September Issue

FO R M O TO

S & C S B. TO N VF .L

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US $3.95

And The Las Vegas Cocktail Contest Winners Are‌ 1st Place-Michael Howard Of First Food & Bar 2nd Place Emilio Tiburcio Of The Light Group 3rd Place Eric Hobbie Of B & B Ristorante Overseen By USBG President Armando Rosario See story on page 15

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Issue 9 Volume 12

September 2012

CONTENTS

15

FEATURES

Cover

The Lithuanian Spirits Las Vegas Cocktail Contest was recently concluded with oversight for recipe judging

by United States Bartenders’ Guild President Armando Rosario, and the results are in. Congratulations to all the winners and those that joined in to supply recipes for the competition.

Full story on page 15 Photos for cover and story by Jessica Kuiper.

With a background in film and video, she started her journey as a photographer here in Las Vegas in 2009. After graduating from film school in Orlando, FL in 2005 and exploring many avenues of production she has come to make her passion, her career.

22 G2E and the special pavilion of food & beverage exhibitors

F&B@G2E will be held this year at the Sands Convention Center, and The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional will be exhibiting at Booth #5936. Please register early and be sure to visit us at the largest gaming expo in the world.

28

Back Cover

STEM LOCKS is taking the service industry by storm with a new product that secures all types of stemware to your average serve tray and prevents costly and messy spillage.

This revolutionary product is new and on the market now, and can save businesses thousands of dollars for just a few dollars investment. Take a look and see what they can do for you!

Page 4 Hot Off the Grill!

Page 5 Ask Doctor Sake Page 6 HR Insights

29

Page 11 Olivia Brion: Organic Winemaking Page 12 Brett’s Vegas View

www.lvfnb.com

Kabuki Sake & Beer Fest

Page 26 New Legislation and LEDs

Industry Nights

Page 8 The Venetian/ Palazzo’s “Cibo-Vino”

Page 10 Food for Thought

Page 25 Interview with Lola Pokorny

Page 14 Chandra’s Latenight Picks

Page 7 Wine Talk

Page 9 What’s Brewing?

Page 13 California Pizza Kitchen’s New Menu

Page 28 Sake & Wine Pairing at Kyara

Page 15 The Lithuanian Spirits Las Vegas Cocktail Contest

Page 29 Carnival of Cuisine

Page 19 What’s Cooking?

Page 30 F&B Associations

Page 20 Solaia Dinner at the Palazzo

Stem Locks’ Leonard Cohen

Page 23 The Spirit of Spirits!

Page 31 Advertiser Index

Joe Bastianich Wine Dinner

Events

September 2012 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 3

The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 1200 S TORREY PINES SUITE 172 Las Vegas, NV 89146 www.lvfnb.com

HOT OFF THE GRILL!

September 2012 Mike Fryer Editor-in-Chief Thank you for joining us in this issue of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.

For any questions, comments or advertising inquiries please email mike@lvfnb.com

Bob Barnes Editorial Director

Carnival of Cuisine at The Venetian proved to be another great epicurean event this year for Las Vegas and all to the credit of The Venetian-Palazzo Food & Beverage Department headed by VP of F&B Sebastien Silvestri.

Here our friends with PATRON put on an impressive show to the delight of our Editor-in-Chief who always enjoys Simply Perfect!

bob@lvfnb.com

Juanita Aiello Creative Director juanita@lvfnb.com

@lvfnb

The Venetian-Palazzo hosted its Solaia Dinner as part of the Carnevale series of great culinary events and happenings for the past few months.

ANTINORI WINES represented by Niccolo Maltinti, the US Commercial Director, was on hand to share many of their personal favorites. Others attending the dinner included Southern Wine & Spirits Michael Severino and Venetian/Palazzo VP F&B Sebastien Silvestri and other LVF&B Pros.

Getting some “Photo Time” with Southern Wine & Spirits can be a challenge at times, as you can see at a recent event at Kyara Japanese Restaurant with SWS Executive Director of Mixology & Spirits Education Francesco Lafranconi & SWS Top Sake Specialist Louis de Santos.

The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional

The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional welcomes letters to the editor. We are always striving to improve this publication and would like to know your comments and thoughts. Here’s your chance to be heard. Send your comments to info@lvfnb.com and they may be published in next month’s issue!

NOTE: All submissions become the property of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Pre-Press Technician Brandon Yan

Journalist Chef Jet

Journalist Juanita Fryer

Journalist Jackie Brett

Journalist Shelley Stepanek

Journalist Les Kincaid

Journalists Scott & Elaine Harris

Journalist Mitchell Wilburn

Journalist Beth Ellyn Rosenthal

Journalist Kim Trevino

Journalist K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D. “Dr. Sake”

Journalist Chandra Paige

Spirits Editor Adam Carmer

Journalist Charlotte Maher

Journalists Lucille Thaler & Tony Zanoff

Journalist Linda Bernstein

Journalist Michael Oshman

Journalist Alice Swift

Journalist & Photographer Ben Brown

Journalist Kellan Bartosch

Photographer Jessica Kuiper

Photographer Bill Bokelmann

Photographer Rose Powell-Carver

Photographer Kim Farley

4 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2012

www.lvfnb.com

By K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D. Mike Masuyama is a bi-cultural science-technology-business consultant.

He earned a Ph.D. in Food Science at Cornell University, is involved in teaching, research and business in major-beer, micro-beer, soft drinks, sake and food areas both in Japan and the US., and has published several books and dozens of articles.

ASK DOCTOR SAKE‌

Is Sake Only Made in Japan and the US? Is sake only made in Japan and the US and how & why are they different?

Sake is the term only for an alcohol beverage made from rice in the particular brewing process specified by the Japanese sake tax law. Nowadays sake is brewed not only in Japan but also in the US (CA, OR) and other areas like Brazil, Australia and Canada. Since those countries have their own alcohol beverage regulations and this Japanese law is not necessarily applicable, such sake brewing uses locally available raw materials, production environment and technology in following authentic brewing process.

But sake is often interpreted in the market differently from the one in Japan. Fruit sake, unfiltered Nigori, sparkling or sake mixology are examples that Japanese have little respect for traditional, authentic sake drinking. Here in America, some people appreciate the traditional, exotic nature of sake, while others prefer to accept sake in their own way. It is not a matter of right or wrong, but a matter of choice.

Sake made in Japan and exported to the US is apparently more expensive because shipping-importation adds expenses on top of the already high cost of rice, labor and facilities in Japan. It is a fact that domestically brewed sake is less expensive than imported ones that are also more expensive under the current dollar-yen (Japanese currency) exchange rates. It may be absolutely not true to say that the higher the price, the better, and the lower price, the poorer in quality. Sake is not born equal.

Traditionally and generally speaking, sake from the western part of Japan is full-bodied primarily due to the water. It is usually hard water, providing more minerals to active fermentation. Sake from eastern Japan, on the other hand, uses soft water, resulting in gentle fermentation.

Most sake brewers in California are originally from the western part, carrying their good character. Imported sake is from all over Japan but many are from the eastern part, carrying their subtle nature. Besides, each sake brewer tries to make sake differently, just like wine.

To a majority of the general public in our market, sake is sake and the difference is by label-packages and prices.

But, there is a growing number of sake enthusiasts who appreciate beyond it. Some marketers take imported sake to the sake enthusiast market and beyond into the main stream market. No matter whether domestically or authentically brewed, each sake has its own character to please sake lovers’ tastes. We can enjoy any sake depending on occasions. www.lvfnb.com

September 2012 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 5

HUMAN RESOURCES INSIGHTS

By Linda Westcott-Bernstein

The Challenge of Performance Evaluation There’s not too much that’s more important to your employees than a good performance evaluation. They may not tell you so, but they hope that with a good evaluation comes a career opportunity or salary increase. For you, the employer, it is very critical as well. An evaluation process allows you the opportunity to measure the employee’s level of commitment to the job as well as their quality of performance in that job. A viable performance evaluation process must be done in a way that accurately gauges the performance of that employee in their job. Bottom line, evaluations are legal documents. Ultimately, those evaluations may be essential documents or resources for the purpose of determining or justifying retention or release of an employee.

Linda Bernstein has provided sound human resources advice and guidance to Fortune 500 companies and others for over 25 years. She has helped these organizations review procedures and implement solutions that are designed to reduce liabilities and increase their profits. She also assists with the development of human capital through focused employee retention and training programs designed for all levels of employees.

