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Issue 5 Volume 16
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A Supermodel Gets Into The Bubbly Business
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May 2016
CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER MIKE FRYER
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WELCOME BACK TO THIS MAY 2016 ISSUE OF SOCAL FOOD & BEVERAGE PROFESSIONAL SERVING SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HIGHLIGHTING SAN DIEGO, ORANGE COUNTY, LOS ANGELES AND SANTA BARBARA. I’d be missing the boat if I didn’t mention a few industry events last month: WSWA (Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America) held its annual Conference & Trade Show at Caesars Palace, this year presenting their Lifetime Leadership Award to Southern Wine & Spirits’ Larry Ruvo. Bon Appétit Magazine held its Vegas Uncork’d events in various locations with the Grand Tasting coming together at Caesers Pools!
Cover
THE MAY ISSUE FRONT COVER FEATURES CHRISTIE BRINKLEY WITH HER NEW BRAND OF PROSECCO—BELLISSIMA—ON OUR EXCLUSIVE COVER AND STORY…Christie is not only the company spokesperson, but also owner of this unique Prosecco from Italy. Check it out on page 16! Cover and feature photography by Myrna Suárez of Twin B Photography. Myrna, hailing from Miami and NYC, has been practicing the art of photography since 1995. She has travelled extensively with Christie during her Bellissima launch tour, drinking as much Prosecco as possible. You can see more of Myrna’s photographs at www.myrnasuarez.com.
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PAGE 11 BRINGS YOU OUR LONGTIME JOURNALIST, CHEF, EDUCATOR AND WINE SPECIALIST LES KINCAID, who is now in his 14th year of Wines Du Jour where most every Thursday evening from 7 p.m.-8 p.m. PST Les broadcasts live from various venues in Las Vegas to LA and San Diego and even down to Baja California. He chooses the restaurants and chefs carefully and then lets the chef pair bites to serve with three different wines. I’ve attended several shows in the past and found them very interesting and educational, but you’ll need to reserve a seat, as they sell out quickly with his devoted following of foodies. CHEERS! MIKE FRYER
Page 4 Hot Off the Grill!
Page 5 Food for Thought Perfect Grilled Cheese Lunch
Page 6 West Eats East White Soy Sauce - Free Sample
Page 7 5 Signs Your Brand Needs a Make-Over
Page 8 Vancouver and Bellingham Washington Wineries
Page 9 Chef Talk The Fig
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Page 10 What’s Brewing
Page 20 The Bottom Line Up Your Cash Potential by Maximizing Floor Space
Page 11 Wines Du Jour with Les Kincaid
Page 21 Good for Spooning Ways & Means Oyster House
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Product Review
Cheese Awakening
Page 14 COVER FEATURE A Supermodel Gets Into
Page 22 Product Spotlight Bob’s Beer Bits and Sips
The Bubbly Business
Page 16 Brett’s Vegas View
Page 24 Human Resources Insights Dealing with a Valued but Under-productive Employee
Page 26 Events Page 19 Café Chloe
Ad Index ACF Chefs of SoCal
May 2016 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 3
The Socal Food & Beverage Professional 303 Broadway Ste. 104-40 Laguna Beach, CA 92651 www.socalfnbpro.com
HOT OFF THE GRILL!
May 2016 Mike Fryer
Sr. Editor/Publisher
The real star at the recent UNLVino Sake Fever was the 200+ pound yellowfin tuna that the team from Japanese Sushi House ‘Naked Fish’ did the honors of slicing into bite size sashimi for the guests. Always a great crowd pleaser, Naked Fish started this tradition of presenting the entire tuna to Sake Fever and demonstrating the method of slicing the fish Japanese style about 8 years ago when the price of a tuna this size was less than $1,000 and now it’s well over $2,000. This specific tuna was caught off the coast of Thailand in the Pacific Ocean.
Thank you for joining us in this issue of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional. For any questions or comments please email mike@socalfnbpro.com
Juanita Fryer
Assistant To Sr. Editor ACF Chefs Liasion/Journalist juanita.fryer@socalfnbpro.com
Juanita Aiello
Bob Barnes
Editorial Director bob@socalfnbpro.com
At UNLVino’s Grand Tasting, We had a chance to see old friends and associates who contribute their time and products to this great event that draws 1000’s of guests to wine and dine for one evening. Now in its 42nd year, UNLVino is the longest running charitable wine tasting event in the United States, and for those many years has been an event that hospitality students have come to rely on for additional financial support.
Elaine & Scott Harris Editors at Large harris@socalfnbpro.com
WSWA-Wines & Spirits Wholesalers Association of America held its 73rd Annual Convention & Exposition once again hosted at Caesers Palace Convention Center and was as exciting as ever with new products. We were especially excited when visiting the Enovation Brands Suite where we found a Professional Italian Cheese Maker brought in just for this show and preparing cheese for guests’ pleasure. Additionally, Enovation Brands, who have offices in Italy as well, brought their Italian cobbler in to fit special guests for shoes to be made to order! We will be bringing you more on this unique group in the upcoming months.
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
Journalist The Bottom Line Ben Brown
Photographer Bill Bokelmann
Photographer Joe Urcioli
Journalist Margie Mancino
Master Sommelier Joe Phillips
4 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT Perfect Grilled Cheese Lunch Actually you know before you even bite into a grilled cheese sandwich whether it’s going to be what you crave or not. Let’s look at a perfect one, where cheese slowly oozes from the edges of the grilled bread. The bread’s face is an even golden-brown that’s suffused with sweet butter. Pick it up, and you can feel the butter in the bread (but it doesn’t leave your fingers greasy—at least, not too greasy), while the crust is crisp yet flexes ever-so-slightly, revealing a layer of tender crumb underneath. Exactly what is and what isn’t a grilled cheese, anyway? Obviously, cheese and bread must be involved, as well as some form of heat. But does an open-faced Reuben count? Or how about a Mexican pambazo, dipped in sauce and griddled, with a million other ingredients? • For perfection a grilled cheese must...be a closed sandwich, griddled on both sides. • Have cheese as the primary ingredient most of the time. • Has to be made with sliced bread. Thus a sandwich made with whole, crust-on loaves like a panino or a Cubano does not qualify. • Needs to always be served hot all the way through, with the cheese thoroughly melted. • Should be cooked on a flat, greased surface until golden brown. • In extreme circumstances it may be cooked on an outdoor grill over an open fire. • A grilled cheese may never be baked or deep-fried.
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
Consider doing something much more interesting than a straight cheese sandwich. I have concocted a spinoff of the boring regular one. This is a winner…..try it!
Grilled Cheese with Avocado Mozzarella & Jalapeño Chimichurri Additional Ingredients Chimichurri Sauce 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 jalapeños (to remove heat remove seeds) 1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/4” slices 4 green onions 2-4 ounces fresh mozzarella 1/2 cup cilantro slices 1 clove garlic 4 slices whole wheat bread 2 tablespoons olive oil juice from 1 lime 2 teaspoons honey Place all ingredients in a food processor, pulsing until broken down and well combined, adding more olive oil or lime juice as needed. Preheat grill pan or regular pan over medium-low heat. Brush outsides of bread with olive oil. Place on piece of bread, olive oil side down, in the grill pan and smear on 1 tablespoon of chimichurri. Layer with slices of avocado and cheese. Smear 1 more tablespoon of chimichurri on remaining piece of bread and place olive oil side up. Grill on each side until crisp and cheese has melted. Yield: 2 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
See what operators are saying:
FOUR STAR RESTAURANT MARKETING COOKBOOK
“Recipes for Restaurateurs is a practical ‘how to guide’ written in an easy to follow format with case studies and proven sales building programs. Our franchisees will truly benefit from implementing and following many of its recipes and instructions.” “Recipes for Restaurateurs is a comprehensive, easy to follow book of effective marketing strategies and is a great tool we purchased for each of our general managers. Ms. Duke trained 65 managers of our Me-n-Ed’s Pizzerias how to use the recipes and provided motivation and directions for effectively driving sales and we are already seeing success.”
www.marketing-cookbook.com
www.marketing-cookbook.com www.socalfnbpro.com
“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.”
