The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional

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Issue 3 Volume 19

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UNLVino Celebrates 45 Years!!–April 11-13 Remembering a Groovy 1974 to Present Day

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CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER MIKE FRYER WELCOME TO OUR MARCH 2019 UNLVINO SPECIAL ISSUE. The Annual UNLVino started in 1974 as a fundraiser for UNLV students in the Culinary Department and continuing through to today has become the longest ongoing college wine event in the US and has supported and funded hundreds of students in their hospitality industry studies.

Cover MARCH COVER FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS UNLVINO IN ITS 45TH YEAR and is covered here by

Feature Journalist Don Chareunsy. Along with the retrospective-themed celebration to mark UNLVino’s start, UNLVino is returning to its beloved three-event format this year with Bubble-Licious (April 11), Sake Fever (April 12) and The Grand Tasting (April 13).

Ticket sales for the events are quickly filling up as the word is spreading about this year’s festivities and honorees. Here is a sneak peek at what this year’s attendees can expect…

9 ALICE SWIFT REVISITS THE PAST 8 YEARS OF HER INVOLVEMENT WITH UNLVINO telling

us: This year, UNLVino celebrates its 45th anniversary; can you believe it? There have been many variations over the decades, changes in location, theme, number of days, honorees, etc. but what has remained a constant since its beginning, is the millions of dollars in scholarships raised to benefit the students of the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality at UNLV.

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27 OUR LVF&B PROFESSIONAL COVER FEATURE FROM OUR APRIL, 2015 ISSUE IS REPRISED,

DEPICTING THE 1ST UNLVINO WINE TASTING HIGHLIGHTING ROBERT MONDAVI ON SEPTEMBER 6, 1974 held at the Southern Wine and Spirits Warehouse.

29 UNLV STUDENTS PREPPING FOR UNLVINO is an insider’s look written by our Journalist,

Justin Leung, a UNLV student taking the UNLVino course. Justin relates how every year, a team of student managers works alongside their professors and classmates.

Passionate students are given a wondrous, unparalleled opportunity to take part in planning, executing and managing operations as well as partner relations and are divided into teams of focus: ticket sales, volunteer coordination, marketing, auction/ sponsorships, back-of-house and logistics.

CHEERS! MIKE FRYER SR. EDITOR/PUBLISHER

Page 4 Hot off the Grill!

Page 5 The Bottom Line Avoid Customer Confusion by Keeping Things Simple Page 6 What’s Brewing Page 8 Product Review

www.socalfnbpro.com

Page 12 COVER FEATURE A Vintage Year UNLVino Celebrates 45 Years!!– April 11-13 Remembering a Groovy 1974 to Present Day

Page 26 Chef Talk Spring Is Almost Upon Us Page 28 Brett’s Vegas View Page 29 UNLV Students Prepping for UNLVino Page 30

Page 22 Foodie Biz

Events Ad Index

Page 9 Revisiting 8 Years of UNLVino Memories

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Page11 Human Resources Insights Are You Working in a Toxic Environment?

Page10 The Restaurant Expert How to Hit a Home Run in Labor Controls

Page 25 Spirits Confidential with Max Solano Make Way For Rum Part 2

ACF Chefs of SoCal

March 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 3

The Socal Food & Beverage Professional 7442 Grizzly Giant Street Las Vegas, NV 89139

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HOT OFF THE GRILL!

Mike Fryer

Sr. Editor/Publisher Thank you for joining us in this issue of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.

For any questions or comments please email mike@socalfnbpro.com

Juanita Fryer

Assistant To Sr. Editor ACF Chefs Liasion/Journalist juanita.fryer@socalfnbpro.com

Juanita Aiello

Creative Director juanita@socalfnbpro.com

Bob Barnes

Editorial Director bob@socalfnbpro.com

Ben Brown

Restaurant Editor ben@socalfnbpro.com

Restaurant Editor Ben Brown explored the myriads of exotic ice cream flavors at Humphry Slocombe in Venice, from McEvoy Olive Oil to Harvey milk and honey graham. Discover more culinary treats in Ben’s Foodie Biz column.

Adam Rains

Beverage Editor adam.rains@socalfnbpro.com

Advertising sales@socalfnbpro.com

Article Submissions/Suggestions articles@socalfnbpro.com

Calendar Submissions calendar@socalfnbpro.com

Website webmaster@socalfnbpro.com

Press Relase Submissions news@socalfnbpro.com

General Information info@socalfnbpro.com

@socalfnbpro

The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Legal Editorial Advisor Andrew Matney

Journalist What’s Brewing David Mulvihill

Accounting Manager Michelle San Juan

Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett Journalist

Best of the Best Shelley Stepanek

Journalist Spirits Confidential Max Solano

Journalist Good for Spooning LeAnne Notabartolo

Journalist Front & Back of the House Gael Hees

Photographer Audrey Dempsey

Journalist Chef Talk Allen Asch

Journalist Pat Evans

Journalist The Restaurant Expert David Scott Peters

Journalist Wine Talk Alice Swift

Journalist Sandy Korem

Journalists Twinkle Toast Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover

Journalist Lisa Matney

Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein

Journalist Made from Scratch John Rockwell

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www.socalfnbpro.com

The Bottom Line Avoid Customer Confusion by Keeping Things Simple

Are you an upscale burger joint or a gastropub? Do you serve Mexican food, Mexican fusion or just have a few Mexican dishes on the menu?

Is your craft cocktail program one of your main selling points, or do you want to push guests toward your beer selection? On the surface these can seem like trivial details, but they all fall under the branding umbrella.

Your restaurant’s value proposition—the main ingredient that gets someone to walk through your doors—should be clear and consistent across the guest experience, with special focus on your menu, price point and ambiance. Sadly, a restaurant’s value proposition isn’t as simple as “good food, good service.” These elements are, after all, what essentially every restaurant aspires to.

The question you want to ask yourself is “How do I want my customers to describe my restaurant in a sentence?” There will inevitably be overlap between your establishment and many others in your area. “Great Italian food,” for example, is a perfectly acceptable answer.

The key, however, is consistency. If you lined up your last 100 customers and asked each of them to describe your restaurant in a sentence, then at least 90 of them should say roughly the same thing. An even split among “great Italian food,” “wine bar” and “pizza joint” paints three very different pictures of your restaurant’s brand, and could either unnecessarily turn customers away [people looking for something more filling than a wine bar] and/or unnecessarily disappoint others [people looking for a wine bar but stepping into a casual pizza joint that happens to serve wine].

Here are a few tips for keeping your brand clear and consistent.

Add a story to your menu.

Nothing adds a personal touch to your menu like a brief synopsis on the story behind your restaurant. This is your prime opportunity to define your brand and your key message points in a cohesive, genuine story.

Take a good look at your menu mix and ask yourself how it all ties together. The answer is simple at some places, such as a classic sushi spot. For a place that serves both sushi and burgers with a Japanese influence, however, it’s important to paint a clear picture of how these www.socalfnbpro.com

By Ben Brown 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 follow him @Foodie_Biz.

two elements tie together. Perhaps the owner immigrated to the US and fell in love with burgers, and decided to create American dishes with Japanese influence, as well as sushi with an American influence.

If you’re experimenting with new items that stray away from your central theme, justify it with a story. Add a description that states the inspiration behind the dish. Give the customer every reason possible to understand and appreciate your offerings.

At the same time, if an item isn’t selling and it strays from the rest of your menu mix, you may be better off by removing it altogether.

Justify your ambiance.

Ambiance and price have a pretty direct relationship. While it’s critical to make ends meet financially, it’s also important to match your prices to the feel of your restaurant and the quality of your food. Charge too much and you’ll be seen as overpriced, and eventually lose loyalists. Charge too little and people may not correctly perceive your quality, and you’ll leave money on the table.

Then there comes the issue of a wait. If your restaurant has a line, it should be due to overwhelming demand and not poor management.

