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

El Dorado Cantina Brings the Flavors of Mexico to Luxurious Tivoli Village

By Elaine and Scott Harris 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.

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

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. 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).

Human Resources Insights

By Linda Westcott-Bernstein Linda Westcott-Bernstein has provided sound human resources advice and guidance to Fortune 500 companies and others for over 25 years. Linda has recently re-published her self-help book entitled It All Comes Down to WE! This book offers guidelines for building a solid and enduring personal work ethic. You can find her book on Amazon or Google Books. Phone: 702-326-4040 Email: Vegaslinda89129@yahoo.com

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.

Mastro’s Ocean Club

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.

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

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.

DISHING IT with Sk Delph

By 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

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.

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,

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.

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.

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 2016- 2018, who is currently a student at UNLV Hospitality and working as a cake decorator at 85 Bakery in Las Vegas. 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

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.

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

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.

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 ofSt. Patrick, who is the patron saint ofIreland, 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 toChristianity. 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,

partially owned by Camus Cognac, is the very first Irish whiskey to be double matured and aged in Cognac casks for up to six months. The single malt, however, once dumped into the Cognac casks, is shipped to the Isle of Lambay where it’s aged and influenced by the maritime environment before being shipped back to West Cork where it’s bottled. Lambay is produced in the traditional Irish whiskey manner where it’s triple distilled. And, if you’re wondering why there’s a puffin on the label, it represents the most abundant protected species of bird on Lambay. Definitely, a new and unique experience! DINGLE (3RD RELEASE) The Dingle distillery first started laying down whiskey for aging in 2012 and in 2016 began putting out its first release. The distillery is located in a converted sawmill in Milltown on the outskirts of Dingle in the southwest region of Ireland. Dingle produces both single malt and single pot sill whiskeys. Produced in very small batches, this single malt third release is triple distilled and double cask matured in both ex-bourbon casks and finished in port pipes for several months. RED SPOT Brand new to the Las Vegas market is the oldest expression and newest release by the famed Mitchell & Son Co. (New Midleton/ Pernod Ricard)—the Red Spot 15-year Single pot still Irish Whiskey. Mind you that the Mitchell family’s relationship with John Jameson spans over six generations. Originally, the Mitchell family were wine merchants at approximately the turn of the 19th century who began supplying the John Jameson distillery with many used wine casks for aging Jameson’s whiskeys. Years later, the Mitchell family decided that they wanted to get into the whiskey business and started procuring whiskey from the Jameson distillery for themselves. Because they were new to the business, barrel maintenance was not a skillset they yet possessed, so they started adding blobs of different colors of paint on the barrels to indicate the approximate ages of their whiskeys. Along with the Green and Yellow, the Red Spot represents the oldest of the lineup. Red Spot is traditionally triple-distilled and aged into three individual types of oak casks: ex-bourbon casks, Spanish oloroso sherry butts and Sicilian Marsala wine casks, for no less than 15 years underneath the streets of Dublin. Then, the three are vatted together and bottled. It was definitely love at first taste for me! CONNEMARA The name “Connemara” derives from the name Conmacne Mara, which is an early tribal grouping that had various locations situated in different parts of Connacht, Western Ireland in very close proximity to the ocean. This whiskey is quite unique and made at the Cooley Distillery that was established in 1987 from a converted alcohol plant by John Teeling. Cooley happened to be the very first independent whiskey distillery to open in Ireland past the 1960s merger of the remaining whiskey producers creating the Irish Distiller’s company. So, what makes Connemara so unique? Traditionally, just about all Irish whiskey is triple-distilled, which is appealing to many people that are not into the bolder Scotchstyle whisky. However, just like almost all Scotch, Connemara is distilled twice. Secondly, when we think of smoky whiskies, we also traditionally think of Scotch, not Irish. However, Connemara was the very first Irish whiskey in modern times to be made how traditional Scotch was by using peated malt and giving it that distinct and rich smoky profile. Also, whereas most Irish whiskey is bottled as a blend, Connemara is made from 100% malted barley, pot distilled and bottled as an Irish single malt. In the end, more character, more flavor! Enjoy the various age statements, wood finishes and bottling proofs. So, whichever of these unique fine drams makes their way to you, let’s all raise a glass and toast to St. Patrick’s Day! ~ Cheers!

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.

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

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 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

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

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

Arctic Ice Plus CBD Water info.pembertondc@gmail.com 702-8698152 Big Dog’s Brewing Company www.bigdogsbrews.com 702-368-3715

Designated Drivers, Inc. designateddriversinc.com 877-456-7433 page 9

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page 30 Ferarri Carano www.ferrari-carano.com

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

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

Roca Patron rocapatron.com page 18

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4310 W Tompkins Ave Las Vegas, NV 89103 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. Cutting Board Resurfacing & Replacements Steak & Table Knife Re-Serration / Sharpening Jay’s Sharpening Service W Tropicana Ave W Harmon Ave Ar ville St

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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.