(NRA) – Employers should not wait until 2014 to determine the impact on their business.  Now is the time to understand the law’s requirements and what it will take to comply. For the 10 steps to take now to prepare for the health care law click here.

The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, along with Visit Florida and the Florida Association of Broadcasters is proud to bring you Emeril’s Florida. The show airs every Sunday at 10:30 AM ET on the Cooking Channel.  Below are links to the show’s episodes for your viewing pleasure!

Episode 1: Orlando
Ravenous Pig Cold Cobia

Episode 2: South Walton
Bud & Alley’s BBQ Shrimp
Yellow Edge Grouper

Episode 3: Viva Florida
Jacksons Dressed Wagyu 
Tasting Room Cochinitos
Tasting Room Snapper
Columbia Paella
Columbia Sangria de Cava

Episode 4: Florida Agriculture
Old Hickory Crab Cakes
Grilled Sausage and Veggies

Episode 5: Tailgate Challenge
Bacon Potato Salad
EJ’s Simple Oven BBQ Ribs
Slow Cooked Pork Roast 

Episode 6: Kissimmee
Celebration Tavern Boston Cream Pie
Catfish place Hushpuppies 
Episode 7: Florida’s Florida’s Beach and Waterfront Restaurants

Episode 8: St Petersburg Clearwater

Episode 9:  Palm Beach
Breakers Cioppino
Don Cesar Escolar
Palm D’or Lamb
Smoked Buffalo

Episode 10: Emeril’s Big Night Out 
GritsaYaYa
McGuires Steak and Mushroom

By: The Orlando Business Journal, April 3, 2013

The air show in Lakeland will go on.

The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, the city of Lakeland, Visit Central Florida and Lakeland Linder Regional Airport have agreed to help Sun ’n Fun Fly-in Inc. cover a $284,500 tab for having about 70 Federal Aviation Administration workers manage flight operations for the six-day event. The Lakeland event is one of the largest air shows in the U.S. and contributes $64 million to the region’s economy.

The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association is paying $125,000 to be a presenting sponsor for the 39th annual event, some of which is intended to help pay for the cost of the air traffic controllers.

Because of federal budget cuts known as sequestration, the FAA told Lakeland Linder it couldn’t pay for the air traffic controllers during the event, Eugene B. Conrad III, director of the airport, told me.

Organizers then began reaching out to the lodging and tourism industry to help cover the cost of the air traffic control bill, and the organization will still likely pay about $80,000 to cover the costs, Conrad said.

Lakeland is one of 14 airports statewide slated to lose its FAA funding for its tower.

Lakeland Linder is paying the $35,000 a month to keep the tower operating when the airport loses its FAA funding April 21. The tower will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. It would have cost the airport $55,000 a month to keep its current operations from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Conrad said Lakeland and the 13 other Florida airports losing FAA funding are appealing to the Florida Department of Transportation and Florida House and Senate members to help cover the costs of keeping air traffic controllers at their airports. The Lakeland airport has a $170 million impact on the region, according to Conrad.

To read more click here.

As a result of positive sales and traffic and an optimistic outlook among restaurant operators, the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) remained in expansion territory in June.  The RPI – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry – stood at 101.3 in June, down 0.5 percent from May’s level of 101.8.  Despite the decline, June represented the fourth consecutive month that the RPI exceeded the 100 level, which signifies expansion in the index of key industry indicators.

“Although the overall RPI dipped somewhat in June, it remained in positive territory as restaurant operators continued to report gains in both sales and customer traffic,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the Association.  “Looking forward, restaurant operators remain generally optimistic about the business environment in the months ahead, with the Expectations Index holding steady at a 12-month high.”

Watch a video of Riehle summarizing the June RPI and other economic indicators. 

The RPI is constructed so that the health of the restaurant industry is measured in relation to a steady-state level of 100. Index values above 100 indicate that key industry indicators are in a period of expansion, while index values below 100 represent a period of contraction for key industry indicators. The Index consists of two components – the Current Situation Index and the Expectations Index.

