As holidays near, Entergy disconnection scam resurfaces

Don't get so caught up in the spirit of the season that you let your guard down and fall prey to scammers. The Entergy disconnection scam reared its head again today, and resulted in Louisiana Restaurant Association Member Phil deGruy notifying the association.

“Two of the three Phil’s Grills were called, but fortunately, we knew it was a scam,” said deGruy in a text. “The LRA is good about letting us know about these things, but we can never be reminded enough, so I contacted the office.”

Here’s how the scam works. A con artist will give you a call and say that your electric bill payment is past due and that your service will be disconnected within the hour if you don’t pay up. Then you are directed to transfer funds electronically, sometimes through the system known as “MoneyPack.”

We've also heard of this scam in other parts of the state with the con artists using the local utility provider's name in place of Entergy, in this case. 

Last year, LRA member Keith Dusko, owner of Chiba restaurant in the Riverbend neighborhood, was immediately suspicious and avoided getting duped by scammers. He shared his encounter will Nola.com readers here. 

Entergy doesn't want you to fall victim to this scam and reminds you:

• While the company does place courtesy calls if you are at risk for disconnection, these are recorded calls, and are not calls from live customer service representatives. Entergy NEVER demands immediate payment.
• While you may pay your Entergy bill by phone or credit card, it is ONLY through BillMatrix, a third-party vendor we use for this purpose.
• You shouldn't give your personal information to strangers. If a call sounds suspicious, call 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749) to speak with an Entergy customer service representative.
• You should only use authorized methods and legitimate banking information to pay your Entergy bill. 

If you believe you're a victim of this scam, you should notify the proper authorities, such as the local police or the state attorney general's office. If you believe your Entergy account has been affected, call 1-800-ENTERGY (800) 368-3749) to speak with an Entergy customer service representative.

ProStart gives students head start in culinary professions

Each year, the Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation (LRAEF) hosts teams across the state in its annual ProStart Student Invitational. This year, 27 teams took part in either the Culinary Competition or the Management Competition.  For some schools, this was the first time they made the trip to New Orleans for the two-day events. This was the second of a multi-year relationship with the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board, the competition’s title sponsor, and was represented by Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne, who addressed the students, teachers and parents during the awards ceremony. Teams in both competitions had to incorporate Louisiana seafood into their menus.

For Fontainebleau’s ProStart instructor Stacy Russell, this is the first time she prepared students for competition. She came to Fontainebleau after 15 years in the restaurant industry, having worked for the Taste Buds restaurant group, whose concepts include Zea Rotisserie & Grill, Semolina Restaurant and Mizado Cocina.

“Teaching the ProStart students in the classroom takes the same management techniques as those I used every day in a restaurant,” Russell said. “The great thing about coming into this position is I can give them a real world account of restaurant operations.”

Preparing for the culinary competition takes mentoring and practice. Matt Jones, a graduate from American Institute, and currently with the Besh Restaurant Group, consulted with the Fontainebleau team on their menu. Some items didn’t make the cut with the students.

“Early on the students were considering seared redfish and smoked tuna,” Russell added. “The team finally settled on pepper seared tuna steak, a pan seared duck breast and panna cotta for their three courses.”

“We practiced twice a week for three hours over the course of six weeks to perfect our organization, communications and time management,” said Brianna Alongi, Fontainebleau ProStart II student. “This process really forces us to work as a team and that is such a valuable experience.”

During the Culinary competition, judges monitor and score the team’s organization and teamwork, time management and safety and sanitation. Barry Blue, a retired registered sanitarian with 30 years of experience, carefully reviews all aspects of the team’s dishes and has participated as a judge for several years.

“Personal hygiene, cross contamination and sanitation are the three main areas I’m looking at when judging,” Blue said. “These teams are highly trained in these areas as ServSafe methods and techniques are used in their coursework and preparation.”

Applications now being accepted for Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Fall 2014 program

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is now accepting applications for the Fall 2014 program, a $500 million investment to help entrepreneurs create jobs and economic opportunity by providing them with greater access to education, financial capital and business support services. The program currently operates in 15 markets in the U.S., including New Orleans, through a network of more than 90 academic and community partners. Over 1,200 small business owners have participated and the program continues to expand on a city-by-city basis.

Designed by Babson College, the nation’s top-ranked entrepreneurship school, the curriculum focuses on practical business skills that can immediately be applied by business owners, including negotiation, marketing and employee management.

