June 2016 - The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional

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Celebrating 50 Years of Robert Mondavi Winery

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June 2016

CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER MIKE FRYER

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WELCOME TO THE JUNE 2016 ISSUE OF THE SOCAL FOOD & BEVERAGE PROFESSIONAL and hoping all of our F&B Industry Professional Associates will take some well-deserved time off this coming summer. Summertime is a quiet period in respect to F&B Industry events, so we are planning to cover regional happenings right after attending WTEWorld Tea Expo here in Las Vegas June 15-17. July 29-31 Monterey, CA hosts the annual PMA (Produce Marketing Association) Foodservice Conference & Expo, and any excuse to visit Monterey and Carmel is good! August 28-30 keep your slate clean and attend the Western Restaurant & Hospitality Expo at the LA Convention Center.

CHEERS! MIKE FRYER

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OUR JUNE COVER FEATURE IS DEDICATED TO 50 YEARS OF MONDAVI WINERY and to mark this milestone, Director of Winemaking Geneviève Janssens and the winemaking team have created limited-edition 2013 Maestro, a harmonious blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Janssens calls Maestro “a serious wine with a humble soul.” In addition to this new wine, a commemorative 50th anniversary label will also adorn new releases of some of the most enduring bottlings from Robert Mondavi Winery. Full story on page 14.

POWER OF LOVE GALA SHINES ANOTHER YEAR SUPPORTING KEEP MEMORY ALIVE when last month some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry celebrated the 90th birthday of the legendary Tony Bennett at Keep Memory Alive 20th annual Power of Love® gala at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The star-studded event raised funds and awareness for Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and its fight against brain disease including Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s diseases; multiple sclerosis; and multiple system atrophy.

Page 4 Hot Off the Grill!

Page 5 Food for Thought Zucchini Is a Summer Favorite Vegetable

Page 12 Really Stinky Cheese

Page 14 COVER FEATURE Celebrating 50 Years of Robert Mondavi Winery

Page 21 Product Review

Page 22 Product Spotlight Bob’s Beer Bits and Sips

Page 6 Cooking on Television—What a Chef Might Not Tell You

Page 8 I Drink Wine with a Little Help from My Friends

Page 9 Power of Love

Page 10 West Eats East Tofu

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Page 11 What’s Brewing

Page 16 Brett’s Vegas View

Page 24 Human Resources Insights How a Good (or bad)

Page 18 Orange County’s Pizzeria Sapori Receives Nod as One of the Best Pizzerias In the United States Page 19 Newport Beach Film Festival

Manager Will Affect Others

Page 26 Events Ad Index ACF Chefs of SoCal

Page 20 The Bottom Line Elixir G

June 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!

June 2016 Mike Fryer

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

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

Juanita Fryer

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

Juanita Aiello

Bob Barnes

Editorial Director bob@socalfnbpro.com

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A Supermodel Gets Into The Bubbly Business

Our Associate and Super-Chef, Candice Kumai, has just come out with her latest book called Clean Green Eats 100+ CleanEating Recipes to Improve Your Whole Life.

Candice is a classically trained chef and also author of Clean Green Drinks, Pretty Delicious and Cook Yourself Thin. She has appeared on Beat Bobby Flay, E! News and The Dr. Oz Show and as a regular judge on Iron Chef America. We enjoy how Candice incorporates Japanese flavors into many of her dishes and is now using Japanese Green Tea, Matcha in her recipes for both food and beverages. Look for her book review in our next issue…

Elaine & Scott Harris Editors at Large harris@socalfnbpro.com

The Epicurean Affair has just concluded at The Palazzo Pools with a better than ever food & beverage mix, bringing in a record number of guests, making this the most profitable charitable event conducted by the Nevada Restaurant Association to help support their nonprofit organization and help industry individuals needing assistance. The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional Team had a chance to catch up with one of our favorite chefs, Scott Pajak from Lagasse’s Stadium in The Palazzo.

Adam Rains

Creative Director juanita@socalfnbpro.com

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Last month we were very fortunate to have as our Cover Feature Christi Brinkley introducing her new line of Proseccos called Bellissima, meaning “most beautiful” or “gorgeous” in Italian, and starting with three varieties: Sparkling Rose’, Bellissima Zero Sugar and Bellissima Brut Prosecco.

We were delighted to personally meet this supermodel who was voted one of the twentieth century’s most beautiful women and hearing her passion for the Bellissimas she has personally selected.

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

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT Zucchini Is a Summer Favorite Vegetable

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

Zucchini Stuffed with Spinach

Very widely available from June to September, the zucchini is related to the cucumber and gherkins, believe it or not. This summer vegetable has a tender flesh, soft edible skin and tastes delicious in salads too. Zucchini vary in color and size, the smaller ones found to have more flavor and are slightly sweeter, but all are excellent baked, fried or even eaten raw or even use in a breakfast frittata.

When buying, pick ones with a bright, glossy appearance and stay away from any that are soft and blemished. This favorite vegetable has a very high water content and is extremely low in calories and fat. Keeps the pounds off but gives you lots of flavor.

Actually there is no need to peel, wash and trim the ends before baking, frying, steaming or simply eating raw, but here is a favorite recipe to try.

5 large yellow squash, halved lengthwise 2 tablespoons olive oil 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 tablespoons sweet butter 1/2 cup onion, diced 1 cup chicken flavored stuffing mix 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 1/2 cup sour cream 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush cut side of squash with olive oil; sprinkle with salt, and pepper. Place squash, cut side down, on a lined baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes, or until tender. Scoop out pulp, keeping shells intact; reserve pulp. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes or until transparent. To the skillet, add stuffing mix, spinach, sour cream, cheddar and squash pulp.

Mix together and add salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for 3 minutes. Spoon mixture evenly into squash shells.

Place on baking sheet, and bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Yield: 10 servings

Zucchini Fritters with Corn 2 medium zucchini, coarsely shredded kosher salt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1/2 small onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 ears corn, kernels cut off 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon baking soda freshly ground pepper

3/4 cup buttermilk 1 large egg canola oil, for frying

Toss the zucchini with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl; let stand 10 minutes. Wrap the zucchini in a kitchen towel and squeeze dry. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add the corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk the buttermilk and egg in a large bowl, and then stir in the corn-onion mixture and zucchini. Add the cornmeal mixture and stir until just combined.

Heat about 1/8 inch vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, scoop scant 1/4 cupfuls of the batter into the oil and use the back of the measuring cup to flatten the scoops. Cook until the fritters are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 6-8 servings

www.socalfnbpro.com

June 2016 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 5

Cooking on Television—What a Chef Might Not Tell You What are some things a television chef might not tell you?

• How hard it really is to cook and speak simultaneously on TV! • Knowing how to articulate their recipe quickly and with few words • How nervous they are!

• How some interviewers can ask difficult questions and how to react quickly • Techniques to lead the interview instead of letting the interviewer lead What are some of the things that surprised you most about cooking on TV? • That most television stations have seriously old and out of date stovetops and chefs have to make do!

• Some news stations book chefs to cook on their morning news with only one day’s notice!

• Chef demonstrations on television and local news stations are becoming more and more popular since the Food Network and Cooking Channel have increased viewership and created millions of passionate wanna-be chefs!

What are some of the things that viewers don’t see when they watch a cooking show?

The preparation it takes to prepare to cook on TV, from getting the ingredients prepared to making a finished dish to show at the end Advice you give to chefs before they go on TV? • Understand how to select and break down the most appropriate recipes for demonstration(s).

• Prepare detailed equipment and preparation lists for food escorts and food stylists so they’ll bring what you really want and need.

• Determine your key message points and learn techniques to incorporate them into each interview.

• Grasp the essential rules for successful television presentations/appearances—never turn your BACK on the camera!

• Relate to the local and regional markets you are visiting—use local produce or local brands viewers will know.

• Identify ways to make the most of an interview if your airtime is unexpectedly decreased.

• Always review the TV segment after it airs and practice. Tape and critique each appearance to make each better than the last.

• TV segments are typically very casual. This is your time to really have fun with the day and shine.

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

Linda Duke and Guy Fieri

• Create a plan-o-gram with the set-up for your cooking demonstration ahead of time. Be sure to include logo items of your restaurant and key ingredients.

• Bring product shots—“beauty shots”—of the food. It is important to have a STILL SHOT or PHOTO of the final recipe. Arrange food in the best possible light. You want to make the show’s audience hungry for your food!

• Avoid white plates. They can make the food look “cold” on camera. Warm plate colors are best.

• Avoid plastic and styrofoam plates, utensils and cups.

