Holiday | KRG Hospitality

A bottle of ITALICUS Rosolio di Bergamotto and two cocktails, resting on a ledge overlooking the ocean.

August 29, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

A Brand-New Day: Celebrating ITALICUS

A Brand-New Day: Celebrating ITALICUS

by David Klemt

I want to go to there, and drink that.

Operators, bar teams, and guests have the opportunity to partake in the first-ever National Rosolio Day, launched by ITALICUS Rosolio di Bergamotto.

The brand, known in part for its elegant and instantly recognizable bottle, is celebrating its eighth anniversary. To acknowledge their growth and mark this milestone, ITALICUS is launching the inaugural National Rosolio Day this coming Sunday, September 1.

I have to give the brand an approving nod here. They could be launching National ITALICUS Day. Instead, they’re celebrating the liqueur category that Giuseppe Gallo and the ITALICUS team have (re)introduced to modern cocktail lovers: rosolio.

I’ll get into the category in a moment. For now, there’s an interesting detail about the brand, the bottle, and the bar holiday launching on September 1.

Traditionally, eighth anniversaries are marked with gifts of bronze and pottery. Looking at the alluring, turquoise bottle, the label and stopper, one can argue, look bronze. Focusing on the stopper, there’s a relief of Bacchus, which looks like it could be porcelain, a form of pottery.

It’s almost like the team and bottle designer were prescient, and set the stage for this new bar holiday before the first case was ever shipped.

Global Celebration

Bars in France, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, the UK, the US, and Switzerland are participating via an exclusive cocktail menu.

One bartender recognizable the world over is LP O’Brien. Fans of the Netflix show Drink Masters know that O’Brien won the first season.

LP O'Brien, the winner of the Netflix show Drink Masters, holding an ITALICUS book, surrounded by ITALICUS bottles.

I need that book, and that back bar.

Her part in the National Rosolio Day celebration includes a series that will educate people on ITALICUS and aperitivo culture. I’m certainly looking forward to learning more about the brand, rosoli, and apertivos from one of the best bartenders and mixologists in the business.

Of course, there’s no reason operators reading this can’t show their support for National Rosolio Day by introducing their guests to ITALICUS and aperitivo culture.

As this will become an annual celebration, bars can plan to participate officially in 2025 and beyond.

Cheers!

Roso-what-now?

So, you likely know what a liqueur is. And I’m willing to go out on a limb and assume you’re familiar with aperitivos.

But what, you may be wondering, is a rosolio?

This drinks category is a low-ABV Italian liqueur that, according to multiple sources, predates amaro, bitters, and vermouth. This ancient liqueur was, of course, homemade, so the botanicals varied wildly depending on region and who was creating a particular batch.

ITALICUS, for example, is crafted using Bergamot oranges from Calabria (considered by many to be the finest citrus in the world), citrons from Sicily, chamomile sourced from Lazio, and several Northern Italian herbs, including gentian, lavender, lemon balm, and yellow roses.

Clearly, these flavors are perfect for summer sipping. Of course, with a bit of creativity, creating cocktails that appeal to guests every season is quite an easy feat to accomplish.

Given its name, you may be curious about the use of rose petals in the production of rosolio. Well, while there are rosoli made with rose petals as an ingredient, rosolio translates to “morning dew,” or “dew of the sun.”

Operators and bar teams interested in implementing an Aperitivo Hour rather than (or in addition to) a standard happy hour have the perfect opportunity this coming Sunday. National Rosolio Day is ideal for leveraging the growing popularity of low-ABV drinks. This new holiday is also one of the best times to introduce guests to relaxing, socializing, and starting their evening with an aperitivo.

So, this weekend (and throughout the month of September), raise a glass to ITALICUS and the brand’s eighth anniversary.

For more details, check out the press release below.

ITALICUS CELEBRATES 8 YEARS WITH THE INAUGURAL NATIONAL ROSOLIO DAY ON SEPTEMBER 1st AND A MONTH DEDICATED TO THE APERITIVO

ITALICUS and mixologist LP O’Brien partner to celebrate the Italian Aperitivo culture across the world in honor of the brand’s 8th anniversary

NEW YORK, NEW YORK (August 28, 2024)—ITALICUS Rosolio di Bergamotto announces the first ever National Rosolio Day on September 1st in honor of the brand’s 8th anniversary. During the month of September, the brand will celebrate the aperitivo around the world with 8 countries taking part to host week-long events featuring special cocktails created with ITALICUS to allow consumers to discover the Rosolio di Bergamotto through its drinks, story and innovation.

Founded in 2016 by Giuseppe Gallo, ITALICUS Rosolio di Bergamotto was created to bring back the forgotten Rosolio category. Made using the finest Italian ingredients, ITALICUS’ bottle design embodies the history and heritage of Italy’s distinctive regions, while telling the story of Rosolio’s traditional drinking occasion of aperitivo and its culture.

September 1st is officially recognized as National Rosolio Day thanks to ITALICUS. For this recurring holiday, ITALICUS has partnered with LP, Lauren O’Brien – renowned mixologist and winner of the Netflix series Drink Masters in 2023 – who will present a mini-series campaign to educate consumers about the brand, aperitivo category and culture. To further explore the best ways to enjoy ITALICUS, LP will be promoting ITALICUS through the art of mixology to demonstrate how you can drink ITALICUS and which easy-ingredient aperitivo cocktails can be replicated at home.

