The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional - November 2019

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Issue 11 Volume 19

US $3.95

Horse Soldier Bourbon Legendary Men, Legendary Spirits

November 2019

CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER MIKE FRYER

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WELCOME BACK TO OUR NOVEMBER ISSUE OF THE SOCAL FOOD & BEVERAGE PROFESSIONAL where we would like to congratulate our local SoCal breweries who recently won various medals for excellence in brewing. Our resident beer specialist, Dave Mulvihill, has all the details on the winners and awards on PAGE 6-7. November marks another milestone in my life with over 50 years in the Food & Beverage Industry and still learning at 70. Recently, I survived kidney cancer and removal and became a cancer survivor, but I’ve always considered myself a survivor, having lived, studied and worked in Southeast Asia for over 30 years. Thank you for your continued readership

Cover

and input to help us improve our publications.

COVER FEATURE FOR NOVEMBER IS DEDICATED TO HORSE SOLDIER BOURBON BY SK DELPH, who reports: We could say that America was built on horseback and bourbon.

Our heritage and history run as hard as mustangs stampeding across the open desert of the southwest and as deep as a good barrel-strength bourbon. American Freedom Distillery’s Horse Soldier Bourbon has a story rooted in both patriotism and good spirits.

Read the inside story and meet the people in charge on page 12-13.

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THE BOTTOM LINE BY BEN BROWN addresses the rise of virtual restaurants and the future

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RESTAURANT EXPERT BY DAVID SCOTT PETERS shows us that “Comps Are a Great Tool”

of food delivery, which we have all seen the increase of and competition of recently.

as long as the staff isn’t giving away the shop. David runs through several examples of how to best use comps and what to watch out for in giving them away.

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FRONT & BACK OF THE HOUSE BY GAEL HEES introduces us to three of her favorite cookbooks that bring out more than recipes, with photos and highlights of the stories behind the recipes for a total experience.

CHEERS! MIKE FRYER SR. EDITOR/PUBLISHER

Page 4 Hot off the Grill!

Page 5 The Bottom Line The Rise of Virtual Restaurants and the Future of Food Delivery Page 6 What’s Brewing

Page 14 Since 1068 Europe’s Oldest Winery Schloss Salenegg Has Been Producing High Quality Swiss Wines Page 16 Brett’s Vegas View

Page 8 Product Review

Page 19 Vine & Dine Patxi’s Pizza, Any Way You Like It Page 20 Chef Talk Sous Vide Page 21 Front & Back of the House A Cornucopia of Gastronomic Tales Page 22

Page 9 Spirits Confidential with Max Solano London: At Top of the Cocktail World Part 3 of 4 Page 10 Foodie Biz

Page 12 COVER FEATURE Horse Soldier Bourbon Legendary Men, Legendary Spirits

Page 17 Chef Jose “JoJo” Ruiz Recognized by James Beard Foundation

Events Ad Index ACF Chefs of SoCal

Page 18 The Restaurant Expert Comps Are a Great Tool As Long as the Staff Isn’t Giving Away the Shop

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November 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 3

The Socal Food & Beverage Professional 7442 Grizzly Giant Street Las Vegas, NV 89139

www.socalfnbpro.com

HOT OFF THE GRILL!

Mike Fryer

Sr. Editor/Publisher Thank you for joining us in this issue of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.

For any questions or comments please email mike@socalfnbpro.com

Juanita Fryer

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

Juanita Aiello

Creative Director juanita@socalfnbpro.com

Bob Barnes

Editorial Director bob@socalfnbpro.com

Ben Brown

Restaurant Editor ben@socalfnbpro.com

Restaurant Editor Ben Brown attended the sixth annual Newport Beach Food & Wine Festival, which saw three days of spectacular culinary festivity. Beachside tastings and a long list of Top Chef celebrities are just the beginning. Find out more on Ben’s Foodie Biz column.

Adam Rains

Beverage Editor adam.rains@socalfnbpro.com

Advertising sales@socalfnbpro.com

Article Submissions/Suggestions articles@socalfnbpro.com

Calendar Submissions calendar@socalfnbpro.com

Website webmaster@socalfnbpro.com

Press Relase Submissions news@socalfnbpro.com

General Information info@socalfnbpro.com

@socalfnbpro

The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Legal Editorial Advisor Andrew Matney

Journalist What’s Brewing David Mulvihill

Accounting Manager Michelle San Juan

Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett Journalist

Best of the Best Shelley Stepanek

Journalist Spirits Confidential Max Solano

Journalist Dishing It Sk Delph

Journalist Front & Back of the House Gael Hees

Photographer Audrey Dempsey

Journalist Chef Talk Allen Asch

Journalist Pat Evans

Journalist The Restaurant Expert David Scott Peters

Journalist Wine Talk Alice Swift

Journalist Sandy Korem

Journalists Twinkle Toast Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover

Journalist Lisa Matney

Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein

Journalist Made from Scratch John Rockwell

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The Bottom Line Alan Moore runs nearly 50 restaurants. Just a few years ago, this would mean millions of dollars invested in real estate, labor and other capital expenses, not to mention a complex operational strategy to keep things running smoothly. But in today’s day and age, this restaurant tycoon can oversee this myriad of brands with little more than a commercial kitchen, a strong marketing eye, and of course, a slew of delivery services that brings them to life.

“We created 4 brands 18 months ago and launched them. Burgers, tacos, pizza and the like. We came up with some cool names and launched them on Postmates and Doordash.

That snowballed,” begins Moore, who not only runs these virtual restaurants but also commands a brick-and-mortar establishment, Cheebo in Hollywood. It was experimenting with the delivery platforms through Cheebo that led Moore to start these virtual brands and ultimately lead a consulting business for the space, Virtual Restaurant Consulting, with his brother, Paul.

“It’s a seismic shift and it’s consumer-led,” Moore said. The passion in his voice resonates through a thick English accent. “The delivery companies are taking over the whole world.”

He’s speaking to the rise of ‘virtual restaurants’ or restaurants that don’t actually sport dining rooms or even pick-up counters. Their physical presence is limited to a commercial kitchen space, and do 100% of their business through delivery platforms, such as Grubhub, Uber Eats, Postmates and DoorDash.

Moore sees virtual restaurants playing a pivotal role in the foodservice industry, and the delivery platforms completely changing the way that traditional brick-and-mortar restaurants structure their menus and operations.

“Running a virtual restaurant is no different than running a traditional restaurant, where you go to work everyday and nurture your business,” Moore said. “It’s not just creating a name and throwing it up on Postmates. You need to create the recipes, cost the menu, handle the photography, build it out of social media and truly bring the virtual restaurant to life. You have to monitor sales, pull up product mix reports, look at your pricing. It’s not just fire and forget.”

But while complex, significantly lower upfront costs open the door to many aspiring restaurateurs looking to break into the field.

And Moore has perfected the process of opening a virtual restaurant, to the point of creating a step-by-step guide for new and prospective owners.

“In 6 weeks, someone will come out with hands-on knowledge of exactly what needs to be done and will have 1–2 virtual restaurants www.socalfnbpro.com

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.

Photo credit: Ben Brown

The Rise of Virtual Restaurants and the Future of Food Delivery

By Ben Brown

ready for launch,” Moore said. He also noted that it was easier to manage multiple virtual restaurant brands rather than just one, claiming that a kitchen is better utilized when several concepts are online.

Virtual restaurants typically take an In-n-Out style approach, with hyper-focused menus that revolve around a shortlist of core products.

So instead of creating a single restaurant that serves burgers, fried chicken, sandwiches and mac ‘n’ cheese, you’d create four restaurants that specialize in each of those categories.

Of utmost importance, however, are several factors. Being transparent about the restaurant being a virtual restaurant, viewing delivery drivers as servers, and engineering your food for delivery are at the top of the list.

“You have to serve food that doesn’t just taste good out of the dining room, but also looks and tastes good after riding in the back of a Ford Fusion for 40 minutes,” Moore said. “Crispy fries will phase out. Crinkle-cut will become more popular because they stay good longer.

We’re producing more spinach dishes than broccoli, because broccoli doesn’t last as long.”

This kind of engineering includes balancing beautiful photography and managing expectations.

“All the photography on the delivery platforms is on a plate, but of course your food isn’t delivered on a plate…customers often feel like

they’re getting less food than what they see in the picture, even though it’s the exact same amount. We’ve been playing around with how to package food so that customers are satisfied with portion sizes.”

Moore says the name of the game is highmargin items that deliver well. This formula helps mitigate the logistical challenges and costs of delivery.

“The old model of food costs of 30–35%, labor of 35–40%, etc. has gone out the window.

A traditional restaurant is going to struggle working with the delivery apps,” Moore said.

“Food cost and packaging together needs to be 22%.”

And it’s not just the cost structure that will change, in Moore’s view. He sees a future where in addition to virtual restaurants, brickand-mortar restaurants will have entirely separate menus solely dedicated to delivery.

“Restaurant food wasn’t necessarily designed for delivery,” Moore said. “The restaurant will offer a menu for delivery that…will be designed differently and conceived differently.”

