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A huge thank you to all the judges for this year's Oregon ProStart Invitational! They participate because they believe in these students, and want to celebrate their successes.
2019 VOLUNTEERS Eric Aebi, Ethos Hospitality Dori Brattain, Bread & Salt Catering Rachel Leo, The Leo Company Angela Miles, Travel Salem Pat Morrill, SAIF Paul Paz, Waiters World Tamara Roberts, Martin North Pat Snyder, Industry Representative Holly Stirnkorb, Metro Anne Walton, Zena Learning Center Students from Cascade Culinary Institute 2019 JUDGES Hans Afshar, CEC, Bentleys Grill Chris Allen, CEC, Food Services of America Matthew Anderson, Ecolab Matt Bennett, Sybaris Bistro Ryan Bleibtrey, Sysco Portland Barry Bowers , Pro Chefs Oregon Kara Campuzano, Salem Convention Center Michael Chamberlain-Torres, Hospitality by Torres, LLC Soraida Cross, Bentleys Grill Glenn Dettwiler, CEC, Le Mieux Foods Andrew Farr, University Club of Portland James Nowlan Fowler, Devil's Food Catering Natalie Frajola, Pro Chefs Oregon Treva Gambs, Gamberetti's Seth Gruschow, Togather Restaurant Consultants Sergio Gutierrez , Ecolab Ken Henson, Pelican Brewing Company/Meridian Restaurant + Bar/Stimulus Bakery Erik Jarvey, Ecolab David Jenks, Sysco Portland Kevin Jordan, Restaurant Professional Josh Kolb, Ecolab Sam La Duca, CHE, COCC - Cascade Culinary Institute Douglas Lang, Oregon Health and Sciences University Karen Malody, Culinary Options Consultancy Tim McDonald, Food Services of America Steve Moore, Philadelphia's Steaks & Hoagies Ken Narcavage, Oregon Culinary Institute Dennis Prime, Sysco Portland Rex Robertson, Little Lois Cafe Janel Rupp, CFSP, Performance Reps NW Cory Schreiber, CEC, Sysco Portland Thomas Semke, Newport Meat Pacific NW Jay Skowron, Hospitality Defender, LLC Samuel T. Spencer, CEC, American Culinary Federation Mark Swenson, Shepherd's Grain Jordan Snyder, Gecko Hospitality David Trask, COCC- Cascade Culinary Institute Randy Torres, CEC, Oregon Coast Culinary Institute Brian von Eggers, CEC, American Culinary Federation Chad Warneke, Sysco Portland Laura Williams, CEC, Oregon Coast Culinary Institute Justin Wilson, Newport Meat Pacific NW Eric Wynkoop, Rouxbe Anjali Wynkoop , Oregon Culinary Institute Lottery App: The Oregon Lottery has released a new smartphone app providing players with a way to scan tickets to see if they are winners, finding the closest Lottery retailer, and giving players information about Oregon Lottery games and promotions. In addition to the game-related features, the Lottery has purposefully included responsible gaming aspects in the mobile app. Sports Betting: Back in May 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states could offer sports betting, overturning an earlier decision by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals prohibiting such activity. Oregon was one of four states outside of Nevada that were grandfathered in to allow sports betting under the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court last May. With that decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Oregon Lottery has decided to bring sports betting to the state ahead of the 2019 NFL season. To start, players will be able to place bets via a mobile app and will only be able to pick the winners of one sporting event or another, either outright or against the spread. Additional betting options are planned to be rolled out at a later stage. The app will also accept bets on other professional sports but gambling on collegiate sports will not be available via the app. The Oregon Lottery’s future plans include the authorization of in-game wagering at betting kiosks located at bars and restaurants around the state.
March 2019 - Now that tip pooling is legal with back of the house employees, ORLA has launched a Restaurant Compensation Solutions Committee to review various tools being implemented in restaurant operations across the state. These tools include mandatory service charges, tip pooling policies based on sales that assist in compensating kitchen staff, and dual tip lines notating tip options for both servers and kitchen staff.
