September 2013

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Wirtz Beverage Amps Up Life Is Beautiful Festival – Together Working to Revitalize Downtown Vegas See story on page 20

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Issue 9 Volume 13

September 2013

CONTENTS

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Cover Wirtz Beverage Nevada has tied up with the ‘LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL’

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Back Cover

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FEATURES Festival for its first Las Vegas event to be held Downtown.

Our recent meeting with Wirtz Beverage’s Nevada Senior VP Kevin Roberts and LIB’s Head of Culinary Arts Jolene Mannina proved to be very enlightening, hearing that many celebrity chefs and restaurants will be joining the three day event. Wirtz will also be producing a number of segments supporting the overall event.

This is one you don’t want to miss!

Cover photo by Shanna Magnuson.

ASK DOCTOR SAKE “HOME BREWS” SAKE THIS MONTH, which excites us all, including the home beer brewers. Part #1 of this 2 part article shows how to brew a low grade sake at home with a limited means of supplies, but still have some basic success.

Next month’s article will help us improve our sake brewing skills and develop a better sake…

OUR “IN-HOUSE” MIXOLOGIST AND BEVERAGE EDITOR, Adam Rains, takes us on a nostalgic, and ‘eye-opening’ trip to products we use in drink recipes, and explores the possibilities of what’s to come. Be ready for some unusual facts and frankness and, as always, enjoy!

WFC-WORLD FOOD CHAMPIONSHIPS is coming back to Las Vegas this year and in a new Downtown venue and featuring “The Ultimate Food Fight.” With a $300,000 prize purse it should be a good fight!

A new segment is called “The Ultimate Bacon Experience,” and bacon lovers definitely won’t want to miss it!

So save the dates, November 7 thru 10, and head for Downtown Las Vegas.

Page 4 Hot Off the Grill!

Page 12 Wine Talk

Page 5 Implementing BOH Systems: Intense Work Up Front Yields Better Results

Page 13 On the Edge with Al Mancini

Page 6 What’s Brewing?

Page 15 Miyako Hybrid Hotel Torrence, CA

Page 7 Mixology-ology: Eric Hobbie

Page 16 G2E 2013

Page 8 ASK DOCTOR SAKE… Is Sake Home Brewing Possible?

Part I Page 9 Behind the Stick Page 10 Food For Thought: Trust Me - You Don’t Need to Be a Snob Page 11 Aces & Ales II on Teneya Opening Parties

www.lvfnb.com

Page 14 What’s Cooking?

Page 18 Brett’s Vegas View Page 19 Late Night Dining with Kim: Late Night Adventures at The Henry and Allegro Page 20 COVER FEATURE Life is Beautiful with Wirtz Beverge Page 23 PHOTOS - ACF Chefs National Convention Sweets Roku Grand Opening

Page 24 Garrett Ahnfeldt, a Rising Star in Napa Valley with His G Wine Cellars Is Making Some Big Noise Page 25 PHOTOS: Curtis Stone Dinner & Afterparty at SUSHISAMBA

Page 30 Public House Page 32 Real Texas Flavor Theme Styled!

Photos Yellowtail at Bellagio

Wirtz Beverage’s Stanley Cup Tour

Page 33

Page 26 HR Insights Getting a Handle on Attendance Problems

Foodservice &

Page 27 PHOTOS: Venetian Wine Walk... ...And a Quick Stop at SUSHISAMBA! Page 28 Product Spotlight PHOTOS: Milagro at Surrender

77th Annual Western Hospitality Expo Page 34 Dining Green on Campus Page 36 Rock ‘n Roll Cocktail Party Page 39 Events Advertiser Index

September 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 3

The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 1200 S TORREY PINES SUITE 172 Las Vegas, NV 89146 www.lvfnb.com

HOT OFF THE GRILL!

September 2013 Mike Fryer Editor-in-Chief Thank you for joining us in this issue of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.

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

Aces & Ales, in conjunction with The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional, recently hosted opening events for their new Westside location by inviting Food & Beverage Industry Professionals for an introduction to their 50 beers on tap and extensive 24 hour menu. LVFNB’S Mike Fryer and Crystal Marie had a chance to meet and catch up with associates and friends including Chefs de Cuisine Lloyd Bansil of Hakkasan in the MGM Grand and Michael Chen of Yellowtail at the Bellagio.

Hyde Bellagio recently hosted the Rock & Roll Cocktail Party featuring more than 15 of the top Las Vegas Mixologists and their drink concoctions.

We had the chance to meet up with R&R Cocktail Organizer Ryan Wieczorek and Chelsea Adams with LVFNB photographer Emil Rajkowski and his wife Rebecca. Great event, great party, great drinks, and great music.

We are looking forward to the next Rock & Roll Cocktail Event put on by Ryan.

Juanita Aiello Publisher & Creative Director juanita@lvfnb.com

Bob Barnes Editorial Director bob@lvfnb.com

Crystal Marie Marketing Specialist & Brand Ambassador crystal.marie@lvfnb.com

The Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center and is the largest yearly food & beverage expo on the West Coast organized by the California Restaurant Association. The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional shared a booth with our newest partner and associate Smart Bar. During the show we were able to catch a shot with LVFNB’s Editor-in-Chief, Mike Fryer and Marketing Specialist & Brand Ambassador, Crystal Marie, along with Smart Bar’s Creator, Adam Rozen.

Adam Rains Beverage Editor adam.rains@lvfnb.com

The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional welcomes letters to the editor. We are always striving to improve this publication and would like to know your comments and thoughts. Here’s your chance to be heard. Send your comments to info@lvfnb.com and they may be published in next month’s issue! @lvfnb NOTE: All submissions become the property of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.

The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Pre-Press Technician Brandon Yan

Journalist Chef Jet

Journalist Juanita Fryer

Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett

Journalist Shelley Stepanek

Journalist Food for Thought Les Kincaid

Journalists Scott & Elaine Harris

Journalist Mixology-ology Mitchell Wilburn

Journalist Beth Ellyn Rosenthal

Journalist Late Night Dining with Kim Kim Trevino

Journalist Ask Dr. Sake K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.

Journalist Rebecca Rajkowski

Spirits Editor The Spirit of Spirits Adam Carmer

Journalist On the Edge with Al Mancini Al Mancini

Journalist Ryan Wieczorek

Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein

Journalist Green Restaurant Association Michael Oshman

Journalist Wine Talk Alice Swift

Journalist Epicurean Corner Lisa Podaca

Journalist Mark Kelnhofer

Journalist & Photographer Ben Brown

Photographer Bill Bokelmann

Photographer Emil Rajkowski

Photographer Danette Chappell

4 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2013

www.lvfnb.com

By Mark Kelnhofer, MBA

Implementing BOH Systems: Intense Work Up Front Yields Better Results Being in numerous restaurants and attending many tradeshows and events, one can find without any difficulty restaurant operators that either do not have their cost proactively identified or a formal menu engineering process. We are in a unique industry where we are dealing with a true art. The creativity, flavor profile, quality and presentation all play an important role in our decision making processes when we are developing a menu. We also should have the numbers related to our menu items to determine profitability. Too many times the left analytical side does not marry up to the right creative side of our thought processes. The goal of any systems is to automate this process to allow the operator to have access to more data and better means to manage the business. What we choose to use is an important decision.

Many operators turn to Excel as a tool to use for recipe costing, menu engineering and other aspects of managing the business. Excel is a great tool for many things, however, generally speaking not a supply management tool. The primary reason for this is the level of detail involved in the creation and maintenance of the data. The initial creation of the data between Excel and other systems are fairly comparable. There is a level of complexity that exists for both. The advantage of actual systems is the ongoing maintenance and management is much easier to execute. The real question becomes one of why is it so difficult? Although each operator and concept may have different needs in the systems, let’s take a look at some of the areas that are involved with the initial setup of a system: General Accounting Data: In many cases, a system will have the ability to create an accounting chart of accounts (COA) in order to code recipes, inventory items and expenses to eventually report against. Items that may need to be maintained are income statement and balance account descriptions, the general ledger coding for those accounts and possibly profit centers (BOH/FOH).

Conversion Tables: The number of pack sizes and the corresponding math to convert those packs sizes in many cases can be huge in size. This becomes important not only for perpetual inventory systems but also for proper costing. In many cases, this is where many errors in costing occur.

Incorrect pack sizes assigned to a purchased item or incorrect math that is related to the pack size. As we all know, pack sizes for the product we purchased are not consistent form vendor to vendor.

Vendors and Order Guides: The vendors that we are utilizing and their warehouses need to be maintained with their associated order guides.

Pack size even with the same exact vendor may be different. Order guides need to be specific to the vendor and markets they serve. In many cases restaurant operators utilize a number of purveyors including typically a primary food vendor and other local vendors such as seafood, bakery and produce. Secondary vendors may also be part of the database such as Restaurant Depot or Costco.

Recipes: Depending on the level of detail that the operators desire, this can be a huge undertaking. It is recommended that the recipe database and the level of detail be built over time. There are quite a few data entry points that exist on a recipe and in many cases cannot be uploaded due to the detail. Areas may include not only the ingredient detail, but also yields, prep times, cook times, tools and equipment, utensils, food safety, nutritional, methods and photos. Another thing to consider is the level of

Mark Kelnhofer is the President and CEO of Return On Ingredients LLC and has over 20 years in management accounting experience including ten years in restaurant industry. He is an international speaker on recipe costing and menu engineering. He can be reached at (614) 558-2239 and Mark@ReturnOnIngredients.com.

detail to capture the full process. If a line cook or a chef’s hands are on the process, a recipe really should be created to account for the cost. As an example, “Diced Granny Smith Apples” accounts for taking each to a weight. It is a very simple process, but one where a cost in incurred.

These are the basic areas that need maintenance in order to implement systems.

Beyond that we may have larger capabilities for production and ordering, invoice processing, menu engineering, and other areas that also may have some set up. All of these areas rely on the basic information and data to be in place. This is a lot of work for an operator to take on! However, the long term benefits are huge. Even with the basic of systems you have a better means to assign proper costing for inventory valuation and recipes. The accurate recipe costs can then be utilized to assist in driving profitability on the menus. The documented recipes also become a tool to train and develop back-of-the-house personnel to increase quality and consistency of each menu item.

As stated before, Excel was never meant to be a supply chain management tool. Those who attempt to do it will find that due to the amount of data entry points and formulas needed, it is nearly impossible to get to the level of detail and accuracy that most systems can provide. With any system (and yes, even Excel) there is a large investment of time and cost required to set up the initial database.

The long term benefits of reduced costs and increased profitability far outweigh the initial development costs.

Many operators turn to Excel as a tool to use for recipe costing, menu engineering and other aspects of managing the business. Excel is a great tool for many things, however, generally speaking not a supply management tool.

www.lvfnb.com

September 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 5

By Bob Barnes

what’s

BREWING?

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

Email: bob@lvfnb.com

Motley Brews 2nd Annual Downtown Brew Festival

Sam Adams Beer Dinner at Lagasse’s Stadium

Lagasse’s Stadium at The Palazzo held a Sam Adams beer dinner on July 27, allowing Chef Scott Pajak to demonstrate both his culinary creativity and love of beer. Chef started us off with green chili chicken nachos paired with Little White Rye. Spice met spice, as the coriander, orange peel and sage in the beer tempered the jalapeños and chili-spiced cheese sauce in the nachos. Citrus meeting citrus was the result of the next pairing—Summer Ale with tuna carpaccio with arugula tossed in citrus

Oktoberfest in Las Vegas

vinaigrette, with refreshing citrus compliments of the noble hops and grains of paradise infused in the Ale. Lobster risotto with brie cheese sauce and sweet corn coulis was matched with Porch Rocker, a lemonade shandy. Chef told us with this dish he was going with a summer theme, with lemonade, corn on the cob and lobster with lemon providing the inspiration. BBQ pork loin on braised greens with grilled peach chutney was the star of the night for me. Chef had braised kale in Boston Lager, champagne vinegar, jalapeño and cayenne for two hours and then let it simmer for an additional three hours, which resulted in a succulent and savory dish made a bit complex by the subtle Belgian funk from the yeast in the Belgian Session it was paired with.

