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THE MASTER MIXOLOGIST BRAIN TRUST
CHARDONNAY SUMMER
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Please enjoy our wines responsibly. ferrari-carano.com
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September 2018
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CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER MIKE FRYER WELCOME BACK TO OUR SEPTEMBER 2018 ISSUE OF THE SOCAL 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 notso-well-known food, fruits and flavors, and most importantly, healthier food & beverage. Thank you, our Professional readers, for your continued support and feedback.
Cover 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 Food & Beverage Professional’s Beverage Editor, Adam Rains, tells us the story firsthand and from a professional award-winning mixologist point of view.
9 takes us to the passing recently of one of the most iconic chefs in the world, 9 PAGE Joel Robuchon, respected and loved by so many professional in the Food & Beverage Industry. We were fortunate to meet Chef Robuchon on several occasions, in his restaurants and at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary College, where he never stopped teaching the up-and-coming chefs the proper way of doing things in the kitchen. Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits recently hosted a memorial service at their Training Academy for Joel Robuchon.
13
20 has Chef Talk by Chef Allen Asch offering us another look at the food supply 20 PAGE 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.”
21 PAGE 21 In 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.” Which takes me to a closing note of the recent passing of our Mentor, Associate and Friend, Robin Leach…Robin has been an inspiration to the Food & Beverage Industry as well as aspiring Food & Beverage Journalists. The SoCal F&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! CHEERS! Mike Fryer-Sr. Editor/Publisher
Page 4 Hot off the Grill! Page 5 The Bottom Line Cash, Credit, Bitcoin? What Forms of Payment to Accept Page 6 What’s Brewing Page 9 Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits of Nevada Hosts Memorial Service at Academy for Joel Robuchon on Sept. 4
17 www.socalfnbpro.com
Page 10 The Restaurant Expert 7 Steps to Effective Manager Meetings
Page11 Human Resources Insights Think of HR as a Partner in Your Success Through Good Employee Strategies!
Page 21 Spirits Confidential with Max Solano Smitten with Rye Part 2 of 2
Page12 Foodie Biz
Page 23 Wine Talk with Alice Swift New App Alert: WineGame— Taste, Play, Learn
Page 14 COVER FEATURE The Master Mixologist Brain Trust Page 16 Product Review Page 17 Twinkle Toast Does Wine Fit into a Low-Carb Diet?
Page 24 Brett’s Vegas View
Page 30 Events Ad Index ACF Chefs of SoCal
Page 20 Chef Talk Indoor Produce Farming for Commercial Sales
September 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 3
The Socal Food & Beverage Professional 7442 Grizzly Giant Street Las Vegas, NV 89139
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HOT OFF THE GRILL!
Mike Fryer
Sr. Editor/Publisher Thank you for joining us in this issue of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional. For any questions or comments please email mike@socalfnbpro.com
Bob Barnes
Editorial Director bob@socalfnbpro.com
Juanita Fryer
Ben Brown
Juanita Aiello
Adam Rains
Assistant To Sr. Editor ACF Chefs Liasion/Journalist juanita.fryer@socalfnbpro.com
Creative Director juanita@socalfnbpro.com
Restaurant Editor ben@socalfnbpro.com
Beverage Editor adam.rains@socalfnbpro.com
Restaurant Editor Ben Brown was among the first to experience Lunetta Dining, the higher-end expansion of Santa Monica’s acclaimed Lunetta All Day. Find out more on how an ex-pro surfer became one of the first to popularize farm-to-table dining and more in Ben’s Foodie Biz column on page 12.
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 SCF&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!
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The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional
CONTRIBUTING STAFF
Legal Editorial Advisor Andrew Matney
Journalist What’s Brewing David Mulvihill
Accounting Manager Michelle San Juan
Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett Journalist
Best of the Best Shelley Stepanek
Journalist Spirits Confidential Max Solano
Journalist Good for Spooning LeAnne Notabartolo
Journalist COOK•EAT: Asia K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.
Photographer Audrey Dempsey
Journalist Chef Talk Allen Asch
Journalist Pat Evans
Journalist The Restaurant Expert David Scott Peters
Journalist Wine Talk Alice Swift
Journalist Sandy Korem
Journalists Twinkle Toast Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover
Journalist Lisa Matney
Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein
Journalist Made from Scratch John Rockwell
4 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2018
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The Bottom Line Cash, Credit, Bitcoin? What Forms of Payment to Accept
Cash and credit cards have long represented the overwhelming majority of customer-based restaurant transactions. And now, as the tech world continues to integrate into just about every industry out there, several new payment methods have entered the arena. In the same way that credit cards were new and worrisome back in the day, so too are platforms such as PayPal, ApplePay and cryptocurrency. The question is whether you trust them for your business. Take some time to ponder whether some of these new payment methods will open up your restaurant to a new customer base, as well as any associated risks that may come with them. First, revisiting credit cards Credit cards have undoubtedly become the most universal payment tool of the present time, and in the restaurant world, it takes a very special kind of place to get away with being cash-only. Unless your brand holds enough fame to have a line out the door from opening to close, chances are that you’re losing a ton of business just because you don’t accept credit card payments. A growing number of people don’t carry cash on them, and in many cases where spontaneity determines a dining decision, guests will much rather go to a place that accepts credit than take the time to go to an ATM—and likely pay a withdrawal fee—to visit a cash-only establishment. Add in credit card rewards and the ease of tracking payments through credit card statements, and the incentive to pay in cash is virtually nonexistent. www.socalfnbpro.com
By Ben Brown Benjamin Brown, MBA is Restaurant Editor of The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional. A seasoned
writer and consultant, Ben works with Fortune 500
companies and mom & pop shops alike in Marketing, Analytics, Consumer Insights, PR and Business
Development. Contact Ben at Ben@lvfnb.com or follow him @Foodie_Biz.
