The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional - September 2019

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Issue 9 Volume 19

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Heaven Hill Meet the Man Behind the Largest Family Owned and Operated Distilled Spirits Company in America

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September 2019

CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER MIKE FRYER

9 Cover

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WELCOME BACK TO OUR SEPTEMBER 2019 ISSUE OF THE SOCAL FOOD & BEVERAGE PROFESSIONAL. As the summer season lightens up and the weather becomes a little more tolerable, food & beverage shows, expos and events start up once again and we start seeing outside dining slowly coming back. Please check our monthly EVENTS CALENDAR near the back of each issue to better inform you on upcoming informative events you may be interested in to help you develop your skills in the industry, heighten your professional knowledge, meet other professionals and just enjoy the industry we are in.

COVER FEATURE FOR SEPTEMBER HIGHLIGHTS HEAVEN HILL BRANDS. Our feature writer Ben Brown informs us: “Heaven Hill is the sixth largest spirits supplier in the US and the second largest holder of aging bourbon whiskey in the world, with an inventory of more than 1.6 million barrels. It’s an empire in its own right, with iconic whiskeys such as Evan Williams and Elijah Craig—and, as of August 2019, Black Velvet Canadian Whisky—as well as a diversified portfolio that runs the gamut of spirits, including vodka, gin, rum, tequila, cognac and a variety of liqueurs. Heaven Hill has been around for 85 years and only continues to ramp up its growth.”

HUMAN RESOURCES INSIGHTS BY LINDA BERNSTEIN this month is titled Dealing with Harassment, Discrimination and General Disrespect. Linda writes: “Now more than ever, it is important that companies today are in tune with and attentive to what behaviors are going on in their workplace. This new workforce is often more casual and cavalier about some behaviors and can tend to cross the line regarding respectful behaviors and not realize it. So, how do you manage them and maintain good working relationships between all ages, genders, races and faiths?” Read on and you will find out…

THE RESTAURANT EXPERT BY DAVID SCOTT PETERS gives us six reasons customers don’t come back. David says, “Years ago, I came across a study called ‘The Spirit of Service.’ It was done by a foodservice industry association that is no longer around, but the information it provided me became a platform for explaining the importance of systems to restaurant owners and managers. In the study, they detailed six main reasons why customers don’t come back. I have found this list to be timeless and it held up in every restaurant. Here they are with ideas to counteract them.”

CHEERS & KOMPAI! MIKE FRYER SR. EDITOR/PUBLISHER

Page 4 Hot off the Grill!

Page 5 The Bottom Line Tips on Menu Engineering from a 37-Year Veteran

Page 14 Twinkle Toast Drink Like a Girl: The Feminine Side of Ferghettina Winery

Page 6 What’s Brewing Page 8 Product Review

19 www.socalfnbpro.com

Page 9 Spirits Confidential with Max Solano London: At Top of the Cocktail World Part 1 of 4 Page 10 Foodie Biz

Page 12 COVER FEATURE Heaven Hill Meet the Man Behind the Largest Family Owned and Operated Distilled Spirits Company in America

Page 15 The Restaurant Expert 6 Reasons Customers Don’t Come Back

Page 20 Chef Talk The Boisterous Oyster Page 21 Human Resources Insights Dealing with Harassment, Discrimination and General Disrespect Page 22 Events Ad Index ACF Chefs of SoCal

Page 16 Brett’s Vegas View Page 19 Wine Talk with Alice Swift A visit to Sinasera 24 Restaurant

September 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 3

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

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HOT OFF THE GRILL!

Mike Fryer

Restaurant Editor Ben Brown attended what’s known as ‘California’s prime Hispanic food and wine festival,’ the AltaMed Food & Wine Festival. Lobster claws with caviar and edible gold leaf? Find out how else this festival went all out in Ben’s Foodie Biz column.

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

Bob Barnes

Editorial Director bob@socalfnbpro.com

Juanita Fryer

Ben Brown

Juanita Aiello

Adam Rains

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

Creative Director juanita@socalfnbpro.com

After editing Ben Brown’s Foodie Biz column Editorial Director Bob Barnes decided he had to make a visit to Celestino Ristorante & Bar, located in the South Lake area of Pasadena. After meeting Owner Calogero Drago, a native Sicilian and successful restaurateur, he found him to be the nicest and warmest gentleman you will ever meet. Standout dishes enjoyed there included gnocchi with black truffle fondue, mushroom soufflé with fontina cheese sauce, seafood risotto with black squid ink and eggplant parm that we have certified as the best ever.

Restaurant Editor ben@socalfnbpro.com

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

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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

4 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2019

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The Bottom Line Tips on Menu Engineering from a 37-Year Veteran

Menu engineering is the art of increasing your average check by getting customers to subconsciously order higher-profit items, and more of them. For those unfamiliar with this practice, it’s not so much trickery as it is strategy. Just a few quick fixes could result in dramatic revenue lifts, without any changes in kitchen operations or paid marketing.

Menu engineering is not a new science, either.

Other industries have used subtle tactics to control our focus and purchasing behavior for years.

“I started by studying the newspaper industry.

They know how you read so they will adjust their layout,” said Gregg Rapp, a menu engineer who’s been working with restaurant and hospitality giants such as Disneyland, Taco Bell and Wolfgang Puck, in addition to countless independent eateries, for the past 37 years. “Same with grocery stores. They’re [way] ahead of the restaurant industry. They know where people’s eyes go.”

Rapp’s process is relatively simple, though his methodologies vary widely based on the restaurant’s business needs, the teams involved and state of its menu.

“We hold what I call a ‘state of the menu’ meeting, where we take a look at the numbers: the food costs and the sales mix. We’re looking for high-profit, high sales items.”

Rapp alludes to a 2x2 matrix in which to categorize items, a practice widely used in menu engineering. At the end of the day, you want to promote your profitable items that are already selling well, consider phasing out nonprofitable items that don’t sell well, and adjust www.socalfnbpro.com

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

writer and consultant, Ben works with Fortune 500

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

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

those in between.

“We bring in the art director, the operations team, the marketing team, and we pull apart the menu and piece it back together,” Rapp said.

But the key, he noted, is collaboration.

“The restaurant does the menu whispering.

They have control of the menu and make the final decisions based on what they know about the restaurant.”

Beyond the menu’s reconstruction, however, is implementation, and training staff in new upsell practices to complement the menu’s promoted items. Rapp likes to go a step further and create a ‘backstory book’ for each item. “[A backstory book] gives servers some very helpful info to describe the items to guests,” Rapp said. “It empowers them to talk about the history behind each item, why it’s on the menu, where the ingredients come from.”

Rapp even uses eye-tracking classes to monitor menu ‘hot spots’ where customers devote more of their attention. These findings can isolate places where the menu is shining—where you want the customers’ eyes to go—as well as where opportunity for improvement exists.

“If someone can’t understand something, they’ll focus their eyes on that section longer,” Rapp said. “You need to make the decision process quick. As soon as someone orders an entrée, they’ll order something else as well.

Help them do that.”

But Rapp also warns against over-engineering menus. There is certainly such a thing as pushing customers too far.

“Don’t oversell just the most expensive item,”

Rapp said. “The most important thing is to bring a customer back…overselling people won’t get them to return.”

Rapp also shared a few more quick tips on menu engineering: Drop the dollar sign.

Taking the ‘$’ symbol off the menu ‘softens’ your prices, making customers feel at ease ordering more expensive items and more items in general. Additionally, it’s better to list the prices after the item descriptions, rather than in a vertical column all the way down the page.

The latter leads to customers looking at prices first and the items second, whereas you really want it to be the other way around.

