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World Tea Expo (June 12-15, 2017 at the Las Vegas Convention Center) is the leading trade show and conference focused 100% on teas and related products. Join us to dive into the world of tea!
World Tea Expo 2017 Discover Tea-Menu Strategies
April 2017
CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER MIKE FRYER
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WELCOME BACK to your copy of The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional where we are continuing to improve how we get the most current news, views and comments from the movers and shakers in the industry to you monthly. You may or may not have noted that the magazine paper weight is 80# clean-white stock. Why? To improve the color of our photos printed in the publication and upgrade the clean print letter look. Overall, the completed magazine has a much heavier feel and increased value perception, making it more passable to friends, family and associates!
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OUR APRIL COVER FEATURE is dedicated to the World Tea Expo, the annual “all things tea” event that started in Las Vegas and was moved to Long Beach last year and now returns to Las Vegas bigger and better than ever. For those businesses that have and sell tea, this is a business-to-business expo to help businesses sell more tea. Teas from around the world are on display and available for tasting from the growers and brokers you’ll meet personally. Along with other tea related items, this is the largest tea expo in the country that also offers seminars. WELCOME BACK ON BOARD DR. MIKE MASUYAMA on page 5 with his new monthly column COOK*EAT:ASIA with this first installment on Climate & Food showing how Asians and Asian foods have migrated and how each regional food is in balance with the climate it is in. Mike-san, as he is known to friends and close associates, takes us on a journey through Southeast Asia, and this is one you don’t want to miss! TWINKLE TOAST ON PAGE 8 is a timely article on sparkling wines just in time for the warm summer season, written by our women in wine, Erin Cooper and Christine Vanover, for those of us who are especially careful on our carb, sugar, and calorie intake and which wines are our friends and which are not.
Page 4 Hot off the Grill!
Page 12 What’s Brewing
Page 5 COOK•EAT: Asia Climate and Food
Page 14 COVER FEATURE World Tea Expo
Page 6 Assistant Cheesemaker for a Day at Drake Family Farm PART II
Page 16 Food for Thought Fall Squash in the Spring
Page 20 Belching Beaver Tavern and Grill
Page 22 Product Spotlight Product Review
Page 8 Twinkle Toast The Best Wines for Your Waistline
Page 10 Brett’s Vegas View
Page17 Foodie Biz
Page 18 Wine Talk From All Touch to No Touch Vineyard Practices, the New Age of Harvesting
Page 24 Bob’s Beer Bits and Sips Beers to Enjoy as Spring Springs Forth
Page 25 Human Resources Insights Keeping Great Employees
Page 26 Events
17 www.socalfnbpro.com
Page 11 Okura Robota Grill and Sushi Bar Laguna Beach
Page 19 The Bottom Line Aarti Sequeira: The path that took her from foodie to food celebrity
Ad Index ACF Chefs of SoCal
April 2017 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!
April 2017 Mike Fryer
Sr. Editor/Publisher
Restaurant Editor Benjamin Brown got to preview Farmer Boys’ new location in Hollywood. This fast-growing fastcasual chain has been doing farm-to-table for 35 years, and is riding the trend’s exploding popularity while keeping most of its menu under $10. What does that kind of menu look like, and how does a franchise keep focus on its core values under rapid expansion? Find out more in the Ben’s column, Foodie Biz.
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
Bob Barnes
Editorial Director bob@socalfnbpro.com UNLVino this year turned out even better than expected despite the typhoon wind and some rain forcing two events to be moved indoors. One of the founders of UNLVino was onsite to meet and greet guests and suppliers as well as our very good friend Josie Razook, HUG International LLC GM/Co-owner, who is pictured here at her booth with UNLVino Founder Larry Ruvo.
Ben Brown
Restaurant Editor ben@socalfnbpro.com March was a very busy month in Las Vegas for the Food & Beverage Industry and one of the highlights of the UNLVino events was Sake Fever held at the Red Rock Resort featuring hundreds of sake, with Japanese wines, beers and various small bites from some of the best Japanese restaurants in Las Vegas.
Juanita Aiello
Guests were also entertained by Taiko drummers, Kabuki dancers, Japanese cosplay and the artful presentation of a 250-pound tuna becoming sashimi. And in this photo, happy guests show their gratitude!
Adam Rains
Creative Director juanita@socalfnbpro.com
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 Apryl Bruso
Accounting Manager Michelle San Juan
Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett
Journalist What’s Brewing David Mulvihill
Journalist Food for Thought Les Kincaid
Journalist Hungry for PR Jen Morris
Journalist John Rockwell
Pre-Press Technician Brandon Yan
Journalist Good for Spooning LeAnne Notabartolo
Journalist East Eats West K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.
Photographer Audrey Dempsey
Journalist Chef Talk Allen Asch
Journalist Linda Duke
Journalist Heidi Rains
Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein
Journalist Green Restaurant Association Michael Oshman
Journalist Wine Talk Alice Swift
Journalist Lisa Matney
Journalists Elaine & Scott Harris
Photographer Bill Bokelmann
Photographer Joe Urcioli
Journalists The Cork Dorks Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover
Master Sommelier Joe Phillips
4 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I April 2017
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By K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.
COOK•EAT: Asia Climate and Food
Asia is not all in one. Asians are not entirely characterized by slanteyes but some have hazelnut eyes. Generally speaking, however, Asians are round faced with the color of skin mixed by red and blue, who have lived for many thousand years in the eastern Asian continent and adjacent regions. Some of them came to America as contract laborers who worked in pineapple-sugar plantations in Hawaii, transcontinental railroad constructions, agriculture or other labor-intensive works in the west. Firstly, Chinese and Filipinos, followed by Japanese and others. They settled down here instead of returning to their homelands after the contracts ended. They have three distinct characteristics in common. First, a Mongolian spot. Most Asian babies have dark or amber spots on the back or thigh or arm at birth, which the Caucasians do not show. Second, flushing when consuming alcohol. Asians have lower activity of an alcohol breaking down enzyme in their liver. A flushed red face is a little bit embarrassing when drinking a bottle of beer at lunch. Third, lactose intolerance. Most Asians show an allergic reaction to regular cow milk because of lower activity of milk sugar (lactose) breaking down enzymes in digestive organs. These factors would deprive them of assimilation or blending with other ethnicities. When it comes to food culture, the Chinese civilization has a strong influence at every corner of this area. Every Asian food has a trace back to the Chinese culinary, almost. Asian food has been in our eating soon after Asians came ashore. They cooked not only for themselves but also for others as kitchen hands. Chinese food was a first Asian food, followed by additional Asian foods brought by returnees or newcomers after WWII, Korean War and Vietnam War. They have added exoticism and diversification to our eating as well as business. In this new series, cooking/ eating in an Asian-Japanese style here is for our further understanding of Asian foods. Division is not but fusion and mutual respect is my goal through characterizing Asian food cultures, comparing to the west. So as at everywhere, food cultures are shaped by the climate to grow or produce or eat. Most of the area belongs to tropical, sub-tropical, temperate climate zones where water is available abundantly. It enables to grow rice-other grains and various fruits-vegetables. Particularly rice, which is the highest yield per acreage grain, requiring abundant water, can sustain a large population, leading to a high density of population. Abundant water comes from the sky by the Monsoon or Typhoons. Access to abundant water at seashores, rivers, lakes or rice paddy fields brings marine and fresh water creatures including fish, crustaceans and snails. Aquatic creatures are indispensable parts of their diet and often preserved by drying, salting, pickling or fermentation. Legumes or beans-peas provide good protein to add to rice nutrients for healthy eating. Here soybean curd, soy sauce, Natto–Tempe (only www.socalfnbpro.com
Mike Masuyama is a bi-cultural science-technologybusiness consultant. He earned a Ph.D. in Food Science at Cornell University, is involved in teaching, research and business in major-beer, micro-beer, soft drinks, sake, sea salt, rice, white soy sauce and other areas both in Japan and the US., and has published several books and dozens of articles. “Ask Doctor Sake” was his last series in this journal.
in Japan and Indonesia) are key plant protein sources for appetite and palate in addition to nutrition. Damp environment promotes fermentation by bacteria, mold or yeast, yielding soy sauce, vinegar, miso and other flavoring materials besides preservation. Land animals are not excluded from Asian eating. Wild animals were hunted for meat. Chinese eat anything with four legs except for a table. Two legged chicken are eaten including legs. Under influence of the Zen sect Buddhism, meat eating was discouraged because animals may suffer from slaughtering. It is well practiced in agricultural regions but not much in dairy & live-stock regions where grains are hard to cultivate at high altitudes or acrid landscape. Asia is thus diversified.
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www.whitesoysaucefood.com April 2017 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 5
By John Rockwell
Assistant Cheesemaker for a Day at Drake Family Farm PART II
John Rockwell is a native Southern Californian and career English teacher working in the Riverside area. In his spare time, he rides his bicycle to breweries, restaurants, and cheese shops, and is always looking for culinary delights within riding distance of the vast network of SoCal bicycle trails. He is an ardent fan of the waiver theater culture in Los Angeles. He is new to cheesemaking, but has been a homebrewer for over twenty years.
