socal - december 2015 issue

Hotel La Casa Del Camino Laguna Beach Historic Charm

with Modern Day Amenities

FOR MORE PHOTOS & STORIES VISIT

WWW.SOCALFNBPRO.COM

Issue 12 Volume 15US $3.95

Decemeber 2015 I The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional 3www.socalfnbpro.com

December 2015

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FEATURESFRONT COVER FEATURES THE HOTEL LA CASA DEL CAMINO with a Laguna Beach historic charm and modern day amenities right in the heart of Laguna Beach and only a few steps to the beach. Visit the hotel and its restaurants firsthand with our Editorial Director, Bob Barnes, who recently had the pleasure to visit and enjoy the hotel.

WHAT’S BREWING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IS COVERED BY OUR OWN DAVID MULVIHILL, who brings us an insight into the industry we can’t seem to keep up with, including Buyouts, Purchases and Partnerships in the business. Additionally, David gives us notes and advice on where to catch the best brews, including local events and up-and-coming pubs and brewhouses.

LATE NIGHT EATS FOR LATE NIGHT PEEPS BYAPRYL BRUSO, our SoCal journalist specializing in afterhours dining, takes us through some of the best places to have a bite later in the evening in San Diego where you are not alone and will be welcomed to drop by for a bite.

POLITE PROVISIONS WAS RECENTLY VISITED BY OUR BEVERAGE EDITOR ADAM RAINS, who was raised in San Diego before coming to Las Vegas and enjoys getting back to his San Diego roots. Adam had a chance to catch up with Polite Provisions Lead Bartender Brian Prugalidad and learn more about its newest cocktails and why it constantly is on one or another “best of” lists, helping to make San Diego another great cocktail destination.

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CONTENTS AND COMMENTSFROM THE PUBLISHER

MIKE FRYER

Page 4

Hot Off the Grill!

Page 5

Food for Thought

Healthy Fall & Winter Food Ideas

to Get You Through this Weather

Page 6

West Eats East

Japanese Food Business

Page 7

Marketing Beer, Wine

and Liquor at a

Restaurant

Page 8

What’s Brewing

Page 9

Late Night Eats

for Late Night Peeps

Page 10

Brett’s Vegas View

Page 12

For the Love of the Craft

Polite Provisions

Page 13

American Culinary Federation

Chefs of SoCal

Page 14

Craft Beer Takes Center Stage

at 2015 NBWA Convention &

Trade Show

Page 16

COVER FEATURE

Hotel La Casa Del Camino –

Laguna Beach Historic Charm with

Modern Day Amenities

Page 20

Product Spotlight

A Good Read:

American Fare: Everyday

Recipes from My Kitchens

to Yours

Page 22

Chef Talk

The Great American

Pumpkin Shortage

Page 24

The Bottom Line

Keep your Brand Great

with These Simple Guidelines

Page 26

Human Resources Insights

Holiday Season:

A Time for Reflection and

Evaluation

Page 28

Wine Talk with Alice Swift

Wine “Flights” (at 30,000 feet)

0

Events

Ad Index

4 The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional I December 2015 www.socalfnbpro.com

December 2015

The Socal Food & Beverage Professional303 Broadway Ste. 104-40Laguna Beach, CA 92651

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The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional

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CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Advertising [email protected] [email protected]

Article Submissions/Suggestions [email protected] Relase Submissions [email protected]

Calendar Submissions [email protected] Information [email protected]

Pre-Press TechnicianBrandon Yan

Journalist Good for SpooningLeAnne Notabartolo

Journalist East Eats West

K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.

PhotographerAudrey Dempsey

Journalist Chef Talk

Allen Asch

Journalist Linda Duke

JournalistHeidi Rains

Journalist HR Insights

Linda Bernstein

Legal Editorial AdvisorAndrew Matney

JournalistsScott & Elaine Harris

Accounting ManagerMichelle San Juan

Journalist Brett’s Vegas View

Jackie Brett

Journalist What’s BrewingDavid Mulvihill

Journalist Food for Thought

Les Kincaid

JournalistHungry for PR

Jen Morris

Journalist Apryl Bruso

Journalist Green Restaurant Association

Michael Oshman

Journalist Wine Talk

Alice Swift

SoCal Journalist Lisa Matney

JournalistThe Bottom Line

Ben Brown

PhotographerBill Bokelmann

PhotographerJoe Urcioli

SoCal JournalistMargie Mancino

Master SommelierJoe Phillips

Juanita AielloCreative [email protected]

Bob BarnesEditorial [email protected]

Adam RainsBeverage [email protected]

Mike Fryer 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 [email protected]

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

THE SOCAL FOOD & BEVERAGE PROFESSIONAL THANKS OUR READERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT in this first year of operations here in Southern California and we look forward to an even better 2016. We have been fortunate to bring on a number of impressive journalists covering SoCal and would like to thank each one of them for their insights and contribution to their specific areas of expertise:

LINDA DUKE for her Restaurant & Foodservice Facilities Marketing expertise; DAVID MULVIHILL with his professional insights and experiences for What’s Brewing; APRYL BRUSO with her slant on After Hours Events and Dining for “Late Night Eats for Late Night Peeps”; JEN MORRIS for her PR column for Southern California and her firsthand experiences. K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D (aka Doctor Sake) with his unmistakable East Eats West monthly column.

Along with several new SoCal associates and many supporters, we are on our way to make things happen. You can also look forward to our expanded coverage of SoCal to include The ACF Chefs organizations of Southern California. Thank you once again to your readership and continued support…

HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON! CHEERS! MIKE FRYER Sr. Editor/Publisher


By Les Kincaid

Les Kincaid is a food, wine, and golf expert and cookbook author. He hosts the

nationally syndicated wine radio show Wines Du Jour each Thursday from 7 to

8 pm. You can enjoy his website or his broadcast at www.leskincaid.com

[email protected]/leskincaid

www.twitter.com/leskincaid

FOOD FOR THOUGHTHealthy Fall & Winter Food Ideas to Get You Through this Weather

Let’s Check Sunlight – I know, this isn’t technically a food to talk about, but it is important. Scientists aren’t completely sure why or how yet, but vitamin D is linked to weight. People with higher levels tend to store less fat. On the better days, try to get about 20 minutes of sun exposure with your arms uncovered. You may also want to look into a supplement for a couple months. We Need Water – Hydration is vital to the body’s function. Water is often overlooked when we aren’t out in the sun hiking, biking, running and sweating, but we need it during the colder months as well. This is especially true as heaters and fireplaces can dehydrate us pretty quick. Water also helps us feel fuller longer when we drink it with meals or even before.Love Vegetable Soups – Soup is a comforting dish any time of year, but especially during the winter. Most vegetable soups are also very low in calories while providing plenty of warmth, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Tomato is my favorite and I have a tomato soup recipe (see below), but there are many more to try. Don’t forget about vegetable stews and chilies too for a hearty way to stay warm and healthy. Use Root Veggies – Your body craves carbohydrates during winter. Your metabolism is firing faster to keep your body temperature from dipping and your genetic history is telling you to prepare for famine. Carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and turnips will fill you up, provide the carbs your body craves and actually supply nutrition too. Roast them with garlic, onion, and a bit of olive oil to bring out fantastic flavors.

Enjoy Lentils or Beans – Beans and lentils are inexpensive, filling and stuffed with complex carbs. Lentils cook much faster than beans, so they make a very easy way to keep you feeling content this winter without waiting hours for your meals. Add them to soups, tacos, burritos, chili and even your stir fry.Fall and Winter Produce – Some fruits and vegetables are best when harvested in the cooler season. Take advantage of these being at their best. Pomegranate, beets, Brussels sprouts, persimmon, kiwi, leeks, guava, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, cauliflower, lemons, oranges, parsnips, pears, turnips and winter squash are all exceptional this time of year. They are all also much better than the rich desserts we might reach for instead.Good Fats – We don’t need a ton of fat and protein during the winter months, but a little of the best kinds goes a long way to keeping our brains working right, our hormones balanced and our metabolism humming. Avocado, coconut oil, nuts and nut butters, and all kinds of olives in moderation are a good thing to add to your cold weather diet.Try Warming Spices – Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cayenne, turmeric, garlic and black pepper should all be used more often this time of year. They add color, flavor, warmth and powerful antioxidants to any meal. The health benefits of cinnamon, ginger and turmeric are also very impressive. Don’t forget the herbs either. Chive, cilantro, rosemary, parsley, oregano and mint tend to survive into the cold season and can liven up your dishes. Try my Tomato Soup too, you’ll like it.