Linda has written a self-help book entitled “It All Comes Down to WE!” which offers guidelines for building a solid and enduring personal work ethic. You can find her book on the website (below) or on Amazon or Google books.

Phone:

702-326-4040

Email: LindaBernstein@cox.net Booksite: ItAllComesDowntoWE.com

As outlined below, performance evaluations are a critical management tool that must be completed in a fair and consistent manner. Not to do so could result in you and your company facing some serious legal challenges and liabilities. You could spend far more than the cost of an annual increase in attorney fees if an employee decides to take legal action against you for wrongful treatment, employment bias, discrimination, etc.

You can ensure a more fair and consistent employee performance appraisal process by taking the following steps in your annual review process.

1. Complete the appraisal form thoroughly and accurately.

• Complete the form entirely and make sure all facts are accurate.

• Base your evaluation of performance on tangible, documented facts.

• Keep timely and accurate performance records on each employee, including commendations and achievements, not just discipline.

2. Look at past performance.

• Retrieve the employees’ previous year performance appraisal.

• Review the previous goals and expectations.

• Review performance notes and

records you’ve kept over the current year.

• Assess employees’ strengths, improvements made over the year and areas to work on and improve.

3. Conduct the performance appraisal.

• Put the employee at ease. Share some small talk.

• Ensure no disruptions or distractions, as well as privacy and confidentiality.

• Sit next to, rather than across the desk from, the employee.

• Use the “sandwich” approach. (i.e. open with good information, cover areas for improvement, then close with positive comments)

4. Keep thorough and accurate records.

• Proper documentation should be factual, clear and unbiased.

• Keep and record witnessed performance concerns – never hearsay.

• To be fair and consistent, document all employees equally.

• Share with the employee all information that goes into their file.

If you follow these basic steps for performance evaluation with all of your employees, you should feel confident that you have a fair and consistent process for documenting and evaluating performance.

YOUR LIABILITIES When no performance appraisals are done or they are completed in a haphazard or biased manner, they may cause you more harm than good. If for example, you terminate an employee whose performance you deem substandard but you have no documentation to support performance deficiencies, that employee could file a charge against your company for wrongful termination. The courts and prosecution may request to see not only that employee’s file, but similarly situated employees (especially if allegations of discrimination are present). If documentation of the employee’s poor performance is not present in the file and discussions of shortcomings were not held with the employee, the weight of evidence will be against you. The courts want to see “due diligence,” that you provided the employee with consistent feedback on the performance areas at issue and that they had a full understanding of what was expected of them as well as an opportunity to make improvements in those areas of concern. What occurs far too often is employees say, on the witness stand, that they were not told or did not understand what was expected of them. Unless it can be proven with substantial documentation that discussions occurred and some sort of progressive process was followed, you are likely to lose your defense and may end up paying a large settlement.

Don’t get into trouble because you have none or a poor performance process! Make sure you keep good records when it comes to the performance of your employees and make clear communication the cornerstone of your business.

HR

Question of the Month

Next month’s topic: Building and Maintaining a Strong Team Do you spend sleepless nights worrying about what work is getting done - if any? Do you dread talking to your people about work problems? Would you say you have a weak or strong team?

(Send to LindaBernstein@cox.net) (Responses may be printed in next month’s column.)

6 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2012

www.lvfnb.com

Wine Talk with Alice Swift

By Alice Swift Alice is teaching as an adjunct instructor in wine education at UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration, while working as an Instructional Designer in the Office of Online Education. Follow her new blog site at www.aliceswift.com for the dish on wine, technology, or even both! She is happy to take suggestions for article topics or inquiries. alice.swift@unlv.edu

Alice’s 2012 Summer Picks It’s official, I have officially approached my one year anniversary of joining the LV F&B Professional’s group of talented writers!

Time has progressed very quickly for me, so I thought, what better way to celebrate than to refire the original article of summer wine recommendations?

Last year, my summer picks were Roussanne white wine and Beaujolais red. Continuing with my love for unique wines, I thought I would explore some less popular wines. Vinho Verde is a quality region (DOC) located in Portugal, and is the only region in Portugal where white wine is dominant (Port fortified wine from Portugal is typically more well known here in the States). It resides in the northwest region of Portugal, off the Atlantic coast, which brings a cool maritime influence.

There, the unique white wine I speak of is also called Vinho Verde, or “green wine,” when translated. Although the wine is indeed classified as a white wine, made from the Alvarinho grape (also known as Albariño in Spain), it displays such a light transparent color

that it has tints of light green. What makes this wine unique is that the wines are lightly effervescent, with crisp acidity, and is a very refreshing way to cool down in the blazing heat of Las Vegas.

Your nearby Total Wines and More (www. totalwine.com) offers a variety of Vinho Verde wines, such as the Nobilis, Gazela, and Famega wines, as well as the single estate Quinta de Azevedo Vinho Verde. Typically the wine is a fully dry, high acid wine, with lemon and lime citrus aromas and flavors, with a subtle spice element. The crispness of this wine pairs well with salads, seafood, and is traditionally paired with light fish dishes.

If red wine is still your preference, how about trying another unique varietal? In Italy, the Piedmont region is most well known for their Barbera red grape varietal; however, the runner up is the lesser known Dolcetto grape. It is similar to the Beaujolais wine I recommended last year, and is meant to be consumed young and at a cooler temperature of somewhere between 55 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Translated, Dolcetto means the “little sweet one,” and its wines display a very fruit forward but dry profile. Heavy red fruit dominance of strawberries and cherries come forward, and despite its firm tannins, the wine is easy drinking.

Total Wine and More also carries a variety of Dolcetto wines, but the Giuseppe Cortese Dolcetto d’Alba Trifolera is a great buy. It is fuller bodied than usual, yet still has the fresh fruit and floral notes to balance the tannins out. Oddly enough, my ideal food pairing is an Italian cold cuts sandwich with all the fixins. My recommendation? Try the Marino’s Special sub (Ham, Salami, Cappocolla, Pepperoni, Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Onions, Oil & Vinegar) from Bob’s Eastside Deli (www.bobseastsidedeli. com), a great hole in the wall shop to visit.

This past year has given me the opportunity to explore the various F&B establishments and hidden gems of Las Vegas, and I hope to continue to provide you with entertaining articles monthly for your reading enjoyment!

Cheers~

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“Wow – I love this place!”® September 2012 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 7 6/12/12 2:04 PM

The Venetian/Palazzo Resorts Raised the Bar as They Kicked off “Cibo-Vino” in August Executive Sushi Chef John Um conducted a weekly demonstration to teach the art of sushi making and techniques of sashimi cutting. Any The luxurious Venetian/Palazzo experience would not be complete resorts in Las Vegas are no stranger to without enjoying a complimentary renowned, award-winning chefs and tasting of sushi rolls paired with sake spectacular dining venues. Each year tastings. these stunning properties celebrate Carnevale with numerous events for all The first dinner on this gastronomic celebration was the SOLAIA DINNER. members of the family.

Executive Chef Olivier Dubreuil of The This year the resorts kicked off “CiboVenetian/Palazzo teamed up with the Vino” for the entire month of August. legendary Antinori Family of Florence, This celebration was a foodie’s dream, Italy and Wine Ambassador Niccolo as guests were hosted to a plethora of Maltinti for a decadent 5-course menu stellar events created for foodies and that featured Warm White Asparagus oenophiles alike, which included chef served with Prosciutto di Parma, demonstrations, wine tastings and Roasted Quail Breast and “Confit” Legs exclusive dining experiences. and Braised Apple Veal Rack.

Tuesdays marked “THE 5 O’CLOCK Renown Executive Chef Tom Moloney HOUR” CARNEVALE VINO of Aquaknox joined the celebration as TASTING, which took guests on a well. This incredible veteran chef hosted journey around the world of wine. The OYSTER SHOOTING WITH CHEF scenic Waterfall & Atrium Gardens TOM MOLONEY. Guests enjoyed at The Palazzo provided the backdrop several succulent oyster shooters as guests sipped wines from Banfi, followed up by a very refreshing Pinot St. Michelle Wines Estates, Folio and Grigio.

Joe Bastianich hosted by certified Well known dining venues TAO and sommeliers.