Find out more about Virtual Restaurant Consulting at VirtualRestaurantConsulting.com.

November 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 5

what’s

photo credit: Brewers Association

BREWING

By David Mulvihill David Mulvihill strives to experience and write about the ever-evolving face of SoCal craft beer. He also covers Orange County for Celebrator Beer News and provides business and compliance support to SoCal breweries. Contact him at david@socalcraftbeer.com.

Kern River Brewing, Brewery Group of the Year with (l-r) Charlie Papazian (Brewers Association), KRBC co-owner Rebecca Giddens, head brewer Brandon Berube, co-owner Eric Giddens and brewer Emily Kirk.

GABF 2019

Additional L.A. Bronze:

The commercial beer competition held during the October, 2019 Great American Beer Festival in Denver marked the largest beer competition ever. There were 9,497 entries from approximately 2,300 brewers spread over 107 categories. Southern California brewers fared very well.

Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, Long Beach: Kilgore (American-style Stout)

Kern County Although slightly north of SoCal, the accomplishments of our friends and brewers in Kern County deserve note.

Kern River Brewing Company’s brewing team of Brandon Berube, Emily Kirk and Andrew Karle came home with a whopping four medals, securing the honors as Brewery Group and Brewery Group Brewer of the Year. No brewery won more medals at this year’s GABF. Gold was received for Gravity Check Session IPA and Nénette Belgian-style Blonde. Silvers went to Side Hike Double Hoppy Red and Brown Claw (Brown Porter). Congrats to owners Rebecca & Eric Giddens, and the entire Kern River team.

Bakersfield’s Temblor Brewing earned a bronze medal for Under a Blood Orange Sky (Belgian-style Witbier).

Los Angeles County The Dudes’ Brewing, in Torrance, was L.A. County’s only multiple-medal winner, receiving silver for Los Dudes’ Cerveza Lager Mexicana and bronze for Grandma’s Pecan (Field Beer category).

L.A. Gold: Gold awards went to Highland Park Brewery for its Timbo Pils (India Pale Lager) and Claremont Craft Ales for its Station101 Double Hoppy Red. Additional L.A. Silver: Arrow Lodge Brewing, Covina: Jungalow Juice Berliner Weisse Ogopogo Brewing, San Gabriel: Boeman Belgian White Firestone Walker The Propagator, Marina Del Rey: Summer Opal Saison 6 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I November 2019

Ambitious Ales, Long Beach: Central Perk (Blonde Coffee Beer)

Bluebird Brasserie, Sherman Oaks: Stay Gold (Belgian-Style Pale Strong) Lucky Luke Brewing, Palmdale: Luke’s Original (Blonde Ale)

Santa Barbara & Ventura MadeWest Brewing,Ventura, received silver for its MadeWest Standard Light Ale. Figueroa Mountain Santa Barbara’s Hoppy Poppy was awarded bronze in the English-style IPA category.

Orange County OC brewers received a total of eight medals.

Two breweries that are no strangers to the GABF awards stage received two medals each.

Evan Price and Green Cheek Beer Co (Orange) scored gold in the Australian-Style Pale Ale category for Australian For Pale and silver in the highly contested (342 entries) American IPA category for Radiant Beauty IPA. Kyle Manns and his crew at TAPS Brewery & Barrel Room, Tustin, were awarded medals in two German-Style beer categories, gold for Krystal Clear (Kristalweizen) and bronze for Don’t Drop That Dun Dun Dunkel (Dunkel (Dark Lager).

And, Bravus Brewing, the Newport Beach-based brewer of non-alcohol beer, took home two medals in the sans-alcohol category: silver for Bravus Oatmeal Stout and bronze for Bravus Barrel-Aged Bourbon Stout. www.socalfnbpro.com

Orange County Gold also went to GameCraft Brewing, Laguna Hills, for There is No Cow Level (Coffee Milk Stout). Tustin Brewing Co took the silver in the same coffee stout category for its highly decorated Portola Breakfast Stout.

San Diego County Having eight gold, five silver and five bronze medals awarded, San Diego County brewers did not disappoint.

SD Gold: Second Chance Beer Co’s Tabula Rasa once again medaled (gold) in the Robust Porter category. Tabula Rasa also received GABF gold in 2016 and 2017.

AleSmith Brewing, San Diego: Private Stock Ale (Old Ale) Breakwater Brewing Co, Oceanside: Rye Dawn (Rye Beer) Pizza Port-Bressi Ranch, Carlsbad: Chronic Amber Ale (Bitter) SouthNorte Beer Co, San Diego: Sea Señor! Mex Lager (Cream Ale) The Lost Abbey, San Marcos: A Creator’s Calling (Aged Beer) Two Roots Brewing Co., San Diego: Enough Said N/A (Non-alcohol) SD Silver: Coronado Brewing, Coronado: Freebooter (Barleywine) Saint Archer, San Diego: Citra Pils (American Pils) SouthNorte Beer, San Diego: Agavemente (Specialty)

Gold medal winning GameCraft Brewing accepting its gold medal.

Thunderhawk Alements, San Diego: Bowie Knife (American Black) Stone - Liberty Station, San Diego: Cimmerian Portal (American Stout) SD Bronze: Coronado Brewing, San Diego: Weekend Vibes IPA (American IPA), Chula Vista Brewery, Chula Vista: Browner Than Ivan (American-Style Brown) Kilowatt Brewing, San Diego: OB Bubble Dubbel (Belgian-Style Dubbel) Resident Brewing Co., San Diego: Industrial Gris (Belgian/French) Rip Current Brewing, San Marcos: Rescue Buoy (Imperial Stout)

Riverside & San Bernardino Counties Kings Brewing Co., Rancho Cucamonga two bronze medals: Fluffernutter, a fruited sour with raspberry, grape jelly, peanut butter marshmallow and vanilla (Experimental) and Rossano (Barrel-aged Saison refermented on cran and strawberries).

Aftershock Brewing Co., Temecula: Bronze: Red Alert (Amber/Red).

The team at Green Cheek Beer Co made two trips to the 2019 GABF stage.

Brewmaster Tomme Arthur and The Lost Abbey crew accepting their gold medal.

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November 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 7

Product Review

By Bob Barnes

H2rOse Rose water is nothing new, and in fact, its use dates back to ancient history and was favored by Cleopatra and Michelangelo. Over centuries it has been used to cleanse the skin as a topical skin toner, and now it’s also appreciated as a healthy beverage, as drinking rose water also purifies the body thanks to the flavonoids, tannins and other essential vitamins it contains, namely A, C, D, E and B3. H2rOse is made of rose water, as well as saffron and other natural ingredients and along with a pleasant scent has an equally pleasant subtle flavor, in addition to additions of peach, apple, mango or wild berry, which are the three available flavors. Other bonuses are that rose water aids with the relief of occasional nervous tensions, soothes the mind and may help with a better quality sleep; and saffron, which also dates back to ancient times, eases digestion, soothes irritated stomachs, enhances your mood, reduces occasional anxiety and compulsive desires to eat. Furthermore, at only 40 calories per 16.9 oz serving, it could become addicting, in a way that is good for you. drinkh2rose.com

Chivas Regal 13 Launched in 1909, Chivas Regal has a long and respected reputation for being a leading producer of blended Scotch whisky. This special edition blend, created exclusively for the US market where Manchester United has over 8 million fans, not only celebrates the team’s manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s record 13 Premier League titles, but brings a US angle to the table: after being aged for the symbolic 13 years, a portion is finished in American rye casks. The bottle label proclaims it as being an ultra smooth and mellow blend with sweet, delicate vanilla notes, and after tasting it I have to agree. The packaging features the team colors of red, black and white, iconic imagery of the Club and Sir Alex Ferguson’s signature in gold script. This special edition is not only a collector’s item for a football (soccer) fan, but a pleasant tribute to a Scottish/American connection and one any whisky connoisseur will appreciate. www.chivas.com/en-US/our-collection/chivas-13-manchester-united-limited-edition

Real McCoy 5-Year Aged Rum This rum company is named for Bill McCoy, the pioneer rum runner of the Prohibition era who would fill a boat with alcohol in the Caribbean, sail it up to NYC, and legally act as a floating liquor store in international waters three miles off shore. McCoy never adulterated the alcohol as other rum runners did, and hence his spirits became known as "The Real McCoy." In like manner, this multi-award winning collection of rum made in Barbados is also completely unadulterated, with no added sugars, flavors or perfumes, using only the finest blackstrap molasses and pure spring water to produce small batch singledistilled rum in a rare artisan combination of column and pot stills, then aged in heavy char American Oak bourbon barrels. The flagship is the 5-Year Aged, and is what I would consider a whiskey lover’s rum, for unlike most other modified rums that come off as overly sweet, since no additional sugar or flavors are added, it delivers a smooth, well-balanced texture with caramel and toasted almond on the palate. As a proclaimed whiskey lover myself, I highly recommend this aged, unmodified rum, as well as their other two expressions: the 3-Year Aged Silver Rum and 12-Year Aged Super Premium Rum. www.realmccoyspirits.com