The west coast winter months are already upon us and they will only get worse before they get better. Most of us tend to gain weight during the winter as we eat denser foods, are less active and our appetites and metabolisms shift with the change in light and temperature. Our vitamin D levels decline, our moods suffer, we sit inside more watching TV, we reach for comfort foods and our waists grow. You don’t have to let the cold weather affect you so much. There are ways to keep the winter blues and bulge away. It takes some dedication and paying attention to what you eat, but you can do it!

Homemade Tomato Soup2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 inches of a large leek, sliced and rinsed2 cloves garlic, minced2 ribs celery, chopped6–8 medium tomatoes, diced2 medium carrots, chopped12 ounces vegetable stock2 tablespoons paprika1 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar1 teaspoon molasses 1/2 teaspoon thyme1 teaspoon oregano1 teaspoon celery seed1/8 teaspoon cayenne powderSalt and pepper to tasteIn a tall soup pan, heat the oil and sauté the leeks, garlic and celery until the leeks are golden and translucent. Add carrots, tomatoes, and raise heat to high. Stir for 5–10 minutes as the tomatoes soften and break down. Add vegetable stock, spices, vinegar and molasses and lower heat to medium. Simmer for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Blend the soup with an immersion blender or allow it to cool slightly before blending it in a traditional blender or food processor in small batches. Garnish with a sprig of parsley or fresh herb of your choice.This recipe is super easy and takes under 30 minutes to make. It can be frozen and saved for those winter months when good organic tomatoes are harder to come by and the warming comfort of tomato soup can do the most good, or eaten whenever you need a boost.Yield: 4 servings


West Eats East Japanese Food Business

By K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.

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

Perfect Soy Sauce Flavor without

the Color!

www.whitesoysaucefood.com

Ethnic foods first arrived here primarily by migrant workers at the West Coast or immigrants at the East Coast. They stayed within cultural boundaries but spread to other groups or the mainstream if favored. Japanese migrant workers came, many through sugar or pineapple plantations in Hawaii, to the West Coast for agriculture, mining or other labor intensive works on contract since the 1850’s. Labor contractors and trading companies along with ocean liners set up a scheme to bring their customary foods to minimize annoyance of changing eating habits as if a part of the labor contract. The Japanese food business started from here.

Export, import, custom clearance, warehousing, distribution, logistics to the western states from Seattle or San Francisco, a port of entry then, and sales at the locations where migrants settled down, were done. Soy sauce, miso, rice, Kombu or Nori sea-veggie, radish pickles, you name it among the foods brought in. Today such trading functions thrive at key ports like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, New York and other sea or airports. They were the core of food business, which was often invisible behind the scenes. The first visible one was grocery stores selling these ethnic items. Some of them still exist reminiscent of the early ones while others have come later. Katagiri in New York (100+ years old), Nakata Market of Japan on Rainbow in Las Vegas and Nak’s in Menlo Park, CA are examples. Some small stores grew to good size supermarkets like Uwajimaya in Seattle. The larger ones like Mitsuwa, Marukai or Nijiya in California were latecomers for the growing population of Japanese residents and sojourners in a new wave of economic activities and oversea education. In the last several years a new stable class of Asian nationals have gone there for healthy Japanese foods. Several of the merchandise is from Japan with the original packages and labels or directly translated ones along with the import regulatory requirements in English. They are basically ethnic stores where the mainstream people need to ask many questions.

Some ethnic foods like tofu were locally made firstly at home or by the cottage industry at every settlement, which was the dawn of ethnic food

manufacturing. Some grew to large food processing particularly since the 1960’s, such as soy sauce by Kikkoman in Wisconsin and Yamasa in Oregon, instant noodles by Nissin or Maruchan in California, tofu by House Foods in California, dumplings by Ajinomoto in Washington, Tobikko (raw fish eggs often in colors used in sushi rolls), soba (buckwheat) noodles, pickles and many others. Today you may buy many basic Japanese items in the Asian section of supermarkets and even at Costco, imported or domestically manufactured.

Some migrant workers decided to stay permanently for family or economic reasons. Among them, some moved to Little Tokyo in L.A. or Japan Town in S.F. to live together with their people, just like other ethnic groups at Little Italy, Chinatown, Little Saigon, etc. Eating out was almost a must for these city dwellers. One of my records shows that a restaurant in Little Tokyo served more than two thousand 10 cent meals a day in 1930. In the 1950’s such ethnic restaurants started serving those who had experienced Japan in addition to ethnic residents and visitors from Japan, like Tokyo Sukiyaki at a corner of Fisherman’s Wharf and Azume at a college town, Ithaca, NY, where I had a part time job of serving and cooking. Sukiyaki and tempura were major orders with no trace of sushi. Teriyaki of beef or chicken followed, which enabled a beef bowl chain, Yoshinoya, to open as the first chain restaurant of the Japanese taste. Then Japanese restaurants hopped out in big cities and suburbs serving various Japanese-style meals all over the country.

In the 1980’s due to our concern over health, Japanese foods got recognition for healthy, long living. Sushi came into our eating. Japanese restaurants became almost synonymous to sushi bar. Though it is an American style, sushi may cause heart attacks to authentic sushi people in Japan for its appearance, taste and eating surrounding. Visitors from Japan exclaimed “that is not sushi!” Here in our market that is our sushi. Creative roll sushi, Carousel Kaiten sushi, started at Miyake in Palo Alto, CA, and 75-85% of sushi restaurant owners of Korean origin are primary driving forces to the current sushi progress. Sushi is now a must item even at a Chinese or seafood or cruise ship buffet. Many ethnic foods are generally consumed only at restaurants or in to-go style at home. Cooking ethnic food is not difficult but may be too foreign to start, though I have seen a sushi making set in a cooking book section of a major bookstore. I am sure you can make sushi but are not tempted to because you need lots of gadgets and ingredients. You had better buy it to-go or eat it at a restaurant. Thus restaurants must be at the center of the ethnic food business. More to come about Japanese restaurants later.

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, sea salt, rice, white soy sauce and other areas both in Japan and the US., and has published several books

and dozens of articles.

“Ask Doctor Sake” was his last series in this journal.


By Linda Duke

Linda Duke, Chief Executive Officer,

Duke Marketing, a California based full-

service marketing firm specializing with

restaurant chains for 25 years.

[email protected]

Marketing Beer, Wine and Liquor at a Restaurant

“Many beer, wine and liquor vendors provide excellent resources to help restaurant operators,” says Linda Duke, marketing expert and chief executive of Duke Marketing, celebrating 25 years in the restaurant industry. “Some assist in providing table tents, posters, coasters and other materials for in-store promotion, and assist restaurants with tasting seminars for staff, menu pairings, bar promotions, and eye-catching displays.”

Red Boy Pizza, an eight unit, forty-five year old brand known for their famous sourdough crust in the San Francisco Bay Area, recently held VIP Tasting events to introduce new managers at their locations. “By partnering with our wine vendor we were able to secure someone pouring and educating our guests about the brands we serve and they provided some additional bottles without charging us to help promote their brands,” said Joseph Radwan, president, Red Boy Pizza.

1. Selling beverages is as easy as suggestion! Be sure your servers or cashier offers beverages before ringing guests up! “We keep half bottles of wine by our register so if to-go orders want to grab one, they see it while they are paying,” says Radwan.