The Current Situation Index, which measures current trends in four industry indicators (same-store sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures), stood at 100.7 in June – down 0.9 percent from a level of 101.6 in May.  Despite the decline, the Current Situation Index remained above 100 for the third consecutive month, which signifies expansion in the current situation indicators.

Although a majority of restaurant operators reported higher same-store sales in June, the results were somewhat softer than the solid May results.  Fifty-two percent of restaurant operators reported a same-store sales gain between June 2012 and June 2013, down from 63 percent who reported higher sales in May.  In comparison, 34 percent of operators reported a decline in same-store sales in June, up from 23 percent in May.

Restaurant operators also reported softer traffic results in June.  Forty-three percent of restaurant operators reported higher customer traffic levels between June 2012 and June 2013, while 39 percent of operators said their traffic declined.  In May, 47 percent of operators reported an increase in customer traffic, while 30 percent reported lower traffic levels.

Despite the somewhat dampened sales and traffic results, restaurant operators reported steady capital spending levels.  Fifty-two percent of operators saying they made a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling during the last three months, unchanged from the proportion who reported similarly last month.

The Expectations Index, which measures restaurant operators’ six-month outlook for four industry indicators (same-store sales, employees, capital expenditures and business conditions), stood at 102.0 in June – holding steady at the 12-month high registered in May.  Each of the four expectations indicators stood above 100 for the sixth consecutive month, which indicates broad-based optimism for business conditions in the months ahead.

Restaurant operators are generally optimistic about sales growth in the months ahead.  Forty-six percent of restaurant operators expect to have higher sales in six months (compared to the same period in the previous year), essentially unchanged from the 47 percent who reported similarly last month.  Meanwhile, only 11 percent of restaurant operators expect their sales volume in six months to be lower than it was during the same period in the previous year, compared to 8 percent last month.

Restaurant operators remain somewhat less bullish about overall economic conditions.  Thirty percent of restaurant operators said they expect economic conditions to improve in six months, a proportion that has remained essentially unchanged during the last six months.  Sixteen percent of operators said they expect economic conditions to worsen in the next six months, up slightly from 15 percent last month.   Restaurant operators continue to ramp up plans for capital spending in the months ahead.  Fifty-nine percent of restaurant operators plan to make a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling in the next six months, up slightly from 57 percent who reported similarly last month. Restaurant operators are also trending positive in their outlook for staffing levels in the coming months.  Twenty-five percent of operators plan to increase staffing levels in six months (compared to the same period in the previous year), while 14 percent said they plan to cut positions.

The RPI is based on the responses to the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey, which is fielded monthly among restaurant operators nationwide on a variety of indicators including sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures. The full report and video summary are available online at Restaurant.org/RPI.

The RPI is released on the last business day of each month, and a more detailed data and analysis can be found on Restaurant TrendMapper, the Association’s subscription-based web site that provides detailed analysis of restaurant industry trends.

By: Dick Rivera
(Published: July 25, 2013 in the Tampa Tribune)

Florida has felt immigration’s impact more than most. The American dream began in Florida with the oldest continuously inhabited city in the nation, and in the past 10 years, 1 out of every 3 new people in our state has been an immigrant. Such high levels of immigration have helped catapult us to the fourth most-populous state in the nation, with nearly 10 percent of the state hailing from a foreign country.
This population boom has been accompanied by sustained economic growth. In the past two years alone, the private sector has created 325,000 new jobs, and only a small number of states beat our economic growth rate in 2012.

The link between our growing economy and immigration is undeniable. That’s why, as a Florida businessman for the past 16 years, I support the Gang of Eight’s comprehensive immigration reform that would extend the American Dream to millions of immigrants.

The Gang of Eight bill, as passed by the Senate, is precisely the type of reform we need. The key component of the reform is the path to citizenship it offers to all immigrants currently living within our borders. At a time when immigrants – legal or otherwise – are made to feel unwelcome, welcoming them with open arms is a key part of extending the American Dream to others.

