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CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER Mike Fryer
WELCOME TO THE SOCAL FOOD & BEVERAGE PROFESSIONAL, A monthly F&B Industry-dedicated publication serving all of Southern California from San Diego up through the Santa Barbara Counties. Please take a moment to check out our websites at www.socalfnbpro.com as well as our Las Vegas sister publication at www. lvfnbpro.com for latest news updates, happenings and where to go for good food and beverages. Please join me in welcoming on board our newest writers in this SoCal F&B Pro Issue: DAVID MULVIHILL writes about the ever-evolving face of the Southern California craft beer business. David covers Orange County for Celebrator Beer News as well as Southern California for Southwest Brewing News, so we are privileged to have him on our team contributing his monthly “What’s Brewing” column. LINDA DUKE, CEO of Duke Marketing, is a full-service marketing specialist for all types of restaurants and foodservice operations. Linda has been a friend and associate for many years and we are delighted to have her join us monthly with her own, ever-informative marketing column. JEN MORRIS is the owner of Ajenda Public Relations specializing in PR and marketing for the hospitality industry. Jen is a board member of the Orange County Restaurant Association and a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier International. Jen will be advising on the do’s & don’ts to good PR in your business.
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PRESENTING THE 12 ESSENTIAL COCKTAILS THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW. Why? Because these are the basis for hundreds of cocktails for everyday enjoyment for both novices and professionals. Our two friends from SWS, Livio Lauro and Armando Rosario, have come up with just the right approach and number of cocktail recipes needed and presented in a storytelling method you’re bound to find interesting and memorable. Makes a great addition to your culinary library as well as a great gift to friends and associates who may need that extra help to mix it right. THE NIIGATA SAKE FESTIVAL in Niigata, Japan will be back for another year on March 12 and 13 for the world’s largest sake presentation and tasting along with a verity of Japanese foods and entertainment throughout the Toki Messe Niigata Fairgrounds. Niigata is widely known for some of the best quality sake in the world created by its natural spring water, high quality of rice and expertise in sake brewing for generations.
Page 4 Hot Off the Grill! Page 5
Page 13
Page 24
Burgers! Burgers! Everywhere!
Product Spotlight
Four P’s to Winning the Better-
Master Mixologists Break the Cocktail Code!
Burger Wars
A Basq Kitchen
Page 6 What’s Brewing? Page 7
Page 14 What’s Cooking
Defying Demographics: Adventurous Chefs Bring Basq Cuisine to Redondo Beach
Page 24
Page 26 Human Resources Insights
Page 17 Hungry for PR
Page 8
Page 27
West Eats East—Asian Foods: Chinese, Korean, Japanese Page 9
The Bottom Line Page 18 Sushi Roku Page 28
Food for Thought Page 10 Kohill Takes Home a Prestigious Chairman’s Award Plus Four
Page 20 Brett’s Vegas View
American Culinary Federation Chefs Of SoCal Chapter Page
Medals at the OC Commercial
18 www.socalfnbpro.com
Wine Competition Page 12 Chef Talk
Page 22
Page 30
PR Spotlight: Moxxe PR
Events Ad Index
August 2015 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 3
The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 303 Broadway Ste. 104-40 Laguna Beach, CA 92651 www.socalfnbpro.com
HOT OFF THE GRILL!
August 2015 Mike Fryer Sr. Editor/Publisher
SUSHI ROKU HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FAVORITE JAPANESE RESTAURANT OF OURS. and now open in Newport Beach Fashion Island is the latest expansion of the very popular upscale Japanese restaurant chain out of Southern California and now the owners of a number of great brands (under the Innovative Dining Group umbrella) including BOA Steakhouse, Robata Bar and Katana. During our recent visit to Sushi Roku in Newport, we were delighted to tie-up with the Innovative Dining Group’s Operations Director Christian Corben, Cody Wilson and Manager Jeffrey Kingsbury. Christian divides his attention throughout the locations and has been with the group since the beginning and continues to be impressed with the company’s growth and development.
Thank you for joining us in this issue of
The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional. For any questions or comments please email mike@lvfnb.com
Bob Barnes Editorial Director bob@lvfnb.com
Juanita Fryer Assistant To Sr. Editor ACF Chefs Liasion/ Journalist juanita.fryer@lvfnb.com
Karen Kunz Graphic Designer karen.kunz@lvfnb.com
Adam Rains Beverage Editor adam.rains@lvfnb.com
For all Website Inquires contact webmaster@lvfnb.com
A BASQ KITCHEN ON THE PIER AT REDONDO BEACH…is an unlikely spot for a top Las Vegas Executive Chef like Bernard Ibarra, but this very accomplished chef with many openings in his portfolio including the Las Vegas Bellagio and Mirage Food & Beverage Operations has made his move to the Southern California seaside. According to Chef Bernard, “A Basq Kitchen-Pintxos, Tapas & Wine Bar is a flashback to my early years growing up in the Basque Country influenced by Spain and France.” Chef Bernard spends time behind the bar (on the left) along with his resident Chef Darryl Matanana (on the right). THE WESTERN RESTAURANT & HOSPITALITY EXPO AUGUST 23-25 (SAVE THE DATE)…at the Los Angeles Convention Center is the largest regional Food & Beverage Show sponsored by the California Restaurant Association and attended by foodservice and hospitality professionals throughout the region. This year The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional and sister publication The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional will be exhibiting at the Show. Included in the Expo will be cooking demonstrations and culinary competition overseen by the local chapters of the ACF-American Culinary Federation. Please drop by and visit our booth at the Show.
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!
@lvfnb
NOTE: All submissions become the property of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.
The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional
CONTRIBUTING STAFF
Legal Editorial Advisor Andrew Matney
Journalists Scott & Elaine Harris
Accounting Manager Michelle San Juan
Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett
Wha’ts Brewing David Mulvihill
Journalist Food for Thought Les Kincaid
Journalists Jen Morris
Journalist Mitchell Wilburn
Journalist Ben Vaughn
Journalist Good for Spooning LeAnne Notabartolo
Journalist East Eats West K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.
Photographer Audrey Dempsey
Journalist Chef Talk Allen Asch
Journalist Linda Duke
Journalist Heidi Rains
Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein
Journalist Green Restaurant Association Michael Oshman
Journalist Wine Talk Alice Swift
SoCal Journalist Lisa Matney
Journalist The Bottom Line Ben Brown
Photographer Bill Bokelmann
Photographer Joe Urcioli
SoCal Journalist Margie Mancino
Photographer Rose Powell-Carver
4 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2015
www.socalfnbpro.com
what’s
BREWING?
By David Mulvihill David Mulvihill strives to experience and write about the ever-evolving face of SoCal craft beer. He also covers Orange County for Celebrator Beer News as well as Southern California for Southwest Brewing News. Contact him at dbrewhill@gmail.com.
Barley Forge/ Tender Greens
Photos by David Mulvihill
Island Brewing Company’s Tasting Room
Coastal Tripping
Barley Forge Ownership team: (from l-r) Mary Ann Frericks, husband Greg Nylen and Dave Chapman.