Yes, accepting credit card payments requires setting up infrastructure and takes away from profits, but in the incredible majority of cases, the uptick in volume is more than enough to outweigh the marginal costs. Apply the credit card mantra to other platforms. In the same way that credit cards overtook the transaction market, several new platforms have built significant user bases and stand to benefit the restaurants [and all vendors, really] that embrace them: PayPal: The stand-alone money exchange platform also integrates credit card transactions, making it one of the easiest new payment methods for restaurants to adapt. While PayPal may not be as widely used in the restaurant itself, it can prove vital for online ordering. If you’re working with GrubHub or another online delivery service, chances are you’re already savvy enough to be using PayPal. Venmo: A spinoff of PayPal from the same ownership, Venmo is huge in peer-to-peer money transfer and is making its way into business transactions. Funds go straight into your bank account with minimal processing, making Venmo a prime candidate for increasing efficiency to turn tables over faster. ApplePay/Google Wallet: Similar to Venmo, these platforms allow guests to make payments straight from their phones. Several of these services exist, with each one requiring its own infrastructure setup. While setup should be quite simple, hosting multiple direct payment platforms may be a bit much to handle for
owners not yet familiar with the tech payment landscape. Bitcoin: Cryptocurrencies have attracted no shortage of press and can stand to serve not just as a payment method, but an investment vehicle for restaurant owners. Imagine guests paying for a $100 meal using Bitcoin in June 2017...that would be a whole lot more than $100 at the time of this writing. Volatility and security are huge issues to consider for any restaurant looking to accept cryptocurrencies, not to mention that a limited number of vendors actually accept cryptocurrencies, making them harder to spend once you have it. Assess your consumers’ behavior. While bringing on new payment platforms has great potential, this potential will only be reached if your guests actually use those platforms. Look at your typical guest demographic: If you cater to a younger or more progressive customer base, chances are you stand to profit from a new payment platform. Check in with your servers to see how frequently guests ask whether you take payment form XYZ. If these requests are significant and consistent, that’s a strong suggestion to bring on the target platform. Have servers or managers ask guests whether they’d prefer to pay with another method if it was made available. If you have an email list, send out a quick survey asking the same thing. These new payment methods likely won’t replace credit cards any time soon, but having them in addition to credit cards can stand to help you if they align with your guests’ preferences.
September 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 5
what’s
By David Mulvihill
BREWING
David Mulvihill strives to experience and write about the ever-evolving face of SoCal craft beer. He also covers Orange County for Celebrator Beer News as well as Southern California for Southwest Brewing News. Contact him at dbrewhill@gmail.com.
For many years the wine regions of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles have offered wine drinkers an abundance of notable wineries to choose from for their tasting experiences. Excellent (and plentiful) craft brewery choices now also exist. A recent summer weekend provided opportunity to venture north and spend some quality time enjoying both with family. Leaving Orange County early on a Saturday morning allowed for avoiding most of the Los Angeles traffic and making it to Buellton in time for lunch at Firestone Walker Barrelworks. Those leaving later or hitting L.A. traffic could consider an alternate lunch stop at Ladyface Ale Companie in Agoura Hills or Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co in Westlake Village. Note: Fig Mtn locations can also be found in Santa Barbara, Arroyo Grande, Santa Ynez and the original location also in Buellton. Firestone Walker Buellton offers patrons an assortment of menu items, a hearty selection of Barrelworks wild-side brews (finely crafted by Sour Jim Crooks, Jeffers Richardson and team) and many of the beers brewed at FW’s Paso Robles production facility. Four salad options included a crispy Brussels sprouts and baby spinach salad with goat cheese and tomatoes tossed with champagne vinaigrette. The 805 Tacos plates include choices of drunken cauliflower, pork belly, braised short rib, pork belly and fresh fish. Sandwiches (basil chicken, pulled pork and burgers) were also available, as well as a number of large plates and pizzas.
Island Brewing Company, Carpinteria.
Photos by David Mulvihill
The Best of Both
(from l-r) Silva Brewing Company’s MJ and Chuck Silva and Dylan Prokop.
