Great Taste Magazine 2018 March April Issue

Presorted Standard U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 271 Tucson, AZ

MARCH | APRIL 2018

Stamp your passport as Smithfield takes you on a ‘round-the-world BBQ adventure.

Today’s adventurous eaters are increasingly seeking out BBQ with exotic, eye-opening global flavors. And Smithfield has the product portfolio to help you create ethnically inspired menus patrons crave. From the classic BBQ cuts like loin, ribs and belly, to fully-cooked choices like pulled meats, we offer what it takes to create the signature menu you need to turn heads. Make Smithfield your destination to help bring the tastes of the world to your operation.

For more information, rebates, and samples call your Smithfield broker Karen Churchill at Elite Associates 714-256-8400. For global BBQ insights, visit BBQMeansSmithfield.com.

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FROM THE EDITOR

Teri Williams Publisher, Proprietor & Chief Editor teri@great-taste.net

CONTENT

TERI’S TAKE What did you learn at school today? Remember when your Mom used to drive you crazy when she asked you that every day? I ask my team every day, and when they don’t have an answer, I teach them something. I learn something new every day, and that’s the way I want it.

The best way to begin learning is in school, and it’s crazy to think that the old Home Economics classes are now Culinary Arts classes in many high schools throughout Orange County. These lucky kids, in as early as ninth grade are beginning to learn knife skills and many other tasks necessary in a restaurant, so if they choose the profession, they’re knowledgeable and have some experience when they come looking for their first hospitality job. We’re hoping that you will find it in your heart to help one of the many learning operations in Orange County.

We have listed many options in this issue and online at www.great-taste.net.

On the other end of the spectrum, we called out the big kids in the local industry, the restaurant owners and operators, to find out what they have learned in their endeavors to grow. Check it out.

We’ve got your daily lessons covered.

F E AT U R E S

D E PA R T M E N T S

10 THE SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS Continued Education

20 MEET OUR CHEF DE CUISINE

4 PRODUCE PICK Pea Tendrils

5 CHEESE PICK Valbreso Sheep Milk Feta

6 ANNIVERSARY

Ugo Allessina

Celebrate Billy’s at the Beach

8 SEA FARM TABLE

THE BIZ

Chef Gabe’s Culinary Journey

22 MARKETING

RECIPES

Scale Up

23 RAISING THE BAR Crafting Cautiously

3 GIARDINIERA 23 NEAPOLITAN NEGRONI

24 VIN On The Job Training

CULINARY SCHOOL COLLECTIVE

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Cultivating the Grad Pool With the ever-growing culinary industry comes the need for new workers. Local schools have workers for you.

GIARDINIERA When serving any plate, the more color the better! On the cover, color is provided by an array of delectable items, drawing you in the moment you see it. Assemble some freshly baked slices of bread, thinly shaved charcuterie, puckery giardiniera, and tender balsamic marinated mushrooms, and you’ll have a beautiful presentation to match Chef Ugo Allesina’s charcuterie board. View other favorites by Chef Ugo on page 16. Photo by Michael Rutt.

8 oz 6 oz 6 oz 6 oz

Cauliflower – cut into bite-sized pieces Celery – cut into bite-sized pieces Carrots – peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces Peppers – cut into bite-sized pieces

4 oz 2 1/2 L 1/2 L

Onions – cut into bite-sized pieces Laurel leaves White wine vinegar Water Salt – to taste Pepper – to taste

Boil the vegetables in the mixture of water, spices, and vinegar.

To preserve, sterilize the glass jars before and after filling them.

When they are cold, label them and place in a dark, dry place.

They can be kept for up to one year.

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PU B LIS H E R CH IE F E DITO R PRO PRIE TO R Teri Williams

E DITO RIAL CHIEF EDITOR Teri Williams teri@great-taste.net

PRODUCE PICK

PEA TENDRILS PEA TENDRILS ARE A DELICATE PLANT WITH SOFTLY-COLORED GREEN LEAVES and curly fibers and originate back to ancient times in southwest Asia. Young tendrils are harvested before the pea pods develop during the cool months, from late winter through spring. The flavor is initially bitter but develops into an earthy, fresh taste. Though similar in taste to raw peapods, pea tendrils have a mild flavor and less sweetness. Tendrils pair well with a Belgian Witbier or a light Lager because of their refreshing notes. For wine, pea tendrils pair nicely with a light white, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino, or Trebbiano. This winter plant works beautifully in a salad mix, wilted into pasta dishes, blended into soups, or sautéed as a side vegetable. One common Asian-style recipe is to sauté the tendrils with toasted sesame oil and garlic, and finish the dish with some freshly squeezed lemon and sesame seeds. You can also make a mellow pesto sauce by replacing basil with pea tendrils.

The Produce Hunter has developed close relationships with family farmers who are committed to sustainable agriculture, personable production, and the propagation and promotion of heirloom fruit and vegetable varieties. From www.theproducehunter.com

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CONTRIBUTORS Nedal Ashry Chef Gabriel Caliendo Frankie Di Iorio Alyson Dutch Sonya Kelsen Amanda Lara Matthew Pacheco Raylene Paris Kristine Schneider

ART ART DIRECTION | GRAPHIC DESIGN Lisa Brink thebrinkcreative@gmail.com PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Michael Rutt michael@michaelrutt.com

ADVE RT IS ING Advertising Sales Fred Burgess 714-960-0534 fred@great-taste.net GREAT TASTE MAGAZINE 21851 Newland St #217 Huntington Beach, CA 92646 PHONE 714-960-0534 FAX 714-475-5869 EMAIL info@great-taste.net WEB www.great-taste.net

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CHEESE PICK

VALBRESO SHEEP’S MILK FETA ORIGINATING FROM THE JAGGED PLATEAUS OF SOUTHERN FRANCE, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, Valbreso’s Sheep’s Milk Feta is produced from the rich milk of the unique Lacaune breed of sheep. Valbreso follows the traditional feta-making methods and matures the cheese in brine.

Feta tastes creamy and rich, but also subtly tangy and sweet. This cheese pairs best with a Pilsner or Pale Ale, or a medium red wine such as Barbera or Zinfandel. Made with the sheep’s milk, this soft cheese has no rind and has endless opportunities to be integrated into cooking. It’s great with salads, pasta, soups, flatbreads, and rice. One popular recipe that pairs amazingly well with lamb, mixes feta and mint into brown rice. Another great way to integrate feta is to create a mouth-watering filling for a puff pastry appetizer. The combinations are endless!

For more information about Valbreso’s Sheep’s Milk Feta and other cheese, please contact your FreshPoint representative.

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Happy Anniversary Visit great-taste.net for a comprehensive list of local restaurant anniversaries. Can’t find your restaurant’s birthday? Email info@great-taste.net, and we’ll make sure to include your celebrations.

In the restaurant business, making it to that one-year anniversary is a huge accomplishment.

In addition to the milestone first year of business, restaurants that have become a staple in the Orange County community should also be recognized and applauded for their outstanding food and service.

Congratulations! It’s a milestone birthday.

25 YEARS

B I L LY ’ S A T T H E B E A C H

WHEN DID THE RESTAURANT OPEN? Billy’s at the Beach was founded on Monday, March 1st, 1993, by our namesake Billy Craig.

HOW MANY OWNERS HAS THE RESTAURANT HAD? We’ve had just two in our twenty-five-year history: Billy Craig, and Craig 6

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family friend Fletcher “Ted” Jones Jr., who acquired the business in 2011.

TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THE POPULARITY OF THE RESTAURANT? A great many things! New and longtime guests alike fall in love with our upscale Hawaiian and tiki-inspired

aesthetic, and our picturesque waterfront location overlooking Newport Bay contributes immeasurably to our relaxed island vibe.

“I feel like I’m on vacation,” is something we hear frequently in our lively lounge and patio.

And with our sumptuous traditional and non-traditional island

INSIDE cuisine, set to live music seven nights a week, we wouldn’t be all that out of place on a beach in Maui; it’s easy to understand why.