I interviewed Dr. Daniel Drake, owner of Drake Family Farms Cheese on the first evening of a severe winter storm—severe for California— and when we met in his office, he was fresh off a day of veterinary appointments. I asked if he needed to tend to his herd—or tribe—of goats instead of interviewing. He seemed surprised by the question, so I said, “I mean, are they in trouble because of the rain?” “Yeah,” he said quickly. “Some of them are going to die tonight!” It took me a few seconds to adjust to the shock of that frank reply. As a veterinarian, he’s blunt about the facts of animal care, and perhaps for my benefit added that some of the goats were just older and at the end of their life-cycle. He also pointed out that even though people speak in a negative way about corporate farms, one advantage is that the animals in those environmentally-controlled facilities never experience the hardship of weather. But in the shrinking farm region at the western end of the Inland Empire, the animals at these outdoor farms can experience distress during heavy rains, and many of his visits that day had to do with the unpleasantness of that reality. Dr. Drake is honest and passionate about the business of animal husbandry and cheese: he’s entertaining and charismatic, he’s a free-associating storyteller, and he constantly reflects about his animals, the sustainability of his business, and its contribution to the local economy and food scene. Even though the past six years in business have been financially challenging, coupled with the many unknowns in the future of farming and cheesemaking (increased feed prices, for example), Drake says, “Right now I think we’re on a good track. The truth of the matter is we’ve survived the worst part of the rugged climb.” He adds, “We’ve come a long way—we have not arrived yet, but we’ve come a long way, and it’s amazing how far we’ve come.” Drake Family Farms is in the old heartland of the Inland Empire between Ontario and Chino, a small reminder the remainder of the old dairyland and agricultural empire that preceded the tract housing lots that are continually built over old farmland. For Dr. Drake, it’s a rented property he picked up a couple of years after earning his DVM in 1999, and the ten acres is home to 354 milking goats (and a nearly 600-head tribe). He really began his “goat addiction” (as he calls it) as a 12-year-old in August 1984—on his family’s now 130-year-old farm in West Jordan, Utah. That herd is currently at 250 goats, and provided the original goats for the Ontario farm.
Here is the great Mt. Baldy cheese aging on racks in the cave. It is humidity and temperaturecontrolled for optimal mold growth.
photos by John Rockwell
Drake Family Farms: Small-scale Cheesemaking
Baldy is an ash-rind cheese is somewhere between a couple of other styles of goat cheeses. The ash allows the mold to pick up some spicy blues, while the paste is soft in texture with notes of barley and grass.
According to Dr. Drake, the farmstead cheese business cannot be done by one person and consists of three full-time jobs: taking care of the animals, making the cheese, and marketing the cheese. That last part has been something of a roller coaster for him. “My original business plan was to sell at farmers’ markets,” says Drake. “We’re in some good ones now, but it’s not enough to bankroll the business.” The difficulty of getting into those farmers’ markets—which can sometimes take years—had to be offset by selling their cheese through other channels.
As the Brie-style Glacier cheese ages, it forms a soft ring around the edges. In cow’s milk cheese, this ring is less noticeable than goat cheese, where the softer cheese takes on a translucent tone. Mushroom notes abound from superior rind development.
6 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I April 2017
Here is the Glacier Brie aging on racks. Humidity and temperature control play an important part in aging Bries, and they have to be turned daily to keep them from growing into the mats.
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Idyllwild is a hard-cheese that is aged a little longer, and its flavor profile changes as it ages. Younger, it has a chewy and almost Alpine character; older, it loses enough liquid to become a fantastic lowacidity garnishing cheese.
There is something wonderful about watching the Idyllwild cheese age on wooden boards. This is a ritual human beings have done ever since we formed societies and started milking livestock.
He doesn’t like to brag (well, except for the ribbons hanging up in the office), but the goats at Drake Family Farm are award-winning specimens, a testament to Dr. Drake’s veterinary expertise and care-taking.
A large grocery chain once offered to sell their chèvre, but because the packaging is in tubs and not plastic vacuum-packed tubes (which requires a $50,000 machine), customers weren’t aware of the product. “If we went to the store and did demonstrations and gave out samples of the cheese, it would sell,” says Drake. But because of distribution issues—transportation, storage, shelving—the fresh cheese was at the end of its shelf-life by the time it made it into the hands of customers. When that didn’t work out, other wholesale distribution channels— like local slow-food restaurant chains—have saved the day, despite unfair cost-cutting by European-owned companies (one company owns some of the most prominent Northern California creameries). “Mendocino Farms is our biggest customer,” says Drake. “They care about us. They want us to succeed. They love us and they take care of us.” Mendocino Farms uses Drake Family Farms cheese in sandwiches and a salad aptly named “Save Drake Farm’s Salad.” Los Angeles gastro chain Simmzy’s and the slow-food Sweetgreen chain have also picked up Drake Family Farm cheese for their locally-sourced dishes.
attracts employees who love the product and share the farm’s core values. That includes those who sell his cheese at area So Cal Farmers markets. The following are their products: Chèvre—Soft and delicate, my favorite version of this cheese is plain because you can clearly taste the barley grain and grass feed that the goats are eating. Some complain about the “goaty” barnyard flavor of goat cheese, but either I’m used to it, or this cheese is so fresh, that that flavor is barely perceived. The chèvre also comes in flavored varieties like Garlic and Onion, Herbs de Provence, and Jalapeño. All are deliciously spreadable. Bloomy Rind Glacier—Their take on a traditional brie, Glacier is not as soft as other bries, but it does ripen slowly to the center in its traditional paper cheese wrapper. The beautifully-grown rind contributes a deep mushroom flavor to the paste which has a firmer texture that I usually associate with a Crottin de Chavignol. I like eating brie (actually, all of these) alone and without impediments, but I am positive Glacier would bake out nicely with some herbs and would be an absolutely stunning soft bread dip at a party or family dinner. Mt. Baldy—This is by far my favorite Drake Family Farms cheese. It is shaped like a Crottin de Chavignol, but gets a layer of ash before the mold has bloomed. For some reason, it is softer and the paste maintains more of the grainy flavor of the chèvre (perhaps because it is wrapped in plastic). It is not quite as tart and acidic (and triangular) as a Valençay, but it is something close in texture. This cheese, like all good cheeses, is different at different stages. When this one is young, it is white, fresh, and not overly complex in flavor. When it is older and wrinkly, the ash-rind shows through and it has usually picked up some beautiful tonguenumbing blue molds which make the flavor more complex than its younger counterpart. Idyllwild—This is a hard, aged goat cheese in the style of a Portuguese queijo São Jorge. Young, it is reminiscent of an aged gouda, sliceable almost rubbery, and somewhat soft.
The paste is pretty neutral, but after eating a chunk the flavor of the goat cheese becomes more apparent. When this one is aged longer, it serves as an excellent stand-in for a ground Parmesan, minus the acid and pineapple notes found in Parmesan. When it is more aged, I love this cheese as a final garnish on omelets or other dishes that require some panache. Feta and Mozzarella—These are workhorse cheeses that are very close to their non-goat counterparts. For me, the Feta is delicious and edible—not too salty and a much better alternative to the cheaply-made, salt-heavy salad-topper found in the supermarket. My wife loves the mozzarella the most. Pasta filata cheeses are supposed to be fresh and simply, but this version of a favorite is flavorful. You could add it some home-made artisan pizza, enjoy it grated into some antipasto salad, or just cut it up and eat it plain! The future looks bright for Drake Farms Cheese, even though this is the first year he’s sold all the cheese he’s made. Even though this positive direction in this risky business “changes your whole mindset,” Drake reminds me that breaking even and making payroll is not everything. “I’m six years into this at this facility and I haven’t made any money,” says Drake. He likens the business to the Stockholm syndrome, but always seems to return to his love for the animals. “Goats are addicting,” he says. “They all have personalities. They like attention, most of them.” And despite the all-consuming nature of the cheese business, he humorously reminds himself of the larger priorities: “If I had to choose between my family and the goats,” Drake says, “I’d have to say I’d choose my family.” Though at times, he says, his wife might disagree with that. The hardships of local farmers are important considerations to keep in mind—if consumers say they want to buy and value locally-made food products, they must sacrifice something too: higher prices, perhaps, or the lively scent of livestock wafting over their recently-built housing tracts.
The Products Drake Family Farms makes farmstead cheese— the business owns the animals that make the milk for the cheese. Dr. Drake knows that carrying a label of “farmstead” and “artisan” means consumers may be more critical of products, but emphasizes the importance of being in “total control of the whole process”—and of having well-cared-for goats and the 1,000 or more gallons of milk they produce each week. “There are a lot of people more demanding of their food,” says Drake. “They want to know it’s responsible, and they want to know where it came from.” During my visit, I witnessed goats jumping up and down with excitement as their caretakers tended to them. The farm’s official business plan of keeping happy goats— because animals in that state of mind will give the best milk—is not a deft corporate marketing strategy; it’s a reality. Drake’s business also
Drake Family Farm cheese can be found at the following SoCal farmers’ markets—most markets are open 8-1: Riverside Farmers’ Market (Saturdays) Claremont Farmers’ Market (Sundays) Pasadena Farmers’ Market (Saturday) www.socalfnbpro.com
Santa Monica Farmers’ Market (Wednesdays) Hollywood Farmers’ Market (Sundays) Santa Barbara Farmers’ Market (Saturdays)
Ojai Farmers’ Market (Sundays) Temecula Farmers’ Market (Saturdays)
www.drakefamilyfarms.com April 2017 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 7
Twinkle Toast The Best Wines for Your Waistline
By Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover Erin Cooper and Christine Vanover have been residents of Las Vegas since 2007. Vanover is also a UNLV Alumnus. Both women are Territory Managers for the Resort Wine Team at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, members of Women Gone Wine and the founders of Twinkle Toast. info@twinkletoast.com • www.twinkletoast.com Facebook: @TwinkleToast Twitter: TwinkleToastLV Instagram: TwinkleToastLV
Pool season is quickly approaching, and if you are like us, you are starting to look more closely at the calories and carbohydrates in what you are consuming. An average glass of wine can contain anywhere from 110 to 300 calories with red wines generally having more than whites. This is determined by a few factors: serving size, alcohol content and inherent sweetness or sugar. Usually, the higher the alcohol content, the higher the calories. Per gram of wine, alcohol contains seven calories and sugar contains four. All of these numbers can get a bit confusing, but don’t fret! We have found a handy dandy formula to help decipher how many calories are in each bottle, or glass, and how to choose the best wine with your waistline in mind. Champagne and sparkling wines are a typical go-to for the summer pool season. What many people do not realize is that the majority of them contain an added amount of sugar called “dosage.” Dosage is part of the Champagne or sparkling winemaking process, and the amount of dosage in each bottle can range from zero to fifty grams of sugar per liter. WineFolly.com states that a standard 5 ounce pour of Champagne can range from 124 calories, in a Brut Nature or Brut Zero, to 175 calories, in the sweetest Doux. We did a little digging, and discovered a couple tasty sparkling options that omit the dosage process which you guess it, equates to less sugar and fewer calories.
