The Chefs' Warehouse Magazine: Winter 2019/2020

WINTER EDITION 2019/2020, VOL. 11

Posie

A MATTER OF

CONFIDENCE

Rare & Wild

RitzCarlton

Artisan Desserts in Marin with Chef/Owen Kyle Caporicci

the

With Tuscon's Emily Dillport

HOLIDAY

CHEER

Everything's Bigger In

TEXAS

Winter Ingredient Guide

Celebrating Our Exciting New Territory!

Chef/Owner Justin Witcher of

LE FANTASTIQUE

fabrique

Ritz Carlton Executive Chef Dillport’s Seasonal Duck Breast with Croquettes and Bordeaux Cherries.

¿CóMO? Taperia

delices

Vancouver

MAD COOL

MADAGASCAR New Recipes from

Nielsen-Massey

AND:

VEGAS' LUXOR

ALLEN BROS. ANGUS

THE SAN FRANCISCO EXPO

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

By Bruce Luong Executive Vice President West Coast and Canada The Chefs' Warehouse

AS THE TEMPERATURES finally begin to cool down across the West Coast, the leaves turn color and the rain returns, we start to prepare ourselves for the holidays.

When I think of holidays, I think about all of the good food that everyone will be enjoying. The bounty of fresh citrus, apples, pears, figs, parsnips, and sweet potatoes, the enticing aroma of roasting meats, and rich awe-inspiring desserts, we are very fortunate to have all of this available to us at this wonderful time of year.

With 2019 coming to an end, we reflect on our hard work, great accomplishments, new team members, and successful restaurant openings of these past 365 days.

2020 is a brand new canvas full of possibility, that will undoubtedly bring us many more great additions and opportunities as we move forward to fresh challenges and goals.

Thank you to all of our wonderful partnered vendors, customers, and colleagues for making The Chefs’ Warehouse (West Coast) such a great place to be a part of. I personally appreciate all of the support from the people that I interact with every day who embody the key ingredients of discipline, enthusiasm, and talent that makes our collective team so special.

I wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season and a healthy, prosperous New Year.

2 | CWmag.com

15

The Chefs’ Warehouse Magazine, West WINTER EDITION 2019/2020 FEATURES

4

12

9

Everything's Bigger in TX

A Matter of Confidence

Mad-Cool Madagascar

The West Goes Tex!

Tuscon's Ritz Carlton

Nielsen-Massey

From Austin to Houston,

Dove Mountain puts ladies

showcases the seasons'

Dallas to San Antonio

first with Exec utive Chef

trendiest ingredients with

and beyond.

Emily Dillport.

a trio of new recipes.

Norcal Screams for Posie Posie Owner/Pastry Chef Kyle Caporicci educates and invigorates with his one-of-a-kind indulgences.

DEPARTMENTS

14

Cattle Trend Insights

18

Inside CWSF's Expo

22

Vancouver’s Como Taperia

29

Festive in Las Vegas

26

Del Monte’s Paul Savage on this season’s premium beef

Meet our valued vendors, clients, and incredible sales team.

Meet Tapas hotspot and Executive Chef Justin Witcher

4

Inside the Luxor with Pastry Chef Raul Villa's giant gingerbread.

Le Fantastique: Fabrique Delices Meet our valued vendors, clients, and incredible sales team, and staff connections.

8

Nikki's New & Notable CW Director of Purchasing showcases our warehouse's newest ingredients.

July – October 2019 | 3

There’s a new sheriff, er, we mean Specialty Foods Distributor in town. CW West Takes On The Lone Star State!

EVERYTHING'S BIGGER IN

TEXAS

DallaS Wolf Gang Puck's

Five Sixty

with Executive Chef Jacob Williamson

Dallas, arguably the most glamorous and worldly of Texas’ major cities, has also become infused with a generous helping of diversity in the past few decades. Known as a sophisticated, fair-weathered and affordable city to migrate to, the addition of many dynamic cultures to Dallas also provides a positive effect on the city’s ever-growing plethora of top-notch cuisine.

4 | CWmag.com

EXECUTIVE CHEF, JACOB WILLIAMSON, of Wolf Gang Puck’s Five Sixty Restaurant (Dallas), took time out of his very busy schedule to offer CW Magazine some key flavor points on what makes his Texas city very much in the national gastronomic spotlight, as well as some insight into his personal journey as a rising Executive Chef.

Why Dallas?

“There is a huge variety of restaurants to dine at in Dallas – you could go to a different one every night, if you wanted to, and never run out of options. We were just voted the #1 food city in America for 2019 by Bon Appétit which is huge. It’s a testament to what restaurateurs are doing here in Dallas. We are getting on the map, and it’s long overdue.”

Why is Five Sixty a great example of a stand out Dallas venue?

“First and foremost, we are in an

iconic landmark in Dallas, if not Texas and the United States. We are very thankful to have a restaurant on the top of Reunion Tower with such a great view of Downtown Dallas, one of the premier skylines in the world in my opinion.”

What do you bring to the table as a chef?

“It’s really important to me to get involved with the community and do what I can to give back.

Throughout the year, I participate in community events that benefit local organizations with causes ranging from ending hunger in North Texas, supporting veter-

ans, funding the arts and more.

In terms of highlights as a chef, we’ve had a lot of great dinners at Five Sixty, from politicians and celebrities to sports players and local community leaders that I’ve had the opportunity to cook for.“

Career Highlights

to our great weather, we get lots of great produce. Our produce growing seasons last longer than they would in other states that get cold for a good portion of the year.

Being close to the Gulf of Mexico allows us access to great fresh seafood from the Gulf, and its only 4-5 hours away!”

Working with CW “I'm lucky to have worked and continue to work with legendary chefs in the industry. At Five Sixty, I have the privilege of collaborating on our menu with Chef Wolfgang Puck and Chef Lee Hefter. Prior to that, I had Stephan Pyles, JeanGeorge Vongerichten, Charlie Palmer, and Dan Landsberg as mentors.”

Texas' Gastronomical Identity “First off, we have great beef. Due

“Our relationship with Chefs’ Warehouse is great. To my knowledge, we were one of the first restaurants they did business with when they came to Texas. My rep, Courtney Heineman, is great to work with and is hospitable and very responsive. They make last-minute accommodations regularly and being an Asian restaurant, they have been very accommodating in sourcing some of the brand-specific Asian ingredients I need for my menu.”

Continued on next page.

November 2019 – February 2020 | 5

SAN ANTONIO

Cured At Pearl With Owner, Chef Steve McHugh

Designated last year as Creative City of Gastronomy by UNESCO (branch of the United Nations that designates World Heritage Sites), San Antonio is lauded as the Texas dining town with the greatest element of surprise in regards to killing it with exciting fine dining venues as well as deeply satisfying, quality-driven, “Tex-Mex” delights.

Exemplifying San Antonio’s duality of historic bravery and craftsmanship, Steve McHugh, Owner and Chef of Cured At Pearl, infuses everything he offers with artistry, integrity, and gratitude. These symbolic ingredients transcend deliciously in the distinct name and a-z creations of Cured At Pearl.

