March 2020 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional

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Issue 3 Volume 20

US $3.95

March Gladness How Kadee and Karl Malone are Spreading Happiness One Rum Bottle at a Time

March 2020

CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER MIKE FRYER

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WELCOME TO OUR MARCH ISSUE OF THE LAS VEGAS FOOD & BEVERAGE PROFESSIONAL where everyone seems unsure of how to deal with Coronavirus, and even more so the Food & Beverage Industry, where the business is about serving people. March is one of the busiest periods for Food & Beverage shows, including Catersource, Nightclub & Bar Show and Pizza Expo and we don’t know what will be happening as their dates draw closer. I still don’t understand why people are now stocking up on supplies of hand sanitizer, bottled water and toilet paper. Toilet paper? Actually, I’m used to this hoarding, but in 3rd world countries! Guess we’ll just have to wait and see, and stay safe…

OUR MARCH COVER FEATURE IS DEDICATED TO MARCH GLADNESS: How Kadee and Karl Malone are Spreading Happiness One Rum Bottle at a Time, by Ben Brown. Ben has researched Karl and his daughter Kadee’s entry into the alcoholic beverage market with E. Leon Jimenes Rum. Please read more about this unique partnership and the mark they are making on the industry.

FRONT & BACK OF THE HOUSE BY GAEL HEES PAYS A VISIT TO SPIEDINI ITALIAN RISTORANTE and gives us an update since Owner/Chef Gustav Mauler retired and Chef Matthew Burwell took over Spiedini at the JW Marriott in Summerlin. I became friends with Chef Mauler several years ago when I sat on the ACF Chefs Association of Las Vegas Advisory Board where Chef Mauler was an active member when we worked together on various charitable organizations. Spiedini has been known as an excellent Italian restaurant off the Strip with customer-friendly pricing.

THE MOB MUSEUM TAKES YOU UNDERGROUND TO AN ACTUAL SPEAKEASY BY RACHEL HEFFNER AND TROY WENZEL recaps when I joined Rachael and Troy recently as we visited the Mob Museum and Speakeasy to try the specialty beverages highlighted for their upcoming St. Patrick’s Day event remembering a time in history when organized gangster killings was a way of life for the crime syndicates. Read more and learn about this era in American history.

EL DORADO CANTINA BRINGS FLAVORS OF MEXICO TO THE LUXURIOUS TIVOLI VILLAGE

BY ELAINE & SCOTT HARRIS tells us how El Dorado has it all together with its operation including food & beverage, ambiance, service and some of the best margaritas I’ve had in some time, as shown with my photo in the article. Recently opened in the Tivoli Village, El Dorado Cantina adds another gem to the Village, making it a great dining destination.

DISHING IT BY SK DELPH “NO PASSPORT REQUIRED” WITH MARCUS SAMUELSSON AND VEGAS PBS, Sk tells of her meeting with Marcus to discuss his thoughts in presenting this introduction to the Flavors of the Far East and his various interviews with local Las Vegas Asian restaurant owners and chefs. This is also near and dear to my heart, having spent more than 30 years in the restaurant industry in Southeast Asia. Of course, then I had to have a passport with updated and correct visas for each country. If you are in the foodservice industry you’ll want to read this article and see the Vegas PBS program.

CHEERS! MIKE FRYER SR. EDITOR/PUBLISHER

Page 4 Hot off the Grill!

Page 15 UNLV Epicurean Society

Page 5 Front & Back of the House Chef Burwell Helps Fuel Slow Evolution of Spiedini Italian Ristorante

Page 16 COVER FEATURE March Gladness How Kadee and Karl Malone are Spreading Happiness One Rum Bottle at a Time

Page 6 What’s Cooking Page 8 Brett’s Vegas View Page 10 The Bottom Line Jerry Prendergast, Prendergast & Associates

24 www.lvfnbpro.com

Page 19 The Mob Museum Takes You Underground to an Actual Speakeasy Page 20 The Restaurant Expert How Much Does It Cost to Open a Restaurant?

Page 24 May I Recommend...

Mastro’s Ocean Club Page 25 Dishing It with Sk Delph Page 26 Best of the Best Page 27 Hampton Water Honored with the 2019 Wine and Culture Wine Star Award Page 28 Nevada Restaurant Association Educational Foundation ProStart State Competition

Page 11 Wine Talk with Alice Swift Ready-to-Drink (RTC) Beverages, the NEW New Moneymaker

Page 21 Chef Talk Designation of Origin

Page 29 Spirits Confidential with Max Solano Whiskey Up! For St. Patrick’s Day

Page 12 What’s Brewing

Page 22 El Dorado Cantina

Page 30 Events

Page 14 Twinkle Toast Tara Empson: Belief, Balance & Business

Page 23 Human Resources Insights Engagement in the Needs of Your Workforce

Ad Index

March 2020 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!

Mike Fryer

Sr. Editor/Publisher

Able Baker Brewing Co-owner James Manos and LVFNBPro Editorial Director Bob Barnes toast to the outstanding selection of beer found at the 4th annual Beer Zombies Craft Beer Festival, held on Feb. 29 at the SkinnyFats location on Dean Martin Dr. Able Baker was one of a handful of local breweries pouring at the fest, along with more than 100 breweries from all over the US, nearly all of which had the brewers in attendance.

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

Sushi Roku at the Forum Shops at Caesars has debuted its first CBD cocktail.

Named “The Green Fairy,” the legendary nickname of absinthe, the drink contains 1 ml of CBD oil, absinthe, bourbon, rhubarb syrup, lemon juice, lime and mint, and is flambéed before being served.

Alice Swift

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

Assistant Editor alice@lvfnb.com

We recently covered several events in Downtown Las Vegas and were completely delighted by the new Fremont Street Experience and its multi-million dollar upgrade of the showcase canopy with its incredible sights and sounds.

Here Sr. Editor/Publisher Mike Fryer is accompanied by Hypnotherapist/Journalist Rachael Heffner.

Juanita Aiello Creative Director juanita@lvfnb.com

Advertising sales@lvfnb.com

Article Submissions/Suggestions articles@lvfnb.com

Calendar Submissions calendar@lvfnb.com

Website webmaster@lvfnb.com

Press Relase Submissions news@lvfnb.com

General Information info@lvfnb.com

@lvfnb

The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Journalist USBG Adam Rains

Journalist The Bottom Line Ben Brown

Accounting Manager Michelle San Juan

Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett

Journalist Best of the Best Shelley Stepanek

Journalist UNLV Epicurean Society Nicholas Bilt

Journalist May I Recommend...

Blake Myers

Journalist The Restaurant Expert David Scott Peters

Journalist USBG Las Vegas Terry Clark

Journalist Front & Back of the House Gael Hees

Photographer Audrey Dempsey

Journalist Chef Talk Allen Asch

Journalist Don Chareunsy

Journalist Dishing It Sk Delph

Journalist Spirits Confidential Max Solano

Photographer Bill Bokelmann

Journalist Pat Evans

Photographer Joe Urcioli

Journalists Twinkle Toast Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover

Journalists Elaine and Scott Harris

Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein

4 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I March 2020

www.lvfnbpro.com

Front & Back of the House

By Gael Hees

Photo credit: Spiedini Italian Ristorante

Chef Burwell Helps Fuel Slow Evolution of Spiedini Italian Ristorante

Gael Hees is a Las Vegas freelancer, and founder of the blog, The Steamy Side of Vegas, Living the Spa Life. She writes for national publications and has won numerous awards for printed materials and videos.

Follow her at steamysideofvegas.com or email, gael.hees@icloud.com with questions, suggestions or comments.

Chef Gustav Mauler created a classic Italian eatery when he opened Spiedini Italian Ristorante at the Resort at Summerlin. The restaurant quickly became known for its impeccable service and authentic dishes including osso bucco, tagliolini with lobster, and lasagna Bolognese al forno.

Twenty years later in July of last year, Chef Mauler retired, leaving the restaurant to JW Marriott to manage with menu, decor, employees, kitchen and reputation intact.

The challenge was to find the right leader to build on Mauler’s successes.

Looking within, the company found two good candidates for the position. Megan Shaver was first promoted to executive chef and then in the fall was promoted to sous chef for the entire Resort at Summerlin property. Matthew Burwell was named executive chef in October, after serving the company for just three years, starting as chef de partie, and then making his way to sous chef.

get the job done and stay focused.”

As to the menu, Burwell has left that pretty much as it was under Mauler’s direction. “The person before me was Chef Megan,” said Burwell, “and we just tried to do our own specials rather than make menu changes. I’ve adapted some of my ideas to the offerings but don’t see any reason to change the menu at this time.”

Burwell grew up in Toledo, Ohio and started in the restaurant business as a teenager, washing dishes and eventually working his way up to cook. The decision to become a chef led him to Monroe, Michigan, where he attended culinary school at Monroe Community College.

Upon returning home, he snagged a job at Bottle Employee Five, a gastropub, where he worked his way up from cook, to sous chef, to executive chef. After five years, he made the move to Vegas and worked at a locally-owned Italian restaurant in Summerlin before moving to Spiedini.

After being promoted, Burwell continued to learn from and observe the kitchen operations for several weeks before making any changes.

Paying careful attention to what worked and what didn’t, he slowly started tweaking things to better suit his management style.

“Advancing in your job is a lot of hard work,” said Burwell. “It involves gathering as much knowledge as you can and turning around and putting that knowledge to use and exhibiting that you’re absorbing that knowledge.”

His first changes involved creating more teamwork among the kitchen staff members. He started cross-training people on different positions to cut down on log jams during peak production times.

He apparently paid attention when one of his culinary school faculty members said, “The moment you stop learning is the moment you get left behind in this business.” He likens this to the competition for customers among Las Vegas restaurants.

“It is really important that everyone is helping and supporting each other,” said Burwell. “Many cooks have the mentality that ‘I’m just working the sauté station so that's all I’m going to do.’ I think that sort of separation causes problems and work slowdowns. There has to be good communication and support.”

When asked about how he managed moving from the position of a peer in the kitchen to executive chef, he replied, “I've tried to keep a separation between personal and professional relationships, especially since moving out here. I’ve made that mistake, become too close of friends with coworkers. If you want to advance, that has to be your priority from the get go. You can’t come into a restaurant just to make friends and think that you’re going to advance. I’ve developed that separation to where we’re friendly and have fun, but there is a time to www.lvfnbpro.com

“If you just stick to what you’re doing, you’re going to become outdated and a piece of the past,” he said. “To really hold onto what you’re doing, you have to constantly evolve. That’s what I see a lot of the restaurants around town doing.”

As to Spiedini’s evolution? Burwell didn’t want to say too much, but he did share that a new pizza oven—scheduled to arrive this summer— will add a whole new section to the menu. He also indicated that there would be a few more additions and changes. He wants the details to be a surprise.

Spiedini Italian Ristorante theresortatsummerlin.com/dining/fine-dining/spiedini March 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 5

By Bob Barnes

He welcomes your inquiries.

Email: bob@lvfnb.com

Photo credit: A.D. Cook & 18bin

What’s Cooking

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

18bin Proving to Be a Good Fit for the Arts District In late September 18bin opened in the heart of the Las Vegas Arts District in a space that formerly housed Bar Bistro and most recently Urban Lounge. It would seem the location at Charleston and Art Way between Main and Casino Center, adjacent to the Arts Factory warehouse and gallery, would beg for a venue with a cool art vibe and it seems that 18bin is a perfect fit.

The bin in the name alludes to the group’s 702bin location in the Downtown Container Park, which Sonny Ahuja and Don Welch opened in 2013. The 18 references its historic 18b district site spanning 18 blocks that is home to more than two dozen art galleries and studios, along with boutiques, stores, bars and restaurants.

While the 702 sister restaurant only encompasses a mere 640 square feet in the shipping container space its housed in, 18bin dwarfs it in size, measuring 4,000 square feet of interior space and 5,000 additional square feet of patio. Don Welch flexed his creative muscle to create an eclectic art décor, with artwork and murals by local artists, colored windows, mismatched vintage hanging lights, rustic wood tables and flooring, plush brown leather booths and the centerpiece of the bar: a large mural celebrating the 1973 underground movie They Call Her One Eye. Welch is equally proud of the patio, which he referred to as his baby. Interspaced throughout

the area with several tables are trees, vines, flower beds and herbs. There’s also a wonderful artistic functional wood-carved creation of a table and chairs which I found to be quite comfortable.

The restaurant’s website describes it as a meeting place, and it has all the fixings to fit the designation: with board games, video games, a legit sound system playing mainly classic rock and a vintage TV outfitted with a VCR and old movies that patrons are free to play while they hang out on a comfy couch and chairs. The elevated space the TV is set up on doubles as a stage, where DJs and live bands perform on select nights.

