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Issue 6 Volume 18
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WHISK(E)Y
A Family Affair
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Pre-Conference June 10-11, 2018
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Conference & Expo June 12-14, 2018
Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall
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World Tea Expo 2018 is Almost Here! Enter the code TEDUC6 for $150 off the Full Conference Pass. Register today at worldteaexpo.com/register!
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June 2018
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CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER MIKE FRYER Cover
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WELCOME TO THE SOCAL FOOD & BEVERAGE PROFESSIONAL JUNE ISSUE, and thank you for your continued support and comments on the publication. We hope to keep all our professional readers updated and informed on what’s happening in the industry, especially focused on Southern California including San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara County. OUR COVER FEATURE is a timely article preparing for Father’s Day featuring WHISKY presented by one of the foremost authorities on whisky, Max A. Solano Beverage Program Specialist-Whisky & Spirits Educator at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Nevada. Max tells us, “With Father’s Day right around the corner, I would like to make some recommendations for yourself or your dad by companies whose whiskies were started and currently are produced by families. Nice touch, Max. Thank you… PAGE 6-7 What’s Brewing by David Mulvihill tells us that Southern California brewers came home with 34 awards from the 2018 World Beer Cup competition. WBC takes place every two years during the annual Craft Brewers Conference. Presented by the Brewers Guild, the City of Nashville played host to CBC/WBC 2018 and brought together industry brewers, owners and staff from all over the world. Check out David’s column and see who won what! PAGE 11 We welcome catering expert Sandy Korem, who is CEO and founder of one of the top 20 catering companies in the US, the Dallas-based The Festive Kitchen. She was awarded the White House Food Service Medallion in 2008 for outstanding food service to President George W. Bush. Her company, www.thecateringcoach.com, helps restaurateurs take their off-site catering revenue stream to a different level. In this month’s column, Sandy shows us “How to Price Catering to be Profitable.” Welcome on board, Sandy… PAGE 12-13 We are given a recap to the recently held WSWA at Caesars Palace compiled by SoCal Food & Beverage Pro’s Editorial Director Bob Barnes, who adds his professional insight to the new and up-and-coming products now, or soon to be, on the market. If you were unable to attend WSWA, here is your opportunity to learn about it. PAGE 29 This brings to an end of an era with the last article by our good friend and journalist Dr. Mike Masuyama and his “Cook-Eat-Asia” column. Mike-san has been with us for years and has now decided to approach his retirement with a little less stress and plans to spend more time with his lovely wife working in the garden and traveling. We want to take this time to thank Mike-san for his great articles on Asian cooking, culture and cuisine… CHEERS! MIKE FRYER SR. EDITOR/PUBLISHER Page 4 Hot off the Grill!
Page14 Foodie Biz
Page 5 The Bottom Line When to Make Your Patio Suitable for Hot and Cold
Page 16 COVER FEATURE Whisk(e)y: A Family Affair Page18 Chef Talk The Good Thing in a Small Package: the Sesame Seed
Page 6 What’s Brewing Page 9 Recipe for Fun=JottShots Page 10 The Restaurant Expert Three Things You Can Do to Control Labor Cost
27 www.socalfnbpro.com
Page 11 How to Price Catering to Be Profitable Page12 WSWA 75th Annual Convention & Exposition Brings Interesting and Delicious Products
Page19 The 100 Year Flight Page 20 Twinkle Toast The Gospel of Dom Pérignon
Page 27 Wine Talk with Alice Swift Wine Preservation Methods Page 28 Brett’s Vegas View Page 29 COOK•EAT: Asia Fusing Asian Cook • Eat (Final) Page 30 Events Ad Index ACF Chefs of SoCal
Page 21 Product Review Page 24 Human Resources Insights What Ever Happened to Customer Service?
June 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 3
The Socal Food & Beverage Professional 7442 Grizzly Giant Street Las Vegas, NV 89139
www.socalfnbpro.com
HOT OFF THE GRILL!
Sr. Editor/Publisher Thank you for joining us in this issue of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional. For any questions or comments please email mike@socalfnbpro.com
Juanita Fryer
Assistant To Sr. Editor ACF Chefs Liasion/Journalist juanita.fryer@socalfnbpro.com
Juanita Aiello
Creative Director juanita@socalfnbpro.com
Bob Barnes
Editorial Director bob@socalfnbpro.com
Ben Brown
Restaurant Editor ben@socalfnbpro.com
Adam Rains
Beverage Editor adam.rains@socalfnbpro.com
May is packed with food festivals across SoCal, and Restaurant Editor Ben Brown ate and drank his way through many of them. Read on to get the scoop on dining on the field of Pasadena’s iconic Rose Bowl and one of L.A.’s greatest culinary walking tours. At the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago we had the chance to attend and cover the Rational Reception with a guest appearance by Chef Thomas Keller, who is always very accommodating to pose with and have a little Q&A. Here Sr. Editor/Publisher Mike Fryer gets a shot with Chef Keller.
photo courtesy Robotaster
Mike Fryer
LVF&B Pro’s Beverage Editor Adam Rains, after winning the regional competition, earned the right to compete in the finals for “Star of the Bar” at the NRA Show in Chicago, and we were there covering it. Unfortunately, Adam didn’t get 1st place in the finals competition, but ran a close second, according to inside information. Way to go, Adam! Congrats!
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General Information info@socalfnbpro.com
@socalfnbpro
The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional
CONTRIBUTING STAFF
Legal Editorial Advisor Andrew Matney
Journalist What’s Brewing David Mulvihill
Accounting Manager Michelle San Juan
Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett Journalist
Best of the Best Shelley Stepanek
Journalists Broads of Bourbon Mary Powers & Delilah Tennyson
Journalist Good for Spooning LeAnne Notabartolo
Journalist COOK•EAT: Asia K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.
Photographer Audrey Dempsey
Journalist Chef Talk Allen Asch
Journalist Pat Evans
Journalist The Restaurant Expert David Scott Peters
Journalist Wine Talk Alice Swift
Journalist Sandy Korem
Journalists Twinkle Toast Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover
Journalist Lisa Matney
Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein
Journalist Made from Scratch John Rockwell
4 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I June 2018
www.socalfnbpro.com
The Bottom Line When to Make Your Patio Suitable for Hot and Cold
If you’re fortunate enough to have a patio or other outdoor seating area, you have massive potential to create a new dimension of your restaurant experience. In many areas, though, harsh temperatures in both winter and summer can severely hinder this asset. Heating and misters...simple solutions, right? Maybe, but not always. The trick is assessing whether there will actually be a financial benefit to installing these items. Let’s walk through the strategy behind determining whether to invest in heating/ cooling for your patio. Have your numbers in order. This assessment requires a mise en place layout of information. You should have the following information available for a true cost-benefit analysis: • Number of covers, average check and average turnover time indoors • Number of covers, average check and average turnover time outdoors • Cost of purchase and installation for heating/ cooling system(s) and any additional financing costs, if applicable • Utilities and projected maintenance costs for desired system(s) • Cost of staffing your outdoor seating area Determine whether you have enough traffic to demand the extra seating. Before assessing whether to invest in your patio, ask yourself whether you have the capacity to accommodate everyone indoors. If you have a line out the door during most of your operating www.socalfnbpro.com
By Ben Brown Benjamin Brown, MBA is Restaurant Editor of The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional. A seasoned
writer and consultant, Ben works with Fortune 500
companies and mom & pop shops alike in Marketing, Analytics, Consumer Insights, PR and Business
Development. Contact Ben at Ben@lvfnb.com or follow him @Foodie_Biz.
hours or you’re often fully booked, it’s simple to see that a closed patio leads to a lot of lost revenue. If you’re just seeing wait times during limited peak hours, it could get a little more complicated. Assess how many covers you believe walk away from your restaurant due to wait time. Multiply that number by your average check, and subtract any additional staffing costs and utilities charges. Factor in depreciation from your system costs/ maintenance as you see fit. If the result is positive, you may want to open up your patio. If not, then the costs outweigh any additional revenue you’d get from adding capacity. Set temperature thresholds. Operational costs change with the temperature. It’s one thing to run a heater to warm up a crisp night, it’s another to make your patio operational when it’s freezing outside. Two simple approaches exist to determine exactly where that line is drawn for you. First, the consumer insights approach. During busy periods, have your host ask guests whether they would like indoor or outdoor seating. If they say indoor, have the host ask if they would be willing to forgo the wait to sit outdoors if it was heated/cooled. Count the yes’s and apply the framework above. Next, the financial approach. Measure how your costs change as the temperature becomes more extreme. Critical junctions will come when you would need to install more equipment, in which case most guests wouldn’t want to brave the weather anyway.
Assess whether outdoor seating is integral to your atmosphere. Patio seating can certainly go beyond the numbers. Some restaurants rest their livelihood on their patios, whether for beautiful views, entertaining people-watching or casting a lively environment to attract more guests through their doors. If any of these factors apply to your restaurant, then keeping your patio open is non-negotiable. In other cases, such as boardwalks and shopping malls, virtually every restaurant in the area has a patio. You definitely don’t want to be the only one that closes your patio, as this will lead to the perception that your restaurant is ‘dead’ and will minimize foot traffic conversion. Conversely, being the only one with outdoor seating can have a positive effect as long as your guests seated outside look happy. If your business is less reliant on the fact that you have outdoor seating, best to stick with the financials. If you’re looking to create a patio for your restaurant, many of the methodologies above can apply in assessing the costs and benefits from both a financial and a brand standpoint. Similarly, determining whether to make an indoor expansion should take into account staffing and other variable costs. Just remember that in most cases, a patio is a guest’s first impression of your restaurant, whether they actually dine outside or not. Any equipment and remedies taken to brave weather conditions should be done tastefully and in a way that matches your atmosphere.
June 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 5
what’s
By David Mulvihill
Photos by David Mulvihill.
