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December 2014
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CONTENTS FEATURES Cover
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FRONT COVER FEATURE is dedicated this month to fighting fake wine with the professional assistance of Fine Wine Expert Michael Egan, known as “The Wine Detective,” and assisted in the market by Southern Wine & Spirits. The cover shot was taken inside the rare wine “Vault” at Southern Wine & Spirits along with Larry Ruvo, Senior Managing Director at SWS. Together they promise to crush (no pun intended) the criminal wine forgers.
WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MONTHLY SEGMENT ON PR COMPANIES and their operations here in Las Vegas and just what they do and how they do it. This month is dedicated to ONE 7 COMMUNICATIONS with seasoned PR Exec Dawn Britt at the helm, who has surround herself with other professionals covering communications for a number of businesses.
WFC-WORLD FOOD CHAMPIONSHIPS wrapped up its championships giving away more than $300,000 in prize money along with various events, competitions and a lot of great innovative food. Our Editorial Director, Bob Barnes, reviews the happenings at WFC in a post-show article.
TODD ENGLISH “P.U.B.” RE-INVENTED is our newest associate to join LVFNB Pro where we look forward to a great working relationship. Take another look at P.U.B. in Crystals at CityCenter and see what’s new as the Harrises document their latest experience. Look forward to some very interesting beer presentation where the majority of the servers have already received their Cicerone Server Certification.
Page 4
Page 13
Hot Off the Grill!
Fryer’s Favorites
Page 5 For the Love of the Craft...
24
What’s Cooking
Page 22 COVER FEATURE Southern Wine & Spirits Hires Michael Egan, the “Wine Detective”
Page 15
Page 24 Brett’s Vegas View
Page 14
Page 6 What’s Brewing?
UNLV Epicurean Club News Page 7 PR Spotlight Page 8
Page 19 December Drinks and Cheer
Ask Doctor Sake… Page 17
Page 25 Six Steps to Greening a Restaurant Page 26 From Gridiron to Vineyard–Carmen Policy Forges New Ground Through His Casa Piena Winery Page 27 The Bottom Line
Page 9
NvRA 2014 Culinary
It’s Time To Celebrate By
Excellence Winners
Page 28 Product Spotlight
Page 18
Page 28 American Culinary Federation Chefs of Las Vegas Chapter Page
Helping Others Page 10 Wine Talk
www.lvfnbpro.com
Page 20 Dining Out with the Harrises
3rd Annual World Food Championships Takes Center
Page 12
Stage on Fremont Street In
Chef Talk
Downtown Las Vegas
Page 30 Events Ad Index
December 2014 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 3
The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 1200 S TORREY PINES SUITE 172 Las Vegas, NV 89146 www.lvfnbpro.com
HOT OFF THE GRILL!
December 2014 Mike Fryer Sr. Editor/Publisher
B & B Ristorante at The Venetian is always a great place to meet friends and associates. We recently caught up with our good friend and “Latino Connection” Mario Guardado, President of Latin Media Group and Newswire, who always has a beautiful lady by his side, shot here with his guest Juliana Rodrigues.
Thank you for joining us in this issue of
The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional. For any questions or comments please email mike@lvfnb.com
Bob Barnes Editorial Director bob@lvfnb.com
Juanita Fryer 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 webmaster@lvfnb.com
FERRARO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT recently hosted an Italian Wine Tasting Luncheon with Bertani Wines imported by Palm Bay International and locally distributed by Southern Wine & Spirits. A beautiful lunch was prepared by Ferraro’s Executive Chef Mimo Ferraro for everyone’s pleasure paring perfectly with the selection of wines. We were able to catch a photo on Ferraro’s patio with Andrea Lonardi, Director of Operations at Bertani Domains and Chef Mimo Ferraro. INSIDE THE “RARE WINE VAULT” AT SOUTHERN WINE & SPIRITS is a wellguarded secure location where some of the top-end and rare wines are kept. Fraud in the wine industry is coming back into play as prices of fine wines keep climbing and demand keeps growing. Beware! We were fortunate recently to visit the Vault and observe the process in testing the wines authenticity led by “The Wine Detective” Michael Egan and escorted by Southern Wine & Spirits’ Larry Ruvo.
The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional welcomes letters to the editor. We are always striving to improve this publication and would like to know your comments and thoughts. Here’s your chance to be heard. Send your comments to info@lvfnb.com and they may be published in next month’s issue!
@lvfnb
The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional
NOTE: All submissions become the property of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.
CONTRIBUTING STAFF
Pre-Press Technician Brandon Yan
Journalist & Photographer Joe Fogarty
Accounting Manager Michelle San Juan
Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett
Journalist Shelley Stepanek
Journalist Food for Thought Les Kincaid
Journalist Ben Vaughn
Journalist LeAnne Notabartolo
Journalist Ask Dr. Sake K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.
Photographer Audrey Dempsey
Journalist Chef Talk Allen Asch
Journalist Al Mancini
UNLV Epicurean Club News
Myles Gueco
Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein
Journalist Green Restaurant Association Michael Oshman
Journalist Wine Talk Alice Swift
Brand Ambassador & Journalist Crystal Marie
Journalist The Bottom Line Ben Brown
Photographer Bill Bokelmann
Photographer Joe Urcioli
Photographer Danette Chappell
Photographer Rose Powell-Carver
4 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I December 2014
Journalists
Dining Out with the Harrises
Scott & Elaine Harris
Journalist
Journalist Mitchell Wilburn
www.lvfnbpro.com
For the Love of the Craft
By Adam Rains Adam has a passion for food, wine & spirits. He has completed the BarSmarts program and is a Level 2 Sommelier. A supporter of farmers markets, his mantra with cocktails and food is “fresh is best.” His podcast, “Las Vegas Cocktail Weekly,” can be downloaded for free on iTunes. www.lasvegascocktailweekly.com
to match the Eagle Rare 10 Year Single Barrel. This composed plate featured cured foie gras on buttered brioche, cherry tapenade, gastrique and candied pecans. It worked on so many levels; the fruit on the plate brought out the fruit in the whiskey while the buttery “breadyness” of the brioche highlighted qualities of the grain of the mash bill and then the richness, ohh the richness! The foie and the whiskey from Emeril’s private select barrel played with each other in a dance of flavor elevation. Our next whiskey offering was centered on one my favorite categories, real American Rye Whiskey. In this case, it was the Sazerac 6 Year Old. Proving that it’s not just for Manhattans any more, it connected with a special dish—the Escargot Croustade. With its pleasingly piquant parsley butter, smoked mushrooms and a salty Pecorino Romano, it utilized many complementing and flavor enhancing elements. Each sip of the spicy rye was highlighted by the peppery notes of the parsley and as I would taste the mushrooms, hints of smoke would play off of the salinity of the pecorino and the earthy nature of the escargot. The flakey texture of the croustade was a perfect boat for the morsels of snail. While smoke flirted with the dish it occasionally encroached on being overpowering, but then the beauty of the Sazerac brought it back in line with a long spiced finale.
It was quite a night for Whiskey and a great night to be in Vegas! Buffalo Trace Distillery, Delmonico Steakhouse and NEAT Spirits Glass hosted a Whiskey dinner at Delmonico at The Venetian. We enjoyed 4 courses with pairings centered on our national treasure, American whiskey! Intuitively most pairings are conjured by taking an already composed dish and then finding a wine (or spirit) to complement and/ or contrast with the elements of that dish. This particular dinner was done in the opposite manner wherein Chef de Cuisine Ronnie Rainwater created a dish around each of the stellar whiskey selections. The evening began with cocktails made by the “Cocktailian Stallion” Max Solano which got us ready to play, mix and mingle before the Whiskey and food began their wonderful march. Course #1 started off with a delicacy that is illegal in some states (including the Uber Alles, California), a wonderfully luxuriant Foie Gras which was set up www.lvfnbpro.com
George T Stagg’s limited edition release of high proof bourbon could be described as the John Wayne meets Jim Brown of whiskeys. The masculine nature of this unfiltered, uncut and intense bourbon is highlighted by toffee, cocoa and even notes of tobacco. For course #3, Chef provided us with the Braised Bison Short Rib with butternut squash spätzle, mole and caramelized onions to provide our perfect pairing. The beefy bourbon cut through the richness of the bison, and the chocolate in the luxurious mole was echoed by cocoa notes in the Stagg. The sweetness of the caramelized onions brought out the sweetness in the bourbon and acted like a bridge between the spirit and the dish. The unspoken ally to all of these spirit pairings were the vessels in which they were served, the NEAT Glass which may be, as advertised, the best way to taste spirits. It was remarkable that a whiskey with that much character and alcohol (almost 70%) could work as well as it did. The next course would have been amazing on any table in any restaurant from here to Kentucky but we were lucky enough to be at Delmonico that evening. On the plate chef put together a Streusel made of roasted pineapple which has a wonderful play of textures, flavors and sweetness which was bolstered by a brown butter creamy coconut ice cream. Then in the glass, the Pappy Van Winkle 20-year bourbon family reserve! What can you say when you end the night with such an iconic and scarce whiskey such as Pappy? You just say “thank you!” In every way the evening was wonderful. Each course was delectable and while it may be impossible to hit a complete home run for every course and every palate, anyone who attended can attest that Chef Rainwater’s food shows complexity, thought and skill. All of the offerings brought together by Max, Chef Rainwater, Buffalo Trace were magical and did what great pairings should do, create culinary synergy. Can’t wait to do it again. Cheers! December 2014 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 5
what’s
By Bob Barnes
October 31 due to a complete renovation of the center it’s been situated in for the last 13 years. I’ll keep you posted in this column on the new digs of Freakin’ Frog as soon as it is announced.
32° Draft Bar at M Resort Pouring 88 Different Beers
December Beer Events Aces & Ales Head Chef Jason Glidden
Jason Glidden Now a Certified Cicerone® Congrats are in order to our good friend Chef Jason Glidden, who recently passed his Certified Cicerone® test. Jason oversees the kitchens at Aces & Ales and according to my research is the first and only head chef in Nevada to attain the title. He’s been wowing us for years with his beer dinners and now has this distinction to back up his expertise.
Freakin’ Frog Going on Hiatus Freakin’ Frog has long been recognized as having the largest beer selection in Las Vegas and for the past six years the largest in the US, with its selection ballooning to more than 1,722 different beers. Sadly, the Frog and its Whisky Attic with 1,800 varieties of whisky closed its doors on
On Dec. 6 at its Tenaya location, Aces & Ales will pour more than 25 Russian imperial stouts from around the globe. On Dec. 13 all 20 of its taps at its Nellis location will pour Nevada-brewed beers from both the northern and southern ends of the state. Both events will begin at 5 p.m. On Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. Boulder Dam Brewing will host an Abita Brewing Company tap takeover, tapping 9 Abita beers plus one firkin, including a Baltic Porter aged in Pappy Van Winkle bourbon barrels. Banger Brewing on Fremont St. downtown will celebrate its 1st anniversary on Dec. 27 with a bash featuring a live DJ, 3 firkins, small bites, and an open bar from 6-8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the brewpub or online at store.bangerbrewing. com for the advanced price of $30 and $50 (which includes a 22 oz anniversary bottle of a Belgian Quad aged for 9 months in a bourbon barrel). Seating is limited, so it’s best to purchase in advance as possibly none will be left to purchase at the door and the price will increase to $40 and $60.
