October 2013 issue

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LET THE FOOD FIGHT BEGIN! As Downtown Las Vegas braces for the 2nd Annual WFC, we interview TV Food Star Ben Vaughn and WFC promoter Mike McCloud to see what’s on the menu. page 20

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Issue 10 Volume 13

October 2013

CONTENTS

12

Cover THE 2ND ANNUAL WORLD FOOD CHAMPIONSHIPS IS RETURNING

TO LAS VEGAS AGAIN THIS YEAR NOVEMBER 7-10 and has a new home in Downtown Las Vegas. Our October cover starts ‘The Great Food Fight’ between TV Food Star Ben Vaughn, this year’s host, and WFC Promoter Mike McCloud, fighting over a cupcake delivered by Lisa Sutton from Sin City Cupcakes. Get ready for the ultimate food fight including a variety of events and challenges worth over $300,000 in prize money!

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33 40

37

FEATURES

Cover photo by Emil Rajkowski - www.rajkowskiphoto.com.

AKI MATSURI IS COMING TO LAS VEGAS ON OCTOBER 19 and this fun-filled day of Japanese food and entertainment will be hosted this year at the Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino parking lot. A project of JCCNV-Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Nevada, Aki Matsuri actually means ‘Fall Festival’ and is one of the most enjoyed festivals celebrated throughout Japan.

This 4th Annual Las Vegas Aki Matsuri includes karaoke and cosplay contests with various Japanese demonstrations and a lot of great Japanese food. Get your tickets now….

WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST JOURNALIST VICTORIA PINDRIK, UNLV Epicurean Club Public Relations Coordinator, who catches us up on the Epicurean Club affairs after the summer vacation. We look forward to many more interesting and informative notes on culinary education here in Nevada coming from Victoria.

TON-TASTE OF THE NATION WILL HOLD ITS 21ST EVENING OF CULINARY EXCITEMENT OCTOBER 17. Hosted at the Rain Nightclub and the Palms Pools, this is the event you don’t want to miss.

Chefs from most major properties and restaurants in Las Vegas come together to offer you a taste of their best talents, plus beer, wine and specialty cocktails make this a wonderful event. Get your tickets now before it’s sold out since capacity is limited and it usually sells out every year.

Page 4 Hot Off the Grill!

Page 14 What’s Cooking?

Page 5 The Art of Recipe Writing

Page 16 Flavors of the Heart

Page 6 What’s Brewing?

Page 18 Brett’s Vegas View

Page 7 Mixology-ology: Kevin Gorham

Page 19 Late Night Dining with Kim: Heating up the late night dining scene with Balboa Pizza Company and Sedona

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

Part II Page 9 Behind the Stick Page 10 Food For Thought: As the Weather Cools the Wines Turn Mostly Red for the Fall Page 12 Wine Talk Page 13 On the Edge with Al Mancini

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Page 20 COVER FEATURE World Food Championships enters its second year with a TV show and 400 competitors Page 24 An Evening of Cuisine, Wine, Books and Angels with Iconic Chef Charlie Palmer

Page 26 HR Insights - Sound Screening Practices for Great Employees Page 27 PHOTOS: Three Square’s Roasting Las Vegas Sweets Raku Grand Opening Page 28 Product Spotlight Page 30 Lagasse’s Stadium Page 31 Epicurean Corner A Delicious Start to a New Semester Industry Nights

Page 32 Halloween Spooks, Goofs and Eats!

Page 33 PHOTOS: F&B @ G2E A Visit to FÚ Page 34 Green Products for Autumn 2013 Page 36 PHOTOS: Back of the House Brawl Page 37 PHOTOS: Three Square’s DISH Las Vegas 2013 ACF Chefs Las Vegas September Meeting Hosted by Main Street Station Page 39 Events Advertiser Index

October 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 3

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

HOT OFF THE GRILL!

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

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

Three Square recently hosted its Las Vegas Restaurant Critics “Roasting” and in attendance for a lot of laughs and some good fundraising were LVFNB Editor-inChief Mike Fryer; Chef Beni, owner of the restaurant Bar + Bistro in the Arts District; and LVFNB Beverage Editor Adam Rains. Looks like they are trying to figure out how many points to give the event!

Check it out on page 27.

THE 5TH ANNUAL DISH LAS VEGAS concluded recently with another very successful event hosted at the Palms Pools, attended by the Las Vegas foodie community, and supported by more than 25 Las Vegas restaurants. One of our favorite restaurants participating at this year’s event was FU, located at the Hard Rock Hotel and owned and operated by the Woo family seen here with daughter Theresa and mother Ming See Woo, chef and matriarch of a true Las Vegas restaurant family.

Juanita Aiello Publisher & Creative Director juanita@lvfnb.com

Bob Barnes Editorial Director bob@lvfnb.com

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

LVFNB is a strong supporter of the “Off the Wall” culinary scene which includes the Back of the House Brawl taking place late on Saturday nights at Tommy Rocker’s, featuring local chefs competing to prepare a surprise food basket inside food trucks.

Here LVFNB Publisher Juanita Aiello shares a moment with Chef John Courtney of Pinot Brasserie, Carnevino Executive Chef Nicole Brisson, and Eater Vegas Editor Susan Stapleton.

Adam Rains Beverage Editor adam.rains@lvfnb.com

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

The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Pre-Press Technician Brandon Yan

Journalist Chef Jet

Journalist Juanita Fryer

Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett

Journalist Shelley Stepanek

Journalist Food for Thought Les Kincaid

Journalists Scott & Elaine Harris

Journalist Mixology-ology Mitchell Wilburn

Journalist Beth Ellyn Rosenthal

Journalist Late Night Dining with Kim Kim Trevino

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

Journalist Rebecca Rajkowski

Spirits Editor The Spirit of Spirits Adam Carmer

Journalist On the Edge with Al Mancini Al Mancini

Journalist Ryan Wieczorek

Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein

Journalist Green Restaurant Association Michael Oshman

Journalist Wine Talk Alice Swift

Journalist Epicurean Corner Victoria Pindrik

Journalist Mark Kelnhofer

Journalist & Photographer Ben Brown

Photographer Bill Bokelmann

Photographer Emil Rajkowski

Photographer Rose Powell-Carver

4 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I October 2013

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

The Art of Recipe Writing There is something missing in the restaurant industry. The culinary and management teams have a strong passion for the menu items that they place on the menu. They indeed spend a significant amount of time to ensure that the dish or drink has the proper flavor profile, quality and presentation. The process is a true art. Yet, there is a critical piece that in many cases is either incomplete or even worse, does not exist. That missing piece is the art of recipe writing. In too many cases, the proper documentation for what we are all about is either incomplete or missing all together. The operators that do not have the documentation in place are the ones that may struggle or even worse fail.

Documented recipes provide so many benefits that it is important to understand why they are needed. Recipes first provide a standard that is expected every time it is executed. The recipe ultimately becomes a training tool not only for new employees but to also ensure quality and consistency with all employees. Consistent performance of the recipe is critical and the documentation becomes the standard that all live by. Recipes also become the means of how we identify the costs. Without a complete recipe, you cannot identify the cost. A simple review of the completeness of the recipes can tell you so much.

Recipes are more complicated than some imagine. There is quite a bit that can be maintained on a recipe depending on how much detail you desire.

The more detail, the better the standard becomes. Let’s first look at what we would call the header information. This is the general information regarding the recipe including the title of the recipe, prep times, cook times and the yield of the recipe. Although this seems basic, in many cases the most important piece of data that goes undocumented is the yield of the recipe. The yield plays an important role not only in determining what the end result of the recipe is but it is also needed to determine proper costs and to account for any associated processes and losses.

Documented ingredient line items need to have greater detail too. In many cases when recipes are written, the ingredients are documented very generically. As an example, a recipe will have an ingredient called “tomatoes.” When looking at the produce order guide, you will see many variations of tomatoes that are being purchased (i.e. roma, heirloom, pear, cherry, beefsteak, green, yellow, etc.). By being documented generically, not only are you not able to communicate the proper standard, you also cannot assign the proper cost.

Another ingredient level mistake that is made is documenting the processes. Let’s say that the line item that is listed states “diced tomatoes.”

Now we have two issues. The first, of course, is what type of tomato is being used. The second is who is actually dicing the tomatoes. If we are dicing the tomatoes in-house, we need a recipe to account for the process and possible loss. Too many times internal processes go undocumented.

Although it may be a simple process (i.e. dicing tomatoes), we need a recipe to account for the loss and time it takes to process the ingredients.

Although it may be a simple process and a recipe may not be needed for training personnel, it is needed for costing. Think about all the processes that are conducted internally where we may want to account for the process: blanching, dicing, chopping, julienning, thawing, etc. If it is purchased pre-diced, then we need to identify that as well.

As an effective training tool, the recipe must also have a method or how the recipe is executed from start to finish. Ideally, the ingredients should be listed in the order used and the method should match the process.

Consistent performance of the recipe is critical and the documentation becomes the standard that all live by.

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Without a documented method, the recipe cannot possibly become an effective tool to train and create a standard to abide by. The methods become a critical part of standardization, quality control and consistency. It is important that they are documented well and match the process.

Writing a recipe with portion control tools is very common and should be used. One missing component is the effect it has on costing. In many cases recipes are written utilizing various utensils (i.e. cup, tablespoon, teaspoon, spoodle, etc.) but the quantity of product is not identified.

The density of the product comes into play. A cup of basil does not weigh the same as a cup of granulated sugar. For costing we want to identify what the proper amount of the ingredient is being used.

There are many other aspects of recipe maintenance that create greater detail to the above areas such as identifying the tools and equipment, storage instructions, food safety, pictures, and with systems, training videos. There are many aspects to a properly documented recipe and the details matter. The recipe becomes an integral part of what the business is all about. Unfortunately, too many times the recipe is either incomplete or missing altogether. It facilitates training, creating performance standards, and ultimately is the necessary tool for costing and the menu engineering process. Yes, the creating and passion for food is an art. Writing a recipe is an art as well. Without the documented recipe, the business will not have a critical piece to succeed. The recipe ultimately affects the success and profitability of the company.

October 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 5

By Bob Barnes

what’s

BREWING?

Aces & Ales Hosts First Beer Dinner at its Tenaya Location

Photos by Joe Urcioli

On September 18 Aces & Ales hosted the first beer dinner at its newly christened Tenaya location, pairing the beers of Green Flash with the mastery of Chef Jason Glidden. Brewery Rep Sarah Lattanza joined us and entertained us greatly by talking us through the stories behind each beer.

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

it’s part of the brewery’s Hop Odyssey Series, in which six different IPAs are brewed using different hops. The Symposium uses an unusual hop named Tomahawk and weighs in at a hefty 75 IBUs. BBQ Pork Belly with potato salad was served with Hop Head Red, and its strong malt backbone enabled it to stand up well to the hearty meat. The potato salad was another item I would like to see added to the menu, for it had just the right amount of bleu cheese and bacon (everything is better with bacon!). HerbCrusted Pacific Cod with Trippel was a luxury, for Sarah informed us this beer is temporarily being discontinued as the brewery narrows its line to focus on barrel-aged beers. The Trippel is outstanding and will be missed; it won a 2012 GABF gold medal in the Abbey Ale category.

We began with a Charcuterie Platter paired with Rayon Vert, which Sarah told us is an homage to Orval; it’s spiked with brettanomyces, giving it that earthy Belgian farmhouse funk, and is very effervescent. Thai Curry Shrimp with Symposium IPA was my favorite course, as the curry was deliciously sweet and savory, and so worth repeating that I am petitioning Chef to add it to the regular menu. As for the IPA, Sarah says

Beer Tip of the Month: What Is Wheat Beer?

This month’s tip comes courtesy of Russell Gardner, one of Southern Nevada’s most renowned beer experts.

