Tom Colicchio talks about what to avoid if you want to succeed as a restaurant owner.
Restaurant owner Tom Colicchio has won almost every major culinary prize out there—including the James Beard award for best chef in 2010. In other words, the man knows a little something about running a successful enterprise or two. But he’s also seen how restaurant owners can make painful mistakes before they even get their establishment up and running. Colicchio spoke to NEWSWEEK’s Jessica Ramirez about what new restaurateurs must avoid if the want to do well in this business. His advice: DON’T THINK GOOD DINNER HOST EQUALS GOOD RESTAURANT OWNER You need to know that just because you’re good at some aspect of cooking doesn’t mean you can run a place. For example, some people with no restaurant experience have dinner parties at home and think maybe it’s a cool thing to do for a living. That’s not quite how it works because the expectation is different. If the air conditioner breaks at 8 p.m. and everybody’s screaming at you that your restaurant’s too hot, that’s not fun. Your friends at home at your dinner party won’t yell at you. DON’T ASSUME THE BUSINESS END IF YOU DON’T KNOW IT You can be a great chef, but if you can’t control costs you don’t stay in business. Get the right people—like lawyers—to look over business contracts. I actually have attorneys that do it for me, partly because I’m a lousy negotiator. The other option is look for a partner who can bring those [business skills] to the table, someone who can negotiate that contract on your behalf, someone who’s not going to run the restaurant day in and day out, but who you can turn to for business advice. That’s what I did. I have a backer—his name is Robert Scott, who, before retiring, was the president of Morgan Stanley. I would always rely on him for business advice. So if you take on a partner, don’t just look for someone who’s going to give you money. You want someone who you can also go to for advice. DON’T LEAVE LAWS AND REGULATIONS TO SOMEONE ELSE In this age, HR is so important. I’m not saying you should have an HR director at a small restaurant, but a lot of people are getting sued these days. So you really need to understand local labor laws because you don’t have to be doing something maliciously to get sued. For instance, there’s [a New York regulation that refers to what’s] called “spread of hours.” Let’s just say an employee works a split shift. So this waiter comes in and he worked three hours for the lunch service, and he takes off for three hours, and comes back and works dinner for six hours. If the spread of hours, including the break, is more than 10 hours, you have to pay [one hour of additional pay for each hour in excess of 10 hours]. So a lot of these laws are bizarre, but not knowing them can hurt you. DON’T TRY TO BE EVERYTHING TO EVERYONE Try to figure out what you want to be and stick to that. You can’t be everything to everybody. You have to figure out your price point and figure out how to deliver quality and value at that price point. Then every decision you make is in support of that concept and that price point. DON’T SPEND WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE TO Designwise—and I learned this the hard way—you can probably spend a lot less than you think you can or than you think you need to. Once you’re presented with a design from an architect, try to take money out of it. If you don’t, then you end up spending way too much for things that really, at the end of the day, won’t make much of a difference to your bottom line.
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New York has experienced many golden ages—more than any other city in the world, save perhaps Paris. And right now, we're living in the golden age of wine bars.