The 8 countries that are a part of the anniversary campaign include: Italy, France, Hong Kong, Hungary, New Zealand, The United Kingdom, The United States and Switzerland. Additionally, the bars that are a part of the initiative will be launching week-long activations whereby consumers can try delicious ITALICUS cocktails from an exclusive menu. The list of bars can be found through the website: https://rosolioitalicus.com/the-art-of-italicus/rosolio-day.

Along with these bars, ITALICUS can also be tasted and explored in some of the world’s 50 best bars including: Connaught Bar in London, Sips in Barcelona, Freni e Frizioni in Rome, Double Chicken Please in New York, Bar Leone in Hong Kong, Maybe Sammy in Sydney, Cafe La Trova in Miami and BKK Social Club in Bangkok.

“The aperitivo is a global trend started in Italy,” comments Giuseppe Gallo, founder of ITALICUS. “Now having a trendy moment around the world, the aperitivo blends tradition and innovation in its story and is served in many cocktails at the best global bars. For this campaign, we are extremely excited to partner with LP O’Brien – one of the most creative minds in the international mixology scene – to inaugurate Rosolio Day on September 1st.”

“Being part of the anniversary and ITALICUS’s launch of Rosolio Day is a tremendous honor,” explains LP. “I’m incredibly grateful to be associated with a brand that demonstrates such thoughtfulness in every aspect – from crafting the liquid to designing the bottle and creating a captivating story. Giuseppe, with his extensive experience in the beverage industry, has created something truly special with ITALICUS.”

National Rosolio Day is dedicated to celebrating the history of the liqueur. Dating back to the Renaissance period, Rosolio is an Italian liqueur that was originally crafted in convents and monasteries as a medicinal tonic. Rosolio, meaning “dew of the sun,” is traditionally made from a base of alcohol, unrefined sugar, water and infused with botanicals, herbs, and fruits – with the most common flavors using spices or citrus fruits. Its preparation was a family traditional craft which was passed on from generation to generation. This liqueur was often used as a welcome drink (or “Cordiale” in Italian) at home.

Despite a decline in the 19th century, Rosolio has experienced a modern revival, driven by the craft cocktail movement and a renewed appreciation for conventional spirits. Today, Rosolio is enjoyed as an aperitif or digestif and brands like ITALICUS have revitalized the category by combining historic methods with contemporary flavors like the bergamot citrus orange – bringing the liqueur to a new generation of enthusiasts.

ITALICUS Rosolio di Bergamotto is sold in 700ml bottles at 20% ABV and is available at select retailers including Curiada and Total Wine for $39.99.

About ITALICUS® Rosolio Di Bergamotto

ITALICUS was created by the authority in Italian spirits, Giuseppe Gallo, to bring back the forgotten Rosolio category. With key notes of Calabrian bergamot, ITALICUS is made using the finest Italian ingredients to create a sip of Italy. The striking bottle design embodies the history and heritage of Italy’s distinctive regions, whilst telling the story of Rosolio’s time-honored traditional drinking occasion of Aperitivo.

ITALICUS is one of the top awarded aperitivo brands globally. ITALICUS Rosolio di Bergamotto was awarded Best New Spirit 2017 at the prestigious Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, and Top Trending Liqueur Brand by Drinks International in the years from 2019 to 2024.

Additional awards include: DOUBLE GOLD – World Wine Spirits Trophy 2021; Italian Aperitif of the year GOLD MEDAL – NYISC 2021 and 2016; Tasting GOLD medal 2018, 2019 – Women & Wine and spirits awards; Best New European Spirit at the Mixology Awards 2017 in Berlin; Best Product at FIBAR 2017; Packaging awards GOLD MEDAL 2017 and Contemporary Awards TROPHY – International Wine & Spirits Competition 2017; Packaging Trophy – Harpers Design 2017; Gold Medal – San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2017; Platinum Best of Luxury – Pentawards 2017; Best New Product – Bar Awards 2016; EXCEPTIONAL quality certificate – Difford’s Guide 2016.

About Giuseppe Gallo

Giuseppe Gallo is one of the world’s most respected bartenders and drinks-industry innovators, with an unrivaled passion for the drinks business and an inimitable source of knowledge and insight into the world of aperitivo. Hailing from the Amalfi Coast, his passion for mixology stems from his strong Italian heritage. Giuseppe is widely considered a vermouth expert and he has spent over 15 years traveling the world and educating consumers and professionals on the category. This work has culminated in winning ‘International Ambassador of the Year’ at the prestigious awards in the drinks industry, Tales Of The Cocktail’s Spirited Awards in 2014. In September 2016 he created Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto which reinvigorated a forgotten aperitivo category, which has won countless industry awards since its launch. In 2019, Giuseppe launched the Roma Bar Show, the first-ever international cocktail festival in the country.