Use callouts.

Boxes around certain items or small groups of items can go a long way in drawing attention.

The same principle applies to icons that note ‘house favorites’ or ‘signature dishes.’

Maximize menu real estate.

Eyeballs naturally gravitate toward the tops of pages, as well as the first item in each menu section. Structure your menu accordingly, so that you’re promoting your star dishes in hightraffic areas while keeping other options in the less valuable locations.

Descriptions are everything.

The more you can personify an item, the better its customer allure will be. You certainly won’t be able to fit a long-winded description about every item on your menu, but experimenting with 1-2 signature dishes may help, as well as creating a backstory book for your staff to share when customers ask about anything else.

September 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 5

what’s

By David Mulvihill

BREWING

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.

photos by David Mulvihill

Firkfest 2019: (l-r) Kyle Manns (TAPS), Mary Jane Duck (Gamecraft) and Andrew Moy (Gamecraft).

Brewers Mash 2018, (l-r) Kyle Giannuzzi (Brewery X), Brian Rauso (Green Cheek), Rick Smets (Stereo), Brian Hendon and Bryan Giesen (Docent).

Oktoberfest-ive

Southern California is gearing up for Oktoberfest season. Numerous traditional Oktoberfest festivals and related and kind-of-related celebrations dot the map this time of year. Many choices are available for the traditionally inclined and those just out to enjoy a great beer.

History Brief Oktoberfest, which is held in Munich, Germany every year, is reportedly the world’s largest festival. Currently held over a 16-day period (Sept 21- Oct 6 this year), it began in 1810 as a celebration of the October 12th marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to the Saxon-Hildburghausen Princess Therese. The people of Munich were invited to take part in the five day festivities. Anniversary festivals followed and the annual fete grew larger and longer, eventually morphing into Oktoberfest.

Sizeable brewery-sponsored beer tents are filled to capacity during the fest run. Add to them traditional music, attendees sporting German lederhosen and dirndls and traditional foods that include spit-roasted chicken, würstl, brezen, schweinebraten, schweinshaxe, steckerlfisch and käsespätzle to make the setting and experience complete.

Over time, similar festivals have popped up all over the world.

Today In Los Angeles and Orange County, moretraditional Oktoberfests have been held for years at the Phoenix Club in Anaheim (Sept 20-Oct 27), Old World in Huntington Beach (Sept 8-Nov 3) and Alpine Village in Torrance (Oct 4-Oct 27). Wirsthaus Los Angeles has an Oktoberfest run on Fridays and Saturdays, Sept 21 through the end of October.

San Diego area Oktoberfest events include Oktoberfest El Cajon (Sept 27- Oct 6), Encinitas Oktoberfest (Sept 29), La Mesa Oktoberfest (Oct 4-6) and Ocean Beach Oktoberfest (Oct 12-13).

Mountain Destinations include the Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest (Weekends, Sep 7 to Nov 2) and Lake Arrowhead Oktoberfest (Weekends Sep 14 to Oct 27).

Craft Beer Centered While those listed above generally focus on Oktoberfest beers from Germany, many local

6 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2019

craft brewers are also getting into the act, holding their own festivities and/or brewing Oktoberfest beers.

Anaheim Oktoberfest Anaheim Brewery released its Anaheim Oktoberfest Lager on August 8. For this malt forward 6.5% ABV Märzen-style beer, owners/ brewers Greg and Barbara Gerovac use a recipe patterned after a 100-year-old recipe that was found inside an old leather notebook at Munich’s Paulaner Brewery by a former boss of Greg’s during his apprenticeship there.

Anaheim’s Oktoberfest celebration takes place over two Saturdays in October (5th and 12th).

In addition to the featured beer, there are traditional dancers, live music (the GermanAmerican Band) and Sausages, etc., from the Viking Truck.

Oktobeerfest Stereo Brewing Company Oktobeerfest is happening September 20-21, coinciding with www.socalfnbpro.com

(l-r) Former Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait and Anaheim owners/brewers Barbara and Greg Gerovac.

(l-r) Pizza Port co-owner Vince Marsaglia, Kane Christensen and Jon Eckelberger at Hoptoberfest 2017.

its Oktoberfest Lager release. Striving for stylistic perfection, owner/ brewer Rick Smets shared that this year’s Vienna-style Oktoberfest Lager was brewed with over 90% Vienna malts and will be a bit lighter than last year’s version. Germany’s #1 Food Truck will be onsite to serve the German- and Mediterranean-inspired fare that has made it popular. Fest garb is encouraged. Expect German-themed drinking music and lots of Rastal steins filled with Oktoberfest Lager.

OC Brewers Mash 2019 The annual OC Brewers Guild Brewers Mash will take place on the evening of October 19, once again within the serene surroundings of the Fullerton Arboretum. While definitely Halloween focused, many member brewers bring their annually brewed Oktoberfest beer to dispense at the party. This reporter looks forward to having some of the aforementioned beers and any others that will be flowing during the event. Last year’s mash also included Oktoberfest beers from GameCraft, Unsung, Cismontane and Hoparazzi. The Guild encourages host breweries and attending guests to dress in costume and decorate their serving booths in Halloween-related themes. Prizes will be awarded.

Figtoberfest Figtoberfest 2019 takes place on September 28 at Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. headquarters in Buellton and at Fig’s various taprooms. It’s a day Figueroa Mountain devotes to German-style craft beers made by its brewers. The celebration in Buellton will feature Figtoberfest Germanstyle lager, as well as other specialties brews, German food, games, music and costume contest. In addition to Figtoberfest, Fig Mtn. taproom locations will dispense a variety of German-style beers.

Hoptoberfest Hoptoberfest 2019 happens October 25-26 at Pizza Port San Clemente.

Now in its 11th year, this markedly different (hop-filled) take on Oktoberfest is a must-attend for hop enthusiasts. Taps will be flowing with Pizza Port and guest brewery IPAs, IPLs, hoppy ales and fresh hop creations. In past years Pizza Port co-owner Vince Marsaglia has been in attendance to lend a hand with preparing delectable non-pizza fare on Port SC’s rooftop annex. Hoptoberfest typically presents as a great opportunity for trying a large variety of seasonal fresh hop beers. Last year’s festivities included nine fresh hop ales brewed at the various Pizza Port locations, plus 10 additional fresh hop beers from brewers in San Diego, Orange & L.A. Counties, Northern California and Colorado.

Eat, Drink, and Be Scary Boo Ha Ha a Haunted Oktobeerfest is scheduled for October 25-26 (two nights of boos, brews, live entertainment and spooky activities). This new event, a Halloween festival with an Oktoberfest slant, presented by Brew Ha Ha Productions in conjunction with the OC Fair and Event Center, will be held at the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa. Festival activities will include stein holding competitions, Halloween costume contests and zombie face painting. Traditional German food will be available to purchase and pair with over 80 German-style and local craft beers. Music will be provided by Dead Man’s Party (Oingo Boingo tribute band) on Friday and Metalachi on Saturday.

