January 2019 - The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional

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Chaîne des Rôtisseurs

The world’s oldest and largest gastronomic society

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January 2019

CONTENTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLISHER MIKE FRYER

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WELCOME TO A NEW AND EXCITING YEAR IN THE FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY, 2019!

And welcome back to the January, 2019 issue of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional. We want to thank all of our talented and dedicated Journalists and Associates who help make the publication what it is today, and thank our dedicated Professional Industry readers, for with your support we can achieve our goals and continue to be the ONLY INDUSTRY-DEDICATED PUBLICATION IN THE GREATER LAS VEGAS VALLEY…

Cover OUR JANUARY 2019 COVER FEATURE starts the New Year with one of the most prestigious

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culinary organizations, originally organized in 1248 and then reestablished in 1950, the CHAÎNE des RÔTISSEURS. My first introduction to this oldest and largest gastronomic society in the world was when attending the City College of San Francisco Hotel & Restaurant Management; several of my chef instructors were members of the San Francisco Chapter and one year we were asked to prepare one of the courses for the Chapter’s dinner. Later, working in Southeast Asia in the 80s, I was fortunate to be invited to several Chaîne dinners in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Manila and never forgot the incredible experiences. So, when I was invited to join Chaîne des Rôtisseurs by Vice Conseiller Gastronomique Michael Severino (of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits) to be the Charge de Pressé of the Bailliage of Las Vegas and to help introduce and promote younger upcoming food & beverage professionals to the organization, it was a wish that came true. It’s my honor to offer our Food & Beverage Professional Publications to help educate and promote young professionals to the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs with its truly great culinary experiences and camaraderie with others who share their devotion to the food, beverage and hospitality industry. The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs provides a forum to our industry professionals to express themselves among professionals!

24 PAGE 24 THE NVRA-NEVADA RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION held its annual dinner presenting

its 2018 Culinary Excellence Awards, and the winners are: Tony Abou Ganim of Libertine Social Drink Specialist of the Year; Chef Leticia Nunez of Bacchanal Buffet and Chef Francisco “Paco” Cortes of El Dorado Cantina Culinarians of the Year; Anna Martinez of Ecolab Vendor/Supplier of the Year; Chef Todd Philbrook of Marie’s Gourmet Bakery Outstanding Pastry Chef; 7th and Carson Outstanding New Restaurant; and Chef Javier Chavez of Kitchen Table Squared and Kitchen Table Restaurateur of the Year.

Also, all of the nominees deserve credit for their achievements and are listed.

28 PAGE 28 EATALY OPENS ITS FIRST LAS VEGAS LOCATION at the newly-revised PARK

MGM, where all of its previous restaurants have been shuttered or converted to new foodservice outlets. EATALY has been one of my favorite foodservice concepts since visiting it several years ago during the NRA Chicago Food Show and have loved it ever since…

Page 4 Hot off the Grill!

Page 15 Chef Spotlight Jainine Jaffer

Page 5 Wine Talk Are Robots Taking Over the F&B Industry?

Page 6 What’s Brewing

Page 18 The Catering Coach 3 Reasons to Establish a Commissary Kitchen in Your Catering Business

Page 26 The Restaurant Expert Four Steps to Setting Standards in Your Restaurant

Page 8 Brett’s Vegas View

Page 19 Chef Talk Salt

Page 27 UNLV Epicurean Society

Page 11 Front & Back of the House It’s All About the Chocolate Page 12 What’s Cooking

www.lvfnbpro.com

Page 25 Human Resources Insights The Value of Human Resources to Your Organization

Page 7 Spirits Confidential with Max Solano “TEA’S THE SEASON”

Page 10 Product Review

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Page 16 COVER FEATURE Chaîne des Rôtisseurs – The world’s oldest and largest gastronomic society

Page 24 Nevada Restaurant Association Celebrates The Culinary Excellence Awards 2018 Winners

Page 14 Twinkle Toast Douglas Kim: The Newest Master in Las Vegas

Page 21 USBG Las Vegas

Page 28 Eataly Opens First Vegas Location at Park MGM

Page 22 Best of the Best

Page 29 Book Review

Page 23 The Bottom Line Choose Your Social Media Wisely

Page 30 Events Ad Index

January 2019 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 3

The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 7442 Grizzly Giant Street Las Vegas, NV 89139 www.lvfnbpro.com

HOT OFF THE GRILL!

Mike Fryer

Last month Mabel’s BBQ opened, bringing celebrity chef Michael Symon’s Cleveland BBQ restaurant to the Palms, with a menu of classic American BBQ and a list of more than 300 bourbons and 75 craft beers, with ¼ local brews. We were there to check it out; pictured here is LVFNBPro Editorial Director Bob Barnes with Chef Symon.

Sr. Editor/Publisher Thank you for joining us in this issue of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.

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

Bob Barnes

Editorial Director bob@lvfnb.com

Juanita Fryer

Our January Cover Feature is dedicated to the 2018 inductees to the Nevada Chapter of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. LVF&B Pro’s Sr. Editor/Publisher Mike Fryer and Editorial Director Bob Barnes stopped for a picture upon arriving at the organization’s 2018 Induction Dinner, held on December 19 at the Keep Memory Alive Event Center.

Adam Rains

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

Beverage Editor adam.rains@lvfnb.com

Juanita Aiello Creative Director juanita@lvfnb.com

Advertising sales@lvfnb.com

Article Submissions/Suggestions articles@lvfnb.com

Calendar Submissions calendar@lvfnb.com

Website webmaster@lvfnb.com

Press Relase Submissions news@lvfnb.com

General Information info@lvfnb.com

@lvfnb

The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Journalist Wine Talk Alice Swift

Journalist The Bottom Line Ben Brown

Accounting Manager Michelle San Juan

Journalist Brett’s Vegas View Jackie Brett

Journalist Best of the Best Shelley Stepanek

Journalist UNLV Epicurean Society Justin Leung

Journalist Made from Scratch John Rockwell

Journalist The Restaurant Expert David Scott Peters

Journalist Good for Spooning LeAnne Notabartolo

Journalist Front & Back of the House Gael Hees

Photographer Audrey Dempsey

Journalist Chef Talk Allen Asch

Journalist Don Chareunsy

Journalist Samuel’s Beer Picks Samuel Merritt

Journalist Spirits Confidential Max Solano

Photographer Bill Bokelmann

Journalist Pat Evans

Photographer Joe Urcioli

Journalists Twinkle Toast Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover

Journalist The Catering Coach Sandy Korem

Journalist HR Insights Linda Bernstein

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Wine Talk

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

See more at www.aliceswift.com.

with Alice Swift

Are Robots Taking Over the F&B Industry?

www.lvfnbpro.com

Source: The Tipsy Robot http://thetipsyrobot.com

The Tipsy Robot is a creative name for a unique experience available in the Miracle Mile Shops inside Planet Hollywood. This isn’t a robot that moves around and greets guests, but is composed of mechanical automated arms that can make virtually any cocktail beverage within a minute or two. Over 150 bottles are available for the robotic arms to pull from, and can replicate a human bartender’s actions and flair, from mixing drinks, to shaking up cocktails, to preparing the final garnishes. This set up works in conjunction with the tablets that guests use to explore drink options and order once they’re ready. Guests can even make their own concoctions, or make modifications to existing drink recipes. You can also share endless photos within the app or on external social media accounts.

Interestingly, automation does not seem to be overtaking Las Vegas. One possible reason for this might be due to cultural factors. A norm within the U.S. hospitality industry is the genuine guest service and personalized experience. A robot still gives the automated, “robot-like” experience, and just doesn’t replace that same warm, social interaction that a human being offers. Another area of concern for some people is the assumption that robotics and automation will be taking away jobs from employees, and many of them are not happy about it.

Knowing that Las Vegas is a city that embraces technology and innovation, it seems automation and other technology evolution is inevitable.

For now, current use cases of robots and other automation in Las Vegas appear to trend towards fulfilling the entertainment factor, or supplementing existing processes (not replacing).

What sets humans apart from robots and other artificial intelligence is the ability to have social and emotional intelligence. Jobs that require critical thinking and higher-level cognitive capability will be difficult to replace with automation, and we should strive to adapt and increase our skills to stay relevant with the everchanging workplace. It’ll be interesting to see how the next few years play out… I look forward to seeing what’s to come in the future!

Until next month, Cheers~!

Alice

Source: The Tipsy Robot http://thetipsyrobot.com

While movies like iRobot or Ex Machina are far from being a reality, there have been some experiments with hospitality robots taking place around the world. It may not be to the extent that hotels like the Henn-Na Hotel in Nagasaki utilizes robots (Japan’s first fully robot-operated hotel), but the concept is no longer a foreign concept in Las Vegas.

At the Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas (formerly the Mandarin Oriental), you may find an adorable robot named Pepper roaming the lobby floor.

This robot has made a presence in other countries as well, like Taiwan and Japan, and has very lifelike movements. What makes Pepper unique is its ability to analyze guests to determine their gender, age (approximate) and read body/ vocal language. Though Pepper’s actual role is basic, answering general questions about the hotel and giving directions, it can also provide entertainment for guests with cool dance moves and selfie-poses.

Next door at the Vdara Hotel, two robots roam the hotel floors delivering room service items to guests in their rooms. Their names are Fetch and Jett, and although they are robots, they are less human-like, with no face or arms (though their spotted and dog fur designs mimic that of dogs in support of the hotel’s dog-friendly policy).

From a guest’s hotel room, they can use the pre-existing table to order food or other items from the café downstairs. Fetch and Jett have the capability of prioritizing several orders, and the hotel employee will load their compartment with the ordered items. The robots will use their onboard Wi-Fi and 3D cameras to navigate around people, operating/riding the elevator up

The Tipsy Robot (Miracle Mile Shops)

Source: Yelp www.yelp.com/biz/waldorf-astoria-las-vegas-las-vegas-2 Source: MGM Resorts http://newsroom.mgmresorts.com/ robot-butlers-recharge-guest-experience-at-vdara.htm

Robots at CityCenter

to the guest rooms. Once Fetch or Jett reaches the room, the guest will remove their items from the storage compartment provide feedback on the service.

Source: MGM Resorts http://newsroom.mgmresorts.com/ robot-butlers-recharge-guest-experience-at-vdara.htm

It’s no surprise that automation has slowly been improving efficiencies, even replacing human labor in some industries, but are robots really “taking over the world” as some Hollywood movies might imply? In Las Vegas, we are seeing many aspects of technology integrated into the hospitality experience. From mobile phone/ kiosk check-in, to opening your hotel room door or ordering room service with a mobile app, technology has been implemented in practically every part of the hotel experience.

There have been some automation innovations popping up in hotels here and there in recent years. Having a personal interest and passion and technology myself, I was curious as to some of the new innovations that have popped up in recent years and whether our hospitality industry has been impacted significantly as a result.

Below are a few examples of automation that are roaming select hotels on the Vegas Strip.

January 2019 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 5

By Bob Barnes

what’s

BREWING

Hop Nuts Brewing Opening 2nd Location Last issue I reported on CraftHaus expanding, opening a tasting room this spring in the Arts District. Now I can report that Hop Nuts Brewing is doing the same, but expanding from its location in the Arts District, opening a second location in Tivoli Village in Summerlin.

Expected to open this spring, the new location will not include a brewery, but will feature more than a dozen taps pouring the Hop Nuts core beer lineup, along with brews unique to the Tivoli location.

Winter Beer Events The winter months usually mean beer events are harder to come by, but we can always count on Aces & Ales, Big Dog’s Brewing and CraftHaus Brewery to host outstanding beer fests no matter what time of the year it is.

As usual, Aces & Ales will begin the New Year in style with its 9th Annual Winter Beer

Fest. Held at its Tenaya location on Saturday, January 19 beginning at 3 p.m., 50 rare & specialty brews from 36 of the best breweries on the planet will be tapped. Local breweries will include Able Baker, Big Dog’s, CraftHaus, Hop Nuts, Lovelady and Tenaya Creek; and other awesome breweries pouring will include AleSmith, Beachwood, Epic, Firestone Walker, Jolly Pumpkin, Pizza Port and Stone. Visit www.acesandales.com for more info.

A week later, the Big Dog’s 9th Annual Winterfest will take place on January 26 from 3 to 9 p.m. in the outdoor area at the Draft House at Craig Rd. and Rancho Dr. You can expect hearty fare, live music and more than 45 beers, including several from Big Dog’s and other local breweries. Festival packages can be purchased in advance at www.bigdogsbrews. com/festivals/winterfest.

An annual commemoration I always enjoy attending is the CraftHaus Comrade Day, which this year will fall on February 2. This year marks the 4th annual event, which

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

He welcomes your inquiries.

Email: bob@lvfnb.com

features several versions of the brewery’s Comrade Russian Imperial Stout. Named for the camaraderie with The Las Vegas Distillery and founder/owner George Racz, this year’s celebration will be bittersweet as it will honor the legacy of George Racz, who passed away in November. At press time all the special Comrade versions hadn’t been nailed down yet, but Head Brewer Cameron Fisher says we can expect this year’s Comrade, which was aged on oak spirals soaked in Las Vegas Distillery whiskey, to be to be bigger than ever with increased body and ABV; and there will also be Comrades spiked with horchata, maple coffee and a revisit of Amigo 2018, with roasted chilies and Mexican vanilla. Last year there were eight varieties, including some with vanilla, coffee, roasted chilies and cocoa nibs, so we can likely expect more fun dabbling with flavors that play nicely with robust stouts. This is also the only day Comrade is available to take home in a 32 oz pour. For more info on this free event, visit www.crafthausbrewery.com.

