january 2015

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January 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 3www.lvfnbpro.com

January 2015

CONTENTS10

18

22

Cover

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FEATURESFRONT COVER FEATURE MOVES US TO NAPA AND A VERY SPECIAL WINE produced with the collaboration of three movers & shakers producing a very unique wine they call “King of Clubs,” but you will see why it is becoming the King of Cabs. Look for this special offering to be unveiled soon in the Las Vegas market.

WINE TALK WITH ALICE SWIFT TAKES US TO MAINLAND CHINA where Alice is touring and visiting friends and family and reports on her findings there in both the culinary field as well as the wines selected to complement the cuisine! Get a fresh view on an ancient culture changing with the international tide.

CHECK OUT FRYER’S FAVORITES THIS MONTH and see a few upcoming events and some great readings. If you enjoy Asian food and Korean in particular as much as we do, Cathlyn’s Korean Kitchen gives you “Healthy and Delicious Korean Recipes” in easy to follow recipes to create some of the best Korean dishes.

Next is our own Dr. Sake who we will be collaborating with to publish a book including his monthly column “Ask Dr. Sake” and updated sake notes for both sake lovers and foodservice professionals. Look for it here in the first months of 2015… KAMPAI!

13

Page 4

Hot Off the Grill!

Page 5

For the Love of the Craft...

Page 6

What’s Brewing?

Page 7

SWS Tokyo Streets

Page 8

Ask Doctor Sake…

Page 9

Food For Thought

Page 10

Wine Talk

Page 12

Chef Talk

Page 13

Fryer’s Favorites

Page 14

What’s Cooking

Page 15

PR Spotlight

Page 17

Rachel’s Kitchen Provides

Healthy Eating and a Convenient

Downtown Meeting Space

Page 18

Another Reason to Go to Sage

at Aria

Page 19

Olive Oil Tastings all over the City

Page 20

Director of Food & Beverage Paul

Pace Overseeing Expansion of

Food & Beverage Role at Treasure

Island

Page 22COVER FEATURE King of Clubs: Makes Grand Entrance into High-End Wine Market

Page 24The Venetian Brings in A-team of Brands and Chefs for Its Extravagant Ultimo Weekend December 5-7

Page 25Highlights of Dining Green in 2014HR Insights

Page 26PPACA- Are you ready for the new health care act?

Page 27The Bottom Line

Page 28Product Spotlight

Page 28American Culinary Federation Chefs of Las Vegas Chapter Page

0EventsAd Index

4 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I January 2015 www.lvfnbpro.com

Karen KunzGraphic [email protected]

Bob BarnesEditorial [email protected]

For all Website inquires contact [email protected]

Adam RainsBeverage [email protected]

January 2015Mike FryerSr. Editor/PublisherThank you for joining us in this issue of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.For any questions or comments please [email protected]

Juanita FryerAssistant To Sr. EditorACF Chefs Liasion/[email protected]

HOT OFF THE GRILL!

The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional1200 S TORREY PINES SUITE 172

Las Vegas, NV 89146www.lvfnbpro.com

The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional

@lvfnb

JournalistBen Vaughn

JournalistLeAnne Notabartolo

Journalist Ask Dr. Sake

K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.

PhotographerAudrey Dempsey

Journalist Chef Talk

Allen Asch

Journalist Al Mancini

JournalistUNLV Epicurean Club News

Myles Gueco

Journalist HR Insights

Linda Bernstein

Pre-Press TechnicianBrandon Yan

Journalist & PhotographerJoe Fogarty

Accounting ManagerMichelleSan Juan

Journalist Brett’s Vegas View

Jackie Brett

JournalistShelley Stepanek

Journalist Food for Thought

Les Kincaid

JournalistsDining Out with the HarrisesScott & Elaine Harris

Journalist Mitchell Wilburn

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Journalist Green Restaurant Association

Michael Oshman

Journalist Wine Talk

Alice Swift

Brand Ambassador & Journalist

Crystal Marie

JournalistThe Bottom Line

Ben Brown

PhotographerBill Bokelmann

PhotographerJoe Urcioli

PhotographerDanette Chappell

PhotographerRose Powell-Carver

The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional welcomes letters to the editor. We are always striving to improve this publication and would like to know your comments and thoughts. Here’s your chance to be heard. Send your comments to [email protected] and they may be published in next month’s issue!NOTE: All submissions become the property of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.

YOU ASK ME WHY I LOVE MY JOB?I’ve spent the better part of my adult life in the Food & Beverage Industry, operating restaurants, establishing and owning foodservice facilities, and always connected to the industry. Ever since my Health Inspector father “arranged” my first job cleaning the parking lot and equipment at Winks Drive-in in Northern California, I have been a dedicated industry professional. My passion for food & beverage has taken me throughout Southeast Asia for the better part of 30 years where I have learned not only cooking techniques, styles, flavors, but the people who put their hearts into the dishes they create. I’m so delighted to see that passion for international foods now being constantly introduced to the American palate, and being appreciated!On my return to the US just 12 years ago, I experienced a new passion in the F&B Industry by young, talented, hardworking F&B professionals and I knew my calling was to help them help themselves develop their skills and elevate the professionalism of the Foodservice Industry. Fortunately, I choose the best location I could find that was developing the industry and talent, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA! And over these past years I’ve been blessed to meet and know so many great people in this industry. So with this note, I thank all the people that have made THE LAS VEGAS FOOD & BEVERAGE PROFESSIONAL become the professional publication that it is today and look forward to some great changes coming in 2015! CHEERS! MIKE FRYERSR.EDITOR/PUBLISHER


For the Love of the Craft

By Adam RainsAdam has a passion for food, wine & spirits.

He has completed the BarSmarts program and is a Level 2 Sommelier. A supporter of farmers markets, his mantra with cocktails and food is

“fresh is best.” His podcast, “Las Vegas Cocktail Weekly,” can be downloaded for free on iTunes.

www.lasvegascocktailweekly.com

That those of us that truly care will fade away and that we will be left in a plastic land of Slushy-style Frappe Cocktails and DD’s. While both of these may have their virtues, I’m here to defiantly say no.

Our thing, besides for the love of booze, is about passion. It’s about showmanship, knowledge and love of the craft. But even more than that, it’s about professionalism and people. It’s about making things right, earning our tip, providing great service and creating custom tailored experiences.

The drinks are just one tool in making the guest happy. Many of us think, eat and drink cocktails, spirits and beer. We obsessover ingredients and “nerd-out” over the specifics of production. The best of us, however, never lose perspective. While difficult at times, we should always know it is about those on the other side of the bar. We are there for the guest; we are the maestros of their good times.

They are out there though, in the restaurants, casinos, and even in the dive bars. The bartenders that care. The ones that honor our history, but aren’t slaves to it. That know about the past, live in the present but want to shape our world to come. While some of our finest do get taken from behind the bar to spread the love in other capacities (ambassadorship, consultancy etc…), the most outstanding of those working “behind the stick” aren’t there for those reasons. It’s not a stepping stone or a halfway point; we own it. We want to be the best and we are tested every moment of every night with every guest that comes across our presence.

What we do has evolved over the years. It has come a long way. The cocktail and modern bar culture were both made in America. Brought to the brink of destruction by the noble experiment, we then spread our cocktails and our dreams across the world as our great barmen went to do what they did best. In the process we lost generations full of knowledge here in the United States but it’s safe to say they we are now back in stride.

Our movement feels strong but our fire still needs stoking. I think and I hope that we won’t go back the way of the easy package, artificially flavored, store and pore. To where the button pushing is more than enough. To where any barmen that has to press mint acts like they are getting a root canal. Where the act of squeezing a lemon is like pulling teeth and to having a real connection with a customer is passé. Our job is blue-collar but with pizzazz; its noble and scientific, collaborative and impromptu at times, but it is always about the connection with people and it allows them to better connect with each other. In short, it’s the best job in the world.

To the false-rooted and so-called “Old School” that doubt the authenticity of our beverage renaissance, doubt no more. We are here and only getting stronger. As we strive to be the convergence of our past, present, and future, we will show you that professionalism and caring can help the numbers. The powers-at-be shall not dismiss what they don’t understand. The fervor of our movement is not a facade; it does not reside in the newsboy caps, fancy bar tools, or funny mustaches. As I said before, it’s about people; it’s about creating an experience with technique, passion and freshness, in continuation of the great American-made living art that is Bartending. Salute!

It’s Not a Fad

Although I have heard murmurs that we are a dying breed.


By Bob BarnesBob 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: [email protected]

what’s BREWING?

Beer of the Month:The saison style has vaulted from relative obscurity to one of today’s most popular styles, with many breweries now concocting their own versions. But the world’s authority has long been Brasserie Dupont, which now has a tweaked version, Triomfbeer Vooruit. This 100% organic bottle conditioned ale was previously only sold in Belgium but has now been released for the first time in the US. Brewed with the same hops and yeast used to make the classic Saison Dupont, an addition of smoked crystal malt gives it a smoky character that merges nicely with the signature Dupont funky farmhouse bite along with flavors of bitter orange peel and grapefruit. It’s distributed by To-tal Beverage Solution. For more info, go to www.totalbeveragesolution.com. As always, great beer happens in Vegas!

Paul Ellis and Joe Mascaglione of M*E Fine Wines introduce Bob Barnes to the fine beer of the Italian Collesi brewery.

