News (Noticias) Tagged ‘restaurant’

WHAT

The free training materials for the upcoming National Food Safety Education Month are now available in Spanish and English. These materials are designed around the 2008 theme, “Take Action to Prevent an Allergic Reaction,” (Tome Medidas para Prevenir las Reacciones Alérgicas) and help operators reinforce the importance of reducing the incidence of food allergy reactions in the establishment by focusing on five weekly themes:

* Know the Common Food Allergens (Conozca las sustancias alergénicas más comunes)

* Communication with the Customer (Cómo comunicarse con los clientes)

* Avoiding Cross-Contact (Cómo evitar el contacto cruzado)

* When Mistakes Happen (Cuando ocurren errores)

* Symptoms of an Allergic Reaction (Los síntomas de las reacciones alérgicas)

WHERE

As part of our continued efforts to align NFSEM with the most current, proper food safety practices, the NFSEM Web site is now a part of ServSafe.com. The free training and promotional materials can be found on the new site – www.ServSafe.com/NFSEM

WHO

Industry professionals are encouraged to use these materials to take part in this national awareness campaign. The free weekly training activities and free posters are designed to emphasize the importance of food allergen awareness; and can be used to supplement in-unit food safety training.

About NFSEM

National Food Safety Education Month was created in 1994 to heighten the awareness about the importance of food safety education. Each year a new theme and free training activities and posters are created for the restaurant and foodservice industry to help reinforce proper food safety practices and procedures. Visit www.ServSafe.com/NFSEM today to learn more.”

Unique Pizza and Subs Corporation (OTC:UPZS - News) received its first commitment for its Latino Initiative. On July 16th, 2008 UPZS announced they were working with The Dream Factory, Inc. (DRMF) to raise up to $150 million for 30 Latino families to open Unique Pizza and Subs locations. The Cardenas family, loyal shareholders of UPZS and residents of La Puente, California, was the first to make the life changing commitment on July 21st, 2008. Patricia ‘Pattie’ Cardenas, who will initially run the business, said, “I am so excited that we will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to better our family and thanks to the Dram Factory and UPZS, we will have our dream come true. Thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ it’s all possible.” Jesus ‘Chuy’ Cardenas, Pattie’s husband and greatest supporter, said, “When I was sixteen, I came to America in hope of a better life and I worked all my life in restaurants for other people and now our dream will come true for us to have this opportunity to own our own business, thank you God.”

President/CEO of UPZS, James C. Vowler, stated, “Over the past couple of years I have had the honor of speaking in front of many loyal Latino UPZS shareholders in southern California. I noticed a strong interest in these communities to own their own UPZS franchise but they did not all have access to the funding necessary to get started. Working with DRMF we are now able to help 30 Latino families live their dreams and this is just the beginning.”

President/CEO of DRMF, Garland E. Harris, commented, “Our corporate dream is to help 62,400 entrepreneurs raise $1-$5 Million dollars and go public – starting with 1000 new franchisees of UPZS - starting with 30 Latino families – starting with one – the Cardenas Family.”

This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 27E of the Securities Act of 1934. Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that actual performance and results may differ materially from that projected or suggested. “*

THE motif at Macondo, a restaurant and bar that opened last week on Houston Street on the Lower East Side, is “estilo libre latino,” which translates to “freestyle Latino.” This may explain why I found myself drinking an avocado at the bar there last Thursday. An avocado cóctel? That’s freestyle, baby.”*

HAMPTON BAYS, N.Y. - The owners of a Long Island diner say police raided, blockaded and threatened to shut down their eatery to try to stop them from catering to Hispanics. “*

A company that owns 11 McDonald’s restaurants in Nevada was fined one million dollars Wednesday after pleading guilty to employing 58 illegal immigrants.”*

Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine Franchising, Inc. announced today that their second franchisee, Patricia Mahabir of Woodhaven, NY, scheduled the opening of her first franchised Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine restaurant and the second franchise in the chain’s history on Wednesday, July 16. Patricia’s restaurant is at 28 East 23rd Street across from Washington Square Park in downtown Manhattan, NY. Mrs. Mahabir, a key member of Sophie’s founding family, said: “After working many years in the family business I feel confident that I know what it takes to run a successful Sophie’s. My husband Tom, who operates his own pharmacy in New Jersey, and I intend to keep and surpass the quality and standards that guests have come to expect from a Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine restaurant.”