One thing, however, that cannot be underestimated is our world-famous Mai Tai; we’ve poured over 1.5 million of them to date! Some of our guests have even ventured to say that they’re tastier than those found in Hawaii, and if you doubt them, we happily invite you to join us for our $5 Mai Tai Happy Hour, offered Monday through Friday from 3 - 6 pm to taste for yourself.

TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THE LONGEVITY OF THE RESTAURANT? From day one, Billy made it his mission to bring a huge slice of the aloha spirit to Newport Beach, and we’re proud to say that the tradition lives on. Ted and Asia Jones, more often than not, can be found poised at our bar, ready to mingle and share a toast with our guests.

But really, we’re a place to see

and be seen, whether it’s on a lazy afternoon to catch a game, or on a special occasion like the Christmas Boat Parade, which passes just feet from our enormous dining room windows.

You need only to briskly survey our tables to see that Billy’s is a gathering place for loyal, local guests (ohana really) that we’ve been honored to host over multiple generations.

This sense of ohana extends to our team as well, some we’ve had the pleasure of working beside for decades. And we think that has been one of the keys to our longevity: that family atmosphere, and the guarantee that you’re always going to see a friendly face.

ARE THERE ANY ORIGINAL DISHES THAT ARE STILL ON THE MENU TODAY? We’re proud to say that the majority of our island-inspired menu is what it was when we first opened our doors; we get howls

from our guests any time we suggest we might change something, which is a great problem to have!

From our original menu, guests can’t get enough of our fresh fish offerings, like Hawaiian Ridgeback Swordfish, and (subject to availability) Opakapaka.

Other original crowd pleasers include our gorgeous Pupu Platter for Two, Billy’s Beach Burger, (which was voted the best burger in town), our Coconut Shrimp, and our Ono Fish & Chips, just to name a few.

HOW ARE YOU CELEBRATING THIS YEAR? Twenty-five years is a big deal, so we pulled out all the stops this year. We invited Polynesian musicians and hula performers to help us celebrate, which culminated in a beautiful sunset torch lighting ceremony and cake cutting.

Anyone who’s joined us in the past knows that our Mai Tai glasses are heavily coveted, so we also offered a special 25th anniversary edition

of the glass to commemorate the occasion.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS IN THE WORKS FOR CHANGES OR EXPANSION? Despite pleas from our wonderful out-of-state guests, we do not have plans to expand; we’d like to keep things simple.

MAKE CONTACT BILLY’S AT THE BEACH 2751 W Coast Hwy, Newport Beach, CA EXECUTIVE CHEF: Juan Manzano

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ORANGE COAST COLLEGE

by Gabriel Caliendo LAZY DOG RESTAURANT & BAR VP of Research & Development, Corporate Executive Chef HOW LONG PAIRING FOOD & BEVERAGE 25 years.

FAVORITES: BEER Sculpin IPA. WINE Inkblot Petite Verdot.

COCKTAIL Lemon Verbena & crushed Oranges with Vodka.

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LOOKING BACK AT MY CULINARY JOURNEY, THERE WERE A FEW INFLUENCES THAT HIGHLY IMPACTED WHERE I AM TODAY. It was my parents that first instilled the appreciation and passion for everyday cooking in me.

They illustrated the tenacity and consistency required for professional cooking. My work experience would later play it’s part in my career, and my culinary school training also influenced me greatly. Everyone has personal milestone markers, but similarities usually occur with work experience and culinary school training.

I decided to go to Orange Coast College after being in the culinary workforce for about ten years. I wanted the training and the diploma. Orange Coast College was a great fit for me as it was close to home, highly accredited, and very affordable as I was putting myself through college. The combination of working and schooling is very impactful on a culinarian. It is effective because by doing both, you get exposure to different parts of the kitchen on a weekly basis. At work, I may have been in the butcher department, but at school, I was doing ice carvings. Then the next semester I may have moved on to the pastry department at work, but at school, I was learning egg cookery and breakfast items. Three years of that diverse training proved to be an awesome immersion into the culinary arts.

As an added level of experience, I also joined the highly-decorated Orange Coast College Hot Food Team which recently won another American Culinary Foundation Western Regional championship and is moving on to compete in the ACF National Competition in New Orleans. This competition experience was also a very influential part of my journey. I was part of an ACF Western Regional Gold Medal Team that competed in the National Arena.

The year I completed my culinary school training, Bill Barber, OCC’s Culinary Arts Program Coordinator, offered me a position as an instructor. It was one of the proudest moments of my life, and I enjoyed a five-year span of being a culinary influencer to my students. I look back with fond memories of that period of my culinary career.

Orange Coast College continues to strive for excellence. Today, I continue to support the program by doing speaking events for the school, contributing to fundraising events and by serving as an Advisory Board Member to the culinary program. If you have never been to the campus, be sure to check out their Thursday events at the culinary school’s restaurant — The Captain’s Table. It is open to the public and offers three-course meals at a very low price. It supports their real-world approach to teaching and offers the public a chance to support the program.

INSIDE

ADVENTURES IN DESIGN www.TheBrinkCreative.com contact LISA BRINK at TheBrinkCreative@gmail.com 562-201-0553

branding logos advertising menus brochures websites magazines signage posters invitations packaging MARCH | APRIL 2018 | www.great-taste.net

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The School of Hard Knocks 10

A

s anyone who has built, expanded, or remodeled a space in the industry will affirm, each process has a learning curve. In a very real sense, to take on this type of project is to attend a “School of Hard Knocks� to learn things the hard way, to get knocked down in order to learn lessons, and to gain knowledge through painfully challenging experiences. The chefs, owners and restaurateurs in the following section know alltoo-well the struggles that come with translating a vision into reality. But, in the end, all of the roadblocks, paperwork, and long hours are worth the trouble, when a fresh new spot becomes a part of the community and the lessons have been learned.

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ORANGE COUNTY’S FIRST DISTILLERY SINCE PROHIBITION down and cry.

Being the very first distillery in Orange County did not help either. We were the guinea pigs for Orange County Health Department, Orange County Fire Department, the City of Santa Ana (who were great and were really trying to help us open), as well as being one of the very first distilleries in California to get the new Craft Distiller Type 74 license type (as of 2016) from the state-regulated Alcohol and Beverage Control (ABC).

WHAT MAKES THE PROCESS UNIQUE VS. OPENING A RESTAURANT, WINE BAR, ETC.? Distilleries pose a massive

ROBIN CHRISTENSON, CHIEF FINANCIAL OWL

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF OPENING A DISTILLERY?

I could, and someday may, publish a novel about this. My opening statement would be, “This is not like having a baby: you don’t forget how painful it was”.

As the first distillery in the OC since prohibition, we had massive challenges: three years of them, in fact. The biggest: the floorplan issues with the architect.

If you visit the distillery or see our photos, you will see that the tall rectifying columns of our still jut through the ceiling. After having a stunning custom still manufactured in Germany, we found out -- after it was already enroute to the US -- that the equipment was placed into the floorplan (see biggest challenge) EVEN THOUGH THE CEILING HEIGHT WAS TOO LOW. That was the first time I ever witnessed my husband fully break

explosion danger; thus, it is a completely different entity than opening a brewery, winery or restaurant. Manufacturing high-proof alcohol, as well as milling our own grain, requires different zoning, and there are endless fire codes to navigate. This often requires a much more expensive build out, including explosion-proofing of multiple fixtures.

DID ANYTHING IRONIC OR COMICAL HAPPEN THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO RELAY? Prior to opening, we visited a

tiny distillery in Kentucky and chatted with the distiller about our own venture.

He had, literally, a teeny tiny still. His fermenting vessels were basically plastic troughs, and his distillery was no more 2000 sq. ft. I told him our initial budget for our distillery, and he chuckled and said, “That’s going to be pretty tight”. We went back and rewrote the entire business plan, and ended up more than quadrupling the original budget.

and one-half ounces of distilled spirits per individual per day”. This limitation does NOT apply if you pre-book a private event/function. However, you must, email or call the distillery prior to your arrival to book your private event/function and we must have your name (and your guests name(s)) on our private event guest list.