Beer of the Month The New Year is a time of celebration and remembrance of the highlights of the previous year. In the case of Firestone Walker’s XXII Anniversary Ale, brewed to commemorate the brewery’s 22nd anniversary, there is much to celebrate. As it does every year, the brewery blended its barrel-aged beers with help from friendly local winemakers. The blending session has become an annual late-summer rite at the brewery, and the 2018 session took place on September 4 with 30 winemakers in attendance.

This year’s anniversary version is an 11.8% ABV mix of four of the California Central Coast brewery’s beers aged in spirits barrels: 44% Stickee monkee quad, 22% Parabola Russian imperial oatmeal stout and 22% Bravo imperial brown ale, all of which were aged in bourbon barrels; and 12% Helldorado blonde barleywine, 7% of which was aged in rum barrels and 5% in gin barrels. Brewmaster Matt Brynildson in describing the beer said, “Even though it’s a small percentage of the final blend, the gin barrel Helldorado adds a lot to this beer. It brings this interesting botanical quality with spicy notes that we’ve never had in our Anniversary blends before.” He also advises on how to enjoy this beer: “Allow it to warm to 55F to fully enjoy the pleasing and complex aromas. The true complexity of this blend is revealed as the beer sits and breathes in the glass, so take your time. If you wait to open your bottle later, store it in a cool dark place. Like our other Anniversary offerings, this beer will age well and change favorably for years to come.”

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SPIRITS CONFIDENTIAL with Max Solano

When we think of tea, its history, vast varieties and its uses, we could write about it for days….Tea’s origin is a colorful story that is a great blend of fact and fiction combining culture and spirituality. According to Chinese legend, the history is traced all the way back to 2737 B.C. when the Emperor Shen Nong accidentally discovered tea. The story claims that as the Emperor was boiling water a leaf from an overhanging tea tree drifted into the water. The Emperor supposedly enjoyed drinking the infused water so much that he delved into further researching tea and, eventually began discovering its medicinal properties.

Indian history attributes the discovery of tea to Prince Bodhi-Darma, the saint who discovered the Zen school of Buddhism. In 520 B.C. he left India to go preach Buddhism in China. To prove some Zen principles, he vowed to meditate for nine years without any sleep. However, towards the end of his demonstration, he fell asleep. Upon awakening, he was so angered by this that he cut off his own eyelids and threw them to the ground. Legend has it that a tea plant sprung up at that very spot to sanctify his sacrifice.

Despite deciphering the truths behind these stories, we know that tea became popularized and widespread first in the East, and eventually being introduced to the Western World by way of the Portuguese sometime in the 16th century. Since then, there has been a very detailed history of growth, traditions and innovations to create our modern-day tea industry which is practically consumed in every culture throughout the world. It seems that going as far back as the early 2000s there have been many discussions pointing to tea being a next big trend in the cocktail scene. To be frank, I don’t know that this has ever materialized and become widespread. I recall competing in the very first World Tea cocktail competition in 2008. There were competitors from all over, and this was really my first exposure to the world of tea and cocktails. I was honored to have my winning tea cocktail recipe published in Cynthia Gold’s book: Culinary Tea. But, again, to my point, it just seems that there have only been pockets of interest and implementation of teas in cocktails. When using tea, please know that the longer tea steeps, the more bitter and tannic it can become. So, use discretion. Also, when using straight tea in cocktails, keep in mind that what you are adding is straight water, so the drink is being thinned out.

Below, I have included several easy-to-make cocktail recipes using different teas and methods. www.lvfnbpro.com

photos by Joy Solano

“TEA’S THE SEASON”

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

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

CURIOUS TIPPLE 1.5 oz. Empress 1908 Gin .75 oz. Cartron Pamplemousse (Grapefruit) Liqueur 1 oz. Chamomile Tea syrup* 1 oz. fresh lemon juice 3 dashes Bitter Truth Grapefruit Bitters *Brew a strong chamomile tea-approximately one tea bag for every four ounces of hot water-and let steep for 15 minutes. While still hot, combine the hot tea with equal parts table sugar and stir well until the sugar is dissolved.

Keep refrigerated.

Garnish: Grapefruit peel oils, edible pansy or viola flower Glassware: Coupe Method: In a mixing glass or tin, combine all the ingredients and shake well over ice. Strain the contents straight up into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish.

PICADILLY PEACOAT 1.5 oz. Ceylon Orange Pekoe tea-infused Chase English Vodka* .5 oz. Chase Elderflower Liqueur 1.5 oz. blood orange puree 1 oz. simple syrup .5 oz. fresh lemon juice *In a glass container, place one tea bag or, if using loose leaf (none-bagged), two teaspoons for every 4 oz. of 80 proof vodka and infuse for no more than 12 hours. Less time, if using spirits with higher ABV. Garnish: dehydrated orange slice, brandied cherry flag Glassware: double old-fashioned Method: In a mixing glass or tin, combine all of the ingredients and shake well over ice. Strain the contents into a double old-fashioned glass over a large ice sphere.

Garnish.

BLUEGRASS PALMER 1.5 oz. Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon .5 oz. St-Germain Elderflower 3 oz. brewed iced tea 1.5 oz. Nagomi Peach Tea Syrup .5 oz. fresh lemon juice Garnish: dehydrated lemon wheel & fresh mint sprig Glassware: Collins Method: In a mixing glass or tin, combine all of the ingredients and shake well over ice. Strain the contents into a double old-fashioned glass over fresh ice. Garnish.

We know that there are many applications for tea in cocktails. And, perhaps someday, it will become big enough that we will have a need for tea cocktail authorities. Who knows? It may be you! Until then, know that Tis’ always the season for tea! ~ Cheers!

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Brett’s

By Jackie Brett Jackie is a freelance public relations specialist and writer specializing in the Las Vegas entertainment and travel scene. Her writings have appeared in magazines and newspapers nationwide and on numerous websites.

Email: jackiebrett@cox.net

The Global Winter Wonderland festival, a premiere outdoor Chinese lantern event in the Rio’s parking lot, runs through Jan. 20.

The Flamingo’s recent room renovation includes 14 new upscale 515-square-foot Bunk Bed Rooms and several larger Bunk Bed Suites with parlor and kitchenette.

ENTERTAINMENT ITEMS

The Joint at Hard Rock lineup will feature British rock band Bring Me The Horizon’s massive “First Love” North American tour stop Saturday, Feb. 16. The Roots, official house band on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, will headline Friday, Feb. 22.

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“Love the ‘90s—The Vegas Show,” which premiered Oct. 25 at the Paris Theater, will return Thursday, Jan. 17. A rotating cast is expected this year.

photo credit: DR Al Watson

Vdara Club Lounge will be a secluded retreat opening on the second floor at Vdara next to the ESPA spa this month with an afternoon 2-4 p.m. social hour.

Howard Hughes Corporation, owner of Las Vegas 51s, the city’s professional Triple-A baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, changed the team’s name to Las Vegas Aviators.

The World Financial Group Continental Cup of Curling international competition returns to the Orleans Arena Jan. 17-20.

Television brand TCL this month will open Topgolf’s first TCL esports Lounge in Las Vegas offering daily esports play, special events, The 40,000-square-foot Eataly Las Vegas opened coaching sessions, etc. its second West Coast location at Park MGM. The 24-hour attraction’s formula is a combination restaurants and retail shopping experience.

French restaurant Favorite Bistro, Group Bourdoncle’s first U.S. location, is open with a patio at the LINQ Promenade starting with breakfast at 8 a.m.

Last month, 108 Eats by James Trees, who has Esther’s Kitchen downtown, opened on the 108th level at the Stratosphere.

Italian restaurant Cipriani Las Vegas opened the brand’s first West Coast location in the new Wynn Plaza Shops with wall photographs of Wynn Resort acquired the nine-foot Arrows and Flower Neon Sign uniting the signature arrows famous models. from Virgil Abloh’s fashion label, Off-White, Mott 32 debuted its first U.S. restaurant at The with Takashi Murakami’s rainbow flower.

Palazzo celebrating Hong Kong’s culture and Police Chase Las Vegas at the Las Vegas Motor culinary traditions. Interior design pays tribute to Speedway provides the only police pursuit Las Vegas’ history with dining tables made from and intervention driving tactics available to the vintage roulette wheels, neon signs and more. general public in the U.S. The Factory Kitchen, an authentic Italian Formerly the Hart Mansion, the estate-like setting restaurant from Los Angeles, made its premier at has been remodeled and renamed Mansion54 The Venetian. It’s open for lunch and dinner. offering 25,000 square feet of collective elegant Wolfgang Puck’s CUT restaurant after 10 years event spaces. at The Palazzo • The Venetian Resort has a new Street Art Las Vegas, a new book in April will sophisticated look, dramatic whiskey display document the art form in Las Vegas’ metropolitan behind the expanded bar, roving cocktail cart and area by local photographers William Shea and enhanced food and beverage offerings.

Patrick Lai. Golden Circle Sports Bar is a new 140-seat Nevada Ballet Theatre’s 35th Black & White eatery and bar off the casino floor at Treasure gala fundraiser will honor Rita Moreno Jan. 26 Island with resort owner Phil Ruffin’s personal at Aria. sports memorabilia.

Snow Patrol celebrating their first album in seven The 2018 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice years, “Wildness,” stop at The Joint at Hard Awards for Restaurants ranked Earl of Rock Saturday, May 18. Atlantic recording group Sandwich in Planet Hollywood second out of 10 Death Cab for Cutie will begin their Spring for the top U.S.-based fast casual restaurants.

2019 tour supporting their ninth LP, “Thank You for Today,” Friday, March 20.

ABOUT TOWN TIPS photo credit: Jeff Green

photo credit: Francisco Lupini Eataly USA

DINING NEWS

Superstar Diana Ross will return to Wynn Las Vegas with nine performances Feb. 6-23. She’s celebrating her 75th birthday diamond jubilee with an all-new show, “Diamond Diana.”

Actor and author Rob Lowe will make his Las Vegas-debut Saturday, April 13 at Planet Hollywood as part of his “Stories I Only Tell My Friends: LIVE!” tour inspired by memoirs, Stories I Only Tell My Friends and Love Life.

Tyler Perry will bring his “Madea” character to Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Sunday, Jan. 27 at 5 p.m. This is Perry’s 21st stage play. He will be joined by Tamela Mann, David Mann and Cassi Davis.

Admit.VIP, which operates the Night Owl Showroom at Hooters, has reopened the upgraded Pegasus Showroom at Alexis Park and launched two new shows: “Martini’s and Magic” starring Naathan Phan and “The Comics Battle” featuring John Hilder.

Van Morrison added Feb.8 and 9, to his Jan. 25Feb. 2 run at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

Daryl Hall and John Oates will return for three exclusive U.S. dates March 20, 22 and 23, and Reba McEntire, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn for a fourth year.

Tony Award-winning Broadway legend Betty Buckley will star in the National Tour of “Hello, Dolly!” visiting The Smith Center March 19-24.

“Forbidden Broadway” mastermind Gerard Alessandrini is now spoofing “Hamilton” and its creator Lin-Manuel Miranda with “Spamilton: An American Parody” stopping at The Smith Center in the Troesh Studio Theater Jan. 22– Feb. 10.

At the Rocks Lounge inside Red Rock, comedian Brad Williams is set for two shows Friday-Saturday, Feb. 1-2. Golden Globe winning actress and musician, Katey Sagal will return Saturday, Feb. 16. www.lvfnbpro.com

•Wholesale distributor of exceptional quality dried spices and specialty foods to the finest hotels and restaurants •Owned and operated by a former chef with over 20 years of experience •Custom packed Herbs and Spices •Custom Spice Bends •Private labeling •Now Certified Kosher

Product Review

By Bob Barnes

Unibroue Ale Gâteau Forêt-Noire Unibroue was the first North American brewer to use a brewing method inspired by the twocenturies-old tradition developed by monks in Europe, particularly Belgium. Now the Quebec, Canada-based brewery is commemorating its 25th anniversary and to celebrate, it has released this new, limited-release beer. Brewmaster Jerry Vietz said he based this brew on the idea that “you can’t have an anniversary party without a cake. With roasted malt aroma, tart cherries, cocoa beans and dark chocolate flavors, I brewed Ale Gâteau Forêt-Noire to be pleasantly evocative of the classic Black Forest cake.” As I sampled this 10.5 percent ABV brew I noticed its flavors intensified as it warmed up and a slight aftertaste of dark chocolate and tart cherry poked its way through, so I caution you to allow it to warm up a bit before sipping, or savor it slowly to enjoy it to the fullest.

Ale Gâteau Forêt-Noire is available in the U.S. for a limited time. Use the finder tool in the Unibroue Passport App or visit unibrouefinder.com to see where it is available near you.