Nacho Daddy was one of the first Mexican restaurants in Southern Nevada to serve a quality beer list. Now with the opening of its new location at Ft. Apache and Sahara it’s raised the beer even higher. An innovative addition is the self serve taps, dubbed The Beer Wall, a technological marvel that uses an electronic card allowing you to pour as little or as much as you want from each of the taps until your allotment is used up, meaning you can enjoy a taste of all of them if your heart desires to. On opening night the seven-handle selection included Dog-fish Head 120-Minute IPA, Deschutes Chasin’ Freshies Fresh Hop IPA, Stone Master of Disguise Imperial Stout, Rogue Farms Pumpkin Patch and locally brewed CraftHaus Saison. Hats off to Manager Will Miller for keeping the good brews flowing, and for supporting local beer; also pouring from the regular tap handles was Tenaya Creek Bonanza Brown.I was first introduced to Italian craft beers in 2008 by Joe Muscaglione, and my eyes were opened to the premium quality and diversity of the beers from a country best known for its wine. Joe and Paul Ellis, who have more than 50 years F&B experience between them, are

that are 100% recyclable; and grows its own barley in the Collesi family’s fields.

Shakespeare’s Pub will host “The Battle of the Henderson Breweries” on Jan. 22. Bad Beat, Joseph James, and Crafthaus will all be creating fun, new and exciting beers for the first ever Henderson Battle. This should be a big event, so I advise you to arrive early. Seating starts at 6 p.m. and the tasting begins at 6:30. Guests will be given an entry form and vote for their favorite beer, and the winner will be announced afterwards. This is a blind taste test and no one will know exactly what they are drinking. The Freakin’ Frog held the distinction of serv-ing the largest selection of beer in the US with more than 1,000 on its menu, and now that it’s on hiatus you may be wondering where you can access a varied selection; so, the following is a list of pubs serving at least 100 beers: Aces & Ales, Todd English P.U.B., Yard House, TAG at The Linq, Public House at The Venetian, The Pub at Monte Carlo, Shakespeare’s Pub and Ta-cos & Beer. If I’ve left any out, email me and I’ll do an update in next month’s column. It used to be the only place you could enjoy Barley’s Brewmaster Bubba Amas’s creations were at the brewpub on Sunset Rd. in Hender-son. Now there are several more options, in-cluding Total Wine & More growler fill stations, Galaxy Luxury+ Theaters, Hard Hat Lounge, Legends Sports Bar & Grill, Streets of New York Pizza, Timeout Sports Lounge and several Station Casinos and Wildfire Gaming locations.A not-to-be-missed event is Aces & Ales 5th annual Winter Beer Fest, running from noon on Jan. 16 to midnight on the 18th. Held at its Nellis location, more than 60 rare & specialty brews will be tapped over the three days, with a fresh new lineup each day at noon. Visit acesan-dales.com for more info. Big Dog’s Brewing will host its annual Winterfest, a celebration of hearty food and beers, on Saturday, Jan. 24 from 3 to 9 p.m. in the outdoor area at the Draft House at Craig Rd. and Rancho Dr. As usual, there will be live music, more than 40 beers poured, including several from local breweries, and admission is free. For the lineup of beers being served, visit bigdogswinterfest.com.

now operating M*E Fine Wines and recently turned me on to the Collesi brewery, from Apecchio in the Marche region. Contributing to the beers’ excellence is the use of spring water so pristine that it requires no treatment whatsoever; and renowned Brewmaster Marc Knops, who brews at Collesi two weeks a month when he’s not in Belgium overseeing production at Achel, De Halves Maan, Malheur and Brouwerij Huyghe (makers of Delirium Tremens). All six Collesi beers have won awards at major beer competitions. The beers I sampled were extremely flavorful and complex, which is a bit surprising since they are all made with ingredients of only water, barley, hops and yeast. I particularly enjoyed Ambrata, a 7.5% ABV amber that reminded me of a Belgian dubbel; and Rossa, a delicious malty sweet 8% ABV red ale with a pronounced character of dried dark fruit. Locally the beers are served at the Tuscany, Giada, Scarpetta and all of the Batali/Bastianich restaurants: B&B Ristorante, B&B Burger and Beer, Carnevino and OTTO Enoteca. Of note for those who love all things green, this brewery emits 0% emissions; cre-ates its own solar power; uses disposable kegs

PHO

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SOUTHERN WINE & SPIRITS NV, RECENTLY HOSTED A “TOKYO STREETS” SESSION, WHICH INCLUDED ITS LINE OF PREMIUM SAKE, BEER AND JAPANESE SPIRITS... AND WAS WELL ATTENDED BY THE PROFESSIONAL BEVERAGE INDUSTRY.

SWS Tokyo Streets


ASK DOCTOR SAKE… A New Wave of the Japanese Restaurants: Izakaya-Kappo and Ramen vs. Sake

By K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.Mike Masuyama is a bi-cultural

science-technology-business consultant. He earned a Ph.D. in Food Science at Cornell University, is involved in teaching, research and business in

major-beer, micro-beer, soft drinks, sake and food areas both in Japan and

the US., and has published several books and dozens of articles.

Traditionalyet New

A golden color white soy sauce

No burnt dark soy sauce flavor

No darkening color in cooking

Remarkable for sea foods, veggies, pasta,

fusion and natural foods

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Perfect Soy Sauce Flavor

without the Color!

Sake came into our market with Japanese food after WWII. Sukiyaki and hot sake were the first to be brought back by GIs of the occupation force about 70 years ago. I remember a Japanese restaurant, “Sukiyaki Tokyo,” stood for many years at the corner of Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. Tempura was another menu item at such early Japanese restaurants, appealing to most of the western taste buds. Teriyaki came a little later with the blended soy sauce and sugar flavor, which have been applied to many like a beef jerky and BBQ sauce.

In the early 1970’s I worked at a Japanese restaurant in a small college town, Ithaca, NY, as a part-time cook-server. Tempura was at the top of the orders, followed by Sukiyaki. Teriyaki was not on a menu then. I cooked Sukiyaki and occasionally its vegetarian version with no meat but lots of Tofu, even at that time. Afterward, Japanese foods received a great interest, rice in particular, because the Japanese diet was regarded as the cause of their skinny, healthier and longer lives than ours. Besides, people started eating more fish or seafood which had less fat and contained good fatty acids like Omega-3. Thus sushi, rice and fish, has become sort of a good, exotic food for a healthier diet that many Americans have come to believe in. People started visiting Japanese restaurants regularly, even though it was more expensive than another Asian food, Chinese. These ethnic restaurants, operated by Japanese, prospered accordingly. But some of the owners became too

exhausted or got too old, hoping to retire, but many of their children did not take over the parents’ business because of its hard, long hour works. Then Koreans came into the picture. They are hard working people and also have a similar cultural background to the Japanese. Some food provision personnel say more than 85% of sushi restaurants in southern California are owned by many Koreans and some other Asians. They have practically contributed expanding sushi throughout our market. The authentic Japanese restaurants have become a minority which does business only for those who seek real, traditional Japanese foods and Japanese business people from Japan.

For differentiating from the current sushi business, some Japanese chefs and restaurants owners-entrepreneurs have recently started a new wave of the authentic Japanese restaurant business. “Ramen” and “Izakaya” appear to be the front runners today. Ramen is a noodle soup meal flavored with salt, soy sauce, or miso, which is similar to the one at Chinese restaurants but differs with respect to the character of the noodle and taste. It is often cooked and served over the counter for a convenient lunch or light meal. Its instant version in a cup (add hot water and wait for 3 minutes to eat) is a superb innovative food, which has been sold all over the world. There has been a good conventional Ramen shop on Twain for many years but a new wave is on Spring Mountain Road. To sake, Ramen may not be a good partner to be consumed together because of its soup nature and quick eating environment. Besides, many Ramen shops have no license to serve alcohol beverages.

Izakaya, on the other hand, must be good to the Japanese entrepreneurs as well as sake. It is a kind of cozy bar-restaurant like a tavern or pub or Tapas eatery with the traditional appetizers and light entrees, which can be paired well with sake. The menu starts from Edamame, Yakitori, to sashimi, grilled fish, Tofu dishes, cooked or fresh vegetables, many more, and ends with rice balls or soba (buckwheat) noodle meal. All of Izakaya have a good list of sake from various regions and classes, and other alcohol beverages like beer, shochu, whiskey and wine. This style cannot be easily followed by other ethnic people at present because the menu items are deeply rooted in the traditional Japanese food culture. In Japan, Izakaya is now booming, particularly specialized with seafood. “Kappo” is an up-graded, traditional Japanese restaurant where more authentic gourmet foods are served in an order by a well trained server at a very comfortable, secluded setting. Kaiseki used to be a light meal which is served after a Haiku poem party or tea ceremony. Here in our market it is often specialized with organic or authentic ingredients imported directly from Japan. Again sake, hot and cold, is well selected to be served with food there. It costs $200-500 per head if you go with Omakase, a chef’s choice special course menu. Izakaya or Kappo or Kaiseki is a new wave of the authentic Japanese restaurants-foods which you can enjoy well with sake. An innovative pairing of food with sake must be a key to the success in such a new wave business. Our sake industry needs to provide more education to those who serve food and sake, I feel. Kanpai!