crafted to be 20% lighter in calories versus the classic Brancott Estate wines. These Marlborough wines are only 88 calories, and are designed for guilt-free consumption, or close to it. The Santa Barbara winery, Palmina, specializes in producing traditional Italian varietals here in the United States. Owner and winemaker, Steve Clifton, produces a delightful Malvasia Bianca at only 12% ABV, and it would be an amazing addition to any sunny afternoon or summer evening. German Rieslings are another great still wine option, and are generally lower in alcohol, at eight to nine percent, which you now know means
lower in calories too. Although sweeter wines contain more residual sugar and higher alcohol, the standard pour is usually only 2 ounces. A 2 ounce glass of B&G Sauternes Passeport contains only 90 calories. This smaller serving size could be a great alternative to an actual dessert while still satisfying your sweet tooth. *Please note that we are in no way suggesting that you replace all food calories with wine calories. Should you have any questions regarding health and nutrition, please contact a trusted healthcare professional.
photo by Christine Richards
Beau Joie Brut and Brut Rose are zero-dosage Champagnes, with no additional sugar added, and both feature a stylish copper casing that help the bottle stay cold for 45 minutes to an hour without the use of an ice bucket. Keep in mind that this length of time is reduced a bit if the external temperature is 80 degrees or above. A newer sparkling wine option, which entered the Las Vegas market last year, is Syltbar Prosecco, and only contains 49 calories per glass. You can find this Italian sparkling wine poured by the glass at The Barrymore inside Royal Resort Hotel, where locals get half off bottles of selected wines on Wednesdays, and in several retail outlets as well. If you prefer still to sparkling, Brancott Flight Song Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio were 8 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I April 2017
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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. She is also an instructor covering Special Events at CSN- College of Southern Nevada.
Email: jackiebrett@cox.net
Blossoming Entertainment
Backstreet Boys opened their exclusive Las Vegas residency Backstreet Boys: Larger Than Life show at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood. Cher added 18 dates—Aug. 2-19 and Nov. 8-25—to her extended Classic Cher engagement at Park Theater at Monte Carlo. The Pin Up show at the Stratosphere Showroom closed. The World’s Greatest Rock Show tribute production will open there on June 4.
English rock band The Who will launch their first six shows and exclusive Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace July 29. American rock band Boston will make a Hyper Space Tour stop at Park Theater at Monte Carlo Saturday, June 17. Magic Mike Live Las Vegas based on the hit films Magic Mike and Magic Mike XXL opened at the Hard Rock. Grammy-winner Peabo Bryson will bring his soulful hits to The Orleans Showroom April 28. Grammy-nominated recording artistssongwriters Marsha Ambrosius and Eric Benét will bring The M.E. Tour to the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay May 25. Actress Cindy Williams of Laverne & Shirley fame has returned in a guest starring role in Menopause The Musical at Harrah’s through May 29. Pete Vallee, who stars as Big Elvis in free afternoon shows at Harrah’s, is the latest Las Vegas Walk of Stars recipient. Country singer-songwriter Jamey Johnson will headline Brooklyn Bowl in The Linq Promenade Friday, April 28 with Margo Price and Brent Cobb. Twelve-time Grammy Award winner jazz saxophonist and songwriter, Kirk Whalum, will headline The Foundry in SLS Las Vegas on May 13. Reba McEntire, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn with the longest running country music residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace will return in June, July, November and December. The Smith Center’s Cabaret Jazz venue will be renamed in honor of president and CEO Myron Martin.
Dining and Beverage Changes
A new two-story Sugar Factory American Brasserie opened at Fashion Show Mall with a walk up indoor/outdoor carousel bar and outdoor patios on both levels.
Superstar Pitbull launched a partnership with his Voli 305, which is now the exclusive vodka used in Sugar Factory’s signature cocktails. The Plaza downtown replaced the long closed Islands Sushi & Hawaiian Grill with Brightside – Breakfast and Burgers, a New York-style deli on the casino floor. Jared’s Old Fashioned Hotdogs & Hamburgers has opened at Pawn Plaza next to the famous TV Pawn Stars store. JC’s Irish Sports Pub at JW Marriott closed its doors on March 20 to make room for a full sportsbook. Chef Emeril Lagasse’s Las Vegas chefs are collaborating on a dinner series “Tour de Emeril.” The remaining Friday-evening dinners are: June 23 - Lagasse’s Stadium; Sept. 8 Delmonico Steakhouse; and Dec. 8 - Table 10.
About Town News
Pinot’s Palette, paint-and-sip studio, opened a third Las Vegas location at Town Square with a main studio and smaller private party room. Las Vegas Motor Speedway will hold a second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race beginning in the fall of 2018 making it the first facility to host two annual event weekends with all three national touring series. The Springs Preserve’s seasonal Butterfly Habitat is open through May 29. The Plaza has a new 5,000-square-foot, multi-purpose flexible space adjacent to the casino floor. Keep Memory Alive will honor illusionist Siegfried Fischbacher of legendary duo Siegfried & Roy, who has cared for partner Roy since the tiger accident onstage, with the inaugural Caregiver Award during the 21st annual Power of Love gala Thursday, April 27 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
10 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I April 2017
The new Dance With Me studio opened at Tivoli Village. Three of the business’ owners are Dancing with the Stars professionals Maksim and Valentin Chmerkovskiy and Tony Dovolani. Drai’s Beachclub is back at The Cromwell rooftop with celebrated DJs, returning exclusive resident artists G-Eazy, Machine Gun Kelly and other artists. For the first time, South Point’s Bingo Room will host a $1 Million Extravaganza Bingo event Friday and Saturday, July 21-22. Elite Motor Rentals will open at Pawn Plaza offering rentals of The Polaris Slingshot, an exotic three-wheel hybrid of a car and a motorcycle. Get A Haircut barber shop is the newest of eight ground-level storefronts at The Promenade at Juhl downtown. The Corner Market will open next. A $425,000 city grant will allow the Neon Museum to purchase adjacent land to expand and display another 30 signs.
The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) awarded the Mob Museum downtown accreditation, the highest national recognition afforded U.S. museums. Forbes Travel Guide unveiled its 59th global list of Star Rating recipients. Two Five-Star Las Vegas winners for hotel, restaurant and spa are Mandarin Oriental and Wynn. Three FiveStar hotels are Aria Sky Suites, Encore Tower Suites and Skylofts at MGM Grand and spas include ESPA at Vdara, and spas at Encore and Four Seasons. Five-Star Restaurants include: Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand, Le Cirque and Picasso at Bellagio, Restaurant Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace, Twist by Pierre Gagnaire at Mandarin Oriental and Wing Lei at Wynn. Alex and Ani, the eco-conscious jewelry and accessories brand, opened its sixth Las Vegas location inside McCarran International Airport’s C Gates. Lush Cosmetics opened an all-new three times larger location within the Fashion Show mall. www.socalfnbpro.com
By Lisa Matney
Okura Robota Grill and Sushi Bar Entering this stylish and contemporary Japanese restaurant you feel like you are actually in Japan. Okura Robata Grill and Sushi Bar is located on Pacific Coast Highway in the heart of Laguna Beach within steps of the beach. With a very subtle outside look, once you enter inside into the main dining room and lounge you see inviting soothing earth tones and subdued lighting throughout with splashes of bright orange. Okura has been open for about three and half years with chef Jin at the helm. The high quality seafood comes from all over the world and includes tuna from Hawaii and yellowtail and red snapper from Japan. There is a hint of Italian influence thanks to the carpaccio and it was a most welcome surprise. The chef takes pride in every dish that comes out of his kitchen. As for the ambience, there is a covered and heated patio overlooking Pacific Coast Highway which is great for soaking up the sun and enjoying Laguna’s beautiful weather. Okura is open for lunch and dinner and offers a happy hour with great specials from 4-6 p.m. and also offers locals day on Mondays and Tuesdays with appetizers starting at $3.50 and sake drink specials starting at $3. If you are in the area, check it out.
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photos by Mike Fryer and Lisa Matney
Laguna Beach
April 2017 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 11
By David Mulvihill
what’s
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 as well as Southern California for Southwest Brewing News. Contact him at dbrewhill@gmail.com.
BREWING IWCBD
photos courtesy Second Chance Beer Co.