Pink’s Hot Dogs [at least the original location in L.A.] is a perfect example of the line being part of the experience. If you’ve got a wait with empty tables visible, on the other hand, that may well be the message that your patrons are passing along to their peers.

Keep imagery on par.

Photos of your food and dining areas should match the experience you’re looking to create. Higher-priced establishments should tolerate nothing less than beautiful food photos. No gastropub owner wants to be mistaken as a burger joint due to lack of investment in good imagery.

More casual establishments can get away with lower-grade images.

Professional-grade food photos may actually have a negative effect in these cases, as some guests could perceive the restaurant as overpriced from investing too much in marketing. On the other end of the spectrum, however, kitschy photos should also be avoided. Simply capture your food in the way you want your customers to perceive it.

March 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 5

what’s

By David Mulvihill

photos by David Mulvihill

BREWING

David Mulvihill strives to experience and write about the ever-evolving face of SoCal craft beer. He also covers Orange County for Celebrator Beer News and provides business and compliance support to SoCal breweries. Contact him at david@socalcraftbeer.com.

BXCR/ The Culinary Underground Valentine on the Vine beer vs. wine dinner.

He Said Beer, She Said Wine First published in 2008, He Said Beer, She Said Wine was inspired by dinner pairing competitions that prominent Philadelphia-area sommelier Marnie Old and famed owner and founder of Dogfish Head craft brewery (Milton, DE) Sam Calagione have been holding for quite a few years. For these dinners (held throughout the country) they team with unaffiliated chefs who create each menu. Sam and Marnie then choose a liquid pairing for each course. Guests vote on the better pairing of each course. Their illustrated book guides the reader on how to successfully pair both beer and wine with a wide variety of foods.

As the popularity and standing of craft beer has elevated as accompaniment to fine fare, additional beer vs. wine dinners have come into play.

BXCR VOTV 2.0 One such occasion took place on Valentine’s Day at the BCXR Wine Bar, located within Anaheim’s Packing District. Held in collaboration with The Culinary Underground’s Chef Andrea Machuca-Kirkland, Valentine on the Vine 2.0, a Wine vs. Beer Dinner, was BXCR’s 4th installment of wine vs. beer.

Unlike the Sam vs. Marnie dinners, Chef Andrea teamed with both Anaheim’s Unsung Beer Company and Hello Kitty Wines to plan the menu and accompanying libations. She even collaborated with the Unsung brewing team in crafting the dessert pairing beer! Unsung Brewing Company is a premier craft brewery with tasting room and pilot brewery just across the street in the Packing District’s Make facility.

Unsung’s production brewery is in Tustin. Hello Kitty Wines incorporates artisanal wines from various regions in Italy.

1st course: What Mermaids Eat for Breakfast To waken the palate, a fresh Kumamoto oyster

BXCR/ The Culinary Underground Valentine on the Vine beer vs. wine dinner.

served with a blueberry yuzu mignonette and shaved cucumber was presented with a dusting of sand-toned sea salt to complete the oceanside illusion.

Wine pairing: Hello Kitty Pinot Grigio. It provided a fruity pop that enhanced the flavors of the bite at hand.

Beer pairing: Unsung’s Hard Seltzer, a remarkably light but refreshing and flavorful sparkling seltzer-type brew that incorporates Mandarin orange zest and juice. At less than 4% ABV, it was subtle, but flavorful enough to complement the fresh brine of the oyster.

Unsung has a new seltzer in process that will be released soon. The new one incorporates pluots (a stone fruit hybrid of plum and apricot) into the mix.

2nd course: Brie Mine A very special presentation of Gran Margaux Brie came next. A matcha bruleed Gran Margaux was accompanied by Drea’s Raspberry 3:00 a.m. with Corvette rose petals and spiced almonds. My guess is that the raspberry sauce was prepared or created in the wee hours of the morning.

Beer pairing: French Boysenberry Saison by Unsung, a French-style fruited saison with boysenberries. The Saison was powerful but pleasant. Given the mildness of the brie, it alone may have become overpowered by this bold saison. Combining the cheese with the raspberry and spiced almonds resulted in a more-harmonizing pairing. Attendees must have agreed. The Saison was voted winner over the wine paiting.

Wine pairing: The Hello Kitty Prosecco, with its effervescent light fruitiness provided a subtle contrast that cleansed the palate and allowed for a resulting explosion of flavor.

Main course: Down the Rabbit Hole A Rabbit Cassoulet with white beans, warming winter root vegetables, parsnips, carrots (with

6 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I March 2019

crunch), chorizo and rabbit white-wine gravy provided a tasteful interpretation of a classic French countryside dish. It came accompanied by mini-squeeze bottle containing Dante’s Inferno hot sauce (with ancho, ghost chiles and more) as an optional addition to the dish. The hot sauce provided some heat and enhanced the culinary components without changing the intended flavors.

Beer pairing: Kinetica Helles Lager by Unsung was crisp, light and true to style. For this dish, this reporter preferred the helles lager’s lighter qualities, which perked up of the principle constituents in the course.

Wine pairing: Hello Kitty Pinot Noir, from the Lombardi Region of Italy, was fruit forward, containing cruxes of strawberry, blackberry and raspberry. Possessing some aged raisin-y sweet characteristics, it perhaps lacked some roundness/ fullness of body to improve its complement, but played well off the spiciness of the chorizo.

Dessert course: Let Them Eat Cake For dessert, a strawberry champagne sponge cake with Vermont Creamery mascarpone frosting in the middle and “Romance Raspberry” gelee came for dessert. In introducing the dessert, Chef Andrea shared that, while she created its foundation, Stephanie made it beautiful. She introduced the evening’s pastry chef, Stephanie Snee, who spoke about the dessert. A white-chocolate ganache was soaked into the top layer along with a strawberry glaze (strawberries soaked in rose wine), topped with a white chocolate Hello Kitty and garnished with pansies.

Beer pairing: Buzzed On Love Lager, brewed by Unsung in collaboration with Chef Andrea, was a one of a kind special presentation. They began with one of Unsung’s core beers, Buzzman Cream Ale. Buzzman pays homage to owner Mike Crea’s Midwest origins. The cream ale www.socalfnbpro.com

BXCR/ The Culinary Underground Valentine on the Vine beer vs. wine dinner.

begins fermentation at ale temperatures in the 60 degrees range. The temp is then dropped to the 40s, where the beer lagers as it finishes and clears. Adding a Valentine’s Day twist, Andrea worked with Mike Crea and Unsung Brewer Ryan Hunt to transform this base beer with additions of Egyptian rose water and organic raspberry puree. It presented with a hint of roses and refreshing tartness on the finish. This oneof-a-kind beer complemented the course, as did the wine pairing and the resulting split vote for this course.

Wine pairing: Hello Kitty sweet pink is a floral and fruity demi-sec semi-sweet sparkling rosé made with Chardonnay and Pinot Nero grapes.

Pressing with the skins resulted in the pale pink hue.

Regardless of whether wine or beer was voted best pairings of the evening it was clear that both are apt accompaniments. Chef KirklandMachuca and The Culinary Underground team up once again on March 14th for a St Patrick’s Day beer vs. wine dinner, this time with Anaheim’s Asylum Brewing. Consult BXCR’s and The Culinary Underground’s social media for complete details on upcoming events.

Festival Time With an ever increasing number of beer festivals, I’m not sure that Festival Season ever ends.

Coming March 9, craft beer enthusiasts can look forward to San Juan Capistrano’s Docent Brewing commemorating its 2nd Anniversary FIELD TRIP. In collaboration with Brew Ha Ha Productions the celebration will take place at Reata Park and include musical entertainment

by The White Buffalo, Roses Pawn Shop and Robert Jon & The Wreck. In addition to Docent brews, invited breweries will also be pouring.

The list includes Alpine, Artifex, Chapman Crafted, Green Cheek, Gunwhale, Lost Winds, Pizza Port, Riip Beer Company, Stereo Brewing Co, TAPS, Ten Mile, The Good Beer Co, Tustin and Burgeon.