ORLA is in the process of exploring these various options with a plan to upload examples of these various solutions in the coming months. Stay tuned for more information this Summer and Fall. > Download ORLA's Tip Pooling info sheet > NRA Webinar: Tipped Employees and Side Work Under the FLSA June 2018 - Employers are once again allowed to expand tip pools and share tips among a broader range of employees including back-of-the-house employees. Although the Supreme Court denied our certiorari petition in the National Restaurant Association et al v. U.S. Department of Labor et al case, the decision leaves in place a lower court ruling affirming the tip rule’s legality. A federal spending bill passed March 23rd abolished a 2011 federal regulation that prohibited tip pooling in all circumstances with non-customarily tipped employees. Employers are once again allowed to expand tip pools and share the tips among a broader range of employees in states where employers don’t take a tip credit. This change now allows tip sharing among both customarily and non-customarily tipped employees, including dishwashers and cooks. However, there is one area still of concern to our industry, the words “supervisor” and “manager” were not defined in this spending bill. A number of industry members have hybrid approaches to their service positions. Supervisors and managers in some of Oregon’s smallest restaurant operations commonly serve guests and have participated in front-of-the-house tip pools as a part of a team approach to foodservice. The Department of Labor (DOL) is moving forward with the process to roll-back the Obama-era rule with its recent release of a Field Assistance Bulletin (FAB), which provides our industry with much needed clarity. The FAB instructs employers to use the “duties test” to determine who qualifies as a supervisor or manager, and establish tip pool eligibility. Essentially, if an employee earns most of their pay through tips, but also has a limited supervisory role, they are still allowed to participate in a tip pool. Given the ambiguity from DOL, tip pooling policies should be carefully reviewed with counsel before implementation to insure compliance with all applicable requirements. News/Resources:
For additional questions, contact Greg Astley, Director of Government Affairs, at 503.682.4422.  Luis Perez, Faces of Diversity - Oregon Winner Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA) announced the 2019 state winners of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s (NRAEF) Restaurant Neighbor and Faces of Diversity Awards. Three restaurants, Block 15 Brewing Company (Corvallis), Bentley’s Grill (Salem), and Mo’s Restaurants were named state winners for the Restaurant Neighbor Award. Luis Perez, franchise owner/operator of Elmer’s Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner in Corvallis, was named Oregon’s Faces of Diversity winner.
“The involvement and dedication these restaurants have shown in support of local philanthropy is commendable and exemplifies the spirit of our industry and our state,” said Jason Brandt, ORLA President & CEO. “It’s our honor to recognize these restaurants along with one restaurateur who has achieved success through perseverance and passion.” Nine out of 10 restaurants give back to their communities through charitable activities. Restaurants also play an important role in providing a ladder of opportunity for millions of Americans to achieve the American Dream. Each year, the NRAEF recognizes restaurants around the country for outstanding community service, diversity and lifetime achievement. These prestigious national awards honor restaurants that go above and beyond in supporting their community and inspiring others with their stories of success. All state winners were forwarded to NRAEF in consideration for national awards to be announced mid-March. Three national Restaurant Neighbor Award winners will receive a $10,000 award to help support their favorite charity or community project. National winners of the Faces of Diversity Award will have a $2,500 scholarship awarded in their name to an aspiring student from their state. In addition to the award, the national winners will be flown to Washington, DC to receive the award at a special banquet on March 27, 2019. Oregon’s award recipients will be formally recognized among their peers at ORLA’s Hospitality Industry Awards presentation during the annual Convention, this year in Seaside, September 16-17, 2019. For more information on Oregon's Restaurant Neighbor Awards, visit OregonRLA.org/restaurant-awards. Oregon’s lodging tax investments could be drastically reduced if Senate Bill 595 passes.
If successful, SB 595 would eradicate the critical lodging tax reforms of 2003 by taking 30% of our industry’s 70% of any new or increased lodging tax implemented since July 2, 2003, and allowing local governments to redirect those funds for “affordable workforce housing” projects. The result would allow only 40% of new or increased local lodging taxes to be protected for tourism promotion and tourism-related facilities. ORLA was at the table in November supporting Measure 102, giving communities across Oregon greater flexibility to create the workforce housing they need. ORLA continues to be willing and ready to engage in productive conversations about alternative solutions that can benefit communities and foster economic development without targeting one industry. The Senate Committee on Housing held a public hearing for SB 595 on February 18. We need lodging industry members to take action now! Email members of the Senate Committee on Housing and tell them how important the 70% protections are to growing Oregon’s tourism economy. Urge them to consider alternatives to workforce housing initiatives. • Senator Shemia Fagan, Chair: sen.shemiafagan@oregonlegislature.gov • Senator Dallas Heard, Vice-Chair: sen.dallasheard@oregonlegislature.gov • Senator Jeff Golden, Member: sen.jeffgolden@oregonlegislature.gov • Senator Tim Knopp, Member: sen.timknopp@oregonlegislature.gov • Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson, Member: sen.lauriemonnesanderson@oregonlegislature.gov Read more about the bills ORLA is engaged and/or tracking this session at OregonRLA.org/billtracking. If you have any questions on this bill, please reach out to me via email at JBrandt@OregonRLA.org or call me directly at 503.302.5060. House Bill (HB) 2020, the “Cap and Trade” bill, would raise prices on users of natural gas which include restaurants, lodging properties and manufacturers around the state. This legislation could increase the cost of living for Oregonians by $50 to $125 a month, give appointed officials the authority to increase taxes without a vote of the people or Legislature and drive thousands of jobs away from the state.