The finale was mixed berry crisp composed of fresh blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries. The accompanying beer was a natural fit, the Blueberry Hill Lager that came through with ample blueberry aroma and flavor.

Chef hosts beer-themed dinners every few months and most of the featured items are ones you will not find on the regular menu.

Priced at only $55, and set in a casual relaxed environment, it’s definitely worth checking out.

Photos by Bill Bokelmann

Kenjiro Tomita Takes Over Brewing Reigns at Triple 7

Kenjiro Tomita has signed on as the new brewmaster at Main Street Station’s Triple 7 Brewpub, replacing Guy Bartmess, who left to open his own brewery in Temecula. Kenjiro grew up in Key West and earned a Bachelors in Biomedical Science from the University of South Florida, but decided his true passion was beer. After working at Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, Kenjiro headed west and completed the 6-month Brewmasters Program at UC Davis, during which he completed two internships—

6 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2013

It’s time to start thinking about Oktoberfest.

Although the name suggests an October date, traditional celebrations begin in September, and Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas’s festivities will run from September 14 through October 31. The Vegas Hofbräuhaus is an authentic replica of its brewhaus in Munich, which is one of only six breweries commissioned to make the beer for the Oktoberfest in Bavaria. A highlight is the unveiling of the Oktoberfestbier, the very same brew created for the Munich Oktoberfest.

Celebrity guest keg tappings take place on Fridays or Saturdays at 7 p.m. and bands from Germany are imported, providing nightly singa-longs. Hofbräuhaus is located at Harmon and Paradise across from the Hard Rock Casino.

Aces & Ales Hosting Monthly Beer Dinners

Aces & Ales is now hosting monthly beer dinners at its new Tenaya location. Its inaugural dinner on Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. will be a five-course pairing of San Diego’s Green Flash Brewing.

Secure your spot soon by calling 702-638BEER, as it’s limited to 30 people and the cost is only $40.

Ellis Island Hosts Sin City Beer Festival

Photos by Stephanie Barnes

The Downtown Brew Festival on September 21 will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Clark County Amphitheater. Expect more than 150 beers from 50 breweries, plenty of locallybrewed brews, food trucks and live music.

With several outstanding events under his belt, organizer Brian Chapin has proven himself to be one who knows how to put on a superior beerfest, with a great quantity of quality beer being served. Motley Brews fests typically sell out, so consider purchasing your tickets at motleybrews.com, where you’ll also find the line-up of breweries that will be pouring. Tickets include unlimited sampling and are $35 ($45 at the door), $45 for early entry at 5:00 ($55 at the door) and $65 ($75 at the door) for VIP, which includes early entry and four courses from Chef Christian Dolias of CutThroat Culinary. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Nevada Craft Brewers Association, which will provide some specialty beers brewed just for the fest. The Amphitheater is located at 500 S. Grand Central Parkway.

one at Deschutes Brewing in Oregon and one at Hangar 24 in Redlands, CA. Be sure to stop in and welcome Kenjiro to our brewing community.

On August 24 Ellis Island hosted the Sin City Beer Festival, in support of Three Square food bank, in the outdoor space by its front entrance.

Although the selection wasn’t huge, I found enough good beers and a lively atmosphere to make it a fun time, and enjoyed sampling several of Brewmaster Joe Pickett’s Ellis Island Brewpub beers, including his amber ale, hefeweizen and hard lemonade. I was able to visit with Joe who said more fests will be coming to Ellis Island.

As always, great beer happens in Vegas! www.lvfnb.com

Mixology-ology:

By Mitchell Wilburn Mitchell Wilburn is a food and drink writer living in Las Vegas.

You can view his restaurant, beer, spirits, and event articles at mitchellwilburn.com, or follow him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ mitchellwilburnofficial.

Eric Hobbie

Tell me, what do you like about working in Las Vegas?

I deal with tourists from all over the world, and there’s no way to make something that will appease every single person. You need to have a bunch of tricks up your sleeve, and I’ve noticed in my past four years at B&B, sometimes the best tricks are the simplest tricks. They’ll always say, “Make me a cocktail that’s not too sweet” or “not to bitter” or “make me something bitter.” I love being able to teach people things, and impart our knowledge. It’s like being a teacher, and if everyone knows what we know, it makes the world a happy place. I’d much prefer for Vegas to be known as the city with the coolest bartenders, not necessarily the best cocktails.

What do you think about the popular culture of bartenders devoting much of their time to competitions?

I think it’s there mostly to impress other bartenders. I thought I wanted that for a while, but I lost sight of what really makes me happy. What really makes me happy is this (motions towards stack of nearly 200 B&B guest comment cards). These people haven’t been to many mixology bars, high end bars, they don’t all live in big cities, but what I get to do is create memories. That’s what I love.

The fact that someone halfway around the world, if anyone they know is going to Vegas, www.lvfnb.com

Photo by Emil Rajkowski

In our harried days of constant competition invites, seminars, and an ever-present push to use brand X in your latest on-menu creation (near the top, appetizing name, thank you), it’s far too easy to let the schedule fill up with too many things that are not really “being a bartender.” However, like all things of true merit, there will always be a few holdouts spreading the Gospel of Good Service.

Eric Hobbie is one of those holdouts, so I joined him in his home (along with his German Pinscher, Chili) to talk about the competitive culture, what makes a Bartender, and everyone’s favorite person, The Customer. they’ll say “Oh you have to visit Eric at B&B.” What does the future hold for Eric Hobbie?

I even keep in contact with all these people, I’m actually going over to Carnevino soon. I via email. In fact, these two guests just emailed love RX Boiler Room, I love Nate Greene to me the other day, and I gave them something death, but I need to go where I can do what to impress their neighbors for a cocktail party.

I do best. I’m a big fan of David Cooper too; That is a level of guest involvement that’s he’s a legend. I was at B&B for a long time, very rare, considering especially that it’s and it will be good to go back to a Batali after the check is paid. restaurant. The Somme there, Kirk, is a super My interactions with guests are second to knowledgeable guy and he’s at Carnevino none. I may not make the best cocktail in town, every night. It will be such a pleasure to work but no one leaves my bar without a smile on with him again. their face. I’m good with people and good with People in our industry are always looking at time management. How many times have you the next step, the next position. They think of sat down at a bar, and the bartender is talking bartending as a way to compete, and a way to one guy’s ear off, but completely ignoring the rest? If someone sits down, or needs their place become a brand ambassador. I’ll never stop setting, it doesn’t take long to greet them, take bartending, ever. I love it to death. their order, and take care of everyone else.

As I’ll always ask my interviewees, what is What are some interesting things you are your Mixology Mantra? experimenting with?

“Seize every day behind the stick.” But I don’t In my backyard we have a pink lemon tree, really like to call myself a Mixologist, really.

Saturn peach, pear, fig, you name it. I love What we do isn’t a science, it’s an art, but fresh ingredients, and I’ve been making we’re there for the customer. I think if we get flavored sugars, limoncellos, I’ve made a very nice grapefruit and a rhubarb spiced bitters. I away from that, we get too much in our own heads. Just like food, you don’t need like 30 actually steep all the ingredients separately and ingredients to be good! You start to lose stuff blend it together at the end, instead of steeping it all together and hoping. I’ve experimented in there, then what’s the point? Some people are even embarrassed to call themselves more when I was competing, so I’ve got a couple interesting tricks up my sleeves.

“Bartender,” but I love it. That’s what I am.

September 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 7

By K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D. Mike Masuyama is a bi-cultural science-technology-business 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 and food areas both in Japan and the US., and has published several books and dozens of articles.

ASK DOCTOR SAKE…

Is Sake Home Brewing Possible?

Part I

Yes, it is possible to make sake for your own consumption technically and legally in home brewing. (Please check the current regulations with the appropriate federal and state agencies in your community.) A couple of sake brewing kits are available online or at a beer-wine home brewing shop. Though it is possible, honestly, it is not easy with these supplies. Despite tedious procedures, an outcome may often go far below anticipation. The traditional sake brewing may not be simply reproduced in such a miniaturized process. From my food science view, sake brewing appears to be still in a domain with the traditional skills and not fully re-creatable for simple home brewing.

I recommend to start personal sake brewing differently and then proceed to the more pro-traditional way later. Let’s think about home beer brewing as a reference. A beginner often uses malt extract in place of barley and malt for mashing. Barley starch is already pre-converted to sugars and condensed in malt extract.

It is dissolved in water and boiled with hops. After cooled, such wort is then fermented to beer by yeast. Likewise, rice syrup— rice starch that is pre-converted to sugars—is available in the form of liquid or powder at a home brewing shop. Rice syrup is then dissolved in water, which can be fermented by yeast. As you notice, this is an alcoholic beverage from rice, but not exactly sake. Koji is missing here to give the major sake character.

Doburoku may be the solution to make your own sake in the beginning. Doburoku (sounds like Do-Broke) is an origin or prototype of all sake. It looks and tastes like a thick Nigori that is sake before separating the liquid from residue. Doburoku was often privately made by farmers right after rice harvest in Japan.

Since the government tightened brewing for tax purposes, it became moonshine, being subjected to penalty. On an old sunny day in fall, sake G-men secretly sneaked into a rice farming village to raid the moonshiners. Once they were spotted, a warning signal spread in the air even at that era without cellphones. People would run hard to hide the evidence immediately, but it was difficult to hide the floating sake aroma. Do you know what some farmers did? They dumped Doburoku into a pit toilet that was common then. What a waste and a smell afterwards!

Doburoku is easy to make with rice, Koji, yeast and water. In home Doburoku making, cooked (not steamed) short-medium grain rice, long grain rice (often served at a Chinese restaurant), instant rice (like Minute Rice), packed cooked rice, rice syrup or rice powder can be used. Koji, you may be able to buy at a Japanese-Asian grocery store. Yeast, you may buy in liquid form at a home brewing store or you may use beer yeast or baker’s yeast in the worst scenario. I am talking about a practical method here in America, but not authentic Doburoku making in Japan.

In the next issue I will talk more about how to make sake, my experiments, and related products like Amazake (non-alcohol sweet-taste Nogori sake), Shirozake (sweet rice sake matured with Mirin or Shochu) and Macolli (Korean Nogiri).

Cheers or Kanpai with Doburoku but do not Do-Broke!

8 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2013

www.lvfnb.com

By Adam Rains

Behind the Stick

Hailing from San Diego, Adam is a father of two and has been behind the bar for more than a decade. It’s Adam’s mission to utilize and promote fresh, seasonal and local ingredients. He also records the podcast “Las Vegas Cocktail Weekly” to further his own knowledge and to help others. www.lasvegascocktailweekly.com

Farm to Glass, a preface:

controversy around GMO’s and companies like Monsanto trying to control the seeds and legally own the varieties of food that we eat. The small farm provides an alternative that you can feel good about. In many cases they are keeping alive heirloom varietals that are in danger of going extinct.