NOTICE: If you think this is ever so slight-

ly weird and kind of dumb and nonsensical, (especially compared to wineries and breweries) please write/call your legislator or the Governor. Until then, just book a private event/function? We are working toward adding a kitchen which will eliminate the 1.5-ounce limitation once it is up and running (so stay tuned).

There is a silver lining. We love what we do. We love knowing we are making an impact on the California grain community. We love our products and our amazing community of support. We love seeing someone’s eyes light up when they walk through the door and behold the (unexpected) magnificence of our still. There is nothing quite like raising a glass of spirit that we made, and saying, “cheers” with our dear friends. www.blinkingowldistillery.com

ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? We operate under the new Type

74 Craft Distillery License. Current CA Law for our Craft Distillery License (Type 74) states that we can serve “A total of one

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MULTIPLES MULTIPLE MENUS OPENING YOUR FIRST RESTAURANT IS HARD WORK. It takes an extreme amount of dedication, a lot of time planning and belief in your vision. Now, imagine taking on the task of opening a second location. You’ve already opened a restaurant before; opening the second location should be a piece of cake, right? Not quite. From finding the funds to picking the perfect location, there are many challenges restaurant owners face when opening a second location. While marketing and business plans are key components, owners must always be prepared for surprises. And what about once the second location is open? Every location is different, and double the location does not always mean double the success.

Restaurant owners must know their new neighborhood to keep customers coming back. And if the second location is a hit, further expansion may be on the horizon!

RB Squared, Inc. RUSS BENDEL, PRESIDENT

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE CREATING A NEW CONCEPT AND MAKING ALL OF THE DYNAMICS INVOLVED WORK WELL WITH ONE ANOTHER? It

starts long before we begin construction.

We try to look at the community, location, size, best use of space, and demand in that particular market. Then we provide a design that matches, a menu that represents our concept, value in each item we prepare, and then hire all the right people to execute and follow the vision.

We have a great team with fresh, new ideas allowing us to continue to learn dai-

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ly about what our audience wants so that we can be flexible and adapt to our ever-changing industry.

WHY NOT ONE MENU? We love the challenge of having multiple menus that change seasonally. That’s what keeps our concepts exciting, along with nightly features that also change. Those are always our top sellers, items we don’t even carry on the menu full time. This tells us that our guests enjoy trying new things and that they trust our chefs to be creative every day.

The challenge is having a menu that supports the desires of so many different guests while allowing every item on the menu to work well as a complete menu offering. Once we have that figured out, the next hurdle is training the entire team to become experts on the new and

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VINE RESTAURANT & BAR

IRONWOOD CELLAR

CRAFT

COOK

cept. Finding great young chefs and quality kitchen staff and then keeping them long term is the number one thing that helps us manage multiple kitchens.

HOW LARGE IS YOUR TEAM? Our staff is about 30-40 people per restaurant.

DO THEY WORK MULTIPLE KITCHENS?

Each kitchen has its own staff. evolving dishes that have been added or changed for the season.

JARED COOK, EXECUTIVE CHEF

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES DEVELOPING AND MANAGING MULTIPLE MENUS AND KITCHENS? We strive

to make each menu have unique dishes to the concept but also love to share signature items and long-time favorites at all locations. For example, you can find the Crispy Meyer Lemon & Honey Duck Wings at all locations. Our menus usually are around 50% similar or staple items and 50% new items unique to each con-

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED A COMMISSARY KITCHEN? I don’t think we would

ever use a commissary kitchen. We pride ourselves on making everything in-house from scratch daily. www.ironwoodlagunahills.com www.oleanewportbeach.com www.vinesanclemente.com

MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

Cha Cha’s Latin Kitchen PETER SERANTONI & DON MYERS, PARTNERS

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE?

Architectural drawing, a whole lot of new rules/codes, and landlord requirements to coordinate and get approved.

WHEN DID YOU START THE PROCESS?

February 2016 WHAT WAS AT THE LOCATION PREVIOUSLY? IHOP WERE THERE ANY SURPRISES THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN WITH THE PREVIOUS BUILDS? Not really, you have to be men-

tally prepared because it’s not a matter of if, but rather how many surprises you’ll get, especially regarding the new location cost versus what was budgeted.

WILL YOU DO IT AGAIN? I always say never again, but I’m sure we will expand again. Once you are addicted to creating new concepts, and then seeing new locations come to fruition, it’s hard to decline a good opportunity.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE? We had a great General Con-

tractor, Dorado Enterprises, and a fantastic superintendent that made a world of a difference. www.chachaslatinkitchen.com

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Ways & Means Oyster House PARNELL & JENNIFER DELCHAM, PROPRIETORS

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE?

For us, it’s been learning brand new markets for every one of our expansions. Every location is different and assuming that you can build, recruit, and purchase the same things everywhere is an incorrect assumption. Everything needs to be tailored to the specific neighborhood.

WHEN DID YOU START THE PROCESS?

For the Portland location, the decision-making and leasing process took just short of a year. After that, things moved quickly. Planning and permitting took a couple of months, and then construction took an additional five months.

WHAT WAS AT THE LOCATION PREVI-

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OUSLY? We took over three contiguous spaces – formerly a wine bar, retail shop, and pizza restaurant – and combined them.

WERE THERE ANY SURPRISES THAT YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN WITH THE PREVIOUS BUILDS?

We discovered a walled up hidden bath-

room — that was a surprise!

WILL YOU DO IT AGAIN? We sure hope so — we have two upcoming locations in San Diego and one in Austin, Texas opening by the end of the year as the next steps in our expansion through 2018. www.wmoysters.com

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THE SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS

BUILDING A BREWERY TAPS Brewery & Barrel Room

al, but what’s called “flex space.” I never wanted to locate our brewery and tasting room in an area that might have been lower rent, but was not as attractive. The space we found was a semi-conductor chip processing facility that had phenomenal utilities already built into the space, especially electrical. And it’s surrounded

by Tustin Legacy, light industrial, office, and residential developments all along Red Hill Avenue.

WHAT MAKES THIS PROCESS UNIQUE VS OPENING A RESTAURANT? It’s in-

JOE MANZELLA, PROPRIETOR

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF CREATING A BREWERY? Finding a

Head Brewer that could handle a production facility and all of the challenges that go with it. Finding just the right location was a legendary business challenge. It took close to four years and encompassed four different Orange County cities. It was a test of patience and perseverance for all of us.

WHEN DID YOU START THE PROCESS?

The decision to pursue a production brewery happened over five years ago. We had some turnover in our brewing operations then, and it set us back a bit. We also had three different location deals that were near completion and then fell apart very late in the process.

WHEN DO YOU THINK YOU’LL OPEN?

May. WHAT WAS AT THE LOCATION PREVIOUSLY? The building is not industri-

finitely more straightforward and far less complex. For example, we don’t have to deal with kitchen construction or the costs and all of the things that accompany that: grease traps, fire suppression, equipment and city approvals. This space is 90 percent brewery, 10 percent tasting room and patio.

WERE THERE ANY SURPRISES? Always.

Plumbing on such a large operation is always going to cause headaches. We’ve spent enormous amounts of time addressing the existing plumbing and making the necessary adjustments. I don’t think we anticipated such a challenge or knew what it would take in hours and dollars to properly address this.

WHAT’S THE FUNNIEST OR MOST IRONIC THING THAT HAPPENED? I

think a lot of people anticipated we’d struggle when we turned over the beer side of our business to new leadership five years ago. That great thing was our two main brewers—David Huls and Kyle Manns—had worked for TAPS and knew us and our culture well. It was a great opportunity to respect our classic European-style beers that put us on the map but also to explore the dynamic, ever-evolving creativity of the California craft brewing scene. That same year the new guys won Brewpub Group of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival and medaled with their beers four times. It was probably more stunning than funny or ironic, but no less memorable. I’ll never forget it.