BREWING
David Mulvihill strives to experience and write about the ever-evolving face of SoCal craft beer. He also covers Orange County for Celebrator Beer News as well as Southern California for Southwest Brewing News. Contact him at dbrewhill@gmail.com.
Robert’s Western World and Honky Tonk Grill. One of many honky-tonks visited by CBC 2018 attendees.
Southern California brewers came home with 34 awards from the 2018 World Beer Cup competition. WBC takes place every two years during the annual Craft Brewers Conference. Presented by the Brewers Guild, the City of Nashville played host to CBC/WBC 2018 and brought together industry brewers, owners and staff from all over the world. The awards presentation capped off a week of industryrelated seminars, sessions and fun. The following highlights many of the sources and varieties of amazing So Cal craft beer. Gold Winners Gold awards went to the following breweries: Firestone Walker Brewing Company, from Paso Robles, received three gold plaques, a remarkable accomplishment given the sea of 8,234 entrants. Its first was for STiVO in the Kellerbier or Zwickelbier category. STiVO was first brewed in 2016 in collaboration with Russian River Brewing Company, as a mash-up between FW’s popular Pivo Pils and Russian River’s STS Pilsner. FW’s second plaque was for one of its long time standards, DBA (Double Barrel Ale), in the Ordinary or Special Bitter category. C-Hops earned the brewery’s third 2018 gold, besting 182 entries in the AmericanStyle Pale Ale category.
Tustin Brewing Company’s Jerrod Larsen scored gold in the Coffee Stout and Porter category for Portola Breakfast Stout (157 entries). Larson and TBC owner Jason Jeralds were also on stage earlier in the evening to collect the first award presented, bronze for Clutch’s American Wheat. Golden Road L.A. received gold for it Mango Cart fruited wheat. San Diego’s Societe Brewing Co’s gold was in the Mixed Culture Brett Beer category for The Thief. Jeremy Grinky and the Bruery Terreux team from Anaheim scored gold in the Wood and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer category for Train to Beersel, an American wild ale. Figueroa Mountain Brewing, Buellton, CA was awarded gold for “I Dunkled in My Pants,” a Munich-Style Dunkel. MacGavins Plaid Monkey earned Monkey Paw Brewing (San Diego) its gold in the ScottishStyle Ale category. Brad Kominec and Team Noble Ale Works came home with gold In the Imperial India Pale Ale category (196 Entries) for Nobility.
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Silver Awards Out of 377 entries, Brad’s predecessor and teacher, Evan Price and Green Cheek Beer Co (Orange) earned silver for Radiant Beauty. Dubbed Southern California’s “IPA King,” Price came through again, adding to his numerous decorations received during his current tenure and his time at Noble Ale Works and TAPS. San Juan Capistrano’s Docent Brewing netted its first WBC award with silver in the AmericanStyle Pale Ale category for Double Nickels. Alechemist Bryan Giesen has established a growing fan base for his tasty and creative ales ever since Docent’s opening in 2017. This award serves to confirm what many already knew about Bryan’s beers. Mocha Machine, an entry from Beachwood Brewing’s Huntington Beach location, garnered silver in the Coffee Stout/Porter category. Beachwood’s Udder Love also earned silver in the Sweet or Cream Stout category. Team Julian Shrago and Ryan Fields were on hand to accept these two awards for Huntington Beach and two more (another silver and a bronze) for Beachwood BBQ & Brewing-Long Beach Pablo Escobeer (Coffee Beer) and Hoppa Emeritus (American Black Ale). www.socalfnbpro.com
San Diego’s Monkey Paw/Coronado Brewing Team on stage for gold.
Noble Ale Works-Gold for Imperial IPA.
Societe Brewing stays in the mix with its gold for The Thief.
Tustin Brewing Company returning to the stage for Jerrod’s second award of the evening.
Firestone Walker Barrelworks, in Buellton, received its silver in the American-Style Sour Ale category for Krieky Bones. Costa Mesa’s Barley Forge took silver in the Field Beer category for The Patsy, a coconut rye stout. Silver in the honey beer category went to Rancho Cucamonga’s No Clue Craft Brewery. A silver plaque also went to David Chaney and MacLeod Ale Brewing (Van Nuys) for Van NICE light lager. Figueroa Mountain’s Westlake Village brewery was awarded silver in the oatmeal stout category for Stagecoach Stout. Fig’s Arroyo Grande facility received its silver in the Imperial Red Ale category for Red Rock. Bronze Bronze awards were received by the following breweries: Anaheim’s Hoparazzi Brewing Co confirmed its admittance into the big leagues in the Chili Beer category with Heat of the Night, an IPA with chiles. Rip Current Brewing (San Marcos): Breakline Bock (German-Style Bock/ Maibock). Brewery Rex (listed as Fullerton): Raspberry Ricky (Berliner-Style Weisse). This reporter will be reaching out to Brewery Rex’s Tyler King and Brian White to find out if Brewery Rex may soon have a home of its own brewing in Orange County. Stay tuned. Karl Strauss Brewing-4S Ranch: Farmhouse (French & Belgian-Style Saison). Rouleur Brewing Co (Carlsbad): Domestique Belgian Blonde. Casa Agria Specialty Ales (Oxnard): El Sur (Belgian-Style Sour). Ballast Point (San Diego): Black Marlin Porter. MadeWest Brewing Co (Ventura): MadeWest Donlon (Sweet or Cream Stout). Institution Ale Co (Camarillo): Restraint (American Brown Ale). In the final category of the evening, San Clemente’s Artifex was called to the stage to accept its second WBC award for the consistently delicious HoliDAVE, an American-Style Imperial Stout. HoliDAVE received a silver plaque at the last World Beer Cup in 2016. I think it’s time to break out that coveted bottle of 2016 in my cellar. www.socalfnbpro.com
Bruery Terreux keeping it wild with gold for Train to Beersel.
Firestone Walker Brewing Co accepting one of its three gold plaques received at the 2018 World Beer Cup in Nashville.
June 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 7
•Wholesale distributor of exceptional quality dried spices and specialty foods to the finest hotels and restaurants •Owned and operated by a former chef with over 20 years of experience •Custom packed Herbs and Spices •Custom Spice Bends •Private labeling •Now Certified Kosher
Recipe for Fun=JottShots
photo by Grant Redmond / Sitez, LLC
By Bob Barnes
Pull, Push, Squeeze, Suck may sound rather suggestive, but it’s actually the directions to the patented shot cup delivery method for one of the hottest new party enhancers known as JottShots. Gel shots (Jello is highly trademarked and fiercely protected by Kraft, so the name has been changed to gel to protect the guilty) are something most people know about and have experienced at some point, and for years JottShots Founder/CEO Dorian Levy noticed that the vibe of a party would be elevated when they were added to the mix. He began making his own versions for an epic annual party he would throw for friends. Over the years the number of shots needed gradually grew to 1,500, an amount so large it required taking a day off from work to make copious amounts of gelatin mixed with alcohol. The time-consuming prep involved buying the ingredients, heating the gelatin and adding the alcohol at just the right temperature (if added too soon it kills the alcohol and too late it doesn’t gel), carefully filling containers and then refrigerating and waiting all day for them to set. In the early 2000s, as the popularity of his creation led to his friends repeatedly requesting more and his boss asking to purchase the shots, it dawned on him that at that time there were no pre-packaged versions available. www.socalfnbpro.com
Levy made the decision to leave his Wall Street investment banker job in NYC and head west to Las Vegas to turn his gel shot hobby into a business. As to why he chose Vegas, Levy says, “The scale of Las Vegas is mind numbing with 42 million people (visiting) a year plus, the two million people living here, on a relatively small geographic footprint. This city is the unrivaled mecca of adult fun, so it fits perfectly for a product like this.” After much trial and error with formulas, flavors and delivery methods, the first JottShots hit the market in July, 2017 and while currently there are a handful of gel shot companies in the US, JottShots is the first and only one based in Las Vegas. Since launching, more than 100,000 units have been sold and Levy expects to surpass 150,000 by the end of this year and believes the industry will explode in the next five years. The name was chosen by Levy’s aunt, and has no significance other than being catchy, and after market research surveys it was found to be the name most people remembered after hearing it in a list. JottShots do not need refrigeration as they are made with vegan-friendly plant-based gums instead of gelatin (used in homemade versions), and have a minimum shelf life of six
months. Not requiring refrigeration simplifies and reduces the cost of shipping and storage. Currently in flavors of two fruits—Berry and Cherry—and two cocktails—Mojito and Lemon Drop—there is plenty of room to expand, and a flavorless neutral spirit in the mix allows the flavors to shine while providing a bit of a burn. As there is only the equivalent of a few sips of 13% ABV strength alcohol in each shot, it would take downing several to get tipsy, but it’s all about the fun and a unique way to combine imbibing with eating a dessert. Levy adds, “Shots in general are social and bring a different kind of energy…and (JottShots) are a more casual, high energy way to have nonpretentious fun.” Until now you haven’t been able to purchase gel shots in a retail store, but the ready-to-drink JottShots single serving 4-packs and 10-packs, with an average retail price of $8.99 and $19.99 respectively, are now sold available in retail outlets. The aforementioned patented delivery system works quite well and eliminates the need to scoop it out with your fingers, meaning no sticky mess. For more info and an illustration of the JottShot method, visit www.jottshots.com.
June 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 9
The RESTAURANT EXPERT Three Things You Can Do to Control Labor Cost
By David Scott Peters David Scott Peters is a restaurant consultant, coach, speaker and founder of TheRestaurantExpert.com, a company committed to the success of independent restaurants. Peters is a restaurant industry-recognized blogger and his writing is regularly published in restaurant industry publications, such as Restaurant Hospitality, Catersource, and QSR Magazine. Learn more at www.TheRestaurantExpert.com.
Labor is a major area where restaurants can bleed profitability. Why? When the clock goes tick, you owe! For your food costs, if you buy too much food, as long as it’s not wasted, spoiled or stolen, you can use that food tomorrow. But if you bring in too many people, too early and you’re slow, you can’t tell those employees that the hours they just worked don’t count. This makes it vital to have systems in place to control your labor costs.