The beer selection, which includes 9 drafts and 2 dozen bottles and cans, is rounded out with an international selection with a wide range of beer styles, most of which are not found everywhere.

During my visit I found Delirium Tremens, Bavik Super Pils, Konig Ludwig Weissbier, Hofbrau Dunkel, Fuller’s London Pride, Einstok White Ale, Lindeman’s Cuvee Rene, Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale, Boon Kriek, Tre Fontaine Trappist and Andechs Doppelbock Dunkel.

There is also quite a large spirits list, with dozens of bourbon, whiskey, scotch and rye expressions from around the world; more than a dozen mescals and tequilas; and a collection of gin, rum, vodka and several liqueurs.

Heading the kitchen is Executive Chef Jenn Landry, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of New Orleans with nearly 25 years of experience (for more on Chef Landry, see Pat Evan’s

6 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I March 2020

Chef Spotlight in our Dec. issue https://lvfnb. com/articles/chef-spotlight-fa3b60988d11). In describing her food menu she said, “Like the décor, nothing matches, but everything fits well.” We enjoyed her beet salad with grapefruit segments and charred grapefruit vinaigrette; carrot/parsnip hummus (which changes daily); clam bake with potatoes, Kalamata olives, white wine and chorizo; and her New Orleans influence shined brightly in her jambalaya made with Andouille sausage and herb-marinated chicken served with long grain rice and southern spicy sauce chicken lollipops. We finished with a very decadent and unique addicting dessert: bacon-crusted monkey bread with pork belly caramel.

As is fitting for a location brimming with culture, 18bin is family friendly, with no gaming or smoking and only the bar area off limits to minors. 18bin is also friendly to your wallet, with food items mainly from $7-12 (and are not increased during First Friday) and during the daily happy hour from 3-6 p.m. there are even deeper discounts with draft pints beginning at $3.25, house wine and well drinks for $5.50 and food offerings such as 3 roast beef sliders for $8.

18bin is open Sun.-Thu. 11 a.m.-midnight, Fri.Sat. 11 a.m.-2 a.m. and beginning on February 29 a weekend brunch will be served. To view the complete food and drink menus visit https://18binlv.com/eat.

18bin 107 E. Charleston Blvd., Suite 150 702-202-2484 www.lvfnbpro.com

Photo credit: Joe Urcioli

The Front Yard at Ellis Island Hosts Its First Beer Dinner Ellis Island’s The Front Yard, which opened in late 2019, hosted its first beer dinner on Feb. 6.

Held in the second level of the new venue, the six-course beer dinner proved quite popular, as it sold out to the first 50 attendees to book it.

The evening began with a welcome beer, a traditional Bavarian Hefeweizen with slight notes of banana and clove. We were welcomed

by Head Brewer Michael Keys, who shared how he and fellow Head Brewer Eddie Leal have been brewing since they were kids, before they were old enough to drink legally, and that the longtime friends and co-workers had celebrated their silver anniversary of brewing for 25 years by coming over to brew together at Ellis Island two years ago. Throughout the evening we were entertained with comments about the food and beer pairings from Michael, Eddie and Ellis Island Corporate Chef Joe Perez.

The first course paired Elote Bites—a cheesy deep fried Mexican-style cornbread with roasted corn and poblano crema—that complemented the easy-drinking Mexican Light Beer it was paired with.

Next up was Smoked Salmon Carpaccio with an www.lvfnbpro.com

avocado salsa paired with Rauchbier, of which Eddie said is a very unique beer made with malt smoked with beechwood that made the brewery smell like a campfire when they brewed it. Michael added that this style originated in Baumberg, Germany and is one of his favorite beer styles, and was a test beer for entry to the Great American Beer Festival. I must confess this has never been one of my preferred beer styles, but this version changed my mind, as it had just a touch of smokiness to make it enjoyable and was a good match for the slightly smoked salmon dish it was matched with.

Belgian Beer Cheese Soup, which Chef shared is going on the new menu, was served alongside the brewery’s Belgian Tripel, which was one of the prime ingredients used in the dish. Eddie commented that he added Belgian candi sugar to the brew, and though it weighs in at 8% ABV, it doesn’t taste that strong and could sneak up on you.

Mussels with Spicy Sausage was matched with a Czech-style Pilsner brewed with Noble Czech hops, which was enhanced by the flavor in the dish. Michael and Eddie related that Pilsner is a go-to style for brewers, as they are often glorified janitors and a well-made Pilsner is a great beer to be refreshed with after a hard day’s work.

Braised Short Ribs with Creamy Polenta was made with the California Common it was paired with instead of using stock. Eddie related that this is the same style as the iconic Anchor Steam and is an amber lager with Northern Brewer hops fermented at ale temperature to get more character.

The finale was Smoked Bourbon Ice Cream with sweet pralines and a caramel Stout reduction matched with an Oatmeal Coffee Stout infused with cold brewed coffee from the local Bad Owl Coffee Roasters. Eddie said he added the coffee grounds in a separate tank at a cold temperature so the coffee would add less bitter flavors.

This inaugural beer dinner hit all the right notes, with use of a sound system making it easy for all to hear the comments; seamless service with no lags, even though servers had to lug trays full of dishes up to the second floor; a great price of only $50 for six courses, which also included a commemorative engraved pint glass; and most importantly, outstanding food and beer.

Look for more special events, which I’m told will include wine dinners, spirits pairings and more beer dinners.

March 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 7

Brett’s

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

Email: jackiebrett@cox.net

ENTERTAINMENT

Pitbull returns for the sixth year with five performances of his new residency “Pitbull– Get Ready Vegas” at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood, April 22, 24-25 and Sept. 10-11.

Adam Lambert, American Idol star and Queen lead singer, will bring his “Velvet” show in support of his new album to The Venetian April 22, 24-25.

“Extravaganza–The Vegas Spectacular” from “WOW–The Vegas Spectacular” creators at the Rio will make its North American premiere March 14 at Jubilee Theater inside Bally’s.

“RuPaul’s Drag Race Live!” made its world premiere at Flamingo with a residency featuring six queens. Accompanying the production is RuPaul’s Werk Room retail store and theatrical environment.

New show “iLuminate Presents: Happy Hour” will open in the Sin City Theater at Planet Hollywood March 26 highlighting performance group, iLuminate, a 2011 finalist on America’s Got Talent.

Las Vegas’ longest-running headliner, Frank Marino, has permanently joined the longestrunning production show “Legends in Concert” at the legendary Tropicana.

Hollywood psychic medium Thomas John opened his intimate show at Cleopatra’s Barge inside Caesars Palace with 6 p.m. performances.

Derek Hough will bring his new dance-centric show “Derek Hough: No Limit” to the Flamingo for multiple dates from June 2 into November.

Bon Jovi is kicking off 2020 with new music and a tour stopping at T-Mobile Arena Saturday, June 20.

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons will headline three shows April 9-11 in the Paris Theatre where “Jersey Boys” played for nine-years.

Terry Bradshaw, who showcased his knack for comedy, singing and storytelling headlining “The Terry Bradshaw Show” last year in the Atrium Showroom at the Luxor, will kick off a residency starting March 19.

Caesars Entertainment has extended Mat Franco’s “Magic Reinvented Nightly” for five more years at The LINQ where it opened five years ago.

Bachata superstars Aventura making their first U.S. tour in more than 10 years will stop at T-Mobile Arena Saturday, March 28.

Fifth-generation psychic medium Dallisa Hocking opened “Psychics & Spirits: The Live Show” at Binion’s Gambling Hall in the Apache Showroom.

Lauv will perform at The Chelsea in The Cosmopolitan Saturday, Aug. 22 as a stop on his “~how i’m feeling world tour~.”

The final date for Gwen Stefani’s two-year residency at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood is May 16.

Grammy-nominated alt-rock band Everclear will perform at M Resort Saturday, April 11.

Latin cumbia superstar Fito Olivares will visit The Railhead inside Boulder Station Friday, May 1.

The 7th annual Big Blues Bender four-day Las Vegas-based music festival will take over Westgate Sept. 10-13.

Carlos Santana’s residency, “An Intimate Evening with Santana: Greatest Hits Live” in its eighth year at Mandalay Bay in House of Blues will continue into fall 2020.

DINING • BEVERAGE HIGHLIGHTS

Circa Resort & Casino under construction on Fremont Street has revealed its lineup of restaurants…steakhouse Barry’s Downtown Prime, 8 East featuring pan-Asian cuisine, Project BBQ, Saginaw’s Delicatessen and Victory Burger & Wings Co. True Food Kitchen promoting health-driven dining opened its first Nevada outlet at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace along with True Bar, the company’s first standalone scratch-bar.

The inaugural evening EVOLUTION Las Vegas Food & Wine Experience on April 18 will replace decade’s long UNLVino and be held at the new Caesars Forum Convention Center.

Nobu opened at Bally’s following the closure of Nobu at Hard Rock Hotel, which shut down for rebranding and will reopen as Virgin Hotel in fall 2020.

New Mexican restaurant concept Elio will debut at Wynn March 19 occupying space adjacent to Encore Beach Club.

Prendi is a new grab-and-go eatery with a Focaccia Bar in the Sahara’s updated hotel lobby.

8 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I March 2020

Moon Palace at The Palazzo is a new quickserve, compact menu of Tastys, Hot Chips and Half Dips.

Aristocrat Technologies launched the first Buffalo Bar at Rampart Casino in Summerlin.

The second 24/7 El Dorado Cantina opened at Tivoli Village serving authentic Mexican cuisine.

Tekka Bar, an original Japanese handroll and sake concept inside Block 16 Urban Food Hall at The Cosmopolitan, has introduced a guest chef handroll monthly series.

Steak ‘n Shake at South Point received the 2019 Franchise of the Year Award from Steak ‘n Shake Corporate.

ABOUT TOWN

The D this month will reveal BarCanada, an ode to Canadian sports and culture, on the second floor with a 20-seat bar surrounded by 85-inch TVs. The Sahara opened its new Poker Room with seven tables, an LED video wall, food options by Northside Café and daily tournaments.

Las Vegas-residency artists Shania Twain, Christina Aguilera and Aerosmith are starring in the ad for Las Vegas’ new slogan, “What Happens Here, Only Happens Here.”

New York City’s Clean Market will open its first West Coast NutriDrip location at Wynn this spring offering its signature NutriDrip Wellness and Recovery IV infusions.

Tonino Lamborghini, known for its legendary bull icon, opened the first mono-brand boutique in the U.S. at Caesars Palace in the Appian Way Shops.

The Hunger Games: The Exhibition at MGM and Swarovski revealed limited-edition jewelry and accessories for The Hunger Games fans.

Three first-to-market retailers—energetic fashion boutique Altar’d State, tech-savvy b8ta and contemporary men’s brand Psycho Bunny— opened at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace.

Las Vegas, the 100th National Fitness Campaign partner, unveiled the city’s first Fitness Court digitally connected outdoor gym at Bill Briare Family Park. www.lvfnbpro.com

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

The Bottom Line The Restaurant Producer: Jerry Prendergast, Prendergast & Associates

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

writer and consultant, Ben works with Fortune 500

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

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

When I get a new project, the the team get a restaurant off the first thing I do is figure out how ground. the process works [in that state] I also joke that the reason you so I know which members of hire me is that I’ve probably the team to bring on first. For made or seen every mistake that example, I want a local architect can possibly be made. But in all almost everywhere. I may seriousness, I ask them questions have an interior designer from they don’t have answers to. When LA, but if the restaurant is in they realize they don’t have Florida, they’ll be working with answers and those answers are an architect in Florida. important to move forward, they Let’s go back a few steps. begin to understand the value of my experience.

What inspired you to go into restaurant consulting and what What is some advice you think was your career path like before all restaurant owners should you started your firm? abide by?

I grew up in Hudson Valley in Prepare and plan. Don’t jump New York. My grandfather was into a space. Before you sign a a partner in a hotel company, lease or do anything else, you and he put me to work in the should know what it’s going to hotel as a dishwasher and a cost to do that project in that prep cook. I stayed working in location. People fall in love restaurants throughout high with a location, and then decide school and college, where I to bring in the architect and got my bachelor’s in business contractor before getting a good administration and finance, and idea of the location’s true costs. my master’s in economics.

They run into all sorts of issues that can go way over budget.

I took a year off to play professional tennis, but Wilson Never fall in love with a location. decided that I wasn’t worth Never do a deal you can’t walk sponsoring after that [laughs]. away from. If you don’t get the Afterward, I came back to New deal that works for you, walk York with the plan to get my away. brokerage license and work Make sure you hire the right on Wall Street. Instead I took a team of people. No matter who job managing a restaurant that you are, it’s the people who you wasn’t open yet. I successfully put together that make a project opened the restaurant by work. My grandfather said to managing the projects the team make sure to hire people who couldn’t otherwise handle. know more than you do. They I still had the intention of make you look smart. I try to do working on Wall Street, but kept that on every project I work on. getting called in to work on new restaurant projects. From 19791990 in New York, I opened around 25-30 establishments.

