FSR June 2022

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NO. 102 FULL-SERVICE RESTAURANTS | THOUGHT LEADERSHIP FOR 10 YEARS

JAMES BEARD’S PUSH TOWARD GENDER EQUITY RESCUED FROM 1-STAR REVIEWS

MILWAUKEE’S CHEF DAN DUO SALADS GET GRILLED

THE PERKS OF BEING LOYAL

SUSTAINABILITY AFTER COVID

CONSUMERS GET REWARDS, RESTAURANTS GET DATA INSIGHTS

UPWARD PROJECTS CEO LAUREN BAILEY AND FOUR OTHER RESTAURANT LEADERS SHARE TIPS FOR A GREENER BUSINESS

ALSO

ROSA MEXICANO HITS RESET

big flavOr little labOr ³ȅǣɎǝˡ ƺǼƳ ³ȅȒǸƺ ټ zIƏɀɎِ XɎ ټ ɀ ǔɖǼǼɵ ƬȒȒǸƺƳ ƏȇƳ ǝƏȸƳɯȒȒƳ ٮ ɀȅȒǸƺƳ ȵȸȒɎƺǣȇɀً ƏɖɎǝƺȇɎǣƬƏǼǼɵ ɀǼȒɯ ƬȒȒǸƺƳ ɎȒ ȵƺȸǔƺƬɎǣȒȇِ XɎ ټ ɀ ƏǼǼ ɀȒ ƳƺǼǣƬǣȒɖɀ ɵȒɖȸ ǕɖƺɀɎɀ ɯǣǼǼ ȇƺɮƺȸ ǸȇȒɯ ǣɎ ɯƏɀȇ ټ Ɏ ɀȅȒǸƺƳ ȸǣǕǝɎ ǣȇ ɵȒɖȸ Ȓɯȇ ǸǣɎƬǝƺȇِ ɮǣɀǣɎ ³ȅǣɎǝˡ ƺǼƳ!ɖǼǣȇƏȸɵِ ƬȒȅ Ȓȸ ƬƏǼǼ ِהאדהٮואבٮזזז

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Smithfield Culinary Mobile App Now Available! Download it today!

ribs × pulled pork × pulled chicken × brisket × kc wild wings × barbacoa × carnitas

CONTENTS

FSR June 2022 No. 102

33 WINE BAR/CAFÉ POSTINO TAKES AN UNCONVENTIONAL APPROACH TO RUNNING AN ECO FRIENDLY BRAND.

33 The Next Chapter in Sustainability During the pandemic, sustainabil ity initiatives were put on the back burner, but this disruption has also prompted more operators to take a hard look at how they can make their businesses more eco-friendly and carbon neutral. 44 The Lowdown on Loyalty Programs Loyalty programs were once a blan ket strategy used to drive incre mental business. Now, tech solu tions are helping restaurants glean a wealth of actionable insights— and keep guests coming back. CHEFS & INGREDIENTS 17 Two Dans Are Better Than One Chefs, business partners, and James Beard semifinalists Dan Van Rite and Dan Jacobs are expanding their restaurant footprint and put ting Milwaukee on the dining map. 22 Spicing Up Salads Summertime marks high salad season, and this year, pickling and grilling are bringing bold flavors and nuanced textures. LIQUID INTELLIGENCE 27 Tech-Forward, Eco Friendly Beer Breweries are turning to beer con centrates and genetically modified yeast strains as a cost-effective, sustainable alternative.

UPWARD PROJECTS / RED ROBIN

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FSRmagazine.com June2022 No.102

EDITORIAL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Danny Klein Danny@FSRmagazine.com EDITOR Nicole Duncan Nicole@FSRmagazine.com CONTENT EDITOR Ben Coley Ben@FSRmagazine.com STAFF WRITER Trevor Griner Trevor@FSRmagazine.com &+4'%614 1( %7561/ CONTENT Peggy Carouthers Peggy@FSRmagazine.com %7561/ %106'06 ASSOCIATE EDITORS Charlie Pogacar Charlie@FSRmagazine.com Kara Phelps Kara@FSRmagazine.com

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53 Rosa Mexicano Reenergizes ON THE RISE Under the new NGCFGTUJKR QH 5OKVJ 9QN lensky vet Jim Dunn, the PGCTN[ [GCT QNF /GZKECP chain is updating its vibe and menu, while safeguarding the classics that have earned it a loyal following. 56 Start Me Up Supply chain delays and UVCHƂ PI EJCNNGPIGU NGF VQ a shaky start for chef Scott Crawford’s latest project, The Cookshop, but perseverance and hospitality have turned things around. ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 4 Highlights from FSRmagazine.com 4 Brand Stories in Print and Online

FIRST COURSE 9 Time for Eco Friendly Eating?

ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATE Carole Ogan Carole@Journalistic.com

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CHILI’S INTRODUCES RITA THE ROBOT The user-friendly robot performs four functions—hosting, serv ing, bussing, and singing—and could help the casual-dining brand with labor shortages. FSRmagazine.com/Chilis-Rita-Robot OUTBACK LAUNCHES CATERING FOR FIRST TIME IN BRAND HISTORY In a bid to grab off-premises business, Outback rolled out the service at nearly 500 locations this spring, with more to come. FSRmagazine.com/Outback-Catering JEAN-GEORGES RESTAURANTS NOTCHES $55M INVESTMENT The Howard Hughes Corpo ration has acquired a minority stake in the brand, which will use the funds to fuel global growth. FSRmagazine.com/Jean-Georges Investment 8 Labor-Saving Flavor Hacks Upscaling comfort food can be easy. SPONSORED BY BUTTERBALL FARMS How a 20-Unit Franchisee Saved $8,000 Per Store Practical cost-cutting measures are more pivotal than ever. SPONSORED BY RESTAURANT TECHNOLOGIES Your Employees Want a Career, Not a Job. Here’s How to Provide that Opportunity This solution sets up employers and employees for success. SPONSORED BY RESTAURANT365

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Five Iron Wants to Create the Next Golfing Zeitgeist The eatertainment chain is differentiating itself from competitors by appealing to both casual golfing fans and serious athletes. FSRmagazine.com/Five-Iron-Golf

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24 The Story Behind A Popular Paneer “Lasagne” Chef Manish Tyagi believes in wholesome, sustainable California dairy ingredients. SPONSORED BY THE CALIFORNIA MILK ADVISORY BOARD 32 Cold Brew Is Big Business Cold brew has the power to increase check averages. SPONSORED BY SEGAFREDO ZANETTI 42 How Coffee and Tea Can Help Your Brand Stand Out Caffeinated drinks beckon. SPONSORED BY RED DIAMOND COFFEE AND TEA

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Welcome

Joining the Environmental Club EARLY IN MY FRESHMAN YEAR OF COLLEGE, I made a habit of perusing the tables dotting the student center. Every day, organizations ranging from Greek life and volunteer groups to intramural sports and film club would set up shop to solicit new members. With some of these, including the student environmental club, I took things a step further and attended a meeting. I’d been in a similar group back in high school, where we’d collect trash, sort recyclables, plant trees, etc., so I expected much of the same at college. But when the first meeting veered into personal habits like discontinuing the use of paper towels or bringing reusable bags to the grocery store, I balked at

these measures and decided the environmental club was not for me. Bear in mind that this was nearly 20 years ago. Still, in hindsight, I’m amazed by how “extreme” I found such simple changes to be. Nowadays I don’t think twice about reaching for a microfiber cloth or grabbing a reus able grocery bag—and I’m not the only one. According to the Hartman Group’s 2021 sustainability report, 83 percent of consumers are worried by how much single-use plastic our society uses, and more than a third con sider minimal impact on climate change to be among the most important factors in their food and beverage purchase decisions. What’s more, 72 per cent are willing to pay more to support businesses that share their values. These data points illuminate an opportunity for restaurants, but they don’t dictate a specific playbook. While many operators prioritize recycling, eco friendly products, and waste minimization, some have also found clever ways to put their own spin on sustainability. This month’s feature on the topic profiles four restaurant brands and their tailored efforts to run a greener business ( PAGE 33 ). For wine bar Pos tino, sustainability comes out in its real estate strategy—it opens in old buildings and decorates the walls with discarded paraphernalia. At Vintage Hospitality concepts, it’s about sourcing from their own backyard. And the sustainability movement doesn’t stop at the restaurant level. Our story on condensed beers ( PAGE 27 ) shows that brewers are also working to reduce their carbon footprint while still maintaining the nuanced flavors and high quality that have come to define the craft beer sector. The aforementioned Hartman Group report revealed another layer in the search for sustainability: Although the vast majority of consumers are concerned by the volume of single-use plastics, 73 percent aren’t sure how to use less. I imagine it’s a similar situation for many restaurants; they want to better their operation on the sustainability front but don’t know how to proceed. I hope the stories in this issue spark some fresh ideas or even prompt a brainstorming session at your own restaurant. If all else fails, might I recommend dropping in on an environmental club for pearls of wisdom? You might be surprised by what you learn.