May 2016 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 5
West Eats East White Soy Sauce Free Sample
White soy sauce— now you know there is such a thing. It is not milky white but a pale colored, transparent soy sauce, called white soy sauce like white wine. It is brewed mostly with wheat and much less or no soybeans with sea salt and water. FYI, soybeans are the major ingredient of white soy sauce. It is a latecomer to our market drawing a good attention among creative chefs but is still in a mystical veil behind the dominant black soy sauce. It is occasionally misrecognized by Japanese food people in particular as Usukuchi soy sauce which is made by diluting black soy sauce with water and salt, or Sirodashi (white stock source) by blending black soy sauce, water, salt and Japanese flavor stocks. These have respective objectives in cooking, different from white soy sauce. White soy sauce might have been born when soybean crops failed and wheat became the major raw material available, I assume. But it was a genius outcome with subtle, mild, pleasant flavor and unique function of not-darkening in seasoning or cooking. The dark/black soy sauce industry or people discriminately do not want to recognize that it is a variety of soy sauce because of its color, taste and function. It seemed it was being manufactured probably all over the country but remained only in the food culture area of central Japan near Nagoya where Toyota started doing business. Generally speaking the Japanese food culture is divided into the east (Tokyo and north) and the west (Osaka-Kyoto and west-south), showing different preferences of taste and eating. Interestingly enough, white soy sauce stayed in the boundary area between the east and the west where sea salt is available from the nearby beaches. Currently white soy sauce manufacturers concentrate in this area, while additional manufacturers have popped out wherever traditional local soy sauce brewers sense profit. Strangely enough, there is not much interest in this unique condiment among major J-trading companies or J-restaurants. Many Japanese food people must be brainwashed with black soy sauce, I often joke. Some specialty or deli businesses in the mainstream, on the other hand, do import and sell to retail stores, restaurants or through mail orders. Their sales are just limited only to their networks. For recruiting potential
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 6 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016
By K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D. 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.
clienteles in other regions, one of them, White Tamari or White Golden Tamari which is a non-GMO, no-MSG added and all natural process manufactured by a major white soy sauce manufacturer, has been promoting at dozens of food expos and tradeshows. Executive chefs at one of the Hard Rock Cafés and also Disney restaurants have started to use then. It is currently used by chefs in Hawaii, Florida, Arizona, Seattle, NY and Chicago on a regular or occasional basis. It must be a next generation liquid condiment to diversify our taste and a great way of presentation in natural appearance, not only of the Oriental, but also fusing natural and harmonized cuisines. I dare to say that J-cuisine could be completed both by black and white soy sauce and in a sense, the future of J-cuisine relies on white soy sauce here. Also beyond J-cuisines, white soy sauce can find a place in Chinese, Asian, Mediterranean, fusion, seafood, vegetarian, natural and global cuisines. I am very much fascinated with white soy sauce in seasoning, cooking, formulating of salad dressings and sauces. Its functions or uses: 1. Bring subtle, mild, pleasant, not over-powering soy sauce flavor. 2. Enhance flavors of other ingredients, and infuse them for balancing. Try with wasabi for eating sushi. May need to dilute a little. 3. No darkening color in seasoning or cooking, which is an astonishing function. 4. Super-congeniality with natural ingredients like olive oil, white wine, seafood, fruits, vegetables and other natural materials. Good for making salad dressings and sources. 5. Non-GMO ingredients used. 6. No MSG added. Some compounded or brewed black soy sauces contains MSG. 7. No preservatives added. Some soy sauces contain benzoates as preservatives. 8. Excellent for presentation in natural color and style. 9. Reduce unpleasant meat or fish odor by soaking in white soy sauce solution (1:1 in water). 10. Could be sprayed over finished dishes for enhancing flavors and also for minimizing salty taste and intake. 11. Could be transformed in gelatin or agar-agar solid, natural-looking, condiment forms. 12. Could be formed in Kuzu or corn starch semi-solid forms with gravy consistency. 13. Used for quick light-pickling vegetables in a plastic bag. “Tasting is believing” also with white soy sauce. E-mail mike@masuyamaglobalconnect.com to learn more about this authentic white soy sauce, White Tamari, info on cooking and comparison with black soy sauce, along with a sample bottle (10 oz) which will be sent to you for a trial. Create your own recipes by this secret flavoring agent! www.socalfnbpro.com
By Linda Duke Celebrating 25 Years in the Restaurant Industry, Duke Marketing has handled numerous crisis scenarios for restaurant chains and Linda Duke, CEO is an expert witness, crisis communicator and emergency legal liaison. duke@dukemarketing.com 415-492-4534
Whether it’s Pepsi’s new logo or McDonald’s new interiors, big brands are making changes to their concepts everywhere you look. Maybe your business has been rolling along for years and you think your brand strategy is working. But is it? Are your marketing messages and materials driving the results you need? If not, it might be time for a marketing makeover. You’ll know it’s time to go back to the marketing drawing board if you can identify any one of the following red flags happening at your restaurant. The trick may be to rebrand, adjust your value proposition or simply modify your existing strategy before these danger signs turn into unavoidable catastrophes.
RED FLAG #1 Nothing matches. Strong brands consistently deliver on their promises to consumers in every brand interaction. Inconsistent messages and visual imagery can confuse consumers, forcing them to turn away from your brand in search of one that does continually meet their expectations. If your website, signage, ads and marketing materials look like they come from multiple companies, then you need to redesign them so you communicate a consistent brand at all times.
RED FLAG #2 You don’t know what you want. If you haven’t mapped out your one-year and five-year goals, then your marketing efforts might not be helping your business. Take some time to determine your business objectives and then revamp your brand and marketing efforts to help you reach those goals.
RED FLAG #3 You don’t know how to connect with customers. If you don’t know who you need to connect with and where to find them, then you could waste a lot of time building relationships with people and spending time in places that won’t drive the business results you need. Instead, define your target audience and determine what www.socalfnbpro.com
benefits and messages matter to them. Only then can you find where your target audience spends time (for example, watching television, listening to the radio, on social media, reading blogs, and so on), so you can connect with them and deliver the kind of valuable information and conversations they want and need.
RED FLAG #4 You’re talking only about yourself. It’s important to strike a balance between being social and only self promoting. Socially, if you talk only about yourself all the time, no one will want to hang out with you. You should take the time to get to know people—in person and on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn—and build relationships with them. Cultivate these relationships to help build brand loyalty and advocacy. You shouldn’t interrupt people with marketing messages. You also need to engage them with meaningful content and conversations.
RED FLAG #5 The competition looks better than you.
equal to or better than your competitors, then there is no reason for consumers to do business with you. Determine what differentiates you from your competitors and what benefits you can deliver to consumers that your competitors cannot. Once you know what those differences are, make sure the world knows them, through your branding and marketing efforts. While first impressions can be crucial, online consumers can move quickly. If they can’t determine who you are, what you do or how you can help them in three seconds or less, they’ll pass you by. Make sure the first impression you make is clear, concise and quick. Marketing makeovers offer significant opportunities to stay current, jump ahead of your competitors, and appeal to wider consumer audiences. But, don’t risk alienating your existing customers with a marketing makeover that makes your business and brand unrecognizable to them. In other words, invasive plastic surgery of your brand can do more harm than good. Instead, pursue smaller changes that enhance your brand and business rather than completely reconstructing it.
If your competitors’ message and look outshine yours then you might need to make a change. The idea is to stay ahead of the curve without copying your competitors’ marketing for the sake of keeping pace. If you don’t look and sound May 2016 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 7
Shelley Stepanek is President of DSA, the oldest non-profit tourist association in the state, along with being on the board of ticket brokers. Shelley has previously owned three restaurants.
