From start to finish – from Bangladesh to Dubai to LA – The Next Idea innovates the restaurant consulting business

Launched in Robert Ancill’s London townhouse with one client in 2001, The Next Idea has emerged as a rarity in the hospitality industry – a full-service restaurant consulting group that creates, maintains and grows concepts around the globe.

                                                         

Few restaurant consultants are tasked to build establishments worldwide, and even fewer work on that level and specializing in concept creation and development - everything from strategy, brand and product development to design, execution and communication.

Based in Los Angeles with offices in Dubai and India, The Next Idea (TNI) has developed over 78 new concepts, and opened or refurbished more than 750 restaurants and cafes worldwide. Currently, TNI has concept development projects in the United States, Dubai and Abu Dhabi (UAE), Nigeria, China, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Bahrain, Qatar, the UK, Mexico, Bangladesh and India.

“That is quite a change from the earliest days when it was just me working alone with one client, but the vision was always to be global, to launch new concepts and re-position existing brands; providing a proprietary support mechanism for clients that is simply not available elsewhere.” said Ancill, who moved The Next Idea to Los Angeles in 2002 with a small group of UK clients. “Yes we are restaurant and Food and beverage experts, but we are also F & B architects, designers, chefs, trainers and management specialists.”

Ancill believes that TNI provides a range of unique Restaurant Creative and Operational services along with high level hospitality consulting products that combine to make client operations more exciting, and appealing to the customer.

“What sets us apart in the industry is ability to fill a niche in the market. Currently if a Client wants a new restaurant they either do it themselves with a group of specialist service providers, or they buy a franchise. The Next Idea sits in the middle of the two traditional options, by providing integrated and highly Creative services along with established and tested operating systems and services. With a TNI program, the client can control the brand with the comfort of an established infrastructure that takes many years to develop. Combined with our passion, depth of experience as innovative food and operations consultants our restaurant solutions have proved to increase frequency, and generate new revenue streams,” Ancill said. “Simply put, our model is becoming increasingly disruptive as we continuously shape the future of restaurant concepts.”

TNI has consulted with some of the world’s most prominent chefs and upscale restaurant groups in addition to working with clients in entertainment, casual dining, fast casual dining, resorts, theme parks and travel. They have also consulted on Spas, beauty salons, health centers, and non-profit ventures.

TNI’s menu of services include restaurant interior design, concept development, creative branding, menu design, training, menu development and engineering, new product launches, operations, human resources, food and beverage software and profit solutions.

Because of our ability to bring together some of the most advanced food and restaurant concepts around the globe, we give clients depth that is rare in our industry,” Ancill said. “We feature the knowledge, experience, creativity, and ability to take account of regional considerations such as the culture and tastes of the local demographics. This is why our skill set becomes invaluable when developing unique concepts adopted for integrated markets.

In 2013, TNI has opened five concepts: Orange & Half Café and Watercress in Bangladesh; Craft Sushi & Noodle Co, Solo Tapas and Skynny Kitchen all in the United States. Next year, TNI has some of its most exciting concepts launching; including a Latino Supper Club and Night Club, a State of The Art Sports Restaurant and a range of new concepts within the travel and tourism industry. The firm’s understanding and embracement of cultural differences will always provide a unique contribute that will elevate every concept’s chances for success, Ancill believes.

“Through our experience in opening restaurants in Bangladesh, for example, we know that people are quick learners and highly motivated, this positive is then enhanced through the welcoming and hospitable culture of the country at large,” Ancill said. “We also understand the challenges, such as very limited access to supplies, the lack of technology with limited support, limited food safety standards and basic safety precautions, challenges in training due to how the culture views gender roles and that simple tasks like obtaining copies of papers made can take several hours of even an entire day.

“Our proprietary systems, unique development and new management model and ability to recognize the culture differences in our various markets around the world give us an advantage that other firms don’t possess,” Ancill added. “This was always the vision from the beginning The Next Idea being a global company and not a regional one.”

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Hire The Next Idea for Outsourced Architectural Services

The Next Idea, an international restaurant consultant is offering outsourced architectural services to its worldwide clients.

