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In demand: Dana Cowin and branding in the digital age

Every era has its hero. Dana Cowin was editor-in-chief of Food & Wine, one of the last bastions of swoon-worthy food magazine heavies, for 21 years. Over those two decades, Cowin and her team were gastronomy mile markers. They thoughtfully crafted the words and images that defined those legendary pages, inspiring a generation of curious eaters. 

It’s no surprise that the woman who revolutionized how people read and learn about food and wine is busier than ever. 

A Day in the Life

Cowin gets more done in a day than most people cross off in a week, and that’s just how she likes it. She is the chief brand advisor for Dig Food Group, host of the podcast Speaking Broadly, and a coach for others in the industry. 

“I will sometimes begin the morning with a coaching client,” says Cowin, who consults with industry professionals eager to figure out how to make meaningful changes, just as she has in her own life. “For me, it was so hard to have the perfect job for so long and such a pain point, because I couldn’t leave until I could visualize what was next and take that leap.” 

Cowin relishes devoting time to Dig Food Group, which just opened 232 Bleecker with Chef Suzanne Cupps, the chef of the celebrated Untitled. New Dig projects include openings in Philadelphia and more to come. 

“Then, potentially there is lunch and putting in some time working at The Wing, where I pop in, open my laptop, and get a few emails done,” says Cowin, who supports nonprofits like the Food and Finance High School, New York City’s only culinary public high school. 

In Cowin’s world, a big chunk of every perfect day would be reaching out to someone for her Speaking Broadly podcast, which airs each Wednesday for listeners on Heritage Radio Network, iTunes, and Stitcher. This spring, Cowin will also launch her own zine of the same name. 

“This is one of the most exciting creative projects I’ve ever worked on, filled with people and meetings, and weekends with a week’s worth of email to catch up,” says Cowin. “I’ve been busy going out to new restaurants to see what people are eating and thinking about, so food adventures are always high on my list.”

When Cowin took over running Food & Wine in 1994, she and her team changed the magazine in a way that no one else had done before. It gave readers a different way to look at the world through the lens of food, rather than houses or fashion. Her zine aims to be of this particular moment, when food writing has become very personal.

“I like to help other people shout out broadly, pay it forward to pay it forward, and it goes to the heart of what people consider in their daily lives,” says Cowin.

Branding in the Digital Age: Staying a Step Ahead

The recent H.O.S.T. Summit + Social was founded by industry powerhouse producer Shari Bayer, the brains behind Bayer Public Relations. (The H.O.S.T. acronym stands for hospitality, operations, services, and technology.) Bayer brought her popular All in the Industry podcast to life in the inaugural event last month, when Cowin moderated a panel called “Branding in the Digital Age.”

Since leaving Food & Wine, Cowin has worked with several companies on branding projects, so she understands how the myriad digital tools available today can feel complicated and noisy to chefs and restaurateurs.

“So many chefs I know have become disenchanted with PR, believing they can do that part on their own and develop relationships one-on-one with journalists to pitch their story,” she says. “Plus, they often don’t have the budget for PR. Some of that is pragmatic and some is confidence, owning your own channels.”

To win the digital marketing race, Cowin favors the long game. But that requires vision and dedication. 

“Authenticity is the starting point to any brand, because these days everyone can sniff out the inauthentic,” says Cowin. “There is so much in the world that is the same. To me, the difference between authentic and inauthentic is the difference between original personalities, not cobbled together through an algorithm.” [Read more…]

Keto Craze: Why More Chefs Embrace the Keto Lifestyle

Join us as we look at some of the biggest dining trends of 2020. Today, it’s all about keto – read on, then download our Year in Review infographic here.

In a plethora of dietary terms sweeping the social media and restaurant review landscape in recent years, the word “keto” is among the most typed. Diners mentioned keto 683% more in OpenTable reviews since 2017. Mentions of keto-friendly ingredients are on the rise, too – our reviews referencing “cauliflower crust” increased by 487%.

Like most weight loss plans, the ketogenic diet has its origins in disease treatment, and more specifically, in epileptics to help control seizures. Adhering to a keto diet forces the body to get its fuel from fat storage, rather than carbohydrates; as the body burns fat, it enters into a state called ketosis. The contemporary path to going keto means plummeting carb intake, upping fats, and achieving ketosis. 

For one household or home cook, keto is a snap: Calculate the macros you need for height and weight, and eat mostly fats, some proteins, and almost no carbs (including sugar). For chefs – whose guests may arrive at the table expecting deliciousness and keto in the same meal – it’s not so simple. 

