1. food and drink
2. beverages
3. alcoholic beverages
4. cocktails and beer

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April 2015
14
CONTENTS
FEATURES
Cover
2
4
18
31
FRONT COVER FEATURE THIS MONTH IS DEDICATED TO UNLVINO AND THE STUDENTS
IT HELPS and the people in the community who help make a difference and
are the chosen honorees for each of the events this year. Now in its 41st year,
UNLVino truly means it when they say, “Take a Sip for Scholarship.” Pictured here
is Robert Mondavi, a continued supporter of UNLVino at the 1st UNLVino wine
tasting event, held in 1974 at the SWS warehouse.
INSIDE FRONT COVER IS UNCLE STEVE’S ITALIAN SPECIALTIES. We had a chance
to first try Steve’s Tomato Sauce at a West Coast food show months ago and
loved it! Guess you could call it “love at first bite.” You are sure to remember
Steve Schirripa from his many TV and movie roles over the years as the mafia
type character and he is also a regular Las Vegas resident. We’d like to thank his
Momma for the great recipe she handed down to Steve.
PAGE 4 IS DEDICATED TO OUR STAFF AND CONTRIBUTING JOURNALISTS &
PHOTOGRAPHERS. Without them and their hard work and dedication we would not be in
existence. You will see changes in this section from time to time when people move on
to other locations and activities and our best wishes are with them all! We also welcome
new staff and journalists to our publication, now going on its 10th year of serving the Las
Vegas Food & Beverage Industry and reaching out to professionals nationally.
INSIDE BACK COVER IS THE UNLVINO SCHEDULE OF EVENTS in an easy to read format
that you can cut out and carry with you, and to remind you to buy tickets if you haven’t
already. All VIP tickets were sold out even before this issue went to press. UNLVino is a
not-to-miss three-day fun filled event including the return of one of our favorites, Sake
Fever, where you are able to taste some of the best sake from all over Japan and pair
them with Japanese bites from our best local Japanese restaurants. KAMPAI!
Page 4
Page 13
Hot Off the Grill!
The Tides Are Turning
Largest City in the United
Page 5
For the Love of the Craft...
Product Spotlight
States Bans Polystyrene Foam
Page 13
Lazy Dog—Something for Everyone,
Page 6
Page 24
Even Your Dog
What’s Brewing?
Page 24
Easter Brunches and Sweet Things
for the Holiday
Page 14
Page 7
Nevada Restaurant Association
What’s Cooking
Page 17
Page 26
Human Resources Insights
Up Front and Personal
Page 8
West Eats East—Japanese Food
Page 18
& Beverage in America
Vom Fass Comes to the
Page 9
Food for Thought
www.lvfnbpro.com
Wonderland Bakery
Page 20
PR Spotlight-Magnetic Public
Brett’s Vegas View
Page 12
Chef Talk
The Bottom Line
Page 18
Page 10
Relations
24
Las Vegas Strip
Page 27
Page 28
American Culinary Federation
Chefs of Las Vegas Chapter Page
Page 22
COVER FEATURE
UNLVINO
Page 30
Events
Ad Index
April 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 3
The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional
1200 S TORREY PINES SUITE 172
Las Vegas, NV 89146
www.lvfnbpro.com
HOT OFF THE GRILL!
April 2015
Mike Fryer
Sr. Editor/Publisher
CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN
OPENS ITS NEWEST CONCEPT
IN DOWNTOWN SUMMERLIN
featuring a full designated bar area,
signature cocktails, outdoor dining
and unique entrees, in a beautiful
new location. With General
Manager Clay Wilson at the helm,
CPK Downtown Summerlin is
on its way to becoming one of
the best in the chain! Here Clay
gives a group of journalists a tour
through the store.
Thank you for joining us in this issue of
The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.
For any questions or comments please email
[email protected]
Bob Barnes
Editorial Director
[email protected]
Juanita Fryer
Assistant To Sr. Editor
ACF Chefs Liasion/
Journalist
[email protected]
Karen Kunz
Graphic Designer
[email protected]
Adam Rains
Beverage Editor
[email protected]
For all Website Inquires contact
[email protected]
PIZZA EXPO CAME TO THE LAS
VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER
for another great show of “everything
you’ll ever want to know about pizza”
all under one roof. No wonder it’s called
the International Pizza Show, with both
exhibitors and attendees arriving from all
corners of the world; it really shows you
just how mainstream pizza has become.
Judges for the Best Pizza shown here are
local ACF Professionals, which include
Heinz Lauer, Chris Johns and Gary Brant.
“DESTINATION…CATALINA ISLAND”
COMING IN NEXT MONTH’S ISSUE…Just
in time for you to plan your summer vacation,
LVFNB Pro recently re-visited Catalina Island
to bring you the complete info on how to get
there, where to stay, what to do and where to
enjoy great food & beverage. If you are into
water sports or just wanting to relax and enjoy
the island scenes, Catalina Island is a perfect
choice. This view is from the living room
inside a beautiful suite at The Courtyard
Garden Suites. Note the ocean view from
every window—heavenly!
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!
@lvfnb
NOTE: All submissions become the property of The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.
The Las Vegas
Food & Beverage Professional
CONTRIBUTING STAFF
Legal Editorial Advisor
Andrew Matney
Journalist &
Photographer
Joe Fogarty
Accounting Manager
Michelle
San Juan
Journalist
Brett’s Vegas View
Jackie Brett
Journalist
Shelley Stepanek
Journalist
Food for Thought
Les Kincaid
Journalists
Scott & Elaine Harris
Journalist
Mitchell Wilburn
Journalist
Ben Vaughn
Journalist
LeAnne Notabartolo
Journalist
Ask Dr. Sake
K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.
Photographer
Audrey Dempsey
Journalist
Chef Talk
Allen Asch
Journalist
Al Mancini
Journalist
Heidi Rains
Journalist
HR Insights
Linda Bernstein
Journalist
Green Restaurant Association
Michael Oshman
Journalist
Wine Talk
Alice Swift
SoCal Journalist
Lisa Matney
Journalist
The Bottom Line
Ben Brown
Photographer
Bill Bokelmann
Photographer
Joe Urcioli
SoCal Journalist
Margie Mancino
Photographer
Rose Powell-Carver
4 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I April 2015
www.lvfnbpro.com
For the Love
of the Craft
By Adam Rains
Adam 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
Bartending is the one great American living art that is performed nightly
and has a place at the center of our culture. While we do not have the
fanfare garnered by sport, culinary arts, even reality TV, we are a part
of the American experience. To the intoxicated naked eye, a lot of the
nuance of our job can be missed but there is much to it. The bartender
is the conductor and even though many capacities of our job can be
performed well by the natural novice, they must be constantly perfected
by the lifelong student.
I’ve said it before, it’s a great
time to be a bartender;
especially now, and especially here in Las Vegas. We are one of the world
beverage epicenters and are in the middle of a continuing expanding and
evolving renaissance for imbibing. For years we’ve accomplished mass
quantities and we are now striving for, and pulling off, quality! Not only
service, but drink, freshness as well as hospitality are all at the forefront of
our minds.
One of the driving forces behind our Vegas renaissance is the United
States Bartenders’ Guild. The USBG is a grouping of united barmen
dedicated to honing, expanding and perfecting our craft. Treasurer of the
Las Vegas Chapter Adam O’Donnell says, “Socially, professionally and
for educational opportunities the USBG is an excellent organization to
be a part of in any capacity.”
The diverse and newly elected USBG council is off to a robust start and
have already held dozens of events in the first two months. With the
wildly talented (and first woman president) Kristen Schaefer at the helm,
she is bolstered by a very energetic Vice President, Raul Faria, Adam
O’Donnell as Treasurer, and the ardently steadfast Secretary, Cody
Fredrickson. One of Kristen’s ambitious goals for the council is, “to be
the biggest chapter in the US.”
The USBG helps us to better perform our craft and brings bartenders together.
As Kristen explains, “First and foremost it’s about getting your network
built. The USBG is a great outlet to do that, because not only do you get the
educational component, you also get to be around people that are passionate
about the things that you are about.” As a proud member, I agree. One of the
main tools that we have as bartenders, besides for the will, determination &
passion, is the USBG. The benefits of being in the guild are numerous. Kristen
further elaborated, “The educational opportunities are amazing. Some of the
tastings that are hosted by us are very expensive. But for $100 a year you can
go to all of them. And we throw some cool parties too!”
www.lvfnbpro.com
We have for years focused on learning classic cocktails, bringing back
freshness, but also expanding the boundaries on what a drink can be. We have
yearned to expand the American palate by bringing in different components
of the flavor wheel including bitter and exploiting umami flavors. Now I feel
the final step for us in our maturing movement is the focus on hospitality. That
was the discussion topic of the first in the “For Member By Member” series
which I had the honor of speaking at. Along with Gene Samuels of Caesars
Palace, David Cooper of CarneVino and Alex Strauss of the Bon Vivants,
we all brought our own experiences and style to the table with the intent of
proving the point that hospitality comes first and to stress that the most vital
component of our job is the connection between people.
It was the morning after another event,“Barmania!” which was a bartender
charity event partnered with St. Baldrick’s with the intent to “kick cancer’s
ass.” As with many nights at Herbs & Rye the imbibing and good times
were a spirited and a constant flow that lasted until the wee hours. The
next day, much to our amazement, we still had a room full of attendees
who may have not all been bright-eyed but were all still very engaged and
enthusiastic. Every barman that attended, was intent on sharing and in
“saving mixology with hospitality.” It was inspiring to see.
The Workshop series is a collaborative expansion of President Kristen
Schaefer’s goals for Las Vegas, “One of my goals for the USBG was to
make it more member driven. I wanted to give them a platform. Raul
took that idea and brought it too life.” Cody Fredrickson expounded,
“We are very proud of the ‘For Member by Member’ workshop series
because they are seminars where the sole purpose is to provide our
members with skills, insight and knowledge to empower them to
strengthen their craft and career. It was especially important for these
events to be by members and for members.”