Nicole@FSRmagazine.com FSRmag @FSRmagazine

Also in This Issue Restaurant loyalty programs have come a long way. Over the past decade, the advent of new technologies has helped operators glean better guest insights. Now, as brands develop their own pro prietary platforms, including mobile apps, the ease—and perks—of joining are leading to a swell in membership. Read more on PAGE 44 .

COVER: CASSIE TRAN / NICOLE: LIBBY M C GOWAN / LOGAN’S ROADHOUSE

Nicole Duncan EDITOR

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First Course

Consumers might seek more climate-friendly foods at grocery stores but are unlikely to change their restaurant behaviors.

ADOBE STOCK

Time for Eco-Friendly Eating? BY NICOLE DUNCAN ‘Climavorism’ may be on the rise, but its restaurant impact is moderate at best. THE GROWING URGENCY around climate change is a hot topic in nearly every sector, and food is no exception. Per the U.N.’s Food & Agriculture Organization, 31 per cent of human-generated greenhouse gas emissions can be traced back to food and agriculture systems. In light of the poten

tially cataclysmic effects of climate change, the industry has a strong incentive to reduce its carbon footprint. But what about individuals? Will consumers adjust VJGKT RWTEJCUKPI JCDKVU CPF OQTG URGEKƂ cally, will they do so at restaurants? A new report from global consulting

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First Course

YOUNG AND HUNGRY

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AS RESTAURANTS CONTINUE TO EDGE toward pre-COVID sales figures, younger consumers might offer the greatest assist. New data from Black Box Intelligence reveals that 18 to 24 year olds have increased their spend at full-service restaurants by almost 20 percent since the start of the pandemic ; they now represent 9 percent of consumer spending share. Black Box speculates that this growth could be due to wage increases and a fertile job market. In contrast, consumers aged 65 and older have remained low from a spend level standpoint, possibly due to low interest rates on investments and stagnant salaries.

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First Course

THOUGH MUSHROOMS like portobellos and shiitakes appear in any number of restaurant dishes, once-rare varieties known more IRU WKHLU KHDOWK EHQHƓ WV WKDQ WKHLU Ŵ DYRUV KDYH VWDUWHG SRSSLQJ XS RQ PHQXV $FFRUGLQJ WR Datassential , lion’s mane mush rooms increased their menu penetration by 249 per cent over the past four years. Within the same period,

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MORE SUSTAINABLE SIPS When it’s time to order or pur chase an alcoholic libation, taste still reigns supreme. In a study by custom research firm AMC Global , 40 percent of respon dents said that taste (including flavor and variety) was the top factor in picking a drink. Additionally, 26 per cent chose price, 15 percent cited brand name, and 10 percent pointed to beverage benefits/properties as the most important attribute. Although only 9 percent cited sustainability as the pri mary guide in their decision-making, half said they considered sustainability when making an alcoholic purchase. What’s more, 59 percent reported that it was worth a higher cost to buy some thing that helps the earth in the long term.

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Chefs & Ingredients

CULINARY INSPIRATION AND STORIES FROM INDUSTRY TRAILBLAZERS MENTIONED IN THIS SECTION DANDAN • • • ESTEREV • • • FOOL’S ERRAND • • •

TRUE FOOD KITCHEN • •

• CAFÉ GRATITUDE

Two Dans ARE BETTER THAN One

HAM, LEEKS, CLAMS, AND WHEY BRIGHTEN THE COD AT FINE-DINING RESTAURANT ESTEREV.

KEVIN MIYAZAKI

BEST FRIENDS AND BUSINESS PARTNERS Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite don’t argue over much. The James Beard–nominated chefs, who together run stand out Milwaukee restaurants DanDan, EsterEv, and Fool’s Errand, describe their pairing as yin and yang and say the partnership works because of their contrast ing yet complementary personalities. In fact, Midwestern football teams might be the biggest point of contention in their relationship.