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Product Review

By Bob Barnes

Martini & Rossi Frosé In the wake of the massive heat that recently swept the US, frozen drinks are a welcome relief, but the new Martini & Rossi Frosé is so good, once you taste it don’t be surprised if it becomes a year-round staple. Made with real Rosé wine, natural strawberry, lemon, grapefruit and peach flavors and logging in at only 6.5% ABV per 10-oz serving, this frozen Rosé wine cocktail comes in a ready-to-drink recyclable pouch that you simply place in your freezer for 4-6 hours and once frozen squeeze into your glass or drink out of the pouch with a straw (just freeze, grab and sip!). I prefer it with a spoon and after one tasting am hooked and see this being something that will always be found in my freezer. Another plus is the packaging is easy to transport and unlike bottles, won’t break if dropped. www.martinirossifrose.com

Steeped Coffee Ever wish you could carry a cup of coffee in your pocket or purse just like a bag of tea? Steeped Coffee is described as coffee that’s as easy to make as tea, because it comes in single-serve bags that you steep just like a teabag. Another plus is the packaging is completely compostable, unlike single-use plastic used in coffee pods. Directions are simple: pour 8 ounces of hot water over bag, dunk the bag several times and steep for five minutes. After trying I am pleased with both the taste and convenience. steepedcoffee.com

Laphroaig Cairdeas Triple Wood Original Cask Strength Each year, Laphroaig Distillery crafts a limited edition malt to celebrate friendship (“Cairdeas” in Gaelic).

This year’s release is a triple maturation, meaning it is first matured in ex-bourbon barrels, then saturated with flavor in smaller quarter casks and finished in European oak casks that previously housed Oloroso sherry. The result is a sweet and smooth finish while maintaining the signature aroma and unique peaty taste the iconic Scottish distillery is known for. More specific tasting notes include toffee, dates, maple syrup, praline, caramel and cedarwood. This is an intriguing complex sipper that will grow on you with each taste. www.laphroaig.com/en/laphroaig-cairdeas-triple-wood-cask-strenght

Two Chicks Mixed Sparkling Cocktails I love the name of this new premium cocktail company, which is female founded, owned and run. I also love the beautiful packaging in cans with colorful flowers, the taste of each of the three sparkling flavor renditions, low 5% alcohol and convenience as you simply pop the tab and pour into your glass.

The flavors are Vodka Fizz—vodka with pear and elderflower blossoms; Citrus Margarita—blanco tequila and citrus spritz of lemon and lime; and Paloma—blanco tequila with natural essence of squeezed pink grapefruit. Packaging is in four-packs of 12-oz cans, allowing for two servings per can, making it great for sharing. www.twochickscocktails.com

Around the Bend Beer Company Ramblin’ Rosé Rosé Ale is a hybrid of wine and beer, and while there is no wine in this brew, there are flavors that one would associate with the popular refreshing red-hued wine. A wine-like acidity is derived from hibiscus flowers and cranberries and a not-too-sweet finish comes from the liberal use of raspberries and a touch of honey in the brew kettle; and the aforementioned fruit also transforms the color to a reddish shade.

This Chicago-based brewery founded in 2014 is all about using non-traditional ingredients, and this brew is a prime example; and, at only 5% ABV, you might consider abiding by the adage of “Rosé all day.” atbbeerco.com/beers

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SPIRITS CONFIDENTIAL with Max Solano

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

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

photos courtesy Max Solano

London: At Top of the Cocktail World Part 1 of 4

By Max A. Solano

In our marvelous food and beverage industry (and, it is truly marvelous) how many countless “Best of…” articles have been written over the years? Whether the writers are speaking on something as specific as Bourbon, ceviche or more general topics like restaurants, nightclubs or bars, even? Yet, everyone’s opinions, experiences, preferences and palates differ from one another’s, right? Yet, whimsically and amusingly, the countdowns or lists are released and the impressions are made on the readers.

Anyone who knows me, knows that most of these articles leave my head shaking uncontrollably in confusion and disagreement in many cases. But, as a reader, for once, I would like the author to just spell out the judging criteria and how and why things were scored and evaluated to simply gain a better understanding and appreciation.

Another year went by, and this year, once again, London bars crushed the cocktail scene at the annual Tales of the Cocktail Awards Ceremony in July. I am unclear of how many TOTC judges have actually visited these bars in the past year or what their specific criteria entails. With this said, very recently I went on a quick trip to London with two very close friends and Master Mixologists at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits: James “J.R.” Starkus and Michael Przydzial. The mission: Visit 15 of the “top” Mixology & Cocktail destinations in three days.

This, by no means was an easy task. And, an even harder task is how do I fairly write about and depict each unique bar experience given the small amount of column space? So, I thought it would be fun to break up this article into multiple segments over the next few issues www.socalfnbpro.com

and provide you with our own countdown from least to most favorite.

Before we do, let’s discuss how London rose to the top of the cocktail world. The definition of “cocktail” from its earliest debated 1800s origins is a beverage which consists of one or more base alcohols (typically distilled), sugar, water and bitters. From there, over the next century, many different categories of cocktails (many defunct, today) emerged. As the originator of cocktails, the United States’ bars flourished. However, it wasn’t until the Volstead Act (aka Prohibition) went into effect in January 1920, that put our bartenders and mixologists in a pickle. The bartender, which was considered a very well-respected profession and member of society, at that time, had to decide to either give up their career and seek another line of work or flee the country and take their craft and knowledge abroad, which included London. And, thankfully, many did flee! London already had a long history of alcohol, but this was a new era of cocktails that were coming out of countries such as England, France and Italy among others. It wasn’t until December 1933 that Prohibition was repealed, but many drinking trends had changed from when alcohol was last legal in this country. Throughout the 20th century, London continued its strong cocktail trends and worked diligently at perfecting their craft.

It had been several years since I had last visited London up until this very recent visit. Some of our key takeaways from the London cocktail scene are as follows: • Most cocktail bars, but not all we visited, warrant their well-earned reputation and accolades, in some cases. Some of the lesserknown ones were exceptional and maybe

even deserved a better standing than those that are highly-awarded.

• Most of the cocktail menus were over the top! There was so much extensive work and creativity that went into their production.

Many featured a minimum of 30 cocktails and more that were organized by various categories and heavily inspired by one or more themes. Many of the cocktails would also contain in excess of eight ingredients or more.

• Much, much prep work takes place prior to the shifts in order to promote quick execution of cocktails and service, including many venues pre-batching many of their cocktails. In some cases, there are test labs and kitchens dedicated solely for this.

• Pride of ownership and hospitality is over the top! The staff is proud of their venue and happy to be there. The level of service and knowledge were above and beyond! As a matter of fact, most bars trained their entire staff on all front of house positions. So, an employee could be a bartender one week and a cocktail server the next. We would also see the maître d' heavily interacting with the guests and helping create the experience.

• There was clearly more flexibility regarding health code regulations. Things like exposure of ingredients, ice handling, use of unique materials, vessels and props were all on display.

Next month, I will not only begin our London bar countdown, but also lay out for you our detailed judging criteria for each of the specific venues. Til then, chaps! ~ Cheerio!

September 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.

AltaMed Food and Wine Festival Showcases Grandeur Latin Flavor The AltaMed Food & Wine Festival, known as ‘California’s prime Hispanic food and wine festival,’ celebrated with a weekend of south of the border flavor and fine wine that spanned across both LA and Orange County. The LA festival, held in downtown’s iconic LA Live, was a sight to see and be seen.

The otherwise-packed streets adjacent to the Staples Center and Microsoft Theater closed to traffic in order to make way for a seemingly endless path of tents doling out bottomless tastes and pours. The city lights shined down on a jovial crowd, with live music from the Spanish Harlem Orchestra igniting the mood.

The festival’s ‘East LA meets Napa’ theme was true to its word, with a smattering of Angelino culinary icons cooking up classic renditions and novel twists on Central and South American favorites. Likewise, an array of wineries ensured that a perfect pairing was always close by. Margaritas and sangrias were free flowing as well.

With a largely Latino focus, it’s safe to say there were no shortage of tacos at AltaMed. From King Taco’s signature al pastor to Maestro’s pork belly tacos, the festival had just about anything that could go into a squid ink, hatch green chile or just plain ol’ corn tortilla. Tostadas from El Portal and Zapien’s Salsa Grill and Taqueria added to the mix, as did Chago’s tortas.

