SoCal Food & Beverage Professional - October 2018

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October 2018

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CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER MIKE FRYER WELCOME BACK TO THE SOCAL FOOD & BEVERAGE PROFESSIONAL OCTOBER 2018 ISSUE and the only industry-dedicated food & beverage publication for the Greater Southern California Region and beyond! I say beyond since our publication reaches food & beverage establishments and professionals throughout the US and internationally. We pride ourselves on covering not only Southern California but also the Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, Northern California and other West Coast locations.

Cover Our Cover Feature is dedicated to the passing of Robin Leach, our Media Associate,

our Mentor and our Friend. Robin was the true salesman and was always promoting the food & beverage and entertainment industries to the world, and we are touched that he took the time to spend with us and to mentor and direct us with our publication’s articles from cover to cover monthly as we grew our business. Don Chareunsy, Robin’s personal PR/Publicist for several years, has compiled this Cover Feature and we want to thank Don for his thoughtful coverage of our mutual good friend, Robin Leach.

8 The Blind Pig Kitchen & Bar was recently visited by our Editorial Director Bob Barnes,

8

who wrote: Situated in the suburban Orange County community of Rancho Santa Margarita, The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar might appear to have an unremarkable location in the Mercado Del Lago shopping mall. That is, until you arrive and discover the charming and serene view of the manmade lake, Lago Santa Margarita, which is highly visible from the restaurant’s expansive patio.

12 Our own Restaurant Editor Ben Brown wanted us to see what’s new and happening in SoCal and covers the following in his Foodie Business column: San Diego Spirits Festival Celebrates 10th Year Downtown, Cattle & Claw Extends Residency at Sofitel Los Angeles, Aero Club Sold to Waterfront Bar Owners, Hello Kitty Opens Pretty Pink Cafe and Cocktail Lounge in Irvine. Read on for all the details.

19 Chef’s Talk takes us to a Meatless Monday as explained by Chef Allen Asch, who takes

us to a new approach to eating healthier through a meatless day each week. The current purpose of meatless Mondays is rooted in two different thought processes: to make for a healthier diet and to make the planet healthier, with a goal to reduce meat consumption by 15%. Please read more with Chef Allen and make your own decision.

CHEERS! Mike Fryer-Sr. Editor/Publisher

17 www.socalfnbpro.com

Page 4 Hot off the Grill!

Page12 Foodie Biz

Page 5 The Bottom Line Give Your Restaurant a Facelift with These Tricks

Page 14 COVER FEATURE Robin Leach (1941-2018)

Page 6 What’s Brewing

Page 16 Product Review

Page 8 The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar Gastronomic Delights with a View

Page 17 Twinkle Toast “Grab-N-Go” Wine Pairings

Page 10 The Restaurant Expert Many restaurants fail because they simply failed to plan.

Page 19 Front & Back of the House Embracing PR One Targeted Campaign at a Time

Page11 Human Resources Insights Reward and Recognition: Focus is on Contributions and Engagement!

Page 20 Beachwood Blendery and The Culinary Underground Join Forces for Finesse & Funk Summer Beer Dinner

Page 22 Chef Talk Meatless Monday Page 23 Spirits Confidential with Max Solano In Search of Liquid Gold Page 24 Brett’s Vegas View Page 25 Wine Talk with Alice Swift Corks: The What, Why, When and Who

Page 26 Events Ad Index ACF Chefs of SoCal

October 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 3

The Socal Food & Beverage Professional 7442 Grizzly Giant Street Las Vegas, NV 89139

www.socalfnbpro.com

HOT OFF THE GRILL!

Mike Fryer

Sr. Editor/Publisher Thank you for joining us in this issue of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.

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

Juanita Fryer

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

Juanita Aiello

Creative Director juanita@socalfnbpro.com

Bob Barnes

Editorial Director bob@socalfnbpro.com

Restaurant Editor ben@socalfnbpro.com

The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional recently attended the Celebration of Life for Robin Leach hosted by The Venetian-Palazzo Resort and attended by hundreds of Robin’s friends, family and wellwishers. Shown here honoring Robin before the event are The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional staff—Editorial Director Bob Barnes, Creative Director Juanita Aiello and Senior Editor/Publisher Mike Fryer—joined

by Don Chareunsy, Robin’s PR/Publicist for years and the writer of our October issue cover feature on Robin Leach.

Adam Rains

Restaurant Editor Ben Brown enjoyed the 10th annual San Diego Spirits Festival on the waterfront downtown. Find out more about the libations, samba dancers and snake charmer that came with this event in his Foodie Biz column.

Ben Brown

Beverage Editor adam.rains@socalfnbpro.com

Advertising sales@socalfnbpro.com

Article Submissions/Suggestions articles@socalfnbpro.com

Calendar Submissions calendar@socalfnbpro.com

Website webmaster@socalfnbpro.com

Press Relase Submissions news@socalfnbpro.com

General Information info@socalfnbpro.com

@socalfnbpro

The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Legal Editorial Advisor Andrew Matney

Journalist What’s Brewing David Mulvihill

Accounting Manager Michelle San Juan

Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett Journalist

Best of the Best Shelley Stepanek

Journalist Spirits Confidential Max Solano

Journalist Good for Spooning LeAnne Notabartolo

Journalist Front & Back of the House Gael Hees

Photographer Audrey Dempsey

Journalist Chef Talk Allen Asch

Journalist Pat Evans

Journalist The Restaurant Expert David Scott Peters

Journalist Wine Talk Alice Swift

Journalist Sandy Korem

Journalists Twinkle Toast Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover

Journalist Lisa Matney

Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein

Journalist Made from Scratch John Rockwell

4 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I October 2018

www.socalfnbpro.com

The Bottom Line Give Your Restaurant a Facelift with These Tricks

By Ben Brown Benjamin Brown, MBA is Restaurant Editor of The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional. A seasoned

writer and consultant, Ben works with Fortune 500

companies and mom & pop shops alike in Marketing, Analytics, Consumer Insights, PR and Business

Development. Contact Ben at Ben@lvfnb.com or follow him @Foodie_Biz.

Atmosphere is without a doubt one of your restaurant’s biggest selling points. Just as you’d modernize your menu to meet your guests’ evolving taste, updating your restaurant’s overall look and feel is vital to long-term success. A beautiful restaurant will make the food even better, while a dated ambiance can detract from even the best culinary creations.

Changing your restaurant’s atmosphere can appear daunting on the surface, but rarely will you need to knock down walls or undergo the overhauls found on Restaurant Impossible. Oftentimes it’s the little things that will make a big difference. Yes, they will require some money and perhaps a bit of elbow grease up front, but should pay dividends down the road.

Lighting

Lighting sets the mood, and can be one of the quickest simplest ways to change the feel of your dining room. Changing recessed bulbs to those of a different temperature can make your restaurant feel more intimate or exciting, depending on the look you’re going for.

Try adjusting the lighting in your own home first, or in your restaurant during off-hours, and have staff, friends and family verify if they like the difference.

If you have chandeliers or other light fixtures that aren’t as easy to change out, then best to consider other tactics before committing to a lighting overhaul.

Color

Your color scheme works hand-in-hand with lighting to create the atmosphere you’re going for. White walls are often being subbed out for darker colors, exposed wood and other earthy undertones, but you should stay true to the mood you’re looking to convey.

This change can involve a simple paint job. Get some swatches and gather feedback from peers before moving forward, and then test in one room [if you have multiple sections in your restaurant] before changing color across the board.

Tables and table settings

New tables and settings can go a long way to convey new-age elegance, as well as maximize your floor space. Tables will likely be a larger expenditure, so be sure to have your other elements in order prior to making this change. Modern-looking tables would look pretty out of place against old-school walls.

Silverware, plates, bowls and glasses should be consistent with the look you seek to establish. Fancy, heavy silverware may fit well in a nice gastropub, but not necessarily in a family-oriented pizza joint.

Don’t forget about the host booth in this mix. The host booth is one of the first impressions guests will have of your restaurant, so it should match the theme of your dining room.

Server uniforms

Your service staff are walking ambassadors of your restaurant’s atmosphere, and should dress the part. If your menu is all that is hip and trendy, then the rustic look that’s swept through venues across the country may be a great fit. If you’re a high-volume Asian looking to make a loud impression, perhaps a bolder look is in order. Flat colors and ultra-thin pinstripes are trending, but in any case uniforms should complement the other elements in the room.

An intricate balance between standing out and blending in exists, whereby guests will be able to easily distinguish staff from fellow guests but at the same time feel comfortable approaching a staff member as if they were a friend.

Music

In addition to the visual components, altering the sound of your restaurant can dramatically change the attitude of your dining room. There’s no shortage of spots that blare club beats at a near-deafening level to increase their ‘hip’ factor. Conversely, soft tunes can make a spot feel more romantic, and adjust guest conversation volume levels accordingly.

Music is by no means required to lift a restaurant’s mood, and can certainly detract from the experience, so closely monitor any changes you make in this area.

If you pride your restaurant as a ‘blast from the past,’ then by all means keep it that way.

There will always be a niche for shiny red booths, tuxedo clad servers and framed photos all over the walls. Just be sure to see eye-to-eye with your guests in terms of how they perceive your restaurant. If they want you to change, it’s important to listen to them. www.socalfnbpro.com

October 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 5

BREWING

Artifex Brewing Company’s Nick Cordato and Johnny Johur celebrate with friends at their 4th Anniversary celebration.

Anniversaries + Outstanding Breweries Given the plethora of breweries that now populate Southern California, most months mark one or more anniversaries for resident craft breweries.