There are currently 237 wine bars spread across the city's five boroughs, 69 of which opened last year alone. There are wine bars that specialize in the wines of South Africa or the wines of Italy or only of France. There are wine bars that pour only organic selections—with a bit of proselytizing served alongside. There are wine bars where champagne is the focus (and the prices are accordingly high) and wine bars that refuse to serve any white wine but Riesling by the glass. There are wine bars that offer little more than pretzels or bar snacks and wine bars that serve steak dinners from menus so expansive they might as well be restaurants. But the best part about wine bars—besides the wine—is the sense of intimacy they inspire, offering a glimpse of a neighborhood, a life. Take for example, an encounter my friend Stephen and I had at Bin 71, a wine bar on the Upper West Side. We were drinking some good Muscadet (the 2009 Domaine de la Pepiere) when a woman next to us struck up a conversation. First, she asked if we were a couple. Just pals from college, Stephen and I replied. That was nice, she said, in the hurried fashion of someone who just wants to tell her own story. She launched into her dating life in detail—all the undesirable men she'd met working "every possible Internet dating site" until she finally decided that trying to meet someone in a wine bar might be better. How was that going? Nothing so far, she admitted. The only single man she had met was drinking water and eating a salad. He didn't want to talk. But she remained optimistic—and had a good glass of Sauvignon Blanc at her side. Even the people on the other side of the bottle tend to talk more with wine as a prop. At inoteca in the East Village, the waitress actually kneeled next to our table as she described to my friend Bruce and me what she liked about the 2009 Bisson Rose from Liguria. "It's light and juicy—a really pretty wine from a top producer that's perfect for the summer." She seemed every bit as intent on sharing her delight as she was making the sale. But when did this conversation begin? Exactly how did this golden age get its start? Did New Yorkers suddenly develop a collective craving for Cabernet by the glass? A desire to talk about aromas and tannins? Paul Grieco, who operates two of the city's best wine bars, Terroir and Terroir Tribeca as well as Hearth restaurant in the East Village says the phenomenon has as much to do with wine as it does the economy. "Anyone who wanted to open a restaurant in Manhattan in the past 24 to 36 months has opened a wine bar instead," said Mr. Grieco. "A white-tablecloth restaurant costs a million dollars but you can open a wine bar for only a few hundred thousand dollars." And since many wine bars, including Terroir, have sizable menus—their owners can still "act like they're running a restaurant," he said. Wine bars have also been showing up in neighborhoods like Sunnyside and Long Island City in Queens. They're a marker of gentrification, a latter-day Starbucks of sorts. They are also a so-called attainable luxury, offering wine and food that is reasonably priced. At Terroir Tribeca, for example, a plate of "funky beef balls" costs only $7 and sandwiches cost a few dollars more. At Hearth, a main course is under $30. And the food at all three is overseen by same chef, the talented Marco Canora. Of course, there are reasons beyond cheap eats and small checks that draw people to wine bars—and reasons beyond attenuated ambition that people open them, too. Mandy Oser, who runs Ardesia wine bar in Hell's Kitchen with two partners (and works at Le Bernardin during the day) opened a wine bar last year because, she said, she thought it would be "fun." Fun would certainly seem to be a reason why people show up at bars (wine or otherwise) though a wine bar also offers the possibility—or the guise—of an education. At Ardesia, for example, there are 30 wines by the glass and any one of them, or all, can be tasted for free, accompanied by a mini-tutorial. My friend Christina tried three different wines at Ardesia and received three different disquisitions before settling on a Pinot Bianco that the bartender said had an "ocean air quality." There's just one place bypassed by the golden age: Staten Island. The borough only has one wine bar, the Cellar. (There are three in the Bronx.) Although the Cellar has been open for three years and owner Stephanie Perno said business was solid, she had no plans for a second location. "I don't think Staten Island can support another wine bar," she said. On the other hand, Mr. Grieco is looking to expand into other boroughs. Including Staten Island? Mr. Grieco demurred, "I wouldn't rule it out." “Restaurant Week” begins next month in center city Philadelphia.
