One Voice

Dale J. Venturini
President/CEO, RI Hospitality Association

As I write this column, Rhode Island just kicked off its new budget year – but without a budget. The General Assembly recently passed an $8.2 billion budget, but at this moment, the Governor has not signed it. Across the region, lawmakers have struggled with state budgets and how cuts or tax increases will ultimately affect constituents and interested parties.

The spirited debate on the assembly floor which is often the precursor to a budget’s passing is the last hoorah before the final votes are cast. As lawmakers plead their case and elaborate on their stance in the affirmative or in opposition to sections of the budget, it makes for great media sound bites and visuals. However, the majority of legislators have already made up their minds before the final votes take place.

To that end, it is critically important that as hospitality professionals, you take an active role in your own state’s legislative matters. I cannot stress enough how much hearing from a constituent can change the mind and vote of a legislator.

Let’s face it, lawmakers don’t really want to hear from their constituents; it’s far easier if nobody is putting their two cents in and decisions can be reached without the input of every Tom, Dick and Harry in the district. This is exactly the reason why each voice carries weight – voters can make a big difference when they actually pick up the phone, write a letter or send an email to their legislator. The more folks lawmakers hear from, the better chance they’ll vote with their constituents.

Testifying on behalf of - or opposed to - bills can often be daunting, but believe me when I tell you that by showing up, your support is noted and your voice gets amplified by all the folks who make the effort.  Often we hear that in politics one voice is not enough, that one voice doesn’t make any difference. However, in matters of budgets and bills, each voice counts, is heard and matters.

We could not be as successful in defeating legislation harmful to our industry without the help of our membership. We are fortunate to have motivated, opinionated hospitality professionals in this State who genuinely care about what happens at the state house and how it impacts our industry. It is because of their dedication and ability to mobilize the troops that we have been able to successfully defeat some of the largest legislative threats to our industry.

Throughout this legislative season, RIHA and its’ membership have fought the good fight. We were successful on several fronts, including preserving the tip credit and getting more than $4.5 million dollars for workforce development. However, we were unable to defeat an excise-tax increase on alcohol. Ocean Staters will now pay more at restaurants and hotels for their beer, hard liquor, and wines. Not because we want to, but because the costs have been passed onto us.

Remember, for every victory there is often defeat. Let’s bolster those odds by inspiring our colleagues and friends to understand what’s happening in their own state house. I implore you to take an active role in reviewing proposed legislation that can potentially impact the hospitality industry.

To lawmakers, our industry is often considered a cash cow instead of the golden calf. It’s up to all of us to show our legislature that we do care, that we’re watching, and that we’ll be there to make sure that our interests are being represented fairly.

 

RSVP – The Four Most Powerful Letters in Hospitality

Dale J. Venturini

President/CEO, RI Hospitality Association

If you’re like me, you are constantly getting bombarded with invitations to various events from political fundraisers, to industry nights, to good-cause benefits and everything in between! With all of us seemingly having to do more at work with fewer resources, time has become the most precious of all commodities.

Not a day goes by, that while in conversation with a colleague or friend, I inevitably hear how time-poor people are. How hard it is to balance the demands of a busy job with the responsibilities that lie at home or outside of the office.  And, while so many of us would like to attend events outside of the office, it is one of the hardest commitments to make these days.

Some of this is definitely a reflection of the times with the advent of technology and our inability to really detach from it – all for the sake of ‘trying to catch up,’ on a daily basis. We are all being asked to go the extra mile just to meet daily deadlines and often find ourselves unable to find a moment’s downtime. 

This is today’s hard new reality for event planners and non-profits, alike. For those folks whose job it is to host events and raise funds, they have never been in a more difficult position than they find themselves in today. People are just not responsive– and this makes their jobs almost impossible.

More and more of us are afraid to commit to an event until it looms large on the horizon – often, far beyond the RSVP date listed on the invitation. Some of this is because of our limited free time and psychological inability to commit to “another thing,” and some of it is because there are other priorities at hand and we toss the invite into a pile to review as the event date gets closer.

Well, what does this do to event planners? It absolutely kills them. Beyond the social courtesy of a response to an invitation, leaving them in limbo could not work further against them. Often there are certain numbers that need to be met in order for the event to move forward. The bottom line is that most events we’re all invited to are designed to raise funds for an organization. Often, there are only one or two big fundraisers a year and if the group cannot meet its numbers, there are dire consequences.

