National Culinary Review

ON THE INSIDE

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the menu, and I love my food more than ever. It has tons of soul.

a New York restaurant in Mobile. Now, after a year and a half, we are an Alabama restaurant with New York technique. I came to realize that I should have learned more about the local food and embraced the local culture when we started out—really gotten around to seeing what people are eating, getting to know the farmers and fishermen— and incorporate all that into my food. Now we’re really cooking with the heritage of the South in our hearts, and it shows in the way plates are licked clean and in the smiles and tips from the customers. I think we’re making people very happy now.

What makes True work in Mobile? I think what makes it work—and what is making it work more and more—is that we really know how to cook. In any city, it can be hard just to get a piece of meat or fish or even a vegetable cooked right. This is what we do, and we’re extremely consistent.

What advice do you have for young people coming into the business? When we opened, True was basically

What gives you pleasure on the job every day? Having my restaurant filled, which is something that every restaurateur is struggling to do. But if that can’t be the case, what makes me happy is people liking what they eat, and the service, in other words, liking the way dining at my restaurant makes them feel. My favorite thing to ask people is, “How did you hear about us?” and the No. 1 response is, “My friend told me to eat here.” That is firsthand information that I made someone happy, and that’s great.

Barbara Sido named NRAEF executive director

Barbara Sido was appointed executive director of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) in July.

Previously, Sido Sido

was vice president of knowledge and professional practice at the American Institute of Architects, Washington, D.C., where she oversaw 50 staff members and an annual budget of $28 million. At NRAEF, she will work to support the National Restaurant Association’s mission and plans to focus on jobs and careers.

Research Chefs Foundation names Carl Borchgrevink president

The National Culinary Review | October 2009

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Women’s Foodservice Forum names Alice Murray president

The Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF),

Bloomington, Minn., named Alice Murray its new president in July. Murray joined the organization Aug. 1. Murray’s experience spans both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors and includes serving as president and CEO for Downtown Dallas Inc. Murray says she plans to guide the organization to continued success through focused communication between the diverse constituencies involved with WFF.

Murray

The Research Chefs Foundation (RCF), which supports the educational endeavors of the Research Chefs Association (RCA), named Dr. Carl P. Borchgrevink its new president in July. Borchgrevink, associate professor in The School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., will serve on the all-volunteer board for two years. Borchgrevink was a founding member of the RCA in 2002, and previously served as RCF vice president.