Describe
your establishment…
The Machine Shed restaurant is dedicated to the American farmer.
That dedication meant that we worked hard to have a restaurant that
wasn’t just “farm themed” but would be something
that could make farmers proud. We use only the best poultry, beef
and pork, we cook from scratch using fresh ingredients and we still
peel our potatoes. The Machine Shed is decorated with farm tools
and implements from the turn of the century. Folks look around and
become aware or reminisce of just a part of the rich heritage left
today’s generation by its grandparents and great grandparents.
How does
turkey fit in with the scheme of your operation?
Turkey is part of the “home-style” cooking our guests
come to expect from the Machine Shed. Turkey is a traditional meat,
and at the Machine Shed we value traditions and feel it is part
of our menu – not a specialty or feature, but part of everyday
cooking. Turkey has been a part of our menu since the very beginning
of our restaurant – over 26 years ago – it’s a
part our tradition.
How do you
currently menu turkey?
Turkey entrées are available in several categories on our menu,
served at lunch and dinner. On our dinner menu under “Farm
Style Favorites,” we offer a Roast Turkey and Dressing and
a Grilled Turkey Filet Mignon. We also offer a Hot Roasted Turkey
Sandwich in our “Light Chore Dinners” and we have a
Smoked Turkey Reuben Sandwich. The Roast Turkey Sandwich and the
Smoked Turkey Reuben, along with the Hot Turkey and Dressing entrée
are also served at lunch. We also menu a Turkey Hot Brown –
which is an open-faced turkey sandwich with melted cheddar and Swiss
cheese.
From a business
standpoint, why do you include turkey on your menu?
Turkey is the most cost-effective protein when looking at food costs.
Our chefs realize how versatile turkey entrées can be – it
can be baked, broiled, grilled, fried and smoked - it lends itself
to be used for multiple applications and the meat holds up well.
Turkey meat also marinates well and can be infused with flavor –
another plus on why chefs like to work with it. Finally, offering
turkey at our restaurants is part of our dedication to our farmers.
We support all things that farmers do and offer.
When thinking
about other proteins you serve why did you choose turkey for this
menu item as opposed to chicken, beef or pork?
Turkey is a staple on our menu, it is part of all the proteins and
meats available to consumers. An advantage of turkey and why we
offer it in sandwiches and offer a Turkey Reuben is that the meat
shaves well. Chicken does not shave well, so the versatility of
turkey allows us to offer shaved turkey sandwiches to our guests.
Our guests are more familiar with turkey slices and, it’s
a farming group that we highlight. Our menu has a good array of
all meat products, but turkey is very cost efficient, leaner than
other products and it’s unique - not many restaurants have
turkey on their menu!
With the
recent push in the industry for healthy menu options, how does turkey
help you meet this growing consumer demand?
Turkey gives our customers another option in meat products. It’s
the home-style cooking they want and know that it’s going
to be good and there won’t be any surprises. This common way
of preparing food is why our guests are coming. They don’t
want to prepare it at home, and it’s a healthy option when
dining out.
How does
including turkey on your menu fit in with the revised Government
Food Guidelines?
Most of our turkey is oven roasted, which is one of the healthiest
ways to prepare turkey because there is no breading, and we are
cooking the fat off of it. The guidelines still allow protein and
our guests can choose a variety of protein/meat options from our
menu. Guests can also choose which way they would like it prepared
– we have healthy lean options like a Sliced Turkey Sandwich
or the Grilled Turkey Filet Mignon.
What made
you decide to use turkey on your kid’s menu?
Parents want more choices than the standard chicken nuggets or pizza.
Our kid’s menu is large – we have made available many
of our regular entrées available in a kids-size portion. This allows
parents to choose healthier items for their child, or cater to their
child’s taste – which is what they are used to at home,
and turkey is one of those food items that children eat at home.
What are
the compelling points that make turkey adaptable for lunch and dinner
dishes?
Turkey is a comfort food and well liked by our guests – most
of our lunch items are also available at dinner because of their
popularity. Turkey is so flavorful and moist that it adapts well
as a hot or cold sandwich or as hot entrées with traditional sides.
Having the entrées available on both of our menus allows our guests
the flexibility to enjoy their favorites at anytime of the day.
Why do you
think your patrons order these turkey items?
Turkey is very well liked, but we take turkey a step further and
show a variety of ways to fix turkey. Our customers enjoy different
ways to prepare turkey and we have stuck with our recipes for so
many years, they are used to coming back for it – plus you
know it’s good if it’s been on the menu for over 26
years!
Have you
noticed consumers ordering more healthfully now than two years ago?
If so how have you adapted your menu to meet these demands?
We have not seen a dramatic change to consumers ordering more healthfully.
When consumers go out to eat, they want the food to be good. They
can make their own decisions on what or how they eat, but when dining
at a restaurant, we offer them our very best products in the way
we believe is best for the taste of the food. Consumers may change
how much of the portion they eat, or what sides they get. We have
done a low-carb menu or features that we adapt some of our menu
selections to the current trends, and typically, turkey always makes
it on these menu’s.
How do you
use the web as a tool in your work?
We use the web in many different ways. We use it for marketing to
consumers on upcoming events at our restaurants, or highlighting
menu items. Our web site is updated monthly with recipes, news and
specials. We use the web to search out new recipes, or to check
on trends in our industry so we can adapt to changes. The web is
a powerful tool that we use daily.
Do you use
the NTF web site as a resource?
Just like we use the web as a tool, we use the NTF as a resource
for research on recipe ideas and feature ideas to apply to our Heartland
cuisine.
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