Reignite your enthusiasm, find the niche that’s right for you, and boost your visibility without breaking the bank!

Recorded live from the main stage at Maine-Stay 2023–you’ve got a front-row seat to Luke’s insightful discussion on maximizing your marketing impact without breaking the bank. From traditional methods to cutting-edge digital solutions, Luke unpacks a diverse array of strategies designed to elevate your business’s visibility and drive growth.

Be prepared to take notes as Luke delves into topics such as common marketing tactics, budget-friendly technology solutions, untapped platforms, and the DIY power of “the free stuff.” Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or a budding business owner, “Do the Free Stuff First” is brimming with actionable insights to reignite your enthusiasm and propel your brand to new heights.

Ready to revolutionize your marketing approach and unlock untapped potential—all without emptying your pockets? Let’s embark on a journey to supercharge your marketing efforts, affordably!

Also available as a three-part podcast series.
Listen to “Do the Free Stuff First” on-the-go, at the office, or in the kitchen with Episode 74!
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Early bird pricing available now!

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Nominated by their fellow coworkers for demonstrating our core values, please join us in celebrating Jeff Guimond and Connor Hunt for their outstanding contributions to our team, customers, and company success!

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We are thrilled to shine a spotlight on these exceptional team members who embody the Dennis Difference. The Dennis Difference Award was established in 2015. Nominated by their peers, the Dennis Difference Award is presented to one deserving employee each year. Among several considerations, the award is voted on and honors the employee’s distinguished commitment to upholding our company values. For many there is no higher form of recognition than being recognized by one’s peers. This Award does just that – it is for employees by employees.

Jeff Guimond: New Markets Specialist
Nominated not once, but THREE times for the prestigious Dennis Difference award! Jeff’s wealth of knowledge, quick responsiveness, and dedication to finding solutions have set him apart. One of his nominators praises his role as a category buyer, managing high-volume commodities like eggs, poultry, and cheese with unmatched skill and professionalism. In the volatile world of perishables, Jeff has not only mastered his craft but has done so with a smile. His commitment to going the extra mile, ensuring special orders arrive on time, exemplifies the kind of dedication that makes us unstoppable as a company!

Connor Hunt: Class A Delivery Driver
A big round of applause for Connor Hunt, a rarity at the age of 22! His nominator describes him as hardworking, dependable, driven, and passionate–qualities that are truly exceptional in today’s workforce. Rain or shine, Connor brings a smile and the patience of a saint to his role, demonstrating a deep understanding and empathy for the challenges faced by our customers. His positive presence in our pre-delivery group texts adds a touch of humor and camaraderie to our team, making every day a joy.

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When culinary innovation meets local goodness, magic happens in the kitchen. Recently, we had the privilege of hosting Heather Kerner, the mastermind behind The Good Crust, in our test kitchen. Heather’s visit was nothing short of a gastronomic journey, blending creative pizza dough ideas with the goodness of locally sourced Maine Grains.

Exploring the Highlights

During her visit, Heather showcased a range of delectable creations that left our taste buds tingling with excitement. Here are just a few highlights from her inspiring session.

1. Fougasse: Heather’s take on this classic French bread was nothing short of sensational. She transformed the humble bread into an artisanal masterpiece with locally-sourced Maine Grains.
2. Rustic Tomato Galette: A rustic and savory delight that celebrates the flavors of local ingredients. The flaky, golden crust paired perfectly with Maine Grains’ wholesome goodness.
3. Breakfast Pizza: Who said pizza is just for lunch and dinner? Heather’s breakfast pizza was a revelation, featuring a perfect blend of flavors to kickstart your day.
4. Breakfast Roll: A delightful twist on traditional breakfast rolls, Heather’s creation incorporated Maine Grains’ nutritious touch, making it a breakfast worth savoring.

Maine Grains – The Heart of It All

What makes Heather’s creations truly exceptional is her commitment to using locally sourced Maine Grains. These grains add a unique, wholesome flavor to her dishes and support our local community.

Maine Grains has been a vital part of our culinary journey, ensuring that each dish crafted in our test kitchen carries the essence of our region. From artisan bread to pizza dough, these grains have become the heart and soul of our culinary creations.

From DayMark Safety Systems, we added 18″ PipingPal® Plus Pastry Bags. Generously sized to provide ample space for holding a substantial amount of frosting, batter, or icing, this pastry bag reduces the need for frequent refills during decorating tasks. It is crafted from high-quality, food-grade materials that are safe for use in the kitchen. The material is durable, ensuring that it can withstand the rigors of a busy restaurant kitchen without tearing or leaking. The PipingPal Plus Pastry Bag features a reinforced tip that provides extra strength and stability when using various piping tips and nozzles. This ensures precise and consistent results, even when working with denser or thicker mixtures. The pastry bag is designed with a non-slip texture or grip on the exterior. This feature allows you to maintain a firm hold on the bag, ensuring better control and accuracy while piping. It is easy to clean and maintain, which is essential in a busy restaurant environment. The smooth interior surface allows for a quick and thorough cleaning, reducing downtime between tasks. Depending on the restaurant’s specific needs, the PipingPal Plus pastry bag can be used as a disposable option or washed and reused, making tia a cost-effective choice. The 18″ size of the pastry bag makes it suitable for a wide range of applications, including piping large cakes, creating intricate decorations for pastries, filling cream puffs, and more. It is compatible with various piping tips and nozzles, offering versatility in design and presentation. The DayMark PipingPal Plus 18″ Pastry bag is a reliable, durable, and versatile tool that is ideal for restaurant chefs and pastry professionals. Its design and features make it well suited for a wide range of decorating and filling tasks, helping you to elevate your presentations and the quality of your culinary creations.