August brought with it celebrations by three OC breweries.

Artifex

On Saturday, August 11th San Clemente’s Artifex Brewing Company held its Drop the Ball Anniversary Party. Having “dropped the ball” for the past couple of years without formal celebration, this party commemorated its 2nd, 3rd and 4th years of brewing. Expanding from the confines of the tasting room, adjacent spaces allowed for attendees to spread out to the exterior grounds and beyond for two additional pouring stations, food, and live music.

Special Anniversary cans released that day included Drop the Ball, a 9% ABV NE-style double IPA double dry-hopped with Eukanot, Citra and

Artifex public service announcement from above.

6 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I October 2018

Mosaic hops. San Clemente IPA, an unfiltered 7.5% IPA double dryhopped with Simcoe, Mosaic and Nelson hops was also released. And, fitting for the warm summer day was “The Most Interesting Can in the World,” the team’s latest Mexican-style amber lager that was brewed in collaboration with Oceanside, California’s Horus Aged Ales.

The day’s draft selection included many of the Artifex beers we know and love, including No Name, Trigger Finger and Bye Felicia IPAs, Artifexican Mexican Lager and Unicorn Juice. Special casks and brite tank pours were also to be had.

The team at Artifex has accomplished a great deal in its first few years, including back-to-back World Beer Cup awards for HoliDAVE Imperial stout and a Great American Beer Festival medal for Artifexican. Congrats to Tom & Nick Cordato, Johnny Johur, Chris Gort and Team Artifex on 4 years and many more beers to come.

Chapman Crafted

That same day, Downtown Orange was home to Chapman Crafted’s Old Town Block Party: Year Two. Added tents out front (equipped with misters) provided additional airy space for this family-friendly event. In addition to over 30 beers on tap (including special kegs and cask beers), Chapman also held an Anniversary can release. Old Towne Block Party: Year Two, a hazy double IPA with peach was released in 4-packs. The beer was also available on draft.

Soft serve beer floats were offered at the Variant Bar, where attendees could make any beer into a float by adding ice cream and house-made toppings. The Variant Bar dispensed variations of some of Chapman’s other offerings, such as Spa Day Pilsner (Pilsner with cucumber & lime), Arnold Pilsner (with lemonade and tea), PB&J Fest (Marzen with raspberry and almond) and Cocoa Circus (Brown Porter with cacao nibs).

In addition to the Anniversary double IPA, at least six distinctions of IPA included a super hopped version of the Anniversary, Fruits Like These and Hops Like These triple IPAs, Citrus Beauty, Timeless Beauty and Rock n Roll Lifestyle IPAs. www.socalfnbpro.com

Photos by David Mulvihill

what’s

By David Mulvihill David Mulvihill strives to experience and write about the ever-evolving face of SoCal craft beer. He also covers Orange County for Celebrator Beer News and provides business and compliance support to SoCal breweries. Contact him at david@socalcraftbeer.com.

(from l-r) Bob Kluver (Main Street Brewing), Jonathan Chiusano (TAPS), Ian McCall (Riip), Andy Black (Yorkshire Square), Jerrod Larsen (Tustin Brewing), Evan Price (Green Cheek).

Nitro-dispensed beers included an English-style mild ale, and Slow Riser red ale with coffee.

Dark beers included a brown porter with almonds and hazelnut, dry stout and a brownie stout finished with cocoa nibs, vanilla bean, coffee and lactose.

Funky and pucker-tended folk could enjoy a Berliner Weiss-style beer with raspberry and two versions of last year’s Old Towne Funk: Volume 1, the former Anniversary brett-beer aged for 1 3/4 years, and a second version wine-barrel-aged. Owners Wil Dee and Randy Nelson, along with the masterful brewing talents of Brian Thorson and team, continue to grow Chapman Crafted as a staple of the neighborhood and the destination for great beer. Some months back Chanpman welcomed Jonas Nemura as its new Director of Operations. Jonas spent over 9 years at The Bruery, having started during its earliest days. He is looking forward to this new chapter, working and growing with Chapman Crafted.

Tustin Brewing Co

That following weekend, Tustin Brewing Company celebrated its 22nd anniversary with its annual charity invitational beer fest. Raising funds for the John Wayne Cancer Institute, this intimate gathering of close friends, patrons, industry brewers and owners is always an enjoyable party. In addition to reveling in the remarkable beers available from TBC and guest brewers, it’s always a great opportunity to catch up with the brewing community. To commemorate the event, TBC award-winning (World Beer Cup and GABF) brewer Jerrod Larsen brewed TBC’s 22nd Anniversary double IPA. Even with its higher end 8.8% ABV, this balanced citrusforward taste treat drank deceivingly light, dry and refreshing.

Note: Next month’s column will include a full recap of Southern California medal winners at the recent Great American Beer Festival, which took place in late September. Eleven breweries that received medals were in attendance and pouring at TBC’s Anniversary Party.

Gunwhale Ales was serving Bang Straw Table Beer brewed in the farmhouse ale style. Hops, hay and bread flavors combine for a light but satisfying quenching. Its Cattleboat Hazy Pale Ale provided refreshing essences of fruits and spice at an approachable 5.4%. Gunwhale’s GABF bronze came for Hayshaker Classic Saison.

Green Cheek came with fun cheeky names, like West Coast IPA is Dead! and Bier, a German-style Helles lager. The IPA scored bronze at September’s GABF, as did Fools & Babies, an English-style dark mild.

Beachwood Brewery and its Blendery were represented at TBC with Citraholic IPA and Frambiek, a Belgian-style sour with Raspberries & Cherries (a collaboration with Pomona’s Homage Brewing). Beachwood’s Udder Love received silver while The Blendery’s Funk Yeah was awarded gold in the Belgian-style lambic category.

Barley Forge was serving Taco Hop Cream Ale dry-hopped with Mosaic & Huell Melon hops and pulled thru a Randall loaded with Mosaic. Travis Bickel sour ale with blood orange was also served. Barley Forge Grandpa Tractor bested the Dortmunder/Oktoberfest category at GABF. Torrance’s Smog City Brewing was dispensing its South Bay Lager along with Infinite Wishes bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout released once a www.socalfnbpro.com

year. Smog City’s Kumquat Saison was awarded bronze in the Belgianstyle fruit beer category.

The team at TAPS Fish House and Brewery brought two pilsners: Das Booze, a 5.5% ABV German Pilsner and West Coast Pils. TAPS received GABF silver for its TAPS Irish Red. Stereo Brewing tapped what soon would earn GABF Silver. Robot Imperial Red was served along with Kraftwerk Kolsch. Stereo’s second medal, bronze, was for Wall of Sound oatmeal stout, which was awarded gold at last year’s GABF awards.

Riip Beer Co and its newest head brewer Ian McCall (veteran Beachwood Brewery brewer) were awarded GABF silver for Black the Ripper, a black IPA. Parts Unknown Sweet Stout with Pandan Coconut and Vanilla was flowing along with Super Cali IPA during the TBC fest.

Noble Ale Works was also onsite. Nobility double IPA, which earned World Beer Cup gold last May, also scored gold at the GABF. Noble was pouring its Window Crisis 2018 IPA and Gosebusters (Gose with Magnolia Oolong tea).

Unsung Brewing Co dispensed Lumino Mexican Lager along with Horsehead Double IPA. Lumino was awarded a bronze medal at September’s GABF awards.

October 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 7

By Bob Barnes

The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar

He welcomes your inquiries.

Email: bob@lvfnb.com

photos courtesy The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar

Gastronomic Delights with a View

Bob Barnes is editorial director of The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional, regional correspondent for Celebrator Beer News and covers the LV restaurant scene for Gayot.com.

Situated in the suburban Orange County community of Rancho Santa Margarita, The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar might appear to have an unremarkable location in the Mercado Del Lago shopping mall. That is, until you arrive and discover the charming and serene view of the manmade lake, Lago Santa Margarita, which is highly visible from the restaurant’s expansive patio. But if you choose to sit inside, the atmosphere is both cozy and fun, with an old time theme evident via red brick walls, hardwood floor, hanging Edison lights, 1930s era black and white photos and the restaurant’s name: during Prohibition “blind pig” was at times a common code name for a speakeasy.

The Blind Pig is described as a craft bar meshed with a true-to-form fresh prep kitchen using quality ingredients that have never been frozen. Under the direction of 27-year-old Executive Chef Karl Pfleider, this young chef is gifted with quite a bit of talent and clearly has a bright future. Chef was born and raised in Orange County and learned his trade on the job and as he says, “was informally trained in French cuisine by mentors who were formally trained.” He gives a nod to Aron Habiger and Linh Nguyen as his first mentors, whom he worked with at The Crosby (now closed) in Downtown Santa Ana, and also Ryan Adams and Josh Han, with whom he worked alongside at Three Seventy Common in Laguna. Han brought him on as Sous Chef when The Blind Pig opened in 2013; after Han left a year later, Chef Pfleider was promoted to Executive Chef.

Chef Pfleider grew up in a mixed food culture— Mexican and Pilipino—and describes his cooking as “what I know” with “Asian flavors with Latin and French influences as Asian spices meet French culinary technique” and 8 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I October 2018

www.socalfnbpro.com

emphasizes that “textures are really important to balance everything out.” Case in point is the Mushroom Saltado, a beautiful dish with a mélange of colors and flavors, a Peruvian stir fry composed of a medley of four different wild mushrooms mixed with puffed rice, pickled mustard seeds, poached egg and chili oil; and Pan Seared Ling Cod (a mild white fish) served with sunburst squash, cucumber peanut sauce, chili threads and finely cut peanuts and haricot vert to add crunch to the texture. The menu selection is kept to just under 20 choices, allowing Chef to execute dishes perfectly.

