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Rusticfood

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    http://rusticfood.com
  1. Mr. Delicious - I got a similar phone call yesterday at my kitchen in Clifton, NJ - caller was using internet voice relay through an operator, no identifying information, wanted to order food for 100 for this coming Saturday, items that aren't on our menu (BBQ pork & chicken), to be picked up by a delivery service. I told the operator that I couldn't take an order in this manner, caller would need to contact me directly. Caller then disconnected. Caterers, beware - this is some kind of scam.
  2. This was in my inbox this afternoon: Hey guys, It’s Ed the former Chef/G.M. at the Meyersville Inn. Don’t know if you got my e-mail last week or so, but, I’m just dropping a note to folks to let them know that My staff and I are no longer at the Inn. Drop a line back if you want to be kept abreast of whats happening and where we might end up doing our thing next. We all hope to see you soon. All the best in 2008 Ed Gruters Too bad - and right before V-Day - Elaine
  3. We were there last Sunday night and had an excellent dinner. We had the onion tart, the crabcake, the gravlax; the duck, the jaeger schnitzal and the veal ragout. Dessert was apple strudel, which seemed house made. Wine selection by the glass was great, with some unusual German & Austrian offerings. Best of luck to them - seems like they have a talented chef who really knows how to use seasonal produce.
  4. Rustic Food Custom Catering is a full service custom caterer located in Upper Montclair and Clifton. Information about our company and our full menu can be viewed on our website: www.rusticfood.com. We can be contacted via the website or by phone, 973.783.0596. We'll be happy to prepare a custom menu & catering proposal for your event - thanks - Elaine Elaine Rust Executive Chef/Owner Rustic Food Custom Catering
  5. Rosie - thanks for the welcome. Illegal catering is a real bee in my bonnet, for obvious reasons. While it is theoretically possible to operate a legal catering business out of a private residence, in order to do so, in NJ, a caterer must comply with the entirety of Chapter 12 relating to retail food establishments, including plumbing, electrical work, fire suppression, lighting, ventilation, food storage, dishwashing, garbage and wastewater disposal. The caterer's facility would also have to comply with local building and zoning codes. Additionally, because it's assumed that a commercial establishment will have employees, the facility must be ADA compliant. I'm sure that the restaurant owners that post here can verifiy that opening a food service facility in this state is not easy or cheap. Having recently completed the renovation of a building as a catering kitchen, it seems highly unlikely that many home-based caterers have gone through the complicated and expensive process of remodeling their homes for use as legal foodservice facilities. For instance, in my 750 sf facility - which is not open to the public - I had to install 3 handwashing sinks, a dedicated food prep sink, a three compartment dishwashing sink, a heat sanitizing dishwasher and a mop sink. The bathroom had to be handicapped accessible. All of the drainage is installed so that backflow of wastewater is impossible. The ventilation system is size of a mid-size car and cost only slightly less. Most municipalities - and I know this is true in Montclair - do not permit commercial facilities in residential areas as a matter of zoning law, particularly those as non-passive as food service. That garbage truck coming to empty the dumpster (businesses do not enjoy municipal garbage pick-up around here) at 3 am might draw some complaints from the neighbors. I actually own a copy of Denise Vivaldo's book, referenced above. A quote from Chapter One: "Working out of an uninspected kitchen is a mistake. Not only are you breaking the law, but you run the risk of being shut down entirely." She goes on to recommend that new caterers find an approved commercial kitchen to share. So, I repeat - The majority of home based caterers are operating illegally and outside the scrutiny of local health departments. Would you eat in a restaurant that had never seen a health inspection? When you hire an illegal caterer, that's the risk you take. Again, thanks for the forum - Elaine
  6. As a legal caterer, I can tell you most definately that it is not legal to cater out of a private residence anywhere in New Jersey. The same regulations - Chapter XII of the NJ State Sanitary Code, apply to caterers just as they apply to any restaurant or other food service operation in the state. A caterer operating out of their home is doing so in violation of the law and outside the scrutiny of their local health department. Thanks - Elaine
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