• If the TV segment will be shot at a restaurant or on location, it is important that your establishment look busy and popular. Even if they videotape when you’re closed, always arrange for extras (family & friends are welcome!) to sit in the background for shots involving the host, and to act as customers for the wide shot of your dining room. This is very important for the presentation.

• In addition to the “interactive” segment, television crews normally cover the exterior shot of your building/company sign, etc.

• Be prepared for specific questions about what you do, your company and your food.

It is important to answer questions in a full sentence. A taped interview is always preceded by a “slate”—the producer will ask you to state your full name, spell it and give your title as you wish to have it acknowledged.

• Historic photos or advertisements are a great way to discuss the history of food and your company. Provide any vintage commercials or print ads as well as historic photos including the founder, early storefront shots, etc.

6 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I June 2016

• Release Forms—It’s important if any guests are filmed on television that you have them sign a release before the beginning of the shoot. This is a form that we are required to have every person fill out who is going to appear on our show. It gives us permission to use their picture, likeness and voice on TV. Make sure everyone has agreed to be on camera.

• Clothing—Don’t wear bright whites, dress all in black, have small stripes, or patterns like hound’s-tooth. Any other colors work fine.

Please, no turtlenecks. Apply makeup like you normally would and have powder on hand to reduce any shine.

• The Microphone—typically a small wireless microphone that clips around your collar area, generally unseen to camera is used. The cord will run down your shirt and the receiver will clip to the back of your pants. Because of this, avoid wearing turtlenecks.

Tricks they use to make the food look better on TV than it might look in your kitchen?

• Spraying water on vegetables, like tomatoes, make them look more appetizing on camera.

• Sometimes olive oil is used to brush on to make meat, chicken or other proteins look more appetizing for the camera.

• Always put labels of products facing the camera. If you are holding a cup, make sure the logo can be seen.

• Create a display for better presentation— such as fresh produce, baskets of fruits and vegetables or other products that relate to the menu item being prepared. www.socalfnbpro.com

What are some of the mistakes that you’ve seen chefs make?

• Burning their food!

• Turning their back on the camera or audience • Cussing or foul language • Dirty chef coat or apron • Unclean cooking area or surface (dust, dirt and lint show up 10x worse now with HD TV) • Not prepared if time is cut short • Saying “um” too much • Not prepared—speaking or ingredients • Hung over!

Do you have any advice for viewers who watch cooking shows and competitions and try to emulate the recipes/techniques they see?

• Many of today’s cooking shows post their recipes online after the segment, whether it is local morning news or the Food Network, so following their actual recipe from the show is important since many times chef take shortcuts or leave out ingredients for TV to speed up the show.

• Plating—how you place the finished food on the plate is a big difference from experts to viewers at home. Viewers should follow any advice from the recipe to plate from a photo on the website (posted with recipe) or from the chef’s appearance and the final plate; take notes to make sure the presentation is the same.

Tyler Florence and Linda Duke

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“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.”

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“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.”

June 2016 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 7

By Apryl Bruso

I Drink Wine with a Little Help from My Friends

My first question was asked for the benefit of career servers, like myself: What bit of wine information will instantly make you, as their waiter, seem more wine savvy at your tables and therefore increase your wine sales?

Their answers were varied and all quite helpful, and they also bolstered my opinion of my own wine-selling techniques. Rob believes that having a clear understanding of the wine label—knowing the varietal, AVA and vineyard designation of your particular wine—is a useful tool. There were variations on this theme. Anne thinks that being capable of speaking about the structure, acid and balance, without sounding too sterile or hoity-toity, will make the wine more accessible to your diners. Also, if you can get into the terroir of the wine’s origin, it will help paint a picture and give them a more rounded out experience. Find out what wines they normally enjoy and work from there. Josh thinks having a few descriptions down for the common varietals lets your tables know that you know what you are talking about (i.e. Cabs have black cherry and toast, Pinot is bright acidity and earth notes, Cali chard is buttery and toasty while Burgundian chard is chalky and offers minerality). Ken says, above all, be fearless!

So many are afraid to mispronounce or seem

Apryl Bruso is an opinionated salty old waitress from San Diego.

Well, well, well, wine, wine, wine. My wine knowledge and wine sales are probably a little above average in this business. Yet every time I am confronted with a new wine list, I become painfully aware of how much there is yet to learn and know about the constantly changing wine climate. So I came up with a few questions and posed them to some of the best wine peeps in the San Diego restaurant microcosm. My pals Rob Rubin, Anne Estrada, Joshua Mortimer and Ken Daniels came through in a pinch and provided me with their invaluable opinions on our mutual love interest—wine.

Most underrated varietal?

gauche; encourage your guests to try something new!! Find out which wines they usually enjoy and steer them in the direction of something new and fun, something that maybe hits a few of the notes of their faves but offers them in a new way. Give them a new varietal to love and they will love you too! Everybody likes to share their newfound varietals with their friends and, in this way, you’re helping them really is helping so many. You will have a serious boozy Mother Theresa vibe going.

Which wines are most popular now, and what is next on the wine frontier?

With this we have some fun crossover! Anne and Josh agree that Rose is having, and will continue having, a serious moment. Ken believes that we will start seeing some lesser known Bordeaux on wine lists and in grocery stores. Anne seconds this with her support of Cab Franc. She also foresees Silvaner, a foodfriendly, acidic quaff out of Germany becoming more ubiquitous. Rob is behind Syrah all the way—it’s so versatile! So we have a Rhone varietal and some Bordeaux, also Rose—the French are taking over!! (I know that there are lovely Syrahs and Roses from all over, but I am nothing if not dramatic!)

There you have it!! I love that I posed all these questions to them separately, yet there was common ground in so many instances. I guess great wine-soaked minds think alike.... sometimes.

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Thanks to Sideways, Merlot still gets a bad rap.

Anne thinks this is unfair. It produces some of the most beautiful wines, and is an amazing blending grape. Ken and Josh feel that Riesling isn’t understood—thought of solely as a sweet wine, when there are many different types of Riesling. Here’s where the ability to translate your wine label can help you get your guests into a nice, dry Riesling. It can be diverse and multi-faceted and has the unrivaled ability to age. Rob is a fan of Viognier (he is loving the Jaffurs Viognier right now), smoky and floral.

And for those who study wines from the comfort of their homes, I am constantly doing my “wine homework”—it makes me a better waiter and also a little tipsy. (People who know me are laughing and rolling their eyes at my description of “a little tipsy.”)

What is the best grocery store buy?

Anne and Ken are cheerleading reds from Washington State. Anne also throws her support behind your South American reds. Rob cannot be bothered with grocery store finds—I guess you don’t have to when you have one of the best wine warehouses in San Diego!! The French whites do it for Josh. Roussanne, Sancere, Chablis—good value and decent drinking wines.

A special thank you to Rob, Josh, Ken and Anne for helping this salty, old bag figure out what to drink next.

Anne Estrada CMS Certified Level Two Sommelier Sybarite Enthusiast Food and Beverage Manager Rancho Valencia AEstrada@RanchoValencia.com Kenneth Daniels Front-of-the-house Manager Certified Sommelier The Oceanaire Seafood Room kdaniels@ldry.com Josh Mortimer Certified Sommelier Greystone Steakhouse joshmortimer7@gmail.com Rob Rubin rob@rrwinemarketing.com www.socalfnbpro.com

Stars Celebrate Tony Bennett’s 90th Birthday at Keep Memory Alive’s 20th Annual Power of Love® Gala Event Honored Entertainment Icon and Raised Funds and Awareness for Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health

photo by Denise Truscello/Getty Images

evening, Sparks teamed up with pianist Dan Orlando to perform a medley of hits including “The Best Is Yet To Come,” “Alright OK You Win” and “It Don’t Mean A Thing.” Rucker treated guests to hit single “Sunny Side Of The Street,” before Hancock took the stage to perform “Chameleon” and “Cantaloupe Island.” Tyler joined the elite ensemble to perform “Smile” with jazz trumpeter Chris Botti and Aerosmith classic “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.” The man of the evening, Bennett, performed numerous hits including “Watch What Happens” and “How Do You Keep The Music Playing.” To close the show, the entire cast sang Bennett “Happy Birthday” and presented him with a celebratory cake. In addition to musical icons, celebrity supporters who also attended the event included Quincy Jones, Brad Garrett, Steve Schirripa and Chaz Palminteri.

Honoree Tony Bennett performs onstage at Keep Memory Alive’s 20th Annual Power Of Love Gala.