Beer of the Month:
Deschutes Brewery Chasin’ Freshies Fresh Hop IPA
The label suggests a winter setting, with footprints in snow and a snowboard leaning against a tree with hop vines hanging down, while the beer’s name proclaims that this brew is all about freshness and hops. Made with Mosaic hops from John I Haas Farms in Yakima, Washington, this strain has been called Citra on steroids, and is so named because of the range of aromas and flavors it imparts; a combination of mango, lemon, citrus, earthy pine, tropical fruit, and stone fruit notes make a vivid impression on your palate. The freshness is due to the hops being brewed within 48 hours of being picked, which is the case with any fresh hop beer, and the result is extra hop oils being soaked up in the beer to make a richer hop flavor. Vital statistics are 7.2% ABV and 65 IBUs. Pick this one up as soon as you can, for once they’re gone, they’re gone till next year.
6 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I December 2014
photo by Joe Urcioli
photo by Bill Bokelmann
BREWING?
Bob Barnes is a native Las Vegan, editorial director of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional, regional correspondent for Celebrator Beer News and covers the LV restaurant scene for Gayot. com. He welcomes your inquiries. Email: bob@lvfnb.com
I stopped in recently at the 32° Draft Bar at M Resort and was impressed to find no less than 88 different beers being poured, which is one of the largest tap selection of any casino resort in Southern Nevada, second only to The Pub at Monte Carlo and the Yard House at Red Rock Resort. I was happy to see local breweries represented with Big Dog’s Dirty Dog IPA, Joseph James Citra Rye, Sin City Amber and Tenaya Creek Hop Ride IPA, and some outstanding brews you won’t find everywhere such as Left Coast Asylum Tripel, MOA Imperial Stout and Rogue Farms 7 Hop IPA. The menu is laid out to help patrons choose their brew, arranged by beer styles with detailed descriptions of each beer and ABV (and also IBU for the hoppier versions). As for the prices, there are 12 oz, 16 oz and 22 oz options ranging from $3 to $10 with the average price being $5—certainly less than Strip prices. Even better, if you’re gambling at the bar or even on machines in the vicinity of the Draft Bar your beer is free.
Tenaya Creek Scores a Bronze Medal at the GABF Las Vegas was represented at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival, as Tenaya Creek Brewery took the bronze medal for its Bonanza Brown Ale in the English-Style Brown Ale category that had 67 entries. This was the brewery’s second medal, which joins its gold medal win in 2002 for its pilsner. Owner and Brewmaster Tim Etter said, “We are definitely very honored, and are having a very successful year with our recent expansion and now winning a bronze at the GABF has ended our 12 year drought!”
As always, great beer happens in Vegas! www.lvfnbpro.com
PR Spotlight
Starting a new business is no casual undertaking. Especially when a majority of them fail within the first year. But when you combine passion for F&B with knowledge and experience it’s the perfect recipe for success. That may account for the impressive growth of one7 communications, which has quickly become one of Las Vegas’ most inspired new businesses. Or perhaps it’s because of the experience and expertise of one7 Founder and President Dawn Britt and team. Britt, an influential force in the world of public relations, opened her boutique marketing communications agency in 2013 and has counted several notable new business accounts and industry accolades since. Britt was just named Public Relations Society of America Las Vegas Valley Chapter PR Practitioner of the Year. The one7 team also took home an Award of Merit and Pinnacle award, the highest recognition attainable, for its work on Aid for AIDS of Nevada’s Black & White Party, as well as an Award of Merit for the launch of Sprinkles Cupcakes Las Vegas.
And to think it all happened organically.
Organic may be a perennial food & beverage buzzword, but when it comes to a new business, nothing is more thrilling than adding clients naturally. After more than a decade as director of public relations and communications at The Venetian and The Palazzo and corporate director of communications for Las Vegas Sands Corp, Britt was mulling the idea of starting her own company. Thoughts turned to action during a phone call with a former colleague who shared he was opening a restaurant in Napa, CA. That restaurant turned out to be wine country hotspot Empire, and it became one7’s first client. Shortly after, Emeril Lagasse’s team came a-callin’ and BAM - clients number two, three and four, with three of his Las Vegas restaurants, Delmonico Steakhouse, Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House and Table 10. “What I was seeing out there was everyone working in silos. PR was doing their thing, advertising was doing their thing, and no one knew where to put social media,” Britt said. “Everything was so segmented. I knew I wanted to integrate all of those specialties—media relations, social media, advertising/paid media, promotions, strategic alliances/partnerships, community outreach and events—under one roof and develop a cohesive offering where ideas were developed and shared.” To do just that, Britt started building out her core team, bringing in F&B, hospitality pro and right hand Carrie Giverson and Account Executives Natalie Sivertsen and Kelley Tarver. “We have the ability to keep all the messaging super strong and communicated properly,” Britt said of www.lvfnbpro.com
her team. “We’re a bit different, and that’s part of why we have the clients we have.” Some of those F&B clients include a cross-section of renowned restaurants and esteemed restaurateurs, including: MCC Hospitality Group and its group of restaurants in Las Vegas and California including Morels French Steakhouse & Bistro, JuiceFarm, Dragon Noodle Co. & Sushi Bar, d.Vino Italian Food & Wine Bar and Market City Caffe; Double Helix Wine & Whiskey Lounge and Bar; Chef John Tesar and his restaurant Knife in Dallas, just named one of Esquire’s “Best New Restaurants 2014;” Sprinkles Cupcakes Las Vegas; and Chef Alex Stratta and his upcoming concepts, including Tapas by Alex Stratta opening in December. “My initial goal was to concentrate on Napa because that’s where our first restaurant was,” said Britt. “I hadn’t expected to grow so quickly in Las Vegas, but I love this city because of all the people and opportunities you can only find here. I was ready to take a chance and try something new, apply what I already learned and guide the chefs and restaurants that I already loved working with. It’s been a great ride so far.” To reach one7, call 702-472-7692 or visit one7communications.com. Facebook: /one7communications Twitter: @one7PR
December 2014 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 7
ASK DOCTOR SAKE… What is Going On In
The Homeland, Japan? Last October I had an opportunity
to see what’s going on with sake in Japan. Sake has been the traditional, sole alcoholic beverage for centuries. An occasional import of wine through the Portuguese missionaries in the 15th century, beer by the Dutch in the 16th century and grain alcoholic beverages from China or Korea was exceptional and sporadic, which were consumed mostly by the noble or trade people. Sake was all the Japanese drank, nothing else. Now, however, I have witnessed a drastic shift among the alcohol beverages there. Sake had been a national alcoholic beverage. As people started eatingdrinking diverse kinds, however, sake lost its monopolistic status by declining drastically to only 5-6% of the whole alcohol beverage consumption. I can’t believe it and I am very sorry for sake. Can you guess what the number one alcohol beverage consumed is in Japan? It is Beer, 65%. Shochu, a distilled grain-potato spirits 10-11%, Wine 3%, Whiskey 1%, and others 14-15%. Sake has been losing the popularity particularly among young consumers in part due to its product image of being obsolete or a taste not appealing to them. They have so many options to rejuvenate and enjoy vibrant lives or they simply feel no necessity to drink alcohol beverages at all. I joke they are too busy playing with sophisticated electronic gadgets. Only 20 or 30 years ago young office workers followed senior ones to drink after work, which was almost a corporate life or OJT. Nowadays they dare to say “No” to such an offer for their own interests. Sake is particularly disliked for its
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 Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I December 2014
By K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D. Mike Masuyama is a bi-cultural science-technology-business consultant. He earned a Ph.D. in Food Science at Cornell University, is involved in teaching, research and business in major-beer, micro-beer, soft drinks, sake and food areas both in Japan and the US., and has published several books and dozens of articles.
smell or its traditional drinking culture by young females. Japanese ladies are more influential over males at dates, family lives and special occasions. They prefer something more appealing to their taste like fruit or spicy flavors, which is often mixed in distillates or Shochu. Young or even middle-aged males follow whatever females do today. Alas! What is the matter with the Japanese males in drinking? Japan used to be a macho, male dominant society, which has seemingly gone to history nowadays. Large sake brewers try to cope with such a shift by introducing new products, while small, traditional ones stick to their conventional, proud products. These sake brewers may be too stubborn to cope with the changes in market, I am afraid. Though, the decline may have hit bottom and this national alcohol beverage will make a gradual up-turn with good taste characters, new products and smart marketing. Thus, the sake industry will go through an era of selection for surviving among themselves in addition to the competition to current, dominant alcohol beverages in market. Beer is the current dominant alcohol beverage with Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo, Suntory and Orion (from Okinawa) breweries, which has pushed sake down to the bottom. Their share has gained in due course of Japanese economic progress, demanding more refreshing taste than that of sake. All of the brewers make Pilsner-type lager beer within a similar taste spectrum for this homogeneous market. Craft Beer came to market suddenly about 20 years ago but most of the general public resisted this new type, different flavor until a few years ago. Today craft beer appears to be finally taking off and aiming at 1% of the whole beer consumption, with unique hop flavor, fruits and diversified styles. I personally tasted a Kabosu citrus flavor ale at K’s Brewing in Fukuoka, which was surprisingly refreshing and balanced. Shochu is a distilled alcohol beverage with alcohol content of over 25% from rice, wheat, barley or sweet potatoes, which is gaining popularity in all segments of the consumers for a good mixing base with fruits, spice, pickled plum, served hot or on the rocks. It is less expensive, can be diversified in taste and also is believed, true or not, to give less hangover than sake. At one of my destinations, Kagoshima, a Shochu country, I had one from sweet potatoes which tasted similar to a spirits from Poland with a distinct aroma. In our US market Shochu is gaining popularity, yet limited mostly in the Japanese ethnic market at present. Sake at Duty Free Shop at Narita: At the last minute before taking off, I visited a duty free shop at Narita, Tokyo International Airport. More than dozens of sake were displayed for gifts to take home. Foreign visitors, probably 70% Asians and 30% westerners nowadays, may have had a hard time to choosing by just looking, except for souvenir-style containers of a Geisha girl or Mt. Fuij design. Green River Sake in a green bottle from Niigata was an exception with an English-Japanese hybrid label. For promoting sake to oversea visitors, firstly shop sales personnel should be more educated about sake, I felt. Secondly, foreigner-friendly labels/info should be available, because such a duty free shop may be a showcase window of sake to overseas.