CW Magazine was lucky enough to grab a moment with four time James Beard Award Finalist (Best Chef Southwest) Chef McHugh for some intimate insight on San Antonio and the inspiring story behind Cured.

"Time is so vital to all facets of life. The concept and philosophy of Cured is one that is really rooted in time-honored processes."

-Cured At Pearl,

6 6||CWmag.com CWmag.com

Chef and Owner, Steve McHugh

Cured and Cured “Working in San Antonio just after leaving New Orleans, I got the life-changing diagnosis of Lymphoma. After defeating my battle with cancer, I set out to open my own restaurant in the community that reached out to help me during that trying time. ‘Cured,’ is endowed with a name that speaks to my feat of recovery, as well as the artisanal cured meats that are the cornerstone of the menu.”

The pearls of Cured “With Cured, it was important to me to focus on the purity of natural ingredients and a hands-on,

unadulterated methodology that enhanced my healing process. This ‘from-scratch’ focus finds its way through our seasonally dynamic menu, down to our handcrafted cocktails, bitters, pickles, and mustards. One of our driving philosophies of the restaurant is appreciation, gratitude, and celebration of life, so we've found a way to implement a bit of ‘gastronomic giving’ by donating $1 from every charcuterie board ordered to a different charitable organization every quarter. Each September, our annual ‘Cured for a Cure’ dinner invites acclaimed guests from across the country to raise around $40K each year for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.”

Chef Mission “My philosophy as a chef as always, has been one of complete utilization. We buy whole animals.

I don’t want to buy a 300-pound pig and place half of it in the freezer because I can’t use it in

time. Salting and curing parts of the animal allows me more time and more outlets for the meat.

Time is so vital to all facets of life.

The concept and philosophy of Cured is one that is really rooted in time-honored processes. As for reclaimed materials, it is important for us to reuse items on the condition that it has to make sense to our overall design and food, a symbiotic connection."

Developing Cured “My wife, Sylvia, and I wanted to create a restaurant where we would want to eat. We took inspiration from our travels, the places we’ve visited, the places we’ve lived, the food we love, and brought that all together. I grew up on a farm in Wisconsin, which inspired the farmhouse fare at Cured. The concept of farm-to-table was never even a ‘concept’ for me – it was how I ate every day growing up – it was just a part of daily life. So it was a natural progression to make

my menu one that is locally-sourced, smart, sustainable and seasonal.

My belief has always been to let the inherent qualities and purity of ingredients come first – to accentuate without overpowering them. That translates to the way I go about food and the way I went about restoring Cured’s 110-year-old historic space.”

Holiday Season Nostalgia “Every year for Xmas my mom would make Grasshopper Pies and I always looked forward to it. Both my mom and dad had a sweet tooth and I inherited it.”

November 2019 – February 2020 | 7

NIKKI'S New & Notable.

SEASON'S GREETINGS! It wouldn't be the holidays without some special new treats, which include surprising flavor and texture combinations that you and your customers are sure to enjoy.

Nikki Thomas, Regional Director of Procurement, CW

MAE BONBONS The artisans of Mae Fine Foods have a special holiday offering, and it’s lovely. Their peppermint bon bon has a slight crunch in the filling and is my favorite. There’s also pumpkin spice latte, amaretto, chestnut, dark choc mint, and eggnog. Because...Holidays!

MONINI MONOCULTIVARS Monini Introduces its Premium Line of

organic

Monovarietals

Extra Virgin Olive Oils, and it is a success! All three products WON big prizes at the 2018

SMITH TEA

Los Angeles and the 2018 New York International Extra Virgin

Uncommonly delicious black teas, green teas, and herbal

Olive Oil Competition, against an

infusions; imported directly from friends and blended and packed

extremely qualified field of about

in Portland, OR with artistry and excellence.

1000 small and medium quality producers.

TANGERINE CHILI OLIVES FoodMatch

and

Davina

have

done

it

again.

These

are

hands

down my most favorite new thing. The heat is just spicy enough and the sweetness is present but not cloying. They are really delicious and addictive.

What makes these olives unique is the exciting marinade of dried tangerine slices, chili peppers and herbs creating a bright, sweet, savory, and spicy mix. Serve with champagne or toss with couscous, smoked almonds and goat cheese crumbles.

SOUS VIDE BACON Tony Baker (of Monterey-based Baker's Bacon) brings us Sous Vide Bacon – it’s not really bacon, it’s more like a thick slice of pork belly that you can heat up and caramelize for a bit and it’s this unctuous, smoky, tasty meat treat. The application possibilities are endless!

8 | CWmag.com

MAD-COOL MADAGASCAR

NIELSEN-MASSEY VANILLAS is on a mission to delight this holiday season with nature’s finest tasting vanillas and flavors. They’ve crafted a trio of plant-based recipes showcasing the year's trendiest ingredients. In business since 1907, the family owned Nielsen-Massey brand has built an enviable reputation for the quality and consistency of its pure vanillas.

The three featured recipes pair trending ingredients with the deep vanilla flavor of Nielsen-Massey’s Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract, Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste and Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans. As you develop your holiday menus, also consider enhancing your dishes with their popular seasonal flavors of Pure Peppermint Extract and Pure Almond Extract!

Turmeric

Turmeric has seen sharp sales growth over the past few years – Google searches reached a new high in January 2019!

Pumpkin

Pumpkin, Pumpkin-Spice, Apple, and Maple are enduring winter flavor trends that add a festive contribution to your bottom line.

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi, a top-trend in vegetables is fast-gaining ground on the other veggie darling, Kale. Do you dare ignore millenial desires?

Recipes on next page.

Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract is produced from premium, hand-selected beans cultivated in Madagascar, the world’s leading supplier of the highest quality vanilla. Nielsen-Massey’s proprietary cold extraction process gently draws out and preserves more than 300 flavor compounds found naturally in vanilla, resulting in a flavor profile that’s full, sweet, creamy and mellow with velvety after-tones.

Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste is crafted from their famous Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract and includes real bean specks from the vanilla pod. Like its extract counterpart, the flavor profile is sweet, creamy and mellow with velvety after-tones. The paste’s thick consistency (similar to molasses) enables you to add more delicious vanilla flavor without thinning out your batters or sauces.

November 2019 – February 2020 | 9

Vegan Kohlrabi Stew Vegan Kohlrabi Stew Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 40-45 minutes Yield: 8 cups Ingredients: • 908 grams kohlrabi, peeled, cut into ½” pieces, stems and greens separated, cut into ½” pieces • 226 grams carrots, peeled, cut into ½” pieces • 3 cloves garlic, peeled, whole • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste • ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste

10 | CWmag.com

• • • •

• • •

•

1 small shallot, finely diced 2 tablespoons tomato paste 4 cups vegetable stock, unsalted 1 tablespoon white balsamic or red wine vinegar 1 bay leaf 1 sprig rosemary 1 Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Bean 2-15 oz cans Cannellini beans with liquid

Steps: Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C).

Spray a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray. Arrange kohlrabi, carrots and garlic on baking sheet.

Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive

oil and season with ¾ teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Toss to coat. Bake until vegetables are browned and tender, stirring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes.

wise and remove seeds by gently scraping the bean with the tip of the knife. Add seeds to the pot and reserve scraped bean for another use. Bring stew to a simmer, lower heat and cover.

While vegetables roast, prepare the remaining ingredients. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. When hot, add shallot and ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt and sauté until translucent. Add tomato paste and let caramelize, stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes. Add vegetable stock, vinegar, bay leaf, rosemary sprig and cannellini beans with liquid to the pot. Split vanilla beans length

When roasted vegetables are ready, remove garlic cloves and set aside. Carefully add remaining vegetables to the stockpot.

Using the back of a knife, smash the roasted garlic into a paste, or finely chop and add to stock pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring stew back to a boil and remove bay leaf and rosemary sprig before serving.

Pumpkin Sage MadeleineS Prep time: 15 minutes Bake time: 12-15 minutes Yield: 24 madeleines Ingredients: • 113 grams unsalted butter • 1 tablespoon (about 6 large leaves) fresh sage, roughly chopped • 160 grams all-purpose flour • 1 teaspoon baking powder • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt • 2 large eggs, room temperature • 105 grams canned pumpkin • 130 grams granulated sugar • 1 tablespoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste Steps: In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Remove pan from heat, stir in chopped sage and let steep and cool for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside until ready to use.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer), whisk together the eggs and sugar for several minutes on medium-high speed until the color is pale yellow and the batter has doubled in volume. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the pumpkin and pure vanilla bean paste. Gently fold in the dry ingredients until almost combined.

Strain cooled butter mixture into batter and gently press on sage leaves with the back of a spoon or spatula to release any remaining butter. Gently fold mixture together until fully combined.

Use a pastry brush to spread room-temperature butter into the details of a madeleine pan, or spray with non-stick spray. Fill each madeleine shell with a generous 1 ½ tablespoons (25 grams) of batter. Lightly tap pan on the counter.

Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Madeleines are best enjoyed the day they are baked. Batter will keep for up to three days in the refrigerator or up to a month in the freezer.

Turmeric Hot Tonic

Vanilla Extract • Honey, to taste, optional

Prep time: 5 minutes Steep time: 3 minutes Yield: 1 cup

Steps: Place all ingredients except vanilla extract and honey in a small saucepan and bring to just a simmer.

Remove saucepan from heat and let steep for 3 minutes before straining into a mug. Gently stir in pure vanilla extract and honey, if using.

Ingredients: • 226 grams water • 8 grams fresh lemon juice • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger • ½ teaspoon freshly grated turmeric • 1 whole clove • ½ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure

*Note: Recipe can be scaled up to make desired number of servings.

November 2019 – February 2020 | 11

A MATTER OF CONFIDENCE

with Executive Chef Emily Dillport The Dove Mountain Ritz Carlton, Tuscon, Arizona

For Executive Chef Emily Dillport, The Ritz Carlton’s third woman to ever earn the distinguished title, a career in culinary came by “accident.”

Emily Dillport was “poached” into the culinary world while bussing tables and washing dishes, to help save for junior college in Orlando Florida. Chef and owner Jephanie Foster, of the small, fine dining venue, offered Dillport a very intriguing proposition when she suddenly lost

possible to assist them and to essentially ‘be’ them. There's no way I would be here if it wasn't for Chef Foster believing in me and saying, ‘Hey come in the kitchen give it a try.

I think you'd be great.’”

her most valuable line cook due to deportation.

Chef Dillport received with Chef Foster, along with working her way up within the ranks of Ritz Carlton Hotels and Resorts (worldwide), has made her a true advocate for obtaining culinary training in the kitchen, not in an expensive culinary school.

Says Dillport, “You have such an amazing opportunity to work and learn and get paid for it at the same time. I tell young chefs having the right attitude and being committed to working hard is 75% of the battle.

Don't let anybody ever tell you that you have to go to culinary school to be successful as a chef.”

Foster, still big in the Orlando food scene, had noticed Emily’s respectful attitude and natural ethic for hard work. Because of this, Foster extended an invite to train Dilport one-toone to get her up to speed in the kitchen. “At the time, I didn’t know a thing about cooking!”

The mentorship was every day, all day. Getting Dillport reliably facile as a cook in a professional upscale kitchen was all-encompassing. Offered Chef Dillport, “Chef Jephanie really took me under her wing and taught me everything. When you have an example like that in front of you, you really want to do everything

Chef Dillport’s Peached Candy Striped Figs, Confit of Baby Fennel, Goat’s Milk and La Quercia Speck

12 | CWmag.com

The hands-on culinary education

Historically, women have been allowed the “distinct honor” of cooking at home for the family while the men get the Executive Chef roles,

A R I Z O N A

Women being ambitious in culinary is something heretofore relatively unheard of.

This is all changing as we are becoming much more empowered.”

Poached Lobster Tail with Barrel Cactus Beurre Blanc, Blood Orange Gel and Mesquite Tuile. that come with salaries, accolades, and artistic merit.

Dillport comments on the topic: “Women being ambitious in culinary is something heretofore relatively unheard of. This is all changing. We are becoming much more empowered.”

The stigma of being a woman in a professional kitchen and labeled with generic women stereotypes like, “Okay she's emotional! You can't tell her this or that because she's gonna cry…” or, “You can't put her on this station because it will be too hard for her…” Well, this is just not the case anymore. Women are getting stronger and not worrying about the repercussions are of saying, “I want to be an executive chef. “ Having said this, Chef Dillport admits that her road to Executive Chef was much longer and more arduous than the majority of the gentlemen she has known.

Moving herself and family (wife Christine, employed with Marriott for fourteen years, and their daughter, Charlie) excessively for opportunities, and striving to be flexible to grow her career, played a key role in Dillport’s rise to the top within the Ritz Carlton empire.

Accomplishing the majority of chef titles within Ritz Carlton kitchen from Palm Beach Florida to Saint Thomas, New Orleans to Aruba, and Orlando to her present Executive Chef position at Ritz Carlton in

Marana, AZ, has involved a great deal of sacrifice.

Chef Dillport shares: “I went through a lot more roles than most men in this field go through. I worked twice as hard as my male counterparts and I said yes to more work or and relocations, 100 times more than they did. I did this because I was ambitious. I was hungry. I wanted to get to the top. I wanted to get to this role, and I was going to work as hard as I had to to do it.”

Beyond any kind of feminist-minded movement, it has been blatantly clear for long while now that talented, hard-working women make incredible Executive Chefs.

The proverbial blindfolds of limitation are coming off and the ladies are killing it “in the field.”

One of the biggest misconceptions about being a powerful and respected chef is that one must play hardball. Women chefs in particular often feel forced to play that hand to prove their strength and prowess, especially in top positions such as Executive Chef.

Dillport commented: “Ten years ago sure, it was definitely different and I had to play hardball at times.

Now I'm very fortunate that I have such a great team.