WHY OPERATE THE FOOD DELIVERY FROM A FOOD TRUCK RATHER THAN A TRADITIONAL RESTAURANT KITCHEN? We understand that most breweries

don’t operate kitchens, but with all your kitchen design and operational experience, we’re surprised.

Our CUP (Conditional Use Permit) doesn’t allow for a restaurant in that part of the city. Even if it did, we made the decision long ago not to build a kitchen and incur the associated expenses. We always intended to have a very small menu and felt a food truck would and could execute it, while at the same time offering a more fun and relaxed experience for our guests.

Food trucks are still hot, and guests love them.

WHAT THREE ASPECTS OF BREWERY DEVELOPMENT SURPRISED YOU THE MOST? The challenges with brand devel-

opment, hands down. Buying, fabricating, and wrapping a food truck was a bear.

Finding the perfect location for what we needed: right square footage, right ceiling height, right surrounding area, etc.

WILL YOU DO IT AGAIN? We are already planning smaller satellite tasting rooms between 3,500 to 5,000-sq-ft and also exploring eastward expansion to other states.

WILL YOU INCREASE YOUR WHOLESALE SALES MODEL? Definitely. This

only works if the tasting room sales support the kegs and bottles moving through the distribution network.

WHO WILL BE YOUR TARGET MARKET FOR THE BREWERY AND FOR WHOLESALE? We want to get back into distri-

bution in the counties we used to be in -- Orange, San Diego, Los Angeles and Riverside.

We have also built relationships and will partner with some iconic retail and hospitality groups that will be announced when appropriate. www.tapsbrewery.com

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TAKING OVER The Recess Room NIKKO MARQUEZ, EXECUTIVE CHEF

WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE TAKING OVER A NEW KITCHEN?

The biggest challenge of taking over a new kitchen was learning the ways a restaurant operates. Because I was coming from outof-state, I didn’t have the opportunity to learn the restaurant or observe how operations run to devise a plan of attack to streamline and manage operations.

As soon as I moved back to California, I started here at The Recess Room and had to hit the ground running. I had to learn the operation as well as implement systems and food I was comfortable with. Victor Nguyen and Viet Pham, the restaurant partners, already had a passionate kitchen crew in place in anticipation of my arrival. They work hard and love to cook and be here. This was crucial to changing over the kitchen management. I knew from the beginning that this wasn’t something I could tackle by myself, so during my first week here I made some calls and was fortunate enough to find 16

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some culinary friends that were looking for new kitchens. I first hired Brian Manoto as a line cook because I felt he would be a great fit for this restaurant.

I needed a veteran presence on the line.

He is now my Sous Chef. I then added Scott Brendaw, who was a Sous Chef of mine while I was at Mozza, and he helped me get the kitchen and the morning crew organized. Overall, I have a great back-ofhouse team that works hard and helps me to execute my vision for the restaurant.

VICTOR NGUYEN & VIET PHAM, PARTNERS

WHAT WERE THE TOP THREE QUALITIES YOU WERE LOOKING FOR WHEN HIRING A NEW CHEF? When looking for

a new Head Chef to take over, we were looking for more than a chef with experience. The three main qualities we were looking for were personality, vision, and goals:

PERSONALITY: We needed someone who could run the kitchen, and at the

same time be someone we can call a friend.

When we had Nikko (an old friend of mine) visit us prior to his commitment to The Recess Room, we were mainly talking about his vision and his goals. Shortly after the meeting, Viet said, “Wow, I’d hang out with him outside of work.” This is very important to us because Recess truly is about a group of friends growing up together and eventually realizing our dream of owning a restaurant and working together. It would be a shame to have one person in the group that no one likes.

VISION: This was very important to us. It doesn’t matter what type of experience you have; we probably wouldn’t have Chef Daniel Boulud run Recess because his vision isn’t the same as ours. When Nikko was running SuperBite, I knew he would be a perfect fit for us. His style of cooking matched what we were looking for. I don’t like saying our food has a specific ethnicity tied to it. We like to have flavors from everywhere. Nikko has already shown us that he pulls inspiration

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THE SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS

from everywhere. Our Pork Cheek dish was inspired by a Filipino dish, but uses French cooking methods and combines other ingredients that normally would not belong in an Asian dish.

GOALS: Recess is not the only thing that Viet and I will do. We are currently working on a vegan restaurant and a cocktail bar with small bites. Our goal is to own multiple businesses under our hospitality group. We are doing this because it is our passion. Both our families have opened many pho shops and nail salons, and if we were just in it for the money, we would be opening those left and right.

During our meeting with Nikko, he expressed that this is just the beginning of what he wants to do, showing us that he is hungry and motivated. The moment you are comfortable with your position, it is a sign that you should be challenging yourself to do something new.

WHAT HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES, AND JOYS IN OPERATING YOUR OWN RESTAURANT? Our

biggest challenge in changing a neighborhood restaurant into what we are now, has been maintaining our vision.

Our original guests were expecting classic meat & potatoes, and occasionally we still get guests that come in and want a burger. We try to have something for everyone, though our burger is not a classic backyard burger; ours comes with a salt and pepper bun, caramelized red onion, garlic confit, and is topped off with a melted brie. When we opened, we had hundreds of ideas to introduce, but we were not sure how the neighborhood would react. We started introducing things some people were not familiar with, such as bone marrow, little by little. We still feel that we are not able to express our ideas 100 percent, but we’re

getting there! Feedback has been great!

We keep on trying to push our boundaries to see how far we can go.

I would say our biggest challenge so far is the ever-changing menu that brings something exciting to our guests.

Before Nikko came on board, Viet and I were always thinking of new, fun dishes, but not being chefs ourselves, it became difficult and exhausting to execute the dishes. With Nikko on board, it’s great to have a fresh new mind and ideas.

One of our biggest joys is when guests tell us that they feel like our food style is something they would see in Los Angeles.

ANY SURPRISES? Yes, every day. Which I guess is the beauty of this business.

There is never a smooth road running a business. www.therecessroom.com

MARCH | APRIL 2018 | www.great-taste.net

17

TRENDING

FROM THE GROUND UP The Country Club MARIO MAROVIC, PARTNER

After acquiring the property, we carefully assembled our team and moved forward on the devotement process. My partner Andrew Gabriel and I had this idea to preserve the original 1950s A-Frame portion of the former bar, keeping it intact and building out the new concept around it. It’s a beautiful building with a steeply-raked, vaulted roofline and lots of character inside and out. During our

quest to save it, we found it would cost significantly more to re-engineer and bring it up to current code rather than to tear it all down and re-build entirely new.

Heavy freeway bridge shoring was used to suspend the entire building several feet off the ground while an all-new foundation was built and poured underneath, complete with proper footings throughout.

The rest of the construction was built up from there. Ultimately, the entire process nearly doubled our construction costs, but we both agreed the preservation was well worth the effort and investment.

HOW LONG DID THE ENTIRE PROCESS TAKE? From the property acquisition to

construction completion was nearly four years. That includes design, engineering, and all the entitlements.

APPROXIMATELY, HOW MANY VENDORS DID YOU NEED TO DEAL WITH DIRECTLY? Countless. There’s so many.

Architects, engineers, designers, consultants, construction vendors and sub-vendors, and more. Can’t even count.

HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DID YOU NEED TO HIRE? We hired and currently

staff 80 employees at The Country Club.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN WITH THIS BUILD? Don’t let your vendors or consul-

tants make you compromise your overall plan and vision.

WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE PIECES OF ADVICE FOR OTHERS CONSIDERING THE PROCESS? It almost always costs

more and takes longer than expected.

Seek out the best people in the business if you expect and demand the best results.