Here are three things you can do now to control your labor costs: 1) Schedule less There’s a myth in the restaurant/hospitality industry that by bringing in more staff, you will give your guests better service. The challenge with this is it’s actually the complete opposite. You want to give your guests a great dining experience, so you bring more servers in to be the most attentive and offer “WOW” customer service. Or you bring in an additional cook for faster ticket times. But when you have too many people working and not enough work, they tend to talk with each other and end up giving less than great customer service. Instead, I suggest when you are staffed to a level where you think you could use one more person on the floor, your guests get the best experience you can deliver because your team doesn’t have extra time to play grab-ass and get distracted with each other. They only have time to stay focused on the guest. The end result is happy customers, higher sales and lower labor costs. 2) Schedule based on a sales forecast There is a way to know what the right number of hours is without relying on your gut feeling. It’s extremely common for restaurants to schedule like they always do even when their sales are lower than expected, or when they are coming out of a high season. The challenge is this practice can literally rob you of your profits faster than almost anything else in your
business. Changing this practice starts with making your best guess of what you think your Monday–Sunday gross sales are going to be for the whole restaurant by the 20th of the current month for the next month. This enables you to adjust your schedules to take care of the needs of your guests and your business without losing money. Add to this having a labor cost percentage target to shoot for (a labor budget), and you can simply multiply your forecasted sales times your labor cost percentage target to know how much money you can spend on labor next week. Subtract salaried management, and like magic, you know what you can spend on hourly employees to stay on budget and can adjust your schedule to match. This allows you to go into the week on budget vs bringing people in and praying you’re busy enough to pay for them. 3) Track labor on a daily basis Yes, I want you to track your labor cost every day. All you need to do is run a daily report in your point of sale (POS) system each day to see how much you’re paying your employees who worked that day and divide that by your gross sales for that day to know what your labor cost is. Then as each day goes by, just add the labor costs together and the sales together and divide them, continuing to total and divide to get your running labor cost. The hard part about this process is understanding that once you write a
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schedule on budget, that labor target is different each day. For example, let’s say you are shooting for a total 30 percent labor cost for all hourly employees, before taxes, benefits, insurance, and not including salaried management. Next, you adjust your schedule to be on budget. What you will see after you make the adjustments to your schedule is that your labor cost, based on how you scheduled, may be at 33 percent on Monday, because you had your butt handed to you over the weekend, and now you have a ton of prep to do to be able to handle the next few days of business. And since Monday is your slowest day of the week, the labor budget takes a hit. But you also know that on Friday, your customers are managing your efficiencies, that you’re so busy you couldn’t add another server or cook and that your labor cost will be about 27 percent. Ultimately, if you use the hours and dollars budgeted for that week, you will be on budget after averaging it all out. Ultimately, management will have a different labor target to shoot for every day of the week to stay on budget and hit the labor percentage goal. When you slim your staff down, schedule based on a budget and track your labor on a daily basis, you are putting your management team in a strong position to not only control your labor cost and make the business more profitable, but you also gain the benefit of happier customers and a management team who controls the business, not the other way around. www.socalfnbpro.com
By Sandy Korem
How to Price Catering to Be Profitable
You have such an advantage over the chains when it comes to off-site catering. Why? It’s simple. As an independent restaurant owner, you do not have to follow what the corporate office dictates. You can go beyond the “same old same old” and make decisions based on what your customers want. Take advantage of this and make your catering rock—BUT do it so that you can be profitable. I have owned a catering company for more than 20 years, and I have made the mistake of catering events with large gross sales dollars but low-to-no net profits. I had to learn the hard way that profits start with the pricing of the menu. If the menu is priced wrong, you lose money before you deposit the event-booking fee in the bank. Pricing a menu profitably starts with taking the wholesale cost of the food for the menu and multiplying by three times or more. Many caterers stop at that step. All of the rest of the “costs” for the event such as labor, guest utensils and plates, ice, etc., they absorb in the multiple that they have made on the wholesale cost of the food. This is WRONG! Here’s another big error restaurateurs make. A happy restaurant client approaches you after they have just eaten your signature beef kabobs. They ask how much would it cost to have you cater a party for 100 friends at their home and serve those fabulous beef kabobs. You are flattered and hand them your restaurant menu. You tell them it would cost the same as the price on your menu. When you hand them your menu, you lose any and all profits for that event. In other words, you were “had at hello!” www.socalfnbpro.com
Sandy Korem, catering expert, is CEO and founder of one of the top 20 catering companies in the U.S., Dallas-based The Festive Kitchen. She was awarded the White House Food Service Medallion in 2008 for outstanding food service to President George W. Bush. Her company, www.thecateringcoach.com, helps restaurateurs take their off-site catering revenue stream to a different level. If you have any questions about how to launch a profitable catering business, email her at sandy@thecateringcoach.com.
Let’s take that home party for 100 and learn how to make money, not lose it. Let’s assume that the price of the beef kabobs on your restaurant menu is $18. Event stats: • 100 guests • Poolside, casual setting • Stations for serving • Quality plasticware • Start time: 7 p.m. • End time: 10:30 p.m. • Client providing alcohol • Caterer providing soft drinks, tea, water • Caterer providing two food tables with cloths, bar and bar back table with cloths Costing facts: • Soft drinks, tea, water charged at $2.25 per person (pp) = $225 • Plasticware at $2.95 pp (2 plates, 3 cups, 3 napkins, 2 forks pp needed for the entire event) • Staff: $765 o Two kitchen staff at $20 an hour from 5 – 11:30 p.m. = $390 o Two hours for staff to pick up and bring back food = $60 paid to staff. Charge client $85 o One bartender from 5:30-11:30 p.m. = $180 • Ice delivered for $75. Charge client $90. (If you bag your own, charge at least the same as the local ice company.) • Table, bar and cloths rentals = $251 from rental company. (If you provide them, charge at least $200.)
Total so far is $1,626 and you haven’t charged a penny for food. If you charge the client only $1,800 ($18 x 100 guests) for the entire event because the beef kabobs are $18 per person on your menu, then you are definitely going to lose money on this event. In fact, you are paying them to have a party in their own backyard. YIKES! It’s very easy to explain these costs to your client. Just list them as line items on a summary, and they understand the costs easily. The biggest pushback might be for the plastic plates, cups, forks and napkins. They might ask why those items are not included in the food costs. If the client asks that question, my answer is, “Oh, sorry, I wanted to make this easy for you by providing those items. I would be more than happy to take them off the proposal for you. Just have two plates, three cups, napkins, two forks per person available for us when we arrive so we can set them out for your guests.” Ninety-nine percent of the time the client will then understand that you are providing a service to them and will totally let you bring the “guestware” and charge them for it. Simply stated, food that leaves your restaurant for a catered event costs more than when served in your restaurant because of all the added costs and travel. You must charge for these items to be profitable. For more valuable insights to create more success in your catering business visit thecateringcoach.com.
June 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 11
WSWA 75th Annual Convention & Exposition Brings Interesting and Delicious Products By Bob Barnes | Photos by Joe Urcioli
The Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) 75th annual convention convened last month at Caesars Palace, bringing together more than 2,700 suppliers, distributors, influencers and a record number of attendees for three days of networking and deal making. The WSWA hosted competitions including the Wine and Spirits Tasting Competitions and the Call for Cocktails Mixology Competition, and the tradeshow filled two exhibit halls and numerous hospitality suites, featuring some of the most innovative products available. The following is a rundown of interesting products that caught my eye and entertained my palate. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a theme, but I discovered several cream liqueurs, all of which I found to be quite enjoyable. My favorites included the five-times distilled DeMarco Cream Liqueur, made with Wisconsin cream and Caribbean rum in flavors of Hazelnut Caramel and Premium Vanilla with a one-year shelf life; Jackson Morgan Southern Cream, made with Tennessee whiskey with a plethora of options including Brown Sugar & Cinnamon, Banana Pudding, Peppermint Mocha, Salted Caramel, Peaches & Cream and Whipped Orange Cream; and Bom Bom, made with Caribbean rum in flavors of Coco Mochanut—gluten-free blend of chocolate, coffee and coconut—and Nilli Vanilli—gluten- and dairy-free blend of almond milk and natural cookie flavors. 12 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I June 2018
Some very enjoyable flavors were to be found in the infused liqueurs of Cold Hammer Stills, with unique versions of Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Cappuccino, Gas Light Cinnamon and Almond Enjoy (yes, it does taste like the iconic similar-named candy bar). The state of Nevada was well-represented by Frey Ranch Estate Distillery, which was spotlighted in The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional October, 2016 cover feature. The family-owned and -run farm, in operation since 1854, grows all of the grains used in the making of its spirits—corn, rye, wheat and barley—producing award-winning vodka (2016 Tastings Spirits Review gold medal) and gin (2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition double gold); and available starting in 2019 will bring the same dedication to quality to a host of bourbon and rye whiskies. Some very fine wine was to be had at the Bellissima suite. Bellissima is Italian for most beautiful, which is how I would describe Christie Brinkley, who introduced the sparkling wines to us two years ago at the WSWA and returned this year with a new offering: Bella Sprizz, a delicious infusion of elderflowers and lemon peels. Also introduced was Bellissima Bambini, a smaller 375ml packaging of Bellissima Sparkling Rosé, Bellissima Zero Sugar and Bellissima Brut Prosecco. www.socalfnbpro.com
Another highlight was the delectable Ginja 9, a sour-cherry liqueur from Obidos, Portugal that earned a silver medal in the 2018 WSWA Wine and Spirits Tasting Competitions. Ginja is Portuguese for sour cherry and the tradition of this drink dates back to the Portuguese monks of the 17th century who infused sour cherries in alcohol distilled from rice and cereal. This modern day hand-crafted representation balances sweet and tart and is 100% natural with no added artificial coloring or preservatives.
on record where Utah’s first distillery was located (Hugh Moon & L.W. Hardy dating back to 1857). Further proof that whiskey is not just for men is the women-owned Crooked Fox Bourbon Whiskey, which is a well-rounded blend of Kentucky and Tennessee bourbons crafted in small batches and comes to us from the founder of BuzzBallz.
