April 2018 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional

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Issue 4 Volume 18

US $3.95

“Take a Sip for Scholarship” at the 44th Annual UNLVino

Looking Into the Future by Romero Britto

April 2018

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CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER MIKE FRYER Cover WELCOME TO THE SOCAL FOOD & BEVERAGE PROFESSIONAL APRIL 2018 SPECIAL

ISSUE FEATURING THE 44th ANNUAL UNLVINO! Now the longest running winetasting fundraiser event in the US, UNLVino is so much more than just a wine tasting…It’s an Epic Culinary & Beverage Experience, and you won’t want to miss it this year. In fact, we are publishing UNLVino-connected VIP comments on UNLVino including an article written by our very own Wine Talk columnist Alice Swift. Check it out inside and plan your visit now by buying tickets early, since they will go fast and will be more expensive closer to the event.

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Page 10 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional would like to introduce and welcome onboard David Scott Peters and his new monthly column “The Restaurant Expert.”

David is a restaurant consultant, event speaker and founder of TheRestaurantExpert. com, a company committed to the success of independent restaurants offering exclusive online restaurant management software designed specifically to meet the complete operational needs of independent operators. Learn more about how David can help you at www.TheRestaurantExpert.com.

Page 11 has our SoCal journalist Lisa Matney and Andrew Matney, our SoCal Legal Editorial Advisor, joining a Foodie Tour for brunch appropriately called the Boozy Brunch due to the amounts of Mimosas and Bloody Marys consumed on the tour. By no means a cheap tour, all the Foodie Tours are high-end, visiting some of the best restaurants available. Read on if this interests you since you can cover multiple locations on each visit savoring various “House Specialties.” And did we mention bottomless Mimosas and Bloody Marys!? www.lipsmackingfoodietours.com Page 12 introduces our SoCal Editorial Director, Bob Barnes, with his beer predictions for 2018 where local beer will continue to thrive. A longtime beer lover and homebrewer, Bob has elevated his beer knowledge along with the elevation of beer and craft breweries. If you enjoy beer as so many of us do, you’ll find Bob’s article mouthwatering and informative. Side Note: San Diego County alone hosts over 75 licensed beer breweries. No wonder San Diego is our kind of place!

Page 16-18 shows us the UNLVino event location at the iconic Keep Memory Alive Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health designed by the legendary architect Frank Gehry. Nestled between the Preforming Arts Center and the World Market in Symphony Park, this has become a premier center for events.

Page 19 brings us the UNLVino page dedicated to UNLVino itself and the TLC it brings with it, Tasting-Learning-Community!

CHEERS! MIKE FRYER SR. EDITOR/PUBLISHER

Page 4 Hot off the Grill!

Page 5 The Bottom Line How Some Restaurants Are Literally Built for Instagram Page 6 What’s Brewing Page 8 Made from Scratch The Oyster Man: Beer and Oysters in DTLA

27 www.socalfnbpro.com

Page10 The Restaurant Expert Sexual Harassment Prevention in Your Restaurant - Ignorance could cost you your business Page11 The Best Brunch is a Boozy Brunch

Page12 My Predictions for Beer in 2018 Local Beer Will Continue to Thrive Page14 Foodie Biz Page 16 COVER FEATURE UNLVino “Take a Sip for Scholarship”

Page 27 Wine Talk with Alice Swift Alice’s 2018 Picks for the Spring Page 28 Brett’s Vegas View Page 29 COOK•EAT: Asia Senior Foods Page 30 Events

Page 20 Twinkle Toast RAEN Turned to Wine

Ad Index ACF Chefs of SoCal

Page 21 Product Review Page 24 Human Resources Insights Opportunity: It’s All About How You Look at It!

April 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 3

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

www.socalfnbpro.com

HOT OFF THE GRILL!

April 2018 Mike Fryer

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

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

Bob Barnes

Editorial Director bob@socalfnbpro.com

Juanita Fryer

Ben Brown

Juanita Aiello

Adam Rains

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

Creative Director juanita@socalfnbpro.com

Restaurant Editor ben@socalfnbpro.com

Zarzuela, a heavenly Spanish seafood stew, is only the beginning at Sea Change, one of Chez Melange’s three niche restaurants under one roof.

Restaurant Editor Ben Brown explores Sea Change, ventures downtown for bubble waffles and ice cream, and shares some exciting upcoming food festivals. Check out Ben’s Foodie Biz column for more.

ADAM RAINS WINS BIG! Our very own Beverage Editor, Adam Rains, has won the Regional Competition sponsored by USBG-United States Bartenders’ Guild and NRA-National Restaurant Association for the “Star Of The Bar.” Adam will go on to the National Competition in Chicago at the NRA Show in May. Good luck Adam. Nice job!

Beverage Editor adam.rains@socalfnbpro.com

Advertising sales@socalfnbpro.com

Article Submissions/Suggestions articles@socalfnbpro.com

Calendar Submissions calendar@socalfnbpro.com

Website webmaster@socalfnbpro.com

Press Relase Submissions news@socalfnbpro.com

General Information info@socalfnbpro.com

@socalfnbpro

The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Legal Editorial Advisor Andrew Matney

Journalist What’s Brewing David Mulvihill

Accounting Manager Michelle San Juan

Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett Journalist

Best of the Best Shelley Stepanek

Journalists Broads of Bourbon Mary Powers & Delilah Tennyson

Journalist Good for Spooning LeAnne Notabartolo

Journalist COOK•EAT: Asia K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.

Photographer Audrey Dempsey

Journalist Chef Talk Allen Asch

Journalist Pat Evans

Journalists Dining Out with the Harrises Elaine & Scott Harris

Journalist Wine Talk Alice Swift

Journalist The Bottom Line Ben Brown

Journalists Twinkle Toast Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover

Journalist Lisa Matney

Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein

Journalist Made from Scratch John Rockwell

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www.socalfnbpro.com

The Bottom Line How Some Restaurants Are Literally Built for Instagram

Instagram has transformed photos as a means of communication, with food ranking high among Instagram’s content leaderboard. Many restaurants have upped their food presentation to make their product more ‘sharable’ on social media, but some places have gone a step further.

Popping up more and more are socially-built restaurants—mostly dessertfocused eateries that were literally built for Instagram.

How exactly can a restaurant be built for Instagram? Simple: 1. Create visually stunning food and backdrops that encourage guests to share photos of your food with their friends.

2. Reap the rewards of free marketing when those friends come in through your doors, buy your product, photograph it and share it with their friends.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 as the cycle continues. Your food, while serving as the financial crux of your business, takes a back seat to the social sharing experience.

Thinking about it from a business perspective, the move makes a great degree of sense. Here’s why: Dessert is a natural haven for photogenic, brightly-colored food Sprinkles, M&M’s and cotton candy are among the most visually interesting edible items on camera. Preparing a burger with fresh meat, cheese and produce to produce the savory equivalent of such vibrant colors is a complex, costly undertaking by comparison.

Dessert contains numerous color contrasts—chocolate and vanilla, vanilla raspberry, vanilla and caramel, etc.—as well as a multitude of unnaturallycolored products that are accepted by society as being perfectly good things to eat. Try selling a burger with bright green meat and pink buns!

Dessert is low-cost and high-margin Desserts entail significantly lower ingredient and production costs than most of their savory counterparts, affording them lower price points to appeal to the masses and the target demographics that naturally share their food on social media.

Dessert establishments are prone to higher traffic and turnover in smaller spaces A dessert-only restaurant will feature far fewer traditional booths and tables, and skew more toward long, narrow countertops and shared tables designed for groups to congregate, eat and leave. Dessert doesn’t take www.socalfnbpro.com

By Ben Brown Benjamin Brown, MBA is Restaurant Editor of The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional. A seasoned

writer and consultant, Ben works with Fortune 500

companies and mom & pop shops alike in Marketing, Analytics, Consumer Insights, PR and Business

Development. Contact Ben at Ben@lvfnb.com or follow him @Foodie_Biz.

as long as a normal meal [unless you have a serious sweet tooth!], again lowering the barrier to entry by posing a minimal time commitment on top of the lower price.

With higher turnover and lots of to-go business, as well as fewer kitchen and inventory requirements, dessert establishments can afford to be significantly smaller than standard restaurants while still attracting significant traffic. This opens the gates to a larger group of budding restaurateurs that wouldn’t be as prone to investing in a large amount of real estate.

There are many more built-in features that make dessert a natural candidate for socially-built restaurants, but these don’t guarantee success.

So, what are successful establishments doing to stand out?