The Blind Pig’s eclectic menu changes with the seasons, but a mainstay is one of its most popular dishes, the Wild Boar Meatballs—with Japanese curry, baby arugula and a roux flavored with chicken stock and apple— so good I will return time and again just to relive the incredible flavors.

While most of the dishes are non-traditional creative renditions with uncommon ingredients, the Pappardelle is a traditional bolognaise with parmigiana reggiano that Chef describes as “an honest bowl of pasta.”

For dessert, a must-have is the Budino with crushed walnut, chocolate, espresso and fresh whipped cream flavored with fernut liqueur.

The beer, wine, cocktail and spirits list is curated by General Manager Ryan Autry (yes, he is related to the famous singing cowboy screen actor), who grew up in nearby Mission Viejo and has worked in the restaurant industry since he was 15, and has been managing The Blind Pig for the past 2.5 years. Ryan describes himself as a serious student of the craft who is passionate about and loves what he does. Shortly after taking his managerial position he was given the green light to expand the whiskey selection and has procured a list of big, bold unsung heroes and specialty, rare small batch choices, at approachable prices. The impressive list now brings in customers who come explicitly for the spirits; the bar is filling a niche as there are no other whiskey bars within 25 miles.

Craft cocktails are all made in-house with seasonal, fresh ingredients, like the @autrygram’s Sloppy Special with cachaça, cognac, tawny port, orange curacao, pineapple, lime, grenadine and angostura. For the beer list Ryan carries mostly OC brewery beers and the selection is fluid, meaning as soon as one keg blows a new beer is put on. Also in the mix are wine dinners and cocktail dinners with beer dinners a possibility in the future.

General Manager Ryan Autry

Nearly every night enticements are offered to bring you in the door, with daily (except for Monday when the restaurant is closed) happy hour from 3-6 offering $5 select wine, $6 well, $9 mules and specialty cocktails and snacks from $3.50-$7 such as edamame and beef tartare; Tiki Tuesdays with several options of tiki cocktails for $8; Wine/Whiskey Wednesdays with ½ off glasses of wine and select bottles and $8 Old Fashioned cocktails; Kill the Keg Thursdays with $5 drafts; and Sunday Lunch Brunch with $6 bloody Mary’s and $12 bottomless mimosas.

After five years, the critically-acclaimed The Blind Pig has proven to be a big hit with its customer base, so much so that a new location is in the works. Opening soon in Yorba Linda (about 30 miles to the north) in the Yorba Linda Town Center, the second location will offer expanded hours (open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner) and menu offerings, including an emphasis on dry-aged steaks and other cuts of meat and an intimate four-seat chef’s table for advanced bookings where Chef Pfleider can experiment with customized tasting menus.

But you don’t have to only take my word that The Blind Pig is a dining destination. In addition to being recognized as one of the top craft cocktail bars in South County, the restaurant has earned numerous accolades, like a coveted spot on Brad Johnson’s list of the Top 75 Dishes for the Orange County Register, and the restaurant has been called a “destination for diners from coastal communities like Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Huntington Beach” by the Los Angeles Times, among others. You owe it to yourself to experience the excellence for yourself.

The Blind Pig is open Tue. 3 p.m.-11 p.m., Wed. & Thur. 3 p.m.-midnight, Fri. 3 p.m.-1 a.m., Sat. 11 a.m.-1 a.m., and Sun. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Chef Karl Pfleider

www.socalfnbpro.com

The Blind Pig Kitchen + Bar 31431 Santa Margarita Pkwy Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 949-888-0075 TheBlindPigOC.com October 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 9

The RESTAURANT EXPERT Many restaurants fail because they simply failed to plan.

Many restaurants fail because they simply failed to plan.

How do you avoid failure—small or epic? It’s simple really. You plan for success. You put yourself and your restaurant in a prepared state that can handle anything that is thrown at it.

Planning for success requires the implementation and consistent execution of a list of very specific systems and more importantly, someone inspecting that the systems are followed on a daily basis.

Here are the top six systems you can’t survive without.

Sales Forecasts–Predicting sales is critical to any restaurant. If you don’t document what you think you are going to do in sales for each day of the week, you run the risk of buying too much or not enough product. You run the risk of bringing in too many or too few employees. Each scenario results in lost opportunity and profits because you probably wasted products, 86’d items, lost money at the time clock or provided your guests a terrible experience at every turn, virtually destroying your business as they go off and tell everyone they know and on the Internet, through Twitter, Facebook, Yelp and more, how you suck!

Budget–A budget is critical to the successful implementation of systems, because it gives you cost of goods sold and labor targets. Without targets, you simply cannot make the right decisions and cannot measure your success, because you don’t even know what success looks like. (Check out our free restaurant budget report for a step-by-step guide in creating an effective budget for your restaurant.)

Purchase Allotment System–The purchase allotment system is based on sales forecasts for the entire month, your actual sales for the entire month as they happen, as well as your food or beverage purchases as they are delivered each day. This system ensures that management knows how much money they have to spend to not only make sure you have enough product, but to do it within budget, making it easier to keep your cash in the bank and not on the shelves being risked to waste, spoilage or theft. Most of my most successful members pin their restaurant’s turnaround to this system.

Labor Allotment System–Labor allotment is a system that’s based on sales forecasts for the next week and the actual hours worked and sales for last week. With it you can easily alter your schedules to meet budget by letting each manager know how many hours and dollars they have for next week’s schedule so they can adjust them appropriately. For most restaurants, this is 10 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I October 2018

By David Scott Peters David Scott Peters is a restaurant consultant, coach, speaker and founder of TheRestaurantExpert.com, a company committed to the success of independent restaurants. Peters is a restaurant industry-recognized blogger and his writing is regularly published in restaurant industry publications, such as Restaurant Hospitality, Catersource, and QSR Magazine.

Learn more at www.TheRestaurantExpert.com.

the first step in making sure you don’t schedule too many or too few hours to insure the guest has a great experience and you don’t lose money at the time clock.

Order Par Levels–The days of your chef or kitchen manager ripping off a cardboard box lid and heading into the walk-in cooler with a grease pencil just staring up at the shelves like a tourist in New York City with their mouth wide open and ordering based on their intuition need to end. By asking your vendors for a descending case report and some simple formulas in a spreadsheet, you can easily calculate how much of each product you need to have based on your anticipated volumes, like clockwork. Creating ordering pars means that anyone who is trained to count the product on the shelves accurately can create an order that puts you in a position to succeed.

Prep System–This is one of the most amazing systems because it really is a simple clipboard system that promotes teamwork, trust and a kitchen that is always prepared for anything that comes its way. It promotes teamwork and trust because as a shift is finishing up, those cooks are counting prepped products in their stations so the next shift walks in knowing exactly what needs to be prepped or gathered to run a successful shift without running out of product in the middle of the shift. The simple byproduct is a shift where no one leaves the line during the busiest times of the day to find or prep product to complete tickets.

Let me be perfectly clear, the implementation of these systems is extremely important to your success. They are the keystone to your planning process and will guide you to a successful shift each and every day. But the piece of the puzzle that makes this all work is someone on the management team or in ownership that inspects that the systems are not only being used, but completed on time each and every day.

While we hope that we can simply count on everyone on the management team to be an adult and do what is required, there are many things that can derail the process. A simple inspection is all that is needed to get things back on course.

Implement these six systems and then inspect what you expect to be on your way to flawless shifts on a daily basis, a restaurant filled with happy trained employees and happy guests.

Translation: these systems create a restaurant that people love to go to and that makes money. www.socalfnbpro.com

Human Resources Insights

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

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

Reward and Recognition: Focus is on Contributions and Engagement!

We all know that you “get more flies with honey than vinegar”—but can we actually embrace that concept? It may be second nature to focus on what went wrong and the negative. Rather, I believe that we should turn the tables and focus our efforts on learning from our mistakes, moving on, and by looking at what we could have done differently, need to improve on and as an opportunity for growth. I think of our need to reprimand as a flaw in our nature. We seem to spend an inordinate amount of time on negativity. But, it doesn’t have to be that way if we understand the enduring impact of negative feedback. With a different approach, we can turn the tables toward the positive.

The impacts of negativity, scolding and reprimand are far more damaging that we can imagine and are highly dependent upon how we handle these situations. When we reprimand someone in a manner that is embarrassing, overly strong or without cause or future direction, we damage self esteem and ego. And then the individual is not focused on making changes or improvement, they are focused on how their intellect can handle the humiliation or recover from the scolding. We need to move our focus to learning and changing behaviors!

Every mistake, challenge or slip up creates an educational opportunity, a learning moment. And when you look at how you handle these “moments”—you can turn them into a positive situation as opposed to a negative one. What I mean is, instead of reprimanding and scolding someone, why not ask them “how could you have done this differently or better?” or “What can we do to avoid this issue in the future?” What individuals, our employees, truly need is reinforcement, learning, positivity, recognition and reward.

How can we implement a mindset of positivity, reward, recognition and engagement? Here are some steps that I think can help in that endeavor…

1. Give your employees an opportunity to contribute to the work by providing an “open door” for ideas, input and feedback on work processes and standards.

2. Train all employees thoroughly on service standards, operations steps/ procedures and job expectations.

3. Change the mindset and focus on “corrections” to a learning moment— and ask for ways to “improve.”

4. Implement recognition and reward programs and support those ahead of reprimand, where management and co-workers can nominate a coworker for a job well done or an accomplishment. Do not limit these “moments of recognition” to work matters—recognize someone who has a new baby in their family or achieves a milestone such as a college degree, etc. Be creative with this effort.

