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CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER Mike Fryer
WELCOME BACK TO OUR SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF THE SOCAL FOOD & BEVERAGE PROFESSIONAL. This last month saw us covering and exhibiting at the Western Restaurant Expo where we also judged a new aspect of the media involvement. Called “Pitch the Press,” we were required to visit more than 70 exhibitors with either new items or new products and judge which merited receiving an innovative award. You can see more on our photo feature on page 17. NOW THAT SUMMER IS ALMOST OVER we can finally start enjoying more events both indoors and out. Please send your upcoming food & beverage events to us at mike@socalfnbpro.com and we will highlight them on our events page on page 30, as well as post to our website at www.socalfnbpro.com. FRONT COVER FEATURES THE JOY OF SAKE EVENT coming this year to Las Vegas for the first time in its 15 year history and will be an event not to miss and hosted at Caesars Palace. Considered the largest sake tasting outside of Japan, The Joy of Sake won’t let sake lovers down, with more than 391 distinct brands from all over Japan. The organizers have included a “How To” sake tasting guide you’ll want to review and follow as you glide through the sake tasting tables which include a number of local Asian restaurants with samplings to help balance the overall experience. www.JoyofSake.com
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BACK COVER FEATURES THE UPCOMING GLOBAL GAMING EXPO once again back in Las Vegas and bigger than ever. Known as the largest gaming expo in the world, it draws exhibitors and attendees from around the world connected to all aspects of the gaming industry. Several years ago, G2E, as it’s called, developed a new section dedicated to food & beverage within the gaming properties and is now an important part of the show, affectionately called, F&B@G2E. See you there 9/2810/2. http://www.globalgamingexpo.com I RECENTLY RAN ACROSS THIS INTERESTING QUOTE:
“A man who stops his advertising to save money is like a man who stops his watch to save time.” -Henry Ford CHEERS! MIKE
Page 4
Page 14
Page 22
Hot Off the Grill!
What’s Cooking
COVER FEATURE The Joy of Sake Making Its First
Page 5 Deductive Wine Tasting - innate
Page 15
ability or a learned skill?
Making the Most of Back to School
Page 6 What’s Brewing?
Appearance in Las Vegas on September 19
Page 24 Page 17
Product Spotlight
Western Restaurant & Hospitality Page 8
Expo
West Eats East—Chopsticks Page 9 Food for Thought
Page 24 Human Resources Insights
Page 18 Good for Spooning
Page 27 The Bottom Line
Page 10 Chef Talk
Page 20 Brett’s Vegas View
Page 13 Wine Talk
22 www.socalfnbpro.com
Page 28 American Culinary Federation Chefs Of SoCal Chapter Page
Page 21 Hungry for PR
Page 30 Events Ad Index
September 2015 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 3
The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 303 Broadway Ste. 104-40 Laguna Beach, CA 92651 www.socalfnbpro.com
HOT OFF THE GRILL!
September 2015 Mike Fryer Sr. Editor/Publisher
OUR ASSOCIATE AND GOOD FRIEND, LINDA DUKE Chief Executive Officer of Duke Marketing, LLC, presented several seminars this year at the Western Restaurant Expo, including, Creating Breakthrough Restaurant Promotions for Restaurant Operators & Exploring Restaurant Marketing Success Stories from across the United States. You can read more on Restaurant Marketing monthly from Linda in The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional.
Thank you for joining us in this issue of
The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional.
For any questions or comments please email mike@socalfnbpro.com
Bob Barnes Editorial Director bob@lvfnb.com
Juanita Fryer Assistant To Sr. Editor ACF Chefs Liasion/ Journalist juanita.fryer@lvfnb.com
Karen Kunz Graphic Designer karen.kunz@lvfnb.com
Adam Rains Beverage Editor adam.rains@lvfnb.com
For all Website Inquires contact info@socalfnbpro.com
THE WESTERN RESTAURANT & HOSPITALITY EXPO recently ended with a record number of attendees and Food & Beverage Professional was there with a booth covering the entire show, which included new and exciting events. One such new event was called “Pitch the Press” in which selected press/media chose the most interesting new exhibitors or items at the show and then awarded the best new items with a certificate. A total of 15 exhibitors were awarded certification. Congratulations to each of them. Pictured are PTP winner Tossware Marketing Partner Rob Alshuler and Director of Sales Fiona Fiorini. THE INAUGURAL TORCH AWARDS 2015 RECIPIENTS SUSAN FENIGER AND MARY SUE MILLIKEN were honored at the Western Restaurant Expo for their outstanding contribution to the Foodservice Industry and their work with up-and-coming chefs to help develop the culinary arts and introduce Mexican influenced dishes and ingredients to food lovers everywhere. We were able to get a shot of Global Master Chef, CMC and Chairman of the Event Ferdinand Metz with Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger with The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional’s Sr. Editor/ Publisher Mike Fryer.
The SoCal 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 mike@socalfnbpro.com and they may be published in next month’s issue!
@lvfnb
NOTE: All submissions become the property of The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional.
The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional
CONTRIBUTING STAFF
Legal Editorial Advisor Andrew Matney
Journalists Scott & Elaine Harris
Accounting Manager Michelle San Juan
Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett
Journalist What’s Brewing David Mulvihill
Journalist Food for Thought Les Kincaid
Journalist Hungry for PR Jen Morris
Journalist Mitchell Wilburn
Journalist Ben Vaughn
Journalist Good for Spooning LeAnne Notabartolo
Journalist East Eats West K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.
Photographer Audrey Dempsey
Journalist Chef Talk Allen Asch
Journalist Linda Duke
Journalist Heidi Rains
Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein
Journalist Green Restaurant Association Michael Oshman
Journalist Wine Talk Alice Swift
SoCal Journalist Lisa Matney
Journalist The Bottom Line Ben Brown
Photographer Bill Bokelmann
Photographer Joe Urcioli
SoCal Journalist Margie Mancino
Master Sommelier Joe Phillips
4 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2015
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Deductive Wine Tasting - innate ability or a learned skill?
By Joe Phillips MS Joseph Phillips is a Master Sommelier and the Director of Wine Education and Trade Development for Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada. Joe teaches sommelier training and tasting courses at the SWS Academy, 8400 S. Jones Blvd. Las Vegas, Nevada. For information about classes offered through the Academy, contact Kandi Johnson 702 253-3245 EXT 653245.
Blind Tasting? What is it? Is it a real skill? Just a cool party trick? Any truth to it? We are talking about the ability to take a glass of wine and without any prior knowledge of its contents, describe the flavors and structural elements, then accurately guess the grape variety, vintage, country and region of origin. Although this may seem like a magic trick or even some super human, innate ability possessed by only a lucky few, the truth is that this is a technique which can be learned by anyone. Of course, the really impressive tasters, those who are accurate at identifying wines well above the statistics of simply guessing, require in-depth knowledge of wine laws, wine production techniques, grape variety flavor profiles, recognizing key aromatic compounds, and training their palate to deconstruct then reassemble the aromatic, flavor, and structural components of wine. Unfortunately there is no shortcut to amass the knowledge and experience necessary to pass such tests as the Master Sommelier Diploma exam; however, the core elements of the technique can be learned by anyone and do not require years of study. The technique is based on abilities we all possess, and learning the technique may actually strengthen the neural pathways of your brain. How does one go about learning such a seemingly elusive, seemingly genetically oriented skill? The first step is approaching the process—and it is indeed a learnable process—with the proper attitude. Like a detective investigating a crime scene, a deductive taster is looking for clues in wine that will indicate how it was made, what type of climate the grapes were grown in, what grape variety was used, how old it is, and where it comes from. The core of the technique is training yourself to accurately assess the physical characteristics of the wine. The primary characteristics are aromatic intensity, presence of sugar, acid level, tannin level and evidence of oak
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aging. Another approach is to think of it as physical training. Very few of us are able to simply run a marathon without doing any sort of methodical athletic training, and similarly there probably aren’t many people who are able to identify wines accurately without any prior wine knowledge or dedicated training and study. So where do you start? Baby steps. Focus on one element in wine at a time. Tune out all the other chaos going on in a glass of wine and focus on one thing. Sugar is a great place to start. Taste a wine and ask yourself is it sweet or dry? Then, how sweet or dry is it? By tasting several wines of varying degrees of sweetness you will be able to accurately assess whether the wine is dry,
off-dry, medium sweet, or more. Once you are comfortable with assessing the sugar level in wine, move on to acid, then tannin, then oak. Using a systematic approach such as this will help build a strong foundation of accurate wine assessment. By studying winemaking techniques and the wine regions and wine styles of the world, you will be able to make a connection between the way a wine tastes and its production techniques and region of origin. Blind tasting is like finding the solution to a puzzle, but first you need to be able to identify the individual pieces. Over the next few installments we will explore the core structural elements and how they affect our perception of wine.