Oregon is one of the lowest carbon emitting states in the nation, and we’re getting lower. We just enacted ground-breaking new climate policies on transportation and electricity generation, we should give these new laws a chance to work. Without an exemption for natural gas, hotels and restaurants will pay significantly more money. Along with increases in minimum wage, paid sick leave and possibly paid family leave, the hospitality industry is being crushed under over-burdensome regulations and there is no sign it’s going to end anytime soon. Please consider emailing members of the Joint Committee on Carbon Reduction and let them know you oppose HB 2020 which will hurt your business and increase prices to customers. Urge them to Vote “No.”
To submit testimony to Joint Committee on Carbon Reduction: ALERT 2.12.19 - The Joint Committee on Carbon Reduction announced four public hearing dates for House Bill 2020 - tell your lawmakers that we can’t afford cap and trade. ORLA encourages restaurants and hotels to testify at the hearings about how this would impact their operations. More information about the proposal as well as talking points are available upon request. If you are interested in providing testimony, contact Greg Astley, ORLA Director of Government Affairs, at 503.851.1330. The joint committee will host public hearings where Oregonians will be able to voice their opinions and ask questions about the bill. Additionally, there will be a public hearing on February 25 where the Salem-based committee will accept live, remote testimony from around the state. Reasons to Oppose House Bill 2020: Cap and Trade:
The five dates and locations are listed below:
These feedback opportunities are in addition to two public hearings on February 15 and 18 in Salem before the committee. High school teams from around the state will compete in statewide culinary and management competitions at Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association Educational Foundation’s 2019 ORLAEF ProStart Invitational, sponsored by Sysco. Culinary students prepare a three-course gourmet meal in 60 minutes in front of a crowd using only two butane burners, without access to running water or electricity. Management teams will develop a restaurant concept and present to a panel of judges at a simulated business exposition in the management competition.
2019 INVITATIONAL TEAMS: Century High School, Hillsboro Teacher: Kristi Moe Mentor: Keith Folkestad, Old Spaghetti Factory Culinary Team: Lauryn Richardson, Markus Cadiz, Maliya Saephanh, Marvin Madarang, Bethany Gold Management Team: Marc Velicaria, Damon Latimer-Marquez, Anthonette Molo Crook County High School, Prineville Teacher: Macy Hagensee Mentor: Doug McFarland, Brasada Ranch Culinary Team: Tabitha Post, Samantha Bond, Mackenzie Sutherlin, Carlos Vaca, Hayden Benson McMinnville High School, McMinnville Teacher: Krista Carpino Culinary Team: Bryan Lara-Barragan, Harper Eacret, Finn Reuter, Melea Wilder, Ryan Bebout Management Team: McKenna Carlson, Ricardo Morales, Ailie Johnson McNary High School, Keizer Teacher: Wendy Bennett Mentors: Irina Bakun, former ProStart student and Austin Stinson, Sybaris Culinary Team: Madelyn Hurst, Rebecca Hall, Isaac Mallery Newberg High School, Newberg Teacher: Jane Eilert Mentor: Val Daniel, Newberg School District Nutritional Services Culinary Team: Rohan Hansen, Aiden Hansen, Sean Vriese, Jadon Lutz, Calista Mault Management Team: Payton Madarieta, Donovan Lewis North Salem High School, Salem Teacher: Maryann Davis Mentor: Alejandro Hernandez Culinary Team: Ester Angulo, Melissa Salgado, Ashley Smith, Carmen Guerro, Josh Black Seaside High School, Seaside Teacher: Chelsea Archibald Mentor: John Newman, Newmans 988 and Geoff Gunn, Pacific Way Café Culinary Team: Gavin Meyer, Mason Shamion, Cyrus Knox, Luis Moreno, Shelby Rhodes South Salem High School, Salem Teacher: Laura Hofer Culinary Team: Kristen Derting, Helen Taylor, Max Rock, Anthony Salisbury Management Team: Samantha Martin, Connor Richman, Malachai Carter Willamette High School, Eugene Teacher: Martha Humphreys Mentor: Cole Barnhardt, former ProStart student Culinary Team: Shane Wilder, Logan Weller, Samantha Thompson, Makayla Schweitzer Management Team: Jessica Barnhardt, Miriam Gutierrez, Taylor Woolett, Makenzie Crawford, Kacie Padilla For more information, visit the ProStart Invitational page. If you'd like to volunteer at the event and be a judge, complete the application form or contact Wendy Popkin for more information.
