August 2016 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional

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Issue 8 Volume 16

US $3.95

Nectaly Mendoza’s

Herbs & Rye Makes Las Vegas Proud

“Best American High Volume Cocktail Bar” ~ Tales of the Cocktail 2016 Spirited Awards

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W HOT .LV OS FN & BP STO RO RIE .C S VIS OM IT

August 2016

CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER MIKE FRYER

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Welcome back to The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional where we appreciate your continued support and readership, which is currently up to 62,000 dedicated readers, both locally and throughout the US and internationally. Originally, I was surprised to see the number of national readers we were registering, but after a careful review and a few Q&A’s I realized that, as the ONLY Las Vegas Food & BeverageDedicated Publication, we were followed by other Industry Professionals in many places. They are looking towards Las Vegas as the idea center for up-and-coming culinary trends and systems which they can use in their individual facilities. Additionally, chefs associations, foodservice suppliers, culinary schools and multi-unit facilities want to be up-to-date with what’s happening in Las Vegas!

Cover

This brings me to the August issue where we have featured a first for our city’s mixologists and cocktail rooms, with the winner of Tails Of The Cocktail’s “Best American High Volume Cocktail Bar,” our own Herbs & Rye headed by Nectaly Mendoza and his team of exceptional mixologists who keep the place hopping nightly with some great concoctions in a friendly and professional atmosphere. Congratulations to Nectaly and his great team and to all the other Las Vegas contestants helping to make this city look good! Full story on page 16.

As a footnote, the building that Herbs & Rye occupies was the original Venetian Italian Restaurant which was an iconic eatery owned and operated by the Ruvo Family, and was where Larry Ruvo was introduced to the business…

Cover and feature photos by Joe Tholt - joetholt.com

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19

On Page 19 is another worthy note that our Editorial Director, Bob Barnes, brings to our attention. Las Vegas has been a culinary haven for years now and has helped lift many industry professionals to a higher level just to see them take their talents to other locations where they do well. So, nice to see a change in the usual system and have two noted chefs return to Las Vegas to the delight of all that know them: Chef Carla Pellegrino who owns Bratalian Neapolitan Cantina and Chef Gino Bernardo now with Brian Malarkey’s second concept Herringbone at ARIA. So glad to see them both back in Las Vegas and looking forward to visiting them both real soon. Check out the full story; you’ll be glad you did...

Mike Fryer

Page 4 Hot Off the Grill!

Page 13 Chile Caliente

Page 5 Wine Talk Wine Tasting with Chef Joho

Page 14 UNLV Epicurean Society

Page 6 What’s Brewing Page 8 West Eats East Instant Noodles Page 9 Chef Talk Strawberries Page 10 Food for Thought Quick & Delicious Summer Salad

19 www.lvfnbpro.com

age 11 Up Front and Personal Destyn Taylor Page 12 Brett’s Vegas View

Page 16 COVER FEATURE Nectaly Mendoza’s Herbs & Rye Makes Las Vegas Proud Page 19 What’s Cooking

Page 25 The Bottom Line How Do Media ‘Influencers’ Affect Restaurant Marketing?

Page 26 Phillip Dell of Rancho High School Honored as 2016 Prostart National Educator of Excellence Page 27 Our Picks Fruity, Refreshing Summer Drinks

Page 20 Product Spotlight

Page 28 Megan Mack’s Latenight Excursions

Bob’s Beer Bits and Sips New Releases

Du-par’s - Best Pancakes in the Country!

Page 22 Hell’s Kitchen Winner Ariel Malone debut at BLT Steak

Page 29 Product Review

Page 23 Dining Out with the Harrises

Page 30 Events Ad Index

Page 24 Human Resources Insights Passion: a Key Ingredient for Success!

Gustav E. Mauler, AAC Named 2016 ACF Las Vegas Chef of the Year

August 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 3

The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 7442 Grizzly Giant Street Las Vegas, NV 89139 www.lvfnbpro.com

HOT OFF THE GRILL!

August 2016 Mike Fryer

Sr. Editor/Publisher

Tuscany Food & Beverage Manager Howard Samber, LVFNBPro Editorial Director Bob Barnes and Tuscany Executive Director of Operations Alex Bowden toast to the success of the new Pub 365 at the Tuscany Suites & Casino. For a report on the astounding beer list and equally pleasing gastropub menu offered at this newly opened pub named for the number of beers it carries, see Bob’s What’s Brewing column on page 6.

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

Juanita Fryer

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

Juanita Aiello

Bob Barnes

Editorial Director bob@lvfnb.com

Tommy Bahama has always been one of our favorite restaurants and known for their South Pacific fare and great concoctions with rum, you can’t go wrong. One of the very few restaurant/store concepts that has made headway into the mainstream F&B business, Tommy Bahama chooses their locations carefully to be sure of the correct demographics to secure success. We recently visited Tommy Bahama in Laguna Beach to try their Summer Seasonal Menu changes and had the chance to meet our old friend, Eric Kuhary, the General Manager.

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

In the July issue Wolfgang Hauck was incorrectly identified as the founder of World of Beer, but he is actually the franchisee owner of the location opening at the Galleria in Henderson.

The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional corrects mistakes.

Bring errors to our attention by emailing bob@lvfnb.com.

Adam Rains

Creative Director juanita@lvfnb.com

Beverage Editor adam.rains@lvfnb.com

Advertising sales@lvfnb.com

Article Submissions/Suggestions articles@lvfnb.com

Calendar Submissions calendar@lvfnb.com

Website webmaster@lvfnb.com

Press Relase Submissions news@lvfnb.com

General Information info@lvfnb.com

@lvfnb

The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Journalist Aimee McAffee

Photographer Joe Tholt

Accounting Manager Michelle San Juan

Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett

Journalist Shelley Stepanek

Journalist Food for Thought Les Kincaid

Journalist UNLV Epicurean Society Matthew Cairo

Journalist Mitchell Wilburn

Photographer Justin McAffee

Journalist Good for Spooning LeAnne Notabartolo

Journalist East Eats West K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.

Photographer Audrey Dempsey

Journalist Chef Talk Allen Asch

Journalist Al Mancini

Journalist Heidi Rains

Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein

Journalist Green Restaurant Association Michael Oshman

Journalist Wine Talk Alice Swift

Journalist Latenight Megan Nicolson

Journalist The Bottom Line Ben Brown

Photographer Bill Bokelmann

Photographer Joe Urcioli

SoCal Journalist Margie Mancino

Journalist Lisa Matney

4 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I August 2016

www.lvfnbpro.com

Wine Talk with Alice Swift

By Alice Swift Alice Swift has been a resident of Las Vegas since July, 2011, and is currently an instructor as well as a Ph.D. student at UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration. She also works as Learning Design & Development Business Partner for MGM Resorts University. Check out her website at www.aliceswift. com for the dish on wine, technology, or even both!

She is happy to take suggestions for article topics or inquiries.

Wine Tasting with Chef Joho

photo courtesy Eiffel Tower Restaurant and Jeffrey Ward, Director of Communications - www.leye.com

Eiffel Tower Restaurant Paris Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas

Entrance to restaurant upon exiting elevator

Interior table by window overlooking the Bellagio fountains

www.lvfnbpro.com

Wine tasting table with Jennifer Szychowski, Beverage Director, and Melinda Staehling pouring wines for guests

Passed hors d’oeuvres

Patrick Will and Chef Joho, Chef and Proprietor of Eiffel Tower Restaurant

Melinda Staehling, Breakthru Beverage Nevada

Photos by Alice Swift

What better way to visit the Eiffel Tower Restaurant for the first time than to attend a wine tasting event? As a new program meant to introduce guests to the world of wine in a casual and relaxed setting, the Eiffel Tower Restaurant has begun hosting wine tastings with special guests such as wine producers, sales representatives, winemakers, etc., along with the acclaimed Chef Joho.

I attended their second wine tasting event on June 21, featuring French wine producers E. Guigal and Chateau Recougne. At $40 per person, it was a great deal considering there was a flight of four wines and passed hors d’oeuvres. The timing is perfect (4-5:30 p.m.) in case you would like to have dinner in the restaurant afterwards, having had a taste of the Eiffel Tower Restaurant experience.

Chef Joho is chef and proprietor of several restaurants from Las Vegas to the East Coast. His start in the restauranteur world took off with Everest in Chicago, and he adds to his restaurant repertoire with Paris Club in Chicago, Brasserie Jo in Boston, and last but not least, our very own Eiffel Tower Restaurant, which is located on the 11th floor of the Eiffel Tower itself (in Las Vegas, of course!). The restaurant is surrounded by large pane windows, which boast a first class view of the Bellagio fountains and the Las Vegas Strip, making a beautiful, romantic dinner date.

The wine tastings events allow guests to enjoy quality wines in a stress free environment where they can wine, dine and enjoy the company of others with a shared passion for wine. The typical restaurant guest is not a sommelier nor do they understand all the theory and winemaking processes behind the wine. They are concerned with whether the end product tastes good (to them), and whether they like it or not. Chef Joho’s goal for these events is for people “to have a fun, relaxing event; it’s meant to be enjoyed.

It’s always nice to get some people together and spend time together.”

For more information on future wine tasting events, be sure to keep an eye out for the monthly wine tasting event on the Eiffel Tower Special Events website: http://eiffeltowerrestaurant.com/special-events Hope to see you there, Cheers~!

Wine tasting flight part 2 (reds)

August 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 5

By Bob Barnes

what’s

He welcomes your inquiries.

Email: bob@lvfnb.com

A packed house turnout at the inaugural Cookies and Kegs event at Lovelady Brewing proved that cookies do go great with beer.

Cookies and Beer Cookies and beer anyone? On June 22 Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada teamed up with Lovelady Brewing to host the inaugural Cookies & Kegs, an event that paired the beloved cookies with eight Lovelady beers. The event was held at the brewery’s taproom and in addition to the cookies and brews, Masterpiece Cuisine provided Buffalo chicken sliders, Asian kimchi short rib tacos and peach & brie quesadillas.

Lovelady Brewmaster Richard Lovelady created a special Girl Scout brew, Porter deLite: his porter infused with Caramel deLites plus extra coconut and cocoa nibs. This outing was not only an excellent opportunity to try the new brewery’s beers, but also to support a good cause, as more than $5,000 was raised to support Girl Scout programs. Judging on the more than 250 attendees that showed up, this won’t be the last time we can enjoy cookies and beer.

Free Beer Who doesn’t love free beer, especially locallybrewed free beer? Downtown Grand is now pouring Joseph James Brewery’s Hop Box Imperial IPA and I’m Out Imperial Stout on the casino floor, of which players can now enjoy

complimentary pints while gambling; and the Tuscany Casino pours Big Dog’s Dirty Dog IPA for its players.

Pub 365 at the Tuscany Last issue I extolled the outstanding beer offerings of a new pub on the Strip; this month I am doing the same for one off the Strip, Pub 365 at the Tuscany Suites & Casino at Flamingo and Koval. As mentioned above, the casino is not new to supporting craft beer and all of its outlets have quality beer lists, but the new pub goes above and beyond, by establishing a beer selection that will eventually number as many as the days of the year. Food & Beverage Manager Howard Samber has selected the best of the best with a wide range of beer styles and also created the Unicorn List, so named for having elusive and hard to find rare beers. There are plenty of local brews with the initial list including beers from Bad Beat, Banger, Big Dog’s, CraftHaus, Joseph James and Tenaya Creek. The prices will also make beer geeks happy, with most beers ranging from $4-$6 (e.g. Joseph James Lager for $4, Banger El Hefe for $5 and Monk’s Café Flemish Sour Ale for $6).

Pub 365 at the Tuscany

Pub 365’s Poutine

photos by Joe Urcioli

photo by Brandi Farra

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.

