MONTGOMERY, ALA.—Wind Creek Hospitality (WCH), one of the largest hospitality companies in Alabama, announced a new initiative focused on promoting regional food that includes growers, purveyors, consumers, chefs and restaurateurs, amateur cooks, food banks, and nonprofits promoting healthy lifestyles.  “Wind Creek’s Southern Table: Setting a Place for Good Food” is a multi-faceted initiative spearheaded by WCH President Jay Dorris. Designed to expand access to good food for citizens across the region, this effort will promote the culinary industry and its traditions, and support locally grown and produced food.In making the announcement in Montgomery, WCH’s Vice President of Marketing Michael...

CHICAGO—Master-Bilt’s award-winning Master Controller, featuring Web2Walk-In software, is now Apple iOS compatible making remote monitoring and adjustment of walk-ins accessible from any device with an Internet connection including a PC, Mac, smartphone or tablet. The newest Master Controller will debut at the 2014 National Restaurant Show May 17 to 20 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.In addition to iOS compatibility, a new defrost function built into the Master Controller’s Web2Walk-In software monitors coil temperature and automatically turns on evaporator fans for a short time when the coil is warm to melt accumulated frost and ice from the fan guards. This function...

LOS ANGELES—Palace Resorts recently installed the InvoTech Systems, Inc. Multi-Property RFID Linen and Laundry System for automated linen and laundry control and cost reduction. Palace Resorts implemented the InvoTech Linen System at all of its resort properties and installed InvoTech’s Laundry System at the Palace Resorts laundry distribution center. The InvoTech System provides Palace Resorts with complete control over linen inventories and establishes more efficient operations.InvoTech provides Palace Resorts with both Spanish and English language operating systems, so that each user can specify his or her preferred language for ease of use. InvoTech also supplied on-site system training and...

CHICAGO—Green Seal, an independent nonprofit providing sustainability certification for products and services, launched a new sustainability standard for restaurants and food services in conjunction with The Green Chicago Restaurant Coalition and The Rosenthal Group.The standard, GS-55, covers retail restaurants and institutional food service operations through rigorous criteria that minimize environmental impact in several categories. These include food sourcing through use of foods produced in a sustainable manner; waste management, including food waste, compostable waste, recycling and water quality management; energy use; water consumption and the use of other environmentally-preferable products and services.GS-55 is the result of a pilot program...

ORLANDO, FLA.—The two hotels in Grande Lakes Orlando—The Ritz-Carlton Orlando and JW Marriott Orlando—are among the first lodging establishments in Central Florida to send food waste to the Central Florida Energy Garden. Owned and operated by Harvest Power and located within the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the recently opened Energy Garden converts organic waste into renewable biogas and natural fertilizers. (See related article.)Twice each week, food waste from the two facilities’ banquet operations is picked up and taken to the Energy Garden. Bob Brown, Chief Engineer for the hotels, says about 20 to 30 tons a month of food...

MADBURY, N.H.—Vertal US Inc., a Madbury, N.H. based company that specializes in the design and manufacturing of urban, on-site, in-vessel composters, is now offering its CITYPOD composters. CITYPOD composters’ offer a complete odor control guarantee and numerous technical patent pending innovations that make on-site composting user and operationally friendly. Consumer expectations for socially accepted on-site,in-vessel composting projects are related to total control of odor emissions, ease of operation and profitability.With its new on-site food waste processing technology, Vertal US provides compliance in line with the many new state regulations banning food waste and other organic materials from landfills.John Clifford,...

RIPON, WIS.—IPSO has added the IS275, a 275-pound washer-extractor, to its softmount on-premises equipment line. This efficient machine helps on-premises laundry managers to maximize productivity and minimize costs while providing consistently superior wash quality.“We are excited to announce the expansion of our softmount washer-extractor line, designed to improve on-premises laundry operators’ productivity,” said Kathryn Rowen, North American Sales Manager for IPSO. “We strive to continually innovate and produce dependable, efficient and intuitive equipment that OPL managers can rely on to help them decrease utility costs, extend linen life and eliminate unnecessary labor expenses.” The 275-pound washer-extractor’s super high G-Force...

NATIONAL REPORT—A series of six webinars with topics ranging from water efficiency to green cleaning to window film will launch on March 26 and wrap up on May 21. In total, there will be 18 different presentations throughout the six webinars that are sponsored by the U.S. EPA. The free webinars are being organized by Dan Ruben of Boston Green Tourism and Peter Cooke of the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences. Those who attend all six sessions will be acknowledged with a Certificate of Completion.The following is the schedule for the webinars:Session 1: March 26, 1 p.m to  2:15...

CHICAGO—The National Restaurant Association announced the recipients of the 2014 Kitchen Innovations (KI) Awards, which honor equipment and technology that specifically improves the back of the house operations and benefits restaurant operators.“2014 marks an important milestone for the KI Awards,” said Sam Facchini, co-founder and co-owner of Metro Pizza and 2014 NRA Show Convention Chair. “In addition to proudly celebrating our 10 year anniversary of the Awards, this year’s honorees demonstrate the continued tradition of the KI Awards in celebrating innovative companies making a measureable impact on the day-to-day operations of the foodservice industry.”The 2014 KI Award recipients reflect...

OSHKOSH, WIS.—Haddon Equipment & Supplies (Haddon) in Vancouver, B.C., was recently named the Girbau Industrial Distributor of the Year for outstanding industrial sales, service and support. Haddon is an employee-owned and operated distributorship serving British Columbia and Yukon.The company provides outstanding customer service; highly efficient industrial, on-premise and vended laundry equipment; laundry planning and design; as well as chemicals and other supplies, according to Seth Willer, Girbau Industrial National sales manager. “They are dedicated to delivering the ultimate in customer and technical service, and in 2013, provided unrivaled Girbau Industrial distribution.” Learn more about Haddon at www.haddon.ca. Also go to...