inrla at your service: april 2014

As Pay Debate Wages, Owners Shuffle Costs pg. 13

also in this issueINRLA BOARD MEMBERS COLLABORATE TO INTRODUCE CRAFT BEER pg 10

April 2014 Issue

pg. 4

Google Checks In to the Hotel Business

InRLA At Your Service: April 2014

AT YOUR SERVICE

PATRICK TAMMInRLA President

DEBRA SCOTT InRLA Director of Operations

TOM JOHNSONInRLA Director of Finance

CONNIE VICKERY InRLA Director of Government Affairs

STEPHANIE HIGGINSInRLA Director of Events

STACY QUASEBARTH InRLA Director of Communications

EMILY WALDRONInRLA Director of First Impressions

INDIANA RESTAURANT & LODGING ASSOCIATION200 S. Meridian St. Suite 350

Indianapolis, IN 46225www.InRLA.org

CONTENT3 HOUSE OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVES REP. YOUNG'S BILL TO PROTECT PAYCHECKS OF HOURLY WORKERS

4 NEW EDITION OF UNIFORM SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTS FOR THE LODGING INDUSTRY TO BE AVAILABLE IN PRINT AND DIGITAL VERSIONS

5 EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE AND TRIPADVISOR® COLLABORATE ON REPUTATION MANAGEMENT TRAINING

6 GOOGLE CHECKS IN TO THE HOTEL BUSINESS 9 AS PAY DEBATE RAGES, OWNERS SHUFFLE COSTS

11 INRLA REVERSE TRADE SHOW APRIL 24

12 CULINARY STUDENT FROM IVY TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE REPRESENTED US IN INTERNATIONAL CULINARY CONTEST

13 INRLA BOARD MEMBERS RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE & THR3E WISE MEN BREWING CO. COLLABORATE TO INTRODUCE CRAFT BEER

14 2014 HOOSIER HOSPITALITY CONFERENCE ATTENDEES SPEAK ON THEIR EXPERIENCES

15 INCUBATOR TARGETS FOOD ENTREPRENEURS

16 (BACK COVER) WE DON'T SERVE TEENS CAMPAIGN

HOW THE FUTURE CHANGES ON OVERTIME EXEMPTIONS COULD AFFECT THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

InRLA Endorsed Providers

endorsed

provider

InRLA

enprov


On a vote on April 3, 2014 of 248-179, the House of Representatives passed Indiana Republican Rep. Todd Young’s (R-IN9) legislation—H.R. 2575, the Save American Workers Act—to repeal Obamacare’s 30-hour definition of full-time employment, and to restore the traditional 40-hour work week.

In floor remarks on Wednesday, Young noted the importance of this legislation for the millions of hourly workers who face reduced hours and wages as a result of the health care law’s new definition of full-time employment.

“As the Senate continues to push for a 25% increase in the federal minimum wage, they continue to ignore that millions of hourly workers face as much as a 25% pay cut as a result of Obamacare,” said Young. “These are all Americans who want to work, but are dealing with the unintended consequences of this healthcare law. By simply repealing this provision and restoring the traditional 40-hour work week, we can help make an America that works.”

Video of Young’s floor remarks—in which he also noted that those most at-risk include those who work as custodians, waitresses, substitute teachers, and cashiers, among others—can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjRvhngwfBY.

Facing withering pressure to stick with the president and block any GOP effort to change Obamacare, 18 Democrats

crossed the aisle to join Republicans In replacing the 30-hour work week with the traditional 40 hours, a major boost to small businesses.

Both the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) and the National Restaurant Association (NRA) were joined by many arguing that forcing firms to offer insurance to employees who worked just 30 hours, considered part-time, would be too costly. As a result, they planned to cut hours below 30 hours and dump full-time workers.

Young’s main Democratic co-sponsor, Illinois Rep. Dan Lipinski said in a statement, “Ask most Americans and they will tell you that a full-time workweek is 40 hours, not 30 as defined in the Affordable Care Act. If left unchanged, an unintended consequence of the ACA would be a reduction in take-home-pay for millions of hard-working Americans. Many families would suddenly be forced to make financial decisions they shouldn’t ever have to make, or find another part time job to try and make up the difference.”

Young said that he hopes the vote will spark similar action in the Senate where a version of his bill also has bipartisan support.

