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Issue 1 Volume 20
US $3.95
Robert Irvine A Man to Watch in 2020
January 2020
CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER MIKE FRYER
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WELCOME TO A NEW YEAR AND A NEW DECADE—2020! At The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional we bid farewell to a very exciting 2019 and welcome an even more exciting and unpredictable year ahead. Las Vegas is known as a town that keeps reinventing itself and we must admit it keeps us very busy covering all the culinary related events and to report on them to the best of our ability. We now have over 35 journalists contributing to keep our Professional readers up to date on local happenings and we thank our Journalists and Staff for another year well done and their continued support for another great year covering the Food & Beverage Capital of the World…Las Vegas! OUR JANUARY COVER FEATURE IS DEDICATED TO ROBERT IRVINE, WRITTEN BY GAEL HEES, who gives us an insight into The Man, His Fitness, The Way His Mind Works, The Robert Irvine Foundation and His Partnership with Boardroom Spirits. Read on to get filled in on all the details and enjoy Gael’s article. WHAT’S BREWING WITH OUR ONE AND ONLY EDITORIAL DIRECTOR AND BEER SPECIALIST, BOB BARNES, who recently covered the opening of The Front Yard at Ellis Island. For a number of years, our publication had us covering Strip events, new foodservice openings and food expos locally on a weekly basis and our meeting point was always Ellis Island, with its reasonably-priced draft beer and free parking. Now, the Ellis family and partners have expanded their businesses to include Village Pubs and this great expansion to Ellis Island. TWINKLE TOAST WITH ERIN COOPER & CHRISTINE VANOVER REPORT ON THE ONLY FEMALE-OWNED AND -OPERATED OU-CERTIFIED KOSHER RESTAURANT IN LAS VEGAS. Burnt Offerings is owned and operated under the direction of Chef Jennifer Eckmann and Managing Partner Alexandra Emstova, who sat down for a Q&A session to show us just what makes a kosher restaurant. NVRA-NEVADA RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION HELD ITS 2019 ANNUAL MEETING & CULINARY EXCELLENCE AWARDS and many of our friends and associates came out winners. Just to name a few outstanding individuals and their businesses, included are Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Nevada, our very own Beverage Editor Adam Rains, Locale Italian Kitchen, Herbs & Rye and Elizabeth Blau. Our heartfelt congratulations to each of them for doing what they do best. Of course, you’ll have to read the article as see what they specifically won for.
CHEERS! MIKE FRYER SR. EDITOR/PUBLISHER
Page 4 Hot off the Grill!
Page 15 UNLV Epicurean Society
Page 5 Front & Back of the House Making Better Bitters
Page 16 COVER FEATURE Robert Irvine A Man to Watch in 2020
Page 6 What’s Cooking Page 8 Brett’s Vegas View Page 10 The Bottom Line Grant Smillie of Botanical Hospitality Group Page 11 Wine Talk with Alice Swift Edge Steakhouse Continues on Its Award-Winning Reputation Page 12 What’s Brewing Page 13 Adam Rains Named “Drink Specialist of the Year,”
22 www.lvfnbpro.com
Page 14 Twinkle Toast Burnt Offerings: L’chaim to Life!
Page 18 Robert Irvine’s Public House— Where You’ll Find a Full Pint and a Full Plate Page 19 USBG Page 20 The Restaurant Expert Restaurants Who Embrace Accountability Are More Profitable
Page 24 May I Recommend... Gordon Ramsay Steak Page 25 Dishing It with Sk Delph Page 26 Best of the Best Page 28 Nevada Restaurant Association The Nevada Restaurant Association 2019 Annual Meeting & Culinary Excellence Award Winners Page 30 Events Ad Index
Page 22 SeaBream, in Swank Tivoli Village in Summerlin Las Vegas Will Showcase Chef Jill MartinezMontinola Page 23 Human Resources Insights Holiday Season: A Time for Reflection and Evaluation
January 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 3
The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 7442 Grizzly Giant Street Las Vegas, NV 89139 www.lvfnbpro.com
HOT OFF THE GRILL!
Mike Fryer
Sr. Editor/Publisher
So nice to see Tabatha Kim, an old friend of the magazine, bartending at the opening of Ellis Island's new expansion: The Front Yard. Read all about this enticing new venue on page 12.
Thank you for joining us in this issue of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional. For any questions or comments please email mike@lvfnb.com
Bob Barnes
Editorial Director bob@lvfnb.com
Juanita Fryer
We are so very proud of our Beverage Editor Adam Rains, who was named “Drink Specialist of the Year” for the NvRA’s 37th Annual Culinary Excellence Awards. To read more about Golden Tiki’s Head Bartender, Grand Exalted Poobah and High Priest of Skull Island Adam Rain’s award, see page 13.
Alice Swift
Assistant To Sr. Editor ACF Chefs Liasion/Journalist juanita.fryer@lvfnb.com
Assistant Editor alice@lvfnb.com
The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional takes its name seriously, as we salute the professionals in our industry that go above and beyond, such as William Badillo, pictured here with our Editorial Director Bob Barnes and Journalist Shelley Stepanek. Read about how William excels in his assistant general manager position at Sugarcane in Bob’s What’s Cooking column on page 6.
Juanita Aiello Creative Director juanita@lvfnb.com
Advertising sales@lvfnb.com
Article Submissions/Suggestions articles@lvfnb.com
Calendar Submissions calendar@lvfnb.com
Website webmaster@lvfnb.com
Press Relase Submissions news@lvfnb.com
General Information info@lvfnb.com
@lvfnb
The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional
CONTRIBUTING STAFF
Journalist USBG Adam Rains
Journalist The Bottom Line Ben Brown
Accounting Manager Michelle San Juan
Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett
Journalist Best of the Best Shelley Stepanek
Journalist UNLV Epicurean Society Savannah Reeves
Journalist May I Recommend... Blake Myers
Journalist The Restaurant Expert David Scott Peters
Journalist USBG Las Vegas Terry Clark
Journalist Front & Back of the House Gael Hees
Photographer Audrey Dempsey
Journalist Chef Talk Allen Asch
Journalist Don Chareunsy
Journalist Dishing It Sk Delph
Journalist Spirits Confidential Max Solano
Photographer Bill Bokelmann
Journalist Pat Evans
Photographer Joe Urcioli
Journalists Twinkle Toast Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover
Journalists Elaine and Scott Harris
Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein
4 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I January 2020
www.lvfnbpro.com
Front & Back of the House Making Better Bitters
By Gael Hees Gael Hees is a Las Vegas freelancer, and founder of the blog, The Steamy Side of Vegas, Living the Spa Life. She writes for national publications and has won numerous awards for printed materials and videos. Follow her at steamysideofvegas.com or email, gael.hees@icloud.com with questions, suggestions or comments.
Koplowitz and his partner, Nick Kosevich, started Bittercube in 2009 because they saw a gap in the market. They were both bartending and managing a restaurant and were watching the growing craft movement gain traction in the spirit and beer sectors. But they weren’t seeing the same focus on bitters. “It’s funny, when we initially started making bitters, we were in some way making bitters for the cocktails we ourselves were creating,” said Koplowitz. “My business partner and I came together, started sharing recipes. We then started thinking more holistically and asked ourselves ‘Can we cover the style of cocktail anyone would want to make?’” “Bittercube” is named for the traditional way that bitters were often used in a cocktail: on a cube of sugar that was placed at the bottom of a glass with the other ingredients poured over it. It also speaks to how Koplowitz and Kosevich honor the spirit of hand-crafted products. The company is dedicated to using all raw ingredients purchased as close to the source as possible. These include jasmine, hibiscus, kola nut, cubeb berries, coffee, chocolate and numerous spices; plus citrus and dried fruits. And, as you can imagine, the founders are very particular about the spirits they use for macerating these ingredients. Photo credit: Gael Hees
All of the prep work is done from scratch, such as decorticating the vanilla by hand. The small batch process can take up to 25 days depending on which of the nine flavors they are working on.
Growing up, there was always a mysterious bottle of Angostura Bitters in the liquor cabinet (the highest shelf in our kitchen). Mom and Dad were scotch and water drinkers (when they drank) and I don’t remember a huge number of “cocktail” drinking guests. That bottle sat there—waiting to flavor something—until the house was sold. That lonely little bottle—developed in 1824 by Dr. Johann Siegert as a medicinal tincture—would have good company today. Bitters, following the way of hand-crafted beers, spirits and wine, are featuring natural raw ingredients produced in small batches. Small companies are finding faithful adherents in equally small restaurants across the country, and throughout the world. So a little vocabulary lesson will help us here. Historically, homes of any size would have a still room where small amounts of alcohol could be distilled for use in medicines (or perhaps a recreational draught or two). An herbalist could give patients “medicines” from plants and herbs in the form of extracts or tinctures, teas, poultices or salves. Tinctures (also known as bitters) were made by macerating herbs in alcohol over a period of time. This allowed the healing components of the plant to be drawn up into the alcohol. Depending on the plant, the resulting tincture might be given directly to a patient by the dropperful or administered in a glass of water or other liquid.
Currently Bittercube produces approximately 1,000 gallons of bitters a month—enough for 100,000 cocktails. Six of the nine flavors come in one-ounce dropper bottles and regular five-ounce bottles, while the remaining three flavors come in five-ounce bottles only. The flavors themselves have great depth and definition and several, if not all, can be used in recipes for food as well as cocktails, especially Jamaican No. 1 (as noted on the website). The company, now only ten years old, is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and employs 14 people. The headquarters includes offices and the apothecary where the bitters are crafted, a bar, and shopping area or bazaar. In addition to manufacturing bitters, the company has a consulting service for restaurants and bars as well. Crafting cocktails? Looking for new tastes to use in cooking? Bittercube might just be the answer. Bittercube https://bittercube.com
Enter the age of the cocktail beginning in the late 1800s, think Manhattan, Old Fashioned, Daiquiri. It was then that bitters moved out of the medicine room to the living room to give new flavors to drinks. According to Ira Koplowitz, cofounder of Bittercube, the current cocktail fad is more than that. He sees it as a reinvention of a longstanding American tradition that ground to a halt during Prohibition. “Consumers are getting better recipes, producing cocktails at home,” Koplowitz said. “They’re getting much more savvy about product. Ten years ago, I couldn’t have imagined a culture where someone ordering a Manhattan would ask for a specific brand of rye and a specific type of bitter—it’s just amazing.” www.lvfnbpro.com
January 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 5
By Bob Barnes
Sugarcane Raw Bar & Grill Sugarcane Raw Bar & Grill Continues to Shine Sugarcane Raw Bar & Grill serving sushi, firegrilled fare and small plates by award-winning Chef Partner Timon Balloo, just celebrated its 3rd anniversary at Restaurant Row at The Venetian. I’m very happy to see Assistant General Manager William Badillo is still there, as he exudes passion for hospitality and love for the restaurant he has chosen to call home. Based on my recent visit and the dishes William presented to us, Sugarcane is continuing to shine with brilliant, varied dishes served in a vibrant and fun atmosphere. We started with small plates of bacon-wrapped dates, goat cheese croquettes with guava jam, shrimp ceviche with passion fruit aji and smoked salmon pizza with lemon dill cream cheese. The main course was a magnificent full roasted chicken with truffled purple potatoes, wild mushrooms and half lemon wedges covered with rosemary. It was beautifully presented to the table whole to view, and then taken back to the kitchen to carve up for eating. Dessert was torrajas: dulce de leche soaked French toast with maple caramelized apples and cinnamon ice cream. Throughout our meal William had us sample some of the cocktails he is most proud of, as he should be, as they are as well thought out, stunning and as creative as the food menu. Some of them spotlight the almost 300 rums in Sugarcane’s collection, such as the rum ‘n’ bramble made with Flor de Caña 7-yr Añejo rum, yuzu, dry vermouth, agave, blackberry purée, cardamom bitters and fresh basil. Another winner was the strawberry balsamic with premium vodka, lime juice, maple syrup, balsamic and fresh strawberries. The original Sugarcane opened in Miami in
He welcomes your inquiries. Email: bob@lvfnb.com
Photo credit: Mesa Grill at Caesars Palace
Photo credit: Shelley Stepanek
What’s Cooking
Bob Barnes is a native Las Vegan, editorial director of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional, regional correspondent for Celebrator Beer News and covers the LV restaurant scene for Gayot.com.
