el Restaurante NovDec 2022

Well, it’s a wrap! Here at el Restau rante, 2022 is in the books — and what a positive year it’s been.

Way back when COVID hit, we weren’t sure we would be able to continue publishing. We were ready to go to press with our March/April issue when the shutdown occurred, and after much discussion, decided to send it to the printer, not knowing if the restaurants who get the magazine would be open or if the companies running ads would be able to pay. Subsequent issues were thin (24 pages at one point), but we kept pushing ahead the way so many of our readers and advertisers did. Thanks to your support, and the outstanding work of Art Director Ala Ennes and our reliable stable of freelance writers, we’re back to a healthy 64 pages of content that we hope will inform you as you move into the holiday season and start planning for the year ahead.

Contributing writer Annelise Kelly dives into appetizer trends and shares information about how waitstaff can upsell starters to boost profits in the cover story that starts on page 14. Publisher Ed Avis shares data from the el Restaurante reader survey and Popmenu that shows where Mexican restaurants have been and where

they’re headed in our exclusive 2022 Independent Mexican Restaurant Report that starts on page 22. Starting on page 30, Joseph Sorrentino, writing from Mexico, offers an up-close look at how Mexican restaurants in Puebla are using walnuts in various renditions of Chiles en Nogada and other regional dishes. And columnist Elyse Glickman explores how shrubs made with fresh fruits and herbs can elevate your guests’ cocktail experience in At the Bar, which that begins on page 34.

And don’t miss our 2023 Buyer’s Guide that begins on page 45 — it’s a resource you can turn to all year!

As for all of us here in Chicago …

We’re heading into 2023 with plans to bring you even bigger, more informa tion-packed issues (fingers crossed!) and a revamped, easier-to-navigate website filled with industry news, special offers, recipes, and more exclu sive content only available online.

Until our first issue of 2023 is out, keep in touch by visiting elrestaurante. com for the latest industry news, and subscribe to our eMex enewsletter and/or our Recipe of the Week by emailing kfurore@restmex.com with the word ‘recipe’ or ‘eMex’ in the subject line.

Wishing you a special, sales-filled holiday season and a successful year ahead!

Ed Avis PUBLISHER Kathleen Furore EDITOR Ala Ennes ART DIRECTOR

Elyse Glickman, Annelise Kelly, Joseph Sorrentino CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

MAIN OFFICE phone: 708.267.0023

PRESS RELEASES TO: kfurore@restmex.com

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AD SALES/ENGLISH Ed Avis 708.218.7755 e davis@elrestaurante.com Suzanne Bernhardt 678.880.9282 suzanne@elrestaurante.com

AD SALES/ESPAÑOL Alfredo Espinola 52-55-7862-4491 alfredo@elrestaurante.com

Published by Maiden Name Press, LLC Volume 25, Number 5

el Restaurante (formerly el Restaurante Mexicano) (ISSN 1091-5885) is published five times a year by Maiden Name Press, LLC 1317 W. Belden Ave., Chicago, IL 60614

el Restaurante is distributed by subscription at the cost of $40. All contents copyright© 2022 Maiden Name Press, LLC. Nothing in this issue may be reproduced in any form without publisher’s consent.

Kathleen Furore, editor

NEW FUZZY’S CHEF: MOVING BEYOND BAJA

Creating innovative bowls, developing premium tacos, and growing the brunch menu are on the to-do list of Josh Diek man, the new executive chef of Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, the Texas-based multi-unit with 150 locations.

“Innovation is definitely a big, big part of the job, that’s the number one goal,” says Diekman, who previously held chef positions at Land O’Lakes and Nestlé, where he developed menu items for Chili’s Grill & Bar, TGI Fridays and Bar Louie.

The chef’s creativity is on display among the 26 bowl concepts he is trying out. They include an elote potato bowl, a birria bowl, a chimichurri bowl and a poblano tender bowl. The premium taco concepts also stretch beyond the chain’s specialty of Baja-inspired tacos po tentials include honey serrano chicken, chorizo poblano fundido, and shishito pepper and grilled steak. An expanded brunch menu maybe tacos and bowls inspired by Bloody Mary flavors also is under development.

“I love starting aspirationally on menu items and then, of course, we make sure they can be executed,” he explains.

He keeps regionality in mind, too, since Fuzzy’s locations stretch from Denver to Ft. Lauderdale. “A taco idea that works in Texas might not work in Colorado and a great taco in Colorado might not work in Florida.…And then the recipe has to be written in a way that can be repeatable and executed flawlessly. It needs to be the same every time in every restaurant.”

The process for testing new menu items at a multi-unit with that many locations is extensive. Diekman explains that the ideas are first narrowed down by an internal leadership and marketing team, and then they go before a franchise committee that gives input on how the menu items would work in the restaurants themselves. Ideas that make it that far are tried out by tasting panels and customers who are members of Fuzzy’s Rewards Program. The careful testing takes time Diekman says the current limited-time-offer taco on the menu took about nine months to reach that point but it helps ensure success for the new menu items.

“I can come up with a wonderful idea that I love,” he says. “But if our customers don’t love it, then it’s not going on the menu.”

Survey Reveals Mexican Restaurants’ Thoughts on Third-Party Delivery

Mexican restaurant owners are divided almost evenly on their feelings about third-party delivery services, according to an October 2022 el Restaurante reader survey. Forty-three percent of respondents said they are “reasonably satisfied” with their service and 10 percent said they are “totally satisfied.” However, 23 percent are “somewhat dissatisfied” and an equal number are “very unhappy.”

Vince Deuschel, director of operations for JTP Restaurants, the parent of Mad Dog & Beans Mexican Cantina in New York City, is among the “somewhat dissatisfied” respondents.

“Delivery platforms seem to be universally bad,” he says. “They often refer to themselves as our partners; they are anything but. The credits they issue their customers are never run past us. We have found them so focused on giving their customers what they want that restaurateurs are never consulted about the legitimacy of customer claims. We lose much revenue that way.”

The most-used delivery service among survey respondents (who could choose more than one service) is DoorDash, which carries orders for 44 percent of them. UberEats is next with 32 percent, followed by GrubHub with 26 percent.

The third-party services are not universally beloved, but delivery is an essential tool for Mexican restaurants. A question in a September survey conducted by restaurant technology provider Popmenu asked what cuisine consumers always order out rather than cook at home. The number one response? Mexican.

For more results from the el Restaurante reader survey, see our exclusive 2022 Independent Mexican Restaurant Report that starts on page 22.

Phoenix Mexican Restaurants Star on “Taco Chronicles”

BACANORA IS AT IT AGAIN . Since debuting in Phoenix in spring 2021, the restaurant — which features Chef Rene Andrade’s Sonoran cuisine — has been a James Beard Foundation award finalist; was named one of the 50 best new restaurants in America by Bon Appétit and one of America’s 40 best new restaurants by Esquire; and garnered a five-star review in The Arizona Republic. Its grill master, Roberto Centeno, recently won an episode of the Food Network’s show “Chopped.”

The latest accolade: Baconora will be featured on an episode of the Netflix’s “Taco Chronicles’ Season 3: Cross the Border and the Valley.”

Other Phoenix restaurants that will be showcased during the documentary series’ third season include Taco Boys, Tacos Chiwas, and Fry Bread House. All Season 3 episodes will be available to stream on Netflix beginning Wednesday, Nov. 23.

Report Predicts Growth for Hispanic Foods

The market share for Hispanic foods is expected to increase by USD $518.91 million from 2021 to 2026, and the market’s growth momentum will accelerate at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4 percent during the 2022-2026 forecast period, according to Hispanic Foods Market Growth by Type and Geography - Forecast & Analysis, a report from Technavio.

Changing lifestyles and a rise in demand for healthy, conve nient food, new product launches, and expansion in the retail landscape will offer immense growth opportunities for compa nies serving the market, a summary of the report notes. While the study focuses on opportunities in the retail arena, the posi tive outlook also is encouraging for the foodservice landscape, as it highlights how popular Hispanic food has become overall.

“The increasing popularity of Hispanic cuisine among con sumers will facilitate the Hispanic food market growth in North America,” the report says. It also calls the U.S. “the key market for the Hispanic foods market in North America.”

C M Y CM MY CY CMY K

–EST.1964 AMERICA’S MOST AUTHENTIC MEXICAN

Congratulations to…

The 2022 Gordo’s/el Restaurante MANAGER OF THE YEAR WINNERS

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: One of the highlights of each year for the staff of el Restaurante is reading the nominations for our Manager of the Year Contest, and this year was no exception. The candidates this year were all highly talented managers, and it was difficult — as always — for us to choose the best managers. But we think you’ll agree when you read the profiles below that the winners are exceptionally skilled managers that any restaurant would be lucky to have. Congratulations to all of them, and to the runners-up! And thank you to Gordo’s Foodservice, our generous sponsor for this year’s contest. –

BY ED AVIS

FIRST PLACE: LUIS SOLANO, Felipe’s Taqueria

When Luis Solano found a job at Felipe’s Taqueria in New Orleans in 2014, he wasn’t seeking a restaurant career. The single father of three children had worked in construction until that time and was really just looking for a job.

“It was not my type of job, but I soon realized this job was right for me,” Solano says, adding that he has felt called to be a leader his whole life, and the job at Felipe’s gave him that chance. “I like to be proud of what I do.”

And Solano has a right to be proud. Lon Nichols, direc tor of human resources at Felipe’s, which has eight locations, wrote in the nomination form that Solano mastered all of the kitchen positions within three years. He became the gen eral manager of the restaurant’s French Quarter location in June 2021.

“In my time as the HR director of Felipe’s and more than 25 years in hospitality, I have not worked with a better man than Luis,” Nichols wrote.

When Solano took over the French Quarter location, he quickly brought the staff up to the restaurant’s quality stan dards. But he did it by being a fair and gentle leader.

“I never scream or try to offend anybody,” he says. “I like to teach people how to do the job right. I don’t care how you talk or walk; all I care about is what you do in your job.”

Other people at Felipe’s have noticed how well Solano does his job.

“Luis is someone who is pensive, retrospective, and cares about others,”

wrote Pike Howard, the company’s director of finance and development, in his nomination of Solano. “He cares about how his actions impact others and realizes that being a leader is less about yourself and more about the overall health of the team.”

Perhaps the best endorsement of Solano came from the nomination form submitted by Katie Gerig, the restaurant’s catering event manager. “Luis is amazing, he manages his res taurant with ease, has respect from all his team, and cares for each and every one of them,” she wrote. “Our French Quarter location is a well-oiled machine because of his skill and man agement style and oversight. We are lucky to have him!”

SECOND PLACE: AMANDA GARAY, El Toro Mexican Restaurant

When Amanda Garay comes into El Toro each morning, she greets every employee with a high-five, a fist bump, or at least a friendly “Hi!” Doing that is one way she makes sure that everyone feels valued. Another way she does that is by leading with positivity.

“I like sitting down with people and focus ing on their strengths and coaching them on their weaknesses,” says Garay,

2022 Gordo’s / el Restaurante Managers of the Year

the kitchen manager of the Clute, Texas location of El Toro, which has six locations in that state. “You leave with a new skill without me tearing you down as an employee. I take great pride in that.”