By Les KincaidLes Kincaid is a food, wine, and golf

expert and cookbook author. He hosts a nationally syndicated wine radio

show each Thursday from 7 to 8 pm. You can enjoy his website or his

broadcast at www.leskincaid.com [email protected]

www.facebook.com/leskincaidwww.twitter.com/leskincaid

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

you usually need to add another ingredient to replace the lost moisture. Here’s a couple examples of how wine can do just that:Instead of sautéing veggies in heaps

of butter or oil, you can sauté them in a smaller amount of oil plus some wine for flavor and moisture.Instead of making a marinade with 1/2 cup of oil,

decrease the oil to 1/4 cup and add 1/4 cup wine.Instead of adding 3/4 cup of oil to a cake mix

recipe, add 3/4 cup of white or dessert wine to the batter.Here are some of my favorite ways to use wine

in light cooking:Wine helps cook and add flavor to fish.

Deep-fried fish dipped in tartar sauce, albeit tasty, defeats the nutritional purpose of eating fish. One way to add flavor and moisture to fish without adding fat is to cook it with wine. You can add wine to the pan while the fish is simmering, poach the fish over a saucepan of boiling wine, or drizzle fish with a tablespoon or two of wine and bake it in a foil package.Wine is a great ingredient in marinades. Wine is

basically an acid ingredient (which helps tenderize the outside of the meat) and it has a lot of flavor. A wine-based marinade helps keep meat, poultry or seafood moist while it cooks, too.Wine can help cook and simmer foods. Add

wine to dishes you’re cooking in a skillet on the stove, in a slow cooker or in the oven. Simmered along with the food, it adds flavor and moisture to whatever dish you’re preparing.Wine can be used in baking, too! For certain

types of cakes, using wine or sherry in place of some of the fat not only lightens up the cake but adds complementary flavors.Some basics you should know:

Play off the subtle flavors in wine.

Here are some of the subtle food-like flavors that can come through in wine — which you may want to capitalize on by adding some to dishes containing these foods:White wine: melon, apple, pineapple, pear, citrus, vanilla, caramel, olives and mushroomsRed wine: berries, peaches, currants, plums, cherries, oranges, chocolate and coffee

Choosing dry vs. sweet

A very dry wine has very few natural sugars remaining, and is usually higher in alcohol. In contrast, the sweeter wines still contain a larger amount of natural sugar from the grapes. So choose the type of wine depending on the flavor you want in the dish you’re making.

Tannins and acid

“Acid” is a term used to describe both red and white wines, and it refers to the sharp bite in the wine (much like you would experience with lemon juice or vinegar). Acid can help bring out the natural flavors in a mild food, such as fish (this is why fish is often served with an acidic wedge of lemon). Tannins are generally found in red wines; this word refers to the bitter element in the wine (similar to the bitterness you’ll find in a strong cup of tea). The tannins in red wine pair well with strongly flavored dishes and hearty foods, like a nice juicy steak. Tannins will act like palate cleansers when paired with foods high in protein, such as meat.

What type of wine should be used to cook which type of food?

Generally, it’s thought that a light-flavored wine goes best with delicately flavored foods. It would follow that a bold-tasting wine might do well in a boldly flavored dish.Don’t be afraid to do your own thing, but

generally, light-colored meats like chicken and fish, are paired with light-colored wines (white) while dark-colored meats, like beef or lamb, are paired with dark-colored wines (red).

What about the “other” white meat? You can serve either red or white with pork.

Red dinner wines go well with hearty or highly seasoned foods, such as beef, pork, game, duck, goose and pasta dishes.White dinner wines tend to work with dishes

containing chicken, turkey, fish, shellfish, ham and veal.

Consider the preparation

It is important to consider not only the type of meat,

but the way the meat is prepared when choosing a wine to use in cooking or serve at the table. For example, a dish heavy on the spices

usually needs a full-bodied wine to stand up to it. Although one with a light or creamy sauce calls for a drier, light wine.

That last secret to cooking with wine

Feel free to experiment while cooking or baking with wine. Get creative, and try to invent new flavor combinations. And, after you’ve created something spectacular; don’t forget to write down how you did it! You might think you’ll remember but you likely won’t.

Mulled Wine

6 whole allspice berries 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns 2 whole star anise 3 cinnamon sticks 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced 3 large strips orange zest 3 large strips lemon zest 2 (750-ml) bottles red wine

3/4 cup honey

In the basket of a coffee percolator place the allspice berries, peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon sticks, ginger and citrus zest. Pour the wine and honey into the percolator.

Attach basket, cover and let percolate for 1 to 2 hours.

Yield: 10 servings

When you take some of the fat out of dishes,


Wine Talk w i t h A l i c e S w i f t

By Alice SwiftAlice Swift has been a resident of Las Vegas since July, 2011, and is currently an instructor as well as a Ph.D. student at UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel

Administration. She also works as Senior Learning Design Consultant for MGM Resorts University. Check

out her website at www.aliceswift.com for the dish on wine, technology, or even both! She is happy to take

suggestions for article topics or inquiries.


Hello from Asia!I hope all of you had a wonderful holidays, and were surrounded by friends, family, good food, and of course, good drink! As you might have gathered, I spent just over two weeks in Asia, and documented my first few days trip to share with you, my readers. I currently am writing this article from the Puxi region of Shanghai (Mainland China), and thus far, have eaten quite a few different cuisines, from Beijing, to Shanghainese, to Hunan, to Suzhou. If you happen to make it to Shanghai, I would highly recommend trying

a variety of their regional cuisines, because they’re all unique and so delicious! And of course, what’s good food without good wine? The following is a photo tour of my trip to China thus far including some scenic photos and restaurants, as well as the domestic wines I’ve tasted, which were quite good I might add!

Day 1: Old Beijing – Peking Roast Duck Restaurant (Shanghai, China)

The first restaurant we went to was 老北京前门烤, which translates to “Old Beijing: Front Entrance Peking Roast Duck.” The building was right at the corner, with the entrance facing the street, thus the name “Front Entrance.” Peking duck is a very unique and labor intensive style of roast duck, but the result is a very tender duck meat, with a very crispy and

delicious skin. After being served the whole duck, which is sliced tableside, the other entrees ordered are made with the various remaining parts of the duck, such as a duck soup, duck lettuce cups and duck stir fry.

Day 2: De Yue Lou Restaurant (Suzhou, China)

The other very unique restaurant we went to was called De Yue Lou Restaurant, which is located in the historic town of Suzhou, west of Shanghai. The restaurant itself has been open for over a hundred years and is known for its classic and traditionally made dishes. The food was very delicious, and this restaurant only exists in Suzhou, with two locations. My favorite dish was the deep fried “butterflied” fish, for lack of a better term. The fish was de-boned, perfectly snipped into pieces, breaded, then fried in a strategic position so the fish would stand up. Definitely one of my favorite dishes thus far!

The WineThus far I’ve had a couple different wines. One was a 2009 Great Wall Cabernet Sauvignon wine made in the northern part of China, near Beijing. The wine was very easy drinking, and not too tannic, but the full body paired very well with the fatty meat of the Peking duck from the Old Beijing restaurant. Quite tasty for our first full day in Shanghai!

The second wine I had was what is translated to be “Yellow Wine.” My best interpretation for this wine is that it is a rice wine similar to sake, but aged in oak barrels, perhaps old bourbon or whiskey barrels. As a result, the wine is not a clear white color, but more of a yellow, amber color. This wine was very easy drinking, not harsh at all, and was about 15% in alcohol percentage. This paired very well with chilly winter evenings of Shanghai.

I hope to be able to share more of my photo tours with you in future issues, but in the meantime, I hope you have the opportunity to visit these restaurants should you ever visit Mainland China! They definitely know what they’re doing in terms of the cuisine here, and the history in this town is quite impressive.

Until next month, Happy New Year, and may you fulfill all your goals and resolutions for 2015!

Cheers!

~Alice

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Maybe because this is the end of the salmon roe season, not really considered caviar, but the thought of losing this delicacy might make me crave the “good stuff.” True caviar needs to come from a sturgeon and there 26 species of fish that are called sturgeon. Of the 26 breeds, only 6 traditionally produce roe that is officially called caviar. Roe from other breeds usually include the name of the breed before the word caviar, such as trout caviar.Caviar needs to come from breeds that are native to Russia and the three most common are the Beluga, Sevruga and Osetra breeds. Although Beluga is the most endangered, the most unique is the Golden Osetra. At the time of the Czars (Tzars) the fish roe of the Albino Osetra Sturgeon was saved exclusively for the royal family. This caviar is called Golden Osetra due to the light color of the eggs. We think of the Russians as having the traditional caviar service, but its history can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. The first notice of caviar in books date to the mid 1500’s in Italy. Italy has a strong connection to caviar being the largest producer and exporter of farm-raised caviar in the world.In the beginning of 19th century, the United States was the major producer of caviar in the world, producing 90% of the world’s caviar. By the end of the nineteenth century we were processing more than 600 tons a year. At one time, caviar was so common in America it was served in saloons to encourage thirsty drinkers. Hudson River sturgeons were so plentiful that the flesh was referred to as “Albany beef,” and a nickel could get you a serving of the best caviar available in New York. Most lavish establishments including the Waldorf Astoria, offered free-flowing caviar as an amuse-bouche opening to an elegant meal. Caviar was also a common food in California during the gold rush days.The highest quality caviar comes from older fish, which allow more flavor to develop in the eggs. The best caviar are larger eggs with a lighter color to them. Salmon caviar has a large “grain” (egg size) and when used to decorate canapés, single grains can be set in place with the tip of a table knife. It’s best to rinse Lumpfish, Whitefish, and Salmon

