Maryland Food Industry Blog | Restaurant Association of Maryland

3 Ways Technology Can Lower Food Costs

7/6/2017

Presented by: SynergySuite, Restaurant Management Software

Innovation in cloud-based software and mobile technology today has dramatically increased the ability for businesses to easily capture data to better manage their restaurants. Restaurants can analyze aspects of their business with data that wasn’t previously available or easy to collect. Restaurants can now optimize processes, make better decisions, and save time and money.

Here are some of the best ways a restaurant chain can take action with technology to save on food costs:

Restaurant Association of Maryland Scholarships

6/26/2017

The Restaurant Association of Maryland Education Foundation awarded over $11,000 in scholarships this past spring. Most awards went to high school seniors and students already enrolled in culinary programs. Each year RAMEF promotes its scholarships to help young people continue their education in the culinary arts and hospitality management fields.

Restaurant Association of Maryland Elects New Directors

6/15/2017

After a statewide search for candidates, the Restaurant Association of Maryland (RAM) completed the annual nomination process for its Board of Directors. The following list of new Officers and Directors were voted in at the Annual RAM Membership Meeting held at Sysco Baltimore on June 14th.

Restaurants Across Maryland Honor Fallen and Missing Soldiers

5/25/2017

Missing Man Table displayed at Maggie's Restaurant in Westminster, MD

This Memorial Day weekend, restaurants across the state of Maryland will have “Missing Man” tables set in their dining rooms to honor the American soldiers who have lost their lives or are still missing in action while serving their country. These tables are also referred to as a MIA/POW table, Empty table or Fallen Comrade table.

The Missing Man table is a permanent place of honor found in military dining facilities that are also set up during service balls and other military dining occasions. The tradition of setting a separate table in honor of fallen and missing soldiers has been in place since the end of the Vietnam War. The manner in which the table is decorated is full of special symbols to help us remember the sacrifice these men, women and their families have given to their country.

As families and friends get together this holiday weekend, restaurants across the state will have Missing Man tables set up to remind their customers of those we have lost. The Restaurant Association of Maryland led the effort to educate restaurants on the meaning of the Missing Man table and encouraged their members to participate.

Ransomware Attacks - WannaCry

5/17/2017

On Friday May 12th, thousands of computer users worldwide logged on and found threats to delete their computer files, which were encrypted, unless they paid up to 300.00 USD or more in Bitcoin payments to the hackers. As of this writing, more than 200,000 systems were attacked in at least 150 countries.

Computers were infected with a variant of ransomware, a form of cyber extortion, known as WannaCry. A message saying, “Oops, your important files are encrypted” flashed across the victims’ screens all over the world.

Most ransomware is spread by emails with attachments that require someone to click to start the encryption. However, what was unique in this case is that the ransomware spread through networks on its own once the first person clicks on an email attachment.

Rossmann-Hurt-Hoffmann / HUB International created the PDF document below that has more information regarding Ransomware and the WannaCry attacks. For more information of how to protect your restaurant or business, contact Courtney Watson at cwatson@rhhinsurance.com

ransomware__wannacry__attack_bulletin_-_final_v3.pdf
File Size:	1748 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Mid-Atlantic Food, Beverage & Lodging Expo Booths Available

5/9/2017

Join the region's foodservice industry this September 26-27 at the Mid-Atlantic Food, Beverage & Lodging Expo! This face-to-face sales opportunity puts 200 companies in front of thousands of new and current customers. Restaurant Owners, Hotel GMs, Caterers, Bar Managers and more attend!

Outsource Your Restaurant Payroll

5/5/2017

If you’re managing your payroll in-house, you’re missing out on some significant benefits — and it might be costing you more than you realize. Fortunately, there is a simple solution that can give you back precious time and restore some peace of mind: outsourcing. Here are ten of the most critical reasons to outsource your payroll now.
Ten Reasons to Outsource Your Payroll

2017 Stars of the Restaurant Industry Award Winners Announced!

4/30/2017

Over 600 Members of the Restaurant and Hospitality Industry Attend the Restaurant Association of Maryland’s Annual Awards Gala in Baltimore.

The Restaurant Association of Maryland is excited to announce the winners of the 63rd Annual Stars of the Restaurant Industry Awards. The Gala celebration and awards presentation took place Sunday, April 30th at the Baltimore Renaissance Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland. Over thirty-five thousand votes were cast to decide the favorite Maryland restaurants and industry professionals.

“The Gala is our opportunity to honor and give recognition to elite restaurants across the state. We are fortunate to have such a diverse group of restaurants to choose from who are dedicated to their customers, their community and their employees,” said Marshall Weston, President and CEO of the Restaurant Association of Maryland.

FDA Menu Labeling Rule for Chain Restaurants

4/24/2017

UPDATE May 4, 2017: FDA Delays Menu Labeling Compliance until May 2018

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced that they are delaying the compliance date for federal menu labeling requirements from May 5, 2017 to May 7, 2018. According to FDA, this extension allows for further consideration of what opportunities there may be to reduce costs and enhance the flexibility of these requirements beyond those reflected in the final rule.

School of Fish - Scallops

4/17/2017

Can you tell the difference between domestic and Hokkaidos scallops?

With a plethora of ingredients being purchased daily by restaurant owners, operators and chefs, knowing the most information possible about your products is an advantage that is sometimes left untapped. Local seafood distributor, J.J. McDonnell has developed a series of informative, no-cost classes for area chefs that give an in depth look into the seafood that they are using and the story behind each product.

RAM attended the School of Fish in March, which was co-hosted by Maine's Bristol Seafood. This particular session educated attending chefs on the differences between domestic scallops and Japanese Hokkaidos scallops.