I recently reached out to The Cheesecake Factory to get an update on their list of cheesecakes that contain animal gelatin (ie. those considered not halal). Here’s the response that I received.

Dear Sameer:

It’s so nice to hear from you again. Thank you for your continued interest in The Cheesecake Factory! To answer your question, several of our cheesecakes do contain animal gelatin. The majority of those use beef gelatin, however two varieties do contain pork gelatin: our 30th Anniversary Chocolate Cake Cheesecake and our Lemoncello Cream Torte.

As with most high end pastries and desserts, we have chosen products containing gelatin over products containing a host of gums and artificial additives. Gelatin is not added directly to any of our desserts, rather it is a sub ingredient in one of the essential ingredients in these cakes. The amount would be considered trace.

We continue to search for and test ingredients that contain neither, however at this time a suitable substitution has not been found. In the interim, I have provided a list below for our cakes which do contain animal gelatin. I hope that this information is helpful and will allow you to continue to enjoy our wonderful desserts.

1. Original Cheesecake
2. Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake
3. Cherry Cheesecake
4. Brownie Sundae Cheesecake
5. Godiva Cheesecake
6. Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
7. Kahlua Cocoa Coffee Cheesecake
8. Key Lime Cheesecake
9. Dulce De Leche Caramel Cheesecake
10. Low Carb Cheesecake
11. Dutch Apple Caramel Streusel
12. White Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut Cheesecake
13. Wild Blueberry White Chocolate Cheesecake
14. Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake
15. Hershey’s Chocolate Bar Cheesecake
16. Lemoncello Cream Torte
17. 30th Anniversary Chocolate Cake Cheesecake

Sincerely,

Shannon Powers
Guest Services, Consultant

There’s only one place that comes to mind when I’m in the mood for a nice, greasy sandwich in the Central Jersey area – Douglass Pizza & Grill! I’ve been coming here for the last decade, ever since my days as a student at Rutgers University. Enjoy the episode!

Have you ever been to a restaurant with your family or friends and got turned away because there wasn’t any seating? Here’s the story of my frustration.

I recently took my family out for dinner to Bonefish Grill. To my surprise, the service I received was not expected. Here’s what happened.

We apologize for the poor audio quality in this video!

“I’ve been on a sea food diet half my life, I eat everything I see.”
– Imam Zaid Shakir as he orders a Grilled Salmon with Mango.

Sameer flew out to the San Francisco bay area to hang out with his good friend, Imam Zaid Shakir of Zaytuna College. Check out the new episode of Imam Zaid and Sameer kickin’ it at Bang San Thai, the best halal Thai restaurant in the country!

Our Sponsors:

This episode is brought to you by the American Muslim Consumer Conference, the largest conference in North America that’s dedicated to understanding and marketing to American Muslim Consumers. The conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick, NJ on October 29. We’ll be there, looking forward to seeing you as well!

Also, New Islamic Directions — dedicated to bring a fair and balanced presentation of Islam and its teachings.

As a “mompreneur” and a homeschooling mother of 5, I keep pretty busy. This, however, doesn’t temper my zeal for finding delicious and exciting meals to cook for my family.

I’ve always loved cooking and baking almost as much as I love eating the finished products. I enjoy making sure my family has home cooked meals nearly every day. However, even the most enthusiastic cooks, myself included, enjoy dining out from time to time. In order for my family and me to have the best experience, it is vital that both halal and healthy options are available on the menu. Since I know there are many Muslims who strive to eat only the best foods as well, following are a few pointers on what you can do to insure that you have the best possible meal at a Muslim establishment.

Is this meat zabihah?

I am very strict when it comes to eating halal. Nothing can ruin my dining experience more than finding out that the restaurant owner misunderstands what it means to serve halal meat. I am a big consumer rights advocate, and believe that there should be truth in advertising. What you pay your hard earned money for is what you should get. To make sure the restaurant and you are on the same page vis a vis the definition of halal, look for a Halal Certification posted inside. The form should be easily visible in the window, or somewhere else in the restaurant. This certification says that the meat served has been Islamically slaughtered. To further insure you’re getting truly halal meat, ask if ALL the meat sold is zabihah. More than a couple of times I have experienced a restaurant that claims to be halal, yet also serves non-zabihah meat. Adding insult to injury, they do not inform the customers which meat is zabihah and which is not! In order to save time and gas, I recommend calling and finding out beforehand.