The 4th Annual International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day took place on March 8th, coinciding with International Women’s Day. Sophie de Ronde (NPD Brewing Technologist at Muntons Malt UK) began IWCBD in an effort to build relations between women in the brewing industry, encouraging them to brew together each year on March 8th and raise awareness of women’s roles in the brewing industry. “Unite” was the name coined for this annual beer. The Pink Boots Society, an organization created to assist, inspire and encourage women beer industry professionals to advance their careers through education has embraced IWCBD as their organization’s “Big Brew Day.” For this year’s brew it was suggested that brewers support locally sourced ingredients in creating their individual versions of Unite Local. Many Southern California women brewers, along with their local Pink Boots chapters, brought women together for quite a few Unite Local brews. The suggested style by Pink Boots was Ancient Historical Ale. Inglewood’s Three Weavers Brewing gathered Brewmaster Alexandra Nowell and at least 15 additional women, including L.A. County Brewers Guild Executive Director Frances Lopez, Arts District head brewer Devon Randal and Ska Brewing’s Tanya Bultsma, for L.A. County’s Unite Local. San Diego had a number of Unite Local brews. Second Chance Beer Company’s Co-owner Virginia Morrison teamed with two staff members and six other ladies for their Big Brew Day, assisted by Brewmaster husband Marty Mendiola, and Brewer Craig Gregovics. The finished product was an Early American Colonial Ale, which was tapped on March 25. 20% of all sales will benefit the Pink Boots San Diego chapter. The women and friends of Second Chance Beer Co.
The women of Coronado Brewing Co, Benchmark Brewing Company, ChuckAlek Independent Brewers, Societe Brewing Company, North Park Beer Co, PubQuest, and the San Diego Brewers Guild got together to brew a hibiscus honey cream ale at the Coronado Brewing Company Pub on Coronado. Eppig Brewing co-founder Stephanie Eppig and the ladies of Eppig joined brewers Nathan Stephens and Clayton LeBlanc to brew a historic Kottbusser bier. Kottbusser, a style that originated in Cottbus, Germany, generally utilizes oats, honey, and molasses within its recipe. Culture Brewing Company’s Head Brewer Aleks Kostka also brewed a Kottbusser. In celebration of International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day she taught her team the fine art of brewing this historic German wheat ale. Rock Bottom La Jolla’s Head Brewer Carli Smith also reportedly participated in an IWCBD/Big Boots Brew Day brew, as did the women of San Diego Brewing Company, Belching Beaver Brewing Company and the Ladybeards of Burning Beard Brewing. South Park Brewing and its sister, Monkey Paw, teamed to brew a Scottish-style gruit ale, an ancient ale with locally sourced herbs. Chino Valley Brewing also produced a brew.
Yucaipa’s newest brewery, Brewcaipa Brewing Co, brought together its owner Kate Daniels, Denise Hoyt (the Mayor of Yucaipa), Patricia Barkenhagen (Bootlegger’s Brewery), Tina Thompson Armstrong (Tustin Brewing), Kasey Davis and Tina Smith to brew an Ancient Ale with local wildflower honey and locally grown kumquats. Brewcaipa’s brewer Derek Bougie confirmed at press time that the beer would likely be ready by the first week in April. Brewcaipa’s tasting room soft-opened in midMarch. Check Facebook or the website for current hours. Anaheim’s Unite Local was a Belgian-style tripel. Per co-owner/co-brewer Barbara Gerovac, her local ingredient was brewing water that comes from a local well. Other than charcoal filtering, nothing was added or subtracted from the makeup of the water. The recipe is one she created and originally brewed with husband Greg during his term at Huntington Beach Beer Co prior to opening their own brewery. They called the HBBC version Hercules. She also brewed it when she was the brewer at Union Cattle Co (now The Brewery at Abigaile) in Hermosa Beach. It was also Anaheim Brewery’s IWCBD beer last year. Release was set for March 30, so it should still be available. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Pink Boots Society and to the Orange County Family Justice Center.
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ISome of the Pink Boots of Second Chance Beer Co.
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photos by David Mulvihill
Firkfest founder Greg Nagel (l) with The Good Beer Co’s Brandon Fender.
Firkfest This year’s Firkfest cask beer festival took on a varied non-traditional firkin theme. The Firkfest Caskaway Tiki Beer Fest changed it up quite a bit with a callout to participating brewers for tropical-style casks. Some of you may be asking, “What is cask beer and what-the-firk is a firkin?” Traditional cask conditioned beer begins the brewing process like most beer. The difference takes place after primary fermentation when it is placed in a cask and krausened (a proportion of active wort is added), or sugar is added, to aid with promoting a secondary fermentation. Additional hops and other ingredients may also be added.
Riip Beer Co’s Trevor Walls.
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The finished product is naturally carbonated (conditioned) beer served directly from the cask. A firkin is a British unit of measure and also the size of a kind of keg (wooden or metal cask) used for cask conditioning, traditionally one quarter of a barrel (72 pints or 9 Imperial gallons). Perhaps the most interesting and creative themeinspired brew came from Riip Beer Co’s new Head Brewer, Trevor Walls. Kalua Porker was a 7.5% ABV porter that was conditioned with Kalua pork. Surprisingly, the finished product provided smokiness with an essence of pork to complement the roasted malts in the base porter. He was able to extract most of the fat prior to
combining the ingredients so that it retained a nice head and carbonation. Trevor’s second cask was Riipbiscus, an IPA with hibiscus. The Bruery shared a hearty imperial stout called Share These Nuts with additions of macadamia nuts and coconut. Chapman Crafted’s Brian Thorson recreated his Simcoe Motion IPA with the addition of coconut. Other brews included additions of tropical fruits to base beers. Los Angeles Beer Works brought Blume Berliner Weisse with passion fruit. They topped each taste with pineapple foam. The team also served Wild Oats oatmeal stout with coconut. Bruery Terreux’s entry was Frucht: POG, a Berliner wiesse with passion fruit, orange and guava. Stereo Brewing’s POG Star was a rendition of its Big Star Pale Ale with passion fruit, Mineola tangelo juice and guava added to the firkin. The Good Beer Co’s Brandon Fender brought the refreshing Horchatorita, a tart and brackish gose-style ale with sea salt, lactose, mandarin cinnamon and vanilla. Left Coast’s Tropical Tiki Blonde was a formulation of its blonde ale combined with mango, kiwi and additional Simcoe hops. Anaheim Brewery altered its traditional Anaheim Hefeweizen to a non-Reinheitzgebot level via refermentation in the cask with lightly toasted coconut. King Harbor’s featured ingredient was also coconut in its formulations of Coconut IPA with lime zest and Sink With California Pale Ale with toasted coconut. Karl Strauss’ tropical themed beer was its Wreck Alley Imperial Stout with coffee beans, cocoa nibs, cherries and pineapple. Dole Hole was Tustin Brewing Co’s creation, Jerrod Larsen’s Old Town IPA with pineapple.
Barley Forge Brewing Co’s Kevin Buckley with his new bride Noel.
April 2017 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 13
World Tea Expo
June 13 – 15 in Las Vegas, to Help Businesses of All Kinds Profit and Succeed Through Tea By Aaron Kiel Photos by Caught in the Moment Photography
Conference and Expo Offers a World-Class Educational Experience in the Business of Tea, for Restaurateurs, Foodservice Professionals, Chefs, Hoteliers, Retailers and More Penton’s World Tea Expo, the leading tradeshow focused on advancing the business of tea, takes place June 13 – 15, 2017 (with a pre-conference program on June 12) in Las Vegas, Nev. at the Las Vegas Convention Center North Hall. This year’s event features more educational content and speakers, new and extended hours for the product-filled expo hall, and a new networking reception on the show floor – all to help businesses capitalize on tea’s growing position and popularity in the marketplace. “With the surge in tea’s popularity, World Tea Expo has evolved into a global marketplace offering invaluable resources, education and business opportunities in tea,” said Rona Tison, senior vice president of corporate relations at ITO EN (North America) INC and a World Tea Expo Advisory Council member. “Having been a part of the show since its inception, the dynamic growth under Penton’s management only confirms the growing trend of tea and its engaged audience. The show is unparalleled and offers a world-class experience in the business of tea.”
A Look at Tea Trends World Tea Expo Advisory Board Member Brian Keating, founder of Sage Group, a Seattle, Washington based tea think-tank, says the specialty tea industry is growing considerably faster than its conventional tea counterpart in mass market channels. “Consumers have spoken and they want better quality, variety, purity from consumables and this pertains to their tea selections as well. Add in the endless wellness benefits obtained from tea consumption and the next decade looks very positive for all things tea.” Keating is a tea expert and blend master, with hands-on experience at the retail level, having earned the distinction as the first tea blend master and tea buyer for Whole Foods Market, the world’s largest natural foods retailer. “The specialty tea industry is just now diving into the more techie brewing methods and some of this has indeed been stimulated by the creativity of tea’s ‘sister’ beverage, specialty coffee,” he says. “We will definitely be seeing a lot more coldbrewed tea products, wildly creative pour-over
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brewing systems and other innovations from tea geeks determined to expand tea brewing from its traditional methods. Besides better finished brews, this wave of unique brewing technology brings the ever-desirable element of fun to consumers exploring tea.” Maria Uspenski, CEO of The Tea Spot, a World Tea Expo 2017 exhibitor and the 2017 World Tea Expo Yoga Sponsor, relates, “We’re seeing an explosion of ways to combine the traditions of premium tea with the convenience of modern lifestyles. People don’t want to compromise any longer and with the increasingly global market for premium teas and innovative tea ware designs, consumers are more connected than ever to the origin of the leaf.” Uspenski, who is also the author of the new book, Cancer Hates Tea, points out there’s a lot of interest in pour-over and cold brew tea, just as in the coffee world.” Similar to pour-over in coffee, more and more people are interested in the premium tea experience,” she explains. “Leading-edge cafés, restaurants, spas and hotels are taking note of this trend and coming up with many creative ways to offer this to their www.socalfnbpro.com
customers. This can be as straight-forward as showing off a premium tea sachet infusing in a glass teapot or mug, or a glass carafe of coldbrewing tea leaves for iced tea. There is also a plethora of new brewing devices available for tea, which factor into consideration of the subtleties and peculiarities of steeping tea leaves, including water temperature, pressure and the duration of the infusion. These range from elegant, simple designs costing less than $20 to designer hightech programmable systems which can cost more than $20,000. Uspenski continues, “Cold brew is one of the newest and coolest trends in tea, and is booming perhaps because of its incredible simplicity. We’re seeing new types of RTD (ready-todrink) cold brewed iced tea products appearing monthly, as well as creative applications in food-service. One of the attractive aspects of cold brewing for premium tea is that it can help minimize the finicky aspect of delicate higherend teas. Coming up next on the cold brew horizon may be ideas like shake-and-go teas as a convenient single serving option.” Tison, of ITO EN – Japan’s No. 1 green tea brand and the world’s leading purveyor of award-winning, premium and sustainably-grown green tea – says consumers are not only looking for healthier beverage options, but want to expand their knowledge and engage in new taste experiences. “Matcha has become incredibly popular for its natural energy boost and vitality of consuming the entire tea leaf,” says Tison, speaking on one of the hottest trends in tea. “People are having fun with matcha, whether whisking it on its own, adding it to a smoothie or cooking with it. It’s a trend that is here to stay and will become an American staple.” Tison adds: “Food service establishments across the country are incorporating teas on their menus – matcha lattes, single origin teas and unique artisanal iced teas. Corporate food services are also demanding healthy tea RTDs, for corporate offices, universities and event airports.”