Sofia Luna, co-founder and President of Sophie’s, and Patricia’s sister, said that Patricia would have the benefit of Sophie’s strong brand equity in New York as well as close hands-on guidance. She also noted “Patricia’s passion for our food and her strong experience in the business will make her restaurant one of our top selling units.”

Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine restaurants have been delighting hungry lunchtime crowds since 1997 when the Luna family opened their first restaurant in Lower Manhattan near the World Trade Center.

Sophie’s features the best of the leading current restaurant trends in one restaurant; tasty “comfort food” with a Cuban neighborhood feel; freshly made, healthy foods; a fast cafeteria-style line where guests see what they will be eating; and superior customer service where everyone is treated like a friend or neighbor. Take out and delivery orders represent a large portion of overall sales.

The restaurants offer freshly made, savory, authentic Cuban specialties such as Ropa Vieja (Shredded Beef Stew), Camarón al Ajillo (Shrimps In Garlic Sauce), Maduros (Fried Sweet Plantains), Papa Rellena (Mashed Potatoes Stuffed With Ground Beef Stew), Ox Tail Stew, plenty of Arroz con Frijoles (Rice and Beans), and of course, the traditional Cuban Sandwich. “*

Plano-based Bennigan’s Grill & Tavern has started making Spanish-language menus available to its diners nationwide.

The new menus, which were placed in the chain’s 310 restaurants last month and are available upon request, have been well-received, a company executive said Monday. “*

Pizza Hut will begin a new Spanish language advertising campaign for Tuscani Pastas featuring real people captured on hidden camera who are surprised by the restaurant-quality of the new dishes.

The new spot, titled “Cooking Show,” was shot in Mexico City, where people on the street were invited to a taping of the new cooking show “Cocina Tuscani.” After watching the chef prepare his specialty pasta dishes, the audience sampled the two pasta styles — Meaty Marinara and Creamy Chicken Alfredo. Only after sampling did the participants learn that the pastas were not created by a chef from a five-star restaurant in Rome, but were instead prepared by Pizza Hut.

“In less than three months, Tuscani Pastas have been an extremely popular addition to our menu and have established Pizza Hut as a leader in the pasta restaurant industry,” said Brian Niccol, Pizza Hut chief marketing officer. “Our new Spanish language ads again capture the strong positive reactions we receive on the quality and great taste of our pasta.”

In April, Pizza Hut introduced Tuscani Pastas, the first restaurant-quality pastas delivered by a national pizza chain. Since the debut, Tuscani Pastas have been a welcome addition at dinner tables across the country, with more than two million units sold in the first month. The launch ad for Tuscani Pastas featured real people being surprised to learn that their gourmet pasta meal at the grand opening of a restaurant was delivered by Pizza Hut.

The hidden-camera concept of real people enjoying the quality of the Tuscani Pastas was carried into the Spanish language television and radio spots. The new spots were created by Dieste Harmel and Partners and will begin airing nationally on June 29.

Among pasta consumers, Hispanic households eat pasta more often than the national average, according to data from Mintel research(1). Hispanic households enjoy a complete package pasta dinner 5.7 times over a 30-day period, compared to 5.0 times for all households and also eat canned/jarred spaghetti or macaroni 2.7 times per month versus 2.2 times for all households.

Tuscani Pastas come in two chef-inspired styles: Creamy Chicken Alfredo and Meaty Marinara, which are delivered right to your door. Both recipes feature rotini pasta and a delicious blend of sauce and cheese that’s added to the pasta before it is oven baked. Each of the Tuscani Pastas is over three pounds and come with a bag of five freshly baked breadsticks.

Tuscani Pastas are priced at $11.99 and can be ordered online at pizzahut.com, or through Pizza Hut’s newest method of ordering, Total Mobile Access, using text messaging or mobile Web on your cellular phone. You can also download Pizza Hut’s new desktop ordering widget and order Tuscani Pastas directly from your computer in just a few clicks.”

