USA: Hot Concepts 2007

 
Every year, US foodservice magazine Nation’s Restaurant News recognizes six forwardthinking companies with emerging growth potential as ‘Hot Concept of the Year’. Each winner must be a clearly defined concept that appeals to consumers and positionsthe company at the leading edge of foodservice. Furthermore, a Hot! Again award goes to an established company that is on the rise after difficult times. The 2007 winners are as follows:
 

| Go Roma Italian Kitchen |

This concept offers fast, fresh Italian cuisine in a casual atmosphere. The menu includes fresh soups, salads, artisan pizzas, sandwiches, pastas and more. Go Roma Italian Kitchen opened its first restaurant in Warrenville, Illinois, in 2004. Since then, the chain hasadded seven more stores in the greater Chicago region with plans to add ten new restaurants every year. Founding partners are Jeff Drake, Russell Bry, Yorgo Koutsogiorgas and David Wolfgram, who all worked together at Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. Average check: $8.25 (lunch), $9.25 (dinner). www.goroma.net
 

| Granite City Food & Brewery |

Based in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, this upscale casual restaurant chain operates 19 restaurants in eight Midwestern states, all featuring an on-sitebrewery with signature beers like Duke of Wellington (an English ale) and Pride of Pilsen (a Czechoslovakian beer). The menu offers affordable, yet high quality family favorites prepared from made-from-scratch recipes and served in generous portions. The averageunit volume comes to $4.3 m. Granite City opened its first restaurant in 1999 and is expanding from its Midwestern base. www.gcfb.net
 

| The Grape |

Billing itself as ‘the ultimate wine and fun experience’, Atlanta-based The Grape offers a relaxed way to enjoy from 120 to 150 different wines, available by the bottle, glass or the Grapes by the Bunch tasting flight. The concept also offers a full menu of small-plate gourmet fare designed to complement the wine list. Founded in 2000, The Grape remaineda single unit for several years but has now expanded to over 20 units in the south and southeast, which on average generate $900,000 to $2.5 m in sales. www.yougrape.com
 

| Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ |

Direct from the streets of Japan, Gyu-Kaku specializes in a Yakiniku style of dining where each table receives bitsized portions of meat, poultry and vegetables to be grilled at the table by the customer and shared with the entire party. Grilling is done on a state-of-the-artsmokeless Japanese BBQ brazier. Founded in 2001, this concept currently has ten locations in California, Hawaii and New York with two more on the way. Average check: $30, average unit volume: $1.5 m. Gyu-Kaku is a division of Reins International USA of Honolulu. www.gyu-kaku.com
 

 
| 5 December 2007 |