The next editions of Bacardi-sponsored workshops will cover topics
ranging from USBG Master Accreditation to Menu Development, and
these are just the tip of the iceberg. The Guild’s continuing dedication
to our craft is further proof that what we do is more than just a job; it is
a profession. The USBG helps us connect with the esteemed lineage of
our forefathers who have changed the way the world drinks. Our rich
heritage will not be forgotten and the craft will continue to evolve. Our
forefathers have created it and now it’s our job to expand it and not to
mess it up! The USBG will help us do that! So for all of you bartenders
on the fence, just join! Now! You will not regret it!
Salute!
(You can join at USBG.com)
April 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 5
what’s
By Bob Barnes
BREWING?
Beer of the Month
One of my all time favorite beers, locally-brewed
Tenaya Creek Brewery Old Jackalope, is hard
to resist when you see it on the shelf, for its eyecatching label alone will draw your attention with
depiction of a jackrabbit with antlers. Got to love
a beer named after a mythical creature and there’s
a lot to love about the rich malt and sweet caramel
flavors and creamy mouthfeel backed up with
86 IBUs and a pungent hoppy finish. Although
it’s a hefty 10.4% ABV, it’s somewhat masked
and is fairly easy drinking. I’m not the only one
impressed with this barleywine style ale. Draft
Magazine gave it a near perfect score of 97. This
ale will keep for months, or years if you can
manage to resist the temptation.
April Beer Festivals
Motley Brews 5th Annual Great Vegas
Festival of Beer is set for April 11 from 3 to 7
p.m. The fest will again be held in Downtown
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]
Las Vegas in the heart of the Fremont East
Entertainment District, with availability of
scores of hotels within steps. Expect a wide
range of beer styles with more than 300 beer
choices from 100 breweries, including several
from Nevada. Motley Brews fests typically sell
out, so hurry on over to greatvegasbeer.com,
where you’ll also find the line-up of breweries
that will be pouring. A portion of the proceeds
will be donated to the Nevada Craft Brewers
Association, which is providing several specialty
beers brewed just for the fest.
On tap on April 18 at the Ace & Ales Tenaya
location is a Ballast Point 50-tap blowout with
BP’s Master Brewer Yuseff Cherney. It’s said to be
the largest Ballast Point tap takeover ever.
Big Dog’s next quarterly beerfest, its 6th Annual
Big Dog’s Peace Love Hoppy-ness, will be held
in the outdoor area of the Draft House at Craig
Rd. and Rancho Dr. in Las Vegas on April 25 from
3-9 p.m. As always, more than 40 local, regional
and international beers will be poured, including
several from the host brewery. This one is a
celebration of hoppy beers, so all hopheads will
need to mark their calendars.
More Local Beer on
the Vegas Strip
The recently opened Yardbird at The Venetian is
doing something no other Vegas mega-resort has
ever done. That is, to serve nothing but beer from
Nevada breweries on its 16 tap handles. Breweries
represented include Vegas area Barley’s, Bad
Beat, Big Dog’s, CraftHaus, Joseph James, Sin
City and Tenaya Creek, and two northern Nevada
breweries, Great Basin and St. James Brasserie.
The entire beer list includes more than 80 choices,
all of which are from American breweries, running
a gamut of beer styles with the likes of Saison,
Imperial Stout, Doppelbock, IPA, Sour Ale and
Barleywine. The optimal pour is the flight of local
drafts—four 5-oz pours of your choice for $12.
Prices are well below Strip norms, with most drafts
and bottles priced between $6-$7.
The superb all-American beer list is joined
by more than 100 American bourbons and
whiskeys and a menu of Southern-inspired
fare overseen by 50 Eggs Corporate Chef
6 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I April 2015
Todd Harrington. I recommend the Short Rib
N’ Grits—18 oz bone-in short rib served with
charred corn, haricot vert, grits and a sweet
garlic bordelaise; the Fried Green Tomato BLT
with pork belly, greens, tomato jam, and housemade pimento cheese; or the Smoked Backyard
BBQ Chicken, a half chicken with roasted
marble potatoes and charred okra.
New Beers to the
Vegas Market
Our beer selection is constantly expanding, with
more options coming our way every month.
The latest arrivals are from two breweries
to the south of us in Lake Havasu, Arizona:
Mudshark Brewing Company and College
Street Brewhouse & Pub. Mudshark has its
Full Moon Belgian White Ale—8.5% brewed
with coriander and orange peel; Desert Magic
IPA—7.2% double dry hopped with 90 IBUs;
and HavaBlue, a blueberry-vanilla wheat.
College Street has a similar blueberry-vanilla
flavored wheat called Big Blue Van and an
American-style stout, Sweet Devil Stout.
What’s on Tap
Joseph James Director of Brewery Operations
Matt Marino reports they will be releasing
Desert Snow in bombers. It’s a White IPA
brewed with a Belgian Wit yeast and a wide
variety of hops that showcase tropical fruit
flavors. They’ll also have Red Eye Coffee IPA,
in which they used fresh roasted Sumatra beans.
Richard Lovelady at Gordon Biersch continues
to brew atypical beer styles; well, atypical for GB
that is. He’ll have a Belgian Red Ale, Double IPA,
Barleywine, Maibock and Quadruple.
Chuck Croix at Pints Sports Bar & Brewery
in Laughlin’s Colorado Belle will have his usual
lineup plus a 5.5% Porter, a 6.5% German Dunkle
and a 5% American Pilsner.
In late April Banger Brewing will roll out its
second barrel-aged beer, an English IPA aged
three months in bourbon barrels. Banger has
also begun limited distribution and is now on
tap at seven locations.
As always, great beer happens in Vegas!
www.lvfnbpro.com
The Nevada Restaurant Association
High school students from across the state were recognized for their outstanding performance in culinary and
management at the Nevada ProStart Invitational that was held Feb. 25-26 at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts.
Cameron Asato, Chabelis Bolano, Selena Ice, David
Nead and Haylee Stephens of Southeast Career
Technical Academy secured highest honors in the
restaurant management category with their “World
in a Bun” management concept that focused on
introducing worldly flavors to the simple burger.
Winners in the cake decorating-tiered category
went to Itzel Jaimes from East Career and Technical
Academy, while Carlos Pena from Southwest Career
and Technical Academy took home the award for
cake decorating- buttercream.
Maria Garcia Silva from Southeast Career Technical
Academy was awarded first place in edible centerpiece.
The competition, hosted by the Nevada Restaurant
Association, allowed students to showcase food
safety, basic food techniques, cake decorating,
knife cuts, menu design, restaurant management,
basic accounting, food costing and other related
skills that they’ve learned while in a two year
ProStart culinary training program.
A judging panel consisting of 22 prominent
figures from the Las Vegas restaurant
community selected winners for five different
categories including culinary, management,
tiered cake decorating, buttercream cake
decorating and edible arrangements.
www.lvfnbpro.com
Placing first in the culinary portion of the competition
were Max Demar, Natalie Hachenberger, Christian
Kivi, Dakota Martinez and Leslie Villanueva
representing Carson High School.
The team’s winning menu consisted of
seared ahi tuna atop pea and avocado purees
accompanied by crispy slaw, lotus root and pea
shoots, chicken sausage with red bell pepper
sauce served over scalloped potatoes, sautéed
Brussels sprouts with carrots, and a vanilla
sponge cake complemented by a toasted orange
meringue, cinnamon truffle and served with
chocolate and raspberry sauces.
Also recognized at the invitational was 2015
Teacher of the Year, Mary Ferrari from Coronado
High School. The winning teams from the
culinary and restaurant management categories
will go onto represent Nevada in the national
ProStart Invitational held April 18-20, 2015 in
Anaheim, CA, where they will compete for over
$1 million in scholarships and prizes.
Along with the NvRA Educational Foundation,
the Nevada Restaurant Association is the leading
business association in promoting and educating
more than 5,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets in
the Nevada restaurant industry.
April 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 7
West Eats East—Japanese
Food & Beverage in
America
Before talking more about “burger and sushi” here,
let’s see how our American food and beverages are doing over there
in Japan. Seventy years ago when Japan was occupied after WWII,
America literally brought a culture shock to the Japanese, who
encountered the totally different food and beverages. Bread took over
rice, and chopsticks were expelled, replaced by a hybrid of spoon and
fork (the tip of the spoon is like a fork) at school lunch. Old folks still
remember bread with a burnt milk smell then. They often suspected a
two pound cheese block (Cheddar?) was a soap bar, distributed in the
food ration program. As the economy recovered by the war supplies
to the Korean War, people got assimilated to the new American style
living, a symbol of the affluent society.
A hot dog and cola drink was my first “Taste of America,” with a green
note of ketchup and medicine cabinet smell of soda, respectively, in a
military base. Strangely enough, such an odd sensation got evaporated
quickly, accepting many consumer products imported from America.
Cereals, cookies, canned ham, corn beef, beer in a can and many others
were all welcome for treats or gifts. An instant freeze-dried coffee
became a must to entertain a guest at home in the place of green tea.
Coffee will be talked about later in this Starbucks era in Japan.
In addition to the packaged goods, agricultural commodities like
wheat, corn, soybeans and even buckwheat were flowing from North
America to Japanese food processors for all kinds of food including the
traditional noodles, soy sauce, miso, dumplings, etc. One exception is
still with rice. Japan is the country of rice, which is not only the major
Traditional
yet New
Perfect Soy
Sauce Flavor
without
the Color!
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
www.whitesoysaucefood.com
8 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I April 2015
By K. Mike Masuyama Ph.D.
Mike Masuyama is a bi-cultural science-technologybusiness 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.
crop or staple but also the basis of its politics and economy for centuries.