Fresh is best, we all know. Going even further past what is fresh, we should also strive to keep it as local as possible. There is also less environmental impact and you can meet the guy (or gal) that grew your food. Many might think that this is an unattainable goal here in Family farms are also free to experiment and Las Vegas, but it is not. There are several farms grow something unique for the markets that you in Vegas and the surrounding area that grow a will not find at the grocery store. With hundreds variety of crops almost all year round! of heirloom varietals and exotic herbs & Where can you find this locally grown produce? fruits, more and more mixologists are utilizing The farmers markets of course. These markets this resource to come up with new flavor bring together local farmers with consumers in combinations. The trend is that people now want a way that helps both of them. The consumer to have a unique experience; they want to taste gets the freshest and unique produce, with the something that shows our terrior in Vegas. least amount of environmental impact, and the farmer can directly sell his product and gain The Summer Savory: a profit that provides a living wage. It is no secret that small farmers have taken a big hit, I recently made a trip to Bloomin’ Desert Herb Garden in Henderson. I was there to pick up and it is far too common for many of them to Lemon Verbena in particular, because I love actually have second jobs to support their farms. the way that it has a synergistic relationship While subsidies abound for the big farms and with Aperol, and I wanted to see if it would the ability to lobby Washington for their needs, work as well with Campari. While there, covery little will change unless the market itself owner Rosalind Gibson turned me on to an herb changes. Ever since the eighties and before, called Summer Savory. This particular herb has there has been a shift towards big agribusiness a flavor akin to Thyme/Oregano/Rosemary, if and homogenization of crops. There is a lot of all of them were pressed together and amplified!

Summer Savory is one of the main components in the authentic version of Herbs de Provence and grows excellently here in our valley. As with a lot of our herbs that grow, survive and flourish here, the desert heat really intensifies the flavor of the plant. With the Summer Savory, I infused the gin with the Savory for 5 days and the final result was beautifully pungent & aromatic gin.

Being a bit of an urban forager, I use what my environment provides. Likewise the creation of this cocktail occurred with most of ingredients I was not actually seeking out; they came to me! There were Tinker-bell Peppers (non spicy) available in the Employee Dining Room and I thought, why not? The Freakin’ Frog’s new “Spirit Whiskey” carries a subtle sweetness and mild flavor profile; it just seemed to arrive at my bar as if brought by a boozer stork. The rest of the ingredients in the cocktail are always at the bar and the Summer Savory Gin was ready for the taking.

I muddled the peppers together with a few blueberries just as my hand just reached blindly for the orange juice, of which I added. Next, a thimble sized straw taste guided my citrus press towards an already halved lemon of which I partially squeezed to enhance and wake up the sweet acidity of the orange. After pouring equal amounts of the Summer Savory Gin and www.lvfnb.com

Summer Savory

¾ oz Freakin’ Lightning Spirit Whiskey ¾ oz Summer Savory Infused Gin ½ oz Ginger Liqueur ½ OJ ¼ oz Lemon Juice Muddled Tinker-bell Peppers and Blueberries Garnish with Pepper Slices & Summer Savory Sprig Freakin’ Lightning, it was apparent that the herbal infusion was by far the dominant flavor in the cocktail (which was fine and still very tasty!). In order to make it balanced, I needed a modifier. Again my hand just blindly reached for a bottle; what happened to be there was the Domaine de Canton, which would give a layer of sweet spice. Another taste and it was almost there! The cocktail was balanced yet super savory with a hint of the ginger spice that played lightly in the background and kind of lifted up the other fruit, herb and mildly piquant flavors.

I gave it a quick shake to incorporate all of the elements, but not so long that it would over dilute the drink. I poured it in the chilled cocktail glass and garnished with some pepper slices and a sprig of Summer Savory. Salute!

September 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 9

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Trust Me

You Don’t Need to Be

a Snob

The vast and unfamiliar world of wine can certainly be daunting. It’s not a good time to go to a restaurant and have absolutely no clue what type of wine to order. This is even truer if you are with someone else. You may actually be judged on how you make your wine decision. It’s cruel, but unfortunately true.

Selecting the right wine does not have to be rocket science. The primary thing you need to understand is, wine is a personal experience. You really don’t have to go with the tide on your decision. Let me make a case in point.

When you were young, you were probably told that there is a simple rule for picking wine with food. If you are having red meat, choose a red wine. If you are having seafood or vegetarian, pick white. Poultry?

Perhaps a blush or pink wine. Those are excellent starting points, but that’s all they are. They are merely suggestions.

If you’re not sure next time you go to a restaurant and you are confronted with the wine list, ask the server what he or she would order with your food choice. They are trained to give you decent advice, so don’t be afraid to go with what they say.

When you are feeling a bit more confident, ask the server to suggest two wines that would go well with your food choice. Then, note what part of the wine list he is picking them from and then select your own slightly more expensive bottle. Tell him something like “that sounds good, but you know what? I’ve never been disappointed with this one” and then

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10 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2013

By Les Kincaid Les Kincaid is a food, wine, and golf expert and cookbook author. He hosts a nationally syndicated wine radio show each Thursday from 7 to 8 pm. You can enjoy his website or his broadcast at www.leskincaid.com les@leskincaid.com www.facebook.com/leskincaid www.twitter.com/leskincaid

try to say the name of the wine correctly. Pick one you know you can pronounce. The server will most likely say something like “excellent choice” and that’s that.

Once the wine comes to your table and it’s time to taste, don’t bother with smelling the cork. That’s just a wee bit too snobby. Instead, just visually inspect the cork and make sure it’s not cracked or otherwise in bad condition. That’s a telltale sign that the wine has been stored improperly, like standing up instead of on its side. But you still are the judge. If the wine still tastes good, accept it. If not, send it back. Don’t be afraid to send wine back. The restaurant returns that bottle to the distributor and they return it to the winery, so no one is hurt.

To get yourself feeling even more confident, go to your local Total Wine and More or similar store and purchase a few bottles each of white and red wine. Pick some sweet and dry wines. They are usually marked in the descriptions above each selection of wine; ask for assistance. Stay in the $10 to $20 range with these selections. Take them home and try a different bottle each night. See what you like. Drink some with food and see what goes with what. The key here is, it’s really all up to you. What do you like to drink with what food? The basic rule is to drink what you like.

Then, next time you go to a restaurant, you’ll feel much more confident in your wine selection, and your dining partner won’t feel like you’re a wine fool. But remember something: please don’t become a wine snob!

Remember, Wine Is Food.

Why Join JCCNV?

Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Nevada works in conjunction with local citizens, businesses,

educational and governmental partners to support a vibrant international business environment, and to improve and nurture business relations between Nevada and Japan.

You are welcome to attend our many exciting events, and you are encouraged to bring lots of business cards!! We also welcome you to join a committee, check our website, and support your fellow JCCNV members. Please contact us via e-mail, info@jccnevada.com if you have any questions or comments.

Annual Membership Fee Individual Membership Fee - $20 Corporate Membership Fee - $200 (includes 5 membership cards) www.jccnevada.com info@jccnevada.com (702) 428-0555

(We speak in English and in Japanese!)

www.lvfnb.com

Aces & Ales II on Teneya - Opening Parties All us folks at The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Profession love Aces & Ales sooo much, we thought we would share this fantastic hangout with all our friends. All those amazing beers and the 24-hour kitchen that cooks from scratch, what’s not to love? We spent three nights at our favorite restaurant/ bar, with Misty, Ryan and Jason, and invited our friends to join us for a sampling of beer and food.

Southern Wine & Spirits and US Foods both sponsored this event in big ways. Thank all of you who helped make this happen, and to those that attended, THANK YOU...now go tell all your friends to get their butts down here!

Night 1 - F&B Executives

Photos by Rebecca Rajkowski

Night 2 - Media

Photos by Juanita Aiello

Night 3 - Beverage Professionals

Photos by Emil Rajkowski

www.lvfnb.com

September 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 11

Wine Talk with Alice Swift

By Alice Swift Alice is teaching as an adjunct instructor in wine education at UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration, while working as an Instructional Designer in the Office of Online Education. Follow her new blog site at www.aliceswift.com for the dish on wine, technology, or even both! She is happy to take suggestions for article topics or inquiries. alice.swift@unlv.edu

Marcello Lunelli, Ferrari Owner and Chief Winemaker

On August 7th, I was invited to attend a winemaker’s dinner at Scarpetta, located at The Cosmopolitan hotel and casino. Our wines for the night featured Ferrari Metodo Classico sparkling wines, and service was overseen by Scarpetta’s Master Sommelier, Paolo Barbieri.

To top it all off, Marcello Lunelli, owner and chief winemaker, was our guest presenter of the night, along with Jamie Alexander Stewart, Brand Ambassador of Ferrari.

Steward spent the dinner explaining the philosophy of Ferrari, with some very inspirational points: “Ferrari is challenging the orthodoxy of what people expect when they want to drink sparkling wines. We’re trying to dispel the idea that they can only be consumed during festivities, and really trying to create the idea that Ferrari means Italian luxury, but it’s a luxury that is an every day consideration. The idea of Italian culture really can be reduced down to great food, great wine, and the memories that accompany those two things. And more often than not, at an Italian dinner table and dining room, you’re going to find Ferrari as the centerpiece to that culture.”

The following was the menu for the night (and my notes), including three reserve wines from as far back as 1993:

Ferrari Brut NV, Metodo Classico Trento DOC (100% Chardonnay) This sparkling wine is Ferrari’s flagship product, selling over 3 million bottles, and represents 40% of market share in Italy! It is indeed very pleasing and has been poured for many influential people, from Queen Elizabeth II to Ronald Reagan, to Andy Warhol.

Ferrari Rosé NV, Metodo Classico Trento DOC (60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay); Raw Yellowtail, olio di zenzero and pickled red onion

This wine was filled with strawberry aromas, as if I were walking through a strawberry field.

Ferrari Perlé 2006, Metodo Classico Trento DOC (100% Chardonnay); Duck and Foie Gras Ravioli, marsala reduction Aromas of salted caramel, croissant dough, marcona almonds, and marzipan were just a few characteristics of the wine. The delicious foie gras ravioli balanced very well with the salinity of the wine, as well as the creamy lees character.

Ferrari Perlé Rosé 2006, Metodo Classico Trento DOC (80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay); Heirloom Tomato Salad, burrata and marinated eggplant.

Lunelli noted that “it’s quite unusual to have a vintage rosé in Italy. It is very difficult to maintain and give the right color and the right smell after five years on the lees. This is a cuvee because we want to give these vintage bottles more character and flavor from Pinot Noir.”

Ferrari Perlé Nero 2006, Metodo Classico Trento DOC (100% Pinot Noir); Spiced Duck Breast, endive, preserved orange and cippollini onion Lunelli provided us a little background to how the company’s rosé got its start: “My uncle, Mauro, started to make 600 bottle samples for his wedding in 1972, and half the production was drank at his wedding. These new releases could also have a good future. 1972 started the story of our rosé production in Italy.”

Ferrari Riserva Lunelli 2005, Metodo Classico Trento DOC (100% Chardonnay); Roasted Diver Scallops, sugar snap, watermelon, radish and pea froth Despite its age, Riserva Lunelli still maintained its crisp acidity, and very aromatic characteristics of honeycomb, white flowers, green pear, lemon,

12 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2013

and spice, which went well with unique flavors of the scallops. One of my favorites!

Ferrari Riserva del Fondatori Giulio 2001, Metodo Classico Trento DOC (100% Chardonnay); Veal Duo, guanciale wrapped loin and braised breast with carrots, chantrelles and fava beans Ferrari Riserva del Fondatori Giulio 1994, Metodo Classico Trento DOC (100% Chardonnay); Lobster Pici, lobster, tarragon, almond, and chili pesto Ferrari Riserva del Fondatori Giulio 1993, Metodo Classico Trento DOC (100% Chardonnay); Chef’s selection of desserts These last three reserve wines were definitely the treat of the night, besides the dessert. The wines had a rich lees character, yet still maintained the fruit-forwardness of ripe fruit, like apple pie or cider, dried apricots/figs, candied lemon, and a whiff of a fresh ocean breeze carried through each of the wines. My favorite for the evening was the 1993 Riserva del Fondatori Giulio, which needed no pairing whatsoever.

