Rail Paul

GrubStreet has an article about Mr Kirschenbaum, who has brought several wage / tips / working conditions on behalf of restaurant workers.

Although the industry likes to cite his suits against small operators, it seems his usual strategy is to bring a class action in situations where a celebrity chef etc is the defendant. That will allow publicity to work in favor of his clients, often people who lack the resources to fight back against owners. The suits against Batali / Bastianich, Nobu and others won huge settlements.

Owners have said that settling is just cheaper than letting a suit drag out through the legal system, but since the cases don't go to court, it raises the main question surrounding Kirschenbaum's practice: Are the restaurants being sued really doing anything illegal, or has Kirschenbaum identified a legal gray area that he can exploit?

Carolyn Richmond, a lawyer for numerous restaurateurs, told the Post that suits like Kirschenbaum’s are “a disaster for many small operators” and remarked to Crain’s that “from our perspective, [such lawsuits are] a scam.” In the same article, Andrew Rigie, the executive vice-president of the city chapter of the New York Restaurant Association, claimed that “the litigious atmosphere in New York” was compelling operators to open establishments in other cities.

One industry commenter observed that the "litigious climate in NY" is forcing some owners to open restaurants in other cities.  Where, presumably, the legal climate is more friendly to underpaying staff, grabbing tips, etc.

http://www.grubstree...um-profile.html

Eater reports DB will open a version of DBGB in the Venetian Resort.

later this year

http://eater.com/arc...an-in-vegas.php

The NRA (National Restaurant Association) offers ten trends to watch in the business...

1. Healthy kids’ food. With new school nutritional guidelines in effect, many exhibitors had reworked their products to fit those standards, including baked snack chips made with whole grains, whole wheat crackers and granola clusters.

2. Tropical flavors. Passion fruit, guava and especially mango were prominently on display, particularly flavoring iced teas and desserts. Coconut was on many desserts, too, possibly benefiting from the popularity of coconut water, which was being handed out on Sunday to attendees using the free shuttles to get to McCormick Place from downtown Chicago.

Water, iced tea, advanced Greek yogurt, gluten-free, Peruvian, salted caramel, and superfoods like acai, etc were also on the list.

http://nrn.com/nra-s...s-2013-nra-show

The Star Ledger's Munchmobile made its debut trip of 2013 earlier this week.  Korean Fried Chicken was the object.

Korean fried chicken is a distant relative - maybe second cousin four times removed, if there is such a thing - from Southern fried chicken. It's usually twice deep-fried to render out the fat, boasts a pronounced crunch, and generally comes in spicy and garlic versions.

And it takes 20 minutes or more to cook; you won't find ready-to-go chicken under heat lamps.

They liked the selections, and even found a baked version.

http://www.nj.com/en...t_entertainment

YAM YAM, NORWOOD

BON CHON, FORT LEE

CHICKEN 9ERS, FORT LEE

BOOM BOOM, FORT LEE

PECK PECK, TEANECK

MAD FOR CHICKEN, BERGENFIELD

Mezze Restaurant Group (Mezze in Williamstown MA and Allium in Great Barrington) have a list of their farm partners on the corporate website.  Pretty extensive list, with a few interlopers like Anson Mills sneaking in.

Sample:

• Hillman Farm, Colrain, MA
• Holiday Brook Farm, Dalton, MA
• Indian Line Farm, South Egremont, MA
• Ioka Valley Farm, Hancock, MA
• Jaeschke’s Orchard, Adams, MA
• Jameson’s High Meadow Farm, Chester, MA
• Lakeview Orchard, Lanesboro, MA
• Left Field Farm, Middlefield, MA
• Lightwing Farms, Cheshire, MA

http://www.mezzeinc.com/farm-partners/