Super Bowl Catering

From our mailbag: Falling In Love At Bogota!

FROM THE BOGOTA BISTRO MAILBAG
January 8, 2010

Hello George and Farid,

About three years ago, February 2007, a beautiful young woman and I went out for a wonderful dinner at Bogota Bistro. I had asked the woman, who at the time was a casual friend to join me for a dinner at a great restaurant that I had just discovered in Park Slope, Brooklyn. I was a young man at the time, who was falling madly in love with this woman, who happened to be Colombian, and from Bogota. Looking for a way to impress her, it seemed natural to take her to dinner at an establishment that she felt comfortable within, and there was no better place than Bogota Bistro.

The night was wonderful, we laughed, talked, ate great food, listened to excellent music, took in the mesmerizing art work and really made a connection with each other. The evening flew by so fast that in fact the staff had to make us aware that the restaurant was closing and that we were the last patrons. Fast forward two years, and that beautiful young woman is now my wife who recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl two months ago.

Whenever my wife and I look back at our time together and how our relationship progressed into a wonderful marriage, the memories of Bogota Bistro are always prevalent within our minds. My wife always makes the comment that when I asked her to dinner that night, she was expecting the traditional Italian restaurant or American steak house, but was completely blown away when I told her that we were going to eat at a Colombian restaurant, that to top it off is the name of the city where she was born, Bogota.

So, I just wanted to send you guys a big Thank-You for being such an important part of our lives, for giving us great memories and for putting a smile on our face every time we reminisce. Keep up the good work and Happy New Year!

Regards,
JF

Food / Restaurant Trends for 2010

Top 10 Prevailing Menu Trends for 2010
This time of year, you will find no shortage of dining predictions or menu trends for the year, many with substantial commonality. We culled through the many lists, surveys and predictions out there and bring you the Top 10 Prevailing Menu Trends for 2010 (based on those most commonly mentioned).

1. Fried Chicken and deep fried in general - this is in keeping with the trend towards familiar and comfortable foods,
starting with bone-in, fried chicken and continuing to deep fried apple pie, among other things.

2. Locally grown and sourced menu items - this trend started in 2009 and is expected to continue.

3. Specialty beers - while high end wines are moving sluggishly, artisan and micro brew sales are growing and expected
to continue to do so.

4. Premium burgers - premium burgers represent the ultimate marriage of value and indulgence, so whether it's Kobe
beef or a rare cheese, the burger is getting a makeover.

5. Further downscaling - The drive toward downscale dining continues. Examples include Big Star, Chicago chef Paul Kahan's opening a dive bar/taco shack and Coi Chef-owner Daniel Patterson recently opening Il Cane Rosso, a San Francisco sandwich shop.

6. Local liquors - examples include Texas bars and restaurants stocking Tito's vodka (hand distilled in Austin, Texas) exclusively, this seems to be an extension of the "locally grown and sourced" trend.

7. Gluten free - the approximately three million Americans with celiac disease (causing reactions to foods
containing gluten) can expect to find more menus tailored to their needs.

8. Lamb ... off the bone - chops are still on the menu, but expect to see more off the bone cuts of lamb, such as lamb meatballs, taking on greater visibility.

9. Back to the basics - from canning and pickling produce to curing salami to butchering their own cuts of beef,
expect chefs to get back to the basics.

10. The left side of the menu - look for more creative snacky things, more small plates, more portion options -
things sized for one, for two, for a crowd. Sharing is the key ... sharing responds to consumers' needs for comfort
and safety, for intimacy and friendship.

3 Honorable Mentions (because we just found these interesting)



1. Are eggs the new bacon - from the option to add a fried egg to anything on the menu to finding a sliced egg on a sandwhich, eggs are showing up everywhere.

2. Healthier breakfast choices - lack of healthy choices is what most people report keep them from eating breakfast
out more often, expect to see that change.

3. Expanded kids menus - more and healthier choices seem to be the trend.

(Sources: Nations' Restaurant News, "What's Hot in 2010 Chef Survey;" Restaurants and Institution's, "20 Menu Trends;"
and Baum + Whiteman's, "13 Restaurant and Hotel Food and Dining Trends for 2010)

Hostess / Host Position Available

Host / Hostess (Park Slope)

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Bogota Latin Bistro

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Bogota Latin Bistro is seeking a host/hostess to join our dynamic team: www.bogotabistro.com

Duties & Responsibilities:
* Welcome and warmly greet guests on arrival.
* Dispense hospitality. Make guests feel welcomed.
* Manage the timely seating of our guests to a table that best serves their wishes.
* Manage waitlist and provide guests with estimated waiting times.
* Whenever possible carry drinks to table, assist with packages and pull out chairs.