Protecting Our Industry
During this session ORLA will be tracking several bills and engaging on those particularly to the hospitality industry. Members are encouraged to stay informed and engaged on the issues by subscribing to ORLA communications. If you have any questions, contact Greg Astley, Director of Government Affairs, at Astley@OregonRLA.org. Restaurants Who Sell Elouan Wine Should Consider Risks
The OLCC has determined wine producer Copper Cane of California to be misrepresenting Oregon wine geographic designations on its Elouan packaging and sales material, recommending revocation of their Certificate to ship wine into Oregon for resale. Widespread news reports now give restaurateurs knowledge of these misrepresentations and thus liability under the Unlawful Trade Practices Act. The wines are made in California and are not legally eligible to state or infer Oregon American Viticultural Areas on their labels, packaging or advertising material. You may want to consider this risk in selling this product in your restaurants. News: Oregon Legislature to consider laws protecting wine industry (1.14.19 - Capital Press) Copper Cane Controversy (11.1.18 - Oregon Wine Press) Tackling Workforce Challenges is a Team Lift. The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now. - Chinese Proverb It’s not just us. Historic workforce challenges currently face nearly every industry. Common reasons include the low unemployment rate and a growing mismatch between the skills needed and values desired by employers and the abilities and attitudes of prospective employees. Many partners I speak with feel that the hospitality industry is particularly hard-hit, and the state’s third largest employer, as forecasted by the Oregon Department of Labor (2017-2027), doesn’t get the respect deserved. And it’s true, we have been left out of strategic workforce development discussions and sector training funding grants targeted to help meet workforce needs. Why haven’t we been asked to participate? Primarily because of the government, education system and public’s perception that we are a low wage/low opportunity industry. Public workforce investment and education are focusing on industries they believe have high wage/high opportunities so that investments produce significant ROI for individual opportunities and Oregon’s economic vitality. Many of us who have made rewarding careers in the hospitality industry may argue, but what can we as an industry actively do to change the perception that the industry isn’t worthy? How is that perception affecting us? For example, Oregon’s recent Career Technical Education (CTE) Revitalization Grants, which focused on career readiness and ‘giving students access to hands-on learning programs’ totaled $10.3 million dollars. Grants were allocated primarily for training in manufacturing, engineering, agricultural science, aviation, robotics, forestry, construction and biomedical/health sciences. The state’s advocacy and advisory council included industry representatives from construction, manufacturing, healthcare, and plumbing/heating/cooling contractors, but not one representative from the hospitality industry. So too, none of Oregon’s nine Workforce Development Boards which receive federal monies to “develop strategies that leverage funding and resources within their local communities to prepare and match the skills of workers with the workforce demands of businesses” place a high priority on training for the hospitality industry, though at least Lane County identifies food service in one of its sector strategies. Why? We weren’t asked to be at these tables, true, but neither did our industry prepare in advance as others had done to earn and ensure our own involvement. Many industries planted seeds long ago when they began realizing that they were going to face shortages of skilled workers in the future if they didn’t proactively advocate and plan for their own employment needs. For example, with technology’s boom, here was some sentiment that blue-collar jobs were appropriate only for those that “couldn’t cut it” in the white-collar world. The trades understood that they needed to change that perception and actively recruit for their professions in order to encourage future generations to consider employment. They recognized the need for creative recruiting and helped fund entrepreneurial organizations such as the Oregon Tradeswomen, created 29 years ago “to offer innovative trades-based training programs, trades awareness activities and technical assistance to organizations seeking to be inclusive of women in their trade occupations.” Other industries such as healthcare, high tech, and engineering companies formed coalitions even among competitors. These coalitions collaborated to create innovative tools they voluntarily funded and provided access to the education system. They supported apprenticeship programs and created awareness campaigns touting not only their economic value to the state’s economy but also the desirability of their jobs and ease of pathways to reach top pay. The Time is Now Would it be easier to catch-up if it were 20 years ago when we began? Sure. But with a combination of long-term planning and short-term strategies, and the active engagement by several partners, many of us believe the hospitality industry can work together to proactively tackle our workforce challenges. You can start now, in a small but important way, by supporting our state’s ProStart Culinary and Management CTE Programs which offer career exploration skills and opportunities to 3,000 students in 36 schools throughout the state (see OregonRLA.org/ProStart). Needed are industry speakers, in-classroom skill mentors and field trip sites, as well as financial, food, and equipment donations. You can also participate in the upcoming ORLAEF ProStart Invitational as judge, volunteer, and/or sponsor. Get more information at OregonRLA.Org/Competition. The industry needs champions like you to promote its opportunities and advantages, and to engage with workforce initiatives. Where to Start Consider Evaluating Your Own Organization: Are you spending time with your employees to understand their goals? Do you actively provide and coach internal and external pathways to success? This type of engagement has been shown not only to help reduce individual company turnover but also helps encourage employees to advance in the industry. Read more on best practices and tools for recruiting and retaining employees at OregonRLA.org/blog/workforce-20. Make an Honest Assessment: As an industry we all need to look at our workplaces, their culture and demands. Are they in fact reasonable and desirable? Are we being realistic about what we are asking employees to do? Is our culture positive and supportive? Do schedule demands allow for personal and family balance? Do we need to make some changes? For example, check out how chefs are supporting other chefs to inspire a new kitchen culture at FairKitchens.com. Embrace Innovation: Results come from a multi-faceted approach that includes utilizing technology to increase efficiency and reduce unnecessary, repetitive tasks. It’s true that younger generations are less willing to perform duties they consider unfulfilling. Using technology can not only improve job satisfaction but it can create more opportunity for employees to focus on the guest, a win-win for everyone. Here is one article for perspective: http://bit.ly/NewHospTech. Engage with Available Workforce Training Tools: For examples and to learn more about the new apprenticeship programs for both food service and lodging, go to: http://bit.ly/RestaurantLodgingApprenticeships. