RebeccaChapa.com

It’s rare that I can really comment on restaurants from around the country now that I no longer work in national wine sales!  I try to visit as many as I can when out of my local sphere, but my affiliation with Santé offered me a great opportunity this year to virtually visit these restaurants by judging the Santé Restaurant Awards 2009 in the wine category.  I was very impressed with the calibre of the restaurants that entered, I have judged these awards before, but this year was REALLY tough!  It just goes to show the direction that wine programs are taking in our country and the results show that more than ever offering service to our customers is at our top priority.  I literally salivated over some of these lists and menus while reviewing them, and now I have a long list of restaurants I want to visit around the country.  I hope that you can visit some of these winners!  Thank you for entering, competition was fierce.  I will be attending the Santé Restaurant Symposium this October at The Sagamore, go to www.isantemagazine.com for more information.  I went a few years ago and the event is full of great seminars, events, dinners, and some of the most amazing wine, spirit and restaurant professionals in the country.  It is great to have an excuse to visit the east at the height of the autumn foliage and a way to check in with my roots, and is conveniently right after my 20 year high school reunion, WOW.  Hope to see you there to tell you how that goes. 

For more infomation on the symposium go to  http://vimeo.com/5414093

TWELFTH ANNUAL SANTÉ RESTAURANT AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED
 The Santé Awards program is the only peer-judged restaurant and hospitality competition in North America.

Santé’s 2009 Grand Award Winners are:

Culinary Hospitality Restaurant of the Year: Fair Hill Inn, Elkton, Maryland

Wine Hospitality Restaurant of the Year: PRIMA, Walnut Creek, California

Spirits Hospitality Restaurant of the Year: Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks, Boston, Massachusetts

The Santé Restaurant Awards are based on a variety of criteria, and winners represent a broad spectrum of restaurant- and hospitality-industry professionals with a common passion for their work and a commitment to excellence. Representatives from grand-award-winning establishments, those from regional-award-winning restaurants (listed below), and four Santé Professionals of the Year will be honored for their achievements at the 2009 Santé Restaurant Awards Gala Dinner and Presentation Ceremony on October 19, 2009 at The Sagamore in Bolton Landing, New York. The ceremony takes place during the 2009 Santé Restaurant Symposium, a four-day education and networking event for restaurant professionals. Ribera Del Duero is the exclusive wine sponsor for the 2009 Santé Restaurant Awards.

2009 SANTÉ RESTAURANT AWARDS WINNERS

Culinary Hospitality Awards, honoring restaurants and professionals that exhibit outstanding achievement in culinary service and hospitality:

Culinary Hospitality Restaurant of the Year: Fair Hill Inn, Elkton, Maryland

Regional Winners:

Traditional
Twenty-Two Bowen’s, Newport, Rhode Island
Bricco, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Bastille, Alexandria, Virginia
Kyma, Atlanta, Georgia
Annie Gunn’s, Chesterfield, Missouri
Chez Roux at La Torretta Del Lago, Montgomery, Texas
Epic Roasthouse, San Francisco, California
Azure Restaurant, Honolulu, Hawaii
Il Fornaio, Seattle, Washington

Innovative
Boston Park Plaza Hotel and Swan’s Café, Boston, Massachusetts
il Buco, New York, New York
Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Elizabeth on 37th, Savannah, Georgia
FireLake Grill House and Cocktail Bar, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Restaurant Kelly Liken, Vail, Colorado
RH Restaurant and Bar, West Hollywood, California
Alan Wong’s Restaurant, Honolulu, Hawaii
Joel Robuchon Restaurant, Las Vegas, Nevada

Sustainable
Michael’s on the Hill, Waterbury Center, Vermont
The Pines Tavern, Gibsonia, Pennsylvania
The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm, Lovettsville, Virginia
The Inn at Dos Brisas, Brennon, Texas
Waterbar, San Francisco, California
Washington Athletic Club, Seattle, Washington

Wine Hospitality Awards, honoring restaurants and professionals that exhibit outstanding achievement in wine service and hospitality:

Wine Hospitality Restaurant of the Year: PRIMA, Walnut Creek, California

Regional Winners:

Fine Dining
UpStairs on the Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Barbetta, New York, New York
Charley’s Steak House, Orlando, Florida
Piccolo Sogno, Chicago, Illinois
Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops, Salt Lake City, Utah
A16 Restaurant & Wine Bar, San Francisco, California

Bistro
Angelo’s Tavola, Scotia, New York
Capsouto Frres, New York, New York
Backstreet Café, Houston, Texas
California Café, Los Gatos, California
bin on the lake restaurant & wine bar, Kirkland, Washington

Hotel/Resort Fine Dining
Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel, Ocean City, Maryland
Flying Fish Café, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
The State Room, East Lansing, Michigan
Addison at the Grand Del Mar, San Diego, California
Sun Mountain Lodge, Winthrop, Washington

Spirits Hospitality Awards, honoring restaurants and professionals that exhibit outstanding achievement in spirits service and hospitality:

Spirits Hospitality Restaurant of the Year: Eastern Standard Kitchen & Bar, Boston, Massachusetts

Regional Awards:

Hotel/Resort Bar
The Grille at Canyon Ranch Miami Beach, Miami Beach, Florida
Petrossian Bar, Las Vegas, Nevada

Restaurant Bar
JoeDoe, New York, New York
Enology, Washington DC
Ocean Prime, Columbus, Ohio
III Forks Steakhouse, Dallas, Texas

Service Professional Awards, honoring individuals who exhibit outstanding professional achievement in food, wine, and spirits service:

Paul Barry, Grafton Street Pub + Grill, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cheryl Holt, Tosca Restaurant, Hingham, Massachusetts
James Dixon, Artist Point, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Kenneth Pace, Grove Park Inn, Asheville, North Carolina
Robert Walsch, The Pasta Tree, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Jerald Appling, Suite & Tender, San Diego, California
Lygia Bortolotti, Suite & Tender, San Diego, California

This weekend I had the amazing opportunity to help the Rye on the Road crew at Outside Lands in Golden Gate Park.  Marco Dionysos, formerly of Clock Bar, is now helping out at Rye during the week and made cocktails for the “talent” at the show on Saturday.  We had a great post up on the hilltop of the Polo Fields Stage Left at the Altec Lansing booth where they sponsored specialty cocktails with Prosecco and beer drawing the performers with samples of their exciting new ipod/iphone boom box.  Jason Mraz even came by!

Rye on the Road offers a great opportunity for those who need bar service around the bay area including ingredients, qualified bar staff and even the actual bar!  We first learned about these bars at Slow Food Nation San Francisco, but they have also been used at the event I helped to run, SF Chefs. Food. Wine. as well as at the recent event in the park.  The benefit is clear the minute you walk up to the bar.  Each is equipped with unique trays for condiments and fruit, area for ice, storage area and all is packaged in a wood finished and very stylish bar on wheels.  This means that no matter where you are you can have a bar (or 10!).   And the cocktails were delicious, including the Pop Princess (otherwise known as the B.A.M.F.).

For more information on Rye on the Road go to…http://www.ryeontheroad.com/

Yes, granted, my job is kinda weird.  I do all sorts of random things but even I concede that the weirdest of them all is the Vegas Bar Show.  The Show is run by Nightclub and Bar Magazine in Las Vegas annually in conjunction with the Restaurant Show and Hotel Show.  The Vegas Bar Show is to my knowledge the largest in the United States.  I have not been to any of the other shows, but this show is really unique.

At this show you not only find great spirits producers, interesting innovations but also craziness, craziness to put other spiritous events to shame.  The event is fun of course as you get to run around and taste new spirits but at the same time there are a slew of wristband vendors, glassware vendors, disc jockey suppliers, urinal cake vendors, exterminators, etc.  So if you are in fact a bar or restaurant owner this show has some very real merit to you.  Add to that energy drinks, costume salespeople (do you remember that CSI about Las Vegas’ Furries that dress up in animal costumes?  They had these there in case you need them), and stripper pole salespeople.  Spirits companies have realized that the majority of attendees are male and as a result have numerous “models” on hand to promote their products, dancing, sliding down plastic slides into pools of energy drinks and the like.  Ironically the show has a disclaimer that says “Attendees would avoid wearing any clothing that may be interpreted as promiscuous, provacative or overly suggestive.”  but no one seemed to be cited.