Garay, who has worked in jobs ranging from electronics sales to medical coding, joined El Toro a little over two years ago and became the kitchen manager about nine months ago.

“The El Toro team and myself have been very impressed with the work Amanda has been doing,” wrote John Mayes, vice president of operations and pastor of El Toro, in his nomination of Garay. “She has done everything we have asked in the kitchen and more. We have had many individuals in charge of the kitchen in Clute, but no one has been able to achieve the results like Amanda.”

One key move Garay made when she started as kitchen manager was formally evaluating each kitchen employee. Not only did this let her get to know everyone, but also eliminated an attitude of “every man for himself” and encouraged employees to work as a team.

“We combed out the negativity,” she says. “Now it’s very much teamwork activity.”

Garay lives in Houston and drives 52 minutes to work each day. During the last five minutes of that drive, she turns on the theme song from the movie “Rocky,” which fires her up for the work day.

“Rocky was the underdog who persevered,” she says. “I’m an addict in recovery — I have been sober for three years — so I have come from that situation. I really discovered who I was as a manager when I got sober. Some people in recovery want to return to who they were before the addiction; I be came more than I was.”

THIRD PLACE (TIE): TAYLOR GARNER, Taco Mama

One day Taylor Garner noticed that the floor in Taco Mama in Hot Springs, Arkansas was not swept well, and she asked her staff who swept last. A new server raised her hand and said, “I did! Did I do a good job?” Garner replied, “Well, not really, but maybe you could do a better job tomorrow.”

That tender reply exemplifies Garner’s management style. She treats everyone with kindness and respect and encourages them to seek her help when needed.

“We want people to have a great working environment and not be stressed out,” says Garner, who has worked at Taco Mama for four

years and became the front of house manager about a year ago. “I’m always nice to people, and I make it so I’m the first person they come to if they have a question.”

Another key to Garner’s success is that she never hesitates to jump in to help. In addition to all of her managerial tasks, including scheduling, hiring and training, she is the restaurant’s main bartender.

“I try to perform any role they need me to, including manag ing staff, waiting tables or tending bar,” she says. “I feel like that helps put me at the level of the servers. Sometimes when you’re a manager you forget what it was like to be a server, and I don’t want to do that.”

Taco Mama owners Shane and Diana Bratton praised Gar ner’s can-do spirit when nominating her: “Taylor’s attention to detail and her customer service are impeccable and her smile and attitude keep our customers coming back to see her. Taylor is an unbelievable asset for us at Taco Mama.”

THIRD PLACE (TIE): JHONATAN SANCHEZ, El Taco Macho

When Jhonatan Sanchez became the manager of El Taco Macho in Painesville, Ohio two and a half years ago, one of the first changes he made was to instill a sense of teamwork in his staff.

“I come from a culture of teamwork and if you work as a team, things will flow better,” he says. “When I came to the restaurant and started as a manager, people were very individ ual. In other words, you did your job and you didn’t care about the work of others. So, I said, ‘We have to improve that — let’s work as a team.’”

But he didn’t stop there — he also made process improve ments. For example, when he noticed the restaurant’s ordering and inventory processes were not ideal, he created a system that carefully reviews each week’s orders to better estimate how much of everything to order.

“I think that was one of the things that made my boss very happy, because the bills began to drop,” he says.

In the nomination form for Sanchez, his boss noted that Sanchez also has been essential to improving the overall experi ence for customers: “He makes decisions about which dish to improve, which recipe to change, which new drink to offer. He knows what will give customers a good experience from the moment they enter.”

Sanchez is quick to credit his staff for some of the restau rant’s success. He listens to the ideas they offer and sometimes makes changes based on them.

“My co-workers have ideas that can be much better than my own,” he says. “For example, a waiter can tell me the lighting is too dark or the music is too repetitive, or someone in the kitchen can tell me this sauce needs a bit of spice or we can change the presentation of this plate to make it better. What makes a good manager is to know how to listen.”

The results of Sanchez’s efforts are clear, his boss wrote: “Many things have improved since Jhonatan arrived at the res taurant. Now our clients are satisfied, they place good reviews, and every day more customers come to us.”

2022 HONORABLE MENTIONS

The quotes are from the nominating forms submitted for each winner.

• GABRIEL CAMACHO, Porkyland, San Diego: “Gabriel is not afraid of jumping on the cooking line or doing the register. Gabriel’s incredible value is his honesty.”

• Wendel Cebada, El Bruno’s, Cuba, New Mexico: “She goes above and beyond not only for her customers but her staff as well!”

• Maria de Hoyos, Gios Taqueria, Carrollton, Texas: “La mejor tanto como manager, chef y administradora del negocio siempre con una carisma y sonrisa.”

• Alex Garcia, D’Casa, Tupelo, Mississippi: “Alex goes above and beyond for his customers.”

• Edgar Garcia, Margaritas Kitchen and Cantina, San Diego: “He has formed an incredible teamwork with his leadership skills.”

• Paulo Ochoa, La Playa Mexican Café, San Antonio: “Es apasionado con lo que hace y sobre todo se la pasa bien porque le gusta lo que hace.”

• Adriana Oseguera, Taco Mama, Hot Springs, Arkansas: “Not only does she take pride in her craft of cooking; she also excels in every aspect of the kitchen.”

• Patrick Service, Las Casuelas Terraza, Palm Springs, California: “Pat has stepped up to the problems and overcome the issues he inherited. The staff respect him and work hard to be sure the quality of food and service are top of the line.”

• Claudia Vazquez, La Baja Birrieria Tijuana, Stockton, California: “Tiene excelente servicio al cliente muy amable y sobreto responsible.”

Ed Avis is publisher of el Restaurante.

Appetizer Appeal

Socalo’s Chilitos Rellenos

PHOTO BY SUZANNE LANZA

BY ANNELISE KELLY

Appetizers have come a long way on the classic Mexican restau rant menu. While guacamole, nachos, and chips and salsa will never go out of style, many of today’s restaurant guests crave more diverse dishes to kick off their dining experience.

Operators have many reasons to improve their appetizer options. It’s an opportunity to strut their culinary stuff, intrigue their guests, and improve their bottom line. Here’s how to get the most from your appetizer program.

DEFINING THE CATEGORY

Appetizers. Starters. Small plates. Antojitos.

Whatever they’re called on restaurant menus, they all serve the same purpose: to entice customers and boost check averages at the beginning of a meal.

“Antojitos — the translation is little desires,” says Dudley Nieto, executive chef at Fat Rosie’s Taco & Tequila Bar, a chain with four Chicago area locations. “It means something you really, really want to have — that urgency, that craving. It’s always a

small plate or a bite in Mexico. Especially in the markets and in the streets, we have those little desires, those antojitos.”

“Appetizers and starters are pretty much the same thing,” explains Greg Denton of Ox, an upscale Argentine steakhouse in Portland, Oregon, where he is chef and co-owner with his wife, Gabrielle Den ton, who observes that Spanish-focused restaurants may follow the tapas model of assorted small plates composing a meal.

“There’s [also] kind of a new category, snacks, which means an amuse-bouche or something that’s very small,” he adds.

Where do side dishes fit in?

Nieto says side dishes are intended to complement a main course. The same is true at Ox.

“They’re designed to elevate or balance the other menu items that you’ll be enjoy ing at the same time,” Denton says.

WHAT’S POPULAR, WHAT’S TRENDING

We turned to Technomic, a foodservice management consulting company, for some statistics on appetizers in Mexican restau

“You just want enough so you can have the taste of it. Instead of a big plate, you have a small plate, so now you can play with flavors, textures and colors. That’s why it’s important to have the small dishes. It’s like tapas-style, right? You can share four or five different dishes, and it will be fun.”

– CHEF DUDLEY NIETO , Fat Rosie’s

Ox’s Clam Chowder with Smoked Bone Marrow

Fat Rosie’s Ceviche

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“I can buy something in a larger format that will cost less money and I can divide it up. You’re not just giving one big piece of fish for an entree, but you’re giving a small piece of cured fish with other garnishes so you’re able to extend it a little bit further.”

– CHEF GREG DENTON , Ox

rants. The average price of an appetizer at Mexican restau rants is $7.79, according to Technomic’s Ignite menu data.

The top five appetizers include that ubiquitous guacamole, along with cheesy nachos with or without chicken or beef. Tacos/taquitos also appear in the top five, along with seafood soup and other specialty soups. Ceviche is on the rise, having increased in popularity 9 percent over the past year.

Further Ignite menu data, surveying restaurants of all categories, reveals that bread appetizers are number one, ordered by over 16 percent of guests, closely followed by wings (13.9 percent) and filled appetizers (12 percent). On Latin menus, taquitos, tacos and empanadas lead the filled appetizer category.

Nieto’s experience reflects the data. His ceviche (tropi cally crafted with lime-marinated shrimp, tomato, pineapple, mango, red onion, cilantro and chipotle), and empanadas (described as “beefy-cheesy-salsa-stuffed turnovers” on Fat Rosie’s Instagram post) are among the restaurant’s most popular appetizer offerings.

“The one that everybody loves is the ceviche because of the freshness, because of the habanero flavor,” Nieto notes.

The menu at Ox also taps two of the trends the Technomic report highlights: popular appetizer offerings include empana das and the restaurant’s celebrated clam chowder served with a smoked marrow bone.

Nieto’s Coctel de Camaron y Pulpo is another popular appetizer featuring seafood. Hoping to build on its success, the chef says he plans to incorporate more seafood and Ensenada influences onto his new menu.

Fat Rosie’s also offers two combination appetizers.

How to Upsell Appetizers

Appetizers represent big benefits to both guests and res taurant operators. Guests get to experiment with a diverse range of tastes and textures and have an edible distraction while waiting for their main course to arrive. Operators increase their per-cover receipts, allowing them to get the most from each table and each seating.

The first strategy is crafting an appetizer menu that guests can’t resist, featuring reliable favorites and intriguing dishes and combinations.

The next step is supporting your appetizer program by train ing servers in the art of the appetizer upsell.

Some simple techniques include training wait staff to en gage with confidence, assuming the sale. Instead of saying, “Can I get you an appetizer?” try phrasing such as:

“Have you checked out our appetizer menu?

Which can I bring you?”

“Would you like to hear about our appetizers?”

“Our guacamole/jalapeno poppers/taquitos go so well with our margaritas.”

“Our ceviche is incredibly popular.”

“The servers need to upgrade to be sales people,” says Dudley Nieto, executive chef of Fat Rosie’s Taco & Tequila Bar, a chain with four Chicago area locations. Training should include tasting the food during pre-shift meetings, along with helping servers perfect their wording. “Finding a good story behind it is the best way to sell anything. Not just an appetizer, but anything.” He says the server’s role is to “guide the guests to a whole new experience, which starts with an appetizer.

“When the server tells you that piece of pork for cochinita pibil was marinated with achiote, it cooked all night covered in a banana leaf, and now you’re going have it in a tostada filled with black beans, and those black beans are cooked with toasted avocado leaves – now you have the story, you’re eating history and culture,” says Nieto. “From the moment you taste it, you want to continue eating, you want to go back and try that same appetizer, because the server explained its whole story.”