LAVO hosted action-packed chef Guests enjoyed CARNEVALE CHEF demos in St. Mark’s Square with TAO DEMO WEDNESDAYS where many Executive Chef Michael Armstrong, of the talented chefs from The Venetian LAVO Executive Chef Massimiliano and The Palazzo’s culinary all-star team Campanari and Corporate Executive showcased their artistry in cheese, fruit, Sous Chef Marc Marrone. These sugar and ice carving demonstrations. creative chefs prepared signature dishes Thursdays meant SAMBA ROLL like Trio of Sashimi with Wasabi Salsa THURSDAY. SUSHISAMBA and Burrata Wrapped in Prosciutto, Basil and Dark Cherry Balsamic.

Ragu with La Mozza “I Perazzi” Morellino di Scansanso 2009.

The stars came out at Lagasse’s Stadium with “the man” himself as he hosted ‘A MEET & GREET WITH EMERIL LAGASSE!’ Guests lined up early to meet Emeril himself at his namesake ultimate sports bar, and the hits just kept coming.

Onephiles were sipping with excitement at the VINO HOP WITH MICHAEL MONDAVI. Attendees enjoyed a grand wine tasting with the renowned winemaker that featured several top wines.

Guests learned about pasta from multiple James Beard Award-winning chef Luciano Pellegrini. ‘PASTA MAKING CLASS WITH LUCIANO PELLEGRINI’ gave visitors a oncein-a-lifetime pasta making class at Valentino at The Venetian.

36 floors above the Venetian, Super Star Celebrity Chef Alex Stratta hosted an extraordinary five-course dinner paired with the wines of Banfi that featured Roasted Sea Scallops, sweet corn, chanterelles, green beans and oven dried tomatoes and a Banfi, Poggio alle Mura, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany 2006.

8 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2012

Elaine Harris, sommelier, owner of Vino Las Vegas LLC and Editor-In-Chief of The Cuisineist.

Scott Harris, sommelier, President of Vino Las Vegas LLC and a staff journalist for The Cuisineist.

Email: Cuisineist@gmail.com Website: http://CUISINEIST.com

Photos by Elaine & Scott Harris

Saturday brought many of these world class chefs all together in one room at the 5th Annual CARNIVAL OF CUISINE. Guests sipped on their choice Restaurateur, author, TV host Joe of cocktails and wine while Bastianich was on hand for a book enjoying award-winning cuisine signing, wine tasting and hosted from the more than 15 celebrated a mouthwatering dinner where restaurants of The Venetian and guests could meet ‘UP CLOSE The Palazzo.

AND PERSONAL, WITH JOE BASTIANICH’ in the intimate dining There is nothing more to say than venue of Carnevino. The five-course wow! The Venetian/Palazzo has wine pairing featured Lobster Cotto done it yet again. We have already with Horseradish Crema and Radish marked our calendar for next with Bastianich “Vespa Bianco” 2009 summer when we celebrate the 6th and Beef Agnolotti with Sweet Onion CARNEVAL OF CUISINE.

By Elaine & Scott Harris

www.lvfnb.com

By Bob Barnes

what’s

BREWING? Oktoberfest and Beer Celebrations

It’s been rumored that Las Vegas is a party town. It only stands to reason that a celebration that involves drinking good beer, namely Oktoberfest, would be commemorated. If you can’t make it to Munich for Oktoberfest, Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas claims its Oktoberfest is the most authentic in the US, second only to the original held in Munich, and there are reasons to back up its claim. The Las Vegas version is an authentic replica of its brewhaus in Munich, and the Hofbräu brewery is one of only six breweries commissioned to make the beer for the Oktoberfest in Bavaria. While the name implies an October commemoration, Oktoberfest traditionally begins in mid-September, and Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas’s celebration will run from September 15 through October 31.

Highlighting the festivities is the unveiling of the Oktoberfestbier, the very same brew created for the Oktoberfest in Munich.

Celebrity guest keg tappings take place every Friday at 7 p.m. and bands from Germany are imported, providing nightly sing-a-longs.

Hofbräuhaus is located at 4510 Paradise Rd. across from the Hard Rock.

Big Dog’s Brewing will host its annual DOG-tober Beer Festival and Brat Party on Saturday, October 6 from 2 to 9 p.m. in the outdoor area at the Draft House location at Craig Rd. and Rancho Dr. Admission is free, and after purchase of a commemorative pint glass for $5, tastes of more than 40 beers will run from $1-5 depending on the style and pour size. As you may have guessed from the event title, brats will be served, as well as German-style beers to honor the spirit of Oktoberfest.

Rock ‘N Brew III beer and music festival, a fundraiser for the UNLV Beverage www.lvfnb.com

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

Email: bob@lvfnb.com

Management Club, will be hosted by the Chateau Nightclub at Paris Las Vegas on September 28 from 6:30 to 10 p.m.

Admission for $30 includes unlimited sampling of more than 80 beers and live music from six bands.

For tickets and more info. go to <brewunlv.com>.

Ventano Italian Grill & Seafood will host its annual Oktoberfest beer dinner on October 5. Five courses will be paired with beers from the Boston Beer Company (better known as Sam Adams). Pairings are Bavarian pretzel/ Sam Adams Lager; potato soup and roasted leeks/Hazel Brown Ale; bratwurst and sauerkraut/Oktoberfest Lager; pork loin/Dunkelweizen; and pumpkin pie/Harvest Pumpkin Ale. Dinner begins at 6:30 and is priced at $55 (plus tax and gratuity). All guests will also receive a Sam Adams “Perfect Pint” glass and a free raffle ticket for beer-centric prizes. Take it from someone who has attended in the past, Ventano beer dinners are a quite a feast, and there’s also entertainment in the form of the humorous antics of owner Arnauld Briand, who may have a future career as a standup comic. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 702-944-4848 or by emailing <Michael.ventano@yahoo.com>.

Beer Spotlight The 17 Grande Reserve was first brewed in 2007 as a one-time anniversary ale from the Canadian Belgian-style Unibroue brewery.

After winning some prestigious awards it was thankfully brought out of retirement. At 10% ABV, it’s intensely

malty, slightly sweet, with tones of mocha and cocoa. Aged on French oak, refermented in individually numbered “brasseur” bottles marked with the vintage year, its exceptional aging qualities have been duly recognized. In 2010 a three-year-old version was selected by the World Beer Awards as the World’s Best Dark Ale and the World’s Best Strong Dark Ale. If you have the will power, saving vintages of the 17 make it an excellent candidate for vertical tastings. As it’s only brewed once a year, now is the best time to snag one off the shelves. Look for it at Lee’s, Total Wine and Khoury’s Fine Wine & Spirits.

Khoury’s Now Offering Nine Tap Handles Khoury’s Fine Wine & Spirits, the only retail store in Southern Nevada with an onpremise license, recently expanded its draft system from three to nine taps. At press time Khoury’s impressive tap line-up included J.W. Lees Calvados Barrel Aged, Deschuttes Chain Breaker White IPA, Kona Koko Brown, Gordon Biersch IPB, Stone Russian Imperial Stout, North Coast Old Rasputin, Big Dog’s Raspberry Brown, Firestone Double DBA, Joseph James Habanero Hop Box IPA and Ballast Point Tongue Buckler. As you can see, not a clunker on the list! If you show up on a Wednesday night from 6 to 9, you can join a host of fellow beer geeks, during which time there are also occasionally complimentary tastings. Khoury’s is on Eastern, just north of St. Rose Parkway.

As always, great beer happens in Vegas!

September 2012 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 9

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

By Les Kincaid

Wines with Food Is a Perfect Pair

Les Kincaid is a food, wine, and golf expert and cookbook author. He hosts a nationally syndicated wine radio show each Thursday from 7 to 8 pm. You can enjoy his website or his broadcast at www.leskincaid.com les@leskincaid.com www.facebook.com/leskincaid www.twitter.com/leskincaid

September is National Chicken Month. So, many of you are thinking, “What does that mean?” Well, for over two decades, the National Chicken Council has banded together all of the major chicken producers in the U.S. to promote chicken sales in September, turning a once slow month, as the summer grilling season waned, into one of the year’s best performing sales periods. Whether it’s chicken or any other food, pairing wine with it can be a bit complicated. I’ll try to dispel several rumors without being complicated.