Remember, halal simply means that the meat comes from an animal that is permissible to eat (unlike pork). Zabihah means that a halal animal was killed by Islamic standards.

I recognize that there are many Muslims who believe that it is good enough if the meat is not pork and/or is not cooked with alcohol. They consider it halal and legal to eat. If this is not your belief, make sure the meat is zabihah.

Hold the MSG, Please!

Monosodium Glutamate, more commonly known as MSG, is used in many restaurants as a flavor enhancer. Chinese restaurants use it most often but it can be found in other types of food establishments as well. Some people experience “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” when eating foods with MSG. The symptoms include: numbness, a burning sensation, tingling, facial pressure or tightness, chest pain, headache, nausea, rapid heartbeat, drowsiness, weakness, and for asthmatics, difficulty breathing. People who are allergic to MSG may have more serious reactions, such as a drop in heart rate or an extreme rise or fall in blood pressure, swelling, nausea/vomiting, stomach cramps, joint pain, depression, tightness of the chest, and more. Ask if a restaurant seasons their food with MSG. You can request your food not be.

Pass the Veggies!

Without a doubt, the best part of going to a halal restaurant is getting to “the murder,” as brothers Sameer and Aman Ali stated in one episode of “Sameer’s Eats.” However, don’t forget your earth food! There are many tasty vegetable dishes that can accompany the meat portion. In fact, combining protein and veggies is one of the healthiest ways to eat. Our Pakistani, Afghani, Lebanese, Malaysian, Indonesian, African and African American, etc. brothers and sisters know how to work those spices to make normally bland plants zing with flavor. But that’s not all: Vegetables are full of antioxidants that help fight harmful free radicals that can damage cells and cause cancer. Vegetables also add fiber to the diet, which is beneficial to the heart. They help us with the elimination process, and aid in weight loss and maintenance. Adding raw vegetables, fresh yogurt dressing and dip, chutney, mint, parsley and fruits with or after dinner helps digest the food, and prevents gas, heartburn, indigestion and upset stomach.

Easy on the Carbs

By now, most Americans have heard of the bevy of low carbohydrate diets that have swept the nation. Is there any truth to the healthful benefits these strict carb reduction diets claim? I believe there definitely are. Unless you are a very active, athletic person, you need to eat carbohydrates in moderation, especially the highly processed ‘white‘ breads and rice.

Carbohydrates are mainly responsible for fueling us with the energy that we need to move. If we eat too little we feel too tired to make it through the day. Too much, and the excess of that energy turns into fat. Also, eating too many carbohydrates can put a strain on the pancreas causing it to secrete more insulin in an effort to rid the body of the excess sugar (carbs are broken down to sugar). If the pancreas is stressed for too long one can develop insulin resistance and diabetes. Unfortunately, diabetes is at epidemic levels and is a serious, life shortening illness. You can prevent diabetes solely by what and how much you choose to eat.

You don’t have to subscribe to any of the low-carb diets in order to cut back. Just do it. Eat half the rice, only one slice of bread. If you know you’re going to eat dessert, pass up the bread. If you’re going to have potatoes, take the baklava home for a snack the next day. Even better, eat a variety of vegetables instead of rice, bread and potatoes.

Allah says: “O ye who believe! Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you, and render thanks to Allah if it is (indeed) He whom ye worship” (2:172).

Eating the good things–halal and healthy food–is easy to do both at home and outside of the home. It’s all about making conscientious choices.

About the author: Karemah Alhark is a graduate from State University of New York at Buffalo in Psychology and Early Childhood Development. She is also a homeschooling mother of 5 children, a marketing and real estate student and an Author of the newly released book entitled Halal Healthy Meals. You may follow her on Twitter, join her Facebook page, and follow her blog at http://halalhealthymeals.com.