We’re used to aged whiskey, but not so much aged rum, but it is every bit as interesting, and while we usually expect it to come from the Caribbean, Don Papa Rum hails from the Philippines, where the higher temperature and humidity accelerates the interaction of the liquid with the barrel during aging. It is created in the foothills of Mt. Kanlaon, where the finest sugarcane is milled to produce sweet, rich molasses, which is reflected in the sweet rum.
Ever thought of mixing spirits? The Red Eye Louie’s company did and merged tequila with rum and vodka with its Rumquila and Vodquila, both of which have won numerous competition awards including San Francisco World Spirits and WSWA Tasting Competitions.
Another interesting non-Caribbean representation of the spirit was Antelope Island Rum, with flavors of roasted nuts and banana leaf finish. Made by the Salt Lake City, Utah-based Dented Brick Distillery, it uses organic and non-GMO raw materials and snowmelt water from the Wasatch Front. The distillery is situated on the same land and artesian well
The WSWA convenes yearly, stopping in Las Vegas on even-numbered years. The 76th Annual Convention & Exposition is set for March 31-April 3, 2019 and will be held at Grande Lakes Orlando.
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I found Fabrizia’s Italian Margarita—made in New Hampshire from sweet Sicilian lemons, limoncello and tequila—to be a very refreshing ready-to-drink cocktail that is conveniently packaged in 12oz cans.
To keep updated, visit www.wswaconvention.org. June 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 13
| Foodie Biz |
By Ben Brown Benjamin Brown, MBA is Restaurant Editor of The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional. A seasoned writer and consultant, Ben works with Fortune 500 companies and mom & pop shops alike in Marketing, Analytics, Consumer Insights, PR and Business Development.
photos by Ben Brown
Contact Ben at Ben@socalfnbpro.com or follow him @Foodie_Biz.
Glendale Hosts One of L.A.’s Greatest Food Festivals. Here’s How It Goes Down… Taste Walk Glendale is the ultimate package in food festivals. Not only are you tasting the best of Downtown Glendale’s food scene, but you’re doing so right at the restaurants themselves. Taste Walk Glendale takes a traditional food festival and turns it on its head in the best of ways…if you’re a foodie looking for an insider experience, best to get in the know before this annual event blows up in L.A. At Taste Walk Glendale, there is no one central location where restaurants drive in their food from miles away. Sure, there are plenty of booths where friendly restaurant staff hand out endless samples of signature items, but those booths are steps from the kitchen. Whether it’s Bacari GDL serving beautiful appetizers out front, Lao Sze Chuan inviting you inside for a display of Mongolian beef, or Damon’s Steakhouse dedicating a server to greet guests with a burger platter in hand, each stop adds a personal touch to the experience. And sure, there are a few centralized locations, but think of them as miniature block parties, where neighboring restaurants join forces in their shared alleyways. The name says it all. This is a walking food tour of Downtown Glendale’s ½-mile restaurant row, where rules go out the window for one day and restaurants open their doors to anyone with a wristband and a signature blue bag. Guests wander the streets like high school freshmen, albeit savoring Electric Pussycat’s strawberry pop tart milkshakes and Porto’s potato balls while studying the event map. Live music plays every step of the way, livening the mood and alerting passers-by that something truly special is taking place. 40 eateries, drinkeries and sweeteries in all, from Georgina dumplings 14 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I June 2018
at The Khinkali House to chicken tikka masala at All Indian Café and Homemade Waffle Jack waffles. If that’s a lot to take in, you can justify it with all the extra steps you’ll get walking from place to place. Expect more amazing things at Taste Walk Glendale 2019. For more information, visit TasteWalkGlendale.com.
Masters of Taste Gathers Culinary Masterminds in Iconic Rose Bowl Masters of Taste saw its third successful year on May 6, when it brought together some of the city’s top restaurants, wineries, breweries, distilleries and all-things-sweet-eries on the field of Pasadena’s famous Rose Bowl Stadium. More than 75 booths circled the turf, allowing guests the rare opportunity to not only walk along the infield, but to do so in gourmet style. Eateries of all types took the opportunity to shine, churning out limitless tastings of house favorites. Prime rib and wasabi mashed potatoes from Alexander’s Steakhouse, melt-in-your mouth brisket and cornbread from Gus’s Barbecue, and handmade pasta with imported Italian sausage from Nerano were just a few of the eclectic flavors to be found. Pez Cantina’s seafood tostadas and Maestro’s carnitas tacos duked it out for South of the Border deliciousness while Poppy + Rose and Maple battled over who served the best fried chicken. Live cooking demonstrations held a stronger presence this year, with The Bellwether’s Ted Hopson and Ardour Hospitality’s Michael Hung putting on excellent shows for intimate crowds. On the drinks side, wineries gave up their usual lion’s share of the spotlight to breweries, distilleries and alternative beverages…not that there was any www.socalfnbpro.com
shortage of wine, though. Angel City Brewery, Indie Brewing Company and MacLeod Ale Brewing Co. were just a few purveyors of refreshing sips for the warm day, accompanied by wineries such as Navarro Vineyards, Rutherford Wine Company and Lorimar Winery. Dulce Vida Organic Tequila and American Born Moonshine crafted some killer cocktails, and rounding out the lineup were excellent nonalcoholic selections such as Humm Kombucha and Groundwork Coffee. And what would a spectacular food festival be without dessert? ‘Sweet Masters’ are their own category at Masters of Taste, and rightfully so with characters like Zooie’s Goodies and Sidecar offering up birthday cake and panda cookies and huckleberry donut holes. Pink chocolate fountains and unicorn poop meringue cookies were just a few more of the day’s decadent staples. All proceeds from Masters of Taste went to Union Station Homeless Services, a non-profit organization committed to helping homeless individuals and families rebuild their lives. The event continues to grow as one of L.A.’s premiere food festivals, and the foodie community is already anticipating what’s in store for year number four. For more information, visit MastersOfTasteLA.com.
Santa Clarita BBQ and Beer Festival Amps Up Entertainment The Santa Clarita BBQ and Beer festival saw continued expansion in its third year, building on its namesake food and drink with an elevated entertainment focus. Country music star Billy Currington headlined the two-day festival, bringing with him a sea of cowboy hats, plaid shirts and leather boots that gave the festival a true identity for the first time, and one that will inevitably take it further down the country route for www.socalfnbpro.com
years to come. Another part of the festival’s remodel was the addition of an ‘a la carte’ program to Friday’s bottomless beer offering. Two tents hosted dozens of breweries featuring endless pours, as well as additional stands throughout the venue that worked on a drink ticket system. In both cases, the crowd had no shortage of options. Several local favorites highlighted the lineup— Brewery Draconum, Wolf Creek Brewery, Pocock Brewing Co. and The Dudes’ Brewing Company—showing some exciting development in Santa Clarita’s beer scene. Lagunitas, Shock Top, Firestone Walker and Angel City Brewery were just a few major players on the festival’s growing list of purveyors. Barbecue was, of course, ever-present. Carter’s Smoked BBQ dished out their heavenly pulled pork and jaw-dropping grande nachos, while Ambience Catering served up some mean hot links and tri tip. Panchos Nachos and Tacos prepared some excellent BBQ beef made especially for the event, accompanied by street tamales and other south-of-the-border favorites. Burt’s garlic fries were certainly a crowd favorite, their aroma bringing in a steady stream of patrons The festival drew its biggest crowd to date, with a venue nearly four times the size compared to years past. The concert stage, previously tucked away in a corner, took its place front and center this time around, majestically flanked by the hilly landscape. Two enormous fields in Santa Clarita’s Central Park were more than enough to accommodate all the cowboyclad shenanigans that took place, and you’re always pleasantly reminded that you’re in a family-oriented town when you leave a beer festival and there’s a youth soccer game taking place on the other side of the fence. For more information, visit bbqandbeerfestival.com. June 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 15
(E)Y WHISK A FAMILY AFFAIR By Max A. Solano | Photos by Bill Bokelmann
I love the Food & Beverage industry for a plethora of reasons. One of the biggest reasons is that this industry, whether it’s on a local, national or global level, is always growing, evolving and trending. Anyone, who knows or follows me, is aware of my affinity (more like beastly obsession) for all things whisk(e)y, regardless of its spelling. I must admit that I have a very fascinating story of my very first whiskey encounters, but that is better saved for another day and time. However, my real fascination of whiskey started about 14-15 years ago where I would learn about it through trade publications, internet, industry professionals, tastings, etc. This is also when I started diving into the vast categories and slowly discovering what was favorable to my palate at that particular junction of my life. Historically, whisk(e)y has not only played such a significant economical and social role in our country, but throughout the rest of the world. Even though, categorically, whisk(e)y had taken a step back beginning in the 1920s as a byproduct of multiple socio-economic reasons, as well as due to other major spirit categories taking the limelight such as vodka, tequila, gin, rum, Cognac and shochu. Whiskey, within the past 10-15 years, has not only slowly captured the center stage, but has done so in a manner that has never been seen before. With this Whiskey Renaissance we are currently witnessing and with what seems as an endless amount of selections to choose from these days, how is one to know if he or she is making a sound purchase? With Father’s Day right
around the corner, I would like to make some recommendations for yourself or your dad by companies whose whiskies were started and currently are produced by families. The American whiskey industry is truly a family affair. Many brands were either created and/or evolved in the 19th or 20th centuries by families such as the Ripy, Gould, Beam, Dant, Stitzell, Jones, Russell, Van Winkle, Zoeller and Shapira just to name a few. These are brands that were given birth by family patriarchs who typically made their way from Europe and passed their knowledge and love of their craft to their sons. Today, we at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits proudly offer some of these amazing familyinfluenced brands. If you’re looking for a company whose whiskey brands are absolutely on fire, then look no further than the Bardstown & Louisville, Kentuckybased, Heaven Hill. This company is the largest independently-owned spirits producer in the US and was founded by the Shapira family and Joseph Beam in 1935. Eventually, it was taken over fully by the five Shapira brothers and Joseph Beam remained as their Master Distiller. Still family-owned and managed by Max Shapira, the company’s great success is also highly attributed to the five generations of the Beam family members (Joseph, Harry, Earl, Parker and Craig) that managed the distillation for the company up until very recent times. Some of this company’s whiskey brands include Elijah Craig (multiple expressions), Evan Williams (multiple expressions), Rittenhouse Rye, Henry McKenna Bottled-In-Bond,