Tips for pairing It is no longer out of the question to pair white wine with meat or red wine with fish. Instead, think simple wine with simple food, and complex wine with complex food.

Put like with like: A good rule of thumb when picking wine to drink with food is to consider the flavor, texture, aroma and type of food. If it is a strong, rich or hearty dish like steak or pasta with red sauce, you

may be happiest pairing it with a rich, hearty wine such as a Cabernet or Zinfandel. For a lighter dish, such as a broiled white meat fish or sautéed chicken breast (during September or not), a Sauvignon Blanc or one of its cousins will certainly do the trick.

Consider the strongest flavors of the wine and also the food The flavors of your wine can add depth to the meal if the two complement one another. Think Sauvignon Blanc (grassy, citrus) and how it might shine when combined with a salmon filet grilled with butter. Like the idea of herbs and citrus? Then you are likely to enjoy this pairing.

If you pair a wine that has dissimilar qualities to the food, you may find the flavors clash. For example, a delicate sautéed filet of sole probably would be overpowered by a spicy, red Shiraz. But a Pinot and a rich salmon steak? Why not? Then again, mild creamed spinach can taste metallic if paired with a strong red. You’ll know it when you try it!

Alcohol content, acidity and tannin impact how well wine goes with food High alcohol wines are a nice match for foods that are hearty and flavorful, such as grilled or roasted meats. Slightly sweet food like teriyaki chicken or pork with sweet and sour sauce can also work nicely with high-alcohol wines. The same wines can overpower delicate foods, however, so beware. Even though winemakers have been producing higher alcohol wines recently I think the trend is going down.

Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Chianti are considered high in acid and will match up well with salty or smoked foods, as well as cream or cheese sauces.

Cabernet sauvignon and some Italian reds are high in tannin, so they will play well with fatty foods like steak. By neutralizing the oil in the mouth, tannin actually enhances the flavor of fatty foods. But high tannin wines aren’t ideal for spicy or sweet foods, where the two can oppose each other.

Have it your way In the end, if it tastes good to you, it is good. Go ahead, push the envelope and try some unusual pairings if you are feeling adventurous.

Once you know what you like, you can purchase that very bottle, knowing you’ll be happy with your perfect pair.

10 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2012

www.lvfnb.com

By Ben Brown

Olivia Brion: Organic Winemaking in Napa, Up Close and Personal

Benjamin Brown is a food and travel journalist residing in Las Vegas. He writes for Examiner.com as a local food critic, where his love for exercise qualifies an appetite that borders on ‘Man vs. Food.’

Dining and adventuring around the world, Ben is also a contributor for travel blog JohnnyJet.com and Amble Resorts LLC.

Organic farming is hard work.

I had the pleasure of working in Napa for a week to assist with harvest preparation at Olivia Brion winery, located on the breezy hillside of Wild Horse Valley. In addition to their breathtaking beauty, the rolling slopes provide the perfect climate for world class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The wine here is organic on all levels, handmade every step of the way for a truly artisan product. What better place for a food critic to seek summer escape?

The work, however, really put in perspective how difficult it is to organically produce such an upscale product. Harvest, when the grapes get picked, was still a month away, but the labor required even at this point was, plain and simply, dirty.

Covered, head to toe, in dust, leaves, and weed clippings. At least I was.

“This is how I make the best wine I can,” says winemaker David Mahaffey, whose voice carries with that endearing tone oddly reminiscent of actor Jeff Goldblum. “I want to improve the long-term health of the soil, of this vineyard. After all my years here, I want to leave this place as healthy as it was when I got here.”

Age 63, Mahaffey has controlled every step of Olivia Brion’s production since its first vintage back in 1980. He began the shift to organic viniculture in 2010 to take the wine back to its ‘natural roots’ and emphasize ‘the personal touch this landscape delivers to the wine drinker.’

“It’s not a marketing ploy like you can find with other foods,” he said. “It’s really all about the wine and this is how you make the bestquality product.”

weeds out of 11 acres of land in order to set up miles of netting, thrown over the vines to keep birds from eating the grapes as they ripen.

These tasks take around 120 hours to complete and don’t even touch the effort required during harvest. All this in 90-degree weather, even with the bay breeze blowing in. Adding chemicals would make the pain go away with a magic ‘poof.’

It’s like looking in your fridge and seeing a cup of Greek yogurt next to a slice of chocolate cake. You know the right choice, but that cake just seems so enticing.

Mahaffey maintains a strong character. Before winemaking, he served in the Navy during the Vietnam War and went on to earn his M.Ed. at Harvard. He stumbled upon the wine industry not long after school, where a biking trip to Napa Valley led him to work with famous winemakers Joseph Phelps and David Groines.

Olivia Brion poetically embodies Mahaffey’s journey and the worldly personality that goes with it. Brion stems from the pre-immigration surname of his wife, Linda. As for identifying

the famous Olivia Brion, Mahaffey cracks a smile. “She’s both the dog and the girl on the bottle,” he says. You’ll have to check that one out for yourself.

Mahaffey also produces a Cabernet line from Palladian Vineyard in the St. Helena region.

Olivia Brion Pinot Noir and Chardonnay go for ~$40/bottle retail. Roughly 70 percent of the wine made gets shipped directly to a mailing list of local customers, almost all of which Mahaffey met on private tours that can be arranged on request. The other 30 percent is shipped directly to high-end restaurants in Northern California and nationwide, including Tru [Chicago] and establishments in the Beverly Hills Hotel.

After working on this wine’s conception, it would be so rewarding to see the finished product in Las Vegas.

More information is available on Olivia Brion’s Website at www.oliviabrion.com.

For private tours or further inquiries, David Mahaffey can be reached at (707) 287-2870 or info@oliviabrion.com.

He goes the extra mile by signing his bottles regularly, giving his wine a warm attitude of ‘from me to you.’

Now having worked at the source, I can absolutely attest to the temptation most massmarket farmers give into. We mowed the www.lvfnb.com

Photos by Ben Brown

To be certified organic, no chemical-based fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides can be used.

The certification process takes three years, adequate time for the site to ‘clean out its system,’ as Mahaffey says. 2013 will be Olivia Brion’s first certified organic vintage.

September 2012 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 11

Brett’s BY

ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS

unveiled Tetsu, his first teppan concept at ARIA. Tetsu features highly skilled teppan chefs overseeing six grills – four blackjack-style tables and two communal teppan grill tables seating five and 10, respectively.

The World Food Championships (WFC) is partnering with Bally’s as the official host of the four-day food festival and cooking competition, Nov. 1-4, with additional events taking place at Paris and Caesars Palace. Travel Channel’s Adam Richman will host the festivities that include a total prize pot of $300,000.

photo by Kim Farley

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill with their “Soul2Soul” show will have a limited engagement at The Venetian opening on Dec. 7 and covering 10 weekends through April 2013.

“Soul2Soul” will mark the first time in six years that they have performed together in the United States. The Venetian Theater will be modified to accommodate their all-new production.

“Surf: The Musical” at Planet Hollywood despite having a big-name director Kristin Hanggi and featuring Beach Boys music closed after a six-week run.

The inaugural run of “Dancing with the Stars: Live in Las Vegas” at the New Tropicana after a couple extensions will return by popular demand in March 2013.

Firkin Pub & Grille is a new English pub at Paradise and Harmon. The décor incorporates windows, dark wood and a long black oak wood bar. There are two pool tables, an electronic dart board, shuffleboard table and a lounge area.

California Pizza Kitchen restaurants have launched a New Adventures menu nationwide.

Each item is incredible with the Fire-Roasted Chile Relleno being a stand out.

Hash House A Go Go with four Las Vegas outlets was recently named one of the “Top 10 Cheap Eats in the United States” as well as one of the “Top 10 Cheap Eats in Vegas” by Gayot.com.

DINING HAPPENINGS

The original Bacchanal restaurant at Caesars Palace closed in 2000 and is returning as the new $17 million Bacchanal Buffet with nine show kitchens serving an over-the-top feast with more than 500 items between all the meals. Modern with an international design, the 25,000-square-foot dining experience will seat 600 guests and have a pool complex view, a private dining room, plus wedding and event space.

This fall, the Stratosphere will open a new steak and seafood restaurant McCall’s Heartland Grill with a coastal yet Midwestern-inspired menu; and the Palms will open Chocolat Bistro, a stylishly chic fusion of traditional European gelateria, creperie and cremerie.