For many, including myself, the American dream started in the restaurant industry. In Florida, there are more than 36,000 restaurants, which will produce $33.3 billion in sales this year while providing jobs for over 844,000 Floridians. Immigrants are important for these businesses and to the large sector of the economy they support. Our industry is expected to grow by 14.6 percent over the next decade, which means that over 100,000 new jobs will be available. Giving immigrants the legal means to fill these jobs is as important to us as it is for them.

But citizenship isn’t the only reason why immigration reform is necessary. The nation’s broken visa system encourages illegal immigration with its walls of bureaucratic red tape. With the proposed reform, the wait for obtaining a visa is cut to a mere 10 days – giving more immigrants the opportunity to come to our shores and join our society.

The Gang of Eight’s reform bill also helps businesses like mine uphold the law thanks to an expanded E-Verify system. As it stands, the laws governing employment for immigrants are so convoluted that even knowing the law is either difficult and expensive. With the right change, however, we’ll finally have a standardized and universal means of ensuring that we’re operating within the bounds of the law.

Combined, these reforms would free thousands of restaurant employees from the fear of deportation while giving restaurant owners a greater ability to do what we love best – serve customers.
The need for reform is more than just economic, however. I also believe that Ronald Reagan was correct when he said, “We lead the world because, unique among nations, we draw our people – our strength – from every country and every corner of the world.”

My own story is similar to millions of immigrants. My father grew up in Puerto Rico, and I spent my childhood in South America. I saw firsthand the difficult living and working conditions that caused the most ambitious and entrepreneurial among them to seek to improve their station in life – the same qualities and spirit that make immigrants such important members of society. What I saw in and learned from them inspired me to go into the restaurant industry. Those qualities and spirit are what make our industry so dynamic and vibrant, even in times of economic struggles.

As a result, I can completely empathize with those who desire to come to our country and achieve the American dream. That’s why I’ve been fighting for immigration reform for nearly a decade, why I applaud the Senate for its passage of the Gang of Eight bill, and why I encourage the House of Representatives to bring the bill to the floor and give it the debate it deserves.

When this happens, we’ll find that our civic life and our cultural identity are both strengthened through immigration reform, as is our economy. And if we don’t give immigrants the same rights to found new families, new businesses, and new lives on our shores, then the American dream suffers for everyone.

Dick Rivera is the chairman and CEO of Rubicon Enterprises, which is based in Florida and operates restaurants, including Friday’s and Marlow’s Tavern.

Media Contact:
Elizabeth Ray
850.224.2250 ext. 255
[email protected]

The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is proud to present this week’s episode of Emeril’s Florida. On Thursday’s show, celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse highlights Florida’s agricultural industries by traveling across the state.

“Florida’s agricultural resources provide distinctive fresh flavors that can only be found in the Sunshine State,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “Through Chef Emeril’s experiences, we hope viewers are inspired to visit our state and discover delicious Florida cuisine for themselves.”

On this week’s episode, Emeril starts off in Miami to learn about Florida’s agricultural industries, including a stop at the Robert is Here fruit stand. Then he tours Mac Farms in Santa Rosa Beach growing hydroponic food for restaurateurs. Afterward, he travels to Fort Pierce to attend a cattle auction at the Adams Ranch. Finally, he and Chef Justin Timineri from the Florida Department of Agriculture prepare steaks and fresh vegetables together. The show airs Thursday, August 8th, at 9:30 a.m. EST on the Food Network. Please check local listings.

Emeril’s Florida is a 13 episode series highlighting the Sunshine State through the eyes of Emeril and on-location with a focus on food, cooking, events and activities around the state. Throughout the series, Emeril will be visiting Florida’s top restaurants and resorts. He will also prepare some of his favorite recipes which often will feature some of the best seafood Florida has to offer.  The program is sponsored by the FRLA and VISIT FLORIDA. For additional information on the series, including links to previous episodes, please go to the Food Network website. For a preview of Thursday’s episode, please click here.