Fill Your Cup and Learn To learn more about tea, tea on the menu, trends, and how you can profit from tea, register to attend World Tea Expo 2017. The event attracts top companies and professionals from more than 50 countries, representing: restaurants and chefs, foodservice, hotels, tea and coffee shops, grocery chains, private label brands, gourmet retailers, convenience stores, distributors, online businesses, distributors, manufacturers and
beverage developers, among others interested in building their business through tea. Mim Enck, president of East Indies Coffee and Tea Company and a World Tea Expo Advisory Council member, said, “Since East Indies Coffee and Tea has exhibited with World Tea Expo since its conception, we have experienced first-hand the tremendous growth of the show and the success that has been achieved. The educational program is unparalleled and, most importantly, the expo has allowed us to build a further connection with our customers, face-to-face.”
Head to Las Vegas, Taste What’s New in Tea John Chaffey, director of sales at the Metropolitan Tea Company and a World Tea Expo Advisory Council member, shared, “We are excited to return to Las Vegas for the annual World Tea Expo. The team at Penton has coordinated a well-balanced conference schedule with some fresh speakers and highly informative educational content for 2017. This is a great opportunity for seasoned tea trade professionals, buyers and vertical market leaders to network and learn, while up-and-coming businesses fill their cups and find inspiration. We are looking forward to seeing old friends, meeting new ones and offering a taste of what’s new.” Samantha Hammer Mitchell, a Penton event director and World Tea brand leader, said, “The World Tea Expo team is looking forward to welcoming thousands of professionals to the upcoming event in Las Vegas, to discover what’s new in tea, experience the best new products, and learn business-building strategies to profit through tea.”
Some of the highlights of the many educational topics at the upcoming World Tea Expo include: • Tea Retail Innovations & Trends • Tea in Hospitality • Tea on the Menu and as a Culinary Ingredient • Teas and Wellness • How to Source & Select Your Teas • Hot Brewed vs. Cold Brewed • How to Find Your Niche in a Crowded Marketplace • Sustainable Branding – What Aspects of Selling Tea Can Defy Generational Stereotypes? • The Chemistry of Tea Production • Turning Your Passion Into a Tea Vocation • Exploring The Herbal Tea Galaxy • Tea in 2021 – Growth Markets, Key Drivers and Opportunities in the Global Beverage Market • The World Tea Awards program (Wednesday, June 14), which celebrates the best and the brightest in the tea industry • The Best New Product Awards, which recognize the best new tea and related products from among the many exhibitors • The Global Tea Championship (formerly the North American Tea Championship) Winners Tasting Circle, where attendees taste and vote on award-winning teas • The World Origin Tasting Tour, an interactive and educational “tour” of some of the most important tea growing regions • The Tea Business Boot Camp, an intensive, hands-on program that covers critical topics facing the tea entrepreneur
World Tea Expo’s new exposition hours are: Tuesday, June 13 from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 14 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m Thursday, June 15 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The new World Tea Expo Networking Reception takes place on the show floor on Tuesday, June 13 from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
To register for World Tea Expo today, or for additional information, visit WorldTeaExpo.com. And be sure to follow World Tea Expo on Twitter: @worldteamedia (#WorldTeaExpo or #WTE17). www.socalfnbpro.com
April 2017 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 15
FOOD FOR THOUGHT Fall Squash in the Spring During a recent trip to the grocery store I stumbled upon a package of pre-cut butternut squash, which to me was very exciting because, firstly, butternut squash is extremely difficult to peel and cut, and secondly, one of my favorite soups is roasted butternut squash soup which is usually more in season during the fall. So, I bought two packages. But just because it’s spring does not mean we cannot enjoy a bit of an earthy, delicious fall favorite in the early spring. This creamy butternut squash soup features pureed butternut squash and onion and highlights the rich, sweet flavor of this winter squash. Roasting concentrates the flavor of the vegetables. If you like, add a couple of cloves of garlic. Just because the weather is warming up it’s no reason to forget how great a butternut squash soup tastes. This soup is a luscious, smooth soup, delicately seasoned with nutmeg—perfect for cool autumn evenings at home or to start your spring menus. It’s also a good time to buy squash from your produce supplier. The price is reduced toward the end of the season. Try it.
By Les Kincaid Les Kincaid is a food, wine, and golf expert and cookbook author. He hosts the nationally syndicated wine radio show Wines Du Jour each Thursday from 7 to 8 pm. You can enjoy his website or his broadcast at www.leskincaid.com les@leskincaid.com www.facebook.com/leskincaid www.twitter.com/leskincaid
Butternut Squash Soup 1 medium onion diced 3 tablespoons sweet butter 2 butternut squash, about 3-4 pounds, diced into 1-inch cubes or a package of pre-cut 5 cups vegetable stock, or enough to cover squash in pot (Use chicken stock if you prefer.) 1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning Pinch cayenne pepper Juice of half a lemon ½ cup whipping cream
Sauté onions in butter in a heavy-bottomed stock pot until soft. Add peeled and diced squash to same pot and then add vegetable stock until it reaches about a half inch over the squash. Bring contents of pot to a simmer, but take care it never boils. Continue simmering until squash is tender and breaks apart easily, about 1 hour. Stir in brown sugar, rest of spices and lemon juice and while stirring let simmer for 10 minutes longer. At this point, puree mixture with immersion (stick) blender if available, or remove mixture from pot and puree until smooth with blender or food processor. Once smooth, return to pot and whisk in cream, incorporating fully. Reminisce a little about fall this spring day over a bowl of savory and creamy roasted butternut squash soup. Serve with some shredded sage as garnish. Yield: 6-8 servings
D RIVE S ALES with Easy to Execute M ARKETING P ROGRAMS Recently published, Four Star Restaurant Marketing Cookbook — Recipes for RestaurateursTM, is a 300 page marketing resource for restaurant operators. Creative marketing programs are written in an easy-to-use recipe format, with ingredients needed, directions to implement and tips, tools and tactics to drive sales. Over 250 real restaurant case studies and photos are included. Available to purchase online at: marketing-cookbook.com
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www.marketing-cookbook.com 16 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I April 2017
“Recipes for Restaurateurs is an incredible resource for not only those looking to enter the restaurant business, but for those that have been running restaurants for years.”
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By Ben Brown
| Foodie Biz |
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.
Planned Parenthood LA Food Fare Celebrates 38th Successful Year
photos by Ben Brown
2017 marked the 38th year of the Planned Parenthood Los Angeles [PPLA] Food Fare, and it was certainly one for the books. The environment was extravagant, featuring spectacular lighting with a global flare and floral arrangements exceeding what you would expect at a wedding. That, and some incredible food and drink, paved the way to a hugely successful food festival. Record setting attendance had the event selling out to more than 2,000 guests, who were all comfortably accommodated in the massive Santa Monica Barker Hangar. More importantly, the event raised more than $1M for Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, another record. The amazing food and drink purveyors are too many to list, but additional vendors included Clementine (where Chef/ Owner Annie Miler was recognized as Chef of the Year), Rao’s, Doma Kitchen, Castle’s Catering, Kali, Sweet and Savory, Miro, Pettycash, Casalinda, Rosti, Pink’s, Boneyard Bistro, Chichen Itza, Craft, Sweet E’s and Border Grill. Be on the lookout for next year’s PPLA Food Fare. Buy tickets early—If it’s anything like this year, this event will sell out. For more information, visit pplafoodfare.com.
Napa Valley Grille Showcases New Seasonal Items With a menu that reflects an appeal to ‘palates distinctive of West Coast wine country’ Napa Valley Grille prides itself in local, sustainable and seasonal ingredients. For those looking into restaurant development, Napa Valley Grille is both a step back in time and a modernistic showcase. This interesting feat is embodied by classic flavors with just enough of a twist to appear all-new, as well as a beautiful layout that still reminds you of home. Among the seasonal delights is the Kansas City strip, a 14-oz steak with charred onion-thyme jam and green peppercorn-cognac ju, adding a distinct sweetness that melds beautifully. The Ancho-crusted albacore tuna is just in as well, with a sear that releases spectacular flavor. Pair these with some baked cavatelli gratin—think of it as spruced up mac ‘n’ cheese—and you’ve got a heck of a palate-pleaser. Additional highlights include the crescenza cheese and serrano ham tartine and the charcuterie, led by a house-made chicken liver pate. For more information, visit napavalleygrille.com.