caviars to prevent any color from running. Turn out caviar into a fine-mesh strainer. Rinse gently with cold tap water. Shake, and then turn onto several layers of paper towels to absorb moisture.Although caviar can be expensive it goes a long way in the sense of serving it. There are 5 teaspoon servings of caviar per ounce. Caviar roe is very tender and fragile, so be very gentle with it, and lift it while spooning it out. Caviar should be served from a non-metal spoon. Caviar spoons are widely available in bone, tortoise shell and Mother of Pearl caviar spoons. Any metal, including silver, will impart a metallic flavor to the granules. When the caviar comes in a tin it is coated to avoid contact with the metal.It is important when serving caviar that the jars are removed from the refrigerator 15 minutes to an hour before serving, but opened immediately before consumption. Unless the caviar is on ice it should be consumed within an hour of opening it. If stored on ice or in a refrigerator the quality will last for 2 to 3 days, but unopened it can stay 4-6 weeks in a refrigerator. A good idea is to order caviar in smaller containers and more than one container rather than ordering a large tin and keeping it unrefrigerated.Since the best caviar comes from the oldest fish, 80-100 years old, and the fish can only produce the roe one time for caviar, there have been significant shrinkage of the supply of caviar. Overfishing has led to a new industry needed to supply the market with caviar. This has led to fish farming becoming a new supply route. Northern California farms the most fish and the breed they use is the paddlefish. The paddlefish is a close relative to the sturgeon and the American paddlefish is native to the United States, initially the Mississippi Valley. Besides the fact that they are on the endangered species list, an advantage to farm raising fish for caviar is that in the wild it takes 7-10 years for fish to start producing roe, while fish farming can move that up 5 years through diet and environmental controls.The most expensive caviar is Beluga from Iran that sells for $1000 per ounce. Maybe I’ll use my next paycheck to treat myself.

Chef TalkBy Chef Allen Asch

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.

Caviar

I don’t know why, but the holiday season always has me craving caviar.


Fryer’s Favorites Mike Fryer, Sr. Editor/Publisher

By Mike FryerAfter graduating from the University

of Tokyo, Mike worked for 30 years developing, operating, and owning

establishments throughout Southeast Asia. In 2002 he returned to the US

and started the Las Vegas Food & Beverage Publication.

Contact: [email protected]

CATHLYN’S KOREAN KITCHEN Healthy and Delicious Korean Recipes by our good friend and associate Cathlyn Choi is one of the best Korean recipe books I have seen on the market, and with its beautiful food photos by Eric Michelson, her better half, makes it a perfect gift to give to your favorite foodie, including yourself! Each recipe has taken the guesswork out of Korean food preparation. You can order Cathlyn’s Korean Kitchen at www.cathlynskoreankitchen.com

OUR OWN DR. SAKE TO PUBLISH EASY REFERENCE SAKE BOOK compiling his monthly Dr. Sake columns at LVFNB Pro including an informative sourcing guide to the best sake available and how to totally enjoy it. As a reference guide, this is a must-have tool for both professionals and sake enthusiasts alike. Look for it in the 1st quarter of 2015 here in LVFNB Pro… http://issuu.com/lvfnb/docs/december_2014/08

SLOW COOKER DOUBLE DINNERS FOR TWO, EAT ONCE, EAT TWICE, by Cynthia Graubart is a great compilation of various recipes for two using the slow cooker method with two pouches, thus the “Eat Once, Eat Twice” slogan on the cover. The contents includes an array of dishes featuring poultry, beef, pork, lamb and vegetarian which are perfect for these winter months and busy people. For more information contact www.gibbs-smith.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER ATTENDINGJAN 6-9 CES, LAS VEGAS-FOR THE LATEST TECNOLOGY IN F&B DEVELOPMENTJAN 11-13 FANCY FOOD SHOW, SAN FRANCICSO-LATEST F&B PRODUCTSFEB 19-21 NAFEM, ANAHEIM, CA-NAT’L FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT SHOW

LAS VEGAS’ ORIGINAL BREWING COMPANY

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By Bob BarnesBob 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: [email protected]

It seems to be an unwritten rule that every major resort has to have a gourmet burger restaurant, or maybe it just makes good sense to offer the classic American staple in its most glorious renditions. Add into the mix the pairing of some great craft beers and it’s an even wiser move. As the name implies, that’s exactly what the M Resort Spa Casino has done in its Anthony’s Gourmet Burgers & Brews.

Set in a beautiful room that exudes a bright and cheerful ambience thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows that even extend to the rooftop, plenty of natural light is provided, and you get the feel of eating al fresco while being protected from the elements inside (outdoor dining is also offered when the weather permits). The room is topped off with a stupendous view that overlooks the Strip and the resort’s pool and an elegant lounge area with a classy granite bartop.

Overseeing the kitchen and menu is Executive Chef Mark Sandoval, who does double duty at Jayde Fuzion restaurant next door. Chef has an extremely impressive background that includes degrees from Colorado University-Boulder and the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, which he earned in the 1990s. After graduating, Chef Sandoval spent over a decade working in San Francisco and Sonoma and was Executive Chef at the exclusive Harmony Club in the Ledson Winery. In 2004 he achieved a longtime dream to work with Joël Robuchon when he came to work alongside the 3-star Michelin Chef when his namesake restaurant opened at the MGM Grand. Chef Sandoval moved on to work for another acclaimed chef, serving as Executive Chef of Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio at The Venetian for more than six years. After tiring of the hustle and bustle of the Strip and the fast pace of putting out more than 1,000 covers a night, he chose a more relaxed environment, coming to the M Resort Spa Casino in 2012. Chef Sandoval said, “It’s a beautiful property with classic elegance. Our clientele is mostly local and we get to know them; we have several customers that come in two or three nights a week.” As if Chef isn’t busy enough running two kitchens, he also finds time to teach culinary courses at UNLV, something he has done for the past two years: “It’s something I really enjoy and would like to do more of later in life. I’m pretty good at it, and teaching is what we do every day in the kitchen.”

As for the menu, it’s not all burgers, and a must try is the Asian Chicken Salad enhanced with a delicious ginger soy and peanut vinaigrette; or the Soft Crab Sandwich topped with tomatoes,

Anthony’s Gourmet Burgers and Brews at theM Discovers the Right Combination

shredded lettuce and spiced remoulade. And of course if you want fries with that, you’re covered, with options of Salt + Pepper, Sweet Potato with maple mayo, Garlic Parmesan and the decadent White Cheddar Bacon fries.

As for the burgers, Chef Sandoval said, “We’ve pretty much covered everything you’d want to put in a burger, and beer and burgers are the perfect marriage.” Most are made with beer and their names reflect which style of beer they are infused with, such as the Porter Burger poached with Porter beer and topped with pastrami and aged swiss; IPA Burger enlivened with roasted hatch chiles, pepper jack cheese and IPA beer-battered jalapenos; and the Stout Burger composed of Irish cheddar, smoked bacon, and stone ground Stout mustard. Non-beef eaters will be happy to know that all of the gourmet burgers can be substituted with turkey burger.

While you eat your beer-infused burger you can wash it down with a well-rounded assortment of craft beers. Seasonal brews from Anchor, Brooklyn Brewing, Magic Hat and Pyramid rotate and local beers are represented with Big Dog’s Dirty Dog IPA and Joseph James Fox Tail Pale Ale, which were offered during my visit. Other notable finds are Ballast Point Sculpin IPA, Leffe Blonde and Santa Fe Brewing Java Imperial Stout.

Hopefully you’ll save room for dessert, for two outstanding selections are the Carrot Cake layered with cream cheese filling with candied pineapple compote and the Mixed Berry Cobbler—a baked streusel composed of blueberries, strawberries and raspberries topped with vanilla gelato.

In addition to the aforementioned fare, breakfast is served daily with pretty much any breakfast items you’d want: with a variety of omelets, wraps, eggs Benedict, steak and eggs, pancakes and smoothies.

Hours are Breakfast daily 7 to 11 a.m., Lunch Sat.-Sun. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Dinner daily 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. (must be 21 or older after 11 a.m.). For reservations call 702-797-1000.

www.themresort.com/dining/anthonys-burger-brews.html


Parker Sanpei excels in strategizing campaigns and events that afford additional opportunities for media, trade and consumers to discover brands and personalities.Linda Sanpei founded the agency in 2007 and has built the company into a full-service public relations and marketing firm with a focus on the hospitality industry. As a veteran in the

industry, she holds a strong track record in developing and executing public relations and marketing strategies and campaigns that deliver results. The team at Parker Sanpei is a seasoned, well-traveled group consisting of sommeliers, published journalists, and public relations and marketing professionals who have traveled the world bringing a plethora of experiences to the table. Parker Sanpei’s home office is strategically placed between Los Angeles and San Francisco in San Luis Obispo, CA and they have now expanded to Las Vegas. They have the ability and experience to create fresh and creative synergies between the Bay Area, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. “Las Vegas, with its large hospitality industry, is a perfect fit for our skills and experience,” said Linda Sanpei.Parker Sanpei’s clients have been featured at the James Beard House, the Today Show, The Tasting Panel Magazine, the New York Times, FORBES, and Wine and Spirits Magazine in addition to many other pres-tigious outlets. “We are extremely excited to open our office in Las Vegas to provide full-service public relations and marketing strategies and campaigns to new clients,” said Sanpei.Scott and Elaine Harris will spearhead the Las Vegas office of Parker Sanpei.

