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July 2015
CONTENTS 6
FEATURES Cover 10 15
22
21
COVER FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS SOUTHERN WINE & SPIRITS OF NEVADA’S NEWEST ADDITION TO ITS JONES LOCATION IN LAS VEGAS, the center for beverages education—a cutting-edge facility to educate and train professional food & beverage people in all aspects of spirits, wine, beer and sake, all in one convenient location. We look forward to what the facility and seminars will be bringing to the beverage industry of Las Vegas. HIGHLIGHTS LAS VEGAS MOVER & SHAKER ELIZABETH BLAU who has been one of our favorite Food & Beverage Professionals in Las Vegas since the beginning of our publication. Our Editorial Director, Bob Barnes, recently sat down with Elizabeth to update us all on what she’s been up to and where she and the Las Vegas F&B Industry are headed with her thoughtful insights. LVFNB PRO IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE START-UP OF OUR SISTER PUBLICATION, THE SOCAL FOOD & BEVERAGE PROFESSIONAL, covering Southern California from San Diego through Orange County, including the Beach Cities, up through The Greater Los Angeles area and including Santa Barbara County. The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional is similar to LVFNB Pro as an industry-dedicated publication and an arm of the Industry bringing the professional news, views and information. TAKES A TRIP TO LAUGHLIN FOR THE ANNUAL CHEFS FOOD FEST once again hosted at the Aquarius Resort and sponsored by the Laughlin Chamber of Commerce. It is the largest food fest featuring most of the major properties and chefs in a friendly competition to raise funds to support the industry in Laughlin. Check out this year’s winners when Jackie Brett made her way to Laughlin recently.
Page 4
Page 13
Page 22
Hot Off the Grill!
Wine Talk
COVER FEATURE Southern Wine and Spiits of Nevada
Page 5 For the Love of the Craft...
Page 6
Page 14
Opens New All-encompassing
What’s Cooking
Training/Events Facility
Page 17
Page 24
Up Front and Personal
Product Spotlight
Page 18
Page 24
Good for Spooning
Let’s Try Some Specialty Shops This
What’s Brewing?
Page 7
Summer
Public School 702 Debuts in Downtown Summerlin
Page 8 West Eats East—Omnivorous:
Page 19 Local Might Not Be as Close as
Page 26
You Think
Human Reasources Insights
Page 19
Page 27
Japanese Dietary Habit
Book Review
The Bottom Line
Page 9
Page 20
Page 28
Food for Thought
Brett’s Vegas View
American Culinary Federation Chefs Of Las Vegas Chapter Page
Page 10 A Talk with Culinary Maven Elizabeth Blau
24 www.lvfnbpro.com
Page 21 Chefs Food Fest Is Laughlin’s Major
Page 28
Community Feast
Chaîne des Rotisseurs Dinner Hosted at B&B by Mario Batali
Page 21 Page 12
The Nevada Restaurant
Page 30
Chef Talk
Association
Events Ad Index
July 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 3
The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 7442 Grizzly Giant Street Las Vegas, NV 89139 www.lvfnbpro.com
HOT OFF THE GRILL!
July 2015 Mike Fryer Sr. Editor/Publisher
LAWRY’S THE PRIME RIB WAS THE VENUE for the ACF Chefs of Las Vegas Monthly Dinner–Meeting attended by chapter supporters and chefs alike. Three ladies who stand out in the chapter caught on camera at the dinner were Beth Ellen, Chef Jean and Lorri Davidson, with Chef Allen Asch in the background. Lawry’s The Prime Rib has always been a consistently great restaurant group and has recently introduced a few new classic standard dishes.
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
ACF CHEFS Of LAS VEGAS CHEF OF THE YEAR DAVID SIMMONS is awarded his trophy and honored at the annual Chef of the Year Dinner Gala, hosted this year at the South Point Hotel & Casino by Chef Chris Johns and great staff of people who prepared one of the best awards dinners I can remember! Our congratulations to not only Chef David, but to Chef Chris Johns and the entire South Point Team. BOUCHON BISTRO AT THE VENETIAN CELEBRATES SUMMER DISHES WITH THOMAS KELLER hosting a fantastic multicourse dinner with seasonal flavors from the farm-to-the-table and deliciously paired wines supplied by SWS and attended by culinary aficionados who were all delighted. Of course, in traditional Thomas Keller style, all attendees went home with a goodie bag of sweets and a signed menu from the night.
The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional welcomes letters to the editor. We are always striving to improve this publication and would like to know your comments and thoughts. Here’s your chance to be heard. Send your comments to info@lvfnb.com and they may be published in next month’s issue!
@lvfnb
NOTE: All submissions become the property of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.
The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional
CONTRIBUTING STAFF
Legal Editorial Advisor Andrew Matney
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
Journalists Scott & Elaine Harris
Journalist Mitchell Wilburn
Journalist Ben Vaughn
Journalist Good for Spooning LeAnne Notabartolo
Journalist East Eats West K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.
Photographer Audrey Dempsey
Journalist Chef Talk Allen Asch
Journalist Al Mancini
Journalist Heidi Rains
Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein
Journalist Green Restaurant Association Michael Oshman
Journalist Wine Talk Alice Swift
SoCal Journalist Lisa Matney
Journalist The Bottom Line Ben Brown
Photographer Bill Bokelmann
Photographer Joe Urcioli
SoCal Journalist Margie Mancino
Photographer Rose Powell-Carver
4 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I July 2015
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For the Love of the Craft
By Adam Rains Adam has a true passion for food, wine, beer & spirits. He is a barman at CarneVino, a brand ambassador for Brooklyn Brewery and a long-time cocktailian. Adam strives to learn every day and during his career he’s studied at SDSU, USBG, BarSmarts, International Sommeliers Guild and the Certified Cicerone Program. His mantra with both food & cocktails is, “fresh is best.”
salinity. The creamy & silky mouthfeel is bolstered by a glimpse of almost creme brûlée-like quality. Kristen explained to us that the master distiller Krister Asplund chose this farm out of the 250 farms of the Skáne region due to the exceptional character of the wheat and soil. This Råbelöf Castle farm has 400 years experience of growing wheat. When asked about the possibility variance of a bad crop Kristen said, “They wouldn’t make Elyx that year but in general this vodka shows time and place; it could have a vintage on it.”
This June
, Absolut Elyx hosted a truly unique event. Our Elyx representative Kristen Schaefer brought together some of the city’s top mixologists in the name of exceptional vodka. I was lucky enough to be included with this cadre of talented booze slingers for this exclusive event which had been shrouded in secrecy even right up to the start time. We met downtown at the iconic El Cortez and with delightful anticipation boarded our transport to the undisclosed location. Inside the bus we were met with gift bags and bottled cocktails crafted by the president of the Las Vegas Chapter USBG, Kristen Schaefer. Absolut Elyx was the base of course, and was mixed in a wonderful rosemary & lingonberry-lemonade; delish. With bottle in hand, we started catching up and doing what bartenders do, having a blast! Before long, we noticed that we were leaving the city and heading to a higher elevation. It soon became apparent that our destination would be in the mountains. The winding road led us to the cool and clean air of Mt. Charleston. At the base of the Las Vegas Ski Resort, tables were immaculately arranged for what looked like the beginnings of a feast. That would come later for we were directed to go even higher. The ski lift took us to our mountaintop destination which was set for a tasting of what some would call, the pinnacle of vodka. At this precipice, we started to assess the four unmarked vodkas that were presented to us and as Kristen led us through the tasting, she allowed and encouraged us to make our own conclusions. The fresh air and high elevation undoubtedly helped our senses as we enjoyed the subtleties of this amazing spirit. While at first we were not told which vodkas we were drinking, the Absolute Elyx easily stood out and was by far the favorite due to its character & fullness on the palate. Meant for those who enjoy flavor, this single estate winter wheat vodka has the fantastic burden of being a one-of-a-kind and is an exceptional example of terroir. It has nuance that is abound with character as well as a pleasant www.lvfnbpro.com
The story of Elyx is one of bringing together knowledge, skill and mastery through practice. Absolut has a prideful history of making premium vodka on a large scale but wanted to showcase what vodka can be. Using their 1921 copper rectification still which is completely manual, this helps shape the flavor by purifying the vodka and adding other desirable qualities. The skill of the master distiller can be gauged by their abilities in using the vintage equipment but also by being able to take out the less desirable flavors that occur in the process and keeping the ones that they want. With this unfiltered gem of a vodka, Absolut has hit the mark. They have proven that they can not only make premium large scale vodka but that they can bring it back to the days of one man, one place, his passion and a copper still. After the Elyx, fresh air and the other “little waters,” we headed down the mountain. Enjoying the breeze and watching the wild horses graze calmed our nerves and enlivening our senses. At the base of the resort, a Swedish-style midsummer celebration was in full swing. Along with a beautiful decor by Kelly Stewart Events, the scenic view by Mother Nature and immense Scandinavian Feast, we had the choice of two fresh made punches. The “Midsummer Punch” managed to be hedonistic and holistic at the same time and featured the Elyx, Jasmine, fruity Peach Nectar and Green Tea along with orange bitters to bring it together. I tried next the “Desert Rose,” which was beautifully floral and silkily merged Absolut Elyx, Coconut, Pineapple, Rose Water and wonderfully spiced Tiki Bitters. The Swedish-style cuisine provided by Chef Jeremy Jordon of “Cut & Taste” catering was superb and the vibe was delightful as we toasted to the summer with vodka, good coffee and great company! We played horseshoes, corn-hole, and watched live copper crafts being made. Almost too soon, our shuttle back to Las Vegas arrived and we reluctantly departed. Absolut Elyx is taking strides to be the brand that bartenders love. It’s made with skillful love and in a one-of-a-kind Swedish way. In a saturated category of spirit that is by law, “odorless and tasteless” Absolut has managed to make a very memorable vodka and gave us mixologists a very memorable experience. Thank you, Absolut Elyx; I’ll see you again very soon in my next stirred Martini. Skol! July 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 5
what’s
BREWING?
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
Locals Only Beer Festival at Neonopolis
Bad Beat Brewing will mark its 1 year anniversary with a celebration on July 11 from 3 p.m. to midnight. The bash will feature 4 different cask beers (yet to be determined) and two barrel aged beers: Morning Payoff, an Imperial Breakfast Stout that was aged in one of only 6 Las Vegas Distillery bourbon barrels; and Strong Belgian Pale Ale aged in Chardonnay barrels coming in at 11% ABV. Bottles of each will only be sold in the taproom and the Next Level Imperial IPA will also be re-released as well. The brewery will be opened up so everyone can see where all of these great beers are made. To keep you nourished the Stripcheeze food truck will be onsite all day.
