Who Really Should've Won 'The Voice'?

Congratulations to Javier Colon on winning ("This is") The Voice last night.

Just my opinion, but I think it should've been Dia Frampton. She's had my vote ever since her creative performance of Kanye's Heartless.

What do you think — did the best singer win? Will you watch Season 2?

Happy Social Media Day #SMDay

Happy Social Media Day (or #SMDay if you're on the Twitter)!



This internet holiday was originally created in 2010 by the folks at Mashable, to "celebrate the revolution of media becoming social."



> Celebrate the second annual #SMDay by joining Jenny's Noodle on Twitter and Facebook! 

Corn Continues To Fall With a 10% Mid-Day Move

Source:  Morningstar.com

We end the month of June, the second quarter of 2011 and the first half of 2011 on a very positive note.  At mid-day, corn futures were off 10% today.  Speculators have bid corn prices up steadily since this time last year.  As global crises provided upward pressure in oil prices, the prices of corn (used in domestic U.S. ethanol) have moved higher.  Some of these positions unraveled today as a report cited greater planted acreage.

Earlier this month, corn futures peaked.  The correction could wipe out the entire gain in prices for the year if the sell-off continues. 

If restaurants leave menu prices alone, the lower corn prices should produce fatter gross margins.

The move lower has also produced a drop in wheat prices.  These welcome price drops provide a bit of positive momentum as the industry continues the consolidation begun 3 years ago.

'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory' Quiz

MentalFloss has posted a fun little quiz to celebrate this year's 40th anniversary of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.



Not to brag, but I scored 12/12 (it is my fav movie, after all). How well did you do?



> "Will you find a golden ticket or fall victim to a snozzwanger?" Take the quiz

Mid-Year Review 2011

We started the year in rally mode, hit the breaks in spring and enter the third quarter with the first signs of a correction in gas and corn prices.  We expect our employment improvement forecast in the Outlook for 2011 will be achieved despite the seasonal bumps in the road.

The Dow Jones Restaurant Industry Index is up 10% since January 1st. 

Source:  Marketwatch.com

Corn prices, which have risen steadily for a year, corrected recently and this helped the restaurant index regain momentum.  We should be above 700 by year end.

Source: Marketwatch.com

If you haven't raised your menu prices to cover the costs, you will continue to experience downward pressure on gross profit.  We'd need oil prices below $75 to become optimistic.  This is possible but not a lock by any means.

As we see a renewed search for productivity gains, tech companies serving the industry should find the phones ringing in the second half of 2011.  The iPad has helped to create some buzz with menu and ordering apps joining wine list tools in the App Store.

Source:  www.topappreviews101.com

Seasonal summer resorts should benefit from pent up demand for real vacations.  With geopolitical unrest abroad, the old fashioned American road trip could get a deep discount as gas prices fall post-Memorial Day.

NPR Sunday Puzzle: June 26, 2011

Here's the solution to last week's NPR Sunday Puzzle (June 19):

Answer: HELMUT KOHL (helmet and coal)

NPR Sunday Puzzle for June 26:
Take the word "ballerina," drop one letter and rearrange the remaining eight letters to name a well-known fictional character. Who is it?

Submit your answer to NPR for a chance to be on next week's broadcast and be sure to visit Jenny's Noodle next Sunday to see the correct answer!

Meet the New Detroit Art Examiner

It's me! That's right, I'm excited to announce that I've been selected as the new Detroit Art Examiner for Examiner.com!

You won't want to miss any of my most interesting articles, so be sure to check out my profile and articles here (and click subscribe).

Oh and one more thing... if you've got a bit of expertise and passion for writing about a particular topic, you could become an Examiner too. If you're interested, please click here, and remember to tell 'em I sent ya!

Swoosh! An Iconic Logo Turns 40

Forty years ago this week, a little athletic shoe company found its logo.



The iconic Nike swoosh was designed by Carolyn Davidson in 1971.



She was paid a whopping sum of $35 for her work.



Here is her story:

(via NPR)

Social Media Connections

I'd like to thank everyone who has sent me invitations to link with them on a variety of social media sites.  Due to time restrictions, I am only able to stay active in a small selection of sites.  Over time, I find my time is best spent on LinkedIn and the blog.  I will be writing articles for 3 industry sites.

Although I initially enjoyed Facebook, the high number of Facebook related game site traffic pushed me away.  I recently deactivated my Facebook account.  I will update my status on the blog if I decide to return. 

My time on Twitter is now way less than when I first discovered the micro-blog service.  I still enjoy reading tweets using an email delivery service called Nutshell.  As I become a better user of Nutshell, I will increase my retweet activity.

When Ning went to a pay-to-play model, we kept the Foodservice Club for a year.  If we decide to recreate the club, we will most likely build a Facebook page.