Yatir Creek Winery A country that doesn’t get enough recognition for its quality wine is Israel, which has produced prized grapes for winemaking since the ancient days of the Judean Kingdom dating back 3,000 years. This boutique winery, founded in 2000 and located in the southern tip of the Judean Hills, recently entered the US market with two releases using grapes grown in the Yatir Forest. The Yatir Creek Judean Hills 2016, a blend of 76% Syrah, 12% Tannat and 12% Malbec grapes aged for 12 months in oak foudres and matured for two years in the bottle, displays a deep purple color, aromas reminiscent of black cherries and toasted almonds and flavors of fruit and a slightly salty and pleasant bitter finish. The Yatir Mt. Amasa White Jordean Hills 2017, a blend of 52% Viognier, 33% Chenin Blanc and 15% Roussanne grapes matured for 5 months in a combination of concrete amphorae, oak barrels and stainless steel vats, presents golden, pale-greenish hues, aromas hinting at melon and peach and flavors of lemon and pear with a refreshing finish. yatirwinery.com/en

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SPIRITS CONFIDENTIAL with Max Solano London: At Top of the Cocktail World Part 3 of 4

10. Tayer - Very recently opened in 2019 by friends

Alex Kratena and Monica Berg, Tayer is the second, more serious mixology-centric bar of the two bars that comprises Tayer & Elementary. Located in the rear half of the venue, to me, the setting was more reminiscent of a bar counter placed in a kitchen space, but one cannot deny the cool, unique design.

Highs: The cocktail menu, although limited in its selections compared to many of the other bars we frequented, certainly offered some delicious, thoughtful and well-executed libations. The brilliance of this menu was the uniqueness of many of the ingredients utilized. However, quite a few of their cocktails consisted of no more than four total ingredients. Cocktails were very well-priced!

Lows: The menu design, itself, was very basic and showed very little love put into it and garnishing was very minimalistic.

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.

fee, they are made available for consumption mixed in your favorite libation or simply on their own…

How cool is that!!

Lows: Nothing special about the menu. Again, garnishing very minimalistic.

8. Sexy Fish - “Sexy” is right on!! Gorgeous space

in a bustling area! And, rumored to have the largest selection of Japanese whiskies (close to 500) under one roof outside of Japan. So, this is what Heaven looks like!

Highs: The menu, itself, is an artistic showpiece.

The inspiration comes from a compilation of cocktails that were gathered from pop-ups that the SF bar team had done at famous bars all over the world. The photography is also magnificent. And, the cocktails were all diverse and delicious!

Lows: Again, although the cocktails were splendid, I cannot overemphasize the minimalism to nonexistence of garnishing, which I do consider! Also, as expected, the pricing for the Japanese whiskies are not for the faint of heart.

7. Coburg - This is the sister lounge bar of the worldrenowned, Connaught Bar, located immediately upon entering the hotel to the right almost in an elegant and pleasant bar-solarium setting.

Highs: Basic perfected! They are not doing anything groundbreaking, but have perfected their craft. The cocktails were all symphonies on the palate. Their clarified milk punch was one of the best cocktails we had on the entire trip!

Lows: Downplayed not to take away the spotlight from the Connaught Bar. The menu was a little simpler then what could have been showcased at this venue.

6.

Connaught - What else can be said? It’s the friggin’ Connaught! There should never be a surprise to why this bar always finds itself atop of the world’s best. As a matter of fact, it was just named No. 2 in 2019’s “World’s Best Bar” list.

Highs: Nearly flawless! Had we taken other elements into account such as quality and level of service and staff education, ambience, quality of food, etc. into our scoring criteria, this could have very possibly been our No. 1, overall. Also, the 9. KWĂNT - Pronounced “Quaint,” this venue menu offerings are well thought out and very deep! was not on our original list, but was highly Lows: The menu design is underwhelming for recommended by multiple locals. Come to find out the caliber and reputation of this venue. Also, the that evening, Eric Lorincz was behind the concept, price points are a little higher, as expected, but how which is a beautiful space that has many early does one justify charging £22 for a Bloody Mary?

1900’s design characteristics with some Tiki lounge Ee-gads!! touches.

Highs: Quite a few highlights here! Great selection That’s it, for now, ladies and gentlemen! Next of signature cocktails and also offered some month, we wrap up our countdown with our Top vintage cocktail selections. The real highlight was 5 selections! Who will be No. 1? Stay tuned… Til the considerable collection of 1940’s-1980’s vintage then, chaps! spirits that were on display. However, for a nominal ~ Cheerio! www.socalfnbpro.com

photo credit: Max Solano

As we continue where we left off from last month’s Part 2 of our whirlwind three-day London cocktail experience back in August, we cracked into the countdown of bars from nos. 15 down to 11. Curiously enough, the list of the World’s Best Bars was released approximately three weeks ago, just shortly after Part 2 was published. Once again, another “Best Of” list, and yet, no explanation or concise criteria regarding that committee’s selection process… For shame!! Of course, it comes as no surprise that London bars fared very well!

Just to remind you, our intent and focus were solely on the cocktail menus and cocktail offerings so specific categories we scored each venue on were: depth of the cocktail menu’s unique offerings, cocktail menu design and creativity, overall cocktail menu depth, cocktail presentation, cocktail translation (description ties to cocktail flavors and theme), cocktail balance & quality, cocktail value & lastly, level of difficulty & time of execution.

Each of these categories had a specific scoring range attached to it and the three of us on our own time carefully evaluated and scored each venue.

Once done, we got together, tallied our scores and discussed the results! FYI, the selection process from here on forward was very difficult and, in some, cases, scores were separated by a mere handful of points. So, without further a due, let the nos. 10 through 6 countdown commence.

By Max A. Solano

November 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 9

| Foodie Biz | Photos by Ben Brown

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@socalfnbpro.com or follow him @Foodie_Biz.

Newport Beach Wine and Food Celebrates 6 Years of Culinary Mastery Seared ahi in one hand, braised short rib in the other, with a glass of chardonnay bouncing whimsically as it hangs around your neck. You’ve long since lost count of how many of Maggiano’s heavenly chocolate zuccotto cake balls you’ve indulged in.

The clinking of glasses has become a natural symphony for the afternoon, a product of groups cheers-ing, vendors leaving patrons with a jubilant impression, or just those wine glass necklaces clanking against some fine Orange County jewelry. The clinking is briefly overshadowed by the commanding voice of Richard Blais as he creates an explosion of boiling water and liquid nitrogen, sparking a roar of applause. It’s an iconic moment at the Newport Beach Wine and Food Festival, where food fans are living their best life.

After building up quite a reputation in its first five years, the Newport Beach Wine and Food Festival continues to step up its game, providing a premiere experience for food fans, wine aficionados and starstruck audiences of celebrity chef cooking demonstrations. Three days of grand tastings and private events allowed guests to explore some of Orange County’s best culinary offerings.

Friday’s ‘Fire It Up’ kicked off the festival by setting a very high bar, whereby chefs showcased their grilling talents amidst an intimate shoreside setting. Taking place at the Balboa Bay Resort with some booths literally on the sand, this gourmet barbecue saw lavish displays of lamb, sausage, seafood and more ribs than you could imagine.

Top Chef celebrities Brooke Williamson and Casey Thompson’s gigantic shrimp and Chilean seabass were tastes for the memory books, as was Knife’s pork ribs, jalapeno cornbread and bacon jam. Patrons enjoyed Tackle Box’s Korean BBQ short ribs and Ms. Chi Café’s rack of lamb as well, alongside a myriad of wines and cocktails with live music performing in the foreground of a sunset ocean view in Southern California.

A seamless transition led to the first of the weekend’s two grand tastings, held at the Newport Beach Civic Center. Stretching across three massive tents, Saturday’s festivities boasted dozens of restaurants, bakeries, wineries and other drink purveyors.

Five Crown’s chicken pies delivered savory, buttery sustenance, while Olea’s duck liver pate boasted the same traits in its own distinct way. Filomena’s Italian Kitchen served up a lovely penne alla vodka with sausage, and The Winery Restaurant’s lamb sandwiches were a smash hit. And then there was Bluegold and LXSO’s curry, which had people coming back for seconds, thirds and fourths.

The cooking stage was its own highlight, emceed by Orange County local and veteran chef Jaime Gwen, whose energy and culinary knowledge pushed each demonstration to new heights. Brooke Williamson and fellow Top Chef star Shirley Chung put on a wildly entertaining cooking demo that brought new life to vegan desserts, while Kelsey Barnard Clark led the audience in an alluring yet approachable way to cook up fried chicken and biscuits with Alabama style. The day belonged to Antonia Lofaso, however, who wowed the audience with simple and beautiful cooking techniques and a heck of a stage presence.

Sunday saw much of the same magic, with many new restaurants showcasing their own culinary novelties. Sprinkles cupcakes made its debut at Newport Food and Wine, doling out literally thousands of cupcakes to anyone with a sweet tooth. Crack Shack also came out for its first year, strategically steering away from its famous fried chicken (it’s nearly impossible to make fried chicken for the masses at a food festival) and instead showcasing some excellent grilled chicken ‘California Reubens.’