LRA Member Phil de Gruy of
Phil's Grill in Metairie & New Orleans.

“Being able to identify areas I needed to work on and take steps to get my business on track for growth was an invaluable product of my participation in the program,” said Louisiana Restaurant Association Member Phil de Gruy of Phil’s Grill. “I learned the difference between running a restaurant and running a business.”

The curriculum is organized into nine modules, each of which includes classroom discussion, peer learning exercises, skill building and experiential applications. Classroom activities are complemented by an integrated portfolio of business services, including: one-on-one business advice, legal and financial clinics and networking opportunities.

Criteria to participate in the 10,000 Small Business program are: owner or co-owner of a business; business in operation for at least two years; business revenues between $150,000 and $4 million in the most recent fiscal year; and business with a minimum of four employees.

To get the most out of the program, business owners are asked to invest their time to engage in the following: attend a program orientation; complete 11 convenient learning sessions; participate in out-of-class activities, including completing assignments, attending networking events and business support clinics (approx. 6-8 hours a week); and create a growth plan over the course of the program.

Applications are due by June 16, 2014. For application details, click here. 

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses accepting applications for Summer 2014 class

Program offers practical business training at no cost to participants

The Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) encourages eligible members to apply for the free Summer 2014 Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at Delgado Community College. This practical business management education program is aimed at helping existing companies grow revenues and create jobs and is funded through a grant to Delgado through the Goldman Sachs Foundation.

LRA member Phil de Gruy, owner of Phil’s Grill, graduated from the program and has used the knowledge he gain to aid him in his expansion from one location to now three, the latest on Camp Street in the New Orleans Central Business District.

“It’s a really intense business program that teaches you, first and foremost, how to work 'on' your business, not work 'in' your business,” de Gruy said. “I learned how to maximize my restaurant’s position in the market, manage my finances for greater profitability and develop a more accountable and customer-focused staff.”

The best-in-class curriculum was developed in conjunction with Babson College, recognized internationally for its leadership in entrepreneurial business education and focused on offering small business owners a results-oriented program providing the education, skills and means to grow their businesses. If selected, business owners also receive access to a suite of business support services that will help them to develop and implement a business growth plan. Loans are available to qualifying small businesses that lack access to affordable capital or may not quality for traditional sources of credit.

“The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program is one that LRA members should seriously consider to help them develop a comprehensive growth plan,” said Stan Harris, LRA President/CEO. “The only cost for the program is the investment of time to attend classes and complete projects. The financial rewards of participating can be substantial.”

Small business owners who demonstrate a commitment to growing their businesses and have been in operation for at least two years, generate revenues in excess of $150,000, and employ at least four individuals (including the owner) are encouraged to apply.

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses accepting applications for 2014 classes

Updated programming offered for early-stage business owners

 

Delgado Community College chancellor Dr. Monty Sullivan announced today that applications are now being accepted for all cohorts of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program scheduled for 2014. The three cohorts (or classes) are scheduled to begin in February, June and September, 2014. The program, aimed at helping existing companies grow revenues and create jobs, is funded through a grant to Delgado Community College through the Goldman Sach Foundation and is no-cost to selected participants.

 

As part of the 2014 schedule, Delgado 10,000 Small Businesses will offer classes designed specifically for business owners who have successfully launched scalable businesses, but who do not yet meet the criteria for the traditional 10,000 Small Businesses program. This session begins in February.
 

Louisiana Restaurant Association member Phil de Gruy, owner of Phil's Grill in Metairie, knew that participating in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program would be an investment in his business's future. He was right! The knowledge de Gruy gained from the intensive business program has helped him maximize his restaurant's position in the market, manage his finances for greater profitability, and develop a more accountable and customer-focused workforce. 

 

 

Last year Delgado Community College and the Goldman Sachs Foundation partnered with The Idea Village to pilot a program geared toward early-stage businesses in the Greater New Orleans area.

 

“Based on the success of this class and a noticeable demand from the local entrepreneurial community, a second cohort for early-stage businesses will be launched in February 2014,” said Carla Coury, 10,000 Small Businesses executive director.

 

Small business owners who demonstrate a commitment to growing their businesses and have been in operation for at least one year, generate revenues in excess of $25,000, and employ at least one person in addition to the owner are encouraged to apply to the early-stage cohort that begins in February.