The excellent site Hotel Trends has developed groups which have added a forum for their readers.  They remain my favorite site for industry news.  A close second is Foodservice.com which has market reports.  If you need intensive market reporting and analysis, you can't beat American Restaurant Association which requires a paid subscription.

You can study the ups and downs of over 4,000 restaurant chains on Restaurantchains.net which produces lots of Top 10, Top 50, etc. style reports.  They also offer a paid subscription service with advanced queries.

Although I have registered for many other sites, I have decided to remain inactive on most.

Coffee: The Greatest Addiction Ever [Video]

The narrator sounds like he drank a few cups too many, but otherwise a very informative video — in a fun way.



(via Laughing Squid)

Where's Waldo? In Dublin, Of Course!

Can you spot Waldo in the photograph above? It shouldn't be too difficult!



Wearing his signature red and white striped shirts, matching hats and dark-rimmed glasses, a total of 3,657 fans showed up in Dublin this weekend to break the Guinness World Record for the most Waldos in one location.



Where's Waldo (or Wally, as he's known in the British version) is a popular children's book created by British illustrator Martin Handford. The first book was published in 1987, and I'm pretty certain that at some point as a kid I found all of the hidden objects in every book of the entire series (and the Where Are They? series as well).

Did you know? Around the world, Waldo is known by a variety of names:
British - Wally, Hindi – Hetti, German – Walter, Hungarian – Vili, Icelandic – Valli, Croatian – Jura, Danish – Holger, Estonian – Volli, French – Charlie

(via Guardian)

The First Day of Summer 2011

The weather is a tad steamy today in Michigan, which I guess is appropriate for the first day of summer. But for at least the next few months? weeks? days? those of us living in "the mitten" are happy to enjoy a few minutes of warm weather.



This morning, it was Google that welcomed me to the start of the sunny season. Today's Google Doodle is a colorful contemporary design entitled The First Day of Summer. The image was created by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami and rendered in his trademark Superflat style.



Here's to enjoying ice cream, playing outdoor tennis and getting a nice tan!

The Mystery of Pottermore

"The owls are gathering...Find out why soon."

That's the mysterious message posted on J.K. Rowling's YouTube Channel. And according to the countdown clock, the Harry Potter author will be making some sort of fantastical announcement in just a couple of days. But what could it be?

Whatever the news, it somehow relates to Pottermore — J.K.'s new website that's "Coming Soon..." I'm guessing it will be some sort of magical online world dedicated to the boy wizard, launching to coincide with the final movie release on July 15. We'll all know soon enough...

Great Week For Our Industry

Prices for crude oil settled at a 4 month low this week.  As many of you know, the sales pickup stalled when crude oil prices began spiking earlier this year.  Moving in lock step with crude oil, corn futures began to dive from recent heights.

Source:  CME Group

Lower prices for corn and crude oil as we hit the busy summer season is welcome news for restaurants, hotels and caterers.  Patrons will be able to fill their tanks for less money.  Your invoice prices for meat and grain products will be lower.  There's enough volatility in the markets to cover any recent menu price increases.

We could use a few more weeks like this end of spring gift.

The Best TV Dads Through the Decades

Happy Father's Day!!

NPR Sunday Puzzle: June 19, 2011

Here's the solution to last week's NPR Sunday Puzzle (June 12):

Answer: 18 lines (illustrated here).

NPR Sunday Puzzle for June 19:
Think of a former world leader whose first and last names both sound like things you might see in a mine. Who is the leader, and what are the things?

Submit your answer to NPR for a chance to be on next week's broadcast and be sure to visit Jenny's Noodle next Sunday to see the correct answer!

The World's Favorite Food Is . . .

Photo credit: SteamyKitchen

. . . pasta!

According to a new Oxfam survey of over 16,000 people in 17 countries, the world loves to eat pasta.

And pizza too!

In the United States, pizza was ranked the most popular food, with 15% of Americans listing it as their favorite followed by steak, chicken and Mexican cuisine.

Globally, the top three foods are pasta, meat and rice.

I'm proud to be an American! And a citizen of the world as well!

> Read the full Oxfam report

(via Time)

100 Years of IBM Innovations

IBM Centennial Film: 100 X 100 - A century of achievements that have changed the world
The film features one hundred people, who each present the IBM achievement recorded in the year they were born. The film chronology flows from the oldest person to the youngest, offering a whirlwind history of the company and culminating with its prospects for the future.

IBM (International Business Machines) celebrates its 100th birthday on June 16, 2011.

FUN FACT: I recently learned that Jeopardy contestant/computer "Watson" was named after IBM's first president Thomas John Watson, Sr. But you already knew that. Sure you did, Ken Jennings.

Dripped: The Animated Quest of an Artist

A colorful animation created "en hommage à Jackson Pollock (1912-1956)."