Michelin-starred Chef Masa Takayama

“Robb Report” editors in their August issue named Las Vegas as “the best place on Earth to eat steak” and reported that every major resort “is upping the ante with at least one glamorous steak house.”

VENTURES IN THE MAKING Las Vegas’ gay nightclub Krave is moving downtown to the third floor of Neonopolis on Fremont Street where it will be renamed Krave Massive and open later this year. The space will expand beyond the nightclub theme to include a comedy club, movie theater and outdoor pool.

THEhotel, the 1,100-room all-suite resort attached to Mandalay Bay, will become the Delano Las Vegas under a partnership between MGM Resorts International and Morgans Hotel Group. THEhotel will be renovated and redesigned with completion expected in 2013. The resort’s public space, including bars, lounges, spa and restaurants, will also be renovated. MGM Resorts will manage and Morgans will introduce several new restaurants and replace Red Square at Mandalay Bay.

Serendipity 3 at Caesars Palace started the first seasonal garden on the Strip, which allows Executive Chef Michael Wolf to incorporate homegrown produce into menu dishes.

Winder Farms, a premier home delivery grocery company has started a new farmers market in the south parking lot at Galleria at Sunset. Winder Farms Farmers Market is open on Fridays from 4 – 8 p.m. through Oct. 26.

12 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2012

The Four Seasons will renovate its 424 guest rooms and suites located on floors 35 – 39 at Mandalay Bay by Dec. 17. The design project is inspired in part by the vibrant Art Deco period. www.lvfnb.com

CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEW MENU

Cedar plank salmon with corn succotash.

By Shelley Stepanek

With four locations in Las Vegas, including the airport, Mirage, Fashion Show Mall and Town Square, California Pizza Kitchen has unveiled five new menu items. Featuring fresh healthy choices, the cedar plank salmon with corn succotash, fire-roasted chile rellenos, grilled chicken chimichurri, shrimp scampi zucchini fettuccine and the quinoa & arugula salad, couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be any more taste arousing or eye appealing. With flavors to make any palate happy, these dishes will be a great new addition to the marvelous pizzas, lettuce wraps or Sedona tortilla soups that they are already famous for. Try a new strawberry shortcake during the season.

Open Sun-Thur from 11-10 and Fri-Sat 11-11. Facebook and twitter. www.cpk.com

Photos by Rose Powell-Carver

KABUKI SAKE & BEER FEST

www.lvfnb.com

September 2012 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 13

Industry Nightlife

By Chandra Paige

Chandra’s Latenight Picks

Celebrity guest late night picker – Frankie Moreno

Chandra Paige is a PR director for mobiAdzz, and is also an independent marketing and business consultant nationally. She writes about food, nightlife, events and life stories.

Sure everyone wants to know where to have a drink or bite to eat. But do they always want the advice from the same person? Who better to ask than the people that live and breathe the nightlife here in Las Vegas? Every now and then I will pick the brains of the best people in town to fulfill the inquiring minds of visitors and locals alike.

yummy.” The dish’s name is self-explanatory of what to expect in taste. The Summer Sangria with Mondavi White Zinfandel, Blackberry Brandy, Strawberry Syrup, Champagne and Sprite is his choice of beverage here.

FRANKIE MORENO of The Frankie Moreno Show at Stratosphere has graciously and humorously agreed to share his picks, insights and cooking skills. If you haven’t seen his Crown Royal sponsored show (Wed-Sat 8 p.m.), expect this: a 10-piece band that’s very interactive in the show with original music; Frankie executing Olympic worthy moves while playing on the piano; holding the longest note on a harmonica I have ever heard; Elvis dance moves; playing the guitar, and even the drums and adult humor (so expect to laugh, a lot!); and of course, Crown shots for the band throughout the show.

After doing a 1 ½ hour high energy show, meet and greet with the fans, and hanging out in the Black Room (Yes, nothing ordinary about him, no green room for him!) for a little bit with fans, he favors to unwind in a quieter environment.

No shouting required.

Being Italian, his family gathers for Pasta Sundays. Frankie said he would be a chef if he wasn’t a musician. His specialties: Italian sausages, rigatoni and he makes a mean (in the most non-angry way) artichoke risotto. Risotto showdown with him! I asked what his brothers like and he was quick to respond that Ricky likes his food peppery and Tony likes his with more salt. I bet that household on Sunday smells unbelievable!

FRANKIE’S CHOICES:

TOP OF THE WORLDSTRATOSPHERE He says you can’t beat the view, and I agree! He loves the Ricotta Gnocchi “Mac and Cheese” with white truffle oil side dish. In his own words he described it as “Unbelievably so good and

107 LOUNGESTRATOSPHERE

STK-COSMOPOLITAN He likes to go here to kick back and have a drink. Sometimes he has a Crown Royal Cask #16 or red wine. He loves the look and design of the place as well as the great service.

RICK MOONEN’S RM SEAFOOD-MANDALAY BAY Ebi-Go Roll: shrimp tempura, jalapenos, avocado, baby cilantro, tuna, jalapeno sauce, Kabayaki and lime squeeze. Very pleasing to the taste buds with just enough kick, and not overwhelming, unless you add a dollop of wasabi. Then you are on your own! Frankie has a song “Tangerine Honey,” which is turning into a Jelly Belly! Several venues have their versions of Tangerine Honey. RM’s knowledgeable and dapper lead bartender, J.R. Starkus’s version: Finlandia Tangerine Vodka, Aperol, honey syrup, fresh lemon and orange rind garnish after being lit and squeezed to release the oils for the essence. I personally tried this and predicate it’s a must try!

An afterthought question came up after talking with him, so I texted him, “Why should people go see your show?”

Frankie’s response, “Because I’m the only me and if that’s what they’re looking for…only 1 place to find it.”

If you haven’t seen his show, you haven’t seen Vegas. It is a rare treat to see great humor, entertainment and original beautiful music with a brilliant band that gets the crowd going. Walk in the theater in a grumpy mood and no way they will allow you to walk out without a big smile on your face of enjoyment! Frankie, thanks for taking the time to chat and laugh. Stay your silly self and keep doing what you are doing. Pure talent, the world’s ready for you!

INDUSTRY NIGHTS Blue Martini Town Square Mon-Sun

Foundation Room Mandalay Bay Monday

Krave Miracle Mile Sunday

Pure Caesars Tuesday

Blush Wynn Tuesday

Gallery Planet Hollywood Wednesday

Lavo Palazzo Tuesday

Rain Palms Friday

Crown Rio Monday

Ghost Bar Palms Wednesday

LAX Luxor Wednesday

Revolver Santa Fe Station Thursday

Chateau Paris Tuesday

Haze Aria Thursday

Marquee Cosmopolitan Monday

Rok New York, New York Wednesday

Drai’s Bill’s Sunday

Jet Mirage Monday

Moon Palms Tuesday

14 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2012

STK Cosmopolitan Monday

Surrender Vanity Hard Rock Encore Beach Club Sunday Wednesday The Bank Bellagio Sunday Tryst Wynn Thursday Tao Venetian Thursday

XS Encore Monday Does your bar or restaurant have industry specials?

Have them listed here! info@lvfnb.com www.lvfnb.com

THE GREAT LAS VEGAS

COCKTAIL SHAKE-UP! PRESENTED BY LITHUANIAN SPIRITS

Michael Howard First Place Winner Blackberry Cocktail

From the moment I stepped behind the bar I knew that’s where I wanted to be. I love being a bartender because I get to watch guests’ expressions as they enjoy one of my cocktails.

Blackberry Cocktail 2 oz. Trejos Deuynerions 999 1 oz. Carpano Antica 2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters 0.5 oz Lemon juice 0.5 oz Orange Juice 2 Key Limes 8 Blackberries Add ingredients to shaker and muddle key limes halves and 6 blackberries.

Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.

Garnish with 2 blackberries.

Top with Ginger Ale.

I started to work in customer service with my granddad when I was 10, and since that moment I loved it. Years later I chose to be a chef and liked it. I worked as a chef for 12 years but I didn’t have the opportunity to talk to the customers and learn what they thought about the restaurant. Then I became a bar back and later got the chance to be trained as a bartender. From the moment I stepped behind the bar I knew that’s where I wanted to be. I love being a bartender because I get to watch guests’ expressions as they enjoy one of my cocktails.