About LP

LP O’Brien is an Afro-Boricua trailblazer in the world of mixology, research and development, renowned for her innovative approach and expertise in crafting exceptional beverages. She gained widespread recognition as the inaugural winner of the Netflix competition series Drink Master, where her creativity and skill set her apart from a field of talented competitors. Despite being sober for a little over a year, LP has continued to excel in her craft, demonstrating that a passion for mixology doesn’t require consuming alcohol. Her unique perspective and commitment to understanding the art of drink-making have made her a leading figure in the industry.

LP’s impressive portfolio includes collaborations with major corporations and celebrities. She has worked with Disney, Food & Wine, American Express, and has created bespoke beverage experiences for high-profile clients such as Christy Carlson Romano and Vanessa Hudgens, along with crafting the signature non-alcoholic beverage for the 2023 Primetime Emmy Awards. Her ability to blend flavors and create memorable drink experiences has earned her a reputation as a top-tier celebrity mixologist.

Images: ITALICUS

"Think about things differently" neon sign

August 1, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: August 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: August 2024

by David Klemt

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your August holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our July 2024 holidays list, click here.

August 3: National Mustard Day

Condiments offer the perfect finishing touch to the dishes we present to guests. Given their importance, we should celebrate them whenever we get the chance.

For some, nothing but mustard belongs on a hot dog. And there are even those out there who claim it’s the only condiment that belongs on a burger.

August 6: National Night Out Day

Traditionally, this holiday aims at encouraging communities to set up neighborhood watches. However, some communities also use this day to simply foster a sense of togetherness, organizing cookouts, block parties, and concerts.

This is a great day to establish your bar or restaurant as part of the community, particularly if your business is family friendly.

August 7: Particularly Preposterous Packaging Day

This is certainly one of the more obscure holidays I’ve encountered. To put a spin on this day to leverage it for a bar or restaurant, I suggest engaging your kitchen and bar teams to come up with an over-the-top presentation for one food item, and one drink. Make it Instagram-worthy and it’ll spread like wildfire on social media, making it a clever marketing exercise.

August 11: Play in the Sand Day

This is another holiday during which operators will benefit from tapping into the creativity of their kitchen and bar teams. The back of house, for example, can look into creating a sand pudding dessert. As for the bar team, the Blood and Sand is a classic whiskey cocktail that teams with the theme.

August 12: Afternoon Tea Week

An entire week dedicated to afternoon tea! In 2024, this holiday runs to August 18. Afternoon Tea Week is a fantastic way to boost traffic and revenue during the lunch daypart. Further, operators have two shots at brunch to cap this weeklong holiday.

Engage the bar team to have them create an LTO menu of tea-based cocktails, including zero-alcohol to full-ABV options.

August 14: World Calligraphy Day

If you have someone on your team with particularly fantastic handwriting, a sandwich board, and chalk (or markers for acrylic boards), you’re all set to celebrate this holiday. Not only can these signs lure passersby into a restaurant or bar, people like to spread them on social media. The same goes for restaurants and bars with chalkboard menus, making them useful marketing tools.

August 20: National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day

You’ve probably eaten a slice of pecan pie. But what about chocolate pecan pie? It’s possible many of your guests haven’t tried this lesser-known dessert. I bet your kitchen team can change that…

August 22: Burger Day

On its face, Burger Day isn’t particularly unique. However, any holiday can be made unique with a clever and creative promotion.

While it’s the ideal day for promoting your signature burger (or burgers), it will also work as a traffic-boosting LTO. For example, if you don’t have a smashburger on your menu, consider creating one for Burger Day. As another example, if you don’t have sliders, this is the time to offer them. Track the sales of your Burger Day LTOs to consider making them repeat promotions, or adding them to the standard menu permanently.

August 27: National Just Because Day

Sometimes operators are handed the perfect day to create and execute any promotion they can imagine. This is one of those days.

August 30: National Beach Day

Drinks with umbrellas, tropical shirts and beachwear, summery drinks, classic cookout dishes, refreshing desserts… Even bars and restaurants that don’t have an outdoor area can be transformed into a beachy scene.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

July 1, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: July 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: July 2024

by David Klemt

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your July holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

For our June 2024 holidays list, click here.

July 7: National Dive Bar Day

Alright, dive and neighborhood bar operators—this is the day to really ensure you and your bar team shine. Show the community why your bar is one of the cornerstones of the neighborhood. This is an opportunity to pull out the stops to impress your regulars and reinforce their love of your bar, and to attract new neighbors to hang out at your place on a regular basis.

July 8: National SCUD Day

Let’s clarify this at the start: SCUD stands for “Savor the Comic and Unplug the Drama.” The intent is for people to relax, unplug, and enjoy some humor, or at least take a light-hearted approach to life. Now, if you happen to feature stand-up comedy or operate a comedy club, this holiday should be all the way in your wheelhouse.

July 9: Cow Appreciation Day

The humble cow provides a lot for us. In addition to all manner of food items, cows even help us make some very smooth vodkas. Given how much cows give, operators can make entire prix fixe menus dedicated to them: from appetizer to dessert, the cow can fill out an entire meal, including drinks.

However, you can take another approach to this holiday. Vegan restaurants, for example, can highlight alternatives to cow products by creating dishes, drinks, and prix fixe menus.