Sopes surtidos is composed of four small masa boats, each with a different filling so customers can sample assorted flavors such as chicken with mole sauce, poblano rajas, and beef queso dip. The other appetizer combo rounds up favorites including guacamole, ceviche tostadas, sopes with chicken mole, and crispy quesadillas.

In terms of trends, Nieto notes that customers are em bracing vegan and vegetarian dishes, with seasonal vegeta bles often appearing as small plates and small appetizers. “Cauliflower is coming on strong as an appetizer, believe it or not,” he says. Nieto also notes that huitlacoche, grass hoppers, and guacamole with spicy and savory toppings such as chicharrones are trending appetizers in the Mexi can restaurant arena.

Vegetarian dishes are becoming an important part of the menu at Socalo — the California canteen and Mexican pub from award-winning chef/owners Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Miliken in Santa Monica. Executive Chef Gio Lopez says the idea for his Chilitos Rellenos was born when he was looking for a new vegetarian item to add to the

seasonal menu.

“It’s actually adapted from a dish we used to make at Border Grill Santa Monica. I started testing different ways to make a more modern chile relleno that could have more of a wow factor when you bite into it,” Lopez explains, “I had played around with shishitos in another appetizer dish and decided they would be perfect for this experiment. So, I stuffed them with our house cheese blend and tested several different batters before deciding that a tempura style batter is the best option.”

The result? “Chillitos Rellenos are one of our most poular appetizer dishes at the moment,” he says.

SHARING ADVENTURE ON A PLATE

There’s little doubt that diners have become more adventur ous when it comes to experimenting with cuisine.

Denton reports that he observes that at Ox.

“I’m seeing that offal dishes and some more adventurous dishes are being sold a little bit more. I think people are being a little more open-minded when it comes to some

foods — maybe that has to do with eating comfort foods when everybody was locked down, and now they want to venture out a little bit from that norm.”

Ox’s tripe and octopus and grilled sweetbreads and tongue are examples of “kind of more adventurous dishes on our menu,” Denton says. “We’re seeing that those are selling quite a bit.”

He says one role appetizers play is to give people an avenue to try smaller quantities of more adventurous items, enabling guests to sample and share something that might be new or challenging to their palates.

Nieto emphasizes that guests benefit from sharing appetizers with friends and thereby accessing more variety. “You just want enough so you can have the taste of it. Instead of a big plate, you have a small plate, so now you can play with flavors, textures and colors. That’s why it’s important to have the small dishes. It’s like tapas-style, right? You can share four or five different dishes, and it will be fun.”

He also notes that small plates offer an opportunity to introduce guests to distinctive dishes from areas such Yucatan, Puebla and Oaxaca, capitalizing on regional Mexican cuisines, which he says are trending.

FOLLOW THE MONEY

Appetizers can benefit operators’ bottom line in a few ways.

Denton gets the most from his ingredients and minimizes waste by strategically introducing certain appetizers. “I can buy something in a larger format that will cost less money and I can divide it up. You’re not just giving one big piece of fish for an entree, but you’re giving a small piece of cured fish with other garnishes so you’re able to extend it a little bit further. Anything that you don’t use, you’re putting in the garbage, you’re basically wasting money. Like when we get a whole halibut, we take the tail and the collar, and we’ll sell those as a deep-fried item. It’s nice and tender and crispy with a spicy ponzu — very appealing and a reasonable price point.”

Between inviting customers to try something different and even adventurous, tempting guests to share and broaden their tasting experience, and helping to bring balance to a menu, appetizers play a critical role in every Latin restaurant. Hone your appetizer menu and make ordering an appetizer irresistible to your guests and you’ll see your bottom line benefit.

Annelise Kelly is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, and a regular contributor to el Restaurante

SALES RECOVERING, COSTS SOARING

| BY ED AVIS | This is el Restaurante’s eighth annual Independent Mexican Restaurant Report. It draws on an October 2022 reader survey that was answered by 45 readers, and follow-up interviews with four of them. Additional data came from two surveys con ducted by restaurant technology provider Popmenu.

Overall Business 2022 vs. 2021

25%-50% increase = 27%

Increase, but less than 25% = 27%

About the same = 9%

Decrease = 18%

First, the good news: 34 percent of respondents to the el Restaurante survey say that sales are better than before COVID and another 23 percent say they’re about the same as before COVID. Now the bad news: Every one of the Mexican restaurant owners who completed the survey said food costs are up this year, and 78 percent said finding employees is harder than normal.

That’s precisely the situ ation at Acapulco Mexican Restaurants, an eight-location operation in Minnesota.

“Sales are a little better

than pre-COVID, and we have more takeout,” reports Sam Leon, chief operating officer of the multi-unit. “But the third-party delivery fees, labor and food keep going up. And honestly, we’re afraid to price ourselves out of a restaurant. Plus, we’re not sure about the state of the economy and where we’re going.”

THE SITUATION WITH SALES

Our survey revealed that not only are sales for most restau rants better now than before COVID, but they also are better so far in 2022 than in 2021. Seventy-three percent of our respondents said sales are up this year, including 5 percent who said sales have doubled since last year and another 14 percent who re port sales up between 50 and 100 percent. Only 18 percent said sales are down this year

compared to last year.

A survey of 1000 consum ers conducted by Popmenu echoes those findings. The survey found that 58 percent of consumers are eating out more often this year than last year, with the top half of consumers spending an average of $125 per week on restaurant food.

Despite those solid numbers, there is some ap prehension among Mexican restaurant owners. For example, Nick Yager, coowner with his wife, Maria Limon, of Gusanoz Mexican Restaurant in Lebanon, New Hampshire, says his restau rant is on track to exceed sales from last year and he’s well above pre-COVID times…but he feels certain circumstances are holding back even greater sales.

“My personal opinion is

that the labor market has caused us to limit the amount of sales we can do,” Yager says. “Often we turn off on line ordering and we hadn’t been seeking any catering work until just last week because of staffing.”

Aaron and Kelly Metras own Salena’s Mexican Restaurant in Rochester, New York, and their key challenge is that walk-in traffic is clearly down. The couple, who just opened a new quick-service location — Salena’s Taqueria in Greece, New York — have observed that reservations are up at their Rochester location and service in the dining room has pretty much reached preCOVID levels. But the bar is painfully slow.

“We used to have a very bustling bar scene, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, where there would often be a standing-room-only crowd,” Aaron Metras says. “That is gone. Now if people are not sitting at a high-top table, they go out into the hall to wait — and fewer people are hanging out at the bar. The later crowds have also all but disappeared. We now close

at 10 on Friday and Saturday instead of 11, because no one is coming in late.”

FOOD COSTS KILLING PROFITS

Rising sales doesn’t necessar ily mean rising profits. Our survey showed that everyone is facing higher food costs, which clearly is eating into the bottom line.

For example, Yager’s food cost typically has been 19 to 21 percent of sales until last year when it rose to 25 per cent. It is trending the same this year. Costs of proteins, dairy, and many staples have jumped 20 to 40 percent, he reports.

“We haven’t changed our recipes because food quality and consistency are the most important aspects of our food,” he says when asked how he’s dealing with the increased costs. “But we have changed our menu pricing, though we’re cau tious not to outpace our regular customers.”

The situation is the same

at Mad Dog & Beans Mexi can Cantina in New York City, says Vince Deuschel, director of operations for JTP Restaurants, the parent company of Mad Dog.

“All our food and beverage prices have gone up,” Deus chel says. “Some have gone up directly, and some have had price increases in kind — like gas surcharges, delivery fees, or increased minimum deliveries that might force us to abandon other less expen sive vendors.”

Deuschel has fought the prices by changing portion sizes and increasing menu prices about 10 percent. He says Mad Dog needs to do another increase, but is hesi tant because guests, naturally, don’t appreciate the higher prices.

Metras says he has increased some prices at Salena’s — he doubled the price of wings for a while — but also worries about losing customers.

“We have tried being more strategic with our menu and

streamline ingredients, but I don’t think we have com pensated for the increases, especially when you factor in labor,” Metras says. “We are hoping that the addition of our new location will help us create an economy of scale on some prep items and we will be able to reduce costs.”

Leon says Acapulco Mexi can Restaurants is planning a 10 percent menu increase but feels customers won’t mind paying a bit more if the quantity and quality stay the same.

“We feel customers would be apt to pay more as long as you leave everything the same, like the free chips and salsa that we do,” he says. “I think they would have a fit if we took that away.”

el Restaurante readers are in good company when they raise prices. According to a Popmenu survey of 415 restaurant owners across the United States, 93 percent of respondents have raised or plan to raise prices to help them deal with spiking food and labor costs.

An issue that is closely related to food prices is food availability. In many cases, products restaurants need sim ply are not readily available.

“So, even if the price hasn’t gone up, we may not be able to get the product,” Metras says. “That has been a huge issue with beer and tequila, especially because we are a smaller market.”

Aaron Metras

LABOR, OUCH!

Finding employees is harder than it usually is, according to 78 percent of respondents to the el Restaurante survey. And the consequences of losing staff are stiff, notes Metras, who lost most of his long-time kitchen staff during COVID.

“We sometimes forget to factor in the cost of mistakes made while training and get ting new staff up to speed,” he explains. “We were able to stable out staff-wise last sum mer, but labor is still prob ably our toughest issue.”

To attract and retain em ployees, 87 percent of restau rants have increased pay and

64 percent have made their work schedules more flexible, according to our survey.

Are those measures work ing? Apparently not much.

“Increasing staff pay has not reduced turnover or increased performance,” Deuschel says. “We had to do so to stop turnover from getting worse. Salaried and hourly employees feel they have the upper hand due to the labor shortage.”

In some cases, the pay increases restaurant owners are offering are significant. Yager says employees who previously would have made $15 per hour now earn $20

an hour. Some of his servers are making much more — they are pulling in $1,200 to $1,500 per week in tips — but he still can’t find more of them.

“We track it and show them they’re making $30 to $40 an hour,” he says. “It’s hard work, but it does pay.”

Giving kitchen staff a 4-day workweek is one staff ing idea that has worked for Metras. The employees work 9.5 hours and get a half-hour paid lunch. Staff appreciate that arrangement, he says.

And in some cases increas ing pay has worked. Leon has increased pay significantly for

Acapulco’s 280 employees, with varied effect.

“The new employees tend to chase the dollar, but the older ones have been loyal and we’ve been blessed by that,” he says. “I think they’re comfortable where they’re at, and as long as they can sustain a decent income, I think they’ll stay.”

The bottom line is that Mexican restaurants are enjoying a solid year, for the most part, but not without challenges. If inflation eases and the labor market loosens, good things are ahead.

Ed Avis is the publisher of el Restaurante

RESTAURANT LABOR CHALLENGES? Seniors Might Be the Solution

BY

ED AVIS | Aaron Metras, co-owner

of Salena’s Mexican Restaurant in Roch ester, New York, says labor is the tough est issue he’s facing. Not only are wages up 20 percent since 2019, but absentee ism also is higher.

“People are much more likely to call out sick now than they were pre-pan demic,” he says. “If they get COVID, they are still out five days — childcare is still tough for a lot of people.”

