Restaurant Association of Maryland Blog

RAM Visits Washington to Discuss Health Care Reform

Restaurant Association of Maryland (RAM) members Eric King (Crab Shanty) and Fred Rosenthal (Jasper’s) recently visited Senator Barbara Mikulski’s (D-Md.) Washington office to express our concerns about the financial impact of health care reform legislation, and to request support for key industry priorities in the final bill.  Melvin Thompson, RAM’s senior vice president for government affairs & public policy, joined King and Rosenthal for the meeting.  During the meeting, Rosenthal and King made the following requests:

1. Protect the part-time worker exemption from any total employee calculation or penalties.

2. Protect small business with as robust an exemption as possible.

3. Secure a 90-day waiting period before employer requirements begin.

4. Define a full-time employee as one working 390 hours/calendar quarter (13 weeks).

5. Defend current ERISA protections for multi-state employers.

CLICK HERE to easily send a pre-drafted message to our Senators, which details industry concerns about the bill and requests amendments to help minimize the burden on foodservice businesses.

You're Invited!

In our collective efforts to unify and strengthen hospitality and tourism in the state of Maryland, the Restaurant Association of Maryland is inviting you to join us at the annual Taste of Maryland Legislative Reception. The Taste of Maryland Legislative Reception will take place January 18, 2010 at Loews Hotel in Annapolis, MD from 5:00pm-7:30pm.

This event is the most celebrated legislative reception of the year attracting the majority of the legislative body, public officials as well as hospitality professionals from across the state of Maryland.  The evening will feature signature menu items from over 25 Maryland restaurants, wines from Maryland wineries, MillerCoors products, FIJI Water and much more.

Check your mailbox for an invitation early next week! To register for the event, see a current list of participating restaurants, or find out more information please visit www.thetasteofmaryland.com. 

A Special Holiday Thank You!

 
Last night, the Restaurant Association of Maryland held its annual Holiday Party at the Association's headquarters. The turn out was great and staff, the Board of Directors and industry members were joined by the family of Marcia S. Harris for a tribute to her dedication to the restaurant industry and the Restaurant Association of Maryland. The Association and staff would like to extend a special thank you to the following members for their generosity in making the night a great success!

Saval Foodservice and Chef Bryan Bernstein- Reliable-Churchill - Dangerously Delicious Pies - Edible Arrangements (Catonsville) - Republic National Distributing Company - Orinoco Coffee - Evolution Craft Brewery - Dempsey Linens & Uniform - Coca Cola North America

To see photos from the Event (by KRR Photography) click here.

Happy Holidays from the Restaurant Association of Maryland!

Marcia Harris Portrait Unveiled at the Restaurant Association of Maryland

If you've read Foodservice Monthly or followed the restaurant industry in the Mid-Atlantic then you know about the remarkable industry leader Marcia Harris who headed the Restaurant Association of Maryland (RAM) for over twenty years until her untimely death in 2007.

FOODSERVICE MONTHLY'S Sauce on the Side

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What's Hot in 2010

Keeping up with food and beverage trends is crucial to develop the right menu mix. That's why the National Restaurant Association surveys professional chef members of the American Culinary Federation each year to help restaurateurs stay abreast of the hottest menu trends. The latest survey, conducted in 2009, was based on the input of more than 1,800 chefs. Respondents ranked 214 items by how trendy they would be in 2010.

"No one has a better view of restaurant menu trends than chefs of the nation's nearly one million restaurants, and that is why we survey these culinary professionals on whats hot, new trends we'll see in the coming year. The top trends this year - local sourcing, sustainability and nutrition - reflect wider societal trends and consumers' growing awareness of and interest in these issues. Many restaurants are sourcing some of their ingredients locally, and you often see chefs shopping at farmer's markets to create a host of better-for-you-options that today's diners want," commented Dawn Sweeney, National Restaurant Association President & CEO.

Click here to see the survey results!

The Baltimore Sun Top Ten Thanksgiving Restaurants

 The Baltimore Sun recently released the 'Dining @ Large' Top Ten Thanksgiving Restaurants, many of which are Restaurant Association of Maryland members! Check the list out by clicking here.

Annual Restaurant Association of Maryland Holiday Party!

The Restaurant Association of Maryland invites all Association members to join us for the Annual Holiday Party on Monday, December 7th, 2009 at Association Headquarters (6301 Hillide Court, Columbia MD 21046) from 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm.