If you have the opportunity to try Ferrari’s wines, be sure to do so! Whether it is for a special occasion or just because, make sure to give these sparkling wines a chance. Despite the fact that Prosecco sparkling wines are more well-known here in the U.S., it is without doubt that there are some great producers of traditional method sparkling wines in Italy as well. Having been around since 1902 will tell you a little something about the quality of Ferrari. Such a long history of winemaking, and having remained a family business and legacy, proves that Ferrari Metodo Classico is indeed a sparkling success.

For more information, go to www.cantineferrari.it

Scarpetta’s Master Sommelier, Paolo Barbieri

www.lvfnb.com

By Al Mancini

On the Edge with Al Mancini

Among the most unconventional food experts in America, Al Mancini is co-author of Eating Las Vegas: The 50 Essential Restaurants and host of the upcoming Travel Channel show All Forked Up. His passion is making dining, on every level, accessible to everyone.

Follow Al on Twitter @almancinivegas

On September 3, several of this town’s top chefs and restaurateurs will roast me and my Eating Las Vegas: The 50 Essential Restaurants co-authors, Max Jacobson and John Curtas. I have no idea what they’ll have to say – there are certainly plenty of axes to grind. I’m fairly certain, however, that one question will be asked: what the hell qualifies any of us to critique their food?

The question of my qualifications (and those of my colleagues) is raised frequently, whether by disgruntled chefs or envious strangers interested in breaking into the business. In February, after an anonymous reader of Eater. com questioned architect and blogger Erik Chudy’s qualifications to write the Vegas Burger Blog, he commented, “So an attorney and a former bartender are qualified to be food critics more than me?” I couldn’t help wondering if he was calling me out. So let’s have at it. (For the record, I have no issues with Chudy, his qualifications or his blog.)

Yes, while attending law school in the 90s, I flipped pizza and tended bar at the New York

www.lvfnb.com

punk club CBGB. I certainly don’t think my time behind a bar gave me any particular insight into how to be a food writer – although the research and writing skills I developed in law school certainly did. The fact that I lived in one of the greatest food cities in the world, where I was able to explore countless types of cuisine, also helped. But the greatest qualification I bring to the table as a food writer is 17 years experience as a professional journalist.

I’ve worked for ABC News Radio since 1996, and have written for ABCNews.com, Spin magazine and countless local publications.

I’ve covered award shows, riots, shootings and trials. And I use the same skills writing about food that I use reporting those stories. Whether it’s a restaurant critique (a small portion of my writing), a chef interview or an exposé on shark fin soup, I gather all the available facts and present them to the public in an organized manner, allowing them to draw their own conclusions.

I’m not suggesting you need a journalism background to write about food for a living.

Many of the best writers I know honed their talents writing corporate reports or academic papers. But the one common denominator among most Las Vegas food writers is that they’re exceptional writers. So if you want to join the club, you’d better learn to write.

Because it’s a lot easier for a food novice to educate himself on caviar, foie gras, or wagyu than it is to clean up a poorly written article by a culinary expert.

So to all the aspiring food writers, my advice is simple. Do as much research as you can – in the dining room, in the kitchen and in the library.

But also hone your writing skills. Don’t be satisfied with the first draft of your Yelp review, or the second, or maybe even the third. Keep going until it looks professional.

As for the chefs who still don’t believe I’m qualified to pass judgment on their masterpieces – feel free to come out on September 3 and tell me to my face. Proceeds benefit Three Square, and help feed those Nevadans who can’t afford to eat in your restaurants.

September 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 13

By Bob Barnes Bob Barnes is a native Las Vegan, editorial director of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage

WHAT’S COOKING?

Professional, regional correspondent for Celebrator Beer News and covers the LV restaurant scene for Gayot.com. He welcomes your inquiries.Email: bob@lvfnb.com

Culinary School Student for a Day

Photos courtesy Le Cordon Bleu

Our experience took us through the process of preparing Loup de Mer (sea bass) with vegetables cooked en Papillote (in paper). Cutting up the vegetables gave us the chance to practice our new-learned knife cutting skills as well as instruction on how to properly cut various types of veggies. The final celebration was proudly enjoying the dish we had prepared. Chefs Sands and Levasseur proved to be very patient and knowledgeable instructors and provided a valuable and enjoyable experience for us.

Held in the Restaurant Carnevale (formerly Charlie Trotter’s restaurant) kitchen at The Palazzo, the current schedule and themes are: Sept. 7-Hors D’oeuvres; Oct. 5-Sushi Making; and Nov. 2-Steak House at Home. Classes run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the cost is $175 plus tax. Students receive a chef’s jacket, apron, hat, recipe cards and the lunch they prepare. To register, visit www.venetian.com/Las-VegasEntertainment/Special-Events/Le-Cordon-Bleu or call the box office at 702-414-9000.

If you’ve ever wanted to take your skills to the next level or experience what it’s like to attend culinary school, but don’t have months to commit to it, now you can. The Venetian/ Palazzo has teamed up with Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts to host one-day cooking workshops. Taught by actual Le Cordon Bleu chef instructors, it’s sort of a fantasy camp for amateur cooks, put on by one of the most prestigious and recognized culinary institutions in the world. The universal, technique-based culinary school has a rich history, having opened its first school in Paris in 1895, and now operates 30 schools worldwide, including a campus in Las Vegas.

I was given a taste (pun intended) to experience it first hand and donned a chef’s coat, apron and hat and submitted to the tutelage of our instructors— President of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas Chef Lachlan Sands and Dean of Culinary Arts and Executive Chef of Le Cordon Bleu College Chef Mark Levasseur.

One of the most valuable lessons we learned was the correct way to hold and cut with a knife.

Amateurs tend to grip a knife by the handle, but we were shown to place thumb and index finger at the metal end of the blade closest to the handle, which provides much greater control. We were also taught proper hand washing techniques (sing Happy Birthday) and admonished that there is no five-second rule in the kitchen. As to why chefs wear a coat when working in a hot kitchen, Chef Sands informed us that it’s for protection from burns from splatters. While it looks hot and heavy, it’s designed to be loose fitting with venting and I found it not to be too cumbersome.

Photos courtesy Carmine’s

Carmine’s Opens in Forum Shops at Caesars

Carmine’s, the New York family-friendly Italian eatery, has opened its first West Coast location in the Forum Shops at Caesars. This location marks the largest to open, joining others in NYC (where there are two), Washington D.C., Atlantic City and the Bahamas. The two-level, 27,000-squarefoot space is the largest restaurant without a nightclub in Las Vegas. The décor is highlighted by walls lined with more than 7,500 photos of families and Italian celebrities and dozens of mismatched antique chandeliers hanging from the 40-foot ceilings.

The gargantuan space is matched with humungous portions, each large enough to feed 3 to 5 guests. Case in point is the 32 oz. portion of calamari, which I can attest is nongreasy with just the right amount of crispness. I also enjoyed the Portabellos Parmiagana (listed as an appetizer, can easily serve as an entrée), Eggplant Parmigiana (listed as a side, but 9-inch layers of goodness that’s also quite suitable for an entrée), Shrimp Fra Diavolo and Chicken Marsala. Best plan of action is to order one dish per person and have an indulgent Italian feast for sharing. The dessert choices include nine

14 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2013

Italian classics, but if you have room, opt for the Titanic---shaped like a ship and nearly as big, it’s a collection of chocolate cake topped with banana, strawberries, pineapple, whipped cream, hazelnuts and vanilla and chocolate ice cream. While not on the menu, you can request a half-sized version, The Tugboat.

With such sizeable portions you’re bound to have leftovers. A thoughtful service is the leftover valet, in which you check your leftovers to be stored in a refrigerator while you stroll through the Shops.

Executive Chef Michael Ingino oversees 78 employees in the 7,000 square foot kitchen.

Chef Ingino has an impressive resume, having graduated from the New York Restaurant School (now known as the Art Institute) and held positions at the Beach House in Laguna Beach and in Las Vegas at Sedona Restaurant, Kennedy’s, and Gustav Mauler’s Spiedini, Oxo and Bull Shrimp.

Director of Operations Michael Honea says so far nearly half of the guests have been locals and plans are to offer catering services in the near future. In the meantime, round up the family and make sure they bring their appetites.

www.lvfnb.com

Miyako Hybrid Hotel - Torrence, CA MANAGEMENT

GONPACHI RESTAURAUNT, SUSHI BAR & LOUNGE

Gonpachi’s Executive Shushi & Catering Chef Yutaka Kudo and Concept Chef Tomoyuki Jounten

Gonpachi’s GM Juan Orozco and Assistant GM Takenori Iga

General Manager Cherie Davis and Assistant GM Akira Yuhara

East Meets West Aesthetics Greets Science

SUSTAINABILITY

RELAKEN DAY SPA

Photos by Adam Rains & Juanita Aiello

This is the essence of the Miyako Hybrid Hotel. A true fusion of the beauty and elegance of Japan with the comfort and flair of Southern California. Combining the elements of sustainability and technology, the Miyako Hybrid Hotel provides an environmentally sound structure with pleasing Japanese appointments, making it a destination in itself.

This hotel truly stands out as the first of its kind, in both style and sustainability.

Miyako Hybrid Hotel Torrance, California

21381 S. Western Avenue, Torrance CA 90501 (310 212-5111 www.miyakohybridhotel.com

www.lvfnb.com

September 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 15

WELCOME TO FOOD, BEVERAGE & HOSPITALITY Food, Beverage & Hospitality at G2E showcases food, beverage and hospitality products and services to help food and beverage executives enhance their menus and create the ultimate dining experience.

Sysco Pavilion Don’t miss this dynamic line up of 60+ distributors featuring the hottest new trends and products.

Fine Wines & Cocktails Ultra Lounge See, taste and enjoy the latest products daily from more than 15 fine wines and spirits suppliers and distributors.

• • • • • • • •

Accolade Wines Beam Global Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Freixenet USA Grey Goose J&P Wholesale Jana Water Lapham Import Co

• • • • • • • •

Mount Rose Mixers Nestle Waters New Castle Palm Bay Pernod Richard Soleil Mimosa St. Killian Wilson Creek

Ultra Lounge Uniform Fashion Show Wednesday, September 25 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm (Encore) | Ultra Lounge Uniform Fashion Show Stage Back by popular demand! Don’t miss the hottest ultra lounge uniform fashion show in Las Vegas. Catch a glimpse of some of the sexiest uniforms from leading casinos and ultra lounges and nightclub.

Dedicated F&B Conference Sessions Drink Up: New Trends in Beverage Operations Microbrews and boutique wine are only the beginning of the exciting product now available to casino beverage directors. Small batch bourbons, fancy hard ciders and celebrity tequilas are all part of a wide range of alcohol options that will create interest from your customers. Experts will discuss how to appeal to your patrons’ tastes, whether you are on the Las Vegas Strip or in a regional market.

Building a Brand: Using Non-Gaming Amenities as Attractions As competition continues to increase, casinos are forced to find new ways to compete. Creating a brand identity for your operation will insure customers think of your casino before others. During this session, experts will explain how non-gaming business decisions from food and beverage to room amenities and spa offerings – even the uniforms worn by your employees – can make a statement and allow your casino to stand out.

The Most Important Documents in Hospitality: Management & Franchising Agreements While not obvious to a business traveler, vacationing friends or a customer in the casino, resort hotels are mostly operated by management agreement or as a franchise, subject to intricate ownership structures and complex legal agreements. This panel is designed to examine the essential elements of owning and operating a hotel or resort, including a thorough review of revenue streams.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR G2E 2014 SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 2, 2014 THE SANDS EXPO & CONVENTION CENTER | LAS VEGAS, NEVADA EXHIBITS: SEPTEMBER 30-OCTOBER 2 • CONFERENCES: SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 2

CHANGE IS GOOD WHEN YOU’RE READY FOR IT: LEARN TO ANTICIPATE BEFORE YOU’RE TAKEN BY SURPRISE. At G2E, you’ll find the hard-hitting strategies, essential education and unparalleled networking that are indispensable for predicting upcoming opportunities and unforeseen challenges. Depend on G2E to get you ahead of the trends and the competition.

