SFM Explores "Critical Issues"

FM Staff

Members and guests of the Society for Foodservice Management (SFM) gathered in New York City recently for the SFM Critical Issues Conference.The single-day event was hosted by regional foodservice management firm CulinArt, Inc., at its recently opened operation at the United Federation ofTeachers Building on Broadway in Lower Manhattan.

A number of individual presentations and panel discussions highlighted the event. Among them were welcome addresses by SFM President Ron Ehrhardt and CulinArt President Tom Eich, an industry retrospective from MBNA America Bank Executive Vice President (and recent Silver Plate winner—see p. 40) Gary Gunderson and a comprehensive discussion of consumer-driven menu trends by consultant Nancy Kruse, president of The Kruse Co..

The panel discussions, one dealing with Ease Through Technology and the other discussing Good Business Sense, were facilitated by another recent Silver Plate winner, Boston College Dining Services Director Patricia Bando (see p. 36).

The technology panel included-Christian Lecole, vice president of Global Dining Services forLehman Brothers,Inc.,andKathy Sanders, vice president or corporate services at Wachovia. As part of his presentation, Lecole talked about the technology challenges and security issues created by Lehman's late-night-dining program.

The Business Sense panel featured Traci Dunn, director of diversity at Compass Group North America; Kelly Ann Friend, vice president of operations for Whitsons Food Service Corp. and Arlene Spiegel, president of the Arlene Spiegel & Associates consulting firm.

Spiegel's comments provided attendees with examples of prototype commercial concepts that may have applicability to the onsite foodservice environment.

She also focused on the use of value-added products as a way to reduce production costs in even high-end kitchens. She talked about how outsourced products made it possible for eight people—only two of them chefs—to put on a highend eight-course luncheon for two thousand "foodies" at an event she had recently attended in New York.

The technology is available and the products are available," she noted. "It's just a matter of mindset."

Some of the ideas she discussed included a paella station, a Cuban cuisine concept and a crepe concept-that features cones filled with a variety of pre-prepared and individually rethermed fillings.