Chef Drew Bent and his talented team collaborated in late June with Costa Mesa’s Barley Forge Brewing Co. in the first of what will hopefully become a regular series of beer dinners at Tender Greens Irvine Spectrum. Chef Bent impressed with an unlimited feast with a southern flair. A succulent whole hog was smoked/roasted onsite at Barley Forge from the wee hours of the morning before returning to the restaurant that evening and uniting with an amazing crawfish boil overflowing with corn, squash, potatoes, peppers and the lip-smacking mini crustaceans. As if that weren’t enough, all of the fixings, greens, cornbread, mac n’ cheese, roasted peppers, a terrine of head cheese and an amazing bread pudding for dessert were also on hand. This amazingly priced all-you-could-eat dinner also included four open taps of Barley Forge beer and a Barley Forge “honest pint” glass. The mango version of the brewery’s Der Biersal Hefeweizen was refreshing and a perfect aperitif with which to begin the evening. Two hoppy brews stood up extremely well to all the dishes. God’s Way Love India Pale Lager is one of the newest brews from Barley Forge. At 6.5% ABV and featuring Lemondrop and Montueka hops, it quenched while also cutting the richness of the meal. Orange Curtain India Pale Ale was the additional lupulin compliment. This reporter reserved The Patsy Rye Stout with coconut to pair with the bread pudding. Representing Barley Forge for the evening was Director of Sales Eric Gutenkauf. Wife Natalie (owner-chef of The Factory Gastrobar in the Bixby Knolls area of Long Beach) was also on hand in support. Chef Drew set the bar high in his inaugural dinner. I can’t wait to see what comes next. The tasting room at Barley Forge is open every day and is located in Costa Mesa on Randolph Street, just behind The Camp restaurants and shops. Unlike most production breweries in Orange County, Barley Forge has its own kitchen equipped with a talented chef of its own, something we may get to explore in a future edition.
San Diego Brewers Guild
One of the San Diego Brewers Guild’s main objectives is to promote and maintain San Diego County as the “Capital of Craft.” Craft beer and San Diego go hand-in-hand. The San Diego Brewers Guild Golf Tournament will be returning for its second year to the Rancho Bernardo Inn on Friday, August 14th. Golf, food and entertainment will combine with local craft beer to raise funds for the Guild and its sponsorships. Golfer packages include golf, lunch, awards dinner, and …beer. Tickets to the Awards Dinner & Social are also available to those who don’t wish to wield a club. Sponsorship opportunities are also available for businesses and individuals who would also like to contribute. SDBG’s website or Eventbrite can be consulted for full details. Proceeds also assist the Guild in sponsoring and organizing San Diego Beer Week. On November 6th it returns for its seventh year. 6 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2015
Fun in the sun can include a day or weekend drive up the coast with a number of quality thirst-quenching choices along the way. Surf Brewery is a worthy spot for refreshment once you reach Ventura. Founded in 2011, it was Ventura’s first production brewery. Co-founder Bill Riegler and team typically provide a wide selection of beers from which to choose. A barrel and wild ale program was also started a few years back. Surf’s location includes a homebrew shop that supplies homebrewing needs. An espresso version of the brewery’s Oil Piers Porter (infused with Espresso XX from Ventura Beacon Coffee) is currently available. North of Ventura, heading towards Santa Barbara, the quaint seaside town of Carpinteria is a necessary stop. The award-winning Island Brewing Company’s welcoming taproom opens onto its patio which overlooks the railway and state beach beyond. You may still have time to enjoy one of Island’s latest seasonal brews, Beach Day IPA, an American session IPA highlighting Mosaic and Cascade hops at a session-able 4.3% ABV (alcohol by volume). Island was joined this past year by nearby brewpub Rincon Brewing Co. on Carpinteria Avenue. Its brew kettle is manned by former Island brewer Shaun Crowley. His wellappointed brews are accompanied by full food menu. On your way out of town, newcomer nano-brewery brewLAB is also on Carpinteria Ave, about one mile north of Rincon. The 3rd Annual Trek Bikes of Ventura ‘n’ Suds Beer Festival will take place at Carpinteria State Park’s Linden Field on August 15th with over 60 craft breweries, a newly added wine zone, surfboard shapers, food trucks and live music. Back on Highway 101 northbound, Santa Barbara is only a few minutes north. We’ll save its great beer destinations for another time. www.socalfnbpro.com
By Ben Brown
Defying Demographics: Adventurous Chefs Bring Basq Cuisine to Redondo Beach
Ben is an MBA candidate at USC’s Marshall School of Business, specializing in hospitality marketing and analytics. He has served as a food & beverage strategist with MGM Resorts, as well as reviewed more than 200 Las Vegas restaurants with CBS Local and Examiner. com. Contact him at Ben@lvfnb.com.
Bernard Ibarra and Darryl Matanane
have brought an interesting change to the Redondo Beach boardwalk. In a fast-casual ecosystem governed by fish houses, crab shacks and other establishments following some form of seafood dwelling, these brave gentlemen have introduced A Basq Kitchen [ABK], a literal name for a very new cuisine to the area. Staking its claim as the international boardwalk’s new poster child, ABK does not just represent the opening of a new tapas and wine bar, but rather embodies the crossing of two very interesting chefs going in on one new journey together. “I chose this place because it reminds me of home,” said owner Beñat [Bernard] Ibarra, who hails from the Basque region [the northern French/Spanish border]. “San Sebastian…there are restaurants everywhere, all looking at a shoreline just like we do here.” He’s spot on regarding the restaurant’s location, where you could theoretically trip and fall into the Pacific Ocean. Ibarra had been apart from the water for some time, having spent the past 15 years in Las Vegas. There, he ran the Mirage’s culinary program as Executive Chef. He went on to open ARIA, successfully seeing two resorts through Sin City’s boom into becoming a food Mecca. Previous to that, he spent many years across Southeast Asia and the Pacific Rim, working in some of the region’s finest hotels. Ibarra met Darryl Matanane at a celebrity chef event in Alaska, where Ibarra was the celebrity and Matanane the aspiring talent. www.socalfnbpro.com
Honolulu-born, Matanane had thus far built a career that held some interesting parallels to Ibarra, centered around opening illustrious resorts in Hawaii. Hotel executives gave him the nod to open their flagship property in Alaska, and it didn’t take long for Matanane to earn the title of Alaska’s top seafood chef. Upon meeting, Ibarra immediately recognized potential beyond the state’s borders. The two stayed in touch for years, and opportunity eventually struck for them to come together in Southern California. “Change is nice. I’ve been all over the place,” began Matanane, whose fast-yet-friendly manner of speaking and perpetual smile puts a shine on just about everyone’s day. “Bernard’s a great owner and I’m excited in the kitchen.” Matanane holds a monumental role as both executive manager and chef, but at least feasible with less than a dozen total staff. Ibarra holds several roles outside ABK, but still manages to come into ABK several hours each day. The small eatery has maybe a dozen tables with a decorated bar seating a few more. Walk by the place and it appears quite similar to its neighboring seafooderies, blasting a modern American soundtrack in tow. Walk in to smell Matanane’s cooking, however, and the picture takes a pleasant step away from ordinary. ABK introduces an entirely new line of food for the Redondo Beach locale. Grilled beef cheeks, Marmitako [traditional fisherman’s stew], and lengua a la plancha [beef tongue] all hold deep flavor that is sure to invigorate
adventuring palates. For those sticking to the more-familiar, ABK makes one of the best burgers you’re going to find on the boardwalk, topped with some spectacular chorizo. Add a delectable lamb chop sizzling over hot rocks picked right from the beach, as well as an exotic cheese board with fig jam. The drinks have already garnered attention from passers-by. French and Spanish wines dominate the selection, accompanied by local tap beers and an array of sangrias. Further building on the ‘shake things up’ motif, however, is the ever-intriguing kalimotxo, an international favorite mixing equal parts red wine and Coca Cola, served over ice. ABK’s tastes have proven delightful, at a very affordable price point. Their biggest hurdle, however, will be getting the local traffic to venture out of its comfort zone. Don’t be surprised to see Matanane offering free samples of squid grilled in its own ink. Chances are, you’ll like it and come back for more. A Basq Kitchen [ABK] is located on the Redondo Beach International Boardwalk, kitty corner from the pier [looking toward the ocean, the Fun Fish House will be at your 10 o’clock] at 136 N. International Boardwalk Redondo Beach, CA, 90277. Open Mon + Wed – Fri from 3 – 9 p.m., Sat/ Sun 12 – 10 p.m. Closed Tuesdays. Outthe-door price for 2 tapas and a drink is ~$27/person. Walk-ins welcome. For more information call ABK at (310) 376-9215 or visit www.abasqkitchen.com.