On May 21, some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry celebrated the 90th birthday of the legendary Tony Bennett at Keep Memory Alive’s 20th annual Power of Love® gala at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The star-studded event raised funds and awareness for Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and its fight against brain disease including Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s diseases, multiple sclerosis and multiple system atrophy.

Continuing its 20-year history, the Power of Love gala showcased a dinner prepared by superstar chefs Mario Carbone, Nobu Matsuhisa and Wolfgang Puck, who has participated in every gala since its inception. In addition to enjoying the finest cuisine, wine and spirits, guests bid on oneof-a-kind experiences during a live and silent auction. Items auctioned include a seven-day Italian vacation in Florence and Venice with worldfamous tenor Andrea Bocelli as a tour guide, an original piece titled “The GOOD LIFE” from artist Peter Tunney and a personal culinary tour of Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s eight New York City restaurants.

Co-Founder and Vice-Chairman of Keep Memory Alive Camille Ruvo and Co-Founder and Chairman of Keep Memory Alive Larry Ruvo.

Actor James Corden performs onstage at Keep Memory Alive’s 20th Annual Power Of Love Gala.

photo by David Becker/Getty Images

photos by Denise Truscello/Getty Images

Highlights from the night included a performance by honoree Tony Bennett and heartfelt tributes by Andra Day, Darius Rucker, Herbie Hancock, James Corden, Jordin Sparks, Steven Tyler and more. Day kicked off the show with her rendition of “Steppin’ Out With My Baby,” while Corden performed his version of “Don’t Get Around Much More.” Later in the

Tony Bennett is also a gifted visual artist with three of his paintings in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution. To acknowledge this aspect of Bennett’s artistry, a variety of world-renowned painters, sculptors and other artists joined to celebrate and were recognized during a special presentation narrated by Academy Award, Golden Globe and Emmy nominee Minnie Driver, which was accompanied by an original score from former Wings guitarist Laurence Juber. Artists honored included: President and Founder of Cultural Counsel Adam Abdalla; Golden Lion Award-winning artist Marina Abramović; American artist and glass sculptor Dale Chihuly; President and CEO of Chihuly Studio and Chihuly Workshop Leslie Jackson Chihuly; American pop and conceptualism artist Jonathan Horowitz; Governor’s Award-winning artist and sculptor Jeff Koons; American post-conceptual artist Rob Pruitt; legendary New York artist Peter Tunney; and curator, creative director; screen writer Petter Skavlan; and writer Neville Wakefield.

Co-Founder and Chairman of Keep Memory Alive Larry Ruvo, honoree Tony Bennett, recording artist Steven Tyler, and artist Jeff Koons attend Keep Memory Alive’s 20th Annual Power Of Love Gala.

For more information about Cleveland Clinic’s fight against brain disease, visit clevelandclinic.org/brainhealth. www.socalfnbpro.com

June 2016 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 9

By K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.

West Eats East Tofu

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.

Tofu, a white, soft soy food. It is a curd of soy milk like cheese from animal milk. Protein in soy milk coagulates to form a curd by Nigari (sea salt residue after crystallization) or mineral salts like magnesium, while cheese does so by rennet (enzymes in a calf stomach) or acid. They look alike but differ in nutritional values or uses due to the origins, plant or animal. Tofu was never heard of even among food science professionals until the early 1970s except for the Zen macrobiotics followers who converted to vegetarians in the late 60s. Today tofu can be a new potential food or ingredient benefiting taste, health and business if one knows more about its cooking info or recipes.

According to culinary-food history records, tofu was innovated in Huainan, Anhui Province, China, between the 9th and 10th century. Tofu has been a major protein source in omnivorous, rice eating regions all over Asia. You will see tofu at Chinese and Japanese food stores here in our market. Generally speaking Chinese tofu is more firm, which is good for cooking with. The Japanese ones, on the other hand, are soft, good for eating fresh or cooking less, though the one from Okinawa is firm, closer to the Chinese. We buy tofu in plastic, square containers, which are often placed in an open, cold case in a deli or Asian food section. In addition to fresh ones, tofu has dozens of allied products. China has developed a large wheel-style (like a cheese wheel for cutting to sell), noodle tofu (dried), knotted one (dried), book-shaped semi-dried square one and fermented one (sufu, smells awful but tastes splendid). Many of them are cooked in the Chinese style of “oil and fire” cooking. The Japanese have a couple of unique ones: naturally freeze-dried Koya tofu or brick-like block Rokujo tofu, hardened by salting-drying, and shaved to flakes for use like aged/ smoked bonito flakes (limited supply, though). Both in China and Japan, a sliced fresh tofu is deep-fried to make Agedashi tofu, which can be used to put many things inside. When sushi rice is put inside, it becomes Inari sushi. The latest innovation is tofu-Konnyaku mannan noodle, which is a good diet item for sukiyaki or noodle salads. I spotted a health conscious, heavy-structured person buying it at a Vons store.

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 10 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I June 2016

Tofu can be eaten simply by pouring soy sauce probably with a little bit of ground ginger or aged/smoked bonito flakes, cold or warm. It has been the most convenient, nutritious dish for eating cooked rice on the Japanese tables for many centuries. Here in our market, you encounter tofu in a small diced shape, in miso soup, which may be the only one chance to eat tofu. Most urban supermarkets carry it but many individuals do not buy it because they have no idea of how to eat it, except for Asians. Many chefs do not use it because of having little idea of how to present it. Remember tofu or soy protein was mixed in ground beef to reduce fat contents and also price some time ago, though it soon evaporated into air. If you are not old enough to remember it, I remind you of a fact that tofu is a good ingredient to replace animal fats without changing much of the taste or texture and can be a new, healthy, exotic item to diversify your cooking or eating. Tofu can be used for new attractive appetizers, particularly when the nutrition values are often recommended to be posted at restaurants.

The appetizers or side dishes of tofu rather than major entree dishes, I recommend. From a classic cooking book of A Hundred, Unique Tofu Recipes published in 1782, includes recipes that are highly recommended to try for today’s market. The first one: a BBQ tofu skewed by green fresh bamboo sticks, brushed with soy sauce, miso-sake sauce and sea urchin Uni sauce, which is easy to simulate. Tofu should be kept pressed to remove excess water in preparation. The second one: Tofu mashed by a food processor is mixed with egg white, Kuzu or corn starch, Surimi fish paste, sticky yam or even mashed Edamame, and then steamed or boiled into shapes. Another interesting tofu recipe is cheese-style miso tofu. A water drained tofu by pressing overnight is pickled in miso paste. It looks like cheese, and has texture like cheese with miso flavor. Good with sake or beer. Most of you creative chefs would envision such culinary processes. You can play more with tofu for something creative, not only for new taste but also business.

Last April at a traditional tofu restaurant near Nanzenji Temple in Kyoto, Japan, I bumped into four nice looking ladies from Boston while I enjoyed an all-tofu course dinner, of course, with sake. They appeared to have also enjoyed the special tofu dishes. One thing about tofu: it is so light that it does not stay long or heavy in the stomach. Stop by at a fast food restaurant on the way back to fill your empty stomach, is a frequent joke after tofu dishes. Whether those ladies did or did not, I had no way to know. To me a good midnight snack gave a peaceful sleep that night. www.socalfnbpro.com

By David Mulvihill

what’s

David Mulvihill strives to experience and write about the ever-evolving face of SoCal craft beer. He also covers Orange County for Celebrator Beer News as well as Southern California for Southwest Brewing News. Contact him at dbrewhill@gmail.com.

BREWING The Go Campaign’s 3rd Annual Cars and Casino took place again at Jonathan Ward’s ICON Workshop—a fun evening of amazing cars, casino games, food and cocktails—with funds raised from ticket sales, donated silent auction items and table games. Go Campaign is dedicated to improving lives of children around the world, changing lives and transforming communities one child at a time. Go to gocampaign.org to donate to this worthy cause.

In addition to the standard open bar, a separate station was set up by Adam Carolla and his Carolla Drinks crew to introduce his new Endless Rant IPA. Carolla and team collaborated with the folks at King Harbor Brewing Company in Redondo Beach to create this beer. As a comedian, television & radio personality, author, actor and director, Adam Carolla has done many things inside and outside of the entertainment industry. Carolla Drinks was developed some years back after his creation of Mangria, a winebased cocktail. It was an avenue for marketing the product to his fan base.

Opportunity presented itself for this reporter to talk with Carolla about the beer. Adam recounted his thoughts and vocalizations leading to the decision to move forward after King Harbor pitched the idea to Carolla’s team. He said that if they were going to make a beer, they really needed to talk about what the beer would be.