2. Promotions mix things up and get guest’s attention. Whether it is March Madness or Merlot Monday’s, there is always something to promote. Get creative.

3. Offering wines by the glass, wine pairings, and wine dinners, all are great ways to promote your beverages.

4. Seasonal ingredients make a splash with guests! Strawberry Martinis for spring and Orange Italian Sodas for Halloween! Think seasonal. Run promotions on lighter wines in the summer/spring and heartier wines in the fall/winter.

5. Happy Hours: A slice and soda is a great inexpensive food and drink offering to kick start a successful and fruitful happy hour. Incorporate other food and beverage offers to entice the happy hour and value-driven crowd.

Red Boy Pizza invites area movers and shakers to enjoy a VIP tasting event including wine pours from the local winery distributor.

Marketing Tips


By David Mulvihill

David Mulvihill strives to

experience and write about the

ever-evolving face of SoCal craft

beer. He also covers Orange County

for Celebrator Beer News as well as

Southern California for Southwest

Brewing News. Contact him at

[email protected].

what’s BREWING

Buyouts, Purchases, and PartnershipsThe big news in Southern California of late seems to be the entry of large breweries into the craft beer realm via acquisition. In September MillerCoors announced purchase of controlling interest in San Diego’s Saint Archer Brewing Company. Saint Archer was started by a talented group of sporting industry entrepreneurs, with kettles helmed by the award-winning brewing team of Yiga Miyashiro and Kim Lutz. Next up, AB InBev, the world conglomerate that owns Budweiser, announced in late September its buyout plans for Los Angeles-based micro Golden Road Brewing, an offer co-founder Meg Gill said she and co-founder Tony Yanow could not refuse. Latest, was the mid-November news from Constellation Brands, owner of a number of wineries, spirits producers and breweries worldwide (including Corona & Modelo), that it is paying $1 billion for San Diego’s Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits. In contrast to many of the takeovers in years past, it appears that these current purchases appear to be more strategic in nature. This would include other recent AB acquisitions of Elysian in Seattle, 10-Barrel in Portland and Goose Island in Chicago; and Heineken’s 50% buy of Lagunitas. Instead of post-purchase dumbing-down of the product, it appears that a more hands-off approach (to the actual brewing) may be taking place. Instead of messing up the product, it is this reporter’s observation/opinion that these larger players are attempting to capture more of the craft market through growing these brands, perhaps with the hope of strategically controlling these craft markets.

Most of these breweries report “business as usual,” while benefitting from capital infusion that will assist them with expanding to more markets. Golden Road’s massive brewery, taproom, restaurant and production facility, just across the street from Anaheim Stadium, is continuing as planned…plus! The tap room is now open. In the coming year we will see build-out of the adjoining restaurant and 15-barrel brewery, followed by a 50-barrel production brewery that will also be housed in the complex.

It will be interesting to watch and see as things continue to unfold in light of AB’s pending purchase of SAB Miller, current owner of MillerCoors.

AbnormalWhat started as a winery, expanded into a restaurant/tap house, and later added a brewery? If it’s in Rancho Bernardo that would be Abnormal Winery, The Cork and Craft and Abnormal Beer Company. Since April of 2015, brewer Derek Gallanosa has been crafting technical and tasteful ales on Abnormal’s brewhouse, viewable behind the glass expansion which backs the bar. In addition to spot-on porters and stouts, in the spirit of what San Diego does best, Derek produces some top notch hoppy beers of varying strength, ranging from his hoppy session to a well-balanced double. Gallanosa also sports some creative Saisons.

The in-house restaurant looks to provide a select variety of dishes that would pair well with house wines, house beers and the extensive guest tap list. Derek continues to work his recipes in an attempt to perfect and expand on flavor profiles and provide guests with a satisfying experience.

Cali UncorkedGallanosa was spotted at the inaugural Cali Uncorked in mid-November. Cali Uncorked unfolded (uncorked) in Santiago Canyon’s Oak Canyon Park (near Irvine Lake) with unlimited tastings from over 40 breweries and 25 wineries. This combination festival included beer and wine tastings, a complete lineup of music and comedy, gourmet food and food trucks. What started in its first hour as low-key and beer festival-typical gradually built momentum as the day progressed. Crowds were at capacity as the tasting piece came to a close and the evening entertainment commenced. This brand new event was a collaborative effort between Brew HA HA Productions and SGE. It was presented by Harrah’s Resort of Southern California.

Beer GardenBeer Garden at Torrey Pines closed out the 2015 San Diego Beer Week with impressive pairings of food and beer. Twelve of San Diego’s finest chefs each teamed with two breweries to plan and prepare one dish that would pair with a beer from each brewer. Standouts included the foie gras bratwurst, warm potato salad and fig mustard from Chef Paul McCabe of the Town & Country Hotel. It paired very nicely with Stone’s Matt’s Burning Rosids Imperial Cherrywood Saison and Prohibition’s Black Rye Double IPA. Chef Philip Esteban from The Cork and Craft provided a number of dishes during the event, including an incredible rosemary ice cream. Karl Strauss’ Wild Ride (Red Trolley aged in oak with blackberries) enhanced its flavor while the Abnormal Beer Company Mostra Mocha Stout provided a cleansing contrast. The calamari-rock shrimp risotto with smoked tomato beurre blanc prepared by Jeffrey Strauss and team from Pampelmousse Grille was a melding compliment to both the spicy Baltic Pepper Porter from On-The-Tracks as well as Breakwater’s Rye Dawn.

Abnormal Beer Company

Beer Garden at Torrey Pines

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By Apryl Bruso

Apryl Bruso is an opinionated salty old

waitress from San Diego.

Phot

o by

Apr

yl B

ruso

Getting off late isn’t so bad, especially when you have navigated the available food choices and found some late night venues that offer up some seriously good grub. I have been waiting tables for about twenty years in the San Diego area, and I may not be an expert in, really, anything...but I do know where to eat late-night in San Diego. I will now impart this valuable knowledge to you, the reader (fingers crossed).

Japanese: Tajima and Izakaya Masa. Tajima is a ramen house. Perfect little spot for some ramen and beer. Izakaya Masa is also a ramen house, but if you can make it there before midnight, their sushi menu is available. Salmon sashimi and chicken curry udon are serious winners. Try the avocado salad—simple and delish.

Vietnamese: Saigon on Fifth. Creamy basil sea bass is like butter. They serve crab fried rice in a hollowed-out pineapple. Yes, please.

Thai: The Asian Bistro. Not the best Thai in San Diego, but certainly the best Thai at 1:00 a.m. Curries are yum. Noodle dishes are exactly what you want after a few beers.

Mexican: La Fachada. No drive-thru. It has a little outside seating area with a grill going. You will feel like you are in T.J. but with less chance of being stabbed in the face. Street tacos here are a must. They make like six different aguas frescas in house. I love the strawberry, but the very nice and patient man behind the register will let you sample the different flavors. Tamarind-coated apples are a must have. I usually take a couple to go convinced that they

are somewhat healthy. Apples! Am I right? Keeping the doctor away.

Diner: Studio Diner. Located on the lot of San Diego’s only movie studio. Can you say Silk Stalkings and Veronica Mars? Just a really solid diner. Their Reuben is perfection. They put the sauerkraut in between the layers of pastrami so there is no soggy rye to contend with! Finally. It’s like my chubby girl prayers have been answered. Also, if you are high class, they do a classic lobster roll. Their shakes are pretty amaze also. Apple pie is delightful. Apples! Am I right? Keeping that pesky doctor away.

High class and a little hipster: Lion Share and 3rd Corner. Lion Share is more hipster but has an impressive and progressive cocktail and wine list. French fries are perfection. Bread pudding of the day usually impresses and delights. 3rd Corner, serious bottles of wine for super cheap. It is a wine store, but for a measly $5 corkage, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor in-house. Food is above average with pastas and cheese plates and a smoked duck salad. These two joints are really right on the money if you want to drink delicious things and also nosh a little bit.

Happy hunting, front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house amigos.