Local Beer Collaborations
Banger Brewing Brewmaster Michael “Banger” Beaman gets wet for a good cause.
Inaugural Locals Only Beer Festival a Resounding Good Time
The first ever Locals Only Beer Festival, held on May 23 at Neonopolis on Fremont Street, was a resounding success. Thanks are in order to Banger Brewing, for stepping up to organize the event, which was a showcase of all 14 Las Vegas and Henderson breweries. It proved to be one-stop shopping for fans of local beer, with each of the breweries pouring 3 or more of their creations. Many were unique offerings I hadn’t tried before, and while space doesn’t permit mentioning all, some standouts were Rhubarb Saison from CraftHaus, Rollin’ Smoke Amber Ale from Big Dog’s, Belgian Quadrupel from Gordon Biersch, Angrish Barley Wine from Chicago Brewing, Honey Blonde Strong Ale from Barley’s, Imperial Stout with Coffee Beans from Joseph James and Dark Knight Stout from Banger. SNAFU, our local homebrew club, brought several beers which competed for best homebrew, with the winner receiving a personalized plaque, and more importantly, the chance to brew their beer at Banger Brewing and have it sold on tap. The winning brew was Allan Harrison’s Milk Dudz, a scrumptious milk chocolate Baltic Porter, which I was not surprised to see win, as I voted for it myself. Adding to the fun was a dunk tank with our local brewers getting doused, but I couldn’t bring myself to partake, as I found it too hard to punish my brewing heroes.
July Beer Events
Big Dog’s Brewing’s next quarterly beerfest will be its Summer Beer Fest, held under the stars on Saturday, July 18 from 5 to 11 p.m. in the outdoor area of the Draft House at Craig Rd. and Rancho Dr. A carefully selected list of more than 40 local, regional and international beers will be poured, including the debut of Big Dog’s Prickly in Pink Prickly Pear Berliner Weisse. There will also be live reggae music throughout the night and grilled chicken & rib platters from Chef Sergio. For the beer line-up visit www.bigdogsummerfest.com. Aces & Ales will host its 6th anniversary party on July 11 at both the Nellis and Tenaya locations with all draft beers and new anniversary growlers for $5 and all growler fills ½ off. A few days later on July 15 a six-course Firestone Walker beer dinner at the Tenaya location will have none other than “The Lion” himself, Firestone Walker’s Co-Founder David Walker. For more details on both events visit acesandales.com/events. 6 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I July 2015
Chef Rick Moonen has collaborated with local CraftHaus Brewery to create a beer to pair with seafood at his RM Seafood and Rx Boiler Room restaurants at Mandalay Place. Cleverly named Gone with the Wit, it made its debut at a beer dinner at Rx Boiler Room in June and is a Belgian-style Wit beer featuring a blend of locally sourced flowers, herbs and botanicals from Desert Bloom Eco Farm. It’s exclusive to Moonen’s restaurants and is also infused into some of the menu items. Sin City Brewing has teamed up with ARIA to create Sin City Extra Pale Ale, a hoppy 5.5% ABV session beer with slight malt sweetness and a crisp finish. Sin City’s Master Brewer/Owner Rich Johnson said, “With ARIA’s impressive beverage program, we wanted to make a beer that would excite the beverage enthusiasts who frequent the resort. Sin City’s Extra Pale Ale provides craft beginners a hoppy drink that won’t overwhelm them, while at the same time delivers unique depths of flavors to appeal to beer aficionados.” ARIA’s Property Mixologist Craig Schoettler added, “Just like foodies, today’s beer drinkers are savvier than ever and prefer a high-quality, locally sourced brew.” The Extra Pale Ale is the first local addition to ARIA’s beverage program developed by Schoettler and will only be available on tap at a variety of venues within the resort, including Jean Georges Steakhouse, FIVE50 Pizza and Lobby Bar.
As always, great beer happens in Vegas! www.lvfnbpro.com
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
Photos by Joe Urcioli
Public School 702 Debuts in Downtown Summerlin
Public School Neon Sign
Public School VP of Culinary Phil Kastel with Bob Barnes
It’s getting harder to keep up with new restaurants arriving on the scene with enlightened beer lists and great food which appeals to everyone. The latest to grace the Vegas Valley is Public School 702. Located at Downtown Summerlin in the Dining Arroyo near Wolfgang Puck, CPK and CRAVE, the Californiabased 14,000-square-foot gastropub from restaurateur Bob Spivak sports a school theme that is celebrated throughout. Its motto proclaims “An Education in the Art of Food & Beer” and accoutrements to bolster the theme include a book case with encyclopedias, globes, apples, microscope, paint brushes and sports equipment; chalkboards; restrooms labeled Locker Room and to-go bags Homework; and menu in the shape and look of a composition book. One of the best aspects is the beer list, not the size of it as much as the quality of it. The 14 rotating taps, 10 mainstay drafts and 14 bottles and cans is nothing to sneeze at, but what’s remarkable is that not a single beer is a lackluster brew or even mediocre. All are really solid choices, and just as importantly, ones you don’t see most anywhere else. Worthy examples during my visit included locally-brewed Tenaya Creek Old Jackalope Barleywine and Joseph James Citra Rye; sour beers such as Anderson Valley Holy Gose, New Belgium La Folie and Uinta 22nd Birthday Suit; Belgian-style Brooklyn Brewing Sorachi Ace Saison and Victory Brewing Golden Monkey Tripel; and the rich and chewy Goose Island Bourbon County and North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Stouts. www.lvfnbpro.com
You may come for the beer, but you’ll stay for the food, which received an A grade from me. The kitchen prides itself on using only the freshest quality ingredients, sourced from local farmer’s markets whenever possible. The eclectic, seasonal menu from executive chef Phil Kastel includes a mixture of table snacks like Bacon Cheddar Tots and Crispy Ahi Tuna Tacos; plates such as Shrimp and White Cheddar Grits with greens and beer-blanc sauce and Fried Jidori Chicken & Green Chili Cornbread Waffles with bacon red eye gravy; pizzas like Fig & Prosciutto with gorgonzola, provolone and balsamic reduction; and burgers such as Colorado Lamb with tomato cranberry jam. Portion sizes are large and prices are much smaller than you’d expect, with appetizers around $6-$9; plates $12-$22; pizzas
$9-$12; sides only $4 (a must-try is the Summer Succotash with roasted market vegetables); and desserts $5. And, the aforementioned stellar beer menu is more than reasonable, with most priced from $4-$7. Happy hour, dubbed Recess, occurs M-F from 3:30-6:30 and there’s plenty of room and comfort to enjoy it in. Available in the spacious bar and patio with a view of the Strip from its 2nd level perch, you’ll find an assortment of tables, booths and couches. Specials are drafts for $4-$5, well drinks for $5, half liter of wine for $10-$15 and appetizers from $4-$7. Public School 702 is open daily for lunch and dinner and a brunch is served on Sat.-Sun. from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. To view the complete menu, visit www.psontap.com/locations/ps702.
July 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 7
By K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.
West Eats East—Omnivorous: Japanese Dietary Habit Let’s see how Japanese food and beverages
are integrated in our eating by checking Japanese words floating in everyday life. Starting from Geisha Girl, Fujiyama, Sukiyaki, Tempura, today Ninja, Shiitake, Tofu, Sushi, Wasabi, Samurai, Karate, Karaoke, Manga, and lately Tsunami are around us. Sumo is occasionally seen, which is a heritage wrestling sport by heavily built men. How many can you guess? If more than 10, you may be eating too much sushi. Between 6 and 9, you know the difference in hot taste between wasabi and jalapenos. Less than 5, you are just a normal who eats chicken teriyaki without realizing its recipe. FYI, Toyota, Honda, Sony, Nikon or Salonpas originates from Japan, and so Hello Kitty which is not a cat, claimed. Omnivorous, but not herbivorous, is the Japanese dietary habit as compared to our carnivorous-oriented. The major reason for it must be due to eating a lot of rice, the highest yield grain per acreage with labor intensive work. Surrounding sea provides additional resources in addition to other plant origins. It was a matter of food harvests to be sourced within the boundary, which has been nurtured into its food habit during times when food trade was non-existent. A short distance from harvests to mouths furthermore promoted the omnivorous habit. Besides, an imported religion, Buddhism, discouraged slaughtering animals to eat, which was based on the dogma of reincarnation of life. Little was allocated to raise four-legged animals for meat or milk except horses for the military or laborious use. Such a diet sounds nutritionally healthy today but could not sustain longevity then.
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 July 2015
Mike Masuyama is a bi-cultural science-technologybusiness consultant. He earned a Ph.D. in Food Science at Cornell University, is involved in teaching, research and business in major-beer, micro-beer, soft drinks, sake, sea salt, rice, white soy sauce and other areas both in Japan and the US., and has published several books and dozens of articles. “Ask Doctor Sake” was his last series in this journal.