Photos by Shelley Stepanek
Vancouver and Bellingham Washington Wineries
By Shelley Stepanek
Traveling to Canada, and most specifically the Vancouver area, you can visit a host of vineyards. Yearly in February Vancouver hosts a spectacular wine event for five days, with this year’s featuring numerous Italians, both reds and white. Vancouver area itself has 14 wineries or wine tours. Starting with a progressive dining experience, the great area of Gastown in downtown Vancouver, you can feast your way along on a foodie tour for 4 hours. $110 per person, limited to 8 people, you move from one great restaurant to another and sample unlimited amounts of “Canadian” foods, along with the correct wine with each dish. Frazier Valley, an hour east of Vancouver, has many small wineries which are all family run. The Gulf Islands, B.C. has Chateau Beaufort
Vineyards, which produce 15 tons of grapes yearly, enough for 1,000 cases. They host great tastings if you happen to stop in. On Saturna Island down the way is Saturna Island Family Estates with sixty acres with four separate vineyards to sample from. Salt Spring Vineyards produces 2,500 cases a year of absolutely superb wine, winning many awards. All of these wineries participate in the February event. One more in Salt Springs is the Mistaken Identity Vineyards. They are relatively new, opening in 2009 with a partnership of six people. They have branched out at a great pace and currently are producing 10 wines. I would plan a full four days to visit all of these between Canada and Bellingham, Washington. The dollar is currently 33% in our favor making a trip very inexpensive right now.
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If you are flying into Bellingham, 30 miles south of Vancouver, and driving into Canada, be sure to stop at some of the 9 boutique wineries or the 9 breweries. Flights roundtrip into Bellingham run around $200. Rent your car and head out to the Asian Brewing Company, a great microbrewery, with all organic beer. If you have a whole afternoon, book The Pedal Party. It is a group tour visiting Bellingham’s best breweries and tap houses all done on a giant covered bike. These are fast popping up all over the country. The bike tour has room for up to 14 of you and your 13 closest friends, or meet new ones as you travel. The Samson Estates Winery is a great tasting room, with artisan wines, dessert wines and chocolate truffles. Log on to whatcomwineries.com to get a list of all the great spots to stop. Enjoy the beautiful areas and come home with new taste experiences.
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By Chef Allen Asch
Chef Talk The Fig
Feel free to contact Chef Allen with ideas for comments or future articles at allena@unlv.nevada.edu Chef Allen Asch M. Ed., CCE is a culinary arts instructor that has earned degrees from Culinary Institute of America, Johnson and Wales University and Northern Arizona University. He is currently teaching at UNLV. He earned his Certified Culinary Educator Endorsement from the American Culinary Federation in 2003.
Although dried figs can be purchased year round this is the time of year that the California figs start showing up on the tree and at the markets. The California fig is available from June through September while some European varieties stay available until the end of autumn. Last year my fig tree was a little too young to produce many figs so I am looking forward to a successful harvest this year.
One of my favorite treats growing up was the Fig Newton. I am looking forward to eating the fresh sweet smooth flesh of the fig with the contrast in the crunchy seeds. Figs grow on a Ficus-like tree, a member of the Mulberry family. These trees can grow 40-50 feet tall, although most plants are about 10 feet tall (mine is 2 and a half feet). Figs come in a variety of colors based on the specific variety that you are eating or growing. There are more than 150 varieties with the most popular ones being:
Mediterranean through the sixteenth century. The Spaniard conquerors brought the fruit to the Western Hemisphere in the early sixteenth century and brought them to California during missionary work in the late 1800s.
• Black Mission: blackish-purple skin and pink colored flesh
Under-ripe figs should be stored at room temperature away from direct sunlight to give them time to finish ripening, but once they are ripe they should be stored in the refrigerator where they will stay for about two days. Ripe figs are very delicate so care should be taken when storing them. Figs should be stored in a covered container so that they do not dry out and to protect them from being crushed or bruised and to help keep out odors from other foods. Dried figs will stay fresh for several months and can either be kept in a cool, dark place or stored in the refrigerator.
• Kadota: green skin and purplish flesh • Calimyrna: greenish-yellow skin and amber flesh • Brown Turkey: purple skin and red flesh • Adriatic: the variety most often used to make fig bars, which has a light green skin and pink-tan flesh Besides having a sweet taste figs are also good for you. They have a lot of dietary fiber and they are very high in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure. Although it is not common in the United States, fig leaves are commonly cooked and eaten around the world. The leaves contain an anti-diabetic property that produces insulin, lowering the need for insulin injections in people suffering from this malady. Very ripe figs also contain large amounts of antioxidants. People with kidney or gall bladder problems might want to limit fig consumption due to a concentration of oxalates that can become crystalized creating health concerns for sufferers. There are only 37 calories in 8 ounces of figs. Cultivation of figs is generally thought to have been done for a very long time, having been mentioned in the Bible. The cultivation is generally thought to have started in Egypt and to have travelled around the www.socalfnbpro.com
Since figs are very perishable they should not be purchased more than 2 days ahead of usage. They should have firm stems and be free of bruises. Smelling figs can also help you learn about their freshness and their taste. They should have a mildly sweet fragrance and should not smell sour, which is an indication that they may be spoiled.
Figs should be washed before use and they need to have the stem removed. They can be eaten raw or they can be grilled or poached. Dried figs can be soaked in hot water to help rehydrate them. Since the outside of the fig can be eaten there is no need to peel them, just gently wash them. Figs pair very well with dairy, including basic forms like cream cheese and rich ones like Mascarpone cheese. Figs also pair very well with tree nuts so they can be served with walnuts or almonds. Another tasty pairing is to match figs to cured meats such as prosciutto and salami. Figs can also be added to a pizza with caramelized onions and blue cheese. And of course figs match up nicely with salad greens, maybe with a honey flavored dressing. Figs also work well in desserts, chocolate covered figs or fig tarts, and this could be served with a fig infused vodka or port wine. May 2016 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 9
By David Mulvihill
what’s
BREWING
David Mulvihill strives to experience and write about the ever-evolving face of SoCal craft beer. He also covers Orange County for Celebrator Beer News as well as Southern California for Southwest Brewing News. Contact him at dbrewhill@gmail.com.
Orange County beer distributor Straub recently held its Retail Expo at its headquarters in Anaheim. This was an opportunity for retailers, pub owners and restaurateurs to see and experience the brands and services Straub offers its customers. The most popular part of the expo was the craft beer center, where beer from most of the crafts Straub distributes were flowing and representatives from member breweries were available to inform about their brand. Ed Heethuis and his team were also on hand to conduct a number of accelerated beerpaired dinners. His purpose was to provide information and educate restaurant/pub owners and managers on the value and relative ease of incorporating beer and food pairing events into their businesses. He expressed that these dinners provide opportunities to showcase the chef, kitchen staff, and food to current as well as new customers. They provide an opportunity to educate guests and provide a vehicle for bringing more people in during an otherwise slower time of the week, the ideal time for a beer dinner. Heethuis, who also happens to be a Certified Cicerone (the beer equivalent of a sommelier), offered his assistance (gratis) with planning and conducting beer dinners for their restaurants. First was a succession of three different cheeses paired with three separate beers. Burrata cheese was paired with Franziskaner Hefeweizen, producing a peaches & cream-like experience. Camembert combined with Golden Road’s Get Up Offa That Brown, a brown ale that was fittingly described by Ed as a liquid grilled cheese sandwich. And an Amish blue cheese aged for 18 months was paired with Rough Draft’s Freudian Sip strong old ale. At 9.5% alcohol by volume (ABV), its solid and malty flavors were able to stand up against the strong flavors in the cheese. Heethuis recommended matching intensities when pairing food and beer, matching the intensity of the flavor with the intensity of the beer. For instance, if pairing the aforementioned wheat beer with the blue cheese, the cheese would overpower the flavors of the lighter, fruity beer. Next up, was salmon three ways. Traditional smoked salmon, a peppered salmon, and salmon with dill were presented with Ninkasi’s Oatis oatmeal stout. Three different flavor experiences followed. For the dessert course a tasty cream cheese frosting-topped carrot cake was ideally
photos by David Mulvihill
Straub Experience
Ed Heethuis conducts one of the many instructional beer pairing sessions at this year’s Straub Distributing Retail Expo.