The 40 Hours is Full-Time Act (S. 1188) was introduced to the Senate by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Joe Donnelly (D-IN).

Follow Up to InRLA Action Alert: Your Voice was Heard. House Overwhelmingly Approves Rep. Young's Bill to

Protect Paychecks of Hourly Workers

(Congressman Todd Young, R., Indiana.)


New Edition of Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry to be Available

in Print and Digital Versions

The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI) will begin taking pre-orders for the Eleventh Revised Edition of the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI) on April 18. The popular financial manual will be available for the first time in a digital format (coming in late April) as well as in print (available late May). The publication is a joint effort of the Hotel Association of New York City and the Financial Management Committee of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), with funding from Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals (HFTP).

The USALI is periodically revised to reflect changes in industry practice and to address issues that arise as the industry develops. Examples of contemporary industry issues and practices considered and addressed in this Eleventh Revised Edition include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Technology updates

• Sustainability

• Globalization

• New terminology

• Cluster services

• Distribution channels

• Enhanced ratio analysis

The print version of the book will be packaged with a keycode that enables readers to access and download Excel templates of all financial statements and supporting schedules, as well as a searchable Revenue and Expense Guide. These will also be available to those who purchase the digital version of the book.

Every section of the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry has been updated to reflect the latest practices for recording financial information. There are new categories, changes in where specific items are recorded, and additional guidance on issues such as recording of surcharges, service charges, and gratuities; the handling of revenues and expenses associated with mixed-ownership lodging facilities; the handling of gift certificate revenue; and the handling of equipment rental, unique municipal charges, and various employee housing expenses. Part III, formerly titled “Ratios and Statistics,” has been renamed “Financial Ratios and Operating Metrics” in recognition of the importance of operational and financial analysis.

See more online at: http://tiny.cc/0m53dx

2014 HOOSIER HOSPITALITY CONFERENCE ATTENDEES SPEAK ON THEIR EXPERIENCES


Educational Institute and TripAdvisor® Collaborate on Reputation Management Training

The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI), in partnership with TripAdvisor®, has developed a 30-minute online tutorial that introduces front-line staff to the concept of reputation management. Tens of millions of travelers share reviews of their hotel stays on TripAdvisor®, the world’s largest travel ratings website, and millions of others read those reviews when planning trips for business and pleasure. Managing a property’s online reputation is essential, as guest reviews contribute—positively or negatively—to a property’s bottom line. “TripAdvisor® Reputation Management for Front-Line Staff” (view online at http://tiny.cc/frontlinestaff) provides clear information on how staff can encourage positive reviews by providing exceptional guest service.

TripAdvisor’s reputation management course provides an overview of the site, including an explanation of TripAdvisor’s popularity rankings. Employees learn where negative reviews come from and how employee involvement can impact guest satisfaction. They gain an awareness of management responsibilities and their own roles in the review process. The course provides tips on acceptable ways to ask guests for reviews, as well as information on TripAdvisor’s policies on fraud, threats, and blackmail. Learning is assessed using “What Do You Think?” questions throughout the course and an end-of-course quiz. Those who pass the quiz with a score of 80% or higher can print out a certification of completion.

The program is also available in a print format suitable for individual or group training.

TripAdvisor® Reputation Management for Front-Line Staff is available for individual purchase through EI’s online store at www.ahlei.org. This product is also available for licensing by organizations interested in training large groups of employees. Pricing is subject to number of users. Please contact an EI sales manager at 1.800.349.0299 or +1.407.999.8100 for details.


By Rolfe Winkler and Craig KarminSource: The Wall Street Journal, April 9, 2014http://online.wsj.com/

Google Inc. is moving boldly to play a larger role in booking hotel rooms – at the risk of offending some of its most important advertisers.

Google is adding more photos and reviews to its hotel listings, so they can increasingly resemble those of travel search sites such as Priceline Group Inc., Expedia Inc. and TripAdvisor Inc. And it is more aggressively promoting its “hotel-price ads” that post room rates directly as travel search sites do.

The idea is to encourage travelers to plan more of their trips directly on Google. In the process Google gets them closer to making a booking, which experts expect will make referrals more valuable, prompting travel agencies and hotel operators to pay more for clicks on Google ads over time. It also encourages more hotel operators to place ads on Google directly, bypassing online travel agencies that charge commissions of up to 25%.