Pez Cantina went all in with a red argentine shrimp a la diablo with scallion slaw, dried shrimp and chili oil. Equally, Honduras’ Kitchen paid homage to its homeland favorites, such as baleadas with refried beans, cream and cheese and San Pedro sula; or ground beef in fried plantains. La Fonda’s chicken mole and La Huasteca’s tamales, ceviche and chile en nogada were just a few more of the festival’s worldly items.

For a fun play on Latin fusion, Yamashiro and Bike Brewery each served up some great poke wonton nachos. The Chicken Koop’s (extremely) hot chicken easily matched any chile pepper of the evening, and Otium’s meatballs were melt-in-your-mouth. But of all the places to take the cake for most extravagant dish, the award goes to Sysco—yes, the food supplier—who wowed patrons with lobster claws covered in caviar and edible gold leaf.

Desserts were in full force and naturally picked up steam as the evening drew on. Sweet Flour’s tres leches cake, panna cotta and assorted cookies and Gourmeletas hand-dipped ice cream pops were among the festival’s sweet indulgences. Porto’s Bakery certainly came to play as well, with towers of oh-so-good pastries to be had.

Festival proceeds benefit AltaMed, a full-service medical provider to more than 300,000 people in Los Angeles and Orange County. Founded in 1969, AltaMed was established as a free clinic and remains committed to providing “quality care without exception.” 96 cents of every dollar raised go directly to AltaMed patient care. For more information on the AltaMed Food & Wine Festival, visit AltaMedFoodWine.org.

Pikoh: Peruvian Fusion with LA Fashion Pikoh, pronounced in the same manner as the Pico Blvd. on which it resides, transports patrons into a whole new type of ambiance. A living divider of hanging plants separate the bar from the main dining room, with another arboretum of sorts just past the entryway. Servers and bartenders hustle frantically across the otherwise minimalist interior and cute front patio, beautifully crafted dishes and cocktails in hand.

Pikoh’s small plates are ‘inspired by the melting pot that is Los Angeles’ and absolutely embody the ‘sharing’ trend that’s ravaged the contemporary dining scene—namely in dishes offering but a few bites per person. Chef Partner Ricardo Zarate, known as a ‘godfather of Peruvian Cuisine,’ has expanded his culinary range at Pikoh to include a myriad of dishes that 10 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2019

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reflect more Italian, Asian and Mediterranean influence than anything else. This is aptly demonstrated in his vegetable risotto, a decadent, creamy indulgence covered in a snowfall of delicately shaved Parmesan.

Zarate’s salmon miso shines with a gochujang miso that gives this perfectly-cooked fish an addictive, oh-so-buttery finish, and ventures a step further into Peruvian territory with the addition of red and white quinoa alongside. But Zarate’s roots truly shine in his lomo saltado, a Peruvian staple, with tender hanger steak that soaks up a slightly sweet but boldly earthy spice profile, with rich onions, tomatoes, fries and seasoned rice.

Pikoh’s cocktail program is equally exotic and worldly, with entire sections devoted to reinventing gin and tonics, old fashioneds, spritzers and rum punches respectively. Then there’s the core cocktails, such as the buck bunny, which combines gin, carrot juice, lemon, honey and ginger into something strangely enticing and curiously smooth.

Dessert keeps with Pikoh’s melting pot theme with specialties such as panna cotta and tres leches cake sporting equally precise execution and subtle novelty in their own right. But it’s the pavlova, a rarely attempted Russian meringue, finished in this case with stone fruit compote and avocado mousse, that takes the cake for the finish. For more information, visit PikohLA.com.

Celestino Melds Homey Comfort with Timeless Elegance in Pasadena Celestino Ristorante and Bar, like much of the historic Pasadena neighborhood where it resides, is as iconic as it is ageless. For more than 20 years, locals have made Celestino their second home while fortunate travelers become quickly acquainted with the restaurant’s never-ending hustle and bustle and thick-accented servers taking them in like family. Owner Calogero Drago turns out seasonal Italian cuisine with deep flavor and decadent character to boot. But it’s the ambiance that perfectly garnishes a Celestino meal, whether it be in the old-style Italian dining room or fairytale-like patio.

Pasta is unquestionably mandatory at Celestino, where centuries-old favorites mix and mingle with just a few newage and seasonal touchups, delivering all the rustic, nostalgic and authentic appeal you’re looking for with some excitement thrown in to remind you that Drago keeps a finger on the pulse of progressive cooking. Take the tortelloni di zucci al burro e salvia, or thick tortelloni pasta stuffed with pumpkin and cream, bathed in a decadent butter and sage sauce. How about the risotto al nero di sepia alla veneziana, or risotto blackened with squid ink and melded into a smattering of baby scallops and calamari. Close your eyes and you can picture cobblestone streets, winding canals or Tuscan countryside, whichever suits your fancy.

Celestino’s seasonal menu happened to feature mushrooms and truffles, with an extensive lineup of spectacular creations that took each ingredient to new heights. Drago’s mushroomstuffed gnocchi, topped with shaved black truffle and finished with a rich cheese sauce, may be among the best gnocchi dishes in Los Angeles. Heavenly pappardelle and porcini mushroom soup were just a few more favorites.

Of course Celestino holds strong on its carne e pesci, or meat and seafood dishes as well. Ossobuco is a no-brainer at an Italian fine dining establishment, and Celestino’s take embodies all the timeless characteristics of fall-off-the-bone veal and delightful saffron risotto. Pair it with a wine off Celestino’s many Italian selections [their pours are incredible], or perhaps a classic oh-so-strong martini.

Any Italian mother would mock you for skipping out on dessert here, where the panna cotta and the vanilla pistachio torte will replace any stomach capacity you may have had left with yet another tasteful memory. For more information visit CelestinoPasadena.com. www.socalfnbpro.com

September 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 11

Heaven Hill

Meet the Man Behind the Largest Family Owned and Operated Distilled Spirits Company in America

By Ben Brown | Photos courtesy Heaven Hill Brands

Heaven Hill Brands is the sixth largest spirits supplier in the US. They’re the second largest holder of aging bourbon whiskey in the world, with an inventory of more than 1.6 million barrels. It’s an empire in its own right, with iconic whiskeys such as Evan Williams and Elijah Craig— and, as of August 2019, Black Velvet Canadian Whisky—as well as a diversified portfolio that runs the gamut of spirits, including vodka, gin, rum, tequila, cognac and a variety of liqueurs. Heaven Hill has been around for 85 years and only continues to ramp up its growth.

But what makes Heaven Hill truly special, especially given its dizzying performance, is that it’s family owned and operated. At its core, Heaven Hill is a small town mom-and-pop kind of place, a utopian destination akin to its namesake. The company has kept this same humble attitude and warm approach throughout its history, and that’s likely been the biggest factor to fuel its success.

“You have to have patience and perseverance,” said Max Shapira, President of Heaven Hill Distillery. “If you’re a publicly held company, I don’t know if you have that luxury to be patient.”

Shapira’s father, Ed, started Heaven Hill in 1935. The business had a rocky journey at times, but patience and perseverance were undoubtedly the mantras that led it to success.

“Our family got into this business almost on a lark,” Shapira began.

“Today we say it was like private equity 1935 style, except the person doing all the investing didn’t know how to make the product he was investing in.”

Shapira’s grandparents immigrated to the US from Lithuania in the 1890s. His grandfather began as a peddler in rural Kentucky, “with nothing but a pack on his back.” He eventually opened up a small department store, and established himself as a prominent name within his community. He had five children—including Ed, Max Shapira’s father—and sent each of them to open their own stores around the state when they came of age.