September 2015 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 5
what’s
By David Mulvihill
Brew Ha Ha Collab
The 6th Annual OC Brew Ha Ha Craft Beer Festival is about to take place September 12th. Brewing of this year’s Brew Ha Ha collaboration beer took place at Left Coast Brewing Company. Three San Clemente breweries created this year’s brew: Left Coast, Artifex Brewing Company and Pizza Brewers take a well-earned break during brewing of 2015 Brew Ha Ha South County IPA at Left Coast Brewing Port San Clemente. A release party for the Company. Pictured (from l-r) are Randal Dilibero (Left Coast appropriately named South County IPA will Master Brewer), Trevor Walls (Pizza Port SC Head Brewer), and Johnny Johur (Artifex Co-founder / Brewer). take place Thursday, September 3rd at Pizza Port San Clemente. The brew was dry-hopped with Nelson, Mosaic and Cascade, and features the three C’s (Columbus, Centennial and Cascade hops), as well as Nelson and Mosaic in the brew. The hop-forward West Coast-style IPA will also be available at Left Coast, all Pizza Port locations, Stone Brewing’s Escondido & Liberty Station, Brew Ha Ha on September 12th and many other craft beer bars in LA, OC and SD. Bottles will also release the first week in September and be available at fine retailers such as Total Wine.
San Diego Update
A few days in North San Diego County afforded this reporter a chance to catch up with some of the many surrounding area breweries. We’ll cover a few in this and next issue.
Photos by David Mulvihill
Saint Archer
The core of Saint Archer’s brewing team, (from l-r) Yiga Miyashiro, Greg Peters, and Kim Brisson-Lutz.
Saint Archer Brewing Company in the Mira Mesa area has made huge strides since opening less than three years ago, thanks to the beer produced by Director of Brewing Operations Yiga Miyashiro, Brewmaster Kim Brisson-Lutz, Cellar Supervisor Greg Peters and their dedicated loyal team. “None of this would be able to be done without our crew. We have a talented good mix of people that are hungry to learn,” Miyashiro shared.
The brewery opened with a 30 barrel brewing system and two fermenters. Fermenters have grown to 20 and expansion continues. Bottling, canning, and kegging lines fill the brewery’s packaging needs. “We are on a run rate of about 34,000 barrels right now; doing a little over 17,000 last year, with 24,000 expected for this year,” Miyashiro stated. Peters has also been expanding Saint Archer’s barrel program. Look for year-end releases of imperial porter and barleywine-style beers, as well as Scottish ales aging in various spirit barrels. A recent development involved securing an additional 10,000 square feet of adjacent building space, which will provide for more production, fermentation, packaging, storage and the new cidery. Yes, the brewery is embarking on a cider program. The team feels it can step up to fill Southern California’s need for cider production. Kim’s fermentation background initially began in Paso Robles wineries prior to her move to Maui Brewing Company, where she brewed until moving to Saint Archer. She and Greg have been tinkering with small batches. Lutz talked about how they are looking to provide a full bodied cider with balance between its dry and sweet characteristics. They were expecting delivery of the cider equipment in the weeks to come.
6 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2015
Photos by David Mulvihill
BREWING?
David Mulvihill strives to experience and write about the ever-evolving face of SoCal craft beer. He also covers Orange County for Celebrator Beer News as well as Southern California for Southwest Brewing News. Contact him at dbrewhill@gmail.com.
The beers…Per Yiga, the exceedingly popular and award-winning Saint Archer White Ale was Kim’s brainchild. Her take on this Belgian-style wit includes an ample infusion of coriander and fresh orange peel, and fermentation with Belgian yeast. Other core beers include a kolsch-style blonde, and three deliciously hop prominent California-style beers: Pale Ale, IPA and Double IPA.
Pizza Port Bressi Ranch
The name Pizza Port has become synonymous with the birth and growth of San Diego craft beer, with humble beginnings in Solana Beach. It has expanded to five restaurant breweries, Lost Abbey/Port Brewing in San Marcos and the Pizza Port Bottle Shop in Carlsbad. Pizza Port’s Bressi Ranch location (Inland Carlsbad east of Palomar Airport), opened just over 2 years ago and includes a full production facility. Head Brewer Sean Farrell showed me around. The 30 barrel Mueller brewhouse with two kettles allows for brewing in quick succession, with as many as seven batches in a brew day. The brewery’s massive canning line from Italy has an output of 350 sixteen ounce cans per minute and is equipped with a cross-check camera, and even an x-ray to catch low-fills. The complex also serves as the commissary for the other Pizza Port stores. All of the pizza dough is made onsite. Dough, pizza supplies, brewing ingredients and kegs are regularly trucked to the other restaurants. Bressi’s restaurant/pub, where you can enjoy beer brewed at Bressi Ranch, other Pizza Port locations, and guest breweries (well-crafted pizza too), has views overlooking the brewery on both levels. Check out the aquarium/fish tank fashioned from a fermenter. Newer beers include Pick Six Pilsner and Kook Double IPA. Also on hand during this visit was an export-style stout and 2 Step IPA, Bressi’s 2nd Anniversary beer, which utilized Irish pale and rye malts, and featured Mosaic and Waimea hops. This combination provided a healthy backbone to balance the citrus and fruit flavors and aromas that exuded.
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By K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.
West Eats East—Chopsticks
Mike Masuyama is a bi-cultural science-technologybusiness consultant. He earned a Ph.D. in Food Science at Cornell University, is involved in teaching, research and business in major-beer, micro-beer, soft drinks, sake, sea salt, rice, white soy sauce and other areas both in Japan and the US., and has published several books and dozens of articles. “Ask Doctor Sake” was his last series in this journal.