6 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I August 2016

Located off of the casino in the former space of The Cantina, this craft beer haven’s décor features brick, 3D beer signs, Edison lights, TVs topping the wraparound bar and a private room that seats 75 that will be used for monthly beer events such as beer dinners. A cool feature is the DigitalPour screen, which lists details of the 40tap draft selection. Be sure to sign up for the Mug Club beer loyalty program, which will enable you to win prizes, private tap party invites and the chance to earn a personalized tap on the Tap Wall of Fame.

The lunch and dinner menus feature traditional pub fare with a modern spin developed with input from Chef Carlos Buscaglia of Due Forni and the Pub’s Executive Chef Juan Puentes. Prices start at $3 and nearly all menu items are under $10.

Highlights include the decadent Poutine with cheese curds, gravy, pulled pork and over easy egg; Tacos that come in versions of Baja fish, cochinita chicken, Korean short rib and steak & egg; Ahi Poke with mango, ginger, avocado and taro chips; and ten Iconic Burgers, such as the Manhattan Montana with bison, sautéed pastrami and Menonita cheese. Pub 365 is open 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. daily.

Welcome to Erik Nielsen A welcome to the brewing community goes out to Erik Nielsen, a reader of this column and the assistant brewer at Chicago Brewing Company. The 23-year-old native Las Vegan got into craft beer a few years ago while working as a server and in October 2015 landed a job at the brewpub. Luckily for him, this was around the same time there were brewer changes going on and after expressing his interest in working in the brewery in January of this year he started as assistant brewer, training under Head Brewer www.lvfnbpro.com

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photos courtesy of MGM Resorts International

Kyle Cormier. Erik says, “It has been a pleasure working under Kyle and learning from such a well-respected and multiple award-winning brewer. There is no other occupation that I would rather be doing.”

Aces & Ales Strong Beer Fest Aces & Ales will host its 7th Annual Strong Beer Fest August 13 beginning at 3 p.m. at its Tenaya location in Las Vegas. The event will offer an opportunity to indulge in more than 50 different specialty or extremely rare beers that are at least 7% ABV. For more info visit acesandales.com.

New Beer in Town After a long wait, AleSmith Brewing Company, one of my favorite breweries, is now available in Nevada thanks to a new distribution partnership with Bonanza Beverage Company. We can now look forward to the arrival of core six-pack offerings such as AleSmith IPA, AleSmith Nut Brown and AleSmith Lil’ Devil Belgian-style Pale Ale. Mother Earth Brewing out of Vista, CA is doing so well with its expanding market that they’ve hired a rep to handle Southern Nevada, Mike Gaddy, who had previously been working locally as a distributor rep and knows the local beer biz. The brand is distributed by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and in addition to the popular Cali Creamin vanilla cream ale and Sin Tax peanut butter imperial stout, each month a draft special is offered, with August featuring the 6-row Pilsner and September an Imperial Blonde Ale. More Places to Enjoy Triple 7 Beers Head Brewer Tom Harwood at the Triple 7 Brewpub at Main Street Station filled me that an upgrade to his brewing kettle is allowing for more rapid production of his brews which has made it possible for some of his beers to now be served at other Boyd Gaming properties downtown, including the Filament and Tony Roma’s at the Fremont and the new Holo Holo — The Happy Bar at the Cal; and future plans are to send beers out to Sam’s Town and the Orleans. Also, the Carlsbad IPA, named in honor of and inspired by Tom’s visits to Pizza Port and Bagby Brewing in Carlsbad, CA, had been a seasonal, but has been moved into his lineup of core beers, so you can enjoy it every time you stop in.

LVB Burgers at The Mirage Serving Great Burgers and Beer After nearly eight years, BLT Burger at The Mirage closed in April and reopened days later as resort-operated LVB Burgers & Bar. The new restaurant is overseen by Michael LaPlaca, who is also executive chef at the resort’s Portofino fine dining Italian restaurant. Chef brought in Bert Coats to take on the executive chef job, who was already on property, having previously held chef positions at Pantry and Heritage Steak.

Coincidentally or perhaps fate, both Coats and LaPlaca attended the Le Cordon Bleu cooking school together and are now reunited in a working partnership.

The restaurant’s décor remains unchanged, with hanging Edison lights, tan and brown earth tones and an open kitchen. However, one change Chef Coats informed me of is that instead of grilling the burgers a flattop is now used, which he says results in retaining more juiciness and a caramelized crust.

The restaurant’s name appears to be a nod to Las Vegas Boulevard, evidenced by the address

Chef Bert Coats

Chef Michael LaPlaca

of The Mirage listed on the back of the servers’ shirts. In keeping with the restaurant’s three letter initials, all of the burger choices have tri-letter abbreviations. The B.L.D. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner), which Chef Coats described as an Egg McMuffin on steroids, is loaded with a house-made sausage burger, ham, fried egg, American cheese and is served on an English muffin. Those like me that yearn for heat will not be disappointed in the K.I.K. (Kick in the Kisser) enlivened with pickled jalapeno, fried egg, avocado, onion straws, pepper jack and sriracha aioli. Not everyone likes beef, so the W.T.F. (What the Flock) turkey burger with turkey bacon, heirloom tomato, avocado, sharp cheddar and chipotle mayo and the P.S.S. (Pineapple, Salmon, Slaw) with soy glazed salmon patty and grilled pineapple relish and sesame slaw will please non-carnivores; and vegetarians haven’t been left out, for there is the P.M.B. (Portobello Mushroom Burger) with marinated portobello, gruyere and spinach. Another non-traditional burger is the O.M.G. (Oh My Gosh), a duck burger stuffed with Muenster cheese, smoked ketchup, heirloom tomato, watercress and roasted duck mayo. All of the burgers are large enough that if you ate the whole thing you would be hurting, so unless you are a professional food eating competitor, expect to have enough left to save for another meal. And at a price point of $14-$18 it’s not so bad if you like leftovers.

A gourmet burger restaurant would be amiss to not have a quality beer list to accompany its fare, and even better is if it carries local beers.

The Mirage Director of Beverage Nate Hedlund said, “With LV in the name we thought it was important to have beers from every local brewery that distributes its beer.” Hedlund added that one of the local breweries, CraftHaus, actually brews a beer especially for the restaurant that is served only here: the Island Hopper Saison, made with mango and Australian hops (it’s delicious, by the way). Also pouring during my visit were brews from local breweries Bad Beat, Banger, Big Dog’s, Joseph James, Sin City and Tenaya Creek; and Great Basin from Reno. One other beer made exclusively for LVB is Amber’s Ale, which is an amber ale brewed with a citrusy, lemony hop and aged in barrel staves, made by the Salt Lake City-based Wasatch Brewery in honor of Amber Wornica, a Mirage beverage manager and native of Salt Lake City who recently tragically passed away from a sudden illness. Amber is also honored on the food menu, with two items made with a batter using the

aforementioned beer, Amber’s Ale Onion Rings and Amber’s Ale Fried Pickles.

If you have room for dessert, I recommend one of the milk shakes, of which there are 11 varieties, such as the Maple Stirrup with blended goodness of bacon, cinnamon sugar doughnut and vanilla ice cream and two crisp strips of bacon thrown in for good measure; or from the Spike It Up side of the menu, the Jack’s Snickerdoodle with Jack Daniel’s Honey, Rumchata, caramel, vanilla ice cream and a snickerdoodle cookie all blended together. Those not wanting dairy can opt for the Fried Nutella—warm donut hole filled with Nutella ganache with a banana toffee dipping sauce; or Wonuts, so named for they are a cross between a donut and a waffle with chocolate, white chocolate and caramel sauces.

It seems that every Strip resort now has a burgercentric restaurant playing to its customer base and this new entry into the field is hitting the right notes on all fronts with something for every palate and a worthy assortment of beers. LVB Burgers & Bar is open Sundays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to midnight and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

As always, great beer happens in Vegas!

ON TAP AND IN BOTTLES THROUHOUT SOUTHERN NEVADA LAS VEGAS’ ORIGINAL BREWING COMPANY ww.bigdogsbrews.com

August 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 7

By K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.

West Eats East Instant Noodles Instant noodles are one of the greatest food innovations in the world and have been consumed all over for lunch, dinner, snack and hikingmountain outings, as well as for emergency uses. A Nobel Peace Prize for food development should be awarded, I personally recommend. Many in our mainstream market have seen them at regular supermarkets but do not eat them much. Let’s see its significance and potential future in this blending market.

Its original Chinese noodle soup style, which is called Ramen in Japan, was innovated by a Taiwanese living in Japan in 1958. Flash-frying or airdrying made a pre-cooked state of noodle starch, which reduced boiling time for cooking noodles. Noodle soup flavors in forms of powder or paste were packed in a separate packet, which was dissolved in hot water to make up soup. Ramen cooking took a matter of minutes, which enabled it to be called “an instant” noodle. A small pot was still required, though.

In 1971 a further, greater innovation took place with instant noodles. The complete materials of dried noodles, flavor and other ingredients came into a single polystyrofoam cup. It was a matter of adding very hot water and waiting with an aluminum lid. In three minutes a hot ramen meal would become ready to eat. It can be called a revolution of the food preparation, with all edible matters and serving container included, no worrying about clean-hygiene of the food container, no washing after the meal, and a matter of discarding the cup and lid. Only boiling water and three minutes were needed. One more thing needed: utensils, chopsticks for Asians or disposable forks for others. One more further step for convenience: an aluminum portion of the lid is eliminated, which results in being microwavable. Though one of the major manufacturers, Nissin, says do not microwave, while Maruchan says it’s alright.

It spread all over Asia, where Chinese food culture is rooted. According to statistics, 95 billion servings of instant noodle products are annually consumed in the world. Among them, 44% are in China, which has about 20% of the global population. The number one per capita consumption is

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Mike Masuyama is a bi-cultural science-technologybusiness consultant. He earned a Ph.D. in Food Science at Cornell University, is involved in teaching, research and business in major-beer, micro-beer, soft drinks, sake, sea salt, rice, white soy sauce and other areas both in Japan and the US., and has published several books and dozens of articles.

“Ask Doctor Sake” was his last series in this journal.

69% by Koreans. Japan and the States eat 4~5 billion servings. You may see Nissin or Maruchan in cups or Sapporo Ichiban even at Costco. Here it is consumed by many students and low income people. In Mexico, it is consumed mostly as a snack and it is almost synonymous to Maruchan, another major manufacturer. We may see instant noodle products with Spanish labels in California. Two major manufacturers, Nissin and Maruchan, have instant noodle plants in Southern California. We are eating their made-in-USA instant noodles.

This technology is not limited to instant noodles only, but has been applied to other style noodle foods like Udon (Japanese traditional wheat flour noodles), Soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles), or some spaghetti-pasta products. Many come in cups with diversified flavors and ingredients, again enabling easy meal preparation and eating. You may be able to buy tempura udon or soba in a cup, soba with fried tofu age, and many more.

All of them are imported from Japan. I remind you that sushi occasionally goes well with such instant Japanese-style instant noodles, which we can buy at one stop at a Japanese ethnic grocery store.

There is always a tendency to look down at instant foods as not-real stuff, too careless or having too much food additives. What is wrong with instant noodles? It is very convenient, time-saving, easy cooking for everyone, available at many locations, and stomach filling. A very positive contribution is its being lightweight and easy to carry in hiking or mountain outings. Many mountain or expedition teams carry them. Besides, it is an excellent emergency food in natural or man-made disasters, as it is light to carry, needs only hot water, no worries about food hygiene in shipping, and provides minimal satisfaction for the time being. Such an emergency food is often consumed prior to distributing local food supplies like wheat flour or rice. It may not be an emergency matter, though, but serious eating which we may eventually face in the future. It can be food for seniors, particularly those who live alone or with minimal assistance. Such an instant noodle can be a handy lunch or snack or even occasional dinner for seniors who do not cook or go out to eat. It can be stored without refrigeration for good duration. I know it may not be a favorable matter and everyday meal, but seniors may not have many other options. Let’s think that an instant noodle food can be a part of our eating for occasions requiring little time or effort. www.lvfnbpro.com

By Chef Allen Asch

Chef Talk Strawberries

www.lvfnbpro.com

Chef Allen Asch M. Ed., CCE is a culinary arts instructor that has earned degrees from Culinary Institute of America, Johnson and Wales University and Northern Arizona University. He is currently teaching at UNLV. He earned his Certified Culinary Educator Endorsement from the American Culinary Federation in 2003.

crops. They are also high in vitamin C, B6, K, fiber, potassium, folic acid and amino acids. Strawberries can grow to be as large as an apple. They also have more vitamin C per serving than oranges do.