Metras has a lot of company; more than three quarters of respondents to the el Restaurante reader survey said finding employees is harder now than before. One reason for this, experts claim, is that many younger people — who normally make up the bulk of restaurant staff — are less willing to put in the hard work and late hours.

“I’m going to make a statement that applies to many, but not all, in the job market today… young people are not showing up!” says Izzy Kharasch, presi dent of Hospitality Works, Inc., a restau rant and bar consulting company. “I have done interviews, hired the person on the spot, worked out their schedule and then they don’t show up. Or the individual comes to work, works for an hour or two and then walks out never to be heard from again.”

So Kharasch proposes a solution: Why not hire more senior citizens?

“I think I can solve the problem by reaching out to the mature genera tion who, like myself, knows what it is to show up on time, work hard, enjoy

interacting with guests and staff alike and then do it again the next day,” he says. Seniors may prefer part-time work, but that’s fine, he adds, because restaurants employ many part-timers.

Demographic trends back up Khar asch’s idea. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the only age group that is expected to increase its labor force participation in the coming years are those 75 years and older — 11.7 percent of them will be working in 2030, com pared to 8.9 percent today.

What can a senior citizen do in your restaurant? Kharasch suggests three posi tions: Host, because warmly welcoming guests is an essential task that seniors could easily handle; prep cook, because learning knife skills is rewarding, and prep cooks often work morning hours; or garde manger (prepping and managing cold food) because it’s typically part-time work and includes skills that a senior could show off to friends.

So, the next time you have an opening, don’t overlook the senior population. Many would enjoy a part-time, satisfy ing job that interacts with the public, and you will appreciate their work ethic.

Ed Avis is the publisher of el Restaurante.

WALNUTS: Flavoring Chiles en Nogada and More

|

ing to Porras, the season typically runs from July until late September when pomegranate, walnuts and the fruits commonly used in the dish are in season.

DIFFERENT TAKES ON TRADITIONAL RECIPES

Like many traditional Mexican dishes, chiles en nogada’s origin is a little murky. It’s generally believed the dish was first made by nuns in the Santa Mónica convent in Puebla for a celebration of Mexican independence.

There are probably as many recipes for chiles en nogada as there are restaurants and families making it. One of those comes from Concepción Fernandez, whose version features poblano chiles stuffed with pears, apples, peaches, walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, and pork in her tiny restaurant in San Pedro Yancuitlalpan. She’s especially particular about the fruit she uses.

BY JOSEPH SORRENTINO

, writing from Mexico | Walnuts were brought to Mexico by the Spanish around 1539. Trees were first planted in an orchard that was part of a Fran ciscan convento in Calpan, Puebla, and grew well in their new country. The walnuts, known as nuez castilla, the Castillan walnut, have made their way into Mexican cuisine, especially in Puebla, where they star in the iconic dish chiles en nogada.

Beginning in July, signs go up virtually everywhere in Puebla and across much of Mexico advertising chiles en nogada — poblano chiles stuffed with as many as 11 ingredients, including fruits, nuts and meat; bathed in walnut cream sauce called nogada; then topped with a sprinkling of pomegran ate seeds and sprigs of parsley.

“It is probably the most popular dish in Puebla,” says Antonio Porras, whose family has owned La Lunita Restaurant in San Pedro Cholula for four generations. But it’s not available for long. Accord-

“Panochera is an apple that is sweeter than other types, pera lechera is a small pear that is also sweet and combines well with walnuts, and the peach is durazno criollo, which has more flavor,” Fernandez explains. For the nogada, Fernandez uses walnuts, queso fresco, queso filadelfia, and, she says, “a little milk to thin it out.” The chiles are charcoalroasted because, as Fernanez says, “Everything with charcoal has a better flavor.” (continued on page 32)

EDITOR’S NOTE: Freelance writer Joseph Sorrentino lives in and travels through out Mexico covering the food and beverage scene. Here, he reports from his visit to Puebla, where he explored the use of walnuts in dishes including Chiles en Nogada.

Antonio Porras

Mari Luz Martinez Barrios and her mother, María de la Luz Barrios Herrera, offer a slightly different version of chiles en nogada at Dos Aromas restaurant in Zacatlán. In their recipe, the poblanos are stuffed with a mixture of bananas, tomatoes, almonds, raisins, apples, pears, peaches, walnuts, onions, garlic and beef. “We use rayada apples and it is because they have more consistency,” Barrios says. They use canola oil for frying because, as Herrera explains, “There is no flavor, and it does not interfere with the dish.” Their nogada features goat cheese, cream and a little sugar.

At Dos Aromas, chiles en nogada season stretches until late October. “After that, it is cooler, less sunshine and the flavors of the ingredients change,” Hererra says.

The women are very friendly, but Barrios won’t give out her exact recipe. “It is a secret,” she says with a slight smile. “And even if you had it, you would not know how to make it.”

Porras’ rendition of chiles en nogada at La Lunita’s is similar to Fernandez’s. Like her, he uses panochera apples and pera lechera pears, but relies on a mix of beef and pork instead of only pork for his stuffing. He serves his chiles en nogada all year. “We freeze the mix of fruits, and we use pomegranates from greenhouses,” he says. He suggests serving the dish with a vino rosado, white wine or sidra, a hard cider.

While chiles en nogada is a dish made stateside, Porras is skeptical that U.S. chefs can replicate the quality and flavor diners enjoy in Mexico. “It is possible [for them] to get pob lanos [in the U.S.], and they can use the fruits from there, but they would not have the same flavor,” he says. “The secret is using the fruits from this area and this season.”

BEYOND THE CHILES

Although chiles en nogada is the most famous dish made with walnuts in Mexico, it’s not the only one gracing restaurant tables.

Giuseppe Merlo offers two dishes using walnuts at Trat toria Merlo, his restaurant in Chipilo. Both are made with nogada that Merlo makes with percanera walnuts instead of castillos. “With these, it is not necessary to remove the skin,” he says. “They can be found all year and it is the easi est to use. With castillo, you must soak them and peel the skin. This walnut has a stronger flavor.”

His Berenjena Merlo is baked eggplant that’s diced, mixed with the nogada, and served over pasta or chicken. His Portabella Noce features portabella mushroom caps brushed with balsamic vinegar, baked for 15 minutes at 250º C (about 500º F), and sauteed in olive oil. The nogada is ladled onto the cap, which is then heated a few more minutes and plated with more nogada. “Drink a red wine with these — a merlot, malbec or carmenere,” he suggests.

Although the origin for chiles en nogada is unclear, Merlo knows where his recipes came from. “My head,” he said while tapping it. See recipes on page 63.

Mari Luz Martinez Barrios and María de la Luz Barrios Herrera

Giuseppe Merlo

Fun Fact

Shrubs were originally devised in England in the late 15th century for medicinal purposes. By the 17th century, concocting shrubs was a cot tage industry in response to high taxes on imported spirits and by the 18th century, shrubs found their way to the Americas. Over time, shrubs evolved into cordials that could be added to cocktail recipes. Like bitters, they are regarded as condiments bartenders can use to fine tune cocktails…to make a drink that resonates with a given oc casion, season or cuisine.

– DIFFORD’S GUIDE , an online cocktail encyclopedia ( diffordsguide.com )

SHRUBS: Branching out toward more CREATIVE COCKTAILS

| BY ELYSE GLICKMAN

| The emergence of craft cocktails has provided bar tenders greater incentive to replace artificially flavored mixers and flavor ing agents with more natural, artisanal solutions. Shrubs — non-alcoholic syrups made with sugar, vinegar, water and fruit, and often enhanced with herbs, spices and other botanicals — are what mixologists are turning to.

In fact, shrubs have been a go-to flavoring in Mexico for years — which means they’re ideal ingredients in cocktails featured at Mexican and

Latin restaurants.

“In Mexico, where incredible flavors can only be found during certain times of the year, past generations realized shrubs were the best way to preserve them. There’s a new generation of bartenders in Mexico who are remem bering their mothers’ and grandmoth ers’ recipes for preserving fruits and vegetables all year round,” says Alvaro Garcia, bartender at Mexico City’s Rayo Cocktail Bar, a venue known for its innovative drink menu. “They are applying them to their bar pro

grams, rather than relying on flavored liqueurs or syrups. “[The recipes] have been passed down to bartenders who use them to add complexity to any cocktail. This also allows for combi nations of flavors grown in different seasons to be mixed any time of year.”

Lucas Ryden, lead bartender for San Diego’s Realm of the 52 Remedies and founder of Cool Hand Co., says shrubs are particularly well-suited for the fla vors of Mexican and Latin American cuisines.

“The vinegar component in a shrub

Tips for In-house Prep

Selecting the wrong vinegar or adding too much of it are two of the most common mistakes bartenders make when crafting shrubs. Industry pros offer several tips that can help mixologists avoid those errors, which can create overpowering vinegar smells and/or flavors.

Pick a method: hot vs. cold. “Over the years, I’ve learned that different methods depend on what type of shrub you want to create and the experience you want customers to get out of the finished drink,” says Alvaro Garcia, bartender at Mexico City’s Rayo Cocktail Bar.

The hot method yields shrubs more quickly, while the cold method can produce more complex flavors, according to “Making Shrubs,” a how-to article from Edible New Mexico. (ediblenm.com).

“The cold method is mainly

used for herbs and flowers, as adding heat reduces the floral notes and flavors. This process is slower in extraction of flavors, but results are incredible,” Garcia says.

The hot method, on the other hand, allows the cooked fruit’s sweetness to balance out the vinegar’s acidity and helps avoid the problem of the finished product “tasting a bit too much like salad dressing,’” adds Lucas Ryden, founder of Cool Hand Co., a company that makes cocktail shrubs.

Philip Ly, bar director at General Lee’s in Los Angeles, recom mends macerating, cooking and straining ingredients before adding vinegar — especially when using whole fruits/herbs/spices.

“It gives you a better sense of what everything will taste like, and you can slowly add the vinegar until you hit that sweet

provides a unique and mouthwatering acidity that cuts through spice, fat, and sugar really well,” says Ryden, whose company makes cocktail shrubs. “This acidity also comple ments all the fresh fruits, chiles, and herbs within this ingredi ent canon. I think all fruit bases for shrubs are fair game — berries, stone fruits, tropical fruits — [and] I particularly like using chiles and Mexican spices like cinnamon, clove, and hi biscus as a way to add those flavors to drinks with efficiency.”

MAKING SHRUBS

Shrubs, like bitters, can be purchased or pre-made. The long shelf life and the relative ease of preparing them in-house are two reasons they have been embraced by creative bartenders.

According to Garcia, if you’ve infused tequila or vodka at your bar, you have the skills to make shrubs. “I discovered

spot before the taste of vinegar becomes too powerful,” says Ly, who grew up immersed in Mexican/Latin American food and culture, which he said has helped shape his palate throughout his career. “Almost half our clientele at General Lee’s is Hispanic, so we are fortunate — we really dig into Latin flavors out of necessity,” he adds.