Farmer Boys Brings Home Cookin’ to Hollywood Farmer Boys has spread like wildfire across California, but the new Hollywood location is among the first smack in the middle of L.A. For those unfamiliar, this fast-casual chain focuses on classic burgers, fries, shakes, sandwiches and salads, with an equally robust breakfast menu. At its core, the franchise prides itself on ‘farm fresh,’ seizing the farm-to-table food trend decades before its recent surge in popularity. Farmer Boys proves that farm-to-table dining doesn’t have to be expensive. The tagline is ‘nobody does it fresher’; a tough mantra to live up to when your menu rarely tops $10. But this casual spot has been doing it for 35 years and counting. If you’re looking for a break from trendy haute-spots and want a hearty, classic American dining experience, this will be a breath of fresh air. For more information, visit farmerboys.com.
Crossroads Launches Late Night Menu Crossroads, one of L.A.’s renowned vegan haute spots, has unveiled a $6-$14 late night menu that features items such as impossible burger sliders, buffalo maitake mushrooms and spicy ‘meatball’ pizzas, among other specialties. Paired alongside a drink menu of $5 beers and $10 well cocktails, the move looks to be part of an ever-increasing trend to attract a broader audience for late-night hours. For more information, visit crossroadskitchen.com.
Ocean Market Grill Puts Marketing Spin on Lent While Lent often conjures up feelings of depravation and sacrifice, Long Beach’s Ocean Market Grill has taken advantage of seafood’s prevalence during the Easter season. For those observing the 40-day Lent period, meat is forbidden on Fridays while seafood is just fine, leaving a wide open opportunity for fast thinkers like Ocean Market Grill to design a promotion around the holiday. The fast-casual eatery, which specializes in tacos, salads and fish a la carte, launched a $15 menu that included one appetizer and an entrée. Another promotion took $5 off any purchase of $20 or more. Both promotions go on throughout Lent. For more information, visit oceanmarketgrill.com. www.socalfnbpro.com
April 2017 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 17
Wine Talk with Alice Swift
By Alice Swift Alice Swift has been a resident of Las Vegas since July, 2011, and is currently an instructor as well as a Ph.D. student at UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration. She also works as Learning Design & Development Business Partner for MGM Resorts University. Check out her website at www. aliceswift.com for the dish on wine, technology, or even both! She is happy to take suggestions for article topics or inquiries.
From All Touch to No Touch Vineyard Practices, the New Age of Harvesting
Last month, I read a very interesting article about the next evolution of wine grape harvesting. That being said, I’d like to provide some “beverage for thought” this month. Considering it isn’t surprising that technology is being incorporated in all sorts of arenas around the world, such as with laser-precise surgery in the medical field, drones delivering packages, computers beating humans on Jeopardy, etc., it is no wonder that the concept of integrating technology to streamline processes in the beverage world is coming along. What do the examples I’ve just mentioned have in common? Fortunately, and unfortunately, these innovations have the potential to reduce (not eliminate) human labor. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who was thinking about what’s next in the world of winemaking and grape harvesting. At the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in January, there was a panel session focused on vineyard mechanization. The panel of speakers had representation from notable wineries such as Nick Dokoozlian from E&J Gallo Winery in California, to Mark Krstic from The Australian Wine Research Institute. They discussed topics such as reduced labor availability, increased regulations and increasing costs. The concept of touch, or “no touch” in this case, was to address the possibilities and realities of reducing the number of touchpoints that a person has in a vineyard, as well as consolidation of operations and increasing of efficiencies. Though I was unable to attend the symposium, an article I read recapping the symposium in the Wines & Vines magazine did lead me to do a little more research on the subject. The concept of mechanization itself in the world of wine has been around for many, many decades. The advances in mechanics have led to machinery that supports the mechanical picking of grapes, sorting, crushing, rotating of champagne bottles with gyropalettes (to remove the lees faster than doing it manually), and so much more. With the increasing difficulty in obtaining the manual labor to care for and farm the vineyards, wineries must look to re-evaluate their vineyard layouts and grapevine structures and determine whether there could be a more efficient or streamlined approach. Labor is becoming more and more 18 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I April 2017
scarce with the complications of immigration law. In addition, this hasn’t stopped the consumer demand for wine and grapes. As of 2011, the United States has remained the top country for world wine consumption, making up just over 13% of the world consumption as of the 2014 statistics. In other beverage sub-fields, such as soil monitoring or beverage production technology (e.g., wine, beer), innovations have already been implemented. Real-time monitoring systems allow one to keep track of criteria like soil moisture and temperatures at will, or receive alerts in case of unusual activity. Many vineyards, especially in California, have begun utilizing drones to collect data on things like canopy cover/density, water saturation and rodents (such as Hahn Estate Winery in the Santa Lucia Highlands, or Alto Vineyards in Illinois). In Europe, there has even been implementations of “robots” that are equipped with several sensors that roam the vineyards to monitor 1) grapevines’ vegetative growth, 2) nutritional status and 3) grape composition in order to optimize the vineyard management and improve grape composition and wine quality. (www.vinerobot.eu/wp-content/ uploads/2015/05/GIESCO-2015.pdf) With so many innovations in (both technological and otherwise) in such a wide range of food and beverage areas such as with beverage preservation systems (iPad menu/display technology, mixology, etc.), are you really surprised that the vineyard practices are choosing to research and evolve their practices as well? What do you think the next big breakthrough will be in the grape growing and harvesting world? With technologies like drones and robots, increasingly effective sensors, better computer systems, etc., the possibilities are endless. Because of my personal fascination with automation and drone technology, if you would like to learn a little more about drones and winemaking, check out this Buzzfeed article: www.buzzfeed.com/hamzashaban/thequantified-vineyard?utm_term=.bdqkvQx6A#.xi4RWovNj Until next month, Cheers~! Alice www.socalfnbpro.com
By Ben Brown
The Bottom Line Aarti Sequeira: The path that took her from foodie to food celebrity
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.
Aarti Sequeira is living the foodie dream. The winner of Food Network Star season six, Sequeira went on to host her very own Food Network Show, Aarti Party, as well as author her own cookbook, Aarti Paarti: An American Kitchen with an Indian Soul. She’s appeared on a dizzying number of cooking shows and assured the world of her talents by winning Chopped All-Stars.
photo courtesy Wagstaff WorldWide Public Relations
Getting to this point, however, was far from easy. Dubai-born Sequeira’s entrepreneurial journey didn’t even start in the kitchen. A journalism graduate from Northwestern University, Sequeira began her career behind the camera. It took a long time for her to discover her passion for cooking, and even longer for her to build that passion into a business. Sequeira took the time to discuss the fascinating path she took to land where she is today, as well as share her insights for all the aspiring food celebrities out there to do the same.
You started out as a producer on CNN. What took you out of the newsroom and into your first restaurant job at Lucques? When I was in New York, I was on a track. I knew exactly where I was professionally and where I was going. When I moved to L.A. to be with my husband, I found that it was hard to get work. But when I thought about it, the real reason it was hard is that I lost the hustle, I lost the appetite for [being a producer]. When I was in journalism school, one of my instructors said, “if you ever lose the fire, then you have to get out of it.” That’s when I started cooking. It’s been in my blood. My mom loves it, my dad is a huge foodie, my grandmothers were amazing cooks. Cooking is practical and healing at the same time. I found that when I followed a recipe, I could transform something raw and ugly, like an onion, into something beautiful, like a French onion soup. I found that the passion I had for news, I now had for cooking.” What was it like getting scouted off of YouTube and onto Food Network? When I started doing the YouTube show it was just pure joy. My husband [Brendan McNamara] was the director. After a while, a woman at [online food platform] Good Bites saw my YouTube channel and apparently said, “I can make that woman a star.” I started shooting cooking videos for them. I remember thinking, “holy cow I would do this for free.” It was a moment where everything slowed down and I realized this is what I want to do. When people told me to try out for Food Network Star, I thought there www.socalfnbpro.com
was no way that they would pick me. When you’re in the spotlight, you feel like all people want to do is look down on you. It was definitely a leap of courage and faith. And then they picked me. And when I won, it was incredibly validating. What advice do you have for all the food bloggers and YouTubers out there looking to become the next Aarti Sequeira? If you want a cooking show, well, just make one. It is easier than ever to set up a camera in your own home and film yourself. Learn to edit too. That helped me a lot. My big advantage in doing Food Network Star is that I had basically already done the job. I had been doing it on my own for 9 months. I had the on-camera experience and the kind of recipes people were looking for. I knew the kinds of lines and film cuts that Food Network was looking for. For food bloggers, I blogged because I needed an outlet to talk about what was going on in my life and in the kitchen. It helped me figure out what my point of view was and what made me different as a chef. There’s a lot of copycats out there and you have to figure out a way to separate yourself. The only way to do that is to get yourself on a regimen of blogging 3 times a week. You just have to do it, and do it, and do it. I spent years of just writing and shooting and editing and blogging before going onto the Food Network. April 2017 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 19
By John Rockwell John Rockwell is a native Southern Californian and career English teacher working in the Riverside area. In his spare time, he rides his bicycle to breweries, restaurants, and cheese shops, and is always looking for culinary delights within riding distance of the vast network of SoCal bicycle trails.