And with Crack Shack came Richard Blais, a long-time partner with the Newport Beach Wine and Food Festival. As predicted, the vocal culinary gastronomist completely stole the show. Some spectacular cooking certainly took place, but it may have taken a back seat to the hilarious jokes and banter commanded by Blais’ larger-than-life personality. He finished things off by bringing back the homemade flamethrower, sealing a show perfected for entertainment.

Additional events took participants across the region, from a golf tournament and brunch at Pelican Hill to a cooking demo and wine tasting with Nobu Matsuhisa himself at Nobu Newport Beach.

For more information, visit NewportWineAndFood.com.

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Festival of Fall: Ever Been to a Food Festival in a Private Mansion?

The long walk up the driveway of the famous Laurabelle A. Robinson House already encompasses more real estate than most people will own in their lifetime.

Experiencing many of Pasadena’s finest restaurants serving up signature dishes across this breathtaking property, however, takes food festivals to a whole new level.

There’s sometime truly special about biting into braised short rib whilst looking out over a private infinity pool and onto the sun setting behind the canyon.

This sense of allure has allowed the annual Festival of Fall to go 45 years strong, bringing together some of Pasadena’s finest for an evening of extravagant food and drink in the historic Laurabelle A. Robinson House (read: one of the grandest mansions you will ever see). This fundraiser event, which begins with a food festival and leads into a live auction, benefited AbilityFirst, a nonprofit organization dedicated to programming and support for children and adults with disabilities.

Circling around the mansion’s front entrance were Mi Piace, with decadent truffle mac ‘n’ cheese; Sushi Roku, with an intriguing tuna hand roll that incorporated fresh arugula and Parmesan; Celestino Ristorante with excellent Bolognese; and Bone Kettle, serving impeccable fried rice. Walk through the mansion’s vast garden, which includes a blissfully fitting pumpkin patch, and arrive at a built-in outdoor bar taken over by Golden Road Brewing. Serving alongside them were Lawry’s and Tam O’Shanter, serving their iconic cuts, as well as NOOR with melt-in-yourmouth ravioli.

Another stroll took you to the basketball court, occupied by the likes of Roy’s Restaurant, El Cholo Café, Julienne Fine Foods & Celebrations, Gale’s Restaurant and one of the night’s true standouts, Bacchus’ Kitchen, whose fried chicken tacos were truly something else.

A nature walk past the putting green and over a manmade stream took you to the main stage, where tables for 500 were set up amidst one of the grandest views in Pasadena. After a fun liquid nitrogen demonstration by SuperCool Creamery, emcee Jeff Michael of CBS2News took the mic for the live auction to begin. An opening donation of $15,000 kicked off strong support for AbilityFirst that continued through the night’s end, raising more than $260,000 in total.

The event honored LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger with the AbilityFirst Champion Award, and included testimonials from numerous AbilityFirst participants and their families. Auction items included everything from experiences with the night’s participating restaurants to Tuscan getaways and yes, even a live puppy.

Festival of Fall will undoubtedly continue its momentum to 2020.

For more information, visit www.abilityfirst.org/events/festival-of-fall.

Pasadena Puts on City-Sponsored Food Tour, WinePas Old Town Pasadena put on a clever spin on food events, melding together the city’s restaurants together with its boutique retail shops for an intriguing walking food tour. WinePas was designed to showcase some of the town’s quaint and tasteful (in more ways than one) highlights while raising money for the Pasadena Educational Foundation, which supports grants for the city’s teachers.

Some of those local teachers doubled as guides for this special evening, donning pastel-orange shirts and leading small groups through narrow corridors just off the Old Town’s iconic Colorado Boulevard. It was a new discovery of the area, even for the most seasoned Pasadena locals.

While most food tours lead groups through restaurants, WinePas took a different approach by bringing restaurants and guests alike into local retail shops. The first stop took people into Gold Bug, a specialty trinket store with exotic merchandise sourced from across the world, where amidst gemstones and faux cow skulls stood a booth for Bone Kettle, who served their papaya salad and steak tartare.

The process repeated five times, where patrons got a new tandem dining and shopping experience each step of the way. Maestro’s ceviche and take on Mexican street corn, The Pan’s everything pizza and Fish Wives’ crab cakes were some of the additional culinary highlights, hosted in retail shops Finn + Willow, Fresh and Sugarfina respectively.

The tour ended at The Celler, an alluring ‘hidden’ wine room in the heart of Old Town. Michael Calderon, regionally acclaimed as “Mr. Pasadena,” served as the event’s Title Host and Sponsor and was present to spread jubilance throughout the experience. Calderon played a large role in planning the event as well as funding it, and spoke to combining retail and food as a means to expose patrons to the community in a new way.

All proceeds from WinePas go directly to the Pasadena Educational Foundation.

Whether this becomes an annual festivity is to be determined, but it was undoubtedly met with great enjoyment for all who participated.

For more information, visit www.WinePas.com. www.socalfnbpro.com

November 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 11

Horse Soldier Bourbon

Legendary Men, Legendary Spirits

By SK Delph | Photo Credit: American Freedom Distillery & Sunship Films

We could say that America was built on horseback and bourbon. Our heritage and history run as hard as mustangs stampeding across the open desert of the southwest and as deep as a good barrel-strength bourbon. American Freedom Distillery’s Horse Soldier Bourbon has a story rooted in both patriotism and good spirits. The rodeo will be coming to Las Vegas during which Southern Glazer’s will sponsor a special viewing of Twelve Strong along with an exclusive tasting of Horse Soldier Bourbon which you won’t want to miss.

Fearless

“We were just fearless," said Scott Neil, CoFounder of American Freedom Distillery, Horse Soldier Bourbon.

There stands a monument at Ground Zero honoring twelve brave Green Berets who entered Afghanistan just days after 9/11, a day that needs no introduction or explanation. It’s a day when we as Americans collectively skipped a heartbeat. Their bravery changed the scope of a playing field that was warped in unfair disadvantages through treacherous Afghan mountain terrain. And they did it on horseback.

All twelve came home as true American heroes.

But the story doesn’t end there. “The same group of guys went into Iraq and we fought for almost 20 years … we went back altogether 5 to 7 times and every year, we were either retired, injured or we were killed.” said Scott,

his words heavy in the air. This has become by far the longest active war in American history.

Their story is commemorated by the America’s Response Monument at Ground Zero and by their own creation of ‘Horse Soldier Bourbon.’

“We actually have available to us metal from steel beams and girders recovered from the World Trade Center and so we shipped 500 lbs to a foundry in West Virginia to create the mold for our bottles. We wanted it to be an allAmerican product,” said Scott. I believe they achieved something even better.

Twelve courageous Green Berets entered Afghanistan on horseback with the conviction to single-handedly take out the Taliban. Their mission: overthrow the Taliban, kill or capture senior al-Qaeda and Taliban leadership. Tall orders for a top-secret mission of twelve horse soldiers carrying the heart of the nation to respond to the most catastrophic terrorist attack

12 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I November 2019

in America to date. “We didn’t know what we were doing,” said Scott, “We were just fearless.

Some people fear even starting (a business). As Green Berets, we adapt and learn very quickly.

We didn’t know anything about the business, right? We knew if we all worked together and worked hard to learn the business, we could do it. The discipline of an expeditionary entrepreneur means being in the middle of nowhere, surrounded, alone and unafraid. You can’t get into distilling easily if you don’t know anything about the distilling business, but we didn’t know that. We went in fearless.”

A New Mission

Having a mission may be the one most important driving factor of people in the military. As great as the mission in Afghanistan was, they have a new mission, and that’s to produce the best bourbon they possibly can. When Scott Neil retired, he www.socalfnbpro.com

and John Koko went to Yellowstone National Park for a month. Scott spoke passionately: “We journeyed on horseback to get back to nature. We climbed the Grand Tetons, went fly fishing and we entered our first distillery and thought, ‘wow this is different.’ It was science, art, passion and everything we had been missing. So, we cut our trip short and hit every distillery from Idaho to Tampa. It took three weeks to get home. We called the rest of the guys and said, ‘Hey man, you wanna be a distiller?’ It was a way to bring the guys back together for a great new purpose.

We flew to Scotland to learn the art of making scotch where master distillers taught us how to operate the stills and work the mashes and yeast and then we asked the question, ‘What’s the difference between Irish whiskey and scotch?’ and took off to Ireland and from there we traveled around the world. We didn’t know what we were doing, but it didn’t stop us. We ventured to study some of the oldest distilleries in the world and that’s how we decided to start our own distillery. We took every opportunity to learn from master distillers.”

Being part of a distillery meant they were all willing to do whatever it takes to make the best bourbon and love what they were doing. The spirit of the American Freedom Distillery speaks volumes of the commitment, the dedication and the sacrifice they’ve all experienced throughout their military careers as Green Berets. “Failure is not an option,” said Scott. “It carries over in everything we do.”

They make their bourbon in Ohio and there’s a reason for that. “It’s too hot in Tampa, Florida,” said Scott. To let you in on a little bourbon lore, by law bourbon must be made of at least 51% corn and a ‘wheated’ is a bourbon where the second major ingredient is wheat.