August 2015 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 7
By K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.
West Eats East—Asian Foods: Chinese, Korean, Japanese The Chinese, Korean and Japanese
are representing Asian foods or cuisine in our eating. They are all brothers or sisters, being born from Chinese civilization and then nurtured by respective geography, climate, supplies and customs over years. Brought by immigrants, these are the primary foods for the ethnic groups available at their retail stores or eateries. They have also become exotic foods for the mainstream people who occasionally eat at restaurants rather than for the purchase at retail stores for cooking. They are among ethnic foods which have diversified our diet and business. Here I have no intention to divide them precisely or elaborate for better or dislike of each cuisine. Politically correct I must be, when talking about ethnic foods on our table.
China is one of the four origins of civilization and the center of the Oriental culture which has given all aspects to every corner of the Asian continent, its surrounding areas and even to the West through the Silk Road. China is the father of Asian culinary, but here in America is one of the latecomers. China is a vast country where people ate flour-based food in the dry north and rice in the damp south as a staple, when simplified. A distance always existed between harvests and mouths, which required transportation and preservation of food just like in our land. Use of heat was an absolute, integral part of cooking for food safety. Steaming, boiling, baking, grilling and frying are among the cooking methods, which we can witness in a dim sum restaurant. Eating uncooked or raw may have been done in seashore areas but not commonly practiced by the majority. In turn, sushi had no chance to be born
Traditional yet New Perfect Soy Sauce Flavor without the Color! A golden color white soy sauce No burnt dark soy sauce flavor No darkening color in cooking Remarkable for sea foods, veggies, pasta, fusion and natural foods www.whitesoysaucefood.com 8 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2015
Mike Masuyama is a bi-cultural science-technologybusiness 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, sea salt, rice, white soy sauce and other areas both in Japan and the US., and has published several books and dozens of articles. “Ask Doctor Sake” was his last series in this journal.
in China. It has been historically liberal and generous to religions or foreigners by engulfing them into its own culture rather than excluding. Rarely observed was food taboos or prejudice. People eat everything moving and four-legged except for a table or chair, which is commonly joked. Contract labors for gold rush, transcontinental railroad construction and agricultural development on the west coast brought it here. Some of them worked as cooks or cooked for other laborers or employers, who hesitated to eat it in the beginning but accepted gradually. It was different but safe and palatable by cooking in high heat in a wok with a variety of ingredients with vegetable oil and exotic sauces. Its eatery has been casual and less expensive, spreading to all over the country. Chinese is a big brother or sister of all Asian food-cuisine here. The Korean cuisine is emerging into our eating with BBQ beef (Bulgogi), soft tofu stew (Sundobu or Soondobu), hot vegetable pickles (Kimchi) and more, lately. Korea, located under inescapable influence from the neighboring giant, China, tried keeping separate sovereignty, culture and language, or also staging transfer of technology and culture to Japan. They switched from Buddhism to Confucianism which did not forbid eating four-legged animals. Its beef BBQ flavor is welcomed by many of us. Sundobu is a boiling soup dish with a choice of beef or seafood and also degrees of hot taste usually with steaming cooked rice in a magma-hot rock bowl. Do not touch either one or you will char your skin instantly. Usually several side dishes and Kimchi pickles are also served in small plates onto the center of the table. Hot in taste is a major characteristic we recognize. Red hot pepper went there in the 16th century from the New World via Europe and Japan. Without Kimchi they cannot survive for a single day, a good Korean friend of mine says. It is UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage. Japan is at the end eastbound from China, no land further east. Almost everything can be traced back through Korea to China except some directly from the south by sea. Soy sauce, miso, tofu and chopsticks are all shared by these Asians, though the current forms differ accordingly. Japan is an island region surrounded by sea, where abundant foods are available from turf and surf. A distance from harvests to mouths is short enough to enable to nurture eating fresh or uncooked. Remember sushi was born here. Herbs or spices were developed primarily with seafood to deter fishy odor. Its diet habit was influenced by the imported Buddhism discouraging to eat four-legged animal foods, which made people omnivorous with the plant origins. All Asian eating shares the same values for health management, medicinal anticipation and enjoyment. Despite the unique ethnicities, there appears some mingling or overlapping recently. A so-called instant noodle or Ramen noodle soup was developed by their coalition, which has spread all over the world, often being used for emergency meals in disaster areas. Sushi is another example, which is served at Chinese buffets or many sushi restaurants owned by Koreans. Asian foods or cuisine has the same roots but developed separately, which are being fused in our melting pot of the cultures from all over the globe. www.socalfnbpro.com
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Be a BBQ Boss This Summer
By Les Kincaid Les Kincaid is a food, wine, and golf expert and cookbook author. He hosts the nationally syndicated wine radio show Wines Du Jour 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
Grilled Steak & Chicken Kabobs
Not everyone is born to grill. For some of us, grilling comes easier than for others. With grilling season here though, we thought it’d be a good idea to brush up on some tips and tricks that can help make you a backyard BBQ star.
Not all foods require the same cooking temperature. It’s best to disperse your charcoal so that you create “heat zones.” Simply divide the grill into direct and indirect heat zones with radiant and dry convection heats respectively. An easy way to ensure your food doesn’t stick to the grill is to take proactive measures and coat the grill beforehand. Wait until your grill is reasonably hot and, using tongs, apply a paper towel that has been dipped in vegetable/canola oil to the surface of the grill. Every BBQ needs a hearty dose of grilled veggies. Don’t risk drying them out over an open flame. Coat them with canola oil before grilling to keep them moist and delicious. For a complex smoky flavor, try adding some wet wood chips (soaked for at least 30 minutes in water) to your charcoal or gas. Apple wood and cherry wood chips are crowd favorites, but we have found great success with hickory chips as well. www.socalfnbpro.com
Any food you are going to grill remove from the refrigerator 30-45 minutes before cooking. Give it a chance to come to room temperature. For the best steaks or chops one flip is really all you need. You won’t disturb the meat as much and it will retain more of that sweet delectable juice. Plus, everyone at your party will think you’re a pro for having neat grill marks. Remember that BBQ sauce has sugar, and sugar burns very easily. Wait until your meat is nearly done to apply sauce and avoid ruining the flavor, or better yet apply it as you remove it from the grill. It doesn’t need to cook. Remember to salt your meat just before you put it on the grill, otherwise salt will preemptively draw out the moisture, which you so desperately want from your meat. It is ESSENTIAL! Letting your meat rest after cooking gives it time to redistribute its natural juices, resulting in a much more flavorful dish. Patience is key. You might also consider brining your meat for an hour or so before cooking. This adds much juicier flavor be it beef, chicken, turkey, pork, lamb, game or any veggies. A simple brine recipe is: ½ gallon water and add 1 cup sugar and 1 cup salt and stir to dissolve. Also, you can grill almost any fruit and the outcome will be delicious. Experiment a little and find out which fruits suit your tastes the best.