Apryl out.

Late Night Eats for Late Night Peeps

Tajima Ramen Bar-Hillcrest 3739 6th Ave Sunday-Wednesday 11:30 a.m.-11:00 p.m., Thursday 11:30 a.m.-1:00 a.m., Friday & Saturday 11:30 a.m.-3:00 a.m.

Izakaya Masa-Hillcrest 928 Fort Stockton Dr. closed Mondays Tuesday-Saturday 6:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.

Saigon on 5th-Hillcrest 3900 5th Ave. Ste#120 11:00 a.m.-3:00 a.m.

The Asian Bistro-Hillcrest 414 University Ave. 5:00 p.m.-3:00 a.m.

La Fachada-Golden Hill 20 25th St. 6:30 a.m.-1:30 a.m.

Studio Diner 4701 Ruffin Road Monday-Wednesday 5:30 a.m.-midnight, Thursday-Saturday open 24 hours, Sunday 5:30 a.m.-midnight

Lion Share 629 Kettner Blvd. 4:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m.

The 3rd Corner-Ocean Beach 2265 Bacon St. 10:00 a.m.-1:30 a.m. Food until midnight

La Fachada


Prevailing Entertainment With “new” music, design, technology and finale, Blue Man Group opened at the Luxor in their renovated theater where they first started.

Rock of Ages will close at The Venetian Jan. 3, 2016, and move to the Rio.

Evil Dead The Musical closed at the V Theater at Planet Hollywood and reopened at The Tommy Wind Theater on the Strip.

Donny and Marie celebrated seven years at the Flamingo and signed an extension through 2016. The duo will be the first new wax figures unveiled at Madame Tussauds at The Venetian in 2016.

America’s Got Talent finalist Piff the Magic Dragon debuted his one-hour solo show at the Flamingo. For the holidays, his show will become Piff’s Piffmas Piff-Tacular Dec. 21-30.

Producers of X Burlesque, X Rocks and X Comedy have opened X Country, a late night kick’n topless revue at Harrah’s.

The Fountains of Bellagio in collaboration with Bruno Mars revealed a new water show set to his song “Uptown Funk.”

House of Blues headliner Carlos Santana unveiled a commemorative display.

Dining DelightsThis month Caesars Palace is opening the luxurious Beijing cuisine fine dining eatery, which is the seventh Mr. Chow Asian restaurant location.

Westgate opened its newest Tuscan-inspired villa restaurant Fresco Italiano featuring hearty Italian favorites served family-style.

Carbone making its first domestic expansion outside New York City’s Greenwich Village opened at Aria.

Chef and Emmy Award winning television host Guy Fieri will open El Burro Borracho at the Rio in early 2016 with authentically prepared Mexican dishes.

Hong Kong Café opened at The Palazzo featuring the fusion of Asian cuisine with Western fare. The new restaurant replaces ZINE Noodles Dim Sum, Chef To’s acclaimed restaurant.

Luke’s Lobster is a new outdoor seafood shack located Stripside at the Fashion Show mall.

The culinary event Ultimo – A Weekend of Excellence, hosted by The Venetian and The Palazzo, will take extravagance to new levels, Dec. 17-20 with lavish feasts from award-winning chefs.

Authentic Southern Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão opened its second Las Vegas’ location at Downtown Summerlin with an outdoor patio.

Wynn Las Vegas’ signature seafood restaurant was renamed Costa di Mare with Executive Chef Mark LoRusso at the helm.

As part of the Miracle Miles Shops’ Harmon Avenue redevelopment, Buffalo Wild Wings is open while southern steakhouse Texas Land & Cattle will begin cooking up grilled creations in 2016.

Chef Natalie Young’s 70-seat eatery Chow downtown offering fried chicken and Chinese cuisine has added lunch options.

Happening HighlightsStarwood Resorts Worldwide will convert the Lux 289-room tower, one of three at SLS, to its first W-branded hotel in Las Vegas by September.

Rivea, the first location in the United States, and Skyfall Lounge by Michelin-decorated Chef Alain Ducasse opened at the top of Delano.

Hakkasan Group has announced its next nightlife venture will be JEWEL at Aria opening in the former HAZE Nightclub space next spring.

Intrigue will open Apr. 28, 2016, in the space Tryst nightclub occupied at Wynn for 10 years.

Stoney’s Rockin’ Country after a renovation reopened at its old stomping grounds at Town Square and has an American flag made of 2,256 beer cans.

The Las Vegas Strip at midnight on New Year’s Eve will party with fireworks deployed from 11 casino rooftops.

A $75 million renovation on the original 587-room Roman Tower at Caesars Palace will be renamed the Julius Tower. First guests are expected Jan. 1 with the renovation’s completion planned for April.

South Point Arena and Equestrian Center’s Priefert Pavilion opened Budweiser’s first custom designed mobile Clydesdale Bud Pod.

Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood has new stores: Anime Revolution, Vegas Print Factory and One Monarchy.

The D downtown revealed 11,000 square feet of meeting and convention space on the 12th floor that includes “Man Cave” party rooms.

Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort is back to being known as Lee Canyon, which was its original name when it opened in 1963.

Season’s Greetings

Terry Fator: The VOICE of Entertainment Presents A Very Terry Christmas show is taking place at The Mirage through Dec. 24.

Legends in Concert is performing its annual holiday show through Thursday, Dec. 24 at the Flamingo with Taylor Swift, Madonna, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson impersonators.

Opportunity Village’s annual Magical Forest is a winter wonderland with lights, entertainment, rides, food, etc. running Thursday-Sunday through Jan. 3.

Ethel M Chocolates’ 22nd Annual Holiday Cactus Garden is lit up through Jan. 2 for free viewing nightly by the public.

The holiday drive-thru light show Glittering Lights at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway is celebrating 15 years with millions of lights twinkling along a 2.5-mile course nightly until Jan. 3.

For the fourth year, The Cosmopolitan has created a public winter wonderland with The Ice Rink at Boulevard Pool.

Brett’s Jackie BrettJackie 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 numero us websites. She is also an instructor covering Special Events at

CSN- College of Southern Nevada.

Email: [email protected]


San Diego is well known for great weather, beautiful beaches, sunny dispositions and exceptional beer. In the cocktail world, it hasn’t always been on the radar. Now a homegrown movement is fully under way and credit for the spark can be given to a local favorite, Polite Provisions.

Polite Provisions was founded by a cocktail mammoth, Erick Castro. It’s located up the hill from where the San Diego Chargers play and just down the street from where I went to elementary school, in the neighborhood of Normal Heights. It is not your average dive and not even your average upper level cocktail bar; it is in fact a truly extraordinary locale and has garnered nationwide accolades. Along with being voted locally as the “Best Bar in San Diego,” it was also awarded “Best American High Volume Cocktail Bar” at Tales of the Cocktail. More recently, it made the Imbibe 75, Cocktail Bar of the year for 2014. Yes, you can say that this spot is legit.

This “Manufacturer of Local Tonics, Elixirs and Cures” is unique in a city that hasn’t always been a cocktail mecca. Riding a wave of enthusiasm for our craft and for all things fresh, it has helped turn the tide in America’s Finest City. In many ways, it has not only met but has also shaped the demand of its patrons. I spoke with Lead Bartender Brian Prugalidad about the resurgence of drinking unique and local. He mentioned, “Our clientele has begun to demand the fresh. From our house-made simples, sodas or artisan root beer, we think that there is always room for more; we want to stay ahead of the curve.”

When I visited Polite Provisions, I was fortunate enough to have Brian show me all of the goods. He made me some wonderfully executed cocktails, powerfully prolific punches and deviously devised non-

alcoholic delights. He finished with the results of their draft cocktail program. This is just a small part of being “ahead of that curve” as Brian mentioned. These cocktails on draft are something that they’ve been doing for years now. Out of the five different draft cocktails that they feature, I tried many of them which were delicious and easily replicable by the bartender. One impulsively good standout was the “Mr. Brownstone.” Even though I had 8 cocktails in front of me, this delicious cure for the common whiskey & coke was not left unfinished. Made with smooth Irish whisky, bitters, winter spices and a house-made cinnamon soda, this gem was abound with drinkability!