In September 2011 Russell passed his Certified Cicerone exam becoming the first Certified Cicerone in Nevada.

Working at the time for Block 16 Hospitality as the company Cicerone, he then opened Public House inside The Venetian. Russell is now Director of Craft for Southern Wine and Spirits.

His mission is “for more people to drink good beer—the more they know about beer the better.”

I often get asked about wheat beers, so let’s talk about the three types: American—made with wheat malt and two-row barley. Flavor profile will be clean and soft with a haze to the beer. There should be little to no hop character and very little yeast aromas. German (Bavarian)—made with the same ingredients but different yeast. These will have a fuller, creamier mouthfeel. Still hazy, sometimes more so than the American ones, German hefes will have aromas of cloves, bubblegum and banana. Belgian wheat or “White Ale”—made with slightly different stuff, including orange peel as well as spice, often coriander or nutmeg.

These beers will have a lighter body with almost a whitish color to them. The aroma will be spicy and sometimes sweet from the orange.

Hopefully this short story in beer helped you decide what kind of “wheat” beer you will likely drink on your next night out.

6 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I October 2013

I could have sworn our finale—dessert of rich and delectable Maple Bourbon Truffles, had come from a professional patisserie, but turns out they were made by the very skilled and versatile Chef Jason. Our liquid dessert was Green Flash’s American-style Barleywine, a 10.9% ABV 85 IBU beauty that is full of intense caramel and toffee flavors.

Sarah treated us to a bonus beer, the Green Bullet. Named after a super-robust New Zealand hop, this 10% triple IPA full of mango tropical hop flavor was about as fresh as could be, having only been bottled one week ago.

If you missed this beer dinner, don’t fret, for there will be more, with the next one being planned for early November.

More Beer Festivals on Tap

On Oct. 19 Big Dog’s Brewing will host its next quarterly fest, the annual DOGtober Beer Fest and Brat Party. Held from 2 to 9 p.m. in the outdoor area at the Draft House location at Craig Rd. and Rancho Dr., as usual, there will be more than 50 beers poured, including several from local breweries, live music, free admission, and as you may have guessed from the event title, brats will be served. For the lineup of beers, visit dogtoberbeerfest.com.

On Nov. 2 the Nevada Craft Brewers Guild will participate in Brew Local, a fest with beer from at least 20 Nevada breweries. Held at the Village Square center (where Chicago Brewing is located) at Sahara and Ft. Apache, it’ll run from 3 to 7 p.m. with tickets for $30. The event is a fundraiser benefitting the Guild and the Firefighters of Southern Nevada Burn Foundation. For more info. visit govillagesquare.com.

On the same day, 30 miles away, Boulder Dam Brewing will host the Boulder City Beerfest, the city’s first ever, from 1 to 6 p.m. at Wilbur Square Park. 20 beer tents will be pouring, and the event will be raising funds for the Wounded Warriors Project. For more information visit BoulderCityBeerfest.com.

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

Mixology-ology:

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

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

Kevin Gorham

Photo by Krystal Ramirez

There are a class of local Taste-Makers, some recognizable for the roles they played in the beginning of the Vegas cocktail scene, and some known by the aficionados for their daring takes on flavor. I was lucky enough to sit down with one of the latter. Fresh off his “People’s Choice” win in the Vegas Best Bartender competition, Kevin Gorham sat down with LVF&B to discuss his creative process, mixology trends and the evolution of Downtown.

Kevin, you and the Downtown Cocktail Room are known for having some pretty “out there” cocktails. What is your process for creating a recipe?

I don’t so much have a process, but I’ll usually take inspiration from eating something. I’ll start by making a flavored syrup or bitters, and I can build from there. I’ll base it around something to highlight those flavors that I enjoy culinary. Food in general is my inspiration.

So you like to bridge the gap between spirits and food?

Cocktails have come so far, now it’s like another form of cooking. That’s why it’s good to look at food or what good chefs are doing.

Cooking has been around for much longer than bartending, and we’ve lost so much with prohibition. Cooking and mixology are so intimately connected; you can pull inspiration from both sides. Chefs can use liqueurs, bitters, and bartenders can use classically culinary ingredients and techniques.

Like how you’ve been using Sumac in a cocktail. Are you doing anything like that for the upcoming menu change?

Currently, we have many food inspired cocktails on our new fall menu. We’re going for cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus and apples.

I just made a black pepper syrup, and I’m really enjoying that right now. One of my drinks on the menu is The Model T: black pepper, allspice, clove, some savory notes and eucalyptus. It gives a minty tingle. I was looking up what chefs use with eucalyptus; that’s how I originally got around to using it.

Black pepper and eucalyptus balances well,

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and it makes the holiday spice not so generic.

It makes it a very unique fall item. We’re doing a pumpkin spice as well; that’s a more classic holiday season flavor.

How often does the menu change at DCR? We change our menu every season, usually aiming right for the first day of the season. The entire bar staff will work together to have a hand in creating these recipes. Everyone has pride in the menu and everyone pushes a menu as a whole, not just our own contributions.

How did you get your start in mixology?

I just kind of stumbled into it. I worked in other restaurants, but I was really into beer and wine primarily. A friend who worked at DCR asked me if I wanted to barback. I never really wanted to bartend, but I knew if I did, I would want to do more than make a vodka Red Bull.

There was so much more at the DCR than I’ve ever seen before, so after a year of barbacking I started bartending. It’s really grown on me.

I still really enjoy beer, but now that I’ve seen the ability and the range of cocktails I got really into mixology.

Are there trends in Mixology elsewhere you’d like to see more of here in Vegas?

I’m seeing some bartenders using interesting things like different oils, but I’d love to see more variety in Vegas. The more unique things we can bring the better. A molecular gastronomy bar would be really interesting.

Downtown we’re creating a really unique culture, so there will be some really fun things.

Making everything from scratch, using super fresh ingredients, that’s what we need.

What have you seen in the evolution of Downtown? Where do you think it’s going?

I’ve been on the downtown scene since January 2010, and I’ve really seen it evolve.

It’s growing and changing so much. There will be something for everyone, lots of new venues. There’s a brewery opening near Heart Attack grill, and I think there will be a good synergy. The more people we bring down here, the better it is for everybody. More pull, more draw. “Something for everybody” is the motto.

What do you think of the big role that competing has in bartender life?

It’s a great way to learn different styles, learn from other people. Comps are awesome for that, and you can perfect skills and techniques.

It’s a must for high level bartending. I don’t put too much time into it, managing the DCR takes most of my time, but it’s really essential. It helps you get over fears with presenting, and it makes being behind the bar much less stressful. Being a bartender is part being a showman, and it’s a great way to study that. I’ll enter the ones I find interesting, but it’s not about proving myself, it’s more about comradery.

What is your “Mixology Mantra”?

“Nothing is impossible, there are no limits.”

Really, that’s what helps me think outside the box. You can think of anything, like tobacco bitters, anything. If you know that, the world has been opened.

October 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 7

By K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D. Mike Masuyama is a bi-cultural science-technology-business consultant.

He earned a Ph.D. in Food Science at Cornell University, is involved in teaching, research and business in major-beer, micro-beer, soft drinks, sake and food areas both in Japan and the US., and has published several books and dozens of articles.

ASK DOCTOR SAKE‌

Is Sake Home Brewing Possible?

Part II

Yes, you may make sake by and for yourself. Doburoku (sounds like Do-Broke) is the most likely sake to start, as mentioned in the last issue. Doburoku is a simply fermented alcohol beverage from rice and Koji, which is the origin of sake evolution somewhat similar to a newly made sake at the end of fermentation before separating from residue. It looks like Nigori.

Primitive sake or Doburoku was accidentally made when cooked rice was forgotten for days, found later and eaten by early people.

They anticipated something bad, but surprisingly it had a pleasing aroma, pleasant taste and warming happiness. To eagerly recreate such a wonderful thing, they went through all kinds of trials and errors. A process was finally secured to make it with good reproducibility. This was the sake evolution that humans in rice growing regions innovated, just like wine in grape growing areas.

Let’s reproduce such wonderful stuff like our ancestors. Rice, Koji, yeast and water are ingredients of Doburoku. Most recipes from home sake brewing websites in Japan work okay, but we need to cope with limited supplies here. Rice is a staple there and always available in any form. Though traditional sake uses steamed rice (steam going through rice), cooked rice (cooking in water) is good for Doburoku. Don’t even think about sake rice varieties or polishing ratios that a sake guru considers attributing flavorquality. Plain cooked rice can be obtained as to-go or sterilepacked from Japanese-Asian restaurants or ethnic grocery stores.

Do not use sushi rice because of vinegar added. Pre-cooked rice like Minute Rice from a supermarket can be used after hydrated in warm water. Or, powder of medium grain rice or sweet rice can be a source of rice after gelatinizing by a short cooking in water.

Turning from milky to translucent is a sign of the gelatinized-like corn starch for a thickening agent.

A key ingredient, Koji (unsalted), is hard to find, but try at a Japanese grocery like Nakata Market of Japan (2350 S. Rainbow).

It is imported from Japan or made in California for homemade miso (soy bean paste). It is sold in a chilled case but would be okay at ambient temperatures for short shipping times.

You may get a sake yeast paste from a yeast supplier like White Labs or Wyeast from local home brewing stores if available. The last option is dry yeast for baking. Freeze-dried sake yeast is only sold to sake brewers in Japan. For Doburoku making, any yeast can be utilized primarily to generate alcohol and CO2 under anaerobic conditions (least available oxygen state). Tap water is alright if not highly chlorinated. The last item is a high proof spirit like vodka (no flavor) for sanitizing containers or gadgets.

Cooked rice and Koji are mixed in warm water (150 F) for about one hour or warm (around 100 F) overnight. Rice starch is then hydrolyzed into sugars by Koji enzymes. Such an outcome is called Amazake, a non-alcohol sweet-taste rice drink, enjoyed warm in winter or chilled in summer. Basically Doburoku is an alcoholic beverage of Amazake after being fermented with yeast. I will conclude Doburoku making with my experiments in the next month.

Cheers or Kanpai with Amazake.

8 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I October 2013

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By Adam Rains

Behind the Stick

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

It was the 1950’s and freedom was in the air.

America had won the war. Even with a partially manufactured rivalry with Russia, we were still riding high. On top of the world! Top of the food chain… the big dogs! Even as we cooked from the bottom of our basement bomb shelters, nuclear test explosions could be seen across the Nevada sky and they lit it up like an artificial man-made sun, no strike that, an Americanmade sun.

American ingenuity and know-how could and did save the world! Of course our science and technology surpassed all other nations and we were, as a society, on board and ready to follow it to the moon. At that moment in history, science was king and it was decided that we could use our technology to make anything, do anything, solve any problem, and defeat any foe. We dreamed that we could go to the moon, we could go to Mars, even more dramatically, we could even make our own manufactured “mother’s milk” (what?!?!)! We could even have a “fresh” tomato in the middle of winter. Gone were the fresh herbs and delicious produce from backyard gardens, instead we used canned peas and Shake ‘n Bake. Everywhere you’d look, there was frozen this and canned that. T.V. dinners were all the rage; Tang, Spam and all sorts of unfathomable processed “foods” were enticing the American public with their saccharine-siren songs. Of course when company labs created these “food products” and the ad companies created markets for these products and then more remarkably, the really good ones were able to actually create needs. We then became lazy and we got fatigued, along with our palates.

Cooking from the depths of our bomb shelter pantry, we filled our diets with so much sodium, fat, corn syrup and artificial flavoring that we had almost lost our ability to taste what real food was. This was echoed in the world of Cocktails.