 

"Being able to identify areas I needed to work on and take steps to put my business on track for growth was an invaluable product of my participation in the program," said de Gruy. "I learned the difference between running a restaurant and running a business."

 

Small business owners who have been in business for two or more years, earn annual revenues in excess of $150,000, and employ four or more employees (including the owner) should apply for the traditional cohorts scheduled to begin in June and September 2014.
 

Since launching the program in 2011, Delgado Community College has served 174 small business owners in the New Orleans/Gulf South region.

 

 

With education programs at community colleges in 10 cities and capital-only programs in 6 states nationwide, the program boasts more than 1700 alumni and a 99 percent graduation rate. Approximately 63 percent of graduates report that they have increased revenues just six months after graduating and 47 percent have created new jobs in the same period. Over 75 percent of all graduates report doing business with one another.

 

 

Delgado Community College works with community-based partners and national business organizations to encourage small businesses to apply for the program and to provide business advice, technical assistance, and networking to program participants. Local partners include Hope Enterprise Corporation, Greater New Orleans Inc., The Idea Village, the Louisiana Small Business Development Center and area chambers of commerce.
 

Participation is free to business owners who are accepted through a competitive application process. 

To download an application or learn more about the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program in New Orleans, visit www.dcc.edu/10ksb or call 504-671-5555.

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program: Accepting Applications NOW!

Eligible Louisiana Restaurant Association members encouraged to apply today!

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at Delgado Community College is a practical business management education program that gives entrepreneurs valuable skills for growing their business, the opportunity to access financial capital, powerful networking opportunities and more -- at absolutely no cost to participants. 

LRA member Phil de Gruy, owner of Phil's Grill in Metairie, knew that participating in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program would be an investment in his business's future. He was right! The knowledge de Gruy gained from the intensive business program has helped him maximize his restaurant's position in the market, manage his finances for greater profitability, and develop a more accountable and customer-focused workforce.

Small business owners selected to participate receive one-on-one business advising from dedicated professionals to help develop a tailored plan for growth. The program provides expert advice and technical assistance through partnership with national and local business organizations, professional services firms, and the people of Goldman Sachs.

"Being able to identify areas I needed to work on and take steps to put my business on track for growth was an invaluable product of my participation in the program," said de Gruy. "I learned the difference between running a restaurant and running a business."

10,000 Small Businesses graduates learn to translate the knowledge they garner from the program into increased revenue and job growth. The curriculum focuses on practical business skills that can immediately be applied by owners, including accounting, negotiating, marketing, and human resource management.

 

In partnership with Delgado Community College, the program is designed for owners of small businesses who:

• generate annual revenues between $150,000 and $4 million
• have been in business for at least two years
• employ at least four people, including themselves (full-time, part-time and contractors)
• operate a business that is poised for growth.

APPLY NOW!  Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at Delgado Community College is currently accepting applications for 2013 classes beginning in July and November. To be considered for either cohort, please submit your completed application on or before Monday, April 29, 2013.  Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

 

Accepted applicants receive a full scholarship from Delgado Community college, which is funded by the Goldman Sachs Foundation. HOPE Enterprise Corporation has partnered with Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses to provide loans to qualifying small businesses.

 

 

Have it your way

When I order a pizza, I want it with shrimp and pepperoni with extra sauce on the side. It’s a request that earns me odd looks, but it is really a great combination of flavors. When I order other types of pizza—veggie, hold the mushrooms, or all meat, hold the ham—I want my pizza served the way I like it.

A recent visit to a Neapolitan-themed pizza restaurant had limited options for toppings, only offering traditional pizza of the Italian region of which they hail. That’s not my style and I felt extremely restricted and therefore, my experience was not what I wish it could have been for this new establishment.

In an article by the Nation’s Restaurant News, “Restaurantsplay with customizable bowls,” the ever evolving mindset of the “have it your way” meal has a new rendition—a bowl. A bowl filled with all the ingredients you want with nothing you don’t is designed to capture those finicky eaters, many of which are millennial diners that have grown up having food served to their particular tastes. 

“I’ve had a burger bowl on my menu since the restaurant opened in March 2007,” said Phil deGruy, owner of Phil’s Grill in Metairie. “Particularly when it comes to low carb diets and the number of times people request a burger with no bun, it was really something that I saw as a no brainer and it’s a stronger seller.”