Mesa Grill 2010, now has locations in Brooklyn and Las Vegas and has received numerous awards including “Best New Restaurant” semifinalist by the James Beard Foundation, “Best Restaurant” by Johnson & Wales, “Restaurant of the Year” by Eater, “Best New Restaurant” by Miami New Times and two three-star reviews from the Miami Herald. If you haven’t made your way to our Vegas version of this fine eatery, make yourself a New Year’s resolution to do so. sugarcanerawbargrill.com/location/las-vegas
Mesa Grill Celebrates 15 Years Celebrity Chef Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill at Caesars Palace has certainly stood the test of time, as it just commemorated its 15th anniversary. Located on the casino floor, the attractive and inviting décor includes lots of vibrant color, with hues of yellow, blue, olive green and teal throughout and orange flames simulating fire-roasting on the ceiling. There’s also a wood lattice ceiling, wood floor, an open kitchen and tables dressed with classy white linen in the two-level dining room. The cuisine is described as Southwestern fare and the menu is quite varied with an array of ingredients you won’t necessarily encounter elsewhere, and liberal use of spice, although we didn’t encounter anything overpowering. Examples on the appetizer menu are charred shishito peppers with pomegranate salt, cumin and mango agrodolce; and cremini mushroom quesadilla filled with fontina and ricotta and topped with a fried egg. The Entrees menu features interesting creations such as cascabel chile-crusted rabbit with wild mushrooms, Marcona almonds and smoked red pepper sauce; ancho chile-honey glazed salmon served with spicy black bean sauce and roasted jalapeno crema; and mango & spice crusted tuna steak
6 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I January 2020
with green peppercorn, toasted pine nut cous cous and green chile sauce. The desserts are equally creative and make good use of fine ingredients, like the deep dish banana cream pie with praline wafer and hazelnut brittle. Complementing the fare is a quite extensive wine list with wines mainly from France, Spain and California; more than 50 Tequilas and five single village Mescals; and margaritas like the all-organic Partida with Partida Blanco Tequila, Partida Organic Agave nectar and fresh squeezed lime. Congrats to Mesa Grill on its 15th anniversary, which in this city of constant change is quite an accomplishment. Such longevity can only mean they are doing something, or rather a lot of things, right. Here’s cheers to 15 more years! www.mesagrill.com
The Cosmopolitan Introduces “Paired” Culinary Series Celebrity chef Shirley Chung returned to Las Vegas to co-host a sold out collaborative dinner last month at Red Plate in The Cosmopolitan. Her return to Vegas was also a return to where she used to work, as the two-time alum of Bravo’s Top Chef previously was executive chef at Jose Andres’ China Poblano, which she helped open at The Cosmo nine years ago. The collaborative dinner featured eight courses from Chef Chung and Red Plate’s Yip Cheung: three from Chef Chung, three from Chef Cheung and two collaborations, all paired with cocktails and wine. Highlights of the menu included matsutake mushrooms with steamed egg custard and matsutake consommé; braised, pressed and roasted lamb belly with spiced sesame sauce; Australian lobster tail and foie gras; and coconut tapioca pudding. If you missed the inaugural dinner, be on the www.lvfnbpro.com
lookout for future ones taking place in the coming months. Called “Paired,” and hosted at various restaurants within The Cosmo’s restaurant collection, the rotating culinary series features collaborative pop-up events and kitchen takeovers pairing guest chefs and industry personalities with members of The Cosmopolitan’s culinary team.
Bottiglia Still Offering Great Value and Quality at Green Valley Ranch Since its opening in 2016, Bottiglia (pronounced Bō tē yuh, Italian for bottle) Cucina & Enotica at Green Valley Ranch has been offering fine dining fare and beautiful decor at casual dining prices. Situated between the casino and the south side parking lot, a bright, cheerful and airy ambience to mirror the Tuscan-style feel of Italy is accomplished with large plantation windows, an inviting outdoor patio (with fire pit) and a room awash in white with tile columns, wood floor and pillars and chairs with floral prints. A pair of Vespa scooters prominently on display at the entrance will likely catch your attention as you enter and should help put you in the mood for the Italian cuisine inside. The restaurant is part of the Clique Hospitality group, which has several venues in Southern Nevada on and off the Strip, including Borracha Mexican Cantina situated next door, all under the tutelage of the legendary awardwinning and CIA graduate Brian Massie. Executive Chef Anthony Ramirez has been in his position for 2.5 years and has been involved with quite a few menu changes in coordination and after doing tastings with Chef Masse. When asked about the use of the wood-fire oven in his dishes he said, “We start out with charcoal to get it really hot and then add oak, www.lvfnbpro.com
Photo credit: Bill Bokelmann
Photo credit: Gin and Sake
Red Plate
Bottiglia which burns hot and clean. The wood adds a kiss of smoke and caramelization.” About the team he works with, he added, “Usually there’s a separation between front of the house and back of the house, but that’s not the case here. I love the teamwork and how we’re a close knit family. We often have parties with staff to celebrate special occasions such as birthdays.” Chef’s welcoming personality extends to the restaurant’s guests, as he can be observed visiting with patrons in the dining room, checking on their satisfaction. You can also observe Chef and his team preparing your meal, as there is an open kitchen for all to see the action. Worthy choices on the antipasti menu include wood-baked truffle ricotta with white truffle honey served with toasted rustic sourdough bread that exudes smoky goodness; zucchini flowers with lemon ricotta and aioli; chargrilled octopus with blood orange vinaigrette, black garlic yogurt and lemon bread crumbs; and arancini—risotto, fontina cheese and Bolognese sauce. House-made pastas are well represented by chicken fettuccine alfredo (one of Chef Anthony’s menu creations) with classic sauce and Parmigiana-Reggiano; and zucchini pesto with eggplant, sundried tomato and Marcona almonds, both of which can be made glutenfree upon request. Fish and meat entreés include a whole roasted chicken served with arugula, lemon and pepperoncini which I found to be incredibly, delightfully moist; Chilean sea bass accompanied with farro risotto, carrot purée and peas; and wood-grilled NY steak topped with crispy artichokes and served with a savory agro dolce steak sauce. Vegans and vegetarians aren’t left out, with
several menu items offered as a vegan option, like the vegan eggplant “parm” with woodbaked eggplant and cherry tomato sauce; roasted spaghetti squash with San Marzano tomato sauce; and crispy Brussel sprouts with hazelnuts and pomegranate. The fare is complemented by several wines by the glass mainly from Napa/Sonoma, Italy and France; and specialty cocktails such as the fresca fizz made with Grey Goose Vodka or Bombay Saphire East Gin, raspberries, mint and prosecco. One of the most unique desserts I’ve ever encountered is the Tirami “Shoe”—coffeeinfused lady fingers, mascarpone crème and espresso ganache scooped inside a high heel shoe fashioned from edible chocolate, which you’ll want to take a picture of as it is certainly Instagram-able. As mentioned in my opening, there is great value here on the regularly priced menu, but additional deals can be found every day of the week. A weekday happy hour from 5-7 p.m. offers $7 food and drinks; offered daily are bottomless Aperol Spritz and Mimosas for $18 and Rosé All Day (Da Luca Sparkling Rose´ or Seaglass Rosé) for $26; bottomless house wine is $20 Sunday-Thursday; on Tuesdays and during Sunday brunch you can get fresh shucked oysters for a buck apiece; the Vine & Dine deal on Thursdays offers 50% off all wine; and those of us lucky enough to be over 50 years of age can get a two-for-one entrée deal on Sundays from 5-7 p.m. Bottiglia is open for dinner daily from 5-10 p.m. and for Sunday Brunch from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. For more info, to view the complete menus or to make a reservation, visit http://bottiglialv.com.
January 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 7
Brett’s
By Jackie Brett Jackie is a freelance public relations specialist and writer specializing in the Las Vegas entertainment and travel scene. Her writings have appeared in magazines and newspapers nationwide and on numerous websites. Email: jackiebrett@cox.net
Jeff Civillico, headliner of his one-man ABOUT TOWN “Comedy in Action,” finished his residency in The Who will return to The Colosseum at Caesars December in the Anthony Cools Showroom at KAMU – Ultra Karaoke will be the first highPalace this year for a series of six shows May 5, Paris to focus on the national expansion of his end karaoke club on the Strip when it opens in 7, 9, 12, 14 and 16 with their symphonic concerts nonprofit Win-Win Entertainment. February 2020 with more than 40 private karaoke “Moving On! Tour.” Singer Roger Daltrey and rooms available daily noon to 8 a.m. on the guitarist/songwriter Pete Townshend are second floor of the Grand Canal Shoppes at The pairing with local symphony orchestras Venetian. Vocalists can sing from a catalogue of across North America for a once-in-a-lifetime songs or their own collection and rooms can be rock experience. turned into private e-gaming suites. “The Ladies Night Out Comedy Tour” will The U.S. debut of “Bansky: Genius or Vandal?” visit Paris Theater Saturday, Feb. 14 with 7:30 featuring 70 original creations from mysterious and 10 p.m. performances. Celebrity host street artist Bansky’s famous works from private Nene Leakes leads the all-star lineup including collectors opened inside Immersion Vegas, the Adele Givens, special guests Loni Love, Sherri new venue at the Fashion Show mall, and runs Shepherd, Kym Whitley and B Simone. through Sunday, April 5, 2020. Grammy Award-nominated Post Malone extends the Runaway Tour, launching the second leg in “Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood has 2020 with a stop at MGM Grand Garden Arena Potter Experience - A Parody by Dan and added five new tenants including interactive Saturday, March 14. Again, Swae Lee, who made Jeff,” the family-friendly show at The Magic Museum of Selfies; athletic apparel retailer a name for himself outside of Southern hip-hop Attic showroom inside Bally’s since last June, is lululemon; lifestyle boutique Karma and Luck; Magnets Inc., A Sticky Business souvenir store; duo Rae Sremmurd, and new kind of Rockstar, extended again through May 2020. Tyla Yaweh, will appear as special guests. and Cocolini in front of the V Theatre offering Alternative Rock icons Wilco will visit Brooklyn 32 homemade Italian gelato flavors. Bowl at The LINQ Promenade Saturday, April 4 on the band’s “Ode To Joy Tour” following last Ski season is open at Lee Canyon and introducing October’s release of their newest album by the the new year-round, two-story, 10,000-squarefoot Hillside Lodge with an outdoor heated same name. terrace and ski-in-ski-out bar. DINING San Francisco’s Dandelion Chocolate opened Tulips art sculpture by renowned artist Jeff Koons its first Las Vegas café and retail store in The acquired in November 2012 for $33,682,500 is Venetian next to the hotel lobby. The “bean-to- back on display at Wynn Plaza, where it was bar,” small batch chocolate maker offers single- originally installed from 2013-2016. origin chocolate bars, house-made pastries, Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) has been confections, hot chocolate and coffee drinks. named Speedway Motorsports’ Speedway of Ellis Island on Koval Lane behind Bally’s finally the Year for the third consecutive year and sixth opened its long-awaited The Front Yard, the time overall. The diverse motorsports facility in property’s new beer garden, restaurant and 2019 hosted two tripleheader NASCAR events, Mexican American singer-songwriter Pepe entertainment venue with a 300-person capacity. two NHRA national events and the Electric Aguilar, son of Mexican icons Antonio The new two-story, indoor/outdoor facility has Aguilar and Flor Silvestre, will perform at many HDTVs including an 18-foot big screen. Daisy Carnival. Mandalay Bay Events Center Saturday, May 2 at Ralph Perrazzo, chef owner of b.B.d’s, and 9 p.m. Palace Station mutually decided to pursue Righteous Brothers featuring Bill Medley different goals with b.B.d.’s, which opened with Bucky Heard will return to headlining at there in August 2018, closing and moving to a Harrah’s in 2020. The Rock and Roll Hall of new location, and the existing space becoming a Fame duo are scheduled Jan. 21-April 30 and Palace Station-managed concept. Sept. 15-Nov. 12, performing Tuesday-Thursday Town Square has a new restaurant featuring at 6 p.m. Southern fare, bakery items, coffee drinks, full “Trailer trash-branded” comedienne Vicki bar and kids’ menus. Farmtable Kitchen & Barbolak, a finalist on America’s Got Talent, Spirits serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily has had her weekly 8 p.m. Tuesday-night gig at took over the former Big Whiskey’s American Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club at The LINQ Restaurant & Bar. Promenade extended a third time through Popular Lotus of Siam restaurant forced from March 10. its original location at Commercial Center off Pop trio AJR performed at The Chelsea at The Sahara Avenue in September 2017 due to a Cosmopolitan last June and will return this year rainstorm collapsing the roof opened a temporary Orleans Arena and the San Diego Seals will host on June 12 with “Neotheater World Tour Part location on East Flamingo Road. The outcome the first-ever National Lacrosse League game II.” The band’s latest album is Neotheater and is the first location is reopening and the second in Las Vegas between the Seals and the Colorado Mammoth on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020. current single “Dear Winter.” outlet is so successful it will remain open. Photo credit: Denise Truscello