Straub Expo instructional beer pairing session.
complemented by a snifter of Bootlegger’s 10% ABV hoppy-malty monster Knuckle Sandwich double IPA. Ed recommended Tasting Beer, by Randy Mosher, as a reference book for those looking to incorporate beer tasting into their customer experience mix.
awards for World Beer Cup will take place early May at the Craft Brewers Conference, held this year in Philadelphia. If results of the LA competition are any indication, a windfall of awards will be going to Southern California brewers. With 97 categories in the LA contest, 202 medals (including Best of Show) were possible. Southern California brewers earned almost 40% of these awards, including the coveted Best of Show award. San Diego’s Council Brewing Company earned BOS for its Gaderian, an English-style old ale aged in oak barrels for a year with Brettanomyces. This reporter tasted the beer just before it went to the BOS round. Its packed and concentrated flavors included hints of dried fruit with port-like edges. Council also received medals for Les Saisons, Nicene, and Beatitude Tart Cherry Saison. Results for the San Diego competition were due out in late April. Detailed results for these competitions can be found at labeercomp.com/ wos/beer_competition, sandiegobeerfestival. com/beer-competition/winners, and at worldbeercup.org/winners/award-winners.
Ventura Bound There is definitely no shortage of craft breweries today, wherever your destination may be. It seems another new-ish brewery has gone under this reporter’s radar. About to celebrate its 1st anniversary, Ventura’s Topa Topa Brewing Company has now been added to the itinerary. Located downtown at 104 E. Thompson St., the brewery houses a 15-barrel brewhouse, 15 & 30-barrel fermenters, and a tasting room. The ownership team of Jack Dyer and Kyle Thompson teamed with head brewer Casey Harris (formerly of Stone Brewing Co.) to open Topa Topa last June. Other breweries in the area include Barelhouse 101, a brewpub about four blocks west; longstanding Anacapa Brewing on Main Street; and MadeWest Brewing, Surf Brewery and Poseidon Brewing, 5-7 miles southeast.
Competitions Competition season is upon us. In April, judging for both the Los Angeles International Commercial Beer Competition, as well as the same for San Diego took place. Judging and
10 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016
Unsung Update
Last issue I covered the new Unsung Brewing Company (Tustin & Anaheim) and wanted to provide an update and correction. I incorrectly stated that the Anaheim tasting room’s mural would be of Buzzman (the hero behind Buzzman cream ale) battling the yard bees. It seems his foe is quite a bit larger. He actually battles the “Yard Beast.” Also, Ryan Hunt has been promoted to the position of Brewer. www.socalfnbpro.com
Wines Du Jour with Les Kincaid Les Kincaid has made it his life’s passion promoting Las Vegas and its food and wine industry for the last 25+ years, offering food and wine appreciation classes that he teaches through UNLV Continuing Education Division of Educational Outreach and his nationally/ internationally syndicated Wines Du Jour wine and food pairing radio show. Wines Du Jour is America’s FIRST wine show to have an invited guest audience that actually tastes three wines and pairs food on-air during each broadcast. Wines Du Jour was created in September 2001 to form an environment where people who love wine and food can share their experiences, knowledge and passion on all aspects related to the noble grape. There is a not a snobbish attitude when you listen to Les Kincaid discuss wines from anywhere around the world, as he is always offering information you want to and likely should know. The list of provocative topics goes on and on. If you love good food and great wines, you’ll love this weekly program. Over the last 14 years Wines Du Jour has broadcast from many outstanding restaurant venues including Daniel Boulud’s db Brasserie, Smith & Wollensky, and Estiatorio Milos in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Wines Du Jour has also taken the show on the road to exciting destinations like Hotel Coral & Marina and Rosarito Beach Hotel in Baja California, Mexico; Four Seasons Resort Maui; and Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego. Invited guests can expect to enjoy delicious food and wine pairings each week. Past pairings have included Grilled Salmon Beurre Blanc with Moet & Chandon “Rose Imperial” Champagne, Rigatoni with Braised Oxtail with Hawk and Horse Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon and Apicus Spiced Duck Breast with Simi Winery Sonoma County Pinot Noir. You too can be a part of this exciting opportunity! Join Les Kincaid and listen every Thursday evening “LIVE” from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on CRN Digital Talk Radio or on the www.leskincaid. com website. Guests of Wines Du Jour can be invited to attend the show by simply sending an email to les@leskincaid.com to join the mailing list. The event cost each week is just $25 per person (special events additional). If you are a restaurant or winery and would like to find out how to participate, send an email to kincaidtammy@msn.com for more information. Les always shares stimulating, provocative information and great interviews with interesting, intelligent, knowledgeable guests all within the food and wine industry. Whether they are vintners, winery owners, sommeliers, Master Sommeliers, chefs or restaurateurs they can all talk about wine with authority. On September 8, 2016 Les will celebrate 15 years of providing good information in the food and wine industry, bringing winemakers, sommeliers, and restaurateurs to share their knowledge each week to our listeners. Join us, won’t you?
Listen every Thursday evening “LIVE” from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on CRN Digital Talk Radio or on the www.leskincaid.com website. www.socalfnbpro.com
May 2016 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 11
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.
photos by John Rockwell
Cheese Awakening
The cheese board that started it all. Union on Yale in Claremont, California presented Cowgirl Creamery’s flagship product, the mild and sublime Mt. Tam.
I created a false-bottom using a stainless steel chafing dish with sushi mats to give the whey a place to drain.
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.
By trade, I’m an English teacher. But on the weekends these days, I make cheese. My students have picked up on this, and enjoy poking fun at my newfound hobby by mentioning cheese in their literature presentations. As we embarked on Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms, I told my students that I would make cheese for them to sample when we finished the unit. Even though Hemingway’s book is about the eastern-Italian front of World War I, I chose French Camembert because it was such a popular “taste of home” for French soldiers during the first “great war.” From all I had read, its relatively quick production time and ability to mature in transit made it ideal. (Hemingway’s love of all things French also influenced the decision.) I ordered what I thought was the Camembert mold, Penicillium Candidum, and proceeded to make the cheese according to the instructions. I had never tasted Camembert, and what I ended up with was edible, but it was not Camembert. I had ordered the wrong type of mold—instead of Candidum, I bought an aroma blend that emphasized the “sweaty sock” odor found in some French Camemberts. I knew I was not on the right track when my wife asked if something had died in our cheese cave. In my research, I found out that Camembert and Brie are related, and are created in virtually the same way. In the past, I have tried the Bries that can be found in most grocery stores and have not been impressed. They often seem characterized by little flavor, a certain gumminess in texture, or an overpowering odor of ammonia. And because of my mainstream American sensibility, I was never sure what to do with the moldy rind. I mean, is it really mold? And if it is, can I safely eat it? The answer is yes—it is edible mold—and if it doesn’t taste right, that’s because the cheese has been ripened or stored too long, or not allowed to breathe. I might also argue that the grocery store examples are not particularly great representations of the styles—many have a dull, middling flavor profile, like mass-produced American lagers. It turns out cheese varieties that originated in Europe usually have a regional appellation—like wine varietals or certain beer styles. That’s because in Europe, the flora used to graze the milking livestock is as important a flavor factor as the type of milk, the bacterial culture, or even the cheesemaking process. It’s probably improper to name cheeses not made in these regions by their traditional names, but the styles have become so ubiquitous that the regional names just take over. Traditionally, the differences between Brie and Camembert vary due to the aromatic cultures added, and the size of the cheese—Bries are generally made in tall, wide hoops, and Camemberts in narrower, yet equally tall molds. And there are other variations of Brie—like double and triple creme Brie—that are so delightful, I just had to try to replicate those on my own cheesemaking odyssey. I have awakening points in my food-crafting hobbies that intersect with my newfound knowledge— an “aha” moment when my research leads me to the discovery of a wonderful new flavor, and then the realization that I have the ability to create that flavor in my own kitchen. As an example from my beer making past, when I discovered Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, I vividly remember really “smelling” beer for the first time, and all at once understanding and falling in love with the rose-like aroma of fresh Cascade hops. If Sierra Nevada was my gateway into what craft beer could be, then certainly Mt. Tam Triple Creme from Cowgirl Creamery in Northern California has been my gateway
The Camembert molds are tall and have holes.