Poor sanitary or medical cares, and occasional famine or epidemics resulted in an average life span at somewhere between 40 and 50 years old. Around the 1980’s when Japan noticed ever ballooning medical expenditures, the government started a healthy life campaign. It was composed of three constituents: “Exercise,” “Nutrition” and “Rest.” In practice, it encouraged people to eat at least 30 kinds of food, exercise at least for 30 minutes, and sleep at least for 8 hours a day. As a likely consequence of citizens’ participations, they have attained an average life expectancy of 80 years for males and 87 for females in 2013 (76 for males, 81 for females in the US by the WHO, 2011). With respect to 30 food items a day, it sounds easy but hard to be achieved. There, a typical breakfast of rice, miso soup (tofu, green onion) and side dishes of egg and vegetables, a lunch of soup noodle ramen, and a dinner pork cutlet with chopped cabbage and potato salad, for example, provides around 25~30 items a day without counting condiments, herbsspices or minor ingredients. This indicates what Japanese eat and also how they eat. It can be extrapolated into an idea that the more omnivorous or the more variety of food we eat, the healthier we would be. Let’s apply this food number to our eating, provisionally. A breakfast with eggs, sausage, hash brown and toast, a lunch of a submarine sandwich and a dinner of chicken pasta with salad give a total food number of probably less than 20. Count yours. How many? Twelve? Well, you are eating just limited varieties of food. This “30” is not a magic number but a guideline of how “omnivorous” we can be. An easy practice for that is rotating menus from the origins of turf and surf, firstly. Among the turf, not only meat, poultry, or dairy but also foods of wheat, rice or corn are included. Fish, crustaceans, shellfish or sea-veggies are from the surf. Particularly of protein food like beef or salmon, try to eat sliced or small chunks with other stuff like Chinese stir fry dishes rather than a big chunk of steak, burger or fish fillet. Secondly, eat more vegetables. Though, we are still in a cradle in terms of eating vegetables. Remember we used to eat only potato, carrot or spinach, sitting next to meat and we laughed at someone who ordered salad as if a rabbit. We tend to add cheese, meat, egg or smoked salmon to enhance the palatability of green, red stuff. Do we need thick, high calorie, oily dressings to be omnivorous? Cooked root, leafy or fructified vegetables (pumpkins, eggplants, etc.) could be good additions or alternatives to bring more compact, more quantity and also filling effect along with dietary fiber and minerals. By rotating menus and eating more veggies, fresh and cooked, your food number would come closer to 30. The current USDA dietary guideline, MyPlate, also recommends similarly by picking up foods from five groups (fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy). Let’s think about practicing a little bit more of an omnivorous diet in consideration of gastronomy, nutrition, health and economy, which can be a preventive investment for healthy longevity. Do not forget “Exercise” at least for 30 minutes and good “Rest” of sleeping 8 hours a day. Our health goal cannot be achieved solely by eating or drinking. 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
Gathering Friends in the Summer Nothing says summer
(other than the heat) quite like an outside party. Whether you’re in a backyard, or in a park, gathering with friends and family to sip chilled beverages while you talk and nosh are what summer is all about. Whatever your outdoor area, it’s great if your party occurs on a hot day, of course. The one element that is essential, however, is good food. So if you decide to throw a full BBQ or just serve appetizers, food is a crucial element to any successful bash.
2 tablespoons sugar 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup balsamic syrup 10 large watermelon cubes (each about 1/2 inch) 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 2 tablespoons mint, thinly sliced Salt & pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped onion 1 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary 1 teaspoons salt 1/2 spoon black pepper 2 garlic cloves
To make the dressing, combine shallots, ginger, sugar and olive oil. Whisk and set aside.
Cut all the fish and veggies into similar-sized pieces; this helps everything lay flat when it is on the grill.
I recently threw a backyard party and it was technically dubbed a “wine tasting,” but we were lucky enough to also have a keg of freshly brewed ale, something to consider. With almost 50 people attending, I decided to serve a variety of small plates along with lots of cheese and charcuterie. A full dinner for that many people would have been overwhelming and too expensive, so we went with a nice selection of appetizers.
Grill each side of a watermelon on the grill over medium-high heat. Grill for two minutes per side and until grill marks appear.
I wanted to take advantage of fruits and vegetables that are in season right now, while also providing foods that accented each other nicely. Just as important, however, was providing a selection of plates that would be easy to eat in a backyard setting. All were easy to prepare and went well with the wine, etc. we served.
Grilled Tuna Kebabs
To make the salad, arrange five watermelon cubes on each plate. Sprinkle with feta and mint and pour dressing over top. Drizzle with balsamic syrup and season with sea salt and pepper. Yield: 2 servings
Alternate pieces of fish with pieces of various veggies, leaving a little space between everything. Don’t crowd the skewer, or the parts that are touching will cook too slowly. Prepare the grill for high, direct heat. Clean the grates and wipe them down with a paper towel that has been dipped in vegetable oil. Lay the skewers on the grill. Don’t move them until the fish pieces are well browned on one side, about 3-6 minutes. Then using tongs, carefully turn the skewers over and cook them until they are seared on the other side. Serve hot or at room temperature. Drizzle with lemon juice or serve with lemon wedges.
Grilled Watermelon Salad
1 1/2 pounds tuna, swordfish or sturgeon steaks 1 red bell pepper 1 green bell pepper 1 small onion (sweet if available) 6-10 large button mushrooms 2 lemons, cut into wedges
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To make the marinade, purée the onion, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor. Drizzle in the olive oil while puréeing, continue to purée until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Coat the fish and veggies in the marinade. Set in the fridge for at least an hour and up to overnight. When skewering the fish and vegetables, pierce the fish against the grain, and select pieces of veggies that are close to the same size as your fish. This is important, because if the pieces are different widths, some things will be charred and others undercooked.
So whatever the occasion — from a wedding shower or Labor Day party to just finding an excuse to hang out with family and friends — I hope you enjoy your own outdoor summer party soon. Here are a couple suggestion to include in your party.
1/4 cup finely diced shallots 1 teaspoon peeled and grated ginger
Don’t add vinegar or lemon to the marinade or you’ll “cook” the fish!
Marinade Ingredients 1/2 cup olive oil
Note that by threading the skewers with assorted veggies and fish, some things will be cooked more or less than others, as some things take longer to cook than others. If you want all of your items to be cooked perfectly, use a separate skewer for the onions, one for the tuna, one for the bell peppers, etc. Put the onions and bell peppers down first because they take longer to cook. Yield: 4 servings
July 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 9
A Talk with Culinary Maven Elizabeth Blau One of Las Vegas’s Most Respected Culinary Visionaries
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
photo by bill milne
16, I was the taco girl at Pancho McGee’s in Hartford, making tacos, chimichangas and quesadillas. Then I had a lot of jobs in the industry while attending college at Georgetown. How did you and your husband Kim Canteenwalla meet? When Wynn sent me to Mississippi to work on Steve Jerome, GM and Managing Partner; Owners Chef Kim Canteenwalla and Elizabeth Blau; and Chef and Managing Partner Joe Zanelli opening the Beau Rivage, we were looking for an executive chef and we hired Kim. We worked began her together and got to know each other over time. career with famed restaurateur Sirio Maccioni I found he was a terrific person with a big heart and is widely credited with transforming Las and has traveled all over the world. Now we’ve Vegas into a world-class culinary destination. been together for 17 years and will have been She was instrumental in building the gourmet married for 12 years in June. repertoire at several MGM Mirage properties, You had a hand in designing several at Wynn Las Vegas and at the Palms with restaurants. Do you have any favorites? celebrity chef Kerry Simon. Her accolades They’re all special, but Simon was the first would require nearly a ream of paper to print, restaurant I really did on my own with Kerry and include I Have a Dream Foundation’s Simon and Peter Morton, so it was my first Dream Builder of the Year 2009, the 2013 baby. Honey Salt will always be special UNLVino Dom Pérignon Award of Excellence, because it was the first Kim and I did together. Nevada Restaurant Association’s 2014 It’s modeled after how we entertain at home Humanitarian of the Year, 2014 Dame de with family favorites and is very personal. L’anne by the Maitres Cuisinier de France What led you and your partners to open and and was a 2015 nominee for the James Beard design your own restaurants? Award for Outstanding Restaurateur. In 2012 I had been working on the consulting side for a she and her husband Kim Canteenwalla teamed long time, and thought it would be nice to have up to open their own restaurant, Honey Salt, places reflecting our own style, our life, and to and followed with Buddy V’s, Made LV and have fun, casual places to hang out at reflecting Andiron Steak & Sea. It was indeed an honor our personality. You can dress up or not and the to sit down with Elizabeth to learn about menu can be either casual or upscale. the path that led her to shape the culinary You currently have four restaurants you landscape of Las Vegas. either own or have a collaboration with: Honey Salt, Buddy V’s, Made LV and Andiron You grew up in Connecticut, so you had an Steak & Sea. What are your favorite aspects East Coast upbringing. What led you to move of each? to Las Vegas? I love the comfortable design of Honey While working for Sirio Maccioni, I negotiated Salt and it has a lot of personal touches. The a deal for Le Cirque and Circo at the Bellagio. I women’s restroom is decorated with key cards was supposed to spend 6 months in Las Vegas, but Steve Wynn stole me away. That was 18 years from hotels all over the world and the men’s room has my own baseball card collection. The ago and I’ve created a home life that includes menu is a little eclectic and balances Kim’s hiking at Red Rock and Mt. Charleston, and love of bold flavors and comfort favorites with while it’s not like New England, I like the desert and the weather. The sun is almost always shining my healthier preferences and sweet tooth. Buddy V’s is just a fun time; it has great Strip and that puts me in a good mood. views, and the open kitchen and signature cake How did you get into the restaurant display give a great energy to the room. The business? food is so comforting and full of Buddy’s family The good old fashioned way...When I was
Elizabeth Blau
10 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I April 2015
recipes, and the desserts are always great. Made LV is playful and casual and all about locals, the type of place you can come in and hang out and enjoy a great happy hour; play a video game or board game; watch games on TV; and there’s a fire pit and three outdoor patios. The food is just simple but high quality and scratchmade versions of some of our bar food favorites as well as a great cocktail and beer list. Andiron is just a stunning room, so bright and full of light and volume. It was inspired by grilling at the beach, and we use an apricotwood-burning grill for all of our steaks. The menu balances some of those classic steakhouse staples with lighter options, great seafood and even a few vegetarian dishes. I remember your son Cole helped design the children’s menu at Honey Salt. Has Cole had any other input to your restaurant’s menus? Some of the items Cole inspired are the Salt & Vinegar Wings at Made LV, because he loves salt & vinegar chips; and the Waffle Mac ‘n’ Cheese and Crème Brulee Donuts at Andiron because they are all things he loves. Other than Buddy V’s at The Venetian and Simon at the Palms, your other three restaurants are in the Summerlin area. Is that intentional? We live up here and are familiar with the area and the neighborhoods, so were able to recognize real estate opportunities as they became available. Do you and Kim still find time to cook and entertain guests at your home? Not as often as we’d like. We love Sunday barbeques and entertaining on holidays. What trends in dining do you see in the future for Las Vegas? More high quality casual off-Strip neighborhood restaurants. What’s next on the horizon? We have our hands full with our four restaurants, but plans are in the works to open a couple new Buddy V’s in other cities and a Honey Salt in Kim’s native Canada. You have two golden retrievers (as do I), Brookie and Dodger. How did you come up with their names? Cole named them. He’s a fanatical sports fan and a Dodger fan, and knows the Dodgers used to be in Brooklyn. What’s something that most people don’t know about you? I’m a beer drinker. My favorite go-to beers are Stella and Peroni. www.lvfnbpro.com
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By Chef Allen Asch
Chef Talk
Happy National Cheese Day
I know you are reading this
at least a month after National Cheese Day, but I am writing this on June 4th, the day of the event. I would have written this last month, but I just found out about the holiday very recently. Cheese history dates back anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 years ago, depending on the source. Most sources do agree that the first cheese came about after the domestication of sheep, and was created accidentally by nomadic tribes that stored the milk in animal hides or organs for transport. The agitation from the transport and the enzymes from the animals led to the forming of curds and whey. Cheese murals have been found in 4,000-year-old tombs in Egypt, while also being found in European relics. Historically cheeses from Egypt have a much saltier makeup than similar European cheeses due to the need to salt the cheese for preservation, due to the high temperatures recorded in the region. During their height of power Greeks and Romans turned cheese making into an art form by adding flavors, enhancing the aging process and creating cheese using the milk of different animals. After the Fall of the Roman Empire the task/art of cheese making fell to Asian and Christian Monks. As with many other foods they helped perfect, the monks expanded the varieties of cheeses. Currently the United States is the largest producer of cheese, mostly in Wisconsin and California. While we do consume a lot of cheese, Greece and France consume almost twice as much per capita as we do. The good news for cheese producers is that US consumption has tripled since 1970 and continues to increase to this day. The varieties of cheese are unbounded; some of the variables include whether it is made from pasteurized or unpasteurized milk as well as whether the milk comes from goat, sheep, cow, water buffalo, yak or a combination of the different milks. One of the world’s rarest cheeses comes from moose milk. Allegedly there are only three lactating moose in the world that produce milk that can be made into cheese, all in Sweden. These variables lead to over 2000 varieties, not including local nuances added to artisanal cheeses. One of the variables, unpasteurized or raw milk, leads to many concerns about the consumption of cheese. Raw milk ingested through either drinking or eating in the form of cheese leads to over 100 cases of foodborne illness a year. The CDC claims raw milk has 150 times greater 12 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I July 2015
Feel free to contact Chef Allen with ideas for comments or future articles at allena@unlv.nevada.edu Chef Allen Asch M. Ed., CCE is a culinary arts instructor that has earned degrees from Culinary Institute of America, Johnson and Wales University and Northern Arizona University. He is currently teaching at UNLV. He earned his Certified Culinary Educator Endorsement from the American Culinary Federation in 2003.