In its latest move related to hotels, Google on April 7, 2014 struck a licensing deal that will give it access to technology from hotel booking software startup Room 77 while adding engineers to Google’s hotel-search team.

The potential market is large. In the U.S. alone, travel and tourism spending totaled $450 billion last year, and is expected to grow 3.5% this year, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council.

But the move is risky: Online travel agencies are among Google’s biggest advertisers. Priceline Group will spend

more than $1.5 billion in 2014 on Google advertising and Expedia could spend another $1 billion, mainly to attract hotel bookings, estimates RBC Capital Markets analyst Mark Mahaney. Those two alone could account for nearly 5% of Google’s ad revenue this year, Mr. Mahaney estimates, even though the company has over a million advertising customers.

A spokeswoman for TripAdvisor says the company welcomes competition. An Expedia spokesman pointed to comments made by an Expedia executive in February that the two companies “can coexist harmoniously for a very long time.” Priceline declined to comment.

Google has been expanding ties with some big hotel groups. Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. says 78 of its properties now offer “virtual tours” on Google’s site. Geraldine Calpin, Hilton’s global head of digital, said more Web visitors book rooms after viewing those tours. Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, owner of the Radisson brand, also uses the virtual tours, and plants to use Google’s Wallet payment service for online payments to connect to its loyalty program.

The tech company also has stepped up efforts to recruit independent hotels to bid on the hotel-price ads. In early March, Google showed its new search results to dozens of technology companies that work with boutique hotel chains at a first-of-its-kind meeting in Berlin, according to three people who attended the meeting.

The hotel-price ads on Google are “a game changer,” saidErikMunoz,anexecutivedirectorathotel-bookingcompany SiteMinder. He said Google’s new ads allow hotels to compete with online travel agencies for a direct booking, potentially driving down their costs.

Google Checks In to the Hotel Business


Google wants lots of hotels listing their rooms so that users have “lots of options,” said David Pavelko, Google’s director of travel partnerships.

This also reduces Google’s dependence on two giant travel advertisers.

Some hotel operators are wary of sharing too much information with Google, fearing the company will become a powerful intermediary between them and their customers.

Intercontinental Hotels Group, PLC isn’t participating in Google’s program for the virtual tours, even as it buys Google advertising. An IHG executive says the company likes to reserve such content for its own site to encourage travelers to book directly, which saves the company money.

“Any time you’re dealing with Google it pays to be careful and know what its long term strategy is,” says Tom Botts, chief customer officer at Denihan Hospitality Group, which is testing the virtual tour at its Miami property.

The relationship between Google and online travel agencies can be even more tense. They fear Google’s moves to establish direct relationships with hotels, said one executive of Orbitz Worldwide Inc. Expedia and TripAdvisor are members of FairSearch.org an adovacy group that highlights what it sees as Google’s anticompetitive practice of promoting its own services in search results. Even so, they remain big spenders on Google advertising because of the valuable leads.

Google has been slow to remake travel search results after buying flight search engine ITA Software in 2011. But there is more money at stake in hotel advertising, because there is more competition for travelers: A city served by a half-dozen airlines may have dozens of hotels.

Google’s stepped up efforts around hotel search put it on a collision course with TripAdvisor, which like Google links out to other sites where customers actually book lodging. But even those other sites, which include Priceline’s Booking.com and Expedia’s Hotels.com, may be increasingly sidelined as Google moves to establish more direct relationships with hotels themselves.

The aggressiveness in hotel search is a part of a broader push to provide more information on Google’s own pages, beyond links to other sites. That is particularly important as more users search on smartphones, with their smaller screens and limited bandwidth. The hotel strategy is similar to Google’s “product listing ads” for online shoppers that includes prices and images.

A recent desktop search for “New York Hilton Midtown” reveals Google’s new approach. To the right of Google’s traditional links, a box featured hundreds of customer

reviews, a “see inside” button that offers a virtual tour, and a spot for searchers to enter desired check-in and checkout dates. Similar results appear for the same search on Google Maps and increasingly on smartphones.