12 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016
Because my curds are so fine, I line my molds with cheesecloth to prevent spillage and curd loss. The whey slowly drains from the molds and the cheese is flipped every few hours as it forms.
www.socalfnbpro.com
The cheeses are salted and enclosed in a plastic container. Temperature control and daily flipping are essential.
into the sublime category of triple creme Brie cheeses. I tried it by accident at an outstanding gastropub in downtown Claremont—Union on Yale—and I couldn’t believe what I was tasting. Slight mushroom flavor, clean underneath and beautifully textured, this was not grocery store Brie. The process for making these cheeses is fascinating. With a pressed-curd cheese—like cheddars, Derbys, Goudas—and hard cheeses, time is spent working with the curd after it has set: heating, stirring, draining, “cooking” (raising the temperature 10-14 degrees), knitting (allowing it to “melt” together), and in the case of cheddar, stacking it. With cheddar, heat causes the curds to knit together, and before being pressed into a mold, squares are cut into sections and placed on top of each other in a process that increases the acidity and reduces the water content. This prepares it for a long aging process. By comparison, Bries and Camemberts are lowacidity cheeses with minimal curd processing and a short aging time of 2-8 weeks. The milk is heated—and for double and triple cremes, just add a percentage of heavy whipping cream to the mixture—cultures are added (including the mold varieties of Penicillium Candidum or Geotrichum Candidum), the rennet is added to set the curd, the curd is cut and stirred, and just as the curd is beginning to expel the whey, it is scooped out into tall cheese forms. These cheese forms have small holes drilled into the sides, and are usually bottomless. I use cheesecloth to
Union on Yale 232 Yale Avenue Claremont, CA 91711 (909)833-5104
Cowgirl Creamery 1 Ferry Building In a little more than seven days, the cheeses are entirely covered in a soft, pillowy-textured white mold.
After about 16 days, my cheese is edible, but could still use more time. More importantly, it looks like a professional triple creme Brie.
www.socalfnbpro.com
San Francisco, CA 94111 (415)392-4000
At 21 days of aging, my cheese has developed a distinctive soft cream just underneath the rind. Flavors continue to mature.
prevent curd loss, and have fabricated a raised platform of sushi mats in a rectangular stainless steel chafing dish. (Sushi mats do wonderfully for cheese draining—I can easily wash and sanitize them dry in a 200-degree oven in about 12 minutes.) The forms are then flipped every few hours for the next 24 hours until the whey is expelled and the cheese has shrunk and knitted together. The next step in the process is the most fun. The very edible, mushroom-flavored mold that is essential to this cheese style has to grow and do wonderful things to the cheese. First, the rounds are generously salted on the outside (only use no-additive salts in cheesemaking). If you remember from science class, liquids like to balance, and salt has the osmotic quality of draining liquid from cells—this tightens the surface of the cheese as the first formation of a rind. The salty environment also makes sure that nothing else will grow on this rind except the mold you want—remember, you have already inoculated the cheese with white mold. Within a week, in a humid environment of about 55 degrees—and daily flipping—this cheese will begin to “bloom” the pillowy-white flora you have implanted within it. The mold lowers the acidity of the cheese, allowing it to soften and ripen, imparting the flavors associated with delicious Bries and Camemberts. If you had told me that three months into cheesemaking I’d be hounding specialty soft cheeses at boutique cheesemonger stores (finding good cheese in Southern California is a story in and of itself) and that my most favored cheesemaking tools would be my Camembert molds, I would have laughed at you. As my stacks of Derby and Gouda in my wine refrigerators/ aging caves will attest, I love pressed-curd cheeses. But in the midst of this odyssey, the discovery of the buttery, mushroomy flavors of triple creme Brie has opened my eyes to the variations possible within a very specific variety of cheese. My English class will have to wait for their Camembert sample for now, and will have to instead enjoy some homemade triple creme Brie.
A piece of Mt. Tam with a clear softness around the mold area, and a crumblier texture inside. For me, this is the benchmark.
May 2016 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 13
A Supermodel Gets Into The Bubbly Business
Photos by Myrna Suรกrez Twin B Photography
Christie Brinkley is one of the most successful supermodels in the world. Gracing the cover of more than 500 magazines since the 1970s, her long reign at the top of the fashion world qualifies her for legendary status. She was the face of Cover Girl for a staggering twenty-five years. That’s a record for the longest modeling contract in history. Christie’s passion is to embrace life’s pleasures: adventure, travel, wonderful food and wine. “I believe that celebrating what we are grateful for with family, friends and Prosecco contributes to a healthy, happy and sweetly beautiful life,” she says. Prosecco, which gets its name from the village outside Trieste where it was originally made, is a sparkling wine now made in the Veneto region of Italy (in and around the city of Treviso, about 15 miles outside of Venice). Is Prosecco as much a glamorous wine as Christie Brinkley is a supermodel? Not really. But the truth is, Prosecco hasn’t had its moment. But all that may be about to change. Demand for Prosecco in the UK has seen an astounding increase, with supermarket sales reaching £356 million (approximately $520 million USD) at the end of February. Sales here in the US were up 38% in the last year. So many people are buying Prosecco, that there’s actually a growing fear of a shortage. While that may be a little alarmist, the numbers have a clear message: the world wants Prosecco. Which is exactly why Christie Brinkley has started her own brand, and as with everything else in her life, she has done it her own way and on her own time. A vegetarian since the age 14 and committed to an organic lifestyle, Christie began by searching the Veneto region for the type of vineyard that fit her demanding specifications: one that was pesticide free for decades, and one that was big on sustainable growing methods. It took a few years of exploring the farmland north of Venice, but Christie found the grapes of her dreams.
incredible Bellissima bottle was born. “Venus, the goddess of love, beauty and sex, seemed like the perfect image for a sparkling wine named Bellissima,” says Rich DeCicco. As far as the name goes, Christie says she “settled on Bellissima because it was a word that makes you feel good just like the Prosecco.” That may be true, but Bellissima, which in Italian means “most beautiful” or “gorgeous,” might also have something to do with a supermodel who was voted one of the twentieth century’s most beautiful women. The Bellissima brand is starting with three varieties: Sparkling Rosé, Bellissima Zero Sugar and Bellissima Brut Prosecco. Bellissima Sparkling Rosé is light pink, brilliant and very refined. Its bouquet is elegant with hints of strawberry and grapefruit. It’s produced using the “Charmat Method,” whereby it undergoes a secondary fermentation in a stainless steel tank. Bellissima Brut is made from Glera grapes, and also uses the “Charmat Method.”
Brut, the driest version of Prosecco, is straw colored with delicate scents of green apple. It is fresh, aromatic and elegant with light scents of freshly baked bread. Bellissima Zero is made from 100% Glera grapes. It’s produced using the “Long Charmat Method” (which allows for seven months in a fermenting tank) with naturally selected yeasts and has no residual sugar. Since Bellissima’s introduction in April at this year’s 73rd annual Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America exposition, the phone at Iconic Brands has not stopped ringing. “The response to our introduction at WSWA has been nothing short of spectacular,” says Rich. “In all my years in the business I’ve never seen anything quite like this.” Christie and Rich are currently lining up distribution and the vineyard in Italy is gearing up for a long, long run – a perfect fit to Christie’s extraordinary career.