Yorkshire Square Brewery and the Los Angeles County Brewers Guild come together again on March 16th (St. Patrick’s Day Weekend) for YSB’s Second Annual N’OWT BUT STOUT FESTIVAL. Dark beer is the liquid meal of the day (on cask and keg) from more than 25 breweries personally selected by Yorkshire’s own Andy Black. The fest will again feature unlimited pours from 1pm-5pm, food trucks and live music. www.socalfnbpro.com

BXCR/ The Culinary Underground Valentine on the Vine beer vs. wine dinner.

The Central Coast Brewers Guild will present its second annual Central Coast Craft Beer Fest on Saturday, March 30th at the Sunken Gardens in Atascadero from 12-4 p.m. The festival takes place towards the end of Central Coast Craft Beer Week, which runs from March 24-31. Samples of beer from over 45 member craft breweries, from Ventura County to the south all the way north to Monterey. Wineries, cideries and additional guest breweries will also be participating. Entertainment by Bear Market Riot, Wall of Tom, and Dj Hecktik, food trucks and vendors will complete the experience. The VIP Session from 12-1 p.m. includes an hour early entry, and VIP craft beer and food pairings from area restaurants.

The Fest benefits local charities and the Central Coast Brewers Guild. The 300 miles coastline that encompasses California’s Central Coast (Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Monterey counties) is home to over XXXX craft breweries.

For more information and tickets visit: www. centralcoastbrewersguild.com/cccbf2019 Brew Ha Ha Productions and Synergy Global Entertainment are back at it in early April

when Sabroso Craft Beer, Taco and Music Fest returns to the beautiful grounds of Doheny State Beach. This year’s So Cal event will run for two days, April 6-7. With an amazing lineup of beer, tacos and entertainment, many will want to attend both days. Saturday’s music includes Flogging Molly, Bad Religion, Good Charlotte, Lagwagon, Strung Out, The Suicide Machines, and D.I. Sunday’s bill includes The Offspring, Decendents, Black Flag, Face to Face, Plague Vendor, Red City Radio and Orange Blossom Special.

There will be over 150 craft beers to taste, a large assortment of tacos from a variety of restaurants and vendors and lucha libre wrestling!

On April 27, The OC Brewers Guild will hold this year’s OCBG Invitational Beer Festival from 12-4 p.m. The event moves to a new venue and will take place at the Elks Lodge in Garden Grove. Expect beer from over 50 breweries to be flowing from Guild member breweries and invited breweries from all over. Consult ocbrewers.org for complete details and tickets.

Yorkshire Square’s Andy Black at last year’s N’owt But Stout Fest.

March 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 7

Product Review

By Bob Barnes

DNX Foods Grass-Fed Beef & Uncured Bacon Jalapeño Bar The word bacon got my attention and jalapeno was the icing on the cake. Well, not a cake, but rather a new protein bar made with certified organic spices, grass-fed beef from New Zealand and Australia and uncured bacon. Those on a keto diet will be happy to know it has 14g of protein, 9g of healthy fats from high-quality animal sources, no sugar or sugar alcohol added and only 1g of carbs per bar. And, it’s vacuum-packed to stay fresh for a year without refrigeration, tastes great and has just enough jalapeño to give it a bit of a kick without being too spicy. Other bonuses are the fact it contains no artificial ingredients, preservatives, fillers, GMOs, MSG, dairy, soy, gluten, antibiotics or hormones. dnxbar.com/grass-fed-beef-uncured-bacon-jalapeno-bar

Bumbu XO Appreciation for aged rum is on the rise and I count myself as one of those enjoying this expanding segment of the market. My latest find is Bumbu XO. Named for the term used by sailors in the past to describe their rum when mixed with Caribbean fruits and spices to enhance its flavor, this small batch premium rum is aged up to 18 years in bourbon barrels and finished in white oak sherry barrels from Andalusia, Spain. It’s distilled and aged at a 120-year-old distillery in Panama and uses only local sugarcane and pure spring water. The 80 proof rum exhibits aromas of toffee, toasted oak and vanilla and on the palate presents notes of orange zest, peppery spice and a hint of coffee. Classy packaging is in a paperless glass bottle, with a striking matte black finish, silver and white details and a tarnished silver “X” medallion. bumbu.com

Hangover Recovery I’m often leery of hangover recovery claims and in my unscientific experimentation the only prevention I’ve found to be at least partly effective is sobering up before going to bed. So, one that helps speed up that process, has some promising aspects. Such is the case for the Nilo Hangover Recovery, which is a natural blend of herbs engineered to help detox and prevent hangovers, by accelerating the breakdown of toxins in the liver released by drinking alcohol. While the mix is proprietary, it is advertised to have Hovenia Dulcis (DHM), a Japanese herb super antioxidant that boosts liver detoxification and minimizes the rebound effect alcohol has on your brain; milk thistle, which contains "Silymarin" that protects the liver against damage caused by toxins; and glutathione, a natural antioxidant that works to neutralize toxins released when drinking alcohol. www.drinkhangoverrecovery.com

Redemption Rye Rye was the preferred spirit and #1 seller in the US before Prohibition, and after nearly being forgotten, is now making a big comeback, so much so that in recent years American farmers have had to increase production to meet demand. To be an American Rye a whiskey must be aged in new charred oak barrels and contain at least 51% rye, the ingredient that provides its peppery bite and spicy splash of flavor. This Rye contains 5% barley malt and a whopping 95% rye, so it rocks the aforementioned spicy profile. The Redemption name was chosen to reflect the idea of Rye re-claiming its status. This Rye is sourced in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, the old Seagram’s distillery founded in 1847, before being batched and barreled in Bardstown, Kentucky. The ageing and batching process is all done to taste insuring consistency bottle to bottle, the combination of high rye content allows the whiskey to gain significant flavor in new charred oak barrels with less ageing and each bottle is hand numbered to reflect the batch and bottle. www.redemptionwhiskey.com

Schöfferhofer Pomegranate Bier German Hefeweizens are an ideal drink when you want something refreshing or when you want a brew on the lighter side. This new US release from Radeberger Gruppe (Germany’s largest brewery group) is a follow up of its Schöfferhofer Grapefruit, with this version made of 50% unfiltered German Hefeweizen and 50% pomegranate juice. Although it reminds me more of a fruity soda than a beer, those that love the taste of pomegranate will appreciate it for what it is: a tasty, sweet drink with a hint of tartness in the aftertaste; and at only 2.5% ABV, it’s nearly a non-alcoholic beer. www.schofferhofer.us

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www.socalfnbpro.com

By Alice Swift Alice Swift has been writing Wine Talk since 2011, and has a passion for education and hospitality/ F&B. In 2016, she obtained her Ph.D. in Hospitality Administration from UNLV and moved from the “ninth island” to the island of Oʻahu. She now works for Kamehameha Schools as an instructional designer/project manager, and teaches part-time for UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality.

See more at www.aliceswift.com.

photos courtesy Alice Swift

Revisiting 8 Years of UNLVino Memories

Chef Thomas Keller and myself (Alice Swift) at Bubblicious 2013

This year, UNLVino celebrates its 45th anniversary; can you believe it? There have been many variations over the decades, changes in location, theme, number of days, honorees, etc. What has remained a constant since its beginnings back in 1974, is the millions of dollars in scholarships raised to benefit the students of the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality at UNLV. I can only imagine the millions, maybe even billions of memories that have been created over the course of nearly 50 years. Personally, I have grown my own special relationship with UNLVino over the past eight years. Below are some of the stories behind my connections, along with my most memorable moments.