Think Outside the Starch: Keto-Friendly Flavors & Ingredients

Among its faithful observers, chefs also find the keto lifestyle transformative. Just ask Chef Austin Foster, a classically trained chef and culinary consultant who lost 125 pounds following the keto diet. He empathizes both with guests trying to lose weight via keto and chefs challenging the lessons they learned in school. 

“In culinary school you’re not taught to cook healthy, and in the professional cooking world, you’re taught to cook what society deems as ‘good food,’ which oftentimes is unhealthy,” says Foster. “We are trained to eat what’s not good for us – such as fast-food cheeseburgers being $1 while a healthful salad is $6. With keto, you do not touch processed sugar. That’s hard, because the average person in the U.S. consumes about five pounds of sugar a day.”

He cautions chefs who are new to keto cooking against the hidden carbs in typical meal prep, and recommends starting with research to understand what makes a keto dish. From there, they can start planning and cooking intuitively over time. 

Fat

Foster recommends avoiding dishes with dairy and butter during early phases of keto. Don’t skimp on olive oil, and make sure it’s excellent quality.

Consider incorporating MCT oil and avocado oil, and offer coconut oil with coffee service, which provides a little fat and cuts the bitterness without the side effects of dairy. 

“Get fats from avocados, almonds, pecans, and things like bacon, and make your own mayo with egg yolks and oil,” says Foster. “Chopped shallots and anchovy paste are bold flavors, and keep the fat in moderate protein, like 70/30 ground beef and ribeye for marbling.” 

Sugar(-Free)

Foster is a fan of Swerve sugar replacement and warns against stowaway sugars, like cooked onions – keep those raw or only slightly cooked. And for bread, chefs should bake or sample a few loaves of keto bread until they find one diners will enjoy. 

Greens

Jay Pierce is the chef at Mozelle’s, a Southern bistro in North Carolina, where diners flock for his shrimp and grits, tomato pie, and other assorted non-keto friendly fare. But Pierce can prepare a keto plate with just as much flavor. He has a loyal following for hearty, filling salads, and reviewers rave about his classic Caesar.

“The key in making lighter, keto-friendly dressings more appealing is to emulsify – for example, you can make a classic vinaigrette with a coconut oil blend and emulsify it, so the dressing hits your palate like it’s creamy,” says Pierce.

“Also, don’t be afraid to use sturdy greens, like Swiss chard greens, radish leaves if they’re young, and mustard greens, because they can hold a heavier dressing, unlike the soft summer lettuces.”

The entrée salad is a must-have on any keto menu. Pierce suggests topping it with a crispy, crunchy piece of fish as opposed to breaded and fried chicken and find more ways to add texture. 

“Put crispy fish on a salad and add nuts like toasted almonds or walnuts, because they are healthy proteins, good for the brain, with the right amount of fat, and together they will add a textural component for that salad,” he says. 

Meat

Veteran chef Matt Boland heads the culinary team at the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino and shares a chef’s keto experience at the property’s steakhouse, Sunset Grille. From his guests, his family members, and his own life, he understands why keto is all the rage among diners.  

“The steakhouse is a perfect opportunity for the kind of food that checks most of those boxes and it’s a way of life now for many people including myself – I was on the Atkin’s diet and now I practice keto,” says Boland. 

Protein and vegetables make up the bulk of the dishes he likes to eat, a combination echoed in his menus. “The biggest thing for us when it comes to protein is the quality, so we serve a highly marbled Certified Angus beef from Creekstone Farms Beef in Kansas and we hear from our diners how good it is,” says Boland. Even his pork chop is highly marbled. 

Boland believes how producers harvest proteins also has an impact on the flavor. He patronizes Creekstone Farms because of the farm’s humane practices: The beef processing plant was designed with animal welfare in mind by Dr. Temple Grandin. [Read more…]

Gluten Free, Feeling Good: How Chefs Welcome Changing Guest Preferences

Join us as we look at some of the biggest dining trends of 2020. Today, it’s all about gluten-free cooking and dining – read on, then download our Year in Review infographic here.

People working in the food industry have heard it all. From food allergies to personal preferences, the list of ingredients diners can and cannot enjoy is long and evolved. Chefs field more gluten-free requests every year, but the reasons behind the uptick may be surprising.  

Defined by the Mayo Clinic as a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and triticale (a hybrid of wheat and rye), gluten can wreak havoc on the digestive systems of those suffering from celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder. Other guests simply have a touch of non-celiac gluten sensitivity, which causes unpleasant symptoms without damaging the small intestine. Allergies to wheat and gluten ataxia can also have an impact on diners. 