Once travelers enter the dates, Google’s new hotel-price ads appear. Industry executives expect hotels and travel agencies to compete for these ads, and to pay more than for traditional Google ads since they will know more about the traveler’s plans.

at your service

OPENG O L F T O U R N A M E N T

E A G L E C R E E K G O L F C O U R S E 8 8 0 2 W . 5 6 T H S T . • I N D I A N A P O L I S

Save the Date: JULY 23, 2014

Tee Time: 11:00 AM

Whether the Weather: Rain or Shine

INDIANA RESTAURANT & LODGING ASSOCIATION


By Julie Jardon and Eric MorathSource: The Wall Street Journal, April 9, 2014http://online.wsj.com/

San Jose, Calif. – As lawmakers in the nation’s capital are mired in debate over likely outcomes from raising the federal minimum wage, businesses affected by the local wage increases across the U.S. already are trying to adapt to the reality.

A Carl’s Jr. franchise in San Francisco offset the county’s higher minimum wage – now $10.74 – by using less shortening to make french fries. A White Castle in Illinois cut two jobs to match competitors’ costs in nearby Indiana, where the mandated wage is lower. A California pretzel maker pays different wages at mall stores that straddle two cities.

The consequences of a minimum-wage increase cut across everything from the number of hours employees are assigned, to menu prices to how often a drive-thru lane is cleaned, according to interviews with more than a dozen businesses. The real-world impacts can vary: Some companies had no difficulties passing along labor-cost increases while other businesses said they might close marginal stores to pare losses.

Such adjustments are rarely captured in the now-sizzling debates over whether a national wage increase would harm the economy or reduce poverty. But as Congress debates lifting the federal minimum wage by nearly 40% in three steps to $10.10 an hour from $7.25, the local mandates are proving there will be no simple way to categorize the range of business impacts.

In part, lawmakers largely have focused on the broadest

implications for the U.S. economy. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office in February estimated raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour would reduce U.S. employment by 500,000 but lift 900,000 Americans out of poverty.

Source: Wall Street Journal, April 9

In many cities and states minimum-wage increases have already complicated the budgeting calculus. Twenty-one states, representing more than half the U.S. population, now mandate pay above the federal rate. Maryland will join them after legislators voted for an increase Monday.

Owners elbow-deep in major and minor adjustments say they only want a level playing field. “The problem with the minimum wage increase is that was just San Jose,” said

As Pay Debate Rages, Owners Shuffle CostsLocal Minimum-Wage Laws Already have an Effect;

Some Hire Fewer, Others Say it Helps Morale


Mezcal restaurant owner Adolfo Gomez. He cut employees’ schedules and covered the lost hours himself after the minimum wage in the city jumped 25%. “If it was the county or the state, we’d all be in the same boat.”

For businesses in San Jose, the results aren’t entirely negative. Low-wage employers in the city have raised prices and trimmed costs, but some also report improved employee morale and better customer service.

The Pizza My Heart chain raised menu prices 4%, to cover last year’s $2 increase in the city’s minimum wage – now $10.15 hour – and found that larger paychecks reduced employee turnover and drew transfer requests from workers in other cities.

“There was a lot of bluster that higher wages meant the sky was falling,” said owner Chuck Hammers, whose sales at five San Jose locations are up more than 10% since the wage change. “I stepped back and realized that as long as it is an even playing field, it’s not going to affect us.”

San Jose’s wage floor jumped after a San Jose State University class project snowballed into a successful minimum-wage ballot initiative in 2012. The effort led San Jose to join San Francisco and Santa Fe, New Mexico, in pushing for mandated wages above state levels. Campaigns to raise local wages are now sprouting from Wilmington, Del., to other Bay Area cities. The push reflects the popularity of minimum-wage increases among voters and a federal level that has been stagnant for almost five years.

Few places show the headaches as starkly as the Westfield Valley Fair, a shopping mall on the border dividing San Jose and Santa Clara, where the minimum wage is $8 an hour.

The mall’s Gap store straddles the line. The law requires it to account for how long employees spend on each side, paying them accordingly. Instead, the store gives all its lowest-paid employees the higher wage, a spokeswoman said. Gap committed in February to establishing a $10 minimum wage for all its U.S. workers by next year.

The two Wetzel’s Pretzels shops on opposite ends of the mall pay employees on the Santa Clara side a lower starting wage. Franchise owner Yvonne Ryzak rotates employees between the locations. “That way, I don’t have employees who are resentful that their colleagues get paid more than them,” she said.