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Parker’s Heritage (annual limited releases) and Larceny (wheated bourbon) among several others. In December of 2017, in anticipation of Whisky Advocate magazine’s whiskey of the year announcement, Elijah Craig (NAS) barrel proof (Batch 517/124.2 proof) was awarded the distinction. If this wasn’t enough, at this year’s highly coveted San Francisco’s World Spirits Competition, a blind tasting where I am also a judge, Henry McKenna Bottled-In-Bond was awarded a double gold medal and Best Bourbon, overall. Elijah Craig small batch (NAS) was also a finalist and earned itself a double gold medal. Another heavily family-influenced American whiskey brand is Tyrone, Kentucky-based Wild Turkey (Austin Nichols/Campari America owned). You know the name, but do you really know the brand? The company has roots tracing all the way back to 1869, when Thomas Ripy, son of Irish immigrant grocer James Ripy, purchased the Old Moore distillery and began distilling whiskey. Coincidentally, in 1855, the New York-based Austin Nichols company opened as a grocery. Let’s flash forward to 1935, less than two years after the repeal of Prohibition. Schenley, now owners of the Ripy Family whiskies, constructs a new distillery which later becomes the Boulevard Distillery and eventually the Wild Turkey Distillery. In 1939, Austin Nichols gives up the grocery business and goes into the whiskey business, where it begins sourcing its whiskey from the Ripy Family/ Boulevard Distillery (as well as several other producers) and eventually purchases it in 1971. In 1940, Thomas McCarthy, an executive of the www.socalfnbpro.com
Austin Nichols company names his company’s bourbon “Wild Turkey” after he and a group of his buddies went turkey hunting while sipping on whiskey that came straight out of the barrel at 101 proof, so the story goes (name officially taken in 1942). In 1954, a young Kentucky native, Jimmy Russell, begins working at the Ripy family distillery. He becomes Master Distiller, where he still works as Master Distiller Emiritus, going on an astonishing 64 years. His son, Eddie Russell, also began working at Wild Turkey in 1981 and eventually became Master Distiller alongside his dad. Aside from their famous Wild Turkey 101 (and 81 proof) core brands, I highly recommend looking into their line of Russell’s Reserve whiskeys, first introduced in 2001. I have to say, as delicious as they all are, I am slightly partial towards the Russell’s Reserve 10-year bourbon, which is priced at an amazing value, as well as the single barrel rye. The Rare Breed is such a delicious barrel proof bourbon. If you want to splurge a little for yourself or Dad, consider the Master Keep “Decades” with bourbons ranging in ages between 10-20 years, as well as the brand new Master’s Keep “Revival” finished in Spanish ex-Oloroso sherry casks with bourbons ranging 12-15 years of age. With this much experience, knowledge, passion and love for what they do, how can the Russell’s possibly not make stellar whiskey? I suppose I should also mention that Eddie’s son, Bruce, is also working his way up in the company. A brand not embedded with a very long and rich history, but remarkable nonetheless, is Jefferson’s Bourbon. In 1997, Louisville native and bourbon historian Chet Zoeller and his son Trey, created this brand in honor of former President and Founding Father Thomas Jefferson. Chet and Trey purchased large quantities of old whiskey stock and developed a knack for quality blending. If you were not aware, in the US from the 1960s through the 1990s, there was a major decline in popularity in the American whiskey industry for several reasons. So, unlike today, where it’s almost impossible to find American whiskeys with age statements over 15 years of age that are not overly expensive and/or allocated, this was not the case 20 years ago, when the first batches of Jefferson’s Bourbon were being bottled at 15 years old. The ultra-rare Jefferson’s Presidential series that followed really became a collector’s dream with the 17 and 18 year expressions bottled about 10 years ago, sourced from the world-renowned and now defunct StitzellWeller distillery (now Bulleit Distillery). Subsequent Presidential releases included www.socalfnbpro.com
With Father’s Day right around the corner, I would like to make some recommendations for yourself or your dad by companies whose whiskies were started and currently are produced by families. 21, 25 and extremely rare 30 year bottlings of both bourbon and rye. But, what is very unique and resounding about Jefferson’s is how avant garde and experimental this brand has become over the past few years when it comes to the amount of expressions with varying wood finishes. If you’re looking for some great gift ideas, a new Presidential Reserve expression was released at 16 years old with a twin virgin charred American oak cask maturation introduced this year, but inventory won’t last long. The Jefferson’s Reserve wine cask finishes such as the Suduiraut Sauterne cask or the Pritchard Hill (Chappellet wine family) Cabernet Sauvignon cask finish are very unique bourbons with some very good age to them. The Jefferson’s Reserve rum cask finishes its bourbon for a short period of time in Goslings old family rum casks. Let us not forget the Jefferson’s Ocean series, a limited and numbered yearly release where Jefferson’s barrels are placed onboard a shark expedition vessel for several months traveling to thirty ports of entry and crossing the equator 4-5 times. The sea salt air certainly gives this bourbon a delicious and unique flavor profile. If nothing else, the very tasty and well-aged Jefferson’s Reserve still uses old stocks of bourbon ranging from 9-16 years of age. Now, shifting to the single malt whisky consumers… When Japanese whisky was first introduced to the North American market over a decade ago, no one could have predicted the massive demand and popularity of these single malts in such a short span of time. Not even the Japanese themselves. My first encounter with Japanese whisky in the early 2000s is a
rather cool story, although it’s also better saved for another time. Arguably the most soughtafter whisky in the world, the Japanese are experiencing a major shortage in aged stated single malts, or rather all age statements is more like it. Especially to them, there is no rushing the hands of time. If you are not yet familiar with Kavalan, allow me to introduce you to one of the best kept secrets in the world of single malt whisky. Kavalan is a family-owned distillery located in Yilan County of Taiwan, approximately 40 miles southeast of Taipei. The name pays homage to the indigenous people that once inhabited the region. The distillery was founded in 2005 and in 2008 released its first whisky. Taiwan offers a very unique set of subtropical and geographical conditions that makes it very warm and humid throughout most of the year, thus creating an environment which greatly accelerates the maturation of its whiskies and causing a very high rate of angel’s share from within the barrels. Just like the Japanese, Kavalan whisky production methods were very highly influenced by the Scottish, even using Scottish Forsyth-designed stills. Most notably, the late world-renowned whisky consultant, Dr. Jim Swan, was hired by the Lee family to oversee the production of the distillery, as well as the operations. Having first visited the distillery in 2015, I was amazed at how much the design and layout reminded me of some of Japan’s whisky distilleries. Kavalan best reminds me of beautifully harmonic and layered Highland and Speyside single malt Scotch whiskies. A symphony of flavors, some of the expressions are lighter and more delicate like their Classical and King Car expressions. Then, you get into their vast and diverse line of single wood expressions, most of them single casks bottled at cask strength. These are robust, beautifully layered and complexed for days. The Vinho Barrique, exSpanish Oloroso Sherry Cask, Pedro Ximenez and Manzanilla are some of my favorites. If you needed any more convincing, Kavalan whiskies have been some of the most highly-awarded in the last five years, including winning World’s Best Single Malt, World Whisky of the Year and World’s Best Single Cask to name a few. So, now that you have been provided with some stellar whisk(e)y recommendations, go out and try something new that you can share with loved ones or good friends. Drink responsibly and kick back. And, to all the dads out there, Happy Father’s Day! ~ Cheers!
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By Chef Allen Asch Feel free to contact Chef Allen with ideas for comments or future articles at allena@unlv.nevada.edu
Chef Talk The Good Thing in a Small Package: the Sesame Seed
I was in Mexico recently and had the opportunity to tour a sesame seed farm. I never thought much about this little seed, except how many it must take to fill a 6 ounce bottle of oil. I was shocked to learn as much as I did about sesamum indicum, more commonly known as the sesame seed. The plant grows well in tropical zones, including Africa, India and Southern Mexico. Worldwide the harvest is over 6.75 million tons of the seed with Tanzania, India and Sudan being the most prolific producers. Japan is the largest importer of the product, followed by China. The sesame seed is one of the oldest oilseed crops, having been domesticated over 3,000 years ago. The farmed plant originated in India and is now widely planted in many tropical locations. There are some wild versions originating in Africa, but the cultivated type is the most common. Sesame is called a survivor crop due to its ability to withstand excessive
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.
heat, drought and the ability to retain water when it monsoons and requires little farming support. The plant is an annual plant, meaning it has to be planted every year. The seeds that grow in the pods are also called buns and look like okra. They come in a variety of colors, the most common being off-white than the black variety. They also come in tan, gold, brown, gray and buff (yellowish-gray). The color of the hull and seed are the same. Sesame seeds are often overlooked for their health benefits, but they are numerous. They lower blood pressure, both systolic and metabolic; they also fight many types of cancer. Additionally they can help prevent diabetes, bone development, improve digestion, blood circulation, deal with stress and depression, reduce inflammation and help your teeth. To learn more about the health benefits watch this short YouTube video. www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A1kkB1zBDc
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Sesame has one of the highest oil contents of any seed and is highly resistant to turning rancid.
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You should soak black sesame seeds in water overnight to make them digest easily.