Qualifications:
* Bilingual (fluent English and Spanish) and able to communicate in both languages.
* Strong strategic thinker / Understand table math
* Positive and caring attitude.

Applicants must share our passion for food, excellence, education and Latino culture.
Ideal candidates must be team player oriented with willingness to learn, lead & grow.
The right applicant will follow management’s instructions and suggestions.

Instructions:

A) Please email your resume and personalized cover letter to eat@bogotabistro.com
Please answer the following questions in your cover letter
1) What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
2) Why do you think you would be a great fit for Bogota Bistro?
3) What will your last boss say about you when we speak to them?

B) Please state the position you are applying for in the subject line of the email.
C) Interested candidates will be called back to schedule an interview

Servers (Park Slope)

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Bogota Latin Bistro (www.bogotabistro.com ) is seeking a server to join our dynamic team: One of our best servers is moving back to Colombia and we need his shoes filled by only the best

Server

Duties & Responsibilities:
* Make guests feel welcomed / let them know that you’re available to take care of them.
* Answer questions about food, beverage, specials and restaurant services.
* Be a great salesperson / Up sell
* Perform side work duties.
* Assist with answering phones, taking take out and delivery orders.

Qualifications:
* Bilingual (fluent English and Spanish) and able to communicate in both languages.
* Professional *Basic Math Skills
* Experienced (5+ years high volume experience).

Applicants must share our passion for food, excellence, education and Latino culture.
Ideal candidates must be team player oriented with willingness to learn, lead & grow.
The right applicant will follow management’s instructions and suggestions.

Instructions:

A) Please email your resume and cover letter to eat@bogotabistro.com
Please answer the following questions in your cover letter
1) What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
2) Why do you think you would be a great fit for Bogota Bistro?
3) What will your last boss say about you when we speak to them?

B) Please state the position you are applying for in the subject line of the email.
C) Interested candidates will be called back to schedule an interview

Bogota Latin Bistro Seeks Head Cook

Head Cook Position Available.
Bogota Latin Bistro is a successful and growing Pan-Latin restaurant located in the heart of Park Slope, serving the foods and drinks of Colombia and Latin America.
We are seeking a head cook to join our kitchen team: www.bogotabistro.com

Head Cook (Weekend & Evenings)

Directly responsible for all kitchen functions including food purchasing, preparation and maintenance of quality standards; sanitation and cleanliness; training of employees in methods of cooking, preparation, plate presentation, portion and cost control.

Duties & Responsibilities:
*Ensure that all food products are consistently prepared and served according to the restaurant’s recipes, portioning, cooking and serving standards.
*Possess strong supervision & leadership skills. Will lead a BOH team comprised of 15 cooks, preps, dishwashers & runners. Create a positive & productive work environment.
*Control food, menu and labor costs.

Qualifications:
*Mature & Professional.
*Possess knowledge of Latin food cuisine.
*Minimum ten years of high volume latin/spanish kitchen experience in varied kitchen positions such as prep cook, line cook & expediter.
*Be able to communicate clearly with all FOH & BOH staff and understand English and Spanish.
*Must be organized, self motivated, proactive with a strong attention to detail.

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Instructions:
A) Please send your resume to eat@bogotabistro.com
B) Please state the position you are applying for in the subject line of the email.
C) Please do not call the restaurant.
D) Interested candidates will be called back to schedule an interview.

• Location: Brooklyn
• OK for recruiters to contact this job poster.
• Please, no phone calls about this job!
• Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

10 Ways To Do Your Own PR for Restaurants

10 ways to do your own PR

High-ticket marketing efforts don't fit your budget? Relax, there are plenty of ways to get good PR without spending a ton of your money. "Good public relations is more than just publicity," says Stephanie Crane Faison, a publicist who developed Restaurant PR, a do-it-yourself public relations program aimed at restaurant operators. "It's about relationship building, shaping the public's perception and conveying a positive image." Here's how to generate some pretty good PR for your restaurants–on a not-so-good budget.