The price of American rice was once about 2.5 or 3 times higher than
ours but Japan didn’t import California rice because it needed to protect
its own rice farmers. Consumers were also convinced with a myth of
poor taste of California rice. About 15 years ago, a severe drought hit
Japan, so hard to be forced into importing rice from America. Then
the general public learned California rice was as good as its own. Beef
is also another trade matter. American beef is no good in taste, while
Japanese domestic beef like Kobe Beef is better, the Japanese claim.
Since Japanese are omnivorous, consuming only a small amount of beef,
they can afford to pay \1,000+ per 100g, which is equivalent to $45~50
per pound. In fact, Japan now imports a lot of American beef for food
processing, restaurant use and retail sales. Many 40 ft containers of
frozen beef tongues or guts also go from the Mid-West slaughter houses
to Japan for BBQ or specific eating. American cherries are the seasonal
must there as well.
Supermarkets, the basement floors of department stores or convenient
stores, are good places to see our products or produces doing a good
job along with the imports from Europe. Japanese tend to say that the
things from Europe are superior in quality to the ones from America,
though it is a simple myth. Anyway, you may meet a Cheetos bag at
a 7-11 convenience store. There are eight or so Costco stores where
people buy large packaged merchandise to share with others because
their houses or apartments are too small for storage.
You may find many American fast food chains as well. My son,
at the age of five, gave me the okay to move to Japan after he was
assured with the McDonald’s there. I still go to the one in Tokyo
occasionally for breakfast for convenience. Recently I found one
of them had switched to Burger King, which has been struggling
to expand in the McDonald’s dominant market. A Wendy’s has,
but not an In-N-Out or Carl’s Jr. has been seen, yet. Pizza Hut was
popular for its all you can eat lunch a long time ago. KFC has been,
of course, doing a good job. After some lag time, Subway appears
to have finally taken off lately. Taco Bell is trying to enter into the
market according to the latest news. For successful development, an
American business apparently depends on how it affiliates with the
local partner in this meshed society market. A good example was
Coca-Cola, which affiliated with the major industrial entities while
Pepsi did so with the venturesome entrepreneurs. Since Japanese
tend to follow the leaders or big guys dominating at market, the
current soft drink market is shaped accordingly.
Today many American brand products are sold in Japan, including
Abercrombie-Fitch and Hollister. I don’t see Victoria Secret yet,
though. In my last trip, I found Werther’s Original candies in a tiny
subway kiosk shop. Thus American goods brought a new culture, values
and business system to Japan, which were nurtured into its traditional
omnivorous eating, living and business for broader prospects. Without
them, Japanese wouldn’t enjoy the current, diverse “food culture” for
the better scope of food safety, convenience, pleasure, active living, and,
most of all, health and longevity. America has surely contributed to
Japan in this respect.
www.lvfnbpro.com
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
By Les Kincaid
Les 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/leskincaid
www.twitter.com/leskincaid
The Season Is
About to Change
As spring nudges its way forward,
some of us are left with an
unpleasant souvenir of winter—an
extra “layer.” Though that winter
coat might have kept us warm
through the long, not so cold in Las
Vegas, winter season, by spring it’s
time to shed the padding. The good
news is many springtime foods
promote weight loss naturally, and
not just because they’re lighter than
those hearty winter dishes.
Some fruits and vegetables are less expensive
when they are “in season” — meaning they
are just ripe from the fields, although the fields
might be a distance from Las Vegas. When
the supply for a food like sweet corn in the
summer, or apples and squash in the fall is
plentiful, the cost goes down. Remember fresh
is always best.
A trip to the local farmers market will give
you clues about what is in season. Produce in
our grocery stores is a less reliable indicator
of food in season because most fresh fruits
and vegetables are available year-round. Keep
a close eye on the items available in your
grocery. If they aren’t fresh or in good shape
tell the produce manager you aren’t happy with
this selection. If he (she) tells you “that’s what
corporate sent me,” then you might just want
to try another grocery. Likewise if the meat
and seafood is a bit questionable, talk to that
manager. Seems almost normal to give us here
in the desert whatever they want, assuming
we’ll take whatever we can get.
Chicken is the most popular meat today so here
is my take on a tasty chicken breast recipe.
www.lvfnbpro.com
Parmesan Chicken
4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 extra-large eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 1/4 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
sweet butter
extra-virgin olive oil
salad greens for 6, washed and spun dry
1 recipe Lemon Vinaigrette, recipe follows
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/4-inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a
rolling pin.
Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1
tablespoon of water. On a third plate, combine the bread crumbs and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan.
Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg
mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly. Heat 1 tablespoon
of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breasts on
medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add more butter and
oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts. Toss the salad greens with lemon vinaigrette. Place
a mound of salad on each hot chicken breast. Serve with extra grated Parmesan.
Lemon Vinaigrette:
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Yield: 6 servings
April 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 9
PR Spotlight
Magnetic Public Relations
Why bigger isn’t always better and why a boutique PR
firm may be your best choice.
“Great work. Many new customers stopped by after reading the
article and it was a busy weekend. This article helped get the
word out that we are open. Thank you for helping us launch in
Las Vegas!” Emails like that from clients are music to the ears
of any public relations pro, for after all, driving customers and
increasing sales is the ultimate goal of most communications
campaigns. The team at Magnetic Public Relations is often
on the receiving end of such rewarding missives and getting
consistent, positive results for clients is the reason many clients
have been with the agency for most of the eight years the
company has been in business in Las Vegas.
Magnetic Public Relations is a boutique agency
specializing in communication campaigns in
the consumer lifestyle arena, with restaurants
and nightclubs making up a majority of
the client roster. The company represents
everything from small cafes to some of the
highest grossing independent restaurants and
nightclubs in the country. They also represent
the Nevada Restaurant Association so the team
truly understands the specific communications
needs of the food & beverage industry.
The company’s founder, Maggie Feldman
Rubenstein, brings two decades of experience
to the table. She has worked both in-house and
at agencies large and small, which provides
a unique perspective. Here she shares some
thoughts as to why bigger isn’t always better,
and just a few of the benefits of working with a
boutique firm.
Every Single Client Counts
Boutique agencies have fewer clients, which
makes each one very important. At a large firm
you could be just one of dozens of clients and if
you are a smaller account your business may not
be a priority. Small accounts are just as crucial
to a boutique firm as bigger accounts, and what
may be considered a small account at a huge
firm could be a larger account at a small one,
so for the same budget you get to feel like a big
fish, and get the attention your account deserves.
More Senior-Level and Team
Involvement
As a client you are more likely to have a
direct line to the agency owner at a small firm,
and that person is going to be very involved
in the overall strategy and the day-to-day
implementation of your campaign. The larger
the firm, the more likely you are to be handed
off to a junior level employee after you meet
and sign your contract with the president,
potentially getting lost in the shuffle.
There is also less isolation in a smaller firm
as every employee is working together to get
great results for their clients. Here, if there
is an opportunity that comes up every client
that is a good fit gets pitched. In bigger
firms account teams often keep opportunities
to themselves to avoid competition, even
from those working in the same agency.
At Magnetic, we have an open-format
workspace, which often results in team
members chiming in with a great idea, even
10 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I April 2015
if it is for an account they are not working on
directly at that moment.
Your Money Goes Further
A big firm usually means a bigger cost.
Boutique firms generally have a lower
overhead, and those savings can get passed
along to clients. A client at a smaller firm can
receive more hours devoted to your account by
more experienced practitioners as they would
for the same budget in a larger agency.
The bottom-line is that it is important to pick
the right agency for your business, one that
can adapt to your needs and that you truly
enjoy working with as that is how long-term,
successful relationships are built.
Magnetic Public Relations represents food
and beverage clients such as Alicart Restaurant
Group, BR Guest Hospitality, Megan
Romano’s Chocolate & Spice, Titan Branding,
TAO Group, Shift Hospitality’s MTO Café,
Wonderland Bakery and others.
For more information about Magnetic Public
Relations, visit www.magneticpublicrelations.
com, call 702-425-1188 or follow on twitter @
MagneticPRVegas.
www.lvfnbpro.com
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By Chef Allen Asch
Chef Talk
Bagels
Being an East Coaster
I was raised with
bagels being the most prominent bread that we ate. Being raised in New
Jersey we had good bagels but not as good as those available in New
York City. Having traveled while honing my skills as a chef I lived in
seven states in eleven years, settling here over twenty years ago. All
that time I have searched for my holy grail, a great bagel. There are a
few places here that sell very good bagels, but whenever I go back east I
always make sure to have a New York City bagel, or a few of them.
Almost everyone agrees that the water in New York City is the common
denominator in why their bagels are better than everyone else. I
remember one restaurant in Las Vegas that claimed to import their water
from New York, but they were not as good as the East Coast version.
The bagel is different from other breads due to the fact that traditionally
it is boiled in water, sometimes with other ingredients such as baking
soda, honey or lye. If the outside of the bagel is soft, like most high
volume bagel preparations, it most likely was steamed instead of boiled
and that leads to a cheaper mass produced, lesser quality bagel. This is
the same method used when preparing pretzels, leading to their crunchy
outside and more tender inside.
The word bagel comes from various ancient languages, all with the root
word meaning ring. This name was given to the bread because of the
iconic hole in the center of the bagel. Why the hole? The origin of the
hole is two-fold; the first is because of the ability to cook them quicker
due to the extended surface area, as well as the hole leading to more
crust. The second reason, or use of the hole is that they were originally
stacked on wooden dowels and if a customer wanted one they would
pull them off of the dowel. This method is still used in bagel shops in
London.