The Beginnings My first experience attending UNLVino was back in 2011. I learned about this event when we took a trip to UNLV in the spring while my husband interviewed for the Executive Chef position at the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality (formerly Hotel Administration), a position now held by Chef Mark Sandoval. It was such an amazing experience, and it definitely helped solidify our collective decision to move to Las Vegas and work at UNLV. 5 years of UNLVino Coverage in The LVFnB Professional Shortly thereafter, beginning in August, 2011, my husband and I moved from LA to Las Vegas, where I joined The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional as a journalist, and decided on the name “Wine Talk” for my monthly magazine column. Coincidentally, I also began working at UNLV as a part-time instructor teaching beverage/hospitality classes for the Hospitality www.socalfnbpro.com

Master sushi chefs from Naked Sushi break down a 240 lb tuna

College and took advantage of the opportunity to volunteer at upcoming UNLVino events as a faculty support. For the first few years, I helped out where I was needed and really appreciated seeing everything behind the scenes. In 2013, I wrote my first article interviewing the 2013 UNLVino management class and faculty while they were in the planning stages of the large-scale event (see https://issuu.com/lvfnb/ docs/042013/13 for the archived article).

Beginning in 2015, I started my annual tradition of covering UNLVino events each year from the pre-UNLVino planning, to the post-event coverage. I also wrote two cover stories in 2017 (https://lvfnb.com/issue/03/2017) and 2018 (https://lvfnb.com/issue/04/2018).

My Favorite UNLVino Year?

Although I don’t necessarily remember all the happenings from the 2014 UNLVino, it would probably be one of my most memorable years.

I had the great honor of meeting and capturing a photo with the world renowned Chef Thomas Keller, who was the Dom Perignon Award of Excellence Honoree that year.

Most Impressive Moment?

Watching master sushi chefs from Naked Fish breaking down a 240 lb tuna. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience for those who enjoy their sushi and sashimi!

Let’s continue on the UNLVino legacy while supporting my alma mater, William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, in providing scholarships to students!

Tickets for this year’s UNLVino are now on sale.

Information is shared below: 45th Annual UNLVino • Dates - April 11-13, 2019 • Website - unlvino.com/ • For tickets go to - www.unlvtickets.com/ eventInfo/spe/723/unlvino/ While I may not be able to attend UNLVino annually anymore (since I now live in Hawaiʻi), I will live vicariously through the thousands of attendees and the continued memories that will grow and thrive year after year.

Until next month, Cheers~!

Alice

UNLVino 2016, Block letter statues

March 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 9

The RESTAURANT EXPERT How to Hit a Home Run in Labor Controls

How do you make money in the restaurant business? The reality is it’s the small things that add up, such as reducing the cost of cheese by a nickel a pound or reducing the number of garbage pickups a month by one. But every so often, like in a game of baseball, with the bases loaded, you bring up your cleanup hitter to clear the bases with one big swing. In baseball, this is known as a grand slam. If that cleanup hitter is a system, then with that one system, you’ll reap huge savings.

This article is about choosing the system that is your cleanup hitter. It’s the one batter who can hit a restaurant profits grand slam for almost any restaurant. You simply need to know how to send him in.

Start with the right equipment.

When it comes to controlling your labor cost, you must start with the right tools and equipment. In this case, that includes a labor budget and labor budgeting system.

First, you need to know your target labor cost.

That starts with knowing what your prime cost should be. That’s the sum of your total cost of goods sold and your total labor cost. Prime cost for a full-service restaurant needs to be 55 percent, no matter what type of restaurant you are. Please note that it doesn’t matter how you divide up that 55 percent between cost of goods sold and labor, just so that together they don’t exceed your prime cost target of 55 percent maximum.

By David Scott Peters David Scott Peters is a restaurant consultant, coach, speaker and founder of TheRestaurantExpert.com, a company committed to the success of independent restaurants. Peters is a restaurant industry-recognized blogger and his writing is regularly published in restaurant industry publications, such as Restaurant Hospitality, Catersource, and QSR Magazine.

Learn more at www.TheRestaurantExpert.com.

You need a good warm up.

Before you can hit the big one, you have to be warmed up. To warm up, you need to calculate what your labor expenses were last week. This will give you some key numbers to ensure you hit your projected labor budget for next week. Below is an example of what you need to calculate.

With this information, you’ll be able to tell each of your managers, by department, how many hours they have to schedule and how much money they have to spend (not including taxes, benefits and insurance.)

Swinging the bat.

Now that you know what your average hourly wages are by department, average hourly wage for all line employees and the percentage of hours by department, you can now follow my step-by-step system to ensure you hit your target labor cost and ultimately make more money!

You need to know how much you have to spend on labor next week. To do this you need two pieces of information: a) your projected sales for the week; and b) your target labor cost percentage, excluding taxes, benefits and insurance.

How much money do you have to spend, minus management salaries? Since management salaries are a fixed expense, simply subtract their salaries from your total dollars available.

How many hours do you have available to

10 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I March 2019

schedule for your line employees throughout your entire restaurant? Take your average hourly wage for the entire restaurant and divide it by the total dollars you have to spend for all of your line employees.

How many hours does each department get?

You were probably asking yourself earlier, “Why do I need to know the percentage of hours each department used last week?” By multiplying those percentages by the total number of hours available for next week, you quickly determine how many hours each department gets.

Last but not least, based on average hourly wages by department, you’ll be able to allocate every penny each department gets and stay within budget… guaranteed!

Hitting the home run.

You should be saying to yourself, “WOW! That’s really easy!” And that’s because it is. Your final step is to give each manager the number of hours they have to schedule for next week and how much money they can spend. Then have them write their department schedules. The attitude here is to schedule to stay within budget, not just to fill shifts.

By following my step-by-step labor budgeting system…you’re in position to hit your very own restaurant profits grand slam! www.socalfnbpro.com

By Linda Westcott-Bernstein

Human Resources Insights

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

Are You Working in a Toxic Environment?

Toxic. That is a rather harsh sounding word to use to define a place that a person might work. Just to clarify, I am not speaking about work that is done in a nuclear plant or at a garbage dump site. Those places can actually be physically toxic. When I speak of a toxic work environment, I define it to mean…“an extremely unpleasant or malicious” place. The toxic work environments that exist out there today have characteristics such as retaliatory, condemning, harsh, unfriendly, disrespectful and even poisonous in nature. These places exist because there is no cohesion, culture, leadership, and most noticeable, no expectation of respect.

The work environment is what we make of it. If we don’t support the value and contributions our employees make then we tend to condemn it. Even the most good intentioned management team can create a toxic environment when they become disinterested in the success and welfare of their employees. This environment of disinterest consists of managers and supervisors who do not listen, nor have compassion or can even communicate well or relate to their workforce, regardless of the age, demographic, gender or ethnicity.

Let’s review and compare the components of a toxic environment as compared to the preferred attributes: Toxic attitudes and behaviors:

Preferred cultural and leadership attributes:

Focus on the negative, laying blame, jealousy

Focus on the positive, ask questions, seek resolution

Lack of teamwork and dissension in the ranks

Team goals, efforts and ideas are shared freely and openly

Backstabbing and scapegoating

Identify root causes/problems, then seek a better outcome

Assuming fault, looking for problems, anger

Work together towards solutions, problem-solving, ideas

Lack of cohesion, compassion and communication

Emphasize information and communication between all

Human Resources (HR) can have a significant impact on your culture, the environment and the overall cohesion of the organization, if, and only if, they have the support of management and the proper mindset of caring, team, and approachability, as well as a clear understanding of their role—which is to serve. When or if an HR function becomes

too lofty, unapproachable or disconnected from the needs of their constituents, they fail to be effective in leading that company toward the end goal of superior customer service, respect for all and a sound business and people culture.

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.

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A Vintage Year UNLVino Celebrates 45 Years!!–April 11-13 Remembering a Groovy 1974 to Present Day

By Don Chareunsy

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What was once old is new again at this year’s 45th Annual UNLVino: Take a Sip for Scholarship.

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This is the largest annual fundraiser for UNLV’s Harrah College of Hospitality, voted the top hospitality program in the nation (QS World University Rankings), beating out Cornell University three years running.