chance of carrying a food-borne illness and leads to 13 times more hospitalizations than pasteurized milk and milk products. The FDA oversees the inspection of the imported cheeses for bacteria levels before they can be sold in the United States. High numbers are usually linked to the high number of cheeses produced using unpasteurized milk. This is why Brie cheese sold in the United States will never taste the same as Brie cheese sold in Europe. It takes 10 pounds (1 1/4 gallon) of milk to make one pound of cheese. A lot of milk if you think that Pizza Hut alone uses over 300 million pounds of mozzarella cheese a year. Although we make more cheese than any other country, the only cheeses native to the United States are Monterey Jack, Brick and Colby as well as the processed American cheese. The rest of the cheeses made here are modeled after cheeses brought to this country by European settlers. American cheese was developed in 1915 by J. L. Kraft as an alternative to traditional cheeses to combat the short shelf life. One of its biggest advantages and uses is the great melting capacity of processed cheese. If you want to melt non-processed cheese there are a few steps you should take to make the process easier. One is to use low heat; this will help to keep the cheese from seizing or separating. A few other tips include shredding the cheese so it melts faster and bringing it to room temperature before subjecting it to heat. The method I almost always incorporate into my cooking to avoid curdling is to always add the cheese after adding a starch such as flour or corn starch or to add an acidic ingredient such as wine or lemon juice. Both inhibit cheese separation. My choice of ingredients will depend on what dish I am making. As a cheese lover I always enjoy an opportunity to shop for good cheese and there are many places in Las Vegas to do that. One of the oldest is Valley Cheese and Wine in Henderson and one of the newest is Murray’s Cheese inside the Smiths on Las Vegas Blvd. and Windmill Avenue.
www.lvfnbpro.com
Wine Talk
with Alice Swift
By Alice Swift Alice Swift has been a resident of Las Vegas since July, 2011, and is currently an instructor as well as a Ph.D. student at UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration. She also works as Learning Design & Development Business Partner for MGM Resorts University. Check out her website at www.aliceswift.com for the dish on wine, technology, or even both! She is happy to take suggestions for article topics or inquiries.
SuperBrains Soirée: Wine and Your Ever-Changing Brain
“The environment that we’re raised in trains our brains.” – Dr. Sarah Banks On May 15, I attended a unique research seminar at the Keep Memory Alive Event Center, led by Dr. Sarah Banks of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, and Jay James, Master Sommelier and Director of Sales & Marketing for Chappellet Winery. Below is a recap of the event and interview. Banks conducted a study focusing on Master Sommeliers, comparing their olfactory and visual sensory judgments to that of everyday consumers to gain insights into how a brain works. Tests were conducted using white wines (Chardonnay, Gewurtztraminer), and “whitewine like” nonwines, created using various substances (e.g., grape and lemon juice, vodka, fruit essences). But why study sommeliers? This study focused on the visual and olfactory cortex in the brain. These connect to the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus, which are very important to memory, and are significant to Alzheimer’s disease research. As Banks said, “the idea that one might have some ability to change these Figure 1: Master Sommelier Jay James and Dr. Sarah Banks regions for the better, even in adulthood, is really exciting to us!” An olfactometer was used to measure olfactory (smell) senses, and brain scans were taken while the participants were in an MRI machine (diagram shown in Figure 2).
Figure 2: Experiment Design
It was discovered that sommeliers’ brains operate differently from your average wine consumer. Sommeliers have larger and thicker entorhinal cortexes, as well as thicker insulas. In laymen’s terms, some areas of the brain are more active in sommeliers during smell- and sight-related tasks. Thus, sommeliers “exercise” those parts of their brains more, indicating that brains do have plasticity and can improve. So www.lvfnbpro.com
In total, there were 12 Master Sommeliers (two candidates), and 11 non-sommeliers. The study only had one female sommelier, Lindsey Whipple, who was a candidate at the time, but passed in May 2014, shortly after the study. Gathering so many Master Sommeliers was challenging, but luckily Banks partnered Master Jay James to consult with and recruit participants. Additionally, Banks had the support of Larry Ruvo, founder of the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, and Senior Managing Director for Southern Wine & Spirits.
Figure 3: Lindsey Whipple, Master Sommelier
what does this mean for the medical profession? As interesting as it is to simply study the brains of Master Sommeliers, these differences between sommeliers and non-sommeliers are affected in similar regions as those studied in Alzheimer’s research, which leads one to wonder how we can “exercise” our brains better in order to improve or even prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
Interview Session with Dr. Sarah Banks
How did you come up with the idea? Both Gabe Leger and I studied olfaction. Many people look at smell and its relation to degenerative diseases, since that sense is one of the first to go. We both had this background research, and we both like wine, so we thought it would be interesting to look at this group and level of expertise. If there was anywhere in the world that we could do this study, it was probably here, with the combination of the Brain Center, the funding, and the number of sommeliers in this city (Las Vegas). There was just so much passion and interest in it. Do you intend to duplicate your study with other fields of F&B like culinary? I don’t think we will do anything immediately, but if we were to duplicate this study, we might include other groups. It would be interesting to look at chefs and other people who work around food and beverage. How did you select your subjects? We initially took people who were Master Sommeliers, and eventually two people who were very close to being Master Sommeliers. For the average consumers, we went through UNLV and recruited participants there, working with Dr. Joel Snyder, a psychology professor there, as well as the two graduate students. Is this your main focus? I would love to continue with this research, but right now I’m refocusing my efforts on neurodegenerative diseases. We’ll see how this goes when this paper gets published and what kind of interest we get, and if we get funding to continue this study. I would love to; I think that we have the support of the sommelier community to continue this study. It’s fun and it’s interesting! Until next time, Cheers~!
July 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 13
By Bob Barnes
What’s Cooking Chef Claude Gaty Introduces New Menu at Top of the World
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
Or take a trip to “Down Under” and Argentina with the Australian Wagyu Skirt Steak with caramelized shallots and a savory chimichurri sauce complementing the flavorful beef.
photo by juanita aiello
A truly unique brand new item is the Foie Gras S’mores. Composed of marshmallow, cocoa nibs, white chocolate walnut bread, graham cracker crumb and fig balsamic, your palate will be wonderfully confused with the sweet nuances counterbalanced by the rich foie gras. One that celebrates summer is the Heirloom Tomato with Manchego and Watermelon, a healthful mix of faro, quinoa, toasted pistachios and sherry vinaigrette.
Top of the World Executive Chef Claude Gaty is living up to his restaurant’s moniker by offering cuisine with influences from around the globe. Chef has traveled throughout the world so has the experiences to bring varied flavors to the table. We were treated to a sampling of his new summer menu, most of which are seasonal adjustments or different preparations to fit the season using global ingredients. One new innovation is offering lobster two-ways: on the menu all the time is New England style with potatoes, corn and green beans; and alternating each week is a 2nd style, such as BBQ with kale, shallot, Applewood bacon and black garlic butter. Another is offering a fish of the week, which during our visit was Baja White Sea Bass with tomato, red pepper, jalapeno and micro cilantro. Offered all the time is the Roasted Loch Etive Salmon with Ginger Lemon Grass Fleur De Sel—a Scottish salmon/trout hybrid served with cauliflower puree, sweet peppers, cilantro lime coulis and a Peruvian sauce with mango and cilantro. Chef related that growing up outside of Paris there were many Algerian immigrants, so he was exposed to Middle Eastern flavors from an early age. This influence can be found in the Colorado Rack of Lamb marinated in Moroccan spices served with faro, quinoa, sweet peppers, minted Greek yogurt and a demi-glace with Harissa (a Tunisian hot sauce).
When asked how he comes up with such creative dishes Chef said, “I see a constructed dish and then look for different ways of cooking it or different cuisine types to use, like Thai.” Case in point is the Large Gulf Prawns, Maine Scallops & Lobster “A La Plancha,” served with roasted cauliflower salad with red bell pepper, golden raisins, capers, Moorish tomato sauce, chive oil and Thai-fried garlic. Be sure to stop in to check out the new menu. It’s worth a trip just for the view from the 100-story perch atop the Stratosphere Tower, and the elevator ride is free if you dine at the restaurant (otherwise it’s $20).