# # #
About the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
FRLA’s mission is to ‘Protect, Educate and Promote’ Florida’s hospitality industry – which represents a $71.8 billion industry, 23% of Florida’s economy, $4.3 billion in sales tax revenue, and over one million employees, making it Florida’s largest employer. It is Florida’s premier non-profit, hospitality industry trade association. FRLA safeguards the needs of the hospitality industry, improves the business climate, promotes the highest levels of quality and safety for our patrons, provides legislative advocacy, and eases navigation of government regulation. The Association represents and serves more than 10,000 independent and household name members, suppliers, and theme parks.

Media Contact:
Elizabeth Ray
FRLA Press Secretary
850.224.2250 ext. 255

(Tallahassee, FL) –  The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association’s Tallahassee Chapter will present an opportunity for member and non-member hospitality and tourism businesses to learn tips on quality employee training from an industry expert during a seminar hosted in Tallahassee. The event, called “Make Training Count!”, will be presented by Dugan Fry, President of L2GO LLC and is structured to provide in-depth analysis that will teach businesses how to generate measurable results.  The free seminar is scheduled for Tuesday, August 27, at 3:00 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton. Media is invited to attend.

“This presentation is designed to emphasize the importance of effective employee training,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “We hope it will help motivate business leaders to review their in-house instructional methods and allow them to gain valuable insight that will help make a positive impact on their establishments.”

WHAT:
“Make Training Count!” Quality Employee Training Seminar
Speaker Dugan Fry, President, L2GO LLC

WHO:
Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association’s Tallahassee Chapter

WHEN:
Tuesday, August 27, 2013 3:00 p.m.

WHERE:
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel
101 South Adams Street
Tallahassee, Florida
850-224-5000

COST:    
The event is open to FRLA members and non-members, and at no cost.

Dugan Fry specializes in helping companies develop People and Operational Systems that produce results. Prior to forming L2GO LLC, Dugan was the Director of Training and Development for Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. During his 15 years there, he was responsible for leading the training function for the chain’s 750+ restaurants at all levels of management. Dugan also created the Guest Obsessed program which ultimately resulted in Rally’s being named the #1 Drive-Thru in America by QSR Magazine, as well as developing and executing the national rollouts of Wings and an entirely new product line, Cold Creations.

For additional information about the “Make Training Count!” seminar please click this link. To learn about FRLA’s Tallahassee Chapter contact Ray Green, FRLA Regional Director at 850-545-5901 or via e-mail at [email protected].

###

About the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
FRLA’s mission is to ‘Protect, Educate and Promote’ Florida’s hospitality industry – which represents a $71.8 billion industry, 23% of Florida’s economy, $4.3 billion in sales tax revenue, and over one million employees, making it Florida’s largest employer. It is Florida’s premier non-profit, hospitality industry trade association. FRLA safeguards the needs of the hospitality industry, improves the business climate, promotes the highest levels of quality and safety for our patrons, provides legislative advocacy, and eases navigation of government regulation. The Association represents and serves more than 10,000 independent and household name members, suppliers, and theme parks.

Media Contact: Elizabeth Ray
FRLA Press Secretary
850.224.2250 ext. 255
[email protected]

(Tallahassee, FL) – The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is proud to present this week’s episode of Emeril’s Florida.  On Thursday’s show, celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse will feature Florida’s beach and waterfront restaurants.

“Chef Emeril serves as an extraordinary tour guide in showcasing the tastes of Florida,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “We hope that as viewers take a virtual trip throughout Florida, they will be inspired to visit and experience our incredible restaurants firsthand.”

Emeril begins the program dining on some of Chef Blake Malatesta’s best creations at Delray Beach’s “50 Ocean,” and then goes back to Santa Rosa Beach to “Stinky’s Fish Camp” to try some of their best seafood with Chef Jim Richard. He then meets up with Rick Falkenstein at his restaurant “The Hurricane” in St. Pete Beach, and finally to Key Largo to try the favorites at “Alabama Jacks” with owner Mike Sague. The show airs Thursday, August 22nd, at 9:30 a.m. EST on the Food Network. Please check local listings.