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Along with the retrospective-themed celebration to mark UNLVino’s start in 1974, UNLVino is returning to its beloved three events format this year with Bubble-Licious (April 11), Sake Fever (April 12) and the Grand Tasting (April 13). Ticket sales for the events are quickly filling up as the word is spreading about this year’s festivities and honorees. Here is a sneak peek at what this year’s attendees can expect…

The Events: Bubble-Licious, Sake Fever and The Grand Tasting Guests attending Bubble-Licious at The Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health will enjoy a wide variety of wonderful champagnes, sparkling wines and small bites from some of Las Vegas’ favorite restaurants.

Sake Fever at Red Rock Resort Casino & Spa boasts a fantastic selection of sake styles and producers, Japanese and other Asian spirits and cocktails, and fare from some of the very best Asian-inspired restaurants Vegas has to offer, including the carving of a 300-pound fresh tuna provided by Naked Fish’s Sushi & Grill.

The three-night fundraiser culminates with UNLVino’s signature event: The Grand Tasting. This year’s big event will be held at The Mirage Hotel & Casino, where wine and food fans will imbibe a premium selection of wine, spirits, craft beers and other beverages amid 1970s-themed entertainment. Attendees are encouraged to dress “Disco” and get their groove on. They will enjoy cuisine by Hospitality College students alongside many of the best Las Vegas chefs and restaurants.

UNLVino, an event “for the students, by the students” of UNLV’s renowned College of Hospitality will raise money for the school and scholarships. This now iconic Vegas institution, was started in 1974 by Southern Wine and Spirits and UNLV. A complete list of participating wineries, chefs and restaurants is available at UNLVino.com.

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The 2019 Dom Pérignon Award of Excellence Honorees are Announced This year’s Dom Pérignon Award of Excellence honorees, who have “distinguished themselves by setting an example through their inspirational leadership, character and work ethic,” are Donald Ross, Vice President of Catering, Convention & Events at Caesars Entertainment, who will be recognized at Bubble-Licious; Hae Eun Lee (Mr. Lee), owner of Lee’s Discount Liquor, at Sake Fever; and Nicole Brisson, Eataly Las Vegas Executive Chef, at The Grand Tasting.

Ross, with more than 40 years of experience

in hotel, resort and casino management, is a longtime supporter of UNLVino and has been instrumental in properties in Las Vegas and outside the city and Nevada. Ross currently oversees banquet, catering and conference and meeting services teams at 10 Caesars Entertainment properties.

Mr. Lee,

as a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist, is a household name in Las Vegas with 23 Lee’s Discount Liquors locations along with those hilariously cheeky billboards.

Lee’s nonprofit Lee’s Helping Hand has assisted other nonprofits, including The Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Opportunity Village, Blind Center of Nevada, Spread the Word Nevada and New Vista Community.

Brisson, a young pioneer among female

chefs on the Las Vegas Strip and the first female to become executive chef of an Eataly in America, has lived and worked in Las Vegas for more than 15 years. Brisson (“Chopped,” “Late Night Chef Fight,” “Action Bronson Munchies,” “Beat Bobby Flay”) became the first chef appointed to Southern Nevada Health District’s board of directors and recently served on the board of Urban Seed Las Vegas.

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1974 2018

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UNLVino in 2018 Last year’s UNLVino was a fabulous, supersized and one-night-only event at The Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health featuring more than 50 celebrated chefs; more than 130 world-class wine, spirits and beer vendors; and honorees Robin Leach, a longtime celebrity journalist, who was lauded with a 21-cork salute; Excalibur President and COO Ann Hoff; and Donald Carano, recipient of the inaugural Dom Perignon Lifetime Achievement Award.

Last year’s UNLVino also included a release of 1,926 red, white and blue balloons in honor of the late Paul Bocuse’s birth year. Past Dom Perignon Award of Excellence honorees include David Hoenemeyer, Jan Jones Blackhurst, Jerry Vallen, Jon Taffer, Larry Ruvo, Renee West, Robert G. Goldstein, Romero Britto, Scott Sibella, Tony Hsieh and Chefs Brian Massie, Daniel Boulud, Guy Fieri, Masaharu Morimoto, Steve Martorano and Thomas Keller.

From humble beginnings in the Southern Wine & Spirits warehouse, UNLVino has grown into a premier wine, spirits and food event and serves as the year’s largest fundraiser for UNLV’s College of Hospitality. Founded in 1974 by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Senior Managing Director Larry Ruvo and former College of Hospitality dean Jerry Vallen, UNLVino has raised millions of dollars in scholarships and become one of the city’s must-attend events of the year.

UNLV’s College of Hospitality is consistently ranked as one of the top hospitality programs in the world. Just blocks away from the epicenter of the hospitality industry, the Las Vegas Strip, UNLV hospitality students have unparalleled opportunities to gain handson, industry-relevant experience.

Each year the college organizes nearly 600 internships, welcomes more than 100 national hospitality brands to recruitment events, and pairs an average of 175 industry mentors with students. With the recent completion of Hospitality Hall, UNLV’s new, state-of-theart academic building, students are helping UNLV usher in a new era of excellence in hospitality education.

“UNLVino shines the spotlight on UNLV’s world-class and award-winning William F. Harrah College of Hospitality and its talented students, who are tomorrow’s leaders,” summed up Michael Severino, Senior Director of Special Events & Marketing at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, a longtime headliner sponsor of UNLVino.

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UNLV College of Hospitality Justin Leung, 22, is a student in UNLV’s College of Hospitality from Atlanta and graduates in May (Leung also is a featured writer in this issue of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional).

His primary duty for 2019 UNLVino is overseeing volunteers alongside three others.

“We are called Volunteer Coordinators and are in charge of recruiting students eligible to participate and assist us with event operations. We will have volunteers at all three UNLVino events: Bubble-Licious, Sake Fever and The Grand Tasting.”

Taking the UNLVino class at UNLV, a course dedicated to planning and executing the annual scholarship fundraiser, has kept Leung busy, as well as inspired him. “My experience has been quite a journey.

We have been working hard and taking part in meetings with faculty members.

Speakers from Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and previous UNLVino student managers have presented to us.

“My journey has been packed and enjoyable. I’m learning how to connect with professionals and the proper way to pitch to all kinds of potential partners.

I can’t express how exciting it is being a part of the planning, preparation and execution of UNLVino. My experience in the UNLVino class has been a joyride with diverse and skilled peers. There is much to experience in this year’s event!”

When Leung graduates from UNLV, he plans to participate in The Management Associate Program with MGM Resorts in Food & Beverage. After the program, his goal is to continue learning as a manager in F&B and eventually become an executive in the field. www.socalfnbpro.com

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Tickets for all three events are on sale now and available at UNLVTickets.com:

Bubble-Licious Thursday, April 11, 2019 Keep Memory Alive Event Center The Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health 7 to 10 p.m.; $125 advance/$150 door

Sake Fever Friday, April 12, 2019 Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa 7 to 10 p.m.; $75 advance/$100 door

The Grand Tasting Saturday, April 13, 2019 The Mirage Hotel & Casino 7 to 10 p.m.; $125 advance/$150 door

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| Foodie Biz | Photos by Ben Brown

Water Grill: Taking Sustainable Seafood to New Heights In a world where fine dining is dominated by red meat, Water Grill emerges as a rare entity that truly puts seafood first. Water Grill takes their seafood so seriously, in fact, that they control virtually every step of their supply chain. Sustainable seafood has been a top priority since the first restaurant’s opening in 1989, long before it was ‘cool.’ Over nearly 30 years, Water Grill has expanded ever-so-carefully with prime locations across Southern California and Dallas.

A theme of humble elegance resonates from the moment you set foot through the doors. A sprawling dining room with plush booths, dark wood tables and dim lighting speaks to the iconic steakhouse while the raw bar, lobster tanks and fish state that while steak is served here, it comes in a distant second. The staff to guest ratio is astounding, with an army of servers catering to the haute crowd in spectacular fashion, even by fine dining standards.

Water Grill’s menu is both vast and ever-changing, the revolving door of seafood selections changing with fishing seasons from across the world.