Next, Christie teamed up with an importer who has deep experience in the liquor industry. Richard DeCicco, president and founder of United Spirits Incorporated, has had over forty years in the beverage business. Over those years, Rich has developed strong relationships with distillers, brewmasters, vineyard owners, marketers and distributors around the world. The next step, and a big one in the liquor industry, was bottle design. “I envisioned the bottle sitting on a table, and it had to be exciting from every angle,” says Christie. Christie and Rich turned to a New York ad agency, FLY Communications, for help in designing a bottle that would be as iconic and eye-popping as Christie herself. With Christie directing the project, and with an assist from Botticelli’s famous painting The Birth of Venus, the www.socalfnbpro.com
Top Row (L – R): Chani Levine, Brian Levine, Marco Serino, Peter Levine Mid Row (L-R): Roseann Faltings, Christie Brinkley Front: Rich DeCicco
May 2016 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 15
Brett’s
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
Dining Revelations
Beauty & Essex opening May 16 at The Cosmopolitan is a partnership between TAO Group and personality chef/restaurateur Chris Santos. James Beard Award-winning chef Shawn McClain will open Libertine Social at Mandalay Bay this summer with a Tony Abou-Ganim cocktail program. Dave & Buster’s will open this summer in Downtown Summerlin with upscale cuisine. Locally-owned Nacho Daddy will open its fourth Las Vegas location in mid-August at Miracle Mile Shops. Waffle Bar, a casual Liege waffles and crepes restaurant, opened at Tivoli Village. Sake Rok opened at The Park for lunch and dinner with a late-night bar and lounge. Six food outlets opening at the LINQ Promenade this year include: Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips; 24-hour Canter’s Deli; Virgil’s Real Barbecue; In-N-Out Burger; Amorino with gelato; and Purple Zebra daiquiri bar.
Pizza Forte opened its third local location and first on the Strip at the new T-Mobile Arena. Michael Frey’s Montecristo Cigar Bar opened at Caesars Palace featuring The Signature Bar, Library, Courtyard and Vault Room experiences. The BLT Burger at The Mirage closed and reopened as resort-operated LVB Burger & Bar. Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar with a dogfriendly patio at Downtown Summerlin will open a second location at Town Square this fall. Border Grill at Mandalay Bay launched a new summer monthly themed event: Border Grill Patio Series with Tours of Tequilas May 19 and Amor à la Carte June 17. Golden Entertainment will open six new properties this year, including a new Sierra Gold at the former Sedona Restaurant & Lounge location. The Juice Standard opened its third Las Vegas outpost at The Cosmopolitan. Arizona Charlie’s Boulder opened its completely renovated Charlie’s Market Buffet, previously called Wild West Buffet.
California-based Dog Haus Vegas on Paradise Road started a weekdays happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. and nightly from 1 to 4 a.m. Habit Burger Grill with award-winning charburgers will open a second location this summer. Nevada H&C Distilling Company won two awards at the 16th San Francisco World Spirits Competition: gold for Smoke Wagon Bourbon and silver for Silver Dollar Vodka.
Entertainment Spotlight
Seven priceless RMS Titanic artifacts will be retired from public view after a special engagement through July 18 at Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition inside the Luxor. SPEEDVEGAS the track is open and the rest of the $30 million motorsports complex will be revealed this summer. The Mob Museum now has audio tours in French, German and Italian, English, Spanish, Portuguese and Mandarin. Retail outlets opening at the LINQ Promenade include C&E Studio Tony Vegas with resident performing artists and Basin White with luxury bath and body products. Atomic Style Lounge, a retro-themed beauty salon and men and women’s store, opened on Main Street downtown. Discounted menswear store HIM opened at Las Vegas South Premium Outlets and Steve Madden, named after the renowned American fashion designer, will follow this summer.
Snappy News Items BAZ - Star Crossed Love will open June 25 in the redesigned Palazzo Theatre with a moviemusic mash-up of the world’s most iconic love stories, as imagined by famed film visionary, Baz Luhrmann. Wayne Newton returned to the stage after more than five years with an original Up Close and Personal production at Bally’s Windows Showroom. British magician-dancer, Chloe Crawford, who skyrocketed to fame on Britain’s Got Talent, will co-star in Criss Angel’s new production MINDFREAK LIVE! opening at the Luxor this month. Rod Stewart: The Hits in its fifth year in The Colosseum at Caesars Palace added nine extra shows from Aug. 3-21. Avicii’s final dates through Saturday, June 25 at Wynn’s Encore Beach Club and XS Nightclub will be the last time to see him. The Scintas are extending their limited select two-weekend monthly engagement through November 2016 at the Plaza. Comedian Jim Jefferies will be the newest Aces of Comedy series performer at The Mirage June 24-25. Electric Daisy Carnival returns to Las Vegas Motor Speedway June 17–19 to celebrate “20 Years Under The Electric Sky.”
Attraction and Retail News
The new Liberace Garage museum opened at The Hollywood Cars Museum on Dean Martin Drive featuring automobiles from his shows.
16 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016
Steve Wynn is proposing a 1.5 billion project called Wynn Paradise Park to reimage the Desert Inn golf course behind Wynn and Encore resorts into a 38-acre lagoon accompanied by a 1,000-room hotel with a casino, restaurants, meeting space and nightlife. The Venetian Poker Room will hold the 60-day, 90-event DeepStack Extravaganza III poker series May 26-July 24 with $16 million in prize pools. By football season, Boulder-Palace-Santa Fe-Sunset Stations and Green Valley Ranch Resort will join Red Rock Resort having remodeled and enhanced sports books. The Westgate introduced a non-smoking policy in its Race and Sports SuperBook. In Las Vegas, uberESPAÑOL has been launched allowing riders to request a Spanishspeaking driver-partner. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority will bring down the Riviera in two different implosions possibly starting in June. www.socalfnbpro.com
June 13-17 Las Vegas Convention Center
Register Now!
Advanced Rates End Friday, May 20th!
www.worldteaexpo.com
By Apryl Bruso Apryl Bruso is an opinionated salty old waitress from San Diego.
Café Chloe is all grown up
Photo by Kelly Fitzgerald
and having babies of her own!!!
Cafe Chloe
About 11 years ago, John Clute, Alison McGrath and Jerry and Chrissy Reynolds opened a lovely little gem of a cafe in blustering downtown San Diego. Set a bit away from the melee that is the Gaslamp, they planted themselves and their darling little French cafe on the corner of 9th and G. They felt that San Diego really needed a European-style cafe that could cater to many of the inhabitants of downtown, and, boy, were they ever right. Cafe Chloe is egalitarian in nature. You can enjoy a cappuccino and pastry while finishing a term paper, or enjoy a four-course breakfast, lunch or dinner. Their mainly-French wine list is out of this world and very reasonably priced, especially for downtown.
721 9th Ave. San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 232-3242
www.socalfnbpro.com
family. They are opening two new restaurants this year! They are bringing their expertise and attention to detail to Liberty Station with Chloe at Scout, a cafe with a garden and event space opening in late summer. Full bar! They are already booking events. If you can’t wait till late summer, you don’t have to because they are putting a creperie in downtown. Crepes! Dessert crepes, savory crepes, yay! You know what is better than pancakes? CREPES! Their creperie will be called Minou, which has to be like the cutest name ever. It means pussycat in French and was the name of Picasso’s kittycat. Artsy crepes! Bring it on. I need a little culture in my life. Big things ahead for the Cafe Chloe crew, but you don’t have to wait, their flagship restaurant is amazing and open right now. So get down to 9th and G, order the cheese plate and a glass of wine. You deserve it, life is hard.
Photo by Apryl Bruso
Honestly, Cafe Chloe is a bit of a deal. They offer classic dishes like Steak Frites alongside perfectly cooked Salmon with a blood orange buerre blanc. Did someone say poached eggs on mushrooms and toast with a sage-truffle butter? Oh wait, I did? Well, it was an absolutely divine breakfast. Move over, eggs and bacon— there’s a new sheriff in breakfast town. The cheese plate actually makes sense, and you will enjoy every accoutrement that is paired with the generous portions of artisan cheeses. I just love when things make sense, don’t you? The dishes are thoughtful and tasty. We enjoyed both a brunch and a dinner because, you know, research, and went away happy and a little more fat both times. So they have successfully perfected a little Cafe/Bistro. You would think they might just rest upon their laurels and praise themselves for a job well done. This is not the case. There is some very exciting news from the Cafe Chloe
May 2016 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 19
By Ben Brown
The Bottom Line
Ben is an MBA candidate at USC’s Marshall School of Business, specializing in hospitality marketing and analytics. He has served as a food & beverage strategist
Up Your Cash Potential by Maximizing Floor Space
with MGM Resorts, as well as reviewed more than 200 Las Vegas restaurants with CBS Local and Examiner. com. Contact him at Ben@lvfnb.com.