5. Create an area at work to highlight accomplishments and post various achievements and recognition.

6. Allow your employees to be engaged in the service repair process— give them leeway to fix problems and take pride in their jobs, contributions, and value.

In my opinion, we all understand the purpose and value of positive reinforcement and employee recognition, but we fall into our old ways and traps, and have difficulty getting out of those behaviors and mindset.

It takes a lot of desire to change—but change is the one thing that can have the most enduring impact and influence not only on our employees BUT on us. When we embrace change and learn from our mistakes, we take a step in the right direction toward self-improvement, learning/ growth, and toward the embracing the Golden Rule for life.

HR Question of the month:

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

www.socalfnbpro.com

October 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 11

| Foodie Biz |

The San Diego Spirits Festival saw another successful year in the Port Pavilion on the San Diego Harbor. An intimate event in comparison to your typical festival, the San Diego Spirits Festival kept a strong focus on its namesake, bringing together an assortment of vodkas, tequilas, whiskeys and other libations.

Big brands such as Ketel One and Don Julio came out to show off some of their newest flavors, with Ketel One’s grapefruit & rose making a strong impression. Tito’s vodka and Reed’s ginger brew teamed up to make ‘the American mule,’ and Lillet made a signature wine cocktail as well.

The festival was dominated, however, by smaller, emerging brands that brought the same panache to the table. Caramba Tequila got the party going with a number of extravagant margaritas. American soju surprised everyone by distancing its branding away from the drink’s Korean roots, and making a [rather tasty] sojubased margarita.

44 North Vodka, an under-the-radar brand that secretly supplies the key ingredient to electric lemonades at Las Vegas pool parties and popular restaurants [Hash House a Go Go

Benjamin Brown, MBA is Restaurant Editor of The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional. A seasoned writer and consultant, Ben works with Fortune 500 companies and mom & pop shops alike in Marketing, Analytics, Consumer Insights, PR and Business Development.

Contact Ben at Ben@socalfnbpro.com or follow him @Foodie_Biz.

Photos by Ben Brown

San Diego Spirits Festival Celebrates 10th Year Downtown

By Ben Brown

being one of them] showcased an excellent cocktail selection. Big Gin served alongside, with a number of namesake drinks. One of the absolute highlights, however, was Mule 2.0, which absolutely elevated pre-mixed cocktails by delivering a great product right out of the can.

With the historic Midway on one side, the downtown skyline on the other and perfect sunshine all the way through, this annual event couldn’t have asked for better conditions. The San Diego Spirits Festival took place over two days, and also included live entertainment [samba dancers and a snake charmer in tow!], a spirit competition and a bottle competition.

While limited food is available for purchase at the festival, guests are strongly encouraged to eat prior to the event. www.sandiegospiritsfestival.com

Cattle & Claw Extends Residency at Sofitel Los Angeles Cattle & Claw, a pop-up restaurant located at the Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, has extended its residency to serve its namesake lobsters and burgers.

Due to popular demand, Cattle & Claw has curated a new menu for the fall and winter

12 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I October 2018

seasons, adding to their renowned five- and ten-ounce burgers, truffle and sweet potato fries, and spiced lobster rolls and lobster salads.

New items include lobster mac’n’cheese, lobster bisque, poutine and surf’n’turf. Special brunch menu items include lobster frittata, lobster Benedict and lobster waffles, alongside bottomless mimosas, bloody Marys and lobster bloody Marys.

Half and whole lobsters remain on the Cattle & Claw menu, with tarragon cream for dipping.

Chef Pete Manfredini made the most of National Lobster Day on September 25 with a special lobster menu that lasted through the end of the month.

Aero Club Sold to Waterfront Bar Owners The Aero Club, an iconic dive bar located on the northern end of India Street leaving Downtown San Diego towards the 5 freeway, is closing its doors after 70 years. Owner Bill Lutzius has embarked on a new venture with the new Chinatown Bar and Grill in City Heights, and has sold the building to the owners of another longtime drinking establishment.

Cousins Chad Cline and Jason “Rocky” Nichols, whose family has run The Waterfront since the 1970s, also bought the land the Aero Club sits on to ensure its longevity. They officially www.socalfnbpro.com

take over operations beginning October 1. The cousins also own Werewolf in the Gaslamp and Banzai in the Midway District.

Those fearing the upending of the classic establishment in favor of a posh new spot can rest easy. Cline and Nichols are devoted Aero Club admirers, and promised not to make any significant changes barring minor repairs. Cline claims to seek our purchases of other local dive bar institutions, just to keep them thriving for generations to come.

Hello Kitty Opens Pretty Pink Cafe and Cocktail Lounge in Irvine That’s right, Hello Kitty has taken to the food and drink scene. A Hello Kitty tea room, cafe and parlor, marketing itself as ‘for grown ups,’ has set up shop in the Irvine Spectrum Center.

The establishment spreads across two spaces with three separate themes. The casual Hello Kitty Grand Café stands adjacent to The Bow Room at Hello Kitty Grand Café, which offers high tea in the morning and afternoon, then becomes a cocktail lounge after 5 p.m. The Hello Kitty theme, as expected, runs rampant both in the décor and in edible form.

The Bow Room at Hello Kitty Grand Café is no joke, either. Reservations are required for afternoon tea service, which, at $55 per person, includes pots of tea, mini tea sandwiches, assorted sweets and pastries and Hello Kitty-shaped sugars. The cocktail lounge is reservations-only as well, with Hello Kittyinspired drinks like the matcha matcha and the old fashioned with a Hello Kitty ice cube.

The wine menu includes Hello Kitty sparking rosè, Hello Kitty pinot grigio and Hello Kitty prosecco. www.socalfnbpro.com

October 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 13

Robin Leach (1941-2018)

A longtime champion of the food & beverage industry in Las Vegas

By Don Chareunsy Photos by Tom Donoghue

Robin’s

heart was as big as his

voice

London, England-born Robin Douglas Leach was widely known as host of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous (1984-1995) and for his quote, “Champagne wishes and caviar dreams,” but his life’s work reached far beyond television fame and fortune.

The longtime TV personality, journalist, entrepreneur and actor helped found the original the Food Network; was one of CNN’s first entertainment reporters; wrote People’s first 11 cover stories; and worked as one of the first entertainment journalists on Entertainment Tonight.

But what many don’t know about Leach is his longtime food & beverage and philanthropic work in Las Vegas. Leach is credited with bringing star chef Wolfgang Puck to Las Vegas with Spago 25 years ago, which is recognized as igniting the celebrity chef invasion in this desert city.

Complementing his extensive coverage of food & beverage for the Las Vegas Sun and Las Vegas Review-Journal, Leach most recently starred alongside Kim Alexis on the Food Network’s Food Quest, which was renewed for Season 2 shortly before Leach’s debilitating first stroke last Thanksgiving while on vacation in Cabo San Lucas in Mexico.

14 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I October 2018

www.socalfnbpro.com

And, as will be discussed later in this story, Leach gave back to Las Vegas via his extensive work with the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and its Keep Memory Alive foundation, Opportunity Village, the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Nevada, Nevada Ballet Theatre and much more.

Leach passed away in Las Vegas, where he had lived since 1999, on Aug. 24 after suffering another stroke. He was 76 and died five days before his 77th birthday. His family and close friends organized a “Celebration of Life” in his honor at The Palazzo Theatre in The Palazzo Las Vegas on Sept. 28.

“Despite the past 10 months, what a beautiful life he had,” his sons Steven, Rick and Gregg Leach said in a statement. “Everyone’s support and love over the past almost one year has been incredible, and we are so grateful.”

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Southern Nevada Event Marketing General Manager Michael Severino, a longtime friend of Leach’s who has resided in Las Vegas since 1977, recently sat down to talk about Leach’s generosity with SGWS and the Lou Ruvo Center and its Keep Memory Alive foundation (SGWS Vice President and General Manager Larry Ruvo founded The Lou Ruvo Center, which is named after his late father): Michael, do you remember the first time that you met Mr. Robin Leach?

Yes, it was at one of our Alzheimer’s events, Keep Memory Alive, at Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio in The Venetian. He saved the day — or, rather, I should say the night. We had faulty microphones during our live auction, and Robin, with his tremendous voice, came up and started auctioning off people.

It was hilarious because he auctioned off Dr. Ruth Westheimer that night. He had her stand on a chair and auctioned off dinner with her.

He endeared himself that night to the guests and our organization. It was the start of a beautiful friendship.

Tell me more about Robin’s involvement with the Keep Memory Alive Center, from reporting about Keep Memory Alive as a journalist to his volunteerism with the annual “Power of Love” galas and other Keep Memory Alive events.

Robin’s heart was as big as his voice. He was a tremendous supporter of Keep Memory Alive through his writing and his financial contributions. Whatever was needed, he was there for us and the organization.

He really believed in the Frank Gehrydesigned building. We were very blessed to have a man of his quality and knowledge to lead us through a lot of things that were related to public relations, journalism, the shows and entertainment.

He emceed and coordinated a lot of the “Power of Love” fundraising galas for Keep Memory Alive. One that really stands out … well, he had a great sense of humor. He had a very loud sweater that he was wearing at a gala, and spontaneously Steve Schirripa, who was helping him with the auction, turned www.socalfnbpro.com

around and auctioned off his sweater. I believe that it raised $8,000 to $10,000. He was game — he was in it.