American Freedom Distillery offers four types of bourbon: Horse Soldier Straight Bourbon, which is referred to as a ‘straight bourbon’ because it’s aged between 2 to 4 years and uses a mash bill of 65% corn, 30% rye and 5% barley; Horse Soldier Small Batch Bourbon, a wheated using 70% corn, 20% wheat and 10% barley produced by mixing the contents from a small number of hand-selected barrels to create a higher premium bourbon; Horse Soldier Signature Barrel Strength Bourbon, which uses

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the term ‘barrel proof’ to show it was bottled at the same proof as the barrel with no added water, made with 70% corn, 20% wheat and 10% barley; and Horse Soldier Commander Select 12-year-old Bourbon, a ‘single barrel release’ selected and hand-bottled by men from the Operational Detachment Alpha Team 595 that uses the ‘straight bourbon’ mash bill of 65% corn, 30% rye and 5% barley. They are currently in the process of opening a new tasting room in St. Petersburg, Florida where they look forward to adding to the joys of bourbon tasting.

It will be a place where they can gather with those interested to learn about the process of distilling bourbon and hear their war stories— an interactive experience to be enjoyed while sipping on their very special creation of Horse Soldier Bourbon.

Awards & Charities

“We have now won more medals in bourbon then we have in combat!! ~ Scott Neil Cofounder Horse Soldier Bourbon The journey has paid off. Horse Soldier’s Commander’s Select 12-year Bourbon won Double Gold in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2019, and the Horse Soldier Small Batch Bourbon took Gold in the 2019 New York International Spirits Competition, among other awards.

Their charities include The Warrior Sailing Program, The Green Beret Foundation, The Armed Forces Families Foundation and The Folded Flag. “We need to honor and do what we can for our veterans,” said Scott. “We come from the community. Each year we participate with different charities and do different events and our bottles (usually a very limited-edition single barrel) from ‘Whiskey and War Stories’ have gone for as high as $15,000 at auction and it all goes to charity.”

The Warrior Sailing Program, hosted by the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, helps military service members with PTSD, brain injury, amputation, paralysis and nerve damage by getting them out on the water which can provide physical, mental and emotional therapy. Sailing is a great way to

cope with the long-term effects of these war inflicted disabilities and a great way for warrior sailors to use their natural military instincts and abilities. “They taught us how to sail and from there, we went on to compete. We raced from St. Petersburg, Florida to beautiful Isla Mujeres, Mexico and we got 2nd place!” said Scott Neil.

To accomplish this race, they sailed 456 miles of ocean as a team and the surprises just kept coming. They don’t limit their group activities to sailing: “On the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, we jumped out of airplanes. It’s what keeps us together!” Scott Neil and all of the ‘Twelve Horse Soldiers’ have a zest for life that is hard to match.

It’s this same team spirit that is now producing one of the most reputable bourbon brands on the market. It’s not an accident when you get a group of highly motivated Green Berets together that they want to compete and at very high levels. After having given of themselves not just once but several times over the span of their military careers to the service of our country, they continue with the same fierce dedication in creating the best possible bourbon they can. That spirit is in their blood.

The Horse Soldier story at several points brought tears to my eyes and I was sincerely moved to go out and buy a bottle of Horse Soldier Bourbon and try it for myself. I chose the Signature Horse Soldier Small Batch Hand Selected Bourbon. Opening the bottle, the sweet oak beckoned with vanilla accents. Cinnamon and toffee blossomed, and I was transported to feelings of home, hearth and thoughts of the holidays adding yet another reason for the tears brimming my eyes. The sip was complex: cherry and caramel with just enough heat and a smooth finish. The flavor brought up images of Thanksgiving and I thought of our many troops who have missed holidays with their families to fight for our freedom. I placed this bourbon on my Christmas gift list. What could be more perfect? Cheers to the horse soldiers who fought valiantly for our nation, their bravery and patriotism and to our great American spirit!

For more info on Horse Soldier Bourbon visit americanfreedomdistillery.com/horse-soldier.

November 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 13

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.

Photo credit: Elaine and Scott Harris

Since 1068 Europe’s Oldest Winery Schloss Salenegg Has Been Producing High Quality Swiss Wines

Many are surprised to learn that Europe’s oldest winery is in Switzerland in the stunning village of Maienfeld in the Canton of Graubünden.

Visiting this region, easily accessible from Zurich airport via the Swiss Federal Railway, will enliven the traveler with its clean air, majestic mountains, clear blue lakes and special thermal waters—invoking images that come to life like a childhood story book and yes, it is the setting for Johanna Spyri’s 1880 novel of Heidi, and of course named Heidiland by locals for almost a century. The allure of Spyri’s novel lives on with over 150,000 yearly visitors to the region.

It all began around 950 A.D. when the abbot of Pfäfers Monastery laid the foundation for the present castle and vineyard. The first record of viticulture in the region was in 950 and the Pfafers monks are also mentioned with this same wine estate in Maienfeld archives in 1068.

The huge wooden wine press (Torkelbaum), dates from 1656 and is closely linked with the history of the Von Gugelberg family of Castle Salenegg. The young winemaker at Weingut Schloss Salenegg, is the same-named Weingut Schloss Salenegg, who has been involved in the winemaking process as an intern and now has taken the reigns as resident winemaker. “I am the winemaker and I am very proud to be here,” said Weingut. “We have 13 hectors, which is big for the region, but not for Switzerland.

The special thing is in a small town such as

Maienfeld there are 14 or 15 working cellars.”

In modern times, the family blends tradition with advanced winemaking techniques. A good example is their Pinot Noir—punch downs and fermentation continues for ten days in steel tanks and then are moved to the old traditional wooden barrels where the full expression of the region begins.

The Pinot Blanc "Schloss Salenegg" is the traditional wine of the region. The Calcareous slate soil provides brilliant minerality to the wine and is the flagship of Salenegg Castle.

In the glass, it shows light floral notes. On the nose, ripe red cherry and hints of earth jump out of the glass moving on to light spice notes on the palate with moderate tannins on the finish. The Le Miroir, Salenegg Castle, Assemblage, AOC Graubünden is a light Pinot Noir produced in a steel tank without any wood influence. This wine has plenty of bright cherry notes and light spice, making this wine an excellent easy-tosip companion for any occasion. For a bigger experience, the Cuvée Rouge AOC Graubünden is the answer. A blend of Zweigelt and Merlot combine dark fruit aromas and balanced tannins to marry to impress the nose and the palate of any oenophile.

Grab a bottle, take a seat and enjoy grilled meat like the Boeuf Stroganoff and cigar by the fireplace. Rose wine is a nice refreshing treat on warmer days. The Rose Castle Salenegg Castle, Pinot Noir AOC Graubünden delights the palate

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with its magnificent color, crisp acidity and bright cherry flavors. When its time for some bubbles, Les Etincelles de Salenegg Blanc de Blanc, AOC Graubünden is a brilliant choice.

The mineral soils of the Grisons are perfect for Chardonnay grapes. On the nose of this sparkling wine you find a lovely bouquet of exotic fruits typical of the Chardonnay. On the palate, it’s refreshing acidity and fine spicy notes provide an exceptional experience sip by sip. In this region, every castle makes a dessert wine.

The Le Solei d'Ulysse Salenegg Castle, Pinot Noir, Dessert Wine is theirs. In this expression, Pinot Noir fermentation was interrupted with

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Pinot Noir brandy from its own distillery and then sweetly expanded in the barrique. On the nose, red fruit aromas are prominent, giving way to a palate that is elegant without alcoholic heaviness. This dessert wine is just plain fun and shows off Pinot Noir brilliantly.

The Castle is now owned by family von Gugelberg von Moos. Believe it or not, there have been no changes made to the architecture since 1652. In addition to wine, they also produce more than 20 different delicate vinegars, which is unusual for the region. This land and castle have stood the test of time and you can taste the tradition in very sip.

Families immerse themselves in the world of Heidi and Peter at the original site of Heidi history; active guests are on their way between lake and mountain with a hiking backpack or mountain bike or regenerate in the spectacular health resort, The Grand Resort Bad Ragaz.

Wine options abound, with over a dozen gourmet restaurants such as the restaurant Falknis located within the historic hotel Falknis where local culture brings interesting flavors to curious connoisseurs.

In the cold season, the winter sport areas of Flumserberg and Pizol, with over 100 km of slopes, captivate eager sports enthusiasts.

Great gourmet restaurants like Schloss Brandis in the middle of the town of Maienfeld in the old medieval Brandis Castle, a deserving member of the esteemed ChaÎne des Rôtisseurs, showcase the elegance already established by the Bad Ragaz resort of Grand Hotel Quellenhof and Spa. From winery Salenegg, considered the oldest existing winery in Europe, to the region’s fabled thermal waters, Heidiland continues to embrace and engage tourists with long lasting tradition that makes story tales come to life.

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November 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 15

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 The Colosseum at Caesars Palace is lining up singing superstars for short residencies with Journey appearing during New Year’s Eve week.

Keith Urban has 12 concerts planned for his all-new Vegas show beginning Jan. 10-11. Rod Stewart will return for 16 shows ending Oct. 3, 2020.