If you don’t get to FW Buellton, FW’s Paso Robles restaurant and brewery is less than an hour and a half north. Notable alternate recommended brewery lunch stops in the area of Buellton include Solvang Brewing Company or the aforementioned Figueroa Mtn. Solvang Brewing Company’s original location is in the windmill building in the heart of the nearby Danish village of Solvang. And, not far away is SBC’s sizeable newer facility in Lompoc. Afternoon plans called for arriving in Paso Robles with plenty of time for a visit to Silva Brewing, which is just south of downtown. Former Green Flash Brewing Co. Brewmaster Chuck Silva left his long time employ in San Diego a few years back to return to the area he grew up in and open his own brewery with his wife MJ. During San Diego’s craft beer renaissance, Silva became an integral part in the defining of many facets of San Diego craft beer, the growth of Green Flash and, along with his growing team over the years, the brewery being honored with 7 World Beer Cup and 11 Great American Beer Festival awards. Dylan Prokop and Kayla Kitchin ably assist Chuck and MJ in the brewery. Having missed recent limited-run releases of the new Silva Stout and The Pink Stuff, the day’s beer list included two German-style beers: 1st Gold, a 4.5% ABV kolsch, and Sweet B Altbier at 5%. Belgian styles included a farmhouse-style saison and MJ’s Spicy Ginger
6 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2018
Saison. Deliciously ginger-forward, the beer is apparently named after Chuck (MJ’s spicy ginger). For the hop inclined, three IPAs and a hoppy pale were also on the board. On the dark side, Nut Farm, a nitro walnut milk stout, and Esspress-O-Boros, an espresso-infused imperial stout, were available. The aforementioned The Pink Stuff (a sparkling Rosé-beer fermented in French oak with Grenache juice combined with a kettle sour and Saison yeast) will likely see a second release in October. Barrel-aged versions of Silva Stout will also likely make an appearance in the future. Approaching Silva Brewing is a bit different. Arriving off of Pine St. requires actually walking into and through The Pour House. The Pour House is a long established Paso Robles tap house that shares the adjacent space and welcomes Silva visitors to come in through its establishment. Alternately, folks can enter from the alley behind the building. The Pour House, also worth a stop during your stay, is a great place to enjoy a wide variety of great craft beer (both local and beyond), as well as live music many evenings. After playing the role of designated driver for Sunday’s winery visits and tastings, a long overdue visit to BarrelHouse Brewing (not to be confused with Buellton’s Barrelworks) was in store for this reporter. Barrelhouse Brewing and Beer Gardens is about 3 miles south of downtown Paso, located in a light industrial makers-complex called Tin City. Tin City is also www.socalfnbpro.com
BarrelHouse Brewing and Beer Gardens, Paso Robles.
home to a number of wineries and Tin City Cider. The BH tap-list typified the popularity of the hops-craze with four IPAs (mango IPA, hazy New England-style IPA, BarrelHouse IPA and Big Sur Double IPA) and Really Nelson (hoppy pale ale). The hoppy-side was balanced by a well-appointed lager, two blondes, an oatmeal stout and a maple-vanilla-bourbon imperial stout. The tart/sour spectrum was covered by a boysenberry sour, passion fruit Berliner Weiss and pineapple chamomile sour. If you don’t make it as far as Paso Robles, consider stopping at BarrelHouse Brewing’s basement-level tasting room in downtown San Luis Obispo. After Monday’s breakfast at Cowgirl Cafe, it was time to journey home. A couple of additional brewery stops along the way were also in order. Heading through San Luis Obispo, SLO Brew, Tap It Brewing and Central Coast Brewing are great choices for award-winning craft beer. Further south, the Hollister Brewing (Goleta) and Telegraph Brewing (Santa Barbara), along with many others, would also have been very worthwhile. For us, they and others would have to wait until next trip. Our plan called for visits to Carpinteria’s Island Brewing Co followed by Topa Topa in Ventura. Island Brewing recently celebrated its 17th Anniversary. Mid-July festivities included release of Island’s 17th Anniversary Ale (imperial amber ale aged in bourbon barrels) and Island’s Annual Slow Bike Race. During our visit, the kolsch-style blonde, Pacific Coast hefe, and Island IPA we shared were most-quenching. Just a few minutes down the road lay Ventura, a nice place to wait out L.A. traffic and enjoy some dinner. This was also good occasion to finally go to Topa Topa Brewing Co. Topa Topa’s Cali Common, Flatlands Saison and Chief Peak tasted fresh and delish during this long overdue visit. Topa Topa has a second location in Santa Barbara. Owners Jack Dyer and Kyle Thompson, along with Head Brewer Casey Harris provide a welcoming respite in a city that has experienced a great deal of growth in craft brewing in recent years. Currently, there are at least 9 craft breweries in Ventura. When travels take you to Ventura, Santa Barbara or San Luis Obispo Counties, take comfort in the fact that outstanding craft beer is never far away. Enjoy the craft and much fun along the way.
Family time at Firestone Walker, Buellton.
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September 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 7
•Wholesale distributor of exceptional quality dried spices and specialty foods to the finest hotels and restaurants •Owned and operated by a former chef with over 20 years of experience •Custom packed Herbs and Spices •Custom Spice Bends •Private labeling •Now Certified Kosher
Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits of Nevada Hosts Memorial Service at Academy for Joel Robuchon on Sept. 4 Photos by Cashman Photo
On Tuesday, Sept. 4, Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits of Nevada hosted a private, intimate memorial service and celebration of life at their Academy to honor the late famous chef and restaurateur Joel Robuchon. Chef Robuchon passed away last month on Aug. 6, 2018. The event featured food and beverages from Chef Robuchon’s home country of France. Many chefs and notable colleagues of Chef Robuchon were in attendance, including Chef Rick Moonen, Chef Steve Benjamin, Scott Sibella, and Ari Kastrati, in addition to Southern Glazer’s of Nevada executives Larry Ruvo, Senior Managing Director, and Michael Severino, Manager, Events and Marketing, among many others.
About Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is the world’s pre-eminent distributor of beverage alcohol, and proud to be a multi-generational, familyowned company. The Company has operations in 44 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, Canada, and the Caribbean, and employs more than 20,000 team members. Southern Glazer’s urges all retail customers and adult consumers to market, sell, serve, and enjoy its products responsibly. For more information visit www. southernglazers.com. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @sgwinespirits and on Facebook at Facebook.com/SouthernGlazers. www.socalfnbpro.com
September 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 9
The RESTAURANT EXPERT 7 Steps to Effective Manager Meetings
Do you have manager meetings? Not the passingin-the-hall quick conversations, but actual sitdown meetings where you focus on moving the business forward? If you are, are they effective? Communication in restaurants is key to getting anything done, from cleaning to profitability. The challenge is making sure you get your message across in a manner that everyone understands and can execute what you want done how you want it done. To do this right, you must have sit-down manager meetings that focus on moving the business forward. Sit-down meetings are where you get things DONE. I know what you’re saying to yourself: “David, I meet with my managers almost daily, and we still have this problem.” When you say that to me, I’m going to tell you very quickly, the “meetings” you’re having with your managers, where you stop them in passing, those are not a manager meeting. And worse, those “meetings” lead to more problems. A manager meeting is scheduled on a weekly basis. It’s not a five-minute tirade over what didn’t get done at closing the night before. It’s a weekly, scheduled time, set aside to review goals, expectations and challenges and then brainstorm solutions. It is also mandatory. To begin having effective restaurant management team meetings, follow these seven steps: 1. Plan properly and ahead of time. 2. Make attendance mandatory. 3. Collect info for the meeting and create an agenda in advance. 4. Stay on track. 5. Facilitate and communicate. 6. Assign specific actions. 7. Take notes. Step 1–Plan This is the step where you look at last week’s priorities and goals and audit where they are. Did they get accomplished, did you hit your goals or were there things that happened that delayed results? Take the time to really look at things with a detailed eye. Meet with your general manager and communicate the goals for the next week. This is your opportunity to make sure your general manager is on the same page as you. You are also setting the general manager up for success to conduct an effective and efficient managers’ meeting.
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.
Next, create your list of goals for you and your team for the upcoming week. Be specific and clear in the list of what you want done, how you want it done, how well you want it done and more importantly by when. Without deadlines, nothing would get done. Step 2–Make it mandatory. If you want to ensure attendance, make sure everyone understands the meeting is mandatory. Do your managers a favor and make sure to switch up the days of the mandatory meeting so that the same employee isn’t coming in on his or her day off. Every. Single. Time. You can still set this up on a regular schedule so everyone can plan to attend the meeting, but rotate the day of the week when you have the meeting. Step 3–Create agenda and collect data. Whether it’s you or your general manager who will create the agenda, use your list of goals for the week, to create the agenda for the meeting. Make sure you have your numbers and appropriate reports, such as your prime cost targets, key item report, waste sheets, marketing materials, etc. Have everything ready so when you hand out the agenda, everyone has everything they need to be successful. Step 4–Stay on track. Be sure to stick to this agenda. If and when a NEW topic comes up, make sure you determine if it should be tabled until the next meeting or if you need to set up a sidebar meeting after the manager meeting. When you don’t control the topics, start and stop time, manager meetings go forever. Your manager meetings should run 60-90 minutes. Anything longer than 90 minutes
10 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2018
creates an environment where your managers get frustrated because they feel you don’t value their time, and they start tuning you out. Step 5–Facilitate and communicate. One of the biggest questions I get all the time is, “I’m the owner, shouldn’t I conduct the meeting?” The short answer is NO, unless you fulfill the general manager role as well. Your general manager is going to be held accountable for these goals, so you need to put them in a leadership role and demonstrate that the general manager is the other managers’ direct supervisor. When conducting the meeting, the general manager should only be talking about 20 percent of the time and clear expectations must be laid out. This is because your managers have come to the meetings knowing what they are responsible for because you have assigned them their duties in step three. They should present to the group on their areas of responsibility. You want every manager engaged and participating in the meeting. Step 6–Assign specific actions. Break down the steps for what needs to be done and who is going to be responsible for each step. Assign deadlines and benchmarks because you want to delegate effectively, helping everyone on the team to be successful. Step 7–Take notes. Assign someone to take notes and then distribute the notes to everyone. This keeps everyone focused on moving forward. If you’re tired of things not getting done, tired of not making the money your restaurant should be making and/or tired of being frustrated daily with everyone’s performance—owner or manager—then you’ll want to follow these seven simple steps. www.socalfnbpro.com
Human Resources Insights
By Linda Westcott-Bernstein 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
Think of HR as a Partner in Your Success Through Good Employee Strategies! A sound and engaged HR function and HR team can be felt and measured in the following ways…
It’s not difficult to see how an engaged and approachable HR (human resources) function/team contributes to the success of your organization. Take a look around at the impact HR has on your morale and culture, and then go one step further and ask your employees what they believe HR does for the company and for them. If you have a valued and meaningful HR team, you will get responses that match some of my points below. You might be amazed to find that, more than just ensuring that people get paid on time and correctly, your employees see HR as the ones who exhibit and support the culture of your organization. They communicate the history, culture, philosophy and guest service expectations to each and every new hire—they set the stage and establish the expectations for success at your company. They outline the ways and means for success by clearly communicating the policies, procedures, rules, standards and guidelines that are to be followed. They reinforce the importance of safety and instruct on what the company expects and how safety is an important requirement there. And, they emphasize the essential and unwavering expectation, that RESPECT is a key component of the company’s culture and philosophy—without respect for one another, no organization will thrive or survive!