Learn about vinegars. “After a few sessions of R&D, I realized I was choosing the wrong vine gars for the shrub I intended on making,” says Ly. “Learning more about vinegars — how each one tastes and how acidic it is — helped me choose the right vinegar for the shrub I wanted to make. Stronger vinegars like a balsamic will be harder to work with, so it is best to blend it with like a champagne vinegar or Datu Puti to get the flavor you are looking for without the overwhelming vinegar taste.”

If vinegar flavor is too strong,

let shrubs marinate. Ly has discovered that the vinegar in the shrub starts to mellow after the shrub sits in the refrigerator for a few days. “Early on when I made shrubs, the vinegar came out too strong for my liking and I ended up adding more sugar and fruit trying to balance it out,” he recalls. “But simply let ting it sit and marinate for a few days helped balance everything out naturally.”

Have correct tools on hand. Garcia’s list includes glass jars or plastic receptacles, sugar, vin egar, water, fruits/or vegetables, peeler, tape, marker, pen, and notepad as data is key.

Try everything! “The dos for creating a shrub is to try every thing,” says Garcia’s colleague Tito Perez. “Combine flavors, work on your ratios and formu las, and never stop experiment ing. Even if you fail, you have some awesome data to go by and things will get easier.”

Cool Hand Co.’s Mexican-inspired Chapala Cocktail with tequila or mezcal, agave nectar, lime juice, and pineapple turmeric ginger shrub

“In Mexico, where incredible flavors can only be found during certain times of the year, past generations realized shrubs were the best way to preserve them. This has been passed down to bartenders who use them to add complexity to any cocktail. This also allows for combinations of flavors grown in different seasons to be mixed any time of year.”

– ALVARO GARCIA , Rayo Cocktail Bar

shrubs back in 2016 while working at the amazing Gramercy Tavern in New York City, the first place I saw and tasted a shrub,” says Tito Perez, Garcia’s colleague at Rayo. “I saw how simple it was to make, and that with dedication and patience, you could really expand a kitchen and cocktail menu if used properly. I decided to experiment at home and started making very interesting cocktails. I loved the idea of taking something simple like a strawberry and turning it into something complicated, acidic, floral, and yet still fragile. I was hooked!”

The possibilities are almost endless when it comes to crafting shrubs that harmonize with different spirits. For example, red wine vinegar-based shrubs can enliven sangria and sherry-based cocktails. Apple-based shrubs elevate mezcal and tequila as well as white and brown spirits. Cranberry-pear or cranberryfig shrubs are not only ideal for holiday season drinks but also lovely partners for Latin American rums. And with the growing popularity of savory and less sweet cocktails, basil, fennel, peppercorns, rosemary, and thyme can be worked into a recipe to temper the shrub’s sweetness.

Perez advises bartenders at Latin-focused bars to have a wide variety of ingredients on hand so they can create cocktail-enhanc ing shrubs year-round. For the holidays and winter months, he recommends using pumpkin, currant, and stone fruits “to really bring out nostalgic flavors.” Strawberry, raspberry, mango, pine apple, and beets also are among his favorites. “They combine well with any spirits and also work well in mocktail recipes,” he adds.

The benefits of making shrubs go beyond flavor; there’s also an aspect of sustainability to the practice, Ly notes.

“I started playing with shrubs earlier this year because I wanted to start focusing on building a more sustainable bar program,” explains Philip Ly, bar director at General Lee’s Cocktail House in Los Angeles, who features several Hispanic-inspired cocktails on his menu. “California is in a bad drought, and I wanted to be more conscious of waste in our bar. Making shrubs was one of the many creative ways one can use to upcycle fruit/vegetables/ herbs that otherwise would be disposed of.”

At the Bar columnist Elyse Glickman is a Los Angeles-based writer who specializes in covering the food and beverage industry.

Make it a Mocktail

In venues with mocktails on the menu, shrubs can be a major asset. The acidity and kick from vinegar can mimic the heat of alcohol, providing a more interesting experience for your palate than something made with just juices or syrups. The shrub becomes the “backbone” of this experience, some thing that other nonalcoholic ingredients can’t really do.

“Bars could really elevate their mocktail programs with all the pieces of fruits and veggies that go to waste from day to day,” says Tito Perez of Mexico City’s Rayo Cocktail Bar.

“Shrubs add acidity, sweetness, and tartness to any mock tail. The nonalcoholic sector is a huge one and is one that’s been put to the side for too long. Shrub-based mocktails can boost sales and bring in a new type of clientele.”

Nana’s Pineapple Upside Down Cake Cocktail with Pineapple Five Spice Shrub from General Lee’s

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TABLE-TOP FLOUR TORTILLA PRESS BE&SCO Manufacturing www.bescomfg.com See our ad on page 13

Dutchess Bakers Machinery Co. www.dutchessbakers.com See our ad on page 62

Tortilla Masters Equipment www.tortillamachine.com See our ad on page 18

Manufacturas Lenin mexicantortillamachine.com

TORTILLA PRESS AND GRILL COMBO BE&SCO Manufacturing www.bescomfg.com See our ad on page 13

Manufacturas Lenin mexicantortillamachine.com

X-Press Manufacturing www.x-pressmfg.com

MEXICAN/LATIN FOOD PRODUCTS

AVOCADO PRODUCTS

Best Mexican Foods www.bestmexicanfoods.com See our ad on page 62

MegaMex Foods www.megamexfoodservice.com See our ad on page 4

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

WHOLLY® AVOCADO www.megamexfoodservice.com/ brand/wholly-avocado/ See our ad on page 4

Simplot simplotfoods.com

BEANS

Best Mexican Foods www.bestmexicanfoods.com See our ad on page 62

Gordo’s Foodservice gordosfoods.com See our ads on page 3 and 25

MegaMex Foods www.megamexfoodservice.com See our ad on page 4

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

Mexilink Mexilink.com Simplot simplotfoods.com Teasdale Foods foodservice.teasdalelatinfoods.com

CHEESE/DAIRY PRODUCTS

Best Mexican Foods www.bestmexicanfoods.com See our ad on page 62

Gordo’s Foodservice gordosfoods.com See our ads on page 3 and 25

MegaMex Foods www.megamexfoodservice.com See our ad on page 4

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

V&V Supremo Foods, Inc. vvsupremo.com See our ad on page 9

Cheesemakers, Inc. www.cheesemakers.com

Karoun Dairies www.karouncheese.com

CHILES/PEPPERS

Best Mexican Foods www.bestmexicanfoods.com See our ad on page 62

Chile Guy www.thechileguy.com See our ads on the inside front cover and page 55

Gordo’s Foodservice gordosfoods.com See our ads on page 3 and 25

MegaMex Foods www.megamexfoodservice.com See our ad on page 4

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

TRES COCINAS™ www.megamexfoodservice.com/ brand/tres-cocinas/ See our ad on page 31

Mexilink Mexilink.com

Simplot simplotfoods.com

DESSERTS

Best Mexican Foods www.bestmexicanfoods.com See our ad on page 62

Bridgford Foods Corp. www.bridgford.com See our ads on page 7 and 54

Gordo’s Foodservice gordosfoods.com See our ads on page 3 and 25

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

Mexilink Mexilink.com

Valencia Flour Mill, Ltd. www.valenciaflourmill.com

HERBS/SPICES/SEASONINGS

Best Mexican Foods www.bestmexicanfoods.com See our ad on page 62

C.T. Beavers Co. www.Tamaleking.com See our ad on page 62

Gordo’s Foodservice gordosfoods.com See our ads on page 3 and 25

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

La Perla Spice Co. www.delmayab.com

Teasdale Foods foodservice.teasdalelatinfoods.com

MEAT PRODUCTS

Best Mexican Foods www.bestmexicanfoods.com See our ad on page 62

Gordo’s Foodservice gordosfoods.com See our ads on page 3 and 25

Megas Yeeros / Mega Sabor www.megasyeeros.com See our ads on the back cover and page 56

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

V&V Supremo Foods, Inc. vvsupremo.com See our ad on page 9

SuCabrito USA LLC www.sucabritousa.com

PREPARED MEXICAN APPETIZERS/ENTREES

Best Mexican Foods www.bestmexicanfoods.com See our ad on page 62

MegaMex Foods www.megamexfoodservice.com See our ad on page 4

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

Karoun Dairies www.karouncheese.com

Simplot simplotfoods.com SALSA/SAUCE/MOLE Best Mexican Foods www.bestmexicanfoods.com See our ad on page 62

Gordo’s Foodservice gordosfoods.com See our ads on page 3 and 25

MegaMex Foods www.megamexfoodservice.com See our ad on page 4

Neil Jones Food Company, The theneiljonesfoodcompany.com See our ad on the inside back cover and page 58

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

TRES COCINAS™ www.megamexfoodservice.com/ brand/tres-cocinas/ See our ad on page 31

Half Moon Bay Trading Company www.halfmoonbaytrading.com

Mexilink Mexilink.com Teasdale Foods foodservice.teasdalelatinfoods.com

TAMALE-MAKING SUPPLIES

Best Mexican Foods www.bestmexicanfoods.com See our ad on page 62

C.T. Beavers Co. www.Tamaleking.com See our ad on page 62

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

TOMATOES, CANNED

Best Mexican Foods www.bestmexicanfoods.com See our ad on page 62

MegaMex Foods www.megamexfoodservice.com See our ad on page 4

Neil Jones Food Company, The theneiljonesfoodcompany.com

See our ad on the inside back cover and page 58

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

Mama Linda Tomatoes www.mamalindatomatoes.com

Red Gold® RedGoldFoodservice.com Simplot simplotfoods.com

TORTILLA CHIPS

Best Mexican Foods www.bestmexicanfoods.com See our ad on page 62

Bridgford Foods Corp. www.bridgford.com See our ads on page 7 and 54

MINSA USA, INC www.minsausa.com

See our ads on page 21 and 57

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com

See our ad on pages 11 and 33

Catallia Mexican Foods www.catallia.com

Teasdale Foods foodservice.teasdalelatinfoods.com

Tortilla King LLC mamalupes.com

TORTILLAS

Best Mexican Foods www.bestmexicanfoods.com See our ad on page 62

MINSA USA, INC www.minsausa.com See our ads on page 21 and 57

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

Catallia Mexican Foods www.catallia.com

Teasdale Foods foodservice.teasdalelatinfoods.com

Tortilla King LLC mamalupes.com

OTHER FOOD PRODUCTS

Megas Yeeros / Mega Sabor www.megasyeeros.com See our ads on the back cover and page 56 Hand-Stacked “trompos” and IQF Strips.