The three main types of strawberries available in the United States are: day-neutral, which are bred to produce fruit from summer through the fall in mild to hot weather; ever-bearing, best grown in raised beds; and Junebearing, which is the most flavorful and common of the strawberries. The problem with these strawberries is they produce one large crop in June and have a single harvest. The harvest period for these, the most common strawberries, is that it usually only lasts about 10 days.

If you want more information, you can always go to the Strawberry Museum in Belgium, Musée de la Fraise de Wepion, in Namur, Belgium.

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I don’t know if you saw live or the pictures of the full moon in June, but the full moon that month is always called the strawberry moon. Many people think it’s called the strawberry moon because of the color of it but the name of the moon historically dates back to the Algonquin tribe of Native Americans. The full moon in June was named the strawberry moon because this was the month that strawberries became ripe and ready to pick. The unique thing of the 2016 strawberry moon is that it is the first time since June 1967 that this occurred on the summer solstice, which is the longest day of the year. The next time this will occur is in the year 2062. Another place that strawberries are very visible in June is as the delectable treat at Wimbledon, strawberries and cream.

Although strawberries are available year-round the brightest and freshest are North American strawberries, which are harvested in the early summer months. You can get them throughout the rest of the summer though they are never as good of quality as what you’re going to get in June. The great thing if you are a strawberry grower is they are very easy to harvest, process and freeze to last you throughout the rest of the year.

If you pick your strawberries and they are underripe, meaning too green, one thing you can do with them is pickle them, and if you pick them overripe another great thing that you can do with them is make a jelly or jam with them.

Strawberries are a member of the Rose family and are the only fruits that produce seeds on the outside. They average about 200 seeds per strawberry. In theory you can plant a new strawberry plant from a strawberry seed on a strawberry, but most of them are planted through runners. Runners are small shoots, branches or twigs that sprout from the root and grow horizontal from a strawberry plant. These are then harvested in June and planted for another strawberry plant to start growing out of. Strawberries also are the first fruits that ripen in the spring. One great thing about planting strawberries is they are perennial plants, which means that from the same plant you planted this year they will reproduce next year, the year after and continually after. A growing common method of raising strawberries in urban environments is the “tabletop method” for strawberries; this is where they hang from the ceiling in containers. One of the places that you see this is on patios in areas where the temperature is ideal for growing strawberries.

Americans eat an average of 3 1/2 pounds of strawberries per year, which is good since it is believed to reduce heart disease and in preventing certain cancers. In the United States, California produces 75% of the strawberry

Feel free to contact Chef Allen with ideas for comments or future articles at allena@unlv.nevada.edu

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August 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 9

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Quick & Delicious Summer Salad

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

Summer Orange Avocado Salad In the west we eat salad all summer long and never get tired of tasty summer salads. If you’re looking to lose weight, salads are bound to be a big part of your life. Luckily, there’s no better season than summer to enjoy the bounty of produce the season has to offer! They are perfect for summer picnics, barbecues, pool parties, or every day light eating!

This time of year try a Summer Citrus Avocado Salad filled with fresh blackberries, avocado, spicy arugula and vibrant citrus then finished with a Citrus Vinaigrette. This salad is light, refreshing, low calorie, and takes minutes to make!

Try this refreshingly light salad that I KNOW you are going to adore! This may have become my new favorite! It is filled with citrus flavor! From fresh navel oranges to juice sweet blood oranges, and then a fresh taste of extra virgin olive oil to push it over the top … you’ll fall in love! Then to compliment all the citrus flavors I’ve added crunchy jicama, creamy avocado, and tart blackberries for the best bite this spring and summer!

This salad would pair perfectly with a light fish dish, like a Honey Mustard Pecan Crusted Salmon, or a juicy Grilled Chicken dish. Whichever path you might choose this salad a must.

Obviously for a light tasty lunch serve it by itself. Or try this salad topped with salmon or tuna for a healthful dinner.

Want some great recipes and information about food, wine, entertainment or travel? Simply turn to my new website www.leskincaid.com and let me know how you like it.

Les Kincaid

4 cups arugula 1/2 cup blackberries 1/3 cup diced jicama 2 navel oranges, segmented 1 blood orange, sliced or segmented 1 avocado, sliced Orange Vinaigrette: 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon honey 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes salt & pepper to taste In a large bowl, combine squash, fennel, dill, olive oil and lemon juice and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add goat cheese, gently toss and serve right away.

Yield: 4 servings

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Up Front and Personal Destyn Taylor

By Heidi Rains Heidi Rains is a San Diego native, a wiz of a home cook and brings life to the desert with a beautiful garden. Her herbs have been tasted by many and used by some of the top mixologists in town. She has spent her whole life living, eating & working in fine-dining restaurants, cocktailing & bartending on the Strip and she has a thirst for all things delicious.

Destyn Taylor is a woman of many flavors! She has run the gamut of service industry jobs and we’re not talking low-end establishments. She bartended at Gramercy Tavern in NYC, served food at some Top Chef restaurants and has been a general manager in one of Mario Batali’s finest restaurants. Destyn is no stranger to what it takes to execute service at its most refined levels. She also knows how to have fun! Having done stand up comedy as well as acting in NYC, she personifies fearlessness; this has nonetheless attributed to her penchant for photo by Savannah Taylor Photography

taking risks. But at her core, she is one of the most down to earth people you could know! This lady does it all. She is a mother of two small children, holds down two jobs, and is the recent proprietor of the best new gelato shop in town. But still, I wanted to know more about what drives Destyn to succeed!

You have worked for a number of great chefs, not to mention being married to one. How do you use what you’ve learned to expand your quality of service?

how important working as a team is, and know what I can do to alleviate headaches. It is about really taking responsibility for the restaurant as a whole.

Well, working for great chefs who have a lot of passion for what they do helps to translate that to the guests. By expressing that kind of passion for food helps to make the guests excited and really feel like they’re receiving the greatest dining experience possible.

What’s your favorite component of guest service?

There’s an aspect to being a server that I love and it’s the instant gratification of creating an experience for the guests. I enjoy seeing it instantly reflected back on me, based on what I have done for them.

You’ve been the general manager of some pretty high caliber restaurants in Las Vegas.

How does that affect your perspective with regard to serving and how do you use it to your advantage?

After living in multiple “foodie” cities and moving back to Vegas, how do you view this great city of ours?

Actually, going from being a GM to a server is definitely a big relief because I know everything that goes into being a manager and thus I can do better work. Knowing what the bigger picture is makes it easier for me, especially in terms of decisions that are made and making the guest experience great. I know

Having lived in New York, San Diego, Seattle and Vegas, I think that what we have is unique.

It gives us a definite advantage over the rest.

We have the best of all worlds! We have great chefs, professional service staff and amazing beverage programs. We get to have all of these things and still live in an affordable city.

www.lvfnbpro.com

You’ve also recently partnered up with your husband, Chef Doug Taylor, on a new culinary venture. Can you tell me about that?

It’s called the Art of Flavors and we are really excited about it! We took over a semiestablished gelato shop in the Midtown area of Vegas. My husband has been a pastry chef his entire career and I’ve done front of the house.

We have spent our whole lifetime and spent countless hours in this industry, sacrificing our family, our marriage and ourselves for these really great companies. But we came to the decision that it was time to do something of our own and this was the city we wanted to do it in. What is great is that we’ve just converted all the flavors over to being 100% housemade. We use zero additives and no pre-made chemical bases that you find in many gelatos.

We are trying to give all of our customers the purest, most unique and fullest flavors that they can find in Vegas.

August 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 11

Brett’s

By Jackie Brett Jackie is a freelance public relations specialist and writer specializing in the Las Vegas entertainment and travel scene. Her writings have appeared in magazines and newspapers nationwide and on numerous websites. She is also an instructor covering Special Events at CSN- College of Southern Nevada.

Email: jackiebrett@cox.net

Dining-Beverage Scene

In early 2017, brothers Michael and David Morton will introduce a steakhouse concept with all-new construction at the Hard Rock Hotel.

PUB 365 is a new craft beer haven featuring 365 rotating craft beers and 40 draft handles inside Tuscany Suites with lunch-dinner pub fare.

Nevada’s first Casa Del Matador debuted at Downtown Summerlin with Mexican cuisine, 128 rare tequilas and an artistic interior.

Nevada’s first Dallas-based Dave & Buster’s opens this month in Downtown Summerlin.

The company operates 82 large-venue highvolume restaurant/entertainment complexes throughout North America.

Eureka! will be a new all-American dining destination in the Fremont East Entertainment District opening in mid-2017. Emergency Arts will close The Beat Coffeehouse and Records.

A new modern retail development with seven tenants is underway at The Hughes Center. Two committed anchors will be chef-driven Mexican restaurant Bandito Latin Kitchen & Cantina and hip Japanese eatery H20 Sushi & Izakaya, a first in Southern Nevada.

Holo Holo – The Happy Bar – opened at the California Hotel as part of the resort’s multimillion dollar renovation.

Internationally-known restaurant franchise Hobak Korean BBQ opened its first U.S. location in Chinatown.

Southern California’s legendary Du-Par’s Restaurant and Bakery is now available at the Suncoast 24/7.

Simon Hospitality Group and Titan Brands’ joint-venture Standard & Pour is a gastro lounge restaurant debuting late this summer in Henderson in the former Firefly space.

The Habit Burger Grill will open a third location this summer in Henderson with indoor and patio dining.

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria released its first signature wine, Mille Gradi, a red blend incorporating three varietals.

The Golden Tiki in Chinatown celebrated its first anniversary adding Strip headliner Frank Marino’s shrunken head to its cabinet of curiosities.

Entertainment Landscape

Game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire with host Chris Harrison relocated to Bally’s with tapings through Sept. 1 and premiering Sept. 12.

Puppet Up! - Uncensored opened in The Sands Showroom at The Venetian featuring a lineup of six revolving puppeteers handling 60-plus unruly puppets in scripted scenes and improv.

Cindy Williams from the Laverne & Shirley series is in Menopause The Musical at Harrah’s as a guest star and fifth girlfriend through Aug. 28.

Ending a six-year run, multi-platinum crooner Matt Goss will perform his final show in The Gossy Room at Caesars Palace Saturday, Sept. 24.

Raiding the Rock Vault launched in Las Vegas in 2013 ended its Tropicana residency. Cherry Boom Boom will open there on Sept. 8.

The Improv at Harrah’s closed after anchoring the second-floor showroom since 1995.

Creator-host comedian Sam Tripoli opened The Naughty Show at The Sin City Theatre at Planet Hollywood featuring big-name and rising-star comics on Friday-Saturday nights at 11 p.m.

Tommy Lama is comedian Tommy Savitt’s alter ego in his own new stand-up “karmady” show at the Laugh Factory Comedy Club inside the Tropicana through Sept. 4.

Three long-running Las Vegas shows moved to the Night Owl Showroom at Hooters…

The King starring Trent Carlini, Country Superstars Tribute, and comedian Vinnie Favorito.

Magician Criss Angel opened his new production Mindfreak Live! at the Luxor replacing Believe after a seven-year run.

Fremont Street Experience’s newest Viva

12 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I August 2016

Vision show is Tiësto - A Town Called Paradise featuring three artist-selected songs.

Singer Pia Zadora will return to her Pia’s Place residency inside Piero’s Italian Cuisine Friday, Aug. 26.

Stripper 101 at the V Theater in the Miracle Mile Shops celebrated its 10-year anniversary teaching pole and lap dancing.