Not everyone who prefers a gluten-free menu is diagnosed with celiac disease. In fact, many diners have started ordering gluten-free foods for one simple reason: they just feel better. Gluten intolerance may have led the way for undiagnosed diners to discover the benefits of a gluten-free diet, and the demand has created an opening for savvy chefs to welcome them. 

Start with Flavor, Not Flour

Justin Ferguson helms BRQ Restaurant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Eyeing a plate of Jack cheese-stuffed boudin balls or jumbo lump crab and brie empanadas with pepper jelly, it’s hard to imagine anything gluten-free could match up. But Ferguson, a veteran Army scout and barbecue master, loves to prove that theory wrong. With Louisiana’s strong seafood heritage and the soulful side of barbecue, Ferguson’s guests have enough gluten-free choices to eat at BRQ every day of the week and not order the same thing twice.  

“Seafood and barbecue are naturally gluten-free, and oftentimes people request dishes without gluten just for health reasons – not because they actually get sick from it,” says Ferguson. “It’s important to be current with the times and mindful that it’s not about what we want, but what the guest wants.”

That way of thinking is what can help chefs exceed expectations for diners. Ferguson incorporates a combination of Cajun and Creole techniques and makes his own seasoning with different blends of spices, like garlic, cayenne and fresh herbs. He uses those flavors and techniques to mimic the texture of glutinous food, with all of the zing and none of the side effects. 

“What sets us apart is, we don’t tell anyone ‘no,’ and that includes our catering, which can mean someone calling up and ordering 180 meals for the following day,” says Ferguson, who serves hungry LSU fans and faculty. “We are happy to customize everything.” 

Ferguson says Louisiana’s long growing season makes it easier to accommodate requests. He offers this advice for fellow chefs who may be stumped as to which gluten-free options to launch:  

“Look around you for inspiration and open your mind – do some research and explore local cultures for ingredients that are naturally gluten-free,” says Ferguson. 

“You’re just having fun, and keep trying, because every dish might not work. But every day you challenge yourself to go without gluten products will make you a better chef.”

Unless he is baking a cake or making bread, Ferguson rarely uses white flour. He makes dishes crunchy and crispy in other ways, always with a focus on seasoning. Ferguson’s favorite items to prepare for his gluten-free guests include all of his barbecue plates, such as brisket and ribs. Ferguson makes his grits from scratch from fresh corn, along with house-cured tasso, andouille sausage, and tortillas, so guests can indulge without consequence.

“For me it starts with salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon, and for a sweet component if I’m looking for that umami flavor or a little textures, I might add some pistachios and oregano to put some crunch on the plate without having to do anything more to the fish,” says Ferguson. “When no one can tell a dish is gluten-free, that’s when you know you’ve done it right.”

Part of being a destination restaurant for gluten-free diners is being able to adapt and use what’s available. Kyle St. John is the chef at Harvest at The Ranch at Laguna Beach in California, where gluten-free diets are common.

“In cooking a beautiful piece of fish, you can simply accompany it with seasonal vegetables, a sauce, or vinaigrette that compliments the fish,” says St. John. “Create an equally amazing gluten-free dish by building layers of flavor.”

St. John has to answer to discerning guests across the whole luxury resort, which can come with challenges. To meet diner demand, he adapts his menu to the seasons.  

“As a luxury resort, our guests have exceptionally high standards, and we strive to meet their expectations and cater to their dietary requests. But thankfully, this is fairly simple to accommodate because our menus are built from high-quality seasonal produce,” says St. John. “Many of our dishes happen to be gluten-free, vegan, or dairy free because of our sourcing methods – they weren’t necessarily intended to be gluten-free but are just that way because we let the quality of the ingredients shine without over-complicating recipes.” 

St. John’s Ora King salmon is a crispy-skinned salmon, which he serves with a white bean and fennel purée, tomato and basil chutney, watercress, and agrumato. His Jidori chicken is a Frenched breast with sherry vinegar glaze, black garlic soubise, and roasted broccolini. [Read more…]

Firmly Rooted: Support for Plant-Based Dishes On the Rise

Join us as we look at some of the biggest dining trends of 2020. Today, it’s all about plant-based menus – read on, then download our Year in Review infographic here.