Why are late RSVPs a big deal? Well, event planners and host locations alike are planning on a certain number of people. They are setting up, ordering food and supplies and hiring staff to accommodate this number. And, if they are getting RSVPs up until the day before, there is literally no way to compensate for a big change in attendance. I have spoken with countless hoteliers and restaurateurs who complain that they are planning an event for 100 and then on the day of the event, they hear that the number has increased by 50%.  While we might think this is a win for an organization, it really creates a tremendous burden to try and accommodate the extra folks. How many times have you gone to an event that seems overcrowded or with not enough food or beverages?

On the flip side of this, I’ve also heard from many members lately that events they have RSVP’d to have been canceled at the last minute due to low attendance. Our organization has faced this issue and believe me, not only is it embarrassing to cancel an event, it's costly. There is a trickle down factor from the host organization to the facility where the event will take place –and often it means thousands of dollars in lost revenue in missed bookings and cancelation penalties.

As we go about our busy lives and try and get through the work week, please do me a favor. When you go through your mail and you see an invitation to an event. Please take five minutes and decide if you are going to attend – if you are unsure, please try and RSVP by the date listed. It really will help those hard-working folks who are trying to pull off a successful event and ensure that you have a great time while there.

As I always say, our industry is strongest when we work together. Let’s help each other out!

Buyer Beware

Dale J. Venturini

President/CEO, RI Hospitality Association

How many times have you opened a letter that looks ‘official’ to discover that you owe a nominal sum of money to some ubiquitous state agency? It could be $50.00, $100.00, or even $150.00. It’s never quite enough for a busy owner or operator to flag as a potential scam.

Just by taking a cursory look at the mailing, you determine that it looks legitimate and write the check…and, you’ve been scammed. Most times, you won’t even know that it has happened.

Just recently, Rhode Island businesses were hit with a fee scam. The letter claims to be from a company called ‘Rhode Island Corporate Compliance’ and references a state law mandating that a business files with them for a $125.00 fee. Unfortunately, many local businesses paid the fee just to have it out of the way and off their to-do list. 

However, a small handful of business owners – and our organization – began alerting media and our networks to get the word out to the public and shut this scam down. But, as quickly as one scam is detected, another is already in the works.

Many consumers across the nation have been hit with a banking scam – it arrives via email and looks very official with a bank logo, disclaimers, and all the information to fool a consumer. The email states that there has been a security breach, potentially false charges, etc. and it asks the reader to click on a link provided to simply confirm information. Once the consumer engages and clicks through the link provided, his/her security and financial information has been compromised.

We are all running around doing more with fewer resources. How often do you say to yourself, ‘I just don’t have the time?’ Well, you need to make time and understand that there are predators out there who trick thousands of business owners out of small sums of money every day of the week.

Beyond the ‘official looking’ letter scam, there are a host of other legitimate companies that lull business owners into thinking they are getting a great deal for services, only to have their rate suddenly go up after an introductory period – and, with no way out of the contract they have signed. While this is not really considered a scam, it is still misleading and creates a situation in which the consumer is out-of-pocket hundreds and even thousands of dollars more than is necessary. 

But, how do you know what’s really a good deal versus what’s really a lot of hype to get you to buy into a contract? Let your local hospitality association help you find the best deal/resources for your company. We devote countless hours to vetting suppliers and really looking at what they are selling – beyond the low introductory rate and offers they come to the table with.

At RIHA, we personally meet with a host of potential vendors including natural gas suppliers and electricity providers. We are constantly looking for the best overall deal – the contract that makes sense for our membership to sign onto for the long-term. Remember, the best deal is not often the low price that a vendor presents you with – there are a host of other factors to consider.

In fact, members who are enrolled in either our natural gas or electricity-buying program saved more than $250,000 in 2011 and that number doubled to $500,000, last year. That is a real number and meaningful to any operator’s bottom line. Approximately 55% of our membership in RI has decided to enroll in a cost-savings program through the Association and I expect that number to increase this year.

For those of you who are part of your state association, I encourage you to reach out to them and see what programs make sense, as well as to assist in vetting any potential scams. We’re here to help and in the end, our industry stays strong if we all work together. 

Allergen Awareness

Dale J. Venturini

President/CEO, RI Hospitality Association

In the food service industry, allergies are no laughing matter. It’s a serious issue that can have harmful and potentially life-threatening implications for our guests. Peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, seafood, eggs, milk, wheat, and soy are just some of the more common allergies we encounter on a daily basis. 

For many years in Rhode Island, it was incumbent upon restaurants to take steps to go above and beyond food safety guidelines to accommodate guests with particular food allergies. Still, cross contact posed a real danger, often preventing individuals with allergies from frequenting popular restaurants. But now, following a new measure enacted by the General Assembly during the previous legislative session, there are allergy guidelines in place that everyone must follow.