King Cocktail himself, Dale DeGroff has called what happened during this period of time, the “Exodus of Flavor.” Where most of the country and a lot of the world departed from those majestic, and at the time, mandatory ideals of keeping it fresh and being in season. Staying within the confines of Mother Nature became very old fashioned. We were ready for whatever technology had in store for us. Fast food became en vogue at this time and after that we all know what happened (we ended up in a Jack in the Box drive thru at 4 A.M.). Yes, we had lost our way.

It seemed as though convenience, as well as a scientific assault on our flavor sensors, added fuel to the fire. www.lvfnb.com

As a counterpoint, Chef Zach Taylor of B&B and CarneVino once exclaimed to me, “Some of the best things in the world are rotten.”

Whether it’s sausage, cheese, wine, or beer, they have all been chemically transformed from a fresh ingredient to a preserved ingredient. It comes from thousands of years of trial and error on ways of preserving crops/products before we had the benefit of refrigeration. At that time they were still seasonal by necessity and freshness was a required truth; but it was nearly impossible to completely lose our taste and our affinity for the freshness. I do have to admit that in some cases the canned goods are not any better or any worse that the fresh, they are just different. There is as much a place for dried oregano as there is for fresh basil. Some pasta recipes actually call for a dried pasta as opposed to the fresh; just as most recipes for a Gimlet calls for Rose’s Lime Cordial (but I still prefer the fresh stuff!). Not to beleaguer the point that fresh is best, even some of the canned seafood of Spain actually goes through a transformation into something equally as wonderful, not to mention costs a pretty penny. It “can” be great, but just different from the fresh.

Whether it was for a Manhattan or for the iconic Negroni, I began to lament the fact that we didn’t have a suitable product that could hold a candle to the strength of its other ingredients. When you have a drink like those mentioned, with only 2 or 3 ingredients, what you use for each component of the drink is even more crucial. I felt a duty to my customers; if I was going to make for them a simple drink for the price of $15 or more, it should be amazing.

So that brings us back to the above-mentioned conundrum. We didn’t have the ability to order certain products that we liked; we wanted and we insisted on making an amazing and unique cocktail that was worth the price. So we decided to make our own product (or just infuse and blend it). Again I had to use what the environment provided. At the bar we were currently using Martini and Rossi, which is a fine product (but can be better!). In the kitchen we usually had plenty of herbs and spices like tarragon, cinnamon, nutmeg, rosemary, plenty of citrus and of course, peppercorns. These are exactly what I used. This recipe turned out very tasty with its winter spice and herbs but it still needed a bit more depth of flavor. Then, wham!

To be continued....

I fortified it further with XO Cognac and 20year Taylor Fladgate Port Wine. The end result Beauty and Spice Vermouth: As I’ve mentioned before, always use what your was something special; it was rich and decadent environment provides. A bar that is located and really allowed it to complement and bolster in the middle of one of the biggest casinos on other flavors in most any drink. It’s now being the Strip, owned by one of the largest gaming made at two different bars in Las Vegas. corporations in the world, which is also located on one of the main booze thoroughfares on the planet should, in theory, be abound with a world-class variety of alcohol related products.

One would think… but in this epicenter of volume where Conehead inspired beveraging One bottle of Italian Sweet encourages us to “Drink mass quantities,” a new Vermouth bar can be entangled with contracts, preferences Zest of one Orange and guidelines regarding what we can buy and sell. Oftentimes many of the more artisanal and 2 Cinnamon Sticks (partially grated and broken) unique products can be difficult to obtain. This can be a challenge to your creativity if you are ½ of a medium sized Nutmeg unable to order what you want but sometimes, it (grated) can actually spawn new evolutions.

2 Star Anise spokes Carpano Antica Formula is a product that I am 4 sprigs of Rosemary (broken) particularly fond of. Carpano is the house that 6 sprigs of Tarragon invented vermouth and is their original recipe from 1786. It is a vermouth that stands on its 5-12 Multicolored Peppercorns own with wonderful complexity. It really can Simple, throw in your ingredients make the flavor jump out of the glass in a lot and let it sit at room temperature of drinks and as you probably guessed, Carpano for 5-10 days. Taste and serve… is one that we were unable to serve at the bar (unless we brought it in ourselves).

Beauty and Spice Vermouth

October 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 9

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

By Les Kincaid

As the Weather Cools the Wines Turn Mostly Red for the Fall Fall is an exciting season for wine lovers, who can celebrate their favorite beverage with new releases and a variety of wine festivals and tastings across the United States with major wine production.

Late August through October, or sometimes November, marks the normal U.S. grape harvest and crush season. In wine regions across the country, grapes are picked from their vines (day or night) by hand or machine and then pressed. The crush refers to putting newly picked grapes into a machine that de-stems the fruit berries and breaks the skins to release juice from the berry. Since all wine juice is clear they typically place the skins, stems and seeds back into the juice to get the color they want by soaking them together.

According to the Wine Institute of California, two-thirds of U.S. wine is produced in California. The California Department of Food and Agriculture reported that the state yielded 3.9 million tons of wine grape crops in 2011. Napa Valley and Sonoma County, located north of San Francisco, have earned a reputation for world-class wines. Reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Pinot Noir and whites such as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are among the most popular and recognized Napa Valley and Sonoma vintages. Washington State comes in second in wine volume and enjoys the fruits of Merlot and Syrah and Petite Syrah wines.

Pairing Wine with Autumn Foods Fall wines should complement most all hearty dishes and numerous festive events of the season. The perfect wine can be found for everything from Halloween treats to Thanksgiving, or even later in the year, Christmas dinner.

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

Zinfandel: A deep red wine with bold fruity and spicy flavors, Zinfandel goes well with roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, pastas with tomato-based sauces, lamb, venison, eggplant, prime rib and beef or veal stew.

American Gewürztraminer: Gewurz is the German word for “spicy.”

This full-bodied white wine can be very dry and crisp or quite sweet. Its floral and citrus flavors pair well with pumpkin pie, turkey with gravy and traditional trimmings, sweet potatoes and caramel apples. And, especially spicy dishes like Tai or other Asian foods.

Sparkling Wine: This bubbly (champagne or sparkling wine) beverage can be sipped nicely with salmon, fried foods (like French fries), spicy foods, white chocolate, spinach quiche and creamy white pasta dishes.

To try something different, try bubbly with popcorn or potato chips sprinkled well with Parmesan cheese.

Tawny Port: Known as a dessert wine, this golden colored vintage has a sweet nutty flavor that is a treat with dark chocolate, pecan pie, apple pie and most any cheesecake.

Pinot Noir: Depending on age, this lighter red wine can have hints of berries, plums and cherries or more earthy flavors of wild or brown mushrooms. Pairs well with pot roast, old fashioned meat loaf, Louisiana gumbo, squash and Brussels sprouts (sautéed or oven roasted are ideal partners for this wine).

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

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Wine Talk with Alice Swift

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

This month I attended two events in Las Vegas, one Bordeaux seminar hosted by UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration; the other, the Kobrand Tour d’Italia walkaround wine tasting held Sage at the Aria hotel. Both events had unique goals, but the same vision: to share the love for their regional wines with the audience. See what I experienced through the photos and write-ups of each event, and explore the websites provided for more information.

Presenting Bordeaux By Bordeaux L’Ecole du Vin Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux http://www.bordeaux.com Speaker: Wendy Narby (Her website: www.insidertasting.com) The main purpose of this tasting was to help educate wine consumers of all types, and to encourage the consumption and purchase of Bordeaux wines.

Fact or Fiction: Bordeaux wines are always expensive.

False! Bordeaux’s top wines represent only 5% of the wines, at 20% of the values. 95% of Bordeaux are affordable, relatively easy drinking wines.

Fun Facts • Phylloxera was a root-eating insect that devastated Europe’s vineyards in the 19th century, reducing surface area of the vines by ~80%, taking 60 years to recover. The solution? Grafting European vines onto phylloxera-resistant American roots.

• Red grapes dominate in Bordeaux (88% red, 12% white) • Merlot is the most widely planted grape varietal, at 64%, rather than Cabernet Sauvignon, which is 2nd with 23%.

• Bordeaux focuses on wine blending and capitalizes on that, because, according to Narby, “blending creates balance and diversity, character and personality.”

Wines Tasted: 1. Tour de Bonnet, Chateau Bonnet 2010 Bordeaux Blanc (Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscadelle) $13 a. Aged in stainless steel, on its lees. Very minerally, fresh, crisp fruit (not ripe).

Andrea Lurton made this wine and wine #2.

2. Chateau Couchery Pessac Leognan Blanc 2011 a. 100% Sauvignon Blanc, aged in oak for 9 months in oak on its lees. b. Light floral, citrus notes, very vanilla, slight tropical notes, persistent on the palate, lingering.

3. Chateau Roquevieille Cotes de Castillon, 2009 85% Merlot, 10% CS, 5% CS a. 2009 was a great vintage for Bordeax, very ripe vintage, with lots of sugar, tannin and color.

4. Chateau de Camarsac Bordeaux Superieur 2009 ($14) a. Dark ripe fruit aromas with lots of spice.

5. Chateau de Sales Pomerol, 2009 (89% merlot, 11% CF) a. This is the largest property of Pomerol, at 50 hectares, and is a grand chateau. b. Licorice flavors, very full-bodied. smooth, but with structure and length.

6. Chateau La Bastide Dauzac Margaux, 2009, $30 a. Cabernet Sauvignon 60%, darker fruit full-bodied, lots of dark earth, spices, oakiness.

7. Chateau Cantegril Sauternes Sweet, 2001, $30 a. 95% Semillon, 5% Sauvignon Blanc. b. Bright golden color, high acidity, orange, nutty, caramel notes. Marmalade, orange peel, orange candy, lobster, pairings.

These are a great lineup of wines with a great price points. As Narby mentioned, her goal was to present a series of wines that defy the stereotype that all Bordeaux wines are expensive.

12 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I October 2013

The wines today were all very good, and classic of Bordeaux wines, while being economically priced, and great alternatives to the more well-known classified Bordeaux wines. For more information, go to the various Bordeaux websites, apps, and social networks.

App: Smart Bordeaux website: www.bordeaux.com Facebook/Bordeauxwines Twitter: @ BordeauxWines Youtube.com/WineBordeaux flickr.com/photos/vinbordeaux vimeo.com/photos/bordeauxwine Kobrand Tour d’Italia Italian Portfolio Showcase, September 18, 2013 Sage Restaurant, Aria

The walkaround portfolio showcase and tasting was a wonderful experience. The highlight of this event (other than the tasting itself) was being able to meet the various winemakers, who were gracious enough to travel to Las Vegas to showcase their own wines. It was a great honor to be able to meet all the various winemakers, such as: Piero Incisa della Rocchetta of Tenuta San Guido, Tenuta di Salviano, Agricola Punica, and Bodegas Chacra; Raffaele Boscaini of Masi Agricola; Emilia Nardi of Tenute Silvio Nardi; Giovanna Moretti of Tenuta Sette Ponti and Feudo Maccari; and Alberto Chiarlo of Michele Chiarlo, just to name a few. Such great wines but so little time! Hopefully you have the opportunity to meet these talented winemakers or at the very least are able to try their wines.

For more information on Kobrand’s Italian Portfolio and other wines from around the world, go to http://www.kobrandwineandspirits.com Until next time, Cheers!

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

On the Edge with Al Mancini

Follow Al on Twitter @almancinivegas

Over the past few months, more and more fine dining chefs have opened casual restaurants, including Shawn McClain at Five50 Pizza, Michael Mina at Pub 1842 and Rick Moonen at Rx Boiler Room. This trend is nothing new. Ever since Hubert Keller opened Burger Bar eight years ago, high-end chefs across the country have been racing to create their own burger restaurants. (Mario Batali is currently preparing to bring one to The Venetian.) Julian Serrano has a tapas restaurant for those who aren’t up for the formality of Picasso. And Kerry Simon abandoned Prime Steakhouse’s white tablecloths years ago to put a gourmet spin on comfort food. Hell, the venerable Wolfgang Puck has been serving up pizzas since the 80s.