Half Moon Bay Trading Company www.halfmoonbaytrading.com Private label & co-packing pepper sauces, condiments, cocktail Mixers

MIC Food www.micfood.com Plantains, yucca

Nagua Coffee Roasters naguacoffee.com coffee

Valencia Flour Mill, Ltd. www.valenciaflourmill.com Sopaipilla & Fry Bread Mix

BAR SUPPLIES/BEVERAGES

BAR SUPPLIES (SALTS, RIMMERS, ETC.) 21 Missions Agave www.21missionsagave.com See our ad on page 62

Best Mexican Foods www.bestmexicanfoods.com See our ad on page 62

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

Mexilink Mexilink.com

BEVERAGES, NON-ALCOHOLIC

21 Missions Agave www.21missionsagave.com See our ad on page 62

Best Mexican Foods www.bestmexicanfoods.com See our ad on page 62

Gordo’s Foodservice gordosfoods.com See our ads on page 3 and 25

Novamex www.novamex.com See our ad on pages 35 and 59

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

Juicy Whip, Inc. juicywhip.com

Nagua Coffee Roasters naguacoffee.com

Natura’s Foods of California www.naturasfoods.com

COCKTAIL MIXERS

21 Missions Agave www.21missionsagave.com See our ad on page 62

Best Mexican Foods www.bestmexicanfoods.com See our ad on page 62

Novamex www.novamex.com See our ad on pages 35 and 59

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

Half Moon Bay Trading Company www.halfmoonbaytrading.com

Mayson Foods maysons.com

Simply Agave, Inc. www.simplyagave.com

Steve’s Frozen Chillers www.stevesfrozenchillers.com

LIQUOR Grandeza Orange Liqueur www.grandezaspirits.com See our ad on page 38

Tito’s Vodka www.titosvodka.com See our ad on page 42

Clase Azul/La Pinta claseazul.com

El Buho Mezcal www.elBuhoMezcal.com

Lethal Mezcal www.lethalmezcal.com

Mezcal Colores Mezcalcolores.com

Scorpion Mezcal SA de CV. scorpionmezcal.com

WINE/BEER Casa Madero www.madero.com

Fetzer Wines fetzer.com

Polaris Beverages Inc www.polarisbeverages.com

KITCHEN/BAR EQUIPMENT

BAR EQUIPMENT

Quality Food Equipment Store www.qualityfoodequipmentstore.com See our ads on page 23 and 60

Tomlinson Industries www.tomlinsonind.com

CHIP WARMERS

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com

See our ad on pages 11 and 33

Texican Specialty Products texicanspecialty.com See our ad on page 19

EMPANADA EQUIPMENT

Somerset Industries www.smrset.com

FOOD PROCESSORS/ CHOPPERS/BLENDERS

American Eagle Food Machinery, Inc. www.americaneaglemachine.com

See our ad on page 28

Oil Chef www.oilchef.com

See our ad on page 8

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com

See our ad on pages 11 and 33

Robot Coupe www.robot-coupe.com/en-usa

Sunkist Foodservice Equipment www.sunkistequipment.com

JUICERS

Quality Food Equipment Store www.qualityfoodequipmentstore.com

See our ads on page 23 and 60

Sunkist Foodservice Equipment www.sunkistequipment.com

OVENS/RANGES

California Foodservice Instant Rebates www.caenergywise.com/instantrebates/

See our ad on page 16

Oil Chef www.oilchef.com

See our ad on page 8

Optimal Automatics Inc www.autodoner.com

See our ad on page 8

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com

See our ad on pages 11 and 33

Comstock Castle www.castlestove.com

Pan American Food and Meat Equipment 210-248-9962

TAMALE-MAKING EQUIPMENT

BE&SCO Manufacturing www.bescomfg.com See our ad on page 13

C.T. Beavers Co. www.Tamaleking.com See our ad on page 62

Pan American Food and Meat Equipment 210-248-9962

Somerset Industries www.smrset.com

VERTICAL BROILERS FOR AL PASTOR

Optimal Automatics Inc www.autodoner.com See our ad on page 8

OTHER

American Eagle Food Machinery, Inc. www.americaneaglemachine.com See our ad on page 28 Meat Processing Equipment, Dough Sheeters

Oil Chef www.oilchef.com See our ad on page 8 Cooking oil saving technology for deep fryers

FRONT-OF-HOUSE ITEMS

CATERING/DELIVERY BOXES

Taco Boxes thecateringbox.com/taco-boxes/ See our ad on page 27

The Catering Box thecateringbox.com See our ad on page 26

CHAFING RACKS

Skorr Products skorr.com See our ad on page 13

DÉCOR Folcklor Latino www.folcklorlatino.com See our ad on page 62

Muebles Lacandona muebleslacandona.com See our ad on page 19

FOOD SERVING PRODUCTS Folcklor Latino www.folcklorlatino.com See our ad on page 62

Muebles Lacandona muebleslacandona.com See our ad on page 19

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

Skorr Products skorr.com See our ad on page 13

Taco Boxes thecateringbox.com/taco-boxes/ See our ad on page 27

The Catering Box thecateringbox.com See our ad on page 26

HS Inc. www.hsfoodservers.com Tomlinson Industries www.tomlinsonind.com

FURNITURE

Folcklor Latino www.folcklorlatino.com See our ad on page 62

Muebles Lacandona muebleslacandona.com See our ad on page 19

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

Möbel Cheff www.mobelcheff.com

Tomlinson Industries www.tomlinsonind.com

GLASSWARE Folcklor Latino www.folcklorlatino.com See our ad on page 62

Muebles Lacandona muebleslacandona.com See our ad on page 19

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

Aztecas Design www.aztecasdesign.com

MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE Culinary Software www.culinarysoftware.com See our ad on page 62

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

MENUS/TABLE TENTS

Performance Foodservice www.performancefoodservice.com See our ad on pages 11 and 33

Menu Masters www.menumasters.net

21 Missions Agave. Make The Ultimate “Cadillac” Margarita with 21 Missions. 21 Missions Agave Azul Nectar, Un Muy Especial! Your customers will thank you (Tus clientes te lo agradecerán. Salud!) 866-5040555; www.21missionsagave.com

BE&SCO Manufacturing. Perfect meat-to-masa ratio every time! BE&SCO offers the perfect solution to keep up with demand. Preparing tamales by hand is not only timely and labor-intensive, but you’re often left with inconsistent product. Our Commercial rated Tamale Machines are built to handle high production and offer the perfect 60/40 (meat-to-masa ratio) consistency! Whether you like más meat or más masa, BE&SCO has the perfect extruder variation to fit your preference! 210-743-5124; www.bescomfg.com

Best Mexican. We’re here for all your Mexican foodservice needs. We’ve been serving restaurants in the Northeast for over 50 years…and we can help you keep your restaurant running for whatever type of service you’re offering today. 800-867-8236; 845-469-5195; Bestmexicanfoods.com

Grandeza. Rich, authentic, Premium Orange Liqueur was developed with the finest natural flavors of Mexico. Its flavor profile of bitter orange peels, sweet agave nectar, and a hint of vanilla make it the perfect complement to a margarita; it won’t overpower or mask your high-quality tequila the way cognac or brandy-based orange liqueurs do. grandezaspirits.com

Tito’s. Tito Beveridge wasn’t always in the vodka business. With a dream to do big things, he sat down one sleepless night and drew a line down the middle of a blank page. On one side, he wrote what he was good at, and on the other, what he enjoyed doing. The end result? Tito’s Handmade Vodka. It wasn’t quick, and it wasn’t easy, but 25 years later, @TitosVodka now lines back bars and store shelves, and fills glasses around the world. titosvodka.com

Bridgford Foods. Frozen tortilla dough balls, sopapilla dough and bolillo dough let you make fresh tortillas, sopapillas and bolillo rolls quickly and easily for your customers without all of the prep work — just thaw, then grill or fry for authentic, consistent flavor every time. 800-527-2105; bridgford.com

Lacandona. Our “La Lotería” collection is full of color and phrases that your customers can connect with, creating a festive and attractive atmosphere that everyone will want to see. Call us so we can share our creativity with you and do something amazing for your restaurant. Exclusive designs of Lacandona Furniture. 470-471-8751; muebleslacandona.com

Skorr. We’ve taken our chafer to the next level! This Wire Chafing Stand with Lid Lock is a true innovation in wire chafing stand design. Food stays hotter, longer. And since the chafer now is easier to carry, there are fewer spills because handles provide a lower center of gravity. Sturdy, wide stance for better balance on tables and carts, too. 800-538-2163; skorr.com

Quality Food Equipment Store. Hand-squeezing limes and lemons takes a lot of time and labor, which impacts your bottom line. Those problems are solved with these Citrus Juicers that do the work for you — and they increase yield, too. 571-373-2520; 833-858-4237; qualityfoodequipmentstore.com

Neil Jones Food Company. Pre mium quality tomato and custom blend sauces packed from fresh, vine-ripened California tomatoes are the specialty at this familyowned and operated corporation. Our San Benito facility has been packing the finest tomatoes since 1915. We strive to bring you the very best tomato products, whether you prefer fresh-packed #10 cans or fresh-packed shelf-stable pouches. 800-291-3862; njfco.com

V&V Supremo Foods. This award-winning producer of authentic Hispanicstyle cheeses is your source for melting cheeses like Chihuahua® Brand Quesadilla; fresh cheeses such as Queso Fresco, Queso Blanco Del Caribe®, Queso Enchilado, Queso Asadero and Requeson; aged cheeses like Cotija; and Mexican crema. Chorizo in beef and pork varieties also available. 1-888-887-8773; www.vvsupremo.com

Culinary Cards. Collectible cards are hot…now chefs can get in on the fun with customdesigned cards featuring their picture on the front and information about your restaurant on the back. Created by Mic Drop Creations in partnership with el Restaurante. 708-218-7755

Dutchess Bakers. Our easy-to-operate line of tortilla/dough equipment includes mixers, dough dividers/rounders, tortilla presses and grills that deliver high-quality, fresh tortillas to your restaurant customers with every meal — whether for inhouse dining, curbside pickup, or carry-out and delivery orders. Available in sizes for most any Mexican/ Latin foodservice operation!

800-777-4498; dutchessbakers.com

Minsa. The pioneering Mexican company in the nixtamalized corn flour industry with an outstanding track record has resumed its presence in the United States with a high-quality selection of special flours for tortillas, tamales, chips, nachos, extruded and special products. 404-310-5968; email ivan.ahumada@minsa.com.mx; www.minsausa.com

Taco Boxes. Transport and maintain the integrity of your tacos in the Taco Box, specially designed to hold hard shell and soft shell tacos, standing up! One-piece easy fold design with stand up tabs comes packed flat for easy storage. Made in USA, recyclable, economical, FDA Food Safe Approved, no PFOS or PFAS; Patent Pending. Email tacoboxes@tacoboxes.com; tacoboxes.com

Oil Chef. Double the life of your deep fryer oil with this FDA-approved Deep Fryer Accessory that reduces fryer oil consumption. It increases food output from the same quantity of oil without compromising food quality. The food grade, stainless steel acces sory takes just a few seconds to install — and it’s maintenance-free! It can stay on your fryer for 3 years. Calculate your savings at oilchef.com

Rovey Seed Co. Rovey is a premier supplier of white, yellow, blue and red corn especially bred for tortilla production. The high-quality corn is used by restaurants across the country to make superior tortillas. It is available in nonGMO and organic varieties. 217-2274541; roveyseed.com

MegaMex Foodservice takes pride in creative authentic Mexican Flavors that operators can easily execute. 817-509-0626; megamexfoodservice.com

With MegaMex Foods’ WHOLLY® AVOCADO Hand-Scooped Avocado, you’ll save time and labor, but won’t sacrifice authentic texture and fresh taste. Made with just one ingredient, 100% Hass avocado, it’s ready to use, convenient, and maintains food safety. Sample today! 817-509-0626; megamexfoodservice.com/sample