Kanpai! www.lvfnbpro.com
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
By Les Kincaid Les Kincaid is a food, wine, and golf expert and cookbook author. He hosts a nationally syndicated wine radio show each Thursday from 7 to 8 pm. You can enjoy his website or his broadcast at www.leskincaid.com les@leskincaid.com www.facebook.com/leskincaid www.twitter.com/leskincaid
I know it’s old-school
, all right, but one of the traditions Las Vegans observe at this time of year is to highlight a favorite charity, and here’s a reminder to those who have donated in the past to do so again. But this year I suggest you focus on “Be a Santa to a Senior,” a holiday fund-raising idea to provide a little something to those who are the most vulnerable among us - the aging poor. It’s time to do something for the seniors that can’t afford to pay for home care. There are plenty of homeless, as we all know, but there are a large number of seniors that won’t have a happy holiday. Whether you have blankets or sweaters that would be helpful or offer to pay the utility bill for a month; or buy a tank of gas or gift card to a restaurant; or maybe, at least, bake them some cookies.
3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract 2-3 tablespoons of milk Using the mixer, cream the butter until it is light. Add the vanilla, peppermint, and powdered sugar and mix together. Slowly add the milk until the frosting reaches the consistency you like.
Snickerdoodle
Favorite Holiday Cookie Recipes You likely haven’t already done your holiday baking, so I have a few delicious suggestions for cookies that will make you the envy of any cookie exchange or Christmas party. These cookie recipes use the best of holiday ingredients, like rich chocolate, peppermint and ginger. The cookies run the gamut from sweet and fruity to chewy and chocolaty. Getting the jump on holiday baking is a good excuse for family members to gather together at a given time to bake for the holidays. I like to make tons of cookies and I give them to my neighbors and co-workers; making cookies is one of the fun parts of the holidays. To help spread some holiday cheer try a couple of my favorites.
Gingersnaps
In a medium bowl cream butter, sugar, egg and molasses until light and fluffy. Blend in all dry ingredients. Allow dough to chill for about 30 minutes. Roll into 1 inch balls. Dip the end of a glass in sugar and use it to flatten the cookie. Bake at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes.
Peppermint Frosted Chocolate Sugar Cookie Bars
1 cup sweet butter, room temperature 2 cups of sugar 4 large eggs 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 4 ounces of melted semi-sweet chocolate 2 tablespoons of unsweetened coco powder 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon of salt 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda See frosting recipe below
3/4 cup soft butter or margarine 1 cup brown sugar 1 large egg 1/4 cup molasses 21/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
1 cup sweet butter, room temperature
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Combine all the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until it is fluffy and light. Continue mixing and add the eggs and the vanilla. Slowly add in the dry ingredients until combined. Press the dough into a greased 13x18 inch baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.
Peppermint Frosting
3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoons cream of tartar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 stick sweet butter 1/2 cup pure vegetable shortening 1 3/4 cups sugar, plus more if needed 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, plus more if needed 2 large eggs Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, with one rack in top third and one rack in bottom third of oven. Line baking sheets with Silpat baking mats or parchment paper; set aside. Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter, shortening, and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs, and beat to combine. Add dry ingredients, and beat to combine. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the ground cinnamon. Use a small (1 1/4-ounce) ice cream scoop to form balls of the dough and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are set in center and begin to crack (they will not brown), about 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets after 5 minutes. Transfer the sheets to a wire rack to cool about 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to the rack. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.
December 2014 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 9
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 Senior Learning Design Consultant 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. Email: alice@lvfnb.com
This month, I had the opportunity to attend two great wine tasting events: The Bertani Luncheon with Andrea Lonardi and Stefano Mangiarotti, and the 2014 Double Gold Tour, by the San Francisco International Wine Competition. There isn’t much to say, so other than a brief overview of each, I will let the photos do the telling of my favorite picks at each of these events.
Unique fact about Bertani? They are one of the only wineries that still dries its grapes for Amarone in the traditional passimiente method, of drying the grapes on mats, with the ability to control ventilation only, unlike the modern temperature/humidity controlled spaces.
San Francisco International Wine Competition – 2014 Double Gold Tour
November 4, Nobu, Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
The San Francisco International Wine Competition is an annual wine judging competition, celebrating its 34th year, also entering its record largest number of entries (over 4500).
Bertani Wine Tasting Luncheon Mr. Andrea Lonardi, Operating Director, and Mr. Stefano Mangiarotti, Director of Sales for Americas and Asia, made a stop in Las Vegas on their United States tour with their wines, and I had a chance to chat with Lonardi before the luncheon began. Lonardi maintains that Bertani chooses not to follow trends, but produces a genuine product based on the goals of the company itself. Good products produce good results, and as Lonardi states, “Since 1958, our Amarone is still [produced] in the same bottle, [with] the same label, with the same cork, with the same capsule, and with same style of wine. And we never changed anything.” However, to cater to audiences of varying styles, there is a range of wines and styles, such as the lighter Soave.
After declaring the winners of the competition (both the San Francisco International Wine Competition and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition), the 2014 Double Gold Medal and Premium Award winners were invited to participate in a wine and spirits tasting tour spanning from the east to the west coast, which was hosted and promoted by The Tasting Panel magazine.
All of their wines have the ability to be aged, including their white wines. In addition, the wines are created so that they are recognizable due to the consistent profiles. As Lonardi puts it, “We work to preserve for the future of our wine. You can enjoy it now, but if you want to [age] the wine, it will [still] improve in the bottle.” Bertani wines are not treated as simply a commodity; rather, their wines represent something special that Lonardi is proud to be a part of.
On November 4th, the tour made a stop at Nobu in the Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas. There were many great wines and spirits, but a few stood out to me, which you will see along my photographic tour. It is great that The Tasting Panel magazine promotes this event, as people may not realize the gems that are produced around the world in sometimes obscure locations.
The company was founded in 1857 by Gaetano and Giovan Battista Bertani. The brothers believed in the quality of their wines being key. Today, Bertani still operates its headquarters in the original cellars in Grezzana, and owns vineyards in Valpantena, Soave, and areas around Lake Garda.
Happy Holidays to you all, and stay tuned for the first article of the New Year, but until then… Cheers~
10 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I December 2014
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By Chef Allen Asch
Chef Talk
I
French Omelet
recently read an article that intrigued me as a culinarian. It was an interview with the great Chef Andre Soltner. Chef Soltner was the first United States chef of acclaim before the food network took over as the authority of all. Chef Soltner was the French (Alsace) born chef that owned and operated the great restaurant Lutece in New York City for 34 years. In all those years he only missed 5 days of work. His restaurant was a trailbreaker in the uptick of the quality of foodservice in the United States. He opened Lutece in 1960 and retired in 1994. You would think that that is enough of a career, but he now is one of the deans for the Culinary Center of New York, connected to the French Culinary Institute, in downtown Manhattan at the age of 82. The premise of the story was that if you cannot make a good omelet then you are not a good chef. I remember being a student at the Culinary Institute of America and the emphasis that they took towards the omelet and with my 23 years of teaching I remember the emphasis of making the omelet correctly. At the time I did not realize the meaning behind why I felt the French omelet was an important component of a professional chef. When asked why the omelet is such a sign of a well-trained chef, Chef Soltner explained that the fact that the dish is cooked in a two minute timeframe shows the cook has techniques, but also has heart to be able to do it in such a short time. Chef Soltner’s opening of his restaurant preceded Julia Child’s debut on American television by 2 years. Ironically in one of Julia Child’s first shows she demonstrated the method to make a great French omelet. As a culinary instructor I taught my students how to cook an omelet using four different methods. The easiest one, the one seen at buffets, is the American omelet where you pour in the eggs, let them set and then drag the curds from the outside to the center. The second method was the flat omelet, seen in the military and diners in which they are cooked on flattops. This is the quickest method of cooking an omelet, sometimes in under a minute. The third method was not one that is used in restaurants in the United States,
12 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I December 2014
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.
american Omelet
the frittata. This is an Italian preparation that includes using leftovers from dinner the night before and eggs. This dish almost always includes pasta which is leftover from the previous evening. This dish is more common in Northern Italy where eggs are an indigenous food. This compares to the south where chickens were rare, so egg dishes were not incorporated into their traditional diet. The last method is the light and fluffy French omelet. This is the hardest to make but creates the most tender egg curds, creating the most tender omelet. In this method, the pan is heated and then the butter or butter and oil mixture is added. This is allowed to heat without browning the butter. The eggs are added to the pan and the pan is vigorously shaken and the eggs are continually stirred. This “shake and stir” method allows the eggs to coagulate while incorporating air into the mixture. This method also facilitates minimal browning of the egg, which is an enemy to the tenderness of the final product. The hard part of this is to stop the stirring before you get scrambled eggs. When the eggs are just set, they actually will look underdone; you stop stirring and use the back of the spoon or spatula to level out the coagulated eggs to fill the pan evenly. You would then put the fillings in the center of the egg mixture and roll the eggs out of the pan so they are tubular rather than half-circled shape. To watch a video on how to make an American and a French Omelet, see this You Tube site. Chef Pepin calls the first omelet a country omelet, but that is what chefs here call an American omelet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57afEWn-QDg Interesting fact about the omelet, the world record for the largest omelet is the omelet cooked by the Ferriero de Rocha City Council in Portugal. The record breaking omelet weighed 14,255 pounds. It required 145,000 eggs and a pan that measured almost 34 feet. www.lvfnbpro.com
Fryer’s Favorites
By Mike Fryer
Mike Fryer, Sr. Editor/Publisher
STK STILL GOING STRONG WITH EXECUTIVE CHEF STEPHEN HOPCRAFT at the helm; you’ll need to visit The Cosmopolitan to try Chef Hopcraft’s seasonal menu including a Kurobuta double pork chop that had to be one of the best I’ve ever experienced. Chef uses both local and regional vegetables in his creations that you won’t want to miss. And, of course, their signature steaks are consistently the best around! www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com www.togrp.com DINE AROUND AT MOLTO MARIO WITH PREFERRED PR gave us a chance to revisit all four of the Batali restaurants located in The VenetianPalazzo properties and have a taste of each along
After graduating from the University of Tokyo, Mike worked for 30 years developing, operating, and owning establishments throughout Southeast Asia. In 2002 he returned to the US and started the Las Vegas Food & Beverage Publication. Contact: Mike@lvfnb.com
with selected beverages to pair it with. Visits included OTTO Las Vegas, B & B Ristorante, CarneVino Italian Steakhouse and the newest addition, B & B Burger and Beer. As a side note, I have to congratulate our friends and associates at Preferred Public Relations, who recently have taken over as Molto Mario Group’s public relations firm. www.mariobatali.com www.preferredpublicrelations.com
LEE’S WINE EVENT GETTING BIGGER AND BETTER EACH YEAR and all proceeds go to charity, so you can feel good as you enjoy wine and beer from
around the world and spirits galore. The Lees, Dad & Kenny, keeping with their Korean heritage, set up a special Korean beverage pavilion with all types of Korean liquors including shoju and Korean beer OB. www.leesliquorlv.com
SAN DIEGO BAY WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL SHOWS AN IMPRESSIVE LINEUP now on its 11th annual event. The lineup of West Coast wineries was impressive if not somewhat overwhelming with so many small wineries presenting their wines to the attendees. Additionally, some of San Diego’s finest restaurants were there to present a tasting of their menu. www.sandiegowineclassic.com
ON TAP AND IN BOTTLES THROUHOUT SOUTHERN NEVADA LAS VEGAS’ ORIGINAL BREWING COMPANY ww.bigdogsbrews.com www.lvfnbpro.com
December 2014 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 13
By Bob Barnes
WHAT’S COOKING?
