Sprague Operating Resources LLC (“Sprague”) recently announced a partnership with the Restaurant Association of Maryland (“RAM”) to introduce customized natural gas and electricity offerings for all participating members.  The partnership has been designed to offer RAM members more energy solutions and services.
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RAM represents the interests of its members consisting of foodservice and hospitality businesses including restaurants, bars & taverns, grocery stores, caterers, hotels and other businesses that serve food. “Our long partnership with Sprague is a testament to how well they treat our members.  With the ups and downs of the energy market, Sprague has helped our restaurant members looking to stabilize their electricity and natural gas expenses so they can better plan for the future.”, stated Marshall Weston, RAM President & CEO.

​For more information on the program, please visit www.spragueenergy.com/ramd or email ramd@spragueeenergy.com. 

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 Phillips Seafood Restaurant in Baltimore on June 13th.  Officers hold their post for one year while Directors have a three year term. 

Officers
• Chair of the Board: Kathie Sewell, Regional VP of Golden Corral
• Vice Chair: Brian Boston, owner of the Milton Inn in Sparks, MD
• Treasurer: Rachael Mull, CFO for Victoria Gastro Pub and Manor Hill Brewing Company, both in Howard County, MD
• Secretary: Lee Howard, owner of Urban BBQ

New Directors
• Kevin Keller, The Clyde’s Restaurant Group
• Michelle Torres, Phillips Seafood Restaurants
• David Dopkin, Miss Shirley’s Café and The Classic Catering People
• Tom Knorr, Evolution Craft Brewing Company
• Andy Attman, ACME Paper
• Kimberlee Vandervoorn, UnitedHealth Group

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. 
 
Marshall Weston, President & CEO of the Restaurant Association of Maryland, commented that “Restaurants are the cornerstones of their communities.  They often donate to numerous charitable causes and most offer discounts to military and other service members to thank them for what they do to protect us.  The Missing Man table is just another way for restaurants to recognize and honor them, while also reminding customers of their sacrifice”.

Click the READ MORE button to see how the Missing Man Table is set up and a list of restaurants participating.

​The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) presented their 2018 Educator of Excellence Awards (EEA) for outstanding achievement to thirty-seven educators from across the country. Domenic Mallardi, a ProStart teacher at Charles Herbert Flowers High School in Prince George’s County and a 2018 EEA recipient, was also one of two teachers chosen to receive the prestigious James H. Maynard Excellence in Education Award presented by the National Restaurants Association Education Foundation and Golden Corral. This great national honor highlights the amazing work happening in Chef Mallardi’s ProStart classroom and in ProStart classrooms across Maryland.

​Camera systems, when properly designed, installed, maintained, and utilized, can serve to effectively aid you in deterring, identifying, and alerting to unwanted scenarios to include misconduct and theft. Follow our Do’s and Don’ts below to assure a best practice program which contributes favorably to your organization’s physical security stance.
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A recent letter to the editor regarding the proposed $15 minimum wage (“Atwater: $15 wage is good for business,” March 28) compels me to clarify that the writer’s perspective on this issue does not reflect the broader restaurant industry’s views.

Most restaurants strongly oppose a $15 starting wage because it would be unsustainable for our industry to pay such high wages for low-skill, entry-level jobs. Moreover, such a high starting wage would force employers to also increase wages for veteran employees to maintain the pay differentials between newer and more experienced staff. This reality compounds the higher labor costs associated with such a wage mandate.

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The Restaurant Association of Maryland spent countless hours trying to educate the Baltimore City Council about how a styrofoam ban would significantly hurt the foodservice industry while achieving no real benefit to the city.

Our points have been echoed by Casey Jenkins, owner of Darker Than Blue Cafe.  Read his Guest Opinion in the Maryland Reporter Here.

Governor Larry Hogan invites chefs using local Maryland ingredients to submit original recipes for the Governor’s Buy Local Cookout, which will be held at Government House in Annapolis on July 19. Recipes must be submitted by May 18, and include products from at least one Maryland farmer, waterman, or other producer.
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Chefs are encouraged to submit simple but creative recipes that showcase ways the average Maryland family can prepare delicious, nutritious meals with locally produced food at home.

Culinary high school and college teams are encouraged to submit recipes. Student teams submitting blue catfish recipes may be eligible to receive a donation of blue catfish from Chester River Clam Company if they are selected to participate in the Governor’s cookout (limited to one high school and one college team).

Click Here for the press release with more information