Our TRES COCINAS™ Authentic Pepper Pastes are made with the signature ingredients you use every day. But instead of spending hours rehydrating, dicing and pureeing, you can get bold flavor from just a simple squeeze. Request a sample! 817-509-0626; megamexfoodservice.com/brand/tres-cocinas

The Catering Box. Don’t use just any old box for your catering! Instead, transport your catered food safely and professionally. Our Catering Boxes were designed to maximize your catering success by maintaining the integrity of your food when it leaves your kitchen. The materials, structure, and appearance were designed for transporting and serving food. Made in USA, recyclable, no PFOS or PFAS; Patent Pending. Email thecateringbox@aol.com; thecaterinqbox.com

The Chile Guy Chile. Get low prices on whole pods, powders, flakes and crushed chiles — most from Mexico, but also from South America, Africa, Asia and Europe — all in commercial volumes and pricing. Can be shipped nationally and internationally in volumes from 5 to 50,000 lbs. SQF Certified, Kosher, and FDA and USDA compliant. Achiote, Mexican oregano and corn husks also available. Serving the restaurant industry for 31 years. 800-8699218 or 505-867-4251; email info@ thechileguy.com; thechileguy.com

Texican. Tortilla chip serving cabinets feature convection heat and thermostat temperature control for reduced operating costs. Top-quality, stainless steel dispens ers guarantee the warmest chips with the least amount of chip break age. Just load chips in top and serve from the bottom! The only warming cabinet with the “swing open” front door for ease of cleaning! Available in 44-gallon and 22-gallon capacity models. 800-869-5918; texicanspecialty.com

Culinary Software Service. Want to save money on food costs? ChefTec software offers inventory control, purchasing and ordering, recipe and menu costing, and nutritional analysis that can help! The software even comes with a money-back guarantee! Free bonus ingredient pack for Mexican restaurants also included. 877-243-3832; cheftec.com

Folcklor Latino. The craftsmen at Folcklor Latino, located in Tonalá, Mexico, have decades of experience creating tables, chairs, booths, carts and other furniture for restaurants. “Thanks to the Folcklor team who did a fantastic job,” said Martín Morin, manager of Blanquita’s Mexican Restaurant in San Benito, Texas. “Everything looks fabulous. My family is delighted with the results. I hope that soon we will communicate with you to furnish another restaurant.” 424-385-6564; contacto@folcklorlatino.com; www.folcklorlatino.com

American Eagle Food Machinery. Our OneHUB Collection provides unmatched versatility! High-volume Meat Cutter Attachment (shown) cuts bigger pieces, features large 7”x2” feeder. The 1.5HP motor with #12 Hub powers 6 interchangeable attachments including meat grinder, tenderizer, cutter, jerky slicer, vegetable cutter. Process everything from beef, pork, chicken to vegetables and cheese with one countertop footprint. Save time and labor cost without hand-cutting! 800-386-5756; www.americaneaglemachine.com/onehub

Megas Yeeros. Our Mega Sabor line of laborsaving meat products includes Al Pastor, Pollo Adobo and Carne Asada. They contain a variety of chile peppers from around the world; tropical fruit such as mangos, papaya and pineapple; vegetables such as yuca; and indigenous plants like achiote. They are deliciously spicy; come with different chile sauces for pork, chicken and beef; and offer easy portion control and consistent cost-per-unit. 212-777-6342; megasyeeros.com

Tortilla Masters. Creating perfect, ready-to-cook corn tortillas has never been easier thanks to the Ventura Flex Corn Tortilla Machine — the first tabletop restaurant-style corn tortilla machine to meet UL and NSF standards. It is convenient, small, and has big production capabilities — makes up to 840 tortillas per hour. This machine can be placed on a table, occupying a small 2 x 2 feet of space. 281-994-7010; tortillmachine.com

Novamex. No matter the flavor or the type of food, there is no better pairing than Mineragua, Sangría Señorial, Sidral Mundet, and Jarritos, now available in 12 flavors, including Watermelon, Mandarin, Guava, Lime, and Fruit Punch. Your customers will love them! 888-668-2639, email consumer. relations@novamex.com

Optimal Automatics. Optimal’s Autodoner Brand Vertical Broiler is the best-selling al pastor cooking unit in North American since 1972. It is made with durable, long-lasting case metal burners that are extremely easy to service. NSF approved. 847-439-9110; optimalautomatics.com

Energy Solutions/California Foodservice Instant Rebates. Save up to $4,000 per unit on high efficiency commercial foodservice equipment. Choose from a variety of qualifying products, get Instant Rebates as a discount on your invoice – no paperwork, no waiting. Find a participating dealer and qualifying products at www.caenergywise.com/instant-rebates.

PFG Contigo This exclusive brand from Performance Foodservice is packed with delicious, innovative products that help Hispanic and Latin customers grow their businesses. Our portfolio reflects the diverse flavors and cooking styles of countries and regions around the world. From fresh and frozen protein options, to traditional tortillas, avocados, sauces, and more, Contigo has everything restaurants need to create high-quality, authentic dishes. performancefoodservice com/Contigo

C.T. Beavers/Tamale King. These tamalemakers are perfect for the upcoming holiday season! Light, easy-to-operate machines deliver consistent quality tamales for your restaurant’s customers. Available in a variety of sizes; tamale pots, spices, corn husks and masa also available. 800-531-1799 or 817-534-3122; tamaleking.com

Gordo’s. Trust Gordo’s Queso Blanco Easy Melt cheese to make your Queso cheese dip its absolute best. Gordo’s is proudly made with real dairy ingredients for incredible quality and consistency. Available in 6/5# loaves and broadly distributed. Email sales@gordosdips.com; www.GordosDips.com/ foodservice

BUYER’S GUIDE prof ile

CONTACT INFO: John Simmons

Bridgford Foods Corp. P.O. Box 3773 Anaheim, CA 92803

PHONE : 800-527-2105 FAX: 866-744-4536

EMAIL: info@bridgford.com WEBSITE: www.bridgford.com/ foodservice

Bridgford—The Fresh Baked Idea Company

Keep your customers coming back with easy and delicious products from Bridgford— Frozen Tortilla Dough Balls, Frozen Sopapilla Dough and Frozen Bolillo Roll Dough!

• Frozen Tortilla Dough Balls are perfectly formed, 1.25 oz. ready to thaw, flatten, and grill for your own “made on premise” freshly prepared homemade tortillas.

Pre-portioned 0.34 oz. Sopapilla Dough “Bites”—ready to deep fry and coat with cinnamon-sugar for a tasty snack.

• Frozen Sopapilla Dough Pre-portioned 3” x 3 1/2” 1.35 oz. dough pieces make it convenient and easy to produce delicious “Fresh from the Fryer” sopapillas. Also, this dough is easy to fill and makes tasty empanadas.

• “Fry Bread” Sopapilla Dough Sheets—20.25 oz. Ready to cut and shape for an unlimited number of uses and sizes.

• Bolillo Roll Dough—Simply pan, let rise, bake and slice to serve as a delightful sandwich roll!

ABOUT US

Bridgford Foods pioneered the manufac ture and sale of frozen bread dough to supermarkets and the foodservice trade in the early 1960s. These products are pro duced in plants located in Anaheim, CA, Dallas, TX, and Statesville, NC.

Uniqueness, high quality and consis tency of products have been the main ob jectives of Bridgford Foods Corporation. Bridgford products have been awarded 109 gold medals at California state fairs.

The Finest Bulk Spices and Wholesale Chile

The Chile Guy can supply you with premium Grade A chile in whatever quantity and format you need!

From 5 pounds to 50,000 pounds, you can count on The Chile Guy for all of your chile needs.

We are known for offering the finest chiles from around the world. With over 100 different chile varieties hand-selected by the country’s leading purveyor of chilies, you’re sure to find the very best chile in terms of heat, color, flavor and purity.

Our chiles are not only the best in the industry, but so are our chile products and bulk wholesale spices. We process our chiles into powders and flakes to ensure our customers of the highest quality, taste and consistency. All of our powders and flakes contain 100% pure, natural chile – we don’t blend in any powders or chile flakes unless specified by the customer.

Whether you’re creating a new recipe or spicing up an old one, The Chile Guy can help you obtain the best wholesale chiles and spices at the best price!

BUYER’S GUIDE prof ile

PHONE: 800-869-9218

EMAIL: info@thechileguy.com

WEBSITE: thechileguy.com

and IQF Strips!

Get ready to experience something different. First in quality, first in innovation, at  Megas Yeeros® the company believes good food is meant to be enjoyed by all. Our al pastor, pollo adobo, and carne asada in convenient stacked meat form and IQF strips are made from all natural ingredi ents and authenticspices. They are guaranteed to please your customers every time!

AT MEGAS YEEROS® WE STAND BEHIND OUR THREE STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE:

• Our company only uses natural meats, never any fillers, preservatives or additives for a healthier and tastier end product.

•

All our products are USDA approved and made in our modern, state-of-the-art facilities under the strictest guidelines.

• Our company prides ourselves in taking authentic ethnic food and reinventing it in innovative ways.

Maíz Mexicano para el Mundo

Minsa, la empresa mexicana pionera en la industria de harina de maíz nixta malizado con una destacada trayectoria de años, ha retomado presencia en Estados Unidos con la gran calidad que siempre le ha caracterizado a los que ofrece una variedad de harinas especiales para tortillas, tamales, chips, nachos, extruí dos y productos especiales.

Frente a consumidores cada vez más exigentes, que exigen transparencia en los pro cesos de fabricación de productos y que sean más saludables, Minsa realiza todos los esfuerzos para que los procesos para la elaboración de su harina sean de la más alta cal idad. Se caracterizan por el uso de la más avanzada tecnología con altos estándares de inocuidad, respetando los procesos artesanales de nixtamalización, exclusivo de México para el mundo. La empresa cuenta con productos innovadores, funcionales y de valor agregado, siempre a la vanguardia ante el compromiso de aportar un nivel nutricional favorable a sus consumidores, a base de maíz selecto mexicano. Para los clientes, Minsa es la opción rentable que favorece la competitividad y crecimiento en un mercado cada vez más exigente. Todos los esfuerzos de Minsa tienen como prioridad satisfacer a sus consumidores a nivel global. Siendo una empresa con enorme tradición en México por sus productos, eminentemente arraigados en la cultura, tiene un compromiso que reitera día a día con esfuerzo y dedicación.

Mexican Corn for the World

Minsa, the pioneering Mexican company in the nixtamalized corn flour industry with an outstanding track record of years, has resumed its presence in the United States with the high quality that has always characterized those that offer a variety of special flours for tortillas, tamales, chips, nachos, extruded and special products.

Faced with increasingly demanding consumers, who demand transparency in the manufacturing processes of products and that they be healthier, Minsa makes every effort to ensure that the processes for the production of its flour are of the highest quality. They are characterized by the use of the most advanced technology with high safety standards, respecting the artisan processes of nixtamalization, exclusive from Mexico to the world. The company has innovative, functional and value-added products, always at the forefront of the commitment to provide a favorable nutritional level to its consumers, based on select Mexican corn. For clients, Minsa is the profitable option that favors competitiveness and growth in an increasingly demanding market. All of Minsa’s efforts have as a priority to satisfy its consumers globally. Being a company with an enormous tradition in Mexico for its products, eminently rooted in culture, it has a com mitment that it reiterates day by day with effort and dedication.