Adam didn’t want it to be something he didn’t enjoy and didn’t want it to be something that fans or friends wouldn’t also enjoy. He picked a couple of beers he really liked and requested that the brewers try and get somewhere within the range of their profiles. A ten gallon test batch was brewed and tasted. Carolla’s thoughts upon tasting the beer was that, “It finished light, a little soft or safe.” He asked for modifications that would maintain much of the same flavors, but add a bit more in the finish. The second batch presented a few weeks later incorporated the requested enhancements. Adam stated, “We could have done a third lap, but I didn’t see the sense in it. I liked it. Everyone else who tasted it liked it, so why go through this dance again.”

In speaking about his life and career, Adam also shared an interesting perspective about his varied lines of business: “It’s really about just living life and doing what you want to do. If you want to make a beer, make a beer. If you want to make a documentary, make a documentary.

If you want to write a book, write a book... Go do what you do, and more often than not, when

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photos by David Mulvihill

Cars & Casino and Beer

Adam Carolla and Jonathan Ward in Ward’s office at his ICON Workshop in Chatsworth.

One of Jonathan Ward’s many amazing cars on display at Go Campaign’s 3rd Annual Cars and Casino.

the dust settles you’ll have some success.” He went on to say that while every endeavor may not work all of the time, oftentimes people spend too much time waiting for a perfect time.

“There’s never a perfect time. Just go do it.”

Endless Rant is being marketed through Inside the Cellar, an online distributor that can ship to 38 states. Listen to Adam on CarCast, a carrelated podcast he co-hosts with Matt D’Andria.

highlighted Mosaic hops, was entered in the International-style pale ale category. Flaked wheat and oats softened and rounded its flavor profile for a beautifully hoppy pale that clocked in at 5.5% alcohol by volume. WBC Style Guidelines for international pale allow for a wide range of hop flavors and aromas, alcohol content and bitterness. Ballast Point’s Sculpin IPA earned gold in this category in the last WBC (2014).

William Wallace Water, a Scotch ale (this reporter’s favorite of the tasting), popped in an explosion of flavors. Its richness and cleanness embodied style guidelines which state, “A brewery fresh experience is intended in these beers.” While this beer did not medal at the WBC, it was awarded a bronze medal in the San Diego Competition. The San Diego competition also earned Walls a silver for Dusk til Dawn Imperial Coffee Porter, a beer he didn’t enter in the WBC.

Competition insight

Competition season is upon us with three major contests having just passed. Both the Los Angeles and the San Diego International Beer Competitions took place in April, followed in early May by the World Beer Cup (WBC) in Philadelphia. The playing field is more difficult these days as an increasing number of breweries vie for a limited number of awards. Over 6,500 beers competed in this year’s WBC for 287 awards.

Pizza Port San Clemente

Head Brewer Trevor Walls invited me down to the brewpub during WBC submission week to taste and critique his WBC entries. Certified Cicerone Charlie Perez joined me. First up, Arse Over Elbow dark English mild had a notably smooth medium body, which was enhanced by the addition of biscuit malt. Extra crystal malt contributed caramel character that finished with roast tones and a refreshing drinkability. His second beer was Abe Drinkin, a light American wheat ale. Aside from slight dissipating sulfur notes its light flavors and fruit hints fit the style bill quite well. Contender, a pale ale which

Pizza Port San Clemente’s head brewer Trevor Walls (left) with Ryan Field (head brewer at Beachwood Blendery in Long Beach) at a prior year Pizza Port Hoptoberfest.

June 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

Really Stinky Cheese

Beautifully presented on a piece of slate (it’s a stone, get it?), the cheeses from Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens are both unique—not run-of-the-mill grocery store cheese—and “by the book” in the sense of balance: two mixed milk semi-hard cheeses with a Brie and a blue.

The beautiful and sublime Red Hawk begins its life as a triple creme, but is exposed to B. linens. Now that Cowgirl Creamery has been sold to Swiss dairy company Emmi, we may see Cowgirl cheeses in the same places we see Cypress Grove Chèvre (also owned by Emmi).

The odor is so strong on this one, it is sealed in a plastic container. Once sliced, this aesthetically beautiful cheese is a delicious flavor combination of meat, yeast, and mushroom. It has been washed in Burgundy wine, which gives it its reddish color.

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.

A visit to Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens is an idyllic gastropub experience, whether you’re visiting the Escondido location or Liberty Station—though at San Diego’s Liberty Station, conversations in the beer garden may be occasionally squelched by airport traffic. The Escondido location was a stop on a recent brewery tour, and of course in my ongoing quest for trying cheese, I was thrilled to see a regular appetizer selection named “The Really Stinky Cheese Plate.” Its description is tantalizing: “A selection of intensely odiferous cheeses, fruit and marmalade with barley cracker bread.”

The cheeses on this plate vary by season, but in March, I had a Shropshire blue, a goat Brie, and two semi-hard cheeses: one goat’s milk, and one cow’s milk. I remember thinking to myself, ‘there’s nothing really stinky on this platter,’ but chalked it up to my newfound exuberance and high tolerance for all things cheese-related. Nobody around me complained about the odor, but they were more busy sampling beer than paying attention to this excellent food offering. Stone’s “stinky” cheese platter caused a conundrum for me because I wanted to be able to define and understand what causes that sense profile in cheeses. I don’t define blue cheeses as “stinky”—pungent, maybe, but that is a result of the sharp and sour flavors I find in blues (when this cheese is made, the milk is often ripened to a sour state before adding rennet). And even though I know there are endless variations of Brie, I definitely do not categorize them as “stinky”—although, a good one is always welcome on my plate.

I began to read about and seek out “stinky” cheeses, and found out that there is a special bacteria that contributes to an amazing aroma unceremoniously labeled as “foot odor”—probably, because as it turns out, Brevibacterium linens is partially responsible for what we perceive as foot odor.

In the cheesemaking process, the same bacteria can be added to the milk before rennet is added, sprayed onto finished cheese rounds during the aging process (sometimes called smear-ripened), or developed as rinds are “washed” with a brine that inhibits white molds like P. candidum. B. linens can be used for soft cheeses, which is the focus of this piece, as well as varieties of semi-hard cheeses, especially popular in Switzerland, like Red Witch or Challerhocker. Much to my surprise, I was already a repeat customer of a soft B. linens cheese, the famous Red Hawk from Cowgirl Creamery. According to legend, Red Hawk was created by accident when some of their Mt. Tam Triple Creme was exposed to B. linens. Believing the cheese ruined, it was stored, and when tasted later, an award-winning cheese was born. Depending on the ripeness of this cheese, the odor can be quite strong, but the pleasing mild yeasty flavor makes its bark worse than its bite. It is an ideal “stinky” cheese for beginners.

Now that I knew what to look for, I began to hound stinky cheese at the recently installed Whole Foods Market in Brea. In Southern California, it is difficult to find a round selection of international artisan cheese. Whole Foods is one chain that can always be counted on for an excellent selection, though the varieties will differ from location to location and season to season. Some Ralphs Supermarkets have made a deal with Murray’s Cheese Shop (located on the Lower West Side of Manhattan), and if you can find a Ralphs with a Murray’s kiosk (Marina Del Rey, Long Beach or Beverly Hills are three), you are going to find some unique varieties. For “thrifty” shoppers, both Whole Foods and

Here is the famous Epoisses—meaty, yeasty, and ripe—it is delicious and very aromatic (warn others before opening). This one has been washed in Burgundy wine, and is ripe enough to melt at room temperature— highly desirable.

12 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I June 2016

The square slab of Pont l’évêque is deliciously aromatic with a surprising salty mildness to the flavor, reminiscent of a working-man’s Limburger. Its aging is evident where the rind has recessed on the sides and top.

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Murray’s have a nice “leftover cutting” basket at each store that has small chunks of more expensive cheese, so while at Whole Foods, I grabbed some Epoisses, because I noticed the requisite reddish, B. linens-stained rind. When I got it home and opened it, it was overripe and the odor was so overpowering, my family cleared the room. But when I tasted it, I was amazed. Meaty and yeasty, I knew I had found something great. On subsequent trips to cheese counters, and knowing what to look for, I now noticed countless varieties of “stinky cheese” and made it my goal to try as many as possible.