3⁄4 cup dry sherry 1⁄2 cup soy sauce 4 tablespoons canola oil 3 garlic cloves, minced 3-4 chopped green onions 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced 1 pound chuck steak, cut into 1 inch pieces 1 pound chicken, cut into 1 inch pieces 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces 1 white onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
Skewers
Combine sherry, soy sauce, oil, garlic, green onion and ginger in a 1 gallon zipper bag. Squish to combine. Add meat, peppers and onion. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, overnight is better. Soak bamboo skewers, or use metal ones. Preheat grill to medium high heat. Alternate skewering meat and veggies until all ingredients are used up. Place kabobs on grill, turning every two minutes to desired doneness. NOTE: The peppers and onions will remain crisp tender. If you leave the kabobs on until the veggies are soft, your meat will be way overdone! If you prefer softer grilled veggies, make separate kabobs for meat and veggies so the veggies can cook longer. Also, if you want your beef medium rare, make separate kabobs for the beef and the chicken. Yield: 6-8 servings
August 2015 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 9
Kohill Takes Home a Prestigious Chairman’s Award Plus Four Medals at the OC Commercial Wine Competition
Kohill Vineyard and Winery, a boutique winery located in Ramona, CA, brought home a Chairman’s award and four medals from the 39th Annual Orange County Wine Society (OCWS) Commercial Wine Competition, the largest and most comprehensive judging of California wines in the world. This year, 2,427 wines were judged by 73 professional wine makers and/or winery principals. The competition was conducted double blind, so that neither the judges nor the stewards knew the identity of wines being evaluated. Kohill Winery’s 2012 Estate Refosco received a gold medal, along with the Chairman’s Award, which was presented to only 1% of the entries. Their 2014 Estate Rosé of Refosco and 2012 Cabernet Franc also won golds. In addition, a bronze medal was awarded for their 2012 Syrah. The award-winning wines are currently being featured at the Orange County Fair until August 16th at the OCWS wine pavilion. You can also taste them poured by the winemaker himself at Kohill Vineyard and Winery, just forty-minutes north of San Diego. About Kohill Vineyard and Winery: Just forty minutes north of San Diego, Kohill is a boutique vineyard and winery that warms the heart and inspires the senses. Its intimate tasting room hosts a collection of wines to be enjoyed at the charming wine bar or outdoor patio overlooking Ramona’s 10 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2015
Valley of the Sun. Estate wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Barbera, Refosco, Sauvignon Blanc, and Semillon, plus other locally grown varietals. For more information: www.kohill.com For more information on Ramona’s wine industry: www.ramonavalleyvineyards.org. Find Kohill on Twitter and Facebook CONTACT: Mike Kopp Kohill Vineyard and Winery (760)787-1042 mike@kohill.com www.lvfnbpro.com
CUSTOM BLENDED HERBS and SPICES MADE LOCALLY IN LAS VEGAS • Wholesale distributor of exceptional quality dried spices and specialty foods to the finest hotels and restaurants • Owned and operated by a former chef with over 20 years of experience • Custom packed Herbs and Spices • Custom Spice Blends • Private labeling • Now Certified Kosher
6960 W Warm Springs Road #130 • Las Vegas, Nevada 89113 (1/2 block west of Rainbow Blvd)
702-642-1100
• Open to the Public • Restaurant Quality Spices, Herbs, and Blends • Over 250 Spices, Herbs and Blends • Sold by the Smidgen, Pinch, Dash, Ounce or More • Foodservice Pack Sizes Available • Blended and Packed on Premises • Sign up at www.thespiceoutlet.com
6960 W Warm Springs Road #150 • Las Vegas, Nevada 89113 (1/2 block west of Rainbow Blvd)
702-534-7883 • www.thespiceoutlet.com Mon-Sat 10am - 6pm
By Chef Allen Asch
Chef Talk Cuban Food
With the opening of diplomatic relations with Cuba I thought I would share with you some of the food and dishes that you may encounter if you are fortunate enough to travel there. I luckily had the opportunity to travel there two years ago, before the changes started to happen. The most amazing thing that I noticed while traveling there was the total lack of anything American, except the prerevolution era cars that are still on the road throughout the island of Cuba. The island nation, the largest in the Caribbean, is made up of two main islands and almost 4,200 smaller ones. Its total area is about half the size of Nevada. The island is 780 mi. long and 119 mi. across its widest points and 19 mi. across its narrowest points. Havana, the capital, has about 2 million people in an area the size of Las Vegas, a rectangle of approximately 12 by 13 square miles. Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492 changing the country forever. Prior to his arrival the Arawak Indians were the only residents of the island. Columbus brought sugar cane with him, which has become the biggest cash crop in the country. Upon his arrival the Spanish government also took over Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. With their arrival they brought foods and culinary techniques that they were familiar with. By the 1600’s the Spanish government created a farming nation that needed to have workers, since the original natives were killed off or fled because of the European diseases and the workload that was required of them. This is when African slaves were brought in to help with the harvest and building of the great city buildings. The slaves that were brought came from the entire African continent and with them they brought their many cultures and their food needs, including the widespread growing of plantains. This helped develop the culinary fusion that makes up Cuban cuisine. The east coast of the island is mostly agricultural so the African influences are more prominent there, while the west coast is more influenced by the European settlers. The east coast additionally has influences from other Caribbean islands such as Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, while the west coast has additional influences from the Chinese diaspora. They were also brought in for help with the farming needs, but were able to earn their freedom after 8 years of servitude. Some of the differences include east coast using red beans and a large amount of meat while the west coast uses black beans, seafood and eggs. The cooking style also includes more of a Spanish influence, such as finger food and tapas.
12 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2015
Feel free to contact Chef Allen with ideas for comments or future articles at allena@unlv.nevada.edu 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.
One of the main food components is sofrito. Like many cuisines, countless dishes include a combination of ingredients that add flavor, moisture and nutritional value to the national dishes. Sofrito is a combination of peppers, onions, tomatoes and garlic. This is usually stewed before adding to dishes. This component shows the strong influence from the island of Puerto Rico. After the Revolution every family was given a chicken, so eggs are an important component of the diet. This also led to chicken being a component of the diet; a breed of chicken, the Cubalaya, is distinct to the island. Most of the animals eaten on the island are used in agriculture or for procreation, making them older and with tougher muscle structure. This led to the main cooking technique to be braising or stewing to help tenderize the meat and create flavorful sauces to go with them. Another strong component of the cuisine is a heavy use of spices. Many spices are indigenous to the area, since most spices grow best within 15 degrees either north or south of the equator. Rice and beans is another common dish locally called “Moros y Cristiano.” Moros is the black beans which represent the Moors and Cristiano is the rice which represents the Christians. This dish dates back to the Spanish influence in the Cuban diet. The influences of the United States on the cuisine of Cuba are historical and amazingly still a huge part of the current environment. One of the most recognized Cuban dishes in the United States is the Cuban Sandwich. This item was actually created in the United States in the late 1800’s, when there was a lot of movement for tobacco workers between the United States and Cuba. One of the most educational parts of my trip was learning that the airport has 2 terminals, one for flights from the United States and one for the rest of the world. America is Cuba’s largest supplier of food and agriculture with the huge amount of humanitarian aid the government sends to the island. Exports include pork, chicken, turkey, corn and soy beans.