Two pieces of sticks made people wonder
what when they were seen eating with them the very first time. Chopsticks they were, and were exclusively used by Asians. About 20 years ago I was still hesitant to use them at a picnic outside. During the last ten years or so they came to appear on TV sitcom scenes as exotic eating from a doggy bag. Today chopsticks are commonly used by many in eating sushi or other Asian foods. Chopsticks appear to have finally been recognized as one of our utensils. You are an updated eater if skilled in their use, whereas you may be branded uncivilized if you fumble when using them. Here we tell you the stories behind the two sticks. Believe or not, chopsticks can function for almost all movements for eating except for sucking liquid like through a straw. First, you can pick up chunks of food or rice, carrying them from a plate or a bowl to mouth. You may pick up small, round, slippery peas or noodles if well maneuvered. You may scoop up food pieces like fried rice by paralleled sticks, slightly parted. When you hold each stick separately by two hands and cross-pull, you can cut foods, even meat. By piercing you may pick up meat or veggies. Mixing or stirring is easy. As a matter of course, chopsticks are for both eating and cooking. Thus chopsticks function as a fork, knife or spoon and furthermore a tool more than a tong in cooking, though not often seen on cooking shows other than the Asian ones. The materials of chopsticks, originally twigs, are now commonly bones in China, metal in Korea, and wood, occasionally lacquered, in Japan or plastic all over the place for personal use. As far as I
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 Remarkable for sea foods, veggies, pasta, fusion and natural foods www.whitesoysaucefood.com 8 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2015
am aware of, Japan might be the only place to provide versatile sizes or types to accommodate for toddlers, children, adults and occasions or uses. There everybody was right-handed for chopsticks and also writing until 30-40 years ago, probably true all over Asia, despite no difference of chopsticks for either hand use. In a good table mannered family, the individual personal use of chopsticks is separated from the ones for picking-up things from plates or bowls shared for hygiene as well as for personal peace-in-mind reasons. If provided none, a concerned eater would turn chopsticks upside down to use the other ends to pick up the shared food. At many Asian eateries nowadays, disposable ones are placed horizontally or vertically on the table, or simply tossed, which are marvelously engineered for splitting into two pieces. The wood ones are shifting to bamboo lately. Though, disposable has always been the subject to be accused by natural conservation groups even though bamboo is the fastest growing, almost inexhaustible natural resource. Besides, bamboo chopsticks have to compete with giant pandas which feed on bamboo (a joke). Today reusable, plastic in wooden appearance, which is machine washable, is coming. The chopsticks are the primary objective of table manners in Japan, though it may not be 100% applicable here, but good to know. If wrongly done there, you would be disgraced for poor family origin or undereducated. It is a good observation to help in judging a person at a business eating, a gathering of friends-associates, and even a date at an early stage before getting too intimate. Following are things for Japanese who are born with chopsticks. No wandering chopsticks in air to move from one dish to another. Be determined to eat. Never point chopsticks to things or persons. It is dangerous. Chopsticks, are not an alternative to toothpicks. Chopsticks are not for drawing plates or bowls closer to you. Do not grab both sticks in one palm to scoop or overfill food from a bowl or plate in a K-9 eating style. Do not tap the table to hurry up serving. Do not lick them before start using. Do not play drumming with chopsticks on a bowl or plate. The most inappropriate practice you should not do is the transfer of food held in someone’s chopsticks to another. It is only done, in Japan, to transfer bone remains from one person to another at a crematory. Do not let chopsticks stand straight into cooked or steamed rice in a bowl, which is an offering to the dead. Rubbing the split pieces to remove any hangnail may be good for the safety reason. But nowadays chopsticks are well made to leave nothing harmful after split, I believe. I strongly recommend to practice, if not good with chopsticks, prior to going to a Japanese restaurant. Tie two sticks together at the end with a rubber band and try to move one stick by your index and middle fingers. You may ask for a fork to eat sushi, otherwise. Or use your fingers after cleaned. With Chinese foods I usually use a fork because it is easier to eat foods which are cooked all together in a wok. A brain surgeon in Chicago invented a hybrid of chopsticks and fork, the Chork, though I do not see many. Today chopsticks are in the right hand and a cellphone is in the left at the table, or the other way round for lefties. Is it a good table manner here? Do not stick yourself by chopsticks while sending a text message. www.socalfnbpro.com
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
With Weather Cooling Off Try an Unusual Wine with Dinner
By Les Kincaid Les Kincaid is a food, wine, and golf expert and cookbook author. He hosts the nationally syndicated wine radio show Wines Du Jour each Thursday from 7 to 8 pm. You can enjoy his website or his broadcast at www.leskincaid.com les@leskincaid.com www.facebook.com/leskincaid www.twitter.com/leskincaid
When weather is cooling off I automatically think it’s time for something spicy but not really hot. If you are in love with the heady flavors like Indian food, but lost when it comes to the wine to match, just think sweet with heat: Off-dry wines from cooler climates are a great foil for spicy fare. Gewürztraminer (geh-VOORTS-truh-MEE-ner) is just slightly sweet and has lovely floral perfumes. With a moderate alcohol level (don’t go over 14.5 percent, or the wine will “burn” on the palate with spicy food and is difficult to pair with foods), this wine melds and meshes with the complex flavors of curry and adds dimension to an Indian meal. When making curry at home, keep it mild to medium and choose chicken or fish to match the wine. A low-fat curry that’s packed with full, fragrant flavor you can make in one pot. To make this main course a showstopper for entertaining, I use golden roasted chicken over a rich, smooth sauce. Ovencrisped chickpeas and lots of fresh cilantro make this an irresistible dish with lots of textures and flavors. Now is the perfect time to try it. 1 whole chicken cut into 8-10 pieces 3/4 tsp salt, divided 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 cinnamon stick 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons minced ginger 4 large tomatoes, chopped 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala www.socalfnbpro.com
1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1/4 cup sour cream Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over mediumhigh. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add oil to pan, then chicken, skin-side down, in 2 batches. Cook until golden, 3 min. per side. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake until chicken is springy when pressed, about 25 min. Return same pan to heat on medium. Add onion and cinnamon stick. Cook until onion starts to soften, 3 min. Add garlic and ginger. Cook 1 min. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, garam masala, turmeric, cumin and remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 min. Remove chicken and discard cinnamon stick. Scrape hot sauce into a food processor. Purée until smooth. Pour back into pan and stir in sour cream. Cook until heated, about 2 min. Ladle sauce into bowls and set chicken on top. Serve with a lightly chilled Gewürztraminer. Yield: 4 servings
September 2015 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 9
By Chef Allen Asch
Chef Talk
Feel free to contact Chef Allen with ideas for comments or future articles at allena@unlv.nevada.edu Chef Allen Asch M. Ed., CCE is a culinary arts instructor that has earned degrees from Culinary Institute of America, Johnson and Wales University and Northern Arizona University. He is currently teaching at UNLV. He earned his Certified Culinary Educator Endorsement from the American Culinary Federation in 2003.
Corn
I
just read that the United States produces 32 percent of the world’s corn, which is three times the amount of any other country. Most of us know about the many uses of corn, and most newsworthy is the use in the making of high fructose corn syrup. This additive is used in so many everyday products. If you have not seen the 2007 documentary movie King Corn you should try to create the opportunity to see it. It really is an eye opener to the many uses in modern food service for the additive, mostly in many less expensive foods including a host of fast food and convenience food choices. A second common use of corn in our modern society is in the additive given to gasoline during the warmer months to help alleviate pollution, ethanol. Ethanol, the same chemical formula for the alcohol we drink, is added to most gasolines to be in compliance with the 1990s amendments to the Clean Air Act. This helps add to the high cost of gasoline, especially during the summer travel months. Most gas in the United States contains 10 percent ethanol, which almost all cars function well with, but many cars
are designed for E15 (15% Ethanol). Along with the United States, Brazil is a leader in producing and using ethanol gas, with many Brazilian cars designed to use E25 gas. The United States is the largest producer of Ethanol, and along with Brazil both countries produce over 87% of the world’s ethanol. By far the largest use of corn in the United States is for livestock feed, which is used when the corn is allowed to grow to full maturity. Another less abundant use of corn is as fresh corn, harvested while still a little immature. This is usually only a seasonal item. This corn is still sweet, while the livestock feed corn has converted the sugar molecules in the corn into starch molecules. This was a big concern for corn on the cob, as after harvest the sugars change very quickly making fresh sweet corn a challenge in areas away from the harvest. This has changed in recent years as the industry is producing corn that is “supersweet,” allowing an extended shelf life. Corn starch, obtained by soaking the endosperm of the corn, is used widely in the foodservice industry as a thickener,
10 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2015
but is also the main ingredient in preparing high fructose corn syrup. Corn syrup is produced by combining corn starch with water and enzymes in a multi-stage process that produces the syrup. Corn syrup is used in foods to soften texture, add volume, prevent crystallization of sugar and enhance flavor. Regular corn syrup is not a nutritional concern, but when it is converted to high fructose corn syrup by converting some of the glucose to fructose it is a concern to nutritionists. High fructose corn syrup has been linked to higher calorie intake which leads to other health problems including weight gain, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and high levels of triglycerides. All of these variables lead to a much higher risk factor for heart disease. Corn starch was first discovered in 1840 and spent a little more than a decade only being used in starching for laundry. It was later discovered that it had other culinary and non-culinary uses, including a non-caking agent in items such as powdered sugar or talcum (baby) powder. Corn starch is also used as an anti-sticking additive in the medical industry such as used in gloves. As for culinary uses, corn starch can be added to dairy products such as yogurt and cheeses to lower the production costs during manufacturing by working as an ingredient stabilizer. More commonly corn starch is used as a thickening agent because it thickens very quickly and creates a clear thickened sauce rather than an opaque one. Some advantages of using cornstarch over flour are that the corn derivative thickens at twice the rate of flour and is flavorless. Like flour, it needs to be cooked for a short period of time to remove a raw starchiness from the product, as well as to reach the proper temperature for gelatinization (the absorption of liquids needed for thickening). Cornstarch should be added to a cold liquid to create what is called a slurry, before being added to hot liquids. The thicker the slurry the more it will thicken; an ideal consistency is something close to that of glue. If an item thickened with cornstarch is heated for a long period of time or agitated too much it may start to break down. One big advantage to using cornstarch, especially in this day and age, is that the product is gluten free. www.socalfnbpro.com
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Wine Talk
with Alice Swift
By Alice Swift Alice Swift has been a resident of Las Vegas since July, 2011, and is currently an instructor as well as a Ph.D. student at UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration. She also works as Learning Design & Development Business Partner for MGM Resorts University. Check out her website at www.aliceswift.com for the dish on wine, technology, or even both! She is happy to take suggestions for article topics or inquiries.