Have a clear plan of execution and always expect the unexpected. www.countryclubcm.com

18

www.great-taste.net | MARCH | APRIL 2018

TRENDING

THE SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS

TRUCKIN’ TRANSITION Crepes Bonaparte CHRISTIAN & DANIELLE MURCIA

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE TRUCK AND CATERING BIZ? Ten years WHY A BRICK AND MORTAR? We want

to reach our fans and followers in as many ways as possible, and opening a brick and mortar was the next natural progression.

Our most devout followers now know where to find us without having to track down our trucks.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN OPEN?

Since March 1, 2018.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BEING MOBILE AND HAVING A STAND STILL LOCATION?

The flow of customers in the restaurant is steadier and less hectic than the food truck, which is only open for limited lunch and dinner hours. Even though we are in a small space, it feels giant compared to the food trucks. Also, being able to serve beer, wine, and coffee has definitely added to our menu and our guests appreciate the additional selections.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT BEING MOBILE AND WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT STANDING STILL? We like

being able to go to our customers with the food trucks, but I like that the restaurant does not have wheels, therefor has less breakage and automotive-related issues.

WHAT HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST SURPRISES YOU HAVE FOUND IN THE WORLD OF BEING A RESTAURATEUR?

We are used to going to our customers with our food truck, and therefore we are usually the convenient option at food truck gatherings. With the restaurant, we are very thankful for the number of guests that spend time to drive to our location and spend their hard-earned money with us. We are surprised to see our food truck regulars now coming to the restaurant every week.

WHAT WAS LENGE? The

THE

BIGGEST

CHAL-

City of Fullerton Building

Department, without a doubt. Permitting a new restaurant is a nightmare, which we expected. I feel the amount of red tape put on businesses can sometimes ruin vision and creativity, but luckily our vision came together and we made it through all the road blocks that came our way.

WHEN DID YOU START THE PROCESS?

December 2016.

WHAT WAS AT THE LOCATION PREVIOUSLY? Our space was vacant for the last

six years. It was supposed to be a restaurant, but never opened.

WERE THERE ANY SURPRISES THAT YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT YOU DIDN’T EXPECT? I would not say this is a

surprise per se, but where we are located is

a heavy nightlife/bar area, and pedestrians and late-night patrons can sometimes get rowdy. We have security late at night, but there is always some new commotion that we did not imagine would happen.

WHAT’S THE FUNNIEST OR MOST IRONIC THING THAT HAS HAPPENED?

We recently found out that our location was a small local diner in the 50’s. It was converted to office space in the 70’s, but now we turned it back into a restaurant.

We have had the grandkids of the family that owned the restaurant come by a few times now. It’s a funny coincidence that the space has come full circle. www.crepesbonaparte.com

CorTec & ChefTec Software

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for physical inventory

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Find out more at 800.447.1466 / www.ChefTec.com MARCH | APRIL 2018 | www.great-taste.net

19

photos by Michael Rutt

CHEF DE CUISINE

Chef Ugo Allesina

C

by FRANKIE DI IORIO hef Ugo Allesina was born in the small town of Piemonte in Northern Italy, where he dreamed of traveling the world one day. His first position in the “world of food” was at the neighborhood butcher shop where he delivered meat on his Moped and later worked in the shop. Utilizing his skill, he moved on to a job at a hotel in Italy prepping meat and crafting appetizers for two summers. After this first dipping-ofthe-toe into the culinary ocean, Chef moved on to explore greater depths in the field and accepted higher positions at prestigious hotels in Italy and Germany. He worked as a cook at the Italie & Hotel Suisse on Lake Maggiore and was hired as a Chef at the five-star Regina Palace Hotel and the Lido Palace Hotel Baveno, also located on Lake Maggiore, in Italy.

Chef ’s career in the U.S. began in 1990 when the owners of Ristorante Mezzaluna in Manhattan offered him a job as the Executive Chef of their new Corona Del Mar location. Excited about the opportunity, Chef Ugo packed a duffle bag and dove into a new life amongst a new language, new culture, and new faces. Following Mezzaluna’s six-year run, Chef found work back in Italy. He later decided to return to Southern California to

20

www.great-taste.net | MARCH | APRIL 2018

gain more experience and have the opportunity of working his way up in the business, even though it meant cutting his salary in half. So, Chef joined Ristorante Il Fornaio, worked at several of their locations and was eventually offered the job of Executive Chef for the group. After a year as Executive Chef, Ugo decided to work closer to home and began working at Prego in Irvine. He has been with Prego these eighteen years through many changes since he joined the restaurant family in the year 2000.

Chef Ugo is currently the Executive Chef of Prego Mediterranean in Tustin, where he takes pride in his great customer-to-chef relationships and the devoted professionalism of each of his employees. Grateful to have achieved so much coming from such a small town, Chef always knew that he wanted to give back to the community. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, a charity organization for underprivileged children. Using his connections in the business, Ugo helps collect donations of all kinds for many projects, though he is especially proud of helping three to four-hundred kids to attend Camp Sequoia each year. He has even received a “Key to the City” in both Santa Ana and Anaheim for his charitable works. Chef Ugo loves what he does, both in and outside the kitchen. It is because of this passion that he makes such a powerful impact on people’s culinary and life experiences.

CHEF DE CUISINE

CHEF’S FAVORITES KITCHEN GADGET OR TOOL Mezzaluna KITCHEN APPLIANCE Smoker COOKWARE Lagostina CONDIMENT/SPICE Nutmeg OC RESTAURANT Taiko DISH TO EAT Rotisserie chicken RAW INGREDIENT Sushi grade fish FAST FOOD In N Out

From the Chef’s Mouth PREGO MEDITERRANEAN 2409 Park Ave. Tustin, CA www.pregooc.com 949-553-1333 ESTABLISHED November 23, 2017 HOURS Sun - Thurs 11 am - 9 pm; Fri - Sat 11 am - 10 pm AVERAGE COVER Lunch: $20.00; Dinner: $35.00

AVERAGE NUMBER OF HOURS YOU WORK IN A WEEK 60-65 1ST COOKING MEMORY Grandma making fresh gnocchi FIRST JOB Delivering meat on a Moped starting at 5 AM WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST HOSPITALITY JOB Hotel Eden in Italy WHAT FIRST INTERESTED YOU IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY Engaging conversation with new people YEARS OF CULINARY EDUCATION None – but I have been teaching myself for over 30 years and I’m still learning

YEARS IN BUSINESS 35 years IF NOT A CHEF, WHAT WOULD YOU BE Archaeologist HOBBY Watching soccer CULINARY HERO Lavarini Victtorio, because he taught me how to fall in love with my profession FAVORITE DISH TO MAKE Porchetta 3 WORDS THAT BEST DESCRIBE YOUR CULINARY STYLE Fulfilling, flavorful, evolving 3 WORDS THAT BEST DESCRIBE YOUR MANAGEMENT STYLE Firm, passionate, educational ADVICE FOR STUDENTS INTERESTED IN THE HOSPITALITY AND CULINARY INDUSTRY Attend a culinary school and work in many restaurants. It’s the only way to fully learn everything. Never believe you are the best, you will still be learning even on your last day of work

MARCH | APRIL 2018 | www.great-taste.net

21

THE BIZ

MARKETING

Scaling in the Food Business

B

efore “food porn” became a thing and the Food Network exploded, culinary schools were pretty much limited to Cordon Bleu, Escoffier and CIA — but today, chef-driven schools are popping up everywhere. From a marketing and brand building perspective, this is brilliant. Being a chef is an extremely personal and passionate form of expression which is somewhat counter-intuitive to the hallmark of building a business that pays the bills; to scale.

gasse, and of course, Tom Colicchio. But everyone needs to start somewhere — and imagination sparks the ignition.