Bob Barnes is a native Las Vegan, editorial director of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional, regional correspondent for Celebrator Beer News and covers the LV restaurant scene for Gayot.com. He welcomes your inquiries. Email: bob@lvfnb.com
Due & Proper and Whist Stove and Spirits Breathes Fresh Air into The District at Green Valley Ranch
Executive Chef Ricardo Romo and bob barnes
Ryan Doherty, Justin Weniger and Kenna Warner, the team behind
Commonwealth, Park on Fremont and BLVD. Cocktail Company, have already proven they know a thing or two about opening unique food and beverage venues. Now with Due & Proper and Whist Stove & Spirits, located at The District at Green Valley Ranch, they appear to have pulled out all the stops, as the former Al’s Garage and Presidio have been completely transformed. One of the first things you’ll notice as you approach the side-by-side pub and restaurant are attractive outdoor seating options, with picnic tables at Due & Proper and a quaint patio framed by a year-round garden at Whist Stove & Spirits. Upon entering either venue you can’t miss the eclectic collection of intriguing artwork that borders on the bizarre to fun-loving, playful Goth, with imagery such as a group of white mice drinking at a table or the Jules Verne-esque painting complete with sea monsters and flying ships. Seriously, it’s worth a visit just to check out the unusual and compelling sights. Due & Proper is designed to have the feel of a classic pub from London, Ireland or the East Coast, and you may feel like you’ve gone back to the 19th century with décor of Victorian furniture, old time photos and chandeliers. In keeping with the old time theme are the original cocktails, such as the Dead Rabbit, named after the infamous 19th-century
New York Irish-American Five Points gang, made with Teeling Irish whiskey, Ancho Reyes chile liqueur, lemon, Clément spiced sirop de canne, Odwalla carrot juice, egg white and grated cinnamon. A cool feature at the bar is the spin wheel, a vintage gambling device in which patrons who can’t decide on what to drink can let the wheel choose, with a chance to win if the wheel lands on a free item. Menu highlights include Deviled Eggs with fried shallots and pickled jalapeno, Bangers & Mash with red wine demi and onion rings and Fish Sticks—fish and chips with wedge fries and homemade tartar sauce that this writer who hates tartar sauce found delicious. Inside Whist Stove & Spirits, which is envisioned as a contemporary neighborhood restaurant, you’ll find more incredible artwork in a bright and cheery room bedecked with white brick ceiling, pillars draped with maroon curtains, crystal chandeliers and seating that is a combination of couches and mismatched antique chairs. An indoor-outdoor feel is accomplished through oversized doors that open up to the outside. Not-to-be-missed menu items are the Acia Bowl, a frozen, healthy mix of acia berry, banana, blueberry, oats, strawberry and coconut that mimics ice cream; Seafood Hot Pot—chef’s version of a clam bake with Old Bay, potato, crab,
14 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I December 2014
shrimp, clams and mussels; Grilled Spanish Octopus with chimichurri, jicama and cilantro; Lobster Fettuccine with noodles made in-house and lobster bisque as the base for the sauce; and for dessert, a non-traditional Banana Split with blueberries, strawberries and sprinkles named “Little Devil” for its bowl with an impish face and ice cream cone horns. To accompany the American fare is a wine list with 33 wines, most of which are offered by the glass and a better than average beer list with the likes of Innis & Gunn, Great Basin Brewing Milk Stout and Duvel. As for the prices, you’ll find equivalent quality minus the high prices you’ll encounter on the Strip, with lunch entrees hovering around $10 and dinner options averaging around $15-$20. Overseeing both kitchens is Executive Chef Ricardo Romo, who has an remarkable resume that includes fine dining on the Strip and running a restaurant in Martha’s Vineyard. Chef began his culinary career at age 15 working at a Wendy’s in Southern California and moved on to working as a prep cook at a Chinese restaurant, but his affinity for cooking began at an even earlier age. Chef Romo said, “When I was a kid I liked to make my mom lunch. I found I was good at it and had a knack for cooking.” Before being recruited to his current position Chef spent more than 10 years alongside acclaimed Chef Stephen Hopcroft at Sedona, Michael Mina’s Seablue and most recently at STK. His philosophy encompasses freshness: “I like to use fresh products and let the food speak for itself.” Chef routinely visits farmers markets and uses as much local products as possible. Due & Proper and Whist Stove & Spirits are open 24 hours and are located across from King’s Fish House and Lucille’s Smokehouse. Happy hour at both Mon.-Fri. from 3-6 p.m. and 12- 3 a.m. features $3 Coors Light, $4 well drinks, $5 glasses of JUSTIN Winery Cab and Chardonnay and half-priced appetizers. 2235 Village Walk Drive in Henderson at The District at Green Valley Ranch…Due & Proper 702-307-2714…Whist Stove & Spirits 702-307-2694 www.lvfnbpro.com
By Myles Gueco
photos by Megan Punzi, Historian of the Epicurean Club
UNLV Epicurean Club News
Myles Gueco is currently a third year student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. One can find Myles either in the classroom, running around events in Las Vegas, or in the studio from where he runs the weekly radio show, Tantalizing Titillation. He is passionate about all aspects of food and wholeheartedly believes that laughter is the best medicine. Email: mylesagueco@gmail.com
Under the new leadership
of President Hamilton Tran and Faculty Moderator Al Izzolo, UNLV’s Epicurean Club has reached new unbounded heights. Membership is at an all-time high with motivated Food and Beverage professionals. The Epicurean Club strives to provide its members with countless opportunities to broaden their gastronomic horizons, learn practical knowledge in the front and back of house, as well as create a positive environment for students to network with their peers. Benefits of membership in the club not only include discounted restaurant outings, but also employment opportunities with the Aramark banquet services on campus. To date, the club has organized three food outings and two revenue generating events that incorporate the purpose of the organization. The Epicurean Club was privileged to visit Chef Mark Sandoval’s restaurant, Jayde Fusion, and dine on an extensive Asian fusion menu that included whole red snappers, oysters, and Chow Fun. The restaurant outings are open to all students of UNLV and their friends and family. This initial dinner gave the students an opportunity to experience a multicourse meal as well as time outside of the classroom to get acquainted with each other. After a three hour feast, the night concluded with four different types of desserts to overload the already at capacity stomachs of the no longer starving students.
included traditional German delights such as sauerkraut, bratwurst, knockwurst, pretzels and red cabbage. The evening continued with games of German trivia, a raffle, and for attendees of the legal drinking age a beer garden. Two different types of beers were served, a California Pale Ale and an IPA. The planners of the event were able to source the donation of the craft beer as well as some of the food items to mitigate costs. The Epicurean Club’s Oktoberfest taught valuable lessons to the younger students as they were able to gain practical experience and in the end enjoy the fruits of their labors. For Halloween the club decided to go with tradition and hold a bake sale for the campus of UNLV. Students bonded over making the baked good for sale, decorating the booth, and selling the delectable homemade items. Halloween themed cakes and cookies were swept up by the ravenous college students, all for the benefit of the Epicurean Club. The UNLV Epicurean Club invites all who are interested to keep up with the organization and the many events that are held. All of the occasions planned by the club are open to the public, with all proceeds going to back to enrich the association and benefit students. For more information please visit out Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ unlvepicurean or email us at unlvepicurean@gmail.com.
In early October, the Epicurean Club was invited to have a private tasting at Las Vegas’ premier gourmet food store, Artisanal Foods. Owner and UNLV graduate, Brett Ottolenghi, treated the members to an array of cured meats, delectable cheeses, and even caviar. The highlight of the night was when the students tried Miracle Berries, which have the effect of turning all sour tastes into sweet. Star fruits, lemons and limes were presented and to the group’s surprise all remnants of sour were replaced with candy like flavors. This tastebending experiment was a first for everyone in the room and definitely left an indelible lesson about the body’s reactions to different stimuli. The second restaurant outing was to an El Salvadorian establishment. For many of the students this was the first time ever experiencing El Salvadorian cuisine. Many noted that the Pupusas were their favorite dish of the evening. In the future, the Epicurean Club hopes to continue to expand the knowledge of its members about other cuisines through exciting off campus tours and dining. To celebrate the annual Bavarian festival, the Epicurean Club put on a taste of Oktoberfest on the UNLV campus. Members of the club had a hand in all aspects of the event, from planning and purchasing to preparing the food and front of house operations. The buffet style menu www.lvfnbpro.com
December 2014 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 15
16 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I December 2014
www.lvfnbpro.com
NvRA 2014 CULINARY EXCELLENCE WINNERS Photo credit is 501 Studios. • Article credit Nevada Restaurant Association.
Allied of the Year Brett Sutton and Chairman Ed Lepere
Chairman Ed Lepere and Lyle Cervenka Bartender of the Year
Culinarian of the Year Johnny Church and Chairman Ed Lepere
Employee of the Year Jeff Trent and Chairmen Ed Lepere
Past winners Jim Reese and Bob Ansara with Restaurateur of the Year Brad Burdsall
Pastry Chef of the Year Claude Escamilla and Chairman Ed Lepere
On Wednesday, October 29
the Nevada Restaurant Association celebrated the state’s industry leaders at the annual Culinary Excellence Awards Gala. Winners, along with the finalists in six categories were honored, and Chef Andre Rochat received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Rochat, of Andre’s at Monte Carlo and Alize at Palms, accepted the honor via video presentation to the packed room. The Lifetime www.lvfnbpro.com
Achievement Award recognizes an individual who has performed an outstanding service and accomplishment spanning a career in the restaurant industry, and who is truly extraordinary, widely recognized as such and of positive and lasting quality. The event, which took place at TPC Summerlin, was led by Channel 8 News Now anchor Denise Valdez and Vegas Deluxe entertainment columnist and Food Network co-founder
Robin Leach, both longtime supporters of the restaurant industry. Winners were selected for their commitment to promoting, protecting and educating the restaurant industry, their community involvement and leadership within their organizations. Proceeds from live and silent auctions benefitted the Association’s Educational Foundation.