I moved to LA in 1991 and a personal connection set me up with my first restaurant clients out here. That’s what I’ve been doing ever since.

And how do you get new clients now?

90% of my business is referrals.

Whether it’s a real estate agent trying to get a tenant to take a location and realizes the person doesn’t know enough to get the project done, or an investor looking for an expert to help

10 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I March 2020

www.lvfnbpro.com

Jerry Prendergast, Founder of restaurant consulting firm Prendergast and Associates, has been a driving force behind myriads of restaurant projects, from sole proprietorships to large-budget operations around the world.

From his humble beginning as a dishwasher to managing a project portfolio that includes some of the country’s most acclaimed eateries (and a stint as a professional tennis player in between), Prendergast’s career has encompassed virtually every aspect of getting a restaurant off the ground.

Prendergast shared a bit more detail about his upbringing in the restaurant world, his work as a consultant (or a ‘restaurant producer,’ as he appropriately calls it) and his advice to aspiring restaurateurs looking to turn dreams into feasible, tangible and profitable reality.

You describe yourself as a ‘restaurant producer.’ Can you elaborate on what this means?

A producer is someone who takes an idea and makes it into a reality. Take a movie producer: They’ve either brought a product, or script, by a writer or director. They then bring in the director of photography, the associate producer to work on contracts, the financial manager to assess how the project will sell, and oversees the team that will create the final product.

Okay, so your niche is getting restaurants from the idea phase to their actual opening.

Talk about what goes into that process.

The first thing we do is help people build a financial structure

Photo credit: Prendergast & Associates

for their restaurant. We try to analyze how much money we can raise, or they can raise, and then map out costs. Then we assess their attorney, their accountant and whether they know the restaurant industry. Those are the first two most important hires. Then come the real estate person, the architect and the kitchen designer. They all have to be able to work together and create your vision.

Once we find a location, we put together the final budget and plan specific to that location. By then we’ve brought in the contractor and we start putting together the blueprint. From there, we start staffing and training leading up to the restaurant’s opening.

I also usually want to be around for the first 3 months after opening. I don’t want to turn something I’ve worked on for 18 months over to a new team that soon. You don’t have a baby after nine months and expect it to be an adult after it’s born. It’s nice to have ‘historical decision making’ around.

As a funny example, I worked on a project more than 20 years ago and recently walked into the restaurant for the first time in decades. I saw equipment being brought in for live music. The staff didn’t know that we had installed a sound system when we first built the place. There was a coffee machine blocking the main control panel. That was a $750K entertainment package that got lost in the handoff to new management over the years!

Lastly, I put together a binder of essential information about the restaurant: the backstory, phone scripts, etc. to get people onboarded as quickly as possible.

And it can get even more complicated depending on where the restaurant is located?

You have the health department, the liquor authority and so many other groups where you have to get permitted. It varies state by state and can become a completely different process depending on where you are.

Wine Talk

with Alice Swift

By Alice Swift Alice Swift, Assistant Editor and Journalist for The Las Vegas and SoCal F&B Professional, is passionate about hospitality/F&B, education and instructional design, with 15+ years of experience. In 2016, she moved from Las Vegas to Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, working for the UH System as a multimedia instructional designer, while maintaining her hospitality/F&B ties through writing, teaching and consulting (Swift Hospitality Consulting). email: alice@lvfnb.com | website: www.aliceswift.com

Ready-to-Drink (RTC) Beverages, the NEW New Moneymaker

It’s always been a well-known fact that in the restaurant business, beverages are the big moneymaker, in particular, soft drinks. The business’ cost to purchase the flavors and equipment is quite low, so establishments can price with high profit margins. When looking at the bigger picture, the non-alcohol drink market globally is US$1,146,791m in 2020, with more than 60% made up of soft drink sales.1 However, there is a larger revenue stream in another sector within the beverage world, and you guessed it—it’s the alcoholic drink sector. Alcoholic beverage market totals US$1,587,868m worldwide for 2020, with beer taking the market majority at US$615,933m.2 In recent years, I have been discovering more and more “craft” beverage establishments popping up everywhere in all my residences. From Claremont, California (Claremont Craft Ales, Last Name Brewing), to Las Vegas (Banger Brewing, Bad Beat Brewing), to Hawaiʻi (Beer Lab HI, Ko’olau Distillery), craft breweries and distilleries are everywhere! Non-alcohol beverages are a whole other world, with categories like water, non-alcoholic cocktails, energy drinks and health drinks rising to the surface.

However, lately during my grocery store visits, I have been noticing some changes to the supermarket layouts of beverage products.

A sector called the Ready-to-Drink, or RTC beverages, have really started to take over the supermarket inventory. There are entire endcaps, aisles, and even refrigerated sections next to chilled beers that have become privy to RTC drinks. Not only have new products been coming to market and changing floor layouts in stores, but changes to the packaging and design of beverages have also been evolving.

Read on to learn more.

Evolved Packaging and Marketing Because of the need to evolve and innovate to increase beverage consumers, producers and companies are needing to think outsidethe-box and experiment with ways to disrupt the market. Millennials have seen a surge in alcohol consumption in recent years, going for the “custom” beverages, whether it’s the artisan mixologist-created cocktails in hipster bars, or the “limited” edition flavored spirits and mixers.

Design has always been a factor in purchasing decisions of beverages like wine. In the past, we have seen the classic, more ornate wine labels, with script font and to some event with gold foiled text to represent higher end wines. The customer base of the 21st century is looking more for the minimalist look. Clean, simple packaging design, with sans serif fonts.

At the same time, bright colors are appealing to audiences, especially product that are Instagram-able! Social media plays such a large role in the food and beverage industry now, so it only makes sense that packaging and visual design of beverage is now focused on being camera-ready.

Ready-to-Drink Beverages in Off-Premise Establishments One market that has been around for a while, but seems to have really come to light in the past few years, are with Ready-to-Drink (RTC) alcoholic beverages. Why sell hard alcohols and mixers separate when you can combine them and flavor them with an endless number of possibilities?

When visiting the average supermarket that has a decent wine selection, I now see a new section that has formed in recent years. During my last visit to Safeway in Hawaiʻi (a.k.a. Vons in other states), an entire set of shelves has

now been dedicated to these RTD beverages!

Based on the research, there is one key reason for the surge in demand: CONVENIENCE!3 This is the primary reason that demand for RTD beverages have taken off in recent years.

To aid consumers to support their convenience, there are a few key packaging components to RTD beverages. Rather than large bottles of wine, spirits or mixed drinks, the focus is now on single-serve portions. Packaging now mimics other non-alcoholic drinks that have taken off, most notable being coconut water and healthy energy drinks. Slimmer cans (like Red Bull cans), and Tetra pack (like the single-serve coconut water, made from similar materials as the classic “juice boxes”) seem to run the majority for RTD drink packaging.

The earliest brands I can remember that gained in popularity are the Budweiser branded Lime-A-Rita and Straw-Ber-Ritas, which started in 2012 and 2013, respectively.

The other common mixed drink that makes sense to can, would be the classic “Jack and Coke,” which has evolved into an entire line of Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails with something for everyone. Now there are entire aisles and sections dedicated to RTC wine, beer, cocktails, seltzers with alcohol, malt beverages, and more!

Next time you stop by the supermarket, explore the beverage aisle and see how much they have evolved over the years. From the graphic design and packaging, to the innovations of the drinks themselves, the beverage market refuses to grow stagnant and continues to predict what will be the next “it” thing.

Until next month, Cheers~!

Alice

Resources 1 https://www.statista.com/outlook/20000000/100/non-alcoholic-drinks/worldwide 2 https://www.statista.com/outlook/10000000/100/alcoholic-drinks/worldwide 3 https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/article/2019/how-ready-to-drink-beverages-and-packages-are-shaking-up-the-adult-beverage-market/

www.lvfnbpro.com

March 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 11

By Bob Barnes

what’s

He welcomes your inquiries.

Email: bob@lvfnb.com

Photo credit: Joe Urcioli & A.D. Cook

BREWING

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

Mojave Brewing Now Open in Downtown Henderson Last month Mojave Brewing opened to enthusiastic and steady crowds. Situated in an old Bank of America building in Downtown Henderson at 107 S. Water St. (at Pacific), part of the charm is the still intact vault, as well as a larger-than-life mural by local artist Marley Richmond with a depiction of the brewery’s mascots: a jackrabbit and a coyote, chosen for being animals native to the Mojave Desert (more on the Mojave moniker later). There are also large windows providing lots of natural light, an industrial ceiling, garage doors that can open when the weather permits and front and back patios.

The brewery is a collaboration of owners John (aka Griff) and Kristi Griffin and Nate Carney, with John and Nate sharing the brewing duties. John, who moved here with Kristi from Detroit in 2000, when asked how the name was chosen, shared it was selected because: “the Mojave Desert is the place where my dreams came true.” As to his choice of Water Street in Downtown Henderson he added, “This space has a lot of personality. It was a giant open space and we had to dig up the floors, add drains, piping and two patios. We saw a lot of opportunity here and after talking to the other business owners (on Water St.), have found a strong, supportive community.”

John is a retired schoolteacher and longtime homebrewer who has brewed since 1992. After deciding to make brewing his next career he spent a few months at Joyride Brewing

in Colorado, brewing daily on a 10-barrel system (the same size as his system at Mojave) to familiarize himself with how to ramp up brewing small homebrew batches to much larger commercial versions.

The opening lineup of beers included a range of beer styles, with the 10% Fire Wolves, a malty Belgian Tripel; Shotgun Wedding, a blonde ale with raspberry and Serrano pepper that brought the clean flavor of the pepper without the heat; Skragzilla, a 5.5% easy-drinking blonde ale; Exit 23, a pale ale with noticeable hop flavor; Almost Famous, a 6% robust porter; Bones Brigade, an 8.2%, 85 IBU IPA with hop flavor, but not overpowering bitterness; and Mojave Export, a quite flavorful foreign extra stout.

I must say I was impressed with the quality, variety and cleanness of all the beers.

In addition to the beer, Mojave Brewing offers ciders and is reputed to be the first-ever cider house in Nevada. John explained he chose to offer ciders, which are gluten free, because his wife Krista has celiac disease, but also to provide an alternative to those who are not beer drinkers. Initial offerings include Freedom of Peach and Out Cider (apple blend made from Washington State apple puree). So far the ciders have been proven to be very popular, which does not surprise me, as they are quite delicious.

While no food is served, there is an exclusive menu from the nearby Water Street Pizza with sandwiches, wings, chicken fingers and pizza, which are delivered to the brewery.

Mojave Brewing is open Mon.-Wed. 4-10 p.m., Thu.-Sat. noon-midnight and Sun. noon-10 p.m. This new opening brings the surrounding

12 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I March 2020

area’s brewery tally to five, including Lovelady just steps away, and Astronomy, Bad Beat and CraftHaus a few miles away at the Booze District.

Beer District Brewing Opens in Arts District After years of planning, jumping through numerous hurdles and delays including government permits, inspections and buildout transforming an old building into a brewery, Beer District Brewing has finally opened its doors. Located within the Arts District at 914 S Main St. a few blocks north of Charleston, the 10-barrel brewhouse started pouring beer the last week of February.

The new brewery is owned by Jimmy Doyle and his wife Camelia and Clyde Lipp. Camelia has graced the tasting room with her very beautiful artwork and Clyde will serve as Brewery Manager. The original artwork is not the only attribute, as there is an attractive black and white marble bartop, an epoxy floor and plenty of natural light via several windows, including one that looks into the brewery. There is no gaming but plenty of board games, which adds to a social vibe where people aren’t glued to a screen and actually talk to each other. While no food (other than bags of snacks) is served, there are several nearby restaurants from which you can order food to be delivered to your seat and food trucks will be stopping by periodically.

The building, which had been vacant for seven years, was a former Firestone Tire store built in 1962, which happens to be the same year Jimmy was born. The large colorful sign on the outside walls of the building, which Camelia www.lvfnbpro.com

helped to design and paint, makes it easy to spot as you head down on Main, and it cleverly lists the GPS coordinates. Parking in the area can be problematic, so a big plus is that Beer District Brewing has 20 parking spaces.

Jimmy shared he had won five best-ofshow awards in local and state homebrew competitions and after one such win was interviewed for an article and when the reporter asked why he wasn’t brewing professionally, a bell went off in his head. It was shortly after that he and his homebrew buddy Clyde (who related he had jumped into homebrewing with both feet), began making plans to turn pro.