His 70th birthday celebration took place at the Keep Memory Alive Center and included Wolfgang Puck’s Las Vegas chefs.

The City of Las Vegas proclaimed that day — Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011 — Robin Leach Day in Las Vegas.

Yes. Many people don’t know that he started the Food Network. I’ve seen old films of him interviewing Wolfgang Puck back in the day in L.A., Nobu Matsuhisa, all the up-andcomers back 25 to 30 years ago. He was the go-to guy when it came to the chefs. He was well-respected.

A bench was dedicated in Robin’s honor at the Keep Memory Alive Center on Dec. 6, 2015, for all of his contributions.

There was an intimate ceremony to dedicate the well-deserved honor to Robin. I’m happy to say that it is a lasting memory to Robin in our Lou Ruvo Center memory garden. Robin is credited with helping raise tens of millions of dollars for the Keep Memory Alive Center.

Do you have a favorite memory of Robin?

The best memories I have with Robin are the times that we shared lunches and dinners together and he told me about how he came to America, how he started. It was interesting, the things he did as a young man, he was a young editor and journalist growing up in England.

What do you miss most about Robin?

Hmmm (long pause) … his voice and his laugh. He had an expression that I think about all the time. I always referred to him as Sir Robin, and it became a running joke where some people thought that he had actually been knighted. He used to say, and it was funny, “My great sainted aunt used to say …”

What is Mr. Robin Leach’s lasting legacy in Las Vegas?

His generosity. Not just with Keep Memory Alive, but with many, many charities. We were the primary charity, and he endeared himself to us and vice versa. There were many charities: Girl Scouts, Opportunity Village, the Boys & Girls Club. He gave back in a lowkey and humble way.

Robin was a great friend of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and Keep Memory Alive. He was always willing to help any way he could.

Leach was honored with a 21-Cork Salute at the 44th Annual UNLVino at the Keep Memory Alive Center on April 14. In a tribute to Leach at KeepMemoryAlive.org, there is a quote from the man himself: “Philanthropy, as with anything you do well in life, has to be done with passion.”

Well said, Mr. Leach. Now rest in peace after a long life well-lived.

Las Vegas-based editor and writer Don Chareunsy was Robin Leach’s editor at the Las Vegas Sun from 2008-2016 and Las Vegas Review-Journal from 2016-2017.

October 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 15

Product Review

By Bob Barnes

Origin Gin After a year of record growth in 2017, the St. Louis-based 4 Hands Brewing Co. recently celebrated its 6th anniversary by branching out from beer to distilling, launching its 1220 Artisan Spirits brand. Its first release is Origin, a 42.5% ABV gin distilled from 75% grapes and 25% corn along with interesting ingredients including Croatian juniper, coriander, orris root, bergamot orange, and neroli (an essential oil extracted from the orange blossom flower). The aroma is delightful and the flavor that follows confirms what your olfactory nerves suggest, a mélange of the aforementioned ingredients with a dominant juniper presence. The gin is packaged in an attractive 750 ml blue-tinted bottle with label art depicting an all-seeing eye, a nod to the 1220 Artisan Spirits logos inspired by the icons of secret societies and freemasons.

1220spirits.com

Two Brothers Atom Smasher ‘Tis the season to partake in Oktoberfest beers, but a problem I have with them is most of them taste quite similar. Now the Atom Smasher, a seasonal release from the Warrenville, IL-based Two Brothers Artisan Brewing, steps up adding a twist to the German lager style, as it is aged in oak foeders (large wooden vat used to age beer or wine), bringing complexity compliments of the oak to go along with notes of toasty malts, caramel, toffee and earthy hops. And, at 7.7% ABV and 22.6 IBUs, it’s heftier than the usual run-of-the-mill versions of the style. twobrothersbrewing.com

Royal Wine Founded in 1848, Royal Wine Corp. has been owned and operated in the US by the Herzog family, whose winemaking roots date back eight generations to 19th century Czechoslovakia. I had the pleasure to sample a portion of its portfolio of domestic and international sweet wines: Tzafona 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Ice Wine—produced by Tzafona Cellars in Toronto, Canada, made from grapes that were picked frozen on the vine in Canada’s Niagara Peninsula, veganfriendly, aromas of cherry, plum and strawberry with a balance of acidity and texture on the palate; Herzog 2016 Late Harvest Monterey County White Riesling—from Herzog Cellars in Oxnard, CA, with pineapple, dried apricot and baked apple aromas and balanced acidity and sweetness; Zahav 2016 Sonoma Mountain Late Harvest Botrytis Chardonnay— from Sonoma County, a dessert wine made in the classic Sauternes method that allows noble rot (botrytis) to perforate the grape skins creating a delicate, sweet, honeyed beverage; and 2005 Porto Cordovero, a late bottled vintage from Portugal aged in oak barrels and bottled in 2009, a full-bodied blend of fine wines produced in the Upper Douro Valley, a classic port with flavors of sweet black currant with a firm tannic backbone. www.royalwine.com

Funkwerks A brewery with funk in its name draws my attention, with the hope that its brews will live up to its name. I’m happy to report the good news that such is the case with this Fort Collins, CO-based brewery. Founded in 2009, Funkwerks was selected as the 2012 Great American Beer Festival Small Brewing Company of the Year and specializes in Belgian-style saison and sour beer styles. I sampled the Funkwerks Saison—three-time GABF medal winner, 6.8% ABV, with notes of passion fruit, tangerine and spices; Tropic King—8% ABV imperial saison, with fruity tropical characteristics from the use of New Zealand hop varietals along with notes of pepper and ginger; and Raspberry Provincial—2014 GABF gold medal winner, 4.2% ABV sour ale brewed with raspberries with notes of lemon and tart raspberries. More good news is that Funkwerks beers are now being distributing in California and Nevada (as well as Colorado, Arizona, Texas, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Missouri). funkwerks.com

16 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I October 2018

www.socalfnbpro.com

Twinkle Toast “Grab-N-Go” Wine Pairings

By Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover Erin Cooper and Christine Vanover have been residents of Las Vegas since 2007. Vanover is also a UNLV Alumnus.

Both women are Territory Managers for the Resort Wine Team at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, members of Women Gone Wine and the founders of Twinkle Toast. info@twinkletoast.com • www.twinkletoast.com Facebook: @TwinkleToast Twitter: TwinkleToastLV Instagram: TwinkleToastLV

photos by Erin Cooper

We are firm believers that pairing wine with food shouldn’t be solely reserved for fine dining in fancy restaurants. Wine can and should be enjoyed in a variety of different settings including a spring picnic or a casual dinner at home in your pajamas. In the spirit of encouraging wine pairing with even the simplest meals, we met with Robyn Sonnenberg, Wine Steward for Vons supermarkets here in Las Vegas, and asked her about common buyer behaviors as well as pairing recommendations for some of the grocery chain’s most popular grab-n-go meals.

Robyn, when did you discover your passion for wine?

I first discovered my love of wine in my early twenties. I was lucky enough to travel a lot at a fairly young age. Traveling though different countries I was drawn to the local cuisines and with that, the local wineries. I owned a restaurant and bar in Lake Arrowhead, California where I was able to share the wonderful food and wine pairings that I fell in love with while traveling.

How did you become the Wine Steward for Vons?

I was doing a tasting at a local venue for Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits when the district manager for Vons approached me with a pretty enticing offer to come onboard with Vons as a Wine Steward. I do tastings, order new and exciting wine (and spirits), help customers with wine and food pairings and help educate liquor managers on the products in their departments.

How do your customers’ buying patterns change throughout the year?

Summer and spring bring about the lighter wines that are chilled like Chardonnay, Prosecco, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Rosé. As for reds, my customers seem to like Pinot Noir or sweet reds such as Stella Rosa, served chilled.

Fall is the perfect time for some oaky Chardonnay, spicy red Zinfandel, jammy red blends and full-bodied Malbecs.

Winter is when you want to buy a bottle to warm your soul. People tend to start grabbing hearty Cabernets and red blends. My other winter favorites are Syrah and Malbec, which are often less purchased and unfortunately less understood.

Are there any current trends or buying behaviors that you find particularly interesting?

Yes, some of the biggest buying behaviors are with the millennials. Wine buyers between the ages of 21 and 34 aren’t as influenced by marketing due to not watching TV as much. These customers are more influenced by trending wines also known as “cult wines.” 19 Crimes has an interactive label on their bottles that are trending hard right now. Walking Dead wines also have interactive labels. These trending wines can be inexpensive or very expensive such as Caymus Cabernetor Penfolds Grange.

What are your top three “go-to” wines?

My top three affordable wines are Love Noir Pinot Noir, Flowers Chardonnay and Ménage A Trois Silk. My top three splurge wines are Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Opus One and Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque Rosé.

Quick and easy wine pairings with five popular grab-n-go meals: 1. Signature Café Italian Sub Sandwich White: Ruffino Pinot Grigio Red: A Chianti like Villa Antinori Toscana Rosso 2. “Fresh Meals Made Easy” Garlic and Herb Salmon with Roasted Red Potatoes and Broccoli White: Whispering Angel Rosé Red: Cherry Pie Pinot Noir 3. Chicken Wings (from the hot wings bar) White: Veuve Clicquot Brut with plain wings and Kung Fu Girl Riesling with spicy wings Red: Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel 4. Harvest Salad with valley spring mix, apples, walnuts, feta cheese and cranberries with a sweet onion vinaigrette White: Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Red: A Beaujolais or Meiomi Rosé 5. Rotisserie Chicken White: Ferrari Carano Chardonnay Red: Chateau Ste Michelle Merlot Sonnenberg also noted that single serving wines in 187ml bottles or Tetra Paks are becoming increasingly popular with grab-n-go customers. These smaller options come in many of the popular white and red varietals and can provide a little something for everyone at any budget. www.socalfnbpro.com

October 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 17

Front & Back of the House Embracing PR One Targeted Campaign at a Time

Have you heard the term “free PR?” Many people think that the role of a public relations professional is to simply send out news releases on various company activities and events. Yes, a news release may get picked up by a newspaper or magazine, the resulting article would be free and would hopefully be of benefit to your restaurant. But an occasional news release is only a tiny portion of the tasks of someone in the PR role.