BY TREVOR GRINER Chefs Dan Jacobs >` > 6> ,Ìi w` collaboration is better than going it alone.

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CHEFS & INGREDIENTS CHEF PROFILE

“Who wouldn’t want to be successful with their best friend? I don’t think it takes away from anything individually whatsoever. I feel like we’re stronger together.”

DAN JACOBS

“There’s a certain amount of give and take, and there’s definitely the willing ness to compromise,” says Jacobs of their working relationship. “The most impor tant thing is we have similar views on how we want a kitchen run.” While the old adage might warn of too many cooks in the kitchen, it’s far from the case for Jacobs and Van Rite, who believe working together gives their operation a leg up. “Four eyes are better than two,” Jacobs says. The partnership has helped bring national recognition to a city that regu larly plays second fiddle to Chicago, just an hour and a half south. This year, four out of the 13 James Beard semifinalists for Best Chef: Midwest run Milwaukee restaurants, including Jacobs and Van Rite, who shared the nomination for EsterEv. (Milwaukee clinched an addi tional five spots in the semifinalist list, including Outstanding Chef and Out standing Restaurateur.) Their first concept, DanDan, opened in summer 2016 and features a vari ety of dim sum dishes, dumplings, and other traditional Chinese fare. Noodles, like dandan, a Sichuan dish paired with ground pork and chili oil, also make an appearance on the menu. Perhaps one of the restaurant’s biggest draws is the three-course Peking Duck, with wonton soup, duck breast with scallion pancakes, and duck leg chow fun. Their second restaurant, EsterEv, fol lowed just a few months later in Novem ber 2016. Named after the chefs’ great grandmothers Evelyn and Ester, the fine-dining concept is located within DanDan and styled as an intimate din ner party for 20 guests at a given time. The menu changes regularly, but past dishes have included steak tartare, cav iar tater-tot tomato consommé, and house-made raviolo filled with ricotta, spinach, and quail egg and drizzled with brown butter.

One of the ways Jacobs and Van Rite have raised the bar in Milwaukee is through the guest chef series at Dan Dan and EsterEv, which brings in culi nary talents from other cities. The series features chefs from across the coun try, like Nashville, Tennessee’s Bryan Lee (Butcher & Bee), Chicago’s Jason Hammel (Lula Café), and New Orleans’ Mason Hereford (Turkey and the Wolf). “It’s fun for everybody,” Van Rite says, adding that some of the guest chefs are old friends, some new acquaintances, but all are given free reign over the menu during their visit. The guest series varies slightly at the two restaurants. EsterEv is more upscale and intimate, with seat ing for only 20. The dinners are curated by the visiting chef and assisted by the EsterEv staff. The guest chef events at DanDan, known as Dim Sum + Give Some, fea ture seven-course, dim sum–style meals whose proceeds go to the nonprofit Ken nedy’s Disease Association. Jacobs was diagnosed with the rare neuromuscu lar disorder in 2016, prompting the kick off of Dim Sum + Give Some the follow ing year. So far, these events have raised more than $85,000. This year alone, Jacobs and Van Rite aim to raise $35,000. Through the guest chef series, Jacobs and Van Rite also have the opportunity to showcase the best of Milwaukee to their visiting peers. Both chefs speak highly of the local ingredients, particu larly dairy and produce, from surround ing farms. Their hope is that a James Beard win could catapult Milwaukee into the national spotlight. “Showing off the city … that’s really important,” Jacobs says. “If anybody from Milwaukee wins, we all win.” That outcome is highly possible. Jacobs and Van Rite didn’t advance to the final round, but as of press time, half of the finalists for Best Chef: Midwest were from Brew City, with the other half hail

DAN VAN RITE

AXELSTRAT MEDIA (2)

CHEF MOST LIKE TO WORK WITH: DAN JACOBS : Dan Barber DAN VAN RITE : Sean Brock FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE MIDWEST: DJ : The attitude and genuine niceness DV: Working with the farmers MOST UNDERRATED INGREDIENT: DJ: Potatoes DV : Fresh herbs FAVORITE MEAL TO COOK TOGETHER: DJ: Big barbecue spreads DV : Roasted pork shoulder marinated in liquid shio koji

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CHEFS & INGREDIENTS CHEF PROFILE

LOCATED IN MILWAUKEE’S HISTORIC THIRD WARD, DANDAN FEATURES A HIP INTERIOR WITH DISHES INSPIRED BY THE SICHUAN REGION OF CHINA.