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out online training programs such as those offered by the American Hotel & Lodging Association at http://bit.ly/ORLodgingCareers and Rouxbe.com. The Oregon Coast, Lane County, and Portland are actively engaged in various workforce development efforts and need industry partner participation. Success will rely on support in a variety of ways including strategic leadership, guest speakers/instructors, field trip sites, and employers who embrace training relationships. Be an Industry Champion in Your Community: Become involved with your workforce board at http://bit.ly/ORWorkforceBoards or join the advisory board at your local high school or community college. Advocate for the economic contribution and job opportunities our industry offers using resources such as http://bit.ly/ORRestaurantData and http://bit.ly/ORHotelData. As the Oregon Workforce and Talent Board, which is responsible for advising the governor on workforce matter notes, “No sector strategy is ever successful without members of industry acting as leaders, informers and champions.” ORLA Education Foundation’s mission is to help support the hospitality industry’s training and education needs. Recruiting, retaining, and helping its employees advance in their careers is an essential focus. With sponsorships from partners such as Travel Oregon, Sysco Portland, Metro, and Curtis Restaurant Equipment, as well as generous individual donations (see OregonRLA.org/SupportEF) we have been able to engage with, promote and advocate for many of the initiatives above. We are always seeking partners to help us expand and represent our efforts and are also seeking those attracted to serving on an ad-hoc committee with our Board of Trustees to help us discern feasible, reasonable, and fundable strategies for future impact. Interested? Please contact me at WPopkin@oregonrla.org. | Wendy Popkin Wendy Popkin is the Executive Director for ORLA’s Education Foundation (ORLAEF), a nonprofit foundation dedicated to supporting the educational and training needs of the hospitality industry. Wendy is a 32-year career veteran who describes herself as “fanatically enthusiastic about helping others enjoy the same type of fabulous career opportunities I have enjoyed in the hospitality industry.” Update: Dec. 5, 2018 - Portland City Council passed a new ordinance to reduce the automatic distribution of single-use plastics in Portland. The City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) worked with the Mayor’s office to research the policies of other cities, conduct a series of workgroup meetings, analyze community feedback and land on a policy recommendation. The ordinance will include restrictions on plastic service ware (defined as straws, stirrers, utensils and condiment packaging) for the following situations, when applicable to the food and beverage order:
The workgroup consisted of a representative from ORLA, restaurant owners, wholesalers, a medical facility, American Disability Act (ADA) straw users, and environmental advocates. “The Portland restaurant community appreciates the City keeping the ordinance “by-request,” respecting the need for single-use plastics for our customers, especially those in the disabled community. Portland restaurants recognize the need to reduce plastics in the waste stream balanced with the needs of our guests,” noted Greg Astley, ORLA's Director of Government Affairs. Notification and outreach to businesses will begin in January 2019, and the ordinance will go into effect on July 1, 2019. Visit www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/reduceplastics for more information. Nov. 30, 2018 - Three ORLA members recently served on a workgroup convened by Mayor Ted Wheeler to craft policy related to Single-Use Disposable Plastics (SUD’s) in the City of Portland. The workgroup also included members of the Surfrider Foundation, environmentalists, community members, members of the disabled community and city staff.
The Mayor tasked the workgroup with creating an ordinance around plastic straws but encouraged the group to look beyond just straws as well. Concerns about liability, lack of access to medically necessary plastic straws, and proceeding cautiously led to an “on request” policy for plastic straws for dine-in restaurants. For delivery and take-out orders, employees will need to ask if patrons need utensils or condiment packets before placing any in the take-out carrier or bag. Specifically, all retail food and beverage establishments and institutional cafeterias, where beverages may be consumed at dine-in areas, shall provide plastic straws and stirrers only after customer request as of July 1, 2019. Further, as of July 1, 2019, all retail food and beverage establishments and institutional cafeterias, where customers may order take-out and delivery, shall provide plastic utensils and condiment packaging only after asking if the customer needs plastic utensils and condiment packaging and the customer responds affirmatively. This requirement applies to face to face, phone and electronic orders. Plastic service ware is defined as single-use plastic straws, stirrers, utensils and condiment packaging. Condiment packaging is defined as plastic packaging used to deliver single-serving condiments to customers. This includes but is not limited to single-serving plastic packaging for ketchup, mustard, relish, mayonnaise, hot sauce, coffee creamer, salad dressing, jelly and jam and soy sauce. For more information: Update 2.13.19 - The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has officially declared the U.S. outbreak to be over; the FDA continues to recommend to suppliers and distributors that romaine lettuce be labeled with a harvest location and a harvest date, or labeled as being hydroponically or greenhouse-grown.