Whether a restaurant works with a public relations/marketing firm or handles those duties in-house, it is always important for the manager to know what to ask of a public relations professional and the types of challenges they can help with. According to Effective Public Relations (11th edition, p.

5), the definition of public relations is, “the management function that establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the publics on whom its success or failure depends.”

There are several key words in this definition.

One of the most important is “publics.” What are the “publics” that a restaurant manager seeks to maintain “mutually beneficial relationships” with? The first one that probably comes to mind is customers. It is vital that good relationships are maintained with customers.

But what about employees and vendors?

They’re vital too, as are investors. What about government entities, neighboring stores and other restaurants in the area? Have you considered the media as one of your publics, the entire world when you factor in social media, and the community at-large in relation to local advertising, special events and donations?

These “publics” can be broken down into subgroups. You have local and out-of-town www.socalfnbpro.com

By Gael Hees Gael Hees is a Las Vegas freelancer, specializing in written, graphic and audiovisual communications.

She has written for national publications and has won numerous awards for tourism-related printed materials and videos, is accredited in public relations by the Public Relations Society of America and is a certified hospitality educator. gael.hees@icloud.com

customers. Your vendors may be service providers (everything from pest control to accountants), food and supplies purveyors or liquor distributors. They have all have different needs and require different attention.

The term, “management function,” means that public relations is a series of planned activities, spearheaded by management. Public relations (PR) activities can be used to change how members of a group, or public, think and act.

They can also be used to raise awareness. It is up to the manager to recognize the different publics that interface with the restaurant and understand when and how a PR effort could be of benefit.

Most formal PR campaigns begin with research to determine a baseline for the group’s mindset with plans developed based on research outcomes. Research usually entails a survey, focus groups or individual interviews. However, “secondary” research can also be used. This might include a study of reviews in social media or tabulation of comment card notations for customers; paying attention to attitudes, tardiness, call outs and conversations of employees; or assessing the atmosphere of the last few interactions with one or more vendors.

It shouldn’t take long for a manager to discover a few areas where improvements can be made. Rather than taking on all tasks at once, it is best to prioritize and tackle projects on an individual basis. First, let’s focus on customers. Perhaps a restaurant sends out regular emails with links to a newsletter, often with discount coupons attached. The email list is substantial, but “research” indicates that there is not a high percentage of clickthroughs, or people accessing the newsletter itself. This may have been determined by looking at the analytical information provided

through the mail program, or a simple tally of the coupons that are actually brought in.

There are several strategies that can be used to increase the readership of the newsletter.

A PR professional would review the emails of the last several months and make suggestions about email content and the content of the linked newsletter. Suggestions might include: • Refer to newsletter content with catchy headlines. Use power words like “simple,” “award-winning” and “quick.”

• Use headlines that use numbers, for example, “Six Ways to Save Money when Eating Out,” or “15 Foods to Order When You’re in a Hurry.”

• Include a cooking tip or short recipe from the chef or even from one of the employees.

• Reference the coupons that are in the newsletter.

• Include stories about customers. People want to read about people. Tell stories of first dates, out-of-state guests that come back again and again or friends from around the country that include your restaurant in their annual reunion.

• Tell a story about an employee who went out of his/her way to make a customer feel honored and pampered.

Once the changes in the email and newsletter have been implemented, it is important to monitor the results. Pay close attention to the statistics available through the email and newsletter programs and keep a close count on the coupons that are turned in. Make sure employees are aware of the changes and ask them to note comments, or even ask customers if they read a specific article. Continue the program for three or more months and reassess.

October 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 19

By David Mulvihill

Beachwood Blendery and The Culinary Underground joined forces in early August for an evening of remarkable wild ales and inspired gastronomy.

Head Brewer & Blender Ryan Fields began by talking a bit about Beachwood Blendery’s focus on working to recreate the flavors found in traditional lambic and gueuze in its barrel-aged sour beers. Chef Andrea Mahuca-Kirkland and her Culinary Underground team proceeded with a menu that complemented the flavors, aromas and profiles of some of those beers.

1st Course—Flavor & Funk: A foie gras torchon served with macerated strawberries, aerated delice de Bourgogne, strawberry gel and candied mustard seeds paired with Dia De los Mangos, one of the Blendery’s experimental and offbeat beers. Inspiration for this beer came from time Fields and Beachwood co-owner Gabe Gordon spent surfing in Baja, Mexico. They set out to incorporate essences of some Mexican candies.

Starting with a one-year-old lambic-inspired beer, mango and tamarind were added for a two-month secondary fermentation. Five different Mexican chile powders were also added. A bit of heat, chile and mango flavors combine with the tamarind’s earthiness to bring forth a unique taste experience. In selecting this beer for the pairing, Ryan looked for a beer that would marry with the components in the dish. The mango went well with the strawberry, while the spice served to cut the fat in the dish. It provided a unique combo that changed the spicy character, cut through the fat and cleansed the palate.

2nd Course—Darjeeling Limited: Combining Indian and Asian flavors, a pungent aromatic washed-rind Taleggio cheese from Italy was served with saffron honey (from Massey Honey Co in Yorba Linda), spiced pistachios, curried turmeric pickled cauliflower and Gochujang leather (Korean savory/ sweet/spicy fermented condiment). It was paired with Chaos is a Friend of Mine. This beer, referred to as the essence of Beachwood Blendery, starts with the best barrels of one-year-old Lambic-inspired base beer. Described as one of the team’s favorite beers, its funk paired well with the cheese, creating different flavors as it infused itself into the dish.

Intermezzo Course—Strawberry Fields Forever: Little Secrets (Belgianstyle sour ale aged in oak barrels and dry hopped with Mosaic hops) accompanied strawberry granite with basil, Thai mint, broccoli flower, wildbeer foam and farmers market plums. Ryan shared that he enjoys playing with hops and wild beer because wild yeasts (brettanomyces, etc.) actually scavenge any available oxygen in the finishing beer. This behavior helps hop flavors maintain freshness longer. It also results in what Ryan termed “biotransformation,” which imparts additional fruitiness to the finished product. The beer provided a fruity complement to the dish.

4th Course—Peachy Keen: Peachwood-smoked duck rillettes with polenta cooked with peppadew peppers and blended with Point Reyes bleu cheese, pickled fennel, Fresno chiles and dill was served with Careful with that Peach Eugene, a Belgian-style sour ale aged in oak barrels on fresh local peaches for two months. Its sweetness counterbalanced the savory dish, providing some in-a-good-way contradiction.

Dessert—Take me to Paradise: Lilikoi guava mascarpone pie, coconut snow, passion fruit curd, pineapple whipped cream and Farmstand 59 marigolds made up the dessert course, paired with For the Love of Guava that was aged with fresh guava in oak barrels. Tart and fruit forward with some funk, the brew provided complementing of flavors while at the same time improving the combined experience by cutting some of the sweetness.

Follow both @culinaryundergroundoc and @BeachwoodBlendery for news and upcoming events. Very admirable is Chef Machuca-Kirkland’s drive to push the boundaries of the culinary experience as well as the dedication that Beachwood Blendery has to perfecting and expanding the Lambic-inspired experience. For an interesting and comprehensive read, take a look at Ryan Fields’ paper on Brewing Beer in America Inspired By the Belgian Lambic Tradition (http://beachwoodbbq.com/pdf/BBAIBLTBLENDERY.pdf).

20 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I October 2018

Photos by David Mulvihill

Beachwood Blendery and The Culinary Underground Join Forces for Finesse & Funk Summer Beer Dinner

David Mulvihill strives to experience and write about the ever-evolving face of SoCal craft beer. He also covers Orange County for Celebrator Beer News and provides business and compliance support to SoCal breweries. Contact him at david@socalcraftbeer.com.

Beachwood Blendery’s Ryan Fields and The Culinary Underground’s Andrea Machuca-Kirkland.

Beachwood Blendery/The Culinary Underground Finesse & Funk Dinner.

Beachwood Blendery/The Culinary Underground Finesse & Funk Dinner.

www.socalfnbpro.com

•Wholesale distributor of exceptional quality dried spices and specialty foods to the finest hotels and restaurants •Owned and operated by a former chef with over 20 years of experience •Custom packed Herbs and Spices •Custom Spice Bends •Private labeling •Now Certified Kosher

Chef Talk Meatless Monday

22 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I October 2018

Feel free to contact Chef Allen with ideas for comments or future articles at allena@unlv.nevada.edu Chef Allen Asch M. Ed., CCE is a culinary arts instructor that has earned degrees from Culinary Institute of America, Johnson and Wales University and Northern Arizona University. He is currently teaching at UNLV. He earned his Certified Culinary Educator Endorsement from the American Culinary Federation in 2003.

Although meatless Mondays started in the United States it has continually drawn attention from other countries around the world. It is now being promoted in 43 countries around the world.