Pampelonne Sparkling Wine Cocktails These days you can find just about anything in a can, and why not, as cans are convenient and an excellent vehicle for keeping drinks at optimum condition before serving. Case in point is this 6% ABV French white wine-based cocktail, which serves as an alternative to traditional wines. I sampled the Harvest Pear Palmetto with natural flavors of Bosc pear and Meyer lemon infused with aromatics of cardamom, cinnamon and ginger; Rose Lime with notes of passion fruit, ruby red grapefruit and lime; and French 75 with aromatics of juniper and Meyer lemon, balanced with notes of spicy bergamot and elderflower. Other flavors include Blood Orange Spritz, Negroni Sbagliato, Watermelon Americano and Black Cherry Bicicletta. A bonus is the fact that Pampelonne is low carb (8-10 grams), gluten free and only 120 calories per 8.4 oz can with 7-8 grams of sugar.

Anchor Brewing 2018 Christmas Ale Since 1975 Anchor Brewing has created a distinctive Christmas Ale, available from early Nov. to mid-January, and this year marks its 44th annual rendition. A collector’s item for many beer aficionados, the fun is having some now and saving some to taste later to compare with other vintages. The recipe is different every year, along with the hand-drawn ubiquitous tree depicted on the label, which this year is a Korean Pine, a tree native to both North and South Korea that is a symbol of peace and is flourishing in picturesque botanical gardens north of San Francisco, Anchor’s home base. (To view all 44 versions of the Christmas tree label, visit www.anchorbrewing. com/beer/christmas_ale/labels.) The recipe and ingredients are a heavily guarded secret, but Anchor Brewmaster Scott Ungermann describes year’s version: “Our 2018 Christmas Ale has varying specialty malts, lending rich flavors of brûléed sugars, holiday spices and freshly baked banana bread with a velvety finish. The aromatics are quintessential for the holiday season: nutty candied yams and resinous pine. It pours a nice mahogany brown color with a fluffy, tan head.”

Reuben’s Brews Since opening in 2012, this family-run Seattle-based brewery, named after co-founders Adam and Grace Robbins’ first child Reuben, has won a slew of awards at the Great American Beer Festival, World Beer Cup, US Open and in 2015 was named Mid-Sized Brewery of the Year at the 2015 Washington Beer Awards. Available just in time for the holidays is Holiday Gose, fermented with lactobacillus and brewed with over 10 pounds of cranberries per barrel, sweet orange zest, a touch of coriander and a hint of sea salt. Another seasonal release, available through Jan., is Roasted Red IPA brewed with ESB, Caramel, Chocolate and Crystal Rye malts; and hopped with Amarillo, Cascade and Magnum, for a nose of tangerine and citrus and notes of caramel, chocolate and roast, making this an IPA and Winter Warmer wrapped into one brew. Available year round, the Hazealicious IPA is representative of a style growing in popularity, Hazy IPA, which brings the vibrant hoppy citrus notes of an IPA but with restrained bitterness. Reuben’s Brews beers are primarily available in Washington, Northern Idaho and the Portland Metro area. www.reubensbrews.com

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It’s All About the Chocolate

By Gael Hees Gael Hees is a Las Vegas freelancer, specializing in written, graphic and audiovisual communications. She has written for national publications and has won numerous awards for tourism-related printed materials and videos, is accredited in public relations by the Public Relations Society of America and is a certified hospitality educator. gael.hees@icloud.com

Denise and Levi Elrod have been cooking together since their very beginning when they met while working as chefs in a chocolate shop in Florida. Just like in a fairy tale, they found themselves loving each other, sharing a love for chocolate and wanting to own a business of their own.

“We just hit it off,” said Denise. “We worked together every single second of every single day. A lot of people couldn’t handle that, but we loved being around each other and that’s why we knew we would be successful if we started a company together.”

Five years later, the couple owns ChocolateBuzzz, a chocolate shop offering bonbons, turtles, barks and other confections that have their customers raving. “Amazing! Just the right amount of salty,” Stephanie said of the Pink Himalayan bonbon. “Just like a candy cane wrapped in chocolate–the spiciness of the candy cane comes out, balanced with the chocolate,” said Randy of the peppermint bark. “I could happily eat an entire box,” Stephanie waxed gluttonous over the turtles. “Too good,” said Natalie.

Customers often speak about the “balance” of the candies. They refer to the balance between crunch and goo, the balance between sweet and salty, the balance between flavors that gives a piece that special wow moment.

Balance is very important to Denise and Levi, not just in their products, but in their lives as well. They have carefully crafted a model for their business that allows them to move gracefully through the challenges of a young business, an even younger baby and leading lives filled with family and friends, exercise and spending time together.

ChocolateBuzzz has no storefront. This means that the owners aren’t tied to a location or monthly rent. “We want to keep our costs low, so our customers pay for the quality of the product, not square feet,” Denise said.

The turtles, bonbons, peppermint bark and other items can be found at farmers markets and online. Denise ships and will even personally deliver ChocolateBuzzz products to a home or office for an order of $100 or more. The Elrods are also experimenting with a wholesale arrangement with Gifted in Boca Park, and have been approached by several other storeowners interested in carrying their products.

The cooking is all done in a shared-use commercial kitchen called Vida Kitchens. They rent the cooking area by the hour, usually at night, when sitters are available and Levi isn’t working at his job as manager of a 24-Hour Fitness location. They didn’t make a huge investment in equipment and the “rent” is tied directly to the making of the product.

The company spends its money on chocolate. “We use Valrhona and Cacao Barry, the highest quality chocolate you can buy,” Denise said. “I already knew what the best was, and I picked the best before we even started the company.”

The second most important ingredient is vanilla. According to Denise, there’s a lot of vanilla in bonbons and again, they use the best: Nielsen-Massey. Flavorings include the essential oils of peppermint and ginger from Doterra, and real candy canes, among others. “We tried using a peppermint extract, but it leaves a chemical taste,” said Denise. “We use the ginger essential oil in the ginger spice caramel with the ginger infusion, to give it another pop of ginger.”

With ingredients on hand, the cooking begins. Levi is good with the flavor combinations, and cooks the ganaches and caramels, plus he is the genius behind the company’s stunning packaging. Denise brings her skills to the fore with the aesthetics for the chocolates themselves, creating the smooth, colorful shells for the bonbons, and many of their custom designs for events and company marketing.

ChocolateBuzzz is completing its third year and is looking to 2019 to be their best year yet as the company continues to grow and thrive. Through careful planning, they have created a business many years earlier than they would have ever thought possible.

They’ve found a good balance–in the tastes and textures of their products and in their lives.

Author’s note: I have a confession. I don’t like chocolate, it doesn’t cross my lips. I’ve been called not human and accused of being an alien because of this. To write this article I obtained chocolates from Denise and shared them with family members–my husband Randy, his daughter Stephanie and my daughter, Natalie. They LOVED them.

And I can tell you that they’re really beautiful and have great packaging. However, you should probably try them yourself. That way you’ll know for sure…

For more information, or to order, visit chocolatebuzzz.com. www.lvfnbpro.com

photos courtesy ChocolateBuzzz

Front & Back of the House

January 2019 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 11

By Bob Barnes

He welcomes your inquiries.

Email: bob@lvfnb.com

photos courtesy Cipriani

What’s Cooking

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

Iconic Italian Cipriani Opens First West Coast Location at Wynn Las Vegas windows dressed with graceful white curtains.

The Cipriani private label house wine, made in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region in northern Italy, comes in options of Cipriani Prosecco Brut, Cancello Del Sole (meaning gate to the sun) Cabernet Sauvignon and Cancello Della Luna (gate to the moon) Chardonnay. But you should not leave without trying their version of the Bellini, a drink invented in 1948 by Giuseppe Cipriani Sr. This original version of the classic drink is made with white peach puree and the aforementioned Cipriani Prosecco.

Standout dishes to our palates included baby artichokes Romana, grown and prepared in Venice and vacuum sealed; carpaccio “alla Cipriani” made from sirloin using a recipe created by Mr. Cipriani in the 1950s; eggplant Parmigiana, fried and baked and covered with tomato sauce and mozzarella and Parmigiana

cheese; homemade potato gnocchi with cream and tomato sauce that seemed to melt in our mouth; and slow roasted chicken “alla cacciatora” cooked with onion, carrot, celery, mushroom, tomato and white wine. We finished with their #1 selling dessert, the classic vanilla crème meringue, which uses a lighter and fluffier version of meringue than I am used to, which made it easy to enjoy after a big meal.

Cipriani is open for lunch daily from 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m., dinner Mon.-Thu. from 4-11 p.m. and until 12 a.m. on Fri.-Sat. The restaurant is conveniently located just steps from the self-parking garage and your parking ticket will be validated for free parking if you spend at least $50. www.wynnlasvegas.com/Dining/ FineDining/Cipriani

of the photo nooks (but may have to wait your turn as it seems to be THE thing to do). Inside you’ll find an olive tree standing at the middle of the room, tones of teal and azure blue and wood flooring that is made of red and white oak reclaimed from abandoned farms and warehouses in the eastern US. The global Asian-inspired menu of sushi, seafood and steak includes a raw bar; sushi; nigiri/sashimi; vegan dishes; branzino, swordfish, Cantonese lobster, tuna, scallop,

octopus, mahi-mahi and snapper; and for the meat lovers: Prime porterhouse, NY strip, American wagyu and New Zealand rack of lamb.

Our favorites were the CATCH ceviche with Alaskan king crab, ME lobster, shrimp, scallop, mango and blood orange ponzu; roasted beets with tri-colored beets, goat cheese foam, candied walnuts and shaved radish; king crab tempura with heirloom tomato and Amazu Ponzu; and the buttery, rich thinly sliced A5

photos courtesy CATCH

The iconic Italian institution which originally opened as Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy in 1931, has debuted at the new Wynn Plaza. This new expansion follows openings of 16 locations around the globe, including New York, Miami, Hong Kong, Mexico City, Dubai and Monte Carlo, and is the first location on the West Coast.

Once you walk in, you may feel as if you have been transported to Venice, as the most common accent you will hear from the staff is Italian, and the mood is enhanced with soft Italian music. You may also feel as if you are on a luxurious cruise ship, with a nautical theme complete with portholes throughout (even in the restroom) displaying a video of the ocean like the view from an ocean liner. Other suggestions of elegance include glossy lacquered wood pillars, classy terrazzo tile flooring, chrome accents, plush seating and floor-to-ceiling

The CATCH of the Day Known for attracting A-listers at its locations in L.A., NYC and Playa Del Carmen, now celebrities and anyone who loves seafood done well have a place to congregate in Las Vegas, as CATCH is now open at ARIA. Situated off the casino near the lobby in the former barMASA and Tetsu space, as you enter through a dramatic 80-foot-long arched pergola lined with twinkling foliage overhead and vibrant, bloom-infused flower walls, you’ll likely want to have your picture taken in one

12 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I January 2019

www.lvfnbpro.com

bar perched atop a brownie, devil’s food cake and roasted white chocolate ice cream. (For a video of this dessert’s dramatic presentation visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMXz1ohfJ-8.)

The beverage program includes around 250 wines (modeled after the L.A. CATCH’s list, with wines mainly from Argentina, California and Italy); an extensive sake, tequila, bourbon, cognac, whiskey and Scotch selection; and cocktails like the “One Too Many” with strawberry-infused Absolut Elyx, Lillet Rose, coconut, avocado and lime. It’s a bit surprising that while such care was taken to curate these aforementioned lists, a disappointment is the beer list, which only offers five options, none of which are locally brewed.

General Manager Jason Archuleta previously managed at Zuma, so comes well prepared for overseeing a restaurant that specializes in Asian-influenced seafood. He relates that the aforementioned flowered pergola entrance, which made the CATCH L.A. famous, is three times longer in Vegas (which I find no surprise as Vegas likes to do things bigger and better!).

And, with the restaurant doing hundreds of covers a night, seafood is guaranteed to be fresh, as it is flown in daily.

CATCH is open daily for dinner from 5:30-11 p.m. and the lounge is open Thu.-Sat. from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. www.aria.com/en/restaurants/catch.html

photos by Dylan + Jeni

Japanese Miyazaki wagyu with yuzu soy, garlic oil, Maldon sea salt and sesame, which arrives with a sizzling hot stone on which you cook it to your liking.

There appears to be something for everyone, and several items on the menu are coded GF (gluten free), DF (dairy free) and V (vegan) to help diners with specific dietary restrictions or preferences. Exclusive to the Las Vegas CATCH is the vegan veggie king roll comprised of king oyster mushrooms, cashew and spicy miso; and additional vegan variations can be made upon request.

An over-the-top dessert you will be wise not to miss is the “Hit Me” Chocolate Cake that you smash to release the decadent liquid “Klondike”

NoMad Restaurant Brings the Wow Factor to Park MGM The much anticipated opening of NoMad Restaurant at Park MGM came to pass in November. The acclaimed restaurant led by James Beard Award-winning Chef Daniel Humm and Restaurateur Will Guidara already has two very popular locations in Los Angeles and NYC, with both situated in historic buildings. As Las Vegas doesn’t have too many of those, the history was brought in via 25,000 vintage books, many from the David Rockefeller private estate, which fill bookcases lining the walls on two levels in the dining room. Adding to the room’s opulent, majestic ambience are 3-tiered chandeliers, plush red leather booths and classy dark wood tables.