(via ChezEddy)

"It's Gettin' Real in the Whole Foods Parking Lot" Rap

Went to Whole Foods after work this evening. Wish I had seen this sooner so I could've sung to the cashier...

"Damn, I'm about to check out.
Pay my 80 bucks for 6 things and get the heck out."

(via HuffPo)

Happy Flag Day!

"Three Flags" (1958) by Jasper Johns; Encaustic on canvas (30 7/8 x 45 x 5 in); Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. Art © Jasper Johns/ Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY.

Fashion Tips from Michael Kors [Video]

Project Runway judge and designer favorite Michael Kors recently shared 3 of his best fashion tips with ABC's 20/20. Listen to the man, ladies — he's a style genius.

(via Shopping Blog)

Cheers to Animated Dads

 

Can you guess which animated dads are referenced by the minimalist beer cans above?

> See the answers here

Remember: Father's Day is this Sunday, June 19!

Magimix Cutting Edge Veggie Art

Fruit and vegetables recreate art masterpieces by Magritte, Leonardo da Vinci and Picasso in this clever ad campaign for kitchen food processor Magimix.

(via Ads of the World)

NPR Sunday Puzzle: June 12, 2011

Here's the solution to last week's NPR Sunday Puzzle (June 5):

Answer: American Idol and Eric Idle

NPR Sunday Puzzle for June 12

This Hat Rack Puzzle by Sam Lloyd was published 100 years ago in Woman's Home Companion:

A hat room contains a wall with 49 pegs, arranged in a 7-by-7 square. The hat clerk has 20 hats that are to be hung on 20 different pegs. How many lines, containing four hats in a straight line, is it possible to produce?

A line can go in any direction: horizontally, vertically or obliquely. To explain your answer, number the pegs in order, from 1 in the upper left corner to 49 in the lower right corner; list which pegs you put the 20 hats on, and give the total number of lines containing four hats in a row.

Submit your answer to NPR for a chance to be on next week's broadcast and be sure to visit Jenny's Noodle next Sunday to see the correct answer!

Meredith Vieira's Final Journey on TODAY

In case you missed it — maybe because you have a job and are a responsible employee who always arrives at work by 9:00am — this was one of the more entertaining farewell tribute segments to Meredith Vieira during her final TODAY Show.

No Tony Soprano cameo. But good to see Abe Vigoda still going strong!

NPR Sunday Puzzle: June 5, 2011

Here's the solution to last week's NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 22):

Answer: URBAN and RURAL

NPR Sunday Puzzle for June 5: Take the two-word title of a TV series. The first word contains a famous actor's first name in consecutive letters. The second word is a homophone for this actor's last name. Name the series and the actor.

Submit your answer to NPR for a chance to be on next week's broadcast and be sure to visit Jenny's Noodle next Sunday to see the correct answer!

GE Brings Van Gogh to Life at London's National Gallery

Photo credit: GE

"A Wheatfield, with Cypresses" (1889), Vincent van Gogh

You're probably familiar with the slogan: "GE, we bring good things to life." Now for the first time ever, General Electric (GE) has has brought a famous painting to life, right outside London's National Gallery.

The "living wall" is a reproduction of Vincent van Gogh’s masterpiece A Wheatfield, with Cypresses, and is situated on the western side of the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. Over 8,000 plants of more than 26 different varieties were used to recreate the piece.

The live painting will be grown throughout the summer and autumn, remaining on public view until the end of October 2011.

A Wheatfield, with Cypresses was painted in September 1889, when Van Gogh was in the St-Rémy mental asylum, where he was a patient from May 1889 until May 1890.

> Also see: Starry Night recreated on Etch-A-Sketch

And the 2011 Scripps National Spelling Bee Winner is . . .

Photo credit: Zap2it

cy·mot·ri·chous
Pronunciation: sahy-mo-truh-kuhs
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: having wavy hair

Congratulations to Sukanya Roy, the 2011 Scripps National Spelling Bee winner!

In case you missed last night's final round on ESPN (I didn't), Sukanya, a 14-year-old girl from South Abington, Pennsylvania, won with the word cymotrichous. As in, the humid weather causes my cymotrichous to flare up. Okay, maybe that's not exactly the correct usage.

> Would you have qualified for the Semifinal round? Test your spelling skills

June 3 is National Donut Day!

Time to make the donuts — June 3 is National Donut Day!

Today also happens to be National Repeat Day.

I say why not celebrate both? Eat a donut. And then eat another one. And another. And repeat. And so on. And so on...

Gumball Wars [Video]

(via Scott Thierauf)

USDA Serves Up MyPlate, Replaces Conventional Food Pyramid

The conventional food pyramid poster we all remember from Health class has been replaced with a new minimalist Simon game-esque plate.

First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today unveiled the federal government’s new food icon, MyPlate, to serve as a reminder to help consumers make healthier food choices.