TNI interiors is a team of architects and restaurant interior designers providing creative interior, imaging and construction documentation services to build construction professionals. Our services span from development of basic design drawing, to preparation of detailed renders and final drawings to be issues for construction.

                                                                       

We have worked with various internationally established architectural and building construction-consulting firms.

 Our outsourced services expand all areas of architecture and interior design and include the following –

•  Development of drawings from client sketches.
• Development of plans elevations and sections
• Development of detailed drawings for construction
• Development of presentation drawings
• Development of architectural detail drawings
• Paper to CAD conversion

3D RENDERS (3D MAX)

• Development of layout plans on the basis of sketches
• Development of detail drawings
• Detail drawing preparation
• Development of 3D views and presentation drawings

REVIT 3D MODEL

• 3D architectural modeling work
• Arial and elevation 3D views
• Visual stage in the buildings lifecycle from concept to construction

We are expanding our services and are providing restaurant consulting across the world with network support in the following countries:  United Arab Emirates, (Dubai & Abu Dhabi), Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, USA, France, Spain, Italy, South Africa, Angola, Nigeria, West Bank Territories, India, Bangladesh, SriLanka, Vietnam, Croatia, UK, Kenya, Ghana, Tunisia, Morocco, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, Kuwait, Indonesia, Lebanon, & Brazil.

For more information about interior designing, restaurant marketing and consulting, concept development, business planning etc., please visit our website: http://www.thenextidea.net.

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The Next Idea Wishes you a Happy Everything!

The Next Idea, an international restaurant consulting firm is wishing you all, a very happy everything on this festive season.

With the holiday season approaching, do you have plans in place to capitalize on the festive spending season? The Next Idea can tailor any holiday season offer to suit your individual customers. Who also provides an opportunity to market your business and any offers you may wish to promote. We are ready to maximize your business holiday season activities.

                                                          

The Next Idea is a team of skilled industry professionals specializing in restaurant consulting and hotel consulting services with a proven track record of running remarkable restaurants. At The Next Idea we have systematic combination of all strategies, tips and tools involved in our services in order to initially assess what you want to become and where you are right now. We will put together a clear and efficient plan and effort to bringing your restaurant on top of the industry.

Some of the attractive services offered by us, this festive season are:-

• Holiday Menu Development
• Holiday Catering
• Holiday Menu Design

We are equipped to operate across the world with network support in the following countries:  United Arab Emirates, (Dubai & Abu Dhabi), Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, West Bank Territories, India, Bangladesh, SriLanka, Vietnam, Croatia, UK, USA, France, Spain, Italy, South Africa, Angola, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Tunisia, Morocco, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, Kuwait, Indonesia, Lebanon, & Brazil.

For more information about holiday menu development, holiday catering and holiday menu design, concept development, business planning etc., please visit our website: http://www.thenextidea.net.

The Next Idea is committed to provide international food and restaurant consulting and offers advice and consulting in all aspects of restaurant operations, designing, development and management. The company is a highly innovative and experienced team of restaurant consultants and leisure consultants, who have successfully opened and managed more than 250 restaurants, bars, and hotels worldwide. Our team includes established experts in the restaurant, food, retail and leisure industry, offering a combined 70 years of restaurant, hotel and leisure experience.

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Loyalty programs in Restaurants: A Primary Customer Engagement Platform

With consumer eating out habits changing, competition is yet again expanding across previous borders. One of the primary marketing platforms, restaurants are adopting, is Loyalty programs.

                                                                                       

Loyalty programs designed to reward loyal customers with unique and customized benefits and at the same time to maintain a long standing [mutually rewarding] relationship. According to a recent survey held on loyalty program memberships for restaurants, it was revealed that on average each family affiliates to, on average, 18 loyalty programs. Compared to 20 years ago where reward programs were mainly Air Miles, it is evident the importance of loyalty programs and the ever increasing popularity of this strategy.