DANDAN (2) / KEVIN MIYAZAKI

ing from Minneapolis. If the duo are emblematic of the qual ity of the Milwaukee food scene, they also reflect its resiliency. Although Dan Dan and EsterEv were able to ride out the shutdowns and dining restrictions, their French comfort foods spot, Fauntleroy, was an early casualty of the coronavirus. But the closure didn’t stop them from cre ating an entirely new concept. In spring 2021, they debuted Fool’s Errand, so named because, as the pair points out, who would open a restaurant in the middle of a pandemic? The new restaurant was the answer to shifting wants and needs during the pandemic, but it’s proving to have staying power, thanks to comfort foods like the fried bologna sandwich, monte cristo, and bis cuits and gravy. In the gap between Faunleroy and Fool’s Errand, Jacobs and Van Rite con

tinued to pay the salaries of roughly a dozen employees. “We’re both really proud of that,” Jacobs says. “The predominant thing that Dan and I did the last two years is find ways for people to keep working. Was it to our own detriment? Yes, but at the same time we wanted to keep our team together as much as possible.” That same set of values recently guided Jacobs and Van Rite in their deci sion to add a 20 percent service charge across their restaurants in lieu of tip ping. This added fee ensures both the front and back of house earn a livable wage; it also opens the door to other ben efits, like 401(k) plans and health insur ance. Full-time employees also earn 10 days of annual paid vacation. “It’s time the industry paid people like the profession it is,” Jacobs says. “We’ve seen probably 60 percent of people leave

an additional tip on top.” Though the business partners share many projects, they’ve each received accolades in their own right. Van Rite has been a semifinalist for the James Beard award multiple times, and Jacobs trounced Bobby Flay on the Food Net work series “Beat Bobby Flay.” Still, there’s something special about sharing in their accomplishments. “I love it,” Jacobs says. “Who wouldn’t want to be successful with their best friend? I don’t think it takes away from anything individually whatsoever. I feel like we’re stronger together.” And Van Rite agrees. Just don’t ask them to agree on whether to cheer on the Chicago Bears or the Green Bay Packers. “We do not see eye to eye on foot ball,” Jacobs says. “It gets to the point of almost arguing during football season.”

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JUNE 2022

CHEFS & INGREDIENTS NOW SERVING

Spicing Up Salads

BY TREVOR GRINER Techniques like pickling, grilling, and layering textures are breathing new life into salads.

CRUNCHY AND CREAMY BLEND IN TRUE FOOD KITCHEN’S GOOD EARTH KALE COBB SALAD.

TRUE FOOD KITCHEN

FROM STAPLES LIKE CAESAR and house salads to more international variations like Thai green mango and papaya salad, salads are one of the more versatile menu items. Fresh produce acts as a canvas for chefs to layer flavors and textures. The result can fall anywhere between light and refreshing to hearty and comforting. This wide range of possibilities is something executive chef Dreux Ellis of Café Gratitude loves, and it’s one of the reasons he considers salads to be among his favorite foods.

“I love that you have this endless sort of rainbow of colors and textures,” Ellis says. “They’re a reflection of the wealth and abundance in the plant kingdom.” He adds that salads are one of the rare items that can be both healthy and a type of comfort food, with health ben efits coming from nutrient-rich greens and the comfort element supplied by supplementary ingredients like roasted vegetables and healthy fats like avocados. Classics like chopped salads are being reinvented all the time, the chef says.

To that point, Café Gratitude, which serves organic, plant-based fare, has a torta española chopped salad that uses a chickpea frittata in place of the usual egg. The menu at the multiunit Southern California concept features half a dozen salads in total, including a warm brocco lini and edamame salad, a kale and sea vegetable salad, and an asparagus and tomato confit. While greens provide a familiar start ing point, new ingredients are sprinkled in to keep up with trends. Hot ingre