An impressive raw bar showcases all the oysters you could ever want, as well as a fashionable crudo lineup highlighted by addictive Japaneseseasoned scallops.

Iconic dishes such as crab cakes and lobster rolls have been perfected over three decades. You’d be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t order the Chilean seabass, a historic best-seller so rich and flaky that it practically melts on the plate. Shellfish is nothing short of top-notch—spiny lobster was in season at the time of this writing, served sliced down the middle 22 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I March 2019

By Ben Brown 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@socalfnbpro.com or follow him @Foodie_Biz.

and practically bursting at the seams with butter.

Artfully crafted cocktails and a sophisticated wine and beer list contain a pairing for everything, and that impeccable service staff is more than ready to navigate the menu for you. Expectedly, the price point here will set you back, but is worth every penny. For more information, visit WaterGrill.com.

Humphry Slocombe: Unconventional Ice Cream Right at Home in Venice Founders Jake Godby and Sean Vahey put it best by describing Humphry Slocombe as a “bizarre, delicious frozen universe.” Since 2008, Humphry Slocombe [the name comes from the 1970’s sitcom ‘Are You Being Served’] has turned heads with flavors that taste as exotic as they’re named. And where would a place that defines itself by going against the grain be better suited in LA than the heart of Venice?

This humble standing-room only parlor boasts rows and rows of seasonal and evergreen flavors. Strawberry Captain Crunch, Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee and McEvoy Olive Oil are just the beginning. A lineup of ‘boozy’ creations includes secret breakfast [made with bourbon], black forest white Russian [made with Kahlua] and Jesus juice [wine and cola sorbet] among others. And then the granddaddy of them all: Harvey milk and honey graham [see what they did there? And yes, that’s a direct quote from the display].

Humphry Slocombe offers unlimited samples for visitors, allowing patrons to indulge their curiosity while at the same time making it even harder to decide on just a few flavors, let alone one.

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and custom cornflakes maintain a quality experience. The only area where Humphry Slocombe falls short is their root beer floats, where something more artisan should take the place of the canned A&W currently being used. Milkshakes would be highly desired as well, though patrons can treat themselves to a coffee float or a custom sundae. For more information, visit HumphrySlocombe.com.

Farmer Boys Steps Up Its Fry Game Farmer Boys has been serving up burgers, sandwiches, salads and breakfast since 1981, and nearly 40 years later have pulled the trigger on a new way to French fry. The 93-store chain recently launched ‘always crispy’ fries across all locations.

Not that there was anything wrong with Farmer Boys’ former fries, but the change has made for a pretty good upgrade. They snap when you bend them and have a great crunch, but remain perfectly golden with a good balance of rich and fluffy, and not too oily.

“As consumer eating habits change to where the majority of fries are consumed outside of restaurants, fries that stay crispy longer provide an obvious…benefit,” said Larry Rusinko, Farmer Boys’ Chief Marketing Officer.

The new fries, as is the case with everything else on the menu at Farmer Boys, are made with farm fresh ingredients. And as predicted, they make an excellent fit with a classic farmer’s burger [double burger, cheese, bacon, avocado, 1000 island], a barn burner [burger, pepper jack, fried jalapeno slices], or anything else from the long list of specialties. Wash it down with a cookies ‘n’ cream shake and enjoy the nap you’ll need afterward. For more information, visit FarmerBoys.com.

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SPIRITS CONFIDENTIAL with Max Solano Make Way For Rum Part 2

Last month, we got on the topic of how amazingly well-valued rums are as a category and some of the rum history and generalities, as well, as the emergence of the sipping and luxury rum sub-category over the past decade. Well, I thought that this month I would discuss a few of these gems that would most certainly would be best enjoyed unhindered. On top of enjoying these drams on their own like you would a fine whisky or brandy, one could also perhaps pair a fine rum with foods, or, dare I say, a fine cigar? Hell, yeah!! There are so many different well-produced rums from many countries that warrant mention, but unfortunately there’s only so much room, so, my apologies in advance.

The first brand rum that I have to recognize for its delicious Spanish-style is from Peru–yes, Peru! Typically, a land reserved and known for centuries for its rich wine and brandy production. Ask any Peruvian and they will tell you that without question, Peru, not Chile, is the birthplace of Pisco. From the northern area of Santiago de Cao, Peru, lies the Cartavio rum distillery since its inception in 1929. Even though Brazil produces Cachaca, which is typically made from distilled sugarcane juice, Ron Cartavio makes its rum strictly from distilled molasses. The full line of the Cartavio rums are not just exceptionally well-made, but the value for the quality is very difficult to compete against. However, since we don’t have room to discuss each of the marks, we have to make room to speak about the Cartavio X.O. This beautifully rich and mahogany-colored sipping beauty is made from some younger column distilled-aged rums and mostly older www.socalfnbpro.com

By Max Solano Max Solano is a principal mixologist at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Nevada and is considered one of the most respected and premier authorities in the West Coast on all matters whisky.

He also serves as a Spirits Judge at the coveted New York World Wine & Spirits Competition, International Whisky Competition and world-renowned San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

pot-distilled rums up to 18 years old using a solera aging process reserved for their higherend expressions. Lastly, Ron Cartavio utilizes four different types of used casks: ex-Bourbon, ex-Spanish sherry, Slovakian and French, creating a slightly sweet, silky, elegant and very complexed sipping rum. In this case, the accolades awarded to these rums speak for themselves! SRP $75.99.

Dos Maderas rum is a tale of two cultures.

The history of the parent company, Bodegas Williams & Humbert goes back nearly 130 years. They participated in the creation of the Jerez-Xérès-Brandy Quality Demarcation and are now considered to be one of the world’s most prestigious wine producers.

The winery was founded in 1877 by Sir Alexander Williams, a great admirer and connoisseur of sherry products, and Arthur Humbert, a specialist in international relations.

Eventually, rum became part of the business.

“Dos Maderas” literally translates to in Spanish as “Two Woods,” hence how this rum is produced. This company will source Caribbean rum, specifically from Barbados & Trinidad & Tobago that are traditionally aged in ex-American whiskey casks, then, after a minimum amount of required time, the barrels are shipped to Jerez, Spain, where that rum is dumped into Pedro Ximenez sherry casks for another minimum length of time before being bottled. The Dos Maderas Luxus, in particular, tasks its Caribbean rums to properly mature in their original casks for a minimum duration of ten years before being aged in two types of Don Guido sherry butts for another five

years. The delicious and rich fig, ripe date and sultanas notes from the sherry casks really complements the deliciously semi-sweet style of the rum beautifully! SRP $159.99 Lastly, I would not be doing this category any justice if I did not include a rum from arguably the oldest operating distillery in the Western world: Mount Gay. Located and founded in Barbados in 1703, the namesake was adapted by the company in the turn of the 19th century after one its managing partners, Sir John Gay Alleyne. Mount Gay Rum is made from molasses and water that has been filtered through natural coral. This mix is fermented using an exclusively selected yeast and then distilled in both copper pot stills and column stills, before being aged in ex-American whiskey barrels. One of the most unique and complexed rums I have come across in recent years is the Mount Gay XO peated cask finish.

Mind you, I am a whisky drinker to the core, and, in my experiences from seeing different brands incorporating a cask finish in which a peated whisky was once aged, typically resulted in unimpressive experiments. Absolutely, NOT the case, here! The first few seconds of sipping on this rum, the sweet molasses and vanilla notes come through right away, then, the peat smoke slowly starts taking over and gradually builds up and beautifully integrates onto the palate with tobacco ash and dark cacao notes.

And, the finish is long and luscious! What a treat if you want to splurge and experience something unique! SRP $225.99. ~ Cheers!

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By Chef Allen Asch Feel free to contact Chef Allen with ideas for comments or future articles at allena@unlv.nevada.edu

Chef Talk Spring Is Almost Upon Us

Spring is such a great season for epicureans.