The Next Idea, the leading Hospitality and Restaurant Consulting Group, points out the advantages of loyalty programs as follows:

• Customers feel special when rewarded with benefits tailor made for their needs; this has two positives: 1) Continued patronage and 2) Spreading the word about their affiliation and the rewards they receive.
• The ability to analyze consumer behavior, and further target customer types and profiles with different offers and promotions
• Loyalty membership can also be offered to casual customers through offering them on the spot offers motivating them to take an instant decision to sign up for the membership, therefore again increasing the number of regular customers and visits.
• Expanded guest engagement in other affiliated companies and brands

With the average mindset of food lovers opting for tastier, healthier and cheaper food, loyalty programs in restaurants can also benefit the customers. Enlisting as a member of any loyalty program entitles customers to rewards which would not have been possible if they ate out elsewhere.

For information about Restaurant Loyalty and marketing, contact: The Next Idea [International], 818 887 7714, email: info@thenextidea.net.

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Causes of Childhood Obesity and Its prevention

The Childhood Obesity issue is a fascinating subject that appears to be somewhat mis-understood at core level. For instance, clearly an enhanced exercise regime will represent a huge advantage in dealing with obesity; however it will be far less effective if our children just go to McDonald's afterwards. For instance, did you know a 75-pound kid would have to walk 8 hours and 55 minutes to burn-off a Whopper with cheese?...and that doesn’t include the fries and Coke the kid probably would also buy.

                                                                                                      
If this kid added fries, it would add another 2 hours and 41 minutes of walking. And the Coke to wash it down adds another 1 hour and 21 minutes of walking. That’s more than 10 hours total of walking Whew.

Equally, a well balanced nutritional diet at school will of course be of value in maintaining a child’s health; however its value is mitigated once the child goes home and eats processed junk from the supermarket and plays video games all weekend.

The core issue behind obesity is basically our consumer culture (video games, etc) combined with the over availability of some of the world’s worst food!! So basically – our children are sitting in front of TVs consuming high fat laden and chemically infused products day in and day out – all of which is driving the average child’s weight into the stratosphere.

In our new age world, it is unlikely that we will ever move kids back from video games to riding bikes, and more sports, (although we clearly must try, and try hard), however we can certainly impact what they consume  if the legislature would help. For example, all McDonalds’ products should come with a Health warning, and frankly should not be available for children under a certain age – this probably sounds overly dramatic and ridiculous however consider this:

Kid’s Happy meal – designed for children between ages of 3 – 8 (or there abouts):

Cheese burger, low fat milk, and Apple dippers – 500 calories add fries: another 380 calories – so just less than 900 calories in one meal. (American Heart Association recommends around 1400 A DAY for kids under 6 (depending on sex and exercise levels).

Add in some chips 150 grams, a cup cake say 250 grams, and the child is already over the daily recommended limit. Of course most kids may have only one Happy Meal a day, however the other meals can be worse – ever checked the nutritional values on a Pizza box lately – ever looked at what been added?

Here is McDonald’s Bun and Cheese breakdown:

Regular Bun

Enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid, enzymes), water, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, yeast, soybean oil and/or partially hydrogenated soybean oil, contains 2% or less of the following: salt, calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, wheat gluten, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, dough conditioners (sodium stearoyllactylate, datum, ascorbic acid, azodicarbonamide, mono- and diglycerides, ethoxylatedmonoglycerides, monocalciumphosphate, enzymes, guar gum, calcium peroxide, soy flour), calcium propionate and sodium propionate (preservatives), soy lecithin.

CONTAINS: WHEAT AND SOY.

Pasteurized Process American Cheese

Milk, water, milkfat, cheese culture, sodium citrate, salt, citric acid, sorbic acid (preservative), sodium phosphate, artificial color, lactic acid, acetic acid, enzymes, soy lecithin (added for slice separation).

CONTAINS: MILK AND SOY LECITHIN.

Recognize all of these ingredients???

And of course, fast food outlets like McDonalds have become huge corporate enterprises, making super-profits from the selling of quickly consumed food. McDonalds alone spends an estimated $2 billion a year alone in advertising worldwide, with its all-pervasive ads and promotions targeting children and the time-deprived.

From breakfast to suppertime, millions of people worldwide now consume McDonald’s food every day.

