The National Restaurant Association released the results of its 2018 “What’s Hot” Chef Survey, conducted in collaboration with the American Culinary Federation (ACF). The annual survey gets input from over 700 chefs and identifies prevailing predictions from over 161 food items. From new cuts of meat to uncommon herbs and global breakfast, these were some notable food trends identified in the survey:
Eatery Pulse Team
Georgian restaurant Supra arrives in D.C.
The buzz has been growing about the opening of Supra on 11th Street in Northwest, Washington, D.C., bringing the traditions and dishes from the Republic of Georgia. From Georgian Embassy fame and 25-years of experience, Chef Malkhaz Maisashvili will be overseeing the culinary creativity at the restaurant. Supra will seat 136 diners and have many design aspects and accents reflective of Georgian life. Modern art will be displayed from Tbilisi (White Studio), Moscow (Petrovka Art Studio), and D.C. (Schwa Design).
MetroCooking D.C. 2017 announces Carla Hall culinary demo at two-day event
The Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show (MetroCooking) D.C., being held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, has announced that Carla Hall, from the popular “The Chew” television show, will be part of this year’s two-day food exhibition. She will be part of a team of several top-name personalities and well-known chefs who are joining MetroCooking D.C. December 9-10, 2017. Headlining the show are chefs Guy Fieri and José Andrés.
Siren by RW debuts bountiful pescatarian Sunday brunch
Siren, a Robert Wiedmaier restaurant located at The Darcy Hotel, will begin serving a buffet-style brunch on Sundays. The pescatarian and comfort brunch debuts December 3, 2017, and is served during the hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $65 per person, excluding beverage options. The brunch is anticipated to have a strong following after a favorable review by the acclaimed Washington Post critic, Tom Sietsema.
Fast-casual eateries tap catering for revenue growth
For fast casuals, catering can leverage costs and build additional business
Catering is an effective way to add incremental revenue to a restaurant, particularly if it can be non-disruptive to the main operations of of the business and can be managed to leverage labor that may be underutilized at certain times of the day. Catering can also, in some cases, leverage the real estate of a restaurant, although many restaurants and restaurant chains opt to prepare catering orders at a separate facility to build certain scales of efficiencies.
Taha Ismail and Kapnos team win Cocktail Program of the Year Award
2017 RAMMY Award recognizes beverage team
This year’s RAMMY Awards Gala at the Walter E. Convention Center paid tribute to some of the local restaurant industry’s great culinary artists, business stalwarts, hard-working team members and creative minds. For this reason, it’s a great night for restaurateurs to bask in the glow of their accomplishments and to be unified in celebration under one roof. The RAMMY Cocktail Program of the Year Award went to Kapnos in Washington, D.C. and Taha Ismail, beverage director for Mike Isabella Concepts. Ismail joined the group in 2011, working at Graffiato. He is also a partner at Pepita Mexican Cantina in Arlington, Va.
D.C. Cocktail Week turns up the heat on libation-food pairings in 2017
Fans of Washington, D.C.’s established cocktail scene is about to get an indulgent “jolt” of transition to the cold months with drink and food pairings that are turning up the heat on creativity and potency. During D.C. Cocktail Week, a collaboration between the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), association sponsors and local restaurants, bars and cocktail lounges, decadent libations will be paired with tasty bites at tempting prices.
2017 Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show to present top chefs, exhibits
Top chefs from D.C. and beyond headline popular MetroCooking Show
Top chefs will be abundant at the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining (MetroCooking) Show in Washington, D.C., being held December 9 – 10. Headlining the event at the Walter E. Convention Center are Guy Fieri and José Andrés. Fieri is a restaurateur and the star of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and Guy’s Grocery Games on the Food Network.Andrés is a James Beard award-winning chef and personality, restaurateur, founder of Think Food Group and RAMMY award winner.
D.C.-based &pizza chain continues East Coast expansion with RSE investment
The Washington Business Journal is reporting that D.C.-based &pizza chain has received a new round of funding to expand its concept up and down the East Coast. RSE Ventures, a firm with ties to the Miami Dolphins NFL team, has invested an undisclosed amount. &pizza expects to increase its presence in New York and expand to new markets,
D.C.-area fast-casuals make list of high-growth restaurant chains reported in 2017
Industry trade magazine Restaurant Business identified four Mid-Atlantic fast-casual restaurant chains that are growing at a quick pace. Cava is at the top of the area list with estimated sales of $26.8M, up 76.3 percent in sales in 2016 vs. 2015.