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Sesame seeds contain a high number of calories, approximately 50 calories in 1 tablespoon. This is due to the concentrated nature of these seeds, which are overflowing with minerals, vitamins and organic compounds that the body needs. About 75% of Mexico’s sesame crop is purchased by McDonald’s for their sesame seed buns used worldwide.
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By Adam Rains
photos by José Salinas
The 100 Year Flight
Adam has a true passion for food, wine, beer & spirits. He is a barman at CarneVino, a brand ambassador for Brooklyn Brewery, long-time cocktailian, and the Social Media Chair for the United States Bartenders’ Guild in Las Vegas. Adam strives to learn every day and during his career he’s studied at SDSU, USBG, BarSmarts, International Sommeliers Guild and the Certified Cicerone Program. His mantra with both food & cocktails is, “fresh is best.”
The Dalmore is located in the heart of the Scottish highlands and has a lineage that dates back to 1839. They are now building on their legacy and providing select connoisseurs the opportunity to taste mastery through practice made by their master distiller, Richard Patterson. Richard is a Scotch legend with over 50 years perfecting his art in the bottle and bringing it to your glass. His culmination is available at Picasso at the Bellagio in Las Vegas with the 100 year Flight: 1 oz each of three of the most luxurious whiskies anywhere. The Dalmore 25: Only 3,000 bottles produced a year, it starts life in American White Oak and then is married with Palomino Fino sherry and finished in Tawny Port barrels. The whisky is soft and elegant yet retains muscle and structure. Richard says you must give it 25 seconds on the palate. As you let it roll around the tongue, marzipan, orange marmalade, raisins, almonds and rind of the orange unfold. 42% ABV The Dalmore 35: It is sold in Baccarat crystal with a Hamilton silver stag triumphantly displayed. Before bottling, it is transformed by American Oak, Matusalem Sherry barrels and finished with 1970 Colheita Porto wood. In the glass it gives off fruity and vibrant aromas and tastes of cassis and Black Forest fruit along with a touch of licorice. This is a whisky that with time shows its pure opulence. 40% ABV
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The Dalmore 40: Once The Dalmore has reached 30+ years in age, it is married with exclusive and exceptionally rare (30-40 year old) Gonzalez Byass Sherry butts. The 7 years spent in the Oloroso barrels, draws in that sherry cask goodness. It is then finished in first-fill Bourbon barrels. The aromas give hints of Colombian coffee, dates and marmalade, but as you savor, the marzipan, licorice and rich over-ripe pineapple come through. This is a “finisher of finishers” and should be taken at the end of dinner for sipping, lingering and meditation. 40% ABV
June 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 19
The Gospel of Dom Pérignon
When you think of champagne, it is difficult not to think of Dom Pérignon. We all know that it has historical ties, and has been around for hundreds of years but do we really know what makes it so incredibly special? As the official U.S. Brand Ambassador, Diego Meraviglia’s life’s work is dedicated to preaching the gospel of Dom Pérignon, and educating the industry and public about what makes it the world’s most luxurious champagne. How did you come to be the U.S. Brand Ambassador for Dom Pérignon? I think it was destiny. Dom Pérignon was always an inspiration for me throughout my studies as a Sommelier in Italy, and following into my career in the United States. It has consistently been one of my favorite wines, especially due to the history behind it. I am particularly passionate about history in general and think more people should study it. I was teaching courses all over the country and consulting for a multitude of establishments as well as distributors and schools, and amongst was the ‘Comite’ De Champagne.’ One day I got an email from someone who connected me to the recruiter that was handling the position. I immediately sent in my resume, and expressed my strong dream of working for Dom Pérignon. The rest came quite quickly. What makes Dom Pérignon so iconic? Aside from the “since 1668” history which very few brands can boast, there is the heritage Secondly, our vineyards. We make our wine and legacy behind the wine and the abbey with a core blend of eight Grand Cru vineyards of Hautvillers. Our forefather, Dom Pierre and the one historical single-vineyard of Pérignon, is recognized as the spiritual father of champagne. He spent forty-seven years Hautvillers which is classified as Premier Cru. developing and harnessing the method that then The quality of our chardonnay and pinot noir became the “methode Champenoise,” which is grapes is unparalleled. Other wineries have the only true sparkling wine production method great grapes too, but you simply cannot get that obtains high quality wines and is utilized better fruit anywhere in Champagne than the worldwide today. The wine then got associated ones we make our wine with. with royalty and luxury and has been that ever Thirdly, TIME. A lot of time behind us in since. It was an incredible invention/discovery the form of history and a ton of time that we for the world. This history is completely at the basis of the brand’s reorganize-ability and dedicate to the production of every single vintage. Our wines are aged longer and age iconic status. longer than any other champagne in existence What are the three most important things on a consistent level. This creates a complexity, you’d like people to know about Dom harmony, elegance, depth and structure that is Pérignon? unparalleled. Firstly, we are only vintage. Most other maisons do a vintage edition, yes, but we Why is Dom Pérignon more expensive than are ONLY vintage, which in champagne is other brands of Champagne? extremely rare and a risky proposition. This Well, consider that of all the wine made in is our commitment to excellence, skipping the world, champagne is less than 1%, and of vintages altogether when Mother Nature is not that 1% vintage champagne is less than 8% on kind that year. This elevates Dom Pérignon into the realm of fine Burgundy or Bordeaux. It can average. We are the rare of the rare of the rare. be collected, aged, cellared and sold at auction. Our grapes also come from the most expensive Verticals can be presented, and everyone can agricultural real estate in the world. On top of have an opinion or a favorite amongst the that, add the investment of ten years of aging various vintages. It keeps the wine exciting, in our cellars for every single bottle that is and creates anticipation every release. released. 20 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I June 2018
photo by Erin Cooper
Twinkle Toast
By Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover
Erin Cooper and Christine Vanover have been residents of Las Vegas since 2007. Vanover is also a UNLV Alumnus. Both women are Territory Managers for the Resort Wine Team at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, members of Women Gone Wine and the founders of Twinkle Toast. info@twinkletoast.com • www.twinkletoast.com Facebook: @TwinkleToast Twitter: TwinkleToastLV Instagram: TwinkleToastLV
What are some common misconceptions that people have about Dom Pérignon or champagne in general? That the wine is not terroir driven. Regarding champagne in general, that it is not even a wine. People need to understand how much of a wine champagne actually is. It is not some separate beverage of the wine world. It is one of the planet’s true fine wines with all the applications and connections that come with it. What is the quirkiest pairing you’ve enjoyed with Dom Pérignon? For me it was Lamb Burger and Rose’ Dom Pérignon. Incredibly decadent… What is the rarest bottle of Dom Pérignon in existence, and where is it? I would most likely say the original vintage of 1921. I know there are some bottles kept secretly back in Epernay although, one was opened for a high-end event in New York recently. I would generally say 1992, 1996, 2002 and wait for the 2008 to come out. When you aren’t drinking Dom Pérignon, what is your drink of choice? Bordeaux. I only drink wine. Rarely do I touch spirits, and when I do they have to be top notch. Never beer and probably five times a year a cocktail. I am a complete Sommelier. A wine guy, all the way through my soul. www.socalfnbpro.com
Product Review By Bob Barnes
Moore’s Marinades and Sauces Hot sauces are all the rage these days, and I had the opportunity to check out one of the Moore’s Marinades and Sauces line of hot sauces, and naturally I opted for the one with the most heat: Moore’s Habanero Hot Sauce. Made from Costa Rican habanero peppers, it certainly delivers on the heat and with excellent flavor, and has the bonus of being kosher and gluten free. Other flavors in the line include Jalapeno (made with tomatillo and cilantro with just a hint of lime), Harissa (blend of roasted chili peppers, habanero peppers, cayenne peppers and touch of garlic) and Spicy Mustard (mustard seed combined with chili peppers and cayenne peppers, tangy and sweet with a kick). www.mooresmarinade.com
Highland Park Full Volume single malt Scotch One of my Father’s Day presents was getting to sample the Highland Park Full Volume single malt Scotch. Distilled and bottled in Scotland, the distillation occurred in 1999 and it was bottled in 2017. Unlike Highland Park’s other expressions, this one is aged in 100% ex-bourbon casks rather than the distillery’s traditional sherry-seasoned ones. This 47.2% ABV fine sipping very balanced whiskey is pale in color, brings a light peaty aroma and delivers flavors of creamy vanilla and sweet citrus fruits from the bourbon casks, balanced by Highland Park’s characteristic aromatic smokiness. Other flavors edging onto your palate include coconut, cedar wood and lemon peel. www.highlandparkwhiskey.com
Allan Karl’s best-selling book FORKS: A Quest for Culture, Cuisine, and Connection has been a #1 best-seller in three Amazon categories.
FORKS brings the world to your table: An around-the-world adventure story. A colorful photo book with more than 700 color photographs. A global cookbook with 40 signature recipes. Why would someone sell nearly everything he owns, pull roots, and travel for three years--alone--on a motorcycle? One day Allan Karl woke up to discover that he was unemployed and his marriage had ended in divorce. Allan looked at these forks in the road of his life as an opportunity to both follow a life-long dream and pursue his passions. He hopped on his motorcycle and traveled around the world--alone. After three years and 62,000 miles of riding, through 35 countries on 5 continents, he returned home only to set out on another journey--to share the truths he’d uncovered and the lessons learned during his adventure around the world. Between these pages, Allan shares the discoveries, cultures, and connections he made on this global adventure. Through stories, color photos, and the flavors of real local food, FORKS brings his adventure to life and the world to your table: the kindness of strangers, the beauty of humanity, the colors of culture, and the powerful gift of human connection. Every photograph, story, and recipe in this book presents readers with an opportunity to witness new cultures, taste exotic flavors, or journey into dangerous and unknown territories. Every experience is an opportunity to connect with others.
The second edition of FORKS is widely available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Indie Bookstores everywhere. Autographed and personalized signed copies are available on the FORKS website www.forksthebook.com. www.socalfnbpro.com
June 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 21
IN THE TIME IT TAKES TO READ THIS AD, WE’VE MADE LITTLE TO NO PROGRESS. We slow-roast the finest 100% Weber Blue Agave for more than three days and then slowly crush it with a two-ton tahona stone wheel. The result is an earthy, complex taste that’s more than worth the wait.