According to the ads, McDonald’s food is cheap, tasty, healthy and easily available. In fact, studies show that 55 percent of the calories in a Big Mac come from fat, together with 83 mg of cholesterol. In cheeseburgers, fat makes up 45 percent of the calories, with 41 mg cholesterol. French fries have 47 percent fat, while a regular hamburger has 39 percent fat and holds 29 mg of cholesterol. Like most fast foods, and convenience foods in general, these products are high in salt and sugar that can become addictive and which can also lead to increased weight and other medical problems – so McDonalds’s executives and shareholders are getting richer, our kids are getting fatter, related medical costs are escalating (obesity costs are almost as high as smoking related costs), and we, the public, are……. well paying more for Health Insurance along with out-living our obese children!!!

Junk food may not be addictive in the same way that tobacco is. But weight, once gained, is notoriously hard to lose, and childhood weight patterns strongly predict adult ones. Rates of overweight among small children--to whom junk-food companies aggressively market their products--have doubled since 1980; rates among adolescents have tripled. In 1999 physicians began reporting an alarming rise in children of obesity-linked type 2 diabetes. Once an obese youngster develops diabetes, he or she will never get rid of it. That's a lot more irreversible than a smoking addiction.

So in answer to the question: What are your ideas to end childhood obesity within a generation?

Quite simply

In answer to the question: What are your ideas to end childhood obesity within a generation?

I would say:

• Govt. warning labels on all food products that contain high fat or processed ingredients
•  Govt. endorsements on healthy foods, with packaging that is appealing to kids (of all ages)
• Govt. incentives, and subsidies for restaurant companies and food manufacturers that provide (verifiable) healthy foods for kids, in order that they can keep prices competitive still generating healthy profits
• Elevated education for both parents and children on food intake and the implications of non nutritious food products
•  Only healthy food available at school
• Very strict guidelines on advertising and marketing by fast food companies - with substantial fines for violations and misleading statements
•  Age limit on children buying food from fast food outlets, without an adult present

Robert Ancill is CEO of Innovations International Food and Restaurant Consulting Group, The Next Idea!

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8 Ideas for a More Successful Restaurant Web Site

According to The Next Idea Restaurant Consultants; what consumers want from a restaurant web site may differ from what you think.

At the top of the list was "current menus with up-to-date prices" - no surprises there. But also of high interest were: descriptions of dress codes, driving instructions, hours of operation, and information regarding special needs. For example, is the site wheelchair-accessible? And are large-type menus available?

                                                                                      

What diners don't want from a restaurant website, according to the Washing Post, is flash, animation, and as one respondent put it, "music that makes my co-workers think I'm on a porn site when I'm just trying to find a menu".

As the Boston Globe points out, "No one would build a Flash site now for a restaurant. Five years ago, it was ‘Where are the most bells and whistles?’ That’s not a justification for them still being there. For designers and users, the emphasis now is on accessibility. Websites have to be easy to navigate, for computer users as well as people on smart phones and tablets."

A properly and honestly presented restaurant website does not have to be complicated, and with the right information you can bring in new customers and keep frequent customers coming back for more.

Use the methods below to achieve a more successful Web site:

1. Think Brochure. The most effective Web sites concentrate on substance, not glitz. Avoid flash, animation, and especially music. Even a simple website is better than a site that won't or takes too long to load.

2. Use Photos. A picture is worth a thousand words. Not only do photos of your restaurant interior or exterior add color to a site, but they also offer information about the style and approach of your establishment. To most diners, restaurant appearance is an important factor when choosing a dining establishment and photos rated highly in the Washing Post survey of what diners look for in a restaurant web site.

3. Display Your Menu. Your menu is your most powerful marketing tool and is an essential part of a well designed site. It can sway a potential customer to choose your establishment. Especially important is that the menu be up-to-date with current prices. And if possible, focus on a menu format that's fast to load and will display on smart phones as well.

4. Display Your Specials. This feature serves multiple purposes. It gives people a reason to come back to your Web site, it lets frequent customers know when their favorite dish is being served, and it may lure someone in who is bored with your standard menu.

5. Make a Map. Let potential customers see how easy and convenient your restaurant location is. This is especially helpful to out-of-towners.