Ever been to a Pakistinian restaurant? No? We haven’t either. But Ron Artest, a professional rapper and NBA star, claims that Roti Boti is the best Pakistinian restaurant in all of New York.

In this episode, Sameer makes a visit to this establishment with his good friend Aman Ali, a stand up comedian and the cofounder of the 30 Mosques 30 Days project. Watch Sameer and Aman as they “murder” the food like there’s no tomorrow.

Photos used in this episode of the 30 Mosques 30 States project are property of Bassam Tariq.

Check out these awesome behind-the-scenes photos from our shoot with Aman Ali, thanks to our new partner, Bright Light Studios! The rest of the photos will be uploaded to our Flickr page soon.

A very special shout out to Sameer’s Eats from Imam Zaid Shakir of Zaytuna College!

Here at Sameer’s Eats, we all enjoy watching Sameer and his friends eat delectable halal dishes prepared by restaurant owners around the country- people who work pretty hard to get their ideas and their dishes off the ground and to a table near you.

Ever wonder how that happens?

Starting any business has its challenges and restaurants are some of the most challenging of all- especially those who are committed to offering halal options to their customers.

Halal restaurants, much like other niche-specific restaurants come with their own set of challenges. When faced head-on, however, they can actually prove to be advantageous to the restaurant owner.  And who knows? Maybe Sameer will end up visiting and putting that restaurant owner on his show?

If you’ve ever thought about opening a halal restaurant or have one now and just aren’t sure how to optimize the opportunity to reach the halal consumer, consider embracing these steps to help you succeed at one of the world’s most challenging and rewarding business operations:

1. Know about business in Islam

Before starting a restaurant business (or any business for that matter), if you’re a Muslim or working with Muslims, it’s critical to know the laws of business rooted in the Shari’a, or laws, of Islam.  Knowing what is halal (permissible) with regards to food is critical, but so are the laws surrounding everyday business transactions.

Learning how to conduct business according to Islam allows you to give customers, business partners and everyone else their due rights—and it makes for good business. For example, all contracts should be in writing whether dealing with a family member, your best friend or even a neighbor. Everyone will understand clearly what their roles and responsibilities are as well as all expectations of other parties as they’re laid openly on the table.

2. Get to know vendors who manufacture Halal products

When owning a restaurant, your supply chain is your life line. If you have top-quality, honest and reliable vendors, you can run a smooth operation because of the great products coming consistently to you. If not, the pipeline is stuck and so is your cash flow.

• Do your homework and meet with the vendors who you’re most interested in purchasing from.
• Don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions like certifications and written proof of halal authenticity.  If there’s any hesitation or argument from these potential vendors, they may not be the best vendors to supply your goods, no matter how decent the price. There’s nothing worse than carrying a product that isn’t truly halal which will also put you in an upward battle to correct all the negative press that comes with such publicity.
• Commit to supporting quality halal vendors. Price is of course the bottom line, but the more vendors are able to sell their high quality halal products, the more they can bring down their prices. Encourage other restaurant owners to work with these vendors, too, and everyone wins, insha’allah.

3. Network with other restaurant owners

Networking is an important part of any business. It’s true that many other restaurant owners are your competition, but it doesn’t hurt to work with them when it makes sense. More often than not, people are willing to share information on how they got started and will be most helpful when you offer some of your own pointers in exchange.

4. Create a culture of transparency and top quality customer service

As a business owner, you must be completely transparent about where you get your food and who your vendors are. In fact, be proud of your vendors—if they’re top quality then so are you. You don’t have to give away trade secrets, but disclosing some information openly in a fun, spirited way can actually strengthen your reputation among your savvy customer base and provide a loyal following.

Top quality customer service is king. People are more forgiving about less-than-perfect food than they are about being treated poorly during their dining experience.  If a restaurant owner or staff is aggressive or defensive when asked about the food or handling a complaint, what is the likelihood the customer will come back? Damage control is much harder than damage prevention, so be sure to have a policy in place for how to handle problems and train staff. As the owner you are only one to ever be ultimately responsible for what happens in your restaurant.