Part of the genius of Polite Provisions is that they are able to balance service while effortlessly giving the craft experience. It’s very too easy for bartenders to be bogged down with numerous intricate multi-step cocktails that were designed by people who never have to make them. Polite Provisions doesn’t fall into this trap. What they do is the epitome of having good ideas and actually being able to produce them. While they do artfully create unique cocktails, they are also acutely focused on the execution and the speed of service. Along with the cocktails on draft, one other tool they employ is the classic punch bowl. Deriving from the Hindi word for 5, they are abound with more ingredients. Along with being an homage to the first cocktails ever, they bring people together with communal drinking and enable a harmonic, triumphant and euphoric buzz!

There was not an ounce of pretense when I was at this very “cool” place. It can be a hard balance to strike for many, but even with all of their accolades they are somehow able maintain their perspective. They strive to give a complete and encompassing experience and therefore are not afraid to buck trends as long as the outcome is tasty. They have several sparkling wine libations on the menu, along with some obligatory yet very interesting beer cocktails. The one category that has been shunned by many cocktail snobs also has a proud placement on the menu, the Dessert Cocktail.

As I mentioned, they want to be all encompassing and are even thinking about the alcohol averse. For many of us booze-centric imbibers it is hard to even fathom the nondrinker, but at Polite Provisions they are steadfast in giving the complete experience and provide many nonalcoholic options. One of the many artisan sodas on draft are sure to quench your thirst while their own house-made soda options give a tasty sense of place; from the Tropical Phosphate, the Balboa Park Fizz or the famous Egg Cream, they can all make your wagon ride feel much more comfortable.

As Brian clearly yet confusingly described, the concept of Polite Provisions is, “Roman bath house in the golden age of soda jerk, pre-repeal of the Volstead Act.” This characterization did hit the nail on the head. Polite Provisions has a unique yet familiar feel; it takes notes from a lot of eras with a classic American & vaguely European aesthetic. The vibe was hip yet welcoming and centered on quality of product and experience. Next time you are in Normal Heights please put it on the top of your list. In a town with a lot of things to do, Polite Provisions is the worthiest of options for lovers of all things craft.

Polite Provisions 4696 30th St., San Diego, CA 619-677-3784 • www.politeprovisions.com

For the Love of the CraftPolite Provisions

By Adam Rains

Adam has a true passion for food, wine, beer & spirits. He is a barman at CarneVino, a brand ambassador

for Brooklyn Brewery and a long-time cocktailian. Adam strives to learn every

day and during his career he’s studied at SDSU, USBG, BarSmarts, International

Sommeliers Guild and the Certified Cicerone Program. His mantra with both

food & cocktails is, “fresh is best.”

phot

o by

Ada

m R

ains

American Culinary FederationChefs of SoCal

The SoCal Food & Beverage Professional is proud to be associated with these fine organizations:

ACF-American Culinary Federation

Chef de Cuisine Association of California Chapter

Culinarians of San Diego Chapter

Chefs de Cuisine Association of San Diego Chapter


phot

os b

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The 78th annual National Beer Wholesalers Association Convention and Trade Show convened at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas Oct. 11-13 and attracted nearly 4,000 industry representatives.

Spokane, Washington’s No-Li Brewhouse was named the National Brewery of the Year by the National Beer Wholesalers Association, an award that recognizes brewers who not only produce great beer, but also build strong partnerships, provide education, offer support to their distributor customers and more.

On the last day, the convention was abuzz with news of AB InBev’s purchase of SABMiller. The scuttlebutt amongst the craft beer reps was that the move would be a motivator to rally beer lovers around their local breweries as the big boys try to shore up their market share losses with actions such as the infamous 2015 Super Bowl ad. In regards to this merger Brewers Association Director Paul Gatza wrote, “The American public continues to respond [to big beer] by sampling more new craft brewed beers and buying more of their favorites. People may see [the merger] as a time to rally around their local brewery. Those societal trends won’t change because of this deal.”

The convention was a chance for distributors to research all that’s available in the world of brewing, while the trade show was a showcase of breweries from all over the world representing nearly every beer style and nearly 300 different exhibitors displayed their wares, with 84 breweries pouring more than 500 different beers.

The most congested spaces on the trade show floor were amongst the tables of the 31 craft breweries represented in the Brewers Association-sponsored Craft Brewers Pavilion, and the rest of the trade show appeared to be dominated by artisanal beer sporting plenty of flavor. No surprise there, as the craft beer industry continues to be the fastest growing segment in the entire US beverage alcohol industry. The evidence is that in 2014

Craft Beer Takes Center Stage at 2015 NBWA

Convention & Trade Show

By Bob Barnes

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: [email protected]


for the first time ever, craft beer accounted for a double digit share of the total beer market with an 11% volume share of the marketplace (up from 6% in 2012) and growth of the craft brewing industry in 2014 was 18% by volume and 22% by dollars (compared to growth in 2012 of 15% by volume and 17% by dollars). Additionally, as of June 30, 2015, the number of operating breweries in the U.S. was at 3,739, an increase of 699 breweries over the same time period of the previous year.

The lone Nevada brewery represented at the trade show was Tenaya Creek Brewery from Las Vegas, which was pouring its Bonanza Brown Ale, named for the street its new production brewery is located on. This new larger facility will further enable Tenaya Creek to expand its production and sales.

Anchor Brewing’s long wooden serving bar was manned by Bob Brewer, who briefly came out of retirement to assemble the set-up, something he has been doing for quite some time. Anchor was serving a new addition to its line, Anchor Barrel Ale (6.7% ABV), a blend of Anchor ales aged in used Old Potrero whiskey barrels and on their staves which was brewed as a tribute to pioneer brewer, distiller and visionary Fritz Maytag.

Who would have ever expected Guinness to come out with anything other than its iconic stout? But times change and the brewery with over 250 years of brewing experience has re-imagined the traditional IPA style with its Nitro IPA, which is brewed with five hop varieties—Admiral, Celeia, Topaz, Challenger and Cascade—and infused with nitrogen.

One of the more interesting beers I sampled was the Bacon Bomb Rauchbier from the Milwaukee-based Brenner Brewing Company. While a vegan beer, the blend of German beechwood- and Wisconsin cherrywood-smoked malts and fresh black pepper give it a deceptive bacon bite. Also on the wild and crazy side, New Belgium Brewery had Ben & Jerry’s Salted Caramel Brownie Brown Ale, a collaboration with the ice cream maker with cocoa and vanilla powder in the maturation vessel to retain flavors of a big dessert beer blast. And, Southern Tier, not to be outdone, had its dessert tribute Crème Brûlée Milk Stout, brewed with lactose sugar and vanilla beans.

Full disclosure here, I was drawn to sample beers from Heretic Brewing Company because it’s located in Fairfield, Calif., the birthplace of my wife Lally, but after experiencing the quality of its beers I no longer felt biased. I especially liked the Petit Rouge, a Belgian-style ale steeped with hibiscus flowers that had a slightly tart flavor reminiscent of cranberry and pomegranate.

Artisanal Imports, which can always be counted on to bring interesting and excellent products from around the world, brought Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven’s La Trappe Bockbier from the Netherlands, the world’s only Trappist Bock, which is being imported to the US for the first time. It differs from German Bocks as it is a bit drier, darker, bitter and more roasted and is a bottle conditioned ale, not a lager.

Rince Cochon has long been one of my favorite Belgians and I was happy to find Eurobrew

Specialty Beer Importer pouring a fruited version of it—Rince Cochon Red—a 7.5% ABV version of the blond ale made with red fruits: raspberry, strawberry and cherries that is coming to the US for the first time.