December 17, 2018 - The FDA, along with CDC, state and local agencies, is investigating a multi-state outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses linked to romaine lettuce grown in California. Restaurants and retailers should not serve or sell romaine from Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Barbara counties in California. Romaine from outside those regions need not be avoided. On December 13, 2018, Adam Bros. Farming, Inc., in Santa Barbara County, recalled products that may have come into contact with water from the water reservoir where the outbreak strain was found. The firm recalled red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce and cauliflower harvested on November 27 through 30, 2018. According to the firm, cauliflower was distributed to wholesalers in the U.S. The Adam Bros. recall has prompted a sub-recall by Spokane Produce Inc. of Spokane, WA. The firm recalled sandwiches and other products under the Northwest Cuisine Creations and Fresh & Local Sandwiches & Green Leaf Filets. The CDC has posted additional guidance regarding the romaine lettuce recall:
National Restaurant Association guidance: 5 Tips to Follow When a Recall Happens.  2019 ORLAEF ProStart Invitational, Sponsored by Sysco Download useful forms, templates and documents related to the 2019 ORLAEF ProStart Invitational.
Educator Resources Are you interested in transitioning to a CTE culinary program? ProStart® curriculum, hands on training, and experiences benefit your students as they learn how to choose items and make creative menus based on nutrition and budget, utilize safe sanitation techniques, and discover and practice important job readiness and ‘soft skills.’ These skills include communication, teamwork and decision-making, all while learning about the multiple high opportunity / high wage careers the food service industry offers. For general information, download the ProStart Overview. ProStart Curriculum “Foundations of Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts” was developed by subject-matter experts and is published by the NRAEF. The two levels of the curriculum – Level One and Level Two – are not designed to be sequential; this makes it possible for small schools with limited resources to offer the ProStart program to students. Learn about new curriculum and teacher resources at Textbooks.restaurant.org.
To order ProStart® curriculum for your school, contact Sue Smith at 800.462.0619. NRAEF Summer Institutes Work towards earning the NRAEF Certified Secondary Foodservice Educator certification. You will learn from faculty composed of nationally-recognized content experts, network among peers, and tour restaurant and foodservice facilitiesRegistration for the NRAEF Summer Institutes is now open. Learn more.
Student Resources
ProStart® prepares you to explore a wide range of career opportunities. Careers in nutrition, hospitality management, viticulture, product development, agriculture, culinary arts and customer service are just a few of the options for ProStart® students. The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association Education Foundation (ORLAEF) and the National Restaurant Association are proud to offer Oregon ProStart seniors a scholarship opportunity in support of post secondary education. Industry-Related Programs and Courses These facilities offer skills-based education for those looking to gain proficiencies to help them enter the hospitality industry as well as programs geared to those already employed who want to add credentials to their experience. See list of schools on ORLAEF's page. View more information on Culinary Scholarships. National Restaurant Association Education Foundation (NRAEF) Scholarships Students, military servicemen and women and others can now apply for scholarship awards to pursue their dreams of becoming future leaders of the restaurant and foodservice industry. Awards range from $2,500 to $10,000 and can be used towards tuition and fees, books, room and board and other school-related expenses. The scholarships have no age restrictions. Individuals can apply at any age, whether they're recent high-school graduates or adults looking to make a career change. Learn more and apply. Career Pathways Try a new and simple tool to explore a broad selection of restaurant and foodservice positions and chart a course that matches your skills with your career goals. Explore the tool. Learn more about how ORLAEF partners with the industry to provide workforce development solutions.  ORLA Informs Portland City Council of Efforts the Industry is Already Making to Reduce Plastics Use
In July, a work group was formed to discuss policy options to reduce single-use plastics. The work group consisted of restaurants, wholesalers, a medical facility, American Disability Act (ADA) straw users, environmental advocates and ORLA. Among the policy recommendations that came out of the group was a single-use plastic by request policy that would affect all retail food and drink businesses. ORLA has been actively engaged in these work groups for several months and earlier today Greg Astley, ORLA Director of Government Affairs, attended the Portland City Council Meeting where a "by-request" plastics ordinance was being voted on. The following is testimony submitted on behalf of ORLA: "Thank you for the opportunity to speak today and for the invitation for our members, restaurant owners and operators, to be a part of the workgroup and the discussion leading to today’s proposed ordinance. We appreciate being involved in the conversation from the start to help shape policy that works for everyone. As consumers become more aware of the issues of single-use disposables in the waste stream, plastic waste reduction and the restrictions on recycling, restaurants and their suppliers have responded to the requests to reduce use of these items. In just the last year, two major vendors to restaurants and food service establishments report significant reductions in the ordering of