Jeff Dunham with puppet cohorts including new member and Presidential advisor, “Larry,” will visit The Colosseum five times through May 24 as part of a new 63-city tour.

The Doobie Brothers first Las Vegas residency at The Venetian Theatre inside The Venetian begins February 2020. For the third year, Chicago will return for an eight-show engagement starting Feb. 28-29.

“Billy Idol: Las Vegas Presented by SiriusXM” is extended and will return to The Pearl at Palms in March 2020.

The Bronx Wanderers celebrated their 1,000th Las Vegas performance after opening three years ago at Bally’s and before moving to The LINQ last February.

“Fantasy” at the Luxor celebrated its 20th anniversary and released the sexy show’s annual calendar “2020: Vision of Beauty.”

Global wonder Dermot Kennedy releasing his debut album “Without Fear” will make a tour stop at The Pearl at Palms on Feb. 7.

Donny and Marie Osmond were honored by the Las Vegas Walk of Stars with a shared star outside the Flamingo where they have headlined for more than 11 years.

Grammy Award-winning band Fleetwood Mac’s final show for their 2018/2019 world tour will be Saturday, Nov. 16 at T-Mobile Arena.

Comedian Earthquake has a six-week residency through Nov. 23 at the Laugh Factory in the Tropicana with 7 p.m. shows Thursday-Saturday.

“Blanc De Blanc” at the Sahara moved its 7 p.m. showtime to 8 p.m.

“Magic Mike Live Las Vegas” at the Hard Rock, which changes to Virgin Hotels in 2020, closes Nov. 24 and will re-open at the Sahara, which is making a $150 million renovation, in Spring 2020.

Human Nature celebrated 10 years as Las Vegas resident headliners and announced their extension in the Sands Showroom at The Venetian through March 2022.

Comedian Luenell extended her gig at Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club at The LINQ Promenade with 10 p.m. Sunday shows through Jan. 5.

Gwen Stefani’s final 16 dates for her two-year residency at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood will be in February and May 2020.

The Magic Attic previously named Windows Showroom on Bally’s mezzanine level was unveiled with current acts “Xavier Mortimer’s Magical Dream,” “Paranormal Mind Reading Magic” and “Potted Potter.”

Hard Rock opened a specially curated Memorabilia Exhibition running through Jan. 21, 2020, to celebrate the resort’s 25-year history and added three items from Otis Redding, Michael Jackson and Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia through Dec. 31.

Museum of Selfies with interactive installations for taking fun images opened its first location outside of Hollywood, Calif., inside Miracle Mile Shops.

Official Lost Vegas: Tim Burton @ The Neon Museum merchandise is available at The Neon Museum where Burton’s exhibit runs through Feb. 15, 2020.

Las Vegas Monorail Company plans a new Sands Avenue station providing a direct connection to the Sands Expo Center, The Venetian and The Palazzo Resorts, and the MSG Sphere under construction with a later expansion to Mandalay Bay Resort.

DINING

Lip Smacking Foodie Tours, a premier Las Vegas culinary walking tour, has added the Arts District Lip Smacking Tour with visits to Esther’s The Underground at The Mob Museum is Kitchen, Jammyland and Cornish Pasty Co. making its house-distilled, corn-mash Moonshine available for off-premise sales beginning with 19 Lee’s Liquor stores.

Dueling Axes, Columbus, Ohio’s indoor axethrowing lounge, will join AREA15’s experiential retail and entertainment complex opening next year.

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada celebrated three years of bike share service downtown with 21 stations, 200 Toasted, Las Vegas’ first Gastrobrunch bikes, and 20 electric pedal-assist bikes. concept featuring restaurateur Sami Located in Boulder City, Rail Explorers features Ladeki’s creative breakfast and lunch cuisine, pedal-powered, two- or four-seat rail bike guided opened on W. Flamingo Road off Highway I-215. excursions along tracks used during construction Whiskey Licker Up, a full-service saloon of the Hoover Dam. offering food and with two balconies and a The Palms is building a 70-foot tall transparent rotating bar opened downtown at Binion’s. dome over KAOS dayclub/nightclub making Bellagio will launch The Mayfair Supper Club, it a climate-controlled, fully enclosed domed an elegant restaurant with live entertainment structure. nightly, over New Year’s weekend.

Chapels at The Pawn is a new tenant at Pawn Daniel Kermani and his team of baristas opened Plaza next to the World Famous Gold & Silver Daniel’s Coffee & More, a modern sophisticated Pawn Shop. coffee boutique at 335 E. Silverado Ranch Blvd.

Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Garden’s #100. autumn display runs through Nov. 30 with the holiday design following Dec. 7-Jan. 4, 2020.

ABOUT TOWN Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin signed a deal CraftHaus Brewery opened a second taproom with MGM to buy Circus Circus for $825 million. CraftHaus Arts District downtown with Donovan Caesars Entertainment is selling the Rio All-Suite Fitzgerald’s custom mural featuring a “Jubilee!”Hotel & Casino to a New York-based real estate inspired showgirl. group for $516.3 million and will lease it for a Discovery Children’s Museum opened the minimum of two years continuing the Caesars museum’s newest Eco City “business” interactive Subaru Car Care Center.

Rewards network and World Series of Poker.

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Chef Jose “JoJo” Ruiz Recognized by James Beard Foundation ~ as a Smart Catch Leader for Lionfish and Newly-Opened Serea Chef Ruiz’s Seafood Program and Commitment to Sustainable Seafood at Gaslamp’s Lionfish and Coronado’s Ser~ ea Earns Him Smart Catch Seal

By Alexandra Lasky | President. Owner. | The influence. | theinfluence.com Chef Jose “JoJo” Ruiz has again been recognized as a James Beard Foundation Smart Catch Leader, this time for the newly-opened Serẽa, making it the only restaurant on Coronado Island to receive this recognition.

Chef Ruiz was also recognized by the prestigious culinary foundation for the second time as a Smart Catch Leader for Lionfish, making both restaurants the only two in San Diego to receive the recognition.

Serẽa, located at the historic Hotel del Coronado, and the Gaslamp District’s Lionfish — both of which are helmed by Partner/Chef Ruiz — were recognized due to their commitment to sustainable seafood and menu diversity.

Fewer than 20 of California’s estimated 76,000 restaurants are recognized

by Smart Catch.

“We were committed to sustainable sourcing when we opened both Lionfish and Serẽa, not for the accolades, but because it was right,” Chef Ruiz said. “I grew up in San Diego. The ocean is a part of who I am. There was never a question that my menus wouldn’t be focused on sustainability.

To be recognized twice as a Smart Catch Leader is humbling, but to able to do my part to make sure future generations have sustainable food sources is even better.”

In order to be recognized by James Beard Foundation, restaurant menus must meet or exceed 80 percent sustainability, and restaurants must submit to three assessments per year. Further, “red” items, or seafood that is overfished or caught or farmed in ways that harm other marine life, can only appear twice on menus and must total 8 percent volume or less.

As one of the country’s most prominent culinary institutions, the James Beard Foundation’s Smart Catch is a program created by chefs for chefs with the purpose of increasing the sustainability of the seafood supply chain.

Serẽa and Lionfish are two of three restaurants in the San Diego area to have earned this Smart Catch Leader recognition.

Opened in February 2017 from Clique Hospitality, Lionfish quickly became one of the leading restaurant innovators in San Diego. At Lionfish, Chef Ruiz showcases his talent in sushi, seafood and coastal cuisine at the bustling Fifth Avenue hotspot at Pendry San Diego. As a techniquedriven eatery, Lionfish sets itself apart from other restaurants in the city, showcasing careful precision that elevates each dish for the diner. Chef Ruiz prides himself with a seasonal San Diego-inspired menu of modern coastal cuisine serving fresh sustainable seafood.

Serēa, opened in summer 2019, takes its inspiration from the sea, serving sustainable dishes while diners overlook the scenic Pacific Ocean. While breathing in fresh sea air, diners partake in Chef Ruiz’s fresh-catch cooking done in a simple, elegant manner for the ultimate sea-to-table experience.

The approachable cuisine prepared by Chef Ruiz and his team features seasonal ingredients grown by Southern California farmers, ensuring top quality. Serẽa’s ocean-friendly menu is robust with fresh seafood and a raw bar.

For more information about Lionfish, Serẽa and the James Beard Smart Catch program, please visit: https://lionfishsd.com//, http://sereasandiego// and https://www.jamesbeard.org/smart-catch. Follow @LionfishSD | @ SereaSanDiego | @JoJoSD66 @beardfoundation , #SmartCatch, and #JBFImpact on social media.

About the James Beard Foundation For more than 30 years, the James Beard Foundation has championed chefs and other culinary professionals while highlighting the centrality of food culture in our daily lives. Through the James Beard Awards, unique dining experiences at the James Beard House and around the country, scholarships, hands-on learning, and a variety of industry programs that educate and empower leaders in our community, the Foundation has built a platform for chefs and asserted the power of gastronomy to drive behavior, culture, and policy change around food. To that end the www.socalfnbpro.com

Foundation has also created signature impact-oriented initiatives that include our Women’s Leadership Programs aimed at addressing the gender imbalance in the culinary industry; advocacy training through our Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change; and the James Beard Foundation Leadership Awards that shine a spotlight on successful change makers.