• Employees come to HR to be “heard” in a way that may not occur at the job site. • HR represents to them what the culture and philosophy for employee treatment is at the company. • HR exhibits the behaviors of respect, courtesy and fair, nondiscriminatory treatment. • HR communicates the benefits and rewards of working at the company. • HR lays the foundation for success with a positive image and picture of the company and leadership team so that employees can focus on their jobs and add value to the organization. • HR conveys the value and idea that opportunity and growth is possible for everyone to the extent that they are willing to work hard and to apply themselves. One of the toughest hurdles for HR to overcome is the occasional disconnect between the message that is conveyed at time of new hire orientation to the behaviors and actions exhibited by the management team. These same beliefs and philosophies—especially the importance of RESPECT—must be embraced and displayed at all times with each and every employee by the management staff. You can undo a positive image with just a random act of discrimination, harassment or retaliation perpetrated by a single member of your management team. The best way to engage your HR team in your success is to first view them as your business partner, include them in your plans for growth and expansion and provide them with opportunities to engage and interact with your most important asset—your customer service representatives. Have your HR team work closely with your management team to ensure that business strategies match the culture and philosophy of the organization, and don’t send a wrong message to your employees when business levels fall or transition into the slow season. I have always supported and believe in the importance of the Golden Rule. You will hear this time and again in my articles. But my belief is that the success of any business is founded in this simple but time honored rule of respect. That as in any endeavor that you may undertake in your life—“Treating others in the way that you would want to be Treated”—you can never go wrong. Keep up the good work if you have a strong HR team, and if you don’t, see this as an opportunity, and embrace it, and don’t turn back! Best wishes!
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.
www.socalfnbpro.com
September 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 11
| Foodie Biz | Photos by Ben Brown and courtesy Farmer Boys and Fork & Salad
Lunetta Expands with New, Higher-End Dining Concept Lunetta All Day has expanded beyond its fastcasual roots to Lunetta Dining and The Moon Bar, located right next door. The sophisticated concepts allow Executive Chef and former pro surfer Raphael Lunetta—one of the first chefs to popularize farm-to-table dining—to flex his culinary muscle, as well as provide an intimate setting for guests to enjoy an upscale meal in East Santa Monica. Lunetta Dining unveils impeccably complex, yet approachable dishes that showcase everything about L.A.’s contemporary dining scene. Beverage Director and Sommelier Kristine Bocchino’s wine and cocktail program matches the same exoticism and attention to detail, with both food and drink boasting artistic presentation and a pleasantly reckless incorporation of flowers that puts a smile on your face. Lunetta and Bocchino are joined by Partner and Proprietor Mike Garrett [Voda, Lounge 217, Falcon, Anisette, Pearl Dragon] and Daniel Weinstock [Spago, Maple Block Meat Co.] for a combined wealth of restaurant experience at the helm. Farm-to-table continues to ring true at Lunetta
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@socalfnbpro.com or follow him @Foodie_Biz.
Dining, with an ever-changing menu to reflect seasonal flavors. Summer brings dishes such as grilled nectarines with machego and prosciutto, ahi tuna tartare, New Zealand rack of lamb and wood-grilled loup de mer and Spanish octopus. Drinks such as the Honey Ryder, the Tired but Wired and the Not Your Mama’s Negroni allow Moon Bar to share Lunetta Dining’s motif of familiarity with exploratory nuances. LunettaSM.com
Death & Co. Expands to Los Angeles Death & Co., a New York cocktail bar that’s been considered ‘one of America’s greatest,’ is making its way to the arts district in DTLA. The East Village establishment has built its reputation off its attention to detail and its universal craft approach. What looks to be a 3,000 square foot bar and kitchen area isn’t set to open until next year. In the meantime, interested parties can sign up to own a piece of the company via SeedInvest, which is offering stakes starting at $1,000 at the time of this writing. The overall value of the company is listed at roughly $13 million. DeathAndCompany.com
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Fork & Salad’s First US Mainland Store to Open in Old Towne Orange Fork & Salad, the Maui-based eatery with a mission to make healthy, farm-to-table cuisine accessible to the masses, plans to open its third corporate location and first U.S. mainland store in Orange, CA. The location, 240 W. Chapman Avenue, which will double as a training store for future franchisee operators, is slated to open before the end of 2018. The new Orange County restaurant will be located in a historically restored building that features original brick construction from 1922 and open wood truss beams. The 1,500+ square foot space will have seating for more than 45 guests and be located in the walkable district of Old Towne Orange. Fork & Salad’s menu options include build-your-own and signature salads, produce-forward sandwiches, gluten-free items, kombucha on draft and more, which can be enjoyed in-store or for take-out and pick-up via phone ordering or the Fork & Salad mobile app. ForkAndSaladMaui.com www.socalfnbpro.com
New San Diego Food Hall Set to Open in Poway Outpost, a new $35 million mixed-use development project that broke ground in Poway last month, will include a food hall that features with more than 15 food vendors. The food hall will be part of a three-building complex that includes residential and commercial space. The 1.58-acre development, located at 13247 Poway Road, aims to be a new town center for the area. The 20,000+ square foot food hall will take up two stories, including a 6,500 square foot patio on the top floor. Food and beverage options look to include several concepts from 3 Local Brothers Group. Co-founded by Grant Tondro, a Poway native, 3 Brothers Group properties include Urge Gastropubs, The Barrel Room in Rancho Bernardo, Brothers Provisions, Mason Ale Works and Mason Coffee Works.