plastic straws. In one case, more than a third fewer straws are being ordered by food service establishments and local restaurants. Some of our members in Portland are already voluntarily reducing usage with their own by-request straw policies, replacement of plastic straws with alternatives and by asking customers who are getting take-out whether they need plastic utensils. Hotels and bars are also voluntarily reducing their plastic straw usage. Many of them are already promoting the fact they are a “by-request” restaurant or bar with signage and materials on tables. Having the option to offer plastic straws to our customers who may be disabled or impaired in some way and whose safety may be at risk with metal or wooden straws is important to us too. We’ve heard from members of the disabled community who need plastic straws as an option for their own well-being and we want to be able to accommodate them. Portland’s restaurants, hotels and bars are cornerstones in our community. They give generously to worthy causes, feed the hungry and provide a place where people can meet and break bread together. The people who own, manage and run them are Portlanders too and they care about the environment and are sensitive to customers’ requests and feelings. With so many other challenges facing the people running restaurants, hotels and bars, we appreciate the Council’s consideration and approval of a by-request ordinance coupled with education and outreach to our customers." ORLA Engaged in Local and Statewide Measures and Races
A week after the election, there are still some races across the nation undecided or in the middle of a recount to determine winners. Here in Oregon though, the ballots are counted, and the results are definitive. Governor Kate Brown (D) beat her opponent, State Representative and physician Knute Beuhler (R), giving her the opportunity to serve four more years in the office. With final numbers still to be reported, according to the Oregon Secretary of State’s website, the two raised and spent a record $36 million in this race. Democrats in Oregon won big victories and now officially have a supermajority in both the House and the Senate for the first time since 2009. ORLA believes the best policy occurs when there is more parity in the two chambers which can result in more compromise between legislators. The 2019 Legislative Session could see more partisanship or less depending on how Democrats choose to leverage their position in the House, Senate, and Governor’s office. ORLA’s upcoming legislative priorities will be discussed and approved at our combined Public Policy Committee meeting on December 11th here at the ORLA offices in Wilsonville. Members can RSVP to join us from 1:30-3:00 p.m. by emailing Glenda Hamstreet at GHamstreet@oregonrla.org. ORLA took a position on four of the five statewide ballot measures in this election cycle. We supported Measures 102 (Affordable Housing), 103 (Keep Our Groceries Tax Free) and 104 (Requirements for Raising Taxes) with only Measure 102 passing. In addition, we were opposed to Measure 105 (Repeal State Sanctuary Law) which was defeated. In local ballot measures, ORLA was opposed to Portland’s Measure 26-201 (Gross Receipts Tax) which passed. We were also opposed to a local sales tax on meals in Jacksonville which was soundly defeated 65%-35%. In another local race, Bambuza owner Daniel Nguyen, won a seat on the Lake Oswego City Council and will begin serving January 1, 2019. The team at ORLA very much appreciates all of our members who contributed to the ORLA Political Action Committee (ORLAPAC) and allowed us to participate in a meaningful way in these important races. Your support and contributions will be needed even more in the future as we look ahead already to the 2020 election cycle.
 Valuable Training for Recruitment and Retention
“When we play a game, we always ask the questions ‘What are the rules?’ and ‘How can I win…?’ When employees are asking these questions and the questions are not answered for them up front, they can become frustrated and upset because they do not know how to win at their job.” - Joe Lipham, Training Account Manager, Signature Worldwide The power of training has been proven to help attract and keep good employees in this very competitive employment market. Clearly, despite varying levels of passion for the job, nobody goes to work hoping to look stupid and to fail. Skill needs vary by job within each organization and necessitate specialized instruction. However, what is the one common skill that all hospitality employees need to feel comfortable in their role? Universally, experts agree that a company that focuses on teaching and empowering its associates to provide excellent guest service not only is more successful at gaining and keeping loyal customers but also more successful at attracting and retaining its employees. Standards are set high and employees are trained and empowered to deliver. Happy associates, who treat each other well, tend to create happy guests and help create a positive and rewarding work environment. "A culture of high standards is protective of all the 'invisible' but crucial work that goes on in every company," writes Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, it’s the “work that gets done when no one is watching. In a high standards culture, doing that work well is its own reward..." Bezos also notes that to build and maintain a culture of high standards, there are four critical elements; “they are teachable, they are domain-specific, you must recognize them, and you must explicitly coach realistic scope." CREATING AND EVALUATING A TOOL I have been proud to be a partner in Oregon’s statewide initiative to build a guest service curriculum that incorporated those four elements, via the support of Travel Oregon and the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI). Our goal in creating Guest Service Gold Tourism: Oregon Edition, which awards the internationally-accredited credential Certified Guest Service Professional (CGSP) upon successful completion, was to provide a tool that offered a common language and teachable principles specific to challenges employees in Oregon’s hospitality industry face. The effort has been a bit of a case study for us all, as I now realize students’, managers’, and trainers’ feedback all support the theory of the value of training and its secondary benefits overall. Here’s what we’ve learned: From Students:
From Managers and Owners:
From Our Trainers:
TAPPING ADDITIONAL TOOLS Preparing employees about what to expect in their roles is a skill and confidence builder. Many accommodation and foodservice businesses use online courses, such as the internationally-accredited courses offered by AHLEI. Line-level position curriculum includes Certified Front Desk Representative, Certified Restaurant Server, Certified Kitchen Cook, Certified Guestroom Attendant, and Certified Maintenance Employee. Supervisory courses are also available; learn more about their tools at AHLEI.org/certifications. “According to Canadian tourism and hospitality HR association Go2HR, around 40 percent of employees who do not receive adequate training end up leaving their post within a year.” - Entrepreneur Magazine/ Stephen Maclaren, Head of Regional Sales Employee Benefits, Al Futtaim Willis While there is certainly intense competition for employees, perhaps considering increasing training opportunities can help you better recruit and retain staff. If you think our guest service training tool can assist in your efforts, please visit OregonGuestService.com and feel free to contact me with any questions. | Wendy Popkin Wendy Popkin is the Executive Director for ORLA’s Education Foundation (ORLAEF), a nonprofit foundation dedicated to supporting the educational and training needs of the hospitality industry. Wendy is a 32-year career veteran who describes herself as “fanatically enthusiastic about helping others enjoy the same type of fabulous career opportunities I have enjoyed in the hospitality industry.” Update: Metro has updated draft administrative rules to guide the implementation of its business food scraps separation policy, adopted by the Metro Council on July 26. The draft administrative rules were available for public comment through Friday, Sept. 28. Read more.
Portland Area Businesses to Be Subject to Food Scrap Policy As part of ORLA's ongoing engagement with Metro on the food scraps, ORLA President & CEO Jason Brandt and Director of Business Development Marla McColly recently testified at Metro’s public hearing against the proposed food scrap mandate. ORLA and our members have been involved in the past in the voluntary collection of food scraps and we testified to that fact and the fact that participants in the past have exceeded the goals set by Metro. (Read ORLA's comments) We also raised concerns about the logistics of food scrap collections across the Metro area, about the implementation dates and about issues around public health and safety if food scraps are not picked up in a timely manner. In addition to ORLA there was opposition to the plan from local governments in both Sherwood and Hillsboro, citing the lack of analysis on the costs to implement the new mandate and the ability of local governments (especially in Washington County) to efficiently dispose of food waste. Despite ORLA’s efforts and those of local governments, Metro Council voted in favor of the staff recommendation for a food scrap mandate on a 7-0 vote. The mandate is scheduled to start on March 1, 2020 and will be implemented based on the amount of food waste generated by businesses. ORLA will continue to monitor the implementation of this program and provide information to our members. As the program is rolled out, if you experience problems or have concerns, please share those with Greg Astley, ORLA Director of Government Affairs, at Astley@oregonrla.org so we can keep Metro informed as to the effectiveness and success of their mandate. In the news
Oregon has a strong track record of enhancing tourism and creating thousands of jobs that trigger local economic growth while making Oregon a top travel destination. That is why we are supporting Measure 104 – it will ensure tax fairness for businesses and consumers.
Join the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association and protect the entrepreneurial spirit that brings award-winning plates from chefs who use Oregon’s farm fresh Marionberries and hazelnuts, salmon and crab and thousands of handcrafted beers and wines. Unfortunately, this entrepreneurial spirit is under attack. New taxes on beer, coffee, food, and soda have become common amongst politicians in Salem, as they search for new revenue, despite record spending levels. How are politicians gaming the system and getting around the law? Over 20 years ago Oregon voters passed a constitutional amendment requiring a supermajority vote on all revenue-raising legislation. But now, thanks to a creative loophole found by politicians and their lawyers, politicians have changed the rules to avoid the supermajority vote designed to protect taxpayers from increased taxes on food and beverages. This year, politicians used this trick to steal $1 billion from small businesses on a simple-majority vote, eliminating lower tax rates for hardworking, family-owned businesses throughout Oregon. That isn’t right and it needs to be stopped. A "Yes" vote on Measure 104:
Supporting Measure 104 will help prevent partisan gamesmanship and ensure tax fairness for Oregonians. Join us in protecting the Oregon way and the entrepreneurial spirit that makes Oregon a great place to live, visit, work and play. The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association encourages a "Yes” vote on Measure 104. Here's how you can help:
For more information on volunteering for the campaign download the Volunteer Info flyer. Contact the campaign: Yes@Yeson104.com | 503.974.8860 | www.yeson104.com |
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