The bar show is not all about fun and games and “micro” wrestling, it also offers many seminars, mix offs, parties and event that make it educational.  While the scene was very crazy I was able to glean some interesting information about new trends and some interesting products!

Great Products (REALLY!)

Amarula Cream

This was an exciting spirit from Africa made from the Marula tree.  Technically known as teh “Sclerocarya Birrea” this tree produces a fruit with white flesh around a large stone.  Elephants are known to be drawn to the fragrant ripening fruit and come from miles away to eat from the tree, so it’s also known as the “Elephant Tree”.    This liqueur is made from this Marula fruit and has a really unique flavor.  Texturally it is of course creamy, but it is not as sweet as you would expect.  I can think of some really interesting applications for it and have to say I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed it as I am not usually a fan of cream liqueurs!  Imported by A.V. Brands, Columbia, MD.

Mekhong The Spirit of Thailand www.thespiritofthailand.com 

Mekhong was something I had never tried and I really liked it.  It comes from Thailand and is really unique, like nothing I have ever tasted.  It is distilled from cane and about 5% rice.  They have created a recipe book with the team at Employees Only in Manhattan and I expect that once tasted by more bartenders this will be a bit hit across the country.  Somewhat spiced, strong yet not overly so and very mixable with citrus or tropical fruits it was exotic and intriguing.  I can’t wait to get a bottle in my hands to see what else it’s capable of!

Mejor Tequila www.mejortequila.com

Mejor offers some really flavorful and correct tequilas.  They had a silver, Reposado and Anejo but I have to say I was also intrigued by the appearance and packaging of their pink tequila.  I guess I am a girl after all.  What I liked about it was that it was a pretty shade of pink but was pure and agave flavored like the silver.  No added energy enhancements, supplements, bitterness, flavoring etc., just pink!

Firestarter Vodka www.firestarter-vodka.com

Although it was late in the day and I had no desire to taste another vodka, the package for this product was truly exceptional.  The vodka is made of wheat and comes from Moldova which is interesting, but the draw is that it resembles an actual fire extinguisher and has a really cool box that houses it.  The only thing I would worry about is that if I got too drunk and there was a fire, I might grab the bottle and make the fire worse.  That’s just me though I guess.

Questionable products, but perhaps useful:

Urine Off by Bio-Pro Research www.urineoff.com 

I took notice of this due to the very fancy rolling “briefcases” they were doling out and did some research.  The catalog says “Urine Off uses green technology to permanently remove the toughest urine odors and stains, even old stains.”  “Urine Off also works on other body fluids such as semen, blood, etc. and many organic deposits…an effective weapon to solve the toughest hospitality issues.”  This product makes me never want to stay in a hotel again.  Did you know that the remote control is the dirtiest thing in the hotel room?  Think about it. 

The Booze Belly by P&P Imports www.pandpimports.com

This handy plastic “belly” holds your favorite beverage against your belly so that you can sneak it into a sporting event.  I was surprised that they didn’t have booze boobies, and a bit disappointed.  I would think that most folks that are desparate to smuggle their beer into a game against their belly where it gets all warm and steamy may not have that much extra room for the Booze Belly, but the boobies would be useful don’t you think?  Except that whether or not your team wins at the end of the game you’d be feeling a bit deflated.  They also sell floating beer pong holders.  Can someone tell me how you play beer pong in the pool?

VingCard www.vingcard.com

You know this company for their very useful cards that work (sometimes) on hotel room doors allowing you access to your room.  That is unless you happen to be like me who shorts the magnetic cards out all the time.  The good news is that they have exciting new technology that should allow you to use what usually shorts those cards out, your PHONE to get into your room.  I didn’t get a chance to check it out but it sounded convenient to me.  On a side note, I stayed at the Flamingo, one of the Harrah’s casino chain and was dismayed that my room key card looked exactly like my Harrah’s Casino players card, whose brilliant idea was that?  I was giving my room key to the pit boss and trying to open my door with points.