Fabio Viviani Wine Collection Debuts in Nevada
Talented chef, restauranteur, business owner, Top Chef fan favorite, author, what could possibly be next for Chef Fabio Viviani? Why, winemaker, of course! Initially launched in fall of 2014 in Chicago, the Fabio Viviani Wine Collection was released for online purchase in early 2015, and soon will be making its debut for distribution in Arizona, California and Nevada. Viviani’s passion for food and wine is primarily what led him to explore the world of winemaking. Born and raised in Italy, Viviani naturally accepted the role that wine played during meals, and initially strived to make people happy through food as a chef. What better way to continue that role, but with wine as well? Thus, the Fabio Viviani Wine Collection www.socalfnbpro.com
was created, as a collaboration with Carlos Quimbo and Sean Thomas, of Sipp, LLC. The purpose of this wine? Good quality, good winemaking, no gimmicks and at a reasonable price. Who can complain about that? Distribution will begin in mid-September, beginning with in-store distribution for the wines in partnership with Haggen grocery stores in its Nevada, California and Arizona locations. Currently, the Fabio Viviani Wine Collection is made up of four wines from California (all from the 2013 vintage): the Signature Red Blend and Signature White Blend, a Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon. Not only are the wines produced in limited quantities, but Viviani and his partners chose to focus on quality rather than quantity, while considering the environment at the same time, packaging the wine in eco-friendly bottles with recycled materials. One common thread amongst the partners is their passion for philanthropy. Since its release, the Fabio Viviani Wine Collection of wines have made special appearances, along with Chef Viviani himself, on shows and publications such as: The Steve Harvey Show, Wine Spectator, The Rachel Ray Show, Beverage Industry Magazine, The Chicago Sun Times, and much, much more! Fun Fact: Sean Thomas, co-owner in the Fabio Viviani Wine Collection collaboration, is the grandson of Dave Thomas, of Wendy’s fast food restaurant! Talk about having the entrepreneurial gene. Keep an eye out for a future issue introducing the wines in detail, along with tasting notes! Until next time, Cheers~! Alice
September 2015 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 13
By Bob Barnes
What’s Cooking
Bob Barnes is a native Las Vegan, editorial director of The SoCal 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
From Fine Dining to BBQ-Beachwood BBQ Stirring Up Flavors in Long Beach and Seal Beach
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, to help meet the demand for fresh-brewed beer Gordon also added a brewery to his new eatery. On tap at any given time are 18-20 house beers, such as the Mocha Machine—a 9.2% ABV imperial chocolate coffee porter with coffee from Portola Coffee Lab in Costa Mesa aged on Ecuadorian cacao nibs and Hop Ninja—an 8.9% ABV West Coast-style Double IPA made with American 2-row malt kissed by caramel malt and dry hopped with Simcoe, Amarillo and Columbus; and additional guest brews featuring other local brews and craft beer gems. Brewmaster/Co-owner Julian Shrago’s brews have 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. A major beer event is the biennial Sourfest, a six-day tribute to sour and barrel aged beer held in odd numbered years, during which more than 100 kegs are tapped. Mark your calendar now; the next one is slated for October 6-11 at both the Long Beach and Seal Beach locations. 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 burger, baby back and beef short ribs, pulled pork, smoked chicken, salmon, albacore and in-house made sausages. Every table comes equipped with four large containers of the house-made sauces—sweet, spicy, Dijon mustard
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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 tater tot casserole—Porcini dusted tater tots topped with smoked cheese curds & duck gravy. Imaginative sides include smoked asparagus, kale and barley salad, fried green tomatoes and vanilla-scented pecan yams. Deals abound on a happy hour menu offered at both locations from 3 to 6 Tuesday-Friday with appetizers and sandwiches ranging from $4 to $7 and late night at the Long Beach location from 10 to midnight Friday & Saturday has appetizers from $3.50-$7. The Seal Beach location is at 131 ½ Main St. (562-493-4500) and is 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-Thursday and Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (bar open till 11:30-ish) and till midnight on Friday & Saturday. beachwoodbbq.com www.socalfnbpro.com
Making the Most of Back to School
By Linda Duke About the author: Linda Duke, CEO of Duke Marketing, is celebrating 25 years in business, a full service marketing firm based in San Rafael, CA specializing in restaurant marketing. Reach her at duke@dukemarketing.com
Restaurateurs can demonstrate their support for local schools by creating fundraisers donating a percentage of proceeds on a chosen day or time. Schools pick their fundraiser day and restaurateurs provide fliers to hand out. Parents, teachers and students bring in the fliers on the chosen day and a percentage of proceeds are donated to the participating school.
For restaurateurs the emergence of fall colors and cooler weather is not just a reminder of the changing seasons, it presents the opportunity to partner with local schools. Every community has schools ranging from preschool to college boasting a wide range of diversity. Back to school marketing programs provide ways for restaurateurs to reach these groups while giving back to education. Education is feeling the economic crunch. School budgets have left many schools with no other options but to cut staff and special programs that enhance the curriculum. To be a leader in the community it is important that restaurateurs reach out and show their support for education and youth by helping schools in this time of need. The first week of school, students receive long lists of supplies required for each class. Restaurateurs can demonstrate their commitment to education by creating logo branded supplies, such as bookmarks, rulers, erasers and book covers which are easily customized with the restaurant’s logo, and donating them to the local schools. Of course, one of the easiest ways restaurants contribute to schools is with food. www.socalfnbpro.com
In addition to fundraisers for the school, restaurateurs can host events and raise money for music, art, athletics, field trips, computers, teacher’s aids or after school programs. Choose a school to sponsor on a day, a week, a month or however long, donating a percentage of the proceeds to the school. Fundraising helps schools with their budget and raises awareness in the community that restaurateurs are not only concerned about education, but are doing something about it. Restaurateurs may also choose to show their appreciation for education through student achievement awards. Achievement awards make students feel good, raise self esteem and makes learning more fun. Have awards printed providing space for the name of the student and their achievement such as reading, writing, attendance or citizenship. Pass these certificates out to area schools for teachers to reward students and be sure the certificate is good for a free meal or another offer. Students typically bring these achievement awards in with another family member, increasing the restaurant’s sales and exposure in the community. Many schools offer student lunch programs, some paid for by state or federal funds for free lunch or reduced price lunches. However, schools may choose one day per month to have an outside restaurant supply students with a lunch item. Local school food authorities set their own prices for full-price (paid) meals, but must operate their meal services as non-profit programs. So, if a restaurateur offers to provide a school with a pizza day or a burrito day and charges less than typical menu prices (i.e. $2 per pizza or $3 per burrito), the difference may be considered a “donation”—ask your accountant if it is deductible. In other words, providing schools with lunches is not only a great way to get kids to love your brand, but is also a terrific way to give back to your community.
Although securing school lunches may take extra care and planning, restaurateurs will find this program rewarding as it develops into a strong partnership that continues for many years.
HOW TO: Target Teachers: Restaurateurs can demonstrate their appreciation for educators by offering a catered lunch. Contact the area schools to determine when teachers have faculty meetings, and arrange to provide a catered lunch. Include catering menus and bounce back coupons as a thank you for their work acknowledging their contribution and importance. Teachers will feel appreciated as they get to indulge in delicious food. School Activities: Parties and events are an important part of school activities. Schools have parties for good behavior, holidays, and end of the year, graduation, and homecoming or to celebrate a special day. Restaurateurs can provide food to area schools to make it easy, efficient and affordable on these special days. Contact schools and teachers to let them know about special pricing and determine when events or parties will be coming up in the school year. Get Recognition: Donating to schools is important and restaurateurs should be recognized for their actions. It is important to keep a tally of what and how much has been donated and share those efforts with the media throughout the year. With all the budget and staff cuts, stories about supporting education are very popular in the media, especially when a restaurant is giving back to schools. Share how many schools have been helped, what school programs have been saved or augmented, how the achievement awards that have been used and helped to motivate students, how many pizzas were given away or how much money raised. Restaurants will show that they are a committed and conscientious partner in their community. For restaurateurs, back to school presents a great opportunity to introduce new programs to schools. Contact schools now to begin developing relationships and providing programs to make a difference in your community.
