Tag Archives: foodservice

Malcolm Halliday, CEC, CFBE

Q:  What is your title?

A:  Business Review Manager and Corporate Chef, Sysco

Q:  What are your primary responsibilities, day-to-day?

A:  I try to make customers as profitable as possible.  I’m on the road most days, visiting with operators at their locations.  I help them with menu engineering.  I help them analyze their menus, improve procedures and profitability.  I show them new products when there’s a need or when that product might offer the operator a solution.

Q:  What are you most proud of?

A:  That we, at Sysco, take care of our customers one at a time.  Each one gets individual attention.  I love that!

Q:  What is the coolest thing you’ve seen lately?

A:  I’ve seen a lot of operators take run-of-the-mill ingredients and jazz them up really effectively.  I’ve seen it especially with comfort food.  Lots of chefs are taking familiar, home-style fare and making it special—more sophisticated.  Those that are doing it well are seeing that customers will spend extra on dishes like this and they’re having a lot of success.  I’m also seeing a lot of sous vide products.  Culinarté has an amazing line—everything from braised short ribs to lamb and pork shanks—that are already vacuum-sealed and ready to go.  These products take cooking time from 20+ hours to 15 or 20 minutes!  Operators just have to drop the sealed package into boiling water and the results are impressive!