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Burgers! Burgers! Everywhere! Four P’s to Winning the Better-Burger Wars By Linda Duke, CEO, Duke Marketing, LLC.
What’s up with burgers on every menu in America today? The hamburger has gone from an American menu staple to burger joints on every corner in America. From the build-your-own style burger bars to the better-burger category, to casual dining chains adding their own burgers, one could say the Burger is the hottest trend in the restaurant industry today. The limited-service burger segment is the largest menu segment—in terms of revenue—in the restaurant industry. The term “Burger Wars” originally came about during the late 1970s due to an attempt by Burger King to generate increased market and mind-share by attacking the size of bigger rival McDonald’s hamburgers. Then in 2010, The New York Times stated that the poor economy and recessionary period has led to the return of the Burger Wars but now they include the “Better-Burger” brands as well. Five Guys, Fuddruckers, The Counter, The Habit, Fatburger, Unami Burger, Burger21, Elevation Burger, In-N-Out, and so on, why are there so many new burger concepts and will they all stand the test of time? Three words: cost efficient, high margins, frequency. Because of tightened budgets, consumers have been forced to seek value not only from the major fast food chains but lower priced menu items. Burgers, on casual dining menus as well as the new better-burger concepts sprouting up on every corner, are increasingly competing for those consumer dollars. Who will win the Better Burger game? Top differentiators: In-N-Out
most convenient with drive-thru
most loyal following
Five Guys
best fries
most locations
Smashburger
unique menu items
growing quickly—gee-wiz factor
The Counter
100 variations
build-your-own
The Habit
clever name
donates to education foundation
Unami Burger
truffled fries
chef-driven $65 gourmet burger
The battleground: a booming market for pricier burgers….how will it be won? How will these better-burger brands also compete with the goliaths (e.g. Wendy’s Burger King and McDonalds)? With the basic marketing premise: Price, Product, Place and Promotion—the 4 P’s. This is how the war will be won. Following are some examples of each “P” that can create a unique differentiator. DIFFERENTIATION: Price, Product, Place & Promotion
UNIQUE LIMITED TIME BURGERS: Fatburger
The 60-year-old Southern California-based betterbrand with more than 100 locations introduced a limited time menu item with Grey Poupon, a Dijon Mustard Mushroom Swiss Fatburger. Since 1947 the Fatburger brand has been known for using top quality ingredients. With a limited time product and the addition of the name brand mustard, this product doesn’t stray too far from the heritage menu, and offers something new for loyal fans—they have lots! This Beverly Hills-based, uber-popular burger brand, has attracted some of the United States’ most popular athletes as franchisees. Magic Johnson and Kayne West, along with actress Queen Latifa have all partnered with Fatburger. Celebrity endorsements for the better-burger brands will increase as they try to compete to differentiate themselves. Maybe Fatburger should introduce the “Magic” Burger?
The Habit, another Southern California betterburger brand donates their first day proceeds to the California Restaurant Associations’ Education Foundation, which in turn donates scholarships to students learning culinary arts and upon graduation some get a job at The Habit. Partnering with an overarching charity partner can be an opportunity to differentiate any restaurant brand. The Habit and its partnership with the restaurant association is a win-win, since they also get a pipeline of qualified new culinary school graduates.
PRICE
$$$ EXPENSIVE: Unami Burger Recently, Unami Burger, the “gourmet” better-burger concept based in Southern California with 20 locations and growing, added a “Money is No Object” burger as an end of the season for White Truffles, paired with a Wagu Burger for $65, not Unami’s Truffled “Money is no object” $65 burger including fries, and has garnered local television news coverage: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/bizarre&id=9355880 Although a $65 burger seems outrageous, consumers have been belt tightening for the past several years, and a gourmet chef-driven burger meal at Unami can be “perceived” as a nice dinner for young millennials looking for an experimental menu that won’t break the bank.
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PRODUCT
### About the author: Linda Duke, CEO of Duke Marketing, is celebrating 25 years in business, a full service marketing firm based in San Rafael, CA specializing in restaurant marketing. Reach her at duke@dukemarketing.com
August 2015 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 13
By Bob Barnes Bob Barnes is editorial
WHAT’S COOKING?
director of The SoCal 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
The Golden Truffle— a staple of Costa Mesa cuisine for 34 years
Chef Alan Greeley
Alan Greeley wanted to be an engineer when he was growing up, but fortunately for us he wasn’t that good in math. The Costa Mesa native is Chef/ Owner of The Golden Truffle restaurant and catering business that he has successfully operated in his hometown for more than 34 years. Situated on bustling Newport Boulevard just a stone’s throw from the PCH, the dining room’s décor is enhanced by a long wooden bar, salmon-hued walls and a folksy collection of photographs of Chef Greeley with a myriad of celebrities and friends that he has served over the past three and a half decades. A patio area allows for al fresco dining amidst hanging planters and shrubbery, and two private rooms provide space for special occasions. A peek into Chef’s office reveals shelves lined with cookbooks which he reads frequently, enabling him to cook from scratch and create a new menu every day. His twice a week visits to farmers markets provides him with fresh, locally grown, seasonal ingredients, which he masterfully transforms into complex flavors and colorful presentation. Chef Greeley is also well-traveled and has picked up influences from the Caribbean, France, Spain and Asia. As for his use of local ingredients, this is nothing new to Chef Greeley, as he was doing so long before it was a trend, and in fact was one of the first to incorporate farm-to-table cuisine. During our visit we were wowed by appetizers of grilled lobster with shishito peppers and tomato; fresh herb and heirloom tomato caprese salad; and grilled Peruvian Singing Scallops with lime pepper salsa served in shells atop a bed of sea
salt that brought to mind images of the sea and in juices so delicious you’ll want to drink them when no one is looking. An imaginative root vegetable carpaccio consisted of a mix of red, yellow, orange, white and purple colors with an array of radish, beet, carrot, canary beet, candy cane beet and Japanese turnip topped with a pumpkin seed vinaigrette. What was most surprising is that although I don’t care for these ingredients it was so delicious I ate it all and wished for more. Roasted chicken with fresh black truffles roasted whole in its natural juices was so tender I am using a phrase I’ve never before applied to chicken—melt-in-yourmouth. Our finale was rose petal Sugar Shack pineapple custard that was flavored with and served on a plate lined with rose petals. Complementing the innovative fare is an extraordinary wine list of more than 100 wines from
14 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2015
all over the world, priced below the industry standard; and some cool Belgian-style beers such as Goose Island Sophie and Matilda. The lists are skillfully compiled by Beverage Director Letia Short, who has been with Chef Greeley for nearly 25 years. While the restaurant is open Tues.-Fri. for lunch and Thur.-Sat. for dinner, most of its business is derived from catering. Show up on a Wednesday (reservations required) and you’ll be treated to “Soul” Food—which each week features a different country’s authentic cuisine, along with beverages to correspond with the menu. The Golden Truffle Catering and Restaurant 1767 Newport Boulevard Costa Mesa, California 92627 949-645-9970 www.goldentruffle.com www.socalfnbpro.com
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By Jen Morris
Hungry for PR
Jen Morris is the owner of Ajenda Public Relations, which specializes in PR and marketing for the hospitality industry. She is a board member of the Orange County Restaurant Association and a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier International. For comments or questions she can be reached at jen@ ajendapr.com or 949-874-7374. www.AjendaPR.com
Email Marketing and Why It’s So Important • Don’t “waste” an email. If you know your location will sell out for Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day then use that email to promote a slower day that month. • Keep it fresh. It’s great to promote happy hour or Sunday brunch, but mix it up. Tie in food and drink holidays that are a fit for your concept. For example, if you’re a Mexican restaurant then National Tequila Day should be considered a national holiday! • Think outside the four walls and give your readers more reasons to visit. If you’re in close proximity to a theater or comedy club then “plant the seed” for them to visit your location before or after the show. Imagine having a large group of people who love your business and want to hear about upcoming events and promotions you have. And in order to reach these people it’s fairly simple and doesn’t cost much, but once reached they will solicit your business and spend money. That folks, is called email marketing.