This and That News

Ethel M Chocolates celebrating 35 years in Henderson is redesigning its chocolate factory store by this fall. Meanwhile, the air-conditioned pop-up store with a Chocolate Tasting Room hosts guests.

The Venetian started a Gondola University offering guests an opportunity to pilot one of resort’s gondolas.

After a multi-million dollar renovation, the rooftop Pool at the Plaza opened with new furnishings, wet deck, hot tub, food truck, entertainment stage, and adjacent tennis, basketball and dedicated Pickleball courts.

Drybar with just blowouts opened its 63rd location and flagship outlet in the Miracle Mile Shops featuring a full cocktail bar, photo booth and live DJ. MGM Resorts International launched a mobile gaming platform, easyPLAY Mobile Tournaments, the first digital and interactive tournament offered by a regulated casino in the United States.

The Waterfall Atrium and Gardens’ summer display at The Palazzo is transporting guests to the gardens of Italy with two nine-foot tall figures in floral dresses through Sept. 7.

There are new MobileQube charging selfservice kiosks at all seven Las Vegas Monorail stations, the Flamingo and The LINQ offering a drained phone battery solution.

A Nevada judge rejected a plan to build on the historic site of the Las Vegas’ first racially integrated casino Moulin Rouge.

The 44th Annual Las Vegas Greek Festival will take place Sept.16-18 at St. John Greek Orthodox Church.

Seasons Market opened in MonteLago Village at Lake Las Vegas with groceries, delivery service, wine tastings and dry cleaning. www.lvfnbpro.com

By Adam Rains

Being from San Diego and no stranger to Mexican food, I am always looking for a new spot. With a few notable exceptions, the variety of flavors & regional variance that exist are not celebrated by most Mexican restaurants. Still it forever remains one of my favorite types of fare.

As in any type of cuisine, food made with love is best. When you can find a place where it’s prepared by people who care, you have something special. While we do live in a world of Sysco, where pre-packed “meal in a bag” for many restaurants is the norm, it is nice to know that “made from scratch” does still exist outside of menu cliques.

Such a place is Chile Caliente. Located on Whitney Ranch Dr. in Henderson, it was opened by two brothers, Ramón & Isidro Rueda from Michoacán, Mexico. While many of the recipes are directly from their abuela’s rancho, the bulk of the menu is not limited to one region.

Chef Isidro, with help from Ramón, have taken multiple Mexican classic specialties and have made them their own.

One example is the Mariscoco, which is a type of ceviche meets shrimp-cocktail. The dish is served inside a young coconut with a mixture of raw and cooked ingredients including julienned green coconut, coconut juice, citrus, shrimp stock and chiles. These, along with the protein elements of octopus, tilapia & shrimp meeting the freshness of cucumber and the creamy texture of avocado, are addictive. What makes it even more enticing, it’s served with a multitude of hand selected hot sauces and with a new invention: a type of salsa reduction that carries a deep & rich sweet-heat that changes with every bite. It was a combination of several types of dried chiles, soy sauce, garlic, spice and a touch of sugar, all cooked down for great Sabor!

Isidro and Ramón are not only trying to celebrate their heritage but also create a flavor experience that is transformed with each bite. Thus far, they have been able to balance pushing the limit on the palate without being overly spicy. It is also why they serve so many accompaniment options including the 15 different house-made salsas and sauces. www.lvfnbpro.com

Included in the experience is a dish called the “Molcajete.” Named after the volcanic rock mortar & pestle in which it is served, it hits all of the senses. It is started by putting the volcanic stone vessel on the flame, while each component of the dish is individually prepared.

There are shrimp 2 ways, tilapia a la plancha, house-made chorizo, marinated carne asada and queso fresco; these are all gently placed half-in while adorning the sides of the molcajete. They continue to cook on the hot stone as a creamy Poblano sauce and a Guajillo chile “Diablo” sauce are poured together for a marriage “al la minute.” And right before the sizzling dish is taken out of the kitchen, one of the stars of the dish is added to the molten combination, the octopus. The eight legged wonder is slow simmered and then finished “a la plancha” before being introduced into the bubbling sauce for a tender and tasty effect.

There are many other noteworthy dishes to speak of, from the various salads, Botana Chile Caliente, ceviche, meats & tacos, and dishes like the Pescado Veracruzano. One of the best examples of fusion cuisine (before it had a name) that become tradition. Wherever there are good cooks that are forced to use what they have in a new place, they can come up with greatness. Also do not miss the Torta Tres Leches cheesecake with its multiple soft and moist layers of goodness.

There are several beverage options ranging from the homemade & fire quenching horchata, California wine and several Mexican beers. If a “Michelada’ is your thing, Chile Caliente makes their own dangerously delicious version. The Chile Caliente Michelada is made with a house blend of spices, shrimp stock and the chile lime rim. It is a godsend for anyone with a hangover.

With a price point that is lower than many Mexican restaurants, and a food quality that is higher than most, Chile Caliente is bound for success. For those looking for their new favorite and for real food that is made with love, this is the place for you. Just go soon, before it gets too crowded!

Salud!

photos by Adam Rains

Chile Caliente

Adam has a true passion for food, wine, beer & spirits. He is a barman at CarneVino, a brand ambassador for Brooklyn Brewery, long-time cocktailian, and the Social Media Chair for the United States Bartenders Guild in Las Vegas. Adam strives to learn every day and during his career he’s studied at SDSU, USBG, BarSmarts, International Sommeliers Guild and the Certified Cicerone Program. His mantra with both food & cocktails is, “fresh is best.”

August 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 13

UNLV Epicurean Society

By Matthew Cairo Guest Writer - Ariel Larson Matthew Cairo, a Hospitality Management student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, represents the Epicurean Society, a collective of food and restaurant enthusiastic students, where he is on the leadership staff.

Originally from San Diego, he moved to Las Vegas to feed his desire to learn all that he can about restaurants, food, and the tourist industry.

This month, a look into Epicurean Club President Ariel Larson’s culinary adventure in southern cuisine:

“Being a born and raised Las Vegan, I was in for an adventure this summer as I drove halfway across the country in order to complete my internship requirement at UNLV. I left in June, driving through four states to end up in Biloxi, Mississippi—a place I’d never heard of before my internship—covered in green foliage and bustling with life along the beachfront properties. only seafood that is important in the South; shrimp, catfish, mahi, and especially oysters in Biloxi are a huge part of the culture. The Biloxi minor league baseball team is even called the Shuckers. Oysters appear on almost every single menu in the south and everyone puts different toppings on them and prepares them differently whether its grilled, deepfried, baked, or sautéed. At a bar within the property that I work, there are four oysters: one topped with garlic butter, another with chorizo, a bacon and pickled onion deep fried oyster, and the specialty Boudin oyster.

Boudin, I learned, is traditionally a pork and rice sausage that is very popular and common in the South Mississippi and can typically be found at every restaurant in some form.

Another specialty to the South is Barbeque!

Everyone has their way of doing it and it’s never fast. Slow and low is the way to go! Ribs, brisket, entire pigs, chickens, alligator—they are all smoked for hours after being marinated in beer or a special mixture of spices that is dry-rubbed onto the flesh. It is not uncommon for all parts including the ears and hooves of a pig to be eaten in the South, not allowing any waste. In the South, there is no such thing as one type of Barbeque sauce, there are hundreds of variations including vinegar based, ketchup based, bourbon based, and countless more, each with its own niche.

As a special treat, all of the interns were treated to a dinner at an authentic Italian restaurant

run by a woman from Florence, Italy who has brought all of her family’s recipes with her to the coast of Mississippi to share with the guests. During the dinner we were served heirloom tomato bruschetta with a balsamic reduction, a wild mushroom flatbread, mussels in homemade Italian gravy and an antipasti platter with marinated olives, fresh parmesan, and prosciutto (made onsite). And this was just the appetizer round! Dinner included seared scallops, the most tender veal cheeks, beef tenderloin cooked to perfection and a chicken picatta. Dessert featured a sorbet trio (blood orange, strawberry, and mango), tiramisu, and a ricotta cheesecake.

My adventure in Biloxi, Mississippi has not ended here and I will continue to experience all the food and Southern hospitality that this town has to offer before I return home at the end of the summer, bringing this experience back to share with the UNLV Epicurean Club.”

Next month is our last summer article before a return to campus and a return to regular Epicurean meetings. So look forward to Meghan Schoener and her voyage working on a cruise ship. Until then, take a day on one of your days off and visit a cultural market. Find something you don’t recognize but looks good.

Pick it up and make a dish with it. You never know, you just might love it. Either way you’ll learn something.

photos courtesy Ariel Larson

Down in the South, there is a culture accompanied by food that I had never experienced before. This town doesn’t focus on the newest trendiest ideas that I am so used to seeing highlighted in every property on the Strip. In the South, it’s all about how mama or gran-mama used to make it. As the recipes are passed down to the new generation, the recipe is a memory—felt, loved, cherished—and it’s not just about the ingredients; it’s all about family.

On my first adventure with my roommates— both of whom have never been in the South— we all decided to try something new: Crawfish!

We figured we couldn’t go wrong with a small outdoor place called The Crawfish House.

Sitting down to eat, we explained to the waitress that we were newbies to the process.

She chuckled, grabbed a pound of crawfish on a platter and some napkins, then sat down with us at our table. In true Southern hospitality fashion, she explained how to pull the head off and suck all of the juices from the head (where all the best flavor was, she said). I dared to try it and was delighted with the taste of the mildly spicy flavors that touched my tongue.

She then led us step by step in pulling off the legs and shell to get to the meat within the small tails. Since that first try at opening crawfish, I had progressively become better at opening crawfish, but still love the experience of getting your hands messy with a bunch of friends around a table. Crawfish isn’t the

14 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I August 2016

www.lvfnbpro.com

photos by Joe Tholt

by Adam Rains

“The reaction from the city has been mind boggling.

For me, watching my team react was one of the most fulfilling things. They all looked around and said, ‘we are a part of something. We earned this!’” ~Nectaly Mendoza It was scary day for Nectaly Mendoza…

He hadn’t seen anyone at the bar for hours, bills were due and prospects were not good.

He even had to sell his car to make payroll.

On this June day in 2011, the city was still recovering from the depths of the recession and Nectaly’s concept, Herb’s & Rye, was struggling to take hold.

Fast forward to 2016, New Orleans at the now world-famous cocktail festival, Tales of the Cocktail®. At the table are Nectaly’s crew, some of Las Vegas’s most talented players:

Adam O’Donnell, Mathias Simonis, Michelle Meyer, Joe Pereira and Matt Graham. All just happy and humbled to be there among so many that they respect. Nectaly also felt grateful and honored to be nominated for two awards, but didn’t have any expectations. Before he knew it, the crowd “went nuts!” He turned around, and they had won!

“I never expected to get it this time. I knew that we had a shot because of the love that I was getting. We were in a category with so many people I look up to and love. Eric Castro is one

16 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I August 2016

of the best in the industry, Aaron Polsky is one of my favorite people and Flat Iron, well, it’s an institution.” Nectaly was obviously happy.

Yes, the world had turned and now Vegas was in the spotlight. Herbs & Rye through perseverance, hard work, and desire, had now taken home the title of Best High Volume Cocktail Bar in the US. The outpouring of congratulations has been astounding.

Nectaly exclaimed, “The reaction from the city has been mind boggling. For me, watching www.lvfnbpro.com

Best American High Volume Cocktail Bar ~ Tales of the Cocktail - 2016 Spirited Awards left to right: Emily Yett, Matt Graham, Nectaly Mendoza, Louis Pryzdale, Mark Vega, Gerardo De La Torre, Mathias Simonis, Herbert Ayala, Kinson Lau, Adam O’Donnell and Joe Pereira

my team react was one of the most fulfilling things. They all looked around and said we are a part of something. We earned this! One of the most exciting parts of this is that Vegas’s name was up there with London, San Francisco, New York. It’s a tip of the hat to the entire town.”