Th Holiday Party is a great opportunity to network with fellow members and partners and to recognize the Board of Directors for their dedication and service to our industry and Association. Join us and the Harris family for the unveiling of the Marcia S. Harris tribute and raise a glass in anticipation of a prosperous 2010 for the hospitality industry.

PLEASE RSVP TO 410-290-6800 OR RSVP@MARYLANDRESTAURANTS.COM.

Montgomery County Council passes Menu Labeling Legislation

On November 17, 2009, the Montgomery County Council passed menu labeling legislation (Council Bill 19-07) by a vote of 8 to 1.  This legislation, sponsored by Councilman George Leventhal (D-At Large) and Councilwoman Duchy Trachtenberg (D-At Large), requires restaurants with 20 or more locations nationwide (regardless of ownership) to display total calories next to menu board items or printed menu items.  Additional nutrition information must be made available to customers upon request.  This legislation becomes effective on July 1, 2010.

RAM worked hard to build credible arguments against council action.  In fact, our messages were so valid that they were echoed in an editorial by the Gazette newspaper opposing the bill.  RAM also broadened opposition to the legislation by involving the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce.

We are deeply disappointed by the Montgomery County Council’s passage of this legislation.  While politically popular, local menu labeling laws contribute to a growing patchwork of inconsistent regulations that confuse both restaurateurs and their customers.  We believe that nutrition disclosure laws are best handled at the federal level to insure a uniform, nationwide standard for chain restaurants that operate in multiple jurisdictions.

Nation's Restaurant News: Maryland county to require menu labeling

Nation's Restaurant News

ROCKVILLE, Md. (Nov. 17, 2009) Montgomery County Council members passed a measure Tuesday requiring some restaurants to post calorie counts on menus and menu boards.

The law, which was passed by an 8-1 vote, requires restaurants in the Maryland county with 20 or more outlets nationwide to post calorie counts alongside food items and provide additional nutritional information to customers upon request.

Read more: http://www.nrn.com/article.aspx?menu_id=1368&id=376056#ixzz0XEVB5EGE

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Workforce Development In Action

The Restaurant Association of Maryland and Education Foundation recently sent a letter to elected officials in the State of Maryland touting the great opportunities ProStart provides high school students looking to start a promising career path in the hospitality industry.

"This school year, over 3,500 Maryland students in 103 high schools in 14 different counties across the State took great initiative in starting a promising career in the hospitality industry. This invaluable opportunity is made possible by the ProStart program, a national ‘school-to-career’ high school curriculum focusing on culinary arts and hospitality management skills.

The success and rapid growth of the ProStart program is a direct result of the involvement and dedication of students, parents, educators, program coordinators, the Restaurant Association of Maryland Education Foundation and supportive elected officials such as yourself. The restaurant industry is expected to add 1.8 million jobs over the next decade, with employment reaching 14.8 million by 2019. In Maryland, we are looking at a 12% growth rate for the same period.

Maryland restaurants currently generate over $9 billion in sales and employ over 174,000 great employees in over 9,600 establishments. Nearly one half of all Americans have worked in a restaurant; teachers, executives, artists and even Presidents. Our industry creates opportunity that turns into rewarding careers.

Our Education Foundation is presently working to foster hospitality workforce development by making the certified ProStart program available in all Maryland counties so every student across the state is given the opportunity to become a chef, manager, operator, franchisee, owner, CEO and one of the many other highly skilled professions offered throughout the hospitality industry.  But efforts don’t stop there. Each year, the Education Foundation orchestrates the Maryland ProStart Student Invitational (MPSI) at which students enrolled in the ProStart program compete for scholarships that are applied towards continuing their education in hospitality. In 2009, a scholarship pool of over $600,000 was available to these aspiring industry hopefuls!

The Maryland restaurant and hospitality industry is a vibrant industry with promising career paths, numerous success stories and immense economic impact. As with many industries, ours has faced challenges this past year. However, the resilience of hospitality business owners is a testament to what our industry can truly achieve. We are ensuring futures, creating jobs, sustaining families and helping others. Together, America’s restaurants are serving our nation.

Thank you for your service to our State and support of the hospitality industry. Owning a restaurant is the American dream for many. We are building them, we are living them, we are owning them. We hope you enjoy dining in Maryland’s great restaurants."

For more information about Maryland's ProStart Program click here or call 410.290.6800.