ENTERTAINMENT
8 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I January 2020
www.lvfnbpro.com
•Wholesale distributor of exceptional quality dried spices and specialty foods to the finest hotels and restaurants •Owned and operated by a former chef with over 20 years of experience •Custom packed Herbs and Spices •Custom Spice Blends •Private labeling •Now Certified Kosher
The Bottom Line
Benjamin Brown, MBA is Restaurant Editor of The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional. A seasoned
writer and consultant, Ben works with Fortune 500
companies and mom & pop shops alike in Marketing, Analytics, Consumer Insights, PR and Business
Development. Contact Ben at Ben@lvfnb.com or
Photo credit: Botanical Hospitality Group
Grant Smillie of Botanical Hospitality Group Discusses Finding His Stride in LA’s Restaurant Scene
By Ben Brown
Melbourne born and raised, Grant Smillie began his career as a musician, touring the world as a DJ and record label owner. Now, the co-owner of LA’s famed E.P. & L.P. in West Hollywood has built himself up in the F&B world to create equally electric experiences for his audience, namely in the form of restaurant and rooftop bar guests. His company, Botanical Hospitality Group, is looking to expand both upward and outward with new dining concepts as well, with a promising vision for growth. “As a [music] producer I got to travel the world. I was doing 300 flights a year. Tons of shows everywhere. Long hours and I just sort of got fatigued by travel,” Smillie began, noting that the glitz and glamor of the music world, as great as it was, began to fade and sparked his desire to look to the next chapter. Smillie had always had a love for F&B, with tried-and-true experience in the field. He opened a bar, Ponyfish Island in Melbourne, in 2010. Then, on a trip to LA after DJ-ing in Miami, he met with former classmate, real estate investor and [future] business partner David Combes, who led him to a [then] vacant building in West
Hollywood for a rooftop tour. Needless to say, that building became E.P. & L.P. “I was naïve in thinking about how much time I would need to spend in getting [E.P. & L.P.] off the ground,” Smillie said, citing permitting processes and other factors as being far more difficult in the US than in Australia. “My hand was forced to draw a close to the music chapter and set up this business full-time. It was a nice bookend.” E.P. & L.P. was founded on delivering an experience that ‘California hadn’t seen before.’ That mission led Smillie to recruit an Australiabased team to turn the concept into reality. He started by recruiting Louis Tikaram, who held the title of Australia’s ‘Young Chef of the Year,’ to head up a menu focused on South Asian fare. “Southeast Asian cuisine is very popular in Australia. The Philippines, Thailand, China, it’s all right on our doorstep in Australia and we felt like it was underrepresented in the US at the time,” Smillie said. He also brought on a renowned Australian hospitality design group to develop the venue. All parties worked very closely throughout the
10 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I January 2020
follow him @Foodie_Biz.
process, navigating the hurdles that come with such a geographic distance, not to mention important differences such as Australia’s use of the metric system. Things certainly worked out in the end, with E.P. & L.P. hosting two completely different experiences between the dining room and rooftop bar. “People come for a meal and stay for the night,” Smillie said. “The dining room menu is of course a full-service endeavor, while [the food] on the rooftop is more snack-based. It’s entirely dynamic. You always need to be thinking about what it looks like for the guest. What happens if it’s windy? If it’s wet?” E.P. & L.P. added a more recent element to its repertoire in its rooftop cinema series, which transforms the rooftop bar into an outdoor theater with capacity for 120 people. Smillie says about half of them dine at the restaurant beforehand. Now, Smillie and Botanical Hospitality Group are getting ready for two new concepts. The first is a café, SOL (short for Strings of Life), set to launch in January 2020. “When I first came to America I was a bit horrified by quality control [for coffee] in the US. In Melbourne there’s a café on every corner,” Smillie said. “[SOL will be] focused on artisan coffee, creating our own blends. A chef-led California produce-inspired menu, all-around lighter fare. [SOL’s food menu] is designed to be a bit more the way that Europeans consume an afternoon platter. You have to think about what people consume at different times. Grab and go sandwiches are a bit boring to me. SOL will have something that’s both delicious and visually exciting.” The second concept, Grandmaster Recorders, is set to open in Summer 2020, and takes Smillie back to his origins in music. Originally opened as a recording studio in the 1970’s, the venue hosted stars such as David Bowie, Blondie, Stevie Wonder and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Now, Botanical Hospitality Group plans to transform the vacant building into a restaurant and rooftop bar concept that pays tribute to the building’s history. You’re looking for meaning around a brand and what the ideology behind it. In this case it speaks for itself,” Smillie said. He also noted that E.P. & L.P. might be getting a second location in the not-so-distant future, and that Botanical Hospitality Group may look into hotels down the road. “You have to be mindful of expansion. You need to pay attention to quality,” Smillie said. “We have a good rubust team. Want to keep building without sacrificing the quality you’re after.” www.lvfnbpro.com
Wine Talk
with Alice Swift
Edge Steakhouse Continues on Its Award-Winning Reputation with Great Food, Amazing Drinks and Lively Conversation!
is the reduction of bottle waste, and the opportunity for guests to taste a rotation of higher-end wines without having to purchase the entire bottle. In the past, the restaurant was focused on Italian wines, but now Venegas has integrated a variety of wine regions. As Venegas expressed, if you “do one thing, do it right.” When it comes to cocktails, Venegas focuses on drinks being “simple but good,” while also ensuring the cocktails go well with the food. Favorite Drink: Edge Smash (Jack Daniels Rye, lavender syrup, lemon juice, mint, bitters) Fun Fact! Venegas has a six-year-old son with autism, and his mission is to go with his son to every sporting stadium possible in the country, beginning with all the baseball stadiums (there are 32 in case you were wondering!). The Bartender The great selection of cocktails are in large part due to Michael (Mike) Thompson, lead bartender. Talk about a unique personality! With his friendly smile and magnetic personality along with his awesome mixology skills, I can see why people return time and time again. With over 30 years in the industry, Thompson really brings experience and flair to Edge Steakhouse, and has been with the restaurant since the Westgate Hotel was opened five years ago. During my visit, I saw a genuine act of kindness from Thompson, and the perfect example of putting the “focus on the guest.” Towards closing time, Thompson chose to walk a guest who wasn’t feeling well back to the elevator to make sure she was okay. As Thompson says, “Take ownership of your role, own it.” The restaurant is “home” to him. Passionate manager, staff, passionate about what they do. Fun Fact! Thompson is an avid motorcycle enthusiast (Harleys), and has ridden through over 40 states on his bike. A fellow co-worker also shared that Thompson is a true animal lover at heart. Eleven years ago, he rescued a Chihuahua in a cardboard box in NY. His name is Guinness and has been with him ever since! Favorite Drink: Paradise Road (Belvedere, lemon, organic grapefruit, cranberry, watermelon float) The next time you are craving a delicious steak, a special hand-crafted cocktail, or just some great conversation, stop in at Edge Steakhouse! Hours: Mon. Closed | Tues. 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. | Wed. 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. | Thurs. 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. | Fri. 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. | Sat. 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. | Sun. Closed Reservations: Available by calling (702) 732-5277 Website (via Bitly URL shortener): https://bit.ly/3763hF3
Photo credit: Alice Swift
During my last trip to Las Vegas (October, 2019), I attended a conference at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino. While there, I had the opportunity to connect with our magazine’s very own Bob Barnes, Editorial Director. He recommended checking out Edge Steakhouse, which opened in July of 2015 after the hotel was purchased and renovated into the Westgate (in 2014). This location has quite the history, having first opened its doors on July 2nd, 1969, recently celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019. Since its opening, Edge Steakhouse has risen to become TripAdvisor’s #1 steakhouse in Las Vegas, and Las Vegas Review-Journal’s 2019 Gold Winner for Best Wine Bar. During the visit, I was able to chat with two of the primary people responsible for the beverage offerings at the restaurant, and they shared some of their insights into the success of the restaurant along with some of their drink recommendations. The General Manager Jonathan Venegas is the General Manager for Edge Steakhouse, but also helps to manage the beverage program for the entire Westgate Las Vegas property. Having worked in high quality food and beverage establishments such as Bellagio and Aria, it is clear that Venegas brings a wealth of experience. Part of the key to his success was to maintain focus on the guest, while providing quality F&B offerings. I noticed the bar and restaurant stayed busy throughout the evening, with quite a few regular customers. Venegas shared that because all of the servers and staff in the restaurant have unique personalities and come from different experiences and backgrounds, the guests will have a new experience each time, depending on who they interact with. Servers are also loyal to the establishment, and are quite genuine when it comes to making recommendations. In fact, there are multiple employees who have been at this since day one (even prior to Edge Steakhouse). That’s quite an accomplishment, considering the hotel just celebrated its 50th anniversary! The staff are well-trained and are all able to recommend wine pairings. Recently, Venegas has been working to enhance the beverage menu with new additions to the beer, wine and cocktail selections. In place is also a Coravin preservation system (www.coravin.com) that allows wines to be syphoned without removing the bottle’s cork. During my visit, Venegas revealed a sneak preview of some of the new offerings, such as Opus One 2015 and 2016, Opus One Overture, Dom Pérignon, Orin Swift Papillon, etc. The best thing about having a Coravin system
By Alice Swift Alice Swift, Associate Editor and Journalist for The Las Vegas and SoCal F&B Professional, is passionate about hospitality/F&B, education and instructional design, with 15+ years of experience. In 2016, she moved from Las Vegas to Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, working for the UH System as a multimedia instructional designer, while maintaining her hospitality/F&B ties through writing, teaching and consulting (Swift Hospitality Consulting). email: alice@lvfnb.com | website: www.aliceswift.com
Jonathan Venegas, General Manager, and Michael Thompson, Lead Bartender.
www.lvfnbpro.com
Cocktail menu samples at Edge Steakhouse.
January 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 11
By Bob Barnes
what’s
He welcomes your inquiries. Email: bob@lvfnb.com
Photo credit: Joe Urcioli
BREWING
Bob Barnes is a native Las Vegan, editorial director of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional, regional correspondent for Celebrator Beer News and covers the LV restaurant scene for Gayot.com.