Ed landed in Bardstown, Kentucky, which happened to be a prominent bourbon distillery capital prior to the Prohibition era. And Ed saw potential.

“By [the time Ed moved to Bardstown], people said the great social experiment of Prohibition wasn’t working. There was crime involved.

Bootlegging. Bad whiskey that was killing people,” Shapira said.

“People pretty much knew Prohibition was going to be repealed in the early 1930s.”

“As Prohibition was ending, a lot of people wanted to get back into the business that they forcefully exited for Prohibition,” Shapira said.

“You had a lot of people with the technical expertise in the [bourbon distilling] business, but needed some investors.”

Ed was that investor. His department store saw great success, ironically fueled by the Great Depression, and he dedicated $14,000—worth nearly $270,000 today—to launching a bourbon distillery. This leap of faith ended up being the first step for Heaven Hill, but the decision still mystifies the family.

“This is one of the most speculative investments you could ever think about,” Shapira said. “There was no distillery, there was no brand.

Whatever you made, you had to wait years until the product had the aging characteristics that defined the flavor.”

Ed’s initial business partners backed out of the project after just 18 months, but instead of liquidating the distillery, Ed put in another $25,000—worth nearly $470,000 today—to take complete ownership.

12 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2019

www.socalfnbpro.com

“He hired some very good people. He got a great distiller. Then he waited, and waited,” Shapira said. “It took patience and perseverance until he had a product that people might want to taste.”

That distiller, by the way, was Joseph L. Beam, Jim Beam's first cousin. The Beam family continued to fuel Heaven Hill’s production thereafter. Parker Beam was Heaven Hill’s Master Distiller for 50 years. And with that, Ed’s patience and perseverance bore fruit. “[Ed] brought out a bottle called Old Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond. The ‘Bottled-in-Bond’ part signified good safe keeping, from 1897 when the government passed a bottle and bond whiskey act. That Bottled-in-Bond title was like a government seal of approval. When this bottle went out, the family said ‘we might have something that could be a real business.’”

Old Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond became the Heaven Hill empire we know today.

Business was still no cakewalk after the first product launched. Like any startup, growing pains were inevitable, and Heaven Hill was victim to forces beyond its control.

“During World War II, the whole industry closed down to make alcohol for the war effort. That created a gap in inventory when the war was over. Then excess production led to excess supply,” Shapira said.

“In the 1960s, you had the rise of vodka.

Consumer taste was changing rapidly. From the mid-60s to the mid-90s, you didn’t have such a great picture for the bourbon side of the distilled spirits business.”

Shapira noted that Heaven Hill made some incredible pivots during this time and, of course, stayed well afloat during this decadeslong period. His focus, however, centered around an industry turning point that most people didn't see coming.

“Ultimately, in the middle to late 90s, we started to get our act together a bit. Single barrel products and small batch whiskeys.

Expanding the range of different recipes,” Shapira said. “[We were] doing things out of the ordinary. Using different age characteristics that we hoped consumers would be interested in tasting and mixing.

That was the foundation for the comeback of the whiskey category.”

Then whiskey started to take off again.

“By 2000 to 2005, this started to look like a different kind of business. Consumers started having different interests,” Shapira said. “By 2008 to 2010, we started seeing the return of the great American whiskey renaissance.

And now, we’re right in the middle of it. I’ll bet no analyst would have ever predicted that we would have this kind of new era in the American whiskey business.”

Whiskey and bourbon drinks have indeed resurged in popularity, with a slew of mixologists incorporating their takes on old fashioneds, highballs and the like. But Shapira thinks that the potential is far from tapped, www.socalfnbpro.com

and that distilleries like his continue to have tremendous room to grow.

“With 320 million people in the United States, the amount of American whiskey consumed is still about 65 percent of what was consumed during whiskey’s peak in the 1950s,” Shapira said. “And that was with a significantly smaller population…We’re very bullish on bourbon.”

Shapira grew up in the whiskey business, naturally. He recalled his father bringing home customers, retailers and ‘some real characters’ over for dinner.

“It all looked like so much fun,” Shapira said.

He started working for the family business at age 8, where he sat at the distillery’s guardhouse and controlled the gate for trucks to come in and out. Eventually he went to college, earned his MBA and worked on Wall Street. But Heaven Hill beckoned for him to return.

“I really liked what I did in New York and could have stayed there for a number of years,” Shapira said. “But the allure of this very interesting business called me back.”

He admitted that taking over the distillery wasn’t easy, and he was very thankful for his father allowing him the opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them. The same culture of patience and perseverance persisted, allowing Shapira to take the reigns and command Heaven Hill’s success to this day, with the third generation right behind him.

“It’s the ability to lay down whiskeys, age them for a very long time, costing a bit more than they might otherwise. But to ensure you have the right quality, you have to do the right thing,” Shapira said. “It allows us to plan for the future in a very controlled and timely fashion. Understand the consumer’s wants and desires not just today or tomorrow, but years down the road.”

This outlook has fueled Heaven Hill’s strategy toward offering a diverse and dynamic product portfolio. This approach allows the company to hedge its bets and stay nimble to keep up with ever-changing consumer preferences.

“We have everything from 135 proof bourbon whiskeys down to light cordials. Some like higher proof whiskeys. Some want lighttasting, less caloric drinks. We have this broad portfolio appealing to a lot of different tastes,” Shapira said.

Shapira continues to look ahead.

“We’ve got another generation involved in the business. They keep me active,” he said.

“They keep looking for new things, setting the long term strategic direction of the company.

We’ve really transformed how we’ve gone to market over the last few years.”

Shapira has commanded an era of innovation that’s led to Heaven Hill’s growth, but the ideals of patience and perseverance remain at the core.

“In any kind of brand building, you can’t have a product and think it’s gonna be a great seller in 3 months,” he said. “It’s that long term planning that's so important.”

“There’s always a new style, a new taste, a different experience.”

While Heaven Hill’s volume and variety have certainly grown over the years, its familial touch has remained much the same.

For more info on Heaven Hill’s portfolio of spirits products, visit www.heavenhill.com.

Whiskey and bourbon drinks have indeed resurged in popularity, with a slew of mixologists incorporating their takes on old fashioneds, highballs and the like.

September 2019 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 13

Twinkle Toast Drink Like a Girl: The Feminine Side of Ferghettina Winery

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

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

Honestly, no!

What difficulties or advantages do you feel you have as a woman in a male-dominated industry?

Sometimes it’s not easy but in the last few years I’ve noticed more and more women working in this business. I think that the most important thing is to do your best every day. Working this way makes it easier to find your place.

We noticed that some of your wines utilize a unique bottle shape with a square base.

Where did this design come from and why did you decide to use it?

Yes, we currently sell three wines in the square-based bottle: Franciacorta Milledì, Franciacorta Rosè and Franciacorta Saten.

We just started bottling the Saten this way in April and it will soon be available in the US market.

This unique bottle shape was invented by my brother Matteo. He did his university thesis studying the different characteristics of wines aged on lees in a regular round bottle versus in the square-based one. Thanks to the square base, the bottles have flat sides.

We store all the bottles horizontally at the winery so after the fermentation, the yeasts are able to spread out on the flat side of the bottle. This surface area is two and a half times bigger than that of a round bottle.

Because of this, the wines become more complex. So, although we really like the esthetics of the square bottle shape, the reason we use it is mainly a technical one.

What do you enjoy most about working alongside your brother?

Laura Gatti is no stranger to the wine business.

