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Issue 9 Volume 18
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THE MASTER MIXOLOGIST BRAIN TRUST:
Las Vegas Leads the Nation in Certified Beverage Professionals
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•Wholesale distributor of exceptional quality dried spices and specialty foods to the finest hotels and restaurants •Owned and operated by a former chef with over 20 years of experience •Custom packed Herbs and Spices •Custom Spice Bends •Private labeling •Now Certified Kosher
September 2018
CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER MIKE FRYER
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WELCOME BACK TO OUR SEPTEMBER 2018 ISSUE OF THE LAS VEGAS FOOD & BEVERAGE PROFESSIONAL where fall is in the air and we see the Food & Beverage Industry coming back to life with new food concepts, innovative cooking techniques, introduction of not-so-well-known food, fruits and flavors, and most importantly, healthier food & beverage. Thank you, our Professional readers, for your continued support and feedback. OUR SEPTEMBER COVER FEATURE is dedicated to The World of Master Mixologists and notes that Las Vegas leads the nation in Certified Beverage Professionals. Las Vegas’ newest USBG Accredited Master Mixologists: J.R. Starkus and Michael Przydzial of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirts of Nevada, are highlighted here. Read on as The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional’s Beverage Editor, Adam Rains, tells us the story firsthand and from a professional award-winning mixologist point of view. PAGE 7 Spirits Confidential by Max Solano and Part 2 of Smitten with Rye Max tells us: “Now that we’ve had the opportunity to properly cover the very unique and fun path of rye whiskey’s history in the US last month, we can delve a little more deeply and cover some of the most commonly asked American whiskey questions, the laws and then introduce you to some must-have rye whiskey brands.” PAGE 18 brings us to the first column by our newest journalist, Scott Altenther, and his visit to Tommy Bahama Restaurant and Bar for an extended afternoon brunch where Scott learns that Tommy Bahama has the largest rum collection in Las Vegas, which he loves and will be back to write about! As Scott puts it: “Take advantage of the chance to try some of the rarest rums worldwide. Tommy’s also offers extremely vibrant signature martinis, cocktails, rum concoctions and even non-alcoholic ‘cocktails.’” PAGE 19 has Chef Talk by Chef Allen Asch offering us another look at the food supply chain and changes in the industry with “Indoor Produce Farming for Commercial Sales.” Chef says, “In 2010 there were two indoor growing facilities in Southern Nevada while last year there were 42 and this year there are 59 farming locations. A city like Las Vegas can certainly support all operations that are currently here and even more. Many of the smaller operations distribute themselves while the larger ones might add on to an existing produce distributor.”
CHEERS AND KAMPAI! Mike Fryer Sr. Editor/Publisher
Page 4 Hot off the Grill! Page 5 Wine Talk Taiwan and Its Hidden Gems: F&B and the Region of Taitung Page 6 What’s Brewing Page 7 Spirits Confidential Smitten with Rye Part 2 of 2
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Page 15 Chef Spotlight Jose Navarro Page 16 COVER FEATURE The Master Mixologist Brain Trust: Las Vegas Leads the Nation in Certified Beverage Professionals Page 18 Tommy Bahama Restaurant and Bar: Tropical Oasis of Las Vegas
Page 8 Brett’s Vegas View
Page 19 Chef Talk Indoor Produce Farming for Commercial Sales
Page 10 Product Review
Page 22 Best of the Best
Page 11 Front & Back of the House Social Media–an Indicator of Success
Page 23 The Bottom Line Knowing When to Participate in a Food Festival
Page 12 What’s Cooking
Page 24 Nevada Restaurant Association National Food Safety Month— Restaurant Inspection Checklist
Page 14 Twinkle Toast Does Wine Fit into a Low-Carb Diet?
Page 25 Human Resources Insights Safety Is More Than Words on a Poster. How to Keep a Safe Workplace! Page 26 Stogies and Steaks at The Clubhouse at Montecristo by Old Homestead Page 27 UNLV Epicurean Society Page 28 The Restaurant Expert When Employees Say, “I Can’t,” It Really Means, “I Won’t”—Why This Is Important and What You Can Do About It Page 29 The Catering Coach Price It Right Page 30 Events Ad Index
September 2018 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!
Mike Fryer
Sr. Editor/Publisher
We take note of the recent passing of our Mentor, Associate and Friend, Robin Leach, who has been an inspiration to the Food & Beverage Industry as well as aspiring Food & Beverage Journalists. The LVF&B Pro October Issue Cover Feature will be dedicated to Robin. Please look for it! You will be missed, Robin, and we will long remember the man who lived the Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous!
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
Bob Barnes
Editorial Director bob@lvfnb.com
Juanita Fryer
Our Editorial Director Bob Barnes met up with one of our favorite chefs, Searsucker Executive Chef Stephen LaSala. Read Bob’s reporting on the Searsucker/Absinthe dinner and show deal in his What’s Cooking column on page 12.
Adam Rains
Assistant To Sr. Editor ACF Chefs Liasion/Journalist juanita.fryer@lvfnb.com
Beverage Editor adam.rains@lvfnb.com
We’ll give you one guess as to what Slater’s 50/50 Founder Scott Slater is thinking about. To learn more about how bacon fits into this SoCal deluxe hamburger chain, which has now come to Southern Nevada, check out Bob Barnes’ What’s Cooking column on page 12.
Juanita Aiello Creative Director juanita@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 Wine Talk Alice Swift
Journalist The Bottom Line Ben Brown
Accounting Manager Michelle San Juan
Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett
Journalist Best of the Best Shelley Stepanek
Journalist UNLV Epicurean Society Justin Leung
Journalist Made from Scratch John Rockwell
Journalist The Restaurant Expert David Scott Peters
Journalist Good for Spooning LeAnne Notabartolo
Journalist Front & Back of the House Gael Hees
Photographer Audrey Dempsey
Journalist Chef Talk Allen Asch
Journalist Al Mancini
Journalist Samuel’s Beer Picks Samuel Merritt
Journalist Spirits Confidential Max Solano
Photographer Bill Bokelmann
Journalist Pat Evans
Photographer Joe Urcioli
Journalists Twinkle Toast Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover
Journalist Lisa Matney
Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein
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www.lvfnbpro.com
Wine Talk
with Alice Swift
By Alice Swift Alice Swift has been writing Wine Talk since 2011, and has a passion for education and hospitality/ F&B. In 2016, she obtained her Ph.D. in Hospitality Administration from UNLV and moved from the “ninth island” to the island of Oʻahu. She now works for Kamehameha Schools as an instructional designer/project manager, and teaches part-time for UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality. See more at www.aliceswift.com.
photos by Alice Swift
Taiwan and Its Hidden Gems: F&B and the Region of Taitung
Introduction to Taiwan (Republic of China) This month, I continue my exploration of Asia’s hidden secrets while traveling abroad. Being from Taiwan, I can tell you that it does indeed have much to offer. The island of Taiwan occupies the most density of mountain ranges, and has the largest number of beautiful mountain ranges in the world. In fact, a list of the top 100 mountain peaks over 3,000 m high was released in 1971 for those avid hikers who strive to climb all 100. For the foodie lovers out there, Taiwan is full of diverse eating experiences, from the famous night markets where you can have the “street food” experience, to the high-end restaurants like Taiwan-born Chef André Chiang’s RAW, a French-style, modern Taiwan cuisine restaurant, which was just awarded a one-Michelin-star for 2018! Fun fact! Chef André Chiang shuttered his two-Michelin star restaurant, Restaurant André in Singapore, to return to his roots in Taiwan and focus on educating the next generation of young aspiring chefs in Asia. The beverage industry is quite prominent in Taiwan as well. Coffee and tea continues to maintain its popularity, with many local growers and coffee/tea shops. Whiskey has also continued to rise, with Kavalan whiskey (of King Car Distillery) becoming quite well known due to its recent wins at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Taitung What you may not know about Taiwan is its rich history and indigenous culture. There are 16 recognized tribes living in Taiwan, with the majority of tribes living in Hualien and Taitung. Many of the indigenous peoples living in Taiwan www.lvfnbpro.com
continue to embrace their native cultures and traditions, with increased tourism in both regions. My husband and I traveled to Taitung for the second time in June/July and discovered there is much more to learn about the area. It is a great place to visit if you want a good balance of arts and culture, along with outdoor activities and events that connect you with nature. Since 2011, Taitung County has held the Taiwan International Balloon Festival (http:// balloontaiwan.taitung.gov.tw) with people and their hot air balloons traveling from afar to the Luye Township. The festival has grown from 350,000 in its first year to over 4.5 million accumulate visitors! The Taitung Railway Art Village and the Tiehua Music Village are two other wonderful places to visit for those who want to get up close and personal with local artists. It’s a place where art and culture meet, with local artists, musicians, events and performances taking place. Taitung is also known for its fresh seafood (e.g. swordfish, flying fish, sunfish), and its agricultural staple, rice. Surprisingly, Chi Shang, the township in Taitung that is famous for its rice fields, gained its boom in popularity because of an EVA airline commercial featuring a famous actor riding a bicycle past a paddy field and resting under a tree, now known as the Takeshi Kaneshiro Tree. Millet Wine Last but not least, what would a “Wine Talk” article be without talking about wine? While in Taitung, I was able to learn about (and try) a traditional wine made entire from millet. Known as millet wine, this beverage is primarily produced locally by indigenous peoples in areas like Taitung and Pingtung Counties. Millet production has declined due to the onset of rice
as the primary agricultural crop in Taiwan. It was considered a “holy crop” because of its traditional use in giving offerings. It would also be used as a celebratory beverage of choice at special events, festivals, weddings, etc. Fun Fact! Millet is used in the U.S. primarily as a primary ingredient in birdseed! There are quite a few health benefits to millet as well, so it’s a surprise this grain hasn’t taken America by storm like quinoa has. It is high in protein and fiber, contains antioxidants and other essential minerals, and can be used for everything from wine to food dishes and desserts. Millet can survive in arid environments and doesn’t need much water, and can grow in less than ideal soil. The wine itself is composed of millet, yeast and water, and is typically made in the traditional, homemade method by the aboriginal tribes. Fun Fact! The Malasun brand of millet wine became famous when it was featured in the Taiwan box office hit, Cape No. 7. Malasun is made by Sinyi Winery (Nantou County) whose majority of residents come from the Bunun tribe. Taiwan is such a vibrant place filled with rich history, arts, culture, food & beverage and so much more. It’s no wonder the island was formerly called “Ilha Formosa” (beautiful island in Portuguese). I genuinely hope the world puts Taiwan on the map for tourism, as there is just so much to learn and experience. For more information on traveling and events in Taiwan, go to the Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s website at: https://eng.taiwan.net.tw. Until next month, Cheers~! Alice
September 2018 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 5
By Bob Barnes
what’s
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.
BJ’s Rogue Ales Beer Dinner The Henderson BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse location had its usual packed house for its latest beer dinner I attended last month featuring the beers of Rogue Ales: the American craft brewing pioneer founded in 1988 in Ashland, Oregon. We were welcomed by BJ’s GM Jamie Uphoff, who provided tidbits about the featured brewery and the beers and dishes we were treated to, and also entertained us with trivia questions in between courses. A nice touch was having our servers—Ashley, Erin, Holly and Ian—take turns helping her out to introduce the beers.