6. Include Web Coupons and Special Offers. Give people a reason to hit your site and then reward them for doing so.

7. Click to Order or Reserve. With companies like OpenTable.com and iMenu360.com, (both integrated into SoftCafe'sWebGuider) you can now easily offer Online Ordering or Online Reservations. In both cases you stand to boost efficiency and increase sales to a rapidly growing internet savvy crowd. Being able to make online reservations from a restaurant website was near the top of the list in the Washington Post survey.

8. Strut Your Stuff. Include positive reviews or awards your establishments have received. Good reviews from your local paper can increase your business dramatically.

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Restaurant Consulting Firms for Long-Term Sustainability

Worldwide restaurant owners are looking to intensify their efforts for promotion and marketing in order to stay ahead in the competition. They are looking forward to transform their identity and change their infrastructure as per the fast changing food industry and its trends. Furthermore, they are focused on enabling innovations to improve their customers’ experience. In practical terms, restaurant owners are redefining their capabilities to introduce new and flexible delivery system, and increasing their efficiencies at ever-lower costs. Most of the restaurant business owners rely on the capabilities of restaurant consultants. Restaurant consultants are the industry experts that help business owners to stay competitive, smart, agile, and responsive all the time, while retaining their customers.

                                                                     

Restaurant consultants help in significantly transforming hotels and restaurants by developing solid and proven strategies. They help in improving service quality while cutting cost for better improvement, spiral development, and complete change. These consultants encourage entrepreneurs to focus on improving quality through revolutionary techniques, approaches, and tools. They recommend for comprehensive automation for improved delivery, service quality, and next age revolution.

Technically speaking, these restaurant consultants have deep industry knowledge. They comprehensively evaluate, assess, and monitor current pricing strategies, supply chain management, and performance ratios, and based on that, they recommend several changes. They also discover several business tools to anticipate changes. Restaurant consultants focus on your underlying strategies brand positioning concepts, product development efforts & ideas, and menu engineering to know your objectives.

If you want, they will redefine your restaurant marketing and branding concepts and prototypes and suggest aggressive techniques for suitable changes. They often emphasize on concept development, as it is responsible for growth and long-term stability. Restaurant consultants use creative, innovative, and unique approaches to engender a powerful business development plan. This plan includes brand identity generation, interior designing concept, menu development, human resource training, staff training execution and evaluation.

Restaurant consultants share their knowledge and focus on menu creation, culinary teams, food programs, and recipe specifications. These basic factors focus complete business architecture. Then, they develop exclusive marketing strategies so that your business expands in an exponential manner. They insight fully monitor your promises and execution and try to fill the gap. In subtle terms, they align the available resources so that you can make promises and fulfill them, accordingly. It will substantially help in maintaining great market reputation and surpassing your toughest competitor.

In essence, restaurant consulting firms strengthen business capacities by streamlining their resources. They help in better planning and execution in a smart way to remain effective and dominant in the niche. In this way, you will not only manage your business operations efficiently, but also implement performance-based solutions for long-term sustainability in the ecosystem.

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Consumer Evolution for Organic and Natural continues in America

The benefits of using organic and natural food has been highlighted through published research analysis where the continuous evolution of the consumer market in organic and natural in America has been substantiated. It is through these reports that we find that consumers are still in favor of using organic and natural as compared to the counterparts which are processed in a conventional way. Consumers have been disillusioned on choosing conventional products only for reasons of health safety and although some questions still remains about the authenticity of the organic and natural, people in America are still inclined more on these produce.    

                               

The whole idea of these researches is to highlight the recent trends of usage of organic and natural providing a cue to the future trends to be followed as well. These reports are enriched with insights that provide ample proof as to why consumers are interested and will be in the near future on natural and organic. Extensive areas of exploration of these researches bring forth the undeniable fact about the benefits of using this kind of food not only for their nutritional values but also for reasons beyond that.