The bagel first was created in Krakow, Poland in the late 1500’s. It
was around a few years before the 1610 “city regulation” that stated that
bagels were a popular gift for women in childbirth. Some history has
the bagel being created in 1683 to be a tribute to Jan Sobieski, the Polish
general that saved Vienna from the invading Turks, but that does not
coincide with the 1610 Krakow proclamation. The earliest appearance
of the word bagel in America is traced back to 1932. The bagel came
12 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I April 2015
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.
to the United States, specifically New York, in the early 1900’s when a
huge influx of Eastern Europeans, especially from Germany and Poland,
brought with them many of their standard foods, leading to the invention
of the New York deli and the bagel.
The bagel was popular in New York during this time, but not well
known outside of the city. That was until Harry Lender, from New York
City, opened a bagel shop in New Haven, Connecticut in 1927. His
business took off and by the 1950’s he was selling 6,000 bagels every
Sunday. The reason the bagels were so popular on Sundays is that they
were quicker to bake than other breads and this fit in with the fact that
the Jewish people could not work on Saturday, the Sabbath. This was
hard to do with the time consuming hand making of the bagels. He then
invented a method to freeze the bagels so he could produce them all
week and then sell them on Sundays. Lender’s Bagels was purchased in
1984 by Kraft Foods which allowed them to cross market that brand with
their Philadelphia Cream Cheese brand.
New York bagels are not the only style of bagel. The Montreal version
has larger holes which lead them to be crunchier; additionally, they contain
eggs and they are sweeter as well. Russia, Finland, Poland, Australia and
Turkey also have versions. Montreal style bagels have been to space,
when a Canadian astronaut brought 18 sesame seed bagels on a 2008
shuttle mission. The bagels came from his cousins’ bagel shop.
• February 9th is National Bagels and Lox Day.
• July 26th is National Bagelfest Day.
• December 11th is National “Have a Bagel” Day.
• Despite the myriad bagel flavors available from blueberry to the
“everything” bagel, the most popular choice is plain, followed closely
by sesame.
• Bagels are very high on the Hypoglycemic charts (this is not good).
www.lvfnbpro.com
By Michael Oshman
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.
Email: michael.oshman@
dinegreen.com
The Tides Are Turning
Largest City in the United
States Bans Polystyrene Foam
are calculating that eliminating wasteful products can
benefit the taxpayers. In California, alone, $25 million
in tax money is spent per year, cleaning up plastic bags.
Polystyrene foam is one of the top two beach polluters.
The Green Restaurant Association provides restaurants a voluntary model of proceeding through a
set of environmental changes towards becoming a
Certified Green Restaurant®. For many years, we
have communicated six reasons for going green, and
“Staying ahead of Legislation” has been one of them.
Over the past 25 years, restaurants that eliminated
polystyrene foam on their own and became Certified
Green Restaurants®, earned positive attention from
customers and employees for being a proactive environmental steward. They have done it on their own
time, in their own way, and with the Green Restaurant Association’s help, were able to communicate
the environmental benefits.
New York City
has banned polystyrene
foam, aka Styrofoam™. It is the latest environmental
law affecting the restaurant industry. There are hundreds of environmental laws around the country that
relate to the restaurant industry. These include bans
on wasteful incandescent bulbs to recycling mandates,
plastic bag bans and foam bans.
The legislation spans from the federal level to the
municipal. Cities, states, and the federal government
Lazy Dog—Something for Everyone, Even Your Dog
L
azy Dog obtained its concept from Owner Chris
Simms, who while vacationing in Jackson Hole,
WY saw a dog lying by a fireplace and thought, “I
wish everyone could enjoy life as much as that ‘lazy
dog’ by the fire.” The original location opened in
Huntington Beach, CA in 2003 and has expanded with
14 more, including one opening April 6 at Downtown
Summerlin, the group’s first outside of California.
The success of this fun concept is due to a menu that
offers something for everyone with a wide range of
cuisine, with Italian, Tex-Mex, Asian, pizza, burgers
and All-American favorites like Campfire Pot Roast
and BBQ Baby Back Ribs; a décor that cleverly ties in
www.lvfnbpro.com
The tide of environmental legislation is only becoming stronger, with the NYC foam ban being the
strongest indicator. The more restaurants make these
changes before they are mandated, the more they can
distinguish themselves as leaders in their community.
by Bob Barnes
generous slathering of the hickory-smoked item that
goes so well with anything, which is comingled with
Cajun chicken, bleu cheese crumbles, caramelized
onions, diced tomato and green onions. Those watching calories can choose from more than a dozen items
from the Nutritious and Delicious section, all weighing
in at less than 650 calories, such as Lemon-Caper
Chicken Pasta (525 calories) or Roasted Tomatillo
Chicken Enchilada (620 calories). But if you want to
splurge a bit, the Berry Rhubarb Crumble is a scrumptious mix of sweet and tart with strawberries, blueberries and rhubarb accompanied by vanilla ice cream and
a cup of cream that comes in a cute mini-milk keg.
Simms’s family vacation memories with fireplace and
generous use of wood and stone; and playful touches
inspired by man’s best friend such as a 3-D paw print
on the ceiling, dog photos and paintings, a dog-friendly patio and menu items for your pup such as brown
rice and hamburger patty.
The diverse menu features several wok-fired dishes,
such as the very unique calamari steak coated in a
spicy Thai sauce atop brown or white rice, green and
red bell peppers and peanuts. The nine brick oven
pizzas are exemplified by the Black and Bleu Pizza,
which should be renamed the bacon pizza due to the
The menu is well-suited to pairing with beer, and Lazy
Dog has you covered, with its own house beers and
an expansive craft beer selection which during my
visit included Old Rasputin Imperial Stout, Dogfish
Head 90-Minute IPA and Piraat Triple Hop. Come
during happy hour M-F from 3-6 and Sun-Thu from
9-midnight for deals on 20 appetizer selections, draft
beer, house wine, well drinks, margaritas, martinis and
house-made Sangria, all priced from $3-$7.
Lazy Dog is open daily for lunch and dinner. For
more info and to view the complete menu, visit www.
lazydogrestaurants.com.
April 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 13
By Bob Barnes
What’s Cooking
Named in honor of the 57th Wing of the US
Air Force stationed at Nellis Air Force base,
this classy bistro offers something for everyone,
from classic Italian favorites to fish and chips to
New York steak to a gourmet prime burger. Its
location just off of the casino provides a subdued
respite, with elegant plush velvet booths, white
brick pillars, a dark wood ceiling and a goldtinted glass enclosed wine cellar.
During my visit I was wowed by the brushetta,
served traditional style with organic heirloom
tomato; caprese salad comprised of fresh
mozzarella, fresh basil, tomato and balsamic;
and white chocolate raspberry cheesecake
(made from scratch daily in the kitchen by one
of the kitchen staff). Also, be sure to look out
for the nightly and monthly specials, of which
I enjoyed the chicken scaloppini with a lemon
artichoke sauce and a filet mignon stuffed with
bacon, spinach and provolone topped with a
marsala mushroom sauce. Like all of Aliante’s
restaurants, fresh produce is sourced from
Cowboy Farms, located and grown a few miles
away, and herbs grown onsite are picked by each
restaurant’s chefs for use in their recipes.
Room Chef Francesco De Furia hails from
Tuscany and Napoli and has been overseeing
Both Chef De Furia and Room Manager Danny
Durazo are very visible in the restaurant, and
make it a point to check in on guests’ satisfaction,
which is undoubtedly one of the main reasons
that 70% of the bistro’s guests are repeat
customers, some of whom come more than once
a week. Other enticements are a very reasonable
price point, a bargain, especially considering
the quality and ambience. Most appetizers are
around $5-$7, pasta dishes are all at $13, pizzas
$12-$14, entrees mainly between $10 and $18 and
a varied and reasonably priced wine selection
offers wine by the glass, bottle or 2 oz tasting
with prices starting at only $3. Add to that a
daily happy hour from 4-6 p.m. in the bar with a
special discounted menu and Wed. and Thu. all
pizzas and pasta dishes are ½ off.
Also worth mentioning is the resort’s
commitment to offering great jazz concerts, one
of the few in the Valley to do so. Coming up are
the Eli Young Band on April 24, Brian Simpson
on April 30, Rick Braun on May 16, Patrick
Lamb on May 28 and Thompson Square on May
30. The concerts are held in its state-of-the-art
Access Showroom and also poolside under the
stars during the warmer months.
Sushi Making 101 at Sushi RokuChef Haruhiko Takeshita Instructs
in the Art of Sushi Rolling
I had the pleasure recently to enjoy items on
the Sushi Roku spring menu paired with sake
during a media reception hosted by Head Sushi
14 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I April 2015
photo by bryan kuhl
Chef Francesco De Furia
the kitchen since May of 2014. Chef has quite
an extensive background, having owned his own
restaurant and catering company in Los Angeles,
Angolo DiVino and De Furia Catering, and has
worked at Robert De Niro’s Ago in L.A. and at
Valentino at The Venetian when it first opened.
photos by bryan kuhl
photo by Aliante Casino
Bistro 57 Bruschetta
photo by Aliante Casino
Bistro 57 at Aliante Offering Fine
Dining at Casual Prices
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]
Chef Haruhiko Takeshita. We were treated to the
restaurant’s top seller, yellowtail sashimi with
diced jalapeno; popcorn shrimp tempura with
miso glaze; beef rib eye wrapped asparagus;
baked crab & shima roll; rib eye served on a
sizzling hot rock with soy miso sauce; mochi ice
cream; and a brand new creation unique to Sushi
Roku-Nori Senbei-crispy fried nori and rice
paper that reminded me of a Japanese version
of a potato chip. Three sakes from Sushi Roku’s
extensive menu were poured, each representing
a different style of sake: Nihon Sakari Junmai,
Okunomatsu Tokubetsu Junmai and Sawanoi
Junmai Ginjo.
The highlight of the event was the opportunity to
be instructed by Chef Takeshita on the history of
sushi and the art of sushi rolling and to be able to
experience making a sushi roll firsthand.