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Cutting Board Resurfacing & Replacements

Arville St

Although the current version of meatless Mondays was started in 2003, history goes much further back than that. It was actually started during World War I when President Wilson called for Tuesdays to be meatless and one meatless meal to be observed every day for a total of nine meatless meals a week. This was done to help the war effort and avoid rationing. The current purpose of meatless Mondays is rooted in two different thought processes. The first one is to make for s healthier diet, and the second reason is to make the planet healthier. The goal is to reduce meat consumption by 15%. This reduction includes any animal protein including chicken and fish, while eggs are usually allowed since they are a byproduct from birds.

In 2003 marketing professional Sid Lerner created this program as part of his work at John Watkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for a Livable Future. Mondays were chosen for several reasons. For many people for religious reasons Friday is already a meatless meal, and with Monday being the first day of the workweek, individuals settle back into their routines and habits that were started on the weekend can be replaced by healthier choices.

Meatless Mondays, which are becoming much more popular, have an impact not only on your personal health but the environment also.

Meatless Monday helps the environment by creating less greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are produced in a much larger quantity by livestock than by vegetable growth. Livestock also uses much more water than growing plants does.

Advantages for you are your diet will become more nutritious eating plant-based proteins rather than meat-based proteins. It also saves you money because usually meat is much more expensive than replacements like vegetables, grains and legumes. Another advantage for you is red meat has been linked to cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease and strokes.

By Chef Allen Asch

Steak & Table Knife Re-Serration / Sharpening

W Tropicana Ave

www.socalfnbpro.com

photo by Joy Solano

In Search of Liquid Gold

Max Solano is a principal mixologist at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Nevada and is considered one of the most respected and premier authorities in the West Coast on all matters whisky.

He also serves as a Spirits Judge at the coveted New York World Wine & Spirits Competition, International Whisky Competition and world-renowned San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

From my collection (left to right) a bottle produced from every decade beginning in the very early 1900s through the early 2000s.

How many times over the years can you recall you or someone else saying “I should have…

Could have… Didn’t.” Or, how about “If I only knew then, what I know now…” Personally, I have lost count, but it’s A-LOT! Now, imagine if we could travel back in time to just a mere 20 years ago, and find ourselves at a Liquor Barn or other retail store in let’s say Louisville, Kentucky. And, all of a sudden, we come across a shelf full of 20-year-old Pappy van Winkle bourbon with wax tops… What would you do?

Buy each and every single one of them, right? I mean, even if I didn’t have the money to do it, I would find it!! After all, it’s only the most sought after American whiskey in the world, and has been that way for the past decade!!

In the 1950s, the American whiskey industry was still going strong coming straight out of the Korean War, but began to slowly decline entering the 1960s as new trends and many new spirit categories began to cut into whiskey’s limelight. And, approaching the latter part of the 1960s, the country saw various social upheavals and divisions between generations such as the civil rights movement, women’s rights and the infamous Vietnam War—that you had a real divide between older and younger generations.

And, let’s face it, my friends… The younger folks did not want to drink like their parents or grandparents.

Slowly but surely the American whiskey industry found itself drowning in its own Great Depression, which lasted for more than three decades. Many well-known and once-thriving brands slipped away into a deep and dark abyss never to be seen again. However, there were www.socalfnbpro.com

some companies like Wild Turkey, Heaven Hill, Brown-Forman, Jim Beam (including Maker’s Mark), Ancient Age (now Buffalo Trace), Seagram’s (closed), United Distillers (closednow Diageo) and several others whose brands helped save the industry from disappearing altogether. But, let’s focus on the present…

Not just whiskey, but almost all aged spirits are experiencing such a major revival—a Renaissance. So much so, that these rare and precious spirits from the days of yore have become very precious and extremely soughtafter commodities: Liquid Gold, as I call them!

The value and appreciation has skyrocketed to now record-setting levels, and at a consistent basis. The kind of items I am referring to are not easy to find. Sure, you may walk into your favorite retail store and behind a large and beautiful glass display find a healthy selection of rare and old vintage and/or age-stated single malt scotch whiskies along with very old brandies embossed in breathtaking crystal decanters and fancy cases. Notice, if you will, the hefty price tags. For example, a bottle of Macallan 65-year in a Lalique decanter (pictured, below) will go for $65,000 USD retail, or even higher. To many consumers, that price may be outlandish, but to the individuals in the know, that is an investment that will only continue to increase in value over the years based on exceptional quality, but more so, based on extreme scarcity. However, these types of items will be more recent releases.

The other, and even harder to find items, will come from private estate auctions, whether live or online from different parts of the world throughout different times of

the year (ackerwines.com, bonhams.com, whiskyauctioneer.com, scotchwhiskyauctions. com, etc.) Typically, this is when one can find many old relics, especially turn of the 20th century items such as Pre-Prohibition era whiskies, very old gins, extinct Cognac brands and other brandies, pre-Castro Cuban rum, etc.

I can tell you from my auction experience that many of these items just in the past 2-3 years have almost tripled or quadrupled in sales price.

It’s supply and demand, baby! Older American whiskies and scotches are becoming increasingly more scarce causing very aggressive bidding wars. A bottle of Belmont 8-year American whiskey (Max Sellinger & Co.) distilled in 1902/bottled in 1910 that I purchased for $600 three years ago can easily sell for $2,000-$2,500 today. Not too many blue chip stocks can yield a 300-400% ROR in such a short period of time, can they? I will add that Japanese whiskies have demanded much attention through these auctions as well, and have been items that I have been aggressively purchasing at auction, some as old as the 1950s.

Unfortunately, but very necessarily, the government created and imposed the threetier system immediately after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933. Essentially, all alcohol is produced by a supplier, then shipped to a distributor of choice to their desired state and sold to retailers (on or off-premise). Personally, I find this system be somewhat obsolete, but if it ain’t broke why fix it? Right? However, beginning on January 1, 2018 Kentucky became the first state to pass a law that allows individuals to be able to sell their personallyowned “vintage spirits” directly to retailers, completely bypassing this system that has been in place for 85 years. So, if you’re on the fence about becoming a collector or just starting off, don’t miss out on the opportunity to stake your claim on some of your very own Liquid Gold before it’s all gone. Cheers!

photo courtesy the Macallan Distillers Limited

SPIRITS CONFIDENTIAL with Max Solano

By Max Solano

October 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 23

Brett’s

By Jackie Brett Jackie is a freelance public relations specialist and writer specializing in the Las Vegas entertainment and travel scene. Her writings have appeared in magazines and newspapers nationwide and on numerous websites.

Email: jackiebrett@cox.net

Upscale Hong Kong restaurant Mott 32 will open its first U.S. outpost at The Palazzo • The Venetian this winter.

Factory Place Hospitality Group will open The Factory Kitchen at The Venetian in December, marking the second for the downtown Los Angeles Italian trattoria.

La La Noodle is a new casual dining concept debuting at Park MGM this November with a covered outdoor patio and serving authentic Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai cuisine.

LA-based chef Roy Choi’s original restaurant concept Best Friend will debut at Park MGM at the end of December capsulizing a look at Koreatown with entry through the Liquor Store.

Pop Up Pizza at the Plaza revealed a refreshed menu and eatery complete with a new Brooklyninfluenced mural “The New Style” by Derek Douglas professionally known as SNIPT. Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, chefs and Border Grill restaurant owners, have opened quick service BBQ Mexicana at Mandalay Bay. Rodizio Grill, the first Brazilian “churrasco” steakhouse in the United States in 1995, will open its first Nevada location this fall at the Galleria at Sunset mall.

Family-owned Tacotarian is a new plantbased, 40-seat Mexican west side restaurant serving a full menu daily.

James Beard nominees and owners of Honey Salt restaurant, Elizabeth Blau and Kim Canteenwalla, have their first cookbook, Honey Salt Food & Drink – A Culinary Scrapbook.

Freed’s Bakery, featured on Food Network’s Vegas Cakes, will open a second valley location, Freed’s Dessert Shop, in October.

ENTERTAINMENT

New quintet pop sensations Why Don’t We will make a tour stop at the newly renovated Pearl Concert Theater at the Palms Saturday, March 23.

Diana Ross makes her third engagement at Wynn’s Encore Theater with nine shows Oct. 31-Nov. 17.

photo credit John Shearer

RESTAURANTS

Jerry Seinfeld will return to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in 2019 for two weekends Feb. 22-23 and June 21-22.

Barry Manilow’s show “Manilow: Las Vegas – The Hits Come Home!” is extended at Westgate through 2019.

Carlos Santana will enter his seventh-year residency at House of Blues at Mandalay Bay in 2019 beginning Jan. 23.

In his 19th year, Harrah’s headliner Mac King extends his afternoon “The Mac King Comedy Magic Show” four more years through 2022 making him the longest running act performing at the same hotel in Las Vegas history.

ComedySportz featuring two professional improvisational comedy teams competing for laughs, points and audience support, has premiered at The Space west of the Strip.

Michael Winslow, star of Police Academy and vocal sound effects will appear at The Space Friday, Oct. 12.

Broadway singing veteran Shoshana Bean, the first replacement for green-witch Elphaba in “Wicked,” will perform two concerts at The Space Oct. 25 and 26.

Off-Broadway hit “FRIENDS! The Musical Parody” will preview the show Thursday, Oct. 18 at the D Las Vegas.

Comedian-actor Doug Benson will hold a live taping of his podcast “Doug Loves Movies” at the Comedy Cellar at the Rio Saturday, Nov. 3 at 4:20 p.m.

Comedian Whitney Cummings will headline the Greenwich Village club replica Comedy Cellar at the Rio Nov. 12-13.