Jóvenes SANOS, a Watsonville teen group that tackles obesity issues among area youth, took to the streets Wednesday afternoon to ask community members if they would support efforts to limit the number of fast-food restaurants in town.

The survey effort took two weeks, with the four teens in the group’s city planning team conducting 100 surveys, a job they completed Wednesday.”*

The mountain of cash sent home by Mexicans in the United States is shrinking for the first time in over a decade, putting the dampers on Mexico’s economy as a U.S. slowdown takes work away from immigrants.

In rural towns like Tonatico, in central Mexico, where about half the men are in the United States, rodeos and country dances are being canceled and restaurants, which play U.S. hip hop music brought home by returning sons, are languishing. “*

Greater Cincinnati integrated public relations and marketing consultancy firm Eisen Management Group has been named agency of record (AOR) for the Cincinnati Chapter of the National Society of Hispanic MBAs. The professional organization has hired EMG to develop and implement a new communications program and advocacy initiative designed to awareness, sponsorships and membership.

According to EMG president Rodger Roeser, one of the main thrusts of the campaign will be to build better general understanding of NSHMBA, and to bring a more “human element” to the chapter by sharing the benefits of professional development, networking and education offered by the organization to sponsors, current and prospective membership.

“It’s an incredible group of some of the best and brightest in our city, who are passionately dedicated to building understanding and fostering leadership,” Roeser says. “We as an agency look forward to utilizing our expertise to share those stories with fellow business leaders and the general public.”

NSHMBA Cincinnati chapter president Gema Bahns explained that Eisen was chosen not only because of its success in working with other professional organizations, but also because of the shared passion for their craft between agency and client. “You can see it in their eyes and their actions how much the group at EMG cares about its craft and its clientele,” Bahns said. “We know and appreciate that we are not the largest client in the world, but they make us feel like we are. We are a passionate group of hard working professionals dedicated to something larger than any of us individually, and EMG quickly understood what we needed, and put us into motion to achieve that.”

Roeser explained that the three main communications initiatives as part of the public relations campaign are:

• You need neither be Hispanic nor an MBA to join the chapter;
• it is a powerful networking, educational and sponsorship opportunity for businesses and leaders seeking to learn, profit and reach out to a high level, diverse audience, and;
• that stereotypes regarding Hispanics need to be addressed and overcome.

Roeser said he expects the agency to implement a social media and online campaign, combined with general operations and brand alignment, local publicity, and literature development.

There are currently 200 members of the Cincinnati NSHMBA chapter.

About NSHMBA

The National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) was created in 1988 as a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization. Widely known as the “Premier Hispanic Organization,” NSHMBA serves 32 chapters and 7,000 members in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. It exists to foster Hispanic leadership through graduate management education and professional development. NSHMBA works to prepare Hispanics for leadership positions throughout the U.S., so that they can provide the cultural awareness and sensitivity vital in the management of the nation’s diverse workforce. It’s vision is to be the premier Hispanic MBA professional business network for economic and philanthropic advancement, and its mission is to foster Hispanic leadership through graduate management education and professional development in order to improve society. More information can be accessed at www.nshmba.org.

About EMG

Eisen Management Group is a fully integrated public relations and marketing firm, providing strategic communications and marketing counsel, implementation and brand development. The firm specializes in creating growth opportunities for small to medium sized businesses, governmental and public affairs organizations, professional services, restaurant, retail and CPG. The firm also offers a full suite of in house graphic design, audio design and podcasting. Expert team, with guaranteed best agency rates in a fully integrated, responsive environment. More information can be accessed at www.BestCincinnatiPRFirm.com or by calling 859.291.4302.

If you can imagine a paleta, you can produce it. I’ve made them with horchata, the sweet rice-milk drink spiked with cinnamon that is sold throughout Mexico and in many Mexican restaurants in the United States. I’ve made them with a combination of cucumber, watermelon and lime (more or less traditional), and from little more than canned coconut milk sweetened with sugar and spiked with a bit of rum.

For the fruit, consider pineapple (best puréed with water or a little pineapple juice), lime, melon, mango or berries. Seasonings can include citrus (lime is especially popular), spirits, cinnamon and chili.