Jimmy still holds onto his homebrewing roots, and his 20-gallon homebrewing setup has been relocated to the brewery and is being used for test batches.

Plans are to eventually have all of their brews flowing from the 20 taps, which will soon be the case as Jimmy has time to brew more.

During my visit I was able to sample four: Hue Hefeweizen, a 5.2% Bavarian style; Vegas in a Bottle, a 10% imperial stout; Sunshine & Haze, a very citrusy 6.5% West Coast hazy IPA brewed with Galaxy and Sabro hops; and Sip City, a blonde milk stout on nitro with additions of coffee, cinnamon and lactose. I found all of the beers very enjoyable and full of flavor, and the tasting room has a comfortable feel where I wouldn’t mind spending time at, so I’d say Jimmy and company are off to a great start.

At press time the hours are still being worked out, but Beer District Brewing is open daily.

For more info visit www.facebook.com/ thebeerdistrictbrewery. www.lvfnbpro.com

The Mad Fermentist Opening this Month in the Arts District As I write this The Mad Fermentist is just weeks from debuting in the second level of the Three Sheets craft beer bar on Casino Center in the Arts District, but Brewmaster/Founder/Coowner Allan Harrison filled me in on his new contract brewery. Allan is Brewer at Astronomy Aleworks, which is where he is brewing the beers for his new endeavor, which will allow him to brew what he describes as “crazy, unique, eclectic, boutique beers no one else is doing.” A former chef, he is incorporating his culinary background as most of the beers will have some food aspects, and he is using more expensive, high-end ingredients. As for the name, it reflects the name he gave himself years ago when he was homebrewing in his backyard as a self-proclaimed “mad scientist of beer,” and he considers the new bar his beer laboratory.

Allan describes the initial lineup in great detail as follows: Dynamic Equilibrium—6% German Helles Vollbier Lager with Barke Pilz, Munich, Aromatic and Rye malts; hopped with Saaz and Hallertau Blanc; and fermented with Weihenstephaner Lager yeast. In addition, there is a version of this lager lightly aged (for 30 days) in a Jim Beam barrel.

Consonance & Dissonance—6% Bavarian Hefeweisse Bier split into two beers, made with Weyerman Pils, Malted White Wheat and Flaked Wheat; lightly hopped with Tettnanger; and fermented with Weihenstephaner Wheat

Ale yeast. The Consonance has a blend of tangerine, pomelo, Meyer lemon and orange blossom honey added; and Dissonance has blueberry, blackberry and raspberry purees.

A Liquid Perception of Harmonic Partials—8.5% NEIPA Creamsicle with Maris Otter, White Wheat and Flaked Wheat; very aggressively hopped with Azacca, Equanot and Mandarina Bavaria; and fermented at a cool 100 degrees with Voss and Hornindal Kveik and with a touch of vanilla extract.

Sine Wave—the NEIPA previously mentioned but with a ridiculous amount of peach puree added.

Amplitude—aka Milk Dudz, 10% Baltic Porter made with too much Belgian Pale 2 Row, Brown, Chocolate and Midnight Wheat; hopped with Galena; and adjuncted with brown sugar, lactose and D-180 Belgian Candi Syrup.

Liquidious Meniscus—6% Kettle Sour Weisse with Barke Pilz, White Wheat and Flaked Wheat; hopped with Tettnanger; soured using Lactobacillus Plantarum; and fruited with plum puree.

The opening is slated for March 6, starting at 2 p.m, which happens to be during First Friday, during which all beers will be $5 with raffles for gear and gift certificates at 4, 6, 8 and 10. Hours will be Sun.-Thu. noon-10 p.m. and noon-midnight Fri.-Sat. Although Three Sheets is not open during some of those hours, The Mad Fermentist has its own entrance.

As always, great beer happens in Vegas!

March 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 13

Twinkle Toast Tara Empson: Belief, Balance & Business

By Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover Erin Cooper and Christine Vanover have been residents of Las Vegas since 2007. Vanover is also a UNLV Alumnus. Cooper is a Territory Manager for the Resort Wine Team at Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits.

Both women founded Twinkle Toast in 2017. info@twinkletoast.com • www.twinkletoast.com Facebook: @TwinkleToast Twitter: TwinkleToastLV Instagram: TwinkleToastLV

14 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I March 2020

www.lvfnbpro.com

Photo credit: Paul Empson

We recently had the privilege to interview Tara Empson, the tenacious, young CEO of Empson & Co. Her portfolio is nearly 50 years old and was built with passion and intention by her parents, Neil and Maria Empson.

When did Empson & Co. begin and how many wineries does it currently represent?

Empson & Co. was founded in 1972. Prior to that, my parents worked out of a small reception room in their apartment building as agents until they had enough money to establish the company. My mother always told me about how they made sacrifices to start achieving their dreams. She spoke about how she would go to the supermarket with the little money she had and how many times she had to count coins to afford to buy that night’s dinner. Thanks to their dreams and sacrifices, today we export to 32 countries worldwide and represent 52 wineries and 5 craft spirits.

How are the wineries within your portfolio selected?

My father always told me to choose based on two vital points: the quality of the product and most importantly the quality of the person behind the product.

If you truly believe in what you have, then the relationship will last.

There are bound to be times when you are more successful and times when you are less successful but if you don't have a strong and trustworthy relationship with the producer, then the odds of overcoming hard times will be low and the partnership will suffer. Very wise words in my opinion, as today we have wineries in our portfolio that we have represented for over 40 years and one that has been with us for 48 years. Not a bad track record!

What did you do prior to joining the family business in 2006?

I grew up following my parents around the world. I came to Italy when I was 4 years old and was immediately introduced to the wonderful people that still surround me today. Over time, my concept of family became about the relationships that I had with our office staff and our producers. My parents did not believe in babysitters and I would attend business dinners and fall asleep on my mother's lap many nights. As a consequence, my strongest desire is to be with the people I love and to try my best to make them happy as they always did for me.

What has been the greatest challenge and/or most rewarding part of succeeding your father as CEO? This is certainly not an easy moment for us considering our portfolio is 97% Italian. This said, I am not scared of a challenge and the upside is that it forces you to work together, find alternative solutions and forge ahead.

The most rewarding part was taking the reins and feeling that I was supported and accepted. I say this because being an heir to your parents’ company is not always easy. The assumption is that the road has been paved for you, but the reality is that if you don't earn the trust and respect that you need, the road ahead is going to be filled with rather large potholes with no one to help you fix them.

What do you think is the most common misconception about Italian wines?

That just because marketing has taught us that Italian wine is the symbol of vacation and a casual lifestyle, it is often not true. There are a lot of big names out there that are oriented towards “easy” drinking “aperitivo” style wines but the truth in my opinion, is that producers are more and more oriented towards finding excellence in quality and authenticity.

If you could only choose three wines from your portfolio to drink for the rest of your life, what would they be and why?

This is a very hard question. I am often asked which is my favorite and it always throws me for a loop. The reason being is that I believe wine and the experience you have is tied to circumstances. For example, there are times you will be at a dinner and someone will open up an amazing wine but for some reason, even if you are enjoying it, it doesn’t touch your soul, and there are other times, perhaps after a hard day at work where you come home, pour yourself a glass, and feel like you are somehow complete. That being said, I am a big fan of island varietals and volcanic soils.

How are the new potential U.S. tariffs on wine affecting your business and the livelihoods of the families you represent?

With such great vintages out there, and the exceptional releases of the latest Barolo and Brunellos, it hasn’t been ideal for us, for sure. That said, I believe you can develop an action plan if you know what you are facing and in my opinion, what has really hurt the most, up to now, has been the uncertainty, fear and silence that has taken over the market.

This sense of irresolution and uncertainty has caused more damage than the final decision itself. We are a financially stable company, thanks to my parents’ wise choices and sacrifices, so we are prepared as best as we can be to weather the storm and support our families.

What is your greatest piece of advice for young women in the wine business?

Don't overwhelm yourself and remember to be proud of who you are.

I was recently asked this question and my answer was that as women, we try to take on the world and although our multitasking is very admirable, we forget to be kind and forgiving to ourselves. We are often driven by success but forget how vital our own mental and physical health is as one can’t thrive without the other.

What do you imagine you would be doing if you weren’t CEO of Empson & Co.?

Proclaim myself the ruler of a small Caribbean island and if that fails, as I don't think the odds would be in my favor, then I would work with animals.

If you had to choose one varietal that best represents you and your personality, what would it be and why?

Maybe Carignano. It is very resilient and has survived Phylloxera in some areas. It thrives in the Mediterranean and loves the sun and sand. It has a strong backbone, but is soft on the palate.

I would consider myself a fighter and although it’s not a preference, when I am subjected to hard times, I subconsciously thrive as one is forced to learn and adapt. I can be quite intense at times but at the end of the day, nothing makes me happier than kicking back and spending quality time.

By Nicholas Bilt

Photo credit: UNLV Epicurean Society

Nicholas Bilt, a Hospitality Management student at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, represents the Epicurean Society, a collection of food and restaurant enthusiasts.

Nicholas is the journalist for Epicurean Society, and is sharing the club’s experiences with the public. Coming from an arts high school for culinary arts and hospitality, Nicholas looks at food and service from an artist angle.

Epicurean Society is starting this new semester with a bang, as we have expanded our leadership board from 3 to 7. In addition to our co-presidents Jennipher Chung and Savannah Reeves, and our treasurer Leslie Barba, we have added secretary Karren Bae, marketing manager Alfred Tsai, social media manager Christina Yuan and journalist, me, Nicholas Bilt. I am taking over the articles from Savannah, so thank you to Jennipher, Savannah and Leslie for picking me to take over as Epicurean Society’s reporter. Karen, Alfred, Christina and I are very excited to be on board and are eager to bring our skills to the table.

With the expansion of our leadership we are creating more opportunities for all of our members. For instance, our marketing manager, Alfred, is reaching out to more properties and we are starting to have more restaurant tours.

Our tours are there for our members to meet top industry professionals at the top restaurants in Vegas to learn firsthand what goes into running these premiere restaurants. Our first tour was of the Eiffel Tower Restaurant at the Paris Casino.

The tour was a great success! Lyle Tolhurst, the restaurant’s divisional supervisor, led us on the tour of the restaurant. Coming out of the elevators we were greeted with a view of the kitchen and all of the cooks hard at work. It really gives a wow factor and sets off the dining experience with a bang. Turning to the right you can see the bar before making it over to the host stand. Walking past the host stand towards the dining room we were treated to the fantastic view that Eiffel Tower Restaurant is famous for.

Mr. Tolhurst showed our members how they are continually evolving in how they operate their table reservation system, as the hottest seats in the house are the ones by the window overlooking the Bellagio Fountains. The way they do reservations now has increased their table turns per night. Mr. Tolhurst let us in on some top-secret information on which table he considers the best, but I will not be able to reveal that information here. Fun fact: the Eiffel Tower team sees about 4 to 5 proposals every night. www.lvfnbpro.com

We got to meet the Executive Chef, Chef Joung Sohn, and she talked to us about the menu and how Eiffel Tower Restaurant strives to bring authentic French cuisine to Las Vegas. One thing that Chef Sohn told us is that a number of guests are surprised when coming to dine at Eiffel Tower, thinking that French cuisine is served in smaller, delicate portions. Chef went into detail about how they are always researching new trends in the food industry and are constantly evolving their menu to keep up with people’s ever-evolving curiosity for new flavors. The rack of lamb, the creme brulee, and the souffles came highly recommended from the team. Another fun fact is that Chef Sohn was one of the first female executive chefs on the Strip.

Towards the end of our tour we walked in on the pre-shift meeting for the night and got to meet the whole team that makes the magic happen.

That was an amazing experience; the manager introduced us as the future leaders of the industry, and they all applauded for us, which was an amazing moment. It was a true warm welcome to the Las Vegas hospitality scene.

Our members loved the opportunity to be able to visit the Eiffel Tower Restaurant and

hear firsthand from the team and learn what makes the restaurant so special and how they keep improving and evolving in the extremely competitive food & beverage market here in Las Vegas. On behalf of all of Epicurean thank you so much to Mr. Tolhurst and everyone at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant for the tour. You made our very first property tour a great success! We are currently in the process of planning more restaurant tours for our members to learn more about different restaurants in Las Vegas and how they operate.

In addition to our Eiffel Tower Restaurant tour, we are starting to plan Epicurean Society’s annual pop-up restaurant on April 23; we will be calling it Around the World with Epicurean. We will be taking our guests on a journey around the world through food, serving 12 different dishes from different countries: 3 appetizers, 3 entrees, 3 desserts and 3 drinks. We have just started planning and the menu is not finalized, so I am not yet able to talk about it. From the early talks we have had in our leaderboard and with all of our general members it is sure to be a big treat.