Restaurant consultants suggests that organic substances are free of negatives like pesticides, antibiotics and herbicides for which reasons consumers opt for these products rather than rely on processed food. In spite of big companies entering the market in manufacturing organic produce, there has been a lot of skepticism about the true value of these products. A recent survey reveals that consumers are ready to pay a premium provided they are convinced about the product being genuine, as compared to previous days when buyers were reluctant to buy organic at a high price knowing full well of its nutritional value.

Natural products are real and simple foods which are no lesser in nutritional value than organic ones, but just a product being branded as natural does not substantiate its authenticity. This has led to many speculations among consumers who are often found in dubious mind on whether to purchase organic and natural. In days to come it is being predicted that more and more produce manufactured by local farmers will pave the way for consumers to be totally convinced about the organic and natural quality of any product which are included among their daily list of consumption.

Surveys also predict that in near future retailers will diminish in numbers, leaving local producers to take their place. Reposing faith on branded products labeled as organic and natural is gradually on the decline with distrust on corporate and government sectors in food processing becoming stronger. Although the FDA has enforced strict regulations on labeling of organic foods, branded products are failing to generate significant level of trust. Days are in the offing when labels of local producers will be as preferred as the branded ones only due to the trust and belief that local produce are free of any kind of health threats.

It is very clear that organic and natural foods will help in restaurant marketing to great extent. Also it is believed that these organic and natural are going to make an ever increasing market due to the continuity of the consumer evolution for organic and natural.

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Turning the Clock Back With the Farm to Table Movement

There’s no better example than the rise of the farm to table movement to prove that the world is indeed round. As the reality of global warming and climate change hits home, weno longer want to be responsible for food on the table that comes with a big helping of carbon emissions – as in frozen foods shipped across the country or even across the oceans. People now want organic and sustainably grown produce that is grown in nearby farms, if not in their own backyard.

                                        

Until the early 20^th century, most of the food purchased and consumed was grown locally, within a radius of 50 miles or so. Then urbanization, technology advances and globalization shifted the balance from rural farms and the growers to large retailers who could ship in fruits and frozen foods from anywhere in the world. It killed small farmers and hastened up the growth of mega cities with massive transportation hubs and infrastructure.

Ironically, it was the all the Co2 emissions from these vehicles, ships and planes carrying food and other goods from one place to another that are largely responsible for global warming, which in turn led worried consumers to turn the clock back and prefer locally grown food. This has resulted in the rise of movements such as Farm to Table, Slow Food, Local Food, Sustainable Farming, Organic Food, etc.

The Farm to Table movement encourages restaurants to buy their produce directly from local farms and farmers markets, cutting out the big-city distributors and traders from the equation. In fact, many participating restaurants have their own farms and gardens so that customers receive fresh produce and herbs that elevate flavorover dishes prepared using frozen foods.

One of the first such restaurants which adhered to the principles of the Farm to Table movement was Chez Panisse in Berkeley, CA. There are now dozens of such restaurants in every major city in the U.S. This has led to systemic changes in the way food is prepared and served in these restaurants, and has also triggered a growing realignment of local economies.

Chefs in Food to Table restaurants are moving towards menus that favor healthy and traditional dishes prepared simply without extracting  the nutrients, over-cooking, or using artificial flavoring and other additives. It fits in perfectly into the natural order of things, given the health attributes, local economy and the environment. Even the White House is on the action, with the White House Kitchen Garden and the White House Honey Ale, which is brewed in the White House itself.

The economic possibilities are also just as compelling. Local farms are back in business, generating string revenues and creating jobs. This is just the top of the local food iceberg; especially given most of America’s metro areas still don’t grow more than two percent of their own food consumption.

Culinary experts and Restaurant Consultants, The Next Idea, reported that 30% of their new concepts include a large farm to table element. Also, the Next Idea predicts that this movement while still in its infancy, will become mainstream over the next five to ten years as consumers latch on to the health and local benefits.

 As America’s food dynamics change – we will see better quality food available at all levels of the market – this means that the consumer will benefit.

For information about The Next Idea Restaurant and Food Consultants, email: info@thenextidea.net or call 818 887 7714

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Skynny Kitchen, a New Calorie-Curbed Fast-Casual Place

One of the most common factors while you travel for either business or pleasure is your search for a restaurant where you can eat your favorite dish at reasonable prices. However, there are plenty of options available, when it comes to eat in restaurants.