For more information on case studies, current and past clients please visit www.parkersan-pei.com. Follow Parker Sanpei on Twitter @ParkerSanpeiPR and Facebook at www.facebook.com/PS.Public.Relations.8550 W Desert Inn Road, Suite 444Las Vegas, NV 89117702-906-23993040-7 Broad Street #301San Luis Obispo, [email protected]

Parker Sanpei Public Relations and Marketing Agency Opens Its Las Vegas Office

PR Spotlight

At Parker Sanpei, the finer things in life inspire their best work. With deep roots in the lifestyle industry and long-standing relationships with media and journalists around the world, their team has worked on six continents for dozens of lifestyle brands from restaurants and resorts, to wineries and destinations. They develop strategies that bring their clients to the forefront.


By Joe FogartyJoe is a writer and photographer who has lived in

Vegas for a collective 13 years. He has a degree in

creative writing from the University of Nebraska

and learned photography by taking a lot of

pictures and asking a lot of questions.

Las Vegas has no shortage of establishments that cater to locals, but when it comes to healthy eating, the options become a lot more limited. Fortu-nately, Rachel’s Kitchen is around to change that, and with five locations ranging from Henderson to Summerlin, there’s always one a short distance away.

Caron Richardson and Kathy Wilson, both Las Vegas locals for more than 35 years, are co-owners of two franchised Rachel’s Kitchen locations, and they are aiming to not just provide healthy food, but also be an active part of the Las Vegas community. Located in the heart of downtown on Ogden and Las Vegas Blvd, their main restaurant offers a convenient location for everything from a quick lunch to social events.

Downtown has quite a few eating options, but they lean more toward bar and street food, and so Rachel’s Kitchen tries to differentiate itself by offering a large and diverse menu of healthy options, as well as fresh, high-quality ingredients. One of the foods they are most known for is their fresh-squeezed juice, which comes in a variety of flavors. Even their traditional dishes have their own twist, such as their mac and cheese that includes mushrooms and onions for some variety. In addition to foods and healthy beverages, they also serve alcohol, with a happy hour Monday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. that features $2 beers.

Richardson and Wilson have made several efforts to reach out to local artists. The restaurant serves as a gallery of sorts, providing space for local artists to display and even sell their work com-mission-free, and they rotate it every 60 days to keep the décor fresh and allow new artists to show their work. They also recently started hosting “Songwriter’s Circle” on the third Saturday of every month, which is a free event where local musicians can come to collaborate and play their music. It’s not just artists, though: Wilson says they get quite a few business and tech professionals who have made Rachel’s Kitchen the spot for lunch meetings.

Rachel’s Kitchen Provides Healthy Eating and a Convenient Downtown Meeting Space

In addition to their focus on healthy foods, Richardson and Wilson are involved in several health-related community projects. Their second location is located in the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, where ordering food is sometimes used as occupational therapy for patients. They have also been involved with the local chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and with the local non-profit Create A Change Now, which educates children about making healthy food choices.

“We really feel like we’re a part of trans-forming downtown,” said Wilson, “the energy and the development and the ideas down here are really exciting.” Richardson agreed, adding, “I think I’m most proud of having a restaurant on Las Vegas Blvd.” Through the ever-changing environment of the Las Vegas downtown, Rachel’s Kitchen has already established itself as a unique spot among the other downtown offerings and is poised to continue serving and participating the local community for a long time to come.

CO-OWNERS CARON RIChARDSON AND KAThY WIlSON


Now Sage has the unique opportunity to present the entire Pappy Van Winkle clan either individ-ually or as a complete flight. What a truly coveted and remarkable experience for guests who can enjoy a taste of every member of this iconic American whiskey family all in one sitting!

When talking about mystic and swagger, Pappy Van Winkle has it all. As prized to some as a lost Picasso, this paramount whiskey family is a rare one to find. Production capac-ity has been kept low to maintain the high quality that fans of this legendary bourbon have come to expect. Part of its lore is that it fell victim to mysterious whiskey thieves, which increased its scarcity as well as its price. For this reason and many others, the “Pappy Frenzy” is unprecedented in the world of whiskey. The entire Pappy line has an ever rising value that have attributed to secondary markets where some bottles have gone for 1000’s of dollars.

Is it worth it? Well, yes! With all of the hype abound, it is really about good whiskey. Buffalo Trace Distillery, the maker of Pappy, knows a few things about producing excep-tional whiskies and has many exemplary brands like George T Stagg, Buffalo Trace and Sazerac Rye. A wheat-laden mash bill accounts for some of the softness of Pappy and

Another Reasonto Go to Sageat Aria

By Adam RainsAdam has a passion for food, wine & spirits.

He has completed the BarSmarts program and is a Level 2 Sommelier. A supporter of farmers markets, his mantra with cocktails and food is

“fresh is best.” His podcast, “Las Vegas Cocktail Weekly,” can be downloaded for free on iTunes.

www.lasvegascocktailweekly.com

with the time in the barrel, magic happens.

From the 10 year, all the way to the pinnacle of bourbon, the 23 Pappy Van Winkle Reserve, you will find a variety of flavors compounds influenced by the time spent in wood and the unique mash bill.

From top to bottom, the flight consists of: 10 Year Old Rip Van Winkle 107 proof 12 Year Van Winkle Special ReserveVan Winkle Family Reserve 12 year Old Rye Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 15 year Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 20 year Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 23 year

It’s a pure piece of living American art. All denoting a time and place in Kentucky that was touched by an angel and brought to Las Vegas. When coming to Vegas, Sage is now a must for every whisky lover. The Foie Gras Creme Brûlée isn’t so bad either…

The entire flight will be available for $500.

How many times have you been asked for “Pappy” at your establishment?


By Shelley Stepanek

Olive Oil Tastings all over the City

Big Horn Olive Oil Company opened in August and is at 2110 N. Rampart Blvd. They will happily pair their oils and vinegars to every taste bud craving. Try the Blood Orange & Dark Chocolate Balsamic, the Wild Mushroom and Sage Olive Oil & Fig Balsamic, Almond Oil with Raspberry Balsamic, or maybe a Lemon Olive Oil & Black Currant Balsamic.

Oils come from all over the world, are premium brands and can be mixed and matched for anyone. Plenty of gift packages available to try. Even fresh dried pastas are available if one wishes to try them out that night for dinner. Mercedes Burkavage would love to have you see her shop. www.bighornoliveoilcompany.com. Also a location in Reno.

Oil & Vine, owned by Jennifer Schai, opened this location in June of this year. She will proudly offer you “Food and Drink for the Heart.” With oil, vinegars, boutique wines, sea salts and plenty of natural gourmet foods, they will fill a beautiful basket for you and your guests. The staff is knowledgeable and Chef Patrick will help you learn more about the products with time tested recipes. You can discover the health benefits to eating Extra Virgin Olive Oils on a daily basis as you gain ideas and tempt your cooking imagination. Open Mon, Tues, Wed and Thurs 11-8, and Fri, Sat, Sun 11-9. Located in The District at 2235 S. Village Walk Dr. in Henderson.

A small but fabulous spot, Las Vegas Olive Oil is located inside Caesars Palace and features a wide variety of oils, along with sauces, salsas, and pestos to try.

And if you just can’t get enough of the local Oil and Vinegar companies and are heading towards Los Angeles, Graber Olives by Ontario is a must stop. Opened in 1894, it is open daily from 9:30-5:30. Using processing equipment as old as opening day, Graber Olives gives you a complimentary tour. The family is all still working, from hand picking, to the packaging of thousands of cans a day, that make their way all across the country to fine gourmet stores. Bottles of gourmet oil are available for tasting along with many fine vineyards.

Totally Olive’s Oils & Vinegars is the newest of the fabulous new shops that have sprouted in Las Vegas and the valley. Ultra-premium EVOOs are Arequipa, Barnes, Cortina, Empire, Frantic, Avalos, Hojiblancz, Koroneiki, Leccino, Mission and Picual. Both fused & infused olive oils, with Baklouti Green Chili, Basil, Blood Orange, Butter, Cayenne Crush, Chipotle, Cilantro & Onion, Dill, Garlic, Gremolata, Harissa, Herbs de Provence, Mandarin, Meyer Lemon, Persian Lime, Rosemary, Sage & Mushroom and Tarragon, the combinations are endless. The Ultimate Italian Lovers Basket features Tuscan Herb EVOO, Garlic EVOO, Traditional 18 Year Balsamic (all 375 ml), Pastas, Sauces, Spreads, wrapped & ready $135, a great gift for a Super Bowl party or Valentine’s Day event. With the finest, freshest, most broad selection of extra virgin olive oil in the world accessible to serious consumers at affordable prices, take a trip out to 10271 S. Eastern, seven days a week from 11 to 7.


By Mitchell WilburnMitchell Wilburn is a food and

drink writer living in Las Vegas. You can view his restaurant,

beer, spirits, and event articles at mitchellwilburn.com, or follow him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/

mitchellwilburnofficial.

Director of Food & BeveragePaul Pace Overseeing Expansion of Food & Beverage Role atTreasure Island

How would you characterize the TI food and beverage “style”?We have something that caters to everybody. We have Gilley’s as a Strip-front restaurant, we have Phil’s Italian Steakhouse, the Buffet, and Seafood Shack. And then we have restaurants we are partnered with, like Kahunaville and Senior Frog’s.

How has it changed over the years?It has been 22 years since Treasure Island opened, and it has definitely matured. Before it was one type of pirate

show out front, then it was another. Since the property was bought from MGM Resorts, we have invested heavily into F&B. Since then, we’ve really built it from the ground up.

