Air Force foodservice operations honored at Hennessy Awards

Nation's Restaurant News, June 14, 2004 by Amy Garber

Several outstanding U.S. Air Force foodservice operations and individual airmen were honored with the 48th annual Hennessy Awards during a breakfast at this year's National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago.

The 375th Services Squadron at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. which has one dining hall, won in the single-unit category, and the 81st Services Division at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi was honored as an outstanding multiple-unit facility. Additional awards were presented to an Air Force Reserve unit, an Air National Guard winner, a missile feeding operation and a munitions support squadron during the awards presentation held May 22 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers.

"In light of current global events, it is an honor and a pleasure to honor our servicemen and women and their dedication to providing high-quality meals to thousands of troops worldwide," said Steven C. Anderson, NRA president and chief executive. "The prestigious Hennessy Awards shine the spotlight on foodservice operations and personnel who have demonstrated excellence in service."

A team of foodservice professionals, known as Hennessy Travelers, visited 14 bases to determine the winners by evaluating each operation with a 1,000-point scorecard, which ranked such criteria as service, sanitation, training procedures, food presentation and overall quality. The Hennessy Travelers, a group made up of representatives from the NRA, the Society for Foodservice Management and the International Food Service Executives Association, traveled to Air Force bases in the United States, Europe and Japan.

NRA board members Richard J. Shonquist Sr., FMP, president and owner of Shonquist Consultants Inc. in Las Vegas, and James K. Sellers, FMP, president of Sellers Marketing Co. in Oklahoma City, both served on this year's team. The SFM traveler was Charnette "Char" Norton, a vice president and foodservice consultant at Romano Garland of Texas. Norton also has served in the U.S. Army for 23 years and is currently a colonel.

In addition to the award-winning foodservice operations, two airmen--one in each of the single-unit and multiple-unit categories--were awarded the 2004 Hennessy Travelers Association Award of Excellence for their individual foodservice achievements. This year's winners were Tech Sgt. Jeffrey Pegueros, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, and Staff Sgt. Clint Collier of Scott Air Force Base, Air Mobility Command. Each winner received a $1500 scholarship.

The day after the official awards presentation, at a more intimate setting at the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago, Norton praised the winning foodservice operations and their personnel. The winners accepted kudos from their peers and from foodservice operators and consultants, some of whom are members of another sponsoring organization, the Foodservice Consultants Society International.

Norton said the scoring was extremely close this year, and during a time of increased activity among the U.S. Air Force, she was humbled to meet such a great group of armed services.

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"over time, you'll build credibility."

In line with PR efforts, it's important to know the likes and dislikes of restaurant critics and figure out which restaurants get a lot of coverage and why, she said.

But "don't fawn over critics," she warned. Even if you recognize a restaurant critic--most work anonymously--let him or her order off the menu but then send a few dishes to the person compliments of the chef.

If you get a good review, make sure you have a plan to handle the increased business after it appears, she said. If the review is bad, then you have to plan for less business.

But she cautioned that all good reviews don't necessarily generate more business. In every city two or three critics have the credibility that can help a restaurant. Other good reviews often make the restaurant's publicist look good, but they may not attract more customers, she said.

On the other hand, she said, don't ignore less influential critics. They can gain in stature later, and showing them disrespect early on can lead to a "columnful of bad-mouthing."

"And don't think it hasn't happened," Klein said.

Make yourself easy to work with when dealing with the media, she said. Respect critics' deadlines, respond promptly and accurately to their calls, and try to make yourself a knowledgeable source in the foodservice industry.

And once you've generated the buzz that makes your restaurant a must-eat place, you have to "stay newsworthy," Klein said.

Send out newsletters and hold cooking classes, wine tastings and other special events.

It's not news just to be in the restaurant industry, she said. "You always have to have another story to tell."