It turns out that soft washed-rind/smear-ripened cheese is not a product of France alone, though it certainly does seem to have the corner on the market with Epoisses, Pont l’eveque, Reblochon, Tomme de Savoie and Munster Mon Sire (if you buy them in the US, they are produced in versions using pasteurized milk especially for our food laws). Over the course of the past couple of months, I have tried more than fifteen different variations of soft, smearripened cheeses that favor the wild, odiferous, salty, and often meaty, mushroomy, yeasty, and bready B. linens strain. In Italy, there is Taleggio and Rosso di Langa; in Germany, there is the lunchable rectangular Limburger; in the United States, Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont seems to have the corner on the market producing stinky and runny gems like Winnimere, Willoughby and Harbison. Vermont Creamery, which specializes in goat’s milk and mixed mild soft cheeses has an amazing washed rind goat and cow’s milk cheese called Cremont. If you ever get the chance to try some Oma from VonTrapp (Vermont) or Good Thunder from Alemar Cheese Company (Minnesota), you are in for a special treat. In fact, next to the Epoisses, Oma and Good Thunder were, to my taste, the most distinctly stinky and flavor-balanced cheeses on this list.

In my home laboratory, I am trying to make some washed rind cheese. It turns out that my first batch of Camembert was accidentally a smear-ripened cheese that I never washed— it had an odor that I wasn’t yet ready to appreciate, but one that I fully embrace now.

When I make these cheeses, the process is the same as making Camembert or Brie—the only difference is the presence of B. linens, and a regular washing process in affinage. I have

Manufactured in a gold-wrapped package, this brick of German Limburger is a delightful mass-produced cheese at a reasonable price (about $8 a brick). On a fresh brick, both the aroma and paste are mild and the cheese is firm and springy. In the United States, this was a depression-era staple in the working man’s lunch pail.

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attempted a Taleggio, which I salt-brined in a local table wine from Galleano Winery (Mira Loma), and continue to wash with the same salty mixture. Because of the brine, the cheese paste is tighter and more dense than the usual non-pressed Camemberts and Bries. In another batch of Camembert, I am washing the rinds with salty wine every other day to inhibit white mold. To my nose, there is already a small amount of “stink,” but they are not yet where I’d like them to be. I mean, I don’t want to clear the room with them, but a few complaints from my family would be nice—a fine indication that they are ripe and ready to eat.

For completely scientific reasons, I decided to give the Stone restaurant one more chance to see if my newly acquired cheese knowledge would mesh with their “stinky” cheese platter.

One of their cheeses, a semi-hard cheese called Schlebohorn from Holland definitely fit the bill.

It has a very stinky, B. linens infected outer rind, leading to a very mild Swiss-cheese-like paste. The other cheeses—Shaft’s Bleu Vein, Delice de Bourgogne (a triple creme Brie), and Trivium (goat cheddar), though delicious and delightfully presented, didn’t exactly fit the bill for stinky. American tastes are still catching up with the rest of the world, but if the popularity of Belgian and sour beers at our Southern California breweries is any indication, I am confident that Americans are ready for a similar flavor revolution in artisan cheese.

As these rounds of Camembert develop white mold, I use a salted wine wash to bring down that mold to let other aromas and flavors develop. So far, so good. It is taking a bit longer to ripen than the mold-ripened cheeses from the same batch—the rounds I left alone are getting soft and ripe while these rounds remain firm several weeks out.

Using a piece of cheesecloth, I wash the white mold away with Galleano wine from Mira Loma. In place of the mold, other bacteria take hold (I hope B. linens) on the surface, developing a pungent aroma.

VonTrapp’s Oma is nicely balanced smearripened cheese that can’t help but melt at room temperature. Sticky and creamy, it goes easily on bread, but the flavor is so amazing you will want to eat it with no accouterment.

My homemade Taleggio has been brined in salted table wine and now must be washed periodically to inhibit wild mold growth. The rounds aren’t pretty from the outside, but the cheese flavor is developing quite nicely (I sliced a sample for this photo). The paste is dense and not as salty and wine-flavored as I expected.

Alemar’s Good Thunder has a texture reminiscent of Red Hawk. I love these cheeses most when they have a ripened outer layer and a cake-like texture deep in the center. If you can find this cheese, I highly recommend it as a nicely-balanced example of the style.

Stone’s stinky cheese platter in May. The cheese to the far left is pungent and aromatic—Schlebohorn from Holland.

Definitely stinky, and a beautiful presentation.

June 2016 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 13

Celebrating 50 Years

of Robert Mondavi Winery When Robert Mondavi opened the doors of Robert Mondavi Winery in 1966, he was driven by a belief that he could make world-class wines from the vineyards of Napa Valley. Today, the winery celebrates its 50th anniversary as one of the most iconic institutions in American food and wine.

To mark this milestone, Director of Winemaking Geneviève Janssens and the winemaking team have created limited-edition 2013 Maestro, a harmonious blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec.

Janssens calls Maestro “a serious wine with a humble soul.”

In addition to this new wine, a commemorative 50th anniversary label will also adorn new releases of some of the most enduring bottlings from Robert Mondavi Winery: the 2015 Napa Valley Fumé Blanc, 2014 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, and the winery’s hallmark 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve sourced from their renowned To Kalon Vineyard.

“This is just the beginning.”

—Robert Mondavi

ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY 2013 NAPA VALLEY MAESTRO

Merlot leads this easy-to-enjoy wine. It’s smooth and rich with black fruit and mocha aromas and fresh, mouthfilling cherry flavors.

ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY 2015 NAPA VALLEY FUMÉ BLANC

Crafted from Sauvignon Blanc with a touch of Sémillon, this wine offers zesty citrus aromas with fragrant peach and pineapple, followed by mouthwatering lemon-lime blossom flavors and tantalizing minerality.

ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY 2014 NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Rich, silky, and balanced, this wine offers deep aromas and flavors of blackberries, dark plums, and dried herbs.

ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY 2013 CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVE

The nose is very fragrant with beautiful toasted notes from barrel aging. The flavors are bold and deep with black fruit. It’s rounded and silky, with a lengthy finish—everything Robert Mondavi liked in his Cabernet Sauvignon.

14 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I June 2016

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A history of quality Robert Mondavi’s parents immigrated to Minnesota from central Italy.

After visiting Lodi, California, Robert’s father chose to move the family there because the climate, the landscape, and the way of life all reminded him of the Italian countryside.

In 1943, Robert took charge of the family wine business, and in 1966, he established his namesake winery in nearby Oakville, California, at the heart of Napa Valley. For the home of his winery, he chose 12 acres of To Kalon Vineyard, one of the finest for growing Cabernet Sauvignon in the world. He chose To Kalon because “It has ideal soils, sunlight, and rain. It has a magical nature.” And it’s from this first-growth vineyard that Robert Mondavi began his quest to bring world-class Napa Valley wines to the world. The vineyard has since grown to encompass 450 uniquely complex and resilient acres that provide a perfect foundation for fine-quality grapes to thrive, from season to season, under a broad range of growing conditions that allow the winemaking team to produce wines with elegant, concentrated flavors and fine tannins.

The winery was designed by renowned architect Cliff May to be not just a functional facility, but one of beauty that would welcome visitors (something unheard of at the time) to enjoy great wine, gourmet food, and the arts. Guests are greeted by a sculpture of St. Francis created by artist Beniamino Bufano, whose work is featured throughout the winery as part of the permanent collection. The winery hosts events throughout the year, like the popular annual summer concert series which has featured performances from artists including Ella Fitzgerald, k. d. lang, and Colbie

Caillat. Blues Traveler, Ingrid Michaelson, and O.A.R. will be among the performers appearing this summer.

In 2000, under the direction of Robert Mondavi, the winery opened the To Kalon Cellar, a state-of-the-art production and barrel-aging facility. The cellar was created to be a complement in both beauty and quality to the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes grown in To Kalon Vineyard. It is home to 56 French oak fermenters, one for each block of Cabernet Sauvignon in the vineyard. Only the finest fruit, at the peak of sugar and acid, is taken to the To Kalon Cellar.

In 2016, fifty years after his winery’s founding, Robert Mondavi’s legacy of leadership, passion, and generosity continues to inspire the winemaking team to reach ever higher. Recently added to the team, and working closely with Geneviève Janssens, are Joe Harden and Megan Schofield.

A graduate of the University of California at Davis’s oenology program, Joe played professional minor-league basketball before returning to his first love, wine. Says Joe, “I have to pinch myself frequently to make sure this isn’t a dream.” Megan, a native of Canada’s Niagara wine region, has worked in Napa Valley and Sonoma County throughout her career. Says Megan, “I have everything I could ever hope for as a winemaker at this celebrated Napa estate, and I’m excited for what lies ahead.”

These Robert Mondavi Winery wines, including limited-edition Maestro, feature special 50th anniversary packaging.

Maestro is available now. Fumé Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve will release in August. www.socalfnbpro.com

June 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

Front Line News

Station Casinos is acquiring the Palms Casino Resort this year for $312.5 million.

