Breaking down the trendiest terms in foodservice
By Lisa Arnett on Aug. 15, 2016In almost any discussion about foodservice, the same words start to pop up: local, sustainable, healthy, global. When it comes to what diners want to eat and what operators want to deliver, it’s all of the above. Beyond talking the talk, what do these terms really mean in practice? From the senior living dining room to the college sports stadium, we took a look at how some of foodservice’s most talked-about terms are playing out.
Global
"Many of our students have experienced cuisine from around the world, and look for food diversity in our menus. Our international students enjoy a taste of home on campus, while others may learn through exposure to different items.” —Mark Tewksbury, assistant director of food services at Syracuse University, N.Y., where international students make up 10% of the total student population.
Local sourcing
150 miles
All Bon Appetit accounts source within 150 miles—a practice that admittedly can confound diners who are craving an item that’s unavailable, says Kellie Piper, resident district manager for Bon Appetit at SAP in Palo Alto, Calif. To manage expectations, Piper’s team reiterates their local, seasonal philosophy through a combination of email, newsletter, signage and daily interaction with staff, she says.
In the news
What it means to source locally is especially top of mind in the wake of an expose by dining critic Laura Reiley in the Tampa Bay Times earlier this year. The report chronicled case after case of restaurants marketing ingredients as “local” when they came from outside of Florida, sometimes as far as the Indian Ocean. Because no governing body dictates the physical distance required to be truly local, the story points out, it’s up to the foodservice operator to decide what distance is acceptable given availability and location.
Farm-to-table
“To me, farm-to-table means that the produce, cage-free eggs and meats we bring in to serve our patients in the hospital and in our cafe are from our regional community,” says Ken Foushee, director of food and nutrition for Saint Thomas West and Midtown hospitals in Nashville, which are operated by TouchPoint Support Services. “By purchasing locally grown produce, we are supporting our community farmer.” To truly understand the journey, Foushee and staffers visited a third-generation certified organic family farm in College Grove, Tenn. “What we gained from the visit was knowing how close the farm was to our hospital, and how fresh the produce is when we receive it. It is only a two- to three-day span from the farm to our back door,” he explains. To make sure customers understand as well, “We have pictures of our visit on the walls of the cafe, and we do talk to [guests] about our visit when asked,” Foushee says.
Sustainable
Becoming carbon neutral by 2040 is a campuswide effort at Syracuse University. But here, moving toward sustainability isn’t necessarily about doing without. To meet the needs of current customers without sacrificing those of future generations, its Carrier Dome stadium is making a number of smart swaps:
Superfood
The appeal of some foods being “super,” or especially nutrient-rich, is just as much about education as it is about eating. Foushee stages a monthly superfood promotion at his Nashville hospitals that has featured avocados, berries and chilies, among others. “We do a farm table to display the food, and also include recipes on different ways to prepare the item. We provide nutrition and health benefits and also fun facts,” he says. “It’s a good feeling knowing that by providing this information to the visitors and patients, you are in fact contributing to their well-being. We have received many compliments about the recipe cards that they have taken home and tried.”
No waste
Syracuse donates leftover food to local charities through Food Recovery Network, but the university also initiated a marketing campaign to help decrease food waste on students’ plates. The result is the “Taste, Don’t Waste” program, which educates students about food waste and encourages them to practice portion control and be conscious of wasted food, Tewksbury says. Student diners are more conscious about curbing waste and have even come to the table with their own ideas to help the effort. For example, “It was student feedback that initiated our switch from polystyrene to reusable takeout containers,” Tewksbury says. Students now can take their meals to go in reusable plastic containers and return them at the next meal. Such efforts could go a long way toward engaging guests in general. Technomic’s December 2015 Consumer Insights Planning Program survey shows that 35% of consumers say an active effort to reduce food waste is one of the top initiatives they’d like to see restaurants take on in 2016.
Chef-driven
"The challenge of chef-driven is the chef. Say we have a great chef with a passion for producing Italian food. We have lots of turnover across our industry, so losing a passionate chef leaves a hole in the program if it’s geared toward Italian foods. We need to ensure we hire chefs who are passionate about their culinary skills and serving nutritious meals to seniors, as opposed to getting caught up in a specific person’s skills [for] preparing specific cuisine.” —Tim Whelan, VP of dining and senior nutrition for Sunrise Senior Living, with 300 properties worldwide.
Healthy
According to consumer research by Technomic, guests’ definition of health is swinging toward clean. For Beth Isom, project manager for Southern Foodservice Management at Major General Emmett J. Bean Federal Center in Indianapolis, that resonates with her personally as much as professionally. “I lost 25 pounds five years ago and have been able to maintain it by eating right and exercising,” she says. “I am 90% into clean eating in my personal life. The nutrients we put into our bodies are essential to our complete health and well-being, mentally and physically.”
Consumers define “clean” as both clean eating and clean labeling, which makes transparency key. “Providing our guests with nutritional information has always been a priority for me,” Isom says. Among her tactics: “I compiled a nutritional binder for our guests to look at some of our staple items.” she says. “Although I am not a registered dietitian, I often have guests ask my advice on their food choices or ask me how I changed my weight so dramatically.”
By being willing to display her personal passion for clean eating and share information as well as her own journey, Isom is steering guests to the many fresh fruits and vegetables on the salad bar. “Healthy eating is truly a lifestyle change, and it starts with a decision. My hope is [that] my story will inspire others to make healthier choices,” she says. “If I can help just one guest eat healthier than they did before, then my work here