There is a bounty of fresh ingredients and with the changeover from heavy cooking like braising to lighter cooking, such as the grill, we see an influx of lighter dishes being brought to the table.

Besides produce we see items like the spring lamb coming to the table. In both the Jewish and Christian religions lamb is a traditional meal served during the spring holidays. In the Jewish religion the Torah, the first five books of scripture, states that there should be a sacrifice of a lamb the night before Passover and the meat should be eaten on the first day of the holiday. In Christianity the lamb is a traditional food served for an Easter feast which is a carryover from the Jewish tradition. The reason that this food is equated to these holidays is the abundance of young sheep during the spring season.

Sheep live for at least 10 years, but when they are young, they are called lamb. The meat that is eaten off of a sheep that is older than 1 year is called mutton while younger than a year they are called lamb. Sheep are a very important part of the worldwide market, producing wool, milk and meat. This meat is usually tougher than lamb and needs longer cooking times and moisture while cooking, to help tenderize it. When the meat is less than a year it is much more tender and fits into the quicker cooking methods used in the cooler months.

Sheep came to America with Columbus and now

Chef Allen Asch M. Ed., CCE is a culinary arts instructor that has earned degrees from Culinary Institute of America, Johnson and Wales University and Northern Arizona University. He is currently teaching at UNLV. He earned his Certified Culinary Educator Endorsement from the American Culinary Federation in 2003.

there are 40 breeds, out of the 900 worldwide, producing milk, food and wool. An average sheep can produce 8 pounds of wool a year, in its one shearing per year. This amount of wool can make 80 miles of yarn.

The three major producers of lamb in the world are Australia, New Zealand and the United States, most notably Colorado. The domestic breeds are the largest of the varieties so if you like large muscles this is the best type to buy.

This would be especially so for racks of lamb.

Since most American lamb is grain fed this will also have the least gamey flavor. New Zealand produces the smallest and the youngest of the breeds.

Australian lamb was traditionally grown for wool production so the meat was less desirable than other countries’ meat. In recent years they have worked hard to create a more desirable product for food and have bred their sheep with American breeds to create a more desirable product for eating. This lamb meat is cheaper than a domestic product.

The lowest quality meat comes from the New Zealand lamb. These breeds are used to produce wool but the quality and quantity of meat is much less than the other varieties. These breeds are also grass fed rather than grain fed which adds to the “gamey” taste you might experience.

This is a very common product used when cost is a bigger factor than quality. This is the youngest

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of the products brought to market. Usually 6-7 months old.

Lamb consumption in the United States is on the decline, down to about a pound a year per person. This is in great contrast to Icelanders that consume 55 pounds per year. The Icelandic lamb is only available in the fall and usually in a higher end store. China has the largest amount of the 1 billion sheep in the world, but it is used for wool production more than for a food source.

If you like the flavor of lamb but do not like the price of it, there are many cuts that you can buy that are cheaper and easy to use. The most-tender cut, as with most animals, is the center cuts such as the ribs. These muscles work very little so they are tender. The young lamb, under one year, is tender but some muscles even though they are not used are still tough. These are the muscles that the animal will use as it ages so it is rife with tendons and ligaments. The tender cuts are the rack and the loin chop as well as the leg. These cuts can be cooked by dry heat methods such as roasting, grilling and frying. Less expensive cuts of lamb would be a shoulder chop, breast and sirloin roast. These cuts have excellent flavor but they cannot be cooked on the grill or other dry heat methods. These cuts have a better and fuller flavor but need to be braised or stewed to tenderize the tough cuts of meat. www.socalfnbpro.com

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IT IS V S IE M R O CO .

ST & RO S TO BP O H FN

P V E .L W W W

R O M

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

ENTERTAINMENT

Christina Aguilera opens her residency, “Christina Aguilera: The Xperience,” at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Friday, May 31. British rock ‘n’ roll band Def Leppard begin a residency there Wednesday, Aug. 14.

Illusionist Criss Angel opened his spectacular “Criss Angel MINDFREAK” at Planet Hollywood with a fully reimagined stage and first high-tech experimental interactive lobby.

Father-and-sons trio, The Bronx Wanderers moved from Windows Showroom, their home since September 2016 at Bally’s, to the Mat Franco Theater at The LINQ. Las Vegas’ longest-running show “Legends In Concert” opened its new residency at the Tropicana after moving from the Flamingo.

“The Greatest Piano Men,” celebrating the greatest pianists and showmen from Beethoven to Liberace will headline the Flamingo March 26-April 21.

Forgoing top hats, capes or clothes, The Naked Magicians from Australia opened their first Strip residency in Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club at MGM Grand.

New at SLS, “Ester Goldberg’s Totally Outrageous Brunch” plays twice on Saturdays and Sundays starring International GlamourPuss Ester Goldeberg.

Luenell is headlining her stand-up show “Tommy T. Presents: Luenell” in The Sayers Club at SLS each week on Sundays through May 12.

Atlanta rapper Lil Baby will appear with New Generation Tour at House of Blues at Mandalay Bay Friday, March 22.

Returning to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Aziz Ansari, co-creator and star of Netflix’s Master of None, will headline at 10:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23.

At The Pearl at the Palms, Southern rock band Needtobreathe will headline Saturday, April 6.

Irish musician, singer and songwriter Hozier, will stop Sunday, April 7 on his North American “Wasteland Baby! Tour.”

DINING

Manzo is the new Italian butcher’s restaurant with a three-tier, wood-burning grill nestled inside bustling marketplace Eataly at Park MGM. From the Midwest, Big Whiskey’s American Restaurant & Bar debuted in Town Square with updated classic American cuisine.

Santos Guisados Tacos & Beer, Las Vegas’ first guisado taco shop, opened downtown at 616 E. Carson Avenue with 40 seats and décor drawing inspiration from Mexican churches.

Frankie’s Uptown - A Neighborhood Bar with The STRoLL, a hybrid Stromboli and Calzone, opens this month at Downtown Summerlin in space Casa Del Matador occupied.

The Broken Yolk Cafe from San Diego opens its first Nevada location in Town Square in March. Hours are daily 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Man v. Food,” the BYC Challenge, is a dozen egg omelet giant meal to be eaten in under an hour.

Family-owned and operated, Bok Bok Chicken opened its third Las Vegas location since last August with two more planned this year including one in Town Square.

The Great Vegas Festival of Beer produced

by Motley Brews returns for two days FridaySaturday, April 5 and 6 at a new venue: the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center.

Virgil’s Real Barbecue at The LINQ Promenade is now serving breakfast daily Monday-Friday from 8-11 a.m. and brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon.

Whiskey Licker Up overlooking Fremont Street Experience with a rotating bar, overhang balcony and mechanical bull.

The Gazillionaire broke soil outside his “Absinthe” tent at Caesars Palace to plant the ABSINTHE Electric Oak. The new 35-foot high visual attraction will feature 120,000 LED leaves of ever-changing color.

Tattoo’d America Pop Museum (TAPM) will be the first exhibition for three months at the brand-new, cultural and entertainment Pop Vegas venue at The LINQ Promenade. TAPM will feature tattoo-themed rooms, 500 works of art and live demonstration studio.

Las Vegan and business entrepreneur Ron Coury released his biographical book Tenancity about battling and conquering political and police corruption, bribery, coercion, death threats and cancer.

Caesars Entertainment Corporation is the first founding partner of the Las Vegas Stadium opening 2020, which guarantees special marketing privileges.

Golden Tiki in Chinatown held a Don The Beachcomber second-anniversary party and unveiled Donn Beach’s shrunken head. Texas native Beach, born Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt in 1907, opened the original Don’s Beachcomber in Hollywood in 1933.

Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, currently Hard Rock, will join Curio Collection by Hilton in 2020, after the resort makes an extensive property transformation.