Noah’s Ark Resort 801 785 3680

Seems that this company sells the right for sale for 300 lovely animal motif rooms that look like Noah’s Ark.  “All features are Noah and the Flood related.”  Computer generated rainstorms and rainbow in the Rainbow Restaurant and best of all Mt Ararat ballroom.  I think if you have a hankering to open a business franchise screw Dunkin’ Donuts, this is what you’ve been waiting for.

And the winners for NOT such a good idea:

Agwa de Bolivia Coca Leaf Liquor www.agwabuzz.com 

Sorry, but anything that says “Warning No More Than 3!” is not for me, but perhaps you would really enjoy it.  This liqueur contains 40 grams of coca leaf extract per liter and is made, where else, Amsterdam.  It happens to be 100% Natural and also contains Guarana and Ginseng, talk about a buzz.  They suggest serving with a bite of fresh lime before which “activates the alkaloids of the coca leaf to produce a powerful oxygen buzz.”  I opted to skip this one. 

Smokeless Cigarettes (multiple booths)

Pure nicotine straight to your lungs!  You don’t even need matches!  Apparently it’s better for you since you don’t have to get all the carbon monoxide, just pure nicotine.  YUM!

The DraftMaster by ESS Ellickson Software Systems 866 503-0578

“The 21st century pitcher!”  “Allow your customers to pour their own draft beer AT THEIR TABLE while you control How much they consume… Get paid for every drop!”  How in the world is this legal?  Does this tap card them too?  Although I think I see a place for this in airport bars where it seems the waitresses don’t realize that EVERYONE in there has places to go.  Except them.  Ok, now I see.

Off the strip

Laura Herbert, my good friend from grammar school who happens to now be on the Board of Trustees of the Burlesque Hall of Fame www.burlesquehall.com has shown me that there is more to Vegas than the strip.  First, Frankie’s Tiki Bar is a great place, not too far from the strip, to indulge in your inner tiki.  Be aware that it tends to be pretty smoky but the cocktails are great and the new owner has created a crazy tiki vibe.  The way Vegas should be!

Forever locals have been telling me about the infamous Lotus of Siam restaurant, 953 E Sahara Ave #A-5, 702 735-3033  Hard to get into but worth it and their Tom Ka Gai might just burn a hole in your stomach or make you cry, so be CAREFUL!  But it’s well worth the pain.  The food is incredible and the wine list is something Riesling and Gruner Veltliner afficionados would die for, and well priced.  I am sure that after saying this that my Vegas friends will give me the “what for” for telling you about it and this may need to come off my site soon, so take down the info and GO!

Laura and I hit a party for Hendrick’s Gin at the Artisan Hotel, (1501 W Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89102 www.theartisanhotel.com) one of the nicer properties off the strip.  Comfortable bar, cozy atmosphere and apparently a great place to stay.  Maybe I was swayed by the Hendrick’s cocktails?  But I had a great time.  Sometimes you just need to get away, even in Vegas.  Try also the Green Valley Ranch and the Red Rock Hotel, two nice off strip casino hotels that let you escape the strip mania.

TIPS

I was able to get a $56 rate at the Flamingo Hotel, very decent accomodations, because I am a gamber.  If you gamble at all please be sure to get a players card at each location at which you spend money because you can get great discounts!

Almost weekly I get a call or email asking what it takes to be in the wine business.  For awhile I even got calls saying, ok, so I just got in the wine business last quarter and I have taken a few classes, so I was wondering how I can do what you do?!

I respond, “Well, it’s a long road!”  And I explain my path… College education in food & beverage, great connections,  lucky chances, bartending, retail experience, waiting tables, inventory, stocking, intensive study for the MW, money spent on travel, humility, etc. and then they say, “Well, I want to do what you do but in 3 years, not 10.” 

WOW!  Do they realize how insulting that sounds?  I think to myself, “So do you really mean to say that I wasted all that time stocking and serving drinks and such, and that you could just take a class and be a professional.  Really?”  Sure if I had just had that bright idea of calling up a professional in the industry and asking for an informational interview I’d be Jancis Robinson today.  NOT!   