Build a database
Compile your own customer and media database. There are companies and agencies that charge big bucks for these lists, yet both are fairly easy to do yourself. To get customer e-mail addresses and contact info, distribute comment cards, collect data from Open Table or another online reservation service or simply ask customers to sign a guestbook or hand over their business cards to enroll in a drawing. Flesh out the list with key civic leaders, business people and others in the community.
You also can create your own media list by doing a little homework. Study the newspapers, regional magazines, community newsletters and radio and TV stations to target the reporter, editor, writer or producer who covers restaurants, menu trends, real estate, business or design. Barbara Sibley, partner in La Palapa, a Mexican restaurant in New York City, called the New York Times' city section editor, restaurant reviewer and food writer to introduce herself, then followed up with a fax providing details about her Day of the Dead event. The resulting coverage brought a wave of new customers.

Write a release
Press releases aren't just for opening day; use them to announce a revised menu, updated cocktail list, renovated space or any kind of special event. You can write the things yourself. Just make sure your story angle is newsworthy and the content informative, advises Beth Shepherd of Beth Shepherd Communications in Gill, Massachusetts. The idea is to quickly grab the interest of the reader in the first paragraph and provide contact information for follow-up. Shepherd also suggests using the collective "we" when writing about your operation so you don't come off as too boastful. Sample press releases can be found on Websites such as www.press-release-writing.com and www.electricpressrelease.com. And a new book, Restaurant & Food Professionals: Write Your Press Release!, is available for $40 from www.restaurantpr.com.
In addition to the local media, send your release to in-flight magazines, travel guides and Websites, online city directories, community leaders and regular customers. E-mail is the most cost-effective and efficient if you've already established a relationship with the recipients and they have opted in; otherwise, send the release by snail mail or fax.

Get personal
Instead of a press release, some restaurateurs find it more effective to send out a scheduled newsletter. Sarah Stegner, co-owner of Prairie Grass Café outside Chicago, e-mails a monthly e-newsletter to her media and customer base using a template from Constant Contact, a permission-based e-mail marketing program. A publicist helped her develop the first few issues and now Stegner writes it herself. The one-pager is personally addressed to each recipient; it includes menu news, recipes, promotions and staff profiles.
A personalized letter became a powerful tool for one of Faison's clients. Written on the restaurant's letterhead, it recounted what was happening in the owner's and chef's lives—travels, wine tastings, the food served at family get-togethers. The letters became "a badge of honor" for those on the mailing list; it made them feel like "insiders." For a cheaper solution, Faison suggests sending out picture postcards—you can order 5,000 online for about $300; click on www.modernpostcard.com.

Hold a contest
This past holiday season, Prairie Grass Café invited its customers to enter a cookie contest; the entries were voted upon by the customers and the finalists sampled at a family-style lunch. "It created a feeling of community around our steady customers," Stegner says. "As judges, they felt a sense of ownership."
Brulee: The Dessert Experience in Philadelphia held a "Sweetest Mom" essay contest for kids. The winner's mother was treated to a catered dessert party for 20—an event that brought in the local TV news crew and generated lots of goodwill in the community. Other restaurants have held contests over everything from naming a menu item to concocting a cocktail to competitive pizza eating.

Market yourself as an expert
Local TV and radio stations, and even food manufacturers at trade shows, are constantly looking for chefs to do demos. Put together a video, DVD or webcast of your chef in action and send it out: it could land your restaurant a regular gig. Chefs and operators are also in demand as spokespeople for food products and appliances, newspaper or magazine columnists, even teachers in cooking schools and adult ed programs. All these outlets provide exposure for your restaurant.

Be a joiner
Join a culinary association or community group. The La Palapa partners joined the New York Women's Culinary Alliance to network with other "foodies" who could spread the word about their two restaurants. The group has held events at the restaurant. Larger groups such as Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, DiRoNA and the International Association of Culinary Professionals are also beneficial—especially if you get involved on the board or a committee to make yourself more visible.
Joining the local chamber of commerce is a no-brainer, but also join a "problem-solving" group, such as the United Way or a literacy program. A restaurant can prove invaluable in sponsoring a fundraising walk, providing meals to volunteers and donating space for events. "Every successful publicity program has a good citizenship component," says Faison.