He welcomes your inquiries. Email: bob@lvfnb.com
We began with Hot Tub Scholarship Lager, named as a nod to Rogue’s late founder Jack Joyce’s memorial scholarship and his fondness for hot tubs. Jamie pointed out that the bready malts and spicy hop nuances of this Helles Lager match up nicely with the blistered shishitos & crispy pepperoni it was served with. Following courses were honey Sriracha Brussels sprouts with Rogue 7 Hop IPA, a complementary pairing matching bitterness with bitterness; BBQ chicken chopped salad with Rogue Honey Kolsch with notes of citrus, orange and lemon; Peruvian quinoa bowl with chicken matched with the classic Rogue Dead Guy Ale, a robust malty Maibock; double bone-in pork chop with bacon jam (which Jamie proclaimed the best pork chop in Las Vegas, a claim I find hard to dispute, and it may also be the largest!) with another Rogue classic, Hazelnut Brown Nectar, a brown ale with a rich, nutty flavor and smooth malty finish; and chocolate chunk pizookie with Rogue Chocolate Stout with dark-roasted maltiness matching up well to the chocolate in the BJ’s trademark cookie. As if that weren’t plenty bang for your buck, we were also treated to three bonus beers: Scarecrow Gone Rogue Saison—collaboration with Rogue and BJ’s stoked with coriander, elderflower, Angelica root and Sorachi Ace hops; Rogue Combat Wombat—newly released New England sour hazy IPA loaded with grapefruit, blood orange and Australian hops; and Rogue Marionberry Sour that highlighted the tart side of the berry while allowing a balance of the fruit’s natural sweetness. The fare for this feast was a quite reasonable $40, a bargain considering the superb beers and bounty of excellent fare we enjoyed. Go to www. bjsrestaurants.com/beer/beer-dinners to find out the date your favorite BJ’s location will be hosting the next beer dinner, which will feature the beers of Germany on October 8-9.
photo courtesy CraftHaus
Mark Your Calendars for These Beer-worthy Events
Now that summer is winding down beer fest season is about to get underway. Although the name suggests an October date, traditional Oktoberfest celebrations begin in September, and Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas’ festivities will run from Sept. 14 through Oct. 31. Celebrating their 15th year of Oktoberfest, the Vegas Hofbräuhaus is the only authentic replica of the brewhaus in Munich, Germany. A highlight is the unveiling of the Oktoberfestbier, the very same beer brewed by the Hofbräu brewery for the Munich Oktoberfest. Celebrity guest keg tappings take place every Friday and Saturday night and bands from Germany and Austria are imported, providing nightly entertainment.
CraftHaus Brewery will celebrate its 4th anniversary with its Fourth Splosion Fest, held in front of the brewery in the Booze District in Henderson on Sept. 15 from 5-10 p.m. The block party-style event will include the unveiling of CraftHaus’ Dry Heat-NE IPA anniversary beer, rare out of market and local guest beers, live music from local bands and food trucks. Ticket includes keeper glass and unlimited pours and VIP also includes early entry, admittance to the brewery lounge and small bites. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit 4thsplosion.bpt.me. Big Dog’s Brewing is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its Draft House location Sept. 27-30 with beer and food specials, live music, beer releases and an anniversary party with an authentic Wisconsin perch fish fry, entertainment and games for the whole family on Sept. 29 from noon-6 p.m. For more info visit www.bigdogsbrews.com/festivals/ drafthouse30. A month later, on Oct. 27, the brewery will host its annual DOG-tober Beer Fest & Brat Party combining traditions of Oktoberfest celebrations with the charm of an old Wisconsin brat cookout along with live bands and more than 40 local, regional and international beers, including several Big
6 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2018
Dog’s brews. As usual, it will be held in the outdoor area of the Draft House at Craig Rd. and Rancho Dr. in northwest Las Vegas. For more info and the line-up of beers visit www. dogtoberbeerfest.com. photo courtesy Motley Brews
photo by Sharon Mendez
BREWING
Time to mark your calendar for the Motley Brews 7th Annual Downtown Brew Festival, set for Oct. 20 from 5-9 p.m. (early entry at 4). The fest will again be held at the Clark County Amphitheater in Downtown Las Vegas, and you can expect a wide range of beer styles with more than 200 beer choices from 60 breweries, including several from Nevada. Motley Brews fests typically sell out, and purchasing in advance gets you a reduced rate, as well as availability of VIP and early admission tickets, so consider purchasing your tickets at www. downtownbrewfestival.com, where you’ll also find the line-up of breweries that will be pouring. www.lvfnbpro.com
SPIRITS CONFIDENTIAL with Max Solano Smitten with Rye
Max Solano is a principal mixologist at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Nevada and is considered one of the most respected and premier authorities in the West Coast on all matters whisky. He also serves as a Spirits Judge at the coveted New York World Wine & Spirits Competition, International Whisky Competition and world-renowned San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
photo by Joy Solano
Part 2 of 2
By Max Solano
Now, that we’ve had the opportunity to properly cover the very unique and fun path of rye whiskey’s history in the US, last month, we can delve a little more deeply and cover some of the most commonly asked American whiskey questions, the laws and then introduce you to some must-have rye whiskey brands. Firstly, the Tax and Trade Bureau of Alcohol and Tobacco (TTB), is a division of the US Department of Treasury and is essentially the end-all-be-all that regulates everything from alcohol production to the bottle labeling in this country, as well as alcoholic beverage imports and exports. However, maneuvering through the TTB’s website can be a daunting task in the search for additional wisdom. Surprisingly enough, one will come across many different subcategories of American whiskey and very soon discover that some are obsolete, while some newer categories (i.e. American Single Malt & Sorghum Whiskey) are not even regulated yet. Why, do I mention this? Because to properly understand the differences between one style of American whiskey to the next, it all boils down to the local laws, first. And, this goes for any style of distilled (and fermented) beverage category and its country of origin. Secondly, it’s all up to the brand what direction it wants to take its product(s), following its country’s guidelines and laws established for that particular category. Let me stop right here for a quick moment, however! Because it’s not all that cut and dry. A lot of these laws are based upon how a particular spirit is produced, but it gets really tricky (and sensitive) when aging dictates how a spirit gets shifted into a whole new category. One of the very few established universal laws regarding any whiskey is that it must be a www.lvfnbpro.com
distilled beverage made from one or more grains. However, there are many styles of whiskey, regardless of its spelling and style, and some categories are much more stringently regulated. Since we’re talking about American whiskey, let me take the two most popular categories— bourbon and rye—and break them down by showing their commonalities and differences. Legally, bourbon can be produced anywhere in the US, but only in the US, ever since it became a protected native spirit in 1964. Although rye whiskey is predominantly produced in the US, it can be produced anywhere. However, Canada is really the only other country that produces a similar style of rye whiskey comparable to ours, even though “Canadian rye” is by no means as regulated as ours is, nor does it even have to contain any rye, at all! Oh, Canada!! Secondly, when we talk about American whiskeys, the term mash bill becomes relevant. A mash bill simply means the breakdown by percentage of which grains make up a certain whiskey. For bourbon, the mash bill must contain no less than 51% corn (typically higher) and usually also contains rye or wheat as the flavoring grain with a small amount of malted barley to aid in the fermentation process. For an American rye, it must contain no less than 51% rye, typically followed by corn as its flavoring grain and malted barley; however, some rye producers elect to make a bolder style and leave out the flavoring grain altogether. Flavor-wise, think of corn bread versus rye bread. Corn is more palatable, sweeter and subtle. Rye, depending on where it’s sourced, can range in flavors from subtle fruit to the more typical pepper spice, earthier and robust. The laws that these two categories do share are: Either style cannot be distilled above 160 proof/80% ABV,
the highest proof upon initial barrel entry cannot exceed 125 proof/62.5% ABV, both styles must initially be aged in virgin charred oak barrels, cannot contain anything but water as an additive and final product cannot be less than 80 proof or 40% ABV. Also worth mentioning, the moment the new spirit comes into contact with the virgin charred oak container, by law it becomes that spirit. In order for it to contain the “straight” designation on the label, all of the whiskeys in that vatting must be a minimum of two years old. If the whiskey is aged for less than four years, it must disclose the age on the label. And, of course, if there is an actual age statement on the label, and the whiskey is not a single barrel/ cask, it must be representative of the youngest whiskey (commonly practiced in all whiskey producing countries). Luckily, with so many quality rye options available today, we have the luxury of being both selective and adventurous. If you would like to indulge in a very unique style of rye that is reminiscent of the late 1700s/earlier 1800s, then snag yourself a bottle of Old Potrero 18th Century (Hotaling & Co.) made from 100% malted rye and aged for only 2 ½ years in both virgin and used toasted virgin oak barrels. This brand was one of the very first Post-Prohibition craft whiskies made by the legendary brewer turned distiller, Fritz Maytag. As I had alluded to earlier, due to the fact that this rye is not aged exclusively in virgin charred oak barrels, by law, it has to be labeled differently. Going from young to old, two amazing brands that you need to absolutely snag are both Lock Stock & Barrel 16 & 18-year expressions and the Hochstadter’s 16-year Family Reserve from Cooper Spirits. Simply amazing, yet very different from one another! Although, the LSB products are made in Alberta, Canada, they are both made from 100% rye and aged for an extremely long time and made in very limitededition releases. The Hochstadter’s is a vatting of 100% old Canadian rye and old American rye bottled at barrel proof in the US. Lastly, is Kentucky Owl rye, which is from a storied brand owned by the Dedman family of Kentucky, lost to Prohibition (with rumored ties to Al Capone) and recently resurrected by the members of the same family. This 11-year rye is produced in very small numbered batches, also bottled at barrel proof and released in very limited amounts. These are but just a handful of many stellar rye whiskeys, and who knows? Just maybe, you’ll also fall victim and find yourself smitten with rye. Cheers!
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Brett’s
By Jackie Brett
Jackie is a freelance public relations specialist and writer specializing in the Las Vegas entertainment and travel scene. Her writings have appeared in magazines and newspapers nationwide and on numerous websites. Email: jackiebrett@cox.net
All part of Palace Station’s $192 million makeover, Boathouse Asian Eatery opened on the new casino floor where the Feast Buffet was recently unveiled. Husband and wife co-owners, Michael and Jenna Morton will introduce Greek Sneek serving Mediterranean cuisine at the MGM Grand this fall. Shiraz opened at Decatur and Sahara featuring authentic Persian, Indian and Pakistani halal cuisine. Haute Cuisine is a wine-food poolside evening affair hosted by The Master Chefs of France Friday, Oct. 5 at The Aquatic Club at The Palazzo. Bok Bok Chicken opened its first Las Vegas Mediterranean restaurant and will open two other locations by year’s end and a fourth at Town Square next year. New at Silverton is Meal with a Mermaid on Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. and noon next to the 117,000-gallon aquarium with a mermaid. New York-based, Blue Ribbon Restaurants celebrates the Las Vegas return of Blue Ribbon Sushi when it opens at Red Rock Resort this year. Rolled Ice Cream opened its fourth location with 40-plus rolled creations and the ability to create your own roll. Go Greek Yogurt opened its first location outside of Southern California at The Venetian and features master “yogurtiers.”
Border Grill owners, Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, are the 2018 Julia Child Award recipients, and first female chefs/partners receiving the honor.
ABOUT TOWN ITEMS
HeadzUP is a new giant amusement center at the Boulevard Mall with the country’s first 3D Trick Art Museum, “Coat of Arms Archery Tag,” six themed escape rooms, Cornhole and DIY workshops. A new welcome sign featuring two 26-foot showgirls was installed by the Stratosphere where Las Vegas Blvd. and Main Street intersect.
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Vdara introduced new team members Fetch and Jett, two Relay robots responsible for making deliveries to guest suites. Temporarily entertainment at The Railhead in Boulder Station is moved to other company venues while the bingo room undergoes renovation until later this year. The High Roller at The LINQ Promenade has re-launched the Thursday in-cabin chocolate tasting experience with Ethel M Chocolates.
photo credit Denise Truscello
Aerosmith will launch their “Deuces Are Wild” residency April 6, 2019, at Park Theater inside Park MGM. Toby Keith brings his Should’ve Been A Cowboy XXV Tour to Red Rock Resort’s Poolside Stage Friday night, Oct. 26. Criss Angel will close his Luxor show Oct. 28 after 10 years and will move to Planet Hollywood opening “Criss Angel MINDFREAK” on Dec. 19. David Goldrake’s final “Imaginarium” performance after a year at the Tropicana will be Sunday, Sept. 30. He’ll open a new headlining magic show next spring at a new location TBA. “I Love The ’90s–The Vegas Show” will open at Paris Friday, Oct. 12 with a rotating lineup of headliner acts starting with Salt-N-Pepa, Rob Base and All-4-One. Barry Manilow returned with his new production “Manilow Las Vegas: The Hits Come Home” and to the stage at Westgate, where he headlined before. New 2019 dates start in January for Carlos Santana’s seventh-year residency at House of Blues at Mandalay Bay after he returns Sept. 12 through mid-November. Kevin Burke after 10 years in Las Vegas left his starring resident role in “Defending the Caveman” at the D Las Vegas for family time and touring. NBC’s hit series World of Dance makes its second “The World of Dance Live Tour” stop at Green Valley Ranch Friday, Nov. 2. Jim Gaffigan on his “Fixer Upper” tour returns a third time this year to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace Friday, Nov. 30. Comedian George Wallace is back as a Las Vegas-headliner with his new residency at Westgate Cabaret. Lionel Richie’s final residency shows at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood run through Oct. 20. Sake Rok at Park MGM holds “Drag Supper Club” on Saturday nights at 6:30 and 9 p.m. with dinner and a show highlighting some RuPaul’s Drag Race Queens. Hooters opened “The Hilarious 7” in The Night Owl Showroom with seven comics delivering an “all punchlines” comedy bout.