Aside from Julia Child, who starred in the “The French Chef ” TV series and founded the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, Martha Stewart was one of the first to expand beyond her catering origins to brand extensions including magazines, TV shows, and products. The James Beard-nominated chef offers the “Martha Stewart Cooking School: Lessons and Recipes for the

BRANDS NEED TO FIND A WAY TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY AND REVENUE WITHOUT INCREASING THE BUDGET AND WORKLOAD. The culinary school trend seems to be one of those brand extensions gaining massive popularity and is an avenue to consider; the market is hungry for what schools have to give. Consider these statistics: of the $799 billion restaurant industry sales each year, the Food Network sees an average audience of over 1 million viewers nightly, which tops their revenue at $932.6 million. Almost 5 million people follow the Food Network on Twitter and 23 million are hungry for their Facebook content. The cookware industry, which depends on “chef-preneurs” to drive sales, forked in $15 billion in 2015.

The names you know include Rachael Ray, Ina Garten, Bobby Flay, Emeril La22

www.great-taste.net | MARCH | APRIL 2018

Home Cook” book and has also done a PBS-TV cooking school. Wolfgang Puck, who, like Martha’s humble beginnings began in catering was also a brand extension innovator in the 1980’s when his flagship restaurant Spago began to explode.

The schools of plant-based maestro Matthew Kenney’s are a smart revenue source. Besides his restaurants and books, he is looking to “craft the future of food” with his PLANTLAB, including locations in Los Angeles and New York City, online courses, and cultural immersions. Kenney also partnered with Aman Resorts to create an experience of private jet wellness retreats. These exotic immersions with Aman are particularly smart,

as he’s taking advantage of what I call an “already moving train” of marketing with Aman’s customer base.

For the super-famous, personal access is a not a good use of time. French Laundry wonder and three-time Michelin star award winner, Thomas Keller, sells online master classes for only $180 a year which grant students an “All Access Pass” to all his instructional videos. Being one of the biggest names in the culinary elite, this was a smart business move.

So, the question is: will you stay in your kitchen sweating the details? Or will you spread your wings with the expansion of your most incredible essence into something that can be enjoyed by so many more?

by ALYSON DUTCH CEO of Brown & Dutch Public Relations and author of PR Handbook for Entrepreneurs and PR Handbook for Food Franchisees. Dutch has a keen understanding of the cultural sensitivities that rule the business marketplace and commands the media’s attention.

RAISING THE BAR

Crafting Cautiously

by AMIN BENNY, RESORT BAR MANAGER

T

he cocktail program at Monarch Beach Resort, whether upstairs in the lobby bar at 33 N or in our Mediterranean-inspired restaurant AVEO, is built around creating a unique experience - not just a cocktail - something that evokes the senses. From the visual preparation to the aromatics of the bitters or

smoke used to complete the cocktail, we want our guests to be intrigued from the moment we begin making it to the second the finished product is placed in front of them. Because of how busy our bars can become, it can be challenging to create experiential cocktails that can be served in a timely manner and appeal to our diverse guests.

THE BIZ

Neapolitan Negroni 1 oz.

1 oz.

1 oz.

Strawberry Campari Cocoa Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth Vanilla Nolet’s Gin

Served Deconstructed and Plated Garnished with a Strawberry, Chocolate Sauce, and Vanilla Sauce MARCH | APRIL 2018 | www.great-taste.net

23

THE BIZ

VIN

No Time for School?

5. Schedule a wine tasting class for your guests. It’s a great way to increase revenue (you have to charge for the class), keep guests engaged, and educate yourself at the same time. If you conduct the class, KUDOS! There is no better way to learn than by teaching. If you have an industry expert teach the class, be sure to attend. Your guests will love the fact that you are joining them instead of serving them.

The wine industry is constantly evolving and so should you. Cheers to your education!

I

t is important to continue to evolve and further one’s education in this ever-changing hospitality business.

Easier said than done! Most of us work long hours and may not have the time to include classes into our busy schedules. We cannot deny ourselves knowledge if we are in the position of turning our customers on to something new, or educating our teams about the latest addition to the wine list. Here are a few simple ways to continue your education without even leaving work: 1. Ask your distributor sales representatives for samples. Take the time to look up tech notes on the wines then crack them open after work with your team.

There is nothing better than tasting wine and exchanging thoughts about it in a group setting.

2. When you add a new wine to your list or retail shelf, tell your sales repre-

24

www.great-taste.net | MARCH | APRIL 2018

sentative that a staff training is a must so everyone can taste and learn how to sell the new juice. Be sure to show up for the tasting, you will learn something.

3. Hosting a winemaker dinner? Ask the winemaker to come in early or stay after the dinner, so you and your staff can walk through the wines and get educated by the winemaker. Encourage questions, many questions.

You won’t get more detailed answers than from the person who made the wine.

4. Create a tasting group with your colleagues. Meet up once a month and pick a topic; this could be a wine growing region, varietal or price point. Have everyone bring a bottle that falls in line with that month’s topic. Taste the wines blind, take notes and roundtable after revealing the bottles.

by SONYA KELSEN Co-founder/Owner, Colony Wine Merchant & Promenade Pub NICKNAME “Boss Lady.”

HOW LONG PAIRING FOOD & BEVERAGE 20 years.

FAVORITES: BEER Depends on the day.

WINE Depends on my mood.

COCKTAIL Old Fashioned, at the moment.

COCKTAIL creation Silver tequila straight out of the freezer.

THE BIZ

CULINARY SCHOOL COLLECTIVE

Cultivating the Grad Pool

W

ith the growth of the restaurant/hospitality business, there are shortages. Not in concepts, managers, storefronts, chefs or even food. Shortages are seen by the recruits/students who are going to either fill the shoes of their predecessors or make new tracks for themselves. But there is hope on the rise. With the implementation of many academic programs as early as high-school, these students get a great step in the right direction toward their culinary and hospitality careers.

These groups and programs are not limited to only the high-school level but even into the private sector. But starting from the beginning, young cooks and management trainees in high school can enroll in one of the programs offered either through CRAF-PROSTART or ROP (Regional Occupational Program.) Courses are added to the student’s standard curriculum and help introduce and teach many of the college and work-place skills necessary. If an immersion setting is more of the student’s style, the ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOL OF THE ARTS full-blown culinary school is the place to be. In higher education, more than seven different options are available in and around the Orange County area alone. The culinary programs at LONG BEACH COMMUNITY COLLEGE, CYPRESS COLLEGE, ORANGE COAST COLLEGE, and CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, POMONA are focused on creating the “best cooks” in pastry and savory on their way to being powerhouse chefs.

THE ART INSTITUTE and the CULINARY LAB GROUP, members of the private sector, fill some of the cracks in classroom education as well as online.

With the back of house set, CYPRESS and OCC strive to prepare a great hospitality crew along with CSULB and CSU POMONA, with restaurant and hospitality management education as well. The CSUs take it a step further as they offer master programs available for their students. There has been no greater opportunity for a budding chef.

With these programs in place, they are only missing one thing, the support from their local businesses. Restaurants and hotels need to be willing to host talks or apprentices/interns. Suppliers and distributors can guest speak as well as make donations and work with the programs.

Show these students that there is a thriving and welcoming community for newcomers! For more information and students to “stage” visit great-taste.net/pros.

MARCH | APRIL 2018 | www.great-taste.net

25

THE BIZ CULINARY SCHOOL COLLECTIVE

HIGHSCHOOL PROGRAMS Orange County School of the Arts The award-winning Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) provides a creative, challenging and nurturing environment that offers bright and talented students unparalleled preparation for higher education and a profession in the arts. The Mekjian Family Culinary Arts & Hospitality Conservatory (CA&H) at OCSA is designed to embrace, nurture and expand a student’s passion for food, creativity and excellence.

HOW IS YOUR PROGRAM UNIQUE?

Through a challenging, hands-on curriculum, based on leading industry standards and collegiate culinary programs, students are introduced to basic kitchen skills, which they maintain and expand upon throughout their tenure in the program. Students are also exposed to the importance of sanitation standards, world cuisines, baking, pastry, garde manger, food science, as well as high volume food production and internship opportunities in myriad positions throughout the hospitality industry. Graduating students have a solid foundation in the culinary arts as well as a practical understanding of dining room operations and applied business practices.