The Front Yard Now Open at Ellis Island After two years of planning and building out, the long-awaited and highly-anticipated opening of The Front Yard at Ellis Island Casino Hotel & Brewery arrived on Dec. 6. Situated at the front of the casino facing Koval Lane, the new addition includes two-levels, a beer garden, bars on each level, full-service restaurant and HD TVs throughout (including a giant 18-foot big screen). Expansive windows and the open parts of the structure offer views of the Vegas Strip and the nearby High Roller at The LINQ, with the best vantage points being from the second floor atrium. A retractable ceiling can be opened when weather permits and air conditioning and heaters adjust the temps when needed. For entertainment, there is a DJ booth and stage, from which DJs, local acts and headliners will perform weekly. The food menu offers shared plates of wings, Italian meatball and duck fat poutine; and main courses are horseradish crusted wild Atlantic salmon, NY steak frites, schnitzel (breaded pork cutlet), porchetta and The Front Yard burger—½ pound beef and pork burger topped with pork belly. The core beers from the brewery—hefeweizen, IPA, amber and light—are offered, as well as seven rotating specialty brews that are served exclusively in The Front Yard, which upon
opening included Belgian IPA, coffee stout (made with cold brewed coffee), helles bock, doppelbock, Beglian triple and rauchbier. I managed to try tastes of each and can verify they were all quite tasty and well made, with my favorites being the triple, coffee stout and rauchbier (made with smoked beechwood malt, not overly smoky, a style you don’t find that often). The menu is designed for beer geeks, with one side devoted to the food offerings and the other to the beers, including the type of malt, any specialty ingredients and hops used in each brew. For now the hours are 3 p.m. to midnight with the kitchen opening at 4, but eventually hours will expand to 24/7. Although we had to wait two years for the planning and construction to be completed, after checking it out, it appears to have been worth the wait. And, the beers being churned out by the accomplished brewers Michael Keys and Eddie Leal continue to be top notch.
Beer Events Now that we have entered into a new year and have our new 2020 calendars on our walls, I want to provide you with info on some beer events happening in the near future. Aces & Ales will begin the New Year in style with its 11th Annual Winter Beer Fest. Held at its Tenaya location on January 11, beginning
12 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I January 2020
at 3 p.m., more than 50 rare & specialty brews will be tapped. Visit www.acesandales.com for more info. Big Dog’s Brewing will host its annual Winterfest, a celebration of hearty stew and beers, on January 18 from 3 to 9 p.m. in the outdoor area at the Draft House at Craig Rd. and Rancho Dr. As usual, there will be live music, more than 50 beers poured, including several from local breweries and admission is free. Festival packages including tokens, commemorative pint glasses, raffle tickets and T-shirts can be purchased in advance. For the lineup of beers being served and to purchase a festival package, visit www.bigdogsbrews. com/festivals/winterfest. On February 1, from 4-10 p.m. at the brewery location at 7350 Eastgate Rd. in Henderson, CraftHaus will celebrate its 6th annual Comrade Day, a celebration of friendship and the annual release of its Comrade 2020 Russian Imperial Stout. I’ve been told the 2020 is a decadent interplay of roasted malts getting friendly with American oak on whiskey and is bigger and badder than ever, clocking in at 10.8% ABV. There will be at least eight different variations on tap, including vertical tastings of past Comrades. Tasting flights and food will be available for purchase. This event is 21+ and no ticket is required. For more info, visit www.crafthausbrewery.com. www.lvfnbpro.com
Photo credit: Eric Gladstone
The Golden Tiki’s Head Bartender Adam Rains Named “Drink Specialist of the Year,” by the Nevada Restaurant Association
LAS VEGAS, NV (Dec. 17, 2019) – The Golden Tiki’s Head Bartender, Grand Exalted Poobah and High Priest of Skull Island Adam Rains, has been named “Drink Specialist of the Year” by the Nevada Restaurant Association. The award was given as part of The NvRA’s 37th Annual Culinary Excellence Awards & Annual Meeting at Wynn Hotel and Casino on December 12, 2019. Denise Valdez, KLASTV Channel 8 Anchor, served as the Master of Ceremonies. “Out of the many great bartenders in Nevada, especially those nominated, this is an honor, and very humbling,” said Adam Rains. “For me, it is an inspiration to be a part of Nevada’s evolution in hospitality and the great living art that is bartending.” www.lvfnbpro.com
An active member of the Las Vegas USBG, Rains leads the Golden Tiki’s charity mug program and created an additional Holiday Cocktail program for the bar in addition to their regular menu of original and classic Tiki drinks. About Adam Rains Adam Rains comes to the Golden Tiki with an impressive pedigree. Previously he’s held bar positions at Carnevino (one of the highest grossing restaurants in the US), the James Beardnominated Flock & Fowl, the flagship Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill and others. In the industry, he has also held officer positions in the United States Bartenders’ Guild Las Vegas, been a brand ambassador for Brooklyn Brewery and written extensively on cocktails and bar culture
for Tales of the Cocktail, Chilled Magazine and The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional. He has received certifications from United States Bartenders’ Guild, BarSmarts, Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits Academy, Court of Master Sommeliers, International Sommeliers Guild, Consejo Regulador de Tequila and the Certified Cicerone Program. He has placed in several local, regional and national mixology competitions including Diageo World Class, Marie Brizzard and others. He also holds a B.A. in International Business from San Diego State University. Adam was recently bestowed the “Drink Specialist of the Year - 2019” by the Nevada Restaurant Association. His mantra with both food & cocktails is, "fresh is best."
January 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 13
Twinkle Toast
Erin Cooper and Christine Vanover have been residents of Las Vegas since 2007. Vanover is also a UNLV Alumnus. Cooper is a Territory Manager for the Resort Wine Team at Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits. Both women founded Twinkle Toast in 2017. info@twinkletoast.com • www.twinkletoast.com Facebook: @TwinkleToast Twitter: TwinkleToastLV Instagram: TwinkleToastLV
Photo credit: www.himmgroup.com.
Burnt Offerings: L’chaim to Life!
By Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover
Burnt Offerings is female-owned and operated under the direction of Chef Jennifer Eckmann and Managing Partner, Alexandra Emstova, and is the only OU certified kosher restaurant in Las Vegas with an intriguing wine list to match. We recently interviewed Chef to learn about this deliciously unique restaurant concept and to discover more about what makes a wine kosher. What inspired you to open a Kosher restaurant in Las Vegas? I was inspired to fulfill the lack of innovation in the kosher market. Kosher food, just like any special diet or allergy, follows certain guidelines and I work within them in the same way that I adhere to health department rules and regulations. Ultimately, it is my obligation to serve strictly kosher food under the world’s most recognized kosher certification, the OU, and it is not my position to question or to tell another person what they should put in their body. What was the most challenging part of bringing this concept to life? My greatest challenge was finding someone willing to support the financing of this unique concept while allowing me to be the eccentric person that I am during the process of bringing it to life. Every single day is like an episode of Cutthroate Kitchen. It’s one obstacle after another, which most restaurant owners understand. I know from my thirty years of experience in this business that I haven't seen the MOST challenging obstacle... yet. Bring it, on Alton Brown. What type of dining experience are you hoping to create for your guests? Restaurant owners spend no time at home. When designing the restaurant, I created it with the knowledge that this is going to be my new home. My employees are going to be my new family. With all that in mind, I created a place that brings me comfort and laughter. So many of my life's nostalgic moments are
memories from restaurants I enjoyed. When I was a kid, my father would be annoyed by me when I ordered a hot dog at a restaurant. He would say, "order something that you don't eat all the time at home." People are creatures of habit and for some, it’s scary to try something new. With Burnt Offerings, I think I nailed it. Everyday comfort food with a unique twist that you wouldn't find at home, accompanied by splashes of elegance and laughter. What type of cuisine do you offer? This has been a tough question to answer as I don't want to be pigeonholed into the category of kosher. The menu has been a progression of flavors, textures and a mix of all different types of cuisines that I have concocted over the years. I am not much for following rules. I am stubborn and believe there are many ways to do something and that our mission as humans is to discover all the possibilities that we can during our time on Earth to pave the way for others. Burnt Offerings is a restaurant that follows the strictest kosher guidelines, mixed in with common sense and creative yet comforting favorites, and me, of course. I call it “New Yiddish Cuisine.” I combined the comforts of the "old country" Jewish foods and turned it into a complete American melting pot cuisine that really describes what America is all about. What does it mean to be Kosher Certified and was it difficult to obtain the accreditation? My goal is for Burnt Offerings to be a place that is neutral to ALL people. Choosing the OU as our kosher certification, was our way to not be involved in any local politics and be nationally accepted which is important because 85% of our customers are visiting from all over the world. Having the OU is truly an accomplishment. Burnt Offerings is the ONLY OU certified kosher restaurant in Las Vegas, and one of about 53 in the United States.
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How did you approach creating your wine list? Our wine list seems to be constantly changing. I once thought, “how many kosher wines could there even be?” The answer is not enough and a lot at the same time. Our vision was to offer wines that are not available elsewhere and that cannot be found in retail stores, but it has been a challenge. Right now, we offer a selection of world-recognized kosher brands as well as some unique wines that are not available anywhere else in Las Vegas and we plan to continue to add hidden gems. What makes Kosher wines different from other wines? Wine is, and always has been, a huge part of Jewish traditions. Just like our food, there are very strict guidelines surrounding what makes wine kosher or not. Most of it has nothing to do with flavor and everything to do with ancient Jewish traditions that only specific certified individuals can do during the process of winemaking. Our certification only allows us to offer Mevushal wines which literally means “cooked” or “boiled” in Hebrew. These days, most suppliers use laser equipment and don’t really boil the wine for a long period of time, so the quality of these wines is improving every year. The selection of Mevushal wine is only a tiny fraction of the total wine production in the world. Who are your favorite Kosher wine producers and why? I love several wines by Covenant but not all of their wines are Mevushal, so we can only serve a few at our restaurant. I also love Baron Herzog private cellar wines. They offer a variety of reserve wines and limited edition options from around the world. Some of them are on our wine list as well. What is your favorite pairing on the menu? I would recommend a Rioja with bright ruby red color, and a nose of ripe wild berries and balsamic aromas as an ideal pairing with our meats, especially the lamb chops. Do you currently offer any wine-related promotions? As we are getting our feet wet in the Las Vegas restaurant scene, we are always looking for exciting ways to promote what we have. With that being said, we’ve started with "Wine Wednesdays,” offering half off any bottle. I encourage everyone to come and try unique kosher wines that can only be found at Burnt Offerings. L'chaim to life! Burnt Offerings 3909 W Sahara Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89102 Sunday - Thursday: 11am-10 pm; Friday: 11am2pm; Saturday: Closed www.lvfnbpro.com
By Savannah Reeves
Photo credit: Savannah Reeves
Savannah Reeves, a Hospitality Management student at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, represents the Epicurean Society, a collection of food and restaurant enthusiasts. As the journalist on their leadership team, Savannah desires to share the club’s experiences with the public. Growing up in central California, she discovered her passion for hospitality and decided to pursue that passion in Las Vegas.