December 2014 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 17
photo credit to 2014 World Food Championships
3rd Annual World Food Championships Takes Center Stage on Fremont Street In Downtown Las Vegas
By Bob Barnes Bob Barnes is a native Las Vegan, editorial director of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional, regional correspondent for Celebrator Beer News and covers the LV restaurant scene for Gayot. com. He welcomes your inquiries. Email: bob@lvfnb.com
WFC Co-founders Larry Oliphant (far left) and Mike McCloud (far right) present WFC Champion Ricardo Heredia with his $100,000 grand prize. Also pictured with Ricardo are Miss Nevada and Ricardo’s girlfriend, Cassy Anderson.
The World Food Championships again graced Las Vegas
with its presence Nov. 12-18, bringing not only top notch food for us to enjoy, but the excitement of watching more than 500 top chefs in their field compete in 9 different food categories that included Barbecue, Chili, Sandwich, Burger, Dessert, Bacon, Recipe, Pasta and Seafood. Considered to be the Super Bowl of food competitions, this is called the World Food Championships for a reason, as all entrants must have already proven themselves to be the best in a previous competition to be allowed to compete, and with $300,000 in prize money, it certainly attracts the best of the best. The winners from each of the categories earned a $10,000 cash prize and then went head to head in a culinary showdown for the WFC Champion title and grand prize reward of $100,000. The esteemed final table of judges that included Robin Leach, Simon Majumdar, Sabina Kelley, Kari Karch, Emily Ellyn, Melissa Cookston and Louie Anderson crowned San Diego’s Ricardo Heredia as the World Food Champion. Ricardo was the World Bacon Champion for both the 2013 and 2014 WFC. To see a video of WFC Co-founder and President Mike McCloud announcing Ricardo as champion visit https://www. dropbox.com/sh/h0qzrp7sp7jbi2x/AABd7NeHl1KYlH9hwknEyab0a?dl=0#lh:null-clip%202.mov. One local cook prevailed, with Ray Bogart of Boulder City claiming the World Open Chili title.
Below is a complete list of the winners of each category: • World Barbecue Champion Sweet Smoke Q (Jim Elser), Winter Haven, Fla. • World Open Chili Champion Ray Bogart, Boulder City, Nev. • World Burger Champion Wade Fortin, Chicago, Ill.
• Word Pasta Champion Suzanne Clark, Phoenix, Ariz.
• World Dessert Champion Laurie Figone, Petaluma, Calif.
• World Sandwich Champion Kelli Cochran-Fairchild, Vallejo, Calif. • World Seafood Champion Terry Reinhardt, Red Bud, Ill.
• World Recipe Champion Half Baked Hippies (David Grover), Murray, Utah • Bacon World Champion Ricardo Heredia, San Diego, Calif. 18 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I December 2014
I had the privilege and honor to judge once again, and after applying months earlier happily received notification that I had been selected, one of a group of 396 selected from a pool of more than 1,000 applicants. As for the judging, the process was very straightforward. Each dish was judged on a scale of 1 to 10 in areas of appearance, taste and execution, with the execution being about overall impression and if it worked or not. We were admonished to not discuss the entries while judging them and were seated randomly in groups and given four to five dishes to judge in each round. A table captain received a tray of dishes for us, and presented a larger display for us to appraise its appearance before we all were given a sample to judge. I remembered to pace myself, which proved difficult on those entries that were increasingly hard to put down. While the first round was anything goes, the second round was structured, with a stipulation to make a specific type for the category (e.g. in Sandwiches it was BKT—bacon, kale and tomato). In each of the rounds I judged I found all entries to be enjoyable but in each a favorite was evident, and thankfully we got to keep the remnants to nibble a bit more after turning in our scoring sheets. This year’s WFC offered six ticketed opento-the-public events, two of which allowed attendees an opportunity to taste the same quality preparations the judges were treated to. Bourbon, BBQ & Banjos, held at the Downtown LV Events Center on a beautiful Friday evening, featured around 60 pitmasters serving their best ribs while live bands played in the background. On Saturday afternoon the Downtown Chili Throwdown offered a chance to find the best chili recipe from 27 chiliheads. At both events the teams came from all over the US, hailing from parts far and wide such as South Carolina, Florida, Rhode Island, Texas, Alabama, Idaho, Illinois, Utah, Iowa; and even Belgium, Netherlands, Canada and the UK. And, although only competing for a chance to win a $500 cash prize for the most People’s Choice votes, the pride the cooks took in their product by talking up their culinary creations and enticing all to sample their wares was quite evident. As for the quality, I can attest that there wasn’t a clunker anywhere and I can’t imagine a venue anywhere offering so many fine examples of each culinary genre. Sadly for us, in 2015 the WFC will look for greener pastures in Kissimmee, Florida. We can only hope it rains the whole time so they’ll want to head back to sunny Las Vegas in 2016. www.lvfnbpro.com
By Shelley Stepanek
December Drinks and Cheer
Let’s start out with some fresh, bubbly drinks during the holidays. La Cave Wine & Food Hideaway at Wynn Las Vegas will have a Hanukkah inspired cocktail, The Dreidel, which includes Cognac, apple juice, 3 cubed apples, Cava and simple syrup. Order one before you try their superb Grilled Sea Bass with cream spinach ravioli, baby parsnips and tomato vinaigrette for $24. Finish up with a chocolate butter cream and ganache Mini Buche de Noel dessert.
Looking for a place to hold your holiday party? Ferraro’s, one of Las Vegas’s finest family Italian restaurants, has packages from $40-$60 available through Dec. 31. The $40 menu includes choice of Penne Bolognese or Penne Pomodoro; Caesar or Mixed Exotic Greens Salad; entree of Veal Marsala, Salmone Picatta, Petite Filet Mignon or Pollo Parmigiana; and a dessert sampler. Call 702-3645300 to schedule your holiday get together. Ferraro’s is located across from the Hard Rock Hotel.
Stop on by CRUSH, Eat, Drink, Love at MGM Grand and begin with a NYE cocktail, the Italian Love Affair. It uses Solerno Orange Liqueur as its base, with whiskey and Prosecco. Their whole dinner menu is a feast to choose from.
Across the street is Tacos & Tequila at the Luxor with their version of a holiday cocktail, JINGLE JUICE. Starting with either rhubarb or raspberry syrup, Casa Noble Blanco, yellow chartreuse, fresh lemon and garnished with roasted rosemary, it is fresh and nippy. www.lvfnbpro.com
Gilley’s, Seafood Shack, The Buffet and Phil’s Italian Steak House inside Treasure Island will all offer Xmas specials. Gilley’s Saloon will start with a Southern Pecan and Apple Salad, and Roasted Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Soup with Maryland crab meat. The 2nd course will be Jack and Coke Honey-glazed Turkey with sausage brioche stuffing, along with whipped potatoes, sautéed baby vegetable and chili gravy or Herb-crusted Roasted Pork Tenderloin. The cost will be $40 per person from 11 a.m. to midnight. The Seafood Shack will offer Roasted Lobster and Corn Chowder, Mixed Green Salad and Oven Roasted Turkey with the fixings for $39.95 per person from 5-10 p.m. Phil’s Italian Steak House will serve Lobster Bisque, and main course of either Turkey Dinner or Grilled Salmon with mustard cream sauce and plenty of Warm Flourless Dark Chocolate Ginger Cake for dessert for $41 per person from 5-10 p.m. Let your senses loose and enjoy all the great feasts of food that Las Vegas has to offer.
December 2014 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 19
Dining Out with the Harrises
By Elaine & Scott Harris Sommeliers and Editor-In-Chief of Nationally Recognized Cuisineist.com and Vino Las Vegas LLC. They are the Las Vegas City Editors for TheDailyMeal in New York City. Elaine and Scott also host VIP Custom Designed Dining Tours in Las Vegas. They travel extensively covering Luxury Food and Wine lifestyle events worldwide. Cuisinist@Gmail.com www.Cuisineist.com www.VinoLasVegas.Blogspot.com www.LasVegasDiningTours.com Facebook:ElaineScottHarris Twitter:TheCuisineist.com Twitter: VinoLasVegas Instagram : Cuisineist
Celebrity Chef Todd English’s Public Urban Bar Combines Classic American Tastes with a Gourmet Flair
perfect Sunday morning cocktails, offering a menu where you can select your favorite vodka, infusion and all the fixings that you may want to pour into your hand-crafted libation. Not only is the P.U.B. a Sunday respite, but you can also engage in Beer Pong or a friendly game of darts as you clear the cobwebs from any night of Vegas party syndrome. John let us know that Chef Todd wants only to create spaces that are fun and interactive at the same time, or a place to relax and unwind after a whirlwind tour of the Strip or late night show. Marketing Manager Carol Lantana can set up a private party for your corporation, or special birthday or family reunion dinner. With seating for 320 guests, there is a venue for everyone. From large party dining to an intimate bite for two, the aim is to accommodate everyone walking through the doors. Tired of paying the piper for a cocktail on the Strip? You can now indulge in one of the best Happy Hours in Las Vegas. Stop by for the ½ price pints and wine by the glass, $1 wings, $2 Oysters, and $3 Sliders, offered daily from 3-6 p.m. and 10 p.m.-midnight.