WHO IS YOUR PRIME CANDIDATE? A student with a big heart who has an idea

ROP/CTEP In the Orange County area, there is a thriving ROP (Regional Occupation Program that is spread out through the county under different regional districts. Also known to some as CTEP (Career Technical Education Program), there are the North, Coastline, Central, College & Career Advantage branches. Under the umbrella of the Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation studies, these ROP/CTEP branches offer full courses available in restaurant manage26

www.great-taste.net | MARCH | APRIL 2018

of what they might want to do with their future. The student needs to be passionate about why they want to be part of our program. Do they have a passion for Culinary Arts, Baking & Pastry, Hospitality or Management? Having an open mind and not being afraid to try new things, foods, concepts is important. Students need to have a certain level of maturity for their age, as we do work with fire and knives.

HOW ARE STUDENTS PREPARED? Students who attend OCSA’s CA&H Conservatory receive an innovative dual arts and academic education within a dynamic school environment that focuses on individual growth, opportunity and diversity.

Students develop as well-rounded people, possessing self-confidence, time-management and critical thinking skills needed to thrive in the 21st century. OCSA provides a unique schedule, where students attend academic classes from 8:05 - 2:05 p.m. and are able to focus solely on their arts conservatory classes from 2:15 - 4:45 p.m. four days per week. CA&H offers comprehensive instruction of cooking fundamentals as well as practical business applications.

ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOL OF THE ARTS, OCSA 1010 N. Main St. Santa Ana, 92701 714-560-0900 www.ocsarts.net

ment, catering/banquet director, and culinary arts. There are also available courses in guest services, conference services, and event planning. With the integration of the CTEP instruction into the standard classes of the students, they help build a workplace/college-ready crew of graduates with industry knowledge. www.nocrop.com

CRAF-ProStart In California, the Restaurant Association (CRA) has been a major influence in the lives of chefs, business owners, and managers alike. From organizing fund-raising events to providing information about the industry, the CRA has many opportunities for members. There is one area that the CRA and the associated CRAF have taken a special interest in: teens and young adults.

The CRAF (the California Restaurant Association Foundation) has made a partnership to help develop a schooling program called ProStart. ProStart has made a name for itself with its highly competitive ProStart Cup, but who are they and what is their main mission? ProStart is a high school program integrated into the student’s traditional school schedule. Since there have been some severe government cut-backs in the areas of the arts and culinary, this program offers a bridge between those students who wish to pursue a career in the hospitality/restaurant industry and the tools and opportunists they need. They understand and hold tight to the ideal that a well-invested chef who understands restaurant management makes a restaurant, and helps it to thrive.

The planning of concepts, menus, costing, and inventory management are all real skills needed in the hospitality world, and ProStart delivers those skills.

Orange County School of the Arts, won the 2018 Management Competition as well as the Innovation Cup and is moving on to represent their school at the National ProStart Invitational. ProStart program focuses heavily on college and career development. Students are guided not only through the application and resume process, but also how to present themselves in an interview, and are taught other workplace-related skills. These coupled with on-site training, chef talks, and culinary tours offered to students give them a firm step in the right direction of the culinary and hospitality fields.

www.ocde.us www.coastlinerop.net

PROSTART

www.copousd.org

www.calrestfoundation.org

THE BIZ CULINARY SCHOOL COLLECTIVE

CULINARY PROGRAMS SCHOOL

LENGTH

ENROLLMENT

COST

WEBSITE

ART INSTITUTE

1-4 years

Apply year-round

Comparable to

www.artinstitutes.com/orange-county

OF CALIFORNIA

community college

ORANGE COUNTY

with grants/scholarships

CULINARYLAB

A few weeks

Application, English/Math exams

$740-$2300

COOKING SCHOOL

up to a year

and an interview with Chef Ryan

for each program

CYPRESS COLLEGE

2 years+

August or January

$4000 including tuition, www.cypresscollege.edu

LONG BEACH

4 semesters

www.culinarylabschool.com

lab fees and supplies

Apply year-round $3,375-$4,988 www.LBCC.edu

CITY COLLEGE ORANGE COAST

1-2+ years

Apply year-round

$6,000-$7,000

www.orangecoastcollege.edu

COLLEGE Fall of 2018 for

Tuition-free public

SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

ORANGE COUNTY

4 years

2019-2020 school year

charter school

www.ocsarts.net

PROSTART

4 years

Fall of 2018

Tuition-free public

www.calrestfoundation.org

ORANGE COUNTY

4 years

Fall of 2018

Tuition-free public

www.nocrop.com

ROP

www.ocde.us

www.coastlinerop.net

www.copousd.org

HOW YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE SCHOOL

HOW YOU CAN HELP

CONTACT

ART INSTITUTE

Internships, Guest Speaking

Grace Hong

OF CALIFORNIA

Management Externships

ghong@aii.edu

ORANGE COUNTY

Advisor Board Committee

CULINARYLAB

Guest Speaking

Lisa Wagner

COOKING SCHOOL

lisa@culinarylabschool.com

CYPRESS COLLEGE

Internships, Guest Speaking

Chef Jeremy Peters

Advisor Board Committee

jpeters@cypresscollege.edu

Field Trips, Attend Career Fairs

cypresscollege-csm.

Donate Materials

symplicity.com/employers

LONG BEACH

Guest Speaking

Chef Haley Nguyen

CITY COLLEGE

h3nguyen@lbcc.edu

ORANGE COAST

Internships, Advisory Board, Sponsor/Donate

Chef Bill Barber

COLLEGE

to the new Culinary and Hospitality building

bbarber@occ.cccd.edu

ORANGE COUNTY

Internships, Guest Speaking

Ann Crane

SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

ann.crane@ocsarts.net

PROSTART

Culinary Apprentice Programs

Alycia Harshfield

Guest Speaking

aharshfield@calrest.org

Donations ORANGE COUNTY

Guest Speaking, Sponsorships

cuetok@nocrop.us

ROP

Teaching Opportunities

asebek@ocde.us

tiversen@coastlinerop.net

mshirran@copousd.org MARCH | APRIL 2018 | www.great-taste.net

27

THE BIZ CULINARY SCHOOL COLLECTIVE

CONTINUING EDUCATION Orange Coast College The Orange Coast College Culinary Department offers a Basic Certificate in Culinary, an Advanced Certificate of Achievement in Culinary Arts AND/OR Baking and Pastry, as well as optional Associate in Science Degrees which can be paired with the Advanced Certificates. The Basic Certificate of Achievement in Basic Culinary Arts provides students with the fundamental methods of cooking. The Advanced Certificate in Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry (and A.S. degree) programs are accredited by the American Culinary Federation Accrediting Commission. Students will prepare food for dining guests in the school’s Captain’s Table Restaurant. The Certificate of Achievement in Advanced

Baking and Pastry includes a solid foundational knowledge of technique and baking methods for the baking and pastry industry.

HOW IS YOUR PROGRAM UNIQUE? The Advanced Certificate Programs and Associate Degrees are Accredited by the American Culinary Federation and students are eligible for Certification as Culinarians upon graduation – when they apply for ACF certification no additional testing is required.

WHO IS YOUR PRIME CANDIDATE?

Dedicated, enthusiastic, hardworking, open to new ideas and willing to take an active role in their education HOW ARE STUDENTS PREPARED? We start from scratch to provide the skills necessary to be successful in the culinary industry. Topics include (but are not limited to): sanitation, professional knife skill, basic cooking, hot food cookery, meat identifica-

tion, cold food (garde manger), baking, pastry, restaurant-style cooking, banquet-style meal preparation, dining room service, beverage management, nutrition, supervision, menu planning, restaurant management and kitchen management.

Preparation for the working environment is incorporated into the programs that we offer. Students gain practical knowledge from the coursework and apply it in the “Directed Practice” courses – both “in-house” and in the industry (internships). These experiences help to pair students with employers, making connections which can be translated into future employment upon graduation.