New Menu and Chef at La Cave Wine & Food Hideaway
Morton Group Corporate Executive Chef Billy DeMarco, who promoted Chef to his new position, said, “Chef Sterling’s creative spirit, positive energy and dreambig mentality continually inspire his team. His passion for food preparation as an art form is infectious. He makes everyone feel proud of what they do.” After talking with Chef Sterling I have to concur and it’s quite evident that he is passionate about his profession and he and his team are working successfully to provide a high quality experience for their guests, with an average of 400-500 covers a night. Chef said, “I like to call myself the ‘flow captain’ because I am not a solo artist. I want my crew to enjoy their jobs every day. When the rush hits, I’m like the director calling out orders, checking quality and making sure the presentation of every plate is immaculate.” As for the new menu items, all of which are Chef Sterling’s creations, selections Chef treated us to were Ahi Sashimi with pickled watermelon and cilantro caviar; Smoked Pork Rillette, cooked in bacon fat, with honey mustard and housemade horseradish cheese; Prawns with baby corn, Chinese long beans and chili/bacon vinaigrette; American Wagyu Skirt Steak with sautéed baby zucchini and truffle gremolata; Salmon served with baby fennel, ‘hen-of-the-woods’ mushrooms and saffron vinaigrette; and S’mores Flatbread, a dessert made in La Cave’s kitchen.
photo by chris summers
Top of the World Executive Chef Claude Gaty
La Cave at the Wynn has a new executive chef, Sterling Buckley, and a new seasonal menu. The 29-year-old Los Angeles native and 2006 graduate of Le Cordon Bleu began cooking at home at the tender age of 8 while his mother, a singer, performed internationally and his father worked two jobs. He opened La Cave in 2010 as a line cook and quickly worked his way up, and has also held positions in Las Vegas at Michael Mina Strip Steak at Mandalay Bay, Koi Restaurant at Planet Hollywood and Silk Road at Vdara; and at the New Sheridan Chop House in Telluride, Colorado.
La Cave Executive Chef Sterling Buckley unveils his new menu.
14 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I July 2015
Chef Sterling has a delightful, engaging personality and is easy to spot with his signature well-coifed Mohawk. Be sure to tell him I sent you. www.lvfnbpro.com
16 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I July 2015
www.lvfnbpro.com
By Heidi Rains
Up Front and Personal
Heidi Rains is a San Diego native, a wiz of a home
cook and brings life to the desert with a beautiful
garden. Her herbs have been tasted by many and used
by some of the top mixologists in town. She has spent
her whole life living, eating & working in fine-dining
restaurants, cocktailing & bartending on the Strip and she has a thirst for all things delicious.
Tori Inouye Bender...............Straight Up Spider Monkey! With its iconic neon sign shining like a beacon leading you through the stumbling maze of countless debauched cool-guys and hip-girls, Atomic Liquors is like a familiar piece of happiness filling you up with both joy and booze. The vintage sign is not the only thing lighting that place up. Meet Tori Bender, the adorable little ray of sunshine and happiness who tends bar at Atomic on Freemont and also co-owns with her husband the mouthwatering Cornish Pasty Company. I’ve seen her scale the back of the bar and grab actual “top shelf” bottles with the quickness and agility of a spider monkey! In a pinch, she can single handedly run the family restaurant whilst being a wife, mother and friend to many. She is the perfect combination of a genuinely good person, with sage experience and an enthusiasm for learning her craft and expanding her knowledge. Basically, she’s my new favorite super hero! Tori and I shared some delicious small plates at Radio City Pizza and I learned quite a bit about her love of our Las Vegas culture. You are a true Las Vegas native. Would you say that giving great service in our industry is in your blood? Yes! In the early 60s my grandfather worked at the Horseshoe and my grandmother was at the Mint. He also worked at the Nugget too. They both worked at The American Legion Hall as bartenders in the late 60s/early 70s. My mom always says I get my passion and love for the service industry from them. They really took pride in what they did and cared about everyone they brought service to. It really has made me believe that we have a true service industry culture that is alive today. There is never a time when I enter Atomic Liquors that I am not greeted by your genuine smile and warm hospitality (no matter how close to closing!). What are your secrets for ensuring great service? Well, it’s pretty simple. I enjoy being there. It doesn’t matter if I had a bad day before work, I will always end up in a better mood! I actually end up feeding off of their happiness www.lvfnbpro.com
and having a better day. Plus, I really do care for the people I work with and it just never gets stale. Working on East Freemont it never gets boring! Atomic Liquors is becoming legendary for being revered both as an old school dive and a hot new craft beer-loving hipsters paradise. What is it like working in such a cool environment? It is pretty rad to see such a diverse group of people sit at my bar. And as a bartender I see it all, so it’s actually magical to witness an old timer who has been coming here for years engage in a conversation with some of the new schoolers. Even if all they are talking about is the weather it’s still great to see. Anthony Bourdain filmed an episode of Layover there. What was that like? Well, the film crew showed up a week ahead of time and basically moved in to set up all the cameras. The crew was very cool but it was definitely a challenge trying to pour beers
and make cocktails in-between all the crew members, cameras and lights! At one point we were tossing bottles to each other over their heads just to keep working. Bourdain drank only local Vegas beers and he really loved the Joseph James Citra Rye, so we were very honored. Funny thing was that after the taping we were exhausted and went for a quiet dinner with my husband at Oscars and who should be randomly sitting at the table next to me…. Bourdain! This was a complete coincidence, but funny nonetheless. Not only do you work with some of the best in the business but Atomic Liquors sees its fair share of industry giants. Who do you look up to at the moment? I actually admire everyone for what they do in our industry. In particular, I go to Rose Signor for all of my beer knowledge because she just knows so much! And Jeff Grinly who moved over from GVR for not only drink knowledge but life advice. Melissa Ngyuyn from Andrea has been going out of her way to help me with my journey into wine. I love working there because it’s so unassuming yet I work with people who know so much. So are the rumors about an Atomic ghost true? Yes, I do believe we have a ghost. He likes to toss wine glasses and drop boxes off the shelves! We’ve got the security footage to prove it! Probably just the original owner stuck there forever! Where do you love to sit back and have a drink? I love the Velveteen Rabbit. They always do a great job! If I’m not drinking after work at Atomic we’re visiting Artie behind the bar at the Huntridge Tavern. He makes us “Artiesnacks” which are Ritz crackers with spray cheese and half an olive. He calls these TittySnacks! Small Plates! But my favorite food of all time is Chicken Pot Pie, so how lucky am I to get to eat Cornish Pasty Company three times a week! It’s my absolute favorite!
July 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 17
Good for Spooning
By LeAnne Notabartolo A culinary event coordinator and live cooking demonstrator, this “Edu-tainer” with more than 1000 demos under her belt lives to cook and eat. She works with chefs at events and learns from them and translates info for home cooks. She is the Chick in Charge of Good for Spooning – read her blog here: www.goodforspooning.com
photo courtesy of Good for Spooning
photo courtesy of Good for Spooning
Meet Nicole Brisson
leanne@goodforspooning.com.
Nicole Brisson Nicole Brisson at Epicurean Affair at the Palazzo Pools
and I have a lot in common. We grew up in small towns in upstate New York. We had rough childhoods. We had a love for the restaurant business from an early age. But unlike me, Nicole did something about it starting in high school. Nicole moved out of the family home at 14 with her older sister and made her own way. Growing up in a town of 2,000 not known for its culinary scene, with few role models of what a life in culinary could be, Nicole chose to enter a career-based high school curriculum in culinary arts while working at a local restaurant. The owners of that restaurant encouraged, nurtured and taught her; and to this day she considers them dear friends, family and mentors. They saw the spark in her and pushed her, basically telling her in word and deed that she was better than her hometown. She was so good in her high school Vo-Tech program that she was given a scholarship to Johnson & Wales. Her exceptional performance in college gave her the opportunity to work in Italy as an apprentice and intern to powerhouse chefs too numerous to mention. She said of that opportunity, “I didn’t know it was a big deal until I got there. I just thought it would be something cool to do. I went there to work and learn and THEN I found out it was a huge deal.” Now, after 20 years of hard work, Nicole is the Executive Chef of Carnevino, arguably the best steakhouse on the Strip and a jewel in the Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group’s crown. The fact that she is currently, to the best of my knowledge, the only female Exec at a top tier restaurant at any major property on the Strip is remarkable. The fact that she is in her mid-thirties is astounding. When asked about this she shrugs and admits that even though the doors of culinary are open for women, it is still a men’s game at times. Socially she is quick with a smile and a laugh, with a sharp wit and sense of humor, so her transformation when working is startling. When you see Nicole in her chef whites she is controlled, calm and some would say shy, while others would say stern. She has quietly and steadfastly carved out a niche for herself, not feeling the need to push, shove, scream or rant as others in her position, male and female alike, might have. Nicole has allowed her work to speak for itself. She believes that the pace of the leader sets the pace of the pack and shows that through word and action. Walking through her kitchen during this interview she stopped and introduced each of her staff members, noting their progress on tasks at hand. And it was clear that she is admired by her team. She oversees a dynamic meat program including charcuterie and dry aging and works with the best meat producers in the country to create a one-of-a-kind dining experience. She allowed me into
18 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I July 2015
Nicole Brisson with Mario Batali at Carnevino
the on-premises meat locker at the restaurant and you can smell the beefiness even when it’s raw and cold. Having a parent who is a butcher, I marveled at the marbling and overall exceptional beauty of the beef. At an off-site location she handles the receiving and storage of the beef in the dry aging process. In addition, a recent diagnosis of celiac disease has surreptitiously steered her menu development toward gluten free options in all aspects except the pasta dishes. It is so second nature to her she doesn’t even realize she is doing it until a staff member asks, “Is this gluten free?” Invited to a private event at Carnevino, I was given the opportunity to watch Nicole at work, not only with her team and the clients, but with Mario Batali. Batali’s respect and gratitude for her and her work was evident when I asked him for the photo in this article. He paused from taking photos with fans and guests to make sure I had what I needed to highlight Nicole’s place in his organization. Seemingly at the top of her game, I asked what was next for her. She didn’t have a ready answer for the question. Ultimately it would be opening her own place and she is confident she would have support, both financially and personally; but she isn’t ready to take that step yet. Nicole loves what she is doing and wants to continue building what she is currently working on right now. The future is bright for Nicole Brisson and I for one can’t wait to see what she does in that future. www.lvfnbpro.com
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
Local Might Not Be as Close as You Think
“O
ur tomatoes come from a farm 5 miles away,” says the sign on the front of the restaurant. But, signs are not always as simple as they seem. Sustainability is one of the main drivers in the restaurant industry now. And, sustainable food is one of the sustainability indicators that influence consumers’ decisions. Therefore, there has been a proliferation of sustainable food claims to appeal to consumer demand. There are various issues that affect sustainable food, such as organic, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, local, vegetarian, low-mercury fish and more. Many of the environmental
issues facing food are black and white. A food item is either certified organic, or it’s not. A species of fish is over-fished or not. A food item is either vegetarian, or it’s not. But, the issue of local is a different case. It is completely dependent on the location of your restaurant; but, not just your restaurant. It is also dependent on where the farm is, where the processing plant is (if there is one), where the distributor is and the route the distributor takes to get to your restaurant. Local food includes lots of variables. Let’s get back to that tomato that comes from a farm 5 miles away from
a restaurant. Yes, it is true that that tomato was grown 5 miles from the restaurant. But, what is not clear to that restaurateur is that the farm sells the tomatoes to a distributor 200 miles away. So, the tomato has to travel 200 miles to get to the distributor, and then 205 miles to get back to the restaurant. That “local” tomato had to travel 405 miles to get to its destination. It’s not as simple as “Farm to Table.” Local is beneficial because the less miles traveled to go from farm to table, the less oil consumed, the less diesel-sourced air particulates are causing respiratory issues and the less carbon dioxide is creating an imbalance with our climate. But, if that “local” tomato travelled 405 miles to get to the restaurant, then the benefits of it coming from 5 miles away are rendered moot. So, what do you do with this information? If you are trying to source local food, make sure you know the whole story. The GRA has 3 categories of “local” food: Regional: Within 300 miles Local: Within 100 miles On-Site: Grown on the premises of the restaurant Ask your suppliers the proper questions to determine how many miles your food traveled to get to you. With that knowledge, you can properly source local food that has less of an impact on the environment.