I think learning is very important in this profession, for the moment you stop learning is the moment you stop trying. I always try to learn something new every day. www.lvfnb.com

Photos by Jessica Kuiper

I am a perfectionist and I put all my effort into every cocktail I make. Another thing I am passionate about is Classic Cocktails, because they remind me of the days when bartenders were an important part of society and could always bring a smile to everyone’s face with a cocktail.

September 2012 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 15

Emilio Tiburcio Second Place Winner A Journey to the Edge

Eric Hobbie

1.5 oz Bullet Rye Bourbon Whiskey ž oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth 1 oz Trejos Deuynerions 999 Ÿ oz Black Cherry Juice Concentrate Flamed Spiced Fig Bitters In a snifter glass pour over the ice sphere the Bullet Rye Bourbon Whiskey, Dolin Blanc Vermouth, Trejos Deuynerions 999, Black Cherry Juice Concentrate and add Flamed Spice Fig Aromatic Bitters on top the cocktail.

Oy a Pint of Bitta 3 Armena Cherries Muddle Small Rosemary Sprig 2 oz Trejos Deuynerions 999 Shake and pour into flute. Add 3 oz Saison beer. Light stir and add a burnt rosemary sprig for garnish.

Photos by Jessica Kuiper

Third Place Winner Oy a Pint of Bitta

A Journey to the Edge

16 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2012

www.lvfnb.com

THE GREAT LAS VEGAS

COCKTAIL SHAKE-UP! LITHUANIAN SPIRITS. Only the best spirits.

Consumers are looking for high-quality products both in the European Union and in the world. Customers often relate the quality of foodstuffs to their place of origin, as it ensures safety and authenticity of such products. The beverages attributed to the spirits with the geographic reference meet such consumer needs.

They are produced in certain locations or regions by preserving their distinction and uniqueness. The spirits bearing such mark are also a distinctive reflection of culture of a certain country, and of the quality. Their production is controlled at all stages; therefore, we can boldly claim that such evaluation is given only to the best products.

J.R. Starkus Fourth Place Winner “Tribute to Jimmy”

“Tribute to Jimmy” 1 oz OZONE Vodka 1 oz Trejos Deuynerions 999 .75 oz St-Germaine .25 oz Fresh Lemon 1 Dash Angostura Combine all ingredients and shake well. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a fresh orange swath.

More Great Lithuanian Spirits Cocktail Recipe Submissions “In the Zone”

Golden Dawn

1 oz OZONE Vodka .5 oz Trejos Deuynerions 999 Pinch Fresh Thyme 4 Large Fresh Basil Leaves 2 Dashes Fee Bros Rhubarb Bitters 1.5 oz Fresh Lemon Sour 1oz Pellegrino Blood Orange Soda Muddle herbs, shake remaining ingredients with ice (except soda), add soda to mixing tin, stir and double strain over fresh ice in a footed pilsner glass.

Garnish: Long lemon twist and floating basil leaf Special notes: The fresh herbs are used to complement the 27 herbs used in the Trejos Deuynerions 999 and the OZONE Vodka is used as a platform to build upon. This cocktail was designed to be easily recreated by the average person who wants an exotic experience!

30 ml Lillet Blanc 30 ml Honeydew Nectarine Shrub 60 ml Trejos Deuynerions 999 top of club soda Float of Nectarine shrub foam Shrub recipe: Macerate 1 cup of honeydew, nectarines, cardamom seeds and nutmeg in 1 cup of pure cane sugar for 48 hrs. Fine strain mixture into clean bottle, add 1 cup of white wine vinegar and shake well.

Shrub foam recipe: Dry shake together egg whites and existing foam.

Combine shrub lillet and 3 Nines in mixing glass and stir for 30 seconds. Strain into rocks glass, top with a dash of club soda and add foam on top. Grate a small amount of nutmeg for aromatic as well as lemon swath and serve.

www.lvfnb.com

The Nines Chai 6 Ripe Blackberries 3/4 oz Simple Syrup 2 oz Trejos Deuynerions 999 2 oz Chai Tea 1 oz Milk Can be served hot or over ice. Place blackberries and simple syrup in a coffee mug (hot) or Collins glass (cold). Muddle. Fill glass with ice if served cold. Pour 999 Herbal Liquor and chai tea into glass and top with milk.

Garnish with shortbread cookies for hot or additional blackberries for cold.

The Lithuania Traveler 2 oz Trejos Deuynerions 999 1 oz Aperol 1 oz St Germain Stir and Martini garnish with a piece of lemon mint.

Soda Shop Fizz 1.5 oz OZONE Vodka 1 oz Hiram Walker Whipped Cream Liqueur .5 oz Vanilla Bean Syrup .5 oz Fernet Branca 4 dashes Chocolate Bitters 2.5 oz Fever Tree Soda Water 2 oz Cherry Herring Orgeat foam Add all spirits to the mixing glass. Shake and strain over iced pilsner glass. Top off with Cherry Herring Orgeat foam and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Special notes - The Cherry Herring foam recipe is as follows- 4 oz Egg Whites, 4 oz Cherry Herring, 2 oz Almond Milk and 1 oz Orgeat Syrup.

Devynia Mule 1 1/2 oz OZONE Vodka 3/4 oz Ginger 1/2 oz Simple Syrup Muddle ginger and pour over ice.

Top with soda and float 1/3 oz Trejos Deuynerions 999.

September 2012 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 17

WHAT’S COOKING?

By Bob Barnes

Caesars Palace Unveils Unique Bacchanal Buffet Featuring Nine Open Kitchens

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

Email: bob@lvfnb.com

such as the red velvet pancake. The Italian section will offer seven pastas, various sauces and a wood burning pizza oven. The Asian stations will serve ramen, pho, Asian soups and seven different sushi rolls with the option to specify desired ingredients.

The nine kitchens include Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, American, Seafood, Pizza, Deli and Dessert, each which will have an action station dispensing plated dishes and “minis.”

One unique amenity is a carving station of more than 20 different varieties of fresh-baked bread and rolls.

Regional President of Caesars Palace Gary Selesner explains how this buffet will be a unique experience.

Caesars Palace closed its decadent Bacchanal gourmet room in 2000, and is bringing it back in the form of the Bacchanal Buffet. A total of $17 million was put into the modern and international design, with 25,000-square-foot dining space and seating for up to 600 guests.

The buffet is prominently situated in the former space of the Café Lago and opens to the walkway to the Augustus Tower, where thousands will pass by daily. It also offers a bonus of a view of the property’s Garden of the Gods pool complex.

Just weeks prior to its September 10 opening we were treated to a media preview, hard hat tour and tasting of some select items. Regional President of Caesars Palace Gary Selesner welcomed our group and informed us that the new buffet experience will be extremely interactive, with 80-90% of the dishes being prepared in front of guests, and with a team of classically trained master chefs from the nine open kitchens standing by to explain the presentations and attempt to meet any special requests. Selesner said, “We want to make food

entertainment and have a balance of appealing to those looking for the typical buffet fare as well as foodies. And, with the open kitchens we will offer a fresh, modern approach.”

Designed by Super Potato, a renowned Japanese restaurant design firm, the Bacchanal Buffet is its first buffet project in the US. The space is divided into three sections: Glass-with shimmering chandeliers and colored glass as partition walls; Steel-repurposed weathered plates from factories and warehouses; and Wood-different sized blocks stacked to create patterned walls and ceiling. The result is a modern aesthetic of clean lines, natural, recycled and reclaimed materials. Scattered throughout are 3,607 glass jars filled with colorful spices used in the kitchens and 7 different table formats surrounded by 10 varying chair designs, upholstered in 17 different fabrics.

Executive Chef Scott Green walked us through the cuisine of the nine kitchens and likened it to “nine little restaurants,” with each station serving about 30 items. Breakfast will feature chicken and waffles and made to order pancakes

The amount of items being offered is staggering. More than 500 items will be served daily: dinner will feature more than 300 items, breakfast more than 95, and at least 10 daily soups, seven farmstead American cheeses and an additional 115 pastry items available during dinner. The buffet line is one of the longest in Las Vegas and may be the largest in terms of variety of items being served.