To help offset the San Jose wage increase, she raised pretzel prices by a nickel each at both stores. Ms. Ryzak gives her employees up to 20% of the stores’ profits each year and predicts those twice-yearly bonuses will shrink as rising wages erode profitability.

The local increases create difficult adjustments for other businesses. Woody DeMayo, owner of 16 Carl’s Jr.

restaurants in northern California, charges $6.19 for a burger, fry and drink combo in San Jose, but $5.99 in Santa Clara.

For his San Jose stores to make the same profit as before the wage increase, the same combo meal would be $6.75. “That would chase off a large percentage of my customers,” Mr. DeMayo said. He hasn’t laid off San Jose workers but has reduced their hours, along with some maintenance such as the drive-through lane’s daily hosing, and may close two unprofitable stores.

The reaction among San Jose employers was largely in line with a study of 288 areas where the minimum wage differed across county borders. The research, published in the Review of Economics and Statistics in 2010, found municipalities with higher pay didn’t suffer job losses among low-wage restaurant workers. Nearly half of all minimum wage-earners work in food service.

One of the study’s authors, University of California at Berkley economist Michael Reich, said restaurants typically avoid layoffs because modest price increases and lower employee turnover offset the higher labor costs from wage gains.

Initial data a year after the minimum-wage increase shows the number of fast-food workers in the San Jose-Santa Clara metropolitan area rose at a faster pace than in the state overall.

Nick Taptelis, owner of Philz Coffee in San Jose, raised starting pay at his shop to $11 an hour in January to reward employees and improve the pool of new job applicants.

He increased his staff 30% in the past years and says that turnover has decreased to five workers a year from 15 workers.

Opponents warn against using localized data to support a national policy shift. “The nation isn’t a single labor market,” said former Congressional Budge Office director Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the right-leaning think tank American Action Forum. “The costs will be higher in other places.”

San Jose’s $10.15 minimum wage is roughly a third of the average hourly pay in the Bay area. That fraction nearly matches the share of the federal level to the average hourly wage in the U.S.

Some economists say areas with higher living costs, such as northern California, can absorb increases more easily. In Arkansas and Mississippi, the states with the lowest average hourly pay, the effects could be quite different. More than a quarter of all hourly workers in those states earned less than $10.10 an hour in 2012, according to the Labor Department.

Continued onto page 10....


Source: Wall Street Journal, April 9

Even in suburban Chicago, with a higher cost of living than the South, an increased minimum wage led to job losses. White Castle operates two restaurants just 16 miles apart with nearly identical sales and demographics but separated by the state line.

Because the minimum wage in Illinois is $8.25 an hour, a dollar higher than Indiana, the company reduced two positions through attrition in its Chicago Heights restaurant. Even with that reduction, labor as a percentage of sales is 29.8% at that store versus 26.4% for one in Hammond, Ind.

As a result, the Indiana store generates higher margins. White Castle won’t raise prices at the Chicago Heights restaurant because the restaurant operates in the same market as Hammond, a spokesman said.

The minimum wage in California will rise to $9 an hour in July. In San Francisco it has increased every year for a decade because it is tied to inflation, making it among the nation’s highest. The escalation has caused business ownerslikeBeWierdsmatowatchcostsclosely.

The owner of 62 Carl’s Jr. restaurants in California, including two in San Francisco, found filtering the shortening more frequently could eliminate waste. So he made the practice standard across his stores.

“Our business is a penny business,” he said. Overcoming higher labor costs “ultimately comes down to pricing.”

Last year he raised prices by 5% across all his restaurants, which span Fresno to the Bay Area, and said consumers haven’t flinched.

Patrick Renna, CEO of boloco a 22-unit burrito chain based in Boston, pays starting workers $9 an hour. State lawmakers are considering raising the minimum wage to as much as $11 an hour from $8 an hour. Mr. Renna said most of his employees earn $11.50 an hour and that he eventually wants to bring them to $12.65 an hour – to

match what a local university identified as the livable wage for the area.

“Our mission is to positively impact the lives of our people,” Mr. Renna said. “We feel we can do better.”

To offset labor costs, he has raised prices three times since 2010. And to maximize staffing levels, Mr. Renna allows customers to order and pay without talking to a server, if they choose, including through a mobile app, with online ordering and at a touch-screen kiosk.