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JUNE 2022

dients of the moment include pickled vegetables, specialty radishes, heirloom tomatoes, and marinated proteins like tofu, all of which Ellis says have become more and more popular as customers place a greater focus on health and well ness while dining. “I definitely see an Asian-fusion trend going on,” he says. “Lots of alternate uses of fruits, vegetables, and proteins in sal ads [and] in combinations that we’re not accustomed to as Americans, like tofu that has been marinated and lightly fried in panko and sesame—I love that.” Another trend Ellis has noticed is salad dressing becoming healthier. Creamy ingredients like tahini and ricotta are replacing mayonnaise and other heavy bases found in rich dress ings like ranch and blue cheese. “While it’s delicious, oil really has no other nutritional value except for con taining some fat,” he says. “At the café, I try to use a base for the dressings that has more nutrients like fiber and over all more nutritional value.” Ellis suggests pairing tahini with gar lic, lemon, and parsley to create a sim ple, Mediterranean-style dressing, which offers a rich mouthfeel without the added fats of ranch and French varieties. He says that finishing the salad with roasted vegetables to add depth—or even fermented veggies for digestive benefits—makes for a winning combina tion that’s both healthy and appetizing. “Roasted beets add a really gorgeous bright red color, and things like sauer kraut can give the salad a probiotic qual ity,” Ellis says. Placing a premium on probiotic and microbiome health is a trend the chef believes will be on the rise this sum mer. Vegetables and fiber-rich foods like asparagus, leeks, artichokes, sun chokes, and fennel, which all support a healthy gut, should be making appear ances on salads across menus. Ellis also expects to see grilled items in the sum mer months, like charred romaine and grilled stone fruits. This technique can add a level of sophistication to salads, making them more appetizing and visu ally appealing, he says.

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From an operator’s perspective, Ellis thinks salads can be great for the bottom line, even when running an organic oper ation like Café Gratitude. Despite recent pressures from supply chain disruption and inflation, he believes it’s still possi ble to turn a profit on salads, especially at restaurants where the menu primarily revolves around animal proteins. “They’re going to be great for the bot tom line,” he says. “You can get a lot of mileage out of more traditional greens like romaine and baby gems, which aren’t so expensive. Combining them with a few star players will come up with something that’s special without really increasing the bottom line.” Michael Sullivan, vice president of culinary at NextGen Casual chain True Food Kitchen, thinks fruits like peaches and blueberries will be in style this summer. In addition, he foresees more nuanced textures shaping menus. “A lot of times people feel like they’re a rabbit just eating vegetables,” he says. “I think we’re going to see a lot more tex

ture this year com g that’s what’s going to act as a differentia tor.” Sullivan points to ingredients like dried garbanzo beans, dehydrated corn, and popped sorghum as texture vehicles. He adds that as people’s appetite for newer flavors increases, international influences from spicy and acidic foods will become more popular. Ingredients like Fresno and Calabrian chilies, pick led peppadew peppers, and yuzu pack a novel punch. Like Ellis, Sullivan has observed an increased interest in probiotics and nutrient-dense food as consumers shift their focus toward wholesome ingredi ents, like avocados, even if they have a higher fat content. This has led to sal ads becoming heartier while still main taining all the benefits of healthy eating. “People are more health-conscious, health-aware right now,” Sullivan says. And when all else fails, he says pickling is a surefire way to bring in fresh flavor and a health halo. “Pickled is always a big win,” he says.

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JUNE 2022

SPONSORED BY CALIFORNIA MILK ADVISORY BOARD

in new and exciting ways. Tyagi is fea tured in a recent video, showcasing his dish as a great example of the ver satility offered by California’s over 250 varieties and styles of cow’s milk cheese products and how California dairy can drive menu innovation. The video with Tyagi highlights the “chef hack” of substituting pasta in favor of paneer cheese. It also showcases why a chef like Tyagi uses California dairy products. Not only does California pro duce more dairy than any other state according to the USDA, but the paneer and mozzarella in “I’m Not Pasta” are sustainably sourced. In an interview with FSR magazine, Tyagi expounded on why he prefers dairy from California farms. For one, he believes it’s a higher quality prod uct than chefs can find elsewhere. He also believes in sustainable practices, and, according to the California Milk Advisory Board, California farmers are more than halfway to a statewide goal of 40 percent less methane emis sions by 2030. The California dairy industry’s carbon footprint has shrunk 45 percent over the past 5 decades, and about 40 percent of a California dairy cow’s diet consists of byproducts from food and fiber production—like almond hulls and grape pomace—keeping these byproducts out of landfills and reducing the amount of water needed to grow additional feed by around 1.3 trillion gallons per year. For these reasons, Tyagi relies on

I’M NOT PASTA: The Story Behind A Popular Paneer “Lasagne” CHEF MANISH TYAGI BELIEVES WHOLESOME, SUSTAINABLE CALIFORNIA DAIRY INGREDIENTS MAKE HIS SIGNATURE INDIAN FUSION DISH THAT MUCH MORE COMPELLING.