Restaurateurs and officials of the Center City District promoted Restaurant Week here on the streets of Philadelphia by giving away free samples. Kristen Linker is manager of marketing and events: “This time around for September we have over 125 restaurants participating, and you can go to any of these restaurants and get a three-course dinner for only $35. Or you can also go to some of them and get a three-course lunch for only $20.” This upcoming Restaurant Week is actually two weeks long — it takes place September 12th through 24th (except for Saturday nights). For a list of participating restaurants, visit www.centercityphila.org. Linker says this is the 14th semi-annual promotion, which they’ve been doing for seven years: “We do have a few new restaurants participating, and we have our highest number to date of participating restaurants.” By Peter Mucha
Inquirer Staff Writer While 380 million eggs are part of a national recall, officials in Pennsylvania and New Jersey say residents of their states have little reason to be scared.Although the eggs involved were sold under a lengthy list of brand names in many states, no rise in egg-related salmonella has been noticed in the region. The recall doesn't really affect Pennsylvania, said Holly Senior, spokeswoman for the state health department. "Nothing yet in our state," said Marilyn Riley, spokeswoman for the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. In Delaware, no cases have been confirmed related to the recall have been confirmed, said Heidi Pruschel-Light, spokeswoman for the state health department. The recall grew from the discovery of several outbreaks - mostly in California, Colorado and Minnesota, said Lola Russell, a spokeswoman with the federal Centers for Disease Control. Normally, about 50 cases of salmonella infections will be reported in a given summer week, so when the number spiked past 200 - most of it from California - investigators went into action, she said. The source was quickly identified as a major producer named Wright County Egg, based in Galt, Iowa. Through distribution centers and food companies in California, Arizona, Missouri, Minnesota, Texas, Georgia, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Nevada, Iowa, Illinois, Utah, Nebraska, Arkansas, Wisconsin and Oklahoma, Wright eggs get shipped to many states. The company quickly agreed to the recall. Consumers could check for the following brands: Albertson, Boomsma's, Dutch Farms, Farm Fresh, Hillandale, Kemp, Lucerne, Lund, Mountain Dairy, Ralph's, Shoreland, Sunshine and Trafficanda. Affected carton sizes range from 6 eggs to 18. If you have one of the brands, check plant and date codes on the carton or case. Look for plant codes P-1026, P-1413, P-1720, P-1946 or P-1942, followed by three digit date codes from 136 to 229. Recalled eggs should be returned to the point of purchase. To avoid salmonella, consumers are advised to avoid to raw or undercooked eggs; to wash hands and objects touched by raw egg; and to refrigerate eggs and leftover foods containing them, health officials say. Fever, cramps and diarrhea are the usual symptoms of salmonella enteritidis infections. Sometimes hospital treatment with antibiotics is needed, especially with infants, the elderly, and people who have compromised immune systems. Untreated salmonella infections reaching the bloodstream can be fatal. Consumers with questions should visit www.eggsafety.org or call Wright County at 866-272-5582 for a message outlining recall instructions. By TIMOTHY W. MARTIN
Food retailers and manufacturers are rushing to tell consumers that their products are safe amid a nationwide recall of 380 million eggs that may be infected with salmonella bacteria. The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday said it hadn't yet found clear evidence of contamination, although heavy rainfall near the Iowa company that produced the eggs may have raised the risk of salmonella infestation from rodents. Wright County Egg Co. of Galt, Iowa, on Wednesday expanded the recall from 228 million eggs recalled last week. The company is owned by Jack DeCoster, whose companies in the past have been fined by federal regulators for allegedly hiring illegal immigrants and for other alleged workplace violations. A company spokeswoman said Mr. DeCoster wasn't available for an interview. She declined to comment beyond a statement saying that the recall was a voluntary measure and that the company continued to fully cooperate with the FDA. The recalled eggs could be linked with hundreds of illnesses in at least 10 states, and probably many more, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those numbers could grow as more data become available, U.S. health officials said. The recall poses a threat to the wider egg-producing industry, thanks to confusion that can arise in the wake of recalls. In recent years, high-profile recalls for spinach