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WESTERN RESTAURANT & HOSPITALITY EXPO
www.socalfnbpro.com
September 2015 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 17
Good for Spooning
A culinary event coordinator and live cooking demonstrator, this “Edu-tainer” with more than 1000 demos under her belt lives to cook and eat. She works with chefs at events and learns from them and translates info for home cooks. She is the Chick in Charge of Good for Spooning – read her blog here: www.goodforspooning.com
Photo courtesy of LeAnne@GoodforSpooning
David Leibner – Gift Local & It’s On Me
By LeAnne Notabartolo
David Leibner at his downtown office
David Leibner is one of those guys. You meet him and immediately
want to get to know him better. You know the type, handsome and confident with a strong handshake and a salted caramel voice. He looks and acts like he knows what’s going on…and that’s because he does. He’s the mastermind and creative genius behind one of the coolest apps for your phone, and it’s one of those ideas that once you realize the brilliance of it you smack your head and say, “Why didn’t I think of that!?” An 18 year resident of Las Vegas, via New York, Leibner works and lives downtown, participates in and supports downtown ventures and is the Founder and CEO of It’s On Me and Gift Local—a digital gifting app that interfaces with your desktop and smoothly performs on both Android and iPhone platforms. As of this writing there are three major cities with offerings, Las Vegas (75 locations), San Diego (30 locations) and newly launched New York City (3 locations) with more than 250 new locations to be added within 6 months across those cities. The participating merchants are a carefully curated group of locally owned restaurants and bars; no big box chains to weed through when looking to give a gift. Currently the app encompasses only dining and cocktails, but they aim to bring personal services on board (like spas and hair salons) soon. The app literally takes gift “cards” to a whole new level and it’s a win-win-win for merchant, gift giver and gift recipient. Let’s start with the merchants. Frequently, merchants will employ couponing services like Groupon to drive business in the doors. The downside of that is, “Once a customer has had your $20 [menu item] for $10 they aren’t going to come back and pay full retail for that same dish, no matter how much they liked it,” says Leibner. When someone uses a gift from It’s On Me it has been purchased at full retail value, no discounts. With the sign-up fee, a merchant is guaranteed a certain amount of sales. In the event that doesn’t happen, It’s On Me gives the merchant that specified dollar amount of gifts to use as they please. They can send them via email or text to clients who haven’t visited in a while. They can run a promo on Facebook to encourage participation. However they
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leanne@goodforspooning.com.
decide to use them. Sign up is available through the website and merchants can even add a free “affiliate button” to their website linking clients directly to the purchasing site of It’s On Me to purchase gifts for themselves or someone else. No cash spent on mailing or printing. Cost effective and genuinely effective marketing—go figure! As a gift giver, how many times have you “forgotten” someone’s birthday? Yeah, me too. This app allows you to send a gift immediately to a recipient in any of your multiple contact lists (personal, Facebook, Twitter) and it will arrive via text, email, Twitter or Facebook message. Heard someone had a bad day? You can send shots of their favorite spirit at the neighborhood bar or coffee and a muffin, or a slice of pizza. The gift you choose will show up as a photo (like a gift card), but they can use the dollar amount to select anything they want. Of course you can choose a dollar amount instead of a specific item. And you can gift from your desktop or your phone. When you receive a gift card, do you lose it, only to find it after it has expired? Yeah, me too. With It’s On Me, your gifts are in your phone. When was the last time you walked out the door without THAT? You don’t need the app to receive the gift, but you will need to download it to redeem your gift. Redemption is easy. Once you receive your check, open the app, find your gift and enter the receipt info from the check. The gift amount is automatically deducted and the server will charge you the balance if there is one. Don’t really like that bar or restaurant? No hassle re-gifting with ease! Leibner and his team have created a unique ecosystem (think economic system) that is totally interactive, symbiotic and easy to navigate. The logo is easy to recognize, but watch for changes once the aforementioned service options become available. All too often finding local merchants with quality products can be a crap shoot. By vetting these merchants for you, the guess work has been taken out of gift giving by providing you with a list of premium locally owned businesses. Gifting local will forever be changed. As a gift from David and It’s On Me, we thought it would be great for you to see how good it feels to receive a gift, so click here goo.gl/0fvrdH and your next round is on us. There are more than 2000 promotional gifts to be claimed at some of your favorite local merchants! www.socalfnbpro.com
Brett’s BY
Entertainment Draws
Dining-Beverage Options Evolve
Caesars Palace resident headliner Rod Stewart continues with nine 2016 spring concert dates after releasing his album Another Country. Dirk Arthur Wild Magic has premiered 4 p.m. shows in the Westgate’s showroom with big cat magic and illusions. Suzanne Somers will not be returning to the Westgate Cabaret with her show that opened in May. Donny Osmond, after vocal cord surgery, is expected to return Sept. 29 at the Flamingo headlining with his sister Marie. Il Volo released their fifth studio album “Grande Amore” and will make a tour stop at the Palms on March 25, 2016. Entertainer Jeff Civillico will remain at Bugsy’s Cabaret in the Flamingo where he relocated while The LINQ showroom was being remodeled. He returns Sept. 20 in a new 5:30 p.m. time slot. Frank Marino, Las Vegas’ longest-running headliner, will celebrate 30 years performing on the Strip Saturday, Sept. 19. Fantasy at the Luxor will introduce three fresh routines and a new opening number choreographed by two-time Emmy Awardnominee Mandy Moore. Legendary artists Kris Kristofferson and John Prine will co-headline a special performance in the Pearl at the Palms Oct. 30. Legends in Concert at the Flamingo will add tributes to Taylor Swift and Frank Sinatra on Sept. 14. Cirque du Soleil O performers Bill May and Christina Jones won two gold medals competing at the 2015 FINA World Championships in Russia. Model-actor Tyson Beckford is Chippendales celebrity host at the Rio through Sept. 27.
Chef Alain Ducasse will open elegant and sophisticated Rivea and Skyfall Lounge at the top of Delano this fall. Edge Steakhouse, a fine dining restaurant helmed by award-winning Chef Nick Lees, opened at the Westgate. The Habit Burger Grill, a California-based burger-centric fast casual restaurant chain, opened its first Las Vegas location at Hughes Center. The Filament opened at the Fremont featuring signature cocktails, craft beers and frozen novelty favorites. Owner/Chef Jacques Pauvert’s new healthyoriented casual family American bistro Jacques Café opened in Trails Village Center.
Notable Developments Downtown, the Plaza owners are selling the Las Vegas Club to the D owners who will close it in the future for renovations and changes. Increased by $14, Las Vegas marriage licenses now cost $77. The first Madame Tussauds wax figure of Nicki Minaj debuted at The Venetian in a provocative Anaconda pose.
The Riviera’s famous “NO, Ifs ands or...” Crazy Girls bronze statue is now displayed in the Planet Hollywood casino where the show is headlining. The Westgate’s giant sportsbook is getting a $12 million renovation, its first major makeover since opening in 1986. IPEC is a new freestanding events facility near McCarran Airport offering flexible group space for 50 to 720 attendees and onsite overnight accommodations for 200. Downtown Project’s new recently remodeled three-story Las Vegas Hostel is offering affordable accommodations with 154 beds near the Fremont East Entertainment District. The Encore Resort and Tower Suites at Wynn are undergoing a design refresh with expected completion this fall. The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo has been held at the Thomas & Mack Center for 30 years and will continue there for up to 10 years. The Bunkhouse Saloon downtown closed again with more than 25 shows on its calendar. No word if a projected adjacent venue, the Wheel House, will materialize. Pawn Plaza owner Rick Harrison announced Inna Gadda di Pizza and Pawn Donut & Coffee will be opening at the new shopping venture. Doubling in size, Berger & Son Fine Jewelers is constructing a new location inside the Fashion Show opening in December. Bootlegger Bistro opened its “Copa” Room, a nightclub ambiance special event center accommodating up to 300 guests. International retailer Oakley opened inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. This is one of only three stores globally. In 2002, around 10,000 fossil specimens were excavated from the Upper Las Vegas Wash. Now the collection is exhibited at the Nevada State Museum.