The rice is the most important element, and Chef
uses short grain Japanese premium rice, which he
washes three to four times till water runs clear,
and then soaks in water for 10-15 minutes before
cooking in a rice cooker. When done, sushi
vinegar is mixed into the rice. After mixing, the
rice is covered and left to settle for 30 minutes.
Essential tools are makisu (bamboo rolling mat),
nori (seaweed sheet), cutting board, sharp knife and
water for wetting your hands and knife so the rice
doesn’t stick. Steps are to place a nori sheet with
its rough side up; wet hands, take a softball size of
sushi rice and spread on the sheet evenly; flip over
and add ingredients; lift nori closest to you and tuck
it into the other side; tighten with makisu; wet both
sides of knife, cut into 6 pieces and plate.
While Chef didn’t offer me a job, he did say I did
well. I certainly enjoyed the fruits (or in this case
fish) of my labor, but won’t be quitting my day
job any time soon.
www.lvfnbpro.com
16 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I April 2015
www.lvfnbpro.com
By Heidi Rains
Up Front
and Personal
Heidi Rains is a San Diego native, a wiz of a home
cook and brings life to the desert with a beautiful
garden. Her herbs have been tasted by many and used
by some of the top mixologists in town. She has spent
her whole life living, eating & working in fine-dining
restaurants, cocktailing & bartending on the Strip and
she has a thirst for all things delicious.
Brian Lebaron
and talked about a life filled with
dramatic highs and bottomless lows,
the virtues of old-school vs. new
service, and how he is learning to
navigate the new corporate neon
landscape that is Las Vegas.
What was it like growing up in
Vegas amongst all the temptations
to be bad?
I
t’s becoming less frequent that we come
across a true Las Vegas native. A person who
was not only born and raised here but can
proudly share the stories that reflect both the
triumphs of success, and the scars of hard
Vegas living. What’s omnipresent are the
constant slurred ramblings, references, quotes
and misquotes of the iconic movie, Fear and
Loathing in Las Vegas. Not many of us can say
we’ve lived that life, not to mention were lucky
enough to get a role in the actual movie. Meet
Brian Lebaron; he’s had a promising career in
film and music, a beautiful fiancé, a vested union
job in one the best casinos in the world but has
also seen the flip side of the coin. Besides his
role in the movie Casino, police ankle bracelets,
and late-night Chinatown mishaps aside, he has
a gravitational pull amongst his fellow servers
and has created a vernacular all his own. Just
like the movies that he was in, his real life is
constantly being either quoted or referenced
throughout any given shift.
So “Bernsky” and I sat down for some “vittles”
www.lvfnbpro.com
It’s just like growing up anywhere
else. But in high school it was all
about getting “nightmares,” which
is what we called all the late night
casino food deals, like 99 cent shrimp
cocktails you could get at Sam’s
Town. BTW, all of my vernacular is
flexible except for “oystah.” Las Vegas
is not just a free-for-all. There is also
a community that surrounds the Strip
that’s actually pretty chill. We have
the best of both worlds and we’re a
community that caters to the world.
How has service changed now that Las Vegas
has become a culinary mecca both with the
addition of celebrity chefs and premier highend restaurants?
It has changed noticeably and I think it’s for the
better with regard to basic service standards, but
unfortunately it’s not the old school intimate way
we used to be able to give service. Back in the day
when there were independent owners of casinos
we used to be able to have a more personal rapport
with guests. If a guest loved us we could sit down
with them after work or they could buy us a drink.
Now there are corporate standards and steps of
service that must be followed so the level of unique
personal service is lost. There is now this aloofness
that I see with servers because of the lack of
freedom. But I do think the celebrity chefs coming
in is great because it’s a serious labor of love that
they bring to it.
What was it like working with Martin Scorsese in
Casino and Johnny Depp in Fear & Loathing?
Scorsese likes to do multiple takes so he has a
lot of choices; so I did five takes of my scene as
the bellman but he changed my role to the valet
because it required more acting and he liked
what I did. But yeah, I did quite a few takes
and he was really cool. This movie got me my
SAG card so after that I got my part in Fear and
Loathing. Terry Gilliam who directed it was so
freaking awesome and Johnny Depp was a very
focused and professional and honed-in actor.
He was very standoffish and didn’t even say hi
to me the entire time we worked together. But
I was there to do a job and be professional. At
the premier when my scene came up I heard
my voice and started laughing and then Harry
Dean Stanton turned around and shushed me!
After that people would come up to me all the
time and give me props about my valet scene
in Fear and Loathing because I guess it’s pretty
memorable. “Take the ticket. Take the ticket!!!”
When we first met, you had a police issued
ankle monitor on and now you have also
recently been let go of your job at MGM. So
what happened between the time of the movie
premier and now?
Well let’s just say I’ve been doing my
“garbage” and I’ve been non-stop rallying
(gambling) and I’ve been frequenting
Chinatown after dark. The bracelet was from
a fight with a cabbie that did not end in my
favor and unfortunately took place in front of a
school! Well, let’s just say it’s been all downhill
but I don’t fault anyone for my demise.
What do you think the future holds for you and
do you plan on staying out of trouble?
I do volunteer work at “Family Promise” for my
church and I’ve been staying on the straight and
narrow. I’ve got a few good job leads and I’m
doing banquets at Four Seasons plus another gig
at Mandalay Bay. I’m also thinking about my
acting career and making a new music video for
my latest song “Oystah Juice.”
Well, my friend Brian Lebaron embodies the
spirit of Las Vegas and just like his role in the
movie, the part he plays in our lives is small
but memorial!
April 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 17
By LeAnne Notabartolo
photo by www.goodforspooning.com
Vom Fass
Comes to the
Las Vegas Strip
Liqueur wall containing more than 2 dozen
flavored vodkas and liqueurs.
German based
Vom Fass stores
have finally made it to Las Vegas! Vom Fass
has only two dozen stores nationwide, and
store owners Kim and Gary Weiss are happy
to be part of the Las Vegas Strip with their
third store in the west. Company owners, the
Kiderlen Family, and kilted Scotch Broker
A culinary event coordinator and live cooking
demonstrator, this “Edu-tainer” with more than
1000 demos under her belt lives to cook and eat.
She works with chefs at events and learns from
them and translates info for home cooks. She
is the Chick in Charge of Good for Spooning –
read her blog here: www.goodforspooning.com
Stewart Laing were on hand for the Grand
Opening festivities.
Vom Fass translates to “from the cask” and
the new store in the Grand Canal Shoppes at
The Venetian is full of delicious liquids that
are all from the cask. Gorgeous displays fill
the space with dozens of choices. Infused
oils, liqueurs, whiskeys and vinegars, all in
beautiful crocks or mini barrels, greet shoppers.
Don’t be overwhelmed by the vast selection.
The staff is knowledgeable and very helpful
in assisting you in making choices. This is the
only location in Vegas where you can try and
buy a 24-year-old Bunnahabhain Scotch (it’s
delicious by the way).
What’s truly fabulous about this store is you
can try everything before you buy it. The
staff and the Weiss family are ready to assist
with recipe ideas for cocktails, marinades,
dressings and any other use you can
imagine. In addition, they prize reusing their
Wonderland Bakery
In Downtown Summerlin, Wonderland has opened its second location.
The original is in Orange County, in Southern California. With great attention to detail, stunning
displays and helpful staff, this place hits the sweet spot. Owner Allyson Ames moved here to open
this location and is now a permanent resident. She was surprised by the customer recognition of
her brand here in Vegas, not realizing how many former SoCal residents we have here.
18 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I April 2015
[email protected].
containers (a very European concept). When
you make your first purchase at Vom Fass
you pay for the jar or bottle you choose to
take home and the liquid therein. Once empty
and cleaned, bring your container back to the
store for a refill of the same thing, or choose
something different. Many of the glassware
receptacles are exclusive to Vom Fass and
all are beautiful and suitable for a countertop
display or for gift giving.
The Weisses are the exclusive Vom Fass
retailers here in Vegas and hopefully will open
an off Strip location in the not too distant
future. For now though, Kim says they are
really excited to work with the culinary
community here and offer a wholesale discount
to restaurants and bars. She knows this is
a vibrant dining scene with our chefs and
mixologists having their fingers on the pulse
of what’s current. For more info on wholesale
pricing call Kim Weiss at 702-388-2022.
When you walk in, be sure to look up. You’ll
find a cloud-painted ceiling and a model train
running the perimeter of the store. Fabulous
little details abound in the displays, baked
goods and décor throughout the store.
A chat with Allyson clued me in on interest
points about the new location. Unlike the
SoCal location, this one has a party room and
it is BUSY! Each party is custom-designed
for the client and includes everything from
printed invitations to snacks, take home
goodie bags and so much more. Decorate
cookies, learn how to decorate a cake and
have fun doing it. Kids’ birthdays are just
the start. Bridal Showers, Baby Showers and
Moms’ Night Out are filling the calendar too.
The room is available every day, but of course
the weekends are the most popular. They have
every weekend, every time slot booked for
parties six weeks in advance. Also be on the
lookout for a summer “camp” program they
are hoping to launch this summer.
Individual baked goods like brownies, cookies
and cupcakes are just part of the story, but they
also make custom cakes. Put your order in
NOW – they are sure to be a hit in Vegas.
www.lvfnbpro.com
Brett’s
BY
Entertainment Happenings
Suzanne Somers of Three’s Company fame
opens her residency at Westgate in May.
MJ LIVE Michael Jackson tribute show
formerly at Rio opened at the Stratosphere
Theater with rotating impersonators.
Olivia Newton-John will release a two-CD
recording of her Summer Nights – Live in Las
Vegas concert recorded live at the Flamingo to
coincide with her return.
International super model Tyson Beckford joins
the Chippendales April 30-May 24 at the Rio.
Comedy magician Mac King is extended again
at Harrah’s until 2019, making history as a 19year solo performer at the same property.