Making big, killer products Look at any of the socially-built dessert hotspots and you will likely see enormous scoops of ice cream with generously-poured toppings [at least they look generous] and other accouterments sticking out the top and flowing from the sides of the cone, cookies or other vehicle. And yes, it tastes as good as it looks.

Bigger is better for these places. CREAM, short for Cookies Rule Everything Around Me, is a prime example of socially-built massive desserts that appeal to the eye and the palate alike. No expense is spared, because their food costs double as the marketing budget.

Designing a restaurant full of Instagram backgrounds Making eye-catching dessert is the first step. Just as critical is informing audience members where they can go to get the same experience. The Dolly Llama in Downtown Los Angeles has this practice down pat. Every part of this small restaurant is an Instagram backdrop, complete with bright neon lighting and their hashtag splayed across the wall.

Creating a social atmosphere Snapping food photos is always a toss-up. Some love to do it, some hate when it’s done, and some love to do it even when around those who hate when it’s done. In any case, successful socially-built establishments will push an energetic atmosphere that drives social interaction and consequent phone use. Music, board and lawn games and other forms of entertainment will push guests to engage in the ‘free’ marketing practices sought by these places.

April 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 5

what’s

photo provided by and courtesy of Barbara Gerovac, Anaheim Brewery

BREWING

By David Mulvihill 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.

The OC Chapter of Pink Boots Society gathered to brew Unite Belgian Tripel at Anaheim Brewery.

N’owt But Stout I used to think there was no better way to spend St. Patrick’s Day than enjoying a traditional cask conditioned stout dispensed via beer engine. This past St. Patrick’s Day, Torrance’s Yorkshire Square Brewery took that a few strides further. Its First Annual N’owt but Stout Festival took place in and around the grounds of Yorkshire Square Brewery. It featured exclusively dark beers (mostly stouts and porters) from 14 invited breweries, along with an ample selection of Yorkshire Square’s own brews. Yorkshire’s brewing team of Andy Black and Sam Croft provided an oat stout and brown stout at the Stout and Nothing but Stout Bar. Joining those were oat stouts from Placentia’s Stereo Brewing Co and Burbank’s Verdugo West Brewing, and a dry-hopped American stout from Beachwood. The preponderance of beers being offered were cask conditioned and hand-pulled on beer engines. This was the first time a version of Stereo’s GABF Gold medal-winning Wall of Sound Stout had been served this way. It was also the favorite of the day and received the Peasants Choice Award. Owner-brewer Rick Smets was in attendance to accept the award. English porters, American porters and export stouts were available at the main bar (from YS, Inland Wharf, Smog City, El Segundo and Mikkeller).

The Stranger Things Bar dispensed some interesting formulations. The most traditional Irish-style stout at this bar was provided by Mark Jilg and Pasadena’s Craftsman Brewing. His O’Stout, an oyster stout, possessed trueto-style flavors that this reporter hasn’t experienced since his pilgrimage to Ireland a few years ago. The nontraditional winner at the table came from Green Cheek Beer Co in Orange. Its Overall Party was billed as “modern” black IPA. An unconfirmed rumor circling the fest was that the beer may have be one of Evan Price’s hazy/juicy IPAs disguised with black coloring.

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Two Rye stouts came from Karl Strauss-Anaheim and Gardena’s State Brewing. King Harbor’s tap dispensed an Irish stout that had been aged in a Jameson Irish Whiskey barrel. German-style darks were provided by Eagle Rock Brewery and Firestone Walker-the Propagator—a Munich-style dunkel and a schwarzbier, respectively.

In addition to the beer and food (from Vic’s Smokin’ BBQ and BatterFish), there was a lengthy panel discussion made up of Yorkshire’s Andy Black, Craftsman’s Mark Jilg and Smog City’s Jonathan Porter. The trio got together for a captivating discussion about all things stout and porter.

Pink Boots Collab

Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day was born from what was initially started by Sophie de Ronde (Burnt Mill Brewery, UK) as International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day. She started IWCBD in order to build relations between women in the brewing industry, encouraging them to brew together each year on International Women’s Day (March 8th). Pink Boots Society members come together every year at breweries around the world to support, encourage, bring awareness to and raise funds for women to advance their careers in the brewing industry. A portion of the proceeds from sales of Unite collaboration beers goes to fund educational scholarships for Pink Boots Society members.

Many Southern California members and chapters participated in brewing this year’s version of “Unite,” the name coined for this annual beer. So Cal versions of Unite should be out and about by the time you are reading this.

Support Pink Boots Society members by enjoying these beers. Pink Boots Collaboration beers were brewed at the following So Cal breweries and should be flowing at many area tap houses and breweries that participated during this year’s release: www.socalfnbpro.com

Label provided by and courtesy of Barbara Gerovac, Anaheim Brewery. photos by David Mulvihill

(l-r) Smog City’s Jonathan Porter, Yorkshire Square’s Andy Black and Craftsman Brewing’s Mark Jilg.

www.socalfnbpro.com

New & Expanding Breweries Both TAPS and Left Coast appear to be passed municipality red tape obstacles and back on track on build-out of their new respective breweries.

San Clemente’s Left Coast Brewing Company is now targeting for a June opening of its new Left Coast Brewing in Irvine, complete with Tasting Room, Smokehouse and Distillery. Social media posts of late have been of been enticing fans

photos by David Mulvihill

Firestone Walker Brewing Co (both Paso Robles and Marina Del Rey), Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co (Buellton), Island Brewing (Carpentaria), Transplants Brewing (Palmdale), Brouwerij West (San Pedro), Anaheim Brewery and Karl Strauss (Anaheim), Chino Valley (Ontario), Claremont Craft Ales, three Carlsbad breweries: Guadalupe, Rouleur, Pizza Port Bressi Ranch, Belching Beaver (Vista), Stone Brewing (Escondido & Liberty Station) and nine additional San Diego breweries: Second Chance, Mikkeller, Council, Societe, Karl Strauss, Coronado, North Park, Fall and Eppig.

This year’s suggested style was freeform, which allowed for more flexibility among the different beers brewed. It was suggested that members utilize a special “Pink Boots Blend” hops from YCH Hops. This year’s blend includes Palisade, Simcoe, Mosaic, Citra and Loral hops. For breweries purchasing the hop blend, YCH donated $3 per pound to Pink Boots Society Scholarship funds.

The newly-formed Orange County Pink Boots Chapter brewed Unite Belgian Tripel at Anaheim Brewery with owner/brewer Barbara Gerovac.

BSG HandCraft donated the grain for the brew.

The OC collab is also available for purchase in 12 ounce bottles. In addition to benefitting Pink Boots Society, sales of this beer also benefits the Orange County Family Justice Center.

The ladies from Second Chance Beer Company joined together with others from around San Diego and from the Mexican beer community to brew a cream ale that was dry-hopped with the special Pink Boots Hop Blend.

with photos of BBQ. The new venue is in Sand Canyon Plaza, located at Irvine Center Drive and Sand Canyon.

Left Coast’s seasonal spring brew, Red Tide, a 7.1% ABV American Belgian-style red ale, is now available in 16 ounce cans. This beer combines a mixture of west coast hops, caramel roasted malt and Belgian yeast to provide a hoppy, spicy, and somewhat roasty flavor experience. Left Coast is once again hosting the 8th Annual San Clemente Micro-Brew Fest, which takes place from 12-5 p.m. on the grounds surrounding its brewery on Saturday April 15th. Proceeds will benefit San Clemente Chamber of Commerce “Welcome Home Military Family Events.” 15 Breweries will be pouring their best, three bands will entertain, and food will be available from local restaurants and food trucks.

TAPS Fish House and Brewery’s new TAPS Brewery and Barrel Room in Tustin (15501 Red Hill Avenue) is also beginning to take form.

Recent posts from Kyle Manns and Jonathan Chiusano have been documenting installation and placement of the new 30bbl, 4 vessel Prospero brewhouse and tanks. A more concrete scheduling of TAPS Tustin’s opening should be forthcoming.

Also in TAPS news, its Brea location just completed a reported $1.5 million makeover.

Open since 1999, the major updates completed serve to preserve TAPS historic appeal while providing some 21st Century updates to its dining room, oyster bar, patio and kitchen.

Stereo’s Rick Smets (r) accepts the Peasants Choice Award from Andy Black.

April 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 7

Made from

By John Rockwell

SCRATCH

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.

The Oyster Man:

photos by John Rockwell

Beer and Oysters in DTLA

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.

Sometimes downtown Los Angeles brewery patrons see Chris Tompkins shucking his New England oysters and tell him thanks, but no thanks—we don’t like oysters.