This year, diners caught a glimpse of the 2019 OpenTable 50 Best Restaurants for vegetarians in America, based on an analysis of more than 12 million verified diner reviews of more than 30,000 restaurants across the country. Some comments included: 

  • “Some of the very best food in Nashville.”(Chaatable)
  • “The variety, complexity and harmony of the dishes was quite surprising.” (Dirt Candy)
  • “Fantastic vegan buffet brunch. Everything was superb from the salads thru the entrees to desert. (Equinox)

Plant-based dishes are anything but boring. More diners want plant-based choices on menus and are speaking up: In 2019, plant-based reviews increased by 136% compared to 2017. Less than 100 reviews prior to the year 2016 even mentioned the term vegan. Ever since, those mentions have since increased by nearly 15,000 per month.

In addition to states like California, Pennsylvania, and New York – where plant-based is just part of the restaurant menu – Washington D.C. and Washington state got high marks, followed by Florida, Illinois and Texas, Arizona and numerous others. Here are chefs doing plant-based like bosses and how they figured it out. 

Plant-Based & Profitable

Washington state is no stranger to healthful cuisine. From the mountains to the coast, menus are full of plant-based diner delights and have been long before the trend became mainstream. It’s no surprise that plant-based dishes are among the bestselling items at The Golf Club at Newcastle. Newcastle is known for its views of Lake Washington, Mt. Rainier, the Olympic and Cascade mountains, the city of Seattle, and championship golf courses. And among golfers, it’s also home base for a power salad brimming with lacinato kale, butternut squash, shredded carrots, broccoli, quinoa, and pickled ginger vinaigrette. 

“Ever since the implementation of plant-based items in our restaurant menus, we have seen an incredible amount of sales and the reception has been very positive,” says Charlie Solis, director of food and beverage at Newcastle. “Not only vegans, but also meat eaters have been drawn to items like the forager’s mushroom risotto, which uses coconut cream instead of dairy. Others are adding plant-based patties to salads.” 

Cashew spread and avocado add a flavorful helping of fat to Newcastle’s Beyond Burger, while grilled romaine and fennel-arugula salads also entice diners. Plant-based dishes have been so fruitful that Solis is planning to expand that section of the menu.

“We also plan to utilize the plant ingredients into more dishes across the menu to perhaps integrate the audience’s preferences, and I think there is enough demand to incorporate seasonality in plant-based menus,” says Solis. “The Pacific Northwest is keen on supporting local growers and seasonal produce.”

Plant-based dishes can improve check totals and ingratiate restaurants to diners. Plus, more vegetarian and vegan options in fine dining give diners an excuse to dine out more often. Jaryd Hearn of Brasserie Liberté in Washington D.C. makes a mushroom bourguignon meant to create the same texture and flavor palate as beef bourguignon. 

“I wanted vegetarians to crave this dish and come back more than one time a week, so as a neighborhood restaurant, it is important to have options for our guests,” says Hearn.  

[Read more…]

Ocean Devotion: Diners Love Ocean Friendly Restaurants

References to the ocean and its inhabitants fill the pages of literature, stage and screen, music and visual arts. Conservationists spend lifetimes trying to preserve it. One human being may be no match for the mighty sea. But the human race as a whole contributes to its demise – one bottle, straw or plastic bag at a time. That’s our throwaway culture, but it doesn’t have to be this way.

The Surfrider Foundation is devoted to protecting the world’s oceans for everyone to enjoy. A vast group of supporters throughout North America includes restaurants, and those who become certified as a Surfrider Ocean Friendly Restaurant (OFR) derive a tidal wave of benefits.

Restaurants sign up to get certified as an OFR for several reasons. It usually begins with a chef or restaurateur’s desire to leave a lighter footprint on stressed natural resources and willingness to employ sustainable seafood practices, for example. As more food industry folks recognize the impact plastic has on the human food chain, they’re taking action.

There is a misconception that it’s too challenging or expansive for a restaurant to do away with single use plastics, but the rewards of doing so far outweigh the effort. Plus, it’s what diners want.

“There are so many benefits to restaurants, including recognition from the Surfrider Foundation as a leader in ocean conversation, but also because diners want to feel good about dining out and have options that support a sustainable future,” says Jennifer Hart, plastic pollution coordinator at Surfrider. “There are a number of ways they can promote their Ocean Friendly Restaurant status including stickers we supply, table tents, bill inserts, and the OFR logo they can include on their restaurant website and print on their menus – all of which help diners who seek out ocean friendly dining to recognize them as such.”

The media attention around this topic helps, too. The first OFR in an airport caught on like wildfire. It set an example that if an airport restaurant can meet the criteria to be ocean-friendly, anyone can.

“We can’t continue to use single use plastics, because the earth has had enough and we need to change,” Hart says. “We can help restaurants transition away from the single use mindset and move toward sustainable use and there are several ways restaurants can begin to make those changes.” [Read more…]

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