2014 InRLA EVENTS

INRLA ANNUAL MEETINGRECEPTION & REVERSETRADE SHOWApril 24, 2014Annual Meeting 3:00 PMReception & Trade Show 4:00 - 6:00 PMMoore Restoration 3610 Shelby St.,Indianapolis

InRLA AT YOUR SERVICE OPEN GOLF OUTINGJuly 23, 2014 Tee Time: 11AM Eagle Creek Golf Course 8802 W. 56th St., Indianapolis

APRIL 24, 2014InRLA ANNUAL MEETING 3:00 PM REVERSE TRADE SHOW & RECEPTION 4:00 – 6:00 PM

MOORE RESTORATION INC.3610 SHELBY STREET, INDIANAPOLIShttp://goo.gl/maps/NBHd0

Located just south of the downtown area.

Join us for this unique event, where your customers are in the booths and YOU have the chance to visit the people you want to meet with.

Food, Drink and Entertainment Provided.(It’s really a party for you)

RETURN TO: Indiana Restaurant & Lodging Association 200 S. Meridian St., Suite 350 Indianapolis, IN 46225 Fax: 317.673.4210

InRLA Annual Meeting & Reverse Trade Show Registration

Company ____________________________________________

Contact Name ________________________________________

Company Address _____________________________________

City_____________________________ St. _________ Zip ______

Phone _____________________________ Fax _______________

E-mail address: ________________________________________

Attendees you are inviting:

1. _____________________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________________

4. _____________________________________________________

For more info contact: Stephanie Higgins 317.673.4211, 800.678.1957(toll-free) [email protected]

Please fill out this form if you plan on attending and return:

$20 Per Attendee QTY:

# of Attendees Attending InRLA Annual Meeting _______ / # Attending Reverse Trade Show ______

Total Enclosed:

Payment Options __ Check Enclosed

__ MasterCard __ Visa __ Amex __ Discover

Card No. ________________________________________ CID No. ________

Exp. Date ________________________________________

Cardholder’s Name _________________________________________________________

Signature:____________________________________________________________________

Hosted by:

PARTICIPANTS CONFIRMED TO DATE:Jerry Adams - Levy Restaurants- Bankers Life Field-house/ Indianapolis Motor Speedway/ Indy ElevenJohn Benjamin - Scotty’s BrewhouseJeff Brown - Schahet Hotels, IncLennie Busch - One World Enterprises, IncRob Chinsky - Chinsky Restaurant Group, IncBruce Dodge - Applesauce IncVicki S. Farmwald - Hacienda Mexican RestaurantsPeter-Paul Meyer - Hilton Indianapolis Hotel & SuitesMark Newman - Indiana Office of Tourism DevelopmentChris O’ Donnell - White Lodging Corporation Phil Ray - JW MarriottRandy Shields - McDonald’sJeff Smith - Harry & Izzy’sKeith Spinden - Hyatt Regency IndianapolisJeff Sweet - Hilton Indianapolis Hotel & Suites Trina Woolfington - Crowne PlazaJake Wright & Diggy Chae - Weber Grill

A N N U A L M E E T I N G

FOR InRLA MEMBERS AND PARTNER MEMBERS ONLY! We want to thank you for your support of our industry and InRLA. You will have quality one on one time with potential/existing customers and interact with members of the InRLA Board of Directors.

& Reverse Trade Show


Jeremy Iacocca (19 years old) from Carmel, Indiana was recommended from the culinary arts faculty of the Ivy Tech Community College Hospitality Administration program to represent the College, Indiana and the United States in The Escoffier Young Talent competition in Lille, France March 24, 2014. Six countries competed for the title of 2014 Escoffier Young Talent of the year. Michel Bouit, President of the USA Disciples Escoffier International invited Ivy Tech Community College culinary arts faculty to recommend a young talented culinary arts students that has the skills and knowledge to compete in this contest and Jeremy Iacocca was selected. Jeremy began the culinary arts program at Ivy Tech Community College in the fall of 2012 and will graduate this summer. Jeremy is a line cook at Late Harvest restaurant in Indianapolis.