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Upcoming Events Brad Garrett’s sixth Maximum Hope Foundation Charity Poker Tournament will be at the MGM Grand Saturday, Sept. 19 at noon with participants playing alongside celebrities and professionals. Tennis’s star-studded annual charity event, the Mylan World TeamTennis (WTT) Smash Hits, for the first time will visit Las Vegas Oct. 12 at Caesars Palace with four former players headlining—Andre Agassi, Stefanie Graf, Martina Navratilova and Andy Roddick. The fourth Downtown Brew Festival will be held Saturday night Oct. 24 at the Clark County Amphitheater.
RiSE–the lantern festival releasing thousands of flame-lit paper lanterns will return a second year at a new location on the Moapa River Reservation Saturday, Oct. 10. EVENTURE is producing the inaugural fundraising USO Challenge a Troop 5K Oct. 31at Craig Ranch Regional Park. The 12th Grape Stomp Festival will be held Oct. 3-4 at the Pahrump Valley Winery. www.socalfnbpro.com
By Jen Morris Jen Morris is the owner of Ajenda Public Relations, which specializes in PR and marketing for the hospitality industry. She is a board member of the Orange County Restaurant Association and a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier International.
Hungry for PR How to Find Your Perfect PR Match
For comments or questions she can be reached at jen@ajendapr.com or 949-874-7374. www. AjendaPR.com
Putting your trust in a stranger to manage your image and brand can be a daunting task. When you hire a publicist you are trusting them to represent your company and it’s important to find a great match. There are several factors to evaluate including your goals, their capabilities, costs, and an overall personality compatibility. Defining your goals If you asked ten people what public relations means to them you would hear ten different responses. That’s why before you even start to interview PR companies it’s important that you define what your goals are. Perhaps it’s securing coverage in local publications to drive more customers to your location; enhancing your online presence to draw more customers to your website; or finding partnerships with larger organizations to increase your brand awareness. Defining these goals helps set the tone for interviews and will expedite finding a PR company that can help you reach your goals. Do your research Now that you’ve got your goals defined it’s time to find potential candidates to interview, but where do you start? Initially you may want to search the internet, using keywords such as “restaurant public relations in your city/region/county.” From here you’ll be able to visit their sites and hopefully gather more info such as their current and past clients, examples of their work and their overall style. But don’t stop there. The hospitality industry is very small and asking your colleagues will be a great source of referrals. Additionally, if you know anyone in the media industry, ask them to weigh in and make some recommendations. Or if you have a business you admire because it seems they are always creating a buzz, find out who represents them. www.socalfnbpro.com
What to ask Now that you’ve got several candidates lined up to interview and your goals outlined there are several important questions to ask: • Do their skills and capabilities match your goals? If you’re looking for a company who can land you on the pages of national publications and television shows they should be able to show you numerous, current examples. • How quickly can we expect to see results? Keep in mind that even the best PR companies can’t guarantee placement and know when it will happen. But they should be able to provide several publications that they have strong relationships with that will eventually lead to media coverage. • How long have you worked with your clients? Getting an idea of how long they’ve worked with some of their clients should give you an indication of their work ethic. Longer relationships indicate happy clients who are continuing to see results. • What’s your communication style? As a busy business owner are you looking for someone who can accommodate weekly meetings in person or do you prefer conversing through emails? Just like a relationship, communication is very important and it’s better to see if you have similar styles before you start working together. • What are some ideas or angles you could pitch to the media? A seasoned publicist may not want to give you all their ideas, but they should be able to outline a few initiatives and
goals they are envisioning for your company before you sign a contract. Their ideas will indicate if they can think outside-the-box and if they are aligned with your vision for your company. How much should PR cost There are many variables when it comes to the cost of hiring a PR company such as the size of your brand, the size of their company, results that are nationally or locally targeted and the scope of your goals. Only you will be able to evaluate your budget and determine what you can afford. But, it is worth pointing out that cheaper is not always better. You need to ask yourself why are they less than others? In the long run it may cost you more to hire a company that is not effective. Additionally, keep in mind that just like many other facets of business, hiring a PR company is an investment and if done correctly will lead to more customers and eventually add to your bottom line. Listen to your instincts Usually our instincts are correct so it’s important to listen. Ultimately you have to work with a company and it’s important to feel a personable connection with them. You want to know that they are genuine and have you and your company’s best interests in mind.
September 2015 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 21
The Joy of Sake
Making Its First Appearance in Las Vegas on September 19 By Chris Pearce
Sometime writer. Frequent eater. The Joy of Sake restaurant coordinator. www.frolichawaii.com/deliriyum 808-542-1468 cpearce@joyofsake.com
Chris Pearce-Joy of Sake Restaurant Coordinator and Luis de Santos MS-Southern Wine & Spirits Asian Portfolio Specialist
When the doors to Caesars Palace’s Augustus Ballroom open for The Joy of Sake at 7:00 p.m. on September 19, guests will see something quite spectacular, even by Las Vegas standards. With a total of 391 competition-level sakes spread out across eight islands, they’ll be looking at the biggest sake tasting display in the world outside Japan.
W
hat is The Joy of Sake? It’s a sort of sake caravan that travels around the world every year. It starts in Honolulu each summer, then heads to the continental U.S. and finishes in Japan in late fall, when the sake-brewing season is underway. But it’s more than a mere caravan: All the sakes are presented for self-serve sampling, and those sips are accompanied by sake appetizers from a dozen of the city’s top restaurants. Organizers decided to bring the event to Las Vegas this year to give the city’s sake enthusiasts and beverage professionals an opportunity to taste the world’s finest sakes in peak condition. Two things set The Joy of Sake apart. One, the sakes present an amazing variety of styles and expressions. There are artisan labels from every sake-brewing region of Japan, many from breweries held in the same families for centuries. Over half are not even available in the United States, except once a year at The Joy of Sake. And, 175 of the sakes are elegant, ultra-premium daiginjo labels.
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The second thing that sets these sakes apart is that all are entries in the 2015 U.S. National Sake Appraisal, which was held in Honolulu in July. This is a rigorous blind tasting, conducted under the guidance of Japan’s National Research Institute of Brewing, established over 100 years ago to elevate the level of sake-brewing. Seven judges from Japan and three from the U.S. spent two days judging all 391 sakes. Those they deemed exceptional are marked at The Joy of Sake with gold and silver stars. Sakes judged by Japanese standards. When The Joy of Sake started in Honolulu in 2001, American interest in sake was just beginning. That year importers brought in 1,829,536 liters from Japan, but there were challenges. Media reports tended to be more enthusiastic than knowledgeable, so misinformation circulated. Promotional tastings masqueraded as legitimate competitions, with questionable participants awarding themselves grand prizes. For the public, it was getting harder to find out what a good sake really was. www.socalfnbpro.com
Against this background, in 2001 the members of the International Sake Association, a non-profit in Hawaii, voted to hold a “sake appraisal” in Honolulu, with experienced professional judges from Japan. They would follow the same judging criteria used at the Japan National Sake Appraisal, established in 1904. Four judges from Japan and four from the U.S. graded each entry on balance, aroma, taste and overall impression. Balance was, and is, considered fundamental. Sakes with very full aromas or powerful taste profiles, but without the underlying structure that ties all the elements together in a balanced way, generally do not fare well in the competition. But there was one thing about the Japanese tradition that the International Sake Association didn’t like. The public sake tasting that follows the Japan National Sake Appraisal every year in Hiroshima is pretty much an industry event. Guests go down long tables with perhaps 150 bottles per table, tasting and spitting, tasting and spitting all the way down the line. This didn’t seem like much fun to people in Hawaii, who wanted a more joyful expression of sake enjoyment. So they invited nine chefs to create sake appetizers, held a ceremonial kagami biraki or “breaking of the cask” at the opening, and staged hula performances throughout the evening. In the first year there were 124 sakes and 450 guests. That’s grown to a record 391 sakes and 1,600 guests this year. Worldwide, The Joy of Sake events will draw more than 3,500 sake enthusiasts in 2015. In 2003, The Joy of Sake was held in San Francisco for the first time. In 2004, the event began a ten-year run in New York. So far there have been forty events in major cities, with attendance growing by the year. And in a curious way, as the U.S. National Sake Appraisal and The Joy of Sake worked together to introduce to Americans competition-level sakes in perfect condition, sake imports in San Francisco, New York and Honolulu went up. By 2007, when attendance at The Joy of Sake events had grown to 2,500 people, sake imports had doubled from their 2001 level. I suspect this was partially due to the Appraisal’s policy of shipping entries under refrigeration and keeping them in cold storage so they would be at their peak for The Joy of Sake. Importers began adopting this practice, resulting in a marked improvement in sake quality. And of course when sake tastes better, it sells better, and the growing import figures reflected that. A drink that’s on the rise. Sake is at a crossroads in the United States today. We still lead the non-Japanese world in our understanding of