The P.U. B. or Public Urban Bar
at CityCenter is one of those spots that is “hopping” with energy. With 44 draft beers and 80 bottles to select from, choice is the word that resounds throughout this venue. Helpful servers can introduce you to a “flight” of brews or just a taster as they educate you on the various selections available. All of the bar servers are enrolled in Cicerone classes to further their beer beverage education. Alongside the plethora of beers, there are cocktails, and an outstanding whiskey and bourbon menu, and don’t forget the food. The menu crafted by proprietor and the four-time James Beard award-winning Chef Todd English, will have you coming back again and again. P.U.B. is an industry leader amongst the gastropub and craft beer craze in Las Vegas. Chef is a renowned chef, author, restaurateur and entrepreneur, with many accolades to his account such as four-time James Beard winner, and inductee into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who in Food and Beverage in America. Chef has authored many cookbooks including The Olives Table, The Figs Table, Olives Dessert Table and his Everyday English. Along with a PBS travel series, Food Trip with Todd English, he has time to create a line of cookware and has expansion plans on his horizon. Chef Todd English believes in getting the best product to your table and expanding his creative culinary repertoire to make his venues outstanding in the industry. Our meeting with General Manager John Lantana and Marketing Manager Carol Lantana proved to be one in which we saw the true genius and passion of Chef’s vision for Las Vegas. The restaurant has been open for four years and continues to grow in popularity with its various engaging aspects. With Todd’s Bloody Marys and Bubbly Blends, Sundays just got a whole lot better. These outrageous Bloody Marys have a degree of creativity that you must experience to believe. These drinks are really disguised meals, and are served to you by the lovely “Farm Girls.” These lovely ladies will help you come up with the 20 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I December 2014
Locals and guests may want to make this a mandatory stop on their Vegas agenda. Executive Chef John Paul-Labadie uses his uber skills, working closely with Chef English, to bring only the best quality food to the customer while remaining true to Chef’s moniker for excellence. For those who love their meat, The Cravery offers a selection of rotisserie-cooked meats and poultry that one can carve up their creativity into a sandwich made for a king. One of the best burgers that we tried on our visit was the 10-ounce Buffalo Burger cooked medium rare. With juices dripping down your chin, and the twang of blue cheese and a little heat from Todd’s own hot sauce on your taste buds, you will write home about this food memory. Don’t forget the Lobster Rolls—lobster slathered in warm butter on top of a soft pillowy roll that every beer drinker should order to bring down the buzz as it comes close to quitting time. Make Todd English’s P.U.B. a must stop on your journey to the Vegas Wonderland. You will find a bit of comfort to cheer you after too many dollars have been dropped at the tables. For the gambler or family vacationers, this is the one place everyone should check into. www.lvfnbpro.com
Hires Michael Egan, the “Wine Detective” By Alice Swift •Photos By Audrey Demsey
This month, I had the honor
and pleasure of interviewing two very influential people in the world of wine: Michael Egan, Fine Wine Expert, a.k.a. the “Wine Detective,” who was brought in and hired by Larry Ruvo, Senior Managing Director of Southern Wine & Spirits (SWS). The purpose of inviting Egan to Las Vegas essentially as a wine authenticator, was to evaluate wines from various resorts and clients, particularly ones that are most targeted by counterfeiters. In addition, they held a first ever symposium on November 6th, focusing on introducing Egan to the Las Vegas market, as well as exposing the dangers of counterfeit wine, and preventive measures. With that being said, one might ask the question, how does Southern Wine and Spirits fit into all this? SWS is trying to inform and educate customers that there are many thieves and counterfeiters coming into this marketplace, more than one would know. Many decades ago, SWS brought in a Master Sommelier to teach their employees about wines. Then they began to train their employees to become wine professionals, and even Master Sommeliers themselves. From there, the next logical step was to develop the other areas of beverage, such as the mixology program. Now, SWS is offering a cicerone certification program, which all brings in added value for their customers. It’s important to keep the customers properly informed, as “knowledge is power,” says Ruvo. Along the way, customers began to request certain wines, and it turns “I thought it was out they were buying these wines from questionable sources. Ruvo decided to time to put a stop put a stop to this. “I thought it was time to this thievery. to put a stop to this thievery. I searched I searched who who would be a good person, and I came up with Michael. His credentials would be a good are solid, his reputation is impeccable, person, and I came and that’s the kind of guy I want to be associated with.” up with Michael. His credentials are The purpose of Egan presenting at this seminar is to give attendees (composed solid, his reputation of SWS Customers, major buyers, etc.) is impeccable, and some salient examples of counterfeit measures. He will take the opportunity that’s the kind of to introduce himself and his experiences guy I want to be in litigation, as well as an overview of the world of counterfeiting wines, associated with.” which will in turn focus on the wines themselves. If it all goes well, the hope is to bring Michael back to Vegas for future visits. Now, on to my interview with Michael Egan. Egan worked for Sotheby’s starting in 1981 for 25 years.
This proved to be a very good experience for him, as he learned how fine wines are stored and what genuine wine looks like, while being mentored by top experts. Visually inspecting a wine has always been a method of authenticating wine there, because any doubtful bottles would not have been put into auction, which primed him for his current role. His formal title is Fine Wine Expert, but the press knows Egan as the “Wine Detective.” Egan’s expertise lies in French wines, due to the value and demand, and where many of the fake wines exist. Many of the most valuable wines are from France, typically Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, and Rhone, but there are target wines from other regions too, like Screaming Eagle (California), or Vega Sicilia and Sassicaia (Italy).
What aspects do you primarily look at?
There are other types of authentication methods that involve analyzing the chemical breakdown of the wine itself, but Egan’s expertise lies on observation methods. He looks at the visual aspects of the wine, examining each bottle very carefully. “If you have any doubt, then you might spend half an hour, even an hour looking at the label…” The process, which is very time consuming, involves: • Photographing the label or using a digital microscope with a light. This allows closer examination of the paper fibers and quality of a wine label. • Peel capsule back to see what’s on the cork. You have to get permission from the owner to cut the capsule; not everyone wants the capsule cut. It does help because you would then be able to see the type of cork, whether or not it has been pulled out before, or whether the right vintage is stamped on the cork or has been manipulated in any way. • Examining the wine bottle. Through the University of Bordeaux (when accessible), in the nuclear science department, they can pass a wine bottle through a particle accelerator that evaluates the atomic makeup of the bottle, with a graph that outputs all instances of elements that have come into contact with the bottle, like potassium, phosphorus, etc. They have a good database of what should be in a bottle from a particular region, from a particular vintage. • Other visual aspects of a wine. Such as degree of sediment, watermarks, etc.
Have you noticed any evolution or technological advancement of counterfeiting?
Labels are now a big concern when it comes to counterfeiting. Printers have indeed come a long way. Now you have to compare the known counterfeit [labels] with the real labels and look at them at a very high magnification sometimes to see the differences. It’s not impossible to identify a counterfeited label as a standalone, with the right expertise and to the trained eye. As a wine authenticator, you have to rely on your memory and experience of the wine labels one has encountered, as well as knowing the history behind the wines. This can include not only the wine producers and evolution of wine labels, corks, capsules, etc., but even wine bottle shapes, glass, paper, ink, coloring, patina, etc. Powers of observation really come into play here. www.lvfnbpro.com
Some methods of counterfeiting: • Distressing the labels: rubbing dirt or tea to stain the label • Tearing the labels to mimic a naturally torn label. Counterfeiters might nick wine bottle labels, or tears are not naturally formed. Observing the glue attached either before or after the labels being torn. • Putting wine labels in the oven to artificially age them. • Laser printers now make things very difficult, with such high quality photocopies that can be generated.
How to overcome counterfeiters?
• Silicon tags can be inserted into the label, or even into the interior of the wine bottle to prevent counterfeiting. These can be observed via magnification to help identify authentic wines. • Engrave bottles, or embossed seals on labels. • Digital watermarking, where the watermark shows up under a UV light. • Use specially produced ink, and using more well-known print shops, and finessing printing techniques. • Utilize printed security labels and tags for wines, with companies like Tagsure. • On the paper itself, a digital microscope shows the paper fibers, allowing you to see the course grain paper fibers which reveal recycled paper, which did not exist in older labels. When it comes to printing, one can identify a photocopy because black ink is usually a composite of many colors like red, brown, etc., whereas on an original print will have a true black ink. Trends in Counterfeiting or prevention? There are many roaming counterfeit wines being produced. The peak was with Rudy Kurniawan [the first person to be convicted of counterfeiting wine, and sentenced to 10 years in prison as of August, 2014]. In Europe there are quite a few counterfeiters active. Macao and Hong Kong are open to authentication, but Mainland China remains closed to bringing in professionals to authenticate wines, and have not reached out for services. In the 1990s to 2001, there weren’t any counterfeiting measures really. Fun Fact! While working at Sotheby’s, Egan had a client who brought in a vintage bottle of port wine from the early 1920s to be appraised. Turns out the client produced his own “hooch,” or homemade wine out of a winemaking kit, and placed it into a genuine port bottle. Instead of using a specialized sealing wax, he used a colored candle wax. The wine was placed in the wine department office overnight. Because of poor winemaking technique, the wine went through a secondary fermentation, and the cork shot out of the bottle, also because of the weak wax sealant. It was such a pleasure to have met one of the wine experts who helped to convict the notorious Rudy Kurniawan this year, and I certainly hope that he will return to Las Vegas again soon, to continue his reign as the “Wine Detective.”
Until next time, Cheers~! Alice
December 2014 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 23
Brett’s BY Tom’s Urban, a 24-hour casual dining concept, will make its Las Vegas debut at New YorkNew York offering indoor and outdoor dining options. Owner Tom Ryan is Smashburger’s co-founder. Next door, Shake Shack, part of Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, will open a modern day “roadside” burger stand. Chef/Owners Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters and Food Network’s Too Hot Tamales have opened a second Las Vegas Border Grill offering lunch and dinner daily at the Forum Shops at Caesars. Downtown Summerlin’s new food outlets include: Chef Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill serving lunch and dinner daily; Crazy Pita; and California Pizza Kitchen. Sirio Ristorante at ARIA will close Dec. 6 and a new addition will be announced later. SLS closed its buffet until early next year and many food outlets have cut back like 800 Degrees, Cleo and Katsuya going from daily service to five days a week. Jacques Café named after owner Chef Jacques Pauvert is a new American bistro open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch in Summerlin’s Trails Village and has an outdoor patio. Baby’s Badass Burgers characterized by a
pink food truck with made-to-order burgers served by a “babe” has expanded to Las Vegas. The “Badass Location of the Day” schedule is announced through Baby’s social media. Uncle Joe’s Pizza at 505 Fremont Street closed its doors after 18 years. Fulton Street Food Hall is a new 24-hour daily, chef-driven marketplace at Harrah’s
with a New Orleans street theme. TV show Fame star Billy Hufsey opened his new musical Celebrity Idols from Movies and Music at Planet Hollywood’s Sin City Theater. Hufsey has a new book out Living the Dream and song “The Lover in Me.” After three years, Frankie Moreno will perform his final show at the Stratosphere on Dec. 20. Legends in Concert at Flamingo is running its annual holiday show with tribute artists highlighting Bobby Darin, Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand and Elvis singing seasonal tunes. Raiding the Rock Vault celebrated its debut at the New Tropicana. In honor of FANTASY’s 15th anniversary, Luxor show headliner Jaime Lynch and dancer
Danielle choreographed and introduced three new numbers including the opener and closer. In addition, the 2015 “Fulfilling Fantasies for 15 Years” calendar is on sale. Disney On Ice Presents Let’s Celebrate! colossal party on ice featuring 50-plus characters from 16 Disney stories is booked Jan. 14–18 at Thomas & Mack Center. Comedian Matt Kazam started Military Appreciation Tuesdays through Nov. 10, 2015, offering military members two tickets to his show 40 Is Not the New 20 at the Riviera. Local celebrity magician Seth Grabel launched vegasperformers.com, a directorybased platform for performers and promoters. The Electric Daisy Carnival will return to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway June 19-21, 2015, making it the fifth year in Las Vegas where 200-plus artists performed last year. Next May’s Rock in Rio festival will have three thematic streets capturing the culture and sounds of Brazil, the UK and USA. The City
24 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I December 2014
of Rock will be a permanent open-air concert venue built over 37 acres with six stages. Entertainers already announced are Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, No Doubt, Metallica, Linkin Park, Taylor Swift, Deftones and John Legend. The JFK Exhibition is open with iconic memorabilia, two JFK limousines and personal items belonging to the Kennedys at the New Tropicana through Jan. 3. The Quad now The Link features brand new rooms and suites and a renovated welcome experience built around 3535 - a destination lounge. Ricky Martin’s wax figure was revealed at Madame Tussauds at The Venetian where it will remain until moving to its permanent home at Madame Tussauds Orlando next spring. Sugar Factory has a new sweet partnership with Playboy embedding the signature rabbit head logo on candy items. The 10th Annual World Series of Beer Pong will be held for the first time at the Riviera Jan. 1-5, 2015, with competitors vying for the $50,000 grand prize. Top female guitarist Malina Moye and Indie pop group Fitz and The Tantrums were each presented a memorabilia case at Hard Rock Hotel. South Point unveiled its new $35 million tournament South Point Bowling Plaza facility built as part of a 12-year deal with United States Bowling Congress. Richard Petty Driving Experience introduced IndyCar racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The Mob Museum downtown is introducing Mobcast and posting on the museum’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
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Six Steps to Greening a Restaurant
By Michael Oshman Michael Oshman is the founder and executive director of the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), a national non-profit organization formed in 1990 to create environmental sustainability in the foodservice industry. Email: michael.oshman@dinegreen.com
Greening a restaurant is made up of the many legitimate steps
an operator takes to reduce energy, increase water efficiency, eliminate toxic cleaners, recycle/compost waste, add sustainable food options, include greener packaging and integrate green building elements. Here are some of the Eco-Facts behind the thousands of steps that Certified Green Restaurant® make to improve our environment.