Francesco Lafranconi, who has been a longtime supporter of Herbs & Rye and a force for Las Vegas beverage, was also ecstatic, “This award was a culmination of Nectaly’s hopes, dreams and failures. It happened in an ambitious way but with humble beginnings as Nectaly created this environment of genuine hospitality. This award, for the first time, puts our city on the world map for high volume and well-executed cocktails. He worked very hard.

It’s a great, inspiring story. I hope that more operators will take this example, of doing this all with very limited resources.”

Francesco, who was also nominated for an award at TOTC (Best Bar Mentor), has been a teacher and inspiration to our entire beverage community. He heads the mixology department at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and like his employer, has been a great advocate for Las Vegas. The building that www.lvfnbpro.com

Herb & Rye occupies has a long connection with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits’s Larry Ruvo, where the Ruvo family’s Venetian Restaurant served the valley for years.

Herbs & Rye, Francesco and Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits are all now integral parts of the community. Francesco has taught many of our valley’s beverage leaders at Southern’s Academy of Spirits and Fine Service. He has also seen the many changes to Vegas and been a big supporter of Herbs & Rye. “Herbs and Rye is a place that you feel pampered and are treated with courtesy. It’s genuine and entertaining.

People want to be there and be their best. You feel at home. All of the ingredients of the back bar are solid, as well as the food and service, and everyone feels comfortable. It’s basically what a bar should be.”

The Tales of the Cocktail® festival started in 2002 as a get-together for cocktail lovers and has grown into the premier cocktail festival of the world. The Spirited Awards® were added in 2007 in order to further the cause, and recognize the best our industry. They have evolved to include both venues and bar talent from America and the world alike.

The Best High Volume Cocktail Bar award recognizes the bar, with a capacity of 100 or more, that most consistently makes premium quality cocktails. A lot of aspects are also considered, like bartending techniques, menus and service. The crux of the award celebrates the delivery of cocktail culture to the masses efficiently and with style. That is what Herbs and Rye does best.

What makes this accolade truly meaningful is that the winners are chosen by the leaders of the industry; it is not just an artificially conjured “best of” list. The judging starts with Simon Ford, Angus Winchester and includes dozens of cocktail gods from Tony AbouGanim to Dushan Zharic. The international and USA judging committees are comprised of 50 judges in each categories that know about bar culture and the industry as a whole.

A testament to hospitality. To Nectaly, hospitality is the basis for everything. It means giving your all, blood sweat and tears for the guests. Bringing it every night. Our Las Vegas Chapter of the United States Bartenders’ Guild motto is “hospitality first” and that is a code that Nectaly lives by, as he explained, “It is

August 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 17

easy to give someone good service, to get to know someone, and caring is the trick. And it doesn’t matter who they are, you have to treat them like family. We may not have the best ice program, or the best cocktails but what we do have is hospitality, and that is us!”

Nectaly has been able to create an ethos and Herbs & Rye has had a synergistic relationship with our beverage community. He has been able to build bonds across the country (and the world). Nectaly acknowledged that this is part of his success, “This industry is built on brotherhood.” One very key element is his ability to spread his ability, and to bring out the best in others.

After speaking to some of the crew members, their excitement was contagious. Following are some quotes from the Herbs and Rye team.

“This award means so much to Herbs and Rye and Las Vegas. This city wants so badly to prove that hard work and a passion for serving great cocktails has always been a hallmark of our hospitality community. On stage I knew this was a big deal but I didn’t realize the true impact until I got home. The pride we felt that ‘We Won’ not just Herbs, but Las Vegas and all of our friends in the Southwest region was overwhelming. ‘We’ did it folks!”

Matt Graham-Bartender

“It is a breathtaking experience to have this acknowledgment from our national bar and spirits community. This award is just as much for Las Vegas as for the bar team at Herbs & Rye. I’m happy to have the deserved recognition for our bar and city, but it only means we continue to do exactly what we have already been doing, but better. Nectaly Mendoza built something amazing and has taken us along for the ride.”

Adam O’Donnell-Bar Manager “The award to me personally is a reminder that you don’t need to be in the spotlight in order to be part of something great, for Herbs and Rye it just goes to show with determination, passion, relentless fortitude anything is possible. This city and its hospitality industry has been overlooked for so long; this award really is for Vegas more than anything. This is the world yelling from the rooftop of our ‘industry clubhouse’ that they see us! We want to keep surprising them and show them that we are more than a twoday wild vacation spot, but rather a true city full of professionals with great talents yet to be discovered.”

Kinson Lau-Bartender

18 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I August 2016

And Nectaly talking about his crew, “This award is because of what these guys do. I’m the one that gets to travel around but these guys are the ones that are grinding it out every night.

We did it for our city because we have all been through a lot together. We fell 100 times but the difference is that we got up 101 times. And not by ourselves; we picked each other up.”

Some will say that Vegas is now coming of age and this is proof. We have long been made to feel like the overpaid stepchildren of the industry and have been a lambasted afterthought. The question has been, “We can do quantity, but can we do quality?” Now the answer is, both.

Now our champions have returned home; Nectaly & Crew have broken down barriers and carried us on their backs to the promised land. We can bask in the glory for now but with the spotlight currently on us, what are we going to do with it? What are we going to do to better our city, and our industry? For Nectaly, for Vegas, and for ourselves, may we keep moving forward and make Papa Mendoza proud!

Thank you Nectaly Mendoza for achieving, persevering and enlivening our city! Salute!

www.lvfnbpro.com

By Bob Barnes

Acclaimed celebrity chef and occasional TV star Carla Pellegrino is back in Las Vegas after spending time in Miami and is showcasing her recipes at her Bratalian Neapolitan Cantina with a new breakfast from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and brunch served from noon to 5 p.m., both of which are served Friday-Sunday.

If you time it right to arrive after noon but before 2, you can have your choice of both, which is exactly what we did. From the breakfast side of the menu we opted for The Mediterranean, a healthy three-egg white omelet loaded with tomatoes, spinach, champignon mushrooms and Feta cheese; and the Chicken Breast Cordon Blu & Waffles—breaded chicken breast stuffed with Swiss and ham and fried in clarified butter over freshly made buttermilk & cream waffles served with Vermont maple syrup, Chantilly cream and fresh fruit salad.

I couldn’t come to Bratalian without enjoying some of Chef Carla’s superb Italian dishes. Her Chicken Parmigiana—chicken cutlet layered with marinara sauce, Parmesan and melted

Chef Geno Bernardo Is Back!

Brian Malarkey’s ocean-to-table concept is the acclaimed chef’s second restaurant in Las Vegas and the ARIA’s only restaurant featuring outdoor dining. In charge of the kitchen and menu creation is acclaimed Chef Geno Bernardo, who many will remember from the several years he wowed us at NOVE. Chef Geno was kind enough to invite us in for a tasting of his new summer menu. He started us off with Beavertail Oysters served in white ponzu with a homemade kimchi, which was delectable, but the coolest part was the presentation, as it was served in cups made of ice with a yellow flower in the middle with colorful radish slices.

Tuna Avocado Tortilla Leche, a Peruvian ceviche with tiger’s milk, brought a bit of heat.

Line-caught mackerel that a friend of Chef Geno had caught in Rhode Island the day before was as fresh as could be, and served as the “crudo of the day,” which Chef created in two presentations: one with the raw meat accompanied with farmers market fruit; and the pristine belly of the mackerel paired with quail egg and asparagus.

Chef’s spin on tuna nicoise was yellowfin from Hawaii slow cooked for four hours that was served with an olive tapenade, radish sprout and farm egg. His take on Chinatown wings were marinated in ginger and a Thai-chili vinaigrette and coated with a peanut/coconut sauce. www.lvfnbpro.com

mozzarella—certainly lived up to that adjective, and was such a generous portion that it covered the entire plate.

Accompanying the menu items are a creative cocktail list of 26 creations, such as the Blizzard containing Slow & Low Whiskey, cranberry juice, lemon juice, and simple syrup that had just the right balance of sweet and sour.

Our meal was capped off by the Brioche French Toast, a citrus vanilla stirred custard with a strawberry compote that is easily a serving large enough for four.

As for the décor, as you enter Bratalian, you’ll feel like you’re in the heart of Naples. The first thing you’ll notice is laundry hanging from clotheslines, just as you would find in the Spanish borough on the main street of Naples.

The atmosphere is relaxed and eclectic, with colorful artwork and autographed photos of Italian movie stars and Carla with notables that include Bill Clinton.

Bratalian is located in Henderson, on Eastern south of Horizon Ridge Pkwy.

Japanese Himachi using the collar/neck portion of the fish was matched with a citrus sprout salad with a white soy ponzu.

One classic menu item that will remain on the menu is Baja Shrimp Ceviche, served with saltines, guacamole and Chef’s own version of V-8 composed of Clamato and 7-Up. More seafood was on the way with Squid Ink Tortellini stuffed with Maine lobster and another menu mainstay: Wild Branzino from Portugal, crispy pan-seared with a salad brightened with peaches.

Although we were pretty full, Chef insisted we try one dessert and he surprised with a Cheesecake Mousse with white chocolate and fresh raspberries.

Herringbone appears to be a perfect fit for Chef Geno, who is from New Jersey and also lived in Block Island, Rhode Island. Fishing has been a part of his life since childhood and his family belonged to the Asbury Park Fishing Club, the oldest salt water fishing club in the US. After spending three years in Baja he’s glad to be back in Vegas and is free to develop his own identity, as the Las Vegas Herringbone menu is unique from the other locations. Not surprisingly, the restaurant is drawing a lot of locals and repeat customers who have been fans of Chef Geno for quite a while and are happy to see him back in town, as am I! Herringbone@ARIA 3730 S Las Vegas Blvd 702-590-9898 herringboneeats.com/lasvegas

photos by Bryan Kuhl

Chef Carla Pellegrino Is Back!

He welcomes your inquiries.

Email: bob@lvfnb.com

Bratalian Neapolitan Cantina 10740 S. Eastern Ave. #155 Henderson, NV 89052 702-454-0104 www.bratalian.com

photos by Lloyd Cutler

What’s Cooking

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.

August 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 19

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

Bob’s Beer Bits and Sips New Releases

By Bob Barnes Meyer Lemon Lager & Mango Wheat Fruit beer styles have grown at 81% by volume in the US, evidence that consumers continue to crave fruity brews. Anchor Brewing, known for its iconic Anchor Steam, is also hailed as America’s first craft brewery and was one of the first to bring flavorful beers to the American palate, even before the craft beer boom got off the ground. The San Francisco-based brewery now has plucked some fruits from its own backyard with two fruit beers utilizing California-grown citrus.

Originally brewed in 2015 as a one and done project named California Uncommon, it was created to be served at all of the World of Beer locations. In test batches it seemed to resonate with the brewers and internal team so was renamed Meyer Lemon Lager and relaunched with a can label design inspired by a seventy-five-year-old fruit crate used by the Ventura County Lemon Cooperative and featuring a beautiful yellow-haired siren holding succulent Meyer lemons. The lager is brewed with the peel and juice of real California Meyer Lemons (which are sweet, less acidic than other lemons), and is a subtly sweet brew with a zesty, lemony kick, and a very easy drinking beer for the hot summer months.

Although mangoes are native to southern Asia, they’ve been grown in California since the 1850s. Mango Wheat is brewed with a blend of two-row pale and wheat malt and hopped with Cascade and Golding. The flavor is very vibrant and more in your face than the Meyer Lemon Lager, but just as refreshing, with tropical aromatics, and the juiciness of a real mango. The can is also adorned with the same lovely siren, but in this case she has red hair and is holding a mango.

IPA Shandy While IPA continues to reign as the number one selling craft beer style, shandy sales have grown by 30% over the last few years and now one producer is looking to take advantage of both. The Traveler Beer Company out of Burlington, Vermont has been making a wide variety of shandies (which are traditionally beer mixed with lemonade or lemon-lime soda) using ingredients such as grapefruit, pumpkin, strawberry, pineapple, lemon, lime and pomegranate. Its IPA Shandy is a wheat ale brewed with grapefruit and citrusy Galena, Warrior, Centennial, Citra, Cascade, Chook and Nelson Sauvin hops and logs in at a respectable 52 IBUs and at 4.4% ABV could be considered in the session IPA range. My impression is that upon sipping, the flavor of grapefruit juice is prevalent and after swallowing an aftertaste of citrusy hops comes through, so it’s almost like drinking two drinks in one. Traveler is hoping to expand the possibilities of what an IPA can be, but while I’m not sure it will satisfy a true IPA hophead, it may be considered an IPA on training wheels for those not quite ready for a full-on IPA hop monster.