Nonetheless, every time a heavy hitter decides to tackle more approachable, affordable cuisine, some critics begin to bemoan the fall of fine dining and the dumbing-down of the

restaurant world. To that, I only have one thing to say: Bullshit!

I like fine dining as much as the next guy. I love to get dressed up for dinner, savor the ambience of a formal dining room and indulge with a tasting menu. But let’s face it—I don’t want to eat like that every time I go out, even if I could afford it. (I experience more of those meals than most people, and even when I’m not paying, they get exhausting after a while.) And when I want something casual, I still want the same quality ingredients and kitchen expertise I find at the best fine-dining restaurants. For the most part, you can count on the celebrity chefs to deliver, no matter how sophisticated or simple their restaurant concepts might be.

So why all the bitching from certain members of the food media? Could it be that some of them still miss the old days when world-class chefs only served the wealthy, cultured and

entitled? Are they upset that a new generation of chefs, critics and writers has broken down the gate to their private country club, so that everyone can get a taste of great food, regardless of their budget, wardrobe or level of culinary sophistication?

Of course it is. I saw their dirty looks decades ago in New York when I paraded my Mohawk and tattoos into the world-class restaurants they love so much. They hated that the chefs accepted me. And now those same chefs are coming to the masses, making good food not only approachable, but fun!

So rant on, you culinary 1%ers. Your world has been occupied by the masses. We’ve won the dining culture war, and no amount of bitching will turn back the hands of time. It simply exposes you as the dinosaurs that you are.

Power to the people!

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October 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 13

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

WHAT’S COOKING?

Professional, regional correspondent for Celebrator Beer News and covers the LV restaurant scene for Gayot.com. He welcomes

Photos courtesy Ajenda Public Relations & Chapter One

your inquiries.Email: bob@lvfnb.com

Executive Chef Jason Montelibano “Chicken Wing” prepares Scotch Egg

Elevated Pub Dining in Southern California Local Boy Makes Good— SoCal Fine Dining in Casual/ Historic Environs Palo Verde High graduate Jeff Hall left the bright lights of Las Vegas and headed out to Southern California, where he has struck gold as a thriving restaurateur. After successfully opening and operating Haven Gastropub in nearby Orange, in 2011 Hall and his partner Jeff Jensen renovated a 90-year-old building in downtown Santa Ana that at various times had been a herbal shop, bodega and book store, and transformed it into a cozy space reminiscent of a vintage library. When Chapter One: the modern local opened, the area was in dire need of redevelopment, but the success of their restaurant and other nearby businesses has breathed new life into the now bustling

downtown district. The Modern Local part of the name references the restaurant’s use of fresh organic local produce which is sourced daily from nearby farms and farmers markets, while Chapter One refers to it being the first of more restaurants to come that Hall and Jensen will open together.

Cordon Bleu graduate Executive Chef Jason Montelibano, who is more commonly known as “Chicken Wing,” landed his first executive chef position at Chapter One and has gone on to earn accolades for himself and the restaurant.

He recently won top honors in the Riviera Magazine To Live & Dine Chef Battle, beating out 22 other top chefs. Remarking on his work environment, Chef said, “I like the open kitchen, seeing people and getting a vibe. The owners are not complacent and are always looking for other challenges.” Chef’s menu is varied and creative, and presentation is masterful.

It includes: Beef Culotte—bacon-wrapped sirloin cap dredged in coffee beans and cocoa; Scotch Egg with sage-spiced ground turkey with a Chinese mustard mango sauce; Bourbon Scallop—jumbo scallop with bourbon maple caramel glaze and caramelized bacon spear; OC Basket—a vegan assortment of grilled

14 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I October 2013

sautéed veggies sourced from farmers markets; Tuna 2-Step—sesame-panko crusted ahi with spicy ginger citrus oyster soy sauce and peanut butter powder and tuna tartar with roasted corn, scallions, cilantro and ginger vinaigrette.

The craft beer list is a major draw here, with 17 taps and 150 bottles. Drafts come in 4.5 or 8 oz pours, allowing you to do more sampling, such as the Avery Brewing The Reverend, Drake’s Brewing Alpha Session and Logsdon Farmhouse Ales Seizoen Bretta that I enjoyed during my visit.

A daily happy hour from 3-7 offers $3 off draft beers, $5 house wine and half off appetizers.

Service industry nights are Sunday and Monday, with drink specials all night.

Building further on their success, in September Hall and Jensen opened C4 Deli: the Cure for the Common. Located across the street from Chapter One, the deli serves sandwiches and sushi and carries an assortment of meats and cheeses. Hall said, “We want it to be sociable, approachable and unique and make it easy to unravel the mystery of charcuterie and cheese.”

Like its sister restaurant, beer plays a major

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Photos courtesy Zachary Hothorn & Beachwood BBQ

What’s Cooking?

Chef Gabe Gordon

presence, with 16 taps and more than 200 craft beer bottles, which can be enjoyed at the deli or purchased to take home. Both eateries have already earned the loyalty of the neighborhood, making them both esteemed local hangouts.

Chapter One: the modern local 227 N Broadway Santa Ana, CA 92701 714-3522225 chapteronetml.com hours: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

C4 Deli: The Cure for the Common 200 N Broadway Santa Ana, CA 92701 714-2631555 c4deli.com open Mon 8 a.m.-5:00 p.m (Open for Special Events at Night). Tue-Wed 8 a.m.-12:00 a.m. Thu-Sat 8 a.m.-2:00 a.m. Sun 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

From Fine Dining to BBQBeachwood BBQ Stirring Up Flavors in Long Beach and Seal Beach

Mesa aged on Ecuadorian cacao nibs; Tart Simpson, a sour German Berliner Weisse; and Laurel IPA—a very citrusy grapefruit character compliments of Amarillo, Summit, Columbus, Centennial and Simcoe hops), an additional 24 guest brews feature other local brews and craft beer gems. A major beer event is the biannual Sourfest, a weeklong tribute to sour and barrel aged beer at which more than 100 kegs are tapped. Brewmaster/Co-owner Julian Shrago’s brews have already won awards at the prestigious and highly competitive GABF and the World Beer Cup competitions, and are now so popular that they can be found throughout Southern California.

As for the BBQ, a proprietary blend of apple, white oak and pecan woods are used to slow smoke the dry-rubbed meats. Choices include

lamb, baby back and beef short ribs, pulled pork, smoked chicken, salmon, albacore and in-house made sausages. A wild game menu, which changes regularly, includes exotic dishes such as wild boar meatloaf with blueberry gravy.

Every table comes equipped with four large containers of the house-made sauces—sweet, spicy, Dijon mustard and vinegar, all of which are quite savory and provide the opportunity to customize your entree. Must-have starters are the fried pickles, which are non-greasy and well designed so the batter doesn’t fall off; and chicken wings, which have a smoky and savory essence. Imaginative sides include grits enlivened with Maytag blue cheese and fried green tomatoes. Deals abound on a happy hour menu offered at both locations from 3 to 6 Tue.Fri. with appetizers and sandwiches ranging from $4 to $7 and late night 10 to midnight Thu.-Sat. has $1 off house beers and appetizers from $3.50-$6.

The Seal Beach location is at 131 ½ Main St. (562-493-4500) and open Tuesday-Sunday 11:30 to 9:30 (Bar open till 11ish) and the Long Beach location is at 210 E 3rd St (562436-4020) and open Tuesday-Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (Bar open till Midnightish). beachwoodbbq.com

Gabe Gordon had been working as a fine dining chef, and when he and his wife Lena were looking to open their own restaurant, they test marketed potential clientele, and found BBQ to be the cuisine most desired. As Gordon points out, “BBQ is the only indigenous cuisine in the US.” In 2006 the Gordons opened Beachwood BBQ in Seal Beach, a small eight table BBQ and rotating craft beer bar which became so successful that it doubled in size after its first year. Four years later more success led to another expansion, the opening of a second location on The Promenade in downtown Long Beach. After witnessing and being a part of an explosion of the Southern California beer scene, Gordon decided his new eatery would have a brewery to help meet the demand for fresh-brewed beer.

While 12 house beers are always on tap (such as the Mocha Machine—9.2% coffee stout with coffee from Portola Coffee Lab in Costa www.lvfnb.com

October 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 15

The American Heart & Stroke Association’s Flavors of the Heart

By Suzette Dacuag

Photos by Rose Powell-Carver

The American Heart & Stroke Association held its third annual heart-healthy culinary event, Flavors of the Heart on September 7 at the World Market Center. Nearly 500 attended the event paying homage to healthy dining from noted local chefs. Thanks to the support of our community, the American Heart & Stroke Association can continue its outreach programs to educate Southern Nevada residents about prevention measures for cardiovascular disease - the #1 cause of death among Americans. 2013 Heart Chef Anthony Vidal, from Hash House A Go Go, was joined by 20 chefs to support this important cause.

Presenting Sponsor SYSCO brought Chefs John Lindquist and Michelle West, who served sea scallops, a crowd pleaser. The People’s Choice award, voted by attendees, for the evening’s favorite dish, went to Chef Beni Velasquez from Bar + Bistro. The event also celebrated the recipe winners from Le Cordon Bleu’s Student Competition, which included Chef Phillip Dell from Sin City Chefs, who was also a recent winner on Chopped; Chefs Jeremy Jordan and Adam Pusateri from Cut + Taste; Chef Murray Young from The View Wine Bar; Chef Anthony Vidal from Hash House A Go Go; and Chefs John Lindquist and Michelle West from SYSCO. The fun-filled evening featured music, a silent auction and lots of good food and wine.

16 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I October 2013

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Brett’s BY

Restaurant Happenings

Chef, author and TV personality Giada De Laurentiis will open her first restaurant next year on the second floor with al fresco dining at the all-new luxury lifestyle resort Gansevoort Las Vegas currently under construction.

Tom Colicchio’s Heritage Steak, the newest restaurant from the James Beard Award-winning chef who also his Craftsteak at MGM Grand, has opened at The Mirage with open flame cooking.

FIZZ Las Vegas, a high-end two-story $3.2 million, 2,750-square-foot champagne lounge and bar, will open in November inside Caesars Palace.

Vince Neil opened Vince Neil’s Tatuado Restaurant & Cantina at the LVH and has taken over Rock & Rita’s bar at Circus Circus with plans to convert it into his brand Tatuado Bar B Q. Le Village Buffet at Paris is the first and only Las Vegas buffet accepting online reservations through OpenTable and allowing guests to be seated immediately upon arrival.

Sugar Factory is opening its first off-Strip location at Town Square this fall, a 7,000-squarefoot brasserie and retail venue.

Sambalatte an upscale Boca Park caffè and espresso lounge will open its second location off Highway 215 and Jones in December and a third outlet at the new MGM Resorts International entertainment project by New York-New York and Monte Carlo.

Dos Caminos has closed a second time. The Mexican eatery’s Summerlin location closed after operating a few months and the restaurant in The Palazzo was short-lived closing in 2011.

About Town News

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority completed $20 million in recent improvements to the 3.2 million-square-foot Las Vegas Convention Center. Some changes

include an expanded Starbucks and American Express’ first West Coast Business Lounge.

After more than $40 million in renovations, online clothing-footwear company Zappos is moving 1,500 employees into the former 40-yearold city hall building downtown.

The World Series of Poker has started real-money online poker in the United States exclusively at WSOP.com and South Point has a new mobile sports wagering application, Nevada Sports Books.

Honoring Nevada’s 150th birthday in 2014, Nevada Magazine is offering a special historical Nevada book and calendar starting this month.