I was fortunate enough to be trained by the best in the business, those that were at the top of their game and I believe that if you ask most of them they will tell you that there are no short cuts into the wine business.

 Of course there will be those that say, “But I have a fantastic resume!”  And sadly a lot of those folks do get very impressive sounding jobs.  I’ve been seeing a lot of this lately.  Now that anyone can blog, who needs real world experience?  Ironically many publications will hire someone just on a resume (lucky you!) and allow you to write a column or feature or whatever because they think you have great credentials.  But the truth is do they fact check?  Do they know that your last five “gigs” were incredibly unhappy with your performance?  Do they realize that REAL educators actually then have to step in and perform crisis control?  Do they understand that you are actually a fraud?  All too soon they will realize that not only is their new hire not qualified, but they are not respected in the industry. 

I may sound overly critical, but I just really don’t want you to fall into the same trap.  Credentials may help get you to the top, but you won’t be able to stay there and it certainly won’t make you any friends. It reminds me of one of the greatest management concepts I learned at Cornell, the Peter principle, “In a Hierarchy Every Employee Tends to Rise to His Level of Incompetence.”   This happens more often than you can imagine and it’s a recipe for a quick rise in the industry and a quick fall from grace. 

Believe me, I understand the desire to take the fast track, but when you guys who want the fast track ask me for my advice and then tell me that you are not willing to put in the time and effort to get there, I immediately lose respect.  Ask any MW/MS and they will tell you that achieving success in the wine industry is not a short term proposition.  It takes years, even a lifetime or generations.  You are dealing with a product that is many years in the making.  Patience in the wine industry is more than a virtue, it’s a necessity.

So here are my top 10 suggestions for becoming successful in the wine business (not to imply that I am a success by the way.)

10.  Be OPEN to ideas.  There is no one right way, no one credential or degree that can buy you a spot at the top of the business.  There is no perfect job to launch your career.  Don’t forget that it’s not the destination but your path that is what makes you an asset to the wine industry.  I never did achieve the Master of Wine title but if I did not devote so much time and energy to it I would not have made it to where I am today.  I would not trade those years for any initials after my name.

9.  Be INQUISITIVE.  Ask questions, get opinions, do research, find out as many possible explanations as possible and then search for the answers.  

8.  Be PROACTIVE.  No one, not even the very best educators out there, will be able to teach you what you need to know to become an expert.  You must always be learning, searching, enriching yourself.  This is not a static business but requires constant research.  Take what resonates with you from each mentor and find your own truth by combining all these lessons.

7.  Be SOCIAL.  Your best possible asset is the network you create.  Getting to know the major players can be helpful, but do not discount your peers or those you would think are “behind you.”  You never know where these people are going to pop up.

6.  Be GENUINE.  It’s all too obvious when someone is out there trying to gain momentum by stepping on the shoulders of others rather than taking the time to chart a course all their own. 

5.  Be RESPECTFUL.  Do not assume the business owes you anything.  We are very fortunate to have opportunities to taste, experience, dine, and travel.  Take these for granted and you will have lost an incredible lesson. 

4.  Be KIND.  Don’t forget that you are not in the business alone.  There are plenty of support staff that help you do what you do.  A busser or dishwasher in a restaurant, a delivery person, vineyard workers, these people all incorporate their work and effort into making you look good and making you a success.  The way you treat them ultimately reflects on your reputation.  I am amazed at how I have seen people treated.  You would be surprised to find that it does not go unnoticed and immediately reflects on your character.

3.  Be PROFESSIONAL.  It seems so simple, but the wine business is still a business.  You are expected to conduct yourself in a manner that is comparable to other businesses.  For example, that does not mean that you do not return phone calls, emails, etc. (I am definitely email/voice mail “challenged” but I never DELETE an email or voicemail without EVENTUALLY following up).  It also seems like second nature, but even at times when the business becomes social you should still be a consummate professional, ie you should not be getting drunk at tastings, driving under the influence, etc.  The benefits of this business are great but the pressures that alcohol consumption can place on you are also great, so be aware that your behavior always reflects upon your reputation whether at a tasting, event or party.  It’s a balancing game between being a fun addition to a party while still maintaining respectability.  (There are of course times I have slipped off that balance beam, I’m no Mary Lou you know.)