What are you working on currently?We are going to be opening a CVS that opens onto the Strip. That is going to be operated by CVS, but we will be opening some F&B options to complement the draw for CVS. The ideas are still up in the air, but we’ve got some fun things coming up.

Of course we’re always evolving things; for example, we just added a 12-tap draft system in the lobby bar, and we are always evolving the drink menu at Gilley’s, expanding the whiskey menu and drink options that are good for groups. We are going to try out getting a self-service 4-tap draft table, where people can serve themselves as they go. Since its opening, Seafood Shack has really taken off, getting plenty of repeat customers.

What has been the biggest project in your time at TI?My biggest project would definitely be the building and opening of Gilley’s. It was in the Frontier Hotel for a long time, and was gone for a few years until we opened up. We wanted to live up to the expectations for the old Gilley’s, and we really think we pulled that off. The reaction was that it was like the Gilley’s they remember, but even better. The mechanical bull is better, the food is better. It was lots of work, but it was worth it. The best thing is we’re always improving.

How does the expanding role of craft cocktails play into TI’s F&B?Obviously we want to have good cocktails, but sometimes there is too much focus on the process of making a cocktail, rather than having a good final product. We have upped the quality of our beverage program. For example, we don’t use any mixto tequila, only 100% blue agave, and we are making a house-infused Jim Beam with spices and cinnamon and vanilla beans. We want to have something people can understand.

What was your proudest moment?I would say opening Seafood Shack after we changed it from Isla. With Senor Frog we didn’t need two Mexican restaurants, so we wanted something we could really make our own. From construction to training, we wanted an identity, and we as a team came up with it. From the ground up, it has our fingerprints on it.

TI is a Hotel and Casino that has undergone a giant transformation in its lifespan. Since the change of hands from MGM Resorts to new ownership they have expanded their role, especially in the Food and Beverage arena. Director of F&B Paul Pace has been at the forefront of this change.

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By Ben Brown

“This is what we truly believe to be the best of the best,” said Christopher King, whose palate for fine wine could bring a smile to Bacchus’s face*. King, a self-made millionaire, joins acclaimed restaurateur Justin Anthony and iconic winemaker Robert Mondavi Jr. as the kings of King of Clubs. Don’t let these prestigious titles fool you, though. This wine has proven itself beyond its celebrity owners’ personal brands, coupling with King’s saying that “This isn’t just a fancy label with expensive packaging.”King of Clubs, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignons with a hint of Petite Sirah, recently beat out two 100-point wines to win a blind taste test from some of the world’s top collectors. Its 2010 vintage, the first one available, only spans 333 bottles and can only be found in a small

king of clubsmakes grand entrance

into high-end wine market

selection of LA’s top restaurants and wine bars. The wine retails for $800 a bottle, though this certainly hasn’t stopped a long waiting list of private collectors from forming.So the natural next step, of course, is to come to Las Vegas. The wine is set to arrive by shortly after the new year.“We’re humbled and honored to be part of the Southern Wine and Spirits family,” said King. The trio will be working with Southern to target ideal restaurants for King of Clubs to launch. And of course in a city like this, there’s no shortage of fine dining options where King of Clubs will find itself right at home.The future for King of Clubs looks bright indeed, but it should be known that the Southern partnership didn’t just appear out of thin air. King, Anthony and Mondavi essentially reverse-engineered this wine to be

King of Clubs is gaining traction as the ‘King of Cabs’ from the Napa Valley. And at the heart of this luxurious creation are three very interesting gentlemen: three fascinating personalities, three diverse backgrounds, three beaming success stories, and one shared [tremendous] passion and deep knowledge for wine.


made for Sin City, taking everything that an aficionado is looking for in high-end Cabs from across the globe and combining it into one bottle. “[The idea] came from all of us. Rob, a 4th-generation winemaker, understands the intricate details of what to look for. Justin has an incredible palate; he tastes every wine. Me, I’m infatuated with wine,” King said to introduce the multi-layer process that came with developing King of Clubs. “When you take the three of us together, that’s the way to make the perfect blend.”The team formed, appropriately so, over their mutual love for high-end wine.“I developed my passion by creating wine lists, menus,” said Anthony, who owns famed Atlanta restaurants 10 Degrees South and YEBO. Originally from South Africa, he has since spent more than 20 years in the restaurant industry and his exposure to Napa wines broadened his curiosity and allowed him to “grow a love for the region.”King, an entrepreneur who built a successful real estate empire and, more recently, a thriving healthcare business, simply made wine a part of his life. “I really enjoyed how every bottle, every vintage, every brand was different,” he said. “Then I started getting into high-end collecting and taking it over the top…it was a downward spiral from there [laughs]. I was able to gain a palate that most people don’t get to experience in life. It was a cliché red obsession. ”But it was this ‘obsession’ that brought King to Anthony and Mondavi, and the three of them started working together to conceptualize one of Napa’s next great creations.“We’re [wine tasting] in Napa and I notice that Chris’s ordering different,” Anthony said. “We talked about what seemed off in the Cabs we were getting and knew we could do something with this. Fast forward to a year later, we’re with Robert, who’s been a good friend of mine doing business with the restaurants.”After some brainstorming over Napa growth opportunities, the three of them found their muse in classic Bordeaux, with execution in Cabernet. “When you drink an older Bordeaux, it had a great nose on it but wasn’t so in-your-face,” King said. He was a big proponent for making King of Clubs a smoother wine with a calm finish to distinguish it from other Cabs. “I like the older Bordeauxs not being very hot, not getting that alcohol burn sensation that I’m not really a fan of. A lot of the Napa Cabs have that.”The team got to work from there, in a fashion that many would classify as an absolute dream job. They were set on marketing to the luxury segment, crafting a product that would appeal to those already accustomed to near perfection in the wine world. They sought that perfection, sparing no effort in the process.“We probably had $20,000 worth of wine sitting on Rob’s kitchen table to see what we liked,” King said. “We made countless and endless trips to Napa, tasting and tasting, getting down to the decimal points of mixes.”They decided on a mix of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon from the upper eastern bench of Oakville, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley floor and 4% Petite Sirah. The next step was getting the finished product into the restaurants that best fit the King of Clubs brand, which proved relatively easy.“The key component for Justin and I is our relationships. From Hong Kong to the UK and here in the States, we run off relationships and that’s how we get into these restaurants,” said King about entering the LA market. “But we actually made it by having a great product. The sommeliers tasted it and loved it.”Chris’s relationship with Wolfgang Puck landed King of Clubs in Spago Los Angeles. They expanded their repertoire to include Cecconi’s and the Montage Hotel, also in Beverly Hills. Spago, however, became the focal point for King of Clubs to make its debut as a major player in the high-end spectrum. The team partnered with Heritage auctions, which brought some of its top clients into Spago before an auction where the wine was featured. Many of these individuals were wine collectors, providing the perfect marketing opportunity.“We did a blind taste test with 2010 Screaming Eagle and 2010

Dominus,” King began. Screaming Eagle retails for $2400, and both are 100-point wines. King of Clubs, however, won in grand style. “King of Clubs was favored unanimously and by miles,” King said warmly, quoting the Heritage executive who administered the taste test.This brings our story back to Las Vegas, where King, Anthony and Mondavi will lean on Southern to continue the brand’s expansion, both on and off the Strip. In the same way that they matched the King of Clubs to esteemed restaurants and bars in LA, the team will be seeking out Las Vegas establishments that provide the same high-end experiences to attract the ideal customer.“We’re not going after any one particular restaurant, there are so many high-end places,” Anthony said. “We hosted a tasting and Marche Bacchus’s [owner] Jeff Wyatt loved it. He has one of the best wine lists in the city so that’s great.”And while King of Clubs is increasing its outreach, its supply will remain limited to both preserve quality and retain exclusivity. “We only produced 333 bottles in the first vintage and we did that for a reason,” King said. The group even chose to skip over its 2011 vintage because they didn’t see the grapes up to their high standards. “We upped case count to 250 cases [3000 bottles] in 2012, so that’s where we’re going to sit at. We could up it further, but that’s not our goal. We want to keep it exclusive.”“It’s about quality over quantity,” Anthony added. “For us it’s about delivering the best of the best.”And while only a small number of establishments will get their hands on King of Clubs, the team has some exciting expansion plans in store. Be on the lookout for new product lines in the near future. “We’re getting ready to do Champagnes and so forth,” King said, breaking this news for the first time. King, Anthony and Mondavi have each devoted a piece of themselves into the production of this rising label, which in turn reflects the expertise, the fine-tuned palate and just the right amount of panache in a new kind of luxury wine. The team has built a strong base behind its product, and now Southern will join in to build the wine’s history in a new town. Three fascinating gentlemen. One brand. Full of surprises.King of Clubs is currently available in Los Angeles at Wolfgang Puck’s Spago, Cecconi’s, and the Montage Hotel, all in Beverly Hills. Exact Las Vegas debut date and locations TBD. Distributed by Southern Wine and Spirits of Southern Nevada. A waiting list is in place for private sales. For more information or to join the waiting list please visit the King of Clubs website at http://kingofclubswine.com/.

*For those less familiar with Roman history, Bacchus is the god of wine.