“Usually they’re concerned about texture,” he says. Tompkins explains that you don’t have to swallow oysters whole—they can and should be chewed and savored. And if patrons are concerned about eating live seafood, Tompkins adds, “I’ll tell them we’ve been eating them for thousands of years. There are shell middens found from thousands of years ago that are tens of feet high, so people have been eating them forever.”

Broad Street Oyster Co. is an oyster and lobster roll pop-up owned by 29-year-old Tompkins. His aim is simple: to bring the joy of New England oysters and lobster rolls to everyone, or at least to the humble patrons of tasting rooms and wine bars in both Santa Barbara and arts district Los Angeles breweries. Tompkins says that overfishing once caused these foods to become “more of an exclusive food item, but it was a food of the common man forever.” And while he’ll talk the ins and outs of oyster tasting, he knows that pointers on salinity, butter, mineral and moss are not for everyone.

“I mostly just want them to enjoy it,” he says.

“It’s something I’ve always enjoyed is what it really comes down to. I was lucky enough to be able to eat them when I was growing up and I want everyone else to try them.”

At a recent outing to Indie Brew Co in Los

Angeles, Chris was serving Crowes Pastures oysters—small and delicate with a slightly briny flavor. Tompkins features oysters of the east coast because they are “the ones that I became accustomed to while I was growing up. I’m from New York, and I’m used to just New England oysters and these are some of my personal favorites. Massachusetts and Maine have some of the best ones, I think, in the country.”

Even though there are about seven species of oysters in the world, there are two native species we find in the United States: the west coast Ostrea lurida, and the east coast Crassotrea virginica.

It is the latter species that is Tompkin’s focus, but don’t try to pin him down on specific flavor characteristics. “That’s completely dependent upon where it’s being brought up,” he says. In the oyster world, just like in the world of cheese and wine, the microenvironment has an impact on flavor. Knowing where and how it’s raised is crucial, and these details are called “merroir,” a sort of marine-based terroir.

Even if raised in the same area, flavor could still differ. “If they’re grown in the [sea] bed they’re going to have more of a mineral and moss finish; if they’re suspended in a cage above that they’ll be a bit more crisp and clean,” says Tompkins.

“But you will always find that at least in my opinion that the northeast is producing a very briny oyster, which is a safe assumption to make when you are comparing it from northwest to northeast. If it’s from the northwest, I always find them to be a bit more sweet and buttery, and northeast is going to be more briny.”

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Tompkins serves lobster rolls as well. After a stint in construction and another in sales, his adventures took him to Boston where he conducted field research: “In Boston, I went on the hunt for the best lobster roll I could find because I had always loved them and I had never been that close on a daily basis. And every single day—this is no exaggeration—nearly every single day I would go and find a different lobster roll all over Massachusetts. And I moved to the north shore, which is pretty close to the border of New Hampshire and at night I would just go along stopping at all these little shacks and meeting farmers and fishermen.”

Tompkin’s lobster roll is something to behold, and he is obviously proud of them. Filled with claw meat and some tail, the tender meat gets a light dressing of mayonnaise, lemon juice, pepper and chives. “That’s the traditional Mainestyle lobster roll,” says Tompkins, and adds “I try and use as much claw as I can.” Tompkins says he can source live lobster shipments of various weights, so the meat is always fresh. This isn’t the slaw-based chopped meat roll you sometimes find in restaurants and on food trucks. This meat is big and tender, and very satisfying.

Boomtown’s Oyster and Beer Pairing The Los Angeles craft brewing scene has gotten progressively better, despite the hard hit that craft beer took after InBev’s acquisition of Golden Road. If you start with Eagle Rock to the north, and work your way down the 5, 10, and finally the 101, you will find ten production breweries—14 if you count the transplants (Karl www.socalfnbpro.com

Strauss, Mikkeller, Modern Times and Highland) and extend into the historic downtown area.

The majority of these breweries are situated in the industrial sections to the immediate east and west of the river in what is known as the “arts district.” Many of the artfully painted abandoned industrial buildings of yesteryear are slowly being refurbished by budding arthouses, eateries and breweries. The area is charming, though recently organized community protests against gentrification makes one wonder about longterm change. Boomtown is one such brewery.

From the outside, it looks like an old industrial warehouse, but inside the company has created a comfortable atmosphere for enjoying craft beer and some conversation.

On March 22, general manager Michael Schwarber hosted a beer and oyster pairing with Broad Street Oyster Co. The evening featured an opening beer—What Gose Around, a sour and salty blood-orange Gose—and threeoyster flights paired with some of the brewery’s other beers.

The first pairing was Duxbury oysters with the brewery’s saison, Gros Chat. These oysters have hints of moss and butter, and Tompkins provided a sweet chili sauce to accompany them. Tompkins sources these oysters from Skip Bennett, farmer and owner of Row 34 seafood restaurant in Boston. “I knew that when I wanted to start this business that they were the guys to call,” says Tompkins. “I would eat their product all of the time and those were the type of oysters I wanted

to bring out here.” According to Tompkins, these oysters make a nice introduction of east coast oysters to those who have never had a taste of what the northeast has to offer.

The second pairing was a Cape Cod Wellfleet oyster flight paired with the brewery’s homage to West Coast IPA, Nose Job. Production manager/ brewer Ben Turkel described it as “dank and citrusy.” The Wellfleets were more delicate than the first set, with lighter butter and brine flavors.

The sauce Tompkins prepared was a mixture of cucumber and shallot. Since I enjoy the flavor of the oysters, I used the delicious West Coast IPA as a palate cleanser after the tasting of oysters and only put the sauce on one of the three oysters.

The third pairing was Mookie Blue oysters and After Hours, Boomtown’s oatmeal stout. Turkel explained that the oatmeal used in the brewing process amplifies the body of the beer and then some cold brew coffee is added, an homage to the stout style San Diego’s Modern Times has made famous. This was the perfect beer to stand up to these bold oysters. A traditional fresh horseradish relish was provided to pair with the oyster.

Mookie Blues are meaty and buttery and a favorite of Tompkins. They are named after a man who is a driving force behind the current farming and environmental renaissance in the oyster industry, Bill Mook of Mook Sea Farm in Walpole, Maine. What’s so great about these oysters? Tompkins explains that it’s “the size, the texture, the level of brine. It has one of the

highest salinity rates compared to other oysters.

For me it tastes like I’m taking a bite out of the ocean. That’s what I love about it: every time I eat one it’s like I just got a mouthful of the Atlantic.

Maybe it’s nostalgia.”

If that nostalgia is what it takes to bring some of the seafood culture to SoCal, then it’s working.

Tompkins is involved in the Billion Oyster Project, a charity organization formed to restore the east coast oyster farming to its former glory.

Responsible business models are important, and sustainability has many benefits for the environment, farmers, mongers and consumers.

Tompkin’s catering business is part of this ongoing experiment in the national renaissance of food, beer and responsibility. After a year and a half in business, Broad Street has expanded from private kitchens and exclusive clients to regular public tastings—and mostly by word-ofmouth. The calendar is packed.

“I wake up every morning and I laugh because it’s the easiest thing I’ve ever done,” says Tompkins. “I like it. People like it. It’s something I enjoy. I get to eat lobster every day; I get to cook lobster every day; I get to eat oysters every day.

It’s what I wanted to do while I was working for another company. I spend my money on seafood anyway all throughout my life, so now I get to make money off of that. It’s hard to complain.” www.broadstreetoyster.com

Two flights of the famous Mookie Blue oysters paired with Indie Brew Co’s porter and stout.

The tasting bar at Boomtown Brewery has the beers that are curated for the oyster paring with Broad Street Oyster Co.

Chris Tompkins and his assistant John Gundberg shuck oysters for hungry brewery guests.

Duxbury oysters from Massachusetts were the openers at the Boomtown paring.

When you shuck fresh oysters for a living, you need a chainmail glove to protect your hands.

Wellfleet oysters are delicate, but tasty.

Boomtown paired these with its Nose Job— their version of a West Coast IPA.

Mookie Blues paired with fresh horseradish sauce—the chili color is what happens when patrons don’t listen to instructions and mix spoons!

These Maine-sourced Crowes Pasture oysters are delicious and delicate. Briny and light butter. Fresh is best!

Broad Street Oyster Co’s lobster roll is a Maine-style roll with tender and sweet claw meat. Crowes Pasture oysters surround the regal roll.

www.socalfnbpro.com

April 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 9

The RESTAURANT EXPERT

By David Scott Peters

Sexual Harassment Prevention in Your Restaurant

photo courtesy David Scott Peters

Ignorance could cost you your business

Anyone who has worked in restaurants knows sexual harassment is rampant in the industry. Protect your employees and your business with knowledge on the subject.