When I come into a new property, my first priority is to build relationships with my team. To build trust and show loyalty, prove that I've got their back. We're a solid unit and that's the key.”

July – October 2019 | 13

DEL MONTE MEATS:

CATTLE TREND INSIGHTS with Paul Savage

HOLIDAY CW ANGUS SPECIALS!

*Pricing valid October 28th, 2019 - January 5th, 2020 All products will be shipped 2 pieces per box.

Available while supplies last!

CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF TENDERLOIN #992000 PSMO 189A 2/5-7 LB CS $13.59 CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF RIBEYE L/ON 17 UP #992327 2/17-19 LB CS $10.99 CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF RIB EXPT 18 UP #999336 2/18-22 LB CS $9.99

"We have sold more beef in 2019 than ever before and are proud to have also grown our own branded Allen Brothers Angus program throughout the nation!"

2019 WAS AN UNPRECEDENTED YEAR for protein markets around the world. Having said that, both the cattle and beef markets maneuvered through a tough cycle. Many unpredictable outside factors played a roll in affecting how beef and other protein markets performed this past year.

In just the past ten months, we have experienced a record number of cattle grading Choice and Prime (first half of 2019). Then, in the last four months, the opposite occurred, with a much lower grading of Choice and Prime cattle and beef. As a result, Prime Graded Beef rose to record high prices and have only recently started to recover to normal price levels.

Severe drought was followed by heavy rains, and turned into a colder/ wetter spring than the seasonal averages. This had a major effect on how our farmers plant crops which leads to big spikes in the price of corn and soybeans.

The good news is with all the heavy rains predominant throughout the country, the majority of the US is now out of drought conditions.

We endured a tit-for-tat regarding tariffs put in place on most US Agriculture products and our addition of other tariffs to some of our trading partners.

In global cattle-beef news, China experienced historic issues with their own Pork meat supplies which caused more reactions in the protein markets in the USA. In the US, one of our major protein/beef suppliers suffered a devastating plant fire that shut down beef production and threw beef supplies into question, all while leading up to busy Labor Day Celebration. All of this amounts to a bit of a roller coaster for just one year!

On a more positive note, through all the turbulence in the market, we at The Chefs’ Warehouse along with our constituent Meat Company partners, have been able to supply and guide our customers through a very tough market cycle. Despite the challenges, we have sold more beef in 2019

14 | CWmag.com

than ever before and are proud to have also grown our own branded Allen Brothers Angus program throughout the nation!

Looking ahead through the rest of the year and into 2020, more new and innovative beef programs will be launching as we continue to build CW into the go-to beef supplier for all of the nation.

We are very fortunate, as we get to work hand and hand with some of America’s best farmers and meat companies is the USA. As I travel through the country visiting and meeting with top quality farmers and suppliers, they are very happy with the way CW is representing their products in the market- place for which they have worked very hard and offer with great pride. Even when I am not out of the farm with them, I still get updates to how things are going! These tight knit relationships with our farmers are the cornerstone for our ability to offer our chefs the best beef under the sun.

Posie Rare and Wild

by Kelli Colaco

KYLE CAPORICCI, Owner/Chef of (haute) ice cream and dessert destination Posie, in Larkspur, CA, is only at work on “awesome”.

STEPPING INTO POSIE, with its stark clever white tiles, industrial drop-down lighting, woodshop stools, spacious “bar’’ and cool menu verbage on square alphabet blocks, your attention is immediately grabbed by the flavors of the day. This is your first clue. This ain’t your grandma’s old school ice cream shop. As late, great Mr. Bourdain would say: “This ladies and gentlemen, is distinctly something else.”

I’ve been wanting to write up a feature on Chef Kyle and Posie since I crossed its threshold when it opened three years ago.

I was instantly plugged into the artistic vibe, enigmatic-luscious ice cream selection, and stacks of mega cool, arty food books and magazines stacked on the communal table.

Kyle was immediately generous in conversing about his creative

Pies also take center stage at Posie.

Chef Kyle’s innovative spin on Key Lime Pie and Strawberry Cheesecake with graham cracker crust topped with strawberry puree Cream.

offerings and journeys of making them. From his local foraging, on-site pasteurizing, (Posie is one of a few Bay Area ice cream shops licensed to pasteurize ice cream base in-house), flavorcombo-conjuring, mixing, freezing, and his original (totally addictive and gluten-free) waffle cones, to say nothing of the plethora of exciting pies newly on offer, Kyle resonates with a tatted out Willy Wonka edge, and ego free nature.

continued on next page.

November 2019 – February 2020 | 15

P

osie’s ice cream flavor combinations turn conformism on its head and scream of delicious whimsy. It’s no surprise, considering Kyle’s resume which reads like the “Artist’s Way” to Pastry Chefdom. Posie Combos include: Douglas Fur and Marshmallow Ice Cream (subtly torched Douglas Fir-infused marshmallow marbled into the ice cream), Preserved Yuzu Ice Cream (fragrant yuzu, known as the “king of citrus”), Bay Leaf and Chocolate Ice Cream, Candy Cap Mushroom Ice Cream (Candy Cap Mushrooms grown naturally around Marin. Taste and smell exactly like maple syrup), Rosemary Buttermilk Peaches Ice Cream (a great example of what Posie does. Using seasonal ingredients and incorporating herbs and flowers), Sticky Toffee Cake Ice Cream, and Pumpkin Brittle Ice Cream (Made with locally procured pumpkins with the brittle of pumpkin seeds), to name but a few. Posie’s menu changes weekly, if not daily.

was just that time for me. Like, you know, suddenly everybody around you is 21 and coming back from their holiday in Denmark or whatever and I was heading into my 40's.”

Kyle offered, “This is what I think of when I think of California cuisine. I don't just think of fruits and vegetables. I also think of herbs and flowers and everything that is in season at the same time.”

Telling Our Stories and Busy Bittersweet

Posie’s new pie offerings are just in time for this winter-holiday season including the now Posie famous: Caramel Apple Pie, new to the menu this season, Cranberry and Pear Pie (with preserved Meyer Lemon, cardamom and cinnamon for “aromatic perfuminess”), Cheddar Apple Pie, and Sweet Potato Pie with Pineapple-Guava Marshmallow (decorated with lovely and delicious Pineapple Guava Flowers).

Down Low Of Owning Your Own “Show” “You know the power at our venue went out on Friday for like five hours or something. We had to close and go get dry ice and cover everything…this is how we lose money. And we're spending on dry ice… Employees are standing around like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah…’ It all comes down to me. I'm not a plumber but I'm learning so much about refrigeration. It's constantly, like always something, you know? Like, I got a new like payroll company and it's cheaper but then I gotta write the checks myself and I don’t want to. I just want to cook. So it’s all about trying to find that balance.”

“It's been really busy lately. It's super good and great, but then at the same time, I don't want to be so busy that I’m like, dying. Maybe I need it to be that way financially but at the same time I really like talking with my customers and I think it's really important. We wouldn’t be as popular if we weren't available to tell our stories.