Farmer Boys Opens 9th Orange County Restaurant in the City of La Habra Farmer Boys, the popular fast-casual burger concept with 92 locations throughout California and Nevada, has opened its ninth Orange County restaurant in the city of La Habra at 602 South Harbor Boulevard. The La Habra location, which offers on-site parking and a double-lane drive thru, is open Monday-Thursday from 6 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 6 a.m.11 p.m., and Sunday 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Long-time franchisee Joseph Sadek will own and operate the new La Habra location. Sadek, with over thirty years in the restaurant industry, has been a Farmer Boys franchise owner for twelve years. He became interested in joining the Farmer Boys family in 2006 while watching the burger concept grow throughout his hometown of Riverside, CA. Sadek has opened and now operates seven Farmer Boys locations in California, with the new La Habra restaurant joining two other Orange County locations in Brea and Orange. FarmerBoys.com www.socalfnbpro.com
September 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 13
THE MASTER MIXOLOGIST BRAIN TRUST
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 ultra-
14 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2018
fine dining standards to the SGWS Academy curriculum and will bridge the gap between service/special events and the mixology team. (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. www.socalfnbpro.com
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 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 www.socalfnbpro.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. 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 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.
September 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 15
Product Review By Bob Barnes
Hotbox Coffee Porter Who says beer isn’t for breakfast anymore? I’m not actually suggesting you begin your day with this brew, but definitely if you like coffee this brew will turn your head. Brewed and canned by Oskar Blues, the Longmont, CO-based craft brewing pioneer that was a monumental influence in convincing the world that it’s an excellent choice to put craft beer in cans, this roasty, malty, wake-up-call of a porter was previously only available as a seasonal, but thankfully due to the demand of its fans it’s now a year-round offering. The proof of its goodness is in the can, as this 6.5% ABV porter is endowed with seven varieties of grains. “The malt bill highlights chocolate, fig, plum, espresso, burnt sugar, caramel, and marshmallow,” said Head of Brewing Operations (HOBO) Tim Matthews. The beer is complemented with coffee from Oscar Blues’ neighbor Hotbox Roasters, who formulated a blend of beans from Columbia, Honduras and Guatemala to highlight flavors of tobacco, chocolate, wood and earthiness brewed up in a super-concentrated cold brew. “We brew two pounds of coffee to one gallon of water and then steep it for 36 hours,” said Head Roaster Noe Lopez. “It adds massive coffee and chocolate flavor to the beer.” Hotbox Roasters donated the leftover Cold Brew to NASA to use as rocket fuel (not really!).
Black Butte XXX Black Butte is thought by many to be the benchmark for the modern day craft beer porter style, so when once a year the Deschutes Brewery celebrates its anniversary with an imperial, barrel-aged version of its flagship, fans of the brew take notice. Each year the brewery experiments with fun ingredients and this year, the 30th anniversary Birthday Reserve was brewed with chocolate malt, midnight wheat and 2 row; and Millennium, Cascade and Tettnang hops. This year’s version marks the first time it has been aged in 100% oak barrels, utilizing a combination of eight different types of barrels that had been used to age bourbon, rye whiskey, rum, port, sherry, cognac, maple syrup and vanilla extract, resulting in extracting a mélange of the flavors previously contained in the barrels. As this 13.6% ABV gem only comes out once a year, and this year is sure to be a very special rendition, don’t hesitate to hunt one down.
Rogue Combat Wombat Rogue Brewing is known for doing some fun and wacky things, like brewing with unusual ingredients such as donuts and yeast cultivated from their brewer’s bread. Their latest concoction is a bit tamer than the aforementioned brews but still out of the realm of normalcy. IPAs are all the rage right now and brewers are looking to create unique versions. This one fits the bill, as it is a fusion of hazy, sour and fruity all tied together with a hefty dose of Australian hops resulting in aromas and flavors of citrus and tropical fruit and a touch of tartness. This 7.2% ABV, 49 IBU Sour Northeast-style hazy IPA is brewed with no less than 13 ingredients, including oats, wheat, blood orange, grapefruit and acidulated malts (which contributes to the beer’s tartness). The result is a beer that is simultaneously sweet, sour and juicy. Other notoriety for this beer is in the label with a cartoon bright neon image of a wombat-like animal doing battle with citrus fruits. For a very entertaining video made by the Rogue team of the mysterious citrus-loving marsupial with an affinity for Australian hops wreaking havoc in the brewery, visit www.rogue.com/beers/combat-wombat. Combat Wombat is available in 22 oz bottles and on draft from July-October.