20 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I August 2016

Hop Trial SMaSH Variety Pack

Ever wondered what a single malt beer brewed with four distinctly different hops would taste like? Now you can find out, for the St. Louis brewery Schlafly (the largest locally owned and independent craft brewery in Missouri) has just released its Hop Trial SMaSH Variety Pack, which contains the same beer brewed with four different well known hop varieties from four different countries: Eureka! (piney) grown in Washington State, Hallertau Blanc (floral) from Germany, Enigma (fruity) from Tasmania and Bramling Cross (spicy) from the United Kingdom. In tasting each I found that they all had the same malt profile from the 2-row malted barley this Golden Ale is brewed with, but each beer was completely different and the label on each bottle includes accurate descriptors of what to expect of the hop character. The labels also contain helpful info such as hop origin, IBUs, SRM and brewer’s notes. In this initial installment of the Hop Trial Pack, the Schlafly team utilized established hops to introduce the concept of how to isolate a single varietal to the everyday beer consumer, but in years to come, the team may explore more experimental hops from the brewery’s Hop Trial program. This hop trial experience is an excellent testament to how greatly hops can affect the flavor of a beer. Experimenting with different hop varieties is not something new to this brewery. Due to Schlafly’s long-standing, close relationships, hop farmers have long approached the brewery to test out hops that will soon be introduced to market, and in the past year it has used 102 different hops within its portfolio of beers.

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Hell’s Kitchen Winner Ariel Malone’s Culinary Skills and Vibrant Personality Unveiled at BLT Steak

After being crowned the winner of Hell’s Kitchen season 15, Ariel Malone was awarded a head chef position at BLT Steak at Bally’s Las Vegas and $250,000. A week later, on May 9, she began working under the supervision of the restaurant’s chef de Cuisine Derek Gigliotti.

On July 15, after a couple months to settle in, the 27-year-old country club chef from Hackensack, N.J. was unveiled to media with a four-course wine pairing experience featuring some signature BLT Steak menu items along with some created by Chef Ariel.

We began with seared scallop with black bean puree and summer corn salsa—a dish Chef said was inspired by her Hell’s Kitchen experience— and a grilled double cut smoked bacon with garlic and sherry, both of which were paired with Laetitia, Sparkling Rose, Arroyo Grande, Brut MV. Next up was cucumber tomato salad, grilled asparagus salad and goat cheese wild mushroom tartelette with a soy truffle vinagrette paired with Weingut Stadt Krems, Gruner Veltliner, Kremstal, 2013. Of this course Chef Ariel said, “Growing up in ‘The Garden State’ of New Jersey, I love tomato and my little sister is vegan, so I like using fresh ingredients such as asparagus and red oak lettuce.”

The entrée course, which was paired with Torres, Garnacha, 5G, Campo de Borja, 2014 and Lioco, Chardonnay, Estero, Russian River Valley, 2012, included a choice of Prime hangar steak, a dish Chef won with in the competition. Chef said, “The first time I tried hangar steak I cried because it was the meatiest and juiciest. It’s also called butcher steak because butchers would take it home for themselves.” One of the other entrées was grilled salmon with a mustard dill sauce that Chef Ariel said “came from my grandmother who came to America via Ellis Island.”

By Bob Barnes

The dinner’s dessert finale was Meyer lemon cheesecake paired with Prunotto, Moscato d’Asti, Piedmonte, 2012 and peanut butter mousse, paired with Croft, Port, Special Reserve Tawny, NV, of which Chef said, “I like tangy stuff and voluptuous peanut butter and chocolate.”

Both her delightful personality and outstanding culinary skills were on display as Chef Ariel explained each dish and mingled with guests answering questions and talking about her menu creations and philosophy of cooking. A very apropos statement Chef made when introduced was, “My food speaks a lot about me: bold and colorful.” If this dinner is any indication of the quality of Chef Ariel Malone’s talents, we can expect many of the viewers that followed her on her Hell’s Kitchen journey to begin making plans to travel to Las Vegas to visit BLT Steak and seek out her culinary excellence and meet the chef they cheered on to win.

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✆ 22 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I August 2016

For more information, call Lorri Davidson at 702-876-7368, or email Lorri.Davidson@swgas.com.

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By Elaine & Scott Harris

Dining Out with the Harrises

Sommeliers and Editor-In-Chief of Nationally Recognized Cuisineist.com and Vino Las Vegas LLC. They are the Las Vegas City Editors for TheDailyMeal in New York City.

Cuisinist@Gmail.com • www.Cuisineist.com www.VinoLasVegas.Blogspot.com www.LasVegasDiningTours.com Facebook:ElaineScottHarris Twitter:TheCuisineist.com Twitter: VinoLasVegas • Instagram : Cuisineist

Many have missed Roy’s on West Charleston Blvd, but the Hawaiian spirit is still going strong on East Flamingo Rd, where Roy’s continues to bring the Island flavor and taste to tourists and locals alike. The menu continues to reflect the brilliance of Chef Roy Yamaguchi, the James Beard award winner, seasoned restaurateur and culinary icon that brought Hawaiian fusion to the public. Come by during Aloha Hour where many Las Vegans seek refreshment from the heat of summer. With a $7 price on all signature cocktails and appetizers, this is the place to get away from it all without leaving Las Vegas.

What better way to quench your thirst than with a Roy’s Island Mai Tai. The 1940s classic is just a bit more tropical with a float of Cruzan Black Strap Rum. The Ebi Roll is a must with shrimp tempura, coconut, cream cheese, mango and avocado accented with a habanero and aioli nitsume.

The Lobster Potstickers with spicy togarashi and miso butter sauce is a perfect option for a pre-main menu bite. Roy’s Trio is the way to go for dinner with three of the best fish dishes on the menu, and the hibachi grilled salmon, the misoyaki “butterfish” and the roasted macadamia nut-crusted mahi-mahi will have you swimming with compliments. For the meat lovers, hand carved 8 oz Filet Mignon surrounded by creamy Yukon mash and a shiso béarnaise is a must choice to keep the aloha spirit flowing.

What wine pairs with well with these menu choices? A Pinot Noir of course! The Au Bon Climat La Bauge au Dessus Santa Maria Valley, California 2009, is the perfect pairing with notes of ripe red cherries, cola and a hint of smoke that embraces the food as a welcomed friend.

Dessert awaits in this tropical oasis. Let your server know at least twenty minutes ahead to prepare Roy’s melting hot chocolate soufflé. This flourless chocolate cake oozes with a decadent molten dark chocolate center, a raspberry coulis, and enough vanilla bean ice cream to cool things down. Tropical ocean breezes may elude you in Vegas, but Roy’s will have you remembering the taste and flavors of the Islands for years to come.

www.lvfnbpro.com

Katsuya at the SLS Is Victorious in Its Delivery from the Plate to Your Palate The Japanese symbol Katsuya means victory and it is fitting that Katsuya at the SLS has put together a world-class culinary team of food and beverage professionals and a winning menu. Katsuya will intrigue the culinary adventurous to come in to try the freshest sashimi or Waygu beef that is worth the time and the dime. Several of the house highlights are the Crab Hand Roll with specialty sauce and the Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeno that takes the freshest yellowtail and marries that with spicy jalapeno and ponzo for a bite that is a match made in heaven. The Miso-Marinated Black Cod is by far the best dish on the menu; it is marinated 48 hours in the Katsuya signature sweet miso delivering great texture and undulating flavor.

For those who crave a bit a beef for their dining experience order the A4 Wagyu Fried Rice or the Wagyu Rib Eye with caramelized onions with a dollop of whipped truffle butter and a side of wasabi-ponzu sauce. Don’t forget a roll or two and the Special Katsuya Roll with tuna, yellowtail, salmon, scallop, crab and avocado wrapped with rice, soy paper and cucumber, served with wasabi ponzu on the side that will please anyone in your dining party. With wine, beer, and specialty cocktails along with a winning menu, Katsuya is truly a champion in the dining arena.

photos by Scott Harris

Chef Roy Yamaguchi’s Roy’s in Las Vegas Provides Excellent Dishes to Locals and Tourists Alike

Crossroads at the House of Blues Is a Place that Creates a Symphony of Tastes and Flavor Adorned with fabulous folk art, food and music, Crossroads will please everyone on the hit parade. One of Crossroads’ mainstay appetizers, the Voodoo Shrimp simmered in an amber beer reduction, creates a scintillating sauciness that you will not be able to resist.

Another hit on the menu lineup is truly a winning chicken dinner, the Soul Cluckin’ Good: chicken marinated in buttermilk and sweet BBQ spice, southern fried and served with the choice of two sides, of which the homemade coleslaw and the baked beans are decidedly good selections. Do you think you can tame the eyes of dessert desire after all that great comfort food? Once you see the Bourbon Bread Pudding prepared with bananas and white chocolate ladled with a decadent bourbon caramel sauce or the mile high Coconut Cream Pie you may give in to that crazy urge to splurge.

Crossroads is also a feast for the eyes with one of the world’s largest collections of folk art.

You will be scratching your head in amazement at the design and whimsy that turns Crossroads into a miniature museum. Come for the music, stay for the food, view the art and you will be glad you made Crossroads a part of your Las Vegas itinerary.

August 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 23

By Linda Westcott-Bernstein

Human Resources Insights

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

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

Passion: a Key Ingredient for Success!

Here’s what passion looks like in my work/life…

• Caring about the details of my work because it will matter greatly one day.

• Being thorough and timely with responsibilities.

• Being approachable and considerate with others – because you never know what they may be going through.

• Acting in an honest and ethical manner.

• Being genuine and sincere; and sometimes shy, because sincerity can make one feel so vulnerable.

When I look out at the faces of those individuals that I am training, I see different expressions and interest levels on their faces. Immediately, I begin to wonder where they came from, what makes them tick, and most importantly, what I can do to help them be successful. It’s not easy to train, or share information with individuals that have varying levels of interest in a topic. So, I try to gauge what method will work best. I’m always friendly and genuine, but I find that humor is a wonderful tool for learning and retention.

But when I train others, I always speak about passion. You have to love what you do and have genuine passion for it. That’s what I say...“start by loving what you do and all the rest will fall

into place.” To me, passion means that you start each day on a positive note, think about the possibilities, and engage your mind in the tasks that you have to complete. You start each day with a smile, a friendly hello to others, and then decide what you will achieve that day.

That’s really pretty much what passion consists of. It’s about having that passion for what you do and then showing it in your day-to-day work and life. I believe that a human resources career can only be done well if you really love what you do.

I also believe that is it our job, and it should be our passion, to solve the problems of those we serve. If I’ve done my job right, at the end of the day I can reflect positively on the contributions I’ve made, the actions I took, and the importance I place on caring about how my work was done.

If that is not passion, I am not sure what is. So, to me, human resources is about providing a tangible service to those we serve which in some small way, helps them to learn, grow, and ultimately to be successful. Let me know if you agree or tell me about your passion, by sending me an email (email address below). Thanks!

I think when you have passion for what you do in your career or life, it is easy to see it.

Passion to me is caring about others, listening to others, and being meticulous in my work.

Sometimes as I finish a task, I sit back and reflect on the possibility that my attention to detail and important deadlines could mean all the difference to the one I completed it for.

HR Question of the month: Please send your HR questions and concerns, or share your thoughts on your human resources challenges via email to the following address. Send input to vegaslinda89129@yahoo. com. Your comments, questions or concerns will help determine the direction for my next month’s column and earn you a copy of my book. Include your mailing address when sending your responses.