For more information and to register: www.globalgamingexpo.com/ad

Brett’s BY

ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill plan an encore run Oct. 25-26 plus 10 select weekends through April 2014 of their limited engagement “Soul2Soul” at The Venetian.

Rod Stewart is extending his Caesars Palace contract two more years starting this fall.

Oak Ridge Boys; and Dec. 28 The O’Jays.

A new production of “Dancing Queen” has opened at Planet Hollywood with 20 singers and dancers living out ABBA’s greatest hits and ‘70s and ‘80s disco classics.

Darius Rucker, former Hootie & the Blowfish lead singer, will perform at Red Rock Resort’s Sandbar poolside venue on Friday, Oct. 11.

The Las Vegas Burlesque Festival, Oct. 10-12, at the Clarion will feature the best in burlesque.

AROUND TOWN NEWS

Bally’s headliner Véronic DiCaire, who imitates some of the world’s biggest superstars, has been extended through Dec. 21.

Las Vegas veteran singer Jaime Lynch is the new beautiful headliner in “Fantasy” at the Luxor that’s celebrating more than 13 years on the Strip.

“X Burlesque” and “Raack N Roll” producers opened “X ROCKS,” a new all-rock, topless revue with comedian Scandal at the Rio inside King’s Showroom.

“America’s Got Talent Live Tour” featuring the favorite Season 8 acts will visit MGM Grand Garden Arena Wednesday, Oct. 23.

“RockTellz & CockTails Presents Meat Loaf” will be a rare window of his life every Thursday, Saturday and Tuesday from Sept. 26-Nov. 5 at Planet Hollywood.

Star of the Desert Arena in Primm, Nev., offers a $9.95 ticket program for shows. Upcoming acts include: Sept. 14 The Jacksons; Oct. 5 Lonestar; Oct. 26 Ramon Ayala; Nov. 2 – The

A new signature retail model Disney Store has opened at the Fashion Show. Existing Disney Stores at the Meadows mall and Las Vegas Premium Outlets North and South will eventually be converted to the new design.

“50 Greatest Photographs of National Geographic” at The Venetian has been extended through Jan. 13, 2014.

The Eiffel Tower Experience at Paris will welcome its 10 millionth visitor early fall and give away a seven-day trip for two to Paris, France.

The third local celebrity roast will honor The Quad’s “Divas Las Vegas” headliner Frank Marino on Friday night, Oct. 4.

The Mandalay Bay’s convention center rooftop will be covered with 20,000 solar panels by early 2014 and provide up to 20 percent of the resort’s energy needs.

The 13th annual Las Vegas BikeFest 2013 will be held at the Golden Nugget Oct. 3-6 with a $2,500 Slot Tournament on Oct. 4 at 9 a.m. followed by Joe Nichols performing at Cashman Center that evening.

REVIV, the new IV medspa at The Underground at MGM Grand, has Jessa Hinton as its new spokesmodel for intravenous and vitamin hydration.

18 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2013

“Elite Traveler” magazine named Nobu Penthouse at Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace one of the year’s 101 Top Resort Suites in the world.

The new Tropicana plans to expand its 60,000-square-foot meeting and convention facilities by adding 40,000 square feet.

Historic Railroad Pass in Henderson unveiled its new 40-seat Watch & Wager Sports Lounge.

Henderson’s new event, Crazy Spokes, will be a 30- and 60-mile organized bike ride through portions of the River Mountains Loop Trail, followed by a family festival and bike parade on Saturday, Oct. 12.

The Mob Museum and Neon Museum are offering one ticket to both museums on the same day for $30.

Condo hotel Vdara is now pet friendly offering Vdog.

Goodwill of Southern Nevada opened its 12th retail Southern Nevada location and first Déjà Blue Boutique in Summerlin’s Town Center featuring exclusive brand name items.

FOOD RELATED ITEMS

Tony Gemignani, 11-time World Pizza Champion, will open his 185-seat Pizza Rock concept in Las Vegas’ Downtown3rd neighborhood.

Hacienda del Rey serving Mexican food opened in a spot of many former restaurants on Maryland Parkway near Sahara.

My Healthy Meal, provider of healthy allnatural, organic and pre-portioned meals opened a second location with its first Smoothie Bar in Henderson.

Twenty-eight chefs from Nobu restaurants nationwide will collaborate Oct. 9 at Nobu Restaurant and Lounge Caesars Palace to create a multi-chef Omakase seven-course dinner for “Nobu United.” www.lvfnb.com

Late Night Dining with Kim

By Kim Trevino Kim Trevino is an avid lover of all food and wine. She graduated from UNLV with her BA in Journalism and Media Studies and her ultimate goal in life is to help those in need and inspire young girls to live the life of their dreams.

Her greatest passion is writing and you can visit her own personal blog site at http://lessonsfrommylife-bykim. blogspot.com

Late Night Adventures at The Henry and Allegro

tourists, were all divulged in the delicious food that lay before them.

Photo courtesy The Henry @ Cosmopolitan

The staff was incredibly kind to sit me at my own table and thus my journey began. Seated next to me was a couple who was in Las Vegas on vacation, enjoying a romantic meal that they stated they couldn’t find anywhere else.

In the past, Allegro had a limited late night dining menu, but nowadays the full dinner menu is available until 6 a.m., giving late night goers a more eclectic selection of appetizers, salads, wood-fired pizzas, pasta and main courses to choose from.

The Henry at The Cosmopolitan Open 24 hours There are many places to visit while on the Strip and The Henry at The Cosmopolitan is one of them that’s open 24 hours, hosting a menu that definitely hits the spot and fulfills any appetite at all hours of the night.

Their late night dining menu provides a limited amount of items, ranging from appetizers to breakfast and soups and salads to sandwiches and specialty dishes. Although the menu is limited, it still provides guests with the perfect amount of dishes to sample from during their late night excursions.

Some dishes to try are the French Dip, Grilled Naan Bread (roasted peppers, artichokes, olives, basil pesto lemon, and ricotta salata), Cinnamon Roll French Toast, Tater Tot Nachos (braised short ribs, jalapeños, cheese sauce, pico de gallo and sour cream), and The Henry Burger.

My waiter, Josh Andino, explained why he loves working at The Henry the most, saying, “I like working here a lot, because it’s laid back. A lot of jobs are scripted, yet we maintain a standard that gives us the ability to be ourselves, which makes the experience flow more naturally.”

The Henry also has a fascinating drink menu to choose from and the Beam Me Up Scotty, with www.lvfnb.com

The crowd was just starting to arrive when my adventure was winding down, but the restaurant and bar were already filling up quite quickly.

Overall, The Henry is definitely a place to visit and the service and food are both excellent.

Allegro at the Wynn Open nightly from 5:30pm-6am Finding a great Italian restaurant in Las Vegas is not always easy. Finding a great Italian restaurant that is also open past midnight is even harder. However, the Allegro at the Wynn is one of those rare gems that embodies both of these attributes, that choosing where to eat at 2 a.m. is easier than ever.

As soon as I arrived, there was already a 15 minute wait and looking inside the restaurant, crowds of families, loved ones, friends, and

Speaking with my waiter, Joe Reid, I had a better understanding of why so many people love visiting the Allegro at the Wynn and why the people who work to provide excellent service love doing what they do as well.

“Mr. Wynn really takes care of all his employees and that is very important to me because it provides a good environment all around. He is a really loyal employer,” said Mr. Reid.

At the end of my late night adventure, it dawned on me just how important service is to a restaurant. Both Allegro and The Henry showed me that the people who work odd hours of the night, the ones who love doing what they do, are truly what make a restaurant flourish.

Photo courtesy Allegro @ the Wynn

For my meal I chose The Henry Burger, which was topped off with caramelized onions, mushrooms and melted cheddar cheese, and served with truffle tater tots. Within the first bite I knew why this was one of the most popular items and the truffle tater tots were both unique and delicious all in one. The combination of the juiciness of the burger and the sweetness from the tater tots, helped to create a meal that was genuinely appetizing.

Van Gogh double espresso, Tia Maria, espresso cream and vanilla syrup, was my drink of choice for the evening.

If you are looking for a quick bite, try the Beef Carpaccio or Mozzarella Platter. For those with a larger appetitive, the Veal Marsala, Ossobuco D’Agnello, and the Chicken Francaise (citrus butter, capers and crispy bread crumbs) are some of Allegro’s finest. However, if you are looking for more than your typical night out, the Chef’s Tasting Menu is a must-try and is available in three courses ($75) and four courses ($85), giving guests a real Vegas experience.

September 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 19

Wirtz Beverage Amps Up Life Is Beautiful Festival – Together Working to Revitalize Downtown Vegas

By Adam Rains Photography By Shanna Magnuson

Never before have so many aspects of the pleasure culture been represented in one place and at one time. What better place than Las Vegas to do so. And at the end of the day, it’s about revitalizing Downtown Las Vegas, something we can all get around.

Life is Beautiful with Wirtz Beverge “This is going to be big. There are very few times in your life when you have the chance to be a part of the major shift, the inaugural kickoff for something great for the city that we live in. I have visions of this fest 3-4-5 years down the road,” said Drew Levinson, Director of Strategic Activation, Wirtz Beverage Nevada, speaking about Life is Beautiful Festival.

the House Brawl. Even though culinary is her background, she prefaces the event by saying, “The festival is about people experiencing all of the different arts.” I asked Jolene about how one goes about putting together an unprecedented event such as this, in a venue that has never been imagined as a venue, while encompassing so many aspects of the pleasure culture. “This is crazy huge!” she exclaimed, “A lot of moving parts.” She added, “Over 15 city blocks will be shut down for this full-blown music, food, art and learning festival.” There are to be 20 different chef demonstrations along with the Culinary Village with gourmet food available for festival goers and Jolene has had the privilege of putting it all together. She explained, “It’s been about getting a vision together and then finding which chefs will fit that vision.”

Whether your fancy is art, music, culinary, mixology or all of the above, it is all covered.

To say that this is “kind of a big deal,” is putting it lightly. Life is Beautiful Festival will bring together everything that we love in this industry—music, food, wine, song, beer and mixology! This will combine together not only loads of Vegas talent but also talent from a national level.

Wirtz Beverage Nevada Director of Strategic Activation, Drew Levinson

Creating a legacy is not something to be taken lightly and legacy is exactly what could be happening with the upcoming music, food, art & learning festival this October. This chance to build something unique, lasting and very special doesn’t come along every day and the ambitious planners of the upcoming festival know this.

With heavyweights like Wirtz Beverage and founder Rehan Choudhry, the event is bound to be a success. More ambitious than that, the Life is Beautiful Festival (October 26 & 27) is setting out to be a grand combination of Lollapalooza, Coachella and the Aspen Food & Wine Classic, along with a little “Tales of the Cocktail” thrown in for good measure. All of this is set in the reemerging gem that is Las Vegas’ Downtown. Unlike those previously mentioned iconic festivals, which all take place in proven venues and have proven formulas, this will be set on 15 city blocks in downtown Las Vegas. As Drew put it, “Downtown urban environment, walking around, turning corners to exciting, new experiences.” Life is Beautiful is treading new ground for Vegas and even for what a great festival can be.

I spoke with the Head of Culinary for Life is Beautiful, Jolene Mannina. Jolene has been called the Queen of the Las Vegas Culinary Underground and created events like Back of www.lvfnb.com

Wirtz Beverage is known for its experts whether in wine, various spirits or craft beer. This has enabled them to configure a list of talent that showcases Las Vegas and what we have to offer.

Whether it’s Masters of Tequila, Cicerones, Sommeliers or World-Class Mixologists, all will be on par with the great food and the out of this world music.