Jeremy Iacocca contact info:[email protected]

Reference to Michel Bouit with contact info:Chef Michel Bouit, President, MBI. Inc USA President, Disciples Escoffier International Culinary Consultant for the American Culinary Federation Tel: 773-769-1790 [email protected]

Read the new travel BLOGS at: www.atasteoffrancewithchefmichel.com

Culinary student from Ivy Tech Community College represented US in International Culinary Contest


Many of the best things come with age, like Ruth’s Bock of Elijah Bourbon Barrel

In honor of Ruth’s Chris Indianapolis’ 20th Anniversary, a special limited edition of Bock of Elijah Bourbon Barrel beer is being launched on April 15, 2014 at both Ruth’s Chris Steak House locations, Northside (96th and Keystone Avenue) and Ruth’s Chris Steak House downtown (45 S. Illinois Street / Circle Centre Mall) . Ruth’s Chris is proud to introduce this locally crafted, celebratory creation in partnership with Indy’s Three Wise Men Brewing Co.

German in heritage, this dopplebock has been crafted with all German malt to enhance its authenticity of taste and experience. This limited edition beer, fermented for two months, was filtered and then placed in Ruth’s very own aged Elijah Craig Bourbon Barrels. On April 15th, Ruth’s Bock of Elijah will be pulled straight from these barrels and tapped at Ruth’s Chris’ Northside location and served until it’s gone.

“We wanted to toast our 20th Anniversary in a special way,” said Kevin Armantrout, Franchisee of Ruth’s Chris Steak House Indianapolis. “Handcrafting a specialty beer with one of the great local brewing companies in Indy is about as good as it gets. We’re very excited to share our Bourbon Barrel with our guests and look forward to ongoing collaboration with Three Wise Men Brewing Company.”

“When Kevin Armantrout told me that the Indianapolis Ruth’s Chris had a special release of Elijah Craig in their restaurants for their 20th anniversary, naturally as a craft beer enthusiast, my first thought was ‘What are you going to do with that barrel after you empty it?’ And, from there our two “entrepreneur brains” started churning out the ideas,” says Scott Wise, Owner of Scotty’s Brewhouse. “We had great success at the brewery with another barrel and I knew having one of the best brewers in the state in Kelly

Thomlinson, this would be a great collaborative project that I wanted to be a part of.”

Bock of Elijah is named after Elijah Craig, the first person to use charred barrels for aging bourbon. According to local lore, the Rev. Craig suffered a fire in the late 1780s that fried his whisky barrels, and it was too expensive to get new casks. That made Craig the first in the country to age corn-based whisky in charred oak casks which give the drink the golden brown color, undercurrent of smoke, caramel and vanilla flavors that it has today.

About Ruth’s Chris Steak House IndianapolisRuth Chris Steak House made its sizzling debut in Indianapolis in 1994. Larry Griggers, one of the brand’s hand selected franchisee’s, brought the New Orleans Steak House concept to the market and since has mastered its reputation of first class dining in a warm and inviting atmosphere. Griggers, Armantrout and their team celebrate this 20th Anniversary mark with a new look as the restaurant moves to 86th and Keystone Avenue in late July 2014. About Thr3e Wise Men Brewing CompanyLocated in the Broad Ripple neighborhood in Indianapolis, Indiana, Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Company opened in January 17, 2011. Thr3e Wise Men greets its guests with a classic lodge feel – exposed beams, concrete floors and warm walls, but is filled with multiple big screen TV’s to ensure you won’t miss a game. The brewery keeps busy brewing seven house beers, quarterly seasonal beers, and several specialty beers throughout the year. The restaurant’s menu is highlighted with homemade pizza, classic brewhouse appetizers, and brew-homemade desserts. Thr3e Wise Men is an all ages venue that caters to your craft beer enthusiasts all the way down to kids looking for a great meal while mom and dad enjoy a cold craft beer. For more information about Ruth’s Chris Steak House Indianapolis Northside visit www.ruthschrisindy.com or call 317-844-1155.

Inrla Board Members Ruth’s Chris Steak House & Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Co. Collaborate

To Introduce Craft Beer


MARCH 10-12, 2014 @ MORRIS INN AND NOTRE DAME CONFERENCE CENTER - NOTRE DAME, IN

2014 Hoosier Hospitality Conference Attendees Speak On Their Experiences

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR 2015's HOOSIER HOSPITALITY CONFERENCE

APRIL 21-22, 2015EMBASSY SUITES DOWNTOWN INDIANAPOLIS

It is revitalizing to my productivity to join in the Hoosier Hospitality Conference annually. The everyday tasks and projects of hosting visitors to SouthernIndianaonlybenefitfromtheresourcesandenergyIfilluponatthisconference.Therearesome exceptional examples of how to do business better and the HHC is an affordable way to get started with new and refreshing skills. I make the most of my time at each host location every year!