Reusable Tableware for Dine-In The average American generates about four pounds of trash every day, or 1,460 pounds of trash per person every year. We, as a nation, throw away about 210 million tons of waste each year. The majority of this waste, 57 percent, is buried in landfills. EXKi has chosen to reduce its contribution to this waste stream by offering reusable dishes, cups and utensils to dine-in customers. In this regard, EXKi has positioned itself as an environmental leader in the fast casual foodservice industry. • Reusable products save resources, energy and water compared to disposable products when viewed over their entire life cycle. • Depending on the material, an item such as a reusable plastic, glass or ceramic cup would require only 10 to 70 uses before its environmental impact breaks even with a disposable cup. Since reusable tableware is used thousands of times, the environmental benefits are significant.
Near-Zero Waste™ Restaurant The average restaurant produces 100,000 pounds of garbage each year. The majority of this garbage will end up in landfills, when in reality, 50% of that waste can be recycled, and another 40% can be composted. Sending that waste to landfills not only prevents the reuse of valuable material resources, it also releases greenhouse gases. • By recycling plastic, aluminum, glass, cardboard and paper, Duke’s Alehouse and Kitchen prevents the release of the amount of CO2 emitted by burning 75,000 pounds of coal. • Our food waste, if landfilled, would produce methane emissions that are 21 times more damaging to the environment than CO2, but we prevent those emissions from being released by composting.
GRA Qualified Cleaning Products, Hand Soap and Dish Soap EXKi has elected to use hand soap, manual dish soap and general cleaning products that meet the Green Restaurant Association’s strict standards for cleaning chemicals. • Conventional cleaning products can contain toxins that damage our organs and disrupt our hormone systems through persistent exposure. • As a result, indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. However, our products meet strict toxicity and biodegradability standards to safeguard the health of consumers and employees.
Organic Cotton Chef Coats Harbor View Cafe is reducing reliance on pesticides by using organic cotton chef coats. www.lvfnbpro.com
• Globally, cotton crops use 2.4% of agricultural land, yet they account for 24% and 11% of insecticide and pesticide sales respectively. Growing conventional cotton requires more dangerous chemicals than any other crop. • Organic cotton, by contrast, does not cause millions of agricultural workers to become ill and does not contaminate our water resources.
LED Lighting Lighting accounts for 13% of the average restaurant’s energy consumption. At Roski Dining Hall and Lair Marketplace, the majority of their lighting comes from LED lamps – 78% and 55% respectively. • LED lamps are the most energy-efficient lights on the market. LED bulbs alone save them 143,750 kWh annually compared to conventional incandescent bulbs. That’s the equivalent of cutting the power to 13 homes for an entire year. • With over 600 LED bulbs installed, Roski Dining Hall and Lair Marketplace could potentially save $25,000 in annual energy expenditures.
Low Flow Spray Valves – 0.65 gpm Roski Dining Hall and Lair Marketplace have installed high-efficiency spray valves for rinsing dishes. This is one of the most significant, yet easy water efficiency measures that a foodservice facility can implement. A conventional spray valve runs at 1.6 gallons per minute (gpm), but Roski Dining Hall and Lair Marketplace are using 0.65 gpm spray valves. • A single spray valve running at 0.65 gpm saves over 51,000 gallons of water annually compared to a conventional model. The three spray valves in use at Roski Dining Hall and Lair Marketplace save 153,000 gallons of water each year. That’s the amount of water one person would need to shower every day for nearly 6 years! • The annual monetary savings add to an estimated $2150. Next time you hear that it costs too much to go green, send them this article.
December 2014 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 25
From Gridiron to Vineyard— Carmen Policy Forges New Ground Through His Casa Piena Winery
By Bob Barnes Bob Barnes is a native Las Vegan, editorial director of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional, regional correspondent for Celebrator Beer News and covers the LV restaurant scene for Gayot. com. He welcomes your inquiries. Email: bob@lvfnb.com
Carmen Policy
is best known for his front office work as chief executive officer for the San Francisco 49ers during the 1980s and 1990s, in which he played a key role as the team won Super Bowl victories in 1982, 1985, 1989, 1990 and 1995, followed by five years as President & CEO of the Cleveland Browns. While Policy is no longer running teams in the NFL, his winning ways and passion continue through the successful operation of the Casa Piena Napa Valley winery in Yountville he founded with his wife Gail in 2005. Policy was kind enough to take time to talk with us about the winery and how their venture into the wine industry came about. What prompted you and your wife Gail to enter the wine business? We always knew even when we were back in Cleveland as a minority owner of the Browns that we were going to return to Northern California. It was our impression that our main residence would be in S.F., but thought about urban living with a country home with maybe a small vineyard. We found this site that was very rare and decided to make a bigger commitment to the wine industry. We eventually spent more and more time in the Valley and less time in S.F. Now we spend five nights in the Valley and two nights a week in S.F. Why did you choose the Yountville location? Where is located? Yountville is located 60 miles north of San Francisco. When you think of living in S.F., Napa Valley and the wine country, living in S.F. is part of the attraction, with ease with which to come and go to this area. We also love the social culinary aspects of the area, as Gail and I are out at least 20 nights a month. Add it all together and you come up with Yountville, an absolutely gorgeous Mayberry type of town with charm and beauty and Michelin-star restaurants.
Why did you name your winery the Italian word for full house? Gail came up with idea; we have three sons and two daughters, so three of a kind and a pair is a full house in poker. Also, our house is always full with friends, and we wanted to go with a name in Italian. What does the Our Gang in your company name represent? We have a second cab, which I call our family expression, and it’s half the price of our flagship. It represents our eight grandchildren, just like the full house represents our children, and on the label are eight vines for each of our grandchildren. Did your experience in running NFL teams prepare you for running a successful wine business? That’s a great question because very few people have asked it. The correlation played a big part from the beginning, and we were committed to putting together the best team possible to give our vineyard the best chance of reaching excellence. We first hired our vineyard manager (or viticulturalist), Jim Barbour. We agreed we
26 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I December 2014
would not buy property that he did not feel was suitable to produce a high quality cabernet and when we found the piece of ground we agreed on, he went ahead and planted with no corners being cut. Where do you obtain your grapes from? All of our grapes are grown on property. We have 14.5 acres, of which a little less than 10 acres are planted. We only grow cabernet sauvignon, but grow four clones, so our blending relates to clonal blending, not varietals. Our wines are 100% cab. Have your wines won any awards? We haven’t entered any competitions but have been involved in several blind tastings, and always placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd against stellar competition; and in 2009, Wine Spectator magazine selected our winery as one of the Wineries to Watch—Five Rising Stars in Napa Valley. What is the favorite of your wines that you produce? We have five kids, and that’s like saying who’s your favorite, but the 2006 vintage will always be very special because it was our first. We also like the 2008 and 2010 vintages, but have a feeling the 2012, which hasn’t been released yet, will be up there, it’s so good. What part, if any, do you have in the wine production? We are involved in decisions that relate to production, do regular reviews and are involved in the ultimate blending, but neither of us do any pruning or picking of grapes. The truth of the matter is you better know what you’re doing if you’re going to do those things. Thomas Brown, our winemaker, is totally in charge of all matters relating to the development of the wine once it’s harvested and helps determine when the harvest takes place, working very closely with our wine manager Jim Barbour. He listened to us from the very beginning as to the style of wine we desired and has stayed true to that. How many barrels are you currently producing? Approximately 1,000-1,200 cases a year, or 50 barrels. Any final thoughts? Everyone tells you the wine business is not a real business as far as profits and business plans are concerned, but it is a phenomenal business as for life style and allows you to meet the most interesting people in the world.
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By Ben Brown
The Bottom Line
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.
Designing A Restaurant Brand As an additional note, food fads are tempting to enter, but by the time you go through the process of opening a new cupcake/cronut/juice spot, the market will likely be saturated already. Crumbs’ bankruptcy is just one example of food fads turning against new business-seekers.
Atmosphere
Industrial-chic architecture, communal tables and contemporary music are all in right now. You’ve also got spots for novel experiences that bring you back to the 50’s and allow you to dine as if you were blind. Atmosphere, however, is more of a complementary feature to most restaurants rather than a primary feature. Even a place like Top of the World [Stratosphere] needs good food to go with the view [which it certainly has].
“Have you heard of [your restaurant]?” “Oh yeah. It’s that place known for ________.”
It is up to you to establish your restaurant’s brand, or what fills in that blank space. When people think of your restaurant, what is the first thing you want to come to mind? A plethora of categories exist to be the base of your restaurant brand, so many that this article must be stretched out into future issues. Regardless of how you brand your restaurant, it is vital to determine your brand before moving forward in the development process. To arbitrarily choose a restaurant’s location, design and menu and then hope for the best would be a risky operation that most restaurateurs can’t afford.
world, exist to set a restaurant apart. This article unveils a few of them, with more to follow in the future. Best to choose one central element from which to develop a brand, with the rest serving as supplements to your core competency.