More tables means more covers, which means more revenue. It seems like a no-brainer, but hindsight is 20-20 when many owners take a closer look at their restaurants and realize they can fit in another table or two. Actions as small as moving around some furniture, or even just cleaning up the place, could lead to serious gains over time. Before moving any further, let’s look at an example that could encompass a good number of eateries out there. I recently dined at a notable high-volume ethnic restaurant along Westwood Boulevard. The place had a 30-minute wait at 8:30 p.m. on a weekday, clearly doing well from a demand perspective. I couldn’t help but notice, however, that a corner booth was being used as a storage shelf for extra tablecloths. The eyesore factor was a non-issue compared to the ridiculous amounts of money that this place was leaving on the table [pun slightly intended]. Factoring in a few assumptions, here’s the calculation to show how a wasted table like this bleeds profit: 1 table x 4 covers/table x 17 turnovers/day x 7 days/week x $40 average check = nearly $20,000 a week. This amounts to more than $1 million in sales a year!
As you can see, there’s no room for error when it comes to maximizing your floor space. So take a look at your setup and assess whether you can make any improvements.
Work tables into the mix Restaurants across the board are shifting away from fixed booths and toward tables. The primary reason: flexibility. I recently called a restaurant to make a reservation for eight, but was turned down because the place was 100% booths, and could only accommodate six at a time. The lost revenue here is mind-blowing. Not only is this place losing out on group reservations, which tend to bring in much higher average checks, but they’ve got serious capacity problems. Imagine two people walking in and getting the last available booth, set for six, and then a party of six showing up moments later, only to head back out the door due to the wait. To get the best of both worlds, many restaurants are going with booth ‘hybrids,’ where a continuous booth runs across an entire wall and tables are lined up with chairs on the other side. This allows at least half the party to enjoy the booth experience while still allowing you to optimize covers.
Assess new furniture options Furniture is a huge expense, but in some cases could be well worth it. Some restaurants have large, lavish chairs that don’t push in under the tables. While the space certainly entices guests, these chairs take up room that additional tables—and covers—could occupy. The sacrifice is fine at fine dining restaurants that place a much heavier focus on ambiance, but may not be the case for a higher-volume establishment where customers don’t place the same value on large chairs. Since we’ve spent so much time on tables, also take note of whether your tables are the right size. I’ve seen numerous 2-top tables that are simply too long, coming at the cost of an entire row at some places. On the other end, nobody wants a table that’s too small. If you’ve got big, decorative plates and your servers have trouble setting down an entree and a side dish next to one another, it could mean that guest’s last visit. Of course all of these recommendations rely on the assumption that your restaurant is at capacity in the first place. If not, then best to look at refining your product, building your brand, and/or marketing your message to drive traffic. When assessing your floor space, be sure to follow all fire and safety regulations. But if you see that you’ve consistently got a line out the door, it’s time to take a critical look at your floor and ask how you can make a small change for a million bucks. 20 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016
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By LeAnne Notabartolo
Good for Spooning Ways & Means Oyster House
A culinary event coordinator and live cooking demonstrator, this “Edu-tainer” with more than 1000 demos under her belt lives to cook and eat. She works with chefs at events and learns from them and translates info for home cooks. She is the Chick in Charge of Good for Spooning – read her blog here: www.goodforspooning.com leanne@goodforspooning.com.
The recently opened Ways & Means Oyster House is located in the new Pacific City shopping area in Huntington Beach. The mall opened in November, 2015 and Ways & Means opened its doors in January of this year. Open and airy, it is the epitome of a beach vibe eatery. With white walls, dark wood and interesting lighting, there is something to catch your eye everywhere you look. You can sit inside or enjoy the patio with garage bay doors that open to allow the ocean breeze into the dining room. The kitchen is helmed by Justin Odegard, formerly of Roy’s Hawaiian. The menu contains shareable plates, large plates and fusion flavors along with seafood shack staples. In addition to oyster varieties you are already familiar with, new to this location are the house branded oysters, one Pacific Coast choice and one Atlantic Coast choice. Be sure to try the Jerk Salmon with Coconut Rice. Don’t be afraid of the spicy heat; it’s a mellow heat that everyone can enjoy. The slight sweetness of the rice is the perfect foil for the salmon. They didn’t forget the carnivores either. On the menu for the carnivore in your group is a perfect burger with a sunny side up egg and fantastic bacon, a 16 oz bone-in ribeye and ribeye skewers. The dessert menu keeps it simple, offering fun twists on ice cream sandwiches.
If you love beach themed items in your home, be sure to check out their retail shop adjacent to the restaurant and easily accessed through the main dining room. Inside you will find fun dishtowels, glassware and other themed décor items, all at reasonable prices. Ways & Means Oyster House 21022 Pacific Coast Hwy B140 Huntington Beach, CA 92648 714-960-4300 www.wmoysters.com
Opening times are: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday 11 a.m.-12 a.m. Saturday 10 a.m.-12 a.m. Sunday 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
Photos by LeAnne Notabartolo
Each night in the bar there are drink specials that are available in the main dining room as well. We visited on “Tiki Thursday” featuring Sailor Jerry rum tiki drinks. The bar is continuously busy and there is a custom cocktail menu. I highly recommend the Dam Simple.
Product Review By Bob Barnes One of the more underappreciated spirits in the world is grappa and unless they are native Italians or of Italian heritage most do not have much more than an inkling of what this Italian beverage actually is. Similar to brandy in that it is a derivative of wine, grappa was originally made to prevent waste, and is made from distilling the marc—also called pumice—the skins, pulp, seeds and stems of the grapes left over from winemaking after pressing. The sprit is then aged in wood barrels for several months, a year or longer. Like wine, grappa can vary widely depending on the quality and variety of the grapes used. I had the pleasure to sample three grappas from the Marzadro Distillery. Located in Nogaredo (Trento), Italy, Marzadro had its humble beginnings in 1949 following the end of World War II and has since grown into an efficient and large modern distillery. Giare Amarone 41% ABV This single grape grappa is obtained by distilling Amarone varietals (used to make a robust red wine) and is aged for at least 36 months in 500-liter oak barrels, during which time the Master Distiller closely monitors the development of the blend, checking the scents and aromas to achieve a unique balance. The bouquet is full and pronounced with a velvety, smooth flavor full of character and plenty of warmth.
La Trentina-Barrique Grappa Morbida 41% ABV
Le Diciotto Lune 41% ABV
Diciotto lune is Italian for 18 months, and this grappa is named for the amount of time it is aged. The marcs of five Trentino grapes are utilized: Marzemino, Teroldego, Merlot, Moscato and Chardonnay; and it is distilled from a water bath into pot stills and then aged in 500-liter barrels made of Cherry, Ash, Oak and Robinia, each of which impart its own characteristics of fragrance, aroma, color and flavor. The ageing time follows the rhythms of nature: from moon to moon over 18 months. With such a variety of grapes and wood types used, it’s not surprising that the flavor is complex with harmonious layers of sweetness, silkiness and elegance. For more info on these and other Marzadro grappas and spirits, visit www.marzadro.it/eng/grappe.php. Marzadro products are imported by Wine Twist. www.winetwist.com
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This grappa is produced through distillation in a Bagnomaria steam pot still with marc from Muscat, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer grapes. It is then aged for several months in barrels previously used for ageing another of the distillery’s grappas, the Le Diciotto Lune Stravecchia, which allows it to become even more “gentle” and velvety. The result is a combination of sweetness with a very dry finish. It is the Marzadro family’s tribute to the land it lives on.