Emeril’s Florida is a 13 episode series highlighting the Sunshine State through the eyes of Emeril and on-location with a focus on food, cooking, events and activities around the state. Throughout the series, Emeril will be visiting Florida’s top restaurants and resorts. He will also prepare some of his favorite recipes which often will feature some of the best seafood Florida has to offer.

The program is sponsored by the FRLA and VISIT FLORIDA. For additional information on the series, including links to previous episodes, please go to the Food Network website. For a preview of Thursday’s episode, please click here.

# # #
About the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
FRLA’s mission is to ‘Protect, Educate and Promote’ Florida’s hospitality industry – which represents a $71.8 billion industry, 23% of Florida’s economy, $4.3 billion in sales tax revenue, and over one million employees, making it Florida’s largest employer. It is Florida’s premier non-profit, hospitality industry trade association. FRLA safeguards the needs of the hospitality industry, improves the business climate, promotes the highest levels of quality and safety for our patrons, provides legislative advocacy, and eases navigation of government regulation. The Association represents and serves more than 10,000 independent and household name members, suppliers, and theme parks.

By: Commander Diane Kelsch,  U.S. Food and Drug Administration

(October 29, 2013) FDA Regional Retail Food Specialists will begin collecting data for the 2013-2023 Foodborne Illness Risk Factor study this fall.  Whether or not your facility is one of the randomly selected facilities identified to participate in the study, this article provides some general information regarding the study, the data collection process, and how the data will be used.

Background:

FDA is responsible for providing technical assistance to approximately 75 state and territorial agencies and more than 2,300 local departments that assume primary responsibility for working with the industry on preventing foodborne illnesses.

The data collected from these studies provides FDA a solid foundation for developing a national retail food program model that can be used by federal, state, local, and tribal agencies to:

●       Identify essential food safety program performance measurements;

●       Assess strengths and gaps in the design, structure, and delivery of program services;

●       Establish program priorities and intervention strategies focused on reducing the occurrence of foodborne illness risk factors; and

●       Create a mechanism that justifies program resources and allocates them to program areas that will provide the most significant public health benefits.

What is the FDA Foodborne Illness Risk Factor Study?

In 1998, FDA’s National Retail Food Team initiated a ten-year voluntary study to measure trends in the occurrence of foodborne illness risk factors – preparation practices and employee behaviors most commonly reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as contributing factors to foodborne illness outbreaks at the retail level.  Specifically, the study included data collection inspections of various types of retail and foodservice establishments at five-year intervals (1998, 2003, and 2008) in order to observe and document trends in the occurrence of the following foodborne illness risk factors:

●  Food from Unsafe Sources

●  Poor Personal Hygiene

●  Inadequate Cooking

●  Improper Holding/Time and Temperature

●  Contaminated Equipment/Protection from Contamination

Data from all three data collection periods were analyzed to detect trends in improvement or regression over time and to determine whether progress had been made toward the goal of reducing the occurrence of foodborne illness risk factors in selected retail and foodservice facility types.

What types of retail food service facilities will be involved and when will data collections occur?

The scope of the study includes three major segments of the retail and foodservice industries that account for over a million varied and diverse types of operations in the United States:

• Restaurants
  • Fast food and Full service
  • Retail Food Stores
• Institutional Foodservice
  • Hospitals
  • Nursing Homes, and
  • Elementary schools (Kindergarten through 5^th grade)
• Retail Food Stores
  • Deli Departments/Stores
  • Meat & Poultry Departments/Markets
  • Seafood Departments/Stores
  • Produce Department/Markets

For the 2013-20223 study, FDA will begin collecting data in the fall of 2013, with the initial data collection for select restaurant facility types, followed by the initial data collection for select institutional facility types in 2014 and select retail food facility types in 2015.  The results of the initial data collection for each of the facility types will serve as the baseline measurement from which trends will be analyzed.  Two additional data collection periods for each of the facility types are planned at three-year intervals after the initial data collection for purposes of analyzing trends.