We hope to see you when we tour the culinary world on April 23; it is sure to be a delightful culinary trip around the world.

March 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 15

MARCH GLADNESS

How Kadee and Karl Malone are Spreading Happiness One Rum Bottle at a Time

By Ben Brown

Photos Courtesy: Karl & Kadee Malone

Countless hours of exertion, pushing your body and mind to levels previously thought impossible, your focus on one goal, your motivation fueled by one burning passion, is a common practice among elite athletes.

Bit this hard work and ambition cannot stay contained within the confines of the field, the court or the weight room. It’s a way of life, a force as strong as ever within NBA legend Karl Malone, and a mindset he’s passed down to his children. Now, 16 years after retiring from basketball, Malone is business partner with his daughter Kadee, and dare we say the duo is bringing as much passion to the rum business as that Malone and Stockton brought to the Utah Jazz in the late 90’s.

“The fact of the matter is that when we open up a business, it’s not just for sh**s and giggles.

It’s real,” Karl said. “People pick up on your passion, and [E. Leon Jimenez Rum] is now something that’s a part of us. If you’re going to share a piece of yourself with the world, then you better make sure you’re putting everything you have into it.”

Speaking through his thick Louisiana accent, Karl emphasizes ‘us’ and ‘we,’ noting that he and Kadee may have joined forces because they’re family, but business is growing because of her own hard work, dedication and savvy.

“She just jumped right into it. You can’t teach that…it’s something you gotta have within you,” Karl said. “I’ll be the first to tell you that I don’t make any decisions unless I run them

by Kadee.”

The two first got into business together when they opened Legends Cigar and Vape, a humble smoke shop in Ruston, Louisiana where the family resides. Karl’s passion for cigars began during his NBA career when he smoked one to celebrate a big win, and he sought to turn it into a business after retirement. Building the shop took the greater part of three years, providing lessons for the father-daughter team to learn from, that eventually set them up for their success with E. Leon Jimenes.

“Kadee initially owned the construction [of Legends Cigar and Vape], but we soon realized that it held challenges outside her control,” Karl said. “I found myself raising my voice to my

16 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I March 2020

daughter, but realized that the things we were fighting over weren’t her fault. I had to check myself and say ‘Kadee, you were right.’”

When Legends opened, the two had more than a smoke shop between them. They had a newfound professional relationship and compatibility. And for Karl, this meant instilling Kadee with new responsibility.

“I called her one morning and had her come to the store,” Karl said. Kadee showed up, originally thinking there was something wrong, but was greeted by a smile from her father, and news that would change her life.

“I just said ‘Congratulations, you’re the owner,’ Karl said.

Kadee took the news with delight, viewing ownership of the store with incredible potential to expand the family’s brand.

“The facial expressions that people make when they try any of our stuff is priceless,” Kadee said. “Their jaws drop, their eyes sparkle. It’s amazing. We wanted to make [Legends] feel like our house, like what we have as a family.

Everything is about family. We try all the products out ourselves.”

And the ultimate test they both agree on showcases their dedication to quality. “All of our products stand on their own. If you take our name off the label, they’re still gonna love whatever they’re having,” the two of them said.

The search for quality led Karl and Kadee to E. Leon Jimenes rum, during a series of visits to

their cigar supplier, La Aurora in the Dominican Republic. After a few conversations, the pair seemingly fell into the rum business by accident.

“I never drink dark liquor, ever. Then we were down in the Dominican Republic, where we called ‘The Godfather’ [La Aurora President Guillermo León],” Malone said. “They had a rum that got a 97 at the Chicago Wine Institute.

They knew they had something special, but it was just sitting on the shelf.”

After trying it for the first time, the Malones decided to take some back home to the US to share with their friends. The rum was met with overwhelming approval, and they kept asking for more. That went on for two years.

“We have a tendency to give things away, then it got serious,” Kadee said. “I said ‘Dad, you gotta stop giving away the rum.’”

They saw a business opportunity to take E. Leon Jimenes rum to the US commercially. They just didn’t expect La Aurora to agree as quickly as they did.

“I said ‘Dang, we’re your best customer,’ so I asked La Aurora if I could be a distributor,” Malone said. “They said yes, and I said ‘Dang, what have I got myself into!’”

The pair are now responsible for the brand’s distribution across the US, and are proud to add E. Leon Jimenes rum to their portfolio of premium products tied to their name.

“It’s a high-end rum and it’s pricey, but the fact of the matter is that anyone can drink it, and that’s what we’re all about,” Karl said. “It’s one of those rums you can have in a casual setting or in a suit and tie. When people have it, they’re going to know that it’s a true experience.

Everyone who tries it comes back for more.”

E. Leon Jimenes rum is a blend of selected rum reserves, aged eight years in virgin American Oak barrels. It’s then taken out and aged an additional two years in French Sherry casks. It promotes flavor notes of honey, red fruits, vanilla and cocoa, and is bottled in the Dominican Republic’s prestigious Barcelo distillery. A 750ml bottle typically retails for ~$100. “[Aurora] made this rum so it could pair with every La Aurora cigar, and they have thousands of strands,” Karl said.

“And it’s made with sugarcane juice and not the syrup. That’s why you don’t have the headache the next day,” Kadee said.

E. Leon Jimenes is expanding rapidly, entering the Las Vegas market with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and is on track for continued expansion, but the road has been far from easy, requiring Karl and Kadee to lean heavily on the passion that brought them into the business in the first place.

“People said no and shut the door in our faces.

We didn’t get detoured. You can’t look at the money part of it. You have to look at your passion, and for all the people who tell you can’t do something, show them all the ways you can,” Karl said. “Whatever your dream is, whatever your goal, whatever your passion, don’t let them take that away from you. People pick up your passion…we closed two restaurant deals in Las Vegas just because they saw how much we loved and believed in this rum.”

“When people tell you no, don’t stop. Someone is going to say yes,” Kadee added. “My dad

E. Leon Jimenes is expanding rapidly, entering the Las Vegas market with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and is on track for continued expansion, but the road has been far from easy, requiring Karl and Kadee to lean heavily on the passion that brought them into the business in the first place. taught us from a young age that we have to work for anything we want. With Legends, I was the one who painted the store. I did so many things for it, and that’s how I earned the business. I worked for it.”

At the same time, they’re staying true to their ideals for family. They began distributing E. Leon Jimenes in their home state of Louisiana, through a handshake deal with a local wholesaler and importer. To this day, they haven’t signed a contract.

“That’s the great thing about trust and loyalty.

We’re helping them because they’re helping us,” Malone said. “That’s the great thing about our community [in Northern Louisiana], where we all feel like family and looking out for each other.”

The same principles apply to Legends and the myriads of other businesses each Malone oversees. From Kadee’s CBD line to Karl’s ventures in logging, real estate and transportation, the end goal is to support the community.

“We open up the type of business that people need, not something to compete with a place that’s already open,” Karl said.

He’s also cognizant of his celebrity status, and is the first to acknowledge that while he retired from basketball in 2004, the athlete’s mindset and the passion he’s instilled in himself and his family are a lifelong commitment.

“The first thing everyone says to us is ‘We know you’re here now, but are you going to be here when we actually start the business?’” Malone said. “They talk to us about all the celebrities who come and go, and ask us, ‘What’s gonna be different?’ All I can give them is our word, and everyone who takes it sees exactly how much we stand by what we believe in.”

And just like that, you realize the man’s endless NBA accolades are not his identity, but rather a product of his identity, built on a foundation of passion. The spotlight shines on Kadee, who may not have inherited her father’s thick southern accent, but got every bit of the athlete’s mindset that’s paved her own foundation for success.

Karl and Kadee Malone are taking E. Leon Jimenes rum to new heights, but this entrepreneurial journey isn’t just about business.

It’s about family.

March 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 17

CHARDONNAY SUMMER

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By Rachael Heffner & Troy Wenzel Rachael Heffner is a certified hypnotist of 6 years who helps people with challenges such as smoking cessation, weight reduction and stress management and is livestreaming free hypnosis sessions online with the help of her partner Troy Wenzel. Along with serving as the channel's technical producer, Troy streams gaming and cooking and is a chocolatier with Ethel M Chocolates. Email them at ctconjurers@gmail.com or visit heffnerhypnosis.com.

Photo credit: The Mob Museum

The Mob Museum Takes You Underground to an Actual Speakeasy

Living in a hustle and bustle world as we do, it’s always good to look back and see how we got to where we are, and identify who might’ve played a key role. The Mob Museum helps visitors of all ages learn the history of our nation’s mobster and law enforcement relationships, as well as taking a deeper look into Prohibition.

You are almost transported back in time the moment you enter the building, as it was once an actual courthouse and post office. Built in 1933, it appears on the National Register of Historic Places, so one could agree it is a fitting venue for a museum commemorating such an important piece of Las Vegas history: organized crime. But the building aside, the artifacts housed there and the interactive exhibits on display have stories to tell, which bring visitors face-to-face with not only the impact organized crime had on Las Vegas and America as a whole, but the gruesome horrors endured—or perpetrated—by those involved.

From bootlegging to massacres, viewers are exposed to hard evidence offered up by law enforcement, along with actual mobster artifacts on each of the museum’s three floors. Prepare for a jaw-dropping experience as you view some of the items on display, including many unedited and gruesome crime scene photos, and the actual brick wall that served as the backdrop for the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre.

After touring the museum, you will want to head to The Underground, where there are not only more items on display, but an actual brewery, distillery and speakeasy. This is where beer and moonshine is made, cocktails are served and special events are held. But take our word for it: You’ll want to check it out for yourself to see why there is more to The Underground than meets the eye.

This St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2020, The Mob Museum’s Senior Director of Content Geoff Schumacher and Educational Programs Manager Claire White will deliver a presentation entitled “The Irish Mob in Prohibition-era Chicago” from 2 to 3 p.m. and again from 4 to 5 p.m.

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, The Underground speakeasy and distillery will provide some festive specials throughout the day, including green beer and Irish coffees. Irish to see everyone there to help celebrate this one-day-only event!

For more info on The Mob Museum, visit themobmuseum.org. www.lvfnbpro.com

March 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 19

The RESTAURANT EXPERT How Much Does It Cost to Open a Restaurant?

The big question when looking to open any new business is, "How much is this going to cost me?" Which also becomes the question of, "Do I have enough money to make my dream come true?" Unfortunately, it’s difficult to give you a straight answer because of so many variables such as location, décor, style of food, types of equipment, quality of your furniture, etc. What I can tell you is how to get to the number for the restaurant you have in mind. Following what I teach, you will be able to answer, "How much does it cost to open a restaurant I want to own?"

Here are things you must have in place so you know where you need to be: The first is a capital budget. What is the money you need to open your restaurant? For example, you have to figure out what equipment you need and what kind of kitchen arrangement you need.

But to really determine this budget, you should have your menu figured out and have recipe costing cards. This will tell you how to design your restaurant. Are you going to have more grilled or more fried items? This answer tells you what kind of equipment you'll need. What's the style of your restaurant? What's the price point?

Is it a fast-casual concept that can be built out pretty inexpensively or will you have a higherend restaurant that has real oak on the walls?

What kind of tables and chairs are you going to have? High quality or value-engineered? Your location will play a big role as well. Are you buying a building or renting space?

The second thing is to develop an operating budget. This is a question of how much does it

By David Scott Peters David Scott Peters is a restaurant coach and speaker who teaches restaurant operators how to cut costs and increase profits with his trademark Restaurant Prosperity Formula. Known as the expert in the restaurant industry, he uses a no-BS style to teach and motivate restaurant owners to take control of their businesses and finally realize their full potential. Thousands of restaurants have used his formula to transform their businesses. To learn more about David Scott Peters and his formula, visit www.davidscottpeters.com.

cost to operate and what will your sales be like.

What is your sales mix, or how much food are you going to sell vs. how much alcohol? Are you 85 percent food, or are you a bar that only sells 50 percent food? That answer affects your budget.

You also need to determine your cost of goods sold target. Break it down into food, bottle beer, draft beer, wine and liquor. Each category will have its own target cost of goods sold.

Next is your labor. Break out your labor by position. If you're full service, you'll have servers, hosts, food runners, bartenders, bar backs, cooks, prep cooks, dishwashers. List out all your positions including your management team and categorize them by hourly or salary.

If they're hourly, what percentage of sales is their target?

In this operations budget, you're aiming for a 55 percent prime cost. (The prime cost formula is the grand total of your total cost of goods sold, which includes both food cost and liquor or pour cost, plus total labor cost).

Prime cost covers your variable expenses for your operations budget, but you also need to include your fixed expenses, such as rent/ mortgage, loan payment, paper supplies, linens, etc. This builds your targets and tells you where you need to be to make money. Then you can put a plan in place to make sure you hit those targets.