Carter, who works here, is really good at this, answering questions like, ‘Why do we call our vanilla ice-cream ‘Very Expensive Vanilla?’ He tells them the true story about storms in Madagascar and how it affects the vanilla that is grown there. Everyone appreciates the story behind what they’re experiencing and I think it has them get into what they’re eating even more.”

"I have had many amazing mentors. I just realized early on that I only want to work with people that want to be awesome.”

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Chef Kyle earlier this fall to get some back story on him and the gastronomic gem that is Posie.

Birth of Posie “When I was working at Commis (Two Michelin Star Venue, in Oakland, CA,) I knew I wanted it to be my last restaurant job and that I wanted to open up my own business. It

Posie's innovative, ingredient-rich flavors, such as: Rosemary

Equipment, Cultures And Funkier Bases

Buttermilk Peach, Bayleaf Malt Chip, Nectarine

“Most people don't get to make their own mixes and a very small percent of ice cream shops pasteurize their own, like we do here at Posie. We get to come up with different recipes, try different things. The more we learn about our machine, the more ideas we come up with. Like, we can add different cultures just like you would make cheese. We can make a funkier base. Right now we have caramelized milk. That was an idea, born of compromising condensed milk, like milk jam or clotted cream: milk cooked at a high temperature. We're actually cannibalizing the milk solids in the dairy. These are very expensive machines. We might as well figure out how to use them for their full potential.”

Craftwork To The Core “Grandpa had a garden and I would always help him in the yard. He’d grab a fresh pea and say to me, ‘Oh, try these peas they're the best when they come right off.’ It didn’t hit me until I was older, but I realized with my grandparents, we always went to the one place that carried the one thing. The butcher for meat. The Barber for a haircut. Etc. Craftsmen.”

16 | CWmag.com

A delicious sampling of

Hibiscus Sorbet, Strawberry Lemongrass Lemonade, and Licorice Milk Chocolate.

L A R K S P U R ,

M A R I N

C O U N T Y Posies’ Cranberry Pear, Blackberry Apple and Apple Caramel Pies.

One Cool Butcher “Initially, I wanted to be a butcher. I liked meat, but it was basically just a job. At 19, I bothered the sh-t out of this butcher shop in San Jose (Zannatto’s) until they finally hired me. I always thought I was so f-cking cool with my knives and butcher coat. It was there that I started learning to cook and discovered that I had a good palate; started to feel like I might have some talent.”

Artist to Pastry Chef “I think I got into cooking because I was very into art. I did a lot of oil painting and illustrating. Then I saw people on TV making sugar and chocolate sculptures and I was like, ‘Wow, that's really cool. I could do something that I enjoy doing and make money.'”

As Fate Would Have It “To be honest I dropped out of high school at 16. I was just really bored. I ended up working in construction before I found my way to working at the butcher shop, then another butcher shop, then into cooking and eventually for some reason, Google hired me as a line cook for a new restaurant that was opening up. And somebody that worked for Google knew the owner of the culinary school that I wanted to go to and they told him that I

was doing a good job so they invited me to go to school and made it possible for me financially. I have always gone to the doors that open for me.”

Reinventing The Wheel “I had a cooking instructor at culinary school. Nice guy, and fortunately he liked me. He would tell me all the time, ‘You can't reinvent the wheel. Cooking has been around forever. All you can do is take a recipe and make it your own and do little tweaks to it.’ That was around the time Anthony Bourdain put out that documentary ‘De Coding Ferran Adrià (from legendary El Bulli, Barcelona, Spain).’ I was like, ‘Whoa, like this sh-t is dope!' These dudes WERE reinventing the wheel. I was working at Google in the kitchen, and we would stay after work and just f-ck around and get creative with ingredients and inventing new techniques.

It was like, magic. This was the first time I was making something and experimenting and was like ‘Whoa, it actually works!’ So I did my internship after school at this cool place called Bong Su, an upscale Vietnamese restaurant in the city (S.F.). They were really into like, modern cuisine.

I was secretly reading about it and said some stuff out loud one day and they were like, that's kind of cool. So we really started hanging out and kicking around ideas and bringing those ideas to life through a lot of trial and error. That's when I realized that I only want to work for restaurants like this. I have had many amazing mentors. I just realized I only wanted to work with people that wanted to be awesome.”

November 2019 – February 2020 | 17

RATHSKELLER:

“

SAN FRANCISCO EXPO OUR VISION OF CHEFS’ WAREHOUSE WEST COAST started over 10 years ago. Today, as you can see from the turnout and the reception of our SF Expo, California and the entire West Coast truly love the great ingredients CW offers them. We're very proud to partner with all of these wonderful chefs and operators here on the West Coast and be their go to source of top local and imported ingredients. We look forward now to another great ten years!"

Chris Pappas, CEO/Chairman of the Board, The Chefs' Warehouse

San Francisco-based Guittard Chocolate's Territory Sales Manager Victoria Raulino and associate.

Darren Steward (left), John Burke (right).

Mae Bonbon’s Team and Boiron’s Toni Speyer.

18 | CWmag.com

WHEN: September 17, 2019 WHERE: CW SF Warehouse

CW CEO/Chairman Chris Pappas with NorCal VP Matthew Mosebrook.

PreGel's Francesco and Chiara displaying some of their pronto desserts, toppings, and flavor pastes.

Mad Mac Macaron’s Florian Bellanger.

New Zealand's Kapiti Cheese's Debbie Van Niekirk.

Vegan Faba Butter representative Tracy Seipp with company co-founder Aiden Altman.

Food Match’s Abbey Field and associate.

RATHSKELLER

Saugatuck Kitchen hors d'oeuvres' Sonia Wells and representative.

Sparrow Lane Vinegar's Jesse Layman.

CW's West Coast Marketing Manager Andrew Steelman, EVP Bruce Luoung, PNW VP Andrew Brown, and SF Sales Rep. Michael Christie.

Gluten-free cookie company Dough XX's owner/founder Omar Mamoon.

The fresh seafood bounty presented by Ports Seafood's John Myers and Robert Scruggs.

Reps from New England's McLure's Honey and Maple Syrups.

French Gourmet's Courtney Fouts with Rep.

CW Customer David Farbstien and guests.

Hit & Run live screen printing.

CW NorCal (Marin) Sales Rep, Daniel Rothbart.

November 2019 – February 2020 | 19

An array of the Como Taperia tapas menu showcases playfully modern dishes like the hamburguesa con foie.

VANCOUVER

BECOMING

¿CóMO?TAPERIA with Chef/Owner Justin Witcher

Interview by Sean Jeremy Palmer

STEP INTO ¿CÓMO? TAPERIA, a Vancouver tapas joint celebrating being named Canada's #2 Restaurant along with its one-year anniversary in Vancouver’s revitalized Mount Pleasant neighborhood, and you’ll experience a vibe part lively-Madrid, vibrant-Barcelona, and electric-NYC. It’s loud, in your face. Even obnoxious. But most of all, it’s approachable.

And fun. At its center is quality cuisine orchestrated by Chef/Owner Justin Witcher.