The kitchen is helmed by Chef de Cuisine Michael Rellergert, whose artistry is evident in the beautiful presentation of each dish, which is especially noticeable in the fruits de mer le grand plateau. Unlike most seafood towers that are simply an arrangement of crustaceans on ice, this one consists of six composed dishes featuring oyster, scallop, hamachi, lobster, uni and crab (such as king crab bavarois with cream, gelatin and crab mousse).

The wow factor mentioned in the title refers to the presentation and exceptional flawless flavors of each dish, but also to tableside preparation, such as steak tartare (a dish I’d never before seen made before my eyes), which our server made by combining filet mignon with horseradish, raw shallot, baby pickles, capers, chives, egg yolk, fried shallot and miso sauce. While not made tableside, another first for me was

enjoying something containing carrot, which is the one vegetable I avoid whenever possible.

But the carrot tartare, which included quail egg, horseradish, apple, mustard and sunflower seed, was so delectable I have decided to give carrots another chance.

A dish that could serve as your meal due to its richness and excellence is the soupe aux truffe Bocuse (inspired by the French master of the same name) with chicken consommé, mirepoix and foie gras topped with golden puff pastry. If I could only choose one dish to enjoy the rest of my life and nothing else, this one would certainly be in the running.

The signature dish NoMad is known for is the roast chicken for two stuffed with foie gras, black truffle & brioche with dark meat fricassee & sauce supreme. The whole bird arrives at your table and is a sight to behold, and after it poses for its picture is returned to the kitchen for carving. Also picture-worthy is the baked Alaska dessert, a mixture of spice cake, ice cream and pear & mulled wine, which is lit by your server as rum is poured onto it.

Those that have visited the other NoMads will want to check out the Vegas version. While several menu items are NoMad signature dishes, those available only in Las Vegas include pan-seared duck breast and confit leg with endive and shallot crumble; lobster thermidor in mustard, cream & brandy sauce; cavatelli pasta with black truffle, sausage, ricotta and parmesan; and baked potato Dumont topped with black truffles.

The thick 67-page wine book lists 850 wines from around the globe. Wine Director Kester Masias related that he is aiming for at least 1,800 wines, but there is plenty of room for growth, with available capacity for 19,000. As is done at the other two NoMad restaurants, a local brewery is selected to brew a beer made exclusively for the restaurant to pair with its roast chicken. After Kester initially tasted brews from eight Nevada breweries and narrowed it down to three, he selected CraftHaus as the winning local brewery. The beer designed especially for the restaurant is fittingly named ¡A Ganar, A Ganar! (Spanish for winner, winner…as in chicken dinner), and is a Belgian-style brown ale with fig, pleasant vinous qualities and notes of toffee that I found so delicious I would enjoy it with or without the chicken dinner. If you are not into wine or beer, you should be happy with the cocktail and spirits list, which includes several pages listing a large variety of creations like the Hot Lips (jalapeño-infused tequila, mezcal, pineapple, lemon, and vanilla) and spirits from around the world.

Don’t confuse NoMad Restaurant with NoMad Bar, which is located just across the way and has its own menu. A bonus is self-parking and valet parking are free to locals who validate their ticket at the restaurant. Hours are 5:30-10:30 p.m. Tue.-Sat. www.nomadlasvegas.com/en/restaurants/ the-nomad-restaurant.html

Correction: My apologies to Estiatorio Milos. In this column last month, in reporting on the Greek/Mediterranean/seafood restaurant’s winemaker’s table dinners, I misstated which day the monthly wine dinners take place on. The dinners, which began in January of 2018, occur the first Thursday of each month. www.lvfnbpro.com

January 2019 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 13

Twinkle Toast

photo by Erin Cooper

Douglas Kim: The Newest Master in Las Vegas

By Erin Cooper & Christine Vanover Erin Cooper and Christine Vanover have been residents of Las Vegas since 2007. Vanover is also a UNLV Alumnus.

Both women are Territory Managers for the Resort Wine Team at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, members of Women Gone Wine and the founders of Twinkle Toast. info@twinkletoast.com • www.twinkletoast.com Facebook: @TwinkleToast Twitter: TwinkleToastLV Instagram: TwinkleToastLV

WineOsaur shirts available online at www.twinkletoast.com/shop

According to Malcolm Gladwell, it takes 10,000 hours of practice to master a skill. But what if that skill contains three subsets? It could potentially take a lifetime. Douglas Kim, MS applied himself to endless hours of study to prepare for one of the most intense exams imaginable. It is comprised of three sections: Theory, Tasting and Service and while some sommeliers might pass one or two sections, it is truly a momentous occasion when one passes all three and finally becomes a Master in the Court of Master Sommeliers.

After a confidentiality breach that took place during the Master Sommelier diploma exam in September 2018, all 23 passing candidates were asked to retest the tasting portion of the exam in either December 2018, April 2019 or September 2019. This unprecedented incident has already stripped several candidates of their title but for Kim, the December 5th retest date was an opportunity to further solidify his place among the Masters who came before him and to ultimately earn his Master pin twice over. We recently caught up with Kim and spoke with him about his path to success.

Was this your first attempt at taking the Master exam?

This was my sixth attempt.

How long have you been studying for the test?

I’ve been studying since I was twenty-one when I first took the Introductory exam.

What was the best study tool for you?

I like to study by buying and reading as many books as possible as well as using different websites. I would create questions as if I was curating the exam so that I could ask myself those questions later. I found it a bit distracting when I would study with other people but found it very useful when everyone made a list of questions to ask each other. Then you could ask why that question is relevant or important in the beverage world and have a discussion on it. That makes it more memorable.

What was the most difficult part about taking the exam?

The time it takes to prepare. You definitely miss out on events and especially since I have a family, I had to pick and choose whether to study or spend time with them. Now I will have a lot more time to devote to them!

Did you have any mentors assist you during this process?

The most influential mentor was probably Willi Sherrer, MS who hired me as a wine

14 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I January 2019

runner at Aureole for my first wine gig. He was the most laid back, non-pretentious, sommelier I’ve met and helped me pass the Advanced exam. Ira Harmon, MS has been great in the community helping with tastings.

Most important is probably my tasting group.

We all had like-minds in wanting to pass this exam and pushed each other to get better.

What was your initial reaction when you were informed that you would have to retest the tasting portion of the exam?

There was an initial shock. I couldn’t believe what had happened. I think I was in denial for the first couple days and then the entire week after was an emotional rollercoaster. I had never felt this way in my life. I would be lying if I said tears weren’t shed.

How did the retest feel in comparison to the initial one? Did you experience any emotions that weren’t present the first time around?

The second time was a bit surreal. I was still nervous going in the second time as there was added pressure but once you get in that room and you start tasting, you can only think about the wines. I’ve done tastings so many times that I think I was prepared for the exam. I couldn’t have done it without my tasting group and those reaching out to do tastings for me.

What was the first thing you did after finding out you had passed for the second time?

I called my wife and my family to let them know I passed. I let everyone know who was rooting for me that I had been successful.

What have you done to celebrate your success?

I celebrated in September, so that was enough for me. This pass in December was a bit anticlimactic as I had already passed before.

While I am happy for my success, I won’t be able to fully celebrate until everyone from the original class of 2018 passes again.

What advice do you have for those who are considering working towards their Master pin?

You have to really want the MS credential. It won’t be handed to you and don’t let failure discourage you. There is a lot of time and sacrifices you will have to make to achieve your goal. If you are aware of that and can surround yourself with like-minded individuals, it will be easier to succeed.

How will having your Master pin change your career?

I think having the pin will open some more doors in the future but more important than the pin, I think your reputation in the wine community can weigh a lot more. www.lvfnbpro.com

By Pat Evans

Chef Spotlight Jainine Jaffer

Pat Evans is a writer based in Las Vegas and Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is a regular contributor to Grand Rapids Magazine, October and The Manual often writing about food, beer and spirits. He has written one book, Grand Rapids Beer, and has more on the way.

Twitter: @patevans Instagram: @patrickmevans

When and how did you start cooking?

I was probably still in training wheels.

I literally always had a love for the kitchen.

I was at my mom’s feet as a baby, always in the kitchen. I made my first meal for family when I was 8. I have a love of food and flavors and creating.

Do you remember the dish?

I could never forget. I made a traditional Pakistani curry, like a meatball with a tomato sauce and yogurt curry with pita bread.

Has your heritage always been your influence?

Because of my heritage, there is always a little influence in what I do, but I’m very much known as a fusion chef; I have an affinity toward fusion.

When did you realize you wanted to be a chef?

I went through a whole gamut: doctor, lawyer, firefighter and astronaut. I think I always knew I would love it and thought I would be. When I was 17, I wrote up a business plan and drew up blueprints on a sketchpad for a bakery and café. I had no money or collateral, so that didn’t work.

Eventually I went to college and got my degree in business management and digital media marketing and I owned and operated hotels. Everything I’ve done, it’s been fun, but I never truly loved it.

So how’d you end up back in Las Vegas cooking?

I was living in L.A. for a brief five years, and one day I looked up and asked myself, “Do you love what you do?” And the answer was no. The follow up was, “What are you going to do about that?” So I moved back to Vegas, went to culinary school and finished in 13 months.

How was that adjustment from the business world to the kitchen?

It was definitely an adjustment, a good one at that. I didn’t have to sit in front of www.lvfnbpro.com

photo by Madison Freedle

Jainine Jaffer only started cooking professionally a few years ago, but food has been a life-long passion.

After earning her degree in business management and owning and operating businesses, she realized she wasn’t happy.

She packed up her things in Los Angeles and moved back home to Las Vegas, got her culinary degree and started doing what she knew she’d love: cooking.

Beyond her own passion for food, she views food as a gateway to cultures and helping expand people’s minds.

a computer screen and the creativity was unleashed at crazy depths.

Do you have advice on how to unleash similar creativity?

I would honestly say stop trying to fit into a box and make your destiny. That’s how I’ve always lived. When I grew up, there was a lot of racism. As mixed culture, I was never brown enough for the brown kids, never white enough for the white kids. So I had to learn to be comfortable in my own skin at an early age, so I don’t take s#!% from anyone, don’t question myself. I do what I feel is right and cool and I don’t care.

How has the Vegas dining scene changed since you were growing up?

It’s definitely diversified a lot from the early 90s. As the city has grown, it opens the doors for other people, other cultures, other cuisines to come in and you just find your niche. There’s a lot of opportunities for this city and people have realized and started to capitalize on it. I love that this city is becoming a food destination. It’s well deserved.

You mentioned you travel a lot. How do you find food?

I definitely do like to do research before I go anywhere, a place I’m not familiar with. Also, trust the whole follow your nose instinct. I’ll never forget a time in Denver

I was just driving around trying to find the botanical garden and caught a whiff and it smelled good. I literally drove around until the smell got closer and I found a hole-inthe-wall cranking out Filipino food. I like to find what’s not so popular. I look for quaint little dark spots. As much as I love going to five-star dining places, that’s not my forte or for the majority of people. We just want good food made from love. That’s my niche, that’s what I go for, the whole David Chang, Ugly Delicious. It’s true, the best food is probably the ugliest.

What are your 2019 goals?

Obviously to create and present amazing dishes in a way to kind of bring about awareness of my own culture. As a Muslim, I cook only halal, and within the realm of food, people are a lot more open to hearing things. People come in and ask what does halal mean? And that’s opening the gate to promote understanding.

I’ve always been exposed to diversity, and even though a lot of people have a common misconception of what Muslim and Islam are, we’re just as normal as you and everybody else. Life is all about accepting people as they are and not putting labels on them. In a way, my fusion cooking is promoting unity as well. Just like people of different cultures live in harmony, so can flavors.

January 2019 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 15

Chaîne des Rôtisseurs The world’s oldest and largest gastronomic society

By Bob Barnes

The nine 2018 Chaîne des Rôtisseurs inductees are sworn in, including our own Senior Editor/Publisher Mike Fryer (4th from right) and Journalist Don Chareunsy (5th from right).

In comparison with other cities, Las Vegas has a relatively short history of world-class culinary excellence. Yet, there is one convivial group in this city that meets several times a year to enjoy the “pleasures of the table” that is the oldest and largest gastronomic society in the world.

This group devoted to fine food and wine is none other than Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, which originally was a formation of the French Royal Guild of Meat Roasters and traces its origins to 1248. Re-established in Paris in 1950 and launched in Las Vegas in 1959,

2018 Induction Dinner

I had the tremendous honor to experience the camaraderie of this prestigious organization firsthand, attending the annual 2018 induction dinner, held on December 19 at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. To start things off, the U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard marched in. Ira Falk, the executive vice president of all U.S. chapters, presented Las Vegas chapter Bailli (President) Larry Ruvo with a pin for his 30 years as a member.

Shortly after, nine new members were sworn in by Falk, who conferred their titles with a “sword” modeled after a larding needle, a device used to insert fat into meats to help keep them moist during cooking. Members were presented with their ribbons, which resemble sashes, whose colors coincide with their profession. Other members could be seen throughout the assemblage with varying

today the organization has chapters in over 80 countries, and there are more than 130 bailliages (chapters) in the U.S. with over 6,000 members.