As the Fall semester begins to wind down, Epicurean Society members begin to wind down as well. While members begin the process of preparing for the next semester, we still had one more learning opportunity in our last outing for the semester. However, this outing was a little more different than normal, as it was located right on UNLV campus. Rebel Grounds is located right in Hospitality Hall, home for the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality. While they primarily offer coffee and drinks, they also have a selection of food and pastries as well. Rebel Grounds is a café run entirely by students, with the majority of their offerings made inhouse. Anything else they offer is sourced locally, such as the coffee from Mothership Coffee Roasters. The Rebel Grounds team invited us out to learn about their operation and a better understanding of what goes on behind the scenes. To begin our experience, we received a tour of the back of house operation behind Rebel Grounds. The Rebel Grounds kitchen is actually located outside of Hospitality Hall in the original BEH building right behind it. Students work early mornings throughout the week to prep food for Rebel Grounds. They’ll prepare anything from breakfast sandwiches, hummus, or even their homemade syrups for drinks. All ingredients are locally sourced, inventoried and ordered all by the students. The Rebel Grounds team is also constantly coming up with new offerings, whether is a new drink or a new food item for the menu. At the time, they were working on flatbread pizzas as a new menu item. Epicurean members had the opportunity to see a back of house operation from a student’s perspective and gain an in-depth understanding on how the operation is run. Being able to see how a fellow student operates a business such as this really helps put into perspective that other students can do it too. For the second half of our Rebel Grounds outing, we got to see what the front of house operation was like. Here, we separated into groups to have a more intimate of experience of all areas of the front of house. One area of the front of house was the pastry counter, as they call it. There is a large pastry display case that holds anything from chocolate croissants to www.lvfnbpro.com
muffins and yogurt parfaits to hummus bowls. One of the more popular offerings are their sandwiches. Specifically, the Chipotle Rebel or the Monte Sando. Today, we learned how Rebel Grounds prepares their Monty Sando, a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. The sandwiches are prepped daily in the Rebel Grounds kitchen and are brought over to the café. As a sandwich is ordered, it’s taken out and toasted in their oven behind the counter. It is then sliced, placed in a bag, and handed out to the guest. The sandwich itself is a perfect small, homemade meal for students on the go. We also had the opportunity to try some of their house-made cookies, both chocolate chip and sugar. Their cookies are another popular item thanks to their perfect amount of crunch on the outside and chewiness on the inside. The great thing about having Rebel Grounds right in Hospitality Hall, is that students have fresh homemade options to choose from during the school week. The second area of the front of house Epicurean members had the chance to experience was the barista station. This is where the Rebel Grounds team creates drinks from their extensive menu. They offer almost anything you can imagine when it comes to coffee; also offering less common drinks such as frozen lavender lemonade and a pumpkin spice cider. They also offer a variety of ways to customize drinks to dietary needs. It’s the house-made syrups that truly make the drinks unique, from their more common options such as caramel and vanilla to less common options such as lavender and peanut butter. The Rebel Grounds baristas taught Epicurean members how they make an espresso shot and use it to create a latte. Along with making a latte comes steaming milk, a task that proved much more difficult than expected. However, it does provide a greater appreciation for the skills required when it comes to a barista’s work. They also introduced us to a new kind of drink: an iced lavender latte. While one may not think lavender and coffee would be a good fit, the taste is surprising. The bitterness of the coffee with the milk complements the floral lavender flavor perfectly. It just goes to show what an important contribution Rebel Grounds is to UNLV, providing high-quality and unique offerings for students and staff alike to experience. January 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 15
Robert Irvine A Man to Watch in 2020 By Gael Hees Photos courtesy Robert Irvine
INTRODUCTION Robert Irvine is like a steam locomotive, pushing through life with power, excitement and focus. His accomplishments are legion–two television shows, hundreds of guest appearances on other long-running cooking shows, several cookbooks and a fitness program. He is also harnessing his creativity to include two restaurants: Robert Irvine’s Public House at the Tropicana in Las Vegas, and a new venture in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Fresh Kitchen. Working with Irvine can be rough. He’ll tell you himself, “I’m intense and demanding, but I’d argue that it’s in the best possible way. Just ask someone who works for me,” he said laughing. And it really may be the best way. Matt Tuthill, GM of Robert Irvine Magazine said, “Robert has a certain standard and it’s incumbent on everyone who works for him to reach that standard. Day-to-day, does it get as intense as it does on Restaurant: Impossible? Not really, thank goodness. But that standard is a great thing for everyone on the team. Robert’s an incredibly high achiever. By reaching for his standard you wind up doing things you never thought possible.” Pushing employees to do their best work. Pushing restaurant owners to do the impossible. There is a theme here. Irvine wants people to be their best selves.
IRVINE AND FITNESS His interest in fitness, is a good example. “I am passionate about fitness and its transformative power. I believe fitness is a gateway to other types of achievement: Once you make your body strong, healthy and able to do things it couldn’t do before, it sparks a change in the mind. You start to wonder, ‘What else is possible if I put my mind to it?’ And since your body feels great, you go out and try to do it! Success and fitness are intimately intertwined for a lot of people for this very reason. It certainly is in my case." Irvine, who grew up reading Muscle & Fitness and lifting with a used weight set, realized a teenage dream of his own. In April 2019, he was on the cover of Muscle & Fitness. As he says, “Not bad for a guy in his 50’s."
THE WAY HIS MIND WORKS He could go in so many directions–more TV shows, new books, more restaurants. It is his self-discipline and focus that keep his projects in check. Here is how he approaches new project opportunities: 16 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I January 2020
"I approach every project by asking a lot of questions, 'What does this add to the world? What’s different about it? What makes it great? Is it the best use of my time and my team’s time?' If I can’t come up with good answers to those questions, then it’s a pass. If I can, then I know I’ll be able to figure out all the other questions, like how, when, etc. If you’re passionate about something, you figure out the answers to all the other questions."
THE ROBERT IRVINE FOUNDATION One project that passed the test? Providing badly needed services to first responders and those who have served in the military. The Robert Irvine Foundation has now raised over $1.2 million toward that cause. Individuals and organizations such as the USO and the Gary Sinise Foundation have been supported by Irvine’s foundation. One can complete an application online (www.robertirvinefoundation.org) to be considered in the funding process. The granting decision is made in the fourth quarter of each year, based on the number of applications, need and funds available. Several recipient profiles are on the website as is an opportunity to support the foundation online. The foundation also supports Valor Service Dogs, an organization providing trained service dogs to become the companions of disabled veterans. It is a costly process to raise even a single dog to perform selflessly and obediently. The Robert Irvine Foundation has been able to fund several dogs, changing the lives of the recipient veterans. Irvine himself has a military background, having served in the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy for a ten year tour of duty. Irvine enlisted at age 15 and simultaneous started his cooking career that included service on Her Majesty’s royal yacht. According to Irving: “I truly just believe that it’s time to take care of those who take care of us. Everything we
enjoy in this country—all the freedom we have to pursue the things we’re passionate about—all of that goes away without the brave men and women of our armed forces. I also believe it’s incredibly important to give back. I’m English by birth and American by choice. I’m incredibly proud of that choice, America accepted me, and I’m proud every time I’m able to give back.”
PARTNERSHIP WITH BOARDROOM SPIRITS In November, Irvine was the guest chef for “The Spirit of Lansdale Day” sponsored by Boardroom Spirits. All proceeds for the event went straight to the Robert Irvine Foundation. Working with the owners of this new bespoke distillery, Zsuzsa Palotas, Marat Mamedov and Vlad Mamedov, Irvine recognized a kindred philosophy about product ingredients, work ethic, and long-term goals. The result: Irvine is now partner and co-owner of this unique operation. In early 2016, Boardroom Spirits opened its doors with three product offerings: vodka, gin and rum. The three founders, management consultants-turned-distillers, believed in raw, all-natural ingredients and a highly regulated micro-distilling process. This resulted in a clean, crisp taste that soon was garnering a following. Because of its size (they actually hand-bottle all products), Boardroom Spirits can afford to be very inventive. It wasn’t long before the founders were experimenting with fruit and even vegetable spirits to the point that the company now has 12 distinct spirits available, with more in the development process. The company’s “Fresh” series includes Fresh Citrus, Fresh Ginger and Fresh Cranberry. As with all of the other products, these infused vodkas never include any artificial flavors, sweeteners or preservatives.
Boardroom Spirits is also developing a “Periodic Table of Spirits” that now includes Apple, Beet, Carrot, Pear Bartlett and Pear D’Anjou. Fully distilled from the fruit or vegetable, these spirits are actually classified as brandies (fruit) or distilled spirits specialty (vegetable). To show just how careful these distillers are about ingredients, all of the carrots are hand selected and cleaned for each batch. Finally, there is a liqueur, Triple Sec, and the future holds a new “bold whiskey.” In addition, Irvine will soon have products from Boardroom Spirits branded with his name. He currently features the company’s existing line in recipes and cocktails at his two restaurants in Nevada and Pennsylvania. All products can be ordered through Seelbach’s (https://seelbachs.com) or requested from Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Nevada, its local distributor.
A DAY IN THE LIFE What does it take to be involved in so many projects? Unbelievable drive. According to Irvine, “I pretty much go fulltilt. Wake up, hit the gym, go to set, prep, film, take meetings, do interviews…the days are just packed. You can’t approach that schedule with anything less than your full attention and energy.” It will be interesting to see what Irvine brings to the table in 2020! Robert Irvine - chefirvine.com Robert Irvine’s Public House troplv.com/dining/ robert-irvine-public-house Tropicana Las Vegas 3801 South Las Vegas Boulevard Las Vegas, NV Fresh Kitchen by Robert Irvine rifreshkitchen.com Boardroom Spirits - boardroomspirits.com
RASPBERRY + THYME GIMLET
INGREDIENTS 1 oz Boardroom Vodka 1 oz C, Carrot Spirit 2 oz Fresh Lime Juice 1.5 oz Raspberry + Thyme Syrup Fresh raspberry, to garnish METHOD - RASPBERRY + THYME SYRUP: To make the raspberry + thyme syrup: heat equal parts water and sugar to a boil. Add 8 oz. of raspberries puree and 10 sprigs of fresh thyme and let sit for 1-2 hours, then strain and cool. METHOD - COCKTAIL: Courtesy of Aldine Restaurant. Combine vodka, lime juice, and raspberry + thyme syrup in an ice-filled mixing glass and stir with a long spoon until well chilled. Strain into chilled cocktail glass and top with C, carrot spirit. Garnish with fresh raspberry. For more recipes go to boardroomspirits.com
January 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 17
By Bob Barnes Bob Barnes is a native Las Vegan, editorial director of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional, regional correspondent for Celebrator Beer News and covers the LV restaurant scene for Gayot.com. He welcomes your inquiries. Email: bob@lvfnb.com
Photo credit: Robert Irvine’s Public House
Robert Irvine’s Public House—Where You’ll Find a Full Pint and a Full Plate
Food Network TV star, cookbook author and celebrity chef Robert Irvine, drew attention to the upcoming opening of his first Las Vegas restaurant in July, 2016, more than a year before its July, 2017 opening, when he rappelled 22 stories down the side of the Tropicana Las Vegas Hotel to announce his restaurant plans. Now, more than two years after the restaurant’s debut, his Public House is still going strong. Situated on the northern side of the Tropicana Las Vegas casino floor, the spacious interior spanning nearly 9,000 square feet with 275 seats, wraparound bar and open kitchen provides an opportunity for people watching, with large windows looking out into the casino and the Strip. White brick throughout is joined with a multi-grain hardwood floor and tables and hues of orange. New since my last visit is a lounge area near the entrance complete with couches and Golden Tee, shuffleboard and table hockey games. Robert Irvine has a long connection to the military. The English native, who became a US citizen in 2015, served in the UK’s Royal Navy for a 10-year tour of duty and later worked in the US Navy Mess facility in the West Wing of the White House. Over the years he has offered voluminous amounts of his time and charitable work to support those who serve in our armed forces, first responders and other heroes, and established the nonprofit organization, The Robert Irvine Foundation, which offers support to military personnel and their families. His
Public House restaurant is also often the site of charitable functions, such as the TAPS Las Vegas Survivors Experience, for families and loved ones of servicemen and women who died while serving, held in July, 2019; and he participates in the annual Summer Cookout, the kickoff event for Las Vegas Restaurant Week benefiting Three Square Food Bank. Of course beer was the main purpose of our visit, and we were not to be disappointed, with nearly 100 choices, including several local brews: 7FIVE Training Day, Bad Beat Bluffing Isn’t Weisse, CraftHaus Silver State Blonde, Joseph James Citra Rye Pale Ale and Hop Raider IPA, Lovelady 9th Island Pineapple Sour and Tenaya Creek 702 Pale Ale and Bonanza Brown. Other worthy contenders are Delirium Tremens, Founders Dragon’s Milk Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout, Goose Island Sophie, Prairie Phantasmagoria Double IPA, Unibroue La Fin du Monde and Wasatch Blueberry Hefe. The food menu is described as comfort food, and appears to be designed to complement the aforementioned brews, at least I found it to be. I enjoyed the very fresh Ahi Tuna Sashimi with kimchi aioli, sweet soy, shaved cabbage, cucumber and tomato; the very decadent Poutine—tots topped with pulled pork, Guinness shiitake gravy and goat cheese; White Pizza with garlic butter, chicken breast, broccolini and mozzarella; and English Banoffee Pie, so named for its combination of banana and toffee, accompanied with espresso ice cream. Other
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menu items I was tempted to try include the Shepherd’s Pie with ground lamb, beer-battered Fish & Chips, F&K Burger (named because it’s so large you will need a knife and fork) and the Build Your Own Burger option, which allows you to choose your meat, type of bun, cheese, sauce and extras (such as radish sprouts, fried egg and grilled Serrano peppers). If you’re lucky, you’ll get to be served by Wendy, who has worked at the Tropicana for 10 years and at Public House since the day it opened. Her very welcoming personality makes her well suited for her position. Hats off also to Nick, a bartender who is knowledgeable of and well versed in the beer his restaurant serves. Although the location is located on prime real estate at Las Vegas Blvd. and Tropicana, one of the busiest quadrants of the Blvd., the prices are not quite Strip prices, with appetizers in the $6$18 range and entrees mostly $16-$22. I’m told coming soon is a new menu and an expanded beer list, so I have more reasons to come back. The following quote from Robert Irvine, which is prominently painted on the top of the wall at the restaurant’s entrance, sums up a visit to Robert Irvine’s Public House: “There is no greater happiness than a full pint and a full plate.” Robert Irvine’s Public House Hours: Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-11p.m.; Sat. 9:30 a.m.11p.m.; Sun. 9:30 a.m.-10 p.m. troplv.com/dining/robert-irvine-public-house www.lvfnbpro.com
By Adam Rains & Terry Clark Adam is lead bartender at The Golden Tiki and a member of the Health & Wellness Committee for the Las Vegas USBG. He has studied at SDSU, USBG, BarSmarts, International Sommeliers Guild, Certified Cicerone Program and Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Academy. Terry is Beverage Director at the Summit Club where he is building an elevated bar program. He is certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers, an active USBG member and in 2018 won the USBG award for Most Creative Bartender.