When speaking to Wirtz Beverage Nevada’s Senior Vice President, Kevin Roberts, he shared the same enthusiasm. “It’s really exciting. It’s

Wirtz Beverage Nevada Senior Vice President, Kevin Roberts

Life is Beautiful Head of Culinary, Jolene Mannina

not only exciting for our employees at Wirtz Beverage, but it’s exciting for the community and the whole downtown area. We’ve been looking for something that really fits with the development of the community and also promotes craft cocktails and spirits.” Touching on the fact that the festival will be reaching people on a grand scale and on so many different levels he added, “It’s really unique; there is nothing else like it. There are so many good festivals around the US that include music and the arts, but there has never been anything like Life is Beautiful that brings together art, music, culinary and mixology - the art of the cocktail.”

Kevin’s focus is not just about the beverage side; when we discussed all of the chefs involved, he mentioned, “It’s far-reaching from a culinary aspect.” Aside from a lonely hotdog cart or a popcorn machine, music festivals in the past have just barely touched on the food aspect and many of the food festivals have always had music but nothing as amazing as this. This is something new. “Never before have all aspects of the game been covered like this. Bruce Bromberg of Blue Ribbon Restaurants, Akira Back, Hubert Keller, Donald Link and Mary Sue Milliken, and the list goes on.” This many talented musicians, wellknown chefs and now the added mixology aspect is enough to make a person start rethinking what they already had planned for that weekend. I know that I am already frantically awaiting this one!

After speaking with many of those involved with the festival, everyone mentioned how excited they are about the party before the party. It’s called Grills & Guitars and its sure to kick-off the festival with a bang. It will be

September 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 21

Life is Beautiful with Wirtz Beverge held Friday night and will be a festive campout of sorts. It will feature 16 celebrity chefs, live music, grill-centric comfort food, and I’m told that some of the chefs will be showcasing their inner rock star and will even be jamming live on stage! The point of Grills & Guitars is to have the chefs come together with musicians and fans alike and to get ready for the weekend. It will be in a down-home sort of manner, no pretense.

Just good food, music and flame and all types of outdoor cooking and beveraging. We all know, beer pairings with flame-touched food are as classic as bread and butter. But partygoers should also be ready for a Master Sommelier to throw down some amazing and unique wines with grilled game and for Andrew Pollard and the Wirtz Beverage Mixology Team to come up with some killer pairings of their own.

For those who have a more discerning palate and the desire to try some rare finds that same night Master Sommelier Thomas Burke will be leading a very high-end, super VIP experience.

For $5,000 a head, guests can try some of the world’s rarest wines, beers and spirits.

The experience continues on Saturday and Sunday with the Festival’s Culinary Crawls.

These will be three hours of specified dining at three different venues; each venue will be hosted by a different chef with a different theme. Chefs include Rick Moonen, Nancy Silverton and Cat Cora among others, and with theme names like “Pig & Whiskey,” “Bones & Brews,” and “Tongue & Cheek,” this is bound to be off the chain! Each one of these are customized and unique dining experiences that will pair amazing dishes with world-class wine, beer and handcrafted cocktails. Sign me up!

“This is going to be big.

There are very few times in your life when you have the chance to be a part of the major shift, the inaugural kick-off for something great for the city that we live in.

I have visions of this fest 3-4-5 years down the road.” will be different.” Drew and Wirtz Beverage are creating this vision and calling it The Alchemy Garden. “We’ll feature a variety of cool craft beers, micro distillers and boutique wines that guests will be able to experiment, taste and enjoy.” This is what people want and is a trend that Wirtz Beverage is making an investment in, “That’s where we see the future. Customers are becoming more educated and much more open to these experiences.” No, we won’t be forced to choose between two marginal draft beer choices and/or a wine out of a box (even though now your box wine selections are getting better).

It is now world-class beveraging just like the gods intended.

Along with the arts being represented both living and on the wall (D*face), Cirque du Soleil will be there showing the perfect marriage between acrobatics, athleticism and art. One of Las Vegas’s most impressive and irreverent shows, “Absinthe”, will be there to tantalize and titillate, along with “Rock of Ages”. Dance will be represented with “Jabbawockeez” along with much more.

As I am writing this, it is still hard for me to wrap my mind around what is to come. Never before have so many aspects of the pleasure culture been represented in one place and at one time. What better place than Las Vegas to do so. And at the end of the day, it’s about revitalizing Downtown Las Vegas, something we can all get around.

Together in one event you will have art, learning, cocktails, food and music. Cocktail god Tony Abou-Ganim will be there; so will rock star chefs like Nancy Silverton of LeBrea Bakery, Scott Conant of Chopped and Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio. Aarón Sánchez of Heat Seekers and Chopped fame, Top Chef Master Susan Feniger, and the infamous Michael Symon will also be collaborating to make this an event of a lifetime.

Plus, there are too many musical acts to even mention. This is truly a Food and Beverage Professional’s fantasy—a fantasy for anyone really. I’ve already put in my schedule request for time off. Have you????

We’ll see you there...

Tickets are already on sale.

Go to www.lifeisbeautifulfestival.com for more details.

The normal overpriced, questionable quality food at most music events will be no more! One edge on the culinary side that Life is Beautiful has over anything that has come before will be the Culinary Village. It will be a venue for more than 50 restaurants to showcase what they do and is sure to be a cornucopia of food delights. All of the chosen vendors will sell food with integrity and a high-level of culinary excellence. All will be available ala carte for 10 bucks or less.

You are probably reading this and thinking, “Finally someone is doing it right!” I do agree. When it comes to most music festivals you are relegated to pay high prices for low quality food and to say that most music festivals have limited beverage options, is putting it lightly. As Drew Levinson put it, “Traditionally you find very mundane and basic beverage options at most festivals. This one 22 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2013

www.lvfnb.com

ACF Chefs National Convention

Photos by Adam Rains & Juanita Aiello

Sweets Roku Grand Opening

Photos by Adam Rains & Juanita Aiello

www.lvfnb.com

September 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 23

Garrett Ahnfeldt, a Rising Star in Napa Valley with His G Wine Cellars Is Making Some Big Noise Anyone who knows anything about wines has heard of Napa Valley. This fertile bastion of world renown wines not far from the famed city by the bay, San Francisco, beckons oenophiles on a pilgrimage to find some of the best palate pleasing wines in the country, if not the world.

It was suggested that we pay a visit to G Wine Cellars, so off we went in search of this new Holy Grail in a barrel. Giving our limo driver basic instructions from what we were told, our day began with excitement and anticipation of a new find. Our minds were quickly brought into the present when our driver pulled off the highway and started down a small very narrow tree lined road. We arrived at the address given and came to a stop in front of a large gate. We all came to the conclusion that we must have taken a wrong turn somewhere.

Now we had a bigger problem; the limo was too long to turn around and backing back down the road would be quite an adventure. We were back in the limo contemplating our next move when a large white truck appeared on the road behind us. As the truck moved closer, we noticed a hand motioning us to move forward. The gate opened and we proceeded through with the mysterious white truck close behind.

Who is this knight on the great white stallion? we asked. Maybe he could direct us to where we are supposed to be as our appointment time loomed.

his large, beautiful home overlooking some of his vineyards. Garrett wasted no time in getting us started with 2009 “G Licious” White Wine. This lovely blend of 95% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Semillion was perfect for a warm afternoon in Napa. We took our seats poolside on Garrett’s patio and began to learn about him and his wines.

Garrett explained he was born and raised in Napa Valley. Already at 7 years old he was driving tractors and had a love for farming. His family moved to Napa Valley in 1985, where his parents started out as growers, selling grapes to prestigious Napa wineries for many years before they started making their own wines.

Mountains, this Cabernet is from one of the finest Cabernet areas in the country and it shows in the glass. Big bodied, dark red to purple in the glass, this wine got us excited for what was on the nose. Huge black fruit aromas jump out of the glass with cassis, smoke and leather notes on the end. On the palate, blackberry is prominent with spice, earth, smoke and long elegant tannins on the finish. Aged in 75% new and 25% one-year-old French oak for at least 24 months, The Mountains Reserve is a big, delicious wine that you can drink now or age at least 10-15 years.

The afternoon on the patio enjoying world class wines with Garrett was drawing to a close as the sun started to set closer to the mountains. We departed, knowing we had just found a true treasure in a young, rising star winemaker as well some very special creations from his vineyards that are a must taste, if you can find them.

Our advice, don’t miss out! Join the wine club!

By Elaine & Scott Harris

Elaine Harris, sommelier, owner of Vino Las Vegas LLC and Editor-In-Chief of The Cuisineist.

Scott Harris, sommelier, President of Vino Las Vegas LLC and a staff journalist for The Cuisineist.

Cuisineist@gmail.com http://CUISINEIST.com

G Wine only produces about 100 cases of Grenache. This lovely Grenache has some spice on it but does not overwhelm the delicate fruit notes that the varietal is known for. This Grenache is harvested from 90-year-old vines in the nearby Eldorado Hills. With the age of the vines being so old, the fruit yields are low, thus creating a condensed wine that has explosive fruit flavors.

The young man in the white truck was none other than Garrett Ahnfeldt, winemaker of G Wine Cellars, and we were at his house. With huge smiles all around, Garrett welcomed us into

Of course, being in Napa you have to have a Cabernet. G Wines Cellars Mountains Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 rates right up there with the best of them. Sourced from the Mayacamas

24 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2013

Photos by Scott Harris

We are always on the lookout for a nice Cabernet Franc and we found one right here. The G Wine Cellars Single Barrel Cabernet Franc 2009 was pure pleasure in a glass. It is also very special as it is made exclusively for their premium wine club. The bottles are hand numbered and production never exceeds 576 bottles. Yes, that’s bottles, not cases.

www.lvfnb.com

Curtis Stone Dinner & Afterparty at SUSHISAMBA

Photos by Crystal Marie

Wirtz Beverage’s - Stanley Cup Tour

Traditional yet New Perfect Soy Sauce Flavor without the Color!

A golden color white soy sauce No burnt dark soy sauce flavor

www.lvfnb.com

Photo courtesy Wirtz Beverage

Photos by Juanita Aiello

No darkening color in cooking Remarkable for sea foods, veggies, pasta, fusion and natural foods

www.whitesoysaucefood.com

September 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 25

HUMAN RESOURCES INSIGHTS

By Linda Westcott-Bernstein

Linda Bernstein has provided sound human resources advice and guidance to Fortune 500 companies and others for over 25 years. She has helped these organizations review procedures and implement solutions that are designed to reduce liabilities and increase their profits. She also assists with the development of human capital through focused employee retention and training programs designed for all levels of employees.

Linda has written a self-help book entitled “It All Comes Down to WE!” which offers guidelines for building a solid and enduring personal work ethic. You can find her book on the website (below) or on Amazon or Google books.

Phone:

702-326-4040

Email: LindaBernstein@cox.net

Booksite: ItAllComesDowntoWE.com

Getting a Handle on Attendance Problems As I always say, people are our most important asset. This statement is true in any successful organization. But when absenteeism creates a service problem due to reduced staff and employee frustration or overwork, it can and will lead to declines in guest service, productivity and inevitably, sales.

Dealing with attendance and tardiness issues is one of management’s toughest challenges. Attendance and tardiness problems are at the center of a team’s ability to meet their goals. Therefore, an organization must have fair attendance policies that are equitably applied. According to surveys: respect, fairness and treatment are among the most important items to employees. The key is consistent application of policies and respectful treatment of employee situations.

Without sound policies and procedures, you invite a discrimination charge.

Human resources and management professionals know that favoritism causes so much more harm than good. When an absenteeism problem becomes apparent, it is important for management to take action. Here are some steps that you can take to monitor and address absenteeism concerns.