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Based on this Act, the EEOC defines sexual harassment as, “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when submission to or rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidation, hostile or offensive work environment.”

Owners and managers need to know what the harassment laws are, what constitutes sexual harassment and, more importantly, how to keep your employees safe because: 1) It can cost you your business 2) You are personally liable 3) It’s not a matter if, but a matter of when a sexual harassment claim will be made DISCLAIMER ALERT: I want to be clear that I am not an attorney.

The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice or replace legal counsel.

I recommend you contact local legal counsel before implementing any harassment prevention program to ensure it addresses all federal requirements and is effective in the state you conduct business.

Federal law prohibits employees from directly suing employers in court.

Instead, employees must first file a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The premise of this requirement is in line with the preventative nature of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, to avoid litigation and allow employees and employers to work out their disputes before going to court.

What is your responsibility when it comes to sexual harassment and Title VII? 1. Take steps to prevent sexual harassment and/or discrimination.

2. When discrimination and/or harassment are found to have occurred, take IMMEDIATE, CORRECTIVE, REMEDIAL ACTION. 10 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I April 2018

David Scott Peters is a restaurant consultant, event speaker and founder of TheRestaurantExpert.com, a company committed to the success of independent restaurants offering exclusive online restaurant management software designed specifically to meet the complete operational needs of independent operators. Learn more about how David can help you at www.

TheRestaurantExpert.com.

Taking steps to prevent sexual harassment You must have a sexual harassment prevention policy in place and it must be communicated to all employees. Place it in your employee handbook, post it in on the employee bulletin board and in shift meetings. Read it at least once a quarter at an employee meeting or pre-shift and remind your employees where it is posted.

You MUST also show by example that the policy statement cannot be violated. For example, if as a part of your policy there will be no inappropriate jokes shared in the workplace, and you, the manager or the owner, tell inappropriate jokes on a routine basis, you have virtually rendered your policy worthless.

Hold workshops with your supervisors and managers to train them on what your harassment prevention policy is, what their responsibilities are, how to handle a claim and the legal ramifications. I suggest you do this at least annually and immediately after any claims have been brought to management’s attention.

Lastly, you need to provide a mechanism for employees to complain and not have to complain first to their direct supervisor because the person who may be accused of sexual harassment may be their direct supervisor.

So, your process needs to allow complainants to go above their direct supervisor’s head, so to speak. NOTE: Going above the restaurant owner’s head is the EEOC! IMMEDIATE, CORRECTIVE, REMEDIAL ACTION The law is very clear when it comes to what you are supposed to do when a sexual harassment claim is made: take immediate, corrective, remedial action.

Step 1 (IMMEDIATE) – Once a claim is brought to your attention, you must investigate the claim. Please note immediate means as soon as it’s reasonably possible. Restaurants have lost sexual harassment cases, even after they did everything right, because they took too long to start the process. Aim to start the process within a day or two and get a statement from complainant, the alleged perpetrator, and any co-workers who witnessed the incident.

Step 2 (Make a decision) – Once you have completed your investigation, you are judge, jury and executioner. You have to decide if what was claimed happened or not.

Step 3 (DOCUMENT) – DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT! You get the picture.

Step 4 (CORRECTIVE, REMEDIAL ACTION) – Once you have decided if harassment has occurred or not, you need to resolve the situation with an action “reasonably calculated to end the sexual harassment, discrimination, etc.”

Step 5 (Notify) – You will then have to notify the complainant what you found and tell them what you have done to end the sexual harassment and make sure it will not happen again. Please urge the complainant to continue to communicate as necessary.

Step 6 (Don’t publicize) – You need to make sure that those involved in the investigation, from the managers to the complainant to those interviewed, do not publicize any details of the investigation or incident in question. Otherwise, even if sexual harassment did not occur, you will create a hostile work environment and or a situation where retaliation sexual harassment will have occurred.

Step 7 (Hold meetings) – As we discussed earlier, hold workshops or meetings with your supervisors and managers to review policies to prevent harassment from happening in the future.

Let this information empower you. No matter how good a job you do, odds are it will happen. Be prepared. www.socalfnbpro.com

By Lisa & Drew Matney

photos courtesy LIPSMACKING Foodie Tours

The Best Brunch is a Boozy Brunch

After a long night out in Las Vegas, there are few things better than sleeping in. The extra sleep however, comes with a cost. You wake up with that familiar longing for something to eat. You groan thinking about the long lines and high costs associated with everyone’s new favorite meal…

Brunch. And how are you supposed to decide where to go anyway?

Seemingly endless options await to satisfy whatever craving the previous night brought on. Enter: The Boozy Brunch Tour, by LIPSMACKING Foodie Tours. Pay once, skip the lines and let your Boozy Brunch tour guide escort you to a selection of some of the best restaurants in Las Vegas.

Our tour began at the Aria, where we met at the one-of-a-kind Focus Waterfall. A brief history of the hotel and a quick walking tour of some of the more famous art installations kicked off the experience. We walked into our first stop, Herringbone, and were seated immediately. A choice of delicious cocktails and an invitation to each of the interactive chef stations were presented promptly. Herringbone’s brunch featured fresh seafood, carved meats, an omelet station as well as a dessert station. From made-to-order eggs, fresh octopus cooked to perfection, or some delicious and crispy cannoli, you won’t believe this is only the first stop on your culinary tour of the Aria.

Up next, we were escorted to BARDOT Brasserie, a restaurant by the acclaimed Michael Mina, who earned a Michelin Star at his self-named restaurant in S.F. Again, no need to worry about any lines that have built www.socalfnbpro.com

up to try and experience the cuisine of a chef that has earned a Michelin Star. We are again seated right away and kick the meal off with a refreshing French 75 cocktail. The server discusses several food options for us, but a quick glance around the restaurant makes the choice for us. The signature French toast strikes an imposing figure on the plate, but the first bite assuages all fears. It is indescribably light, almost impossibly so. The vanilla mascarpone and orgeat syrup provide a wonderful combination of extra flavors, but the French toast is more than capable of starring on its own. Two stops into the tour and we honestly couldn’t believe there was more to come.

Our final tour destination brought us to the Thai-inspired Lemongrass.

We again were seated right away and presented with a myriad of dining options. A refreshing cocktail kicked things off and before we knew it a trio of steamed dumplings sat before us. Shrimp, BBQ pork and a shrimp/pork hybrid headlined the main course. A dessert of shaved ice and coconut rice was irredeemably refreshing.

The Boozy Brunch Tour took the best of brunch, combined it with the high-end culinary options Las Vegas offers, while subtracting the long lines and high costs. Getting to experience a trio of restaurant options VIP style without having to spend like a high roller made our Boozy Brunch Tour a truly excellent value, and an even better overall experience.

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Local Beer Will Continue to Thrive

According to released figures from the Brewers Association, in 2017 US beer reached yet another milestone, as the total numbers of breweries in operation in the US surpassed 6,000, an increase of more than 700 from the previous year and more than double that of four years ago. Plus, for the first time in history, craft beer sales surpassed a 10% share of the overall US beer industry.

On the rise in 2017 and expected to continue in 2018 is Americans’ newfound love for lighthued and light-bodied craft lagers and pilsners, which may be due in part to one’s palate having been bombarded with countless options with intense flavors such as bitterness in IPAs and sour and tart notes in barrel-aged and bacteriaspiked beers. However, IPA continues to reign as the top-selling beer style, and will be hard to be dethroned, but the aforementioned sour beers and barrel-aged products are barking at its heels. As evidenced in declining sales numbers, flagship brands of national craft breweries will likely continue to sag as more and more consumers seek out their local brands.

Restaurateurs Supporting Local Beer According to Brian Malarkey, owner of several concepts under the Puffer Malarkey Restaurants group, including Herb & Wood, Herb & Eatery, two Green Acre locations, Farmer & The Seahorse and two upcoming projects Herb & Sea and Animae, “The craft beer surge is picking up even more steam. The big brand beer sales are down significantly, and they are reacting swiftly by investing in smaller production, high-quality craft beer producers.

The reason for this shift is that customers are looking for history, authenticity and of course, flavor, which is the essence of craft beer. At our

restaurants, we pride ourselves on supporting small and local businesses whenever we can and carrying craft beer is just one of the many ways we do this. There is not a better feeling than hearing of the positive impact we have on these purveyors by carrying their product. These individuals are working tirelessly to introduce beers in new, fun and interesting ways so we are happy to celebrate their work and tell their stories. Finally, I love the seasonality of craft beer. It is essential to adjust your food menus based on the season and craft beer allows us to do the same on our beverage menus with new flavors and pairings that our customers return again and again to experience.”