and peanuts have led to temporary sales declines. "Consumers don't take the time to look at the FDA Web page to see which suppliers are affected,They'd rather say, 'Man, I'm not going to consume eggs for the next month,' " said Mark Jarvis, CEO of Steritech Group Inc., which audits companies seeking food-safety and quality certification. The eggs suspected in the salmonella outbreak were packed starting in May. While new FDA egg safety rules went into effect July 9, it is difficult to say for sure that they could have prevented the outbreak, said FDA Associate Commissioner Jeff Farrar. If all new egg safety rules had been in place earlier, "it might have reduced the risk," he said. Hens can be infected with salmonella and pass it to their eggs in a variety of ways, but frequently the bacteria come from rodents that leave fecal droppings in feed troughs and silos. Unusually heavy rains in the Galt area may have sent mice and rats seeking shelter in chicken houses and feed bins, said AccuWeather.com, a meteorological service. Salmonella is destroyed by heat. Eggs should be cooked at 145 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 15 seconds, says the Egg Safety Center, an industry group. Investigators believe many of the reported cases of illness stemmed from people eating raw eggs used in salad dressings or meringue at restaurants. All egg products, such as liquid, frozen and dried eggs, are required by law to be pasteurized. Many restaurant chains use these products rather than raw eggs. Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc. and Domino's Pizza Inc., for example, said they used only pasteurized egg products and wouldn't have any recalled eggs in their food. Grocers started pulling eggs from shelves last weekend. Kroger Co., whose Ralphs division in California was affected, said it alerted customers who had purchased the specific brand of eggs by phone. Albertsons stores in southern California, which are owned by Supervalu Inc., said signs about the recall were posted on store shelves. —Julie Jargon and Alicia Mundy contributed to this article. Laurelhurst Market - Portland, Oregon 3155 East Burnside Street, 503-206-3097, The Team: Owners Benjamin Dyer and Jason Owens and chef-owner David Kreifels (all partners in supper club Simpatica Dining Hall). Must Order: Meat! More specifically, beef. Try cuts like culotte (a.k.a. baseball steak), rib eye, or hanger steak. Throw in a side of Millennium Farms creamed corn for good measure. What's in a Name: It's a nod to both the neighborhood where the restaurant is located and the name of the mini mart that used to inhabit the space. The Recipe: Miller Union - Atlanta 999 Brady Avenue, 678-733-8550, The Story: Miller Union takes the southern meat-and-three tradition and tweaks it. Gone are the steam tables, Formica tables, and dusty decor. In their place are farm-fresh meats and veggies, a modern farmhouse feel in a warehouse space, and a light but satisfying menu. The Team: Chef Steven Satterfield, a master of vegetable cookery and former executive sous-chef at Atlanta favorite Watershed, owns the restaurant with general manager Neal McCarthy. Must Order: Griddled chicken made with heritage breed Poulet Rouge; the seasonal vegetable plate. What's in a Name: The restaurant is built on the site of the Miller Union Stock Yards, which closed in the 1970s. The Recipe: Menton - Boston 354 Congress Street, 617-737-0099, The Story: If chef Barbara Lynch ever ran for mayor of Boston, it would be a landslide. Yes, she and her four restaurants, butcher store, cocktail bar, and demonstration kitchen/cookbook store are that popular. Her latest restaurant makes it clear that fine dining is in fact not dead in America. The Team: Chef Lynch runs the show but executive chef Colin Lynch (no relation) does the heavy lifting. Wine director Cat Silirie is one of the country's best sommeliers. Must Order: There are two menu options--the seven-course chef's tasting menu and the four-course prix fixe. Shellfish is the star. What's in a Name: Lynch describes her cooking as a marriage of French technique and Italian sensibility. Menton is a picturesque town in southern France near the Italian border. The Recipe: Marea - New York 240 Central Park South, 212-582-5100, The Story: Glitzy, high-end, expensive--not exactly the adjectives you want attached to a restaurant that's opening in the midst of a recession. But proving that rigatoni with shrimp and calamari (or any of Marea's life-changing pastas for that matter) trumps even a shrinking bank account, this Central Park South spot quickly became the best new restaurant in New York (and, arguably, America). The Team: Chef Michael White (a midwestern boy who mastered Italian cooking) and restaurateur Chris Cannon also own two other not-too-shabby Manhattan standouts, Convivio and Alto. Must Order: Pick a pasta, any pasta--all the fresh shapes are made