The Venetian Brings in A-team of Brands and Chefs for Its Extravagant Ultimo Weekend: Wine supplied Exclusively by Palm Bay International


2014 has been a great year for greening the restaurant industry. The topic of Sustain-ability now tops the three biggest restaurant trends in the United States. The Green Restaurant Association is proud of its 24 years of work to help the restaurant industry to get to this point.highlights of 2014First Green Restaurant® Super Bowl and First Green Restaurant® StadiumIn February, we announced that Super Bowl XLVIII was the first to have all of its foodservice be Certified Green Restaurants®. All 200 foodservice operations, big and small, at MetLife Stadium, worked for months before the Super Bowl, to become the first stadium to have its entire foodservice meet this rigorous environmental standard. We would say that this is a touchdown for the environment.

The Mario Batali VideoIn May, the world got to take a Green Restaurant® Tour of Mario Batali’s Otto Enoteca Pizzeria in New York City by watching a wonderful and dynamic educational video that the Green Restaurant Association produced, featuring Mario Batali. Batali has 18 Certified Green Restaurants® and a couple others that are in the process of becoming Certified. We applaud Batali’s leadership. To see video, clickhttp://dinegreen.com/newsdetails.asp?id=186

Excellent Green Product InnovationThe following are some exciting products that met Green Restaurant Association’s Endorsement Standards in 2014:

• Free Energy from your hood: Next Step Living’s EcoThermal Filter Systems turns waste heat from your exhaust hoods into usable energy that can heat your water. Very innovative.• Sponges made from Recycled Plastic Bottles: Royal Paper’s Rennovi™ sponges are made from 100% post consumer recycled plastic bottles. See a great video on their environmental benefit:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fnKT_bcAq8&-feature=youtu.be• Wind Energy: Washington Gas Energy Services’ CleanSteps WindPower for Large Commercial Customers, National Wind Power, and CleanSteps WindPower. They are all 100% wind power products that help offset a restaurant’s energy consumption.

You can find information on all the Green Restau-rant Association Endorsed products athttp://dinegreen.com/restaurants/endorsed_prods.asp.

EcoFactsLocal FoodOn average, food products travel 1,500-2,000 miles to reach our plates. By using products that come from within 100 to 300 miles of a restaurant, you can reduce our dependence on non-renewable fossil fuels, thus cutting air pollution and carbon emissions associated with food transportation.

ReusablesThe average American generates about four pounds of trash every day, or 1,460 pounds of trash per person every year. We, as a nation, throw away about 210 million tons of waste each year. The majority of this waste, 57 percent, is buried in landfills. EXKi Restau-rant, a European chain of about 80 restaurants, has chosen to reduce its contribution to this waste stream by offering reusable dishes, cups, and utensils to dine-in customers in its New York location. In this regard, EXKi Restaurant has positioned itself as an environ-mental leader in the fast casual foodservice industry.

Near-Zero Waste™ RestaurantThe average restaurant produces 100,000 pounds of garbage each year. The majority of this garbage will end up in landfills, when in reality, 50% of that waste can be recycled, and another 40% can be composted. Sending that waste to landfills not only prevents the reuse of valu-able material resources, it also releases greenhouse gases. • By recycling plastic, aluminum, glass, cardboard and paper, Duke’s Alehouse and Kitchen, in Crystal Lake, Illinois, prevents the release of the amount of CO2 emitted by burning 75,000 pounds of coal. • Duke’s Alehouse and Kitchen’s food waste, if landfilled, would produce methane emissions that are 21 times more damaging to the environment than CO2, but they prevent those emissions from being released by composting.

Energy and WaterEnergy and water are great places to save environ-mental resources and money. Recently, a restaurant showed the following savings:

By Michael Oshman

Highlights of Dining Green in 2014

Michael Oshman is the founder and executive director of the Green

Restaurant Association (GRA), a national non-profit organization formed in 1990

to create environmental sustainability in the foodservice industry.


First Green Restaurant Distributor™We are also proud to announce the first Green Restaurant Distributor™. Dole & Bailey became the first distributor to meet this rigorous standard. With hundreds of prod-ucts that meet the Green Restaurant Association’s stan-dards, Dole and Bailey is an easy distributor choice for New England and upstate New York restaurants looking for sustainable food and other green products.

Certified Green Restaurant® leadersCandle CaféCandle Café became a Certified Green Restaurant® in January of 2001. They have implemented 72 envi-ronmental steps, earning them 289 GreenPoints™ to become a 3 Star Certified Green Restaurant®. Candle Café has opened two more restaurants in recent years that have become Certified Green Restaurants®. Candle 79 became certified in 2010; Candle Café West became certified in 2013. They are in Manhattan and are all 3 Star Certified Green Restaurants®. Candle Café has been a leader in the sustainable food move-ment for decades now. They have 100% of their food low on the food chain, with 70% certified organic, along with some local purchasing. These accomplish-ments and numbers make Candle Café exceptional in their sustainable food.

The Grand Depot Café The Grand Depot Café (http://www.thetrain.com/food/grand-depot-cafe/) became a 3 Star Certified Green Restaurant® in August. They have implemented 83 environmental steps, earning them 179 GreenPoints™. There are two steps that make them unique:1. Used fryer oil is filtered and used to power the Grand Canyon Railway steam engine train2. Food waste goes to feed bears at Bearizona Wildlife Park instead of the landfill

Other notable steps are that they have 20 Green-Points™ in Water, including waterless urinals and rain barrels. Not every restaurant can say they power a train and a bear.

RESOURCES SAVINGS EQuiVALENCy

Energy Savings 11,694 kWh 6 cross country road trips in a passenger vehicle

Water Savings 11,000 gallons The amount of water a family of 4 uses in 1 month


By Linda Westcott-Bernstein

HumanResourcesInsights

PPACA – Are you ready for the new health care act?

If you noticed that I didn’t submit an article for December – thank you - I appreciate your readership!! But, I have to tell you why I didn’t. I spent many months before now learning, studying and hoping to grasp the finer details of this new mandate, the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

I also spent a good part of November (during the time that I would have written and submitted an article), scheduling and holding benefits meetings for hundreds of employees, explaining the new health care act guidelines and limitations, and doing my best to help the many under-informed individuals to understand just what their new health care options are for 2015.

My goal, as is many of yours I’m sure, is to communicate the details of these affordable options to your eligible employees and to offer viable options to them based upon their limited income. We will also need to strive to avoid any oversights, intentional or otherwise, which could result in penalties or fines for our organization. Here are some of the comments

Linda Westcott-Bernstein has provided sound human resources advice and guidance to Fortune 500 companies and others for over 25 years. She has helped these organizations review procedures and implement solutions that

are designed to reduce liabilities and increase their profits. She also assists with the development of human capital through focused employee retention

and training programs designed for all levels of employees.

Linda has recently published her self-help book entitled It All Comes Down to WE! with Author House Publishers. Her book offers guidelines for building a solid and enduring personal work ethic. You can find her book on Amazon or Google Books.

Phone: 702-326-4040Email: [email protected]

Website: www.LJBConsulting.nett

HRQuestion ofthe Month

and questions that I encountered during this extensive process.

• How do I know what I am expected to do?• What do I do if this is something I just can’t afford?• Do I have to sign up for a health plan if I already have insurance?• Will I get a penalty if I don’t have insurance for myself and my family?

As an HR professional, I am pleased to be adding a new incentive to our recruitment arsenal – especially for our hourly employees. However, as I went through this process and communicated what needed to be done, I could see the confused looks

on the faces in my audience. It is easily one of the toughest programs that I have had to explain and then effectively implement at our organization.

As you may know, or are experiencing first hand, the deadline for implementation of the PPACA mandate is January 1, 2015. For those of you with 100 or more employees, this deadline applies to you. Additionally, you need to keep in mind that certain record-keeping and reporting is going to be required in the future for the 2015 calendar year. If you have any questions that I can help you with, please drop me a line on my email. Good luck with your efforts and remember that it is going to be a good year!

I would like your input to help drive the direction of my column starting in 2015. Please send your questions, concerns and share your thoughts on your human resources challenges via email to the following address. Send to [email protected]. Your comments, questions or concerns will help determine the direction for my next month’s column and earn you a copy of my book (see brief detail above). Be sure to include your mailing address when sending your responses.


By Ben BrownBen is an MBA candidate at USC’s Marshall School

of Business, specializing in hospitality marketing and

analytics. He has served as a food & beverage strategist

with MGM Resorts, as well as reviewed more than 200

Las Vegas restaurants with CBS Local and Examiner.

com. Contact him at [email protected].

The BottomLine

In the first part of this article, we covered the benefits and costs of designing a restaurant brand around signature menu items, atmosphere and people. Here are a few key takeaways to refresh your memory:• Signature Menu Items: Great for gaining recognition, but can pigeon-hole a restaurant and limit opportunity for menu expansion and increased profitability.• Atmosphere: Everyone loves a destination experience, but be sure you’re creating an experience that people will come back to, rather than try once just to say they did.• People: Partnering with a celebrity chef will certainly drive traffic and warrant high prices, but comes at lower profitability and difficulty in contracting talent. Building a personal brand is feasible, but challenging in its own respects.

The following items continue where the list left off. Location, service and style are all integral elements of a restaurant’s brand and overall well-being, and weighing them according to your target market and business model will put you on the right track to increased traffic, sales and profit.

LocationRelying on prime real estate is a great way to generate foot traffic, but be sure to align your restaurant with the local demographic. Proximity to the theater, park, bar, and the like, as well as falling along a ‘restaurant row’ exposes restaurants to a broader user base and reduces the need for marketing

to new customers. These locations come at a price, however, and your restaurant’s business model must align with the location’s natural crowd in order to afford the lease.