• Review and monitor employee attendance issues and • Establish a consistent policy to verify absences due to levels. A report should be prepared, by department illness in which employees are required to provide a (if you are a large organization), to see if there are doctor’s note when multiple sick days occur. Employees management issues in any areas. with three or more consecutive days of absence must provide a doctor’s note. Verify that the note is legitimate • Compare your attendance policy to other similar by calling the doctor and ensuring that the employee was companies to see if you are providing all required seen. options (i.e. FMLA*) and that you offer the most competitive benefits.

• Conduct periodic employee surveys to determine what issues are important to your employees and if attendance • Monitor absenteeism reasons to see if there are trends, problems are due to morale. If so, work with human such as a high level of call-offs due to weather, seasonal resource to boost morale. times, weekend/holiday call-offs, or excessive absences under one manager. * Remember, the Family Medical Leave Act provides (unpaid) time off for those employees, and companies, who meet the established guidelines. This leave time may be taken to care for your own illness or the qualifying illness of a family member. This is a federally mandated leave program and managers should check with Human Resources to see if their employee’s attendance issue falls under these guidelines. Failure to comply could result in fines, fees and even jail time if the company knowingly disregards this law.

To prevent excessive employee absenteeism, you must first identify it and understand what causes it. To start, management must maintain two-way communication with employees. Next, to keep morale up and frustration down, managers must interact with and assist employees in finding better ways to do their jobs, work through disputes, and help them improve their performance. A manager MUST keep an open door and be available for their employees in case a personal issue arises that is affecting their performance. Lastly, without sound communication steps, employees may feel unappreciated and that their efforts are not noticed. This perception of ambivalence can lead to high employee absenteeism and ultimately, turnover. As you know, the high cost of turnover lies not just in the money we must spend but in the time we must devote to finding new people.

HR

Question of the Month

Next month’s topic: Sound Screening Practices for Great Employees Do you/your company have sound procedures for evaluating your applicants?

What works for you and/or what challenges do you experience?

Send to LindaBernstein@cox.net. Responses for next month’s column earn a copy of my book (see left).

Be sure to include your mailing address when sending useful responses.

For current rates visit www.lvfnb.com/advertise.html or Contact Crystal Marie at crystal.marie@lvfnb.com

26 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2013

www.lvfnb.com

Venetian Wine Walk...

Photos by Juanita Aiello

...And a Quick Stop at SUSHISAMBA! Photos by Juanita Aiello

Quality & Price, That’s Our Spice.

All Natural. No MSG. No Fillers.

Las Vegas Spice Co. produces and distributes the highest quality Spice Blends at the most competitive prices. All of our blends are made with Sea Salt, with no additives or preservatives.

Wonder how we can do this?

• There are no middlemen.

• Efficiency- with our State of the art production facility.

• First in Nevada to offer cost- saving refill packaging.

• Low overhead equates to best value as savings get passed on to our valuable and loyal customers.

• We are the local experts in the industry and our business plan is based on long-term growth from repeat business and referrals. We don’t mark up our products as much as competitors do!

Full line of spices, herbs and blends, all in stock.

Private blending with only 50 lb. minimum Private labeling Fast turnaround for special events 25 years of food service experience

www.lvfnb.com

September 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 27

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT The Ultimate Stock that allows you to just Cook!

Major Chef’s Elite Stock Base Pastes are made using only the finest of ingredients. Use to add authentic flavor direct to a sauce or dish. Simply mix in or dilute for perfect results every time.

Use as a base for soups, stews, casseroles, pie fillings, gravies and broths. Available in two sizes, 2.5lb and 10lb tubs, the Major Elite range comes in 29* flavor packed stock base pastes including beef, vegetable, chicken, porcini mushroom, clam and garlic.

With a taste just like your own made stock, the Chefs Elite range is ideal whenever you require a rich flavor delivery offering consistency and saving & important preparation time.

It’s so simple to make a classic brown sauce using Major Chef’s Elite Beef Stock Base Paste. Serve with your favorite cut of steak to create an incredible dish that will leave you wanting more. *includes no msg and low sodium flavors For more information, go to www.majorproducts.com/bases.html

Photos by Juanita Aiello

Milagro at Surrender

28 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2013

www.lvfnb.com

By Crystal Marie

Public House

Photos by Juanita Aiello

We had the opportunity to meet with Mark Delmonte, the general manager in charge of making some unique things happen at Public House in The Venetian. Mark was very informative on their huge beer selection and creative food menu. We were lucky enough to relax in the quiet but cool ambiance of the restaurant. Before indulging in some fantastic food and outstanding beer samples, I started looking around to check out all the funky wall art and amazing chandeliers that hang from the ceiling under the draft brew pipes. The atmosphere is absolutely perfect for sipping one of their 250 bottled beers and/or a fresh draft from one of the 24 beer taps. We tried several different beers but the sour beer was new to all of us. We all enjoyed a sour brown ale from New Belgium Brewing called La Folie, which held a slight red tint, tasting of fruit and citrus almost as if decadent candy was hitting my taste buds.

After Mark informed us that several of their dishes call for some of their beer mixtures, I was excited to check out the menu. Our server, who was very knowledgeable, helped us to decide on four popular dishes. We enjoyed every single bite and stuck with the sour beer throughout our dinner, which paired well with everything.

We definitely enjoyed our entire experience at Public House. I would recommend Public House to anyone who enjoys a comfortable but unique dining experience, and if you are into beer at all, this place is a must.

30 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2013

www.lvfnb.com

Please join us at the

5th annual

DISH Las Vegas benefiting Rais eaf ork to e nd h ung er.

DISH is Three Square’s annual benefit event that raises funds to fight hunger in Southern Nevada.

702-644-3663  www.threesquare.org

Thursday September 26, 2013 6:30 - 10:00 pm

Palms Pool & Bungalows The Palms Casino Resort 4321 W. Flamingo Rd. Las Vegas, NV 89103

Tickets: VIP - $125 (5:30 pm early admittance) General Admission - $75 PRESENTING SPONSORS:

Featuring Musical Guests

and a special VIP Performance by

Million Dollar Quartet

VIP SPONSOR:

Venue Provided by: The Palms Casino Resort; The 9Group This event is for 21 and over.

Real Texas Flavor

By Shelley Stepanek

Theme Styled!

quickly became the Buckhorn Hall of Horns.

Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders frequented the place.

Friedrich amassed his collection from his own hunting trips, and from other hunters and trappers, eventually acquiring the collection of a hunter named Capt. Ernest Dosch. Early on, Friedrich would swap a drink for anyone who would bring in a set of horns to be displayed. A collection of firearms and a mirrored bar were added to the collection of horns. In addition to the horn collection, a visitor will also find rattlesnake art and memorabilia of both Native Americans and the cowboy culture.

Photo Shelley Stepanek

Photo courtesy Eagle Dancer Ranch

Heading down to Texas soon? Well, why not try out a few of these themed eateries in Dallas or San Antonio. From the biggest of ranches, where you can have family reunions in authentic western surroundings, a place where you can revisit your childhood comic book characters, to one of the oldest saloons and museums in the country, I highly suggest them all.

Magic Time Machine restaurants in San Antonio and Dallas are a real throwback for adults. Both locations are packed the moment they open with young and old alike. The theme here is everything funny and whimsical. Booths are designed cleverly, such as a box of crayons, a tree house, the inside of an old bus, or maybe a giant box of fruit. The waiters are characters such as Wonder Woman, Cat Woman, Cinderella, Captain Jack Sparrow or Ace Ventura. Starting with the salad bar in the insides of a convertible, the amount of food is massive. A prime rib cut in half, filled with a crab mixture, massive baked potato, two ears of corn and a side of mushrooms can be had for the incredible price of $19.00 Not to be missed. www.magictimemachine.com.

Buckhorn Saloon & Museum in San Antonio, one block from the famous River Walk, is a privately run museum and eating establishment.

Originally owned by Albert Friedrich, the Buckhorn has a truly unique collection which began in 1881 and started out as horns, which

Photo Shelley Stepanek

Texas hangouts? Yes, they have them. While visiting the Lone Star State why not check out Eagle Dancer Ranch, or Sisterdale Dancehall for your next big social event. Both properties offer a historic and beautiful setting. North of San Antonio, these two top ranches can provide everything you need for a wedding, vow renewal or just plain old hoedown party. Sisterdale shines with its row of 360-year-old oak trees on the banks of West Sister Creek. With its weathered tin roof and original wood floors, this is real history. Built in the late 1800’s, the property has nothing lavish or ornate, just simple beauty. Featuring a historic dance hall, pre-Civil War stone tavern and its unique Bed and Breakfast, you will love your time spent here. Ride in a horse drawn carriage to finish out the trip. Eagle Dancer Ranch is filled with stained glass windows, and its hand-crafted bar is held up by two 150-year-old cypress trees.

With hayrides, buggy rides, canoeing, ranch and longhorn tours, where is there room to squeeze in fishing or wildlife viewing? info@ sisterdaledancehall.com, 210-508-0344.

As you dine among over 350 stuffed heads of every animal imaginable, you can feast on everything from ribs, chicken, Texas brisket to burgers. The cafe boards up its doors at 3 p.m. sharp, so make your way in early. 210-247-4004 318 E. Houston St., San Antonio, Texas.

Photos by Juanita Aiello

Yellowtail at Bellagio

32 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2013

www.lvfnb.com

77th Annual Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo Sets Record Attendee Growth and Provides New Products, New Concepts and New Ideas to Thousands of Restaurateurs LOS ANGELES, CA September 3, 2013 – Thousands of restaurant and foodservice industry professionals, a 22% increase over last year, enjoyed three days of tasting new products, meeting with new vendors and attending education programs at the 77th annual Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo which was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, August 18-20, 2013. The event was sponsored by the California Restaurant Association, a partner of the National Restaurant Association.

“We were thrilled to be back in Los Angeles, and the energy and excitement on the show floor was fantastic, fueled by all of the special events and new product announcements,” said Ron Mathews, Industry Vice President for the Foodservice Events. “We welcome the new owners of the event, Urban Expositions, and we thank our exhibitors, our attendees, our speakers, and

the California Restaurant Association. The event is more than a tradeshow; it is a complete learning experience that improves our attendees’ business throughout the year.”

“We were excited to announce the purchase of this event just a few days before, but the best part was being on-site, feeling the energy, meeting with exhibitors and attendees and members of the association and hearing the enthusiasm about the future growth of both the industry and this event,” said Doug Miller, Owner of Urban Expositions. “We thank the staff and look forward to building on the momentum they created at this year’s event and taking that energy to the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Expo and the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York.”

Photos by Juanita Aiello

About The Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo The 2014 Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo, with the co-located Expo Comida Latina, will be held Sunday, August 17 - Tuesday, August 19 at the Anaheim Convention Center. The Show is produced and managed by Urban Expositions, and sponsored by the California Restaurant Association.

Urban Expositions produces several other foodservice events including the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show scheduled for Saturday, September 22 – Monday, September 24, 2013 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL and the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York to be held Sunday, March 2 – Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York. For more information on exhibiting or attending future events, visit the official Show website at www.thefoodshows.com. www.lvfnb.com

September 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 33

By Michael Oshman

Dining Green on Campus

Michael Oshman is the founder and executive director of the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), a national non-profit organization formed in 1990 to create environmental sustainability in the foodservice industry.

It’s back to school time. Millions of young Americans are heading back from the beaches and summer’s play to the serious work of educating themselves to be the next generation’s leaders. When most people think of Green Dining, they don’t think of their high school or college café. Well, think again, because this generation’s cafeteria is not what we might remember.

Their focus on environmental sustainability has come front and center. In fact, sustainability is one of the top four reasons that students now choose a college.