The perfect way to enjoy Patrón is responsibly. Handcrafted and imported exclusively from Mexico by The Patrón Spirits Company, Las Vegas, NV. 42-45% abv.
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
I know there are other “old timers” out there who think just like me. If we are looking for or trying to establish that thing called “service” then we will have to get a time machine and travel to the past. I don’t believe that our current societal or social norms have the slightest clue or capacity for serving others. I know I sound harsh and judgmental, but I have a basis for my opinions. It’s in my DNA and permeates my every thought. I notice the impatience, rudeness and lack of caring in almost every encounter. If ever we want to return to a polite society and any semblance of “service,” here’s what we must do going forward…
What Ever Happened to Customer Service?
• Teach our children manners and courtesy. • Lead by example–show the behaviors that we want them to have.
I don’t know if you can but I remember when customer service was real. It was down-to-earth, genuine, caring for and about the customer. I know that I’m aging myself a bit, but there was a time when the customer came first and businesses did everything they could to keep you. Here are some examples of what I can recall… • When a gas station attendant would run out of the office, greet you with “hello, how may I help you” and pump your gas. They even managed to clean your windshield and the side mirrors as well. • I can remember when there was no charge for a bank account, you were greeted with a smile and the teller would take my $5.00 deposit for my savings account and write the new balance in my passbook. There was no monthly fee or service charge for a low balance (this banking experience is non-existent today). • I remember when you could return to a merchant with goods or services that you paid for that were faulty and they apologized for the inconvenience and took care of the problem right away (not like today where you do all the work to fix a service problem and get nothing but attitude and excuses). • I remember a time when you’d walk through a door and anyone ahead of you would hold
it for you and wait, and it was natural to say “thank you” to them with sincerity for the courtesy! (today that same door just gets slammed in your face). • I remember when “service” meant someone serving you and you tipped according to the quality of that service (now a certain percentage tip is expected regardless of quality of service). So, what is service like today? Well it’s like those situations that I’ve mentioned above in parentheses. It’s a “fix your own problems” and “don’t bother me” experience in many ways. Let me give you some examples. • I called my credit card bank company about a fraud situation the other day and they said I’d have to call the merchant where the fraud charges came from? Hmmm. I didn’t make those purchases, so why wouldn’t they even speak to me or refund the erroneous charges? Again, do it yourself mentality of passing the buck. • I had a poorly prepared meal with burnt food at a local BBQ establishment at a large casino and spoke to the server and then the manager about the poor quality of food. I hadn’t even asked yet for a replacement or refund and she just looked at me and said “Hmmm” – and then she walked away doing nothing at all.
• Stop making excuses for life not giving us all that we “deserve.” • Develop a work ethic and then find pride in our accomplishments. • Be thankful for what we have, such as: our health, family, food on the table and place to sleep as well as a safe and free country. I think that the key to bringing back customer service is to develop the capacity to again care about the customer experience and then train to those expectations. It has to become a high priority for business to care about and understand what it’s like for your patrons as a customer of your establishment. I believe, with all my heart, we truly do care but that we have just lost our way due to technology and greed. We need to bring back those solid attributes of communication, caring about others, and respect–and we can recover if we try. Finally, if you’ve had any similar and interesting “service” experiences, I welcome you to drop me a line and share those situations. I plan to have ongoing articles on this topic every 2-3 months and will print your stories.
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 2018
www.socalfnbpro.com
CABERNET
COLOR UP YOUR LIFE! RIEDEL.COM
Wine Talk
with Alice Swift
By Alice Swift Alice Swift has been writing Wine Talk since 2011, and has a passion for education and hospitality/ F&B. In 2016, she obtained her Ph.D. in Hospitality Administration from UNLV and moved from the “ninth island” to the island of Oʻahu. She now works for Kamehameha Schools as an instructional designer/project manager, and teaches part-time for UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality. See more at www.aliceswift.com.
Wine Preservation Methods
Private Reserve consumer inert gas
Enomatic commercial cabinet system
The inspiration for this month’s article comes from my social media feed, actually. After doing my daily browse through my Facebook friends’ posts, I saw a wine-related question come up (reworded for clarity): “How long does a bottle of wine last after it has been opened?” It’s never a simple answer, as there are so many factors involved (red, white, age and other characteristics of the wine, storage conditions, etc.) Technically, wine begins to “expire,” or oxygenate, shortly after it has been opened. However, some wines do need some exposure to oxygen in order to open up the aroma and flavor characteristics within. Generally, the less exposure of the wine to oxygen the better, when trying to preserve it. Instead of focusing on answering that complicated question, I thought I would share some of the wine preservation methods that are used within the industry and in the home. In addition to some of the traditional methods, there have been some new innovations that have come to market in the past few years. Traditionally, there were three major categories of wine preservation after a bottle has already been opened: inert gas, cabinet systems and vacuum systems. Inert Gas usually consists of some type of unique combination of gases that are heavier than oxygen, typically a blend of argon, carbon dioxide and/or nitrogen. Various brands can be found in your local wine shops, or purchased online (e.g. privatepreserve.com). Cabinet Systems usually are a combination of the inert gas concept with automatic dispensing capabilities. The system pours your wine as it replaces the void with inert gas. Oftentimes these systems are used in restaurants that offer wine tastings and wines-by-the-glass to preserve the wines longer. There are many competitors that offer a variety of cabinet systems for commercial use, such as Enomatic (nomatic.com), and also for home use Vinotemp (vinotemp.com). Finally, the vacuum system is a simple concept where a pump and rubber stoppers are used to pump all the available oxygen out of a bottle. It is the least expensive option, and can extend the life of a wine, especially in combination with proper refrigeration in a wine fridge. Though there are many options available, one brand that is reliable and has been around for a long time is Vacu Vin (vacuvin.com/products/wine-saver).
Vacu Vin consumer vacuum system
www.socalfnbpro.com
AirCork consumer re-corking system
Savino consumer sealed carafe
Coravin consumer wine extractor
In recent years, there have been more companies trying to create new inventions for preserving wines. AirCork (aircork.com), formerly called “Wine Balloon,” its inventor Eric Corti was initially featured on the show Shark Tank in late 2012 (he initially accepted a buyout offer, but then changed his mind and decided to take the entrepreneurial route). The concept is simple. A balloon is inserted into the bottle and is inflated until the balloon touches the sides of the bottle. This seals the wine off, significantly reducing exposure to oxygen. Since then, the product has lived on, winning first place on the Food Network show Invention Hunters (formerly called Kitchen Inventors). Another ingteresting invention, called Savino (savinowine.com), was first introduced on Kickstarter. This product does require using the proprietary carafe. Once the bottle of wine is poured in, the “float” is inserted, which creates a seal between the wine and the oxygen, then the lid is placed on top. Another innovation I’ve been reading about is quite intriguing, as the bottle of wine is NEVER opened until perhaps the last glass, yet consumers are able to extract the wine. Coravin (coravin.com) was invented by Greg Lambrecht, and involves inserting a fine needle through the capsule and cork into the wine within the bottle. The remaining wine in the bottle is preserved by the inert gas inserted in its place by the device. Natural cork will then reseal itself, leaving the bottle intact and unopened. Of course, this product will not work with synthetic corks or screw caps, but due to the price range of coravin, it’s likely that you would only be using this for your higher-end wines. If your opened wine is just too late to be saved, there are always some other options to repurpose your non-drinkable wine in addition to just cooking with it! Here are just a few options for you to try: • Sangria • Mulled Wine • Wine Reduction/Sauce (Make a sauce to pair with your entrees, even add balsamic vinegar to make a wine reduction.) • Wine Syrup (Use as a sauce/syrup for desserts, ice cream, etc.) Options for wine preservation have certainly evolved and grown over the past several years. I look forward to seeing the continued advancement of the wine innovations that will be upon us soon in the coming years. Until next month, Cheers~! Alice
June 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 27
Brett’s
By Jackie Brett
Jackie is a freelance public relations specialist and writer specializing in the Las Vegas entertainment and travel scene. Her writings have appeared in magazines and newspapers nationwide and on numerous websites.
Email: jackiebrett@cox.net
ENTERTAINMENT
“The Stevie Wonder Song Party: A Celebration of Life, Love & Music,” will headline Park Theater at Park MGM Aug. 3, 4, 8, 10 and 11. Surviving Queen band members and American Idol star Adam Lambert have a 10-date limited engagement of “The Crown Jewels” at Park Theater Sept. 1-22. Widespread Panic will follow with a three-show run Oct. 26, 27 and 28. Barry Manilow returns to the Westgate’s showroom with a new show and residency. June dates are 14-16 and 21-23. YES will bring their “Quintessential YES: The 50th Anniversary Tour” to Westgate Saturday, Sept. 1.
Golden Rainbow will present Broadway musical “Chicago” for its 32nd Annual Ribbon of Life fundraiser at the Foundry at SLS Sunday, June 24 at 1 p.m. Hooters two new shows are “Cons of Comedy” and late night sexy “Electric Candy.”
photo by Dennis Leupold
DINING
Mariah Carey will return with a new residency show “The Butterfly Returns” at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace beginning Thursday, July 5. Janelle Monáe is bringing her upcoming North American “Dirty Computer Tour” to the Pearl Concert Theater at the Palms Tuesday, June 26. Amy Schumer and Friends will headline an exclusive series of comedy shows at The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan Aug. 10-11 and Nov. 2-3. The “American Idol: Live!” 2018 tour will visit the Orleans Arena Sunday, July 29 featuring this season’s top seven finalists and Season 8 winner, Kris Allen. “The Magic of Jen Kramer” starring the “Female Magician of the Year” opened at Westgate Cabaret. Cindy Williams of Laverne and Shirley fame returned as guest star playing the fifth girlfriend in “Menopause The Musical” at Harrah’s. George Thorogood & The Destroyers are returning for a poolside performance at the Sunset Station’s Amphitheater Friday, July 20. Eddie Griffin has a headlining stand-up comedy residency inside The Sayers Club at SLS and will appear this fall in A Star is Born with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. Comedians John “Cap” Caparulo (ThursdaySaturday) and Tom Green (Sunday-Monday) are now The Comedy Lineup 10 p.m. regulars at Harrah’s. Reggae YouTube star Conkarah returns for a performance inside Crimson at Red Rock Resort Saturday, July 21.