With your budget you can also plan for extra cash to deplete that will cover losses during training and opening. Your operating budget will tell you when you can expect to turn the corner and start making money.

20 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I March 2020

These two budgets will help you get money from the bank. They are going to be looking for a ratio of 1:1.25. If you borrow $1 million to open the restaurant, you should make $1.25 million for them to feel good about your loan.

That's not what I would use to determine your potential for success, but it's what the bank will use. If your prime cost is 55 percent or lower, you’re well on your way to running a profitable restaurant, no matter what it costs you to open.

www.lvfnbpro.com

By Chef Allen Asch

Chef Talk Designation of Origin

After writing last month about empanadas, specifically the pasties, I continued my research into the origin of foods as well as the requirements for calling foods certain names.

I was in the supermarket shopping the other day and walked down the aisle with the oil and vinegar selection and looked at the variety that were available. This made me think, “why are there so many balsamic vinegars on the shelves?” I understand much of the differences between different brands and prices but I decided I needed to investigate a little further.

I went to a specialty store for condiments and had a great conversation with the sales person about some of the variables involved in the sale of balsamic vinegar. At this store, a 16-ounce bottle of the vinegar ranged from three dollars to two hundred dollars. Like wine, the grapes pick up the flavor profile from the environment including: soil, sun exposure and rain. One of the great things these industries do is put a guarantee on their product called the Protected Designation of Origin, PDO, or DOP which stands for Designation of Origin. The specific initials and terminology are different in each country and sometimes tailored to each product.

This is a guarantee that the product is from a specific region and other official rules apply to how each product is prepared or handled.

Certainly, I understood the difference between aged and non-aged vinegars, but there are many other variables to this bottled flavorful condiment. There are many differences between different brands and qualities of the many bottles of balsamic vinegar available. For an item to be called balsamic vinegar, according to the Italian www.lvfnbpro.com

Feel free to contact Chef Allen with ideas for comments or future articles at allenasch1@gmail.com.

Chef Allen Asch M. Ed., CCE is a retired culinary arts instructor who has earned degrees from Culinary Institute of America, Johnson and Wales University and Northern Arizona University and taught at UNLV. He earned his Certified Culinary Educator Endorsement from the American Culinary Federation in 2003.

DOP (“Denominazione di Origine Protetta”), the grapes must be grown from one of two types of grapes that are grown in only two places in Italy.

The two grapes are the varieties of Lambrusco or Trebbiano, which are white grapes, usually late harvested. The two places that these grapes can be grown are Reggio Emilia and Modena.

Additionally, the only ingredient allowed is grape “must.” Must is defined as crushed grapes, including the stems, skin and seeds. The inclusion of the stems, seeds and skin is what gives it the deep color that we think of when thinking about balsamic vinegar. The must is cooked over a flame and concentrated to half of the original amount. Then the must is left to ferment naturally for up to three weeks, and then aged and further concentrated for a minimum of 12 years. Within the 12 years, the concentrate is aged in a succession of smaller and smaller barrels, using different woods. The woods vary by producer, but might include chestnut, oak, cherry, mulberry or juniper. When bottling, the smallest cask is half emptied and added to some must from next size barrel. The barrels are never emptied, but refilled with must from the next largest cask. All of this is under the watchful eye of the DOP. There are designations that have less aging, but they would not have the DOP seal on the bottle. For example, a five-year aging process would be designated with the IGP stamp standing for “Indicazione Geografica Protetta,” or a protected geographical indication.

This style of vinegar can cost around 40 dollars a pint. Who knew it took so much to attain a seal or label?

The vinegars above should never be used in

cooking, but added as a condiment or finishing flavoring. This differs from the process to make cheaper balsamic vinegar. This is made by adding some wine vinegar with food coloring masquerading it as Italian balsamic. Any label that says balsamic vinegar but doesn’t have the letters IGP or DOP listed is technically considered “condimento balsamico” or condiment grade balsamic. Check the ingredient list before you buy; cheap balsamics often have added sugar to mimic the sweetness of an aged balsamic. These vinegars might say “bottled in Modesto,” which means the grapes are grown elsewhere and only processed or bottled in the designated regions.

These laws also protect the names of wines and certain cheeses including Parmesan, Gorgonzola and Feta. Certain meats such as Prosciutto need a certification. Prosciutto comes from the same region as Parmesan, where the pigs are fed the whey byproduct of the Parmesan cheese making process. Another detailed need for naming an item is Roquefort cheese, which must be made from milk of a certain breed of sheep, and ripened in the caves near the town of Roquefortsur-Soulzon in France, where it picks up its unique flavor from a fungus, Penicillium roqueforti, that occurs naturally.

This system is similar to the DOP and PDO mentioned above, but carries the AOC certification, appellation d'origine contrôlée, which is the French version. This process is similar to items that carry a Kosher, Halal or Organic Certification in that inspection happens throughout the whole processing of the product.

March 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 21

By Elaine and Scott Harris

El Dorado Cantina Brings the Flavors of Mexico to Luxurious Tivoli Village Tivoli Village is creating quite a diverse selection in the culinary lineup of its restaurant row. Recently, yet another Las Vegas landmark restaurant has joined this swank Summerlin village, which features ultra-high-end shopping, offices, luxury gyms and salons.

El Dorado Cantina opened its newest location to excited patrons as they lined up, ready to experience the much anticipated opening. Upon entering, we were wowed by its 6,200-squarefoot interior that pays homage to the ancient culture and lifestyle of Mexico. Settling into our booth surrounded by dark wood accents and El Dorado’s signature red rose wall décor, we eagerly embarked upon our Mexican dining journey. Anticipating a variety of flavors, textures and tastes that distinguish this popular cuisine south of the border, we quickly scanned the menu for signature dishes and innovative margaritas. Looking around from our table, we were impressed once again with El Dorado’s backdrop, thoughtfully decorated with elegant Mariposa (butterfly) stained-glass fixtures, chic gold and red accents and one-of-a-kind hand-painted art installations. Our eyes were immediately drawn to the lively hand-painted frescos designed by local muralist and tattoo artist Brett Rosepiler of the ISI Group. The artwork was predominately featured adjacent to the outdoor patio, offering stunning aesthetics with all the best El Dorado can provide while dining alfresco.

Looking over the menu, you can see they really care about where they source their products.

The thoughtful list of preferred seafood, beef, produce, dairy, chicken and pork vendors, provided along with their respective websites allow guests the opportunity to see exactly

Elaine and Scott Harris are full time journalists for over a decade covering resorts, spas, fine dining, wine, spirits and luxury travel. The husband and wife writing duo are sommeliers through the Court of Master Sommeliers and their work has appeared in the LA Times, Travel and Leisure, Google Travel, Modern Luxury, French Quarter Magazine in France and Monaco and Lausanne Tourism City Guide. Visit their website at Cuisineist.com to read articles and view over 400 videos featuring celebrity chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and Food Network stars.

which purveyors are supplying their meals.

Perusing the large tequila list, we just had to indulge in the Signature El Dorado Margarita.

Pro Tip: Enjoy the Cadillac Margarita with Grand Marnier that floats on top for the ultimate Margarita experience. After the tantalizing taste of the fresh margarita, indulge in the creamy Tableside Guacamole which provides quite the show for your eyes and taste buds, as each velvety mound is prepared with care by guacamole making professionals. Take it up a notch with the Habanero or Veneno Salsa, both with a homemade tangy, spicy kick that will keep you repeatedly dipping multiple crunchy tortilla chips.

If you’re in the mood for a taco, enjoy a choice of Carne Asada, Pulled Chicken, and Carnitas, and of course Al Pastor. For a bigger thrill, their signature tacos are well worth a try. How about a juicy, buttery Lobster taco, oozing with fresh guacamole, ranch and salsa? Or the Grilled (wild) Mahi, tenderly marinated with citrus notes and topped with vibrant guacamole, crunchy cabbage, tropical mango salsa and chipotle ranch dressing. These are just two of the six spectacular choices that allow you to try a different version almost every day of the week!

Burritos are always a go-to when visiting any Mexican restaurant. El Dorado has six to choose from, with options such as the Shrimp Burrito with wild shrimp, cilantro rice, refried beans, pico de gallo, fresh guacamole, Oaxacan and Monterey Jack Cheese and with a creamy, decadent chipotle ranch. For a large party, enjoy a Fajita Platter, served with a choice of Grilled Steak, Grilled Chicken, Wild Pacific Shrimp or Portobello Mushroom. For those looking to try different tastes double the Fajita fun by selecting a combo of any two items.

Photo credit: Elaine and Scott Harris

El Dorado serves up everything from tacos, enchiladas, burritos, burgers and house specialties all using fresh, sustainable ingredients that can only make you feel supported in knowing that the upmost care was taken in your culinary choice that showcases the flavors south of the border.

In addition, don’t miss their incredible Happy Hour! It is daily, from 3-6 p.m. and again from 1-3 a.m., featuring $5 house wine, $7 house margaritas, half-off well drinks and domestic beer, a $7 food menu and $3.50 street tacos.

Plus, on Mondays, locals receive a 25% discount and on Tuesdays shots of Don Julio 1942 Tequila are $7 (valued at $35).

22 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I March 2020

www.lvfnbpro.com

By Linda Westcott-Bernstein

Human Resources Insights

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

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

Engagement in the Needs of Your Workforce

Engagement in the Needs of Your Workforce Having your ear (and a door) open to what is going on at your workplace is probably one of the most essential leadership skills that you, as a manager of a unified workforce, can have. Why? Because when you have a team where everyone is on the same page, working toward the same goals, and focused on the same outcome, you are clearly on the right path for success. More importantly, those who place a value on the wellbeing and satisfaction of their workforce tend to have the most cohesive and contented team, and guest satisfaction and revenue trends tend to always be at their best in this environment.

How do you accomplish this type of engagement? You have to care. It starts with having a heart and some compassion for the needs of your workforce. Have you ever found a high performing team that didn’t have good foundational values, that didn’t care about one another, and that didn’t put the needs of one another before all else? Not likely. To be at our best, we must know and show that we always care. Below are my five essential “CARES”: characteristics of the leader(s) who will develop and maintain a high quality, cohesive team.

As I see it, all that you have to do as a good leader is be someone who CARES. You must show…

• Compassion • Attention • Recognition • Encouragement • Sharing

We tend to forget that we are dealing with people: human beings with feelings, fears and family distractions. When these concerns are not addressed, employees are distracted, worried and unproductive. While a paycheck is the ultimate reward, it is not the most essential one. I believe that good managers must place the needs of their employees before their own.

They must rise above their own needs and be available and willing to address the concerns of their team. You have to remember that each of us has stressors that detract from our potential, our focus and ultimately our performance, especially when these distracters are not addressed.

But how do we do this? By knowing what each of these characteristics are and what they can mean to our fellow human being. And, by caring and giving of ourselves to ensure the wellbeing of another person.

What is compassion? It is caring about the well being and the fears/concerns of others and putting them before our own needs.

What is attention? It is seeing, hearing and listening to others not just with our minds open but our hearts open as well.

What is recognition? It is acknowledging someone, having patience and saying “thank you” for a job well done.

What is encouragement? It is giving positive feedback, explaining and training someone when needed and showing that you care with simple, compassionate acts or expressions of concern.

What is sharing? It is giving of your heart and mind without hesitation to help them, showing them the way and setting them on a better path.

It is establishing and living the example that you want others to follow!

I recently had the honor of helping a coworker in need after discovering that this person was homeless. I had no idea because human nature is to endure and not tell others of our needs. My heart swelled with compassion and tears filled my eyes. We can’t turn a blind eye. But when given the opportunity to help an employee, just take the reins without hesitation and work to find a solution to a grave matter. All turned out well! I find that if you listen, care and have compassion, there are solutions for any situation if we just put our mind and heart into it.

I think that we can build strength in our teams by establishing foundational values for our teams.

Decide the five most essential needs of your workforce and then put everyone on the path to acknowledging, accepting and addressing them.

This sounds something like a family structure, with support and a network, right? As I see it, the most essential needs of each member of a family are: 1) love, 2) security, 3) sustenance, 4) support and 5) acceptance. When we help others to ensure that these five needs are met, we show that we CARE!

HR Question of the month:

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

www.lvfnbpro.com

March 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 23

May I Recommend...

Blake Myers visited Las Vegas many times annually for over 35 years, and as his familiarity with so many restaurants grew, more and more people “back home” began asking him where to eat on their “upcoming visit.” In 1998 he began formally reviewing and recommending his best picks in a newsletter he published, and after moving here in 2008 soon established his website, Bestofvegasdining. com, through which he shares his selections with a worldwide audience.