in-house. Crudo (think Italian sushi) showcases White's mastery of all things fish. What's in a Name: Italian for "tide." The Recipe: Anchovies & Olives - Seattle 1550 15th Avenue, 206-838-8080, The Story: In a city full of outstanding seafood restaurants, Anchovies & Olives is arguably the best. "Less is more" seems to be the theme here--from the 40-seat space (with a beautiful open kitchen) to the pared-down menu that's divided into two sections: crudo and plates (entrees). What's more, nothing is priced over $16. The Team: Chef Ethan Stowell and wife Angela (they also run Tavolata and How to Cook a Wolf) and chef de cuisine Charles Walpole. Must Order: Mackerel with shallot and walnut agrodolce, seared prawns with salsa verde, and geoduck crudo. What's in a Name: Originally the title for Stowell's cookbook, which is now called Ethan Stowell's New Italian Kitchen. Publishers didn't like it; Stowell did. The Recipe: Hatfield's - Los Angeles 6703 Melrose Avenue, 323-935-2977, The Story: Los Angeles needs more stylish fine-dining restaurants like Hatfield's--family-owned spots where the food (not the Hollywood crowd) is the top priority. The new, more spacious location has a glass-enclosed kitchen, full bar, and smart design, including a centerpiece light fixture that is shaped like the molecular structure of honey. The Team: Husband-and-wife chefs Quinn and Karen Hatfield met while working at Wolfgang Puck's Spago. Must Order: If the croque-madame (yellowtail sashimi, prosciutto, quail egg, brioche) were taken off the menu, customers would revolt, says Quinn. What's in a Name: Short. Simple. And to the point. The Recipe: Ellerbe Fine Foods - Fort Worth 1501 West Magnolia Avenue, 817-926-3663, The Story: Ever wonder what it would be like to have a charming southern grandma who invited you over to her cozy little house for Sunday supper? Ellerbe Fine Foods offers you the opportunity to enjoy a similar experience--from the warm feel of the dining room (in a former service station, no less) to their everyone-is-family philosophy. And with apologies to all you southerners, the upscale country cooking is probably much better than grandma's. The Team: Co-owners Molly McCook (she's the chef) and Richard King (he works the dining room) grew up together in Shreveport, Louisiana. Must Order: Riffs on southern classics are best. Two to try--New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp and Maw Maw's bread pudding. What's in a Name: McCook learned to cook from her grandma, who lived on Ellerbe Court Road in Shreveport. The Recipe: Bar La Grassa - Minneapolis 800 North Washington Avenue, 612-333-3837, The Story: Trendy ingredients come and go, but pasta is forever. This temple to the Italian carb of choice is a bustling spot that features a 24-seat pasta bar (it's where the serious eaters like to sit, says chef Isaac Becker) and a long list of dishes made from both dried and fresh pasta. The Team: Becker and his wife Nancy St. Pierre, who runs front-of-the-house. Must Order: No matter what the season, customers love the gnocchi with cauliflower and orange. We'd suggest ordering the crab ravioli, too. What's in a Name: La Grassa means "The Fat" in Italian and refers to the legendary cuisine of Bologna. The Recipe: Frances - San Francisco 3870 17th Street, 415-621-3870, The Story: This is the neighborhood restaurant we all wish we lived around the corner from--50 seats, comfy banquettes, prime people-watching from the window bar seats, small but smart menu, and friendly staff. The Team: James Beard Award-nominated chef Melissa Perello cooked at Charles Nob Hill and Fifth Floor before taking a few years off to plan Frances. Must Order: Applewood-smoked bacon beignets, chickpea fritters, and pork trotters--all under the Bouchees ("mouthfuls") category on the menu. What's in a Name: Frances was Perello's grandmother, who taught Perello how to cook--and how to make her The Recipe: The Purple Pig - Chicago 500 North Michigan Avenue, 312-464-1744, The Story: This Mediterranean-inspired hot spot brings daring favorites like roasted bone marrow, pork-neck-bone rillettes, and pig's ear to the Magnificent Mile. Communal tables, small plates, long hours, and a huge L-shaped bar (with excellent beer and wine lists) make this one of Chicago's most delicious--and easygoing--foodie destinations. The Team: Jimmy Bannos Jr. heads the kitchen, with support from veteran chefs and co-owners Jimmy Bannos Sr. and Scott Harris. Must Order: Milk-braised pork shoulder, porchetta panini, and pig's tail braised in balsamic. Crispy chicken-thigh kebabs do the original white meat proud. What's in a Name: The owners must have known they were going to sell a lot of pork and wine. Legend has it that if a pig drinks red wine, it will turn purple. The Recipe: Are you investing your energy resources wisely? The following tips provide ideas for maintaining an energy efficient operation.
