IN THIS ISSUE

1. Editor's Dish: Report from Alimentaria 2006
2. JobFinder Employer Tip: Anticipation and Awareness
3. CEO\'s Dish: Online Job Postings
4. Boston Rising Stars 2006: What Makes Them Shine
5. Ireland: Where Being Stout is a Virtue

1. Editor's Dish: Report from Alimentaria 2006
Although Spanish chefs are often associated with culinary innovation, Alimentaria 2006 in Barcelona, Spain finds Spanish chefs showcasing an array of regional dishes prepared using classical techniques. Rather than focus on dishes that seem to have originated in a laboratory, as in years past, this year's international food and beverage exhibition has turned the spotlight on fresh ingredients, regional dishes, and local farmers, with freshness and taste taking centerstage over scientific experimentation and novelty.

Antoinette Bruno, StarChefs.com Editor-in-Chief, Reports from Barcelona:
(Link)

2. JobFinder Employer Tip: Anticipation and Awareness
The best front of house staff creates a personal connection with each customer that is warm, sincere, and spontaneous. This human dimension of customer service, whether in a casual establishment or a formal dining room, forms a link between customers, your staff, and your business and cannot feel forced or contrived if it is to be a success.

The key to soliciting the best customer service from dining room staff - and all employees in service positions - is to first define what excellent customer service means to your business, then educate your employees. As no one's interpretation of what encompasses the best customer service is identical, it's essential that servers, barstaff, and management are conscious of your business' definition and means of achieving it.

The heightened sense of awareness that results from comprehensive service training will be reflected in your staff's capacity to anticipate customers' needs. A confident waitstaff with the knowledge and ability to fulfill customers' requests will help establish and grow a loyal customer base.

In the next few weeks, StarChefs.com will continue to explore how the foodservice industry monitors, evaluates, and perfects customer service. The next Employer Newsletter will focus on evaluating customer service performance. Please share your business's suggestions and ideas for self-evaluation of customer service with our editors by clicking here: http://www.starchefs.com/SC_FEEDBAG.php

3. CEO\'s Dish: Online Job Postings
While online job postings are not constrained by the space limitations of traditional newspaper want-ads, employers often find themselves confronted with a large amount of blank space and a limited amount of text with which to fill it.

The electronic job postings that are the most successful at attracting a maximum number of qualified applicants are those that are specific not only about the education and skills required for the position, but also work environment, daily responsibilities, and clientele in a comprehensive, concise format.

Consider using a bulleted or numbered style for maximum readability - just as you would prefer to not read a resume that was overburdened with lengthy paragraphs, job seekers are more likely to respond to employment postings that list requirements clearly so that they can quickly recognize jobs for which they are qualified to apply. By ensuring that your desired qualifications are easily visible, you can increase the number of applicants that match your ideal candidate profile.

4. Boston Rising Stars 2006: What Makes Them Shine
Each year, StarChefs recognizes up-and-coming chefs and culinary professionals in several cities across the country with our Rising Stars awards. Each chef, bar chef, and sommelier selected as a StarChefs Rising Star represents part of the vanguard of the contemporary dining scene in America. This April, StarChefs returns to Boston, site of the first Rising Stars Revue in 2003, to honor a new class of young chefs and recognize their commitment to the future of dining in Boston.

Meet the StarChefs Rising Stars of Boston, 2006:
http://www.starchefs.com/features/editors_dish/rising_stars/2006/boston/index.shtml

5. Ireland: Where Being Stout is a Virtue
The rainy days of March are a perfect occasion for rediscovering the hearty, malty flavor of traditional Irish stout beers. Essentially a very strong porter, the stout brewed in Ireland boasts a flavor profile dominated by rich notes of chocolate, espresso, and hops which give the beer its reputation as a "meal in a glass." Whether produced stateside or abroad, stouts pair well with both pub fare and desserts, striking a balance between the savory and the sweet.

Bottoms Up with Guinness, Beamish, and Murphy's:
http://www.starchefs.com/wine/features/html/irish_stouts/html/index.shtml