How are facilities selected?

Facilities are randomly selected as part of a nationwide research project.  A geographical information system (GIS) database containing a listing of businesses throughout the U.S. will be used as the establishment inventory for the data collection.  The random selection of establishments from the GIS database will be performed by the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) Biostatistics Branch and the sample size allows for a broad sampling of facility types throughout the U.S.

Will I be notified, in advance, if my facility was selected for participation?

Data collection visits will be unannounced.  The intent of the data collection is to observe the operation in its normal mode, without special preparation to accommodate the data collection visit.

Is participation mandatory?

No, your participation is voluntary.

Is the data collection considered a regulatory visit and how long will it take?

This is not a regulatory visit; no inspection report will be left with your facility.

The expected length of the data collection will be 90-120 minutes.  Approximate 30 minutes of the data collection will focus on obtaining information on the nature of your operation.

Should an observation be made of a food safety procedure or practice that poses a significant public health risk, every effort will be made to work with an operator to ensure that the appropriate corrective action is taken to alleviate the hazard.  Should a situation arise where a significant public health risk cannot be resolved during the data collection, the regulatory authority that has issued your permit will be contacted to work with you to ensure corrective action is taken.

An exit briefing will be provided at the end of the visit to discuss significant findings that may assist you in enhancing the effectiveness of your food safety system.  If significant food safety issues are identified, they will be brought to the attention of the person-in-charge or responsible employee to determine the appropriate corrective action based on the current FDA Food Code.

Your questions regarding the data collection process or food safety issues in general are encouraged as part of the visit to your facility.

How will the data be used?

The FDA will use this research for identifying best practices within the industry and directing limited resources to areas that will provide the most significant public health benefits.

The project is designed to protect the privacy of participating establishments to the extent the law permits.  The data collected is tabulated using broad industry segments and is not associated with any specific establishment. Your facility’s name will not appear on any reports or public documents.

If you have additional questions about the study, please feel free to contact Diane Kelsch, FDA Regional Retail Food Specialist at [email protected]

Commander Diane L. Kelsch is a Regional Retail Food Specialist with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Southeast Region, State Cooperative Programs.

Members of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) are preparing for a busy holiday season. New research from the National Restaurant Association (NRA) found that 33 million Americans will rely on restaurants for all or parts of their Thanksgiving meals this year. In addition, 46 million Americans are expected to dine out while shopping on Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday.

“We are thankful Florida is home to more than 47,000 licensed food service establishments that offer exceptional dining experiences, not only during the holidays, but each and every day,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “This research shows that families here in the Sunshine State will have the opportunity to spend more time with loved ones and less time in the kitchen while they are gathered together to celebrate. Additionally, eating locally helps provide an extra boost to Florida’s economy and our members look forward to serving patrons across the state.”

The NRA’s consumer survey found that 15 million Americans plan to visit a restaurant for a Thanksgiving meal this year, an additional 14 million plan to order parts of their Thanksgiving meal from a restaurant to be eaten at their home or someone else’s home, and 4 million plan to order a full takeout Thanksgiving meal from a restaurant.

The national survey also asked consumers whether they plan to visit a restaurant while shopping on Thanksgiving or Black Friday. Of the respondents who said they plan to go out shopping on Thanksgiving Day or evening this year, 39 percent said they expect that they will visit a restaurant while doing so. Of the respondents who said they plan to go out shopping on Black Friday, 60 percent said they expect that they will visit a restaurant. Overall, 46 million shoppers are expected to dine out on November 28 and 29 this year.

The survey of 1,004 American adults was conducted on November 14-17, 2013, by ORC International on behalf of the National Restaurant Association, and asked respondents about their dining plans for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Projections for the number of Americans who will visit restaurants or order takeout are based on economic analysis and original NRA research.