~ Elizabeth Gutgsell, The Pickled Cricket I attend the HHC Conference as it provides me with information to help me improve in my job. Not only from the variety of speakers but by joining with others in the various industries that make up Tourism, asking questions and listening, I always come away with more knowledge.

~ Marilyn Jackson, Sweet Owen CVB, Spencer, IN

Great event! Gives us the updates we need to hear, reminds us of what we should all be doing in our own businesses, showcases the cities we meet in and reminds us of the unique tourism offerings in our state.

~ Joann McKinney, Horizon Convention Center

Working at a CVB, I stay in tune with what various attractions and organizations are doing within my county, but I can occasionally feel isolated when it comes to knowing what's going on across Indiana as a whole. Hoosier Hospitality is a great chance to connect with others in this industry, share ideas, and build community outside my county.

~ Stephanie Cain, Montgomery County CVB


InsideINdianaBusiness.com Report

Ivy Tech Community College is taking steps to support aspiring food entrepreneurs. The school's culinary arts program has created an incubator for students who want to make it in the food business. Ivy Tech is also planning a student artisan marketplace. Program Coordinator Thom England says the entrepreneur initiative is filling a growing need. England and Newfangled Confections Owner Carrie Abbott discussed the effort during an appearance on Inside INdiana Business Television.

The artisan marketplace is expected to open in the fall.

As part of the entrepreneurial focus, the school is planning a boot camp in June that will include insight into developing a startup.

Abbott is an Ivy Tech alum and says her company, which has been around for three years, is a merging of her inter-ests in business, candy and catering. She says her busi-ness could not succeed without a recent consumer move-ment toward buying local.

Ivy Tech is also planning to co-sponsor the next annual Hottest Kitchen Entrepreneur Challenge in central Indiana.Source: Inside INdiana Business

http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?id=64640

Incubator Targets Food Entrepreneurs


Right now, teens across the country are getting ready for prom and graduation and may face potentially difficult drinking decisions. Let’s make those decisions a little easier for them. As we all know, the legal drinking age in the United States is 21. Most teens who drink obtain alcohol from “social sources” – within their own home or from other adults. We know it’s wrong. But, people who provide alcohol to teens undermine responsible parental efforts to protect their kids. And – it’s against the law.

That’s exactly why we have come together as campaign partners to reduce teen access to alcohol. As representatives within the beverage alcohol industry, we’re committed to educating those social sources who may serve alcohol to teens about the dangers of underage drinking. Our message to parents, neighbors, relatives and friends is simple: Don’t serve alcohol to teens. It’s illegal. It’s unsafe. It’s irresponsible.

InRLA President & CEO Patrick Tamm joined Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller at a press conference Thursday, April 17, highlighting the "We Don't Serve Teens" effort in Indiana. This campaign is in support of a national effort begun by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to reduce underage drinking. The FTC’s “We Don’t Serve Teens” campaign includes an informative website (www.WeDontServeTeens.org) where parents can get useful information on how to reduce teen ac-cess to alcohol. This public service campaign and greater parental vigilance are clearly having a positive effect. The latest Federal statistics show that alcohol consumption and binge drinking rates among teenage boys and girls have continued their long-term decline, reaching historically low levels. Equally important, the number of teens who report that it’s easy to obtain alcohol has also been in long-term decline. Let’s continue reducing access and help facilitate a safer environment for our teens. Wholesalers from throughout Indiana are working with on-premise and off-premise retailers in support of this campaign.

Thank you for being a partner in the We Don’t Serve Teens program. Right now it is being rolled out in select areas statewide. If you would like to utilize materials available, please visit http://tiny.cc/campaignmaterials for the Federal Trade Commission website where you can find campaign logos and printable posters to display in your business.

We Don't Serve Teens Campaign(Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller, at a Press Conference on Thursday, April 17, for "We Don't Serve Teens" Campaign)

inrla at your service: april 2014

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