John Kunkel is founder of the 50eggs Hospitality group with Yardbird locations in Miami Beach, Las Vegas and Singapore; Swine and Spring Chicken restaurants in Coral Gables, Florida; and Chica in Las Vegas. In reflecting on how their approach has changed over the years he related, “When Yardbird Miami first opened (in 2011), our beer selection consisted of craft beers from all over the United States and about two years ago we started supporting all the new local breweries. With Yardbird Las Vegas we opened (in 2015) with a large selection of craft beers and all our draft beer was from the state of Nevada. That has worked very well with us and we have continued with that model. Local beer is extremely important to us; it shows our commitment to supporting the local economy, and local sourcing and building relationships with a community is one of our top priorities when entering new markets.

Andy Masi, founder of CliQue Hospitality with 15 restaurants and cocktail lounges scattered throughout San Diego, Las Vegas and National

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Bob Barnes is a native Las Vegan, editorial director of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional, regional correspondent for Celebrator Beer News and covers the LV restaurant scene for Gayot.com.

He welcomes your inquiries.

Email: bob@lvfnb.com

Harbor, Maryland, spoke about how local beer has become a vital cog in his venues: “Craft beer has become part of the culture in hospitality.

It’s very important to carry local beer! For starters, the majority of them are incredible brews. I’m also a big fan of supporting local businesses. San Diego is one of the epicenters for craft beers; there are so many local beers to offer and the customers are keenly aware of them all so we have incorporated a variety at Oxford Social Club, Lionfish and The Pool House in the Pendry Hotel. In Las Vegas, we are big supporters of Banger Brewery who does an incredible job of creating great local brews.

I believe as far as trends, consumers want high quality, small batch beers. They all have a unique and genuine story behind them and consumers really appreciate that.”

In summary, while beer sales may be lagging compared to recent years, Americans’ love for craft beer continues to grow. Savvy restaurateurs are well aware of this and will continue to embrace local beer products, not only because the public desires it, but because local beers being produced are very often likely to be as good as or better than their national craft beer company competitors.

John Kunkel

www.socalfnbpro.com

photo courtesy 50 Eggs

My Predictions for Beer in 2018

By Bob Barnes

| Foodie Biz |

By Ben Brown Benjamin Brown, MBA is Restaurant Editor of The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional. A seasoned writer and consultant, Ben works with Fortune 500 companies and mom & pop shops alike in Marketing, Analytics, Consumer Insights, PR and Business Development.

Contact Ben at Ben@socalfnbpro.com or follow him @Foodie_Biz.

Sea Change at Chez Melange: Fine Seafood in a Tight-Knit Community

photos by Ben Brown

Sea Change is one of three restaurants housed in Redondo Beach’s Chez Melange, a quaint retreat just steps from the beach. Run by Executive Chef Robert Bell and Co-Owner Michael Franks, who have been in business together for more than 40 years, Chez Melange is both homage to decades of friendship and a modern player in the realm of sophisticated fare.

Pass Bouzy Gastropub and Oyster Bar, Chez Melange’s other microestablishments, and a museum-style corridor allows for a glimpse of the past—photos of Robert and Michael from the early 90’s, menus from their previous restaurants, and even painted portraits of the two in action. From there, enter Sea Change, a small but mighty dining room hustling and bustling with the regulars, who are just as familiar with each other as they are with the servers who see them ever so frequently.

Becoming part of the family is easier than anticipated, with friendly staff that greet you with a warm smile at first sight. The difficult part comes with placing your order. Chez Melange’s massive menu with inspirations from across the globe speaks to Chef Bell’s range, and fresh fish specials that change daily take it up a level further.

At the top of the list stands the Zarzuela, a Spanish stew of scallops, shrimp, mussels and other seafood in an addictive bisque-like base.

The New England dry pack scallops are the perfect golden brown, taken off the frying pan not a second too soon or too late, served with rich bacon cheddar mashed potatoes. The Pacific Rim tostadas bring together sashimi-grade ahi, Japanese salsa, avocado, spicy aioli and pickled ginger atop wontons that contain just the right crunch.

Portion sizes are another strong suit at Sea Change. It’s a surprise to see guests finish the mountain of Parmesan truffle fries, or have room after the delightful baby beet salad. The drink selection follows much the same face, containing a long list of wine, beer, craft cocktails and a homemade ginger lemonade that’s absolutely worth trying.

For more information visit ChezMelange.com

The Dolly Llama: Dessert Built for Instagram The Dolly Llama is Downtown L.A.’s newest destination to hop on the Instagram dessert craze. Menu and decor alike were without a doubt conceptualized for the sweet-toothed paparazzi, allowing anyone seeking likes and followers to show off bright colors and nostalgic flavors. And yes, the bubble waffle ice cream cones and waffle sticks in every sugary iteration taste great.

The process is simple: choose your waffle type, then choose from a myriad of toppings and sauces, plus ice cream if applicable. Each option gets one sauce and two toppings. The Dolly Llama’s signature is certainly the bubble waffle ice cream cone—a homemade waffle with bumps instead of pockets, set in cone form, filled with ice cream and topped with various accouterments including whipped cream and cotton candy. The ice cream is truly standout, with flavors like horchata, red velvet and cookie monster that are as decadent as they are creative.

Those seeking lighter fare, however, can opt for an original waffle or a waffle stick, which eats like a corncob. The Dolly Llama also serves milkshakes, bottled soft drinks and hot cocoa, hot-chata and hot vanilla.

Regardless of your choice, trust that the staff will show off meticulous attention to detail.

Canisters of candy, bright cereal boxes, dressed up bubble waffle cones, neon lights and of course paintings of a llama donning sunglasses give The Dolly Llama a modern feel with a touch of old school, perfectly matching the menu.

For more information, visit TheDollyLlamala.com.

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Frida Americana: Glendale’s South-of-the-Border Hotspot Pink booths line the walls of the vast open-air dining room, which flows right into a broad patio that takes in the best of Glendale’s bustling Brand Boulevard and Americana at Brand, the elegant shopping mall that gives Frida Americana its last name. A labyrinthine menu, brightly colored margaritas and elegant tequila flights complement a bustling atmosphere quite nicely, allowing Frida Americana to integrate Mexican taste into a posh L.A. vibe.

Frida Americana plays to its audience quite well, showcasing all the amenities you could ever hope for in a stylish full-service Mexican restaurant. Hot tortilla chips with hotter salsas meet you about as soon as you sit down, making tableside guacamole a must. The challenge then ensues, as there are far more choices than the appetite can handle. Should you order a village Mexican salad, served in a grilled crispy cheese bowl, or opt for the zucchini and poblano chowder?

Or do you skip on both, focusing instead on the street corn, sweet at heart with chile and cotija to bring out its full character?

Mexican classics are ever-present at Frida Americana, highlighted by a custom enchilada menu where guests choose their filling and their sauce. It’s always a tough call, but you don’t have to look back once the steak enchiladas, covered in a bold, earthy mole sauce, arrive at the table. And since you’re here to indulge, the sirloin and chicken flautas hold that desirable fluffy crunch that’s so rarely found in anything besides this deep-fried favorite.

Moving away from the tortilla and toward the more premium dishes, Frida’s steak, seafood and house specialties add a significant dimension to the menu. The camarones al ajillo, or shrimp in garlic butter sauce, are just as decadent as they sound.

While it will be hard to save room, dessert should not be missed. It rains caramel at Frida Mexicana, with crepas con cajeta, flan and churros made all the better with that ridiculous and addictive sauce.

Drinks, of course, are a staple here, with an alluring margarita selection that includes blueberry mint, tamarind, Jamaica and your classic mango, among others. The tequila flights are Instagrammable to say the least, as is the fun and eclectic crowd that keeps the party going until closing.

For those looking for a fun twist on brunch, Frida Americana offers a Sunday Mariachi Brunch, served weekly from 10:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

For more information, visit FridaAmericana.com

Upcoming Events SoCal sees no shortage of food festivals, but several hot gastronomic celebrations are coming up: California Wine Festival Orange County is happening in Dana Point from April 20–21. Hundreds of wines, a collection of food purveyors and live music are set to highlight a beautiful wine-filled weekend. Find out more at CaliforniaWineFestival. com/events/orange-county.