source here are some tips to creating impactful emails:
Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach your clientele and see results quickly. Why is it effective? First and foremost opt-in subscribers want to receive information from your business. Unlike many other forms of advertising, you are reaching guests who have already had a positive experience or are inclined to want to try your location for the first time. That’s why they signed up for your newsletter. Additionally, with many competitive options like Constant Contact, Fishbowl and Mailchimp, it’s a cost effective way to create, manage and track your results.
• Less is more. Emails should have no more than 2-3 messages. There is nothing worse than information overload, so keep it simple!
Some restaurants have someone in-house who is creative and organized who can manage their email marketing campaigns. Others opt to hire a marketing company who can help them create branded emails, consult on promotions that are likely to succeed and give feedback that will continuously improve your overall email campaigns. Whether you use someone in-house or hire an outside www.socalfnbpro.com
• Consistency is key. Create a template with a header with your logo and branding. Every time a subscriber opens an email they should instantly know who it’s from.
• A picture is worth a thousand words. But only if it’s a great shot that is appealing to the reader. Put your food and drink photos through the “crave-able” test. If you don’t think the photo will make the reader’s mouth water then choose another picture.
Strategize. Strategize. Strategize. Now that you’ve created your template you should have a strategy. The most successful email campaigns are well thought out and planned. Prior to every month you should know what you’re going to promote, when and why.
• Look at a calendar and last year’s sales to target slow periods and events that will have a negative impact like the county fair, awards shows and popular sporting events.
• Make sure your management team and staff is aware of what is being sent to your email subscribers. Especially if there is a promotion or discount involved. No guest likes to try and claim an offer to only be met with a blank stare from their server.
Bigger is better.
Growing your email database should always be a focus and a priority. There are many ways to collect emails, but you have to make it simple and foolproof. • Create sign-up cards, but take it further than that. Incentivize your staff to get guests to signup by having a contest. • Many online reservation systems like Opentable ask guests if they would like to sign-up to receive promotional emails from the restaurant. Make sure you’re taking advantage of this, by frequently importing these into your email database. • Your sign-up form should be up front and center on your website. If it’s buried on the last page then chances are they won’t find it. • Dangle a carrot by offering something complimentary for signing up. Not only will they sign-up, but they are more likely to visit sooner by giving them an offer that is time sensitive.
August 2015 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 17
Sushi Roku SUSHI ROKU OPENS IN FASHION ISLAND IN NEWPORT BEACH and SoCal F&B Pro was there to check it out; and once again, we were not let down. Over the years we have followed the growth of Innovative Dining Group, parent company of Sushi Roku as well as a half dozen other fine restaurants, and each new location they open seems to outdo the last, with upscale dÊcor, comfortable seating, friendly yet professional service and the food & beverages first class! During our visit to the new Fashion Island location we met with Innovative Dining Group’s Operations Director Christian Corben, who walked us through the extensive menu ordering an array of items from traditional sushi to stone cooked asparagus wrapped in Kobe beef. Prepare yourself for a total Japanese experience; they serve Japanese beer only and the choice of sake is exceptional. As an old Japan hand, I was totally delighted with Sushi Roku and my congrats on another great restaurant opening.
18 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2015
www.socalfnbpro.com
Brett’s BY
Happening Developments
MGM Resorts will open a 5,000-seat flexible concert venue at Monte Carlo at the end of 2016 adjacent to The Park and 20,000-seat arena under construction behind New York New York that opens next April. SPEEDVEGAS will transform 100 acres on South Las Vegas Blvd. into a supercar experience destination with a welcome center, café, meeting space and a supercar course opening January 2016. Australian casino mogul James Packer whose group acquired the former Frontier property wants to build a two-tower, 1,100room resort called Alon Las Vegas by 2018. Mandalay Bay’s final resort-wide transformation is the $100 million upcoming redesign of more than 3,000 guest rooms and suites with completion by spring 2016.
Entertainment Highlights
Celine Dion will return to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace Aug. 27 with her residency show. This fall Blue Man Group will move from Monte Carlo to the Luxor while Jabbawockeez changes places and moves to the MGM Grand in the newly renovated theater occupied by Beacher’s Madhouse every Saturday night. Magician Mat Franco, season 9 winner of America’s Got Talent, opens Aug. 5 with a full-scale residency production at the remodeled LINQ Theater. The AXIS at Planet Hollywood has Pitbull visiting with seven performances of his Time Of Our Lives Sept. 23-Oct. 7 and Janet Jackson following Oct. 9 and 10 with her Unbreakable World Tour. X Burlesque and X Rocks producers have expanded their risqué “X” brand into comedy with the premiere of X COMEDY
Uncensored Fun in Bugsy’s Showroom at the Flamingo hosted by comedy veterans Nancy Ryan and John Bizarre and featuring comedians PIFF the Magic Dragon, the “TV Guy” Joe Trammel, and Dennis Blair. Aussie Hunks opened downtown at the D featuring eight classically trained Australian male dancers nightly. Maroon 5 returns for the fourth consecutive New Year’s weekend with performances at Mandalay Bay Events Center Dec. 30 and 31. Drummer Travis Barker will be the first artist to kick off a residency at Hyde Bellagio Aug. 18 through 2016. Steve Angello has been added to the Omnia Nightclub at Caesars Palace DJ roster and debuts Aug. 4. Drai’s Beachclub • Nightclub at The Cromwell features Miguel on Aug. 28 as part of his 28-city Wildheart North American tour. Diana Ross sold out nine shows at The Venetian in April and will be back for nine more dates in November. Bob Anderson starring in Frank The Man. The Music. at The Palazzo Theatre has been extended through December. After a 10-month hiatus, lounge legend Cook E. Jarr is back on stage at Napoleon’s Lounge at Paris. The 18th annual Advertising Community Talent Show will hold its Safe Nest fundraiser on Sept. 11 in the Chrome Showroom at Santa Fe Station.
Dining Expands
Anchor Bar credited with inventing the buffalo wing in Buffalo, N.Y., opened its first West Coast outpost in the food court at the Grand Canal Shoppes. Hussong’s Cantina’s first U.S. location is at The Shoppes at Mandalay Place and now the company has opened an off-Strip outlet in Boca Park Fashion Village. Ferraro’s Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar opened the second location of its new casual food venture Pizza Forte at the Hard Rock Hotel. Bally’s recently opened Buca Café Italiano for breakfast, lunch and dinner and also Tequila Taqueria, an 80-seat Mexicanthemed restaurant and bar open daily from noon to 6 a.m.