July 11: National Mojito Day

Here’s an easy one. After you’ve ensured that your bar team makes an excellent Mojito, create an LTO menu. Feature the traditional build, a high-end version, and a creative variant or two.

July 13: Embrace Your Geekness Day

How the times have changed, for the better in this instance. Not long ago, “geek” was a real insult. Now, we can’t wait as individuals to geek out with others over our hobbies, interests, and other passions.

Does your bar have an overall theme that can be amplified for maximum geekiness? Do you feature board games, card games, or even video games? Is it common for clubs to meet up at your place? Have you noticed something that several of your patrons seem to enjoy talking about and geeking out over? Lean as far into that as you can and create an amazing experience.

July 15: National Be a Dork Day

Maybe you don’t like the word “geek.” Perhaps, to you, being a dork is more about being a bit (or very) silly, and leaning into being “uncool” (which is actually cool).

At any rate, if you’re not into the idea of Embrace Your Geekness Day—or you want to showcase the difference between geeks and dorks—National Be a Dork Day may work well for you.

July 21: National Junk Food Day

We all have differing ideas about junk food. For some, junk food refers to candy and dessert foods, specifically. To others, it’s anything that isn’t considered a healthy food.

The approach I recommend is giving people an excuse to eat and drink whatever they want on this day, or taking a cheat day. Further, you can certainly create a cocktail menu that captures the flavors of people’s favorite candy bars, candies, etc. Or, build over-the-top burgers, come up with a signature food challenge, or create a signature pizza that features compelling and unique toppings.

July 22: National Mango Day

Mango Margaritas, Mango Mezcalritas, mango IPA, mango ale, mango salsa, mango-habanero-glazed short ribs… If you can mango it, put it on an LTO menu.

July 27: National Take Your Pants for a Walk Day

Are you in a walkable city? This is really just a more interesting way of saying, “Walk to our bar/restaurant to earn your treat and time out with friends.”

July 31: National Avocado Day

Don’t be avoca-don’t—be an avoca-do. If your dishes and drinks can feature avocado in some way, have your kitchen and bar teams lean into it. For example, this would be a fantastic day to impress with a signature guacamole, made table-side.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

AI-generated image of a Caesar salad in a bowl on a table with a birthday cake on top of it

June 10, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Happy Hundredth to the Caesar Salad!

Happy Hundredth to the Caesar Salad!

by David Klemt

AI generated some truly unhinged abominations before creating this image.

In about a month you and your kitchen team have the opportunity to pull out all the stops and celebrate an iconic menu item with your guests.

Whereas it’s often difficult to impossible, in contrast, to trace the origins of classic cocktails, we know much of the history of this particular dish. Driven by a restaurant in Tijuana, the Caesar salad will receive recognition on its hundredth “birthday” on July 4.

Or, more accurately, Caesar’s Restaurante Bar is planning a festival to celebrate the salad during the first week of July.

Given the attention this festival is receiving, savvy operators can also plan promotions around the Caesar salad.

Origins: Known

First, let’s get one of the greatest misconceptions surround this salad out of the way. No, it’s not named for Julius Caesar.

Next, let’s dispel another myth. No, the Caesar salad wasn’t around in Rome during Caesar’s reign. Well over two thousand years separate his five-year rule and the creation of this salad.

Rather, the salad carries the name, quite simply, of its creator, Cesare Cardini.

In 1913, Cardini traveled to New York City, and then headed to Montréal. He would return to Italy eventually, then come back to the US in 1919.

Before heading to Tijuana, Cardini ran at least one restaurant in Sacramento. Per reporting, he chose Tijuana—where he operated several restaurants and a hotel—to get around Prohibition.

Cardini’s daughter Rosa shared the salad’s story in 1987 with the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. According to Rosa, an overwhelming number of guests arrived at her father’s hotel a hundred years ago. Of course, these guests also slammed the restaurant.

Cardini didn’t have enough fresh veggies to feed everyone, so he chose to improvise. Part of that improvisation was putting on a performance, preparing the first-ever Caesar salad in the dining room in front of the guests.

So, tableside is the traditional, original preparation, an interesting detail.

More Misconceptions

The Caesar, in its original preparation, consists of a handful of specific ingredients. Cardini used romaine hearts, eggs, lemons, Worcestershire sauce, garlic-infused oil, Parmesan cheese, salt, and croutons.

However, per Rosa, it’s not just the namesake of the salad and its country of origin that people get incorrect. You’ll notice that anchovies aren’t among the ingredients. Neither are mayonnaise or Dijon mustard. And as far as the finer details, Rosa told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin that her father didn’t use raw eggs. Instead, they had been coddled, or boiled for one minute.

Another mistake for which Rosa expressed her disdain is tableside preppers putting all of the ingredients into a bowl at the same time to toss them. There’s a proper order, and you’ll find it at the bottom of this article.

Finally, Rosa noted that the appropriate method of tossing the romaine hearts is to use a gentle, under-over rolling technique. This approach prevents bruising of the leaves when done correctly.

Now, guests visiting bars and restaurants in America will have expectations on the Fourth of July. It’s likely that celebrating the Caesar salad isn’t one of them. So, operators should consider promoting their Caesars in the days before and just after that major holiday.