24 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I August 2016

www.lvfnbpro.com

The Bottom Line How Do Media ‘Influencers’ Affect Restaurant Marketing?

By Ben Brown Ben is an MBA candidate at USC’s Marshall School of Business, specializing in hospitality marketing and analytics. He has served as a food & beverage strategist with MGM Resorts, as well as reviewed more than 200 Las Vegas restaurants with CBS Local and Examiner. com. Contact him at Ben@lvfnb.com.

Restaurants and food writers go together like peanut butter and jelly, or in the gourmet sense, foie gras terrine and fig jam. The exchange is simple: food writers visit a restaurant and write about the experience for their audience to read, and ultimately make the journey themselves.

But as media has [rapidly] evolved through the digital age, so has the exchange. Beyond the now-traditional bloggers, a new group has entered the arena—influencers. And they have high demands.

Influencers, theoretically, are members of the media that have such a large presence that they can command payment for ‘sponsored content’ in the same way TV charges for commercials and print/web charges for ads.

Influencers are almost entirely online with a heavy focus on social media channels. It started with celebrities—a shoe company could pay an NBA player $25,000 just to tweet about their product. But the trend has now spread to internet celebrities: Youtubers, Instagrammers, Twitter[ers?], and others who reach tens of thousands to millions of people with every post.

They reach a huge crowd, more than many food writers; for influencers, however, a free meal typically isn’t enough.

Is it worth it to pay someone to post about you? Consider a few factors in evaluating ROI… How can influencers benefit you?

Let’s use the example of a Youtuber with a cooking channel that has 1 million+ subscribers.

Imagine if that Youtuber cooked a dish inspired by a special at your restaurant, or uses an ingredient that you sell? That’s some serious publicity. Not to mention that influencers rank much higher on the trust scale with their audience, so even sponsored posts [labeled as such per FTC guidelines, using signals such as #ad and specific lines at the beginning and end of videos] will get great response.

In short, will this influencer bring in enough customers to offset their cost? The better their reach, the higher their price tag. There’s no concrete formula to calculate conversion, but do know that influencer conversion tends to be higher than traditional paid marketing.

Are you already paying for marketing?

Paying an influencer for an Instagram post isn’t too different from paying a magazine for a print ad. If you’ve already invested in paid marketing, then allocating part of your budget toward influencers is a good way to diversify your outreach. You just have to make sure the influencer is a good fit [see ‘finding a good fit’].

If you rely on earned media, i.e. unpaid publicity such as articles and ‘organic’ posts, then paying for an influencer can be a big leap for your first investment in the paid world. Cheaper marketing channels exist, such as promoting your own social media posts, participating in community food events, or even a good ol’ fashioned print ad.

Finding a good fit Finding an influencer is easy: take a quick scan through social media to see who has tons of followers. Influencer marketplaces exist as well, where you can enter in your type of business and www.lvfnbpro.com

a list of potential influencer ‘partners’ pops up.

The key is to look past the glamour of follower figures and think about the investment on a more personal level: • Does the influencer reach your core demographic?

• Does the influencer have a strong presence in your geographic area?

• Does the influencer’s content align with your brand? An intimate Italian restaurant may not want an influencer with a reputation for being wild and crazy.

• Does the influencer have engagement? This is a big one. Followers mean nothing unless they actually pay attention to the posts.

Likes, comments and shares should have consistently high numbers.

• Is the influencer a sell-out? There’s a fine line between making money and selling your soul. Influencers shouldn’t have more than 10% of their content labeled as sponsored

Meet the influencer beforehand This is non-negotiable. The absolute most important asset that an influencer can offer is a genuine passion for your brand. Sure, you’re paying them, but if the influencer sees your brand as a deposit in his bank account rather than for the value it creates for your customers, this will be reflected in his content. Have him come in for a meal, no strings attached, to get a feel beforehand. Make the decision to invest from there. If he refuses to get acquainted, he isn’t worth your time.

The idea of influencers is turning the journalism world on its head, but it’s best to use this trend to your advantage instead of fighting it. Just be sure to tread carefully.

August 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 25

Phillip Dell of Rancho High School Honored as 2016 Prostart National Educator of Excellence The ProStart Program is a two-year high school culinary training course, taken as an elective class. The program is 350 hours of instruction and 400 hours of an industry work experience.

After passing the exams for Year 1, Year 2, and completing the competencies, students receive a certificate from the National Restaurant Association and an opportunity for scholarships.

The Nevada Hospitality Foundation implements the program statewide in partnership with the Nevada Restaurant Association. Students learn topics such as: food safety, knife cuts, basic cooking techniques, baking, menu design, basic accounting, costing, and restaurant management.

The Nevada restaurant association/educational foundation announced that Phillip Dell of Rancho High School in Las Vegas, has been named a 2016 ProStart National Educator of Excellence.

Dell joined 31 other nationally-ranked ProStart educators from around the nation in Chicago, for the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s (NRAEF) ProStart Educator of Excellence Awards Program and Dinner on May 19, associated with the National Restaurant Association Show (NRA Show).

The NRAEF’s ProStart Educator of Excellence Award recognizes exceptional ProStart educators who are nominated by the state restaurant associations. The award honors ProStart educators who demonstrate excellence in the classroom and passion, commitment and creativity in all aspects of the ProStart program, helping their students make the most of the opportunities that ProStart offers to them.

“ProStart unites the industry and the classroom to recreate a unique and unparalleled experience for students. Our dedicated ProStart educators statewide are making a difference every day, channeling young people to consider their future in the restaurant and foodservice industry—the second largest private sector employer in our nation’s economy,” says Nevada Restaurant Association, President and CEO, Katherine Jacobi.

ProStart is offered to nearly 140,000 high school students in 50 states, the territory of Guam, and in U.S. Department of Defense schools in Europe and the Pacific. The curriculum instructs students in culinary and restaurant business management theory and practice. A majority of ProStart students and educators say that ProStart also teaches critical employability skills, such as workplace communication, teamwork and professional behavior.

“We are grateful to all of our ProStart educators and are pleased to offer this award that salutes excellence in teaching,” said Wendi Safstrom, vice president, Programs and Administration for the NRAEF. About the Nevada Restaurant Association Educational Foundation: The NRAEF exists to enhance the restaurant industry’s service to the public through education, community engagement and promotion of career opportunities. The NRAEF works to attract, develop and retain a career-oriented professional workforce for the restaurant industry. In 2016, the restaurant and foodservice industry is projected to comprise more than one million outlets and a workforce of 14.4 million employees, making it the nation’s second largest private sector employer.

Allan Karl’s best-selling book FORKS: A Quest for Culture, Cuisine, and Connection has been a #1 best-seller in three Amazon categories.

FORKS brings the world to your table: An around-the-world adventure story. A colorful photo book with more than 700 color photographs. A global cookbook with 40 signature recipes.

Why would someone sell nearly everything he owns, pull roots, and travel for three years--alone--on a motorcycle? One day Allan Karl woke up to discover that he was unemployed and his marriage had ended in divorce.

Allan looked at these forks in the road of his life as an opportunity to both follow a lifelong dream and pursue his passions. He hopped on his motorcycle and traveled around the world--alone. After three years and 62,000 miles of riding, through 35 countries on 5 continents, he returned home only to set out on another journey--to share the truths he’d uncovered and the lessons learned during his adventure around the world.

Between these pages, Allan shares the discoveries, cultures, and connections he made on this global adventure. Through stories, color photos, and the flavors of real local food, FORKS brings his adventure to life and the world to your table: the kindness of strangers, the beauty of humanity, the colors of culture, and the powerful gift of human connection.

Every photograph, story, and recipe in this book presents readers with an opportunity to witness new cultures, taste exotic flavors, or journey into dangerous and unknown territories. Every experience is an opportunity to connect with others.

The second edition of FORKS is widely available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Indie Bookstores everywhere.

Autographed and personalized signed copies are available on the FORKS website www.forksthebook.com.

26 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I August 2016

www.lvfnbpro.com

Our Picks Fruity, Refreshing Summer Drinks

By Aimee McAffee Aimee McAffee is a serious foodie who appreciates the finer things in life. Her background in public relations, communication and marketing give her a unique insight on food, venues and presentation. When she’s not adventuring at the latest culinary hot spot, she’s spending quality time with her husband and two children.

The longer versions of these articles may be viewed at my blog, Bites and Insights, at www.bitesblog.com.

What’s the best way to cool down on a hot, dry Las Vegas summer day? A fruity, refreshing drink. We’re checking out some of the best drinks in town to help you chill out...

The Golden Tiki in Chinatown

Welcome Explorers! Visit the best of authentic tiki culture with the vibrant atmosphere, phenomenal handcrafted drinks and great details like the giant clam shell, tiki hut motif, dancing skeleton and singing tiki mask.

You’ll want their superb Banana Batida, with Avua Cachaca mixed with banana liqueur, coconut cream and the infamous Dole pineapple whip, topped with nutmeg. It tastes like the best banana milkshake you’ve ever dreamed of, but beware of its potency.

Served in a unique, collector’s item tiki mask mug, just looking at the drink made me feel more relaxed…I escaped the mundane to the dark cool of the islands.

3939 Spring Mountain Rd, Las Vegas NV 89102 | 702-222-3196 | thegoldentiki.com

B&B Ristorante at The Venetian

Try the Noli’s Flip. That’s all I have to say. A flip is a drink forcefully shaken with egg white, eliciting this creamy frothy texture. Why Noli? It’s a nod to a town on the Italian coast, where they farm luscious berries in the clear, blue seas. The Noli’s Flip is filled with juicy, fresh berries with a zesty lemon edge. In concert with the frothy, creaminess of the egg white, it’s an absolute delight.

Pair your fruity, delicious cocktail with the stellar grilled octopus in limoncello vinaigrette. Imagine octopus with the texture and essence of lobster, with a hint of char complemented with the sweet/sour of the limoncello and acidity of vinegar atop marinated borlotti beans, adding the perfect gravity to the dish.

Whether you’ve come for aperitivo or the full dining adventure, you will be thrilled with your experience. È così buono.

3355 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109 | 702-266-9977 | bandbristorante.com

Holo Holo - The Happy Bar at the California Hotel

Love at first taste. The Summer Shandy delivered with the Triple 7 brewpub’s Royal Red Lager, one of their signature brews with caramel and malt-forward, baked bread essences. These flavors melded divinely with the specialty drink’s overtones of grapefruit, sweet & sour and effervescent citrus.

The newest hangout at the elegantly-renovated California Hotel in downtown Las Vegas, they have captured the essence of the Hawaiian Islands with a sleek, modern edge.

We can’t wait to sample more of their tasty beverages. Great things are to come.

12 E Ogden Ave, Las Vegas NV 89101 | 702-385-1222 | thecal.com/whats-new/news/holo-holo

TREVI at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace

Blackberry Punch, anyone? It’s vodka-based, balanced with sweet, tart blackberry liqueur and garnished with a mint sprig. While you’re visiting for their generous Happy Hour at their well-appointed bar, you’ll want to try the lasagna pizza.

It’s as good as you’d think—the best parts of lasagna—creamy ricotta and mozzarella, delectable savory marinara in deep dish pizza form. Their skirt steak dishes are extraordinary, with reminiscent texture and flavor of filet mignon.

Named for the famous fountain in Roma, this lovely restaurant sits directly behind the Fountain of the Gods at the Forum Shops at Caesars.

3500 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109 | 702-735-4663 | trevi-italian.com

The Havana Grill photos by Justin McAffee

Renowned for their classic mojitos, we asked Carlos if he’d make us something really special. He presented a delightful libation that we’re calling the Menchango, for its mango, pineapple sweetness, dancing with coconut and several types of rums.

We ordered our favorite dish, the camarones tostones—fried plantains covered with queso blanco and shrimp with a garlic butter lime mojo. Tucked in a shopping center, you might not expect this fine caliber of Cubano food & drink.

It’s an ideal spot for dinner anytime you’re in the mood for authentic Latin food of the Cuban persuasion.