The organization is committed to giving chefs and their colleagues a voice and the tools they need to make the world more sustainable, equitable, and delicious for everyone.

About Lionfish Opened in 2017, Lionfish is as social as the bustling neighborhood that surrounds it. Located in the Pendry San Diego in the city’s trendy Gaslamp Quarter sits Lionfish, the dynamic, design-driven hotspot on 5th Avenue that honors the essence of the city’s lifestyle. The restaurant offers modern coastal cuisine that features fresh-catch cooking and seasonal ingredients, all prepared with innovative twists. The menu, featuring both sustainable seafood and prime meats, toys with guest’s tastebuds with its casual, yet complex offerings. The light, fresh appetizers are perfect for sharing. A private dining area is available for a more intimate experience. A lively, yet elegant environment within the two-level space, Lionfish is not only a culinary destination, but it’s also a home for hand-crafted cocktails, all of which are carefully prepared by high-end mixologists in the restaurant’s rambunctious bar.

About Serea Serẽa, opened in summer 2019, is a sea-to-table concept by Clique Hospitality created for Hotel del Coronado. This unique collaboration between the ever-evolving seaside resort and the trend-setting hospitality company brings an innovative sea-to-table experience to The Del that sets a new tone for the iconic property. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the soothing rhythm of the crashing waves, the indoor-outdoor restaurant features elegant, fresh-catch coastal cuisine with a hint of Mediterranean flair. Recognized by James Beard Foundation as a Smart Catch Leader for his efforts in sustainable seafood, Executive Chef JoJo Ruiz has created a menu of thoughtfully crafted seafood dishes, featuring the highest quality seasonal, responsibly raised and sourced ingredients from the region’s oceans, farms and fields—from the California Coast down to the Baja Peninsula. Serẽa also features a lively outdoor bar that offers hand-crafted cocktails, local brews and a comprehensive wine list.

November 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 17

The RESTAURANT EXPERT Comps Are a Great Tool

As long as the staff isn’t giving away the shop When you see a regular at your bar and sometimes comp them a drink to thank them for making your bar their home away from home, you’re doing something normal in hospitality that is generally not done in any other industry.

Think about it: when is the last time you went to a retail store and the manager said, “It’s great to see you again, let me buy you your next pair of jeans to say thank you?” Do you know any other business that does anything like what restaurants do with freebies? I don’t.

The challenge is, while restaurants love to use this very personal tool called a “comp,” it is sometimes misused. While comps can turn a bad dining experience into a good one, make a regular customer a raving fan, allow staff to dine with you without breaking the bank, do know that a comp is real money! When you comp a $50 ticket because you blew it, understand that is $50 you are not putting into the bank.

It means you don’t have that $50 for payroll, to pay bills or to keep as profit. It reduces your cash flow and cash is what you use to pay your bills. While comping is normal practice in our industry, you have to do it correctly and have a budget or you can give away the house.

Comp budget.

I recommend that you don’t allow more than 3–4 percent discounting (comping) each month.

This would include taking care of a regular customer, fixing a kitchen or service screw up, employee and manager meal discounting and some small amount of discount marketing.

You can also look at your marketing budget and move some percentage points over to discounting if you use discount promotions as a major component to your marketing plan.

For example, I recommend that you have a marketing budget of 2–4 percent per month. If you wanted to use all of that for discounting, you would have a target comping budget percentage as high as 8 percent each month to build business, take care of your guests and still make money. But all too often, without a budget set and managers trained on what they can and should do, comping leads to money lost.

Avoid these comping practices.

• Free meals. When a guest does not like his or her food, instead of immediately jumping to buy the meal, consider whether a replacement item and a comped dessert might do the job.

Assess the situation and ask the guest leading questions to find their pain point. Discuss with your management team each comp so

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.

that you can give them guidance on how you want that similar situation handled in the future.

• Discount promotions. I am not against discount promotions. I am against the misuse of them. For example, if you run a Groupon at a 50 percent value, you are actually selling that certificate at a 78 percent discount. And if you’re operating at a 65 percent or higher prime cost, this could spell disaster. If you use discounting for marketing, focus on driving NEW customers in and require they sign up for your loyalty or VIP programs.

This means you will make a little money on a new guest and can now market to them to bring them back. You are basically buying the lead. It’s important not to use discounting in a fashion that cheapens your brand or makes it so your customers wait for the coupon before they come through your door.

• Buying drinks! If you have a bar, you already know that you get hit up for free drinks from your regular customers. You know that you probably have to give your bartenders the ability to give away a couple drinks each shift, or they will give them and more without your permission. Both of these can rob you

18 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I November 2019

of your cash. When it comes to regulars, you might decide that you, as the owner, don’t drink for free in your bar. You can then let the customer know you don’t even drink for free. Then if you buy the customer a drink, pull cash out of your pocket to pay. When it comes to bartenders, giving them freedom within some rules—say two comped drinks per shift—allows them to build business without breaking the bank. And then if they have given away their two and someone has a bad experience, all they have to do is ask the manager on duty if they can buy them a drink over their quota.

Misusing comping can kill your bank account.

To avoid this, make sure you set a comping budget, monitor your actual comping percentage on a daily and monthly basis, train managers on best practices by routinely reviewing comps and the reason behind them, and most importantly, remember when you comp you are giving away YOUR money. With all of these things in mind, your comping can be used to deliver a great dining experience, bond with your guests and employees, and better yet, still be on a path to make money. www.socalfnbpro.com

VINE & DINE

By Drew and Lisa Matney

Photo credit: Drew & Lisa Matney

Patxi’s Pizza, Any Way You Like It

Drew and Lisa Matney represent the East and West Coast, as Drew is a New York transplant and Lisa was born and raised in SoCal. Together the husband and wife team explore and discover what’s new and trending in the culinary scene of Southern California’s San Diego and Orange County communities.

We were ecstatic to learn that Patxi’s was opening up some San Diego locations, the first of which opened in Hillcrest on October 23. Originally established in 2004, Patxi’s promises to significantly contribute to San Diego’s growing pizza scene. Their Chicagostyle deep dish in particular will fill a glaring market segment deficiency few local pizza joints have even bothered to try their hand at.

With fresh, high-quality ingredients including meats, produce and cheeses making their way to Hillcrest, we were excited to taste what Patxi’s was bringing to the table for us. They did not disappoint.

Walking in off one of the main thoroughfares in Hillcrest, we were greeted with tan subway tiles adorning the walls, a nice complement to the shiny black laminate tables and slate floors.

Edison lights hung from the ceiling, leading the way to open kitchen concept where patrons can watch the pizza being shaped and tossed.

We started our meal with the burrata, which was served over a comfortable bed of sliced tomatoes and arugula. The tomatoes are roasted every other day with olive oil and sugar. The result is a surprising and welcoming sweetness.

Thin, crispy crostini are arranged beside it. It was an exciting start to the meal.

We moved next to the meatball appetizer which, at first glance, seemed imposing. Five www.socalfnbpro.com

beautiful meatballs resting comfortably under a bed of sauce, surrounding by a deep-dish crust.

The presentation was beautiful and it was fun to tear the soft crust away and use it to soak up that delicious, sweet sauce. The meatballs were cooked perfectly and made for the perfect comfort food.

The main event, of course, was still to come.

We noticed that Patxi’s wasn’t satisfied with serving traditional Chicago-style deep dish pizza. They also offered a Neapolitan style and we couldn’t resist the urge to compare and contrast. The Neapolitan was crispy and light.

It produced that familiar and pleasing crunch when we folded a slice in half. Extremely satisfying in every way.

The deep dish came out and we dove in. Its softer crust offered a nice contrast to the crispness of the Neapolitan. The sweet sauce we first experienced in the meatball appetizer stood out immediately and just might be the start of the meal. Combine that with fresh arugula and a drizzle of honey, and it was everything we could have hoped for.

We were completely overwhelmed by the time Patxi’s generous staff presented us with their s’mores dessert pizza. It was, quite simply, preposterously good. The recipe did not skimp on the marshmallows or the Ghirardelli’s chocolate drizzled on top. The soft crust and

crushed graham crackers were the perfect way to enjoy the staple ingredients. It was a unique and creative take on a classic campfire snack.

Patxi’s absolutely crushed the execution on this dish in every way imaginable.

Patxi’s promises something for the lunch crowd as well. Half sandwich and salad combos made to order are available for the busy professionals located nearby in downtown San Diego. Pizza by the slice is also be ready to go so people don’t abandon the rest of their work day by trying to scarf down an entire deep-dish by themselves during lunch.

From start to finish, our Patxi’s experience met and exceeded expectations. The freshness of the ingredients, evident in every bite of every course, really stood out. The signature sweetness of their house-made sauce really set Patxi’s apart from other San Diego’s pizza offerings. The friendly and attentive staff fit right in with the welcoming vibe Hillcrest is known for and we are confident the local community will quickly embrace Patxi’s as a trusted neighborhood partner. Whether you are in the mood for a deep dish offering or a thin crust option, Patxi’s has you covered.