BOOK REVIEW The Umami Factor: Full-spectrum Fermentation for the 21st Century by
award-winning brewer and vintner Robert Rivelle George takes a textbook approach to providing a comprehensive full-spectrum examination of the ins and outs of virtually every type of fermented beverage—spanning
the gamut of soft drinks, beer, wine, sake, cider, mead, and hard liquor— including recipes and detailed instructions for making them. Ideal for the
professional or amateur brewer, winemaker or distiller, the book includes a multitude of tables on topics such as types of hops, grains, adjuncts,
yeast and cleaning and sanitizing products. The Umami Factor is available from Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
www.schifferbooks.com/the-umami-factor-full-spectrum-fermentation-for-the-21stcentury-5816.html
www.lvfnbpro.com
July 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 19
Brett’s BY
Entertainment Scene
Acappella group MO5AIC returned with an all-new show and residency in Bally’s Windows Showroom through Dec. 7. Family-themed headliner Jeff Civillico moved from The Linq showroom while it undergoes renovations for a 12-week summer residency in Bugsy’s Cabaret at the Flamingo through Sept. 6. Suzanne Somers opened her very impressive intimate cabaret show singing songs revolving around her life and distinct superstar personality.
Duran; and more than 70 established and emerging artists. Sister’s duo, Jill & Julia, won First Friday’s “Music is Beautiful” competition and the opportunity to perform at Life is Beautiful. The Downtown Grand is holding summer entertainment at The Pool Deck including Empire Records July 18; Journey Unlimited Aug. 8; and Mick and The Stones Sept. 5. The Australian Pink Floyd Show will headline at Mandalay Bay Beach Friday, Sept. 4 with Led Zeppelin2 and The Live Experience as special guests.
Updated Dining Options
New York’s Carbone restaurant will open this fall at ARIA paying homage to the ItalianAmerican restaurants of the mid-20th century. Therapy at 518 E. Fremont is a new American gastro-lounge with an expansive menu for sharing and large plate selections by Executive Chef Daniel Ontiveros, most recently at Comme Ca at The Cosmopolitan. Mariah Carey’s music video for her new single “Infinity” was filmed at Caesars Palace. She will continue her residency July 8-26. South Korean boy band BIGBANG will start its 2015 World Tour ‘Made’ in USA at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Friday, Oct. 2 following the release of their album Made Sept. 1. Cirque du Soleil Theatrical produced For The Record: BAZ, is a 360-degree, completely immersive theatrical concert experience for LIGHT Nightclub at Mandalay Bay taking audiences into the musical mind of filmmaker Baz Luhrmann. Pia Zadora is taking a break from her residency inside Piero’s Italian Cuisine and will return Friday, Sept. 11. Paid audience members seeing comedy magician Adam London’s Laughternoon daily show at the D Hotel can scoop a complimentary cup of ice cream through Labor Day weekend. Life is Beautiful three-day music, food, art and learning festival and Insomniac, the world’s leading producer of dance music experiences, are partnering to produce the third Life is Beautiful Festival Sept. 25-27. Headlining will be Stevie Wonder, Imagine Dragons, Kendrick Lamar and Duran
Las Vegas location that opened in the Dining Arroyo area of Downtown Summerlin. Flour & Grounds Bakery and Espresso Bar is a new organic Henderson establishment featuring espresso/coffee drinks and pastries in a boutique-like atmosphere. Later this year, three new dining experiences will open at Town Square including Killer Shrimp, NĒCHE and Adobe Gilas. California’s leading cold-pressed juice company, Pressed Juicery, with more than 30 retail locations will open this summer at Aria. Amorino, the European gelato brand, is opening a second Las Vegas location inside downtown’s Las Vegas North Premium Outlets. Downtown’s newest restaurant, Glutton, is launching “The Boozy Brunch” on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monte Carlo’s “Booze & Bites” next dinner is a Tequila Cocktail Pairing at Diablo’s Cantina on Wednesday, July 22. Grimaldi’s Pizzeria brought back its Tuesday Tastings nationwide offering half-off glasses, carafes and bottles of wine with the exception of Sangrias and house wine.
New Developments
PublicUs is a canteen-style restaurant and coffee bar that recently opened at Maryland Parkway and Fremont Street after renovating a vacant industrial building. Menu options focus on “farm to table” ingredients for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Palms Casino Resort introduced a new culinary experience with Café 6 inside Palms Place in the venue formerly occupied by Simon Restaurant & Lounge. BRAVO! Cucina Italiana, the sister restaurant to Las Vegas’ BRIO Tuscan Grille, opened at Henderson’s Galleria at Sunset mall with cooking in full view. California-based Public School 702 is a lunch and dinner gastropub and the company’s first
20 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I July 2015
Tivoli Village’s Phase Two anchor tenant will be four-story lifestyle purveyor Restoration Hardware opening in 2016. At Town Square when the daily temperature is forecasted to reach 105 degrees or above, participating stores and restaurants will offer a 15 percent discount through the summer. The master-planned 22,500-acre Summerlin community The Cliffs at the foot of the Spring Mountains will eventually become home to 11 neighborhoods and more than 1,700 homes. The recently completed $45 million Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway is a 128-acre complex along the Kyle Canyon Wash replacing the old visitor center. Amenities include trails, two picnic areas, a rentable meeting facility and two amphitheaters. Hershey’s Chocolate World inside New York-New York unveiled its Statue of Liberty made entirely of red Twizzlers. The Dini family Italian-based fashion house Paul & Shark opened its first Las Vegas boutique inside The Forum Shops at Caesars and so did Switzerland luxury Swiss watch and clock manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre. www.lvfnbpro.com
Photo by jackie brett
NvRA End of Session 2015 Legislative Update
CHEFS FOOD FEST IS LAUGHLIN’S MAJOR COMMUNITY FEAST By Jackie Brett
The 28th annual Chefs Food Fest took place Thursday, June 11 inside the Aquarius Pavilion at the Aquarius Casino Resort. It’s a special time when locals and visitors enthusiastically gather for amazing food and fun! This event is sponsored by the Laughlin Chamber of Commerce as a big fundraiser to benefit the River Fund Inc., which helps struggling families in the area. It’s a sellout every year and this year’s 700 attendees were hosted as well as raising $6,000 through the auction held at the end of the evening. An additional $15, 000 donated by the Laughlin Chamber made for a combined total contribution of $21,000 for the local charity. The event’s first ingredient is chefs from around the tri-state area and Laughlin hotels coming together in a friendly competition to showcase their talents and creativity and win best food and best booth traveling trophies voted on by attendees. There is no dedicated theme so the goal is to present a wow factor, which all the booths surrounding the perimeter walls of the large hall master beautifully. This year the “Best Booth” award went to Harrah’s Laughlin and the “Best Food” award went to Bumbleberry Flats. Guests get their exercise going to each booth for a new big plate of food and www.lvfnbpro.com
tasting. The trick is returning to your table if you can find it. Table rounds of 10 consume the center of the room and it’s easy to get lost. Guests sample appetizers, entrées, desserts, and drinks prepared by chefs from Laughlin casinos and food and wine distributors. The food is impressive and an introduction to food establishments you might not know about. A program outlines the food at each station so it’s worth a study. Tickets were $50 so it really was a win-win deal for everyone to raise money, enjoy outstanding food and good camaraderie. After enough time to mingle and dine, there was a live auction with 38 enticing offers such as dinner, show, event and tour tickets; photography; boat cruise; and stay packages to raise more money. The first Chefs Food Fest was actually held in October so the overall theme was naturally harvest time, which meant carved pumpkins and fall food items. A few years ago, the Laughlin Chamber repositioned the event to summer, eliminating the distinctive theme and giving more river visitors a chance to experience the culinary side of Laughlin. Already the exhibitors will start preparing for next year and so should you because it’s a hot ticket. This event really captures the champion spirit that is a Laughlin trademark.
During the recent 2015 Session of the Nevada Legislature that came to a close on June 2 the Nevada Restaurant Association (“NvRA”) was actively engaged to promote and protect the industry it represents. NvRA’s lobbyist, Warren Hardy of the Hardy Consulting Group, was engaged in fulltime lobbying during the session. Warren, a former State Senator and Assemblyman who has more than 25 years of experience as a legislative advocate, worked under the direction of President and CEO of the NvRA, Katherine Jacobi, along with the NvRA Government Affairs Committee. Of significant importance this session was Senate Bill 193 (“SB 193”). The NvRA lobbied in support of this bill in its original form, intended to remove the 8-hour work day from Nevada and go to the federal 40-hour overtime standard. However, during the session an amendment to the bill was adopted to increase the state minimum wage for those not providing insurance to $9.00 per hour. The NvRA immediately expressed concern to key legislators that such an increase of minimum wage by the state legislature would be unconstitutional without a constitutional amendment. Attorney and NvRA Board Member, Brett Sutton, wrote an op-ed published in the Reno Gazette-Journal expressing this view. Subsequently, the statutory amendment increasing minimum wage was removed from the bill. In the end, the bill died without any portion being passed. In addition to SB 193, the NvRA was also involved in bills addressing among other things: supporting a bill eliminating duplicative regulations governing alcohol sale, opposing certain tax increases, opposing bills that would have placed additional burdens on businesses, and supporting legislation that will create more accountability and transparency in health districts. For a more detailed written report on this legislative session, please contact the NvRA office.