Las Vegas-based Boyd Gaming is buying two Cannery Casino Resorts for $230 million and Aliante in North Las Vegas for $380 million bringing Boyd’s holdings to 12 properties in Southern Nevada.

Owners of the D Las Vegas, Golden Gate and Downtown Las Vegas Events Center purchased the land currently occupied by three Granite Gaming Group properties adjacent to their newly owned Las Vegas Club.

Lucky Dragon Hotel & Casino will create an authentic Asian cultural and gaming experience with a 204-room boutique hotel and spa this year next to high-rise Allure featuring signage in Chinese first, the city’s only indoor/outdoor high-end tea garden and lounge, and a collection of authentic Pan-Asian restaurants.

The LINQ is offering 12 bunk bed rooms with hip technology and chic décor.

The 11th Annual World Series of Beer Pong will be held for the first time at the Westgate July 6-10 with contestants competing for more than $65,000 in prize money. America’s first Mah Jongg World Championship will follow July 22-24.

Hard Rock Hotel revealed its newest nightlife concept Breathe Pool Ultra Lounge open Friday-Saturday with Strip views.

Intrigue nightclub at Wynn was unveiled in the remodeled 10-year old Tryst nightclub space with a new glass enclosed patio.

Hakkasan Group’s new 24,000-square-foot Jewel Nightclub opened at Aria.

The Stratosphere’s completely-renovated and renamed Elation Pool is open on the eighth floor.

XS Nightclub at Wynn celebrated the return of its Sunday NightSwim.

LOVE IT LOUD Rock & Roll Wedding Chapel at the KISS By Monster Mini Golf inside the Rio will open soon.

The National Hockey League Awards will return to Las Vegas and be held for the first time at the Hard Rock Hotel June 22 at The Joint.

The ninth annual Grand Poker Series is running through July 3 at the Golden Nugget with more than 90 poker tournaments.

PT’s Entertainment Group opened the 15th PT’s Gold at 1540 West Sunset Road in Henderson.

Internationally renowned Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone’s Seven Magic Mountains largescale site-specific public art installation is on view for two years about 10 miles south of Las Vegas.

Dining Explorations

Celebrity Chef Robert Irvine, host of Food Network’s Restaurant: Impossible, will open his first signature restaurant on the Strip at the Tropicana.

Marking first West Coast projects, The Cosmopolitan and Azumi Group are partnering to open contemporary Japanese restaurant ZUMA this year and David Chang and Christina Tosi will also open Momofuku and Milk Bar. Wynn’s newest dining concept SW Veranda is an outdoor terrace above SW Steakhouse with views of Wynn’s signature water feature, Lake of Dreams.

Giordano’s World Famous Stuffed Deep Dish Pizza from Chicago will open its first Las Vegas restaurant this fall at the Grand Bazaar Shops above Starbucks at Bally’s offering lunch, dinner and carry out.

Burger Lounge, an eco-conscious burger chain from Southern California, opened its first Las Vegas location at ARIA. Southern California’s legendary 75-yearold diner brand – Du-Par’s Restaurant and Bakery – opened at the Suncoast.

Aliante debuted a stylish new summer outdoor café, The Patio at MRKT open MondayFriday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

16 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I June 2016

Pizza Lotto Slices & Slots opened at the El Cortez.

Sambalatte, the Las Vegas-based coffee bar and lounge experience will open its new location at the $30 million SPEEDVEGAS motorsports complex this summer.

Part of the Miracle Mile Shops’ Harmon Avenue redevelopment will include two new dining outlets: Hot N Juicy Crawfish this fall and Nacho Daddy late this summer.

Thursday, June 16, Alizé at the Top of the Palms will present the city’s first tea pairing multicourse dinner hosted by Barbara Fairchild, former editor-in-chief for Bon Appétit.

Grape Street Café, Wine Bar & Cellar in Downtown Summerlin has a new happy hour program featuring seven wines, appetizers, and well drinks for $7.

GIADA in The Cromwell has broadened its weekend brunch to include Fridays with an a la carte or $45 tasting menu.

Spotlighting Entertainment

Based on the film, Channing Tatum will bring Magic Mike Live Las Vegas to the Hard Rock next spring in an all-new re-imagination male revue.

Andrea Bocelli will start his seven U.S. concert date tour at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday, Dec. 3 with guest artists Katharine McPhee and soprano Ana Maria Martinez.

Zowie Bowie has a new weekly Downtown Grand residency at Citrus on the Grand Pool Deck every Friday at 10 p.m.

The topless revue X Burlesque celebrated 14 seductive years at Bally’s with new added costumes and dance numbers.

Steele is a new male revue at the Tommy Wind Theater on the Strip.

Grammy-nominated rock band Cage the Elephant will stop at The Joint at Hard Rock Saturday, June 25 with special guests Portugal.

The Man and Twin Peaks.

Due to the resort’s $154 million convention center expansion, Cirque du Soleil’s Zarkana closed at Aria. www.socalfnbpro.com

photos courtesty Pizzeria Sapori

Orange County’s Pizzeria Sapori Receives Nod as One of the Best Pizzerias In the United States

18 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I June 2016

Since opening last spring, Pizzeria Sapori has been a local favorite with Newport Beach residents and pizza lovers in Southern California. But now the family-owned pizzeria is garnering some national attention by being named one of the four best pizzerias in the United States by top-tier Italian magazine, Gambero Rosso. Pizzeria Sapori was the only restaurant on the west coast to receive this accolade and is praised for their use of authentic Italian ingredients including the Bufala Mozzarella and San Marzano tomatoes.

Sal Maniaci, the owner and chef of Sapori Ristorante has served the flavors of Italy to Newport Beach for over 26 years and decided to take his Italian roots to wood-fired Neapolitan pizza with the opening of Pizzeria Sapori.

Located adjacent to Sapori Ristorante, Pizzeria Sapori features traditional Italian Neapolitan-style pizza baked in a wood-fired oven imported from Naples. The concept, which is modeled after his Italian upbringing, is the ideal blend of traditional Neapolitan pizza, an inviting rustic environment and old-fashioned Italian hospitality.

What truly sets Pizzeria Sapori apart from the rest is the science behind the pizza dough. Sal and his team mature the dough for 72 hours, making it lighter, more fragrant, crispier and digestible. They use a very small amount of natural yeast while most pizzerias use a lot to make this process quicker.

When diners enter the pizzeria designed with glazed brick, stone walls and archways, they can relax at a welcoming table or banquette that will overlook the open kitchen. Or guests can enjoy a seat at the bustling bar, which will peer into the adjacent Sapori Ristorante and choose from their Italian wines, craft beers and signature cocktails.

Pizzeria Sapori is open for dinner daily and is located at 1080 Bayside Drive in Newport Beach, CA. For more information and a full menu, visit www.pizzeriaspori.com or follow the pizzeria on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Our Editorial Director Bob Barnes added his stamp of approval when he visited Pizzeria Sapori. To read his report in our October, 2015 issue visit www.socalfnbpro.com/index.php/pages/article/whats-cooking-1015.

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By David Mulvihill

Newport Beach Film Festival

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.

photos by David Mulvihill

The Stella Artois Airstream dispensed fresh Stella during the Newport Beach Film Festival After-party at Lido Village.

The 17th Annual Newport Beach Film Festival took place in late April. This celebration of features, documentaries, shorts and sports has also developed over the years to include a high focus on food and fun. Over 350 films from more than 50 countries were screened during the eight-day festival run. Anchoring opening and closing night films were accompanied by upscale after-film galas. These were supplemented by nightly spotlight, centerpiece and showcase films with their own sponsored after-parties. In addition to amazing films (many with cast and crew in attendance taking questions at the end of the film), movie goers had the opportunity to attend post-parties which included tastings from many Orange County restaurants and drinks provided by sponsoring Stella Artois and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Some of the represented restaurants included Urban Seoul, Ha Long, The Iron Press, Pie-Not, Lucille’s BBQ, Le Pain Quotidien, Pandor Boulangerie, Tempo Urban Kitchen, Bella Cuba and La Vida Cantina.

The United Kingdom Spotlight films Friday night were followed by an after-party inside and around Anthropologie, Fashion Island.

Attendees could enjoy food, drink and live music while browsing the newly remodeled store. Saturday night’s Centerpiece party took place inside the Room & Board Home Furnishings store at Costa Mesa’s South Coast Plaza Village.

Following Sunday night’s Irish Spotlight Film (My Name is Emily) at the Big Newport Theater, www.socalfnbpro.com

attendees were led by bagpiper to Muldoon’s Irish Pub for a bit of craic and appetizers.