A protege of Jamie Oliver and 2-Michelin star Chef Lee Parsons, Justin’s education was a journey taking him from culinary school in Vancouver to cruise lines where he learned to work hard and to perfect his skills, to BMW rollouts and fashion weeks where he learned lessons of exposure and responsibility. His education reads equally as a travelogue as he charted a course through Melbourne, Perth, Bangkok and Sydney.

Justin always wanted to be successful, and in surveying the Vancouver culinary season in preparation for his latest venture, knew fine dining wasn’t the way forward. For Witcher, food is a speech of love, regardless if it’s a tortilla or a fine dining piece of duck. And as evidenced by Como Taperia’s varied menu highlighting sterling ingredients, he’s digging in as far as quality goes.

From the charred octopus with white bean and salsa verde to the Moorish lamb meatball with cumin yogurt, and the Andalusian

20 | CWmag.com

eggplant, crisp with a spiced honey and rosemary, he provides playful and modern west coast twists.

So why tapas, and why Spain? Chef Justin spotted a need and a rare Canadian opening. “Vancouver was gagging for a spot like this. It’s different than anything else,” he states. And his process? Two and half years of research and travel.

“The playfulness [of Spain] was unreal,” he says, citing the inspiration found in the crafted plates of such renowned chefs as Ferran and Albert Adria of El Bulli fame.

“Seeing what they’re creating and how progressive the food are,” he continues.

“But we also had a direction we wanted to go, and so we had to stay focused. It was about coming back to the mom and pop.

Not super fussed. Not super fancy. And in Spain, I learned you don’t need to dress it all up. It was cool to see the balance between the two.”

"It’s about passion. And attitude.

As long as you care about what you’re doing it will show through."

- Chef/Owner Justin Witcher Vancouver is no stranger to progressive menus.

The city is doing Pacific Northwest cuisine with farm-to-table tastes, and the region demands it.

Chef Justin is unwilling to cut corners so every ingredient is local unless it’s better or only available from Spain. This means locally sourced honey, and artisan Spanish olive oils, spices, olives, jamon and charcuterie.

It also means The Chefs’ Warehouse’s FAO Octopus. Chef Justin states, “I tried a bunch of others and similar kinds, they just don’t compare.

The FAO product is a beautiful, stunning product.

I’ve tried 5-6 types of octopus. It’s hands down the best.”

And when it comes to the take away, Justin returns to the core of nostalgia present even in his venture’s name: Como – which translates to, “What – come again?’, admitting his venture is just a year old. “We want to keep Vancouver happy,” he states. “We want people to be asking questions.

We want them to have a Spanish experience. But a new experience.” And one that inevitably will have Vancouverites returning again and again.

Alongside the tapas, the bar keeps a sharp focus on everything Spanish – premium gins with unique tonics, all the sherry they can get their hands on, and an always-changing innovative wine list.

November 2019 – February March – June 20192020 | 27| 21

Ingredient Showcase WINTER

HOLIDAY CHEER 'TIS THE SEASON. CW IS FOLLOWING The YEAR's HOLIDAY FOOD trends TO OFFER YOU A HOST OF INGREDIENT IDEAS. SO RING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH THE SEASON'S BEST!

A big aspect of CW Proteins is our growing variety that are responsibly raised, organic and sustainable.

Fabrique Delices' authentic French, multi-application line is guaranteed free of antibiotics, hormones, preservatives, nitrates, MSG or artificial ingredients.

The trend towards natural and organic food is speeding fast ahead. Not only are diet, health, and lifestyle reflected on food and beverage menus, but also consumer's interest in the end product –how it's produced and the end product's environmental impact.

From the happy hogs of Iowa's buttery La Quercia's artisan cured meats to the small-family oyster farms with which Ports' Seafood has direct relationships, CW remains committed to bringing your indulgence the highest values.

SUSTAINABLE Clean ingredients and veggie-centric cuisine.

INDULGENCE Where's the beef? Where products come from is increasingly demanded by chefs and consumers.

CW's procurement team is dedicated to sourcing locally produced proteins.

Caviar & Caviar focus on the importance of sustainability, traceability, and transparency with their high quality Caviar.

22 | CWmag.com

COLOR IT NEW

FROM MINI TO TAHINI

WHAT'S TRENDING IN THE WORLD OF PASTRY? Vibrant and natural hues!

The biggest, boldest, all-natural colors are all in stock at The Chefs' Warehouse. From Easy Leaf's range of edible gold, to Callebaut's gorgeous, new, Ruby Couverture, to the beautiful blue hues of CW's non-AZO all-natural food safe color range.

THE BIGGEST T RE Callebaut’s Ruby

ND

Couverture has taken the pastry world by storm, as has going mini, a trend not just for saving calories, but also for incorporating greater variety of flavors and textures to a dish. And according to Facebook, artisan bread is on the rise, along with the use of alternative flours like spelt, rice flour, and ancient grains, such as einkorn wheat. Sour is in – tart citrus flavors like sour orange, rhubarb, tamarind and pomegranate. Look to Boiron for a vast array of unique seasonal flavorings.

S IN PASTRY OUR I N

O

Support local.

Based in San Francisco, west coast locality can be found in the Guittard range of fine chocolate.

UR

REHOUSE. WA

MINI TO TAHINI

Ground sesame seed can do more than just give flavor to hummus. And thanks to Soom Foods, its tahini is being used in restaurant desserts across the region, from ice cream, to carrot cake, brownies and banana muffins.

Add tahini to any dessert for which you might've used peanut butter!

November 2019 – February 2020 | 23

PNW:

Land OF RICHES From Artisan Charcuterie, Gourmet Cheese, Local Honey, to World-Renowned Sea Salt.

FROM HIGH IN THE CASCADES to rocky coastal beaches and fertile agricultural lands, the Pacific Northwest is a rich source of bounty. But there’s more to it than foraged wild mushrooms, fiddleheads, blackberries and craft beer. Food is a PNW focal point of nourishment, values, and sustainability, providing the best-in-class from Michelin star chefs to its celebrated food truck showcase of international cuisine.

WORLD-CLASS CHARCUTERIE. From the NYTimes, The New Yorker, Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, Saveur, to Oprah, the world’s leading food journalists and thought leaders agree the PNW is the source to the finest charcuterie.

Salumist Elias Cairo, grew up first-generation Greek-American in a home where making charcuterie the old-fashioned way was commonplace. This foundation led to Olympia Provisions, established in 2009, and Oregon’s first USDA-approved salumeria.

Everything they make is handcrafted with the ultimate goal of quality. Ingredients are their inspiration and they seek out the best and freshest, starting with antibiotic-free, high-quality pork to judicious amounts of sea salt, fresh garlic and freshly ground spices.

PRISTINE WATERS & NETARTS BAY. There is no better salmon than the fillets you find in the PNW and the source of this richness is undoubtedly its cold, clear waters. And CW’S Pacific coast oysters, like the elite Capital Gem, sourced from the bay, are sweet, briny, irresistible, and considered among the country's best.

The PNW’s waters are also source to America’s finest salt, Jacobsen Salt, the first company to harvest salt in the Pacific Northwest since Lewis & Clark built their salt works in 1805.