Nadine Medina has been a member of our chapter since 2014 and has definitely made an impact. Originally from Hawaii, her last city of residence was Seattle, where she worked as a chef for the Supersonics, Seahawks and the Mariners. In search of a new adventure, she made the move to Vegas and also made the jump from back of the house to behind the bar. If you are lucky enough to spend time with Nadine, you will be enamored by her nurturing style of hospitality and culinary approach to bartending. This week we sat down and talked about flowers, Las Vegas and her love of the craft. You have been a member of the Guild for over five years. What are one of your favorite parts about the USBG? I get excited when other people are interested in learning our craft and the more I know it’s fun to educate what others don’t know, even if it’s just the simplest things. The USBG has given me a lot of education, love and support. I especially like the camaraderie, respect and the bonds that are developed as all of us are talented in different ways. Bartending has seen a lot of transformation in the last 20 years. We now utilize a lot of style, techniques and mindfulness that had been somewhat lost after Prohibition. What is your approach to our noble profession? My approach to bartending is normally to keep an open mind. A little conversation about the alcohol they chose is good, but I normally feel out people before giving them a lesson; not everyone cares about every aspect of what we do. It is about the experience, not just about the drink. Who do you consider a mentor? I always looked up to my dad; he was always my hero. Very smart and knowledgeable. He is so supportive and gave me the drive for doing your best at whatever you do. This city and profession are abound with opportunities (thankfully); I know that you worked for major casinos like The Venetian, MGM and Stations. Tell me about your current employer? I am proud to work with Craft LV, a cocktail catering company for any special events, VIP whiskey tastings and various other requests. Although this is not your basic bartending company, we accommodate many different needs with professional crafted cocktails composed by yours truly and owner, CEO Jehrome Thigpen. I work with Jehrome as his www.lvfnbpro.com
Photo credit: Nadine Medina
N A D I N E M E D IN A : BRIN GIN G T H E AL OHA SPIR IT TO L AS V EGAS
Lead Mixologist. What’s next for you in your career? My next step is advancing further into the advanced education of mixology and beyond. I will be applying for Cap 2020, mostly for the networking and the opening of other doors. Who knows, maybe a little teaching of this world and consulting. Where do you most like to catch a beverage? I love to drink where people can create or have a great selection of whiskeys, bourbons and Scotch. I don’t think I have a favorite drink to make... well, yea I do, ones that taste good! Give us some random Nadine facts? I love beautiful structures... I wanted to be an architect in high school. I also love flowers so much, I wish I could own a flower shop. I’m a kid at heart, but I also enjoy places to find zen. Three of the most peaceful places for me to think: beach, cemetery and my walk-in closet! There are definitely more reasons to love our city than to hate it; can you tell me why
are you here in Las Vegas and what are its benefits? Vegas gave me the opportunity to spend more time with my family and still make good money, if not more. Working for a union property, I was able to get more certified education at company’s expense, open my own business and change my career that led me to a great bar community known as the USBG. As you know, our chapter’s motto is “Hospitality First.” How do you apply that to your work behind the bar? For me it is 2nd nature. My background originated in Hawaii and in our culture, it is very normal to be welcoming and treat people like family. So with that said, I cater to needs but it’s more considered in my eyes as treating them like family and everyone gets treated the same. You gotta love what you do, cause the fake smile is not appealing. Everyday life is an adventure and never know what a good drink, good hospitality and a smile can do for either you or another! We were raised with the ‘Aloha Spirit.’ Mahalo!
January 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 19
The RESTAURANT EXPERT Restaurants Who Embrace Accountability Are More Profitable
Managing people and holding them accountable is one of the hardest things to do, especially in a restaurant. As a restaurant owner or manager, learning how to do this effectively is a game-changer. It allows you to trust the restaurant is being run how you want, even when you’re not there. Unfortunately, accountability tends to have a negative tone to it. Let me help you change the meaning of that word to create a positive work environment where your management team excels and appreciates you holding them accountable. The rudimentary meaning of “accountability” is “answerability.” It’s the acknowledgment of responsibility for your obligations, decisions and actions and how you are answerable for the resulting consequences. In a restaurant management setting: Obligations are to perform your job to a specific list of expectations. Decisions are what you make based on your obligations. Actions are what you do as a result of your decisions, which are ultimately the basis for what you will be answerable for. The key to this is not only a specific list of expectations, it’s that the list is clearly defined! This is where most independent restaurants fall down. And with this in mind, this is why managers cringe when hearing the phrase, “hold them accountable.” It’s because the owner or general manager has not been clear on their expectations of their management team. So when your management team hears that you are going to start holding them accountable, they think, “That SUCKS!” or “Whatever.” Because in the past there hasn’t been clarity, and accountability was just an owner or GM getting louder in expressing how unhappy they are that the manager didn’t do something they didn’t honestly know that they had to do or how to do it. Let’s take a look at what a restaurant looks like when expectations are clear. It’s a completely different scenario. When your management team knows what the job is, how to do it and how well you want it done, you have a management team that gets things done, meets expectations and ultimately makes you money and makes you happy. 20 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I January 2020
By David Scott Peters David Scott Peters is a restaurant coach and speaker who teaches restaurant operators how to cut costs and increase profits with his trademark Restaurant Prosperity Formula. Known as the expert in the restaurant industry, he uses a no-BS style to teach and motivate restaurant owners to take control of their businesses and finally realize their full potential. Thousands of restaurants have used his formula to transform their businesses. To learn more about David Scott Peters and his formula, visit www.davidscottpeters.com.
Here are just a few examples of ways to set expectations for your management: • Provide job descriptions that clearly state what the job is, how to do it and how well you want it done. • Create a training system that ensures they learn the job so clearly when going through training, that they can do it on their own without supervision or help after training is complete. • A restaurant budget that gives management a target to shoot for and gives them a road map to what systems need to be put into place to achieve those numbers. • A weekly/monthly budget variance report comparing budget to actual numbers giving management a clear financial report card that will guide them on to what systems need to be reviewed and what new systems need to be put in place. • Detailed checklists in every position! These are the foundation to clearly defining expectations in EVERY position in the restaurant. This allows both management and staff to do exactly what’s expected without any conflict. Because there is no such thing as common sense. You have to tell them exactly what needs to be done and how to do it. • Changing how YOU the owner or GM looks at accountability. Instead of answerability, look at it as an opportunity to coach, to becoming a partner in your management team’s success, to becoming a trainer, not just a parent who only scolds their children to teach them lessons. • Not just taking a manager’s word that they accomplished a task or did what you asked them to do. Instead of accepting the answer of yes it was done, say “great, show me.” Now you put yourself in a position to see that is was done and if not—or not done to your standards—gives you the opportunity to coach for success. When you make it clear to your team that change is a good thing, that the little details matter, that being clear on expectations is the norm, they will no longer think accountability is a bad thing. Your team will no longer see accountability as something that is dreadful and difficult. Shift your company culture from answerability to providing opportunities. And the end opportunity for you is to coach your way to both financial and personal success! www.lvfnbpro.com
CHARDONNAY SUMMER
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Please enjoy our wines responsibly. ferrari-carano.com
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Elaine and Scott Harris are full time journalists for over a decade covering resorts, spas, fine dining, wine, spirits and luxury travel. The husband and wife writing duo are sommeliers through the Court of Master Sommeliers and their work has appeared in the LA Times, Travel and Leisure, Google Travel, Modern Luxury, French Quarter Magazine in France and Monaco and Lausanne Tourism City Guide. Visit their website at Cuisineist.com to read articles and view over 400 videos featuring celebrity chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and Food Network stars.