Winemaking has been a constant in her life since she was a little girl and to this day, she works alongside her brother in the family business of crafting beautiful wines with a true sense of place in Franciacorta. We were fortunate enough to speak with her recently about her lifelong experience in the wine industry and to gain a better understanding of what makes Ferghettina wines so special.

How did you get your start in the wine business?

I grew up in a winery. My father has always worked with a lot of passion and I used to follow him around. When I finished my studies it was quite natural for me to continue to work with him in the winemaking business.

Is there anyone in particular who has most influenced your career in winemaking?

My father, absolutely!

What is your favorite part of the winemaking process and why?

I love to be outside in the vineyards.

It’s amazing to follow the growth of the grapes, to see the differences between the vineyards and to perceive the uniqueness and personality of the different parcels coming from nature. The most wonderful part of my job is to allow the grapes to give the best expression of the combination of soil and grape varietal. During the winemaking process, our goal is to allow these features to reach their maximum level of expression.

Have you ever considered a career outside of the wine industry?

14 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2019

Working with my brother is very nice because we are able to share all of our projects and ideas. I’m really lucky!

What do you feel makes Franciacorta (and Ferghettina) wines so special?

It’s not easy to answer this question. We work very hard each and every day to do our best. We are interpreters of a land and of her personality and we simply hope that the customer can feel this philosophy in our wines.

If you had to choose one favorite grape varietal, what would it be and why?

I love pinot noir. It really needs to find a perfect place in order to grow and is very demanding, but it can give amazing results.

It is also challenging to make a good point noir and I love to do it! www.socalfnbpro.com

The RESTAURANT EXPERT 6 Reasons Customers Don’t Come Back Years ago, I came across a study called “The Spirit of Service.” It was done by a foodservice industry association that is no longer around, but the information it provided me became a platform for explaining the importance of systems to restaurant owners and managers. In the study, they detailed six main reasons why customers don’t come back. I have found this list to be timeless and it held up in every restaurant.

Here they are with ideas to counteract them.

Reason No. 6 When you look at your customer attrition, you can count on the fact that you’re losing around 1 percent of your customers to death. This is just the reality of it all. It’s the one thing you can’t do anything about.

Reason No. 5 3 percent of your customers will move out of the area. If the customer moves hundreds of miles away, there’s not much you can do. But in large metropolitan areas, moving may mean moving to a neighboring city that is still within an hour driving distance.

If your customer moves 45 minutes away, you have a choice: lose their business for good or fight like heck to get them in at least four times a year. Staying in touch becomes extremely important.

Let’s look at the economics of this. Let’s say this customer used to come into your restaurant only 10 times a year. They’d always come in with at least one other person and spend an average of $40 a visit. Every year they would spend at least $400.

If you’ve had them in your marketing database and have created a system where they can update their information with you and continue to receive your newsletter by mail and your e-mails, you might be able to get them to continue to come into the restaurant at least four times a year. So instead of losing $400 a year, you’ve managed to keep $160.

While that may not seem like a lot of money, when you multiply that over the lifetime of visits by that customer and then by the rest of the 3 percent who move, that can be a lot of money.

Also look into new mover advertising in your surrounding community to capture those coming into the neighborhood.

Reason No. 4 5 percent find new interests or friends. OK, I know you’re thinking, “That’s completely out of my control.” While this is true, if you follow the example given in Reason No. 5, you will again magnify the importance of building up www.socalfnbpro.com

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.

your customer database and staying in constant contact. Just remember interests and friends change, and they may come back.

Reason No. 3 9 percent change for competitive reasons. This reason is the one most restaurant operators lose the most sleep over. But if you’ve done your job right and have a restaurant that is clean, has great service and great food, they will come back and usually do. It doesn’t hurt to keep communicating with them with your monthly newsletter and e-mails. Remind them that they matter and continue to invite them back into your restaurant.

Reason No. 2 14 percent change because they are dissatisfied with the restaurant. Let’s cover a little bit of Restaurant 101 here. If you’re doing these things, continuing that communication with your customers will likely bring them back in a few times.

• Make sure your restaurant is in clean working order.

• Make sure hot food is hot, cold food is cold and ticket times are in an acceptable range for your restaurant.

• Make sure every employee is trained and ready

to give your customers the best experience they could possibly desire.

If you aren’t confident that you’re meeting these basics, there are a couple things you can do.

• Send your customers a survey via email, if you have their contact information. If you don’t, you could hand them out at the end of meals and offer an incentive to complete the survey.

• Monitor your social media comments and reviews on apps like Yelp. People tend not to be shy about sharing their experiences. If you find a consistent theme in reviews, don’t be defensive. Embrace it and resolve the issue.

Reason No. 1 68 percent encounter an attitude of indifference or unconcern by one or more employees.

This means 68 out of 100 customers aren’t coming back because of how your employees conducted themselves. 68!

Your training program has to not only cover the basics from food safety to steps of service, you need to make sure you train hospitality and the idea that the customer comes first!

If you do nothing more than tackle Reason No. 1, “encounter an attitude of indifference,” your business will literally explode!

September 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

Foreigner has an exclusive headlining residency show at The Venetian Resort beginning Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, with 10 performances.

Journey with nine dates in October has added four dates for New Year’s Eve week, Dec. 27, 28, 30 and 31.

“Legends in Concert,” Las Vegas’ longestrunning production show, will experience a first when Frank Marino, the longest-running Vegas headliner, joins the show Sept. 11-Nov. 19 at the Tropicana performing as Joan Rivers for his last time. Marino will be joined by Freddie Mercury, Lady Gaga, Pat Benatar and Elvis tribute artists.

Cat’s Meow, a new karaoke bar opened on the second floor in Neonopolis downtown on Fremont with karaoke every day and DJs playing popular music between singers.

Magician Hans Klok opened his new familyfriendly production, “Hans Klok: The World’s Fastest Magician,” in the new immersive 425-seat Thunderbird Showroom at Excalibur.

Carlos Santana continues his residency in 2020 at House of Blues in Mandalay Bay starting Jan. 22. “Africa Speaks” is his latest album released in June.

Aquatic “O” by Cirque du Soleil at Bellagio for the first time will extend the show’s schedule to nightly beginning in January 2020.

“Elvis Presley’s Heartbreak Hotel in Concert” celebrated its 100th performance at Harrah’s on stage with a custom-made cake.

Las Vegas-based chanteuse Melody Sweets released her new single, “Flavor of the Month,” and music video.

Comedienne Luenell is the first entertainer with a limited engagement through Sunday, Sept. 29 at Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club at The LINQ Promenade.

Downtown Grand opened The Spare Room, formerly The Mob Bar, with two shows.

“Hypnomania Comedy Show” at 7 p.m. features Don Barnhart hypnotizing audience members Wednesday–Sunday nights. At 9 p.m., the “Delirious Comedy Show” takes over with top stand-up comedians.

Comedian Samuel J. Comroe, 4th place finisher on Season 13 of NBC’s America’s Got Talent is headlining Monday–Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the L.A. Comedy Club in The Strat’s Dragon Room.

DINING

Mama Rabbit Bar featuring a collection of mezcal and tequila debuted at Park MGM as an ode to Oaxacan culture curated by James Beard Award-winning mezcalera Bricia Lopez.

Chosun Hwaro & Nara Teppan, the first authentic 485-seat Korean BBQ experience on the Strip and largest in Nevada, opened at the Miracle Mile Shops featuring 30 Korean BBQ tables and 12 teppanyaki tables.

Smoked Burgers & BBQ street-side at The Forum Shops has celebrities creating themed burgers to benefit local charities of their choice starting last month with Mat Franco and continuing through December with Donny & Marie, Penn & Teller, Jeff Civilico and Mac King.

Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill at Red Rock Resort is now open for lunch daily at noon featuring contemporary Japanese cuisine created by chefs and brothers Bruce and Eric Bromberg.

Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas started a käsespätzle German noodle dish challenge where anyone eating the four-and-a-half-pound creation in less than one hour will receive it for free.

El Dorado Cantina is celebrating National Guacamole Day, Sept. 16, all throughout September serving four specialty guacamoles.

John and Tabitha Simmons have expanded their Firefly Tapas Kitchen + Bar, a Las Vegas staple for 16 years, with a new outlet at 7355 S. Buffalo Drive.

Caked Las Vegas, formerly The Cupcakery Summerlin, in the Rock Springs Shopping Plaza, is a one-stop bakeshop owned and operated by Ricardo Gudino, who was featured on the Food Network’s Cupcake Championships.

ABOUT TOWN

Happy Place, an immersive pop-up phenomenon exhibit with larger-than-life installations and photo-friendly fantasy-themed rooms, debuted a Las Vegas residency at Mandalay Bay. Binion’s Gambling Hall downtown opened the 81-room boutique Hotel Apache with vintagestyle furnishings reminiscent of the original hotel in 1932.

16 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2019

The Strat’s SkyPod has revealed a complete remodel of the tower’s indoor/outdoor Observation Deck on the 108th and 109th floors, which includes the new 108 Drinks and 108 Eats

by James Trees. On the main floor, there’s the new Link Slot Lounge showcasing 44 games and the casino’s first table game area with 22 tables.

AREA15 under construction announced Oddwood Bar will be its first food-beverage experience by Ryan Doherty, creator of downtown hangouts Commonwealth, The Laundry Room and Park on Fremont. It will be a center bar showcasing an ever-changing 23-foottall weeping Japanese maple tree with twinkling LED leaves.

Fashion Show mall debuted a three-dimensional mural titled “Be Kind to Bugs” on the staircase near Neiman Marcus created by hometown artist Michael Dodson.

Women’s clothing and accessory brand Johnny Was based in Southern California since 1987 opened its first Nevada store at Fashion Show.

Place on 7th, Fremont’s indoor/outdoor event venue, has changed its signature bi-weekly Downtown Country Throwdown from two Fridays a month to four with drink specials, DJs, lessons and more.

The Degree, a 226-unit, five-story on-campus student housing community for up to 758 students at UNLV opened for the current semester.

The brand-new ballpark built for the Las Vegas Aviators received BaseballParks.com’s 20th Annual Ballpark of the Year Award.

Pete Vallee aka Big Elvis, an afternoon three-day mainstay at Harrah’s Piano Bar, is the latest celeb honored with a shrunken head at the Golden Tiki in Chinatown.

The Venetian Resort revealed a dramatic redesign of its pool deck within the hotel tower inspired by the Italian Riviera.

The whimsical Ugly Duckling sign dating back to the 1990s has returned to the Neon Museum’s Boneyard after receiving extensive restoration and refurbishment. www.socalfnbpro.com

CHARDONNAY SUMMER

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Please enjoy our wines responsibly. ferrari-carano.com

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Wine Talk

with Alice Swift

By Alice Swift Alice Swift has been writing Wine Talk since 2011, and has a passion for education and hospitality/F&B. In 2016, she obtained her Ph.D. in Hospitality Administration from UNLV and moved from the “ninth island” to the island of Oʻahu. She now works for Kamehameha Schools as an instructional designer/ project manager, and teaches part-time for UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality. See more at www.aliceswift.com.

photos courtesy Alice Swift and Sinasera 24

2019 Hidden Gem of Changbin Township (Taitung, Taiwan): A visit to Sinasera 24 Restaurant

In the first part of August this year, I had the opportunity to visit Taitung to co-teach a culinary camp along with my husband Daniel for the second year in a row. During our visit, we scheduled some time to learn more about Taitung County, which is home to a majority of the 16 recognized indigenous tribes (along with Hualien County).

Each county is made up of different townships, and this year, we continued our explorations by visiting Changbin Township, in the northernmost township in Taitung County.

The residents of this township are primarily made up of the Amis tribe. This area is less frequented, and is a nice place to visit if you enjoy peaceful, more tranquil environments.

We were fortunate enough to be introduced to Daylight Resort, nestled amongst agricultural lands. This beautiful resort only has a handful of rooms, and provides an intimate experience.

The hidden culinary gem of this resort is a fine dining restaurant, Sinasera 24. Sinasera translates to “the earth” in the indigenous Amis language, and the number refers to the 24 solar terms of the traditional Chinese calendar (originally created to align with agricultural/ farming advices).

Chef Nick Yang (楊柏偉) is the executive chef of Sinasera 24, and the menu is inspired by www.socalfnbpro.com

local/traditional Amis and French cuisine. He has worked in the culinary industry since the age of 15, and even spent some time in France working in a three-Michelin star restaurant, Le Petit Nice - Gérald Passedat. Chef Yang’s vision for the restaurant is to “吃當季、食在 地” (direct translation: “eat the season, eat the ground”). The restaurant aims to reduce the distance from farm to table, sourcing local, fresh ingredients that are based on what is seasonally available. Locally available marine life and wildlife, wild food plants and other Chinese herbs are integrated to enhance the dishes while reflecting the culture of the place.

The combination of locally sourced ingredients with Amis (Taitung, Taiwan) culinary influence served in the form of a fine dining prix fixe menu is quite the rare experience.

The restaurant has an intimate setting, with 30 seats, which include a private dining room, and bar seats that butt up to the bar and kitchen so you have a front row seat to all the action.

The restaurant is filled with young, inspired culinary staff who live up to Chef Yang’s Michelin-star quality standards.

There are three tiers for the dinner package (plus a children’s meal option); however, they should all include the following: appetizers, two breads, a range of dishes depending on package selection, dessert, small bites and tea

or coffee. Below is a selection of photos from our meal and experience. The most unique course was definitely the appetizer course, which came in the form of a mini “tree” and we removed and ate the “leaves,” which were paper-thin breadfruit chips. The favorite dishes of the night were the flower-shaped freshcaught mahi mahi sashimi, and the locallysourced chicken dish.

If you ever have the chance to visit Taiwan, I would highly recommend visiting the Huatung (Hualien-Taitung) regions and see what this region has to offer: the beautiful landscapes, stimulating outdoor activities, creative takes on food and beverage, rich history, culture and art of the aboriginal peoples, the experiences are endless!

Sinasera 24 website: www.resort.com.tw/sinasera24 Dawn Resort website: www.resort.com.tw September 2018 WineTalk article introducing Taitung during my previous visit: lvfnb.com/articles/wine-talk-with-alice-swift89156035f503 Until next month, Cheers~!

Alice

September 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.

The Boisterous Oyster

Coming from the East Coast, and having lived in New Orleans, I experienced how oysters have become a mainstay in the diet due to its indigenous nature. Here in the desert, like all fish and seafood, we can have it flown in on a daily basis, but that makes it expensive and a luxury.

Even with happy hour specials for oysters, which are plentiful, they are not as common or popular as in other regions of the country.

Some seafood varieties are more prevalent on the West Coast, due to our proximity to the California coast, but oysters are not very common in California because for such a big state and shoreline oysters are not very prolific.

Some people and co-ops do farm raise them and harvest wild oysters in certain regions of the California coast, which occurs mostly north of the San Francisco Bay area.