Photo credit: Blake Myers

Mastro’s Ocean Club

By Blake Myers

Chain restaurants began to proliferate in the early 1950s, and were never conceived as “fine” or “upscale” dining establishments. They catered to the growth of newly-mobile diners after World War II who were discovering the attraction of dining “on-the-go,” as they were increasingly able to enjoy restaurants that didn’t involve making reservations or prior planning.

There was no anticipation of top quality, as customers realized this was mass production which, understandably, didn’t equate to premium food and service being part of the dining experience.

Over the years, though, I’ve pondered the label “chain restaurant,” and theorized about the factors that actually define the term, and how they play into our dining expectations.

So what is it that causes us to regard a restaurant as a chain? Do we base our opinion simply on the numbers that exist, or perhaps the size of the geographical region in which they operate makes us think of them that way?

Let’s begin our analysis with the realization that many restaurant customers will maintain that, basically, “chain restaurants” and “quality dining” are an oxymoron—that is, a combination of contradictory terms.

So where does that leave Mastro’s Ocean Club in the overall equation? Perhaps a little history will be instructive.

The restaurant opened in 2010 in The Shops at Crystals in the CityCenter complex, and Brandon Strickland is the current General Manager.

Mastro’s is perched in a “treehouse,” a beautiful open space nestled in a soaring, modern wooden “tree-like” structure perched 40 feet or so above the first floor of the mall.

However, Mastro’s actually goes back quite a ways. In the mid-1970s, Dennis Mastro operated

What’s Your Beef, a steakhouse in Scottsdale, Arizona. Eventually, in 1991, he and his son Michael, began establishing new restaurants in the Scottsdale and Phoenix areas, and so, Mastro’s Steakhouse was born. Shortly thereafter, the initial Mastro’s Ocean Club opened in Scottsdale.

The Mastro’s organization was sold in 2007, and changed hands again in 2013 when it was acquired by Landry’s Restaurants, owned by well-known hospitality entrepreneur Tilman Fertitta. There are currently 18 of the Mastro’s steakhouse and seafood restaurants in eight states, and by most metrics, I believe that we can consider them a small chain.

But what about all the people who believe strongly in the “oxymoron” principle, which would dictate that Mastro’s can’t possibly amount to more than chain restaurant dining?

Well, if that’s your personal feeling, I think you’ll change your mind after eating there.

Though the original Ocean Club focus of Mastro’s was on seafood, over the years, many beef dishes from their steakhouse restaurants have been added to the menu, and now offer the best of both worlds.

Under Executive Chef Ricardo Romo, the wide selection of delicious appetizers offers choices for both seafood and beef lovers. Most prominent are the Dungeness Crab Cocktail, Lobster Cocktail, Florida Stone Crab Claws, Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes, Caviar, Sauteed Sea Scallops, Foie Gras, Bigeye Tuna Tartare and Seared Bigeye Tuna.

Last but not least, the impressive Seafood Tower is very unusual in that it doesn’t contain a “set” combination of ingredients; the price is adjustable based on the favorite seafood items you select.

At the time of this writing, the seafood entrees offer selections from many distant points, including Chilean Sea Bass, New Zealand King Salmon Fillet, Grouper, Baked Twin Lobster

24 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I March 2020

Tails, Alaskan King Crab Legs, Broiled Live Maine Lobster and a jaw-dropping 22-ounce Canadian Lobster Tail.

Steaks and Chops are equally represented, and include different sizes of Filets and Bone-In Filets, Bone-In Kansas City Strips, Boneless Ribeyes, and for bigger appetites, a 22-ounce Bone-In Ribeye and 22-ounce Rack of Lamb.

Beef is 28-day wet-aged. There’s also a 24-ounce Herb Roasted Chicken. If you desire an even more upscale selection, Mastro’s offers Japanese A5 Wagyu in 8-, 10- and 12-ounce New York Strips. If these aren’t impressive enough, you may choose Snake River Farms Wagyu Tomahawk Chops in 32- and 40-ounce sizes.

Mastro’s recognizes that side-dishes should be special, too. Notable are the Lobster Mashed Potatoes, Alaskan King Crab Black Truffle Gnocchi and Truffle Butter Sautéed Wild Mushrooms.

To enhance your meal, the extensive wine list, under the supervision of Assistant General Manager/Wine Director Aaron Smith, is most impressive. Its sections are: Sake, Sparkling, Champagne (Vintage and Non-vintage), Rosé, White Varietals (Domestic and International), Chardonnay (Domestic), Pinot Noir (California and Oregon), Burgundy and Beaujolais, Domestic Proprietary Red Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon (Domestic), Red Varietals (Domestic), Merlot (Domestic) and Reds from Italy, Spain, South America, Bordeaux and Rhone, Australia/ New Zealand and South Africa. Corkage is a reasonable $35.00 for 750 ml bottles.

The dessert menu offers many delicious selections, including their Signature Warm Butter Cake, Profiteroles, Chocolate Sin Cake and Chocolate Covered Strawberries.

Trust me, the word “oxymoron” will disappear from your thinking after visiting Mastro’s. www.lvfnbpro.com

By Sk Delph

DISHING IT

Photo credit: Courtesy of Vegas PBS

with Sk Delph

Sk Delph knows her way around food and wine, not necessarily in that order, having lived and traveled from Sonoma, California to Boston and back to Vegas for the last fourteen years with her chef husband, turned GM here in Vegas.

She has been published in various short story anthologies and is currently working on her first novel.

NO PASSPORT REQUIRED Showing Love for America Through Food On February 12 I had the great pleasure of attending a Vegas PBS Spotlight Series Event entitled Flavors of the Far East, a free community event to celebrate award-winning chef Marcus Samuelsson here in Las Vegas to showcase the tradition and culture of our Chinese-American community on the PBS show No Passport Required.

Marcus Samuelsson’s many talents include being a restaurateur, cookbook author, food activist and philanthropist. He has made several appearances as a judge on Food Network’s TV show Chopped and is currently starring in his second season of No Passport Required, a television show aired on PBS, which brings into focus the rich ethnic diversity evident in our varied immigrant backgrounds and traditions showcasing what American food is all about.

When I asked Chef Marcus Samuelsson about his inspiration for No Passport Required, his answer was heartfelt and passionate. “I am an immigrant. I am an American. I love this country and I moved here because of food and I want to share that story.” No Passport Required is the story of that passion from Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s perspective.

Fusion is a hot topic today and Marcus specializes in Ethiopian and Swedish cuisine. We talked about what was most unique between the two types of cooking. “I think it’s climate. Sweden is very cold, and Ethiopia is a very hot climate,” he started off. “So, the need to be able to preserve is very important, right? ... Out of those cold climates (Sweden) came preserving techniques that are unique. It’s why we smoke things and why we cure things even to this day. And in Ethiopia it’s all about the spices. It’s really surrounded by ‘berbere,’ a spice blend that’s uniquely Ethiopian.” I was fascinated. A Swedish and Ethiopian food fusion is not something we just happen across in our day to day lives. We could have talked about that alone, for hours. Chef Marcus goes on naturally to his love for every style of cooking and he asks the whys. “Why is the cooking done this way? I love that,” he said. “I love to know the ‘why’ around food.”

I have found that people of extraordinary talent are often gifted in

other areas too. Chef Marcus loves art, culture and most of all family, big families with a lot of people. It’s his favorite subject and he wasted no time getting there. “It’s why I love my job, because it’s about storytelling and sharing and breaking bread. It’s a unique ritual that everyone is proud of because everyone does it a bit differently.”

Chef Marcus did have a message to those who may have similar aspirations. “It’s about being passionate and having a vision and a mission. You really need to think through what you want to share and by thinking through that, you can achieve it. There’s so much competition out there, so you've really got to have a precise story you want to share. So, for me, it’s really two things that happen with No Passport Required. It’s sharing the story about immigration and the complexity around diversity and to show the story of the beautiful cities. That’s what we talk about ... I think we forget how diverse America is.”

I feel it’s important to say that for Chef Marcus, No Passport Required is an important part of his mission. “It was a lot of fun and an amazing journey to be able to tell the story of the Brazilians in Boston and the Chinese in Las Vegas or the West Africans in Houston. The more we know about each other in this great nation, the more we will have an understanding of the person sitting next to you on the train or the person you’re working with or the person you go to school with. I think we need those things.” It was a beautiful sentiment and I felt pleased to tell him so.

For an interesting visual experience of this Vegas PBS Spotlight Event please follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ocm3UwcVr4 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional: Celebrity Chef Marcus Samuelsson at Vegas PBS Special thanks to Videographer James Hsu: Instagram.com/hsumjames Aaron Diec Bottles and Boxes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgR5UZ_mCtzo4oMr8KK8Q9g

www.lvfnbpro.com

March 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 25

By Shelley Stepanek 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.

Photo credit: Gabe Ginsberg & Wolfgang Puck Players Locker

Best of the Best

TRUE FOOD KITCHEN, the award-winning, seasonally-inspired restaurant and bar that is health conscious, has opened a 2nd location in Las Vegas in the amazing Forum Shops. At the grand opening, guests were joined by the vibrantly costumed Green Goddess of Detox and Green God of Retox as they showed off some of the wonderful food that people will be enjoying. There were plenty of cocktails to go around, along with non-alcoholic, light drinks and spritzers. There was even a duo of violins to keep the party lively! Attendees at the VIP party were also the first to experience True Bar, the company’s first-ever, standalone scratch-bar with freshly pressed juices. True Food Kitchen chief executive officer Christine Barone was there, along with corporate chef Robert McCormick, chief marketing officer Shannon Keller, chief people officer Peggy Rubenzer and plenty of others. Celebrities present included Tape Face, Anthony Cools, the Cast from Friends! The Musical and the husband and wife team of Jayne and Eric Post from Marriage Can Be Murder.

True Food Kitchen was founded in Arizona

in 2008 as a place to change your lifestyle eating habits. A renowned doctor of integrative medicine, Dr. Andrew Weil, started the whole idea with his anti-inflammatory food pyramids.

Everything is fresh, brought in daily and is super delicious. There are 32 locations in 14 states, including California, Florida and Louisiana. www.TrueFoodKitchen.com CIRCA, the new hotel resort scheduled to open in December downtown has announced its new restaurants: BARRY’S DOWNTOWN PRIME, with Barry Dakake, who was the chef at N9NE Steakhouse at the Palms; VICTORY BURGER and WINGS CO, which will overlook the sportsbook; SAGINAW’S DELI from the person who founded the famous Zingerman’s Deli in Michigan; 8 EAST; and PROJECT BBQ. They may add more as the place continues to grow, but these are a fantastic start.

WOLFGANG PUCK PLAYERS LOCKER has opened in Downtown Summerlin. With five of the Vegas Golden Knights they should be ready to go by March. Quite a combination menu, featuring Canada’s favorite food, cheese curds,

26 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I March 2020

and vegan burgers, Reubens, fish and chips and plenty of fancy sundaes.

Also, in Downtown Summerlin, JING opened, featuring heavy Asian food and décor. The kitchen is headed by Joe Elevado, who was with Andrea’s in the Encore, and also ran Social House at Treasure Island.

In TIVOLI VILLAGE, the 2nd EL DORADO CANTINA is now ready to give a shout out to.

This place will be open 24 hours a day, just as its first location next to Sapphire is. Very heavy on the guacamole here, and all-natural food.

And to top this all off, ELIO, part of the ATM Group, will be coming to the Wynn. It will be their first Mexican restaurant. Taking over the beautiful Andrea’s restaurant, the one that featured just two beautiful eyes, it will switch over on March 19. The ATM Group also has restaurants in Mexico City and New York, so they will be bringing some of those concepts along. Try dishes such as lobster with chorizo, whole snapper and stuffed crab. Let’s wish all these new venues luck. www.lvfnbpro.com

Photo credit: Gamma Nine Photography

Hampton Water Honored with the 2019 Wine and Culture Wine Star Award

Each year, the Wine Star Awards from the Wine Enthusiast honor the women and men that have contributed to the success of the wine and spirits industry in the world. The 20th Anniversary event of the Wine Stars Award took place at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, California on Monday, January 27, 2020. Recording artist Jon Bon Jovi, his son Jesse Bongiovi and winemaker Gérard Bertrand were presented the award for Wine and Culture for their Hampton Water rosé. When accepting the award, Bon Jovi said, “To be in business with my son? There really is no greater gift.” Afterwards Bon Jovi sang a pared-down version of his 1986 hit Livin’ on a Prayer.

This award is a wonderful reflection of how wine facilitates the sharing and the gathering of people from all cultures. Hampton Water captures this spirit shared between the Hamptons and the South of France: enjoying life and a good bottle of wine to share with friends.