The buffet will be open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Prices are $19.99 for breakfast, $24.99 for lunch and $39.99 for seafood-featured dinner.

Bacchanal Buffet @Caesars Palace 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S. Las Vegas, NV 89109 702-731-7110, 877-427-7243

Photos by Juanita Aiello

Our tour concluded with a tasting of a dozen items, including Chicken and Waffles, Italian Meatballs, Slow Roasted Carnitas and freshly made tortillas, Red Velvet Pancakes, Sliders (blend of chuck roll, rib-eye cab and wagyu beef), Shrimp and Grits, Ramen, Dim Sum Dumpling and Soufflé.

www.lvfnb.com

Kaori Nagao, Representative

Super

Potato

Bacchanal Buffet Executive Chef Scott Green

September 2012 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 19

Photos by Juanita Aiello

SOLAIA DINNER AT THE PALAZZO

20 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2012

www.lvfnb.com

Raise a fork

to end hunger.

DISH Las Vegas returns for the fourth year as more than twenty area restaurants bring out their newest, greatest creations.

Sample sensational food. Meet & mingle with the chefs.

See Zowie Bowie perform live.

All proceeds benefit Three Square Food Bank.

September 20 I 6:30-9:30pm Palms Pool & Bungalows PalmS CaSIno ReSoRt $100 advanced I $150 Door Tickets are limited. Get them now at

threesquare.org or call 702-644-3663 x332

Presented by

The Whisky Attic

By Adam Carmer

The Spirit of Spirits!

Adam Carmer is the founder of The Freakin’ Frog & The Whisky Attic, creator of the Carmer Spirits Tasting Enhancement Method (CSTEM) and Spirits Editor of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.

Email: Adam@lvfnb.com

Hedonism: Why we drink what we drink Advertizing, word-of-mouth, marketing, peer pressure and many other forces claim to drive you to drink a certain spirit, but hedonism is the force that compels you to return.

We are at a fantastic time in history where anyone may choose to be a hedonist. A hedonist does what they want and drinks what they want because of their personal likes and dislikes. The old Burger King commercial said it best, “Have it your way.” Hedonism is fun; it is personal and uniquely yours.

When you ask for a martini it is now vodka instead of the original recipe calling for gin. This is due to the number of people who raised their hand and said they prefer vodka. The reality is there are less dissatisfiers in gin, which makes vodka more a winner via attrition. What you like is largely based upon the absence of the things you dislike. Why choose a specific vodka over another, because it is smoother or because it does not have the harshness of another? These are your decisions and the culmination of many years of experimenting by tasting various spirits enables you to choose the one you truly want. MAKE THAT CHOICE! Do not be

afraid of saying what you really want to a bartender. They want you to have it also.

The amount of hedonism in this town is driven by the consumer and the distributors. Keep asking for what you want as Las Vegas has over the last two decades and you wind up with the greatest collection of wine, beer and SPIRITS in the country. Notice how deep and varied backbars have become with actual spirits all over town. Hedonism is not a sickness in Las Vegas, it is a right.

Please continue to demand the best products by ordering and consuming them around town, so Las Vegas may continue to lead the way of the world’s palate that your hedonistic nights demand.

Hedonism is here for a good seat at the table. Enjoy its company and ride its coattails to the nearest bar and have it your way.

Looking forward to our next dram, Adam

Photos by Juanita Aiello

JOE BASTIANICH WINE DINNER

www.lvfnb.com

September 2012 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 23

By Mitchell Wilburn

Interview with Cajun Chef and Restaurateur, Lola Pokorny-a Little Slice of New Orleans

Mitchell Wilburn is a food and drink writer living in Las Vegas.

You can view his restaurant, beer, spirits, and event articles at mitchellwilburn.com, or follow him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ mitchellwilburnofficial.

In one of the hippest downtown spots, the Holsum Lofts on Charleston, there is a little slice of New Orleans, Louisiana called “Lola’s: A Louisiana Kitchen.” Among the Saints pennants and permanent Mardi Gras fixtures, there are people digging into some of the best Cajun food this side of the Mississippi.

Recently featured in Guy Fieri’s Diners, DriveIns, and Dives, they are enjoying a big bump in popularity. Favorite dishes such as their chargrilled oysters, the rich and creamy shrimp and Gouda grits and world-class Jim Beam bourbon bread pudding have been wowing tourists and locals alike. Their Abita beer list and the real Leidenheimer bread (passionately referred to as “cotton with a crust”) cradling their Po-Boys are both straight from New Orleans, just like the chef and owner herself, Lola Pokorny. I sat down with her for a chat about her influences, her experiences and her amazing menu.

Your menu has many southern staples, but also some very unique original items, like the Craw Puppies. How would you summarize your menu’s “philosophy”?

Looking back as an adult, you remember saying “Oh gosh, we have to eat tomatoes from the garden again, or we have to go pick okra...” It felt like a chore. But as an adult, it’s a delicacy.

You look back on it, and we were the luckiest people in the world.

their travel plans around that. When you go out of town, you don’t just hit the corporate places.

You want to know where the locals eat, where the locals are going.

Comfort food. Food from a region we share with those that have been displaced by Katrina, people who have come out to work for the casino industry, come out to retire, people who can’t get to New Orleans or Louisiana. It’s not all just New Orleans food, but people from all over Louisiana enjoy this kind of food.

Just recently you were featured on the Food Channel. Was that experience how you Is there a strong tradition of cooking in your expected? family?

The experience was great. It was painless, a Absolutely. My mother and father both cooked. little nerve-wracking to prepare. Once the crew All my family cooks. We were not the wealthiest got in here they made it painless; they made it people in the world, but we certainly felt like fun. They appreciated our efforts to prepare, it because we ate like kings and queens. My and once Guy [Fieri] came in, it was exciting. mother made sure what was on the table was He’s got such a following, and I couldn’t believe the freshest, and was in season. how many people watch his show and map out

www.lvfnb.com

Photos by Mitchell Wilburn

What is your favorite non-Cajun dish or style?

Something you have respect for but not really What have you found is the most rewarding in “Louisiana”? your experience as a restaurateur?

I cook almost everything. I don’t cook Thai I think to date is a party who came in and food, but I love Thai food, and I cook plenty of Italian food. There’s Italian mixed in with wanted to know where I was going to live in southern and Louisiana food. One of my Thai heaven, because they wanted to be next door to me. You can’t get any better than that. It staples is red curry with coconut shrimp. brought tears to my eyes, chills; it was amazing Lola’s passion for bringing great food from her that someone would think as highly of me as home state really shows. Whether a classic dish they did. We have been complimented so many or contemporary favorite, it’s always worth it times, and the reward is having someone take a to come visit this Louisiana kitchen and see fork, put it in their food, taste it, and just have to what’s cooking. You can save on the plane share it with whoever they were with. THAT’S ticket and have it authentic and amazing right rewarding. here in Las Vegas.

Lola’s: a Louisiana Kitchen 241 W. Charleston Ste. 101 Las Vegas, NV 89102 702-227-5652 lolaslasvegas.com

September 2012 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 25

The GRA and Philips Shine Light on New Legislation and LEDs Did you know that LED bulbs save restaurants up to 83% on lighting, don’t use any mercury, and can last for years?

For these groundbreaking environmental merits, the Green Restaurant Association (GRA) has recently endorsed 39 LED products from Philips Lighting, including their Award Winning LED Bulb, which received the $10 million L Prize® from the U.S. Department of Energy. By using Philips LED bulbs, restaurants can expect high-quality, cost-effective lighting, earn 18 GreenPoints™ towards their Certification and stay ahead of recently updated legislation.

New laws under the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) have forced changes to the minimum efficiency standards of lighting options across the country. As of July 2012, over half of halogen PARs have been banned. Additionally, 100W incandescent bulbs will be phased out by the end of the year, and further EISA bans are scheduled through 2014 and beyond.

To help restaurants adjust to this legislation and implement more environmentally sustainable lighting alternatives, Philips and the GRA will be hosting an educational webinar on September 27th, 2012 at 11am EDT. These new lighting regulations will have a tremendous impact on dining services of all sizes. After all, with one million restaurants across the U.S., the restaurant industry is the number one consumer of electricity in the retail sector. Today,

By Charlotte Maher Charlotte Maher is the Communications Associate for the Green Restaurant Association, a national non-profit that has been helping restaurants become environmentally sustainable since 1990. For inquiries, please contact media@dinegreen.com.

lighting currently accounts for 13% of the energy used across the industry. However, if every restaurant in the country updated their lighting to LED bulbs, the industry as a whole would reduce its energy consumption by 10% overnight!