Belching Beaver Tavern and Grill
These handmade corn-dogs (using Andouille sausage) and savory Cauliflower and Leeks can be addictive. Robust portions—and that’s just the appetizer menu.
photos by John Rockwell
Situated in North San Diego County, Vista’s downtown has undergone a renaissance during the past several years. In that time, the walkable Main Street has added two live theater houses, two breweries, a couple of cafes and one popular gastropub. With all the breweries in town (Vista has one of the highest number of breweries per capita in the US), it was time for an additional brewery-food concept in the downtown area. So last year, the owners of Belching Beaver stepped up to the plate and re-opened a shuttered bank building as Belching Beaver Tavern and Grill. The popularity of Belching Beaver’s signature Peanut Butter Milk Stout, their many taproom openings (five in total) and aggressive bottle marketing indicates their success. When I saw the Tavern and Grill’s hastily typed-out menu on social media last year, it looked interesting and delicious. A year later, they have a nicer looking menu and some serious downtown eats. When you enter Belching Beaver from the front, you’ll notice the old bank’s large open floor design has been put to work. The production brewery is to the immediate left behind glass. You can be seated in the large dining room to the right (which has sliding roll-up windows to reveal a heated outdoor patio area), or you can sit at the bar that runs nearly the length of the dining room. The bar houses around seventeen rotating Belching Beaver creations, and about nineteen rotating guest taps from mostly local breweries (including other Vista breweries). If you just want the tasting room experience continue walking straight out the back door, and into the beer garden area. The beer garden has a separate bar, plenty of standing area, wooden tables and several fire pits encircled with chairs. There is a rear gated entrance to this outdoor area. The beer garden area always features a special appetizer menu and offers happy hour prices 5-7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 2-4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Under the direction of Executive Chef Ramiro Guerra and the creative influence of Sous Chef Rafa Yrure, the restaurant’s dining fare is a mixture of creative shareable appetizers
He is an ardent fan of the waiver theater culture in Los Angeles. He is new to cheesemaking, but has been a homebrewer for over twenty years.
Once a main entrance to a downtown bank, this building is now home to great food and great beer.
and comfort-food entrees. The menu is split into three sections: “Beaver Small Nibbles” (appetizers), “Beaver Building Materials” (salads and flatbread) and “The Beaver’s Tail” (entrees). There is a definite Asian-fusion influence in appetizer selections like the Fried Cauliflower and Leeks which includes a Ponzu Sauce, or the “Dueling Pokes” which features Ahi Poke with both a smoke-flavored sauce and a pomegranate sauce. The Andouille Corn Dogs with Asian-influenced mustard dressing are delicious appetizers for a new take on an old standard. For the lunch crowd—and perhaps the frugalminded taproom interloper—the “Beaver Building Materials” section offers a “healthy” selection of meat-centric salads and flatbreads.
The salads feature fried chicken, seared ahi, duck or steak, and the flatbreads offer similar meats. There is always the reminder that the beer is an ingredient, featured in the Steak and Hop Salad, which uses a hop vinaigrette. “The Pizza” is probably the least unusual combination of meats featuring straightforward pepperoni, sausage and mushrooms. Many of the “Beaver’s Tail” entrees are big enough to share if you’ve filled up on appetizers. In this section of the menu, protein is the centerpiece, whether it’s chicken, salmon and beef, or pub dishes like stuffed meatloaf, sandwiches/burgers, pot pie and chili. The plates are composed with a straightforward presentation usually with cauliflower mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables du jour. The Brontosaurus
The ample outdoor dining room patio can open up to the main dining room via garage-style roll-up windows. With SoCal’s “cold” 2017 winter (with temperatures as low as 58 degrees), it is more likely that the propane heaters will be fired up.
Even in North County, any brewpub worth its salt should have so many local beers on tap it would take you 10-15 visits to try them all. The number of regional and craft taps speaks for itself.
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Belching Beaver’s Hop Highway IPA and a fire pit is the perfect place for rest after work, or during brewery hopping in Vista. On Saturday night, expect this place to be jam-packed until closing.
The outdoor “tasting room” area of the Belching Beaver tavern is a relaxing change from concrete floors and high tables. The renovated “Avo”—movie theater turned into a live theater—looms in the background.
The outdoor bar serves the fire pit patio and has the Belching Beaver beers specifically on tap. They have a Happy Hour (5-7, M-F; 2-4 weekends) and a special appetizer menu available.
The Brontosaurus Bone is a giant bone and a large portion of braised, tender, savory, fall-off-thebone beef rib. It is served with cauliflower mashed potatoes and a locally grown vegetable.
A large grilled pork chop satisfying in both size and flavor. Presented simply with signature cauliflower mashed potatoes and fresh veggies.
Bone is my favorite item on the menu and could be easily shared with 2-3 people. It is a giant fall-off-the-bone rib cooked osso buco-style in broth, wine and beer. It is savory and filling and the meat is presented on an ostentatious footlong bone. The Brasilian Steak was cooked to a perfect medium-rare, reminiscent of Brazilianstyle churrasco, especially with the house-made chimichurri sauce. Even my vegetarian daughter enjoyed her veggie burger. The Apple Butter Pork Chop almost lived up to the photos I saw—it was not quite the thick cut I was hoping for, but it was clean-the-bone flavorful. An additional benefit to dining here is that the restaurant supports local
farms and an agricultural program at Palmquist Elementary School—local students may have grown and tended the veggies on your plate! The entree menu really does veer toward the traditional, which is a good sign—brewpubs offering food should be multi-generational meeting places, and the Vista crowd is a mix of young and old (on one trip I made a 30-year reacquaintance with my long-retired fourth-grade teacher). Belching Beaver Tavern and Grill is more than a brewery-restaurant: it is a place where good food, good people and a community can meet, relax and enjoy some good, locallymade food and beer.
This is a beer place, so flights are a must if you haven’t settled on a favorite. Although Belching Beaver Peanut Butter Stout is great, their Milk Stout on nitro hits that classic flavor profile. The beer list is different every time I’ve been in so make sure to ask your server if there’s anything new or popularat-the-moment on tap. The Peanut Butter Latte is a blonde stout version of their famous Peanut Butter stout, and was not on the list, but was on tap.
This used to be a bank building, so the high “vaulted” wooden ceilings make sense. It somehow achieves the feeling of a large, open-seating dining room, but diners sit at separate tables. In the bar area to the left, patrons can face the taps and TVs or face the diners, separated by a wall of fire. If servers got a dollar for every time a customer asked if that fire is real, they’d be rich!
“The Beav” as they sometimes call themselves has trouble in one area, and that is producing enough beer to keep up with demand. This smaller production facility is one of three brewing sites they use (two in Vista, and one in Oceanside).
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Belching Beaver Tavern and Grill 302 E. Broadway, Vista, CA 92084 760-295-8599 www.belchingbeaver.com/beav-tavern Hours Monday-Wednesday: 3:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Thursday: 3:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Friday: 12:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. Saturday: 1:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Sunday: 1:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
The “original” Belching Beaver tasting room in Vista’s business park (off the Sycamore Avenue exit along the 78). It looks like just about every other mid-sized production facility in SoCal, and if the cars on a Thursday night were any indication, it still receives quite a bit of foot traffic. This site often has an independent caterer on premise in the evenings to serve food.
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT | There is no confusion when it comes to Major Pan-Asian Infusions! More than just a broth, Major’s PAN-ASIAN BASE range is the perfect way to add an exotic twist to any dish. Create healthy, fun, on-trend street-worthy recipes in seconds. It’s OH so SIMPLE and versatile: • use in casseroles, stir-fries, pasta dishes, noodles and soups • create seasonings and dressings • brush onto protein, vegetables or fish as a marinade • stir directly into sauces Making the chef’s life that little bit easier, Major Products blends the ingredients so you don’t have to. From coconut to lemongrass, cilantro, chili pepper, ginger, herbs and spices, and available in four mouthwatering flavors: Beef, Chicken, Pork and Vegetable, you can not only maximize on flavor but stay on budget and save on time. www.majorproducts.com
Product Review By Bob Barnes
HyperChiller
Recently I reported on a product for commercial bars and restaurants that could rapidly chill spirits. Now I have found one you can use at home. Called HyperChiller, in one minute or less it can chill any non-carbonated liquid up to 8 oz, such as coffee, tea, wine, or spirits. The apparatus contains two food grade stainless steel cylinders that are filled with water, assembled within each other and placed in the freezer. After it’s fully frozen you pour your drink of preference into an opening at the top, swirl or let sit for about a minute and then pour from the other opening into your glass. I found it works great and actually does chill a spirit in less than a minute to about the same temperature as it would be if poured on the rocks, but with zero dilution. I must confess its use has become a part of my daily routine. The HyperChiller sells for $29.99 and can be ordered at http://hyperchiller.com.
Custard Chardonnay
Now that the temps are inching up many of us turn to lighter wines, such as Chardonnay. Just in time for the season is Custard Chardonnay from the premiere wine growing region of Sonoma. The Custard brand is inspired by Donny Sebastiani’s favorite childhood treat: a glazed donut with a creamy custard filling. I sampled the 2015 vintage, which is 100% Chardonnay and is 14.5% ABV and was impressed with the notes of pear and citrus intermingled with smooth vanilla cream pie. Definitely a warm weather delight, but I could enjoy it any time of year. Custard Chardonnay is distributed in Southern Nevada by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and in Southern California by Epic. The SRP for a 750 ml bottle is $17.99.
C3 Carciofo Artichoke Liqueur
Anyone who reads this column knows I like unusual products and this one jumped out at me. I truly never thought of making a spirit from artichokes, but that’s just what Don Ciccio & Figli did. Produced and bottled in Washington, D.C. and based on a traditional Italian recipe from 1911, a nod to the original Don Ciccio & Figli distillery that produced liqueurs on Italy’s picturesque Amalfi Coast for nearly a century, the name refers to the fact that three types of California-grown artichokes are used, along with cardoons, grapefruit and 18 selected botanicals. It is aged in a barrel for 12 months, and is 23% ABV. This unique Italian-style handcrafted bitter liqueur tastes simultaneously bitter and sweet and the medium-to-high bitterness level was designed with cocktail aficionados and fans of bitter aperitivi in mind. The SRP is $35.99. For more info visit doncicciofigli.com or domainselect.com.