 

Following the recent trend of restaurants offering dishes containing under a set number of calories, please welcome the aptly titled Skynny Kitchen, which opened July 9 in the NoHo Arts District replacing Otis Jackson's Soul Dog. Owner Matt Flinn, formerly a private chef, has a breakfast-lunch-dinner menu with all plates under 500 calories.

For breakfast there are inexpensive sandwiches and a frittata, with a plethora of soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps plus sides and shakes on offer the rest of the day. All food is really quite reasonably priced too, all less than $11. And, by the way, Skynny Kitchen is next headed to West Hollywood this fall.

So, what are you waiting for? Visit Skynny Kitchen and enjoy your breakfast, lunch and dinner with ultimate taste. Here, you can customize your breakfast according to your liking and they would happily attend to you. All these reasons should prompt you to go for this economical option of eating.

The Next Idea is a highly innovative and experienced team of restaurant consultants and interior designers. You can visit their Website - http://www.thenextidea.net/, if you have any query about restaurant interior designing, restaurant marketing plans etc.

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Preparing Strawberry Milkshake

It is no secret that bakeries, frozen yogurt, and specialty sweet shops are opening up in unprecedented numbers world wide. What used to be an afterthought on restaurant menus, dessert, is now a major market in the restaurant industry.

            

The Next Idea [Los Angeles based Restaurant Consultants], has developed countless dessert recipes that showcase everything from traditional tastes to modernist techniques.

We predict the next wave of dessert trends hitting restaurant menus to be a hybrid of nostalgic flavors and contemporary presentation. Culinary terms like deconstructed, reconstructed, and molecular gastronomy will no longer be limited to the savory side of menu development.

What better way to highlight dramatically avant garde dessert formats than by using retro recipes? Below an American classic, the milkshake, reinvented into an elegant pot de crème. All the flavors of a creamy strawberry milkshake can be enjoyed in one spoonful, guaranteed not to melt! This recipe is complete with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles for added whimsy.

The custard can be made ahead of time, so it is perfect for entertaining. Serve this surprising dessert to guests at your next dinner party for all the fun of a milkshake and none of the fuss of a noisy blender.

Strawberry Milkshake Pot de Crème

 INGREDIENTS:

 1 cup fresh strawberries, stems removed and smashed

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

½ cup sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

6 egg yolks

For Garnish:

Rainbow Sprinkles

Whipped Cream

Sliced Strawberries

DIRECTIONS:

1) In a large sauce pan, add milk, cream, and smashed strawberries.

2) Bring mixture to simmer and allow strawberries to infuse the milk and cream mixture.

3) While strawberry cream mixture is simmering, whisk together vigorously sugar and egg yolks in a mixing bowl until light and frothy.

4) Slowly add strawberry cream to egg mixture, whisking constantly to make sure eggs do not curdle.

5) Add vanilla extract and strain mixture.

6) Pour mixture into 4 ramekins, mason jars, or any oven safe serving dish.

7) In a 350 degree oven, bake ramekins in a water bath covered with foil for 30-45 minutes or until custard is just set.

8 ) Remove from oven and chill completely.

9) Serve cold with a dollop of whipped cream, rainbow sprinkles, and a few sliced fresh strawberries.

The Next Idea is one of the World’s Leading Culinary and Restaurant Consulting Group, For further information please call: 818 887 7714 or email: info@thenextidea.net Web: www.thenextidea.net

Food Sampling Builds Sales and Relationships with Customers

Giving your product away for free to build sales may seem like a business oxymoron. But as the old saying goes, you have to spend money to make money. And although there is no such thing as a free lunch, food sampling is the next best thing for operators and for customers.

For operators, it gets their product into the mouths of current and potential customers, and for customers, it gives them an opportunity to try something new, risk-free. In that exchange, operators and customers can connect while breaking bread. And, seriously, who doesn’t love a free sample?

“Food sampling is the cheapest, most effective way to get consumers to try what I’m trying to get them to try and build a relationship. Food sampling is the idiot-proof marketing tool for bars and restaurants,” says Howard Cannon, a food service expert with Restaurant Expert Witness.