As many Certified Green Restaurants® have discovered, using LED bulbs does not diminish the atmosphere of a dining environment. While LED light color and quality was a greater challenge a few years ago, today’s LED technology can satisfy the full spectrum of a restaurant’s lighting needs. For example, the GRA Endorsed Award Winning L Prize® LED Bulb from Philips is a 10W energy-efficient alternative to the 60W incandescent bulb, and offers dimmable soft lighting that is well suited for restaurant settings. “This LED bulb could literally replace every lamp in a restaurant without impacting quality,” says Michael Oshman, the Founder and CEO of the GRA. “Once restaurants see this revolutionary product, they won’t be able to go back to incandescent bulbs.”

Given the many environmental merits of LED bulbs, restaurants working with the GRA towards Certification can earn up to 18 GreenPoints™ for updating their lighting to LED products. For example, Chicago’s Xoco has switched 59% of its lighting to more energy-efficient LED bulbs, and this single environmental step has earned the hot spot 9.54 GreenPoints™ in the category of energy. Additionally, Brasserie Jo in Boston, MA and the Manito Tap House in Spokane, WA have both updated 37% of their lighting to LED bulbs, each earning 5.94 GreenPoints™ towards their Certifications.

Restaurants across the country are beginning to “see the light” about the remarkable advantages of LED technology – from minimized costs and energy use, to maximized quality and endurance. While EISA bans continue to roll out on less efficient bulbs, restaurants can take this opportunity to make effective, educated decisions about their lighting methods.

LED bulbs are a clear, sustainable solution, and their many benefits will last for years to come.

26 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2012

EDUCATIONAL WEBINAR Join Philips and the GRA for a free webinar on September 27, 2012 at 11am EDT to review recent lighting legislation and the positive impact of LED bulbs.

To register, please email your name, company and title to charlotte.maher@dinegreen.com

About the Green Restaurant Association 2012 marks the 22nd anniversary of the Green Restaurant Association’s (GRA) founding in 1990. The Green Restaurant Association is a national non-profit organization that provides the only official Certified Green Restaurants® mark in the country. For two decades, the GRA has pioneered the Green Restaurant® movement and has been the leading voice within the industry encouraging restaurants to listen to consumer demand and green their operations using transparent, science-based certification standards. With their turnkey certification system, the GRA has made it easy for thousands of restaurants to become more environmentally sustainable in a profitable manner. The GRA is endorsed by scores of national environmental organizations such as NRDC and Environmental Defense, and esteemed trade organizations including the New York State Restaurant Association, Orange County Restaurant Association, and America Public Garden Association.

The GRA is also an Energy Star partner. In 2010, Citysearch announced the GRA as their official Green Restaurant® listing partner.

The GRA has been featured on CNN, NBC Nightly News, NPR, and in The New York Times, and The Washington Post.

For more information visit www.dinegreen.com. www.lvfnb.com

Green Restaurant Association

TM

Since 1990

Thinking of Going Green?

Take a strategic approach.

a non-profit organization Phone: (617) 737-3344 Email: gra@dinegreen.com www.dinegreen.com

Photos by Rose Powell-Carver

SAKE & WINE PAIRING AT KYARA

28 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2012

www.lvfnb.com

Photos by Bill Bokelmann & Ben Brown

CARNIVAL OF CUISINE

www.lvfnb.com

September 2012 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 29

F&B Associations ACF Chefs of Las Vegas www.acfchefslasvegas.org

Meeting & Events Las Vegas www.meetingsandeventslasvegas.com

LVHA www.lvhospitality.org

Las Vegas Hospitality Association www.lvhospitality.org

Guild of Sommeliers www.guildsomm.com

Nevada Tavern Owners Association www.wix.com/in7762/ntoa

National Concierge Association Nevada www.nationalconcierge.com/nevada

Destination Services Association www.dsa-lasvegas.com

Green Restaurant Association www.dinegreen.com IFSEA www.ifsea.com Nevada Hotel and Lodging Association http://www.nvhotels.com United States Bartenders’ Guild http://www.usbg.org Nevada Restaurant Association www.nvrestaurants.com

Leonard Cohen, restaurateur and inventor of Stem Locks, shows off his amazing new product that will revolutionize the way waitstaff handle stemware delivery. Here Leonard displays holding and tipping two trays at the recent Western Restaurant & Hospitality Expo in Anaheim, to the shock and delight of the attendees.

For more information on this amazing, money saving product contact your Nevada Rep: StemLocks@lvfnb.com

CUSTOM BLENDED HERBS & SPICES MADE LOCALLY IN LAS VEGAS All Products Processed in the USA. Custom Blended, Packaged, & Distributed Locally with the Highest Quality Products Available.

30 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I September 2012

GA

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Al Dentes’ Provisions 6960 W Warm Springs Road, Suite 130 • Las Vegas, Nevada 89113 702-642-1100 • 702-617-5686 fax • sales@aldentes.com

S’ PRO NTE UFF” VISIO DEREAT ST

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Al Dentes’ mission is simple: Provide our customers the best, safest products and service available at the lowest prices possible.

We take pride in being a Las Vegas company committed to safe, fresh, & high quality products.

LA

S

www.lvfnb.com

AD INDEX Aces & Ales www.acesandales.com 702-436-7600

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

page 30

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

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BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse www.bjsrestaurants.com 702-851-8050

page 7

G2E www.globalgamingexpo.com

page 22

EMotors, LLC www.tsmotoring.com 702-810-2848

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Flavors of the Heart www.flavorsoftheheart.com

page 5

Green Restaurant Association www.dinegreen.com 617-737-3344

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Lithuanian Spirits usa@lithuanianspirits.com 888-201-0733

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Events

SEPTEMBER

September 8 Flavors of the Heart World Market Center www.flavorsoftheheart.com September 7-9 The Trade Show LA Convention Center www.thetradeshow.org September 9-16 Spirits of Mexico Old Town San Diego www.thespiritsofmexico.com September 11-16 33rd San Gennaro Feast Silverton Casino www.sangennarofeast.com

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Three Square www.threesquare.org 702-644-3663

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Visstun Visually Stunning Custom Cups www.visstuncups.com 800-401-2910

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September 22 Las Vegas Wine & Food Festival Redrock Casino vegaswineandfood.com September 25 ACF Chefs Las Vegas Monthly Meeting/Dinner Desert Pines Golf Club www.acfchefslasvegas.org

September 15 8th Annual Wine Amplified Festival Mandalay Bay Beach www.rocknrollwine.com

September 30-October 2 California Grocers Association Conference Palm Springs www.cagrocers.com

www.lvfnb.com

Stem Locks www.stemlocks.com

September 21-23 40th Annual Greek Festival www.lasvegasgreekfestival.com

September 28 Rock N Brew Las Vegas Chateau Nightclub @Paris UNLV Beverage Club www.brewunlv.com

September 19 Las Vegas’ Largest Mixer Texas Station Hotel www.largestmixer.com

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September 20 Three Square’s Dish Las Vegas The Palms Pool and Bungalows www.threesquare.org

September 14 Bubbles & Chocolate Mandalay Bay Beach www.rocknrollwine.com

September 15 BBQ at the Bitter Root Ranch www.opportunityvillage.org

Rock n Roll Wines www.rockandrollwine.com 702-240-3066

to see more events, visit www.lvfnb.com/ calendar.htm Don’t See Your Event Listed Here?

Email Your F&B Events to Info@lvfnb.com.

September 2012 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 31

p ro t ect aga i n st the u nex p e c te d “With Stem Locks, we have saved hundreds of dollars per month on breakage; spilled drinks accompanied by customer dry-cleaning; and complimentary dishes.”

— David Whitestine, Olde Port Inn, Avila Beach, CA

“BeSt neW restaurant and bar PrODuCt Of 2012.”

— Leonard Cohen, Ciopinot, San Luis Obispo, CA

trADe: SySco · www.SupplieSonTheFly.com COnSumerS: inSTawareS · www.inSTawareS.com vISIt: www.STemlockS.com YOu tuBe: Tinyurl.com/STemlockSVideo