ABOUT TOWN

The Fremont Street Experience will begin a $32 million renovation of the Viva Vision video canopy next February and make the reveal Dec. 31, 2019.

The 392-room, high-rise Mandarin Oriental is now luxury brand, Waldorf Astoria. Next summer, the nongaming hotel will initiate a guest room restyle.

24 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I October 2018

Fly LINQ, the Strip’s first zipline is scheduled to open in November at The LINQ Promenade with 10 ziplines launching riders in a seated or superhero position.

Madame Tussauds Las Vegas unveiled its newest team-based virtual reality adventure allowing two to four people to participate in up to four, 15-minute timed challenges.

Electra Cocktail Club opened at The Palazzo • The Venetian completing The Venetian Cocktail Collective trinity, comprised of the romantic Rosina, sophisticated Dorsey, and now, kinetic Electra.

History-rich Thunderbird Boutique Hotel downtown has made renovations including updating the Thunderbird Lounge with a full bar and gaming.

Magical Memories Dimensions opened at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace showcasing artists’ original 3D works.

The 17th Welcome to Las Vegas Gift Store location opened at McCarran International Airport’s B Gates.

Billed as the world’s largest marijuana dispensary, the $7.5 million Planet 13 Superstore is a cannabis entertainment complex opening Nov. 1.

Cannabition at Neonopolis downtown is Las Vegas’ first immersive cannabis museum with Instagrammable vignettes, and multisensory, entertaining and educational exhibits.

Karma And Luck spiritual lifestyles brand opened its 13th citywide store at Fashion Show mall.

Another downtown project in the works is the $7 million “Treehouse” entertainment-dining complex on Main Street opening next March.

M Resort opened the first indoor interactive, two-bay Topgolf Swing Suite virtual gaming experience with comfortable lounge seating.

The Downtown Brew Festival returns to the Clark County Amphitheater for its seventh year Saturday, Oct. 20.

The W Hotel occupying one tower at SLS is gone. New owners, the Meruelo Group, are investing $100 million in renovations at the three-tower property.

The Stratosphere is making over its guest rooms with remodeled contemporary décor including new furniture, amenities and walk-in showers.

Sid the Science Kid: The Super-Duper Exhibit! is visiting Discovery Children’s Museum through Jan. 21 bringing the PBS KIDS TV series Sid the Science Kid to life.

The Downtown Las Vegas Events Center (DLVEC) is hosting Downtown Watch Zone series with Sunday football outdoor bashes all season, including all Raiders games. www.socalfnbpro.com

Wine Talk

with Alice Swift

By Alice Swift Alice Swift has been writing Wine Talk since 2011, and has a passion for education and hospitality/ F&B. In 2016, she obtained her Ph.D. in Hospitality Administration from UNLV and moved from the “ninth island” to the island of Oʻahu. She now works for Kamehameha Schools as an instructional designer/project manager, and teaches part-time for UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality.

See more at www.aliceswift.com.

Corks: The What, Why, When and Who

Natural Cork versus screw cap (alternative closures)… this debate has been around for a long time. Let’s look at the Who, What, When and Why about wine bottle closures and you can evaluate for yourself.

What There are many varieties of wine bottle closures, and they each have their place in the beverage industry. Let’s look at a few of the major types of closures.

Natural Cork: While natural corks have been used since the ancient Greeks, it wasn’t until the 17th century (after the advent of glass bottles) that it became a standard sealing method. The material comes from the Cork Oak (Quercus suber), primarily coming from Spain and Portugal.

Granulated Cork: This type of cork uses granulated pieces of natural cork, forced together to form a composite cork shape (think particle board, recycled plastics, etc.). Obviously, these corks generally cost less, and are generally for wines that should be consumed sooner rather than later.

Technical Cork: This type of cork is kind of a hybrid of granulated and natural cork. The top and bottom discs of the cork are made with natural cork, but the in-between filling is made with granulated cork (e.g., Champagne corks).

Screw Cap or Screw Top: This is exactly what it sounds like. The most well-known brand of screw cap is called Stelvin, which is currently owned by Amcor. These metal caps have a plastic disc interior that seals tightly again the mouth of the bottle, reducing oxidation, and are a less expensive alternative to natural cork.

Synthetic Cork: These corks are made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, rubber or other composite materials.

Capsulated Cork: This type of cork is also known as T-cork (named after its shape), and is primarily used in beverage categories of fortified wine and www.socalfnbpro.com

other spirits. It is again another type of hybrid closure. The bottle part of the cork is made using natural cork or synthetic materials, and the cap on top is made of a separate type of material (e.g., plastic, wood, glass, metal).

Fun Fact! Other than these primary categories of closures, there are other unique products out there! Vino-Lok is a stopper made of glass (or plastic), and has an airtight seal that prevents oxygen or bacteria from entering the bottle. Zork is another unique type of closure that seals like a screwcap, but “pops” like a cork.

Why Wine closures affect the way a wine tastes.

Different materials result in varying levels of cost, sealing capability, protection against oxygen, etc. In recent years, winemakers and consumers now consider carbon footprint and environmental impacts.

Natural cork does tend to be the best form of bottle sealing, as it provides the ideal amount of oxygen entry into the bottle to help wines age.

Cork has the ability to maintain the tight seal and resist moisture. Unfortunately, the major factors that negatively affects the cork market is 2,4,6-trichloroanisole compound (TCA), more commonly known as cork taint. Later research reveal that TCA is also found in water, wood, soil, etc., so the wine could have been exposed to TCA before even entering the bottle, but the initial discovery had damaged the cork reputation.

Today, the percentage of TCA presence in corks has reduced significantly (from ~10% to now less than ~4%) due to extensive research and testing.

When During the 1980s, screw caps were still new, and tied to the idea of being “cheap.” Up until that time, the vast majority of bottles were being sealed with natural corks. After the 1990s issues when cork was connected to TCA, the cork reputation was damaged to the point where a wine

affected by TCA was considered “corked.” Entire countries like Australia and New Zealand traded natural cork closures for screwcaps instead, and the majority of producers remain loyal to screw caps today.

Who In general the latest trend towards preferring environmentally friendly, sustainable products have taken the world by storm. This trend applies to the cork market as well. In 2008, Amorim, the world’s largest cork producer, published a report showing that natural cork performed better than plastic and aluminum closures for environmental impacts.

This year, Amorim revealed new research advancements that uses a specialized form of gas chromatography (GCMS) to detect TCA in corks. The technology allows Amorim to offer “guaranteed and insured corks.” This is unheard of, and surely is exciting news for natural cork wine bottlers everywhere.

Some winemakers have begun to shift back to using natural cork, not only because of advancements of natural cork and environmental impact, but also to increase market share in places that continue to have the classic perception of quality wines that natural cork has.

Fun Fact! Two countries that heavily prefer the natural cork (due to perceived quality) are China and the U.S. The next time you purchase a bottle of wine to drink, think about all the different factors and considerations that go into only one decision point during the winemaking process. For the wine industry professionals, it’s perhaps time to re-evaluate wine closures and the recent technology and research revelations that have come to light.

Until next month, Cheers~!

Alice

October 2018 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 25

EVENTS

AD INDEX

As expected, Oktoberfest has taken the spotlight across Southern California, and much of the world, for that matter, though many spectacular food events still await.

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

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10/6: LA Beer Fest The LA Fall Beer Festival will feature over 200 beers, food trucks, DJ, live music and more surprises. The event will take place at LA Center Studios from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Los Angeles Center Studios, Los Angeles LABeerFest.la

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

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10/13: Oktoberfest Coronado Island Guests can enjoy unlimited stein fills of over 20 German and local craft beers from 10+ breweries. Modern German inspired cuisine from Coronado Island’s best restaurants. Coronado Ferry Landing, San Diego Eventbrite.com/e/oktoberfest-coronado-island-tickets-49810745280 10/14: WASTED: A Celebration of Sustainable Food At this inaugural Tastemaker event to benefit Kitchens for Good, local and national celebrity chefs and mixologists are challenged to take items that would typically be WASTED from their kitchen or bar and repurpose it into a bite-sized dish, cocktail or dessert. Liberty Station, San Diego.

WastedCelebration.com

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

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Ferrari-Carano Vinyards & Winery ferrari-carano.com

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Keep Memory Alive Event Center kmaeventcenterlasvegas.com 702-263-9797

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

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Riedel riedel.com

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Rodney Strong Estate Vinyards www.rodneystrong.com

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10/18: Taste of Laguna Beach Tasty bites and delicious drinks from more than 20 Laguna Beach eateries and drinkeries. Laguna Beach, Orange County Great-Taste.net/Event/Taste-of-Laguna-Beach 10/19 - 21: The Taste Costa Mesa The LA Times brings its grand foodie event to The MET in Costa Mesa for 3 days of food, wine, spirits and chef experiences, plus culinary pop-ups and collaborations. Costa Mesa, Orange County.

Extras.Latimes.com/Taste 10/20: Burbank Beer Festival The Fourth Annual Burbank Beer Festival & Fall Street Fair returns to Downtown Burbank with more than 85 Craft Beers on Tap, Live Music and Entertainment.

Downtown Burbank, Los Angeles. www.burbankbeerfestival.com

American Culinary Federation Chefs of SoCal

The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional is proud to be associated with these fine organizations: ACF-American Culinary Federation Chef de Cuisine Association of California Chapter Culinarians of San Diego Chapter Chefs de Cuisine Association of San Diego Chapter 26 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I October 2018

www.socalfnbpro.com

CABERNET

COLOR UP YOUR LIFE! RIEDEL.COM