Track energy consumption Tracking your monthly electricity, water, sewer, trash and natural gas consumption is a first step toward managing your impact and monitoring the effectiveness of efficiency improvements. If you're an independent operator or local chain, get audits from local utilities and municipalities. Many organizations provide free energy, water and waste audits in addition to advice, technical and sometimes financial assistance for upgrades and program development. Take advantage of these free professional services. Schedule or automate equipment startup Leaving equipment on standby costs you money, and so does turning on your equipment before it is needed. Design and implement a startup and shutdown plan to ensure that you are only using the equipment that you need when you need it. The savings can be substantial. Fryers use the most electricity when they are warming up in the morning, whereas ovens use the most energy while pre-heating. If you are using both at the same time, you may be setting a high-usage level, which will cost you. Shift your ice production time Install a timer and shift ice production to nighttime, off-peak hours. Most restaurants pay less for electricity at night, and you'll eliminate the distraction of a hot, noisy piece of equipment during normal kitchen hours. Adjust your hot water set point Typically, a dishwasher requires the highest set point of an operation. Given that heating water accounts for approximately nine percent of a restaurant's energy consumption, or $2,900 annually, measuring water temperatures can result in significant savings. Adjust your water heater temperature to the lowest possible setting that allows you to meet health codes, which is usually 140 degrees. Allow for air circulation around refrigerators and freezers Refrigerators remove heat from inside the box and eject that heat through the coils on the top or bottom of the unit. When you are cleaning around these units, do not push your reach-ins into tight spaces where the heat will build up, forcing the unit to work harder and use more energy. Defrost food regularly Develop a frozen food pull schedule to avoid the practice of defrosting food under running hot water. If a two-gallon-per-minute faucet is used forthis purpose one hour every day for a year, the cost may exceed $800. Retrofit sprayers with low-flow spray valves A low-flow spray valve could save you more than $1,000 annually. And don't worry, low-flow doesn't mean slow. Low-flow spray valves are engineered to work as well as or better than standard valves. Install sink faucet aerators Hand-sink faucets can use as much as 10 gallons of water per minute when not equipped with efficient water aerators. Outfit the hand sinks in your kitchen and bathrooms with low-flow aerators. You will cut water use and ultimately save on water-heating costs. Repair leaks A faucet that leaks one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water a year. A leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water a day. Repairing hot water leaks will result in significantly higher savings. Reduce, reuse and recycle Follow the 3 Rs of waste management: reduce, reuse and recycle. Reduce waste by composting food scraps. Reuse furniture and flooring. Recycle paper, plastics, glass and aluminum. WASHINGTON — Federal food regulators took a tentative step Monday toward banning a common use of penicillin and tetracycline in the water and feed given cattle, chickens and pigs in hopes of slowing the growing scourge of killer bacteria.
But the Food and Drug Administration has tried without success for more than three decades to ban such uses. In the past, Congress has stepped in at the urging of agricultural interests and stopped the agency from acting. In the battle between public health and agriculture, the guys with the cowboy hats generally win. The F.D.A. released a policy document stating that agricultural uses of antibiotics should be limited to assuring animal health, and that veterinarians should be involved in the drugs’ uses. While doing nothing to change the present oversight of antibiotics, the document is the first signal in years that the agency intends to rejoin the battle to crack down on agricultural uses of antibiotics that many infectious disease experts oppose. Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, the agency’s principal deputy commissioner, refused at a news conference to give details about when the agency would take more concrete steps. “We believe this is a public health issue of some urgency,” Dr. Sharfstein said. “We’re looking to see some progress soon.” About 100,000 people die every year from hospital-acquired infections caused by bacteria that, because of overuse of antibiotics, have developed resistance to the usual remedies and cannot be killed with them. Many others die from superbugs contracted outside hospitals. How many deaths can be attributed to agricultural uses of antibiotics? “I don’t think anyone knows that number,” said Dr. James Johnson, a professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota, “but I think it’s substantial.” Antibiotics are used in agriculture for three reasons: to promote animal growth, prevent illness and treat sickness. How antibiotics in feed and water help to fatten animals is not entirely clear. The industrialization of animal husbandry has increased processors’ dependence on antibiotics because factory farm animals tend to be sicker and