The Original

Below, the proper order to prepare a traditional Caesar salad, per Rosa Cardini. Following the instructions will yield four servings.

I’m going to skip the steps of making the garlic-infused oil and croutons in house.

The hearts (outer leaves removed) of two medium romaine lettuce heads should be cold and crisp. These can be kept whole or broken into two-inch lengths.
Pour four ounces of the infused oil over the leaves, and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
Using the aforementioned proper technique, toss the leaves two or three times.
Break the coddled—not raw—eggs over the leaves. Add eight to ten drops of Worcestershire sauce along with the juice of two lemons. Again, toss two or three times.
Add six to eight tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and a half-cup of croutons (made with day-old white bread and a touch of the infused oil, traditionally), and toss again.
Serve on chilled salad plates.

There you have it. The original preparation.

According to Rosa, many guests simply picked up the leaves and ate them like slices of toast. Today’s guests will likely prefer a fork, but that’s an interesting note.

Of course, people enjoy putting their spin on this classic dish. In particular, adding all manner of proteins is a popular way to personalize a Caesar salad.

Recently, I tried a Caesar to which Everything But the Bagel seasoning had been added. Not bad.

Given its adaptability, it could be a good idea to create an LTO Caesar menu with the original at the top, along with two or three variations.

And, hey, while you’re at it, consider offering a Caesar cocktail (another very customizable item) alongside the Caesar salad. Why not?

Image: Shutterstock. Disclaimer: This image was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system.

June 3, 2024by krghospitality krghospitality No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: June 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: June 2024

by David Klemt

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your June holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

For our May 2024 holidays list, click here.

June 6: National Gardening Exercise Day

Does your bar, restaurant, or hotel have an herb garden? If so, this is an excellent day to let your guests know about it, and highlight which drinks and dishes feature ingredients from said garden.

June 8: National Rosé Day

Your first instinct may be to feature your still and sparkling rosé wines on this day. However, there are also rosé spirits out there, like vodka and gin. Use this day to make your guests aware of your rosé program. Oh, and June 8 also happens to be World Gin Day, another reason to offer an LTO menu that features rosé gin.

However, you don’t have to stop the festivities on June 8. The next day is Day of La Rioja, and this Spanish province is world-renowned for its winemaking. In fact, there are more than 600 wineries in La Rioja, and some produce rosado or rosato, a.k.a. rosé.

June 10: National Herbs & Spices Day

If your kitchen makes its own spice blends, shout about them to the rooftop on June 10. And if you don’t yet make your own blends but would like to, here’s a tip from Chef Brian Duffy: make ten pounds of it, not just a quart, and store it in a clearly labeled flat tray. You’ll go through it faster than you anticipate if it’s a hit.

June 15: World Tapas Day

Really, who doesn’t love a small plate and sharing with friends? I know I’ve built a meal out of tapas on more than one occasion. Review your menu, get creative, and build your own brand-authentic and concept-specific tapas menu for June 15.

June 16: Turkey Lovers’ Day

This day lands close to the midway point leading to Thanksgiving. So, create a turkey-heavy LTO menu. Turkey tacos, turkey barbacoa burrito bowls, a full-on turkey dinner, turkey breasts…

June 16: World Sustainable Gastronomy Day

I tend to avoid doubling up on holidays but this one is important, so I’m breaking my own “rule.” Leading up to June 16, review your menu and operations to identify what you’re doing that’s producing sustainable dishes. Taking this a step farther, find out where you can improve to be more sustainable, and implement those initiatives by June 16.

June 21: National Take Back the Lunch Break Day

Do you offer pickup or delivery? And are you open for lunch? How fast are your kitchen times? These are all important operational elements to consider, particularly if you want to attract the lunch crowd. Should you feel that your lunch daypart operations are dialed in, lure in guests with intriguing lunch-time promotions.

June 22: National Onion Ring Day

Not only is this the perfect day to boast about your onion rings, it’s an excellent excuse to review their presentation and come up with something impactful and memorable. Consider an array of accompaniments, size and height, and playing with your batter.

June 27: International Pineapple Day

Ah, the pineapple, the international symbol of hospitality. If there was ever a day to go absolutely bonkers with a pineapple-forward F&B LTO menu, this is it!

June 29: National Waffle Iron Day

Who doesn’t love a waffle, particularly a build-your-own waffle? I think you know what to do on this holiday.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

May 1, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: May 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: May 2024

by David Klemt

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your May holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

For our April 2024 holidays list, click here.

May 1: Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

If your concept is one that attracts motorcyclists already, or one that can handle motorcyclists to show up en masse without alienating other guests, your venue can celebrate Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month any or every day in May.

Encourage your guests to ride safely, look out for motorcycles when they’re driving, and organize group rides that stop by your bar or restaurant. Responsibly, of course.

May 4: Beer Pong Day

Let’s face it—beer pong is a classic bar game. Importantly, it’s a classic bar game that anyone can learn to play (to varying degrees of skill), and it’s simple to organize a tournament.

Should your bar or restaurant have the room and the following to support a beer pong tournament, this holiday could do very well for you and your team.