As seen on ABC’s Shark Tank, SURFSET is a revolutionary workout on a stationary surfboard that moves as if it were on a wave.

The Vegas Valley Book Festival Oct. 30-Nov. 2 will feature more than 100 authors and events, visit www.vegasvalleybookfestival.org.

with six exclusive engagements throughout 2014.

Actor, comedian and Ultimate Fighting Championship commentator Joe Rogan will make his “Aces of Comedy” debut at The Mirage on Dec. 27.

Grammy-nominated J. Cole is bringing his “What Dreams May Come Tour,” featuring Wale, to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Oct. 25 making him the first hip-hop act performing at the venue.

Emmy-nominated choreographer Glenn Douglas Packard is partnering with 98 Degrees’ Jeff Timmons to produce a new eight-male revue, “Men of the Strip.” They are developing a reality TV show and planning a promotional tour and ultimate residency at a Strip property.

Matt Goss has new show dates through March 2014 at The Gossy Room at Caesars Palace and will be adding music to the show from his new album, “Life You Imagine.”

The Golden Nugget’s lineup for the 2013 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo includes: Gretchen Wilson Dec. 6-7; Dwight Yoakam Dec. 8-9; Willie Nelson & Family Dec. 10-11; and Merle Haggard Dec. 12-13.

The Who will get a video canopy Viva Vision light and sound show downtown titled “The Who – Miles Over Vegas.”

Entertainment Landscape

Britney Spears announced a two-year headlining residency at Planet Hollywood on ABC’s Good Morning America. “Britney: Piece of Me” will be presented in a fullyreconstructed theater.

Grammy Award-winning recording artist Bruno Mars will open a new performance venue and event space, The Chelsea, at The Cosmopolitan on Dec. 29 and 31 and follow up

18 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I October 2013

Actress-singer Pia Zadora has a residency at Piero’s Italian Cuisine performing with a quartet.

Grammy-award winning 95-year-old piano ace Joe Vento is performing nightly at The Barrymore’s grand entrance inside the Royal Resort.

Fleetwood Mac will end 2013 with an MGM Grand Garden Arena concert Monday, Dec. 30.

For New Year’s Eve, the Eastside Cannery has booked The Pointer Sisters and Hakkasan, the new five-level restaurant and nightlife mecca at MGM Grand, has announced Grammy superstar Calvin Harris as its headlining artist. www.lvfnb.com

Late Night Dining with Kim

By Kim Trevino

Heating up the late night dining scene with Balboa Pizza Company and Sedona

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

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

jalapeño cheese dip being one of my favorites.

Photos by Kim Trevino

Be sure to try their Buffalo Chicken Fingers, Maui Waui Fries, and the Southern Fried Gourmet Flavored Wings as well.

Everything at Balboa is affordable, making the restaurant a place everyone has to try at least once. Besides serving amazing food, be sure to try some of their signature cocktails as well, such as the Balboa Beach Punch or their Mai Tai. Balboa Pizza Company at The District at Green Valley Ranch Open 24 hours There is one restaurant at The District that holds a special spot in my heart. When I first moved to Las Vegas in 2007, Balboa Pizza Company was the first place I dined at, and ever since it has become a staple of life in the 24-hour city.

However, one attribute of Balboa Pizza Company that never crossed my mind was that it too was dedicated to the 24-hour scene, serving their full menu at all hours of the night.

Upon my arrival, the graveyard bartender, Stephanie Hardy, greeted me with kindness and one of Balboa’s signature drinks, the Balboarita.

Seated in a booth overlooking the crowd, who were filled with locals and visitors, the genuine ambiance was one of happiness.

Balboa has been open since 2005 and has since garnered a following that is dedicated to making Balboa a successful late night dining restaurant.

The majority of Balboa’s clientele are either regulars or people venturing from all over who are just stopping by to have a bite of their famous pizza.

With a full menu served 24 hours, it is easy to be selective from the eclectic range of dishes Balboa has to offer. From their individual, handmade thin crust pizza (try the Canadian Bacon and Sweet Pineapple, Pulled Pork or Philly Cheese Steak pizzas) to the several types of salads, buffalo wings, appetizers and sandwiches to choose from, Balboa has it all.

One of the most popular dishes to try are the Balboa Chips, which are made fresh and cooked in canola oil, and sprinkled with Romano cayenne cheese. These chips are divine and come with four types of dips to select from, the

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Balboa is the perfect stop for any type of rendezvous and should be on everyone’s list of places to try in Las Vegas.

Sedona at 9580 West Flamingo Rd. Open daily from 11-4 a.m.

When you first see Sedona, one might assume that it is your typical bar and lounge. However, that is definitely not the case with this bar and restaurant, which after you first walk in you will understand.

Decorated to be something that you would see on the Strip, Sedona is hip, trendy, beautiful and clean. Every day, the full dinner menu is served until 2 a.m. and features some of the most delectable entrees and dishes to choose from.

This fact surprised me, as I did not expect a bar and lounge to serve Tuna Ceviche, Steamed Mussels, Buffalo Burgers, Filet Mignon, Pork Loin, Duck Floutas or Lobster and Corn Risotto.

Speaking to the late night bartender, Lenny Lujan, my understanding of why Sedona is such a visited and well-loved place, sank in.

Shrimp, Sedona is different, and that is what makes the restaurant even more unique than others.

Sometimes you have to stand out on your own to make a difference and my belief is that Sedona does that with such gratitude for the patrons that make it all possible.

“I have been here for five years,” said Lujan. “I like the idea of a local bar and I know all the names and faces of the people who come in, and I remember them. This place has become my home.”

Sedona is truly a genuine customer-loving place and should be visited for any good time, or just because.

“This is the best food you will ever find at any bar and at such late hours as well,” said Lujan.

And he was right.

From soups and salads to appetizers and main courses such as Beef Short Rib and Smoked October 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 19

Major Food Event Brings Big-Time Attention to Downtown Las Vegas Photo By Emil Rajkowski

World Food Championships Nov. 7-9, 2013 • www.worldfoodchampionships.com

World Food Championships enters its second year with a TV show and 400 competitors a unique competition that features categories in barbeque, chili, hamburger, sandwich, pasta, bacon and dessert, all leading up to a Final Table throw down with culinary celebrities as judges.

Make no bones about it. Visit for just a brief moment with Mike McCloud, CEO of a foodcentric marketing firm called Trybe Targeting, and he’ll have you convinced that the world of “food sport” is a big deal. He should know. His company started the World Food Championships in Las Vegas last year and awarded more than $300,000 in cash to culinary champions from all over the world. Turns out the investment paid off. Because this year’s event, slated for Nov. 7-10 in Downtown Las Vegas, is being filmed by a major TV network for a six-episode series that will be aired in early 2014. Which all of a sudden makes his event a big deal for a city where world-class food is becoming a major calling card for tourism.

“This couldn’t happen at a better time for Las Vegas, especially Downtown,” McCloud told The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional in an exclusive interview. “With the revitalization occurring in that area, tourism on the rise, and the tide of food sport starting to take the nation by storm … our event is going to bring unparalleled prestige and national awareness to this city.”

He calls the WFC the “ultimate food fight,” for good reason. It draws more than 400 chefs, food competitors and recipe gurus to Las Vegas for

Not only are the contestants trying to earn major bragging rights, but they have the potential for big endorsements and a share of the event’s $300,000 prize purse. Plus, now they have a shot at real fame thanks to a national TV series being produced for A&E (or one of the A&E family of cable networks).

“This was a high-stakes game from day one,” he says, reflecting on the fact that last year’s event, which was held on the Strip, had no TV and only half of the sponsors necessary to break even.

“But I’m beginning to really like our odds.”

Turns out he’s not bluffing. In addition to the TV show, the Championships have drawn the attention and support of the largest food companies in the world. From Kraft and Tyson Foods to Sam’s Club, Kenmore and US Foods, the sponsor list is a who’s who of American food brands. But McCloud, a part-time resident of Las Vegas, points out that a myriad of local companies and sponsors have been critical to making the WFC possible as well.

“Caesars Entertainment and Southern Wine & Spirits embraced us in a big way last year. We won’t forget that,” he says, even though this year he was compelled to move the event downtown for numerous logistical reasons. “Today, we are fortunate to have even more local champions. In fact, our event wouldn’t be possible without the LVCVA, Downtown Projects, host casino hotels like the D and Golden Nugget, the Fremont Street Experience, Source One, and a variety of merchants in the Fremont East district. We are eager, not only to produce a world-class

Food Fight on Fremont Street:

A Winner-Taste All Event Grill-top flames will fire up as the Food Fight on Fremont Street is about to go down. That’s right. Come one and all to the tastiest heavyweight food fight everyone has been waiting for, and it’s all happening at the World Food Championships on Saturday, Nov. 9. Find your seat around the ring and watch as two world-class professional athletes battle for the big belt and title of the Food Fight champion.

In celebration of Las Vegas’ storied history of championship fights, the World Food Championships has created the Food Fight on Fremont Street featuring former NFL running back and Hall of Famer, Earl Campbell. He and one other all-pro competitor will enter the kitchen arena and take their best shot at culinary supremacy.

As evidenced by his Heisman Trophy win in 1977, and his induction to the NFL Hall of Fame in 1991, Earl Campbell proved to be an unmatched phenom in the world of sports. Since his retirement from football, he’s turned his focus to a new challenge: food, and his Earl Campbell Meat Products. Earl Campbell Meat Products is one of the fastest growing meat companies in America and sold over 10 million pounds of Texas smoked premium sausage in 2012 alone.

Photos courtesy www. worldfoodchampionships.com

Pre-season training and taste-testing is coming to a close and the bell is about to ring. Packing flavor punches and powerful bites, the Food Fight on Fremont Street is sure to make its mark on Downtown Las Vegas.

The event is free and open to the public on Saturday, Nov. 9 at the Fremont Street Experience, so make sure you’re in the house to see whose food is a culinary knock-out!

Fans wait to get a taste of chili during the People’s Choice portion of the World Open Chili Championship at the 2012 World Food Championships.

www.lvfnb.com

For more information, visit: http://worldfoodchampionships.com/food-fight

October 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 21

World Food Championships Nov. 7-9, 2013 • www.worldfoodchampionships.com

Sink your teeth Food Fight oninto the World Food Fremont Street: Championships

The World Food Championships is serving up the biggest and most diverse plates known to man. From BBQ to chili, sandwiches to dessert, pasta to burgers and on down to bacon, your Abuds Winner-Taste AllinEvent taste are sure to be dancing the presence Food Championships is ofThe suchWorld a tantalizing array of flavor profiles.

400 serving upwill the biggest diverse competitors by vyingand formost $300,000 in prize plates known to man. From BBQ to chili, money, but how does the attending public get a sandwiches to dessert, pasta to burgers bite thedown action? andofon to bacon, your taste buds are sure to be in the presence Certifieddancing BBQ Judge classof such a tantalizing array of flavor profiles. 400 The World Food Championships will inoffer competitors will by vying for $300,000 a prize Certified BBQ on Thursday, money, butJudging how doesclass the attending public get a bite the action?

Nov. 7. Over the of course of four hours, you’ll become well versed in what championshipCertified BBQ Judge Class style BBQ should taste (and even look) like.

The World Food Championships will Upon completion of the offer asuccessful Certified BBQ Judging class on class, attendees will receive a one-year membership Thursday, Nov. 7. Over the course of four tohours, the Kansas Barbeque Society (KCBS) you’ll City become well versed in what championship-style should tasteof BBQ and access to judgeBBQ at hundreds (and even look) competitions that like. takeUpon placesuccessful nationwide, all completion of the attendees will year long. Think ofclass, this class as the food gift receive a one-year membership to the that just keeps on giving.

Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) and access to judge at hundreds People’s Choice Chili of BBQ

competitions that take place nationwide, Onall Friday, Nov. 8 of and Nov. 9, year long.

Think thisSaturday, class as the attendees help determine food giftwill thatget justtokeeps on giving.whose chili is the best on the planet. For just five dollars, People’s Choice Chili people will be able to purchase five tasting On and Friday, Nov. token.

8 and Saturday, Nov. 9, cups a voting You’ll get to choose attendees will get to help determine whose from the on nearly 75 competitors whose chiliamong is the best the planet.

For just five you’d likepeople to taste, then vote to forpurchase your favorite! dollars, will be able Your decide wins the You’ll People’s five votes tastingwill cups and a who voting token. get to choose from among the nearly 75 Chili Choice competition in the World Open competitors whose you’d like to taste, Championship. then vote for your favorite! Your votes Ultimate will decide Bacon who wins Experience the People’s Choice competition in the few Worldsingle Open Chili There are very food items Championship. that can bring about a more Ultimatehead-spinning Bacon Experience effect than bacon. This year, World Therethe are very few Food single food items that Championships, with can bring a more partners Leabout Cordon Bleu head-spinning effect Food and The Las Vegas than bacon. This year, the and Beverage Professional,with partners i s World Food Championships, showcasing championship bacon Le Cordon Bleu and The Las Vegasrecipes Food at theand Ultimate Bacon Experience, presented by Beverage Professional, is showcasing championship at the Nov. 9.

Wright® Brand bacon Bacon,recipes on Saturday, Ultimate Bacon Experience, presented by Two ticketed sessions are available, from 1-3pm ® Bacon, on Saturday, Nov. Wright and 4-6pm,Brand and will include a complimentary 9. Two ticketed sessions are available, bacon us for from cocktail.

1-3pm andJoin 4-6pm, and an willafternoon include or evening of “swine-ing” dining Join on Fremont a complimentary baconand cocktail. us Street with hundreds your best bacon friends for an afternoon or of evening of “swineing” and knew diningyou on had.

Fremont Street with you never hundreds of your best bacon friends you never knew you had.

For more information and to purchase your tickets for either of these taste-treat-sensational events, visit: www.worldfoodchampionships.com/tickets.

event for this area, but also to shine a national spotlight on the incredible development that’s taking place in Downtown Las Vegas. For one weekend this year and six weeks on TV in the spring, this city will be the center of the culinary universe. I’m very happy and proud to be able to say that.”

Many other local culinary experts are happy about it too. Just to name a few, Le Cordon Bleu, ACF, UNLV, and CSN have all pledged major amounts of time, expertise, infrastructure and personal support to the World Food Championships. They, along with IADT, see it as a perfect integration for students and faculty to see celebrity chefs up close and personal, while also assisting them in numerous ways as the food demonstrations and challenges unfold.

If it seems like the WFC came out of nowhere, it almost did. In fact, McCloud and his partner, Larry Oliphant, chose to be low key last year just to make sure the event could be produced successfully in Las Vegas.

“We knew the first year wasn’t going to be a financial success. In fact, in poker terms, financially we simply had to hold’em instead of fold’em,” commented Oliphant, the VP of Strategic Partnerships for Trybe Targeting. “But nearly all start-up ventures begin slowly. In a short period of time, we feel like we’ve already established the Super Bowl of food, a franchise that can and will live on for many years to come.

That value certainly trumps all of our first-year scrapes, bruises and financial hurdles.”

Why Vegas? The promoters point to numerous reasons. The allure of a great destination because of entertainment, a growing reputation for incredible food locales with world-renowned chefs, and the potential for growing WFC into a city-wide event with tradeshow implications.

“Eventually, we see the WFC becoming a foodcentric SEMA for Vegas,” McCloud stated.

“We only have seven categories right now.

But we could have 20 one day, as well as an event that all food buyers and developers have to attend because of our innovation and ideation in the culinary space, not to mention dozens of culinary celebrities.”

Anthony Vidal, executive chef at Hash House a go-go, prepares his entry in the World Burger Championship at the 2012 World Food Championships.

22 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I October 2013

Las Vegas resident and chef Robert Butler poses with his World Food Championship trophy after winning at the Final Table.

Sound farfetched? Not really. Especially when you consider that the World Series of Poker took 29 years to attract 393 contestants. WFC will better that THIS year, before the TV show even hits the airwaves. In its inaugural year, it attracted almost 300 competitors, 20 food celebrities, and more than $14 million dollars worth of media impressions worldwide.

When asked what the WFC has to offer local consumers and foodies, McCloud points to the Food Fight on Fremont Street and a Bacon Fest as just a few of the unique integration points (see sidebar article on left). Interesting to note, all of the events are free or low-cost ticketed items, a nice change of pace in a city that has its fair share of high-priced culinary offerings.

“Even though this is a world-class event that attracts the best chefs and competitors in food sport, you’ll find that just about anyone can sink their teeth into our event,” said McCloud.

However you refer to it, the World Food Championships is going to be a delicious addition to Las Vegas and specifically the Downtown area. Who knows? Perhaps one day the sports books might start offering odds on who or what category of food will win. Last year it was a Sandwich entry by local Las Vegas chef Robert Butler, who pocketed $60,000 along the way. We were there to see it, and we have to admit, it was an incredible moment. This year, however, we’ve got our eyes set on one of the newcomer categories making a victory lap — Dessert. But then again, we could be letting our sweet tooth do too much of the talking!

To learn more about the 2013 WFC, what celebrities will be attending and what events are free to the public, visit www.worldfoodchampionships.com. www.lvfnb.com

An Evening of Cuisine, Wine, Books and Angels with Iconic Chef Charlie Palmer Las Vegas has no shortage of celebrity chefs, and perhaps one of the biggest names throughout the world is Chef Charlie Palmer. This renowned chef, restaurateur, author and television host has collected a plethora of awards ranging from a James Beard award to coveted Michelin Guide stars, just to name a few.

Recently we visited with this iconic Chef at his Michelin award-winning restaurant Aureole in the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas. Charlie has been a fixture in this culinary epicenter for many years. Always keeping things fresh, he was in town to launch his new cookbook, Camp Cooking, and to show off the new “wine angel” costumes that are shall we say, pretty delightful.

Arriving at Aureole we were escorted to a private dining area where we were met by none other than the legend himself and settled into what would become an evening of signature dishes prepared by Charlie and a selection of wines that caused us to do some serious research on indigenous varietals from Spain, France and Austria.

Charlie just for us. Our first course was a succulent Santa Barbara Spot Prawn Duo paired with Txomin Etaniz Txakoi, Hondarribi Zuri, Getariako Txakolina, Spain 2012. Our second course featured a lovely Seared Loup de Mer & Stuffed Calamari a’ la “Setoise” joined by a very nice Moulin de Gassac, Picpoul de Pinet, Languedoc, France 2011.

Chef Charlie Palmer has been Keeping the culinary hits coming, known for years for his Progressive Charlie Palmer delivered a perfectly American Cuisine built on big flavors prepared Roasted Moulard Duck and surprising combinations with an Breast with sautéed dandelion greens, infusion of classical French technique. bing cherries and muscat jus paired Today, a big “buzz word” is farm to with a Schloss Gobelsburger, Zweigelt, table cuisine. Chef Charlie Palmer Kamptal, Austria 2010 that was a explained that he was an early advocate perfect marriage of cuisine and wine. of farm over factory food. In 1988, he made a commitment to creating Three courses of gastronomic artistry dishes featuring regional American and Chef Charlie Palmer still had one ingredients at his three-star Aureole more treat for us, a beautiful Roasted Oregon Wagyu Beef Strip Loin Restaurant in New York City. with braised beef cheeks, barley and It was now time to enjoy some of this porcini mushrooms and a Chene Bleu renowned cuisine prepared by Chef Heloise, Syrah/Grenache/Viognier, Rhone Valley, France 2007. Pastry Chef Megan Bringas finished off our evening with a rich Roasted Fig and Goat Cheese Cake with chicory ice cream and a Toro Albala, Don PX Gran Reserva, Pedro Ximenez, MontillaMoriles, Spain 1985.

Charlie Palmer is always keeping things fresh and his wine angels are 24 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I October 2013

By Elaine & Scott Harris

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

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

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

Charlie Palmer’s new cookbook and new wine angel uniforms show this iconic Chef is not afraid of innovation or invention, which keeps him and his Charlie Palmer Group at the forefront of the culinary industry around the world.

Photos by Scott Harris

The evening was not just about great cuisine from Chef Charlie Palmer and his kitchen, but also about his new cookbook, Camp Cooking. This leather-bound book complete with a Remington stamp is all about cooking and eating outdoors with selections from the Remington Arms Art Collection, and is a must for any kitchen and lovers of the great outdoors.

no exception. The wine angels have been soaring for years overseeing the almost 10,000 bottles of wine stored in the iconic tower. The “angels” ascend and descend the climate-controlled, stainless-steel columns on mechanical hoists fetching wine for their guests.

They now have new uniforms that make them very hard to miss with new twopiece outfits outfitted with more than 100 LED bulbs. “We were often given feedback by our guests that they were hard to see in the tower, so we really wanted to make them shine; now they have a uniform that suits the excitement of their job,” stated Charlie Palmer.

The new uniforms are a creation of Las Vegas fashion designer Bunker Hill Bradley, who won a competition among local designers. The uniforms feature a progression of colors that symbolize the hues found in various wines and are made of recycled materials.

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HUMAN RESOURCES INSIGHTS

By Linda Westcott-Bernstein

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

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

Phone:

702-326-4040

Email: LindaBernstein@cox.net Booksite: ItAllComesDowntoWE.com

Sound Screening Practices for Great Employees The most essential hiring practice that employers can maintain is a sound screening process to ensure better hires and happier employees. Why would this be so important you might ask? Well, can you imagine starting a new job and thinking that you receive health benefits only to find out on your first day that your full-time position does not offer health insurance? You might be disappointed and maybe even angry? That’s what happened to a close friend of mine.

Did the person conducting the screening process do their job well? NO. It’s likely that they did not give the applicant all of the information that they needed to make an educated decision.

Another important reason for ensuring a sound screening process is to reduce turnover. The process of screening and hiring employees, especially repeatedly, is costly. It is estimated that the cost of recruiting a new hire is at least one-fourth of the employee’s annual salary. For a $30,000 a year employee ($14/hour), the cost can be as high as $7,500.

Seem like a lot of money? Let’s take a closer look at what I am talking about.

Let’s say you are a manager making $50,000 a year. That comes to a base hourly salary of $24 in a 40 hour work week.

Now, let’s say that you are hiring a Host/Hostess for your restaurant and bar. This needs to be a very specific kind of person with excellent guest service and other people skills. Lastly, you’ll need the help of at least an office clerk in Human Resources for some of the work, at say, $12 per hour.

Hours* Cost 1. Writing an ad, advertising, posting, checking resumes/applications.

40 $480 2. Cost of your ad - varies dependent upon newspaper, internet or career website.

- $260 3. HR’s time screening and evaluating candidates for you to see.

40 $480 4. Your time reviewing resumes, applications, & conferring with human resources. 80 $1920 5. Your time in actual interviews and for evaluating candidates.

80 $1920 6. Cost of checking references, background investigations and drug testing.* 80 $1600 7. Cost of training, directing and/or getting the employee up to speed.

60 $840

$7500

Those expenses are for just one employee! So often, we put little value of what it costs us to screen and hire the right person for our organization. As you can see, it is a fair amount of your time focused on a process that may be able to be reduced or eliminated if you implement a screening process that is thorough and productive.

In closing, I want to provide you with a few key ideas for ensuring a sound screening process. These steps can help you comply with the law, reduce turnover and expenses, and are as follows: • Maintain thorough, yet simple job descriptions, write your ads accordingly and use the job description when screening applicants.