The diverse makeup of the members includes gourmets, gastronomes, chefs, restaurateurs, hoteliers, oenologists, winery owners, sommeliers, food and wine educators, journalists and those from all walks of life who are interested in the finest of dining and life experiences and enjoying the camaraderie of friends at dinners and events. The common denominator among members is their passion

for exceptional food and wines. Local, regional, national and international dinners and events merge these kindred spirits.

Because of the Chaîne’s global outreach, members find a warm welcome when in a city where a chapter is located.

Las Vegas Bailliage members are an eclectic mix of movers and shakers in the community and rising stars in the hospitality industry.

Meetings are held at a variety of venues that have ranged from a roving feast among the restaurants at Crystals to Michelin three-star extravaganzas.

colors representing their positions as a club officer. Impressive to my eyes were several that were almost completely covered with pins commemorating various dinner events they had attended over their years as members.

As for the dinner, it included passed appetizers of chilled capellini pasta, sashimi Mediterranean octopus, bacon crostino and robata-grilled Kobe ribeye skewers; courses of king crab trio, Hudson Valley duck confit, fillet mignon and New Bedford sea scallops and Peruvian chocolate soup. As if this repast wasn’t enough to fill us up, at the conclusion of the dinner we were invited to visit the “Sweet Escape Room” with a variety of gelatos, milkshakes and sweet treats. This incredibly decadent feast was prepared by a team of 13 world-class chefs from some of Las Vegas’ finest restaurants—Juventino Magana/ CoCo’s, Jesse Maldonado/Estiatorio Milos, Luciano Pellegrini/Marche Bacchus, Benoit Cornet & Dia Young/Southern Glazer’s Wine

& Spirits, Khai Vu/Mordeo Boutique Wine Bar, Brian Howard/Sparrow & Wolf, Barry Dakake/Scotch 80 Prime, Brad Daniels/ Vetri Cucina, Matthew Silverman & Matt Piekarski/Hexx Kitchen and Stephen Parker & Cody Thomas/Black Tap—paired with some of the world’s most prestigious French Champagnes, including Barons de Rothschild Blanc de Blancs, 2008 Drappier “Grande Sendree” and 2009 Dom Perignon.

16 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I January 2019

In addition to the excellent food and wine, we were entertained throughout the evening by Laura Shaffer and the 7-piece Lon Bronson Band; the TinselTones Carolers; Carnell “Golden Pipes” Johnson; Sean & John from the Absinthe show; Pendleton the 3rd from the Opium show; and Elvis impersonator Harry Shahoian, who led an interactive “12 Days of Christmas” with representatives from each table providing their hilarious interpretations via dance and gyrations of each day’s gifts. www.lvfnbpro.com

A Chat with Ira Falk

What Members Have to Say

Richard Gordon, President of Laurich Properties, Inc., is an officer in the local chapter, holding the title of Vice Charge de Missions. He credits his father with instilling in him a great appreciation for fine dining at a young age. Gordon said, “I was first introduced to the Chaîne in the early 1980s when I was perhaps 20 years old. My father continued to take me to Chaîne events as a young person. It was therefore natural that when my wife and I moved to Las Vegas in 1993, that we would join the Las Vegas chapter. If memory serves, I was inducted in 1994.

Being an officer in the Chaîne means a great deal to me. The great majority of our members are in the food or beverage service industry. I am not. Therefore to be accepted into this society as a non-food service professional in an officer-ship role, is very special to me. I can’t say enough about the amazing job Larry Ruvo, Michael Severino and the good folks at Southern (Glazer’s Wine and Spirits) have done over the past 25 years that I have been in the chapter.”

A new member inducted at the dinner was Don Chareunsy, a freelance writer whose work has graced this publication on more than one occasion, as well as M Life, Pacific San Diego Magazine, Vegas Magazine, the Las Vegas Sun and Las Vegas Review-Journal. Don was asked

by Vice Conseiller Gastronomique Michael Severino (of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits) to be the Charge de Presse of the Bailiage of Las Vegas after the passing this year of Marilyn LeRocque, who served in this position for more than two decades. Don said, “It is an honor to follow in Ms. LeRocque’s footsteps, and I hope to serve the Bailiage with pride and respect.

Induction into The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs allows me to shine the spotlight on the incredible and world-class culinary industry in Las Vegas, from the restaurateurs, chefs, mixologists and sommeliers to the managers, writers and all the other integral and very important restaurant employees. It also allows me to continue the legacy of Mr. Robin Leach, my colleague, friend, mentor and advocate of 10 years in Las Vegas who passed away in August.”

Also newly inducted was Brian Van Flandern, Southern Glazer’s Executive Director of Mixology, Spirits Education and Special Events, who relates he and his wife Kelly have always been huge “foodies” with a tremendous respect for those who have dedicated their lives to the culinary arts. On becoming a member he shared, “Given the sheer volume of iconic culinary luminaries who have joined the Chaîne, both past and present, I am truly honored to just have been considered worthy of induction. A truly great culinary experience is not just about great food and drink, it is about experiencing different culinary perspectives with others who share your devotion to the industry. The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs provides a true sense of camaraderie for gourmands everywhere. This is a wonderful opportunity for me to expand my social network of colleagues and friends, in the hospitality industry, all around the globe. Chaîne dinners will allow me to stay current with new culinary trends as well as to socialize with the brightest stars in the world of great cuisine.”

Inducted in 2009, Blake Myers, owner of the website “Bestofvegasdining.com,” has a mission to seek out the best restaurants in the Las Vegas Valley and recommend them to readers from around the globe and relies on the input of fellow Chaîne members to keep him abreast of new restaurant openings and the constantly-evolving dining scene. Blake commented, “Though we didn’t have a Chaîne chapter in our former hometown, for many years we attended numerous Chaîne dinners with friends who were members. From San Juan, Puerto Rico to Oregon, from Florida to California we enjoyed fine food and wine in the company of our fellow connoisseurs.

After moving here 10 years ago I sought out the local chapter because I wanted to belong to an organization that celebrates fine food and wine. Membership allows my wife and me regularly to share our love of food and wine with other like-minded individuals and to experience the fellowship provided by our Chaîne chapter’s regularly scheduled dinners.”

For general information about Chaîne des Rôtisseurs access www.chainesus.org and chainederotisseurslv.com; and to view all the ribbons in the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs visit www.chainedesrotisseurs.com/ribbons.php. For Las Vegas information, contact sgraham@ southernwine.com. www.lvfnbpro.com

Ira Falk holds both national and international Chaîne des Rôtisseurs officer positions of Chancelier des Etats-Unis (Vice-President of the United States Chapters) and Membre des Conseils D’Administration et Magistral (Member of the International Board of Directors). We asked him about some of the ins and outs of the Chaîne organization.

What different professions are represented in Chaîne?

Professional members are generally comprised of but not limited to, Chefs (both young and extremely experienced), Beverage Professionals (i.e., wine, spirits, and other crafted beverages), Hoteliers, Culinary Industry Product Producers and Hospitality Industry Educators.

How does being a member benefit or help one to excel in their profession?

The Chaîne provides significant, if not always a direct, benefit to almost every working person who shares an evening with us as we all become acquainted with and often befriend people who represent the proverbial “movers and shakers” within a given community. If you are in the hospitality industry, particularly luxury brands, Chaîne members are the client you strive to attract. But being candid and clear, the Chaîne is not only about the promotion of fine dining, food and wine, it is about the people and friendships we make, both as members of the Chaîne and throughout our lives, that matters most.

How does one become a member?

Membership is by invitation. Anyone can reach out to one of our Bailliages (chapters) which are identified on our website (www. chainesus.org) and speak to the Bailli (chapter president) to learn more about the Chaîne, the local chapter and upcoming events. Membership opportunities will stem from that initial conversation.

What does being a member mean to you?

My Chaîne membership has come to mean different things at different times.

Sometimes it is all about the gathering of friends, both old and new, that seems most important. Other times it is the unique opportunity to try the ‘latest and greatest’ in food and beverage that motivates us to attend an event.

We certainly relish in the opportunity to meet, greet and spend time with chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and other hospitality professionals as we learn more about them, their trade and their vision for the future. However in retrospect, I think what the Chaîne means most to me can be found in the fact that most members find that a large majority of their friend-base ends up being comprised of other Chaîne members. I truly believe that this is because, en masse, most of us share a tremendous amount in common; and it all starts with great food, wine and dining experiences.

January 2019 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 17

The Catering Coach 3 Reasons to Establish a Commissary Kitchen in Your Catering Business

On any given day in my catering business, we have catered food items being made for at least five catering revenue streams, i.e., wholesale food manufacturing, retail food shops, corporate catering, hotel catering and private social events. We actually have a total of 11 multiple catering revenue streams and all of the food is produced in our commissary kitchen. A commissary kitchen is a kitchen that serves as a hub, a central location, that can provide food for multiple catering revenue streams.

Simple corporate hot lunches, sandwich platters, boxed lunches, specialty high-end hors d’oeuvres, delicate tea sandwiches, brownies, French pastries, wholesale retail items, etc., are all made at one central location, a commissary.

Why should you consider a commissary kitchen?

No. 1: If you have several locations where your food is being produced, it’s much easier to control food costs, inventory, staff and deliveries if all the food is made in one location versus several locations. For example, flour on the shelf represents dollars not in your bank account. If you have flour on the shelf in one location vs several locations, that’s more money in your bank account. OK, flour is not expensive, but think of the savings you could realize if you only kept cheese or olive oil in one location.

That’s more money in the bank.

No. 2: Another advantage to a commissary kitchen is labor cost. If you have production kitchens in several locations, you have to staff them all. Why not have one kitchen and all your staff in one location? I can guarantee you that your labor cost and payroll will shrink if your staff is not spread out. Again, money in the bank!

No. 3: A huge advantage of a commissary kitchen is employee retention of the right kind of employee. If you are a catering pro, you love diversification, creativity and doing something different. A restaurant chef or line cook or prep cook has to produce the same menu day in and day out and it can get boring. A catering chef or line cook or prep cook for a company with a commissary kitchen doesn’t get bored. Each day is never 18 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I January 2019

By Sandy Korem Sandy Korem, catering expert, is CEO and founder of one of the top 20 catering companies in the U.S., Dallas-based The Festive Kitchen. She was awarded the White House Food Service Medallion in 2008 for outstanding food service to President George W. Bush. Her company, www.thecateringcoach.com, helps restaurateurs take their off-site catering revenue stream to a different level. If you have any questions about how to launch a profitable catering business, email her at sandy@thecateringcoach.com.

the same. Thankfully for US employees today, the unemployment rate is very low. As an employer, that makes it more difficult to find the right fit when hiring because the labor pool is smaller. If you have a commissary kitchen and you are interviewing an employee, offering them more diversification is an asset for your company in the hiring process. It makes you an employer of choice.

What’s the con of a commissary kitchen? It takes more organization, exact daily food purchase allotments and exact daily labor allotments, which translates to accountability for all employees. That’s work but also means more net profit!

Now, for the B word: BUDGET. I have four budgets for my company. I have one for each of my two food shops, one for catering and one for my commissary kitchen. I’m considering next year having a fifth budget for our wholesale manufacturing. The budget for the commissary kitchen is easy. It has to produce any and all food for the food shops and catering and its goal is to break even, generating zero profit. The food shops and catering divisions are purchasing all of their sales food from the commissary kitchen. The profit for the company is made in catering and at the food shops. Yes, the food shops and catering actually write invoices to purchase food from the commissary kitchen. It’s not hard; It’s about being precise and knowing where every penny is spent. This budget process and invoicing the commissary kitchen have greatly helped me to increase my company’s yearly net profits.

I speak at many national food shows every year. The thing I hear over and over from catering company CEOs is, “My net profit is not good. I‘m working so hard and not making the money I should.” If these are words you hear yourself saying, one of the first steps to getting your profits on track is to have and use a budget. The year has really just begun, and I’ve got a challenge for you. Make a budget now. Look at every penny you spend now, not in November 2019 when it is too late for the profit you deserve in 2019. www.lvfnbpro.com

Chef Talk Salt

In the past I wrote about frozen foods and the advancement of them. I learned this after reading a book by Marc Kurlansky and recently went back to read some of the other books about specific foods from his repertoire.

This month I’m going to write of the things I learned after reading his book about salt called Salt: A World History.

The origin of salt came with the realization that it preserved things. It preserved mostly food, but the Egyptians also used salt in the preservation of mummies. Salt is also a common element of many religions. In the Jewish religion salt is the symbol of the eternal nature of God’s covenant with Israel. On Friday nights Jewish people dip the sabbath bread in salt.

In both Jewish and Islam religions salt is symbolized to seal a bargain, because it is a mineral that is unchangeable. Yes, it will change its physical make up if it’s dissolved in liquid but if you evaporate the liquid the salt crystals will return. In Christianity salt is associated with permanence and longevity but also with truth and wisdom.

How much salt should you consume? This is a very vast range depending on who you talk to. Some estimates range from 10 ounces to 16 pounds a year, depending on many factors. One of the factors is where you live.

This factor definitely affects the needed intake of table salt or NaCl. For people that live in hot climates or do work that creates a lot of perspiration the intake needs to be increased to make up for the salt that’s lost while perspiring. Effects of too little salt in the body can be headaches and muscle weakness as well as lightheadedness and nausea. If deprived long enough the person might die.