Each night, Monday through Wednesday, was dedicated to showcasing films from various world regions. The Pacific Rim Showcase on Monday, with films from Korea, Japan, China and Australia, was followed by a post-party at Design Within Reach, located in Costa Mesa’s South Coast Collection. European Showcase Tuesday included films from Italy, France, Sweden and Germany and party at the same location.

Films from Chile, Brazil and Mexico were in store for Wednesday’s Latino Showcase, and an outdoor party in Via Lido Plaza, Newport Beach. The Wednesday night festivity highlight for this reporter was the Stella Artois Airstream trailer dispensing draft Stella Artois Belgian beer into signature gratis chalices. This event provides an opportunity to drink the best beer offered during the festival. Draft Stella Artois Cidre was also available. To date there have been no craft beer sponsors, something that will hopefully change in coming years. Beer choices for other nightly parties were limited to bottles of either Stella or Kirin Ichiban.

Next year’s festival is scheduled for April 20-27. The Newport Beach Film Festival gives viewers a wide variety of options for films, workshops, events and fun. It has become the premier festival for Southern California and beyond.

Asian dancers performed during the Newport Beach Film Festival Pacific Rim Showcase Post-party at Design Within Reach.

Newport Beach Film Festival Post-party at Design Within Reach, Costa Mesa.

June 2016 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 19

By Ben Brown

The Bottom Line Elixir G

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 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.

Elixir G founder Bill Tocantins has traveled the world in search of ingredients to craft the perfect ‘liquid ginger.’ Since stumbling onto the idea for fresh ginger syrup nearly 10 years ago, Tocantins has become a thriving entrepreneur, expanding Elixir G’s outreach to save restaurants millions in ingredient costs and give consumers the opportunity to make their very own ginger beer at home.

Tocantins took the time to discuss Elixir G’s development, as well as the peaks and valleys that come with launching a new product in the F&B world.

How did you come up with the idea for Elixir G? Some people I knew had an Indian restaurant and moved to a location with a liquor license.

When I took over the bar program, they had this ginger [syrup] and I decided to make a margarita out of it. It was a big success. I had people getting up out of their seats to ask me “how did you make this?”

I knew that people were flocking to this stuff. I asked [the restaurant owners] if they wanted to bottle it, and they said no. They responded that ‘we’re in the restaurant business, and that’s not what we do.’ I saw the opportunity and decided to pursue it.

What went into the product development process?

There was an enormous amount of trial and error. I explored gingers from across the world.

After some time I found that far and away the best ginger source is Hawaii…It’s amazing, I looked at nine competitors and only three of them are using fresh ginger.

Originally, Elixir G was called Gingerita. I took on a partner who had a marketing background.

We went to three designers and gave them the description of what we were doing. After 15–20 different ideas, one designer eventually came up with Elixir G and that’s what stuck.

We started our first version of Elixir G in 2007.

My partner was on board until 2011. Since then I’ve been CEO as well as a Chief Bottle Washing Officer [laughs].

Who drinks Elixir G? Women, age 21–39. Women are the changemakers. Men will find what they want to drink and stick with it for 20 years. Women are always looking to try something new and see what’s out there. Women have always responded positively to our product...based on the length of time they spend with us, either on the phone when they’re ordering or at one of our booths during a fundraiser or expo.

How are you building Elixir G’s customer base, and what have been some of your biggest challenges so far?

Our first target is to go to the restaurants rather than the retail stores. It’s one step easier. When we educate the restaurant, they can use it right away. The stores are tougher. First you have to convince the store to buy, then you have to convince the public how to use it.

Our biggest success recently has been Longhorn Steakhouse. We started in Yard House, where they used it for their Moscow Mule and saw so much success that they expanded to three cocktails. Then [Yard House] got bought

by Darden Restaurants. Once we were in Darden’s system, we jumped to Longhorn’s

20 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I June 2016

450 restaurants. They started cooking with it, making a ginger-flavored steak. They’ve had so much success with it in their drink program that they’re also offering three variations of Moscow Mules.

We started to look into Amazon to retail directly to consumers. With a new product it’s very expensive to get off the ground. With some retailers, they will require a free case for every store to offset the risk for their selling the product. We’re looking to target those regional stores who will make room for the smaller labels like ours.

The hardest piece of the puzzle is the distributor. Distributors usually won’t take a new product until it has a demand of more than 200 cases a month. That said, since we’re a nonalcoholic product we’re lucky that we have two choices: liquor and food distributors.

What are the next steps for Elixir G? We’re pursuing restaurant chains right now as hard as we can. For a restaurant chain that has 1,000 locations, we can save them $1.2 million a year. Eventually…we’ll target various areas for retail and come out with a plan to saturate the media and inform the public. We’re also open to a liquor brand partnership several years from now. www.socalfnbpro.com

Product Review

By Bob Barnes Murray’s Cheese Shop at Smith’s New York transplants and the rest of us have reason to rejoice. Murray’s Cheese (one of New York’s oldest cheese shops, established in 1940 in Greenwich Village), makers of worldrenowned charcuterie and cheese products, is now available at 270+ locations in the Kroger family of grocery stores, which includes all of the Smith’s Food and Drug. I had the pleasure to sample the Calabrese Salami (made from heritage pork infused with Sangiovese wine and a spicy cayenne and paprika kick), Genoa Salami (made from heritage breed pork, seasoned with white pepper and fresh garlic), Cavemaster Reserve Greensward (stinky cheese at its best, big and bacony, with a luscious, silky texture) and St. Mark’s Bloomy Rind (inspired by the French classic, Saint Marcellin, creamy and rich). And complementing the bold flavors, some sweetness in the form of Blueberries Preserves with fresh lemon juice and Heirloom Apple Butter made from tart apples simmered in cider and brandy and seasoned with cinnamon and allspice. These and many more options are available at all Murray’s Cheese shops located within all Smith’s grocery stores.

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Kikori Rice Whiskey Several whiskeys hailing from Japan have impressed me with excellent and refined quality. Now I’ve found another, Kikori Whiskey, but unique to this one is that it is distilled completely from rice. Distilled in Kumamoto on the island of Kyushu in southern Japan, using local rice and pristine water from the surrounding mountains and rainforests that is filtered through the porous volcanic earth of Kyushu Island, after being distilled Kikori is aged in American oak, Limousin French oak and sherry barrels for three to eight years. The final product is a blend of the different ages.

Ann Soh Woods founded Kikori Whiskey and her initial intention was to create a whiskey that would work across many types of cocktails. Like sake, Kikori uses premium rice and has some similar notes. It’s lighter on the palate and lacks the heavy, smoky peatiness of many other whiskeys. I found it to be easy drinking and one that would work well as a starter whiskey for its comparative mildness, as well as an excellent ingredient for myriad of cocktails as it was originally intended. Another plus, is since it’s made from rice it is gluten free and no artificial color is added, allowing Kikori to have a lighter hue.

Kikori is currently available in Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada. Distributed

by Southern Wine and Spirits, it retails at an accessible price point of $45-50.

For more information about Kikori, contact info@kikoriwhiskey.com, visit www. kikoriwhiskey.com or follow Kikori Whiskey on social media: @KikoriWhiskey on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

June 2016 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 21

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT | A PAN-ASIAN INFUSION With Major’s NEW aromatic range of bases take a sensorial journey to the orient and beyond in seconds.

For fresh, quick and tasty recipe inspiration, look no further than the Major Pan-Asian range. Clean authentic flavors combine to transform your dish into a stunning broth infused with all the fragrances and aromas of Asia. From exotic coconut to lemongrass, coriander, chilli, ginger and blends of spices, Major Pan-Asian comes in three mouthwatering flavors: Beef, Chicken and Vegetable and is so easy to use.

Create fun and delicious dishes in seconds. Major Pan-Asian bases mix instantly into boiling water and can be used as a traditional stock or as a seasoning. Pour over noodles and vegetables or simply brush onto your protein to give an exotic twist to your recipes. Free from any artificial additives or preservatives and Gluten free, Major Pan-Asian gives you a clean label which delivers on flavor every time. Be inspired and taste the orient!

Bob’s Beer Bits and Sips

By Bob Barnes Nothing Sweet About this Lindemans Lindemans Cuvée René Oude Kriek Lambic Ale Everyone knows Lindemans for their soda pop-like sweet Frambois, Kriek and Peche, which are loaded with added sugar, but few realize that this is a lambic brewery that makes plenty of sour beers. Case in point is its Cuvée René Oude Kriek Lambic Ale, which is intensely sour, with no sugar added, and made even more tart by the addition of whole sour cherries (including the pits) and the natural airborne yeast as well as aging for at least six months in old huge 10,000-liter (200+ gallons) oak barrels called foudres. In addition, it is tempered by blending aged lambic with young lambic.