ORANGE COAST COLLEGE 2701 Fairview Road Costa Mesa, CA 92626 www.orangecoastcollege.edu

STUDENT-RUN DINING PROGRAMS NAME

LOCATION

HOURS

DETAILS

Exhibit

Art Institute

Dinner, Wednesday-Friday

Deliciously Plated. Artfully Created. We offer dining at

of California - OC

5pm to 7pm

various times, depending on the quarter. Look for special

dinner plans with wine-pairings, seasonal specials.

Cypress Bistro

Thursdays

A student-operated restaurant experience where students

Noon to 1:00 PM

learn by doing to provide innovative menus and delightful

Cypress College

service. Please contact Tracey Heine at theine@nocccd.edu

for reservations.

LBCC Bakery

28

LBCC

Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays (Fall and Spring Semesters only)

10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

LBCC Bistro

Tuesdays and Wednesdays

(Fall and Spring Semesters only). Reservations are

11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Recommended. Contact bistro@lbcc.edu or (562) 938-4757.

Captain’s Table

Thursdays 11:30-1:00 pm,

Student-run. Reservations highly recommended. Operates in

LBCC OCC

Restaurant

the Fall and Spring Semesters. (714) 432-5835, Ext. 4 ask

for Kristen.

Catering

OCSA

Our students are involved with all aspects of the catering.

From meeting party organizers, helping to design a tailored

menu, to clean up. For your next special event, contact

Chef Director of Culinary Operations, Peter Striffolino, CEC

at peter.striffolino@ocsarts.net or 714-560-0900 ext. 6652.

www.great-taste.net | MARCH | APRIL 2018

THE BIZ CULINARY SCHOOL COLLECTIVE

Cypress College Cypress College School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, Anaheim Campus features the perfect venue for students to engage in a hands-on learning environment to prepare themselves to become leaders in the hospitality industry.

Passion transforms into reality when our dedicated instructors share their knowledge and love of the hospitality industry to prepare our students for a challenging career and exciting lifestyle.

HOW IS YOUR PROGRAM UNIQUE?

Our program is not just a cooking school.

We are an accredited Hospitality Man-

Long Beach City College The Culinary Arts industry is one of the largest and fastest growing industries worldwide. Long Beach City College’s Culinary Arts Department trains and educates students to enter the workforce with the skills and confidence to pursue successful careers. The Culinary Arts programs can enhance the skills of chefs or bakers working in the industry or prepare students for entry-level positions in the food service industry. Students are prepared for careers that include Sous Chef, Pastry Chef, Line Cook, Baker, Personal Chef, Caterer and Food Blogger. LBCC’s Culinary Arts Programs are designed with student focused, real world industry experience and committee faculty members.

Long Beach City College offers some of the top Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts programs in Southern California, teaching various cooking techniques and cuisines from regions around the world.

HOW IS YOUR PROGRAM UNIQUE?

The Culinary Arts Department is housed in state-of-the-art instructional facilities with seven instructional kitchens (Restaurant, Production, Skills, Baking, Pastry,

agement program offering Certificates and Associate Degrees in Culinary Arts & Pastry Arts and Hospitality Management with direct opportunities for transfer to Cal Poly Pomona and CSU Long Beach.

Cypress College’s School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management engages students in a hands-on, state-of-the-art learning environment designed to prepare students to become leaders in the hospitality and culinary industry.

HOW

ARE

STUDENTS

PREPARED?

Students develop relevant hospitality, culinary and pastry arts fundamentals through our learn-by- doing approach.

In each class, students also demonstrate desirable employment qualities including teamwork, leadership, ethical decision making, critical thinking, and effective oral and written communication preparing them for future supervisory roles.

WHO IS YOUR PRIME CANDIDATE?

Students ready to learn by doing with a positive attitude, passion and willingness to work hard are most successful in our program.

Multi-Use and Demonstration), four kitchen labs, TV monitors for students to view faculty instruction close-up, the most advanced industrial equipment and expert faculty with years of cooking and industry experience who have worked in all areas of commercial operations.

WHO IS YOUR PRIME CANDIDATE?

High school students pursuing a career in the Food Service industry and career changers who’d like to have their own food business.

HOW

ARE

STUDENTS

PREPARED?

Through a variety of courses, from introductory through advanced-level courses with several specialized classes, including Asian Cuisine, Mediterranean Cuisine and American Regional Cuisine.

The Baking & Pastry Arts Program teaches students the art of baking and pastry-making. LBCC offers a variety of courses including French Pastries, Viennese Pastries, Artisan Breads, Chocolate and Sugar Showpieces.

LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE Liberal Arts Campus 4901 E. Carson St., Long Beach, CA 90808 Pacific Coast Campus 1305 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach, CA 90806 www.LBCC.edu

CYPRESS COLLEGE @ NOCCCD ANAHEIM CAMPUS Romneya Drive, Anaheim, CA 92801 www.cypresscollege.edu

Art Institute of California The Art Institute of California - Orange County, a campus of Argosy University, is a nonprofit organization with ACF accredited programs in culinary arts and culinary management. We offer Diplomas in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry, Associates degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry, and Bachelor’s degrees in Culinary Management and Hospitality Food & Beverage. At Ai Orange County, we are passionate about teaching and learning and create graduates who succeed in business and are ready for the exciting world of culinary arts.

HOW IS YOUR PROGRAM UNIQUE? Ai Orange County is not a cooking school.

We are a WASC and ACF accredited college that creates chefs and successful operators in the field of culinary, as well as food & beverage.

WHO IS YOUR PRIME CANDIDATE?

Anyone who is passionate about their future and their drive and desire to learn the culinary arts from a system that has the support of 31 campuses, nationwide.

MARCH | APRIL 2018 | www.great-taste.net

29

THE BIZ CULINARY SCHOOL COLLECTIVE HOW ARE STUDENTS PREPARED? We offer a wide-scope of education in the culinary arts. Our students travel the world in their programs and experience the arts from chefs who have travelled the world themselves and have created amazing

food alongside some of the finest chefs on the planet.

These skills and experiences are translated to our students through lecture classes and hands-on experience in our kitchens.

CulinaryLab

ucation via monthly modules on a variety of topics.

WHO IS YOUR PRIME CANDIDATE? A prime candidate for our professional programs is a person who is serious about a career in the foodservice industry, passionate about cooking, hungry and eager to learn, is rigorous and a hard worker, is open to feedback and adapts accordingly, takes direction well, and has a positive can-do attitude. Our pro students are commonly young adults ready to jump into culinary education, or, career changers.

HOW ARE STUDENTS PREPARED? Students learn culinary basics (like safety and sanitation, kitchen etiquette, etc.), knife skills and vegetable cookery, and baking

CulinaryLab Cooking School immerses students in an experiential, modern, handson education for all levels of cooks looking to pursue a career in culinary or pastry arts.

Both of our professional programs train students to be seasoned professionals as quickly and efficiently as possible.

HOW IS YOUR PROGRAM UNIQUE?

Boring textbooks are replaced with tech-savvy video driven learning, no lectures that drag—we’re all about hands-on teaching, apprenticeship programs at top local restaurants, added value perks like guest chef instructors, engaging field trips, and continuing ed-

30

www.great-taste.net | MARCH | APRIL 2018

THE ART INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA, ORANGE COUNTY 3601 W. Sunflower Ave. Santa Ana, CA 92704 www.artinstitutes.com/orange-county

and pastry basics.

For Pro Culinary, students learn plant-based cooking, soups/stocks/sauces, meat/poultry/fish fabrication and cooking techniques (sautéing, frying, grilling, braising, roasting, sous vide, etc.), advanced plating and food photography, garde manger, hors d’oeuvres and buffet design, and international cuisine.

For Pro Pastry, students learn how to make chocolates, breads, ice cream, cookies, laminated doughs, and specialty cakes (including techniques such as tempering, decorating, enrobing, etc.)

CULINARYLAB COOKING SCHOOL 17231 17th St., Unit B, Tustin, CA 92780 www.culinarylabschool.com

GT_NovDec2017:Layout 2/12/18 2:11 PM Page 24

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