Taste Walk Glendale, a walking food tour of 40—yes, 40—of the town’s restaurants, will unfold on Wednesday, May 2. They mean business when they say “ready, set, gorge!” Find out more at TasteOfDowntownGlendale.com.

Masters of Taste is set to take place at The Rose Bowl on Sunday, May 6. This collection of culinary mastery brings together favorites from Pasadena as well as the greater L.A. area. Find out more at MastersOfTasteLA.com.

The Santa Clarita BBQ and Beer Festival is May 11–12, with the flagship beer tasting on Friday, May 11. Now in its third year, the event has made leaps and bounds to host a mouthwatering food and drink lineup in the unsuspecting suburb otherwise known for Magic Mountain. Prepare for a pleasant surprise.

Find out more at BbqAndBeerFestival.com. www.socalfnbpro.com

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Twinkle Toast The Mondavi family name has been synonymous with the California wine industry for over 50 years, and the newest generation of Mondavi winemakers is rising to the challenge of not only upholding but growing their family’s legacy.

Carlo and Dante Mondavi, sons of Tim Mondavi and grandsons of the late Robert Mondavi, a true Napa Valley legend and pioneer, are pouring their hearts and souls into their pinot noir project, RAEN, on the Sonoma Coast. The brand has quickly become a favorite among the local wine community but with 2013 being its inaugural vintage, it is certainly still in its infancy. We recently spoke with Carlo about this new project, and he shared with us the process of turning rain to wine.

What does RAEN stand for?

RAEN ties back to a story my father told us when we were young. The story goes that rain turns to wine every year in the vineyards. He would tell us, if you think about it each year it rains on the fields replenishing the vines and then transforms into beautiful clusters as a combination of soil, sun and rain. Meanwhile, on the skins of a grape there is a naturally occurring wax that collects the native yeast creating the bloom. So right there you have all you need to make wine. All it takes is a hungry bird or bee to bite open the grape causing the sugar and yeast to come into contact with each other yielding alcohol. Thus, RAIN would become WINE. From here, our unique spelling dives into our philosophy a bit deeper as it stands for our dedication to Research in Agriculture and Enology Naturally, RAEN (pronounced rain).

This is written on the lower part of our neck label and has become our society. RAEN is fermented naturally, we do not fine or filter, and we use almost 100% whole cluster and age in neutral oak barrels. This use of natural yeasts and less new oak is all an effort to allow the micro flora from our vineyard shine as brightly as possible in our wine.

What inspired you and your brother Dante to create these wines?

At first it was the pinot noirs our father made in the 1970s and 80s. Those bottles are just incredible and continue to be impressive and are an inspiration. Now the inspiration is the vineyards we have. Just trying to make them (the wines) and where they are grown proud.

I was just in the vineyard all day, and am completely blown away by how beautiful they are in each and every season.

How much control do you have over farming practices and winemaking techniques?

We have complete control over our vision, philosophy and direction but very little control, if any, over Mother Nature and the growing season. I say little because weather is constantly changing, and we as humans

photo by Erin Cooper

RAEN Turned to Wine

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

clearly have a profound impact on nature. Like in our wine, we want the expression of our farming to be in unison with nature and a part of nature more than anything. We are farming everything beyond organically: implementing permaculture, biodynamic and organic practices. Biodiversity, as we think of it, is not just healthier for us to enjoy but also gives us the chance of making wine that is capable of sitting among the world’s finest. As my father would say, “wine is grown not made.”

What inspired you to move toward whole cluster fermentation?

The incredibly beautiful aromatics on the nose and texture on the palate. Finding the sites, selections and extraction techniques has been one of the greatest journeys of my life.

What has been RAEN’s greatest challenge thus far?

We have been blessed with great vintages, and as brothers and a Domaine we will take quality over quantity any day, but I think the greatest challenge we have had thus far was the shy crop of 2015. Across all sites, we were down 50%.

For example, with the 2015 vintage we got 5.3 tons out of our 4.8-acre Home Field Vineyard, which is just over a ton per acre.

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Many consumers are interested in wines that are vegan. Does RAEN fit into this category?

Yes. We don’t fine and never will. In fact, I have not fined a wine since I was 18 years old back in the day at Robert Mondavi Winery. :) What is the most interesting pairing you’ve discovered with RAEN Pinot Noir?

I love all the stereotypical pairings but the best discovery was in Japan with the great restaurants there. They use very little wasabi or soy sauce and basically just serve incredibly fresh cuts of raw fish seasoned minimally with some rice. The other pairing that is kind of opposite of this is BBQ ribs. Try it sometime… just awesome!

What are your long-term goals for the brand?

We want RAEN to be recognized among the finest wines of the world. We have found the vineyards and are realizing this in our wines now. Next steps are building the estate winery and keeping our focus.

For additional information regarding RAEN, visit www.raenwinery.com or contact Ellison Wofford, General Manager, at ellison@ raenwinery.com. www.socalfnbpro.com

Product Review

By Bob Barnes

Rogue Rogue has been brewing outstanding craft beers since 1988, and in recent years has been recognized for its farms producing the ingredients used in its brews. The company is also recognized for its award-winning spirits line, which began in 2003, and is the only farm-brewery-distillery-cooperage in the US, as it makes its own barrels and uses ingredients grown on Rogue Farms in the Tygh Valley and in Independence, Oregon.

Spirits are hand-distilled on a 550-gallon still in Newport, Oregon, aged in the thick ocean air of the Yaquina Bay and bottled by hand. I had the extreme pleasure of sampling five of its outstanding spirits: Oregon Single Malt Whiskey, aged in oak barrels for at least five years, 2017 American Whiskey Masters gold medal; Oregon Rye Malt Whiskey, aged in oak for three years, 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition gold medal; Dead Guy Whiskey, made from the same malts as the same-named iconic beer, aged in oak for two years, 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition double gold winner; Spruce Gin, made with Oregon spruce and 10 botanicals & spices, 2017 Gin Masters gold; and Pinot Spruce Gin, aged in Oregon Pinot Noir barrels, 2017 Gin Masters gold. I found all to be exquisite and the above is only a small sampling of the awards won by Rogue Spirits, which now tallies more than 300 major awards.

The Bruery The Bruery, an independent craft brewery based in Placentia, California, is known for pushing the boundaries on what can be achieved with flavors in beer and also producing beers that go quite well with food. Its latest creation is a collaboration with Brooke Williamson, a Los Angeles-based chef and recent winner of Bravo’s Top Chef season 14. Named Girl Grey, it comes in at 8.5% ABV and is brewed with lactose, almonds, earl grey tea and natural flavors. Bruery founder and CEO Patrick Rue said, “Collaborating with Chef Brooke was a special experience and an eye-opening approach to discovering new ingredients and unique flavors for craft beer.” Chef Brooke added, “It’s a perfect blend of creamy richness and complex floral notes, making for a wide variety of food pairing options. I’m inclined to go tart and sweet, like biscuits with lemon curd, or banana cream pie, but at the same time, it’s versatile and subtle enough to work with spiced mole chicken and toasted almond rice.” Look for Girl Grey anywhere Bruery beers are sold, which currently includes 30 states.

Northwest Coast Wines Wines from Oregon and Washington have been receiving some well-deserved accolades in recent years.

Here’s a rundown on three that should be a good fit for the spring and summer seasons. The 2015 Pacific Crest Wine Company McNary Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP $19.99) is a classic Washington-grown Cabernet Sauvignon showcasing pure fruit flavors with depth and structure and notes of black currant, blackberry, mocha, and clove. The 2015 Pacific Crest Wine Company Centennial Chardonnay (SRP $16.99) is crafted from high-quality Chardonnay fruit grown in the Columbia Valley AVA in southeastern Washington, and is balanced with notes of apple, cinnamon, honeycomb and brioche. The 2016 Oregon Trails Wine Company Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (SRP $19.99) is the product of the 2016 vintage hailed as the third consecutive exceptional vintage in the Willamette Valley in which grapes showed excellent concentration and lifted aromatics, resulting in multilayered complexity and integrated tannins. Rich aromas of red cherry, baking spice and pepper complement bright notes of cranberry, rhubarb, spice and an almost candied fruit quality.