One of the most common additives to table salt is iodine. Since 1924 iodine has been added to table salt because it was a good way to supplement the nutrients in the body. It was originally added to reduce incidences of fibroid enlargement as well as goiters. It is estimated that nearly 1/3 of the world’s population has a diet with too little iodine in it, which is not a big problem in the United States due to the iodine supplement in the table salt. Studies made from before the 1924 addition of iodine and after that date have shown that IQ levels have risen with the increase in iodine consumption.

The history of salt goes back 8,000 years, with the first documentation being in China. In a northern province in a very dry area is a very salty lake.

This area was under siege quite a bit due to the salt in the water. When the www.lvfnbpro.com

By Chef Allen Asch Feel free to contact Chef Allen with ideas for comments or future articles at allena@unlv.nevada.edu Chef Allen Asch M. Ed., CCE is a culinary arts instructor that has earned degrees from Culinary Institute of America, Johnson and Wales University and Northern Arizona University. He is currently teaching at UNLV. He earned his Certified Culinary Educator Endorsement from the American Culinary Federation in 2003.

dry season would come and the water evaporated it would leave the salt crystals which would be harvested by whoever was living in the area. 3,000 years ago, it is documented, the Chinese would harvest water from the ocean and lakes and boil it until all that was left was the salt. This method has been used continually since then. Interestingly in Chinese cookery there’s very little use of salt directly on food, but it has been added into condiments such as soy sauce. Many Asian foods start off with fermenting food products, which can be made with the addition of salt or without. The main difference comes from the fact that if fermentation occurs without salt, then alcohol production will occur.

There are many types of salt and places where the mineral is harvested. The most common is table salt which is a refined salt containing around 98% sodium chloride and the rest anti-caking agents, in most cases potassium iodine. Other salts that are available have different flavor profiles and different chemical makeup depending on where the salt is harvested.

Unrefined sea salt is one option as is kosher salt which are larger grain than table salt and pickling salt which is ground very fine to help speed up dissolving. Naturally most foods contain trace amounts of salt, including meats, vegetables and fruit and in most cases processed food has salt added.

When salt is added it functions as a preservative and flavoring and might increase natural sodium contents by 10 to 20 times. The World Health Organization recommends no more than 2,000 mg of sodium per day; in perspective 1 teaspoon of salt contains 2,300 mg of sodium.

The most common place salt is retrieved from is the sea which has a salinity of approximately 3.5%. This accounts for 25% of all the salt produced.

Another place that salt is mined quite extensively is in salt mountains which are created by thousands of years of evaporation of seas and lakes.

Most of this salt is used as rock salt and not for ingestion.

One of the largest salt mines in the world is in Pakistan and it runs 18 stories with 11 of them underground. Salt is mined throughout the United States and Canada in both rural and suburban areas. This includes Detroit which has been producing salt for more than a century and in Cleveland where it’s mined 1,800 feet below street level. These underground salt deposits are mined using explosives in the tunnels, which can produce up to 900 tons of salt in less than three seconds.

January 2019 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 19

CABERNET

COLOR UP YOUR LIFE! RIEDEL.COM

USBG

By Adam Rains Adam has a true passion for food, wine, beer & spirits. He is tiki-attaché and lead bartender at The Golden Tiki, a long-time cocktailian, and a member of the Health & Wellness Committee for the United States Bartenders’ Guild in Las Vegas.

Adam strives to learn every day and during his career he’s studied at SDSU, USBG, BarSmarts, International Sommeliers Guild, Certified Cicerone Program and the Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Academy. His mantra with both food & cocktails is, “Fresh is best.”

Las Vegas

RO B E R T B O U GH N ER: WIN N ER OF THE TOTC SCHOL AR SHIP AWAR D Robert recently won the Tales of the Cocktail scholarship award by the USBG. We had a chance talk to Robert about the award, his approach to bartending and his love for the USBG. Where do you work?

Freedom Beat inside The Downtown Grand Casino located in Downtown Las Vegas.

What do you like about it? photos by Jose Salínas

With the Downtown Grand being a fairly small casino hotel our patrons and staff are all very personable. It is nice coming to work where everybody knows you.

Where have you worked and where are you from?

A good bar should be a place of solace with a friendly face ready to serve you. Robert Boughner is one of those friendly faces. He is a comforting presence, there to share a chat and a laugh, make you a killer cocktail, hear your troubles or celebrate your victories.

My food & beverage background is fairly short. I’ve worked at Freedom Beat since September 2016. Prior I was at Mandalay Bay for a year and half. But I’ve been in hotel hospitality since 2006. I was born in Whittier, California and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada

in 1991. I moved to San Antonio in 2010 but moved back to Las Vegas in 2014.

How long have you been in the USBG? I’ve been in the USBG for around two and a half years.

What do you love about it?

The people! My fellow chapter members make the USBG a place for me and sometimes we learn about beverages...

What is your approach to bartending?

Have fun. I work in a restaurant bar so first get those food orders in; I do not need no hangry people at my bar. But other than that, enjoy!

Talk with people, and make friends. I’ve met Aaron DeFeo and Donny Clutterbuck at my bar just by striking up conversations.

Random facts?

I became a bartender to make money so I can enjoy life more and have fun at work. What I found is the USBG. I found family, people I can depend on and enjoy the life I’m building.

G I N A L O P E Z : WIN N ER O F T H E BOB B Y G NEW KID ON THE B L OCK AWAR D

If you are looking for enthusiasm when it comes to bartending, look no further than Gina Lopez.

She is a recent transplant from Albuquerque and has been a fixture at many of our USBG meetings and knowledge seminars. So much that she was presented with the “New Kid on the Block” award at the USBG Holiday Party!

Why Las Vegas?

I moved to Las Vegas April 2017 to follow my inspiration in being a bartender in one of the best cities to bartend in the nation. “Go Big www.lvfnbpro.com

or Go Home!” I thought to myself. With very little to no bartending experience and only $600 dollars to my name I made the move, knowing that one day I would be a Las Vegas bartender.”

How do you feel about the USBG? One of the best things that I did was join the USBG. I have been in the USBG for a little bit over a year and since have been thriving.

I love the USBG because there are so many opportunities to learn, to gain experience and to network with a wonderful community of bartenders. The USBG has made Vegas feel like a home to me, truly my family away from family. If there is one piece of advice I can give to any new and inspired bartender, it would definitely be to join the USBG. Where do you work?

I’m currently working at one of Vegas’ best local bars called Rebar. It is an antique bar; everything in the bar is for sale, from the chair you’re sitting on to the handpicked antiques placed everywhere around the bar.

It is hands down one of the best atmospheres to hang out in because of the crowd we attract and the regulars we keep, not to mention the amazing staff and management we have! I love my job because we get to be ourselves and let our different personalities and bartending styles flourish.

What do you focus on when you are behind the bar?

My approach on bartending is just being myself and always staying genuine. I really like making jokes with guests and getting to know people at the bar. As far as knowledge behind the bar, I like to be a YES woman.

If there are informationals, socials, or job/ volunteer opportunities I will be there!

You recently won an award; what can you tell us about it?

It was such an honor to receive the Bobby G New Kid on the Block Award! This award is given to a new member that has been active within the chapter such as attending many of the events that the USBG hosts year round, from seminars, tastings to celebrations.

A member that shows great aspiration, motivation and devotion in learning the arts of tending bar. For me, receiving this award meant that I have a lot going for me, that I have shown improvement and that I am moving in a positive direction. It shows me that my hard work is not going unnoticed and motivates me to keep working harder.

Words can’t express how excited I am to have received this incredible award and how grateful I am for the opportunity to continue my growth at Southern Glazer’s Academy!

January 2019 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 21

By Shelley Stepanek

Best of the Best

Shelley Stepanek is President of DSA, the oldest non-profit tourist association in the state, along with being on the board of ticket brokers. Shelley has previously owned three restaurants.

What a busy month for all of us, especially food writers. Today I was at GREAT GREEK MEDITERRANIAN GRILL on W. Craig. This is their 3rd Las Vegas location, along with one in West Palm Beach and they have plans for 60 more this year alone in the country serving fresh wonderful fastly-served Greek Food. I tried a lemon chicken soup, a wonderful salad with plenty of the famous Feta cheese, a chicken and a shrimp wrap, which I will love tonight for dinner, some rice pudding and lemony Greek cookies. Open from 11-7, give them a try. 7031 W. Craig Last night was a tour of the GLOBAL WINTER WONDERLAND at the Rio. Spanning 15 acres, giant illuminated lanterns of famous holiday scenes were sky-high. The Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower, Chicken Itza, Egypt and Mt. Rushmore were featured. It was a chance to take the kids out and order hot chocolate or cider, sandwiches, burgers and plenty of Xmas cookies.

FRESCO at the Westgate was the previous night. This Italian eatery signed us up for a 3-hour meal. Seven of us wined and dined with the best Fresco could offer. Starting with gamberi & polenta, a great carpaccio plate, and a Fresco and Caesar salad, the service was fast and professional. We tried chicken parmigianino along with the best of filetto di manzo and penne Bolognese. Dessert of tiramisu and gianduia cake ended the evening before moving into the showroom for a concert

by John Prine.

EATALY was the best bet for the whole month. A 40,000 sq. ft. culinary destination, almost as large as Italy itself, will officially open on Dec. 27. Right in front of the Park MGM, this unusual and fantastic Italian marketplace carries everything Italian. From huge blocks of prosciutto, to over 300 kinds of cheese, wines, meats, breads, fresh oysters and seafood, you move from stand to stand creating your own fantasy of food. Salamis, over 100 types, breads, and all the spices to go along.

There is pizza and other areas for fresh-made pasta, all the typical Italian desserts and more than 5,000 retail items to take home. Vegas has never, seen anything to equal this. Some parts of it are open 24 hours; this is their 6th location in the US. Don’t leave without a coffee and at least six desserts!

LAST FRIDAY in Henderson was another thing on my agenda. I got to be a celebrity chef judge. Last Friday’s local celebrity Chef Challenge continues to thrive and pitted two Southern Nevada head chefs against one another. The competition was thrilling, with fresh seafood heading up most of the dishes. Each chef came up with a couple of dishes which we blind tested with New Zealand mussels and plenty of salmon. Chef Alex, of Once Las Vegas inside The Palazzo, versus Chef Hemant Kishore of Toddy Shop was a great event to watch, with Chef Alex being the winner of the night. There are plenty of food booths, with holiday desserts and Greek food along with hamburgers and baklava.

There is a fresh produce market at the event.

Nordstrom at the Fashion Show Mall has a new restaurant, called JEANNIE’S. Chef Tom Douglas and Vincent Rossetti are working with this new venue and invite you all to come in and see what they have done. photos by Shelley Stepanek

The GOLDEN CIRCLE SPORTS BAR at Treasure Island serves plenty of appetizers to team up with your drinks. With a giant 24 x 5 video wall they have over 20 beers on tap and FREE parking.

BUDDY V’S at The Venetian is celebrating 5 years with its fabulous menu. Don’t just stop at the cocktails there, take a while to explore their marvelous eats. And, The Venetian is also still one of the few places on the Strip offering FREE parking.

22 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I January 2019

www.lvfnbpro.com

The Bottom Line Choose Your Social Media Wisely

Ask anyone how to improve your marketing and social media will be one of the first things out of their mouth. It’s easy to get sucked into the social media vortex, the allure of going viral and picking up a global following an ever-present motivation.

In reality, social media takes up time…a lot of it! It’s easy to spin your wheels managing multiple social media accounts while your efforts could be better spent elsewhere. If you’re looking to maximize your social media ROI, it’s best to stick with just the platforms that truly matter to your target customer.

So, which platforms should you use? As always, it depends. Try some of the techniques below to whittle down the list and manage your profiles and pages as efficiently as possible.

Identify your target customer

Before diving into social media, let’s take a step back. If you haven’t done so already, get a feel for your target customer. What type of person visits your restaurant most often? How old are they? Who do they bring?

What’s the male/female ratio? What lifestyles do they live? During what occasions do they dine with you?

This may be a thought in the back of your head, but doing your due diligence here is critical in not just determining the best social media platforms to use, but in positioning your business for long-term success.

Find your customers’ natural habits and use them to your advantage.

Identify your target customer’s social media match Once you’ve gotten a good grasp of who your target customer is, the next step is to find out what they do, particularly in the social media world. What platforms to they frequent most often? How do they engage with those platforms?

While everyone is of course different in their own right, here are a few general guidelines that correlate social media platforms and audience demographics: • Facebook is generally favored by an ‘older’ audience, typically born before 1990. Other age groups may use Facebook, but not as their primary social media platform.

• Instagram is pretty universal, but favored by most millennials and younger generations. www.lvfnbpro.com

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

writer and consultant, Ben works with Fortune 500

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

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

• Snapchat is favored by a younger audience, typically Gen Z. • Twitter spans across age demographics, but skews older and generally serves as more of a news source and less of a destination for food and drink-related content.

• Youtube is frequented across demographics, but typically by being embedded in posts on the platforms above.

• Additional social media platforms, such as Pinterest and Tumblr, reach more niche audiences and may not have the ROI as the main platforms listed above.

Of course, many people use multiple social media platforms quite regularly. Managing 2-3 accounts is just as doable for you as it is for them, but in both cases going past that mark can be challenging.