BLVD. Cocktail Company lounge at The
LINQ started Jazz Night every Tuesday 8 p.m.
to midnight.
The Deck at Aliante launches monthly 7 p.m.
Poolside Jazz Under the Stars concerts on
Thursday, April 30.
Rock band Alice In Chains embarks on a U.S.
summer tour with their second stop at The Pearl
inside the Palms Saturday, July 18. Rapper J. Cole will bring his Forest Hills
Drive Tour to The AXIS at Planet Hollywood
Saturday, July 18.
Comedian Eddie Izzard’s Force Majeure
World Tour visits United States with two shows
at The Pearl at the Palms June 12 and 13.
The 2015 beach concert series at Mandalay
Bay will run May through September.
Neil Diamond will play Mandalay Bay Events
Center Sunday, May 17 as part of his 2015 tour.
Marvel Universe LIVE! arena extravaganza
featuring Marvel Super Heroes invades
Thomas & Mack Center April 23-26.
Dining and Beverage
Revelations
Westgate opened Asian-food Silk Road
Noodle Bar overlooking the gardens in
Westgate’s Benihana Village.
Husband-wife restaurateurs Elizabeth
Blau and Chef Kim Canteenwalla, owners
of Honey Salt, Made L.V. and Buddy V’s
Ristorante, opened Andiron Steak & Sea
in Downtown Summerlin with a grand scale
Hamptons cottage interior.
Jayde Fuzion at M Resort transformed into
an all-new, all-you-can-eat sushi experience
with Asian fusion dishes served tableside or at
the sushi bar.
Mercadito at Red Rock Resort started
weekly Wednesday four-course Tequila
Dinners and added five-course monthly
Cooking Demo Mondays with Chef/Partner
Patricio Sandoval and Chef Puentes
demonstrating.
Corner Bar Management behind
Commonwealth and Park on Fremont
partnered with Downtown Project to operate
The Bunkhouse Saloon, a rustic live music
venue, bar and restaurant.
Boutique Vdara introduced its new indoor
outdoor lobby concept VICE VERSA Patio &
Lounge.
Located in Downtown Summerlin, familyowned Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar will open
this month marking the brand’s first location
outside of California.
With the purchase of a bottle of wine, Otto Las
Vegas in The Venetian’s St. Marks Square
offers complimentary small bites from 3-6 p.m.
Brooklyn Bowl’s Double Jump enables
guests who dine at Blue Ribbon to receive
preferential access to the evening’s concert.
Totally Olive is a new gourmet boutique in
Henderson with a Tasting Room. PDQ fresh food restaurant chain opened its
first Nevada location in North Las Vegas with
a second outlet opening this summer on West
Sahara Avenue.
Las Vegas-based raw and organic juice
company JuiceNV is bringing cold-pressed
juices and healthy raw foods to Town Square
in the LOOK Style Society boutique.
Joël Robuchon Restaurant at MGM Grand
20 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I April 2015
has introduced an 18-course menu indulging in
the Chef of the Century’s cuisine for $445.
All Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza & Grill
locations now offer a $10 two-for-ten lunch
menu weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
About Town Highlights
Graceland Presents ELVIS: The Exhibition
- The Show - The Experience will debut all
components on April 23 with Priscilla Presley
and celebs at Westgate Las Vegas. Included
will be a new permanent exhibition of artifacts
never before displayed outside Graceland and
live entertainment shows celebrating Elvis
starting with The Elvis Experience starring
actor Martin Fontaine. Another feature will be
the new Elvis Presley’s Graceland Wedding
Chapel.
Madame Tussauds Las Vegas’ new 10-foot-plus,
200+ pound wax figure is Miley Cyrus on a
wrecking ball.
Celebrity Cars Las Vegas has expanded to a
new showroom on Dean Martin Drive.
LAX Nightclub at Luxor is remodeled
with revamped programming focusing on
emerging artists.
The Animal Foundation’s 12th Annual Best
In Show doggie adoption fundraiser returns to
Orleans Arena Sunday, April 26.
Downtown Summerlin started a weekly
Saturday farmer’s market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
in the Pavilion with 90 percent organic produce.
Las Vegas’ largest certified fresh52 seasonal
farmers market is open with 50-plus vendors at
Tivoli Village.
With doors closing Monday, May 4, the
60-year-old Riviera is counting down final
weeks with historical #RivFacts highlights.
Hakkasan Group’s first premiere ultralounge concept, Heart of OMNIA, opened
within OMNIA Nightclub at Caesars Palace.
New retailers at The Forum Shops include
LUSH, Zadig & Voltaire, Charlotte
Olympia, and Fossil.
www.lvfnbpro.com
UNLVino
By Alice Swift
There are many things to look forward to during springtime in Las Vegas: the beautiful, 80 degree days, St. Patrick’s
Day, spring break, blooming flora and fauna, and I’m sure you can think of many more. However, in the hospitality
world, there are a few more items to add to the list, such as the Bellagio Conservatory decorations for the spring
and the openings of hotel pools. One event in particular, which is a partnership between education and the
hospitality industry, would be that of UNLVino, which also happens to be every spring.
UNLVino was founded in 1974 (and continues to be) as
a partnership between UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel
Administration and Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada. Last year was a big
year for them, marking the 40th year of this monumental event dedicated
to “sipping for scholarship,” as they say. For over forty years now, both
organizations have raised an enormous amount of money dedicated to
the academic improvement of the Harrah Hotel College and its students,
along with student scholarships. The event works in conjunction with a
senior capstone course which allows students the opportunity to apply
their academic careers in a hands-on culminating experience. Students
participate in everything from start to finish, from planning and promotion,
to management and execution of the event, including the recruitment and
training of the hundreds of student volunteers recruited for the three-day
event. This year, festivities will take place April 16th, 17th and 18th, with
Bubble-Licious (sparkling wine), Sake Fever (sake), and UNLVino (wine
and other miscellaneous beverages).
Each year, the events showcase and honor a special guest based on his/her
contributions to the F&B/hospitality industry. This year, we honor three
very influential people: Daniel Boulud, Don Snyder and Steve Martorano.
Below is a brief introduction to the honored guests, as well as their
responses to being recognized at UNLVino.
HONOREES
Daniel Boulud (Bubble-Licious Honoree)
Daniel Boulud is a world-acclaimed chef who made his
22 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I March 2015
name in New York City with his many signature Boulud restaurants such
as Café Boulud, Épicerie Boulud, Maison Boulud and DANIEL, just to
name a few. In Las Vegas, Boulud opened db Brasserie at The Venetian,
which serves contemporary French cuisine, and he has additional
restaurants all around the world, from the east to west coast of the
United States, and throughout Europe and Asia.
In addition to restaurants, Boulud has authored a number of books, his most
recent being My Best: Daniel Boulud, and one of my favorites, Letters to a
Young Chef, in which he gives advice to aspiring chefs.
As if he weren’t busy enough, Boulud is also an avid supporter of
Citymeals-on-Wheels, serving as the co-president, and is the chairman of
the Bocuse d’Or USA Foundation. His many accolades include James Beard
awards for Outstanding Chef and Outstanding Restaurateur.
Boulud shares his joy in giving back to Las Vegas with LVFNB
Professional: “This award is truly special to me, as I’m grateful to play
a role in Las Vegas’ culinary community. The students of UNLV’s Hotel
College are inspiring, and their hard work and dedication to the industry is a
promising sign for the future of the city and beyond.”
Don Snyder (Sake Fever Honoree)
What do you say about the man whose resume reads like the
bio of a philanthropic genius with a good head for business
and a natural instinct as a leader? Having personally met
the man when he was the dean of the Harrah Hotel College,
I can honestly say that Don Snyder is an extremely down to
earth person who genuinely cares for his numerous foundations and
causes, many of which have direct impact to Las Vegas and greater Nevada.
www.lvfnbpro.com
Snyder has worked in multiple industries in senior and executive roles, from
commercial banking, to gaming, to education, and who knows what else? He
was formerly the president of UNLV, and currently serves as the presidential
advisor for strategic initiatives for UNLV. His strategic plans involve
projects such as the proposed Harrah Hotel College academic building,
UNLV’s School of Medicine and the proposed on-campus stadium.
Prior to his major involvement with UNLV however, Snyder already had
many achievements and accolades to his name. Perhaps one of his greatest
contributions to the arts was serving as the chairman and fundraiser for The
Smith Center for Performing Arts, which has proven to be a great addition
to Las Vegas. In addition, Snyder has also served on the boards of numerous
companies, non-profit organizations, legislative commissions, etc.
Additional contributions to the state include his service as CEO and
Chairman of the Board of the First Interstate Bank of Nevada, co-founding
the Bank of Nevada, President of Boyd Gaming, and— yet another huge
contribution to the community and city—head of development for the
Fremont Street Experience project, just to name a few.
With his exhaustive list of community service and outreach efforts to
improve Las Vegas in the past three decades, it is no wonder that he has
received numerous accolades, such as Distinguished Nevadan (2003),
Nevada Business Hall of Fame inductee, President’s Medal recipient
(2003), and the 2013 Philanthropist of the Year by (presented by Nevada
Governor Brian Sandoval).
And yet, despite his tireless work throughout the community, Snyder still
finds time to support the university. “I am truly proud of what Larry Ruvo
and Jerry Vallen did when they created UNLVino more than 40 years ago.
I am equally amazed at the growth and impact I have watched during my
27 years in Las Vegas. The effort which the students put into this event is
incredibly inspiring. UNLVino has raised over $2 million for scholarships
over the years. The combination of student engagement in this remarkable
program and the scholarships it has provided means that UNLVino has
played an integral role in UNLV’s Hotel College becoming one of the
strongest in the world.”