Arizona Charlie’s Boulder and Decatur Bingo Rooms joined the Plaza downtown offering ABOUT TOWN The Stratosphere is rebranding to The STRAT the $1 million linked bingo progressive, Bingo Hotel, Casino and SkyPod. The top of the Millions MegaProgressive. tower with thrill rides, restaurant, lounge and The $100 million SLS Las Vegas renovations Observation Deck is designated a destination include updates to the casino floor, hotel rooms and new fast-casual Mexican concept Uno Mas. called SkyPod. Replacing Rain, the Palms will open the new The Hard Rock Café guitar sign, which was in multi-level dayclub/nightclub KAOS in April front of the Hard Rock Café for 27 years, was with multiple stages, a broadcast capable LED restored and recently transported in six pieces to tower wall, rotating DJ booth, and six-story its new home in the Neon Museum’s Boneyard. bronze sculpture “Demon with Bowl.” Cardi B Chef Kim Canteenwalla, co-founder of Blau is already signed. + Associates restaurant group with Las Vegas Renovating closed rooms, Binion’s will open restaurants Honey Salt and Andiron Steak and Hotel Apache featuring 81 vintage-styled Sea, is the new executive chef of The Centurion furnished rooms reminiscent of the original Lounge for card members at McCarran 1932 namesake hotel. The property will add International Airport.

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By Justin Leung

UNLV Students Prepping for UNLVino

Carly Scheinman-Fitzsimmons

Ian Seidenberg

Jessica Pease

With April fast approaching, the Las Vegas community turns its attention to UNLVino: a three-day food and wine festival that raises scholarship money for UNLV’s Harrah College of Hospitality. At the forefront of prepping for the event is the FAB 372 UNLVino Management, a course dedicated to planning and executing the annual scholarship fundraiser in which a team of students work with professors to put together the largest annual fundraiser for and by UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality.

Mark Sandoval, the college’s executive chef and instructor for the UNLVino management course, said, “I really like to provide a legacy through the class for future generations and students. This is a practical experience that is unique to this city. I want students to have this wondrous amazement that an event they put on has been realized.”

Every year, a team of student managers works alongside their professors and classmates. Passionate students are given a wondrous, unparalleled opportunity to take part in planning, executing, and managing operations as well as partner relations. They are divided into teams of focus: ticket sales, volunteer coordination, marketing, auction/sponsorships, backof-house and logistics. “This class is our opportunity to give back to the community we’ve connected to and expand upon what we’ve learned over the years,” said Carly Scheinman-Fitzsimmons, team leader of the logistics team.

This year, the UNLVino class is taught by three instructors with extensive industry experience. Mark Sandoval joined the college after a successful culinary career working for celebrity chefs in Las Vegas; assistant professor Dr. Murray Mackenzie has an impressive and global background as a former chef and wine expert; and instructor Ian Seidenberg of Encore Event Technologies is a seasoned event professional who manages and executes large-scale events.

The professors and students had positive comments about the future of UNLVino.

The program could not be where it stands today without the help of the donors and sponsors. Two of the festival’s major areas are the silent and live auctions. “I hope to cultivate lasting relationships with the 2019 donors and sponsors; so, in the following years to come, the auction team will have a strong foundation to begin working with,” said Jessica Pease, team leader for auction/sponsorships.

Seidenberg has many high hopes for the class’s performance as well. He said, "I want them to leave a mark for future UNLVinos to come. Possibly a grand auction item that you’d only find at our event.”

Many changes have already been happening: The back-of-house team has worked together to modify their food options. “In years past, there were simplified cuisines. However, this year, the back-of-house team is adding more complex ingredients and techniques to the recipes,” Sandoval said.

UNLV prides itself on diversity: This fundamental aspect is showcased through the variety of electives offered in the hospitality program and the hundreds of registered student organizations on campus. “We come from all different backgrounds, skill sets, and have connections all around. www.socalfnbpro.com

Justin Leung, a Hospitality Management student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, represents the Epicurean Society, a collective of food and restaurant enthusiastic students. As the journalist on their leadership team, Justin desires to share the club’s experiences with the public.

He is from Georgia and decided to pursue his passion for hospitality in Las Vegas.

Kristina Dean

Mariana Baltrons

Through that, we’ve made our own culture and own little world through campus,” said Mariana Baltrons, a senior in the class.

When asked to describe the dynamic of our class, Mackenzie said, “This is a class filled with students knowledgeable in different areas. This to me is important because UNLVino has connected these students for a common goal: produce and execute a great event.”

I decided to learn more about some of my peers’ personal experiences with UNLVino and reasons for joining the team.

Some students are scholarship recipients. “For two years now, I’ve been a recipient of the UNLVino Scholarship Fund and when I saw the opportunity to interview for the class, I jumped right onboard,” said Maryna Naumenko, a junior in the UNLVino marketing team. “It’s really about getting to know more people and challenging myself.”

A few students were even motivated since they had experience from previous years. “I’ve volunteered for UNLVino for more than two years (in the) back-of-house. When I interviewed with Chef Mark, I expressed interest in the front-of-house to step out of my comfort zone,” said Joseph Hill, team leader for the ticket sales group.

“Last year, I loved seeing how it was being handled from a volunteer perspective. And, I wanted leadership experience in event planning,” said Lisa Stadtmiller, the team leader for volunteer coordination.

The team leader for back-of-house, Kristina Dean, reflected on her experience: “So far, I’ve seen what it takes to put on an event of this size in such a short time frame. It’s a big event with a history of success. With this being the 45th anniversary, we want to succeed in honoring the past while still showing what we, as students, are capable of producing.”

A gathering of new perspectives and more than 30 eager students working with their mentors instigates a history dating back forty-five years. This is a semesterlong project, a program run by student Mark Sandoval managers working towards a three-day event welcoming thousands of attendees.

This year’s UNLVino events will include: Bubble-Licious on April 11 at the Keep Memory Alive Center, Sake Fever on April 12 at Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa and The Grand Tasting on April 13 at The Mirage Hotel & Casino.

Tickets for all three events are on sale now and available at UNLVTickets.com.

A complete list of participating wineries, chefs and restaurants is available at Maryna Naumenko UNLVino.com.

March 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 29

EVENTS

AD INDEX

Spring is in full swing, along with a plethora of regional food festivals and more culinary events. Check out a few highlights from the month’s lineup:

Keep Memory Alive Event Center kmaeventcenterlasvegas.com 702-263-9797

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Riedel riedel.com

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Rodney Strong Estate Vinyards www.rodneystrong.com

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4/11: The Taste of the Valley. This food, spirits and microbrew fest showcases tastes from more than 45 restaurants, 120 wineries and a collection of local microbreweries. All proceeds benefit the Valley Cultural Foundation (VCF), which provides arts programming across the San Fernando Valley. Westfield Topanga, Los Angeles ValleyCultural.org/concerts_events/taste-valley 4/27: Simply diVine. This LGBT-centric festival brings together a collection of LA restaurants, wineries, breweries and distilleries. Tickets available for both general admission as well as unlimited samplings. Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Los Angeles SimplydiVineLA.org

UNLVino 2019 unlvino.com

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4/28: Taste of Huntington Beach. More than 90 regional eateries, wineries and breweries showcase their crafts at the Huntington Beach Sports Complex.

Huntington Beach.

TasteHB.com 5/1: Taste Walk Glendale. Part food festival, part walking tour, Taste Walk Glendale turns the traditional event format on its head with guests visiting the restaurants themselves in [the very walkable] Downtown Glendale. Downtown Glendale, Los Angeles TasteWalkGlendale.com 5/6: Long Beach Seafood Festival. This a la carte food event pays homage to Long Beach’s seafood specialties, taking place alongside the Light House with a view of the Queen Mary. Shoreline Aquatic Park, Long Beach.

LBSeafoodFest.com

American Culinary Federation Chefs of SoCal

The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional is proud to be associated with these fine organizations: ACF-American Culinary Federation Chef de Cuisine Association of California Chapter Culinarians of San Diego Chapter Chefs de Cuisine Association of San Diego Chapter 30 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I March 2019

www.socalfnbpro.com

CABERNET

COLOR UP YOUR LIFE! RIEDEL.COM