Under the new law, which is modeled after legislation enacted in Massachusetts in 2011, all food-service establishments are required to have a food projection manager on staff who is trained and certified in food-allergy awareness. Employees must also be trained and knowledgeable about allergies as it relates to their assigned duties.

The law requires allergy awareness posters in employee areas to ensure food allergies are top of mind. Notices must be added to menus that ask customers to alert their server to any potential allergies when placing an order. Ultimately, the goal is to provide a safe dining experience for everyone, regardless of their food allergies.

There are two major areas of concern that employees should be educated and trained on to fully understand. Both are equally important.

The first is how to approach the subject of allergies with diners. A proven method for effectively managing this aspect is to follow the four Rs. Once a guest notifies you of an allergy, the server should:

• Refer the food allergy concern to the chef, manager, or supervisor in charge
• Review the food allergy with the guests and check ingredient labels
• Remember to check the preparation procedure for potential cross-contact
• Respond to the guest and inform them of your findings

Once the chef and manager are aware of the allergy, the second area of concern is preventing cross contact. This may sound like a simple task, but the areas for cross contact in the kitchen are numerous.

Cooking oils are a common source of contamination. Splatter and steam during cooking may also result in cross contact. Dust or flour that becomes airborne during the course of a service is a risk. Think about how frequently kitchen utensils are used and how easily they can come in contact with an allergen.

Since we can’t have multiple, allergen-specific kitchens within every restaurant, the most effective way to combat cross contact is to clean frequently. Whether it is a knife, spatula, cutting board, sheet pan, grill top or other kitchen tools, make sure you immediately wash it with hot, soapy water if it comes in contact with an allergen.

The seriousness of food allergies cannot be overstated. For this reason, it is important that we handle all requests with the utmost concern. The same holds true if a guest questions the preparation of a dish or believes they may be having some type of a reaction. We aren’t medical experts, so it is not our job to judge whether a reaction is serious. If a guest complains about a reaction, the server should rush to notify a manager and 911 should be called if needed.

To learn more about training your employees, I encourage you to contact the RI Hospitality Association by visiting our website, RIHospitality.org. I also encourage you to visit FoodAllergens.com, which is an excellent resource in this area.

Remember, there is nothing more important than the safety and well-being of our guests and these new regulations will ensure that everyone is able to enjoy Rhode Island’s world-class culinary scene regardless of their food allergies.

Stars Shine Bright Every Day

Dale J. Venturini

President/CEO, RI Hospitality Association

The annual RI Hospitality Association and RI Hospitality Education Foundation “Stars of the Industry” gala is the perfect evening to cap off the year. It is truly one of my favorite events.

We recognized more than 70 hospitality professionals representing hotels, restaurants, the tourism industry and allied businesses this year. More than 600 people attended our celebration at the Rhode Island Convention Center, making it the best attended “Stars of the Industry” gala ever.

This event started with humble roots more than 20 years ago as a way to recognize the hard work of so many deserving individuals and it just keeps getting bigger and bigger. I think this is a testament to the tight-knit hospitality community we have in Rhode Island.

The last few years have been exceptionally difficult and this year was no different with the threat of a meals tax increase. While many are competitors on the surface, we all share the same passion to do great work. That is what makes our community so special.

Recognizing that passion is what “Stars of the Industry” is all about. Virtually all of our award recipients are nominated by their peers. Our peers work with us every day. They see us at our best and our worst. Perhaps no one better understands how passionate we are than our peers.

For me, it’s exciting because many of our recipients are being professionally recognized for the first time in their career. They are members of our waitstaff, culinary team, luggage service, sales coordinators, department managers, event managers and others who ensure our operations run smoothly every single day.

It’s wonderful to see them smiling from ear to ear as they proudly walk, strut and even dance their way to the stage while being cheered on by hundreds of friends, family and co-workers.

Rhode Island also has many hospitality professionals who have committed their entire careers to improving not only our industry, but our entire state. Their work has been honored on the national and international stages. We are all indebted to them for laying the groundwork for this vibrant community, yet they are the ones who are deeply humbled to be recognized by their peers.

In a perfect world, I would have the space to recognize each and every recipient by name in this column, but there are too many to list. Instead, I encourage all of you to visit RIHospitality.org or Facebook.com/RIHospitalityAssociation to read through the names and view the photos of this year’s winners.

There are Stars all around us who shine brightly every day, so also take a moment to think about who you would like to see honored in 2013. It will be time to submit your nominations before we know it!

Thank you to everyone who helped make the 2012 “Stars of the Industry” gala a success and congratulations again to all of our recipients. I wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous 201

Watching the Weather

Dale Venturini

President/CEO, RI Hospitality Association

As we get ready for another New England winter, it’s impossible to forget just how closely our hospitality community is tied to the mercy of Mother Nature. Whether it is rain, snow, heat or something a whole lot worse, no amount of planning and preparation can undo what the weather has in store for us.