July 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 21
Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada
Opens New All-encompassing Training/Events Facility By Adam Rains • Photos by Audrey Dempsey
In the southwest part of our valley, lies a beautifully modern structure that houses a staple of our community. With its partially covered garden and fountain walls, it gives shades of Roman aqueducts in a contemporary yet naturalistic way. And just like the people that the building contains, it is welcoming yet commands respect. I am speaking of the Southern Wine and Spirits building located on Jones Blvd. where they have some new exciting developments.
Senior Managing Director Larry Ruvo & Southern Wine and Spirits are innovators, trend makers and a driving force in the current beverage renaissance. From boutique wine, artisan spirits, sake, craft beer and the search for freshness, SWS is at the forefront of industry movements, staying ahead of the curve by constantly finding new talent, showcasing dynamic brands and keeping a connection with the community by providing training for the valley’s beverage professionals. All of these components are now being linked together with the completion of a new multimillion dollar training/showcase/events facility. SWS Director of Wine Education Master Sommelier Joe Phillips said, “We are very excited about the new academy. From a wine education perspective, we will offer a comprehensive and dedicated wine curriculum both to our own staff and to the wine community, with several classes on wine service, blind tasting and classes designed to help students prepare for exams such as the Court of Master Sommeliers’ Introductory Sommelier Course and the Certified Sommelier Course. Because of some of the design features, we will have the capability to do live feeds to wineries and vineyards which would allow us to show some of the things going on in both the vineyard and winery in real time.” Over two and a half years in the making, what was formerly the Bacchus Room is now making a complete transformation. From staff training, ultra-technical exhibitions, brand showcases to special events, it will be all-encompassing. SWS Master Mixologist J.R. Starkus had nothing but excitement and anticipation in his voice when he said,
“It’s going to be pretty amazing. We’ve tried to think of everything. You’ll be able to train here for anything from draft beer to kegged cocktails, to blended drinks, to regular bartending, to molecular, to whatever. We have it all.” The educational aspect will positively affect our industry for some time to come. SWS Director of Asian Portfolio Luis De Santos and Certified Cicerone Sam Merritt both gave input and will be utilizing the room to the fullest with instruction for our valley’s professionals. J.R. explained, “The room is the brainchild of Mr. Ruvo and Executive Director of Mixology and Spirits Educator Francesco Lafranconi. The goal is at the end of this, which I think we’re going to accomplish, is to be one of the most advanced training facilities in the United States, if not the globe.” www.lvfnbpro.com
Francesco added, “The new center for beverages education will bring the world’s most iconic industry people from master distillers, brewers and winemakers to beverage books authors and first class worldwide mixologists, to entertain and engage the student with compelling brand messaging. The educational center will become a very powerful platform for increasing customer learning, which in turn will allow guests to become more educated consumers.” It will also be where the long-time beverage community benefactor, the Southern Wine & Spirits Academy of Spirits and Fine Service course, will meet. This 12-week education program founded in 2000 covers beverage from top to bottom and is taught by Francesco Lafranconi, who has been the driving force in the development of the course and is known worldwide for his knowledge and being able to inspire excellence. Francesco related, “The first class only had 12 bartenders signed up. Now we have about 80 to 100 on a waiting list for each new edition. We have been pioneering in bartending and mixology education, always using real products from tasting to mixing, one of the very few in the world to do so, thanks to SWS resources and suppliers’ support. I would like to recognize Kandi Johnson for being the person who really makes the spirits/mixology classes happen and couldn’t do it without her expertise.” Besides the multimillion-dollar reimagining of the training facilities and the bountiful beverage knowledge that SWS provides, there is also much anticipation and optimism about the direction of the Southern Wine & Spirits Mixology team. Being a long time barman myself, I can honestly say that it is made up of some of my heroes who are constantly influencing me professionally. Francesco and J.R. are just the tip of the iceberg, and are assisted and bolstered by Leanne Kruger and Jair Bustillos, who together are a prolific group that are respected, well known and well liked in our valley. The talent at Southern Wine & Spirits is deep and is just about to get deeper. Although many of the names cannot be mentioned as of yet, it is sure to make SWS’s presence felt even more and will be something to be watched out for. When asked about this J.R. said, “Yes, we have some new people coming on board. Our executives have restructured Southern Wine and Spirits for the better, and it’s been outstanding. Now that those structural changes have been put into place, things have changed for all of us in the company, which is fantastic. We’re very excited for these changes to come.” With all of the excitement in our industry and in our city as a whole, Southern Wine and Spirits has found a way to match it as well as innovate. With the new blood and a groundbreaking training/ event facility they will be transforming beverage once again for the better! They are striving to make us better as a city. So we will be, not just among the ranks of New York and San Francisco, but will be better than them! As a bartender and beverage writer, I cannot wait to see it happen! Salute! July 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 23
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT At the Heart of Every Busy Kitchen Executive Development Chef of Major Products Chris Enright recently volunteered at Discovery Charter School in Newark, New Jersey to teach a group of 8-12 year olds how to cook. Chris demonstrated just how easy it is to create a simple salad using both the Major Mari Base Marinades and the Major Fruit Bases with only a few key ingredients.
huge flavor while being simple to deliver. A change in marinade can add a different flavor profile and extend your menu options exponentially,” commented Chef Chris. On this occasion, Chef Chris and the students prepared Piri Piri tacos using halal meat marinated with Piri Piri Mari Base together with a clementine citrus slaw made from napa cabbage, orange supreme, sliced red onions, cilantro and a clementine sour cream using the Major Clementine Fruit Base.
The collection of six students really enjoyed themselves and it was safe to say the afternoon was an overriding success, with another date pending for the early part of next year.
The dish, which takes minutes to create, is just one of hundreds of salad dishes that Major has developed in response to today’s quick and simple demand for food on the go. With ease of use and simplicity in mind, the range of Major Mari Bases lend themselves very well to being used in salads, sauces, burgers, soups, fillings, pizzas, rice and pasta dishes, sandwiches and wraps.
“It was a great afternoon and I’d really like to be involved again. The children were really well behaved and took everything on board, listening and making suggestions. The products work great with something so simple, as they add
The range includes 11 flavors from around the world from Tandoori and Moroccan to Barbecue and Fajita. Following the success of this year’s session, another demo class is being scheduled for the early part of 2015, and everyone at Major is really excited!
By Shelley Stepanek
Let’s Try Some Specialty Shops This Summer
Shelley Stepanek is President of DSA, the oldest non-profit tourist association in the state, along with being on the board of ticket brokers. Shelley has previously owned three restaurants.
Planning a picnic or barbeque
, or just some family time in the old backyard? Here are some specialty shops where you can add bold new tastes to the old burger. Lakeview Cheese Company, a family-owned company founded in 2009 By Gregory J. Gaglio, might be the first. His food distribution business of 30 years includes several different cheese plants for his local customers in Californian and Arizona. Lake has a wide variety including Gouda, Mozzarella and all the favorites. 3030 N. Lamb 702-233-2439. Valley Cheese and Wine is a premier specialty wine and food store, founded in 2006 by Bob Howard and Kristin Sande. They feature flavorful, artisanal products, where every item is hand selected with the perfect taste in mind. Here you will find exotic wines, artisan cheese, and charcuterie, specialty dry good and wine accessories. Cheese and meats are cut to order. They offer educational classes and free tastings, quite often. Chesses include Cypress Gove Humboldt Fog, Roth Kase Buttermilk Blue, Cowgirl Creamery, along with Italian cheeses such as Gorgonzola Picante, Parmigiano Reggiano and Mascarpone. Spanish cheeses are plentiful including Manchego, Mahon and San Simon, along with the French cheeses of Beaufort, Bire de Meaux, Brin d’Amour and Saint Felicen. There are way too many to list. 1570 W. Horizon Ridge 702-341-8121 John Mull’s Meats and Roadkill Grill packs quite a name. Located at 3730 Thom Blvd. his specialty meats are really NOT roadkill. Featuring pulled chicken along with the traditional pulled pork, super-hot links, and fantastic brisket, he has sides such as collard greens, cornbread and peach cobbler already to serve. Amazing banana pudding! 702-645-1200. The Butcher Block can sell you buffalo ribeye, rubs, sauces and sushi grade salmon, along with sides such as stuffed roco jalapeno peppers. 7625 S. Rainbow #112 702-558-6328
24 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I July 2015
Jerky, sauces, marinades, spices, rubs, nuts and dog treats, some of the best I have ever had are found at JoJo’s right here in the Las Vegas Valley where it was founded. Hans Hippert is extremely proud to say that they are now 100% green and sustainable, a zero waste facility. Some examples: they juice the veggies for marinades and use the dried pulp to make the rubs. The beef trimmings are made into premium dog treats that are all natural with zero added fillers, just beef! The fat from trimmings is used to make a new line of artisan candles, being scented with ingredients they use in-house. Everything is recycled and/or used in another product. It was a feat that was very important to Hans and it is a great sense of accomplishment achieving this. The products are powered by passion and drives everything they produce. 3310 S. Jones Blvd. F2 702812-2457, or in Trader Joe’s. hans@jojosjerky.com
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Human Resources Insights
By Linda Westcott-Bernstein Linda Westcott-Bernstein has provided sound human resources advice and guidance to Fortune 500 companies and others for over 25 years. She has helped these organizations review procedures and implement solutions that are designed to reduce liabilities and increase their profits. She also assists with the development of human capital through focused employee retention and training programs designed for all levels of employees. Linda has recently published her self-help book entitled It All Comes Down to WE! with Author House Publishers. Her book offers guidelines for building a solid and enduring personal work ethic. You can find her book on Amazon or Google Books. Phone: 702-326-4040 Email: Vegaslinda89129@yahoo.com Website: www.LJBConsulting.nett
Sound Communication Skills Are a Valuable Tool
T
he skill of sound communication with superiors, team members, and staff is critical, no matter what field or industry that you might work in. We are regularly judged by the quality and content of our communication and how effectively we convey and receive messages in person as well as via phone, email and social media. Below are my top communication skills or tools for effective leadership. 1. Body Language and Other Non-verbal Communication Your body language, eye contact, hand gestures, and tone all reflect the information that you are trying to convey. An open and relaxed stance (arms open, body relaxed), and a friendly tone of voice will make you appear approachable, and will encourage others to speak openly with you. Eye contact is also important; you want to look the person in the eye to reinforce that you are focused on the person and the conversation. 2. Confidence It is important to be confident in all of your interactions with others. Confidence ensures your employees will believe in you and will follow through with what you are telling them. Showing confidence can be as simple as making eye contact or using a firm but friendly tone. Of course, be careful not to sound arrogant or aggressive. Be sure you are always listening to and empathizing with the other person.