2.  Be GENEROUS.  With your time, your passion.  And hopefully your wine.

1.  Be HUMBLE.  Humility is an essential tenet of the industry, there is always more to learn, another vintage, another region, another paradigm shift.  Don’t ever be cocky, and don’t forget where you started, try to inspire those just starting on the same path.

When I was younger and my father became a golf fanatic we traveled to any and every golf destination and waited while he played.  We would usually find something to occupy our time, save for that one day he decided to play 36 holes.  It is always a good idea to find a resort that offers more than just the greens.

Santa Barbara Sidesaddle

Alisal Guest Ranch Resort in the Santa Ynez Valley offers much more than two 18-hole championship golf courses. Golfers can enjoy The Ranch Course designed by William Bell Jr., a par 72 course that spans 6,500 yards surrounded by sycamores that give the Alisal its name. There are also 10, 000 plus acres of this working cattle ranch to enjoy. While there are no TVs or phones (and limited cellular phone service), guests can enjoy tennis, hiking, a petting zoo, and riding the 50 miles of trails on horseback. When the morning’s activities have worked up a big thirst guest can jaunt over the bridge to the quaint Danish town of Solvang with wine tasting rooms galore. Try Mandolina (www.mandolinawines.com), Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards (Malbec and Viognier are especially good) http://www.llwine.com and Stolpman http://www.stolpmanvineyards.com. There are also many area wineries that offer tours and tastings, most by appointment. The resort offers winemaker dinners, winery tours, boot camps, team building and golf events. For heavy hitters the Alisal even offers “Rent the Ranch Buy Out” programs where for a price you can take over all 73 rooms and the ranch. http://www.alisal.com 800 688-6411 www.sbcountywines.com

Alisal Trail Ride

Livermore Links

A close jaunt from San Francisco, Livermore wine country beckons with multiple wine tasting opportunities. The Course at Wente, a Greg Norman-designed course offers unique opportunities to play and taste. Wente Vineyards offers a Golf Stay & Play package in conjunction with The Lafayette Park Hotel (www.wentevineyards.com). This winery, founded in 1883, is now managed by the fourth and fifth generations of the Wente family. Other local tasting rooms abound, Murrieta’s Well, their White Meritage a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc is especially refreshing after a round (www.murrietaswell.com) , Tamas Estates (www.tamasestates.com) , Concannon Vineyard (www.concannonvineyard.com), Steven Kent Winery http://www.stevenkent.com) and La Rochelle (www.LRwine.com). Touring information for the area can also be found at www.livermorewine.com.

Karl Wente at Murrieta's Well

Monterey and Carmel

Golfers and foodies alike will find mecca at Pebble Beach Food & Wine to be held April 16-19, 2009. The Lodge at Pebble Beach as well as the Inn at Spanish Bay offer luxurious lodging amidst some of the best and most scenic golf courses in the world, The Pebble Beach Golf Links, The Links at Spanish Bay, and Spyglass Hill Golf Course, considered one of the toughest in the world. (www.pebblebeach.com) During the event numerous wine tastings and culinary opportunities abound as star chefs and wine professionals lead tastings and seminars. If you cannot make it to this premiere event, consider the Monterey County Vintners Great Wine Escape Weekend each November (www.montereywines.org) a weekend of food and wine seminars and dinners at the Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa (www.montereyplazahotel.com) and sneak away for some golf during the afternoon. Or head inland to the Quail Lodge Resort & Golf Club (www.quaillodge.com) in Carmel Valley and take off on your own to area wineries and tasting rooms. Bernardus, Galante and Morgan even have tasting rooms in the town of Carmel, in walking distance of each other and local galleries and restaurants. (www.carmelcalifornia.org) While wineries across the state of California use the delicious Monterey fruit to produce wine, there are some fantastic local tasting rooms a short drive from Monterey or Carmel. (www.montereywines.org)