In the winter, the snow is our biggest menace. The threat of just a few inches can prompt well-intentioned city and town planners to issue parking bans to help expedite the speed at which plow trucks can clear the roads.

But in major cities, street parking may be the only parking for restaurants and take-out spots. While some might think it’s the bitter cold that keeps our customers away, it’s often the lack of parking created by these bans. A parking ban issued in the name of convenience, not safety, can have a devastating impact on the bottom line.

In the summer, the mere mention of rain in the seven day forecast will cause people to dramatically alter their plans, even if the day the rain is predicted is still seven days away. If a meteorologist describes the weather as partly cloudy instead of partly sunny, the phones start ringing off the hook with concerns from guests with reservations.

In the past, the RI Hospitality Association (RIHA) has routinely engaged with emergency planning officials and local meteorologists about the impact their decisions can have on business at our restaurants, hotels, and other hospitality-based businesses. They’re always receptive to our thoughts, and we greatly appreciate their concern.

Still, there are some weather events that represent true emergencies. Regardless of what we hope will happen, the only option is to wait out the worst Mother Nature has to offer. Rhode Island, and the Eastern coastline, experienced this with Hurricane Sandy on October 29.

As Sandy approached, many of our most-treasured destinations made the only sensible decision -- board up and wait. Many escaped with no damage or just minor damage. Others had to throw away ingredients after losing power. But, not every establishment was so lucky.

Some establishments sustained a devastating blow, unable to withstand the fury of the local wind and waters which usually provide a picture-perfect setting. The good news is that it looks like these establishments will be able to rebuild. It will take not only time but also dedication and commitment. Those are two traits which I’m proud to say permeate Rhode Island’s hospitality community.

Hurricane Sandy serves as a critical reminder that no matter how much planning we do or how many discussions about preparedness we have, Mother Nature has complete control.   Our responsibility is to make sure we are ready so that our employees, our guests, and the physical buildings where our restaurants and hotels are housed will be as safe as possible.  Hopefully it will be years before we see another storm of this magnitude again. 

A Year-round Investment

Dale Venturini

President/CEO, RI Hospitality Association

Each September, RIHA in conjunction with the National Restaurant Association recognizes National Food Safety Month. In the hospitality industry, we hold proper food handling and food safety in the highest regard. It’s something that is on our minds every single day. But, it also helps to take a step back from the hustle and bustle of our daily routines to put a renewed focus on an important issue such as this one. That is exactly what we were able to do once again last month.

The cornerstone of RIHA’s National Food Safety Month programming included two-hour Food Handler safety courses offered at a deeply discounted rate of 85% off the usual fee. Instead of digging into the obscure aspects of food safety, we used this as an opportunity to help our members get back to basics. It’s important to cover the basics. After all, these are the skills we use most often which are most likely to be taken for granted.

Topics included Personal Hygiene and Controlling Time and Temperature. There was also a focus on Preventing Cross-Contamination, as well as Cleaning and Sanitizing equipment. It may seem elementary, but do you really know the proper way to wash your hands? If you do, do all of your employees and co-workers? Participants also walked away with a workbook filled with more than 50 pages of critical information to help them be successful in this avenue.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every six Americans becomes ill with a food borne illness each year. Some don’t even realize it: they chalk it up to a stomach ache or the latest bug that is going around. Still, the CDC says 128,000 people annually require hospitalization.

That is why it is important not to focus on food safety and training for just one month, but rather, to put extra emphasis on this area throughout the entire year. Food safety is an important mission at RIHA and we routinely offer ServSafe® trainings and certifications to our members and non-members on a monthly basis. While these courses do come with a fee, it is significantly more affordable than similar programs offered by other groups.

A program truly unique to RIHA is our Private Food Safety Audit Program. Want to know if you’re doing something wrong before the state inspector pops in to say hello? A member of our team has been trained by the RI Department of Health to conduct virtually the exact same surprise audit conducted by state inspectors. The big difference: our inspector is known to be a lot tougher on kitchens to make sure everyone is performing at their best! Following the inspection, which can last up to five hours, you’ll receive a report on the findings to help you develop a course of action, if needed.

At first glance, the small expense associated with food safety training or an audit may seem like an unnecessary cost to incur. After all, in the restaurant industry every penny counts. But, take a minute to consider what you stand to lose if just one single employee fails to live up to your expectations because it was assumed he or she knew the right way to do a simple task. You’ll quickly realize that proper food safety training is an invaluable investment which should be made 365 days a year.