this most enticing and elusive of the world’s three great fermented beverages. Europe lags ten years behind. Across the U.S., imports are up 15.4% over 2014 and will easily top 5,000,000 liters this year. Over the last fifteen years no other category of imported beverage has grown as quickly or as consistently as sake. Wine imports from some countries attain wonderful numbers for a while, but that never seems to translate to the steady, consistent growth that we see with sake as it gradually works its way into the lifestyle of Americans. What’s keeping it back from even more growth? I think that people’s dining and drinking habits are deeply embedded and don’t change that quickly. It will probably take generations, but if that’s true it’s good news for sake importers and distributors, as well as their restaurant and retail customers. At The Joy of Sake Honolulu, which attracted a record 1,600 people, guests were overwhelmingly in their 20s and 30s. It seems that as they consider what their beverage of choice will be in their lifetimes, many are drawn to sake. We expect the restaurants at The Joy of Sake Las Vegas to be a big draw. Dishes like Roy’s braised pork belly with huckleberry compote and uni sauce, SushiSamba’s tiradito with salmon, garlic chips and kinkan honey, and Other Mama’s smoked shrimp ceviche with sweet potato chips—not to mention Raku Aburiya’s sashimi slicing station— showcase sake’s versatility as a pairing companion par excellence. Never assertive, always supportive, it complements a wide range of cuisines. Why else do so many chefs reach first for the sake menu when the time comes to relax after a long day in the kitchen? Great sake and delicious food by themselves still aren’t enough to put an event over the top, as happens every year at The Joy of Sake. Some kind of magic happens when you’ve got more than a thousand people enjoying themselves so much. It’s hard to describe. I hope you’ll have a chance to experience it for yourself. The Joy of Sake September 19, 7:00-10:00PM Caesars Palace, Augustus Ballroom Tickets $75/$85 at the door Available online at www.joyofsake.com
How to Joy of Sake
Tips for Navigating the World’s Greatest Sake Celebration
It’s sake time. You’re at the world’s greatest sake celebration, staring at hundreds of bottles of beautifully arrayed sake. It’s more sake than you’ve seen in your life. And each one awaits your tasting pleasure. Where do you start? Overcome by sake frenzy, many newbies simply head for the nearest table and start sampling. But there are ways to navigate the hundreds www.socalfnbpro.com
This world’s dust washed away by a cup, proffered with grace — Joro
of choices, ways to maximize your sakesfaction. Tip 1: Nobody can get through all 391 sakes, so don’t even try. Thirty to forty is a good sampling. Tip 2: If you’ve never tried sake, start at the Daiginjo A tables. These top-line sakes are floral, nuanced, gentle—an excellent intro. Nearly half the sakes at The Joy of Sake will be daiginjos. Tip 3: The sakes are divided
into four categories: Daiginjo A, Daiginjo B, Ginjo and Junmai. Sample a few at each table to find the genre you like best. This will also give you a good idea of what type to order at restaurants. Tip 4: Check the card in front of each sake: It’ll tell you if it won a gold or silver award at the U.S. National Sake Appraisal. No star doesn’t mean it’s bad—the overall level of the sakes is hard to match,
even in Japan. Tip 5: A black star on the card means that sake isn’t available in the U.S. The card will also tell you where the sake was made— notable because sakes display regional differences. Tip 6: Don’t stress about searching for harmony of taste, aroma, body and balance. Everyone will have a different favorite. Just sip to find sakes you like.
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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. 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 recently published her self-help book entitled It All Comes Down to WE! with Author House Publishers. Her 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 Website: www.LJBConsulting.nett
Leadership with Heart
Do you have the heart of a leader?
Hopefully you do. If you do, what does it look like to you to apply heart to your work and life? Drop me a line at the email below and tell me what your heart-felt leadership looks like. I, like many HR professionals, am a people person and I spend my personal and professional life observing and evaluating people. As an HR practitioner it is my job to assess situations, analyze behaviors and evaluate people and the decisions that they make/made. It is a fascinating field. Imagine trying to figure out why someone would risk his or her financial future stealing a frying pan.* To do my job, I oftentimes have to think outside my frame of reference—sometimes putting myself in other people’s shoes—and try to understand the way in which they think and/or react to a situation. I observe their facial expression, watch their demeanor and also assess their honesty and sincerity all at the same time in which they are explaining why they behaved the way they did. As is always necessary, I listen carefully to find the truth sometimes hidden among the many things they say and the way in which they say them. It is important that I don’t prejudge them because, as we all know, we—as human beings—all do things for a variety of very good reasons, which, frankly, others might find difficult to comprehend. What do I mean when I talk about having heart? To have heart means that you care about people. I believe that the characteristics of a leader with heart include empathy, ethics, strength, wisdom, confidence and compassion. I believe that you have to care about people before you can do right by them. I remember a case where a young woman was accused of taking a petty cash fund from the office manager’s desk one day. She was shy and naïve, and very inexperienced for her job and situation. She also seemed to have more than her share of drama in her personal life—later I found out that she and her young son were victims of an abusive situation at home. When we conducted our investigation, she vehemently swore that she had not taken the money, even though she was the only one with access (a key) to as well as being responsible for these funds. Of course, she was suspended while we conducted an investigation and I spent many hours talking with investigators
about the facts. One afternoon I met with her and began asking her questions about her job and her co-workers. I will never forget how she explained to me in great detail and care that this job was one that she truly loved because she was treated with respect by everyone, allowed to contribute each day and was part of a team which felt like family. She explained to me, in a soft and emotional voice, that she would never jeopardize this situation because it was a blessing and her ticket out of her nightmare of a home life. I was mesmerized by her expression and carefully chosen words, and knew immediately that she was speaking the truth. I just had to listen closely and with my heart. As it turned out, one member of the night crew came forward a couple days later to confess that he had seen another night crew member sneak into the office and steal the money with a duplicate key that the co-worker had had made. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am objective and I do embrace the importance and value of rules, procedures and intellect to the overall cohesiveness of our society and our workplaces. But I also believe that we must never lose sight of the fact that we are dealing with living, breathing and fault-prone “human beings” and that people, when faced with a choice, will opt to do the right thing almost all of the time. I believe that until we can walk in another person’s shoes, we can neither understand them and their decisions, nor can we judge them based upon a set of rules—our rules— that may not apply in their world. [*In one situation, an individual actually put not only his job, but his future on the line when he attempted to steal a fry pan from his place of work by hiding it down his work pants. As we all know, theft can be a career ending move in any industry but is a particularly bad move if you want to continue a career in the hospitality industry.]
I would appreciate input from my readers to help drive the direction of my column this year. 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 (see brief detail above). Be sure to include your mailing address when sending your responses. 24 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2015
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The Bottom Line
By Ben Brown Ben is an MBA candidate at USC’s Marshall School of Business, specializing in hospitality marketing and analytics. He has served as a food & beverage strategist with MGM Resorts, as well as reviewed more than 200 Las Vegas restaurants with CBS Local and Examiner. com. Contact him at Ben@lvfnb.com.
Make Promotions About More than Just the Money Lowering prices is a surefire bet to increase customer turnout [supply equals demand, after all], but it may not always be the most economically viable way to promote your restaurant. Tons of options exist beyond your classic 10% discount, or heaven forbid, 50% discount, that will bring more people through your door. Experimenting with non-monetary promotions may very well do a better job of driving traffic while saving you money in each transaction. When I say ‘non-monetary promotion,’ I mean that the promotion doesn’t revolve around a direct price discount, such as 10% off. It all revolves around consumer psychology: Sometimes offering more product rather than a lower price is perceived to have greater value. Of course all promotions do come at a cost, but the key is to frame them in terms of the product rather than the price. This method allows customers to focus away from the money they spend, devoting their attention toward the benefits they receive. To put this into clearer terms, let’s use a non-business example. You call on a friend to help you move into a new house. In exchange for their time and effort, you take them out to dinner after you’re done. Could you hand them some cash? Of course, but introducing hard money removes the personal aspect of the transaction. Your friend now feels less like a friend and more like underpaid labor. The meal, on the other hand, demonstrates far greater value by showing your personal gratitude, even though it probably costs less than the cash you’d otherwise dole out.