DINING NEWS
photo courtesy Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger
photo credit Ross Halfin
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
The Hangover Bar is the latest addition to The Hangover Experience at Madame Tussauds, joining the hotel suite, wedding chapel and cast figures. The owner of Pinball Hall of Fame on East Tropicana purchased land on the Strip’s south end to build a larger building. Israeli hoteliers bought the 1961 25-unit Motel 8 across from Mandalay Bay to clear the space for a new hotel casino. Highway Radio Network opened a live broadcast studio on the second floor of Pawn Plaza. JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa in Summerlin unveiled two new suites–The Aviation and The Penthouse–at the top of Palms Tower. Stance opened its newest statement socks outlet at the Fashion Show and launched its first t-shirt collection.
EVENTS
Seven oh Brew Oktoberfest will be a new food-drink-music festival taking place at Craig Ranch Regional Park in North Las Vegas Sept. 27-30 and Oct. 4-7. The Martha Stewart Wine & Food Experience 12-city culinary series has a stop at the outdoor Las Vegas Festival on Saturday, Oct. 13. “Pawn Star” Rick Harrison will lead his 5th Annual “Pawn Stars Poker Run” Sunday, Oct. 14 to benefit the Epilepsy Foundation of Nevada. Farmers & Makers Market is held every Sunday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Silverton featuring food and crafts vendors. Glittering Lights outdoor holiday lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will run this year Nov. 9 to Jan. 6. www.lvfnbpro.com
CABERNET
COLOR UP YOUR LIFE! RIEDEL.COM
Product Review By Bob Barnes
BFF (Beer Friends Forever) San Diego Pale Ale BFF usually stands for best friends forever, but in the case of this collaboration, the acronym takes on additional meaning, as it celebrates the friendship, support and camaraderie of more than 20 years shared by two San Diego craft beer pioneer breweries: Stone Brewing and Pizza Port. Stone Brewing Senior Innovation Brewing Manager Jeremy Moynier stated, “Taking inspiration from our original Stone Pale Ale (that first keg sold to Pizza Port!), and combining both of our breweries’ histories with our continuing innovative practices, we crafted a very unique Pale Ale…a mix of English, New Zealand and newer American hops creates a complex mix of aromas and flavors, combined with a perfectly crisp and complementary malt background.” Pizza Port Director of Brewing Operations Sean Farrell added, “The beer is a modern take on an English Pale Ale. Maris Otter barley gives the beer a rich, but clean, malt background. London III yeast with New Zealand, American and English hops provide flavors of passion fruit, oro blanco grapefruit and earthy tangerine peel.” After tasting this brew I imagine it would have been considered an IPA back in the days when both breweries were founded, but compared to today’s over-the-top hop monster IPAs it is more subdued, but in a good way, for the vibrant citrus flavors are allowed to shine without being overpowered by an overload of hoppy bitterness. BFF is a summertime seasonal release and is available in AZ, CA and NV. pizzaport.com stonebrewing.com
Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey Coming out of Prohibition, the Federal Government approved four straight whiskey standards: Bourbon, Rye, Wheat and Malt, which were the types of whiskies produced in the US prior to Prohibition. This new expression from Woodford Reserve has a grain bill of 51% malted barley, 47% corn and 2% rye; is aged in new charred oak barrels; and should appeal to bourbon lovers. Based on historical recipes and driven by Master Distiller Chris Morris, tasting notes for the 90.4-proof blended malt whiskey include aromas of light caramel, milk chocolate and tropical fruit; flavors of dark chocolate and caramel-covered nuts dried out with a sprinkle of cocoa and brown spice; and a nutty finish with an enduring subtly sweet chocolate malt note. This new addition to the Woodford Reserve portfolio joins its original Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked and Woodford Reserve Rye. woodfordreserve.com/whiskey/malt-whiskey
New Packaging for Lindemans, Samuel Smith’s and Du Bocq Blanche de Namur The Lindemans family brewery has been in operation in the quiet town of Vlezenbeek in Belgium’s Senne River Valley southwest of Brussels since 1822, producing fruit lambics made using locally-grown wheat and barley fermented via wild, airborne yeast. The multiple strains of yeast lead to complex flavors and fresh fruit are added to balance the tart notes with sweetness, which have become huge crowd favorites in the US and around the world. Where previously you could only purchase 750 mL or 12-oz single bottles of its spontaneously fermented ales, the brewery is now packaging its popular Framboise (Raspberry), Peche (Peach) and Strawberry Lambic in 250 mL (8.45 oz) fourpacks. Samuel Smith’s was established in 1758 in Tadcaster and is Yorkshire’s oldest brewery and one of the few remaining independent breweries in England. This iconic brewery is considered an early pioneer of authentic beer styles and to this day uses a strain of yeast that dates from the early 1900s. Two of its most popular beers—Nut Brown Ale and Pure Brewed Organic Lager—are both now available in four-pack 14.9-oz cans. Witbier or bìere blanche (“white beer”) is a wheat ale style that originated in Belgium hundreds of years ago. The Belgian brewery Du Bocq, founded in 1858, now has the distinction of being the first to package a wit beer in cans, as its Blanche de Namur is now available in 16.9-oz cans. Blanche de Namur is made from barley malt, unmalted wheat, hops, a touch of brewer’s licorice and the classic witbier spices: coriander and bitter orange peel. merchantduvin.com
10 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2018
www.lvfnbpro.com
Front & Back of the House
By Gael Hees
Social Media–an Indicator of Success
Boulder Dam Brewing Company Owner Todd Cook and his wife Deborah Downs
For some, social media in all of its incarnations, is the most exciting thing in the world. For others it’s drudgery and more often than not, not done well if done at all. For Todd Cook, brewer and co-owner of Boulder Dam Brewing Co., it is simply part of his job. He reads–and responds–to every single review on Yelp, Facebook, TripAdvisor and Twitter. That is every single one. “If someone cares enough to take the time to communicate with us about their experiences, I feel like they deserve a response,” said Cook. If it is a short, positive statement such as “great beer,” or “had a blast,” Cook will respond almost immediately with something short and pithy, incorporating a “thank you” and ending with “Cheers, Todd.” However, if it is a complaint or negative post, it takes longer for him to respond. First, he researches what happened. Was the order wrong because of a mix-up in the kitchen, or was the order written down wrong in the first place? He wants to know why the food wasn’t delivered to the table in a timely manner. Why was the beer hot? Oops, this one never happens. He looks at the week’s tickets, finds the one that relates to the problem and talks with his waitstaff and kitchen team about the reviewer’s issue. He mentions the issue without naming names in staff meetings. By then, he is ready to respond to the reviewer. “These responses have to be worded carefully,” says Cook. “I want to apologize, but it has to be sincere. Sometimes I’ll write a response and work on it for a while, thinking about how it sounds.” Cook admits that his responses aren’t specifically for the original reviewer, choosing to make his responses accessible to everyone. “I always make it public, because my responses are less meant for the person who left the review, than those reading it,” said Cook. “‘Hope to see you again, you’re awesome,’ my response is to half for them, but I write it knowing that other people are going to read that response.” Cook enjoys the positive reviews. Who doesn’t? But it is the negative responses he learns from. For example, Cook works to preempt issues during his busy times by www.lvfnbpro.com
photo courtesy of Boulder Dam Brewing Company
Gael Hees is a Las Vegas freelancer, specializing in written, graphic and audiovisual communications. She has written for national publications and has won numerous awards for tourism-related printed materials and videos, is accredited in public relations by the Public Relations Society of America and is a certified hospitality educator. gael.hees@icloud.com
asking his host to let people know the time it will take to be seated and the time it may take to receive their food. “For nearly every bad review we get, the reviewer was here on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon,” said Cook. “They were here at a peak time, 1 to 3 p.m., when we’re banging. Most of the negative reviews have to do with the time it took to be seated or receive an order.” The brewery has great review averages: 4.6 on Trip Advisor, 4.4 on Facebook, and 3.8 on Yelp. According to Cook, people tell him that the 3.8 is a great average on Yelp, but he says, “It breaks my heart.” Many of Cook’s international guests use TripAdvisor more than any of the other platforms. Some even write the reviews in their native languages. No problem! Cook simply copies the review and pops it in Google Translate, reads the review and writes a response, pops it in Google Translate again, and pastes it in TripAdvisor. He responds to every single post. Cook doesn’t want customers at the brewery, he wants friends. He wants people to just come and hang out. To that end, the Boulder Dam Brewing Co. features live music every weekend; hosts Geeks Who Drink, a trivia contest modeled after the British pub quizzes; sponsors annual events such as a charity zombie walk and brew festival; and has at least two special event nights each month. Cook is even working on developing a cornhole league! But what is important here is the fact that none of these activities would be as successful as they are without the brewery’s social media presence. Cook is constantly tweeting, posting and uploading when he’s not answering questions and responding to posts. It’s true that Cook’s phone alerts every time there’s a new response on any of his social media platforms. “It’s as important to me in today’s world to talk to the customers in the electronic sphere, perhaps unfortunately, as when they’re in your pub,” he said. He thinks that’s true, but the fact that you’ll find him in the pub almost every day, and often bartending, makes one think his in-person commitment is equally strong.
September 2018 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 11
By Bob Barnes
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. He welcomes your inquiries. Email: bob@lvfnb.com
Searsucker at Caesars Palace is partnering with Absinthe—the adult circus show with eccentrics performing amazing feats of strength, balance, danger and unfathomable flexibility—to offer a dinner and show package. The two-in-one package starts at $149 per person and includes offerings from the menu at Searsucker, a complimentary Moscow mule inspired by the hit show and one reserved seating level ticket to the show. The menu, curated by one of my favorite chefs, Executive Chef Stephen LaSala, includes choice of yellowtail crudo, tomato and burrata, shishitos or pig ears; brick chicken, scallops, pasta or Chef LaSala’s ricotta and roasted cauliflower steak; cookies + gelato dessert; and a Russian Acrobat Mule, featuring Molet’s super floral gin and ginger beer served in a copper takeaway mug. While you are there you owe it to yourself to also indulge in the calamari steak with apples and sweet chili honey glaze, which is the best rendition of this dish I’ve ever encountered. As for the Absinthe show, it is performed twice nightly at 8 and 10 p.m. and is unlike any show I’ve ever seen. The Spiegeltent theater-in-the-round space is intimate enough that there’s not a bad seat in the house. Proclaimed as “The #1 Greatest Show in Las Vegas History” by Las Vegas Weekly, its description as a circus variety show for adults is fitting, but it’s also quite hilarious (as long as you’re not a prude) and worth checking out again and again and again. To purchase the dinner and show package, call 855-234-7469 or visit http://bit.ly/absinthelv and choose the add-on when selecting your seats for the show.