"When mom or dad comes home from a long day of work, we’re already asked to be a chef, a referee, a cleaning crew," said the First Lady, "so it’s tough to be a nutritionist, too. But we do have time to take a look at our kids’ plates. As long as they’re half full of fruits and vegetables, and paired with lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy, we’re golden. That’s how easy it is."

Wait, no dessert?!



> Learn more at www.choosemyplate.gov

The Profitable Butcher - Part 3

With the recent rapid increase in meat prices, operators are discussing the merits of smaller portions.  If they serve an 8 ounce steak, they may be considering a 7.5 ounce portion.  For operations with large portions, the change may be from 16 ounces to 15 ounces.

A change from 8 to 7.5 ounces is a 6.25% reduction.  Everyone is familiar with the coffee cans at the local market.  It is rare to find a one pound can.  Actual weights are often less than one pound.  Sometimes, the size of the can stays the same but the net weight changes.

Would your customers notice their serving is only 93.75% as big as last time?

They may not notice a small change in the serving and they may not care.  If you notice the plates coming from the dining room have uneaten meat or fish, your current portion size may be too large.  Consider a slight drop in size.  The profit potential is significant.

Take a look at the big picture.  If you use 800 pounds per week at $6 per pound, a drop from 8 to 7.5 ounces will save $300 (around $15,000 per year).

This strategy should not be combined with an immediate and significant price increase.  Raising the price and decreasing the portion size doubles the risk of your customers objecting to your strategy. 

[For my loyal readers, the bakery I wrote about when flour prices went through the roof is now under new management.  They made the changes too obvious.

The size of the loaves decreased by 20% for the same price which was perceptible.  They eventually raised the cost per loaf by 15%.  Traffic suffered and they never regained their gross margin.]

The Profitable Butcher - Part 2

Tracking butcher yields is essential if you decide to trim your meat and fish rather than buying portion cuts.  Too often, managers treat the process with a lackadaisical attitude.

"We use the trim in ravioli.  They're free."  "This week's meat was fatty."  "Our butcher doesn't slice the steaks evenly."  "We only pay $6 per pound and the portion control cuts would cost $7."  "Nothing is wasted.  We make all of our stocks from scratch."

The common theme is a lack of clarity.  You can't afford to butcher meat in your operation if you do not closely track the process.  Butcher yields can fluctuate widely.  The differences in yields need to be monitored closely.

I know an operator who carefully tracks each batch.  The starting weight and number of pieces of meat are recorded.  The log contains the cost per pound paid to the meat supplier.  After trimming the meat and slicing the steaks, the butcher records the number of steaks, usable trim and waste.  All costs flow from the starting weight and cost per pound.

This person has a well documented 3-ring binder with each butcher batch sorted by date.  I went through the history and found the overall yield was very close to the restaurant's standard.  More importantly, the yield from batch to batch varied by plus or minus 5%.  This is a 10% spread.

Most operators do not keep these records.  The time to record the batch is minimal and the gain in information is tremendous.  Understanding your standard yield is key to tracking usage and gross profit.

The Profitable Butcher - Part 1

Our goal is to keep the cost per portion as low as possible while maintaining the current standard.  The focus is on the center of the plate.  Most people break down their current meat and fish using a cost per ounce model. 

There are many limitations to this approach.

Your cost per ounce may be 50 cents.  If you take a piece of meat which costs $6 per pound and you lose 25% in unusable trim, your cost per pound is $8 and your cost per ounce is 50 cents.

Our first issue is the 25% unusable trim.  This implies a 75% yield when we focus on our center of the plate portion.  What happens if a particular piece of meat yields 80%?

Instead of 50 cents per ounce, we would only pay 46.875 cents per ounce.  Is this meaningful?  Do people actually see the impact?  I would argue they don't see the impact clearly.

If the piece of meat weighs 10 pounds, the 50 cent per ounce model assumes 120 ounces.  We would expect to yield 15 - 8 ounce steaks.  The 80% yield would increase the number of steaks from 15 to 16.  The same numbers are in play with only a slight change in yield.  The piece of meat weighs 10 pounds and the cost per pound is $6.  Only the yield changes from 75% to 80%.

The extra steak is the true benefit.  Monitoring a 3.125 cents per ounce change won't be easy to explain in meetings.  "we should have a slightly better profit this weekend because our cost per usable ounce decreased by 3.125 cents..."

The extra steak would cost $4 using the 75% standard at $6 per pound.  Our goal is to save this $4.

Perhaps we could find a supplier who usually delivers meat which yields 80%.  If we expect to purchase 10,000 - 10 pound pieces per year, we would save $40,000.  The savings would occur 1 steak at a time as we gain the extra steak from each batch.  Using our POS system, we can make sure we get the sales for the extra steaks and the gross profit increase will appear in our bank account.

Rather than tracking 3.125 cents per ounce, we can track these extra steaks.