Everything but the Bagel Spice Mix If you’re like me, your favorite bagel is the one with everything on it. If you wish you could have all those flavors without the huge amount of carbs contained in the bagel, now you can. This new spice mix from Pereg Natural Foods is a mix of onion, garlic, poppy, salt and three kinds of sesame seeds. The makers suggest you can jazz up practically everything with it, such as stirring into cream cheese or sprinkling on grilled meats, avocado toast, rice, scrambled eggs, salads, chicken and pancakes. I am definitely a fan, and haven’t found anything I’ve put it on not to be improved by its inclusion. The mix is fresh, 100% natural, gluten-free, vegan and is OU and CRC kosher-certified, with no MSG, additives or preservatives. Look for it in the supermarket spice aisle beginning in September, 2018 or you can find it online at www.pereg-gourmet.com.
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www.socalfnbpro.com
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. www.socalfnbpro.com
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
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)
September 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 17
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Thank You To Our Sponsors!
At the time of printing
By Chef Allen Asch
Chef Talk
Feel free to contact Chef Allen with ideas for comments or future articles at allena@unlv.nevada.edu
Indoor Produce Farming for Commercial Sales
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 multisized 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’
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.
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.
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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. www.socalfnbpro.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.socalfnbpro.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!
September 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 21
CABERNET
COLOR UP YOUR LIFE! RIEDEL.COM
Wine Talk
with Alice Swift
By Alice Swift Alice Swift has been writing Wine Talk since 2011, and has a passion for education and hospitality/ F&B. In 2016, she obtained her Ph.D. in Hospitality Administration from UNLV and moved from the “ninth island” to the island of Oʻahu. She now works for Kamehameha Schools as an instructional designer/project manager, and teaches part-time for UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality. See more at www.aliceswift.com.
New App Alert: WineGame—Taste, Play, Learn
As you may or may not know, I have many different interests. Even in the beverage field, I love learning as a student for life. However, beyond just learning about wine theory and wine tasting, I enjoy learning about the many technology applications and innovations that beverage brings. This month, I would like to share on a recently released wine tasting app that brings the “game” element to the table! How many readers out there have attended, or even hosted some sort of wine tasting party? I myself have hosted blind tastings for entertainment, for studying purposes and have even attended regularly scheduled blind tasting events for wine lovers in my local area. What better way to conduct a blind tasting than with a wine app that helps to facilitate the blind tasting process? Along the way, there are multiple opportunities to learn more about wine in general, while adding some competition to the mix. This new game, called WineGame, was devised www.socalfnbpro.com
by Rob Wilder and (Chef) José Andrés. After spending some time with the app myself, I found some very intriguing aspects of the game, especially because it allows for a range of users from basic wine enthusiasts to more advanced wine professionals. Upon creating an account and signing in, I was given an overview of how the app works. To my pleasant surprise, I discovered that I could not only create my own blind wine tasting game, but could also join in on other public games with others who might be playing in my area. This is a great feature, especially if you are not with a group of people and just want to get some practice in. I’m sure nearby games will start to pick up once more users discover this game. Setup is quite simple; the host inputs the purchased wines that will be used for the game (themed or random), and then publishes the game to be shared. Participants can find the game by entering the game code that the host generates. Once the game begins, a series of multiple choice questions are presented with five possible answers, and you are given three tries: 1. Grape varietal 2. Country 3. Region 4. Vintage/Label Of course, if you need help, the “hint” button is available to help you find the correct answers. The more correct answers you get, the more points accumulated! However, no “free guesses”
are given, because if you get the question wrong, points are deducted. What makes this game great is that even if you do not know the right answer and guess, users can still learn from the incorrect response because of the detailed response feedback. Finally, prior to the unveiling of the wine, participants are asked to rate the wine, so they can determine whether they like the wine before they find out more information about it, namely cost and/or label. The other great aspect of this app is the Trivia and Learning Section. If you don’t feel like wine tasting, you can still have fun with the app! In this section, you can learn about several categories of wine, such as winemaking, food pairings, geography, grapes, etc. Each category has multiple levels so that you can “level up” as you pass each set of questions (e.g., multiple choice, true/false). During your use of the app, users have the ability to keep track of their progress of wine tasting games, and can see their global score on the wine trivia leaderboard. This is a great wine app for those who want learn more about wine, while having fun playing games! Since the game was built with the help of wine professionals, including Keith Goldston, Master Sommelier, it seems to be a great study aide and refresher for wine aficionados of all skill levels. Next time you plan a blind wine tasting party, try out this WineGame app! Until next month, Cheers~! Alice
September 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 23
Brett’s
By Jackie Brett
Jackie is a freelance public relations specialist and writer specializing in the Las Vegas entertainment and travel scene. Her writings have appeared in magazines and newspapers nationwide and on numerous websites. Email: jackiebrett@cox.net
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
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
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.”
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.
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
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.
24 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2018
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.socalfnbpro.com
Allan Karl’s best-selling book FORKS: A Quest for Culture, Cuisine, and Connection has been a #1 best-seller in three Amazon categories.