• Use a list outlining key, desired employee attributes, such as outgoing personality, friendliness, track record of reliability, etc.

• Ask the same questions of all applicants - be sure to ask each candidate identical interview questions.+ • Share information about the company, job responsibilities and benefits with your applicants.

When you maintain a philosophy of communication and consistency in your hiring processes, you reinforce the value of great employees to your organization and earn a reputation as a professional workplace. * Hours are estimates only and may vary dependent upon availability of candidates, level of position, and cost of contractor services. + This is a key step that helps keep you and the company out of trouble due to the possibility of discriminatory or illegal questions.

HR

Question of the Month

Next month’s topic: Five Things a Manager Should Never Say to Employees Do you know what types of comments can get a manager into trouble? What are some of the outcomes of saying the wrong things to your employees? Share your comments on this topic or a situation.

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

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

26 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I October 2013

www.lvfnb.com

Three Square’s Roasting Las Vegas

Photos by Adam Rains & Juanita Aiello

Sweets Raku Grand Opening www.raku-grill.com

Photos by Adam Rains & Juanita Aiello

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October 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 27

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT More than just a marinade With Major’s exciting range of 9 marinades you will be astounded at just how versatile they are. Not only can they be used to marinate proteins and vegetables, they can be mixed into any of your salad dishes, transporting you to a whirlwind flavor journey taking you across the world from the Caribbean to Morocco.

It really is so simple; just measure the ingredients of your recipe, add them into a mixing bowl along with your chosen flavor of Major Mari Base, stir together and enjoy! The change in flavor profile will be outstanding and you will be amazed at the rich aromas coming from your salads.

Major has recently launched the Mari Base range into the Las Vegas market and they have been going down like a storm. Be one of the first to experiment with these delightful flavors and you’ll be the envy of your competitors.

Why not get in touch with us today and see for yourself? Call us for your free salad brochure recipe booklet and try them out in the comfort of your own kitchen ….We guarantee you won’t be disappointed!!

For more information on any of the Major product lines or for a demonstration, call Paris at 702-838-4698 today.

Las Vegas Spice Company Robert Ansara, President and Owner of Ricardo’s of Las Vegas, Recommends Las Vegas Spice Company Paymon (owner of Las Vegas Spice Company) has been a colleague and friend for many years. Over those years, he’s amazed me by his persistence, tenacity, and grace. His story is unique and he’s one of my favorite entrepreneurs.

So.....when he told me that he was going into the spice biz and wanted to know if we’d buy from him I said, “Hell, yes!” He’s a high quality person who provides excellent service. The spices are fresh, the prices are right, and he’s an independent guy. What more could a restaurateur ask for?

We’re currently using his spices exclusively. They go into our sauces, marinades, and all preparations including Duck Wings, Carne Asada, Carnitas Fajitas, Chile Colorado, and Lobster Flautas!

About Robert Ansara Born in Boston in 1953, the Ansara family relocated to Southern California in 1955. His restaurant career began at age 14 when he worked as a dishwasher/busboy in a coffee shop in South Pasadena. He worked his way through college in every restaurant position and attended the University of CaliforniaPomona studying architecture, landscape architecture, and horticulture.

In 1979, Ansara moved to Las Vegas and, as partner and general manager, opened Ricardo’s Mexican Restaurant in the Meadows Mall. Ricardo’s Renaissance at Tropicana and Eastern followed, operating from January 1982 until November 2001.

Fajitas opened in the Fashion Show Mall in 1986. Ricardo’s at Flamingo and Decatur originally opened as Santa Fe, a southwestern restaurant in 1987. It converted to Ricardo’s in 1990 and was sold in 2002. In November 1997, Ricardo’s opened its largest restaurant located at the MGM Grand along Studio Walk and operated successfully until its lease was bought out to make room for the new monorail in November 2003.

Currently, Ricardo’s is in its 34th year and

operates a full-service Mexican restaurant, gaming cantina, and catering company at the NW corner of Flamingo and Decatur, which was taken back and re-opened in 2004.

Bob is considered one of the founding members of the Nevada Restaurant Association, is Director Emeritus of the National Restaurant Association, Director Emeritus of the Nevada Restaurant Association, sat on the advisory board of Valley High School Tour and Travel, participates in an advisory board capacity with Le Cordon Bleu, is past president of the Las Vegas Executives Association and is a current member of the Board of Trustees for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce.

Awards and recognition: Restaurateur of the Year ~ Nevada Restaurant Association ~ Best Menu Award from the National Restaurant Association, Best Mexican restaurant ~ 21 times ~ RJ Best of Las Vegas Poll, Best margarita ~ RJ Readers Poll, Best Mexican food City Life, Best Mexican restaurant AOL Poll, Top 10 Independent Restaurants in Las Vegas ~ Best Salsa. Ricardo’s also broke the

28 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I October 2013

Robert L. Ansara President and Owner Ricardo’s Las Vegas

Guinness World Book record for the largest margarita – 7,827 gallons in 2010!

He and his wife Dalene have a son Eric, and a daughter Sara, along with a golden retriever and two cats. Besides being passionate about food and cooking, Ansara also enjoys the outdoors, reading, traveling, hiking, scuba diving, and 4WD off-road adventures.

www.lvfnb.com

By Crystal Marie

Lagasse’s Stadium in Las Vegas. So many great things on the menu that were still calling my name!

We were so thankful for the chance to sit down with Chef Scott over some outstanding food, getting to know him and the restaurant better.

Lagasse’s Stadium stays very busy with not only out-of-towners and devoted locals, but even some celebrities and famous athletes. This is definitely not your typical sports bar; there is something very special about this place and you just have to see it for yourself. I know I cannot wait to go back and enjoy some more items off the menu, including that Banana Cream Pie, and relax while watching some sports!!

Contact Lagasse’s Stadium for ‘gameday’ minimums, hours of operation and/or reservations.

Event coordinator- Patricia Ngo

30 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I October 2013

Photos by Juanita Aiello

As the host walked us into Lagasse’s Stadium, one of Emeril’s four restaurants in Las Vegas, I felt a sense of excitement in the air, as if I was somewhere very special and a VIP. The lovely blue and champagne interior makes for a cozy but classy ambiance in the restaurant.

Lagasse’s Stadium did a major renovation this past summer but didn’t let that stop them from continuing to cater to their customers as they renovated section by section.

Lagasse’s Stadium has two very spacious levels with three bar areas being the ultimate sports entertainment spot offering a fully equipped sports book area for placing bets called their ‘stadium seating,’ five luxury boxes, three sky boxes, and over 120 televisions throughout the restaurant, as well as plenty of dining tables!

Chef Scott Pajak (Lagasse’s Stadium’s executive chef) was very good to us as he not only showed us around the huge restaurant but sat with us as we sampled some excellent items off the menu.

Before sitting to enjoy some delicious food, we were able to check out the impressive luxury boxes, some even coming with outside seating.

These rooms are held for bigger parties and the sporty decor along with pool tables, and even arcade games make the luxury boxes very fun to be in.

We were seated in a fabulous little area with a corner couch, a table, and our own television that overlooked their stadium seating. The stadium seating not only has a ton of comfortable, almost bed-like seating, but tables as well for dining.

One highlight to Lagasse’s Stadium is there’s no smoking in the entire restaurant; being a nonsmoker myself I could appreciate that.

Chef Scott started us out with three great appetizers—a giant fluffy pretzel with just the perfect amount of salt on top aside a scrumptious Samuel Adam’s beer cheese sauce, a thick and creamy but classic spinach/artichoke dip with toasted pita bread for dipping, and a BBQ shrimp plate with a New Orleans twist to it. The menu is well written, simple, and to the point, but still leaves your mouth watering. The ‘New Orleans Creole Corner’ portion of the menu really caught my attention and I was excited as Chef Scott brought out our next dish from that menu section—the Shrimp Po-Boy, which was probably my favorite dish. The bread for the PoBoy was to die for and comes straight from New Orleans. The shrimp was so fresh tasting and covered in a mild Louisiana hot sauce with all the appropriate sandwich fixings. Our last dish was a fabulous Roasted Portobello Mushroom Sandwich served with a tasty garlic aioli on soft herb focaccia bread.

We were so impressed but so very full, we just did not have room for dessert. Even after being told by our server, Chasi and Chef Scott himself, that their Banana Cream Pie is the absolute best

www.lvfnb.com

By Victoria Pindrik Victoria Pindrik has a passion for the hospitality industry and is

Epicurean Corner

currently a senior at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, pursuing a degree in Hotel Administration. She holds the position of Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator for UNLV Epicurean Society.

A Delicious Start to a New Semester

Photos by Victoria Pindrik

hospitality students wander among the exhibits of 13 student clubs inquiring and learning more about each club and their programs The photo on the right shows Ada (seated wearing a dark outfit) and several members of the club hosting our booth. With the enticement of Lance and Adrien’s freshly baked cookies as a treat, our booth quickly became a popular attraction and we were able to add 100 new names to the membership roll.

Over the summer while most students were away on vacation, the board members of the Hotel College’s student Epicurean Society were busy planning for the fall semester’s schedule of events. Assisted by last year’s officers, President Lance Pearson and Vice President Adrien Composano, this year we welcome a new slate of officers that includes incoming President Ada Ma. At the board’s first meeting, most of the discussion was focused on how we would participate in a Welcome Back Mixer that the Hotel College organizes each fall semester.

At the mixer newly admitted and returning

After the mixer, we had no time to waste as plans were made to prepare for our first event of the semester the - Pizza Pizza! Teaming with the Core Group represented by their Sales Associate, Dodie Roberts, the on-campus event attracted over 80 students who dined on the freshly made pizzas that were generously donated by Herman Lazano, Regional Manager for Schwan’s Foods. Cheering soon erupted for 6 teams comprised of fellow students who were competing to determine which team could create the best pizza. After carefully choosing their toppings and crafting exotic designs, the pies were ready for baking. Anticipation grew when all the finished creations were presented for the judges (from the Core Group), to evaluate and sample. Finally, the judges awarded the grand prize to Team Five for its masterpiece. Then faculty and students devoured the remaining

creations. Everyone who attended agreed it was not only fun but the pizzas were unique and tasty. Our club wishes to extend a special thank you to the Core Group for making all of this possible.

After such a great start to a new semester our Epicurean Club decided to plan on offering two events each month; one will be on campus featuring foods prepared by the club members and the other will be a monthly dinner arranged at a local or Strip restaurant. We might not know all the eventual locations just quite yet, but one thing we do know is this promises to be a yummy semester.

INDUSTRY NIGHTS SUNDAYS: - XS > Wynn - The Bank > Bellagio - LAVO > Palazzo MONDAYS: - XS > Wynn - Marquee > Cosmo www.lvfnb.com

TUESDAYS: - 1Oak > Mirage - Hyde > Bellagio - Pure > Caesars Palace - LAVO > Palazzo WEDNESDAYS: - Chateau > Paris - Surrender > Encore - The Act > Palazzo

THURSDAYS: - Hakkasan > MGM - Tao > Venetian - Haze > Aria - Surrender > Encore - Tryst > Wynn

October 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 31

Halloween Spooks, Goofs and Eats!

By Shelley Stepanek

Photo courtesy Ri Ra Pub

Halloween in big Sin City? You bet. The city is ready to throw out some strange and mysterious happenings. With all of the nightlife, including the lounges, clubs and special costumed masquerade balls, Vegas is an interesting city at any time of the year. But Halloween can really stand out.

First there is the Fetish and Fantasy Ball at Hard Rock Casino on Oct 26, from 10 p.m. till 4 a.m.

On this one, the name says it all, the wildest and craziest costumes will be here. There is NO outfit that will be turned away at the door.