photos by Matthias Clamer, Erik Kabik and Dick Palcic
Searsucker Teams up with Absinthe for Dinner & Show Deal
Slater’s 50/50— Where Everything Is Better with Bacon
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photos by Dave Canela
These days nearly every casino resort in Las Vegas has a burger restaurant, but in the burbs they are harder to come by. The Southern California-based Slater’s 50/50, known for over-the-top bacon-infused burgers and craft beer, is doing something to change that, having opened the first Las Vegas location in July at 467 E. Silverado Ranch Blvd, Suite 100 (southeast corner of Bermuda and Silverado) with two more to come. This marks the chain’s 9th location and the second outside of California. Founder Scott Slater, who has the provocative title of “Baron of Bacon,” opened the first Slater’s in Anaheim Hills in 2009. Of his decision to branch out to Vegas he says, “Our fans have been asking for a Las Vegas location for years. Las Vegas is thirsty for a non-smoking, non-gaming concept suitable for guys, girls and families. We’re offering a different style than on the Strip; Slater’s has a neighborhood feel in a great working class neighborhood; and we are bringing a local vibe.” Husband and wife Andy Kao and Cindy Sun are the www.lvfnbpro.com
photo by Dave Canela
www.lvfnbpro.com
Alarm Burger made with ghost chile powder, ghost chile jack cheese, grilled jalapeños, habañero-bacon spread and spicy fried peppers that is so hot you have to sign a waiver to eat it; and for the vegetarians and vegans, there’s the Eat Your Veggies with quinoa veggie patty with roasted red peppers, avocado and cucumbers, and all burgers can be replaced with a meat/ dairy-free impossible burger. Those not in the mood for a burger can opt for a variety of salads, flatbreads and local specials such as the Chicken Carb-o-nera with roasted garlic-parmesan cream sauce tossed with penne pasta and topped with blackened chicken, tomatoes and shaved parmesan; Strawberry + Burrata Salad with fresh strawberries, burrata cheese and candied pecans piled on top of baby kale and arugula tossed with wildflower honey vinaigrette; and Barbecue Pork Belly
Flatbread with crisp pork belly, smoky BBQ sauce, smoked gouda, mozzarella, red onions and cilantro. The perfect finale to your meal are the overthe-top milkshakes piled high with whipped cream and mountains of sweets—which can be made into adult versions by adding a shot of your liquor of choice—like the Happy Happy Birthday Shake: Funfetti shake, vanilla and Jolly Rancher crust, topped with sprinkles, Twinkies and a cupcake, finished with sparklers. Slater’s 50/50 is open daily. Hours are Mon.Thu. 9 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri. 11 a.m.-midnight; Sat. 9 a.m-midnight; and Sun. 9 a.m.-10 p.m. 467 E. Silverado Ranch Blvd 702-766-5050 www.slaters5050.com/locations/las-vegas
Public School Industry Deals Public School 702 has launched an industry night called Detention. But unlike detention from your school days, this is one you can drink while detention is in session. Held on Tuesdays from 3 p.m. to close, the event features several special discounts, games and live music from 5-9 p.m. Drink specials include select cocktails for $5, twofor-one select beers for $7 and twofor-one well drinks or glasses of house wine for $6. Food specials are Bacon Cheddar Tots and Parmesan Truffle Frites for $5; Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower, Margarita Flatbread, Crispy Naked Wings and Edamame Hummus for $6; and burger and fries for $8. Since the deals are exclusively for industry professionals, you will need to show a paystub matching your ID to prove you work for a local bar or restaurant.
photos coutesy Public School 702
franchise owners and they double as assistant manager and general manager. Andy provided evidence of the new venue attracting families, as he related that during their opening weekend they ran out of highchairs, which convinced him to purchase more the next day. He says, “We wanted a place people can go to with kids and is priced for families, and this location is easy to get to as it has very little traffic.” At the entrance are Vegas-style marquee neon letters spelling out the restaurant’s name and a wall made from tap handles. Other design elements include a multi-colored beer cap collage in the shape of a pig, pop art pieces of Slater’s signature burgers, an open kitchen, rustic brick wall behind the bar, wood tables and plush leather-backed half booths. As one of the best complements to the allAmerican burger is beer, they have wisely opted to install 50 taps pouring craft beer, which in the case of this Silverado Ranch location, is filling a void, as there aren’t any venues serving a comparable beer selection within miles. Local beers are front and center, with no less than 12 Vegas beers pouring during the opening week, including Bad Beat Bluffin’ Ain’t Weisse; Big Dog’s Peace, Love and Hoppiness Pale Ale; CraftHaus Evocation Saison, Resonate IPA, Zitrone (sour Gose) and Vanilla Lux Blonde Ale on nitro (pouring exclusively at Slater’s); Hop Nuts Golden Knights Strong Ale; Joseph James American Flyer and Citrus Rye; Lovelady Love Juicy Hazy IPA and 9th Island Pineapple Sour; and Tenaya Creek Hop Rising IPA. Bartender Kelly Craigo advises on the beer list and is helping train the servers to suggest beer to pair with customers’ food orders. Furthermore, all servers are 1st level cicerone servers and to entice patrons to become repeat visitors, the 50/50 Club is offered for $30 a month, which gets you any beer on the menu for free once a day. As for the food, menu mainstays include the Original 50/50 made with a 50/50 blend of ground beef and bacon topped with pepper jack cheese, avocado, fried egg and chipotle mayo; and the Best P.B. & Jellousy with Angus beef, bacon, peanut butter and strawberry jelly. Other out-of-the-ordinary burgers include the 50
September 2018 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 13
Twinkle Toast
photo by Erin Cooper
Does Wine Fit into a Low-Carb Diet?
By Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover
Erin Cooper and Christine Vanover have been residents of Las Vegas since 2007. Vanover is also a UNLV Alumnus. Both women are Territory Managers for the Resort Wine Team at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, members of Women Gone Wine and the founders of Twinkle Toast. info@twinkletoast.com • www.twinkletoast.com Facebook: @TwinkleToast Twitter: TwinkleToastLV Instagram: TwinkleToastLV
With all the hype surrounding Ketogenic, Paleo and low-carb diets, we thought it would be interesting to get a registered dietitian’s perspective on how wine can best fit into a healthy lifestyle. Tara Noseck, RDN, LD and founder of Neat Nutrition based in Las Vegas, recently sat down with us to discuss whether or not wine contains carbohydrates. She also offered some tips to help determine the types of wine that are best suited for individuals looking to maintain a low-carb intake. Does wine technically contain carbohydrates? Wine does contain carbohydrates, and although its contribution to overall calories varies, it is minimal. The main source of calories in wine comes from alcohol. If you look up the nutrition facts for a 5 ounce glass of wine on the USDA website, you will find that it contains 4 grams of carbohydrates in that 5 ounce serving. Carbohydrates always contribute 4 calories per gram, so for this glass of wine, the total calories from carbohydrates is 16. The remainder comes from alcohol, which contributes 7 calories per gram, and makes up the majority of the caloric content.
What formula(s) would you use to count calories and carbohydrates in a glass of wine? Unfortunately, there is no way to count exact calories, sugar and overall carbohydrates in the broad spectrum of wines available on the market. As you know, winemakers are not required to provide nutrition facts for their products. If you wish for more detailed information, I suggest contacting the winemaker directly. How would you calculate the carbohydrates and calories for a glass of wine with the following statistics? Kung Fu Girl Riesling: 1.4% Residual Sugar g/100mL and 12% Alcohol For a standard serving of wine: 5 oz (150 mL) 1.4 g sugar x 150 mL (5 oz) = 2.1 g sugar x 4 cals/g = 8.4 calories from carbohydrate (sugar) and 12 g alcohol x 150 mL (5 oz) = 18 g alcohol x 7 cals/g = 126 calories from alcohol 8.4 cals + 126 cals = approximately 134 cals in a 5 oz glass
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Would you recommend wine to people who are looking to drink an alcoholic beverage with lower calories? It is my position that wine can absolutely fit in to a healthy lifestyle and diet. In addition to maintaining sensible intake, it is important to evaluate your accompanying meal. Is it a decadent bowl of cream-based pasta or is it a plate of grass-fed sirloin with roasted Brussels sprouts? Think about the glass of wine in the context of the rest of your meal and your day. My general recommendation would be to enjoy one glass of wine several times a week. Choose a quality wine that pairs well with your food and sip it thoughtfully throughout the meal. Which wine characteristics would you recommend people look for if they would like to enjoy a glass with the lowest possible calories and carbohydrates? When looking at carbohydrate and calorie content in wine there is a continuum, so generally speaking, dryer white wines are going to contain less. As the sweetness increases, so do the calories, sugar and carbohydrates. If you are looking to keep that low, your best bet is to stick with a dryer white wine. If you are trying to achieve a healthy weight, or live a healthier lifestyle in general, moderation is of course the key. Remember that wine is meant to be enjoyed. Obsessing about caloric load takes some of the joy out of the experience. There is certainly a difference between having a glass or two or drinking the whole bottle at one meal. If you would like to get in touch with Tara, email neatnutritionlv@gmail.com or visit her website at www.neatnutrition.com. Master Sommelier Joseph Phillips, Director of Wine Education and Trade Development at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits in Las Vegas, recently noted that “the cooler growing regions of Europe naturally tend to produce dry wines with moderate alcohol levels due to less overall sunshine, so less sugar, typically hitting the 11 to 12.5% alcohol range.” This includes but is not limited to Burgundy and Chablis in Northern France, Piedmont and Friuli in Northern Italy and Galicia and Rias Baixas in Northern Spain. Here are a few lower carb/calorie recommendations to keep an eye out for: - Pascal Jolivet Sancerre (White) - Domäne Wachau Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Terrassen (White) - Drouhin Beaujolais Villages (Red) - Bruno Giacosa Dolcetto (Red) - Vinho Verde from Portugal (White) www.lvfnbpro.com
Chef Spotlight Jose Navarro
By Pat Evans
Pat Evans is a writer based in Las Vegas and Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is a regular contributor to Grand Rapids Magazine, October and The Manual often writing about food, beer and spirits. He has written one book, Grand Rapids Beer, and has more on the way. Twitter: @patevans Instagram: @patrickmevans
Since he was 14 years old, Jose Navarro has worked in kitchens. He stumbled into the career by happenchance. His sister’s friend’s family had an opening at their restaurant for help. Eventually he learned some of the basics before making the jump to Gold Coast at age 16. It wasn’t until two years later in 1997, when he got a job at Caesars Palace and eventually realized there was more to a cooking career and that he had found his true path. He’s helmed Trevi at the Forum Shops at Caesars the past three years, after spending four years at Grotto restaurant in the Golden Nugget on Fremont Street. His career has led him through all sorts of cuisines and restaurants, and vegetarian-centric ideas. At one point you went from Fremont Street back to the Strip. How are they alike and how are they different? Downtown seems to be more rooted in tradition. People come to Fremont and want to see more of the Old Vegas, and it’s not that they don’t care about seasonality, but they’re not as interested in the forefront of cuisine. They want to see old school veal parmesan, chicken marsala. Again, not that they don’t care about quality, they’re just not as focused on it. On the Strip, people don’t want to get overwhelmed, but they want to know where things are sourced from. They’ll definitely frown if you’re still running a butternut squash ravioli in the summer or in the winter having a watermelon salad. Downtown and Strip, they both want top quality ingredients, it’s just the approach that changes. It changes from season to season and even week to week. The dishes I’m enjoying the most are the ones that I’m in touch with the vendors and purveyors, something I haven’t seen in a long time, or something I haven’t seen before. For Bastille Day, we brought in escargot. They are part of the Italian cuisine, but not something you see in every Italian restaurant, so we brought it in, got some looks, made a dish. Everyone who tried it commented on how delicious it was. That was my favorite that week. Escargot was recent, but any new ingredients you’re playing with, or find challenging? Not really. The biggest challenge we have here, is every ingredient we get, we’re gonna keep it as simple as possible to showcase it rather than manipulate it into something it’s not. No one here had seen escargot in a while or ever in Trevi history, so snails? The biggest hurdle is getting people to try it once it hits the table. If they don’t like it, that’s fine. I cannot make someone who doesn’t like carrots love carrots, I cannot do that, but I can definitely cook carrots in a way, if you’re willing to give them a try, you’ll like them. www.lvfnbpro.com
photo courtesy of TREVI
What’s your favorite dish to cook?