5. Be aware of trends in the Halal food industry

Keeping up to date on any profession is critical to staying competitive in the market and giving your customers what they want.  It may not seem like the most important thing, but staying at the forefront of what’s new and innovative in your industry will help your customers see you as more than just a business owner, but an expert in what you offer to them.

Attend halal and specialty food expos and conferences as much as possible. Though getting out of the restaurant is utterly impossible for most owners and chefs, it is well worth the effort to keep up on new products that are halal and those responsible for bringing the products to market.

About the author: Yvonne Maffei is the Chicago-based food writer and the editor of MyHalalKitchen.com, a wildly popular food blog focused on halal cooking, eating and halal food topics. She is also a Culinary Consultant to schools and businesses. Reach her at: contact@myhalalkitchen.com

Sameer Sarmast has always had a ravenous appetite. But it was not until two years ago that his passion for food was made public. “There’s a lot [of negativity] in the media, and I try to bring out the positive side through food,” Sarmast said about his online restaurant review show, SameersEats.com, founded in 2009.

The site chronicles Sarmast’s journey to find the best halal food carts and restaurants all over the country, through videos and blog posts released about once per month.

The idea for the online show came from a joking remark made by one of his sisters. Sarmast, a Paramus, New Jersey native and Rutgers University alumnae, used to take photos of himself whenever he ate at a restaurant and would later post the photos to his Facebook profile. When his sister joked that he should start taking videos too, Sarmast took the suggestion more seriously than she had anticipated. “It actually would be a good idea because no one is doing it,” he said. And with that, Sarmast began doing what he enjoys most – eating – but this time, in front of the camera.

Unlike many restaurant reviewers, Sarmast’s dining abilities are limited by his dietary restrictions. Coming from a strict Muslim upbringing, Sarmast follows the Zabiha-Halal diet, which concerns the way animals are slaughtered. The Zabiha method of slaughtering animals is very similar to kashrut, the Jewish dietary laws, and for this reason, Sarmast allows himself to eat foods deemed “kosher” as well. However, Sarmast does not feel held back by his dietary restrictions because he finds that there are “so many halal restaurants out there”, and he enjoys reporting on them and bringing them to his viewers. And in the case that a restaurant does not offer halal foods, Sarmast will simply choose a seafood or vegetarian meal.

Despite having a job in the banking field, Sarmast somehow finds the time to travel coast to coast to try out different halal restaurants. Though he has been to many great eateries, Sarmast finds himself returning to New York City whenever he can to revisit his favorite halal food carts. He endorses the famous 53rd and 6th Chicken and Rice cart, known for its late-night long lines. “There’s a lot of street vendors out there that are great, 53rd and 6th being one of them,” he said. It may seem like every halal cart on the street is the same, but Sarmast notes that it is a tough business and everyone is competing by offering their own twists to the traditional gyro or chicken and rice platters. One thing all of the vendors have in common, according to Sarmast, is the famous white sauce, used as a topping for various dishes. Sarmast’s personal favorite, however, is the hot sauce, and his impressive tolerance of spicy foods can be seen in many of his virtual reviews.

Sarmast does not make any revenue from his website or his webisodes. At a time, he was approached by Google to become a partner in their revenue-sharing program, but he declined the offer, fearing that interruptive advertisements would make viewers turn away. Sarmast says that he wants to inform people for free – and building his name up at the same time is not bad compensation.

In addition to influencing his viewers’ dining preferences, Sarmast notes that his lifestyle and dietary habits have influenced other people in his life. One of his coworkers, an Italian-Catholic woman, now only shops at halal meat markets, after discovering that she prefers the cleanliness of halal-style meat.

Aside from the immediate gratification he gets from the meals he enjoys while reporting on his website, Sarmast takes pride in the message he is able to send to his family, friends, and viewers: “With everything going on in the world, with terrorism and the negative views on religion, one thing we can all agree on is good food. No matter what religion you are or what culture you are, if you have amazing food, we can all enjoy and be happy over it.”

In the future, Sarmast hopes to write a book or open up his own halal restaurant. But for now, he is content with spreading his love of food one bite – or byte – at a time to the rest of the world via SameersEats.com.

By Madison Back, NYU Journalism Student