20 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2015
The El Cortez opened a new 24-hour dining concept, Siegel’s 1941, paying homage to Bugsy Siegel. The Silverton opened WuHu Noodle with 44 seats and authentic Asian fare. Tapas by celebrity chef Alex Stratta and California’s leading cold-pressed juice company, Pressed Juicery, opened at Tivoli Village.
Misc. and Retail News The USA Sevens International Rugby Tournament will remain in Las Vegas through 2019 with the next event March 4-6, 2016. Mandalay Bay and Back Bar USA will present the three-day Las Vegas Beer and Barrel Project Aug. 28-30. The La Concha visitor center at the Neon Museum has been named to the Nevada State Register of Historic Places. The Historic Railroad Tunnel Trail at Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Hoover Dam received a national recreation trail designation making it one of only 10 trails nationwide with the designation. A new broadcast studio was unveiled at Lagasse’s Stadium at The Palazzo. French footwear and accessory designer Christian Louboutin is opening a store at The Shops at Crystals this fall. At The Forum Shops new stores opening next year include Sam Edelman, Kate Spade, Canali, Creed, Paul & Shark, Fossil and Vince. Pawn Plaza under construction has revealed two additional tenants So-Cal Speed Shop and Vegas Flip Flops.
Container Park has five new entrepreneurs: Uptown Children’s Boutique, Downtown Beauty Co., Sassy the Boutique, The Pink Tutu Ballet and Vegas Flip Flops. Tivoli Village has new tenants family fashion retailer Gypsy05 and Mint Locker cleaning service. www.socalfnbpro.com
PR Spotlight
Moxxe PR
Mona Shah-Anderson
The Moxxe office
Mona has worked on two Academy Awards telecasts
With Moxxebabies at a photo shoot for a local magazine
When Mona Shah-Anderson’s father fell ill to pancreatic cancer in 2004 she was faced with a terrible choice. She felt she needed to spend more time with him, not just because he required extra care, but it’s such a deadly form of cancer that she knew he would be gone soon. In the end it was a rather simple choice. The career wasn’t as important as her family. Family always comes first, she says. Over that year of helping to care for her father, Dilip Shah, she still needed to make a living, though, and fortunately some clients came her way asking at first for consultations. Her freelance work soon grew into a boutique PR firm she was running from Dad’s bedside. When Dilip Shah passed away in 2005, his daughter was inspired to carry on her little boutique firm as a way to pay tribute to the legacy of her dad, who was a successful orthopedic surgeon.
Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar, Provenance, SOL Cocina, Haven Gastropub, Sushi Roku, Bruxie, Portola Coffee Lab, Slapfish and Prego Ristorante. She also serves on the board of directors for the Orange County Restaurant Association and promotes its largest culinary event, Orange County Restaurant Week.
Her father, who emigrated to the U.S. from India, was always striving to improve himself, and even earned an MBA to give his professional skills a boost on the business side. Mona was driven to make Moxxe PR not just the biggest agency in Orange County, but the best.
Prior to launching Moxxe, she was the PR director for the Miss Universe Organization, coordinated initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa with the Harvard Aids Institute, and has worked on the Academy Awards and Golden Globes. She has also coordinated publicity for events featuring such notables as President Bill Clinton and former First Lady Laura Bush; and has contributed pieces to Orange Coast Magazine and the Newport Beach Independent, among others. Mona is also an active member of the LA/OC chapter of
She has served a wide variety of clientele – even in the higher education field – but her niche is promoting Orange County’s fine dining restaurants. Moxxe PR represents several of the area’s most feted restaurants such as The
22 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2015
Les Dames d’Escoffier International and serves on the committee for the March of Dimes OC Signature Chefs Auction. Last year, she gave birth to twins – Lara and Lennon – and didn’t slow her stride as she continued to add clients and staff as her company grows. It might get a little more noisy sometimes when she’s on a client call and the kids are in the playpen next to her home office, but the personal attention to detail and care for her clients goes on unabated. Mona believes her success is owed to working with companies she really loves and respects. She characterizes herself as cheerleader-incharge and thinks it’s a lot easier sell when you believe in the product. But picking up the phone when a client calls or immediately responding to a text – even when it’s late – lets a client know they are a top priority. www.socalfnbpro.com
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Sassy Sauces Why not try experimenting with some of your more traditional sauces by adding different products, creating a unique infusion of flavors? At Major we like to be different and believe that you should step outside your comfort zone once in a while in terms of flavor mixing. We like to combine flavors to make dishes that stand out, and what better way to do so than by mixing savory and sweet together. By adding Major’s fruit bases into your existing sauces and oils you can add a real depth of flavor, and they taste great with meat, fish and vegetables. Flavors include Strawberry, Raspberry, Clementine, Cherry and Fruits of the Forest. All five flavors come in simple to use 500g squeezy jars and are supplied with a free applicator nozzle which can be used to neatly decorate your plates or dishes. You can achieve massive cost savings and they also mean you no longer have to rely on
seasonal availability of fruit throughout the year. They are all suitable for vegetarians, are Gluten Free and are made with natural ingredients with no artificial flavorings or preservatives.
“We tried adding the delicious Clementine Fruit Base to our regular Hollandaise Powdered Mix to create a new take on a classic sauce and were all amazed at the results. The Cherry Fruit Base into our popular Demi Glace is also a great one for brown sauce recipes adding a delightful sweet note to your dish,” comments Chris Enright, Development Chef of Major
Products.
The Cherry and Clementine Fruit bases also lend themselves very well to duck recipes and can be brushed on before cooking to give a crisp, glazed outer skin which penetrates a fruity flavor directly into the meat. If you’re looking to add a subtle burst of natural flavor to your sauces, taste the difference for yourself with Majors fruit bases – you won’t be disappointed!
A Basq Kitchen
24 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2015
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Human Resources Insights
By Linda Westcott-Bernstein Linda Westcott-Bernstein has provided sound human resources advice and guidance to Fortune 500 companies and others for over 25 years. 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 recently published her self-help book entitled It All Comes Down to WE! with Author House Publishers. Her 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 Website: www.LJBConsulting.nett
No Success Without Accountablility
We’ve all heard the expression “no pain, no gain” and this month’s topic seems to echo those sentiments exactly. It would seem logical that success has a price and sometimes the costs can be high. But what is success if we don’t suffer setbacks, experience challenges and make sacrifices? Don’t we learn from our mistakes so that we don’t make them again? I think that the price I am referring to means that we must be willing to invest all of ourselves: our heart, mind, and soul, into those things and people in our lives that mean something to us. So what does accountability look like? It may look slightly different to each one of us. I define accountability as the willingness to take on a task or effort in its entirety, to do it with full attention to all the details, and to be willing to complete the entire task regardless of the time required. It also means recognizing that you are fully responsible for the success and/or failure of your efforts dependent upon the commitment you are willing to make. It means accepting the blame when something goes wrong, learning from your mistakes, and picking yourself up off of the floor when you fail and starting over
again even when you are tired, frustrated, and/or uncertain what to do next.
be able to focus and keep moving forward toward achieving our goal.
To me accountability is also made up of strength, confidence and responsibility. I believe that we must have strength of faith in order to achieve whatever we wish to achieve in life regardless of the difficulty or challenge. We must also have confidence in ourselves and embrace with all our heart and soul, that we can do something and do it well. Lastly, but not least, we must be willing to take on the entire responsibility, and all the associated risks and challenges, and still
I believe that true success is not handed out on a silver platter, it is earned: one effort, one lesson and even one step at a time. But the true measure of a successful person is how they act around others once they’ve reached it. Are we respectful, considerate and willing to share our secrets, accomplishments and our experiences? In life, I believe that if you are truly successful, you do not have to boast about your success but instead become the symbol of what success looks like to others when it is done right - with all your heart.