How do you keep an Italian restaurant fresh and new? We do two big overhauls a year, right before spring and fall. I will never get away with not having caprese salad, but the approach we take, I look at classic things people are used to having for the core menu and we change it up a little so it’s not the same. Fall is butternut squash, but we’ll do it a little different, maybe sweet potato and fall squash ravioli. They’ll still think butternut squash, but it won’t be the same as at every other Italian restaurant; I feel that’s the way you almost trick people to try something they normally wouldn’t, but not lying. It’s not that they are weird and we’re not reinventing the wheel; the rounder the better.
Where’s your favorite place to eat in Las Vegas? I eat depending on what we feel like. We gravitate toward the steakhouses whenever we go out for date night. We gravitate toward them, but the steak is not the center of the dinner. We’re there for the oysters, the appetizers. We like the ones that keep it fresh. Andiron, they change the menu and keep it light. They like to keep the cuisine light and crisp, and we like that so you enjoy a few more dishes and leave without being too full. And of course we have steak. Best tip to find good food while traveling? When I first check in somewhere, I like to sit at the bar, order some things and ask where to eat. They always try to send me to the resort, and I tell them they’re not coming here on their day off. Then you get to the nitty-gritty of it. They point you in the right direction.
September 2018 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 15
THE MASTER MIXOLOGIST BRAIN TRUST:
Las Vegas Leads the Nation in Certified Beverage Professionals By Adam Rains Cover and feature photos by Audrey Dempsey • Infinity Photo
Las Vegas’ newest USBG Accredited Master Mixologists: J.R. Starkus and Michael Przydzial of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirts of Nevada.
During the last two decades the beverage industry has seen an unprecedented amount of changes. More than ever before, we have an abundance of products, information and a proliferation of beverages from behind the bar and beyond. The two driving forces have been the United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG), and Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits. The USBG was incepted in 1948 in order to advance the profession of bartending. This is done by partnering with producers and distributors to help members to advance their careers, which is achieved through competition, travel and above all, education. One of the USBG’s main partners has been,
and continues to be, Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits. Their mission helps bring together many of the brands that support beverage education, bartenders, aspiring mixologists and the community as a whole. With this in mind, SGWS instituted the Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits Academy to help teach local beverage professionals to compete with the best in the world. Always changing and adapting, SGWS recently added a vital new team member, Brian Van Flandern, the new Director of Mixology, Spirits Education and Special Events, whose Michelinstar background promises to introduce ultrafine dining standards to the SGWS Academy curriculum and will bridge the gap between service/special events and the mixology team.
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(Editor’s Note: For more on Brian’s background see the cover feature of our August 2018 issue.) In his new role, Brian is taking over some of the responsibilities from longtime USBG member and Accredited Master Mixologist, Francesco Lafranconi, founder of the SGWS Academy of Spirits who has taught many of Las Vegas’s finest beverage professionals. Although Francesco will later this year be opening up his own mixology bar in the Palms, he will continue to instruct, even as he spends more time at his new venue. Also integral to the SWGS Southern Nevada team is Livio Lauro, who pioneered the resurgence of the USBG, was the founding President of the USBG Master Accreditation www.lvfnbpro.com
program and co-authored The Twelve Cocktails, which he wrote with fellow USBG Master Mixologist Armando Rosario. Two of Francesco’s and Livio’s graduates and protégées also happen to be the newest USBG Accredited Master Mixologists: J.R. Starkus and Michael Przydzial. J.R. and Michael now join the ranks of only ten USBG Accredited Master Mixologists (which include Armando Rosario, Livio Lauro and Francesco Lafranconi, all of whom work for SGWS). It is a team that is power packed with talent, drive and an encyclopedic wealth of beverage knowledge between them. The USBG would like to point out that the term “Master Mixologist” is no longer a term that can be just thrown around. The Guild created the USBG Master Accreditation Program to provide an infrastructure for education and to set the standard for the industry. The program is meant to strike away the ambiguity and to challenge members and beverage professionals to reach new levels of excellence. The program has three tiers of learning: USBG Spirits Professional, USBG Advanced Bartender and USBG Master Mixologist. The latter involves a thesis and hosting a live seminar to the MA Judges on a relevant beverage industryrelated topic. In a recent interview with USBG Accredited Master Mixologists, J.R. Starkus and Michael Przydzial, we discussed what their new titles entail, how they got them and what comes next. Could you talk a little about the process of becoming a USBG Master Mixologist? How did you achieve it and what does it mean to you? J.R.: My journey started in 2004 when I passed the Spirits Professional. There was no book at the time and I remember getting one page. But I just kind of dove in and took the exam hoping that what I had taught myself was enough; luckily it was, but I realized how much more I had to learn. A couple years later I passed the Advanced (Bartender), and at the time I was only the eighth person in the country to have passed it. I realized (to advance further) there was a thesis involved. I got to thinking about if bartenders cared about lime juice or citrus being fresh squeezed, or if people don’t really care; and, does fresh lime juice make better drinks? But when I say fresh lime juice as in squeezed from a lime, if it’s fifteen seconds old or is it better after three days. When I wrote that thesis, I found out that most consumers prefer older juice, and that was a fun journey. At the age of 39, I finally passed my Master Accreditation, and Armando and I became the first two to pass all three courses (besides the seven inaugural creating Masters—Livio Lauro, Francesco Lafranconi, Tony Abou Ganim, Dale Degroff, David Nepove, Steve Beal and Bobby Gleason). Mike: I started with the Spirits Professional in May 2013 when the Compendium came out. I didn’t have the support or finance or the resources to do B.A.R. 5 yet. (The Compendium is a study guide spearheaded by Livio Lauro. B.A.R. 5 day is an intensive spirits class hosted by the Beverage Alcohol www.lvfnbpro.com
The program has three tiers of learning: USBG Spirits Professional, USBG Advanced Bartender and USBG Master Mixologist. The latter involves a thesis and hosting a live seminar to the MA Judges on a relevant beverage industry-related topic. Resource [or B.A.R.] Partners in NYC annually. The SGWS Academy has succeeded in creating a curriculum utilizing the collective knowledge of their experts.) So when I looked at the USBGMA program, I saw an opportunity to take it upon myself to further my own education. Their accreditation really spoke to me because I felt very connected to the USBG as a bartender in Las Vegas. The chapter was growing at an astounding rate, and I was determined to achieve my Master Mixologist credentials by the time I was thirty. The Spirits Professional led me to the Advanced Bartender. The major difference with the level two at that time was, not only do you have to take a written test of a certain amount of questions that was more extensive and harder than the Spirits Professional, but with the Advanced portion there were five modules that you had to run through as a classwork evaluation as well. And you could do the practical at your home bar, providing there was an approved panel of judges there to proctor the exam. The test was really extensive; I was very fortunate out of the thirteen people that took the test, I was one of three that passed and to my knowledge was the only person in my USBG chapter taking the exam. I immediately wanted to get the thesis paper for the Master up and running. I had an idea in my head because I had read certain books and I was very influenced by Jeffrey Morgenthaler who experimented with cocktail barrel aging. I did a ton of research for the better part of a year on where the history stems from and wanted to delve into the barrel aged part. The overall premise in my thesis was that depending upon the cocktail, you could have a completely different cocktail at age three months, six months, or for a year, and so on. Each was going to be a little bit different in some way due to the leeching of the wood in the barrel used, the light exposure, and of course, the cocktail. I interviewed bartenders and mixologists from all around and formulated a system for classifying a drink, similar to a system to classify what age does to cognacs and tequilas. I thought there should be a
classification the USBG recognized for each cocktail and wanted there to be something definitive that somebody who was in the know would understand. I developed a classification system so that the minutia was kind of removed from the bottle or barrelaged cocktail world, something that we can all look at and go okay, there’s a classification that we can understand and get behind. So what does being a Master Mixologist mean to you? J.R.: It means that I will keep learning. There’s so much creativity in the bartenders I see. They’re so creative and it’s awesome and inspiring. Every action that I see tweaks my action. Watching people, watching technique, it’s all inspiring to me. You have to keep learning those things, to stay a Master, because you can easily fall out of it. Mike: Being a resource and providing mentorship are crucial for anybody who’s passionate about being in this career. One of the big points of completing the journey is to be able to share the journey with other people to inspire them. You’re always going to learn from other people the more and more that you share knowledge. 100% that’s the continual wanting to stay at a mastery level of something. In speaking of the future, now that you’ve reached the highest level of accreditation possible, what’s next? J.R.: Quite frankly, even though the title says Master I’m nowhere near a master of anything. For me, it would be to continue learning and I know that sounds cliché, but I really mean that I want to continue learning because I want to know everything like the back of my hand. So if I have the opportunity to teach somebody something more in depth, I have knowledge I can share. I like that challenge. Mike: For me, I think to echo J.R.’s point, jack of all trades, master of none. The title is not something you would normally associate with something that’s as fluid as bartending. You never really know if you’ve achieved certain levels until somebody brings it to your attention. In doing the certification, yes, there is a piece of paper that says it, but you never want to stop learning when it’s something you’re passionate about. You always want to grow your knowledge and to challenge your preconceived notions and ideas that you had before. We experience that almost weekly in this industry. You can never stop or settle for just the fact that you have some sort of certification; that doesn’t make you a master. What makes you a master is that you continually want to master the craft. That’s the point. With four of the nation’s ten USBG Master Mixologists on board at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Nevada, the Southern Nevada beverage industry community has a unique opportunity to take advantage of this impressive brain trust of experience and knowledge. For more info on how you or your staff members can access training and education through the SGWS Academy, contact Brian Van Flandern at 702-248-3306 (work), 702-902-0126 (cell) or via email at Brian.VanFlandern@sgws.com.
September 2018 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 17
Tommy Bahama Restaurant and Bar:
Tropical Oasis of Las Vegas
By Scott Altnether Scott Altnether is a recent transplant to the Las Vegas area from Columbia, Missouri. He comes from two large foodie families, and has more than a decade worth of experience in the industry.
If you’re searching for a romantic tropical oasis in the middle of the desert, Tommy Bahama Restaurant and Bar may become your ultimate destination. From the first step in the restaurant an undeniable airy, peaceful feeling combines with Caribbean elegance. Daytime diners are treated to abundant natural light created by tall glass windows and ceilings. Rum connoisseurs rejoice as Tommy’s is home to the largest rum collection in Las Vegas. Take advantage of the chance to try some of the rarest rums worldwide. Tommy’s also offers extremely vibrant signature martinis, cocktails, rum concoctions and even non-alcoholic “cocktails.” I can personally attest that one sip of one of the rum concoctions can instantly transport your state of mind to south Florida or Puerto Rico. The pineapple yuzu mojito, mai tai and crazy Cuban will have your tongue salsa dancing all day or night. The cuisine of Tommy Bahama is mostly a fusion of U.S. coastal, Hawaiian and Caribbean fare and there are also influences of Japanese, Thai and Mexican cuisine. That would seem like a lot of contrasting tastes and ideas, but overall the menu is unified with a general theme of freshness. It is also worth mentioning that the sweet island flavors do not overpower the savory dishes. A perfect example of this would be their world-famous coconut shrimp. The papaya-mango chutney that accompanies the shrimp has a good amount of acid to properly cut through the sweet flavors. The menu also offers regional classic dishes that are taken to the next level in flavor and elegance. Shrimp and grits, a U.S. low country icon, is nicely accentuated with a Cajun brown butter and roasted corn salsa. The oven-roasted Mojo chicken and rice dish is absolutely explosive in flavor due to the addition of saffron and a tangerine achiote vinaigrette, making it a perfect light and tasty summer dish.