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CHEF MANISH TYAGI has always done things his own way. That was never more evident than when, in the midst of the pandemic, he opened his restaurant, Aurum, in Los Altos, Cali fornia. It was a risky move, coming at a time when more independent full service restaurants were shuttering rather than opening. But Aurum has been a smash hit in the Bay Area, thanks in large part to Tyagi’s innovative takes on tradi tional Indian dishes. Tyagi’s artistry is on full display in Aurum’s best-sell ing dish: a spinach and paneer pasta dubbed “I’m Not Pasta.” The entreé uses thinly-sliced Real California pan eer cheese to mimic lasagne noodles, sandwiched around a filling of brown garlic, fenugreek leaves, and California

mozzarella. The lasagne-like creation is cooked and then plated atop a spicy tomato sauce and finished with basil oil and chili threads. “At any Indian restaurant, you’ll find a paneer dish,” Tyagi says. “But I don’t do any Indian dish the way you’d find it in a traditional Indian restaurant. I

add my own style to it. It’s a very old culture and cuisine, but there’s always room to present it as a new version. So when somebody sees ‘I’m Not Pasta’ on the menu, there’s a surprise element to it, but the color, texture, and taste of the dish speak for themselves.” The REAL Makers video series spotlights chefs using California dairy For more, visit realcaliforniamilk.com/foodservice Real California Cheese and trusts that it performs as well or better than any thing a restaurant could make in house. “I like California dairy for both its consistency and taste,” Tyagi says. “And because it’s from here, the taste is California.” BY CHARLIE POGACAR

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Liquid Intelligence

TRENDS AND CREATIVE APPROACHES TO SPIRITS, WINE, AND BEER. MENTIONED IN THIS STORY BREWVO • • • OMEGA YEAST • • •

SAPWOOD CELLAR BREWERY

Tech-Forward, Eco-Friendly Beer

GENETICALLY MODIFIED YEAST CAN MIMIC AND EVEN ENHANCE NATURAL HOP FLAVORS.

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WHEN IT COMES TO THE IMPACT of climate change on agriculture, hops CTGPoV WUWCNN[ VJG Ƃ TUV ETQR VQ EQOG to mind. But rising temperatures and increasingly extreme weather are tak ing a toll on hops, barley, and other

ingredients used in brewing beer, which are in turn driving up costs. According to Statista, since 2016, the cost of hops has increased by more than a dollar per pound—and it’s nearly doubled since 2011.

BY TREVOR GRINER Concentrates and }iiÌV>Þ `w i` yeast brew a more sustainable beer.

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LIQUID INTELLIGENCE

Inflation is partially to blame, but the price of hops is also a result of plain-old supply and demand. Droughts and other inclement weather like prolonged forest fires in California, Oregon, and Wash ington (where the majority of U.S. hops are grown) have stymied production. At the same time, popular variet ies like IPAs and fruit-forward beers require more hops than standard lagers and other styles of suds, and Americans’ appetite for these brews show no signs of abating. This confluence of challenges is forc ing beer purveyors to seek more sustain able solutions that can maintain produc tion levels without compromising taste.

Companies like Colorado-based Sustain able Beverage Technologies (sbt) are also exploring ways to reduce their carbon impact from shipping large quantities of beer across the country. The genesis of SBT can be traced to when founder Patrick Tatera realized that soda manufacturers cut time and costs by shipping their product as con centrate. The beer world, by contrast, still transports fully finished products. SBT CEO Gary Tickle says the field was ripe for innovation, especially con sidering how little has changed in the brewing process over hundreds of years. “If the monks from Munich came back from the 1500s, they could probably still