The first thing to choose is a target customer [what kind of crowd do you want in your restaurant]. The brand is then built around that customer. Those who try it the other way run the risk of low demand. An extreme example would be building a trendy, expensive farm-to-table tapas bar in a retirement community—chances are the place isn’t going to get much of a turnout.
Many restaurants got the items that they’re ‘famous for’ simply by creating their menu first and seeing how each item fared among the crowd. And while this approach can deliver consistent success, it also limits the threshold for expansion. A restaurant famous for its apple pie will have a much harder time developing its appetizers and entrees, and will see many customers go to a competing establishment for the main course, only coming to them for dessert. A place known for having the best salmon dishes will be at a loss when salmon prices increase.
Once you’ve got your customer in mind, define the elements that will set your restaurant apart from the competition. While price may seem like a viable answer, it is rarely ever the correct answer, given that price wars drive down profits and create animosity for a lose-lose situation. Numerous elements, or differentiators in the business
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Signature Menu Items
To offset these limits, base your restaurant around overarching food themes, such as geography or style of cooking. Having great Mexican food provides much greater growth potential than just having great tamales.
Atmosphere will bring people through your doors the first time. The most important question is what will turn those first-time visitors into loyal customers— the backbone of every restaurant? Not too many people want to dine in the dark once a month, but they do want to go back to a place that gives them the overall experience they’re looking for.
People
Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich, Guy Fieri…we’re all familiar with food celebrities who have built restaurants around their personal brand. Centering a restaurant around a chef or other restaurant figure can certainly drive traffic. Celebrity chef partnerships are always an option, if you are fortunate enough to have that connection and are willing to sacrifice margins for a famous name on your signage. The challenge comes in actually creating a personal brand that generates enough of a buzz. This high risk/high reward approach requires extensive media outreach that often involves agents and a public relations firm. Also consider the potential for the chef to leave before reaching celebrity status, putting you back at square one. Each of these brand elements poses tremendous potential for restaurants to carve out their niche and create timeless experiences for the customer. It’s up to the restaurant owner to decide on which base they will establish their brand. We will deconstruct additional brand elements in the next issue.
December 2014 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 27
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Sunbelt- Major Products
by using pre-prepared sauces and seasonings such as marinades and rubs on different types of protein alongside flavorsome dipping sauces. It’s all about letting your imagination run wild by introducing flavors originating from all over the world and by doing so consumers will come back time and time again.
Fried, breaded or flavored chicken wings are a firm favorite
One concept that supermarket chains, restaurants and bars seem to love is the flavored chicken wing. Here the customer gets to choose from a range of different ethnic flavor options on the chicken along with a selection of side dipping sauces. This provides the customer with a choice of options; however, the establishment only has to purchase one type of protein, making it a win-win situation for everyone. Food outlets tend to change the flavor daily or allow customers a choice of flavors from a pre-defined list – for example Piri Piri, Caribbean Jerk, Moroccan, Thai or Peruvian wings.
Today’s consumers are exposed to all kinds of delicious – albeit not always healthy options, so caterers must stay on top and follow popular culture trends as well as setting new ones to keep people interested. The street food phenomenon has reached new highs over the last couple of years spreading across the globe, and consumers seem to thrive on this type of casual dining experience.
These are so simple to create that consistency can always be maintained irrelevant of the skill level of the servers. A few simple steps ensure that the customers will be delighted with the results; simply brush the wings with a marinade and cook, or place in a food bag after cooking and massage with a marinade. This will ensure that the marinade encases the whole wing and is penetrated through creating a delicious succulent flavor.
“Wings around the World”
in many food outlets across America due to the fact they’re extremely flexible, relatively cheap to use and can be used in many forms such as over salads, alone as a snack item, or in a burger, wrap or sandwich. This coupled with the fact that chicken has an extremely subtle texture and taste, means it can star in hundreds of recipes to suit seasonal menus, theme days and changing trends.
Caterers can now easily create food from all corners of the world
For more information contact Major Products at 702-838 4698 or take a look at www. majorproducts.com.
American Culinary Federation Chefs Of Las Vegas Chapter Page
By Juanita Fryer
Juanita is currently a culinary student at UNLV, previously at CSN and is the ACF Chefs of Las Vegas liaison journalist working at South Point Hotel’s main kitchen in the garde manger department. Born and raised in Asia, she brings a unique view to this industry page! For inquiries and suggestions email Juanita.fryer@lvfnb.com
With the holidays fast approaching, many events are going on with the ACF Chefs of Las Vegas chapter. Your attendance and support is always welcomed and appreciated. ACFLV Annual Holiday Party December 16, 2014 Main Street Station - Pullman Grill 200 N. Main Street Las Vegas, NV 89101 Toy Donation Please bring an unwrapped gift to the Annual Holiday Party or the “Chefs for Kids” Christmas Toy Drive. One gift with each ticket please. Your participation is greatly appreciated! Further info TBA Poker Tournament Fundraiser January 6, 2015 South Point Hotel and Casino
9777 S. Las Vegas Boulevard Las Vegas, NV 89183 5:30 p.m. Sign-up and 6:30 p.m. Start Chefs for Kids 5K Run/Fun walk January 17, 2015 Wayne Bunker Family Park 7351 West Alexander Road Las Vegas, NV 89129 Start Time 9 a.m. More info TBA Monthly Meeting January 27, 2015 Le Cordon Bleu Las Vegas
28 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I December 2014
1451 Center Crossing Road Las Vegas, NV 89114 More info TBA ACF Certification Workshop February 21, 2015 Le Cordon Bleu Las Vegas 1451 Center Crossing Road Las Vegas, NV 89114 More info TBA 24th Annual Chefs for Kids Dinner & Auction February 21, 2015 Paris Las Vegas 3655 Las Vegas Boulevard South Las Vegas, NV 89109 5:30 p.m. Reception and Silent Auction 7:00 p.m. Dinner and Live Auction More info TBA Chinese New Year Celebration February 24, 2015 More info TBA For further information please feel free to visit the ACF Las Vegas website: http://www. acfchefslasvegas.org/acflv-eventschedule.htm www.lvfnbpro.com
Events
ad index
DECEMBER
January 6
ACF Chefs Poker Tournament Fundraiser www.acfchefslasvegas.org/
December 2
2nd Annual Bikes for Brats Beerfest Atomic Liquors Downtown LV
January 11-13
Fancy Food Show Moscone Center San Francisco www.specialtyfood.com
December 5
Grand Banquet Venetian www.venetian.com
January 11-15
PPAI-Promotional Products International Mandalay Bay CC www.ppai.org/
December 6
Brunch with Daniel Boulud Venetian www.venetian.com
January 14-16
Sports Licensing Show LVCC www.showproco.com
December 6
Baking with The Boss Buddy Valastro Venetian www.venetian.com
January 17
Chefs For Kids 5K Run/1 mile Fun Walk www.chefsforkids.org
December 6
January 24
Dine-Around Venetian www.venetian.com
BIG DOG’S WinterFest N Rancho Brewery www.bigdogsbrews.com
December 7
January 27
Truffle Farewell Brunch Delmonico Steakhouse www.venetian.com
ACF Chef of Las Vegas Dinner/Meeting Le Cordon Bleu Las Vegas www.acfchefslasvegas.org
December 16
January 28-29
ACF Chef of Las Vegas Christmas Dinner/Meeting Main Street Station www.acfchefslasvegas.org
TPE 2014-Tobacco Plus International LVCC www.tobaccoplusexpo.com
2015 JANUARY
NATIONAL BREAD MONTH NATIONAL SOUP MONTH
January 6-9
CES-Consumer Electronic Show LVCC www.cesw
Al Dentes’ Provisions sales@aldentes.com 702-642-1100
Major Products www.majorproducts.com 702-838-4698
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Audrey Dempsey Infinity Photo page 16 www.infinity-photo.com 702-837-1128
Staritsky www.southernwine.com www.staritskylevitsky.com
page 32
Big Dog’s Brewing Company www.bigdogsbrews.com 702-368-3715
The Spice Outlet www.thespiceoutlet.com 702-534-7883
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Todd English P.U.B. www.toddenglishpub.com 702-489-8080
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Visstun Visually Stunning Cups www.visstuncups.com 800-401-2910
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WaWa Water System www.wawah20.com
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BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse page 30 www.bjsrestaurants.com 702-851-8050 Bogart’s Spirits www.bogartspirits.com 702-876-4500
page 2
Con Arts Las Vegas www.conartslv.com 702-260-3320
page 16
Jay’s Sharpening Service www.jayssharpening.com 702-645-0049
page 15
JCCNV www.jccnevada.com 702-428-0555
page 16
White Soy Sauce www.whitesoysaucefood.com
page 8
Let’s Get Together at BJ’s! Weekday Lunch Specials • Snacks and Small Bites • Fresh Salads • ENLIGHTENED ENTREES® Signature Deep Dish Pizzas • Culinary Creations • Pizookie® Desserts • Award-Winning Handcrafted Beers CALL AHEAD WAITING LIST | ONLINE ORDERING | CURBSIDE TAKE OUT
CENTENNIAL | 702-851-8050
|
SUMMERLIN | 702-853-2300
|
HENDERSON | 702-473-2980
join us for HAPPY HOUR Mon.– Fri. 3–7PM | LATE NIGHT Sun.–Thurs. 10PM–Close W W W. B J S R E S TA U R A N T S . C O M |
30 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I December 2014 AD_GenHHR_Centenn_BJ5279_r2.indd 1
“Wow – I love this place!”® www.lvfnbpro.com 6/12/12 2:04 PM
CUSTOM BLENDED HERBS and SPICES MADE LOCALLY IN LAS VEGAS
• Owned and operated by a former chef with over 20 years of experience
AT RE G “
S, N V
AL
PURVEYO RO F
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R OV T E S’ P I SI N F ” F E STU O
NS
• Wholesale distributor of exceptional quality dried spices and specialty foods to the finest hotels and restaurants
GA
• Custom packed Herbs and Spices
VE
• Custom Spice Blends
LA
• Private labeling
S
• Now Certified Kosher
6960 W Warm Springs Road #130 • Las Vegas, Nevada 89113 (1/2 block west of Rainbow Blvd)
702-642-1100
• Open to the Public • Restaurant Quality Spices, Herbs, and Blends • Over 250 Spices, Herbs and Blends • Sold by the Smidgen, Pinch, Dash, Ounce or More • Foodservice Pack Sizes Available • Blended and Packed on Premises • Sign up at www.thespiceoutlet.com
6960 W Warm Springs Road #150 • Las Vegas, Nevada 89113 (1/2 block west of Rainbow Blvd)
702-534-7883 • www.thespiceoutlet.com Mon-Sat 10am - 6pm