Made in France · Enjoyed everywhere, this wine aims to bring people together just like music does; this was the attention of the music artist Jon Bon Jovi and his son Jesse Bongiovi had when they started this beautiful collaboration with the acclaimed winemaker Gérard Bertrand.

Hampton Water, AOP Languedoc, 2018 Grenache, Cinsault and Mourvèdre For more info on Hampton Water, visit https://hamptonwaterwine.com.

To read the cover feature on Hampton Water, which appeared in the June 2019 issue of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional, go to https:// lvfnb.com/issue/06/2019.

A version of this article previously appeared in Wine Enthusiast/Winemag. com, and in GerardBertrand.com (www.gerard-bertrand.com/en/news/ gerard-bertrand-won-the-wine-et-culture-wine-star-award-with-his-rosehampton-water-produced-in-collaboration-with-jon-bon-jovi-and-jessebongiovi), used with permission. www.lvfnbpro.com

March 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 27

Nevada Restaurant Association Educational Foundation ProStart State Competition

photo credit: Nevada Restaurant Association

By: National Restaurant Association

On Saturday, February 8th, 2020, the Nevada Restaurant Association hosted its 2020 ProStart State Competition at the UNLV-Hospitality Hall. At this annual competition, teams of students compete in two major categories, Culinary and Management. Teams competing in the Culinary group must create a three-course menu, which they cook onsite for judges to taste. The groups in the Management category must create a new restaurant concept that includes menu planning, pricing and restaurant layout. The first-place winners at these two categories will earn their spot to compete against other schools nationwide at the 2020 National ProStart event on May 8, 2020, held at Washington D.C. ​​ ProStart is a nationwide, two-year high school program that reaches nearly 150,000 students in more than 1,900 high schools across 50 states, Guam and the Department of Defense Education Activity schools in Europe and the Pacific. In Nevada, 40 schools are enrolled in the Nevada ProStart Program.

From culinary techniques to management skills, ProStart’s industrydriven curriculum provides real-life experience opportunities and builds practical skills and a foundation that will last a lifetime. “I’m grateful for the ProStart program for my students because they go on working all over the world in the food industry,” said Ann Taylor, ProStart program teacher at Coronado High School. The program is 350 hours of instruction and 400 hours of industry work experience. After passing the exams for Year 1, Year 2 and completing the competencies, students receive a certificate from the National Restaurant Association and an opportunity for scholarships. Students learn topics such as food safety, knife cuts, basic cooking techniques, baking, menu design, basic accounting, costing and restaurant management. Many of the students take their learned experience in both Culinary and Management to pursue their education in the food industry. “I think ProStart is very important because it has pushed me into the person I am today, and pushed me into going to the culinary industry,” says Bettina Bautista, former ProStart student 20162018, who is currently a student at UNLV Hospitality and working as a cake decorator at 85 Bakery in Las Vegas.

Board Member, said, “I think it’s amazing we get these kids together and see the talent they have, and competing for a scholarship to help with their education.” Students not only compete for the top spot for ProStart National but earn scholarships used toward furthering their education.

This year Coronado High School of Henderson, NV, took first place in the Culinary category, wowing judges with their creation of a delectable threecourse meal of Fresh Arugula Salad, Braised Short Ribs, and Panna Cotta dessert. First place for Management was awarded to Academy of Arts, Careers and Technology of Reno, NV, who impressed the Management judges with their unique restaurant creation titled “Union Oak.” On Tuesday, February 18, the ProStart students from Coronado High School were recognized at the Women’s Hospitality Initiative launch event, where they received a $4,000 donation from US Foods and #MAPP, which will go toward their travel expenses to the National ProStart Competition.

The Nevada Restaurant Association Educational Foundation is always seeking mentors and support for the students. If you’re interested in becoming more involved, please contact info@nvrestaurants.com.

This year, there were a total of eight schools, with ten teams competing for Culinary and Management categories, including 23 individual students competing in categories such as Edible Centerpieces, Buttercream Cake and Tier Cake design. Volunteers of experienced chefs, restaurateurs and operators carefully evaluated the students on their presentation, work-skills, organization, cooking procedures, knife skills and degree of difficulty.

Second-year management judge, Corey Cutler, Managing Partner at Fleming’s Steakhouse & Wine Bar, and Nevada Restaurant Association 28 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I March 2020

www.lvfnbpro.com

SPIRITS CONFIDENTIAL with Max Solano Whiskey Up! For St. Patrick’s Day

As St. Patrick’s Day quickly approaches, it, just like other “holidays,” sometimes takes on other meanings in addition to what they originated as. March 17th is a day of celebration, which includes imbibing many types of Irish beverages, from whiskey to beer to poitin!

But Saint Patrick’s Day is the feast day of St. Patrick, who is the patron saint of Ireland, if you have not put 2 and 2 together! He was born in Roman-occupied Britain in the late 4th century, was kidnapped at the age of 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave. He eventually escaped but returned around 432 to convert the Irish to Christianity. By the time of his death on March 17, 461, he had established monasteries, churches and schools. Many legends grew up around him. For example, one states that he drove all of the snakes out of Ireland and used the shamrock to explain the Trinity. Ireland came to celebrate his day with religious services and feasts. It was even rumored that the potential origin of whiskey started with St. Patrick himself, although I would not be wagering my money on this last one!

It was Irish immigrants, particularly to the US, who transformed St. Patrick’s Day into a largely secular holiday of revelry and celebration of all things Irish that we are accustomed to today. Cities such as Boston (of course), New York and Chicago with large numbers of Irish immigrants, staged the most extensive celebrations, which included elaborate parades. Of course, many of us, who are not even Irish, use St. Patrick’s Day just as another excuse to libate. So, if you feel compelled to break out your finest green wardrobe and drink on this day, here are some delicious and unique whiskeys to really bring out the Irish in you!

LAMBAY (Single Malt & Blended) Although Lambay is not a distillery, the whiskey is named after an isle off the east coast of Ireland that is a natural preserve.

The whiskey is offered both as blended and single malt expressions produced by an awardwinning craft distiller located in West Cork in the southernmost part of the country. Lambay, www.lvfnbpro.com

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

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

partially owned by Camus Cognac, is the very whiskeys. Along with the Green and Yellow, first Irish whiskey to be double matured and the Red Spot represents the oldest of the lineup. aged in Cognac casks for up to six months. Red Spot is traditionally triple-distilled and The single malt, however, once dumped into aged into three individual types of oak casks: the Cognac casks, is shipped to the Isle of ex-bourbon casks, Spanish oloroso sherry butts Lambay where it’s aged and influenced by the and Sicilian Marsala wine casks, for no less maritime environment before being shipped than 15 years underneath the streets of Dublin. back to West Cork where it’s bottled. Lambay is produced in the traditional Irish whiskey Then, the three are vatted together and bottled. manner where it’s triple distilled. And, if It was definitely love at first taste for me! you’re wondering why there’s a puffin on the CONNEMARA label, it represents the most abundant protected The name “Connemara” derives from the species of bird on Lambay. Definitely, a new name Conmacne Mara, which is an early tribal and unique experience! grouping that had various locations situated DINGLE (3RD RELEASE) in different parts of Connacht, Western The Dingle distillery first started laying down Ireland in very close proximity to the ocean. whiskey for aging in 2012 and in 2016 began This whiskey is quite unique and made at putting out its first release. The distillery is the Cooley Distillery that was established in located in a converted sawmill in Milltown on 1987 from a converted alcohol plant by John the outskirts of Dingle in the southwest region Teeling. Cooley happened to be the very first of Ireland. Dingle produces both single malt independent whiskey distillery to open in and single pot sill whiskeys. Produced in very Ireland past the 1960s merger of the remaining small batches, this single malt third release is whiskey producers creating the Irish Distiller’s triple distilled and double cask matured in both company. ex-bourbon casks and finished in port pipes for So, what makes Connemara so unique? several months.

Traditionally, just about all Irish whiskey is RED SPOT triple-distilled, which is appealing to many Brand new to the Las Vegas market is the people that are not into the bolder Scotcholdest expression and newest release by the style whisky. However, just like almost famed Mitchell & Son Co. (New Midleton/ all Scotch, Connemara is distilled twice.

Pernod Ricard)—the Red Spot 15-year Secondly, when we think of smoky whiskies, Single pot still Irish Whiskey. Mind you we also traditionally think of Scotch, not that the Mitchell family’s relationship with Irish. However, Connemara was the very first John Jameson spans over six generations. Irish whiskey in modern times to be made Originally, the Mitchell family were wine how traditional Scotch was by using peated merchants at approximately the turn of the malt and giving it that distinct and rich smoky 19th century who began supplying the John profile. Also, whereas most Irish whiskey is Jameson distillery with many used wine casks bottled as a blend, Connemara is made from for aging Jameson’s whiskeys. Years later, 100% malted barley, pot distilled and bottled as the Mitchell family decided that they wanted an Irish single malt. In the end, more character, to get into the whiskey business and started more flavor! Enjoy the various age statements, procuring whiskey from the Jameson distillery wood finishes and bottling proofs. for themselves. Because they were new to the business, barrel maintenance was not a skillset So, whichever of these unique fine drams they yet possessed, so they started adding makes their way to you, let’s all raise a glass blobs of different colors of paint on the barrels and toast to St. Patrick’s Day! to indicate the approximate ages of their ~ Cheers!

March 2020 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 29

EVENTS

AD INDEX

There are several major food & beverage events happening in the coming months. Here is a sampling of some of the events we highly recommend, so if planning to attend you can start booking now.

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

March 9-12: The Catersource Show will be co-located with The Special Event at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center and feature everything to do with the business of catering. The combined event will bring over 500 suppliers and 8,500 professionals together to provide an unmatched opportunity to source, network and learn. If you or your company is involved in catering, or even if it isn’t, you’ll want to attend this show. conference.catersource.com March 30-April 2: The Nightclub & Bar Show comes to the Las Vegas Convention Center for the largest beverage and bar show in the world, with unlimited tastes and treats! Don’t miss it. www.ncbshow.com

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Arctic Ice Plus CBD Water info.pembertondc@gmail.com 702-8698152

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

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Designated Drivers, Inc. designateddriversinc.com 877-456-7433

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Ferarri Carano www.ferrari-carano.com Keep Memory Alive Event Center 702-263-9797 kmaeventcenterlasvegas.com

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

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Roca Patron rocapatron.com

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March 31-April 2: The 36th Annual International Pizza Expo returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center with the world’s largest pizza, ingredients, products, and service expo, including demos and contests plus samplings all day long! www.pizzaexpo.com April 3-4: The Motley Brews 10th Annual Great Vegas Festival of Beer will again be held at the Downtown Events Center with the Mad Craft Experience on April 3, a competition and tasting featuring 9 local chefs and 10 bartenders/mixologists pairing their creations with beer; and the Great Tasting on April 4, which will feature more than 500 beer choices from 100 breweries, the largest craft beer selection of any beerfest held in Nevada. www.greatvegasbeer.com

April 21-23: The Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America 77th Annual Convention and Exposition returns to Caesars Palace. The largest gathering of America’s wine and spirits distributors, as well as suppliers from around the world, this event offers opportunities to seek out new beverage products, meet with existing portfolio partners, look for services to enhance internal operations and attend educational sessions on industry hot topics. www.wswaconvention.org

30 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I March 2020

702-645-0049

www.jayssharpening.com • customerservice@jayssharpening.com

Mobile Service Our mobile service vans provide sharpening services on-site to even the largest resort properties, without disrupting workflow.

Commercial Knife Exchange Program We furnish sharp knives to your kitchen on a weekly or biweekly rotation schedule.

Equipment Sales We offer top-of-the-line knives, culinary tools, kitchen supplies and replacement parts.

W Harmon Ave Jay’s Sharpening Service

Cutting Board Resurfacing & Replacements

Arville St

April 18: The inaugural EVOLUTION Las Vegas Food & Wine Experience will replace the decade’s long UNLVino and will be held at the new Caesars Forum Convention Center. Like the UNLVino Grand Tasting in recent years, it will feature interactive experiences; cooking demonstrations; tastes from more than 50 local chefs and restaurants; and wine, beer and cocktail tastings. www.evolutionlv.com

4310 W Tompkins Ave Las Vegas, NV 89103

Steak & Table Knife Re-Serration / Sharpening

W Tropicana Ave

www.lvfnbpro.com

IN THE TIME IT TAKES TO READ THIS AD, WE’VE MADE LITTLE TO NO PROGRESS. We slow-roast the finest 100% Weber Blue Agave for more than three days and then slowly crush it with a two-ton tahona stone wheel. The result is an earthy, complex taste that’s more than worth the wait.

The perfect way to enjoy Patrón is responsibly. Handcrafted and imported exclusively from Mexico by The Patrón Spirits Company, Las Vegas, NV. 42-45% abv.