So if you’re searching for an extremely relaxing environment with outstanding island-inspired food and drinks I highly recommend Tommy Bahama Restaurant and Bar. Thank you to the front-of-house staff for such a memorable experience. The entire staff are exceptionally inviting people who truly wanted me to have a great time. I personally can’t wait for the weather to cool down a little so I can go back to sip some of those fabulous rum drinks out on the patio. Tommy Bahama Restaurant and Bar 6635 South Las Vegas Blvd S Las Vegas, NV 89119 702-948-8006 www.tommybahama.com/restaurants/las-vegas 18 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2018
photos courtesy of Tommy Bahama
Before leaving the restaurant you must try at least one of five phenomenal desserts. Okay let’s be honest, you should try at least two of them. I myself am predominantly a savory food lover, but these desserts were so good they left quite an impression on me. Your chocolate cravings will be completely satisfied with either the peanut butter pie or the malted chocolate pie. The pineapple crème brulee, pina colada cake and key lime pie will more than satisfy your tropical sweet cravings. My personal favorite hands down is the pina colada cake, which is really such an elegant and light piece of cake with a generous kiss of Myers Dark Rum. Never before have I had a dessert that tied the whole experience and theme together so perfectly. It truly was a fantastic ending to an outstanding meal.
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By Chef Allen Asch
Chef Talk
Feel free to contact Chef Allen with ideas for comments or future articles at allena@unlv.nevada.edu Chef Allen Asch M. Ed., CCE is a culinary arts instructor that has earned degrees from Culinary Institute of America, Johnson and Wales University and Northern Arizona University. He is currently teaching at UNLV. He earned his Certified Culinary Educator Endorsement from the American Culinary Federation in 2003.
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I recently had the opportunity to tour another indoor growing facility and was amazed at the grandeur, sanitation and magnitude of this operation. In the past I’ve toured two other facilities here in Las Vegas, with advantages and disadvantage as compared to the brand new Oasis Biotech facility. One of the advantages other operations in town have is the ability to grow plants at your restaurant location. This is done in attractive growers that can be used as a display for a buffet or banquet while the herbs are being used for action stations or garnishes at the same time. This is not currently available with the international brand Oasis Biotech, but it is in their plans down the road. In 2010 there were two indoor growing facilities in Southern Nevada while last year there were 42 and this year there are 59 farming locations. A city like Las Vegas can certainly support all operations that are currently here and even more. Many of the smaller operations distribute themselves while the larger ones might add on to an existing produce distributor. The multi-sized growing operations in town are able to serve a variety of foodservice operation sizes. I was amazed to learn that in 2014, 8% of the food available in local grocery stores was grown locally while 92% were shipped in by truck. If you asked me, I think both are staggering numbers in many ways. I can’t believe that 8% of the local supermarket items are produced locally, but it’s amazing that 92% of our groceries are imported. According to the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, agriculture in Nevada generates more than one-half of billion dollars’ worth of revenue annually and over 100 million dollars every year in exports. These figures will only grow with the current trend towards indoor farming. There are many advantages of locally grown produce, especially leafy greens and fresh herbs. One big advantage is the freshness of the product. The product might have been picked that morning and been delivered to a food service operation that afternoon. Another advantage is pricing. Although the price might be high now, local indoor farming creates savings due to a reduction in delivery costs; additionally, this process saves a lot in the carbon footprint left by long-haul deliveries. Another advantage of indoor farming is the ability to create products that fit the end-users’ specifications. This may include age, size or flavor profile. Another eco-friendly aspect of indoor farming is how much less water
is used to grow products. This method can save up to 90% of the water used to grow products on a traditional farm. Some of the operations also recycle 100% of the unused nutrient water back into their irrigation systems. Most indoor farm products additionally are free of herbicides, fungicides and pesticides; they also usually are non-GMO, or genetically modified organisms. Many operations use nutrients that are concentrated while some of the smaller operations use natural fertilizers, having the water that comes through the hydroponic growing cycle go to a fish tank and then the fish waste goes to fertilize the plants. Another advantage with indoor farming is the ability to grow more products in a smaller area. Oasis Biotech has a little over an acre facility and they are able to grow the equivalent of a 34 acre farm. They do this by utilizing LED lighting and stacking products on shelving up to five tiers high, although the next buildout will have much higher growth tiers. The LED lighting recreate sunlight 24/7, like how quickly large produce grows in the summer in Alaska. The LED lights consume 50% less energy but are more expensive to install. Most indoor farming operations use a different type of lighting. All indoor growing operations use hydroponics as a growing method with added nutrients to replicate what would be in the soil on a farm. One of the great advantages of hydroponic growing, for the environment, is there is no soil erosion. A positive aspect for the grower is the ability to change nutrients and growing environments for different products. Oasis Biotech has 7 different growing regions within their facility. Oasis biotech grows 85 varieties currently with expansion plans on balls the size of their operation in the products they offer. Every day they produce 1,500 pounds of produce and the average time from seed to harvest is 21 days. Oasis Biotech also uses only 300 to 500 gallons per day which is equivalent to a family household of four and is 90% less water than a traditional farm uses. It also produces zero pollution since it recycles 100%. One great thing I learned during these tours is that all the companies I visited donate, and promote donations to community service organizations that help others.
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September 2018 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 19
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At the time of printing
By Shelley Stepanek
Best of the Best
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.
Love Mexican food? How about tamales? How about making your own? HUSSONG’S MEXICAN CANTINA in the Shoppes at Mandalay Place now offers that experience. The culinary team greats you with a Margarita, where you meet your fellow participants. You then adjoin into a private room, where you feel like you are in school, with your paper and notes and full booklet on how to prepare tamales. After a brief orientation, you are sent into the kitchen where Chef Noe Alcal helps you learn just how to make the tamale dough. Mixing and kneading until it is the right consistency, you learn how to put the paste down into the corn husk, fill it with meat, vegetables or even fruits and sauce. Tamales date back as far as 3,500 BC and are present in everyday life and for all special events. Each state in Mexico has a different version. After you have mastered your craft, back to the classroom, where we learn from Dave Michel about 5 different Tequila brands, where they originate and how to taste and smell the various added ingredients such as smoke. A great lunch is served afterward with Ceviche, Crispy Shrimp, Chile Rellenos, Tamales and Churros for dessert. Hussong’s also has a pizza making class. ETHEL M’S CHOCOLATE has a new experience. Where before you could enter a classroom for a chocolate tasting class, now they have added a wine experience along with it. The class starts with a short video about how cocoa is processed to get to the United States from Africa, to where it arrives in Pennsylvania to be processed. Starting with a bubbly glass of Prosecco, it was paired with a white vanilla truffle where the honey butter taste overwhelmed the taste buds. Las Vegas has 6 Ethyl M’s outlets, with a full complimentary tour at the location in Henderson. Tammy Jo, who has been with the company for 18 years, was our instructor and told us how Ethyl M’s opened in 1981 on a 3-acre parcel with nothing around it but desert. Now they will celebrate their 25-year anniversary on Nov. 6 at their lighted cactus garden. The store was recently remodeled, and now makes up to 50 different candies on a weekly basis. Their processing can handle up to 2 tons of chocolate a day within their 3 huge tanks which each can hold up to 50 tons of chocolate and is powered by solar power. We moved on to various samples of wine, perfectly paired with a pecan camel raptor, a pecan cocoa caramel creation, and ended with a lemon satin cream, tasting of lemon and cherries. Approximately 90 minutes in length, you can book up to 30 people. Why not schedule a bride’s event and treat all attendees with a lovely box of chocolate? Price $25. KITCHEN TABLE SQUARED has added new extended hours and a summer Tapas menu from 3-8 p.m., and are also now doing their all-day brunch every day of the week.
And later in the month, on Oct. 25, The Nevada Restaurant Association will be putting on its first event Downtown, entitled TASTE OF DOWNTOWN, held at the Plaza Pool. The Nevada Restaurant Association is known for running the Epicurean Affair, so this should also be a great event. Beginning at 6:30 p.m. at $65 per ticket, wristbands will be issued to allow everyone to participate with drinks and appetizers from over 20 of Downtown’s best restaurants. Committed so far are Esther’s Kitchen, Hash House, Le Pho and Corduroy. Music and entertainment will also be provided. nevadarestaurantnvassoc.wliinc26.com/events/TASTE-OFDOWNTOWN-177/register 22 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2018
photos by Shelley Stepanek
TIVOLI VILLAGE is hosting another extravagant event on Oct 5-6, the LAS VEGAS FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL. Beginning at 8 p.m. for VIP, with general admission at 9, come out and stroll, sip and dip with some wonderful restaurants. The Katsu-Ya Group, Lotus of Siam, Cafe Americano, and dozens of notable chefs and Chefs Dan Rossi and Arnold Masset of Tivoli Village will all be serving up their creative dishes. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society’s Real Men Wear Pink Campaign. No shorts, strollers or anyone under 21 allowed. Tickets can be bought at vegasfoodandwine.com/tickets.html.
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The Bottom Line Knowing When to Participate in a Food Festival
Food festivals have skyrocketed in popularity, often drawing thousands of guests and creating prime exposure opportunities for restaurants of all types. Any opportunity like this, of course, comes with a cost…several costs, actually. The challenge comes with knowing when to take the plunge and sign your restaurant up as a food festival vendor. A food festival is essentially a great way to get prospective guests to sample your restaurant, and for the most part, you will profit if enough of those guests visit your restaurant later on. Take the following items into account when assessing the potential return of participating in a food festival. Understand the costs for food festival vendors. To establish a baseline for profitability, it’s best to understand all the costs that typically go into participating in a food festival. Exact labels and prices vary, but expect the following: • Vendor fee: a flat fee to simply have a booth space • Ingredients • Plates/bowls, utensils, napkins and serving tools • Cooking equipment and food storage • Power generation • Staffing • Signage as well as any additional elements you may want at your booth, such as menus, decorations, photo booths, etc. • Vehicle(s) to transport ingredients, cooking equipment, signage and staff • Insurance Festivals will outline some of these costs, such as vendor fees, but most of these costs will be for you to calculate. Factor in setup, www.lvfnbpro.com
By Ben Brown Benjamin Brown, MBA is Restaurant Editor of The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional. A seasoned
writer and consultant, Ben works with Fortune 500
companies and mom & pop shops alike in Marketing, Analytics, Consumer Insights, PR and Business
Development. Contact Ben at Ben@lvfnb.com or follow him @Foodie_Biz.
execution and takedown, and always bring more ingredients than you think you’ll need. Nobody wants to run out of food at a festival. Once you have a dollar amount calculated, compare this to your average profit per guest, and determine how many new people the festival would need to bring in to make it worth your while. Compare target customers and restaurant profiles. Food festivals, by definition, attract foodies that are ready and willing to try new places such as yours. It’s necessary, however, to take a closer look at the expected attendee and restaurant profiles and compare that to your typical guest and competitive set. If the food festival has taken place in the past, look at the list of restaurants that attended in previous years, and whether any shifts occurred. If you own a casual burger bar and notice that most participating restaurants are higher-end, then the festival may not be a good fit. If the festival has a particular theme, such as vegetarian, and your menu doesn’t have significant offerings in that theme, then best to pass on the opportunity. If the festival attracts a mostly-local crowd, you likely won’t want to participate unless you’re in the neighborhood. Have the time, budget and labor available. Once you’ve assessed the costs and determined that the festival is a fit, lay out a plan to cover yourself financially and operationally. Designate the staff needed for the event— you’ll likely need several back-of-house staff to cook and at least two front-of-house staff to serve and converse with guests. Extra hands for setup and takedown always help, so plan for additional staff to come before and after the festival, if possible.
Meet with your designated staff well before the event to walk them through expectations. Map out every touchpoint, from loading materials to booth setup, food prep and presentation, guestfacing talking points and takedown. Scout the site beforehand, if possible, so staff know the route for efficient delivery and setup on the event day. Set up emergency procedures, from small incidents like running out of food to larger issues such as cooking equipment failures or kitchen injuries. If your restaurant is nearby, it’s always good to have additional staff on call and/or the opportunity to deliver finished product straight from your kitchen. Have food and a setup that will leave an impression. Every restaurant wants to put their best foot forward at a food festival. Choose a menu item that will ‘wow’ your guests. If you’re already putting in the time, effort and money toward a festival, you don’t want to be stingy with ingredient costs. Your booth should give guests a great taste of your restaurant’s atmosphere as well. If you have a wall-size chalkboard displaying your specials, then perhaps a small propped-up chalkboard with your featured items would make a nice touch. If you’re known for seafood, then some ocean décor would add positive flare. While you’ll be doing your due diligence in assessing the return from a food festival, remember that the returns may be long-term. Providing discounts for follow-up visits certainly help, but food festivals are about exposure more than anything. Let your food and booth speak for itself, and success will likely follow.