Be out there
Your restaurant can get a lot of notice in a short amount of time by taking a table at a chefs' tasting event like those sponsored by Share Our Strength. To make the most of these walk-around food samplings—which bring in hordes of potential customers—prepare something that is uncomplicated and portable, then hand out business cards, matchbooks, pens, recipes or another branded freebie that will jog a guest's memory long after the party is over."The most worthwhile taste-arounds are the high-ticket fundraisers with a limited number of chefs participating," says Yee. "You're more likely to get attention from real foodies who can turn into steady customers."
If your city holds a prix-fixe "restaurant week," it pays to participate if you have the real estate to spare. You don't want to fill up tables with guests paying $30 for a three-course meal that can net you $50, especially if these customers are the bargain-hunting type who probably won't return for a full-priced dinner. On the other hand, participating restaurants are usually given free publicity in newspaper ads, online dining sites and other marketing materials. Test out the waters and weigh the benefits.

Hire a publicist
There are periods in a restaurant's life when outsourcing PR is the most cost-effective solution. Your own time might be scarce or your expertise just too limited. And it might not be as expensive as you think to pay a publicist on an "as needed" basis. Monthly retainers start at $1,500 for a one-person shop but can go as high as $10,000 or more for a full-service agency. Smaller restaurants often find that smaller firms offer more personalized service. Rohini Dey, owner of Vermilion in Chicago, turned to a publicist for her new menu introduction "to capitalize on her relationships with the media. It was just more expedient at the time." Yee's advice: it's cheaper in the long run to hire on a monthly retainer rather than an hourly rate.
Faison's Restaurant PR also offers a "Virtual Publicist" service through its Website. For $1 a minute operators can get advice from a PR pro 24/7; an initial $50 for 50 minutes gets you plugged in with a user name and password.

Be a matchmaker
Katherine Rothman partners with restaurants to launch clothing, beauty products or jewelry lines. The guest list for these events includes the media and other prospective patrons, who not only become acquainted with the restaurant, but will then talk it up. When photos and video clips are taken to showcase the event, the restaurant gets automatic publicity.
"Restaurant owners who wish to gain visibility should offer their venue free or at a discounted rate to a PR firm that regularly stages events," Rothman advises. She also advocates linking with social groups, such as wine-tasting clubs and dating services like Match.com or Eharmony.com; they regularly hold events at restaurants and can provide a steady stream of new business.
Laura Yee, principal of LY Media in Chicago, teamed up with the Windy City Knitting Guild for an event at client Brasserie Jo. "I thought the media would be more apt to write about the restaurant if we tied into knitting—it's so hot right now," she says.

Get with the bloggers
Professional publicists consider getting mentioned in a food or travel blog a valuable media placement. Not only do diners rely on them for leads, the mainstream media discovers many restaurants through blogs. Bloggers can be approached just like other reporters, but they also like to cultivate more personal relationships, says Andrea Strong, creator of The Strong Buzz. For her blog, she prefers that a chef or restaurateur e-mail her through her site rather than send a "boilerplate press release."
There are thousands of blogs on the Web, and the best way to get a sense of what they're about is to read them. Start with www.chefsblogs.com, a compilation from around the country. You might even want to launch a blog of your own; it can generate name recognition and good buzz.

Wearing Yellow Panties on New Years Eve

In many Spanish-speaking countries, wearing yellow panties at the stroke of midnight as the New Year turns is thought to bring wealth and good luck in the coming year. Yellow is the color of choice because it is most closely associated with gold. Tradition says you must cast away your old undies at the stoke of midnight and put on a yellow pair. There are some details to keep in mind, however: to be lucky, they must be brand new; for extra luck, you can wear them inside out. The folklore only applies to women, not men, and other kinds of lingerie (like bras, slips, and garter belts) don’t count. If your knickers were given to you as a gift, they are said to be the luckiest of all. The tradition dates back to the Middle Ages, when it was forbidden for Spaniards to wear bright colors. People believed wearing yellow would bring them good fortune, so they wore the lucky shade as underwear, which couldn’t be seen. If you’re looking for love next year, wear red instead of yellow.

Colombian Tradition of 12 Grapes for New Years Eve

New Year's Eve Celebration Dinner in Brooklyn, New York