FORKS brings the world to your table: An around-the-world adventure story. A colorful photo book with more than 700 color photographs. A global cookbook with 40 signature recipes. Why would someone sell nearly everything he owns, pull roots, and travel for three years--alone--on a motorcycle? One day Allan Karl woke up to discover that he was unemployed and his marriage had ended in divorce. Allan looked at these forks in the road of his life as an opportunity to both follow a life-long dream and pursue his passions. He hopped on his motorcycle and traveled around the world--alone. After three years and 62,000 miles of riding, through 35 countries on 5 continents, he returned home only to set out on another journey--to share the truths he’d uncovered and the lessons learned during his adventure around the world. Between these pages, Allan shares the discoveries, cultures, and connections he made on this global adventure. Through stories, color photos, and the flavors of real local food, FORKS brings his adventure to life and the world to your table: the kindness of strangers, the beauty of humanity, the colors of culture, and the powerful gift of human connection. Every photograph, story, and recipe in this book presents readers with an opportunity to witness new cultures, taste exotic flavors, or journey into dangerous and unknown territories. Every experience is an opportunity to connect with others.
The second edition of FORKS is widely available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Indie Bookstores everywhere. Autographed and personalized signed copies are available on the FORKS website www.forksthebook.com.
4310 W Tompkins Ave Las Vegas, NV 89103
702-645-0049
www.jayssharpening.com • customerservice@jayssharpening.com
Mobile Service Our mobile service vans provide sharpening services on-site to even the largest resort properties, without disrupting workflow. Commercial Knife Exchange Program We furnish sharp knives to your kitchen on a weekly or biweekly rotation schedule.
www.socalfnbpro.com
Jay’s Sharpening Service
Cutting Board Resurfacing & Replacements
Arville St
Equipment Sales We offer top-of-the-line knives, culinary tools, kitchen supplies and replacement parts.
W Harmon Ave
Steak & Table Knife Re-Serration / Sharpening
W Tropicana Ave
September 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 25
EVENTS
AD INDEX
As SoCal makes the ever-so-slight transition from summer to fall, a multitude of culinary happenings await. Check out some of the upcoming events in your area:
Al Dentes’ Provisions sales@aldentes.com 702-642-1100
9/30: Chef Battle San Diego Local chefs can battle to create the best dish in one hour. General admission tickets include live entertainment, samples from chefs, voting ballot for crowd’s favorite, and guests 21+ receive 2 sponsored drink tickets. Lot 8, San Diego eventbrite.com/e/chef-battle-san-diego-tickets-43635810885?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Audrey Dempsey Infinity Photo www.infinity-photo.com 702-837-1128
10/4 – 7: Newport Beach Wine & Food Festival Two days of grand tastings bring together 40+ restaurants and hundreds of wines. Live cooking demos, Petrossian caviar and champagne pairings, celebrity chef private dinners and late-night parties make for an indulgent and eventful weekend. Newport Beach Civic Center, Newport Beach.newportwineandfood.com 10/13: Boyle Heights Beer Fest The 1st Annual Boyle Heights Beer Festival will feature dozens of locally made craft beers, with admission granting unlimited beer tastings. Food sold separately. The event will benefit non-profit organizations: OLTE, Los Angeles County Foster Care, and Pop-Up After School Programs. Boyle Heights eventbrite.com/e/1st-annual-boyle-heights-beer-fest-tickets-44389483139?aff=ebd ssbdestsearch
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Big Dog’s Brewing Company page 25 www.bigdogsbrews.com 702-368-3715 Ferrari-Carano Vinyards & Winery ferrari-carano.com
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FORKS: A Quest for Culture, page 25 Cuisine, and Connection www.forksthebook.com
10/19 – 21: LA Times The Taste, Costa Mesa The Los Angeles Times continues its food festival series in Costa Mesa, with three days of food, wine, spirits and chef experiences, plus culinary pop-ups and collaborations. Dozens of hand-picked local restaurants will showcase Orange County’s culinary scene. The MET, Costa Mesa eventbrite.com/e/los-angeles-times-the-taste-2018-costa-mesa-tickets-46948334733
Keep Memory Alive Event Center kmaeventcenterlasvegas.com 702-263-9797
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Keep Memory Alive page 19 Charity Poker Tournament keepmemoryalive.org/kmapokertournament 702-263-9797 Jay’s Sharpening Service www.jayssharpening.com 702-645-0049
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Riedel riedel.com
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Rodney Strong Estate Vinyards www.rodneystrong.com
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Uncle Steve’s www.unclestevesny.com 718-605-0416
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10/20: Burbank Beer Festival The Fourth Annual Burbank Beer Festival & Fall Street Fair will feature two tasting sessions: noon–3 p.m. and 4–7 p.m. Each session will feature more than 85 craft beers, live music and entertainment. The Fall Street Fair is free to the public and will line the streets of Downtown Burbank. Burbank Beer Festival will benefit the Downtown Burbank Partnership and the Gen Giammanco Foundation. Downtown Burbank burbankbeerfestival.com
American Culinary Federation Chefs of SoCal
The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional is proud to be associated with these fine organizations: ACF-American Culinary Federation Chef de Cuisine Association of California Chapter Culinarians of San Diego Chapter Chefs de Cuisine Association of San Diego Chapter 26 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2018
www.socalfnbpro.com