Steve Martorano (Grand Tasting Honoree)
Steve Martorano is an example of a man who beat the odds
and proved that persistence and hard work truly pays off. He
grew up in South Philadelphia, raised by family members
who were either barely making a living or involved in the
mob. Martorano decided back then he didn’t want to follow in
his family’s footsteps, and began his path towards celebrity chef status. In
the 70s he tried his hand at deejaying, but ended up running a successful
sandwich shop that eventually transitioned into a freestanding restaurant.
After running into some rough times during the economic downturn in
the early 90s, Martorano decided to move and open up a restaurant in Ft.
Lauderdale, FL called Café Martorano. This one decision spurred on the
revolution that is Steve Martorano. Since his first restaurant opening on
Oakland Park Boulevard in Ft. Lauderdale, Martorano has opened up an
additional four locations, with two in Las Vegas (Rio All Suite Hotel &
Casino and Paris Hotel & Casino).
Martorano has supplemented his restaurant business with a long list of other
products, such as wine, pasta sauces, jewelry, apparel and books. Known
as the “Godfather of Italian-American cooking,” Martorano is known
for creating a unique atmosphere that caters to a diverse consumer base,
from regular folks to famous celebrities. The restaurants have even been
showcased on TV shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Real Housewives
of Miami. Martorano has really come a long way from his entrepreneurial
sandwich business to his Martorano brand today.
UNLVINO EVENT DETAILS
Now that you know all about the honorees, it’s time to introduce the
events! This year, in addition to the three events being held, there are VIP
Experiences available for each night, with two tickets to each respective
event. These lavish experiences will feature everything from celebrity chef
www.lvfnbpro.com
introductions to personal butler service. Below is a listing of each evening’s
event and festivities, along with a description of the VIP Experiences
available for sale:
Bubble-Licious
Where: The Venetian Las Vegas’ Doge’s Palace
Plaza
When: Thursday, April 16, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
What: Champagne and sparkling wine focus,
with small bites from The Venetian and
Palazzo’s restaurant venues
How Much: $125 in advance, $150 at the door
Dom Pérignon Award of Excellence Honoree:
Chef Daniel Boulud
VIP Experience Package ($1000): Meet and greet with Chef Daniel
Boulud, Bubble-Licious event tickets for two, multi-course dinner at db
Brasserie with an autographed cookbook, followed by a one-night stay at
The Venetian Las Vegas.
Sake Fever
Where: Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa
When: April 17, 7-10 p.m.
What: Sake, Japanese spirits and cocktails,
featuring Master Mixologists Francesco
Lafranconi and J.R. Starkus from SWS, along
with delectables from the city’s top restaurants
and a live performance by Frank & Deans (Rat
Pack tribute band)
How Much: $100 in advance, $125 at the door
Dom Pérignon Award of Excellence Honoree: Don Snyder
VIP Experience Package ($750): Dinner at Hearthstone Kitchen and
Cellar (at Red Rock Casino Resort), Sake Fever tickets for two in a
private pool cabana with VIP butler service, and a one-night stay at Red
Rock Casino Resort and Spa.
Grand Tasting
Where: Paris Las Vegas
When: Saturday, April 18th, 7-10 p.m.
What: Premium beverages (wines, spirits
and beers), live entertainment (with a
performance by Frankie Moreno) and an
assortment of cuisine made by UNLV’s Hotel
College Students and participating Las Vegas
restaurants
How Much: $125 in advance, $150 at the door
Dom Pérignon Award of Excellence Honoree: Steve Martorano
VIP Experience Package ($1000): Dinner at Martorano’s, meet and greet
with Steve Martorano, photos and cookbook signing, Grand Tasting tickets
for two and a one-night stay at Paris Las Vegas
For more information or to purchase tickets for this star-studded, lavish F&B
filled event, visit UNLVino.com or call (877) 413-VINO (8466).
With so many great themes, locations, eats, and drinks, how can you resist?
Even better, the event benefits students of our very own Harrah Hotel
College. Plus, with Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada as sponsors, we
know it will be good party. There’s still time to purchase tickets for the event
coming up April 16-18… I hope to see you there!
Until next month’s return of Wine Talk…
Cheers~!
Alice Swift
*Content sourced from: www.unlvino.com, www.unlv.edu and Kirvin Doak
Communications
March 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 23
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
At the Heart of Every Busy Kitchen
Executive Development Chef of Major Products Chris Enright
recently 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.
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 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.
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.
“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
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!
Easter Brunches
and Sweet Things
for the Holiday
The DELANO has a great spot called Della’s Kitchen.
They will be featuring Country Breakfast, with housecured heritage ham, two farm eggs, heirloom potatoes
and charred spring onions for $22. The other special of
the day will be Grilled White Peach & Burrata Salad
with local hydro arugula and organic prosciutto for $19.
702-632-9444.
roasted baby red potatoes, asparagus and cranberry
apple chutney, will be the dish you will pick. Hours are
from 6 a.m. on and breakfast is always served all day.
702-891-7335.
CARMINE’S in the Forum Shops will be featuring
Roasted Rack of Lamb with Egg Bread, for $76,
enough to serve 4-6 people. 702-473-9700
FIAMMA, also at MGM Grand, will be serving Pan
Seared Diver Scallops with mustard beurre blanc,
cauliflower puree and garden greens, for $21. Another
special for the day is Parmesan Risotto, consisting of
Maine Lobster, with zucchini blossoms, for $44. The
always wonderful Lamb Osso Bucco, covered with all
natural lamb jus, and Sardinian couscous, is $49. 702891-7600 Opening at 5 p.m.
RAFFLES at Mandalay Bay will be having a Grilled
Harissa Spiced Lamb Burger, with caramelized onion,
roasted red pepper relish, cucumber aioli and feta
cheese on a toasted brioche bun. Accompanied by their
sweet potato waffle fries, this filling meal is $20 for
Easter Sunday. 702-632-7406.
TAP at MGM Grand will be working on their Roast
Pork Loin, with spiced apples, au gratin potatoes and
roasted Brussel sprouts for $24. 702-891-1111.
By Shelley Stepanek
AVENUE CAFÉ at MGM Grand will be featuring a
Lobster& Brie Omelet with hash browns and heirloom
cherry tomato salad. This sounds like a dish that no
one can turn down. If you are more in the mood for
Crab Cake Benedict, resting on an English muffin
with poached eggs, the mini crab cakes are absolutely mouth-watering. Alongside are smoked paprika
hollandaise and hash browns. The Café is known
for its grilled Monte Cristo and Smokehouse Burger.
Maybe the Chili Spiced Grilled Pork Chop, with oven
24 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I April 2015
The day before, why not bring home some special SWEET
RUBY JANE CONFECTIONS. Owned by Susan
Phillips, Sweet Ruby Jane uses the old fashioned way of
making one batch at a time of her mouthwatering sweets.
All ingredients are the purest, including the finest European
chocolate, real creamery butter and sweet cane sugar.
Order a combination of the Pure Caramel Corn, Chocolate
Covered Marshmallows, cookies, fudges or Creamy Brittle
Toffees. For the holiday weekend, there will be Easter
Cupcake specials. $3.00 per cupcake decorated with flowers, $2.50 topped with jelly beans, or buy a box of the Melt
Away Eggs for $10 with assorted flavors such as Orange,
Raspberry, Strawberry or Cheesecake. Located at 9550 S.
Eastern #100. Call 702-648-1000 to place your order.
WONDERLAND BAKERY at Downtown Summerlin
will be making assorted flavors of strawberry, coconut,
pistachio, snicker doodle and chocolate macaroons.
Individually $2 - or a dozen pack for $30. They also
feature flourless chocolate chip cookies, caramel chocolate apples, and cookie decorating classes every day.
702-363-3333
www.lvfnbpro.com
Human
Resources
Insights
By Linda Westcott-Bernstein
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: 702-326-4040
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.LJBConsulting.nett
Work Ethic
What is it? Do you have it?
Work ethic. What do I
mean when I say those
two words?
descriptive words…
• Persistence • Desire • Focus • Follow through •
Motivation • Commitment • Completion • Teamwork
Effort • Drive • Pride • Success
Well, for me, it started when I was a child. I had
a good family life on a farm in rural Michigan,
and never lacked for warmth, food or clothing. I’d
have to say that the most important resource that I
inherited from my parents, besides the security of a
loving family environment, was the understanding of
the importance of work ethic. That knowledge would
serve me well and would ultimately translate into a
key characteristic of my life.
Work ethic includes not only how a person “feels”
about their job, career or vocation, but also how
you “undertake” your job or responsibilities. It
involves commitment to success including listening,
learning, accountability and follow through. Work
ethic means that you focus on completing your
work – all of it – each and every day. It means that
you put your heart and soul into it and you don’t
falter or waiver in that effort. This concept – work
ethic – involves motivation and is driven by a desire
for success. It is reflected in our attitude, behavior
and interactions; especially how we get along with
and function at work with others.
Anyone can have a solid work ethic – you just have
to want it bad enough! I found that with a good
work effort and focus, that I could achieve what I
desired and gain confidence, experiences, and pride
in knowing what I can do. There was also this innate
sense of joy from accomplishment when I reached
a new milestone or attained a goal that I had set for
myself. So… hard-working is what I decided that I
wanted to be.
I want to be clear here - Work ethic is a value-based
concept founded in hard work and diligence. It is
made up of many components; outlined here in a few
HR
Question of
the Month
26 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I April 2015
I learned early on that you get out of life
exactly what you put into it. Having work ethic
demonstrates many important things about a
person’s character and how much effort they are
willing to exert. There is no passing the buck or
making excuses, because reality always has a
way of landing squarely at your feet. I believe
so strongly in what I say about work ethic, that
I have published a book on this subject (see
notations above).
If you want to change your life and your future,
send me an email explaining how, and I will send
you a complimentary copy of my book. The first
ten (10) people to respond will receive a free
copy. Be sure to include your mailing address.