feed-lot diets can encourage bacterial infections. The Union of Concerned Scientists estimated in 2001 that 84 percent of all antibiotics were used in agriculture and that 70 percent were used simply to promote animal growth, not to treat or prevent illness. The Animal Health Institute, a trade association, estimated that 13 percent of agricultural antibiotics were used to promote growth. Dave Warner, a spokesman for the National Pork Producers Council, said most agricultural antibiotics were given to healthy animals not to promote growth but to prevent illness. The distinction is important because F.D.A. officials said they were mostly concerned with the use of antibiotics to promote growth — not to prevent or treat illnesses. If the agency some day bans growth promotion as a use, there is a chance producers would simply relabel such uses as preventative. Mr. Warner said his organization opposed the F.D.A.’s guidance. “We think this guidance could lead to the elimination or costly review of previously approved animal health products,” he said. The Animal Health Institute said in a statement that it welcomed the guidance and had “long supported efforts to promote judicious use of antibiotics.” Representative Louise M. Slaughter, Democrat of New York and chairwoman of the House Rules Committee, said the F.D.A. had “not gone far enough or moved fast enough.” Ms. Slaughter has proposed legislation banning nontherapeutic uses of some classes of antibiotics. By GARDINER HARRIS Published: June 28, 2010 The Emmaus building at the center of the "swingers club" controversy is again up for grabs, and business owners appear more determined than ever to lure a new tenant.
Narinder Garg, owner of the 302 Main St. property, said his talks with an East Stroudsburg man who wanted to lease the property for a social club are dead and that he's already beginning to show the building to other prospective tenants. "That's a done deal," Garg said of his previous talks with David Mayi Jr., who proposed the Vault Social Club for the location. "It's finished. They're not going to come." Garg's decision to seek another tenant makes it unlikely that Mayi would be able to appeal last week's decision by the Zoning Hearing Board denying a permit for the club at that location. Teri Madison, executive director of the Emmaus Main Street Program, said the Vault proposal was a "wake-up call" for the borough and business community that she says is now determined to fill the property, which has been vacant for more than a year. "Had [the Vault] slipped under the wire, we would have had this business in town," said Madison, whose group opposed the club's approval. "We want to get together and really do some searching to find the right business." Business owners' concerns weren't limited to the belief that the Vault would become a swingers hangout. Gene Clock, president of the Main Street Program's board of directors, said he would like to see a business that is open six days a week, rather than the two days proposed by the Vault. Garg planned to show the three-story property to a prospective tenant Monday and said he welcomes discussions with the Main Street group. He said he had considered withdrawing the zoning appeal filed by Mayi, a move that would have effectively made last Thursday night's public hearing moot, but decided against it after consulting with an attorney. Garg of King of Prussia, Montgomery County, had said he was unaware of the rumors swirling about a possible swingers club at his property and the fact the social club had been advertised in the online swinging community after he began lease talks with Mayi. He said he wanted nothing to do with a business where sex might be involved. Mayi said during last week's hearing that he had a verbal agreement to lease the building. He said the verbal deal called for a one-year lease, at $4,000 per month, with an option for four more years. Mayi acknowledged during three hours of grilling that swingers would be members of his club, but claimed it was not a swingers club. He wouldn't say after the hearing whether he'd appeal the decision or seek another site. He did not return multiple messages Friday and Monday. Garg said he would be "tickled to death" if the downtown business community aided him in his search for a tenant, saying he would like to find something that would "fit in the neighborhood" and create "more harmony" in the borough. The property was most recently the Palace of India, which occupied the site for about eight years beginning in 1999. The property had previously been home to Marcel's Old Country Inn. Garg, who has owned the building since 1998, said he'd like to fill it with a new restaurant, but that he's open to other ideas. Madison said she would like to see a restaurant there as well. "I would like to bring [Garg] up here and sit down with him and see where he's coming from," she said. patrick.lester@mcall.com HANOI, Vietnam—As the Gulf Coast oil spill continues to gush, U.S. seafood suppliers are turning to Asia to ensure Americans have enough shrimp for their gumbos, Creoles and cocktails this summer, but some of those overseas cupboards are low themselves. Several countries in the world's top shrimp-producing region are struggling to satisfy their own appetites for shrimp because of disease, drought and the economic crisis. The oil spill is one more factor driving prices skyward, sending a worldwide ripple through an already tight shrimp market.