You can even make something approaching a chocolate ice pop by starting with hot cocoa, made with more water than milk, then freezing it.”*

Whether it’s the passionate beat of Flamenco, the exotic taste of tapas or the earthy kick of a glass of Rioja wine, Spanish culture is finding a new home in Hong Kong.

Many in this largely wealthy Chinese territory are giving a resounding “ole!” to anything Spanish these days, prompting an explosion of high-end tapas bars, dance and guitar classes and food and wine tastings over the past few months.

“We feel the Spanish people are full of passion and full of color. It’s very exotic to us,” said Ling Tsang, a diner at the Ole Spanish restaurant and wine bar.”*

One of the delights of dining in the South Bay is the chance to explore the flavors of so many cultures. We may not boast a critical mass of top tier restaurants, but we’re rich in eateries serving the native foods of immigrants from around the world.

Until recently, however, one cuisine that wasn’t easy to find was Peruvian - a lively, likeable blend of Latin, European, Asian and African influences. Martha and Jose Bohorquez fixed that when they opened Nazca Peruvian Cuisine in downtown San Jose in late March.”*

Chase is using its new advertising campaign to reach out to Hispanic consumers with a straightforward message: “Chase. Juntos Se Puede” Chase. Together We Can.

The campaign builds on both Chase’s expanded capabilities to serve Latinos’ banking needs and its Chase What Matters campaign of focusing on what matters most to customers.

“Our commercials show how Chase can help in situations that Hispanic consumers have experienced both in the United States and in their home country,” said Rebeca Vargas, head of the multicultural segment at Chase. “We are also using traditional music in Spanish – including a cha-cha-cha — to deliver culturally relevant messages.”

The campaign, which began June 11, will raise Chase’s visibility as a partner “socio” for Latino consumers to provide consumers with the tools and guidance to better manager their money and achieve their financial goals

The nearly 45 million Latino community is the largest minority and fastest-growing group in the United States.

The two TV commercials use the same dramatic black-and-white approach as the broader Chase What Matters campaign, but the stories were developed specifically for Hispanics:

“Bodeguero” shows a frustrated young Latino who can’t make a purchase at a local bodega because he doesnt have the exact change. Chase shows how its debit card provides access to a customer’s money anytime and everywhere. The spot promotes a Chase checking account that is free when consumers make five debit card purchases in a statement period. The spot’s music is “El Bodeguero” by Orquesta Aragon.
“Letter” shows a Latino man opening a letter bearing bad news: He has overdrawn his bank account by overspending on gifts and dates with his girlfriend. At the end of the spot, he slyly uses his cellphone to check his bank account balance before entering a nice restaurant with his girlfriend. The music used in the spot is Nelson Ned’s “Me pasé de la cuenta” — “I spent more than I should have.”

“Our ‘Letter’ commercial uses humor to show consumers how easy it is to use Chase’s mobile banking to help manage their money,” Vargas said. “It’s relevant to talk to Latinos about this service because they or someone they know may have experienced overdrafts.”

The campaign also includes three radio commercials – focusing on the following topics:

Mobile banking, which also allows customers to request alerts about activity in their accounts;
Free checking with debit card usage, and
Chase as the partner “socio” that is ready to help Latinos to better manage their finances.

This new advertising campaign leverages recent improvements Chase has made for Latino consumers:

The introduction of account-opening documents in Spanish for those customers who select Spanish as their language of preference. Half of all Latinos prefer to discuss their finances in Spanish.
The creation of Rapid Cash, a free money remittance service that allows Chase consumers to send money to Mexico from their Chase checking accounts. In 2007, Mexicans in the United States sent an estimated $23 billion to Mexico.

“We want to become the financial institution of choice for Latinos at all stages of their lives,” Vargas said. “We want consumers to see Chase as the bank that they can trust and with whom they can partner to achieve their financial goals for themselves and their families”

Chase worked with Lapiz Leo Burnett, one of the largest advertising agencies in the United States, to create the TV and radio ads. Log onto www.chase.com/espanol/comerciales to view the ads.”*