Nomad Outland Whisky
This whisky breaks the rules. An interesting back story is that it was born and aged for 5-8 years in the highlands of Speyside, Scotland and refined for an additional 12 months in Pedro Ximénez (a type of grape) sherry casks in Jerez, Spain. It benefits from both the warm and humid plains of southern Spain with the wild yeasts and a quintessential Scottish highland character. Sipping it brings a palate of sherry combined with the sweetness of wood and you are rewarded with a long aftertaste. Nomad is 41.3% ABV and the SRP is $44. For more info visit http://www.gonzalezbyass.com/ en/nomad-outland-whisky-2.
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Bob’s Beer Bits and Sips
Beers to Enjoy as Spring Springs Forth By Bob Barnes The Bruery Chocolate Rain Members of The Bruery’s Society Members and Preservation Society (clubs with an annual membership fee that allows members to purchase rare, special beers not available to the general public) have already been enjoying this beer, but now for the first time it is available for public purchase. Here is the backstory from the brewery: “One of the holy mothers of dessert beer in America started with a single cask at the first Black Tuesday release in 2009. Demand was instant, and The Bruery Chocolate Rain was finally bottled in 2011. The only downside to this beer? Only available to The Bruery Reserve Society members.” That is true no longer, but although available beginning March 24, you may still have trouble finding it, but you can visit TheBrueryStore.com, which will allow it to be shipped in California, or you can visit the tasting room in Placentia. Each 750-ml bottle is wax-dipped and retails for $39.99. This barrel aged Imperial Stout takes over a year to make and features TCHO (a pod-to-palate chocolate company located on Pier 17 in S.F.) cacao nibs and fresh vanilla beans. It’s rich in chocolate, vanilla, oak and bourbon, and at a huge ABV of 19.6%, truly puts the “imperial” in Imperial Stout.
Furstenberg Pilsner It’s been a while since a new German Pilsener has made its way to the US market. Now Paulaner USA, the US importer of the legendary Paulaner Brewery portfolio, has added Fürstenberg to its premium line of brands. When I say new German Pilsener, I mean new to the US, for the Fürstlich Fürstenbergische brewery located in Donaueschingen, Germany was founded in 1283 and has 730 years of brewing experience. The launch capitalizes on recent marketing research indicating that 45% of craft beer consumers are searching for more sessionable brews under 5% ABV. At 4.8% this Pilsener certainly qualifies as sessionable, and is a classic German Pilsener direct from the Black Forest brewed following Reinheitsgebot (the German Purity Law of 1516 requiring the use of only of malt, hops, yeast and water), and uses brewing malt and Hallertau and Tettnang hops from the region.
O’hara’s Irish Move over Guinness and Harp. O’hara’s is currently the largest craft brewery in Ireland, and first opened its doors in 1996 with the goal to revive the brewing tradition once common in Ireland long lost since the end of the 1800s. Although not German, the brewery also follows Reinheitsgebot (using only malt, hops, yeast and water) and beers marketed in the US include Irish Red—4.3%, traditional hop flavor to balance a sweet malt finish; Pale Ale—5.2%, an Irish IPA style that unlike most UK IPAs, is dry hopped for a zesty citrus burst; Irish Stout—4.3%, the flagship of the brand, Fuggle hops lends a tart bitterness to the dry espresso-like finish; and Leann Follain Extra Irish Stout—6%, full-bodied, flavors of dark chocolate tones with a hint of vanilla.
Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Most bourbon barrel-aged beers are brewed in dark styles with higher ABV such as Imperial Stout, but this new brew from Alltech Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. is a 5.5% ABV cold-conditioned Cream Ale brewed with a hint of flaked corn and bourbon vanilla beans, and aged in freshly decanted Kentucky bourbon barrels for a minimum of two months. “The use of selective barrel aging allows us to bring a much gentler, almost soft, hint of bourbon and oak to Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale,” said Ken Lee, Master Brewer at Alltech Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. “It allows the vanilla bean and refreshing cream ale to create a unique melody of flavor.” After tasting, I have to agree. Unlike darker bourbon aged styles, the bourbon is definitely more moderate, allowing the vanilla and sweet malt to come through more prominently. The brewery, founded in 2000 by Irish entrepreneur Dr. Pearse Lyons, specializes in barrel aged beers, and its location in Lexington, Kentucky greatly enables it to procure fresh Kentucky bourbon barrels. Note: In 2012, the company became part of the world-renowned Kentucky Bourbon Trail with the opening of its Town Branch Distillery, which crafts Town Branch Bourbon, Town Branch Rye, Pearse Lyons Reserve malt whiskey and Bluegrass Sundown bourbon-infused coffee liqueur. For more information, visit kentuckyale.com.
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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
Keeping Great Employees
What is the secret to keeping your best employees? Good pay, flexible work hours, or generous vacation time? Maybe a little of all of the above. But I have found, over my many years in human resources, that people thrive and even contribute more effectively, when the following three (3) attributes for success exist. • a good company culture, • an opportunity to be heard and to contribute (engagement) • a respectful team around them. A good company culture is characterized by open communication, fair policies and compassionate practices for dealing with issues, changes and challenges that may occur in a person’s life. What do I mean by “compassionate practices?” I mean that people are treated like human beings: with respect and consideration, especially when issues arise at work that may reflect a change in a person’s behaviors. Do you talk confidentially with the employee to find out what is going on in their life? Do you have steps that can be taken to get a person some help? Do you not condemn or pass judgment, especially until you have a
better idea what factors contributed to their situation? People are creatures of habit and most sudden changes in behavior stem from a problem in the person’s life such as marital/ family issues, addiction or health problems. People also thrive on an opportunity to be heard and contribute. Have you ever seen the look on someone’s face when they get credit for a good idea or to help solve a situation with their idea or input? It’s like the sun shining through their eyes! They show joy and their face reflects the pride they feel in the opportunity to have made a valued contribution! Those contributions must be acknowledged and appreciated by you for what they are … engagement and effort! Last, but definitely not least, every successful organization must support and expect that respectful treatment is the cornerstone of their people philosophy! Without respect you have nothing. When people or policies are condemning or harsh, you will have nothing but meek, fearful and hesitant employees focused on how to CYA (cover your a$$). That is clearly not a productive work environment.
When you do, you can make changes toward ensuring you can keep your good staff. I’d do this by making sure your pay policies and incentives are in line with your competition. Basic incentives, recognition programs or other rewards can go a long way to increase employee morale and thus productivity and longevity. It is unfortunate, but many organizations today do not put much time or effort into ensuring that they retain their valued talent. Why? I think that it is because, 1) we are too busy with the day to day, 2) we take for granted that people need their job, and 3) we don’t appreciate what we’ve got until it’s gone. Good employees tend to be good because of their people skills not just their results. To reduce turnover and dissention, you must not be afraid to tell your employees, at least once in a while, that you appreciate their efforts and contributions.
First and foremost, you have to embrace and recognize that turnover has costs to the organization in lost productivity and morale.
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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April 2017 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 25
EVENTS
AD INDEX
There are several major food & beverage events coming up in the next few months. Here is a sampling of some of the events we highly recommend so if planning to attend you can start booking now.
Chefs for Kids Dinner and Auction donations@chefsforkids.org 702-333-2338
April 20-23 Global Specialty Coffee Expo will take place in Seattle, WA at the Washington State Convention Center and will host over 300 exhibitors on the show floor, as well as educational lectures at the Lectures Campus, premier Pathway classes and social events. www.coffeeexpo.org April 23-24 the Northwest Foodservice Expo returns to Portland, OR for its annual Foodservice presentation at the Oregon Convention Center and will offer an opportunity for thousands of restaurant and foodservice industry professionals to connect with more than 400 vendors on the show floor, expand their knowledge at the educational seminars, sample delicious new products and find inspiring ideas that will make the difference in their operations. nwfoodserviceshow.com
Deep Eddy Vodka www.deepeddyvodka.com Major Foods www.majorproducts.com 702-838-4698
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Power of Love Gala keepmemoryalive.org/pol
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Recipes for Restauranteurs www.marketing-cookbook.com
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White Soy Sauce www.whitesoysaucefood.com
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World Tea Expo worldteaexpo.com
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April 27 the Power of Love Gala at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas’ premiere fundraiser event, is an annual celebration of life that was created to raise money for the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health’s programs and services and is an evening you will want to remember as you Keep Memory Alive. www.keepmemoryalive.org April 27-30 is the 11th Annual Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit, a celebration of wine, food and spirits with 24 events hosted by an array of celebrity chefs, with the highlight being The Grand Tasting at Caesars Palace on April 28. vegasuncorked.com June 13-15 the World Tea Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center will bring everything from the world of tea, with previews of new products and newly launched innovations. www.worldteaexpo.com
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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 26 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I April 2017
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26th Annual Chefs for Kids Dinner and Auction South Point Hotel, Casino, Spa | May 13. 2017
Honoring
Michael Severino and Binion Family Foundation Featuring a night of delectable food, dancing, and bidding wars for live auction packages featuring private chef dinners, tasting experiences and getaways.
More information, donations@chefsforkids.org or (725) 333-BEET. Binion Family Foundation
Pre-Conference: June 12, 2017
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Conference & Expo: June 13-15, 2017
Las Vegas Convention Center, North Hall
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worldteaexpo.com
Advancing the Business of Tea
World Tea Expo 2017 is just around the corner! Enter the code TEAM5 for $200 off the Premium Conference Pass. Register today at worldteaexpo.com/register!
World Tea Expo is the largest tradeshow and conference in North America focused 100% on premium teas and related products. Join us to blend fresh ideas, discover the latest trends and new distribution channels through three days of focused buying, selling and education. World Tea Expo is your chance to capitalize on this growing category to the fullest.