Observe the people who frequent the area. Note their age range, the way they dress, and how your restaurant can best cater to that demographic. Better yet, is there a demographic you see enjoying the area, but not dining there? A row of trendy eateries may not appeal to a large older population who frequents the street, so you could fill that niche. If by a theater, prepare for crowds who want a quick bit before the show as well as those who want to linger after it ends.

Location, like atmosphere, is more of a first-time marketing tool rather than a way to build loyalty. Aligning your restaurant with the surrounding features and crowd will help make it into an integral part of the location itself.

ServiceSome restaurants can offer a truly distinguished service experience, but approach this one with caution. Every customer wants, and expects, great service no matter where they dine. Service can only stand out above other categories if it is exceptionally personal [Alize, Palms], exceptionally quick [Jimmy John’s] or exceptionally entertaining [Dick’s Last Resort]. Distinguished service often comes at a high labor cost, requiring more staff present to deliver personalized or quick service.

While service is not typically the backbone of a restaurant, your staff directly represents your restaurant brand. Their physical appearance, interactions with guests, menu knowledge and numerous other components can easily tie into other brand components. Leverage your service staff to promote your brand to the customer.

Style Style, while a bit ambiguous, provides the most flexibility and highest potential for a restaurant brand to grow and evolve. Whether you pride yourself in top-quality ingredients, larger-than-life portions, creative fusions, or another standout feature, customers will think of your restaurant for its overall approach rather than a particular menu item, staff member or design.

Be wary of creating your restaurant’s style around a particular food trend. These trends come and go in the same way as menu items and designs, albeit with a longer shelf life and more flexibility to adapt to new trends. If you’re looking to develop a farm-to-table concept, for example, it would be best to center the restaurant around wholesome and natural qualities, which are essentially evergreen in their appeal, rather than slapping ‘farm-to-table’ on every piece of marketing material. When the farm-to-table craze dies down and can no longer demand a premium price point, your restaurant will thrive with the exact same product.

As is the case with most things in life, keep your style in moderation. Rolling out with pizza, burgers, tacos and chow mein under the theme of quality ingredients will alienate customers by not specializing enough. But defining your restaurant by its style, when done correctly, will allow you to change menus, chefs, locations and the like while retaining the core of your identity.

Again, this is by no means an exhaustive list of restaurant branding opportunities, but should provide a valuable baseline for helping new restaurant owners choose their direction. No branding element is particularly better than another, and can be used in conjunction with each other to develop an integrated experience. It comes down to the owner’s gut to choose one brand element, then experiment with additional supplements to maximize your restaurant’s value.

Designing A Restaurant Brand, Pt. II


PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Poker Tournament FundraiserJanuary 6, 2015 South Point Hotel and Casino9777 S. Las Vegas BoulevardLas Vegas, NV 891835:30 p.m. Sign-up and 6:30 p.m. Start Chefs for Kids 5K Run/Fun WalkJanuary 17, 2015 Wayne Bunker Family Park

American Culinary FederationChefs Of Las Vegas Chapter Page

By Juanita Fryer Juanita is currently a culinary student at UNLV, previously at CSN and is the

ACF Chefs of Las Vegas liaison journalist working at South Point Hotel’s main

kitchen in the garde manger department. Born and raised in Asia, she brings a

unique view to this industry page!For inquiries and suggestions email

[email protected]

At the Heart of Every Busy Kitchen Executive Development Chef of Major Products Chris Enright last month volunteered at Discovery Charter School in Newark, New Jersey to teach a group of 8-12 year olds how to cook.

Chris demonstrated just how easy it is to create a simple salad using both the Major Mari Base Marinades and the Major Fruit Bases with only a few key ingredients.

The collection of six students really enjoyed themselves and it was safe to say the afternoon was an overriding success, with another date pending for the early part of next year.

“It was a great afternoon and I’d really like to be involved again. The children were really well behaved and took everything on board, listening and making suggestions. The

products work great with something so simple, as they add huge flavor while being simple to deliver. A change in marinade can add a different flavor profile and extend your menu options exponentially,” commented Chef Chris.

On this occasion, Chef Chris and the students prepared Piri Piri tacos using halal meat marinated with Piri Piri Mari Base together with a clementine citrus slaw made from napa cabbage, orange supreme, sliced red onions, cilantro and a clementine sour cream using the Major Clementine Fruit Base.

The dish, which takes minutes to create, is just one of hundreds of salad dishes that Major has developed in response to today’s quick and simple demand for food on the go. With ease of use and simplicity in mind, the range of Major Mari Bases lend themselves very well to being used in salads, sauces, burgers, soups, fillings, pizzas, rice and pasta dishes, sandwiches and wraps.

The range includes 11 flavors from around the world from Tandoori and Moroccan to Barbecue and Fajita. Following the success of this year’s session, another demo class is being scheduled for the early part of 2015, and everyone at Major is really excited!

7351 West Alexander RoadLas Vegas, NV 89129Start Time 9 a.m.More Info TBA Monthly Meeting January 27, 2015 Le Cordon Bleu Las Vegas1451 Center Crossing RoadLas Vegas, NV 89114More Info TBA

ACF Certification Workshop February 21, 2015 Le Cordon Bleu Las Vegas1451 Center Crossing RoadLas Vegas, NV 89114More Info TBA

24th Annual Chefs for KidsDinner & Auction February 21, 2015 Paris Las Vegas3655 Las Vegas Boulevard SouthLas Vegas, NV 891095:30 p.m. Reception and Silent Auction7:00 p.m. Dinner and Live AuctionMore Info TBA

Chinese New Year Celebration February 24, 2015 More Info TBA ACF Western Regional CompetitionsMarch 20-21, 2015 College of Southern Nevada3200 East Cheyenne Ave.North Las Vegas, NV 89030More Info TBA For further information please feel free to visit the ACF Las Vegas website http://www.acfchefslasvegas.org/acflv-eventschedule.htm

Many events are going on with the ACF chefs of Las Vegas chapter. Your attendance and support is always welcomed and appreciated.


Let’s Get Together at BJ’s!Let’s Get Together at BJ’s!Weekday Lunch Specials • Snacks and Small Bites • Fresh Salads • ENLIGHTENED ENTREES®

Signature Deep Dish Pizzas • Culinary Creations • Pizookie® Desserts • Award-Winning Handcrafted Beers

CALL AHEAD WAITING LIST | ONLINE ORDERING | CURBSIDE TAKE OUT

CENTENNIAL | 702-851-8050 | SUMMERLIN | 702-853-2300 | HENDERSON | 702-473-2980

join us for HAPPY HOUR Mon.– Fri. 3–7PM | LATE NIGHT Sun.–Thurs. 10PM–CloseWWW.BJSRESTAURANTS.COM | “Wow – I love this place!”®

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EVEnTS AD inDEx2015 JANUARYNATIONAl BREAD MONTh NATIONAl SOUP MONTh

January 6-9 CES-Consumer Electronics Show LVCC www.cesweb.org

January 6 ACF Chefs Poker Tournament Fundraiser www.acfchefslasvegas.org

January 11-13Fancy Food Show Moscone Center San Francisco www.specialtyfood.com

January 11-15 PPAI-Promotional Products International Mandalay Bay CC www.ppai.org

January 14-16 Sports Licensing Show LVCC www.showproco.com

January 17Chefs for Kids 5K Run/1 mile Fun Walk www.chefsforkids.org

January 24 Big Dog’s Winterfest N Rancho Brewery www.bigdogsbrews.com

January 27 ACF Chef of Las Vegas Dinner/Meeting Le Cordon Bleu Las Vegas www.acfchefslasvegas.org

January 28-29 TPE 2014-Tobacco Plus International LVCCwww.tobaccoplusexpo.com FEBRUARYNATIONAl POTATO MONTh NATIONAl ChERRY MONTh

February 7 Splendor in the Glass Westgate Las Vegas Resortwww.vegaspbs.org/winetasting

February 8-11 NGA-National Grocers Association ExpoMirage Hotel & Resortwww.thengashow.com

February 15-18 IFA-Int’l Franchise AssociationMGM Grand Resort www.franchise.org/convention.aspx

February 19-21 NAFEM Anaheim Convention Center www.thenafemshow.org/

February 20-21 Chinese New Year Spring Festival www.CNYintheDesert.com

February 21 ACF Chefs of Las Vegas Chefs for Kids Dinner & Auction Paris Las Vegas www.acfchefslasvegas.org

Al Dentes’ Provisions page 11 [email protected] 702-642-1100

Audrey Dempsey Infinity Photo page 16 www.infinity-photo.com 702-837-1128

Big Dog’s Brewing Company page 13 www.bigdogsbrews.com 702-368-3715

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse page 30 www.bjsrestaurants.com 702-851-8050

Bogart’s Spirits page 31 www.bogartspirits.com 702-876-4500

Con Arts page 16 Las Vegas www.conartslv.com 702-260-3320

Jay’s Sharpening Service page 12 www.jayssharpening.com 702-645-0049

JCCNV page 16 www.jccnevada.com 702-428-0555

Major Products page 29 www.majorproducts.com 702-838-4698

Modelo page 32 www.southernwine.com (305) 625-4171

The Spice Outlet page 11 www.thespiceoutlet.com 702-534-7883

Todd English P.U.B. page 2 www.toddenglishpub.com 702-489-8080

Visstun page 21 Visually Stunning Cups www.visstuncups.com 800-401-2910

WaWa Water System page 13 www.wawah20.com

White Soy Sauce page 8 www.whitesoysaucefood.com

january 2015

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