Now a PNW institution, Jacobsen has transformed from a local, small business to an internationally recognized brand.

Harvested from the cold, pristine waters of Netarts Bay on the Oregon Coast, their flake and kosher sea salts have garnered worldwide favor for their beautiful presentation and pure taste.

24 | CWmag.com

Inside the cheesemaking process at Twin Sister's Creamery.

THE ART OF ARTISAN. The PNW’s regional cheesemaking has found its way back not just to the farm but to the farmer's market, a rich source of culinary discovery and excellence.

The region’s award-winning cheese dates to the days of trappers and traders and now has found its way to the menus of the region’s most celebrated chefs.

Washington and Oregon both have bounties of artisan cheesemakers. From Cascadia Creamery to Twin Sisters Creamery, these are grounded in tradition, craft, and quality.

CRAFTING THE FINEST BEVERAGES. The PNW origins of craft and creativity is transforming the region with essential ingredients and the world’s finest teas.

Steven Dean Smith, best known as the founder of Tazo tea company, is co-founder of Portland’s Smith Tea Company, a company founded in transparency that is crafting uncommonly delicious black and green teas, and herbal infusions.

The region is also home to celebrated wine, a tradition that has given birth to innovations like Cuguni’s high-quality sparkling grape beverage – a perfect candidate for the mocktail trend.

The tasting room of Portland's Smith Tea.

The hives of Portland's Bee Local.

SAVOR THE WORLD'S BEST. In 2015, Ben Jacobsen expanded his culinary empire beyond salts to include honey – where he’s worked with sustainable PNW beekeepers and managed an independent hive program.

His mission, called Bee Local, is to practice sustainable beekeeping focused on specific terroirs throughout the Pacific Northwest, and are determined to keep that spirit alive. Committed to producing exceptional honey that is sustainably harvested, Bee Local is never heated, treated, blended, or ultra-filtered.

The Chefs’ Warehouse remains committed to supporting chefs’ goals of locality and sustainability by staying committed to sourcing the best regional ingredients across all of our territories.

The fully loaded Caesar from Vancouver's Score on Davie.

November 2019 – February 2020 | 25

Le Fantastique Fabrique Délices Application Event

“

APERITIF Connect with one another by enjoying the classic French ritual of the Apertif. Create a

Our Fabrique Délices Application Event is very beneficial to CW Sales Reps, chefs and restaurateurs. Though straightforward by nature, these can be tough lines to learn and apply. With a little training, a world of applications become accessible. This is exciting to chefs and their guests. Not to mention that a multiple use product line such as Fabrique Délices is so very important to restaurant owners."

Sébastien Espinasse

myriad of exciting ‘boards’ with Fabrique Délices Charcuterie and Pate, Marinated

VP Sales and Marketing Fabrique Délices

Artichokes, Cornichons, and Flatbread Crackers with Olive Oil and Grey Sea Salt.

Left: Sebastien Espinasse and Chef Mikael Audry.

SINCE 1985 Fabrique Délices has been procuring artisanal specialty treasures in Northern California, created by hand in the provincial French tradition.

From mesmerizing Pâtés, Mousses, Saucisson Sec, Magret, Duck Confit, Rillettes, Garlic Sausage Merguez, Saucisse de Toulouse, Boudin Noir, Boudin Blanc to name but a few. If you want to offer your guests the very best in authentic French ingredients, created in "our own backyard," Fabrique Délices is your one stop shop.

To highlight the myriad of exciting possibilities and accessibility of the Fabrique Délices product line, this past fall, Sébastien Espinasse, created an inspiring Application Event conducted at San Francisco restaurant, Cocotte, owned/ operated by fellow Frenchman and friend, Chef Mikael Audry.

26 26 || CWmag.com CWmag.com

Sébastien Espinasse shared, "Not often do you get to see our full product line worked with by a great French Chef, like Mikael Audry. This is a great opportunity to share what Fabrique Délices is all about.

So many possibilities."

LYONNAISE SALAD Make your artisanal ingredients from Fabrique Delices go the distance by bolstering your salads with exciting, traditionally French, naturally smoked and cured meats, like Chef Audry’s spin on a classic: Lyonnaise Salade with Fabrique Délices Duck Prosciutto & Smoked Duck Breast.

UNIQUE STARTER

Boudin Noir WITH MASH

Chef Audry stuns with a simple pairing of Fabrique Délices' Boudin Blanc and romaine.

Keep it simple and elegant by offering a single satisfying Fabrique Délices' Boudin Noir with mashed potatoes.

PIG-IN-A-BLANKET For a delightful French spin on a traditionally English appetizer, Chef Audry also created his version of Pig-in-a-Blanket, utilizing Fabrique Déices Bistro Sausages with herbes de Provence.

RIBEYE WITH BLACK TRUFFLE BUTTER Rib Eye with Fabrique Délices' Black Truffle Butter.

continued on next page.

November 2019 – February 2020 | 27

FABRIQuE DELICES cont.

Scallops with Fabrique Délices White Truffle Butter Mesmerize your guests with one easy addition. Made from Beurre de Baratte, Fabrique Délices White and Black Truffle Butters are the perfect addition to any red meats, fish or lobster, pasta, risotto, as well as the finishing touch to any sauce.

SHEPHERD'S PIE Dazzle your guests with a refined and innovative spin on Shepherd's Pie (with Boudin Noir or Merguez Sausage.)

Le Déjeuner/Lunch Fabrique Délices hand crafted, naturally smoked, cured meats kick everything up a notch. Paired with fresh baked country bread and Vermont Cheeses, lunch becomes truly something to look forward to.

6 PRO Tips of the Trade 1. Pâté should be room temperature and cut into rather thick triangles when serving.

2. It's a good idea to offer Fabrique Délices Pâté in smaller ramekins.

Doing this allows for the product to stretch further without waste bringing in more capital for your venue. Top small ramekins with gelatin. This also adds a special touch.

3. Charcuterie (and Cheese) Boards need not be very expensive. $16-21, is a good arena. ‘Boards’ help you sell

28 | CWmag.com

a lot more wine which ultimately helps you sell more food and everyone, even children, love an apertif! They are a great way to sit, relax and connect.

4. Try not to over crowd your board.

Allow space in between your offerings; guests can see what is there and this is better for your bottom line.

5. A couple heaping spoonfuls of a grainy mustard or handcrafted fruit jam are an easy and elegant addition to your board.

6. How you build your board allows you to express the unique identity of your venue and menu.

DUCK CONFIT Go straight to their heart via their stomach with an unforgettable Fabrique Délices Duck Confit dish with lentils without over challenging your work load or your price point.

Vegas Gingerbread House Festive

Inside The Luxor where Pastry Chef Raul Villa’s Giant Gingerbread Houses embody the spirit of the season.

NOTHING SAYS HOLIDAY FESTIVE like an expert crafted giant Gingerbread House empowering philanthropic support.

Inspired to “give back” pastry style, Las Vegas veteran chef Raul Villa originally began making his grand 3ft x 3ft x3 ft Gingerbread Houses every year to give local charities to be auctioned off for donation funding.