How to best manage your social media

Posting manually on each of your social media accounts in real time is the go-to approach for the overwhelming majority of users. For businesses, however, taking a few minutes here and there adds up over time, and before you know it the burden outweighs the benefits and you’ll stop posting altogether. Thankfully, numerous tools exist to offset this issue.

Ideally, it’s best to set aside an hour a week to schedule all of your social media posts. How much easier is it to upload all the photos, write all the posts, and choose the days/times to post all at once, in advance, than to remember to do it every day? Thankfully, many groups have thought of this idea, and produced solutions to save you time.

A great free social media scheduling tool is Buffer, which, at the time of this writing, allows users to schedule up to 10 posts for up to 3 different platforms [30 posts total]. So if you have a Facebook, an Instagram and a Twitter account, you can line up all your posts for the week. If you want to take it up a level, Sprout Social provides great social media analytics, allowing you to track the ROI on your posts. Of course you can also go with Hootsuite, which has long been regarded as a social media software leader.

Social media is undoubtedly a critical asset in your marketing portfolio, and knowing how to best leverage this tool will save you substantial time and produce much greater results in the long run.

January 2019 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 23

The Nevada Restaurant Association Celebrates The Culinary Excellence Awards 2018 Winners

By Diana L. Webber

Culinary Excellence Awards The Nevada Restaurant Association presented the Culinary Excellence Awards on December 10, 2018 during the 36th Annual Meeting of the Members. The annual event honors the best and brightest in the industry, who were selected based on merit in such areas as reliability, teamwork, leadership, contributions of knowledge and time to the community and dedication to the restaurant industry. This year’s ceremony was held at the Aria Resort & Casino. The elegant room was filled with the who’s who from the restaurant industry that contribute to making Nevada the premier culinary destination.

The Honorable Lorraine Hunt-Bono, 32nd Lieutenant Governor of the State of Nevada, and the founding mother of the Restaurant Association, served as emcee for the evening. Awards were presented by the CEO of FUN Jodi Harris (Sight and Sound). Candidates were nominated by a group of noted industry professionals in six award categories, and the winners were voted on by the Association’s Board of Directors.

Tony Abou Ganim of Libertine Social was awarded Drink Specialist of the Year; Chef Leticia Nunez of Bacchanal Buffet and Chef Francisco “Paco” Cortes of El Dorado Cantina were named Culinarians of the Year; Anna Martinez of Ecolab was awarded Vendor/Supplier of the Year; Chef Todd Philbrook of Marie’s Gourmet Bakery was chosen Outstanding Pastry Chef; 7th and Carson was awarded Outstanding New Restaurant; and Chef Javier Chavez of Kitchen Table Squared and Kitchen Table was named Restaurateur of the Year.

Gold Sponsors of the event were Dairy West and “powershift” by NV Energy. The event was also sponsored by Hash House a Go Go, Prudential Overall Supply, Duon Global Services, Carmine’s, Virgil’s BBQ, Sysco, Get Fresh, Ecolab, Heartland, Coco Taps, LipSmacking Foodie Tours and the NvRA app sponsored by VDO Mobile APPS.

Criteria and Nominees for Restaurant and Chef Awards: Drink Specialist of the Year An individual who demonstrates excellence in cocktails, spirits wine and/or beer through a well-presented drink list and efforts to educate customers. The candidate consistently provides excellent personable, intuitive and responsive customer service and contributes to the industry.

Josef Letasi from SHIRAZ Tony Abou Ganim from Libertine Social David English from Other Mama

Culinarian of the Year A working chef in Nevada who has served as inspiration to other food professionals. The candidate leads and exceptional restaurant kitchen and demonstrates community involvement and advance the hospitality industry by sharing skills and knowledge.

Chef Francisco “Paco” Cortes of El Dorado Cantina Chef Leticia Nunez of Bacchanal Buffet Chef Jeffery Martell of Plaza Hotel & Casino

Vendor/Supplier of the Year A company that goes above and beyond to provide exceptional services or products to support the restaurant industry and the community.

Lorri Davidson from Southwest Gas Anna Martinez from Ecolab Las Vegas Brea Chiodini from Celebration Boats

Outstanding Pastry Chef A chef or baker who prepares desserts or pastries in a restaurant or retail bakery and who serves as a state standard bearer of excellence. The candidate demonstrates community involvement.

24 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I January 2019

Executive Pastry Chef Philbrook of Marie’s Gourmet Bakery Executive Pastry Chef Stephen Sullivan of Westgate Resorts Las Vegas Executive Pastry Chef Sara Steele of CHICA

Outstanding New Restaurant A restaurant opened in the calendar year before the award will be given that already displays excellence in food, beverage and service, and that is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.

7th & Carson Salud Mexican Bistro & Tequileria Meraki Greek

Restaurateur of the Year An individual who operates an outstanding restaurant business, is a role model, demonstrates community involvement, and advances the industry as a whole.

Chef Khai Vu-District One/Mordeo Las Vegas /Le Pho Chef Scott Conant-SC Restaurants Chef Javier Chavez-Kitchen Table Squared and Kitchen Table

By Las Vegas’s standards, these treasures may seem small, what they represent, is very large. Cooking this good, with amazing cocktail and wine pairing, was unheard of four years ago outside of Las Vegas Strip hotels. By opening their doors, these restaurant operators announced that they are here to stay as—the gastronomic capitals of the Western world— have arrived in our backyard. Eating out in Las Vegas will never be the same, and we have Locals to thank. www.lvfnbpro.com

By Linda Westcott-Bernstein

Human Resources Insights

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

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

The Value of Human Resources to Your Organization It isn’t always readily apparent, nor is it easily quantifiable, but human resources (HR) adds value to the bottom line through a variety of different and valuable ways. The traditional view of HR has been typically a couple of ladies who welcome your new hires and administer the basic paperwork for new hires, insurance and payroll. But times are changing. Today the most effective HR leaders are engaged in every aspect of the business—from manpower planning and development, monitoring and

maintaining Obamacare compliance and ensuring that the vision and culture of the organization is intact and reinforced—all while observing the culture, ensuring equal opportunity and respectful treatment, and driving home the importance of open door, two-way feedback, and an engaged and legally compliant leadership team. It’s a lot of work for HR, but it’s worthwhile to you.

the new workforce of team members have different expectations. They want, no demand, acknowledgement, feedback and opportunity.

Without these things they will leave your company—and with their high turnover will be the increasingly high cost of recruitment and on-boarding. So, with that in mind, we have to look at the role of HR and endeavor to do things differently from this point forward.

Why is an engaged HR department key to your business? Because now more than ever,

Some of the worthwhile contributions that HR makes or can make all year long…

Key Responsibilities Key Contributions Administration–ensures completion of paperwork Follows all the ever-changing rules on laws/regulations Benefits–essential insurance programs/compliance Administers, monitors and controls benefits and the costs Compliance–monitors and implements new laws Keeps the company compliant with employment laws Culture–forward & communicate the key concepts Keeps the culture alive and well, trains your leaders on it Employee relations–keeping satisfaction high Provides an outlet and resource for frustrated employees Hiring–maintains sources and ensures timely hires Finds hiring sources, ensures adequate staffing levels Performance–promote & ensure timely evaluations Establishes sound and consistent evaluation procedures Safety–maintains and monitors all safety efforts Implements and monitors all workplace safety programs Training–ensures proper training and development Trains all leaders to support the culture and fair treatment

With the proper size HR team for your business, you can maximize the return. Some HR teams take on roles that have been traditionally farmed out to outside agencies and often at a high cost as well. Those new roles and responsibilities for HR can reduce expenses to the company that might become excessive over time, including safety, risk management, COBRA administration, ACA compliance, and other essential workforce needs.

What an effective HR department can really do for you is many times beyond quantifiable.

They can bridge differences, bolster a wobbly culture, stave off organizing efforts with an open door policy, give individuals a voice that otherwise might not be heard, monitor management problems and reverse bad decisions, implement cost effective programs that provide resources and support for team members, and they can bring organizations together with good policies, procedures, communication, and recognition programs that let employees know that they are appreciated and valued as members of the team.

The best HR teams bring consistency, fairness, unity and compassion to the organization and their leaders in a way that is not threatening or intimidating, but helpful and insightful.

They help to define what today’s companies need to be/look like in a way that supports the culture and brings out the best in each and every person. An engaged HR team can bridge gaps that develop between the organization and the employees, and put them both back on the same page (and road) to a bright and beneficial future!

HR Question of the month:

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

www.lvfnbpro.com

January 2019 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 25

The RESTAURANT EXPERT Four Steps to Setting Standards in Your Restaurant

You play a very important role in your restaurant, a role no one else can play. That’s the role of owner. And as an owner, right or wrong, your management team and line employees MUST follow your standards and you have to follow up to make sure they are being followed.

How do you set the standards and make sure they are being met? How do you ensure the process is working? How do you do all that without running shifts and micromanaging your management team?

Easy! You use systems, you follow up and have a willingness to hold your management team accountable.

Follow these steps: 1) Document your standards 2) Implement and train systems 3) Follow up 4) Hold management accountable 1) Document your standards. Whether it is plate presentation, cleanliness, customer service or anything else that goes on in your restaurant, YOU MUST document your standards. You have to clearly communicate what those standards are. You can’t expect your management team to read your mind.

That won’t work. So walk your restaurant and write down everything that drives you nuts when it’s not done to your standards. You can even go so far as to use photos to clearly communicate your expectation, such as with plate presentation or table setting. Work all of your standards into every checklist in your building, from management checklists, frontof-house and back-of-house checklists and all position training materials.

By David Scott Peters David Scott Peters is a restaurant consultant, coach, speaker and founder of TheRestaurantExpert.com, a company committed to the success of independent restaurants. Peters is a restaurant industry-recognized blogger and his writing is regularly published in restaurant industry publications, such as Restaurant Hospitality, Catersource, and QSR Magazine.

Learn more at www.TheRestaurantExpert.com.

2) Implement and train systems. I teach restaurant owners how to use food, beverage and labor systems for a more efficient and profitable restaurant. Daily paperwork, recipe costing cards, purchase allotment and labor allotment are just a few examples. Heck, checklists are a system! Once you have your systems in place, put together a training program and/or system for you to remember to follow up and check that your standards are being trained and executed.

3) Follow up. This and the next step are the two most important steps. Even if you document. Even if you train. Even if you are there every day. If you don’t follow up to see that everyone is doing the job to your standards, you’ve gained nothing but a lot of worthless paperwork. Checking to see that your management team and line employees are doing things the way you want them done for every aspect of the business is critical to your restaurant’s success.

4) Hold management accountable. For some strange reason, restaurant owners can easily hold a line employee accountable. If a line employee screws up, they, for the most part, find it easy to write them up and possibly fire them because they are not performing to the owner’s expectations and standards.

But when a manager screws up, they are given chance after chance after chance and often nothing more than a heart to heart conversation ever takes place.

NO! This is not right. They should be written up just like anyone else in your organization. In fact, I might say even more so than line employees.

Your management team is supposed to run the

26 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I January 2019

operation the same way you would when you are not there. They are the leaders and if they set bad examples, your line employees will lower their performance standards to meet what you allow from management.

Instead, if a manager does not meet expectations and needs to be written up, do so. You will find out very quickly if that manager wants their job or not. If they do, they will probably never be written up ever again. If they don’t, they will either quit quickly or get written up again soon thereafter hoping you will fire them. Either way, you will know pretty quickly and will have set the tone that you are serious about your standards being met.

These are the four steps you need to follow to set the standards – and make sure they’re being met – in your restaurant.

If you’re interested in learning more about the systems we teach, visit us at www. therestaurantexpert.com.

David Scott Peters is a restaurant expert, speaker, coach and trainer for independent restaurant owners. He is the developer of SMART Systems Pro, an online restaurant management software program helping the independent restaurant owner remain competitive and profitable in an industry boxed in by the big chain restaurants.

Download a free report to discover the #1 secret to lowering food and labor costs and running the independent restaurant you’ve always dreamed of. Learn more about how David can help you at www.TheRestaurantExpert.com. www.lvfnbpro.com

By Justin Leung

photos by Justin Leung and Emily Yang

Justin Leung, a Hospitality Management student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, represents the Epicurean Society, a collective of food and restaurant enthusiastic students. As the journalist on their leadership team, Justin desires to share the club’s experiences with the public.

He is from Georgia and decided to pursue his passion for hospitality in Las Vegas.

Inspired by the ideas of our Restaurant Outings committee, the Epicurean Society team set forth on a restaurant crawl on Wednesday, November 28. Our objective with the food crawl was to sample, observe and enjoy the all-embracing dining options in the local Las Vegas area. After contacting several restaurants, we were able to arrange a table for seven at The Smashed Pig and Park on Fremont in Downtown Las Vegas.

Upon walking into The Smashed Pig, guests will find a bar to the immediate left of the entrance and an open kitchen straight ahead.

We were happily greeted by the bartender and our server who presented quite the hospitality as we had light conversations with them. Our experience wasn’t just limited to the server— the manager would frequently stop at our table and touch base with us, further immersing us in the lighthearted and contemporary outlet.

By choosing group dining as an option for our group, the restaurant prepared a delicious balance of spicy, savory and sweet dishes. We had anticipated smaller portions; however, the kitchen exceeded our expectations by serving us dishes by course to satisfy our appetite for learning and enjoyment.