May 6: National Beverage Day

I mean…look how open-ended this holiday is. Is your bar or restaurant known for a particular drink? More than one particular drink? Perfect! Now’s the time to really brag about that and bring people through your doors.

May 11: National Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Day

Part of being a great operator is being an excellent neighbor and member of the community. One selfless act you and your team can participate in is to organize a food drive, acting as the central hub for donations and partnering with a food pantry, shelter, or other charitable organization.

May 17: National Pizza Party Day

Sure, the pizza party has become a corporate trope. That doesn’t mean that if you operate a pizzeria your business shouldn’t be the one that companies, families, and groups of friends call when it’s pizza party time.

May 19: World Baking Day

How are your kitchen team’s baking skills? This is the holiday to shine a light on them and create a baked well LTO.

May 20: World Bee Day

Not only are there some interesting cocktails with the word “bee” in their name, there are also plenty that call for honey as an ingredient.

However, as I pointed out on Earth Day, there are also vegan honey alternatives that can be used for F&B items. So, this could be the day to use those and make your guests aware of them.

May 21: International Tea Day

Tea is, obviously, an excellent drink on its own. However, tea can really shine as the base or mixer for an array of cocktails. Try creating an LTO menu of full-, low-, and no-ABV cocktails for your guests to try.

May 22: National Craft Distillery Day

Do you have a craft distillery in your market? In your state? This holiday is the perfect time to work on developing a relationship with them and crafting an LTO menu with their products.

May 30: National Mint Julep Day

Ah, the Mint Julep. It’s not just for the Kentucky Derby. It’s a classic for a reason, and one of those reasons is how refreshing it is on a hot day. Plus, there are several variants you can adjust to create an LTO menu.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

April 1, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: April 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: April 2024

by David Klemt

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your April holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

For our March 2024 holidays list, click here.

April 5: Walk to Work Day

Operators who with bars and restaurants in walkable areas should leverage this holiday. People who walk to work should reward themselves by walking to a bar or restaurant for dinner and a drink after work. Of course, operators open for breakfast and dinner should encourage guests to walk in for a treat to start their day, and another treat (or two) to end it.

April 6: New Beer’s Eve

As the name implies, we celebrate this holiday the day before another holiday in the US: National Beer Day.

Operators who really want to help New Beer’s Eve gain a loyal following among their guests can bring in new beers for their guests to try on this holiday.

April 8: National Empanada Day

How would you rate your empanadas? How would your guests rate your empanadas? If you and your team are proud of your emapanadas, this is their time to shine.

April 10: Golfer’s Day

If you have Golden Tee in your bar, or you operate an eatertainment concept that revolves around golf, this is the perfect holiday to celebrate golfers. Of course, this also holds true if you operate a bar or restaurant within a community that loves golf.

You’re already (hopefully) your guests’ third spot; become their 19th hole on Golfer’s Day as well.

April 12: World Licorice Day

Sambuca, ouzo, xtabentún, absinthe… World Licorice Day is a great holiday for showcasing the licorice-flavored spirits in your inventory on your menu.

April 17: Blah Blah Blah Day

So, this day encourages people to try or start something that friends and family have been telling them do repeatedly. I would interpret this holiday as one during which to encourage your guests to try a new dish or drink rather than just ordering their usual again.

April 21: National Tea Day

Not only does tea make an excellent mixer for an array of cocktails, it really shines as the base for non-alcohol drinks. The depth of flavors that tea delivers really makes on impact on the palate and the guest experience.

National Tea Day is the perfect time to dial in your tea-based cocktails, be they low-, full-, or zero-ABV.

April 23: German Beer Day

Do you have German beers on your menu? I’m going to give you one guess as to what you should do with those beers on German Beer Day.

However, I have another thought, as well. There’s nothing that says you can’t come up with a creative LTO menu that introduces American or Canadian craft beers that taste similar to a German counterpart…

April 26: National Pretzel Day

Sure, you could just offer bowls of pretzels to guests on this holiday, providing a snack that goes with their beer.

Or, you could activate your kitchen team, make large pretzels in-house, and put pretzel charcuterie boards on an LTO menu. They may just prove to be a hit among you guests worthy of repeat appearances.

April 30: National Bubble Tea Day

Gee, if only there were a holiday that celebrates bubble tea, one that operators with bubble tea on their menu could build an LTO around. Oh, look! There is one!

Operators and their bar teams can also interpret this holiday a little differently. Tea cocktails and zero-proof drinks given the Flavour Blaster treatment? That could be rad…

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

The Rémy Sidecar cocktail in landscape orientation

March 18, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

6 Sips for National Cocktail Day

6 Sophisticated Sips for National Cocktail Day

by David Klemt

Our friends at Cointreau, Mount Gay, Rémy Martin, St-Rémy Signature, Belle de Brillet, and METAXA want us to share some recipes with you.

And why do these purveyors of fine spirits want you to have these drink recipes? To inspire you and your team to craft a sophisticated National Cocktail Day menu, of course.

Now, you and your team are likely very familiar with Cointreau, Mount Gay, and Rémy Martin. After all, each are among the most well-known liqueurs, rums, and Cognacs on the planet.

