Other News Feeds Restaurants & Institutions - Headline News News Feeds   RIMAG - Breaking News Beverages: Flights of Fancy Wine is just one option: Boost check averages and catch customers’ attention with fun beverage flights. Cocktail Culture Meets Fine Dining Plenty of restaurants boast chefs’ tables—exclusive kitchen seats where customers enjoy personalized menus and attention—but at Café Adelaide and The Swizzle Stick Bar in New Orleans, the really hot ticket is the bar chef’s table. R&I Research: Low Consumer Confidence, Not Menu Pricing, Hurts Most Foodservice operators say consumers’ fears about financial well-being and economy, not menu prices, are the biggest challenge now. Half the operators surveyed say they have lowered menu prices in order to build customer traffic. Building a Better Brunch Themed dining, staff-invented creations and out-of-the-ordinary customization options help kick up in-terest for servers and guests. Breakfast by the Numbers R&I’s 2008 New American Diner Study yields a wealth of data about consumers’ breakfast behaviors. Following are some of the study’s insights into the who, what, where and when of away-from-home morn-ing dining. Real-World McAdvice at CIA Commencement Address Dan Coudreaut, director of culinary innovation for McDonald’s USA, recently told new graduates of The Culinary Institute of America—recipients of associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts—to “keep your knife sharp.” 2008 James Beard Foundation Nominees The James Beard Foundation in New York City has announced nominees for the 2008 James Beard Foundation Awards. Kiss My Grits (and Polenta, Too) The two cornmeal-based staples offer chefs versatile foil for flavors of all kinds at breakfast, lunch, dinner and even dessert. Casual Dining Banks on Hip Sips Perking up coffee sales is the latest big push for quick-service chains, but at casual-dining restaurants, adult beverages are the best bet to boost profits. Breakfast: Whey Better Pancakes Ricotta adds a smooth and savory element to pancakes, lifting them from everyday, every-operator status to something intriguing but approachable, more delectable but not weighty.