The Middleby Corp. announced Jan. 7 that it has acquired the assets of Market Forge Industries, the 118-year-old manufacturer of steam cooking equipment, including countertop steamers, kettles and braising pans. Everett, Mass.-based Market Forge has annual revenues of approximately $15 million. “The steam cooking category is a large and growing sector in the commercial foodservice…

IHOP, which already has four locations in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, has opened its first store in Saudi Arabia. The mall-based restaurant, which opened Dec. 14, is part of a seven-brand restaurant destination in the seaside city of Jeddah. It’s the fifth grand opening in the Middle East region for the all-American breakfast…

Darden Restaurants, which announced plans last month to sell or spin off its Red Lobster chain, is suspending the opening of new Olive Garden locations and cutting back on the number of new LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants. Red Lobster, which has 705 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada, has seen stagnant same-store sales in the past…

FOLLETT ICEThe Horizon 700 series makes up to 675 lb. of ice in a 24-hr. period and is available in self-contained models with air- or water-cooled condensing options. Customers have their choice of Chewblet (1-in.L) or Micro Chewblet (3/8-in.L) ice chunks. Top-mounted or undercounter models can be paired with fountain dispensers or ice bins. Or,…

APP OF THE MONTHThe patents are filed, and production is just starting to ramp up on the very simple, very effective new FryerGate fryer accessory. The all-stainless units, which include side-by-side, spring-loaded gates over the fryer vat, just drop in place covering the entire open surface of the fryer and create an instant barrier between…

From a super slicer to a table cap, 11 noteworthy products emerged from a field of 56 finalists in FER’s 2014 Smallwares & Tabletop Awards.

APP OF THE MONTHDuring FER’s Smallwares & Tabletop Awards judging, one of our operator judges mentioned that several of the company’s kitchen managers and chefs were pleased with a humidity-controlling filter they’d installed in their walk-in coolers. Their food was staying fresh noticeably longer. “Our filters are filled with organic minerals that were discovered in…