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[CONTEST] Enter for Your Chance to Win a Nemco Easy Chopper 3™!

Faster prep saves you time and money! With Nemco’s Easy Chopper 3™, you’ll literally slice prep time in half with consistent cuts each and every time. Great for tomatoes, onions, peppers and more, The Easy Chopper 3™ features everything you know and love about the Easy Chopper 2—but makes it better. …

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How to Clean a Coffee Maker

Featured as one of the top five germiest places in the home in a 2011 germ study conducted by NSF International, the coffee reservoir is teeming with bacteria, mold and mildew if not cleaned regularly—and hot water isn’t enough! Not only will a clean coffee maker keep customers safe, you …

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FoodTech: Where Food Meets Technology

The global food system is constantly under pressure. Given that more than 40% of all food produced in the United States ends up in landfills, it’s both depressing and absurd that an average of 12.3% of U.S. households face food insecurity. Not only that, but we’re facing challenges like consistent …

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Going Green at The Rayback Collective

The best leaders lead by example. We often talk about our chefs as stewards of the food system, educating us about nose-to-tail dining or our impact on local food systems. But you don’t have to be a chef to enact change within your communities. As customers we have the power …

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3 Ways to Tackle Rising Labor Costs

With new labor laws going into effect, restaurants are starting to feel the pinch—and they’re responding. Here are just a few ways you can tackle the rising labor costs: 1. Automation At a bustling 2-story restaurant in San Diego known for cheap beers and tacos, raising food prices wasn’t an option. …

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Are Guest Checks Dead?

With an estimated 2 billion smartphone users in the world, it’s safe to say technology is here to stay. As tableside ordering and payment becomes more common, you may be asking what’s next for the humble guest check. Guest checks have long been helpful for recording orders (including sides, substitutions …

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What Are Hood Filters and Why Do You Need Them?

Hood filters might not be the most glamorous item in your kitchen, but you’d be amiss without it. Hood filters are designed to remove smoke, grease and other debris from the air before it hits your ventilation system. Without this line of defense, these materials would build up in your air …

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Sustainability and Your Glassware

When you think of sustainability in your restaurant, chances are you’re thinking about one of the following: Food waste Energy waste Single-use (disposable) waste But have you thought about glassware waste? That’s the question Root Down was faced with after examining the amount of glassware breakage in the restaurant. Considered …

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Let’s Talk Umami Factor: Preserved Lemons

I first came across preserved lemons on a trip to NYC back in 2012. A seemingly ordinary pasta dish suddenly became extraordinary with the addition of one simple ingredient. There was a slight citrus in the dish, but not overpowering; it was soft and subtle, and its aroma rivaled that …

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Risk and the Restaurant Business with Dave Query of Big Red F

What is it about getting older that makes us naturally risk-averse? In our youth we’re fearless. We don’t think twice about cliff diving off a coast into the Pacific, or telling our manager that we deserve to be making 6 figures because we have a graduate degree (and no work …

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Food Trends We’re Tired Of

Usually when an ingredient rises to critical acclaim status it’s because a chef took an innovative spin on its preparation or made it more palatable. Take kale, an ingredient long relegated as a garnish beneath a scoop of chicken salad finally received its turn in the spotlight when it was …

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10 Things You Need For the Perfect Patio Party

Summer screams the need to be outside, and if you’re like us, you’ll love any excuse to have a party. Here’s our list of 10 things you’ll want in (and out) of the kitchen to throw a wicked party on your patio. Chef’s Knife We can’t think of a more …

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Support Local Farms – Join a CSA

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) isn’t a new concept, but there are still a lot of people who aren’t familiar with it. If you’re one of those people, not to worry—I’m here to help! Here’s how it works: A CSA program provides individuals with direct access to high quality, fresh produce …

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