I would appreciate input from my readers to help drive the direction of my column this year. 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 (see brief detail above). Be sure to include your mailing address when sending your responses. 26 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2015
www.socalfnbpro.com
The Bottom Line
By Ben Brown Ben is an MBA candidate at USC’s Marshall School of Business, specializing in hospitality marketing and analytics. He has served as a food & beverage strategist with MGM Resorts, as well as reviewed more than 200 Las Vegas restaurants with CBS Local and Examiner. com. Contact him at Ben@lvfnb.com.
Is the Reservations Market a Real Thing? For an illustrious restaurant that typically books out months in advance, there’s a large crowd willing to pay hard cash for a last-minute reservation. While the act of paying for a reservation has long been considered faux paus, there’s another group making a serious push to create this kind of marketplace. App-makers and some business-savvy industry professionals recognize the balance of supply and demand. Demand clearly exceeds supply at the hottest tickets in town, so why not charge for those sacred 7-9 p.m. slots, shrinking demand and increasing profitability at the same time?
Brokering, while potentially helpful to get your restaurant’s name out there, can be quite dangerous. Allowing someone to buy multiple reservations to sell off individually can put your restaurant in a shady light, and can certainly upset someone looking to make/buy a reservation only to find out that they’re all taken as soon as they open up. You may not even intend to sell to brokers, but one person could create dozens of fake accounts to buy in bulk anyway.
Apps such as Resy, which allows users to buy last-minute reservations from partnering restaurants, are gaining traction. In the same way that restaurants allocate a few spots to OpenTable, they do the same for Resy, only Resy charges the customer while OpenTable does not. There are talks of people bidding for reservations [think eBay for restaurants] and even brokers who buy and sell reservations in the same way as one would trade stocks.
Serious legal issues may unfold here. If you do decide to charge for reservations, be sure to seek regular online feedback to detect potential underground brokering as soon as possible.
As this movement begins to take form, owners should keep tabs on how apps like Resy evolve, which major restaurants join in, and how both parties perform financially moving forward. How far will the movement go… will people be paying for all prime-time reservations in the same way that airline passengers pay for exit seats, or will there be a limit to the percentage of tables available for a charge? Consider the following thoughts in regard to whether your restaurant fits this bill:
Know yourself and your customer. Can you handle upsetting some people to reap profit from others? Do you have the demand to support charging for reservations? Are you willing to take the risks associated with this new, fragile marketplace?
Balancing short-term profit and long-term loyalty
There are two types of high-demand restaurants: those in-demand due to prestige [think Gordon Ramsay Steak] and those in-demand due to volume and value [think Mon Ami Gabi for its low price point and PF Chang’s for its national presence]. If your restaurant is in the prestige category, you should think twice before charging for reservations. Think about it from a loyalty perspective. Prestigious restaurants likely rely on repeat customers for more than half of their revenue [food tourism phenomena, such as Per Se and Noma, where people travel specifically to eat there, are exceptions]. If your 7 p.m. Tuesday regular gets booted out by a first-timer willing to pay $25 up front, they’re going to be pretty upset and may take their business elsewhere. Same goes if your loyalists find themselves having to pay for something that was once free. Chances are that the money doesn’t matter to this crowd, but it’s the principle behind the charge that is most damaging. If you’re a high-volume, low-price establishment that has a line out the door every night, maybe you could stand to make some easy bucks by charging for a few guaranteed reservations. For those places with no-reservations policies, where many potential patrons don’t even show up because they don’t want to risk waiting in a long line, this system could open up a whole new customer base. For spots who see too many last-minute cancellations, this could provide some great security.
Monitoring bidding and brokering
If you ever find yourself in a bidding market, be sure that your bid prices align with your brand image. A famous $10 burger spot isn’t going to get as much volume over time when people find out it costs $100 just to get a table. At the same time, a fine French establishment won’t look too fancy if Saturday night bids topped out at 35 cents. Set minimums and maximums [i.e. have a ‘buy now’ option for your max price] and monitor how they affect your volume and overall sales.
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ON TAP AND IN BOTTLES THROUHOUT SOUTHERN NEVADA LAS VEGAS’ ORIGINAL BREWING COMPANY ww.bigdogsbrews.com August 2015 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 27
American Culinary Federation Chefs Of SoCal Chapter Page
The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional is proud to be a member of 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
28 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2015
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Events
ad index Al Dentes’ Provisions sales@aldentes.com 702-642-1100
page 11
Modelo www.southernwine.com (305) 625-4171
page 16
Big Dog’s Brewing Company www.bigdogsbrews.com 702-368-3715
page 27
Niigata Sake Festival http://sakenojin.jp/english 025-229-1218
page 28
Bivi Sicilian Vodka www.bivivodka.com 631-464-4050
page 29
The Spice Outlet www.thespiceoutlet.com 702-534-7883
page 11
Todd English P.U.B. www.toddenglishpub.com 702-489-8080
page 23
Uncle Steve’s www.unclestevesny.com.com 718-605-0416
page 31
Visstun Visually Stunning Cups www.visstuncups.com 800-401-2910
page 15
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse page 30 www.bjsrestaurants.com 702-851-8050 Cicerone® Certification Program www.cicerone.org
page 21
San Diego Spirits Festival Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier www.SanDiegoSpiritsFestival.com
Deep Eddy Vodka www.deepeddyvodka.com 702-876-4500
page 19
Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo Los Angeles Convention Center www.westernfoodexpo.com
Jay’s Sharpening Service www.jayssharpening.com 702-645-0049
page 12
August 22-23
AUGUST
NATIONAL PANINI MONTH
August 7
Lucky Rice San Francisco Feast Bently Reserve www.luckyrice.com
August 23-25
Aces & Ales 6th Annual Strong Beer Fest Nellis location www.acesandales.com
August 23-26
Eat-Drink-SF Fort Mason San Francisco www.sfchefsfoodwine.com
August 27-30
August 7-9
Gentlemen’s Club Owners Expo & Tradeshow New Orleans Hilton www.edpublications.com
August 20-23
Food-Wine & Jazz St. Regis Monarch Beach CA Stegismb.com/foodwine
Keep Memory Alive Event Center page 2 www.kmaeventcenterlasvegas.com 702-263-9797 Major Foods www.majorproducts.com 702-838-4698
Western Foodservice & Hospitality page 32 www.westernfoodexpo.com White Soy Sauce www.whitesoysaucefood.com
page 8
page 25
Let’s Get Together at BJ’s! Weekday Lunch Specials • Snacks and Small Bites • Fresh Salads • ENLIGHTENED ENTREES® Signature Deep Dish Pizzas • Culinary Creations • Pizookie® Desserts • Award-Winning Handcrafted Beers CALL AHEAD WAITING LIST | ONLINE ORDERING | CURBSIDE TAKE OUT
CENTENNIAL | 702-851-8050
|
SUMMERLIN | 702-853-2300
|
HENDERSON | 702-473-2980
join us for HAPPY HOUR Mon.– Fri. 3–7PM | LATE NIGHT Sun.–Thurs. 10PM–Close W W W. B J S R E S TA U R A N T S . C O M |
30 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I August 2015 AD_GenHHR_Centenn_BJ5279_r2.indd 1
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