Jesse James Spirits It seems Americans love legendary outlaws, but in this case the iconic name is that of rock star Jesse James Dupree, lead singer of the rock band Jackyl. His Jesse James Spirits has origins in Tennessee and Kentucky and the sprits are distilled in traditional small batches. Included in the line are Jesse James America’s Outlaw Bourbon Whiskey—an old-time charcoal-mellowed bourbon made in Kentucky in the traditional manner that dates back to the late 18th century and aged in traditional oak casks for a minimum of 36 months for a smooth, full-bourbon character; Jesse James American Outlaw Spiced Whiskey—made with Jesse James America’s Outlaw Original Whiskey and a unique blend created from a secret recipe that includes vanilla, cinnamon and clove; and Jesse James America’s Outlaw Honey Flavored Whiskey— blended with honey flavors offering notes of deep bourbon flavors with a subtle hint of honey. https://jessejamesspirits.com

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OFFERS YOURÂ

EXCUSES!

DON'T BULLSH*T YOURSELF!

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

Opportunity: It’s All About How You Look at It!

As employers we are, in reality, providing opportunities and options for many possible futures. What really is critical is whether our prospective employees are wise enough to understand and embrace that very important concept. At my current employer, as is with many other food service companies in Las Vegas these days, we are growing and expanding our operations, and this is providing a variety of opportunities for many people.

If you have ever been a part of a new hire program or process, called new hire orientation (NHO), you know that you get all types of individuals and varying levels of commitment and focus.

I’ve always said that a good “orientation” program has a few key components, as follows…

1. Introduce you to your new employer.

2. Ensure that required paperwork is completed.

3. Communicate what the rules, procedures and expectations are for success at this company.

Now, while you can lead a horse to the water, you cannot make them drink. The same theory applies in this situation. If your new hire understands and embraces the reason for this brief and valuable process, they are much more likely to be successful in their job and at the company in the long run. When they do not, or are rude and impatient, it is not only discourteous to all involved but a clear sign of whether or not this individual will become a successful member of your team.

I have, over the many years I’ve spent in HR, developed a process of evaluation for which I gauge an individual’s potential for success at the company and I do so by assessing several factors around the behaviors exhibited during the “opportunity” to attend orientation and prepare for their new job or career.

These factors are as follows…

1. Do they follow written instructions and directions provided to them in advance of orientation?

2. Does the new hire arrive on time, properly attired and prepared for the process?

3. Do they follow arrival instructions and treat the HR staff with courtesy and respect?

4. Do they focus on the instructions, process and paperwork provided to them?

5. Do they exhibit basic courtesy and respectful behaviors during the entire process and with co-attendees?

6. Do they engage in the process, participate and appear to appreciate the time and effort put into NHO?

do not exhibit positive new hire traits and I use it to monitor and confirm that my observations are correct. These non-engaged individuals are observed during the NHO process and then, when warranted, placed on the list of suspected failures (our pool) for monitoring whether they succeed or not in the workplace. So far, I have been 100% on target with my projections and found that pre-employment behaviors do not lie. They are very telling as to the potential for successful integration into the workplace culture and job.

The bottom line with opportunity is just this– you can provide the tools for success but you can’t make anyone use them. Only the sharpest and most appreciative candidates will actually embrace your efforts, and will ultimately use that opportunity to their advantage. There will always be those who do not appreciate, nor maybe even understand, how they may have just missed their biggest chance–or opportunity–to find success!

These and other observations are a clear sign or tool for evaluating whether someone will be successful or not.

Not to sound too negative, but just like the seasonal football “pool,” I have developed my own process for tracking those individuals who

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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CABERNET

COLOR UP YOUR LIFE! RIEDEL.COM

Wine Talk

with Alice Swift

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

See more at www.aliceswift.com.

Alice’s 2018 Picks for the Spring

Figure 1. Galets roulés in Châteauneuf du Pape

With the beautiful spring weather right around the corner, what better time than now to have equally beautiful wine from Southern Rhône, such as rosés or Châteauneuf du Pape? And by rosé in this case, I am not referring to the domestic white zinfandel, which does have its right time and place.

Rather, why not travel across the Atlantic Ocean, to Tavel and Châteauneuf du Pape, France, where some of the greatest Rhône wines are produced?

The terroir is quite unique in Southern Rhône, with a large variety of soils such as red clay, gray clay, white clay, yellow clay, sand and limestone.

Even more telling of the region are the famous “galets roulés,” which translate to the rolling (galets) stones (roulés). These are the smooth river rocks that line the soil in the vineyards (see Figure 1).

There are four main soils in Tavel and Châteauneuf du Pape, but they each cross over or have some overlap.

1. Galets Roules soil is very hard, and results in wines with higher concentration and higher alcohol.

2. Limestone soils result in wines with higher acidity and aroma, angular tannins, and lots of minerality.

3. Red Clay is very water-retentive, and iron-rich, resulting in powerful and tannic wines great for aging.

4. Loess/Molasse is a sandy soil, which is warm and fast-draining, with wines that are more light-bodied and floral with elegance. www.socalfnbpro.com

Tavel has soils of Lauzes (flattened calcareous soil), Galets Roulets, Sand and Red Clay, whereas Châteauneuf du Pape has soils of Sandstone, Galets Roulets, Shingles/Clay and Limestone. In addition to the complex soil types, Southern Rhône is prone to receiving a large quantity of sun exposure while having the least amount of rain. Their resulting grapes have more sugar, thus producing more alcohol, so wine blending is generally needed in order to balance out the high alcohol content, which adds to the complexity of the wines.

Another famous climate aspect of Southern Rhône is the Mistral, which is an intense wind whose currents are upwards of at least 60 miles per hour.

This high intensity wind prevents frost and mold from appearing due to the prevention of humidity.

This spring, why not stop in your favorite wine shop and check out their selection of wines from Southern Rhône? The selections vary depending on your location, but you should be able to find rosés from Tavel and Châteauneuf du Pape wines in most boutique or specialized wine shops.

Until next month, Cheers~!

Alice April 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 27

Brett’s

By Jackie Brett

Jackie is a freelance public relations specialist and writer specializing in the Las Vegas entertainment and travel scene. Her writings have appeared in magazines and newspapers nationwide and on numerous websites.

Email: jackiebrett@cox.net

ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS

Zappos.com teaming with Caesars Entertainment is renaming The AXIS 7,000seat entertainment venue Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood.

Comedy Cellar, New York City’s longestrunning comedy club, is opening its first West Coast-location, a 300-seat club with an underground Greenwich Village vibe, at the Rio on April 5.

The new show Opium from the creators of Absinthe opened at The Cosmopolitan in the Chelsea Tower.

Blink-182 will launch “Kings of the Weekend,” their first Las Vegas 16-date residency May through November at the Pearl at the Palms.

The Mirage headliner ventriloquist Terry Fator, catapulted to fame winning America’s Got Talent, celebrated his 9th Strip anniversary and introduced new puppet cast members Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney.

Alice Cooper’s 27th album “Paranormal” released last July prompts his summer tour “A Paranormal Night with Alice Cooper” with a stop at the Pearl Concert Theater in the Palms Friday, Aug. 10 featuring guitarist Ace Frehley.

Kiefer Sutherland will make his Las Vegas musical debut performing hits from his first country album “Down in a Hole” at Rocks Lounge inside Red Rock Saturday, April 28 with guest Rick Brantley.

Prince tribute show Purple Reign at the Tropicana, added two more weekly shows to its six-night Las Vegas-residency and artist Julian Stefoni headlining along with Jason Tenner, who originated the role.

Some powerhouse comedians will visit The Colosseum at Caesars Palace including: Sebastian Maniscalco on his new “Stay Hungry Tour” Sunday, April 15; Jim Gaffigan May 27 and July 20 as part of “The Fixer Upper Tour;” plus Steve Martin and Martin Short July 1.

TOTO in support of the band’s 40th Anniversary will bring “The 40 Trips Around the Sun” world tour to Sunset Amphitheater at Sunset Station Friday, Aug. 10.

Corduroy on East Fremont Street launched Mule Mondays from 4-9 p.m. with half-off the infamous drink for $5.50.

ABOUT TOWN CLIPS

English singer-songwriter Dua Lipa, who released her self-titled, award-nominated debut studio album last June, will appear at The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan Thursday, June 28.

Burlesque queen Dita Von Teese in partnership with Absolut Elyx vodka will bring her new sparkling “2018 Dita Von Teese and the Copper Coupe” tour and cast to House of Blues at Mandalay Bay Thursday, June 28.

Country rock artist Brantley Gilbert returns to Las Vegas for an appearance at the Green Valley Ranch Amphitheater with guest Lauren Alaina Saturday, June 16.

“Hollywood Medium”-Tyler Henry will perform his 5 Life Lessons I’ve Learned from The Departed show at the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm, Nev., Saturday, April 21.

The 29th annual “Jazz in the Park Concert Series” is free including parking at the Clark County Government Center Amphitheater.