Starting at $77.00

at Circus Circus is transformed from Oct 3-31, adding two new haunted venues from famous horror films along with six scary stand-alone haunted houses. The Titanic transforms itself into the Haunted Titanic Tour from Oct 31 to Nov 2 at the Luxor, with many ghostly spirits on board. Tours run nightly every 30 minutes from 5-8 p.m., $32.00. Opportunity Village comes out with a monster parade and a giant pumpkin patch for those wishing to bring the “little” goblins out. $18.00 for adults.

Hungry? SHe by Morton’s will offer a Trickor-Treat Dessert Platter. Tacos & Tequila, right next to the Titanic, will celebrate Halloween with the Eye Candy cocktail, Ghost Pepper Salsa and Ghost Pepper Wings. There will be 2 for 1 specialty margaritas Nov. 1-2 in honor

Photo courtesy Bubba Gump

Photo courtesy Shark Reef

Mandalay Bay’s Shark Reef features Haunted Reef from Oct 25-27. Ghastly creatures, terrifying music and strange sounds will surprise you at every turn. The Fright Dome

Still not had enough? Why not go to Goretorium in Planet Hollywood Shops? If you can’t get scared there, you have nerves of steel. Directly across from the entrance is Rockin’ Taco, great margaritas and plenty of Mexican quick food.

Stop by next door at Twin Peaks, have a few of the barbeque wings and try out the rock climbing wall, or Bubba Gumps and try and get a seat on the patio. You are bound to see many “ghouls” walk by dressed in some kind of devilish costume, while you have some of the terrific drinks or tasty shrimp dishes they feature. Plan on having a “ghastly” time on Halloween.

Photo courtesy Haunted Vegas Tour

You might want to go on a Haunted Vegas Tour and see some of the really spooky places around Las Vegas. Constantly featured on the Discovery Channel, this is a 2 ½ hour tour highlighting some of the grisly deaths, unsolved murders and tragic celebrities who never left town. They are just resting in peace. Interesting note: one of the guides is also a professional mortician. Good to know, just in case you die of fright along the way. Or try an actual Ghost Hunt at Goodsprings, both from the same company. http://www.hauntedvegastours.com/

of the Mexican Holiday, Day of the Dead. Ri Ra Las Vegas, inside the Shoppes at Mandalay Place will host a Pink Halloween Party to raise funds for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer for the Cure from 9 p.m.-1:30 a.m. They will celebrate Halloween, so come dressed in your best “pink” duds.

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

32 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I October 2013

www.lvfnb.com

F&B @ G2E - Global Gaming Expo 2013

Photos by Juanita Aiello

A Visit to FĂš - in the Hard Rock www.hardrockhotel.com/las-vegas-restaurants/fu

Traditional yet New Perfect Soy Sauce Flavor without the Color!

A golden color white soy sauce No burnt dark soy sauce flavor No darkening color in cooking

Photos by Mike Fryer

Remarkable for sea foods, veggies, pasta,

www.lvfnb.com

fusion and natural foods

www.whitesoysaucefood.com October 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 33

By Michael Oshman

Green Products for Autumn 2013 The Green Restaurant Association just recently endorsed the first ever hot holding cabinet, which saves so much energy that it earns a restaurant over 11 GreenPoints™ towards becoming a Certified Green Restaurant®. This hot holding cabinet alone meets a restaurant’s energy requirements towards certification. Cambro’s Combo Cart Plus, series CMBPH and CMBPLH, is the first hot holding cabinet to be endorsed by the Green Restaurant Association.

Another great option to consider for the fall is a green linen company. Cleaning linens takes a tremendous amount of water, energy and chemicals. Using a green linen company is one great way to cut down on the environmental impact of your restaurant. The first linen company to meet the Green Restaurant Association’s endorsement standards is W.H Linen Rental. If you use linens and are a restaurant in the New York area, contact them to green your linens. You can earn 4 GreenPoints™ for making this change.

Bob Dylan said, “The answer my friend is blowing in the wind,” which well might be true for greening our restaurants’ energy. If you want your restaurant to be indirectly powered by wind and don’t have the capital or space to put up a windmill, then you can have your restaurant 100% powered by Wind Renewable Energy Credits and earn up to 20 GreenPoints™ towards becoming a Certified Green Restaurant®. You can find GRA-Endorsed Wind REC’s by contacting AEP Energy and ask for the Eco Advantage 100% Wind product.

And lastly, the days are getting shorter, which means we turn on our lights earlier in the evening, using more electricity to keep our businesses bright. This could be a good time to make the switch to LED lighting. There are two great options of LED products that meet the Green Restaurant Association’s endorsement standard. ERS and Philips both have LED lamps that will help you save quite a bit of energy and money cutting down on utilities and bulb purchasing.

It’s fall. If you want to see your environmental score rise… and your energy bills fall, then you have some great choices to make this season sustainable.

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

About the Green Restaurant Association 2013 marks the 23nd anniversary of the Green Restaurant Association’s (GRA) founding in 1990. The Green Restaurant Association is a national non-profit organization that provides the only official Certified Green Restaurants® mark in the country. For two decades, the GRA has pioneered the Green Restaurant® movement and has been the leading voice within the industry encouraging restaurants to listen to consumer demand and green their operations using transparent, science-based certification standards. With their turnkey certification system, the GRA has made it easy for thousands of restaurants to become more environmentally sustainable in a profitable manner.

The GRA is endorsed by scores of national environmental organizations such as NRDC and Environmental Defense, and esteemed trade organizations including the New York State Restaurant Association, Orange County Restaurant Association, and America Public Garden Association. The GRA is also an Energy Star partner. In 2010, Citysearch announced the GRA as their official Green Restaurant® listing partner. The GRA has been featured on CNN, NBC Nightly News, NPR, and in The New York Times, and The Washington Post.

For more information visit www.dinegreen.com.

GRA’s Four Constituents Restaurants and other Food Service Facilities: The GRA provides environmental assessments, consulting and a transparent certification program to help restaurants become more environmentally sustainable.

Does greening your restaurant sound hard, time consuming and costly? Well, rest assured, it doesn’t have to be any of those things!

The GRA was founded with the mission of creating an ecologically sustainable restaurant industry, and from day one, our goal has been to make the process as simple and effective as possible. Why do we strive to simplify things? Because we realize that restaurateurs have enough on their plates without worrying what kind of paper towel to order, or where they’ll get next months supply of eco-friendly dish soap. That’s our job.

With the world’s largest database

of environmental solutions for the restaurant industry, and almost twenty years of experience, the Green Restaurant Association is the expert in helping restaurants become more environmentally sustainable.

After two decades of working to improve the restaurant industry’s environmental impact, the GRA is noticing that the demand for verifiable environmental solutions has finally come to the forefront.

That demand will only increase.

Manufacturers:

Consumers:

The GRA provides an endorsement program for the best environmental products in the restaurant industry.

The GRA provides an online guide of Certified Green Restaurants®, listing all of the environmental accomplishments achieved by each restaurant.

With the fast growing numbers of people across the planet who are concerned with their environmental impact, an unprecedented amount of restaurants are attempting to become more environmentally responsible. These restaurants are increasingly requesting a diverse line of credible green products from their distributors. The sense of transparency and credibility of environmental claims that manufacturers are making are in high demand.

34 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I October 2013

Search for Certified Green Restaurants® near you at http://dinegreen.com/customers/

Distributors: The GRA works with distributors to help them carry the best environmental products, green their own operations and educate their sales staff as to the most important environmental issues of the day.

The GRA can help your company

verify the claims of your “green products” and work with you to identify additional legitimate green products to carry.

1. Carry the Greenest Products The GRA works with distributors to assess the points their current products would earn their clients.

GRA also makes recommendations of what the best products for each distributor.

2. Green your operations For those distributors ready to take green a step further, the GRA performs an environmental assessment of your operations from your lights to your office paper; your transportation to your water.

This is not only an opportunity to lower your own environmental impact, but once you have made internal improvements, it’s a way to communicate to your clients the level of seriousness you take these issues.

www.lvfnb.com

Green Restaurant Association

TM

Since 1990

Thinking of Going Green?

Take a strategic approach.

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

Back of the House Brawl at Tommy Rocker’s - Sept. 12

Photos by Adam Rains & Juanita Aiello

Chef Bobby Silva vs Chef Angelo Sosa

Back of the House Brawl at Tommy Rocker’s - Sept. 28

Photos by Adam Rains

Chef Fernando Sposato vs Chef Ronnie Rainwater

36 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I October 2013

www.lvfnb.com

Three Square’s DISH Las Vegas 2013

Photos by Juanita Aiello

ACF Chefs Las Vegas September Meeting Hosted by Main Street Station

Photos by Chef Joey Campos

www.lvfnb.com

October 2013 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 37

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

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

Check us out online!

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

Coming Soon

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PURVEYO RO F

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

S’ PRO NTE UFF” VISIO DEREAT ST

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retail store

AL

THE SPICE OUTLET LA

S

EVENTS

AD INDEX

OCTOBER

October 19 3rd Japanese Aki-Matsuri Festival www.lvakimatsuri.com

October 2-4 SNWA-Water Smart Expo www.watersmartinnovations.com

October 19 Dog-toberfest www.bigdogsbrews.com/festivals/dogtober

October 6 Grapes & Hops Festival www.springspreserve.org

October 20 5th Annual Cochon U.S. Tour www.amusecochon.com

October 6-9 IBIE-International Baking Institute Expo http://ibie2013.com

October 26-27 Life is Beautiful Festival www.lifeisbeautifulfestival.com

October 11 Bash at Red Rock-Las Vegas Business Academy information@lvbanv.org

NOVEMBER

October 12 7TH Annual Taste of Spirits Winetasting www.spirittherapies.org October 12 Wine Walk Lake Las Vegas www.winewalklv.com

October 19 15th Annual Signature Chefs Las Vegas www.signaturechefslv.com

702-638-2337 Aki Matsuri

page 17

www.lvakimatsuri.com Al Dentes’ Provisions

page 38

sales@aldentes.com 702-642-1100 Big Dog’s Brewing Company 702-368-3715

November 2 Boulder City Beer Festival bouldercitybeerfestival.com

www.bjsrestaurants.com

page 8

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

page 5

JCCNV www.jccnevada.com 702-428-0555

page 10

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

page 13

Major Products

page 29

www.majorproducts.com 702-838-4698

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse page 39 702-851-8050 Designated Drivers, Inc.

page 10

Las Vegas www.designateddriversinc.com 702-456-7433(RIDE)

November 26 ACF Chefs Las Vegas Meeting www.acfchefslasvegas.org

October 18 Rock n Brew Las Vegas www.brewunlv.com

www.acesandales.com

November 2 Brew Local! govillagesquare.com/f/Brew-Local.php

November 9 Brews Best Event brewsbestlv.com

October 17 SOS-Taste of The Nation www.TasteOfTheNation.org

page 8

www.bigdogsbrews.com

November 7-10 World Food Championships www.worldfoodchampionships.com

October 13 ACF Chefs for Kids Golf Tournament http://www.chefsforkids.org

Aces & Ales

Glacier Design Systems

page 11

www.glacier-design.com 877-617-2337

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

Green Restaurant Association page 35

Don’t See Your Event Listed Here?

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

617-737-3344

www.dinegreen.com

SmartBar www.smartbarproducts.com 877-777-2441

page 2

Southwest Gas page 25 www.swgasliving.com/efficiency/nv 800-654-2765 Taste of the Nation tasteofthenation.org

page 40

White Soy Sauce www.whitesoysaucefood.com

page 33

World Food Championships page 23 www.worldfoodchampionships.com

Let’s Get Together at BJ’s!

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

CENTENNIAL | 702-851-8050

|

SUMMERLIN | 702-853-2300

|

HENDERSON | 702-473-2980

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

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