If you decide to experiment with bundling, be sure to keep two huge points in mind. First, choose items that best reflect your restaurant. Customers want your most famous appetizer, entrée and dessert. If you try to throw in a lower-tier item into any part of the mix, your bundle runs the risk of being seen as a scam. Second, your portion sizes need to be the same as they would be if ordered a la carte. Unless you’re adding more courses [i.e. serving halfportions of two entrees], customers will be furious if their entrée is 2/3 the size of their neighbor’s. These are just a few food-based promotional options, and each category presents seemingly endless possibilities. People go out to eat with the intention of enjoying great food, atmosphere and service, so push that benefits-based mindset rather than bringing up the price they will pay.
Restaurants have so many ways to show customers this kind of ‘personal’ gratitude. Free food and drink promotions are at the top of the list. Appetizers, sides, desserts, add-ons and premium beverages are all great ways of enticing someone to come in through your door. One of the biggest benefits of these promotions, of course, is that the retail value, or customer’s perceived value, is far greater than your cost of making the product. If you were to ask most customers what they think when they see “free appetizer,” very few of them would respond with “a few bucks for the food and labor.” Few of them would allude to the appetizer’s menu price. In the eyes of most customers, something like a free appetizer equates to a fuller restaurant experience that they wouldn’t otherwise enjoy on their own. Take full advantage of these promotions by making these giveaways experimental/new menu items—Nobody is going to turn down a freebie, and they can provide valuable feedback to determine if the item will be a profitable addition to your repertoire. You can also use these promotions to clear out inventory, such as ingredients nearing the end of their prime or wine that needs to be cleared out to make room for a new shipment. In both cases, be sure to serve only what meets your quality standards. Everything tastes better when it’s free, but subpar products will take away from the experience as a whole as well as your overall brand. Another successful promotion is bundled menu items. Prix-fixe, tasting menus, ‘Restaurant Week’ menus and the like all reflect the same value-add of a more comprehensive restaurant experience for less than what you’d pay for each individual component. Bundling works to your advantage in multiple ways, presenting customers with ‘a deal they can’t refuse’ while at the same time upselling them on items they may not order a la carte.
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ON TAP AND IN BOTTLES THROUHOUT SOUTHERN NEVADA LAS VEGAS’ ORIGINAL BREWING COMPANY ww.bigdogsbrews.com September 2015 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 27
American Culinary Federation Chefs Of SoCal Chapter Page
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
28 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2015
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2015 Editorial Schedule Issue
Due Date
National Food Month
Bonus Distribution
January
12/17/2014 Nat’l Bread & Soup Month
Fancy Food Show, Tobacco Show, CES
February
1/17/2015
Nat’l Potato Month
Nat’l Grocers Asso. Expo, Chinese New Year
March
2/17/2015
Nat’l Pizza Month
Pizza Expo, Catersource, International Restaurant Show, Nightclub & Bar Show, Sake Festival, Exhibitor Expo
April
3/17/2015
Nat’l Food Month
UNLVino, Sake Fever, NATO/ WSWA, Home Based Travel Expo
May
4/17/2015
Nat’l Beef Month
HD Expo, ACF Chefs Golf, NRAChicago, Vegas Uncork’d, World Tea Expo, Healthy Beverage Show, Epicurean Affair
June
5/17/2015
Nat’l Dairy Month
Nat’l Market Place, ACF LV Chef of the Year
July
6/17/2015
Nat’l Culinary Arts Month
ACF Chefs National Convention, Hawaii Hospitality Expo, I.T.
August
7/17/2015
Nat’l Sandwich Month
Western FS Show-LACC
September 8/17/2015
Nat’l Chicken Month
Flavors Of The Heart, San Gennaro, G2E, LV Largest Mixer, Festivino
October
9/17/2015
Nat’l Seafood Month
NBWA - Nat’l Beer Wholesalers Asso, Signature Chefs , Life is Beautiful, Taste Of The Nation, Foodie Fest
November
10/17/2015 Nat’l Pepper Month
Supply Side West
December
11/17/2015
Ultimo, ACF Chefs Christmas Dinner
2015 Year in Review Holiday Issue
The SoCal Food and Beverage Professional is an industry-dedicated publication serving the greater Southern California region. In print monthly (5,000 + copies) and online (65,000 monthly requests) at www.socalfnbpro.com, currently serving over 70,000 monthly industry professional readers locally, regionally and nationally. Additionally, we e-blast a biweekly flyer to our 20,000 F&B Professional databases. Our readers include F&B & Purchasing Departments at all major properties; front & back of the house chefs, foodservice management, waitstaff, catering, beverage & bar managers, mixologists & bartenders; culinary schools; independent and multi-unit specialty; QSR restaurants; and F&B suppliers. Extra copies are circulated at all major F&B Industry Expos/Shows/ Events, at which we also exhibit regionally.
Our monthly distribution includes memberships and associations with various organizations including, • ACF-American Culinary Federation • ACF Chefs and Culinarians of San Diego • ACF Chef de Cuisine Association of California • ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of San Diego • USBG-United States Bartenders’ Guild-SoCal Chapter • CARA-California Restaurant Association-Los Angeles Chapter • CARA-California Restaurant Association-Orange County Chapter • CARA-California Restaurant Association-San Diego Chapter • Gas Lamp Quarter Association • Orange County Restaurant Association • Greater Santa Barbara Lodging & Restaurant Association • Ventura Chefs Association
• IFSEA-International Food Service Executives Association • JRAA-Japanese Restaurant Association of America • NACE-National Association of Catering Executives
50 YEARS OF FOOD SERVICE EXPERIENCE SERVING THE SERVICE INDUSTRY regionally SINCE 2002
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Events
ad index
SEPTEMBER
NATIONAL CHICKEN MONTH NATIONAL MUSHROOM MONTH
September 10
Napa Valley: Past Present & Future San Diego www.localwineevents.com/events/detail/598947/ san-diego-napa-valley-past-present-and-future
September 12
Las Vegas Food & Wine Festival Red Rock Casino www.Barcelona.la
September 13
Catalina Wine Mixer Catalina Island www.visitcatalinaisland.com/event/catalina-wine-mixer
September 16
Las Vegas Largest Mixer Tuscany Suites & Casino www.largestmixer.com
September 19 Joy of Sake Caesars Palace www.JoyofSake.com
Al Dentes’ Provisions sales@aldentes.com 702-642-1100
page 11
Niigata Sake Festival http://sakenojin.jp/english 025-229-1218
Bivi Sicilian Vodka www.bivivodka.com 631-464-4050
page 12
Rodney Strong www.rodneystrong.com 707-431-1533
page 7
Cicerone® Certification Program www.cicerone.org
page 26
The Joy of Sake www.joyofsake.com
page 2
Deep Eddy Vodka www.deepeddyvodka.com 702-876-4500
page 19
The Spice Outlet www.thespiceoutlet.com 702-534-7883
page 11
Global Gaming Expo www.globalgamingexpo.com
page 32
Uncle Steve’s www.unclestevesny.com 718-605-0416
page 31
September 25-27
Major Foods www.majorproducts.com 702-838-4698
page 25
September 27-29
Modelo www.southernwine.com (305) 625-4171
page 16
September 19
Flavors of the Heart World Market Center www.flavorsoftheheart.com
September 19
A New Wine & Food Experience for Fall 2015 Del Mar CA www.localwineevents.com/events/detail/603586 Life is Beautiful Downtown Las Vegas http://lifeisbeautiful.com
California Grocers Association Conference Palm Springs Convention Center www.cagrocers.com
White Soy Sauce www.whitesoysaucefood.com
page 28
page 8
September 29-10/2 G2E-Global Gaming Expo Las Vegas Convention Center www.globalgamingexpo.com
Pick of the Month The Laguna Beach Tommy Bahama’s Bar & Grill located in the historic Heisler Building just steps from Main Beach is an ideal spot for lunch, dinner or sunset cocktails. Here is a more casual alternative to their other locations and is perfect after a day at the beach or before a night out on the town. You can enjoy a dose of relaxation with spectacular sunset views and the cool ocean breeze. The food & beverage are excellent and the menu takes on seasonal changes to feature local products. I invite you to check out the current menu at http://www.tommybahama.com/TBG/ Stores_Restaurants/Laguna_Beach.jsp.
30 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2015
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