Our first step into our journey began with tasting their starters: (1) Buffalo Cauliflower with a side of cilantro ranch, (2) Firecracker Shrimp, (3) Jumbo Bavarian Pretzel and (4) Mini Stuffed Yukons. The Buffalo Cauliflower fills your mouth with a light mild flavor with a crunchy layer and the creamy cilantro ranch doubles the tasteful appetizer. This dish certainly solidified the remainder of our night.

Our next starter was as impactful as the first.

Don’t let the name ‘Firecracker Shrimp’ give you the wrong impression; it doesn’t ignite your mouth, but instead, carries you through a crispy adventure made with spicy Thai chili and freshly cooked shrimp. This was only the beginning of a spectacular night.

While we had left it up to the Smashed Pig www.lvfnbpro.com

team to decide on our dishes, we had no idea what would come next. The Jumbo Bavarian Pretzel was a positive shock to us and the side of beer cheese and whole grain mustard only augmented the experience of this palatable dish. Crunchy. Simple. Powerful. In contrast to the jumbo pretzel, we finished our starter tasting with a ‘mini’ yukon bites filled with lemon aioli and sausage.

The Smashed Pig team now selected options from the lunch menu and we thoroughly enjoyed: (1) Banger Baguette, (2) The Smashed Pig Burger and the (3) New York Steak Sandwich. Quite the savory treat, the Banger Baguette is made with pork sausage, roasted garlic and caramelized onions. We even had the appetite to finish the Smashed Pig Burger, made with bacon and cheddar, and the New York Steak Sandwich, cooked with arugula, horseradish cream and aged New York steak. Our final treat was a peanut butter and marshmallow fluff: the perfect ending to our savory adventure at The Smashed Pig. A mixture of outdoor and indoor dining, Park on Fremont captured us in a casual, yet rustic themed establishment. The vibrant, well-lit front patio is accompanied with the traditional fixtures. Park on Fremont brings a novel menu of Pickings, Sandwiches and Comfort Foods.

We tasted the house recommended Mac + Cheese Balls, medium-sized bites which carry the house-made mac and cheese and served with a side of cheese sauce.

Epicurean Society, with its final restaurant crawl completed, looked towards the next opportunity. The UNLV Hospitality College was the venue for the 5th Annual Ment’or Young Chef Competition and the 3rd Annual Ment’or Commis Competition. Taking place on December 12 on the fourth floor of UNLV’s Hospitality Hall from 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m., these two competitions are hosted by chefs: Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud and Jerome Bocuse.

These prestigious culinary competitions

introduce a group of aspiring young chefs to a jury of 9 chefs: the jury evaluates the dishes based on presentation, time, authenticity, etc.

Epicurean Society was invited to participate by selecting a group of professional individuals to serve the chef jury. It was recommended that servers have at least 1 year of hospitality experience in the restaurant industry, previous or current experience as a server preferred, and knowledge of front-of-house services.

I write to send my appreciation to first and foremost, Chefs: Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud and Jerome Bocuse. Secondly, the chef jury which consists of Paul Bartolotta, Justin Cogley, Gerard Craft, Olivier Dubreuil, Chris Hastings, Timothy Hollingsworth, Michelle Karr-Ueoka, Gavin Kaysen, Roland Passot, Mathew Peters, Francis Reynard, Rich Rosendale, Curtis Stone and Philip Tessier. Thirdly, the UNLV Hospitality College for providing the space, equipment and volunteers. Next, the sponsors: All-Clad, Bridor, Nordaq Fresh, Pure Bred Lamb and Steelite International. Lastly, I would like to congratulate all Young Chef and Commis Candidates for their hard work, determination and companionship.

January 2019 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 27

Eataly Opens First Vegas Location at Park MGM

By Bob Barnes • Photo credit: Francisco Lupini Eataly USA

One of the most anticipated openings has now come to fruition, as Las Vegas lands its very first Eataly. At press time the restaurant/market venue situated at the front of Park MGM was poised to open its doors on Dec. 27, but media was given a sneak peek on Dec. 11 and LVFNBPro’s Senior Editor Mike Fryer, Columnist Shelley Stepanek and yours truly were there to cover it.

Eataly, founded in 2007 in Turin, Italy by Oscar Farinetti, already has 37 locations around the world, with the majority concentrated in Italy, and while at 40,000 square feet the Vegas version is not the largest, it will be the first to have portions open 24/7, and one opening as early as 3 a.m. The Italian-themed marketplace dedicated to sharing the biodiversity of Italian cuisine and food culture will be comprised of two full-service restaurants and several quick-service eateries and bars.

Eataly is large enough to fill many needs in one place and is encompassed by the L’Enoteca with 80 Italian regional wines; L’Aperitivo with traditional Italian cocktails, wine and beer; La Macelleria butcher & kitchen; La Pescheria fishmonger & kitchen; La Salumeria cheesemonger & kitchen with 200-plus cheeses and 100-plus salumi from 20 regions in Italy; Bakery & Pizza alla Pala with Roman handcrafted pizza made with highly-hydrated long-rising dough and fresh bread baked daily; La Pasta Fresca market & kitchen offering all things pasta, and where you can watch pasta makers knead, roll, cut and form intricate shapes by hand; La Rosticceria, a rotisserie with prime rib and rotisserie chicken; Mozzarella Bar serving fio di latte mozzarella, stracciatella and burrata which are hand pulled daily; and Il Fritto, offering Italian street food featuring lightly fried bites.

In addition, there is a market with more than 5,000 products such as pastas, sauces, olive oil, cookies, chocolates and tomatoes, 100% of which are from Italy, and 2,000 of which are available in Vegas for the first time; five specialty shops with gelato, Nutella creations, cannoli, pastries and Lavazza Italian coffee; a gift shop with Italian housewares, beauty products and keepsakes; and a wine shop with 500 regional Italian wines, of which 50 can be sampled on a rotating basis before purchasing, another first for Eataly.

Oversight of the culinary offerings are in the very capable hands of our friend Nicole Brisson (featured on the cover and feature of our August 2017 issue), who has a wealth of experience having run the B&B Vegas restaurants before they shuttered in July and was recently the first chef ever to be appointed to the Southern Nevada Health District’s board of directors. Nicole related she was able to bring in some very talented chefs she has worked with in the past and regarding the culinary offerings said, “There is some consistency with the other Eatalys, but some uniqueness here as well.”

Eataly’s motto is “Cook what we sell, sell what we cook.” It is put into practice as you can purchase a piece of fish or meat and choose to take it home, have it cooked at one of the restaurants or select a dish prepared with it from the menus at the various eateries.

Having a butcher shop, fishmonger and market may be just the ticket to attract locals, as other Eataly locations are known to do. Eataly CFO Adam Saper remarked, “Finally locals have a reason to come to the Strip.” The family-friendly environment will be inviting and to further entice locals, Saper says they are working with MGM on a deal to offer validated free parking with minimum purchase.

For more information, visit www.eataly.com or www.parkmgm.com.

28 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I January 2019

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS: • Like Eataly locations in Italy, located in front of the entrance (near the Gran Caffe Milano), is a bull ensconced in tile that will bring good luck to anyone who stands in its crotch and spins around three times.

• NUTELLA per Eataly is a first for Las Vegas, offering all things Nutella.

• La Pizza e La Pasta is a familyfriendly sit-down restaurant featuring two of the most loved Italian dishes: al dente pasta and Napoli-style pizza cooked in two wood-burning stoves that cook pizzas in 90 seconds at 950 degrees.

• Opening January 23 is Manzo, a fine dining restaurant dedicated to all things meat, with an Italian woodburning grill and seasonal menu.

• Carts circulate outside the Strip entrance selling products, and the sweet shops, bakery and coffee spot have service windows lining Las Vegas Blvd. serving pedestrians.

• Breads are made using the mother yeast that originated in Italy.

• You can buy a bottle of wine at the wine shop and enjoy it at one of the restaurants (after paying a corkage fee).

• The Il Gelatto shop offers 15 housemade, small-batch gelatos and 5 sorbet flavors.

• The Chef’s Table, situated in the middle of the space, offers an educational aspect, with cooking classes, demos, tastings and guest chefs. www.lvfnbpro.com

Book Review to go detailing the brewing process, and I got more out of those than I did with old West Michigan papers. It’s fun getting a look into the similarities and differences of how beer was made then versus now.

I do wish I was able to find more information before I sent off to the publisher, but so it goes with writing about history, especially on a short and tight timeline.

What was surprising about the history?

Coming from the Midwest, I’ve long been enthralled with the old west, but who isn’t? You romanticize it, and as with most historical things, people generally take pop culture as gospel. Diving into the old west, you discover it wasn’t that rowdy and there were a lot of cosmopolitan aspects about life. These were great urban centers and exciting places to be, not because of train robberies, but because they brought in things from all over the world. In many ways, I felt early 1800s West Michigan was more old west than late 1800s Nevada.

What stands out to you in the modern Nevada beer industry?

Coming here and tasting some of the great beer made by longtime industry players like Big Dog’s and Great Basin made me smile. It was like, there’s great beer here. Sure, they’re not necessarily the flashiest breweries, but they’ve been around a long time and for me, I love consistency and don’t jump on trends quickly. If you’re making a good solid beer, you’re good with me. And I’d say a larger percentage of breweries in Nevada are just brewing good beer than some more well-known brewing states. It’s a lot like the state in general; people don’t seem to think much of Nevada outside the state, at least besides a crazy place to come for vacation. But you get here and you explore, it’s a beautiful state full of great aspects.

What do you view as the future of beer in Nevada?

I think there are a lot of positives. As I mentioned just having some major stalwarts like Great Basin, whose Tom Young (wrote the Nevada Beer foreword) is one of the industry’s great pioneers. His true passion and dedication to the beer industry is fantastic. But then you have new entries into the state making more trendy beers, like Revision and IMBIB and you have players standing out and making a name for Nevada’s beer industry. So as long as they’re starting to say, “Hey look at us,” and Great Basin and brewers like Dave Pascual at Big Dog’s keep showing well at national awards, people might take notice. I’ll also try to do my part writing nationally about the beer industry and continuing to tell the modern history through NevadaBrew.com.

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Beer has been brewed in Nevada since before it was a state and now the beverage’s history in the Silver State has been consolidated into one book, Nevada Beer by The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional’s own Pat Evans. It’s the second book released by Evans, who released a book about the history of beer in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 2015. Nevada Beer is available on Amazon and at local retailers. Evans will host a signing on February 9 from 1-3 p.m. at Barnes & Noble in Summerlin, 8915 W. Charleston Blvd.

Why write this book?

I took it as a little bit of a challenge, but also a way to jump into the Nevada beer industry. Back in Michigan, I was deeply involved as a reporter in a city known nationally for beer. When I found out I was moving to Las Vegas in September 2017, I decided to let my publisher know and they wanted a Nevada beer book. Prior to my move, I had heard and read a lot about how lousy the Nevada beer scene is, and I didn’t feel like it was possible if it was true. So it was sort of a challenge to prove people outside of Nevada wrong and show there is good beer in the state. Plus, what better way to jump into the industry and get to know people. It’s full of a lot of great people.

Was there history to dig deep into?

Surprisingly more than I thought there would be. Knowing from previous research that beer was widely made across the country pre-Prohibition, I expected a good amount. It was all concentrated north of Las Vegas of course. Even aside from Carson City and Reno, which had significant operations, there were dozens of breweries in the mining towns. I loved how in-depth some of the newspapers used

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January 2019 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 29

EVENTS

AD INDEX

There are several major food & beverage events happening in the coming months. Here is a sampling of some of the events we highly recommend, so if planning to attend you can start booking now.

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

January 13-15 the 44th Annual Winter Fancy Food Show at the Moscone Center in San Francisco will offer more than 80,000 specialty foods and beverages, thousands of new products and more than 1,400 exhibitors from around the globe and sessions featuring innovative thinkers in specialty food, sustainability, commerce, and food technology. www.specialtyfood.com/shows-events/winter-fancy-food-show/ January 26 the Big Dog’s Brewing Company Winterfest beer and music festival will be held in the front and side parking lots of the Draft House in northwest Las Vegas, and will feature 45 regional beers, heart-warming winter stews and live music throughout the night. www.bigdogsbrews.com/festivals/winterfest March 4-7 the International Pizza Expo returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center with the world’s largest pizza, ingredients, products, and service expo, including demos and contests plus unlimited samplings all day long! www.pizzaexpo.com March 25-27 the Nightclub & Bar Show comes to the Las Vegas Convention Center for the largest beverage and bar show in the world, with unlimited tastes and treats! Don’t miss it. www.ncbshow.com April 26-27 the 9th Annual Universal Whisky Experience will take place at Wynn Las Vegas. Founded by our friend, whisky enthusiast Mahesh Patel, it will feature exclusive tastings of the world’s finest whiskies, classes and other whisky experiences. This event is one not to be missed by any serious whisky aficionado! www.universalwhiskyexperience.com

30 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I January 2019

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

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Designated Drivers, Inc. designateddriversinc.com 877-456-7433

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Ferrari-Carano Vinyards & Winery ferrari-carano.com

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Keep Memory Alive Event Center 702-263-9797 kmaeventcenterlasvegas.com

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Riedel riedel.com

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Roca Patron rocapatron.com

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