Osteria Costa opened at The Mirage offering Italian dishes meant to evoke the Amalfi Coast in space formerly occupied by Samba Brazilian Steakhouse. Clubhouse Deli opened at Rampart Casino and JW Marriott, adjacent to the recently updated Race & Sports Book area, and The Palms Tower hall has a new Starbucks. The Underground Lounge at Hooters opened next to the Sports Book with Karaoke Night Thursday through Saturday. Beer Park introduced a new custom-made Budweiser beer bar with seating for 15 and beer from copper kegs sent directly from Budweiser’s brewery in Fairfield, Calif. The Tropicana will host the second public “Summer Cookout featuring Robert Irvine” at the chef’s Public House Thursday, June 14.
ABOUT TOWN
MSG Sphere Las Vegas 18,000-seat arena is a 360-foot-tall spherical venue planned for behind The Venetian-Palazzo resorts in 2020 with an exterior illuminated with programmable LED lights. The 47-story, 392-room Mandarin Oriental at CityCenter will become a Waldorf Astoria under the Hilton umbrella in August. Accordingly, the plan is a $50-million renovation to reimagine the hotel. Monte Carlo officially shed its name with the new signage taking on the new identity–Park MGM. Dining experiences still to be added include a new Roy Choi dining concept and a specifically-designed Eataly marketplace. Wellness trailblazer Canyon Ranch has introduced its third brand extension. CR CREĀT is the company’s first stand-alone, quick-andcasual culinary concept located inside the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian/Palazzo. World Market Center Las Vegas in partnership with the City of Las Vegas will build a new $76 million Expo Center.
28 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I June 2018
Julien’s Auctions will hold a Hollywood Legends auction at Planet Hollywood June 22 presenting Property From The Estate Of Jerry Lewis. Mt. Charleston Lodge at the top of Kyle Canyon has been purchased by Ellis Island Casino and Brewery and will make minor renovations. Moving from the Emergency Arts building, the Burlesque Hall of Fame downtown has a new larger location at 1027 S. Main Street. Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines new year-round Antelope Canyon Expedition tour is the first and only excursion offering nonstop flights to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend from Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. Fighters Only Magazine will celebrate its 10th anniversary with the World MMA Awards gala Tuesday, July 3 at the Pearl Concert Theater at the Palms Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Center with its debut Las Vegas-spot in Boca Park opened its second location in Downtown Summerlin. New developments at The LINQ include: Virtual Reality Adventures moving to a new mall location; Socks & Bottoms opening in June; and Marshall Retail Group opening their new retail concept, Welcome to Las Vegas Gift Shop.
EVENTS
Newly established United States of America Pageant will hold Teen, Miss, Ms. and Mrs. competitions for women from Nevada and California July 27-29 at the Conference Center of Las Vegas. The 11th annual Grand Poker Series is being held at the Golden Nugget through July 3 in the Grand Event Center with more than 90 poker tournaments spread across 36 days. The 7th annual Health, Healing & Happiness Conference & Expo June 8-10 at Tuscany features 30-plus presentations, the Holistic Living Expo, and celebrity doctor Joel Fuhrman returning as a keynote speaker. www.socalfnbpro.com
COOK•EAT: Asia Fusing Asian Cook • Eat (Final)
Good things end, regretfully. This is my last story of the series of sake, Japanese foods and the Asian food culture I have written over the last five years. My great pleasure as well as challenge has been to share the bicultural views of Japan-Asia and America with the mainstream food people here. In particular taste, flavor, appetite, habits, preference or food characters are hard to convey even among ourselves, and even harder to those who have different cultural backgrounds. Here my mission to connect the West with the East comes to an end anyway. Hope you got some ideas or hints for something creative in cooking or joyful in eating. For the finale I would like to share my experience of the latest trip to Italia where I have witnessed mingling of the West and the East food cultures. My trip started eating carbonara pasta with vino rosso at a cozy ristorante near the Colosseum in Rome. It was the start of indulging in pasta or pizza and wine, red or white, as well as my search for the East in Italy for the next 10 days. My knowledge tells me that pasta, noodles specifically, arrived from China through the Silk Road to Italy. In Pompeii, there were many ruins of bread ovens and hearths to keep soup warm in earthen pots. Noodles were not common prior to the blast of Mt. Vesuvius? By the way, in the East noodles were made by cutting into strips, while many in the West were made by extruding or rounding around sticks. And, olive oil, a Mediterranean region product, was used also for lighting at night? Guess what, I made a request for hot sauce for a pasta dish for my curiosity. No, no, I was not given a Tabasco or jalapeno sauce. Olive oil with peperoncino was swiftly brought to me. It can be made at home. The varietal choices of meat products and cheeses, ah! I, a hotdog eater, was jealous of Italians. Though tomatoes originated not from Italy but the new world, without tomato and olive oil, no Italian foods would exist today. A tomato treat, Bologna sauce I enjoyed for lunch at a cobblestone street ristorante on the way to Venice. Even in this wine country, craft beers are new and trendy so I tasted a PSYcH IPA. My curiosity of the East culinary presence in Italy was partly fulfilled by encountering Asian-Chinese restaurants in Rome, Pompeii, Florence and Venice, some even with a sign of sushi. In the heart of Florence my wife and I ventured into a contemporary seafood eatery serving sashimi-grade fish. Though, we enjoyed Italian-style seafood dishes instead. In Burano Island outside Venice, a real Italian fishing village and seafood place, however, no sign of sushi was seen. Of the noodles again, rice Vermicelli noodles, my wife enjoyed Ramen for a snack at an Asian restaurant in Rome. Furthermore, a new noodle connection between the two worlds, instant cup noodles this time, was discovered at many food stores. An interesting West meets East “Suppli,” a fried rice ball, was found in a cafeteria near Vatican City. It was a tomato sauced rice, balled with a strip of cheese, and fried. Different shaped ones were also spotted at highway www.socalfnbpro.com
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. “West Eats East” was his last series in this journal.
truck stop delis. Fried rice balls could be presented in many flavors, ingredients and shapes, which can be new quick bites in rice-eating in Japan and Asia. Giapponese has not noticed it? My East-West encounter ended with sushi at a carousel Kaiten restaurant at Heathrow Airport, London, as an extra, when I needed to go out for re-check-in. Thus “West meets or eats East” was interestingly found in today’s Italy. Besides, I have seen the world where people, food, drinks and many things are mingling all together, with some polarization. Our dear co-travelers and great travel director “T” made this trip fantastico, unforgettable eternally. In final, my appreciation goes to Mike Fryer, Sr. Editor/Publisher and Bob Barnes, Editorial Director, for such a unique chance for the readers in Las Vegas, SoCal and beyond. Good-bye, Adios, Arrivederci, Zaijan, Au Revoir, Auf Wiedersehen and Sayonara!
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 June 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 29
EVENTS
AD INDEX
There are several major food & beverage events coming up in the next few months. Here is a sampling of some of the events we highly recommend, so if planning to attend you should start booking now.
Al Dentes’ Provisions sales@aldentes.com 702-642-1100
June 6-8 Coffee Fest Denver Colorado will feature everything to do with coffee from prep to service and where to get the best equipment and product. Great chance for anyone in the coffee business to attend and learn. www.coffeefest.com/.../coffee-fest-denver-2018 June 10-12 IDDBA Expo New Orleans is the International Dairy-DeliBakery Association’s Show with exhibitors showing and tasting their latest products for the Food & Beverage Industry. Great chance to try and taste what the Dairy, Deli and Bakery Industry have to offer. www.iddba.org June 12-14 the World Tea Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center will bring everything from the world of tea, with previews of new products and newly launched innovations. www.worldteaexpo.com July 7-8 Somm Summit Seattle sommeliers, professionals, collectors, stewards and aficionados are invited to taste, talk, learn, share and celebrate the world of wine and spirits. Connect with enthusiasts and masters of wine, vine and service for a deliciously serious educational conference. Vintages and varieties will abound throughout this two-and-a-half-day symposium featuring seminars, tastings, networking with industry professionals and personal one-on-one education and interaction with premier national and international wineries. sommsummit.com
Bivi Sicilian Vodka 631-464-4050 www.bivivodka.com
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Big Dog’s Brewing Company page 19 www.bigdogsbrews.com 702-368-3715 Ferrari-Carano Vinyards & Winery ferrari-carano.com
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Keep Memory Alive Event Center 702-263-9797 kmaeventcenterlasvegas.com
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Jay’s Sharpening Service www.jayssharpening.com 702-645-0049
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Riedel riedel.com
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Roca Patron rocapatron.com
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Rodney Strong Estate Vinyards www.rodneystrong.com
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White Soy Sauce www.whitesoysaucefood.com
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World Tea Expo www.worldteaexpo.com
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July 28-29 PMA-Produce Marketing Association will hold its annual foodservice show in Monterey, California with a two-day trade show with demos and tastings throughout the event. Excellent show to attend and learn about the most current produce programs and products from the various suppliers to the foodservice industry. www.pma.com/events/foodservice
American Culinary Federation Chefs of SoCal
The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional is proud to be associated with these fine organizations: ACF-American Culinary Federation Chef de Cuisine Association of California Chapter Culinarians of San Diego Chapter Chefs de Cuisine Association of San Diego Chapter 30 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I June 2018
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CHARDONNAY SUMMER
“L s
Please enjoy our wines responsibly. ferrari-carano.com
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