Although this beer has been brewed by the Belgian brewery since 1961, it is being imported to the US for the first time, and was released in February, 2016. This beer packs plenty of pucker for traditional lambic lovers and those just venturing into the world of unsweetened lambics.

Spicing It Up with Rye Red Hook Summerhook Rye is an ingredient that has been popping up in several beers in recent years, and for good reason; rye has its own distinct flavor and adds a crisp, slightly spicy flavor but also enhances the overall complexity of a beer’s flavor.

Red Hook, one of America’s first craft breweries, established in Seattle 1981, first introduced its Sun Rye in 2003, but now has come out with a hoppier version, Summerhook. This sessionable 4.7% ABV golden rye ale has a high rye malt bill and is brewed with Northwest hops giving it a subtle hop profile. Of note is Redhook’s new, refreshed packaging, which harkens back to the modern classic designs that celebrate Redhook’s heritage and its original look and feel.

22 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I June 2016

A Beer Worth Waiting For AleSmith Private Stock Ale We all know about aging a fine wine, but what about beer? San Diego-based AleSmith Brewing Company’s new Vintage Series is an annual quartet of seasonally released beers that are high gravity beers perfectly suited for cellaring. The series kicked off with Private Stock Ale, an 11% ABV imperial English-style brew that can be aged for up to 20 years and is quite rich and malt-forward, showcasing soft notes of currants and dried fruit balanced with a subtle bitterness. Originally created by AleSmith CEO and Brewmaster Peter Zien during his days as a homebrewer, the Private Stock Ale was first professionally produced in 2005 under the moniker AleSmith Olde Ale. It remained a favorite among the company’s brew crew and fans and was brewed every five years, but now due to popular demand is being released yearly, which will allow you to stock up on each year’s vintage and track its progress as it ages via vertical tastings (wherein one samples multiple vintages spanning several consecutive years to taste, smell, compare and contrast each of them while gaining a better understanding and appreciation of how the beer ages over time).

Zien said, “Cellaring is the brewing industry’s next frontier and we want to help our fans to successfully enjoy the metamorphic journey some of our finest beers take when matured for extended periods of time.”

Private Stock Ale is the 2016 Vintage Series’ spring offering, and will be followed by Decadence Anniversary Ale this summer, AleSmith Wee Heavy in autumn and AleSmith Grand Cru in winter.

Barrel-aged Sour Goodness Half Moon Bay Brewing Company Ocho Barril Magic Beer Genie Belgian Dark Strong Two segments of the craft beer market that have taken off are barrel aged and sour beers. Half Moon Bay Brewing is catering to both, as the California brewery located in the city it’s named for has launched its Ocho Barril series of sour barrel-aged beers created by Brewmaster James Costa, with each batch producing 420 gallons filling eight oak barrels.

First up is Magic Beer Genie, a 10.7% ABV Belgian-style Dark Strong Ale aged for at least 12 months with a custom blend of Saccharomyces, Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus and Pediococcus added to the barrels during secondary fermentation, which work together to create its sour bite with a mélange of bright acidity and funky barnyard finish.

www.socalfnbpro.com

By Linda Westcott-Bernstein

Human Resources Insights

Linda Westcott-Bernstein has provided sound human resources advice and guidance to Fortune 500 companies and others for over 25 years. Linda has recently re-published her self-help book entitled It All Comes Down to WE! This book offers guidelines for building a solid and enduring personal work ethic. You can find her book on Amazon or Google Books.

Phone: 702-326-4040 Email: Vegaslinda89129@yahoo.com

You can only be as good at managing others as the effort or importance that you place upon it. What do I mean? Well, how much do you really care about the success of those you manage? Do you set a good or the right example? Does your staff want to come to you because you’ll listen, you won’t judge, and have their best interest in mind? It is no surprise that bad management can have a devastating effect on employee morale, the guest service experience, and ultimately on the success of your business.

How a Good (or bad) Manager Will Affect Others

I’ve worked for some real “special” individuals in the course of my career; so let me give you a couple examples. I had a boss in Florida, a lady who was intimidated by my friendly, outgoing nature, where I’d made more friends and professional connections in 6 weeks than she did in her entire 6-year career at this company. She would purposefully sabotage me by giving poor directions, refusing to meet with/instruct me, and would change her mind on instructions she’d given me in order to try to make me look bad.

Another guy in New Mexico, said that I was joining a “family” and that we’d all be good buddies, I just didn’t realize that it was the Manson family. He was just like a sniper and at management meetings, he’d be lying in wait to ambush his next victim as he set them up for embarrassment and humiliation. He would ridicule his victim for their opinion on a topic (one that he just asked for…) in front of others to ensure complete and utter destruction of their confidence and self esteem. He was every human resources director’s nightmare and likely a very unhappy, arrogant, and selfish person.

These lessons from “bad” managers taught me most importantly–I never want to be like him/ her! I figure in life that we all have our lessons to learn and that we grow as a person from bad managers like this guy. Sometimes I wonder how I managed to keep my good nature and positive outlook, through it all, and most importantly, to

always remember to treat others with the respect they deserve. This matter of respect has become my founding value in my work and my life.

Good managers are so because they exhibit the following types of sound psychological behaviors. First, they never had to compromise their ethics and honesty in any decision they make. Secondly, they never forget where they came from–meaning they have no need for arrogance based upon position, salary or title.

Third, they recognize that not all individuals are alike and that each person needs slightly different input, support and feedback to find their niche in their career and work. And, lastly, they lead by example, by always exemplifying behaviors and actions which are respectful, and know that those actions speak louder than their words.

how that work gets done. Additionally, they have found that sound communication, good listening skills and respecting the opinion of others go a long way towards teaching, growing and build strong, confident employees, teams and organizations.

My advice is just this: Always remember that you are dealing with individuals, people with feelings and fears. Choosing to be a good manager rather than a bad one, is not only the right thing to do but will come back to you ten-fold in the satisfaction you will see in their eyes and the pride that you will feel when your employees are a success and thankful for your support all along the way.

Good managers are just that, because it is not about them but about the people, the work, and

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 June 2016

www.socalfnbpro.com

EVENTS

AD INDEX

Summertime in SoCal leaves a lot to be desired since there seems to be a vacation period for F&B shows, expos and events. Of course, you can find the usual beer & wine dinners throughout the region, but for us we head to the road to visit California’s wine regions, starting first in the Central Coast Region with Santa Barbara, Solvang, Lompoc, Santa Maria, Santa Ynez then North to San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles.

Our next trip will take us to Monterey and San Francisco.

June 13-17 The World Tea Expo will be at the Las Vegas Convention Center South Hall with seminars on June 13-14 and exhibits on June 15-17. www.worldteaexpo.com July 22-24 Tales of the Cocktail splashes into New Orleans, LA for a week of professional mixology, contests, eating and more drinking. If you are planning to go, book your room now since they go quickly and this event is growing yearly. https://talesofthecocktail.com July 29-31 PMA-Produce Marketing Association will be holding its yearly foodservice conference and expo in Monterey Bay, CA. www.pma.com/events/foodservice

Audrey Dempsey Infinity Photo page 21 www.infinity-photo.com 702-837-1128 Bivi Vodka www.bivivodka.com 631-464-4050 Major Foods www.majorproducts.com 702-838-4698 Recipes for Restaurateurs www.marketing-cookbook.com Robert Mondavi Winery robertmondaviwinery.com

page 2

Rodney Strong

page 27

www.rodneystrong.com 707-431-1533 SKYY Infusions Vodkas

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www.skyy.com page 23

Uncle Steve’s

page 25

www.unclestevesny.com 718-605-0416 page 7

White Soy Sauce

page 10

www.whitesoysaucefood.com page 28

August 28-30 The Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center organized by the CA Restaurant Association featuring new product and services geared for the food & beverage industry. www.westernfoodexpo.com

To advertise email sales@socalfnbpro.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 26 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I June 2016

www.socalfnbpro.com

SOME WINES ARE WORTH CELEBRATING Celebrate Robert Mondavi Winery’s 50 th Anniversary of uncompromising excellence and generous inspiration.

Please enjoy our wines responsibly. © 2016 Robert Mondavi Winery, Oakville, CA

Enjoy our limited edition anniversary release of 2013 Maestro.

“This is just the beginning.”

Learn more at RobertMondaviWinery.com