BUYER’S GUIDE prof ile

CONTACT: Ivan Ahumada

PHONE: 404 310 5968

EMAIL: ivan.ahumada@minsa.com.mx

WEBSITE: www.minsausa.com

CONTACT: Neil Jones Food Company

PHONE: 800-291-3862

WEBSITE: njfco.com

Premium Quality California Tomato Products

When the Neil Jones Food Company began process ing and packaging freshpack California tomatoes and Pacific Northwest fruit, the world was a very different place. As the years have passed and times have changed, the companies of Neil Jones Food have grown and progressed with the times. But thru all of this growth and change, one thing remains the same: We are Real people, packing exceptional quality products for our valued customer partners.

We don’t take shortcuts at Neil Jones. We understand that to produce the finest products, you have to start with the finest ingredients. We work closely with growers and agronomists to ensure quality year after year. You see, Premium quality doesn’t just happen—we make it happen!

Every year, from early-July thru midNovember, the plants of the Neil Jones Food Company pack thousands of tons of premium quality California tomato and Pacific Northwest fruit products. It’s a busy time and because freshness and quality are our primary goals, we make sure that every product meets not only our quality standards, but more importantly—yours.

The customer list at Neil Jones Food Company is diverse—from the finest independent restaurants in the world to children’s lunch trays across the U.S. We also customize products for chain restaurants, healthcare facilities, juice manufacturers, and cruise lines around the country and around the globe. Not only do we produce in traditional cans, but our unique shelf-stable option of California ‘fresh pack’ vine ripened tomatoes in commercial pouches is a significant space, freight, and disposal savings.

Our San Benito facility has been a working cannery since 1915, while our TomaTek facility was one of the first in the nation to utilize a ‘hot-fill pouch’ technology that forever changed the canning industry. NJFC has some of the most stringent standards in the industry and that processing efficiency translates directly into satisfied customers.

So whatever your culinary preferences and needs, if you’re looking for a quality product that will bring out the best in your fare, the companies of Neil Jones Food will exceed your expectations and have even your most finicky clientele saying, “Sabroso!”

Novamex

Founded in 1986, our vision is to market and distribute category-leading Latino, natural and organic brands to the United States and the rest of the world. Our indus try-leading knowledge of the Mexican and American consumer, along with a philosophy of investing in brands through long-term, fully integrated marketing strategies have driven our success and helped bring the Hispanic and natural products culture to the world.

BUYER’S GUIDE prof ile

CONTACT: Novamex

PHONE: 888-668-2639

EMAIL: consumer.relations @novamex.com

WEBSITE: www.novamex.com

CONTACT: Quality Food Equipment Store

DIRECT PHONE: 571-373-2520

MAIN PHONE: 833-858-4237

EMAIL: john@qualityfoodequip mentstore.com

WEBSITE: www.qualityfoodequip mentstore.com

Labor is an ongoing challenge for Mexican and Latin restaurants — independents and chains alike. And when it comes to handsqueezing the fresh limes and lemons you need to meet the demand for specialty cocktails and other dishes made with citrus juice, the time and labor it takes can put a squeeze on customer service and sales. That’s where Quality Food Equipment Store can help!

Our high-quality Citrus Juicers do the work that it would take several employees and several hours to do. Our juicers save time, money and labor — and they increase yield, too!

Stop hand-squeezing … contact us today!

BUYER’S GUIDE prof ile

CONTACT: V&V Supremo Foods, Inc. PHONE: 888-887-8773 WEBSITE: www.vvsupremo.com/fs

Award-Winning Mexican Cheeses

V&V Supremo Foods, Inc. is the premier, award-winning producer of authentic Mexican cheese, crema, chorizo, and maker of Chihuahua® Brand Quesadilla Cheese in the United States.

Our products are well-recognized within the cheese industry and have won numerous gold awards from prestigious competitions across the country and overseas.

We deliver exceptional flavor, texture, and consistency thanks to our strict quality controls that exceed government requirements to provide consumers with con

sistently superior products. Our cheeses and cremas are natural and free of artificial growth hormones, additives, and preser vatives. Similarly, our chorizo is made with premium cuts of pork or beef, free of fillers, gluten, or artificial flavors and colors.

The Villaseñor family founded the company in 1964, and we are family owned and operated to this day. Heritage, quality, and love have been a part of our products from the very beginning.

V&V Supremo®, authentic taste crafted over generations.

Over 50 years serving restaurants in the Northeast

Great tortillas start wi�...

Berenjena (Eggplant) Merlo with Nogada Recipe courtesy of Giuseppe Merlo, Trattoria Merlo

The Nogada: 250 grams (8.8 oz.) raw percanera walnuts 1 oz. sherry 180 ml (6 oz.) Greek yogurt ¼ liter crema or heavy cream ½ apple

Blend all ingredients to make the sauce. Set aside.

The Eggplant: 1 eggplant, halved 1 T. garlic, diced

Sign up for el Restaurante’s Recipe of the week email!

EMAIL Kathy Furore, kfurore@restmex.com, with ‘Recipe’ In the subject line

After cutting the eggplant in half, sprinkle with salt to remove the bitterness. Wash off the salt. Use a fork to make small holes in the eggplant. Brush lightly with olive oil, bake in oven at 250ºC for about 30 minutes. Remove skin, cut flesh into cubes. Sauté with a little olive oil and a tablespoon of diced garlic, about five minutes. Add the walnut cream sauce, stir for several minutes to warm up. Ladle over pasta or chicken.

La Lunita’s Nogada Recipe courtesy of Antonio Porras, La Lunita 60 to 70 grams (2 to 2 ½ oz.) walnuts, soaked in water, peeled and ground 250 ml (8½ oz.) crema or heavy cream 15 grams (½ oz.) sugar

Pinch of cinnamon and pepper Blend all the ingredients. Use to make Chiles en Nogada or other dishes calling for walnut sauce.

Chapal Cocktail Recipe courtesy of Cool Hand Co. (CHC) Makes 1 cocktail

2 oz. tequila or mezcal

½ oz. CHC Pineapple Turmeric Ginger Shrub ¾ oz. fresh lime juice

1 t. agave nectar

1 handful fresh cilantro leaves

Shake all ingredients with ice for 5 to 7 seconds. Fine-strain into glass with fresh cubes. Garnish with cilantro bouquet.

Nana’s Pineapple Upsidedown Cake Cocktail

Recipe courtesy of General Lee Cocktail House, Los Angeles, CA

Makes 1 cocktail

1½ oz. Diplomatico Mantuano

1½ oz. Pineapple Five Spice Shrub (recipe below)

Dehydrated lime and pandan leaf, for garnish

Combine ingredients and shake. Double strain into a Nick and Nora glass. Garnish with pandan leaf and dried lime.

The Pineapple Five Spice Shrub:

1⅔ oz. cinnamon

1 oz. star anise

1¼ oz. clove

10 g. fennel

1¼ oz. red Sichuan pepper

2 qts. pineapple chunks

500 ml apple cider vinegar

1500 ml white vinegar

Toast spices in a pan. Heat the pineapple and add spices and sugar. Stir to incorpo rate. Strain out solids and add vinegars and reduce by 20 percent.

Let cool and refrigerate. Good for 1 month.

Bartender’s Note: “The cocktail is essentially a riff on a pineapple daiquiri. The addition of a pineapple five-spice shrub adds an extra layer of depth, spice, and acidity without an overbearing amount of sweetness found in most daiquiris.”

Pepe el Toro Cocktail

Recipe courtesy of Rayo, Mexico City Makes 1 cocktail

1¾ oz. Chivas 13

½ oz. Nixta (Mexican liqueur)

½ oz. lime juice

1 oz. Piña y Agave shrub Soda to top off Large ice cube

Combine liquors, lime juice and shrubs in a mixing glass and stir or shake gently. Pour into a tumbler glass with a large ice cube and serve.

La Ofrenda Cocktail

Recipe courtesy of Rayo, Mexico City

Makes 1 cocktail

1¾ oz. mezcal

¾ oz. lemon juice

1½ oz. pumpkin shrub

3 dashes Angostura Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass and stir or shake gently. Pour into a glass with a large ice cube. Garnish and serve.

ANGELA AND MARIAM EL HAJ

Calaca Mamas

CALACA MAMAS became one of the newest additions to the restaurant scene in Anaheim, California, when it opened across the street from the Disneyland Resort in May 2022. The restaurant’s sister owners, Angela and Mariam El Haj, are second-generation restaurateurs with a passion for the food industry and a deep-rooted love for Mexi can food and culture, which inspired the Day-of-theDead-themed eatery — one that celebrates the themes of family, comfort, fun, and great Mexican-inspired cuisine.

While they and their cus tomers love Calaca Mamas’ Chile Relleno, Chicken Tinga Flautas with Haba nero Honey Salsa, and Vegan Cauliflower Tacos paired with Pumpkin Seed Salsa, it’s the recipe for Concha French Toast that they share with el Restaurante readers.

“We love that our Concha French Toast is a delicious, sweet treat and so beautiful to look at!” Angela says of the brunch dish that features a house-made concha dipped in organic egg wash, grilled, then smothered with Vanilla Sweet Cream and topped with homemade organic

berry compote. “French toast is one of our favorite breakfast foods and one of our chefs made it come to life with our homemade sweet cream and compote,” Mariam adds.

Concha French Toast

Conchas, sliced in half (house-made or purchased)

Vanilla Sweet Cream Organic egg wash

Organic berry compote

The Vanilla Sweet Cream: 8 oz. cream cheese 1 c. butter 1 t. salt 2 t. vanilla 4 c. powdered sugar

4 T. heavy cream

Whisk the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla and salt. Slowly mix in half of the powdered sugar and the heavy cream. Finally, mix in the remaining sugar and stir until smooth. Set aside.

The Organic Egg Wash: ½ gal. oat milk 2 eggs

1 T. vanilla 1 t. cinnamon 4 oz. sugar

Combine all ingredients and whisk thoroughly.

To prepare, per serving: Dip concha slices in egg wash, grill until golden brown, top with Vanilla Sweet Cream and serve with the berry compote.

EDITOR’S NOTE : Calaca Mamas’ berry compote recipe is always changing because it depends on the type of fruit that’s available, which is both seasonal and organic. We found this recipe from The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (blueberry.org) created by Chef Stephen Rogers of Sachet Restaurant as one example of a compote you can pair with Concha French Toast in your restaurant.

Blueberry Compote

2 c. blueberries

1/4 c. water

1⁄4 c. sugar

2 wide strips of lemon zest, about 3” long, using a vegetable peeler

2 t. lemon juice

Pinch of salt

Combine half of the blueberries with the water, sugar and lemon zest in a heavy-bottomed 1 quart pot, and place over medium high heat for about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring as needed.

Add remaining blueberries and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and salt. When cool, remove lemon zest.