So, what a university cafeteria does for the environment can be the difference in attracting the best and the brightest. As this ethic permeates our society, the following is an exciting sample of just some of America’s colleges, universities, and schools that have Certified Green Restaurant® options for their students: Colleges and Universities: Ohio University

Schools Charlotte Latin School Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School

Kent Career Technical Center

Dwight Englewood

Bates College

Ethical Culture Fieldston School

Boston University Edgewood College Green Mountain College Harvard Business School Harvard Law School University of Wisconsin

Friends Seminary School German School New York Gill St. Bernard’s School Hackley School Horace Mann School Muse Cafetaria Noble and Greenough School Princeton Day School Providence Day School

University of Minnesota

Rippowam Cisqua

Northeastern University

The Dalton School

UCLA Harvard University School of Public Health

The Hewitt School The Walnut Hill School Winsor School

Some of America’s best elementary schools, high schools, colleges, and universities are represented on this list. We all know that teaching by example is the most effective. It is difficult to teach students about environmental sustainability in a health, environment, policy, or science class…. without also modeling it in their operations. Students at Horace Mann School get to dine at a 2 Star Certified Green Restaurant® that has implemented 111 GreenPoints™ of environmental steps into their operations. With recycling, Styrofoam free… and steps in energy, water, waste, chemicals, food, and packaging, this cafeteria is reducing their environmental impact in important ways.

Boston University sports America’s greenest food court with the highest rating of any school: a 4 Star Certified Green Restaurant® with 322 GreenPoints™. They are recycling, composting, Styrofoam-free, brownfield redevelopment and scores of other steps.

Every segment of the foodservice industry is engaging in lightening their environmental impact.

Manufacturers are now producing greener products. Consumers are armed with the latest smart devices to make the right green choices. And restaurants are ready to offer their customers food that is lighter on the planet™.

Eco-Tip of the Day: If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, get one today. If you have one, make sure you have it programmed to go up and down properly to save you the most amount of energy.

34 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2013

About the Green Restaurant Association 2013 marks the 23nd anniversary of the Green Restaurant Association’s (GRA) founding in 1990. The Green Restaurant Association is a national non-profit organization that provides the only official Certified Green Restaurants® mark in the country. For two decades, the GRA has pioneered the Green Restaurant® movement and has been the leading voice within the industry encouraging restaurants to listen to consumer demand and green their operations using transparent, science-based certification standards. With their turnkey certification system, the GRA has made it easy for thousands of restaurants to become more environmentally sustainable in a profitable manner. The GRA is endorsed by scores of national environmental organizations such as NRDC and Environmental Defense, and esteemed trade organizations including the New York State Restaurant Association, Orange County Restaurant Association, and America Public Garden Association.

The GRA is also an Energy Star partner. In 2010, Citysearch announced the GRA as their official Green Restaurant® listing partner.

The GRA has been featured on CNN, NBC Nightly News, NPR, and in The New York Times, and The Washington Post.

For more information visit www.dinegreen.com. www.lvfnb.com

Green Restaurant Association

TM

Since 1990

Thinking of Going Green?

Take a strategic approach.

a non-profit organization Phone: (617) 737-3344 Email: gra@dinegreen.com www.dinegreen.com

Rock ‘n Roll Cocktail Party

By Rebecca Rajkowski

Dewar’s Highlander Honey Drink Competition at Hyde

to personal favorites so that they may be counted after each had been sampled. The top three cocktails would win first, second and third place.

After the cornucopia of spirited libations had been appraised and the ballots had been counted, Ryan Wieczorek, the founder and lead organizer for Cocktail City Las Vegas who was accompanied

by Chelsea Adams, his girlfriend of 11 years, took the stage to announce the winners.

In third place was Som Thammovong, a bartender for the pool bar at the Bellagio. His sweet and refreshing beverage, “Summer On the Lake,” contained the Dewar’s Honey, ginger, thymeinfused syrup and lemon juice.

In second was Jessica Briggs, a bartender for the Boulder Creek Golf Course, which is located in the Boulder City Country Club. Briggs cheerfully distributed samples of “The Haole,” a compilation of Dewar’s Highlander Honey, honey lemonade, strawberry daiquiri mix, mango and ice. This was the only blended beverage at the event.

The coveted title of First Place Winner was given to the “Southern Highlander.” This prize winning cocktail contains Blandy’s 5 Year Madeira, lemon juice, egg whites, raspberryinfused Demerara syrup and Angostura bitters.

This was prepared by mixologist Michael Przydzial of Central Michel Richard, which is located in Caesars Palace.

Photos by Emil Rajkowski

The elegant, crystalline display which featured three bottles of Dewar’s Highlander Honey was the first thing I noticed as I entered Hyde Bellagio. This Bacardi version of flavored Scotch Whisky, the sponsor of the event, was a staple in all of the drinks which were presented at the cocktail competition. This particular concoction of Dewar’s would best be described as a balanced blend of honey which culminates into a smooth and slightly sweet finish.

The intimate atmosphere of Hyde was due not only to the comfortably close interior, but also to the elegantly vintage, yet cozy decorations which had been specifically chosen to recreate the living room of an Italian villa. This made the task of visiting every booth simple as I did not have very far to walk, and I was curious to see what intriguing items I might find gracing the walls.

Even the most selective taste buds would be able to sample a cocktail to their liking, and several stood out from among the rest. Those who prefer a slightly bitter and heady beverage would have raved over “Slow Ride,” which was presented

by Public House’s Chris Isham. This drink was made up of Dewar’s Highlander Honey, Benedictine, Tia Marta and Fee Bros. Cherry and Chocolate Bitters.

For the more adventurous samplers, Raul Faria, from Gordon Ramsay Pub and Grill in Caesars Palace, created an interesting mix of Dewar’s Highlander Honey, Mama Walker’s Maple Bacon, egg whites, Coffee-mate, and OJ. This delightfully whimsical drink, aptly named “Breakfast on the Rocks,” was garnished with orange, honey and a bacon chip.

Perhaps the most subtly sweet beverage was the country-esque “Dew Me with Lavender, Honey”

by April Simms, who bartends for Angela Sosa’s Poppy Den. Besides the Dewar’s Honey, this nip featured Lavender Orgeat Syrup, Osborne Dry Sherry, fresh lemon juice and sparkling water.

The Peter Love Band took the stage, standing out against a backdrop of the elegant DJ booth where retro silver telephone receivers protruded from the wall. The ebullient music filled the room as everyone meandered through the club. Upon entering Hyde, each person received three voting tickets to place in bowls which were set on the tables of each booth. These were to be distributed

36 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2013

www.lvfnb.com

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Introducing Visstun Cups ®

Visstun ® is a Las Vegas based custom cup manufacturer specializing in Hi-definition, 4-Color Process cups. We offer reusable, top-shelf dishwasher safe Clear & White plastic cups and single use paper Hot & Cold cups. Our unique approach to printing and manufacturing enables restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and casinos of all sizes to create that big brand looks that drives business and generates repeat customers. Whether you need 1,000 cups for a special event or 10 million cups for an annual program, Visstun’s photoquality printing, crisp detail, and vivid color helps you stand out from the competition.

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September 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 37

CUSTOM BLENDED HERBS and SPICES MADE LOCALLY IN LAS VEGAS Al Dentes’ Provisions is a wholesale distributor of exceptional quality dried spices and specialty foods to the finest hotels and restaurants in Las Vegas and surrounding areas. Al Dentes’ Provisions is owned and operated by a former chef with over 20 years of experience. Wherever he worked around the country he was never satisfied with the dried spices available to him so he started his own company where we control all aspects of purchasing, packing and distribution. We pack our spices to be sold and distributed not warehoused for years. We believe this enables us to provide the finest and freshest product available to the foodservice industry. We take great pride in our company, our commitment to customer service and in the products we sell:

• Custom packed Herbs and Spices • Custom Spice Blends • Private labeling • Now Certified Kosher

Check us out online!

Website: www.aldentes.com Online Retail Store: www.cookinginlasvegas.com

Coming Soon

S, N V

GA

PURVEYO RO F

“G

VE

Al Dentes’ Provisions 6960 W Warm Springs Road, Suite 130 • Las Vegas, Nevada 89113 702-642-1100 • 702-617-5686 fax • sales@aldentes.com

S’ PRO NTE UFF” VISIO DEREAT ST

NS

retail store

AL

THE SPICE OUTLET LA

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EVENTS

AD INDEX

SEPTEMBER

September 24-26 Global Gaming Expo-F&B@G2E www.globalgamingexpo.com

September 6 Bubbles & Chocolate www.rocknrollwine.com

September 24 ACF Chefs Las Vegas Montly Meeting www.acfchefslasvegas.org

September 7 8th Annual Wine Amplified Festival www.rocknrollwine.com

September 26 Three Square’s DISH Las Vegas www.threesquare.org

September 7 Wine Walk @ Town Square www.winewalklv.com

September 29-October 1 California Grocers Association Converence Palm Springs www.cagrocers.com

September 7 Flavors Of The Heart www.flavorsoftheheart.com September 10-15 33rd San Gennaro Feast www.sangennarofeast.com

September 29-October 2 NBWA-National Beer Wholesalers Association www.nbwa.org

September 17 SOS-Taste Of The Nation www.TasteOfTheNation.org

OCTOBER

September 17-21 Spirits of Mexico Old Town San Diego, CA www.thespiritsofmexico.com

October 5 Lucky Rice www.luckyrice.com

September 21 Motley Brews Downtown Brew Festival www.downtownbrewfestival.com

October 6-9 International Baking Institute Expo www.ibie2013.org

September 21 Wine Walk @ Lake Las Vegas www.winewalklv.com

October 12 Wine Walk @ Lake Las Vegas www.winewalklv.com

September 18 Las Vegas Largest Mixer www.largestmixer.com

To see more events, visit www.lvfnb.com/ calendar.htm

September 21 Wine Walk @ Lake Las Vegas www.winewalklv.com

Don’t See Your Event Listed Here?

Email Your F&B Events to Info@lvfnb.com.

Aces & Ales www.acesandales.com 702-638-2337

page 8

Al Dentes’ Provisions sales@aldentes.com 702-642-1100

page 38

Jay’s Sharpening www.jayssharpening.com 702-645-0049

page 5

JCCNV www.jccnevada.com 702-428-0555

page 10

Las Vegas Spice Company 702-696-1394 www.lvspiceco.com

page 27

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse page 39 www.bjsrestaurants.com 702-851-8050

Major Products www.majorproducts.com 702-838-4698

page 29

Davista Photography www.davistaphotography.com 507-319-8393

page 13

SmartBar www.smartbarproducts.com 877-777-2441

Designated Drivers, Inc. Las Vegas www.designateddriversinc.com 702-456-7433(RIDE)

page 10

Visstun

DISH Las Vegas www.threesquare.org

page 31

G2E www.globalgamingexpo.com

page 17

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

page 8

page 2

page 37

Visually Stunning Custom Cups www.visstuncups.com 800-401-2910

Green Restaurant Association page 35 www.dinegreen.com 617-737-3344

Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo www.westernfoodexpo.com

page 20

White Soy Sauce www.whitesoysaucefood.com

page 25

World Food Championships page 32 www.worldfoodchampionships.com

Let’s Get Together at BJ’s!

Weekday Lunch Specials • Snacks and Small Bites • Fresh Salads • ENLIGHTENED ENTREES® Signature Deep Dish Pizzas • Culinary Creations • Pizookie® Desserts • Award-Winning Handcrafted Beers CALL AHEAD WAITING LIST | ONLINE ORDERING | CURBSIDE TAKE OUT

CENTENNIAL | 702-851-8050

|

SUMMERLIN | 702-853-2300

|

HENDERSON | 702-473-2980

join us for HAPPY HOUR Mon.– Fri. 3–7PM | LATE NIGHT Sun.–Thurs. 10PM–Close W W W. B J S R E S TA U R A N T S . C O M |

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“Wow – I love this place!”® September 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 39 6/12/12 2:04 PM