run a brewhouse,” Tickle says. “That’s not a bad thing because it has its artisanal roots and traditions … but in the mod ern context of the challenges that face the industry—like many industries—we can’t deny the fact that there are a lot of environmental factors that we have to consider when making beer.” These factors encompass everything from how the raw materials are grown to how much water is used to the environ mental impact from moving beer across the country. The whole process produces a large carbon footprint, Tickle says. Plus, it’s not especially efficient. To help combat some of the environ mental pressures, SBT created BrewVo, a proprietary process that produces con densed beer at one-sixth the volume of traditional beer by removing much of the water needed during standard brew ing procedure. As a concentrate, the beer has intense flavors and must be reconstituted ahead of serving. SBT’s NexDraft Tap System, a patented technology, mixes the con densed beer with water, carbon dioxide, and alcohol to transform it into a recog nizable product. It’s like a soda fountain but for beer. SBT creates the condensed beer using a process it refers to as nested fermenta tion. After brewing a portion of beer, the BrewVo machine removes alcohol and adds a new batch of wort, allowing for additional fermentation. After repeating the process a handful of times, what’s left is a concentrated nonalcoholic beer base, which can then be packaged alongside the removed alcohol. The condensed beer is packaged in a disposable bag and shipped in a box, making for an exponentially easier transport than kegs. The process is also more environmentally friendly because once used, the boxes and bags don’t have to be shipped back to the point of origin. And while the cost surrounding new technology is a perennial concern for businesses, Tickle says it isn’t a concern with the BrewVo and NexDraft sys tems—quite the opposite. “It’s cost-competitive pound for pound,” he says. “Everybody across the

“We can’t deny the fact that there are a lot of environmental factors that we have to consider when making beer.”

SUSTAINABLE BEVERAGE TECHNOLOGIES ( SBT ) / MICHAEL TONSMEIRE

SAPWOOD CELLARS (LEFT) USES ONE OF OMEGA YEAST’S STRAINS, WHILE BREWVO (ABOVE) CREATES CONDENSED BEER; BOTH CUT THE BEVERAGE’S CARBON FOOTPRINT.

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hops. While brewers still need some type of hops in the mixture, engineered yeast can mimic the flavors, thus making oper ators less reliant on specialized hops. “The strains have enzymatic capabili ties to release these [flavor] compounds,” Burns says. And as with the technology behind SBT, engineered yeast can cut transpor tation-related carbon emissions since brewers no longer need to order hops from across the country. It also eases demand on already taxed hops farms that might not have enough time to regenerate the soil. But even with these perks, some oper ators may have reservations about turn ing to products that are more processed (as with the beer concentrates) or genet ically modified, as with the yeast. The craft movement, after all, has empha sized simplicity and a return to basics. Scott Janish, who founded Sapwood Cellars Brewery in Columbia, Maryland, uses a strain of Omega’s engineered yeast in some of the brand’s beers and says, if anything, brewers and consumers alike are more excited than worried by these new approaches to beer-making. “We’ve done a handful of these beers and have been very open and transpar ent about what yeast is going in and that it’s an engineered strain,” he says. “I don’t think we’ve had a single complaint from anyone that’s purchased them.” Janish also points out that the use of not-so-common ingredients, like lac tose, which when used in beer, creates a creamy mouthfeel, have been embraced by producer and consumer alike. Instead, he thinks the bigger chal lenge will be figuring out how to cate gorize these new brews. Some of the fla vors derived from the modified yeast are unconventional and don’t fall into cate gories like ales, lagers, porters, etc. But for Janish, that challenge also breeds opportunity. “I think it’s an exciting new area for beers, and the potential for these strains is huge,” he says. “I’m excited to see where this new technology takes us, incorporating crazy flavors that you just cannot achieve without them.”

FOUNDED A DECADE AGO, OMEGA YEAST NOW HAS FACILITIES IN CHICAGO AND ST. LOUIS.

OMEGA YEAST (2)

supply chain, from the manufacturer to the retailer, has a chance to take a piece of the savings from the revised model.” While SBT delves into the techno logical side of sustainable beer, com panies like Omega Yeast focus on the actual ingredients, specifically the yeast involved in the brewing process. Yeast is an integral component when making beer, but it isn’t typically the source of those juicy notes that charac terize so many IPAs. Instead, fruit-for ward beers, which have risen in popu larity over the past decade, derive their flavors largely from hops.

When using traditional ingredients, hops act as the supplier for fruity flavors, specifically citra, mosaic, amarillo, and simcoe hops. These varieties are almost exclusively grown in the Pacific North west due to licensing, meaning brewers looking to capture in-demand fruity fla vors are dependent on that particular region, regardless of where their own operation is based. Enter engineered yeast. Laura Burns, director of research and development at Omega Yeast, says these genetically modified strains har ness the flavors of hops—without the

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