Many restaurant concepts have gotten on board, from fried chicken and Asian to Mexican—Taco Bell is now competing with Chipotle’s burrito bowls with great success. It’s safe to say the bowl has hit the mainstream consumer, offering versatile servings and modern comfort with a fresh taste and flavor.

“The Cantina Bowls are bringing more women into the restaurants,” said Greg Hamer, owner of B&G Foods, which operates more than 50 Taco Bells locations in Louisiana and Texas. “One of the locations in Texas is located next to a health club and has not had the sales volume of our other stores, but the release of the Cantina Bowls has increased traffic and sales for that location.”

Can you think of any other Louisiana restaurants that sell on the “have it your way” concept?

LRA GNO Chapter hosts 28th Annual Golf Tournament Oct. 18

The most anticipated Greater New Orleans (GNO) area golf tournament will take place at Stonebridge Golf Club in Gretna on Thursday, October 18, 2012. Only 220 golfers have the chance to tee off for a great cause—the Louisiana Restaurant Association GNO Chapter’s goal to the LRA Education Foundation, which administers ProStart, a two-year culinary arts and restaurant management program taught in more than 45 high schools statewide.

Registration starts at 8 a.m. with a shotgun start at 10 a.m. The cost for a foursome is $800 and scoring is based on a four-person scramble format. All golfers will receive a gift certificate to the onsite Nike store, which will be open from 8-10 a.m.

“This is the LRA GNO Chapter’s premier event and time after time we hear from past attendees that it’s the best tournament in town,” said Paul Rotner, event chair. “The funds raised benefit the future of our industry through our Education Foundation, a cause near and dear to me and our members.”

With a delicious lineup of cuisine by LRA members eateries like Acme Oyster House, Drago’s, Outback Steakhouse, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Zea Rotisserie and Grill, Phil’s Grill, Walk-On’s, Superior Seafood, Mr. Mudbug’s and Lucky Dogs, no doubt you’ll be sated during your golf game.

“One of the features of the golf tournament is the mulligans and these are not your typical mulligans,” said Rotner. “Some golfers purchase hundreds of them for the chance to win big prizes like TVs, grills, iPods, camping gear, bikes and more.”

In the event that the heat index gets up in the 90s, there’s a myriad of libations for golfers can chose from.  Republic and Crescent Crown, Glazer’s of Louisiana, Bud Light, Miller Lite and Coca-Cola products will keep you hydrated through the duration of the day. 

The event culminates at 4 p.m. with an awards presentation followed by the after party sponsored by Centerplate.

There are still spots for those who wish to golf and sponsorships are also available. To reserve your foursome and your sponsorship, call Cassie at (504) 454-2277 or email cassies@lra.org.

Restaurant philanthrophy at all-time high

A look at your local entertainment publication or newspaper’s lifestyle section will reveal a multitude of charity events an individual has the opportunity to attend. Restaurateurs, and even employees at the Louisiana Restaurant Association, are constantly solicited to donate gift certificates, serve food at an event or perform a cooking demonstration.  Just this morning, the LRA received a request to sponsor a golf tournament benefiting a battered women’s shelter. While this is a great cause, it was nothing more than a cold call solicitation via email.

During a drive down to a recent press conference, LRA President/CEO Stan Harris shared his own philosophies on determining what charities to support.  As a self-professed “reformed restaurateur” of Ruth’s Chris Steak House he became quite familiar with the volume of requests a business receives to contribute to charitable causes.

“People give to people,” Harris said. “If the charity was one that had helped, supported or impacted the life of an employee, more than likely we’d support the charity. The level at which we contributed varied depending on the situation of course, but that was one criterion.”

Phil's Grill owner Phil de Gruy hosts the annual
Burgerpalooza which benefits the Miracle League
of Greater New Orleans, May 18 from 8-11 p.m.
at Southport Hall, advanced tickets
are $35 and $40 at the door.

Choosing a cause with an emotional connection is important to most restaurateurs. Given that your participation may be difficult to calculate on a balance sheet, trust that over time the financial benefits will be felt. When possible, include your customers. It fosters goodwill and lets your customers know that helping others is important to you and your business.  

“The more you participate in charitable events, the more you are asked,” said Phil de Gruy of Phil’s Grill in Metairie. “The requests are at an all-time high for me.”

In five years of business, de Gruy’s marketing strategy has included the creation of his own fundraising campaigns. May is National Burger Month and in 2008 he started Burgerpalooza as both a celebration of that and as a way of giving back to our community.