Remember, “It All Comes Down to W.E. (work
ethic)! Good luck!
I would appreciate input from my readers to help drive the direction
of my column this year. Please send your HR questions and
concerns, or share your thoughts on your human resources challenges
via email to the following address. Send input to vegaslinda89129@
yahoo.com. Your comments, questions or concerns will help
determine the direction for my next month’s column and earn you
a copy of my book (see brief detail above). Be sure to include your
mailing address when sending your responses.
www.lvfnbpro.com
The Bottom
Line
By Ben Brown
Ben 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 Upsell: How Much Is Too Much?
“Would you like to
add chicken to your
Caesar Salad?”
“New York Strip, great choice. Shall we complement
it with some mashed potatoes or sautéed spinach?”
“Can I interest you in our famous Lava Cake for
dessert?”
These classic upsell examples can become a server’s
bread and butter, presenting a theoretical win-win for all
parties involved. Customers enjoy a greater extent of the
restaurant’s offerings, the restaurant boosts its revenue,
and of course the server makes that extra tip money.
Most business-savvy restaurants will train their service
staff, from busboys to servers and bartenders, on the art
of the upsell to accomplish these exact objectives.
But how far can you push the upsell? Upsell too little
and you leave money on the table. Upsell too much
and you will leave guests upset…sometimes very
upset, to the point where they could lose trust in their
server, and perhaps in the restaurant as a whole.
Recently, I was one of those very upset customers, at
a restaurant in Colorado. Our server had dollar signs
in his eyes upon seeing our large group. We asked for
his appetizer recommendations and he listed the three
most expensive items in the category. He did the
same with the entrées. We ordered several bottles of
wine, and upon ordering another round he suggested
some new Merlots that were ‘just five dollars more.’
He suggested dessert, and when we said no he still
brought out the menus, making sure to ask again
when collecting them back several minutes later.
Different moods will certainly make customers more
open or closed to upsell opportunities.
Take in the customers’ tone when you first speak with
them. When appropriate, try to work the reason why
they’re dining with you into your opening conversation.
This should clarify some of the above questions and
set your next moves. Are they smiling when they speak
with you? Are their responses open and amiable, or
short and terse? The warmer the opening conversation,
the more open to upsell the group will likely be.
Opening communication among your service staff
is a great way to read your customers while minding
their privacy. Hostesses can pick up signs and
communicate them with servers. Busboys can get bits
and pieces of conversation that servers don’t have the
opportunity to listen into. Sometimes the mood can
change among the group mid-meal, and increased
communication can allow servers to capitalize on
newly-available upsell moments.
Menu recommendations are a make-or-break
garnering trust. If a customer asks your favorite
entrées and you point them to the priciest choices,
they will notice, and you are at risk for losing their
trust altogether.
When giving recommendations, speak from the
heart and let them know what you truly think about
the menu. Even if you lead them to order a lessexpensive entrée, you’ve got points in their book and
are better positioned to get them to order more sides,
a dessert, or even specifically request you as their
server the next time they visit.
Few customers, no matter how
cold they may appear, can fault a
server for trying to upsell them at
least once throughout the meal.
Note that this means just one
upsell among the entire group,
not per person. If that upsell
converts, then another upsell
is fair game and the process
continues.
1. Understand the mood.
Read the customers’ body language as soon as they
set foot inside. Do they seem happy? Do they appear
to be in a rush? Is there any tension among the
group? Are they here to celebrate? To do business?
If your first upsell is a miss, it’s
fair to try at least once more,
but be sure to wait a bit [at least
another course] before making
www.lvfnbpro.com
3. Recommend items across a broad
price range.
2. Always upsell at least
once, and
choose wisely.
The key comes with choosing
when to plug in that upsell.
Try to identify the person at
the table who is most likely
to convert. This will likely be
the most outgoing member of
the group or the member who
looks like they will be taking
care of the check.
Needless to say, this is an extreme [but sadly, true]
example of pushing the upsell too much. So how
do you know where to draw the line? There is no
magic formula, but the best way is to do what great
restaurants do best: know your customer.
another attempt. Additionally, unless your guests
have clearly expressed that they’re in a rush, always
offer coffee and dessert before bringing the check.
ON TAP AND IN BOTTLES
THROUHOUT SOUTHERN NEVADA
LAS VEGAS’ ORIGINAL BREWING COMPANY
ww.bigdogsbrews.com
April 2015 I The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional 27
American Culinary
Federation
Chefs 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]
Many events are going on with the ACF chefs of Las Vegas chapter.
Your attendance and support is always welcomed and appreciated.
Upcoming events
with the ACF Chefs:
Every year towards the middle of
March, both men and women sum up
the courage to shave their heads.
This nationwide event assembles caring people who take that extra step to help raise money for
the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Participating in this event is one of our very own, Chef Jamie
Poltruck, the current Banquet Chef for the South Point Hotel. She is also an active member of the
ACF Chefs and sits on the board for the Chefs for Kids.
I was able to ask Chef Jamie about her reasons for participating in this head-turning event. She
informed me of the fact that every three minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer, and she had the
urge to take part when she watched the head shaving event on the news one year. Three years later
and a shaved head, Chef Jamie has raised over $2,000 and she is not stopping there.
She talks about how wonderful it felt to feel the cool breeze hit her scalp, as she stroked her head.
She encourages people to support the study of childhood cancer research and to support the St.
Baldrick’s Foundation and all that they do. Though it would be hard for many to part with their
full head of hair, other forms of donation would definitely go a long way.
28 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I April 2015
April 12-14
ACF Western and Central Region Conferences
Indianapolis Marriott Downtown
Indianapolis, Indiana
April 21
Monthly General Meeting
Southwest Gas
6355 Shatz Street
Las Vegas, NV 89115
BBQ Seminar - 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
April 25
ACF Practical Certification Exam
Le Cordon Bleu Las Vegas
1451 Center Crossing Road
Las Vegas, NV 89114
April 27
Annual ACFLV Golf Tournament
Legacy Golf Club
130 Par Excellence Drive
Henderson, NV 89074
Start Time -1 p.m.
May 5
Poker Tournament Fundraiser
South Point Hotel and Casino
9777 S. Las Vegas Boulevard
Las Vegas, NV 89183
5:30 p.m. Sign-up and 6:30 p.m. Start
May 26
Monthly General Meeting
Lawry’s Prime Rib
4043 Howard Hughes Parkway
Las Vegas, NV 89129
June 7
Chef of the Year Dinner Gala
South Point Hotel and Casino
9777 South Las Vegas Boulevard
Las Vegas, NV 89183
For more information visit: http://
acfchefslasvegas.org
www.lvfnbpro.com
Events
ad index
APRIL
Power Of Love
www.keepmemoryalive.org
702-263.9797
page 32
Audrey Dempsey Infinity Photo page 16
www.infinity-photo.com
702-837-1128
The Spice Outlet
www.thespiceoutlet.com
702-534-7883
page 11
April 25
Big Dog’s Brewing Company
www.bigdogsbrews.com
702-368-3715
Rock In Rio USA
www.rockinrio.com
page 21
April 25-26
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse page 30
www.bjsrestaurants.com
702-851-8050
Todd English P.U.B.
www.toddenglishpub.com
702-489-8080
page 29
April 23-26
Al Dentes’ Provisions
[email protected]
702-642-1100
April 24
April 4
Vegas Uncork’d
Various Venues
www.vegasuncorked.com/schedule/
April 11
Vegas Uncork’d Grand Tasting
Caesars Pools
www.vegasuncorked.com
April 11-16
New Vista Wine Walk
Town Square
www.winewalk.mobi/
NATIONAL FOOD MONTH
New Vista Wine Walk
Tivolli Village
www.winewalk.mobi/
Great Vegas Festival of Beer
Downtown Las Vegas
www.greatvegasbeer.com
NAB
National Association of Broadcasters
Various Venues
www.nabshow.com
San Diego International Wine Show
Del Mar Fair Grounds
www.sandiegointernationalwineshow.com/tickets/
April 16
page 16
NATIONAL BEEF MONTH
NATIONAL SALAD MONTH
Jay’s Sharpening Service
www.jayssharpening.com
702-645-0049
page 12
Wine Spectators Grand Tasting
Mirage
www.winespectator.com/micro/show/id/grandtour-intro
JCCNV
www.jccnevada.com
702-428-0555
page 16
National Hardware Show
LVCC
www.nationalhardwareshow.com
Major Foods
www.majorproducts.com
702-838-4698
page 25
Newcastle Brown Ale
www.newcastlebrown.com
702-876-4500
page 19
ACF Chefs of Las Vegas Golf Tournament
Legacy Golf Course
www.acfchefslasvegas.org
April 17
MAY
UNLVino Sake Fever
Red Rock Resort
www.unlvino.com
May 2
April 18
UNLVino-Grand Tasting
Paris Las Vegas
www.unlvino.com
April 21
May 5-7
April 22-23
May 6-8
ACF Chefs of Las Vegas Dinner Meeting
Southwest Gas
www.acfchefslasvegas.org
WTE-World Tea Expo
Long Beach CC
www.worldteaexpo.com
NATO-National Association of Tobacco Outlets
Paris Las Vegas
www.natoshow.com/
page 27
Con Arts
Las Vegas
www.conartslv.com
702-260-3320
April 27
UNLVino Bubble-Licious
Venetian Hotel
www.unlvino.com
page 11
Uncle Steve’s
www.unclestevesny.com.com
718-605-0416
UNLVino
www.unlvino.com
877-413-VINO (8466)
page 2
page 31
White Soy Sauce
www.whitesoysaucefood.com
World Tea Expo
www.worldteaexpo.com
page 8
page 15
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–Close
W W W. B J S R E S TA U R A N T S . C O M |
30 The Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional I April 2015
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“Wow – I love this place!”®
www.lvfnbpro.com
6/12/12 2:04 PM