The lineup will include: Ghost-Note May 12; Bill Frisell, Tony Scherr & Kenny Wollesen May 19; Diane Schuur May 26; The Groove Project featuring Marcus Anderson, Oli Silk and JJ Sansaverino June 2; and Mindi Abair & The Boneshakers June 16. Performances start at 6:30 p.m.

North America’s largest dance music festival, Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) will run dusk until dawn at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, May 18-20.

DINING NEWS

Renowned Hong Kong-based Lai Sun Group made its Western Hemisphere debut of China Tang opening in The District at MGM Grand with a dining experience reviving the golden age glory of the Tang Dynasty.

Palms Casino Resort unveiled the intimate, art-infused Send Noodles Asian fusioninspired restaurant on the casino floor as part of the ongoing $620 million property-wide renovation.

The Great American Foodie Fest will return to Sunset Station’s parking lot April 26-29 with more than 50 food vendors, including 15 celebrity gourmet food trucks, and more.

Hooters is opening its newest restaurant addition, Steak ‘n Shake.

28 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I April 2018

Kind Heaven will be a family-friendly Asianthemed entertainment venture opening at The LINQ Promenade in 2019. Expected to transform the attraction’s streetscape, the project is a three-way partnership with Perry Farrell creator of Lollapalooza, Immersive Artistry and Caesars Entertainment.

The Park MGM’s new pool experience features three pools–South, East and North, big heated spa, 12 cabanas and multiple bars along with light bites.

The 24-hour MINT Tavern opened at 332 W. Sahara Ave., a few doors down from the town’s oldest operating steakhouse Golden Steer.

Through April 29, the Discovery Children’s Museum new traveling exhibit is Design Zone with a behind-the-scenes look at how creative problem solvers use math.

Hogs & Heifers Saloon downtown will skip the Laughlin River Run April 25-28 and instead hold its first Rebel Run mini-rally for before or after trips.

D Las Vegas is the first downtown casino to feature the new-to-market, multi-station Fortune Cup mechanical horse racing game created by Konami Gaming, Inc. Shepard Fairey and Frank Zummo unveiled their original SJC Custom Drums used in 2016-17 titled “Rise Above” at the Hard Rock Hotel.

The Museum of Gaming History (MoGH) exhibit debuted at the Nevada State Museum in the Springs Preserve with Nevada casino memorabilia display cases. Mini-museums are also located at the El Cortez, Plaza, Neon Museum and Mob Museum.

The Bootlegger Italian Bistro opened Studio77, a full-service recording studio connected to the south-Strip property for musicians and artists.

Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport has introduced weed disposal boxes so tourists don’t smuggle Nevada’s legal marijuana drugs across the border. www.socalfnbpro.com

By K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.

COOK•EAT: Asia Senior Foods

Like it or not, we get older as time goes on. No matter how hard we try to stop or slow it down, we will be seniors who are less active physically and mentally someday. Nothing exciting about it! Though, there are exceptions, as my dear insurance agent and I agree, like the eligibility of Medicare or a free senior pass to the national parks at age 65. Also, seniors may go thru a TSA pre-security line without taking off shoes or pulling out electronics at airports. (A newly created senior ID on a driver’s license or separate card would allow so in California.) You should look forward to 65. Other than those, we would unenthusiastically smile for senior discounts at restaurants, haircuts, movie theaters or amusement parks, etc. How about eating-food for seniors?

In our eating environment, not many foods or menus are designated specifically for seniors. Seniors are often offered a half sandwich and soup at a family restaurant, as a senior discount. I would say nothing is a discount if it comes with less quantity. It must be an option to choose an offer of less quantity and less money for everybody. Regarding smaller portions, seniors often order junior burgers at a fast food restaurant, a good choice for a discount I think. In addition to the quantity, seniors are occasionally offered diet or “lite” food or a menu with less calories and often less cholesterol. Our seniors, without much choice, usually eat pizza, macaroni-cheese or fried chicken and leave some when feeling full enough.

For Asians, on the other hand, there seems to be a bit more options. A good example is rice porridge or gruel, which is a well-known senior staple for easy swallowing, not much chewing and good digestion. It is also a common menu item for those who are recuperating from flu or stomach upset. Its thickness varies depending on the total rice solid contents and also the condition of those who eat it. It looks rather like a mashed rice soup or chowder. No milk is added because of the lactose intolerance among Asians. You may see it at Chinatown in S.F. during breakfast time.

Rice porridge is not a silver bullet, all-inclusive senior food but a staple with less calorie or less cholesterol, satisfying appetite and fullness of stomach. Other nutrients offering a good amount of protein, more calcium or vitamins would come from things to eat together like a raw or halfboiled egg or a light side dish of grilled salmon or warm vegetables.

A combination of rice porridge and side dishes, which is omnivorous, offers good healthy eating for seniors. Two things have come to my mind.

Firstly, it is due to the influence of the Chinese Confucianism, which is the basis of Asian values, for the respect of elder people. It was true when information or skill was transferred to younger generations only by the elders who were more experienced or knowledgeable for daily living. In this era of information, though, everyone knows everything by accessing websites, and elders or seniors are losing their values in society. Secondly, 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.

“West Eats East” was his last series in this journal.

rice is a staple and available to make even with left-over rice. An additional cooking of rice and water in a pot can be easily done often without dismal work in the kitchen. Regular cooked rice for younger people and rice porridge for seniors are on the same table of multi-generation families.

Rice has nurtured Asian families keeping them healthy and together.

At the later stage of aging senior foods like baby foods or formula may become an option. Supplements may help keep them going or rejuvenate, but not as a choice as food. In this aging market then, food manufacturers, retailers or restaurant businesses should pay a little bit more attention to senior consumers. Again there is no magic senior food and how to eat is a key for healthy, active or long living. Eating is a joy but it becomes a burden, two or three times a day. But we cannot stop eating. Senior foods or eating, well might be a new business chance.

TRADITIONAL YET NEW Perfect Soy Sauce Flavor without the Color!

A golden color white soy sauce No burnt dark soy sauce flavor No darkening color in cooking Remarkable for sea foods, veggies, pasta, fusion and natural foods

www.whitesoysaucefood.com April 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 29

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.

Bivi Sicilian Vodka 631-464-4050 www.bivivodka.com

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Big Dog’s Brewing Company www.bigdogsbrews.com 702-368-3715

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Don’t Bullsh*t Yourself!

Book by Jon Taffer Ferrari-Carano Vinyards & Winery ferrari-carano.com

April 19-22 the Specialty Coffee Expo will be held in Seattle with everything coffee to be presented and displayed with seminars from how to make the best coffee to running a coffee specialty shop. Coffees from around the world will also be on display for the attendees to taste and rate. If you are in or connected to the coffee business, this is a must-see expo. www.coffeeexpo.org April 20-21 the California Wine Festival Orange County is happening in Dana Point. Hundreds of wines, a collection of food purveyors and live music are set to highlight a beautiful wine-filled weekend. www.CaliforniaWineFestival.com/events/orange-county April 28 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

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

Power of Love Gala 2018 keepmemoryalive.org 702-263-9797

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Riedel riedel.com

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Rodney Strong Estate Vinyards www.rodneystrong.com

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UNLVino unlvino.com

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White Soy Sauce www.whitesoysaucefood.com

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May 1-3 the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America 75th Annual Convention and Exposition returns to Caesars Palace. The largest gathering of America’s wine and spirits distributors, as well as suppliers from around the world, this event offers opportunities to seek out new beverage products, meet with existing portfolio partners, look for services to enhance internal operations and attend educational sessions on industry hot topics. www.wswaconvention.org May 2 the Taste Walk Glendale, a walking food tour of 40—yes, 40—of the town’s restaurants, will unfold in downtown Glendale. They mean business when they say “ready, set, gorge!” www.TasteOfDowntownGlendale.com

American Culinary Federation Chefs of SoCal

The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional is proud to be associated with these fine organizations: ACF-American Culinary Federation Chef de Cuisine Association of California Chapter Culinarians of San Diego Chapter Chefs de Cuisine Association of San Diego Chapter 30 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I April 2018

www.socalfnbpro.com

LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE

by Romero Britto

ONEMEMORABLENIGHT KEEP MEMORY ALIVE EVENT CENTER AT SYMPHONY PARK

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th

For more information, visit:

UNLVINO.COM | #UNLVINO Proceeds benefit

TAKE A SIP FOR SCHOLARSHIP!

SATURDAY, APRIL 14th, 2018 | 7-11PM

You must be 21 to attend. No refunds.

CHARDONNAY SUMMER

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Please enjoy our wines responsibly. ferrari-carano.com

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