Unibroue, Canada’s answer to Belgian styles, brought its new La Resolution, a 10% ABV Strong Dark Ale inspired by a recipe Brewmaster Jerry Vietz concocted for his friends that is spiced with ginger, toffee and caramel with a gingerbread and spicy aroma.

I’ve had many an IPA with grapefruit flavor derived from certain hop strains, but Magic Hat introduced me to its new Electric Peel, which has actual grapefruit peel added, resulting in a quite noticeable bittersweet finish.

Uinta Brewing Company was one of the first breweries to come out with a double IPA, its Detour, which was packaged in corked 750 ml bottles, but it is now available in 12 oz cans. In February, the Salt Lake City-based brewery will release its first Gose, Ready, Set, Gose (a tart and salty German beer style); along with a

full-time Brettanomyces series beginning with a Brett IPA.

The 4.4% ABV Royal Jamaican Ginger Beer, brewed in Kingston by Big City Brewing with locally grown Jamaican ginger, impressed me with its intense bite, with a burn almost like a pepper beer, and definitely stronger than any ginger beer I’d previously tasted.

This was my ninth time attending the trade show, which has become noticeably dominated by craft beer choices, a trend that has grown exponentially over the past 16 years. If this trade show is any indication, it would appear that more and more distributors are embracing the craft beer segment as it slowly but surely chips away at the pie, securing a larger piece of its share of the beer market.

The NBWA is a major beer biz convention that wisely comes to Vegas every other year and alternates in other cities (sans trade show). For more information, visit the NBWA’s website at www.nbwa.org.


Speaking of the rooms, all are unique and vary in size and price. Rates begin at $149 in the winter and $189 in summer, a bargain considering the primo beach location. We stayed in the Billabong Men’s Room, a very comfortable and inviting space bedecked with a three-dimensional art piece with images of surfers, palm trees, and the Billabong logo cut into reclaimed wood; striking painted surfboard with an image of the sun setting over the ocean; a reclaimed-tree coffee table; and most importantly, a full-on unobstructed view of the ocean. The Spanish rooms are quaint and take one back to the past with intricately hand-carved cabinets and headboards made in Spain, hardwood floor and antique-like light fixtures, all of which are made to look old, but actually are not.

One of the main reasons to visit Laguna Beach is its beautiful beaches. Although the hotel’s website lists it as a block from the beach, it’s actually only mere steps to the winding stairway that leads to the intimate secluded Cress Street Beach, a sandy cove with a phenomenal view with the only rocks being the majestic formations embedded in the sand. The hotel provides beach towels, and helpful staff deliver and set up comfortable beach chairs and large umbrellas.

In addition to the free ocean views and gorgeous nearly private beach, other perks are that the hotel allows small pets, with an additional fee of $35 and refundable $150 deposit; offers free parking (something very hard to come by in Laguna); and a complimentary full breakfast. Served in a room with al fresco dining in a lovely courtyard with Spanish tile and a soothing fountain, your morning meal choices include a wide range of options including scrambled eggs with spinach and asparagus, bacon, sausage, bagels, fresh fruit, yogurt, muffins and Danish. Making the meal all the more enjoyable is the delightful Alina, who oversees the room assisting guests with her welcoming personality and cheerful helpfulness.

Other culinary delights are provided by the hotel’s two restaurants: Rooftop Lounge and K’Ya Bistro. The Rooftop Lounge is worth the price of admission for the view alone, a sweeping 180-degree view of the surf and sand, and is equipped with wood floor, tables and chairs; heaters; and sizeable umbrellas. An assortment of sandwiches are served during lunch, such as Shrimp Club and Seared Ahi, and appetizers are served during lunch and evening hours. Be sure to try the Burratta Bruschetta, which because of its unique presentation, doesn’t get soggy since all of

Hotel La Casa Del Camino Laguna Beach Historic Charm with Modern Day Amenities

The historic mission-style building at the corner of Cress Street and the Coast Highway, known as Hotel La Casa Del Camino, is described as a Mediterranean-style boutique hotel. I found it to be a delightful haven with historic charm mixed with modern day amenities. The hotel quickly became a local favorite for the Hollywood elite when it opened in 1929, and was the second hotel to open in Laguna Beach. Some vestiges of its early 20th century beginnings remain, such as the original wood framed mirrors in the hallways, beams in the lobby, glass chandelier and room numbers above the guest room doors. The aforementioned modern amenities include air conditioning, free wifi, flat screen HD TVs, safes and mini fridges in every room.

By Bob BarnesPhotos by Ralph Palumbo


the toppings are placed in the center of the dish; Peruvian Style Crab and Shrimp Ceviche with corn, onion, peppadew, sriracha and an unusual but welcome addition of sweet potato; and the Hawaiian Ahi Poke, served with won ton chips, seaweed, onion, spicy soy and wasabi tobiko. The most popular cocktails are the mojitos, which come in flavors of strawberry, tropical, mango, wild berry, champagne, ginger and bojito (Red Bull); and the house-made Sangria composed of red wine, peach schnapps, brandy, fresh berries and a splash of O.J. and ginger ale. Prices are extremely reasonable, with pricees ranging from $6-$12 for drinks and $6-$17 for food items, one of the reasons this lounge is a popular place for locals to meet up, especially during sunsets.

Located on the first floor off of the lobby overlooking the Coast Highway, K’Ya Bistro offers both indoor and al fresco dining. The décor harkens back to the roots of the hotel with historic black and white photos, wall scone lighting, warm colors of beige and red, black wood tables and floor-to-ceiling arch windows. Here you’ll find fine dining quality without attitude or high prices. Being a connoisseur of risotto, I gave my enthusiastic stamp of approval to the Lobster & Truffle Risotto, enhanced with asparagus, caramelized onion and white wine. The Spiced Garlic Shrimp was another winner, with an accompaniment of Spanish butter beans, spinach and scrumptious romesco sauce. Try to save room for the restaurant’s signature dessert, Banana Pecan Bread Pudding with vanilla ice cream and bourbon sauce. Like the Lounge above, the prices are surprisingly affordable, with most items priced at around $10. And, an incredible deal can be found during the daily happy hour from 4:30-5:30 p.m., with any food item offered for half off with purchase of any cocktail, beer or wine; plus $5 deals on select appetizers, beer, mojitos, martinis, well drinks and select wines by the glass.

Overseeing the kitchen, which turns out the menus for both restaurants, are Executive Chef Craig Connole and Sous Chef Greg Pugliese. Connole has been at the hotel’s restaurants for nearly 11 years and has been cooking in hotel kitchens since he was 19, with previous experience in well-regarded hotels including Four Seasons, Meridian and Ritz-Carlton.

This boutique hotel has much to offer with an optimal location and will prove to be easy on your pocketbook. You may come for the magnificent view, but you’ll want to return again and again for the high quality and very reasonable pricing of both its rooms and restaurants.

La Casa Del Camino Hotel 1289 South Coast Highway Laguna Beach, CA 92651

949-497-2446 www.lacasadelcamino.com

Hotel La Casa Del Camino Laguna Beach Historic Charm with Modern Day Amenities

®

Ment’or proudly invites you to our Bocuse d’Or Team USA

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In January 2015, Team USA made culinary history by winning the Silver Award at the Bocuse d’Or.

Join us as four candidates compete live in a display of culinary excellence for the honor to represent the USA at the 2017

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USA CompetitionThursday, December 17, 2015

9:00 a.m.

Team USA Celebration GalaThursday, December 17, 2015

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The legendary award-winning chef and restaurateur Charlie Palmer, who has been at

the forefront of great American food since the 1980s, has released his latest cookbook,

American Fare: Everyday Recipes from My Kitchens to Yours. The book is a compilation

of more than 100 of the best recipes he cooks at home and in his restaurants. One thing I

especially like is that unlike some cookbooks, this one is filled with recipes that are easy

to follow and don’t include ingredient lists with items that are hard to find or so extensive

that you need two shopping carts to procure them. The majority of the recipes list 8-10

ingredients. The book is arranged by sections of Soups and Salads, Quick and Easy

Lunches, Vegetables and Sides, Pasta and Grains, Meat and Birds, Fish, Family Favorites

and Backyard Dinners, Snack Time and Delicious Desserts. Each section begins with tips

and personal reflections from Chef Charlie and most recipes are accompanied by color

photos of the plated dish.

https://charlie-palmer.myshopify.com/collections/cookbooks/products/charlie-palmers-

american-fare

By Bob Barnes

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: [email protected]

A Good Read: American Fare: Everyday Recipes from My Kitchens to Yours


Chef TalkThe Great American Pumpkin Shortage

By Chef Allen Asch

Feel free to contact Chef Allen with ideas for comments or future articles at

[email protected]

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.