Pacific oysters are enjoyed by many, but due to the pollution in the San Francisco Bay there are limits to the locations for oyster beds. One place where oysters are plentiful in Northern California is Tomales Bay, which has a handful of farms. Other than that, Pacific oysters have been imported from Japan to supply oyster loving Californians. One oyster that is prized from the coast of Northern California is the Kumamoto Oyster, which are very small, tender, eaten in gourmet cuisine and used by the top chefs in the country. They are also imported from Japan.

This is in great comparison to the availability and use of oysters in New York. In New York City oysters were plentiful in the 19th century.

Besides claiming to have 50% of the world’s oyster supply, they were also much larger back then before overharvesting. In New York oysters were said to grow up to 10 to 12 inches in length. The street near the water’s edge in New York used to be called Pearl Street, because of the oyster beds. There were many of the beds, but unfortunately New York oysters are not the pearl producing variety. Pearl Street was later paved with the excessive oyster shells produced in the region.

Pearl oysters are not the same breed as “true oysters” which produce edible meat. Pearl oysters can be either freshwater or salt water and almost all mollusks have the ability to produce pearls. Most pearls do not usually have a large value, with 2 1/2 tons of oysters only producing 3 to 4 pearls that are considered valuable. There are many different varieties that produce pearls, the largest being roughly 12 inches across, but the meat is not used for food.

Pearls can be produced either naturally or manmade, also known as cultured pearls. Pearls are created when a foreign object gets inside a shell and irritates the animal so it produces a smooth coating which makes it less irritable.

This irritant could be either sand, and/or a piece of shell, or any other foreign object that does not belong. It can take 3 to 7 years for an oyster or other mollusk to produce a pearl. Cultured pearls are more plentiful but less valuable than natural pearls.

Most of the oysters eaten in the country came from the Gulf of Mexico before the BP oil-spill

20 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2019

disaster. Today this is less so, but the gulf still accounts for the largest remaining oyster reefs on the planet. This is one of the reasons that New Orleans is the home to one of the largest oyster festivals, which is held in the French Quarter, on the waterfront in June.

It was once assumed that oysters were only safe to eat in months with the letter 'r' in their English or French names. This came about because the months of May, June, July and August that do not have r’s are also the warmest months and before refrigeration were the hardest months to keep the oysters cold and avoid bacterial growth. These days you can eat oysters any month of the year.

Oysters are an excellent source of zinc, iron, calcium and selenium, as well as vitamins A and B12. Traditionally, oysters are considered to be an aphrodisiac, partially because they resemble female sex organs. A team of American and Italian researchers analyzed bivalves and found they were rich in amino acids that trigger increased levels of sex hormones. Their high zinc content aids the production of testosterone.

One culinary adage is that bivalves are known to be alive only when the shells are tightly closed or they close when tapped. Bivalves also should open when they are cooked. Lately that adage has been questioned when one study revealed that 11.5% of mussels, another bivalve, did not open during cooking, but when forced open they were cooked through and safe to eat. www.socalfnbpro.com

By Linda Westcott-Bernstein

Human Resources Insights

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

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

Dealing with Harassment, Discrimination and General Disrespect

Now more than ever, it is important that companies today are in tune with and attentive to what behaviors are going on in their workplace. This new workforce is often more casual and cavalier about some behaviors and can tend to cross the line regarding respectful behaviors and not realize it. So, how do you manage them and maintain good working relationships between all ages, genders, races and faiths?

First, in the foodservice industry, due to the nature of the work, it is easier than at most businesses for employees to get comfortable and even casual about the ways in which they interact with one another at work. They work in teams and often so closely together to take care of a guest’s needs that they ignore the basic courtesies during their interactions with each other and cross over socially acceptable boundaries and workplace norms. As a result, they can do or say almost anything. It’s quite commonplace actually.

Imagine working next to another person for hours and multiple shifts and having to find things to talk about. It is easy to become comfortable talking about pretty much any subject and situation. I can’t tell you how many times during investigations for harassment that I’ve heard the words… “I was only joking, we were just having fun, or I was just playing around.” It is easy, over time, to assume that conversations can become more casual.

Next, it is my philosophy that you can start the process for establishing a culture right from the start during your new hire orientation and onboarding process. This is where you outline the expectations for a respectful workplace by talking about this topic, setting the framework for acceptable behaviors, establishing your workplace culture and outlining the company’s philosophy for treatment right from the very start—by communicating it verbally.

Here are a few examples of some discussion topics and steps that you can take from the start…

• Have a member of management speak about the culture and philosophy of respect in the workplace.

• Define what harassment, discrimination and a respectful workplace should be and look like.

• Talk about your zero tolerance for prejudices, biases and other social unacceptable behaviors.

• Discuss some examples of unacceptable behaviors and actions that will not be tolerated.

Finally, the last key component for this process to work is to have your management team on board with the entire process. They must be trained to recognize and embrace the zero tolerance policy for these unacceptable behaviors in the workplace. They must also exemplify the behaviors you expect at work, not ignore situations or behaviors, take action in a timely manner, and treat all situations fairly and equitably so that the intent is clear and consistent. Your managers must also know when to get human resources involved so that all steps are followed and the policy is effectively upheld.

One of my favorite examples of why harassment, discrimination and/or disrespect will not be tolerated is because it violates the Golden Rule… “Treat others in the way that you’d like to be treated.” But even more impactful today, I tell them that “No one wants to come to work with the fear that they might be singled out, harassed or bullied, because of their beliefs or heritage. No one can work or function productively in an environment like that where you feel unsafe, scared or intimidated.” Bottom line, I tell them, it’s about respect.

• Explain the steps to be followed when/ if someone acts in a disrespectful way or harasses you.

• Talk about the consequences of behaving in a manner that is unacceptable at work.

HR Question of the month:

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

www.socalfnbpro.com

September 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

9/21: San Diego Zoo Food Wine and Brew Celebration. More than 160 restaurants, wineries and breweries come together at the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Live music and, of course, animals from across the planet will take food festivals to a whole new level. San Diego Zoo. ZooFoodAndWine.com

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

10/3–6: Newport Beach Wine & Food Festival. This 6th annual festival showcases Orange County’s dining scene in spectacular fashion, with culinary celebrities such as Richard Blais and Hubert Keller putting on lively cooking demos and dual grand tastings that bring together the region’s hottest restaurants, wineries, breweries and distilleries. Lavish events, such as vertical library tastings from Opus One and Justin, are also part of the week’s itinerary. Newport Beach NewportWineAndFood.com 10/12 – 13: La Jolla Art & Wine Festival. The 11th annual La Jolla Art & Wine Festival will feature local artists, as well as a variety of wine, beer and food purveyors. The event is free with food and beverage available for purchase. Downtown La Jolla, San Diego. ljawf.com 10/13: Westside Food & Wine Festival. After a very successful event in July, the Westside Food & Wine Festival is coming back with a fall edition.

More than 50 restaurants and drink providers will be in attendance at this all-inclusive event. Proceeds benefit the Westside Food Bank. Culver City, Los Angeles.

Eventbrite.com/e/los-angeles-westside-oct13-fall-foodwine-fest-benefitswestside-food-bank-tickets-56069361971

Ferrari-Carano Vinyards & Winery ferrari-carano.com Jay’s Sharpening Service www.jayssharpening.com 702-645-0049

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Keep Memory Alive Event Center page 18 kmaeventcenterlasvegas.com 702-263-9797 Riedel riedel.com Roca Patron rocapatron.com

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American Culinary Federation Chefs of SoCal

The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional is proud to be associated with these fine organizations: ACF-American Culinary Federation Chef de Cuisine Association of California Chapter Culinarians of San Diego Chapter Chefs de Cuisine Association of San Diego Chapter 22 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I September 2019

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