Photo credit: Seabream
SeaBream, in Swank Tivoli Village in Summerlin Las Vegas Will Showcase the Culinary Magic and Entrepreneurship of Chef Jill Martinez-Montinola
By Elaine and Scott Harris
Jill Martinez-Montinola is no stranger to the Las Vegas culinary scene. She started as a pastry cook at renowned Jean Georges in New York. She moved to Las Vegas in 2005 and landed a position as a pastry chef at the Wynn Resort and Casino. Just a few short years later she became the head pastry chef at SushiSamba at The Palazzo Resort and Casino. She caught celebrity chef Scott Conant’s attention and moved to Scarpetta in Miami as Executive Pastry Chef. While in Miami, she returned to SushiSamba and Sugarcane as Regional Pastry Chef for both venues. In 2014, Martinez-Montinola joined the kitchen at Seaspice as Executive Pastry Chef and now has returned to Las Vegas as SeaBream’s Chef/Owner. How did this opportunity to open SeaBream come about? By chance! We were traveling on the west coast and my cousin told me about the opportunity. I had a short meeting with the investors and that was about it. I went back to Miami and was contacted a few months later. They told me that there was a change in direction and wanted me to take over the project. I talked it over with family and here I am. I felt that at this time in my career I am ready to take on more challenges to make me a better chef and person. You have been a pasty chef for many years. How will you use your skills at SeaBream? Yes, I have been a pastry chef for 16 years at very high levels. For many years behind
the kitchen door I did much more than that. I created menus and helped at various stations. I learned how to cut fish and meat and cook differently. At home I cook a lot for my family and friends. When you love what you do you just take it on. What is the concept of SeaBream? It is an Asian inspired restaurant. I am using different techniques and ingredients from all over Asia. The dishes are inspired by Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, China and the Philippines on one plate. People may have not seen it before, but they will know what it is because the flavors are there. I am tapping into things I didn’t know I had. What I love to eat is what I love to cook. For example, I have a grilled New York steak and bone marrow with yakiniku, Malaysian crab sambal and bitter melon atchara on the menu, as well as a watercress salad with Asian pear, salted egg vinaigrette and shaved salted egg on top. Is there anything that has surprised you about opening a brand-new restaurant? Waiting for permits, all the details, the nitty gritty of getting things done. Working with Tivoli management and learning about ACbasically it’s everything from floor to ceiling. It’s all about the details. What hours do you anticipate SeaBream to be open? We will be open for lunch and dinner. For the first month it will just be dinner opening from
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3 p.m. to 11 p.m. That will include a Happy Hour as well. We will have a handcrafted cocktail program and snacks all day that are well priced. This looks like it will certainly be a family operation. You have a young daughter; will she be around as well? Oh yes. She will grow up in the restaurant (industry) and will be here every day when not in school. What advice would you give someone thinking about becoming a chef or going to culinary school? Learn as much as you can. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Mistakes make you who you are. You learn through experience and understand the art of cooking and the relationship with food and techniques. I didn’t go to school. I feel it. I taste it. I fail sometimes. Now I know what not to do and what to do. Mentoring is important as well. Continue to learn and experience things. Taste and feel the food. Martinez-Montinola is a talented, creative and passionate chef and now restaurateur who has honed her culinary skills for 16 years in some of the finest kitchens and on the east coast alongside celebrity chefs. One can’t help but be excited as she brings years of culinary acumen and experience to her own SeaBream in Tivoli Village. It’s going to be fun to watch, taste and enjoy as she branches out with her own flavorful style at this brand new Las Vegas venue. www.lvfnbpro.com
Human Resources Insights
By Linda Westcott-Bernstein Linda Westcott-Bernstein has provided sound human resources advice and guidance to Fortune 500 companies and others for over 25 years. Linda has recently re-published her self-help book entitled It All Comes Down to WE! This book offers guidelines for building a solid and enduring personal work ethic. You can find her book on Amazon or Google Books. Phone: 702-326-4040 Email: Vegaslinda89129@yahoo.com
Holiday Season: A Time for Reflection and Evaluation
The holiday season is the perfect time for embracing the importance of family and friends. It’s a time to reflect on what we’ve done in our life and maybe even how we’ve made a contribution to the greater good. This applies not only in our personal lives but also in our work life. As we prepare to welcome in a new year and make some new resolutions, why not resolve to reflect on and evaluate the one thing which truly matters most: Are we a good person, do we care about the welfare of others and do we treat others with the respect they deserve? How can we honestly evaluate our goodness, our contributions in our work and personal life? We can start with an evaluation of ourselves by considering a few potential challenges… Do we… reserve our judgment of others? treat others with respect and consideration? act in a way that is considerate of others’ opinions? honestly assess our weaknesses as well as our strengths? try to understand the differences in others and embrace them? So much of human nature is to judge others by our situation and standards. While that is our frame of reference, it is not appropriate or accurate to theirs. Just the other week, I met with someone about a new job. This person was very open about her life and situation, and shared with me some very private information. This woman was in an abusive situation
and wanted desperately to escape it. It was easy for me to think … “I’m glad that’s not me … I’d never let myself be manipulated by anyone.” And suddenly, almost as quickly as those thoughts popped into my head, I realized that I was behaving judgmentally. I was clearly unable to comprehend not only what her situation was but how she came to be in it. It was cold and uncaring of me to think that I had any comprehension for her dilemma or situation. The goal and intent of a good human resources (HR) philosophy and practices is to help us all remember and reflect on what is truly important in life: the welfare of others. HR is there to help good people make good decisions by understanding the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between emotion and intellect. Please, never forget that there is no weakness in compassion, there is only the cold reality of indifference. This is the perfect time of year to remember and embrace that so important Golden Rule, while reflecting and evaluating our own characteristics— “Treat others the way in which you’d like to be treated.” To me, it really comes down to some very basic concepts for life and living… have compassion for your fellow (wo)man and endeavor to be fair, considerate and compassionate in all aspects of your life. Have a wonderful holiday season!
HR Question of the month:
Please send your HR questions and concerns, or share your thoughts on your human resources challenges via email to the following address. Send input to vegaslinda89129@yahoo.com. Your comments, questions or concerns will help determine the direction for my next month’s column and earn you a copy of my book. Include your mailing address when sending your responses.
www.lvfnbpro.com
January 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 23
May I Recommend...
Blake Myers visited Las Vegas many times annually for over 35 years, and as his familiarity with so many restaurants grew, more and more people “back home” began asking him where to eat on their “upcoming visit.” In 1998 he began formally reviewing and recommending his best picks in a newsletter he published, and after moving here in 2008 soon established his website, Bestofvegasdining. com, through which he shares his selections with a worldwide audience.
Photo credit: Gordon Ramsay Steak
Gordon Ramsay Steak
By Blake Myers
The Chunnel, as the tunnel under the English Channel is named, runs from Calais, France to Folkestone, England. This 31 mile-long miracle of modern engineering opened in 1994, and it’s unlikely that the unique 35-minute journey has been experienced by substantial numbers of Americans. It’s much more likely that a large number of visitors have journeyed from the casino floor of the Paris Las Vegas Hotel through the architectural representation of the “Chunnel” that connects with the British “destination” known as Gordon Ramsay Steak. The casino’s stylized version of this unique passageway always has been a unique feature, but as part of a recent over-all restaurant “reimagination” it’s even more dramatic. As they make their transit, diners are now treated to striking views of the Paris and London skylines, and at the end of their “journey” there’s an impressively large image of Gordon Ramsay etched in glass. The amount of publicity surrounding the May, 2012 opening of celebrity chef Ramsay’s sleekly-modern steakhouse certainly matched or exceeded the fanfare for any of Las Vegas’s new restaurants in recent years. Some restaurants associated with well-known television or media personalities don’t deserve the hype, but this one does. Many viewers have enjoyed the various television cooking shows starring Gordon Ramsay and his
passionate personality, but most aren’t aware of his extensively-awarded culinary background and restaurant successes he’s had. He began honing his culinary skills in London in the late 1980s, and then went to France in the early 1990s, where he perfected them under world-renowned chefs Joel Robuchon and Guy Savoy. In 1993 he returned to London and became head chef of Aubergine, which subsequently won two Michelin stars by 1996. Ramsay opened his own London restaurant, “Gordon Ramsay,” in 1998, which won its third Michelin star within three years. In the next few years he opened many additional restaurants that also received Michelin stars. His dining empire currently encompasses over 30 restaurants worldwide. Though the first impression of Gordon Ramsay Steak is the unique entrance, after exiting the “Chunnel” from the casino, diners emerge into the equally impressive restaurant interior. With predominant red and earth tones throughout, and an upper “mezzanine” level, the appearance of the restaurant is unlike any other in the city. Further accentuating the overall interior color scheme is a large neon “mobile” suspended from the two-story-high ceiling. It casts a red glow upon the entire restaurant, and represents the motions of Gordon Ramsay’s hands as he prepares a dish. Upon being seated, you immediately notice
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the ipad on your table. It allows you to easily navigate the entire wine list, which is supervised by Lead Sommelier Gabe Garcia. The categories are: Sparkling, White, Rose, Red, Half Bottles, Large Formats, Dessert and By The Glass. Countries represented include Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Italy, Lebanon, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain and the United States. The selections are eclectic and offer something for everyone’s taste. During the restaurant’s recent “re-imagination,” Chef Ramsay wanted to diversify the menu by including more non-meat and vegan offerings. Executive Chef Sterling Buckley has accomplished this expertly by expanding the seafood selections, which include oysters, clams, lobster, Alaskan king crab and a shrimp cocktail containing some spectacularly large specimens. Appealing appetizers include a choice of Lobster, Fluke or Hamachi Crudo; Ramsay’s signature Duck Scotch Egg; Smoked Beef Tartare; American Wagyu Sliders; and Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras. Seafood entrees feature Pacific Salmon, Ahi Tuna, Loup de Mer, Fish and Chips and a Fisherman’s Grill. Since “Steak” is, after all, in the restaurant’s name, beef is still front-and-center. All of the selections are Prime, 28-day dry-aged and are sourced from Pat LaFrieda Meats in New Jersey, one of the country’s most renowned purveyors. Heading the list of mouth-watering beef are American Wagyu (including eye, rib cap and filet) and Japanese A5 Wagyu. Your selections continue with prime cuts of Bone-in New York, Bone-in Rib Eye, Porterhouse and Royal LongBone Chop. Also, you won’t want to miss Chef Ramsay’s signature Roasted Beef Wellington, served medium rare and garnished with glazed root vegetables, potato puree and red wine demi-glace. Additional temptations are Beef Short Ribs, Roasted Chicken Breast, Kurobuta Double Pork Chops, Rack of Lamb and Veal Chop. And the menu wouldn’t be complete without a varied selection of unusual side dishes, including Rainbow Carrots; and a Potato Flight, comprised of three loaded potatoes: Caviar, Oscar and Fried Egg and Duck Bacon style. There are seven delicious choices on the dessert menu. I urge you to try Gordon Ramsay’s signature creation, the Sticky Toffee Pudding, consisting of sweet pudding cake, brown sugar toffee and brown butter ice cream. Once you take the short walk through the Chunnel you’ll want to make multiple return trips to experience the many outstanding menu items. www.lvfnbpro.com
By Sk Delph
DISHING IT
Photo credit: Sk Delph
with Sk Delph
Sk Delph knows her way around food and wine, not necessarily in that order, having lived and traveled from Sonoma, California to Boston and back to Vegas for the last fourteen years with her chef husband, turned GM here in Vegas. She has been published in various short story anthologies and is currently working on her first novel.
JuneShine Millennials and Gen Zers have made their mark and are calling the shots—spirit and beverage shots, that is. I met with ex-surfer, millennial and all-around great guy, Forrest Dein, the co-founder and CCO of JuneShine at their launch party on December 6th at Greene St. Kitchen located at the Palms Casino Resort and I was impressed. Why? They donate 1% of all sales to 1% For The Planet and helped motivate one of their suppliers to get USDA Organic certified because of their purchasing power. In fact, everything they use is 100% organic, renewable, recycled and sustainable. It’s just how they roll. “I walked down the aisles of Whole Foods Market,” said Forrest, “and wondered why we know so much about the food we put in our bodies and so little about the alcohol.” It was an epiphany moment and the birth of JuneShine, an organic, sustainable, kombucha that’s 6% ABV. “We ferment our kombucha twice, once with our house SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) to create a clean kombucha base, followed by a traditional alcoholic fermentation,” Forrest explained. JuneShine is an all-natural kombucha that health-conscious Americans from the young urban creatives of the millennial era to sports celebrities to Gen Zers who are just coming of age have put their stamp of approval on. Yes, Boomers be aware, this is what you need to be holding in your hand to be taken more seriously these days. Hard kombucha says you’re with it and young at heart and I’m all for that! For more information: JuneShine Hard Kombucha - Organic. 6% ABV. Gluten-Free www.juneshine.co
Bottles and Boxes On December 20th I attended a charity event benefiting The Shade Tree, located at 1 W. Owens Ave, whose mission is to shelter the homeless, abused women and children in crisis. This event was coordinated and presented by Aaron Diec, the brainchild of Bottles and Boxes and who also happens to be the Director of the Asian Portofolio at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Nevada. The event hosted by Boathouse www.lvfnbpro.com
Asian Eatery located at Palace Station Casino brought together over 100 people to enjoy shochu, sake and sushi for a night of great food and holiday cheer in the spirit of giving. It’s safe to say that Aaron Diec loves sneakers, so much in fact, he has a sneaker collection that would garner the envy of an NBA star. “I’ve always been into sneakers,” said Aaron. “So, I have a pretty extensive collection.” Watch a few ‘Bottles and Boxes’ Youtube episodes and be amazed. To break it down, the sneaker community is a culture. It’s a showcase of athletic shoes that exhibits high performance and a touch of fashion. Wearing a suit and tie with the right pair of sneakers is a thing! So it came naturally that Aaron would collect sneakers not just for himself but for those less fortunate to own a pair. “We brought in about 150 pairs of sneakers and delivered them to The Shade Tree that night!” “The best way to learn about a new beverage is to come out to these events and indulge.” ~ Aaron Diec, Dir. Asian Portfolio, SGWS Aaron introduced ‘Shochu,’ a Japanese beverage about 25 to 37% ABV distilled from rice, barley, buckwheat, sweet potatoes, chestnuts and sesame seeds to name a few. Shochu is not sake, a brewed rice wine, but something different. A quick Google search will claim several health benefits and it’s caught fire with the health-conscious younger generation. I tried the Nankai Gold Shochu and loved the clean, crisp taste. Let Aaron explain: “Shochu and sake are not just for Asian food anymore. The days of pairing (them) with sushi only are long gone. You can pair sake (or shochu) with pasta or a cheeseburger, BBQ ribs or chicken wings, it’s only a matter of finding the right sake.” I find this highly intriguing because I love sake. James Hsu, James Song and Kent Wong do all the videography for Bottles and Boxes. Aaron says, “They collaborate with restaurants that are up and coming or who are interested in showcasing their cuisine and present it on @Grubistry on Instagram or GRUBistry on Youtube.” Interested in showcasing your restaurant with any of these exciting opportunities? Contact Aaron directly at aarondiec@sgws.com. January 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 25
By Shelley Stepanek Shelley Stepanek is President of DSA, the oldest non-profit tourist association in the state, along with being on the board of ticket brokers. Shelley has previously owned three restaurants.