Jeff Van Dyke, managing partner of Brixx Wood Fired Pizza with locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee, says food sampling is a valuable tool because it establishes goodwill with guests, provides an opportunity for customer feedback for market research and requires minimal cost.

“We use sampling for two different reasons: one, to develop new menu items and get feedback — very effective before you go too far with a new item –– and two, we sample foods with people waiting for tables as a way to thank them for waiting and being patient,” Van Dyke says.

A recent addition to Brixx’s menu, Zucchini Balsamic Toast, was a heavily sampled dish.

“It’s a good item and a little different, so people are afraid to try it,” Van Dyke says. “The advantage of sampling is that it stirs people toward items you want to sell. The Zucchini Balsamic Toast is a healthy item, and we want it to be one of the most popular items on the menu.”

Food sampling also is an effective way to change customer habits, says Robert Ancill, CEO and managing partner of the restaurant and leisure consulting group The Next Idea.

“Typically customers are habitual. There is a small percentage who will try something new on a menu,” Ancill says. “The goal of sampling is for the customer to try something new they normally wouldn’t.”

The rules of food sampling are flexible: the where and when can fluctuate according to the operator’s needs and staff’s availability.

Van Dyke says, food sampling varies by Brixx location, but is definitely used when a new menu is in the works, which is twice a year. He says food sampling is also great when stores are not busy, and managers can get immediate feedback from customers.

“We are big into food sampling; we do it in all of our stores. We sample products in front of our stores, at local farmers’ markets, big school events, wine and food festivals — anywhere we can get an audience of our community to sample our product,” says Adam Goldberg, founder of Fresh Brothers in California. “We hold sampling events at our stores. We do it with a new product and with gluten-free products. We believe in the quality of our pizza so much, that we would rather give it away for people to try it instead of giving away a coupon.”

Cannon recommends his clients do a “business blitz,” which is food sampling offsite; before lunch, staff should bring samples to a business that is within range of the restaurant.

“It all works — dining room, offsite, front door,” Cannon says.

Although the where and when of food sampling differs, its success depends on how it is done.

“If the food is good, let the food sell itself,” Cannon says. “If the food is miserable, don’t do sampling. Operators want to sample things that didn’t sell, but don’t do that. Put your best stuff forward with the best hospitality to customers.”

Food sampling also is a way to grab customers’ attention.

“It’s a chance to impress them with something they wouldn’t normally buy. When customers say no to dessert and pay out the check, bring two samples of dessert to entice them next time,” Cannon says.

Bite-size food samples mean small cost to operators. “Food sampling is never a full portion; for example, sampling a dessert, make two-three extra pies or cakes and use that for the whole shift,” Cannon says. “Bulk offering into portion-controlled options to keep food cost low.”

Food sampling can be a cost-effective sidekick to the big budget demands of couponing and advertising.

“We spend $10,000 a month throughout our chain; we really believe in food sampling our food to potential new customers,” Goldberg says. “It promotes the quality of our product vs. couponing that can hurt the integrity of our brand. We would rather give it away instead of discounting it with a coupon. Couponing is not part of our brand; it doesn’t work for us. By giving it away, we have a 99-percent success rate of people trying our food.”

Van Dyke agrees that these little portions are worth the investment. “You can give a lot of food samples away for less money than you’d spend on advertising, and it is money well spent,”Dyke says.

Although the cost is minimal, location will affect the bottom line.

“Offsite is very effective, but it has to be done right,” Ancill says. “Pizza has to be served hot, packaged right. It’s a bigger investment because you have to think about all those details. It’s a lower cost when the customer is right there. The labor cost will stay the same unless you’re hiring someone solely to hand out samples.”

  

When tracking the success of food sampling, operators have to go with their instincts.“There’s no hard evidence that shows a person is buying because of sampling like there is with a coupon,” Ancill says. According to Cannon, since independent and small chain restaurants are so relationship-based, they can help track the success of food sampling by smiles.

DeAnn Owens is a freelance journalist living in Dayton, Ohio. She specializes in features and human interest stories.

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