The American crop of pumpkins is about half of what the normal yield is... The harvest also ended weeks earlier than normal, which means the production on canned products is probably on hiatus until next year’s fall season. This did not affect the Halloween pumpkin since this pumpkin is a different breed than the ones used in commercial production of pumpkin products. If you like pumpkin throughout the year you should go to the store and scoop up any canned pumpkin that might be left on the shelves. The Libby Corporation, which produces 80% of the processed pumpkin in the United States, is the leading brand of pureed and processed pumpkin. If you find a shortage of Libby products, or any other brand in a traditional market, you may want to try Trader Joe’s, which sources its house-branded puree from Oregon family farmers who have had a bumper crop on their orange-stained variety this year.

90% of the canned pumpkin, which is produced by the Sugar Pumpkin, comes from Illinois which experienced very heavy rains this year. Almost all of the pumpkins come from a dozen family farms that surround the one commercial processing plant in the United States. The pumpkin shortage is just one of the worldwide shortages being blamed on changing climate in the United States and around the world. Some other examples include a coffee shortage blamed on higher temperature in the growing environment of the coffee bean plants. These plants can be moved to higher grounds creating cooler climates but one can imagine the challenge associated with moving all of the coffee plants, the cost as well as the time needed for moving them as well as letting them acclimate to the new environment. Another example is the reduction in the production of chocolate due to drier weather in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire in the Ivory Coast where the cacao tree is grown in abundance. Another vice being affected by the change in worldwide temperature is beer, due to an endangered hops supply. Water shortages have affected the growth and yield of hops plants as each plant requires up to three gallons of water per day. Washington State grows over 70% of the country’s hops and they are under watering restrictions due to the drought with 98.5% of the state under a severe drought warning.

There have been shortages of a variety of lettuces in the United States every year for the last three years, but this only yielded a short term price increase for those varieties. The science of growing crops is so detailed that if the lettuce crop is cut short due to heat or rain the growers can tell you exactly when the shortage will end and the prices will return to normal because they understand the growth cycle of the products they grow. The difference between lettuce and the other crops is the growing time of these

products. While it takes lettuce about 70 days to reach maturity (although hydroponically it can take only 3 weeks), it could take many years to replant the cacao and coffee plants while the regrowth of the pumpkins cannot happen until the next season.

Pumpkins, a member of the gourd family, have very little nutritional value. It contains no fat, but also contributes very little nutritional value other than potassium and vitamin A. Pumpkins can grow on six of the seven continents, excluding Antarctica. They also grow well in Alaska during the growing season.

Pumpkin carving has been around for a long time, originating in Ireland where they carved turnips. When they immigrated to the United States they found pumpkins plentiful and they also found them much easier to carve than a turnip. The largest pumpkin ever in the United States was grown in Illinois and weighed 2,145 pounds. It took 93 days to reach that weight. This was dwarfed by the size of the largest in the world, measured in Switzerland and weighing 2,323 pounds.

You may have heard by now about the shortage we are about to have on the seasonal pumpkin. We made it through the Halloween season without a problem and the Thanksgiving season has only experienced a minor interruption in total availability. I hope you had your fill of pumpkin related foods, since the real shortage starts now.

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By Ben Brown

Benjamin Brown, MBA is a seasoned restaurant writer

and consultant. Expert in F&B marketing, pricing,

analytics, consumer insights and business development.

Readers and hospitality professionals looking to grow

their business, please contact Ben at [email protected] or

follow him on Twitter @Foodie_Biz.

The Bottom LineKeep your Brand Great with These Simple Guidelines

To add color to this broad claim, let’s look at two proven brands: Joël Robuchon and McDonald’s. About as opposite as can be, these establishments share one thing in common: consistency. Joël Robuchon, a Michelin-starred legend of Las Vegas, built its reputation by serving the finest food made from the finest ingredients in one of the finest dining rooms with the finest servers. More importantly, however, is that Joël Robuchon’s customers fully support these selling points. Nowhere does this restaurant fall short of the illustrious experience it seeks to create. McDonald’s has achieved its success in a very different way. Claiming to be ‘in the real estate business rather than the hamburger business,’ McDonald’s has made itself accessible to nearly every person in the country [and many across the world]. The key here is also consistency—that hamburger will taste the same whether you’re at a McDonald’s in California, New York or China. Few people will claim McDonald’s to be anywhere near the best burger they’ve eaten, but they go back because the restaurant stays true to its reputation for convenience and affordability. Joël Robuchon and McDonald’s are extreme examples, but in each case both the restaurant and its customers agree on the balance of taste, value, atmosphere and service. There is clearly no right or wrong way to balance these attributes, but only successful restaurants will carry this same balance throughout the customer experience. Take some time to think about every touchpoint your customer goes through while they are at your restaurant. Make adjustments as needed to ensure that your experience stays consistent throughout the customer journey. Start with the easiest items to change:

Hostess Attentiveness Your hostess is often the customer’s first point of contact. Whether speaking with prospective customers in person or over the phone, it is imperative that your hostess reflects your establishment’s ideals. In a high-volume setting, this means getting down to business with quick responses on wait times and a fluid handoff to servers. In a fine dining

setting, however, a hostess should make guests feel at home before they even take their seat. If you have multiple hostesses at the front during a low-traffic time, they should speak with prospective customers as a group rather than ‘handing them off’ to one another.

Server Attentiveness Servers in more casual settings are responsible for serving food as efficiently as possible. As the price point rises, the need to develop rapport and create relationships grows proportionately. As an owner or manager you must make sure that these patterns ring true. Body language says it all—customers see right through fake smiles and notice if they’re not being tended to. Monitor your floor to keep customer service consistent with your brand.

BreadIf your restaurant prides itself in serving quality food, your bread [or its equivalent] should be on the same level, if not better. Just as the hostess is the customer’s first service contact, the bread is their first impression of your food and will set the tone for the rest of the meal. Skimping out on the bread will lead customers to question where else you’re cutting costs.

PriceDifferent price points naturally attract different audiences, but successful restaurants will keep their menu mix within the same general price range. Pricing items too far apart will alienate your customers, making them think that the more expensive items are grossly overpriced while the cheaper items must lack quality. The easiest way to know if you need to make changes: gathering feedback. Monitor online reviews, invite writers to visit periodically, and, of course, talk to your customers directly. You want their words to mirror the restaurant’s brand as you see it. The key is consistency, and making many small changes over time will refine your restaurant to reach its desired image.

Consistency is the X-factor that separates a successful restaurant from its counterparts. Elite restaurants aren’t defined by expensive décor, trendy

ingredients, celebrity chefs, or even great food. Elite restaurants are defined by the perceptions of their customers. Great food and atmosphere certainly help shape a good brand, but the true performance metric is how accurately a restaurant

lives up to the reputation it wants to create for itself. It’s up to you, the restaurateur, to clearly define the experience you want to create, and then ensure that this

experience rings true through every step of the meal.


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 [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. Include your mailing address when sending your responses.

