Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | MAY 19, 2025 19 FOCUS | FOOD & DRINK EXPERT'S CORNER AI technology presents opportunities, and legal pitfalls, for restaurant industry By Russell F. Anderson and Ryan A. O'Donnell N early every industry is exploring how artificial intel- ligence can help streamline, improve or expand operations. Even when it comes to restaurants and hospitality — an industry reliant on the human touch and face-to-face interaction — this emerging tech- nology promises to aid employers in a number of crucial ways. Because staffing is so essential to the success of hospitality busi- nesses, they are particularly well- suited to use AI for hiring, though this is not without risk. And while some restaurants inte- grate AI into their guest experience, others use tools to make the back of the house more efficient. Using AI to hire requires oversight The hospitality sector has a turn- over rate that roughly doubles many other U.S. industries. Even restaurants with exceptional retention tend to do a lot of hiring, and the prospect of AI streamlining the process is enticing. HR departments across many industries are using AI to identify qualified applicants and, in some cases, predict future job perfor- mance. AI can also help monitor and ensure businesses remain aware of, and compliant with, labor and employment laws. Employers engaging with these tools must bear in mind that employment laws — including Title VII of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Age Discrim- ination in Employment Act, etc. — continue to apply. The use of AI is not a viable excuse for any violations. For example, if AI analyzes a company's current data and finds that employees under 40 tend to be the most productive, it could favor hiring younger applicants. If an older applicant or employee can prove they were passed over for a job or promo- tion on this basis, they could file a discrimination claim. While many hiring tools on the market have safeguards to protect against this type of bias, employers and hiring managers need to main- tain oversight on the findings and recommendations of AI tools. AI can be a key ingredient Restaurant consumers are most likely to encounter AI at drive-thrus — whether they recog- nize it or not, because these systems work quite well. But even fast-casual and more upscale restaurants can make AI part of their guest experience. Virtual menus where guests scan a QR code or order from their phone became somewhat commonplace during the pandemic and have remained in use at some restaurants. Unlike a static, printed menu, AI tools can change the order of the menu, or make recommendations based on previous orders, time of day or other factors such as weather. Even restaurants that want to keep the fully traditional feel of their dining room can leverage AI in the kitchen and office. By training an AI tool on past data, it can help predict the timing and quantities needed for ingredients, for example, when a seasonal menu changes over. There are also AI tools that guide kitchen staff in the most efficient way to prepare a high volume of orders simultaneously. While experienced chefs may be able to do these calculations intu- itively, line cooks and more junior kitchen staff may welcome the guidance as a restaurant scales and adds new locations. To maintain a healthy workplace culture, it's important that the staff feels these tools are a help, not an imposition. True hospitality has a human touch AI is also uniquely positioned to transform labor relations. For instance, using AI to analyze large chunks of industry-specific wage and benefit information could help parties create more data-based collective bargaining language. This could present an advantage, especially if the negotiations go to arbitration. But while employers will have a great deal more data, and run more in-depth analysis of that data, it still won't give them a deeper or more nuanced understanding of the individ- uals involved in labor negotiations, or that comprise their staff. The same human interaction that is crucial to maintaining a loyal customer base should be applied to dealing with employees as well. True hospitality can't be found in an algorithm. Russell F. Anderson and Ryan A. O'Donnell are partners at Connecticut law firm Pullman & Comley. full-service restaurant. Work on the build-out of the new restaurant is currently underway. The Ludenas also plan to start a catering business thanks to the addition of a private dining area in the Blue Back Square space. Coracora now employs about 23 people, but plans to add more when the new location opens. The sisters said they've had patrons come from neighboring states, and even across the country, to try their food. It's not unusual for restaurants to attract customers from other states after receiving national recognition, said Kate Terricciano, president of Southington-based Image Marketing, which represents Blue Back Square. "From a marketing standpoint, landing a James Beard Award, or even a nomination, can seriously boost a restaurant's brand recog- nition," Terricciano said. "In today's world, where everyone's using social media and influencers to get noticed, a Beard announcement is so unique that it makes a restaurant stand out by giving instant credibility and media attention." Foodie destination Coracora's success comes as the state focuses on marketing itself as a foodie destination. The campaign focuses on the state's diverse array of dining options, from sumptuous restaurants in Fairfield County to pizza and oysters along the shoreline. In 2024, Reneé Touponce, executive chef of Port of Call and Oyster Club in Mystic, became the first chef in Connecticut to be nominated as a semi- finalist in the James Beard Outstanding Chef category. Additionally, David Standridge of The Shipwright's Daughter in Mystic won Best Chef in the Northeast in 2024. Lewis, who hopes to build on Connecticut's culinary prowess, said his path to becoming one of the top chefs in the Northeast has taken him all over the world. He grew up in Somers, New York, and began cooking at 13 after a football injury dashed his dreams of one day playing the sport professionally. He pursued a formal education at The Culinary Institute of America, then earned a bachelor's degree in food service management from Johnson & Wales University. Then, he apprenticed under renowned chefs in Washington, D.C., London and New York City. After that, he traveled between New York City and the West Coast, "cooking his way up the ranks from sous chef to chef de cuisine to eventually executive chef with some of the country's most celebrated talents," according to his biography. Lewis then became founding execu- tive chef at the Bedford Post Inn, which is actor Richard Gere's boutique hotel and restaurant in Bedford, New York. With Lewis at the helm of the kitchen, the restaurant made Esquire's "Best New Restaurant" list in 2009. Six years later, Lewis founded Full House Hospitality Group, around the same time he had twin boys, now 11 years old. He, his fiancee and chil- dren reside in Wilton. "I've evolved, for sure, as a chef, as a business person," Lewis said. "I think being a father has been a huge attribute and contributing factor to how I live." (From left) Sisters Grecia Ludena and Macarena Ludena are the co-owners of Coracora, a Peruvian restaurant in West Hartford started by their parents in 2011. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Russell F. Anderson Ryan A. O'Donnell

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