Having cut his “pastry chef” teeth in Sin City back in the mid 90’s, Villa, now the Executive Pastry Chef at the famed Luxor Hotel, (30-story Black Pyramid on LV’s Strip) remembers when Las Vegas was mostly a gambling destination where you could buy a steak dinner with all the trimmings for ten bucks.

“Times have really changed,” commented the enthusiastic chef who’s family, many of whom work in the PV Police Department, also live in Las Vegas.

Villa began his work as a pastry chef at The Flamingo Hotel and received his first Executive Pastry

Chef position at The Excalibur Hotel in 1998. In 1999, Chef Villa proudly remembers meeting and creating a myriad of bespoke pastry for GW Bush and family just months before Bush was to be elected president.

Following his time at The Excalibur, Chef Villa became Executive Pasty Chef at Mandalay Bay where he worked with “super chef” Hubert Keller (Fleur de Lys), prior to his current position at The Luxor Hotel.

Originally from Tulare, CA, Chef Raul shared that his fondest family holiday tradition is the annual allday cookie making parties his mom

and sister organize each year where the children of the family are given “supervised,” free reign in the kitchen to make festive sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies and pies. Chef Villa shared, “They sure do make a mess, but it is such a great time for everyone.”

This year Chef Villa’s jubilant Ginger Bread House, which takes him and his team two weeks to make during their “post-service hours,” will add palpable cheer to the lavish Las Vegas Buffet dining room at The Luxor.

November 2019 – February 2020 | 29

NICE WORK, cont.

Nice Work If You Can Get It. The Adventures of CW West Coast Sales Manager Jessica Knight

They say if you want a job done well, ask a busy person. Jessica Knight, 13-year CW veteran and West Coast Sales Manager out of CW’s L.A. “hub,” continues to build a reputation for being the “go-to force,” for a myriad of knowledge and assistance in the exciting world of all things Chefs’ Warehouse.

NO MATTER HOW CRAZY JESSICA’S SCHEDULE GETS, juggling top-tier chef clientele and managing sales rep teams in SoCal and AZ, she always goes the extra mile, often literally speaking.

by play from her educative get away.

CW Mag caught up with Jessica early this fall to live vicariously via the highlights of her recent CW Produced “Italian Adventure” in Southern Italy. Naples, Salerno, Campania, Caiazzo, Calabria, and the Amalfi Coast’s Vico Equense to name a few, offered an impressive posse of food industry bright sparks and high caliber chefs including: Elizabeth Hong of Osteria Mozza, Ryan DeNiccola of chi SPACCA, Dan Richer, Chef & Owner of Razza (James Beard recognized, “Best pizza in the world,” Bobby Flay), Razza Sous Chef Nick Malaspina, Chefs Anthony and Anna Nguyen (Osteria and Hollywood Rosevelt), and longtime favorite CW chef-customer, renowned culinary-maven Nancy Silverton.

“The Ciao Tomato facility in San Marzano was pretty amazing. They do a year of canning in forty-five days. Their facility was very clean and they have created an impeccable system where they don’t waste a drop of water. This is impressive considering that tomato production is known for requiring a lot of water for production. It was also incredible touring the Caputo Flour Facility and witnessing the sheer quality and volume of their many different styles of flour. We also had a Buffalo Mozzarella Cheesemaking excursion after personally meeting the Water Buffalo. It was a lot of fun visiting a few olive, Calabrian pepper and chili producers that CW incorporates in their private label. And one of the best meals we had was at this tiny restaurant you can only get to by boat on this small beach on the Amalfi Coast.”

CW Mag stole some time from ever-busy Jessica Knight for highlight play

30 | CWmag.com

Trip Highlights

It’s About Who You Know “We got a lucky reservation to dine at Pepe in Grani, in the gem-like city of Caiazzo Italy because the famous chef and owner Franco Pepe is good friends with Nancy (Silverton) and Dan (Richter). Pepe in Grani is known for having the best pizza in the world. Every night there’s a two-hour line around the block.”

CW Specialty Feature

CW Goes Far Afield And Brings Home The Bounty “At the core, these trips are about hands-on education. Meeting the purveyors, seeing the product first hand. There is no better way to develop relationships with esteemed chefs than by driving all over Italy together. These trips are a win-win for everybody. Our chefs expand their knowledge and innovation and we take everything we learn back to our sales teams. I honestly don’t know of other companies in the industry that produce trips around the world for their reps and chefs as we do for these purposes.”

Becoming CW Sales Manager Jessica Knight: “I was always very interested in the culinary world. I knew I wanted to get into the kitchen after college so I began working in catering. I am a self-taught chef who can hold my own in a kitchen. I ended up getting an amazing job traveling around the world with a high profile family. From this experience, I received an immersive education in the culinary world as we traveled mostly on a large yacht or tour bus all over Europe, the U.K., Mexico, Caribbean, French West Indies, U.S. Virgin Islands. This definitely gave me the bug to build a career in the food industry.

I love my work with Chefs’ Warehouse. CW is just a great company to work for. I started in sales in Santa Barbara and really helped to develop that market. My work has a very entrepreneurial feel to it and is always growing.

Every day is different. Working with incredible chefs, teaching and managing CW Reps (SoCal and AZ), facilitating CW Food Shows and product launches, and staying educated by traveling and tasting the best the world has to offer creates a very full and enriching life.”

Kate Greenberg of the Mozza Restaurant Group, CW Ingredient Specialist John Magazino, CW Senior Director of Sales Andrea Parkins, CW Rep Robyn Reisse, and a bevy of high caliber chefs.

Join our stories on Facebook at:

/chefswarehouse

November 2019 – February 2020 | 31

The Chefs’ Warehouse Magazine, West Coast 1250 Whipple Rd, Union City, CA 94587

YULE LOG

By Francois Mellet

THE HISTORY OF THE YULE LOG CAKE stretches all the way back to Europe’s Iron Age, before the medieval era. Back then, Celtic Brits and Gaelic Europeans would gather round the ritualistic fiery Yule Log to welcome the winter solstice. We don’t know who exactly made the first Yule log cake, but it inevitably appeared on many a medieval table. We welcome you to enjoy your bûche de Noël, and to think of the hundreds of years of history behind it.

Suggested CW Pastry Ingredients for application: Crescendo Vanilla Paste, GB142 Chocoa Dark Shavings, QZ119374

“

Here we are, coming to the end of another busy year with Christmas and New Year around the corner.

The end of the year has so many meanings, both on our professional side and the personal time we will share with our families. It is a time where showcases and restaurant menus are unique to this season, full of ‘plaisir gourmands’.

For many, it takes a lot of planning and imagination in order to please our customers. It is time for us to make sure we will have unique products in order to fulfill and satisfy everyone's wishes and demands.

Sometimes, revisiting old classics such as this traditional Yule Log recipe, utilizing quality ingredients and good technique, is all we need to delight our guests and bring back fond childhood memories.

On behalf of The Chefs' Warehouse, I wish everyone a joyful and successful holiday. Cheers to 2020!"