Photo credit: Shelley Stepanek
Best of the Best
CHARLIE PALMER STEAKHOUSE in the Four Seasons features a new dinner series. The ever-elegant Charlie Palmer Steakhouse in the Four Seasons Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, has an international series of dinners this winter. I went to the one featuring Argentina on December 13. There were 22 people seated in the elegant private room. We started with empanada made with beef cheeks and a salsa agridulce and parsley accompanied by a light refreshing Caipirinha drink. Romaine lettuce, hearts of palm, baby beets, green apples and Dijon vinaigrette was paired with a Torrontes, Piatelli and Cafayate 2018 wine. Next up was Locro soup, with beans, short ribs and pickled corn. The server came around with a carafe of elegant broth and poured it over the mixture. The main course was family-style: a steak asado with a bone-in New York steak, skirt steak, morcillas and chorizo, with sides of garlic, onions and stuffed peppers filled with quinoa. Grilled portobello mushrooms and potatoes were paired with Malbec, Zorzal, Eggo, Tinta di Tiza Tupungato and Mendoza 2016. Rounding out the dessert was a flan mixto with dulce de leche ice cream. I met lovely Evita McDaniels, the senior marketing manager who flew in from California and was host for the night, and Steven Geddes, an extremely knowledgeable Sommelier. He explained the food and the wine, and certainly showed us all a good time.
Charlie Palmer’s is in five US cities and is a first-rate steakhouse. The location in the Four Seasons is very large, and the lounge area is always full. Valet parking is taken care of for your dinner. Please, if you are in Las Vegas on Jan. 17, check out their dinner from Australia; and Japan will be featured on February 21. In Vegas, by chance, and going to the west side of the Valley? ADA’S is certainly worth a trip for a lovely brunch or lunch. This great restaurant is in the midst of Tivoli Village, a conglomerate of shops, boutiques and great dining places. Lovely General Manager Sonia Stelea greeted us. We started with large mugs, minus handles I should say, of strong coffee and a mimosa. The menu was very appealing, hard to pick what we wanted to try, so we did the next best thing, and sampled numerous items. A hot loaf of bread with both solid and melted butter came out piping hot. Terrific. Avocado toast has certainly become a staple of many restaurants in the last couple of years, and theirs is the best. Two large slices, totally slathered with avocado, tasty bits of radish and a perfectly cooked egg was enough for one whole meal, but two of us quickly ordered the next course: Duck Confit Benedict, a marvel in the merging of tastes.
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Another cup of hot coffee and we decided to order and split one of their pasta dishes. We ordered the Chitarra, with carbonara, black pepper, eggs, guanciale and peas. Others to try are the Bucatini—cacio e pepe, aged pecorino and telicherry pepper; and Gemelli—pesto, pistachio, peas and greens, topped with pecorino romano. Plenty of side dishes to go along. Breakfast has Eggs and Sauce, a great looking French omelet, Polenta with sunny side eggs, truffled mushrooms with pecorino, and a Croque Madame, with ham, fontina, tomato cream and a sunny side up egg. There is a nice little outdoor porch for lovely weather days. Great waitstaff and a full wall of numerous wines. Mon. thru Fri. 11-10, 1010 on weekends. Vegan and vegetarian options, reservations not needed and a happy hour. 410 S. Rampart, Suite 120, adaslv.com LIMONCELLO, a new Italian eatery on the west side, where the old Macayo’s stood, has been highly upgraded and turned into a seaside resort off the coast of Italy. Authentic Italian dishes, daily fresh seafood, pizzas in the woodfired oven, a large bar and an immense amount of wines. There is a main dining room, private room, two semi-private rooms and a lovely patio area. Only open for dinner, but we hope that will change soon. 8245 W. Sahara Ave. Limoncellolv.com www.lvfnbpro.com
AND
Present
MGM Grand Garden Arena Las Vegas, NV
Save the Date | Saturday, March 7, 2020 Mark your calendar and expect big surprises at the Power of Love® Gala.
Cuisine by Wolfgang Puck ♥ Tantalizing Cocktails Exquisite Wines ♥ Luxury Auction Items ♥ Spectacular Entertainment Celebrity Appearances ♥ Philanthropy and Camaraderie Proceeds Benefit:
Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health Alzheimer’s | Huntington’s | Parkinson’s | Multiple System Atrophy | Multiple Sclerosis
Seating available now: KeepMemoryAlive.org/POL 702.263.9797 | PowerofLove@KeepMemoryAlive.org
photo credit: Jenna Dosch Photography
The Nevada Restaurant Association 2019 Annual Meeting & Culinary Excellence Award Winners
The Nevada Restaurant Association hosted its 37th Annual Meeting and Culinary Excellence Awards on Thursday, December 12th, 2019, at Wynn Las Vegas with the master of ceremonies, Anchor of KLAS-TV Channel 8 News NOW, Denise Valdez. CEO of The Innovation Resource and best-selling author, Robert B. Tucker, was the Keynote Speaker, speaking to attendees about managing the future, and how we can capitalize on what he calls the “Driving Forces of Change.” The annual event honors and celebrates the best in the industry, who were selected based on merit in such areas as exceptional service, teamwork, leadership, contributions of knowledge and time to the community and dedication to the restaurant industry. There are eight award categories. This year, the Association included two new groups: “Restaurant of the Year” and “Hospitality Champion of the Year.” “The nominees and winners exemplify the Nevada Restaurant Association’s mission to promote, protect and educate our state’s growing restaurant industry,” said Katherine Jacobi, President & CEO of the Association.
The 2019 Culinary Excellence winners are: Drinks Specialist of the Year, Adam Rains of Golden Tiki; Pastry Chef of the Year, Flora Aghababyan of Wynn Las Vegas; New Restaurant of the Year, LOCALE Italian Kitchen; Vendor/ Supplier of the Year, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirit of Nevada; Restaurant of the Year, Herbs and Rye; Chef of the Year, James Trees of Esther’s Kitchen; Restaurateur of the Year, Elizabeth Blau of Blau & Associates; and Hospitality Champion of the Year, Amber Jackson of MarkeTeam. The Nevada Restaurant Association Educational Foundation also recognizes Timothy Moulson, President & CEO of Training Effective Restaurant Management, as 2019 Industry Champion; and Ann Taylor, ProStart Culinary Teacher, of Coronado High School, as 2019 ProStart Educator of the Year. Both Timothy and Ann were the first recipients in their categories. Their continued dedication and endless support to the Association’s Educational Foundation’s ProStart Program have contributed to the program’s success, which provides scholarships for high school students interested in starting a career in the restaurant and foodservice industry.
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The Nevada Restaurant Association also welcomed and inducted new members to their board of directors: • Tommy Rocker of Tommy Rocker’s Mojave Beach Grill • Alice Tomlin of WeNevada LLC • Brandon Hurte of Better MyPOS Inc. • Kris Parikh of Mint Indian Bistro • Derrick Morrison of Sysco Las Vegas • Chef Jainine Jaffer of Shiraz Restaurant “The restaurant industry is at a crossroads with so many key factors shaping the future of the industry. I am so thrilled to have these forwardthinking and prominent leaders as part of our board of directors. With their help and the rest of the board members, I am confident that we will guide our Nevada Restaurant Association members through some significant changes that we see forthcoming,” said Stewart Patchefsky, Chairman of the Board of Nevada. www.lvfnbpro.com
CABERNET
COLOR UP YOUR LIFE! www.lvfnbpro.com
RIEDEL.COM
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EVENTS
AD INDEX
There are several major food & beverage events happening in the coming months. Here is a sampling of some of the events we highly recommend, so if planning to attend you can start booking now.
Al Dentes’ Provisions sales@aldentes.com 702-642-1100
January 18: Big Dog’s Brewing Company’s Winterfest beer and music festival will be held in the front and side parking lots of the Draft House in northwest Las Vegas, and will feature 45 regional beers, heart-warming winter stews and live music throughout the night. www.bigdogsbrews.com/festivals/winterfest January 19-21: The BITAC Food & Beverage 2020 held at The Mirage will offer education, relationship-building and uninterrupted private meetings between decision-makers and vendors focused on equipping, furnishing and running a restaurant or F&B, catering or convention department. www.bitac.net/Event/FoodBeverage/2020 January 19-21: The 45th Annual Winter Fancy Food Show at the Moscone Center in San Francisco will offer more than 80,000 specialty foods and beverages, thousands of new products and more than 1,400 exhibitors from around the globe and sessions featuring innovative thinkers in specialty food, sustainability, commerce, and food technology. www.specialtyfood.com/shows-events/winter-fancy-food-show February 18-20: The Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Winter EPPS will convene at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and provide a venue for suppliers of coffee, tea and cocoa to present new items and promotional opportunities to buyers from across all retail channels. https://ecrm.marketgate.com/Sessions/2020/02/CoffeeTeaCocoaEPPS February 23-26: The National Grocers Expo held at the San Diego Convention Center will bring together independent retailers and wholesalers, food retail industry executives, food/CPG manufacturers and service providers for opportunities to learn, engage, share, network and innovate. www.thengashow.com
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Arctic Ice Plus CBD Water info.pembertondc@gmail.com 702-8698152
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Big Dog’s Brewing Company www.bigdogsbrews.com 702-368-3715
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Designated Drivers, Inc. designateddriversinc.com 877-456-7433 Ferarri Carano www.ferrari-carano.com
Keep Memory Alive Event Center 702-263-9797 kmaeventcenterlasvegas.com Jay’s Sharpening Service www.jayssharpening.com 702-645-0049
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Riedel riedel.com
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Roca Patron rocapatron.com
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Power of Love 2020 keepmemoryalive.org/POL 702.263.9797
4310 W Tompkins Ave Las Vegas, NV 89103
702-645-0049
www.jayssharpening.com • customerservice@jayssharpening.com
Mobile Service Our mobile service vans provide sharpening services on-site to even the largest resort properties, without disrupting workflow. Commercial Knife Exchange Program We furnish sharp knives to your kitchen on a weekly or biweekly rotation schedule.
W Harmon Ave
Equipment Sales We offer top-of-the-line knives, culinary tools, kitchen supplies and replacement parts. Cutting Board Resurfacing & Replacements
Arville St
Jay’s Sharpening Service
March 3-7: The Natural Products Expo West held at the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim Hilton and Anaheim Marriott will include the newest trends in natural food & beverage products. www.expowest.com March 9-12 The Catersource Show will be co-located with The Special Event at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center and feature everything to do with the business of catering. The combined event will bring over 500 suppliers and 8,500 professionals together to provide an unmatched opportunity to source, network and learn. If you or your company is involved in catering, or even if it isn’t, you’ll want to attend this show. conference.catersource.com
Steak & Table Knife Re-Serration / Sharpening
W Tropicana Ave
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www.lvfnbpro.com
IN THE TIME IT TAKES TO READ THIS AD, WE’VE MADE LITTLE TO NO PROGRESS. We slow-roast the finest 100% Weber Blue Agave for more than three days and then slowly crush it with a two-ton tahona stone wheel. The result is an earthy, complex taste that’s more than worth the wait.
The perfect way to enjoy Patrón is responsibly. Handcrafted and imported exclusively from Mexico by The Patrón Spirits Company, Las Vegas, NV. 42-45% abv.