However, you may be less familiar with some of the other spirits below. So, I’m going to provide a brief overview. Naturally, I’ll also encourage you to contact your reps so they can taste you and your team on each.

Let’s kick things of with METAXA. If your guests like brandy, they’re probably going to love METAXA. In particular, METAXA 7 Star is a Greek spirit that consists of Muscat wine, wine distillates, and Mediterranean aromatics and botanicals, aged in oak barrels. This is a truly unique spirit; your guests have likely never tasted anything quite like it.

Now, let’s look at Belle de Brillet. This is a French liqueur made with fine Brillet Cognac eau-de-vie and Poire Williams (Williams pears). Really, this is an elegant way to enjoy terroir via two fruits: pears and grapes. From what I can find, it takes 20 Williams pears to produce each bottle of Belle de Brillet.

That brings us to St-Rémy Signature. Also from France, St-Rémy Signature is the marriage of tradition and modern production techniques. For example, Signature undergoes a double-maturation process, unlike many fine brandies. When it comes to terroir, Signature takes people on a tour, as it’s made with dozens of grapes from all over France.

Whether you decide to create an LTO menu with the recipes below or put your spins on these drinks, your guests will thank you for helping them celebrate National Cocktail Day.

Cheers!

The Rémy Sidecar

2 oz. Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal
0.75 oz. Cointreau
0.75 oz. Fresh lemon juice
Lemon peel to garnish

Fill a shaker with ice, then add first three ingredients. Shake well. Strain into a coupette, and garnish with a lemon peel.

The Original Margarita by Cointreau

1 oz. Cointreau
2 oz. Blanco tequila
1 oz. Fresh lime juice
Lime wheel to garnish

Prepare a glass by rimming it with salt. Add all ingredients except for garnish to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well, then strain into the prepared glass. Garnish with lime wheel.

Mount Gay Orange Eclipse

2 oz. Mount Gay Eclipse
1 oz. Fresh blood orange juice
0.6 oz. Sweet vermouth
4 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Orange peel to garnish

Prepare a coupe by filling it with ice and setting it aside. Alternatively, keep some coupes in a fridge to have chilled glassware on hand. Fill a shaker with ice, then add first four ingredients. Shake until well chilled, then strain into prepared coupe. Garnish with orange peel.

METAXA Greek Spritz

1.4 oz METAXA 7 Stars
1.4 oz Prosecco (or other sparkling wine)
0.7 oz Splash of tonic
3 Dashes of peach bitters or fresh peach juice
Peach wedge to garnish

Pour METAXA 7 Stars into a wine glass. Add ice, tonic, and bitters or juice to glass, then stir. Top with Prosecco or other sparkling wine. Garnish with peach wedge.

Belle de Brillet Belle Pamplemousse

1.75 oz. Belle de Brillet
0.5 oz. Fresh lemon juice (optional)
3.5 oz. Grapefruit soda
1 oz. Prosecco
Slice of grapefruit to garnish

Add ice to a glass, then add all liquid ingredients. Stir, then garnish with grapefruit slice.

St-Rémy Signature Rose

1 oz. St-Rémy Signature
0.7 oz. Fresh lemon juice
0.3 oz. Grenadine syrup
0.3 oz. Hibiscus syrup
1 Egg white
Edible flower to garnish

Add ice and first five ingredients to a shaker. Shake well, then strain into a stemmed or footed glass. Garnish with an edible flower.

Disclaimer: Neither the author nor KRG Hospitality received compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this post.

Images provided by LaFORCE

An Alpine Ibex, also known as a Steinbock, in the mountains

March 12, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Celebrating the Goat of Beer Styles

Celebrating the Goat of Beer Styles

by David Klemt

On Wednesday, March 20, operators and their teams have the opportunity to celebrate the “goat” of beer styles with their guests.

I’m talking about Bock Beer Day, the day we raise a glass to a several-centuries-old beer style. Just like I did with Baltic Porter Day last year, I’m going to do a bit of a deep dive into this diverse brew.

Now, please note that I say Bock is the goat, not the GOAT. I’m not claiming that Bock is the greatest beer of all time. (Although, this style does make a compelling case for the GOAT title.)

Rather, the German word bock translates to “goat” in English. And why would Germans name a beer after the hollow-horned relatives of sheep? Well, it all comes down to accents.

Beer experts and historians agree that we can trace the first brewing of Bock beer to Einbeck, a town in Germany, in the 14th century. As the story goes, people in Germany pronounced the Einbeck as ein bock, which translates to “a goat.” Hence, goat, not GOAT.

However, as I said, this style of beer does have a realistic claim to the beer throne. It’s a wide-ranging style that has many variants. Of course, Bock itself is related to another style: Lager. In particular, brewers tend to view it as a “cousin” of Amber Lager.

Over time, Bocks have evolved a bit. Once considered a “strong” Lager high in alcohol content, the style is much more varied now. A Bock can be low-ABV (I found one that’s just 3.5% ABV) to high test. It can be pale or dark, and every shade in between.

One thing Bocks do have in common, however, is a sweet, malty note on the palate.

Styles of Bock

There are several styles within this style of beer. Savvy operators will realize that positions Bock well for flights, pairings, and tastings.