3. Clarity and Preparation Try to convey your message in as few words as possible. Say what you want clearly and directly, whether you’re speaking to someone in person, on the phone, or via email. If you ramble on, your listener will either tune you out or will be unsure of exactly what you are telling them. Think about what you want to say before you say it; this will help you to avoid talking excessively and/or above the understanding of your audience. 4. Friendliness Through a friendly tone, a personal question, or a sincere smile, you will encourage your employees to engage in open and honest communication with you. This is important in both face-to-face and written communication. When you can, personalize your emails to peers and/or employees — a quick “I hope you all had a good weekend” at the start of an email can personalize the message and make the recipient feel more appreciated. 5. Listen Being a good listener is one of the best ways to be a good communicator. No one likes communicating with someone who only cares about their opinion/ perspective, and does not take the time to listen to the other person. Instead, practice active listening. Active listening involves paying close attention to what the other person is saying, asking clarifying questions, and rephrasing what the person says to ensure understanding (“So, what you’re saying is…”). 6. Empathy Even when you disagree with a customer, co-worker, or supervisor, it is important for you to understand and respect their point of view. Using phrases as simple as “I understand where you are coming from” demonstrate that you have been listening to the other person and respect their opinions.
7. Open-Mindedness A good communicator should enter any conversation with an open mind. Be receptive to listening to and understanding the other person’s point of view, rather than simply getting your message across. When you are willing to enter into a dialogue, even with people with whom you disagree, you will be able to have more honest, productive conversations. 8. Respect Others may be more open to communicating with you if you convey respect for them and their ideas. Simple actions like using a person’s name, making eye contact, and actively listening when a person speaks will make the person feel appreciated. On the phone, avoid distractions and stay focused on the conversation. 9. Feedback Being able to appropriately give and receive feedback is an important communication skill. Managers and supervisors should continuously look for ways to provide employees with constructive feedback, be it through email, phone calls, or weekly status updates. Giving feedback involves giving praise as well — something as simple as saying “good job” to an employee can greatly increase motivation. An important aspect is to simply know what form of communication to use. Some sensitive conversations (layoffs, changes in salary, etc.) are always best when done in person. You should also think about the person with whom you wish to speak; if they are very busy people (such as your boss), you might want to convey your message in a brief and concise manner. People will appreciate your thoughtful means of communication, and will be more likely to respond positively to you.
I would appreciate input from my readers to help drive the direction of my column this year. Please send your HR questions and concerns, or share your thoughts on your human resources challenges via email to the following address. Send input to vegaslinda89129@yahoo.com. Your comments, questions or concerns will help determine the direction for my next month’s column and earn you a copy of my book (see brief detail above). Be sure to include your mailing address when sending your responses.
26 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I July 2015
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The Bottom Line
By Ben Brown Ben is an MBA candidate at USC’s Marshall School of Business, specializing in hospitality marketing and analytics. He has served as a food & beverage strategist with MGM Resorts, as well as reviewed more than 200 Las Vegas restaurants with CBS Local and Examiner. com. Contact him at Ben@lvfnb.com.
Simple Ways to Determine Portion Size Portion size seems to have slipped under the radar as a critical factor in restaurant development, but remains a quintessential talking point among customers that owners must recognize and immediately react to in order to retain loyalty and brand image. Larger portion sizes don’t always positively correlate with a restaurant’s success, but there’s certainly a fine line between keeping it classy and starving your customers. Nutrition, obesity awareness and small plates are trending to an almost annoyingly high extent right now [this is coming from a very body- and nutritionconscious writer]. These themes, coupled with rising food costs and an increasingly competitive landscape, inspire owners to reduce portion sizes. In theory this kills two birds with one stone: keep customers happy and increase your bottom line. To execute these ideals in practice, however, requires significant insight about your customers, what they want and what keeps them coming to you. The question you need to ask yourself, the owner: How far do you want to push the boundaries of portion size? Everyone will have a different limit, but think about a few of these points to determine where you fall along the spectrum:
Know your customers
This theme is recurrent across many of my articles, and will continue to be in the future, because this is the most important thing you can do to run a successful restaurant. What kind of customers does your restaurant bring in? Is eating to get full their top priority, or are they there to socialize with eating as a secondary activity? Some customers will be very vocal about not getting enough food, but most won’t bring it up. It’s uncomfortable to ask a restaurant for more [think Oliver Twist!], but at the same time those customers who leave hungry will have a hard time coming back. When in doubt, walk the floor and casually ask your loyalists what they think. Be as direct as you want, and convey that you only want to make their experience better. They will speak their mind.
Look at the plates
To get a better grasp on what your customers aren’t saying, take a look at the food people are leaving
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on their plates. Chefs use this storied practice to see which menu items are thrown out most often, but in this case, you’re looking for the opposite. Are most of your plates coming back empty? Sure, it could be a sign that the item was a hit; but conversely, it can be a strong hint that your customers are still hungry. Assume your typical 4-top will split 2–3 appetizers, one entrée each, 2–3 sides and maybe a dessert. That’s quite a lot of food, on paper, and you’d expect there to be a few fries and the last 5% of a sandwich or pasta dish when the server takes everything away. If every plate comes back squeaky clean, that is your customers saying that they are still hungry, that they enjoyed the meal, but next time will likely find another place where they don’t have to scavenge for every last crumb. Consider both cost savings and their consequences What are your gross margins across your menu? If your food costs are tremendously high relative to your menu prices, then shrinking portion size may be an option. A healthy margin is ~70% [Note, this is only considering cost of food. Adding labor, rent, etc. and your margins will shrink substantially.]. But before downsizing, consider the alternatives: recipe modifications, sourcing changes, etc. Raising prices is tough, but is likely necessary if yours haven’t changed in a long time. Your
loyalists will be much more likely to pay more to receive the same quality product rather than pay the same to witness the slow decay and eventual death of what brought them to your restaurant in the first place. Sure, people notice prices, but they will notice the change in the experience that much more. Trying to mask smaller portions through different presentation will rarely work. Your loyal customers will see right through fancy new bowls, or small cedar planks replacing plates. They will immediately notice that there is less food in front of them, and they do not like to be duped like that. Your loyalists trust you, and it is vital that you hold this trust sacred and communicate any changes that you are making, so that everyone is on the same page. These are but a few of many thoughts toward portion size management. More will very likely be discussed in future articles.
ON TAP AND IN BOTTLES THROUHOUT SOUTHERN NEVADA LAS VEGAS’ ORIGINAL BREWING COMPANY ww.bigdogsbrews.com July 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 27
American Culinary Federation Chefs Of Las Vegas Chapter Page
On June 7 at the South Point Hotel & Casino, a very elaborate spread was presented to welcome in the new Chef of the Year, Chef David Simmons. A Northern California native who is currently the Executive Chef for Lawry’s the Prime Rib, Chef Simmons has been involved with the Chefs for Kids since 1997. During his
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
time he served as a board member he helped in doubling the number of schools involved in the program. Also, Angela Armstrong was elected the Student Culinarian of the Year. Angela is a current student at the College of Southern Nevada as well as the ACF Las Vegas Junior
Chapter President and has always been at every event. She dedicates her time and her heart to the success of the ACF Las Vegas and Chefs for Kids. Congratulations to Chef David Simmons and Angela Armstrong. You both continue to inspire, educate and strengthen members and non-
Chaîne des Rotisseurs Dinner Hosted at B&B by Mario Batali
28 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I July 2015
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Events
ad index Al Dentes’ Provisions sales@aldentes.com 702-642-1100
JULY
July 17-21
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July 17
Hawaiian Lodging, Hospitality & Foodservice Honolulu, HI www.douglastradeshows.com
Motley Brews Open Container Container Park Downtown Las Vegas opencontainerpark.com
July 12-15
NACE Experience Expo Scottsdale, AZ www.nace.net Tales of the Cocktail New Orleans, LA www.talesofthecocktail.com
Major Foods www.majorproducts.com 702-838-4698
page 25
Big Dog’s Brewing Company www.bigdogsbrews.com 702-368-3715
Rodney Strong www.rodneystrong.com 707-431-1533
page 28
page 27
page 2
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse page 30 www.bjsrestaurants.com 702-851-8050 page 16
July 18
page 12
July 30-August 3
Jay’s Sharpening Service www.jayssharpening.com 702-645-0049
ACF Chefs National Convention Orlando, FL www.acfchefs.org
July 15-17
Audrey Dempsey Infinity Photo page 16 www.infinity-photo.com 702-837-1128
Con Arts Las Vegas www.conartslv.com 702-260-3320
Big Dog’s Summer Beer Fest N. Rancho Brewery www.bigdogsbrews.com
July 13-20
page 16
Bivi Sicilian Vodka www.bivivodka.com 631-464-4050
Retail Tobacco Dealers of America New Orleans, LA www.ipcpr.org
NATIONAL ICE CREAM MONTH NATIONAL CULINARY ARTS MONTH
JCCNV www.jccnevada.com 702-428-0555
page 11
SoCal Food & Beverage Professional page 15 mike@lvfnb.com Tails of the Cocktail www.talesofthecocktail.com 504-948-0511
page 32
The Perfect Puree www.perfectpuree.com 800-556-3707
page 31
The Spice Outlet www.thespiceoutlet.com 702-534-7883
page 11
White Soy Sauce www.whitesoysaucefood.com
page 8
Ticket Summit Venetian www.ticketsummit.org
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 July 2015 AD_GenHHR_Centenn_BJ5279_r2.indd 1
“Wow – I love this place!”® www.lvfnbpro.com 6/12/12 2:04 PM