By Linda Westcott-Bernstein

HumanResourcesInsights

Holiday Season: A Time for

Reflection and Evaluation

So much of human nature is to judge others by our situation and standards. While that is our frame of reference, it is not appropriate or accurate to theirs. Just the other week, I met with someone about a new job. This person was very open about her life and situation, and shared with me some very private information. This woman was in an abusive situation and wanted desperately to escape it. It was easy for me to think … “I’m glad that’s not me … I’d never let myself be manipulated by anyone.” And suddenly, almost as quickly as those thoughts popped into my head, I realized that I was behaving judgmentally. I was clearly unable

to comprehend not only what her situation was but how she came to be in it. It was cold and uncaring of me to think that I had any comprehension for her dilemma or situation.

The goal and intent of a good human resources (HR) philosophy and practices is to help us all remember and reflect on what is truly important in life, the welfare of others. HR is there to help good people make good decisions by understanding the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between emotion and intellect.

Please, never forget that there is no weakness in compassion, there is only the cold reality of indifference.

This is the perfect time of year to remember and embrace that so important Golden Rule – while reflecting and evaluating our own characteristics – “Treat others the way in which you’d like to be treated.” To me, it really comes down to some very basic concepts for life and living… have compassion for your fellow (wo)man and endeavor to be fair, considerate and compassionate in all aspects of your life.

Have a wonderful holiday season!

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: [email protected]

The holiday season is the perfect time for embracing the importance of family and friends. It’s a time to reflect on what we’ve done in our life and maybe even how we’ve made a contribution to the greater good. This applies not only in our personal lives but also in our work life. As we prepare to welcome in a new year and make some new resolutions, why not resolve to reflect on and evaluate the one thing which truly matters most: Are we a good person, do we care about the welfare of others, and do we treat others with the respect they deserve?

How can we honestly evaluate our goodness, our contributions in our work and personal life? We can start with an evaluation of ourselves by considering a few potential challenges…

Do we…• reserve our judgment of others?

• treat others with respect and consideration?

• act in a way this is considerate of other’s opinions?

• honestly assess our weaknesses as well as our strengths?

• try to understand the differences in others and embrace them?


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

By Alice Swift

Alice 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 Learning Design & Development Business Partner 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.

Wine “Flights” (at 30,000 feet)

Wines actually diminish in acid, and more noticeably tannic and alcoholic when consumed at high elevations above 30,000 feet. The wines don’t physically or chemically change though, it is actually the human perception of food and beverage consumed that is altered. The ability to taste properly is reduced up to 30% when in a dry and pressurized cabin on a plane. There have even been research studies conducted mirroring the conditions of an airplane, that has found that some factors that affect the taste in wine could include humidity, atmospheric pressure, noise, reduced oxygen, etc. Due to a combination of these factors, research has discovered that white wines lose flavor, and red wines taste more astringent, bitter and tannic.

This phenomenon has been verified by many wine professionals as well as researchers. Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, wrote an article explaining that the pressurized cabin is very dry, which makes it harder for us to salivate when we encounter acidic or tannic wine. Therefore, red wines give the impression of being more astringent (resource: http://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2012/08/up-in-the-air). Instead, passenger tend to prefer very aromatic

and pronounced white wines that are high in acid, as well as smooth, low tannin wines, with lower alcohol.

CNN also featured an article interviewing several sommeliers, including Doug Frost, Master of Wine and Master Sommelier, consultant for United Airlines (source: www.cnn.com/2012/09/19/world/airlines-wine). What’s interesting is that Frost reveals that wines are sometimes selected months to a year in advance. Therefore, his airline selections must withstand the test of time, since they may not make it to the cabin of an airplane for a few months. At the same time, sommeliers must continue with their typical purchasing decisions of selecting wines based on popularity, region, price, etc. It’s quite complicated!

Yet another article from the Australian Financial Review interviewed Andy Sparrow, who purchases wines for British Airways’ first-class list (source: www.afr.com/p/lifestyle/life_leisure/flying_ask_for_high_altitude_wine_mOF7MK5JHHYMolBZDgF6vN). From Sparrow’s experience, sparkling wine like Champagne and Cava were popular, possibly due to the carbon-dioxide in the carbonation. In

addition, despite tannic wines being unpopular, Malbec remained the exception. The question was, then, why? Some speculation included the fact that Malbec tends to be grown at high altitudes, up to 1800 meters, which is around the same altitude that some planes are pressurized to. This might not be research-proven, but an interesting thought to ponder.

On a tangential note, regarding other food and beverage, the tendency is also that passengers on planes also prefer more flavorful foods, needing more salt, spices, as well as spicy-ness. In terms of non-alcohol beverages, ironically, tomato juice becomes much more popular in the air. Believe it or not, tomato juice sells about as much as beer, over 400,000 gallons annually (source:www.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/business/airlines-studying-the-science-of-better-in-flight-meals.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0).

Now, when you board a plane and fall in love with the wines on your trip, think twice before buying multiple bottles/cases for the house.

Until next month, Cheers ~

Alice

Complimentary wine served aboard my international flight to Shanghai, China in December, 2014.

phot

os b

y A

lice

Sw

ift

Have you ever wondered why you tend to drink tomato juice more often on a plane? Or, in the context of alcohol, do you typically like Cabernet Sauvignon, but prefer a smoother Merlot or Pinot Noir instead when you’re in the air? Believe it or not, there actually is a scientific reasoning behind why wines (and other food and beverages) taste different at high altitudes.


EVENTS AD INDEX

DecemberDecember 27 Indulge LA Chocolate Festival and Pastry Show

Olympic Collection

Los Angeles

www.indulgela.net

JanuaryJanuary 23 Uncorked LA Wine Festival

Union Station

Los Angeles

uncorkedwinefestivals.com/losangeles

January 23 Tapped Brew Fest

Storm Stadium

Lake Elsinore

www.tappedbrewfest.com/#tbf

January 30 CoffeeCon Los Angeles Magic Box @ The Reef Los Angeles www.coffee-con.com

FebruaryFebruary 2 Eating Out Loud Million Dollar Theater & Grand Central Market Los Angeles dola.com/events/2016/2/2/eating-out-loud

February 6-7 LA Cookie Con and Sweets Show Los Angeles Convention Center www.lacookiecon.com

February 23 LA Bacon Festival Petersen Auto Museum Los Angeles labaconfest.com

Al Dentes’ Provisions page 23 [email protected] 702-642-1100

Audrey Dempsey Infinity Photo page 13 www.infinity-photo.com 702-837-1128

Bivi Sicilian Vodka page 2 www.bivivodka.com 631-464-4050

Bocuse d’Or Team USA page 18 National Selection www.venetian.com/entertainment/events/ultimo/event.html

Deep Eddy Vodka page 25 www.deepeddyvodka.com 702-876-4500

Keep Memory Alive Event Center page 29 www.kmaeventcenterlasvegas.com 702-263-9797

Major Foods page 21 www.majorproducts.com 702-838-4698

Ment’or page 19 www.mentorbkb.org

Niigata Sake Festival page 30 http://sakenojin.jp/english 025-229-1218

Rodney Strong page 11 www.rodneystrong.com 707-431-1533

The Spice Outlet page 23 www.thespiceoutlet.com 702-534-7883

Todd English P.U.B. page 31 www.toddenglishpub.com 702-489-8080

Ultimo page 32 www.venetian.com/ultimo

Uncle Steve’s page 27 www.unclestevesny.com 718-605-0416

White Soy Sauce page 6 www.whitesoysaucefood.com

A Weekend of ExcellenceDecember 17-20, 2015

of celebrity chefs and the most incredible culinary experiences anywhere.

Visit venetian.com/ultimo

during this four-day dining tour de force.

JEROME BOCUSE

DANIEL BOULUD

DARIO CECCHINI

JOSIAH CITRIN

OLIVIER DUBREUIL

SHAUN HERGATT

JEROME JACOILLOT

TRACI DES JARDINS

GAVIN KAYSEN

THOMAS KELLER

JAMES KENT

JEAN PHILIPPE MAURY

ROLAND PASSOT

RICHARD ROSENDALE

PHILIP TESSIER

MING TSAI

GR FAB 0471H F&B Magazine Ad_8.5x11.indd 1 12/2/15 4:52 PM

Special �anks To

socal - december 2015 issue

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