September 2018 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 23
National Food Safety Month— Restaurant Inspection Checklist By Diana Webber
An efficient Restaurant Inspection Checklist is focused on standard safety actions and processes for your staff. It should be displayed prominently in your kitchen. Keep it in an easy-to-edit excel file, so you can update it with new protocols from the national or local health departments. Designed to prevent food contamination and promote kitchen safety, your Restaurant Inspection Checklist will protect customers and staff. Why is a Restaurant Inspection Checklist Important? Health Inspections: Health inspections occur one to four times out of the year and are usually unannounced, and can happen outside of regular business hours. Not passing a health inspection can have serious consequences for your restaurant. Usually it will result in as a low health rating, which could deter business, but extreme cases include a temporary closure. Most local print and online newspapers will publish the weekly list of restaurant inspections–and all the gory details. Your restaurant could go viral…for all the wrong reasons. Just one more reason to put a Restaurant Inspection Checklist together today! Food Safety: A Restaurant Inspection Checklist will not only prepare your team for the next health inspection, it will establish a standard for safe operations which will affect your food service year-round. By enforcing proper food handling and storage processes, you won’t have to worry about illnesses spreading from your kitchen. Staff Management: Using a Restaurant Inspection Checklist sets your staff up for success in the case of a surprise health inspection. A detailed Restaurant Inspection Checklist can also serve as great training tool for your staff. It will set a standard process for safe kitchen operations and teach them important aspects of food handling, such as proper storage temperatures and Person In Charge (PIC): certified food protection managers who have shown proficiency of required information through passing a test that is part of an accredited program and are on-site at all times while the facility is in operation. Also, these assigned people must be designated in writing as the PIC. How to Set up a Restaurant Inspection Checklist Setting up a Restaurant Inspection Checklist may seem daunting, but luckily a lot of the work has already been done for you. A good place to start is using a form similar to the one supplied by the U.S. Department of Health for kitchen health standards. Customize your Restaurant Inspection Checklist to operations that are unique to your business. Walk through your kitchen and look at it through the eyes of a health inspector. Make note of any potential issues and place them on the list.
When creating your Restaurant Inspection Checklist, you should include elements that ensure your restaurant will meet code. Some of these factors include: Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Plan: The HACCP Plan is a system that allows restaurant operators to identify risks in their food processes that could lead to contamination. Incorporating these plans into your Restaurant Inspection Checklist will control these risks and prevent foodborne illnesses. Rather than a one size fits all approach, this plan should cater to your restaurant’s unique menu, equipment processes and operations. Temperatures: Educate your staff on the proper temperatures for food and food storage. Proper Hand Sanitation: Contamination transferred through food handling can easily be prevented with proper sanitation practices. Cleanliness: Include how frequently counters, ovens, grease traps and flat tops should be cleaned to avoid fire hazards or damage to the equipment. Review these cleaning processes with staff. Overall Operations: This is an area to include additional processes that are unique to your business. So, you’ve completed your Restaurant Inspection Checklist. All the necessary items are listed. You feel confident all the health inspection criteria are met. You’re ready…but what about your team? These three items will get everyone on board and prepared for the next inspection. Staff Training: Why not leave training to the experts? There are many programs in place that will educate your staff on optimum food handling and safety practices. Your staff can enroll in Nevada’s Restaurant Association ServSafe food safety training program that will certify them in kitchen and food safety as well as keep you from losing THREE demerits. Self-Inspections: Be your own health inspector, and schedule routine walk through with your managers and key staff to identify any potential issues. Continuously practicing inspections with your team will keep your standards in place all year. Proper Tools: Have thermometers and test strips handy so your management team can randomly check food and storage containers to ensure the proper temperatures are maintained. Kitchen inspections do not have to be stressful if you know what to expect. Your Restaurant Inspection Checklist is insurance that you will be prepared no matter when the inspector comes knocking! Now, put these tips into play, and get ready for your next inspection.
24 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2018
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By Linda Westcott-Bernstein
Human Resources Insights
Linda Westcott-Bernstein has provided sound human resources advice and guidance to Fortune 500 companies and others for over 25 years. Linda has recently re-published her self-help book entitled It All Comes Down to WE! This book offers guidelines for building a solid and enduring personal work ethic. You can find her book on Amazon or Google Books. Phone: 702-326-4040 Email: Vegaslinda89129@yahoo.com
Safety Is More Than Words on a Poster. How to Keep a Safe Workplace!
So many organizations just slap up a few posters and say a few words to their employees like “be careful,” and then walk away patting themselves on the back for doing a great job on workplace safety. After all… safety is really up to them, right? If a few words was all that it took, we’d have a lot less work to do and far fewer injuries and accidents. But, in reality, safety in food service takes a bit more time, focus and effort.
The third most common is burns. These are expected due to the nature of work in a kitchen where employees work around hot ovens, open flame, grills, fryers, oils and other liquids.
First, the most common type of injury in our business is slip and fall. Around 72% of workplace injuries are the result of employees wearing the wrong shoes for the work that they do. This figure encompasses all industries, not just food service, but still emphasizes how proper footwear is essential in every industry and environment. The expense of investing in a $50 pair of slip-resistant shoes is minimal compared to what one slip and fall injury can cost you, especially when there are debilitating, long-term health consequences from a severe concussion or similar.
1. Start at the time of hire with food service safety videos, policies, PPE education and other materials.
The second most common injury in food service is cuts or lacerations. We use a lot of sharp and dangerous types of tools and equipment.
5. Hold everyone accountable. Make sure there will be consequences for failure to comply.
So, now knowing what challenges we face, how do we establish a safety effort that has the potential for actual success? Here are my tried and true suggestions for a safety workplace program…
2. Make sure that your location not only has the latest posters but also trains new hires on safety rules. 3. Maintain an ongoing Safety Awareness program and highlight a different area/ theme each month.
6. Have a policy of “See Something, Say Something” and don’t let employees walk by hazards. 7. Maintain a Safety Committee and engage your management in the process. Have regular meetings. 8. Develop clear, easy and compliant steps for injury reporting, proper care, recovery and return to work. Because workplace injuries can cost you a lot in lost time, medical care, recovery time and labor due to shift coverage for the injured employee, you will benefit from making safety a top priority at your organization. It doesn’t take as much time as you think and will show return in improved morale, reduced lost time and less administrative work once safety is part of your culture and your expectations.
4. Reward good behaviors and actions, including pro-active efforts to identify hazards and fix them.
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.
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September 2018 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 25
photos by Joe Urcioli and courtesy The Clubhouse at Montecristo by Old Homestead
Stogies and Steaks at The Clubhouse at Montecristo by Old Homestead
By Joe Urcioli
Where on the Las Vegas Strip can you enjoy a great meal and smoke your favorite cigar? Turns out it’s at “The Clubhouse at Montecristo by Old Homestead” in Caesars Palace. While the Old Homestead Las Vegas outpost of the legendary NYC classic steakhouse opened in late 2011, the Clubhouse at Montecristo Cigar Bar situated just across from the restaurant was launched earlier this year and now presents a unique environment for those who love both fine dining and fine cigars. Last month I was given the opportunity to check out their ultimate cigar dinner experience, held within the Cigar Bar’s wood-paneled private dining room, which comfortably seats 10 guests and is equipped with a 55-inch HD TV and state-of-the-art air filtration system. At the cigar dinner we were first offered a cocktail, and I opted for a “Mr. Tasty’s Blackberry Mojito” made with Bacardi Dragon Berry Rum, blackberries, fresh mint, hand-squeezed lime, house-made simple syrup and club soda. It was a little sweet, but very tasty and refreshing.
We were then given a tour of their extensive cigar walk-in humidor and choice of a cigar from the selection containing hundreds of top brands. My choice was a ROMEO, BY ROMEO Y JULIETA SAN ANDRES SHORT MAGNUM, which I enjoyed throughout the evening. Dark chocolate in color, with dark roast coffee, chocolate and leather flavors, it went really well with the espresso I had at the end of the dinner. And then came the delicious food: FreshShucked Oysters, Colossal Shrimp Cocktail (with house cocktail sauce and “atomic” horseradish), Lump Crab Meat Cocktail, Kitchen Sink Salad (shrimp, salami, bacon, avocado, tomato, hearts of palm, blue cheese crumbles and Champagne vinaigrette), Bone-in Porterhouse Steak, Rib Eye Steak, Mac & Four Cheese and Grilled Asparagus. And the finale was the desserts: Crème Brulee, Cheesecake, Big Fat Chocolate Cake, Warm Apple Cobbler, Banana Bread Pudding and Espresso Double. During the dinner the fine wines we were served
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included Rodney Strong Symmetry Meritage 2013—loads of red and black currant fruit as well as some licorice; and Chateau de Sancerre Vineyard Chateau de Sancerre Passe Avant le Meilleur Sauvignon Blanc—floral accents and smoky nuances. A truly outstanding evening of eating, drinking and smoking that can be found nowhere else on the Vegas Strip. Dinner in the Clubhouse at Montecristo by Old Homestead is available every night of the week for up to 10 guests. Guests can choose from pre-set menus or customize their own with options from Old Homestead and Cigar Bar’s elegant selection of fine wine and spirits. For more information or to reserve your seat, visit w w w. o p e n t a b l e . c o m / r / c l u b h o u s e - a t montecristo-by-old-homestead-caesarspalace-las-vegas or contact General Manager David Chiti at 702-370-4435 or dchiti@ caesarspalace.com. www.lvfnbpro.com
By Justin Leung
Justin Leung, a Hospitality Management student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, represents the Epicurean Society, a collective of food and restaurant enthusiastic students. As the journalist on their leadership team, Justin desires to share the club’s experiences with the public. He is from Georgia and decided to pursue his passion for hospitality in Las Vegas.
We decided to dig deeper into Leah and Austin’s experience with graphic design. “We went to the same high school and both studied web design and development. From there, our love for graphic design blossomed. Over the years, we have done multiple projects from designing T-shirts for our award-winning hula group to creating corporate marketing assets for companies like Nike,” Leah and Austin said. Epicurean Society has always been a magnet for talented, passionate and ambitious individuals who genuinely care about their contributions and projects. Though, Leah and Austin radiate diversity and specialty. “Unrelated to design, I think some of my greatest defining qualities would be my long hair and my unique last name. However, those characteristics are actually marketing related because I use them for my own personal brand!” Leah said. photo by Austin Ynigo
Austin added, “My most defining quality would have to be my keen eye for design and my ability to evolve when needed. Also, when I am very passionate about something I like to share it with others.”
Austin Ynigo and Leah Love
I write to announce that I will be returning for this academic year to UNLV’s Epicurean Society as the new Vice President and continuing Journalist. Deanna Wong stands as the current President since our organization has lost its co-presidency. Prior to assuming my new role, I desired an appropriate revamp of our club to retain and prepare members for executive positions. In order to ensure the preparedness and success of our future club members, committees are set in place for one-on-one mentoring. Deanna and I are determined to restructure the organization and create member committees. This redesign encourages existing and new members to engage with the leadership team and aim for executive position openings: Epicurean Society has been modified to maintain evenly distributed delegations and a variety of participatory opportunities. The executive team has changed their structure to meet the demands of the UNLV community and foster collaborative cultures within the organization. A full evaluation of our weaknesses allowed us to determine a marketing committee would benefit our organization the most. The lack of one has caused a slight backlash with member acquisition and retention. Leah Love and Austin Ynigo have accepted their www.lvfnbpro.com
positions as Co-heads of Marketing and are returning members to Epicurean Society. Within the first couple months of the summer, they helped us develop a new logo for our organization: a simple, casual, yet intriguing design. From the moment our eyes set on the new font and appearance, we knew we had secured executive officers for our new marketing team. As always, our team is always fond of enthusiasts and we decided to acquaint ourselves with Leah and Austin by bonding with them more. They explained why they decided to co-lead Epicurean Society’s new marketing committee, “After getting to know more about Epicurean Society we were immediately inspired to use our skills and knowledge in graphic design to market the club to a larger audience. Plus, it’s about two things we love—food and design.” Our brief conversation made me aware of an experience that separated Epicurean Society from all of the other hospitality organizations at UNLV: “To be honest it was the delicious food that enticed us, but it is was the friendly faces that made us stay,” the new Co-heads of Marketing said. Even though we are seen as the food enthusiast organization on campus, we hold an exceptionally high value for our members.