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT | The Ultimate Stock that allows you to just cook! Major Chefs’ Elite Stock Base Pastes are made using only the finest of ingredients. Use to add authentic flavor direct to a sauce or dish. Simply mix in or dilute for perfect results every time. Use as a base for soups, stews, casseroles, pie fillings, gravies and broths. Available in 1lb, 2.5lb and 10lb tubs, the Major Elite range comes in 29* flavor-packed stock base pastes including beef, vegetable, chicken, porcini mushroom, clam and garlic. With a taste just like your own house-made stock, the Chefs’ Elite range is ideal whenever you require a rich flavor delivery offering consistency and saving & important preparation time. It’s so simple to make a classic brown sauce using Major Chefs’ Elite Beef Stock Base Paste. Serve with your favorite cut of steak to create an incredible dish that will leave you wanting more. www.majorproducts.com *includes no msg and low sodium flavors
Bob’s Beer Bits and Sips By Bob Barnes Wake Up and Taste the Coffee Coronado Brewing Company Blue Bridge Coffee Stout
Sip and Savor Indian Wells Whiskey Barrel Brew
At the turn of this century it was considered innovative to make a stout with coffee. Now nearly every brewery is doing so and for good reason: the burnt, roasted flavor notes of coffee mirror the same flavors found in roasted barley and black patent, the types of barley commonly used in dark beers. Coronado Brewing Company out of San Diego/Coronado Island has really stepped up its game in recent years, brewing some interesting and very flavorful beers and its Blue Bridge Coffee Stout is a prime example. Part of its Crown Series, this newly released imperial stout at 8% ABV is a combination of roasted barley and Guatemalan coffee beans sourced from the brewery’s hometown coffee-shop, Café Moto. The dark roast coffee is cold brewed and added post fermentation. The coffee is thankfully very noticeable and I found as the beer warmed the flavors of the coffee intensified.
One of the beer styles on the rise in popularity are those aged in bourbon or whiskey casks. Indian Wells Brewing, located in Inyokern, California, utilizes pure artesian spring water from its historic Indian Wells Spring that saved a gold rush party lost in Death Valley in 1849. In his Whiskey Barrel Brew Owner/Brewer Rick Lovett starts with a special amber style made with 2-row malt, Munich, and Caramel malts and Noble and Mt. Hood hops and then racks it into freshly decanted Evan Williams bourbon barrels where it lagers until ready. The outcome is an excellent “sipping beer” with a wonderful aroma of vanilla and caramel and flavor with just the right amount of bourbon notes that are complementary and not overpowering. Oh, and its 12% alcohol content makes it even more savory. This beer is made in very small batches, and in limited quantities, so if you find a bottle of it, don’t hesitate to snag it.
A Saison for the Season Blackberry Farms Summer Saison A Successful Experiment Deschutes Brewery Armory XPA If you like to experiment then here’s a fun one to check out. Bend, Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery Armory XPA was designed as a testing ground for emerging and developmental hops when it was first released in 2008 using the then experimental YCR-394 hop. Now known as Citra, any hophead should know what transpired afterward, as the aforementioned hop known for its citrusy kick went on to be featured in a bevy of hoppy beers. Added to the mix in Armory XPA are a combination of Nugget and Northern Brewer hops for bittering and Cascade, Centennial and Citra hops for flavoring delivering bright citrus notes. Take note that this beer is arriving in 6-packs for the first time. In the fall Deschutes will release its next iteration, featuring experimental hop #07270.
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Saison means season so why not make a Saison for each season? That’s exactly what Blackberry Farms Brewing out of Walland, Tennessee has done, and with its expansion of its distribution now reaching 38 states a lot more of us will have the chance to enjoy them. With spring in full swing and summer just around the corner, I sampled Blackberry Farms Summer Saison. The first thing I noticed was that unlike most Saisons, this Belgian-style brewery adds a bit more hops, and this one is hopped with Australian Summer and Citra hops and logs in at 45 IBUs, giving it a noticeable, but not overpowering hop presence. The citrus nature of the hops and bottle conditioned effervescence also bring a refreshing quality while the delicate spice note from the warm fermentation of Classic Saison yeast will remind you of the style of beer you are drinking. The brewery tucked away on a 9,200-acre estate in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains exists in an area much better known for whiskey production, but if this seasonal offering is any indication, this beer maker will be giving the distillers some competition.
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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
Dealing with a Valued but Under-productive Employee For those of us who are accomplished “multi-taskers,” it can be difficult to deal with another who has their heart in the right place but lacks the focus and follow through to complete their job to your expectations. The worst part is, at least for highly motivated bosses, you may end of picking up the slack far too often and then find that you resent that you have to do so. So what can you do for those under-productive souls that you believe have the potential, but may lack the necessary commitment, focus and follow through? The first thing you do is to begin the process of open communication by sharing the “bigger picture” – what has to be accomplished, when and why? Then you ask questions like… “Do you enjoy the work you are doing?” and “Under what conditions do you do your best work?” “Are you able to meet deadlines as assigned without extra time or assistance?” “What tools or resources could help you achieve more or do better at your work?” It can be a challenge to speak about performance with someone who does not understand the impact of their shortfalls. You want to give them constructive feedback but have to frame it in such a way as to not offend or de-motivate them. To me, being a good boss takes a lot of
So, what are some things you can do to get them headed in the right direction? Here are a few of my ideas… • Talk honestly about what you need to accomplish and what you expect. Help them to see the bigger picture and their importance in achieving it.
finesse. It can mean that many days you walk a fine line between frustration and satisfaction. Our greatest contributions to our staff may be our experience, patience and ability to communicate. I have always believed that the key to the successful leading of others is by example. I learned years ago to respect bosses like that because they never had to put on airs or remind me of their position or authority. They showed me and I learned from them primarily because of the great example they set. That’s the kind of boss I want to be – one who remembers every day that we are dealing with people who have feelings, families and fears just like I do. Be humble and respectful, and never forget where you came from. In the end, it is truly our reputation that speaks louder than any other aspect of our character.
• Assign them specific tasks and provide deadlines for completion. • Provide clear and easy to interpret instructions, including input as to what you are expecting to be achieved – the outcome. • For individuals that are new to their position, have them show you and explain the steps or plan of attack that they will use; in this way you will know if they are on the right path. • Make sure that you meet with them regularly and that they give you status/progress reports. • Be prepared to continue to monitor their progress and evaluate their performance periodically.
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. 24 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I May 2016
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EVENTS
AD INDEX
Welcome to the Calendar of Events for our F&B Professional readers who want an advance look at what shows, expos, and industry events could be of interest to you locally, regionally, and nationally.
Audrey Dempsey Infinity Photo page 8 www.infinity-photo.com 702-837-1128
May 4-6 The HD Expo takes over the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas presenting some of the most elite hospitality design products on the market worldwide. High-end fixture buyers and designers make up the majority of the show floor attendees and the booths are elaborate to say the least. On an up note, every day of the expo from 3 p.m. open bars are located throughout the show floor. HDExpo.com May 7 The Golden Chefs Series is being held at The Irvine Spectrum featuring local well-known chefs presenting various dishes to be tasted by the public for free. This program is presented by The Golden Foodie Awards and you can find more info at: GoldenFoodieAwards.com/golden-chef-series.html May 14 is the Food & Wine Celebration held in Seal Beach at the Old Ranch Country Club. Expect many special wines and food bites along with a wine auction and music to help you spend your money. OCFood&WineCelebration.com May 21-24 The National Restaurant Association will hold its yearly Food & Beverage Show at McCormick Place, Chicago. The largest Food & Beverage plus show in the world with both domestic and international exhibitors and attendees, it’s a truly one-stop shop for all your F&B needs and questions, plus an excellent way to be brought up to date on the latest products and services in the industry. It’s a huge show, so plan on spending the time needed for covering four centers plus the International Pavilions. show.restaurant.org June 15-17 The World Tea Expo (WTE) returns to where it started, Las Vegas, and is bigger and better that ever. More exhibitors, more sessions, and more activity for the entire show will keep you busy at WTE. If your business has anything to do with teas and you want to learn more and taste more, Do Not Miss WTE! worldteaexpo.com
Bivi Vodka www.bivivodka.com 631-464-4050
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Las Vegas Epicurean Affair www.nvrestaurants.com
page 20
Major Foods www.majorproducts.com 702-838-4698
page 23
Power of Love www.keepmemoryalive.org/pol
Recipes for Restaurateurs www.marketing-cookbook.com Rodney Strong www.rodneystrong.com 707-431-1533
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SKYY Infusions Vodkas www.skyy.com
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Uncle Steve’s www.unclestevesny.com 718-605-0416
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White Soy Sauce www.whitesoysaucefood.com page 2
page 5
World Tea Expo 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 May 2016
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