The price of plump black tiger shrimp is at a 10-year high in Vietnam, selling for around $13.50 per kilogram ($6.14 per pound), said Bui Dung, a manager at Minh Phu, Vietnam's biggest shrimp exporter in the southern Mekong delta province of Ca Mau. He said heat waves along with disease outbreaks have led to smaller yields on farms. Domestic consumption has remained high, nibbling away at cold stocks normally available for export prior to August harvests. "The demand, particularly from the U.S., is huge," Dung said. "We receive order requests from U.S. importers almost everyday, but we cannot meet all their demands." Americans have an insatiable craving for shrimp, eating about 4 pounds (1.8 kilograms) a year. And while wild Gulf shrimp provides only about 7 to 9 percent of that supply, the oil spill will likely send some U.S. restaurants and super markets into a short-term frenzy, said Fatima Ferdouse, chief Advertisement yld_mgr.place_ad_here("adPosBox"); of trade promotion at Infofish, an intergovernmental organization for the Asia-Pacific fishery industry based in Malaysia. "It backfired because in the American market, they planned to sell ... this much domestic shrimp from the Gulf for summer, which they're not getting now," she said by phone. "So they have to fill in the gap. They panic and then the easy way to get it is to go through import—they don't have any other choice." According to Infofish, wholesale shrimp prices have risen by about 15 to 20 percent since a BP-operated oil rig exploded 10 weeks ago, causing an undersea blowout that has spewed millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf. Gavin Gibbons, a spokesman for the U.S.-based National Fisheries Institute, a trade group, said Americans might see a price increase on their plates in the short term, but he's hopeful Asian production will pick back up to keep consumers from feeling a prolonged pinch. "It's the No. 1 most consumed seafood in America," he said. "People eat more shrimp than they do canned tuna." Ecuador is the only country among the top five U.S. importers located outside of Asia. More than a third of the nearly 550,000 tons of shrimp imported by the U.S. last year came from Thailand, the top shipper, according to Infofish. Thailand has remained a stable supplier, largely unaffected by a virus that has crippled stocks in Bangladesh and Indonesia, the second top supplier to the U.S. last year. For the January-April period before the Gulf oil spill, U.S. imports of Indonesia shrimp were down 30 percent from a year earlier. Imports from Thailand were up about 17 percent over the same period, Infofish data reported. Last year was the first time the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization estimated a drop in worldwide shrimp aquaculture production, following the global economic crisis which forced many farmers out of business. But now, prior to the peak summer shrimp-eating season, it's a sellers' market. Larger shrimp are in short supply, pushing prices to the highest level in two years, according to Infofish. Demand for the black tiger shrimp, which is very popular in Japan, has been particularly high, with prices increasing $1 a pound ($ 0.50 a kilogram) since early June. "The demand worldwide is quite strong. The economic crisis seems to be over, especially the U.S. and Japanese markets are really demanding a lot of shrimp," said Helga Josupeit, a fishery industry officer at GLOBEFISH, an FAO program in Rome that tracks international fish trade and publishes price reports. "If anyone wants to invest in a shrimp farm, they probably will make some money." Some farmers say it's ironic that the U.S. is now forced to lean more on overseas suppliers to help meet demand. In 2004, the same Gulf Coast shrimpers affected by the oil spill successfully lobbied Washington to slap antidumping tariffs on Vietnam, Thailand, India, Ecuador, Brazil and China, accusing them of flooding the U.S. market with artificially low priced shrimp. "It's good to see U.S. shrimp importers are coming back to Vietnam," said farmer Nguyen Tat Thang. "But I care more about how much profit I earn from the farm, which I am not seeing increase because of rising production costs." |
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