The beginning of a new academic year means plenty of room for growth in our organization. Deanna and I wanted to make sure our marketing team was aligned with goals for Epicurean Society as a brand and spirited organization. “Our short-term goals would be that we are excited to make everything consistent and establish Epicurean Society’s brand. For our long-term goal, we want Epicurean Society to be more recognized across campus through its brand. We want people to not only know it’s Epicurean Society through the logo, but also know who we are and what we do,” Austin and Leah said. It’s important to create eye-catching designs that send subconscious messages, but an entirely new ballpark to publicize the goals and activities of a brand. We strive to offer enjoyable cuisines while upholding our friendly welcomes and warm embraces. Epicurean Society has faced multiple difficulties throughout the years, especially with executive members graduating or individuals who struggle with tight schedules. The upcoming future of our foodie organization appears bright: Our new marketing team has embodied the energy and impact we search for in all of our members. With UNLV’s Involvement Fair approaching soon, the Epicurean Society team eagerly waits for the vacant executive positions: a back-of-house lead, a partner relations lead and a treasurer, to be filled.
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The RESTAURANT EXPERT
By David Scott Peters David Scott Peters is a restaurant consultant, coach, speaker and founder of TheRestaurantExpert.com, a company committed to the success of independent restaurants. Peters is a restaurant industry-recognized blogger and his writing is regularly published in restaurant industry publications, such as Restaurant Hospitality, Catersource, and QSR Magazine. Learn more at www.TheRestaurantExpert.com.
When Employees Say, “I Can’t,” It Really Means, “I Won’t”—Why This Is Important and What You Can Do About It
Something universal about successful restaurant owners is they never say or accept someone saying to them, “I can’t!” Successful restaurant owners recognize that when someone says, “I can’t,” what they are really saying is, “I won’t.” To get an idea of how powerful this two-word phrase is, picture Superman stopping a train, using all his power, digging his heels into the ground, smoke rising up from his heels. That is what someone who says, “I can’t,” is doing to your restaurant. That person is digging in their heels and stopping your success train. One specific example of a restaurant owner who accepts “I can’t” as an answer is one who attends one of my workshops and goes home motivated to make changes in the business. Instead of coming back to employees and managers excited for change and a chance at greater success, they are greeted by a chorus of employees and managers telling them they are too busy, their restaurant is different, it’s too much work, etc. Ultimately, I get a phone call from the owner saying, “David, I love your systems, but I CAN’T get my managers to do the work.” OMGoodness! Who signs their paychecks? Listen to that statement when I change just two words, “David, I love your systems, but I WON’T make my mangers do the work.” Isn’t that what the owner is really saying to me? Other popular ways to say “I can’t:”
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
I can’t (won’t) raise my prices. I can’t (won’t) cut labor. I can’t (won’t) change my menu. I can’t (won’t) find the time. I can’t (won’t) leave my business. I can’t (won’t) let someone else place the orders. 7. I can’t (won’t) have someone else take my inventories. 8. No! (I won’t do it!) I have also been on site in a restaurant and had many teams, managers and chefs look me dead in the eye and say, “It can’t be done that way.” All they really did was look me in the eye and say “No, I am not going to do it, nor am I going to try.” So, what do you do when you hear that phrase coming out of your mouth, your manager’s mouth or an employee’s mouth? 1. You ask the person to rephrase their statement and say it back to you using the words “I won’t” instead of “I can’t.” Try it—it’s powerful! 2. Then you need to explain to that person (or yourself) that you don’t want to hear the words I can’t. In fact, tell them you don’t want to hear why something can’t be done, but how it can be done. I understand that sometimes the solution the owner or manager comes up with might be too expensive, might take too much time, might
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change the way things are done, but it’s better to experiment with these options than just digging in your heels and saying, “No, I won’t do the work!” That’s not to say that a now-successful restaurant owner didn’t start out in a challenging situation, or that it didn’t take them years to get it right. In fact, in most cases, the successful restaurant owners I know put up with a lot of “I won’t” attitude before they figured out what it was doing to their businesses. That means you can have their type of results if you’re willing to lead the change and ensure people are doing the work. Successful restaurant owners are where they are today, no matter how quickly or slowly they got there, because they all decided not to accept the words “I can’t” from themselves or anyone that works for them. They lead the changes in their restaurant and are willing to change an employee into a customer if that employee wants to stop progress, stop change and simply doesn’t want to do the work. While an employee may have done a great job in the past, for the company to move forward, restaurant owners must have people on the team who buy into and embrace the changes being made, even if it is a challenge. Don’t let the phrase “I can’t” become a success train stopper in your restaurant. Teach everyone to tell you how it can be done, hold people accountable and lead your team. This is how results are achieved. www.lvfnbpro.com
The Catering Coach Price It Right
Have you ever wondered if you’re pricing your catering proposals correctly? Is it possible to make more money? I know I wasn’t doing it right and it cost me. Let me show you what took me too long to learn myself. Let’s pretend we’ve been asked to cater a fivehour event in someone’s backyard for 150 people. You are providing everything, including the staff, except for the alcohol. Never send all-inclusive pricing. It does nothing to show the client the value you bring and the cost for all the things they are asking you to do for their convenience and ensures nothing is left out. Cost breakdown Now, let’s price this event right! Here are the components for our cost breakdown: • Food Experience 150 guests @ $X per person 150 desserts @ $X per person • Staff • Rentals • Disposables • Subtotal • Tax • Total Food experience Combine ALL of the costs of the accurately updated recipes that you will use for the menu EXCEPT for dessert. Take the cost of goods sold (COGS) and multiply by 3.5 to set your profit margin (the standard is 3 times, and you can even multiply by 4 or 5 times during highdemand periods to maximize profits during the busiest times if your market can bear it). Let’s suppose the COGS is $800. Multiplying $800 by 3.5 = $2,800. Divide $2,800 by 150 guests = $18.66. www.lvfnbpro.com
By Sandy Korem Sandy Korem, catering expert, is CEO and founder of one of the top 20 catering companies in the U.S., Dallas-based The Festive Kitchen. She was awarded the White House Food Service Medallion in 2008 for outstanding food service to President George W. Bush. Her company, www.thecateringcoach.com, helps restaurateurs take their off-site catering revenue stream to a different level. If you have any questions about how to launch a profitable catering business, email her at sandy@thecateringcoach.com.
If the dessert COGS is $174, then multiply 174 x 3.5 = $609. Divide $609 by 150 = $4.06. Profit to the company for food is $2,425. Many business owners stop there, but there’s more. Staff Why do you charge for staff? Think about it. • Who finds the staff? • Who pays the staff’s payroll taxes? • Who pays for the insurance to cover damage at a client’s home? • Who trains the staff? • Who spends time contacting the staff to inform them about the event? YOU do. Don’t let the profit you are making on the food cost cover the cost of that staff. To determine what to pay your staff, find out the average cost of waitstaff for your area of the country. In many parts of the county, it is at least $25/hour per staff person. Make a profit PER HOUR on each of your staff members and mark up what you pay by at least $5 per hour per staff person. Remember, you have to match payroll taxes and expenses from each check plus make a profit. The minimum each staff person should be paid is four hours per event. Also, figure in the staff time a minimum of two hours prior to event start time for set up. Don’t let the client talk you into a one hour set up. Your presentation and food will not be the same if you are rushed. Many times it takes 30 minutes just to unload the delivery van and get everything to the event room. Also, figure one hour after the event ends for clean up. Clean up is CRITICAL! If the place is left a wreck, you will not be hired again. For our sample event, I have charged $31/hour per staff person and also allowed one waiter/ kitchen staff per 50 people since this is a casual
event with an easy menu. The staff is paid $20/ hour. Staff Two kitchen (5 p.m.–12 a.m.) $496 Waiter (6 p.m.–12 a.m.) $186 Bartender (5:30 p.m.–12 a.m.) $201 Profit to the company for the staff: $274 Rentals If your company is providing the platters, chafers, paella pans, table top griddles, serving utensils, etc., for this event, you must charge for these items. They are rentals from your company. Profit to the company for rentals is $110. Disposables For some reason, charging for the disposable items is difficult for many caterers, especially restaurant owners. Remember: this is not an event at your restaurant where the client is seated and served at your table. I prefer to line item the cost of the disposables, but you could wrap it into your food costs. In the end, it doesn’t matter how it’s done, just get it paid for by the client. For our 150-guest party, we will need two plates, one fork, three cocktail napkins and conservatively two-and-a-half cups per person, which is $1.26 per person. Double the cost of this when charging it to the customer. Profit to the company for disposables is $223. Client pays $5,200 total after tax. Profit to your company $3,032. That’s a profit that reflects what your food and service are worth! What I have written in this article is the MINIMUM profit that should be proposed for this sample event. There are more items like service fees or production fees which are at the discretion of the caterer. My company always charges a production fee of 18 percent. There is value in what you do and people are willing to pay for it!
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EVENTS
AD INDEX
There are several major food & beverage events coming up in the next few months. Here is a sampling of some of the events we highly recommend, so if planning to attend you can start booking now.
Al Dentes’ Provisions sales@aldentes.com 702-642-1100
September 14 The 2018 Greek Food Festival marks the 46th year of Greek dancing, Greek music, Greek food and just plain fun and excitement sponsored by and held at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Las Vegas. www.lvgff.com September 21-23 The Life is Beautiful food, music and art festival returns to Downtown Las Vegas, held across streets encompassing 18 city blocks. lifeisbeautiful.com September 27-30 Big Dog’s Brewing is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its Draft House location with beer and food specials, live music, beer releases and an anniversary party on September 29. bigdogsbrews.com/festivals/drafthouse30 September 29 The annual Grapes and Hops Festival at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve gives a reason for wine lovers and beer lovers to hang out together, as both drinks are given equal time, and admission includes bites from local restaurants. www.springspreserve.org September 29 Vegas Vegfest at the Clark County Government Center will offer vegetarian and vegan cuisine, vendors and educational talks. www.vegasvegfest.com October 5-6 The 10th annual Las Vegas Food & Wine Festival will convene at Tivoli Village, where you can expect two days of events showcasing some of the world’s most renown chefs, spirits and wine. vegasfoodandwine.com October 8-11 The G2E (Global Gaming Expo) will return to 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
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Big Dog’s Brewing Company www.bigdogsbrews.com 702-368-3715
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Designated Drivers, Inc. designateddriversinc.com 877-456-7433
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Ferrari-Carano Vinyards & Winery ferrari-carano.com
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Keep Memory Alive Event Center 702-263-9797 kmaeventcenterlasvegas.com
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Keep Memory Alive page 21 Charity Poker Tournament keepmemoryalive.org/kmapokertournament 702-263-9797 Jay’s Sharpening Service www.jayssharpening.com 702-645-0049 Riedel riedel.com Roca Patron rocapatron.com
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October 13 The Martha Stewart Wine & Food Experience, a 12-city culinary series, will make a stop at the outdoor Las Vegas Festival grounds at Las Vegas Blvd. and Sahara with a cooking demonstration from Stewart, the chance to explore various kitchen gear and other products and samples of cuisine from the MGM Resorts International. wineandfood.usatoday.com/lasvegas
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www.lvfnbpro.com
CHARDONNAY SUMMER
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Please enjoy our wines responsibly. ferrari-carano.com
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The perfect way to enjoy Patrón is responsibly. Handcrafted and imported exclusively from Mexico by The Patrón Spirits Company, Las Vegas, NV. 42-45% abv.