In fact, Bocks are excellent for multi-course dining events. That can mean three courses (starter, main, dessert) to four or more.

Oh, and for those wondering, Bock pairs well with Asiago, Parmesan, and Cheddar cheeses.

Some styles operators and their bar teams will want to consider are:

Doppelbock
Dunkels Bock, a.k.a. Traditional Bock
Eisbock
Helles Bock, a.k.a. Maibock
Texas Bock
Triple Bock
Weizenbock

American Bock Beers

Kicking off the list below is Shiner Bock. When it comes to American Bock beer, this Texas brew is likely the most well known.

Interestingly, there are people deeply entrenched in the beer world that believe Texas is the epicenter of Bock beer in the US.

Of course, there are craft brewers all over the country producing Bock beers. With that in mind, I encourage operators to look into breweries in their state to learn who’s crafting this style of beer.

A word of warning: Many breweries produce Bock seasonally or in limited runs, so they can be difficult to find.

Shiner Bock (Shiner, Texas)
New Glarus Uff-da Bock (New Glarus, Wisconsin)
Rogue Dead Guy Ale (Newport, Oregon)
Genesee Spring Bock (Rochester, New York)
Community Beer Co. Texas-style Bock (Dallas, Texas)

Candian Bock Beers

Similarly to the US, it takes a fair bit of research to find Bock beers in Canada.

However, I think operators who put in the effort will find it rewarding. It’s smart business to find out who can supply Bocks (and other craft beers) so operators can support local brewers.

Below is a short list of brewers in BC and Ontario who produce Bock beers.

Howl Brewing Winterbock (Victoria, British Columbia)
Hoyne Brewing Co. Weizenbock (Victoria, British Columbia)
Vancouver Island Brewing Hermannator Ice Bock (Victoria, British Columbia)
Pacific Western Brewing Co. Schwarzbock (Prince George, British Columbia)
Blackburn Brew House General Bock (Niagara Falls, Ontario)

Image: Cédric Streit on Unsplash

March 1, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: March 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: March 2024

by David Klemt

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your March holiday promotions.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

For our February 2024 holidays list, click here.

March 5: Cinco de Marcho

Supposedly, this holiday is meant to “train the livers” of people planning on getting slightly wild on March 17. They have 12 days to get ready to party.

Well, we at KRG Hospitality think this sounds a bit irresponsible. We don’t want any operators or their teams to run into any legal trouble. So, I recommend offering a spin on the Coronarita as a nearly two-week-long LTO.

Build a Margarita with Irish whiskey, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and agave syrup. Serve it in a salt-rimmed pint glass, schooner, or mason jar. Invert a Harp Lager, Smithwick’s Pale Ale, or Guinness Blonde Lager in the glass.

March 7: National Crown Roast of Pork Day

Here’s a fun one based on a culinary classic. Put simply, a crown roast is anywhere from a dozen to nearly two dozen pork rib chops. When arranged in a circle, they look like a crown.

It’s old school, and it’s certainly a shareable dish. Dress this LTO up with a wine pairing, or dress it down with a bucket of beers.

March 8: National Proofreading Day

Your menu is a billboard. It’s a crucial marketing and branding tool. So, it can be embarrassing when there are typos and other issues on your menu.

If you don’t want to proofread it yourself, or you just want to engage your guests, put a “bounty” on misspellings and grammatical errors on your menu. Watch how quickly any mistakes are found, if any exist.

March 14: National Potato Chip Day

Housemade potato chips are among the best appetizers and sides. If your kitchen team is up for it, consider housemade chips as an LTO side. Think about making them a permanent (or semi-permanent) addition to your menu if all goes well.

March 18: National Sloppy Joe Day

So, it’s March 18. Some people may have gotten after it pretty hard for St. Patrick’s Day. They need comfort food.

If your kitchen team can make delicious Sloppy Joe’s from scratch (maybe served with housemade potato chips), they may be just what the doctor ordered.

March 19: National Poultry Day

Does your restaurant or bar serve dishes featuring poultry? Guess what you should do on this day…

March 21: World Vermouth Day

The days of low-quality vermouth are gone. For a few years not at least, people have discovered that premium vermouth makes a great cocktail base. This holds particularly true for low-ABV drinks, like reverse cocktails.

March 22: National Goof Off Day

This year, National Goof Off Day falls on a Friday. Really, that timing couldn’t be much better.

Encourage your guests to set aside their responsibilities—as long as it won’t get them fired—and goof off at your bar.

March 29: Smoke and Mirrors Day

When a cocktail is served with smoke, people take notice. Often times, when one is served, people watching the show want one of their own.

This is the perfect holiday to show off your smoking cocktails. To really embrace the holiday, smoke and serve them in a glass and chrome smoker box. By the way, these boxes work well when it comes to smoking food items, too.

March 31: National Tater Day

Much like poultry day, I bet you can figure out what to do on National Tater Day. Celebrate the potato! Tater tot nachos? Done. Sriracha French fries? Awesome. Fully loaded potato skins and baked potatoes? Classics.

Get creative. The humble potato is a fantastic canvas for enticing dishes.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels