50. Digital waiters in the style of Max Headroom are unlikely. It all seems outdated… like loud cash registers, leather-bound menus, and pen-and-paper toting waiters.

How can the modern restaurant surpass the antiquated future of Back To The Future, all while moving out of the antiquated tradition’s they are stuck with?

Updated Menus

If you’ve ever seen an episode of Restaurant: Impossible, you’ve heard the declarations that large menus are only hurting restaurants. They increase the chance for overstocking on food supplies, error in production, and minimize the chances for standout dishes to make a name for the restaurant. In comparison, many current restaurants are thriving on a small, daily printed menu. See what’s available, or make sure you have certain menus available for certain days, and make a fresh, new, single-page menu each day. If you’ve got a restaurant with a chalkboard or the like, you don’t even need to print a list; just write it up on the wall. If you have a sit-down restaurant, these single-page menus occasionally … Read the rest

Could A Noodle-Making Robot Revolutionize Restaurants?

Just hope he doesn’t decide to break Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics; he looks like he could be dangerous with that one bladed arm.

Cui Runguan, a restarauntuer in China, has gotten tired of paying around $4,700 a year for an noodle cook, and figured he’d save $2,700 and pay a one-time price. Others would do the same. They’d put the noodle cook out of business, until it swings around the other way, where the few remaining noodle cooks out there are revered and attain notable positions.

How would this change in employment for a working force do it?

Robots.

Robots make everything better, don’t they? The Chef Cui robot, retailing for the Chinese equivalent of $2,000, is in full-force in China. Restaurants have already started to purchase this Ultraman-stylized robot, and while some features, such as the hypnotically-glowing eyes and general humanoid appearance are just for display, the slicing mechanism (largely akin to a windshield wiper) is where the focus is. What would be tiring for a human chef is nominal for a robot; while he may not build up lactic acid and tire, the robot may need a good oiling and maintenance every once in a while.

If anything, some people may just want to go to a restaurant where a robot is employed in the kitchen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ukNkCnNJuR8… Read the rest

How to Buy a Commercial Fryer

The workhorses of many commercial kitchens, fryers can be found in virtually every type of foodservice establishment, from restaurants to schools to hotels. However, finding the right one for your business can often be a daunting task. Our new commercial fryers infographic is designed to eliminate frustration, guiding you step by step through the process of selecting the perfect fryer for your needs. Covering everything from power sources and design to accessories and operational costs, the infographic maps out all of the points you’ll need to consider before making a purchase. Check out the entire infographic by clicking on the image below.

… Read the rest

Why You Should Spill Some Cash For Liquor Pourers

First off, you may be asking what a liquor pourer is. As plainly stated, it’s a device for pouring liquor, or at least doing so neatly. It’s a small attachment that you secure onto the top of a bottle of liquid, such as a bottle of vodka or olive oil. It reduces mess, promotes a consistent and easy pour, and also increases efficiency in the kitchen. Chances are if you’ve ever seen a bartender make a drink that wasn’t beer from the tap, you’ve seen these little devices in action.

Spill Stop

Many liquid pourers use a “spill stop” technology, meaning the liquid from the bottle will not come rushing out all at once. It’s a good thing for the most part, as you don’t want olive oil all over your counter, but it does slightly delay you getting to your delicious alcohol (rum being my personal choice). If that’s an issue, you might as well just take the top off and start drinking from the bottle.

These devices range in flow level so that you can decide what use you want it most for. For example, a high flow liquid pourer would be perfect for a party where the bartender needs to serve numerous drinks (or the aforementioned person needing a lot of alcohol quickly), and the low flow option would work for dripping red wine vinegar into a salad dressing.

Cost Benefits

Liquor pourers are great for anyone who is concerned about saving costs because they help to reduce the waste of spilled or over-poured liquid. Also, they form a great seal around the bottle so bugs will not get into your product, which is great for outdoor events. If the bottle contains something sweet or something that needs a tight closed seal over night, it’s wise to … Read the rest