8878 S Eastern Ave. Ste 100 | Las Vegas, NV 89123 | 702-932-9310 | havanagrillcuban.com www.lvfnbpro.com

August 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 27

By Megan Nicolson Megan Nicolson was raised in Las Vegas, where she has resided for the past 21 years, and has been involved in the nightlife industry for 10 years. She attended UNR and graduated with a BS of Animal Science and Pre Vet Med.

Megan Mack’s

photo by Megan Nicolson

Latenight Excursions

As I find myself getting older and the hangover lasting longer, I’m particular in the ways I like to have fun on my days off. I’m a “yes woman” to most day parties and BBQ’s, an advocate of cocktail bars and lounges, and a new supporter of local dive bars. Now I’m not talking about the usual types such as the Double Down Saloon or the Stage Door, but the new breed that has emerged onto the scene. Yes, some traits have carried over such as that they are usually still small, dark and in remote locations but the service, food and beverage expectations have risen above par and claimed stake on the local market. I couldn’t be more excited to welcome OWL, its owner and staff to the community. Stephan Galdau, OWL’s owner and operator, has had this dream in the making for years and I am thrilled to see it become a reality.

OWL |

Located off Russell Road in the old Hammer and Ales location lies OWL. Adorned with none other than its animal’s mascot and logo on the building’s wall, many passersby may be oblivious to this hidden gem.

Purposely planned “cool kids only” clubhouse perhaps? Trust me, word of mouth travels fast in this town and soon everyone will be stopping by.

Once through the doors, the setup is pretty simple: some booths, some tables, a bar, a kitchen. But that’s the point. People are going there for the farm-to-table food, specialty cocktails, local brews and most importantly, to interact and make memories. It is easy going and comfortable. It’s your home away from home. They offer a variety of organic and vegan plates all prepared by Chef Daniel Schneider. I am in no way vegan, but am obsessed with the deviled eggs. As for the drinks, the cocktail menu is extensive and the beer list is growing. They offer twenty-four taps, specifically making eighteen of them local beers, a few nitro options, and four designated to Butternuts Beer and Ale out of Garattsville, New York. They are the first bar in Las Vegas to carry them. However, the Tijuana Hooker is my drink of choice, made with Absolut Mango, passion fruit sorbet, roasted jalapeno simple syrup and lemon juice. I can’t even tell you how many I’ve had, but they are delicious. Spicy, sweet, and oh so dangerous. My sincere apologies to Kevin the bartender, who had to muddle myriad cocktails for me, but that’s the consequences of such an amazing concoction.

Being only open since Memorial Day, the team still has a lot of unfinished ideas. They want to add some local art on the walls and offer some open mic nights to performers around town. But all in all, it’s a homerun. It’s different. It’s better. And most importantly, it’s local.

3990 W Russell Road #100 | owllv.com

By Shelley Stepanek

Best Pancakes in the Country!

Du-par’s Restaurant & Bakery Suncoast Hotel & Casino suncoastcasino.com/dine/du-pars The Suncoast has added a wonderful new, yet old famous name. Du-par’s Restaurant & Bakery, already located downtown in the Golden Gate has opened at the Suncoast in the space formerly occupied by the coffee shop. For more than 75 years in Los Angeles, Du-par’s has been serving some of the most delicious, if in fact the best, buttermilk hotcakes in the world. Taking six hours for the yeast to rise, and making sure every single hotcake is the same thickness, they take great pride in their food.

The hamburgers are ground fresh daily, as the restaurant uses only the freshest ingredients to provide food people will actually stand in line for. All potatoes are hand-peeled and cut, juices are fresh-squeezed as you order and all soups, gravies and salad dressings are made in-house.

It was in 1926 that “Tiny” Naylor opened his first Tiny’s Waffle Shop in Fresno. In 1938 James Dunn and Edward Parsons started Dupar’s Restaurant. Along the line Tiny came to Las Vegas to work with Sam Boyd at The Mint Casino, where he oversaw the property’s food and beverage operations for several years. In 2004, Biff, Tiny’s son, bought the Du-par’s restaurant chain. Becoming good friends, the Boyd family invited him to come into the Suncoast as a lead staple to the hotel. Du-par’s has a crowd who would follow it anywhere and the restaurant now has brought Biff’s son in to handle the local property. In the front of the restaurant you can buy fresh baked goods and miniature pies to take home. Du-par’s is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

28 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I August 2016

Shelley Stepanek is President of DSA, the oldest non-profit tourist association in the state, along with being on the board of ticket brokers. Shelley has previously owned three restaurants.

Biff Naylor and Bill Boyd Photos courtesy Du-par’s Restaurant & Bakery

Du-par’s

www.lvfnbpro.com

Product Review

By Bob Barnes The Bitter Truth If you know me at all you are aware that I like products that are out of the ordinary and like to experiment. The Bitter Truth fit the bill for both qualifiers. After receiving samples of their Grapefruit, Orange and Peach bitters I began my experimentation, beginning with a can of a mass-produced yellow lager that I otherwise would eschew drinking. Upon pouring into three glasses I added a few drops of the aforementioned bitters and each drink was magically transformed into an enjoyable beer.

Although I was asked to sample these with beer, I got to thinking that my experimentation didn’t have to end there, and proceeded to continue my research by adding drops to my favorite everyday bourbon. Again, it succeeded in making a completely unique taste experience and enabled me to have three additional bourbons instead of one. I obtained the same result with vodka and my conclusion is that The Bitter Truth allows you to create new quality drinks from your spirits or beer that may be an improvement upon the original. The character to me is that of citrus peel and the peach was thankfully not sweet, but while retaining the essence of the peach flavor adds a bitterness that complements your drink of choice nicely. I’m sure I’ve only touched the surface of the uses for these interesting and unique creations and the makers also produce several other bitters, including cucumber, celery, lemon, chocolate and creole versions.

The Bitter Truth is distributed by Southern Wine and Spirits in Nevada and California and comes in 200 ml bottles, which retail for around $20. For more info visit the-bitter-truth.com.

Papa’s Pilar

Toast Vodka

If you’ve been reading this column you know that I recently was re-introduced to aged rum and found it to be just as interesting as aged bourbon or whiskey.

Aged rum does not get the recognition it deserves, and now I have another aged rum to rave about, Papa’s Pilar, a dark rum aged for 24 years in American oak bourbon barrels and port wine casks and finished for 90 days in sherry casks. Inspired

by Ernest Hemmingway and named for his boat Pilar, this 43% ABV rum is born of multiple rums made from molasses hailing from the Caribbean, Central America and Florida that are married together in a unique Solera aging and blending process. The result is an exquisite drink with a rich, smooth and mellow sweetness that I could easily get used to drinking daily, and it comes in a very classy container with a cap attached to a chain reminiscent of a flask.

Another Florida product is Toast Vodka, which is made with unsweetened coconut water, 6x distilled from corn, and is a non-GMO, glutenfree spirit. Not to be confused with a flavored vodka, the coconut water used in the production retains all the natural benefits but only imparts a trace essence in the taste profile. Toast Vodka is intended to be enjoyed by itself rather than as a mixer and was recently awarded Gold in the Los Angeles International Spirits Competition. Its attractive packaging is via a 75 ml cylindrical flint glass bottle with rounded shoulders and long neck that facilitates easy pouring, with the label screen printed onto the bottle’s surface. In addition to the name, the slogan “To Life, to Love, to Us” is etched into the glass, because there’s always something to toast.

Papa’s Pilar comes in light and dark rum versions. The Blonde Rum retails for around $31 and the Dark Rum is $40. In Southern Nevada you can find Papa’s Pilar at Total Wine and in Southern California at Hatch in Tustin, Market Broiler in Orange and Ways & Means in Huntington Beach. For more info visit papaspilar.com.

www.lvfnbpro.com

Toast Vodka retails for around $31 and is distributed in LA and Nevada by Park Street. For more info visit toastvodka.com.

August 2016 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 29

EVENTS

AD INDEX

Welcome back to our Las Vegas edition of Food & Beverage Pro and hope you are keeping cool with these record-breaking temps soaring into the triple digits. Summertime is a much quieter time for F&B Industry Shows, Expos, and Events, but here are some local and regional events well worth your consideration for attending.

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

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JaM Cellars 707-265-7577 jamcellars.com

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August 25-28 is the 6th Annual Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival being held in Downtown L.A. www.LAFW.com

Audrey Dempsey Infinity Photo page 29 www.infinity-photo.com 702-837-1128

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

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

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

JCCNV www.jccnevada.com 702-428-0555

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

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Southwest Gas www.swgas.com/foodservice

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The Spice Outlet www.thespiceoutlet.com 702-534-7883

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September 15-18 the Las Vegas Food & Wine Festival moves to a new location, this year convening at the SLS Las Vegas, where you can expect three days of events showcasing some of the world’s best culinary talent from several of Las Vegas’s top restaurants. vegasfoodandwine.com September 22-24 the 11th Global Summit on Food & Beverages will convene at Embassy Suites by Hilton Las Vegas and bring together a unique and international mix of experts, researchers and decision makers both from academia and industry across the globe to exchange their knowledge, experience and research innovations. food.global-summit.com/America September 27-29 finds G2E (Global Gaming Expo) back in Las Vegas hosted at the Sands Convention Center. This is the largest gaming show in the world which includes F&B@G2E in the Food & Beverage Pavilion dedicated to all F&B related food & beverage products and services to the casino gaming industry. www.globalgamingexpo.com

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

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Designated Drivers www.designateddriversinc.com 877-456-7433

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Food is Art www.alsnv.com

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FORKS: A Quest for page 26 Culture, Cuisine, and Connection www.forksthebook.com

White Soy Sauce www.whitesoysaucefood.com

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ACF CHEFS LAS VEGAS Gustav E. Mauler, AAC Named 2016 American Culinary Federation Las Vegas Chef of the Year Gustav E. Mauler, AAC was named the 2016 American Culinary Federation (ACF) Las Vegas Chef of the Year. The tradition started in 1970 and each year in June, the ACF Las Vegas honors outstanding members at a gala celebration—the Chef of the Year Dinner, which was held this year on June 26 at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa. “The Chef of the Year Award has been established to pay tribute to that member whose culinary expertise and exemplary dedication have enhanced the image of the chef and the association. Chef Mauler is a community spirited business executive who regularly supports non-profit events and educational activities throughout Nevada,” said Philip Pinkney, President of ACF Las Vegas.

Chef Mauler is the President and CEO of Gustav International Chartered, a restaurant, hospitality, management and consulting company specializing in multi-themed designs based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He has been operating two entities: Spiedini and Gustav’s Catering, a culturally diverse fullservice catering division.

30 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I August 2016

CHAPTER

“As a native Austrian, the first photo of me in a chef’s outfit was when I was in kindergarten.

Sixty years later as a professional chef, I love what I do. I traveled the world to work in the culinary field—Europe, Africa, America and even consulted in Asia—and designed kitchen facilities in many major hotels. Las Vegas has been my beloved home for 29 years,” said Mauler.

He joined the gaming industry in 1980 working at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City, New Jersey and in 1987 moved to the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. During his tenure as Senior Vice President at the Mirage Resorts, he oversaw the development, planning and design of all food and beverage areas along with myriad restaurants and lounges. He has not only influenced changes in the Las Vegas hospitality industry but helped paved the way for independent restaurateurs and celebrity chefs opening their restaurants in Las Vegas.

For more information, visit www.acfchefslasvegas.org or contact Tippi at info@chabhana.com www.lvfnbpro.com

Everything’s better with

C H AR D ON NAY Butter Chardonnay by JaM Cellars is one of three, easy-to-love California wines including JaM Cabernet and Toast Sparkling.

“We made these wines in the style that we and our friends love to enjoy. We hope you do too!”

John and Michele, Napa Vintners – the “J” and “M” in JaM.

1460 First Street, Napa, CA 94559 | 707.265.7577 Sip, smile and share! @JaMCellars #JaMCellars Get The Scoop! to stay in the know at JaMCellars.com