Restaurants also feel pinch of food prices

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Apr 2, 2008 by Valerie Phillips Deseret Morning News

We keep hearing that food prices are going up. You may not notice it, but those who buy large amounts of food at a time do.

A few weeks ago I received an e-mail from the King Arthur Flour Company, noting that global wheat prices have tripled in the past year.

"We're doing all we can to keep the cost of flour down by making our business as efficient as possible, but there's simply no way for us to absorb entirely the impact of current record-breaking wheat prices," general manager Michael Bittel noted.

Feel better about that ton of wheat you have in the basement?

Restaurants also notice increases. Bambara's executive chef David Jones told me that figuring food costs is something he does every day. "When the economy slows, fine dining is one place that often takes a hit," he said.

So it requires a balancing act to offer quality meals at prices that are affordable for diners but profitable enough to stay in business.

The New Yorker, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in April, has managed that balancing act through decades of economic ups and downs. When you serve the high-end products like fresh salmon, all-natural certified Angus beef, and dry-pack sea scallops that the private club's power-lunchers have come to expect, you have to know your costs.

"It's one of the cornerstones of a chef; they learn early on what it costs to serve something," said executive chef Will Pliler, who has been with The New Yorker for 29 1/2 of those years. "The reality is that everything is going up, and we have to keep pace with our costs. Cooking oil is up, because they want the corn and soybeans to make biodiesel. We fry everything in peanut oil. A year ago, peanut oil was $30 for a 35-pound tub, and now it's $54."

At Gastronomy Inc., which owns the New Yorker and the Market Street Grills, chef Ty Frederickson has analyzed every regular menu item and priced every ingredient, right down to the garnish, said MaryAnne Farrier, the company's marketing director.

In an upcoming Food section, the Deseret News will have tips on saving food dollars. Meanwhile, you can take some cues from restaurant chefs:

-- Buy in season. It's fresher, it tastes better, and it's less expensive. "In the summer, go to the farmer's market and see what's available that's fresh," Pliler said. "Or do what I do. I learned to can tomatoes and pickles."

-- Be flexible. "When the price of iceberg lettuce goes up, as it sometimes does, find something else," Pliler said. "Sitting right next to the iceberg is the romaine, and you might be able to use that instead."

-- Buy in bulk. Since Gastronomy owns several restaurants, the company is able to negotiate a better price. Likewise, home cooks usually get a price break by buying a bigger bag.

But perhaps we can put food prices in perspective. In February, the Utah Farm Bureau reported that the percentage of income that Americans spend on food has declined over the past 35 years. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture data, American families currently spend slightly less than 10 percent of their disposable, personal income for food.

Where does the rest of our money go? Well, 35 years ago, we didn't have DVD players, iPods, Xboxes, cell phones, laptops, even regular computers. Perhaps we've gotten used to spending less on food and more on technology and entertainment. However, I'm afraid the times are a-changing.

E-mail: vphillips@desnews.com