Come for the pizza and staff, but make sure you stay for the creative and delicious finish in the form of their dessert pizza. You won’t regret it.

November 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 19

By Chef Allen Asch Feel free to contact Chef Allen with ideas for comments or future articles at allena@unlv.nevada.edu

Chef Talk

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

Sous Vide

Lately I have been playing with a sous vide cooker. For those of you that do not know what that is, let me explain. Sous vide, French for “under vacuum,” is a method of cooking food sealed in airtight plastic bags in a water bath at lower temperatures for longer than normal cooking times. You cook foods that you would normally put to heat for 30 minutes for up to 48 or even 72 hours. I have cooked eggs, steak, chicken, short ribs and soup by sealing the ingredients in an airtight, vacuum packed bag.

My results are mixed. Since as chefs we know that proteins change as they are subjected to high heat for extended periods of time, this method holds a lot of promise as a great way of cooking foods. Here are my observations. I think the eggs were the best poached eggs I have ever had. The main reason is that they are poached in the shell, which means you do not need to add any flavors such as salt or vinegar to the flavor of the eggs. The negative is that they cannot be cooked to order. The eggs need at least 1 hour at 148 degrees to set up. An alternative is to cook them at 165 for 15 minutes, but in my opinion if you do that you might as well do it stovetop and not invest in a machine that will maintain water temperature from 86 to 210 degrees (the range of my machine). Chefs know that the higher the temperature the bigger the changes that occur in food.

Chefs also know that food needs to reach certain temperatures to avoid bacterial growth. In the case of sous vide cooking bacterial growth is controlled by 2 factors. One is the control of oxygen. When cooking via sous vide you should vacuum seal the protein, because without oxygen bacteria cannot survive. The second factor used to control bacteria growth is temperature. The best variable to protect food from bacteria is to cook foods to a high enough temperature to kill all bacteria. In Sous Vide cooking the food items do not always reach the minimum internal temperature recommended by the FDA and the National Restaurant Association, but the “Alternate Minimum Temperatures” allow for food that should be cooked to 145 degrees for 15 seconds to alternatively be held at 130 degrees for 2 hours, as an example.

The best food that I prepared was chicken thighs. I think that the high fat content helped make this dish the most-tender chicken I have ever eaten. I put the thighs in the bag with some flavorings and seasonings and put them in the sous vide cooker set at 141 degrees. I left them in there for 48 hours and forgot about them. The chicken was fall-off-the-bone tender and with the long slow cooking time the seasonings and flavorings penetrated to the center of the meat.

Another key element here is to use the correct bag for this extended cooking time. Most

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sealing bags are not designed for this extended heat timeframe but sous vide-specific bags can take the heat. Regular bags can be used for shorter cooking times.

Another food that I have cooked is steak. Many people swear by this method of cooking for individual steaks, but I think it will take some practice to make a steak as good as a grill does.

I like the concept of slowly heating a New York Strip without overheating and toughening the outside of the meat, but I have not had success at doing this well. I know chefs are saying how can you have a good steak without that intense heat that causes the Maillard Reaction, but there is a simple solution. After the one-hour hot water bath the meat can be seared in a hot pan to create the crisp outside and heat the amino acids and proteins to 350 degrees creating that flavorful reaction. Many proponents of this cooking method will sear foods both before and after the sous vide portion, helping to create a flavorful cooking liquid.

I think for the professional and the home cook the key is to pre-plan. Foods will take a longer time to cook but the time is made up at service time. All you have to do is open the bag, do some finishing touches on it and prepare a side dish, which can be done sous vide as well. www.socalfnbpro.com

Front & Back of the House A Cornucopia of Gastronomic Tales

By Gael Hees 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.

There’s nothing better in my book (cookbook, that is) than a recipe with a story. Sure, it’s great to have the perfect recipe for lobster bisque, but if it comes with a story about the author’s memories of eating it in Maine as a special treat when his favorite aunt came to visit—all the better. And if there’s a picture of the aunt with stylish clothes, a huge handbag and long red fingernails—well, that’s just the best.

Photo credit: Gael Hees

Many of us are lucky enough to have recipes from friends and family members written by their own hands. OR, one might have cookbooks that have been annotated with notes written in the margins about changes in the recipes (a pinch more of this, or a cup less of that). Sometimes there are reminders, such as earmarking the recipe as someone’s favorite, or perhaps warning against serving it when grandma comes to visit because she’s allergic.

So, here are three of my favorite “story” books by cooks (more to come later): How many of you remember Molly Wizenberg and her long-running (and James Beard award-winning) blog, Orangette? It was an inspiring treatise on life lived in the kitchen. Her first book A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table (published in 2009, but available on Amazon) is a collection of essays, each ending with a related recipe. Her writing is absolutely reverently irreverent: about her cooking methods (using a colander rather than a heartshaped dish to prepare Coeur à la Crème with Raspberry Sauce because, “I don’t believe in kitchen equipment that serves only one purpose, even if that purpose is creamy and delicious); about the food itself (ginger cake described as “wonderful; pale brown and spiced, sauced with warm, caramelly pears.”); and about herself (“I’m happy to eat the same thing, day in and day out, for a whole week.

No matter how big the batch, nothing goes to waste with me around.”) My favorite recipe is Vanilla Bean Buttermilk Cake with Glazed Oranges and Crème Fraîche. I love it and I don’t even eat sweets (although come to think of it, it’s not terribly sweet, just a marvelous texture with a hint of sugar, not counting the oranges of course).

I found, Cleora's Kitchens: The Memoir of a Cook & Eight Decades of Great American Food by Cleora Butler tucked away in a used www.socalfnbpro.com

bookstore on a trip. Originally published in 1985, used copies are available through Amazon’s secondary book sources. Cleora was born in 1901 and grew up in Oklahoma after a Freedman’s wagon ride out of Texas.

The first recipe she followed was for biscuits made with the new Calumet baking powder that came with a picture cookbook. She pulled them out of the wood-fired oven looking just like the picture as her father walked in the door from work. I’ve made those biscuits, cutting them with my grandmother’s tiny biscuit cutter, and they’re as light and fluffy as biscuits should be. Over the years, she worked as a cook in the homes of Oklahoma oil barons and owned a catering company. The recipes are simple—not easy. Scattered through the book are pictures of cooking implements that without the cutline, you might not have a clue as to how to use them. This book is a musthave for any cookbook collector.

This one is a little different, titled Yashim Cooks Istanbul, it is by Jason Goodwin, who is the creator of Yashim, which is a series of mysteries set in Ottoman Istanbul.

This book is a compilation of recipes for the many meals encountered in the series.

The recipes are appropriately simple and

use ingredients representative of the place and period. Throughout are sections from the mysteries that denote various meals and the person or people Yashim is feeding. “He handed Yashim a cup of lentils, which he poured into the pan like a cascade of treasure, stirring them around for a few moments with a small spoonful of white sugar.” Having the cookbook and being able to prepare one of Yashim’s popular meals while reading about it is great fun. Highly recommended.

Something Funny: I had a pretty zany friend years ago who had “developed” a whole collection of Road Kill Helper products modeled after the real life Hamburger and Tuna Helper packages. He actually mocked up the boxes and they were pretty terrifying. To be honest I don’t remember the exact names, but imagine something like, “Struck Possum with Potatoes,” or “Flattened Armadillo on the Half Shell.” With California’s new law allowing motorists to take and eat animals they’ve killed on the highway, I’m hoping he still has his drawings!

November 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 21

EVENTS

AD INDEX

We’ve handpicked some upcoming events around Southern California. Check out what’s going on in your area:

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

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

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

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11/10 – 17: San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival.

Dozens of events, hundreds of domestic and international wineries, the celebration of craft beer and spirits, local culinary legends and nationally recognized celebrities, and a Grand Tasting Finale on the stunning Embarcadero. Downtown San Diego.

SandiegoWineClassic.com 11/16: San Diego Distiller’s Guild Festival.

Celebrating the city’s craft spirits scene, this festival brings together industry professionals and those looking for a great drink. Guests will also savor a wide variety of appetizers from San Diego eateries and enjoy a live jazz ensemble. Liberty Station, San Diego.

SDDistillersGuildFest.com 11/16: Burbank Winter Wine Walk.

The streets of Downtown Burbank will transform into a holiday festival, where patrons can walk from one wine or beer purveyor to the next. VIP lounge also available with champagne, wine beer and food. Downtown Burbank.

BurbankWinterWineWalk.com

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

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11/21: Orange Coast Whiskey Classic.

This annual top-shelf whiskey tasting experience inside the EuroCar Showroom in Costa Mesa allows guess to immerse themselves into a world of fine spirits, great food and breathtaking vehicles. Costa Mesa OrangeCoast.com/whiskey

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.

Jay’s Sharpening Service

Cutting Board Resurfacing & Replacements

Arville St

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

W Harmon Ave

Steak & Table Knife Re-Serration / Sharpening

W Tropicana Ave

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www.socalfnbpro.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

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