New Item Details:

Dennis Food Service delivers thousands of foodservice products and supplies to restaurants and food operations in Maine and New Hampshire. If you have a question or are interested in becoming a customer contact us or call 1-800-439-2727

Yield: 1 Serving

INGREDIENTS

• 1 portioned slice Sara Lee® Angel Food 8″ Round No Fat Bundt Cake
• 1/2 cup creamy whipped cheesecake topping
• 1/4 cup blueberry compote
• Fresh mint leaves

DIRECTIONS

1. Thaw angel food cake and cut into 1-inch cubes.
2. Layer half of  the cake cubes into an individual trifle dish.
3. Top cake with 1/4 cup cheesecake topping.
4. Top with 2 tablespoons blueberry compote.
5. Repeat layers.
6. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

“The summer months are met with many seasonal culinary delights; the simple joys of summer. For me, fresh corn on the cob, lobster rolls, Maine clams, anything BBQ (almost anything), and soft serve ice cream, all fall into that summer simple joy category. But, hands down, one of my favorite summertime treats is a good ol’ mixed berry shortcake. Berries pilled high on either a biscuit or sponge cake, topped with fresh whipped cream…yum.

For a fun, delicious and unique twist on this simple joy of summer, use a Simple Joy Lemon Cake as the base. The result is simply…delicious…and Simply Joyful.”

Simple Joys Bakery

Simple Joys Bakery crafts perfectly portioned indulgence. These individually wrapped cake slices are perfect for plated desserts, takeout, delivery, or as a well-positioned impulse purchase.

In the foodservice biz we often abide by the old saying “sometimes less is more.” In the case of this two-ingredient grilled cheese sandwich; the old saying holds true. The Pineland farms smoked cheddar cheese, paired with OvenStone’s garlic Texas toast explodes in a perfect symphony of rich, smokey, buttery, garlic flavor. A simple but mouth-watering symphony that will leave your customer’s palates singing along with a chorus of “oh mys” and “MmmMMMmms.”

OvenStone Garlic Texas Toast

Neatly packed in each case for easy preparation and handling makes for a convenient, labor-saving and ‘All Round’ great product. Serve these delightful breads as a breadbasket appetizer, an addition to a pasta dish or as a unique sandwich carrier.

If you have corned beef at your restaurant, but you’re not serving Reuben sandwiches, I highly recommend you try them on your menu. Today, I’m going to show you two different ways to make a Reuben sandwich using corned beef.

I’ll make the classic version with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Thousand Island dressing on rye bread. Then, alongside that I’ll make my personal favorite – a twist on the classic Reuben sandwich that substitutes pickled beet relish for sauerkraut. The sweetness of the beets pairs perfectly with the saltiness of the corned beef, and I just love beets!

Morse’s Sauerkraut is item #21931
Pickled Beet Slaw is item #21933

Find more ideas and video recipes on our St. Patrick’s Day page.

Download our St. Patrick’s Day Brisket Flyer
St. Patrick’s Protiens  See More from the Test Kitchen

Chef Tim takes chowder one step further with the addition of one simple ingredient, creating a item for you menu and adding additional profit to your bottom line. In this quick video you’ll see how to transform your existing chowder into hearty revenue with biscuit dough. Never made a “chowda”? Start with the basics outlined in this video!

Remember, we stock a fantastic variety of premium, ready-made, heat-and-serve chowders that could easily be customized into a wide variety of profitable pot pies for your menu. And of course we stock a number of biscuit products with which to top your crocks, including the one seen in this video, Rich’s Country Jumbo Biscuit Dough, item #11100.

Chowda Pot Pie up!

We all know that most visitors traveling to, and vacationing within New England, are looking to slurp down a wicked good amount of chowder. In some cases, your chowder might be the biggest reason for a repeat visit to your establishment year after year. Featuring a signature chowder on your menu could be just the ticket for those return customers or an easy up-sell by waitstaff. In this video recipe, I’ll demonstrate the basic steps of preparing a delicious chowder, from which you can derive your creative variations.

If preparing a unique chowder from scratch falls outside your operation’s current capabilities, we stock a fantastic variety of premium, ready-made, heat-and-serve chowders. These versatile products can even be used as a base layer for creating your restaurant’s signature chowder. For example, you could add chorizo to corn chowder, a dash of zaatar to fish chowder, or a pinch of saffron to lobster chowder.

House-made, premade, or premade as a base; consider chowder’s place on your menu and its potential impact on your average ticket. And, when you’re ready, here’s a simple way to add more profit with just one additional ingredient–I call it “chowda pot pie“.

Chowdah up!